:    9         

         2013 .         9          .    .
A.J. Nino Amato: Two wild cards that could throw the race to Donald Trump
Meeting Kansans at Carolyn's Essenhaus in Arlington

Sawyer believes ethanol is a key factor of growth for farmers and the state
Weve said this before and we will say it again. If this government is serious about improving education in this country, it should put its money where its mouth is. How?

Its simple really. Pay teachers what they are worth. You see, if education is the key to the future, as the government keeps saying, let them show it.

The same could be said about the health sector.

If the government is serious about everyone having access to quality health care, invest more money into the people who are most important. They include doctors, nurses and health specialists who can operate those wonderful machines weve got gathering dust at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital.

The truth is undeniable. When it comes to education, flash buildings dont produce bright students. Good quality teachers do. Which is where weve got a problem. The majority of teachers in this country are paid peanuts.

It not just ridiculous, it is unrealistic because all were ever going to get are students who fail themselves, their families and the community.

For a moment, take your mind away from the students who graduate with degrees and other qualifications from universities and educational institutions in Samoa and abroad.

Instead think about the hundreds who dont make it. Think about the young people who are falling through the cracks, the ones who end up unemployed and left with nothing to do but create social chaos as a result of idleness.

Isnt that one of the roots of our many problems today? You see, these problems are products of the system, a system created and is being implemented by the government.

Lets be reminded that one definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

It is time to revisit how these priorities and promises are being walked out. A good start will be to look at developing better teachers.

For this country sorely needs them. It is no secret that at the National University of Samoa, it can be argued that the brightest minds dont want to be teachers. As a matter of fact, most students in the Faculty of Education ended up there because they couldnt get into other programmes they would have preferred. Thats where our problems begin.

But you cant blame our brightest minds for looking elsewhere. Who wants to be a teacher when the salaries are so bad? Who cares about making a difference if your pay cant feed your multiple children?

One of the attractions about becoming a teacher is the idea that school finishes in the afternoon and teachers then have some time off, unlike all other 9am to 5pm jobs.

That has now been changed with colleges finishing at 4pm. What that means is that teachers are working like all others for the same hours  if not longer - and yet still get the same pay.

Whats worse is that when teachers go home, they are expected to prepare their lessons for the next day, taking up most of the night. This is unfair.

The question is, since this system of longer school days has been around for a couple of years now, has it improved anything? Has it contributed to the improvement in exam results or has it only created more problems? This is a valid question that must be addressed.

At the end of the day, this is a government that is forever talking about health and education as a priority.

Yet from what we are seeing today, that is a load of rubbish when it comes to teachers and core health workers

We have both Ministries that are so top-heavy the bulk of the money is tied up there when it should be used to improve the very essence of why these Ministries exist.

If teachers are that important, pay them just as well as the doctors. Give them incentives to stay and become better teachers.

Some people will ask but where can the government get the money? Why dont we start by getting rid of these money-wasting projects?

How is this country prospering from nearly $20million of taxpayers money that has been wasted on that Saitoa wharf thats become a rather ugly sight on a most beautiful part of the country? What about all those white elephants at Tuanaimato, Vaitele and Savaii?

Maybe someone should again remind this government about its priorities. They are supposed to be Health and Education.

The truth is that whereas doctors shortage has yet to be addressed, education is in a mess.

The sad reality is that the folks in charge of the system are trying to fix everything else but the one issue that should be addressed is being ignored.

Here it is once again; if we want bright students, attract brighter teachers. Pay them what theyre worth and make a real effort to keep them.

Do the same with health workers if we want a better health system. That is the only way to go. Otherwise, if we continue to pay peanuts, all were ever going to get are monkeys. And thats a future nobody wants.
Sometimes the gift of knowledge is greatest of them all. For the library at the National University of Samoa, a generous donation from overseas made this gift possible.

The University Library received almost 100 textbooks with an estimated value of A$10.000 from the University of Newcastle in Australia. The donation was preceded by a brief visit to the National University of Samoas Faculty of Business and Entrepreneurship last year by a group of ten undergraduate business students and their two lecturers from the Australian Universitys Faculty of Business and Law.

The trip funded by the Australian government marked the beginning of a close and collaborative relationship between the two educational institutions. The collection given to the library includes works about Accounting, Business management and law.

The library is a very important part of any institution of education, said Vice Chancellor, Professor Fui Asofou Soo.

We have a very good range of books here in the library, but theres also a lot of room for improvement. We need to double and even triple the volumes of books that we have in order to take our university to the next level compared to other universities.

Our visitors from Australia [] came and realized that we need assistance in terms of books for our university. They went away and put together these books.

But the University of Newcastle first had to find a solution for another problem to finally show its generosity to N.U.S.: the transportation of the books. They were looking for a way to get the books from Australia to Samoa. This was then made possible with the assistance of the Consulate General of Samoa based in Sydney.

According to the Universitys Vice Chancellor, the most important part of this donation is to make available the books [and] then encourage the students to come and read the books, whether they do or not is their very own issue. Most of them come and read the books, but some of them wont, which is a phenomenon that can be found throughout any generation of students, he said.

Even though Professor Fui stressed that nothing compares to the process of learning with books, this donation by the University of Newcastle in Australia should not be the only one of the day.

The National University of Samoa also welcomed a most noble contribution done by the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand that fits together perfectly with the previous book donation from Australia: 834 book shelfs, desks, tables and chairs found their way to Samoas University.

Every now and then, most universities [] change their book shelfs and other parts of their equipment and replace them with new furniture, said the Vice Chancellor.

Were really happy and thankful to now have those book shelfs and the furniture for our university from our friends in New Zealand.

Unfortunately, we dont have enough space in our two main libraries to accommodate those new book shelfs. But plans are already being made to enlarge our libraries so that we can also offer a broader range of books for our students with these new facilities from Wellington.
Prosecutors say a Baraboo man broke into the apartment of an intoxicated woman last month and raped her after having helped the womans friend get her home safe earlier that same evening.

The Sauk County District Attorneys Office has charged 32-year-old Juan L. Walker with second-degree sexual assault of an intoxicated victim, burglary and marijuana possession related to an incident that allegedly took place July 26 in the village of Lake Delton.

Authorities say a young woman told police she had drinks with friends before going out in Lake Delton that evening. Later, she said she became ill outside a Chinese restaurant, and blacked out.

The woman reported that the next thing she remembered, she was in her own bed with a man she later identified from a photo lineup as Walker, and he was attempting to have sex with her.

A friend of the woman told police that Walker offered to help them when he noticed the woman vomiting outside the restaurant. He gave them a ride home, and the witness said she put her ill friend to bed with her clothes on.

While she was tending to her friend, the witness said, Walker was walking around inside the apartment. When they left, the friend told police, she locked the front door.

The friend told police that Walker then drove her back to the restaurant, and she did not see him after that. But before they parted ways, the friend told police she saw Walker shake hands with a Lake Delton police officer who was in the parking lot.

That officer reported that the only person he shook hands with that night who matched the description of the person described by the witnesses was a man he knew from prior contacts as Walker. The alleged victim and her friend both later independently identified Walker from photo lineups, authorities say.

Police searched the parking lot of area bars for Walkers vehicle several days later, and located him walking around outside the same restaurant where the woman had become ill. When he was arrested, police say, Walker had several marijuana joints in his possession.

If convicted, Walker could face up to 40 years in prison and $100,000 in fines. He has been jailed on a $2,500 cash bond, and is due to appear in court Aug. 12.
China and the village of Sapapalii Savaii have begun a relationship that will transcend generations to come.

This follows a visit to the village by Chinas Ambassador to Samoa, Wang Xuefeng, where he presented Sapapalii Primary School with 30 Guangdong Huizhou Friendship scholarships.

This scholarship is funded by the peoples government of Huizhou city in Guangdong Province of China, said Mr. Wang.

This year altogether about 120,000 tala will be given to more than 1,000 students from low-income families in 20 primary schools and 10 colleges all over Samoa as well as 20 normal students from N.U.S.

Today, the 30 students in Sapapalii Primary School are the first group of recipients of this Friendship Scholarship. Although the amount for each student is not big, we are happy that more families in need are covered so that more students will be able to concentrate on their study.

I hope you will study hard and find a good job when you grow up so that you can do more for your family, your community and your society.

The Guangdong Huizhou Friendship Programme honours an M.O.U between Samoa and China signed on 11 November 2015.

The scholarship programme is for three years and is part of the Chinese governments ongoing assistance in improving education in Samoa.

The programmes purpose is to assist students with financial challenges to ensure that their financial constraints will not be an obstacle in gaining an education.

This fund will be distributed in terms of scholarship awards to support students and cover their school fees.

There are three levels that will be covered, which are the primary level, college level and tertiary level.

1105 students from 20 primary schools and 11 colleges, as well as 20 tertiary students from university will be assisted by this programme.

Sapapalii Primary School was built in 2013 and is one of the ten primary schools built by the Chinese government.

Ambassador Wang also donated science kits, reading books, volleyballs and netballs, teacher's teaching supplies and student stationery.

Over the past 40 years since 1978, China has achieved remarkable economic and social achievements which have caught world attention.

One important experience that we learn in the course of our development is that education must will given the highest priority.

Besides the great efforts that we have been making in education for ourselves, China is also helping other developing countries including Samoa in their social and economic development and education is definitely one of the priorities in Chinese foreign aid policy.in addition to building school for Samoa, we also help the capacity building in education sector.

For example, we send several Chinese language teachers and science teachers to Samoa to help improve the teaching in science and language in schools.we provide opportunities for principals and teachers from Samoan colleges and primary schools to go to China for training programs.

In June this year, Chinese Embassy sent 11 young students from N.U.S to go to China for a 10-day trip and they visited several big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. We have also set up several computer labs in some colleges for students to practice their computer skills. Generally speaking, this China Guangdong (Huizhou) Scholarship is part of the long-term aid in education from the Chinese government part of the scholarship is for the normal students at N.U.S in the hope that they will become the better future teachers in all schools to teach more children all over Samoa.
Deputies responding to a report of a suspicious person arrested a driver for drunken driving in the town of Vienna on Tuesday, the man's alleged ninth OWI offense.

Clarence Gage, 73, was taken into custody after refusing to perform field sobriety tests, the Dane County Sheriff's Office said.

Deputies were dispatched at about 6:10 p.m. Tuesday for the suspicious person report at a residence in the town of Vienna. Gage left the residence in his pickup truck and was stopped by authorities on Highway 113 near Ripp Lane.

Court records show Gage was sentenced to two years in prison in 2004 when he was convicted for an eighth drunken driving offense.
All of these photos and most of this post were done pre-Earl. With so much sand washed away during the storm, you can be sure that this quarry will be working overtimeand the huge dump trucks that give you a teeth-rattling HOOOOONK as they blow by you, will be a frequent sight around the caye. The clean-up is going full force around the cayeI will update this as soon as I can get up there.

About a week and a half ago, after trying to hitch a boat ride up to Camp Basil Jones, it was suggested to me that I just drive north. DRIVE 14 MILES NORTH!?!?!! Just a few years ago, one or two miles north of town was considered my far north. Even a few miles over the bridge was a full day event that needed much advance planning.

We now have a bridge (for those who havent been to San Pedro in about 11 years) AND A ROAD. Paved in 2015 as far north as 3 miles (or Belizean Shores Resort) and then hard packed and graded to almost 11 miles north  or just behind luxe El Secreto.

Once you get up there, you need to take a turn towards the beach. Heres what I saw on my drive just over a week ago. CAN YOU BELIEVE EARL WAS LESS THAN ONE WEEK AGO? I can hardlyI am again amazed at how quickly this community can rebound.

Once you hit about 7.5 miles north, there are some lots being cleared and a few homes being built. These are part of the lots that were allegedly given out during the last election.

There are a few turn-offs to the beach but it still stuns me how this massive road is being plowed through dense trees and brush when so few people live up here

Turn right to the beach.

The road passing Sapphire Beach  at about 10 miles north.

And thendriving down a broad road with very little around other then some turn-offs like this

You see the sign for El Norte Bar and Playa Del Sol Resort. If anyone knows how this CUTE spot fared during the storm, please let us know!

UPDATE FROM OWNER! The pier is down, the bar is GOOD! and the construction all hurricane proof. There is clean up to do but they are faring well 

You must turnthe road ends just ahead.

The owner, a Cypriot (I like using that word and I dont often get the chance), came running out to show us his place. This is the first of a few buildings to be built.

We continued on. The road, at this point, takes to the beach and it was beautiful.

Passing El Secreto along the beachlooking for stars

And just soaking in the view. The road was bumpy, to be sure

To the left, beautiful trees, shrubs and sunning wish willys.

To the rightsigh.

After 40 minutes, we reached Tranquility Bay (which will be re-opening this week) and Camp Basil Jones

We spent a few hours with the kids and having lunch at summer camp

And then bumped our way back home again.

Passing the dock at the old shrimp farm

The beach at the old Sueno Del Mar  the resort that was built, quite grandly about 8 years ago, opened with partial ownership agreements and then was taken by the bank. (For some of the details, you can see this letter to the editor in the local paper.)

And back to the main road. Heres a much more realistic shot of bumping along

A brand new dock at about mile 12 where something LARGE is being built. Not sure of its current state

Back through El Norte

And we took a right, heading south, at the quarry. The huge parcel of land that was carved out of the mangroves and is now being mined for fill.

Cleared mangroves and a series of very deep lakes that have been excavated.

I am not writing this to gloss over the damage from Hurricane Earl but to show how GORGEOUS this island isto stress that progress isprogressing quickly and how beautiful it still is. One storm is not going to hold us back. Also, if you have any information on any of the properties up northplease let us know.

As I said in my last post
Up until this morning, it was illegal to be a homosexual man in Belize. Today at 10am, the justice at the Belize Supreme court, after deliberating foryearsturned that around. Acceptance rather than rejection? Love rather than hate? Belize just got more beautiful for me today.

I asked my friend Colette Kase, who flew to Belize City this morning to be there for the historic and IN NO WAY guaranteed verdict to write something for me. And she did. Please dont wince at her British spelling habits.

And as my friend Ali just put it beautifully after the rain comes a rainbow. Hurray!



If youve never been to Belize, you probably wouldnt know, but until recently, very recently, Belize was one of approximately 76 countries that criminalised consenting sexual acts between homosexual men. Even if youve been to Belize, its likely that this fact wasnt even on your radar, but the truth is that many of the people who provided you with the amazing experience you had here were LGBT Belizeans and many were forced to hide their sexuality from their families, communities and even their employers.

Three years ago a very brave young Belizean gay man, Caleb Orozco and his highly respected Belizean lawyer (and Senator at the time), known for her work in human rights, took the Belizean government to court to change that. They were supported by a team of human rights organisations and lawyers, who are all committed to fighting for human rights internationally.

You see, Belize is a young country in terms of independence and because of that they are still ironing certain things out. The Constitution of Belize is a powerful document based on some of the most modern ideals, protecting the rights of people within Belize. But, there were also some rather antiquated laws that didnt jive with the concept of freedom, equality and dignity for all outlined in the Constitution. One of those laws was Section 53 of the Criminal Code.

This law, like so many other laws that originated during British colonialism around the world, meant that lgbt people in Belize were stigmatised, had no right to a private personal life, could be discriminated against and had difficulty accessing health and other services. It made life much more difficult for lgbt Belizeans and that simply wasnt a good thing. It also made lgbt tourists wary about visiting the country and while there has never been any evidence that lgbt tourists have ever been discriminated against (and I can speak for that personally), many chose not to visit in solidarity or simply because they were worried.

Today, in the Supreme Court, Caleb finally got his judgement, 3 years after the case commenced and its great news. LGBT Belizeans are now protected from discrimination. Yes, you heard me right. LGBT Belizeans now have equal protection under the Constitution of Belize. It also means that if you are an LGBT tourist, you have nothing to worry about now  not that you did before  but now, you know you are visiting a country that supports equal treatment of all of their citizens.

Of course, there is still some way to go, but we can be proud of the bravery of Caleb and the tenacity and skill of his lawyer Lisa for establishing a ground breaking precedent for the rest of the Caribbean, which will impact on the lives of so many in such a positive way.

As First Lady of Belize, the Special Envoy for Women and Children, Ms. Kim Simplis Barrow said on this historic day, Its a great day for Belize; its a great day for human rights; one step closer to dignity and the respect we all deserve.
Country

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
Frontier Airlines will offer non-stop service between Madison and Orlando, Florida, beginning Jan. 5.

This is the second direct-flight service offered by Frontier from Dane County Regional Airport. Frontier also offers non-stop service from Madison to Denver.

Frontiers continued commitment to south-central Wisconsin has a significant economic impact on the Dane County region, said Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. Having an airline that continues to provide non-stop flights to more destinations, helps to make Dane County a world-class destination.

Frontiers decision reverses a move to discontinue its direct service from Madison to Orlando two years ago.

Frontier is Dane County Regional Airports smallest carrier by market share. The airport also is served by American Eagle, United Airlines and Delta Airlines, which is the airports largest passenger carrier.

All Frontier flights from Madison to Orlando will operate on 180-seat Airbus 320 aircraft. Departures are scheduled for Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Dane County Regional Airport also offers non-stop flights to Atlanta; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago; Dallas/Ft. Worth; Denver; Detroit; Minneapolis; New York; Newark, New Jersey; Salt Lake City; and Washington, D.C.
A federal appeals court has stayed a judges order allowing people who said they could not obtain photo IDs to sign an affidavit and vote anyway  meaning that option may not be available to Wisconsinites seeking to vote in November.

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruling issued Wednesday morning was the latest in the ongoing legal battle over Wisconsins voter ID requirement.

The ruling blocked an order U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman issued last month that allowed anyone without a valid photo ID to sign an affidavit at their polling place in order to vote.

By signing such a document, a voter would have had to affirm they face a reasonable impediment to getting an ID.

Adelmans order did not apply in Tuesdays primary but was on course to take effect for the November general election.

A panel of three appeals court judges said Wednesday that their stay, which bars Adelmans order from taking effect pending an appeal, was based on the fact that it is likely to be reversed on appeal and that disruption of the states electoral system in the interim will cause irreparable injury.

The judges said the appeals court previously found that eligible voters who lack IDs and could not obtain them with reasonable effort are entitled to an accommodation that will permit him or her to cast a ballot.

But instead of attempting to identify these voters, or to identify the kinds of situations in which the states procedures fall short, the district court issued an injunction that permits any registered voter to declare by affidavit that reasonable effort would not produce a photo IDeven if the voter has never tried to secure one, the appeals court judges wrote.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which is among the plaintiffs challenging the voter ID law, said in a statement that the decision guarantees the disenfranchisement of vulnerable Wisconsin citizens in November.

We are evaluating our options to ensure that our clients and many others are not denied their voting rights, said Dale Ho, director of the ACLUs Voting Rights Project.

Walker, Schimel

praise court ruling

A spokesman for the state elections commission, Reid Magney, said the decision means that no affidavit option is in effect for future elections.

We are monitoring the case closely and consulting with our attorneys at the Wisconsin Department of Justice, and we will be communicating with Wisconsin clerks about the decision, Magney said.

A variety of IDs, including drivers licenses, U.S. passports, and military, Veterans Affairs and tribal IDs, satisfy the voter ID requirement.

Student IDs also may work, but with caveats: they must be accompanied by a separate document, such as a tuition statement, that proves the voters current enrollment at the applicable college or university.

Also, the student ID must expire no later than two years after it was issued.

For voters without a qualifying ID, the state has a process to issue them a free one.

But a smaller share of voters have been unable to obtain them because they also lack the underlying documents, such as birth certificates, that the state requires to issue an ID.

Gov. Scott Walker, who signed the voter ID law in 2011, praised the appeals court decision in a statement, saying it recognized Adelmans order would create more uncertainty for voters.

Attorney General Brad Schimel, who has defended the voter ID law, said in a statement that he is pleased with the decision.

I will continue to represent the state of Wisconsin and defend the rule of law until the case is resolved, said Schimel.

The ACLU case is one of two currently underway to challenge Wisconsins voter ID requirement, which is among the strictest of any state.

A narrower voter ID ruling in the other case, brought by the liberal One Wisconsin Institute, remains in place for now.

The state also is appealing it and asking the appeals court to place it on hold as it has Adelmans ruling.

In late July, U.S. District Judge James Peterson ordered the state to quickly issue voting credentials to anyone who lacks the documents to obtain a voter ID and who has been unable to obtain one from the state.

Many people unable

to obtain voter IDs

Peterson found the states process for getting free IDs to people who lack such documents to be unconstitutional and a wretched failure because it has left a number of citizens  overwhelmingly black and Hispanic  unable to obtain IDs.

The One Wisconsin Institute case is broader in scope, as it challenged not just the voter ID requirement but also other election laws passed by Walker and Republican legislators since 2011. In his July ruling, Peterson struck down laws that limited early voting to weekdays between certain hours at one location per municipality, upped residency requirements from 10 to 28 days and prohibited the use of expired student IDs for purposes of proving ones identity.

 State Journal reporter Molly Beck contributed to this report.
Emerging Market's ICT Spends in Education Sector - Future Perspective to 2019 - New Report Available

Fast Market Research announces the availability of the new Kable Market Intelligence report, "Emerging Market's ICT Spends in Education Sector - Future Perspective to 2019", on their comprehensive research portal
Providence, RI -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/10/2016 -- Award-winning filmmaker, Soren Sorensen, is seeking community support for the release of his latest documentary, "Omar Sosa's 88 Well-Tuned Drums." The film chronicles the life and music of Grammy nominated pianist and composer Omar Sosa. A campaign was launched to raise $19,000 by August 31, 2016, to complete the project. Funds received will be used for graphic design, festival submissions, legal fees, errors and omissions, insurance, marketing, and publicity.



"Omar Sosa's 88 Well-Tuned Drums" takes the audience through the origins of Sosa's life. The film traces Sosa's origins from his birth in Camaguey, Cuba's third-largest city, conservatory education in Havana, and relocation to Ecuador where he briefly wrote and arranged commercial jingles. Sosa's story continues with a fateful mid-90s move to the U.S., a stint as a sought-after sideman in the Bay Area's Latin jazz scene, and partnership with manager Scott Price that continues to this day.



Since 1997, he has released almost 30 albums, received four Grammy nominations, and three Latin Grammy nominations. Annually, he performs over 80 concerts across six continents.



Sosa's otherworldly talent as a musician and bandleader is what captivated Sorensen. In 2013, the filmmaker was granted unprecedented access to the composer and his bandmates for interviews, rehearsals, and performances.



To learn more about this documentary, visit the Kickstarter campaign. Click here to make a contribution. Backers can choose from a number of attractive rewards. Perks will be delivered by November 2016.



About Soren Sorensen

Sorensen specializes in producing nonfiction films, television, and web content with an emphasis on advocacy for nonprofit organizations. He has worked with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Families First RI, Montessori Community School of Rhode Island, and The Picture of Children's Health. His filmography includes "Behind the Ribbon," "Harvesting Rhode Island," and "My Father's Vietnam"  the film won the Soldiers and Sacrifice Grand Prize at the 2015 Rhode Island International Film Festival and won Best Picture Documentary at the 2016 Flagler Film Festival in Palm Coast, Florida.



Contact: Soren Sorensen

email: omarsosafilm@gmail.com

Website: http://kck.st/2aLNvW9
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/10/2016 -- The industrial tapes market has experienced robust growth in the past few years with the global growth of the tapes and adhesives industry. Increasing demand for high strength, solvent-resistant tapes are gaining popularity in industrial applications. These tapes comprise a face stock which is coated on one side with an active adhesive. The face stock material forms the backing of the tape. Several types of backings are currently popular in the industry. Some of them include paper, polypropylene, vinyl, polyethylene, polyester, polytetrafluoroethylene, metal foil, and glass foil. Paper tapes are the most economical choice for industrial tapes; however, due to poor moisture and tear resistance, they are usually employed in paper and corrugated packaging industry. Polypropylene industrial tapes are usually used as substitute for paper tapes.



Polypropylene tapes are tear resistant and offer good performance at low temperatures. Polytetrafluoroethylene tapes are relatively high priced; they however exhibit excellent anti-stick properties and have excellent moisture-resistance property as well.



Get FREE PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical insights : http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=13607



Industrial tapes, commercially available in the market are primarily of two types- single coated and double coated. Single coated industrial tapes can have different adhesives such as acrylic, rubber, or silicone. These types of industrial tapes are usually used for electrical, masking, carton sealing, and medical applications. On the contrary, double coated tapes consist of pressure-sensitive adhesive on both sides of a carrier. These tapes tend to be thicker due to the added layer. Double coated tapes are usually the preferred choice when two distinct adhesives are needed in order to join dissimilar surfaces. Thus, these are often referred to as differential tapes.



Industrial tapes are predominantly used in various end-user industries such as packaging, footwear, construction, furniture, automotive, and others. The end-user industry utilizes several types of industrial tapes as per the requirement of the application. For instance, double coated polypropylene tapes are widely used in automotive, aerospace, and carpet installation due to their flame retardant property. Industrial tapes are used for masking, lamination, protection, jointing, insulation (cold & electrical), holding or mounting during the manufacturing of automobiles & their accessories. Similarly, these tapes are used for bonding of white goods appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners, televisions, washing machines, printers, microwave ovens etc. Industrial tapes for packaging industry are made up of paper, cloth & foams, and polyethylene and are used for carton sealing, bonding, jointing, and sealing application.



The demand for industrial tapes is significantly expanding in the fields of flooring for commercial and housing applications. Steady growth rate of construction of residential buildings, especially in emerging economies such as China, India, Brazil, South Africa, and Russia (BRICS), is driving the industrial tapes market. Moreover, robust growth in the packaging and converting industry will increase demand for industrial tapes. However, enactment of several environmental regulations regarding VOC emission from solvents used in industrial tapes is the prime restraining factor for the market. Innovation in the market related to improvement in aesthetics and application time is expected to create immense opportunity in the market.



Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest growing region in the industrial tapes market in the coming years. Increasing urbanization and formation of smart cities is boosting the demand for industrial tapes in the region. The Middle East and Africa (MEA) is estimated to exhibit significant growth during the forecast period due to easing government processes for residential mortgaging, especially in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Latin America is projected to witness moderate growth during the forecast period. Brazil and Argentina are likely to drive the industrial tapes market in Latin America due to significant public investments in commercial, infrastructural, and industrial construction. Europe held a significant share of the global industrial tapes market in 2015. Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, and Turkey have been identified as high growth markets for industrial tapes for construction end-user industry. The industrial tapes market in North America for construction end-user industry is likely to expand at a below average growth rate due to maturity of the construction industry.



Browse The Full Research Report At : http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/industrial-tapes-market.html



Some key players in the industrial tapes market include 3M, Scapa, Avery Dennison Corporation, H.B. Fuller, Ashland Inc., Sika AG, Henkel AG & Co. KHaA, Saint Gobain SA, The Eastman Chemical Company, Tape Products Company, and Tesa Tape, inc.



The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth insights, understanding market evolution by tracking historical developments, and analyzing the present scenario and future projections based on optimistic and likely scenarios. Each research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology developments, types, applications, and the competitive landscape.



The study is a source of reliable data on:

-Key market segments and sub-segments

-Evolving market trends and dynamics

-Changing supply and demand scenarios

-Quantifying market opportunities through market sizing and market forecasting

-Tracking current trends/opportunities/challenges

-Competitive insights

-Opportunity mapping in terms of technological breakthroughs



About Transparency Market Research

Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.



Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.
Boston, MA -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/10/2016 -- Vietnam, situated in the core area of south-east Asia, achieved significant growth in recent 20 years. Its GDP was about USD 204 billion with that of USD 2,228 per capita in 2015. Trained workers accounted for 51.6% up to 2015. At the end of 2015, Vietnam signed the Vietnam-EU FTA and TPP, and ASEAN was established at the same time. Vietnam establishes free trade relationship with 55 countries and partners, of which 15 are members of G20. Furthermore, 59 countries admit that Vietnam has its fully market economic status.



According to CRI's investigation, the major considerations that garment manufacturing enterprises should take when choosing locations include workers, raw materials, tariffs, supply chains, religions and political unrests. Vietnam has mature workers in efficiency and skills besides China, and it is one of the biggest beneficiaries of TPP. Textiles manufactured in Vietnam will be exported to the U.S.A. and other important markets in the world such as Japan being exempted from Customs tariffs after TPP officially goes into effect among all members. This will increase the demand for processing products and create numerous jobs in Vietnam.



Industries benefited most are garments, foot-wears and textiles, which accounted for about 25% in Vietnam's total export value in 2015. Furthermore, Vietnam and other TPP members shall abide by the rules of origins in garment products. Namely, the raw materials such as cotton yarns shall be originated from domestic market or other member countries, which will benefit the upstream material suppliers of Vietnam garment products. Textile manufacturers will further expand their production in Vietnam and transfer their textile industry as the countermeasures of rising costs of workers and energy in their Chinese bases.



To summarize, Vietnam has a priority if manufacturers in China choose to transfer their bases.



According to CRI, Vietnam has about 6,000 textile and garment manufacturing enterprises with over two million employees and providing job opportunities for over one million workers in relevant industries.



Under the context of global gloomy economy in 2015, the export value of textiles and garments in Vietnam increased by 9.43% YOY being USD 27.2 billion, of which export towards the U.S.A. increased by 11.5% being USD 10.9 billion. The U.S.A. is the biggest export market of Vietnam textiles and garments with a proportion of 40.3% in the total export value. The second goes to Europe with that of 12.5%, Japan with that of 10.2% and South Korea with that of 7.8%.



However, according to CRI, about 50%-60% of the garment raw materials of Vietnam depend on import and are mainly imported from China, South Korea and Taiwan, of which over half are from China. For example, only 2%-3% of cotton demanded in Vietnam textile industry is from domestic market, and the output volume of cotton is unstable. Vietnam also lacks local garment design talents and famous garment brands, which have significant development potentials.



In 2016, the minimum wage of garment manufacturing industry in Vietnam is about USD 108 (2.4 million Vietnamese dong) per month. It is relatively low in the world though increases compared to 2015. Considering that the quality of human resources in Vietnam are universally higher than most countries in south-east Asia, the productivity is relatively higher. With regards to manufacturing enterprises of garment raw materials, product enterprises and brand enterprises, Vietnam is a rather good investment destination.



Get More Details on this Report and a Full Table of Contents at Vietnam Garment Manufacturing Industry Overview, 2011-2020



Through this report, the readers can acquire the following information:



-Definition and Classification of Garment

-Research Methods, Parameters and Assumptions

-Competition in Vietnam Garment Industry

-Analysis on Leading Enterprises of Vietnam Garment Industry

-Analysis on Vietnam Garment Market

-Analysis on Import & Export of Textile and Garment in Vietnam

-Development Opportunities and Driving Forces Faced by Vietnam Garment Industry

-Risks and Challenges in the Development of Vietnam Garment Industry

-Analysis on Prices of Raw Materials and Products of Vietnam Garment



About Fast Market Research

Fast Market Research is a leading distributor of market research and business information. Representing the world's top research publishers and analysts, we provide quick and easy access to the best competitive intelligence available. Our unbiased, expert staff is always available to help you find the right research to fit your requirements and your budget. For more information about these or related research reports, please visit our website at http://www.fastmr.com or call us at 1.800.844.8156.



Browse all Consumer Goods research reports at Fast Market Research



You may also be interested in these related reports:

-Cambodia Garment Manufacturing Industry Overview, 2011-2020

-China Health Food Manufacturing Industry Overview, 2011-2020

-Apparel & Non-Apparel Manufacturing: Global Industry Almanac

-Manufacturing Analytics Market - Global Forecast to 2021

-Manufacturing Execution System Market - Global Forecast to 2020
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/10/2016 -- The report, titled "Life Insurance Market Southeast Asia 2016-2020," examines the existing market scenario of the market in the region and forecasts the market's growth rate and market size by 2020.



According to the report, the South East Asia market for life insurance will rise at a CAGR of 8% between 2016 and 2020. The study is titled "Life Insurance Market in South East Asia 2016-2020. It offers a complete overview of the current trends, future growth prospects, and the performance of the South East Asia life insurance market in the past years.



View Press Release at http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/pressrelease/2094



Growth of the life insurance market in South East Asia is expected to be supported by the advent of new distribution channels. Many life insurance sellers are coming up with innovative marketing strategies in order to attract more customers. Many customer-friendly packages are being clubbed together and integrated workplace marketing tools- machine for a customer friendly approach are being implemented in this process.



The report highlights that the financial crisis of 2007 shattered many economies worldwide and triggered a negative shift in consumer demand for life insurance. Moreover, it also reduced the industry's market penetration. Due to this the companies in this sector started opting for new approaches to make up to the set back the crisis caused them.



For Sample Copy, click here: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/741701



Currently promising new underwriting capabilities taken up by companies will remove the need for the time-consuming processes in this sector, for example the need for the policy holders to go through a medical checkup. In this process, Singapore took the lead with a market share of 48% in the year 2015 by providing customers with integrated life insurance plans as customers seek more exposure and extra benefits. Meanwhile, due to this breakthrough in the life insurance market in South East Asia, the customers will have new experiences in the process of buying life insurance products.



The report states that the compilation of life insurance companies to provide customers with a complete package will inspire many working policy holders to save for their retirement and gain tax benefits. The report analyses the market's position in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand. The report uses the gross life premium value to calculate the market size in these regions. Other regions covered in the report are Brunei, Laos, Burma, Cambodia, and Timor-Leste.



The key vendors in the market are The Manufacturers Life Insurance (Manulife), AIA, Great Eastern Life, Prudential Financial, Aviva, NTUC Income, AXA, , HSBC, and Tokyo Marine. The recent developments in the market by the core companies has also been mentioned in the report.



To order report Call Toll Free: 866-997-4948 or send an email on sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/10/2016 -- North America soups market has experienced unique trends across different countries such as the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Soups in the U.S. and Canada are perceived as a conventional and traditional food product. Traditionally soups are consumed heavily during winters in these countries. However, leading brands have introduced new flavors and types to attract consumers. For example, companies have launched chilled soups which are people's favorite during summer season.



This market has segmented by types of soups produced and consumed into five types such as canned, chilled, dried, frozen and UHT soups. It also provides an insight into value (USD million) and volume (kg-million) of soups consumption in North America market. The study highlights current market trends and provides forecast from 2014 to 2020. In addition, current and future trends are also covered in this report.



Complete Report with TOC @ http://www.mrrse.com/north-america-soups-market



By country, the market has been segmented into the U.S., Canada and Mexico. This report also covers country wise preferences for different soups. Countries of North America such as the U.S., Canada and Mexico would see a stable growth in volume and value of soups over the forecast period. Traditionally, soups are one of the major items in the day to day meals in the countries of North America. The major factor contributing to the growth of soups market in North America region is the increasingly busy life style of people in the countries like U.S. and Canada, where people opts for ready to go meals. The canned soups market in North America is expected to see decline over the coming years. People here find canned soups as an old food item and opt for new food items.



However, the leading soups companies have launched new premium soups items to attract more customers, especially the younger generation. The dried soups market is expected to witness steady growth over the coming years. This is due to the reason that it can be made ready to consume by only adding water and heat. People can buy it or can carry it to their work places and can consume it whenever required. The trend shows that the overall demand for dried soups and chilled soups would increase over the forecast period and the demand for canned soups would decrease in the coming years.



In North America, the U.S. has the largest market size in case of value and volume terms followed by Mexico and Canada. The chilled soups market is expected to have a steady growth over the forecast period in the countries like the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The trend shows that the chilled soups market is the fastest growing market in the North America.



In the U.S., the demand for soups is becoming heavily influenced by addition of premium flavors by different soup companies. One of the leading soups companies Campbell's have introduced new brands having different premium tastes including Campbell's Go Soup to reach out to younger customers. In Canada soups market is having difficulty to find growth especially in canned soups segment. However, introduction of new flavors by top soup companies would see a change in demand in the coming years. Another factor driving the soups market in Canada is the increasing demand for chilled food items. As a result chilled soups market in Canada is expected to have decent growth over the forecast period in the coming years. In Mexico, the chilled soups market is expected to grow at a decent rate over the forecast period because of the hot weather. Dried soups market is also estimated to have a decent growth in Mexico as it is easy to consume.



Request a Free Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.mrrse.com/sample/749



Soups are sold through a variety of channels. Major distribution channels such as, supermarkets, hypermarkets, convenience stores, food and drinks specialists are among the most preferred destinations/channels for the sale of soups. Supermarkets and hypermarkets have become popular channels for purchase of goods due to the availability of a huge range of products under one roof. Supermarkets and hypermarkets are likely to dominate the distribution channel by 2020.



About MRRSE

MRRSE stands for Market Research Reports Search Engine, the largest online catalog of latest market research reports based on industries, companies, and countries. MRRSE sources thousands of industry reports, market statistics, and company profiles from trusted entities and makes them available at a click. Besides well-known private publishers, the reports featured on MRRSE typically come from national statistics agencies, investment agencies, leading media houses, trade unions, governments, and embassies.
ESOs VLT Survey Telescope at Paranal Observatory, Chile, has captured a new image of the star cluster Messier 18, also known as NGC 6613 and M18.

Messier 18 is an open star cluster located in the constellation Sagittarius.

It spans about 18 light-years across and is at a distance of 4,230 light-years from Earth.

It was discovered in 1764 by the French astronomer Charles Messier during his search for comet-like objects.

There are over 1,000 known open clusters within our Milky Way Galaxy, with a wide range of properties, such as size and age, that provide astronomers with clues to how stars form, evolve and die.

The main appeal of these clusters is that all of their stars are born together out of the same material.

In Messier 18 the blue and white colors of the stellar population indicate that the clusters stars are very young, probably around 30 million years old.

Being siblings means that any differences between the stars will only be due to their masses, and not their distance from Earth or the composition of the material they formed from. This makes clusters very useful in refining theories of star formation and evolution.

Scientists now know that most stars do form in groups, forged from the same cloud of gas that collapsed in on itself due to the attractive force of gravity.

The cloud of leftover gas and dust that envelops the new stars is often blown away by their strong stellar winds, weakening the gravitational shackles that bind them.

Over time, loosely bound stellar siblings like those pictured here will often go their separate ways as interactions with other neighboring stars or massive gas clouds nudge, or pull, the stars apart.

Our Sun was most likely once part of a cluster very much like Messier 18 until its companions were gradually distributed across the Milky Way.

The dark lanes that snake through this image are murky filaments of cosmic dust, blocking out the light from distant stars.

The contrasting faint reddish clouds that seem to weave between the stars are composed of ionized hydrogen gas.

The gas glows because young, extremely hot stars like these are emitting intense UV light which strips the surrounding gas of its electrons and causes it to emit the faint glow seen in this image.
An international team of researchers from Singapore and the United Kingdom has identified an enzyme that regulates the production of sperm and egg cells in human reproduction. The discovery improves our understanding of a process which can often go wrong, resulting in miscarriage or infants born with chromosomal irregularities.

The research team, headed by Dr. Prakash Arumugam of the National University of Singapore and Bioinformatics Institute, looked at a process known as meiosis, which unlike normal cell division (mitosis) has two rounds of nuclear division, to ensure that when sex cells fuse with each other, they have two copies of each chromosome  one from each parent.

Meiosis is a specialized form of cell division in sexually reproducing organisms by which haploid daughter cells are produced from diploid germ cells. This is different from mitotic cycle in which daughter cells produced have the same DNA content as their parental cells, the authors explained.

Understanding how meiosis is regulated is of great importance to understanding the causes of aneuploidy and genetic disorders in humans, they said.

When the cells have too many or too few (aneuploidy), babies are born with Down syndrome (three copies of chromosome 21); Patau syndrome (three copies of chromosome 13) and other conditions.

Aneuploidy is also a leading cause of miscarriage, and with an estimated 1 in 7 pregnancies resulting in miscarriage.

In order to identify the genetic switch that regulates segregation and mis-segration, Dr. Arumugam and his colleagues  Dr. Jin Huei Wong of Bioinformatics Institute and Dr. Gary Kerr of the University of Salford  investigated PP2ACdc55, an enzyme involved in diverse cellular processes.

Using fluorescent tagging, they tracked the enzymes presence on yeast models  which offer a number of commonalities in the processes of meiosis in humans.

Prior studies by the team showed that PP2ACdc55 played an essential role in controlling the timing of metaphase to anaphase during meiosis, in other words preventing cells from prematurely exiting meiosis.

By creating random mutations in the Cdc55 gene, the scientists analyzed the resulting 987 mutant yeast strains, characterized the mutations and worked to identify the role of the gene by looking at the effect of the mutations on the resulting colonies.

The resulting data suggests that PP2ACdc55 plays a pivotal role in chromosome segregation, although we are still a way from knowing how the processes go wrong.

The teams findings were published July 26, 2016 in the journal Scientific Reports.

_____

Gary W. Kerr et al. 2016. PP2ACdc55s role in reductional chromosome segregation during achiasmate meiosis in budding yeast is independent of its FEAR function. Scientific Reports 6, article number: 30397; doi: 10.1038/srep30397
Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne easily won re-election to the office Tuesday night after a sometimes-testy campaign against Robert Jambois, an experienced prosecutor in his office.

"I think the people came out with a strong statement about the direction they want the community to go in," said Ozanne, speaking from a gathering of supporters at The Edgewater hotel in Madison. "I'm very pleased."

Reached by the State Journal, Jambois said from a gathering of supporters in Sun Prairie that he was about to call Ozanne and congratulate him on his win.

"I didn't know for certain what the outcome was going to be," Jambois said, adding that he was surprised by the margin, which by 9:30 p.m. had him behind Ozanne by about a 70-30 percent margin. "But the voters have spoken."

With nobody else on the ballot for the Nov. 8 general election, Ozanne will be re-elected for another four years.

Jambois, 64, accused Ozanne, 45, of mismanagement of his office. Jambois has been an assistant district attorney under Ozanne for nearly 15 months. He was the district attorney in Kenosha County for nearly 17 years before coming to Madison to be the state Department of Transportations lead attorney for just over five years.

Ozanne was an assistant district attorney in Dane County for about 10 years before he left for a job with the state Department of Corrections, later becoming its deputy secretary. He was appointed to the DAs job in 2010, and was elected unopposed in 2012. Ozanne later ran unsuccessfully for state attorney general, so this is his first win in a contested election.

Jambois charged during the campaign that Ozannes management has left prosecutors in the office dispirited, and he accused Ozanne of doing little work that benefits the office. He criticized Ozanne for not personally carrying a caseload and trying cases in court.

Ozanne, who is the first African-American district attorney in Wisconsin, charged that Jambois criticisms were thinly-veiled racial attacks. Jambois said he found it offensive that Ozanne interpreted his criticisms that way.

Ozanne said that without a caseload, he is involved in initiatives to enhance public safety, prevent crime and attack racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Ozanne said his office, like many prosecutors offices around the state, also has been hamstrung by the state Legislatures lack of funding for pay increases for prosecutors and its failure to authorize hiring more.

Ozanne said Tuesday night that he plans to continue the work he started, and in particular would like to see the Community Restorative Court now in operation in Madison become a countywide program. He is also looking to expand a child abuse prevention initiative, and said he is excited to bring together law enforcement and mental health officials to address issues in common.

Jambois also charged that prosecutors left the DAs office because of Ozannes management. Ozanne countered that many of those departures were for better-paying jobs or retirements.
A team of scientists at the University of Maryland has discovered a beautiful, swirling flame phenomenon, the blue whirl, which evolves from a fire whirl (fire tornado) and burns with nearly soot-free combustion. The discovery could lead to beneficial new approaches for reducing carbon emissions and improving oil spill cleanup.

Blue whirls evolve from traditional yellow fire whirls, said co-author Prof. Elaine Oran, from the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Maryland.

The yellow color is due to radiating soot particles, which form when there is not enough oxygen to burn the fuel completely.

A blue whirl is smaller, very stable, and burns completely blue as a hydrocarbon flame, indicating soot-free burning.

The combination of fast mixing, intense swirl, and the watersurface boundary creates the conditions leading to nearly soot-free combustion.

Prof. Oran and colleagues set out to investigate the combustion and burning dynamics of fire whirls on water.

What the scientists discovered was a novel, blue flame that they say could help meet the growing worldwide demand for high-efficiency, low-emission combustion.

A fire tornado has long been seen as this incredibly scary, destructive thing, said co-author Dr. Michael Gollner, from the Department of Fire Protection Engineering at the University of Maryland.

But, like electricity, can you harness it for good? If we can understand it, then maybe we can control and use it.

Some oil spill remediation techniques include corralling up the crude oil to create a thick layer on the water surface that can be burned in place, but the resulting combustion is smoky and incomplete.

However, blue whirls could improve remediation-by-combustion approaches by burning the oil layer with increased efficiency, reducing harmful emissions into the atmosphere around it and the ocean beneath it.

In our experiments over water, weve seen how the circulation fire whirls generate also helps to pull in fuels, Dr. Gollner said.

If we can achieve a state akin to the blue whirl at larger scale, we can further reduce airborne emissions for a much cleaner means of spill cleanup.

A fire whirl is usually turbulent, but this blue whirl is very quiet and stable without visible or audible signs of turbulence, said lead author Dr. Huahua Xiao, from the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Maryland.

Its really a very exciting discovery that offers important possibilities both within and outside of the research lab.

The teams results appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

_____

Huahua Xiao et al. From fire whirls to blue whirls and combustion with reduced pollution. PNAS, published online August 4, 2016; doi: 10.1073/pnas.1605860113
Air pollution is one of the common contributing factors in the development of disease, especially in the respiratory tract. But, a new study has found that air pollution can be one of the contributing causes in the shortened life-span of patients with lung cancer.

Immortalnews.org reported that a new research has revealed that not only do airborne toxins have a number of negative health impacts on one's health, researchers also found that people diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer are at risk of premature deaths. This is said to be especially true to those with adenocarcinoma which is the most common type of non-small cell lung cancer. According to Medscape, it comprises 80 percent of all lung cancer cases.

The research, led by Sandrag Eckel with the Department of Preventive Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles studied data of over 352,000 people in California diagnosed with lung cancer between 1988 and 2009, whose details had been entered into the US California Cancer Registry. Their average age when they were diagnosed was 69.

The participants' average exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), particulate matter of less than 10 um, and less than 2.5 um, in diameter (PM10 and PM2.5 ) was calculated using data taken from the US Environmental Protection Agency air quality monitoring stations, mapped according to area of residence. According to Times of India, it showed that half of the study participants lived more than 1,500 meters away a major interstate motorway, less than 10 percent are living within a 300 meter radius of one. Then, the participants' risk of death from any cause was estimated, according to disease stage and tumor cell type.

After considering all of these factors and those who can potentially exacerbate their condition, the result of the calculation showed that early stage patients with higher exposure to pollutants survived an average of 2 to 4 years compared to 5 to 7 years for those with low exposure, However, the magnitude of heightened risk was greatest for patients with early stage disease, among whom average survival was 2.4 years for those with high PM2.5 exposure (at least 16 ug/m3) and 5.7 years for those with low exposure (less than 10 ug/m3), for example.

Overall, patients with early stage disease had a 30 percent greater risk of death of any cause from NO2; 26 percent greater for PM10; and 38 percent greater for PM2.5. Meanwhile, newsmax.com also reported that since this was an observational study, there aren't really concrete conclusions that can be drawn about cause and effect, the researchers said. However, they noted that the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies air pollution as a cancer-causing agent.

"This study, along with two other previously published analyses on the impact of air pollution on cancer survival, provide compelling initial evidence that air pollution may be a potential target for future prevention and intervention studies to increase cancer survival," Dr. Jaime Hart wrote in an accompanying journal editorial.
The IceCube Neutrino Observatory had failed to find the hypothetical sterile neutrino, which was supposed to be the fourth type next to three types of neutrino namely the muon, electron and tau. In the past few decades, there was a hint that the particle existed. On the other hand, in the current study, no evidence was found of the existence of the said particle. This finding is very significant in the world of physics.

The study was printed in the Physical Review Letters. The study was investigated by Francis Halzen, Professor of Physics at University of Wisconsin-Madison and the principal investigator for the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and many other colleagues.

Neutrinos are also referred to as ghostly particles. They are tiny and almost massless particles that travel at near light speeds. They are difficult to find. They are born from violent astrophysical events such as exploding stars and gamma ray burst. Neutrinos are one of the universe's essential ingredients. They also help scientists to comprehend the most fundamental questions in physics, according to PBS.

John Conway, a professor of physics at the University of California, Davis explained that neutrinos are really pretty strange particles when you get down to it. He further explained that they are almost nothing at all because they have almost no mass and no electric charge.

In the new study, there was no evidence found that the sterile neutrino existed. Halzen said that that in two independent analyses of data from the huge Antarctic detector---each comprises of a year's worth of data or about 100,000 neutrino events---the striking feature related with the sterile neutrino was nowhere to be found, according to IceCube.

In case, there is a discovery of the fourth kind of neutrino, it would help in explaining some puzzles of the existence of more than three types of neutrinos. It would also help in resolving the mystery of the origin of dark matter and antimatter/matter asymmetry in the Universe. Another thing, Halzen said that failure to detect the said neutrino means physics stays in the dark about the origin of the minute neutrino mass, or why they have mass in the first place.

Meanwhile, Olga Botner, a professor of physics and astronomy at Uppsala University in Sweden stated that this new result highlights the resourcefulness of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. He further stated that it is not only an instrument for exploration of the violent universe yet allows detailed studies of the properties of the neutrinos themselves.
German scientists discovered an antibiotic that is produced by a type of staph bacteria, which can be found in about 10 percent of human noses. This antibiotic could fight against superbugs and kill dangerous skin infections.

The study was published in Nature. It involved 90 participants wherein the scientists analyzed the nasal bacteria in them. This revealed a strain of bacterium called Staphylococcus lugdunensis. The scientists discovered that the bacterium generated antibiotic compound. They succeeded in synthesizing it in the laboratory.

The researchers named it lugdunin, which can prevent S.aureus from growing. They modeled it in mice. They applied it to the skin of the mice with S.aureus. They found that it reduced or removed the infection. According to scientists, it was also effective against antibiotic-resistant strains like MRSA.

Andreas Peschel, a professor at the University of Tubingen in Germany explained that the human body could be a source of many new antibiotics. The university has filed for a patent on the new antibiotic, according to USA Today. Peschel added that they have found a new concept of finding antibiotics. They have preliminary evidence at least in the nose that there is a rich source of many others. She is certain that they will find new drugs there.

Jack Gilbert, a microbial ecologist at the University of Chicago in Illinois said that this is extremely exciting as it delivers evidence that a microbial war is ongoing in the human body. He further said that the study shows that certain organisms can be leveraged to produce novel drugs that could add to the human arsenal of weapons against drug-resistant (microbes), as noted by Science Mag.

Meanwhile, Kjersti Aagaard, an associate professor at Baylor College of medicine in Houston said that the antibiotic discovery is a wonderful observation that speaks to the power of innovation and sound scientific insights. He further said that when they regard the human body, as well as the world around, as an elegant ecosystem, there will be endless wonders to be found at our fingertips or the tip of the human nose.
A supernova iron, the iron-60, was suggested to be found in sediment cores taken from the Pacific Ocean floor according to a team of researchers from Germany and Austria. The team describes the analysis of the core samples and explains the evidence they hold of an ancient supernova in a paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Iron-60 is extremely rare on this planet according to the researchers. It has a half-life of just over two and a half million years. This means that any iron-60 present just before the Earth was formed would have disappeared a long time ago.

Since there is no known natural means to produce the iron-60, the logical origin of this type of iron today would be the arrival from space, Phys. Org reported. Previous research has shown that micrometeorites and materials sent millions of miles across space due to a supernova may possibly be the sources of the iron.

The study started when one of the team members discovered an information about magnetotactic bacteria that lives in ocean sediments. This type of bacteria absorbs iron and as sediments build, the bacteria die and leave bits of iron behind the layers of the sediments. Since these sediment layers may have been built millions of years ago, it is possible that they contain a type of iron from space millions of years ago including the iron-60, Physics World reported.

The team of researchers obtained core samples taken from the Pacific Ocean and searched its content of iron-60. Among the more common iron-56 and other materials, the researchers used an accelerator mass that is capable of isolating single atoms. The team found the concentration levels of iron-60 from single atoms broken to small clusters of atoms. Findings show that the greatest concentrations were from a time approximately 2.2 million years ago, which coincides with a massive marine die-off.

The researchers hypothesize that the iron-60 is more likely from a supernova rather than micrometeorites. It is because micrometeorites tend to harbor iron in magnetite or silicate not from hydroxides, where magnetotactic bacteria absorb iron from.
The researchers have found something weird and unusual on the mysterious star KIC 8462852, which is known as Tabby's Star. It has become even stranger according to the new analysis from the Kepler Space Telescope. The astronomers cannot explain the dimming of the mysterious star.

Ben Montet of the California Institute of Technology, an astronomer and Josh Simon of the Carnegie Institution found that the mysterious star dimmed during that time at an unprecedented rate of 0.341 percent each year. They analyzed the first four years of Kepler's mission, wherein it stared constantly at KIC 8462852 as well as 150,000 other stars while looking for exoplanets transits, according to Astronomy Now.

The researchers examined closely the full-frame images of Tabby's Star taken during the Kepler's mission. The star's luminosity decreased by about 0.34 percent per year for the first 1000 days. Then, on the following 200 days, its flux lowered by 2 percent and then leveled off. In the four years of Kepler's mission. The star faded approximately by 3 percent. This is such as the big amount in such a small period of time.

Montet said that the part that really surprised him was just how rapid and non-linear it was. He further said that they spent a long time trying to convince them this wasn't real.

Meanwhile, according to Bradley Schaefer from Louisiana State University, who examined the old photographic plates that date back to the 19th century earlier this year, he claimed that Tabby's Star had faded an exorbitant 19 percent within the past 100 years. On the other hand, some astronomers were not convinced on his findings. They said that the dimming was the result of flawed data.

Montet said that in order to settle this controversy, you needed either a long baseline or high precision data. He further said that Kepler has the latter and then measured the rate of dimming in the Kepler data to be about twice what Schaefer found, which is different, yet not necessarily inconsistent, as noted by Gizmodo.
Zika virus is reportedly linked to a birth defect that involve muscle weakness and stiffness of joint. The birth defect, arthrogryposis, was found in a small number of babies infected with Zika virus inside their mothers' wombs according to a study. Researchers suggest that all babies affected by Zika virus infection inside the womb should be followed and evaluated for bone and muscle problems.

Researchers analyzed the information from seven babies born in Brazil who had arthrogryposis. Six out of the seven babies had microcephaly reportedly. All of them had signs of being infected with Zika virus while they were in the womb while two of them were tested positive for the virus in their cerebrospinal fluid.

Movement is important for the normal development of joints and muscles among babies inside the womb. The lack of movement in the womb could lead to arthrogryposis, Nationwide Children's Hospital reported. Researchers believe that Zika virus could have caused neurological problems that affected the ability of the fetuses to move around the womb.

Upon examining the joints of babies under detailed imaging scans, the researchers did not find abnormalities in their joints. Because of this, researchers hypothesized that the babies' arthrogryposis were likely from a neurological basis. This means that the babies had problems in the brain and nerve cells that control the contraction and relaxation of muscles around the joints.

It is important to note, however, that the study only found an association between Zika virus infection and arthrogryposis. Larger studies about the link between arthrogryposis and Zika virus infection need to be conducted to better understand the neurological problems that may underlie the condition according to researchers.

Zika virus infection during pregnancy has already been linked to birth defect microcephaly, Live Science reported. It has also been found to cause eye problems, hearing loss and impaired growth according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The list of health complications associated with the virus is now referred to as Congenital Zika Syndrome.
Online gaming is suggested to boost teenagers' school grades according to a new research from RMIT. However, the study also found that students who regularly visit Facebook or chat sites are more likely to fall behind in Math, Science and reading.

Associate Professor Alberto Posso from RMIT's School of Economics, Finance and Marketing, believes that online gaming allows students to apply and sharpen what they learned in school. He revealed that students who play online games regularly scored 15 points above average in Math and 17 points above average in Science, The Guardian reported.

Posso also said that online gaming requires solving puzzles to level up. It involves using some of general knowledge and skills in maths, science and reading, all of which are being taught in school during the day. Posso went on to suggest that popular video games, those that are not violent, should be incorporated by teachers into teaching.

Meanwhile, aside from online gaming, teenagers who use Facebook or chat everyday scored 20 points lower in Math than students who never used social media. Posso discussed that students lose time that could be spent on studies when they are regularly using social media. However, the findings may also indicate that these students are struggling with Math, Science and reading so they go online instead, ABC reported.

Posso suggested to blend the use of Facebook into classes to help students who are engaged with it. It is important to recognize other factors that could impose a major impact on teenagers' progress according to Posso.

The study used the testing results collected by Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). PISA conducted examinations to more than 12,000 15-year-old Australians. They were given tests in Math, Science and reading. Their online gaming activities and other online use were also surveyed. While online gaming and the use of social media may affect students' learning, the most important step is for schools to determine the main drivers of educational underperformance according to the study.
RALEIGH, N.C.  A young black man shot to death while leaving a house party  allegedly by the host's white neighbor  was described by his mother Tuesday as loving, funny, and so careful that his family called him "Safety 101."

Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas was killed early Sunday when a man living two doors down from the party called police to complain of "hoodlums" in his neighborhood, and then fired a shotgun out of his garage, according to authorities and 911 tapes.

The suspect, Chad Cameron Copley, has been charged with murder.

"This man took my baby's life," the victim's mother, Simone Butler-Thomas, said in a phone interview from her home in Louisburg.

Thomas, 20, was walking with a friend, David Walker, to their car parked down the street early Sunday when the shot came from the suspect's house, said Butler-Thomas, who talked with friends and witnesses to find out what happened.

She said the young men had arrived at the house party to find it had spilled outside, and decided to leave after about 15 minutes because the friend heard there were no girls there.

"He didn't deserve this. No child deserves it," she said while stifling sobs. "These people with guns, they just figure that when there's a bunch of black kids, they're hoodlums. These kids were not hoodlums. They were raised in families with mothers and fathers. They went to school. They were young."

Raleigh Police said Copley, 39, was arrested hours after he fired a shotgun from inside his garage and hit the victim. Jail records show he was being held without bond on a murder charge.

Copley's lawyer, Raymond Tarlton, asked that his client not be judged until more facts are available.

"It's under investigation. We'd caution restraint and ask folks not to rush to judgment," he said by phone, declining to discuss any details.

During a 911 call from Copley's house shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday, a man said "we've got a bunch of hoodlums out here racing," and told the dispatcher he was taking action.

"I am locked and loaded. I'm going outside to secure my neighborhood," the man said. He asked for officers to come, but refused to give his address and hung up.

On a second call from the Copley home about seven minutes later, the man said he fired a shot, and that someone was hit.

"We have a lot of people outside of our house yelling and shouting profanity. I yelled at them 'please leave the premises.' They were showing firearms so I fired a warning shot. And, uh, we got somebody that got hit."

Asked who was outside, the caller says: "There's black males outside my freaking house with firearms."

Walker denied this.

"It was silent," he told The News & Observer in Raleigh. "No fighting and no arguing and no one waving guns."

The host, Jalen Lewis, also denied seeing anyone with a gun among the 50 or so people at his party. He told WTVD that Thomas was near Copley's mailbox when he was fatally shot.

Police spokesman Laura Hourigan said state law prevents authorities from confirming the caller's identity.

No one answered the door Tuesday at Copley's tree-shaded, two-story home in a northern subdivision of Raleigh. In the door of the attached garage, cardboard replaced a shattered glass window pane whose shards remained on the driveway, which runs roughly 40 feet to the mailbox at the street.

A GoFundMe page seeking donations for funeral expenses shows Thomas smiling widely in a dress shirt and black apron after a 2015 event he worked as a caterer.

His mother said she had moved with her three sons to North Carolina in 2001 for their safety.

"I brought my kids down here when they were babies because I didn't want to have my children raised in New York. I wanted them to have a life and be safe," she said, her voice cracking.

"He's a loving, loving boy. He was funny," she said. "We called him 'Safety 101' because he ... wouldn't start the car unless everybody had their seatbelts on and their cell phones away."

Thomas had a job at McDonalds, a girlfriend attending East Carolina University, and was weeks away from moving into his first apartment, she said.

"He loved life," she said. "He loved his family. He loved his friends. He was not a street boy."

___

Follow Jonathan Drew at: https://twitter.com/JonLDrew
U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan easily dispatched a Republican primary challenge Tuesday night from an opponent praised by GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, in what Ryan called a victory for "political leadership that is inclusive, not divisive."

The Associated Press called the race for Ryan shortly after 8:30 p.m., a half hour after polling places closed in Wisconsins partisan primary election.

With all precincts reporting, Ryan's rout was apparent: He beat Delavan businessman Paul Nehlen 84 percent to 16 percent.

The primary battle took place in Wisconsins First Congressional District, which Ryan, R-Janesville, has represented since 1999. The district runs along the Illinois border from Janesville to Racine and Kenosha.

Ryan addressed the media in Janesville Tuesday night after polls closed. He cast his win as an affirmation by Wisconsin voters of his leadership style and his policy proposals, including his "Better Way" agenda.

"In times as uncertain as these, it is easy to resort to division. It's simple to prey on people's fears," Ryan said. "That stuff sells, but it doesn't stick. Most of all, it doesn't work."

Tuesday brought Ryans first public remarks since Trump ignited his latest public firestorm earlier in the day while speaking in North Carolina. Trump said Second Amendment people might stop Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton from picking anti-gun U.S. Supreme Court justices if she becomes president, in what some interpreted as a veiled call to violence against Clinton. Trump defended his remarks as simply calling for gun-rights supporters to take political action to stop Clinton.

Ryan, asked Tuesday night about Trump's remarks, appeared to endorse the former interpretation, calling them "a joke gone bad."

"I hope he clears it up very quickly," Ryan said. "You should never joke about something like that."

As Ryan romped to victory Tuesday night, Democrat Ryan Solen, a U.S. Army veteran from Mount Pleasant, won his party's primary to advance to the general election in the 1st District. Libertarian Jason Lebeck also will be on the ballot.

Nehlens primary challenge was not expected to put Ryan in danger of losing his seat. Polls found Ryan with a wide lead in the race and showed him to be extremely popular with Republicans in the district.

But they created a surprising headache for Ryan at a time when he has many other issues with which to contend -- starting with an internal battle in the GOP over its presidential nominee.

A political newcomer, Nehlen mounted an energetic challenge to Ryan despite his massive deficit in campaign resources and name recognition. He drew support from former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin and conservative commentators Ann Coulter and Michelle Malkin.

Nehlen, an executive with a water-filtration company, aligned himself with Trump during the campaign. It made the primary race a proxy war for forces within the GOP that support Ryans business-friendly brand of conservatism versus the partys nationalist, populist wing, which backs Trump.

Trump and Ryan, the nations two leading Republicans, have sparred publicly and often throughout the campaign, with Ryan frequently criticizing or disavowing controversial remarks by Trump. Still, Ryan remains on record supporting Trumps candidacy.

National attention focused on Wisconsins First District last week when Trump initially refrained from supporting Ryan's primary candidacy and used his Twitter account to praise Nehlen. But a few days later, Trump said at a rally in Green Bay that he supports Ryans re-election bid.

Nehlen has mimicked Trumps rhetoric and stances on issues such as free trade, Muslim immigration and border security. Nehlen drew condemnation from many in both parties for calling for a discussion about deporting all U.S. Muslims -- a statement he later walked back.

Many Nehlen supporters likened the race to 2014, when former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor was defeated by a tea party primary challenger, David Brat.

But the comparisons seem to end beyond the fact that both Cantor and Ryan were top-ranking House Republicans.

Cantor was frequently criticized for being absent from his district, while Ryan has made a point of returning to his Janesville home each weekend and holding public events in the district.

Ryan also showed no sign of being caught off guard by this primary challenge. His massive campaign war chest, with nearly $10 million in the bank at the last reporting date, enabled him to air a blitz of ads in the lead-up to Tuesdays primary.
Was Donald Trump calling for Hillary Clintons assassination when he spoke on Tuesday in North Carolina? The New York Times sure seems to think so.

This was Trumps apparently offensive quote: Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the Second Amendment. By the way, and if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is. I dont know.

Suppose the phrase Second Amendment people had been replaced with any other special-interest group. Would there be any claims that Trump was threatening assassinations?

In a Newsweek interview on Monday, Hillary Clinton excoriated the lobbying power of these very same Second Amendment people. We need to elect leaders with the courage to stand up to the gun lobby, she declared. It is a remark that she has made time and again. But presumably Clinton isnt suggesting that standing up to the gun lobby takes a special kind of courage because this lobby has a particular capacity for violence?

Based on her stand, shouldnt Clintons response be that Trump is encouraging Second Amendment people to lobby to block her appointments? Why would anyone claim he is encouraging her assassination?

The reaction to Trumps statement comes across as a type of political Rorschach test for liberals, revealing their own biases more than anything else. Are people up in arms over Trumps statement because the right to self-defense has been conflated with being able to go around shooting people? Have people been conditioned to take everything literally?

Lets take a brief test.

During his 2008 presidential campaign, Barack Obama said, If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun. Were you really worried that Obama was talking about real weapons being brought into the U.S. Capitol?

Trump said in January, I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldnt lose voters. Do you think that the police should have surrounded Trump to make sure he didnt start shooting people?

In 2008, Hillary Clinton justified staying in the Democratic nomination contest past the end of May because We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. Was Clinton really suggesting that someone assassinate Obama?

Does anyone seriously believe that Obama or Trump or Clinton were literally threatening actions with a gun?

For those who argue that Trump should have been more careful in making his statement Tuesday, did Obama and Trump need to specify that they werent literally talking about real guns being used? Should Clinton have made it clear she wasnt claiming that NRA members have been actually physically threatening politicians with violence?

Trump was clearly right about what a Clinton presidency would mean for the Second Amendment. Until 2008, Washington, D.C., had a complete handgun ban. It was also a felony to put a bullet in the chamber of a gun. This effectively constituted a complete ban on guns. In District of Columbia v. Heller, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down these laws.

In June, ABCs George Stephanopoulos asked Clinton about the Heller decision. She said: I think that for most of our history, there was a nuanced reading of the Second Amendment until the decision by the late Justice (Antonin) Scalia and there was no argument until then that localities and states and the federal government had a right, as we do with every amendment, to impose reasonable regulation.

Clinton went on to talk about her push for expanded background checks, as though the Heller decision was a natural segue. But Heller only concerned complete gun bans. Clinton needs to explain what made those bans reasonable. Why was it reasonable to imprison someone for five years for defending his family?

If Trump had referred to a group other than Second Amendment supporters on Tuesday, its unlikely that anyone would have taken these extreme interpretations seriously. But the media mischaracterize Trumps statements at every opportunity and maligns individuals who believe in the right to self-defense.
Otto Marine said arbitration proceedings have commenced under the London Maritime Arbitrators Association Terms 2012 against Vettal Mega Services for failing to pay charter fees for tugboats Swordfish 5 and Go Enif.

At the same time, another arbitration proceeding is ongoing against Robert Kntuzen Shipholdings over payment defaults of two bareboat charters for a sum of around $2.83m.

Meanwhile, Singapore-listed Otto Marine is itself in the midst of getting acquired by its executive chairman Yaw Chee Siew to take the company private and is expected to be delisted from the stock exchange upon completion of the transaction.
"Sibolga Port plays an important role for the connectivity of people living in North Sumatra and Aceh," Budi was quoted as saying.

Pelindo I said earlier it had prepared budgetary allocations for the expansion of the port. The construction activities would begin in 2017, it added.
If a space rock hits the atmosphere, and no one is around to hear it, does the tabloid press still report it as an Earth-shattering event? Of course!

This pretty much summarizes a large-ish meteor impact over the South Atlantic Ocean, which occurred on Feb. 6, and was recorded by the Fireball and Bolide Reports page of NASA's Near Earth Object Program.

PHOTOS: Russian Meteor Strike Aftermath

The event itself is notable because it is the largest atmospheric impact recorded since the famous Chelyabinsk bolide that exploded over Russia in 2013, causing widespread structural damage and injuries to the city with a population of 1 million.

This recent Feb. 6 event unleashed an energy equivalent of 13,000 tons of TNT exploding instantaneously (a.k.a. a "13 kiloton" explosion); the Chelyabinsk impact ripped through the Ural Mountain skies with a whopping energy of 440 kilotons.

Initially noticed by NASA's Ron Baalke and then investigated by Bad Astronomer Phil Plait, it quickly became clear that the high-altitude impact was likely caused by a chunk of space rock approximately 5-7 meters (16-23 ft) wide. The Chelyabinsk impact was caused by a rock nearly 20 meters (65 ft) wide.

The Feb. 6 meteor most likely burned up the majority of its mass during atmospheric entry, any pieces falling as small meteorites safely into the ocean.

ANALYSIS: How Many Tiny Asteroids Buzz Earth?

This didn't happen over a populated region and, as far as I can tell, there have been no eyewitness reports from mariners or pilots who happened to be in the area at the time. Though this is certainly an important and scientifically interesting event, the impact on the lifeforms of Earth (barring a few unlucky fish 600 miles off the coast of Brazil) was minimal. But the fact that NASA "failed" to tell the world about the impact has gotten some news outlets excited.

"Space agency fails to warn the world about massive blast, even though it's the largest atmospheric explosion since the Chelyabinsk meteor," writes Mirror.co.uk.

But possibly the best headline comes from another UK news outlet, The Express: "FRONT-room-sized meteor came out of nowhere and exploded with force of Hiroshima bomb." Because your front room (British to US translation: living room) is now a universal standard of meteoroid measurement. Noted.

NEWS: Russian Meteor: Chelyabinsk Asteroid Had Violent Past

The Mirror also wandered down the conspiracy path, questioning how NASA even recorded the Feb. 6 impact, highlighting Plait's analysis that the atmospheric impact was likely detected by classified military technology.

Normally, atmospheric explosions are recorded by seismic monitors, microphones and/or satellite observations. As Plait pointed out, as the impact was in open ocean, it's not likely that seismic monitors would have been used to record the impact energy. As the military has pretty obvious reasons for monitoring atmospheric explosions, it seems likely the data came from a classified source, probably satellites.

Though an interesting energetic event, Feb. 6 isn't the only time the Earth has been hit by space rocks since Chelyabinsk. Every single day Earth is peppered with around 100 tons of space debris. The vast majority of this mass is no bigger than a grain of sand, and on a clear night you might be lucky to see these tiny specks burn up in the high atmosphere as meteors.

As they slam into the upper atmosphere, these tiny pieces of space rock create a shock wave which, through rapid heating of atmospheric gases, incinerates the debris, erupting in a fast blaze of light. These are called meteors (or "shooting stars). Larger (and rarer) pieces of space rock will hit the atmosphere as a meteor and may explode as a bolide (as the Chelyabinsk event dramatically showcased), some pieces hitting the ground as meteorites.

ANALYSIS: Why I'm Sad Asteroid 2011 MD Missed Earth

Monitoring the regularity of these larger impacts is key for scientists to better understand our Earth's interplanetary environment and although the Feb. 6 event is now grabbing the headlines, remember that most large impacts will happen over water (as the Earth is 70 percent ocean) and impacts of space rocks of around Chelyabinsk meteoroid dimensions are (statistically-speaking) a once in a century thing. Oh, and as for NASA not reporting a bolide impact that no one saw, well, it looks like the tabloid press has that covered.
Just going for a jog along city streets already felt vulnerable for a lot of women. Then two joggers were murdered recently, one in NYC and the other in Massachusetts, prompting many nervous runners in the metro area to respond by purchasing bras that conceal weapons.

The aptly-named Booby Trap bras are not messing around.

RELATED: 10 Techs Transforming Sports

Last Tuesday, 30-year-old Karina Vetrano went for a solo run in Howard Beach, N.Y. On Sunday, 27-year-old NYC resident Vanessa Marcotte went for an afternoon run while visiting family in Princeton, Mass. Both were found murdered. The killings, which police said may not be connected, have sparked fear among female joggers -- and an uptick in sales of Booby Trap bras.

The "Just in Case" Booby Trap bras contain a sheath in the center designed to hold either a small knife or container of pepper spray -- each sold separately. The bras, made from a poly blend called Supplex, are about $50 for the pepper spray version or about $54 for the knife one, reports NBC New York. Both pockets are constructed from Neoprene, although the knife version also contains a magnet to hold the weapon in place.

RELATED: Finally, A Really Smart Sports Bra

Company founder Jennifer Cutrona explained online that she created the bra after being jumped while running on a trail. "The little pocket knives I had collected over the years were all at home in the drawer with my pepper spray," she wrote. Although she got away from the guy, the experience changed her perspective.

"I needed something I could pull in less than a second," she wrote. This week Cutrona told the New York Post that sales of her bras "are blowing up."

The small curved knife that fits inside the bra costs about $13 and has holes so it can be slipped over a finger for grip. Cutrona recognizes that an attacker could use the knife against the wearer, telling the Post that she recommends practicing with it 50 times before donning the weapon. (The company also makes a unisex pocket sleeve.)

RELATED: 'Emergency Bra' Lifts, Supports, Saves

Currently she's partnering with Mace to develop a bra with a built-in 911 call button that she expects will be available from her Texas-based company by December.

Meanwhile, police are urging residents near the areas where the murdered women were found to be careful and vigilant. For some that means skipping the headphones, carrying trackers and running in groups.

The Booby Trap Bras motto: Stay safe, stay active. Mine: Stay sharp.

WATCH VIDEO: Are Runners Overdoing It?
Sam Cossman likes volcanoes. A lot. So much so that, whereas most of us would consider it thrill enough to watch a lava flow from a safe distance -- ideally through a telescope or pair of binoculars -- Cossman prefers getting up close and personal. As in descending into a volcano's crater and taking an up-close and personal look at the lava lake inside. His website documents some of his adventures; or, for a taste, check out the video below:

There is method to what might appear to be Cossman's madness. The expedition shown above, into what is known locally as "The Entrance to Hell," used GoPros and drones to produce a virtual, 3-D model of an active volcanic lava lake. And now the self-described "volcano diver" is descending into Nicaragua's Masaya Volcano, just outside Managua, in order to install some Wi-Fi.

RELATED: Volcano Explorer

Specifically, Cossman, working with General Electric and the Nicaraguan government, will, according to a report in The Verge, descend approximately 1,200 feet into the volcano's crater and set up about 80 wireless sensors that "will gather real-time data about Masaya's temperature, atmospheric pressure, gravity and the variety of different gasses like carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide." The data will then be uploaded to an open-source database called PreDix, which GE owns, where the volcano's behavior can be monitored 24/7.

There is no guarantee of success. Although Cossman naturally wears advanced protective clothing, the conditions remain highly dangerous and unpredictable. As he told Business Insider last year: "Cameras melt, your gas mask melts, even the gas masks that are designed to purify the air at that level of particulate matter, they can't. The lava is very unpredictable, you might be half way down and see it crust over, but then it builds up pressure and explodes, turns into this raging explosive force."

Only one of the drones that he used on that earlier expedition returned in working order.

RELATED: Rarely Seen Sub-Antarctic Volcano Erupts

Still, the incentive is strong. One of Nicaragua's most active volcanoes, Masaya most recently erupted in 2012.

In a post on GE's Facebook page, volcanologist Guillermo Caravantes said that, "We could potentially have millions of lives at risk. It could happen at any time and the problem is, we are not able to predict when this could happen."

Said Cossman to The Verge: "The goal is essentially to install all these sensors and create the most effective early warning system in the world."

WATCH: Why Some Volcanoes Erupt and Others Don't
In 1992, NASA and Japan launched satellite missions to measure sea levels. Pouring over the data from the satellites could lead to the conclusion that global warming is causing seas to rise at a slightly slowing rate of a little more an inch every decade.

The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991 sent tens of millions of tons of sulphur dioxide into the stratosphere. By reflecting heat and cooling ocean temperatures , a new study has shown how the eruption masked the worsening effects of industrial pollution on global sea levels during the two decades since.

An uptick in sea level rise caused by greenhouse gas pollution during the past two decades has been hiding behind a volcano.

Modeling-based research published Wednesday in Scientific Reports showed the problem of rising seas is far more pressing than that, with sea level rise caused by greenhouse gas pollution continuing to accelerate.

"Pinatubo decreased the apparent starting point of sea level," said John Fasullo, a climate scientist with the National Center for Atmospheric Research and University of Colorado who led the new study.

Warm waters expand, which is a major cause of sea level rise, and the researchers concluded that sea levels would have been about a quarter of an inch higher in 1992 had the volcano not erupted one year prior.

In addition to revealing a fascinating effect of one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in recent history, the findings are a reminder that worsening climate-changing pollution will continue to take a heavier toll on coastal neighborhoods and roads and other infrastructure.

RELATED: Volcano Explorer

Even the best-case scenarios published by scientists in recent years suggest seas will rise 1 to 2 feet this century, though 4 feet or even more is possible, which would cripple many coastal regions.

"This continued rise is exactly what you'd expect as the greenhouse gas concentration keeps on rising," Slangen said.

The findings generally confirmed those from previous research, which has used longer-running tide gauges and other sources of data to show that seas are rising at an accelerating clip because of industrial activities.

"When you talk about sea level, there are many factors associated with it," said Rutgers University professor Ben Horton, who wasn't involved with the research. "The effect of Pinatubo has been quite long lasting."

RELATED: Here Are 10 Striking Images of Future Sea Levels



The research helped to precisely quantify how the eruption masked an acceleration in sea level rise that has been caused by fossil fuel burning, deforestation and farming during the two decades since satellite measurements began.

"The first decade of the satellite record shows a larger rate of change than the second decade," said Aimee Slangen, a sea level change scientist at Utrecht University who was not involved with the new study.

"If you keep in mind that the rate in the first decade is larger than it would have been in the absence of Pinatubo," Slangen said, "what this (study) means, really, is that there has not been a slowing of sea level rise in the second decade."

More From Climate Central:

This article originally appeared on Climate Central, all rights reserved.
When is joking about assassination not a joke?

Some observers, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, say that GOP candidate Donald Trump was joking when he suggested that gun rights supporters would perhaps use violence against Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

The statement came at a Trump rally Tuesday in North Carolina.

"Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the Second Amendment," Trump said. "By the way, and if she gets to pick - if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know. But I'll tell you what, that will be a horrible day."

RELATED: 20 Science Questions for US Prez Candidates

Representatives of Clinton's campaign said the statement was dangerous, and many viewers took it as raising the idea of a possible threat of violence against Clinton. There's also the reaction of a man sitting just behind Trump, whose expression of surprise and shock and then laughter was captured on video.

CNN reported Wednesday that the U.S. Secret Service has contacted the Trump campaign about the incident and had "more than one conversation" about the issue.

Trump later said he was referring to gun-rights supporters voting against Clinton, although it's clear from the statement that it refers to Clinton picking judges, which happens after a candidate wins the general election and becomes president.

RELATED: How Trump Uses Conspiracies To Win

Jason Steed is a former English professor turned attorney who wrote his doctoral dissertation on humor theory in film and literature. Steed believes there could be several explanations:

-That Trump misspoke, something other public figures (such as vice president Joe Biden) have done in the past.

-That Trump was making a joke.

-That Trump was serious.

"When we are joking, we are never just joking," Steed said. "The humor we use plays a role I how we define who we are."

Steed notes that humor is a way of floating an idea that normally would sound inappropriate or hurtful. He said that a racist, or in this case, perhaps a taboo joke, serves two purposes by assimilating people that think it's funny, and simultaneously alienating those who believe it is offensive.

Then again, maybe Trump wasn't joking.

"What he said and how it was received is dangerous because it floats an idea that we would all like to think is unthinkable," Steed said. "But floats it in a way to open up the door to the unthinkable."

WATCH: Why Can We Laugh Before We Speak?
Spain's recent general elections failed to end a government gridlock and has left the country once again without a ruling party in parliament. One of the issues tying up lawmakers is the fate of Catalonia, the autonomous region that has been petitioning for independence since the 19th century.

In today's edition of Seeker Daily, Laura Ling reports on what life is really like in Catalonia and its capitol city of Barcelona.

Those who have been to the city of Barcelona generally agree: It's the single coolest city on the planet. The architecture, the food, the people -- everything works. Greater Barcelona, the metropolitan area around the city, is the region's economic hub and one of the largest tourist destinations in country.

As for Catalonia itself, it's one of Spain's 16 autonomous communities but has long been a kind of first among equals, with its own unique culture and language -- Catalan. Around 7.5 million people, roughly 16 percent of Spain's population, live in Catalonia.

RELATED: Wandering Through Beautiful Barcelona

Compared to the rest of Spain, Barcelona is culturally and ethnically diverse. Around a quarter of the city's population aren't Catalonian at all. More than a third of Catalonians speak Catalan in the countryside, but in Barcelona that number is only about two percent.

The region's GDP of more than $200 billion is higher than any other autonomous region. Many major industries -- like food production and construction -- rely heavily on tourism, which has actually protected residents from economic hardships in the rest of Spain. In fact, even as national GDP declined, Catalonia's GDP simultaneously grew -- and unemployment dropped.

The region's thriving economy is the primary reason separatists want to break away from Spain. Proponents of a split argue that Catalonian taxpayers are keeping the rest of the country afloat, even as they receive fewer public services. According to a 2014 poll, nearly 80 percent of Catalonia residents want independence. But the recent election and continuing divisions in Parliament suggest that a referendum vote is still a long way off.

-- Glenn McDonald

Learn More:

BBC: Catalonia vote: 80% back independence - officials

CNBC: Catalonia is critical contributor to Spain's economy

Catalan News Agency: Barcelona is the fourth European city with the most tourists after London, Paris and Rome

Catalan News Agency: Third quarter unemployment figures set Catalonia's rate at 19.10% and Spain's at 23.67%
Statement by Senate President Pro-Tempore Franklin M. Drilon on the exchange of opinion between the Executive and the Judiciary

"I am appealing for a more rational debate on the issue regarding the government's aggressive campaign against drugs. Let us debate with facts and reasons. There is no argument that cannot be solved by rational debate. Let reason and civility govern the exchanges of opinions on issues."

"Dahan-dahan po tayo sa pagsasalita. Huwag natin idaan sa init ng ulo."

"We must all realize that it is the future of our whole country, not just a city, that is at stake. Any action and statement that will result in a constitutional crisis will not bring us anywhere - worse, it will only weaken our democratic institutions."

"All three branches of government must work together, if our war against crime, drugs and corruption is to be truly successful."
Press Release

August 10, 2016 Hontiveros: Imprisonment awaits hospitals violating

anti-hospital deposit law PASAY CITY - Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros is pushing for a 4-6 year imprisonment for hospital administrators and officials who are guilty of violating the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law. Hontiveros, who is the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, filed Senate Bill No. 216 that seeks to amend the existing Anti-Hospital Deposit Law and impose stricter penalties. "Emergency-case patients are in life-and-death situations", Hontiveros explained. "The state must do its best to provide hospital and medical services to the people. The government must guarantee that they will not be denied hospital treatment just because they cannot give an advance payment," Hontiveros said. Hontiveros' bill proposes a 4-6 year imprisonment for erring hospital administrators and officials who demand any deposit or other form of advance payment, as a prerequisite for admission or medical treatment of an emergency patient. In addition, from the current PhP 100,000, Hontiveros' bill seeks to raise the maximum penalty to PhP 1,000,000. The Senator explained that harsher penalties will ensure compliance, especially if it includes eventual revocation of hospitals' licenses to operate. "Upon three (3) repeated violations committed pursuant to an established policy of the hospital or clinic or upon instruction of its management, the health facility's license to operate shall be revoked by the Department of Health", includes the bill filed by Hontiveros. However, Hontiveros was quick to say that her bill provides tax deduction for hospitals that will admit indigent or poor patients in cases of emergency. "I am confident that majority of our hospitals are compliant with the law. We will make sure that their efforts in partnership with government hospitals to help close the public health care gap are duly recognized," she said. Early this year, University of Santo Tomas (UST) Hospital came under fire when Andrew Pelayo took to social media to air his grievance regarding his wife's miscarriage due to the hospital's refusal to provide treatment before any deposit was made. "Kahit saan natin tignan, mas mahalaga ang buhay ng tao kaysa anumang deposito. Ang deposito ay mababayaran. Ang buhay na nawala ay hindi maibabalik o matatawaran," Hontiveros concluded.
Press Release

August 10, 2016 Tugade assures Senate of nationwide rollout of the 5-yr driver's license by December After its launch in Metro Manila next month, the five-year driver's license will be rolled out nationwide before the end of the year, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arturo Tugade today assured senators hearing a bill which seeks the grant of presidential emergency powers to unknot the traffic mess. Upon questioning by Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto, Tugade replied that the new driver's license which will be valid for five years will be made available throughout the country before 2016 ends. Recto is principal author of the bill extending the validity of the license to drive from three years to five years. Recto said the issuance of driver's licenses with a longer validity period must be rushed in regions outside Metro Manila "because licenses issued in NCR account for only 25 percent of the total." "Ang karamihan nasa probinsya," Recto said, citing the official report that of 5.6 million licenses and permits to operate a motor vehicle last year, only 1.4 million were processed by Land Transportation Office (LTO) branches in Metro Manila. Asked by Recto why the new license cannot be launched nationwide in one go, Tugade said his agency will still have to access the national database of persons who have been issued licenses to drive. "Kasi ho ang kinakailangan dyan yung teknolohiya kung saan alam natin na yung sistema ng LTO at LTFRB ay kaakibat yung Stradcom. Bago ka gumalaw ng figures or data sa Stradcom system, kailangan ng usapan yan," Tugade said. He was referring to the private contractor which designed and operated the computer and IT system used in issuing driver's licenses for years before its contract was terminated by the Aquino administration. Stradcom reportedly had filed a suit compelling government to pay what it owes the company for work done. "Ganun pa man, nakausap namin ang Stradcom at pumayag sila na i-calibrate ang sistema at uumpisahan sa Metro Manila (ang ) 5 years (na lisensya). Hopefully kung magagawa yan ilalahat natin ang sistema nationwide," Tugade said. Challenged by Recto to cut the red tape in transportation offices, Tugade said the renewal system for the five-year licenses will be "technology-dictated." "Kung wala kang violation, citation at wala kang nagawang illegal, yung renewal mo ay technology dictated na. Di na kailangan ng physical presence sa LTO o LTFRB," Tugade said. Recto welcomed this as it would mean that applications and renewals can be done online. "Instead of pila for hours, using the apps in minutes, tapos na." Tugade also told members of the Senate Public Services Committee that LTO will be setting up more kiosks in its offices so that car registration can be done in a do-it-yourself fashion. "Applicants will just follow the process, fill-in the blanks, then they will just be interacting with the machine. You automatically address the problem of fixers," Tugade said. Recto welcomed this scheme "as it is in consonance with the digitization drive being done by the newly-formed Department of Information and Communication Technology." Asked by Recto if the passage of the bill lengthening the validity period of driver's licenses would provide the impetus for the accelerated delivery of new licenses, Tugade said, "hindi na kailagan kasi ibibigay na po namin yan."
UC Berkeley police believe theyve finally solved the 1992 homicide of Grace Asuncion, a junior who was stabbed to death in a campus building.

Police identified John Iwed, an Alameda resident who died of a drug overdose less than a year after Asuncions death, as the killer in the cold case. Iwed, who was 24 when he died, had been a suspect in the investigation, but police had ruled him out after interviewing him.

In a statement released Tuesday, police officials said they recently reinterviewed witnesses and came upon new information that pointed to Iwed.

We identified Iwed as a suspect early on in the case but did not have enough corroborating evidence to charge him at the time, said Sgt. Sabrina Reich, a UC police spokeswoman, in a statement.

New information made us confident we had identified the right person.

Reich said the Alameda County district attorneys office had reviewed the new information and determined they would have charged Iwed in the killing if he was still alive.

Asuncion, 20, was a premed student who was working in the Eshleman Hall offices of the campus Pilipino American Alliance the afternoon she was killed, on Feb. 7, 1992. Shed been stabbed multiple times in the neck, and her body was found by a custodian. She had not been raped or robbed.

Her death sparked campus-wide anger and concern around a lack of security in Eshleman Hall, which was located at the edge of campus on Bancroft Way and housed offices for student government and other groups. The building was demolished in 2013 and rebuilt.

The university settled a wrongful-death lawsuit with Asuncions family, paying $750,000.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Not long after the homicide, Iwed apparently confessed to his wife that he thought he had killed Asuncion. An attorney hired by Asuncions family said Iwed admitted that hed taken drugs and gone into the campus building loaded.

In their statement, UC Berkeley police said, We never gave up on the Grace Asuncion homicide case. Our students safety is important to us and we wanted to be able to help bring a resolution to the case.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

GREENWICH, Conn.  On July 28, Harry Brant, son of Greenwich, Conn. billionaire Peter Brant and former model Stephanie Seymour, was charged with resisting arrest and drug possession after allegedly refusing to pay a $27.85 taxi fare. He ran off on foot.

Police described Brant as sweating profusely and pale in color. When he was told he was being placed under arrest and that he should place his hands behind his back, Brant allegedly yelled out "No! No!" and attempted to run away from the officers, police said.

"Officers were able to grab a hold of Brant and take him to the ground," the police report states. "Brant continued to resist officers' attempts to place him under arrest by tensing his muscles while swinging his arms and kicking his legs. Officers were finally able to place him in handcuffs."

Pretty much how it looked A photo posted by Harry Brant (@harry_brant) on Aug 5, 2016 at 4:13pm PDT

If that doesn't paint a vivid enough picture, check out Brant's Instagram. A couple days after his scheduled Aug. 4 arraignment (it was rescheduled for Aug. 16), Brant took to social media for a little comic relief.

He posted photos of models, including Paris Hilton, being escorted by guards held down by police with captions like "Pretty much how it looked."

Let's be real... It looked like this. A photo posted by Harry Brant (@harry_brant) on Aug 6, 2016 at 9:01am PDT

The morning after looked like this A photo posted by Harry Brant (@harry_brant) on Aug 6, 2016 at 3:41pm PDT

Most of Brant's followers shared in his humor and commented encouragement like "I love you even more now," and strings of laughing emojis.

This is not the first brush with the law for the Brant family. Peter Brant Jr., 22, was arrested in March after an incident at John F. Kennedy Airport in which he allegedly assaulted a police officer. According to a Port Authority statement, a severely intoxicated Brant Jr. became belligerent when JetBlue staff prevented him from boarding an afternoon flight to West Palm Beach, Fla.

Related: Stephanie Seymour arrested again, broke utility pole

Related: 'Severely intoxicated' Peter Brant Jr. in JFK tussle

Seymour recently was arrested as well. Greenwich, Conn. Police charged her following two motor vehicle accidents on Jan. 15 that police said occurred while she was intoxicated. Police said Seymour smashed a 2015 Range Rover into a utility pole on Stanwich Road, breaking it in half, then drove off. Some time later she allegedly backed into another vehicle off Exit 5 of I-95.

Seymour was placed into the states alcohol education and accelerated rehabilitation program as part of an agreement with the court.

kborsuk@scni.com
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Dali17 Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Dali17 Show More Show Less 3 of 3





Salvador Dali did most of his surrealist painting and mustache twisting in his native Spain. But during the wartime 1940s, Dali hid out in Pebble Beach, where he was a regular among the artists, illustrators and oddballs who populated old Carmel.

That temporary legacy now has a permanent home at Dali17, an exhibit of 570 works that has taken over the Museum of Monterey. The dripping clock paintings, etchings, lithographs, sculptures and tapestry display belong to Pebble Beach resident Dmitry Piterman, a Ukrainian American businessman who became obsessed with Dali while a student at UC Berkeley.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Artist Shepard Fairey is in San Francisco this week and painting two public murals in the city, in support of the opening of his show, "American Civics," at the San Francisco Art Exchange.

The show takes on social justice themes, and Fairey will mural-ize two of those artworks on the sides of San Francisco buildings. The first artwork to go up is of Cesar Chavez, titled "Workers' Rights," and will go up at 453 Hayes St. Fairey and his team will work at that location from noon until dark on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Fairey is well known for his "Hope" posters that helped bolster President Obama's election campaign in 2008 and for his clothing brand, Obey Clothing, featuring Fairey's artwork.

Theron Kabrich, co-founder of the San Francisco Art Exchange, helped arrange the show, which is Fairey's artistic take on photographs by Jim Marshall. Kabrich said that he's been wanting to work with Fairey for a long time and that finding the walls for the murals have been a part of the planning for the show.

After searches by both the Art Exchange and Fairey's team, the two wall locations finally came through with the idea to have the murals be up as permanent installations.

"The cool thing about these murals is that Shepard's really never done a wall in the city of San Francisco," Kabrich said in a phone interview. "He's done all these cities around the world, but never in San Francisco, and so these are the first murals San Francisco is getting from Shepard.

"I believe (the murals) will be tourist attractions, especially the Cesar Chavez mural that's going up. Cesar Chavez is very much a part of the city and this area, and that is going to be an ongoing monument for people to visit."

A photo posted by Shepard Fairey (@obeygiant) on Aug 9, 2016 at 4:22pm PDT

Fairey will also be painting a mural of Fannie Lee Chaney, titled "Voting Rights Act" (seen above), at 701 Alabama St. on Thursday and Friday, from noon until dark. The work is meant to reflect voting rights, with Fairey using a Marshall photo of Chaney that was taken in 1964 on the day Chaney learned her son and his two friends were killed by the Ku Klux Klan, for registering African Americans to vote.

Kabrich said that 10 percent of the sales made from the show will go to benefit various charities that encompass the themes of the show, which include gun control, income inequality, mass incarceration, voting rights and workers' rights.

"Shepard's a very important artist with a good heart, high integrity, strong mission and an excellent artist," Kabrich said. "He's putting up big murals for free because he's trying to get messages across and that's why he's done murals around the world about important people and important issues that have to be cared about."

Fairey will be at the San Francisco Art Exchange at 458 Geary St. in San Francisco on Saturday, from 2 to 4 p.m. "American Civics" will run until the end of September, with limited edition prints for sale.
Evan Sernoffsky /

A 47-year-old woman was attacked on a street in San Franciscos Tenderloin neighborhood Tuesday by three men who threw a cloth bag over her head and viciously pummeled her, police said.

The victim was walking near Larkin Street and Golden Gate Avenue around 6:30 p.m. when she was suddenly hit on the head by a large object. Three men proceeded to cover the dazed womans head with a bag and punch her repeatedly, police said.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Rays of sunlight shine down through a glass skylight, past thick layers of inhabited rain forest foliage  tree limbs, butterflies, birds and frogs  and eventually refract through yellow-tinged water and a thin plate of glass onto onlookers below.

Its a Wednesday afternoon in the first-floor tunnel of the California Academy of Sciences Amazonian flooded forest exhibit.

A crowd of children, parents and friends gazes up through the lighted tunnel at a group of long, slender arapaima fish as they scatter and dive and regroup.

The visitors point and look on in awe. They pay special attention to two unexpected animals that dive down into the scene before them: A pair of wet-suit wearing volunteer scuba divers who, decked in face masks and oxygen tanks, begin to scrub the glass walls of the tunnel, as three-feet long fish and a turtle swim overhead.

The exercise is a part of a twice weekly routine to keep the aquarium in pristine condition. SF GATE recently sent a 360 camera down with the dive team to catch their perspective on the tank (move your cursor or smartphone around to explore what the diver sees).

Unlike your childhood goldfish bowl, the 100,000-gallon flooded rain forest tank is built into the foundation of the academy building. It therefore cant be regularly emptied, cleaned and refilled like an everyday tank, so a team of scientists and engineers work around the clock to keep it in ideal form for its marine inhabitants.

Its a difficult task, one only made more challenging by the fact that the aquarium is meant to replicate a real-life hot and humid Amazonian flooded forest ecosystem in the middle of San Franciscos cool and foggy Golden Gate Park.

Brenda Melton understands this challenge all too well. As curator of the aquarium, she oversees the animal health, husbandry and engineering departments that work together to ensure tank conditions are kept perfect to keep the animals alive and thriving.

In addition to the most difficult challenge, which she said is the complex system required for feedings, Melton said designing the mix of fish that can healthily coexist in the tank, continuously tracking animal health and keeping the tank itself in liveable condition have kept her and her team busy.

But, she said, its a challenge well worth it.

The academys four-story Osher Rainforest experience is set up to offer the public a glimpse into the wildlife from four important biodiverse forest ecosystems throughout the world.

Not everyone gets to visit a rain forest in their lifetime, Melton said. Its a way to allow people to see these important parts of the world that they would otherwise not be able to see.

Heres how the team keeps things in running in the flooded forest floor:

A team of engineers uses a system of water pumps and filters to keep conditions such as clarity and cleanliness at the desired levels for the animals health.

A system of sand filter pumps runs throughout the week to filter out the water. Twice a week the team of engineers backwashes the system, exchanging about eight percent of the old water with fresh water each time. A team of volunteer scuba divers also jumps into the tank to manually clean its walls twice a week.

But the goal isnt to make the water too clean.

With the flooded forest we dont want it to be too clear. We want it to be realistic, said Arnel Bautista, chief engineer for the exhibit. So we use ozone to make it clear, but not too clear. Its a balancing act  for aesthetic and animal-health reasons.

To keep water the perfect temperature, aquarium owners usually have to use heat lamps. But Bautista said thats not the case, even when trying to keep the exhibits water at the perfect, Amazon-like 80 degrees.

With this exhibit, we usually have to cool the water down, he said.

Heat from exhibit lights, skylight and the pumps warm the water to the point that it must be regularly chilled.

Meanwhile, the animal health team works with the organisms directly, rather than the conditions they live in.

To make sure the fish are all fed  and dont end up eating one another, or eachothers food  the team schedules elaborately staggered feedings, with groups of fish lured into different sections of the exhibit at the same or somewhat overlapping times. The exhibits turtle is drawn into a corner while smaller fish scatter about near the waters surface, awaiting feed from a worker hanging over the waters edge.

Monitors also check in on each animal on a regular basis to make sure each organism is getting what they need.

Before new animals are added to the exhibit they must go through a quarantine period where they are monitored for disease and behavior before being given clearance to go in the tank.

Exhibit scientists can only allow a strategic combination of animals in the tank that they know will live well together. Any indication of health or behavior issues and the new creature wont make the cut.

Melton said in order to to make sure everything runs smoothly the staff must maneuver very closely and cohesively  much like the very animals in the aquarium they tend to.

Kevin Schultz is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kschultz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kevinedschultz
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Two Oakland police officers who exchanged racist and homophobic text messages are facing suspensions, and the Police Department will conduct refresher training for all officers on the citys nondiscrimination policies, officials said Wednesday.

The two officers were among several who Mayor Libby Schaaf said in June had come under investigation for exchanging questionable texts, part of what she denounced as a frat house culture in the Police Department.

Schaaf said all the officers involved were African American, but she did not describe the texts other than to say that some officers had been engaging in hate speech.

A source who saw the texts said one showed a Ku Klux Klan figure on a cereal box with the message, Brad, I heard you got boxes of these in your cupboards. Another text appeared to show a racial epithet for African Americans with the message, N are doing our job for us, referring to recent homicides in Oakland, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity because the case is a personnel matter.

Some officers received the messages and failed to report them, Schaaf said at a June 17 news conference. She declined to say whether any command staff were involved, citing state laws that protect officers privacy.

The officers whose suspensions were announced Wednesday were not identified, and the city did not say how long they would be suspended. City spokeswoman Karen Boyd said the officers could contest their punishment through the Police Departments grievance procedures.

The city has wrapped up its investigation of the texts, Boyd said. She did not say whether more suspensions were possible.

Days after the June news conference, the Oakland Black Officers Association released a letter denouncing the mayor for exposing the race of the officers involved.

Mayor Schaafs statements subjected the African American commanders to unnecessary negative scrutiny and can possibly have (an) adverse impact on their ability to lead, the letter said.

City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan, who like Schaaf has been outspoken about the frat house culture in the Police Department, said Wednesday that she agreed with the associations letter.

All the times that white officers have engaged in misconduct, the administration didnt identify them by race, Kaplan said.

But civil rights attorney John Burris, who frequently sues Oakland and other cities over police misconduct, said that in this case, the mayor was right to specify the officers race.

It should be publicly known that this type of text message will not be tolerated from any officer, Burris said.

A spokesman for the Police Department declined to comment, referring all inquiries to City Administrator Sabrina Landreth. The mayor put her in charge of day-to-day operations of the Police Department in mid-June after Chief Sean Whent resigned and two acting chiefs left the job in the space of a week.

Whent left amid revelations that several current and former Oakland police officers were connected to a teen sex worker and that some may have had sex with her when she was underage.

In announcing the two officers suspensions, Boyd said some officers who were implicated in the texting case appeared to be unclear of their obligation to report this misconduct. As a result, she said, the Police Department will hold a refresher training on the citys policies against discrimination and harassment, and the obligation of city employees who know of possible violations to report it.

Burris said the text messages were a symptom of a longtime cultural problem in the Police Department. The department has been under the direct control of a federal judge and court monitor since 2012, an arrangement stemming from a 2003 lawsuit settlement over alleged beatings and corruption by a group of West Oakland police officers who called themselves the Riders.

Although the text message scandal may seem minor compared with the sexual misconduct investigation, Burris said, it gives Schaaf a chance to set higher standards for officers behavior.

Kaplan, however, said the texting case could distract attention from bigger priorities in the department.

I hope this other work that we have not heard updates on  hiring a new chief and investigating allegations of widespread sexual misconduct  is not being neglected, Kaplan said.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan
A federal court jury convicted a high-ranking member of the Nuestra Familia prison gang of racketeering Tuesday but deadlocked on his guilt for gang-related murders in the deaths of two people found in a burning Oakland apartment in 2011.

The jury in Oakland convicted another gang member of a 2012 murder in San Jose, and found two other men guilty of racketeering.

The lead defendant, Henry Cervantes, 52, of Lodi, was released from federal prison in 2010 after serving time on another racketeering charge. By 2011, prosecutors said, he had become the regiment commander of Nuestra Familia in Oakland.

He was charged with murder in aid of racketeering in the September 2011 fatal stabbings of Johnny Navaerette, 73, a paroled killer, and Renee Washington, 56. Their bodies were found in a second-floor apartment on the 3100 block of Coolidge Avenue in Oakland after firefighters extinguished a fire there.

Cervantes lawyer, John Philipsborn, said Tuesday there was no question that Cervantes had been at the crime scene but considerable doubt that the killings were related to gang activity. Jurors failed to reach a verdict on the murder charges, which carried terms of life in prison.

The jury convicted Cervantes of destroying the Oakland apartment and of overseeing the gangs drug-dealing activities. He could face a life term on the drug-related charges.

The Alameda County district attorneys office initially charged Cervantes with the two murders in Superior Court, but dismissed those charges when the federal government filed the racketeering case. County prosecutors havent said whether they plan to refile the murder charges.

The federal jury also found Alberto Larez, 48, of Salinas guilty of racketeering as a Nuestra Familia leader, and convicted him of the August 2012 murder of Martin Chacon in San Jose. Prosecutors said Larez and two cohorts suspected Chacon of cooperating with police and lured him to a meeting, where he was shot to death in his car. Larez faces a life sentence.

Also convicted of racketeering were Jaime Cervantes, 33, of San Mateo and Andrew Cervantes, 60, of Stockton. Eight more defendants have pleaded guilty to related charges.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
Police were looking to collar a pit bull and its apparent master after they both attacked a man in the entrance of an apartment building in San Franciscos Tenderloin neighborhood Tuesday.

The 60-year-old victim suffered multiple lacerations, which police attributed to the assailant and his dog, an Argentinian pit bull, said Officer Carlos Manfredi, a San Francisco Police spokesman.
Fremont Police Department / Fremont Police Department

A 21-year-old San Ramon man who allegedly drugged and raped women he met on social networks such as Tinder and Facebook has agreed to plead guilty and will be sentenced to 20 years in state prison, authorities said.

Kwangmin Jin pleaded no contest to six counts of rape of an unconscious victim and agreed to the sentence as part of a deal with prosecutors, the Fremont Police Department said Tuesday.
San Francisco Police Department / San Francisco Police Department

A paramedic with the San Francisco Fire Department scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday for allegedly setting off an explosive device in a neighbors planter was instead arrested outside court after police found bomb-making materials during a search of his home, authorities said.

James Novello, 32, faces 26 charges in connection with a blast in his neighborhood last week that neighbors said happened after a lengthy dispute over street parking.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

After four years of mediocre ratings with a talk format that host Gil Gross called a hodgepodge, KKSF (910 AM) is now a Spanish-language station, with programming from ESPN Desportes. ESPN had been on KTRB (860 AM), which switched to conservative talk shows from the Salem Radio Network on July 4.

Gross, one of several KGO hosts who landed at KKSF after KGO dismissed most of its talkers in December 2011, said he was covered by a great contract, and could afford to joke about losing his job when iHeart Media pulled the switch on July 22. He wrote online: So apparently youve been confused by my decision to do the show in Spanish. It was the only way I could think of to show up Trumps speech. He added: Ironically, one of the last (ratings) books  showed us up 25 percent in the target 25-54 demo. If the idea was to quit while were ahead, we walked away from the table winners.

But KKSF was ranked 31st in the market, and with KGO returning to talk, its hodgepodge, including local hosts Cory Callewaert; Joel Riddell; The Dog House with JD, Elvis and Natasha; and the syndicated Stephanie Miller and Alan Colmes, was doomed.

Drama: The Maltese Falcon is a classic film from 1941, based on the 1929 novel by Dashiell Hammett. But has it ever been a radio production? The California Historical Radio Society came awfully close recently in Alameda, as a performance of the story, done radio style, highlighted the groups annual Radio Day by the Bay. At the Kofman Auditorium, there was music from the Golden Gate Radio Orchestra, auctions of radio goodies and the announcements of the 2016 inductees into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame. But for fun, it was hard to top director (and former DJ) Terry McGoverns quite faithful take on the murder mystery set in San Francisco.

Sam Van Zandt of KBAY nailed Sam Spade, channeling Humphrey Bogart without imitating him, and Celeste Perry, most recently on KOSF (and still on KOFY-TV), was perfectly tempting and duplicitous as Brigid OShaughnessy (portrayed in the movie by Mary Astor). Other familiar radio voices included Trish Robbins and Trish Bell.

If some cast members flubbed a few words, they could be forgiven, as they had learned that the audience included Julie Rivett, Hammetts granddaughter.

I enjoyed it a lot, Rivett said afterward, noting that shed just witnessed an adaptation of the movie, not the novel. You have to get yourself away from Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor, and allow them to be Sam Spade and Brigid OShaughnessy. As things progressed, I started hearing their own voices.

Rivett, who has co-edited several volumes about Hammett, enjoyed a 2008 audiobook version of the novel, but had never heard it as a radio play, although a 1943 Lux Radio Theater production, starring Edward G. Robinson, is on YouTube. The movies considered a little talky for modern standards, she said, but I think one of the best parts today was at the end, when theyre all in the apartment and theyre completely talky, and it translated to radio so perfectly.

The generally excellent cast dressed up in authentic 40s finery. The only contemporary touch was a laptop operated by Rick Banghart to play sound effects, music and vintage commercials. Elsewhere onstage, a table held a replica of the Maltese Falcon, on loan from its nest at Johns Grill. (The restaurant got a shout-out in McGoverns script. Hey, product placement!)

The production is available on the radio societys channel on YouTube.

Jazzy: Peter Fingerote has completed a book begun by Herb Wong, the jazz DJ, critic and educator who died in 2014 at age 88. He had been working with his friend Fingerote on Jazz on My Mind: Liner Notes, Anecdotes and Conversations From the 1940s to the 2000s.

The book features Wongs writings dating back to the 1940s, including artist profiles and interviews ranging from Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday to Joshua Redman and Denny Zeitlin. Wong hosted Jazz Perspectives on KJAZ from 1959 to 1996.

Wheels on fire: Kim Wonderley, morning traffic anchor on KCBS, is also a rock musician. When not reporting on traffic jams, she jams on guitar and vocals with the Flywheels. Theyve completed an album, Im for the Flowers, which Wonderley calls a legacy project for guitarist Eric Scott, who died last year, just after finishing the record. Now the Flywheels need a push to finish artwork and packaging, and to produce vinyl pressings (as well as CD and streaming options). Theyve started a Kickstarter campaign. (To join, go to the Flywheels Facebook page.)

I want to get it out there for Eric, said Wonderley. Its great to have the last year of his life be not about cancer, but about music.

Our aim is true: Im joining a group of musicians for Elvis vs. Elvis at the Makeout Room on Aug. 25. Yep: songs of Presley and Costello. One guess which side Im singing on 

Hall monitor: Tweet from Carolyn McArdle of KISQ (The Breeze), watching KGO-TV on her studio monitor: Well @SueHallTraffic you have the cutest outfit on today! Go girl!

Moments later, McArdles morning co-host, Jack Kulp, tweeted: How come you never comment about MY cute outfits?

Days later, Hall lost her morning traffic gig; she continues as a fill-in, and remains on 102.7 the Wolf in Santa Rosa and part time on KOIT.

Ben Fong-Torres is a freelance writer.
MIAMI  Golly, it all makes sense now. The courier made a simple mistake. He was supposed to pick up Brandon Crawfords bat from Mondays seven-hit game and deliver it to the Hall of Fame, but he absentmindedly grabbed every bat from the visiting clubhouse at Marlins Park.

One night after Crawford tied the National League record with seven hits, the Giants and Marlins combined for that many Tuesday. The Giants had three  none by Crawford, using a different bat  and lost 2-0.

Hours later, the eight-game lead they had built in the National League West was gone. The Dodgers beat the Phillies in Los Angeles to forge a tie, ending the Giants 86-day reign alone atop the division.

Crawford shrugged at the possibility before he left the ballpark, saying, Theres a lot of season left. If the division is tied, its not going to ruin our season. Were going to keep coming out, getting after it.

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press Show More Show Less 3 of 3





Crawford went hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts, stranding two teammates in the first inning and again in the eighth.

The Giants cannot use the old thats baseball saw to explain how easily their bats can be silenced.

The problem is, this offensive slump is like a virus that has infected the entire team. The deeper the season gets, the harder it is to believe the Giants will find a cure.

Just go down the lineup.

Denard Span went 7-for-15 in three games at Philadelphia, a sign he finally might become a spark atop the order. In five games since then, he is 5-for-24 with 15 groundball outs.

Brandon Belt has 10 RBIs in 22 second-half games with 31 strikeouts in 77 at-bats.

Hunter Pence is lost, swinging at anything that moves. In his past six games, he is 3-for-24 with 12 strikeouts.

Joe Panik is 4-for-40 since he returned from his concussion.

Even Crawford has scuffled around his seven-hit game.

Buster Posey, who sat Tuesday after catching all 14 innings Monday night, has been producing. Angel Pagan has been consistent, too. He had two of the Giants three hits Tuesday, Conor Gillaspie the other. All were singles.

For the second time in three days, the Giants were blanked over seven innings by an opposing starter, this time Tom Koehler.

Manager Bruce Bochy, back from an overnight hospital stay, can do only so much with the lineup when so much of it is struggling. He probably should give Pagan a shot at leadoff for a while, but he fully supports Span.

Weve tweaked it, he said. Thats fair to say if you look at the lineups. You dont want to do too much. You want some stability. You want them to settle in. Theyll get it going. Theyre too good hitters not to. Their resumes show it.

The front office can do little more. The onus is on the hitters and their coaches to find a way out of this.

Matt Moore took his first loss with the Giants. He has had an odd start with San Francisco. In both games, he has allowed two runs in six innings but has 11 walks in the 12 innings.

He walked Dee Gordon on four pitches to start his night, Martin Prado singled and they scored the games only runs. The key hit was an RBI double by Giancarlo Stanton on a fastball that broke his bat yet still cleared Pagan in left field.

Hes probably one of the strongest guys in the game, Moore said. It doesnt surprise me. Hes had a broken-bat homer.

Moore did well to last six innings and spare most of the bullpen a night after Mondays draining win.

Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: hschulman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hankschulman
Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey lied to reporters when he said he did not believe any senior member of his staff knew about the plot to block traffic to the George Washington Bridge, one of his aides told a colleague in a text message that was part of a court document filed Wednesday.

Are you listening? the aide, Christina Renna, texted a colleague. He just flat out lied, Renna wrote. Then she added that if certain emails were discovered, it could be bad.
WILMINGTON, N.C.  Donald Trump said Tuesday that Second Amendment advocates might find a way to stop Hillary Clinton from rolling back gun rights if shes elected, setting off a political firestorm as Democrats quickly accused him of encouraging violence against his opponent.

Speaking at a rally in Wilmington, the Republican nominee said, incorrectly, that his general election opponent wants to abolish, essentially, the Second Amendment.

He continued: By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know.

Trump did not elaborate on his meaning. But within minutes, Clintons campaign and an outside group backing her candidacy denounced her competitors remarks as an attempt to incite violence.

This is simple  what Trump is saying is dangerous, said Robby Mook, Clintons campaign manager. A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.

The pro-Clinton group Priorities USA blasted out an email with the subject line: Donald Trump Just Suggested That Someone Shoot Hillary Clinton.

The Trump campaign was equally quick to dispute that interpretation of his remarks, saying he was simply touting the amazing spirit of Second Amendment supporters.

Its called the power of unification  Second Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power, said Jason Miller, Trumps senior communications adviser. And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it wont be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump.

Catherine Milhoan, a spokeswoman for the Secret Service, said, We are aware of his comments. She declined to answer any additional questions about Trumps remarks.

The Second Amendment provides a constitutional right to citizens to own firearms. Clinton supports some new restrictions on gun ownership but does not advocate overturning the amendment.

The GOP candidates distortion of Clintons position on the Second Amendment and his comments Tuesday prove how dangerous Trump really is, said Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

What Donald Trump said today is repulsive, literally using the Second Amendment as cover to encourage people to kill someone with whom they disagree, said Gross, whose group is named for James Brady, a White House press secretary wounded in the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.

Trumps remarks immediately set off a firestorm of criticism on social media and threatened to upstage discussion of his economic policy speech the day before and his swing through the key battleground state of North Carolina.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a leading advocate for stronger gun safety laws, called Trumps comments disgusting and embarrassing and sad.

This isnt play, Murphy wrote on Twitter. Unstable people with powerful guns and an unhinged hatred for Hillary are listening to you, @realDonaldTrump.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, the liberal Democrat who has tangled frequently with Trump online, said on Twitter that Trump makes death threats because hes a pathetic coward who cant handle the fact that hes losing to a girl.

The National Rifle Association, the powerful pro-gun lobby that has endorsed Trump, posted a pair of tweets in support of the Republican nominee.

One, using the hashtag for the Second Amendment, read: @realDonaldTrump is right. If @HillaryClinton gets to pick her anti-#2A SCOTUS judges, theres nothing we can do. #NeverHillary.

The second read: But there IS something we will do on #ElectionDay: Show up and vote for the #2A! #DefendtheSecond #NeverHillary.

But even some Trump supporters appeared taken aback by the nominees comments. A video of the rally shows a man seated behind Trump open his mouth in disbelief and turn to his companion with a puzzled look on his face after Trump made the remark.

Campaigning in Pennsylvania, Trumps running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, said Trump was very clear in what he meant.

Donald Trump is urging people around this country to act in a manner consistent with their convictions in the course of this election, and people who cherish the Second Amendment have a very clear choice in this election, he told Philadelphias NBC affiliate.

Trumps comments came a few weeks after one of his campaign advisers said Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason.

The Secret Service is investigating those remarks, made last month by Al Baldasaro, a New Hampshire state lawmaker and an adviser to Trump on veterans issues. Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said then that neither Trump nor his campaign agrees with Baldasaros comments.

Trumps comments Tuesday were reminiscent of the Second Amendment remedies floated in 2010 by Sharron Angle, a Senate candidate from Nevada who was criticized for seeming to allude to a call for violence.
BALTIMORE  With startling statistics, a federal investigation of the Baltimore Police Department documents in 164 single-spaced pages what black residents have been saying for years: They are routinely singled out, roughed up or otherwise mistreated by officers, often for no reason.

The 15-month Justice Department probe was prompted by the death of Freddie Gray, the black man whose fatal neck injury in the back of a police van touched off the worst riots in Baltimore in decades. To many people, the blistering report issued Wednesday was familiar reading.
Every once in a while, a great innovator comes along with an idea so revolutionary, it not only disrupts an industry, it changes the world: how we get places, how we meet people, and in the case of entrepreneur showman Jeff Beacher, how we get drunk.

At our performances, we have midgets dressed like Oompa-Loompas who are attached to ziplines -- they fly around dropping bottles of booze on tables, he says.

Welcome to Beacher's Madhouse, a vaudeville cabaret show where flying vodka-laden Oompa-Loompas are probably the sanest thing you will see. On any given night over the past decade, audience members have seen acts like the worlds oldest stripper shaking what her mama gave her, followed by Mini Kim Kardashian and Mini Kanye West "giving birth" onstage to a tiny bundle of joy, Mini Amanda Bynes.

And laughing their asses off one table over are some of the biggest stars on the planet.

Beacher built his madhouse as an outlet for his creativity and, really, just a way to have some fun. After I graduated high school, I went to community college for about a month before I dropped out. School wasnt for me," he tells Entrepreneur. "I was a guy with a high EQ and not the highest IQ. Some people are really good actors and actresses, some are really good accountants. I just happen to be the best in the world at marketing. I just knew it as an instinct. Im just wired that way. It is something that I love.

Related: 10 Instagram Branding Lessons From Mexican Drug Lords

Over the years, his Madhouse has enjoyed residences in The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, at The Hard Rock and MGM casinos in Vegas and has toured the country bringing its unique brand of insanity to a theater near you. As you might imagine, the journey of this weird and wonderful show has been bumpier than, well, the journey of a little person ziplining around a nightclub. After a run at the MGM that Beacher says nearly killed him, he pressed pause on the crazy machine to take some time to regain his health and his sanity.

This September, after over a year-long break, the show is returning to the Hollywood Roosevelt, promising to be bigger and more bizarre than ever. With less than a month to go before the curtain rises, Entrepreneur spoke with the master of the Madhouse about its colorful history and its freaky future.

In the beginning

"I started the show based on the fact that I never went to college. I felt like I missed out -- I never had the frat house parties. So I created this party where you could sit at a table, have drinks and have a really crazy experience. It started on Broadway. We had one midget and some dancers and we did a lot of audience interaction. What I didnt realize was that I created what everyone calls 'experiential.' I started engaging the audience in everything that was going on."

Related: 18 Movies Every Entrepreneur Should Watch

Famous faces in the crowd

"Weve had nights with 40 celebrities in the audience in a room that holds 150 people. Theres a lot of networking and follow through to make that happen. But in the end, you have to have a really good product or else no one is going to want to come see it."

Famous faces on the stage (in miniature form)

"Whenever we do a Mini Katy or Mini Miley, the real stars love it. When Kim Tripp, who played Mini Kim Kardashian, passed away a couple of months ago, the real Kim Kardashian tweeted a really sweet message for her."

The (Mini) Kiss off

"The only time I got a legal letter is when we had Tiny Kiss, a midget band who dressed like Kiss. I got a letter from Kisss attorney and I called him back myself and told him Im not backing down. A week later, I get another call: 'Hey, this is Gene Simmons.' I said sure it is, and hung up. And he called back and said, 'No, this is really Gene Simmons.' And I recognized the voice and it was really him. I was like, 'Oh shit.' He said, 'I heard youve been spoofing Kiss,' and I was like, 'Yeah, but it is all in good fun.' And he said, 'Is it cool if I come down to the Hard Rock to see it?' So he came down and got on stage and played with them, so it was awesome. It turned into a great relationship and were still friends to this day."

Related: KISS Co-Founder Gene Simmons Says To Be Successful, Think 'Me' First

Wiring of a madman

"I was adopted, which I think had a lot to do with the way I am wired. My parents died when I was very young, which I didnt realize at the time gave me insecurity and abandonment issues. I was adopted by an amazing family, and that made me always want to be the best. I wanted to prove to my father that hey, you made the best decision in adopting me."

The price of success

"I became so obsessed with succeeding, with being the coolest person in the room and having the coolest room packed with models and celebrities that I stopped taking care of myself. By 2014, I was 410 pounds. We had a $100 million, 20-year deal with the MGM to open a theater there, but my life was going in the wrong direction. On the outside, it was great -- we were selling out every night. But on the inside, I was an absolute complete disaster. Emotionally, mentally, spiritually, physically. So I had to make a change."

Related: 7 Funny Quotes with Serious Leadership Lessons

Get it together

"I focused on getting my mind and body clear. And I did that. Between 2014 and 2015, I lost 215 pounds. Two of my best friends, Larry Rudolph, who manages Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears and Steven Tyler, and his fiancee Jennifer Barnet, who owns XCYCLE, sat me down and got me on an exercise program. One thing Ive been proud of my entire life is that I dont do drugs. But the problem was that I thought, well if Im not doing drugs, Im healthy! It's OK to eat or gamble, not realizing that those were my drugs. It was just filling voids.

"I made the decision to leave the MGM and went back to L.A. to be happier and healthier. We had a huge financial deal with MGM, but I needed to get out of the Vegas environment. How did people react? Any time you have an idea, there are four people that tell you it is a great idea, four people who tell you thats the worst idea ever and two people who dont care. But I did it and a year and a half later, Im in the best physical, emotional and financial shape Ive ever been in."

The future

"My original goal was that I wanted to have 30 theaters around the world, to have Beachers in every major city. I was obsessed with the live experience and didnt want to put anything online because people are always copying us. But I realize now that that online is how we can be in every home in America. When we re-open, well also be launching an online portal, a cross of Maxim meets Ripleys Believe It or Not. There will be gorgeous girls, celebrity content, interviews, a three-headed turtle, the worlds tallest man -- all the craziest oddities in the world from our show. We were stuck in the $7 to $10 million revenue mark for years under the old model. Now I believe with touring, online content, branding and merchandising, were putting ourselves in the direction of a billion-dollar company."

The show must go on

"I want to leave something behind that lasts, I want to do something that can live on when Im gone, similar to Walt Disney. I was a very angry person back in the day, and Ive learned that a more nurturing, loving environment will bring out the best in people around you. The people around you are the most important asset in your business. You need to make sure that theyre good people who have your best interest at heart and you need to take care of them as well."

President Beacher?

"P.T. Barnum is a huge inspiration to me. A lot of people say Donald Trump is like P.T. Barnum. No, I have no aspirations to be president, but I do have a Mini Donald Trump in the show! And a Mini Hillary. Theyre getting ready to wrestle."

Related:

Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com
NEW YORK  Republican Donald Trump and his allies are suggesting that rival Hillary Clintons emails may be responsible for the death of an Iranian nuclear scientist who was executed for spying for the United States, even though there is no credible evidence of any such link. Some emails released by the State Department that had passed through Clintons home server appeared to reference the scientist, Shahram Amiri.

Trump is using the people are saying sentence structure he often favors to make accusations:

Many people are saying that the Iranians killed the scientist who helped the U.S. because of Hillary Clintons hacked emails, he tweeted Monday night.

Trumps vice presidential candidate, Mike Pence, said its absolutely essential that we get to the bottom of this.

It would be heartbreaking, Pence said on The Sean Hannity Show Monday, if someone who had cooperated with the United States, lost their life because of the recklessness and the carelessness of Hillary Clinton using a private server. He added that none of that is clear, but the American people have the right to know.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a prominent Trump supporter, doubled down on the claim Tuesday as he introduced Trump at a rally in Wilmington, N.C. Accusing Clinton of lying and being extremely careless.

Iran executed Amiri this week for spying for the United States, acknowledging for the first time that the nation secretly detained and tried a man who was once heralded as a hero.

The emails released by the State Department provide information similar to what U.S. officials had already discussed publicly at the time.

There was public reporting on this topic back in 2010, State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said. Former Secretary Clinton discussed this issue in public at that time. So, this is not something that became public when the State Department released those emails.

The FBI has said it was possible foreign hackers gained access to Clintons personal email account. It found no evidence that Clintons server was hacked when she was secretary of state, although the FBI director said that if it had been hacked investigators probably would not be able to detect any evidence of such a break-in.

Tweeted back Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill:

Many people are saying=I made this up.

Merrill added that after Trumps Monday morning speech to the Detroit Economic Club  and sticking closely to his script  the muzzle was bound to come off.

Trumps speech was designed in part to reassure Republicans unnerved by a disastrous week of self-inflicted feuds with an assortment of people, from grieving Muslim American parents to the leaders of his own party.

Clintons decision to store her emails on a private server in her New York home sparked an FBI investigation and has become a dominant issue in the presidential campaign. The FBI recommended against prosecuting her.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

SACRAMENTO  Aoife Beary paused as the anguish became too much. She tried to stifle the sobs as she pleaded with California lawmakers on Wednesday to support a bill she hopes would prevent the kind of tragedy she endured.

Beary was one of the 13 students who plunged five stories when a balcony at a Berkeley apartment collapsed last year. Most of the young people, like Beary, were visiting from Ireland. Six of them died in the fall on a night they were celebrating Bearys 21st birthday.

I miss my friends so much, said Beary, who suffered a traumatic brain injury, broken arms, a broken pelvis, a broken jaw, a collapsed lung, broken ribs and other injuries in the June 2015 fall. I had known them since we started school together at 4 years of age. We had grown up together. And now my birthday will always be their anniversary.

California lawmakers are considering a bill that would require the Contractors State License Board to study whether it should require contractors to report to the board any settlements or judgments related to faulty work. SB465 would also require the Building Standards Commission to study whether existing building standards for apartment balconies need to be updated. Both studies would be reported to the state Legislature by Jan. 1, 2018.

In addition to the studies, SB465 would require contractors to disclose within 90 days to their regulator  the Contractors State License Board  if they were convicted of a felony or a crime related to their work as a contractor.

The bill was significantly watered down this year after it was defeated in 2015 amid industry opposition.

I cannot believe why you are even debating this bill, Beary said. People died. You should ensure all balconies are scrutinized in this state to prevent this from happening again.

Contractors are not required to report to the board any settlements related to defects in their work, which supporters of SB465 say is routine in other professions.

The firm that constructed the Berkeley balcony, Segue Construction of Pleasanton, had a history of settling construction defect cases. Segue agreed to $26.5 million in legal settlements for construction defect cases between 2012 to 2015.

The licensing board said it was unaware of the cases because state law does not require the company to report them.

The bill, by Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, and Sen. Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley, failed last year in the Assembly Business and Professions Committee after the legislation initially attempted to require contractors to report defective construction settlements and lawsuits to the licensing board. SB465 was revived this year and now only requires the licensing board to study whether the public would be best served if contractors were required to report lawsuits or settlements involving allegations of defective work.

That change led opponents, like the California Building Industry Association and the Southern California Contractors Association, to remove their opposition to the bill. No one spoke in opposition to SB465 on Wednesday, when the Assembly Appropriations Committee heard the bill.

The committee did not vote on the bill Wednesday, but will have to decide by Friday if it moves forward. Several Democratic and Republican lawmakers on the committee indicated Wednesday that they planned to vote in favor of the bill.

If the bill passes the committee, SB465 has to be approved by the full Assembly and Senate by Aug. 31.

So many lives have been changed, said Jackie Donohoe, the mother of Ashley Donohoe of Rohnert Park, an Irish American who was killed at age 22 in the Berkeley fall. Thats why its so important for this bill to pass.

Donohoe said she warned her daughter not to drink and drive or drive too fast, and always asked that she text when she arrived somewhere.

My daughter did all those things, she said. I would never in a million years think to say, Ashley, dont walk out on a balcony in the United States of America.

Donohoes niece, Olivia Burke, 21, was also killed in the collapse. Donohoe said the tragedy has forever changed the familys lives, robbing them of milestones, like her husband walking her daughter down the aisle in a wedding in which she anticipated Burke would have been a bridesmaid.

Her father did carry her up the aisle, she said. He carried her coffin up the aisle. And her beloved friend and cousin Olivia did follow her. She came after her in her coffin.

Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 FRANCISCO LEONG/AFP/Getty Images Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Helder Santos/Associated Press Show More Show Less 3 of 3





LISBON, Portugal  Wildfires raged unabated in Portugal on Wednesday, killing at least four people, burning down dozens of houses and sending people fleeing in panic, as well as charring huge areas of forest.

The National Civil Protection Service reported 14 major wildfires burning out of control in mainland Portugal where almost 4,500 firefighters were in action in a massive operation, supported by 28 water-dumping aircraft and 1,300 vehicles. Even that wasnt enough, however, and the government requested help from other European Union countries.
BAGHDAD  A fire tore through the maternity ward of a Baghdad hospital late Tuesday, killing 13 newborns and injuring at least 25 people, according to health officials in Iraq.

The blaze broke out at 11:50 p.m. Tuesday, but firefighters did not arrive at Yarmouk hospital until 90 minutes later, Dr. Ahmed al-Hadari, a spokesman for the health district that includes the facility, said at a news conference. A committee has been formed to investigate the incident, and so far we dont know the reasons of the incident, he said. We are waiting the results of the investigations.

More than 25 babies and women suffered burns or smoke inhalation and were evacuated to other hospitals. Several of the mothers were awaiting cesarean sections.

Other officials said the episode had begun when an oxygen bottle exploded in a corridor, setting off an electrical fire, but those accounts could not immediately be confirmed.

Outside the hospital, near the entrance to the obstetrics ward, several of the victims relatives gathered Wednesday morning and said they suspected arson  noting that the hospital had recently undergone a change in leadership and that there were reports of a dispute between the former and current directors of the hospital  although they did not have evidence to suggest that the fire was intentional. Asked whether the fire might have been intentionally set, al-Hadari declined to comment, saying that it was up to investigators to determine the cause.

One mother, Mariam Thijeel, who gave birth to a son, Yaman Muaad, on Tuesday via cesarean section, said, I heard that there was a fire in the hospital.

There was screaming, she said. The power was cut off, and then the doors got locked on us, and there was no man in the newborn section, and we could not save any babies.

She described a scene of panic and chaos, and said that people in the hospital tried desperately to find someone with keys to the wing that was on fire, the doors of which were locked. We asked the help of one of the employees, but she said, I cannot help you with anything, because its a fire, Thijeel said.

She said that an ambulance did not arrive until one hour and a half after the fire, adding that she blamed authorities for an inadequate response.

The cost of the governments war against the Islamic State and a drop in the price of oil have led to cutbacks in hospital funding in Iraq.
SHISUN VILLAGE, China  The three miners befriended a lonely, luckless man and offered him work down an iron mine in eastern China.

After working together for 10 days, the three pushed a 220-pound boulder down a steep tunnel, crushing the man to death. They reported it as an accident.

Days later, three men and a woman turned up at the mine, saying they were the dead mans relatives and demanding compensation. The mine owner offered them $110,000 if they agreed not to report the death to officials.

Prosecutors and the police now say that this death, in Shandong province in 2014, was one of many in which a sophisticated network of grifters dispatched isolated, hard-up men, some mentally impaired, and dressed up their deaths as accidents to swindle compensation from mine owners.

The investigation led the police to Shisun Village in southwestern China, where mine murders for cash appear to have become a cottage industry. Of the 74 suspects indicted in late May in 17 killings, up to 40 were from Shisun Village, prosecutors said. The police said they were still investigating reports of another 35 possible victims.

But Shisun is not the only place where such cases have cropped up.

A search of court judgments online and news reports of court verdicts turns up dozens of instances across China of gangs killing vagrants and workers in dark, isolated chambers far underground, and using the deaths to defraud mine owners. There have been at least 34 such cases over the past two decades, Caijing Magazine, a prominent business weekly, estimated in June.

The allegations have prompted anguished debate across China about the social and legal failings that led people to make a living by killing vulnerable strangers, and fanned speculation about whether the crimes were inspired by a bleak cult movie with a similar plot.

The other side of the equation that kept the business humming is the mine owners, who paid handsome sums to the impostor families in order to keep the deaths quiet. If a fatal accident were reported, the owners feared, safety regulators would shut down the mine for months while they investigated, several mine owners told police after the killings came to light.

If these killings sound like the plot of a thriller, that may be no coincidence.

A similar case inspired the 2003 film Blind Shaft, a Chinese drama about two men who kill fellow miners for their compensation. In what seems to be an endless loop of life imitating art imitating life, some officials have said that the movie became an instruction manual for the recent killings.
BENGHAZI, Libya  U.S.-backed Libyan forces said on Wednesday they have taken over the Islamic State groups headquarters in Sirte, the militants final bastion in Libya, breaking a weeks-long stalemate with the help of U.S. air strikes.

The fighters said that they had seized control of the sprawling convention center that was used as Islamic States headquarters in the coastal city. The fighters, who are mainly from the nearby city of Misrata, launched their offensive against the Islamic State in June. They also said that they had seized the citys main hospital of Ibn Sina from Islamic State militants.
Music, August 3: Battle of Hastings

Good Riddance

Hastings is closing?! Well, waah-fucking-waah. Based on my employment there, I'll bet that their demise goes deeper than their merchandising problems. They changed managers, who were usually petty and incompetent, more often than most of us change our underwear. The 21-to-35-year-old male employeesI won't call them menhuddled in the back room, almost got into fistfights over who played Batman best and discussed 'chicks' in the most vile and vicious language I've ever heard. ... If a young gangsta-looking Latino came in, the managers just assumed he was there to steal so, instead of helping him find a product, they assigned security people to follow him around the store. In short, the place reeked of Eau d'Low Budget. No big loss.

Ed Fields

Santa Fe



Wrong to Celebrate

I was appalled by Alex De Vore's cynical celebration of the closing of Hastings. I've read SFR for 16 years, and I think this marks a new level of snarkiness for the paper. While I wholeheartedly agree that Hastings has devolved into a weird hodgepodge of wares, we should never rejoice in the loss of a business, even if it is a chain. De Vore commits the cardinal sin of journalism: burying his lede. In the penultimate paragraph, [he] finally acknowledges that the employees of Hastings will lose their jobs and their paychecks. But then he goes on to trivialize their hardship by saying that their jobs couldn't have paid very well and he's "sure you'll probably do better someplace else." For their sake, I hope he's right.

David Miles

Santa Fe



Big-Box Bummer

I'm going to miss [Hastings]. I also have to consider all the job loss that is happening, and that makes me sad. I am happy for the smaller businesses that will get some more customers through this. Our video rental stores, our bookstores, they're all slowly going away. I miss Borders, too. Guess who bought them and liquidated? The same company that bought Hastings. So, yes, I will miss Hastings. It was my go-to place for comic books and previously viewed movies and anime comic books. It was also the best place for National Free Comic Book Day.

Julie Hephzibah Doolittle

via Facebook

Isn't Very Eloquent

While I understand free speech, I don't understand why [Alex De Vore] felt the need to disrespect not only Hastings but the people who shop there as well. He belittled the employees, telling them that they should aspire to something better than working at Hastings (not a direct quote as your writer isn't very eloquent). Not only did he belittle the employees, but he also wrote in a very hard to follow, poorly written style that relied upon expletives to get his point across. I suggest either sending your writer back to school to learn how to be a journalist or find a real writer. I'm sorry if this is rude, but I find it hard to stay objective when my friends and family are being attacked, especially in this horrible time when they are faced with unemployment.

Crystal Rice

San Antonio, Texas

Cover, August 3: High Bar

When I was a younger judge, a party in a small-claims court case looked up to the bench and asked me if I was a Republican or a Democrat. I replied, "You first." When he had finished yipping that it was an unfair question, I asked if it wouldn't be better to base his opinion of me on how well I listened, whether I seemed to care about him and the other party's arguments in the case, and whether I seemed to know the law and come up with an understandable decisionrather than pre-judging me for my political affiliation before the trial started. That's the nutshell description of the problem with how we pick our judges.

...Over the long run of many governors, merit selection has resulted in a pretty even split among appointees, all of whom have been vetted for nominal qualification. The fly in the ointment is the partisan contested race that follows, where entry into the contest has nothing to do with judicial qualificationsat least for challengers. ... My work on nominating commissions as a court representative has convinced me that the prospect of an election, together with NM judges being the worst-paid in the country, is keeping a lot of skilled and honorable candidates out of public service.

I know more than a couple very qualified lawyers who would be great additions to the court, and who expressly will never apply because of the statewide election. I have done it, and have watched this year's candidates spend more time out of the courthouse campaigning than doing the work they love enough to have applied for appointment. ... I hope New Mexico might at last find a way to give our talented lawyers who are interested in public service in the judiciary more encouragement and opportunity.

Roderick Kennedy

New Mexico Court of Appeals

BOSF, July 27: Best Place To Take a Walk without Actually Getting Anywhere

Give it a Try

We are happy that labyrinths were included in this year's Best of Santa Fe categories, and we congratulate Christ Lutheran for their beautiful labyrinth. Unfortunately, Andrew Koss' article was dismissive of the art and opportunity that labyrinths may provide for people. His concluding statement read: "Once you reach the center, take a seat and contemplate a life wasted walking labyrinths." We believe this statement suggests that labyrinths are meaningless and neglects any understanding of labyrinths in general. We encourage Santa Feans to discover the many unique labyrinths in town and find their own meanings.

Chris Harrell

Labyrinth Resource Group of Santa Fe



News, July 27: History Repeating on the Gila

Free the Gila

People in New Mexico need to understand that these water projects ultimately serve the needs of housing developers. ... Necessary services are neglected and New Mexico is left with a weak education system and taxpayers are poorer as they pay off bonds for years. Any new jobs that are attracted to the state will be designed to take advantage of a low-income, uneducated population willing to work for a starvation wage. We already have more than 12,000 call center jobs in the Albuquerque metro area alone. The Albuquerque Journal, a conservative publication, describes these centers [as] ... "stressful office environments, highly standardized work and unstable, low-paying jobs." Is this the future we want for our children and grandchildren? Stand up and say "NO" to these developers.

Devin Bent

SFReporter.com



CORRECTION

"Signal Revolt" (Aug. 3) included a quote from a letter sent to the city manager. The writer was referring to construction of an earlier tower at the same site, not the most recent construction.



SFR will correct factual errors online and in print. Please let us know if we make a mistake, editor@sfreporter.com or 988-7530.





Mail letters to PO Box 2306, Santa Fe, NM 87504, deliver to 132 E Marcy St., or email them to editor@sfreporter.com. Letters (no more than 200 words) should refer to specic articles in the Reporter. Letters will be edited for space and clarity.

Santa Fe Reporter
If Hillary Clinton ever makes a campaign stop in Santa Fe, shell have a place to crash.

As of 2012, the Democratic presidential nominee has an open invitation from Valerie Plame Wilson and Joe Wilson to visit them in the City Different, where the couple lives in what the New York Times describes as a "sprawling adobe house on a ridge overlooking the Sangre de Cristo Mountains."

Clinton maintained close ties with the Wilsons while she served as secretary of state, long after the couple had fled Washington for the private sector, according to emails declassified by the State Department amid a federal investigation of the presidential candidate's personal server. Requests for favors and meeting arrangements are intermingled with intimate well-wishes and fawning praise. Nuclear weapons, the Iraq War, Benghazi and Naomi Watts all make appearances in the messages, which span 2009 to 2012.

Plame Wilson, the former CIA operative, these days writes spy novels and advocates for Global Zero, the international nuclear disarmament movement. Wilson, a diplomat who served as an advisor to Bill Clinton on Africa affairs, does consulting work, often lending his international expertise to nonprofits and private companies.

On numerous occasions, as Politico first reported, Wilson reached out to Clinton concerning his work for Symbion Power, an electrical engineering company that does business in Africa and the Middle East. The company in 2009 had trouble securing a contract administered by USAID for a hydroelectric project in Afghanistan.

Those already working on the project "should just get out and let companies like Symbion, who have a proven track record get in there and roll up our sleeves," Wilson wrote. Clinton forwarded the message to her staff, and a month later, USAID opened up the bidding process to Symbion. The contract ultimately went to a different company. That same year, Wilson also alerted Clinton to Symbion's bid for a contract to install power lines in Tanzania. This time, the company was successful.

Wilson in 2011 messaged Clinton again about Symbion's work in Africa, asking her to resolve a dispute with General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt on a call. (Wilson filed a lawsuit against Symbion last year, claiming the company failed to pay him and misrepresented itself as an American company.)

Other strings were easier to pull. In a 2012 message, Wilson encourages Clinton to meet his friend, the television producer Kirk Ellis, at a national fine arts reception. "He is a leader in the rich cultural and art world here in Santa Fe and a genuinely nice person," Wilson wrote.

A day later, Ellis responded, "Can never thank you enough for arranging that intro."

In 2011, Plame Wilson personally invited Clinton to a Global Zero summit at Yale University, where the candidate attended law school. "We would be truly delighted and honored if you could consider attending this special event that will be so effective toward inspiring and igniting young people's passion and concern about the nuclear threat," she wrote.

Clinton couldn't fit Yale into her schedule, but ensured the couple that her office would be "well-represented for such a significant event."

Other messages from the Wilsons express foreign policy concerns, past and present. When it looked like the US Senate would fail to ratify a new arms-reduction treaty with Russia, Wilson made clear his and Plame Wilson's alarm.

In his longest and perhaps most remarkable memo to Clinton, Wilson details a trip he made to Baghdad in 2010, illustrating scenes of destruction and devastation resulting from the US-led invasion of Iraq.

"I have struggled to find the correct historical analogy to describe a vibrant, historically important Middle Eastern city being slowly bled to death," he wrote.

Wilson characterizes the war as a complete failure. In a memorable passage, the former diplomat expresses his disgust over "horribly bellicose" and "racist" t-shirts sold at a base exchange. "Shirts with mushroom clouds conveyed the Baghdad weather as 32,000 degrees and partly cloudy. Others referred to Arabs as camel jockeys and those were the least offensive," he wrote.



Wilson and Plame Wilson unwillingly entered the national spotlight in 2003 after a conservative journalist, informed by a leak from the Bush administration, revealed Plame Wilson's identity as a spy. It is widely believed that Plame Wilson's outing was in retaliation to column Wilson wrote in The New York Times debunking the administration's claim that Saddam Hussein sought to purchase yellowcake uranium from Niger, a central piece of George W Bush's justification for invading Iraq.

It wasn't always business. A handful of emails show diplomat-to-diplomat camaraderie between the secretary of state and the former ambassador. Wilson offered his condolences the day after the 2012 attack on the US embassy in Libya, which killed four Americans. He knew one of the victims, former Navy SEAL Glen Doherty, from an effort to curb the influence of Christian Dominionism in the US military. Of Ambassador Chris Stevens, Wilson wrote, "He knew the risks, and as you and the President noted, was willing to take them to make the world a little bit better."

On a more light-hearted note, consider this subject line Clinton sent to Wilson in 2012: "I met Naomi Watts last weekend and we talked about you and Valerie and how amazing you both are!" She left the body of the message blank. (Watts portrayed Plame Wilson in Fair Game, the feature film adaptation of the former spy's memoir.)



Wilson responded the next morning. He wished Secretary Clinton luck during a meeting scheduled that day with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. "I don't know how you find the time to write us when you are so busy saving the world! You are the one who is amazing," he wrote. "Have a great holiday season. We will be at Renaissance weekend this year. Best to WJC and Chelsea. Much love."



Santa Fe Reporter
Calls to turn federally managed lands over to states have demonstrated a zombie-like persistence, appearing in multiple state legislatures over recent years (orchestrated by a Koch brothers-funded program) and most recently in the party platform emerging from the Republican National Committees convention last month.

The move prompted a swift response from the Outdoor Industry Association, a group which now runs its own political action committee to support pro-conservation and outdoor recreation candidates, and has contributed to Sen. Martin Heinrich in the past. Their letter to the RNC chairman began with the stats that tend to open most eyes: The association counts more than 1,300 members and calculated a $646 billion economic impact and 6.1 million jobs supported in their latest round of research, published in 2012.

That business depends on access to America's public lands, and the policy of transferring those lands back to states puts that access at risk. The trade association aims for balanced and reasonable policies, says Alex Boian, senior director of government affairs for OIA, but these lands are the backbone of the outdoor industry, and any threat to them is an existential threat to that industry.

"The answer is not to turn these lands over to states, disguised as better management, but is instead to continue to seek improvements in the practices and processes that lead to conflict in the first place," he wrote to the RNC chairman.

Research shows that states can't afford to manage public landsthe costs of fighting wildfires alone, which ran at $155 million in New Mexico in 2011, could bankrupt state budgetsso the result would likely be the sale of the lands to the highest bidder, and the end of public access.



"Studies have shown that transferring these lands is not necessarily going to be profitable in the long runthat states aren't going to be able to manage them, that it's going to be a losing economic battle," says Tania Lown-Hecht, communications director with the Outdoor Alliance. "Even if you do sell off all this land and open it up for oil and gas drilling, those rural communities aren't necessarily benefitting from that."

Instead, that money would go to big companies, and, briefly, to the state government.

The "public land heist," as the Outdoor Alliance calls these bills, she says, seems to stem from broader, more deeply entrenched problems.

"I think in some ways the public land heist is a symptom of greater inequality," she says. The increasing divide between rich and poor has also seen a widening gulf between urban and rural communities.

"There are a lot of macroeconomic forces that have left rural communities behind, and I think public lands become a flash point for a lot of bigger, cultural issues, a lot of which are pinned on government," she says. As a result, we see more anti-government sentiment, and that leads to a desire to get federal management off these lands. The irony is that selling them off would kill the goose and end the supply of golden eggs.

Headwaters Economics analyzed the localized effects of public lands and found a relationship between access to wild lands and an uptick in the job market, employment rate and per capita incomeall fuel many communities in New Mexico could use. Those jobs haven't come just in the tourism industry, but in companies drawn to the quality-of-life benefits those areas offer employees.

States could make money on the initial sale of those lands for extractive activities, like oil and gas, says Ray Rasker of Headwaters Economics, but oil and gas prices would have to be higher. As far as states maintaining them, if the costs of fire fighting are figured in, he says, "it just doesn't make sense at all."

In 2000, when the Baca Ranch in New Mexico went up for sale, Congress rolled out an alternative management plan that called for a management trust running the Valles Caldera's resources in a way that monetized what they couldcattle ranching, recreation, timberwithout eradicating the area's scenic value or wildlife diversity. The trust was initially responsible for wildfire fighting costs, but that obligation was transferred back to US Forest Service. Shortly after that, fires burned 53,000 acres and cost $56 million to suppress.

In response to inconsistent funding, the need for infrastructure improvements and concerns that the required self-sufficiency was unattainable, Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich introduced legislation to move the caldera to National Park Service management in 2013. It passed in 2014.

The Clinton campaign has issued a policy paper calling for doubling the outdoor recreation industry over the next 10 years, listing the goals of increasing access to public lands, launching an initiative to revitalize city parks, and dedicating a portion of Small Business Administration loans to entrepreneurs in the outdoor industry. It also clearly states her opposition to disposing of or selling off public lands.

Whether Trump gets on board with his party's stated platform still looks 50/50, Boian says. He's previously opposed it, then in a recent speech said the idea was worth considering.

"The outdoor economy is an important way that we create economic benefit from public landthere's that oft-quoted $1 in every park creates $10 for local communitiesbut these places aren't just money-makers. They're also part of the fabric of what it means to be an American. They're a real gold mine both culturally and economically," says Lown-Hecht. "There's definitely a lot of really compelling policy arguments for why we should keep public land public, but I think another thing the [outdoor] industry doesn't always look at right away is that these places are our heritage as a country. We own them collectively. You own them. I own them. Why would you give that up?"



Santa Fe Reporter
Those noxious BPAs and the toxic fumes. Plastic, you vicious evil meanie-poo! We hate you! For fashion and accessories, though? Its super fantastic! Flashback to Belgium 1909. Slow zoom into chemist Leo Baekeland munching on creamy chocolates while concocting the first purely synthetic plastic.

Hallelujah! Bakelite was born!



By the 1920s, bakelite bangles were de rigueur. Now cut to 2016perhaps the year of plastic?

One of my all-time favorite artists and accessory designers is Ineke Otte of the Netherlands, who fashions the most gloriously weird and original jewelry all out of plastic. Lobsters, rats, goldfish, mussels, moss, seaweed, bananas, broccoli, windmills! And 94-years-young style icon Iris Apfel rocks the mussel necklace with sparkling panache.

For 2016 Spring/Summer (SS), luxury Spanish brand Loewe has created crystal-clear, see-thru pants. Genius? YES! Comfy? I think not. Would you wear 'em strolling thru Whole Foods? I would, but that's why they call me "Shamey Amy."

Even in the olden times at London Fashion Week 2015, Christopher Kane made a choker out of plastic rainbow-colored cable ties and said, "They made me think of restraint and madness."

Plastic = Insanity? Cue up 1982 doc Koyaanisqatsi.

2016 SS Moschino has a super cutie pie plastic "Slippery When Wet" dress. From a brilliantly cut Louis Vuitton frothy and foamy confection of a mini-frock to an Anya Hindmarch bag to Prada ... yadda yaddathere is mucho off-gassing on the runways!

In 1946, French line Sun Jellies created the ubiquitous jelly shoe (yeah, they were the first, not you Jelly Bean of the bitchin' '80s. Sorry).

A leather shortage in France was indeed the catalyst for these plastic-fantastique bags and shoes. Limitations can birth brilliance in art, food and design.

Grab some Sun Jellies and dance a wee jig why doncha! They cost about the same as three lattes.

On the eco, save-the-world tip, Adidas has collaborated with ocean awareness partner Parley and has unveiled a sneaker made entirely of recycled ocean plastics. They dropped in June 2016 and are waaay limited edition; let the Googling begin!

On home soil, Poppy and the Golden Fleece by local talent Jennabel Pichnar ik has been cooking up some rad plastic brooches that would make Judy Jetson swoon. Her medium is entirely plastic earth. You know, the stuff of the Meow Wolf melodious and phosphorescent shrooms. She counts Elsa Schiaparelli as one of her biggest inspirations. Couple that with a 1960s nod to Mod dipped in a 1940s palette, and we have a postmodern fiesta of fabulosity!

Each and every piece is one-of-a-kind couture and made by hand, and they can only be obtained from the creator herself via lacerags.bandit@gmail.com. Next I'll talk about how chemtrails are actually the most incredible moisturizer.



Santa Fe Reporter
Belt Tightening Ordered

On Tuesday, Gov. Susana Martinez told state agencies to

amid a budget shortfall. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have urged Martinez to call a special session to consider other belt tightening measures.

Revealing Emails

Several of Hillary Clintons declassified emails show the former secretary of state has

with former Ambassador Joe Wilson and CIA operative Valerie Plame Wilson.

Trump Still Worries Mexicans

Donald Trump continues to

at the same time his

. High profile

. Now, SFR comes with interviews from some folks in Mexico who fear the worst come November while it seems

agrees: This clown's gotta go.

Solar Plan Inked for Facebook

Public Service Company of New Mexico

to give Facebook a set energy price for solar power for the next 25 years if the social media decides to build its data center in New Mexico. The deal still has to be approved by the Public Regulation Commission.

Bus Drivers Needed in Santa Fe

The Santa Fe Public School District is once again short

ahead of schools reopening August 17.

PED Delayed Superintendent's License Renewal for Months

Public records show the superintendent of Bernalillo Municipal Schools

. Allen Tapia blames the Public Education Department for not processing his renewal on time.

Lingering Concerns a Year After Toxic Spill

State officials, meeting at a roundtable in Farmington on Tuesday, are urging the Environmental Protection Agency to

after last years Gold King Mine spill near Silverton, CO.

Epic Geography Fail

Frequent

that Delta Air Lines considers flights from Albuquerque to Pennsylvania to be international travel. The company has apologized. They say they're investigating, but maybe they just need to look at a map.

Santa Fe Reporter
Shaan Stevens, the Singapore-based businessman who is a key Crown witness in the fraud trial of Ngatata Love, says he returned to New Zealand to give evidence because he felt it was his "civic duty".

Stevens is at the heart of the Crown's case because along with Love's partner Lorraine Skiffington, he was a director of Pipitea Street Development, a company he established for the pair. PSD was paid $1.5 million plus GST by Auckland-based property developer Redwood Group in relation to property interests on Pipitea Street in Wellington owned by the Wellington Tenths Trust, a Maori incorporation.

Love, who was chairman of the Tenths Trust at the time, faces one Crimes Act charge of obtaining by deception and one charge under Section 4 of the Secret Commissions Act. Skiffington got a permanent stay on charges against her because of her ill health.

Stevens began his evidence on Monday but was interrupted when Love was taken to hospital with a heart condition. In the High Court today he said he transferred $1.4 million of the Redwood Group fee to trusts owned by Love and Skiffington, which they used to purchase a house in Plimmerton. Stevens had felt it should be used by the Tenths Trust to cover costs related to the Pipitea development but he felt powerless to refuse given that Love was on the board of the Hui Taumata Trust, one of the biggest clients of his consultancy firm Guinness Gallagher.

Hui Taumata has since been wound up but its 2009 financial accounts show its board was stacked with high-profile New Zealanders, including former Governor-General Paul Reeves, Ngai Tahu leader Tipene O'Regan, Ngati Tuwharetoa leader Tumu Te Heu Heu, former Ernst & Young chairman Rob McLeod, former Business New Zealand boss Phil O'Reilly, former union boss Ross Wilson, and company director June McCabe.

The trust was among many initiatives that Love, a former head of Te Puni Kokiri, drove as one of the nation's most influential and well-connected Maori leaders. He was knighted on the advice of former Prime Minister Helen Clark

Asked why he had returned to New Zealand to give evidence at the trial, Stevens told BusinessDesk outside the court that he felt it was his civic duty.

"I was concerned about what I saw," he said. Stevens said he couldn't discuss details of the case outside of his evidence in court.

Guinness Gallagher is now based in Singapore and has clients including the World Bank. Its projects range across Asia including Cambodia, Indonesia, and Tashkent.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

SKO - FY23 Interim Results Announcement Date - 23 November 2022

Downer awarded $490 million road maintenance contract

SKC - 2022 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS AND TRADING UPDATE

TCL - Result of AGM

TradeWindow secures U.S. footprint with FoodChain ID

October 28th Morning Report

October 25th Morning Report

Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update

GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct

MCY - Quarterly Operational Update


Two Wellington accountants serving prison terms on 110 counts of tax fraud have exhausted the last avenue of appeal against their convictions.

The Supreme Court rejected the appeal by Barrie Skinner and David Rowley, who had sought to have the court recognise that their personal tax returns between 2006 and 2010 should be deemed to have been correct under section 109 of the Tax Administration Act.

Some of the 110 charges on which they were convicted included allegations that they had knowingly provided false information to the Inland Revenue Department in their tax returns for those years. The pair attempted to argue that under s109, "certain decisions of the Commissioner of Inland Revenue are deemed correct in a court or in any proceedings, including an assessment of income tax".

This could have seen the tax returns in question "deemed correct" by the court. That and other arguments failed in the Court of Appeal, but Skinner and Rowley were granted leave to appeal to the Supreme Court on the s109 issue.

A panel of five Supreme Court judges rejected that argument unanimously, holding that s109 "does not apply in criminal proceedings".

The pair were jailed for eight and a half years in August 2012 on frauds that netted them some $2 million and involved filing false tax returns on behalf of their clients where they claimed fake expenses in excess of $9 million and were also found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

SKO - FY23 Interim Results Announcement Date - 23 November 2022

Downer awarded $490 million road maintenance contract

SKC - 2022 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS AND TRADING UPDATE

TCL - Result of AGM

TradeWindow secures U.S. footprint with FoodChain ID

October 28th Morning Report

October 25th Morning Report

Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update

GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct

MCY - Quarterly Operational Update


NEW DELHI: India is likely to sign a treaty with the US for speedier action to boost investment agreements, Parliament was informed today.



The US has expressed desire to sign a treaty similar to the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) signed with Japan and Korea, Minister of State for Finance, Arjun Ram Meghwal said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

"However, Japan and Korea FTAs were signed based on the earlier Model Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) text of India but the negotiations with the US will be on the basis of the new Indian Model Bilateral Investment Treaty text," Meghwal said.



He was replying to a question on whether the US has been pressuring India to accede to a treaty similar to FTA that the country had signed with Japan and Korea.



Meghwal said technical discussions with the US side have been held on the ongoing basis to speed up the pending bilateral investment treaty.



Earlier, the US had expressed concerns that the absence of a bilateral investment treaty with India is an impediment to expanding trade between the two countries.



The US has pitched for tax certainty and fairness, less regulatory burden, adequate infrastructure and power as well as access to legal services.



Richard Rahul Verma, the US Ambassador to India, in February had urged the government to permit US law firms and lawyers to set up base in India, calling for "reciprocity".



He contended that there was no citizenship requirement for Indian lawyers who wish to establish offices in the US.



"We think it is important because it would contribute to economic growth and foreign direct investment," he had said.



Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had also called for re-negotiating India's bilateral investment pacts and replace them with new ones.



"India proposes to renegotiate all those bilateral investment pacts whose initial validity has expired and to replace them with new Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs)," she had said in Parliament last month.

Read Also: Parliament Clears GST, PM Says Will Empower States, End Corruption

Subbulakshmi To Be Honored At UN On Independence Day


NEW DELHI: India is planning to start extensive research on the use of solar power to bring about a "revolution" in this field, Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave said today.



Dave told Lok Sabha that during the Paris Climate summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that there were 122 countries in the world where sunlight was available 10 months of the year.

Since India is one of the prominent countries among these 122 nations, it has to take the lead of research on solar power, he said.



"We are looking for a revolution similar to the mobile phone revolution which took place in India. 25 years ago people could not imagine how we would use the mobile phone now," he said during Question Hour.



Dave said if India could get success in the research on solar power, the country can end the burning of wood forever.



The Minister also said that India was 2 per cent ahead on the commitment given during the Paris meet on carbon emission and could say with confidence that "we will be able to reach the target on time".



Under the Paris agreement, the developed countries have committed to mobilise USD 100 billion per year and agreed to enhance it beyond USD 100 billion per year post 2020.



"Green Climate Fund has been set up under the UNFCCC as an operating entity of the financial mechanism of the convention. No specific assistance has been received by India so far from the GCF for implementing INDCs," he said.

Read Also: Parliament Clears GST, PM Says Will Empower States, End Corruption

Subbulakshmi To Be Honored At UN On Independence Day


NEW DELHI: Parliament today passed a bill which empowers banks to confiscate security in the case of loan default, a development that assumes significance in view of the episode surrounding industrialist Vijay Mallya.



The Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws and Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Bill, 2016, will not, however, apply to loans for agricultural land as well as student loans.

The bill, approved by Lok Sabha last week and cleared by Rajya Sabha today, amends four laws -- Sarfaesi Act, DRT Act, Indian Stamp Act and Depositories Act.



Replying to a debate on the bill, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley emphasised the need for "firmness coupled with fairness" in recovering bad loans.



He said the banks must be empowered to take effective legal action against defaulters and the insolvency law, securitisation law and DRT law are steps in that direction.



"So far the laws were in favour of the defaulters. We tried to correct the balance. There should be firmness, coupled with fairness in recovery of loans," he said.



He said banks should take a "compassionate view" on education loan defaults but there will be no waiver and somebody will have to pay.



The Minister further said that fears regarding farm and education loans are "exaggerated".



Jaitley said banks are supposed to give loans and "if banks start squeezing loans", there will be no economic growth.



"The cause of worry is when loan becomes either NPA or stressed asset or the activity in which the loans are invested is not generating money," he said adding in some cases there will be willful default.



The development assumes significance as it comes against the backdrop of the episode involving Mallya, who owes Rs 9,000 crore to banks, but has left the country to take refuge in England.



Jaitley said if loan has been taken it must be repaid.



The Minister said stressed assets were mostly in sectors such as steel, power and textile.



The law simplifies the procedure which ensures quick disposal of pending cases of banks and financial institutions by Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT).



DRTs will have to dispose a case in 180 days and the affected party will have to deposit 25 per cent of the amount if he or she chooses to appeal against the order. There are around 70,000 loan related cases pending in the DRTs.



To further stress his point, he said 20 people sitting on bank money prevent the lender from giving credit to another 20,000 people.



It should not happen that a bank manager has to keep awake all night after he clears a loan, he said.

In an apparent reference to Mallya, the Finance Minister



wondered why the Supreme Court permitted the defaulter to be represented by his lawyer.



"The most controversial case going on is of the person who has not paid and has now moved on to London...And the kind of unusual facilities which were given even by the apex court when they said even in a hearing for a willful defaulter.

Read Also: Parliament Clears GST, PM Says Will Empower States, End Corruption

Subbulakshmi To Be Honored At UN On Independence Day
MUMBAI: Indian IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has been ranked among the top 100 brands in the US in asurvey by a leading brand valuation firm.

"Brand Finance has ranked TCS as the 58th most valuable brand in the US and as one of only four globalIT services companies recognised as a top 100 brand in the US, with 78.3 points, earning an AA+ rating," the global software major said in a statement here on Wednesday.

As the world's leading brand valuation and strategy consultancy, Brand Finance evaluates the financial value of a company's brand name, intellectual assets and trademark vis-a-vis firms across industries.

"Our brand value grew 286% to $9.04 billion in 2016 from $2.3 billion in 2010, marking the fastest growth across the IT services industry during this period," the outsourcing major asserted, citing the annual 'Top 500 US Brands' survey of the consultancy.

According to Brand Finance Chief Executive David Haigh, TCS has emerged as a dominant force in the IT services industry and is the strongest brand in the sector.

"Its (TCS) brand power is indisputable," Haigh said in the statement.

The study also revealed that the company's customer focus has been central to its success, with improving scores for brand investment and staff satisfaction.

"The ranking reflects the extent we are rooted in the US community, focused on the impact we can have for our customers and society," said Surya Kant, President of TCS in North America, Britain and Europe.

The $16.5 billion IT behemoth has significantly invested in the US over the past year to further its business growth and brand strength.

"Our new facilities such as the Digital Reimagination Studio at Santa Clara in California are fostering enhanced digital initiatives with customers," the statement noted.

The company has also been a top recruiter of IT services talent from the colleges in the US.

Read Also:

U.S. Welcomes Passage Of GST Bill

India At Top Of Wikipedia's Priorities
By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent.

Agree
Clinton campaign spokesman Nick Merrill said the Benghazi attacks have been exhaustively investigated. "While no one can imagine the pain of the families of the brave Americans we lost at Benghazi, there have been nine different investigations into this attack and none found any evidence whatsoever of any wrongdoing on the part of Hillary Clinton."
Best Canadian Blog

2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

About Kate

Why this blog?

Until this moment I have been forced to listen while media and politicians alike have told me "what Canadians think". In all that time they never once asked.

This is just the voice of an ordinary Canadian yelling back at the radio - "You don't speak for me."

(goes to a private mailserver in Europe) I can't answer or use every tip, but all are appreciated!



Katewerk Art

Support SDA

I am not a registered charity. I cannot issue tax receipts.



Reconnaissance Man

Economics for the Disinterested

...a fast-paced polar

bear attack thriller!



Want lies?

Hire a regular consultant.

Want truth?

Hire an asshole.



Weather Shop

Click to inquire about rates.

Dow Jones

What They Say About SDA

"Smalldeadanimals doesn't speak for the people of Saskatchewan" Former Sask Premier Lorne Calvert

"I got so much traffic after your post my web host asked me to buy a larger traffic allowance." Dr.Ross McKitrick

Holy hell, woman. When you send someone traffic, you send someone TRAFFIC. My hosting provider thought I was being DDoSed. - Sean McCormick

"The New York Times link to me yesterday [...] generated one-fifth of the traffic I normally get from a link from Small Dead Animals." Kathy Shaidle

"Thank you for your link. A wave of your Canadian readers came to my blog! Really impressive." Juan Giner - INNOVATION International Media Consulting Group

I got links from the Weekly Standard, Hot Air and Instapundit yesterday - but SDA was running at least equal to those in visitors clicking through to my blog. Jeff Dobbs

"You may be a nasty right winger, but you're not nasty all the time!" Warren Kinsella

"Go back to collecting your welfare livelihood."Michael E. Zilkowsky

Intelliweather

Seismic Map

Comments Policy

Read this

Best Of SDA

Hide The Decline

The Bottle Genie

(ClimateGate links)

You Might Be A Liberal

Uncrossing The Line

Bob Fife: Knuckledragger

A Modest Proposal (NP)

Settled Science Series

Y2Kyoto Series

SDA: Reader Occupation Survey

Brett Lamb Sheltered Workshop

Flakes On A Plane

All Your Weather Are Belong To Us

Song Of The Sled

The Raise A Flag Debacle

(Now on Youtube!)

(.mwv Video)

Abuse Ruins Life Of Girl

Trudeaupiate

Kleptocrat Jeans

Child Labour

I Concede

Small Dead Feminist

Protein Hoser: THK Interview

The Werewolf Extinction

Dear Laura (VRWC)

We Wait

Blogging The Oscars

Jackson Converts To Islam

Just Shut The HELL Up

Manipulating Condi

Gay Equality Rights


Chief Minister Andrew Barr has called on the federal government to abandon its same-sex marriage plebiscite, describing it as expensive, unnecessary, and "divisive".

The Legislative Assembly passed a motion on Wednesday reiterating its call for a free vote in federal parliament, and urging for a "free, positive and respectful" discussion on marriage equality.

Andrew Barr has called on the federal government to drop plans for a same-sex marriage plebiscite and proceed with a free vote. Credit:Jeffrey Chan

Should the plebiscite proceed, the motion called on Mr Barr's government to "demonstrate that the ACT is Australia's most lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and questioning (LGBTIQ) friendly jurisdiction by supporting the case for marriage equality".

Mr Barr said he would do all he could to be a leading voice for same-sex marriage, federally and locally.
A Braddon naturopath gave cannabis oil and tinctures to his 15-year-old girl to help her sleep and improve her eyesight, a court has heard.

But after his daughter went to police and said she was having trouble sleeping, suffered severe headaches and felt unsteady on her feet, last November officers raided Ryan Franzi's home and clinic.

The man has pleaded guilty to possession, supply and manufacture of a drug product. Credit:Jeff Chiu

His daughter told police Franzi, 39, would put three drops of "jungle juice" under her tongue almost every night and also took some himself.

Police say she told them she avoided taking the liquid when no-one was watching, and sometimes spat it out before going to bed.
A Canberra man who raped his wife in front of their young child has been sentenced to more than two years behind bars.

A jury found the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, guilty in March of sex without consent and an act of indecency.

A Canberra man has been sentenced to more than two years' in prison for raping his wife. Credit:Louie Douvis

In sentencing the man, Acting Justice David Robinson said it must be clear to the offender sex was a matter of choice, and not subjugation.

His wife, who he wed overseas in an arranged marriage, went to bed about 11pm one day in January last year, court documents say.
The nurses union had ongoing and serious concerns about the ability of the hospital to meet demand not only in the future, but now, she said.

Nurses union secretary Jenny Miragaya said Labor should follow suit and deliver on the promise it made before the 2012 election.

But medical professionals continued to strongly endorse the Liberals' promise to spend $395 million on a new building at Canberra Hospital.

Labor has rejected the immediate rebuild of Canberra Hospital as unnecessary, and accused the Liberals of treating money set aside for the tram as a "magic pudding".

The women and children's hospital was only opened in 2012 but already had capacity problems, and it had already reached its projected 2020 birth rate. Emergency department presentations rose every year, resulting in an "over-capacity protocol" to accommodate patients in corridors and patient lounges. A mental health short-stay unit had opened in the emergency department this year without proper staffing, without hand-washing facilities in the "safe assessment pod", with poor access, and without an agreed model of care, she said. The nurses union was so concerned about safety hat it had called this year for a review, but the government had rejected the call, she said.

Her comments followed the enthusiastic reaction of Australian Medical Association ACT president Professor Stephen Robson to Mr Hanson's hospital promise, describing it as a "fantastic initiative" and crucial for a hospital at breaking point.

Also on Wednesday, the ACT Chair of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Sivakumar Gananadha said surgeons welcomed the promised increase in the public operating theatre space.

But Health Minister Simon Corbell said advice to the government in 2015 said better use of existing beds would provide Canberra Hospital with the capacity it needed for another five to 10 years.

The government had "always had a plan" to upgrade the hospital "in due course, and the current time frame is in the next five to 10 years".
Liberal deputy leader Alistair Coe has added further fuel to the Glebe Park land purchase, questioning whether Land Development Agency chief executive David Dawes had the power to buy the land without first going to the board.

Mr Dawes approved the purchase of the land last year, paying $4.2 million to developers Barry Morris and Graham Potts. Mr Dawes says the purchase did not need separate authorisation from the board because it related to the already approved City to the Lake project. He advised the board after the event, in September 2015.

Deputy Liberal leader Alistair Coe says the Land Development Agency was guilty of sloppy governance at best. Credit:Graham Tidy

Auditor-General Maxine Cooper said she planned to have the audit ready by the end of September, but the timing could be affected "by the need to share potential conclusions and findings with relevant parties".

In the ACT parliament on Wednesday, Mr Coe said the government had "seemingly paid $3 million more than what they had to and in addition to that they've not had a clear delegation or authority".
Left-leaning lobbyists and businesses will soon have a new $8 million home in Manuka, as the Canberra-based Australia Institute prepares to move into its new digs.

The art deco building, Endeavour House, was late last year sold for a tidy $8 million to Ethical Property Australia; a joint venture of ethical investors between the Donkey Wheel Trust and the United Kingdom-based Ethical Property.

Ben Oquist, Executive Director, The Australia Institute at the institute's new digs: Endeavour House, Manuka. Credit:Karleen Minney

With deep historical ties to the political establishment, the building was also once the home of the architects, surveying and engineering firms behind the New Parliament House project throughout the 1980s.

But it is now set to become a home for left-leaning lobbying groups, non-government organisations and progressive businesses, the Institute's executive director and former Greens political staffer Ben Oquist said.
Unclear guidelines saw paramedics take a man suffering a fatal heart attack to the wrong hospital, an error that has since prompted a review within the ambulance service.

Experts say the delay in taking the patient to Canberra Hospital, which has specialist cath labs, did not play a role in his death.

But the mistake has prompted fears from coroner Karen Fryar that a delay could prove fatal in other cases, and the ACT Ambulance Service has since moved to ensure it does not happen again.

John Cadar Throckmorton was suffering a heart attack when paramedics were called for assistance in October 2015.

He was transported to the closest emergency department at Calvary Hospital immediately.
The 2016 census program, described as the "worst-handled census in history", will cost Australian taxpayers about $470 million over five years.

In the lead-up to the census, Australia's top statistician David Kalisch assured Australians that the Australian Bureau of Statistics was "ready" and had "the best security features [for which] you could ever ask".

Those security features were developed by IBM, which was paid more than $9.6 million in 2014 to design, develop and implement the "ecensus".
There is a rising threat of power outages over the next decade if Australia is to meet its global carbon reduction commitment, which will force the closure of brown and black coal power stations across the eastern states.

At the UN-sponsored talks on climate change held in Paris earlier in the year, under COP21, Australia undertook to reduce carbon emissions by 26-28 per cent below the level of 2005 by 2030.

To achieve this target in the electricity sector it will result in the closure of an estimated 800 megawatts of brown coal power stations in Victoria and 560 megawatts in Queensland, according to a forecast drawn up for the forthcoming COAG meeting of energy ministers. In NSW, the owner of the aging Liddell Power Station has committed to closing it in 2022, which is the end of its economic life.

In Victoria, an 800Mw reduction would be equal to around a third of the Loy Yang A Power Station in the Latrobe Valley or half the output of the Hazelwood station.
Weak advertising demand has again weighed on Fairfax Media's results, which have been propped up by the growth of its real estate business Domain Group.

The company, which publishes The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, released its full-year results on Wednesday showing revenue in its news business Australian Metro Media continued to slide, falling 5 per cent to $574 million.

Fairfax executive Chris Janz said the proposed changes mean the company is "now within reach" of its goal to create a sustainable publishing model. Credit:Michel O'Sullivan

Underlying earnings before interest tax depreciation and amortisation in the news business fell 45 per cent, or $17 million, to $13.8 million.

Chief executive Greg Hywood said Metro Media's advertising revenue fell 15 per cent over the year, reflecting "weakness in retail, communications and finance categories".
RV giant Apollo is poised to open its first retail sales outlet in Melbourne, in the northern suburbs "caravan mecca" at Campbellfield, the gateway to the Hume Highway.

Apollo snapped up a three-year lease on a 2165-square-metre space at Peter Joss' business estate at 1872-1878 Hume Highway, which had only recently been vacated.

Apollo Caravan has purchased 1872-1878 Hume Highway in the "caravan mecca" at Campbellfield.

Its retail arm, Apollo Caravan & RV Sales, will join a suite of existing dealers, including Black Series Camper Trailers and Avan Campers, which are already selling vans in Campbellfield.

The area is popular with caravan and RV dealers as it is close to the Western Ring Road and the route north popular with campers and the growing army of grey nomads.
He's a prominent billionaire politician with a reputation for provocative comments, vulgar insults and sexual innuendo, to say nothing of a hairstyle that can't be ignored.

Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president? Yes, but Italians could be forgiven if they had someone else in mind. The description could easily be applied to their former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Silvio Berlusconi: Italian for Trump? Credit:Mauro Scrobogna

"Tocca a voi" is a comment Italians often make to Americans these days, which translates as: "It is your turn."

Europeans have been fascinated by Trump's high-voltage campaign, but they are also concerned about it. An international poll taken last spring and published in June by the Pew Research Centre found 85 per cent of those polled in 10 European countries had no confidence in Trump's ability to do the right thing on the world stage.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has a reputation for being one of the best statistical agencies in the world.

But the failure of the census website to collect information from millions of households on Tuesday night is a hammer blow to public confidence in, arguably, the bureau's most important survey.

The federal minister responsible for the ABS, Assistant Treasurer Michael McCormack, said the website was shut down after co-ordinated attempts from offshore to "frustrate the collection of data".

One of the many troubling questions raised by the inability to deal with those predictable attacks is: can the 2016 census be salvaged?
Australia could learn a lot from the fact that a number of American cities are successfully reducing the role of criminalisation in their drug policies.

This is something that should be addressed at the Drug Summit in Sydney today.

Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation president Dr Alex Wodak supports American LEAD initiative.

This cross-party summit, to be held at Parliament House in Macquarie Street, will consider the context of the illicit drug policy and evaluate its efficacy. In particular, the summit will debate the merits of harm-minimisation and highlight new strategies to deal with the scourge of drug misuse and addiction.

Seattle and King County in Washington (which 10 years ago was experiencing huge, racially-charged drug problems) are currently pioneering a pre-sentencing diversion program for minor drug law violations and other low-level offences. This promising new program is known as Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion and it's something we should be looking at.
Dixon "Dick" Falconer never had any other intention than being a newspaper man. He started selling newspapers as a schoolboy, on trams on the Summer Hill-Dulwich Hill line, and after finishing his schooling at Canterbury Boys' High he joined the staff of the Bulletin as a cadet journalist. From there he developed into fine "knockabout bloke", a good reporter, hard drinker, keen punter, regional newspaper owner, racehorse and greyhound owner, news executive, Federal press secretary, and lecturer, trainer and mentor for younger journalists. He covered big stories, including the tension in New Guinea in 1963, when Indonesia wanted to take over sovereignty from the Dutch, to the mean and petty stories, such as vice and corruption in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley, which was to blow up years later in the Fitzgerald inquiry.

Falconer knew how to take a knock. Once, while sitting in a restaurant on the Greek island, he saw the media personality Maggie Tabberer sitting alone at a table. He walked up to greet her, she turned and said: "Dick Falconer ! Would you kindly p--- off! I am talking to a Greek tycoon, who has just gone out for a moment, and the last thing I want is for an Australian reporter to come up and talk to me, see you in Sydney, Dick, but p--- off before he comes back !"

Dick Falconer, a former Herald news man who went on to set up a training school for journalism cadets.

Dixon Alexander Falconer was born in Sydney on August 23, 1928, son of a builder, Keith Falconer, and Della (nee Freudenstein). He had an older sister, Dawn. At Canterbury Boys' High, he displayed an aptitude for writing and won a prize for English. He moved with his parents when they resettled in Brisbane and took to beach life readily, becoming a member of the Surfers' Paradise Surf Life Saving Club. He also joined the staff of the Courier-Mail. In 1949 met Jean Kreutzmann, who was working in the ticket office in Brisbane's Metro Theatre, and married her in January, 1953, at St John's Anglican Cathedral.

Falconer moved on as a reporter, taking over the crime beat for the Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail but in common with journalists of that ilk took on anything and became a valuable general reporter. His first child, Lyndell, was born in September, 1954. But Falconer was restless. In 1955 he moved with his wife and child to Toowoomba, on the Darling Downs, joined a group of journalists to found a newspaper, the Downs Star. He also, with two other journalists bought a share in a racehorse and was never to lose an interest in events on the track. His second child, Janet, was born in May, 1956.
So a Melbourne pub has been forced to rebrand its party titled "Eat Sleep Rave Pussy Repeat" after punters slammed the promoters on their Facebook page for encouraging rape culture.

Several women posted they were boycotting the venue. "This just really solidifies why it is such a problem and incredibly unsafe space," one person wrote.

Meanwhile, there's the news that police are investigating boys at St Michael's Grammar School, in St Kilda, over allegations they shared photos of their female peers, some reportedly nude. Fairfax Media reports a 16-year-old male student is believed to have created a Dropbox folder that contained photos of several girls from the school. A parent told Fairfax: "The boys are creating their own pornography and become desensitised."

We saw similar behaviour last week in a video of Melbourne Grammar boys at "Tinder Bootcamp", rating girls' appearances out of 10. One boy commanded his peers not to invite any girl "under a seven" to the formal. Candidature for an invite boiled down to one thing: looks.
Fans of Sydney's "lump on The Rocks" (as described by the National Trust in the 1970s) have generated a bit of noise since the government's decision against heritage listing the Sirius building.

The Herald's Elizabeth Farrelly penned her latest railing attack on the government following the decision, describing the building as a treasured example of the Brutalist style that is "at once elegant and sexy  a style that esteems strength and raw honesty, but especially as juxtaposed against the delicacy of glass, the sway and spike of nature, the play of light".

My own view of the Sirius building is that it's about as sexy as the car park at my local supermarket.

Granted, the building occupies an, ahem, "interesting" place in our city's fleeting architectural pantheon, more for want of candidates than anything else.
Andrew Thornley North Parramatta So the much vaunted online census crashed at peak time. Is anyone really surprised? Now let us brace ourselves for online voting. Or maybe they will learn that latest, digital and cheapest is not always best. If something ain't broke don't fix it; just resource it adequately. Greg McCarry Epping Asking millions of people to log on to a single website in one night simply doesn't make sensus. Peter Fleming Ryde

It's a pity that the opening night of "Census Online" was such a flop. Hopefully, there will be more rehearsals before "Election Online" opens. Carolyn Wills Cremorne Gold in the Census Olympics!! Hard copy 1 Internet 0. June Dibbs Mona Vale Well, I've handled the census form alright, but to maintain the euphoria of coming up with the right answers to myriad intrusive questions, can we have a few other similar form-filling recreations?

How about a same-sex plebiscite in September, a referendum on indigenous inclusion in the Constitution in October, a cabinet tossing out of Malcolm Turnbull in November, followed by a nice wrap up to the year with a Christmas election to get things sorted once and for all in Canberra? Rosemary O'Brien Georges Hall Reminds me of the debacle years ago when the UK put online the enumeration schedules of the 1901 census, after they had been "closed" to public access for a hundred years. Much anticipated by family historians around the world, the site collapsed within a couple of hours and did not go live again for several months! Graham Lewis Lindfield I'm told that due to cyber-fraud, passwords are now safer on a post-it note under your keyboard, then stored on your PC. Perhaps the ABS should print out the census results and delete the online data.

Tim Schroder Gordon ABS  A Breathtaking Shambles. Pasquale Vartuli Wahroonga If the Government wants to promote some new policy that makes them look good, they spend millions in advertising it. If they really do need to inform the public about an important program like the census, there's not a cent to spare. Ian Shepherd Elizabeth Bay

In our house we are civic minded; we don't mind paying tax. We like elections. We love census night. Since we cannot log on tonight because it's too busy, tomorrow will feel like we've missed Christmas. What a way to incense us. Nicholas Benson Newtown On the ninth day of August, the government sent to me, a link to the census website. Twelve willing completers

Eleven "server not responding"

Ten settings checked out

Nine internet connections queried

Eight mobile phones tried

Seven calls to helpline

Six laptops checked (again)

Five quirky ringtones downloaded

Four hours of life wasted

Three iPads locked out

Two family conflicts And a fine for a night of our lives

Deborah Tait Gosford I've just lost control of my census. Steve Baker Engadine Back to snail mail for me. David Hackforth Willoughby

Listening to the head of Census 2016 trying to convince Australians that its hacked computers weren't really hacked was as excruciating as John Hewson lecturing Mike Willesee on GST charges on cakes and George Brandis tying himself up in knots over metadata. Where is there a train to throw yourself under when you really need one? Paul Miles Gorokan Strangely enough, my paper copy of the census form did not crash while I filled it out at the diner table last night. True, I was worried that at some stage my black ballpoint pen might give out, but following technical advice I had a back-up. Rob Wills Point Lookout (Qld) Will Turnbull do an Abbott and shirt-front those pesky international hackers?

Rod Tuck Katoomba The census fiasco was Labor's fault. Joan Kunze Penrith Making most of luck requires taking risks Ross Gittins provides a stimulating insight into wealth creation in his article ("Judged on merit, you better be lucky", August 10). Luck is certainly important but Ross failed to mention the even more important factor of personal attitude to risk. Luck can't work if you're afraid to throw the dice. So many successful people have been prepared to take more than their fair share of risk. Some succeed and some don't but the successful ones usually have the resilience to take even more risk if luck fails them the first time.

There are many studies which seek to explain different attitudes to risk. The origins can be as wide-ranging as hormonal, genetic, environmental and learned. Many successful people get their first apparent break early in life when they're more willing to take risks. Evolution has left older people happier to remain home by the fire. William Lloyd Denistone Ross Gittins is half right. "Luck is as important as hard work", but more important is what you make of the good luck and of the bad luck. Often the possibilities of good luck can be frittered away. Similarly with bad luck. It all depends on the interpretation. A bad fortune moment for some, will be seen as good fortune by others. The now-dead passenger, elated by his luck at being the last person able to squash onto the crowded train that crashed, could be seen as unlucky. But he may have been lucky. He had not yet been told of his incurable illness that would result in a painful drawn-out death.

In hindsight, his unlucky mate, unable to work his way onto the train, no matter how hard he tried, considered himself quite lucky. Some are lucky, some are unlucky. There is good luck and bad. Interpretation depends on your point of view. Life is what you make of it. Joy Cooksey Harrington Bullying a sign of the times? Interesting how the increase in the harassment of special needs students ("Schools accused of failing children with disability", August 10) coincides with the introduction of the department's Every Child, Every School policy which sees these students integrated into mainstream classes. I wonder if there was this amount of bullying when there was extra funding for small, special-needs classes?

Peter Miniutti Ashbury It is about time private schools, which generally exclude vulnerable students and, except for the wealthiest, receive more government money per student than public schools for disadvantaged students, were made to report their bullying and abuse in the same way that public schools must. Using the MySchool data we can then compare resources available and cohorts taught. Let's not bash the public system unless we have the evidence from the private system too. Brenton White Mosman Dads honoured Very nicely put, Gina Williams. I doubt if any reader could have put it better ("Dad hashtag hammers cheap shot", 10/8). Cheap shots are easy, they might get a laugh, and the moment passes. Deep hurt lasts a long time and one has to learn to live with it, move on, and remember the good that's in your life. I had an adopting father also, his name was Feliks, he married my single mother after World War II and we couldn't have asked for a better human being to have come into our lives. He was a good man, he worked hard as a manual labourer after we came to Australia and never belittled anyone. I try to honour him in my writing, and that's the secret. Celebrate the life of Cyril in your songs. I hope you get nominated for Australian of the Year.

Peter Skrzynecki Eastwood Thank you Gina Williams for your heart-warming and fitting riposte to Bill Leak's atrocious cartoon. His support of the #indigenousdads hashtag does not excuse his poor taste originally. Andrew Macintosh Cromer Warped priorities "Minister Wiranto is the new co-ordinating minister for security so Australia will seek to have a close and co-operative relationship with him," trumpets Justice Minister Michael Keenan ("Minister ignores alleged Timor war crimes", August 10).

So our support for a man who is alleged to have facilitated severe human rights violations using the Indonesian military and government-backed militias, and was indicted for crimes against humanity by the UN-sponsored East Timor Serious Crimes Unit in 2003, is in our "national interest"? Sad. Mark Paskal Clovelly Balibo is a name I cannot forget yet various governments since 1999, in order to curry favour with Indonesia, have chosen amnesia over reality. I grieve for our "lost" reporters ("Minister ignores alleged Timor war crimes", August 10). Alastair Browne Cromer Heights

Food for thought With all the glum and depressing international news around at the moment it is good to see the media release showing Italian police comforting an elderly couple in Rome. The police were apparently responding to neighbours concerns after they heard crying ("Italian police solve elderly couple's distress with some home-cooked pasta", August 10). What a stroke of luck that there happened to be a photographer handy to capture the moment. Food for thought or tacky police PR in action. Bob Harris Sawtell

Time of no moment No extra time to examine unique Indigenous artifacts at the Randwick light rail depot site ("Delay to construction of $2.1b CBD light rail line", August 10). No extra time to consider any changes that might save more of Moore Park's iconic trees. But hey presto! An extra five months can be added to the City project schedule to sort out some wayward utilities without any delay to the completion date of the CBD-eastern suburbs light rail project. Almost as good a trick from the state government as adding a one-kilometre tunnel to WestConnex at no extra cost. Doug Walker Baulkham Hills Roberts out of line Can Malcolm Roberts program a computer, make a television? (Free-speech fundamentalists break free of good conscience", August 8.) Can he invent Wi-Fi, make a Sat Nav work using the theory of relativity, or discover fundamental particles using the Large Hadron Collider? If, as I suspect, the answer to all these questions is "no", then on what basis does he have the effrontery to challenge the scientists who have given us everything in the modern world. The overwhelming scientific evidence supports human-induced climate change. If he chooses to accuse scientists of conspiracy on this subject perhaps he would like to stop benefiting from all their inventions too.

Averil Drummond Brunkerville E-tag rip-off It's worse than the e-tag people just trousering our interest Dave Horsfall (Letters, August 10).Any company worth its salt offers at least 10 per cent off for paying upfront (which is what we are all obliged to do with e-tags).Not necessary, it seems, when your company basks in near-monopoly status. Lloyd Swanton Wentworth Falls Joke's on us too

How can Australians possibly criticise Americans for selecting Trump as a presidential candidate when we elect Derryn Hinch and Malcolm Roberts to the Senate. ("Tough diplomacy ahead if Trump prevails," August 10.) John Walsh Watsonia Scale of Olympian heights Who really is the Greatest - Muhammad Ali or Michael Phelps? ("Michael Phelps makes it to 21 gold after two hours in the pool", smh.com.au, August 10.) Paul Hunt Engadine
Paul McGeough is right to say that Donald Trump is offering false hope by promising to magically restore lost industries through higher tariffs.

Trump, like Pauline Hanson in Australia, combines anti-immigration rhetoric with disillusionment with previous trade deals which have not delivered on exaggerated promises of jobs and growth. But it is too easy to dismiss all Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement critics as protectionist or anti-trade.

The TPP agreement could mean a huge increase in prices at the chemist. Credit:Louie Douvis

The text has been agreed between the US, Australia and 10 other Pacific Rim countries but no governments have so far passed its implementing legislation, and the US Congress is unlikely to do so.

Most US criticism of the agreement has been led by social movements reflected by Bernie Sanders. In Australia, the opposition has come from a wide range of community groups, from pro-trade bodies like the Productivity Commission, and also from prominent economists like Peter Martin and John Quiggin.
A new coal mine planned for the NSW Southern Highlands would lose money on every tonne produced and clock up a net cost to the owner of more than half a billion dollars, two new reports say.

Hume Coal, owned by Korean steel giant POSCO, wants to develop an underground mine near Berrima, about 130km south-west of Sydney.

At its peak, the mine would produce about 3 million tonnes a year, with about 80 per cent of it the higher-valued coking coal used in steel making. Since the coal seam sits below an aquifer the operation will need to use techniques not used previously in Australia, and extract only about one-third of the available resource.

Tim Buckley, an analyst with the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, estimated total costs will reach $130 per tonne of coal over the proposed 19-year life of the mine, well above the $112 a tonne POSCO is likely to sell it for.
Television personality Andrew Denton has criticised MPs Kevin Andrews and Tony Burke for their role in scuttling voluntary euthanasia laws in Australia, decrying "subterranean forces" preventing reforms to help the sick and dying.

In a speech to the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday, Denton said he was seeking "to light a fire" on the issue because Catholic MPs responsible for overturning controversial 1990s Northern Territory assisted dying laws continued to block any national change in Parliament.

Denton called for a new set of carefully written laws which could only be used by sufferers of terminal illnesses and which gave doctors protection if they followed strict criteria for assisting patients to die.

Doctors and nurses who are personally opposed to euthanasia, including for religious or moral reasons, would not be required to assist their patients to die.
A leading expert in electronic voting says proposals for an overhaul of Australian elections could be slowed by Tuesday's census debacle, calling for a parliamentary committee to carefully consider security, verification and capacity as part of any new consideration.

Former NSW Electoral Commission director of information and technology Ian Brightwell said the Australian Electoral Commission would have to be prepared to allow significantly increased external scrutiny of its processes and systems if it follows calls by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten for further moves towards electronic voting at federal elections.

Responsible for the implementation of the NSW iVote electronic system, used in the 2011 and 2015 state elections, Mr Brightwell has worked for two decades in management of technology in election processes.

He said the Australian Bureau of Statistics' mishandling of the census would be a lesson for the election authorities and politicians, but that public education was needed to build confidence in electronic systems before more people could vote using computers.
Chinese fighter-plane hangars revealed in disturbing new satellite images of the South China Sea would allow Beijing to rapidly shift military hardware on to artificial islands to control the key waterways, Australia's former national security adviser says.

The remarks by Andrew Shearer, who served as Tony Abbott's national security adviser, came amid rising concern among military experts that China could declare a so-called "air defence identification zone" (ADIZ) in the South China Sea, requiring foreign military aircraft to ask permission before flying through.

The presence of about 70 hangar spaces for strike fighter aircraft indicates Beijing is at least giving itself the option of declaring a zone, dramatically raising the stakes with countries including Australia. The stationing of fighters could be used to enforce the zone.

The RAAF routinely flies patrols over the South China Sea, meaning its planes would need to challenge China were any zone declared.
The Australian census has not been compromised and will not need to be re-run, the Turnbull government says, despite a crippling series of cyber attacks leading the country's chief statistician to shut down the census website on Tuesday night.

As a partisan wrangle erupted over the fiasco, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull promised a "thorough" post-census review would uncover what went wrong. But he defended the Australian Bureau of Statistics' decision to err on the side of caution in order to protect people's data.

Meanwhile, Treasurer Scott Morrison dismissed suggestions the census might need to be abandoned and repeated after millions of Australians were unable to fill in their forms on the official census night.

"There is no compromise of integrity of the information. There is no need, for any statistical reasons, for a re-run of this census," he said. "That is the clear advice by the statistician and so the census can proceed as it always has."
A Nauru detention centre guard has admitted hurling rocks at a group of young children, which allegedly struck a five-year-old boy in the face, cutting his lip and chipping teeth, official documents show.

Doctors say the Iranian boy, Mohammad Mahdi Eskandarikhah, now aged 6, has not been properly treated or assessed for suspected autism and should be immediately brought to Australia.

The release of the documents, obtained by Doctors for Refugees, coincides with video in which young children at Nauru speak of "broken hearts" at being bullied and neglected on the remote island.

It forms part of a broader pattern of systemic abuse and neglect of children, most recently evidenced in Guardian Australia's release on Wednesday of 2000 incident reports detailing trauma suffered at Nauru.
If you engage in a conversation with a criminal on a public street can you be described as consorting?

That is the question at the heart of the court appeal launched by Charlie Maxwell Forster, an intellectually disabled young man who was the first person to be jailed under the state government's controversial consorting laws.

Mr Forster, now 25, was found guilty of habitually consorting with convicted offenders despite official warnings, after he was caught in separate conversations with three men he was friends with in Inverell, in northern NSW, in 2012.

He has asked the NSW Supreme Court to overturn his conviction, saying the sentencing magistrate Michael O'Brien erred in his interpretation of the term consorting.

In a hearing on Wednesday, Mr Forster's barrister David Randle said it was unclear whether all conversation could be construed as consorting or what the "minimum level of interaction need be".
An extensive search and rescue team has found no trace of a camper four days after he went missing from a campsite in the Hawkesbury area.

Chinese national Tiemuzhen Chalaer was last seen on Sunday morning, but his absence was not discovered until Sunday night when his friends returned home from the camping party. They then alerted police.

Tiemuzhen Chalaer went missing in bushland in the Hawkesbury area on Sunday,

Their campsite at Lower Portland, near the intersection of the Wheelbarrow Ridge track and Greens Road, was surrounded by dense and hilly bushland, and close to the Colo and Hawkesbury rivers.

Mr Chalaer, 24, was last seen walking into the bushland between 6.30am and 9am.
Members of the Obeid clan were "embarrassed and humiliated" in the witness box during a high-profile corruption inquiry and deserve damages for the hurt caused, the NSW Supreme Court has heard.

As the family's multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the Independent Commission Against Corruption enters its final days, their barrister told the court that questions put to former Labor MP Eddie Obeid and his sons were "designed to humiliate" them.

Obeid snr and three of his five sons - Moses, Paul and Eddie junior - are suing the ICAC, its former head David Ipp, QC, former counsel assisting Geoffrey Watson, SC, and two ICAC officers for damages for misfeasance in public office.

They claim they were unfairly targeted by an explosive 2012 inquiry into a $30 million coal deal, which led to criminal charges against Obeid snr and Moses.
DigitalAttackMap says these botnets can generate huge floods of traffic to overwhelm a target.

"These floods can be generated in multiple ways, such as sending more connection requests than a server can handle, or having computers send the victim huge amounts of random data to use up the target's bandwidth. Some attacks are so big they can max out a country's international cable capacity."

Loading

Adding to many people's fears about the security of the census website before the attack, the information gained from these sites during an attack is sold on online marketplaces that specialise in information gained from these DDoS attacks, DigitalAttackMap said.
A North Fitzroy chef viciously bashed by two thugs who chased him from a tram stop near his house in Melbourne's inner north says he is now fearful of using public transport.

Police are hunting for the offenders after the vicious assault on one of Melbourne's busiest tram lines left a young father with a fractured skull.

The 27-year-old victim was waiting for a tram on Nicholson Street, close to the Brunswick Road intersection, to head into the city and see friends around 9.20pm on 13 May.

He noticed two men in a Toyota Supra at nearby traffic lights, and suspects they were watching him for some time.
Police are investigating a pornography ring at a Melbourne private school which involved boys sharing explicit images of young naked girls.

A 16-year-old male student at St Michael's Grammar School is believed to have created a Dropbox folder which contained photos of several girls from the St Kilda school.

The folder was accessed by other male students, and is believed to have included nude photos of students in Years 10 and 11.

It follows a string of recent scandals at other private schools involving young male students circulating explicit and offensive content about girls on social media.
Police have charged a West Swan man who allegedly committed a lewd act and defecated outside a Midvale hairdressing salon, while dressed in women's clothes.

Security footage captured by the WA Salon Supplies business, showed a man climbing into a white utility before stripping off his clothes and appearing to pleasure himself.

The man, who appeared to be wearing high heels and a bra, then looked to defecate, and reach for toilet paper - a used portion of which he casually tossed away.

The owners of WA Salon Supplies posted the footage on the Perth Have A Whinge Facebook page, in the hope someone might recognise the man.
Washington: Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Wednesday accused Republican opponent Donald Trump of inciting violence with his call for gun rights activists to stop her from nominating liberal US Supreme Court justices.

Clinton's comments added to a growing outcry over Trump's remarks on Tuesday at a North Carolina rally, which some interpreted as a call for violence against his White House rival. His remarks also fuelled widespread concerns about his ability to stay on track.

"Words matter, my friends," the former US secretary of state, who rarely engages in direct back-and-forths with her Republican rival, said at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa. "And if you are running to be president or you are president of the United States, words can have tremendous consequences.

"Yesterday, we witnessed the latest in a long line of casual comments from Donald Trump that crossed the line," she said, citing "his casual inciting of violence".
London: It is not something he would have at all wished for himself, but at the age of 25 Hugh Richard Louis Grosvenor has been left contemplating the fact that overnight he has become Britain's most eligible bachelor.

Following the sudden death of the Duke of Westminster at the age of 64 on Tuesday, the young account manager has inherited his father's title and estate, making him one of the richest men in the world.

Until now the new Duke had lived a life of relative obscurity for someone so gilded - save for a memorable 21st birthday party rumoured to have cost several million. But his sudden elevation will put him in the spotlight as never before, raising the question; just who is the seventh Duke of Westminster?

By inheriting the bulk of his father's fortune, estimated at 8.3 billion ($14 billion) by Forbes, the new Duke becomes the third richest person in Britain and the 68th wealthiest in the world.
US Special Operations forces are providing direct, on-the-ground support for the first time to fighters battling the Islamic State in Libya, US and Libyan officials said, coordinating American airstrikes and providing intelligence information in an effort to oust the group from a militant stronghold.

The positioning of a small number of elite US personnel in the coastal city of Sirte deepens the involvement of Western nations against the Islamic State's most powerful affiliate.

Brigadier-General Mohammed al-Ghasri, second left, spokesman for Al Bonyan Almrsos military operation fighting in Sirte, speaks at a news conference in Misrata, Libya. Credit:AP

US officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a mission that has not been announced publicly, said that US troops are working out of a joint operations centre on the city's outskirts and that their role is limited to supporting forces loyal to the country's fragile unity government.

Robyn Mack, a spokeswoman for US Africa Command (AFRICOM), said small numbers of US military personnel will continue to go in and out of Libya to exchange information with local forces but declined to provide details.
For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser
WILLEMSTAD:-- The home of the President of the Central Bank Emsley Tromp is being searched by the anti-corruption team and Kingdom Detectives (RST) in Curacao. The operation began early Wednesday morning.

SMN News learned that a trust company is also being searched on Wednesday. According to a report in the Telegraaf, the investigation that is currently taking place has to do with tax fraud and money laundering. However, SMN News could not confirm this with local authorities on St. Maarten and Curacao. SMN News further learned that the trust company that was searched on Wednesday is Itrust owned by Gregory Ellias, the man that is behind the Curacao Music Festival. However, it must be clear that the search at the Trust Fund has to do with finding the monies Tromp has at the ITRUST and it does not necessarily means that the owner of ITRUST is involved in the ongoing investigation.

According to well-placed sources, the same team arrested the former director or GIRO Bank Eric Garcia for money laundering, it is also understood that Garcia is still behind bars and he even lost his job at HIRO bank in Curacao when Tromp realized that the operations of the bank were not in accordance with the law.

The spokesman for the Prosecutors Office Gino Bernadina said August 10 2016 the anti-corruption unit (TBO) and the Kingdom Detectives Cooperation Team (RST), led by the Prosecutor's office, conducted seven (7) searches at two (2) addresses, a trust company and a house on Blauwdruifweg. These searches took place in the presence of a judge of instruction and are in connection with a financial investigation into fraud that started earlier this year. E.T. Is being suspected of committing fraud related to his personal finances. Documents and data carriers were confiscated during the searches. No arrests have been made. The investigation is in full swing.
Dutch Government did not live up to its promise to send Curacao Minister of Finance a letter on the Division of Assets.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Finance Richard Gibson is planning to travel to Curacao as early as Wednesday to meet with the Minister of Finance there to further discuss the division of assets and the amounts of monies owed to St. Maarten. Gibson told reporters last week that the Dutch Government had promised to send a letter to Curacao Finance Minister but to date, they have not done so even though he has been in touch with them to remind them of the promises made to St. Maarten. Minister Gibson said he is not sitting back and wait on the Dutch government to send the letter but instead he has made arrangements to travel to Curacao as early as Wednesday to meet with Curacao Finance Minister to further discuss the matter. The Minster also reminded reporters that the monies owed to St. Maarten is due by December 31st, 2016 but he is doing his very best to get Curacao to turn over St. Maartens share since he wants to keep the 2016 budget balance. He said so far the budget of 2016 is in line and that government actually spent fewer monies this year.

Finance Ministry doing its best to present a balanced budget for 2017 on time.

The Minister of Finance also said that his Ministry is aiming at presenting a balanced budget for 2017 on time for the very first time. He said that he is hoping to keep the budget at the same amount as 2016. He said that his staff is scrambling at the moment to get all the elements that have to appear in the budget that meets the requirement of the law.

The Minister said it has been a struggle for his Ministry and staff because of the global economic gloom. He said things are not what they had expected to be. Gibson said in the USA they were expecting an economic growth of 3  percent which was reduced to 2  percent by the experts and now the US GDP growth is at 1%. This new information he said will affect St. Maarten because people would have to adjust their spending including travel.

The Minister said that these are things St. Maarten cannot control but this will transcend into people having disposable income and they will have to curtail their travel plans. This he said this will bring the economy under pressure. However, he said that St. Maarten will do what has to be done to produce a balanced budget on time for 2016. The Minister also made clear that based on the plans and agreements to construct the new hospital, the buildings and land belonging to SMMC will have to be sold and he expects SMMC to pay the government the back taxes that they owed. Gibson said that there were measures put in place, such as the indexation of the casino fees.

One of the things the Minister is hoping to protect is to the finances for social institutions and those institutions will not have to deal with any budget cuts.
In 1982 the wild population was down to just 22 individuals; Nesting pairs in Path of Fire

A fire that began on August 31 with an illegal campfire is within eight miles of 3 nests with young California condor hatchlings. The months-old young are not yet able to fly and could not escape the flames on their own.

The Soberanes fire has roared through nearly 70,000 acres of wildland, destroying 57 residences and 11 outbuildings.

Biologists report that none of the condors living in the area has yet been killed by the fire, but one of the feeding stations where they leave dead animals for the birds has been destroyed.

The fire is moving south across coastal Monterey County toward the remote sections of the Los Padres National Forest where the condors nest. This is also the location of a "condor sanctuary" site with pens, trailers and a cabin that scientists use when they release condors that have been hatched in zoos.

Biologists have spent 30 years painstakingly nurturing the California condor back from the brink of extinction. They are America's largest land bird, with a wing span reaching up to 9 feet. Due to habitat loss, hunting and lead poisoning, the majestic birds' population had dropped to just 22 nationwide by 1982. In a desperate gamble to save the birds, federal biologists captured all the remaining wild condors in 1987 and began a breeding program in zoos. The birds' young have been gradually released back into the wild.

There are now 82 condors living free in the Big Sur area.

Kelly Sorenson is the executive director of the Ventana Wildlife Society, a nonprofit group that helps lead condor recovery efforts in Big Sur. He told Paul Rogers at the Mercury News that biologists are hoping they won't need to go in and rescue the young birds from the nests. The chicks are 3- to 4-months-old and won't be able to fly on their own for another two or three months

"At this point it wouldn't make sense to pull the chicks out of the nests because we'd have to figure out how to raise them," Sorenson said. "We might do it as a last resort. We are going to be watching day by day."

The chicks are still being fed by their parents.

Adult condors regularly travel up to 100 miles in a day, so they would likely just leave area until the fire was out and the other plants and animals returned. Two adults did disappear in the 2008 Basin Complex Fire that burned 162,818 acres in Big Sur. Their transmitters were never found, leading researchers to believe they may have been overcome by smoke or flames.

In that same blaze, fire burned all around a redwood tree where one condor chick was still in a nest. That bird survived. Nicknamed Phoenix, it is still flying today as an adult along the Big Sur coast.

Experts say that despite the current fire risk, lead poisoning remains the main threat of condor deaths. Condors are scavengers and they eat deer, wild pigs, ground squirrels and other animals that hunters or ranchers may have shot, ingesting lead fragments from the ammunition.

In 2013, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law banning all lead ammunition in hunting in California beginning in 2019. Since then, Sorenson's group has handed out $100,000 in non-lead ammunition to ranchers and hunters around the Big Sur-Pinnacles area. That, he said, has resulted in a decline in lead poisoning deaths in recent years.

Last year was a milestone in the recovery effort. For the first time, in three decades, more condors were born in the wild, 14, than died in the wild, 12.

Joseph Brandt, Pacific Southwest Region U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 30-day old California condor chick

As of Dec. 31, 2015, there were 435 California condors living in the world. Of those, 268 live in the wild, and 167 live in captivity in places where they are bred and hatched, including the San Diego Zoo, Los Angeles Zoo, Oregon Zoo and World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho.

For hikers and tourists interested in seeing the magnificent birds, the Big Sur fires have not yet caused more condors to move inland.

"We're definitely getting smokier air. But in terms of the birds behavior we're not seeing any changes," said Rachel Wolstenholme, condor program manager at Pinnacles National Park. "Some days there might be 40 here, and some days there might be zero. On most days you have a 50-50 chance of seeing a condor."

You can help California Condors by donating to one of the Condor breeding or protection programs. To find out more, go to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service condor page at

http://www.fws.gov/cno/es/calcondor/CondorResources.cfm
alpha-En Corporation to Host Press Conference With United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano

TARRYTOWN, NY  (Marketwired)  08/10/16  (OTC PINK: ALPE), an innovative clean technology company enabling next-generation battery technologies through the production of high purity lithium metal, announced today it will host a joint press conference with U.S. Senator and Yonkers Mayor at its new corporate headquarters and product development center in Yonkers, New York.

This event is being organized to publicize awareness and support for the bipartisan legislation Made in America Manfuactoring Communities Act, that will benefit local businesses in New York State and the City of Yonkers by bringing together resources of multiple federal agcencies that drive business development in the local community. The legislation will stimulate the manufacturing industry and help create well-paying jobs in Westchester County by creating a permanent program that designates local regions as Manufacturing Communities, which would put them in the front of the line to receive federal economic development funding specifically for the purpose of investing in manufacturing.

We are pleased and honored to welcome Senator Gillibrand and Mayor Spano to our new corporate headquarters and product development centeter for a press conference to supporting manufacturing business development initiatives, said Jerry Feldman, Executive Chairman of alpha-En. As an emerging and publically traded clean technology company with novel disruptive technology we will benefit from the supportive legislation sponsored by Senator Gillibrand and Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) and we will capatilize on the are honored to have the opportunity we have to make a profound impact, environmentally and economically, for our community, the nation and the world, here in Yonkers, NY.

The press conference will take place at 12:30 p.m. today, at alpha-Ens new facility in the innovative iPark Hudson technology and office campus which was the original manufacturing headquarters for Otis Elevators.

Michael Feldman

alpha-En Corporation

914-418-2000

Rob Fink

Hayden IR

646-415-8972

alpha-En Corporation (OTC PINK: ALPE) is an innovative clean technology company focused on enabling next generation battery technologies by developing and bringing to market high purity lithium metal and associated products produced in an environmentally sustainable manner. For more information, please visit .

Except for the historical information herein, the matters discussed in this news release may include forward-looking statements, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect managements current knowledge, assumptions, judgment and expectations regarding future performance or events. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such statements are reasonable, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as they are subject to various risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary materially. alpha-En Corporation assumes no obligation to update the information in this release. Reference to the Companys website above does not constitute incorporation of any of the information thereon into this press release.

Michael Feldman

alpha-En Corporation

914-418-2000

Rob Fink

Hayden IR

646-415-8972
Midokura Announces Robust Overlay Connectivity for Multiple OpenStack Clouds

SAN FRANCISCO, CA  (Marketwired)  08/10/16  , the global innovator in software network virtualization, today announced the latest release of , a scalable network virtualization solution designed for Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) clouds. The new release provides the most robust network virtualization overlay solution for connectivity between multi-site OpenStack clouds, and delivers a modern Software Defined Networking (SDN) approach to container orchestration engines, including Kubernetes and Docker Swarm.

Enterprise organizations across the globe continue to adopt Midokuras network virtualization solution to make cloud adoption easier and to retain a tight grip over their networks and applications, said Pino de Candia, CTO of Midokura. Our latest iteration of the Midokura Enterprise MidoNet (MEM) technology is designed to address real market needs, including the ability to connect multiple OpenStack clouds and support the containers movement.

The award-winning MEM technology offers an intelligent, software-based network abstraction layer between the hosts and the physical network, allowing operators to build isolated networks in software overlaying pre-existing hardware-based network infrastructure. Designed for distributed computing, MEM provides per-tenant network control so operators can create and make changes to the virtual network without disturbing the physical infrastructure via the intuitive MidoNet Manager. Whats more, MEM Insights provides end-to-end operational tools, including advanced analytics and dynamic visualization of the virtual network.

Significant new features and functionality in the latest MEM release provide enhanced scalability, simplicity and security. The new version also includes the following:

The new MEM router peering feature provides overlay connectivity between multiple sites where OpenStack is deployed, say between Data Center #1 and #2, with VXLAN tunneling. This enables direct connectivity between multiple sites, forgoing the need for constant backup procedures in other disaster recovery scenarios and reduces control traffic and broadcast storms across multiple sites.

A new feature in the MidoNet Manager provides correlation of the overlay with current and historical events happening in the underlay. This feature enables real-time visualization of the fabric topology in relation to the logical switches and routers, the connectivity scheme about the virtual and physical switch ports in the underlay. This new level of insights provides the ability to examine a series of events and root causing networking issues and/or failures.

MEM delivers enterprise-class networking to any Container as a Service (CaaS) platform, beginning with Kubernetes, to make networks as agile as needed. Unlike other container networking implementations, MEM allocates subnets by namespaces, allowing for the spawning of as many pods per node as needed with no limit.

The new MEM release includes drastic memory improvements, as memory usage has been improved by 75% for the MidoNet agent. More efficient use of memory by the VMs can lead to better application stability and improve application response time.

The next phase for the off-premise cloud services market is the meta-cloud, said Cliff Grossner, Ph.D., senior research director for data center, cloud and SDN at IHS Markit. In a recent IHS Markit survey, enterprise respondents indicated they expect to use on average eight different cloud service providers by 2018, to create their own customized cloud of clouds and meet specialized needs. No doubt, solutions allowing enterprises to deploy and manage application workloads across multiple clouds will be in high demand.(1)

Midokura will showcase its latest MEM technology with Intels Open Security Controller at Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, from August 16-18, 2016. Come see Midokura at booth #174.

The new release is available immediately. To register for a free trial, visit: or contact for details on support, services and cost.

Midokura also offers an of its core MidoNet technology, which is quickly gaining in popularity among organizations of all sizes in over 120 countries. To learn more about open source MidoNet, visit: .

. unveils network virt tech w/ connectivity for multiple #OpenStack clouds & rich SDN for container engines

Founded in 2010, Midokura was an early global leader in network virtualization. The companys pedigree includes Amazon, Cisco, Google and VMware. With its Midokura Enterprise MidoNet (MEM) solution, Midokura offers the industry a complete overlay technology that integrates with cloud platforms, such as OpenStack. Now gaining awareness in 122 countries, the source code for MidoNet is freely available at . MidoNet delivers the first truly open, vendor-agnostic network virtualization solution available to the OpenStack community. Midokura is a contributing member of the OpenStack Networking (Neutron) Project and the Kuryr Project.

Midokura has offices in San Francisco, Tokyo and Barcelona, and is on the web at . Follow us on Twitter: .

(1) Information based on IHS Markit Technology Cloud Service Strategies and Leadership North American Enterprise Survey, June 2016. Information is not an endorsement of Midokura. Any reliance on these results is at the third partys own risk. Visit for more details.

Lila Razzaqui

Kulesa Faul, Inc.

(650) 825-5452
Sikhs in Canada under the banner of the human rights group, Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), has filed a defamation suit against Captain Amarinder Singh, one of their homelands foremost politicians.

Captain Singh was the Chief Minister of Punjab from 2002 to 2007 and now is the standard bearer of the Congress party in his state.

SFJ in its defamation suit is seeking one million dollars from Captain Singh for the linking the human rights group to Pakistans dreaded secret service known as ISI.

The 14-page writ filed with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice also seeks a permanent injunction preventing Capt Singh from republishing or facilitating the republication of the alleged defamatory statements, made by him.

Capt. Singh has 60 days to submit a reply, failing in which a judgment can be given against him.

SFJ legal adviser Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said that they would serve this court notice on Capt Singh in India using the Hague Convention protocols.

Claiming injury to SFJ's reputation, the lawsuit states that by "making defamatory statements Capt. Singh has caused reputational damage to SFJ's status as non-profit organization and has hindered its ability to address ongoing issues of significance to Canadian Sikhs.

"On April 24, 25 and 26 Captain Singh made various defamatory statements against SFJ which were published in several online media and read by thousands of individuals", further states lawsuit.

The comments were allegedly made after earlier this year, after SFJ had blocked Capt. Singhs scheduled visit to Canada by petitioning Ottawa to stop his political campaign, which was seeking foreign support and donations.

After his campaign was blocked in Canada, Capt. Singh hit back against SFJ saying it was playing in ISI's hands.

"We gave (the) Indian MP an opportunity to prove his allegations of SFJ-ISI nexus, however, Captain Amarinder not only repeated the allegations, but he also alleged that anti India elements in the Canadian government who support Khalistan were behind spoiling his political campaign" said Pannun, a lawyer.

Amarinder had then allegedly remarked "SFJ is playing into the hands of the anti-India forces like the ISI to embarrass India and project as if rights violations was the norm of the day in the country (India) like some dictatorships in different parts of the world".

"During a 2007 visit Capt Singh addressed the Sikh gathering while Khalistan banners were flying high behind him, But now he ridicules those who support the Sikh home land", he said arguing, "we will not allow Indian politicians to define and mislabel the Sikhs' movement for independence of Punjab", added attorney Pannun.

With little support for Sikh militancy in India, Pakistan spy agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) is using Sikh militants who are taking refuge in Pakistan to gather political support from their community in Canada with a view to reviving the Khalistan movement.

Capt Singh was basing his comments apparently on an Indian intelligence report accessed by media on the activities of groups in Canada engaged in pro-Khalistani activities last Spring.

That report saidthat the ISI is using Sikh extremists for anti-India activities.

Inputs indicate that Pakistans ISI is using Sikh extremists based in Canada for pro-Khalistan and anti-India activities, the report says.

Apart from ISI activities, political lobbying by Sikh groups is also a major concern for Indian intelligence agencies.

The Sikhs have a strong influence on Canadian politics due to their large population, the report said while adding that prominent Canadian leaders have been taking part in events organised by groups sympathising with the cause for the Khalistan movement.

The issue of Sikh extremism and activities of sympathisers in Canada was taken up at a recent meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on terrorism between India and Pakistan held in Delhi on March 19, 2015.

The report was prepared ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Canada from April 14 to 16.

Stating an instance of the ISI backing the cause of some of the extremists groups in Canada, the report says that an associate of Jagtar Singh Tara who was deported from Thailand in December 2014 travelled to Pakistan to plan Taras escape from Thailand with the help of the ISI.
Guest Commentary

By Farid Rohani

We dont blame all Arabs every time OP

EC pushes up (or down!) the price of a litre of gas. We dont blame Mexicans if fruit prices go up or the Japanese when B.C. lumber mills close for lack of demand. We accept the free market principles of supply and demand and we deal with price fluctuations as best we can.

So why do we blame immigrants, and specifically the Chinese, for spiking real estate prices when the real problem is lack of supply and increasing demand?

Its a dangerous tendency, and one that threatens to undermine the very ideals of citizenship and plurality that have made Canada so admired around the world. Our countrys heritage includes every ethnicity on earth. The principles that define us as Canadians include those of dignity and kindness, tolerance and compassion. The elements that underpin our democracy include a respect for liberty, for freedom of movement and for the potential of a market driven economy under the rule of law.

But these principles and values are not guiding the current discussion. Instead we see outbursts of ignorant emotionalism and incipient racism.

Its important, first, to define the immediate problem. The economic power of recent immigrants and foreign purchasers has showcased excessive economic advantage while denying many the ability to be part of a vibrant, growing cosmopolitan city. Many of the young people and professionals who make up our citys core are feeling frustrated by our failure to find a solution to affordable housing.

Yet, instead of working together to address the challenges of inequity, many are retreating to the more familiar ground of racial accusations. They use the seeming intractability of these problems to build scapegoats. Even people who may have been acting in goodwill have been guilty of launching dubious studies that rely on selective facts and the dangerous sweep of ethnic stereotyping.

In an age when terrorism is also a serious social issue, and when certain people have chosen to target ethnicity or religion in that conversation, this raises a risk that I feel personally. I, who have been proud to call Canada my home for more than four decades, have an Arabic name  one that might easily become part of a database of potential security targets, not for anything I have done, but merely because of my heritage.

This is a perversion of the Canadian experiment, and one we must deal with quickly, and together. We cannot promote prejudice against any racial or ethnic group without betraying ourselves. The vitriolic accusations against others can lead only to hate and a division that will harm us all.

We need a solution, of the sort that can only be found through joint action. We cannot continue to speak from both sides of our mouths, on the one hand promising economic hope and jobs, while at the same time isolating recent immigrants and visitors from normal social intercourse based on mutual respect.

Certainly, government must be forceful in addressing issues such as the disruptive influence of laundered money. At the same time, we must all stay focused on the economic principles of a liberal democracy, of supply and demand. We must remember the values of immigration and the benefits of building a progressive society in which people of diverse backgrounds can live and prosper together as members of one city and country.

This responsibility rests upon all levels of government, as well as upon community leaders and the media. All must work together to refresh the spirit of optimism, while rejecting any narrative where facts are manipulated to become food for racist agitators or dismissive special interest groups.

The only way to resolve deep social and economic problems is by forging a unity of purpose.

Racism has deep roots. Without a conscious, deliberate, and sustained effort, we are all at risk from its destructive influences. It can only be overcome through open dialogue and close association among those of opposing points of view.

So, I address this appeal to all  politicians, pundits and community leaders: the realization of our collective potential depends on the character and initiative of every individual. No action plan can succeed if leaders fail respond in their own capacity. I respectfully and urgently call upon my fellow Vancouverites of whatever background to look at current real estate situation with new eyes and with a new resolve to set ethnicity aside  to embrace all of your neighbours, new and old, in the search for a lasting solution.

Farid Rohani is a life member of The Laurier Institution.
Students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University can learn about Punjabi culture through the introductory bhangra course  the first of its kind in Surrey through modern and traditional folk dancing and music.

As a longtime fan of bhangra music and dance, I am delighted that KPU can now bring this exciting cultural practice to KPU students, said KPU provost and vice-president, academic Dr. Salvador Ferreras, whose PhD is in ethnomusicology.

Bhangra is a popular folk dance that started from Punjab region of North India.

Bhangra instructors Gurpreet Sian and Rayman Bhuller are both accomplished musicians. Head of the music program at the South Asian Arts Society, Bhuller has been teaching dhol for more than 15 years and helped develop the curriculum for the societys dhol drumming courses.

This studio-based course will also dive into the history and folklore associated with Bhangra dance and music, says Sian.

There are no prerequisites for this course. For more information and to register, visi
The Walking Monk, who was featured in the National Film Board production, The Longest Road welcome everyone from all religious, spiritual and secular backgrounds come.

Bhaktimarga Swami will be at the Ram Mandir (#12, 8473 124th Street) August 19 from 5-7pm.

He has walked across Canada four times and other countries, including Ireland, Guyana, Fiji, Israel and Mauritius. Currently, he is walking across the United States. In his Tales From the Trails, he shares some of his hiking adventures. He welcomes questions from the audience.

Event sponsors include Surrey Interfaith Council, Village Surrey Transition Initiative, the Ram Mandir, ISKCON (the International Society for Krishna Consciousness), and VISHWA (Varad Ashram Intercultural Service Humanitarian World Association).

The program will be followed by a celebration of Janmastami, Lord Krishnas birthday, and a free dinner at the Mandir.

To learn more about the Walking Monk, visit www.thewalkingmonk.net.
High school football: Follow along as area teams continue playoffs journeys

It's high school football playoff time in Indiana and Michigan. Follow along with live updates of South Bend area playoff games Friday night
Welcome to SwanseaOnline - your home for the best news, sports and what's on coverage of the city.

Never miss a Swansea story with our daily newsletter Sign up to comment on our stories here

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter | Swansea City news | Ospreys news | InYourArea
View of a purported "fossil" in the famous Mars meteorite known as Allan Hills 84001. Doubters argue that the feature is too small to be a sign of Mars life.

Twenty years ago, NASA scientists and their colleagues announced they had spotted possible signs of Mars life in a meteorite. The claim ignited a scientific controversy that lingers to this day.

In 1996, researchers led by David McKay, Everett Gibson and Kathie Thomas-Keprta from NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston suggested that they might have found microbial fossils in a meteorite from Mars known as Allan Hills 84001 (ALH 84001). (Cosmic impacts on Mars can be powerful enough to blast rocks off the Red Planet, a fraction of which crash on Earth, the moon and other bodies in the solar system.)

The meteorite was first discovered in 1984 by geologists riding snowmobiles through the Allan Hills region of Antarctica. Scientists think ALH 84001 originally formed 4 billion years ago on Mars and landed on Earth about 13,000 years ago. [The Search for Life on Mars (A Photo Timeline)]

Such magnetite particles are not known or expected to be produced by nonbiological (abiotic) processes. As such, the study team members said these crystals might constitute evidence of the oldest life-forms known, with profound implications for the presence of life in the universe.

"I think the approach the group took of combining several lines of evidence was innovative and made the argument more compelling at the time," said Andrew Steele, an astrobiologist at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, D.C.

Soon after the 1996 announcement was made, Timothy Swindle, a planetary scientist at the University of Arizona, conducted an informal poll of more than 100 scientists to see how the scientific community felt about the claims.

"On average, scientists thought that it was a completely open question whether or not there's been life on Mars, and were skeptical ... but didn't think it was ridiculous," Swindle said.

Still, these claims drew major questions. Decades later, scientists are still dueling over these and similar finds.

The doubters' view

Skeptics picked apart each of the four lines of evidence presented in 1996. For instance, doubters noted that carbonate globules and organic molecules seen in ALH 84001 might have formed without the need for Martian microbes, while wormlike features that resemble fossils could actually have been uneven patches in the coating used to prepare the samples for electron microscopy.

"The questions posed by the team were very difficult to refute at first, and only by a global scientific effort involving many research groups around the world [have] other interpretations become more likely," Steele told Space.com.

Still, one line of evidence stubbornly resisted doubters.

The Allan Hills 84001 meteorite, which researchers claimed in a 1996 Science publication, may hold evidence of ancient Mars life. This interpretation is still under dispute today. (Image credit: NASA/JSC/Stanford University)

"When the ALH 84001 announcement first came out, I was intensely skeptical of all the lines of evidence for life on Mars except one  the magnetite," said Chris McKay, a planetary scientist at NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, and no relation to David McKay (who died in 2013 at age 76).

"At the time of the ALH 84001 announcement, there was no known abiotic process that could produce such magnetite crystals," Chris McKay told Space.com. "So this line of evidence was quite interesting."

However, he noted that subsequent research has shown that shockwaves can generate such magnetite crystals. This weakened the case that ALH 84001's crystals were created by life, he said.

Magnetite crystals from Mars might more persuasively indicate life if they're found in string-of-pearl formations, as they are when created by bacteria on Earth, Chris McKay said. "If we find these chains on Mars, it would be compelling evidence of past magnetotatic bacteria," he said. However, so far researchers have not detected such strings, he added.

Perhaps the biggest issue raised by the 1996 study "is that we really do not have a good working definition of what constitutes life," Thomas-Keprta told Space.com. "At the most fundamental level, we still do not know whether the difference between animate and inanimate is simply a difference in kind or degree. In absence of such a definition, the search for evidence of life of Mars is plagued by ambiguities."

Swindle concurred. "We've learned how hard it is to demonstrate that any fossilized feature is the result of biology," he said. [5 Bold Claims of Alien Life]

NASA's next step could be to send an upgraded rover to take soil samples and test them for ancient life. (Image credit: by Karl Tate, Infographics Artist)

The legacy of Allan Hills 84001

Even if ALH 84001 did not conclusively prove the existence of life on Mars, the research did benefit science, researchers said.

"The interest resulted in the Mars Exploration Program being reinstated," Gibson told Space.com. "The Mars Exploration Rovers, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Phoenix lander, Curiosity rover, Mars Express mission with its Beagle 2 Mars lander  all can be traced to the ALH 84001 research. The excitement of the possibility of potential past or present life on Mars is too important for humans to ignore."

In addition, "the ALH 84001 announcement, despite whether you are a believer of the hypothesis or not, has clearly been the guiding idea for the development of the new interdisciplinary field of astrobiology," Gibson added. "This must be viewed as positive for the field of scientific discoveries."

Steele agreed with Gibson. "Without this paper, the field of astrobiology may never have come to exist," Steele said.

The scientists behind the 1996 study "continue to support our original hypothesis," Thomas-Keprta said. Gibson concurred, adding that "no scientific data has been presented to date that disproves any of the four original lines of evidence presented in 1996. Interpretation of the data is where the disagreement arises."

"I think the way the story evolved was the way science is supposed to work," Swindle said. "I am skeptical that they found evidence of life, but their paper generated a huge amount of very good science in testing it, so I think it was a great paper."

"The features seen in ALH 84001 probably don't come from life, but the possibility of life on Mars is still there," Swindle said.

Follow Charles Q. Choi on Twitter @cqchoi. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebookand Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Thousands of meteorites weighing about a pound are thought to fall to Earth every year, but many of these events go unnoticed, because the small rocks land in uninhabited forests or open ocean waters.

Pieces of natural space debris  typically rocky shards of comets or asteroids  occasionally survive their journeys through Earth's atmosphere and strike the ground, but how often does an event like this actually occur?

While large impacts are fairly rare, thousands of tiny pieces of space rock, called meteorites, hit the ground each year. However, the majority of these events are unpredictable and go unnoticed, as they land in vast swathes of uninhabited forest or in the open waters of the ocean, Bill Cooke and Althea Moorhead of NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office told Space.com.

In order to understand meteorite impacts on Earth, it is important to know where the chunks of rock come from. Meteoroids are rocky remnants of a comet or asteroid that travel in outer space, but when these objects enter Earth's atmosphere, they are considered meteors. [Photos: Fireball Drops Meteorites on California]

Most (between 90 and 95 percent) of these meteors completely burn up in the atmosphere, resulting in a bright streak that can be seen across the night sky, Moorhead said. However, when meteors survive their high-speed plunge toward Earth and drop to the ground, they are called meteorites.

The Perseid meteor shower  one of the most popular meteor showers of the year  is expected to put on a particularly breathtaking show Aug. 11 and 12, when the Earth passes through the trail of debris created by Comet Swift-Tuttle. However, viewers should not expect to find any meteorites lying on the ground after this spectacular meteor shower.

"Perseids come from Comet Swift-Tuttle and are very fragile, being an ice-dust mix," Cooke said. "They are not strong enough to survive passage through the atmosphere at 132,000 mph (212,433 km/h) and so never produce meteorites  they are totally vaporized by the time they make it to 50 miles (80 km) altitude." [Perseid Meteor Shower 2016: When & How to See It]

Unpredictable catastrophes

Most meteorites that are found on the ground weigh less than a pound. While it may seem like these tiny pieces of rock wouldn't do much damage, a 1-lb. (0.45 kilograms) meteorite traveling upward of 200 mph (322 km/h) can fall through the roof of a house or shatter a car windshield.

When the Grimsby meteorite landed in Ontario, Canada in 2009, for example, it broke the windshield of an SUV. In another incident, meteorites crashed into the back end of a Chevy Malibu in Peekskill, New York, in 1992, Cooke and Moorhead said. Thankfully, no one was injured during these events.

However, the pieces of rock falling from the sky are not even the greatest concern regarding meteor impacts, Cooke said.

"What causes the most damage is the shock wave produced by the meteor when it breaks apart in [Earth's] atmosphere," Cooke said. "So, you don't have to watch for the falling rocks  you have to worry about the shockwave."

For example, the Chelyabinsk meteor  an asteroid the size of a six-story building that entered Earth's atmosphere in February 2013 over Russia  broke apart 15 miles (24 km) above the ground and generated a shock wave equivalent to a 500-kiloton explosion, Cooke said. It injured 1,600 people.

This is a sample of a meteorite that was found following the Chelyabinsk event in Russia in 2013. Several small stones were found in the area after the massive impact. (Image credit: Qingzhu Yin, Univ. California-Davis)

Another major collision was the Tunguska meteorite, which was larger than Chelyabinsk and 10 times more energetic. The meteorite exploded over the Tunguska River on June 30, 1908, and flattened 500,000 acres (2,000 square km) of uninhabited forest. Because of its remote location, the event is an example of a meteorite that would have gone undetected had it not been so large, Cooke and Moorhead explained.

Generally, astronomers are unable to predict meteorite impacts, largely because meteoroids traveling in outer space are too small to detect. However, even large meteorite events that originate from asteroids, which can be tracked in space, are unpredictable.

Fortunately, between 90 and 95 percent of meteors don't survive the fall through the Earth's atmosphere to produce meteorites, Moorhead explained. This is because most meteorites are believed to come from comets, which are more fragile than asteroids.

"Only those meteoroids that happen to be made of stronger material produce meteorites," she said. For example, "if the [meteoroid] is a chunk of an asteroid, instead of a chunk of a comet, it's likely to be a little denser, a little stronger and more likely to produce a meteorite."

Also, if the meteor is approaching Earth at a slower speed, the rock will likely survive its collision with Earth's atmosphere, Moorhead added. In other words, the meteor will not burn up completely, and some remnant meteorites will fall to the ground.

"We actually get a few meteorites from the moon and Mars," Moorhead said. "These [meteorites] are actually chucks of the moon and Mars that have been blown off those planets by impacts and then spent a long time in space before finally hitting Earth as a meteorite."

Although predicting these events is nearly impossible, there are a couple different ways in which researchers can measure how many meteorites fall to the Earth. For example, in uninhabited areas like the Sahara Desert or atop glaciers in Antarctica, it is fairly easy to find meteorites on the ground and date them based on the amount of weathering they've experienced, Moorhead explained. Because these areas are largely undisturbed, the meteorites that lie there provide scientists with a general idea of how many of the space rocks might have hit the Earth over a period of time.

While skywatchers will not be able to hunt for meteorites after this week's Perseids meteor shower, the dazzling trail left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle will provide spectacular light show, which can best be seen in clear skies of the Northern Hemisphere on the nights of Aug. 11 and 12.

Follow Samantha Mathewson @Sam_Ashley13. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.
Optimization

Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should?

Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools.
Islamic State, on the other hand, has never waited for the approval of locals. If it had tried to win hearts and minds rather than just overrun villages, it wouldn't have grown as rapidly as it did in the early stages until fall 2014. But that brutal strategy is now coming back to roost.

There is no city or village in Syria or Iraq where a majority of the population is enthusiastic about the Islamic State, according to some who have fled as well as informants on the ground. Blood donations for injured fighters, for example, had to be collected by force.

Most normal residents are simply trying to stay out of the way and survive. They are afraid, plus they assume IS will disappear in the long run anyway. Local leaders and presumably many foreign jihadists remain loyal to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, but there are otherwise few who continue to support the Islamic State of their own volition. Winning over local populations was never part of IS' plan.

Against that backdrop, liberated areas in northern Syria have seen women in particular celebrate their newly won freedom in more radical ways than one might expect in their conservative surroundings. The image of 19-year-old Souad Hamidi, who beamed as she tore off her niqab, went around the world. "Look at what we're wearing," one woman shouts in a video. "Thank you for liberating us. Thank you that I can wear red! I will always wear red!"

Hairdressers with nothing to do for the past year or two were euphoric about the sudden flood of customers. The men wished to shave off their beards. They wanted trendy haircuts, cropped short and gelled; away with the obligatory shag of IS times. Men could be seen playing cards and backgammon on the streets again, demonstratively smoking.

A Persistent Threat

Still, Islamic State has by no means disappeared. As long as the murderous air strikes by Syrian and Russian jets continue, and Sunnis continue to live in mortal fear of Shiites, IS could still return even after a total loss of its "caliphate."

The terrorist organization had been almost entirely defeated in Iraq once already. It went underground in 2008 and had been forgotten almost entirely by the time it suddenly resurrected itself in 2012, more dangerous than ever before. For the IS propaganda apparatus, this now serves as proof of its own invincibility. "Were we defeated when we lost the cities in Iraq and were in the desert without any city or land?" Islamic State spokesman Abu Mohammed al-Adnani recently asked in an incendiary speech. "And would we be defeated, and you victorious, if you took Mosul or Sirte or Raqqa? Certainly not!"

The Islamic State was able to regain its strength four years ago because Saddam Hussein's former intelligence officers had joined forces with the Islamists -- war professionals who rose quickly, developed a long-term strategy and shaped its tactics. IS also exploited the circumstances, including a war in Syria and politics of sectarian discrimination in Iraq that excluded Sunnis from power and public offices.

The tragedy of the Washington-led battle against IS now is the fact that it is so shortsighted in its focus on military strikes. The coalition is ignoring the underlying conditions that could make a return of the Islamic State possible later.

Only days before diplomats from dozens of countries pledged to intensify the fight against IS at a meeting in Washington in early July, US Secretary of State John Kerry flew to Moscow. His suitcase was full of concessions the US was prepared to make to Russia that would allow the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad to remain in power, at least for now.

The problem is that as long as Assad continues to rule, the rebellion against him will not end. Assad's presence will hinder any true agreement with the various opposition factions in the country -- and that's the kind of unity necessary to banish the Islamic State.

Instead, the US allows itself to be taken advantage of, time and again, by groups that are also using the fight against the Islamists for their own purposes. On July 19, American bombs killed more than 50 civilians in the northern Syrian city of Manbij, which is under IS control. The Americans had obtained the target coordinates from the Kurdish-led SDF militia, which in addition to fighting IS, is trying to drive Arabs out of the areas located between its Kurdish strongholds.

Even today, Washington's anti-terror strategists still haven't come to understand the inner-workings of the Islamic State. Indeed, many still consider it to be strong even at its weakest points. "Where al-Qaida was hierarchical and somewhat controlled, these guys are not," former CIA chief Michael Hayden recently told the Washington Post. "They have all the energy and unpredictability of a populist movement." That, however, is precisely what they do not have.
Seddique Mateen was at a Hillary Clinton rally, why and who is responsible for that mistake? This election season has been very eventful to say least.

On Tuesday, while Donald Trump was making blood boil with his Second Amendment comment, Clinton was busy having to manage a scandal of her own.

The former Secretary of State held a campaign rally in Kissimmee, Florida just miles from Pulse, the gay nightclub where 49 innocent people perished in a terrorist attack.

Omar Mateen used a SIG Sauer MCX[6] semi-automatic rifle and a 9mm Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol to perpetrate the deadliest terrorist attack in America since September 11, 2001.

Mrs. Clinton opened the event by thanking the police officers, first-aid responders, who rushed to help the many victims. She said:

I know how much people, family members, loved ones and friends are still grieving and I want them to know that we will be with you, as you rebuild your lives, as you rebuild hope for the future because we cant ever let that kind of hatred and violence break the spirit, break the soul of any place in America!

While Clinton was talking, many reporters were quick to put the focus on Mr. Mateen, the father of the mass murderer, who was sitting right behind her with a bright red cap on and cheering the candidate for president. The questions that were raised by most people went like this: Why was Seddique Mateen there, and how on earth did he get there?

While Mateen has never been arrested or charged with any crime, he holds some very controversial views and has made some disturbing comments in the past. In an old Facebook video, he stated:

God will punish those involved in homosexuality, its not an issue that humans should deal with.

Seddique Mateen, who has a YouTube channel, often appears in military uniform and talks about being the leader of a transitional revolutionary government of Afghanistan and believes his own intelligence agency will take control of the country. A Clinton campaign official issued a brief statement saying that they were not aware that Mateen was present at the event. The statement read:

The rally was a 3,000-person, open-door event for the public. This individual wasnt invited as a guest, and the campaign was unaware of his attendance until after the event.

On Clintons campaign website, it is stated:

The only information requested to the RSVP for the Kissimmee rally was a first and last name, email address, phone number and ZIP code. An RSVP was not required for the event.

After the rally had ended, Seddique Mateen spoke to local media where he flashed a huge Clinton banner and explained why he came to the event. He said:

Why should they be surprised? I love the United States, and Ive been living here a long time. Hillary Clinton is good for United States versus Donald Trump, who has no solutions.

Mateen told reporters that he wished his son had joined the U.S. Army and fought against ISIS instead of taking the lives of 49 Americans.
Bouemrdes, August 10, 2016 (SPS) - Secretary General of the Polisario Front and President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) Brahim Gali called on Tuesday, in Boumerdes, the United Nations Security Council to take firm and urgent measures to put an end to the Moroccan escalation in the last African colony.

Speaking at the opening of the 7th edition of the Summer University of the executives of the Polisario Front and SADR, the Sahrawi President underlined that the Security Council must urgently take concrete and firm measures to put an end to the Moroccan attitude which constitutes a serious violation of the charter of the United Nations, a shameless interference in its prerogatives and a threat for the international peace and stability.

In the face of the intransigence and escalation of the Moroccan occupier which is ignominiously supported by France and the international sides known for their colonial past, the United Nations is called to fully assume its responsibilities in the completion of the decolonization process in Western Sahara, Africas last colony, he said.

In this regard, he urged UN to take the necessary measures and to impose sanctions on the occupation State to bring it to conform to the international legality and to fix the date of the organization of a self-determination referendum of the Sahrawi people. SPS

125/090/700
London, August 10, 2016 (SPS) - The human rights organization Amnesty International (AI) launched a camping for a fair civil trial for the 23 Sahrawi human rights activists, including 21 detained by the Moroccan occupying forces in the prison of Sale in Rabat, accused in the case known as Gdeim Izik.

The organization launched Tuesday an urgent action on its site and through correspondences to call on the international public opinion to join it to exhort the Moroccan authorities to ensure that the new civil trial of the 23 Sahrawi human rights activists is fair and complies with the international standards.

Amnesty also calls to exert pressure on Morocco so that all the statements obtained by torture are excluded from the legal proceeding.

The campaign also includes the immediate liberation of the Sahrawi political prisoners, pending the civil trial unless there are valid reasons to detain them.SPS

125/090/700
According to Jeremy Moody, secretary and adviser to the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV), the renewable energy market is changing rapidly, with growing opportunities for landowners to capitalise on rising demand.

Renewable energy offers opportunities for small and large businesses alike, he says. For farmers looking to build resilience into their business renewable energy offers an income that is independent from the risks of agriculture.

According to Juliet Davenport OBE, founder of Good Energy, renewable energy now makes up nearly a quarter of the UKs electricity production, with a 21% increase between 2013 and 2014. However, the UK still imports 60% of its energy requirement, and with the weaker Pound that will make imported power more expensive, she adds. Although the Brexit vote could undermine investors confidence in the short-term, the UK energy market is changing fast, with a sharp increase in the number of small-scale sites.

In 2000 our electricity came from about 1,000 sites  now its closer to one million, says Ms Davenport. That is hard for the National Grid to manage, especially as most of that is solar photo-voltaics, so its a challenge to match up supply with demand peaks and troughs. Were going to need much more flexibility in the system.
Entries have now closed and a solid turnout is on the cards, with 25 shearling or aged rams, up to 30 ram lambs, 18 empty ewes or shearlings - these are mainly sold in twos or threes and are of particular interest for cross-breeding  and four ewe lambs.

The 2015 Charollais showcase saw 16 shearling rams sold at an overall average of almost 460 per head, while 13 ram lambs averaged over 335. Breed stalwart Charles Marwood, of the Foulrice flock near York, led the way at 640gns with a home-bred shearling ram, while his daughter Deborah Whitcher, who runs the Galtres flock in the same area, was supreme champion with a shearling ram sold for 500gns.

Ram lamb prices peaked at 600gns for a brace of entries from local breeders D&J Norman, of Kirkhouse, Cockermouth.

All three principals will again be represented at the 2016 renewal, which has attracted 12 consignors in total, eight from the Northern region, along with four Scottish entries.

This years pre-sale show has a local adjudicator in Robert Wilson, of Streethead Farm, Ivegill who is making his debut in the Charollais judging arena, though the family  he farms with his father and mother John and Jeanette, and brother Euan - remain true champions of the Charollais breed.

They have been successfully using Charolais rams as terminal sires since 2000, running them with a flock of 300 Mule and Texel-x-Mule ewes, producing over 500 prime lambs.

Robert, 37, explains:

We usually buy two or three rams a year, mostly from another local breeder Jonathan Wales, of Thackwood Farm, Raughton Head. They have always done the job for us and suit us well. They just seem to click onto our Mules. We get very few bare-skinned lambs.

All our lambs go direct to St Merryn Foods in Wales and then on to Tesco. We are selling them between 19kg and 23kg and quality is obviously key. We are probably heading more towards Texel-crosses because we get more E and U grades from these  and more value.
Large numbers of performance recorded rams from some of the breeds leading flocks will be on offer at all three of the mainland GB national sales, with many also carrying breed leading genetics for key traits such as growth rate and muscle depth.

Texel Sheep Society chairman David McKerrow said commercial demand for the breed underpinned these major sales with the top end pedigree demand the icing on the cake for the breed.

As breeders our members have long recognised the need to produce commercially relevant, fit for purpose sheep suited to the commercial sector. Indeed over the last 42 years since the breed was imported to the UK it has been the breeds commercial attributes which have seen it rise to be the number one sire in the country.

Easy fleshing, quick growing lambs with consistent quality carcasses are what draws buyers back year after year and the feedback from commercial producers is that no other breed can match the Texel for these key attributes, he added.

Mr McKerrow said that buyers attending the National Sales at Lanark, Welshpool and Worcester, could be assured of finding rams to suit them from across the UK. The great thing about the Texel breed is the adaptability of it to a wide range of farming systems and climatic conditions.

Wherever you go in the UK youll find Texel sired lambs thriving and often producing the leading prices in local markets. The strong maternal characteristics of the breed have also made it popular among commercial farmers, with more than 12.5% of the national flock now being Texel sired ewes.

Importantly, he added, recent research has shown that using pedigree Texel rams can significantly increase margins compared to using non-pedigree Texels.

The research, undertaken by Tim Byrne, Peter Amer and Tom Kirk of AbacusBio found that using a pedigree Texel ram as opposed to a commercially produced one is worth more than 100 a ram over a four year working life.

On top of this using a performance recorded Texel ram as opposed to a non-recorded ram adds more than 250 a ram to a commercial producers bottom line over a four year working life, significantly increasing the income a flock can generate.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

STAMFORD  A long-awaited plan for downtown student housing received the final stamp of approval from the University of Connecticuts Board of Trustees Wednesday.

I am very pleased that this long and tortured process is coming to fruition, Mayor David Martin said. I am so excited to have UConn students living here by next fall.

A student housing development was first promised to the city three years ago when Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced plans to provide funding to help expand UConn-Stamfords campus and course offerings.

The university has since struggled to find the right location for the dorms.

It first sought proposals for campus housing projects in 2014, requesting plans for a development that could house between 200 and 400 students.

UConn had previously considered the property at 59 Broad St., which officials realized did not meet the universitys needs and is now a three-story building next to Targets garage entrance.

Developer Randy Salvatores mixed-use development under construction adjacent to the Government Center was chosen this year as the dorm site out of a pool of 11 other applicants.

Salvatores development, located at 900 Washington Blvd., is only about a block from UConns campus at Broad and Franklin streets.

We are excited that the project is moving forward and look forward to welcoming hundreds of new students into our property and the Stamford downtown community, said Salvatore, president of RMS.

The planned structure will be comprised of 116 units, including 10 studios, 49 single-bedroom units and 57 two-bedrooms, and will house up to 350 students. Amenities include a meeting room, private study rooms and a second-floor lounge.

Each unit will include bedrooms, a kitchen, laundry facilities, bathrooms and a living room.

UConn has agreed to lease the residential portion of the building and most of the parking for 25 years, with options to renew later. Retail space on the ground floor will be retained by developer RMS.

This is wonderful news not just for UConn, but for the city of Stamford, UConn President Susan Herbst said in a statement. This reflects the tremendous demand weve seen for the programs at our Stamford campus, and will give our students in the region the opportunity for a more traditional college experience, while benefiting from all the things Stamford has to offer.

The student housing development received its final city approval last month when the Zoning Board voted unanimously to move the project forward.

UConn spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said the first group of 290 students could move in as soon as the fall 2017 semester.

nora.naughton@scni.com; twitter.com/noranaughton
The League of Women Voters of Connecticut takes seriously its role of looking out for the integrity of the voting and electoral process.

We naturally became concerned when catastrophic budget cuts were proposed for the State Elections Enforcement Commission, the elections watchdog agency set up in the wake of the Gov. John Rowland scandal and charged with the authority to protect the integrity of the electoral process. The SEEC and other watchdog agencies were intentionally given protected budgets for the express purpose of insulating them from political retribution and being made into mere pawns for whatever political authority controlled their budgets at a given time.

A jointly written letter dated July 6 to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management by the states watchdog agencies  SEEC, the Office of State Ethics and the Freedom of Information Commission  points out the catastrophic nature of the proposed budget cuts and their apparent illegality. Nevertheless, Secretary Ben Barnes, in his response, nearly a month later, declares the laws protecting those agencies budgets from political attack not germane to his decisions to reduce those budgets. Such a conclusion appears to render the protective laws no more than window dressing, to be disregarded at will by the use of clever rhetoric as a substitute for the intent and purpose of the law. The League of Women Voters of Connecticut urges a prompt review of this issue by the attorney general.

In the same letter, Secretary Barnes attempts to characterize his cuts as insubstantial and claims that the watchdog agencies were not unfairly or disproportionally targeted. The notion of proportionality calls for a comparison of how the holdbacks were distributed. We have reviewed the budget books and observe that the holdbacks to legislatively allocated budgets across all state agencies appear to have been assigned on no more than an arbitrary basis. Holdbacks in personnel budgets of state agencies ranged from a low of .3 percent to a high of 3.67 percent. This yields an average cut of 2.2 percent with a standard deviation of .653. Cuts in other expenses ranged from 1.45 percent to 3.63 percent. These cuts had an average of 1.73 percent with a standard deviation of .32. The correlation between the value of cuts to personnel budgets and Other Expenses budgets was essentially negligible. That is, the budget cuts made under the holdback scheme imposed by Secretary Barnes do not appear to follow any policy purpose or trend other than where he thinks he might be able to reallocate money. Such a process undermines the legislature and expresses precisely the problem the watchdog budget laws were designed to prevent.

While the League of Women Voters of Connecticut is anxious to see our states budget return to full functionality and sustainability, we object to disabling our state watchdog agencies from doing their jobs effectively, robustly, and sustainably. The confidence of the voters in the process and the outcome is at stake.

Dan M. Smolnik is director of government affairs for the League of Women Voters of Connecticut
Recently, we helped a large mechanical contractor turn around its business. And we were successful in taking the company from loss to profit. However, the problem wasn't solved because, before we arrived, the owners had taken out several business and personal loans to keep the company afloat.

Related: If Your Business Flops, It's Probably Due to One of These 7 Causes

As a result, shortly after it started making a profit, the company hit a cash-flow crisis. At first, the owners, couldnt understand why, if they were making money, they had a problem with cash. Further, they wanted to know why they weren't paying down the principle on the loans they had accumulated. Simply put, they wanted to know why they werent making money?

The answer lies in understanding the differences among profit, cash flow and return on investment (ROI). We explained to the owners that their accountant was correct; the company was profitable. The number on the bottom of their income statement was positive. In short: If the revenue you realize each month exceeds the expenses that generated that revenue, you are profitable.

And, this is good. However, it does not necessarily mean that you have positive cash flow.

A business may be very profitable, but if its inventory, accounts receivable and/or fixed assets are growing rapidly, it may not have a positive cash flow. Growing these three accounts requires cash. In the case of our mechanical contractor, the company was growing for the first time in years. The owners were spending cash to buy inventory, among other things. However, these are all balance-sheet accounts that do not immediately affect the income statement. Therefore, they have no impact on profitability.

It is absolutely possible for a business to be profitable and hemorrhaging cash at the same time. Our contractor in fact didnt have cash -- one of the reasons it wasn't able to pay down the balances on its loans. That's why we moved to stem the problem by instituting collection procedures and other processes that helped the contractor manage its crisis, come through this short-term struggle and avoid a future disaster.

If you find that your company is in a similar situation, ask your accountant to analyze your monthly cash flow over the past couple of years. It is possible that your cash is being spent to grow assets. If this isnt the case, we suggest that you have an independent third party do a thorough check for embezzlement.

Weve seen thieves pull amazing stunts to make the books look right on the surface even as they siphon cash out of the business.

Related: 5 Ways To Boost Your Business' Cash Flow

It is also possible to have a profitable business, and even a positive cash flow, but not have a good ROI. While our contractor's actual number was much larger, lets say the owners initially funded the enterprise with a $150,000 investment. Lets also assume that they hadnt put any further cash into the business.

Now, lets assume that their annual profit was $1,500 and that this was also the cash flow. ROI is calculated as: profit divided by investment. So, in our company's case, the ROI would be 1 percent -- hardly an impressive performance. At this rate, it would take 100 years to earn back the original investment. Depending on the specifics of your own business situation, we suggest that you target at least a 10 percent to 20 percent return on investment.

To return to our clients initial question, they are now making money. The business is profitable. The next question is, how profitable? This is often measured by return on sales (ROS) which is calculated as profit divided by sales. The appropriate ROS target is a function of the specific situation, but for many businesses, a 10 percent ROS is a good target (obviously, more is better).

It is important to understand profitability and to make sure that this translates into an acceptable positive cash flow. As a finance expert told us, You cant buy beer with profit; you can only buy beer with cash. Finally, make sure that your ROI is acceptable. If you are achieving your target ROS, but still not getting the ROI you need, the reason is likely that you need to grow your sales without making an additional investment. In other words, you need to improve your asset utilization (sometimes expressed as "sales divided by assets").

Assessing the financial health of your business is not a one-dimensional exercise. However, if your ROS is acceptable, your profit is translating into cash flow and you have a good ROI, you can rest assured that the financial health of your business is good.

Related: 3 Ways to Track the True Value, Not Just Return on Investment, of Your Content Marketing

By the way, our client is on track to be completely debt free in four years. Given the amount of debt he began with, this is a spectacular achievement.

Related:



Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
T he Government today rejected two British firms bids for the East Anglia trains contract, handing a 1.4 billion deal back to the incumbent operator Abellio.

Abellio has overseen the biggest rise in passenger complaints in the UK over the past year.

The Dutch-state operator will run the route from Liverpool Street to Stansted airport, Cambridge and Norwich for the next nine years, after ministers rejected competing bids from London-listed rivals National Express and FirstGroup.

Thats despite Abellios Greater Anglia route attracting 57% more passenger complaints in 2015-16 compared with a year earlier.

Last year, Abellio was also ranked most-complained-about trains operator on Twitter, with 72,861 negative tweets, or one in six of train complaints registered on the social media site.

The operator has promised to cut journey times by 10%, with four daily 90-minute journeys between London and Norwich on weekdays and offer free Wi-fi.

It will also oversee a 1.4 billion investment to add 1040 carriages in trains manufactured by Bombardiers plant in Derby, Britains last trains manufacturing plant, which employs about 1600 people.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling claimed: We are making the biggest investment in the railways since the Victorian era.

But the City pointed out the deal might be a poisoned chalice. Joe Spooner at Jefferies said: Because the East Anglia franchise was bid for ahead of Brexit but [will] be operated in a potentially softer UK economy post the Brexit decision, bidding groups may now be happy to see this franchise awarded to competitors, despite the costs and effort to bid.

Backing up that theory, NatEx and FirstGroups share prices slipped by a penny or less, while normally such contract losses would trigger a double-digit fall for NatEx and a little less for FirstGroup.

Nonetheless, First said it was disappointed not to have been awarded the East Anglia rail franchise.
A s the row erupted around David Camerons plan to give a gong to Vitol boss Ian Taylor last week, most outside the wealthy world of oil trading will have scratched their heads and asked who?

Those in the know, however, were shocked. After all, this was the executive whose oil trading giant has been behind possibly more controversies than even Glencore, that other controversial commodities trader.

From claims of tax avoidance to kickbacks in Iraq, to doing business with a Serbian warlord, on the rare occasions this most private of companies has hit the headlines, it has rarely been in a good way.

As the newspapers began digging up such tales from the past, Conservative donor Taylor wisely requested his name be withdrawn from the honours list.

However, the episode highlighted to an unknowing public just how well-connected Vitol, and Taylor, are.

Because, make no mistake, be it politicians, oil explorers or  in the case of Libya  anti-Gadaffi militiamen, Vitols connections with anyone who might help it get an oil deal done are unrivalled.

In the industry, this much is well-known. But what is less commonly realised is quite how closely Vitols connections run with the worlds most famous financial trader, the billionaire philanthropist George Soros  a man whose interests push hard for clean corporate behaviour.

Vitols links to the Hungarian famed for breaking the Bank of England have been extending dramatically as the company seeks to use deep-pocketed partners to spread its financial risks around the world.

Power play that left workers less than happy Some workers say that the Immingham power plant, one of the biggest of its kind in Europe, has not been the happiest of places to work at since Vitol and Soros took charge. Says one: When Vitol took over three years ago, Ian Taylor came to the site and told us how much better off we would be under the Vitol flag, but it didnt take three months before people started leaving. It is how I imagine working in Victorian times to have been. The management team lord it over everyone and if they could get away with it, wed be doffing caps to them. He adds that the plant is more money-driven and staff contracts have been changed to be more bonus-focused. He also claims that a major failure has been reported to the Health and Safety Executive in the past few weeks. Vitol denies staff are paid commission and says safety is of an industry-leading standard. The incident reported to the HSE did not involve any injuries, it adds. Ownership of the plant is complex, held through multiple companies and a tax-efficient limited liability partnership. But the most recent accounts suggest the takeover has been lucrative, with a 140 million dividend paid in one year alone. The two LLP owners paid just 4.7% tax on profit from those dividends. One Immingham firm reports that 432 million of the plants 502 million turnover came from arms-length energy trading deals with Vitol. Vitol says the complex ownership structure was in place when it bought the plant and denies it was designed to cut its tax bill.

From Africa to Australia and even the UK, Soross Quantum investment fund and Vitol have been quietly striking partnership deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars as part of an apparent push by Vitol to spread its influence beyond its traditional oil trading to other parts of the energy chain.

Take the UK, for example. When the US owner of Lincolnshires vast Immingham Combined Heat and Power plant was looking for an exit in 2013, Vitol stepped in. The price was never disclosed but accounts now put the giant, gas-powered plants value at 733 million.

Vitol bought the operation, and then turned to Soros to take on part of the risk.

The latters Quantum fund now directly owns more than 13% of the installation, and is thought to hold a further stake indirectly through its investment in one of Vitols many offshore subsidiaries, VIP Power Sarl.

Quantums stake in this critical piece of UK energy infrastructure has never been reported.

Five thousand miles away, in Nigeria, Taylor recently completed another major Vitol deal. This time it was for the creation of a huge new company called OVH Energy, which will own some 350 service stations in Nigeria as well as 84,000 tonnes of fuel-storage capacity.

Again, the transaction was worth hundreds of millions of dollars and, again, the identities of its underlying investors are not widely known.

Stock Exchange statements regarding the transaction mentioned Vitols partner in the deal, London-based Helios Investment Partners.

One of the investors in each of Helioss three investment funds is Soross Quantum fund. Vitol says it only dealt with Helios staff, and not Quantum or Soros, on the deal but the connection remains nonetheless. Helios declined to comment.

It was not the first time Soros and Vitol had invested together in Africa. Again in a joint venture with Helios, Vitol bought Shells African downstream oil franchise Vivo Energy, which works in 16 African countries, operating 1650 service stations and supplying jet fuel to airports across the continent.

In Australia, too, Vitol and Soros seem to be working hand in glove. This time, it involves another former Shell business, Viva Energy Australia.

A further massive operation, including more than 900 service stations and a refinery and port in Geelong, it was bought in 2014 for $2.6 billion (2 billion) through the offshore Vitol Investment Partnership in which Taylors operation partners up with a select few wealthy backers.

It is claimed that Soros Quantum is a key one. Vitol would not confirm Soross involvement.

Soros is, of course, a big wheel in the world of corporate transparency. The NGOs backed by his philanthropic organisation Open Society Foundations regularly campaign for businesses to be more transparent, particularly around complex ownership structures that may facilitate tax avoidance or other forms of corruption, largely in poor, mineral-rich countries.

However, you could argue the opaque nature of offshore structures such as those used by Vitol to invest in places like Kazakhstan are precisely the type such initiatives are aimed at countering. Vitol invests in the region partly through a Dutch company called Ingma. It is co-owned by two offshore vehicles, the ownership of which is unclear.

Vitol strenuously denies claims that Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, his son-in-law Timur Kulibayev or others owing their positions to them are beneficiaries, but refused to identify who they actually are.

It says the Ingma structure complies with Dutch disclosure rules, and that Vitol complies with anti-bribery and corruption legislation.

Soros himself does not comment on his Quantum funds own investments, and declined to comment for this article.

Which makes one wonder  who is the least forthcoming about their business dealings, Soros or Vitol?
I f youve been watching the Olympics this weekend, you may have spotted red, circular bruises decorating many of the athletes and wondered: What is that?

Most notably, US swimmer Michael Phelps was spotted with large red marks on his shoulders and back as he took to the pool for the mens 200m butterfly.

What are the red marks?

Theyre not artfully applied war paint, nor are they the result of a paintball injury - they are the result of a Chinese practice called cupping, which involves placing heated cups on the skin.

How is cupping administered?

The therapy can be performed in different ways, but traditionally, the practice involves placing a burning cotton bud inside a glass cup.

Once the flame extinguishes, the drop in temperature creates suction which sticks the cups to the patient's skin when they are applied to an area of the body.

The suction, which typically lasts for a few minutes, promotes blood flow by pulling the skin away from the body, leaving large red spots. These marks are likely to last two or three days.

Undergoing traditional cupping treatment in Hong Kong / Getty

What are the benefits of cupping?

Cupping is thought to draw blood to the affected area, reducing soreness and speeding healing of overworked muscles - hence the popularity with athletes.

Its also thought to keep injury at bay and speed recovery.

US gymnast Alexander Naddour told USA Today that it is "the secret that I have had through this year that keeps me healthy," adding that "it's been better than any money I've spent on anything else."

However, there is limited scientific research to back up the purported benefits of the alternative therapy.

The technique, which Michael Phelps has praised over Instagram, has not undergone clinical trials, so there is no real way of establishing whether results are due to a placebo effect.

Rachel Vreeman, MD, director of research at the Indiana University Center for Global Health and co-author of a series of books on medical myths told Health.com that we should be sceptical.

Michael Phelps in numbers

She said: "There are no health benefits to cupping documented in the scientific literature.

The only study I have seen ... with any impact related to cupping is one that rigorously examined various therapies for back pain, and suggested that any impact from cupping was likely related to a placebo effect."

Where to watch the Rio Olympics in London 1 /13 Where to watch the Rio Olympics in London Rio Lounge at the Brazil Embassy 14-16 Cockspur St, SW1Y, londres.itamaraty.gov.br

A very interesting one: just off Trafalgar Square sit the Embassy of Brazil. While usually inaccessible for most of us, they're opening up their doors to the public to screen much of what's on. It'll be open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 7 pm. Regent's Place Regents Place, NW1, regentsplace.com

Regent's place is going all out with a Brazilian style opening carnival and a host of activities, which include an assault course, an adults sports day and  clearly the highlight  a mini golf tournament. Exchange Square Broadgate, EC2A, broadgate.co.uk

The Viramundo band and dancers will be keeping everyone in carnival spirits, while all the sports will be on screen throughout the two weeks. The Scoop Queen's Walk, SE1, lbcsummerfestival.com

One to head to as it's this years Official Fanzone. Being by the Thames makes it a picturesque spot to enjoy what's on, and they'll be hosting a few sporting events too, for those who who feel they've got an inner Olympian that simply must come out. Wiki Commons/The Car Spy Beach East Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, E20, beacheast.co.uk

Beach East calls the Queen Elizabeth Olympic park home, so it's an appropriate spot to watch the games. The beach is bigger this year than last, so there's little risk of overcrowding, even during the games. Though you sadly can't take a picnic in this summer, there are plenty of food and drink stalls for those feeling peckish. St Katharine's Dock St Katharine Marina, 50 St Katharine's Way, E1W, skdocks.co.uk

From 10.30am until 8pm daily, big screens will show the games for the free. St Katharine's Dock is full of restaurants and bars, should you need refreshing between matches. Bluebird 350 King's Road, Chelsea, SW3, bluebird-restaurant.co.uk

This top Chelsea restaurant will be screening the matches throughout the games. Bluebird is the kind of place to come if you're in the mood for a serving of champagne and nibbles with your sport. Canada Square Park Canada Square Park, E14, canarywharf.com

Throughout the games, this Canary Wharf spot will be screening the all the games for free. If you're hungry, pop by nearby restaurants Roka, SticksnSushi and The Parlour. Merchant Square Harbet Rd, Paddington, W2, merchantsquare.co.uk

Everyday throughout the games, you'll be able to enjoy the games on the big screen for free. While London can't rival Copacabana beach, at least here you'll have the Thames nearby. Paddington Central Sheldon Square, W2, paddingtoncentral.com

As well as daily screenings, the Paddington Central offering is picking up on what the games are, at least partly, about: physical excellence and well-being. Expect to see the nearby restaurants offering health snacks and bites to eat.

Does it hurt?

Although cupping does involve small breaks in the surface of the skin that can be slightly uncomfortable the sensation is very short lived and quite minimal - it often looks worse than it feels.

Does it actually work?

David Colquhoun, professor of pharmacology at University College London told The Independent that cupping doesnt give athletes an advantage over their opponents.

He said: "Not at all. If anything they'll have a slight disadvantage because they're wasting time getting cupped."

Basically there is no medical evidence to back up the benefits of cupping.

But if its helped Michael Phelps clinch his 19th Olympic Gold medal, it cant do any harm to try ahead of your next swimming session.

Follow us on Twitter: @eslifeandstyle
T he mother of a teenage carer stabbed to death by a knife-wielding gang today begged for help to catch his killers.

Andrew Oteng-Owusu, 19, was found by his mother Tina Ababio crying out for help as he lay dying on his own doorstep in Sharratt Street, Bermondsey, with blood pouring from a leg wound.

He had been stabbed around 50 yards from his family home, close to Millwalls Den stadium, in an apparent ambush and staggered upstairs to their first-floor balcony.

Neighbours on his estate rushed to give him first aid before he was taken to Kings College Hospital at 11.40pm on Wednesday. He underwent emergency surgery but died 12 hours later.

A week on from the murder, detectives say they aware not aware of any motive for the murder of the gentle giant who had never been in trouble with police. Nobody has been arrested in connection with the killing.

'Gentle giant': Victim Andrew Oteng-Owusu / Metropolitan Police

Mrs Ababio, who is on dialysis, said: I dont know who would be capable of taking his life.

Andrew was a very gentle, humble and polite young man, helpful to everyone he knew, especially in the neighbourhood.

He was a wonderful carer for me and my only child and loved by everyone who knew him because of his nature.

Detective Inspector Mick Norman, leading the murder inquiry, said: Andrew had not been in trouble with the police before and there are few clues as to why this might have happened.

What we do know is that he was stabbed on the other side of the estate, at the junctions of Hornshay Street and Lovelinch Close.

He then staggered home where he banged on the front door before collapsing.

We are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with any information, no matter how small, to please come forward.

In particular we are very keen to trace a young black man who, after the stabbing, walked with Andrew to the block of flats where he lived.

He is aged in his late teens or early to mid-20s and was wearing a white T-shirt. If you can help, please approach us in confidence.

Mr Oteng-Owusu was a former pupil at St Thomas the Apostle Catholic College in Peckham.

A post-mortem examination held at Greenwich Mortuary gave his cause of death as a single stab wound.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room at Lewisham police station on 020 8721 4961 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
P olice are hunting a thug who knocked a commuter unconscious after bumping into him at a London train station.

The 22-year-old traveller was punched repeatedly before being kicked as he fell to the floor.

British Transport Police said the attack was only stopped when a worker at Harrow on the Hill station rushed to help.

The attacker, who had already argued with a group of men on the station stairs, launched his assault after bumping into the man at the ticket area, police say.

Following the attack, the man was left unconscious and received cuts, bruises and a broken cheek bone.

Police have now released CCTV images of a man they want to trace in connection with the July 24 incident, which happened just before 2pm.

Assault: A 22-year-old man was punched unconscious / British Transport Police

Detective Constable Chris Church said: This was a seemingly unprovoked assault and it is important this violent individual is brought to justice.

He added: I would also like to thank the brave member of staff who intervened and stopped the man attacking this victim.

Had he have not done that, the injuries could have been far worse.

Anyone with information can text police on 61016 or call 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 204 of 9/8/2016, or ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A former Catholic priest and childrens home worker who committed 27 sex crimes against 13 children across parts of London has been jailed for 12 years.

Philip Temple, 66, sexually assaulted a number of boys and one girl in his care between 1971 and 1977 when he worked for Lambeth and Wandsworth councils.

He then became a priest and served at Christ the King Monastery, Vita Et Pax in Cockfosters, where he abused two children, including an altar boy.

The abuse took place in Temple's bedrooms at three care homes and in children's bedrooms, dormitories and bathrooms after he became ordained, the court heard.

Temple ordered several children to keep quiet about the abuse, telling one victim he was "special" and another that it was "our little secret", the court heard.

He bribed at least one boy, described by a social worker as "Philip's favourite", with sweets for his silence.

In a statement read out in court, one victim said: "I feel like I have been robbed of my childhood and sometimes when I see other children in the street I wish I could go back in time and be a child again."

Mitigating, Lee Sergent said Temple was aware "all the apologies in the world won't make things right.

Temple, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to 20 counts of non-recent sexual assault at Croydon Crown Court on Wednesday, April 6 and admitted seven further counts at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday.

He also admitted two counts of perjury during two trials in 1998 and 1999 which resulted in his acquittal at the Croydon hearing.

Judge Christopher Hehir branded Temple a wolf in shepherds clothing as he jailed him for 12 years at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday.

He also said he viewed Temples move to become ordained as an aggravating factor in his crimes.

Judge Hehir said the offences spanned "two distinct phases" of Temples life: when he worked at three care homes from 1971 and 1977, and between 1993 and 1999, after he was ordained.

Temple did not react as the judge ordered officers to "send him down.

Judge Hehir personally apologised to a victim who was abused as a teenager when Temple was a priest.

He told the victim he was sorry justice was not done during previous trials in 1998 and 1999.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court he smoked, drank heavily, self-harmed, rarely ate and became a recluse after the previous trials, culminating in a suicide attempt.

He said he had seen Temple as a father figure and had even given him a Father's Day card one year.
A Nigerian mother who paid a man 1,000 to pose as her newborn babys father in a bid to dodge deportation was caught out by online pictures of the real dad cradling his son at a naming ceremony, a court heard.

Faust Abolore, 29, allegedly hired Anthony Ezekpo, 44, in a plot to gain British citizenship, using his name on the babys birth certificate and a subsequent passport application.

She claimed they lived together at a bogus address in Chandlers Drive in Erith in an attempt to fool Greenwich council officials.

But Inner London crown court heard the babys real father, Nigerian national Peter Gentry, was photographed at the naming ceremony, on September 15, 2014, in the role of the doting dad.

On trial: Anthony Ezekpo, left, allegedly gave false information in using his name on the babys birth certificate. Right, Samson Awoyinka is accused of making a false statement in counter-signing a passport application / Tony Palmer/Square Mile News

Ezekpo actually lives on the outskirts of Newcastle, and Abolore wired 1,000 to his bank account the day the birth certificate was signed, jurors heard.

He was enlisted as part of a fraudulent scheme to get British citizenship for her to remain in the UK, said prosecutor Adam Gardner.

A man turned up with her at council offices in Greenwich to register the birth and get a birth certificate. The man putting himself forward as the father was not Mr Gentry but Mr Ezekpo, and they both said they lived together.

Abolore gave birth to her son at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich on August 6, 2014, and a photo on her phone shows Mr Gentry cradling the newborn child.

They were living together in Columbus Square, Erith, having entered the UK illegally, the court heard, and Abolore was facing deportation.

Once she had the birth certificate with Ezekpos name on it, she submitted a passport application signed by Ezekpo and counter-signed by Samson Awoyinka, 29, it is alleged.

Mr Awoyinka said he knew Mr Ezekpo for five years from his church congregation, said Mr Gardner.

This was not true, he barely knew the man. He then admitted he signed the passport application and went to Greenwich.

Abolore, who was arrested in September last year, refused to consent to a paternity test.

She had a great deal to hide, said the prosecutor. She knew if she gave consent to the DNA test it would reveal the truth that Mr Ezekpo was not the father and her application for a passport and birth certificate were all lies.

Abolore, of Colombus Square, Erith, and Ezekpo, of Litchfield Street, Winlaton, Gateshead, deny conspiracy to breach immigration law and giving false information when registering a birth. Abolore also denies seeking leave to remain in the UK by deception.

Awoyinka, of Havil Street, Southwark, denies making a false statement.

The trial continues.
A motorcyclist has died after a collision with a car on a busy main road during the morning rush hour in west London.

Emergency services rushed to the scene after the biker was involved in a collision with a vehicle in Roehampton shortly after 7am.

Police and paramedics battled to save the man, whose age is not known, but he was pronounced dead at the scene in Roehampton lane.

Pictures from the scene show firefighters, police and an ambulance crew inside a cordon not far from Queen Marys Hospital.

Officers said the driver of the car was not injured, stopped at the scene and is assisting police with their enquiries.

The motorbike and car collided at the junction with Upper Richmond Road and Clarence Lane at about 7.20am.

A Met Police spokesman said the man's next of kin have yet to be informed.

Officers await a post-mortem examination and formal identification.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 101.
T his is the moment police confront a knife-wielding attacker on the streets of south London after he stabbed a man in the chest.

Hoa Duc Nguyen was confronted by officers armed with Tasers after he knifed a 25-year-old man and chased him down Victoria Road in Surbiton.

Minutes later, police found Nguyen nearby, clad in a red jacket and standing calmly next to a group of people who had no idea what he had just done.

But, as police tried to arrest him, Nguyen began swinging the knife in their direction.

Brave: Police confront the armed man / Kingston police

Dramatic footage from the scene in March showed him refusing to drop the blade before a Taser brought him to the floor.

On August 5, the 39-year-old, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 20 months in prison after admitting GBH and possession of a bladed article.

Speaking afterwards, PC Paolo Resteghini, from Kingston CID, said: I would like to praise the bravery of the victim.

He defended himself from the attacker and, despite being injured, ran away - a decision that I believe saved him from further injury.

During the investigation he was able to provide me with outstanding evidence which I have no doubt led to Hoa Duc pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity.

I would also like to praise the bravery of my response team colleagues. They went into danger and were able to detain the suspect before any further incidents took place.
T wo women have been arrested by Scotland Yard detectives over an alleged scam involving airside security passes at Heathrow.

The two women, aged 20 and 24, are both thought to work at the airport and were held after police investigating fraud uncovered the suspected misuse of the passes.

Scotland Yard declined to give further details but Heathrow said that it had taken appropriate action.

The Department of Transport said that it was also aware of this issue and that airport security was kept constantly under review to protect the public.

The incident, revealed by Sky News, is not thought to involve the illegal sale or cloning of passes, but will inevitably raise concerns that any weaknesses could be exploited by terrorists or other criminals.

The alleged scam was discovered after a fraud investigation was launched at the airport two weeks ago. The two women were arrrested on suspicion of fraud and money laundering.

Airside passes are issued to many of Heathrows 70,000 workers and can give access to areas of the airport where luggage and cargo is loaded onto planes as well as other sensitive security areas.

Those given the passes are forced to undergo strict vetting and include flight crews, shop and restaurant staff, baggage handlers and those working with cargo or in aircraft hangers.

Scotland Yard confirmed the arrests and said that the two women had been released on bail until November.

A spokesman added: They have been arrested in relation to an allegation that money has been fraudulently taken from a bank account. Other matters have come to light during the enquiries and form part of the ongoing investigation.

Heathrow said it was unable to comment on the specifics but had taken appropriate action while the police probe continued.

The Department for Transport said: We are aware of this issue. Safety and security of passengers is our priority

We keep aviation security under constant review, but as this matter is the subject of an ongoing police investigation we are unable to comment further at this time.
A plane was forced to make a priority landing at Heathrow this morning after a passenger became ill during the flight.

The British Airways flight from Denver was brought straight in by air traffic controllers, pushing all the waiting planes backwards in the queue.

The pilots of flight BA218, a Boeing 747, made the priority landing request while flying over the Irish Sea.

The flight was met by medical teams at the terminal when it landed at 11:30am.

A British Airways spokesman said: "The pilots requested medical services to meet the flight, after a customer became unwell on board."
T hirty-five firefighters battled a large blaze at a converted house in Hampstead this morning.

A five room flat on the fourth floor of a Fitzjohns Avenue building caught light shortly before 10.15am, with smoke pouring from the roof.

Around half the flat was damaged while the roof was also badly damaged in the blaze.

Passer-by Joe Anderson said one elderly woman who had difficulty walking needed to be helped from the building as the fire began.

Blaze: Six fire engines are at the scene / Joe Anderson

He said: "At first people were standing just idly underneath the building with children, prams and dogs.

"A colleague of mine went over to tell them they should move away.

"One of those underneath was an elderly man who said his wife was still inside.

"She was the old lady who had to be helped out."

Emergency: Fire crews say the roof caught light / London Fire Brigade

He added: "There was a lot of smoke coming from the building, mainly out of the top skylight."

Six fire engines dealt with the incident, which was brough under control shortly after 12.55pm.

Station manager, Winston Douglas, said: "When the initial crews arrived they were faced with a challenging and rapidly developing fire which had spread to the roof of the building.

"Thanks to aggressive firefighting, and despite difficult conditions, our crews managed to confine the fire to the flat where it had started and stop it from spreading to neighbouring homes in the building."

Pictures from the scene showed a string of engines queued up on the leafy street, where flats can fetch more than 1.5 million.
A nightclub worker has died in hospital two days after being caught in a ferocious blaze which tore through the venue he loved, it emerged today.

Friends today said Tomas Ceidukas had been helping to rescue others trapped inside Studio 338, near the O2 in Greenwich, after it was engulfed by flames at noon on Monday.

Tributes were have been paid to the 28-year-old, with club managers saying: Our hearts are smashed and broken.

Mr Ceidukas, who moved to London from Lithuania five years ago to work in music events, lost his fight for life in hospital at around 8pm yesterday.

Greenwich Gas Works on Fire

In a statement, the club said: Tomas fought for as long as he could given the extent of his injuries. He was as strong as an ox but it was too much even for him.

Rescue bid: Emergency services take a man away from the scene of the fire in Greenwich

Colleagues released a picture of Mr Ceidukas, taken on the beach in Ibiza during a holiday for staff and their families last summer, saying: He was the happiest guy on the island.

But instead of spending his time off clubbing he stayed with the family and played with the kids by the pool, always making sure everyone was having a great holiday, helping with the food and generally just being Tomas.

He was so pure and beautiful. An inspiration to us all, always positive, never complaining, working through the night to make sure the parties were the best they could be.

We are all so devastated to lose him like this.

Inferno: Flames engulfed the club in Greenwich (Patrick Swift ) / Patrick Swift

Close friend Tiesiog Grecius said she had been told Mr Ceidukas had helped escort people from the burning club, which had recently udergone a major refurbishment, before becoming trapped as black smoke and flame enveloped the building.

She told the Standard: He was a help for everyone. That was the kind of guy he was, so brave.

Club regular Lara Vermont wrote on the venues Facebook page: His last moments were spent saving a place that he probably loved.

We will be back in Studio 338 and when we are, we will be back for Tomas. In the months to come, we will not forget.

The blaze tore through the nightclub in Greenwich (Patrick Swift ) / Patrick Swift

Clubber Marcus William Donnelly added: RIP you poor soul, you gave your life to save others. God bless your soul.

Mr Ceidukas, who lived in east London, grew up with his large family in Lithuanias second city Kaunas, and began working at the Ibiza-style superclub in November 2013.

Raminta Vizbaraite, who had known him since he was six, told the Standard: Im heartbroken, Im devastated and I cannot express my pain. I lost my childhood friend in such a horrific death.

London's Air Ambulance attempts to land near to the scene of a huge fire in Greenwich / @Tunny82/Twitter

He was such a positive person with such a good heart. Like everyone he came to London for better money and a better life.

Mr Ceidukas was rescued by firefighters using breathing apparatus soon after they arrived at the blaze at the 3,000-capacity club. He was airlifted to hospital suffering from serious burns.

Detectives from Greenwich CID are investigating the cause of the fire along with the Health and Safety Executive and the London Fire Brigade, No cause has yet been found.

Fourteen people were arrested on Monday on suspicion of arson but released without charge shortly afterwards.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
L ondon firefighters rushed to a field for an unlikely callout - after a combine harvester went up in flames.

The farm vehicle caught light yesterday at around 2pm on a field in beside Crockenhill Road, sending black smoke billowing across the Orpington area.

Fire fire engines were dispatched to deal with the flames, made worse after around 10 tonnes of wood chippings caught light.

Walter Dunlop said: "Something happening in Orpington tonight down by the park. Ambulance, police, fire service, helicopter as well. No idea what's going on."

A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade said the blaze was under control by 3.45pm.

The cause of the fire is currently unknown.
D onald Trump ignited a political firestorm after appearing to suggest gun rights activists could assassinate Hillary Clinton.

The Republican presidential nominee said gun rights supporters might still find a way to stop his opponent if she should defeat him and name anti-gun Supreme Court judges.

Democratic Party members accused the billionaire Republican of openly encouraging violence against his election opponent.

But his campaign rushed out a statement blaming reporters for suggesting he had urged attacks on his rival.

He claimed that Mrs Clinton wanted to "essentially abolish the Second Amendment" - despite her repeatedly saying that she supports the right to own guns but backs some stricter controls.

Hillary Clinton speaks to supporters in Florida / REUTERS/Chris Keane

Mr Trump then noted the power Mrs Clinton would have to nominate justices to the US's top court.

"By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people - maybe there is, I don't know," Mr Trump told supporters at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina.

"But I'll tell you what. That will be a horrible day."

Mrs Clintons campaign manager Robby Mook said: "This is simple - what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way."

But Mr Trump reacted by saying: "Give me a break."

He told Fox News that everyone in his audience knew he was referring to the power of voters and "there can be no other interpretation".

Mr Trumps running mate, Indiana governor Mike Pence, said his boss was talking about the election choice for pro-gun voters, not encouraging violence.

But Mr Trump's foes were unconvinced and unforgiving.

Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, said: "I think it was just revealing and I don't find the attempt to roll it back persuasive at all."

Priorities USA, a committee supporting Mrs Clinton, said Mr Trump had "suggested that someone shoot Hillary Clinton".

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which has also endorsed her, said Mr Trump was encouraging gun violence "based on conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton".

Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, tweeted: "@realDonaldTrump makes death threats because he's a pathetic coward who can't handle the fact that he's losing to a girl."
A n outspoken Labour MP has taken a swipe at her own party after it selected four male mayoral candidates.

In a series of tweets, Jess Phillips suggested female Labour members could "serve the tea" to male politicians.

Her comments came after the party announced Steve Rotheram would be their Liverpool mayoral candidate.

Mr Rotheram joins Bristol candidate Marvin Rees, Manchesters candidate Andy Burnham, Sion Samuels in the West Midlands and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan in an all-male cast.

Ms Phillips tweeted after Mr Rotheram's selection: "All the mayors can go an actual man date now. We can serve the tea.

Make space for a woman. We are not furniture."

So @jeremycorbyn when I asked months ago if we could meet to talk about equality in mayoral race. Do you think should have met me?

But Ms Phillips' views were not echoed by other female Labour MPs, with Diane Abbott and Angela Eagle tweeting their congratulations to the candidates.

Ms Phillips, who is MP for Birmingham Yardley, has been an outspoken critic of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the Labour Party.

In June, she was involved in a heated argument with Mr Corbyn's strategy chief Seumas Milne after she claimed to have been threatened by supporters of the Labour leader.

The party has been hit with accusations of bullying and sexism in recent months.

Jeremy Corbyn was also criticised last year for male appointments to senior posts in the shadow cabinet.

The Evening Standard has approached the Labour Party for comment.
T he father of foreign secretary Boris Johnson has called for cruel halal meat to be either labelled or banned.

Stanley Johnson, a former Conservative MEP, author and journalist, wrote in the Independent that he would be happy to see halal meat excluded from the UK after leaving the EU.

Currently, there is a religious exception to the EUs 2009 Slaughter Regulation requiring all animals to be stunned before slaughter.

This allows for halal meat, a market worth 2.6bn in Britain alone, to be killed by hand without being stunned first.

Mr Johnson said: I dont believe that religious convictions, however deeply held, justify unnecessary cruelty to animals.

I would be happy to see specific UK legislation, drafted to replace the EU Slaughter Directive, explicitly preclude the religious exemption from pre-stunning requirements.

He claimed that most people eat halal meat on a daily basis without realising, as it is sold unlabelled in major supermarkets and outlets.

Mr Johnson, holder of the RSPCAs Richard Martin Award for Outstanding Services to Animal Welfare, argued that Britain leaving the EU might allow the government to at least implement a national labelling scheme.

If the consumer actually knows what he or she is buying, we would  I believe  in very short order see a major reduction of halal products without at the same time offending the sensibilities of religious groups, he said.

Well-judged post-Brexit action by the UK in the field of animal welfare and the environment may act as a spur and a stimulus to our continental, but no longer-EU, partners to up their own game.

Last week, Ukip leadership candidate Bill Etheridge said that he would call for a ban on kosher and halal meat if he becomes the partys next leader.
T his is the first picture of a four-year-old boy who died after an incident in the swimming pool of a luxury holiday park in Cumbria.

The boys heartbroken father has paid an emotional tribute to his "little angel".

Gavin Hurle posted a moving message alongside photographs of his son on Facebook.

It read: "Rip my little Angel daddy loves you so much xxxx."

Luca, from South Gloucestershire, was rushed to hospital in a critical condition on Monday.

He was transferred to Liverpool's Alder Hey Hospital but later died.

The circumstanced around his death are not yet clear but loved ones claim he drowned in the pool at Old Park Wood holiday park in Grange-over-Sands.

A JustGiving page has been set up to raise 2,000 for Luca's family following his death. Nearly 500 has been raised so far.

Sophie Wheeler, who set up the appeal, wrote: "Little four year old Luca drowned while on holiday with his family.

"You can show your support to Luca's family by donating to help celebrate his life. Taken too soon. Sleep tight angel x."

'Little angel': Luca Hurle, 4, died following an incident at a luxury holiday park in Cumbria (Gavin Hurle/Facebook ) / Gavin Hurle/Facebook

Friends of Mr Hurle have paid tribute to Luca on social media.

Linda Woodhead wrote: "Absolutely heart breaking Gav, so sorry for your loss, much love to you and your family RIP little fella."

Joanne Cole wrote: "I'm so sorry to hear about your horrendous news. I can't even imagine what you are all going through right now. Everyone's here for you and you'll all be in our thoughts tonight. Xx."

Yvonne Vobes added: "I cannot even imagine what you are going though. Thinking of you and sending thoughts and prayers to you and all.

"I have no words but please know we are here for you and sending our love at this difficult time. XxxxxX."

It is understood Luca was staying with his family in a lodge on the site, described on its website as "a luxury, private holiday park" set within the grounds of the Holker Estate.

Cumbria Police confirmed on Tuesday that the boy had died.

In a statement, the force said: "Police can confirm that the four-year-old boy involved in this incident has sadly died.

"Detectives are continuing to investigate the incident but the death is not being treated as suspicious.

"Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time."

It is understood the boy was staying with his family at a lodge on the site, described on its website as "a luxury, private holiday park" set within the grounds of the Holker Estate.

An indoor heated swimming pool is available to guests at Old Park Wood.

A park spokesman said: "Our thoughts are with the boy and his family at this time."
T wo flights have landed safely after bomb alerts were reported on board planes bound for Brussels, Belgian media reports.

Fears were radio-ed to the ground shortly before 7pm.

Belgian prosecutors launched an investigation but concluded there was no concrete threat, said broadcaster RTBF.

One of the flights touched down at Brussels Zaventem airport, the site of an Islamic State terrorist atrocity earlier this year.

The other landed in Toulouse, France, RTBF said.

Belgium has been on high alert since three co-ordinated terror strikes plotted by Islamic State claimed the lives of 32 people in Brussels on March 22 this year.
T he daughter of Martin Luther King today led a backlash against Donald Trump amid claims he implied someone should shoot Hillary Clinton.

Bernice King, whose father was shot dead in 1968, said the Republican presidential candidates remarks were disturbing and dangerous.

Mr Trump made the comments in North Carolina while discussing the possibility of Mrs Clinton, the Democratic candidate, appointing liberal judges to the Supreme Court. This could allow for a reinterpretation of the Constitution and the Second Amendment  the right, upheld by gun rights supporters, to bear arms.

He told the rally at the University of North Carolina in Wilmington: Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the Second Amendment.

Trump implies that Clinton should be assassinated

"By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know.

In a video of the speech, a man behind him is left open-mouthed. The main political group backing Mrs Clinton quickly sent out a message saying: Donald Trump just suggested someone shoot Hillary Clinton.

Mr Trumps aides said he was telling gun rights supporters to vote to ensure Mrs Clinton did not win and in an interview later with Fox News, he said: There can be no other interpretation. I mean, give me a break.

Mrs Clintons campaign manager said: A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.

Slammed: Bernice King hit out at the Republican candidate's comments

Ms King, 53, tweeted: As the daughter of a leader who was assassinated, I find Trumps comments distasteful, disturbing, dangerous.

Even Paul Ryan, the House speaker and most powerful Republican in Congress said it sounded like a joke gone bad. The US Secret Service was also drawn into the controversy, saying it was aware of the comments.

The new row comes after the worst period in Mr Trumps campaign, with polls giving Mrs Clinton a 10-point lead. This month, he has urged Russia to spy on his rival and insulted the family of a dead Muslim American war hero after they criticised him.

Mrs Clinton leads the billionaire in three swing states, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Iowa, which he has to win to stand a chance of clinching the White House.

Even Utah, which has not voted Democrat since the 1960s, could choose Mrs Clinton over Mr Trump because the largely Mormon population are offended by him, polls show.
A police officer accidentally shot a 73-year-old woman dead during a "roleplay" firearms training exercise.

Mary Knowlton was one of two members of the public taking part in a community event in Florida last night who were randomly selected for a shoot/dont shoot scenario.

The exercise was aimed at helping people make decisions on using lethal force.

Witnesses said Knowlton was playing the victim in the exercise when she was shot with live ammunition by a police officer, who was playing a bad guy.

Knowlton, a librarian, later died in Lee Memorial Hospital, Fort Myers.

Ms Knowlton died in hospital / WFLA

Punta Gorda Police have not released the identity of the officer or the circumstances of how the woman was shot.

Describing the shooting as a horrible accident, Police chief Tom Lewis said: I am devastated for everyone involved in this unimaginable event.

If you pray, please pray for Marys family, and for the officers involved. Everyone involved in this accident is in a state of overwhelming shock and grief.

Knowlton was one of 35 members of the public participating in the two hour event held by Punta Gorda Police.

Police confirmed the investigation into the shooting had been taken over by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The officer involved has been placed on administrative leave pending the result of the investigation.
T he father of a Google employee found dead and stripped naked after going for a jog has issued an appeal to track down her killer.

John Marcotte, 64, has spoken out about the pain of losing his only child Vanessa, 27, in a horrible set of circumstances.

He said: How can anything ever be alright again when your only child has been horribly murdered?

I ask people to pray that whoever did this is caught. She was the best kid in the world.

She was 100 per cent into her job. She graduated top of her class. She knew how smart she was.

Ms Marcotte, who worked for Google in New York City, was last seen at 1pm on Sunday when she went for a run in the woods near her mothers house in Massachusetts.

Her body was found by police with sniffer dogs at 8pm the same day, with burns on her hands and feet. Police are also investigating a sexual assault.

District Attorney Joseph Early said: People should be concerned, we are asking them to use an abundance of caution.

Much-loved: Ms Marcotte worked for Google in New York City and enjoyed sports

We have a horrible set of facts, horrible set of circumstances and we are going to do everything we can to make sure that this investigation is carried out.

A Google spokesman said: Vanessa Marcotte was a much-loved member of the Google team, working in our New York office for the last year and a half, and known for her ubiquitous smile, passion for volunteer work and love of Boston sports.

We are deeply shocked and saddened, and our thoughts are with her family and friends.

It comes just a week after a similar murder in New York City, where Karina Vetrano, 30, was found sexually assaulted and strangled near her home after going for a run.

Her mother Cathy had a message for the fugitive killer at a press conference on Sunday, stating: I guarantee you  you will pay forever.

Mr Early said there is nothing at this point to connect the murder to that of Ms Vetrano last week, who was also killed while jogging near her home in Queens, New York.
T hese photos depicting the same locations a year apart are a dramatic illustration of Europes migrant crisis.

They show key spots on the migrant trail across the continent during the autumn of 2015 - when numbers making the journey were at that their peak - compared with how the locations look now.

Hundreds of thousands of migrants fled Syria, Africa and Afghanistan to travel through Turkey and the Balkans towards Germany, France and other EU states in September and October last year.

In distressing images from the time, crowds of desperate refugees huddle together on roads and train tracks as they made their way out of Serbia.

Loading....

But in the new photos the once crowded spots have become completely unrecognisable country roads and deserted railway lines.

Loading....

The site of an empty road near the Serbian village of Berkasova (above) is a far-cry from shocking scenes of families thronging the tarmac in October 2015.

Loading....

A deserted railway line surrounded by lush green fields at Croatias Tovarnik station is a world away from dramatic scenes pictured as crowds of migrants battled to board a train in September last year.

Loading....

Shocking images showed volunteers in hazmat suits and masks clearing up waste left by migrants at the same station.

Loading....

Another showed a group of men sat cross-legged by a fire on the tracks.

Loading....

Emotional images also depict a woman sat on a gravestone in Tovarnik while others clad in plastic rain macs stood around the rubbish-strewn cemetery. A year on all evidence of the visitors had been cleared away.
C hristopher Nolans Dunkirk trailer has been ruined by a smiling extra.

The smirking soldier has distracted eagle-eyed fans from the drama in the first look at the hotly anticipated WWII blockbuster.

The one minute clip shows thousands of soldiers cowering on a boat as they face impending death from an incoming of German bombers.

The group react in horror as they attempt to take cover  but one man appears to look happy as he joins his comrades on the ground.

Fans hit out at the extra with some accusing him of looking as though he was unaware of what was going on while others branded him the worst extra ever.

One fan posted: "I would have liked that Dunkirk teaser even more if it weren't for that happy extra at the end."

Another wrote: That one guy in the Dunkirk trailer just sort of enjoying himself, almost smiling at the end.

A third commented: Dunkirk extra looking positively delighted about prospect of being bombed by Nazis."

Tom Hardy, Harry Styles, Mark Rylance, Cillian Murphy and Sir Kenneth Branagh are absent from the trailer which features a group of the 1,500 extras who were employed to recreate Operation Dynamo on the beaches of Dunkirk.

The film will mark Styles' first foray into acting, and co-star Rylance said he is "shaping up".

The Oscar winning actor told the Evening Standard: No, he doesnt need tips. He is shaping up.

I didnt know anything about him really other than my 12-year-old niece played me a music video. She adores him. There are girls all over the place trying to get to him  he is one handsome fella with an incredible smile and eyes.

Whats really surprised me is hes really witty, really funny  he really makes me laugh. Hes been ever so brave, not making any fuss.

Nolan is the second director to recreate the evacuation of 300,000 Allied troops after Leslie Norman's 1958 film of the same name which starred John Mills, Richard Attenborough, Bernard Cribbins and Robert Urquhart.

Dunkirk is set for UK cinema release in summer 2017.

Follow @StandardEnts for more entertainment news.
E d Sheeran is facing a new copyright lawsuit over his song Thinking Out Loud.

Heirs of the composer for Marvin Gayes Lets Get It On are claiming that Sheerans chart-topping song copies core elements of the 1973 classic.

The lawsuit has been filed by the heirs of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote the lyrics to Gayes well-known track and created its musical composition.

Filed in federal court in the Southern District of New York, the lawsuit asks for damages to be assessed at a jury trial.

The Defendants copied the heart of Let's and repeated it continuously throughout Thinking, the court papers claim.

The melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic compositions of Thinking are substantially and/or strikingly similar to the drum composition of Let's.

Thinking Out Loud was hit in the UK and the US when it was release back in 2014, reaching number one on the UK singles chart.

It was also the first song to spend a full year inside the top 40 and the first to be streamed 500 million times on Spotify.

A separate lawsuit has been filed against Sheeran for $20 million over his single Photograph, which songwriters Martin Harrington and Thomas Leonard allege is note-for-note the same as Matt Cardles 2012 song, Amazing.

Evening Standard Online has contacted Sheerans representatives for comment.


H omeland actor and Pulitzer prize-winning dramatist Tracy Letts today told how he had not felt like a playwright until his work was performed in the capital and longs to return to the London stage.

The writer of August: Osage County, Killer Joe and Bug, which was revived in a sold-out production starring James Norton and Kate Fleetwood at Found 111 in March, plans to bring his latest show, Mary Page Marlowe, to London following a New York run.

Letts, 51, said: The city [London] has been so important in my development as an artist.

"When I wrote Killer Joe in 1993, it was quite successful in Chicago, but it wasnt until it came to London at the Bush, and then the West End, that I really felt like a playwright for the first time in my life.

Bug premiered at the Gate Theatre [1996] and when August came to the National Theatre [2008], I was here for the entirety of the run because I wanted to absorb the whole experience.

Letts, the only person to win both a Tony award as an actor  in 2013 for Whos Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?  and a Pulitzer prize as a playwright, for August: Osage County in 2008, is next on screen in Wiener-Dog, released on Friday.

Written and directed by Todd Solondz and starring Danny DeVito, Ellen Burstyn, Greta Gerwig and Julie Delpy, it is a black comedy about a dachshund and its owners.

Letts joked that it was easy playing one half of a bickering married couple opposite Delpy because she is French and therefore crabby by nature.

He said: We laughed a lot working on the film. I accepted the role without seeing a script, and the first and last reason was Todd Solondz.

"Hes a unique artist. I admire Todds world view and particular sense of humour. Anybody who works outside the vanilla pudding mainstream will find it hard to get their stuff made and Todd doesnt even enjoy it.

"He doesnt like any part of the process, from writing to directing. Every few years, he just feels like he has to make a film.

Letts, who played CIA director Andrew Lockhart in Homeland, said he enjoyed reaching new audiences as an actor, but could never stop writing.
J amie Dornan has revealed that he was shooting scenes for the Fifty Shades of Grey sequel in Nice the day after the terror attacks.

The Irish star has spoken out about the b***** awful situation the cast and crew were in as they were contractually obliged to keep shooting despite the Bastille Day massacre.

Speaking to Coming Soon, he said: It was, as you can imagine, a b***** awful situation. Youd be affected by it wherever you were in the world.

The first thing that everyone had to work out was is everybody safe, is the whole crew and cast safe.

While the majority of the cast and crew stayed further along the Cote DAzure, Dornan had opted to stay in nice with his family.

Most of the cast and crew were actually staying in Monaco so there's a little bit of distance there, but my family and I wanted a little bit more space so we were actually staying in Nice, he said.

Despite the horrific attacks, in which 84 people lost their lives, filming resumed the very next day.

Then you have the strange thing of the next day still trying to make a movie thats costing millions of dollars to put together, Dornan said.

TODO: define component type brightcove

Theres this contractual obligation to work the next day, which is a very strange environment to work in.

After the attacks, Fifty Shades producer Dana Brunetti let fans know that everyone involved in the film was safe and sound.

He wrote on Twitter: Back safe in my hotel room. Thanks for everyones concern and messages.

As far as I know everyone from out cast and crew is safe. Thanks for everyones concern.
R obert Downey Jr. has welcomed co-star Tom Hiddleston to Instagram by joking about his relationship with Taylor Swift.

The Iron Man star posted the now infamous snap of Hiddleston wearing an I heart T.S T-shirt to celebrate the British actor joining the social media site.

Poking fun at the 35-year-old, Downey Jr suggested that his T-shirt might actually be in reference to his character Tony Stark.

He wrote: Join me in welcoming the biggest T. Stark fan of them all to Instagram! @twhiddleston.

Hiddleston, who is currently in Australia shooting scenes for Thor: Ragnarok, launched his Instagram account on Tuesday.

Just one day after posting his first snap, the actor had clocked up over half a million followers.

He has some way to go to catch up to girlfriend Taylor Swift, who has an impressive 88 million followers on the photo-sharing site.

While the actor has a number of big films coming out, he has reportedly missed out on the role of James Bond.

Author Frederick Forsyth recently claimed that an anonymous source told him there was "no way" Hiddleston would ever be handed the role.

He told the Mail on Sunday: "I got a tip the other day which I'll share with you.

"I understand (Bond producer) Barbara Broccoli is absolutely no way going to pick Tom Hiddleston. No. Way."

Taylor Swift's Fourth of July celebrations 2016 1 /9 Taylor Swift's Fourth of July celebrations 2016 Loved up Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston make their Instagram debut Brittany Maack/Instagram Girls just want to have fun Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne and Taylor Swift take to the water slide Cara Delevingne/Instagram Say cheese Karlie Kloss and Taylor Swift are snapped at the end of the water slide Taylor Swift/Instagram Ready, set...GO Karlie Kloss and Taylor Swift dive down the giant inflatable slide Taylor Swift/Instagram Patriotic Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne and Taylor Swift show off their patriotism Taylor Swift/ Instagram Hold on tight Taylor Swift holds on to Tom Hiddleston as they speed down a water slide Cara Delevingne/Instagram Celebrations Taylor Swift and Ruby Rose try to hold on to the American flag Taylor Swift/ Instagram

Follow @StandardEnts for more entertainment news.
C ampaigners have called for Channel 5s Celebrity Big Brother to be axed following scenes of sex and full frontal nudity.

After a week of particularly explicit content, Mediawatch-UK have slammed the show for having to resort to low brow activity to keep viewers interested.

Speaking to the Daily Star, a spokesperson said: If Channel 5 needs to resort to this sort of controversy to maintain any interest in Celebrity Big Brother, then perhaps the format needs to be allowed to die a bit more quietly.

Despite the show being aired after the watershed, campaigners are concerned that minors are able to view episodes on Channel 5s online on-demand service by simply stating that they are over 18.

Whats most concerning here is Channel 5s on-demand service that allows children to watch such programmes with just a box tick to say theyre old enough, they added.

Ofcom received 54 complaints following Monday nights episode, which saw Marnie Simpson and Lewis Bloor walk around the communal bathroom fully nude.

An Ofcom statement read: We have received 54 complaints about Celebrity Big Brother from last night. We will assess these complaints before deciding whether to investigate or not.

Producers opted not to censor the nudity, which followed sexual scenes earlier in the episode.

Celebrity Big Brother 2016: the biggest dramas 1 /26 Celebrity Big Brother 2016: the biggest dramas Emotional phone calls Stephanie Davis broke down after receiving a call from her dad Channel 5 Jeremy evicted Jeremy McConnell was evicted, leaving Stephanie in the house Channel 5 Heart to heart Jeremy and Stephanie got especially close when she appeared to leave boyfriend Sam Reece on national TV Jeremy McConnell and Stephanie Davis Harsh truths Gillian McKeith entered the house to re-educate the 'toxic' housemates Channel 5 Christopher evicted Christopher Maloney left the house in the evictions Channel 5 Mutual feelings Stephanie Davis told Jeremy McConnell that she loves him back Channel 5 Dirty cocktails Christopher Maloney gagged and retched as he drank disgusting cocktails in grim task Channel 5 Fake exit Gemma Collins and Danniella Westbrook repeatedly tried to leave through the fire exit Channel 5 Love admission Jeremy McConnell confessed that he'd fallen in love with Stephanie Davis Channel 5 Kristina Rihanoff evicted The Strictly star was the third celebrity to be evicted Channel 5 Kiss and make-up Scotty T and Megan McKenna shared a kiss in the bath - after arguing over potatoes Channel 5 Angie threatens to leave A sleep-deprived Angie raged to Big Brother about wanting to take her stuff and go home Channel 5 David Gest quits David Gest decided to leave the series due to illness Ian West/PA Nancy Dell'Olio evicted Nancy became the second person to be evicted from the series Channel 5 Security called Megan McKenna unleashed her frustrations, causing Big Brother to call security to calm her down Channel 5 "I'm hungry!" The lack of food got to Megan McKenna, who ranted about being served mashed potatoes in the puppet master task Channel 5 Jonathan Cheban leaves After suffering from anxiety and claustrophobia, Kim Kardashian's friend decided to exit the house Angie gets bad news Angie Bowie decided to remain in the series after hearing about David Bowie's death Rex Getting close Stephanie Davis and Jeremy McConnell have caused stirs for their close 'friendship', despite Davis having a boyfriend outside the house Channel 5 Winston McKenzie evicted Former UKIP spokesman Winston McKenzie became the first celebrity to be evicted Channel 5

While 34 of these complaints related directly to the nude shower scene, 10 were about Stephen Bears bullying and sexual advances.

Further complaints were made about offensive behaviour, explicit sexual discussion and use of the word psychopath.

Saira Khan became the second person to be evicted from the Celebrity Big Brother house on Tuesday evening.

Channel 5 have declined to comment to Evening Standard Online.
At first glance it may look like Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal has lost the fight with Elon Musk, who fired him immediately after buying Twitter. But look closer: Agrawal is actually the winner as he forced Musk to complete a $44 billion deal which Musk wanted to avoid.
Irritated over raising of Pakistani flags by anti-India elements at Lal Chowk on a regular basis, Tanzeem Merani has devised a new strategy to pay Pakistani supporters back in their own coin.

Tanzeem Merani and her father Aamir Merani have threatened to sit on a hunger strike if they are not allowed to unfurl the tricolour in Srinagar. (ANI photo)

By India Today Web Desk: The upcoming 70th Independence Day celebration at Lal Chowk (in Srinagar), where flashing of Pakistani flags during anti-India protests has become a fashion, is going to be a patriotism-flavoured event.

Irritated over raising of Pakistani flags by anti-India elements at Lal Chowk on a regular basis, Tanzeem Merani has devised a new strategy to pay Pakistani supporters back in their own coin. This year, 13-year-old Tanzeem Merani has vowed to go to Lal Chowk, along with her parents and four-year-old brother, to unfurl the tricolour. Tanzeem's father Aamir Merani has also decided to join his beloved daughter.

advertisement

Quite undeterred, the girl and her father have even threatened to sit on a hunger strike if they are not allowed to unfurl the tricolour in Srinagar.

"Kashmir hamara hissa hai, wahan jaane ke liye hume koi permission nahi chahiye, ye humara right hai. (Kashmir is integral-part of India. We don't need anyone's permission to go there. This is our fundamental right)," Tanzeem "told reporters today.

Tanzeem and her family will leave for Jammu and Kashmir on August 11 from Ahmedabad and will arrive in Srinagar via Delhi on August 14.

Tanzeem's father Aamir Merani has also decided to join his beloved daughter.

KASHMIR ON BOIL

Kashmiri separatists, supported by Pakistan, have thrown an open challenge to the Indian government by waving not only Pakistani but also Lashkar-e-Toiba flags in Srinagar's Nowhatta (Downtown) area.

Kashmir has had curfew for over 30 days after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani by security forces on July 8. Many people have been killed and thousands are injured during the violence.

More than 3,300 security personnel have been injured in over 1,000 violent incidents in the state since July 8. As many as 29 installations including police stations, police posts and other government establishments have been set ablaze and 51 damaged by the Pakistan-supported protesters.

ALSO READ:

Rajnath: No hesitation in saying Kashmir unrest is Pakistan's doing



--- ENDS ---
The annual Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Reunion will make a rare visit to Omaha Thursday through Sunday.

For 32 years, the reunion group  which is not affiliated with any other veterans organization  has met, usually in one of the states medium-size cities. In the past two years, theyve met in North Platte and Norfolk.

This year, they are coming to Omaha for only the third time. They are hoping to boost interest by visiting the states largest city.

Most of our clientele is outstate, west of Lincoln, said Jaime Obrecht of Lincoln, a member of the reunions board of directors. Each year, we try to pick up new people.

Typically, the gathering attracts about 300 veterans at a family-friendly reunion that is heavy on social events like golf, hospitality suites and tourist visits but also features helpful seminars from groups including the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

One of the headline events will be a pair of town hall-style Faces of Agent Orange sessions moderated by Maynard Kaderlik, a Minnesota veteran who is chairman of the Vietnam Veterans of America Agent Orange committee.

Faces of Agent Orange is the VVAs national campaign to boost awareness of possible health threats that wartime exposure to herbicides poses to the children and grandchildren of veterans of the Vietnam War.

For years, the VA has paid benefits to Vietnam veterans who contract several diseases  including several forms of cancer, diabetes, ischemic heart disease and Parkinsons disease  that have been linked to exposure through scientific studies.

It has long been suspected, but never proved, that veterans exposure to Agent Orange may cause birth defects and genetic maladies in their children and grandchildren. The Vietnam Veterans of America is supporting federal legislation that would direct the VA to study the impacts of veterans chemical exposures on their offspring.

It was some of the deadliest dioxins that anyone can have in their bodies, Kaderlik said. We feel like we brought this home and passed it along through our wives to our children.

The two-hour sessions, one at 1:30 p.m. Friday and the other at 9 a.m. Saturday, will give veterans a chance to tell their stories.

Other sessions will include a writing workshop geared to veterans, a presentation by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, a seminar on art therapy for post-traumatic stress, and the story of the USS Kirk and the evacuation of Vietnam in 1975.

Were providing an event we hope energizes people, Obrecht said.

Obrecht said about 350 people have registered for the conference so far, but walk-ins are strongly encouraged. The registration fee is $50 and includes a T-shirt, admission to all speakers and workshops, three evenings of entertainment as well as tickets to the Thursday evening barbecue and the Sunday breakfast program.

The gathering takes place at the Ramada Plaza hotel and convention center, 3321 S. 72nd St. For more information, visit the groups website at vetsreunion.com.

Contact the writer: 402-444-1186, steve.liewer@owh.com
Ill never forget one of the scariest car accidents that Ive had.

My now-husband and I were in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Somehow, Id taken the wrong turn and got lost. We were trying to go to the movies and wanted to go to a specific movie theater. While driving, and trying to figure out how to get myself back on course, I changed lanes.

The problem was that a motorcycle driver was in the lane Id rapidly switched to. I didnt see him  a culmination of things. Traffic was tight. He was dressed in all black. And, I was an inattentive driver. Id taken a quick look in my mirror, but admittedly, not a very thorough one as I was distracted looking at street signs and other things.

It was a stupid, stupid accident and preventable. I wasnt very old  in my early 20s  and I was sure he was dead as he laid on the pavement for what must have been seconds, but felt like minutes. He got up, cursing at me. He was fine, but he did go to the hospital to be checked out. It could have ended tragically.

I got a hard lesson about paying attention while driving and watching for motorcyclists.

Ever since, I am more mindful of sharing the road and that both drivers of cars and motorcyclists can do a lot to improve our own safety.

This week, the Nebraska Department of Roads and the Nebraska State Patrol are reminding drivers to be aware of the increased motorcycle traffic on state roadways. Motorcyclists are traveling to Sturgis, South Dakota, for the annual revelry.

The Department of Roads Highway Safety Office said, to date in 2016, 13 people have been killed in crashes involving motorcycles. There were 26 people killed in crashes involving motorcycles on Nebraska roadways for all of 2015, with 20 motorcycle fatalities recorded in 2014 and 14 in 2013.

The message: Be mindful about sharing the road.

Earlier this summer, the Panhandle Trails Intercity Public Transit sent some tips for sharing the road.

Drivers should:

 Be on the lookout for motorcyclists at all times; though a motorcycle is a small vehicle, its operator still has all the rights of the road as any other motorist. Allow the motorcycle the full width of a lane at all times.

 Always signal when changing lanes or merging with traffic.

 If you see a motorcycle with a signal on, be careful: motorcycle signals are often non-canceling and could have been forgotten. Always ensure that the motorcycle is turning before proceeding.

 Check all mirrors and know the location of your vehicles blind spots for motorcycles before changing lanes or merging with traffic, especially at intersections.

 Always allow more follow distance  at least three to four seconds  when behind a motorcycle. This gives them more time to maneuver or stop in an emergency.

 Be fully focused on the task of driving and in control of their vehicles at all times.

 Never drive distracted or impaired.

Riders should:

 Wear a DOT-compliant helmet and other protective and reflective gear.

 Obey all traffic laws and be properly licensed.

 Use hand and turn signals at every lane change or turn.

 Wear brightly colored clothes and reflective tape to increase visibility.

 Ride in the middle of the lane where you will be more visible to drivers.

 Never ride distracted or impaired.

If your interested in additional information, it can be found at www.nhtsa.gov/Safety/Motorcycles.
Countries & Areas

Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia Zimbabwe
This page may have been moved, deleted, or is otherwise unavailable. To help you find what you are looking for:

Enter Search Term(s):

Still cant find what youre looking for? Send us a message using our contact us form. To report a broken link or other problems with the website, please include the URL.

Thank you for visiting state.gov.
In the last three months, 400 Indians, who were traveling to various countries like Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador through a West-Asia country, were denied boarding.

Officials said that the profiling checks will help filter people trying to cross borders illegally

By Ankur Sharma: The immigration bureau at Delhi airport is planning to conduct surprise profile checks of passengers headed to Latin-American countries before boarding to stop illegal immigration.

The move has come after reports that middle-eastern airlines were denying boarding to Indian passengers based on their profiles.

AIRLINES NOT ALLOWING BOARDING TO THOSE WHO HAVE 'LESS MONEY'

According to the reports, airlines were not allowing boarding to passengers that have 'less money' to stay, are confused about hotel booking or have no clear reason to travel to various countries.

advertisement

Most of these nations have visa on arrival facilities for Indians. Government agencies said that in last three months, 400 Indians have been denied boarding who were traveling to various countries like Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador through a West-Asia country.

According to a senior immigration official, this matter has been taken up with the Ministry of External Affairs recently.

Officials are claiming that passengers having poor background mostly from Punjab were traveling to these countries to enter into United States via Mexico with the help of a human trafficking gang.

"In last three months, almost 400 passengers who travelled from Delhi via Dubai to various countries have been denied boarding and finally they came back to Delhi as inadmissible passengers. Most of these passengers were from Punjab and having poor background. Passengers revealed during questioning that they were supposed to travel to countries like Bolivia, Ecuador and Panama city. But, they didn't reach their final destination and in between airlines or immigration staff sent them back doubting their profiles," a senior immigration official said. Immigration Bureau official claimed that to curb human trafficking menace, they will have surprise check of documents just before boarding.



Also Read:

Emirates flight from India crash-lands, catches fire at Dubai airport as landing gear fails

SpiceJet launches Independence Day sale; offers tickets at a starting price of Rs 399



--- ENDS ---
Wednesday, 10 August 2016 23:50:57 (GMT+3) | Sao Paulo

Brazil s foreign trade secretariat (Secex) has started an anti-circumvention probe into imports of Chinese low-carbon flats or heavy plates falling under the 7208.51.00, 7208.52.00 and 7225.40.90 HS codes.





The Brazilian government said it found sufficient evidence of unfair commercial practices by Chinese exporters and has decided to investigate the duty-evasion practices.





Secex said it has considered the period of April 2013 to March 2016 to analyze the duty-evasion practices.





Brazilian imports of titanium and chrome-added heavy plates were also included in the probe.




In the first six months of the current year, Colombia exported 69,591 mt of ferronickel, up 10 percent, with a value of $161.7 million, decreasing by 33.8 percent, both year on year, as announced by the Colombian National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE). In June this year, the country's ferronickel exports amounted to 15,419 mt, rising by 40 percent, while the revenue from these exports was $36.8 million, up 0.5 percent, both compared to June last year.
Wednesday, 10 August 2016 13:41:34 (GMT+3) | Istanbul

The European Commission has announced that it has ordered the registration of certain heavy plate of non-alloy or other alloy steel from China for the purpose of ensuring that, should its current investigation result in findings leading to the imposition of an antidumping (AD) duty, this duty can, if the necessary conditions are fulfilled, be levied retroactively on the registered imports.

According to the commissions statement, the registration request was made by the European Steel Association (EUROFER), which requested that imports of the product concerned are made subject to registration so that measures may subsequently be applied against those imports from the date of such registration. EUROFER estimated in its complaint dumping margins of 28 percent to 73 percent for imports of the product concerned from China , while it also stated that since the initiation of the proceeding in February this year, a further increase of approximately 15 percent for China is observed.

The antidumping investigation was launched in February this year following the application lodged by EUROFER and covers the period from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015.

The products in question currently fall under Customs Tariff Statistics Position Numbers 7208 51 20, 7208 51 91, 7208 51 98, 7208 52 91, 7208 90 20, 7208 90 80, 7225 40 40, 7225 40 60 and 7225 99 00.
In June, France 's production in manufacture of basic metals and fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment, decreased by 0.7 percent compared to May, after a month-on-month increase of 1.2 percent in May. In the April-June period, the countrys production in manufacture of basic metals and fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment, fell by 0.4 percent compared to the previous quarter.

On the other hand, in June production of France 's motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers industry saw a decrease of 0.6 percent on month-on-month basis after a 1.4 percent month-on-month fall recorded in the previous month, while the output of the domestic construction industry decreased by 0.2 percent month on month in the given month after an increase of 0.6 percent in May from April. In the April-June period, output of the motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers industry increased by 0.5 percent and output of the domestic construction industry fell by 0.1 percent, both quarter on quarter.
Wednesday, 10 August 2016 23:51:48 (GMT+3) | Sao Paulo

Brazil s largest steelmaker Gerdau saw its net profit decline 30.6 percent in Q2, year-on-year, to BRL 184 million, the company said on Wednesday while releasing its quarterly results.





Net revenues in Q2 fell 4.7 percent, year-on-year, to BRL 10.2 billion, thanks to lower sales volumes at its Brazil and specialty steel businesses, it said.





Sales volumes in Q2 totaled 4.2 million mt, 0.7 percent down, year-on-year, while crude steel production in the same quarter decreased 2.9 percent, year-on-year, to 4.3 million.





Gerdau said cost of sales in Q2 diminished 4.3 percent, year-on-year, to BRL 9.1 billion.





Adjusted EBITDA in Q2 was BRL 1.2 billion, 0.8 percent up, year-on-year, while gross margin in Q2 was 10.6 percent, down from 11 percent in the same quarter of the year prior. EBITDA margin in Q2 rose to 11.7 percent from 11.1 percent in Q2 2015.





1 USD = BRL 3.13 (August 10)








Wednesday, 10 August 2016 09:47:45 (GMT+3) | Shanghai

China 's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) has announced that during last week (August 1-7) the overall average finished steel price in China increased by 0.9 percent week on week.





In the given week, average prices of rebar , channels and high-speed wire rod in China rose by 1.1 percent, 1.0 percent and 0.9 percent week on week, respectively.





In the same week, the average price of non-ferrous metals in China increased by 0.1 percent week on week. The average price of nickel (Ni> = 99.2%) rose by 1.1 percent compared to the previous week.




Meanwhile, Pakistan 's iron and steel imports in June amounted to 382,296 mt, up 21.3 percent on month-on-month basis and rising by 69 percent compared to the same month of the previous year. In the given month, the value of Pakistan 's iron and steel imports was $197.38 million, increasing by 28.5 percent month on month and up 11.3 percent year on year.
US-based Castrip LLC has been committed to the development and promotion of ultra-thin cast sheet technology all over the world and has chosen Shagang Group as its strategic partner in China . Shagang Groups ultra-thin cast sheet production line will be the first such production line built outside of North America. It will be able to produce hot rolled sheet with maximum widths up to 1,590 mm and with thicknesses in a range of 0.7-1.9 mm.
Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sep 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sep 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (18) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sep 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (134) Jun 2013 (204) Jul 2013 (293) Aug 2013 (351) Sep 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (347) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (440) Jan 2014 (544) Feb 2014 (475) Mar 2014 (525) Apr 2014 (527) May 2014 (470) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sep 2014 (441) Oct 2014 (471) Nov 2014 (496) Dec 2014 (535) Jan 2015 (535) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (579) Apr 2015 (657) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (673) Jul 2015 (728) Aug 2015 (803) Sep 2015 (923) Oct 2015 (921) Nov 2015 (801) Dec 2015 (791) Jan 2016 (782) Feb 2016 (835) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (864) May 2016 (946) Jun 2016 (1044) Jul 2016 (882) Aug 2016 (1035) Sep 2016 (966) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (885) Jan 2017 (879) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (896) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (850) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sep 2017 (998) Oct 2017 (1144) Nov 2017 (1046) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (808) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sep 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (851) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (957) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (934) Jul 2019 (949) Aug 2019 (936) Sep 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (941) Feb 2020 (848) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (787) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sep 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (811) Dec 2020 (780) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (830) Aug 2021 (832) Sep 2021 (791) Oct 2021 (754) Nov 2021 (683) Dec 2021 (693) Jan 2022 (694) Feb 2022 (654) Mar 2022 (740) Apr 2022 (745) May 2022 (748) Jun 2022 (701) Jul 2022 (704) Aug 2022 (702) Sep 2022 (699) Oct 2022 (665)
IT officials claim that they uncovered documents that show that Tanwar owns farmhouses and benami properties through his associates.

By India Today Web Desk: In yet another setback to Aam Aadmi Party, tax officials have claimed that party legislator Kartar Singh Tanwar allegedly hid assets worth Rs 130 crore.

Income Tax Department had last month conducted a raid at Kartar Singh Tanwar's residence in south Delhi.

WHAT IT OFFICIALS SAY

IT officials claim that they uncovered documents that show that Tanwar owns farmhouses and benami properties through his associates. Tax officials said they had information about tax evasion and money laundering in Tanwar's property deals.

advertisement

The AAP legislator, who is a property dealer, was reportedly unable to explain how much he paid for his south Delhi farmhouse.

POLITICAL WAR BETWEEN AAP AND MODI GOVT

The raid on Tanwar's residence had added fuel to the already ongoing political war between the AAP and the Modi government.

About a dozen AAP legislators have either been arrested or are facing charges in various cases since the party took charge in Delhi on February 14 last year.

Also read:

Yet another AAP MLA in trouble: I-T officials raid Kartar Singh's house



--- ENDS ---
Aurelian Mihai Zsanto, the man who intermediated the meeting between the journalists with Sky News and the alleged arms smugglers in Romania, said on Wednesday, after he was heard at seat of the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT), that he was tricked by the British journalists, as they told him it was a documentary and in the end there will be a mention about the story being fictional.

"Honestly speaking, as a Romanian, I have immense regrets because I let myself fooled, I was tricked by these people and they ruined my image, they ruined Romania's image," Aurelian Szanto said.

He told the Romanian journalists how he got to intermediate the meeting between the Sky News team and the alleged arms smugglers. "What I am saying is entirely true and I am doing it for my image and for Romania's image, in the first place because I am Romanian and I am proud of it. Everybody makes mistakes in life, everybody does stupid things. I was contacted through a person who has contacts with the Sky trust if I agreed to shoot a documentary on Romania's soil in respect to arms trafficking taking place on the Eastern European continent. As I do not know about these things, because I work with another trust, I tried to find out what it was all about. The person in question told me it was a documentary that the Sky trust would make in Europe about these arms smuggling acts, to inform the population, so that it may be vigilant and look for suspects. They told me the following: we want to have two people presenting us some arms and through the presentation of the respective weapons to draw the attention on how these sales are done," Aurelian Szanto said.

Szanto, who lives in the UK and works as a freelancer, maintains that he has a friend in Romania about whom he knew he had hunting arms, so he phoned him and asked him if he agreed to do this documentary, in exchange for some money, "for acting, presentation and translation." He explained that the British journalists told him that this filming must take place in a remote place, "hidden from the world's eyes," and that the documentary would mention that the place is at the border with Ukraine. The man also maintains that the Sky News journalists guaranteed him that the mention about the material being fictional would be displayed at the end of the documentary. According to him, the British journalists asked him that the persons starring the documentary be as "real" as possible, namely wear masks and military outfit.

Moreover, the man said that the Sky News team was made up of four reporters, among whom Stuart Ramsay, however that he did not know them directly and talked to them through a friend. Aurelian Szanto maintained that he and the other Romanians received from the British journalists a few thousand euros, without mentioning the exact amount, while sources with the investigators said that it would be 2,000 euros.

After the Sky News story was broadcast, Aurelian Szanto says he contacted his friend in the UK and scolded him, and the latter promised him to talk to the Sky trust because something was not all right. "The arms presented are legally registered, they do not make the object of smuggling. They weren't loaded during filming. (...) Honestly speaking, as a Romanian, I have immense regrets because I let myself fooled, I was tricked by these people and they ruined my image, they ruined Romania's image," Aurelian Szanto concluded.

Prosecutors with the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) on Wednesday conducted seven searches at addresses in Targu Mures and Bistrita Nasaud in a case opened after allegations of arms trafficking made in the Sky News story. Aurelian Szanto, the one who intermediated the meeting between the British journalists and the alleged Romanian arms smugglers, was heard at the DIICOT seat. Moreover, this intermediary admitted his act in the hearings. Other four persons will also be brought in for hearings at the DIICOT main seat, namely the men who appear wearing masks in the Sky News story.

In this case, the prosecutors have started a criminal investigation into deliberate smuggling and violations of arms and ammunition legislation. The first results of the investigation reveal that the arms were legally owned for hunting and belonged to one of the masked men. The story was "staged" by the British journalists, who told the alleged smugglers what to say when filmed, in exchange for some sums of money.

Agerpres
Hathaway recently shared a picture on her Instagram account with a very important message about the way women are criticised for their post-natal bodies.

By India Today Web Desk: Sharing a powerful message about the flak women face for their pregnancy and post-pregnancy bodies, Hollywood star Anne Hathaway has shared something rather powerful.

The Princess Diaries actress who welcomed her son in the month of April this year, penned down an Instagram post featuring a pair of jeans.

With her jeans cut into a pair of shorts, her post read, "There is no shame in gaining weight during pregnancy (or ever). There is no shame if it takes longer than you think it will to lose the weight (if you want to lose it at all)."

advertisement

Also Read: Kim Kardashian reveals how she lost 27 kilos post pregnancy

"There is no shame in finally breaking down and making your own jean shorts because last summer's are just too dang short for this summer's thighs," she further wrote.

The picture shared by Anne Hathaway. Picture courtesy: Instagram/ Anne Hathaway

During her recent appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Hathaway had shared how she was "horrified" when a trainer asked her to lose weight instead of congratulating her for becoming a mother.

Also Read: Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer took a short maternity leave, and is being criticised for it. Right or wrong?

The incident reportedly, left the actress extremely emotional as she "walked away and cried" from the premises of the gym. She also confessed that she did not return to the gym right away.

While the trainer's words might have discouraged her back then, they most definitely motivated her to pen down her powerful Instagram post.

"There is no shame in finally breaking down and making your own jean shorts because last summer's are just too dang short for this summer's thighs. Bodies change.Bodies grow.Bodies shrink.It's all love(don't let anyone tell you otherwise.)Peace xx noshame #lovewhatyouhavebeengiven" her post further read.

(With inputs from IANS)

--- ENDS ---
MARYLAND HEIGHTS  It will be a while longer before anyone breaks ground on one of the largest pieces of undeveloped land in the region.

City officials are pausing their efforts to craft a regional development plan while they deal with stormwater issues in the low-lying 1,800 acres along the Missouri River.

After soliciting proposals and hearing interest from six developers  with much of the attention on a plan encompassing the whole area pitched by attorney Alan Bornstein and Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke  the city now says no one will break ground without an areawide stormwater plan.

Until we get that, were dead in the water, Maryland Heights City Councilman Ed Dirck said during a workshop Tuesday evening with the City Council and planning commission. Wonderful ideas, but until we get that, thats all they are.

The land, surrounded by major roadways and now protected by a 500-year levee, appeared primed for development. But building the infrastructure to manage stormwater in the levee district has given developers pause after the city followed up to discuss their plans.

Officials had hoped to select a preferred development proposal as soon as next month, but City Administrator Jim Krischke estimated it could take as long as six months to come up with a plan for stormwater management. After that, the city may solicit a new round of proposals, but it will stay in contact with developers that have already participated.

We do have developers were comfortable with, but in six months time they may move on, Krischke told the Post-Dispatch.

One engineers estimate put a stormwater management system for the Maryland Park Lake District, the area between Creve Coeur Lake park and the river, at $20 million to $25 million, Maryland Heights Community Development Director Wayne Oldroyd told the council and commission.

The city will have to work with the Howard Bend Levee District, which built the river defense that opened up the flood plain for development, on a stormwater system. Hashing out the responsibilities of the entities involved will be an intricate, detailed, legally messy process.

Its going to take some time, Oldroyd said.

The levee district is in charge of managing water within its boundaries through pumps and other infrastructure, but its ideas thus far have been more piecemeal than the city would prefer, Krischke said. The city wants a more comprehensive system that enables areawide development

While Maryland Heights will definitely need to participate in the design, it is too early to say whether the city will help pay for the improvements, Krischke said. We as a city want to do this the right way and do it right the first time.

David Stokes of the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance, which supports flood plain preservation to help reduce flooding elsewhere, said the delay was good news in that its not bad news.

But he said conservation and environmental groups should have a hand in crafting the stormwater plan so it is designed with some of their goals in mind and not just done to benefit a few developers.
Veteran theater actor Ken Page, who plays the regal African king Amonarso in the Munys current production of Elton John and Tim Rices Aida, stepped out of character at Tuesday nights performance.

Tuesdays show, which coincided with the two-year anniversary of Ferguson teenager Michael Browns shooting death, was disrupted for about 25 minutes by about 40 protesters, according to Muny spokesman Kwofe Coleman. The protest started at the beginning of the second act and took place at the rear of the audience area.

After the protest, Page, a St. Louis native, took to the stage with his co-star, Michelle Williams, to address what had happened, while evoking the names of Michael Brown, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, drawing mixed reaction from the audience.

We ask this, in the name of our creator, who created each and every one of us, whether the name is Michael Brown, Hillary Clinton or, God forbid, Donald Trump ... sorry ... Im just saying. Now I had to be a little political. Come on. But I want us to raise our spirits, seriously, because we have to. That was more or less a joke (before). But its not an issue of who you support or what you know and who you think you are and who you think someone else is. Im addressing right here in this moment who we are, which are spirits on this earth just trying to get through this journey, said Page, a Broadway veteran who has appeared in The Wiz, Guys and Dolls, Cats and Aint Misbehavin.

Page continued: The idea of this show is about that. When we say we all live Elaborate Lives (a song in the show) were not talking about the price of your shoes or the tag in the back of your clothes. Were talking about the idea of how we live life on this planet and how we must respect each other. Its imperative. Life goes on, whether we like it or not. Nobodys perfect, whether we like it or not. Were gonna disagree, whether we like it or not. Sometimes were gonna agree whether we like it or not. But tonight what Im going to ask of our audience and our brothers and sisters who are protesting, we all know that black lives matter. And that is because God created us all.

Some took Pages words as a slam of Trump; others appreciated his words.

In a statement from Page, released Wednesday, he said: Last night, as we resumed the show, I invited the audience to come together in unity and peace. I asked that we understand whats important, to whom its important and why its important. I was not supporting or disparaging any public figure or candidate, and I regret that is what is being interpreted. I only mentioned these figures in the context of sharing the idea that differences can be overcome, and we can create community, unity and peace. We then began Act 2, and were thrilled by the audiences warm embrace of our beautiful show.

Austin Smith, who was sitting in section B, took videos of the protest and of Ken Pages comments. He also posted to Twitter (with video clips): ...Ken Page gives audience more than what they paid for after #BlackLivesMatter protest stops show.

Leslie Elpers took video of the comments from her season-ticket seat in the fourth row.

I thought (his statement) was perfect, she said. They couldnt go straight from the situation that happened into the middle of the second act, so it was necessary. Something needed to be said.
Bijlani made a beeline for Aminabad's kebab treasure while he was there to promote Jhalak Dikhla Jaa, Season 9.

Arjun Bijlani just couldn't resist getting a taste of Lucknow's famous kebabs while in the city. Picture courtesy: Instagram/arjunbijlani

By Shreya Goswami: Everyone who visits Lucknow heads straight to Aminabad to get a taste of the city's famous kebabs, and actor Arjun Bijlani is no different.

Bijlani, who played the lead role in Naagin, was in 'the city of Nawabs' to promote Jhalak Dikhla Jaa's new season, since he's one of the 12 participants on the popular dance-reality show.

According to a TOI report, Bijlani's team had arranged a whole array of kebabs for the actor even before he had landed in the city: "The moment I checked into the hotel in Lucknow, I was ready to enjoy the famous kebabs, which my team had arranged for me in advance. But the real fun of having Lucknow's non-vegetarian dishes is in purane Lucknow ki galliyan. So, I went to Tundey's in Aminabad for dinner and tried everything that they had to offer!"

Tundey is a place in Aminabad, Lucknow, which offers the best kebabs in the city. Picture courtesy: Instagram/vish.almighty

advertisement

Also read: 8 meatilicious kebabs you must try out immediately



However, as everyone knows, Aminabad is perpetually crowded thanks to the very delicacies Bijlani went there to eat. Seeing one of their favourite TV actors there, crowds of fans gathered around him to click selfies. Bijlani's whole focus, however, was on the lip-smacking food on display.

Arjun Bijlani had to tackle a huge crowd of fans while he indulged in Tundey kebabs in Lucknow. Picture courtesy: Instagram/arjunbijlani

"I somehow juggled between the selfies and the food. Soon enough, the crowd became unmanageable and I had to run from that place but not before I had eaten everything I wanted to, to my heart's content."

We are glad Arjun Bijlani got to eat his fill of Lucknow's famous kebabs, which we're sure will fuel his performance in Jhalak's new season.

Watch this video Arjun Bijlani took with his crowd of fans in Lucknow:

Once again #lucknow u guys were jus awesome.thank you so much for this.i guess I'm doing something right.. #jhalakdikhlaja9 #jdjhothai @colorstv ?? A video posted by Arjun Bijlani (@arjunbijlani) on Jul 30, 2016 at 10:41am PDT

--- ENDS ---
FERGUSON  A day of peaceful commemoration of the second anniversary of Michael Browns death was marred Tuesday night when gunfire broke out after a protester was struck by a motorist.

After a quiet morning vigil and evening church service, the night turned violent when a car going north on West Florissant Avenue struck a protester who had ventured into the street.

Others among the roughly 75 protesters began trying to cut off the car, which then reversed direction and tried to head south to avoid the crowd, according to several witnesses.

At that point, witnesses said, several protesters pulled out guns and began chasing and firing at the fleeing car.

I just started screaming, and the bullets started flying, and I started screaming some more, said Heather DeMian, of St. Charles, a regular protester who has been live-streaming Ferguson protests.

It appears the driver did not intentionally strike the protester, according to Ferguson spokesman Jeff Small, who said the woman is being very, very cooperative with police.

By all accounts, her version of what happened seems to fit the version of what happened to a person driving down a busy West Florissant Avenue and not seeing a person standing there, Small said.

He said there were bullet holes in the womans car, but no one in the vehicle was injured.

Small said no arrests were made, and that the extent of the injuries to the protester who was struck is unknown because the man was taken from the scene in a private vehicle.

Two people who were shaken up as the crowd fled the gunfire were taken to a hospital by ambulance.

Muny protest

Also Tuesday night, the Muny production of Aida in Forest Park was disrupted for about 25 minutes by about 40 protesters, according to Muny spokesman Kwofe Coleman.

The protest started in the back of the theater, with banners and chanting. There was no property damage and no injuries, Coleman said.

He said protesters arrived just at the start of the second act. Some climbed onto the scaffolding at the rear of the stage in an area that is off-limits to the public.

Coleman said two protesters in that area were arrested, and two arrests were made outside the theater. A police spokesman acknowledged there were arrests but declined to say how many.

Peaceful service

Earlier Tuesday evening, about 45 people gathered for a short and peaceful memorial service at Wellspring Church in Ferguson, which has held discussions about race since Browns fatal shooting on Aug. 9, 2014, by then-officer Darren Wilson.

Half a dozen candles sat at the front of the church, as the service began with a slow song played on the keyboard. Leaders of different faiths went to the pulpit to call for peace and an end to the killing of young African-Americans.

Are you just coming here to remember? Or will you make a pledge to get in the way? the Rev. Cassandra Gould, of Quinn Chapel AME Church in Jefferson City, asked the congregation.

She said that just remembering, creating hashtags and lamenting the deaths of black and brown children were not enough. People must get out and protest, as they have done at the front doors of police departments and municipal courthouses, she said.

Because of his blackness, he got in the way, Gould said of Brown, and until being black does not mean were getting in the way, people who have privilege need to get in the way.

The 45-minute service ended with attendees joining in the song Lift Every Voice and Sing.

Tuesday morning, the events started quietly with music in the Canfield Green apartment complex at the spot where Brown was killed just before noon.

Three children and their grandmother, who goes by the name Momma Fatou, began making music with African drums and shakers in front of a banner for the Michael Brown Chosen for Change Foundation.

As they played, more people began congregating alongside several dozen teddy bears and other stuffed animals piled in a line in the center of Canfield Drive to mark where Brown died.

Organizers with the Michael Brown Chosen for Change Foundation planned about 90 minutes of music, reflections and poetry Tuesday before 4 minutes of silence. The number of minutes represented the estimated number of hours Browns body lay on the street in the apartment complex after he was killed.

Browns shooting by Wilson stirred protests and rioting after various narratives emerged about the circumstances surrounding his shooting. His death sparked an investigation that cleared Wilson of wrongdoing. But it also forced a consent decree between the U.S. Department of Justice and the city of Ferguson, and a national conversation about unfair policing of African-Americans.

Crowd grows

On Tuesday, as the children beat the drums and shook the shakers, the crowd grew into a mix of mostly familiar faces and groups. There were members of the Brown family, including Browns father, Michael Brown Sr., and Browns mother, Lezley McSpadden. Michael Browns tearful grandmother held a poster asking people not to forget her grandson.

Among the public officials and clergy were members of the group WeCopwatch, now a nationwide group that videotapes police actions to maintain accountability  though police were nowhere in sight.

After the children finished with their drums, Momma Fatou, whose given name is Artie Jennings Hamilton, told the crowd that the sound of the drum was a call to act in African culture.

Today you are here to celebrate the second anniversary of Michael Browns death by someone in a policemans outfit who did not have the comfort of this community in his mind, she said.

As the vigil progressed, about 120 people gathered together. One of them, Janice Brown, Browns cousin, said she and her teenage daughters, a niece and a goddaughter, first made a stop at a nearby memorial stone erected last year.

We shed some tears there, she said of losing her cousin, whom she called Mikey Mike.

She said she wants him to be remembered in a positive way. Even though it was a horrific ordeal, I want his legacy to be a positive legacy and how things are trying to change. Were not totally there yet.

Former state Rep. Betty Thompson said she was there to fight for unity. Over the weekend she had been honored with the Michael Brown Social Justice Award by the Chosen for Change Foundation.

Not only do we have to fight the crimes of racism and bigotry, we have to fight black-on-black crime, she said.

Thompson said had lost both a son and a grandson to such violence. Both were victims in two separate armed robberies.

Weve got to stop the violence, she said.

Just before noon, several members of the Brown family along with Thompson sat on chairs before the line of stuffed animals.

Michael Brown Sr. spoke briefly about his son.

My son built families up, opened the eyes of the world and let them know this aint right, he said. This color is not a disease. This color is beautiful. Black is beautiful.

Nassim Benchaabane and Stephen Deere of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the correct direction the car that hit the protester was traveling.
American conservatives have long faced a serious dilemma: What to do about Donald Trump? To withdraw support and denounce his outrageous comments is to risk antagonizing his supporters at a time when every vote counts to keep Republicans in control of Congress.

On Tuesday, that already vexing question became even more urgent when the Republican presidential nominee seemed to suggest that people with guns take matters into their own hands to stop his opponent from reaching the White House.

At a rally in Wilmington, N.C., Trump told supporters it would be a horrible day if Democrat Hillary Clinton got to appoint Supreme Court justices.

If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks, Trump said, adding, Although the Second Amendment people  maybe there is. I dont know.

His campaign explained that Trump was merely referring to the organizational capabilities of gun-rights supporters. Given his history of inflammatory rhetoric, theres good reason to question his meaning. The kindest explanation is that it was a bad joke, blurted out by a man whose lack of impulse control is well-documented.

The darker explanation is almost inconceivable: A man whose more rabid supporters are violence-prone suggesting that someone with a gun might take action to defend the cause.

A few hours after Trumps remark blew up on social media, the Secret Service, which has its own Twitter account, felt compelled to tweet, The Secret Service is aware of the comments made earlier this afternoon.

Agents will have to decide whether it was a bad joke or hostile suggestion. Either way, it adds to a growing body of evidence indicating Trump is not fit for the nations highest office. Good men and women, particularly those who call themselves conservatives, must summon some guts.

Very few Republican leaders have had the integrity to come out against Trump. They like their jobs and dont want to lose his supporters votes. Among the exceptions is Sen. Mark Kirk, running for re-election in a blue state, who has called Trump too bigoted and racist for the people of Illinois.

Its harder in red states like Missouri. Sen. Roy Blunt has criticized some of Trumps comments, but is standing behind his candidacy. So are Missouris six GOP House members. So is Republican gubernatorial nominee Eric Greitens.

Eight years ago, GOP nominee John McCain stood up to a hostile crowd to defend Democrat Barack Obama: I have to tell you. Sen. Obama is a decent person and a person you dont have to be scared of as president of the United States.

Now McCain, running for re-election to the Senate from Arizona, is standing behind Trump, even though Trump mocked his service as a prisoner of war.

Few profiles in courage are being written here. The party of Lincoln is shaming itself.
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?
The girl and her associate Shakil Malik used to obtain the secret PIN number of unsuspecting persons on the pretext of helping them inside ATM booths, and later withdraw money from the account.

The aspiring model has been arrested by the Delhi Police.

By Tanseem Haider: Delhi Police today arrested a girl, an aspiring model, from Nand Nagri area in the Capital and her associate from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh for cheating people and stealing ATM cards.

Twenty-two-year-old Deepali (name changed) and her associate Shakil Malik used to obtain the secret PIN number of unsuspecting persons on the pretext of helping them inside ATM booths, and later withdraw money from the account.



HOW THEY WERE CAUGHT

advertisement

Their modus operandi came to light after the ATM cheats 'robbed' a lady at the PNB ATM kiosk in Indira Vihar on July 15, 2016.

A young girl volunteered to help a lady who was struggling to withdraw cash inside an ATM booth. With her consent, the girl took the ATM card and swiftly swapped it with another card. When the lady reached home, she was shocked to receive an SMS informing her of a withdrawal of Rs 25,000 from her account.

LUCK RAN OUT

The ATM card stealing duo's luck, however, ran out soon. The same victim came face to face with the girl and her associate when she was taking a stroll near the very same ATM booth on Sunday (August 7). The lady promptly informed the police who apprehended Deepali and Shakil from the spot.

During interrogation, the girl confessed that she had conned several people as she needed money to make a portfolio of her pictures to fulfil her modelling ambitions. She had approached a famous fashion photographer from Mumbai for the same and he had asked her for Rs 2.5 lakh.

Interestingly, the girl claims to have learnt the art of 'How to hack ATMs' from Google.

Deepali used Shakil as her driver and shared the booty with him. As many as five cases of such ATM frauds in P S Mukherjee Nagar have come to light.



MODUS OPERANDI

The duo, Deepali and Shakeel, would come in Santro car and do a recee of their potential victims.

They usually targeted those ATM's which were 'out of order' or unable to dispense cash.

When they spotted an old lady or a gullible person, the girl would enter the ATM booth posing as a customer with an ATM card.

Then, on the pretext of helping him/her, she would find out the PIN number and later swap her card with the customer.



ALSO READ:

Kerala: Watch how scammers steal your ATM details from a kiosk



--- ENDS ---
LONDON MARKET CLOSE: FTSE makes weekly gain but banks weigh on Friday

Friday, October 28, 2022 - 17:08

The FTSE 100 managed a weekly gain, despite underperforming peers on Friday, while strong results from oil majors lifted the mood in New York, shaking off poor numbers from Amazon.

Central banks move into focus again next week. The Federal Reserve announces its rate decision on Wednesday, with the Bank of England following on Thursday.

The FTSE 100 index closed down 26.02 points, or 0.4% at 7,047.67 on Friday, but finished the week 1.1% higher.

The FTSE 250 ended down 165.25 points, or 0.9%, at 17,916.67 - closing the week up 4.1%. The AIM All-Share closed down 4.09 points, or 0.5%, at 805.37, finishing 2.7% higher over the past five days

The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.5% at 703.81, the Cboe UK 250 closed down 1.0% at 15,378.84, and the Cboe Small Companies ended down 0.5% at 12,320.39.

The pound was quoted at $1.1595 at the London equities close Friday, up slightly from $1.1573 at the close on Thursday. Though sterling's marked rise tempered slightly on Friday, the currency has gained 3.2% over the past week.

Markets have so far taken confidence from the new UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

In the FTSE 100, Centrica added 5.2% after it announced the reopening of the Rough natural gas storage facility off the east coast of England.

Centrica, which owns British Gas, said the facility is operational for winter. The facility increases the UK's storage capacity by 50% despite it operating at just 20% of its previous capacity.

GSK closed up 2.3% after it said its majority owned ViiV Healthcare venture has received the European Medicines Agency's validation for its marketing authorisation application for HIV prevention, and said its MAA for respiratory syncytial virus adult vaccine has also been accepted.

NatWest was the worst performer. It plunged 8.3% as it reported strong income growth in the third quarter, boosted by both increased lending and higher interest rates, but the bank warned it is keeping a close on eye on any change in behaviour from its customers.

In the three months to September 30, operating profit before tax rose to 1.09 billion from 976 million a year before.

Putting a cap on the bank's profit, NatWest set aside 247 million in the quarter to cover an expected increase in bad loans, which is reversed from a 221 million gain the year prior.

Lloyds fell 3.3% in negative read across.

Glencore fell 1.0% as it trimmed annual guidance for some of its commodities after a disappointing third-quarter performance dominated by supply chain disruptions in Kazakhstan, extreme weather in Australia, and strikes in Canada and Norway.

In the FTSE 250, ASOS tumbled 11%.

The stock was rocked by a Telegraph report which stated some hedge funds have shorted the stock, just days after retailer Frasers bought a stake.

Elsewhere in London, China-focused investment trusts fell.

JPMorgan China Growth & Income fell 2.9% and abrdn China Investment dropped 3.5%.

Investor sentiment turned sour as Chinese cities doubled down on Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.

Stocks in New York were firmly in the green at the London equities close, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 2.0%, the S&P 500 index up 1.7% and the Nasdaq Composite up 1.8%.

After disappointment from tech stocks, oil majors put some shine on this week's US corporate earnings calendar.

Exxon Mobil revenue in the third quarter of 2022 jumped 52% to $112.07 billion from $73.79 billion a year prior. Attributable net income soared to $19.66 billion from $6.75 billion. The oil major's bottom line rose 10% from $17.85 billion in the second quarter.

Chevron posted pretax earnings of $14.80 billion, up from $8.06 billion the year before. Revenue increased to $66.64 billion from $44.71 billion the year before.

Exxon shares rose 1.8%, while Chevron was up 0.3%. Amazon slid 10%, after its poor numbers overnight.

Wall Street also shook off a higher inflation reading for the US on Friday.

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Fed's preferred inflationary measure, the core personal consumption expenditures index, which excludes food and energy, shot up 5.1% year-on-year in September, quickening from a 4.9% hike in August.

"The Fed's favoured measure of inflation is heading higher, rather than lower, while employment costs continue to rise at double the rate experienced over the past 15 years. The market is probably right to expect the Fed to slow the pace of rate hikes from December, but this is by no means guaranteed," analysts at ING commented.

On Thursday, the European Central Bank on Thursday lifted its benchmark interest rates by 75 basis points, as expected.

In European equities on Friday, the CAC 40 in Paris ended up 0.5%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt ended up 0.2%.

The euro stood at $0.9943 at the European equities close Friday, lower against $0.9984 at the same time on Thursday.

Against the yen, the dollar was trading at JP147.54 late Friday, higher compared to JP145.90 late Thursday.

Gold was quoted at $1,640.91 an ounce at the London equities close Friday, down sharply against $1,662.60 at the close on Thursday. The precious metal has an inverse relationship with the greenback, weakening as the dollar strengthens.

Brent oil was quoted at $93.34 a barrel at the London equities close Friday, down from $94.75 late Thursday.

In Monday's UK corporate calendar, there are full year results from self storage company Lok'n Store and kidney disease-focused diagnostics firm Renalytix.

In the economic calendar, the EU will publish its latest GDP and CPI readings.

Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Action from Stratford Town vs Redditch United

Evo-Stik Southern League, Premier Division

Stratford Town 2

Redditch United 4

STRATFORD were made to pay for a dismal start as they slipped to defeat in their first home game of the new season on Tuesday night.

Two goals inside the opening six minutes from Danico Johnson and Reece Hewitt gave Redditch the perfect start, but it was game on when Town replied with a header from former Reds defender Jordan Cullinane-Liburd.

Stratford were in the ascendancy but all their good work was erased a minute before half-time when poor defending was again punished with Javi Roberts finishing with aplomb.

Town looked more threatening in the second period and Richard Gregory netted on his 100 appearance for the club to set up a rousing finale with 14 minutes left but the Reds added their fourth on 89 minutes though substitute Liam Spink.

Town striker Edwin Ahenkorah, right, takes on Redditch defender Cameron Young. Photo: Mark Williamson

Town had made two changes to the line-up which drew at St Ives on Saturday, with Kieren Westwood and Mike Taylor starting.

But any hopes of a positive start vanished after two goals found the Town net before they had settled down.

The first goal, after one minute 40 seconds, was a howler from Emmitt Delfouneso, with Johnson dispossessing the Town defender ten metres outside the penalty area and then the striker slotted home under keeper Niall Cooper.

Stratford were shellshocked and it got worse after six minutes when another flowing move sliced through the defence. Max Loveridge provided a slick ball into the feet of Hewitt just inside the area and the former Bromsgrove man guided his shot expertly into the far corner.

Moments later, Reds former Birmingham City striker Clinton Morrison slammed a close-range shot against the post.

But after that Stratford took charge as Gregory fired over.

They were rewarded on 25 minutes when Will Grocotts trickery left Eli Bako on the seat of his pants and Cullinane-Liburd rose above the Reds defence to meet his right-wing cross with a towering header into the roof of the net.

Stratford's Jamie Sheldon looks to squeeze past Redditch's Duane Courtney. Photo: Mark Williamson

Mike Taylor threatened an equaliser, only to smash a right-footer inches over the bar, but Town hit the self-destruct button to concede a third goal on 44 minutes.

Again Town lost the ball and Reds sub Reece Hales galloped forward before slipping a pass to the alert Roberts to tuck home from the inside left channel with another precise effort.

Town pushed forward after the break, and Taylors header from Jamie Sheldons right-wing cross flew into the grasp of keeper Bradley Catlow.

The keeper was again in the right place to gather Grocotts 25-yarder but he was helpless when Delfouneso smashed a low shot a foot wide.

The Reds counter-attacked when Hales almost bundled home and Johnson was denied by Guy Clarks superbly-timed challenge.

But Stratford set up a grandstand finish when Gregory showed the instincts which have brought 66 goals in his 100 matches for Town to net on 76 minutes.

A patient passing move finally created room for Westwood to find Gregory and though he was falling to the ground he still managed to guide his right-footed strike into the corner of the net.

Town pushed again to level and sub Edwin Ahenkorah fired a rising effort which Catlow tipped over on 82 minutes but the Reds had the final word with their fourth goal a minute from time.

Johnson won a lost cause down the left, evaded a defender and surged into the penalty area before rolling the ball into Spink to smash home from eight yards.

TOWN: Cooper; Cullinane-Liburd (Ahenkorah 67), Francis, Clark, Westwood; Grocott, Delfouneso, Sheldon, Gregory, Tulloch; Taylor. Subs: Brathwaite, Brooks, Evans.

REDDITCH: Catlow; Young, McDonald, Courtney; Jones, Hewitt, Loveridge (Spink 69), Roberts, Bako (Hales 26); Morrison (Luckie 63), Johnson. Subs not used: Cowley, Dudley.

Referee: Mark Howes.

Attendance: 327
Jean-Christophe Novelli will be at this years Stratford Town Centre Food Festival

CELEBRITY chef Jean-Christophe Novelli will be the star turn at this years Stratford Town Centre Food Festival.

The award-winning French chef, who appeared on the second series of ITV's Hell's Kitchen, will take to the stage on Sunday, 25 September - the final day of the three-day festival.

The festival begins on Friday, 23 September, and is organised by Stratforward BID in association with French market operator, Geraud Markets.

It is expected to attract thousands of visitors to the town, with last years big names being TV chefs James Martin and Simon Rimmer.

Jean-Christophe said: It has been great working in partnership with Stratforward and Groupe Geraud to deliver an event of this scale, especially to a town as historic as Stratford.

I'm excited to meet the locals and give them a few demonstrations, hopefully they will pick up some new tricks to take home to the kitchen!

The festival will see Stratford town centre packed with at least 100 stalls showcasing the best of local food and produce.

Highlights will include chef demonstrations, workshops and the popular Food and Ale Trails, which allow 200 daily ticketholders to pop into selected businesses across the town for tasty free samples.

The Local Producers Area on Waterside is a new feature on the Friday and Saturday, and local chefs will showcase the towns own culinary talent at The Waterside Cookery Theatre, and there will be some hands-on workshops for both children and adults.

Stratforward events manager Ruth Wood said: Were all really excited to welcome Jean-Christophe Novelli to this years Stratford Town Centre Food Festival.

We have a queue of volunteers eager to look after him for the day and the Stratforward team have all become fanatical foodies since his arrival was announced. It must be that winning combination of culinary skills and Gallic charm.
AK Steel (NYSE: AKS) said today that members of the United Auto Workers (UAW), Local 3303, have ratified a two and a half year labor agreement covering about 1,200 hourly production and maintenance employees at the company's Butler (PA) Works. AK Steel said that UAW officials notified the company that the contract was ratified in voting held on August 8 and 9, 2016 in Butler. The agreement will be in effect until April 1, 2019.

"We are pleased to have reached a labor agreement at Butler Works ahead of the expiration date," said Roger K. Newport, Chief Executive Officer of AK Steel. "This early resolution positions us well to meet the future needs of our customers, as we continue to drive our sales of more value-added and innovative products."

Butler Works produces a wide range of flat-rolled steel products, including electrical steels that are among the most energy efficient in the world, as well as a variety of stainless and carbon steels.
More than 40 customers on Tuesday received an update from Delta that they would be flying the last leg of their journey on a private jet.

Delta, in partnership with its wholly owned subsidiary, Delta Private Jets, quickly initiated a program to schedule seven flights on Tuesday evening from Atlanta to New York-JFK, Washington-Dulles, Los Angeles, Houston-Hobby, Miami, Chicago-OHare and Dallas-Fort Worth. Jets from throughout the DPJ fleet were made available for the flights, from large aircraft to light jets.

Delta reached out to customers in various situations, including its most frequent fliers, corporate travelers and customers flying for leisure.

The effort was just one of multiple initiatives Delta teams have been working on around the clock to take care of customers as the airline works to resume normal operations.

When you have a disruption of your entire fleet for one day, you have a lot of people who are out of place, a customer noted. The fact that Delta is putting private jets in the mix to try to get as many customers as they can to where they are going is very impressive.

As part of the experience, Delta provided Porsches to transfer customers from the concourses at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to the Delta Private Jets aircraft through its pioneering partnership with the automotive manufacturer.

This was an all-hands-on-deck effort by the Delta Private Jets and Delta teams, including Reservations, Airport Customer Service and Global Sales, working closely together to quickly set our plan into action, said David Sneed, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer  Delta Private Jets. Taking care of our customers and employees is always our top priority in all decisions we make. We are thrilled that Delta customers had an opportunity to enjoy the Delta Private Jets experience.

Ground transportation and the delivery of checked luggage was also arranged for customers upon landing at their destination to ensure customers had the support they needed to reach their final destination.

It has been a privilege and honor for all Delta Private Jets and Delta colleagues to assist our customers during the disruption to their travel plans, said Matthew Kahn, Director of the Operations and Client Center  Delta Private Jets. This is a wonderful example of our partnership and shared goals of providing unique and innovative travel solutions for customers.
By PTI: Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 10 (PTI) A Romanian national, who along with two other foreigners is suspected to be involved in the hi-tech ATM robbery in which a number of people lost money here, has been arrested in Mumbai, police said today.

The accused, whose pictures were released by the police here yesterday, was taken into custody by the Mumbai Police late last night.

advertisement

A Romanian national has been taken into custody in Mumbai in connection with the ATM robbery. A team of Kerala Police has left to Mumbai to take him into custody, a senior police official said.

"The Mumbai Police will first produce him before a court there and only then we will get him in custody," he told PTI.

However, he did not divulge any further details.

Kerala Police yesterday zeroed in on three foreign nationals, who are suspected to be the key players behind the hi-tech ATM robbery, and decided to seek Interpols help.

The trio, found installing an electronic device inside an ATM kiosk of a public sector bank at Vellayambalam here, had been caught in the CCTV installed there.

According to police, the three foreign nationals were from Romania and had come to India on June 25 and reached Kerala on July 8.The three had come on tourist visas and had taken rooms in a hotel here for two days.

Police also seized from the hotel two scooters and three helmets, suspected to have been used by the trio.

The state police shared their photos and other available details with their counterparts in other states which led to the arrest of one among them, police said.

So far, more than 20 people had lodged complaints saying money was withdrawn from their account.

As per the preliminary assessment, about Rs 2.5 lakh had been lost, police said.

It is suspected that the electronic device at the ATM counter enabled the fraudsters to collect the secret pin code and card details.

Many of the customers who were duped came to know about the fraud after they received a text message on Monday, informing that money was withdrawn from their accounts. PTI LGK UD VS DV

--- ENDS ---
Herbalife (NYSE: HLF), a global nutrition company, has won approval from Chinas Ministry of Commerce to operate in three additional provinces with a population of about 57 million, which will contribute to our growth plans in the country.

The Gansu, Ningxia and Inner Mongolia provinces, which include three provincial capital cities and 16 districts, have completed their service outlet reviews that permit Herbalife to conduct direct selling activities.

Chinas Ministry of Commerce granted the permits after reviewing the current business practices of Herbalife in the country. Herbalife has 300,000 service providers in China and licenses to operate in 25 other provinces.

These approvals are a testament to our success in China and our future growth plans, said Michael O. Johnson, chairman and CEO of Herbalife.

To meet increasing demand, in July Herbalife began operations at its newest facility in Nanjing, a 372,000-square-foot factory that will double Herbalifes production capacity in China. Herbalife also operates factories in Changsha and Suzhou, and the three facilities combined can produce 60 million units annually. Altogether, Herbalife employs more than 1,300 people in China, including 124 at its new facility in Nanjing.

Our business continues to expand as more consumers see Herbalife as a trusted, convenient and accessible nutrition brand, said Jerry Li, senior vice president and manager of China operations for Herbalife. Our nutrition clubs and preferred customer loyalty program are aimed at engaging Chinese consumers in improving their well-being and weight.

Besides the three provinces, Herbalife is licensed to operate in these 25 provinces: Jiangsu, Shandong, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Guizhou, Beijing, Fujian, Sichuan, Hubei, Shan'xi, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Jilin, Henan, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shanxi, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Hunan, Anhui, Guangxi, Hainan and Yunnan.

Herbalife also has manufacturing facilities in Lake Forest, California, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The latest sales data from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech shows that iOS returned to growth in the US, accounting for 31.8% of smartphone sales in the second quarter of 2016, a 1.3 percentage point increase versus the same period a year ago.

From a brand perspective, Samsung accounted for 35% of smartphone sales, and Apple 31.8%. Following in third was LG at 14%, with Motorola fourth at 5%. Combined sales of the iPhone 6s/6s Plus totalled 15.1%, making this the top selling device in the quarter, while the Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 edge accounted for 14.1% of smartphone sales. The iPhone SE became the third best-selling phone at 5.1%, contributing to the overall growth of iOS during the period.

"For LG, these latest figures represent a steady upward trend over the past two years, doubling in share from the 7% figure in the second quarter of 2014," said Lauren Guenveur, Consumer Insight Director for Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. "For Motorola, however, this represents a share similar to what we saw before the launch of the original iteration of the Moto X in the 3rd quarter of 2015, and down from 10% from the 1st quarter of 2016."

LG leverages LG G5 and prepaid market The LG G5 was released in the US on April 1, 2016, as the first "modular" phone on the market. In its first quarter of sales, the LG G5 was the 10th best-selling smartphone in the US at 2.2% and the best-selling LG smartphone in the market at 15.3%. It supplanted the LG G4, which had been LG's top-selling phone since the third quarter of 2015.

LG's growth in the US has not been completely dependent on its latest flagship, but also on other changes seen in the market over the past two years. "Looking beyond the LG G5 and its predecessors, LG's next best-selling devices are in the mid- and lower-range of the market, including the LG K7, LG Leon, and the LG Sunset/Sunrise," Guenveur continued. "These models are not typically available through the Big Four carriers but smaller, prepaid carriers like MetroPCS, Boost Mobile, and TracFone. In the six months ending June 2016, LG is the top-selling manufacturer on MetroPCS (40%), Boost (31%) and TracFone (34%)."

Moto's transition-driven lull Motorola continues to foster a close relationship with Verizon while also making a push to the smaller carriers including Tracfone, Consumer Cellular, and Republic Wireless. 46% of Motorola smartphones purchased in the second quarter of 2016 were connected to Verizon, and 44% to a smaller carrier rather than AT&T, Sprint or T-Mobile. The Moto G and Moto E are the best-selling Moto phones connected to these smaller carriers, while the Droid Turbo 2 remains the top-selling device connected to Verizon. So, what accounts for Motorola's lower share this quarter?

"Any manufacturer announcing a new flagship phone will see sales fall in the period proceeding, since consumers want to see if the latest device is a worthy upgrade choice," Guenveur suggested. "Also, a sales lull was expected during the period of ownership transition from Google to Lenovo. The first real test for the new Moto will be the launch of the Moto Z Droid, announced in June as the first truly "modular" phone and exclusive to Verizon."

Global Market Data In Great Britain, the iPhone SE was the top selling device in the quarter at 9.2%, followed by the iPhone 6s at 9.1%. Together they contributed to iOS growth of 3.1 percentage points to 37.2% in the second quarter of 2016. iOS also experienced continued momentum in France, at 20.6% of smartphone sales. In Germany, iOS sales increased for the first time since the third quarter of 2015, up one percentage point to 14.2% of smartphone sales from 13.2% in the June period last year. These three markets combined, plus very slight declines in Italy and Spain, led iOS to grow across the EU5 by 0.7 percentage points. This represents the first period of increase since the three months ending November 2015.

In Urban China, 17.9% of smartphone sales in the period were iOS, a drop of 1.8 percentage points from 19.7% in the second quarter of 2015. iOS share decline has also pushed Apple behind Huawei at 25.7% and Xiaomi at 18.5%. While the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus remain the top selling smartphones in the region, pressure from Huawei's Mate 8, P9, Xiaomi's RedMi Note 3 and Mi 5, and Oppo's R7 has led to increased competition in the market.

For more on US market activity, see Lauren Guenveur's latest blog post at: http://www.kantarworldpanel.com/global/News/LG-flourishes-while-Moto-struggles

To view complete global OS data and an optional PDF file, please visit: www.kantarworldpanel.com/global/News/iOS-Returns-to-Growth-in-the-US-EU5
TWIN FALLS, Idaho, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Canyonside Irwin Realty is now serving the Magic Valley real estate market as the newest member of the Coldwell Banker global franchise network, and the firm will now do business as Coldwell Banker Canyonside Realty.

The company was acquired in 1988 by Bob and Betty Veeh from Dick Irwin, who have since sold the company to the top performing team of agents Gary and Beverly Shook. Coldwell Banker Canyonside Realty has three offices with 49 independent sales associates.

"We were impressed with Gary and Beverly's passion for expanding their business in concert with the Coldwell Banker brand," said Budge Huskey, president and chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. "We are proud to have Coldwell Banker Canyonside Realty join the Coldwell Banker network and look forward to increasing our brand presence in south central Idaho."

"We consider Coldwell Banker to be the premier international real estate brand," said Gary Shook. "We are confident that our association with Coldwell Banker will allow us to better equip our agents as well as serve our customers and clients through the unmatched resources and marketing power offered by Coldwell Banker."

Magic Valley is home to world-class outdoor recreation activities, including the I.B. Perrine Bridge, which is one of only two bridges in the U.S. that permits base jumping. "With short distances to National Parks and larger cities, Twin Falls is a great place to call home," Shook added. "The region has also benefited from the opening of St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center. We are seeing more retirees moving into the area because of the convenience the medical facility and our relatively low cost of living.

"We are still experiencing a shortage of inventory at the lower end of the market because homes that are priced right and in good condition are selling fast," Shook said. "However, inventory at the middle to high end of the market is now at a healthy level. The city has experienced its own expansion and growth with existing companies like Glanbia and Con Agra; along with new companies like Chobani and Clif Bar opening factories and plants in the area, in the last few years. We are optimistic about the growth pace of our local economy."

About Coldwell Banker Canyonside RealtyColdwell Banker Canyonside Realty has three locations: 800 Falls Ave, Ste. 1, Twin Falls, ID, 83301 and 520 Main, Gooding, ID, 83330 and 220 State Street South, Hagerman, ID, 83332. They can be reached at the Twin Falls main office: 208 734-6500. Each office is independently owned and operated. Since 1906, the Coldwell Banker organization has been a premier provider of full-service residential and commercial real estate brokerage services. Coldwell Banker Real Estate is the oldest national real estate brand and franchisor in the United States, and today has a global network of approximately 3,000 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 47 countries and territories with almost 85,000 affiliated sales professionals.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Gary Shook208-539-7027[email protected]

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canyonside-irwin-realty-joins-coldwell-banker-real-estate-network-300311373.html

SOURCE Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Dreyfus High Yield Strategies Fund (NYSE: DHF), Dreyfus Municipal Income, Inc. (NYSE MKT: DMF), Dreyfus Strategic Municipal Bond Fund, Inc. (NYSE: DSM) and Dreyfus Strategic Municipals, Inc. (NYSE: LEO) each announced that certain fund statistics, as of June 30, 2016, are now available. The information will be posted to www.dreyfus.com and can be accessed at: https://public.dreyfus.com/products-performance/closed-end.html.

To order a hard copy of this information, call 1-800-334-6899.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810006073/en/

For Press Inquiries:

The Dreyfus Corporation

Melissa Cassar

212-635-6038

or

For Other Inquiries:

MBSC Securities Corporation

The National Marketing Desk

200 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10166

1-800-334-6899

Source: The Dreyfus Corporation
HOUSTON, TEXAS -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Greenfields Petroleum Corporation (the "Company" or "Greenfields") (TSX VENTURE: GNF)(TSX VENTURE: GNF.DB) announces the following:

Loan Restructuring

The Company has signed a Ninth Amending Agreement ("Amendment") to its loan agreement dated November 25, 2013 ("Loan Agreement") with its senior lender ("Lender"), which will be effective upon the approval by the Company's shareholders of an increase in its share capital and of its Lender as a new control person, and approval by the Company's debentureholders of conversion of the Company's convertible debentures into common shares of the Company, all as described in the Information Circular ("Circular") dated July 18, 2016, and available on SEDAR.

Pursuant to the Amendment, the maturity date under the Loan Agreement will be extended until March 31, 2018, and the loan principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest originally due December 31, 2015, will be converted to principal ("Restructure Amount"). The Company will issue to the Lender up to 2,220,000 common shares (hereinafter "Debt Shares") in the Company for each $1,000,000 of Restructure Amount, and 1,200,000 common shares for each $1,000,000 of any additional advance provided by the Lender within a specified period of time. For additional information on the number of Debt Shares to be issued, please refer to the Circular.

Additionally, for each Debt Share issued related to the Restructure Amount, the Company will issue to the Lender an equivalent number of Common Share purchase warrants upon the terms as described in the Circular.

The Eighth Amending Agreement signed on July 13, 2016, and described in the Circular, previously extended the maturity date under the Loan Agreement to August 31, 2016.

About Greenfields Petroleum Corporation

Greenfields is a junior oil and natural gas company focused on the development and production of proven oil and gas reserves principally in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Company plans to expand its oil and gas assets through further farm-ins, and acquisitions of Production Sharing Agreements from foreign governments containing previously discovered but under-developed international oil and gas fields, also known as "greenfields". More information about the Company may be obtained on the Greenfields website at www.greenfields-petroleum.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. More particularly, this press release may include, but is not limited to, statements concerning the Loan Agreement, the Company's intention to evaluate refinancing options and the Company's strategy. In addition, the use of any of the words "initial, "scheduled", "can", "will", "prior to", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "should", "forecast", "future", "continue", "may", "expect", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company, including, but not limited to, the ability to secure a suitable shareholder of Bahar Energy Limited, expectations and assumptions concerning the success of optimization and efficiency improvement projects, the availability of capital, current legislation, receipt of required regulatory approval, the success of future drilling and development activities, the performance of existing wells, the performance of new wells, general economic conditions, availability of required equipment and services, weather conditions and prevailing commodity prices. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct.

Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties most of which are beyond the control of Greenfields. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results, performance or achievements could vary materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These risks include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general (e.g., operational risks in development, exploration and production; delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of reserve estimates; the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production, costs and expenses, and health, safety, political and environmental risks), commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, changes in legislation affecting the oil and gas industry and uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures. Additional risk factors can be found under the heading "Risk Factors" in Greenfields' Annual Information Form and similar headings in Greenfields' Management's Discussion & Analysis which may be viewed on www.sedar.com.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and Greenfields undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The Company's forward-looking information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts: Greenfields Petroleum Corporation John W. Harkins Chief Executive Officer (832) 234-0836 Greenfields Petroleum Corporation A. Wayne Curzadd Chief Financial Officer (832) 234-0835 [email protected] www.greenfields-petroleum.com

Source: Greenfields Petroleum Corporation
Ford adds special interior and exterior upgrades to offer stylish, value-oriented trucks with the STX Appearance Package for 2017 F-Series Trucks

Positioned between XL work and XLT mid-level models, STX available for 2017 F-150 and Super Duty

Customers can order the STX package on F-150 in either SuperCab or SuperCrew and on Super Duty in any cab configuration from Ford dealers today

DEARBORN, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ford, Americas truck leader, is giving entry-level truck customers a new option to find the truck of their dreams with great infotainment features and stylish design at an affordable price.

The STX Appearance Package will be available for 2017 F-150 and Super Duty trucks, building on the success of the previous generation F-150 STX. This will be the first time F-Series Super Duty is offered with the STX package.

STX is for customers who want the utility of an F-Series truck in a stylish, well-optioned package at a competitive price, said Doug Scott, Ford truck group marketing manager.

Positioned between the XL and XLT models, STX adds a stylish exterior and many interior features that arent normally available on the entry level F-150:

20-inch machined-aluminum wheels with dark gray painted pockets

Black billet-style grille with body-color surround and black mesh insert

Body-color front fascia and front and rear bumpers

SYNC 3 with 8-inch center stack touch screen and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Privacy glass

Unique black sport cloth seats with Flow-through Console and steering column-mounted shifter

STX Sport Box decal

Fog lamps

Manual driver and passenger lumbar support

The F-150 with the STX package is available with the 2.7-liter EcoBoost, 5.0-liter V8 and 3.5-liter EcoBoost.

The Super Duty STX Appearance package brightens up the exterior with chrome features and unique badging. The package is available with either the 6.2-liter V8 gas engine, or the 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel, and adds the following to the XL trim:

Bright chrome grille

Chrome front and rear step bumpers

STX fender vent badge

Unique aluminum wheels

Steering wheel-mounted cruise control

Bright hub covers (SRW only)

AM/FM stereo with single CD/MP3 player

Available in either SuperCab or SuperCrew configurations on F-150, and in all cab configurations in Super Duty, the STX package bundles numerous features together to give customers a great value truck.

The STX package is available to order through dealers on both models now.

The F-150 STX starts at: $35,615.

F-250 STX starts at $34,910, and F-350 STX starts at $36,080.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 201,000 employees and 67 plants worldwide, the companys core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing, financing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs and electrified vehicles, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles. At the same time, Ford is aggressively pursuing emerging opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility, the companys plan to be a leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience and data and analytics. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide or Ford Motor Credit Company, visit www.corporate.ford.com.

For news releases, related materials and high-resolution photos and video, visit www.media.ford.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005743/en/

Ford Motor Company

Jessica Enoch

313.407.4598

[email protected]

Source: Ford Motor Company
Iranian scientist Shahram Amiri speaks with journalists as he arrives at the Imam Khomini airport in Tehran in this July 15, 2010 file photo. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi

By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin and Yeganeh Torbati

DUBAI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iranian security forces may have pressured nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri, hanged last week for spying for the United States, to admit to crimes he did not commit, his mother said in an interview this week.

Amiri leapt to the global spotlight in 2010 when he claimed first that U.S. agents had abducted him and then that he was in the United States of his own free will.

The same year, he returned to Iran where he was welcomed as a hero but then detained and tried on charges that he divulged nuclear secrets.

"When I was saying goodbye to him before his execution, he told me not to be sad as he had done nothing wrong," Marzieh Amiri told Reuters in a telephone interview.

"He asked me to tell everyone that he was innocent. He was saying his conscience was clear," she said.

Her son's closed-door trial was unfair and he was not properly represented, she said. She did not know the full name of the lawyer, who as a result could not be reached for comment.

"They should have held a public trial," she said. "I am not angry with the government or the Supreme Leader (of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei). I am angry with extremist security forces who were on his case, trying to prove he was a spy and who maybe forced him to confess to things he hadn't done."

Iranian judiciary officials could not be reached for comment. Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, spokesman for Iran's judiciary, told reporters Amiri received a fair trial and the case followed standard judicial procedure.

"He ... had contacted Iran's number one enemy, America, and had given our most secret and vital information to them," Mohseni Ejei said on Sunday, according to the state broadcaster.

"I AM AN IRANIAN"

In June 2010, Iranian state television showed Amiri, then 32, saying in a video he was in Arizona after U.S. and Saudi intelligence forces kidnapped him a year earlier during a religious pilgrimage abroad.

In a second video soon afterwards, Amiri said he was in the United States voluntarily and wanted to dispel "rumors" that had been spread about him.

"I am an Iranian, and I have taken no step against my homeland," he said.

As a young man with a talent for electronics in the Iranian city of Kermanshah, Amiri would tote his toolbox to friends' houses and fix their broken appliances, his mother said.

He won a coveted scholarship from the defense ministry to further his studies and eventually became a researcher in radiation safety at the defense ministry-affiliated Malek Ashtar University of Technology, visiting sites associated with Iran's nuclear program.

According to a U.S. official involved in the case, the Central Intelligence Agency recruited Amiri in Iran and helped extract him using the pilgrimage.

But U.S. officials had doubts about the depth of Amiri's knowledge and access to the most sensitive information.

Amiri was questioned, given a new identity and a home in Arizona, and paid around $5 million, the officials said.

However he began telling his handlers he missed his young son and wanted to return to Iran, though they warned he likely would face imprisonment or worse and might never see his son.

Arriving in Tehran in July 2010, he was greeted by his son, reporters and Iran's deputy foreign minister. Someone placed a wreath around his neck and he flashed a "V" for victory while clutching his son.

CLEAR CONSCIENCE

Marzieh Amiri said her son was free on his return and even took a vacation in Iran with his family. "But one day they suddenly arrested him ... When we followed up, (the security forces) said, 'It's for his own protection. He is our guest'."

He was held in isolation in Tehran, his mother said. His wife filed for divorce, and he became nervous and suffered from high blood pressure

"His loneliness was killing him," she said, adding she visited him once or twice a month. "He told me he prefers to die as he could not tolerate the isolation any more."

Last week, officials brought his corpse to Kermanshah. Rope marks on his neck indicated he had been hanged, his mother said.

(Additional reporting by John Walcott and Mark Hosenball in Washington; Editing by James Dalgleish)
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A former governor of Mexico's northern Nuevo Leon state will be tried for alleged improprieties linked to tax incentives his administration gave to South Korean carmaker Kia Motors to build a plant, a local government source said on Tuesday.

In June, an anti-corruption prosecutor accused former governor Rodrigo Medina and 30 others including former officials, family and friends, of corruption that drained some 3.6 billion pesos ($195.87 million) from state coffers.

A judge late was set to rule on Tuesday that Medina should face trial although the timing was not yet clear, the source said.

Current independent Governor Jaime Rodriguez's administration has been demanding that Kia renegotiate some of the incentives pledged in an accord struck in 2014 under Medina.

In June, his government said it had reached a deal with Kia to cut the tax breaks it would receive for building its first Mexican plant in the state from 28 percent of the amount invested by the firm and its suppliers to 10.5 percent.

Kia Motors started production at its $1 billion factory in Mexico on May 16, with plans to increase its total production capacity to 300,000 vehicles a year, from this year's projected 100,000.

($1 = 18.3800 Mexican pesos)

(Reporting by Gabriela Lopez and Anahi Rama; Editing by Kim Coghill)
By Shihar Aneez and Ranga Sirilal

COLOMBO (Reuters) - The Maldives legalized criminal defamation on Tuesday in a move criticized by the United Nations and which the opposition said was aimed at stifling dissent.

Best known as a paradise for wealthy tourists, the Indian Ocean archipelago has been mired in political unrest since Mohamed Nasheed, its first democratically elected leader, was ousted in disputed circumstances in 2012.

President Abdulla Yameen's administration went ahead with the defamation law despite criticism from the United Nations, rights groups and Western nations including the United States, Britain, Germany and the European Union.

The United Nations said it was "very worried" about the law.

The law criminalizes defamatory speech, remarks, writings and other actions including a gesture and targets actions against "any tenet of Islam" in the Muslim-majority country.

The bill was passed by a 16-vote majority led by Yameen's ruling Progressive Party of Maldives.

Those found guilty will be fined between 50,000 Maldivian rufiya ($3,200) and 2 million rufiya ($130,000) or face a jail term of between three and six months.

Publications, including websites, found carrying "defamatory" comments could also have their licenses revoked.

"So basically it's crippling freedom of expression including on the basis of defamation of religion, national security and social norms," said Mona Rishmawi, chief of the Rule of Law branch at the U.N. human rights office.

The opposition coalition said in a statement the new law would seriously hinder investigative journalism.

"The bill prevents journalists from reporting allegations if the accused refuses to comment, preventing coverage of speeches at political rallies, and gives government authorities sweeping powers to target the media," it said in a statement.

Transparency Maldives, condemning the bill, said its passage through parliament had not addressed the serious concerns raised by local media organizations, political parties, civil society groups and international organizations.

Zaheena Rasheed, editor at Maldives Independent news website, said the law was clearly aimed at muzzling the media after a series of threats, murder attempts, numerous death threats and physical attacks on news organizations.

"This is a final push to shut down the remaining media outlets. We have fought really hard. We are not giving up. We are going to contest the bill at the Supreme Court on its constitutionality," she said.

The move comes as the United Nations urged the Maldives not to carry out planned executions for convicts on death row and to uphold a moratorium it had respected for decades amid raising concerns over the rule of law. [L4N1AQ3VB]

(Additional reporting by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
By Amanda Becker and James Oliphant

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Wednesday accused Republican opponent Donald Trump of inciting violence with his call for gun rights activists to stop her from nominating liberal U.S. Supreme Court justices.

Clinton's comments added to a growing outcry over Trump's remarks on Tuesday at a North Carolina rally, which some interpreted as a call for violence against his White House rival. His remarks also fueled widespread concerns about his ability to stay on track.

"Words matter, my friends," the former U.S. secretary of state, who rarely engages in direct back-and-forths with her Republican rival, said at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa. "And if you are running to be president or you are president of the United States, words can have tremendous consequences."

"Yesterday, we witnessed the latest in a long line of casual comments from Donald Trump that crossed the line," she said, citing "his casual inciting of violence."

Trump insisted in an interview with Fox News that his remarks were a call for political, not physical, action.

There is tremendous political power to save the Second Amendment, tremendous," the New York businessman said. "And you look at the power they have in terms of votes and thats what I was referring to, obviously thats what I was referring to, and everybody knows it."

The U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment guarantees a right to keep and bear arms.

"I cant think of anything remotely comparable to it. No one tells a joke about the opponent getting shot. Ive never heard it," said Bob Shrum, a top aide for Al Gore's presidential campaign in 2000 and John Kerry's in 2004.

REPUBLICANS SHAKEN

High-profile Republicans and rank-and-file voters appeared shaken on Wednesday after a string of Trump misfires, struggling with how to best reject his divisive candidacy. Some pledged to withhold their endorsement and others backed Clinton.

Some, including MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman from Florida, called for party leaders to replace Trump on the ticket.

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll taken Aug. 5-8 - before Trump's latest controversy - showed that nearly one-fifth of 396 registered Republicans said they want Trump to drop out of the race and another 10 percent said they "don't know" whether the Republican nominee should or not.

Clinton's campaign, seeing an opening, has moved to bring disenchanted Republicans into the fold by announcing an official intraparty outreach effort on behalf of the Democratic nominee.

Clinton's campaign now has a website for Republicans and political independents to sign up to pledge their support, listing 50 prominent Republicans and independents who have endorsed her.

On Monday, 50 Republican national security officials signed an open letter questioning Trump's temperament, calling him reckless and unqualified to be president.

Other top Republicans, including Senator Susan Collins of Maine this week, have disavowed Trump but said they cannot back Clinton.

James Rohrscheib, 74, a registered Republican and retired U.S. Navy officer from Washington state, told Reuters the reality is the Nov. 8 election will be a "tough one."

"Im in a quandary as to who I am going to vote for," Rohrscheib said.

Trump has dismissed the defections and criticism as an unsurprising reaction of the so-called Washington elite to his drive to change the status quo.

One group that appears unswayed is Trump's donors. Reuters interviewed nine major Trump donors on Wednesday, and not one said his Second Amendment comment had given them pause.

Trump Texas fundraising co-chair Gaylord Hughey called the interpretation of his remark as condoning violence "ridiculous" and "ludicrous."

"Its just another issue the press has really twisted to make headlines," Hughey said.

But Mike Smith, a Republican voter and Reuters/Ipsos poll respondent, said the support Trump is still receiving from Republicans "almost seems obligatory rather than voluntary."

"Im almost at the point where I think Im going to vote for Hillary. I don't like her," said Smith, a 74-year-old retiree who lives in Clearwater, Florida. "But Mr. Trump is making me very nervous."

RESET ABANDONED

Republican strategist and Trump supporter Ford OConnell said Trump has "dug himself a deep hole" with voters and to win the election he will need to "make it a referendum on Hillary Clinton and the 'rigged system.'"

Trump sought to do just that by using an economic policy speech in Detroit on Monday to correct a series of missteps that included a prolonged clash with the parents of a fallen Muslim American soldier. But his remarks Tuesday undermined that effort.

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks," Trump said at the rally in North Carolina. "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know," he continued.

A federal official familiar with the matter denied a media report that the U.S. Secret Service, which investigates threats against presidents and candidates, had formally spoken with the Trump campaign about his remark.

Trump's comment and the resulting backlash occurred as Reuters/Ipsos polling showed some 44 percent of 1,162 registered voters believe Trump should exit the race, and that as of Tuesday, Clinton led Trump by more than 7 percentage points, up from a 3-point lead late last week.

Strategists and Trump detractors agreed that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to remove Trump from the Republican ticket.

"Its wishful thinking to believe the Republicans are going to replace its nominee after the convention. People are grasping at straws," Ron Bonjean, a Republican strategist unaffiliated with Trump, told Reuters.

A more likely scenario would be a replay of the 1996 presidential race, when the Republican Party essentially deserted nominee Bob Dole, who was badly trailing President Bill Clinton, to focus on congressional races.

(Additional reporting by Alana Wise, Emily Flitter, Ginger Gibson, Susan Heavy, Doina Chiacu, Grant Smith, Eric Beech and Jonathan Allen; Writing by Amanda Becker; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jonathan Oatis)
By Sahidul Hasan Khokon: Abul Bazandar, the tree man of Bangladesh has no bark-like warts in his body anymore. His eyes shines with joy as his ten fingers can work now.

Over ten operations have been completed in during last 7 months and last saturday the bandage was opened. He feels his fingers unknown. The doctors said, this is a milestone in the history of the medical treatment.

advertisement

Above all, the days of Bazandar family passing in the cabin of the hospital were over. Abul never thought about such a miracle during his admission at the burn and plastic surgery unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The first operation was done on 20th February. His physicians also were not so hopeful about the success of Bazandars operations.

Abul Bazandar is now sure to go back home ,his native village Paikgacha of Khulna soon.

DR. Samnta Lal Sen said, Bazandars all bark-like warts of his body have been removed by operation. His main operation have already been ended. Now the treatment of beautification is going on. In last five months there was no side affect found in his body after operation. Everything is going on well. We are hopeful about his complete and successful recovery.

Interview of Treeman Abul Bazander :

Reporter: How are you?

Abul Bazandar: I am well now and with God's grace I will be able to move and work. I have come here with the blessings of Media. Doctors have treated me well. I feel happy that I will be able to hold my daughter again.



Reporter: At this stage it is seen that there is no bark like warts in your hand like before, do you feel the pain of the surgery?

Abul Bazandar: No. I don't feel the pain all the time but sometimes while exercising it pains. Though it vanishes within an hour or so. Doctors has advised me to do some exercises and asked me to apply balm on the wounded areas.

Reporter: Do you feel the differences between the two stages, the former and present?

Abul Bazandar: Yes, I feel much better than before. It was not so easy before as I could'nt even fold my hands. Now I can work better.



Reporter: What are the doctors saying now?

Abul Bazandar: Doctors are expecting that my hands will be in normal gradually. Another operation would be conducted.



Reporter: How long will it take to leave the hospital?

Abul Bazandar: At first doctors said it would take more than a year but within last seven months it has developed a lot. The rewcovery of my legs will take longer as only one operation has been conducted on it. So more than three to four months would be needed.

advertisement

Reporter: Earlier you felt you would never be cured in your life, but now you are a better. How does it feel?

Abul Bazandar: I had no hope of being cured. I am fine now with Gods grace. I hope my daughter will become a someday and stand beside the deprieved and treat them free.

ALSO READ:

Bangladeshi Tree Man Abul Bazandar gets financial aid for house



--- ENDS ---
By Josh Smith

KABUL (Reuters) - American soldiers helping Afghan troops fight Islamic State in Afghanistan were forced to abandon equipment and weapons when their position came under fire, a U.S. military official said on Tuesday.

Islamic State fighters have circulated photographs of a rocket launcher, grenades, ammunition, identification cards, an encrypted radio and other equipment that they said they had seized.

U.S. military spokesman General Charles Cleveland said the loss had happened during fighting in Nangarhar, a province in eastern Afghanistan, in July in which at least five special forces soldiers were wounded, but he denied that any American positions were overrun.

"We have been able to determine that the I.D. card and most of the pictured equipment was lost during recent operations in southern Nangarhar," he said in a statement.

Cleveland said a location set up to deal with casualties - a routine step in any operation - had come under "effective enemy fire" and the soldiers moved to a safer position.

"In the course of moving the (casualty collection point) to a safe location, some equipment was left behind," he said.

Despite the sensitive nature of some of the items, Cleveland said he did not expect there would be "any measurable operational impact" from the loss.

"For understandable reasons, the lives of soldiers were not put at risk to recover the equipment," he said.

At the time, military officials said five soldiers were wounded by small arms fire and shrapnel during fighting that spanned July 24 and 25.

Two of the wounded returned to duty and the three others were expected to make a full recovery, Army General John Nicholson said in July.

U.S. troops and aircraft have been taking a more active role against Islamic State after President Barack Obama authorized more military support for the Afghan government.

(Editing by Robert Birsel and Robin Pomeroy)
A woman carries fire wood on her head as she walks below Eskom's elecricity pylons in Soweto, South Africa, August 8, 2016. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

By Nqobile Dludla

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - More workers at South African state-run power utility Eskom joined a strike over pay, their union said on Wednesday, in defiance of a court order preventing the industrial action at the state-run firm.

The company has branded the stoppage by thousands of National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) members which started on Monday illegal because its members are prohibited by law from striking, but said its operations had not been affected so far.

The labour dispute is the latest problem to beset Eskom, which has struggled to meet power demand in Africa's most industrialised country due to its aging power plants and grid. However, it has managed a year without rolling blackouts that have hurt the economy in the past.

"Our message to the whole nation is just to keep calm. We are handling the situation, currently the situation is under control," Eskom spokesman Khulu Phasiwe said, adding that he could not divulge the firm's contingency plans.

Phasiwe said the court order prohibits NUM and two other unions from going on strike as part of the Labour Relations Act, which bars workers deemed to provide an essential service from going on strike.

NUM said on Tuesday that all of its 15,000 members at the utility, or close to a third of Eskom's workforce, would stop work on Wednesday.

The union's spokesman Livhuwani Mammburu said its members were on strike in provinces where Eskom runs its biggest plants, including in Mpumalanga province.

"Our members are aware that for them being involved in this strike there are consequences and they are saying they are fighting for the right cause," said Mammburu.

Asked whether union members will be dismissed if they do go on strike, Phasiwe said workers would not be fired en masse but that each case will be handled on its own merit.

He said talks with the union had not yet collapsed and both parties were due to meet this morning for further discussions.

The utility is offering pay increases of 7 to 9 percent while NUM on Tuesday lowered their wage demand to 8.5 to 10 percent from 12 to 13 percent.

The stoppage at Eskom coincides with a strike over wages by around 15,000 workers in the petrochemical industry that has been going on since last week but has so far not caused any significant fuel shortages.

(Editing by James Macharia and Louise Heavens)
Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.
By India Today Web Desk: When it comes to setting a world record people go out of their way to do the most outlandish things. In one such case, Bengaluru based entrepreneur and proprietor of Vinay Fashions, Anuradha Eshwar, got into the Guinness Book Of World Records for creating the world's largest blouse.

Stitching the mammoth 30-feet high and 44-feet wide blouse was not an easy feat, the Bangalore Mirror quoted Anuradha Eshwar as saying, "It took five people and 72 hours to tailor this blouse."



This blouse takes the cup for its record proportionshttps://t.co/pSuTdEivS3 pic.twitter.com/35JYu1C55W Bangalore Mirror (@Bangaloremirror) August 8, 2016

advertisement

She calls it the 'big catori blouse' which was tailored using 280 m of printed cotton cloth and 20 m of orange polyester piping. The blouse which was displayed at St Sophia Convent High School, Nagarabhavi, in Bengaluru, also made it to other record books, including the Limca Book of Records, the India Book of Records, the World Records India, the Universal Record Forum World Records and the Golden Book of World Records.

Anuradha's main source of inspiration was her son, Vinay, an engineering student, who has already set four world records. He made it to the Limca Book of Records for a collection of '173 dragon fly pictures in 42 minutes'. For making the smallest Crochet mat, he entered the World Records India and the Universal Records Forum's National Record.





--- ENDS ---
By India Today Web Desk: Bigg Boss has revived many a career. From Karishma Tanna, Upen Patel, Gautam Gulati, Aarya Babbar to Shweta Tiwari, there are numerous examples to prove the same. But there is one actor who is regretting his decision to sign on Bigg Boss. And his name is Akashdeep Saigal. The same actor who played Tulsi's son Ansh Gujral in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and showed a lot of promise.

advertisement

Akashdeep, who participated in Bigg Boss 5 in 2011, had an ugly spat with Bigg Boss host Salman Khan. He had accused Salman of hitting him on the show and also demoralising him. That was 5 years back. But if the actor has to be believed, he is still paying the price of that tiff.

Also read: Bigg Boss 10 to have 8 celebrities, 8 commoners?

On being asked whether he had moved on after his spat with Salman, this is what he had to say: "Totally," adding, "But I don't know if he has. I never hired any PR to destroy a career. I don't have a petty mind. I don't take 10 people along with me to make myself seem more powerful," he told Bollywood Life.

If you look at Akashdeep's Wikipedia profile, there's hardly a substantial show/film in his list of works.

Over to Salman Khan.

--- ENDS ---
The two planes which has received possible bomb threat landed safely at the Brussels' Zaventem airport.

By Reuters: Two aircraft landed safely at Brussels' Zaventem airport after receiving bomb threats, the Belgian state broadcaster VRT reported on Wednesday evening.

State prosecutor Eric Van Der Sypt said his office had received information about possible bomb alerts and had opened an investigation, but declined to provide details. He said the bomb squad had not been called to the airport.

advertisement

BOTH PLANES LAND SAFELY

An airport police spokeswoman said no bomb alerts were in place and that there was no problem at the airport.

VRT said both planes, one of which was flying from Oslo, landed safely.

Also Read: Emirates flight from India crash-lands, catches fire at Dubai airport as landing gear fails

WHAT HAPPENED

A reporter at Belgian broadcaster Woestijnvis/Proximus TV, Bart Raes, tweeted that he was on the flight from Oslo and that the pilot had received the bomb threat 20 minutes before the plane was due to land.

Raes said that passengers were informed of the threat and had to wait 10 minutes before being allowed to leave the plane after it landed.

Belgian media said some other planes had been diverted to other airports.

This March, Islamist bombers killed 32 people in suicide attacks at Brussels airport and a metro station. Many of those who carried out last November's attacks in Paris, which killed 130 people, were based in Belgium.

Also Read:

Brussels attacks: Here are the 10 big developments

Brussels bombings claim casualties from over 40 countries

ISIS threatens to bomb Miss Universe pageant in its new tutorial video



--- ENDS ---
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) The Cabinet today gave its nod for signing and ratification of an agreement between India and Croatia on economic cooperation.

"India and Croatia had earlier signed an agreement on trade and economic cooperation in September, 1994, with an aim to promote and develop bilateral trade and economic relations. Signing of the new agreement between India and Croatia would be a step in continuity as the existing agreement expired in November, 2009," an official statement said.

advertisement

Indias bilateral trade with Croatia during 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 was USD 152.01 million, USD 148.86 million and USD 205.04 million respectively.

The average bilateral trade growth was 17.44 per cent during the last three years, the statement added. PTI BKS ABK

--- ENDS ---
The trial of a man accused of killing George Taiaroa is expected to heat up today with the first of the Crowns key witnesses expected to take the stand.

Quinton Winders, 45, has pleaded not guilty to killing 67-year-old Taiaroa, who was shot dead while operating a stop-go sign at roadworks in Atiamuri, north of Taupo, in 2013.
The New Zealand political spectrum is relatively narrow compared to America, according to Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller.

Todd is set to talk about his recent travels to both the American Republican Party and Democratic Party conventions at an open meeting at the Papamoa Community Centre on Monday night.
Police reinforcements for the Far North are too little too late, and need to be permanent, and numbers boosted across the country, says New Zealand First Leader and Northland MP Rt Hon Winston Peters.

New Zealand First would urgently train many more police to boost the national force as we did previously (we introduced 1000 extra frontline police and 235 backup staff over three years from 2005-2008).

New Zealand lags behind Australia on the number of police per capita. We should at the very least catch up to them.

More police is the answer, not putting out fires, thats just a half-hearted measure. The tide of crime has been coming in under National for eight years as it has been starkly reminded in Northland.

The government has been sitting on its hands and is now looking for a quick fix.

Northlanders are sick of the manipulated figures the government keeps producing. Its a lie that burglaries are down.

The facts are that Northland is under-staffed in policing.

New Zealand First checked under the Official Information Act. Of Northlands 22 stations, only seven had more than a single officer on continuous duty over four consecutive Fridays and Saturdays over December and January. For a vast area of New Zealand with 156,000 people, there was only an average of 43 police on duty at 7am and again at 11pm. On one occasion it peaked at 67, but on another, it was only 17 on duty.

"This provides nothing less than a welcome mat for criminality. Getting nabbed under National is more a matter of bad luck because of Nationals ghost-cops and ghost stations.

"Since 2008 when National became government reported criminal offences in Northland have leapt 66% from 11,593 in 2008 to over 19,274 last year. But over the same time arrests fell from 3,144 in 2008 to 2,735 in 2015.

"Additional police data lays bare the truth about Nationals police neglect that is being replicated all over provincial New Zealand. It is so bad that burglars stand a 97% chance of getting away with it in Northland and we must ask how many serious crimes are going unreported.

"The governments excuse will be to say that the reporting system has changed with a host of PR spin. The inescapable truth is that our thin blue line is broken and we need more police working in our communities and not just the large towns.

"New Zealand First is committed to doing just that," says Mr Peters.

Police Communications and Resource Deployment System (CARD) Data for Northland (2008-2015):

Crime Crimes Reported (K6) Arrests Made (K9) Percentage Burglary 17319 522 3% Wilful damage 3985 517 13% Theft (ex-shop) 3804 1419 37% Assault (Grievous, Serious & Minor) 3452 1570 45% Car Conversion 3013 138 5% Theft (ex-car) 2031 67 3% Intimidation 1620 349 22% Trespass 1297 406 31% Firearms offences 514 149 29% Drugs 453 410 91% Robbery 424 91 21% Child Abuse 279 26 9% Fraud 125 22 18% Sexual 112 36 30% Kidnapping 36 4 11% Endangering/Interfering 32 11 34% Bylaw Breaches 29 186 641% Animal Cruelty 11 3 27% Receiving 6 10 167% Homicide 3 3 100% Immigration 1 2 200%

SOURCE: Office of Winston Peters
Like a lot of kids, when Patrick Edmonds used to get home from school hed munch down on chippies and biscuits.

But that all changed when the 10-year-old joined Sport BOPs Active Families programme back in November; these days the biscuits and chips are out, while healthier snacks like popcorn are in.
Ethnic Communities Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga says Language Line has logged more than half a million calls to its telephone interpreting service.

This is a significant milestone for the service. Since it began in 2003 Language Line has helped more than half a million people with little or no english get access to essential services, Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

Language line is funded by the Immigration levy and costs just over $800,000 a year to operate.

The interpreting service receives around 1,100 calls each week from people and organisations including Police, Ambulance, Work and Income, Housing New Zealand and Inland Revenue.

It plays a key role in responding to the needs of New Zealanders for who English is a second language. And it is one of a number of services which help them settle in to life in New Zealand, Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

Language Line, the New Zealand Migrant and Integration Strategy and the Ethnic Communities Development Fund all help migrants feel they belong here, Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

The service has grown from 6 participating agencies to 108 and offers immediate access to interpreters speaking 44 languages, with Mandarin, Samoan and Korean requested most often.

Source: Office of Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga.
By PTI: From K J M Varma

Beijing, Aug 10 (PTI) China will accord a head of the state welcome to Myanmars top leader Aung San Suu Kyi when she visits here next week, which the official media said is a "small diplomatic victory" for Beijing, considering she is visiting the Communist nation first before going to the US.

advertisement

Myanmars State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi is "expected to be received as a head of state" when she arrives here on August 17, state-run Global Times reported.

She will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang during her visit.

Observers say that the head of the state welcome is in recognition to the 71-year-old Myanmari leaders status as the de-facto leader of the government even though she is only State Counsellor and Foreign Minister.

While this is her first visit trip outside ASEAN, (Association of South East Asian Nations) in which Myanmar is a member, she is visiting China ahead of her visit to US aimed to recalibrate China-Myanmar relations under the new Myanmar government, it said.

"It is also seen by analysts as a small diplomatic victory for China over speculations that bilateral ties might take a blow under the new administration, given Chinas close ties with the former military-backed government and Suu Kyis identity as a democracy icon long hailed by the West," it said.

This will be Suu Kyis second trip to China. She met with Xi the first time through a party-to-party channel in June 2015 before Myanmars general election in November.

Her China visit also comes two weeks before the 21st Century Panglong Conference, a peace conference involving the Myanmar government, the military and ethnic armed groups.

Chinas support is seen as vital in resolving Myanmars decade-long ethnic conflicts, it said.

China-Myanmar share long volatile borders and Beijing has deployed military at the border last year after five people were killed several others wounded in firing from a Myanmar jet reportedly while pursing Kokoang rebels.

"Choosing China as her first destination outside of ASEAN reinforces Suu Kyis image as a pragmatic politician who prioritises national interests above ideology and one who is careful in balancing Myanmars relations with China on one side and the West on the other," Ji Qiufeng, a professor of international relations at Nanjing University, said.

The de facto Myanmar leader is tasked with reviving Myanmars economy and attaining national reconciliation with ethnic rebel forces.

"Both Myanmar and China know, as Myanmars northern neighbour, China can help Myanmar in ways that the US cannot," Ji noted.

advertisement

Suu Kyi last visited the US as the leader of the opposition in September 2012.

Suu Kyi is expected to discuss a broad range of topics with the Chinese leaders, including setting the tone for bilateral relations and facilitating trade and other economic cooperation. PTI KJV UZM AKJ UZM

--- ENDS ---
The Australian-first Aerostructures Innovation Research Hub (AIR Hub) will bring together the best of Victorias aerospace research, design and manufacturing leaders to work with industry on the next generation of air mobility.
By PTI: From Lalit K Jha

Washington, Aug 10 (PTI) Amid increasing religious intolerance across the globe, the US today said when a government denies religious liberty, citizens who have done nothing wrong turn into criminals.

"When a government denies religious liberty, it turns citizens who have done nothing wrong into criminals, igniting tension that breeds contempt, hopelessness, alienation," Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told reporters at a news conference here to release the annual report on International Religious Freedom for the year 2015.

advertisement

"Our message is simple. Societies tend to be stronger, wealthier, safer and more stable when their citizens fully enjoy the rights to which they are entitled," he said.

Far from a vulnerability or weakness, religious pluralism shows respect for the beliefs of every citizen and gives each a tangible reason to contribute to the success of the entire society, Blinken said.

That is why no nation can fulfil its potential if its people are denied the right to freely choose and openly practice their faith, he asserted.

"Now, it used to be that our annual reports focused almost exclusively on the actions of states, but weve also seen certain non-state actors, including terrorist organisations like Daesh, al-Qaeda, al-Shabaab, Boko Haram posing a major threat to religious freedom," Blinken said.

"There is, after all, no more egregious form of discrimination than separating out the followers of one religion from another, whether in a village, on a bus, in a classroom, with the intent of murdering or enslaving the members of a particular group," Blinken said.

Religious freedom, he underscored, is a core component of maximising that potential for people to express themselves freely to maximise their own potential.

US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, Rabbi David Nathan Saperstein, said the report highlights the chilling and sometimes deadly effect of blasphemy and apostasy laws in many places of the world, as well as laws that purport to protect religious sentiments from defamation.

"Roughly a quarter of the worlds countries have blasphemy laws, and more than one in 10 have laws or policies penalising the apostasy, and the existence of these laws has been used by governments in too many cases to intimidate, repress religious minorities," Saperstein said.

"And governments have too often failed to take appropriate steps to prevent societal violence sparked by accusations of blasphemy and apostasy," he said.

"In Pakistan, the government continued to enforce blasphemy laws, for which a punishment can be death for a range of charges," Saperstein said.

advertisement

"Christians as well as Muslims were arrested on charges of blasphemy in the last year. In 2016, after a Hindu convert to Islam was accused of blasphemy, two Hindu youths were shot and one died from his wounds in ensuing communal violence," he said.

"We remain deeply concerned, also over authorities targeting and harassment of Ahmadi Muslims for blasphemy, violations of anti-Ahmadi laws and other crimes," he added. PTI LKJ ASK ASK

--- ENDS ---
PHOENIX, N.Y. -- A police raid in Oswego County led to the arrest of a man accused of having marijuana, cocaine and thousands of dollars in drug money.

Jared M. Kempston

Jared M. Kempston, 23, of 104 State St., Phoenix, was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance (more than 1/2 an ounce), third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, and second-degree criminal possession of marijuana. All are felonies.

The Oswego County Drug Task Force said that around 8 a.m. on Friday July, 29, it's investigators raided Kempston's home with Phoenix police.

After executing a search warrant, investigators seized 5.1 pounds of marijuana, 17 grams of cocaine and $10,627 in suspected drug money, police said. Authorities did not share details of their investigation or say what led them to Kempston.

Police said the seized drugs have a street value of about $25,000.

Kempston was arraigned in Volney Town Court and released on his own recognizance.
Verona Theft Photos.JPG

Authorities released photos of two men they are trying to identify in the theft of two generators in July.

(New York State Police)

The thefts occurred at Don Hull & Son Sales on state Route 365 in the town of Verona.

VERONA, N.Y. -- The New York State Police released several security camera photos Wednesday of two theft suspects and asked for help identifying the men.

State police said they are trying to identify the men as part of their investigation into the theft of two Honda generators from a business. The machines were stolen on July 6 from Don Hull & Son Sales on state Route 365 in the town of Verona.

The photos released by police appear to show the suspects inside the business.

State police asked anyone with information about the theft to contact 315-366-6048.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A 10-year-boy was critically injured Tuesday afternoon when while riding a bicycle he darted into an intersection and crashed with a car, Syracuse police said.

The crash occurred at 2:27 p.m. at the intersection of East Genesee Street and South Beech Street.

Police said Maniyumza Daforose, 21, of Syracuse, was driving west in the 1900 block of East Genesee Street and is believed to have had a green light at the intersection with South Beech Street.

Daforose drove through the intersection. As he went through the intersection a 10-year-old boy, who was riding bicycles with a friend, was going north on South Beech Street. The boy rode through the intersection and crashed with the car, police said.

Daforose stopped and called 911, police said. When officers and American Medical Response responded they found the boy unconscious in the street with multiple injuries.

The boy was rushed by ambulance to Upstate University Hospital. He is listed in critical condition. Police did not identify the youth.

Officer's with the department's Traffic Section are continuing to investigate the crash and have interviewed several witnesses. The 1800 block of East Genesee Street reopened around 6:45 p.m.

Police asked anyone with information about the crash to contact 315-442-5130.
JAMESVILLE, N.Y. -- The 2016 Canine Carnival is expecting to draw nearly 20,000 people Saturday to Jamesville Beach Park.

The seventh annual event will be held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. More than 50 animal rescues will be there and organizers hope to find homes for hundreds of pets.

The first Canine Carnival was held at Wegmans Good Dog Park in Liverpool in 2010 and featured about 20 rescues and vendors with attendance of about 1,400 people. The popularity of the event has continued to grow each year.

This year's event will feature more than 130 booths and vendors, some from as far away as California.

"It's one of the largest animal events in the country," Organizer Wayne Mahar said.

The carnival will start at 10 a.m. with a Blessing of the Pets from a local pastor. The event will feature exhibitions and demonstrations. There will be dog agility and obedience by Syracuse Obedience Training Club, reptiles from MaxMan Reptile, CPR demonstrations and more.

The highlight of the carnival is the VIP Dog for Adoption Walk, which will be held at 12 p.m. The Pet Education Tent, which was introduced last year, will return with lectures on how to be an animal advocate and how to perform first aid on pets. The Red Cross Bloodmobile will also be on site for blood donations.

Proceeds from the Canine Carnival go to the Priscilla Mahar Animal Welfare Foundation, a non-profit organization donating money to local animal rescues and organizations. The Priscilla Mahar foundation has donated nearly $135,000 to date to animal welfares and rescues in CNY.

The carnival is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own pets. All dogs must be on a short leash at all times within the carnival area.
Common Council flood

Common Councilors speak with city, state and federal officials about new flood maps impacting Syracuse. Left to right: Susan Boyle, Steve Thompson, Nader Maroun, Jean Kessner, Joe Nicoletti

(Chris Baker | cbaker@syracuse.com)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Last week, Tecia Evans learned her home would be added to a flood zone along Onondaga Creek, meaning she'll have to purchase flood insurance. For Evans -- who has lived in the same house on Coolidge Ave. for 56 years -- that was the last straw.

"I'm leaving New York. I'm done," Evans said, clearly frustrated. "I'm just trying to be a good citizen, to maintain my big old family house. It takes a lot already. This would just be sucking me dry."

Evans was one of about 35 people who attended a public meeting at City Hall Tuesday evening regarding new flood maps in Syracuse.

The federal government recently added 876 properties to Syracuse's flood zone. For property owners who have a mortgage -- like Evans -- that means they'll now have to purchase flood insurance.

The majority of those properties are on the city's South Side in a neighborhood already hit hard by economic woes and an influx of crime.

"And they wonder why there are so many abandoned properties here," Evans said.

Evans said she's watched as quality of life in her South Side neighborhood has vanished. No longer can she sit on her porch or barbecue in her yard and feel safe. She won't even rent the other unit in her two-family home for fear of the type of person the neighborhood might attract.

Evans bought the home from her parents years ago and has 12 or 13 years left on her mortgage, she said. She also owns the vacant lot next door and maintains both. She became disabled after a medical issue several years ago, she said, and is on a fixed income.

She won't be able to afford flood insurance, she said, and plans to sell her house and move.

At Tuesday's meeting, officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the city's engineering department fielded questions from Common Councilors, residents and neighborhood advocates.

Walt Dixie was among those who spoke. He is the executive director of Jubilee Homes, a non-for-profit seeking to revitalize the South Side. Of the 100 or so properties Jubilee owns on the South Side, 61 were added to the flood zone. That includes a new Price Rite grocery store that opened in the neighborhood this year.

Syracuse United Neighbors Executive Director Rich Puchalski addresses the Common Council at a meeting about new flood maps on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. Behind him is Jubilee Homes Executive Director Walt Dixie.

Dixie pointed out that no representatives for Central New York's Congress members were present at the meeting.

He asked councilors to find a way to delay the insurance requirement, since it was being "rammed down our throats." He also asked for more detailed information, which officials said would be available at an upcoming meeting at the Southwest Community Center in September.

"If you come to the Southwest Community Center with a discussion like this, all hell is going to break loose," Dixie said. "Give a breakdown of costs so when people walk out of there they won't be confused."

Charles Vanderpool also spoke. He lives on Brookford Road near Meadow Brook in a property added to the flood zone. He bought his home in 1986 and still has a mortgage after putting his kids through college. At 76, he's retired and on a fixed pension, he said.

Vanderpool recently called an insurance agent who told him a flood policy on his home would cost about $1,200 and would likely increase. He has four years left on his mortgage, which means he'll spend around $5,000 on insurance before he can get rid of it. He has no plans to move.

When Vanderpool bought the home he installed a check valve and a sump pump in the basement to keep the house dry, he said. Those things won't help with his insurance premiums, though.

"It's just another way for someone to make money," he said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will host another meeting at the Southwest Community Center sometime in the first week of September. An exact date has not yet been determined.
It's been a rough and confusing morning for the Coldplay fans in the country.

By India Today Web Desk: While the speculations around Coldplay's concert in India have been going on for quite some time, this morning brought with itself a confirmation about the same--courtesy, a tweet by Google India.

Posted through the official Twitter handle of the tech giant, the post confirmed that the British band will be performing at Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority(MMRDA) Grounds on November 19, 2016.



Also Read: 5 times Coldplay frontman Chris Martin's love for India knew no bounds



advertisement

The information obviously, stirred a whole new wave of excitement among the band's Indian fans. But weirdly enough, the tweet by Google India's official account--what seemed like an official confirmation--was deleted a few minutes later.





The tweet by Google India. Picture courtesy: Twitter/ Google India

(An intern's idea of a prank, maybe?)



So just when it seemed like the lights had finally guided them home, Google India went ahead and un-fixed our hearts.



Also Read: This picture of Sonam Kapoor chilling with Coldplay will make you so freaking jealous





--- ENDS ---
An elderly couple in South Dakota, US, died minutes apart in the same room at a nursing home they were admitted together.

By India Today Web Desk: From movies like The Notebook and Barfi!, romantics take home a common dream: to have a love story that ends with partners dying together in old age. For a couple in America, married for over six decades, this ending came true.

South Dakota's 86-year-old Henry De Lange Jr, who was fighting prostate cancer, breathed his last barely 20 minutes after his wife, Jeanette, passed away at 5:10 pm on July 31. Jeanette, 87, was a patient of Alzheimer's disease.

advertisement

The couple died in the same room at the nursing home they were admitted together.

Also read: Chinese couple, married for 80 years, finally got their wedding photo-shoot done



Straight from the pages of The Notebook

Married in 1953, Henry, a Korean War Veteran, and Jeanette, a musician, shifted to Platte, South Dakota, where they lived with their five children.

Jeanette had been in nursing home care since 2011 and her husband visited her "once a day, twice, or maybe three times a day". However, following a worsening health condition, Henry was admitted to the same nursing home and shared a room with Jeanette.

One of their sons, Lee De Lange, said there was a divine quality to having both parents die at nearly the same time.

"We're calling it a beautiful act of God's providential love and mercy," said Lee. "You don't pray for it because it seems mean but you couldn't ask for anything more beautiful."

The family gathered with Jeanette and were reading the Bible at the time she passed away.

Also read: Bittersweet love story of a Muslim woman and Hindu man has gone viral for all the right reasons



"We read Psalm 103. We didn't quite get done," said Lee. "She passed away very, very peacefully. Incredibly peacefully."

Lee said his brother told his father "Mom's gone to heaven" and that he did not have to fight anymore. He could let go and join her if he wished, Lee told CNN affiliate KSFY.

Twenty minutes later, at 5:30 p.m., Henry De Lange did just that.

His children remember him briefly opening his eyes and looking at his wife before he died.

In another strange coincidence, Lee said when he looked at the clock in the room it had stopped at the exact time Henry passed away.

No one could explain why the battery-operated clock stopped just then. "Amazing. A sign from God that was the right time."

Also read: This sweet love story will make you believe in destiny



--- ENDS ---
This page no longer exists or may have been moved.If you believe this is a mistake please email
By Amanda Hicks of TCPalm

With its variety of beaches and diverse marine life, the Treasure Coast and its surrounding areas are the perfect place to grab a mask and snorkel to explore the underwater world.

While it's no surprise Bathtub Reef Beach was chosen as the best place to snorkel by our readers, plenty of other spots are equally spectacular.

Blue Heron Bridge, Pepper Park and Sebastian Inlet made the top four in a recent reader poll at TCPalm. While these spots have plenty of fish and other aquatic animals, Bathtub most likely took the lead because of its rock formations.

Located in south Stuart, Bathtub Reef Beach is a spot for snorklers of all ages because the reef works like a barrier, protecting the beach from waves. While more experienced snorklers tend to swim on the east side of the reef where the water is deeper, novice snorkelers might want to explore the beach side.

Like Bathtub, Blue Heron Bridge in Riviera Beach often is crowded with snorkelers and scuba divers. It's a great place to see marine life less common in the other areas, specifically giant starfish, sea urchins, spotted eagle rays, lionfish and more. Blue Heron is a bit farther away but it's worth the extra drive time.

Pepper Park in Fort Pierce probably was chosen as a favorite spot because of the large schools of fish, stingrays and sea turtles.

MORE | Scroll down for a map of readers' favorite snorkel spots and video of underwater highlights at the Blue Heron Bridge.

Lifeguard Andrew Ritchie, chief of marine safety in St. Lucie County, said Pepper Park always is packed with boats by the reef when the conditions are good.

"From here and south are the best places to go," he said. "It's awesome. Especially when you get about 200 yards off shore; it's great."

Visibility at Pepper Park is slightly less than the other spots, mostly because of the particles around the rocks and reef. Divers can call the lifeguard tower in St. Lucie County at 772-229-2850 to find out about the conditions. In Martin County, call 772-225-4317.

While southeast Florida has many beautiful places, new divers and tourists who don't usually snorkel are advised to start out at a place comfortable to them.

GETTING STARTED

Josh Schulz, of Deep Six Dive and Watersports, who also is a frequent free diver, offers some recommendations for new snorklers.

"Start out at a familiar beach," he said."And always go with other people. You never want to go by yourself."

Beginners should go to a dive shop and talk to someone about getting the right gear. Department stores often have inexpensive snorkeling packages, but if the gear doesn't fit right, it can make the experience less enjoyable.

"It's imperative a mask fits properly," said Kirk Neville, owner of Kirk's Dive and Surf Jensen. "It's impossible to have fun if a mask is uncomfortable or leaking."

MORE | Read more of TCPalm's "Best Of" series

Snorkels come in different sizes, but they don't need to be specific to the diver.

"As for fins, you want something that's going to give you good propulsion and won't give you blisters," Neville said. "I suggest a mesh bag to carry everything and also defog for the mask."

Masks tend to fog quite frequently but a bottle of mask defogger is a cheap and easy fix. This also is important because it is hard to wipe a foggy mask while treading water, and divers can get tempted to stand on the reef. This is harmful to the reef and will get snorklers in trouble if they are seen by marine officers.

All divers and snorkelers are required to display a "divers-down flag," which is attached to a buoy. This alerts boaters to stay away from the area.

Florida statutes define divers as anyone who is wholly or partially underwater and is equipped with a face mask and snorkel or "underwater breathing apparatus." The law requires divers to "make reasonable efforts" to stay within 100 feet of the flag in inlets like Blue Heron and Sebastian Inlet State Park, and within 300 feet when diving in the ocean.

Neville said snorkelers can expect to spend about $110 for good snorkeling gear and accompanying necessities.

WHAT TO DO

Other important things to keep in mind are the tide, conditions and visibility. Typically, the best time to snorkel is at high tide with sunny skies, and the water needs to be fairly flat.

Divers can check websites such as www.surfline.com, www.fl.usharbors.com, www.sinkfloridasink.org to find out the water visibility. It lets snorklers and divers know how many feet deep they can go and still see their surroundings clearly, so the higher the number, the better.

Visibility also is important so snorklers can see what is around them. With fish come sharks, and the chances of seeing one in the water at some point is fairly high.

"If you see a shark, just leave it alone," Schulz said. "It's most likely not going to bother you, but I always carry a (leg) knife just in case."

Shark sightings are fairly common among frequent divers and most of the time, it's not a fearful experience.

Neville, who has taught scuba diving in the deep ocean to see sharks, said he never has seen one be aggressive toward humans.

"The term 'shark attack' in Florida is misused," he said. "When sharks bite swimmers and surfers, it's completely mistaken. The splashing gets their attention when there's fish in the area."

If bait fish are present, sharks might be near. If the fish are jumping out of the water, there's probably a shark or tarpon chasing them. Looking for jumping bait fish is a way to be cautious.

Perhaps a more unpleasant and potentially dangerous experience is encountering the blue-green algae that recently has been taking over Treasure Coast waterways. Check TCPalm's "How's the Water?" advisory, which is updated daily and informs readers about bacteria, vibrio, algae and other unsafe water conditions.

TIME TO GO

There are plenty of other places on our list that have less marine life for those who are not yet ready to risk close encounters but still want to enjoy the snorkeling experience.

Bathtub, DuBois Park in Jupiter and public beaches like Jensen Beach and Pepper Park are all spots that have lifeguards, which can help new snorklers feel more comfortable.

Luckily, most snorkeling locations on the Treasure Coast have areas for beginners and experts.

Love of the water is a part of the culture of southeast Florida. Snorkelers can observe sea animals, reefs, plants and more, which also makes the experience educational. Snorkeling is not only a pleasurable hobby but it lets divers see and feel things that many people will only hear about.

READERS PICK TOP SNORKELING SPOTS

1. Bathtub Beach, Stuart

2. Pepper Park, Fort Pierce (Urca de Lima shipwreck)

3. Blue Heron Bridge, Riviera Beach

4. Sebastian Inlet State Park

5. Breakers Reef, West Palm Beach

6. DuBois Park, Jupiter

7. House of Refuge, Stuart (Georges Valentine shipwreck)

8. Jensen Public Beach

9. John D. Macarthur State Park, Jupiter

10. Breconshire, Vero Beach (Boiler shipwreck)

11. Red Reef Park, Boca Raton

12. South Jetty at the Palm Beach Inlet

13. Peanut Island, West Palm Beach

14. Cato's Bridge, Jupiter

15. Riomar, Vero Beach

16. Hobe Sound Public Beach

17. Peck Lake Park, Hobe Sound

WHAT'S BEST ABOUT OUR THESE SPOTS?

Jensen Public Beach is a great spot to find sand dollars. The dead ones can be collected and bleached for a souvenir. Snorkelers also can be more lax about watching for sharks since the lifeguards do a good job of that.

DuBois Park in Jupiter is protected by lifeguards and the water is very clear most of the time. It also is mainly shallow water, making it a good spot for kids to snorkel.

Sebastian Inlet State Park is a location with divided areas for snorkelers of every caliber. There's a shallow lagoon in the inlet protected by rocks for beginners and there's a hole by the jetty that goes from 20 feet to 30 feet deep, which is recommended only for experienced snorkelers. Most people stay in the inlet where manatees are sometime seen. The current is often very strong and divers should stay close to the edges of the inlet.
Despite being the only Indian state with a cow protection department, death of hundreds of cows in the shelter house at Hingonia raises questions on the functioning of local bodies.

The cow shelter generally has a high mortality rate because many cows brought in are ill but that is no excuse the way so many cows died during past two weeks.

By Rohit Parihar : Death of hundreds of cows in a state-run cow shelter cum rescue centre at Hingonia near Jaipur reveals a deep rooted malaise that has set in functioning of local bodies department which owns it as despite the intervention of Rajasthan High Court, senior bureaucrats have never cared to take care of cows.

The cow shelter generally has a high mortality rate because many cows brought in are ill but that is no excuse the way so many cows died during past two weeks. It was because of hunger after they were stuck in the slush created after rains and there was no one to take care of them.

advertisement

The cows were almost abandoned after the labour supposed to feed them and clean the shelter accommodating 8000 cows were not paid dues for weeks together.

The tragic part is that Rajasthan is the only state in India with cow protection department. As a setback, its head Otta Ram Dewasi and Urban Development and local bodies Minister Rajpal Shekhawat, both had cow shelter low on priority.

WHO ALL CAN BE BLAMED?



It is bureaucrats who need to be taken to task, apart from blaming the ministers. Although the government has suspended two officials who went on leave during time of crisis, it is the role of senior IAS officers, previously pulled up by the high court, which requires questioning.

In a big slap to the state government and indirect indictment of its incompetent and corrupt bureaucracy, the high court has asked an IPS officer Dinesh MN, IG, special operation group to visit Hingonia and submit the report on why so many cows were left to die.

OFFICIALS WAKE UP TOO LATE?



That high court chose Dinesh over Manjit Singh, principal secretary, Local Self Government and thus directly responsible for the Hingonia showed an extreme disillusionment of the high court with the way cow shelter issues has been dealt with for so long. Singh, incidentally, visited the cow shelter too late once only after the situation was exposed by the media and his efforts were more to make the place ready for a visit of the chief minister besides controlling the damage.

Dinesh earlier was asked by the HC to probe corruption in Hingonia and he charged the accused. With crores to spend on welfare of cows and fodder, there is always a high level of corruption associated with Hingonia. But then Dinesh was with Anti-corruption bureau and his presence there had just begun to scare corrupt among senior bureaucrats when he was shifted out of ACB allegedly under pressure of such officials.



Cows trapped in slush has not happened the first time. Yet, the way the payments were not released to contractors forcing labourers to call it a day showed that officers were just not concerned even with ruling party's top priority of welfare of rescued cows. The situation was allowed to degenerate with senior officials turning a blind eye to the condition. That is why, the deaths continue with the infection spreading quickly across malnourished cows. It is surprising that top officials of local self-governance who were earlier summoned by the high court over mismanagement of Hingonia, have been allowed to go scot free.

advertisement

Also read - No country for cows: Cattle rot, die in hordes in BJP-ruled Rajasthan





Raje herself is very upset over the death of cows and she is facing attacks from her critics within party like Ghanshyam Tewari and from opposition by Sachin Pilot, PCC president who has questioned very commitment of the BJP to protect cows. Congress has organised protest marches and others are lodging cases with police and ACB.

--- ENDS ---
SHARE

Glenda Burgess, Jensen Beach

Letter: Ruth Pietruszewski's excellent service

Martin County voters will soon cast a vote for their choice of candidate for various government positions. Incumbent Ruth Pietruszewski is one who has done an outstanding job and deserves to be retained in office.

Her educational background, with as AS degree in computer programming and analysis, and bachelor's degree with a major in public administration enabled her to become a certified Florida collector. She has had 22 years of executive-level government experience and a total of 25 years of experience in business.

Her outstanding performance has earned an "Excellence in Financial Operations" award and an "Innovation and Continuous Improvement Award" for her office. Since she has held office, the Tax Collector Department has had perfect audits.

Ruth has streamlined operations of the tax office and increased efficiency resulting in eliminating waste. During her four years in office she has returned over $22 million back to the appropriate Martin County taxing authorities. Ruth is a proven performer who deserves to be rewarded by being re-elected.

Vote Ruth Pietruszewski on Aug. 30.
SHARE

John Mcphee, 43, 100 block of Hilton Drive, Fort Pierce; destroying, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence; possession of cocaine; possession of cocaine with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver.

Joseph Lawson, 24, 100 block of Banyan Drive, Port St. Lucie; out-of-county warrant, Martin County, violation of probation, grand theft.

David Mejia, 37, 2400 block of Southeast Trail Avenue, Port St. Lucie; driving while license suspended, third or subsequent offense.

Morris Atkins, 44, Hollywood; warrant for court order to revoke bond, battery, battery by strangulation, false imprisonment.

Jamelle Maultsby, 19, West Palm Beach; warrant for failure to appear, possession of marijuana over 20 grams.

Leo Surette, 56, 1900 block of Southwest Hillman Street, Port St. Lucie; warrants for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (domestic), child abuse by intentional infliction of mental or physical injury.

Nathaniel Davis, 19, 4600 block of Southwest Carib Street, Port St. Lucie; warrant for lewd or lascivious battery.

Willie Brinson, 25, Miramar; driving while license suspended, habitual offender.

Demetrious Hogan, 25, 3300 block of Avenue K, Fort Pierce; warrant for battery by detainee.

Amber Kimmel, 42, 8700 block of 20th Street, Vero Beach; warrant for uttering a forged instrument.

Darrell Barton, 33, 2300 block of Southeast Pinero Road, Port St. Lucie; warrant for violation of probation, organized fraud.

Calvin Paige, 19, 600 block of Ixoria Avenue, Fort Pierce; warrant for violation of probation, falsely impersonating an officer.

Bryon Klein, 50, 300 block of Duxbury Avenue, Port St. Lucie; warrant for violation of community control, attempted burglary of a dwelling.

Joshua Toussaint, 28, Tamarac; making false report of a bomb.

Ashley Snyder, 25, 1700 block of South Ocean Drive, Fort Pierce; warrants for fraudulent attempt to obtain duplicate prescription for a controlled substance, obtaining or attempting to obtain a controlled substance by fraud.

German Rodriguez, 42, no street address/city; lewd/lascivious behavior/exhibition by an offender over 18 on victim less than 16. (

Jerry Molina, 29, Hialeah; warrant for failure to appear, driving while license suspended.

Mary Ramirez, 52, 400 block of Southwest Tabor Street, Port St. Lucie; warrants for grand theft, organized fraud. Arrested in Martin County.

Nicholas Van-Tassel, 36, 500 block of Palomar Street, Fort Pierce; grand theft. Arrested in Martin County.

Cayla Sheats, 28, 200 block of North Jenkins Road, Fort Pierce; warrant for violation of probation, dealing in stolen property, possession of oxycodone, burglary of a dwelling, possession of alprazolam. Arrested in Martin County.

Robert Hickson, 23, 2800 block of Anthony Street, Fort Pierce; out-of-county warrant, Brevard County, battery. Arrested in Martin County.
Algae blooms collect at the back of a canal in the Indian River Lagoon Aug. 6, 2016, near the Pebble Bay neighborhood in Vero Beach. (MOLLY BARTELS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS)

SHARE Algae blooms collect at the back of a canal in the Indian River Lagoon on Saturday near the Pebble Bay neighborhood in Vero Beach. While scientists aren't sure what kind of algae it is, it is not the blue-green algae that has plagued the St. Lucie River in Martin County. (MOLLY BARTELS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS ) Related Coverage Rain dissipates brown lagoon algae in Indian River County

By Tyler Treadway of TCPalm

VERO BEACH  The brown goo in the Indian River Lagoon is a nontoxic algae, but it can lead to oxygen depletion and fish kills, a scientist said.

Small but high-density patches of Scrippsiella trochoidea, like the recent blooms in Vero Beach, can occur throughout the lagoon, said Charles "Chuck" Jacoby, supervising environmental scientist at the St. Johns River Water Management District.

The algae, which can tolerate high or low salinity and a wide range of temperatures, forms seedlike cysts that sink to the bottom of the lagoon and wait for favorable conditions  long, sunny days and plenty of nutrients in the water  to come back to the surface and bloom.

It's likely more blooms will pop up during the summer, particularly after heavy rains wash nitrogen and phosphorus into the water, Jacoby said.

"The blooms are flashier and don't last as long as other algae blooms because they tend to go up and down in the water quicker," he said. The cells "have a tail like a whip," Jacoby said, "so it can migrate. You'll see a slick of the algae at the surface of the water, then it will go away as the cells swim down into the water."

The cells are larger and not as numerous as in the massive blue-green algae blooms plaguing the St. Lucie River around Stuart, Jacoby said.

"There aren't as many elephants as there are grasshoppers," he said.

Blooms first were reported July 31 in canals and at docks on the barrier island, concentrated in the Pebble Bay neighborhood and behind waterfront homes on Tradewinds Drive.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection Tuesday night released test results on algae samples taken Aug. 1.

VERO LAGOON ALGAE

Description: Free-floating, single-celled algae, aka microalgae

Color: Brown, reddish-brown

Shape: Pear-shaped, with whiplike tail (flagella)

Range: Cold to tropical coastal and estuarine waters worldwide

Toxicity: Not toxic

Environmental threat: Blooms have high density, which can shade and kill sea grass, lead to oxygen depletion and fish kills
Sen. Joe Negron talks during a public meeting regarding the toxic Lake Okeechobee discharges in Stuart. (FILE PHOTO)

SHARE

By Tyler Treadway of TCPalm

One significant factor is missing from state Sen. Joe Negron's plan to build a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee and stop discharges to the St. Lucie River, say environmental scientists.

The water sent south to the Everglades has to be clean.

Negron's plan unveiled Tuesday calls for water stored in a 60,000-acre reservoir to flow through existing man-made marshes, called stormwater treatment areas, en route to Everglades National Park. Right now, and during most rainy seasons when there are Lake O discharges, those stormwater treatment areas are full of water flowing off farmland south of the lake.

"When the reservoir is built, it's got to be written into the operation schedule that water from the lake gets priority, or at least shares the STAs with water coming off the farmland," said Mark Perry, executive director of the Florida Oceanographic Society in Stuart. "It's got to be in black and white that only when all else fails that water is sent east to the St. Lucie River and west to the Caloosahatchee River."

With that caveat, scientists say Negron's plan will work.

"The size of the reservoir he's outlined is adequate and the money he's calling for, the $2.4 billion, sounds about right to buy the land and build the project," Perry said. "Both the size and the amount of money pretty well match up with what we at the Rivers Coalition estimated."

Either of the two general sites for the reservoir Negron identified  one in the center of the Everglades Agricultural Area and the other to the east  will work, Perry said.

Negron's plan is consistent with the findings of a University of Florida Water Institute study of ways to stop the discharges, said Wendy Graham, the institute director, as long as it includes ways to get clean water to the Everglades.

"However, as they say, 'The devil is in the details,' which are not yet available," Graham added.

Negron's plan is not "the end-all for solving the problem, but it's a giant first step," said Nathaniel P. "Nat" Reed of Jupiter Island, a former deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior and the dean of Treasure Coast environmentalists. "The whole system above Lake Okeechobee and below the lake is out of whack. This is a triumphant first step that will lead to other steps."

Negron's plan calls for the state and the federal government to split the $2.4 billion cost. He'll propose in the 2017 legislative session, when he'll be president of the Senate, using $100 million in Amendment 1 funds each year over 20 years to generate the state's $1.2 billion share.

Also, Congress would have to add the plan to the water projects it approves every two years.

MORE | Joe Negrons plan to reduce Lake Okeechobee discharges would need sugar land
Patrick Murphy, left, and Marco Rubio (FILE PHOTOS)

SHARE

By Ledyard King, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON  It looks like U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's allies were serious when they assured him he'd get plenty of financial help if he ran for a second term.

In the past few weeks, independent groups have spent more than $3 million boosting Rubio's candidacy and attacking his likely Democratic opponent, U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy.

Murphy's supporters have countered with more than $1.3 million for the congressman, whose House district includes the Treasure Coast.

Combined, outside interests have poured nearly $180,000 a day into the Florida Senate race over the past month, an amount that figures to accelerate exponentially after the Aug. 30 primary. State residents can expect a barrage of TV and mailed ads that will last to Election Day on Nov. 8.

Rubio, who initially said he wouldn't run for re-election but later changed his mind, faces his most serious Republican primary challenge from Manatee County developer Carlos Beruff. Murphy's top rival for the Democratic nomination is Orlando U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson.

Super PACs, permitted under a landmark 2010 Supreme Court ruling to spend unlimited amounts of money supporting or opposing individual candidates, have become a major force in politics, especially in presidential campaigns.

But prominent, wealthy Republican donors who are disenchanted with GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump will spend less on that race and more on down-ballot races like Florida's Senate contest, analysts say. The Florida race will play a key role in determining control of the congressional chamber.

Billionaire GOP donor Charles Koch has said he's so disillusioned with Trump that he'll focus his resources on keeping the Senate in Republican hands. That means Rubio likely will be a major beneficiary of spending by the Koch-affiliated super PAC, Freedom Partners Action Fund.

Daniel A. Smith, a University of Florida political scientist who specializes in campaign finance, said Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's surge in the polls is another reason GOP-tilting super PACs likely will be more active in congressional races.

"Campaign dollars are finite and strategic actors such as the (U.S.) Chamber of Commerce and others are not going to waste their money on a candidate who doesn't have a good shot of winning," he said, "And right now, Donald Trump's odds are fairly low, so they're going to do their mightiest to make sure allies such as Marco Rubio stay in office."

It's why the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Karl Rove-backed Senate Leadership Fund each spent about $1.5 million last month on separate ads attacking Murphy following news reports that he had inflated his work credentials.

"Murphy will have no shortage of financial support from Washington Democrats, and we intend to do what is necessary to prevent them from buying the woefully unaccomplished Murphy a seat in the U.S. Senate," said Ian Prior, spokesman for the Senate Leadership Fund.

Polls show Rubio leading Beruff in the primary and beating Murphy and Grayson in hypothetical general election matchups. Rubio said after bowing out of the Republican presidential nomination race in March that he wouldn't run for re-election. But he reversed course after prominent Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., lobbied him to change his mind and said they'd support him.

Murphy already is getting a boost from top Democrats, including President Barack Obama, in his primary battle with Grayson.

The Senate Majority PAC spent $1 million in July on ads showcasing Obama's support for Murphy. Floridians for a Strong Middle Class, a pro-Murphy super PAC, also spent more than $300,000 on ads in August.

"Marco Rubio and his allies are not telling the truth about Patrick Murphy and we aren't going to let their attacks go unanswered," said Shripal Shah, spokesman for Senate Majority PAC, when the group's ad was released.

Smith, the UF political scientist, said it's hard to know how much the torrent of ads funded by outside groups will sway voters in the general election three months from now. But they could have an impact in the primary, a traditionally low-turnout election.

"The outside money can certainly play a role, especially in those races where the candidates aren't as well-known, where people don't have firmed-up opinions of them " he said.
Promotional image for the upcoming film "The Unknowns - Talent is Colorblind." Full production should begin this winter in the Miami area. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY GORDON JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHY)

Anthony Westbury Columnist SHARE Promotional image for the upcoming film "The Unknowns - Talent is Colorblind." Full production should begin this winter in the Miami area. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY GORDON JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHY) Promotional image for the upcoming film "The Unknowns - Talent is Colorblind." Full production should begin this winter in the Miami area. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY GORDON JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHY) Promotional image for the upcoming film "The Unknowns - Talent is Colorblind." Full production should begin this winter in the Miami area. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY GORDON JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHY) Promotional image for the upcoming film "The Unknowns - Talent is Colorblind." Full production should begin this winter in the Miami area. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY GORDON JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHY)

The Highwaymen movie is back  sort of.

Over the past year there's been a great deal of talk about making a movie about the group of 1960s black landscape painters in Fort Pierce, where the story began.

Producer Walter T. Shaw of Fort Lauderdale had planned to shoot the film in the same locations where the artists, who took to Florida's highways to sell their landscapes, lived and worked.

Yet financing issues with the $8.5 million production  and what Shaw called obstructive attitudes from city officials in Fort Pierce  caused the producer to announce in November that production would move to Savannah, Georgia.

Shaw said at the time the Georgia state film commission would back the production to the tune of $2.7 million, something Florida officials were unable to match, especially for such a low-budget movie. Shaw said he'd found Savannah locales that closely resembled Fort Pierce.

In late July, the plans changed again.

Shaw's Top Cat II Productions announced that "after months of behind the scenes negotiations ... the major feature film 'The Unknowns  Talent is Colorblind,' will be filmed in Florida"  only this time it'll take place in Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

While state film commission officials offered only limited financial aid to make the film here, it was the black business and faith communities in Miami who really stepped up to plug the financial gap, Shaw said.

"We were swamped with people wanting to keep this feature film in Florida," he said.

When full production begins this fall, filming will take place over 35 days around Thanksgiving in the Miami neighborhoods of Liberty City, Overtown and Little Haiti, as well as west Pompano and Fort Lauderdale. Shaw is hoping for a late 2017 general release.

Bringing the film back to Florida wasn't just about money, Shaw said. He wants as many surviving Highwaymen as possible to be able to visit the set during production. Age and infirmity among some of the painters would have made traveling to Georgia difficult.

Real-life Highwayman Al Black will narrate the movie and founder Alfred Hair's widow, Doretha Hair Truesdale, 73, also will contribute.

"I'm supposed to be a consultant," she told me with a chuckle. "I don't really know what that means, but I'm excited. It's a really inspiring story, especially in these times. It shows that with perseverance and hard work you can do anything.

"I was 22, Alfred was 23 and we didn't know we couldn't (make a living from art). We just went out and did it. Alfred taught other people how they could survive by painting. Every one of them has a different version of the story today," she said laughing.

Truesdale said she won't believe the movie is actually happening until shooting begins.

"I'm waiting patiently," she said, noting this is the third or fourth film production to try to tell the Highwaymen story.

It's looking good so far.

Shaw has signed up well-known actors including Sam Rockwell ("Lawn Dogs," "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," "The Green Mile"). He will play white landscape artist A.E. "Bean" Backus, who encouraged Hair's artistic ambitions. Khandi Alexander ("What's Love Got to Do With It," "There's Something About Mary," "ER," "CSI: Miami," "Treme" and "Scandal") will play Harlem Renaissance author Zora Neale Hurston. Keith Stanfield ("Straight Outta Compton") will star as Alfred Hair. Veteran Hollywood director Bill Duke ("Sister Act") is to helm the project.

I hope this third location will prove to be the charm for the movie. It's a story about hope, talent and pushing against the odds that really needs to be told.

Yes, I do wish the movie was going to be made on the same Fort Pierce streets where Hair and friends hung out more than 50 years ago. I also wish Fort Pierce locals could more directly benefit from the production (the film will hire at least 600 extras, Shaw told me). Yet if it's finally made and  better yet  if it's good, any quibbles about the setting will soon fade to black.

And if it's a success, I'm sure Fort Pierce will benefit from plenty of visitors eager to see where it all started.
An Elite Airways flight at Vero Beach Regional Airport. (ADAM NEAL/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS)

SHARE Ryley Neal (center) walks up the aisle of an Elite Airways plane during a flight from Vero Beach to Newark, N.J. on July 14. (ADAM NEAL/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS)

By Adam Neal of TCPalm

It didn't take long for my family to appreciate the convenience of Elite Airways' direct flight from Vero Beach to Newark, New Jersey.

From the five-minute home-to-airport commute to the quick luggage pickup outside the Vero Beach Regional Airport  and everything in between  our experience lived up to the hype of the city's first commercial passenger service since the mid-1990s.

Like many Indian River County residents, my family typically flies out of Orlando. We fly a few times a year, mostly to my home state of Michigan. We have family and friends fly into Florida multiple times a year.

When I was asked last year to be the best man in a July upstate New York wedding, I started to calculate the time and money.

A 90-minute drive to Orlando International Airport.

Pay nearly $100 to park our car there.

Possibly another $150 for a nearby hotel if we have an early morning flight.

The hassle of getting our two young children and luggage through the 14th-busiest airport in the country, as well as possibly having to navigate through a layover at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson  the world's busiest airport, according to 2015 preliminary traffic data the Airports Council International released in April.

So I was open to alternatives.

Then, in October, Portland, Maine-based Elite Airways officially announced its commercial passenger service in Vero Beach. We jumped at the opportunity to fly out of our town.

Elite CEO John Pearsall personally responded to our web-based inquiry about summer flights, signing his email only with "John."

That's customer service.

We booked Elite online at the lowest-advertised one-way price of $149 per ticket. It was the lowest price I found for any flights from Orlando to the New York or New Jersey airports. The online booking process earlier this year was a bit clunky and difficult to use, but Elite has since upgraded its website to streamline the experience.

Our flight time changed  twice  by a total of three hours after we booked because Elite added new service to Naples and Bar Harbor, Maine. Elite emailed and called me to verify the changes both times.

Neither of these preflight hiccups were issues for us. It's the cost of doing business with a growing, 4-year-old company.

The anticipation of flying out of Vero Beach was over when we arrived at the city airport an hour early for our 6:30 a.m. flight on July 14.

We had our bags checked, boarding passes in hand and were through security in less than 15 minutes. The terminal waiting room was cozy, but it had plenty of space.

We boarded the plane with no issues. Nearly every seat of the 50-passenger plane was filled during both flights.

We were pleasantly surprised at how smooth the small jet felt during takeoff, cruising speed and landing. Plus, the vibrant reds, yellows and oranges that met the blue skies during our dawn takeoff over Vero Beach were breathtaking.

The overhead bins, aisle and gray, leather seats were slightly smaller than those on some major commercial airlines. We didn't mind since it was only a 2 -hour flight.

The flight attendants on both flights were extremely nice and helpful, especially to us as parents flying with twin toddlers.

There were only two minor incidents on our return flight.

The Newark Liberty International Airport did not list Elite on any terminal signs, which caused our Uber driver to do a lap before finding the correct one. (It's Terminal B, Level 3 for future reference.)

There also were no signs or personnel at our gate until 1:25 p.m. on July 21  five minutes before our scheduled departure. It caused many passengers to continually look at the main flight information board to ensure the gate hadn't change.

Again, minor growing pains that did not overshadow the amazing experience we had.

If Elite continues to grow, especially to Michigan, they will have me as a customer for life.
SHARE Photo provided Connor and Tanya Harrington. Photo provided Connor Harrington at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., to discuss Tourette's. Photo by Fran Foster Tourette Association Youth Ambassador Connor Harrington days before going to Northern Ireland to address the Tourette Alliance conference.

By Fran Foster, The Newsweekly

When Connor Harrington started elementary school, his teachers told him to sit still and be quiet.

That's quite a struggle for most children  let alone one with Tourette syndrome.

"I remember fourth grade was really bad for me," says Harrington, who is now 14. "I would hide under my desk or under a table and couldn't control my symptoms. The teacher would clear out the classroom and the principal would call my father. He would have to come and drag me out from underneath the desk."

Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder that causes repeated, involuntary physical tics and vocal outbursts. There are a few different tic syndromes  Tourette's is the most severe.

Tourette's is a hereditary disorder. After Connor was diagnosed when he was 7, they determined that his father Roger Harrington and his younger brother Ian also carry the gene.

Connor's mother Tanya Harrington realized she needed to gain knowledge on how to manage her family member's diagnoses. The Harringtons also have three older daughters, Katherine, Elizabeth and Courtney  none of whom are affected.

"I remember a teacher calling me in and saying Connor was going to fail the class," said Tanya. "I asked if he didn't understanding the material. It came down to the teacher saying he was disruptive and would send him out of the classroom.

"I knew then that I needed to be an advocate for my son and other children in the classroom, and as a parent."

Go-to mom

She became actively involved in the Tourette Association of America, Florida Division, and began a crusade to help make families and educators aware of how to manage the disorder. She is one of the go-to mothers who help others cope with and manage Tourette's.

"I have probably spoken to thousands of people over the course of the past few years explaining the verbal and physical attributes, and ways to work with the child as opposed to ignoring or punishing," said Tanya.

One of the first things she did was to move Connor to a private school with fewer students and more one-on-one instruction. She talked with his teachers so they would understand the symptoms and that "sitting still" really isn't an option.

She now serves on the board for the Florida Chapter of the Tourette's Association as well as a new organization in Northern Ireland, the Tourette Alliance.

Connor began attending The Willow School on 43rd Avenue in Vero Beach and it was a life changer for him. He credits two teachers with helping him overcome his learning challenges  and see his potential.

"Mr. Govinda Reinhalter and Ms. Felicia Turner changed my life," Connor says with sincere appreciation. "They not only taught me how to write legibly but also to dream of my future. I wanted to be an astronaut but that isn't feasible with Tourette's. But Ms. Felicia showed me all the other ways I could participate in science. I want to go to college at MIT."

Ambassador

Connor found his passion for advocating for those with disabilities at a young age. After several years of peer counseling and public speaking about Tourette Syndrome and its associated conditions, Connor was appointed as a Tourette Association of America Youth Ambassador this year.

He lobbies for research funding and anti-bullying programs. He regularly gives talks on Tourette Syndrome, and meets with congressmen and senators. He's also a source of motivation for other young adults and their parents.

"My mom would be on the phone with a parent who would be frustrated and didn't understand what her child was experiencing, and (mom) would say, 'Here talk to Connor,' and hand me the phone. That's how it really got started.

"I talked to one kid that said he felt so alone  no one understood him. I knew how he felt. I told him that it's just having those around you understand that it isn't controllable  although you can try to distract yourself.

"I can now feel a tic coming on and try to switch it to something else. For instance, if I feel a neck tic coming on at school, I will twitch my toes to try to subdue the other tic. The verbal ones are more difficult."

Understanding

Part of the process is for both parents and children to learn to manage the symptoms.

"It's difficult as the verbal tics are loud and usually inappropriate, like in church or school," Tanya said. "There might be a simple tic like stuttering or a complex one  usually an indication of Tourette's versus another tic disorder  when they might curse, yell or become repetitive."

Evidently, Connor had a verbal tic from a Red Robin commercial that lasted awhile.

Currently, Connor and Tanya are in Northern Ireland at the Tourette Alliance conference, where approximately 100 people will come together to discuss the challenges of Tourette's. Connor will be addressing the audience about his experiences.

"The best thing to do both for the parents and the children is to talk about it," says Connor. "When I talk to other people like myself, they understand that I know what they are feeling and it helps them realize they are not alone. It's the same for the parents with my mom. Most of all, you have to keep a sense of humor about it. It's okay to laugh about saying Red Robin over and over and over."

For more information on the Tourette Association of America, Florida division, visit www.tsa-fl.org or call 727-418-0240. If you are interested in the Northern Ireland association, you can visit their website at www.tourettealliance.org.
SHARE Press-Journal, Aug. 14, 1936 Miss Elinor Amundsen was selected as Miss Vero Beach in a contest sponsored by Modern Woodmen of America. She will represent Vero Beach in the 'Florida Cavalcade of Beauty' held in Daytona Beach Sept. 6 and 7 where Miss Florida will be named. Press-Journal, Aug. 9, 1946

90 YEARS AGO: 1926

Freak waves appear

VERO BEACH On the same day: A giant, powerful, comber wave appeared seemingly from nowhere and dragged swimmers out from the Lake Erie shoreline near Buffalo, N.Y. At least seven people managed to free themselves. Two swimmers were killed. In Monhegan, Isle of Maine, two children were swimming and instantly sucked out by a strong undertow following a wave of enormous size; like the one experienced in Buffalo. Their bodies have not been recovered. In Vero Beach, several bathers reported having felt the kick of an unusually strong undertow and current, which pulled two swimmers and their automobile tire-tube raft out in it. They fought to get safely back to shore.

80 YEARS AGO: 1936

Carved gavel

VERO BEACHA. E. Conway, of Vero Beach, hand carved a gavel from a manatee rib. The gavel will be presented at the National Encampment of Spanish War Veterans to be held in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., at the end of this month.

70 YEARS AGO: 1946

Buying snowshoes

VERO BEACHThe War Assets Administration has distributed a pamphlet about their sale of snow shoes. C. A. Berggren, owner of Berggren's Variety Store in Vero, received a pamphlet and is debating on stocking and selling some of the snowshoes in his store.

60 YEARS AGO: 1956

Ocean pollution

VERO BEACHRobert H. George, mayor of Golden Beach, Fla., is crusading against the dumping of oil-laden ballast water by passing oil tankers in the Atlantic Ocean. E. G. Thatcher, executive secretary of the Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce wrote to George commending his efforts. A meeting of high Washington officials will be held in Miami this fall to address the problem. Among those scheduled to attend are: A. C. Richmond, commandant of the Coast Guard and David W. Kendall, assistant secretary of the treasury, under whose jurisdiction the Coast Guard operates.

50 YEARS AGO: 1966

An annex

VERO BEACHAn annex is to be built in back of the courthouse. The annex will face north and be located at the south end of the courthouse. The building is expected to cost over $100,000 and the second floor will remain unfinished. The county has the cash funds to pay for the building's construction as well as needed furnishings.

30 YEARS AGO: 1986

Crack affects all

INDIAN RIVER COUNTYCocaine deaths made national headlines when two famous athletes recently succumbed to the drug's dangers. Indian River County has a share in this tragic news with local deaths and incidents being attributed to the effects of cocaine. They include: Mark Frost's Nov. 24, 1985 cocaine overdose; a fatal shooting of suspected cocaine dealer Lamar "Blackie" Wynn Jr. by a Vero Beach police officer during a June 7 arrest; a protest in Gifford followed this death with residents demanding an investigation into the shooting and an end to street sales of crack cocaine in Gifford; a 24-year-old Gifford man set fire to his home because of mental health issues related to cocaine addiction; two suspects were arrested and convicted by jury for heading the largest drug ring ever broken in Indian River County.

10 YEARS AGO: 2006

Taser death

INDIAN RIVER COUNTYFleeing from deputies, a 33-year-old Wabasso man died after being stunned with a Taser during a scuffle, authorities said. The family of Glen Thomas wants answers about the 50,000-volt shock he received during the altercation and whether that shock contributed to his death or if other factors, such as a plastic bag reportedly found in his throat, were the cause of death.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
The woman was raped by two of her friends and dumped along the Delhi-Gurgaon road.

By Indo-Asian News Service, Tanseem Haider: A Delhi woman in her 30s was gangraped in Gurgaon by two of her friends while returning from a party, police said on Wednesday. One of the accused has been arrested.

The incident took place on the night of August 7-8, a police officer confirmed.

WOMAN THROWN OUT OF MOVING CAR



On Sunday, Aman, the accused and victim's friend, picked up the woman from her house and planned to take her to meet his friend in Gurgaon. He stopped the car on the way and started misbehaving with the woman.

advertisement

When the victim started to protest, her another friend, who works as an engineer in a private company, also joined him. The two then started misbehaving with her and threw her out of the moving car when she started to protest.



However, the three men came back in the same car and raped the woman in the moving car at gun-point.

WOMAN THREATENED

They threatened her with dire consequences if she revealed she had been raped.

The woman approached the police on Monday evening. The police arrested one of the accused on Tuesday while the other was absconding.

Also read:

4 women raped, 9 harassed everyday in 2012-2015: Delhi Police report

Uttar Pradesh: Four-year-old Dalit girl kidnapped and raped in Hapur district



--- ENDS ---
Cutting the cable-TV cord has turned me into a remote-control minimalist. I cant stand having more than one remote on the coffee table just to watch TV, especially with only one set-top box in the living room. But the main TV remote must always remain in reach because neither the Roku nor the Amazon Fire TV remotes include TV-power or volume-control buttons.

For fellow minimalists, a device called Sideclick aims to be the solution. Its a small, programmable IR blaster that clips onto the remote for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV or Googles Nexus Player. Effectively, it combines TV- and streaming-device controls onto a single unit.

After shipping to its Kickstarter backers earlier this year, Sideclick now available to the public for $30. But while its overall a slicker solution than juggling two separate remotes, consolidating does involve a few trade-offs.

How Sideclick Works

Sideclick comes with eight programmable buttons, and while they each have icons to suggest specific usessuch as power, volume, and channelyoure free to assign these buttons to any function from any IR remote.

Pressing the top and bottom buttons sets Sideclick to pairing mode, indicated by a small LED light that turns solid red. To pair a button, hold it down for a moment, point your TV remote at the Sideclick from about an inch away, and then press the button whose function you want to assign. The LED light blinks three times and then goes solid to let you know the pairing has completed.

Jared Newman Sideclick includes eight programmable buttons, which should be more than enough for TV functions.

Pairing the entire row of Sideclick buttons took less than a minute, and once paired, the buttons operate like those on a regular TV remote. The unit is powered by a pair of AAA batteries.

While Sideclick is easy to set up and use, I did have one issue with performance: In my tests, Sideclick didnt cover the same distance as the remote on my 2015 Vizio E-Series television. My couch is about 12 feet away from the television, which seemed to be just on the outer edge of Sideclicks comfortable range. Remote functions still worked if I pointed Sideclick directly at the TVs IR receiver, located at its bottom-left corner, or if I leaned forward by a foot or two. But overall my TV remote was much better at relaying button presses from the same couch.

Design Trade-Offs

For a mechanism made entirely of plastic, Sideclicks design is pretty elegant. You start by lining up a set of five plastic tabs on the remote with their corresponding slots on the cradle, then slide the cradle up to lock the two parts into place with a satisfying click. Pulling up on the cradles middle tab allows you to release the two partsa move thats only a little confusing on the first attempt.

Originally, Sideclick planned to construct separate attachments for each streaming remote, none of them compatible with one another. That approach turned out to be too expensivean initial Kickstarter campaign with a higher funding goal failedand it would also have required an entirely new Sideclick every time you upgraded streaming boxes.

In the end, Sideclick settled on selling a single IR blaster that can attach to any of the companys streaming remote clips. The benefit to this approach, aside from being easier to manufacture, is that you dont have to spend as much to use Sideclick with different streaming devices. Additional clips sell for $8 to $10, depending on the device.

Jared Newman Sideclicks base (at bottom) can clip onto any of the companys cradles, including this one for Amazons Fire TV remote.

On the downside, I suspect that Sideclicks adaptable design makes the product feel cheaper. Both the Roku and Fire TV remotes had a tendency to wobble in their cradles, and the two pieces flex away from each other when pulled on. (Amazons smaller Fire TV Stick remote felt sturdier.)

Theres also no avoiding the fact that a Roku or Fire TV remote is less comfortable to hold when a Sideclick is attached. The contraption is wider than any typical remote, and users with small hands might have trouble reaching every button without changing their grip. Personally, Id love to see a smaller version of the Sideclick with nothing but volume and power buttons, though I bet some people are pining for an expanded version as well.

One other nitpick for Roku users: Attaching Sideclick blocks the headphone jack on Roku 3 and Roku 4 remotes. At least the Roku remote is easy enough to remove from its holster.

Who needs a Sideclick?

Compared to a universal remote such as Logitechs Harmony, Sideclick is simpler and less expensive, since it doesnt require a hub to translate different input signals. It also doesnt make you learn a new arrangement of buttons for your streaming device, and it maintains access to device-specific features such as voice control on Roku and Fire TV.

That said, some streaming devices have started to render the TV remote obsolete on their own, thanks to HDMI-CEC. Remotes for both the fourth-generation Apple TV and Nvidias Shield Android TV, for instance, can wake your TV from sleep and adjust volume on supported televisions. The Apple TV can also turn your TV off when you put the streamer to sleep. If those are the only devices in your living room, you might not need a separate remote with other TV functions. In fact, those two devices have become my solution for remote control minimalism in the last year, with Apple TV in the living room and the Shield in the basement.

Still, other streaming device makers dont seem interested in putting TV controls on their remotes, at least not yet. So for anyone using a Roku, Fire TV, Google Nexus Player or older an Apple TV, Sideclick is the next-best thing.
Didi Chuxing on Monday announced a historic deal to acquire the Chinese ride-sharing operations of rival Uber, which threw in the towel after years of unsuccessful efforts to grow its business in what may prove to be the worlds most challenging technology market.

Under the agreement, Didi Chuxing acquired all of Uber Chinas assets, including its brand, data and business operations.

The deal calls for Uber to receive 5.89 percent of the combined entity with preferred equity interest, which is the equivalent of a 17.7 percent stake in Didi Chuxing. The deal calls for Baidu and other Chinese investors to get 2.3 percent stake in Didi Chuxing. Didi Chuxing also will get a minor stake in Uber.

Didi Chuxing Chairman Cheng Wei will join the board of Uber, and Uber CEO Travis Kalanick likewise will join the Didi Chuxing board.

The agreement calls for Uber China to maintain independent branding and business operations, while Didi Chuxing will integrate the managerial and technological expertise of the two firms.

Didi Chuxing will continue to expand overseas, said Jean Liu, president of the company.

Stop the Bleeding

The sale was necessary for both companies, said Egil Juliussen, principal analyst for automotive technology at IHS Markit.

Fierce competition was taking a toll on Ubers international growth strategy while eroding Didi Chuxings price integrity.

Both companies were losing a lot of money due to discounting to gain market share and building economies of scale, Juliussen told the E-Commerce Times. This super-competitive trend will stop, and Didi Chuxing is expected to be profitable soon.

Uber reportedly lost about US$1 billion in China last year. The sale of its Chinese business will allow it to focus on expansion into other Asian markets, including India and other Southeast Asian countries, Juliussen said.

Breaking into China is tough for tech companies, said Akshay Anand, an analyst for Kelley Blue Book.

In fact, Uber progressed further in China than most other tech companies dream of,  he told the E-Commerce Times.

Didi Chuxing benefited from Chinese government actions that provided a more favorable competitive environment, Anand added.

China is an extremely competitive market due to tremendous amount of entrepreneurial activities that are not present in other markets  except the U.S.,  Juliussen said. Hence, it is nearly impossible to compete with an established Chinese player.

Chinese Regulations

The timing of Didi Chuxings Uber deal is not coincidental. The agreement was announced just days after the Chinese government officially legalized ride-sharing with a new framework. It sets up regulations that will help establish safety, along with competition guidelines that have caused havoc in emerging ride-sharing markets around the world.

The regulations center around a set of standards regarding who can participate in ride-sharing services and how they can operate in major markets, according to a Bloomberg report.

Among the guidelines: Drivers must have at least three years experience behind the wheel; user data must be stored within China for at least two years; and cars must be retired from operations after driving 600,000 kilometers.

Ride-sharing so far has penetrated just 1 percent of the Chinese market, Didis Liu recently said in an appearance at Code 2016.

Didi has 87 percent of the private car and 99 percent of the taxi-hailing market in China, the company has claimed. The service completed 1.43 billion rides in China in 2015, and it offers transportation to more than 300 million people in China across 400 cities.
On Tuesday night, Australian residents were required to fill out the national census, which is held every five years to collect a range of demographic information. This year's census was the first that allowed Australians to fill out the form online, and in what didn't come as a surprise to many, the website providing the online form crashed spectacularly during the early evening.

At around 7pm local time on August 9th, the Australian government's census website appeared to fail under the load of people wishing to submit their forms after dinner. The website began throwing up unusual errors when residents attempted to submit their forms, before the entire website was taken offline.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) was quick to blame a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack for their unresponsive website, with chief statistician David Kalisch claiming these "malicious" attacks came from an "international source". This theory was easily debunked when some users noticed the census website had been set up to not respond to traffic from outside Australia during the census night.

The government then blamed a more generic denial of service attempt, which caused a router to become "overloaded" under the weight of a mysterious malicious force preventing the collection of demographic data.

While the Australian government was looking to place the blame elsewhere for the failure, savvy citizens predicted load issues when the ABS stated its census website capacity. The website could only support up to one million form submissions per hour, which the ABS suspected was "twice the capacity" they expected to need on the day.

A quick look at Australian population data would have suggested that one million submissions per hour would not satisfy the requirements of the Australian public. There are more than 10 million households in Australia, and around 70 percent were expected to fill out the form online, with approximately one million filling it out before August 9th. This left around six million to fill out the form during the day.

Considering the work and eating habits of most Australians, it was clear that most people would be filling out the census form during peak internet usage times (typically 7 to 9pm). With up to six million expected to submit the form over two hours, a rated capacity of one million submissions per hour would obviously not be enough.

To make matters worse, the Australian government spent around AU$10 million ($7.7 million) on the online census website, including $400,000 on load testing. The entire process has ended up being a costly and embarrassing failure for Australia and their government's understanding of online infrastructure.
Both Apple and Google announced plans to release more emojis that promote gender equality, especially when it comes to women. This includes female versions of various jobs and sports, and the Unicode Consortium even added a pregnant woman to its list of new emojis.

Emojis are the way to express ourselves when texting, and while these new additions are great for women, there still aren't enough characters to properly capture all the emotions of motherhood.

That's why three working mamas decided to develop their own emoji keyboard that allows mothers everywhere to better describe their lives.

Called EmojiMom, the keyboard extension allows users to express what motherhood is really like. This is because it gets really real with characters such as one for pumping in the bathroom while at work, a woman in labor, a crying baby on an airplane and even one for IVF.

While some of them truly reveal the hardships of pregnancy and being a mom, others take a more lighthearted approach, like the teasing ones of saying no to sushi and a pregnant woman having a glass of wine.

Sarah Robinson, Hannah Hudson and Natalie Ralston decided to create the app after experiencing their own real parenting moments, such as when one of their babies urinated on her work clothes in the first few days of going back to work post-baby. It was during moments like that that these mothers wished they had an emoji to describe the situation or how they were really feeling.

Sure, there is already the cute baby emoji that is all smiles, but what about the crying baby, the peeing baby sans diaper and the baby spitting up on their mom?

So, the ladies teamed up with an illustrator and and developer to then make EmojiMom to make the emojis a reality on behalf of parents  not just moms  who really need them in their lives.

The emoji keyboard also features ones when daddy goes crazy, a sweet one of daddy sleeping with the baby skin-to-skin and being up with the baby at night while mom catches some Z's. The women have plans to add more dad-specific ones over time.

Of course, since it's women who enjoy the beautiful moments and hardships of pregnancy and childbirth, this app is really focused on the soon-to-be and already moms of the world. These include everything from pregnancy tests to sonograms, doctors appointments and having "baby brain." There are also the emojis that compare the growing baby with fruits, depending on how many weeks pregnant the woman is.

Then, when its time for the baby to come, there are many emojis to describe the birthing process, complete with ones for twins and postpartum emojis like nipple cream and hospital underwear. There are also plenty of options for the baby, with various skin tones, including bath time, crying, sleeping, happy and having a dirty diaper.

Now, moms can communicate with other moms and describe the real feelings and moments of motherhood thanks to these emojis.

EmojiMom is available to download only for iOS for $1.99.

Source: Today

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Google wants clients from emerging markets to enjoy the features of its Maps app and to do so, it has prepared two neat features for the Android variant of the service.

Not only is Google Maps for Android getting a Wi-Fi-only option, but a new support for SD card data download is in tow as well. Testing for the Wi-Fi-only option started last month, but the storing of map data is entirely new.

Some might expect more radical upgrades from Google Maps, but the two new features will be a game changer to owners of budget handsets who have limited storage capacity, as well as to those whose pre-paid data plans make them wary of any overage of traffic.

Overseas travelers will benefit from the Wi-Fi option, as it will ensure that users avoid data roaming and stay within their home country data plans.

Offline support for Google Maps has been a great addition to the service for some time now, and tourists commended the possibility of downloading the data for a city before reaching it. However, keep in mind that such downloads can be a heavy burden, especially for entry-level smartphones. Here is where the extra SD card support comes in to save the day, allowing users to save important space on their phone.

In its blog post, Google explains how helpful the new features are.

The company points out that basic handsets usually come with internal storage capacities of 4 GB, which is half or one-eighth the capacity of a premium model. This makes it difficult to cram videos, music, apps and photos into the mobile devices.

Google Maps users will no longer have to delete precious memories to "download and use offline areas when they need them most," thanks to the new features that permit the downloading of "offline areas to an external SD card."

Google also boosted the number of transportation variants in Maps. This means that travelers to Southeast Asia can now tap into Go-Jek and Grab. Additional services are now supported for other markets, with notable names such as Hailo, MyTaxi and Gett for Poland, Ireland, Austria, Italy, Israel and Russia.

While the Wi-Fi-only option and the SD storage capability have landed just on the Android version of Maps, the latter will be available on both Android and iOS.

With the new features of its app, Google makes its way into the hearts and navigational needs of mobile-exclusive internet users.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Facebook is moving to dismiss ad blockers on desktop, announcing that it has tweaked its technology to bypass such software. On the bright side, ad preferences options may offer a silver lining.

From now on, Facebook's new technology will render ad blockers useless on its desktop site, which means that even if you have an ad blocker installed, you will still see ads on Facebook. The company already bypassed ads on its mobile apps a while back, trying to fight a whopping mobile ad blocking surge, and now it's pushing the scheme onto its desktop site as well.

At the same time, Facebook is also updating the ad preferences to add more tools designed for individuals to tailor their ad experience. With the new tools in place, Facebook users will be able to take themselves off certain customer lists for ads, albeit they won't be able to evade ads completely.

"We've designed our ad formats, ad performance and controls to address the underlying reasons people have turned to ad-blocking software," Facebook notes.

The company says that after asking users why they choose to use ad blockers, it learned that most resorted to the practice as a means to avoid disruptive and annoying ads.

In this context, Facebook thinks that making ads better, as opposed to blocking them altogether, will be a win-win for everyone. Users will no longer see disruptive ads, while businesses and publishers will be able to keep their services free thanks to ads.

"As we offer people more powerful controls, we'll also begin showing ads on Facebook desktop for people who currently use ad-blocking software," the company adds.

The new ad preferences mean that if you don't want to see ads for a certain category such as cars, clothes and others or from certain companies, the new tools will make it easier for you to tailor your experience. If you don't have any choice but to see ads on Facebook, at least you can customize it so that you see ads for things you might actually be interested in.

According to Facebook, its updated ad preferences and other advertising tools put more control in users' hands.

To pull this off and successfully bypass ad-blocking software on the desktop, Facebook will make it harder for an ad blocker to distinguish between a sponsored ad and a legitimate status update on the desktop version of Facebook.

The advertising industry has long been complaining that ad blockers are amounting to billions of dollars in lost revenue each year, affecting businesses and publishers worldwide. Some publishers even chose to make their content unavailable to those who use ad blockers, sparking an ad-block controversy on the tech scene.

On the other hand, many consumers use ad-blocking software because ads consume more mobile data, cause web pages to load more slowly and drain their devices' batteries.

From Facebook's point of view, an acceptable middle ground to appease both parties would be to improve advertising and allow users to continue enjoying free content and services as long as they agree to targeted ads tailored to their preferences.

What's your stance on the matter? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Quadrooter vulnerability, which was recently revealed by security firm Check Point, is said to have made 900 million Android devices open to hackers through a combination of four security exploits. However, according to Google, Quadrooter is not the massive security threat that is being made out to be.

The reported security issue is said to affect Android-powered smartphones and tablets featuring Qualcomm chipsets, covering high-end and popular devices such as Google's Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, Samsung's Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, the HTC One, the BlackBerry Priv and the OnePlus 3.

Check Point said that the vulnerability is linked to the software that handles graphics, alongside the programming for the communication of the various components of the devices. Through exploiting the issue, hackers could breach through the defenses of an Android smartphone or tablet and gain control over different features.

Google, however, is claiming that the Quadrooter vulnerability should not be a problem. As previously reported, Google is patching up three of the four exploits through its August update for Android, with the fourth exploit to be issued a solution in the September update. These updates will fix the problem for Android users who regularly update their devices, but as widely known, there is a high level of fragmentation among Android devices, with a significant percentage not installing the most recent updates as they roll out.

Google adds that the Quadrooter vulnerability will be additionally mitigated by the Verify Apps feature for Android, which is activated by default on all devices powered by Android Jelly Bean. Before apps are installed, the Verify Apps feature scans them to detect if there are any security threats bundled with the apps, preventing them from launching if it does. Users with pre-Android Jelly Bean devices can opt to activate the feature manually, but with 90 percent of Android devices running Android Jelly Bean or later, it means that most users are protected against Quadrooter.

"The Android malware monster will never die," according to Computer World's JR Raphael, with companies such as Check Point revealing what they claim to be massive security threats and then conveniently sell antivirus software or detectors that solve the said problems. However, these companies often fail to mention that the exploits pose little to no threat at all to Android users in the real world.

Raphael cautions Android users from being ignorant on how big or small of a threat the reported security issues on Android are and should have the knowledge and logic to figure out which exploits are the problematic ones and which ones are not.

That said, it is always the better idea to upgrade to the latest version of the Android operating system, install Android security updates as soon as they roll out and avoid downloading and installing apps from shady sources.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
For those who are looking forward to the Apple Car, the first vehicle-related patent of Apple will come as a surprise.

Apple Car enthusiasts might have been expecting the first vehicle-related patent of Apple to be for a groundbreaking new design on the chassis, engine or any such component. However, the patent that Apple received is not something that can be readily associated with a possible "car of the future."

According to the approved patent filing acquired by Patently Apple, the patent is for a steering device for an articulated vehicle, which has a permanent or semi-permanent pivoting joint that allows it to make sharp turns. For those having trouble imagining it, examples of such vehicles are semitrucks, which have joints in the middle of their bodies that bend when they make turns.

The invention covered by the patent is for a steering device that will provide a better connection to two compartments of an articulated vehicle while also providing improved steering, with the steering device placed inside an enclosure that will provide ballistic protection. The invention looks to solve the problem with the currently used steering devices that are vulnerable to external impact, such as effective fire when in war situations.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office granted the patent to Apple, but the original application was approved to a Swedish subsidiary of global defense company BAE Systems last year. BAE Systems manufactures and sells military vehicle systems, with its primary products being armored all-terrain vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles and turret systems.

According to military tech author Russell Phillips, the proposed technology covered by the patent could be used to improve military trucks such as the Bandvagn 202, which is used by the Swedish army. The new steering device would help in controlling the front and back units of the vehicle at the same time so that when the vehicle is steered to go left, the wheels at the back will turn right to help make the turn.

The question being asked right now is what would Apple do with such a military-focused patent in relation to the rumored Apple Car?

It should be noted that many consumer technologies were first designed for military purposes before being adopted in devices used by civilians, such as autopilot navigation and GPS.

The proposed steering device, if it will be incorporated into the Apple Car, will definitely give Apple's rumored vehicle a different look compared with the electric cars currently out in the market such as those sold by Tesla Motors.

Nevertheless, the approved patent goes to show that Project Titan, Apple's rumored vehicle development division, is beginning to release unique work, with many more expected to be unveiled soon.

Fans who are hoping for an Apple Car release in the near future should not hold their breath, though, as a report last month revealed that the expected launch was pushed back by one year to 2021 due to the many challenges that Project Titan has faced.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Mazda North America has announced the global debut of the 2017 Mazda6, which brings a number of new features to the midsize sedan.

The Japanese carmaker has been producing the Mazda6 since 2002. The car looks good, is loaded with tech and safety equipment and it's great to drive but there is still room for more improvements.

The 2017 Mazda6 looks stylish and sporty and Mazda has not made a lot of changes to the exteriors of the car apart from the slightly reshaped side mirrors. Customers will now have an extra Machine Gray Metallic color option for the sedan.

Mazda claims that the Mazda6 is one of the most engaging models and offers one of the best handling in its segment. The 2017 Mazda6 raises the standard with the company's new G-Vectoring Control (GVC) in North America.

Mazda suggests that GVC provides unified control of the transmission, engine, body and chassis, enhancing the overall driving experience. Drivers of cars with GVC benefit from the accurate handling of their vehicle even in slippery conditions.

Mazda engineers have also upgraded the sound insulation of the car.

"Using improved door seals, tighter tolerance between panels and sound insulation materials added to the underbody, rear console, headliner and doors, the aim for Mazda6 was to outclass common midsize-segment cars with its attractive design and establish a unique 'Mazda Premium' positioning," says Mazda.

The new Mazda6 also comes with thicker front glass that effectively blocks wind noise.

The Premium Package Grand Touring models of the Mazda6 get Nappa leather seats in black or off-white with distinct piping, steering wheel heaters, fresh satin-finish metal trim and heated rear outboard seats.

The carmaker has also upgraded the display screen, which has higher brightness. The driver information display is now in color.

The 2017 Mazda6 now includes Blind Spot Monitoring, Traffic Sign Recognition and Lane-Keep Assist. The entry-level Mazda6 Sport models are now equipped with Mazda Connect.

Under the hood of the latest Mazda6 is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 184 horsepower. The midsize sedan is available in six-speed manual and automatic transmission options in North America.

Mazda has also beefed up security aspects of the car. The 2017 Mazda6 is equipped with a Forward Sensing Camera, which can detect pedestrians at the front of the car and apply emergency brakes if the need arises.

The 2017 Mazda6 will arrive at dealers in September this year. Mazda has not provided information on how much its latest car costs but the company may announce the pricing soon.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall kept normal life affected in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh, Bhilwara, Pali and nearby areas where Army and NDRF have been deployed for rescue and relief works.

By Press Trust of India: Seven persons, including six children, were killed in rain-related incidents in Rajasthan, while flood situation improved considerably in Assam today even as MeT department has forecast downpour in Odisha and West Bengal as a low pressure over Bay of Bengal has intensified into a depression.

Six children, aged 8 to 12 years, were today playing near a pit filled with rainwater when they accidentally slipped into it and drowned in Rajasthan's Barmer district while a 25-year-old man was swept away by heavy flow of water on the bank of a river in Pali district.



Heavy rain in Rajasthan.

This is platform of Jodhpur railway station. @sureshpprabhu @omthanvi pic.twitter.com/cZKLax1TzL Vijay Kedia (@KediaRaigarh) August 10, 2016

advertisement

Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall kept normal life affected in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh, Bhilwara, Pali and nearby areas where Army and NDRF have been deployed for rescue and relief works.

One hour rain and #Jodhpur city has come down @VasundharaBJP are you really doing something about it? pic.twitter.com/6CNOkI411I Kiran Khokhar (@IndianChicdotIn) August 10, 2016

Scattered rains in few areas of the national capital contributed to high humidity level causing trouble to the Delhiites. The maximum and minimum temperatures were recorded at 35.5 and 28 degrees Celsius, both a notch above normal.

A cloudy day has been predicted for Delhi tomorrow.

Gayatri (60), Doodnath (65) and Ramjanm Rajak were yesterday killed after being hit by lightning in different parts of Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district, even as light to moderate rainfall occurred in several parts of the state.

In Odisha, heavy rainfall is likely to occur in many parts of the state in the next 24 hours with gusty wind prevailing along and off the coast.

The downpour will occur as a well marked low pressure over Northwest Bay of Bengal today intensified into a depression.

MeT department has predicted heavy downpour also in Gangetic West Bengal for the next two days.

In flood-hit Assam, the situation has improved "considerably". Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said the number of affected people in Jorhat and Kokrajhar districts was 3,794 and the number of relief camps have come down to four in the state.

Rajasthan: Heavy rains trigger flood-like situation in Jodhpur, streets flooded, water enters office areas pic.twitter.com/jqryPu2F9U ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

In Bihar, temperatures dipped with light to moderate rainfall in parts of the state bringing much needed respite from the sultry weather conditions.

Hot and humid conditions today prevailed in Punjab and Haryana despite rainfall took places at several places.

Chandigarh, joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, recorded maximum temperature of 34.9 degree Celsius, two degrees above normal.

ALSO READ:

More than 33 lakh people affected in Bihar floods, toll reaches 95

Mumbai crippled again: Heavy rain leaves railway stations flooded, delays flights



--- ENDS ---

advertisement
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 rules them all when it comes to display quality, according to experts from DisplayMate.

Samsung's latest flagship phablet is making huge waves for good reason, rocking impressive specifications all around, inside and out.

In a new report titled "Samsung Galaxy Note 7 OLED Display Technology Shoot-Out," DisplayMate president Raymond Soneira praises the Note 7's display as the best ever for a smartphone.

First off, the expert highlights just how crucial an innovative and powerful display is for a top-end smartphone. The most successful smartphones have always boasted top display technology, because it's essential for how things look on the smartphone.

The quality of a device's screen is paramount to how readable text is, how good graphics and photos look and how well the display works in bright sunlight or other lighting conditions. The "crown jewel" of a smartphone is its display, and Samsung excels in this department.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 rocks a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with a high QHD resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels, rendering gorgeous clarity, vividness and accuracy. The screen is also curved, bending on both sides, allowing users to view and control the curved edges from both the front and the sides.

Taking the Galaxy Note 7's display for a spin, DisplayMate found a number of remarkable qualities. For instance, while most smartphones offer one color mode and no option to change it, the Galaxy Note 7 enables users to control four color modes, depending on their preferences. This could come particularly in handy in certain scenarios, such as tapping into a 4K UHD TV's top-notch 4K video content via the smartphone's Digital Cinema mode.

In terms of the color range it can reproduce, the Galaxy Note 7 tops display performance for the widest color gamut. The Note 7's display also excels in other categories such as high contrast ratio, peak brightness, lowest screen reflectance and others.

DisplayMate notes that the Galaxy Note 7's display shows improvements in virtually any aspect compared with its predecessor, the Galaxy Note 5, and the company's current flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S7.

"The Galaxy Note 7 provides many major and important state-of-the-art display enhancements, with mobile OLED display technology now advancing faster than ever," concludes Soneira. "The Galaxy Note 7 is the most innovative and high-performance smartphone display that we have ever tested."

DisplayMate also points out that the Galaxy Note series typically leads the way in display technology, with Samsung implementing and refining the technology in its subsequent Galaxy S flagships. This means that the Galaxy Note 7's impressive display features should make their way to the future Galaxy S8 as well.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Piltdown Man was one of the biggest archaeological discoveries in history when it was discovered in 1912.

It was hailed as the missing evolutionary link between apes and humans, giving us a better understanding of how we evolved. There was just one problem though: it was a hoax.

Of course, we had already known that since 1953, but we didn't know who was truly behind it. Now, thanks to multi-disciplinary collaboration between experts ranging from palaeobiologists, historians and even ancient DNA specialists, we know who the culprit is: Charles Dawson, the one who "discovered" the skull and just him alone.

The research, published in Royal Society Open Science, details how the team compared the methods used on multiple forged specimens dug up near the Sussex village of Piltdown from 1912 to 1916, and eventually found what they describe as highly consistent modus operandi:

 The same reddish-brown stain that was used to make the bones look old

 The specimens had appropriate local gravel packed into their crevices

 Dentist's putty was used to fix the teeth and gravel in place

Such a fixed strategy for fooling experts at the time points to the fact that a single person conducted the operation, said Isabelle De Groote from Liverpool John Moores University.

Of course, to appreciate this conclusion, you have to understand the hoax.

A Hoax Of Historic Proportions

The story begins in 1912, when Charles Dawson, a professional lawyer and amateur fossil hunter, discovered fragments of a human-like skull, an ape-like jawbone with two worn molar teeth, various stone tools and fragments of animal fossils at Plitdown in East Sussex, England. All of these fossils had the same feature: a reddish-brown stain (which we know is a product of Dawson trying to pass these off as real human fossils).

Since Dawson wasn't in the field himself, he brought his findings to someone who was, paleontologist Arthur Smith Woodward, and together, they announced their find. The discovery was monumental for two primary reasons: for the scientific community, the skull suggested that humans evolved large brains early on and entirely reset what researchers thought they were looking for from a "missing link." In fact, it was hailed as the missing evolutionary link between apes and humans. For England, however, it was a matter of pride. Germany had just discovered Homo heidelbergensis a few years, and increased their attempts to find a human ancestor in their own country as a result.

Unfortunately, Dawson didn't get to enjoy his rise to fame as he died four years later in 1916. However, one year before doing so, he wrote to Woodward claiming that he discovered three more fossil fragments (including a molar) from another skull at a second site just a couple miles from the first one.

However, there was something off about the "findings" this time around.

The Hoax Exposed

As with most scientific discoveries, there were some doubts about the discovery of the Piltdown Man. It was accepted as the real deal, but there was one particular cause for concern: the site of the second excavation, Piltdown 2, was never discovered, and Woodward never submitted the findings until after Dawson's death.

Time passed, and in 1953, the scientific community was met with upsetting news: Dawson's "historic finding" was a hoax.

Using the then-new technique of fluorine dating, a team of researchers at the British Museum found that the bones were not all of the same age. Specifically, they found that 50,000 years old and the ape-like jawbone was just a few decades old  far younger than the 500,000 years of age at which Dawson tried to pass them off. As for how he managed to pass them off at the age? Potassium Dichromate, giving the bones the previously-mentioned reddish-brown appearance.

Now, with his lie exposed, what was poised to be one of the greatest archaeological finds of all time became one of the greatest scientific hoaxes of all time.

Who Was Behind It?

In the world of science, answering one question often leads to several more being asked in this place. It was very much the same in this instance, though the question became: "Who was behind it?"

Dawson was obviously the prime suspect, but there were several more who were eyed for their possible involvement.

Leading the list was Woodward, the same man who brought forward the initial discovery. There was one problem with this hypothesis, though: up until his death in the 1940s, he had spent the majority of his time search for more of those same fossils.

Other suspects, were Martin Hinton, a British Museum staffer who held a grudge against Dawson, a French priest named Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, and even Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who lived near Piltdown and was opposed to the theory of evolution.

In the end, however, it was Dawson, and Dawson alone who was found to be responsible for the hoax: not only was he the only person to ever find these fossils while he was alive, but no more Piltdown fossils were ever discovered after his death. He knew that scientists were looking for "a large brain, ape-like face and jaws, and heavily fossilized materials that indicated great antiquity"  so, that's what he gave them.

In fact, it turns out Dawson had experience at doing this, too, as he was apparently responsible for at least 38 forgeries, such as a stone axe, a fake flit mine at the Lavant Caves and what he claimed was one of the first bronze statuettes linked to Roman times.

"He clearly had been doing this for a very long time," Groote said.

Why?

A hoax this great would have no doubt left his career in shambles had he lived long enough to see it exposed, so why bother taking that risk in the first place?

Some suggest that it was for the scientific recognition, particularly his goal to become a member of the Royal Society. For what it's worth, he certainly tried to earn recognition through legitimate means, having previously written more than 50 publications. In fact, he and and his wife wrote letters asking for his recognition, and while he was nominated a fellow, his nomination for election was not successful. The only time his career made any notable progress was after Piltdown.

Amusingly enough, the paper outing him as the sole perpetrator was published on the 100th anniversary of his death.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Lenovo Vibe K5 Note Sales Cross INR 100 Crores On Flipkart | TechTree.com

In just a week since its launch, Lenovo's new smartphone Vibe K5 Note has reached INR 100 crores of revenue, according to a recent release. This revenue was achieved in its first weekend of sales.

The Vibe K5 Note comes with the TheaterMax controller along with the ANTVR glasses. For gaming enthusiasts, Lenovo has tied-up with Amkette to bring the Evo Pad 2 as a precision controller for TheaterMax gaming. About 30% of the K5 Note consumers also opted for the TheaterMax accessories in the inaugural sales.

K5 Note has a 139.7mm (5.5) Full HD display with a 178o wide viewing angle and 1080p resolution configured 3-mic system and state-of-the-art Wolfson audio codec. It also features a 1.5w speaker enabled by Dolby Atmos combined with a 13MP PDAF rear camera and an 8MP wide angle 1.4m pixel selfie camera.

The Secure Zone, being a feature that allows you to secure all your information allowing total privacy of your personal information. The K5 Note is also more secure with fast 0.3sec fingerprint sensor for hassle-free authentication to unlock the device. The VIBE K5 Note packs a 64-bit 8-Core 6755 processor clocked at 1.8GHz, up to 4 GB RAM and a high-capacity 3,500mAh embedded battery with a storage of up to 160GB (32GB internal) along with USB-OTG support.

The Lenovo K5 Notes is exclusively available on Flipkart and comes in two variants  3GB RAM edition and 4GB RAM Edition. Pricing for the K5 Note starts at INR.11999 and comes in platinum silver, champagne gold and graphite gray color option

TAGS: Lenovo Vibe K5 Note, Killer Note 5
Elecciones presidenciales

El pais mas grande de la region elige este domingo a su proximo mandatario. Tras no lograr hacerse con la mayoria de los votos en los comicios del 2 de octubre, Luis Inacio "Lula" Da Silva y Jair Bolsonaro se disputan la Presidencia en una balotaje que enfrenta tendencias y valores contrapuestas. Con equipos en el terreno, Telam presenta una cobertura exclusiva con noticias, analisis, opinion, fotos y mas.
O Globo will broadcast the last presidential debate on Friday night. Voting intention surveys show that Lula da Silva is the favorite to win the ballot. | Read More
Donald Trump stirred up a storm on Tuesday when he said that gun-rights backers could stop Democratic Party's Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, hinting at her assassination by gun-rights supporters.

By AP: Donald Trump on Tuesday said that Second Amendment advocates might find a way to stop Hillary Clinton from rolling back gun rights if she's elected, setting off a political firestorm as Democrats quickly accused him of encouraging violence against his opponent.

HERE IS WHAT HE SAID

Speaking at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, the Republican nominee said incorrectly his general election opponent wants to "abolish, essentially, the Second Amendment."

advertisement

He continued: "By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know."

The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."



Trump did not elaborate on his meaning. But within minutes, Clinton's campaign and an outside group backing her candidacy denounced the celebrity businessman's remarks as an attempt to incite violence.

"This is simple - what Trump is saying is dangerous," said Robby Mook, Clinton's campaign manager. "A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way."

The pro-Clinton group Priorities USA blasted out an email with the subject line: "Donald Trump Just Suggested That Someone Shoot Hillary Clinton."

Watch the video here (Credits: Youtube)



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcxkkrNSv-4

SOME SAY HE WAS ONLY TOUTING SPIRIT OF SECOND AMENDMENT SUPPORTERS

The Trump campaign was equally quick to dispute that interpretation of his remarks, saying he was simply touting the "amazing spirit" of Second Amendment supporters.

"It's called the power of unification - Second Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power," said Jason Miller, Trump's senior communications adviser. "And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it won't be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump."

Catherine Milhoan, a spokeswoman for the Secret Service, said, "We are aware of his comments." She declined to answer any additional questions about Trump's remarks.

Also Read: Donald Trump speech beats Hillary Clinton in TV viewership



DANGEROUS TRUMP?

The Second Amendment provides a constitutional right to citizens to own firearms. Clinton supports some new restrictions on gun ownership, but does not advocate overturning the amendment.

The GOP candidate's distortion of Clinton's position on the Second Amendment and his comments Tuesday prove "how dangerous Trump really is," said Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

advertisement

"What Donald Trump said today is repulsive, literally using the Second Amendment as cover to encourage people to kill someone with whom they disagree," said Gross, whose group is named for James Brady, a White House press secretary wounded in the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.

TRUMP SLAMMED ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Trump's remarks immediately set off a firestorm of criticism on social media and threatened to upstage discussion of his economic policy speech the day before and his swing through the key battleground state of North Carolina.

Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat and a leading advocate for stronger gun safety laws, called Trump's comments "disgusting and embarrassing and sad.

This isn't play. Unstable people with powerful guns and an unhinged hatred for Hillary are listening to you, @realDonaldTrump.; Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) August 9, 2016

"

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the liberal Democrat who has tangled frequently with Trump online, said on Twitter that Trump "makes death threats because he's a pathetic coward who can't handle the fact that he's losing to a girl."

The National Rifle Association, the powerful pro-gun lobby that has endorsed Trump, posted a pair of tweets in support of the Republican nominee.

advertisement

The second tweet read, "But there IS something we will do on #ElectionDay: Show up and vote for the #2A! #DefendtheSecond #NeverHillary."

EVEN TRUMP SUPPORTERS BLASTED HIM

But even some Trump supporters appeared taken aback by the nominee's comments. A video of the rally shows a man seated behind Trump open his mouth in disbelief and turn to his companion with a puzzled look on his face after Trump made the remark.

Campaigning in Pennsylvania, Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, said Trump was "very clear" in what he meant.

"Donald Trump is urging people around this country to act in a manner consistent with their convictions in the course of this election, and people who cherish the Second Amendment have a very clear choice in this election," he told Philadelphia's NBC affiliate.

Trump's comments came a few weeks after one of his campaign advisers said "Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason."

The Secret Service is investigating those remarks, made last month by Al Baldasaro, a New Hampshire state lawmaker and an adviser to Trump on veterans' issues. Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said then that neither Trump nor his campaign agree with Baldasaro's comments.

advertisement

Trump's comments Tuesday were reminiscent of the "Second Amendment remedies" floated in 2010 by Sharron Angle, a Nevada Senate candidate who was criticized for seeming to allude to a call for violence.

Also Read:

Hillary Clinton takes on rival Donald Trump, says his promises are false

Trump fires back at Obama, says Clinton 'unfit' for government

Did Donald Trump marry an 'illegal' immigrant? Melania Trump in the midst of an immigration row



--- ENDS ---
Stoked by the flight attendant's love, this stray dog kept waiting for her at a hotel entrance. Impressed by the pup's persistence she made arrangements to adopt him.

By India Today Web Desk: Decades have passed since a dog named Hachiko's incredible story of love and loyalty slipped into history, but here's similar story of loving pup named Rubio.



Flight attendant Olivia Sievers frequently travels from her home in Germany to Argentina for work. On one such visit to Argentina, roughly six months ago, she made friends with a stray pup.

advertisement

She gave him some food, and played with him for a while but the stray pup who had never been showered with so much affection, fell head over heals for the loving flight attendant.

Since then, every time Sievers visited Argentina, the pup whom she named Rubio, would somehow find his way and patiently wait for her outside the hotel she stayed in.

"I tried to change my way because I didn't want that he follow me back to the hotel," she told Noticiero Trece. "But it was not possible. He always came back and followed me. I tried one hour, but he always watched me and followed me. He was really happy that somebody gave him attention."

Touched by Rubio's persistence, Sievers contacted a rescue group to take him to a shelter care for dogs. However, his heart belonged to Sievers and found a way to escape the shelter and was back to waiting at the hotel entrance.

This time Sievers made up her mind to adopt him. She filled out the necessary paperwork to take Rubio along with her Germany. A pet adoption group shared a photo of Rubio making the long journey last week, with the caption: "Mom Olivia, here I come!!!! Wait for me!"









Also read: Dog guards grave in China

Delhi ragpicker feeds and takes care of 400 dogs daily

Hero dog: German shepherd saves 7-year-old girl from rattlesnake, gets bitten

Microchip helps reunite UK dog with owners after 5 years

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Panaji, Aug 10 (PTI) Goa government today told the state Legislative Assembly that they are in the process of forming a cyber cell which will monitor possible threats to the state-run websites.

Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar told the House that till date 17 Goa government websites were hacked on different occasions, but the hackers had only defaced the front page, while leaving the internal data intact.

advertisement

"Looking at the increase in number of cyber security threats and concerns, the department of Information and Technology is in the process of setting up a cyber cell in-house which would monitor the cyber treats in the government websites," Parsekar said during Question Hour while responding to a query by Congress MLA Mauvin Godinho.

The CM said currently Central government-appointed agency is monitoring the threats to the (government) websites.

"The state has not formed any cyber security policy, but as far as the government websites as well the State Data Centre (SDC) is concerned, the various security guidelines laid by the Central government are being put in practice or implemented," he told the House.

As per information provided on the floor of the House, the websites that came under attack by hackers were of departments like health, captain of ports, water resources, accounts, NRI commission, agriculture, fisheries, central library, sainik welfare and others. PTI RPS GK IKA BAS

--- ENDS ---
The 4th biennial Tea Culture Festival, which this year will be called the 4th Tea Culture Week, kicks off December 21 and will run for seven days instead of four, as in previous years.

It will be held at four venues in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong Province: Bao Lam District, Bao Loc Town, Da Lat Town and Duy Linh District.

Bui Thang, chairman of the Bao Loc Town People's Committee, was quoted in Lam Dong newspaper as saying late last month that the event's main focus is the promotion of tea culture of B'Lao (the former name of Bao Loc Town) rather than festivities.

The major events, including the international tea seminar and exhibition of local tea enterprises, will be held in Bao Loc Town, which has been dubbed by local media as "the capital of tea."

Other events which will praise tea growers and present the culture of tea to visitors will also take place in the other three venues, The Thao & Van Hoa reported on December 7. The festival, which has been held every two years since 2006, aims to bolster respect for Vietnam's traditional tea culture, promote the domestic and regional tea industries, and boost the tea trade. RELATED CONTENT First international tea fest to be held in northern Vietnam

Central Highlands hosts tea festival

Tea festival to feature record setting exhibit

With more than 24,000 hectares dedicated to the cultivation of tea, Lam Dong Province accounts for over 20 percent of the country's total tea farmland and 90 percent of it in southern Vietnam, government data showed. Tea is one of Vietnam's 28 main exports, according to General Statistics Office.
Stephen Twining shows how to make a cup of tea for the best taste. Photo: Khanh An

Twinings, a 310-year-old British tea, will be sold in Vietnam starting this month, Natural JSC, its sole distributor in the country, said Monday.

Stephen Twining, a 10th generation member of the Twinings family, was in Ho Chi Minh City to share how to make the drink he called a wonderful gift of nature for the best taste.

Speaking at the launch in HCMC Monday, he said: Green tea is perfect to enjoy in the afternoon and peppermint is perfect after dinner.

Twining has travelled extensively in India and Sri Lanka picking and buying tea leaves.

In 1837 the company received its first royal warrant for tea and was appointed the supplier of teas to the queens household.

Twinings was established in 1706 by Thomas Twining, who also opened the worlds first dry tea and coffee shop that still remains open in London.

Vietnam became the latest addition in the global marketing reach of the British brand, which is now available in 116 countries.
Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang (R) at a meeting with the country's top prosecutors in Hanoi July 8, 2014. Photo: Thai Son

President Truong Tan Sang has instructed prosecutors to clean up the justice system by minimizing wrongful charges and strictly punishing police brutality.

Sang told a Tuesday working session in Hanoi with leading officials of the Supreme Peoples Procuracy, the countrys top prosecution unit, that there have not been many such cases of violating justice procedures going on, but the damage would be huge.

Wed have around one case at an agency a year, involving one person. But those people are destroying the system and the peoples confidence in the government.

Quite several cases of people apologize by their authorities years after their wrongful charges have been reported lately, many more since the biggest of its kind came to public knowledge last year.

Nguyen Thanh Chan from the northern province of Bac Giang was released last November after serving ten years into a life sentence for the murder of a local woman that he did not commit.

His wifes investigation forced the real murderer, another local man, to give himself up last October.

The Supreme Court officially cleared his name in January this year.

But Chan is still filing petitions for compensation and accusation and for investigation against several officers that he claimed had made death threats and beat him during the questioning to force him to plead guilty.

In the latest episode of corporal punishment, a police officer in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak was arrested earlier this month as a suspected thief died of cerebral trauma under his count.

Phu Yen Province in south central Vietnam meanwhile is rehearing a trial on a fatal police brutality case after prosecutors criticized the initial sentences as overly lenient.

Three convicted officers in April were sentenced to between 18 months to 5 years in prison for beating a local man to death while questioning him for his alleged involvement in a burglary in May 2012.

Two other officers were let off with suspended sentences.

During the meeting, President Sang also ordered relevant agencies to retry the officers harshly after the media reported widespread public discontent following the first instance court.

Commenting on reduced number of crimes provided by the prosecutors Tuesday, Sang said the number did not reflect the true picture, that the crimes have become more serious, better-organized and each involved more people.

The prosecutors reported that corruption crimes have reduced more than 10 percent this year, drug crimes 2.6 percent and justice violations 14.7 percent.

Corruption has reduced in number but one could involve a lot of people, who would turn out to be involve other cases when it come to court, Sang said.



Duong Chi Dung could not run by himself. So we cannot say that corruption has reduced." -- Vietnam's President Truong Tan Sang told the Supreme Peoples Procuracy officials at a meeting July 8

He refers to the multi-million-dollar graft case committed by Duong Chi Dung, former chairman of state-owned shipping giant Vinalines, and other former executives as a good example.

The Supreme Peoples Court last May upheld death sentences handed to Dung and the former general director Mai Van Phuc after convicting them of embezzling VND10 billion ($474,000) each in the case.

Eight other defendants from the company received up to 22 years in jail.

Dungs younger brother Duong Tu Trong, 52, deputy chief of Hai Phong Police, has been arrested with six other police officers in the northern port city of Hai Phong for helping Dung escaped the country when the scandal first broke in May 2012. Dung was arrested by Interpol in Cambodia.

Duong Chi Dung could not run by himself, Sang said. We cannot say that corruption has reduced.

He admitted that crimes have risen due to difficult economic situation, and poor government control.

The President also stressed the need to perfect the legal system in line with the 2013 Constitution, urging the procuracy sector to work with other judicial agencies on draft laws in order to make the law enforcement effective.


A Lang Son court Tuesday awarded death sentences to nine men and life to two others for smuggling a total of 280kg of heroin from the northern province to China in 2013 and 2014.

Brothers Chu Dinh Tuyen, 39, and Chu Van Vien, 33, the gangs kingpins, were among those to get capital punishment along with their seven henchmen aged 31-38.

Nong Thi Chang, 25, and Chu Duc Son, 38, were the two to get away with life sentences.

Officers from the Ministry of Public Security in 2014 caught two members, Le Xuan Viet and Nguyen Van Tam, with 15kg of heroin in Hoa Binh Province.

Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of the others. The gang confessed to smuggling a total of 280kg of heroin from northwestern provinces to China on 22 occasions, earning more than VND10 billion (US$456,000).

A total of 19 people were involved, including four other Vietnamese who are still at large, an unidentified Chinese who was arrested in China and a deceased Vietnamese.

Vietnam has some of the worlds toughest drug laws. The production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics is punishable by death.

Those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine also face the death penalty.
Tran Van Them, who was just cleared of a murder charge in 1973, at his house in Bac Ninh Province. Photo: Phuong Loan

An 80-year-old man in Bac Ninh Province in northern Vietnam has been cleared of a wrongful murder sentence he was given more than 40 years ago.

The Supreme Peoples Court Tuesday said that Tran Van Them, who was sentenced to death in 1973, is innocent.

Weve decided that Them was wrongly charged and sent to jail, senior judge Bui Van Hoa said.

Them would get a public apology and compensation soon, he said.

In July 1970 Them and his cousin traveled to nearby Vinh Phuc Province on a business trip when the latter was found dead with head injuries in a vacant tent along the road where they had stopped for the night.

Them said they had been robbed, but local authorities insisted he was the prime suspect and detained him.

They convicted him of murder in 1973 and the Supreme Court upheld the conviction a year later.

But in 1975 a teenage boy from Vinh Phuc, who had been staying at an education camp, owned up to the killing, and the Supreme Court ordered a fresh investigation and Thems release.

Them has, over the years, filed multiple pleas to clear his name, but it has taken until now, when he is very weak and can only walk with assistance, for his vindication.

His neighbors said he has been very poor and struggling to even find enough food to eat. His wife died early after working hard to raise six children on her own during the nearly six years that he was in jail.

Them said he did not want to recall the difficulties of the past.

My only wish is that the authorities proclaim loudly to my neighbors that I was wrongly charged so that I do not have to carry the shame of killing my cousin any longer, Tuoi Tre quoted him as saying.
Nguyen Thanh Chan at his home in Bac Giang Province. He was released in November after serving ten years of a life sentence for a wrongful murder conviction. Photo courtesy of VnExpress

Nguyen Thanh Chan from Bac Giang Province said in his appeal to the supreme court the amount comes from VND280,000 ($13) of daily income he could have earned during his 3,700 days in jail and the cost of the his wifes tireless fight for his freedom, including her medical fees.





He was arrested on September 20, 2003 for the murder of a local woman and released November 4 last year. An announcement from the Ministry of Public Security and the Supreme Peoples Court officially cleared his name late January.





Chan told news website VnExpress that he was the familys breadwinner and worked different jobs including cargo transport on horsecart, alcohol production, rice milling, pig breeding and running a small cafe.





He said his wife Nguyen Thi Chien had traveled to different agencies, filed numerous appeals and conducted her own investigation that forced the real murderer to confess and surrender.





She heard the relatives of Ly Nguyen Chung, a 26-year-old local, talk about him in relation to the murder. She secretly recorded their conversation and pieced the story together and then filed a petition accusing Chung of the crime in August.





Her evidence forced authorities to summon Chung, who turned up two months later after switching phone numbers and whereabouts, including a jaunt to China.





Chung had left the village soon after the murder and lived thousands of kilometers away in the Central Highlands.





The wife developed mental problems during her fight for justice and had to visit the National Psychiatric Hospital in Hanoi several times.





Her medical fees totaled some VND60 million and the struggle left her owing banks and relatives around VND500 million, Chan said.





He also said that police had seized from his family a bicycle, a shoulder pole for carrying water, some shoulder poles for cargo transport, some clothes, and he demanded their return.





His family has not received any official statement about compensation.





They are still working with investigators from the Ministry of Public Security about his accusations that some police officers made death threats to force him to plead guilty.





Chans children said him going to jail turned their life upside down. Besides public hostility, they were also deprived of care as the mother was too busy fighting for justice and three of them only finished ninth grade.

Like us on Facebook and scroll down to share your comment
Police have identified and are searching for suspects in the murder of four people, including three children, in northern Vietnam on Tuesday, a source told Thanh Nien.

The public security ministry has sent a special task force to help local police in Lao Cai Province to investigate what it now said to be a "robbery murder of extremely serious nature."

The four victims are Tan Thi May, 22, her daughter Tan Mai Phuong, 2, her newborn Tan Thuy Van, and her niece Tan Thuy Chi, 6.

May's husband Tan Ong Nai told the police when he and his parents returned from their fields at 9.30 pm Tuesday, his house was locked.

When Nai managed to enter the house, he could not find his wife and daughters. However, he detected a loaded musket in the kitchen, which had been rigged to fire when the kitchen door was opened.

He reported to the local police who launched a search through the night. They first found Phuong's body under big rocks in a stream near the house.

At 6.30 Wednesday they found the bodies of May and two children Phuong and Chi in three different locations near the house. Big rocks weighing 20-50 kg each were placed on their bodies, the police said.

A pet dog was slashed to death.

According to Nai, more than VND10 million in cash was missing.

The investigation is going on.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday that gun rights activists could act to stop Democratic rival Hillary Clinton from nominating liberal U.S. Supreme Court justices, igniting yet another fire storm of criticism just as he sought to steer clear of controversy.

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks," Trump said at a rally. "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know," he continued.

The U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear firearms.

Before the remark, Trump had been emphasizing his case against Clinton, who is leading in national opinion polls in the race for the Nov. 8 election. Some in the audience in North Carolina who were seated behind Trump could be seen wincing when he made the comment.

Clinton's campaign called the remark "dangerous."

"A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way, it said.

When asked to clarify what Trump meant, his campaign said he was referring to getting supporters of the Second Amendment to rally votes for Trump in the election.

"Its called the power of unification  2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power," the Trump campaign said in its statement.

Immediately after Trump made his comment, many on social media accused him of effectively calling for Clintons assassination. In just three hours, 2nd amendment became the top trending topic on Twitter, with more than 60,000 posts mentioning the term.

Introducing Trump later at another rally in North Carolina, in Fayetteville, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani accused the news media of taking the remark out of context to help Clinton get elected.

"What he meant by that was you have the power to vote against her," Giuliani said to cheers. "You have the power to speak against her. You know why? Because you're Americans."

"It proves that most of the press is in the tank for Hillary Clinton," he added. "They are doing everything they can to destroy Donald Trump."

The U.S. Secret Service, which provides security details for both Trump and Clinton and rarely comments on political matters, when asked for a response on Trump, said: The Secret Service is aware of the comment."

Trump later told Fox News Channel's "Hannity" program that nobody in that room" thought he meant anything other than to rally support against Clinton.

"This is a strong powerful movement, the Second Amendment," Trump said. "Hillary wants to take your guns away. She wants to leave you unprotected in your home. This is a tremendous political movement."

By day's end, Trump was drawing criticism on several fronts, another chapter in a campaign marked by bitterness and partisanship.

Michael Hayden, a former CIA director who on Monday was among 50 Republican national security experts to denounce Trump in a letter, said on CNN, "Youre not just responsible for what you say. You are responsible for what people hear.

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a liberal firebrand who loves tweaking Trump, tweeted that the Republican nominee "makes death threats because he's a pathetic coward who cant handle the fact that hes losing to a girl."

Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conway fought back in a tweet of her own, calling Warren a "disgrace."

Gun rights an issue

Gun rights, which have long stirred strong emotions in America, have been a particularly potent issue in the 2016 presidential campaign as violence has convulsed some U.S. cities.

Donald Trump speaks to the Trask Coliseum at University of North Carolina in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Trump has planted himself firmly on the side of gun owners with a "law and order" campaign. Before his remark about Clinton on Tuesday, he had said Islamic State militants who killed 130 people in France last year could have been stopped if some of the victims had been armed.

The Clinton campaign has challenged Trump when in the past he has accused her of planning to abolish the Second Amendment if elected president. Clinton, in her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, said, "I'm not here to repeal the Second Amendment," saying she wanted "common-sense reforms" to gun laws.

Tuesday's speech came on the heels of a discordant week on the campaign trail for Trump, a businessman seeking his first public office. He came under fire from within his party for belatedly endorsing fellow Republicans in re-election races and a prolonged clash with the parents of fallen Muslim American Army captain Humayun Khan.

On Monday, Trump seemed to be heeding Republican advice to stick to a message of criticizing Clinton and other Democrats while putting forward economic policy proposals in a speech in Detroit.

Trump's vice presidential running mate, Mike Pence, asked if he believed Trump was inciting violence toward Clinton, told NBCs Philadelphia affiliate: Of course not. No."

But Democrats called Trump's remarks another sign of a candidate unfit for the White House.

Dont treat this as a political misstep. Its an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy & crisis," U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, said in a tweet.

Overall sentiment on social media posts on Trump's remarks was more negative than positive, at a ratio of 2.5 to 1, according to the social media analytics firm Zoomph. #ProtectHillary was also one of the top trending hashtags on Twitter.

The 50 prominent national security officials said in their letter on Monday that Trump would be "the most reckless president in American history."

"He appears to lack basic knowledge about and belief in the U.S. Constitution, U.S. laws and U.S. institutions, including religious tolerance, freedom of the press, and an independent judiciary," their statement said.
A Bihar police officer hurled abuses at a local BJP leader's son for driving without valid papers. He was caught-on-camera saying, " I will push you on the ground and thrash you."

By Rohit Kumar Singh: A Bihar police officer was caught on camera hurling abuses and threatening a person who was found driving without valid papers during a vehicle checking drive being carried by Supaul district police.

The police officer has been identified as Arvind Singh, posted as ASI at Kishanpur police station.

The person who faced the abusive rant of the the police officer is Jayant Kumar, son of a local BJP leader. When Jayant contested the "goonda" police official for the manner in which he spoke, Arvind Singh lost his cool and threatened to thrash and kill him.

advertisement

GOONDA OR POLICE?



"I will push you on the ground and thrash you. ( hurl abuses) Don't argue with me. Just pay challan and leave", said the angry cop who was caught on camera.

Jayant kept on pleading with the police officer to let him go as he did not have money to pay for the challan but the furious cop was in no mood to let him off the hook hurled more abuses.

"Just pay the challan and leave. Your challan has been cut or else give the keys of your vehicle. I am respecting you but you are not adhering to what I am saying.(.pushes Jayant). Take him to the police station.(hurl abuses)", the police officer was seen saying on the camera.

This erring police officer has once again exposed the brute manner of Bihar policing and raises questions that are such cops not "goondas" in uniform.

Also Read:

Bihar police brutality: Traffic cop drags woman by her hair to the station

Unrest in Bihar police over suspension of 10 SHOs, threaten mass leave if order not revoked

Bihar: 10 police officers suspended for not implementing prohibition law



--- ENDS ---
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) The government today pitched for establishing an international clean energy data grid and asserted that information related to green and unclean energy should be put in public domain.

Noting that it is essential for the common man to realise that the energy being used is unclean, for the world to shift to clean energy, Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave said such a shift will come only through data that is stored and analysed properly.

advertisement

"India has given a call for the establishment of an International Clean Energy Data-Grid that is corruption-free.

"An international grid is a must as common man has the right to access data. The data must pertain to both production as well as consumption patterns of a society," an official statement quoting Dave said.

He was speaking at the day-long national conference on energy data: management, modelling and GIS mapping organised by NITI Aayog here.

Dave asserted that the world will have to understand the difference between clean and unclean energy.

"Data on green energy and unclean energy should be made available in the public domain. Till the common man realises that the energy being used is unclean, the day will never come when the world will shift towards using clean energy.

"Such a shift will come about only through data that is stored and analysed properly. Facts projected through correct data will lead us in the right direction," he said.

Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modis initiative to establish an International Solar Alliance (ISA), the Environment Minister emphasised that solar energy is the answer to energy requirements of the future.

"Dave also strongly advocated for disciplined consumption in every field, be it in the consumption of power to reduce the burden on power production," the statement added. PTI TDS DIP ZMN DIP

--- ENDS ---
Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission
NEW ROADS  At his first city council meeting since his indictment, Mayor Robert Myer denied any wrongdoing in the allegations he misused a city-issued credit card.

The mayor instead spent more time touting the economic and community development successes the city has enjoyed under his leadership to the dozens of residents and city leaders who packed the council chambers Tuesday night for the special meeting.

"The allegations seem to be spearheaded by opponents not interested in what is good for the city of New Roads but we have moved the city forward despite their attempts," Myer said in a prepared statement at the start of the meeting. "I take pride in what we have accomplished this last six years."

"We are a shining example of what can happen if we work together," he said.

+2 New Roads mayor indicted on counts of malfeasance in office NEW ROADS  New Roads Mayor Robert Myer was indicted Wednesday on multiple counts of malfeas

The special meeting was called at the behest of Councilman Kurt Kellerman, who in a statement to The Advocate last week said Myer's indictment had further damaged the community's trust in city government.

The city's previous mayor, Tommy Nelson, was convicted in 2011 of racketeering, wire fraud, lying to investigators and the use of telephones in aid of racketeering. He was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.

"I've had several citizens call me asking about credit card usage and I told them I didn't know," Kellerman said during the meeting. "So I wanted to bring it up for discussion with the council."

Myer was indicted last week on nine counts of malfeasance in office and a count of abuse of power on allegations he used a city-issued credit card for personal use and allowed the city's former finance director, Cherie Rockforte-Laviolette, to make more than $9,000 in personal charges on the card in exchange for sexual favors between 2011 and 2014.

The total amount is unknown at the time, but according to the monthly credit card statements The Advocate reviewed for 2011-2014, the mayor made nearly $134,000 in questionable charges.

Prosecutors also presented a case against Rockforte-Laviolette last week but the grand jury did not reach a decision in her case. Rockforte-Laviolette left her position with the city in November 2014, city officials have said.

"I deny I've done anything illegal or wrong nor have I given someone permission to do anything illegal," Myer said Tuesday night. "This past week has been a very trying time for myself and my family. However, this is minor in comparison to how I feel about what it has done to our great city."

Kellerman had hoped to persuade the council to support his suggestion that an independent audit be conducted of the city's credit card use for the past five years. The councilman was angling for an itemized account of the credit card use highlighting personal charges made on the card and whether they were reimbursed.

But a majority of the council said they wouldn't support spending more money to have auditors comb through the financial records again when that information should already be included in the city's previous yearly audits.

"Then I offer the motion (the auditor) present those reports back to the council and if he doesn't have it, then we get an independent audit done," Kellerman suggested.

His motion was supported unanimously by the council.

Kellerman also asked for clarity from the city attorney as to who would be responsible for the mayor's legal bills as his case advances through the court system.

City Attorney John Wayne Jewell said, "He can't use city funds to pay for an attorney unless the charges are thrown out and he's vindicated. At which time, he can ask the council if he can be reimbursed for them by the city."

Tuesday's meeting lasted barely an hour. Myer and most city officials declined interviews with reporters after the meeting had adjourned.
Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry asked for state approval for both a car allowance of $700 per month and for reimbursements for mileage  a request the governor's top budget official said smacked of "double-dipping."

Documents show that Landry originally requested a monthly car allowance that is afforded to statewide elected officials. He also requested the ability to file mileage reimbursements.

The request for an allowance plus the reimbursement was rejected by Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne, and Landry didn't pursue the arrangement any further.

Landry currently drives a privately owned car and gets reimbursed for his mileage, his spokeswoman Ruth Wisher said. Such an arrangement is typically capped at 99 miles per day. Landry's office denies that he tried to double up on automobile arrangements from the state.

During a meeting of the Press Club of Baton Rouge earlier this week, Dardenne said he traces tensions between himself and Landry back to that issue.

"He made a request of me that I refused," Dardenne said. "He was essentially double dipping on a request for an automobile allowance. ... I told him, 'No, it would be one or the other.' I don't think he appreciated that."

Typically, elected officials opt to use a state-owned vehicle and a fuel card for the gas consumed for official business, or they use their personal vehicles and receive a $700 monthly allowance that covers mileage and related expenses. They cannot receive the additional mileage reimbursement if they get the personal car allowance, according to Dardenne.

In the denial letter, which The Advocate obtained in response to a request made to the administration, Dardenne writes to Landry that he will grant the attorney general a $700 monthly vehicle allowance but deny his request for any additional mileage reimbursements.

"As you know, you are entitled by statute to have a state-owned vehicle assigned to you, which would allow for home storage and fuel," Dardenne writes as an alternative. "You may still exercise this option."

Dardenne, who is commissioner of administration for Gov. John Bel Edwards, said he has never heard back from the attorney general's office and wasn't sure what type of vehicle arrangement Landry has been using or whether he has a state-owned vehicle.

Wisher said the attorney general bought a vehicle and receives a mileage reimbursement for his work travels. Wisher noted that Landry did not request a state-owned vehicle, and Dardenne confirmed that the attorney general has never sought to receive the monthly car allowance for which he was approved.

"It is obvious the Governor and Jay are trying to distract the press from the largest tax and spend plan passed in the history of this state with suggested innuendos," Landry said in a statement. "While I remain committed to fighting crime, corruption, and abuse of Medicaid  they remain committed to liberal tax and spend policies."

The dust-up appears to be the latest salvo between the Democratic governor's administration and Landry, who has emerged as a key figure in GOP politics in Louisiana.

During budget negotiations in the Legislature earlier this year, Landry pushed for more control of funding for his office  a move that the Edwards administration fought, citing the power of the governor and legislators over the state's purse strings. For several weeks, Landry and the governor's office traded barbs over the effort.

The Advocate reported last week that Landry has hired the daughter of one-time challenger Geri Broussard Baloney, looking past Quendi Baloney's criminal record. Broussard Baloney, a Democrat, had endorsed Landry in his runoff race against former Attorney General Buddy Caldwell.

In response to the Advocate story, Landry pointed to Dardenne, a Republican who secured his current position after he endorsed Edwards in last fall's runoff against Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter.

"A plum six-figure job  far more than the job has ever paid  entitles Dardenne and his golden retirement parachute to feast on over one million of our tax dollars over the rest of his life expectancy," Landry said in a scathing response to the article.

At the Press Club meeting, Dardenne said he was puzzled by Landry pointing to him.

"He has continued to drag me into this thing, it seems like," he said. "I think he has had a problem with me from the early days of the administration."

Political insiders have speculated that Landry is increasingly positioning himself to run against Edwards in the 2019 governors race. Landry has denied the conjecture.
In the long annals of the unhealthy special relationship between the State Capitol and its host city of Baton Rouge, John Bel Edwards is going to be significantly different for the city.

The tragic events of July  first the shooting of Alton Sterling and the ensuing protests, and then the slaughter of three good men by domestic terrorist Gavin Long  are the last things that Edwards would have wanted, but his handling of these situations has rightly drawn praise.

Part of that is the genuineness of the man. He said that it might not be a good thing for a governor to cry, but God knows that these crises called for tears as well as action. He probably bonded more with his new Baton Rouge neighbors than any of his predecessors in decades during these extraordinary events.

As a Democrat astride a biracial political coalition, helped in last fall's election by GOP divisions, he sure-footedly dealt with the separate but related challenges of the Sterling protests and the subsequent Long attack. Brokering a quick federal intervention to oversee the Sterling shooting investigation short-circuited political maneuvering.

As the son and grandson of sheriffs, brother of a sitting sheriff and a police chief in Tangipahoa Parish, he had credibility with the public safety community and used it, pushing an impartial federal investigation and then giving the Baton Rouge Police Department backing during its reaction to protests.

But the governor is also showing both political sensitivity and ham-handedness on other issues.

The announcement of a new interstate ramp to ease the traffic blockage at Washington Street in Baton Rouge ruffled the feathers of the exquisitely sensitive party hacks at the Louisiana GOP. The governor mentioned the role of the local Republican congressman, Garret Graves, amid general bipartisan praise for the funding for the project; yet Graves wasn't there, and aides said he received very late notice of the event, after-hours the day before.

The governor talks a bipartisan game, but he and his staff appear to organize his schedule as a mostly one-man show. Government is different from a permanent political campaign, a lesson not yet learned.

Ironically, the GOP complaints were public, but the politician most out-of-joint was probably Mayor-President Kip Holden, a fellow Democrat. The Edwards event was replete with praise for Cedric Richmond of New Orleans, the Democratic congressman whom Holden is running against in the fall election. It was a pretty clear use of a government event to push the Democrats' interests in sustaining its incumbent.

If Holden is fading in power locally because of term limits, the mayor is almost certainly right in his skepticism about public investment in a new emergency room in north Baton Rouge. "The governor has said very clearly that he wants to see an emergency room in north Baton Rouge," said Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne on Monday at the Press Club.

Medical professionals would mostly disagree, given the high costs of a stand-alone ER, and given the profound need for alternatives like primary care and higher-level urgent care provision in those neighborhoods.

Dardenne said the administration is going to renegotiate contracts with the public-private partnerships that replaced the old charity hospitals; Our Lady of the Lake is the LSU partner in Baton Rouge. Does that mean leaning on OLOL and LSU for the political symbol of an ER that is less sustainable financially, but more fruitful politically? That might be a mistake for Edwards, however attractive the stance may seem today.

Above all, though, Edwards deserves credit for pushing for funding for higher education, which is important for the state at large, and particularly vital for Baton Rouge's future in a technology age. LSU and Southern University, as well as other state higher education institutions, were cut and cut again in the years of Gov. Bobby Jindal, himself a Baton Rouge native who set the community back.

If colleges and universities get more support, Edwards will benefit in the capital city from his tough budget battles at the State Capitol.
It is going to be a green Dasara as the theme this year is 'water conservation'.

By Rohini Swamy: The royal city of Mysuru is preparing for Dasara this year. It is going to be a green Dasara as the theme this year is 'water conservation'.

LITTERATEUR CHANNAVEERA KANAVI TO BE CHIEF GUEST

There was also a proposal to invite Sachin Tendulkar as the chief guest for the State celebration of Dasara, called the 'jumbo savari', but after much discussion, CM Siddaramaiah decided that the honour should be bestowed on noted litterateur Channaveera Kanavi.

advertisement

The decision to hold a green Dasara was taken to pay heed to the difficulties faced by the people staying near Cauvery catchment area which received inadequate rainfall.

PALACE ON WHEELS TRIP INCLUDED



This year the Dasara committee has promised to be vibrant and innovative which also includes a special trip on the 'Palace on Wheels'. Apart from this, special tours on charter planes and helicopters has been planned. All this will be the added attraction apart from the regular attractions that include the torchlight parade and the Jumbo Savari.

Every year, the Mysore Dasara culminates with the royal 'jumbo savari' which is the high-point of the celebrations held within the Mysore palace.

The state ceremony includes offering pooja to Goddess Chamundeshwari who is the family deity of the Mysuru's royal family. During the celebrations, the state invites a special guest who along with the chief minister offer prayers to Goddess Chamundeshwari. The deity is made of solid gold and the entire howda (a canopied seat) is made of nearly 800 khan of solid gold. The howda is taken around the palace on the back of the chosen royal elephant 'Arjuna' along with 12 palace elephants.

This year, the Karnataka government hopes to rope in tourists from France too. The Mysuru royal family has a special place for the French in their hearts as many of the artillery used by the Wodeyar royals during warfare were imported from France.

--- ENDS ---
In 1953, I integrated Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. My admission, as the first black student on a campus today serving more than 
Tuesday night's Alliance for Good Government U.S. Senate forum in New Orleans was just about everything you'd expect from a gathering that tried to accommodate all 24 candidates; it was long, unwieldy, but also intermittently revealing.

Not everyone showed up. U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany and Treasurer John Kennedy sent surrogates to speak on their behalf, but questions were reserved for the candidates themselves, and there were still enough of those to fill two consecutive panels. A few of the highlights:

1) The alliance has chapters in New Orleans and its surrounding suburbs, and a couple of candidates who hail from other parts of the state  and who have accents to show it  did their best to cozy up to the locals. Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, a populist Democrat from Bossier City who's hoping to tap into the city's large Democratic electorate, introduced himself by reminiscing about his days in the Louisiana Legislature.

"I don't ever remember voting against the New Orleans delegation," he said. "I've always tried to help."

Troy Hebert, a political independent from Jeanerette, said New Orleanians may well remember him from his stint at the state's alcohol and tobacco control commissioner. There are "a lot of thirsty people" in the area, he slyly noted.

Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, a Mandeville Republican attempting to run on Donald Trump's coattails, even tried to make some sort of connection. He cast himself as a local boy who had a paper route, before pivoting to his predictable rant about how immigration policy amounts to the purposeful ethnic cleansing of America.

2) The stage was crowded with political unknowns, but even some of the experienced candidates had trouble finding their bearings.

Asked about two federal programs he'd target as a U.S. senator, Campbell zeroed in on corporate tax breaks that don't produce a bang for the buck. But when the questioner asked him to name two such federal programs, he offered instead to identify state-level giveaways he'd eliminate. "I haven't gone through the federal budget," Campbell finally admitted.

Hebert, who jokingly referred to Campbell's flub as a Rick Perry moment, didn't do much better when asked his thoughts on whether the GOP-led Senate should hold a hearing on Merrick Garland, President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee to replace the late Antonin Scalia. Hebert made an impassioned speech against Washington's paralyzing partisanship  but never answered the question.

The most sure-footed candidate in the first group, it turned out, was New Orleans lawyer Caroline Fayard, a Democrat who has never held government office. In arguing that the Senate should consider the Garland nomination, she cited its duty to advise and consent, and said doing so would amount to an endorsement of the Scalia's strict constitutionalism. She also named two specific tax provisions she'd fight to change, including the much-criticized carried-interest loophole that benefits some of the nation's richest investors.

The night ended just as well for Fayard, who snagged the group's endorsement.

3) The evening's second panel featured the crowded race's two well-known tea party-inspired Republicans. The interesting thing here was that retired Col. Rob Maness actually made U.S. Rep. John Fleming of Minden, a leader of the House's absolutist Freedom Caucus, sound relatively moderate in tone, if not in platform.

This group was asked whether income inequality is a major problem, and Maness called widespread concern over the trend "a mountain out of a molehill." Fleming argued that the gap is in fact the worst in decades, but said the best government solution is the conservative standby of cutting taxes and regulations.

Maness, of Madisonville, labeled the widely accepted idea that human behavior has led to climate change "a hoax," while Fleming said only that there's still a lot of debate. But Fleming argued against major government efforts to address the problem, insisting that it's "ridiculous" to "try to micro-mange human behavior by using our laws."

The most crowd-pleasing line on the topic, though, came from a little-known Democrat out of South Lettsworth named Pete Williams. Clearly referencing Duke, a member of the earlier panel, Williams said that "global warming is real. And if the other guy were here, I'd say global warming thawed him out."
The New Orleans City Council will once again delay a vote on the hotly contested issue of how short-term rentals should be regulated in the city.
After their plane crashed into shark-infested waters, two Hawaiian pilots swam 30 km to the shore. Here's how they beat the odds and survived.

By India Today Web Desk:



Two Hawaiian pilots were stranded in the sea for 21 hours when their aircraft crashed into the shark-infested Pacific. Swimming more than 30 kilometres to the shore, they battled dangerous jellyfish and a shark, and they survived it all.

David McMahon, 26, and Sydnie Uemoto, 23, managed to survive after their two-engine plane crash-landed in the ocean between the Hawaiian islands.

advertisement

Battered and bruised, and miles away from the nearest shore, the two swam through the night, fighting dangerous jellyfish and a deadly shark, when they were finally picked up by rescue teams.



WHAT, WHERE AND HOW

The Mokulele Airlines pilots were en route from Oahu to the Big Island on the afternoon of July 15.

Both the pilots are experienced fliers and none of them panicked when one of the plane's engines started to stall mid-flight.

When the second engine also failed, they started going down. As the plane started to come down, all they could do was send distress signals, after which they disappeared from Coast Guard's radar.

"I remember hitting the water and that noise and seeing the water come up over the windshield," Sydnie told Mileka Lincoln of Hawaii News Now.

These were their first hours after their plane went down into the sea.

Sydnie, who sustained a head injury in the crash said she was dazed and terrified to leave the plane that was quickly sinking.

"I realized I was bleeding and I told David, 'I can't go in the water'. I was like, 'I'm bleeding and there's sharks'. And he said, 'You can't think about that right now'," Sydnie said.

Within minutes the plane was under the water. The pilots said they were initially confident that they would be rescued soon.

But when aircraft after aircraft passed them by, they soon realized that the high waves of the ocean and the glaring sun were hiding them from the rescue team.

The worse was yet to come as David's life jacket had got ripped and was deflating.



THE STRUGGLE

Thirty kilometres away from the shore, all they could see in the distance was the faint outline of the Hawaii mountains. So, they began desperately swimming in that direction.

The pilots, who did not know each other before they took off, started pushing each other to keep going.

Working as a team, they began swimming together. David was kicking and resting his neck on Sydnie's ankles while she used her arms to carry on swimming.

advertisement

As night started to fall, the Pacific started to get colder. The 26-year-old David wanted to give up.

"I remember just asking Sydnie, 'Sydnie, I need to stop. I'm freezing. I'm exhausted. I can't kick anymore.' And so, she would stop every once in a while. But she was like, 'We can't stop. We got to keep going'."

If this was not enough, the pair soon was swimming through swarms of jellyfish which stung them, leaving scars down Sydnie's arms.

Battling jellyfish was not the only thing they had to fight. Soon, they spotted a shark circling beneath the pilots, sending chills of horror down their spines.

David noticed it first, a black shadow around six or seven feet long was swimming below them.

Soon Sydnie also spotted the danger. "My heart started beating hard and I was freaking out. I was like, 'Should I swim faster? What should we do? And we're so far from land,'" Sydnie said.

The shark circled them for a tense 15 minutes as the pilots figured out their next move.

Thankfully the shark left them alone without troubling them. Breathing in fear throughout the night, they finally saw some light of the day.

advertisement



THE RESCUE

The rescue teams were out again searching for the missing pilots and next morning, an air force P3 plane visiting New Zealand, spotted the debris of their crashed plane.

Photo: Twitter - @Primal

A tour helicopter then spotted more wreckage and reported it to the Coast Guard who sent out a helicopter and spotted two people in the water wearing life jackets.

After 21 grueling hours of struggle in the Pacific, the pilots were finally rescued.

Photo: Twitter - @USCGHawaiiPac

--- ENDS ---
Letters to Lindy. By Alana Valentine. Directed by Darren Yap. Merrigong Theatre Company in association with Canberra Theatre Centre. The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre. Until August 13. Bookings 6275 2700 or canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

Letters to Lindy is a rather extraordinary play. Writer Alana Valentine has used some of the thousands of letters that were sent to Lindy Chamberlain following the disappearance in 1980 of her baby daughter Azaria at what was then called Ayer's Rock. She has crafted them into a powerful dialogue between Lindy (Jeanette Cronin) and what can only be described as public opinion.

Jeanette Cronin, as Lindy, is always at the centre of the extraordinary Letters to Lindy. Credit:Lisa Tomasetti

That public opinion was organised and filed by Lindy over the years that included her conviction for murder, time in prison, separation from her family, the conviction overturned, divorce, remarriage and a never-ending grief. It now sits in the National Library of Australia, but in this play it appears on stage, in many cardboard boxes, on a slightly surreal set by James Browne that suggests the ordinariness of a suburban home.

That public opinion ranged from those who thought Lindy had murdered her daughter to those who were convinced that, as Lindy said, a dingo had taken her baby. Valentine's script does not shy away from the abusive, nor from the dingo jokes that were rampant at the time and the first flurry of excerpts from the collection are a shock. They are hurled at Cronin's Lindy by the other three cast members who deftly and expertly take on a string of other characters, male and female, throughout the play.
Two friends who set up a cannabis grow house in Canberra's south in a bid to help ease their financial hardship have avoided serving time behind bars.

Hidden cameras installed following a tip off helped police bring down the hydroponic set up of more than 40 plants, which Zoran Milenkovic, 41, and Tomislav Tomas, 42, established inside a Fisher house in late 2014.

The cannabis grow house was set up in a rental property in Fisher. Credit:ACT Policing

Police said they found the cannabis plants spread throughout rooms in the house as well as lighting, irrigation, climate control, and exhaust systems. Plastic sheeting was attached to the floor, walls and roof.

Milenkovic and Tomas each pleaded guilty to one charge of cultivating a trafficable quantity of cannabis and were sentenced in the ACT Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Alison and Shuji Yamazaki first met in Canberra when he was a student. She went teaching in Japan in 1990, met up again with Shuji and six weeks later had moved to Tokyo to be with him.

They've been together for 26 years, married for 20 and have a 16-year-old daughter Miho. The couple also has a thriving business , Wabi-Sabi Designs in which they import modern and vintage textiles from Japan.

Indigo-dyed materials from Wabi-Sabi Designs.

They established the business in the national capital in 1995 when they moved back to Australia.

"We wanted to share the beauty of genuine Japanese crafts and textiles with people here and to encourage them to have a go themselves," Alison said.
Banned Sydney trainer Sam Kavanagh believes he has been given a life sentence over cobalt use and labelled "the greatest cheat in racing".

Kavanagh said his cobalt case had destroyed his career and he had been bullied on social media and in the media.

"It's ruined my family. It's ruined my friends," Kavanagh told a Victorian inquiry on Wednesday.

"Right now I've got a life sentence and I don't believe I deserve one and it's destroyed me and my family."
Australia's first attempt at an outsourced cloud-based census was always going to be fraught. (The Australian Bureau of Statistics previously hosted the eCensus in its own private cloud but this year outsourced the job to its IT partner, IBM, to the tune of $9.6 million).

Anyone who has ever launched a tech start-up knows that launch-day disasters are par for the course. But unlike most start-ups, it's hard for the ABS or IBM to argue that the outages were proof of staggering success, given we're all being forced to be there.

The federal government has more to lose here than just accurate polling data. In light of recent concerns that the de-anonymizing of the census is a massive surveillance overreach, it really needed a win. But the outages have been read by many on social media as just deserts.

The ABS confirmed that they had to shut down the website on Tuesday night to protect personal data. The privacy commissioner today announced his "first priority is to ensure that no personal information has been compromised as a result of these attacks."
Ricci Martin, the youngest son of Dean Martin, who performed a tribute show to his father and wrote a memoir about growing up in Beverly Hills, died on Wednesday at his home in Kamas, Utah. He was 62.

His family announced his death, saying the cause had not been determined.

The cause of Ricci Martin's death has not been determined. Credit:Mindy Small/FilmMagic

In the 1970s, Mr Martin released a single, Stop, Look Around, and an album, Beached, produced by Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys.

Mr Martin joined the band Dino, Desi and Billy in the 1990s, taking the place of his brother Dean Paul Martin, who died in 1987 when his Air National Guard F-4 Phantom fighter crashed in California during a storm.
Hindus in Islamabad do not have a functional temple in the city, they have to travel to Rawalpindi to offer their prayers. On Pakistan's National Minorities Day, letters will be written to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to revive an abandoned temple.

By India Today Web Desk: Hindus in Islamabad might finally get a place to pray if the campaign, kick-starting on Pakistan's National Minorities Day, is able to revive an abandoned Hindu temple.

Pakistan celebrates National Minorities Day on August 11 to highlight the contribution and services made by the minority communities towards nation building.

Hindus in Islamabad are planning to revive a temple in Saidpur village which currently is a tourist site. Almost 850 Hindus living in the city will have a place for religious gatherings. They were earlier barred from performing religious rituals in Saidpur's Rama Mandir which was built by Raja Mann Singh in 1580s.

advertisement

The Hindu residents have to go to Rawalpindi to offer their prayers in the temple.

Also read: Two Hindu boys shot in Pakistan's Sindh province over blasphemy allegations



"The sanctity of the holy place will be restored and Hindu families living in Islamabad will finally have a place to pray," said PTI lawmaker Lal Chand Malhi, who is leading the campaign as reported by Express Tribune .

Malhi said that letters requesting revival of the temple will be written to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Mamnoon Hussain. The issue will also be addressed to to Islamabad Mayor Ansar Aziz who is the custodian of the site, on August 11.

Malhi has said that the campaign aims to force the government and its departments to allow Hindus to make the temple operational. But if no response is received, the community members, political parties and civil society will open it for prayers.

According to Capital Development Authority records, the centuries old temple had a dharamshala as well but during renovation, it was converted into a public toilet.

The PTI lawmakers also said that the carvings in the walls of Lakshmi and Kali were painted over by the CDA in 2006.

Islamabad Mayor is ready to support the request once it is received. He said he will be more than happy to help Hindus living in Islamabad to get access to the temple.

Also read: Hindu doctor found dead under mysterious circumstances inside ICU of Pakistan hospital



--- ENDS ---
So it's down to this: not only are we a country that can't run a census (and remember even the Romans could do it) but we could soon be a country that effectively relies on foreign aid to run its biggest state's electricity system.

While the NSW Government and its army of financial advisers will laugh all the way to the bank if federal treasurer Scott Morrison approves the sale of AusGrid - the nation's biggest electricity distribution grid - to a Chinese consortium, the rest of us should pause and think about how this changes Australia's status in the world.

As more major electricity assets face sale to foreign investors, will Australia eventually need foreign aid to provide basic services? Credit:Glenn Campbell

For most of our short life as a nation we have proudly run foreign aid programs to help less fortunate nations with their needs for education, roads, clean water and functioning health systems.

In effect, we've been willing to invest in those nations for little to no financial return because they can't afford to themselves.
Oh dear. One of our nation's most trusted and respected public institutions, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, is rightly writhing in embarrassment after its colossal failure in executing one of its key tasks, conducting the five-yearly census.

The ABS' discomfort is heightened by the fact that many had voiced concerns about changes to the census methodology. First, the bureau's decision to store names and addresses for longer than previously fuelled fears privacy might be breached. Second, the shift to a primary reliance on the digital lodging of data created consternation the system would be insufficiently robust  which proved the case under the combined load of millions of people trying to connect to the ABS site and of a malicious cyber bombardment. By announcing the changes in a media release the Friday before Christmas, the ABS gormlessly invited suspicion it was seeking to avoid scrutiny. The ABS failed then, and has since, in communicating the reasons for the changes and in reassuring the public.

Earlier this week, The Age urged resistance to calls to boycott the census, arguing it is in people's enlightened self-interest to participate, because the augmented data collected will improve the ability of all in the public policy debate  including bureaucrats, politicians, academics, media, research organisations and individuals  to better create opportunities throughout our economy and society.

It is crucial this situation be retrieved. The ABS and the government must verify the security of the significant amount of data collected before the site was shut down on Tuesday evening. Investigations by the Privacy Commissioner and the Australian Signals Directorate, an intelligence agency within the Department of Defence, will aid in this.
IMPORTANT: please print this form to fill out and physically return via post. After all, who'd collect sensitive personal data via a public-facing website?



What is your gender?

1. Male



What is your sweet hacker handle?
An extended timeframe for the referendum to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution - a delay rendering a 2017 vote unlikely - has been embraced by the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples as acknowledgement that a "historical opportunity" should be approached in the right way and not rushed.

The 50th anniversary of the successful 1967 referendum, falling in May, had been proposed as an ideal occasion but the Referendum Council announced on Tuesday that further consultations would see it deliver recommendations to the government and opposition in mid-2017, later then expected.

Rod Little, co-chair of National Congress, welcomed the move to maximise consultation with Aboriginal people and questioned the previous possibility of holding the vote on the May anniversary as it would "muddy the waters" of the 1967 legacy if it failed.

"It's affirming what we've always said. Basically, this whole thing is an historical opportunity for this nation and things seem to be a little rushed and then things seem to have drifted a little," he told Fairfax Media.
The Turnbull government has no intention of watering down or delaying its changes to media ownership laws, despite signs the package will struggle to pass the Senate, Communications Minister Mitch Fifield says.

Senator Fifield called on Labor to make up its mind on cross-media ownership laws, saying jobs will be at risk unless the Opposition supports the government's changes.

The government introduced legislation earlier this year to abolish the "reach rule" - which prohibits television networks from broadcasting to more than 75 per cent of the population - and the "two-out-of-three rule" which bans media proprietors from controlling a newspaper, television and radio station in the same market.

A deal with Labor is seen as the government's best hope of achieving reform, given the Senate crossbench, dominated by the Pauline Hanson and Nick Xenophon blocks, is viewed as hostile to deregulation.
Violent extremism will continue unabated in NSW if hate speech laws are not overhauled, a group of more than 35 ethnic leaders have warned.

The unprecedented coalition of ethnic groups has banded together in protest at the state government's perceived inaction on legislation reform.

Ethnic leaders launch their campaign at NSW Parliament on Wednesday. Credit:Daniel Munoz

Attorney-General Gabrielle Upton revealed to Fairfax Media almost a year ago that racial vilification laws would be strengthened and streamlined in a bill to be introduced in early 2016.

But the bill, proposed after the Parramatta terror attack, has never eventuated.
4/8

Terry Burstall (centre) with Stan Hodder (left) and Peter Dettman (right) at Long Tan in 1966. Terry Burstall enlisted in the Australian army in 1966 and was sent to Vietnam. Stan Hodder was sent back to Vietnam for a second tour of duty in 1970. Credit:Courtesy of the Australian War Memorial
The Queensland government has announced it will legalise ride sharing services such as Uber across the state.

Fairfax Media understands that, while ride share will be legal, drivers will face more regulations to match the established taxi industry, which will include background checks.

After Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk ordered the delivery of the final 'Opportunities for Queensland Transport' report, a state government-ordered review designed to shape the taxi and ride sharing industries into the future, be brought forward to the end of July, Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe indicated the report, and the government response, would be delivered in August.

The Premier confirmed on Thursday morning via her Facebook page that her government would legalise ride-sharing services from September 5.
University of Sunshine Coast (USC) researchers are testing the use of drones to combat the effects of erosion on beaches.

The project is part of a collaboration with Sunshine Coast Council launched in April, which involves researchers collecting data on wave movements at Mooloolaba and Maroochydore beaches.

Dr Javier Leon with the $800 drone used to collect data on the wave movements at Mooloolaba and Maroochydore beaches. Credit:University of Sunshine Coast

The locations were chosen due to their popularity with tourists and because they are particularly subject to chronic erosion - when waves and tides wear away the sand and sediments which form the beach.

The Sunshine Coast Council constantly replenishes both beaches, but enlisted the help of USC researchers to calculate the best times and places to dump the extra sediments.
An air and water search is under way to find a diver missing near Queensland's Moreton Island.

Police say the 44-year-old man was diving from a charter boat at Henderson Rock, on the eastern side of the island off Brisbane, when he failed to resurface around 2.20pm on Wednesday.

Police are co-ordinating the search, which features 10 vessels and four aircraft.

AAP
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) In a new twist to the turmoil in Kashmir, the NIA today claimed it was being orchestrated by Pakistan-based LeT and that it was gathering further evidence of the terror groups role in fuelling the unrest, triggered by the encounter killing of a militant leader.

Armed with a confessional video of a captured LeT militant, Inspector General of NIA Sanjeev Singh told reporters that since the summer this year, the banned outfit, with the "help of Pakistani forces deployed on the border", pushed heavily armed terrorists into India with the direction to mix with the local people, create disturbance, and attack police and security forces.

advertisement

The video shows 21-year-old Bahadur Ali, a resident of Raiwind in Lahore, spilling beans about LeTs role in the disturbances. He is also shown speaking about the LeTs sophisticated communication network and assistance rendered to it by the Pakistani army.

Ali, who was arrested on July 25 this year from Yahama village in Handwara in North Kashmir, was in one of the groups allegedly instructed to take advantage of the current situation and throw grenades at the security forces by mixing with the protesters.

"During communications with Ali, Alpha-3 (a communication centre in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir) told that the LeT cadres had been successful in fuelling large-scale agitation in Kashmir after Eid subsequent to the death of Burhan Wani.

"Further investigation is continuing on the disclosure of Bahadur Ali regarding his role in the present unrest in Kashmir," Singh said.

The anti-terror probe agency also said it is gathering further evidence regarding the role of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba in the ongoing turbulence in the Valley for the last 33 days.

The National Investigation Agencys (NIA) comments came a day after India handed over a "strong demarche" to Pakistan over its continued support to cross-border terrorism in India.

NIA also showed to the media a video of Ali alias Saifullah, a Punjabi-speaking man, talking about his family, the time he spent in the terror outfit and his crossing over to the Indian side of the border.

Ali told his interrogators that he was informed by his handlers from a control room code-named Alpha-3, believed to located at a high altitude somewhere in PoK, about the unrest in the Valley following the killing of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen militant on July 8.

His handlers from the control room asked him to throw grenades at the security forces and also informed him that other cadres of the terror group had managed to sneak into the Valley, mingled with protesters and were fuelling tension in the Valley.

This is for the first time that NIA has shown a video statement of a captured militant. Pakistan had earlier this year shown a video statement of Kulbhushan Yadav, an Indian national arrested in Balochistan in March over charges of spying for the Indian intelligence agencies. (MORE) PTI SKL SK SK

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
Every day, Ken Morgan gets off at his local railway stop, Jewell, and sees pink slips fluttering on windscreens in the station car park.

PSOs patrol the carpark daily, and Morgan  like thousands of Melburnians last year  has been fined.

Ken Morgan outside the Jewell railway station car park in Brunswick. Credit:Josh Robenstone

"I see other cars fined almost every day. People don't bother fighting them," says Morgan. He got fined a couple of years ago, took it to court and won.

"My defence was you couldn't just arbitrarily fine people when there were no signs," says the 54-year-old father of three who runs a South Yarra tour company.
A flight attendant who spilt a tray of drinks on a passenger has sparked a chain reaction that has ended up with a personal injury suit being lodged in the Victorian Supreme Court.

Jennifer Green, 71, is suing Singapore Airlines after a flight attendant allegedly spilt a tray of drinks into her husband's lap  causing him to "jerk" into her, injuring her leg.

The Greens were on Singapore Airlines flight 228, from Melbourne to Singapore.

She claims the injury aggravated her diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

In a writ filed to the Victorian Supreme Court on July 20 Ms Green's lawyer called for unspecified damages from the airline.
Melbourne Express: Thursday, August 11, 2016

Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later.

Dismiss
Bali: Australia will strengthen the regulation of stored value cards as part of its crackdown on terrorism funding following revelations jihadists used prepaid money cards in the 2015 Paris attacks.

Justice Minister Michael Keenan told a counter-terrorism financing summit in Bali on Wednesday that this was one of the reforms recommended by a review of Australia's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing legislation.

The terrorists responsible for the Paris attacks, which killed 130 civilians, used prepaid money cards with small amounts on them to fund the carnage.

French Finance Minister Michel Sapin reportedly said at the time that this method made it hard to track their spending.
New York: Two million people in the Syrian city of Aleppo lack access to running water because of escalated fighting, the United Nations has said, beseeching combatants to declare a humanitarian pause to permit emergency deliveries of aid and to fix damaged pumps.

"The UN is extremely concerned that the consequences will be dire for millions of civilians if the electricity and water networks are not immediately repaired," the organisation said.

"The UN stands ready to assist the civilian population of Aleppo, a city now united in its suffering," the statement said. "At a minimum, the UN requires a full-fledged cease-fire or weekly 48-hour humanitarian pauses to reach the millions of people in need throughout Aleppo and replenish the food and medicine stocks, which are running dangerously low."

The statement also denounced the military targeting of hospitals and clinics, which it said "continues unabated, seriously jeopardising the health and welfare of all citizens of Aleppo."
Bali: Justice Minister Michael Keenan has urged Australians to ensure they are donating to legitimate charities after a report revealed there was a high risk of terrorism funding being channelled through non-profit organisations.

The warning comes days after the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade suspended the funding of World Vision programs in the Palestinian Territories after Israel claimed the head of the charity in Gaza was bankrolling Hamas.

Mohammed Al Halabi, right, is seen talking to children in his work as Gaza program manager for World Vision. Credit:World Vision International

"We do make very large donations to charities and the nature of that money is that a lot of it goes overseas," Mr Keenan said at a counter-terrorism summit in Bali.

"So clearly that is something that we need to be concerned about and we have seen an example highlighted in the Middle East as recently as this week that some of that money can be diverted to the wrong purposes."
The speculation started within days of Seth Rich being gunned down in what District of Columbia police think was an attempted robbery near his townhouse in northwest Washington.

Some on the internet wondered if Rich was killed because of his work as a staffer with the Democratic National Committee, even suggesting he had handed WikiLeaks the 20,000 emails that embarrassed the DNC and forced the ouster of its chairwoman. Others suggested he was helping the FBI expose wrongdoing in the presidential election, and that made him a target.

On Tuesday, WikiLeaks shoved those conspiracy theories into the mainstream when it announced on Twitter a $US20,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in Rich's killing on July 10. It adds to a $US25,000 reward offered by D.C. police, customary in all District homicides.

Rich's father, Joel Rich, said he was offended by what he termed "bizarre" reports that are circulating on internet discussion and message boards. Rich and his wife, Mary Ann, who live in Nebraska, where their son grew up, visited the location of the shooting last week and appealed for help in finding the killer.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) In a new twist to the turmoil in Kashmir, the NIA today claimed it was being orchestrated by Pakistan-based LeT and that it was gathering further evidence of the terror groups role in fuelling the unrest, triggered by the encounter killing of a militant leader.

Armed with a confessional video of a captured LeT militant, Inspector General of NIA Sanjeev Singh told reporters that since the summer this year, the banned outfit, with the "help of Pakistani forces deployed on the border", pushed heavily armed terrorists into India with the direction to mix with the local people, create disturbance, and attack police and security forces.

advertisement

The video shows 21-year-old Bahadur Ali, a resident of Raiwind in Lahore, spilling beans about LeTs role in the disturbances. He is also shown speaking about the LeTs sophisticated communication network and assistance rendered to it by the Pakistani army.

Ali, who was arrested on July 25 this year from Yahama village in Handwara in North Kashmir, was in one of the groups allegedly instructed to take advantage of the current situation and throw grenades at the security forces by mixing with the protesters.

"During communications with Ali, Alpha-3 (a communication centre in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir) told that the LeT cadres had been successful in fuelling large-scale agitation in Kashmir after Eid subsequent to the death of Burhan Wani.

"Further investigation is continuing on the disclosure of Bahadur Ali regarding his role in the present unrest in Kashmir," Singh said.

The anti-terror probe agency also said it is gathering further evidence regarding the role of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba in the ongoing turbulence in the Valley for the last 33 days.

The National Investigation Agencys (NIA) comments came a day after India handed over a "strong demarche" to Pakistan over its continued support to cross-border terrorism in India.

NIA also showed to the media a video of Ali alias Saifullah, a Punjabi-speaking man, talking about his family, the time he spent in the terror outfit and his crossing over to the Indian side of the border.

Ali told his interrogators that he was informed by his handlers from a control room code-named Alpha-3, believed to located at a high altitude somewhere in PoK, about the unrest in the Valley following the killing of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen militant on July 8.

His handlers from the control room asked him to throw grenades at the security forces and also informed him that other cadres of the terror group had managed to sneak into the Valley, mingled with protesters and were fuelling tension in the Valley.

This is for the first time that NIA has shown a video statement of a captured militant. Pakistan had earlier this year shown a video statement of Kulbhushan Yadav, an Indian national arrested in Balochistan in March over charges of spying for the Indian intelligence agencies. (MORE) PTI SKL SK SK SK

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
Less Gas Now In San Francisco







New housing units are taking the place of former gasoline stations

SAN FRANCISCO - August 10, 2016: NACSonline reported that it's getting harder to fill up in San Francisco, as the valuable corner lots of gas stations are being snapped up by real estate developers for housing complexes. By 2017, the Bay Area will have 40% fewer gasoline stations than in 2007, KGO-TV reports. During the past six years, 23 gas stations have closed or will close in San Francisco.

In the greater Bay Area, hundreds of gasoline stations have stopped selling fuel since the turn of the 21st century. Jeff Lenard, vice president of strategic industry initiatives at NACS, told the station that the number of gasoline stations across the United States has been declining, largely because selling fuel isnt profitable. The average markup on a gallon of gas is about 20 cents, and after expensescredit card fees, rent, labor, depreciationyou usually make about five cents a gallon," Lenard said.

I was very surprised how slim the margins are on the gas, added Brian Spiers, who has owned a gas station. Spiers had purchased one a decade ago to tear it down and build housing, but with the economic downturn, ran it as a gas station for a while. I ended up developing that property into a 115-unit mixed-use condominium building, he said.

Tom Radulovich, executive director of Livable City, thinks that updating building codes would allow gas stations to be relocated in a way that would meet the needs of todays drivers. Theres also a lot of restrictions on where you can relocate a gas station, so on the one hand, we say preserve them. But on the other hand, once they get displaced there is often no place for them to go, he said.
Independence Day is nearing and the security forces are taking no chances. Everything that moves, or does not - from trees and windows, to residents and beggars - will be under the radar of security agencies.

Police teams will be deployed near the trees at Red Fort to rule out any security breach.

By Mail Today: Security near the Red Fort has been beefed up in preparation for the Independence Day celebrations.

Everything that moves, or does not - from trees and windows, to residents and beggars - will be under the radar of security agencies who will take no chance as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the national flag and deliver his speech.

advertisement

SECURITY PERSONNEL DEPLOYED AT EACH TREE

For better security, police has also got over 3,000 trees pruned in and around the venue.

These trees will be thoroughly checked and will be guarded by security personnel.

"There are around 3,140 trees in and around the Red Fort premises. All the trees are now pruned and lights are being installed on them. Around 2,400 trees are located inside the Red Fort premises and the rest are along the periphery. Security personnel will be deployed at each tree to rule out any security breach," officer said.

Mail Today had earlier reported that the Delhi Police is hiring additional 500 CCTV cameras, which keep a watch on the venue.

PM MODI ON TARGET OF A TERROR OUTFIT

According to a senior Delhi police officer, the Prime Minister is on the target of a terror outfit and they are always looking for new ways to attack him. Based on the inputs from other intelligence agencies we have mapped all the residents, trees and other vital set-up near the venue, he said.

Officials said that the panaromic view that the PM will face has been kept in mind and all buildings facing the Red Fort are being checked. According to Delhi Police, close to 600 balconies and 100 windows open to a clear view of the monument.

"Security personnel will be deployed at such locations during the speech," senior police officer said. Police have also divided areas facing Red Fort in several categories so that in case of emergency, a quick response team can immediately identify the house and reach the spot. NSG commandos will be present atop buildings facing the fort. All borders will be sealed at midnight the day before and opened only at 2pm on Independence Day.

Also Read:

Exclusive: Intelligence agencies warn of drone attack at Red Fort on Independence Day

PM Modi wants a week-long Republic Day-like Independence Day

SpiceJet launches Independence Day sale; offers tickets at a starting price of Rs 399

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: From Anisur Rahman

Dhaka, Aug 9 (PTI) Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla today met Bangladeshs main opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia and and conveyed that India stands firmly with the country in its fight against terrorism.

This was Shringlas first meeting with former premier Zia since he took charge here in January this year.

"The High Commissioner discussed with our leader issues related to bilateral relations and other matters of common interest," Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) spokesperson Sabihuddin Ahmed told reporters after the meeting at Zias Gulshan office here.

advertisement

The BNP Secretary General Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and two other senior BNP leaders were present during the meeting that lasted for about one and a half hour.

"During the meeting, the High Commissioner said India was committed to partner Bangladesh in its economic development with a pragmatic and mature approach based on sovereignty, equality, trust and understanding for mutual benefit of both countries," an Indian High Commission official said.

"The High Commissioner said terrorism and extremism appeared as a major impediment to development. India stands firmly with Bangladesh in its fight against terrorism," the official said.

The discussion on terrorism comes amid a series of murders of intellectuals, writers and minorities in this Muslim- majority nation. PTI AR ASK ASK

--- ENDS ---
Another fantasy bites the dust.

Despite breathless, reverential, tender, loving coverage for his opponent from a few corners of the right-wing media world, Paul Ryan isnt going anywhere. He handily bested his primary challenger, businessman Paul Nehlen, by upwards of 80 points at press time.

There was no reason to expect any other outcome. Ryan led in every poll, and his approval ratings in his district are consistently high. In fact, hes one of the most popular Republicans in the Badger State; after assuming the Speakership, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel found that moderates and independents liked him more than ever.

But there was no point tell that to the right-wing media figures who set up camp in Nehlen and Co.s fantasy land. The same pundits who seem wholly convinced that Trump is definitely going to be president also hopped on the Nehlen Train -- which may raise some questions about their prescience. Nehlens campaign operated in an alternate universe of chem trails and conspiracy theories. Thanks to his loss, that universe is a little smaller.

But though Nehlens campaign is now over, the media figures who fueled it are unlikely to feel chastened. Breitbart, an increasingly hilarious collection of Trump fanfic, touted Nehlens candidacy with breathless glee -- and was braced for his defeat long before the final numbers rolled in.

Ann Coulter Lights Wisconsin on Fire for Paul Nehlen Against Paul Ryan, read a headline on Aug. 6. This is It, This is Your Last Chance to Save America.

Sorry, America. Ann Coulter thinks youre doomed.

An Aug. 9 headline on the site quoted Nehlen as saying, Paul Ryan is a soulless, globalist snake, and we smoked him out of the snake hole.

That, in retrospect, is so wrong its adorable.

When Breitbart wasnt providing succor to Nehlens campaign, he found lots of friendly attention from a blog called TheConservativeTreehouse -- mostly known for its efforts to smear Trayvon Martin. Bloggers there love Nehlen, and refer to his race as The Battle of Janesville. Nehlen loves them too; he tweeted out their stories about his race, as well as one suggesting Philando Castile -- the African-American Minnesota man shot and killed by police in July -- had it coming.

Nehlen got a little less help from his most prominent endorser. In May, Sarah Palin promised CNN she would work to boost Nehlens bid.

If by work she meant post about on Facebook a few times, then she made good on her word. The governor-turned-reality television star never set foot in the district.

Collectively, Coulter, Palin, and Breitbart set Nehlen up for the nights humiliation. Even Trump, for the most part, stayed out. He flirted with Nehlen a bit early last week, tweeting at him to thank him for his kind words. But by the end of the week, hed officially endorsed Paul Ryan -- at an event Ryan skipped. Nehlen put on his favorite tie and drove three hours to attend that Trump rally in Green Bay, according to the Washington Post , but couldnt get in.

They held me from going in. I said, I have a ticket. Im on the list to get into VIP,  Nehlen told the paper. And they said, Nope, youre not, and they pushed me back out.

It would have been hard to watch if he hadnt spent his campaign race-baiting and conspiracy-mongering. But, alas, thats what he did. Nehlen referred to the Black Lives Matter movement as #RadicalLeftWingTerrorism. And he floated the idea of deporting all Muslims living in the U.S.

Im suggesting we have a discussion about it, thats for sure, he told a Chicago radio station on Aug. 4.

Unsurprisingly, white nationalists dig the guy .

Nehlen wrapped up his pre-primary media blitz with a hit on Alex Jones show. He appeared shortly after Jones plugged his Anthroplex product to boost male vitality.

Everybody should get behind him, the 9/11 truther said soberly.

He is the head of the snake and were going to take him off, were going to cut the head off the snake, Nehlen told Jones.

Jones then noted that the polls suggesting Ryan would win are absolutely staged.

Were sendin a message here, Nehlen replied.

Somethings going on here with these polls, Jones reiterated.

Tonights results will give Jones plenty to chew on. For the rest of us, 2016 got slightly less silly.
A House Republican task force has found that officials from the U.S. militarys Central Command altered intelligence reports to portray the U.S. fight against ISIS and al Qaeda in a more positive light than lower-level analysts believed was warranted by the facts on the ground, three officials familiar with the task forces findings told The Daily Beast.

A roughly 10-page report on the controversy is expected to be released by the end of next week, two officials said. While it contains no definitive evidence that senior Obama administration officials ordered the reports to be doctored, the five-month investigation did corroborate earlier reports that analysts felt the leaders of CENTCOMs intelligence directorate pressured them to conclude that the threat from ISIS was not as ominous as the analysts believed, the officials said.

The investigation is ongoing but the report substantiates the claims that intelligence reports were altered, one official familiar with the report explained to The Daily Beast. Another official said that the investigation could remain open even after report is released.

The task force, led by members of the House Armed Services and Intelligence committees and the Defense Appropriations subcommittee, was created after The Daily Beast first reported that more than 50 analysts had filed a formal complaint alleging their reports on ISIS and al Qaedas branch in Syria were being inappropriately altered by senior officials. Some told The Daily Beast they felt they were working in a hostile, toxic office where they felt bullied to draw conclusions not supported by the facts.

Some of the intelligence made its way into briefings presented to President Obama. However, administration officials have consistently said that they have confidence in CENTCOMs reports and that they dont believe White House policy was guided by false or misleading analysis.

The House committee cannot directly punish officials found to have acted inappropriately. But the fact that the appropriations committee was part of the investigation implies that if the military doesnt respond to the findings, lawmakers could punish CENTCOM by curtailing funds.

CENTCOM officials told The Daily Beast they cannot comment on the report as they have yet to receive it. There also is separate Department of Defense Inspector General investigation into the claims which is ongoing and could release its findings as early as this fall, one official said. The DoD IG report could make recommendations that CENTCOM must act on.

But some of CENTCOMs intelligence analysts already are concerned that the DoD IG report will not have as much teeth as the House Republican task force report. These military analysts told The Beast that the head of CENTCOMs intelligence directorate, Maj. Gen. Steven Grove, and his civilian deputy, Gregory Ryckman, had deleted emails and files from computer systems before the inspector general could examine them.

Even the House Republican investigation faced obstacles to its work. Analysts told The Daily Beast that CENTCOM officials were, at times, in the room while they spoke to House investigators, making some feel they could not speak candidly.

What remains unclear is what led CENTCOM to call for more positive conclusions. Was it a decision by Grove or Ryckman or did come from higher up?

As part of a normal deployment rotation, Grove left CENTCOMs intelligence directorate this summer and now is stationed at the Pentagon as director of the Army Quadrennial Defense Review Office. He has been replaced by Maj. Gen. Mark R. Quantock. Ryckman remains in the same position.

After the analysts complaints emerged publicly, President Obama, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, and current CENTCOM commander Army Gen. Joseph Votel have called for what Carter described as unvarnished intelligence.
At a rally on Tuesday, the Republican presidential candidate casually suggested that the Second Amendment people might be able to stop Hillary Clinton from installing Supreme Court judges who would attempt to take away their gun rights. To many viewers, those words sounded like a threat. Just as he did after the whole baby incident , Trump is insisting thats not what he meant and blaming the media for deliberately misinterpreting it. But this time, the stakes are a lot higher.

Thankfully, Trump has a loyal media servant in Hannity, who somehow scored a big interview with the candidate in primetime Tuesday night. First, the host cited an alleged tightening in the general election polls and touted Trumps conservative credentials, accusing Republicans who have said they wont vote for him of helping Hillary. But soon, after a few more minutes of Clinton-bashing and yet another relitigation of the baby thing , he moved on to the big story of the day.

Speaking of unfair, Hannity saidbefore agreeing with his guest that the media is fundamentally unfair because they wont admit they are voting for Clinton in the same way he openly supports Trumphe played the clip of Trumps Second Amendment comments.

So, obviously you are saying that theres a strong political movement within the Second Amendment and if people mobilize and vote they can stop Hillary from having this impact on the court, Hannity told Trump. But thats not how the media is spinning it.

Obviously.

Nobody in that room thought anything other than what you just said, Trump replied. "This is a strong powerful movement, the Second Amendment. Hillary wants to take your guns away. She wants to leave you unprotected in your home. This is a tremendous political movement. The NRA, as you know, endorsed me, theyre terrific people. Wayne [LaPierre] and Chris [Cox] and all the people over there and they tweeted out, basically they agree 100 percent with what I said.

There can be no other interpretation. Even reporters have told me, Trump added. I mean, give me a break. He didnt name those reporters, but of course, Hannity didnt ask him to. Trump said, if anything, this whole controversy is a good thing for him because it will inform more people about his pro-gun stance.

Despite what Trump believes, there have been other interpretations, including former CIA director Michael Hayden, who told The Daily Beast , "If someone outside the hall had said it, I suspect the Secret Service would've considered it threat and detained the individual for questioning."

As for Hannity, he unsurprisingly declined to even play devils advocate with Trump on the issue, nor force him explain what makes him think Hillary wants to take your guns away when her campaign has repeatedly said she has no intention of repealing the Second Amendment or preventing law-abiding gun owners from keeping their firearms.

But none of this should be surprising from a pundit like Hannity who, earlier today, posted an article on his website that attempted to explain away Trumps dismal poll numbers with an interesting bit of logic.

Consider the two candidates Facebook accounts: Trump has over 10 million likes while Hillary has just over 5 million, the piece reads. How about when the two candidates live stream their events? Trump averages 30,000 live viewers per stream while Clinton receives on average, a measly 500 viewers.

The big conclusion: Dont let the polls discourage you.

Rihannas Facebook page currently has close to 82 million likes. Maybe she should be our next president?
When Dwayne The Rock Johnson and Vin Diesel last locked biceps, they threw each other through a half-dozen walls and nearly flattened Rio. That was, of course, in the fictional world of Fast 5, but now it seems some of that silver screen hostility has bled into the real world. And the fate of one of the most beloved and lucrative film franchises in Hollywoodas well as the universe itselfmay hang in the balance.

On Monday, The Rock posted an angry message on Instagram directed at certain unprofessional candy asses on the set of Fast 8, the eighth film in the Fast and the Furious franchise:

This is my final week of shooting #FastAndFurious8. Theres no other franchise that gets my blood boiling more than this one. An incredible hard working crew. UNIVERSAL has been great partners as well. My female co-stars are always amazing and I love em. My male co-stars however are a different story. Some conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others dont. The ones that dont are too chicken shit to do anything about it anyway. Candy asses. When you watch this movie next April and it seems like Im not acting in some of these scenes and my blood is legit boilingyoure right.

Now, there are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and you do not fuck with The Rock. This is the guy who, when asked how he knew the U.S. had taken out Osama bin Laden before anyone else, responded, I got friends in high places and low places. Hes also goddamn enormous.While rumors spread that The Rock was pissed at Scott Eastwood, who by all accounts screams entitled douchebag, TMZ is now reporting that it was none other than franchise leader Vin Diesel, aka Dominic Toretto, who did not smell what The Rock was cooking.

The Rocks rant about unprofessional male co-stars was targeted at Vin Diesel, the gossip site reported, and the 2 had a secret meeting on the Fast 8 set Tuesday to hash things out. Production sources tell TMZ ... when the Rock went nuts on social media Monday night, claiming certain male co-stars were not stand up guys and too chicken shit to confront him ... he was referring to Vin. Were told The Rock has butted heads with Vin during the production, in part because V.D. is a producer and has made decisions that didnt sit well with the former wrestling champ, they added (The Rock is also a producer on the film). Our sources say The Rock and Vin had a meeting on the Atlanta set mid-day Tuesday ... partly because tensions were running so high it was almost impossible to shoot scenes. We do not know if they resolved their issues.

TMZ previously reported that many of the cast members were upset with The Rock for his subgram, since it made each and every one of them a suspect. Various other tabloids have reported a clash of egos on set, with E! News writing that shooting on Fast 8 wasnt easy for anyone but was especially hard on The Rock.

Things on set just didn't feel exactly the same this time around, an insider told E! And while Johnson is the best guy on the planet to work with, hes also a very emotional guy and likes things to go as he sees fit [while] also being fair.

Perhaps the boys co-star, Furiosaaka Charlize Theroncan help squash the beef. She knows a thing or two about em, after all.
Heres an unsettling thought. If North Korea conducts a fifth nuclear test, South Korea should immediately move to arm itself with nuclear capabilities, Won Yoo-chul of the ruling Saenuri Party told Seouls semi-official Yonhap News Agency last week. The existing policies are insufficient to stop the Norths technology development.

Such sentiments are becoming commonplace. Suppose you have a dangerous neighbor with a gun, said Chung Mong-joon, when he was a ruling party lawmaker in 2013. You have to take measures to protect yourself. And being a gun control advocate isnt going to help you.

A majority of South Koreans, living in a democratic state that looks peaceful, want the most destructive weapons on earth. Their dangerous neighbor across the Demilitarized Zone has had them for more than a decade, 54 percent of those questioned in a January Gallup Korea poll said they favored developing nuclear weapons. U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trumps frequent calls this year for South Korea to arm itself with nukes have helped incite and ignite more demands that Seoul restart its nuclear weapons program.

And who can blame the South Koreans? Their desire to possess these devices, long predating Trump, is not just a reaction to the Republican candidate. The increasingly shrill calls for nukes are, more generally, a rebuke of continually ineffective U.S. policies seeking to contain Pyongyang, and they have implications for security far beyond North Asia.

This is not the first time that South Koreans have been thinking about a bomb of their own. Seoul secretly began a nuclear weapons program in the early 1970s during the rule of strongman Park Chung-hee, the father of the current president. The government ostensibly ended the effort, due in large measure to pressure from Washington, after Parks assassination in 1979.

Then, in 2004 South Korea admitted it had, among other things, covertly enriched uranium from 1979 to 1981 and extracted plutonium in 1982. Both experiments with fissile material had only military applications and were clear violations of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the global pact that South Korea ratified in 1975.

The admissions early last decade were not entirely voluntary. Seoul made the disclosures only after the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, started asking pointed questions.

North Korea had been trying to weaponize the atom since at least the mid-1960s, and that was one of the reasons the South wanted its own bomb.

Katharine Moon, the widely followed Korea scholar at Wellesley College and Brookings, points out in comments to The Daily Beast that South Koreans are continually involved in competition with their cousins in the Northwhatever the NKs do, we will do better, is how she characterizes the never-ending peninsular rivalry.

And Moon notes other factors: South Koreans live in a highly militarized society, they have a fascination with technology and power, they desire the status of a nuclear-armed state, and they are concerned America will not defend them.

In fact, Seoul started its first secret nuclear program as it became worried that Nixon, as the Vietnam War was ending, was leading America out of the region.

Now, the South Korean desire for a deterrent is spiking as North Korea, maybe the most destitute state today, continues bomb and missile programs while the U.S., perhaps the strongest nation in history, looks helpless to stop them. The popular attitude, therefore, is an implicit vote of no-confidence in the leadership of the worlds sole superpower, South Koreas only protector.

Jean Lee, a Seoul-based journalist and global fellow of the Wilson Center, notes the high poll numbers for going nuke are largely emotional responses, and, indeed, specific nuclearization proposals from South Korea often lack logic.

For instance, Daesung Song of Seouls Konkuk University, while speaking at a conference in Georgetown University in June, outlined a four-stage ladder for his country. The first step is bringing back U.S. tactical nukes to Korea; second is borrowing a bomb; third is purchasing a nuke from abroad, including the U.S.; and fourth is conducting self-production of nuclear weapons for survival.

With regard to Songs first step, the U.S. had tactical nuclear weaponsgravity bombs, artillery shells, and landminesin the South until 1991, and then took them away to put them on platforms that were on, under, and over the sea.

It makes no military sense to redeploy the tactical nuclear weapons from their hard-to-find sea, sub, and air platforms and put them into a bunker in South Korea, Bruce Klingner of the Heritage Foundation told the Korea Times at the beginning of this month. The Washington-based analyst argues that bringing them back to the Korean peninsula would only increase the time to deploy these weapons and provide a high value target for North Korea to preemptively attack during times of heightened tension.

Songs other ideas dont work either. His concepts of renting or buying bombs are just plain silly, and developing one, his fourth stage, would be ultimately disadvantageous. True, the South, as a technical matter, could build its first nuclear device fast. South Korean military officials in 2013 said they would need only six months. That sounds about right because their country is awash in fissile material and technical expertise.

To develop an arsenal, however, would mean withdrawal from the non-proliferation treaty and accepting the global condemnation and punishment that would follow. Won Yoo-chul, the Saenuri figure, notes that North Korea withdrew from that treaty, but that is not a smart comparison. The North was and remains an isolated state and does not care if it is shunned, but South Korea is highly integrated into the international system and needs friends. The South, therefore, would lose its coveted place in global councils, and, more to the point, the sanctions that would inevitably follow could severely damage its export-dependent economy, now ranked the worlds 11th largest.

Plus, the U.S. would probably walk away from the South, making the country far more vulnerable than it is today. An already isolationist American public would ask why 28,500 Americans troops now in the South are needed when Seoul had its own nuclear deterrent. And this is not a theoretical concern, because Mr. Trump has questioned Americas pledge to defend South Korea and has implied there would be no need for the U.S. to stand with a nuked-up South.

Some South Koreans point out the U.S. has a strong friendship with nuclear-armed Israel, but the situations are different. Israel is not a signatory of the nonproliferation treaty, the U.S. does not base troops there, and Israel does not especially need outside help. South Korea, however, relies on the American tripwire force and the cooperation of American ally Japan.

Moreover, Seoul relies on American nukes. South Korea already has the backing of the best nuclear force on the planet with its ally, the U.S., notes South Korea-based Robert Collins, who works closely with American forces on the Korean peninsula, in an e-mail to The Daily Beast.

Will the calls for Seoul to build the bomb eventually fade? The Wilson Centers Jean Lee notes in an e-mail to The Daily Beast that support for nuclearization is weakest among those in younger age cohorts. They clearly feel more removed from the issue than their parents and grandparents, she notes of the 19-to-29-year-olds.

Yet South Koreas desire to possess its own deterrent is likely to grow in the years immediately ahead. Sung-Yoon Lee of the Fletcher School of Tufts University tells The Daily Beast that the nuclear taboo is not that strong in the South.

And there is another issue. Popular passions ebb and flow, yes, he writes, however the ominous trajectory of Pyongyangs growing nuclear threat over the past quarter century can only impel South Korea to reassess its nuclear posture, perhaps as soon as some time in the coming decade.

Washington, therefore, cannot maintain ineffective North Korean policies over the course of decades and hope to maintain a strong alliance with Seoul. And it is not only the South Koreans who are watching.

Unfortunately, the lack of confidence in Washington is increasingly shared across East Asia. American leadership is failing at a critical moment, dismaying friends, emboldening aggressorsand laying the groundwork for fast proliferation.

If South Korea goes nuke, Collins anticipates other nations will do the same. So in rapid fashion expect states to break out from the global non-proliferation treaty, spreading the bomb around the region, and probably beyond.
The top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was told in late 2012 that a non-profit watchdog group had requested information about Clintons email, including the number of accounts she used, according to documents released Wednesday.

The aide, Chief of Staff Cheryl Mills, and other Clinton advisers knew at the time that the secretary was using a private email system to conduct official business. But despite the information request, the State Department told the group that it had found no responsive records.

This is evidence that Cheryl Mills covered up Hillary Clintons email system, Tom Fitton, the president of Judicial Watch, a conservative group that sued for information about that original 2012 request, said in a statement. She was aware of the [Freedom of Information Act] request about Clintons email accounts and allowed a response to go out that was a plain lie. And you can bet if Cheryl Mills knew about this inquiry, then Hillary Clinton did, too.

A Clinton campaign spokesperson didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mills was alerted to the request, from the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), via an email from a State Department spokesman, Brock Johnson, on Dec. 11, 2012. Mills was told that the group had filed a significant request seeking records sufficient to show the number of email accounts of or associated with Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton

More than two years later, the fact that Clinton had been using a private account during her tenure finally came to light. House investigators looking into the terrorist attacks on a U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, discovered Clinton emails using a .com account. The existence of the private email setup was first reported by The New York Times.

CREW had looked into Clintons email setup after revelations that Lisa Jackson, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, had been using a private email account.

The State Department inspector general had previously reported on CREWs request and the departments failure to find any records, which the IG called an inaccurate and incomplete response. But the email to Mills, whom the IG did not identify by name, is the first public documentation on the matter and will provide Clintons critics with more evidence that she and her aides were not forthcoming.

The IG criticized officials for coming up with little or no response to CREWs requests and those from other outside groups even though the information they sought was clearly available.

Judicial Watch has already deposed Mills and other top Clinton aides under oath in a lawsuit seeking information about how and why Clintons email system was set up. Now, Judicial Watch wants the judge in that case to force Clinton to give a deposition, as well.

This is all the more reason for Mrs. Clinton to finally testify under oath about the key details of her email practices, Fitton said, pointing to the evidence that Mills was aware of inquiries on the subject while Clinton was still in office.
As the world learned during an audition tape montage that played during Saturday Night Lives 40th anniversary blowout last year, the show notoriously passed on several comedians who went on to be superstars, including Jim Carrey, Stephen Colbert, and Kevin Hart. But SNLs prickly producer Lorne Michaels is also guilty of firing some of his most successful cast members with little warning and even less explanation.

This week, ahead of the upcoming 42nd season, SNL decided to give the boot to Taran Killam and Jay Pharoah, both of whom had been with the show since 2010. Garnering less attention was the decision to fire Jon Rudnitsky, who barely made an impression with his one season as a featured player.

But Killam, and, to a lesser degree, Pharoah, were major cast members who made significant impacts on the show over the past six years. When Splitsider meticulously calculated the screen time for each cast member at the end of season 40, Killam came in first with 11.47 percent. Pharoah, who took over the role of President Barack Obama after Fred Armisen left the show in 2013, did not fare as well with just 6.33 percent. However, that was before he really came into his own this past year by delivering the definitive impression of Dr. Ben Carson.

At the start of last season, SNL made a big announcement that Killam would be playing long-shot presidential candidate Donald Trump. But after just a handful of appearances, he was replaced by Darrell Hammondin retrospect an ominous harbinger of what was to come. On Monday, Killam revealed in an interview with Uproxxs Mike Ryan that he doesnt fully know why he was let go and said he expected to return for what would have been the final season of the seven-year contract cast members agree to when they join the show. While those contracts prevent performers from leaving the show before their seven years are up, they can still be fired at any time.

And SNL has a rich history of firing cast members who, by all measures, were thriving on the show. There have also been several recent examples of cast members who were clearly talented but perhaps just the wrong fit. Stand-up goddess and DNC agitator Sarah Silverman was apparently let go via fax after just one season. Rob Riggle found himself in the wrong season at the wrong time before getting pushed out and moving on to become a Daily Show correspondent. And then there was Jenny Slate, who never seemed to recover from letting the word fuck slip out during a sketch on her very first episode. She was not asked to return for a second year.

As Slate told Marc Maron in one of his SNL-obsessed podcast interviews, she found out she had been fired by reading an article on Deadline Hollywood. No one from the show even had the courtesy to call and let her know. Besides creating the viral hit Marcel the Shell and generally being the best voice in every animated movie, Slate went on to star in the critically-acclaimed film Obvious Child.

But cast members who were veritable SNL staples got similar treatment. When The Daily Beast spoke to Adam Sandler a couple of years ago, he told us how both he and his friend Chris Farley were fired from the show during the summer of 1995.

We kind of quit at the same time as being fired, Sandler said. It was the end of the run for us. The fact that me and him got fired? Who knows. We were on it for a few years, had our run, and everything happens for a reason. We kind of understood because we did our thing. It hurt a lot at the time because we were young and didnt know where we were going, but it all worked out.

Sandler went on to become one of the biggest comedy movie stars of all time, but after appearing in several hit films, Farley tragically passed on just two years later. In Live From New York the oral history of SNL by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales, Norm Macdonald tells the story of discovering he had been fired from both the show and his Weekend Update postat the direction of NBC Executive Don Ohlmeyermere hours after he found out Farley had died. But no one would come right out and say that he was off the show. Lorne has a hard time telling you bad stuff, he explained.

According to countless interviews from that book and Marons podcast, which has become the destination for former cast members to dish about their time on the show, Lorne Michaels has a hard time telling people much of anything.

Just this week, on a new episode of WTF, Seth Meyers told Maron how he was hired to join the show as a featured player in 2001. Echoing the stories of many other cast members, Meyers said that when he met with Michaels following his audition, he was not overtly offered a job. Instead, the executive producer made him wait outside his office for more than an hour before telling him he should come back soon to see how he looks in wigs. It was only after flying back to L.A. that Meyers figured out this meant he had the gig.

A similar thing happened when Meyers was picked to succeed Jimmy Fallon on Late Night. After a New York Post article named him as a front-runner for that job, he had a phone conversation with Michaels that he described as a follow-up call to a call that never happened. When Meyers brought up the rumors, Michaels said, Well, I think youll be good at it as if he already knew he was getting this major career opportunity.

In the world of SNL, it seems, there is no formal celebration when you get your dream job. So therefore, it follows that there should be no memorial service when its gone. If you are never told that you have the job, then how can you be upset when you lose it?

As anyone whos seen the love letter to comedy that is Mike Birbiglias new movie Dont Think Twice, Saturday Night Live is still the most coveted job out there for rising comedians. But those lucky enough to roam the hallowed halls of Studio 8Hincluding the inevitable new hires to be announced later this summershould know the risks.

For every epic Will Ferrell or Kristen Wiig send-off, there will be those who are kicked to the curb without anyone even showing them the door.
Parents of Hamid Ansari, who is lodged in a jail in Pakistan, have been seeking appointments with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and PM Narendra Modi to appeal for intervention at the highest level for the release of their son.

By Smita Sharma: "I just imagine what will be the condition of my son. Every prisoner draws a line on the walls of the cell to remind themselves of the day they will be released. For my son it is this uncertainty, that he does not know when he will come out though he has completed his term. I am grieving and in trauma. I wish I had feathers to fly and bring back my son."

advertisement

56-year-old Fauzia Ansari, a lecturer in a junior college in Mumbai, is in deep pain but her spirit is feisty. She is prepared for a fight. The fight to get her young son Hamid Ansari lodged in a jail in Pakistan, back home to safety. News poured in last week that Hamid had been assaulted in jail. Since then the worried family has been seeking appointments with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to appeal for intervention at the highest level.

With a bandaged left foot, writhing in pain, Fauzia stood at Vijay Chowk, outside Parliament under the sharp sun to make her voice heard through media. Her husband, Nehal Ansari, a former manager of a public bank sought voluntary retirement to search for his son who went incommunicado since he crossed over to Pakistan via Kabul in 2012. And it is only after four years of painful search, did the family learn on January 13 this year that Hamid was lodged in a Peshawar prison. But the family has still not heard his voice.



Don't miss my story with the family of Nehal Ansari, jailed in a Peshawar jail for 4 years. @SushmaSwaraj ji do help! A family needs you. Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) August 10, 2016

I watched your program. We hv sought consular access to Hamid Nehal Ansari. We are earnestly trying for his early release. @sardesairajdeep Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 10, 2016

THIS IS THE EPISODE SUSHMA SWARAJ IS TALKING ABOUT

NO CONSULAR ACCESS, ASSAULTED IN PAKISTAN CELL



Despite a mutual prisoners' agreement that allows consular access to Indo-Pak prisoner's lodged in each others' jails within 90 days of arrest, Islamabad has not allowed this formality to Indian High Commission officials.

Hamid's father Nehal Ansari says "We tried consular access for Hamid but could not succeed and are trying our level best to see if we can go to Pakistan for a short term."

Since his VRS, Nehal Ansari who had an LLB degree, has been actively practicing and taking up cases of illegal immigrants caught in different countries without any documentation.

Meanwhile Senior Lawyer Qazi Mohammad Anwar and his assistant Rakshanda Lal are providing legal representation to Hamid on humanitarian grounds. When local media printed news of the assault Fauzia spoke to Rakshanda and learnt that this was not the first time her son had been attacked in prison.

"Hamid was beaten very frequently in jail just for being an Indian. The inmates who attacked said we will make you pay what is happening in Kashmir. The lawyer told me that Hamid is beaten up not just by fellow prisoners but also by the warden who should take care that no prisoner should attack each other. But he used to slap Hamid daily," say Fauzia as she holds back her tears.

advertisement

CROSSED OVER FOR LOVE, LODGED IN PESHAWAR JAIL

A software engineer and MBA, Hamid will turn 31 years of age on September 16. His elder brother Khalid is a doctor. But at 27, Hamid chose to travel across the LoC in the fall of 2012. He went into Kabul first from where he spoke to his family through an Afghan mobile number.

Within a week he entered the bordering Kohat area in Pakistan, but without legal documents.

And that November his life changed forever. Family friends say he had met a Pakistani girl on Facebook and he crossed over simply for his love.

Jatin Desai a journalist and family friend associated with Pakistan-India Peoples' Forum for Peace and Democracy, recalls that before undertaking the secret dangerous journey, Hamid had come to him seeking help. He had been told that the girl Saba was to be married off to someone else as an honour killing settlement in the family. And Hamid had to reach to save her. Jatin advised Hamid against the travel but he went ahead nevertheless. Hamid was soon arrested by the Pakistan Army. The girl or her family belonging to the tribal areas never came forward in his defence.

advertisement

"There is always tense relation between India and Pakistan but both countries need to realise humanitarian aspects. Today's youngster use technology, Twitter, Facebook so easily they become friends. A Pakistani girl can be a close friend of an Indian boy through online medium. Both countries need to ease out the visa complexities," says Jatin Desai.



PRISON TERM SERVED, BUT NO SIGNS OF RELEASE

After media reports emerged of assault on Hamid, the matter came up for hearing in a Peshawar court. The judge asked the jail superintendent to give a written guarantee that no further attacks would take place.

But the Ansari family says that while they respect the law and understand that Hamid crossed over illegally, but instead of safety measures which cannot be guaranteed, his release date should be set.

Hamid has already served four years in jail -a year more than the prison term handed to him. And as images of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh who lost his life in a Pakistani prison haunts the family, they fervently pray that the uncertainty surrounding their younger son's release ends sooner than later.

advertisement

Also Read:

Mumbai resident attacked thrice in Pakistan jail, Sushma Swaraj asks Indian envoy to help

Indian man arrested with fake IDs attacked twice in Pakistan jail

They tortured me like an animal: Punjab's secret agents tell how they risked their lives



--- ENDS ---
Its a tenet of the intelligence business that spies are supposed to avoid the political fray, declaring allegiance to no party or candidate, and speaking the unvarnished truth to whomever is in power.

Donald Trump has turned that tradition on its head. Compelled by a candidate whom they say poses a unique threat to U.S. foreign policy and security, dozens of current and former intelligence professionals have in the past few months lept into the political arena in an unprecedented, coordinated effort to keep a presidential nominee from being elected.

This is new territory for American spies, who, when they do criticize politicians, tend to do it retrospectively in score-settling memoirs or op-eds, and not in the heat of a presidential campaign. But just as the 2016 election has departed from tradition in so many ways, intel professionals are now feeling unleashed to try to block Trump and help his opponent get elected.

Longtime spies and security experts have derided Trump as a Russian stooge; an unrepentant demagogue whose rhetorical attacks on Muslims have alienated the very people the U.S. wants to enlist in an international fight against terrorism; and a neophyte whose whose militant ignorance and hostility to expertise makes him fundamentally unfit to hold the nations highest office.

Many intelligence officials are horrified by a candidate who is not just a foreign policy ignoramus, but who seems so contemptuously uninterested in discussing nuances and complexities. I cant imagine having to be his intel briefer, Matthew Waxman, who served in top positions at the Defense Department and the National Security Council during the George W. Bush administration, told The Daily Beast.

Waxman was one of 50 former national security and foreign policy officials , who have all served in Republican administrations, to sign an open letter this week declaring that Trump would put at risk our countrys national security and well-being.

That letter was preceded by one in March, signed by 121 GOP national security experts and former officials , who said Trump is a fundamentally dishonest person who would use the authority of his office to act in ways that make America less safe, and which would diminish our standing in the world.

And last week, in a blistering op-ed in The New York Times, former CIA deputy director Michael Morell endorsed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and argued that Trump is already damaging our national security by promising to ban Muslims from entering the United States, an idea that clearly contradicts the foundational values of our nation, [and] plays into the hands of the jihadist narrative that our fight against terrorism is a war between religions. Morell is presumed to be on a short list for CIA Director in a future Clinton administration, and some read his op-ed both as a condemnation of one candidate, and an attempt to ingratiate himself with another.

On occasion, top intelligence officials have endorsed a presidential candidate. In 1996, for instance, former CIA Director James Woolsey backed Republican Sen. Bob Dole over Woolseys former boss, incumbent president Bill Clinton. And intelligence veterans who campaigned for would-be presidents have come back to government to serve them: The current CIA Director, John Brennan, was a retired intelligence officer when he became Sen. Barack Obamas national security adviser in the 2008 campaign.

But half a dozen former officials and historians told The Daily Beast that theyd never seen so many intelligence professionals come forward in opposition to a candidate as they have with Trump.

It is the volume this time that is completely new, said Timothy Naftali, an intelligence historian and professor of national security studies at New York University.

Trumps critics are especially unnerved by the mutual admiration society he has formed with Russian President Vladimir Putin , himself an ex-spy who joined the KGB in 1975, in his early twenties, and served until the fall of the Soviet Union.

I believe Trumps apparent bromance with Putin offends the core of anyone familiar with that former KGBer, which means practically anyone in the U.S. intelligence community past or present, Naftali said. When you add to that Trumps apparent inability to understand that we need the help of Muslims around the world and at home to defeat violent Islamic extremism, the deep concern about a Trump presidency expressed by top intelligence professionals is hardly surprising.

If the spooks have broken with tradition, they say that its because Trump himself has departed so radically from acceptable behavior for a presidential candidate.

A very broad array of national security and intelligence officials see Trump as outside the zone of reasonable policy disagreement and character fitness, Waxman said.

Several have said they dont think the public opposition to Trump from the intelligence community is out of line, despite its unprecedented nature.

If these people had made these statements while still in office, it wouldve been a terrible precedent, said Joel Brenner, the former inspector general for the National Security Agency and the former head of U.S. counterintelligence in the George W. Bush administration. But theyre not in office, and theres nothing new in having retired officials speak their minds. Theyre doing their duty as citizens in the face of a hateful and horrifically dangerous candidate.

Brenner continued, The question is why the leaders of the Republican party havent said the same thing. They know its true.

Like elected officials, intelligence vets have seen the inner workings of government close enough to form an opinion on how Trump is likely to perform in office.

A lot of these folks have seen White House decision making up close under several presidents. They know that the entire White House soon comes to reflect the style and temperament of the president, and that there are very few checks there on his discretion in foreign policy and intelligence matters, said Stewart Baker, a former general counsel at the NSA and the top policy official at the Homeland Security Department during the last Bush administration. So theyre worried that Trumps willingness to rethink longstanding security principles on the fly will lead to big and potentially dangerous changes in policies that they lived under throughout their careers.

Not all ex-intelligence officers have sided against Trump. Retired Gen. Michael Flynn, who ran the Defense Intelligence Agency from 2012 to 2014, is a top national security adviser to the Republican nominee and was a finalist to be his running mate. Flynn has railed against Clinton for her use of a private email server, and at one point demanded that she withdraw from the race until the Justice Department had reached a decision on whether to prosecute her. (Last month, the department declined to do so on the recommendation of the FBI director , James Comey.)

But Flynn is alone among his colleagues in backing Trump. And his withering assaults on Clinton are another sign that the old inhibitions on intelligence officials entering the political ring have fallen away.

In some respect, the road to this hyper-political environment was paved by retired military officers, like Flynn, whove taken up the partisan mantle when they step out of uniform. In 2006, half a dozen retired generals blasted Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfelds handling of the Iraq War, a public campaign of criticism that some likened to a revolt. And at the Democratic convention in Philadelphia in July, retired Gen. John Allen spoke on behalf of Clinton.

Retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Martin Dempsey criticized Allen and Flynn, who spoke at the GOP convention in Cleveland, for politicizing national security affairs. As generals, they have an obligation to uphold our apolitical traditions, Dempsey wrote in a letter to The Washington Post . They have just made the task of their successorswho continue to serve in uniform and are accountable for our securitymore complicated.

Neither Flynn nor Allen will put on the uniform again. But they could return to public service, as could any number of intelligence veterans who are openly parting ways with Trump or backing Clinton.

Baker, the former NSA general counsel, said taking a side now risks the credibility of intelligence professionals in the next administration.

If [Trump] wins and comes into office thinking that the intelligence community has joined the opposition, it will be bad for the IC and the country, Baker said. On the other hand, he said, an endorsement of Clinton by a top former official, like ex-CIA official Morell, raises questions about whether professionals can be impartial.

Its hard to be comfortable, if Hillary Clinton wins, with someone getting the CIA job by dint of overt partisan campaigning. Thats not the way we want the job to be won, and certainly not how we want the job carried out, Baker said.

Clearly, the rules have changed. And perhaps former officials have been taking their some of their cues from the top. Privately, intelligence officials and some lawmakers have worried that Trump may leak classified information he receives in a security briefing thats offered to all presidential nominees.

Brennan, the current CIA director, has said publicly that he wouldnt carry out orders from any president to torture prisoners, effectively putting him at odds with Trump, who has said he would bring back brutal interrogation techniques such as waterboarding. And while Brennan hasnt endorsed a candidate, theres little doubt whose side hes on.

As Bloombergs Eli Lake recently reported, the director is campaigning to continue in his post in a Clinton administration . And in an appearance at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington in June, Brennan seemed to suggest that he wanted as little to do with candidate Trump as possible .

When PBS journalist Judy Woodruff asked Brennan if would personally give the intelligence briefing that Trump and Clinton are offered, the director grinned slightly and promised to fulfill my CIA responsibilities to the best of my ability. And if there is a need for me to be personally involved in this, I willI will try to carry out my responsibilities.

Brennan paused, then said, And if theres not a need, I will not, prompting laughter from the audience.
On Wednesday the FSB, the successor organization to the KGB, declared that it had prevented terrorist attacks in Crimea over the weekend.

According to the security service, an FSB agent was killed in a firefight with saboteurs on Saturday night near Russian-occupied Armyansk, a town close to the frontier with mainland Ukraine. Several Russian and Ukrainian citizens were arrested, the report claims, and a cache of explosives and weapons was discovered.

According to the FSB, some of the weaponry, which included improvised explosive devices and magnetic mines, belongs to Ukrainian special forces units. A Ukrainian citizen from Zaporizhia, one Yevgeny Panov, allegedly an agent of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defenses Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), was detained and is supposedly confessing to his captors.

On Sunday night, the FSB claimed that Ukrainian special forces made two attempts to cross the frontier under cover of massive fire from Ukrainian troops and armored vehicles. A Russian soldier reportedly was killed.

This information, although not independently verified, may track with rumors circulating earlier this week of Russian military patrols roving around in the north of Crimea, with some witnesses saying that they have heard sporadic gunfire. An informed source meanwhile told Rosbalt, a Russian news site, that there had been a clash on the frontier on Sunday night, likely the event that the FSB now frames as a terrorist incursion by Ukrainian commandos.

Kiev denies all reports of fighting on the frontier or incursions into Russian-occupied Crimea. But Vladimir Putin is furiousor pretending to be. He says that Kiev is not searching for paths to negotiations, but is moving to terror. From the Russian side, during the course of preventing terrorist attacks in Crimea, two soldiers died, we cannot pass this by.

For the better part of a year, the war in Ukraine, has been frozen but oven-ready, as former NATO press officer Ben Nimmo once put it, with regular upticks in violence and provocations not quite leading to full-scale melt-downs.

That changed over the last week, however, with whispers inside Ukraine and among the foreign press corps that another big clash may be in the final stages of preparation with the locus of unusual activity in, yes, Crimea. Tatar activists on the peninsula noted that Russian military hardware had been moving towards the northern towns of Dzhankoy and Armyansk, near the frontier with Ukrainian-controlled territory.

At the same time, verifiable video evidence emerged of large quantities of Russian military hardware on the move in the south of Crimea.

Columns of armored personnel carriers, military ambulances, fuel tankers, trucks, signals and engineering vehicles have been recorded in the port town of Kerch which handles ferry arrivals from Russia. They have also been spotted in the Crimean regional capital of Simferopol, and outside a military training range near the southern town of Feodosia.

In Sevastopol, RFE/RLs Crimean Service filmed the Mirazh, a Nanuchka-class missile corvette, at anchor in the bay. Incidentally, it was the Mirazh that sank a Georgian coastal patrol boat exactly eight years ago today.

According to the report, checkpoints have been set up around the peninsula. At one such roadblock outside Simferopol, the report describes Russian traffic cops and troops from the Russian Interior Ministry stopping buses, checking drivers documents and peering through passenger windows.

Meanwhile, there are also reports from northern Crimea that Internet services have been out of action, and may not be restored until August 10. Areas without service include Dzhankoy and Armyansk, prompting suspicion that communications have been purposefully cut by the occupying regime for purposes as yet unknown.

Oleh Slobodyan, an adviser to the head of the Ukrainian State Border Service, reported last night that border guards had indeed observed a high level of activity from Russian armed forces near the administrative border. On six occasions we observed flights of Russian military helicopters and, on one occasion, an unmanned aerial vehicle. Slobodyan said that Russian troops had used searchlights to light up Ukrainian positions.

In response, Ukraine has deployed additional troops and military hardware to the Kherson region, adjacent to the administrative border with Crimea.

Adding to the unease, the Kerch city administration posted a brief announcement on Monday, requesting tourists refrain from traveling to Crimea in the coming days. According to the announcement, the Kerch ferry is overloaded with tourists, who may well be arriving for summer holidays albeit with less-than-savory company, namely the Night Wolves biker gangPutins own state-blessed Hells Angels who played a symbolic role in the lead-up to the 2014 annexation of the peninsula when they drove through the peninsula on a wave of anti-Maidan agitprop.

Over the weekend, huge queues reportedly formed at crossing points on the frontier while the occupying security forces closed one of the three checkpoints. But by this morning, all routes were supposed to be open to traffic again.

In Donbas, the provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, where Russias other military incursion has been much bloodier than that in Crimea, the situation also has heated up, with July going on record as the deadliest war month in almost a year.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenkos administration counted 42 soldiers killed and 181 wounded. Violence is recrudescent mainly in southern parts of the region, near the city of Starohnativka, a key flash point during last summers major campaign, but the majority of attacks are taking place around several other locations, with focus alternating between them. On Monday night Shyrokyne, on the Azov Sea coast east of Mariupol, saw particularly intense shelling, with the Ukrainian military reporting more than 200 artillery and mortar rounds raining down on Monday night.

Fighting also rages every night around several other hot spots, chiefly Novotroitske, on the highway between Mariupol and Donetsk; Maryinka and Krasnohorivka, west of the separatist-held regional capital; Avdiivkato the north; and Zaitseve and Luhanske, to the north and east of Horlivka.

Heavy artillery and mortars are in play every day, and there are also reports, confirmed by journalists and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which has a monitoring mission on the ground tasked with recording ceasefire violations, of the use of inaccurate, but wildly destructive Grad rockets.

Artillery and rockets are falling not only on the Ukrainian military, but on civilians on both sides of the front line, with at least one wounded every day and deaths reported each week.

Amid all this, there are mixed signals from Ukrainian officials.

On Sunday, Col. Andriy Lysenko, military spokesman for Ukraines Presidential Administration, declared that the Ukrainian armed forces expected a new offensive at any time, possibly within the next week.

Lysenko said that heavy military equipment could be seen maneuvering across the entire front line.

In contrast, Anton Gerashchenko, MP and adviser to Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, told reporters:

I can say openly that we do not anticipate war or attack by the Russian Federation on Ukraine in the near future. Putin has realized that continuing a military occupation of Ukraine does not bring the anticipated results for him. Putins strategy relies on bargaining with Ukraine over the return of Donbas provided that we abandon all attempts to ever regain Crimea.

Ukrainian military intelligencenow accused by the FSB of plotting sabotageis rather sanguine about the movements in occupied Crimea. On Monday Vadim Skibitsky, spokesman for Ukraines GUR, told Ukrainska Pravda that the movements seen in Crimea were preparations for the Kavkaz-2016 exercise, an annual drill in Russias southern military district. This would correspond with the sightings of convoys headed to the training range near Feodosia.

Skibitsky did note, however, that such preparations could be used to mask mobilization for attacks, was done when the same exercise was held on the eve of Russias 2008 summer war with Georgia.

Skibitsky also said that troops were being deployed in the Dzhankoy area, but that this was a planned rotation of forces. Such rotations of units take place every six months, he said.

One of the units filmed driving armored personnel carriers through Kerch seemingly supports this analysis. Dr. Igor Sutyagin, a Russian military expert at the London-based Royal United Services Institute, told The Daily Beast that he recognized the insignia of the 127th Reconnaissance Brigade, a unit formed last year in Sevastopol.

So what is actually going on?

While the last month in Donbas has certainly seen a more sustained level of violence and death, it is hard to gauge when a watershed moment comes in the war.

So far this year we have seen Ukrainian troops make marginal advances near all of the locations named above. We have seen increased deployments of anti-aircraft weaponry by Russian forces, and a new willingness to shoot down OSCE drones with them. We have even seen reports that indicate the introduction of armed drones by Russia, which made several attacks on Ukrainian positions behind the lines, but have not been spotted for several months now.

So is the current, more sustained surge in violence an indicator of anything to come, or just another wave of fighting that will subside like previous ones? And what are Putins options in not letting the death of two Russian soldiers pass?

On the other front with Crimea, the movement of Russian troops and hardware is certainly a threatening display of force, and these assets would indeed add to the pressure on Ukrainian forces in the event of an all-out Russian offensive. But its still unlikely that Russia would try to invade mainland Ukraine from across the isthmus.

With only a small land bridge connecting the peninsula to the mainland and few crossing points across the lagoons of the Syvash, it would be difficult for Russia to mount an invasion here without a serious commitment of air and sea power.

Russia is already close to a year into a mainly aerial campaign in Syria, where Turkish-backed rebels have recently gained ground in Aleppo, breaking a month-long siege of the eastern part of the city in spite of intense Russian sorties to hold it. Moreover, several elite military units involved in the Crimea takeover in 2014, such as 810th Marine Brigade, have been deployed to Syria from Sevastopol. Would they now be recalled to their home base?

An amphibious assault into Ukraine from the peninsulaRussian armored personnel carriers fitted with snorkels have been filmed on the moveis another possibility, but the Ukrainian military has had nearly two and a half years to reinforce the frontier.

Moscow neednt invade Ukraine again to harm it, however. These military maneuvers in Crimea, and suspect FSB reports of terrorism, still count as a form of psychological warfare designed to hurt Ukraines already bruised and battered economy, and perhaps also force Kiev into making a dangerous mistake that might cost it further. The worst would be reacting to a provocation in such a way that Russia can plausibly present itself as the victim rather than the aggressor.

The Russians have made extensive use of psy-ops throughout the conflict, hand in hand with a massive propaganda campaign. Measures include the mass distribution of SMS messages to whole districts on the eve of battle, spreading panic and confusion, or the dissemination of HD videos of Ukrainian captives being abused and their corpses being desecrated.

Then again, August is the cruelest month in Russian history. It was in August 2014 that Russian regular forces mounted a large-scale invasion of Donbas to prop up their faltering proxies. Before that, from the outbreak of World War I in 1914, through the failed coup detat in Moscow in 1991, the 1998 financial crisis, the beginning of the 1999 Second Chechen War, the Kursk submarine disaster in 2000, to the 2008 summer war with Georgia, with dozens of terrorist attacks and natural disasters to boot, many Russians believe in the phenomenon of an August curse. And one wonders if superstition can give way to self-fulfilling prophecy.

It is possible, for instance, as a result of all the heightened anxiety, to conceive of Ukrainian commanders overreacting to troop movements at the Crimean frontier or shelling attacks in Donbas. (The Georgians made this miscalculation in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, after all.) Russian-backed forces could always mount retaliatory attacks or grant the Kremlin the opportunity to decry Ukrainian aggression and go to war under the pretext of self-defense or humanitarian urgency, perhaps unilaterally deploying peacekeeping forces.

The geopolitical situation at present also doesnt bode well for Ukraine. Many of Kievs most stalwart defenders are either out of office, such as Carl Bildt and Radek Sikorski, the former foreign ministers of Sweden and Poland, respectively, or are moving on to other postings, such as the tireless U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt.

And Europe seems both exhausted with Kievs sluggish pace of reforms as well preoccupied with larger and more immediate concerns, such as the migrations crisis, the rise of far-right political elements within their own borders, jihadist terrorism, Brexit, and the possibility of further withdrawals from the EU.

Rapprochement with Moscow is everywhere occurring, from Ankara to London to Washingtonat least where Syria is concerned. (The current lame-duck commander-in-chief, whose predecessor dealt with the Georgia crisis with months left into his second term, is in no discernible mood to leave office in a state of renewed confrontation with his Russian counterpart.) In Brussels, the desire to let bygones be bygones and lift sanctions on Russian officials and institutions in order to return to a status quo ante of commercial trade and foreign direct investment is profoundly felt.

Into this air of disillusionment stalks a certain U.S. presidential candidate who openly flatters Putin and has intimated that recognizing Crimea as Russian Federation territory (because hes heard that Crimeans want it to be so) and lifting all punitive economic measures for its seizure might be part of his administrations foreign policy objectives.

With the Olympics still on in Rio, and Donald Trump still on television, whod even notice or care if a short little war broke out again in Europe?
One of Britains richest men, Gerald Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, a friend of the royals and the owner of vast swaths of prime London property, including the lions share of Mayfair and Belgravia, has died aged 63, of a heart attack.

While unexpected, the death has not come completely out of the blue.

He was a depressive and had been unwell for many years, a source tells The Daily Beast.

His only son (who is his third child), Hugh, 25, will now inherit the title and the vast Grosvenor fortune, due to the ancient British law of primogeniture, which favors eldest sons.

Prince Charles was said today to be deeply shocked by the dukes sudden death, while Buckingham Palace confirmed the queen had sent a personal message of condolence to the dukes wife and children.

According to Forbes, the duke had a fortune of 8.3 billion, making him the 68th-richest person in the world, and the third-richest person in the U.K. However, he has frequently been cited as the richest person in the U.K., depending on property values of the day.

He was commonly regarded as the richest British-born, full-time resident, as other claimants to the title are either based and pay tax overseas or were born outside the U.K. David and Simon Reuben, for example, with a fortune estimated at 13B, were born in India and live in Monaco, and the Hinduja family (worth about the same) are also immigrants to the U.K. who live, in practice, all over the globe.

A close friend of the Prince of Wales, the duke acted as an informal mentor to William on Charless request. His wife, Natalia, is Prince Williams godmother and they were closely involved in William and Harrys lives after Dianas death.

Gerald was a stalwart supporter of the monarchy, and was always ready to put his assets at the service of the Windsorsjust last week, William and Kate borrowed his private jet to fly to a holiday villa in the south of France.

He was also an executor of Princess Dianas will.

His son and heir, Hugh, 25, who now becomes the Seventh Duke of Westminster, is cut from a similar cloth. He is a close friend of William and Kate Middleton and is Prince Georges godfather. Much like the young royals, he guards his privacy fiercely, has never given an interview and has no presence on social media.

Acquaintances tell The Daily Beast he is a polite and reserved character, little-known outside a circle of close friends.

Although his father was brought up in studied and deliberate simplicityGerald was raised on a beef farm on an island in the middle of Lough Erne in Northern IrelandHugh has been aware of his destiny from an early age.

There was still a deliberate attempt by his parents to provide a normal context to his lifehe was sent to a local state primary school but then attended a private secondary school, as did his three sisters. He did not board, as Gerald hated his school days at Harrow, leaving with just two O-levels.

His father threw a 21st birthday party for him at the family seat in Chester, for which the dress code was black tie and neon. Presents were banned but those who insisted were permitted to add to the young mans wine collection.

Whilst lavish, rumors that the event at Eaton Hall cost 5 million are said to be wide of the mark.

Hugh, a student at Newcastle University, told his local paper The Chronicle in one of his only publicly recorded comments: The party was simply amazinga birthday and a party I will never forget. It is the beginning of a new era in my life and I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead.

The Grosvenorswhose fortune dates back to their acquisition of 500 acres of swampy land in the 1600s that would become Eaton Square, Mayfair, and Belgravia and the heart of Georgian Londonare intimately connected with the royal family.

Hughs oldest sister, Lady Tamara, is married to Edward van Cutsem, brother of William van Cutsem, another close friend of Williams who is also a godparent to George.

There are two other sisters: Lady Edwina, 34, married to television presenter and historian Dan Snow, and 23-year-old Lady Viola.
As Donald Trump told a Wilmington, N.C., crowd on Tuesday afternoon that maybe Second Amendment people could prevent a President Hillary Clinton from nominating Supreme Court justices, a red-shirted man with white hair, seated behind the GOP nominee, dropped his jaw in stunned bafflement.

It was the look of disbelief heard round the world. And it seemed to indicate that, despite the campaigns best efforts to deny Trump suggested armed violence, his own supporters had, indeed, heard it the way everyone else did.

CNN managed to find the white-bearded manDarrell Vickers of Oak Island, N.C.and on Wednesday afternoon he played defense for the Cheeto-colored candidate all while confessing hed have physically punished Trump for making such a remark in public.

I cant believe he said it, Vickers recalled of his initial reaction to Trumps comments. I was just absolutely taken aghast.

The retired engineer said that he likely wouldve given Trump a southern-style punishment for his remark. Had we had a chance to talk to him, I would have taken him to the shed, he told anchor Brooke Baldwin. Down here in the south, we dont curse in front of women, we dont drink liquor in front of the preacher, and we dont make jokes like that in public.

However, it wasnt Trumps dangerous rhetoric that drew Vickerss ire, but rather the fact that his joke could be easily misinterpreted by the liberal media.

We would have taken Mr. Trump to the shed and said, Dont say things like that because people will misconstrue it. But it was clear to my mind, and to the people around me, that he was trying to make a joke; and, unfortunately, people like some of the mediafor instance, like, Huffington Postwill take that and screw that up and distort it.

Pressed on the fact that he believes the comments were simply a joke, Vickers played the role of dismissive Trump surrogate: Well, he wanted to make a point. And the point is that Hillary Clinton is going to cause us to have problems with the Second Amendment and with gun rights, etc., and it was clearly a joke, not something that I would have taken seriously. Theres no one that I know who would have taken that seriously.

Ultimately, even though Vickers is convinced Trump made an off-color joke worthy of a whooping, he still concluded that I believe he has the kind of integrity that we need in this country. Hes honest and I am convinced he has the moral fiber to lead this country.
Dave Clarks split with Princess Beatrice is being talked up as temporary by some of her friendsbut sources tell The Daily Beast that Clark is very much set to move on from the 10-year relationship.

News of the split only emerged this weekend, although it is believed the decision to part ways was made as much as a month ago after Beatrice gave her former beau an ultimatum to propose or walkand he chose the latter.

Beatrice, who recently turned 28, was keen to marry (as have many of her friends in recent years) but Clark, 32, was clearly more ambivalent.

To be honest, it caught us by surprise, said one acquaintance of Clarks of the separation. I always thought it was hard to see how Dave could not marry her as they had been together so long.

Adding to Clarks decision was the fact that Prince William and many members of the extended family have made no secret of the fact that they do not like or trust him. Clark is a capable and popular guy well known among his friends for being a catchhe may be forgiven for asking himself if he needed the grief of marrying a Windsor.

Ironically enough, it is William who first introduced Dave to Bea. He got to know him at St Andrews University and was at first taken by the Americans friendly and outgoing manner.

However, William subsequently came to believe Clark to be indiscreetthe worst of crimes in Williams eyesand pointedly did not invite him to his wedding.

However, people who know Clark speak of a warm and amenable character who has never sought to trade off his royal connections.

Clark, the son of wealthy corporate lawyer, has had a stellar career, first in finance, then at Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic, and now with Uber.

He started off in the ride-sharing behemoths London office but relocated to New York last year.

Rather than sign up for a long-distance relationship, Beatrice went with Clark in a clear sign of her devotion. Her parents were big fans of Clark, and, at her fathers urging, Bea took a business course in San Francisco, where Uber has its headquarters, before taking an investment banking job in Manhattan when Dave relocated there.

It has been reported Beatrice left the company a month ago, around the time she and Clark split. There has been some dispute as to whether she was let go or left voluntarily.

However, having built a new life in New York, she plans to continue to be based in the city and is now reportedly working with friends to establish a business consultancy service.

Beatrice has been widely portrayed as a dilettante in the British press, with the Daily Mail calculating that between December 2014 and December 2015 the princess racked up 18 foreign jaunts including a trip on Roman Abramovichs 1.5 billion super-yacht in Ibiza.

The subtext was always that she was simply killing time waiting for a proposal. And the reason for the delay was often attributed to the fact that prior to the birth of Princess Charlotte, Beatrice was sixth in line to the throne and technically needed to seek permission from the queen before accepting a proposal of marriage (although most palace sources say it is nonsense to imagine the queen would ever have blocked Beatrice from marrying her choice of suitor after witnessing firsthand the disastrous results of royal interference in the marriages of Princess Margaret and Prince Charles).

It seems that instead a more prosaic reason was to blame: Clark simply wasnt ready. And so although after Charlottes birth it was widely assumed that Clark would propose, he never did. And now he never will.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani will be going to Siachen Base camp on Raksha Bandhan while seven other women ministers of the Narendra Modi government will be visiting soldiers elsewhere that day.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said Irani will visit the Siachen Base Camp on August 18.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti, Women and Child Welfare Minister Maneka Gandhi will visit borders areas and interact with the soldiers.

advertisement

Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State for Commerce; Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Minister of State in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries; and Anupriya Patel, Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will be also meeting soliders on Raksha Bandhan. PTI PR DIP ZMN DIP

--- ENDS ---
Sharmila, who has been a symbol of struggle against the AFSPA was force-fed in a hospital with tube attached to her nose. Photo: Reuters

By Indrajit Kundu: An embodiment of insurgency-wracked Manipur's fight against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), human-rights activist Irom Sharmila Tuesday ended her 16-year hunger strike against the 1958 law.

Held in custody in a hospital in Imphal and force-fed with a tube attached to her nose, Sharmila had become the symbol of the protracted struggle against the AFSPA, which critics denounce as draconian.

advertisement

The 44-year-old activist terminated her protest with a plunge into power politics. "From today onwards I have ended my fast," she told reporters. "I want to join politics as I've been called the Iron lady of Manipur and I want to live up to that name."

REPEAL OF AFSPA TOP PRIORITY

She vowed to unseat her state's Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi Singh.

"I am being the real embodiment of a revolution and I want to be the CM of Manipur to help people," she remarked as she invited independent candidates to join her for Manipur's assembly elections due next year.

The repeal of the AFSPA, she insisted, would be her top priority if she was elected.

Sharmila launched her hunger strike in November 2000 after a battalion of the Assam Rifles allegedly gunned down 10 civilians in a village near Imphal. Back then, she pledged she would not end her fast till the AFSPA, which shields armed forces from prosecution, was revoked. The law, though, still remains in place. Her move to call off what was her indefinite hunger strike originally and venture into politics has left many surprised.

BUT WHY POLITICS?

"I'm quite surprised by her move. Maybe she wants to gauge the public mood and made that announcement," said Samrendra Singh, overlooking the empty courtyard of his house in Malom village, the scene of the November, 2000 massacre.

Singh lost his son, then 17, in the shootings 16 years ago.

Sharmila has been revered as a goddess at Malom for her protest against the AFSPA. Her "sacrifice", Singh said, could "never be wiped away".

At the same, he expressed his aversion to her political plans. "We have placed her at a pedestal above gods. She is above politics. A politician only thinks of the next election.

"A statesman like her thinks about the next generation. So why does she want to join politicians?" wondered Singh.

Several others echoed the same views. "We feel distraught at her decision though we still expect her to carry on the fight against AFSPA and we still believe in her for what she has done," said Chelsea.

Also Read:

All you need to know about Irom Sharmila

Sharmila's Choice





--- ENDS ---
Irom Sharmila today said that she won't go back home till her demand of repealing the 1958 law is met.

By India Today Web Desk: In her first interview after breaking epic 16-year-long fast against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) law, human rights activist Irom Sharmila today said that she won't go back home till her demand of repealing the 1958 law is met.



The Iron Lady of Manipur said that the people of Manipur doesn't understand her, she wants people to know her as a normal person.

advertisement

Irom even made her intentions and ambitions clear by saying that she wants to be the Chief Minister of Manipur as she wants to bring some positive change. "From today onwards I have ended my fast," she had told reporters. "I want to join politics as I've been called the Iron lady of Manipur and I want to live up to that name," Irom Sharmila said.

Sharmila launched her hunger strike in November 2000 after a battalion of the Assam Rifles allegedly gunned down 10 civilians in a village near Imphal. Back then, she pledged she would not end her fast till the AFSPA, which shields armed forces from prosecution, was revoked. The law, though, still remains in place. Her move to call off what was her indefinite hunger strike originally and venture into politics has left many surprised.

7 BEST QUOTES FROM IROM SHARMILA'S SPEECH:



These people dont understand me; I want to become a harbinger of peace not just for Manipur but for the entire world. Want to spread peace around the world, not just Manipur. I'm at peace after taking out the feed tube after 16 years, Will not go back home till my demand of repealing AFSPA is met. India may understand me, But Manipuris don't. Manipuris don't understand my struggle Want to contest elections, become Chief Minister of the state. I just want people to know the real me,I want to live a normal life. I want equality among people, will be messenger of peace. I don't want to be Jesus Christ or Mahatma Gandhi; I am a normal person.

IROM SHARMILA: SHUNNED BY FAMILY, OPPOSED BY SUPPORTERS



The 44-year-old activist might have been hailed as an icon for her epic fast but after ending the hunger strike, back home she found herself unwanted.

Her decision to take the political route to continue struggle against AFSPA did not go well with her own family too. Reportedly, she was even heckled in Shamu Makhong area yesterday.

EVEN AFTER 16 YEARS, SHARMILA KEEPS HER MOTHER WAITING

Sharmila has not visited her house at Kongpal Kongkham Leikai, on the edge of Imphal city, even once all these years.

advertisement

Despite breaking her fast with a dab of honey on Tuesday, the 44-year-old 'Satyagrahi' made it clear that she would not go home till AFSPA is repealed and preferred to stay in an ashram till then.

Her associates said to avoid any emotional outbursts Sharmila had not been meeting her mother during the fasting period.

Elder brother Singhajit said their mother is waiting for the moment of her victory which will come only when AFSPA is repealed.



WATCH VIDEO HERE



ALSO READ | Iron Lady Irom Sharmila ends 16-year fast for power politics



All you need to know about Irom Sharmila

--- ENDS ---
Following persistent demand by Opposition, the government agreed to have a debate on the ongoing crisis in Kashmir in the Rajya Sabha.

By India Today Web Desk: The Rajya Sabha took up the debate on Kashmir situation with Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's absence in the House during the sensitive debate.

"The crown of India (Kashmir) is burning. You must have felt the heat on your head, if not the heart," Azad said initiating the debate.

"Situation in Kashmir has worsened after you have come to power," said Azad while targeting the BJP.



advertisement

"You call J-K an integral part of India, but there needs to be an integration of hearts as well between the rest of the people and J-K. There needs to be integration between Centre and State government," said Azad.



PM Modi broke his silence on Kashmir unrest yesterday while launching the fortnight-long celebrations of India's 70th Independence Day in Madhya Pradesh.

"The use of pellet guns should be stopped," said Ram Gopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party.



OPPOSITION'S DEMAND

Following persistent demand by Opposition, the government agreed to have a debate on the ongoing crisis in Kashmir in the Rajya Sabha. Home Minister Rajnath Singh will discuss the matter in Parliament today.

The demand, which was initially made by Leader of Opposition, Ghulam Nabi Azad, urged the government to hold an all-party meet to discuss the ongoing crisis in the Valley and send a delegation to the state right away.

WHAT PM SAID

PM Narendra Modi in his speech yesterday said that the freedom that is cherished by every Indian also belongs to the people in Kashmir. He said India loves Kashmir while some people are trying to cause the region harm.

"Kashmir, which we give so much love to... some people there are causing it a lot of harm," Modi said in comments aimed at calming the situation in the Valley, which has been on the boil for more than a month over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.

Modi invoked former Prime Minister AB Vajpayee whose doctrine of 'insaniyat (humanity), jamhuriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat' had succeeded in bridging the divide between the Valley and India more than a decade ago.

SITUATION IN KASHMIR

More than 55 people have been killed in the weeks of demonstrations and clashes between Kashmiri protesters and security forces. The violence has left thousands injured. Hundreds, who have been hit by pellets, have partially or fully lost their eyesight.

Also read:

PM Modi on Kashmir unrest: Kashmiris have the same freedom that any other Indian does

Ready to discuss Kashmir in Rajya Sabha tomorrow: Rajnath Singh



--- ENDS ---

advertisement
Two teenagers were arrested early Tuesday after police say they robbed a Subway and attempted to rob a convenience store.

According to Bryan police, College Station police responded to a Subway in the 600 block of University Drive around midnight Monday. Witnesses said two men robbed the store at gunpoint. One was wearing a Texas A&M hoodie and one was wearing a dark hoodie and carrying a dark Levis backpack. Authorities said the two took cash and fled.

One hour later, Bryan police responded to a Stripes convenience store in the 4300 block of Boonville Road. An employee told police two men matching the description of the two at Subway held at her gunpoint, but she refused to open the register. The suspects left the store.

According to police reports, a Bryan police officer went to the Stripes on Texas 6 and noticed a car with passengers dressed similarly to the suspects in the Subway robbery. Police say one person was counting cash in the car. Officers say a significant amount of loose cash, more than 20 small plastic bags of marijuana, a Xanax pill and two black air soft handguns were found in the car.

A 22-year-old was in the car, but was not arrested. Christopher Jeremy Salazar, 17, and a 16-year-old were charged with aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony punishable by up to 99 years in prison and $10,000 in fines, and possession of a misdemeanor amount of Xanax. Salazar also faces a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge.
Rallying his party in a state that has not gone to a Democratic presidential nominee since 1976, Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine declared Tuesday that he and Hillary Clinton are not conceding anything.

This team, the Clinton-Kaine team, we are serious about Texas, Kaine said at an event for campaign volunteers in Austin. We are very serious because we know the kind of work that you do.

While Clinton leads Trump in many national polls  and in several battleground state polls  Kaine warned Democrats against growing complacent ahead of November. The election, he said, has been a season of surprises that requires resilience from Democrats across the country.

Texas Democrats know tough, he told volunteers. This is not a territory where its always smooth sailing.

Kaine is making a two-day swing through Texas, mainly for fundraising. He was set to attend a fundraiser later Tuesday in Austin and today in Fort Worth and Dallas.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney defeated President Obama in Texas, 57 percent to 42 percent.

The campaigns decision to hold a semi-public event in a state not normally competitive in general elections was unusual. About 300 Clinton campaign and state party volunteers turned out for the event inside a sweltering warehouse on Austins east side.

While it was Kaines first trip to Texas as Clintons running mate, he is not unfamiliar to Texas Democrats. He paid special attention to the state when he ran the partys national committee from 2009 to 2011.

Texas is critically important, Kaine said, recalling his early days as DNC chair. The first meeting we did, we brought it to Austin to show, hey, were going to go after Texas, and its big and its complicated and its hard, but were serious about this.

Kaine voiced many familiar criticisms of Republican nominee Donald Trump, portraying him as a youre fired president and Clinton as a youre hired president. He also dinged state Republicans while criticizing Trump, saying Texans are not strangers to divisive campaigns.

Later Tuesday evening, Kaine dropped in on a taqueria on Austins east side to mingle with the dinner crowd. Introducing himself as just Tim, the running mate went from table to table shaking hands, taking pictures and striking up small talk over topics ranging from how much he hears about public education on the campaign trail to his familiarity with some Austin city officials.

Kaine spoke extensive Spanish with both the diners and the employees at the restaurant, Taqueria Chapala. He made a point of meeting the workers behind the counter  and waving through a window to a cook in the kitchen, who smiled and nodded.

Kaines longest interaction was with one diner who appeared to invite him to sit down and have a conversation. Over the next few minutes, the two went back and forth in Spanish, with Trumps name coming up at least once.

The conversation seemed to center on Trumps comments, made during his announcement speech last year, that characterized people entering the country illegally as having criminal intent. My people work, the man said.

Kaine responded by calling the Latino community a community of faith, family and work and a source of strength for our country. He also noted there are big differences between the Clinton-Kaine ticket and Trump on immigration.

I want to fight for the community, not against the community, Kaine said.
The Texas Attorney Generals Office and University of Texas at Austin on Monday asked a federal judge to throw out a lawsuit brought by three UT-Austin professors seeking to keep guns out of their classrooms despite the states new campus carry law.

In two separate court filings, lawyers for the university and the state argue that the professors claims that the law violates their First Amendment rights are unfounded. They also argue that the federal court doesnt have jurisdiction to rule on the state law.

Professors Jennifer Lynn Glass, Lisa Moore and Mia Carter have argued that the law, which went into effect Aug. 1, will stifle discussion in their classrooms. The law made it possible for people who have concealed handgun licenses to carry their weapons into classrooms and most other campus buildings. The professors say they fear that guns present during class discussions will cause people to censor themselves out of concerns for their safety.

UT-Austin, however, argues that incidental impact on free speech does not violate the First Amendment.

Even if the ... policy had some incidental impact on Plaintiffs speech, that impact does not implicate any interest that the First Amendment protects, the university argues.

The professors have asked U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel to allow them to personally ban guns in their classrooms. They are also seeking a temporary injunction to prevent guns in their classrooms before fall classes start on Aug. 24. Yeakel held a hearing on the matter last week but didnt rule. He gave both sides until Monday to file additional briefings to clarify their stances. Both sides can submit rebuttals by Wednesday. A ruling on the injunction should come soon after that.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says university professors could face disciplinary action if they dont allow handguns to be brought into their classrooms.

Paxtons court filing this week was part of a motion to dismiss a federal lawsuit brought last month by three professors at the University of Texas at Austin seeking to block the so-called campus carry law, which took effect Aug. 1.

Texas has allowed licensed concealed handguns in public since 1995 but had previously made college buildings off limits.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
March 5, 1941 - August 6, 2016

"Collecting things you lovethat are authentic to you and your housebecomes your story." --Designer Erin Flett

A joyful and committed collector of cars, refrigerator magnets and friends from every walk of life, Tom Pennell died Saturday, August 6, 2016, at age 75.

Born in Crosby County, Texas, on March 5, 1941, Tom was welcome by Ila Sheldon "Pete" Pennell and Martha Maud Pennella cotton farmer from the Texas Panhandle and a homemaker, respectively. His siblings include Wesley Wade Pennell and Joy Nell Pennell Lipscombboth now deceasedas well as Joe Pat Pennell (and wife Susan), Kenneth Ila Pennell (and wife Betty) and Johnny Charles Pennell (and wife Vickie). Thanks to a long-running drought, the six Pennell children grew up in extremely impoverished circumstances, moving constantly around the area (with their parents) in search of better economic opportunities and higher quality farmland. But while Tom was as hardworking as the rest of his family, he much preferred reading to farm chores. As a young man, Tom loved to zip around the Panhandle on his scooter and began working on cars during his time at Post High School, from which he graduated in 1958.

In order to better his circumstances while also serving his nation, Tom enlisted in the United States Air Force for a four-year commitment (1963-1967). During this time, Tom also met Sharon Kay Smith Pennell, and married her in 1966; their union lasted forty-four years, until her death on May 30, 2010. Together, they are the parents of a daughter and a son, Andrea Lynn "Andi" Pennell Scott (and husband Tim) and Richard Allan Pennell (and wife Judi). Happy to simply be together, Tom, Sharon, and their children made many lifelong friends in joining such organizations as First Christian Church of Bryan and the Masonic Orderwith Tom reaching his 32nd degree as a Freemason. In addition to these pursuits, Tom loved being a Ham radio operator (call sign: KB5GX) and a member of the Brazos British Motorcar Register. Indeed, Tom owned a blue 1980 MGB which he loved to take to car shows and rallies. He also enjoyed collecting and servicing his guns, and he and Sharon were both known as avid collectors of refrigerator magnets.

After his time in the Air Force, Tom worked as a teletype repair man for the Western Union, and when that position became obsolete, Tom stayed on as a telecommunications troubleshooter and eventually, as a fiber optic repairman. His love of reading helped Tom stay up-to-date for decades in his professional career. Funny and always friendly, Tom loved to tinker with anything as he endeavored to help others, including his beloved family and many close friends. He was witty and caringwith a thick skin, a big heart and a sensitive souland he considered serving others to be his way of demonstrating his devotion to God.

Surviving Tom and remembering him now are his children and their spouses: Andi & Tim Scott and Richard & Judi Pennell, as well as three of his siblings and their spouses (Joe Pat & Susan Pennell, Kenneth & Betty Pennell, Johnny & Vickie Pennell) and his brother-in-law, Val Lipscomb. His beloved grandchildren also mark his passing; they are Elissa Jacquelyn Scott and Edward Sheldon Pennell. This tightly-knit family is joined by a mourning network of nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family and friends. Tom was predeceased by his parents, his sweetheart of 44 years (Sharon), his brother, Wesley Pennell and sister, Joy Nell Pennell Lipscomb.

The Life Celebration for Tom Pennell will begin with Visitation from 5-7pm on Thursday, August 11, 2016 at Hillier Funeral Home in Bryan. Funeral services will then be held on Friday, August 12th at 2pm, at First Christian Church of Bryan. Interment will be at Bryan City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the Pennell family requests that memorial donations be directed to the American Cancer Society and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, in Dallas (call 214.559.7650). As you join us in remembering Tom, please bring along a refrigerator magnet which you can leave with usa tribute to Tom's hobby of collecting.

Share your memories of Tom and leave condolences at www.hillierfuneralhome.com.
The Muslim ban, the David Duke denial, the "Mexican" judge flap, the draft dodger denigrating John McCain's military service, the son of privilege attacking an immigrant Gold Star mother and the constant revisionism and lying about past political positions taken are but a few of the lowlights that have punctuated Donald Trump's chaotic chase for the presidency.

Any one of these offenses would have disqualified any other candidate for president. But the Republican nominee remained competitive against a historically weak Democratic nominee on the promise of bringing radical change and dramatic disruption to Washington.

That appears to be changing. Post-convention polls show Trump falling behind by double digits both nationally and in must-win swing states like Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Virginia.

And the political ride will only get rockier for Trump in the coming days after he suggested that one way to keep a conservative Supreme Court after Hillary Clinton got elected would be to assassinate her or federal judges. Trump and his supporters have been scrambling wildly all day to explain away the inexplicable, but they can stop wasting their time. The GOP nominee was clearly suggesting that some of the "Second Amendment people" among his supporters could kill his Democratic opponent were she to be elected.

The presidential candidate that House Speaker Paul Ryan endorsed tried to explain away his suggestion of an assassination by telling Sean Hannity his comments were meant to unite supporters before the election. It's too bad for Trump and his supporters that his comments related to what Hillary Clinton would do after being elected and nominating Supreme Court justices that gun owners would not like.

We are in uncharted waters but that does not mean that the way forward is not clear. It is.

The Secret Service should interview Donald Trump and ask him to explain his threatening comments.

Paul Ryan and every Republican leader should denounce in the strongest terms their GOP nominee suggesting conservatives could find the Supreme Court more favorable to their desires if his political rival was assassinated.

Paul Ryan and every Republican leader should revoke their endorsement of Donald Trump. At this point, what else could Trump do that would be worse than implying the positive impact of a political assassination?

The Republican Party needs to start examining quickly their options for removing the Republican nominee.

A bloody line has been crossed that cannot be ignored. At long last, Donald Trump has left the Republican Party few options but to act decisively and get this political train wreck off the tracks before something terrible happens.
Front-page photo of Hillary Clinton seemed to be familiar

I saw the picture of Hillary Clinton on the front page ( Eagle , July 29) and was reminded of pictures of Adolf Hitler during World War II. There is more than one similarity, though.

Think about it.

CHARLENE RITTER

Bryan

Amazing that Obama thinks Trump is unfit to be president

I find it amazing that President Barack Obama thinks Donald Trump is unfit for the presidency. Obama is the most destructive and divisional president we have every had. Obama is the most unfit person to ever be president.

Obama should have looked in the mirror eight years ago to see who is most unfit to be president.

He has been such a loser for America.

DICKIE RYCHETSKY

College Station

Which fork in the road will America take in November?

Our democracy is at a crossroads right now  or, rather, at a fork in the road.

Neither of our presidential candidates are well liked, but we have to deicde which one would be the better for our country.

What road at the fork will we take?

TY GORMLEY

Bryan

Republicans should stop beating up on Hillary Clinton

Kudos to The Eagle (July 31) for honoring Hillary Clintons historic nomination for president by the Democratic Party. She is more than qualified for this position.

As to this constant attack of having a lot of baggage, flaws and foibles to the point of being called a crook and lock her up, however, I have had enough. Apparently, her biggest crimes are Benghazi and an email cover up. And that has been in the past eight years  you know, since the Republicans started freaking out about this well-liked and respected woman who they knew would be running for president again.

The Republicans sensationalism of Benghazi has been disgraceful and the repetitive hearings are held to hurt her ratings, as admitted by a Republican.

And emails? Really? If you take time to read about it, the State Department has been criticized repeatedly for its antiquated computer technology. Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice both confessed to using private email for government business. Bob Gates said he had a hard time figuring out was and was not classified.

Look, I understand with someone such as Trump Republicans are angry and embarrassed, but quit taking it out on Hillary. She has given her whole life to public service with good and bad results, but she has always tried.

In the words of Khizr Khan, what sacrifices have you made?

SALLY JOHNSON

Bryan

Where have all the highway workers on Rudder Freeway gone?

Where are they? Where did all the workers go? Where are the workers on North Earl Rudder Freeway who work for the Texas Department of Transportation?

Last week, nothing was done on the entrance/exit ramps. No workers in sight, no equipment moving. Surely theyre not gone because of the weather  no rain in weeks. Or is it too hot?

Did they all go on vacation at the same time? Why dont they finish one project before starting another?

Good Grief.

CHARLIE RAY

Bryan
The CEO of Hiranandani Hospital and four other doctors were arrested when a kidney racket in the reputed hospital was exposed by the Mumbai Police.

By Vidya : The Mumbai Police today arrested the Chief Executive Officer and four other doctors of the LH Hiranandani Hospital in connection with an alleged kidney racket which came to light last month.

CEO Dr Sujit Chatterjee, medical director Dr Anurag Naik, Dr Mukesh Shetye, Dr Mukesh Shaha and Dr Prakash Shetye were arrested under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, he said. The arrested doctors were produced before the 66th court at Andheri Metropolitan court today.



advertisement

Police had sought maximum police remand saying that a committee had been set up to look into the involvement of the doctors. Public Prosecutor Sudhir Sapkale said, "From day one when other accused were produced police had doubt about the involvement of doctors in the case and it was when the committee established that there was case of negligence under the TOHA only after that the police moved in and arrested them."

Advocate Abad Ponda appearing for the accused doctors argued that the main accused in the case has already been granted pre arrest bail. He said, "The man who actually forged all documents in case is roaming free so why have the doctors been arrested? Police has to show some material to say that the doctors were involved. What Mumbai Police is doing right now is arresting the doctors and then saying that they will produce the evidence later."

He asked magistrate Ashwini Lokhande to look into the remand copy where it says that the reason why police wanted the remand of all accused doctors as they could find out if any money transaction had taken place between doctors and other accused. He even argued that it is not the doctors responsibility to check if the man and woman were related and if their documents were not forged. "It is the job of the ethics committee to look into this. The four doctors have no duty under the penal code or that of the TOHA to check documents" he added.

Ponda said, "The company Hiranandani hospital had not been made a party. It is their own case that Nilesh Kamble is the main accused. So vicarious liability on the CEO cannot be established." "Putting doctors behind bars is not just dangerous but it is not even needed. What is to be recovered at their instance that police want the remand?" asked ponda.

He even said that the arrests were politically motivated.



EXPOSE OF THE RACKET

The racket came to light when the police were tipped off that a kidney transplant operation had been scheduled on July 14 at the privately-run Hiranandani Hospital where donor and recipient were not related.

advertisement

DETAILS OF THE CASE

The operation on Brijkishor Jaiswal, the recipient, was stopped as police found that the woman who was donating him the kidney was not his wife, contrary to the papers submitted by the duo.

The woman had pretended to be his wife only to be able to donate the kidney to Jaiswal, according to the police.

Police then started probing if anybody else had received kidney using similar subterfuge and if the hospital authorities were involved.

The police has said that the doctors were arrested based on the state health department report that pointed to their alleged involvement in the racket.

ALSO READ: Kidney racket: Two senior doctors questioned



--- ENDS ---
Joella Cabalus It Runs in the Family premieres at the 2016 Vancouver Queer Film Festival August 16 at the International Village (Tinseltown). Special guests at the premiere include Joella Cabalu and Jay Cabalu.

The film follows Cabalu and her gay younger brother Jay on a road trip from Vancouver to Oakland, California to Manila, Philippines. On the way, they meet their other queer relatives to see how they have reconciled their Catholic faith, family relationships and sexuality.

I am so excited to finally be able to premiere this film in Vancouver at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival (VQFF). VQFF was the first festival that I attended as a filmmaker and it holds a special place in my heart because its where my documentary career launched, says Cabalu.

The film has been shown in Asian American film festivals in San Francisco, Oregon, New York and Houston. It also won the Audience Choice Award at the Seattle Asian American Film Festival.

Show starts at 9 p.m. To buy tickets visit http://queerfilmfestival.ca/films/it-runs-in-the-family/

To watch the trailer visit https://vimeo.com/151863064
Congratulations to the Town of Rocky Mount, Assistant Town Manager and Harvester CEO Matt Hankins and to Harvester staff and supporters for the music venues latest and biggest award.

Last week, the Harvester Performance Center received the Southern Economic Development Councils 2016 Community Economic Development Award for communities under 5,000 people in the 17-state region represented by the council.

The prestige of winning an award presented by economic development professionals representing 17 states is quite significant, Hankins said. Many more communities have fewer than 5,000 residents than are on the other end of the scale, so to win recognition over so many other communities is an amazing honor for town council, the staff, the Harvester and our residents.

More and more music lovers and musicians are learning of the Best Live Music Venue in the region and are making their way here to see for themselves.

The Harvester was the winner of the 2016 Virginia Economic Development Association Community Economic Development Award, which led to its submission for this latest regional award.

This award was a real surprise, Hankins said. I had no idea that the VEDA (Virginia Economic Development Association) moved on to a regional level.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe sent a letter of congratulations to the town for the tremendous growth in business due to the development of the Harvester Performance Center.

Rocky Mount serves as an exemplary model for towns across the Commonwealth, and I commend Mayor Steven Angle, Vice Mayor Greg Walker, members of Rocky Mount Town Council and staff for their leadership and vision, McAuliffe said.

The list of accolades the Harvester is growing quite long, proving that the vision for the Harvester is extremely beneficial for the town and is paying off in spades in terms of our local economy and growth.

The music venue has definitely put our little town on the map.
When the Franklin County Agricultural Fair returns in September, pet and livestock shows will be featured on each day of the third annual event.

In many ways, the pet and livestock shows are what help to make an agricultural fair special and give it that distinctive atmosphere, said David Rotenizer, chairman of the 2016 Franklin County Agricultural Fair. The early deadline for registering your animal or critter is Friday, Aug. 19, but entries can be made through the day of each show.

The shows include a dog show, small critters and poultry show, sheep and goat show, and beef and dairy show.

On Wednesday, Sept. 14, the Dog Show will begin at 5:30 p.m. with adult and junior showmanship classes that will be judged on the ability of the handler; 13 exhibition and breed classes that will be judged solely on the animal; and performance classes.

Ribbons will be available for the top six animals in each class with Grand Ribbons going to the Best in Show and Best Junior Showman. Registration on Wednesday begins at 4:30 p.m.

On Thursday, Sept. 15, the Agricultural Fair will host the Small Critters and Poultry Show. Registration will begin at 3:30 p.m. with the show starting at 5:30 p.m.

Classes will include adult and junior showmanship; nine small critter exhibition and breed classes (rabbits, rats, mice, hedge hogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, ferrets, and other), along with other competitions for Cutest Critter, Smallest Critter and Hairiest Critter.

A Poultry Show at the same time will judge adult and junior showmanship, as well as different types of large bird chickens, bantams, ducks and turkeys.

Ribbons will be available for the top six animals in each class with Grand Ribbons going to the Best in Show and Best Junior Showman.

The Sheep and Goat Show will take over the shelter at the fairgrounds on Friday, Sept. 16. Registration will start at 3 p.m. and the show will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Adult and junior showmanship classes will be judged on the ability of the handler with exhibition and breed classes for sheep (market lambs and ewes) and goats (market goats, meat does and dairy goats).

Ribbons will be available for the top six animals in each class with Grand Ribbons going to the Best in Show and Best Junior Showman.

The Beef and Dairy Show will wrap up the weekend on Saturday, Sept. 17. Registration begins at 3 p.m. with the show at 5 p.m.

This show will include adult and junior showmanship classes, as well as 15 different exhibition and breed classes. Ribbons will be available for the top six animals in each class with Grand Ribbons going to the Best in Show and Best Junior Showman.

To learn more about the Pet and Livestock shows, contact Cynthia Martel with the Virginia Cooperative Extension, Franklin County Office at (540) 483-5161, or email at cmartel@vt.edu.

Visit the fair website to download and complete the appropriate show packet and return it with the entry fee as directed.

For more information about the Franklin County Agricultural Fair, visit FCAgFair.com and follow on Facebook at FCAgFAir.

For questions, call (540) 483-3030 or e-mail Info@FCAgFair.com.

The fair will be held Wednesday, Sept. 14 through Saturday, Sept. 17 at the Franklin County Recreation Park on Sontag Road.
Kiran and Sarah met and fell in love over the goodies at Krispy Kreme, and the cafe is now a part of their wedding.

Kiran and Sarah's wedding photoshoot included a shot of them sharing white hot chocolate and doughnuts at their local Krispy Kreme branch. Picture courtesy: Instagram/lucaskrausphotography

By Shreya Goswami: There are many ways a love story can start, but rarely does it start around white hot chocolate and doughnuts. Kiran Skariah and Sarah Daniel's love story, however, is quite different.

This couple met and fell in love at their local Krispy Kreme cafe, in Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia. And now, the same branch of the American global doughnut company is also a major part of their wedding.

Kiran and Sarah got married on 6 August 2016. Picture courtesy: Instagram/paulaboardman

Kiran and Sarah are fondly referred to as the 'Krispy Kreme couple'by family and friends. Picture courtesy: Instagram/kiranskariah

advertisement

This delicious love story started on 6 June, 2014, when Sarah was waiting tables at the Krispy Kreme branch. According to News.com.au, Kiran walked into the cafe that day to get his favourite drink, white hot chocolate. Sarah served him the drink, and both of them realized that they had been family acquaintances for nearly 18 years!

Kiran proposed to Sarah at an event at their local Parkside Church. Picture courtesy: Instagram/kiranskariah

Also read: Doughnuts inspired by Pokemon Go? Yes, they exist



As their love story matured, Kiran and Sarah were constantly referred to as the 'Krispy Kreme couple' by family and friends. Last year, the couple even made a 'meetiversary' video at their Liverpool Krispy Kreme branch to commemorate the day they met. And guess what meal they ordered on their anniversary? White hot chocolate and doughnuts!

The couple tied the knot at their local church, and then went to Krispy Kreme for a photoshoot. Picture courtesy: Instagram/paulaboardman

The couple has both a sweet tooth and a sweet spot for Krispy Kreme, especially the branch where they met. So, after Krian proposed to Sarah last December, the couple decided that the cafe just had to be a part of their wedding. After their wedding ceremony at the Parkside Church (both their families are members), the whole wedding party moved to Krispy Kreme, Liverpool for a photoshoot to relive and recreate the memories of the first day they met.

Kiran and Sarah's wedding cake was inspired by Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Picture courtesy: Instagram/paulaboardman Kiran and Sarah's wedding cake was inspired by Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Picture courtesy: Instagram/paulaboardman

Kiran and Sarah also started their married life with a doughnut cake inspired by Krispy Kreme. The 'Krispy Kreme couple' even commented that they would have doughnut-covered cards for their birthdays! Clearly, the cafe that played cupid for this couple is forever going to be a part of their 'happily-ever-after' life.

Watch Kiran and Sarah's beautiful proposal video:



--- ENDS ---
A spate of recent deadly flooding is focusing attention on climate threats. Climate models predict more floods associated with global warming. As reported by the Weather Network, As the earths climate changes, fatal floods seem to have become an increasingly prevalent threat.

According to a report from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction floods accounted for 30 percent of the worlds top ten deadliest natural disasters in 2015. The economic cost is also substantial. Floods are the most expensive natural disasters in the US. Since 2005, The US insurance industry has paid out an average of $3.5 billion each year for flood claims.

Flooding is one of the corollaries of climate change and the situation is expected to get far worse. As reported by the Independent, one study suggests that at least one billion people will be at risk by 2060. As if to corroborate the current day reality of this threat here are four recent major flood events taking place around the world.

1. Sudan

The Nile River has reached its highest levels in more than 100 years. As a result, 13 of Sudans 18 provinces have been hit by flash flooding and heavy rains. The floods have caused at least 76 fatalities, destroying over 3,200 homes in the province of Kassala  an area hit the hardest. The United Nations reports that 80,000 people are impacted by the flooding to date.

2. Pakistan

Karachi, Pakistan continues to be hit with days of torrential rain, leaving nearly 50 percent of the city without power. At least 10 people have perished in the floods.

3. Macedonia

A violent deluge swept through Stajkovci, Macedonia, killing an estimated 20 people including one child. Winds peaked at 80 kilometers per hour, and landslides prevented about 70 vehicles on a highway from moving.

4. India

Indias powerful monsoon rains have contributed to a death toll nearing 100, with roughly a million others seeking shelter in government relief camps. Districts in the state of Bihar are among the most seriously impacted. Trees have been uprooted and telephone cables have been destroyed. At least 17 rare one-horned rhinos have died due to the flooding passing through Assams Kaziranga National Park.
What we know so far about alleged Iowa serial killer Donald Studey

Sheriff's deputies were often called to the home in Fremont County, Iowa. This year, Donald Studey's daughter reported him as a serial killer.
Currently Reading

Cliff dancing, Facekinis and other intriguing photos out of China
The minister lauded Indonesia for holding the international meet just when several countries were battling terror activities.

By Anil Kumar: In an apparent jibe at Pakistan over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju today pointed out that there was a clear difference between a freedom fighter and a terrorist.

'THOSE WHO AID TERRORISTS MUST BE ISOLATED'



Addressing the International Meeting on Counter Terrorism in Bali in Indonesia, the Union minister said : "It needs to be ensured that terrorism is not glorified and is not patronized by any state. One country's terrorist cannot be a martyr or a freedom fighter for any other country. A terrorist is a terrorist. Those who provide support, encouragement, sanctuary, safe haven or any forms of assistance to terrorism or terrorists must be isolated. Strong possible steps need to be taken not only against the terrorists and terr organizations but also against those individuals, institutions, organizations, or nation who support them," he said.

advertisement

The minister added, "The will and mandate of the international community against proscribed and wanted terrorist and their organizations must be respected and implemented. If the world is to free itself of terrorism, we will have to rid ourselves of the notion that there is distinction between good and bad terrorists."

STATEMENT ON TWITTER



The minister also took to micro-blogging site Twitter to clear its stance on terrorism. He lauded Indonesia for holding the international meet just when several countries were battling terror activities.

In a statement, he said, "India congratulates Indonesia for hosting this timely and important meeting to discuss the menace of terrorism that is plaguing the entire world today, India condemns in strong possible terms, the heinous terrorist attacks in Jakarta, Paris, Nice, Brussels, Istanbul, Dhaka, Baghdad, Orlando and in various parts of Jammu and Kashmir, and at Indian Air Force base Pathankot in Punjab this year, which cannot be justified under any circumstances".

Earlier, Rajnath Singh had attacked Pakistan for declaring Wani a 'martyr'. At a SAARC meet in Islamabad, Singh said that there were no 'good' or 'bad' terrorists.

The International Meeting on Counter Terrorism is first of its kind and aims at strengthening international cooperation network.



--- ENDS ---
Legislators in Nebraska have already been publicly discussing their plans for cutting income tax rates during the next legislative session. Some say such efforts should be coupled with property tax reform. Pairing the two efforts would break the states budget at a time we are projected to be facing a greater than $350 million shortfall in the next budget cycle. Nebraskans only have to look to our neighbors to the south to see the folly of such imbalanced plans.

The experience of Kansas should provide Nebraskas leaders and citizens plenty of reasons to avoid going down the same reckless path, and to pursue a more balanced approach to tax reform.

Much like their counterparts in Kansas, those in Nebraska pushing for income tax cuts promise that doing so brings economic and job growth, but the actual results of Kansas action make those promises ring hollow.

The Kansas Legislature cut income taxes on most businesses and for wealthier individuals in 2012, with the promise that it would put the states economy in overdrive. However, the results more closely resemble an old truck stuck in neutral slowly rolling backwards into the pond.

Since the cuts took effect, the Sunflower State has suffered budget shortfalls, credit downgrades, depletion of the states rainy day fund, school funding crises, and increases in both property and sales taxes.

Kansas also lags behind neighboring states, and the U.S. as a whole, in job growth. According to recent job numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Kansas had negative job growth from May 2015 to May 2016 (-0.35). Nebraska and other states in the region have maintained steady (albeit slow) job growth over the past few years.

The tax cuts have not benefited all Kansans either. The former Kansas state budget director, Duane Goossen, finds that the combination of increased state fees, such as vehicle licensing, as well as property and sales taxes (increased to fill budget gaps created by the income tax cuts) have actually resulted in a net tax increase for people making less that $42,000 annually. The primary beneficiaries of the tax breaks are those making greater than $500,000 who averaged a $25,000 tax break.

Cuts in income taxes in Nebraska would likely also lead to both higher property taxes for landowners and more budget problems for Nebraskas public schools. When the Kansas state government cut its aid to schools, and local and county governments due to shrinking income tax revenues, those entities became more reliant on property taxes and other fees to continue to perform their necessary services. A majority of Kansas counties have seen property tax levy increases since the 2012 income tax cuts, with 17 of the 20 highest increases occurring in rural counties.

Schools in Nebraska are already the third most dependent on property taxes for funding in the country, as the state provides the 49th most funding per pupil in the U.S. For those who were not lucky enough to attend Nebraskas great schools, there are 50 states. Rather than creating more budget problems, Nebraska leaders should focus on fully funding our states schools, roads and other essential services.

The Nebraska Legislature recently attempted property tax reform during the 2016 legislative session, but ended up with a property tax credit paid for out of the state general fund to local and county governments. In other words, their last try at property tax relief only added to the current budget shortfall. Property tax relief should be targeted to those who need it most, like homeowners and family farmers, based on income.

Tax reform in Nebraska should be balanced. Calls for coupling property tax cuts and income tax cuts are irresponsible and would be akin to cutting off two legs of a three-legged stool, especially when the state is already on the floor.

Brian Hanson is a senior policy associate for the Center for Rural Affairs in Lyons.
The Nebraska Department of Economic Development is showing the proper way a state agency should respond to audits.

Instead of being on the defensive, the department is tightening up its management practices, according to Director Courtney Dentlinger.

The department recently underwent three audits. One by the state auditors office was released last week. The other two, by the federal government and the Legislatures Performance Audit Committee, havent been released yet.

The state audit found significant deficiencies in the agency. No misuse of state funds was found, Dentlinger said.

Among the findings were:

- The allocation of $6 million in housing grants needed closer monitoring of how the money was spent.

- A $4.2 million contract with Invest Nebraska Corporation needed better oversight.

- Written policies were needed for overseas trade missions and how travel expenses are handled.

- The audit questioned a $14,285 payment to the agencys former director, Brenda Hicks-Sorensen, when she was let go by Gov. Pete Ricketts in October.

Among the management changes the agency is making, Dentlinger said, is the creation of a business and finance division and the hiring of a chief financial officer. In addition, another staff attorney and an internal auditor are being hired and the Department of Administrative Services will handle human resources and accounting for the agency.

These are good steps by the Department of Economic Development and shows that officials are taking seriously how they are using state funds.

Economic development is an important mission. State officials need to be constantly looking for ways to bring more business to Nebraska and build the states economy.

It also, however, is an area that could be prone to abuse of funds if it is not monitored closely. Economic development involves a lot of travel and the building of connections. Expenses must be watched closely so that costs are kept down on trips funded by the taxpayers.

In addition, grant money also needs close monitoring. If not, its too easy for corruption to sneak in and for the funds to not go toward the intended purposes.

Too many agencies have fought auditors recommendations in the past. Its good to see the Department of Economic Development embracing the suggestions and looking for better management practices.

Dentlinger is still fairly new to the department having only been there since December. Her work and leadership so far look promising. She is taking the right attitude toward the audits and should be commended for being open to their recommendations.

Expenses, especially travel expenses can spiral out of control, as was seen with the Nebraska Tourism Commission earlier this year, if close monitoring and proper policies arent in place.

It appears that the proper steps are being taken to make sure that doesnt happen in the Department of Economic Development.
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.
By PTI: (Attn.editors: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.) LeEco Super TV Viewing Experience Awaits Aspiring Buyers

NEW DELHI, August 9/PRNewswire/ -- LeMall and Flipkart to Offer Amazing Discounts on the Super3 Series by LeEco Global Internet and technology conglomerate LeEco has ushered in an era of content integrated Ecosystem TVs in India by launching its stunning Super3 series Ecosystem TV -Super3 X55, Super3 X65 and Super3 Max65. There is a great window of opportunity that will be available to purchase these TVs between August 10-12, 2016.

advertisement

During these days, LeEco Super3 TV series will be on pre-sale on LeMall as well as Flipkart and interested consumers will be assured that the SuperTV of their choice will be delivered at their doorstep. By buying the Super TV in the pre-sale, users will not only be able to cut through the entire process of going through a flash sale but also get some amazing offers.

Users buying the LeEco Super TVs with an HDFC credit card will get an assured cashback. In addition to this, users will be able to avail EMI options while buying LeEco Super TV.

Acting fast on this offer has an added advantage as the first 100 users will get the super stylish LeMe Bluetooth headset for free.

Super3 X55 - 139.7 cm (55), LeEco Super3 X65 - 163.9 cm (65) and Super3 Max65 - 163.9 cm (65) will come at attractive prices [http://in.lemall.com/in ]. All three Super TVs come with 2 years of VIP Content Membership.(MORE) PRN AKG

--- ENDS ---
Its time to turn up the heat as the Edwardsville Municipal Band makes its way to center stage at City Park at 8 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 11. Featuring songs such as, The Midnight Fire Alarm, selections of Frank Sinatra, and pieces from Broadways Music Man, this performance is sure to be one you dont want to miss.

The show will kick-off with alto saxophone soloist Jerry Cobetto as he performs Harlem Nocturne, followed by a march, Washington Post, by John Phililp Sousa and an overture to A Midsummer Nights Dream. The first half closes with music from Frank Sinatra in Salute to Ol Blue Eyes, by John Moss, including Ive Got You Under My Skin, Strangers in the Night, Thats Life, and The Lady is a Tramp. The second half of the show will also feature songs from the Broadway musical Music Man, which includes Seventy-Six Trombones, Till There Was You, The Wells Fargo Wagon, Lida Rose, and Marian the Librarian. The show will conclude with The Midnight Fire Alarm, by Harry J. Lincoln.

Director James Kerfoot said The Midnight Fire Alarm, is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

The last one we play is Midnight Fire Alarm, and that will be kind of a peppy tune. Its a descriptive piece about a fire alarm, complete with siren and everything. That should be fun, Kerfoot said.

Every performance features a soloist or an ensemble prior to the whole bands performance. This weeks soloist, Cobetto, hasnt played with the band for three or four years, and Kerfoot said the audience can expect to hear a jazzy sound from his performance.

We have a soloist (Jerry Cobetto) playing, Harlem Nocturne, and that will be a popular one I think. Hes been with the band for probably close to 40 years, Kerfoot said.

With its tenth concert of the summer series in full swing, Kerfoot said he is expecting a good crowd come Thursday night.

I think we should have a pretty good turnout. Last week was better than I expected with the heat. Heat kind of gets some people home, but we had a good turnout and I expect another one this week, Kerfoot said.

Compared to previous shows, Kerfoot said this performance will rank with the other most popular ones so far, given the wide arrangement of songs.

I think itll be right up there with one of our better ones. I think we have a good selection of music and the audience will enjoy the different styles that were playing. Theres some Frank Sinatra, some oldies like Scarborough Fair. Theres a nice one called American River Songs, and its an outdated, turn-of-the-century type music but in a modern arrangement, Kerfoot said.

Kerfoot said this weeks show will appeal to any and all ages and he hopes the audience will enjoy what the band is bringing to the table.

I think theyll enjoy the variety of music and just enjoy the atmosphere of an outdoor park while listening to summer music, Kerfoot said.

For more information about the Edwardsville Municipal Band, visit the bands website at www.edwband.com.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Nandi Nanti and Tim Beekelar (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

The global economic slowdown has become a big issue that is influencing the growth of the domestic economy. The economic downturn in Indonesias main export destinations will no doubt affect the countrys industrial sector, including industrial estates.



The development of industrial estates boosts the economy of surrounding areas. However, the global economic slowdown has discouraged investors from expanding or increasing investment in their businesses and this unfavorable situation has hurt the sale of industrial land.



If we refer to the sales target of 700 hectares set by the Industrial Estate Association (HKI) for this year, then ideally in each quarter, there should be at least 175 ha of land in industrial estates being sold to meet that full-year target.



The chairman of HKI, Sanny Iskandar recently estimated that the sale of industrial land would be only about 100 ha in the first quarter, far below the initial target.



According to him, the sale of land in industrial zones remains weak because many investors are still refraining from developing and constructing their production facilities. There are many investors who have not yet built their plants in the industrial estates, he said in Jakarta in April.



Through a number of economic policies launched by the government in recent years, investors have been enticed to invest their money in Indonesia. Sanny is optimistic that the slow growth of the industrial estate business in the first quarter will be offset in the next quarter. He hopes at least that in the second quarter of this year there will be a pickup in land sales in industrial zones.



Sannys optimism is based on progress made by a number of industries such as automotive components, food and beverages, and consumer products to start the process of construction of their production facilities in industrial zones. Some large automotive companies usually purchase approximately 100 ha of land at once to build a factory, he said.



That optimism has convinced him not to revise the growth target of industrial estates this year. We are still aiming for growth in industrial estates of 700 ha in 2016, double last years 350 ha. With such expected growth, per quarter sales this year will be about 200 ha, he said.



Meanwhile, based on data from the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), until the end of last year there were 99 industrial estates across the country. Of the 99 industrial estates, some 50,254 ha have been developed as sites for industrial production plants, while another 29,076 ha are still at the construction stage.



Advantages



The presence of industrial estates provides an attraction for investors. The reason being that an industrial estate, based on the definition cited in Government Regulation No. 24/2009, is a zone in which industrial activities are centered and equipped with facilities and supporting infrastructure, developed and managed by an industrial estate company.



With the availability of infrastructure and facilities in an industrial zone, investors no longer need to bear the cost of infrastructure development. The government also benefits as it is easier to prepare the supply of electricity, gas and other facilities as the industries operate in one location.



The next advantage is that the industrial estates also assist the government in regulating the growth of specific industries in one zone, so the industry grows in an orderly arrangement and not sporadically, through the master plan of industrial zones approved by the local government.



Aside from that, the development of industrial zones in a region creates focus and efficiency in the provision and operation of infrastructure and facilities. This is true since each developer of an industrial estate is obliged to build, manage and maintain the infrastructure facilities along with the industrial activities in the park.



With the availability of infrastructure and facilities in the industrial parks, investors no longer need to bear the cost of infrastructure development. The government also benefits as it is easier to prepare the supply of electricity, gas and so on as the industries grow in one united zone, Sanny said.



So the administration of Gresik regency in East Java expects investment funds coming into the region will continue to grow, as it has developed a number of industrial zones in its territory. This was expressed by the Gresik Regent Sambari Halim Radianto, who has claimed the contribution of investment in the region will continue to grow until 2019, triggered by among other things the presence of several industrial estates in Gresik.



The continuous development of industrial zones in Gresik, like JIIPE and others will elevate the investment figures for Gresik, said Sambari as quoted by surya.co.id.



If we trace the development of industrial estates in the early growth period of 1970-1989, this sector was actually started by a number of central and local government-owned companies. The industrial zone development in the period began with studies in the Industrial Zone Development Plan in Cilacap, Central Java, in 1969.



However physically, the development of industrial zones in fact began in Jakarta, with the construction of the Jakarta Industrial Estate in Pulogadung covering an area of 500 ha, which kicked off in 1970.



The Pulogadung Industrial Estate is a business entity that is 50 percent owned by the central government, in this case the Finance Ministry of Finance, while the other 50 percent is owned by the Jakarta administration.



This was followed by the development of seven industrial estates owned by the central and local governments plus one more underway. They were PT Surabaya Industrial Estate Rungkut in Surabaya, East Java; PT Kawasan Industri Cilacap, Central Java; PT Kawasan Industri Medan, North Sumatra; PT Kawasan Berikat in Jakarta and PT Krakatau Industrial Estate in Cilegon, Banten. In Lampung the local provincial government is currently working on the development of an industrial park at the Register I Waypisang, Ketapang, South Lampung regency.



The development of industrial estates by private companies started to bloom in the period of 1989-2009, after the issuance of Presidential Decree No. 53/1989 concerning industrial zones, which offers the opportunity to the private sector to develop industrial parks. This period was called the era of the rise of industrial estates, said Fahmi Shahab, executive director of the Indonesian Industrial Estate Association (HKI).



Batam as a free trade zone (FTZ) is one region with a large number of industrial estates. Based on recent data, there are 21 industrial estates now in operation in Batam.



Currently Batams status is being prepared to be transformed from an FTZ to becoming a special economic zone (SEZ).



Along with the plan to change the status, the entire industrial estate space listed in the Batam Indonesia Free Zone Authority (BIFZA) will become part of the SEZ. The number could continue to grow depending on need, allowing for the SEZ to be expanded.



Optimism



Now, in the era of the leadership of President Joko Jokowi Widodo, the development of industrial zones seems to be experiencing a new era of optimism, following the issuance of a number of economic policy packages to support their growth. There is optimism among people for equitable growth in the regions, given that the development of industrial estates generates a huge multiplier effect for the surrounding area.



Before the policy packages were launched by the government, companies engaged in the development of industrial estates in Indonesia often complained about licensing issues, which were still considered an obstacle and a burden. While in some countries one-stop service licensing authorities have been established, such as in Thailand with its Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT).



Responding to complaints from businesspeople about licensing, the government moved quickly by accelerating the licensing process to only three hours. BKPM has pledged to continue improving service

for the three-hour investment licensing process.



When it was launched on Oct. 26, 2015, only three permits were available under the accelerated licensing services, namely Taxpayer Identification Number (NPWP), Deed of Company Establishment and Land Booking Certificate.



At the end of 2015, the three-hour service expanded to eight permits plus the Booking Land Certificate. The five additional permits under the three-hour service are the Company Registration Permit (TDP), Importer Identification Number (APIP), Customs Office Identification Number (NIK), Foreign Workers Recruitment Plan (RPTKA) and Expatriate Work Permit (IMTA).



The BKPM is also preparing to include construction permits and investment licenses. This policy breakthrough aims to provide ease for industrial estate investors.



According to BKPM head Franky Sibarani, industrial estate investors who have obtained an investment permit from the investment board either in Jakarta or the provinces can begin the construction of their factories without having to wait for construction permits from provincial administrations.



Another regulation that will push the growth of industrial estates is the governments plan to remove the requirement to obtain a permit based on an environmental impact analysis (EIA/AMDAL).



This plan was revealed by Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya last March. She said the government would reduce permit requirements for companies who wanted to operate in industrial estates, part of which is the removal of the EIA permit.



Earlier this year the government enacted Government Regulation (PP) No. 142/2015 concerning Industrial Estates as a revision of the PP 24/2009, which in some circles was considered a luxury facility for the development of industrial estates and companies operating in them. This is because the PP enacted on Dec. 28, 2015, granted tax incentives in accordance with the grouping of Industrial Development Zones (WPI).



WPI are grouped into four regions, namely developed WPI covering Java; developing WPI including southern Sulawesi, eastern Kalimantan, northern Sumatra except Batam and Karimun, as well as southern Sumatra. The more developed a WPI, the smaller its tax incentives and shorter its period.



On the other hand, investors in WPI Potential II or WPI Papua and West Papua will receive the largest tax incentives with an even longer period. The statutes related to the size of incentives will be regulated in a Finance Minister Regulation (PMK), which is currently being finalized.



Article 41 of the regulation states that the provision of tax incentives is determined by the Finance Ministry. Article 42 says the ease of construction and management of electricity is set by the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry. Article 43 covers granting regional incentives, such as reduction or exemption of local government taxes like Fees for the Acquisition of Rights to Land and Buildings (BPHTB), Tax of Land and Building before being transferred to an industrial enterprise, Street Lighting Tax (RPM) and others.



The new policy also states that the Issuance of Principle Permit, Industrial Zone Permit (IUKI), and Industrial Zone Extension License will not be charged, in contrast to the old regulation, which does not explain such provisions.



100 cities



Jababeka is one of the most prominent industrial estate developers in the country. Through its founder, Setyono Djuandi Darmono, the company has decided to develop at least 100 new townships, based on the development of industrial parks in a number of provinces in Indonesia.



The company, which was established in 1989, is the first developer of industrial estates to go public in Indonesia, as it was listed on the Jakarta and Surabaya Stock Exchange in 1994. The companys core business is to develop industrial zones that are supported and enhanced with infrastructure and township management services. The key to the companys strategy is to create businesses that produce a critical mass so that they can create other businesses. Jababeka Group runs its businesses through three pillars, namely Land and Property Development, Infrastructure and Services and Leisure & Hospitality.



One of the major works of Jababeka can be seen in Kota Jababeka in Cikarang, Bekasi, West Java, covering an area of 5,600 ha. Kota Jababeka in Cikarang now has grown from a plain land into a bustling city with a thriving community. Located 35 kilometers east of Jakarta, strategically situated along the corridor of Bekasi-Cikampek, Kota Jababeka has been filled with a number of either light, medium, or automotive industrial companies.



Today, with a population of more than 1 million people, Kota Jababeka has turned into an independent city with a complete and self-sufficient industrial park, comprising of 1,700 national and multinational companies from 30 countries that employ more than 700,000 workers and 4,300 expatriates. Some tenants that call Kota Jababeka their home base include Loreal, ICI Paints, Mattel, Samsung, Unilever, United Tractors, Akzo Nobel and Nissin Mas.



After the success of Kota Jababeka in Cikarang, Jababeka is also developing an integrated township in TanjungLesung called Tanjung Lesung SEZ, which serves the tourism industry, and caters to hospitality and leisure. TanjungLesung is located about 180 kilometers southwest of Jakarta.



Next, through its expansion into Central Java, the company works closely with Indonesia Sembcorp Development Pte. Ltd., a subsidiary of Sembcorp (Singapore) in developing Kendal Industrial Park called Park by The Bay, located approximately 21 kilometers west of Semarang In Kendal. Together with Sembcorp, PT Jababeka Tbk. plans to develop a special textile industry cluster zome that is integrated from upstream to downstream as part of the Kendal Industrial Park. Based on the plan, the zone will be a pilot project of the first fashion township in Indonesia.



Chairman of Jababeka, Setyono Djuandi Darmono, said that the development of Kendal fashion city is expected to begin in 2016. Later the fashion city will also boast centers of textile design and technology with the provision of cheap textile raw materials. A bonded logistics center is also planned to be built.



In the first phase, the project will use 100 ha of land out of the total Kendal Industrial Park area of 2,700 ha. While the total accumulated investment required is estimated at Rp20 trillion (US$1.53 billion) after taking into account the price of land, infrastructure, and investment incurred by potential tenants.



Besides Cikarang, Tanjung Lesung and Kendal, Jababeka through its subsidiary Jababeka Morotai is also entrusted to develop Morotai Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Morotai, North Maluku.



Based on Government Regulation No. 100 of 2012 on the amendment of Government Regulation No. 2/2011 on the Implementation of Special Economic Zones, no later than 90 days after the enactment of Government Regulation No. 50/2014 dated 1 July 2014 on Special Economic Zones of Morotai, the Morotai Island regency administration has to establish a business entity as the developer and manager of the Special Economic Zone in Morotai.



And through the local regents decision, Decree 538.3/191/PM/2014 was signed on Sept. 18, 2014,

which stipulates that Jababeka Morotai is the business entity that will develop the Morotai SEZ.



Currently, the company continues to assess investor partners who can participate in developing the Morotai SEZ, which has been included in the Masterplan for Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesias Economic Development (MP3EI). To develop the Morotai SEZ, Jababeka is ready to disburse Rp 6.8 trillion, which will be used to develop a 1,200 ha area.



Besides the required infrastructure, an industrial park, residential estates, business areas, resorts, a logistics center, as well as agriculture, fisheries and tourism industries will be developed. To build the industry of fisheries and agriculture, the company will implement an integrated system of fish farming, so that the fishermen can catch fish efficiently and at the same time they can keep the freshness of the fish longer.



In addition to fisheries, Jababeka Morotai will also implement Taiwanese technology to develop agricultural products such as edamame, shitake mushroom and Japanese rice, demand for which is currently on the rise.

***

The writers are observers of industrial estate development. This is the full version of an article that appeared in The Jakarta Posts Indonesian Infrastructure Outlook on Aug. 8

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Tangguh Chairil (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

The House of Representatives special committee set up to amend the Terrorism Law is considering granting counterterrorism enforcement powers to the Indonesian Military (TNI). Such authorization could lead to a predicament.



The TNI has played a crucial role in the joint operation to capture Indonesias most wanted terrorist, Santoso, and his followers in the Central Sulawesi regency of Poso. TNI soldiers shot Santoso dead in an exchange of fire recently, ending a manhunt that lasted for years.



In his press statement TNI Commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo argued that terrorism was not an ordinary crime, but a crime against the state, which therefore required a change in approach that prioritizes early detection and preventive measures.



Gatot cited the theory of Israeli counterterrorism expert Boaz Ganor, according to which criminal law is not sufficient to address terrorism, because it is designed to organize daily life.



By contrast, according to Ganors way of thinking, the law of warfare is more suitable for combating terrorism, because methods of military operations are often required in counterterrorism.



What Gatot fails to explain is that Ganors theory actually presents a series of dilemmas around how the state should respond to terrorist activities. One of them concerns the dominance of a military component in counterterrorism policy: Military means against terrorist organizations may be effective, but they could also induce the terrorists to escalate and exacerbate their actions.



The success of military actions in damaging the terrorists ability to perpetrate attacks will only increase their motivation to commit acts of terror. All the more so when offensive actions are taken against terrorist activists or facilities. On the other hand, if no actions are taken in retaliation for a terrorist attack, the terrorists will have little incentive to preempt/stop such attacks. Ganor calls this dilemma the boomerang effect.



The boomerang effect, I will argue, is present in the context of terrorism in Indonesia. Prior to 2011, the targets of terrorist attacks in this country were mostly places of foreign, Western interests and residents. Since then, the attacks seem to have shifted to targeting authorities, especially police officers.



This phenomenon shows that terrorist organizations are retaliating against the police for arresting and killing their members. Indeed, counterterrorism squad Detachment 88 (Densus 88)  which has had considerable success in disrupting terrorist deployment and operations throughout the country  is part of the National Police.



Densus 88 has been accused of excessive use of force and human rights violations in counterterror operations and of torture against people in custody. Their methods have not only infuriated terrorists but also raised concerns among the Muslim population, who link the war on terrorism with an attack on Islam as well as human rights groups.



If the police  whose use of physical force is normally limited to low-level, non-lethal engagement  often resort to deadly force when facing terrorists, then what sort of expectation is to be put on military personnel  whose training is to eliminate the enemy in the most effective combat manner possible?



The boomerang effect is part of the collateral damage of counterterrorism in the war model, where the emphasis on restraining terrorism is stronger than on maintaining liberal democratic rights.



The war model in counterterrorism employs the exercise of military force and strategies with the intention of eradicating terrorism as dictated by the law of warfare, while consequently any constitutional or legal consideration is solely secondary. The armed forces response to terrorism is guided by military doctrine, whose nature often falls outside of acceptable democratic standards.



On the other hand, even the most democratic states with commitment to civil liberties, national and international law are vulnerable to perversion by terrorist organizations that bait the states into causing collateral damage among the civilian population. The terrorists could exploit civilian casualties as supposed proof of the immorality of the state.



Restraining collateral damage, therefore, must be the number one priority before involving the TNI in counterterrorism.



Only when that requirement is fulfilled may the TNI be called in for specific military roles in counterterrorism, such as military support to civil authorities, preventive operations, interception of terrorists and arms shipments, hostage rescue, intelligence gathering, preemptive intervention, targeted strikes and retaliatory raids.



As a precautionary measure, every involvement of the TNI must be treated as an integrated part of the overall counterterrorism strategy. In this context, TNI elements as well as National Police elements must be placed under the operational control of the Indonesian National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) as counterterrorism coordinator.



BNPT needs to ensure synergy between Densus 88 and the TNIs elite forces, such as Denjaka, Sat-81/Gultor, and Satbravo-90, to avoid overlapping engagement: Densus 88 carries out normal counterterrorism operations, and when the threat escalates into a matter of national security, then the TNIs special forces are deployed. This should be clarified in the form of a government regulation.



Involvement of the military in counterterrorism is inevitable. However, to restrain collateral damage to civilians, there must be strict regulations to the military means in the war on terrorism concerning the circumstances, conditions, degree and manner in which the use of force may be applied.

***

The writer lectures at the Department of International Relations at Binus University, specializing in international security. He obtained a masters degree in defense studies from the Indonesia Defense University and a masters degree in intelligence studies from the University of Indonesia.

---------------

We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com. For more information click here.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

HIV-positive US actor Charlie Sheen wants celebrities to come forward if they have contracted the virus to help lift stigma.

There is a lot of prejudice against HIV-positive people and I hope to change that, Sheen said in a recent interview with German Playboy as quoted by AFP.

The Platoon and Two and a Half Men star revealed that he was HIV-positive in an interview aired on US national television last November.

(Read also: Charlie Sheen's ex-fiancee sues actor over HIV exposure)

He says he did not endeavor to be a public advocate for the cause, but that the role was more thrust upon him. "People approach me on the street and congratulate me on having the courage," he said. "Whether I want to or not, it is important to teach about sexually transmitted diseases."

Last April, Los Angeles police opened a criminal investigation against Sheen claiming that he had threatened to kill his ex-fiancee Scottine Ross.

Sheen says he has turned his back on his bad-boy days and wants to use his time productively. I want to stay healthy and do good. I want to make peace with the past, live in the present and look toward the future," he said. (tif/kes)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Asmara Wreksono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

To commemorate BJ Habibies 80th birthday and his contribution to science and technology in Indonesia, Orbit Ventura, Catec (Cultural Arts and Technology Empowerment Community) and the Habibie Center will hold the Habibie Festival on August 11-14 at Museum Nasional (National Museum).

Ilham Habibie, the former presidents son, said in an official video, The main purpose of the Habibie Festival is to show BJ Habibies contributions in various fields.

Aside from BJ Habibies birthday celebration, the festival is being held to unify the various organizations affiliated with Habibie and celebrate Indonesias 60-year journey. It is also intended to be a forum at which the public can learn about the latest developments in Indonesian science and technology. It is a collaboration between various organizations, government, institutions, corporations and the community.

(Read also: Former president BJ Habibie reveals third movie based on life of late wife)

The festival will showcase innovations from the STEAM community (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) in Indonesia. The festival is also hosting the Berkarya!Indonesia movement launch with the tagline Membudayakan Teknologi (Familiarize Yourself with Technology.)

The Habibie Festival is open to members of the public of all ages. Families will be able to enjoy various events from exhibitions, talkshows, film screenings, workshops for adults and children alike, also science challenges. Prices are as follows: Adults Rp 5.000 (US$0.38), children Rp 2.000, and foreigners Rp 10.000.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ni Nyoman Wira (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

A comic book in which characters are based on members of Bandung-based industrial rock band Koil is set to be launched during Popcon Asia 2016 at the Jakarta Convention Center in South Jakarta. The event is slated for Aug. 12-14.

Titled Koil: Dragonian Warriors, the comic book is set in a city during a post-apocalyptic world governed by a tyrant. The main characters include a wanderer and a government agent who work together to release the power of past warriors who refused to obey the tyrant. Koil members, vocalist Otong, guitarist Doni, bassist Adam and drummer Leon, are said to be visually portrayed in the comic.

A preview of the 150-page comic book can be seen at kosmik.id.

(Read also: Koil to release comic book in August)

The cover of "Koil: Dragonian Warriors".(KOIL/-)

Koil: Dragonian Warriors started off as fan-art that later turned into a collaborative project between the band and KillerKomik consisting of Patra Aditia as illustrator, Anky Prasetya as writer and Indra Arista as editor. Professional colorist Arif Prianto joined in as well to create the cover.

Koil has been offering a distinctive style of music since 1993. After releasing their first album, Koil, in 1996, the band continued with Megaloblast in 2001. The single Mendekati Surga (Getting Nearer to Heaven) was quite a success. (kes)

Leon, one of the characters in "Koil: Dragonian Warriors".(KOIL/-)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 9 2016

Indonesias largest lender by assets, Bank Mandiri, is planning to revamp its loan portfolio composition by disbursing more to consumer borrowers, as the lender has seen mounting rotten loans in the commercial segment.



The publicly listed state-owned bank is optimistic about increasing its consumer loan composition to 20 percent of its total disbursed loans by 2020, while those disbursed to the commercial segment are expected to decline to 25 percent from 29 percent at present.



In doing so, Bank Mandiri would focus more on expanding its mortgage and vehicle loans, on the back of growth in the two sectors in the second quarter of the year, the lenders director Pahala Mansury said.



Consumer loans will be our backbone for years to come, especially in the growing vehicle loan sector, Pahala told reporters recently at the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) building.



Bank Mandiris vehicle loans grew 21.4 percent year-on-year (yoy) to Rp 18.9 trillion (US$1.5 billion) in the first half of this year, company data showed. That compares with 10.5 percent overall loan growth during the period with outstanding loans of Rp 610.9 trillion by the end of June.



Mortgage loans made up the most of Bank Mandiris disbursed loans between January and June with

Rp 27.6 trillion in total, a 5 percent hike from the same period last year.



Pahala said the governments 1 million houses initiative, aimed at providing adequate housing for low-income people, could stoke demand for mortgage loans from Bank Mandiri, which is one of the banks appointed to channel government-backed mortgages (FLPP) for the program.



He said the bank was also mulling over deploying a cross-selling strategy to lure more individuals into becoming consumer borrowers.



Apart from consumer loans, corporate and micro loans were also seen as prospective segments to grow in the future, Pahala added.



In the first six months of the year, Bank Mandiri disbursed 37.7 percent of its loan portfolio for corporate borrowers, followed by 29 percent in the form of commercial loans, 13.9 percent for consumer loans, 11 percent for the small segment and 8.4 percent for micro loans.



Bank Mandiri expects its loan growth to stand at around 10 to 12 percent this year amid concerns over rising bad loans that pressured the lenders net profits to drop by 28.7 percent yoy in the January-June period to Rp 7.1 trillion.



The decline was primarily caused by Bank Mandiris move to increase loan-loss provisions in a bid to anticipate the risk of bad loans, which amounted to Rp 9.9 trillion in the second quarter of the year, up from Rp 4 trillion in the corresponding period last year.



Bank Mandiri also saw its non-performing loan (NPL) ratio increase to 3.74 percent in the first quarter of the year, from 2.43 percent during the same period last year.



The lenders corporate secretary Rohan Hafas said the increasing NPL ratio was mainly driven by rotten loans in its commercial segment.



Commercial borrowers suffered in the first six months of the year due to slowing business in the mining and plantation sectors, Rohan said recently.



Bank Mandiri data showed that the NPL ratio in the lenders loans for the commercial segment was the highest in the first semester of the year, amounting to 6.69 percent. The NPL ratio in corporate, consumer and micro loans stood at 1.72 percent, 1.87 percent and 4.12 percent, respectively. (mos)

---------------

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Hans Nicholas Jong (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 9 2016

In the wake of a major drug distribution scandal that has left many parents fearful over their young childrens immunity, the government is preparing a regulation that will enable the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) to sanction violators.



The government is drafting a presidential regulation (Perpres) and a bill on food and drug monitoring that will give the BPOM the power to impose heavy fines on official institutions that breach procedures and standards.



BPOM chair Penny Kusumastuti Lukito, who was recently appointed by President Joko Jokowi Widodo, admitted that the agency had failed to prevent the nationwide spread of fake vaccines, with hundreds of babies receiving false immunization over the course of the last 13 years.



No matter how many resources we deploy to monitor [food and drugs], without a strong deterrent effect, it means nothing, Penny told a press conference on Monday.



Penny noted that the power to impose heavy sanctions, such as heavy fines, would be integral to one of the agencys most urgent tasks: ridding the market of ersatz vaccines.



The fake vaccines sparked national outrage among parents who feared their children had been exposed to the fakes after the National Police uncovered a counterfeit vaccine operation ring.



So far, fake vaccines have been found in seven locations, including Banten, Jakarta and West Java. The BPOM previously reported that it had found five types of counterfeit vaccines, namely Tuberfullin, Pediacel, Tripacel, Harfix and Biosef, all of which were discovered in each of the three provinces.



The scandal was the pinnacle of a series of mishaps that have dogged the nations health care of late.



Last year, the inadvertent substitution of anesthetic Buvanest Spinal for antihemorrhagic Asam Tranexamat Generik caused the deaths of at least two patients in a hospital.



During its investigation, the BPOM discovered that the producer of the drugs, Kalbe Farma, the largest pharmaceutical firm in the country, was responsible for the accidental swap during production.



However, the agency only ordered the company to recall and temporary stop producing the drugs.



Penny said the agency had limited authority to impose sanctions and limited resources, given its lack of a firm legal basis.



She said the BPOM is generally only able to issue administrative sanctions in the form of recommendations. Our recommendations are supposed to be followed up by local administrations, but only around 14 percent are. As such, it would be better if the body that monitors [food and drugs] were able to issue heavy punishments, she said.



Indonesian Health Consumers Empowerment Foundation (YPKKI) chairman Marius Widjajarta said that the agency in fact already had ample capacity to carry out its tasks. The regulations on food and drug monitoring are already good, the BPOM only has to enforce them, he told The Jakarta Post.



For instance, he said, the BPOM should punish producers and distributors of drugs that fail to submit their reports on drug distribution and logistics every three months, as required.



Most of the reports dont have any substantial content, and the BPOM should therefore punish them, Marius said.



Meanwhile, House of Representatives Commission IX overseeing health and manpower said that the BPOM was weak and needed reinforcement.



Why was the BPOM established in the first place simply to be hamstrung? Irma Suryani Chaniago of the NasDem Party asked the Post.



For instance, Irma said, the BPOM usually only seizes illegal food and drug for a limited period of time. Usually just three months. The agency is also unable to monitors the sanctions given by the police.

_______________________________________



To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10 2016

When her first child was born at a private hospital in Malang, Nuansa Putri, a 34-year-old civil servant, immediately believed the pediatricians statement that baby formula would make her son, Dean, grow strong and healthy.

The midwife who took care of Dean told Nuansa that if she did not immediately produce breast milk, her son would go hungry and lose weight.

The midwife offered Nuansa a famous brand of formula, saying it was an imported product with a quality similar to breast milk. The new mother trusted the midwifes words and let her son drink it.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

Prosecutors on Wednesday demanded judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court sentence Agung Podomoro Lands (APL) former CEO, Ariesman Widjaja, to four years in prison for allegedly bribing Jakarta councilor Muhammad Sanusi in connection with a reclamation project in Jakarta Bay.

We demand the judges sentence Ariesman to four years imprisonment and a Rp 250 million (US$19,131) fine, with his detention period deducted, said prosecutor Ali Fikri as reported by tribunnews.com.

The case is related to the alleged effort of PT APL, one of the developers of islets in Jakarta Bay, to have a compulsory contribution reduced. The contribution was for the Jakarta administration based on property sales on the reclaimed land.

The contribution percentage was expected to be set during the deliberation of a reclamation bill at the Jakarta City Council. The original draft bill reportedly stipulated that the contribution was 15 percent from property sales, while the company reportedly sought to have it reduced to 5 percent.

The City Council stopped deliberation of two bills on the reclamation soon after the arrest of Sanusi and APL official Trinanda Prihantoro by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) late March, which was followed by the surrender of Ariesman. (bbn)
By PTI: (Attn.editors: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same). LeEco Superphones Witness Smart Sales Uptick on Day 1 of Freedom Day Sale on Flipkart BANGALORE, August 10, 2016/PRNewswire/ -- LeEco Superphones have emerged as users favourite in the just opened Freedom Day sale on Flipkart. This cheering response can be attributed to the fantastic offers on LeEco Superphones and also because of the much awaited grey variant of the immensely popular Le 2. The Grey Le 2 is flying off the shelves in no time, an evidence of the over-whelming response from users. Adding to this are the never-before offers including, No Cost EMI, Extra on exchange and 10% additional cashback, making the popular Superphones easy to own. In the Freedom Sale on Flipkart during August 10th - 12th where several smartphone brands vie for consumers attention with great deals, LeEco Superphones are standing out. Thanks to shopping carnivals such as Freedom Sale by Flipkart, users can purchase their favourite Superphones from the convenience of their homes or even on-the-go. The irresistible offers make it doubly compelling. The sale which is now underway, will last till August 12th, 2016. MORE PRNewswire GSV

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Moekti P. Soejachmoen (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10 2016

The government has promulgated the Tax Amnesty Law since July 1 and issued a number of implementing regulations afterwards. As a result of the implementation, state revenue in the short term is expected to increase from the payment of penalties imposed on those who apply for the tax amnesty. In the long run, economic growth is expected to accelerate as an impact of the inflows of repatriated funds.



To ensure that the economy can benefit from the repatriated money, the law requires that such funds be locked in Indonesia for at least three years and invested in both financial instruments and real sectors.



The repatriated money can be seen as exogenous capital inflows to Indonesia both in the form of portfolio investment and direct investment. Following the standard model of Mundell-Fleming, the impact of capital flows can be contractionary to the economy. Inflows in the form of bonds decrease the rate on non-bonds and reduce the cost of financial intermediaries. However, this positive impact will be offset by the impact of currency appreciation on external demand, which results in lower net exports and translates into lower domestic output. In the end, capital inflows will lead to slower economic growth.



On the other hand, emerging economies experience different impacts in which capital inflows have an expansionary effect on the domestic economy. In emerging economies, especially those with relatively underdeveloped financial systems, capital inflows will increase liquidity in the economy that translates into lower rates, more credit and more domestic output. This impact is more dominant than the impact of currency appreciation on net exports. Meanwhile, in more advanced countries, the impact of currency appreciation can outweigh the impact of lower rates and result in slower economic growth.



The impact of repatriated funds also depends on the type of investments. Direct investment has a more stable and long-lasting impact on the economy than portfolio investment because the nature of the former  typically used to acquire or establish manufacturing facilities or infrastructure  makes it more difficult to liquidate or pull out from the country. Meanwhile, portfolio investment  referring to investments in financial assets, such as bonds and stocks  has shorter investment periods and is easier to pull out. Therefore, the larger the portfolio investment compared to direct investment will make the economy more uncertain and vulnerable.



Prior to the implementation of the Tax Amnesty Law, casual surveys conducted by banks on their high-net worth customers suggested that many taxpayers intended to repatriate their assets to Indonesia as direct investments as they wanted to use the money to either expand an existing business, establish new ones or invest in property. These people were reluctant to invest in the financial sector because of the limited options of financial instruments in Indonesia and because the rate of return is not competitive enough compared to holding their assets abroad.



However, until last week, the implementing regulations on the investment of repatriated money did not cover direct investment or real sector investment. The only option for those who apply for the tax amnesty is investing their repatriated funds in the financial sector. The existing financial instrument is able to accommodate taxpayers need to reinvest in their own businesses or create new businesses through discretionary funds managed by investment manager companies.



Investing in property through the financial sector is also possible by using the Real Estate Investment Trust (DIRE). However, these instruments are more complicated than directly investing money in a company or buying property and can discourage taxpayers from repatriating their assets.



Another concern surrounding the impact of repatriation money on economic growth relates to what will happen to the money when the three-year period ends in March 2019. Will there be a massive capital outflow? Has the government prepared any mitigation efforts to anticipate this?



If a massive capital outflow does occur, the domestic economy will be hit hard and economic growth could sharply decline. Moreover, 2019 is an election year and therefore the economic crisis that could occur because of a massive reversal capital outflow could be a double hit along with political uncertainty. The worst-case scenario is that the 1998 economic and political crisis could reoccur in Indonesia. We do not want that to happen.



The risk of massive capital outflows can be minimized if more repatriation money is invested in the real sector than in the financial sector. To increase taxpayers preference for real sector investment, the government should ensure that the development of infrastructure and priority sectors occurs as planned and that the investment and business climate in Indonesia is conducive. In addition, prudent macroeconomic policy is needed along the way so that the Indonesian economy in 2016 is strong enough to overcome any hiccups.



As the future depends on what we do today, it is necessary for the government to issue implementing regulations on real sector investment as soon as possible. Not only will it affect taxpayers decisions on whether to just declare their offshore assets and pay higher rates or to repatriate their money to Indonesia and pay lower rates, but it will also affect their decisions on whether to invest their money in the financial sector or real sector.



With different penalty rates applied for different time periods of the tax amnesty, the window for taxpayers to pay the lowest penalty rate is until Sept. 30 and certainty on real sector investment will help taxpayers make a decision.



As funding for infrastructure and the priority sector is urgently needed, the success of the tax amnesty, mainly represented by a large amount of repatriated money, is very important and we still have eight weeks until the first window of the policy ends.

____________



The writer is head of the Mandiri Institute.

--------------

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

A change.org petition protesting University of Indonesia (UI) rector Muhammad Aniss measures to cleanse the Depok campus of stray dogs and cats has attracted almost 7,000 signatures within a day.

The creator of the petition, Iin Sofjan, made it in response to a Facebook posting from animal lovers group Garda Satwa Indonesia, which said that UI had again taken stray cats and dogs away from the campus in an attempt to control their numbers.

The four-legged animals were caught, put in sacks and tranquilized, the petition says.

The Garda post from Aug. 8 says that one of the dogs that was tranquilized and taken away was not a stray but belonged to a campus security guard.

The petition urges the university to cooperate with animal lover communities on campus to conduct regular sterilization and adoption programs.

UIs technical unit of work and environment safety and health said they appreciated the animal lovers concerns but said the measures were taken in response to a student being bitten by a dog.

They said the operation was carried out in cooperation with the South Jakarta Maritime, Agriculture and Food Resilience Agency.

We have carried out control operations three times since 2015. The caught animals are given to the agency and put into a quarantine facility. If the animals are declared healthy, we put them into an adoption program, a press release read. (evi)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

The Indonesian Army is prioritizing the modernization of the country's primary weaponry defense system for Army personnel guarding border areas.

The modernization aims to strengthen defense against current threats on the country's borders, including in four outer islands, namely Natuna (Riau Islands), Morotai (North Maluku), Biak (Papua), and Selaru (Southeast Maluku), said Army chief of staff Gen. Mulyono on Wednesday.

"Our priority is to provide [modern] weapons to the Army's Special Forces and particularly Army riders who guard the border areas," Mulyono told journalists.

Speaking at an event with Indonesian media, Mulyono explained that the Army's priority programs in 2016 were mainly aimed at strengthening the country's defense against both international and national threats.

In the international scope, the efforts aimed to prevent another hostage situation in regional waters, as well as to step up defense against escalating tensions in the South China Sea, which affected the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in Natuna waters, Mulyono said.

Meanwhile in the national scope, the Army aims to enhance defense capability to tackle drug smuggling, to face separatism cases such as in Papua, as well as to improve defense against terrorism threats, Mulyono added. (bbn)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10 2016

Many people would not have thought that Daoed Joesoef is already 90 years old because of his active role as a national observer and critic. Despite some limitations, he continues to express his thoughts through writing and remains committed to launching a new book, Anak Tiga Zaman (Child of Three Generations).

I wish that I could have met my target to launch the book today. But I forget that Im not that young anymore, he said on Monday at an event to celebrate his 90th birthday at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) office in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Rod McGuirk (Associated Press) Canberra  Wed, August 10, 2016

Australia's first attempt to conduct a census online was in disarray after several cyberattacks on the website, an official said Wednesday.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics shut down the site to protect data on Tuesday night after four denial-of-service attacks that came from somewhere overseas, chief statistician David Kalisch said.

"It was an attack," Kalisch told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. "It was quite clear it was malicious."

The 2 million Australians who managed to access the site on Tuesday before it was shut down were assured that their private data was secure.

"There has been no attack on the information, it was an attack on the system. The information is secure and safe," Kalisch said.

Australia's Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim said in a statement he was investigating the cyberattack "to ensure that no personal information has been compromised."

Australian security officials were attempting to determine the source of the attacks, Kalisch said.

Kalisch said "a gap" in the digital defenses of the bureau of statistics had been fixed and the site would be reopened Wednesday.

The census is conducted every five years. The decision to conduct the national survey online and to keep the information for four years before it was destroyed instead of the usual 18 months heightened privacy concerns this year.

Several senators announced that they would risk fines by refusing to include their names and addresses in their census forms. Officials attempted to allay fears by boasting that the bureau of statistics had never been hacked.

The site was shut down after a fourth cyberattack Tuesday evening, and people who telephoned the bureau of statistics for an explanation were told by a recorded message to call back on Wednesday.

While the census focuses on people's circumstances on Aug. 9, forms started to be accepted a week before that date and will continue to be until September. Traditional paper census forms were provided to householders on request.

Conducting most of the survey online was estimated to save 100 million Australian dollars (US$76 million).
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Nusa Dua, Bali  Wed, August 10, 2016

Country representatives attending the second Counterterrorism Financing Summit have agreed to assess regional terrorism risks, which will be focused on terrorism financing methods and channels.

"This summit has achieved the same perception, wishes and goodwill that there is a need to prevent, identify and combat terrorism financing. As a country consisting of thousands of islands, Indonesia in particular is really worried about terrorist activities, said Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) head Muhammad Yusuf on Wednesday.

By collaborating with Australia and other countries in the region, it will be easy for us to overcome the problem, especially terrorist financing," he went on.

Indonesia and Australia are co-hosting the Counterterrorism Financing Summit, which is taking place in Nusa Dua, Bali, from Monday to Thursday.

Yusuf further said the PPATK had discovered a huge amount of money, suspected to be used to fund terrorism, flowing into Indonesia from other countries.

According to PPATK data, he said, the money came from at least 10 countries. He refused to give more details, specify the amount of money or name the originating countries.

Yusuf said some of the money had been distributed for charity and social activities and that many organizations receiving it were not aware that their funding sources were terrorist organizations. (ebf)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Hans David Tampubolon (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10 2016

Let's eat: Chefs Tobie Puttock (left) and Rinrin Marinka prepare to taste traditional West Sumatra cuisine before remaking the dishes for the Asian Food Channels cooking show Wonderful Indonesian Flavours.

There has always been a perception among culinary enthusiasts that traditional Southeast Asian food is complicated and hard to prepare.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Nusa Dua, Bali  Wed, August 10, 2016

The twenty countries in attendance at the International Meeting on Counterterrorism have agreed to strengthen cross border cooperation to tackle terrorist threats.

"We agreed there is a need to prevent cross-border movements of terrorists through closer intelligence cooperation and border security," said Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto, who chaired the meeting, in a press conference during the meeting on Wednesday.

He said countering the cross-border movement of terrorists needed cooperation among countries.

Ministers and senior officials from 23 countries, including Australia, Belgium, Singapore, the US and the Philippines, attended the International Meeting on Counterterrorism. Representatives of ASEAN, Interpol and the UN were also present.

Wiranto said all participating countries also agreed to encourage global information sharing and collaboration on deradicalization programs. They also called on the UN to increase its role in counterterrorism efforts and assistance in tackling the root problem of terrorism, as well as finalizing the comprehensive convention on international terrorism.

Wiranto explained that many important issues had been discussed during the meeting, including terrorist organizations use of digital technology to garner followers.

"Cyber technology should be utilized to prevent terrorist networks from using the internet as means of propaganda, recruitment, cyberattacks and cybercrime," Wiranto said.

He said the return of foreign fighters to their home countries would be monitored through intelligence cooperation and information sharing as well as border controls.

"Countering extreme ideology through counter narrative and deradicalization programs should be promoted. It is also important to strengthen practical cooperation to detect and deter terrorism financing," he stressed. (ebf)
TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.

Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

Footage showing the last two minutes of Wayan Mirna Salihin's life after drinking the fatal glass of Vietnamese coffee has been shown by a digital forensic expert at the trial of murder suspect Jessica Kumala Wongso.

The footage of the Jan. 6. incident at the Central Jakarta cafe was played by Digital forensic expert Adj. Sr. Comr. Mohammad Nuh Al-Azhar at a Central Jakarta District Court hearing on Wednesday. In the footage Jessica is seen at 4.23 p.m. changing her sitting position from the edge to the center of the bench, allegedly to avoid being seen by the CCTV. At 5.03 p.m., Jessica can be seen moving her position again to the edge of bench.

She waited for her friends Mirna and Juwita Boon, alias Hani, who arrived at 5.18 p.m. Mirna sat in the center of the bench, with Jessica on her left and Hani on her right.

"After sitting, Mirna moved the glass near her and mixed the coffee with a straw that had been put in the glass. Judging from the pixel movement, she seems to open the straw cover before stirring it," Nuh said.

After drinking the coffee, Mirna seemed to close her nose and mouth with her hand and waggle her hand.

At 5.19 p.m., Hani moved Mirna's glass near to her mouth and nose. At 5.20 p.m. Mirna is seen lying on the cafe bench, slowly losing consciousness.

In the 56 minutes from the coffee being served by the waiter until it was drank by Mirna, Jessica did not leave the table. "No one seemed to be accompanying her at the table. The coffee was totally under her 'authority'," Nuh said. (bbn)
NIA IG Sanjeev Kumar said in a press briefing that arms and ammunitions training given to LeT terrorist Bahadur Ali shows the involvement of military experts.

By India Today Web Desk: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday said that LeT terrorist and Pakistani national Bahadur Ali, who was captured recently in North Kashmir, was regularly guided by the control room of terrorist groups in PoK with the help of Pakistani forces.

NIA is probing the role of LeT in the present unrest in Kashmir Valley which has come up after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani.

advertisement

"Arms and ammunitions training given to LeT terrorist Bahadur Ali show the involvement of military experts," NIA IG Sanjeev Kumar said in a press briefing in Delhi.

Communication devices used by Bahadur Ali.

IG Kumar disclosed that Bahadur Ali was recruited by Jamaat-ud-Dawa and was subsequently radicalised by LeT.

NIA released a video of Ali's confession and said that this was one of many revelations made by Bahadur Ali.

MAP used by Bahadur Ali.

Ali, in the video, confessed that there were 30-50 trainees from different parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan at the LeT's training camps. He claimed that Pakistani military officers came to meet him while he was leaving for India. They were referred to as Major Saab and Captain Saab.

IG Kumar also said that Bahadur Ali crossed into Indian side on either 11th or 12th June along with two LeT cadres.

Code used by Bahadur Ali.

Pakistani military and other forces were also running a command centre called Alpha-3 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), to run terrorist operations in India.

The LeT terrorists were using advanced made-in-Japan ICom wireless sets.

Also Read:

Another Kasab? Arrested terrorist Bahadur Ali confesses he is from Pakistan

Nabbed LeT terrorist exposes Pakistan, he was sent to India to create unrest in Kashmir



--- ENDS ---
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Pandaya (The Jakarta Post) Rome  Wed, August 10 2016

After President Joko Jokowi Widodo signed the ratification of the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) in May, Indonesia can rest assured of global partnership in its effort to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The long due event heralded Indonesias stronger commitment to combat IUU fishing largely blamed for the worlds dwindling fish stocks and the missing US billion dollars worth of marine resources vital for food security.

Now, Indonesia is among 34 countries, plus the EU, that have joined the agreement that aims to block access of IUU fishing products to the legal market.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

Culture and Education Minister Muhadjir Effendys controversial plan to extend school hours for elementary and high school students will have a positive impact on students  in terms of both academic achievement and personal development, parents have said.

Wiwin Darwinah, a parent from Ciputat, South Tangerang, said only expensive private schools offered full-day school at present and that Muhadjirs idea would provide better education for children of low-income families, who could only afford to send their children to public schools.

Students from rich families can also afford to pay private teachers for extra lessons, while the poor cant afford it, said Wiwin, who is a mother of a sixth-grader and ninth-grader, both of whom attend public schools.

Meanwhile, Mustiana Dewi from Bekasi, West Java said that her daughter, who studied at a private junior high school in Bekasi, took more classes at her full-day school. She added that the program encouraged her daughter to spend more time on positive activities at school instead of hanging out with friends at malls.

Critics say many public schools are not yet ready to implement the plan and that it is only appropriate for schools in urban areas, particularly as Muhadjir has said that full-day school would encourage parents to send their students to school by themselves and pick them up on their way home from work. (rez/bbn)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post)  Wed, August 10 2016

Trading day: Indonesia Infrastructure Finance (IIF) independent commissioner Edwin Gerungan (left), IIF president director Arisudono Soerono (second left), Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) transaction monitoring and compliance director Hamdi Hassyarbaini (second right) and IDX valuation director Samsul Hidayat open trading activities at the bourse on Tuesday. IIF has raised Rp 1.5 trillion (US$114 million) from bond issuance so far this year. (JP/Jerry Adiguna)

Indonesia Infrastructure Finance (IIF) has channeled almost double the amount of funds it did in 2015 during the first seven months of this year, a success it attributes to the governments efforts to accelerate infrastructure projects.



IIF president director Arisudono Soerono said that as of earlier this week, the firm, partly owned by the Indonesian government and World Bank, had disbursed Rp 7 trillion (US$532 million) in financing, 75 percent higher than the Rp 4 trillion it channeled last year.



This year, [we] really feel the difference. I think the [governments] efforts to accelerate infrastructure programs really help, as land procurement is now handled more seriously while ministries and government institutions are showing better communication, he said on Tuesday on the sidelines of the opening of the first trading session at the Indonesia Stock Exchange.



Apart from IIF, the government also owns another infrastructure financing firm, Sarana Multi Infrastruktur (SMI). The former has been focusing on financing development, mainly for new and renewable energy based power plants, toll roads and telecommunications infrastructure, among others.



Earlier this year, President Joko Jokowi Widodo issued two policies to expedite hundreds of projects listed as national strategic projects and a mega power plant project. They comprise 225 projects in 13 sectors, such as railways and toll roads, and receive special backing and attention from the government, as stipulated by presidential regulations (Perpres) No. 3/2016 and No. 4/2016.



The goverment-endorsed Committee for Acceleration of Priority Infrastructure Delivery (KPPIP) head, Luky Eko Wuryanto, previously said the government would need Rp 4.8 quadrillion to fund the projects until 2019, with only Rp 1.98 trillion of which able to be covered by the state and regional budget.



Arisudono said the governments interventions, for instance through the issuance of supporting regulations, had helped push progress of various major infrastructure projects across the country.



Now, land procurement can be completed faster as the Law of Land Acquisition [for Public Facilities] has been better implemented, he said.



The Rp 7 trillion of financing the IIF disbursed from January and July, went to, among others, the construction of three gas power plants and several hydro power plants, Arisudono added.



One of the state priority projects partly financed by IIF this year is the Palapa Ring broadband cable central package, which will lay down 2,700 kilometers of underwater fiber optic cable that will connect Kalimantan, Sulawesi and North Maluku.



The Palapa Ring is one of the unrealized projects of the previous government that has been carried over and undertaken this year.



IIF targets to disburse Rp 10 trillion by year-end. On a more optimistic measurement, Arisudono, the firm could reach Rp 14 trillion with extra effort.



The firm is now bidding to finance the building of five airports, mostly in eastern Indonesia for state-run airport operator Angkasa Pura I, and various toll road sections in Java and Sumatra, details of which are yet to be disclosed.



To finance the rest of the projects, IIF sources its funding from the World Bank, banking syndicates, domestic bank loans as well as securities.



Last June, it issued bonds to raise a maximum of Rp 2 trillion, which were eventually limited to be sold to raise up to Rp 1.5 trillion.



Arisudono said the firm may issue another series of bonds in January or February next year.



JP/ Stefani Ribka

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

The Indonesian Geothermal Association (INAGA) has said innovative breakthroughs are needed to speed up developments in the geothermal industry to achieve the countrys target of geothermal power plants producing 7,000 megawatts (MW) by 2025.

INAGA chairman Abadi Purnomo acknowledged that the 7,000 MW geothermal power plant target was quite ambitious because Indonesias current total geothermal capacity stood at only 1,493.5 MW. Hence, there was a shortfall of 5,500 MW, which must be obtained within 10 years, or 550 MW per year, he went on.

"Of course, this large target requires a very large investment, which amounts to US$4 million to $5 million per MW," he said during the fourth Indonesia International Geothermal Convention and Exhibition (IIGCE) at the Jakarta Convention Center on Wednesday.

To attract investment in the geothermal sector, Abadi said, innovations were needed, including attractive electricity rates for geothermal developers, a guarantee that state power company PLN would act as an off taker and purchase the electricity and legal certainty.

Abadi reminded that exploration was a key activity in the geothermal business chain. He believed Government Regulation (PP) No. 59/2007 on in-direct use exploitation would encourage investors to carry out exploration drilling activities.

He further said PLN had conveyed its commitment to realize the target set by the government by purchasing power in accordance with the rates set by the government.

"The INAGA has striven and will continue to work with the government to develop geothermal energy in Indonesia for the benefit of all the countrys people," he went on. (ebf)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Thomas Lembong Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

Having just handed off at the Trade Ministry and taken over at the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), now is a unique moment for me to comment on Indonesias trade and investment, two issues that are actually closely interlinked.

I believe that we can expect a lot of continuity in our governments international trade policy, notwithstanding that a new trade minister was appointed in the recent Cabinet reshuffle. New Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita has moved swiftly to implement President Joko Jokowi Widodos instructions during the first plenary Cabinet meeting post-reshuffle: (1) that there is only the vision of the President and Vice President, and (2) the importance of solidity in the Cabinet, by which I believe he means teamwork.

First, Minister Enggar has instructed the leadership of the Trade Ministry to continue all the programs on the international side, such as our pursuit of trade agreements with the European Union and with Australia. Second, with the big-hearted spirit and self-confidence that comes from being a highly successful person, Minister Enggar then invited me to continue to contribute to our international trade agenda. Obviously, Im delighted to oblige. The first follows the vision of President Jokowi; the second is a welcome gesture toward Cabinet teamwork.

President Jokowi has now publicly stated many times that he has distilled his economic reform philosophy down to two fundamental principles: openness and competition.

President Jokowi and Vice President Jusuf Kalla understand very well the meanings of trade diversion and investment diversion. In short: right now, a lot of factories are shutting down in Indonesia and the Philippines and moving to Vietnam.

Why? Because Vietnam has trade agreements with the EU and the US, while Indonesia and the Philippines do not. By the way, the EU and the US are two of the worlds top export destinations, each being a roughly US$17 trillion-per-year economy.

Under Vietnams trade agreements with the EU (CEPA), and with the US (TPP), Vietnamese exports enjoy 0 percent tariffs when entering the EU and the US markets. Meanwhile, the EU and the US apply 10-17 percent tariffs on Indonesian and Philippine exports. Hence, Vietnamese exports are immediately 10-17 percent cheaper than Indonesian and Philippine exports, just on tarriffs.

Indonesian and Philippine exports cannot compete under such tariff disadvantages. As a result, investment (in factories) and the exports that will be produced by those factories are being diverted from countries that have no trade agreements (Indonesia, the Philippines), to countries that have trade agreements (Vietnam).

That is why both the Philippines and Indonesia are now racing to complete CEPAs with the EU, and are likely to have little choice but to pursue the TPP with the US. This is one example of what President Jokowi means when he says that we live in an era of competition.

Indonesia is competing against Vietnam and the Philippines. Nobody will want to invest in factories in Indonesia if exports from Indonesia suffer a price disadvantage of 10-17 percent versus exports from Vietnam just on tariffs. Boosting Indonesias exports requires investment (in factories, etc.), and to attract such investment requires trade agreements with important export destinations like the EU and the US. Hence the close interlinkage between investment and trade.

I feel that Pak Enggar is an excellent choice to replace me as trade minister. We need to remember that economic reforms not only need to be formulated technocratically, but also need to be disseminated to political parties and to governors, district chiefs and mayors. As a veteran of domestic politics, Pak Enggar will be much better than me at disseminating our trade sector reforms to political stakeholders. Through teamwork, my hope is that we can combine the best of both worlds: his clear strength in domestic politics, with my now-established strength in the international arena.

More broadly, the recent Cabinet reshuffle significantly enhances President Jokowis political position. Not only have the Golkar Party and the National Mandate Party (PAN) joined the government, President Jokowi has also pulled in more closely both Minister Enggars NasDem Party and Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wirantos Hanura Party.

In my view, the more ambitious the economic reforms that we want to pursue, the stronger our President needs to be politically to push those reforms through. For me, pulling these political parties in is a forceful way to make them take greater ownership of the Presidents economic reform agenda.

With President Jokowis strengthened political coalition and teamwork between Minister Enggar and me (as well as Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto and others), Im extremely hopeful that Indonesias pursuit of its international trade agenda will exhibit the Olympic ideals currently playing out in Rio de Janeiro: citius, altius, fortius  faster, higher, stronger.

_____________________________________

The writer is head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM).
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Nusa Dua, Bali  Wed, August 10, 2016

Australian Attorney General George Brandis has said cooperation between countries was key in a successful fight against terrorism.

He praised the International Meeting on Counterterrorism in Nusa Dua, Bali, which he said had prompted closer international antiterrorism cooperation.

"This forum, which brings together ministers, senior officials, and technical experts from around the world, is a unique opportunity to engage and open dialogue between international and regional partners on key security issues and to discuss how together we can work to address the problems," he said on Wednesday.

"At the time when terrorist networks seek to exploit national borders and use the Internet to plan and execute violent extremism, there has never been more important time for countries than to work together, to share experiences and intelligence data and information to cut what we all know to be a truly global threat," Brandis said.

Ministers and senior officials from 23 countries, including Australia, Belgium, Singapore, the US and the Philippines, attended the meeting. Representatives of ASEAN, Interpol, and the UN were also present.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla gave the keynote speech at the opening of the meeting.

The one day meeting is being held back to back with the 2nd Counter Terrorism Financing Summit that is being hosted by the same venue from Monday until Thursday. Indonesia and Australia are co-hosting the summit. (ebf)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Safrin La Batu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10 2016

Residents of Jakarta and Queensland, Australia, are set for closer encounters, not only because of the proximity of the two nations, but also because the respective administrations are mulling closer cooperation.

The cooperation between the two cities will be mainly focused on people-to-people contact rather than simply on the government-to-government level, said Mayor Paul Pisasale of the city of Ipswich in Queensland, adding that this would ensure stronger and more enduring bonds between the two regions.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

A digital forensics expert showed CCTV footage during the trial of Jessica Kumala Wongso, who stands accused of murdering her friend Wayan Mirna Salihin, on Wednesday at the Central Jakarta District Court.

Expert Adj.Sr.Comr Mohammad Nuh Al-Azhar showed CCTV footage recorded on Jan. 6 this year that showed Jessicas suspicious movements while she was waiting for almost an hour before Mirna and another friend Juwita Boon aka Hani arrived at Olivier restaurant for their meet-up.

Excerpts of the footage showed Jessica before her friends arrived. The footage showed that at 4:22 p.m., Jessica sat down on the edge of a bench. About one minute after that, Jessica moved to the center of the bench so her position was in line with decorative plants. Her body was blocked by the plants but her hand movements could be seen, Nuh said.

Jessica is seen pushing a centerpiece away from her. She arranged three paper bags on a table until all of them were in line. At 4:29 p.m., Jessica opened her bag with two hands.

"She opened her bag while her head turned to the left and right continuously. Looking at the pixel movement, she seemed to put something on the table," Nuh said.

Before Mirna and Hani arrived, Jessica ordered Vietnamese coffee for Mirna. According to the footage, Jessica moved Mirna's Vietnamese coffee to the other side of the table

Jessicas lawyer, Otto Hasibuan, told the court that he doubted Nuhs statement could reveal the truth behind Mirnas death.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Nusa Dua, Bali  Wed, August 10, 2016

A professor on international terrorism from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, Rohan Gunaratna, said monitoring terrorists financial activities was the key to a successful fight against terrorism.

"Finance intelligence is a very powerful tool in the fight against terrorism because money is the life blood of terrorists," he said on Tuesday.

Citing an example, Gunaratna said a terrorist leader was found to have sent 22 payments totaling Rp 1.8 billion (US$137,247.48) from Turkey through Western Union to Indonesia. For the Thamrin attacks in January this year, at least Rp 70 million had also been sent from Turkey to Indonesia, he went on.

Gunaratna said terrorism was a regional challenge because Indonesia and other countries in the region, such as Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines, were currently struggling to combat terror threats.

He praised the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK), which he said had built a very close work relationship with the police.

This has helped the police to prevent many attacks and to dismantle many terror attacks. Now, Indonesia is leading the way in building a regional framework [in the fight against terrorism]," said Gunaratna.

(Read also : Terrorist financing getting stronger: experts)

He also appreciated Indonesia's initiative to work with other countries in the region to fight terrorism. "Traditionally, historically, the fight against terrorism has only been between government agencies. But for the first time, PPATK has invited industries, such as banks, financial institutions, even private sector partners and academics, to join the effort," said the expert, who is also the author of Handbook of Terrorism in Asia Pacific.

Gunaratna is one of the experts sharing their expertise on countering terrorism during the 2nd Counter Terrorism Financing Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, Tuesday.

PPATK deputy chairman Agus Santoso said the meeting aimed to strengthen regional cooperation in combating terrorism.

"Fighting against terrorism cannot be done by one country alone. We have to work together with other countries in the region. Thus, Indonesia is taking the initiative to build regional risk assessment with six other countries that border Indonesia, such as Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines," he noted. (ebf)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Erika Anindita Dewi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

The National Police have decided not to pursue their report against human rights activist Haris Azhar, because they want to focus on the work of the independent team assigned to assess the veracity of his claims.

"As the reporting party, we have put our report against Haris on hold to focus on assessing the truth of the accusation regarding Freddy Budiman's testimony - which was told to Pak Haris," Boy told a press conference at a restaurant in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The drug kingpin was executed on Nusakambangan prison island, Cilacap, Central Java, on July 29. In a conversation with Haris two years ago, Freddy reportedly said that his drug operation was supported by personnel from three institutions: the National Police, the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Narcotics Agency (BNN).

The three institutions filed a report against Haris last week, accusing him of violating the 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions Law.

The independent team plans to question several parties mentioned in Freddy's story. The team, led by National Police general supervision inspectorate chief Comr. Gen. Dwi Priyatno, comprises National Police Commission (Kompolnas) commissioner Poengky Indarty, Setara Institute chairman Hendardi and University of Indonesia political communications expert Effendi Ghazali. (evi)
Just when he thought he was lucky enough to have escaped death in the horrific crash-landing incident, this Malayali man hit a one million dollar jackpot.

By India Today Web Desk: Almost every lottery win story is incredible, but there are some stories that just seem too good to be true. Here's one such incredible story of a Malayali man who had a brush with death when Emirates flight crash-landed in Dubai last week.

Just when he thought he was lucky to have escaped death in the horrific incident, 62-year-old Mohammad Basheer Abdul Khadar, hit a one million dollar jackpot.

advertisement

Mohammad Basheer, an Indian national, purchased the ticket on the ticket on Eid on his way for a vacation with his family in Thiruvananthapuram on board EK521 Emirates flight, reports the Gulf News.

Working as a fleet administrator with a car dealer in Dubai, he regularly bought raffle tickets. On Tuesday, exactly a week into the crash-landing episode, his ticket number 0845 was drawn in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire, and to his utter surprise, he won the lottery.

This bumper win also comes four months before he retires, Gulf News quoted him as saying,"I have been working in Dubai for 37 years, and I have always felt like this is my country. I live a simple life, and now that it's my time to retire, I feel like God gave me a second life when I survived the plane crash, and blessed me with this money to follow all this up by doing good thing."

He has a married daughter and 21-year-old son who became paralysed after an accidental fall just 13 days after birth.

When asked about his plans with the lottery win, he told the NewsMinute , "I have no great plans about how to spend the money. But I know what dignity of labour is all about, so once I retire from Dubai, I would like to go back to Kerala and start a small agricultural unit. I have seen what my son went through and would like to help children with medical issues."

He plans to come back to India after his retirement and find a job where he provide medical and financial support to children from backward communities in Kerala.



--- ENDS ---
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arcandra Tahar says Indonesia has so far installed 1,494 Megawatts (MW) of geothermal power plants, making up 5 percent of the total 29,000 MW of geothermal potential in the country.

According to Arcandra, this means that the government can speed up the development of geothermal energy so it will account for 23 percent of the nations total energy mix, from the current 5 percent, by 2025 as stipulated by Government Regulation (PP) 79/2014 on National Energy Policy.

Indonesia aims to achieve 7,200 MW of geothermal energy by 2025.

"This target is actually not really ambitious, considering the total 29,000 MW of geothermal energy potential that we have. However, the installed capacity is now only 1,494 MW or 5 percent of total potential," Candra said, during the opening of the 4th Indonesia International Geothermal Convention and Exhibition (IIGCE) on Wednesday.

Candra said that in 2016 alone, installed geothermal power was expected to reach 1,653 MW. The additional capacity would come from Lahendong VI geothermal power plant with a capacity of 25 MW in North Sulawesi, 110 MW from Sarulla geothermal power plant in North Sumatra and 30 MW from Karaha geothermal power plant in West Java, among others, he said

"In total, there will be an additional capacity of 215 MW in 2016," he said.

To achieve its geothermal energy target, the minister said, the government would redefine geothermal energy development so that it was no longer considered a mining business. This would allow geothermal exploration activities in forests. (ebf)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Abdul Sattar and Munir Ahmed (Associated Press) Quetta, Pakistan  Wed, August 10, 2016

Many Pakistanis were in deep mourning on Tuesday, a day after a suicide bombing that targeted lawyers killed 70 people in the city of Quetta, touching a chord in the country's long-simmering culture war. By targeting lawyers, Islamic radicals appeared to take aim at a pillar of the country's budding civil society  and a symbol of the supremacy of secular law in a modern state.

Across the country, many courts were closed and lawyers staged rallies in support of their colleagues.

But in Quetta, the capital of the southwestern province of Baluchistan, the streets were deserted. Shops were shuttered, and markets and schools closed to mourn those killed. "People are scared, and they ask, 'for how long the violence will continue?'" said Mohammad Saleem, who works at the market.

Senior attorney Mohammad Ashraf stood with several fellow lawyers outside a Quetta court building, a spot where he had often gathered for breaks with many of the lawyers killed in the bombing. The perpetrators "cannot be called humans," he said with anger. "We request that the government tracks down and punishes all those who killed innocent lawyers and other people," he added.

Tariq Lodhi, a former head of Pakistan's main civil spy agency, told The Associated Press that the attack was carried out by militants to "terrorize lawyers and judges," who are handling cases involving militants accused of carrying out attacks in the country.

A prominent local lawyer, Bilal Kasi, the president of the Baluchistan Bar Association, was on his way to work when he was shot dead by gunmen early Monday. After his death, around 100 lawyers gathered at Quetta's government-run Civil Hospital, where a suicide bomber attacked those mourning.

Survivors later described scenes of panic as the blast ripped through the emergency room, littering it with body parts.

Two journalists who had been covering the event for Pakistani TV were killed, but many of the dead and wounded were lawyers.

In a statement, Ahsanullah Ahsan, a spokesman for the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar  a breakaway faction of the militant Taliban group  said its fighters killed Kasi and dozens of lawyers at the hospital. Ahsan's group has been behind several attacks in Pakistan in recent years, including a deadly Easter Sunday bombing in a park in the eastern city of Lahore that killed at least 70 people.

But in what was likely an opportunistic statement, the Islamic State group also claimed responsibility for the Quetta attack later on Monday. There have been instances of competing claims in previous attacks in Pakistan.

It was not the first time that militants in Pakistan have targeted lawyers. Last year, gunmen in the northwestern city of Peshawar killed Samiullah Khan Afridi, a former lawyer for the Pakistani doctor who helped the US find Osama bin Laden. Earlier this year, the son of the supreme chief justice of Sindh High Court was kidnapped, and a suicide bomb attack outside a courtroom in Pakistan's north-east killed 11 people in March.

The Quetta bombing was, however, the deadliest attack to hit Pakistan's legal community.

Bilal Kasi, the first lawyers targeted, was among the most outspoken lawyers in Baluchistan province and was popular for campaigning for improvements to the judiciary. Tahir Hussein, an advocate, said his friend Kasi practiced criminal law and was not involved in any cases involving militants. He did not believe that militants had specifically targeted lawyers.

"Terrorists do not differentiate between doctors and engineers and lawyers or policemen. They kill people to spread fear," Hussein said.

Yet lawyers also represent a powerful segment of Pakistan's civil society, which has played a key role in turning popular opinion against Islamic militant groups such as the Taliban. Many Pakistanis, particularly religious conservatives, tolerated or even supported the Taliban and opposed the military's campaign against militants. But this changed in the wake of a series of brutal attacks against civilians, such as an attack on a school in Peshawar that killed 156 people in 2014.

Pakistan's growing civil society has been vocal of its opposition to the narrow, rigid interpretation of Islam espoused by groups such as the Taliban. Many of the lawyers killed were pursuing cases involving human rights violations.

The legal community has also emerged as a powerful political actor in Pakistan. In 2007, lawyers launched a campaign against then-President Pervez Musharraf for sacking the chief justice, Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry. Later, political parties joined the campaign and Musharraf was forced to quit in 2008 and Chaudhry was reinstated.

For militants, lawyers are representatives of a civil society that increasingly rejects their hard-line interpretations of Islam, and agents of the Pakistani state, which has declared open war on Islamic militant groups.

The government does not publish statistics, but dozens of militants are known to have been tried in military and civilian courts in the past year alone.

The Quetta hospital bombing was planned to inflict the maximum number of civilian casualties. It follows a series of large-scale attacks on civilian targets this year, including the storming of a school in north-eastern Pakistan in January, when 20 people were killed, and the Easter Sunday bombing.

The brutality of such attacks have undercut militants' support base, but they also underscore concerns that insurgents are still capable of striking in major cities, despite government claims of dismantling various terror networks.

Outside the courtroom later Tuesday, Sanaullah Zehri, the chief minister in the Baluchistan province, struck a defiant note. He pledged the government would trace and punish those linked to the hospital attack, vowing that the "blood of innocent people will not go to waste."

___

Associated Press Writers Ahmed in Islamabad and Maamoun Youssef in Cairo contributed to this report. (**)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10 2016

Oil and gas giant Pertamina is looking to Iran to boost production to support Indonesias increasingly high oil consumption.



On Monday, Pertamina signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Iranian Oil Co. (NIOC) in Tehran, Iran, which allows the former to conduct a six-month study on two of Irans oil fields.



The two fields consist of the Ab-Teymour and the Mansouri fields, the latter of which consists of Asmari and Bangestan reservoirs. The two oil fields have a current production rate of 74,500 barrels of oil per day (bopd) and reserves of over 5 million barrels of oil.



After the six-month study of NIOCs data on the two fields is over, Pertamina will be obliged to submit a preliminary proposal on how to develop the two onshore fields.



Iran is one of Pertaminas priorities. We are serious about investing in its upstream sector and will continue to support Iran in its efforts to increase production. On the other hand, [the MoU] is also part of our companys efforts to support our national energy security, Pertamina executive director Dwi Soetjipto said in a press release.



Pertamina has been eyeing Irans oil ever since international sanctions against the country were lifted in January, in exchange for disabling much of its nuclear infrastructure.



A recent report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that Irans production has risen to 3.56 million bopd since then. The last time Iran achieved such crude-oil production was in November 2011. The new figure indicates that the worlds sixth-largest oil producer  coming in after Saudi Arabia, Russia, the US, China and Canada  is ready to move on from production stagnancy after being crippled by sanctions for years.



Apart from the development of Irans upstream sector, Pertamina has previously agreed to purchase 600,000 tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from NIOC.



There are still many opportunities for our two companies to work together. For example, in drilling and oil services, crude and condensate oil production, LNG refinery development, petrochemical sector and other activities, Dwi said.



As Indonesias oil consumption keeps rising, Pertamina must find ways to fulfill domestic demand, which is estimated to reach 1.6 million bopd.



In the first half of the year, oil production increased by 11.3 percent to 305,000 bopd, boosted by its overseas oil fields in Algeria, Malaysia and Iraq, data from the state-owned company shows. Overseas fields produced 85,000 bopd in the January-June period.



The company also recently acquired a 24.5 percent stake in Frances second-biggest oil company Maurel & Prom (M&P) for US$200 million. Through the agreement, Pertamina will have the right to leverage around 6,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) produced by M&P, which carries out most of its business through the exploitation of onshore assets in three African countries: Gabon, Tanzania and Nigeria.



Pertamina will also receive 200,000 barrels of Premium, the brand name of subsidized gasoline, from Russias Rosneft Oil Company each month until December, making up a total of 1.2 million barrels of Premium.

--------------

To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Paul Newberry (Associated Press) Rio de Janeiro  Wed, August 10, 2016

This is the one Michael Phelps really wanted, and it showed.

With challengers all around, he simply wouldn't be denied.

After touching the wall first  barely  he held up one finger. Then he sat on a lane rope, egging on the roaring crowd at the Olympic Aquatics Center with both hands, before emphatically pumping his fist in the direction of his fiancee and their infant son.

Once again, the gold medal in the 200-meter butterfly belongs to Phelps.

Being the 20th gold of his career only added to the satisfaction.

Making up for one of the few losses in his staggering career, Phelps held off Japan's Masato Sakai by a mere four-hundredths of a second. The winning time was 1 minute, 53.36 seconds, but that was of little concern. The only thing that mattered was getting to the wall first.

Four years ago, Phelps mistimed his finish in the swooping stroke he does better than anyone, gliding to the wall a little too long after his final stroke. That allowed Chad le Clos of South Africa to stunningly win gold in an event that Phelps had dominated for the better part of a decade.

Phelps retired after the London Games, so it looked like he wouldn't get a chance to make up for his defeat. But when he decided about a year later to start competing again, the 200 fly was clearly the title he wanted more than any other.

Le Clos was in the final again, thoroughly inspired himself by his mother and father, both battling cancer and in the stands cheering him on.

But the South African could only manage fourth this time, finishing behind bronze medalist Tamas Kenderesi of Hungary.

In what was shaping up to be another very good night for the Americans, Katie Ledecky took the most challenging step toward a feat that's only been done one other time.

Ledecky held off Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom to win the 200 freestyle and give the American star her second gold of the Rio Games.

Debbie Meyer is the only female swimmer to capture the three longest freestyle events at a single Olympics, winning the 200, 400 and 800 at Mexico City in 1968. Ledecky looks like a lock to match Meyer, having already won the 200 and 400 titles and an overwhelming favorite in the 800, where she's the world-record holder and far faster than anyone else in the world.

Fifth at the first flip turn, a bit faster than she usually goes out, Ledecky powered to the front on the third lap and grittily shooed off a hard-charging Sjostrom coming to the wall.

Ledecky touched in 1:53.73. The silver went to Sjostrom in 1:54.08, while early leader Emma McKeon faded to the bronze in 1:54.92. World-record holder Federica Pelligrini of Italy was fourth.

"That was a really tough race and it hurt really badly," Ledecky said. "I'm pretty sure it's the closest I've come to throwing up in the middle of a race. I'm just so glad I got my hand on the wall first and it was all worth it."

Ledecky knew this was the most vulnerable of her three individual events. She crushed the world record in the 400 and everyone expects her to do the same in the 800.

The 200 may be the shortest race of the bunch but it's definitely the hardest for Ledecky, requiring her to show both her speed and endurance against a far more competitive field.

"The 200 is a much more stressful race than the 400 and 800, and it always just feels good when it's over," she said. "I took it out pretty fast and kind of forced everybody to try to do that. Once I was ahead I knew I wasn't going to let it out of my hands. I knew I wasn't going to be able to see most of the field on the last 50, so I just had to dig deep."

Phelps hustled off the deck after his victory celebration, having only about an hour to get ready for his second race of the night  anchoring the US in the 4x200 freestyle relay.

Conor Dywer was leading off for the Americans, followed by Townley Haas and 11-time Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte, competing in his first event of these games.

Phelps was picked to finish up, looking to claim gold medal No. 21.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

State electricity company PLN is set to acquire a stake in state energy giant Pertamina in PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) as part of efforts to speed up geothermal power supply to the electricity firm.

Pertamina currently holds a 100 percent stake in PGE. Pertamina president director Dwi Soetjipto said the company was currently conducting due diligence on the acquisition, highlighting its willingness to sell some of its stake in PLN for the greater good of the nation.

It is expected that the acquisition will help accelerate the development of geothermal power plants in Indonesia.

Soetjipto said Pertamina's goal was to help PGE grow and help the government tap into the countrys 29,000 MW of geothermal energy potential.

"Currently, PGE itself has only installed 450 MW. We are targeting that in the next three to four years, it can reach above 1,000 MW," Dwi said on the sidelines of the 4th Indonesia International Geothermal Convention and Exhibition (IIGCE) on Wednesday.

PLN President Director Sofyan Basyir said the acquisition plan was partly to meet the 7,000 MW geothermal power plant target set by the government. In total, only 1,600 MW of the nations geothermal energy potential is being utilized.

[With the acquisition] we will have a greater ability to conduct geothermal explorations," he said, adding that the plan would likely decrease the high prices of geothermal power. (ebf)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Evi Mariani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

The Jakarta Police have made the details of the investigation into the rape allegation from an intern at the Central Jakarta municipality office public. They divulged personal and forensics information to the local media on Tuesday, while casting doubt on the credibility of the victim's story.

Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Awi Setiyono said they had analyzed three CCTV recordings and found that the man accused of raping M, the intern, was not at the building at the time of the alleged rape.

From the CCTV recordings, we found A was in a hotel in Tanah Abang. He was with his two colleagues working on a land issue at the hotel, Awi said as quoted by kompas.com.

High school student M, 17, reported that A, assisted by H and Y, raped her on the sixth floor of the building at about 12 p.m. From witness testimony, the police said they found that H was not on duty and at his house, while Y was not on the sixth floor at that time.

The police said they questioned 21 colleagues who confirmed the findings.

Awi said the police confronted the victim with H and Y but M did not recognize either of them, she only recognized A.

During a forensics examination, he said the police also did not find any new injuries that could indicate she had been raped.

Sri Wiyanti Eddyono, a lecturer at Gadjah Mada Universitys School of Law in Yogyakarta, said the polices move to confront the victim with the accused men was very improper in dealing with sexual violence cases. They should refer the victim to psychological counseling, she told thejakartapost.com.

She said the police were obliged to find sufficient evidence, but there was the possibility that the police had discovered evidence that did not confirm the victims account.

Sri, who was a lawyer at the Legal Aid Foundation of Indonesian Women's Association for Justice (LBH APIK), said for young victims, inconsistent reports were possible.

Perhaps the same event happened with the same person but at a different time, or there was another event the victim associated with the event she reported to the police. For the victims best interest, especially for young victims, the police should investigate the case with sensitivity and they should not have divulged the process to the public, she said.

Especially if the disclosure created a stigma for the victim, Sri went on to say.

Last week, Ms parents reported a man identified as A, a civil servant at the Central Jakarta municipal office to the police. The victim said she was assaulted by three men during a lunch break in an empty room in the municipality building. They made her unconscious and when she woke up, she found herself naked in the room.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Haeril Halim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10 2016

A government-sanctioned team has told the National Police to halt Operation Tinombala in Poso, Central Sulawesi. The team has offered itself up as a mediator to coax the remaining 16 terrorists allegedly hiding in the jungle to lay down their arms and surrender.



The 16 terrorists, the followers of recently killed terrorist Santoso, will be asked to voluntarily turn themselves in to authorities.



The team, consisting of 13 prominent figures, made the call after its recent visit to Poso attained guarantees from the family members of the remaining terrorists that the terrorists would surrender to the police if President Joko Jokowi Widodo issued a legal assurance that they would receive amnesty from the State Palace.



From interviews with residents in Poso, the team, which was setup by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), found that individuals linked to the Santoso group were tired of fighting the government. They want peace and reconciliation to bring about recovery in Poso after the death of Santoso, the team claims.



The governments decision to extend the security operation to hunt Santosos followers will cost a lot of money and bring back old wounds that could create new conflict in the future, the team says. So far, it has cost around Rp 60 billion (US$4.6 million).



We will work with the National Police as well as the National Counterterrorism Agency [BNPT] to bring the 16 people in through a soft approach. Poso needs a soft recovery approach after facing 18 years of restless [conflict], team member Busyro Muqoddas told a press briefing on Tuesday.



Established on July 15, the team flew to Poso to collect data in order to push for a reconciliation process after the death of Santoso. The team also received an assurance from local clerics, both Muslim and Christian, that the remaining terrorists would be treated well after their capture and return to society.



The team is also focused on pushing for economic recovery in Poso as part of the reconciliation process. The team has also received assurances from the private sector that they could give jobs to Santosos followers in the aftermath of the peace process.



The years-long security operation has also affected the local economy, especially farmers who make a living from the jungle.



The hunt for Santoso has been the most expensive counterterrorism operation in the nations history, having dragged on since 2007 under different names. Operation Tinombala is also the first such operation to see military involvement.



The proposal to terminate the mission is currently being discussed at the House of Representatives due to budget constraints.



During its time in Poso, the team also met with locals who had received injuries while the operation was going on in their area.



National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian is said to support the teams moves in Poso. The National Police will ensure the security of the team members while they finish their field investigation.



However, the team has yet to receive an answer from Tito on whether he will terminate the operation while the team works on the reconciliation process over the coming months.



Another team member, Bambang Widodo Umar, said the team would also recommend that the National Police apply a more humane approach in the future.



Komnas HAM commissioner Siane Indriani, a member of the team, said the team had found that Santoso and his followers fought the government after they were disappointed over the result of the Malino agreements that ended all legal processes of alleged perpetrators during conflict in Poso.



They are part of the conflicts residue. They feel there was injustice in terms of law, said Siane.



The team proposes that the remaining 16 followers of Santoso be given amnesty without having to face legal charges.

__________________________________________

To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Thomas Lembong (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10 2016

Having just handed off at the Trade Ministry and taken over at the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), now is a unique moment for me to comment on Indonesias trade and investment, two issues that are actually closely interlinked.

I believe that we can expect a lot of continuity in our governments international trade policy, notwithstanding that a new trade minister was appointed in the recent Cabinet reshuffle. New Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita has moved swiftly to implement President Joko Jokowi Widodos instructions during the first plenary Cabinet meeting post-reshuffle: (1) that there is only the vision of the President and Vice President, and (2) the importance of solidity in the Cabinet, by which I believe he means teamwork.

First, Minister Enggar has instructed the leadership of the Trade Ministry to continue all the programs on the international side, such as our pursuit of trade agreements with the European Union and with Australia. Second, with the big-hearted spirit and self-confidence that comes from being a highly successful person, Minister Enggar then invited me to continue to contribute to our international trade agenda. Obviously, Im delighted to oblige. The first follows the vision of President Jokowi; the second is a welcome gesture toward Cabinet teamwork.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Farida Susanty (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

The government reiterated on Tuesday its commitment to accelerate the completion of major infrastructure projects across the archipelago, among President Joko Jokowi Widodos priority programs, in the face of a number of hurdles to their progress.



In a seminar organized by The Jakarta Post, stakeholders expressed their optimism over the future of infrastructure development in Indonesia, where economic growth has been hindered by infrastructure bottlenecks.



Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT) head Herry Trisaputra Zuna said the government would not go about business as usual regarding land procurement and tenders for the governments toll road projects in an effort to beat the pressing deadlines.



The government, for example, has started to shorten the tender process for toll road projects from around 12 months to five months to ensure construction can start soon, Herry said. Land acquisition, meanwhile, is expected to be completed gradually as the construction stage goes on.



Under normal conditions, the Serang-Panimbang toll road is expected to be completed by 2019. We need to acquire land to meet that deadline, Herry said, referring to the 83.9-kilometer toll road in Banten, a national strategic project.



Earlier this year, President Jokowi issued two policies to expedite hundreds of projects listed as national strategic projects, alongside a large-scale electrification program. They comprise 225 projects in 13 sectors, such as railways and toll roads, and have received special backing and attention from the government, as stipulated by presidential regulations (Perpres) No. 3/2016 and No. 4/2016.



Despite the Presidents move to cut fuel subsidies to fund infrastructure projects at the beginning of his administration, land issues and red tape have long hampered the countrys infrastructure projects. The issues have also hindered Indonesia from growing at its potential of beyond 7 percent annually. Indonesias economy grew at a stronger-than-expected rate of 5.18 percent year-on-year (yoy) in the second quarter.



The government-sanctioned Priority Infrastructure Development Acceleration Committee (KPPIP), tasked with expediting infrastructure projects, has also set an ambitious target of seeing the groundbreaking of its 30 priority infrastructure projects by 2018.



The government will take care of the permit for the projects - we dont need investors to hurry hither and thither, KPPIP director for water resources Henry Toruan said.



The KPPIP cited projects that had begun after government intervention, including the construction of a 2 x 1,000 megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant in Batang, Central Java.



The US$4.2 billion project, which will build Southeast Asias biggest power plant, had been delayed since 2011 as a result of land-acquisition issues. Although the projects tender was originally won in 2011, land acquisition problems plagued the project up until March this year when the Supreme Court voted to reject a challenge to a Central Java gubernatorial decree that allowed a 125,146 square-meter site to be used for the power plant.



The project is part of the governments ambitious plan to procure an additional 35,000 megawatts (MW) for the electricity grid by 2019.



State electricity firm PLN, meanwhile, stated it was still upbeat over the progress of the electrification project, despite only 195 MW having been added to the grid as of last month.



People say we are running behind schedule, but building po-wer plants does take time, PLN corporate secretary Bambang Dwiyanto said.



The local arm of US-based technology company General Electric (GE) meanwhile said the government was on the right track regarding infrastructure development.



We have been involved in a number of PLN projects. We want to invest more in Indonesia, GE Indonesia CEO Handry Satriago said.



Meanwhile, state infrastructure financing company Sarana Multi Infrastruktur (SMI) pledged to serve as a catalyst for investment in infrastructure projects.



We want to get banks to be more aggressive in entering infrastructure [projects], SMI project development and advisory director Darwin Trisna Djajawinata said.

_______________________________



To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News.

For print subscription, please contact our call center at (+6221) 5360014 or subscription@thejakartapost.com
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Irina Titova and Vladimir Isachenkov (Associated Press) St. Petersburg, Russia  Wed, August 10, 2016

Turkey's president cozied up to his "dear friend" Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in a visit intended to send a message to his allies in the West, whom he blames for what he considers a lack of support after a failed coup.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pressed the United States to extradite the man he claims was behind the failed insurrection, and has sought more funds and visa-free travel from the European Union, but it's unclear what leverage improved ties with Russia could give him.

Putin, in turn, expects Turkey to become more accommodating of Russia's interests in Syria and move faster on major energy projects  demands Ankara could find difficult to meet.

After their talks in St. Petersburg's ornate Konstantin Palace, both leaders emphasized their shared desire to rebuild ties, but it remained unclear if they could reach common ground on the Syrian crisis. While Moscow has backed Syrian President Bashar Assad throughout the nation's civil war and further bolstered that support by launching an air campaign last September, Turkey has pushed for Assad's removal and helped his foes.

Putin said he and Erdogan would have a separate discussion on Syria later Tuesday involving top diplomats and intelligence officials.

Repeatedly calling Putin his "dear friend," Erdogan refrained from mentioning any sticking points after the talks, saying he expects ties to fully blossom again soon. He said Turkey is ready to implement a natural gas pipeline project proposed by Moscow and a deal for Russia to build Turkey's first nuclear power plant.

Both projects were announced years earlier, but had been held back by commercial disputes even before Turkey's downing of a Russian jet at the Syrian border last November.

The shoot-down, which Putin called a "treacherous stab in the back," brought relations to a freezing point where they remained for seven months until Erdogan apologized to Russia in June. Putin responded by ordering his government to start rebuilding ties with Turkey, and when Erdogan faced the botched coup attempt on July 15 the Russian leader quickly offered his support.

Erdogan emphasized that pledge of support, saying "it was very important for us psychologically. It offered us moral support and showed Russia's solidarity with Turkey."

While Putin also spoke of rebuilding ties, he sounded more cautious, warning that it will take time to fully restore them.

Moscow has accused the Turkish government of turning a blind eye to the flow of weapons and supplies to the Islamic State group and other extremists in Syria. While the Kremlin has tempered its rhetoric amid the rapprochement, Putin will most certainly push Erdogan to cut support for the rebels engaged in a fierce battle with Assad's forces in Aleppo.

Moscow could use economic levers to force Turkey to compromise on Syria. Turkey badly needs the flow of Russian tourists to resume, and Turkish farmers, construction companies and other businesses badly need to regain access to the Russian market, which has been shut to them after the plane's downing.

Putin said Tuesday that charter flights to Turkey could resume "in the near future," but added that "painstaking work is ahead to revive trade and economic cooperation."

"This process has been launched, but it will take some time," the Russian leader said.

While ties with Russia can't substitute Turkey's economic and security cooperation with the US and the EU and its membership in NATO, Erdogan clearly hopes to use the Russia card to strengthen his hand in disputes with his Western partners.

Turkey has pressed the United States hard to extradite Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish cleric the government blames for the failed coup. Gulen has repeatedly denied any involvement.

The dispute has strained US-Turkish ties, with some Turkish officials implying Washington could have been behind the coup. The Obama administration has strongly denied that.

Speaking after the talks with Putin, Erdogan reiterated his contention that Gulen was behind the failed insurrection and alleged that the coup plotters were also responsible for the crisis in relations with Russia. He didn't touch on Ankara's demand for Gulen's extradition.

The failed coup saw renegade Turkish military officers using jets, helicopters and tanks try to take power in a night of violence that left more than 270 people dead. Since then, about 18,000 people have been detained or arrested and nearly 70,000 others suspected of links to Gulen have been suspended or dismissed from the civil service, judiciary, education, health care and the military.

Turkish officials have fumed at expressions of concern over the sweeping crackdown from European officials and rights groups, and accused the West of failing to show support for a democratically elected government. Ankara also lashed out at the EU for failing to uphold its end of an EU-Turkey agreement on migration.

The deal, struck in March, helped stem the flow of migrants from Turkey to the nearby Greek islands in exchange for an EU pledge of funds and visa-free travel for Turks. But plans to ease visa rules have run into trouble and Erdogan accused the EU earlier this month of failing to deliver the promised funds.

In contrast with his criticism of the US and the EU, Erdogan heaped praise on Putin for offering support after the coup, saying: "We are strongly determined to take our relations to the pre-crisis and even higher level."

Putin responded in kind, saying that "higher interests of our peoples, our nations require the restoration of our ties."

___

Isachenkov reported from Moscow. Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara and Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow contributed to this report.
Sharmila continues her vow to not meet her mother till she achieves her goal- to get AFSPA repealed from Manipur.

By Indrajit Kundu: The burden of being Manipur's Iron Lady has weighed heavily on Irom Sharmila's frail shoulders. "I don't want to be seen as some Goddess. They want me to be a statue without a voice, it hurts," she said after breaking her fast on Tuesday.

But moments after her historic move, murmurs of dissent became louder on the streets of Imphal. Sharmila knew it would be an unpopular decision and the backlash was instant.

advertisement

Even though she broke her fast, Sharmila continues her vow to not meet her mother till she achieves her goal- to get AFSPA repealed from Manipur. "I miss her a lot" she says but despite being released on bail, she does not want to stay at her home.

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED Soon after she concluded her press-conference outside the JNIMS hospital special ward on Tuesday, she was whisked away by Manipur police commandos. She was first taken to the residence of Dr Thiyam Suresh, the former state health director who is known to be close to Sharmila. But locals protested against her and did not allow her to see the doctor. Dejected, the 44-year-old went to the local ISKCON temple escorted by securitymen. Later she was taken to the Imphal City police station for security reasons before being eventually brought back to the hospital where she had spent her last 16 years. Thus, despite walking free Irom Sharmila has nowhere to go, disowned by her own people. Her supporters say they are trying to fix an accommodation for her with help from the local branch of International Red Cross Society in Imphal. Meanwhile, members of the Sharmila Kanba Lup (SHAKAL) or the Save Sharmila Campaign that has steadfastly stood by her side all these years met on Wednesday afternoon to decide their future course of action. "We are all shocked. I wept for her and the people of Manipur. She should have waited for some more days to listen to the voice of the people. She was fasting for a long time and we regret that but then it was for the people of Manipur. We are very disappointed with her unilateral decision," says veteran anti-AFSPA activist Ema Ngambi. "Manipuri women have been fighting against AFSPA for the past 36 years even before Irom began her fast. So our fight will continue with or without Sharmila ," she adds. Reenu Takhellambam lost her husband in police firing in 2007. Mother of a 10 year old son, Reenu is a member of EEVFAM, the organisation of Manipuri widows and mothers of men killed by security forces. He too echoes Ngambi's disappointment over Sharmila's move. "If she marries or becomes a politician, it's her personal decision. But we are really hurt today. We have worked with her very closely. We have always supported her. But she took this decision without consulting any of us. She may have sacrificed a lot, but we as victims of AFSPA have suffered too. Without her, we too can fight. We love Manipur too," says Reenu. Hailed as an icon of Manipur for long, Sharmila today finds herself unwanted within hours after announcing her course-correction. But the Iron Lady remains resolute. "They are yet to understand my struggle, but they will one day, " she says.

ALSO READ:

Exclusive: Shunned by supporters, Irom Sharmila says India may understand me, Manipuris do not

Heres why honey is the thing Irom Sharmila broke her fast with



--- ENDS ---
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Panca Nugraha and Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Lombok/Medan  Wed, August 10 2016

In the wake of the governments war against narcotics, airport authorities have foiled crystal methamphetamine, locally known as sabu-sabu, smuggling operations at several airports at least five times in the past month.

The most recent case involved three Malaysian citizens, one of whom was a pregnant woman. The three were arrested by customs and excise officers at Lombok International Airport on allegations of attempting to smuggle 1.9 kilograms of sabu-sabu into the island.

They allegedly attempted to smuggle the meth by hiding packages of the drug inside their underwear.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Dylan Amirio (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10 2016

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating on e-commerce platforms are gradually shifting their business focus toward online sales, which are more profitable and less pricey.



Bandung-based shoes producer S. Van Decka owner Fauwaz Fauzan said that his business was able to attract up to 600 orders per month through e-commerce platforms such as Lazada and Matahari Mall. He cites that it is more cost-effective and quicker to do business through e-commerce platforms, which guarantee faster growth.



The main costs for SMEs to open their own stores or distribute at physical retailers mainly entail paying rental space for the store, the transportation of products from production hubs to the store itself and paying workers wages.



Now that we sell our shoes on online marketplaces, we can make up to Rp 60 million [US$4,560] a month and process up to 50 orders a day. Van Decka has been on Lazada since 2014, where previously we used to just distribute to resellers and waited longer until we made a profit. It wasnt effective. Going online is, Fauzan said.



SMEs contribute 59 percent to the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) and account for 97 percent of jobs, with spending on information and communications technology is projected to reach $1.5 billion this year, from an overall national ICT expenditure of $29.5 billion, according to data from the International Data Corporation (IDC).



Other SMEs, such as Medan-based coffee seller Kopi Sidikalang, which only recently entered several e-commerce marketplaces despite having been active since 1945, agrees that selling online is much more convenient for both the buyer and the seller, as all transactions are direct.



Kopi Sidakalang owner Awi elaborated that the main advantage of e-commerce platforms was that the dispatch of products tended to be quicker, thus increasing the amount of sales he can make every day.



The signs were clear too when we saw that online sales through our website were performing better than anything else, Awi noted.



As one of the primary players in the Indonesian e-commerce market, Lazada Indonesia currently houses 15,000 SMEs in its marketplace.



Lazada Indonesia co-CEO Florian Holm explained that to empower SMEs in Indonesia, apart from giving them a platform to do business more efficiently, the firm had recently launched a new Buatan Indonesia (Indonesian Made) campaign, aiming to promote quality local products to the market.



This campaign is also the first part of a project that involves selling Indonesian products to foreign markets, which will be done with the help of Lazada Malaysia, he said.



Meanwhile, Indonesias biggest online marketplace, Bukalapak, currently has 1 million SMEs and 17 million users, 4 to 5 million of whom are active users.



By the end of the year, we aim to reach 2 million [SME] sellers, Bukalapak CEO Achmad Zaky said in May. With a number of parties, we will conduct training throughout the country to help more SMEs go online.

--------------

To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Suherdjoko (The Jakarta Post) Semarang  Wed, August 10 2016

A female junior high school student in Semarang regency, Central Java, was allegedly raped by two men after being given an intoxicating beverage in a field near Siwarumas Park in Samban, Bawen district.

Following the incident, the alleged perpetrators left the 14-year-old girl half-naked in the field. She later sought shelter at a mosque before being found by local residents who took her to the hospital.

The incident occurred late at night on Monday last week. The girls parents reported the case on Saturday and the two suspects were nabbed three hours later.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10 2016

State-owned telecommunications firm Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) is optimistic it will meet its ambitious target of double-digit growth in three key aspects of its business performance this year on the back of bullish growth in the countrys telecommunications sector.



Telkoms financial report shows that the company, during the first six months of the year, saw its revenue go up by 15.5 percent year-on-year (yoy) to Rp 56.4 trillion (US$4.3 billion), while earnings before taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) surged by 31 percent yoy to Rp 19.8 trillion and net profit jumped by 31.6 percent yoy to Rp 9.8 trillion.



Telkom finance director Harry Zen said the company was upbeat about maintaining such levels throughout the year.



"With such achievements, we are hopeful we will achieve our target of triple double-digit [growth] by year-end," he said.



For the first time in its history, Telkom has set a goal of annual double-digit growth in revenue, EBITDA and net profit, as it is upbeat about the growth of the telecommunications sector in the country.



The sectors share of the nations gross domestic product increased by 8.47 percent yoy in the first semester, making it the second best performing sector in the country after finance. The figure is also higher than the country's overall economic growth at 5.04 percent during the same period.



Most of the time in the past, Telkom, whose initial operation can be traced back to the mid-19th century, booked either single or double digits for either revenue, EBITDA and or net profit but never double digits in all categories. The firm, with its subsidiary Telkomsel, currently dominates the local telecommunications market with 152.6 million mobile phone subscribers, more than half of the nation's 250 million population.



Harry noted the continuous progress of the biggest telecommunications operator in the country came mostly from data or internet business that surged by 42 percent in the period. Hence, to maintain this momentum, the firm is building additional base transceiver stations (BTS) to provide improved data connection nationwide, as well as abroad in places such as Singapore.



This year, the firm has allocated Rp 25 trillion for capital expenditure, mostly to build BTS to provide the most technologically up-to-date version of 3G and 4G connection nationwide. In the first semester, it has disbursed Rp 12.1 trillion to build 15,344 BTS to add to its existing 102,389 units. For other usual operational activities, the firm disbursed Rp 1.6 trillion.



Harry said the funding for capital expenditure came mostly from internal cash, "We prioritize funding from internal cash but we're still open to bank loans. We still have Rp 3.25 trillion that we got from treasury stocks as well and still have another 1.7 billion treasury stocks that we could sell up to November 2018."



He added that the firm so far had a plan to issue bonds although it is still allowed to raise up to Rp 5 trillion from the sale of debt papers until July next year.



Besides improving data business in the country, the firm also plans to expand operations in neighboring Singapore by building a data center facility and telecommunications hub, scheduled for completion in the third quarter of the year.



"We've engaged with noted vendors in Singapore and progress is on track," he said.



The data center is a five-story building built on a 8,000-squaremeter (sqm) plot of land with gross floor area of 20,000 sqm in Jurong and has gone through the tender from Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (iDA), Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and Jurong Town Corporation (JTC).

--------------

To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News.

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content

e-Post daily digital newspaper

No advertisements, no interruptions

Privileged access to our events and programs

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Nusa Dua, Bali  Wed, August 10, 2016

A large portion of the money used by terror groups in Indonesia comes from overseas, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) revealed on Tuesday.

PPATK deputy chairman Agus Santoso said the center had detected a large amount of money sent by entities in several countries abroad, including Australia and Middle Eastern countries, to fund terrorism in Indonesia.

They transferred the money. They had many ways of sending the funds, for example, through our migrant workers in Malaysia, Singapore and Middle Eastern countries. The money can be directed to Indonesia through various countries such as Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and many more," he said.

Agus refused to give more details on the amount of money transferred from abroad to finance terror activities in Indonesia. He said the PPATKs intelligence data could not be made public, as it could be given only to law enforcement bodies such as the National Polices Densus 88 counterterrorism unit to track terrorist activities.

(Read also : Monitoring financial flows key in fight against terrorism: Experts)

"As a financial intelligence unit, the PPATK will provide information on networks with suspicious transactions. If a law enforcement process stands alone, it wont be successful because terrorists will neither confess to nor open their links. They might claim that they work alone, but, from their transactions, we can give evidence that they are not working alone," Agus said.

He further said the PPATK adhered to international fund transfer instructions in which every single rupiah, or a single dollars worth of transaction, must be reported to the center. "We also have cross border cash carrying procedures. Those who bring cash money across borders must be asked to reveal the source of their money," he said.

Agus was speaking during the 2nd Counter Terrorism Financing Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali. Delegates from at least 55 countries attended the meeting.

Agus said the PPATK was currently mapping out the sources of finance for terror groups in Indonesia and their membership in any terrorist-related organization.

"From Densus 88, we have a list of names of terrorists and suspected terrorists. From their transactions, we will know with whom they have made financial transactions," he said. (ebf)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Nusa Dua, Bali  Wed, August 10, 2016

Indonesia is facing tough challenges countering terrorism as financial support for terrorist groups has been getting stronger of late. Indonesia must cooperate closely with countries in the region to prevent widespread terrorism, an expert has said.

Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) deputy chairman Agus Santoso said on Tuesday terrorists had many ways of financing their activities.

"They can finance their activities independently by selling herbal food or books but then, they can shift to criminal acts, such as robbery or hacking. They can get funds in many ways, mixing illegal money with legal money," Agus said.

He was speaking during the 2nd Counter Terrorism Financing Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali. Delegates from at least 55 countries attended the meeting.

Agus explained that financing for terrorism came not only from small businesses but also from larger companies.

"The companies operate in various fields such as textile manufacturing, construction and many more. It is obvious the worlds terrorist networks have been supported with big capital," Agus said.

He further said that the educational background of terrorists also influenced their method of building up their financial sources.

"Robbery may be committed by terrorists who graduated only from elementary school, while terrorists with hacking skills may have a diploma. For those who have a company, it is probable they have a higher educational background," he added.

Co-hosted by Indonesia and Australia, the Nusa Dua summit is to follow up the first meeting held in Australia last year. The PPATK has cooperated with the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) to track terrorist financing. (ebf)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

A hotel association has warned the government and the legislative body that Indonesian tourism will collapse should the House of Representatives pass a bill prohibiting alcohol in the country.

The bill, introduced by the United Development Party (PPP) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), both Islamist parties, does not take into account voices from players in the tourist sector.

Despite the uproar from businesspeople in the tourist sector, like the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI), the House has continued with the bills deliberation.

"If the bill is passed, our business will be done. The tourists, who mostly come from Europe, drink alcohol all the time. It will be very inconvenient for them if they can't find alcohol," PHRI head Hariyadi Sukamdani told thejakartapost.com on Wednesday.

If passed, the law will be the first to impose a full nationwide ban on the production, distribution and consumption of drinks with an alcoholic content of 1 to 55 percent.

Hariyadi said even with a recent regulation on the distribution of alcohol issued by Rachmat Gobel, the former trade minister, business had suffered negative impacts. Many foreign tourists complained about the difficulty of finding alcoholic drinks.

"No matter how beautiful the country is, if they can't find alcohol, they won't want to come here," Hariyadi said.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Josh Lederman and Catherine Lucey (Associated Press) Wilmington, N.C.  Wed, August 10, 2016

Donald Trump ignited a fresh political firestorm Tuesday by declaring gun rights supporters might find a way to stop Hillary Clinton if she defeats him and then names anti-gun Supreme Court justices. Democrats pounced, accusing him of openly encouraging violence against his opponent.

The Republican presidential nominee has been working this week to move past distracting campaign disputes, but once again he put himself at the center of a blazing controversy.

First, he falsely claimed that Clinton, his Democratic opponent, wants to "essentially abolish the Second Amendment." She has said explicitly and repeatedly that she supports the Second Amendment right to own guns, though she does back some stricter gun control measures.

Trump then noted the power Clinton would have to nominate justices to the Supreme Court.

"By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people  maybe there is, I don't know," Trump told supporters at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina. "But I'll tell you what. That will be a horrible day."

Trump's campaign sought to quell the controversy with a statement that blamed the "dishonest media" for misinterpretation. And Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, said Trump was talking about the clear election choice for pro-gun voters, not encouraging violence against Clinton.

"Of course not," Pence said in an interview with NBC Philadelphia. "Donald Trump is urging people around this country to act consistent with their convictions in the course of this election."

Yet from Trump's foes, the reaction was swift and unforgiving.

Clinton's campaign manager, Robby Mook, called the comments "dangerous." Priorities USA, a super PAC supporting Clinton, said Trump had "suggested that someone shoot Hillary Clinton." Across the country, Democratic House and Senate candidates piled on, working to tie Trump's comments to their GOP opponents.

And the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which has endorsed Clinton, said Trump was encouraging gun violence "based on conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton."

Tweeted Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat: "@realDonaldTrump makes death threats because he's a pathetic coward who can't handle the fact that he's losing to a girl."

The National Rifle Association, the gun lobby that has endorsed Trump, came to his defense. The group wrote on Twitter that "there's nothing we can do" if Clinton is elected while urging voters to defeat her in November.

The controversy immediately overwhelmed Trump's intended campaign-trail focus: the economic plan he unveiled just a day earlier and was promoting during a series of rallies in the most competitive general election states. It also reinforced the concern, voiced by many worried Republicans, that he cannot stay disciplined and avoid inflammatory remarks that imperil not only his White House prospects but the re-election chances of many GOP lawmakers.

Clinton's supporters are hoping the latest Trump trip-up will lead yet more of his fellow Republicans to defect. A day earlier, Maine Sen. Susan Collins became the latest to declare she won't vote for her party's nominee, explicitly pointing to his "constant stream of cruel comments."

The US Secret Service, responsible for both Clinton's and Trump's protections, said it was aware of what Trump had said but declined to say whether it planned to investigate.

Contrary to Trump's remarks, Clinton has made her support for gun rights a key piece of her stump speech in a bid to pre-empt attacks from Trump and groups like the NRA. Still, she supports reinstating a federal assault weapons ban, expanding background checks and barring purchases by domestic abusers, among other steps.

"I'm not here to repeal the Second Amendment," she said in her Democratic National Convention speech. "I'm not here to take away your guns. I just don't want you to be shot by someone who shouldn't have a gun in the first place."

Clinton spent Tuesday in Florida calling for emergency public health action on the Zika virus while visiting the Miami area dealing with the first U.S. outbreak. At a local health clinic, she urged Congress to cut short its summer recess and immediately pass funding for a Zika response.

"Everybody has a stake in this. And that's really why I'm here," Clinton said. "We don't want to wake up in a year and read more stories about babies like the little girl who just died in Houston."

It's an issue that could affect votes in this crucial swing state where she has held a small advantage in recent polls. So far, Trump has not addressed the issue in depth, though he told a Florida television station last week that Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, "really seems to have it under control in Florida."

Obama, Clinton and Democrats blame Republicans for politicizing the legislation by adding a provision to a $1.1 billion take-it-or-leave-it measure that would have blocked Planned Parenthood clinics in Puerto Rico from receiving money.

Republicans, in turn, say the administration has not spent money that has already been provided and it's the Democrats who are playing politics in an election year.

___

Lucey reported from Miami. Associated Press writers Lisa Lerer and Jonathan Lemire contributed to this report.

___

Follow Josh Lederman at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP and Catherine Lucey at https://twitter.com/catherine_lucey

___

What political news is the world searching for on Google and talking about on Twitter? Find out via AP's Election Buzz interactive. http://elections.ap.org/buzz (**)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Sarah El Deeb and Zeina Karam (Associated Press) Beirut  Wed, August 10, 2016

Minutes after news broke of a coup against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, government-held areas in Syria broke out in celebratory gunfire, heralding what they believed was the removal of the leader they blame for fueling their country's five-year civil war.

Erdogan survived the insurrection, and judging by the surprise reversal of rebel fortunes in Aleppo this week, so has his government's support for the Syrian opposition. But Turkey, post-coup, is realigning, and as tensions with the West soar, Erdogan has shown a desire to mend fences with Russia, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

On Tuesday, following talks in St. Petersburg, Russia, with President Vladimir Putin, the Turkish leader agreed to hold a separate discussion on Syria, involving top military and intelligence officials.

The meeting  Erdogan's first trip abroad following the July 15 failed coup attempt  comes amid boiling tensions over the contested northern city of Aleppo near the Turkish border, with both nations supporting opposing sides.

Here is a look at the Turkish involvement in Syria and how Turkey's latest post-coup realignment may play out:

HISTORY OF RELATIONS

Erdogan was among the first world leaders to demand Assad step down, calling him a "murderous butcher" after his forces opened fire on demonstrators months after protests against him erupted in 2011. It was a dramatic shift in relations between the two leaders, who had developed close personal ties and overseen the dramatic rapprochement between their two countries after they nearly went to war in the late 1990s over Syria's hosting of the main Kurdish leader, Abdullah Ocalan.

Erdogan had personally pushed back against US pressure to isolate Assad at the start of the Iraq war. As Washington accused Damascus of allowing foreign fighters into Iraq, Erdogan invited Assad to vacation in Turkey, maintaining that good relations were necessary with his neighbor, who was helping him against Kurdish rebels seeking independence.

Erdogan also personally mediated between Israel and Syria in 2008 to resume peace talks, at a time when Ankara was on good terms with Israel.

Erdogan, whose Justice and Development Party has roots in Turkey's Islamic movement, is a strong backer of the Muslim Brotherhood, a global Islamic group that played an important role in the uprisings in Egypt and Syria, starting in 2011.

As a man who prided himself on being the main democratic leader with Islamist credentials in the region, this and his early bet that Assad's days were numbered, may be the single most important reasons behind the irreparable rift between the two leaders.

SUPPORT FOR REBELS

While residents in Assad strongholds celebrated the coup attempt against Erdogan as it unfolded last month, thousands of Syrians in Istanbul demonstrated in support of the Turkish leader. That's because Erdogan's government has been one of the most hawkish supporters of the predominantly Sunni Muslim insurgency against Assad. The country hosts most of the Syrian opposition and has served as a staging area for the fighters, providing them with offices, training facilities, intelligence and other logistical support.

As the only NATO country bordering Syria, its air bases have been used for coalition airstrikes against the Islamic State group. Border controls were an issue between Washington and Ankara, as foreign fighters trickled into Syria from Turkey in droves during the early years of the conflict.

Last year, amid growing frustration with US inaction on Syria and casting aside Washington's concerns about aiding extremists groups, Turkey and Saudi Arabia started a new and aggressive strategy to help rebel groups bring about the fall of Assad.

After years of being at odds, the agreement struck between the two regional powerhouses led to the setting up of a joint command center in the Syrian province of Idlib. That coalition, called the Army of Conquest, wrestled control of Idlib province from Assad's forces last year, ushering in a Russian aerial campaign that began in September to help Assad's flailing forces.

"The Army of Conquest was a Turkish-led project, said Faysal Itani, a researcher with the Washington-based Atlantic Council.

That alliance, led by al-Qaeda's branch in Syria, managed to breach the government siege on Aleppo this week.

An Aleppo activist said thousands of ethnic Turkic fighters, who have become an important feature of the battleground in Syria funneling through Turkey, were the decisive factor in the battle. Borders were also kept open for the wounded to travel out of Syria, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter to the media.

WILL THE FAILED COUP AFFECT SYRIA?

It's too early to tell whether the political turmoil in Turkey following last month's failed coup will affect Turkish involvement in Syria's civil war. But the massive and surprisingly well coordinated counteroffensive by rebels in Aleppo this week appears to have been supported at least in part by Turkey.

For years Turkey has built up insurgent groups in Aleppo province, which it used as a tool against Assad and its Kurdish enemies.

Aleppo is the most important battleground for Turkey, because of its proximity and its historic ties. The breach of the siege in Aleppo was a tactical win for Turkey, Itani said.

Ahmed Ramadan, a member of the Turkey-based Syrian opposition, said it is unlikely the Turkish-Russian rapprochement will undermine Ankara's support for the rebels. He said it was time for Moscow to realize there is no military solution in Syria.

"Aleppo battle pushes the political process forward and not the other way around," he said.

Erdogan, so far, has shown no sign of throwing in the towel.

"We don't want Syria's disintegration, but the departure of Bashar Assad," the Turkish leader said in an interview with Russia's Tass news agency. He added, however, that "mutual action by Russia and Turkey" was necessary to solve the Syrian conflict.

MENDING TIES

Tensions between Turkey and Russia peaked in late 2015 after Turkey shot down a Russian warplane it said had entered Turkish airspace from neighboring war-torn Syria. In June, Erdogan sent a much-anticipated letter of apology to Putin.

Sinan Ulgen, a former Turkish diplomat and visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe, said the issue of Syria is the most difficult topic facing the two leaders as they met Tuesday, and mending ties is unlikely to cause dramatic changes in Ankara's policies toward Syria given its large investment and public support for the Syrian opposition over the years.

Still, Turkey has had to down scale its ambitions in Syria amid lack of enthusiasm from the international community for regime change, Ulgen said.

That may make Turkey more willing to push opposition groups it has influence over, on the political track, he said. "That is something Turkey and Russia could agree on," he said.

Syria and its allies have blamed Turkey and Saudi Arabia for the failure of previous rounds of talks to try to end Syria's civil war, by backing opposition demands for Assad's removal.

For that reason, the latest rebel gains in Aleppo battle are significant for Turkey as well as the opposition.

While the opposition demonstrated its military abilities, "Turkey demonstrates to the international community that it has something to bring to the table," Ulgen said.

AL-QAEDA ON THE RISE

The breach of the siege in Aleppo was a tactical win for Turkey and its allies, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, in which the rebranded al-Qaeda played an important role. Known as Jabhat al-Nusra, or the Nusra Front, before breaking ties with al-Qaeda, the rebel alliance was key to the battlefield victory.

"Turkish thinking about Jabhat al Nusra has always been that it could be folded into the broader insurgent movement and thus was a manageable potential threat," Itani said. "If that is what's happening, then good for Turkey. But the group has a longer-term goal in mind  to dominate the insurgency."

"It would not be in Turkey's interest at all to have al-Qaida controlling northern Syria," he said.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 10, 2016

Vice President Jusuf Kalla has told the Culture and Education Ministry to review its plan to extend elementary and junior high school hours, saying that the plan is viable but cant be applied at all schools.

Kalla said many private schools had implemented the full-day system, but many aspects would have to be considered before it was extended to all schools. He made the comments on the sidelines of the forth Indonesia International Geothermal Convention and Exhibition (IIGCE) at the Jakarta Convention Center on Wednesday.

He urged the minister to asses which schools were ready to conduct trials in certain areas. "Try it first in particular areas, if the results are good, we can carry out the plan gradually. Because I'm sure not all regions need it. For example, in rural areas some students might need time to help their parents."

Newly installed Culture and Education Minister Muhadji Effendys controversial full-day school plan has drawn mounting public criticism. The extra school hours will purportedly guarantee students safety until their parents finish work. They will partly be used for character-building activities. The idea of the full-day school system came from Finland, which according to Muhadjir is home to the best human resources due to the countrys character-based education. (dmr)
Actor Megan Fox gave birth to a baby boy on August 4. Fox and hubby Brian Austin Green named their son Journey River Green.

By India Today Web Desk: Actor Megan Fox and husband Brian Austin Green have welcomed their third child. Fox gave birth to the baby boy named Journey River Green on August 4, 2016, said reports.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles star and Green, are also parents to three-year-old son Noah and two-year-old son Bodhi.



ALSO READ: Lindsay Lohan opens up on physical fight with fiance- I'm scared what Egor might do to me



ALSO READ: Suicide Squad movie review- Warner Bros' suicide mission to destroy the DC Cinematic Universe



The 30-year-old Megan confirmed her pregnancy in April at Cinemacon, when she stepped out sporting a visible baby bump.

advertisement

Though Fox filed for divorce from Green, whom she has been with for more than 10 years, in August 2015, sources close to the couple insist they have called off their split.

In April this year, the duo were photographed holding hands on the beach during a family vacation in Hawaii, where they were married in 2010.

From celebrating Megan's 30th birthday to lunch outings with their two sons, the couple have been clicked by the shutter bags many times.

--- ENDS ---
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, August 11, 2016

The Indonesian Army has said it is ready to deploy its personnel to secure the release of 10 abducted Indonesian sailors should a deal on joint land-based operations with the Philippines and Malaysia be reached in the future.

Since the first hostage-taking incidents in March, the Army has prepared its troops including its Special Forces (Kopassus) and Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad), said Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mulyono on Wednesday.

"All Kopassus and Kostrad personnel, as well as Alutisista have been readied to be deployed at any time we are ordered to conduct military operations," Mulyono said.

During a trilateral meeting between the defense ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines in Bali last week, Indonesia proposed coordinated land-based operations to pursue militants who have taken Indonesian and Malaysian hostages onto Philippine land territory.

Mulyono, however, said the Philippine Constitution could not allow foreign troops to enter its territory and thus he had forbidden the Army from participating in the operation to rescue the 10 Indonesian sailors held hostage by militants in the southern Philippines.

However, Mulyono assured the public that the militaries of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines had drafted a joint strategy on how to anticipate and prevent another hostage-taking incident from occurring in the regional waters.

In early July, three Indonesian sailors were abducted in Malaysias Sabah waters, less than a month after the kidnapping of seven Indonesian crew members by Abu Sayyaf militants in the waters off the southern Philippines. (bbn)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, August 11, 2016

Attorney General M. Prasetyo has been reported by a coalition, dubbed Remove the Death Penalty (HATI), to the Prosecutors Commission for alleged violations during a recent round of executions.

The HATI coalition, which consists of the Legal Aid Foundation (LBH), the Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) and the University of Indonesia Law School's Indonesian Judicial Monitoring Society (Mappi), accused Prasetyo of violating two laws on clemency and notification of execution.

Afif Abdul Qoyim, a member of the coalition who was a lawyer in the legal team of one of the executed convicts, Humphrey Jefferson Ejike Eleweke, said his client had applied for clemency on July 27, prior to his execution.

"Based on the Clemency Law, the execution should not have been carried out before Jeff's clemency plea had been either accepted or rejected. However, until the very last second, the President's final decision still hadn't been received," Afif, of the LBH, said as quoted by kompas.com. By law, prosecutors must inform the convict 3x24 hours ahead of the execution, he added.

"On Tuesday July 26 at around 3 p.m., Humphrey was informed that the verdict was final and binding. [Therefore] the execution should have been carried out in the afternoon of July 29, not in the early hours of the morning," Afif said.

He questioned the accelerated process of Eleweke's execution, adding that Prasetyo had appeared hasty in the decision to conduct the execution. (liz/bbn)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (The Straits Times/ANN) Singapore  Wed, August 10, 2016

More than 200 new dengue cases have been reported in Singapore for the seventh consecutive week, according to the latest figures from the National Environment Agency's (NEA) dengue website.

There were 212 cases of the mosquito-borne virus in the week ending Aug 6 - nine fewer cases than in the previous week. Another 20 cases were recorded from Aug. 7 to 3 p.m. on Aug 8.

A total of 10,352 cases have been reported since the start of the year, with the figure crossing the 10,000 mark at the beginning of August.

Last week, a 79-year-old Singaporean man living in Eastwood Drive in Bedok became the seventh victim of dengue in 2016. He was admitted to hospital on July 30 and died on Aug 4 after his condition deteriorated.

Four people died of dengue fever in 2015.

While NEA said the number of cases have been fluctuating within the same range the past couple of weeks, it warned that Singapore is still in the traditional peak dengue season and that it is anticipating an upward trend of cases in the coming months.

A spate of infections at the start of the year had led experts to warn that it could led to a record 30,000 cases in 2016, surpassing the high of 22,000 cases recorded in 2013.

As of Monday, there were 47 active dengue clusters- down from 51 in the previous week.

Twelve have been classified as high-risk, with a cluster in Telok Kurau remaining the highest risk with a total of 102 cases, including seven in the last fortnight.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Julie M. Aurelio (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN)  Wed, August 10, 2016

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is stepping up its screening of incoming foreigners after the discovery of an alleged syndicate trafficking Vietnamese workers to the Philippines.

The agency recently interviewed scores of overstaying Vietnamese who had said they were illegally recruited by an agency to work as house helpers in the Philippines.

BI spokesperson Tonette Mangrobang said it was the first time they had heard of the Philippines as a destination for human trafficking victims.

We interviewed the Vietnamese nationals. We were surprised that we are not just a source of trafficking victims, but we are also becoming a destination, she said in a phone interview.

The BI made the discovery after a batch of 69 Vietnamese turned themselves in to the agency, wanting to legalize their immigration status and be declared as indigents.

The overstaying foreigners admitted to BI intelligence personnel that they all came to the Philippines to work as house helpers, vendors, porters and carpenters in the provinces, earning P5,000 (US$271.9 a month).

Enticed to work in the Philippines, they reportedly arrived three years ago and did not secure an extension of their visas.

According to Mangrobang, the Vietnamese worked in provinces such as Cagayan, Pangasinan, Bataan, Zambales, Batangas, and Leyte.

They did not travel in groups but in one, two or three persons per flight, she said.

The BI spokesperson added that it was unusual for foreigners to be employed as blue collar or domestic workers.

For a foreigner, this is the first time that we heard that they are employed in these jobs, usually we encounter them as owners, businessmen, investors. Not as laborers, Mangrobang said.

Mangrobang said the 69 Vietnamese nationals were allowed to leave the country last Sunday after being declared as indigents.

But they would be placed on the BIs blacklist and would not be able to return to the country until they have paid their outstanding immigration arrears for overstaying in the country.

The Vietnamese embassy sought our help in having these people declared as indigent. They are really scared that the BI will crackdown on illegal aliens, thats why they came forward, Mangrobang said.
With the conventions gone and the primaries a memory, the next major moment for this election is most likely the debates. While Trump may have hit a rough patch in terms of controversy he can bounce back if he emphasizes key points. Reminding the electorate about the gravity and importance of Supreme Court picks, which the next President will do. Furthermore, he must emphasize the corrupt nature of the Clinton camp and finally the importance of keeping America safe and reminding Independents that he is the candidate of law and order. As we head closer and closer to the election, this could make the difference between winning or losing the election.

Mr. Trump, after a rough week, must remind voters of the power the Supreme Court yields in our democracy. This is a pivotal election, our next President may be picking up to two new Supreme Court judges. Thus for those who value morality and family values it is essential to have someone who will pick conservative justices and those who make decisions based on the constitution not judicial activism. This is not something Hillary Clinton would do. In all likelihood Clinton would pick liberal justices. Thus on the Supreme Court Trump should emphasize he will indeed pick conservative constitutionalists.

Donald Trump should also hammer home to voters, especially independents, that the Clintons have a history lacking in trustworthiness. Whether lying on the email question or having a private insecure server in the first place, Clinton has shown a lack of trustworthiness. Clinton has taken money from Sharia regimes in Saudi Arabia and from dictators to the Clinton foundation. In addition, the Clinton support for trade deals which are now controversial like TPP should be emphasized. Unlike Clinton, Trump wishes to renegotiate the NAFTA deal. This stance will resonate with the voters in Steel mills towns and farms across America.

Finally, on national security Mr. Trump should show that he places national security/law and order front and center and thats why unlike Clinton he has called for a pause in the Syrian refugee program. Clinton wants to increase the Syrian refugee population not decrease it. Even our FBI director has emphasized the risk in this refugee population to America. In addition, Trump has stood with the Police while some on the left and in Black Lives Matter have promoted a culture of lawlessness. Trump should definitely remind the public that he is the law and order candidate whose main goal is to keep America secure.

Mr. Trump has tapped into a populist movement throughout America. He should continue to promote the themes which propelled him this far. His message has a massive appeal. Trade deals and Immigration are intertwined with these aspects of policy and Trump should both now and at the debates make this case. He should emphasize this and stick to the pressing issues facing America and how he will be the law and order candidate. By doing this, he may well become the next President of the USA.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh also told the Rajya Sabha that sending an all-party delegation to Kashmir, another demand repeatedly made by the Opposition, was also under the governement's consideration.

By Maha Siddiqui: Under intense pressure from the Opposition to look for a 'political' solution to the current unrest in the valley, the government has finally relented on having an all-party meeting on the subject on August 12. Home Minister Rajnath Singh also told the Rajya Sabha that sending an all-party delegation to Kashmir, another demand repeatedly made by the Opposition, was also under the governement's consideration.

advertisement

In a discussion that went on for about six hours, leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad was seen directly attacking the Prime Minister for having once again spoken outside Parliament on a contentious issue he should have addressed on the floor of the House. He also said he was not impressed with the PM relying on Atal Bihari Vajpayee's proposed principles of 'insaniyat, Kashmiriyat, jamooriya' to tackle Kashmir. He said those words "sounded good only when coming from Vajpayee who believed in them," not from those who didn't.

There was also a great thrust from the Opposition today to look into the aspect of alienation of Kashmiris. While CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury stressed on addressing this issue earnestly so as to bridge the trust deficit, Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav suggested that "Pakistan was poisoning the minds of the youth" which was leading to alienation despite the pumping of funds in the state.

Derek O'Brien warned the government that clamping down on internet services will push the Kashmiri youth further away. He said, "the issue of internet penetration and Burhan Wani are linked because Burhan Wani was more dangerous on the Internet than he was on the streets. I feel Burhan Wani is more dangerous in his grave than his living room. And Burhan Wani is more dangerous when he is dead than he was alive."

This was the fourth time the issue of the unrest in the valley was raised in the Rajya Sabha and it appeared that there was a general consensus that all-stakeholders be engaged in discussions, even the separatists if need be. At this, MP from Jammu Jitender Singh added that no dialogue can then be completed without a word with the Kashmiri Pandits. As the rains lashing outside the confines of the House even as the discussion was on, brought the temperatures down, many hoped their suggestions both from their 'heads and heart' will help calm down the simmering valley.

Also read - Rajnath Singh: No power in the world can take Kashmir away from us





--- ENDS ---
Following a victory at the City Planning Commission, developer Samy Mahfar took his battle to rezone a portion of East Houston Street to the City Council this morning. He was met with strong opposition from City Council member Rosie Mendez, Community Board 3 and community activists.

Mahfar has filed an application to map a C2-5 commercial overlay in a residential (R8) district, extending from Suffolk Street to the middle of the block between Clinton and Attorney streets. The change, impacting the south side of East Houston only, would allow him to establish a restaurant or retail store in the ground floor of a 13-story rental building hes planning at 255 East Houston St. Under current zoning, only community facilities (such as a school or a medical office) are allowed in this area.

The planning commission approved the application over the objections of the community board and the Manhattan Borough President. At todays hearing of the Councils Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises, Mendez said, I am greatly concerned about this application. While a vote has not yet been scheduled, Mendezs opinion is likely to weigh heavily on her colleagues when the time comes to approve or deny the zoning change.

The District 2 council member said she participated for six years in a painstaking rezoning of 111 blocks of the Lower East Side, including the area now under review. Main goals of that process, she explained, were curtailing out-of-scale development, protecting neighborhood character and preserving community-based services. The new project will be replacing a building that housed low-income daycare centers for 40 years.

The developer argues that it makes little sense to restrict ground floor uses along a thoroughfare that already features many different kinds of shops and food/nightlife establishments. But Mendez said theres no question the community wanted street-level spaces along this part of East Houston Street to be reserved for community facilities. There is by no means, said Mendez, a shortage of places to eat and drink in my neighborhood. Yet facilities meant to provide services for people living in the area have become harder and harder to find.

Mahfars attorney, Nick Hockens, told committee members that his client respects the intent of the community boards 2008 rezoning. But he disagreed that restricting commercial uses on the south side of East Houston Street was intentional. A zoning change, Hockens asserted, would allow property owners to earn more revenue from ground floor spaces and make both market rate and affordable housing development more feasible. [This project would create 88 residential units, including 18 affordable apartments].

He also repeated claims made before the Planning Commission, saying that repeated efforts to find a tenant for the community facility failed. There is no demand for a community facility on East Houston Street, Hockens said. The developer has no interest in leasing the new 5,000 square foot space to a rowdy bar, he added. One potential tenant is a Sherwin Williams paint store. Other options, he said, are a diner or a simple restaurant. Mendez asked Hockens whether Mahfar would give preference to a not-for-profit tenant. We would like a market-rate tenant, he responded.

Samy Mahfar also answered questions this morning. The property, he said, was listed with two brokers (Sinvin and Wexler Healthcare Properties). At different times, it looked like leases might be signed with the Blue Man Group and the Cooke Center. Those deals both fell through. Mendez was skeptical about Mahfars efforts. She asked to see documentation and inquired whether advertisements were taken out to market the space. When she asked whether there would be a willingness to talk with a not-for-profit organization interested in the space, Mahfar said hed be happy to entertain the possibility.

At todays hearing, Community Board 3 District Manager Susan Stetzer noted that the Lower East Side has lost three nursing homes in the past few years. She also said the board, was never made aware that there was a problem in securing a community facility and never received a request for help. CB3 submitted letters from the executive directors of Henry Street Settlement, University Settlement and Educational Alliance. They all expressed an interest in finding additional space on the Lower East Side and said no one contacted them about the availability on East Houston Street.

Enrique Cruz, a CB3 member testifying as head of ALBOR, said its clear to him what Mahfar is attempting to accomplish. He believes the developer is simply not satisfied accepting a lower rent that a community facility might bring. What this gentleman is trying to do, said Cruz, is get $150/square foot. Thats the bottom line. He wants the community to pay for it by foregoing a community facility.

Theres disagreement as to whether Mahfar is to blame for the permanent displacement of the daycare center. In its May resolution, Community Board 3 wrote, the daycare (center) was forced to be vacated due to the open violations and the applicants failure to address them. Cruz has said he knows what transpired because he was a former partner in the neighboring project at 265 East Houston St. Mahfar declined to make repairs, said Cruz, after the work next door caused the foundation to shift. [Mahfar did not address the issue this morning. But he told the planning commission that the neighboring developers were at fault for delaying repairs. He said the city, which controlled the daycare center space, chose to terminate the lease and consolidate daycare programs.]

Council members also heard testimony from Harry Bubbins of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. There is absolutely no benefit to the public in this rezoning, he argued. It is inconceivable that an applicant with such a checkered history would be so readily accommodated by the City Planning Commission. [Tenant advocates and local residents have been at odds with Mahfar for many years, accusing the property owner of subjecting tenants to unsafe living conditions and harassment.] Bubbins highlighted Mahfars retention of Capalino+Company, the high-powered lobbyist. Here a single developer has hired a well-connected lobbying firm that is a strong fundraiser for and supporter of the mayor, said Bubbins.

The most colorful remarks of the day came from Paul Young, who co-owns a building just to the west of Mahfars development site. He told Council members that approval of the zoning change, would only be seen as an emblem of sleazy New York politics. Young added that he didnt have the money to pay off politicians, not very subtly intimating that the vote was already decided. If youre stupid enough or naive enough to believe that whats going into this space is not going to be a giant bar with screaming people all night long, said Young, youre even dumber than I think you are.

His comments prompted a strong response from Donovan Richards, the subcommittee chairman. I just want to correct you, he said. Its not a done deal. This is why were holding a public hearing. No one has been paid off in this room We make the final decision and that decision has not been reached.
Four suspects were arrested in an alleged blessing scheme in Chinatown. Cops said one woman was ripped off of $280,000 and jewelry on Grand Street. [Channel 2]

Red Square, the East Houston Street rental complex, has reportedly been sold for $100 million. [EV Grieve]

Rivington House co-owner, the Slate Group, faces new controversy over its redevelopment of the Bedford-Union Armory site. Now an investor, Knicks star Carmelo Anthony, has also come under fire. [Daily News]

In an exclusive story, WABC-TV touts Don Lees plan to reopen Park Row, which has been shut down since 9/11. What the story doesnt mention: Don Lee is a candidate for the state assembly seat in Lower Manhattan. [Channel 7]

More on very preliminary planning for an expanded pedestrian and bike path on the Brooklyn Bridge. [Gothamist]

Theres a new documentary called, Abacus: Small Enough to Jail. Its the story of a Chinatown bank that beat criminal charges. [Chicago Tribune]

Adventures in urban design: students nationwide imagine an alternative, sustainable future at Essex Crossing. [Curbed]
Our friends at the Living Theatre are hosting an open dress rehearsal tomorrow at University Settlements Performance Project in celebration of their upcoming Know Your Rites national tour. It is the first time the company has traveled to multiple American cities in many decades; it is also the first full-fledged production they have presented since co-founder Judith Malinas passing, in April of 2015.

The play, titled Seven Meditations on Political Sadomasochism, is a revival of one of the companys celebrated pieces. According to their indiegogo page, it is a visceral examination of the social contract between the governed and the government. It was written after Malina and members of the company were imprisoned-and some tortured-by the Medici dictatorship in Brazil in 1973.

The 3-week tour will also feature workshops, ritualistic street performances and readings from Malinas writings and excerpts from her last book, Full Moon Poems.

Artistic Director Brad Burgess told us, The sadistic nature of this election is very clear on many fronts I thinkWe talk about politics as anarchist pacifists, in a way that we dont have to talk about voting only, or candidates or parties as the way to have political dialogue. Our hope is that we can engage in dialogue and action that encourages people to consider being more politically active on their own behalf and on behalf of others.

As far as new leadership roles within The Living Theatre as the company moves forward, Burgess said, we do things as collectively as possible, especially as we figure out how to do things without Judith, for the first time in the companys history since she started it in 1947. No one directed this play for instance, since it was a revival, we learned it together guided by the folks who had done it before.

The troupe is running an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for the tour.

University Settlement, 184 Eldridge Street | 7:30pm to 10:30pm | $10 suggested donation
Both Jocelyn (who works on the blog with me) and I were taken by surprise with the new format of the blog- from clicks to scroll. There are changes involving Picasa, WordPress and Google all of which help power the blog. We are working through the glitches now and hope that we will be able to deliver a blog that runs smoothly as a scroll, with photos that can be enlarged for more detailed views, with easy access to "comments" and other blogs, and easy to read captions on all devices from desktop computers, to iPads to mobile devices of all sorts.

We love that you all love the blog and find it informative and useful, and we want it to be as easy to use as possible. Changes will occur and we beg you to have a bit of patience until all is ironed out.

As for the sling on my left arm- I had a clumsy fall off my horse a couple weeks ago - the low branch that swept me off Rutger's back has been removed from its Catalpa tree and my arm is on the mend. Not to worry!!! Thanks for the concern however. --Martha

If youre ever in or around Maine, please try to visit Acadia National Park. Its a beautiful 47-thousand acre Atlantic coast recreation area primarily on Mount Desert Island. Acadia is filled with pristine woodlands, rocky beaches, clear ponds and so much more. I visit every time I am up at Skylands - I love hiking its many trails and always enjoy the stunning views, and tranquility - especially now that my grandchildren, Jude and Truman, can join me.

This weekend is the annual Friends of Acadia Benefit Auction. The mission of Friends of Acadia is to preserve and to protect Acadia National Park and its surrounding communities.

Acadia National Park is very important to me and my family, and we are happy to support Friends of Acadia during this centennial year. With a special challenge grant under the FOA Second Century Campaign, we hope to encourage and inspire others to join us and give back to Acadia. By making a gift, donors can help the FOA meet its overall goal of 25-million dollars. Lets all try to preserve Acadia National Park - a truly magical place. Enjoy these photos.
This Mumbai-based journalist, who set out to travel around the world, was stranded in China with all his finances exhausted, when Mumbai's famed dabbawalas came to his rescue.

By India Today Web Desk:



What happens when you're bitten by wanderlust? You pack your bags and try to see the world. At least that's a Mumbai-based journalist planned to do, until he ran out of money and had to be rescued by the famous and efficient dabbawalas of the city of dreams.

Journalist Vishnu Chapke, 33, once interviewed a man who circumnavigated around the world by sea. The thought fascinated Vishnu, the son of a farmer, so much that he decided to quit his job and travel across the globe.

advertisement



THE TRAVELLER



Vishnu covered north-east India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and China by both road and railways in a span of just four months.

"Every year I used to go hitch-hiking. I did it in Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal, Sikkim and Nepal. This year, my plan was to travel within the North-East, without money or minimum money.

"On March 19, I started my journey from Thane station. I had travelled in Mumbai, Kolkata, Assam, and Manipur. The rule was very simple: Ask for lifts from vehicles and ask locals for accommodation.

I sent requests for shelter on Facebook and friends helped me. It went smooth, without any money," Vishnu told the DNA newspaper."

After spending all his savings and provident fund money, he was left completely broke and the rest of his journey was crowd-funded.



DABBAWALAS TO THE RESCUE

"There was a time when my Vietnam visa was set to expire and I could have been in serious trouble with the authorities. Cambodia and Japan refused visas. A Chinese journalist helped me get a visa for China," Vishnu told Times of India.





After he reached China, he contacted Subhash Talekar, a dabbawala he once interviewed for a newspaper article.

According to Subhash, "Earlier this month, Vishnu touched base with me from China on WhatsApp as he had no money for international calls. His trip sounded crazy and gutsy. We wanted to help in whatever way we could."

The dabbawalas decided to circulate handouts to their 2,000 customers in South Mumbai, with Vishnu's plea for donations.

And far away from his home, he found himself anything but alone with these dabbawalas coming to his aid.

NOW WHAT



This gesture has given Vishnu hope and strength to carry out his travel endeavours with new zeal. He is now trying to figure out how to board a cargo vessel that will take him to Australia where he plans to cycle from one coast to the other.

advertisement

Vishnu does odd jobs in exchange for food and shelter and is still chasing his dreams. Since he is out there on a tight budget, you can help him with donations too.

Here's his Twitter handle.

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) NDMC vice chairman and former BJP MLA Karan Singh Tanwar today alleged that his pension has been blocked for over two years and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is "doing politics" over the issue.

"The former MLAs and metropolitan councillors are being deliberately disgraced by denying them their legitimate pensions. I have not got a single penny of my pension since 2013," he alleged at a press conference.

advertisement

The BJP leader said he has learnt from "reliable sources" that legitimate pension is being withheld on the "instructions of Kejriwal" so that "I can be victimized and my self-respect is crushed and a clear message is given to Opposition that not a leaf can move without his wish".

Tanwar said he was Councillor of Delhi Cantt Board from 1979 to 1983, Metropolitan Councillor from 1983 to 1990 and elected as Delhi MLA during 1993-1998, 2003-2008 and 2008-2013.

He claimed an approximate Rs 8 lakh is is due to be paid to him as pension.

He has written to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung seeking his intervention into the issue. PTI GJS TIR ZMN TIR

--- ENDS ---


Another year, another Woody Allen movie, but this time, the veteran New Yorker has most definitely got his groove back.

True, the past twenty or so years havent always been great for the legendary filmmaker. Churning out a brand new film every year takes its toll, and more often than not, the results havent been great.

Happily though, Cafe Society is one of the few exceptions to this sad new rule.

He may have been basically doing the same thing over and over for the past half-century, but you can always guarantee that when Allens good, hes great.

Punchy characters, human stories and always underpinned by his beautifully unique sense of wit; its a hefty recipe and one that, thanks to being well balanced, makes his latest effort his best since 2011s heavily-celebrated Midnight In Paris.

Although not quite as flashy, Cafe Society still very firmly grabs you from the get-go, lunging effortlessly into 1930s Los Angeles and charting the comedic misadventures of a young Jewish New Yorker (Jesse Eisenberg, standing in for Allen himself - surprise surprise), attempting to make a start in the movie business with the help of his estranged uncle (Steve Carell), a hotshot Hollywood talent agent.

The story takes a few shakes and shimmies from here, largely morphing into a tale of out-and-out romance, spanning many years and many cities, but always somehow staying wildly on target.

Allens infamous for deleting numerous subplots and characters in the editing room, once even reshooting an entire movie after being unhappy with the result, so his works too often feel somewhat disjointed. Cafe Society however, escapes almost entirely unscathed.

In fact, as Eisenbergs naive go-getter Bobby finds himself hopelessly pining after Kirsten Stewarts cute-but-taken secretary Veronica, you really begin to get a sense of the Allen of the past shining through. The cleverly wrapped cynicism of his comedy remains, but for the first time in a while, theres a genuine sense of romanticism involved too.

And, despite the period setting, this isnt just echoed through some sort of nostalgia trip like previous recent efforts either. This is a tale of love and loss that really feels genuine and masterfully woven together underneath; theres a real emotional weight that lingers, far beyond the final frame.

Part of this lands on the shoulders of the fantastically likeable Eisenberg, and his seasoned chemistry with the otherwise fine Stewart, but mostly it just really feels like Woody finally has his groove back again.

Roughly half way in, Allen pulls the story back around to New York, framing such a jump with one simple shot: a classical glimpse of Manhattan, buzzing with life, as seen (much like a particular famous Allen moment) from below the Queensborough Bridge. A pang of jazzy horns and were back in his masterworks of the 70s. Its almost like he never left.

Sure there are a few mismatched moments that bubble away underneath the romance: a hammy 30s gangster turn from Corey Stoll that disappears in the edit, a throwaway Blake Lively who is bafflingly underused, but in the long run, Cafe Society is an unquestionable hit.

To see Allen back to his almost-best and still cracking wise in the city that made him is an absolute delight, and flaws or not, it remains one of his most beautiful films in a long, long while.

Cafe Society is released in the UK 2nd September.
According to the study by marbles.com the Staffordshire town offers the affordable prices that uni students dream of. Out of the 50 cities researched, the cheapest pint is located in Keele at just 2.50. Overall, this town, home to Keele University, can also boast some of the most inexpensive rent and travel costs as well. Other affordable towns include Leeds, where the cheapest kebab is located, Colchester, home to the lowest priced gym pass and Loughborough, with cinema tickets for a mere 4.50. Stay far away from the London area universities if youre worried about high costs; the last nine towns on the list are all located there, meaning they are considered to be the most expensive places to attend uni. A cinema ticket could cost you about 12.00, and a pint runs at 4.00 on average. Check this infographic out for the full list.
Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here

You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. Please check our main navigation pages for other content: 

Home Page
Tentang Situs Slot Online Resmi MGS88 Nama Situs  MGS88 Minimal Deposit  Rp. 10.000,- (Sepuluh Ribu Rupiah) Proses Deposit   2 Menit Metode Deposit  Bank Transfer,  Pulsa,  E-Wallet Judi Online Terbaik  Slot Online,  Judi Bola,  Casino Online,  Togel Online,  Tembak Ikan Provider Slot Gacor Mudah Maxwin  Pragmatic Play,  PGSoft,  MicroGaming,  Habanero Slot Gacor Gampang Menang  Gates of Olympus,  Sweet Bonanza,  Wild West Gold,  Starlight Princess Win Rate 98%

RTP Live Slot Gacor Tertinggi Hari Ini Terbaru Terlengkap

Selamat datang di halaman RTP live dan informasi soal slot gacor hari ini dari situs MGS88 yang setiap hari selalu update. Berdasarkan RTP Live MGS88, Anda bisa mendapatkan informasi tentang slot online yang saat ini yang sedang Gacor atau onfire dengan persentase yang terbukti akurat, ini bisa menjadi rekomendasi anda sebelum memilih permainan slot online di situs MGS88. Cek RTP Slot sekarang juga bosku

Klik Provider Slot Untuk Mengetahui RTP Slot Secara Real Time

Selamat datang bagi kalian yang sedang mencari situs RTP Live terlengkap dan terkini hari ini. Sangat sesuai jika Anda mengunjungi website MGS88 RTP live untuk informasi tentang permainan slot yang lagi gacor dengan slot RTP yang terupdate. Persentase kemenangan yang kami berikan tentunya diambil dengan data yang sangat valid dan hanya untuk permainan slot yang tersedia di situs MGS88. RTP yang tersedia juga akan selalu diperbarui setiap hari berdasarkan level kemenangan yang diberikan kepada member kami.

Memang sih untuk bermain slot itu tergantung hoki dari setiap pemain, Namun RTP live atau bocoran slot dari yang kami sediakan ini adalah data autentik dari banyaknya pemain yang telah bermain dan mencapai kemenangan tinggi. Sederhananya, kalau banyak pemain yang menang di dalam 1 permainan slot, karena itu permainan slot tersebut akan mempunyai persentase RTP yang sangat tinggi.

Namun kami tegaskan sekali lagi, ini bukan sebuah paksaan kami situs MGS88 untuk anda bermain di game slot yang mana. Ini bisa dijadikan sebagai referensi atau tolok ukur, boleh dicoba kalau anda mempunyai feel yang kuat dalam memainkan permainan game slot. Anda dapat mengakses kapan saja dan di mana saja selama anda siap bermain. Jangan ragu untuk bertanya ya seputar pola putaran terhadap kami, sebab kami juga menyediakannya loh.

Apa itu RTP Live?

RTP Live ialah informasi mengenai persentase tertinggi saat ini dari hasil RTP Live dengan bocoran kemenangan pemain saat ini. RTP Live merupakan singkatan dari Return To Play atau bisa juga diartikan sebagai Return to Player. Karena itu, para pemain slot sekarang jika ingin mengetahui seberapa besar kemenangannya, bisa dengan memainkan permainan yang akan dimainkannya dan bisa untung dengan mudah dan tentunya maksimal.

Apa itu RTP Slot?

RTP Slot juga dikenal sebagai return to player atau pengembalian ke Pemain. RTP slot ialah persentase dari nilai pengembalian semua uang yang dipertaruhkan pemain dari waktu ke waktu. Dengan kata lain, RTP juga dianggap sebagai salah satu fitur slot yang mengembalikan uang pemain saat pemain kalah.

Persentase digunakan untuk menghitung RTP dalam permainan slot. Misalnya, jika slot memiliki RTP 97%, itu berarti untuk setiap 100.000 koin yang hilang di slot, slot dapat mengembalikan 97.000. Jika Anda mengetahui RTP sebuah permainan slot, Anda dapat memutuskan permainan slot mana yang akan dimainkan tanpa kerugian besar.

Apakah Angka Persentase RTP Slot Itu Penting?

Biasanya pemain slot itu tidak memperhatikan RTP dalam permainan yang akan dimainkan, biasanya setelah anda mengisi saldo utama anda akan langsung buru-buru memainkannya. Yang terakhir 90-96% mempengaruhi jumlah kemenangan. Semakin tinggi jumlah RTP yang digunakan, semakin luas peluang untuk mendapatkan keuntungan.

Akan namun itu segala tak secara 100% menjamin kemenangan kau dalam bermain, RTP itu cuma sebagai kalkulasi pengeluaran anda saja selama bermain slot.Dengan adanya RTP, kau dapat mengerjakan pengaturan atas uang yang akan kau pertaruhkan nanti pada ketika bermain.Untuk itu pada ketika kau bermain slot dan telah mengalami banyak kekalahan di satu permainan, direkomendasikan kau pindah ke permainan slot lainnya yang RTP nya lebih tinggi dari permainan yang tadi kau mainkan.

Keuntungan Menggunakan Bocoran RTP Slot Hari Ini

Situs MGS88 Akan dengan senang hati akan beberapa keuntungan yang didapatkan jika anda bermain slot dengan menggunakan RTP Live yang telah disediakan. Berikut Keuntungannya :

Peluang Kemenangan Meningkat Tentu saja, saat bermain slot online, menang adalah hal yang paling penting. Di sinilah RTP berperan sebagai metode atau metode baru yang akan membantu Anda memilih permainan slot persentase tinggi. Mendapat variasi dalam Memainkan Game Slot Pastinya banyak pemain slot online yang hanya memainkan 3-5 permainan slot saja. Namun dengan RTP Live slot akan memberikan banyak game slot lain yang bisa anda coba. Tentunya semua permainan slot memiliki potensi kemenangan yang besar, jadi jangan hanya mengandalkan beberapa permainan saja. Menambah Pengalaman Dalam Bermain Slot Keuntungan terakhir adalah Anda tentu saja menambah pengalaman dan keahlian dalam permainan slot online. Dengan berbagai macam permainan slot yang dimainkan, Anda pasti mengetahui karakteristik dari setiap permainan slot yang Anda mainkan. Akibatnya, Anda pasti bisa dianggap sebagai pemain slot yang andal, yang pasti akan meningkatkan peluang Anda untuk menang besar menggunakan RTP.

Daftar 8 Situs Dengan RTP Slot Live Tertinggi Hari Ini

Ada banyak penyedia mesin slot online di internet. Tetapi tidak semuanya memiliki peluang tinggi atau RTP Live Slot yang sangat tinggi. Tapi jangan khawatir, berikut ini adalah situs slot gacor yang akan memberikan bocoran slot dengan RTP Live Tertinggi:

RTP Live Slot Pragmatic Play (RTP Slot 97.85%) RTP Live Slot PG Soft (RTP Live 96.15%) RTP Live Slot Habanero (RTP Slot 95.89%) RTP Live Slot CQ9 (RTP Live 98.83%) RTP Live Slot Spade Gaming (RTP Live 94.99%) RTP Live Slot Micro Gaming (RTP Slot 95.39%) RTP Slot Live Top Trend Gaming (RTP Live 96.14%) RTP Slot Live JOKER123 (RTP Live 97.45%)

Itulah Daftar 8 Provider Slot Gacor dengan RTP Live teratas diatas tentunya kami analisa terlebih dahulu. Anda bisa membuktikannya langsung dengan mengklik banner atau meprovider game slot yang sudah tersedia di atas. Saran kami yaitu Anda harus memainkan semua penyedia slot di atas untuk mencapai peluang kemenangan terbaik.

Daftar Slot RTP Live Tertinggi Sering Kasih Jackpot

Selain mempertimbangkan RTP Slot Gacor yang ada, sebenarnya ada banyak faktor penting untuk menang dalam permainan judi online. Sebab ada banyak game yang memiliki fitur dan mekanisme unik dan bisa membantu anda meraih Jackpot yang sangat besar.

Berikut ini akan kami ulas daftar 5 game slot paling populer karena sering memberikan jackpot:

RTP Live Gates of Olympus Gates of Olympus adalah game slot teraneh dan terbaik di Indonesia. Karena permainan mesin slot ini paling populer karena kakek Zeus dapat mengizinkan pengganda x500. Selain itu, fitur dan mekanik Gates of Olympus juga sangat menguntungkan untuk memenangkan Grand Jackpot. Secara teoritis, RTP slot langsung Gates of Olympus bernilai 96,50%, yang berarti peluang Anda untuk memenangkan MaxWin cukup tinggi. RTP live Sweet Bonanza Sweet Bonanza adalah permainan slot terpopuler kedua. Game slot bertema buah dan permen yang lezat ini sepertinya akan menarik banyak perhatian karena tergolong slot gacor yang mudah menang. Secara teoritis, slot Sweet Bonanza RTP bernilai 96,48%, yang berarti peluang Anda cukup tinggi untuk memenangkan jackpot. RTP Live Wild West Gold Wild West Gold adalah permainan slot bertema koboi yang juga populer di kalangan penggemar konspirasi. Permainan slot Wild West Gold sendiri kerap menawarkan kejutan jackpot bagi para pemainnya. Selain itu, nilai RTP Live Slot menunjukkan indeks tertinggi hari ini, yang berarti sangat layak dan sangat direkomendasikan. RTP Live Starlight Princess Slot Starlight Princess ini memiliki gaya dan fitur yang mirip dengan Gates of Olympus. Perbedaannya hanya pada desain dan karakter gamenya saja, karena memiliki fitur dan mekanik yang sama tentunya RTP slot teoritis pada game slot ini sama yaitu 96,50%. RTP Live Cash Elevator Mungkin sebagian dari Anda baru mengenal slot Cash Elevator. Namun dari data benchmark yang diungkap, ternyata banyak sekali yang menikmati permainan slot ini. Dengan fitur dan mekanisme unik seperti Lift up and down asli, slot ini juga memiliki slot RTP Live dasar 96,64% yang juga memiliki mekanisme yang sangat menguntungkan untuk memperlancar tingkat kemenangan besar.

Bocoran Jam Main Slot Gacor Hari Ini

Dalam bermain permainan slot online itu tidak bisa dilakukan dengan sembarangan yah. Jadi, Jika anda bermain pada waktu tertentu seperti yang akan kita bahas sesaat lagi, ada kemungkinan anda untuk mendapatkan kemenangan lebih tinggi. Jam RTP Slot Gacor merupakan bocoran jam main slot yang akan memberikan anda kapan waktu yang pas dalam bermain game slot.

Tentu saja seluruh provider slot online memiliki jam tertentu dalam memberikan peluang kepada para pemainnya untuk mendapatkan kemenangan. Disini kami akan memberikan anda Bocoran Jam Slot Gacor yang Paling Akurat Hari ini:

Jam Slot Gacor Pragmatic Play 02:30 WIB - Jam 05:25 WIB Jam Slot Gacor Habanero 14:26 WIB - Jam 17:38 WIB Jam Slot Gacor CQ9 00:45 WIB - Jam 05:53 WIB Jam Slot Gacor PG SOFT 14:25 WIB - Jam 17:35 WIB Jam Slot Gacor Joker123 17:41 WIB - Jam 20:42 WIB Jam Slot Gacor Microgaming 22:30 WIB - Jam 00:35 WIB

MGS88: Situs Judi Slot Online Gacor Pay4D Resmi dan Terpercaya

MGS88 adalah situs game slot online Gacor terbaru yang bermitra dengan Pay4D, Pay4D sendiri merupakan daftar situs game slot online terpercaya dengan berbagai macam permainan judi yang mudah dimenangkan seperti Game Bola, Casino Online, Slot Pay4D, Tembak Ikan dan Pay4D Online Permainan togel seperti Singapura, Hongkong, Sydney dan lain-lain. Tujuan utama kami adalah menjadi situs judi online Pay4D yang menyediakan layanan judi online terbaik di Indonesia.

Kami juga salah satu situs resmi PAY4D di Indonesia yang pasti akan membayarkan semua kemenangan kepada semua member kami, karena kepercayaan dari semua member kami adalah prioritas utama kami sebagai mesin slot 4d Asia terbaik di Asia, khususnya di Indonesia.

Dalam melakukan sistem transaksi sistem simpanan dapat dilakukan dengan mudah melalui mobile banking dan electronic banking berupa bank BCA, BSI, BRI, BNI, Cimb Niaga, Permata dan Mandiri. Selain itu, transaksi e-wallet juga tersedia melalui Dana, Gopay, LinkAja dan Ovo serta dapat digunakan untuk pulsa tanpa dipotong.

Untuk mempermudah dan kenyamanan dalam melakukan registrasi atau melakukan setiap transaksi, MGS88 menyediakan layanan live chat dan Whatsapp terhubung langsung dengan customer service online 24 jam.

Mengenal Istilah Dalam RTP SLOT

Di slot RTP Live Anda akan melihat berbagai fitur yang mungkin tidak Anda pahami masing-masing. Namun jangan khawatir, disini sebagai situs slot gacor MGS88 kami akan memberikan penjelasan lengkap mengenai tentang istilah yang ada di RTP SLOT dibawah ini.
On July 3rd this year, Shikha alleged that Mari Gowda had verbally abused and threatened her outside the government guest house in Mysuru at an Iftar party which was being attended by the Siddaramaiah.

C Shikha now finds herself transferred as the Commissioner for Social Welfare Department.

By Rohini Swamy: Lady Deputy Commissioner C Shikha, who raised her voice against a former Zilla Panchayat president and close aide of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has now been transferred.

C Shikha had filed a case against Mari Gowda alleging that he verbally abused her and threatened her. Shikha now finds herself transferred as the Commissioner for Social Welfare Department.

Former Zilla Panchayat president K Mari Gowda.

advertisement

QUESTIONS RAISED



It is believed that Shikha had completed her tenure of three years as a deputy commissioner of Mysuru and in accordance to the rules she has been shifted to another department. But many question the timing of this change of guard.

On July 3rd this year, Shikha alleged that Mari Gowda had verbally abused and threatened her outside the government guest house in Mysuru at an Iftar party which was being attended by the Siddaramaiah. Shikha was on protocol duty at that event when Mari Gowda and his associates allegedly tried to block her from entering the place and also used abusive language.

Many question the timing of this change of guard.

Mari Gowda, who had been absconding since the incident on July 3, was forced to surrender before the Nazarbad Police in Mysuru on August 3 after his bail plea was rejected by the Karnataka High Court.

Now, D Randeep who served as the deputy commisioner of Vijaypura District will take charge as DC Mysuru.

ALSO READ:

Karnataka: Congress suspends Chief Minister's aide for abusing lady IAS officer



--- ENDS ---
An aide to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Congress's growing isolation proved decisive in making a compromise possible.

By Reuters: It took him more than two years, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has finally discovered the art of the deal.

Realising that a frontal assault wasn't securing the votes needed for India's biggest-ever tax reform, Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley changed tack this spring, government and ruling party sources have told Reuters.

First, they sought to build a coalition among the nation's 29 state governments to isolate the Congress party, which despite losing heavily to Modi in 2014 had blocked a new Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the Upper House of Parliament.

advertisement

Then, Jaitley held a series of meetings with Congress leaders whose outcome was uncertain right up to the last minute, sources close to the finance minister said.

He yielded to their demands - accepting, verbatim, a clause they proposed for the constitutional amendment needed to make the GST happen, according to a member of the Congress team that included former finance minister P. Chidambaram.

"Negotiations take place only if both sides are willing to be flexible," senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said. "Both sides were pragmatic."

An aide to Jaitley said Congress's growing isolation proved decisive in making a compromise possible.

STRIKE A DEAL OR LOSE CREDIBILITY

"They had got themselves into a corner," said the finance ministry official, who was privy to the talks. "They had two options: strike a deal and come out with your reputation intact, or lose your credibility."

Last week's unanimous Upper House vote to pass the 122nd amendment to the Constitution brings the wheel full circle - the GST was proposed by Chidambram a decade ago but was stalled by political rivalry.

Introducing a unified sales tax across India's market of 1.3 billion people would mark a bold act of integration at a time of disintegration elsewhere, as Britain exits the European Union and a protectionist, Donald Trump, runs for the US presidency.

The GST vote also addresses how India, as a federation, can implement a one-size-fits-all sales tax - something the United States and EU have been unable to do - by creating a GST Council that brings the centre and the states together.

Tough bargaining on the rate and scope of the tax lies ahead, yet at least the atmosphere has improved, with Chidambram praising Jaitley's "friendly and conciliatory tone".

That could revive projects that foundered early in Modi's rule, including land and labour reforms.

EARLY STANDOFF

Despite winning India's biggest mandate in 30 years, Modi has struggled to advance his agenda.

Congress, though reduced to a rump opposition, has resisted. As the largest party in the Upper House that represents the states, it had blocked the GST and derailed Modi's Land Acquisition Bill which critics branded as being "anti-farmer".

advertisement

While that tactic proved effective, it wasn't winning public support. Congress took hits in state elections and in June lost the Upper House votes it needed to be sure of stopping the GST.

This was the cue for Jaitley to court the states, with key swing state West Bengal soon declaring its support. In July, he targeted Bihar, while at the same time re-engaging with Congress after nine months of radio silence.

Jaitley's promise to the states to compensate revenue losses for five years, made at talks in New Delhi on July 26, won them over, West Bengal's Finance Finister Amit Mitra told Reuters.

Congress moved to cut a deal, while Modi and Jaitley were ready to offer concessions - including scrapping a levy of 1 percent on the movement of goods between states - that experts say would actually make the GST a better tax.

On the morning of July, 27 Congress submitted a written proposal, with new wording on resolving GST disputes between the centre and the states. Modi's cabinet approved identical tweaks that same evening.

When it came to the August 3 vote, there were 203 votes in favour, and none against. The amendment passed the lower house on Monday, also unanimously.

advertisement

It was a first for Modi, who called the GST a "Great Step towards Transformation".

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) Armed with the confessional statement of an alleged Pakistani LeT operative, NIA today blamed the banned terror organisation for fuelling the continuing unrest in Kashmir.

The anti-terror probe agency also said it is gathering further evidence regarding the role of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba in the ongoing turbulence in the Valley for the last 33 days.

advertisement

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said the questioning of Pakistani terrorist Bahadur Ali, who was captured recently in North Kashmir, had thrown up leads showing involvement of LeT in aggravating the situation in the Valley.

The NIAs comments came a day after India handed over a "strong demarche" to Pakistan over its continued support to cross-border terrorism in India.

"NIA is further investigating the role of Lashkar in the present unrest in Kashmir," Inspector General of NIA Sanjeev Singh told reporters here.

NIA also showed to the media a video of Ali alias Saifullah, a Punjabi-speaking man, talking about his family, the time he spent in the terror outfit and his crossing over to the Indian side of the border. He was arrested on July 25 by the state police from a village in Handwara after he had managed to give Army the slip at the Line of Control in June this year.

Ali told his interrogators that he was informed by his handlers from a control room code-named Alpha-3, believed to located at a high altitude somewhere in PoK, about the unrest in the Valley following the killing of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen militant on July 8.

His handlers from the control room asked him to throw grenades at the security forces and also informed him that other cadres of the terror group had managed to sneak into the Valley, mingled with protesters at other places and were fuelling tension in the Valley.

This is for the first time that NIA has shown a video statement of a captured militant. Pakistan had earlier this year shown a video statement of Kulbhushan Yadav, an Indian national arrested in Balochistan in March over charges of spying for the Indian intelligence agency. MORE PTI SKL SK SK

--- ENDS ---
Body washes up on Koh Lanta beach

PHUKET: Police are investigating the body of an identified man found washed up on a beach at Koh Lanta today (Aug 10).

tourismdeathmarinepolice

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Wednesday 10 August 2016, 05:13PM

Beachgoers discovered the body on Koh Lantas popular Klong Dao Beach this morning. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

Police were notified after the body was found by beachgoers at the tourist-popular Klong Dao Beach at the northern end of the island this morning.

Police arrived with rescue workers to find the body of the man lying face down on the beach.

The man, shirtless and bald, was dressed in long jeans with the number 96 emblazoned on back right pocket on right thigh, and a belt with Chinese writing on it.

The man also had a yellow rubber band on his left wrist with Chinese writing on it.

We found no injury on the body and no identification on him, Maj Somchai Nuwnmai of the Koh Lanta Police.

We will check with other police stations to see if anyone has filed for a missing person report that matches the description of the unidentified body, he added.

Police believe the man had been dead for at least two days before his body was discovered today.

We believe the man died in another area and was brought to this area by waves, Maj Somchai added.

There are many possibilities as to what caused this mans death. He may have fallen off a boat or drowned while swimming, he said..

The body was taken to Koh Lanta Hospital for doctors to determine the time and cause of death, Maj Somchai concluded.
Family appeal for help in finding man 80, missing in Patong

PHUKET: A concerned couple on holiday in Phuket have appealed for help in finding an 80-year-old family member, who was last seen at their hotel in Patong on August 3

patongpolice

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 10 August 2016, 03:54PM

Mr Prayoon was described as about 160-centimetres tall and dark-skinned. Mr Prayoon is subject to bouts of forgetfulness, it was reported. Photo: PR Dept

Mr Prayoon was described as about 160-centimetres tall and dark-skinned. Mr Prayoon is subject to bouts of forgetfulness, it was reported. Photo: PR Dept

Praditsakan and Kanjana Danaisuthikul appealed for help in finding Ms Kanjanas father, Prayoon Trisak. Photo: PR Dept

Praditsakan and Kanjana Danaisuthikul made their public appeal at the Phuket Provincial Public Relations Office in Phuket Town yesterday (Aug 9), calling for help to find Ms Kanjanas father, Prayoon Trisak.

Mr Prayoon was described as about 160-centimetres tall and dark-skinned. Mr Prayoon is subject to bouts of forgetfulness, it was reported.

He disappeared from the hotel at about 2am and we reported to Patong Police to help us find him that same day, said Ms Kanjana.

As of today, we still have not been able to find him, Ms Kanjana told The Phuket News today (Aug 10).

The Danaisuthikul are offering a small cash reward for information that leads to finding Mr Prayoon.

People with information that could lead to finding Mr Prayoon are urged to contact Mr and Mrs Danaisuthikul at 098-8284159 or 062-3803387; Patong Police Station at 076-342719; or the Damrongdhama Centre (Ombudsmans Office) at 076-0213203.
Although Pakistan has strong denied India's accusations of cross border terrorism, the government promised to investigate the claim.

Rajnath Singh at the SAARC ministerial meet in Islamabad, condemned Pakistan's support of terrorists Photo: PTI

By Indo-Asian News Service: Pakistan on Tuesday rejected India's claim of cross-LOC infiltration after Pakistani envoy was summoned and served a "strong demarche" against the issue, as bilateral ties took another dip.

PAKISTAN REFUTES ALLEGATIONS OF CROSS BORDER TERRORISM

In response to a media question regarding summoning of Pakistan's High Commissioner to India to protest cross-LOC infiltration, a Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson said, "We strongly reject Indian claim of any cross-LOC infiltration. Pakistan remains committed to the policy of not allowing its territory for any terrorist activity against anyone."

advertisement

"However, it is necessary to establish veracity of the Indian claim. Details in this regard will be gathered," the spokesperson added.

Days after India and Pakistan clashed over the turmoil in Kashmir at a SAARC meet in Islamabad, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar summoned Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit and "issued a strong demarche on continuing cross border terrorism from Pakistan," a Ministry of External Affairs statement said.

LeT TERRORIST CAPTURED IN KASHMIR

The demarche made specific reference to LeT (Lashkar-e-Toiba) terrorist and Pakistan national Bahadur Ali who was apprehended recently, MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

The demarche stated that Pakistani national Bahadur Ali alias Abu Saifullah was arrested by Indian authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on July 25 along with weapons, including an AK-47 rifle, live rounds of ammunition, grenades and grenade launcher, as well as sophisticated communication equipment and other material of Pakistani and international origin.

It said Bahadur Ali, born on December 17, 1995, is son of Mohammed Haneef, a resident of Jia Bagga village in the Lahore district of Pakistan's Punjab province.

"Bahadur Ali has confessed to our authorities that after training in Lashkar-e-Toiba camps, he was infiltrated into India," the demarche said.

"He was thereafter in touch with 'operations room' of LeT, receiving instructions to attack Indian security personnel and carry out terrorist attacks in India."

CONDEMNATION OF PAKISTAN SPONSORED TERRORISTS

The demarche said India "strongly protests against the continued infiltration from Pakistan of trained terrorists with instructions to carry out attacks".

This was contrary to assurances given by Pakistani leaders at the highest level, it added.

It also said that Bahadur Ali wrote to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi seeking legal aid and assistance to meet his family.

"We are prepared to grant the Pakistan High Commission consular access to Bahadur Ali," the demarche concluded.

ONGOING INDIA-PAKISTAN TENSION

The Indian action comes less than a week after a SAARC ministerial meet in Islamabad saw the bilateral tensions over Kashmir come to the fore. Pakistani Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had slammed the "use of excessive force", referring to the unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, while Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh criticised the "glorification of terrorists as martyrs".

advertisement

Both sides did not hold a bilateral meeting, and Rajnath Singh also did not stay for a lunch for the SAARC interior ministers as his Pakistani counterpart, despite giving the invite, left early.

Pakistan had also observed a Black Day last month to protest the deaths in Jammu and Kashmir and also termed Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani a "martyr".

The killing of Wani on July 8 has led to a spiral of protests and violence in Kashmir, leaving over 50 people dead in clashes with security forces.

ALSO READ: Pakistan blacks out Rajnath Singh's tough talk on terror at SAARC meet



--- ENDS ---
Government offices to shut down as Thais celebrate Mothers Day

PHUKET: Many Thais will have a three-day weekend as the nation celebrates HM Queen Sirikits 84th birthday on Friday, August 12, which is also celebrated throughout the nation as Mothers Day.

culturealcohol

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 10 August 2016, 08:58AM

All government offices except essential services will shut down on the national holiday this Friday (Aug 12). Image: The Phuket News

Phuket City Mayor pays homage to HM Queen Sirikit on Mother's Day last year. Photo: The Phuket News / file

To honour the auspicious holiday, as Her Majesty celebrates her Seventh Cycle birthday, all government offices will close, including Phuket Immigration Office, the Employment Office, the Land Transport Office and all three District Offices in Phuket.

All main bank branches will close, but branches in shopping centres will remain open.

All Royal Thai Police and Tourist Police stations will remain open and some local consulates will remain open to serve their respective citizens.

There will be no ban on the sale of alcohol on Friday, Phuket Provincial Police Commander Col Teeraphol Thipjaroen told The Phuket News.

The sale of alcohol sale is permitted on Mothers Day. The alcohol ban is for the major Buddhist holidays only, he said.

According to an announcement by the Prime Ministers Office on January 22, 2015, the sale of alcohol is prohibited on five specific religious days: Makha Bucha, Visakha Bucha, Asanha Bucha Day, Khao Pansa and Wan Org Pansa days. (See story here.)

Also, officials at the Phuket Public Health office told The Phuket News, We normally only hold a campaign asking people to refrain from drinking alcohol to honour of HM The King on his birthday. There will not be any such campaign for Mothers Day.

For a list of just some of the major events happening around Phuket to celebrate HM The Queens birthday and Mothers Day, click here.
Islamabad has warned Punjab, along the Indo-Pak border, of a potential terror attack with at least two suicide bombers.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Islamabad has issued an alert for a possible attack at the India-Pakistan border in Punjab province.

THE THREAT



Pakistan's National Counter Terrorism Authority on Tuesday, in a letter to Home Secretary of Punjab, said: "Reportedly, Tehreek-e-Taliban, Fazal Ullah group is planning to target parade at Wagah border in Lahore or Ganda Singh Border in Kasur on August 13, 14 or 15."

advertisement

It also said at least two suicide bombers have been dispatched to carry an attack on the border.

"Extreme vigilence and heightened security measures are suggested to avoid any untoward incident," it said in a statement.

ACTION TAKEN

Security have been heightened in Pakistan ahead of August 14, the country's Independence Day.

Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will chair a high level security meeting on Wednesday to discuss the National Action Plan.

Talking to Dawn, a government official privy to the meeting, said a point-wise discussion was expected with the top brass.

"Everything under the sun which has something to do with NAP implementation will be taken up and discussed," said the official.



--- ENDS ---
11AAA semis will be awesome and more from HS football quarterfinals

The Class 11AAA high school football playoffs should be awesome, and 11B and nine-man teams also offer plenty of excitement.
Saddened by Panchu Arunachalam's demise, several K-Town celebrities including superstar Rajinikanth, Dhanush, Siddharth and Radikaa Sarathkumar have mourned the sudden death of the veteran writer-producer.

By India Today Web Desk: Veteran writer-producer Panchu Arunachalam passed away yesterday (August 9) in Chennai. He was reportedly suffering from blood cancer. He was 75 and is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.

Saddened by his sudden demise, a string of K-Town celebrities including superstar Rajinikanth, Dhanush, Siddharth and Radikaa Sarathkumar have mourned the death of veteran writer-producer Panchu Arunachalam.

advertisement

ALSO READ: Veteran writer-producer Panchu Arunachalam breathes his last

ALSO READ: Veteran actor Jyothi Lakshmi passes away

Several celebrities took to Twitter to mourn the demise of Pancu Arunachalam, popular for writing over 100 Tamil films, including blockbusters like Murattu Kaalai, Sakalakala Vallavan and Apoorva Sagodharargal.

Here's what they wrote:

Actor Rajinikanth made his 30th tweet saying: "Panchu sir... I really really miss you. May your soul rest in peace."



Actor Dhanush:



Rest in peace panchu arunaachalam sir. ??????????????? Dhanush (@dhanushkraja) August 9, 2016

Actor-comedian Santhanam:



Filmmaker AR Murugadoss:

# RIP PANCHU sir, The Master story teller best in dual action subject, always wanted to work with him bt, lots of respect for ur work sir A.R.Murugadoss (@ARMurugadoss) August 9, 2016

Director Aishwaryaa R Dhanush:

Actor Siddharth:

Actor Radikaa Sarathkumar:

Radikaa Sarathkumar (@realradikaa) August 9, 2016

Calling it a "big loss" for everyone, National Award-winning writer Dhananjayan Govind, who made the documentary "The Creator With Midas Touch" on the veteran, tweeted: "Panchu Arunachalam sir was born on 22nd March 1941, 75 years old now. Big loss to everyone and I am still unable to believe as I spoke recently."

Dhananjayan Govind (@Dhananjayang) August 9, 2016

While late filmmaker K. Balachander might have launched superstar Rajinikanth, Panchu was responsible for taking the 65-year-old star to the masses. They worked together in 23 films, including Kazhugu, Pokkiri Raja and Paayum Puli among others.

Arunachalam also came to be known for his association with Kamal Hassan, and they worked together in 13 films. Some of these were titles like Aboorva Sagodharagal Thoongadhey Thambi Thoongadhey and Uyarndha Ullam.

That apart, the writer-producer was also responsible for launching the career of music maestro Illayaraja. He introduced the latter in 1976 Tamil film Annakili.

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping along the sidelines.

By Smita Sharma: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to visit Hangzhou in China to attend the G20 summit on 4th-5th September. He is expected to hold bilateral meetings with US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping along the sidelines.



He will then head to Laos for the ASEAN Summit from 6th to 8th September. But Modi will make a stop over first in Vietnam enroute China, a move that will not go unnoticed by Beijing.



Beijing to watch closely Modi's Vietnam stop over

advertisement

China has been engaged in maritime conflict with countries including Philippines, Vietnam over sovereignty issues in the South China Sea. It recently rejected an international ruling by a permanent court of Arbitration after Philippines dragged it to an international UN court.

India advocates freedom of navigation and respecting international laws in the South China Sea Waters.

Meanwhile sharing his assessment Vietnamese envoy to India said that the situation in South China Sea is much worse today.

Also read: Amid China's military build-up, Vietnam discreetly moves rocket launchers into disputed South China Sea

Replying to a question at the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Delhi, Ambassador Ton Sin Thanh appreciated India's position over the South China Sea dispute and added "We do not welcome any militarisation in the region but welcome constructive engagement by other countries to make situation peaceful."

On a cautionary note he added, "We think situation in South China Sea is getting worse with the militarisation, with the reclamation that changed the status quo in SCS. We think that ruling of PCA (permanent court of arbitration) is a good development. But situation is not quite stable since territorial issues hasn't been settled yet. Firstly, we need compliance of all parties with the international law and specially UNCLOS."

Since 2009, India has combined trips to China with visits to other countries with difficult relations with Beijing, just like Chinese leaders make stopovers to Pakistan, Maldives, Srilanka when slated to visit India with the message not lost.

But this visit to Vietnam is a bilateral visit of any Indian Prime Minister after fifteen years.And as India Veitnam complete a decade of strategic partnership, defence and security cooperation is expected to be high on PM Modi's agenda.

Envoy says Vietnam interested in Defence supplies from India

India Today caught up exclusively with the Vietnamese Envoy to Delhi.Ambassador Ton Sin Thanh stressed that Narendra Modi's visit should not be seen as some message to Beijing.

He also said that despite tensions over South China Sea conflict and other territorial and other issues, both India and Vietnam would want good relations with China.

advertisement

Also read: China, Philippines warms up for talks to resolve SCS row

Reports also suggest that talks are on for sale of the Brahmos cruise missiles to Vietnam. The envoy replying to the question denied any such information but did emphasise that Vietnam is looking at The Indian defence manufacturing market for supplies In future.

Here's a transcript of the conversation:



QUESTION. Modi's visit has not been officially announced yet. But what are the expectations?



ANSWER. This visit is very important only bilateral visit on his overseas journey this time in attending G20 and ASEAN summit.

Hope it will open a new page of strategic partnership between india and Vietnam

QUESTION. Like the Pakistanis stop over in Islamabad Enroute India, is there a message for China in the Vietnam stop over?

ANSWER. We Always have good relation with India. This is a process of strengthening relation between india and Vietnam.We do not see any connection with the other event.

QUESTION. India has been advocating freedom of navigation in South China Sea. While Beijing rejected an international ruling. How will this impact relations?



ANSWER. It doesn't impact in negative term. Vietnam-India have good cooperation in many areas including defence and security and in also maintaining peace and security in regional issues.so f there is a problem in South China Sea, india Vietnam have very good cooperation.continue to have oil gas exploration in this region.support each other in international and regional arena.we can help each other whether it is difficult or good situation



QUESTION. Are talks on and in What stage to buy Brahmos missiles from India?

advertisement

ANSWER. Don't have information but we appreciate good achievement of india in developing defence or military equipments.we think we can have good supply from india for our self defence .



--- ENDS ---
The first reported case this year of West Nile Virus in Wyoming involved an adult from Goshen County, according to the Wyoming Department of Health. Though, there have not been any reported cases of Zika in Wyoming, the Wyoming Department of Health said it is still important to take precautions.

West Nile Virus first appeared in Wyoming in 2002. Reported cases of infection within a year have ranged from two with no deaths to 393 with nine deaths.

West Nile Virus is spread by mosquitoes when they feed on infected birds and then bite people, animals or other birds. Most individuals who are infected with West Nile Virus do not have symptoms. Individuals that do, experience fever, headache, skin rash, swollen lymph nodes and body aches.

The Wyoming Department of Health suggests several precautions residents should take to avoid getting the virus. Mosquitoes tend to prefer to feed at dawn or dusk. People should avoid spending time outside during these times. When outside, shoes, socks, long pants and long-sleeved shirts should be worn. It helps if the clothing is light-colored and made of tightly woven materials. Mosquitoes also breed in shallow, stagnant water. Standing water should be drained or removed. The use of insect repellent is strongly suggested whenever outdoors.

As for the Zika virus, the Wyoming Department of Health has issued travel warnings as the virus reaches the U.S. Anyone traveling to Miami, Fla., especially pregnant women or those who may become pregnant, should pay attention to Zika-related travel warnings.

Zika can be passed to babies during pregnancy and may cause microephaly, a serious brain-related birth defect. It is mostly spread through bites of certain types of mosquitoes.

It is not expected to spread to Wyoming, but people should stay informed when planning to travel. The mosquitoes that spread the disease do not make their home in Wyoming and it has not been confirmed in any Wyoming resident.

Hot Springs County Nurse Manager Marie McDougall said individuals should follow the rules for protecting themselves.

Thats going to be your best protection, she said.
An opportunity for foodies and beer lovers to get lost in a world of food and drink from a hand-selected range of food trucks and breweries from around New Zealand.
Naresh Khanna who shot to fame with Sony TV's Babul Ka Aangan Choote Na passed away on Monday.

By India Today Web Desk: Popular TV director Naresh Khanna, 52, who shot to fame with Sony TV's Babul Ka Aangan Choote Na, passed away on Monday following a heart attack.

The director was on his way to Mumbai from Delhi when he started feeling uncomfortable. His co-passengers took him to Delhi's AIIMS hospital, where he breathed his last.

Babul Ka Aangan Choote Na revolved around the life of a 24-year-old woman. But the show was much talked about because of the performance of Rahil Azam who played the dual character of a woman and man because of a split personality disorder.

advertisement

"He was one of the most passionate directors who I have worked with. I am shocked to hear about his death. May he be granted peace. It is a tragic loss for the industry for sure," Rahil told Telly Chakkar.

The director has also directed many Garhwali films like Chakkarchaal, Batwaru, Subero Gham and Bhully Aye Bhully.

--- ENDS ---
R Balakrishnan, better known as R Balki, quits as MullenLowe Lintas Chairman and CEO to pursue career as full-time filmmaker. Here are some of the brilliant commercials he has given us.

By India Today Web Desk: R Balakrishan, better known as R Balki in the advertising industry and to Bollywood, has quit as the Chairman and CEO of MullenLowe Lintas group. Balki, revered for his ability to dig out insights and turning it into easily communicable, relatable, moving advertisements has been as successful in Bollywood as a filmmaker as he has been as a creative director/chief creative officer.

advertisement

About the decision to quit, Balki said, "We've been planning this for some time now. It has been a long process of succession planning that concludes with my move. The agency is at its strongest today and I leave feeling satisfied, proud and excited," in a statement. Balki joined then Lowe Lintas in 1994.



MullenLowe Lintas Group created a poster, what looks like a print ad, cleverly using a wordplay on Balki's name and posted on their Facebook page to announce the news of Balki stepping down. Here's the poster that says "OUR BALKI"

Photo courtesy: FacebookMLLintasGroup





Now, let us take a look at some of the brilliant commercials he has given us:



It takes a man of impeccable imagination to convince people, especially mothers who makes the household decision of which detergent to buy, that stains are good. Wondering what we are talking about?

The "Daag ache hai" campaign for Hindustan Unilever's Surf Excel detergent, where the brand urges users to celebrate dirt stains, was Balki's brainchild. Here's a Surf Excel commercial:







And here's a video where Balki speaks about the idea:







If you remember Tata Tea, it would first be for the "jaago re jaago re jaago re" track in the background of its commercials, and then for the actual product. "Jaago re" campaign was helmed by R Balki. Taking a simple idea -- tea refreshes the consumer -- to a revolutionary tagline "har subah sirf utho mat, jaago!" which translates to "instead of simply getting up every morning, wake up!" is Balki's genius.

He placed the same idea in different situations, and chose youngsters to tell the audience to wake up against rampant practice of bribery and to ask them to vote responsibly. Here are two Tata Tea ads:







Aditya Birla Group's Idea cellular service was a mammoth client to then Lowe Lintas Group. From "An idea can change your life" to the various shifts in their branding, Lintas and Balki have been constant.

Balki's "Walk when you talk" idea and "Diwali" ad in 2013 for Idea cellular were much talked about. Here are those commercials:





advertisement





As a filmmaker, Balki has already completed four projects in Bollywood. He started his journey as a director with Cheeni Kum starring Amitabh Bachchan and Tabu in the lead roles. His next was Paa in which Amitabh Bachchan played a progeria patient named Auro and acted as real life son Abhishek Bachchan's son. These two movies were critically acclaimed and Balki was lauded for his talent. Balki worked again with senior Bachchan in his next, Shamitabh, and roped in Tamil superstar Dhanush and Kamal Hassan's daughter Akshara to play pivotal roles in the movie. His latest outing was Ki and Ka which had Arjun Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor in the lead.

We wish R Balki all the success!



--- ENDS ---
With a dress or without one, take a look at the ladies who managed to hit the headlines with their antics.

By Hemul Goel: Call it love, adulation or the start of a career as a professional fangirl, but you can't deny the existence of a special breed of people who have the talent to leave everyone behind, with their attention-grabbing tactics and manner of expression.

Rakhi Sawant

Also read: Everyone is going crazy over Rakhi Sawant's 'sexy' Narendra Modi dress, and not in a good way

advertisement

In attendance at a pre-Independence Day party in Chicago, USA, Sawant was seen wearing a 'sexy' black number emblazoned with pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, strategically placed on her butt and bust.

Rakhi Sawant in her Modi dress. Picture courtesy: Instagram/@rakhisawant151

Meghna Patel

It seems like some women can't seem to stop themselves when it comes to the Indian PM, as Vadodara native and actress Meghna Patel stripped in support of Modi. Covering the essentials with lotuses--which is the symbol of Bhartiya Janta Party--the actress did a special photoshoot holding a poster of NaMo for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Also read: Meghna Patel: Model, who posed semi-nude in support of Modi, joins NCP

Meghna Patel stripped for the PM. Picture courtesy: Twitter/@Ajaykumar265

Tanisha Singh

While Rahul Gandhi's baby face has always given him the stature of the chocolate boy of Indian politics, the Gandhi scion received a lot of attention from model Tanisha Singh who not only stripped in favour of the Congress in 2014 but also called him "My love, My cutie pie," in subsequent tweets.

Tanisha Singh's subtle attempts at campaigning for Congress. Picture courtesy: Twitter/@ImTanishaSingh

Putin's Army

Internationally, a 2011 video emerged of a group of girls--who called themselves Putin's Army--for a campaign called I'll Rip It for Putin that urged women to tear their clothes in support of Putin and for a chance to win an iPad 2.



--- ENDS ---
Water quality has been a major issue surrounding the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, but in the ocean and lagoons, not the pools.

Water quality has been a major issue surrounding the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, but in the ocean and lagoons, not the pools. (AP Photo)

By AP: Green, not gold, was the color of the day at the Olympic diving venue. (Rio Olympics: Full Coverage)

Sure, China won their third consecutive gold medal on Tuesday, but the buzz was about the color of the water in the diving pool - a murky green.

That was in stark contrast to the pool's light blue color the previous day and also that of the clear water in the second pool used for the water polo competition at Maria Lenk Aquatic Center. (Rio 2016: Games bus carrying journalists hit by gunfire, no casualties)

advertisement

British diver Tom Daley, who earned bronze in men's synchronized 10-meter on Monday, tweeted a photo of the two pools next to each other and captioned it, "Ermmm...what happened?!"

Water quality has been a major issue surrounding the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, but in the ocean and lagoons, not the pools.

A statement from Olympic organizers said water tests were conducted and there was no risk to athletes. They couldn't explain the color change, but said it's being investigated.

Rio spokesman Mario Andrada said the green was caused "by a proliferation of algae".

"This was because of heat and a lack of wind," he said. "We did all the chemical tests. The pool will be blue tomorrow (Wednesday).

"If it were green and yellow, we would know it was a patriotic thing," Andrada joked, referring to Brazil's national colors.

Canada team leader Mitch Geller suspected the cause was algae that multiplied quickly in the day's warm and sunny conditions.

"Everybody was scratching their heads going, 'What's going on?'" he said. "I think that the filter is busted, but I'm not sure. It's not really dangerous. It's not like it's toxic or dirty or any of that. It seemed to get worse over the course of the competition."

The kale-colored water wasn't just a cosmetic nuisance; it was so dark that divers couldn't see the bottom of the pool.

"They're used to seeing the water," Geller said. "The visuals are really, really important in diving."

Chen Ruolin, who teamed to win gold with Liu Huixia, said it didn't affect them.

Paola Espinosa of Mexico, competing in her fourth Olympics, noticed the pool getting increasingly darker throughout the six-round competition. But she said the water didn't smell or affect her skin.

"I haven't seen anything like it before," Espinosa said. "But it's Brazil and everything is green down here, so maybe it was a decoration to make it look pretty."

American Jessica Parratto wears contacts and said the water didn't burn her eyes.

Bronze medalists Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion of Canada tried not to laugh as they gazed at the water from atop the 33-foot tower. They liked that the dark green color offered a helpful contrast with the blue sky.

advertisement

"The only thing we said is don't open your mouth in the water, just in case," Benfeito said.

Geller said a Canadian pool expert was coming in Wednesday and he would offer to help Rio organizers chemically treat the water if there's a problem with the filter.

"I don't know what it's going to look like tomorrow," he said. "I hope it's not a swamp."



--- ENDS ---
By AP: This is the one Michael Phelps really wanted, and it showed. (RIO 2016 FULL COVERAGE)

With challengers all around, he simply wouldn't be denied.

After touching the wall first - barely - he held up one finger. Then he sat on a lane rope, egging on the roaring crowd at the Olympic Aquatics Center with both hands, before emphatically pumping his fist in the direction of his fiancee and their infant son. (Michael Phelps ready to reclaim that lost butterfly gold)

advertisement

Once again, the gold medal in the 200-meter butterfly belongs to Phelps.

Being the 20th gold of his career only added to the satisfaction. (Rio 2016: Mystery behind Michael Phelps' purple blotches finally solved)

Making up for one of the few losses in his staggering career, Phelps held off Japan's Masato Sakai by a mere four-hundredths of a second. The winning time was 1 minute, 53.36 seconds, but that was of little concern. The only thing that mattered was getting to the wall first.

Four years ago, Phelps mistimed his finish in the swooping stroke he does better than anyone, gliding to the wall a little too long after his final stroke. That allowed Chad le Clos of South Africa to stunningly win gold in an event that Phelps had dominated for the better part of a decade.

Phelps retired after the London Games, so it looked like he wouldn't get a chance to make up for his defeat. But when he decided about a year later to start competing again, the 200 fly was clearly the title he wanted more than any other.

Le Clos was in the final again, thoroughly inspired himself by his mother and father, both battling cancer and in the stands cheering him on.

But the South African could only manage fourth this time, finishing behind bronze medalist Tamas Kenderesi of Hungary.

In what was shaping up to be another very good night for the Americans, Katie Ledecky took the most challenging step toward a feat that's only been done one other time.

Ledecky held off Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom to win the 200 freestyle and give the American star her second gold of the Rio Games.

Debbie Meyer is the only female swimmer to capture the three longest freestyle events at a single Olympics, winning the 200, 400 and 800 at Mexico City in 1968. Ledecky looks like a lock to match Meyer, having already won the 200 and 400 titles and an overwhelming favorite in the 800, where she's the world-record holder and far faster than anyone else in the world.

advertisement

Fifth at the first flip turn, a bit faster than she usually goes out, Ledecky powered to the front on the third lap and grittily shooed off a hard-charging Sjostrom coming to the wall.

Ledecky touched in 1:53.73. The silver went to Sjostrom in 1:54.08, while early leader Emma McKeon faded to the bronze in 1:54.92. World-record holder Federica Pelligrini of Italy was fourth.

"That was a really tough race and it hurt really badly," Ledecky said. "I'm pretty sure it's the closest I've come to throwing up in the middle of a race. I'm just so glad I got my hand on the wall first and it was all worth it."

Ledecky knew this was the most vulnerable of her three individual events. She crushed the world record in the 400 and everyone expects her to do the same in the 800.

The 200 may be the shortest race of the bunch but it's definitely the hardest for Ledecky, requiring her to show both her speed and endurance against a far more competitive field.

"The 200 is a much more stressful race than the 400 and 800, and it always just feels good when it's over," she said. "I took it out pretty fast and kind of forced everybody to try to do that. Once I was ahead I knew I wasn't going to let it out of my hands. I knew I wasn't going to be able to see most of the field on the last 50, so I just had to dig deep."

advertisement

Phelps hustled off the deck after his victory celebration, having only about an hour to get ready for his second race of the night anchoring the U.S. in the 4x200 freestyle relay.

Conor Dywer was leading off for the Americans, followed by Townley Haas and 11-time Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte, competing in his first event of these games.

Phelps was picked to finish up, looking to claim gold medal No. 21.

--- ENDS ---
Alarmed by the number of selfie deaths in the country, the government has decided to take a number of initiatives and introduce guidelines to prevent them.

By Soudhriti Bhabani: The never-ending pursuit of the perfect shot to share on social media has sparked a troubling trend in India - death-by-selfie. Careless photo-takers have been tipping over boats, falling off cliffs, getting hit by trains and crashing cars, with the alarming numbers garnering government attention.

Headed by a selfie-loving Prime Minister, the Centre is set to introduce a raft of measures to identify such danger zones at tourist sites across India. "I have written to all state governments, requesting them to introduce safety precautionary measures and declare 'Selfie Danger Zones' at tourist sites. We are taking up the issue very seriously," Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Mahesh Sharma told Mail Today on Tuesday.

advertisement

INDIA WORLD LEADER IN SELFIE-RELATED DEATHS

"I would urge everyone not to risk their lives for taking selfies at any dangerous location." According to reports, India led the world in selfie-related deaths in 2015, accounting for more than half of such fatalities globally-15 out of 27.

A Japanese tourist died last year after he succumbed to head injuries from slipping on the Taj Mahal's stairs while trying to snap a self-portrait.

Seven teenagers drowned in a lake in Nagpur when they stood up for a selfie and flipped their boat.

The spate has continued this year too.

54 DEATHS SINCE 2014

Going by reports, as many as 37 deaths have occurred till August, taking the total number of such casualties to at least 54 since 2014.

In January this year, 18-year-old Tarannum Ansari and her two friends fell into the sea while snapping selfies near Mumbai's Bandra Fort. A bystander, Ramesh Walanju, 37, saved her friends but was swept away while trying to find Ansari. Both drowned.

The same month, 16-year-old student Dinesh Kumar was run over when he tried to take a selfie in front of a speeding train in Chennai.An ambulance driver and his friend died last month after falling 250ft into a gorge near the Charmadi Ghats in Karnataka while taking selfies.

RISKY AREAS TO BE DEMARCATED, SAFETY AREAS TO BE MARKED

"For the safety and security for tourists - both domestic and international- we are forming specific guidelines and will ask the state governments and other agencies to demarcate areas (at tourist destinations and historical monuments) which are considered 'risky' for any such activities," an official said.

He said the ministry would ask the state governments and Union Territory administrations to put up signs at all the unsafe spots, informing tourists about the dangers ahead. It will also provide training to guides and guards deployed at all the sites, which either come under the Ministry of Tourism or the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) that functions under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture.

The tourism ministry is instructing officials and agencies to work out all possible steps to avert selfie-related mishaps. "The guidelines will include steps like putting up safety nets around all identified SDZs so that if anyone suffers a fall, fatalities can be avoided.



CCTVs TO BE INSTALLED

advertisement

There will be arrangements of emergency medical assistance at all Selfie Danger Zones too," an official said, pointing out that there will be deployment of security guards to closely monitor the sites.

CCTV cameras will be installed to monitor movements of tourists at these treacherous spots.

The governments of Maharashtra and Karnataka have already adopted measures to create awareness through signage at the danger zones.

Mumbai Police had identified 16 'no selfie zones' in the city to combat the menace with two people drowning near the Bandra Worli Sea Link this year.

The Centre has issued guidelines on safety and security of tourists for state government and UTs and also launched a national campaign.

Several states, such as Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Kerala and Maharashtra have deployed tourist police teams. These personnel have been drawn from the state police forces and from among ex-servicemen, sources said.



Also Read:

UP: Another athlete falls and drowns while taking selfie

How selfie in Ganga led to the death of 7 students

Elbow pain? You probably have the selfie elbow. Know the cure and causes

Couple drowns in sea while taking selfie in Kanyakumari





advertisement

--- ENDS ---
A Romanian man involved in a sensational ATM heist from an SBI kiosk in Thiruvananthapuram has been arrested in Mumbai.

Gabriel Marian was taken into custody on Tuesday night from Mumbai. He admitted to being a part of a Romanian gang and identified two others involved in the crime as Bogdean Florian and Christian Victor. A fourth accused is yet to be identified.

Mumbai Police, who detained Marian while he was withdrawing money from an ATM in Station Plaza, handed him over to Kerala Police.

Marian is expected to be brought to Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday or Thursday.

The accused reportedly admitted to have done the heist with his friends who were in the Kerala capital last month for about two weeks.

They are believed to have stayed at a beach destination in Kovalam.

They placed electronic equipment in the SBI kiosk which enabled them to get the details of card holders who withdrew money from the ATM.

Using the stolen data, the gang withdrew money from Mumbai.

On Sunday, a few ATM cardholders got SMS alerts on mobile telephones stating money had been withdrawn from their accounts.

Around 50 people had complained to the police about it. The total loss to these bank customers has been put around Rs 2.50 lakh.

When they checked the visuals of CCTV cameras, officials spotted two foreigners working on the 'smoke alarm' inside a SBI ATM.

The police then got their records form the hotel where they stayed.

The police have urged all those who used their ATM card form this kiosk to change their pins and have directed all the banks to ensure that their kiosks do not contain any external fixtures.
The Congress on Wednesday accused the BJP of orchestrating protests in Itanagar following the alleged suicide of former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Kalikho Pul, with AICC Secretary K. Jayakumar saying the saffron party will be to blame if the law and order situation goes out of control.

The Congress very strongly condemns the action of the BJP. The protests are not by Puls supporters. The protests have been orchestrated by the BJP. It will be liable for any casualties that take place, Jayakumar, who reached Itanagar on Tuesday after Puls alleged suicide, told THE WEEK.

After the news of Puls death was out, scores of protesters gathered outside the residence of Chief Minister Pema Khandu. Alleging foul play in Puls death, they demanded a probe into it. They also pelted stones at the residence of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and at the bungalows of a few MLAs. An under-construction building in the official premises of Mein was set on fire by the protesters.

Following the protests, police deployment was increased in the VVIP zone and the residence of the chief minister, which Pul was yet to vacate and where his body was found hanging from a ceiling fan, was also heavily secured by the police in view of the large numbers of protesters converging to the spot.

The Congress also alleged that the BJP, by harming the law and order situation in the state, is again trying to impose Presidents rule. They want to create a situation that will help them impose Presidents rule, Jayakumar said.

He went to the extent of blaming the BJP and Governor J.P. Rajkhowa for Puls alleged suicide. The situation that drove Pul to committing suicide was created by the BJP and the Governor. He was a simple man, a quiet person, who was motivated to rebel against the Congress by the BJP, and in the end, he was frustrated and depressed, he said.

According to Congress sources, Pul wrote a 60-page note, which was discovered after his death. He must have written it over several days. It is not something that he could have written overnight, a source said. The contents of the note, which is in the custody of police, are yet to be known.

On Wednesday, Puls body today taken to his native village in a chopper for the last rites to be conducted.

Pul, 47, had rebelled against former chief minister Nabam Tuki and managed to form his own government with the help of the BJP in early 2016. However, the Supreme Court, in July, ruled his government unconstitutional and reversed the clock to reinstate Tuki. The Congress later won over the rebels, including Pul, and Khandu emerged as the chief minister.
The first 1,000 MW unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) built with Russian equipment was dedicated to the nation on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying this marked the start of Indo-Russian collaboration in the nuclear energy field and that bigger atomic power units would be built.

Speaking on the occasion, Modi said the successful completion of the first unit at Kudankulam is not just another fine example of the strength of the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two countries.

"It is also a celebration of our abiding friendship. In years ahead, we are determined to pursue an ambitious agenda of nuclear power generation. In our journey of cooperation, we plan to build a series of bigger nuclear power units," Modi added.

He said five more 1,000 MW units would be built at Kudankulam with Russian partnership.

Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa jointly dedicated to the nation the first 1,000 MW unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP).

The dedication happened via video conferencing with Modi in New Delhi, Putin in Moscow and Jayalalithaa in Chennai.

[Combo] Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa addressing on the occasion of the dedication of Kudankulam plant unit-I through video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin at Secretariat in Chennai | PTI

The KNPP is located in Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, around 650 km from here.

"The story of human development has been of wide spread technological advancement and growing economic prosperity. But, as we all know, it has not been without burden on our environment," Modi said.

Modi said he has a vision for India achieving economic development respectful of Mother Earth.

He said the Kudankulam nuclear power plant is part of India's plan to scale up its clean energy and also signals the commitment to build pathways of partnership for green growth.

Modi said the success of the project demonstrates the common resolve to grow the Indo-Russian relationship in new dimensions.

The Indian Prime Minister said the nuclear plant demonstrates the common resolve to keep the ties between India and Russia firm and steady.

"Above all, it showcases your personal commitment, consistent support and strong leadership in transforming the substance and character of our relationship. The people of India associate naturally and with great ease with the people of your great country," Modi told Putin.

Wishing `Long Live Indo-Russian Friendship' Modi told Putin that he is looking forward to meet him at the ensuing G-20 meeting in China.

Modi also thanked Jayalalithaa for her participation in the event.

In his address, Putin said the cooperation in the field of nuclear power is important part of the privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia.

"Our work together in this sector has great importance for our countries' development," Putin said.

"This is not just about building a nuclear power plant and putting it into operation, but is a large-scale project to develop a new high-tech nuclear sector in India. This work involves the transfer of skills and training of personnel and specialists in this area," Putin added.

Putin said Russia is one of the world leaders in the field of nuclear technology and the atomic power plants built by his country are reliable.

According to him, the General Framework Agreement and loan protocol for third stage of the project would be signed by the end of this year.

In her address Jayalalithaa said: "The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is a monument commemorating the long-standing, abiding and deep friendship between Russia and India."

According to her, the successful commissioning of the Kudankulam project is an object lesson on how the fears and apprehensions of the local population can and should be allayed, through a process of engagement and reassurance, and by building community assets and infrastructure.
Twenty-five years ago, when the world had started to call Somalia a stateless society, thousands of fleeing Somalians found a home in Finland. Among them was a 17-year-old girl, the daughter of a truck driver, and her two siblings. Fadumo Dayib now holds three masters degrees, two from Finland and one from Harvard. Dayib, 42, is going back to Somalia, not as a refugee going home, but as a presidential candidate. I have finally understood the value of walking away in order to walk back to what matters the most. I am going home to reclaim Somalia and Somaliness, says her campaign tagline.

Finland gave her a life and a family, but as a refugee she lived there like an unwanted person. Dayib always wanted to go back to Somalia. In 2005, she joined UNICEF and started working in Putland, Somalia, for a brief period of six months. After Somalia, she went to Fiji and Liberia, working with UNICEF for several years. She is now doing her PhD at the University of Helsinki specialising in women's governmental participation and empowerment in post-conflict societies. Her educational background and the support from the Somali diaspora in the US are all aiding her campaign. But in a country like Somalia, home to Al-Shabaab, one of the deadliest terrorist organisations in the world, participating in the election is not easy especially for a woman. Al-Shabaab has already warned against conducting the elections.

Somalia was recently in the news in India when Prime Minister Narendra Modi compared the infant mortality rate among tribal children in Kerala's Attappadi region with that of Somalia. It led to thousands of memes and funny comments on social media, most of them making fun of Modi and the Somalis. Life, however, is not a joke for the Somalis. Of the 11 million Somalis, 75 per cent are under the age of 30 and 68 per cent of them are unemployed, forcing many of them to join pirates or Al-Shabaab.

On a positive note, Somalia is no longer at the top of the fragile state index. Since September 2012, there is a permanent central government under President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Elections to the parliament will take place between September 24 and October 10, and the presidential elections are scheduled for October 30.

Dayib, with her multiethnic background, wants to fight intense clannism in Somalia, which she says is the major reason behind its downfall. But unfortunately in the upcoming election, 14,000 delegates representing various Somali clans will cast their votes for members of the lower house, while the regional states will select the members of the upper house. And both houses will elect the president. With her slogan My clan is the Somali flag and my allegiance to Somalia, Dayib hopes to spring a surprise and get elected as the next president of Somalia.
On August 9, Palestinian journalists decried Google Maps' depiction of the Isreal-Palestine area. Google had reportedly removed the name 'Palestine' from the area, demarcating the West Bank and Gaza regions as disputed territories.

In response, a Change.org campaign, called Google: Put Palestine on your Maps, was signed by more than 2,00,000 people. Palestinian Twitterati spoke out against it through #PalestineIsHere.

Google has just removed Palestine from its maps. But we will always resist and prove our presence #PalestineIsHere pic.twitter.com/ISHYVYGxCj  Rana (@ranaaa_d) August 9, 2016

However, reports state that this isn't a recent development. The name 'Palestine' has been missing from Maps for the past five months. Google has been accused of 'siding with Israel'.

Being a political issue, Google has mostly played it fair, marking disputed borders with dotted lines. In some cases, the maps are localised according to the region's politics. For instance, Chinese Maps users see Arunachal Pradesh as part of its territory, while it is part of India for Indian users.

More than 150 areas around the world are under territorial dispute today. Here are five major disputes that still cause political furore:

Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh: India and China

The situation: India has two major border disputes with China, Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh. AP is under Indian government control, but China lays claim to it. Aksai Chin is claimed by India, but is controlled by Chinese administration. The Indo-Chinese war of 1962 sparked off when China constructed a highway across Aksai Chin. In 1996, the two countries established a Line of Actual Control. Indian and Chinese forces are still involved in skirmishes in both the regions.

Maps: China's Google Maps version includes AP and Aksai Chin in China. To India, AP is her northeastern-most state, while Aksai Chin is in Jammu and Kashmir. To the rest of the world, both the areas are demarcated as disputed territories. In 2009, India lashed out at Google when it 'accidentally' updated places in AP with Chinese names. It was immediately rolled back after issuing an apology.

Crimea: Tension between Russia and Ukraine

Google changes the names of cities and towns in the Russian Crimea.



Who gave such authority to Google ? pic.twitter.com/GoHriOrKTW  _ (@marina_saniram) July 28, 2016

The situation: Crimea, south of Russia, has a population of 2.2 million. In 2014, Russia annexed the peninsula, and declared the country 'fully integrated into Russia' in 2015. However, Ukraine and many UN nations do not recognise this claim, and a fight over the region's sovereignty is still on. In 2015, Ukraine declared that Russia was occupying Crimea. Sanctions have been in place against Russia. Only Arabat Spat and the Syvash Sea regions of Crimea are still controlled by Ukraine.

Maps: In July 2016, Russia accused Google of changing names in Crimea in accordance with a diktat given by Ukraine to 'remove all Soviet symbols and names from Ukraine territory'. Google rolled back the change under pressure. In 2014, Google had marked Crimea as a disputed area. But Google Maps Russia marked it as part of Russia.

Kashmir: The raging India-Pakistan issue

The situation: The 720-kilometre-long border line has been a cause of worry for the sister nations ever since they gained independence. Parts of Kashmir are occupied by each of the countries. According to the Indian government, about 60 per cent of the state is under Indian administration.

Maps: The entire J&K region is firmly within Indian territory, according to Google Maps India. But the rest of the world sees the border regions demarcated with dotted lines, including regions of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir.

Senkaku Islands: claimed by China, Taiwan and Japan

The situation: The East China Sea dispute involves the Senkaku islands, a group of five islands stretched across seven kilometres, rich in oil reserves. In 1971, Japan took over administrative control of the region from the United States. This is disputed by China and Taiwan, claiming that the islands have been a part of the nations since the 1500s. This has led to rising tension among Asia's largest economies. Most recently, China encroached on the island's air space, souring relations with Japan.

Maps: In 2013, Japan noted that the disputed region had Chinese names on Google Maps, which was 'incompatible with Japan's stance'. Currently, the islands are named in accordance with all three countries: Senkaku for Japan, Diaoyu for China, and Diaoyutai for Taiwan.

Western Sahara: The Moroccan Wall

The situation: In Africa, Morocco took over former Spanish colony Western Sahara in 1975. The Polisario Front, led by native Sahrawis, fought for its liberation for 16 years. The 2500-kilometre Moroccan Wall cuts the region by half, separating areas controlled by Morocco from those under the Polisario. In 1991, the UN helped the two reach a truce. Morocco is yet to hold 'an agreed referendum on independence' of Western Sahara, and is the de facto administrator now.

Maps: In February 2016, Airbnb received flak for demarcating disputed territories wrongly. The company's map displayed listings in the Western Sahara as under Moroccan region. Google Maps, however, clearly indicates the border as disputed territory. Online petitions stating that there is no 'Western Sahara, only Moroccan Sahara' have come up in the past, asking Google to remove the demarcation.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday that gun rights activists could act to stop Democratic rival Hillary Clinton from nominating liberal US Supreme Court justices, igniting yet another fire storm of criticism just as he sought to steer clear of controversy.

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks," Trump said at a rally. "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know," he continued.

The US Constitution's Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear firearms.

Before the remark, Trump had been emphasising his case against Clinton, who is leading in national opinion polls in the race for the November 8 election. Some in the audience in North Carolina who were seated behind Trump could be seen wincing when he made the comment.

Clinton's campaign called the remark "dangerous."

"A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way," it said.

When asked to clarify what Trump meant, his campaign said he was referring to getting supporters of the Second Amendment to rally votes for Trump in the election.

"Its called the power of unification2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power," the Trump campaign said in its statement.

Immediately after Trump made his comment, many on social media accused him of effectively calling for Clintons assassination. In just three hours, 2nd amendment became the top trending topic on Twitter, with more than 60,000 posts mentioning the term.

Introducing Trump later at another rally in North Carolina, in Fayetteville, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani accused the news media of taking the remark out of context to help Clinton get elected.

"What he meant by that was you have the power to vote against her," Giuliani said to cheers. "You have the power to speak against her. You know why? Because you're Americans."

"It proves that most of the press is in the tank for Hillary Clinton," he added. "They are doing everything they can to destroy Donald Trump."

The US Secret Service, which provides security details for both Trump and Clinton and rarely comments on political matters, when asked for a response on Trump, said: "The Secret Service is aware of the comment."

The Secret Service is aware of the comments made earlier this afternoon.  U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) August 9, 2016

Trump later told Fox News Channel's "Hannity" programme that "nobody in that room" thought he meant anything other than to rally support against Clinton.

"This is a strong powerful movement, the Second Amendment," Trump said. "Hillary wants to take your guns away. She wants to leave you unprotected in your home. This is a tremendous political movement."

By day's end, Trump was drawing criticism on several fronts, another chapter in a campaign marked by bitterness and partisanship.

Michael Hayden, a former CIA director who on Monday was among 50 Republican national security experts to denounce Trump in a letter, said on CNN, "Youre not just responsible for what you say. You are responsible for what people hear."

US Senator Elizabeth Warren, a liberal firebrand who loves tweaking Trump, tweeted that the Republican nominee "makes death threats because he's a pathetic coward who cant handle the fact that hes losing to a girl."

Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conway fought back in a tweet of her own, calling Warren a "disgrace."

Gun rights an issue

Gun rights, which have long stirred strong emotions in America, have been a particularly potent issue in the 2016 presidential campaign as violence has convulsed some US cities.

Trump has planted himself firmly on the side of gun owners with a "law and order" campaign. Before his remark about Clinton on Tuesday, he had said Islamic State militants who killed 130 people in France last year could have been stopped if some of the victims had been armed.

The Clinton campaign has challenged Trump when in the past he has accused her of planning to abolish the Second Amendment if elected president. Clinton, in her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, said, "I'm not here to repeal the Second Amendment," saying she wanted "common-sense reforms" to gun laws.

Tuesday's speech came on the heels of a discordant week on the campaign trail for Trump, a businessman seeking his first public office. He came under fire from within his party for belatedly endorsing fellow Republicans in re-election races and a prolonged clash with the parents of fallen Muslim American Army captain Humayun Khan.

On Monday, Trump seemed to be heeding Republican advice to stick to a message of criticising Clinton and other Democrats while putting forward economic policy proposals in a speech in Detroit.

Trump's vice presidential running mate, Mike Pence, asked if he believed Trump was inciting violence towards Clinton, told NBCs Philadelphia affiliate: "Of course not. No."

But Democrats called Trump's remarks another sign of a candidate unfit for the White House.

"Dont treat this as a political misstep. Its an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy & crisis," US Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, said in a tweet.

Overall sentiment on social media posts on Trump's remarks was more negative than positive, at a ratio of 2.5 to 1, according to the social media analytics firm Zoomph. #ProtectHillary was also one of the top trending hashtags on Twitter.

The 50 prominent national security officials said in their letter on Monday that Trump would be "the most reckless president in American history."

"He appears to lack basic knowledge about and belief in the US Constitution, US laws and US institutions, including religious tolerance, freedom of the press, and an independent judiciary," their statement said.
A distressed 16-year-old girl in Haryana tried to set herself ablaze after her father committed suicide on hearing of her sexual harrassment.

By India Today Web Desk: In yet another incident of crime against women being reported from Haryana, a 16-year-old set herself on fire after her father committed suicide. The incident was reported from Dharodi village in Haryana's Jind district on Tuesday.

FATHER'S SUICIDE



The girl's father, Dilbagh, committed suicide after the girl told him of how a boy had been torturing her on a daily basis and had proposed marriage to her. Dilbagh, a father of five daughters, on hearing of how his daughter had been subjected to sexual harassment, consumed poison and committed suicide, fearing social insult. He was distressed by the boy's regular torture and threat to kidnap his daughter when she refused his marriage proposal.

advertisement

AFTERMATH OF FATHER'S DEATH



The girl, a student of class 11, on hearing of her father's death, poured kerosene on herself and set herself ablaze. She has been admitted to the PGI Rohtak with severe burns and her condition is said to be critical.

The girl's uncle, Shakti, said that a complaint regarding the incident and harassment of the girl has been registered and that the police are investigating the case. ACP Wasim Akram said that the boy had proposed marriage to the girl and that he had been in regular touch with the girl on her phone. Akram said that the police are investigating the matter and that depending on the investigations, action will be taken against the boy.

ALSO READ: Woman drugged and raped by 20 men in Haryana's Gurugram



--- ENDS ---
A small number of dati leumi residents of Beit Shemesh held a protest outside City Hall on Tuesday, 5 Menachem Av, questioning why the city is not allocating a kindergarten for the dati leumi sector in their area.

One parent, Mr. Yossi Yankowitz, questions why after repeated attempts to contact City Hall requesting a kindergarten in their area no response is forthcoming. The city appears unwilling to accommodate the request because the neighborhood in question is chareidi.

When City Hall was contacted, officials explained in line with the character of the neighborhood, which is chareidi, all the kindergartens operating are run by private NGOs and not the city. Yossi however remains determined and began gathering support, now representing the parents of 35 children. He adds he has also tried making progress with the Ministry of Education, but here too, no response.

Yossi explains it is worse, for at one point they found a solution on their own but the city torpedoed it. He explains the head of the citys education portfolio offered an apartment used for a kindergarten today, and then he got a court order to oust the kindergarten from the building. Yossi adds the city manager did finally meet with him, promising the kindergarten would be established but he refused to put it in writing.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has ordered the hiring of additional women in the states religious councils. The High Court of Justice recently ordered hiring a deputy director-general for the nations Batei Din system.

According to the new directive issued by Mandelblit, at least 30% of the employees of the nations religious councils must be women. According to Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) quoting the Hiddush NGO), at present, women only represent 4% of all the employees in the nations religious councils.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
MK (Likud) David Amsellem is under fire for initiating a bill that would prohibit launching an investigation against a ruling Prime Minister for alleged petty crimes, crimes that do not carry a jail term of over 6 months imprisonment. In his Facebook post, Amsellem adds PM Netanyahu was not aware of his intentions to release the bill as PM Binyamin Netanyahu is under investigation in a number of such cases.

Amsellem insists he did this on his own without the prior knowledge of PM Netanyahu. He explains over the past 30 years there was not a single Prime Minister who was not too busy with such investigations, which detract from his responsibilities of running the nation. This includes PMs Yitzchak Rabin, Ehud Barak, Ehud Olmert, and Arik Sharon.

Realizing that if a Prime Minister may be guilty, the bill also includes a clause that the statute of limitations would not apply to crimes committed by a Prime Minister so an investigation can be placed on hold until a Prime Minister is out of office.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
A humanitarian aid worker in Gaza has been arrested and charged with using his position to provide material assistance to Hamas terrorist/military efforts. This is the second such indictment of a Palestinian aid worker in Gaza in less than a week.

Waheed Borsh was arrested on 10 Tammuz by the Israel Police and Shin Bet agents and indicted in a civilian court in southern Israel on Tuesday, 5 Menachem Av. He was charged with assisting Hamas, an internationally-recognized Islamist terrorist organization.

Borsh, from Jabalya in Gaza has worked for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Gaza as an engineer since 2003. His areas of responsibility include demolishing houses damaged during armed conflicts and clearing the rubbish from sites after demolition.

The UNDP, an agency of the UN, is one of the worlds largest multilateral development agencies. It conducts development and rehabilitation projects for the Palestinian population of t Gaza, which include assisting in the rehabilitation of housing damaged during armed conflicts.

During the Waheed Borsh investigation, it was discovered that he had been instructed by a senior member of the Hamas terrorist organization to redirect his work for UNDP to serve Hamas military interests.

Borsh confessed that he did indeed carry out activities that aided Hamas. For example, last year he helped build a military jetty in northern Gaza  utilizing UNDP resources  to be used by Hamas naval forces.

Also in 2015, he acted to persuade UNDP managers to prioritize the rehabilitation of housing in areas populated by Hamas members. Borsh was acting in response to a request by Hamas.

Additionally, Borsh disclosed information regarding cases in which Hamas would blatantly and aggressively exploit UNDP humanitarian activities for its own purposes. For example, when weapons or terrorist tunnel openings were discovered in houses being handled by the UNDP, Hamas would take control of the site and confiscate the arms and other materials. This violates clear UN procedures according to which UNMAS is supposed to be immediately notified as the United Nations Mine Action Service is the UN body in charge of dealing, inter alia, with explosive remnants of war. Borsh also disclosed information on Hamas tunnels and military bases which he had been exposed to during his work in Gaza.

Notably, according to Borsh, other Palestinians who work for aid organizations are also working for Hamas.

This case  along with last weeks case in which Hamas operative Mohammed El-Halabi infiltrated the World Vision humanitarian aid NGO in order to divert funds and other resources for use in Hamas military/terrorist efforts  demonstrates how Hamas exploits the resources of international aid organizations at the expense of the civilian population of Gaza.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo: Shin Bet Spokesman Unit)
Deputy Minister of Regional Cooperation (Likud) Ayoub Kara visited the headquarters of United Hatzalah on Monday afternoon 4 Menachem Av in order to explore the options of adopting the cooperative model developed by United Hatzalah and transposing it to a regional scale. Kara is a Druse-Israeli who hails from the town of Dalyat al-Carmel and has been working tirelessly since the election to better the relations between Israel and its regional neighbors. Kara spoke very highly of the organization and its efforts to bridge the cultural gaps in Israel and provide a comfortable working environment for people of all faiths and religions.

I am happy to be here, touring the headquarters of United Hatzalah, an organization which puts the saving of lives as its primary goal ahead of politics, religion, and anything else. This organization, in my opinion, exemplifies and upholds as an ideal all basic human rights.

Kara went on to say that the cooperative model used by United Hatzalah, which builds connections between people over the basic human concept of saving lives, is one that he believes can unify people in what has become one of the tensest areas of unrest in the world. I think that here is where people can connect and join together and work together with everything going on around us. The (lifesaving) technology which I saw here firsthand in the command center and in United Hatzalah needs to be spread around the entire world, because this organization can create a consensus in a world that is entirely made up of landmines.

Utilizing the model of United Hatzalah, Kara believes that cooperation among countries in the Middle East is possible. My dream is to create a partnership, a true partnership, with the Palestinian Authority that will include funding courses for EMTs and having volunteers work together. Additionally, we need to spread this out to the Arab states around us, and through that we will enter into an era of a new direction for partnerships, with new connections and new opportunities for cooperation.

We will invite the Palestinians first, and we hope that they will join us. In the near future we also hope to join together with the 30 or so countries that are in the Saudi Arabian Coalition. This is a very new development, but one that is possible. We need to spread the message that saving lives is more important than the fighting which takes place throughout the region, Kara said.

Kara also praised the advanced technology that is being used to save lives every day across the nation. The technology that United Hatzalah has here is something that I believe to be vital and that we must spread around to the other states in the region. In specific, we need to spread it to the Arab Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, but also as far away as Morocco.

The message that I am taking with me today after my visit, which is very important, is to spread the word of the work that United Hatzalah does to every country which I visit. I believe that through spreading cooperative works like this, focused on the idea of saving lives, we can achieve regional cooperation. We will take this organization and lift it up on wings. We should have made a much bigger effort to embrace United Hatzalah a long time ago, because there is no greater calling than the saving of lives.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo: United Hatzalah)
Islamic extremist group Taliban have besieged the capital city of Helmand, Lashkar Gah. Afghan officials warn Centre of the imminent collapse of the city without support from the government.

By Reuters: The Taliban are tightening their noose around the capital of disputed Helmand province in southern Afghanistan which has seen sustained fighting, residents and local officials say.

Security officials and local leaders offered differing assessments of the risk of the city of Lashkar Gah falling, with military commanders asserting that the situation has stabilized. But officials in the besieged city are increasingly pessimistic.

advertisement

APPEAL FOR HELP FROM GOVERNMENT

"If we don't receive support from the central government, the province will collapse soon," said provincial council chief Karim Atal.

The Taliban are seeking to make Lashkar Gah the second provincial capital they have captured since their extremist Islamic rule was toppled in a US-led campaign in 2001. The insurgents briefly held the northern city of Kunduz last October before being driven out by U.S.-backed Afghan troops.

Atal said Afghan security forces in the province, which have undergone major reorganization this year, are capable but he said there was a lack of attention from leaders in Kabul.

As part of its national strategic plan, much of the Afghan government's focus in the past month has been on a campaign against Islamic State militants in eastern Afghanistan.

"If the government does not support Helmand, we will call on our people to grab weapons and fight against the Taliban," Atal said.

IMPACT OF TALIBAN SIEGE ON CITY

Lashkar Gah continues to be flooded with civilians fleeing the fighting that has nearly surrounded the city. The Taliban have seized some areas only a few km from the city center, said Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor.

A major highway between Lashkar Gah and Kandahar has been closed on and off for days by Taliban checkpoints and roadside bombs, he said.

Many in the city point to U.S. air strikes as a decisive factor in preventing the Taliban from overrunning the whole province. In the past two weeks U.S. warplanes have conducted around 25 air strikes in the province, while hundreds of coalition advisers try to bolster Afghan troops.

Fighting has consumed much of Nawa-i-Barakzayi district immediately to the south of Lashkar Gah, district police chief Ahmad Shah Salem said.

"Contact has been lost with police in some places," he said. "The Taliban have conquered some of our checkpoints. So far we haven't received reinforcements, as well as food and ammunition. If we do not receive reinforcement soon, the district will collapse."

advertisement

STEPS TO BE TAKEN

Officials from the Defense and Interior Ministry visited Lashkar Gah on Tuesday. Provincial police chief Brigadier General Aqa Noor Kentoz said reinforcements were scheduled to arrive soon.

The commander of the army's 215 Corps, General Maiwand Faqir, said counter-offensives against the Taliban have been complicated by hundreds of roadside bombs and the presence of civilians, but he said his troops had everything they needed.

ALSO READ: You'll give it to Taliban: Indian sues US car dealership for $1 million over refusal to sell him Mercedes

--- ENDS ---
Regavim, the Israeli legal watchdog issued a statement congratulating the Civil Administration on the swift action taken to demolish five illegally built, European-funded structures in Umm-el Khair, just days after Regavim filed a complaint against them. In recent years, the European Union has unilaterally built over a thousand illegal structures across Area C in violation of international law.

Josh Hasten, Regavims international director commented: Regavim commends the Israeli authorities for the swift demolition of five illegally built European Union funded buildings in Umm-el Khair. This mornings action comes after years of lobbying against the EUs rampant illegal building across Area C in total disregard for international law, Regavims work is beginning to bear fruit with a large increase in demolitions of European structures. We will not stop until there is a total European exit from all Israeli territory.

Regavim is a legal advocacy organization, dedicated to ensuring responsible, legal and accountable use of Israels national land. By investigating claims on the ground level, Regavim protects national land interests, presenting its findings in the form of white papers and legal action, in addition to briefing the press and diplomatic corps.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Kamal Hatib, deputy of Israel Islamic Association Northern Branch Leader Sheikh Raed Salah has been released from custody on Tuesday, 5 Menachem Av, and sent to house arrest for five days.

Hatib was taken into custody a day earlier on suspicion of inciting terrorism and making public racist slurs in his column in the Arabic media. He was taken into custody in Kfar Kana in the Nazareth area.

Hatibs attorney told reporters upon his release that he was sent to house arrest simply to prevent him from taking part in a protest on behalf of hunger-striking security prisoner Bilal Kaiyad.

Raed Salah has been arrested and imprisoned by Israel on a number of occasions http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/415472/sheikh-raid-salah-enters-prison-to-serve-his-jail-term.html for his pro-Hamas activities, which includes fundraising. It has often been alleged the Israel Islamic Association Northern Branch is nothing but a legal Israeli authorized charitable front for Hamas. This led to the Security Cabinet banning the organization http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/361956/photos-security-cabinet-bans-the-northern-branch-of-the-israel-islamic-movement.html after sufficient evidence was gathered to substantiate the allegations.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

At approximately 1:50PM on Tuesday, 5 Menachem Av, a female Arab terrorist was detected with a knife at a Maaras HaMachpelah checkpoint.

Bchasdei Hashem, alert border police detected the threat in time and were able to neutralize the would-be attacker with pepper spray, then taking her into custody.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photos: Media Resource Group & Police Spokesman Unit)
A chareidi resident of Elad was taken into custody on suspected tax fraud, allegedly failing to pay NIS 1.5 million in income tax. The suspect was operating a car rental in his name and that of his wife and brother who is institutionalized.

The suspect was arraigned in the Petach Tikvah Magistrate Court and sent to house arrest until Thursday, 7 Menachem Av, permitting authorities to continue the investigation without his interference. Restrictions were also placed on him including bail which he and a third party had to place in the custody of the court.

The 38-year-old man was the subject of a multi-agency investigation including VAT inspectors from Petach Tikvah.

The vehicles rented by him are in his name, his wife and the institutionalized brother. The court also ruled the suspect is banned from leaving the country during the coming five months.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
If youre one of the people left stranded by Deltas outage, you have options.

The airline is waiving fees, offering refunds and giving out travel vouchers to those who were scheduled to fly on Aug. 8 or Aug. 9. Over those two days, more than 1,200 Delta flights around the world were canceled due to a power outage that crippled its booking and communications systems.

Heres what you can do:

GET A REFUND:

If your flight was canceled by Delta or delayed more than three hours, and you decide not to reschedule, you can ask the airline for your money back.

RESCHEDULE YOUR FLIGHT:

Delta wont charge its ticket change fee, which can cost as much as $500, even if your flight was not canceled. But if you book the rescheduled flight to take place after Aug. 12, you may have to pay more for airfare.

Delta Air Lines Inc. recommends rescheduling flights on its website or app since its phone lines may be busy.

GET VOUCHERS FOR FUTURE TRAVEL:

As a bonus, Delta is giving away $200 in travel vouchers to those whose flight was canceled or delayed more than three hours. The voucher can be used within a year on any Delta-operated flight.

The vouchers can only be used by the person who was stranded. So if you were traveling for work, the voucher is yours to keep for that next family vacation. However, some companies might require employees to apply the credit toward their next work trip, although that is usually a small percent of companies.

Apply for the voucher at delta.com/wecare.

(AP)
Moving beyond Obamacare, political activists are looking to state ballot questions to refocus the nations long-running debate over governments role in health care.

This fall, California voters will decide whether to lower some prescription drug prices, while Coloradans will vote on a state version of a single-payer government-run health system, similar to what Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders proposed in his unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Sanders supports both the California and Colorado initiatives, said spokesman Michael Briggs.

We are in the process of building a new organization to keep a lot of the energy going, he said. Backing those kinds of ballot initiatives is one of the major things that we are focusing on.

Pharmaceutical companies and insurers are spending millions of dollars to defeat the two ballot questions.

The measures are among the more far-reaching health care questions to be decided by voters around the country on Election Day. With ballots still being finalized in some states, other questions may include raising tobacco taxes, expanding use of marijuana for medical treatment and allowing terminally ill patients to have physician assistance in dying.

A proposal in Ohio to limit drug costs didnt make it on the ballot this year, but proponents are pushing for a vote in 2017.

Californias Proposition 61 would bar drug companies from charging state programs more than the discounted price paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

There would be exemptions, however. For example, it would not apply to medications purchased through private insurers who contract with the state to cover beneficiaries in the Medi-Cal program for low-income people.

Opponents of Californias Proposition 61 prescription drug initiative have reported $69.6 million in contributions, mainly from pharmaceutical companies. Thats more than seven times the $9.4 million that supporters have raised. Those amounts guarantee national visibility for the battle over the measure.

In Colorado, a measure known as Amendment 69 would create ColoradoCare, a government-financed system that would cover most state residents, largely replacing private insurance. Seniors would continue to rely primarily on Medicare.

Opponents have raised $3.6 million, more than five times the $678,000 reported by supporters. The nations second-largest insurer, Anthem, donated $1 million to the opposition.

As envisioned, Colorados new public health care system would be paid for with tax increases and with federal and state money that now goes to programs such as Medicaid, and for subsidized insurance under President Barack Obamas health care law. Federal approval would be needed under a provision of the Obama law that takes effect next year, allowing states to redesign their health care systems.

The tax increase features a new 10 percent levy on wages and other income. Employers would pay two-thirds of the new payroll tax, with workers responsible for the rest. The taxes would raise $25 billion in 2019, the earliest the program could start.

With the presidential campaign consumed by questions about the candidates character and temperament, the traditional debate over issues has been downplayed this year. Republican Donald Trump has pledged to repeal Obamas health care law, while Democrat Hillary Clinton would build on it. The California and Colorado initiatives steer the conversation away from the highly scripted back-and-forth on Obamacare.

The two proposals are strikingly different, said John McDonough, a former U.S. Senate Democratic aide who worked on the federal health overhaul. The Colorado plan seeks a total transformation of the health care system, while the California initiative reflects concerns about the rising cost of many medications.

Which ballot question has a better chance? Of the two, I probably think the prescription drug piece, because people have so much anger and antipathy toward the pharmaceutical industry, said McDonough, now a professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Supporters of the California drug costs proposal say it would save state taxpayers money; opponents say such savings are not a sure thing and the whole scheme could prove to be unworkable. Supporters of ColoradoCare say it would guarantee coverage for all and reduce administrative costs; opponents fear it would lead to more tax increases.

Both proposals face strong business opposition, but that does not worry the Sanders camp.

Hes been involved in longshot campaigns for most of his career, said spokesman Briggs.

(AP)
Judicial Watch today released 296 pages of State Department records, of which 44 email exchanges were not previously turned over to the State Department, bringing the known total to date to 171 of new Clinton emails (not part of the 55,000 pages of emails that Clinton turned over to the State Department). These records further appear to contradict statements by Clinton that, as far as she knew, all of her government emails were turned over to the State Department

The new documents reveal that in April 2009 controversial Clinton Foundation official Doug Band pushed for a job for an associate. In the email Band tells Hillary Clintons former aides at the State Department Cheryl Mills and Huma Abedin that it is important to take care of [Redacted]. Band is reassured by Abedin that Personnel has been sending him options. Band was co-founder of Teneo Strategy with Bill Clinton and a top official of the Clinton Foundation, including its Clinton Global Initiative.

Included in the new document production is a 2009 email in which Band, directs Abedin and Mills to put Lebanese-Nigerian billionaire and Clinton Foundation donor Gilbert Chagoury in touch with the State Departments substance person on Lebanon. Band notes that Chagoury is key guy there [Lebanon] and to us, and insists that Abedin call Amb. Jeffrey Feltman to connect him to Chagoury.

Chagoury is a close friend of former President Bill Clinton and a top donor to the Clinton Foundation. He has appeared near the top of the Foundations donor list as a $1 million to $5 million contributor, according to foundation documents. He also pledged $1 billion to the Clinton Global Initiative. According to a 2010 investigation by PBS Frontline, Chagoury was convicted in 2000 in Switzerland for laundering money from Nigeria, but agreed to a plea deal and repaid $66 million to the Nigerian government.

Clintons top aides favors for and interactions with the Clinton Foundation seem in violation of the ethics agreements that Hillary Clinton agreed to in order to be appointed and confirmed as Secretary of State. For example, Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton on January 5, 2009, in a letter to State Department Designated Agency Ethics Official James H. Thessin:

For the duration of my appointment as Secretary if I am confirmed, I will not participate personally and substantially in any particular matter involving specific parties in which The William J. Clinton Foundation (or the Clinton Global Initiative) is a party or represents a party.

As preparation for Hillarys upcoming visit to Asia, Stephen Roach, chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, on Feb. 11, 2009, sends Hillary a copy of his upcoming testimony before Congress in which he would condemn any U.S. efforts to criticize Chinese monetary policy or enact trade barriers. Several days later, Hillary asked Abedin about Roach possibly connecting with her while she was in Beijing: I forwarded you my email to him about connecting in Beijing. Can he come to the embassy or other event? Morgan Stanley is a long-time financial supporter of the Clintons.

The emails also reveal that Abedin left then-Secretary Clintons daily schedule, a presumably sensitive document, on a bed in an unlocked hotel room. An email on April 18, 2009, during a conference in Trinidad and Tobago, from aide Melissa J. Lan to Huma Abedin asks for the Secretarys day book binders. Abedin replies: Yes. Its on the bed in my room. U can take it. My door is open. Im in the lobby.Thx. Moreover, the emails show the annoyance of another Clinton aide that the schedule was sent to an authorized State Department email address and not to an unsecured non-state.gov account.

The emails reveal that Clinton campaign adviser and pollster Mark Penn advised Clinton on NATO and piracy. Another major Clinton fundraiser, Lana Moresky, also pushed Clinton to hire someone for a position at State. Clinton directed Abedin to follow up and help the applicant and told Abedin to let me know about the job issue.

The emails show that Hillary Clinton relied on someone named Justin (presumably Justin Cooper, a Bill Clinton and Clinton Foundation employee), to set up her cell phone voicemail, rather than having State Department personnel handle it. This was in a February 11, 2009, email from Clinton aide Lauren Jiloty to Clinton, using Clintons [email protected] address.

This is the ninth set of records produced for Judicial Watch by the State Department from the non-state.gov email accounts of Huma Abedin.

The documents were produced under a court order in a May 5, 2015, Freedom of Information (FOIA) lawsuit against the State Department (Judicial Watch, Inc. v. U.S. Department of State (No. 1:15-cv-00684)) requiring the agency to produce all emails of official State Department business received or sent by former Deputy Chief of Staff Huma Abedin from January 1, 2009 through February 1, 2013, using a non-state.gov email address.

No wonder Hillary Clinton and Huma Abedin hid emails from the American people, the courts and Congress, said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. They show the Clinton Foundation, Clinton donors, and operatives worked with Hillary Clinton in potential violation of the law.

In June, Judicial Watch uncovered two batches (here and here) of new Clinton email records through court-ordered discovery.

Twice in May, Judicial Watch uncovered new Clinton emails, including emails that show Clinton knew about the security risk of her BlackBerry (see here and here).

Recently, Judicial Watch released other State Department emails (one batch of 103 pages, the second of 138 pages), with newly discovered Clinton emails also going back as far as January 2009.

In March, Judicial Watch released Clinton State Department emails dating from February 2009 that also call into question her statements about her emails. Those emails contained more evidence of the battle between security officials in the State Department, National Security Administration, Clinton and her staff over attempts to obtain secure BlackBerrys.

Hillary Clinton has repeatedly stated that she believes that the 55,000 pages of documents she turned over to the State Department in December 2014 included all of her work-related emails. In response to a court order in other Judicial Watch litigation, she declared under penalty of perjury that she had directed that all my emails on clintonemail.com in my custody that were or are potentially federal records be provided to the Department of State, and on information and belief, this has been done. This new email find is also at odds with her official campaign statement suggesting all work or potentially work-related emails were provided to the State Department.
It appears all but unavoidable, that doctors in Israels government-run hospitals will walk off the job as threatened on Thursday morning 7 Menachem Av. The hospitals targeted in the strike will operate on a limited Shabbos schedule. The Israel Medical Association (IMA) feels this appears to be the only way to send a clear message to the Health Minister and Ministry officials that if funds are not infused into the nations ailing health system, it will collapse.

The secretary of the IMA, attorney Leah Wafner explains This is not about additional money for doctors but a fight to save the nations public health system and the quality of healthcare. She adds that the strike will impact regular hospitals as well as psychiatric and geriatric hospitals. Wafner explains there is a dire need to hire additional doctors and personnel to shorten lines and improve patient care.

Wafner adds the Arrangements Law not only doesnt include an increase for the nations healthcare system but there is budgetary cut.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Chareidi women, kindergarten teachers and assistants from around Israel, protested outside the Har Nof apartment of Interior Minister Aryeh Deri on Tuesday night the eve of 6 Menachem Av.

The quiet of Kablan Street was thrust aside by protestors who arrived at about 23:30, making sure their voices were heard, literally.

They held signs calling on the minister and director-general of the ministry not to make a mockery of them.

Police were on hand to make order and a number of askanim arrived in an effort to understand what the protest was about and then tried to reach an understanding with protestors.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
During an interview with Galei Tzahal (Army Radio), Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan explained five new police stations are opening in the capital, in eastern areas of the capital.

Speak to Galei Tzahal on Wednesday, 6 Menachem Av, the minister explained there is not enough police patrolling and enforcement in the eastern areas of the city and this is about to change, referring to areas that are predominately Arab. Erdan added National sovereignty begins by exercising our sovereignty over Jerusalem.

The minister plans to open stations in Ras al-Amud, Jabil Mukhaber, Silwan, Issawiya, and Tzur Bachar. These areas, which are in the capital, do not have any police stations. Erdan adds that an additional 1,200 policemen will be required to man these stations, all part of a four-year plan.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
The Director General of Telangana police has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the links related to the crimes and properties of most wanted gangster Nayeemuddin.

By Ashish Pandey: An SIT was constituted today to probe the killing of notorious Maoist renegade-turned-gangster Mohammed Nayeemuddin and investigate "various criminal activities" conducted by him and his associates in Telangana.

The Director General of Telangana police has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the links related to the crimes and properties of most wanted gangster Nayeemuddin.

READ: Shadnagar encounter: Telangana counter intelligence sleuths gun down dreaded gangster

advertisement

In a major success, police on Monday gunned down Mohammed Nayeemuddin, wanted in a string of cases including the murder of an IPS officer in 1993, in a chance exchange of fire outside Shadnagar town in Mahabubnagar district of state.

Nayeemuddin (45), also known as Nayeem alias 'Balanna', was wanted for the last several years in cases of murder, killings for gain, extortion and kidnapping and had been evading arrest.

Nagi Reddy, Inspector General Police, North Zone, would be in-charge of the SIT, comprising officers from various districts, constituted by the Director General of Police Anurag Sharma.

READ: Dreaded Maoist renegade shot dead outside Telangana

The SIT consists of B Srinivasa Reddy, Addl. DCP, Crimes, Cyberabad; Sridhar, Inspector of Police, Begumbazar, Hyderabad city; S Sudhakar, Inspector of Police, Tr PS, Uppal; Shakir Hussain, Inspector of Police, Wanaparthy Circle; Rajashekar Raju, Inspector of Police, Korutla Circle, Karimnagar; Samala Venkatesh, Inspector of Police, CCS, Sangareddy; P Madhusudhan Reddy, Inspector of Police, Kodad Circle; and and Seetharam, Inspector of Police, Armoor Circle.

The Special Investigation Team would begin functioning immediately and investigate from where the seized material has originated, especially land documents, arms and ammunition and explosives, a release from the office of Telangana DGP said.

SEIZED ITEMS

During the searches, Cyberabad West police on Monday seized Rs 2.8 crore cash, 1.93 kilos of gold jewellery, including gem-studded watches, a .022 mm pistol, three 9 mm pistols, 10 gelatin sticks, 138 live rounds, 200 mobile phones, 350 SIM cards and land documents pertaining to properties and an Audi car from a house of Alkapuri, which is believed to be a hideout of slain gangster Nayeem.

Police also arrested 11 persons including 9 minors (among them two sons and a daughter of Nayeem) from the house on Monday late night.

The Cyberabad East police also recovered 38.5 lakh cash, 3 pistol, 22 live rounds, and land documents during a raid in Vanasthalipuram area at the city outskirts. The Nalgonda police also recovered cash and documents rated to various properties from the hideouts of Nayeemuddin.

--- ENDS ---
Captain Shadi Bashir, 24, is suspected of stealing no less than 77 fragmentation grenades and 13 anti-tank missiles from the IDF, working along with his driver. The case does not appear related to terrorism.

According to the allegations against Bashir, the stolen military merchandise was sold to the drivers father, Mohammad Zoabi, known in criminal circles.

Bashir is a company commander in the IDFs Bedouin Reconnaissance Battalion. He is a resident of Zarzir and arrested a number of weeks ago following an undercover probe. Bashir reportedly told military authorities he was acting under duress as his life and that of his family were threatened if he did not cooperate.

The driver, Adi Zoabi, denies the charges against him and is not cooperating with investigators. The three are scheduled to be indicted in a military court on Thursday, 7 Menachem Av.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Multi-billionaires are not normally the most apologetic of people. But Masayoshi Son, the Japanese tycoon who is taking over Cambridge-based software company ARM Holdings in a 24.3billion deal, seems only too keen to practise the very British art of saying sorry when one hasn't done anything wrong.

'I am terribly sorry I am not a UK subject. Even so, my love for ARM as a British company is unreserved,' he says when I challenge him about being the latest in a string of foreign buyers swallowing up our great businesses.

Son denies he is an asset-stripper, and is pledging to invest and create jobs.

There is scepticism over whether he can be held to his promises  and there are worries over the enormous level of debt he is shouldering.

Prodigal Son: Billionaire inventor Masayoshi Son and Pepper, a robot that reads emotions

The timing of his offer has also led to accusations of opportunism.

Critics claimed he was exploiting the turmoil in the markets post-Brexit, when sterling fell sharply, in order to grab a great British company on the cheap.

'I'm not knowledgeable about politics, I focus on technology,' he says.

'After Brexit, it's true, the currency became 12 per cent cheaper. But the ARM share price went up 15 per cent, so how could we be taking advantage? We are looking at a long-term investment.'

The Brexit camp was quick to pounce on the takeover as evidence the UK remains attractive to overseas investors.

Son claims he didn't think about it much either way. Perhaps he is too canny to risk annoying a large chunk of the British population by expressing a view.

'I think Brexit is a very complicated situation. I am one of the few people who says: 'I don't know, I don't care.'

'What I believe in is hundreds of years of the British people's intelligence and their hard work. Whatever the complications, sooner or later the British people will overcome them.'

MASAYOSHI SON, 58 Family: Lives in Tokyo, Japan, with his wife and two children. Education: University of California, Berkeley. Day in the life: 'I wake up early and I don't eat breakfast. Every meal is a business meal, I have a business lunch and dinner. I work until 2am then I get five or so hours' sleep.' His estimated wealth is now around 10billion. Hobbies: 'Being an entrepreneur is my job and my hobby. I'm always enthusiastic about the business, it's not work. It's my excitement, it's my life. No gym. My exercise is brain exercise.' Predictions: ARM will be as big as Apple or Facebook. Robots will allow humans to live lives of unimaginable luxury and machines will be more intelligent than people within 40 years.

The tycoon was born in 1957 into a poor family in a small town on Kyushu Island, the southernmost of the four islands of Japan. His father raised pigs and illegally made sake, the fiery Japanese wine, to supplement the household income.

Son's fascination with technology took hold in adolescence. In the mid-seventies, he even slept with a magnified photograph of a computer chip developed by Intel under his pillow, because he loved the design so much.

Despite his intelligence, he felt Japanese people looked down on him because he has a Korean heritage and name  a factor, perhaps, in fuelling the outsider mentality that led him to become an entrepreneur rather than just another salaryman.

At 16, he moved to the US where he stayed with relatives and went to the University of California, Berkeley.

Like many an aspiring young inventor, he wrote down his ideas in a notebook. Unlike most teenage brainboxes, he sold the patent for one of them, an electronic translator, for nearly $1million to Sharp.

That precocious coup sent him on the route to becoming one of the world's richest men, with a fortune now estimated at around 10billion.

At the tender age of 19, he had mapped a 50-year business plan. By 2010, aged 52, he had drawn up a plan for the next 300 years.

That blueprint includes investing in 5,000 companies by 2040, by which time he will be in his eighties. If it all goes according to the script, there will be plenty more deals after ARM.

The core of his empire is SoftBank, which despite the name is not a bank but a global technology giant.

He set up the business in 1981, after heading back from the US to Japan with his wife Masami Ohno.

It was driven by necessity as much as ambition. The newly-weds, who met at university, had no money coming in and Masami was pregnant with the first of their two daughters.

If she was worried, she needn't have been. By 1994 her husband was a billionaire.

US home: Son is understood to have paid 90m for this nine-acre Silicon Valley mansion

However he went on to lose a fortune in the dotcom crash of the early noughties. Since then Son has rebuilt his fortune. His investments include a 38billion stake in Chinese shopping website Alibaba  which he bought in 2000 for a bargain 12million  and he owns the Japanese arm of mobile phone group Vodafone.

Not everything has worked out as planned. He bought a 77 per cent holding three years ago in US internet telecoms firm Sprint, but losses continue to rack up and it is groaning under 25 per cent of borrowings.

Eyebrows have been raised in the Square Mile over the total debt across the Son empire  around 85billion  though he is untroubled.

In any case, he reckons money isn't everything. SoftBank is valued at 54billion on the Japanese stock market but its website quixotically claims it is there not just to make profits but to contribute to 'people's happiness and joy'.

Son himself is capable of generous gestures. In 2011 he gave his 90million pay package  and donated his basic salary of just over 980,000 a year until retirement  to earthquake and tsunami victims.

He can, of course, afford it. Not long after, he was reported to have paid 90million for a nine-acre Silicon Valley mansion.

Talks: Son leaves Downing Street with ARM chairman Stuart Chambers last month

The white, neoclassical pile in wealthy Woodside, with a domed entrance hall and pool, set in a hilltop estate, was in 2013 said to be the most expensive US house sale on record.

SoftBank's latest eye-catching venture is the development of a robot called the Pepper, which can apparently read human emotions.

Some 10,000 of the robots, which cost Japanese buyers about 1,300 not counting maintenance, insurance and running costs, have been sold.

The humanoids, which are capable of holding conversations and of moving independently, have proved extremely popular.

More than a thousand companies are using them for tasks such as selling coffee and working as hotel receptionists.

But there are limits to the tasks they will perform: the user agreement warns owners they must not install their 4ft tall metal companions with salacious or violent apps.

ARM's technology is largely invisible to consumers but its chip designs power most of the world's smartphones. It is perfectly placed to profit from the 'internet of things'  intelligent devices such as street lamps that switch on when a car approaches or fridges that will automatically order milk when you're about to run out.

Son says he had been watching ARM for a decade, but once he had made up his mind to launch a bid he did so at warp speed.

He called ARM chairman Stuart Chambers, who was in the middle of a sailing holiday off the coast of Turkey, then flew to Istanbul airport by private jet, flanked by armed security guards.

The pair met and hammered out the outline of a deal at the Pineapple restaurant on the waterfront at the seaside resort of Marmaris.

Less than a fortnight later, Son, who spent several days installed in a suite in the Berkeley Hotel in London's Knightsbridge, had launched his bid for the British firm. He says that unlike other foreign buyers  such as Kraft, which took over Cadbury  he wants to invest in the company and create hundreds of new jobs in Britain.

ARM currently employs 4,000 people worldwide, of which 1,700 are in the UK, most of them in Cambridge. Son has committed to double the number in the UK.

Up to 100 people working for SoftBank may be shipped over here as part of that agreement and it is not clear whether any existing ARM staff will lose their jobs.

He has also pledged to keep ARM's headquarters in the UK and to increase the funding, though he won't say by how much.

He says: 'We will sign a legally binding contract and provide that to the Takeover Panel and the UK courts so they will have an enforceable power to make it happen.' Accountant Grant Thornton will act as an independent monitor.

'Anyone who knows me knows my promise is as good as a contract,' he says. 'I am doing this because not everyone in Britain knows me.

'I want to create an ecosystem of start-ups around Cambridge. It can be like Silicon Valley, and that will be a good thing for Britain  I want to make Britain proud. I really believe ARM can be bigger than Google or Facebook, if we invest and take the opportunities.'

Britain has so far not managed to produce a world-beating technology company.
If you own a car and live in an area with a high proportion of ethnic minority households the chances are you're being charged higher insurance premium prices regardless of any other factor, according to new research.

The impact can push premiums as much as 450 higher than the national average, regardless of the driver's own ethnicity, the report suggested.

The shocking revelation has come from Thompson Solicitors, a legal firm with expertise in the motoring field that's been campaigning for insurers to be more transparent about how much they're charging customers.

The car insurance 'ethnic penalty': New research commissioned by law firm finds a 'strong statistical relationship' between ethnic minority prevalence and higher insurance premium by postcode across the UK

Trevor Phillips, one of the authors of the report and the founding chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said there was 'no hesitation' linking regions with higher proportions of ethnic minority households with higher premium prices based on the figures provided to the analysis team.

'It is clear from our research that the ethnic penalty exists in all regions and in areas of affluence as well as poorer areas,' he commented.

The Association of British Insurers moved to rubbish the report on Wednesday with a series of tweets condemning the research as 'flawed' and based on 'statistical coincidence'.

Thompson Solicitors said the study was carried out by analysing data sourced from the AA website for all 125 postcodes areas in the UK.

This research concluded that people who live in multi-ethnic districts pay what the law firm dubbed an ethnic penalty in higher-than-average motor premiums of up to 458.

Data analysts Webber Phillips said there is a strong statistical relationship  accounting for 60 per cent of the variation - between ethnic minority prevalence and higher insurance premiums in a postcode.

The study found that the additional cost affects an estimated 12 million people  more than one in five UK residents - regardless of the drivers own ethnic origin and concluded that the variations cannot be accounted for by prevalence of crime, or fear of crime, available claims data or relative affluence.

In the report, Webber Phillips stated: 'What we can say with confidence is that the process of premium setting has definitely produced an inequality of outcome to the detriment of black and ethnic minority groups.'

Tom Jones, head of policy at Thompsons Solicitors, which commissioned the research, said: 'We decided to look into this issue because of the huge variations in premiums across the country and concerns raised with us that there might be a link with ethnicity.

'This report confirms our fears that the process by which car insurers calculate premiums produces a wholly skewed result.

'It is outrageous that insurers  whether deliberately or through a lack of concern - should allow an outcome that is to the detriment not only of people from ethnic minority backgrounds but anyone else who lives in those areas.'

Last week, the ABI confirmed that the average car insurance premium paid in the second quarter of 2016 was 434, up 5 (one per cent) on the previous quarter and 39 (10 per cent higher) more than the same quarter last year.

'Motor insurance profits are huge and now we now have evidence that they are making those bloated profits through bias and stereotyping,' Jones added.

'There are plenty of other reasons for it but this makes the point once and for all that we need greater transparency and accountability in what is a captive market for a product that is compulsory for everyone who wants to drive a vehicle in the UK.'

Trevor Phillips added: 'It is clear from our research that the ethnic penalty exists in all regions and in areas of affluence as well as poorer areas.

'Publicly available government data demonstrates that high levels of vehicle crime are unlikely to be linked to ethnicity; and our analysis shows that the ethnic penalty persists even in areas populated by prosperous minorities.

'In certain subsets, the correspondence between high premium levels and postcode areas with a high ethnic minority prevalence rises to 90 per cent - meaning that higher premiums in these areas is almost entirely accounted for by ethnicity.

'We examined the effect of other factors, such as fear of crime and available claims data, but we did not find that these factors carried any significant weight in our model  that is why we had no hesitation in concluding that an ethnic penalty exists.

'Insurance companies urgently need to examine their procedures either to demonstrate this is not the case, which we think is unlikely, or to ensure new processes are put in place that eliminate discrimination.'

People who live in multi-ethnic districts pay a penalty of higher-than-average motor premiums of up to 458, according to Thompson Solicitors

The ABI strongly disputes the findings. An initial post on Twitter read: 'report by people with no understanding of insurance paid for by firm with vested interest in compensation culture.'

The ABI's official account then followed by stating: 'Car insurers have never, and will never, set prices based on ethnicity as it is both ethically wrong and prohibited by the Equality Act.

'Thompsons report makes serious accusations using a flawed analysis and based purely on a statistical coincidence.'

Phillips responded to the ABI's statements shortly after, saying: 'They appear not to have read the report or to understand what we are saying.

'A parallel would be the under-representation of black students in University, which has been acknowledged as a problem by both this PM and her predecessor. Nobody is saying it occurs because lecturers are bigots, but an inequality of outcome does exist and universities are trying to find out why.

In this case, the insurers appear to be refusing to entertain the possibility that there is a problem  in effect, an ethnic penalty - and dont want to look into it because they may not like what they find.

'The solution to this is simple: they should be transparent and publish their data.'

report by people with no understanding of insurance paid for by firm with vested interest in compensation culture https://t.co/cXDdgU5YOD  ABI (@BritishInsurers) August 10, 2016

Car insurers have never, and will never, set prices based on ethnicity as it is both ethically wrong and prohibited by the Equality Act  ABI (@BritishInsurers) August 10, 2016

Thompsons report makes serious accusations using a flawed analysis and based purely on a statistical coincidence  ABI (@BritishInsurers) August 10, 2016

Thompsons' report full of holes and admits it "cannot attribute causation". best read alongside this: https://t.co/NKhSQ43FgV  ABI (@BritishInsurers) August 10, 2016

Thompsons Solicitors seconded Phillips' calls for more transparency with a response of its own, adding: 'Thompsons commissioned this report as we feared  following an initial review of the available data  that direct or indirect discrimination may be taking place.

'The ABIs response is to be expected but they do not publish data on the factors they cite as influencing claims experience.

'Our simple reply to the insurance industry is: disprove our research. Publish your data and be transparent in how you calculate claims.'

Keith Vaz, MP for Leicester East, has already committed to quizzing the ABI on the matter.

'I am deeply concerned with this report and Trevor Phillips findings which will worry Britain's five million ethnic minority community,' he said.

'I will be seeking an early meeting with the ABI to ask them about what they will be doing to address these concerns.'

The AA has also responded the study, distancing itself from the research by claiming the postcode data was taken from its website without permission.

A spokesperson said: 'To conclude that car insurance premiums are directly influenced by regional ethnicity is disingenuous. Premiums are based on claims experience.

'A range of factors influence that experience and thus premiums, including: local accident rates; damage to cars; likelihood of cars being kept in public areas (ie on street); occupation, theft rates.
Ed Van Cutsem and Lady Tamara Grosvenor pictured at their 2004 wedding

Billionaire landowner the Duke of Westminster, who has died aged 64, leaves behind an estate worth 9billion to his four children.

His Grace's eldest daughter, auburn-haired Tamara, 36, is married to Blackrock managing director Ed Van Cutsem, 43, who is a close friend of Prince William and a barrel-chested gym enthusiast. They're known among Norfolk's turnip toffs as Dosh and Pecs.

Venture capitalist Guy Hands, the 250million boss of Terra Firma, has received planning permission to make alterations to his home in tax-friendly Guernsey.

Among his proposals is a plan to create an estate office and build an 'equestrian stable block'.

Presumably horse-riding is a pastime of his blonde hotelier wife, Julia. The sight of podgy Hands, 56, straddling some poor nag's back would likely prompt a door-knock from the RSPCA.

On top of his 8.7million-a-year post at Lloyds, wolfish banker Antonio Horta-Osorio also serves as chairman of the Wallace Collection, one of London's finest displays of art. How did he land that coveted post?

He was appointed last year by David Cameron, with whom he was on cordial terms.

Having already fixed her steely glare on executive pay, I suspect puritanical vicar's daughter Theresa May may feel less well-disposed toward old roue Antonio, 52, than her clubbable predecessor.

There is a refreshing dash of flamboyance about Ken Olisa, the new deputy chairman of the Institute of Directors.

Merchant banker Ken, 66, once dubbed the most powerful black man in Britain, has a passion for gingham shirts and silk bow ties.

Meanwhile, the Institute's chignon-haired chairman, Lady Judge, 69, cuts a dash in high-neck ruffled tunics and towering heels. Isn't the fusty IoD blessed to have these dazzling peacocks at the helm?

Millionaire Habitat founder Sir Terence Conran describes Concorde as 'the single most important piece of design in my lifetime'.

The cigar-chomping design guru, 84, was particularly thrilled when asked to redesign Concorde's interiors for its 2001 relaunch.
Every year before jetting off on their sunshine break to Cyprus, Peter and Julie Haynes made sure they had travel insurance.

It was particularly important because Peter has suffered from serious heart conditions.

For the past few years they've used a specialist firm, AllClear, because it covers all ages and health problems.

Ahead of their most recent trip last October, the couple spent 50 minutes carefully filling in its online forms.

Recovery: Peter and Julie Haynes were left 36,000 out of pocket after their insurer AllClear refused to stump up after Peter suffered an heart attack while on holiday in Cyprus

Peter, 74, listed how he had suffered from angina, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and had had minor heart surgery.

The couple, of Peterborough, Cambs, thought the 180 policy meant they did not have to worry if the worst happened on their ten-day trip.

So it was devastating when Peter did have a heart attack in Cyprus and AllClear refused to pay the 36,000 bill for the treatment that saved his life.

Despite the Haynes' painstaking precautions, AllClear said it had checked Peter's medical records and found he'd failed to tell the insurer about two aspects of his medical history that had slipped his mind.

The couple's story is a stark warning to the millions of over-65s heading abroad this summer.

Many believe they have made every effort to get the right travel insurance in place. But a combination of vague policy wording, computerised forms  and forgetting an old ailment  can leave customers facing huge bills.

Peter and Julie, 72, travel to Paphos every year and stay in the same hotel with friends.

They've become well- known to the staff and the trip in October started off just as swimmingly as always, with games of bowls in the day and relaxing at local restaurants in the evening.

Emergency: Peter needed a triple heart bypass and had to be taken to a hospital 100 miles away from his holiday resort

But late on their second night, Peter, a retired engineer, started to feel unwell. 'I was feeling hot and bothered,' he says. 'I went into the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror and saw a strange shade of yellow. That's the last thing I remember.'

Julie roused the couple's friends, one of whom is a former nurse, and they called an ambulance. At a clinic, a doctor diagnosed Peter as having suffered a heart attack and he was stabilised.

But after a few hours doctors decided he needed a triple heart bypass and rushed him to another hospital 100 miles away in Nicosia.

To Julie's relief, Peter started to make a recovery after the operation. It was only then that their thoughts turned to the bill.

The first complication was that they had been taken to a private hospital. In a public hospital, a large chunk of the fee for emergency treatment would have been covered by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) scheme, but in a private hospital you're liable for the full cost.

Julie was told by medics that everything would be covered by the insurance. But a few days later the staff started pestering Julie for cash.

They said AllClear was dragging its feet and at one point a group of men even offered to take her to a cash machine to withdraw money.

Not declaring pre-existing conditions on a travel insurance policy can mean it's useless

Then, six days after Peter's surgery, Julie received a devastating phone call. AllClear's underwriters had checked Peter's medical records and found he'd missed off two conditions listed in his notes.

Ten years earlier, Peter had suffered cramping in his legs after exercise. He was diagnosed with intermittent claudication (a narrowing of the arteries), which was cured by a course of pills.

He also had a heart problem called left ventricular failure. Peter can't remember being diagnosed with this condition and thinks it may be related to a stent he had fitted in a minor operation  something he did declare. Despite the Haynes' protests, AllClear is refusing to pay a penny towards Peter's treatment.

The insurer says that even though he declared four heart and circulatory conditions and answered 15 supplementary questions, its policy makes clear that customers must declare every condition they've suffered.

A combination of vague policy wording on travel insurance documents, computerised forms and forgetting an old ailment can leave customers facing huge bills

Peter says: 'I really tried hard to fill in the forms honestly. These conditions were bunched in my mind with other heart problems I've suffered over the years.

'If I was in a position to take out travel insurance again, I would ask my GP for a letter that outlines my medical history. I wish I'd spoken to someone at the insurance company, rather than having to do everything online, as perhaps that would have jogged my memory.

'I am, however, incredibly grateful to the staff at the hospitals who saved my life.'

Penny O'Nions, a financial adviser who used to work as a doctor, says it is vital to get hold of your medical notes. For a physical copy, you must apply to your GP in writing or email. There may be a fee.

Dr O'Nions says: 'If you're in your 70s and have suffered a series of health problems, you may easily forget one or two of them and sometimes patients do not take everything in when a doctor explains a condition.'

An AllClear spokesman says: 'While we have every sympathy for Mr and Mrs Haynes, we have been open and transparent in continually warning travellers of the issues of not declaring all of their medical conditions and the costs associated with private medical care in Europe.'

The insurer agreed to pay Julie's hotel bills and the couple's flights home.
Stock Spirits revolt ends as Britain's first Polish boss of a big UK company is appointed

Stock Spirit's Miroslaw Stachowicz will become the first Polish boss of a top UK firm

The revolt at vodka maker Stock Spirits seemed to draw to a close yesterday with its new boss becoming the first Polish chief executive of a big British company.

Miroslaw Stachowicz, 54, known as Mirek, was appointed a non-executive director of the spirits group in November last year.

The yoga-loving, father-of-two stepped up as interim chief executive in April when predecessor Chris Heath was forced out.

This position has now become permanent. As part of the appointment the chief executives's job will move from Buckinghamshire to Warsaw.

It ends a year of dispute led by activist investor Luis Amaral, 54, the biggest shareholder in Stock Spirits, through Western Gate Investments.

He complained the firm was based in the UK and should move to Poland, closer to most of its customers.

Amaral was accused of a conflict of interest because he is also one of Stock's biggest customers through his Eurocash shop chain.

Stachowicz said: 'It is a source of pleasure for me that I am the first Polish chief executive on the London Stock Exchange.

'We're in the middle of a root and branch review of the company and we've started on the majority of changes we want to make. We've got the early signs of a recovery for Stock Spirits.'

Stachowicz, who speaks Polish, English and Russian, has an MA in political science and journalism.

The interim results showed profit increased to 15.4million from 9.3million.
Kapil Sharma and Jacqueline Fernandez got hitched on the sets of The Kapil Sharma Show. It was a part of an act that the two did recently while the actress was there to promote her movie A Flying Jatt.

By India Today Web Desk: Comedy king Kapil Sharma has always tried wooing all his female guests on The Kapil Sharma show, from Deepika Padukone to Aishwariya Rai Bachchan; Kapil has tried his luck with every stunning beauty from the film industry.

Also read:Hrithik Roshan on The Kapil Sharma Show: 5 best moments from the episode

And the wooing begins. Picture courtesy: Twitter/preeti_simoes

advertisement

And looks like now it is ex Miss Srilanka, Jacqueline Fernandez's turn to be charmed. The one-sided love story of Kapil and Jacqueline started when the actress had come on the show to promote her movie Dishoom.

When they went on a date. Picture courtesy: Twitter/preeti_simoes

But now, things have taken an interesting turn. In an upcoming episode of the show, viewers will be surprised to see a very married Kapil and Jacqueline. Yes, you read that right. The two get married on the sets of the show as a part of an act.

The two even went on a long drive. Picture courtesy: Twitter/preeti_simoes

The creative director of the show, Preeti Simoes, even posted some pictures from the set on her Twitter handle.

Kapil too was not far behind as he posted a picture of himself with Jacqueline Fernandez. Even the host's mother was also present to give the 'newly-weds' her blessing.

u make me the happiest man @Asli_Jacqueline promise me u take me shopping,outdoor,gifts n will take care of me 4ever pic.twitter.com/6bgXln562d KAPIL (@KapilSharmaK9) August 9, 2016

Kapil had captioned the picture as "U make me the happiest man @Asli_Jacqueline, promise me u will take me shopping, outdoor, gifts, n will take care of me 4ever."



--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Hoshiarpur (Pb), Aug 10 (PTI) Punjab police today claimed to have arrested three members of outfit Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF).

Those arrested were identified as Jaspreet Singh, alias Jassa, resident of Handowal Kalan, Hardip Singh alias Deepa of Jallowal and Kuldeep Singh alias Deep, of local Sheikhan Mohalla, police said.

Two pistols and four live cartridges were recovered from them, they said.

advertisement

Police said seven alleged members of KLF, including those arrested, were booked under relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967.

According to police, Harjap Singh, currently in the US, and Avtar Singh, who is in Italy, were allegedly instigating Sikh youths of the state to indulge in "anti-social activities".

They were in touch with the three arrested along with Bikramjit and Balwinder who are still at large, they said.

A case under relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967 (amendment 2012) and the Arms Act has been registered against all the accused in Chabbewal police station, police said. PTI CORR CHS DBS ZMN DBS

--- ENDS ---
The model has gone ahead and penned down an emotional post about the incident.

By India Today Web Desk: Just when one thinks that the LGBTQ community is finally garnering the acceptance and love it deserves, comes a news as heart-breaking as this.

After recently being detained at the Dubai airport, Canadian model Gigi Gorgeous took to her Instagram account and posted a note about the same.

Gorgeous who was stuck at the Dubai airport for a total of five hours was reportedly, detained on the pretext of her being a transgender. Referring to the incident as "one of the scariest moments" of her life, the model expressed her anguish on how someone "can be denied entry somewhere just because of who you are."

advertisement

Also Read: Meet the transgender makeup artist who believes beauty is genderless

Terming the act as "seriously disgusting" and "very scary" Gorgeous' words were posted alongside a picture of her embracing a friend, Nats Getty.

"After being detained and held at the Dubai airport for over five hours, this was the moment my baby came to rescue me," she wrote.

According to a quote given to TMZ, Gorgeous recalled an officer telling her, "I was told you are transgender. You cannot come into the country."

Also Read: This city created history by launching India's first spa for transgenders

The 24-year-old model who was named Gregory Allan Lazzarto before her tranisition to Gigi Loren in 2014, assured her Instagram followers that she was now on her way to "somewhere much more accepting. Safe and sound and happy."

See her complete post right here.

(With inputs from IANS)



--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 10 (PTI) The Kerala Congress (M) parting ways with the Congress-led UDF signify the "total disintegration" of the opposition front, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today said.

"We had said this before the Assembly elections itself that the UDFs three pillars-- Congress, IUML and KC-M--will disintegrate after the (Assembly) polls. It has happened now. But none believed us then," he told reporters here.

advertisement

KC-M supremo and former state finance minister, K M Mani, had recently severed three-decade old ties with the UDF, citing "insults andhumiliations" meted out to the party leadership. He had said that his party would keep equal distance from UDF, LDF and BJP-NDA.

He (Mani) had also stated that if they (UDF, LDF, BJP-NDA) do good, he would appreciate them which means they see goodness even in NDA, Vijayan said.

RSS which controls the NDA-BJP had initiated the Gharwapsi (home coming) campaign under which re-conversions to Hinduism had taken place, he said.

"The Christian community had been attacked and was the worst hit," he said, adding Manis stand would pave the way for KC-Ms "total collapse".

On the UDF MLAs convention held today in front of the secretariat against the "anti-people" policies of the Left government, the Kerala Chief Minister said the agitation was to save their face. PTI UD/LGKVS SRY

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: From Yoshita Singh

United Nations, Aug 10 (PTI) Voicing concern over recent developments pertaining to capital punishment in Maldives, the UN Human Rights chief has exhorted the government to refrain from carrying out planned executions and uphold the de facto moratorium that has been in place in the country for over six decades.

"The Maldives has long provided important leadership on global efforts to bring an end to the use of death penalty, so it is deeply regrettable that a series of steps have been taken to resume executions in the country," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein said in a press release.

advertisement

Last November, the High Court decided that the President may no longer exercise the power of commuting death sentences to life imprisonment.

In June this year, capital punishment regulations were further amended to allow for hanging in addition to lethal injections as methods of execution.

Further, in July, the Supreme Court issued an order, cancelling the stay order issued by the High Court and reiterated that its decisions on death sentences are final.

"The death penalty is not effective in deterring crime," Zeid said, adding "a judiciary that is unable to consistently apply fair trial standards and is marred by politicisation, must not be allowed to have the final say in matters of life and death."

"There are currently 17 individuals on death row in Maldives. Some cases raise serious due process concerns, with three of them at imminent risk of execution," he said.

"Maldives has upheld the right to life for more than 60 years," the High Commissioner said, urging the leaders and the people of the Maldives "to continue to uphold the moratorium on the death penalty and work towards prohibiting the practice altogether." PTI YAS AYP

--- ENDS ---
These real PA creatures could become cryptids if we don't save them
US-backed Libyan militias say they have taken over the Islamic State group's headquarters in Sirte, the militants' final bastion in Libya.

In this Monday, Aug. 1, 2016 frame grab from video, Brigadier-General Mohammed al-Ghasri, second left, spokesman for Al Bonyan Almrsos military operation fighting in Sirte, speaks at a news conference in Misrata, Libya.

By AP: US-backed Libyan militias say they have taken over the Islamic State group's headquarters in Sirte, the militants' final bastion in Libya.

The fighters said on Wednesday that they had seized control of the sprawling convention center that was used as IS's headquarters in the coastal city. The militia fighters, who are mainly from the nearby city of Misrata, launched their offensive against IS in June.

advertisement

A statement on the forces' Facebook page declares that "Sirte is returning to Libya."

US warplanes have launched a series of airstrikes targeting IS positions in the city. The air support came in response to a request for assistance from Libya's U.N.-brokered government after battles in Sirte stalled.

The militants seized control of the city, the hometown of Libya's former dictator Muammar Gadhafi, in 2015.

--- ENDS ---
Larvick to address Republican women

Jon Larvick, president of the Shepherd Military Affairs Committee, will address Wichita County Republican Women during the group's Aug. 15 meeting at Luby's Cafeteria, 1801 Ninth St. Lunch is at 11:30 a.m., the meeting begins at noon.

Larvick will discuss the role of the SMAC, the upcoming 75th anniversary of Sheppard Air Force Base and encroachment issues.

The cost of the lunch is $12, and reservations must be made by Aug. 14 by contacting Annette Barfield at 940-642-8420 or annettebarfield@aol.com.

Seminar to present rental information

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas will offer a free landlord/tenant information seminar from 2-3:30 p.m. Aug. 15 in room 204 of the Wichita Falls Public Library, 600 11th St.

The seminar will include information on written leases, deposits, evictions and other rental issues, including 'rent-to-own' agreements. Speakers will include Justices of the Peace Michael R. Little, Marc H. Newman and Janice Ralston Sons.

Desk and Derrick to meet Aug. 18

The Desk and Derrick Club will hold its monthly meeting at noon Aug. 18 at Luby's Cafeteria, 1801 Ninth St.

Greg Norman, of Norman Browning Exploration & NBX Energy in Wichita Falls, will be the speaker. His topic will be 'The Soldier Mound Tannehill & Stockwether Fields, Dickens County  Classic Examples of Two Major Eastern Shelf Play Types.'

Reservations should be made by Aug. 16 by contacting Geneva Wood at Gawood3@aol.com or 940-767-5197. Cost for the lunch is $12.

Vendors invited to Bowie festival

Vendor spaces are available for the 21st annual Chicken and Bread Days Heritage Festival Oct. 1 in Bowie. The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. downtown.

The deadline for vendor reservations is Sept. 26. All vendor spaces are outdoor, 10-by-10-foot spots. Art and craft spaces only $20, and food vendor spaces $25. There is an additional $10 fee for electricity. Vendors supply their own tables, chairs, canopies and extension cords. Setup begins at 7:30 a.m. the morning of the festival, with takedown starting at 4 p.m.

Visit www.MainStreetBowie.com for vendor applications or contact the office at 940-872-6246.

SBDC will offer Quickbooks training

America's Small Business Development Center at Midwestern State University will offer training on Quickbooks Online from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Aug. 25 at the MSU Dillard Building Room 159.

Business consultant Lynda Cannedy will teach the course, which is aimed at those thinking about switching from Quickbooks Desktop to Quickbooks Online. Cannedy will cover getting started, navigating the program, recording transactions and reporting.

Cost for the training session is $95, which includes a light breakfast. To register, call 397-4373.

Bootcamp set to energize fundraisers

The Nonprofit Center of Texoma will present a 'Fundraising Bootcamp' from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Nonprofit Center, 2301 Kell Blvd., Suite 218 (second floor of Wells Fargo Bank in Parker Square).

Carole Rylander, a certified fundraising executive since 1990, will lead the training, which is intended to reignite the passion for fundraising while helping participants develop daily, weekly and monthly goals specific to their nonprofit.

Cost is $60 per person and includes lunch. To register, go to nonprofitcenterwf.org or call 322-4961.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Cliff Lipson Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Show More Show Less 3 of 3





"Supergirl: The Complete First Season": The series struggled its first year, because it didn't fit the traditional mold of a CBS series. The network  whose viewers on average are older than the planet Krypton  tends to launch the kind of procedural dramas that the core audience loves. Along comes "Supergirl." Not only is the comic book genre aimed at young viewers, but Supergirl is the youngest of all the heroes fighting crime these days on all TV services. Because the series tried to appease both audiences the first year, it struggled. But, the show gets new life as it moves to the CW Network, home of several comic book-inspired shows.

"Addicted to Fresno": If this were a narcotic, it would be a baby aspirin. The film about sisters who clean rooms at a Fresno hotel isn't dark enough to have the kind of creepy punch that would make it comically addictive. It's more of a comic placebo. The generally annoying Judy Greer and the under-appreciated Natasha Lyonne play sisters Shannon and Martha. Shannon is a sex addict who has moved back to Fresno to live with her sister while going through rehab. Martha is the level-headed one who has spent her whole life taking care of members of the family. Other than a couple of good performances, the only thing "Addicted to Fresno" has going for it is the novelty of the setting. Don't watch it looking to see a lot of Fresno landmarks, because the movie was filmed in Los Angeles. Only a few scenes of Fresno were cut into the film.
Friday-Sunday

The Steamer No. 10 Theatre is bringing back Shakespeare in Lincoln Park. And the performances are free The theater has cast professional actors and some of its most promising CAST (Creative Arts at Steamer Ten) students for "Taming of the Shrew." Jacqueline Donnaruma directs the play, which opens Friday evening on the east lawn of the Sunshine School on Delaware Avenue. The play runs through Aug. 21. 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday. Free. Sunshine School east lawn, 116 Delaware Ave., Albany. Rain date at Steamer 10, 500 Western Ave., Albany; 438-5503; http://www.steamer10theatre.org/category/shakespeare

Thursday

They're called "pre-code" films, movies made during the years between the advent of movies with sound and the enforcement of the Motion Pictures Production Code in 1934. Pre-code films were sexier and saucier than their post-code counterparts, and often featured liberated, strong women characters. This week, the Pine Hills Film Colony will screen "Millie," a 1931 film starring ingenue Helen Twelvetrees that's considered one of the best pre-code films. The film is part of Pine Hills' "Murder, Morals and Music" series; movies are screened the second Thursday of each month through December.

7 p.m. Thursday. $10. Madison Theater, 1036 Madison Ave., Albany. 438-2094; http://bit.ly/2aQUeOC

Friday

Faculty and young musicians in the annual Catskill High Peaks Festival will take part in the "Music from High Peaks" showcase. The concert will feature a number of chamber music combos, including cello chorus, solo and duo piano, quartets, sextets and the High Peaks Chamber Orchestra. Performers will play works by Bach, Grieg, Dvorak, Chopin and Gershwin. The show is part of the festival's Summer Performance Schedule, which wraps up with "Bach and His Heirs," a free Aug. 14 performance at the Carey Institute for Global Good in Rensselaerville 7 p.m. Friday. $15-$25. Bridge Street Theatre, 44 W. Bridge St., Catskill. 800-843-0778; http://www.catskillhighpeaksmusic.org

Saturday

It's all about that banjo at Caffe Lena. Saratoga's venerable folk haunt is hosting the fifth annual Banjo Revelry this week, featuring Bob Altschuler, Hilary Kostanoski-Hawke, Lorraine Lee Hammond and Glenn Nelson. Altschuler, the show's host, performs and records with Thirteen Feet of Bluegrass and Three Quarter North. Kostanoski-Hawke, who's from Brooklyn, is in the M Shanghai String Band, Dubl Handi, the Me Oh My Ohs, and Hilary Hawke & the Flipsides. Hammond will perform with her husband, guitarist Bennett Hammond. The Boston Globe called them "gentle masters of folk melody." Nelson, from Massachusetts, is in two bands, Wide Open Spaces and Acoustic Planet. 7 p.m. Saturday. $10-$35. Caffe Lena at The Grove at Neumann, 233 Lake Ave., Saratoga Springs. 583-0022; http://www.caffelena.org

Friday-Saturday

Pascal Rioult was a track and field star in his native France; he was working as a P.E. teacher when he discovered modern dance and, just a few years later, he was in New York City, performing in Martha Graham's company. After her death, Rioult founded his own troupe, which explores neoclassical movement and mythological themes through his inventive lens. At PS21 this weekend, the company performs "On Distant Shores," in which Rioult reimagines the backstory of Helen of Troy, and "Views of the Fleeting World," set to J. S. Bach's "The Art of Fugue," which replicates the simplicity and serenity of Japanese woodblock prints. The program also includes "Bolero," Rioult's interpretation of Maurice Ravel's much-loved (and much-used) work. He makes it brand new with a series of choreographic phrases that build and repeat, as the dancers embody the music note for note. PS21, 2980 Route 66, Chatham. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $35; PS21 members, $30; students, $18. 392-6121 or http://www.ps21chatham.org
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Albany

As city workers repair the damage from last week's sinkhole, lawmakers are questioning how to prevent similar failures in the future.

The sinkhole, which followed the failure of an 85-year-old valve on a main water line under Elberon Place, could cost well over half a million dollars to fix, water department Commissioner Joe Coffey said.

The Department of Water and Water Supply perhaps could have had additional funds to shore up an aging infrastructure if the city had not "raided (water department) funds to the tune of $2.5 million since 2014," Common Councilman Frank Commisso Jr. said.

"We are pulling needed funds from the water fund that could be spent preventing sinkholes," Commisso said.

Coffey disputed Commisso's charge, saying the city provides the water department with offices, legal services, and IT and human resources support.

The water department spent $3.7 million on water and sewer upgrades and will spend $9 million on improvements this year, much of it from state grant money, according to Mayor Kathy Sheehan's office.

The department receives its revenue from water rates, which have not increased since at least 2012, according to the city budget.

Commisso highlighted portions of the 2015 city budget that indicate the Water Authority reimbursed the city's general fund $50,000 in 2013, $750,000 in 2014, $750,000 in 2015, and $1,150,000 in 2016. If the water department had paid its 2013 levels, it would have had an additional $2.5 million now, Commisso said.

Coffey said that due to the operating agreement that the water department signed with the city, the water board sends money to the city for needed services. An additional $400,000 was paid to the city last year to pay for cooperation with the city engineering staff, for example.

"It's not like we're giving it back to the mayor's fund," Coffey said.

Coffey and Dennis Gaffney of the mayor's office could not explain why the water department apparently reimbursed the city only $50,000 in 2013, but they said those fiscal decisions were made under the previous administration of Mayor Jerry Jennings.

The water board's rate consultant, William Kahn, of the accounting firm UHY Advisors, said he participated in examining reimbursements between the water board and the city last year.

"As rate consultant to the board, I would be the first to challenge any unfairness in the reimbursements between the board and the city," Kahn said. "There are elements of fairness in the allocations."

Commisso said the amount of money that the water department pays to the city has not been publicly discussed.

"When you've had two major sinkholes in a short amount of time," he said, "then maybe now's the appropriate time to revisit that decision."

Commisso pointed to a 2016 audit by the state comptroller's office criticizing the city of Troy, whose water budgets "contained increasing amounts of inter-fund transfers to the general fund to subsidize the general fund's operations."

Assemblyman Jim Tedisco has called for new funding for infrastructure after linking the Albany sinkhole with recent water and sewer main failures in the Capital Region.

"It's pretty clear from what we've seen in Troy, Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and then Albany, that this is a lurking monster that's not going away," the Glenville Republican said.

The Safe Water and Infrastructure Action Program would give all municipalities an annual fund to fix their water infrastructure, he said. Much like the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program, SWAP would give an amount based on a formula that factors in population, miles of sewer and gas lines, and age of the system.

The program would shift $200 million a year from regional economic development councils to the fund.

"If we keep acting reactively and not proactively, this is going to destroy the economy of New York state," Tedisco said.

He said several municipalities have expressed support for SWAP and passed local resolutions including Saratoga County, Troy and the towns of Clifton Park, Ballston, Glenville, Halfmoon, Malta, East Greenbush and Corinth.

Dan Shapley, water quality program manager at Riverkeeper, said the water quality watchdog will be advocating for "something like the Tedisco model" in the fall.

"The real merit it has is that it would give communities like Albany, Amsterdam and Troy a reliable, predictable source of money each year to replace pipes before they fail," Shapley said.

Commisso acknowledged it can be hard to ask the public to care about sewers.

"When I flush my toilet and it goes down the drain, 99 out of 100 people don't care about what happens," Commisso said, "unless there's a sinkhole."

jlawrence@timesunion.com  518-454-5467  @jplawrence3
SCHENECTADY - A Schenectady man found guilty of selling more than 100 grams of heroin in Albany County will serve 16 years in prison, the U.S. Attorney's office said Wednesday.

District Judge Thomas McAvoy sentenced Raymond P. Baker, 37, will be under government supervision for eight years after he leaves prison, prosecutors said.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) Afghanistan has sought more military supplies from India including attack helicopters as it steppped up its offensive last week against terror groups killing 300 Islamic State terrorists, the top US and NATO commander in the war-ravaged country said today.

General John Nicholson, here on his second visit, said India has been making "enoromously valuable" contribution in strengthening Afghan security forces and the US favours the military support.

advertisement

India has already provided four Mi-25 helicopters to Afghanistan and US Commander said the country needs more military aircraft to deal with Taliban and various other terror outfits.

Welcoming Indias contribution to restoring peace and stability in Afghanistan, Nicholson said terror outfits like the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad are not only a threat to Afghanistan but to the region, including India, and the US was putting pressure on Pakistan to contain these groups. He said the Taliban also "enjoys sanctuaries" in Pakistan.

"We consistently encourage Pakistan to take action against terrorist groups that operate from its territory and close down their safe havens," he told journalists.

Nicholson, who heads the US operations in Afghanistan, met National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and Defence Secretary G Mohan Kumar and discussed a range of issues including situation in Afghanistan and terror threat to the region.

The US commander said Afghan forces, supported by the US, had launched a major offensive against Islamic State terror outfit two weeks back in which around 300 IS fighters were killed.

"In the course of the operation they killed a number of top leaders of the organisation and upto 300 of their fighters. Obviously its difficult to get an exact count, but what this amounts to is about 25 per cent of the organisation at least, and so this represents a severe setback for them. It reduced their territory," he said.

The US Commander said military training by India to thousands of Afghan security personnel has helped that country in significantly enhancing its military capability which is in tune with the objective of the NATO and the US. More PTI MPB SK

--- ENDS ---
Terence L. Kindlon, 69, one of the most high-profile and outspoken lawyers in recent Capital Region history, announced his retirement back in April.

Kindlon  a Marine who was shot in the head during the Tet Offensive in 1968 and was awarded a Purple Heart  has worked death penalty cases and some of the most recognizable trials in the region.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Boston

Authorities asked for the public's help Tuesday as they struggled to find the killer or killers of a New York City woman whose body was found in woods near her mother's home in central Massachusetts after she went out for a run and didn't return.

Residents of Princeton, a sleepy town of 3,500 about 40 miles west of Boston, were urged to use caution after Vanessa Marcotte's body was found Sunday. Marcotte, a 27-year-old account manager at Google, was visiting her mother.

Police said they did not know if the attack was random or if Marcotte was targeted.

The Massachusetts State Police said they have set up an anonymous tip line and urged anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area Sunday afternoon to call police.

"We are asking for the public's help in finding the person or persons who killed Ms. Marcotte," state police wrote on their Facebook page. "No tip is inconsequential or irrelevant; no matter what it is, please call the tip line, because it may be valuable to investigators seeking justice for Ms. Marcotte."
How did Pixar's beloved "Toy Story" children's movies lead to the foul-mouthed, sexually explicit comedy "Sausage Party," from the screenwriting team of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg?

"We're both crazy about 'Toy Story,' and we talked about it all the time as the only comedic trilogy that gets better with each movie," Goldberg said in a phone interview. Rogen added: "We became obsessed with these Pixar movies. Their quality, tone and style were so much fun that we thought we should try to make one of those."

Their animated tale, however, is decidedly R-rated, much like their comedic take on the apocalypse ("This Is the End") or high school ("Superbad"). "Sausage Party," which they wrote with Kyle Hunter and Ariel Shaffir, is the story of a supermarket hot dog who leads other products on a quest to understand the true nature of their fate when they leave the store  they will be sliced, diced and devoured by humans. Rogen voices Frank, the hot dog, and Kristen Wiig plays his love interest, Brenda, a bun. Much double (and sometimes single) entendre humor ensues.

Animated movies for adults have a long history, including the first X-rated one, "Fritz the Cat" (1972); the sci-fi fantasy anthology "Heavy Metal" (1981); and last year's existential "Anomalisa." But they don't come around often, and big-budget, computer-animated films of the DreamWorks Animation and Pixar ilk have yet to venture into R-rated territory. For this reason, Rogen and Goldberg were intent on "Sausage Party" having the professional quality and detailed sheen of the best computer animation.

More Information At a glance "Sausage Party" Stars: Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig Directors: Greg Tiernan, Conrad Vernon Opens: Friday See More Collapse

"We kept saying, in order for this to work, it really has to look as good as people are expecting," Rogen said, "or else it's just a bunch of dirty jokes."

And that is the film's grandest joke: It looks just like the computer-animated films parents take their children to, but it is definitely not for children. The film's distributor, Columbia Pictures, has been extra cautious with the marketing, stamping a large, bold "Rated R" on billboard ads and movie posters so there's no confusion. Although in at least one instance, a "Sausage Party" trailer was mistakenly played before a screening of "Finding Dory" in California.

"A lot of kids grew up fast that day," Rogen said.

The audience at South by Southwest was a more appropriate fit. A work-in-progress version played at that Austin, Texas, festival in March to an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response, with audiences cheering the irreverent jokes and food-on-food sex.

Rogen voiced the blob BOB in the 2009 film "Monsters vs. Aliens," which was directed by Rob Letterman and Conrad Vernon. Rogen approached Vernon with the idea for "Sausage Party," initially pitched as a film in which hot dogs escape their packaging to have sex with buns. Vernon was immediately interested.

"When he started pitching it, I thought, oh my God, this is something I've wanted to do since I was 13 years old," Vernon said in a phone interview.

He mentioned that contemporary animators frequently crave the opportunity to make movies about more mature subject matter, but are rarely given the chance.

"People who make these movies are adults with adult senses of humor," he said. "We have a lot of funny stuff in our heads that we want to do, and probably 75 percent of it can't go into a children's movie. So over the long term, if the only place you get to work as an adult is in a child's world, you've got a lot of screwed-up thoughts in your head that you want to get out on paper."

Goldberg joked about the twisted humor of animators: "I'm about to have a child," he said, "and the only rule I have moving into being a parent is that my child will never date a disgusting, disgusting animator."

Vernon directed "Sausage Party" with Greg Tiernan, who owns the Vancouver animation company Nitrogen Studios with his wife, Nicole Stinn. It is known for producing the series "Thomas & Friends," about Thomas the Tank Engine.

Making "Sausage Party" with Nitrogen meant the producers could keep the costs low with a budget of $20 million, a fraction of the production costs for a film like "Finding Dory." Nitrogen used a lean crew. "There's not too many middle men," Tiernan said.

To add a sense of varied design to a film mostly set in a supermarket, the filmmakers turned the store's aisles into distinct worlds influenced by the work of a handful of filmmakers. They pay homage to Sergio Leone Westerns, Jackie Chan action films and war movies like "Saving Private Ryan."

And they got "The Little Mermaid" composer Alan Menken to write a song for the opening scene.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter.

Vernon said the filmmakers told him: "We're looking for an Alan Menken Disney song. We need you to satirize yourself."

The look of the characters was a much-discussed topic of conversation leading up to the making of the film.

Rogen said they went through hundreds of designs for some of the main characters, including the hot dog he plays.

"At first, he looked really gross, too meaty," Rogen said. "So we had to tone down the meat texture a little bit. We asked, should he wear shoes or gloves? Should his arms be these black tubes, or should his arms be made out of sausage as well?"

The taco voiced by Salma Hayek created some of the greatest design challenges.

"It's a super-awkward shape," Rogen said. "We asked, where do her legs come from, and where do her arms go? What does it look like when she's sideways?"

The overtly sexual look of some characters came up particularly in the design of Brenda the bun's mouth.

"At some point, one of the animators showed us a design where she had that mouth  once you saw it, you could never un-see it," Rogen said. "There was a point we were worried that the MPAA wouldn't let us have that in commercials."
COLONIE  Bridget Sheppeck remembers her first day at Shaker Junior High School, the pit in her stomach, the anxiety of meeting new kids and dealing with new teachers.

"We'd all gone to the same school since kindergarten, so we'd had like the same people for seven years," she said. "So to come to a new school with new people, it was really scary."

There was one thing that helped, though. The day before school began, a group of older girls got together and offered Sheppeck and other incoming students a tour of their new school, explaining where the library and locker rooms were, whose classrooms were where, and how to master the seemingly simple but sometimes frustrating intricacies of the locker combination.

As Sheppeck and three of her peers  Catherine Lapham, Meghan Schramm and Sadie Valente  prepared to leave junior high behind for the intense new world of high school, they wanted to offer the same helpful orientation, but for a group of students who would benefit much more than others: those who are new to the English language.

"We know it must be really hard to go to a new school, and not know the language or how to do certain things," said Valente, another incoming freshman. "We wanted to help make their transition to the junior high school easier."

As part of a Girl Scouts service project, the girls created a digital orientation and audio tour that will allow junior high students to scan barcodes at 20 locations around the school and hear helpful recordings in the district's six most common languages after English: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Urdu.

The Quick Response codes (commonly known as QR codes) will hang on laminated posters outside the auditorium, cafeteria, library, health office and locker rooms, among other places. The North Colonie district's English as a New Language department has six iPads equipped with QR reader apps for the students who don't have smartphones.

Once a code is scanned, the app will launch an audio recording with helpful facts and tips for new students  where to find bus maps, how to enter a locker combination, how to take out a library book, where to line up for trays in the cafeteria, and more.

Some recordings may sound absurdly simple, Schramm said, but something as basic as how to get food in the cafeteria can be enormously helpful for a student who never used one in their home country.

"I was from the hall that had all the ENL students," she said. "It was interesting because after class sometimes, they would look so confused because they didn't know they had to get a tray and get in line to eat, because it's just so new and they can't really ask anyone."

School districts across the state are struggling to accommodate an influx of English language learners, or ELLs, as the State Education Department has dubbed them. Many of them are immigrants and refugees, who data show are more likely than their peers to miss school, drop out and score lower on state tests.

In the Capital Region, the highest concentration can be found at Albany city schools, where roughly 1 in every 10 students is new to English. But the suburbs are also seeing their fair share of immigrant and refugee students.

The North Colonie Central School District has hired four new full-time English as a New Language teachers in the past four years to help with its growing population, which included 195 students at last count. That represents 3.6 percent of all students in the district, an increase from 3.1 percent a year ago and 2 percent a decade ago.

As they were brainstorming their orientation project, the girls initially wondered if a PowerPoint presentation and walking tour would be sufficient. But they realized such an endeavor would require at least six translators and wouldn't be easily replicable year after year.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter.

After looking into the cost of audio headsets similar to the kind used by museums, they realized they would need to find something cheaper and more sustainable. QR codes and free scanning apps fit the bill. They recruited friends and community members proficient in the six languages to record the scripts.

"If students rip them down, all we have to do is print them out, re-laminate them, and hang them back up," Schramm said.

Kathleen Skeals, the district's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said the audio project has inspired district officials to consider easier alternatives for its back-to-school registration process.

"I would love if they would consider expanding their project so that all the documents we give out at registration had these scannable codes," she said. "It can be unbelievably complicated for parents to fill out these forms, believe it or not. They ask about pesticide notification, previous schooling, how to access student records. It can be quite a big undertaking."

The girls have already thought about other uses for the recordings. Other schools in the district could customize them to their use, they said, or even create something similar for English-speaking special education students, who may just need an orientation or instructions in pared down language.

bbump@timesunion.com  518-454-5387  @bethanybump
Albany

An Ohio lawyer who represents an estimated 3,500 people in a class-action lawsuit against DuPont is urging the state Health Department not to downplay the health risks of a dangerous chemical that contaminated drinking water supplies in eastern Rensselaer County.

Robert A. Bilott, in a letter sent this week to the state agency's Bureau of Water Supply Protection, said a fact sheet it posted on its website early last week fails to cite information from validated scientific studies that found a "probable link" between six serious diseases, including cancer, in people who were exposed to drinking water contaminated with PFOA.

The Health Department's information sheet was posted on the agency's website Aug. 1 and said "nearly all people in the United States have PFOA in their blood" and that "some human health studies have found associations between PFOA exposure and health effects. Others have not. The studies that found associations were not able to determine with certainty if the health effects were caused by PFOA or some other factors. These studies did not show that PFOA caused diseases."

Bilott said the information is misleading, neglects to include any citations to the scientific studies that were conducted on PFOA exposure in humans, and ignores recent information on the health risks of PFOA exposure that have been put forth by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the European Union. He said the agency also is citing "outdated" information on PFOA from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

Dr. Nathan Graber, director of the state Health Department's Center for Environmental Health, said the agency is "not trying to downplay" the health risks of exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid or other perfluoronated chemicals, and that the science on the effects of the chemicals is evolving. "It was only put on the Web and it's only one piece of all the information we've put out to the community," Graber said.

"We're trying to be objective about providing to the public information they can use in making decisions about their health," Graber added, explaining the fact sheet challenged by Bilott was intended to provide information ahead of blood test results released last Thursday. "Essentially, there's always uncertainty and there's always things that we don't know because of the emerging science ... a lot of gaps in the data that's available."

The Health Department's information sheet was posted on its website several days before the agency conducted a public meeting in the village of Hoosick Falls and announced that the levels of PFOA in adult residents of the village are more than 30 times the national average. In older residents, the levels of PFOA in their blood stream were significantly higher, at roughly 91 parts per billion. The national average is about 2 ppb.

"The agency's recent document includes language suggesting that people should 'expect' to find PFOA in their blood," Bilott said. "Although it may be true that PFOA has been found in blood across the country, that data does not suggest or imply that there is any 'normal' or acceptable 'background' level of PFOA in human blood, as PFOA is a man-made, non-naturally occurring substance, and its presence in any human blood is the result of non-naturally occurring contamination."

Bilott said the Health Department's newest information does not provide any links, or citations of, the findings of a science panel that was formed as a result of the class-action litigation with DuPont and other manufacturers of PFOA. The panel conducted a comprehensive health study on the exposure to PFOA of people in the Ohio and West Virginia areas where PFOA was manufactured for decades. The scientists issued a peer-reviewed report that concluded the chemical has a "probable link" to six diseases: kidney cancer; testicular cancer; ulcerative colitis; thyroid disease; preeclampsia/pregnan-cy-induced hypertension; and medically diagnosed high cholesterol.

DuPont paid for the study by a group of scientists known as the "C8 Science Panel," and, as a result of the panel's findings, the company has to concede in the personal injury lawsuits that PFOA causes cancer.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter.

It's the second time Bilott has urged the Health Department to strengthen its characterization of the health effects of PFOA. In December, he criticized the agency for distributing a fact sheet to residents stating "Health effects are not expected to occur from normal use of the water."

Graber said the advisories for PFOA exposure set by the federal government are conservative estimates based largely on animal studies and they include statistics that take into account humans will face exposure to the chemical from sources other than water.

In May, the EPA issued a new health advisory setting a long-term exposure limit of 70 parts per trillion for drinking water, down from the 400 ppt level recommended by the agency in 2009 for short-term exposure.

"There's always emerging literature and we've recognized that in all of our documents," Graber said.

blyons@timesunion.com  518-454-5547  @brendan_lyonstu
By Reuters: Vietnam has discreetly fortified several of its islands in the disputed South China Sea with new mobile rocket launchers capable of striking China's runways and military installations across the vital trade route, according to Western officials.

Diplomats and military officers told Reuters that intelligence shows Hanoi has shipped the launchers from the Vietnamese mainland into position on five bases in the Spratly islands in recent months, a move likely to raise tensions with Beijing.

advertisement

The launchers have been hidden from aerial surveillance and they have yet to be armed, but could be made operational with rocket artillery rounds within two or three days, according to the three sources.

Vietnam's Foreign Ministry said the information was "inaccurate", without elaborating.



SELF-DEFENCE?

Deputy Defence Minister, Senior Lieutenant-General Nguyen Chi Vinh, told Reuters in Singapore in June that Hanoi had no such launchers or weapons ready in the Spratlys but reserved the right to take any such measures.

"It is within our legitimate right to self-defence to move any of our weapons to any area at any time within our sovereign territory," he said.



CHINESE BUILD-UP

The move is designed to counter China's build-up on its seven reclaimed islands in the Spratlys archipelago. Vietnam's military strategists fear the building runways, radars and other military installations on those holdings have left Vietnam's southern and island defences increasingly vulnerable.

Military analysts say it is the most significant defensive move Vietnam has made on its holdings in the South China Sea in decades.

Hanoi wanted to have the launchers in place as it expected tensions to rise in the wake of the landmark international court ruling against China in an arbitration case brought by the Philippines, foreign envoys said.

The ruling last month, stridently rejected by Beijing, found no legal basis to China's sweeping historic claims to much of the South China Sea.

Vietnam, China and Taiwan claim all of the Spratlys while the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei claim some of the area.

CHINA DEFIANT

"China has indisputable sovereignty over the Spratly islands and nearby waters," China's Foreign Ministry said in a faxed statement on Wednesday. "China resolutely opposes the relevant country illegally occupying parts of China's Spratly islands and reefs and on these illegally occupied Spratly islands and reefs belonging to China carrying out illegal construction and military deployments."

The United States is also monitoring developments closely.

"We continue to call on all South China Sea claimants to avoid actions that raise tensions, take practical steps to build confidence, and intensify efforts to find peaceful, diplomatic solutions to disputes," a State Department official said.

advertisement

STATE-OF-THE-ART SYSTEM

Foreign officials and military analysts believe the launchers form part of Vietnam's state-of-art EXTRA rocket artillery system recently acquired from Israel.

EXTRA rounds are highly accurate up to a range of 150 km (93 miles), with different 150 kg (330 lb) warheads that can carry high explosives or bomblets to attack multiple targets simultaneously. Operated with targeting drones, they could strike both ships and land targets.

That puts China's 3,000-metre runways and installations on Subi, Fiery Cross and Mischief Reef within range of many of Vietnam's tightly clustered holdings on 21 islands and reefs.

While Vietnam has larger and longer range Russian coastal defence missiles, the EXTRA is considered highly mobile and effective against amphibious landings. It uses compact radars, so does not require a large operational footprint - also suitable for deployment on islets and reefs.

"When Vietnam acquired the EXTRA system, it was always thought that it would be deployed on the Spratlys...it is the perfect weapon for that," said Siemon Wezeman, a senior arms researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

There is no sign the launchers have been recently test fired or moved.

BATTLE OF 1988

China took its first Spratlys possessions after a sea battle against Vietnam's then weak navy in 1988. After the battle, Vietnam said 64 soldiers with little protection were killed as they tried to protect a flag on South Johnson reef - an incident still acutely felt in Hanoi.

advertisement

In recent years, Vietnam has significantly improved its naval capabilities as part of a broader military modernization, including buying six advanced Kilo submarines from Russia.

Carl Thayer, an expert on Vietnam's military at the Australian Defence Force Academy, said the deployment showed the seriousness of Vietnam's determination to militarily deter China as far as possible.

"China's runways and military installations in the Spratlys are a direct challenge to Vietnam, particularly in their southern waters and skies, and they are showing they are prepared to respond to that threat," he said. "China is unlikely to see this as purely defensive, and it could mark a new stage of militarization of the Spratlys."

Trevor Hollingsbee, a former naval intelligence analyst with the British defense ministry, said he believed the deployment also had a political factor, partly undermining the fear created by the prospect of large Chinese bases deep in maritime Southeast Asia.

"It introduces a potential vulnerability where they was none before - it is a sudden new complication in an arena that China was dominating," he said.

advertisement

--- ENDS ---
A European Summer Camp for young people with Williams Syndrome took place in Ireland for the first time this summer.

Cashel man Donal Carroll was among those who took part in the summer camp.

Williams Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes multiple development problems.

This can include heart problems, narrowed blood vessels, musculoskeletal problems, and learning disabilities. The syndrome is estimated to occur in about 1 in 20,000 births, and affects approximately 100 families in Ireland.

The camp attended by Donal took place at the University of Limerick in early July. It was designed for people with Williams Syndrome between the ages of 13 to 30 and focused on the theme, Our Music, Our Culture. The theme was chosen because, as founder and Honorary President Ann Breen explained, Almost all people with Williams Syndrome have hyper-sensitive hearing and some have perfect pitch and extraordinary musical talents.

Alongside Donal, some 80 people from 11 different European countries were in attendance at the camp, which has been taking place around Europe since 2005.

This marked the first time ever that the European Federation of Williams Syndrome Associations held its annual gathering in Ireland.

Funded through the Erasmus + Youth Exchange programme, the camp focused on informal learning opportunities.

Participants took part in activities that included music workshops, theatre workshops, flora and fauna trails, an introduction to Gaelic games, and day-trips to Bunratty Castle and the Cliffs of Moher.

The young people in attendance were also encouraged to showcase the music and culture from their home countries.

Further information is available at: www.williamssyndrome.ie

Leargas is the national agency in Ireland that coordinates funding for the Erasmus + Youth Exchange programme. The programme builds upon learning for participants from year to year.

The Williams Syndrome Association of Ireland is a registered charity and each individual works on a completely voluntary basis.

The aim of the association is to promote the general welfare of children suffering from Williams Syndrome and to provide practical help and support for children and families affected by Williams Syndrome.
Almost 200 people gathered in Nenagh last Saturday to remember one of the town's best known and best loved teachers, the late Brian McDermott.

Mr McDermott, affectionately known as Mr McD, taught in St Mary's Secondary School up to his untimely death in 2014 at a relatively young age from heart failure.

He was remembered by friends, colleagues, former colleagues and former students on a 6km walk along the town's riverbank which was organised by former student Aisling Horrigan.

Ms Horrigan said the fact that so many people turned up for the inaugural Walk with me and Remember McD, showed the respect and influence Brian McDermott had had on all those whom he had met.

Our lives were truly enriched by Mr McDs kind and gentle presence, and he will live on in our hearts forever, she said.

During the walk, teacher Karen Maguire read Mr McDermott's favourite poem, The Lake Isle of Inisfree by WB Yeats, at St John's Well near Scott's Bridge on the Borrisokane road. Brian was school liaison officer for Dromineer Literary Festival

Aisling used the walk to raise awareness of heart disease and, while there was no registration fee for the walk, those taking part were asked to give a donation to the Irish Heart Foundation.

She revealed this Monday that, so far, more than 1,500 had been raised for the charity, with donations still coming in.

She paid tribute to the foundation and the help they gave her organising the walk, and to Paddy Seymour of Nenagh Walking Club who led the walk.

Ms Horrigan also thanked all those who had donated prizes for the raffle or who helped in any way.

She also thanked her family and friends for their patience and help over the past couple of weeks, saying: I couldnt have done it without you.
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
[August 10, 2016] 95% of Louisiana Virtual Charter Academy Students Benefitted Academically in 2016

Students at Louisiana Virtual Charter Academy (LAVCA), a full-time online public charter school, began their 2016-2017 school year today, as the program marks its 6th year of operation in the state. According to a spring 2016 survey conducted by Edge Research, 95% of the families with students enrolled in the school during the 2015-2016 school year felt that their child had benefitted academically from the curriculum. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810006205/en/ LAVCA is open to all students in grades K through 12 who reside in Louisiana. The rigorous and engaging curriculum offered by the school includes courses in language arts/English, math, science, history, world languages, art and music, as well as elective and Advanced Placement courses for high school students. State-certified teachers provide instruction, guidance and support, and regularly interact with students and parents via email, web-based classrooms, online discussions, phone and face-to-face meetings. As a public school option, there is no tuition. "By far the best outcome has been our ability to advance at our own pace," said Nicole Grimes, whose child is an accelerated learner. "The curriculum is excellent and ensures that my son is being challenged enough to reach his full potential." At LAVCA, students have the ability to accelerate through subjects at which they excel, while students who need more time to grasp a concept can work at a pace that's comfortable for them. Students who need extra instructional support or who are interested in face-to-face instruction can also take adantage of the blended learning centers located in the Baton Rouge, Monroe, and Lafayette areas.



"We look forward to welcoming our new and returning students this year," said Dr. Perry Daniel, Head of School at Louisiana Virtual Charter Academy. "Our program has always been fully committed to providing an option for Louisiana families who are looking for an alternative and enriching academic experience for their children." Earlier this summer LAVCA challenged enrolled families to prevent summer 'brain drain' by offering students free access to LearnBop, a self-paced solution that simulates a one-on-one, personalized math tutoring experience. The award-winning online program will continue to be available free of charge throughout the fall and can be used alongside the regular math curriculum to build math skills or prepare for high-level exams.

At LAVCA, students have the opportunity to participate in year-round field trips and school activities organized by teachers that blend academics and socialization. In addition, students can also choose to participate in dozens of extracurricular activities and clubs that cover a wide variety of interests. LAVCA is still accepting enrollments for this fall. To learn more about enrollment requirements visit http://lavca.k12.com/ and follow on Facebook. About Louisiana Virtual Charter Academy Louisiana Virtual Charter Academy (LAVCA) is an accredited, full-time online public school program that serves students in grades K through 12. LAVCA is available tuition-free to Louisiana students through a partnership between K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's largest provider of proprietary curriculum and online education programs, and Community School for Apprenticeship Learning Inc. (CSAL). Founded in 1997, CSAL is a not-for-profit with a mission to provide students with real-world experiences by giving them access to alternative forms of instruction. For more information about LAVCA, visit http://lavca.k12.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810006205/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 09, 2016] Agilent Technologies to Build New Facility in Colorado, Increasing Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Capacity

Agilent Technologies (News - Alert) Inc. (NYSE:A) today announced it has acquired 20 acres in Weld County, Colorado, on which it plans to build a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility. The expansion will enable the company to more than double its commercial manufacturing capacity for nucleic acid active pharmaceutical ingredients. "The products manufactured at this site will be used by our customers to improve the lives of patients suffering from a variety of diseases," said Skip Thune, general manager of the company's Nucleic Acids Solutions Division. "At Agilent, we are committed to meeting the ever-increasing needs of our customers for oligonucleotides." Researchers believe oligonucleotides (short DNA and RNA molecules) hold the potential to treat various forms of cancer, diabetes, muscular dystrophy and other disorders. Thune noted that the expansion would result in about 150 to 200 new, permanent high-paying jobs. "Colorado is thrilled to welcome Agilent Technologies to the state," said Gov. John Hickenlooper. "This expansion will enhance Colorado's skilled workforce and dedication to research and development firms. We look forward to supporting Agilent's innovative work in our state." "The Agilent project is a huge win for the Town of Frederick, Weld County and all of Northern Colorado," saidMike Freeman, chairman of the Weld County Commissioners. "The project adds diversification to our thriving economic base, plus significant new jobs and tax base. It also showcases what an amazing growth region Northern Colorado is due to the diverse workforce and business-friendly environment."



"The impact of new high-paying jobs and millions of dollars in investment will trigger a huge positive ripple through the local economy, pumping new revenue into everything from restaurants to housing," added Tony Carey, mayor of Frederick. "Winning this project shows the tremendous assets of Frederick and Weld County, and we welcome Agilent to our community." "Local support paved the way for the Agilent project, and it's a great example of local governments working together to proactively accomplish a significant economic development project," said Tom Haren, chairman of the Upstate Colorado Economic Development Board.

Upstate Colorado coordinated the project with the Town of Frederick, Weld County and the State of Colorado to accommodate the needs of Agilent. About Agilent Technologies Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A), a global leader in life sciences, diagnostics and applied chemical markets, is the premier laboratory partner for a better world. Agilent works with customers in more than 100 countries, providing instruments, software, services and consumables for the entire laboratory workflow. The company generated revenue of $4.04 billion in fiscal 2015 and employs about 12,000 people worldwide. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com. NOTE TO EDITORS: Further technology, corporate citizenship and executive news is available at www.agilent.com/go/news. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160809006523/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 10, 2016] Emergence of 5G Network Will Boost the Test and Measurement Market in Malaysia Until 2020, Says Technavio

Technavio's latest report on the test and measurement (T&M) market in Malaysia provides an analysis on the most important trends expected to impact the market outlook from 2016-2020. Technavio defines an emerging trend as a factor that has the potential to significantly impact the market and contribute to its growth or decline. Anju Ajaykumar, a lead analyst from Technavio, specializing in research on test and measurement sector, says, "Malaysia's positive investment climate, especially in the manufacturing sector, is expected to have a favorable impact on the market. The ease of doing business in the country is attracting large foreign investments in the manufacturing sector, led by countries such as Japan, China, Germany, and Singapore. In 2014, foreign investments accounted for approximately 60% of the total approved investment." Malaysia is rapidly gaining popularity as a regional machinery and equipment (M&E) manufacturing and distribution hub in Asia due to the continuous inflow of both foreign direct investment (FDI) and domestic investment in various sectors. Semiconductor, electrical and electronics (E&E), automotive, oil and gas, aerospace, medical, and food processing are the major sectors in the country. Exports of M&E have exceeded USD 8.97 billion in 2015 and are expected to grow at an average annual growth rate of 6.7% to reach USD 16.1 billion by 2020. Export destinations include Singapore, the US, and China. Imports have also increased from USD 10.6 billion in 2000 to USD 18.2 billion in 2013, indicating a dynamic and rapidly growing manufacturing sector in Malaysia. The top three emerging trends driving the T&M market in Malaysia according to Technavio heavy industry research analysts are: Malaysia as a data outsourcing destination

Emergence of 5G network

Interoperability era for T&M equipment Malaysia as a data outsourcing destination T&M equipment are extensively used in data centers to ensure adequate capacity, performance, and reliability of data centers and their networking infrastructure. T&M equipment such as electrical energy loggers, infrared imaging systems, cable testing for both copper and fiber installations, return loss testers or more sophiticated optical time-domain reflectometers are extensively used in data centers. The high standards that data centers adhere to also require testing and measurement, thus calling for T&M equipment. Therefore, the T&M vendors in Malaysia are increasingly focusing on the data center market in the country and offering specialized T&M equipment due to the expanding potential of the market.



Several countries such as South Korea and Singapore are aspiring to capture the market by providing a conducive business environment and infrastructure. Malaysia is also a major player in the race to acquire a major market share in this high-potential market. The country's effort to establish itself as the preferred destination for regional investors is fueling its endeavor to become a regional hub for data center and cloud services. It is expected that data center space in the country will increase from 0.5 million sq. ft. in 2015 to 5 million sq. ft. by 2020, driven by broad trends of expansion, efficiency, and consolidation. "One of the major initiatives is the EPP 3 under the NKEA of business services, which aims to make Malaysia the favored destination for data center investors and increase the internationally certified data center space in the country. This will be achieved by addressing the demand and supply of data center services, as well as raising awareness of the local data center industry," according to Anju.

Emergence of 5G network The need to support demand for broadband services over mobile networks as well as the emergence of IoT has triggered the development of 5G networks. These networks enable the use of unused frequency bands, such as the V band, to transport large amounts of data. The emergence of 5G network will drive the demand for wireless test equipment market. The 5G networks have multi-point connectivity with distributed MIMO. These can deliver several MIMO streams while a single device is connected to multiple sites at the same time, thereby achieving a downlink throughput of as much as 100%. Network operators are collaborating with testing companies for 5G technology testing and development. Interoperability era for T&M equipment The extensive range of electronic and electrical products in use today has led to the need for higher interoperability of T&M equipment among end-users, which will eliminate the need for a particular manufacturer's products for a lifetime. "The need for interoperability applies to heterogeneous sets of products such as smoke alarms, video monitors, home gateways, and home networking or automation products, as well as homogeneous sets of products such as routers and switches," asserts Anju. Browse Related Reports: Global Test and Measurement Market 2016-2020

Test and Measurement Market in Australia 2016-2020

Test and Measurement Equipment Market in APAC 2015-2019 Do you need a report on a market in a specific geographical cluster or country but can't find what you're looking for? Don't worry, Technavio also takes client requests. Please contact [email protected] with your requirements and our analysts will be happy to create a customized report just for you. About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005017/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 10, 2016] Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Commences Investigation on Behalf of Embraer S.A. Investors

Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces an investigation on behalf of investors of Embraer S.A. ("Embraer" or the "Company") (NYSE: ERJ) concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. Embraer designs, develops, manufactures and sells aircraft and systems in Brazil, North America, Latin America, the Asia Pacific, Europe and internationally. In 2014, Brazilian authorities filed a criminal complaint against an Embraer sales consultant who admitted to soliciting and paying bribes on behalf of the Company, all with the consent of its executive management. In addition, U.S. authorities investigated the Company and several former Embraer officers for potetial violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA").



In July 2016, Embraer disclosed that its Chief Executive Officer, Frederico Curado, would be stepping down. Shortly thereafter on July 29, 2016, Embraer reported a loss of $99.4 million for the quarter, $200 million of which was set aside for the aforementioned FCPA investigation. Embraer also lowered its 2016 guidance for its executive jet business. On this news, Embraer's share price fell sharply, nearly 14% to close at $18.27 per share on July 29, 2016.

If you purchased Embraer securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020 by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to [email protected], or visit our website at http://www.howardsmithlaw.com. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005781/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
By PTI: Mumbai, Aug 10 (PTI) Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, which presently registers 90 per cent of its sales from online channel in India, is planning to double offline presence over the next few months.

"For us, online is the dominant channel and we are trying to build a base for offline in India. We had a partnership with Redington last year (for distribution) and four weeks back, tied up with Innocomm and Just Buy Live," Xiaomi India Head Manu Jain said here.

advertisement

Jain added that with these two new partners, the company now sells its products via 5,000 shops and plans to double the figure in a few months.

Xiaomi launched Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime in the country priced at Rs 6,999 and Rs 8,999, respectively.

The phones will be initially available at Mi.com and Flipkart.

Xiaomi, which sells over 1 million phones a quarter in the country, did its first sale for Redmi 3S yesterday on Flipkart and Mi.com and sold out all 90,000 units.

"For the first sale that we did yesterday, we wanted to bring the highest possible quantity and we brought 90,000 units. Everything was added to cart in a few minutes and it took two-and-a-half hours to ship out everything," Jain said.

Xiaomi chose open sale, instead of the usual flash sale yesterday, as the company brought significantly higher volumes than it ever did, Jain said.

Xiaomi will have another open sale on August 17 for Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime with similar number of units.

Both the phones have been manufactured in India at the companys Andhra Pradesh facility.

"We are scaling up the facility at Andhra Pradesh. We are adding more lines and more capacity to the same plant and once we exhaust it, we are thinking of adding more factories along with our partners Foxconn," he said. PTI DS DK JM ABK SDM

--- ENDS ---
[August 10, 2016] Lee Memorial Health System Partners with Aegis Health Group to Evaluate Employer Engagement in Southwest Florida Market

Lee Memorial Health System (LMHS), a leading healthcare system serving the Southwest Florida community since 1916, today announced an agreement with Aegis Health Group to evaluate the system's employer-directed population health strategy. For nearly three decades, Aegis has assisted hundreds of hospitals and health systems with effective employer engagement, population health and physician relationship solutions.



"We engaged Aegis to help us advance our employer engagement strategy," said Kevin Newingham, Chief Strategy Officer of Lee Memorial Health System. "Their experience, knowledge and best practices will help us accelerate development and increase impact of our employer-focused efforts." Initial activities focus on Aegis completing a strategic and operational evaluation to help LMHS determine an employer engagement strategy that will best support the system's broader strategic objectives. This strategy includes strengthening relationships with local employers, businesses and other community organizations to promote better health among employees and meet their individual needs with available services. After identifying LMHS's strategic goals and evaluating market opportunities, Aegis provides a strategic plan for implementation and execution.

"We are honored to assist such a forward-thinking healthcare provider as Lee Memorial Health System in further positioning the system as the leading resource for improving health in the community," said Phillip Suiter, President and CEO of Aegis Health Group. "We believe that LMHS's efforts are critical not only to health improvement in Southwest Florida but also to a decrease in overall healthcare costs." About Lee Memorial Health System Since the opening of its first hospital in 1916, Lee Memorial Health System has been a health care leader in Southwest Florida, serving the needs of the community. Today, LMHS is a non-profit, integrated health care services organization committed to the well-being of every individual served, focused on healthy living and maintaining good health. Because we care, services are conveniently located throughout the community in four acute care hospitals, two specialty hospitals, outpatient centers, walk-in medical centers, primary care and specialty physician practices, and other services across the continuum of care. Learn more at www.leememorial.org. About Aegis Health Group For 27 years, Aegis Health Group has assisted hundreds of hospitals and health systems with proven-effective employer engagement, population health and physician relationship solutions. Its award-winning employer engagement and population health strategies enable hospitals to grow market share, reduce outmigration and increase revenue by identifying the health risks of local employees and consumers within the community. Complementing this is Aegis' data-driven physician relationship management solution that strategically aligns hospitals and their medical staff in a way that drives service-line growth, increases referrals, enhances patient care and provides timely issue resolution. Further information about Aegis Health Group, a privately-held company based in Brentwood, Tennessee, is available at www.AegisGroup.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005283/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 10, 2016] MEDIA ADVISORY: Facebook to host free workshop for St. John's businesses

First event in special privacy series with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada ST. JOHN'S, NL, Aug. 10, 2016 /CNW/ - On Monday, August 15, Facebook's Boost Your Business event will take place in St. John's, Newfoundland, a session dedicated to teaching local small business owners how to optimize their presence on the world's largest social network. The event will be co-hosted by Startup Newfoundland & Labrador and the St. John's Board of Trade, with special guests Seamus O'Regan, MP for St. John's South-Mount Pearl, Brent Homan, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, and Mark Matz, Public Safety Canada.



As a special segment of the program, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from, and speak directly to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and Public Safety Canada. This segment is a unique opportunity for business owners to better understand how to implement effective privacy and security measures for their small business.



The Boost Your Business workshop will include a training session led by a Facebook small business expert on the latest best practices and strategies for success. Attendees will be learn ho to use Facebook to grow their business and connect with current and potential customers.







A question and answer session will follow, featuring a panel of local small business owners, who will share their Facebook tips, tricks and suggestions. PolkaDot Place Play Cafe, Found Consignment Boutique and Sustain Nutrition have been selected to join the panel as best-in-class examples of businesses using Facebook. WHAT:

Free workshop on how to use Facebook to grow your small business. Business owners can register at: http://fbsaintjohns.eventfarm.com/

WHO:

Erin Elofson, Director, Facebook Canada

Kevin Chan, Head of Public Policy, Facebook Canada

Seamus O'Regan, MP of St. John's South-Mount Pearl

Brent Homan, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Mark Matz, Public Safety

Local small business owners A Facebook spokesperson and local business owners will be available for interviews. WHEN AND WHERE: St. John's  Monday, August 15, 2016

Delta St. John's Conference Centre

120 New Gower Street

St. John's, NL A1C 6K4

10:00am -12:30pm NDT *All media who wish to attend must RSVP by 5:00p.m. NDT on Friday, August 12, 2016 to [email protected] About Facebook Canada Founded in 2004, Facebook's mission is to make the world more open and connected. More than 21 million Canadians use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what's going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them. Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc. All other brand or product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. SOURCE Facebook Canada

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 10, 2016] New Energy Capital Hires Two Principals Continuing Growth of the Clean Infrastructure Investing Platform

Clean energy infrastructure private equity firm New Energy Capital Partners announced today that it has hired Jeph Shaw and Ian Marcus as Principals in its Hanover, New Hampshire office. Mr. Shaw was previously an Associate with the firm before earning an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and subsequently participating in the Management Leadership Development Program at SunEdison (News - Alert), where he focused on investment and financing activities at the TerraForm YieldCo affiliate. Mr. Marcus joins from Morgan Stanley & Co. where he was a Vice President on the Solar Desk within the North America Power & Gas Unit in its Commodities Division. While at Morgan Stanley, Mr. Marcus originated, structured, and principally invested in solar projects in the residential, commercial, community, and utility ectors.



Scott Brown, CEO of NECP, said, "Jeph and Ian bring significant industry experience to our team and will help NECP continue to deploy capital efficiently and effectively. We have worked with Jeph for many years and welcome him back to the team as a Principal. Likewise, we have known and worked with Ian in his previous positions and have a great deal of respect for his industry knowledge." Prior to his tenure at Morgan Stanley, Mr. Marcus worked in project finance in the Residential and Small Commercial business unit at SunEdison. He holds a BA from Dartmouth College.

About New Energy Capital Partners New Energy Capital Partners is a private equity firm that invests in projects and companies in the renewable power, alternative fuels, energy efficiency and renewable resource markets, focusing on the deployment of proven technologies in highly structured transactions. NECP manages the New Energy Capital Cleantech Infrastructure Fund and the New Energy Capital Infrastructure Credit Fund, and advises the Alliance Fund II. NECP is based in Hanover, New Hampshire and has offices in Boston, Massachusetts and Denver, Colorado. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005995/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 10, 2016] OT Cuts EMV Production Time to Just 5 Days with its X-Press Solution

Oberthur Technologies (OT), the No. 1 provider of chip payment cards in the United States, announced today the U.S. launch of its X-Press Solution which provides turnkey, expedited EMV-card supply within five days for card orders up to 25,000. OT is a one-stop shop for card issuers with large or small card orders at national banks, credit unions and community banks. "OT's X-Press Solution offers card issuers unmatched high-quality chip cards at a fraction of the standard lead time," said Martin Ferenczi, President for North America at OT. "We thoroughly revamped our production processes to expedite chip-card supply based on feedback from issuers wanting to rapidly provide EMV fraud reduction benefits to cardholders." The X-Press Solution features full product support for MasterCard, Visa, American Express (News - Alert) and Discover chip cards. This market-first solution will be based at OT's 100,000-square-foot ISO 9001 and 14001 certified Manufacturing Supercenter located in Exton, Pennsylvania, which has produced more than a quarter of a billion chip cards. OT's X-Press Solution provides best-in-class card design and EMV technical support. A dedicated customer service team manages the entire process. Fully calibrate .pdf proofs are delivered within 24 hours and optional plastic samples in 48 hours. The X-Press Solution provides the speed, quality and service needed for flawless EMV migration.



OT globally has shipped more than two billion EMV credit and debit cards from its network of four regional secure manufacturing hubs and 39 card personalization centers. Having established its U.S. footprint in 1996, the company is the No. 1 provider of chip payment cards in the U.S. market. OT has been personalizing EMV cards since 2010 in its bi-coastal personalization service centers located in Northern Virginia and Southern California. For more about EMV in the USA, visit www.oberthur.com/emv.

ABOUT OBERTHUR TECHNOLOGIES OT is a world leader in embedded digital security that protects you when you connect, authenticate or pay. OT is strategically positioned in high growth markets and offers embedded security software solutions for "end-point" devices as well as associated remote management solutions to a huge portfolio of international clients, including banks and financial institutions, mobile operators, authorities and governments, as well as manufacturers of connected objects and equipment. OT employs over 6,300 employees worldwide, including almost 700 R&D people. With a global footprint of 4 regional secure manufacturing hubs and 39 secure service centers, OT's international network serves clients in 140 countries. For more information: www.oberthur.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005259/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 10, 2016] Pfizer, with a Market Share of 76%, Will Dominate the Global Pneumococcal Vaccine Market until 2020, Says Technavio

Technavio's latest report on the global pneumococcal vaccine market provides an analysis on the most important trends expected to impact the market outlook from 2016-2020. Technavio defines an emerging trend as a factor that has the potential to significantly impact the market and contribute to its growth or decline. Barath Palada, lead analyst from Technavio, specializing in research on vaccines sector, says, "The global pneumococcal vaccine market is growing faster than the global vaccine market and is expected to post a CAGR of 13.69% during the period 2016-2020. In 2015, the major revenue contributor to this market was the Americas, followed by EMEA. However, there are major opportunities for the market in APAC to grow at a rapid rate and increase its revenue contribution to the global market during the forecast period." The global pneumococcal vaccine market is a monopoly, with Pfizer holding around 76% of the overall market share. The company's vaccine, Prevnar, reported record sales of USD 6.25 billion in 2015 and grew by nearly 40% compared to the previous year. The strong growth is mainly due to the rapid uptake of Prevnar 13. In the US alone, the revenues for the vaccine increased by 87% in FY2015, as compared with FY2014, owing to the success of commercial programs. The top five emerging trends driving the global pneumococcal vaccine market according to Technavio healthcare and life sciences research analysts are: Expansion of marketing territories

Emergence of protein-based combination pneumococcal vaccines

AMC for pneumococcal vaccines

Bio-terrorism

Public-private initiatives Expansion of marketing territories PCVs are available in a few developing countries through GAVI alliance partners. As the cost of the vaccine is very high, only eligible countries will get access through an approval process. Till date, from the existing 73 AMC eligible countries, only 15 countries (21%) are not approved to have access to the vaccines. "Although these regions have shown interest in introducing pneumococcal vaccine in the near future, only South Korea, India, Comoros, and Tajikistan have shown interest to apply and get access to GAVI suppor in 2016 based on the eligibility standards and on DTP 3rd dose coverage, which must be greater than 70% as per the application guidelines," according to Barath.



Emergence of protein-based combination pneumococcal vaccines There is an increasing number of new pneumococcal protein-based vaccines, which are undergoing clinical trial evaluations. These protein-based vaccines consist of serotype-independent subunit vaccines containing purified proteins and antigens that are expressed by recombinant bacteria. These vaccines will avoid the problems of serotype replacement by directly targeting proteins that are highly preserved among many pneumococcal serotypes.

Another conserved virulence factor, pneumolysin, has shown to help protect against the infection when given in combination with other proteins. Derivatives of pneumolysin toxoid are currently being evaluated in clinical trials. Thus, the emergence of protein-based pneumococcal vaccine in combination with other vaccines will have a positive impact on the market. AMC for pneumococcal vaccines The pneumococcal AMC encourages the production and development of affordable vaccines tailored to the needs of developing countries. In June 2009, the governments of the UK, Italy, the Russian Federation, Canada, Norway, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation collectively guaranteed a total of USD 1.5 billion to fund a pilot AMC against pneumococcal diseases. The aim was to decrease mortality and morbidity due to the disease and to prevent a projected seven million deaths by 2030. The objectives of the pneumococcal AMC is to bring about effective pneumococcal vaccine for developing countries by ensuring the original purchase price for a limited quantity of novel vaccines that signifies value for money and incentivizes manufacturers to invest in scaling up production capacity to meet the vaccine demand in developing countries. Bio-terrorism Bioterrorism refers to an intentional release of bacteria, viruses, fungi, or toxins from living organisms to cause illness or death among people, animals, or plants. This is a result of globalization; wherein new contagious diseases have evolved. This has created space for the development of new vaccines to combat bioterrorism. Developed nations are taking measures to check the potential threat of bioterrorism. Bioterror-induced outbreak of diseases may lead to mass vaccination programs, creating large demand for vaccines, including pneumococcal vaccine. Public-private initiatives "There has been a significant increase in public-private partnerships in developing countries. Immunization programs by various governments are effectively backed by global organizations such as the WHO, UNICEF, and GAVI. More research and technical expertise is being used in public-private partnerships for better developments. All these initiatives will help the global pneumococcal vaccine market grow and will further contribute to achieve the immunization-related global goals," asserts Barath. Browse Related Reports: Global Meningococcal Vaccines Market 2016-2020

Global H1N1 Vaccines Market 2016-2020

Global Human Vaccine Market 2016-2020 Do you need a report on a market in a specific geographical cluster or country but can't find what you're looking for? Don't worry, Technavio also takes client requests. Please contact [email protected] with your requirements and our analysts will be happy to create a customized report just for you. About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005356/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 10, 2016] Popularity of Li-ion Batteries Will Impact the Global Power Tools Market Until 2020, Says Technavio

Technavio's latest report on the global power tools market provides an analysis on the most important trends expected to impact the market outlook from 2016-2020. Technavio defines an emerging trend as a factor that has the potential to significantly impact the market and contribute to its growth or decline. Anju Ajaykumar, a lead analyst from Technavio, specializing in research on tools and components sector, says, "The global power tools market should grow significantly during the forecast period, driven by rise in construction activities in the US and Asian countries, such as India and Indonesia. India aims to become the next major manufacturing hub with the help of government incentives and policies. Power tools manufacturers are attempting to leverage this opportunity and planning to expand their operation in the country." There has been a notable rise in the number of knee and hip replacement surgeries worldwide. As a result, the demand for power tools has increased in the medical sector. In 2010, there were 719,000 knee replacement and 332,000 hip replacement surgeries in the US. The total number of knee replacements alone tripled between 1993 and 2009, and hip replacements doubled during the same period. As of 2014, it was estimated that 7 million Americans had either a knee or hip replacement surgery, which accounted for over 2% of the total American population. The top three emerging trends driving the global power tools market according to Technavio heavy industry research analysts are: Technological advancements in power tools

Li-ion batteries replacing Ni-Cd technology

Growing DIY activities to accelerate sales in consumer segment Technological advancements in power tools The market has presence of international and regional players. The major market players update the technology and register patents to improve the overall efficiency of the tool. For instance, Bosch launched a pocket-sized laser measures in 2015, which can conveniently change with the user movements. The product has great functionality and range that provides real-time measurements with greater accuracy. Milwaukee Tool launched a digital platform for the jobsite tools in 2015. "DeWalt launched a Bluetooth platform. This enables power tools to operate within a virtual fence after which the tools cannot be operated. In addition, these tools can be connected to the mobile through Bluetooth, after which the battery charge and temperature of the tool can be displayed. This will enhance the tool and battery life, therefore, improving the overall efficiency," according to Anju. Li-ion batteries replacing Ni-Cd technology The sales of cordless tools have increased over the last decade. End-users from the construction and individual customers segment prefer cordless tools over the conventional tools due to ergonomic advantages. Although there has been an increase in sales in the cordless tools, there was always a concern regarding the heavy weight of tools and the battery discharge rate of Ni-Cd. Ni-Cd batteries last for about 30 minutes on full charge, which takes more than 2 hours to charge. Whereas, the Li-ion batteries need less than an hour to charge completely and can last for more than an hour. In addition, one of the major advantages of the Li-ion battery is the light weight that helps in better tool handling. Growing DIY activities to accelerate sales in consumer segment There has been an increase in adoption of power tools in Europe and the US in the recent years for DIY projects and tasks. In Benelux, power tools shipments in 2015 totaled up to 9.8 million and should increase to 10 million units in 2016. Benelux tools market alone was valued at USD 826.4 million in 2015 and is expected to reach USD 859.1 million in 2016. An increase in the residential construction activities in Europe and the US is expected to drive the demand for power tools in the consumer segment. "This trend has triggered the use of power tools in the individual consumer segment. Although the trend is not popular in APAC, it is well-accepted among the European and American countries, which has increased revenue in the individual customer segment. In addition, the growth of the e-commerce will ease the availability of power tools to consumers," asserts Anju. Top vendor offerings:







Company Products Offered Makita  Drills and fastenings  Tools for metal working  Dust extraction tools  Pneumatic tools Robert Bosch  Cordless power tools  Drills and impact drivers  Grinders and metal working tools  Benchtops  Dust collection and control tools  Planners Stanley Black & Decker (News - Alert)  Corded tools  Fasteners  Fastening tools and compressors Techtronic  Power equipment accessories and hand tools  Floor care equipment Source (News - Alert): Technavio

Browse Related Reports: Global Electrical Equipment Market for the Power Distribution Industry 2016-2020

Global Power Rental Market 2016-2020

Global Surgical Power Tools Market 2016-2020 Do you need a report on a market in a specific geographical cluster or country but can't find what you're looking for? Don't worry, Technavio also takes client requests. Please contact [email protected] with your requirements and our analysts will be happy to create a customized report just for you. About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005015/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 10, 2016] SL Green Announces Agreement with Midtown TDR Ventures to Resolve One Vanderbilt Litigation

SL Green Realty Corp. (NYSE: SLG), New York City's largest office landlord, today announced an agreement with Midtown TDR Ventures whereby the litigation regarding SL Green's One Vanderbilt, an iconic new office tower under construction adjacent to Grand Central Terminal, will be withdrawn. The settlement will resolve the legal claims against SL Green and the City of New York that Midtown TDR Ventures asserted to invalidate the Vanderbilt Corridor rezoning amendment and the One Vanderbilt special permit, thereby eliminating uncertainty surrounding the building. The new office tower and $220 million in planned transit improvements will move forward as planned, and as approved by the New York City Council. "This is a major milestone for the future of East Midtown, clearing the way for One Vanderbilt to deliver state-of-the-art Class A office space and a $220 million investment in Grand Central's transit infrastructure," said Marc Holliday, CEO of SL Green Realty Corp. "We're pleased that the new ownership of Midtown TDR Ventures shares our commitment to development in East Midtown and worked with us to quickly reach this agreement. With demolition nearly complete and ork already underway on public improvements, One Vanderbilt is well on the way to becoming a reality."



One Vanderbilt is bounded by Vanderbilt Avenue and Madison Avenue between East 42nd and East 43rd Streets in Manhattan's East Midtown business district. The skyscraper will be 1,401 feet tall, and will contain 1.7 million gross square feet of Class A commercial space. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), One Vanderbilt's architecture and building materials pay homage to the landmarked Terminal and the surrounding East Midtown business district. One Vanderbilt features open floor plans, efficient use of space, and the highest level of sustainable design in New York City. As part of the development, SL Green will invest $220 million in public infrastructure in and around Grand Central Terminal. About SL Green Realty Corp.

SL Green Realty Corp., an S&P 500 company and New York City's largest office landlord, is a fully integrated real estate investment trust, or REIT, that is focused primarily on acquiring, managing and maximizing value of Manhattan commercial properties. As of June 30, 2016, the company held interests in 119 Manhattan buildings totaling 44.7 million square feet. This included ownership interests in 28.1 million square feet of commercial buildings and debt and preferred equity investments secured by 16.7 million square feet of buildings. In addition, the company held ownership interests in 31 suburban buildings totaling 4.9 million square feet in Brooklyn, Long Island, Westchester County, Connecticut and New Jersey. For more information, please visit: http://slgreen.com/ SLG-GEN View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005629/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 10, 2016] Toppan Photomasks Approves New Advanced Production Capacity And Technology Project For 65-nm To 14-nm Nodes In China

ROUND ROCK, Texas, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Toppan Photomasks, Inc. (TPI), the world's preferred global partner for photomasks, announced today the approval of the next phase of investment for its recently expanded factory in Shanghai, China operated under Toppan Photomasks Company Limited, Shanghai (TPCS), a wholly-owned subsidiary. TPI's new US$80 million investment in this factory further demonstrates Toppan's long-term commitment to its customers in China's rapidly growing semiconductor industry. This comes after the company's previous US$20 million investment in the expansion of TPCS Shanghai II, which is now operational and ramping as the only available commercial mask shop with a full range of technology product offerings in China. "TPI's Shanghai factory provides our mainland China customers a two-day cycle time advantage over other suppliers, thereby speeding their time to market. Today's announcement builds upon that speed and cycle time advantage while extending TPI's capability down to the 28-nm node for both photomask production and wafer fabservices support," said Mike Hadsell, chief executive officer for TPI. "Our factory capability will be further extended down to the 14-nm node to meet the requirements of this quickly evolving market. In addition, our facility has sufficient expansion space to support our customers' growth over the next decade and beyond."



The recent expansion of the Shanghai facility, a sub-class 1 clean room located in a new manufacturing facility adjacent to the company's existing operation, was constructed to allow for phased growth. The next phase of technology focus will be on 65-nm to 14-nm logic and advanced memory (DRAM and NAND) design features using industry standard equipment for proven capability and reliable supply. Upon completion of today's announced project, 40 percent of the clean room space will remain available for future expansion. About Toppan Photomasks

Toppan Photomasks, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. a diversified global company with revenue in excess of US$13 billion in calendar 2015. Toppan Photomasks is part of the Toppan Group of photomask companies. As the world's premier photomask provider, the Toppan Group operates the industry's most advanced and largest network of manufacturing facilities and offers a comprehensive range of photomask technologies and research and development capabilities to meet the increasingly sophisticated and divergent product-and service requirements of the global semiconductor industry. Toppan Photomasks is headquartered in Round Rock, Texas. For more information, visit www.photomask.com .

About Toppan Printing's Photomask Business

Toppan Printing is the world's premier photomask manufacturer. The company supports the global semiconductor industry, from the initial launch of the semiconductor manufacturing process through commercial production, by providing state-of-the-art photomask technology. Toppan is the only global photomask manufacturer providing the highest quality products in a timely manner to customers across Japan, the United States, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.toppan.co.jp . Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/396965 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/toppan-photomasks-approves-new-advanced-production-capacity-and-technology-project-for-65-nm-to-14-nm-nodes-in-china-300311563.html SOURCE Toppan Photomasks, Inc.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 09, 2016] Edmunds Launches New Innovative Ad Product for Car Dealers on Facebook and Instagram

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Edmunds, the leading car information and shopping network, today launched Edmunds Ad Solutions, a new mobile-optimized ad product for dealers to target in-market car shoppers on Facebook and Instagram. Ad Solutions uses exclusive first-party shopping data from Edmunds to serve shoppers with highly relevant native ads on Facebook and Instagram to drive buyer-traffic directly to dealer sites. The data also is used to identify and target "lookalike" shoppers -- individuals who show similar shopping behavior -- on those premium partner sites. Edmunds engineers worked closely with Facebook's solutions engineering team to design and build an end-to-end automatic ads buying system that leverages Facebook's marketing APIs and dynamic ads platform. As a result, Edmunds Ad Solutions gives subscribing dealers added exposure to Edmunds' vast audience of highly qualified shoppers. A national pilot found that Edmunds Ad Solutions delivered 20 times more click-through traffic to dealer sites when compared to a Google rich media gallery display automotive click-through benchmark study, November 2015 -December 2015. Dealers in the pilot program also enjoyed up to a 61 percent increase in new visitors to their sites, as well as a 50 percent increase in overall visitor site engagement. "Edmunds Ad Solutions is proving to be an indispensable tool for a dealer's comprehensive digital marketing strategy," said Edmunds.com Vice President of Dealer Sales, Scott Fanelli. "Not only does it get dealer inventory in front of Edmunds' rich audience of in-market shoppers, it also gives them exposure to other shoppers who perform similar ready-to-buy behaviors on other sites. There's no better way for a dealership to expand its inventory's digital footprint to an audience of relevant shoppers." Edmunds Ad Solutions is specificall optimized for mobile devices, which have quickly become a popular tool for car shoppers. According to a Facebook IQ study, 71 percent of all respondents used mobile during the purchase process. And 58 percent say that in the future their smartphone is likely to be the only device they use for all their vehicle research. It's no surprise, then, that early testing found an overwhelming 90 percent of Edmunds Ad Solutions traffic comes from mobile devices.



"Edmunds Ad Solutions is one of the best ways that dealers can keep their inventory top of mind for consumers from the beginning of their online shopping journey, right through the moment they're ready to purchase," said Mike Miller, digital marketing manager at John Elway Dealerships. "The product delivers serious and engaged customers who spend far more time on our vehicle detail pages than other paid marketing campaigns. The bottom line: Edmunds is helping us to deliver highly targeted ads that are getting the right cars in front of the right buyers." With millions of visitors every month Edmunds has built a powerful network that both shoppers and car dealers have come to trust. An estimated 59 percent of all new car shoppers will visit Edmunds at some point in the car shopping process, and a study by CDK Global found that shoppers who visit both Edmunds and dealer sites are four times more likely to buy than shoppers who visit a dealer's site only.

Dealers interested in subscribing to Edmunds Ad Solutions are urged to reach out to their Edmunds account executive, or contact [email protected]. About Edmunds, Inc.

Car shopping destination Edmunds.com serves millions of visitors each month. With Edmunds Price Promise, shoppers can buy smarter with instant, upfront prices for cars and trucks currently for sale at 10,000 dealer franchises across the U.S. Shoppers can browse not only dealer inventory, but also vehicle reviews, shopping tips, photos, videos and feature stories on both Edmunds' wired site and on its acclaimed mobile apps. Regarded as one of the best places to work in Southern California, Edmunds.com was also named one of "The World's Top 10 Most Innovative Companies of 2015 in Automotive" by Fast Company. Edmunds welcomes all car-shopping questions on its free Live Help Line at 1-855-782-4711 and [email protected], via text at ED411 and on Twitter and Facebook. The company is based in Santa Monica, Calif. and has a satellite office in downtown Detroit, Mich., but you can find Edmunds from anywhere on YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+ and Flipboard. Contact:

Aaron Lewis

Edmunds.com Corporate Communications

Media Hotline: 310-309-4900

[email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130612/MM31390LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/edmunds-launches-new-innovative-ad-product-for-car-dealers-on-facebook-and-instagram-300311353.html SOURCE Edmunds.com

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 09, 2016] UrtheCast Reports Strong Second Quarter 2016 Financial Results

IFRS Revenue of $21.0 million in Q2 increased by 322% over the prior year (non-IFRS revenue of $15.9 million increased by 218%)

Non-IFRS adjusted EBITDA of $5.0 million , an improvement of 377%

Reaffirming our full-year guidance for 2016 of non-IFRS revenue of between $55 and $60 million and non-IFRS adjusted EBITDA of between $4.2 and $6.2 million VANCOUVER, Aug. 9, 2016 /CNW/ - UrtheCast Corp. (TSX:UR) ("UrtheCast" or the "Company") today announces financial results for the three and six months ended on June 30, 2016. The Company is pleased to report Q2 non-IFRS revenues of $15.9 million (IFRS - $21.0 million), a 218% increase over Q2 2015 non-IFRS revenue of $5.0 million (IFRS $5.0 million). The Company's non-IFRS adjusted EBITDA was positive $5.0 million in the quarter compared to a loss of $1.8 million in 2015. Non-IFRS earth observation imagery revenue increased by approximately 130% from Q1 of fiscal 2016, growing from $1.3 million to $3.1 million. Non-IFRS engineering and value added services revenue also increased at the same rate from Q1 of fiscal 2016, growing from $5.5 million to $12.8 million. At June 30, 2016, the Company had total cash balances of $31.4 million and working capital of $28.4 million. This continued significant year over year growth allows us to reaffirm our full year 2016 guidance to achieve non-IFRS revenue between $55 million and $60 million (representing an IFRS revenue range of $78 million to $83 million) and non-IFRS adjusted EBITDA guidance between $4.2 million and $6.2 million in fiscal 2016. "Our financial results are beginning to reflect both the strong revenue momentum and significant operating leverage in our business," explained Wade Larson, CEO and co-founder. "We continue to see a strong expansion of our sales pipeline for our current business as well as significant progress toward realizing our goals for UrtheDaily and OptiSAR." Business Highlights UrtheDaily Update The Company announced a strategic partnership with OmniEarth, Inc. ("OmniEarth") in support of UrtheCast's planned UrtheDaily Constellation, expected to be capable of imaging the global landmass every day at 5 meters GSD. The UrtheCast-OmniEarth partnership includes collaborative system development, the sharing of intellectual property, and joint customer marketing activities. Based in Arlington, Virginia , OmniEarth is a leading data analytics company and a large consumer of Earth imagery. OmniEarth specializes in image processing, data fusion, and predictive analytics, in essence turning big data into actionable intelligence. One of OmniEarth's leading products is a tool for water utilities that estimates water demand, but the company has also served the energy industry, the agricultural sector, and the U.S. Federal Government. OptiSAR Progress UrtheCast will receive $5.0 million from the Government of Canada's Technology Development Program ("TDP"), as part of a $54 million contribution program for the development of new satellite technologies. UrtheCast's contract for the $5.0 million portion of the TDP award is scheduled to be paid out evenly over five years on a reimbursement basis as eligible costs are incurred.

from the Government of Technology Development Program ("TDP"), as part of a contribution program for the development of new satellite technologies. UrtheCast's contract for the portion of the TDP award is scheduled to be paid out evenly over five years on a reimbursement basis as eligible costs are incurred. UrtheCast issued a Request for Proposal ("RFP") to U.S. companies interested in a long-term strategic partnership to serve the United States Government, further to the Company's announcement on May 6, 2016 . The RFP solicits prospective U.S. commercial partners with strong U.S. Department of Defense and Intelligence Community footprints to help deliver data and services from UrtheCast's planned 8-satellite UrtheDaily Constellation and 16-satellite OptiSAR Constellation to U.S. Government user agencies.

. The RFP solicits prospective U.S. commercial partners with strong U.S. Department of Defense and Intelligence Community footprints to help deliver data and services from UrtheCast's planned 8-satellite UrtheDaily Constellation and 16-satellite OptiSAR Constellation to U.S. Government user agencies. Technically, significant progress has been made on the dual band, multi-aperture SAR-XL payload and the high-resolution optical dual mode camera with both completing their preliminary design reviews. Also, at the OptiSAR mission level, the Mission Requirements Review was completed and the spacecraft is now under full development. UrthePlatform Update Starting in April we began delivering Deimos-1 imagery of the entire contiguous US  cloud-free  to the platform on a monthly basis. This complements an already existing 5year archive of contiguous U.S. imagery on the platform.

UrtheCast's Deimos-2 data has been incorporated into the UrthePlatform's offerings, beginning with imagery from the San Francisco Bay Area , with additional Deimos-2 data of other areas expected to be added in the future. UrtheCast expects to soon make Sentinel-2 data, from the European Space Agency's Copernicus Programme, available for UrthePlatform users. SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION The following table provides selected financial information of the Company, which was derived from, and should be read in conjunction with, the unaudited consolidated financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016.











Three Months ended June 30, Six Months ended June 30,



2016

2015

2016

2015 Revenue $ 20,973 $ 4,975 $ 33,125 $ 8,233 Other operating income

695

1,385

695

4,065



21,668

6,360

33,820

12,298 Operating costs















Direct costs, selling, general and

administrative expenses

13,915

4,992

29,042

8,116 Research expenditures

1,493

3,172

3,229

5,102 Depreciation and amortization

6,392

102

12,956

165 Share-based payments

565

647

1,123

1,351



22,365

8,913

46,350

14,734 Operating loss

(697)

(2,553)

(12,530)

(2,436) Acquisition costs

-

(3,030)

-

(3,030) Net finance costs

(580)

(59)

(1,101)

(129) Foreign exchange (loss) gain

(210)

(34)

(402)

169 Loss before income taxes

(1,487)

(5,676)

(14,033)

(5,426) Income tax recovery

1,210

-

2,656

- Net loss

(277)

(5,676)

(11,377)

(5,426) Other comprehensive (loss) income

(1,498)

(16)

(3,457)

(2) Comprehensive loss $ (1,775) $ (5,692) $ (14,834) $ (5,428) Net loss per share  basic and diluted $ (0.00) $ (0.08) $ (0.11) $ (0.08)



Three Months ended June 30, Six Months ended June 30,



2016

2015

2016

2015 NON-IFRS REVENUE:















Revenue per income statement $ 20,973 $ 4,975 $ 33,125 $ 8,233 Non-cash revenue

(5,079)

-

(10,413)

- NON-IFRS REVENUE

15,894

4,975 $ 22,712 $ 8,233 ADJUSTED EBITDA:















Net loss $ (277) $ (5,676) $ (11,377) $ (5,426) Add back (subtract):















Depreciation and amortization

6,392

102

12,956

165 Net finance costs

580

59

1,101

129 Income tax recovery

(1,210)

-

(2,656)

- EBITDA

5,485

(5,515)

24

(5,132) Non-cash revenue

(5,079)

-

(10,413)

- Non-cash operating costs

3,811

-

7,877

- Share-based payments expense

565

647

1,123

1,351 Deimos acquisition costs

-

3,030

-

3,030 Foreign exchange losses (gains)

210

34

402

(169) ADJUSTED EBITDA $ 4,992 $ (1,804) $ (987) $ (920) As previously announced, UrtheCast will host a conference call regarding its 2016 first quarter financial results at 5:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. PT) today, August 9, 2016. The live conference call will be available by calling toll-free at +1 866-696-5910, or by toll call at +1 416-340-2217. The participant pass code is 4686716. An archived version of the conference call will be made available on the Company's investor website (investors.urthecast.com) following the live conference call. ABOUT URTHECAST CORP. UrtheCast Corp. is a Vancouver-based technology company that serves the rapidly evolving geospatial and geoanalytics markets with a wide range of information-rich products and services. The Company currently operates four Earth Observation sensors in space, including two cameras aboard the International Space Station and two satellites, Deimos-1 and Deimos-2. Imagery and video data captured by these sensors is downlinked to ground stations across the planet and displayed on the UrthePlatform, or distributed directly to partners and customers. UrtheCast is also developing and anticipates launching the world's first fully-integrated constellation of multispectral optical and SAR satellites, called OptiSAR, in addition to its proposed UrtheDaily constellation, which the Company believes will together revolutionize monitoring of our planet with high-quality, medium and high-resolution, and high-coverage and high-revisit imagery in all weather conditions, any time of day. Common shares of UrtheCast trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange as ticker 'UR'. For more information, visit UrtheCast's website at www.urthecast.com. Non-IFRS Financial Measures The Company prepares its financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board. This release includes certain non-IFRS financial measures, such as non-IFRS revenues, EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA. The Company uses these non-IFRS financial measures as supplemental indicators of its operating performance and financial position. These measures do not have any standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS and therefore are unlikely to be comparable to the calculation of similar measures used by other companies, and should not be viewed as alternatives to measures of financial performance calculated in accordance with IFRS or considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. These non-IFRS financial measures should be read in conjunction with the Company's financial statements and accompanying MD&A. Forward Looking Information This release contains certain information which, as presented, constitutes "forward-looking information" or "forward-oriented financial information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information involves statements that relate to future events and often addresses expected future business and financial performance, containing words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "guidance", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could" or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions and includes, but is not limited to, statements relating to: UrtheCast's expectations with respect its current sensors and proposed OptiSAR and UrtheDailyTM constellations; financial guidance for the 2016 financial year; anticipated cash and financing needs; its plans for and timing of expansion of its product offering and value-added services, including providing additional data sources on the UrthePlatform; its future growth and operations plans, including with respect to the RFP; expectations regarding its sales funnel; and anticipated trends and challenges in its business and the markets in which it operates. Such statements reflect UrtheCast's current views with respect to future events. Such statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by UrtheCast, are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors could cause UrtheCast's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others: any delays or failures in the design, development, construction, launch and operational commissioning of the proposed OptiSAR or UrtheDailyTM constellations; the Company being unable to convert the Memoranda of Understanding in respect of funding of the OptiSAR constellation into binding, definitive agreements; failures aboard the International Space Station ("ISS") or the Deimos-1 or Deimos-2 satellites; failure to obtain, or loss of, regulatory approvals; uncertainties and assumptions in UrtheCast's revenue forecasts; as well as those factors and assumptions discussed in UrtheCast's annual information form dated March 29, 2016, (the "AIF"), which is available under UrtheCast's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information is developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out herein, in the AIF, and as disclosed from time to time on UrtheCast's SEDAR profile. UrtheCast undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by Canadian securities laws. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. SOURCE UrtheCast Corp.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 09, 2016] Construction Underway for New Affordable-Housing Community for Military Veterans Struggling with Homelessness

Struggling military veterans will have access to new housing and resources to help end the cycle of homelessness, as construction is now underway for a new, affordable-housing community in Minneapolis. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160809006480/en/ Veterans, project partners and community leaders herald the start of construction for Veterans East during a groundbreaking ceremony at the construction site. L to R: Andrew Johnson, Minneapolis City Council Member; Peter McLaughlin, Hennepin County Commissioner; Elizabeth Niemyer, Rear Admiral US Navy (Retired), Chief Program Officer, UnitedHealthcare Military & Veterans; Mary Tingerthal, Commissioner, Minnesota Housing; Elizabeth Flannery, CEO, Community Housing Development Corporation; Patrick Kelly, Capt. US Navy (Retired); Director, Minneapolis VA Health System; Warren Hanson, President and CEO of Minnesota Equity Fund; Chris Laurent, Senior Vice President, Cinnaire; Tim Moore, veteran and resident of Veterans Housing Community; Dale Forsberg, president, Watson-Forsberg General Contractors (Photo: Matt Page). During a ceremonial groundbreaking for Veterans East, veterans groups, project partners and community leaders heralded the new development as vital in helping end homelessness among military veterans in Minnesota. According to Heading Home Minnesota, a public-private partnership to end homelessness, more than 10,000 Minnesotans are homeless on any given night, including more than 279 veterans. Funding for the $14.3 million veterans' community, developed by the Community Housing Development Corporation (CHDC), was secured through a collaboration of public- and private-sector partners. "We are pleased to begin construction on this important new community that will serve veterans who have struggled with homelessness," said Elizabeth Flannery, president of CHDC. "So many partners have come together to help Veterans East become a place for veterans to call home." Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is the largest private investor, providing $5.2 million in equity through a partnership with Minnesota Equity Fund, using Low Income Housing Tax Credits approved by the state. Minnesota Housing, the other major investor, is providing $7.7 million in deferred loan funds for the new development. Additional funding includes $500,000 from Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of Des Moines; $350,000 from Hennepin County; $260,000 from CHDC affiliates; and $290,000 in energy and sales tax rebates. "This new community will be a model for providing permanent husing and services for military veterans," said Minnesota Housing Commissioner Mary Tingerthal, who co-chairs the Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness. "We are honored to join with so many partners to help end veteran and chronic homelessness."



"We are grateful for the opportunity to play an integral part in helping make a difference in the lives of military veterans who have given so much for our country," said retired Rear Adm. Elizabeth S. Niemyer, Chief Program Officer, UnitedHealthcare Military & Veterans, a UnitedHealth Group company that provides health care services for nearly 2.9 million service members, military retirees and their families. "This is an important new housing community that will have a tremendous impact in serving military veterans in our state for years to come." When completed in Summer 2017, the new 100-unit efficiency apartment community will provide permanent supportive housing for veterans struggling with homelessness. Through partnerships with the Veterans Administration, CHDC, BDC Management Company and Hennepin County, Veterans East will include onsite services to assist residents with health care, case management, life skills, financial management, benefits assistance, education and employment resources.

"This is a proud moment for our community," said Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin. "The men and women who will be living at Veterans East have endured many sacrifices while serving our nation, and Veterans East will provide housing and support services to help lift them up and out of poverty." The five-story property will feature a lobby with security, community room with gas fireplace and kitchenette, laundry facility and resident parking. Watson-Forsberg is the general contractor, and LHB is the architect. The $5.2 million investment by UnitedHealth Group is part of more than $240 million the company has provided since 2011 to finance affordable-housing communities with supportive services throughout the United States. These investments have included $29 million for affordable housing in Minnesota, including $7.2 million for the recently completed CommonBond Veterans Community at Fort Snelling. "MEF (News - Alert) provides a vehicle for socially motivated corporations like UnitedHealth Group and financial institutions to make economic investments in well-designed, high-quality affordable-housing developments in growing communities throughout Minnesota," said Warren Hanson, MEF president and CEO. "Our partnership in this new veterans development will help meet the critical need to provide military families with quality, permanent housing with supportive services." About Community Housing Development Corporation (CHDC): CHDC has provided stability to Minnesota residents and communities for more than 25 years as a nonprofit developer and owner of 44 properties with more than 4,300 affordable units. CHDC's properties provide housing for more than 5,000 residents. CHDC was founded on the belief that long term, nonprofit ownership is the best way to sustain high quality affordable housing. Its mission is to develop quality housing for people earning low incomes. About the Minnesota Equity Fund (MEF): MEF is a subsidiary of the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund (GMHF), a non-profit Community Development Financial Institution. GMHF provides loans, equity investments, grants and technical assistance to create affordable housing in Minnesota. MEF is a strategic partnership between GMHF and Cinnaire, a nationally recognized syndicator of low-income housing tax credits with over $3 billion under management. About Minnesota Housing Finance Agency: Minnesota Housing finances affordable housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income Minnesotans while fostering strong communities. Find out more at www.mnhousing.gov, Twitter (News - Alert) @mnhousing and at www.facebook.com/minnesotahousing. About UnitedHealth Group: UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and helping to make the health system work better for everyone. UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through two distinct platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which provides health care coverage and benefits services; and Optum, which provides information and technology-enabled health services. For more information, visit UnitedHealth Group at www.unitedhealthgroup.com or follow @UnitedHealthGrp on Twitter. Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for UnitedHealth Group. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160809006480/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 09, 2016]

iLandMan and OGsys Integrate Land and Accounting Systems

LAFAYETTE, La., Aug. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Oil and gas software firms iLandMan and OGsys, Inc. have entered into a developmental business agreement to offer a fully integrated land management and accounting solution for exploration and production companies.

This state of the art technology relationship promises to unite land teams and accounting departments through a truly integrated technical approach, where data meaningful to each side of the company can be appropriately shared between them.

"OGsys clients and prospective clients have requested that our firm link seamlessly with iLandMan among others. We've heard many times over that full land-life-cycle management, from leasing, to mapping, to divisions of interest, must beoffered in a seamless connection," said OGsys President Chuck Blanton. "The accuracy and efficiency that result from such an integration is invaluable to all."







iLandMan President, Tim Supple, explains, "No longer do today's land departments need to settle for a sub-par land system tied to their previously chosen accounting system. This solution will empower these companies to have the most accurate tract and formation-based data in the industry flow directly to a powerful accounting system with ease."

Currently in development, a cloud-based OGsys platform will soon be released, offering E&P companies additional accounting and operations management options. For those desiring total cloud technology, the iLandMan/OGsys connection will provide functionality unheard of in the industry.

About iLandMan: iLandMan is the only online, real-time, tract and formation-based lease management software for exploration and production companies. The company has offices in Lafayette, Houston, and Oklahoma City.

About OGsys: Since 1982, OGsys has been providing user-friendly, intuitive oil and gas accounting software that accelerates answers to critical questions impacting daily productivity and overall success. The company has offices in Fort Worth and Houston.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/396990LOGO

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/396989LOGO

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ilandman-and-ogsys-integrate-land-and-accounting-systems-300311549.html

SOURCE iLandMan
[August 09, 2016] Alterra Power Announces Results for the Quarter Ended June 30, 2016

(under IFRS and all amounts in US dollars unless otherwise stated) VANCOUVER, Aug. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Alterra Power Corp. (TSX: AXY) ("Alterra" or the "Company") is pleased to report its financial and operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016. For further information on these results please see Alterra's Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis. At June 30, 2016, Alterra consolidated 100% of the results of operations from its Icelandic subsidiary HS Orka, while Alterra's interests in the Toba Montrose, Dokie 1 and Shannon renewable power projects were accounted for as equity investments. In certain statements in this news release, Alterra's results are disclosed as Alterra's "net interest", by which the Company means the effective portion of operating results that the Company would have reported if each of HS Orka (66.6%), Toba Montrose (40%), Dokie 1 (25.5%), and Shannon (50% sponsor equity interest) had been reported in accordance with Alterra's actual share of ownership at June 30, 2016 and for the three and six months then ended. Management believes that net interest reporting provides the clearest view of Alterra's performance. Highlights for the quarter and subsequent period include: Continued strong generation at Toba Montrose: Toba Montrose achieved record second quarter generation at 121% of budget, an increase from the comparative quarter (118% of budget).

Toba Montrose achieved record second quarter generation at 121% of budget, an increase from the comparative quarter (118% of budget). Deep drilling project at HS Orka: The last major contract was signed for a 5,000 meter deep drilling program at the Reykjanes plant in Iceland . The rig has been deployed to site and drilling will commence in August.

The last major contract was signed for a 5,000 meter deep drilling program at the Reykjanes plant in . The rig has been deployed to site and drilling will commence in August. Jimmie Creek project completion: Construction of the 62 MW hydro project was completed on time and within budget with first test power generated on June 10, 2016 . Jimmie Creek commenced commercial operations on August 1 and began selling power to the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority under a 40-year power purchase agreement.

Construction of the 62 MW hydro project was completed on time and within budget with first test power generated on . Jimmie Creek commenced commercial operations on and began selling power to the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority under a 40-year power purchase agreement. Flat Top wind development project: On June 15, 2016 the Company acquired the 200 MW Flat Top wind project for consideration of $0.9 million , with further payments to be made on completion of agreed milestones. The project, located in the counties of Comanche and Mills in Texas , is currently under development with construction expected to begin in late 2016 or early 2017. Concurrent with closing, the Company placed a $1.5 million security deposit with the project's transmission service provider.

On the Company acquired the 200 MW Flat Top wind project for consideration of , with further payments to be made on completion of agreed milestones. The project, located in the counties of and in , is currently under development with construction expected to begin in late 2016 or early 2017. Concurrent with closing, the Company placed a security deposit with the project's transmission service provider. Solar development portfolio: In July the Company reached an agreement to acquire an 80% ownership interest in a two-project 20 MW DC portfolio of solar farms under development in the Midwestern USA . Both projects are contracted under long-term, investment-grade power purchase agreements.

In July the Company reached an agreement to acquire an 80% ownership interest in a two-project 20 MW portfolio of solar farms under development in the Midwestern . Both projects are contracted under long-term, investment-grade power purchase agreements. Distributions: The Company received distributions during the quarter from equity investments of $3.6 million from Shannon and Blue Lagoon hf (plus a separate $0.3 million return of capital from Shannon). Subsequent to the quarter, the Company received distributions of C$9.4 million from Toba Montrose GP and Dokie GP and $0.4 million from Shannon.

The Company received distributions during the quarter from equity investments of from Shannon and Blue Lagoon hf (plus a separate return of capital from Shannon). Subsequent to the quarter, the Company received distributions of from Toba Montrose GP and Dokie GP and from Shannon. Adjusted EBITDA and revenue: Consolidated revenue increased by 2% to $13.8 million and net interest revenue increased by 5% to $18.5 million , respectively. The increase in revenue is primarily due to increased generation at Dokie 1, generation from Shannon and the strengthening of the Icelandic Krona. Consolidated and net interest Adjusted EBITDA decreased by 8% to $10.8 million and 10% to $8.5 million , respectively, primarily due to increased development spend on new early-stage projects and the weakening of the Canadian dollar. Financial Results The following table shows Alterra's net interest in select operating and financial results for the quarter, in addition to key financial information extracted from the consolidated results.























For the three months ended HS Orka Toba Montrose Dokie 1 Shannon Development and Head Office Net Interest Total Consolidated Results June 30, 2016(a) (66.6%) (40%) (25.5%) (50%) Generation (MWh) 184,011 110,014 16,841 76,205  387,071 276,293 Total revenue 9,189 6,900 1,368 1,088  18,545 13,797 Gross profit (loss) 2,392 5,028 466 (1,111)  6,775 3,591 Adjusted EBITDA(b) 4,465 5,550 807 (67) (2,228) 8,527 10,765































For the three months ended HS Orka Toba Montrose Dokie 1 Development and Head Office Net Interest Total Consolidated Results

June 30, 2015 (66.6%) (40%) (25.5%)

Generation (MWh) 204,814 108,051 15,700  328,565 307,529

Total revenue 9,005 7,398 1,258  17,661 13,522

Gross profit 2,588 5,498 298  8,384 3,887

Adjusted EBITDA(b) 4,378 6,011 650 (1,554) 9,485 11,679



















(a) Here and elsewhere, all tabular amounts (except generation) are expressed in thousands of US dollars. (b) Here and elsewhere, adjusted EBITDA ("Adjusted EBITDA") is defined by the Company as earnings before interest, taxes, foreign exchange, depreciation and amortization, as well as adjustments for changes in the fair value of holding company bonds (Sweden) and derivatives, write-offs of development costs, other income (expense) except business interruption insurance proceeds, amortization of below market contracts, value assigned to options granted, share of results of equity investments, the Company's proportionate interest in Adjusted EBITDA of its equity investments, research and development costs for deep drilling program and non-recurring items (insurance deductibles, litigation and arbitration costs). Adjusted EBITDA has been calculated on a consistent basis with the comparative quarter. The Company discloses Adjusted EBITDA as it is a measure used by analysts and by management to evaluate the Company's performance. As Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS measure, it may not be comparable to Adjusted EBITDA calculated by others. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA is not a substitute for net earnings. Readers should consider net earnings in evaluating the Company's performance. Readers should also consider the risks and assumptions in estimates of Adjusted EBITDA discussed under the heading "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Information". For a reconciliation of consolidated Adjusted EBITDA to Alterra's condensed consolidated interim financial statements refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.



Consolidated Results Revenue was $13.8 million for the quarter, up 2% from the comparative quarter primarily due to the strengthening of the Icelandic Krona. The Company recorded net income of $3.4 million, down from the comparative quarter ($6.8 million), resulting primarily from changes in non-cash items such as the change in fair value of holding company bonds (Sweden). Consolidated cash and cash equivalents at June 30, 2016 was $11.7 million of which $9.1 million is held in the Company's Icelandic subsidiary ($10.3 million and $6.4 million respectively at December 31, 2015). The Company's consolidated working capital deficit at June 30, 2016 was $153.2 million compared to a working capital deficit of $123.3 million at December 31, 2015. The working capital deficit is primarily due to the fair value of the holding company bonds (Sweden) being classified as short-term (the bonds mature within twelve months). Net Interest Results Alterra's net interest revenue increased by $0.9 million to $18.5 million primarily due to increased generation at Dokie 1, generation from Shannon and the strengthening of the Icelandic Krona. Net interest EBITDA decreased 10% to $8.5 million due to development spend on early-stage projects along with the weakening of the Canadian dollar. The net interest cash position at June 30, 2016 was $14.8 million. Operating Results The Company achieved 94.3% of its budgeted generation for the quarter, led by Toba Montrose.







Q2 2016 Generation (MWh)



Total



Net Interest





Facility Budget (a)

Actual

Budget (a)

Actual

% of Budget Reykjanes 148,840

144,378

99,127

96,156

97.0% Svartsengi 134,645

131,915

89,674

87,855

98.0% Toba Montrose 226,971

275,034

90,788

110,014

121.2% Dokie 1 68,131

66,043

17,373

16,841

96.9% Shannon 226,698

152,410

113,349

76,205

67.2% TOTAL 805,285

769,780

410,311

387,071

94.3% (a) Includes planned maintenance outages. "We are pleased with the continued solid performance of our operating assets in the quarter as well as the recent achievement of commercial operations at Jimmie Creek," said Lynda Freeman, CFO of Alterra. "We are now fully geared towards our next phase of growth with the advancement of Flat Top as well as a solar development portfolio and other development projects." Alterra will host a conference call to discuss financial and operating results on Wednesday, August 10, 2016 at 11:30 am ET (8:30 am PT). North American participants dial 1-888-390-0546 and International participants dial 1-416-764-8688; the conference ID is 17047515 The call will also be broadcast live on the Internet at http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=1235231&s=1&k=5FFBEFA29195B7323A9D2B993ADE39F9 The call will be available for replay for one week after the call by dialing 1-416-764-8677 and entering replay PIN 047515# Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Information

Certain of the statements and information included in this news release constitute forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements or information. This information may involve known and unknown risks, assumptions and uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the future results, performance or achievements implied by such statements or information. Specifically, forward-looking statements within this news release relate to, among other things: success of the deep drilling program at Reykjanes, successful development and construction of our pre-operational projects and properties, including Flat Top and our solar development portfolio, and the timing of the same, marketing of power and ability to secure power purchase or offtake agreements in respect of the same; success, timing and receipt of future payments and financial milestones, our ability to successfully refinance certain bonds, results of operations, and financial position. These statements and information reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant operational, business, economic and regulatory uncertainties and contingencies. These assumptions include, among others, the expected power generation from our operations, the success and timely completion of planned development, expansion and construction programs, and modeling and budgeting based on historical trends, our ability or inability to obtain financing or refinancing to pursue our growth strategy and business plans, current conditions and expected future developments. Forward-looking statements and information also involve known and unknown risks that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed by such statements or information, and the Company has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. These risks include volatility of renewable energy resources, inherent risks in operating and constructing power plants and development programs related to the same, contractual risks related to credit facilities, partnership and power purchase agreements, prospective power, currency and commodity price fluctuations, health, safety, social and environmental risks and risks related to reliance on third parties. Additional risks, assumptions and influential factors are set out in the Company's management discussion analysis and Alterra's most recent annual information form, copies of which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, given the inherent uncertainties in such forward-looking statements and information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described or intended. Investors are cautioned against undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements or information, which apply only as of their dates. Other than as specifically required by law, Alterra undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information to reflect new information. SOURCE Alterra Power Corp.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 09, 2016] Chubb launches end-to-end risk management solution for cyber threats in Asia Pacific

SINGAPORE, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Chubb announced today the launch of its Cyber Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)solution in the Asia Pacific region, kick-starting with Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160124/325256LOGO In today's connected environment, cyber security is a widespread concern. Despite the higher incidences and losses associated with cyber breaches, businesses may not fully understand their cyber and data privacy risks until an event occurs. Beyond a simple policy, Chubb's Cyber ERM is structured to offer an end-to-end loss control and risk management solution to clients  from helping them understand what leads to cyber incidents and how to prevent them prior to the policy inception; to offering guidance in the case of a cyber incident to minimize losses and manage reputation.



Chubb's Cyber ERM solution has the following benefits for clients: Access to Chubb Global Cyber Practice, a specialist network of cyber risk professionals from around the world, coupled with the personalized touch of local underwriters. Chubb's underwriters help clients understand and measure their risk exposures, in order to customize coverage more effectively.

Simplified policy structure and language, bringing together in one wording the key elements of first party cover and third-party cyber liability cover, including: business interruption loss, data restoration, cyber extortion, liability arising from privacy and security incidents, as well as crisis response expenses

Dedicated 24/7 incdent response teams to assist clients in a crisis resulting from a covered cyber incident



Tim Stapleton , Vice President and Cyber Insurance Product Manager, Overseas General Insurance at Chubb, "When a cyber event happens, companies need the certainty of having a specialist on their side. Chubb was a pioneer in the cyber insurance marketplace when it began to offer its first cyber risk product in 1998. With our experience in this field, we are well equipped to deliver truly global solutions to address the current and future cyber risk challenges faced by various organizations, regardless of size, industry or location." Marcel Van Peenen, Regional Professional Indemnity & Cyber Liability Manager for Chubb in Asia and Advisen's 2015 'International Cyber Risk Industry Person', said, "Cyber attacks are on the rise and taking a serious toll on businesses. According to various reports, Asia Pacific businesses have lost billions of dollars in revenue due to cyber attacks in recent years. Against this backdrop, companies can no longer ignore the reputational and financial risks posed by cyber threats. Through Cyber ERM, we're moving beyond insurance to offer a loss control and risk management solution. Our dedicated cyber teams in Asia collaborate with clients to deliver tailor-made solutions to meet their specific needs."

"Our newly enhanced cyber solution caters to both large and small clients in the Australian market. The name  Cyber Enterprise Risk Management  underscores how cyber threats have become an enterprise-wide issue and not just a concern for IT departments of businesses. In Australia, we're seeing a steady increase in submission flow, buying habits and claims activity related to cyber. We will continue to build our capabilities and solutions to address the needs of clients in this evolving segment," said Andrew Taylor, Chubb's Cyber Product Manager for Australia and New Zealand. Product highlights are summaries only. Please see the actual policy for terms, conditions and exclusions. Products and services may not be available in all locations, may vary by location, and remain subject to Chubb's underwriting criteria. About the New Chubb Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: new.chubb.com.





[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 10, 2016] AceBot.ai Secures $650,000 Institutional Seed Funding from Accel Partners

SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- AceBot.ai, the popular Slackbot that drives productivity for teams that use Slack, has secured a $650,000 seed round from Accel Partners. Over the past several years, chatbots as well as Slackbots (chatbots native to the popular messaging app Slack) have become increasingly sought after due to how they let users perform commands by interacting with the bot. Despite launching roughly six months ago, AceBot has already made a name for itself within the Slackbot ecosystem through the way it makes things like managing daily to-dos, tracking expenses, running polls, and collecting ratings so easy. This is evidenced by their growing customer list that includes internationally-recognized companies like IBM, PayPal, and Airbnb. Accel Partners was one of the earliest venture capital firms to realize the potential of Slack and invested in their series A round in 2009. Now, with Slack firmly established as one of the world's most popular messaging apps, they have turned their sights towards building out the ecosystem by funding companies like AceBot. Shekhar Kirani of Accel comments, "Accel was an early investor in Slack and investing in AceBot was a logical next step to help boost team productivity and collaboration. Messaging apps have a higher userbase in enterprises than social networks. Conversational AI is gaining more tractin than GUI. With thousands of active teams, we believe that AceBot is on the trajectory for rapid growth and has the potential to become a must-have productivity bot for every departmental user out there."



The partnership between AceBot and Accel Partners is mutually beneficial, as AceBot Co-Founder and CTO Ralph Vaz insisted on receiving funding from a firm that cared about the overall vision of his company. "I'm truly honored to work with a well respected firm like Accel Partners," comments Vaz. "Not only do they have a repeated track record of investing in early stage companies that go on to experience success like Facebook, Dropbox, and Spotify, they sincerely believe in our vision. When analyzing who to partner with over the past several months, we made it a point to select a firm that believed in where we are today and where we plan to be three to five years into the future."

What's next for AceBot? "We'll use the funding to continue to develop what we like to call 'contextual intelligence'. Imagine being able to talk to a bot that not only maintains your tasks, expenses, etc. but also understands its professional context, adding the intelligent quotient that most bots currently lack. With AceBot, we hope to achieve just that," said AceBot's Co-Founder and CEO Ravindra Krishnappa. About Accel

Founded in 1983, and managing over $8.8 billion in capital, Accel Partners funds companies from inception through growth stage to build world-class businesses. Accel today invests globally using dedicated teams and market-specific strategies for local geographies, with offices in Palo Alto, California, New York City, London, and Bangalore, as well as in China via its partnership with IDG-Accel. For more information, visit http://www.accel.com/ About AceBot.ai

AceBot.ai is a Slackbot built for one common goalto drive your team's productivity and make them more efficient. With skills that help teams report expenses, manage daily tasks, conduct polls, and rate policies, your team can get more done faster without having to leave Slack. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/acebotai-secures-650000-institutional-seed-funding-from-accel-partners-300311501.html SOURCE AceBot.ai

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 10, 2016] Former Syngenta Executive, Scott McKinnon, Joins Farmers Edge in Australia to Expand Access to Big Data for Growers

Farmers Edge, a global leader in precision agriculture and independent data management solutions, announced today the appointment of Scott McKinnon as General Manager of Australian Operations. A former Syngenta executive and 20+ year veteran of global agriculture technologies, McKinnon will lead the market development and expansion of Farmers Edge beyond its current base in New South Wales (NSW) to meet the demand for integrated precision agriculture solutions across Australia. The Australian agriculture economy is expected to surpass $60 billion this year creating strong demand for innovative precision agriculture tools that will enable growers to capitalize on the growing market opportunity. In increasing its Australian presence, Farmers Edge will expand access to the data-driven, decision support platform needed to sustainably optimize yields and profits for the country's broad-acre and winter cereal growers. With variable cropping conditions throughout the country, we're seeing strong demand for agtech from Australia's growers to assist with their decision making and profitability," said Sctt McKinnon, General Manager, Australia at Farmers Edge. "Farmers Edge brings an integrated solution that allows all Australian growers to derive value in the country's thriving agricultural sector. Now, as we bolster our team on the ground, we can continue to meet the needs of our customers and expand into new markets."



Easily integrated with growers' existing equipment and programs, the Farmers Edge Precision Solutions platform provides a comprehensive turnkey system that includes: Variable Rate Technology, soil sampling and analysis, field-centric weather, in-field telematics and data transfer, high-resolution satellite imagery, field-centric data analytics, and access to FarmCommand - an integrated farm management platform. "For Farmers Edge, Australia represents a significant growth market for data-driven, precision agriculture to flourish," said Wade Barnes, President and CEO of Farmers Edge. "As we continue to rapidly grow and address new crops in Australia, Scott's expertise in market development and expansion is critical for us to scale operations and meet the strong demand for our integrated precision agriculture platform."

About Farmers Edge

Farmers Edge is a global leader in precision agriculture and independent data management solutions. Leading the development and application of new technologies on the farm since 2005, Farmers Edge is defining the future of agriculture through innovation. For more information on Farmers Edge, please visit: http://www.farmersedge.ca View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005203/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 10, 2016] SpineCenterNetwork.com Adds Reading Neck & Spine Center to Its National List of Credentialed Spine Centers in August

DALLAS, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Spine Center Network, the only national listing of spine centers that meet credentialing criteria, added Reading Neck and Spine Center to its list of credentialed spine centers. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/396852LOGO

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/396853 SpineCenterNetwork.com currently features 15 multi-disciplinary spine centers that meet the credentialing criteria of the network. The most recent spine center to be added in August is Reading Neck and Spine Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. The spine center combines under one roof a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon who is fellowship-trained in spine surgery, a board-certified specialist in non-surgical treatment options and spinal injections, X-ray, and a team of affiliated spine therapists with a full exercise gym. The network is a byproduct of meetings with insurance company medical directors and employers who were looking for a list of spine programs in various parts of the country that emphasized conservative care first, explains Bob Reznik, MBA, president of Prizm Development, Inc. "Dartmouth Medicl Atlas has documented tremendous treatment variation in spine surgery rates around the nation," says Reznik. "Some spine practices are surgical mills that emphasize spine surgery too often. Meanwhile other clinics can emphasize injections that go on for months. Then there are other clinics that overdo therapy, hanging onto the back pain sufferer until symptoms like numbness in a hand or foot become permanent."



The real problem with spine care is specialty bias according to Reznik. "If the back pain sufferer starts with a surgeon, they can be told they need surgery," Reznik explains. "If they start with a spinal injectionist, they can get an excessive number of injections. Others can get stuck in a non-surgical silo for palliative therapy that accomplishes nothing. The key is a multi-disciplinary spine center that ensures the patient gets the right type of care at the right time." According to David Abraham, MD, a founder of Reading Neck and Spine Center, the multi-disciplinary approach eliminates a lot of the fragmentation and frustration experienced by those with back or neck pain. "Too many times the person with back or neck pain has to drive to a doctor's office, then back into the car for a drive to a diagnostic center, then to a different location for therapy," says Dr. Abraham. "Because the clinicians are not connected, the patient has to explain their problem multiple times to providers who don't communicate with each other or share the same patient chart. This fragmentation can result in the patient being told different diagnoses and treatment plans. "

Spine Center Network is particularly helpful to health insurance plans and employers who want to identify regional spine centers. As a free community service, all these centers mail out at their own cost a 36-page Home Remedy Book to thousands of back pain sufferers annually. More information can be found at SpineCenterNetwork.com. CONTACT:

Bob Reznik, MBA

817-481-2450

Email To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spinecenternetworkcom-adds-reading-neck--spine-center-to-its-national-list-of-credentialed-spine-centers-in-august-300311298.html SOURCE SpineCenterNetwork.com

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 10, 2016] Top U.S. Defense/Intel Cybersecurity Experts and U.K. and Israel Cyber Chiefs to Speak at 7th Annual Billington CyberSecurity Summit

CHEVY CHASE, Md., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 30 distinguished speakers will participate in the 7th Annual Billington CyberSecurity Summit to examine priorities going forward for the Federal government, military and the 45th President. The summit takes place Sept. 13 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Washington, D.C. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160810/397152LOGO "For the last six years, our mission has been to convene top cybersecurity thought leaders to enhance cybersecurity. At this year's summit, a who's who of cyber experts will focus on priorities both in the US, Israel and the United Kingdom," said Thomas K. Billington, Chairman and Founder of Billington CyberSecurity. Billington has delivered on its promise of enhancing cybersecurity. Just last month, the inaugural Billington Global Automotive Cybersecurity Summit publicly addressed for the first time the automotive industry best practices. The summit also made news when U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced that the Federal government will release its own best cybersecurity practices for the auto industry. At the 7th annual summit next month, speakers from NSA and the military will include Admiral Michael Rogers, Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, Director, NSA/Chief, CSS; as well os other NSA cybersecurity officials, military cybersecurity commanders, and Department of Defense cybersecurity officials. (For names, titles and affiliations of all speakers, please scroll down.) Ciaran Martin, CEO, National CyberSecurity Centre, GCHQ, U.K., in an exclusive keynote, will outline the U.K.'s new strategy in cybersecurity. His keynote comes just weeks before the National Cyber Security Centre is officially launched in October and will offer a preview to attendees of the UK's cyber mission. Dr. Eviatar Matania, Head of the National CyberDirectorate, Prime Minister's Office, Israel, in his keynote, will outline how Israel forged a national cybersecurity strategy. Another highlight of the summit is the "All-Star Service CyberCommanders Panel." Moderated by Michael Sulmeyer, Director, Cyber Security Project, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, John F. Kennedy School for Government, Harvard University, the panelists to date are: Major General Paul Nakasone, Commander, Cyber National Mission Force, U.S. CyberCommand Major General Christopher P. Weggeman, Commander, Twenty-fourth Air Force and Commander, Air Forces Cyber (AFCYBER), Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas Dr. Michael Papay, VP and CISO, Northrop Grumman View te complete agenda here.



At this information-rich day, leaders from government, the military and private industry will receive briefings on cybersecurity threats and solutions from the National Security Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the Department of Justices, the Department of Defense and leading private sector cybersecurity companies. Agenda and Registration Information

GOVERNMENT AND MILITARY SPEAKERS  Admiral Michael Rogers, Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, Director, NSA/Chief, CSS

 Tony Scott, Federal CIO, Admin. for E-Government and Info. Technology, OMB (invited)

 Dr. EviatarMatania, Head of the National Cyber Directorate, Prime Minister's Office, Israel

 Aaron Hughes, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy, DOD

 James Trainor, Assistant Director, Cyber Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation

 Andy Ozment, Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications, DHS

 Donna F. Dodson, Chief Cybersecurity Advisor, NIST and Director, NCCOE, NIST

 Brigadier General (ret.) Gregory Touhill, Deputy Assistant Secretary, CS&C, DHS

 CiaranMartin, CEO, National Cyber Security Centre, GCHQ, U.K.

 Richard Hale, Deputy CIO for Cyber Security, Department of Defense

 Sanjeev"Sonny" Bhagowalia, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Information Systems and CIO, Department of the Treasury

 Michael Daniel, Cybersecurity Coordinator, The White House

 Major General Paul Nakasone, Commander, Cyber National Mission Force, U.S. Cyber Command

 Major General Christopher P. Weggeman, Commander, Twenty-fourth Air Force and Commander, Air Forces Cyber (AFCYBER), Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas

 Major General Loretta E. Reynolds, Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Cyberspace Command (invited)

 Neal Ziring, Technical Director, IAD, National Security Agency Curtis Dukes, Director, Information Assurance Directorate, National Security Agency INDUSTRY SPEAKERS  Kevin Mandia, CEO and Board Director, FireEye

 John Scimone, SVP and Global Chief Information Security Officer, Sony Corporation

 Jeffrey Massimilla, Chief Product Cybersecurity Officer, General Motors Company

 Dr. Michael Papay, Vice President and CISO, Northrop Grumman

 Thomas K. Billington, Founder and Chairman, Billington CyberSecurity

 Maj. Gen. (Ret.) USAF Earl Matthews, Vice President, Enterprise Security Solutions, Hewlett Packard Enterprise

 John Worrall, Chief Marketing Officer, CyberArk

 Kiersten Todt, Executive Director, Presidential Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity

 Malcolm Harkins, Global CISO, Cylance

 Karen Evans, Co-Chair, CSIS Cyber Policy Taskforce

 Deborah Golden, Principal, Federal Cyber Risk Services Leader, Deloitte & Touche LLP

 Michael Brown, Rear Admiral, United States Navy (Retired), Vice President and General Manager, Global Public Sector, RSA, the Security Division of EMC

 Andy Zembower, Sr. Director-Operations, Cyber and Intel Solutions Division, General Dynamics Mission Systems

 Steven Grossman, VP, Program Management, Bay Dynamics

 Mark McLaughlin, Chairman, President, and CEO, Palo Alto Networks

 Michael Daly, Chief Technology Officer, Raytheon Cybersecurity and Special Missions View speaker biographies here. Sponsor Opportunities: Find out about becoming a sponsor, please email Peggy Holland at [email protected] or call 301-641-4150. She can help you with sponsor options and pricing. 7th Annual Billington CyberSecurity Summit Sponsors: The Premier Sponsor is Palo Alto Networks Platinum Sponsor is Northrop Grumman Exclusive Diamond Sponsors: Cisco, CyberArk, Cylance, Deloitte & Touche LLP, General Dynamics, FireEye, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Raytheon, Tanium Diamond Sponsors: RSA, Bay Dynamics Gold Sponsors: Fortinet, NTrepid Exhibitors: Anomali, Dark Trace, IEEEXplore UK Cyber Innovation Zone: Armourcomms, Axelos, Bolden James, Contextis, CSIT, Garrison Technology, Huntsman Security, Improbable, Miracl, RIPJar, SiloBreaker, Titanic Systems Media Sponsors: CSFI, The CyberWire Find out more about the summit. 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/top-us-defenseintel-cybersecurity-experts-and-uk-and-israel-cyber-chiefs-to-speak-at-7th-annual-billington-cybersecurity-summit-300311848.html SOURCE Billington CyberSecurity

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
The struggle is real for direct and indirect salespeople to transition to selling cloud services. Network is so much easier because it is transactional and replacement services. Cloud, however, is about selling change. Certainly you can sell hosted VoIP as cheap dial-tone replacement. Good luck with that. It is a disservice to the customer and yourselves.

The transition starts by changing the conversation that you have with your clients. Microcorps CEO Karin Fields says it starts with a simple question beyond pipe: What are you doing for audio, web, and video conferencing?

If it is a bandwidth discussion, turn it to a discussion about what type of traffic. Do you have a VoIP phone system? Are you using videoconferencing? How many software apps are in the cloud?

You could start by asking them about Office365: Are you currently using Office365? If not, why? Or who hosts your email service? Hosted Microsoft (News - Alert) Exchange is still a money maker at even $6 per inbox. (It is about incremental revenue anyway. Email, backup, broadband, voice, conferencing, etc.  it adds up to a sticky customer and a larger commission. If you sell cross-vendor solutions, it adds commission protection for your revenue. (Relying solely on one vendor for more than 50 percent of your income is a mistake I made early on that I did not repeat.)

To get somewhere different you have to try new things, including being uncomfortable asking new discovery questions. WCC (workflow or UCaaS+) will not be replacement services, like Office365 is for email. It will change workflow in the business. It will change communications in the organization. (Internal email decreases when organizations use Slack.)

Selling something like SD-WAN or WCC is selling change; it is also selling outcomes. To do that, you have to know about the business, call flow, workflow, and business goals. If some employees are virtual, how does that affect collaboration? Is the goal more virtual workers? Is the goal more collaboration?

Selling network is easy. In fact, the one that sells them SD-WAN will eventually own the whole account. The one who sells them WCC will know so much about the customer that the network is irrelevant.

Peter Radizeski is president of Tampa, Fla.-based telecom consulting firm RAD-INFO (News - Alert) Inc. (www. rad-info.net).

Edited by Alicia Young
Ayscom, Procera Partner

Procera Networks (News - Alert) Inc. has a new partner. Ayscom has joined the Procera Premier Partner Program. Ayscom provides test and monitoring solutions in Spain and Portugal. "Service providers are constantly looking for the best virtualized analytics tools to drive their big data projects," said Federico Hornillos, engineering director at Ayscom. "Being part of Procera's Premier Partner Program, and having access to its eVolution technology, gives Ayscom the ability to offer more comprehensive network and subscriber intelligence for our service provider and enterprise customers."

PlanetOne Erects Cloud Unit

Master agent PlanetOne Communications has established a dedicated cloud practice to help agents, managed service providers, and preferred vendors to identify, pitch, and close cloud sales opportunities. The practice will be led by Jim MacWilliam, a new addition to PlanetOne who previously worked for Birch Communications and FusionStorm. PlanetOne is standing up the new practice now given its cloud business in the last year has grown from 5 to 35 percent of its business. Weve closed record-setting deals with a number of our preferred partners, including MegaPath, Mitel (News - Alert), and Rackspace, says PlanetOne CEO and founder Ted Schuman, and motivated and inspired our channel partners to replicate this success and expand their business, expertise, reach, and profits with cloud services.

SkySwitch, Socket Are Integrated

SkySwitch, which provides a white-label platform for hosted PBX (News - Alert) resellers, now has an integration with the Socket quote-to-cash application. While there are several partners with which a reseller can offer a white label Hosted PBX Solution, many view their responsibility to their resellers as ending with what happens on the telephone said SkySwitch President Eric Hernaez (News - Alert). SkySwitch goes further by providing resellers with solutions that address the nuts and bolts of their business, with advanced tools for provisioning, diagnostics, and even sales and marketing.

TBI Blogs on IT Health Care Challenges

A new TBI blog by marketing manager Rachel Bruce addresses the five challenges with health care IT. That includes compliance, M&A, remote employees and BYOD, incorporation of new technologies, and the adoption of telemedicine, she says. In some industries, employee-owned equipment, even just a smartphone or tablet, can be the Trojan horse that breaches the network and costs a company millions, she writes. These issues have hit the health care industry particularly hard. As an industry labeled as conservative and slow-to-adopt, the health care network, from medical device and insurance carriers to physicians and hospitals, has been inundated with breaches and technology challenges.

Edited by Alicia Young
For years, scientists have been heralding the artificial intelligence revolution. Weve been able to program robots and vacuums, play chess, and even win at Jeopardy. But, before now, technology has not been able to produce artificial intelligence that can do one of the most fundamental human skills: communicate. The emergence of natural language generation is changing all of that.

Natural language generation is artificial intelligence that mimics the way humans communicate. In real-time, the technology reviews vast sets of unstructured data from multiple sources, analyzes it, draws conclusions, and ultimately generates a natural language report summarizing the key findings. The reports are told in a compelling narrative that could have been written by a human.

NLG platforms can be tailored to analyze data like industry experts (whether that is doctors or weathermen) in order to generate insightful reports. The technology can even identify what information is important and then tailor the language based on audience. For example, imagine if you are visiting a loved one in the hospital. All of his or her medical information is in a medical chart at the foot of the bed, but you dont understand the technical terms or abbreviations. NLG platforms could review the medical chart, and generate a report for you (a non-medical professional) in laymans terms to explain your loved ones health: from diagnosis to treatment.

More and more data is being generated every day; and the lack of experts with the ability to analyze this data is already becoming apparent. Gartner (News - Alert) forecasts that by 2020, about 1.7 megabytes of new information will be created every second for each person on Earth. But less than 0.5 percent of data is ever analyzed; much of this due to the lack of experts. According to McKinsey, the United States alone faces a shortage of 140,000 to 190,000 people with analytical expertise and 1.5 million managers and analysts with the skills to understand and make decisions based on the analysis of big data.

Training NLG platforms to think and act like experts helps alleviate this burden. Once the process of capturing the experts analytical skills and expertise in NLG platform algorithms is completed, they can be liberated from having to spend their days analyzing data. The best and brightest will be free to do what they are trained to do  engineers to build, doctors to heal, scientists to discover.

In an age where corporations are constantly competing in new spaces, and theres an inability for many industries to continue their growth trajectories on the back of human capital alone, AI and NLG platforms provide much-needed solutions. Fortunately, companies are investing in these technologies. Since 2011 venture capital investments in companies developing and commercializing AI-related products and technology have exceeded $2 billion and tech companies have invested billions more acquiring AI startups.

Already, NLG platforms are being incorporated across industries. Take the financial sector as an example. Financial advisors spend significant time interpreting data to provide their investors; NLG technology is now being deployed to digest mass amounts of financial data and generate tailored reports that explain the performance of individual stock portfolios, saving hours and hours of analytical work. These financial advisors are liberated from having to spend their days reporting past performance and free to spend their time researching investment strategies and providing clients insights and advice.

NLG platforms are also helping utility companies, as companies are making large-scale investments in control technology and systems integration. NLG is acting as a virtual monitoring team in a control center, diagnosing issues, and generating content on everything from work orders to media alerts on outages. Some companies are even providing personalized usage reports for smart meter customers. In collaborating with the technology, employees are able to be more efficient with their time, and spend less of each day on mind-numbing monitoring or administrative tasks.

Matthew Gould is CSO and co-founder of Arria NLG (www.arria.com).

Edited by Alicia Young
When it comes to selling cloud services, VARs should not overlook the enormous market potential small to mid-sized businesses have to offer. Main Street requires the same storage, processing, and security as Wall Street, and they're much easier to approach.

How big is this market? A World Bank Group study suggests there are 365-445 million micro, small, and medium enterprises in emerging markets: 25-30 million are formal SMEs; 55-70 million are formal micro enterprises; and 285-345 million are informal enterprises. This represents an enormous and often untapped market that is waiting for cloud services  if someone could just explain the cloud in a manner in which SMBs may relate to its business benefits.

Picture yourself as the owner of a small to mid-sized organization. Often your services are predicated on offering tangible goods and services. Those services range from an inventory that can be physically handled or inspected by customers, to services that produce a definite and measurable outcome. When it comes to setting up their IT support systems, naturally they gravitate toward a physical box in the office that is connected to a number of desktop devices.

These tangible IT devices are viewed as one of the capital expenses that can physically be depreciated on the balance sheet. It's sometimes difficult for these business owners to grasp the concept of virtualizing their entire back office IT functions. But times are changing quickly, and those value-added resellers who can relate the features, advantages, and benefits of cloud services stand to gain considerable revenue from an underserved market.

The ABCs

When approaching small to mid-sized businesses, resellers need to highlight the pain points of maintaining their own IT infrastructure as well as underscore the business benefit of outsourcing this utility. There are myriad horrors waiting to descend upon the servers stored under desks, in closets, or in the basement. These situations can range from soaking the server with a runaway mop bucket to a brick oven fire in the pizza restaurant two doors down, taking out the entire strip mall containing your office. The challenges that a small to mid-sized business faces are unique, but not uncommon when it comes to the solution for preserving IT assets.

For many SMBs the cloud is a scary, autonomous service that may only be embraced by the likes of juggernauts such as Amazon, The Home Depot, and Walmart. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, SMBs are often using cloud services without even realizing it. Companies that utilize QuickBooks have already taken their first steps into the cloud by embracing finance-as-a-service. It's not a far leap of faith to extend the same trust that they have within their accounting application and point out the benefits of storing and protecting all their data and applications offsite.

If You Offer IT, They Will Come

Here are a couple of examples of how smaller organizations are currently reaping the benefits of cloud services.

A fifth-generation business, E.N. BISSO is one of Louisiana's top suppliers of tugboat and towing services. The company supported its fleet of 15 vessels for docking and undocking of ocean-going vessels and barge combination units via a small data center in its main location, linked to a small branch office. However, maintaining the IT infrastructure became more than a full-time job, pulling staff away from implementing more strategic maritime applications and achieving its virtualization goal. E.N. BISSO moved half of its physical servers in a colocation environment, with virtual machines running in the cloud  utilizing VMware cloud and vCloud Director to manage services from any internet connection. The flexible cloud-based offering ensured the company could still virtualize physical devices, while freeing staff to focus on more business-critical concerns. In addition, E.N. BISSO leveraged disaster recovery services, ensuring the replication and backup of files.

Hendrix Orthodontics is a small, growing practice facing many of the same Infrastructure Lifecycle Management challenges associated with most large businesses. The company faced a choice: Undertake an expensive infrastructure upgrade  likely to recur every five years  or evolve into a more centralized, secure, and HIPAA-compliant IT environment. Hendrix elected to transition approximately 50 PCs and three data servers from its unsupported Windows XP operating system into the cloud, in addition to hosting its company files, patient records, charts, and x-rays.

SMB Cloud Services Cheat Sheet

Below is a quick reference guide taken from real-world examples to help VARs succeed in selling cloud services.

 Listen to the customers problem, then position the relevant solution. Be sympathetic - understand what bothers them.

 When a business owners says, I need a new server, we are doing development and testing, it is prime for a cloud service.

 When you hear, Every time I gain a new customer, I have to buy a new mini workstation, the VAR needs to position the cloud so customers can avoid the hassle.

 Offer to protect companies business apps such as email, HR, payroll, and SQL databases by replicating and storing data in the cloud.

 If not knowing where the cloud is makes them feel uncomfortable, give them the data center address and let them know they can visit/look at the space and their racks whenever they want. Even the cloud has a physical address.

 Replacing hardware is a capital expense. Mention that hardware purchases take up valuable office space and also consume valuable capital that can be used for other important business functions. Transitioning to an operational expense model frees up cash flow to make other relevant purchases.

 Underscore that the life expectancy of hardware is 3-5 years; they are responsible for replacing, maintaining, patching and upgrading software licenses. The cloud provider does all this for them.

 Emphasize that data and application redundancy are huge benefits of being in the cloud.

Small to medium-sized businesses IT services should be viewed in the same manner as electricity, plumbing, and even internet services. They are all a necessary utility. No self-respecting business owner would build a power plant in the basement and maintain his or her own electrical services or construct a server farm to establish internet connectivity. Given this mentality, why would those individuals want to build and maintain an IT infrastructure and applications when there is an existing service that can do it more efficiently and affordably?

The cloud is now a ubiquitous and common denominator that's easily accessible by any size business. The same processing power, redundancy, and data security that is available to Amazon and Walmart is also available to the mom and pop shop on Main Street. Through intelligent user-friendly interfaces, SMB organizations can tap into the power of the cloud to alleviate many daily frustrations, while also preserving their dream and legacy.

Blake Allen is business development manager at Venyu (www.venyu.com).

Edited by Alicia Young
What you need to know about Powerball and the $825 million jackpot
Google Pixel 7 features coming to Pixel 6  heres what to expect

Google has announced that the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are getting some of the Pixel 7s new features, and older Pixel phones are even getting a few updates. Here's what we know so far.
Robot vacuum buying guide: What you need to know

Not sure where to start your search for a robot vacuum? It doesn't matter how little or how much you want to spend, there's a cleaning robot out there for everyone.
New PlayStation Plus release dates revealed  here's when it's due

While the new three-tier PS Plus is due to arrive in Asian markets in May, US users will have to wait until mid June, with Europeans the last to get the upgrade.
Australia is a truly massive place, yet most of us seem to huddle around our capital cities, reluctant to leave the comfort of the coast.

This is especially true for bands, many of whom will play show after show in their local pub or fly across the country before theyd ever think to pile into a van and head out to tour a few regional venues. But if your band isnt making the most of the countless venues dotted across our wide open plains, youre missing out.

To encourage more bands to get out there and explore, weve spoken to a couple of people in the industry who have jumped headfirst into regional touring, and want to encourage more Aussie acts to do the same.

James Clarke is the Director of touring and events company Aeroplane Agency, and one of the organisers of Up The Guts, the massive regional tour happening right now thats cutting its way from Hobart to Darwin, right through central Australia. James was inspired to take a trip up the guts of Australia when approached by Jack Parsons, fellow Up The Guts co-founder and the frontman of The Pretty Littles.

He came to me and said, Id love to put the Littles through central Oz, and even if its just for a bit of food and a bed each night, I just want to do some regional touring through central Australia.

Shaun Adams books the longstanding Karova Lounge in Ballarat, a beloved mainstay of the regional touring scene, and also tours acts regionally. He originally found himself drawn to the venue by the idea of building up a smaller music community.

This was something I starting doing just over 10 years ago. I didnt really have an idea what the end goal was, apart from wanting to see my fave national touring acts playing in Ballarat, and playing some small part in growing a local music scene.

With plenty of experience between them, theyve given us their thoughts on why you and your band should add some regional venues to your next tour.

Its An Adventure

Firstly, theres the thrill of actually living the classic band dream of hitting the road for a cross-country tour, something that Australia doesnt embrace as much as the idea of a trip across the US or Europe.

Our trip was inspired by the late 70s, early 80s rock and roll era. I wouldnt say it wasnt as hard back then, but there was a lot more passion going around, wanting to hit the road. Just jumping in a van and doing it  not really the way that the music landscape is today. It was part of an adventure.

A regional tour like Up The Guts is a pretty exciting thing to be a part of, if youre a muso. You get to tour 15 dates in a short amount of time, the same way bands get to go to Europe or the States and do a huge run of shows.

Its been crazy. We had snow in Tassie, now weve got the warm sunshine and everyones just really wanting some hot weather  and were getting there, its good.

Even better, it can be a bonding experience for everyone involved.

The tour is a pretty tough run, were doing effectively 15 shows in 18 days. Were playing shows in places like Castlemaine and Bendigo on a Tuesday or Wednesday night, and we played Whyalla on a Sunday which was a great vibe. Its all hands on deck here, theres no doubt about that, but we have the most fantastic group of people. Forget about the music; by the time the 17 of us had the Tassie leg done, everyones best friends and chipping in, cooking and helping out.

Its truly just a really great opportunity for these guys to travel through Australia and see their own backyard, and share music to a wider regional audience that might not have heard it before.

There have just been too many great moments over the years, Shaun tells us, but I was thinking today about when The Living End played here under the guise of The Long Necks. One of the biggest bands Australia has ever produced, and they are playing a bunch of shows in these small pubs in regional Victoria  they were amazing. 

Theres A Demand

Rural venues may be relatively isolated, but that doesnt mean the communities there arent hanging for bands to visit.

The East Coast model is so tried and tested, James tells us, but thats not to say there isnt a hunger and demand for live music throughout the Territory and stuff like that as well.

There are a lot of regional communities with venues that are no more than a 150  200 cap, but theres an audience of 20,000 people there.

Were just already feeling really confident about pushing this harder for next year, and building a bit of a brand around Up the Guts  but also around those communities that are through that little Australian beltway that are just starved of live music. Well play tonight at The Desert Cave, and I think this will be the first gig in Coober Pedy in about four months.

We stopped by a tiny little place in Port McDonnell, which is just south of Mount Gambier on the coast, and its just an absolutely incredible little town. We went to the bar for a pub feed, and it was absolutely pumping, and they said, Oh, weve love you to play here.

Find New Fans, And Loyal Fans

Bands could be shifting a lot of merch to people who have literally never heard their music before, James says. These people may not have heard of Scott ^ Charlenes Wedding or ScotDrakula before, but have had such a great experience that now theyre a fan, and they can proudly say that the band came to their town.

Its a rewarding experience in other ways, too, as there are always a few die-hard fans dotted about where youd least expect them.

We had one guy drive three hours from Port Lincoln to Whyalla to see Scott & Charlenes Wedding, and Craig picked him out in the crowd because he was wearing a t-shirt that they only did a run of for their Japan tour. He said, Oh, that dude was in Japan! and the guy told him Yeah, I drove three hours from Port Lincoln to come see you, and Im driving back tonight. Stuff like that is really heartwarming, and I think that has a profound effect on artists.

I think if you can just get out and share your music with different people, its an inspiration to come to some of these towns, and that can feed in to your work as well.

It Doesnt Just Help The Bands

Its not all about the band, either, as the local community gets just as much out of it.

The more regional touring we can do, the more we can get people out socialising, James says. It stems directly into the drug and alcohol abuse that are issues in regional areas. It stems into depression, due to the sheer reality that a lot of these areas are quite isolated. So the more you can bring those social interactions to regional towns, the better it is for everyone.

I also think that its really important to change the culture back a little. Big festivals are fantastic, but you pay your $300 and you go to a festival for three days and everyone gets shitfaced  and thats that.

We are very lucky in Melbourne where we get to go out on any day of the week and see great quality live music. I think its really important to inspire people to be leaders in their own towns and create that culture outside of big cities.

With Up The Guts especially, it isnt just about playing gigs.

Im currently sitting at the Coober Pedy School with 17 artists, about to go teach some young kids about their skills in music which is pretty amazing. We just arrived at Coober Pedy this morning and weve done ten shows, this is our 6th workshop in 12 days, so obviously weve gone all the way from the deep south in Hobart and were making our way up the spine now, so were doing pretty well.

So, Why Did It Stop?

Regional touring is so important, Shaun tells us, but regional venues in Australia as a whole have seen a bit of a drop off of acts touring regionally, and maybe some acts, managers and booking agents are forgetting the importance of a regional fanbase.

The industry and touring cycles change so quickly, but I think acts forget they can develop genuine longterm fanbases outside of metro areas  especially when their careers are building and they have radio play on triple j, or they have just played a festival like Meredith or Groovin the Moo.

It could all just be a matter of perception, he claims.

Maybe we are in a time where regional touring is not cool, or it isnt the right perception for acts, and they would rather sell out multiple shows in the capital cities. But I do feel a regional audience is a lot more honest, and maybe care less about trends or the latest single being played on the radio.

The Challenges

There are, of course, some difficult aspects to taking your band to the outback, but James insists theyre worth tackling.

The reception has been amazing. That said, its also been challenging in some towns. I really think its a perception thing, theres a certain culture just bred into regional towns about not necessarily going out to see gigs.

It may not always be a profitable exercise, either  at least not immediately.

Obviously, just in terms of the numbers and size of the audience, this certainly isnt going to be a financially profitable tour  in year one, at least  because were putting on great shows. Weve got amazing backline production on us; its not just a pop-up gig in a pub, its a full show and when people come to the gig (that was $12) they come up to us afterwards just ecstatic to have that level of quality live music out in their town  they just dont get it normally.

Overall its been incredible, and weve met such great local people, who are so enthusiastic about being part of a project like this. If we get nothing else out of this, and can at least carve a path for more things like this to happen, then Ill be happy.

Shaun agrees that the benefits are well worth any negatives.

Acts do have to make some sacrifices to tour regionally, such as not being able to make as much money as they would in the capitals, but I think the rewards certainly outweigh any of that.

Advice For Getting Out There?

One of the greatest resources to touring regional Australia is triple j unearthed, says Shaun, who believes it isnt that hard to get noticed. Look up the places you want to tour, type in the postcode and engage with the local acts. See whats going on, and before you know it you will be playing a town hall, venue, or even someones backyard.

James agrees that any band who might be up for it should just get stuck right in.

For bands who want to tour regionally: just DIY. I read an amazing article by Steve Albini about the way he goes about his business, and its just all about DIY  have a go. Regardless of whether its going to be a profitable tour or not, you never know the opportunities that might stem from there, whether it be new connections, or people hearing and buying your music.

The reward, he says, comes from just having a crack.

Id say just team up with some people who might have some connections in establishing a new route, and have a go and get your music out there as best as you can. And do it yourself, do it on a shoestring budget, because its definitely possible  and its a lot more fun that way.
Following in the footsteps of Hilltop Hoods, Melbourne crooner Missy Higgins is embarking on a tour with some of Australias leading symphony orchestras for a handful of shows at the end of the year.

While the performances will showcase some of her greatest hits, Higgins will also be debuting a number of new tracks.

Melbourne folk artist Ben Abraham will be joining the tour, and recently reformed Brisbane band George will also be joining Higgins for the Perth leg of the tour.

MISSY HIGGINS NATIONAL TOUR DATES

Thursday, November 3

State Theatre Sydney with Sydney Symphony Orchestra

Friday, November 18

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre with Queensland Symphony Orchestra

Sunday, November 27

The Plenary Melbourne with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Saturday, December 3

Kings Park Perth with The West Australian Symphony Orchestra (Special guests GEORGE)

Saturday, December 10

Bird in Hand Winery Adelaide with Adelaide Symphony Orchestra

Fan Pre-sale via www.missyhiggins.com

Begins: Fri 12 Aug (10am AEST) Ends: Sat 13 Aug (10am AEST)

(or ends earlier if pre-sale allocation exhausted)

Frontier Members Pre-Sale via frontiertouring.com/missyhiggins

Begins: Mon 15 Aug (11am AEST) Ends: Tue 16 Aug (11am AEST)

(or ends earlier if pre-sale allocation exhausted)

General public on sale from 10am Wednesday, August 17

Tickets from www.missyhiggins.com
Kansas City's most prolific activist and the most controversial writer for The Kansas City Star are in a battle over info related to the tragic death dominating news headlines this week.Take a look:Meanwhile, it's clear thatwhile traditional news sources in KCMO seems to be missing the story.Developing . . .
"The groups each do their part to meet the needs of their community and find ways to mediate conflict before it turns violent. One trained volunteer holds group meetings to help people with their mental health issues. Others step forward to provide clothes and shoes and job information, as well as stepping in when there is a conflict. Another group is knocking on doors of people who have committed violent crimes, to check on them and encourage them as they are out of prison."

Police count 64 murders so far this year in Kansas City, Missouri compared to 51 at this time last year. The clearance rate is less than 50% which means that odds favor murderers. The murder total at this time of year is higher than at any point in the past five years . . .Given debate among police, a scourge of domestic terror attacks aimed at law enforcement and low voter turnout . . . These local groups shared their perspective @ 12th & Oak today:Deets . . .A lot of haters denounce the efforts but the fact is that most of Kansas City is content to let the slaughter continue with very little notice or objection and at the very least these residents are engaged at hoping to find a solution.You decide . . .
It is maddening to be lectured about our Constitution and about what American law should be by aliens in the United States, Kobach agreed.





My ancestors came here in the 1600s, I think I know a little bit about what its all about here, Talk show caller Sarah interjected.





Well, you know, Kobach said, I think the worst is what happens regularly in Topeka, where illegal aliens come in and lecture the legislators on why they need to continue getting in-state tuition. And we saw it at the DNC, when they bring illegal aliens on the stage. Its just unbelievable.

The somewhat recent adventure of Kansas SecState Kobach features the greatest Trump supporter in all of Kansas and a former law professor getting fed up with lessons from the left . . .Money line . . .##########Only quoted because he could be the next Kansas governor if Trump wins OR maybe he'll continue his reign as sleepy Sunday talk show king if Hillary doesn't deport him.Developing . . .
QUITE A FEW KANSAS CITY VOTERS OBJECT TO THERESA GARZA SERVING AS AN ELECTION OFFICIAL GIVEN HER VOTING AND RESIDENCY PROBLEMS DURING HER FAILED CAMPAIGN FOR CITY COUNCIL!!!

The fate of Kansas City Democracy swings in the balance as word of Theresa Garza monitoring elections terrifies the community.The basics . . .Actually, it was much worse than failed . . . She didn't just lose, she wasMore insight into Theresa's political history . . .Again, this prospect of this lady monitoring elections has some voters justifiably scared and many hope community sentiment will take her out of her inappropriate running for this political work.Developing . . .
"Sly's Rock the Block at Union Station is Saturday night. I wonder if it will be marred with violence yet again this year as it has for the last three? I'm sure the PD will unfortunately have to pull many resources and officers away from needed areas to deal with this, as the last two years the tactical teams were needed to disperse large disturbances and parties armed."

EVERY YEAR ROCK THE BLOCK HAS HOSTED FIGHTING AND DAMAGE TO SURROUNDING PROPERTY . . . THIS YEAR THE PARTY WILL BE CLOSER TO THE TOY TRAIN AS MAYOR SLY'S ADMINISTRATION HAS REJECTED ADVICE TO HOLD THE EVENT AT ANOTHER LOCATION THAT COULD BE SECURED MORE EASILY!!!

Against the advice of the biz community and despite an exceptionally violent Summer 2016 . . . Mayor Sly continues a troubled party tradition that has proven to be a disaster over the years.is slated for this weekend and right now we have just a quick word of warning about the event from a. . .This party is the culmination of Mayor's Nights for this year which wasMeanwhile . . .And so, we offer this word of warning in hopes that Kansas City residents can avoid any trouble and also realize the violent history of this event.Developing . . .
Craig Glazer: Is It Too Late For Donald Trump?

The media for the most part was in love with the Trump ride. Endless press coverage of his family, his speeches, his interviews, anything Trump for the past year. Donald made the impossible run for the presidential Republican nomination and defeated 16 other candidates, many with big names like Jeb Bush. It was the political upset of the modern era.The world watched while his opponent, Hillary Clinton was under attack after attack with scandal after scandal. Hillary is a professional politician and America seemed to want to try something new. For a time it seemed that Trump could actually win the white house. Then reality set in a couple weeks ago. The Republican convention gave Trump his first lead in most polls since the two were clearly the nominees. He lead by as many as 4 to 6 points in many national polls. Then came the Democratic convention, it seemed troubled with Bernie Sanders followers ready to nearly riot over the newest scandal involving the DNC computer gate helping Clinton win the nomination over Bernie. In the end it all seemed to go away. To make matters worse for Trump he couldn't control his mouth and attacked anyone and everyone who bad mouthed him during the DNC Show. It all backfired on Donald.Leaders in the nation decided Trump really could win and he was dangerous, to them, maybe to world peace, and anything else they could think of to destroy the guy. Media soon came up with what might be the best attack, "he might be mentally ill" that was a good one.Regardless of what is true or not, Trump is now 12 points down in most polls. Its a huge number. Can he fight back? Is it over? He is still the media giant, still gets most of the attention over Clinton, but now much of it is negative.Yes there will be debates in September and millions will watch, but barring some major news that destroy Clinton again, I'm afraid its over. Trump has just put off too many groups including women in his own party. His hill is just too steep.What looked like a tight battle is now looking like a landslide for the Clintons. People are just too afraid of Donald Trump today.I'm sure Hillary will do a solid job as president, Trump will return to his vast business and media empires, and we had a nice 'reality' show to watch all summer long and then some. The show is now basically in re-runs. Cancelled. Shucks!#############
Chastain on light rail plan "could be illegal" lie by City Attorney, Bill Geary

Now listen up stupid voters of Kansas City, City Attorney, Bill Geary, testified in a public council hearing that the light rail ballot question "could be illegal," or perhaps is illegal, or might be illegal, or just sorta maybe is illegal. This politically motivated bull crap from the city's top attorney was designed solely to confuse voters and undermine the light rail election.And, the noon deadline has now passed... for the city attorney to explain his false assertion...and with it his credibility.No one can doubt Geary's conspicuous silence only proves he has no legal argument to back up his phony contrived assertion that the light rail petition "could be illegal" and grounds for the council to repeal it, if approved by voters.And no one can doubt either that insiders at city hall, including Mayor Sly James, (who will all be afraid to debate me face to face during the campaign) put Geary up to it.But rather than waste anymore time and energy filing a complaint against Geary, with the Missouri Bar Ass. and the OCDC (Official Chief Disciplinary Counsel and agency under the Missouri Supreme Court), I will instead turn my attention to the light rail campaign (web site coming soon).In that campaign we hope to convince the Kansas City community that this light rail petition, if approved by voters, will build our city a world class public transportation system that will not only save Kansas City, but make it great again.Clay Chastain...Degreed electrical engineer (who was on the Dean's honor roll and passed, on his first try, the Professional Engineering Exam), worked in Kansas City as an engineer for Black & Veatch, Control Systems, and General Motors, is a KCMO registered voter and part-time resident, restored 25 historical houses in Kansas City, helped save Kansas City's Union Station from demolition, won the only light rail election in the city's history, and is currently the leader and designer of the light rail ballot question (petition) now before Kansas City, Missouri voters in November.##########
57,098 identified refugees and migrants were on the Greek territory on Wednesday while 90 arrivals were reported in the last 24 hours

57,098 identified refugees and migrants were on the Greek territory on Wednesday while 90 arrivals were reported in the last 24 hours.

According to the Refugee Crisis Management Coordination Body's figures, 21,777 of the refugees are in northern Greece, 9,881 are hosted in the region of Attica and 2,698 are hosted in facilities of central and southern Greece. 7,638 refugees and migrants are hosted in several facilities rented by the UNHCR, 2,756 in non-organised facilities 2,300 persons are living outside organised facilities.

10,042 refugees and migrants were recorded on the eastern Aegean islands.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Flight bookings to the UK were boosted by 7.1% after the referendum vote to leave the European Union

Flight bookings to the UK were boosted by 7.1% after the referendum vote to leave the European Union, according to the latest data from ForwardKeys which monitors future travel patterns by analysing 14 million reservation transactions each day.

In the face of worldwide economic uncertainty, terrorism and air traffic disruption, the aftermath of the referendum requiring Britain to leave the Eurozone, flight arrivals have seen an uplift during the last month, driven by demand coming from the US and Asia Pacific.

In the 28 days before the 23 June poll, flight reservations were running 2.8% behind the same period last year. In the month after the Brexit decision, they were up 4.3%.

Bookings from Europe were up 5.0%, buoyed by the pounds fall against the Euro following the referendum. Non-European arrivals were up by an even bigger margin, increasing 8.7%.

The 10% drop in the value of sterling after the referendum sharpened interest in the UK as a holiday destination from countries around the world. Bookings from Hong Kong rose 30.1%, the US was up 9.2%, Canada was up 7.4% and the United Arab Emirates was up 7%.

Major driver

The most favourable exchange rate in decades is probably the major driver for the uptake in bookings to Britain. During the analysed period, ForwardKeys identified positive and passive reactions from source destinations after the Brexit referendum.

The number of bookings from the USA and Canada increased considerably, likely related to good economic growth and depreciation of Sterling.

While Chinese bookings have been steady before and after the 23rd of June, Hong Kong showed a substantial increase. This difference could possibly be explained by the need of a visa by Chinese travellers while HongKongers do not, in addition to the strong ties the peninsula holds with its former ruler.

Looking ahead, the post-Brexit bounce is also lifting bookings through to the autumn. Olivier Jager, ForwardKeys Co-founder and CEO said: Its now confirmed that Brexit had an immediate, positive impact on inbound tourism to the UK, which is converting into better than anticipated arrivals. In the months ahead, our data will show whether this post-Brexit bounce is sustained.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Her name is Sherin Khankan. Born in Denmark to a Syrian father and a Finnish mother, the well-known author and political commentator has started a new mosque in Copenhagen, Denmark. Named as Mariam Mosque, it is led entirely by women imams. Speaking to Danish newspaper Politiken, Sherin Khankan, the woman behind the mosque who calls it a feminist project, said she started Mariam because she never felt at home in the existing mosques. Although, Mariam will be open to both men and women.

I have never felt at home in the existing mosques. The new grand mosques are unbelievably beautiful, but I have the feeling of being a stranger when I am there. We women stand up in the balcony and look down on what is happening. Many women and young people dont even go into the mosques as you enter into a male-dominated and patriarchal space in which a man has the floor, a man leads prayers, men are in focus and dominate. That is why we are now setting up a mosque on womens terms., she said. Sherin Khankan told Agence France Presse that we have normalised patriarchal structures in our religious institutions and this is not just in Islam, but also within Judaism and Christianity and other religions. She added that she would like to challenge that.

Khankan is confident that her project will ease the barriers between traditional Islam and a more modern rendition of the faith that can better relate to young worshippers. Many imams in this country belong to the traditional school which does not account for the culture we live in. Instead, they help to construct contradictions between being a practicing Muslim and a young person in Denmark. But you can love and honour several cultures and influences at once without betraying one or the other camp.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Kuwait-based Equate Petrochemical Company has continued its global growth through its wholly owned subsidiary MEGlobal with the launch of work on a new world-scale ethylene glycol (EG) manufacturing facility in Freeport, Texas, US.



The ground-breaking ceremony was attended by senior officials from Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC), Equate, MEGlobal and the State of Texas, said a statement.



With this plant, Equate is the first Kuwaiti petrochemical company to invest in the US, said a statement from the company.



Equate is the worlds second largest EG producer with 12 per cent of the global market share, it said.



The new facility, to be completed during 2019, will increase Equates monoethylene glycol (MEG) capacity by 750,000 metric tonnes annually and will enhance the companys global presence to meet customer needs, it added.



Through its existing plants in Kuwait and Canada, Equates current EG production capacity exceeds 2 million metric tonnes annually. The plant will utilise Dows Meteor technology as part of its production process, it stated.



On the side-lines of the ground-breaking ceremony, attendees toured Dows US Gulf Coast cracker construction at the adjacent Oyster Creek site, it said.



Equate president and CEO Mohammad Husain, said: Building on our acquisition of MEGlobal during 2015, this step is part of our strategic expansion plans as an international petrochemical enterprise.



The new facility will benefit from overall integration in terms of low cost advantaged shale-gas, strategic location, feedstock availability and operational excellence, he said.



The new plant will enable us to meet rising demand for EG throughout the world, especially in the US and Asia. We are pleased to be the first Kuwaiti petrochemical company to have an industrial investment in the US through this EG facility, he added.  TradeArabia News Service


The Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) has revealed that Brazilian imports from the Arab World amounted to a total of $2.6 billion during the first half of 2016.



The positive statistics reflect the strong trade relations between the countries which serves as further encouragement for more bilateral exploration of potential business ties in the near future, said a statement from ABCC.



Out of all the Arab countries, Oman registered the most growth in Brazil in first half of 2016 at 37.40 per cent while the UAE followed at 5.04 per cent increase over the same period in 2015, it said.



Saudi Arabia led with the highest percentage and amount exported at 24.68 per cent totalling $658 million, Qatar second at 14.25 per cent with $379 million, followed by the UAE at 9.40 per cent with 250.63 million, Kuwait at 6.72 per cent totalling $179.30 million; Oman at 2.14 per cent reaching $56.95 million, and Egypt with 0.71 per cent at $18.88 million, it added.



The majority of the Arab Worlds imports are still composed of oil and mineral fuel which makes up 67 per cent of the total amount at $1.8 billion. This is followed by fertilisers at 21.88 per cent with $583 million; organic chemicals at 1.59 per cent amounting to $42.14 million; plastic at 1.51 per cent reaching $40.14 million; and salt, sulphur, earth and stone at 1.50 per reaching $40.01 million, said a statement.



Fertilisers registered the highest growth in the first half of 2016 at 31.26 per cent followed by organic chemicals which recorded a 5.78 per cent increase, it said.



Dr Michel Alaby, secretary general and CEO of ABCC, said: These numbers reflect the thriving economic ties between Brazil and the Arab World.



We look forward to further strengthening our partnerships and examining other potential areas of collaboration that will prove to be mutually beneficial in the future. We believe there are a lot of wonderful possibilities on the horizon and we can create an environment that will foster transparency and growth for all parties, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
The UAE has ranked first in the region and eighth globally in the smart electronic services index, part of UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) E-Government Development Index (EDGI) Survey 2016.



The UAE prominently featured major developments in its e-services, said UN DESAs Vincenzo Aquaro, chief E-Government Branch, Division for Public Administration & Development Management.



Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, director general of UAEs Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), said: We have been consistently working hard to achieve the best for our country and citizens. The inclusion of the UAE among the leaders in this field is a great honour as we belong to a country that does not accept less than the topmost position, and we tirelessly strive to achieve leadership and excellence, following the wise directives of our leaders that is embodied in UAE Vision 2021 and its National Agenda.



The TRA has been working hard to achieve its visions where UAE will be a world leader in ICT Sector and rise to the ranks of developed nations in this sector, he added.



Remarkably, in 2016, there are more countries with very high EGDI values  29 countries in total, stated Aquaro, noting the UAE together with Switzerland, Slovenia and Lithuania among the top-tier performers in the development of eServices. This achievement reflects the growth of national capabilities in e-government.



Countries in all regions are increasingly embracing innovation and utilizing new information and communication technologies to deliver services and engage people in decision-making processes, Aquaro noted.



The UAE ranked 29th in the overall index for the development of e-government services issued by the UN recently and eighth in the e-services index, which placed the country closer to its biggest goal of becoming the first worldwide in e-Smart Services based on National Agenda indicators.  TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Arabias Al-Harithy Company for Exhibitions plans to launch a number of new events this year and in 2017 in partnership with the world renowned organisers Messe Frankfurt.



The latter part of 2016 will see the launch of the premiere Materials Handling & Logistics Exhibition and Conference from 28-29 November, 2016 at the Park Hyatt, Jeddah. The show covers the profiles of intralogistics, warehousing, supply chain, ports, ports equipment and related products and services.



The largest gathering for the industry of its kind in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it will be the only focused platform where the entire industry will meet to share and discuss the latest upcoming projects within the region from small & medium enterprises to larger companies, a much broader audience will gather under one roof.



SCLF  The Supply Chain and Logistics Forum will be a concurrent feature alongside Materials Handling and Logistics focusing on the opportunities and challenges which the new environment presents.



ACEs flagship Saudi International Motor Show  the longest automotive exhibition in the Kingdom  will be held from 11-15 December. Leading names in the automotive industry will be presenting their latest car models.



Saudi Arabia has placed development of a domestic automotive industry at the center of an ambitious industrial diversification strategy, and named the auto sector as one of five priority industries in a national industrial cluster development strategy.



2016 will conclude with the annual  Jeddah International Trade Fair  the only multi-sectoral show in the Kingdom being organised for 28th year that will be held 20-23 December and is a platform for countries to display their industrial potential.



Saudi Arabia has eased restrictions on foreign investors to let them own 100 percent of retail and wholesale businesses. The volume of foreign investments on smart applications is expected to flow into the Kingdom in the next two years is estimated at more than $10 billion (SR37.5 billion).



The year 2017 will commence with the launch of the 3rd edition of Furnidex Arabia from 22-25 January. Buoyed by construction boom and growing investment in the real estate sector, Saudi Arabias furniture industry has become one of the most vibrant segments in a country whose growing population would reach to more than 30 million people in 2025.



Automechanika Jeddah will be the second edition from 31 January  2 February, 2017 being orgaznized after the overwhelming success of the premiere event in 2016. The first edition was a testament not only to the potential of the Saudi Arabian automotive aftermarket industry, but also to the enthusiasm of exhibitors and trade visitors alike  where the level of satisfaction was 85 per cent and 91 per cent respectively.



Saudi Building and Interiors will be held from 18-21 March as a comprehensive showcase for the building and construction industry, The Saudi government plans to work with the private sector and enter into a new series of international partnerships to complete, improve and link its infrastructure internally and across borders.



Food, Hotel and Hospitality Arabia is yet again the longest established show in this industry sector being organised for 22nd year from 10-13 April.



One of the fastest growing business sectors in Saudi Arabia is the food and beverage industry. Due to the increase in food products imports to cater to its growing population, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has emerged as an ideal investment hub for the key local and international players in food trade and the outlook for the consumer sector remains bright.



Addressing the ever increasing safety and security requirement globally and that of the Kingdom will be Intersec Saudi Arabia from 2-4 May.  TradeArabia News Service



ACE, Al-Harithy Exhibitions, Messe Frankfurt



Year on year, the objectives of Security, Safety and Fire Protection companies to penetrate or increase their market share in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have shown an exponential growth. Due to this growing demand, Intersec is to hosts its first edition in the Kingdom targeting a market forecasted to increase from 7.8 billion to $ 15.4 billion by 2018.



Catering to increasing needs of the consumers 2017 will witness the innovative Consumer Electonics Show from 5-9 October. The show will have on display the latest electronic gadgets from laptops, computers, computer accessories, cameras, smart phones to multi-media and the household segment will have all that is required for an ideal home like refrigerators, air conditioners, dishwashers and a complete paraphernalia of related products and services.



ACE exhibitions besides, being a pioneer in the exhibition industry has not only brought exhibitions in different and a variety of industry sectors, but has also provided both the public and private enterprises with investment opportunities, enabling transfer of technologies and providing jobs to the Saudi workforce in a multitude of business segments, said Zahoor Siddique, vice president ACE.  TradeArabia News Service
The Supreme Court of Norway has ruled that a TV cable distributor was not retransmitting broadcasts when it received content via an encrypted fibre connection and proceeded to broadcast it to the public. Norwaco is an umbrella organisation for collecting societies in Norway, with membership including musical and television content producers. Get AS is a distributor of cable services, which does not produce original television content itself, but puts together packages of channels which are offered to subscribers. The subject of the dispute before the Court was the retransmission of music rights on the channel, TV Norge.





Until 2009, Get AS retransmitted encrypted but generally available satellite broadcast from TV channels, including TV Norge. Get AS also received signals for cable broadcasts from other satellite broadcasts. Between 2005-09 the rights for the channels were cleared by Norwaco. In 2009, the way in which TV Norge signals were received by Get AS changed; having been previously transmitted in satellite signals in the same broadcast that satellite viewers of the channel received directly, the signals were now sent in an encrypted fibre connection. After this technical change, Get AS stopped clearing with Norwaco for retransmission of the TV channels on the basis that they no longer retransmitted the content as per s34 of the Norwegian Copyright Act, and therefore no remuneration was due to the umbrella collecting society.





Get AS then issued a notice of proceedings in 2012,claiming that they were entitled to distribute TV Norge; Norwaco counterclaimed that Get AS must pay compensation for retransmission. The Oslo District Court and Bogarting Court of Appeal agreed with Get AS that they were entitled to distribute the channels and that no compensation was due. The Supreme Court of Norway agreed, dismissing the appeal, ordering Norwaco to pay 1,026,565 Kroner (around 92,000 GBP).









The relevant law





The key applicable legislation was 34 Norway's Copyright Act, which provides that:

Work that is lawfully included in the broadcast may, through simultaneous and unaltered retransmission, be made available to the public when the party who retransmits meets the conditions of the extended collective licence pursuant to section 36, subsection 1. The author's exclusive right to retransmission may only be exercised through an organisation that has been approved pursuant to section 38a.

[This translation is taken from the translation of the judgment; Norwaco is an approved organisation for the purposes of 38a]





Also integral to the reasoning of the Supreme Court was the interpretation of Article 11bis of the Berne Convention , which sets out the exclusive rights of authors to authorise broadcasting and communications to the public, but which leaves it to the Member States to provide in their local legislation the conditions under which the rights may be exercised.





The issues





Transmission or retransmission? IPKat is not sure

he can tell the difference

Norwaco argued that an author has the exclusive right to dispose of their own works, including authorisation of retransmission, which must be cleared with collecting societies. They argued that the decisive factor when applying 34 is not whether there has been a retransmission of the same physical signal broadcast via cable, and that the Court of Appeal erred in interpreting the EU's SatCab Directive 93/83/EEC as implying that there must have been an initial broadcast in order for the signal to be retransmitted.









Get AS argued that retransmission assumes that there has been a prior broadcast; 34 is a relevant limitation of authors exclusive rights. The transmission of the copyright-protected content must be cleared, but under the agreement between Get AS and the TV-producing companies it is the producers that must ensure the necessary clearances are in place. This, argued Get AS, removes the need for an extended collective license agreement if the broadcaster is willing and able to clear the rights directly with the rightholders. A terrestial network, satellite, cable and internet distribution of content can all be primary channels; as such, the transmission by Get AS is not properly construed as a retransmission of a broadcast, which originally happens on a different primary platform.





Justice Webster concluded that the correct application of 34 is where there is a lawful broadcast of the content, transmitted to the public simultaneously and unaltered. Stated otherwise, there cannot be a retransmission without a transmission:

[T]he term broadcasting transmission herein implies that the work must have been transmitted by TV or radio signals that have been intended for the public.

The signals received by Get AS were sent encrypted over fibre optic cable, that is, not in a medium of transmission intended or accessible for the public, and were therefore not retransmitted.





If there had been a retransmission, then 34 provides that the author must exercise his exclusive rights through an approved collective arrangement, such as Norwaco. The effect of Article 11bis of Berne is to give a legal basis to handing over copyright protection to collecting societies, as a limitation on the rights of individual authors  but, as 34 provides, this has been limited to retransmission.





As Justice Webster makes clear, the typical case envisaged by 34 is where broadcasts are transmitted over-the-air and picked up in a neighbouring country, and this is indeed an issue which has been faced by Norway, Sweden, and the Nordic Countries in the past. Signals transmitted from communication satellities between the states as a solution were not broadcast to the general public and therefore their transmission onward to audiences was not treated as retransmission within Article 11bis of Berne. Similarly the SatCab Directive, part of the EEA Agreement, does imply that for retransmission to take place, there needs to be an original transmission.





This is not to say that Get AS are relieved of any obligation to clear copyright authorisation, but it is the responsibility of SBS broadcasting, and, as expressd above, is negotiated with original rightholders rather than through the collection society. Get AS is independently responsible if SBS fails to do so.





In a dissenting judgment, Justice Arntzen argued that copyright should be technologically neutral. He considered that retransmission should be understood broadly to relate to the copyrighted content without emphasis being placed on the actual signals broadcast. Since the ultimate copyrighted content of the broadcast is the same, there would be a retransmission of signals when they are broadcast by Get AS, notwithstanding that they were received by Get via an encrypted communication. For Justice Arntzen, that the signals were received in closed transmissions and not available to the public was not a significant factor for which reason to discriminate when determining whether a retransmission had taken place.





Comment





This judgment has the apparent potential to undermine the position of collecting societies and umbrella groups such as Norwaco. If transmissions of the same intellectual content sent to distributors via fibre optic encryption and then broadcast publicly on usual cable connections are not characterised as retransmissions, revenue could be channelled away from collecting societies, with a shift towards the rightholders negotiating content distribution for themselves.




Movenpick Hotels & Resorts has become the first hotel company to roll out Oracle Hospitality Opera Cloud Services, a platform for next generation hotel management that offers multiple centralised business functions.



After a successful pilot project at Movenpick Hotel Egerkingen in Switzerland, the upscale hospitality companys collection of properties in Jordan has become the first full hotel cluster to adopt and implement the software in the Middle East.



In our estimation, Opera Cloud will become the industrys standard software for years to come, said Michael Nugent, regional director of Movenpick Hotels & Resorts in Jordan. We would like to extend our gratitude to Zara Holding, the owner of all Movenpick Hotels & Resorts in Jordan, for supporting this innovative project which allows guest recognition across the brand. Access to one guest profile allows us to anticipate the needs of our guests, no matter at which Movenpick hotel they check in to.



The five properties in Jordan are located in Petra, Aqaba, Tala Bay and the Dead Sea. Apart from the significant guest focus benefit, an additional advantage of the software is the ability to easily cluster efforts. Sales, marketing, reservations, revenue management, business intelligence and accounting functions can be fully centralised to streamline operations.



Movenpick Hotels & Resorts offers exceptional guest experiences at its properties, said Bernard Jammet, senior vice president for hotels at Oracle Hospitality. It is the first hotel chain globally to embrace a complete transition to the cloud for its hotel operations platform. We are delighted to see Movenpick leverage the centralised guest profile in Opera Cloud to enhance guest recognition across its properties. With Opera Cloud, Movenpick is reducing IT cost and complexity, while accelerating global expansion, elevating guest experiences and improving operational efficiencies.



As Movenpick Hotels & Resorts prepares for a period of substantial growth in the next five years, sophisticated commercial systems that offer 360-degree visibility are paramount to the companys continued success. Movenpick Hotels & Resorts plans to have its existing portfolio operating on Opera Cloud by 2018. All new resorts and hotels will automatically launch with the new property management system in place. - TradeArabia News Service


COMESA is assisting its member States to strengthen the analytical capacity of their Financial Intelligence Units through capacity building initiatives and provision of hardware and software. The aim is to boost their financial security access system and surveillance.

The initiative is being implemented by COMESA under the Maritime Security (MASE) regional programme which is financed by the European Union through the 10 European Development Fund (EDF 11). The MASE programme aims at fighting against money laundering and financial crimes in the region

Madagascar has so far been the highest beneficiaries of the programme which includes support to join the Eastern and Southern Anti-Money Laundering Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) and alignment of its laws. This is in addition to infrastructure and telecommunications enhancement for its Financial Intelligence Unit, known as SAMIFIN.

On Monday, August 8, 2016, COMESA Secretariat conducted a sensitization workshop for Anti Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) in Madagascar. It targeted stakeholders institutions involved in combating Money Laundering/Terrorist Financing.

Madagascar Minister of Justice, Charles Andriamiseza opened the workshop with a call for joint efforts by all member States to fight money laundering if the battle has to be won.

It is not possible for a single country to fight the vice single handedly because the crimes have no respect for borders, the Minister said. There is no country that can escape from Money laundering/Terrorist Financing, which is a common challenge in the 20th century hence, the need to join hands in this global fight. Madagascar is not exceptional and cannot escape this, Mr Andriamiseza said.

Besides training Madagascar Financial Intelligence Unit, (SAMIFIN) COMESA will also provide assorted information communication technology equipment including computers, servers and software valued at over USD 100,000.

The Minister said the opening up of Madagascar to the international arena gives the country an opportunity for development and forging of future partnerships which are cardinal to the fight against Money Laundering/Terrorist Financing in the country, the COMESA region and the world at large.

He assured the workshop participants that the government has put in place systems to fight corruption and other financial crimes with the adoption of the Anti-Corruption law by parliament and conviction of Money Laundering/Terrorist Financing related crimes.

Madagascars commitment to adhere to the ESAAMLG membership and other legal frameworks to assist in stolen assets recovery are examples of the governments commitment, the Minister said.

The Head of Governance, Peace and Security at the COMESA Secretariat, Ms. Elizabeth Mutunga, emphasized the importance of strong commitment by the governments, strong and efficient institutions and a high level of coordination among the stakeholders to curb money laundering/terrorism financing.

We applaud the government of Madagascar for its strong commitment to fight money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism and for the measures that have been put in place to eliminate the vice which is detrimental to national and regional development, Ms Mutunga said.

She emphasized the importance of aligning AML/CFT laws to international standards as outlined by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that ensures all countries have laws and regulations that are aligned to international standards given transnational nature of the crime.

The Director of SAMIFIN, Lamina Bototsaradi said the country had significantly benefited from the MASE programme and in particular on ICT enhancement and support in facilitating its application to become full members of ESAAMLG.
The selection: Wednesday, 10 August 2016

SADC Trade Protocol: Mauritius workshop on MRE system (GoM)

A sensitisation workshop on the SADC Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation System of the SADC Trade Protocol and Non-Tariff Barriers organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, in collaboration with the Customs Department and the SADC Secretariat, opened at the Customs Department of the Mauritius Revenue Authority. For the first cycle of the self-reporting (2015), Member States were expected to submit annual reports showing progress made on implementation of the Protocol relative to status reported during the previous year as well as implementation plans for 2016. The aim of the workshop is to assist Mauritian stakeholders to identify implementation gaps and prepare the annual plan for 2016.

Central Corridor: Traders find solutions to NTBs but sticky issues persist (New Times)

Fresh information shows that transporters on the Central Corridor now save up to 78% of weighbridge stoppage times, thanks to an April directive by Tanzanian President John Magufuli for transit trucks to stop only three times instead of eight at weighbridges in the country. The announcement, by the Central Corridor Transit Transportation Facilitation Agency, comes hardly a month after members of the East African Business Council highlighted several issues, including delays in clearing goods, corruption and theft at the Port of Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania. According to the agency, its own analysis revealed that from June 2015 to April 2016 transporters spent an average of 222.4 minutes (3.42 hours) on weighbridges between Dar-es-Salaam and the borders between Tanzania and Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda up to DR Congo. But there is a new hurdle. [Tanzania takes over Central Corridor Chairmanship from Rwanda, Hail transport time, cost drop on Central Corridor (editorial comment, Daily News)]

Port of Mombasa: operational performance, week ending 3 August (Business Daily)

Operational performance at the terminal registered an average ship working time from first sling to the last sling of 1.96 days while ship average waiting time was 0.35 days and dwell time was 3.93 days. Average gross move per ship was 36 per hour and average gross move per crane was 16 per hour. Containers delivered by road during the week were 10,677 TEUs while those evacuated by rail were 240 TEUs only. Imports population breakdown at the port: 1,896 TEUs were for the local market (Kenya) while 4,441 TEUs were for the transit countries. As usual Uganda had the lion share of the transit throughput with 3,508 TEUs followed by Tanzania 292, South Sudan was third with 243 TEUs and DRC imported 172 TEUs. Other countries were Rwanda with 143 TEUs, Somalia 46 TEUs, Ethiopia had 23 TEUs and last was Burundi with 14 TEUs.

Zimbabwe: Import restrictions fuel rampant smuggling in Beitbridge (The Chronicle)

Smuggling of commodities into Zimbabwe has escalated following the implementation of Statutory Instrument (SI) 64 of 2016 with the Government losing millions of dollars every week in unpaid customs duty. The instrument restricts the importation of some goods produced locally. But rampant smuggling activities are taking place at illegal crossing points dotted along the Limpopo River, The Chronicle can reveal. At Nottingham Estate, about 40km west of the border town, the news crew observed a one tonne truck being loaded with smuggled goods shortly after 8PM. The goods, which were concealed under a consignment of oranges, included alcoholic beverages and boxes of cooking oil. The smugglers are taking advantage of the dry Limpopo riverbed to cross the border using 4x4 vehicles. [Business slumps at Beitbridge as border post is deserted]

EALA to probe Burundi's ban on cross-border trade (New Times)

The East African Legislative Assembly plans to launch an independent investigation into Burundis recent decision to ban Rwandas products entering its market. The findings will inform the assembly and the Heads of State in the region on possible remedies. This was announced yesterday, by Daniel Kidega, the EALA Speaker after a meeting with Senate president Bernard Makuza. The two also discussed the EAC funding, where countries are urged to develop the necessary funding mechanisms for projects to avoid relying on donors.

COMESA: helping Madagascar, member states combat money laundering

The initiative is being implemented by COMESA under the Maritime Security regional programme which is financed through the European Development Fund (EDF 11). The MASE programme aims at fighting against money laundering and financial crimes in the region. On Monday, the COMESA Secretariat conducted a sensitization workshop for Anti Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) in Madagascar. Madagascar has so far been the highest beneficiary of the programme which includes support to join the Eastern and Southern Anti-Money Laundering Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) and alignment of its laws.

Regional leaders to meet on money laundering (The Chronicle)

The Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) and the SADC Council of Ministers will meet this month for their bi-annual task force meeting. The 32nd task force meeting of the senior officials will be held from 28 August to 1 September in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, organisers said. The task force meeting will be followed by the council of ministers meeting on 2 September and the public/private sector dialogue, will take place from 2-3 September.

Nigeria: Olusegun Awolowo worried about neglect of ECOWAS free trade (The Guardian)

Executive Director, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Olusegun Awolowo, has urged Nigerian exporters to maximise the economic potentials inherent in ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, to enhance economic growth in the country. The export promotion council boss, who spoke recently at capacity building workshop for exporters in Kano, revealed that survey conducted by the council on progress in Nigeria on some multilateral and bilateral trade agreements entered with some countries indicated poor impact, largely due to what he considered as lack of awareness of most of the pacts. On the contrary, President of the Trans Sahara Trade Development Association, Muntaka Isa, insisted that low participation of businessmen particularly in the Northern part of the country was not unconnected to cumbersome procedure and heavy taxes and duties imposed by Nigerian Customs services.

Mauritius hosts regional workshop on communicating scientific information to policy makers (GoM)

A five-day regional training workshop on 'Communicating Scientific Information to Policy Makers' opened yesterday. The objective is to improve decision making and the development of policies based on the scientific data, products and bulletins that are generated under the Monitoring for Environment and Security in Africa-Indian Ocean Commission project. Organised by the Mauritius Oceanography Institute, the workshop is being attended by around 30 participants, namely National Focal Point from Indian Ocean Commission member states and Eastern African countries as well as the technical focal points from the National Beneficiary Institutions. The MESA project is a contractual project between the MOI and the African Union Commission with funding and endorsement from the European Union.

Fighting deforestation in the Miombo woodlands of Southern Africa (World Bank Blogs)

The 2016 Miombo Network workshop, hosted by Mozambiques University Eduardo Mondlane from 27-29 July, drew over 90 participants from eight African countries - South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Kenya - as well as from the US, UK, Portugal, Finland, and Brazil. The participants represented a diverse cross-section of governments at the national and subnational level, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and academia.

SADC, Germany sign technical and financial cooperation agreement

IGAD training workshop on international water law

AU's Fridays of the Commission workshop, 19 August: Lessons from the response to El Nino Eastern Africa and Southern Africa

The evolving dynamics of Africa's regional economies: Ajen Sita (EY Africa) interviewed (Forbes)

Afreximbanks plan for Kenya regional office hit by tax war (Business Daily)

Brexit lessons for EAC about Tanzania (Business Daily)

How SA living standards have changed: analysis of selected living standards indicators (Standard Bank)

GDP per capita and disposable income per capita (national level, real terms): We use national GDP per capita over the past 15 years and divide it into 3 time periods: 2000-2005; 2006-2010 and 2011-2015. We show that living standards for South Africans improved the most during the period 2000-2005, with GDP per capita growth of 10%. The period 2011-2015 recorded the lowest per capita growth at just 2%. Similarly, analysis of disposable income per capita shows that average income for South Africans grew the slowest in the period 2011-2015, at 3%, versus 12% in 2000-2006 and 5% in 2006-2010. [The analysts: Kim Silberman, Siphamandla Mkhwanazi, Zaakirah Ismail]

Financing Africas infrastructure deficit: from development banking to long-term investing (Brookings)

In this paper, we first take stock of recent initiatives [including PIDA] to scale up infrastructure in Africa through the construction of new (greenfield) investment. While progress has been made on the origination front, especially for regional infrastructure investment, the financing has yet to materialize. The paper then critically reviews the literature on informed versus arms length debt and draws lessons for infrastructure financing. Considering the differences in investors preferences that Africa faces, the paper argues that Africas success to fill its greenfield infrastructure gap hinges upon a delicate balancing act between development banking and long-term institutional investing. [The analysts: Rabah Arezki, Amadou Sy]

Multilateral Development Banks Climate Finance 2015 Joint Report (AfDB)

Among the regions, non-European Union Europe and Central Asia received the largest share of total funding at 20%; with South Asia receiving 19%; Latin America and the Caribbean 15%; East Asia and the Pacific 14%; the EU 13%; Sub-Saharan Africa 9%; and the Middle East and North Africa 9%. Multi-regional commitments made up the other 2% of the total. On a sectoral basis, the largest recipient of adaptation funding was for water and wastewater systems (27%), followed by energy, transport and related infrastructure (24%), and crop and food production (18%). Renewable energy received the bulk of mitigation finance (30%), lower-carbon transport received 26%, and energy efficiency activities 14%.

14 airlines close shop in Nigeria amid forex hike (The Guardian)

No fewer than 14 airlines have withdrawn their services from the country due to low patronage on account of the economic recession. The airlines, including Iberia, United Airlines and Air Gambia, are among the 50 that operated the Nigerian routes some months ago. Besides, foreign airlines operating in the country are estimated to have lost about N64 billion in the wake of the new foreign exchange policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

T20 policy recommendations to the G20 (China Daily)

About 500 think tank experts, politicians and representatives of international organizations from 25 countries worldwide met in Beijing for the Think 20 (T20) Summit that ran from July 29 to 30 to contribute their wisdom to the G20 Hangzhou Summit on building new global relationships. Extract: The T20 should strengthen its own capacity building. Some experts suggest that the T20 should initiate a more institutionalized think tank alliance to provide more systematic and issue-oriented intellectual support for the G20. Others suggest that the G20 should even establish a G20 Institute funded by the G20 members and composed of relevant experts of the G20 members.

US disappointed with Chinese export subsidies says EXIM chairman (Reuters)

A senior US trade official on Tuesday complained that China's rising export subsidies were damaging American businesses and criticised the US political system for failing to adapt to competition from China. US Export-Import Bank Chairman Fred Hochberg told reporters in Beijing that China gave its exporters 10 times more financing than the US did in 2015, predicting the issue would be on the agenda at the G20 summit in Hangzhou next month. In 2015, US EXIM approved $12.4bn in export financing. During his trip to Beijing, Hochberg met with the Export-Import Bank of China, which he said extended $30bn last year and he said another agency benefitting exporters, Sinosure, gave $471bn last year to aid Chinese business and investment overseas. He said he was disappointed China has yet to sign up to a global framework regulating export subsidies.

US-China trade surprise (AEI)

China: Disappointing July imports suggest cooling domestic demand (Reuters)

Indias new stance at RCEP may benefit China (LiveMint)

Ghana: Making a case for the ratification and implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTC Accra)

The 2016 Brookings Financial and Digital Inclusion Project report: advancing equitable financial ecosystems

China mulls venture into Rwanda's banking sector (New Times)

tralacs Daily News archive

Catch up on tralacs daily news selections by following this link .

SUBSCRIBE

To receive the link to tralacs Daily News Selection via email, click here to subscribe.

This post has been sourced on behalf of tralac and disseminated to enhance trade policy knowledge and debate. It is distributed to over 350 recipients across Africa and internationally, serving in the AU, RECS, national government trade departments and research and development agencies. Your feedback is most welcome. Any suggestions that our recipients might have of items for inclusion are most welcome.

Tell us what you think.
Vacation Agent Magazine

A version of this article appears in print in the July 2015 issue of Vacation Agent Magazine. Subscribe
These killings have been condemned by Human rights groups who say that the convictions may have been based on forced confessions. Even the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Raad Al Hussein, said there were serious doubts about the fairness of the trials, as well as respect for due process and other rights of the accused.

Hossein Abedini, the UK spokesperson for the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) , which is a coalition of Iranian opposition political organizations functioning as a parliament in exile, condemned the executions and urged the UK to hold Iran accountable. He said, Under President Hassan Rouhani, who has presented himself as a moderate, human rights violations have rapidly deteriorated. In total, around 120,000 people are believed to have been executed since 1981 for their political or religious beliefs, and the figure has escalated since Rouhani became president.

Abedini also declared the UKs relative silence as shameful, saying, Things have deteriorated and worsened as far as human rights are concerned. There have been 2,500 hangings [since Rouhani came to power in 2013, many juveniles and women have been executed, and religious minorities, especially Christians, are suffering in Iran very badly There is no freedom for religious minorities; they cannot practice their religion [and they suffer] very brutal and cruel human rights violations.

Its dangerous to be a Christian in Iran. Open churches are forbidden, and converting from Islam is a crime, punishable by death for men, and life imprisonment for women. More than 100 Christians were arrested or imprisoned last year, and there have been reports of torture. Irans human rights abuses and violence is facilitated by laws allowing legal persecution of minority communities like Christians and Bahai Muslims.

There is no religious freedom in Iran, said Abedini. The regime itself is the most ungodly regime. In 2014, President Rouhani himself described executions under his rule as the fulfilment of Gods commandments.

However, Abedini said the majority of Muslims want to distance the brutal punishments from true Islam. We believe this is only a fundamentalist regime carrying out [executions] in the name of God and in the name of religion, he said. Islam is a religion of compassion and mercy. [The executions are] absolutely abhorrent, and have got nothing to do with true Islam.

This weekend is the anniversary of the 1988 executions of political prisoners in Iran, and this protest also speaks to that crime, as the strikers call for the British government to not only to hold Iran to account for its wider human rights violations, but also to recognize and condemn this massacre. Amnesty International documented the disappearance of more than 4,400 prisoners, though opposition groups say as many as 30,000 were killed.

Omid Ebrahimi, whose father was held as a political prisoner in Iran for a decade, and who lost several members of his mothers family, who were executed during this time. For us, this was one of the darkest days in the history of human beings, Ebrahimi told Christian Today. And for this, we call upon all western governments, and in particular the British government, to condemn the massacre. Ebrahimi insisted that The regime hasnt changed at all, and added, This can only be solved one way, and thats a regime change.

Conservative MP Matthew Offord, who joined a number of political and church leaders at the NCRIs annual conference in Paris last month, sent a message offering his best wishes to those on hunger strike, adding that the mass execution of Sunni political prisoners is deeply disturbing.

Four bishops and others issued a joint statement prior to the NCRIs annual conference, setting out their grave concern at Irans human rights situation. They said, Repression of Christians has not only continued but intensified during the presidency of Hassan Rouhani. The statement also said, In such circumstances, we call on all Western countries to consider the deplorable situation of human rights in Iran, particularly the painful situation of Christians and the intensification of their oppression, in navigating their relations with Iran. We call upon them to precondition improvement of those relations on the cessation of oppression of Christians and on a halt in executions.
Second for Emma Pallant at 70.3 Budapest

Posted by: John Levison

Posted on: Saturday 30th July 2016

|

|

|

Bertrand Billard and Lisa Hutthaler win in Budapest

World Duathlon Champion Emma Pallant is second in Hungary

A strong turnout of British Pro athletes saw mixed results today at IRONMAN 70.3 Budapest.

On the 'down' side, both Stuart Hayes and Will Clarke appear to be DNF's after the second of four run laps.

They arrived at T2 together in a group covering positions 6th-10th, but at that point were already seven minutes down on the pace-setting Frenchman Bertrand Billard. Billard was hunted down on the run by Horst Reichal (GER), but he ran out of road and with 1:15:50 and 1:13:04 runs respectively, the win went to Billard. Ivan Tutukin (RUS) produced the fastest run (1:10:42) to complete the podium.

Things were more positive in the women's Pro race (and that's not just a sly dig at the winner... see what I did there?).

Austria's Lisa Hutthaler had built a lead of almost four minutes by the end of the 90km bike over the home pairing of Anna Halasz and Erika Csomor. The Briitsh Pro trio of Emma Pallant, Vanessa Raw and Alice Hector were only around 30 seconds further back, with Pallant perhaps the most likely to be able to close down that sort of margin, having run 16:07 for 5000m this year.

Emma was able to close approaching two minutes of her deficit over the first 5km lap, well inside the rate she needed, but (perhaps?) that early pace was a touch too fast, and the margin held relatively stable over the next 15km. Hutthaler would cross the line three minutes in front with Pallant in second, while Halasz would get the better of the veteran Csomor to be the first Hungarian athlete to complete the podium. In her first race for some time, Vanessa Raw had a solid return in fourth to separate the locals, having started the race with modest expectations.

Off to #Budapest to race the 70.3, happy to be back at finally, not expecting too much just yet but to have fun :) @IRONMANtri  Vanessa Raw (@NessRawArt) July 28, 2016

Also of note - in the men's 55-59 division, perhaps one of the best Age Group performances I've ever seen? If you've been around as long as I have, the name Rob Barel will be known to you. The guys has been awesome since the mid-80's - check out his triathlon.org profile.

Well, today Rob won the M55-59 division. No surprise there, even without knowing who else was in the race, he's that good that it would be expected. But, Rob finished in... 4:06:51 (25:10 / 2:12:11 / 1:25:50) and won his AG my almost 30 minutes.

And in December this year, Rob will be... FIFTY NINE YEARS OLD.

Yes, next year he moves up to M60-64. If you are racing him, I'd suggest you set your sights on Silver.

IRONMAN 70.3 Budapest - Saturday 30th July 2016

1.9km / 90km / 21.1km

MEN

1st - Bertrand Billard (FRA) - 3:41:11

2nd - Horst Reichal (GER) - 3:41:46

3rd - Ivan Tutukin (RUS) - 3:43:05

4th - Viktor Zyemtsev (UKR) - 3:43:55

5th - Daniil Sapunov (UKR) - 3:43:59

WOMEN

1st - Lisa Hutthaler (AUT) - 4:06:36

2nd - Emma Pallant (GBR) - 4:09:31

3rd - Anna Halasz (HUN) - 4:12:16

4th - Vanessa Raw (GBR) - 4:14:57

5th - Erika Csomor (HUN) - 4:16:16

11th - Alice Hector (GBR) - 4:51:00
The three-day protest started Saturday to coincide with the anniversary of the 1988 massacre in which 30,000 political prisoners were slaughtered in the country has brought together groups of Anglo-Iranians and British supporters, angered by the mass executions of Iranian nationals last week.

The National Council of Resistance in Iran (NCRI) points out that more than 2,500 people have been hanged since Hassan Rouhani assumed the office of president in 2013. Protesters urge the UK government to condemn executions and torture in the country.

Omid Ebrahim, an 18 year old protester, told the Standard that, We are striking in solidarity with prisoners in Iran. No matter how hard this is for us, it is nothing compared to the conditions they are facing.

In an article posted on their website, the NCRI said, Hunger strikers and protesters are urging the UK government to categorically condemn the incessant cruel hangings that are taking place unabatedly in Iran and act with its Western allies to press for an immediate halt to the executions and torture in Iran.
The strikers were joined by many supporters, as they demanded that the UK government speak out against the treatment of political prisoners in Iran.

The strikers were joined by many supporters, as they demanded that the UK government speak out against the treatment of political prisoners in Iran.

Sinclair reports that, They also called for the government to recognise the victims and perpetrators of the 1988 massacre in Iran, in which state-sanctioned killings of political prisoners were carried out over several months leaving thousands of people dead.

The Association of Iranian Political Prisoners, UK, issued a statement, The participants urge the UK government to categorically condemn incessant cruel hangings and act with its western allies for an immediate halt to the executions and torture in Iran, and added, They also call on the UN Human Rights Council and the UN Security Council to form an international court to prosecute the officials of the regime responsible for these crimes.

On the final day of the three-day demonstration, the protesters held a mock execution.

One of them, 18-year-old Omid Ebrahimi, said, My dad was very active in Iran and spent 10 years in prison there. He was there at the time of the 1988 massacre and he whenever he talks about the memories he had and the friends he had that were taken from him and executed during this massacre I am astounded. He also said, Four of my mums relatives were executed by the regime  two during the massacre  and all of this motivates me to follow in the footsteps of my parents, because they are trying to raise awareness of the fact the regime is still there  many high ranking members who took a leading role in the massacre still hold key positions in the hierarchy of the regime.

Another demonstrator, Naghmeh Rajabi, 29, said: It is personal because I was victim of Iranian regime. My aunts were executed by the Iranian regime and I never got to meet them and its a person thing for me. Living in a free society as an Iranian woman in exile, it is my responsibility to speak for the women who dont have a voice and dont have the basic minimum human rights.

Demanding that those who took part in the 1988 massacre be held accountable, the protesters also want to raise awareness of the plight of political prisoners in Iran. Their protest came less than a week after the execution of at least 20 Kurdish Sunni political prisoners in the countrys Gohardasht (Rajai-Shahr) Prison.

UK spokesperson for the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) Hossein Abedini said: The situation inside the prison where the recent executions took place is very worrying and many people, many prisoners are on hunger strike there and there is very tight security. There is a very worrying situation if the silence continues and robust measures are not introduced immediately.

Ebrahimi said that despite going without food for three days, the protesters were in good shape compared with prisoners in Iran.

We are on hunger strike with political prisoners who are also on hungers strike, but they are in worse conditions, they are tortured they are awaiting executions and we are doing it in a country where we are out of harms way and we are not under threat, he said.
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 9

In view of the upcoming Independence Day celebrations, the Government Railway Police (GRP) carried out a search operation at Amritsar railway station here today.

Davinder Singh Randhawa, SHO, GRP, said police teams were carrying out search operations on a regular basis at the station in view of the celebrations on August 15. A dog squad was pressed to service to find out any suspicious elements. The luggage of passengers was also checked at all platforms of the railway station, said Randhawa. He said the GRP had received instructions from higher ups to keep a close watch 24 hours a day in order to thwart any untoward incident. He said security had been tightened at the railway station.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 10

Panchkula-based Ashok Mittal, who was arrested by the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of the UT police yesterday for allegedly duping a Mohali businessman of Rs 19 crore, was today sent to a three-day police remand by the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate.

The police had demanded a five-day of the accused, but the court granted a three-day custody after hearing arguments from both sides.

The prosecution told the court that it wanted to recover cheques, passport and several important documents relating to the case from the accused.

Mittal was arrested after his anticipatory bail was first rejected by a local court and then by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The case of fraud was registered against him in October last year. Mittal, his wife Chetna Mittal and others were booked on the charge of cheating following a complaint by Vikas Walia, who had alleged that the accused took Rs 19 crore from him on the pretext of providing him diamonds from Belgium at 25 per cent less rate than that in the market.

The accused couple had failed to provide him diamond and even refused to return Rs 19 crore to the complainant.
As they entered the final day of their hunger strike, protesters staged a mock execution outside Downing Street. They demand that the UK government condemn the horrific executions being carried out in Iran.

Irans supreme leader in 1988, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa, beginning a five-month purge. The majority of those executed came from the main political opposition party, the Peoples Mujahedin of Iran. Many were members of the minority Sunni Islamic community.

Mortimer reports that, Over the weekend groups of Anglo-Iranians and British supporters marked the anniversary in protest over the more than 2,500 people they say have been hanged in the country since the start of Hassan Rouhanis presidency in 2013.

The National Council of the Resistance of Iran, who organized the protest, said, The hunger strikers and protesters are urging the UK government to categorically condemn the incessant cruel hangings that are taking place unabatedly in Iran and act with its Western allies to press for an immediate halt to the executions and torture in Iran.

The NCRI also said they, called on the UN Human Rights Council and the UN Security Council to refer the human rights dossier of the mullahs regime to the International Criminal Court for the prosecution of its leaders including the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani.

Their President-elect, Maryam Rajavi, described the 1988 massacre as an appalling crime against humanity and said it was time for the UN to end their silence and bring the record of the Iranian regimes crimes before the International Criminal Court.

I would like to send my best wishes to all of you who are protesting against the horrific events we have seen happening in Iran over this past few weeks. said Conservative MP Matthew Offord, adding, The mass execution of Sunni political prisoners is deeply disturbing and has rightly been condemned.

Oxford concluded by saying, A few weeks ago, I spoke to over 100,000 people who attended the annual National Council for Resistance in Iran conference in Paris. It was a great opportunity for myself and fellow parliamentarians to express our concerns over these events and we will continue to stand with you all and highlight your concerns in Parliament.
Charu Chhibber

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 10

Opening a snacks bar selling foods high in fats, salt and sugar (HFSS) on the premises of its hospital is more important for the UT Health Department than providing medicines to patients.

The fact came to light today when a 24x7 snacks bar was inaugurated at the Civil Hospital, Sector 45, by Dr Vanita Gupta, Director, Health Services, amid much fanfare and the presence of Senior Medical Officer (SMO) of the hospital, Dr Krishna Chaudhary, and SDM, South, Kriti Garg, among others.

(Follow Chandigarh Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Interestingly, the snacks bar serves all sorts of HFSS foods, including chips, aerated drinks, sandwiches, biscuits, samosas, patties, burgers and beverages  the very foods which doctors tell their patients to avoid, are being sold right at the entrance of the hospital. Even the Director, Health Services (DHS), who was the chief guest on the occasion, was seen relishing the much-debated junk food after the inauguration along with the guests of honour.

What will we do of the snacks if our patient loses the battle against life in wait for medicines while we run around the town looking for the same in the absence of a pharmacy at the hospital, says Sahil Khan, a resident of Burail, whose grandfather is admitted to the emergency ward of the hospital.

Notably, all three civil hospitals of the city - Civil Block Hospital, Sector 22; Civil Hospital, Sector 45; and Civil Hospital, Manimajra, were converted from civil dispensaries by the Health Department with a view to providing better facilities to the patients. However, years have passed by but no chemist shop has been opened on the premises despite repeated promises by the Health Department and more recently, by

the Director, Health Services, UT. The issue was even highlighted by Chandigarh Tribune four months ago.

ALBR launched in hospital

Aadhar-Linked Birth Registration (ALBR) was also inaugurated at the Civil Hospital, Sector 45, by the Director, Health Services. The facility was launched last week in the city. Chandigarh became the first UT to launch ALBR and second amongst all states/UTs after Haryana.

Promises galore

Hospital SMO Dr Krishna Chaudhary said a space in the hospital had been earmarked for a pharmacy. She, however, said the rest was up to the DHS to decide.

UT Health Secretary Anurag Aggarwal had recently stated that the tenders had been received for chemist shops, and soon, work would start on the in-house pharmacies in all three civil hospitals.

Notably, Dr Vanita Gupta, Director, Health Services, had informed four months ago that tenders had been opened and there would be medical stores at all three hospitals soon. She could not be contacted on Wednesday for her comments despite repeated calls and messages.
Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, August 10

About one-and-a-half-year after leaving the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Mohali Mayor Kulwant Singh and 10 councillors of the Mohali Municipal Corporation belonging to the Azad Group returned to the Akali Dal fold, here today.

Mohali Deputy Mayor Manjit Singh Sethi, who had contested the MC election as an Independent also rejoined the party along with another Independent councillor Harwinder Kaur Lang.

(Follow Chandigarh Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Earlier, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal welcomed Kulwant Singh and others with a siropa (robe of honour) in the presence of Education Minister Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, Dera Bassi MLA NK Sharma and hundreds of Akali Dal workers at a function held at the partys head office in Sector 28, Chandigarh, this morning.

Terming Kulwant Singhs return as ghar vaapsi, Sukhbir Badal quipped that they (Kulwant and others) had gone on a holiday. Today, they returned home, he said. Giving an indication of Kulwant Singhs position in the party, Sukhbir said he was very close to him. People ask me to give them tickets to contest the elections and when I ask Kulwant to do so, he refuses, said Sukhbir.

When asked who would be the SAD candidate from Mohali in the Assembly election, Badal said, Hune kyon dassiye (why should we reveal it now).

After rejoining SAD Kulwant Singh said, The development of Mohali will remain my priority. I will perform all duties given to me by the party high command, he said.

Kulwant Singh had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election on a SAD ticket from Fatehgarh Sahib in 2014 and left the party early last year ahead of the MC elections following the denial of ticket to his loyalists. He had then formed a new party Azad Group and contested that won 12 seats.

Cong stand on supporting Kulwant as Mayor

The Congress councillors, 15 in number, had helped Kulwant Singh become the Mayor of Mohali. We had supported Kulwant Singh on the issue of development. Now, we will clear our stand on Thursday, said Mohali MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu.

SAD councillors absent from function

While Mohali Mayor Kulwant Singh, along with the Deputy Mayor and 12 other councillors, joined the party fold, 17 SAD councillors of the Mohali MC were conspicuous by their absence at the function. The Akali-BJP councillors had decided to skip the function. Definitely some grudges are there among the councillors in question, some Akali councillors said on the condition of anonymity. Notably, the MC House meetings had witnessed differences between the Kulwant Singh group (who had become the Mayor with the support of Congress councillors) and SAD-BJP councillors so far.
Chandigarh, August 10

Mohali Mayor and real estate developer Kulwant Singh, who was expelled from Shiromani Akali Dal last year, today rejoined the party here in the presence of party's President and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Addressing the media, Sukhbir said he regards Kulwant Singh as his younger brother "who for a little while went away from the party fold but has now returned to his mother party which would further strengthen it in district Mohali."

Describing Singh as a "dynamic" leader, Sukhbir said he carried out an "all-round development" in Mohali and helped it to occupy a top position among the tri-cities of Mohali, Panchkula and Chandigarh.

Singh (55) was expelled from SAD following differences with the then party leader Balwant Singh Ramoowalia over ticket distribution for municipal corporation elections.

After his expulsion, he formed Azaad group and contested elections and subsequently became Mayor of Mohali.

Singh, a leading real estate developer in Mohali, had also unsuccessfully contested 2012 assembly polls on a SAD ticket from Fatehgarh Sahib seat.

Twelve other municipal councillors, including Amrik Singh, Phoolraj Singh, Harpal Singh Channa, Sarabjit Singh, also joined Akali Dal today.  PTI
Amritsar, August 10

The Gharinda police is still groping in dark over the alleged murder of a youth identified as Gurjinder Singh, a resident of Rorawala village, whose body was found near a drain here on Monday. His brother Baljit was also admitted to the hospital after he claimed to have received injuries.

Investigating officer Tejinder Singh said according to police officials there were no injury marks on the body of the victim as well as his brother, who was admitted to a private hospital for treatment. Moreover, Baljit was yet to record his statement.

He said the matter aroused suspicion. Nevertheless, investigations were under progress to ascertain the truth. Things would be clear once Baljit recorded his statement and police got the post-mortem report of the deceased, he added.  TNS
Events in Quetta on Monday demonstrated that Pakistan remains vulnerable to meticulously planned urban terrorism of particularly grotesque dimensions.

It began with the targeted killing in the morning of senior lawyer Bilal Anwar Kasi, gunned down while travelling in his car. That was the opening salvo for mayhem on a much wider scale.

A suicide bomber struck at the gates of the Civil Hospitals emergency department where a large number of people had gathered after his body was brought there.

At least 70 people died in the blast, and 100 were injured. Many of the dead included lawyers; several of them senior members of the fraternity who, it is said, were more vocal than most about human rights violations taking place in the province. Two cameramen from DawnNews and Aaj TV were also among the dead.

Violence in Balochistan is multifaceted and perpetrated by a variety of actors, including separatists, religious extremists and others, but the modus operandi in this case appears to indicate the involvement of religious extremists. And there has indeed been a claim of responsibility, albeit unsubstantiated, by at least one such outfit.

After a lull of several months, there have been indications that extremist groups are once again active in the city, with lawyers being the target in most incidents.

In June, the principal of the University of Balochistans law college was assassinated. On August 1, two Hazara men were shot dead. The next day, a lawyer was murdered in broad daylight by gunmen on a motorcycle. In response, pillion riding and the display of weapons in Quetta were banned. However, such cosmetic measures do little to thwart those bent on carnage.

Clearly, there has been an intelligence failure of grave proportions  even more so given the overt security footprint in a garrison town like Quetta.

While the immediate target may well have been the legal community, with the murder of Bilal Anwar Kasi acting as bait, there is little to illuminate the motive behind the atrocity.

Ongoing legal proceedings against individuals accused of terrorism could have been the trigger, but such large-scale attacks are typical of the blowback that militants had launched after the state began to go after them.

Moreover, lawyers, doctors and teachers are seen as part of the intelligentsia, and when they are targeted  especially through such wholesale slaughter  it casts a pall of gloom over society, especially in a province that has seen a heartbreaking decimation of its educated class through violence.

Such attacks also belie the claim by security forces and law-enforcement agencies that they have brought terrorism under control through intelligence-based operations.

Years of myopic and ultimately self-destructive policies have created a witches brew of militant groups and proxies in Balochistan acting at the behest of various quarters, not all of whom are foreign.

Do the authorities even have a road map that sees the people of this beleaguered province as more than cogs in a security state?

Editorial in Dawn
K.V. Prasad

A minor traffic jam inside Parliament House held up the vehicle of the high-profile Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu recently for a brief while. The snarl in a way reflects the current status of the Telugu Desam Party, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Naidu, who two decades ago held a sway over national politics is now fighting for funds for a state shrunk in size as opponents and people are breathing fire amid growing perception of an indifferent BJP-led Central government.

Naidu, once thought as a possible replacement for Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda during the United Front days, and who extracted favour after favour from the Centre for his rock-solid support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance Government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, is now meandering through a crisis. Naidu, who won a majority to become the Chief Minister of bifuricated Andhra Pradesh in May 2014, is being painted into a corner in the state. In the state, revenues are falling, commitments on the financial front increasing and a grandiose plan to build a modern Singapore-like capital Amravati adding to burgeoning woes.

Over the past two years, the state is knocking every possible door in the corridors of power in Delhi to seek implementation of a special status for Andhra Pradesh, a promise made in Parliament by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while moving the Bill to divide the state and create Telangana. The Centre now is less than enthusiastic in granting such a status, even though as the leaders in the opposition then Arun Jaitley and M Venkaiah Naidu extracted a promise out of the government of the day. Finance Minster Jaitley now finds the assurance difficult to keep on two grounds. First, technical  interpretation of recommendation of the 14th Finance Commission on categorisation is states plus devolution of greater share of central funds to the states, and the other political  such a status to Andhra will encourage other states to make similar demands.

Sensing a political opportunity to build upon the feeling that the Centre under BJP is looking askance to the legitimate demand of Andhra, opposition Congress moved the pieces.

It gradually increased the political heat in the state and in a deft move brought a Private Member's Bill in the Rajya Sabha demanding such a status. The architect of the Bill was K V.P. Ramachandra Rao, the chief strategist for the all-powerful former chief minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. Minutes before the Bill was to put to vote, the Finance Minister objected to the legislative competence of the House as being a Money Bill. The Bill was lost but not the message.

The Congress in the state virtually forced the TDP on the backfoot, so much so that Naidu had to instruct his team in Delhi to whip Centre's insouciance on the issue onto the national stage.

Having come to office after over a decade in wilderness on the strength of his image as a performer and efficient administrator, the current regime nowhere near matches that perception.

Dexterous political moves by opponents, lack of finances and inadequate support from the lead partner is creating problems for the TDP and Naidu. Naidu returned from Delhi after meeting the Prime Minister in a not-too-happy frame of mind. The message from the Modi-led government is that a package equivalent to requirement is in the works, but there will be no special status. Unlike the previous NDA government, where the support of allies, especially the likes of the TDP, was crucial, the current regime is not hemmed in by such compulsions. A clear majority of its own and a plan to be a pan-India party, the BJP-led government is in no mood to entertain its allies beyond the boundary. In its grand scheme of things, the BJP is determined to expand its footprint across the southern coastline. It tasted success in Kerala this summer, experimented in Tamil Nadu and is preparing to increase its strength in Andhra Pradesh. While it is perfectly legitimate for a political party to work towards the objective, the nature of its relationships with allies is far from cosy elsewhere too.

Of the major allies in the government  the Shiv Sena, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Lok Janshakti Party of Ram Vilas Paswan  the association can at best be described as uncomfortable. Equations with the Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab lead to an intermittent speculation that the decades'-old ties may snap anytime now.

Even though there is little to suggest that the ties between the SAD, under Parkash Singh Badal-Sukhbir Singh Badal with Modi- Shah leadership is under strain, the talk resurfaces ever so often. Part of the discomfort got articulated during the recent meeting of the Inter-State Council, when Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal's stinging observations on the attitude of the Centre, was a telling comment. It is another matter that Sukhbir Badal made amends the next day. A prominent SAD law-maker recently sharing anguish over the southward slide in the relations with the BJP in a conversation with a western diplomat, can be seen as a cursor to alterning panorama in Punjab.

In Maharastha, the BJP-Sena alliance is under strain. While periodic acerbic statements by the Sena leadership could be explained as posturing ahead of next year's Brihanmumbai Municipal elections, ties between the Sena chief Uddhav Thackrey and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis cannot be categorised as cordial. Allies of the BJP today would either have to reconcile with the Orwellian philosophy that while all are equal, some more equal than others (read the BJP), or chart their own course.

kveprasad2007@gmail.com
G Parthasarathy

FOLLOWING the visit of Home Minister Rajnath Singh to Islamabad, the time has come for a dispassionate analysis of where we stand, as we prepare for a scheduled visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Islamabad in November, for the SAARC Summit. We need to understand the dynamics of internal developments in Pakistan and its foreign policy imperatives. I had occasion to meet well-informed Pakistani politicians, former diplomats, academics and retired generals in recent days. Pakistan is going through difficult political times. It is being shunned and distrusted by the US and its Western allies; regarded as an untrustworthy country by Gulf Arabs and Iranians alike; and reviled by neighbours Bangladesh, Afghanistan and India for sponsoring terrorism. Its sole friends appear to be China and Turkey, which is just recovering from a coup.

Pakistan is finding scant international support for its territorial claims in J&K. It is facing a hostile reaction from Afghanistan for its efforts to fence the Durand Line, which no Afghan and many Pakistani Pashtuns do not recognise as international border. There have been escalating tensions and clashes along the Pak-Afghan border, as Pakistan tries to regulate cross-border movement by constructing a gate at the Torkham border. It is evident that its army chief, Gen Raheel Sharif, who is due to retire on November 30 and evidently looks forward to an extension, loathes PM Nawaz Sharif and seems determined to get him ousted for the involvement of his sons and daughter in the Panama bank accounts scandal. Raheel Sharif, whose uncle and brother were killed in the 1965 and 1971 conflicts, detests India. He has acted independent of the government and parliament in conducting military operations in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province bordering Afghanistan, apart from continuing massacres and illegal abductions in Baluchistan.

It is in these circumstances that the killing of terrorist Burhan Wani has led to both the army and Nawaz virtually competing with each other in raising domestic passions by embarking on a propaganda barrage against India. Home Minister Rajnath Singhs counterpart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who has his eyes on Nawazs job with army backing, was hardly likely to miss the opportunity to appear more hostile than his boss, Nawaz, during the SAARC meeting. Moreover, anti-India rallies were organised by the likes of Hafiz Saeed, across Pakistans capital. Mr Rajnath Singh made a blunt presentation about Pakistans role as a state sponsor of terrorism and narcotics smuggling. These were, in any case, the main subjects on the agenda. Mr Rajnath Singh was also careful in not violating any SAARC convention. He did not name Pakistan in his speech.

Given the present political climate in Pakistan and the ongoing power struggle between Nawaz and Raheel Sharif, Pakistan will continue with this charade, till the situation in the Valley becomes normal. The Americans have already called on Pakistan to end its support to terrorist groups operating from its soil, in India and Afghanistan. British columnist Owen Bennett Jones has tendered similar advice in the highly respected Karachi-based Dawn newspaper. But, underlying all this, I sensed from comments by Pakistani friends that their much-touted Zarb-e-Azb military operations have not only displaced 1.8 million Pashtun tribals from their homes, but some 40,000 tribals have fled into Afghanistan. Many of them are preparing for retribution across the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. There are, predictably, allegations that intelligence agencies of India and Afghanistan are hand in glove in fomenting violence in Pakistan.

It is clear that we should be prepared for a continuing propaganda barrage from Pakistan. We, in turn, should prepare for a well-planned diplomatic and political offensive against Pakistani military actions, excesses and rights violations during army operations in Baluchistan, the tribal areas of Pakhtunkhwa and on the hapless Mohajirs of Karachi. The Mohajirs, after all, migrated from India and still have familial and other ties with relatives and friends in India. It also needs to be noted that Pakistans annexation of Baluchistan after the Partition was effected by duplicity, deceit and military force. Baluchistans ruler, the then Khan of Kalat, refused to accede to Pakistan. His successor also holds that Pakistanis are in illegal occupation of the province. The people of Baluchistan have waged armed struggles against the Pakistan State since 1948. In the most recent and ongoing military conflict since 2003, thousands of Baluch freedom fighters have been killed and an estimated 15,000 people are missing. The army has defied orders of Pakistans supreme court to produce those illegally abducted by it. Baluch grievances are not only political, but also driven by exploitation of their natural resources and denial of equitable employment and other opportunities by the ruling Punjabi elite.

New Delhi also needs to review its approach to dealing with militancy in the Kashmir valley. While successive governments in Srinagar keep demanding more and more money for projects, especially after floods, there has to be much more accountability on how these funds are spent. While it is good to keep channels of communications open across a wide cross section of society, to convey genuine interest in addressing their grievances, it would be unrealistic to expect anything positive from any high-profile engagement with the Hurriyat. Two Kashmiri Hurriyat leaders went against the wishes of Pakistan and its proxies  Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq and Abdul Ghani Lone. Pakistan-sponsored terrorists killed both of them. One doubts if the present Hurriyat leaders will, in these circumstances, show the courage to question what Pakistan orders them. But a carefully calibrated process of engagement with a wide cross section of society in J&K is imperative, with enough political space being given to the Chief Minister to act credibly.

Lastly, the security forces need to carefully review their tactics and imaginatively use minimal force necessary to deal with any situation. We are in for a long haul in the Kashmir valley.
The Rajya Sabha has passed a Bill to decriminalise attempt to suicide. Section 309 of the IPC provides for one-year imprisonment for a failed suicide bid. As far back as 1971 the Law Commission had recommended repeal of Section 309. The Janata Party government tried to implement the recommendation in 1978 but it fell before both House could pass the Bill. The world over the new thinking takes a kinder view of suicide. It is recognised that the victim has a psychiatric problem and should not be treated as a criminal. He needs sound counselling, not a jail term.

Reflecting this viewpoint, the Bombay High Court in the 1987 Maruti Shripati Dubal case had termed Section 309 as unconstitutional. In the P Rathinam case (194) the Supreme Court ruled that a person could not be forced to live a distressed life and hence Section 309 violated Article 21. However, in the 1996 Gian Kaur case a five-judge Constitution Bench overturned the Rathinam case judgment, saying the right to life could not be construed ever as a right to die. In 2011 the Supreme Court recommended to Parliament to consider decriminalising attempt to suicide. The Mental Health Bill seeks to nullify the punishment Section 309 imposes.

The Bills broader purpose is to guarantee every person the right to affordable, quality treatment for mental illnesses, which include mental conditions associated with any substance abuse, a disorder of thinking, mood, perception, orientation or memory and excludes mental retardation. In 2005 it was officially estimated that 6-7 per cent of the countrys population suffers from mental disorders. Public health is a state subject and the Centre consulted states before moving the Bill. Punjab was among the four states that did not fully support the Central move to repeal Section 309. The Centre should give financial help to states to provide mental health services up to the district level. More than changing Section 309 society needs to be educated that mental distress, disorders and derangement are inevitable by-products of a stressful social order. As a society we need to move beyond stigma and, instead, develop sympathy.
Tribune News Service



Kurukshetra, August 10



Four people were killed when a car collided with a pick-up van near Shahbad Markanda town of this district on Tuesday night.

The three injured were rushed to the PGI, Chandigarh. The car was on its way from Delhi to Punjab.



Shahbad DSP Gurmail Singh said the deceased had been identified as Mamu Chhaliya and Ahito Awami of Nagaland and driver Surinder Singh of Delhi.



Pick-up van driver Ajit Singh, who was driving the vehicle on the wrong side, was a resident of Landi village in Kurukshetra district.



The impact of the collision was so severe that the four people died on the spot. The bodies were taken to the LNJP hospital here for post-mortem.
Thirty-five year old Abdollahi, was a Kurdish political prisoner from Bukan. He was arrested in March 2011 in Mahabad by the regimes Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) intelligence unit, and was charged with Moharebeh (waging war against God). He was sentenced to death. On May 29 he began a hunger strike which lasted 32 days to protest his unjust sentence.

At the same time, five ordinary prisoners were hanged. They were identified as Jahangir Razavi-Zadeh, Kamran Pourfat, Towhid Pour-Mehdi, Amir Azizi and Gabriel Canani.

Mr. Razavi-Zadehs wife, Parisa Hatami, the mother of a three-year-old child, is at risk of execution.

Following the transfer of Mohammad Abdollahi and the six ordinary inmates to solitary confinement, a number of families who had come for a final visit with their children, staged a protest in front of the prison. They were told, Do not gather here. We will call you later to come and pick up their bodies.

MOIS agents also threatened the protesting families that sharing information on the execution would lead to their not being able to get their loved ones bodies. This was followed by a brutal raid on the rally where a number of families were arrested.

In a statement on Tuesday, Shahin Gobadi of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) said, The mullahs have resorted to a killing spree that has continued for the past few weeks. This clearly indicates further despair and isolation of the regime which has found no solution other than to resorting to further executions and suppression in the face of increasing internal and international crises. This is the very same regime that resorted to the massacre of 30,000 political dissidents, mainly activists of the PMOI (MEK), in 1988. It once again proves that the notion of moderation and reform within this regime is nothing but a total myth.

The Iranian Resistance called on the United Nations, particularly the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, as well as other international human rights organizations to take urgent action to prevent these executions, when on Monday morning Mohammad Abdollahi was forced out of the prison yard of Ward 12 of Orumiyeh Central Prison and into solitary confinement. The Ministry of Intelligence told his family to come to Orumiyeh Prison for their last visit. Meanwhile it was learned that six ordinary prisoners of Orumiyeh Central Prison were transferred to solitary confinement, to await execution. The call went unanswered.

Indecisiveness by the international community against these criminal executions emboldens the leaders of the regime to continue their crimes. They must be prosecuted and punished for 38 years of killings and crimes against the Iranian people. said a statement from the Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, issued August 8.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh/Kurukshetra , August 10

Encouraged by the response in Punjab in the run up to the Assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has launched efforts to broaden its base in neighbouring Haryana as well.

The party has already launched an online membership drive from August 1 and is holding a three-day training camp for party functionaries at Kurukshetra from August 12 to 15.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia will inaugurate the camp, Ashutosh will address the workers on second day, while Kumar Vishwas will be the chief guest of the concluding session, said Nipun Kapoor, president, AAP Panchkula unit.

The party functionaries would be trained on the use of RTI, information and technology and social media for strengthening the party in the state.

We have already launched a programme AAP Ka Parivaar as prelude to the training camp. Under the programme, we have been visiting door to door to propagate partys ideology. We note down names of those who want to associate with the party and make them our members, she said.

The party had waived the earlier condition of membership of Rs 10 for enrolment, said Babita Talwar, president of the Kalka unit of AAP.

Vishal Khubber, in charge of AAPs Kurukshetra Parliamentary constituency, said selected volunteers would be sensitised about political planning to take on the ruling BJP and other political opponents in the state. Nearly 600 selected volunteers had been invited for the training and sensitisation programme.

In a major setback to the party, almost the entire state leadership had quit in May last year. Leaders, including, state convener Ashawant Gupta, state secretary Paramjit Singh Katyal, SP Singh and party spokesperson Rajiv Godara had left the party against the alleged one-upmanship of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

They were against the expulsion of Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, among the founder members of AAP.
Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Mahendragarh, August 10

A suspected cattle smuggler was killed and another was injured in a shootout with the police near a village in Haryanas Mahendragarh in the small hours of Wednesday, the police said.

The police were informed at 2 am that some people were trying to steal cattle and load them into a pick-up truck. Two police teams were immediately sent to the scene of crime.

The suspects fired at the police teams when they caught up with them near Mori village. When the policemen fired back, the suspects left their vehicle behind and ran into fields nearby.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

One smuggler was found dead in the vehicle and two were eventually arrested. A fourth however fled.

A policeman also had a narrow escape in the firing.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Hamid Akhtar claimed that the suspects belonged to a gang of smugglers and were from Mewat district.

The police are currently questioning the arrested suspects to find out the wherabouts of their gang member. They found two pistols and a mobile phone from the suspects and impounded the pick up.
Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 10

The criterion for appointing principals in Haryana colleges has come under judicial scanner. Acting on a bunch of four petitions, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked the Principal Secretary, Higher Education Department, to file an additional affidavit on the issue.

Taking up the petition filed by Ramesh Kumar and other petitioners against the State of Haryana and other respondents, Justice Rajiv Narain Raina asked him to explain whether the state government had adopted the UGC recommendations on minimum qualifications for appointment to the post of principal in colleges, especially the academic performance indicators (API) system.

He has also been asked to spell the steps taken to amend service rules where the API scoring system was not mentioned, after the state government adopted the UGC guidelines on the API score in 2011.

Justice Raina added the affidavit would also disclose why the state government, after making the API record system applicable, asked the Haryana Public Service Commission to go ahead with the selection advising it that the API score of one year was required to be applied in case the result was not declared by June 30, 2013.

And, if the interviews were conducted prior to June 30, 2013, the API record system would not be applicable. Would this amount to an admission that rules stood amended with effect from July 1, 2013, and, thus, the UGC API record system became intrinsic in the recruitment processes for appointment of principals thereafter.

He was also asked to apprise the court why was the letter issued only with respect to present selection against seven vacancies/posts of principal/deputy directors for which the government had sent requisition on December 21, 2011, to the HPSC.

When the decision of far-reaching consequences has been taken in the adoption memo to improve standards of appointments as envisioned by the UGC, why was the requisition sent on December 21, 2011, without mentioning mandate of the API score system as intrinsic part of the recruitment process.

The Principal Secretary was also asked to examine why the state government did not pay due attention and kept silent on the issue, when petitioner Dr Ramesh Kumar even before the interviews brought to the state governments notice in writing that the API system was mandatory.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 10

The Haryana State Pollution Control Board has approved the proposal to install new continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations in nine cities of the state.

While stating this here today, a spokesman of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board said these monitoring stations would be installed during this year for further strengthening of the real time Ambient Air Quality data generation in and around Delhi NCR. These would be installed in Panipat, Sonepat, Dharuhera in Rewari district, Bahadurgarh, Karnal, Kaithal, Yamunanagar. Additional stations would be installed in Gurgaon at Manesar and near sector-55 and 56 in Faridabad. He said for continuous monitoring of the industries and to generate the real time monitoring data, the board laid emphasis on installation of online monitoring system in the highly polluting industries.

The spokesman said in the first phase, 100 large and medium scale highly polluting industries or projects and CTDF have been covered for installation of online monitoring system. So far, 69 industries have installed online monitoring devices and 28 industries have already started displaying online data for effluent and air emissions by installing server in the board or through cloud server hired by them.

He said with a view to ensure ease of doing business, the board had simplified the procedure for obtaining Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) under the Water Act, 1974; the Air Act, 1981 and authorisation under the Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008. He said that the period of Consent to Operate had been increased from two years to five years for Red category and from three years to 10 years for Orange category of industries or projects. Similarly, the period of CTE had been increased to five years or more for all categories of industries. This would save time and cut the hassle of obtaining Consent to Establish and Operate year after year from the Board.

He said as per the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Hazardous Waste (MH and TM) Rules, 2008, a time limit of 120 days had been prescribed to decide the CTE and CTO authorisation applications.

However, to achieve the objective of the Haryana Enterprises Promotion Policy, 2015, the Board had issued the instructions for clearances of CTE applications and CTO applications within 60 days under normal circumstances. He said the board had recognised 12 laboratories of private sector and two laboratories of public sector under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 to facilitate industries for analysing their samples of effluent or air emissions for consent purposes besides their own four laboratories during the year 2015-16 and 2016-17, respectively.

The spokesman said the board had persuaded the Public Health Engineering Department, the Haryana Urban Development Authority and the Urban Local Bodies Department and issued the directions for installation of new Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) as well as upgrading existing STPs for treatment of sewage effluent in the areas of their jurisdiction.
Our Correspondent

Sundernagar, August 10

Following a protest from residents of Rewalsar town for not providing treatment to the victim of the accident, which occurred yesterday, the medical department has shifted all employees posted at the Community Health Centre (CHC), Rewalsar, and issued a notice of termination to a doctor who was posted at the CHC on contract.

A car fell into a gorge near Rewalsar town yesterday. With the help of local residents all five occupants of the car, who were injured in the accident, were shifted to the CHC, Rewalsar, immediately, but there was no medical staff to attend the victims. Later, one woman died while being shifted to the Zonal Hospital, Mandi, and four others were also admitted to the same hospital.

Annoyed over the CHC employees attitude, local residents blocked traffic for about three hours and broke the lock of the CHC and raised slogans against the government, the Health Minister and Excise and Taxation Minister Parkash Chaudhary. The situation was defused late in the evening only after the SDM, Mandi, and the CMO reached the spot and gave an assurance of action against the staff.

Today, when the body was brought from the hospital to Rewalsar after its postmortem, the residents once again blocked traffic, raised slogans against the government and burnt an effigy of the government. The market remained closed in protest.

The angry mob wanted to cremate the body of the victim in the compound of the CHC, but with the intervention of district administration officials it was not cremated. However, traffic remained blocked for about three hours and was restored in the afternoon.

The residents said CHC employees were never available whenever there was any emergency. Though the government had upgraded it from Primary Health Centre to CHC, the required staff and facilities were never provided to patients.

Desh Raj Sharma, Chief Medical Officer, Mandi, said employees posted at the CHC had been shifted and the only doctor had been issued a notice of the termination of services. He said an inquiry had already been ordered in this regard and legal action would be initiated against the other employees soon.
New Delhi, August 10

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today challenged in the Delhi High Court an order permitting the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to retain the documents which were seized from his premises in connection with a money laundering case.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva allowed Virbhadras application to challenge the May 16, 2016, decision of the adjudicating authority and also noted the objection of the ED to the maintainability of the plea as well as the main petition.

Virbhadra, in his amendment application, has contended that the retention of documents was permitted without allowing him to file a reply to the EDs plea before the adjudicating authority to retain the seized material.

In his main petition, he has sought the reasons for carrying out the search and seizure at his premises and to quash the proceedings against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

He has sought quashing of an April 19 order of the adjudicating authority and the May 12 decision of the appellate tribunal dismissing his plea to provide him with the reasons to believe which formed the basis for the search and seizure of the documents.

On July 8, the High Court had directed the ED to place before it in a sealed cover the documents which formed the basis for the search and seizure of the material from the CMs premises. His counsel today claimed that the ED had not yet complied with the courts July 8 order. The court, thereafter, directed the agency to comply with the order and listed the matter for further hearing on November 10.

The High Court had earlier pulled up the ED saying it could not act as a super investigator and not share records with it. The court had said it would peruse the records only to see whether reasons to believe for the search and seizure have been placed by the ED before the adjudicating authority as Virbhadra was contending that there was no reasons for carrying out the search and seizure.

However, it had made it clear that it would not disclose the reasons to the petitioner.

In his main petition, Virbhadra has contended that reasons for initiating the search are ex-facie illegal, arbitrary and liable to be quashed.

He saidhe was made a party in a plea by the ED for retention of documents, without forming any reason to believe and by mechanically issuing the notice.  PTI
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 10

For some these might just be threads blessed with sacred verses to love and protect brothers, but NEXT, a leader and innovator in the electronic retail space, knows the power of a Rakhi too well. With the NEXT ka Salaam Raksha ka Paigam campaign, Indias one of the most trusted electronics retail chain brings a much sought-after opportunity for its consumers to express their gratitude to soldiers. It plans to reassure the brave men, the love and respect they command in the hearts of the countrymen, by sending personalised messages and Rakhis.

While each Indian citizen wishes to honour the soldiers, not many get a chance to do so.

NEXT retail is planning to bridge this gap with the new campaign, NEXT ka Salaam Raksha ka Paigam.

To participate, all that consumers have to do is to visit the nearest NEXT store and write personalised messages to soldiers and it will be collected by them and further sent to the soldiers.
Ehsan Fazili

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 10

Clashes and demonstrations were held today at various places across Kashmir in which nearly a dozen protesters were injured even as curfew and restrictions continued to remain in place across the Valley for the 33rd day.

Clashes between protesters and police personnel took place in Baramulla and Kupwara districts of north Kashmir, Qoimoh area of Kulgam district in south Kashmir and many places in Srinagar district. The overall situation in the Valley remained normal and under control, said a police spokesman.

At least six persons were injured when the police and CRPF resorted to a lathi charge and teargas shelling to disperse a group of demonstrators trying to block the Kupwara-Sogam road.

One of the protesters, identified as Shabir Ahmad Lone of Lassipora village, was hit by a teargas shell. He was taken to the district hospital in Kupwara, where his condition was stated to be stable.

Demonstrations were held near Sangrama in the Tarzoo area of Sopore in Baramulla district, the police spokesman said. He added that a group of over 300 protesters was chased away by the police. There was no report of injury in the police action.

After clashes on Tuesday night, there were reports of demonstrations in the Qaimoh area of Kulgam district today in protest against the arrest of two youths from the area.

Protests were held by residents of Kehunsa village in Bandipora district of north Kashmir against the alleged excesses of security forces personnel. The issue was reported to have been settled without further trouble.

Demonstrations were held in the Tattoo Ground and Noor Bagh areas of the summer capital. The protesters were chased away, the police spokesman said.

The areas falling under seven police stations of Srinagar and the Batamaloo area continued to remain under curfew since the trouble started early last month. Restrictions remained in force in other parts of the city.

Curfew continued in Anantnag in south Kashmir, which passed off peacefully. Restrictions remained in force in other districts of south Kashmir, including Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian.

Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Baseer Ahmad Khan today reviewed the law and order situation, medicare facilities, power and drinking water facilities and availability of essential commodities.
New Delhi, August 10

Lashing out at the BJP-led NDA government for not being able to bring any solution to the prevailing unrest in Kashmir yet, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday said the blood spilled in the Valley was drawing vultures from Pakistan.

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury told the Rajya Sabha that if there is a trust deficit, the government had to create an atmosphere of trust in Kashmir.

No solutions have been found in over 32 days of turmoil in Kashmir and use of pellet guns has also not stopped despite repeated requests. Vultures only come down when they smell blood. Blood is being spilled in Kashmir and thats why vultures are coming in from across the border, he added.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Yechury urged the government to discuss the issue with an open mind and listen to all ideas, adding that confidence-building is required for that.

The problem can be addressed only if you initiate this political dialogue on the central issue, of promises made to the people of Kashmir. How are you going to implement that? I have been urging the government that this only can come through in an atmosphere of trust. I want the government to seriously ponder because the point is to solve the problem in Kashmir, which is actually a wound for all of us, he added.

The Opposition leaders had voiced concern over the Valley being curfew-bound for over a month and demanded a stop to the use of pellet guns.

They also demanded a parliamentary delegation to be sent to Kashmir to deliberate with all sections and an all-party meet to find a resolution.

The Trinamool Congress earlier on Wednesday said Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was more dangerous on internet than on streets, adding that he was more dangerous dead than alive.

Burhan Wani was more dangerous on internet than on streets. Hes more dangerous dead than alive. It is very important at this stage not to make a distinction between Kashmir-the land and Kashmir-the people, TMC MP Derek O Brien told the Rajya Sabha.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said there is murder of humanity and democracy in Kashmir.

Kashmiriyat and Insaniyat are murdered by pellet guns. We all should find a solution to this. Everyone in Kashmir is a victim of militancy. Many of us have lost their near and dear ones, he added.

There should be an all-party delegation that needs to be sent to Jammu and Kashmir. It should be announced during Parliament session, he added.

Asserting that using force is not the way, Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav said they had to strive hard to win hearts of Kashmiris, adding that the use of pellet guns must be stopped immediately. Kashmir is angry with us. But we should bring it back with love, otherwise history wont forgive us, he told the Rajya Sabha.

Ramgopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party called for sending a strong message to Pakistan not to meddle in Kashmir. He alleged that Pakistan and the ISI are involved in misleading the youth of the Kashmir Valley. He said the neighbouring country is sponsoring and supporting those involved in anti-India activities.

Terming the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir as complex, Yadav said it is high time we fought against powers that were trying to destabilise peace and security in Kashmir. ANI
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 10

The first group of 340 pilgrims left for Medina in Saudi Arabia in a direct Air India flight to perform Haj early today morning.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti accorded a warm send-off to the first batch of pilgrims of J&K from the Srinagar International Airport.

Interacting with the pilgrims, Mehbooba wished them well and smooth conduct of Haj-e-Baitullah. She also asked them to pray to Allah for peace and progress of the state as well as safeguarding its people from the tragedies and miseries of violence and bloodshed, an official statement said.

Minister for Haj and Auqaf Syed Farooq Andrabi, DGP SP Mishra, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Khan and senior officers of civil and police administration and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) were present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, the second flight carrying another 340 Hajis left the Srinagar International Airport in the afternoon. As many as 6,457 Hajis from J&K are scheduled to perform Haj this year. They will be flown to Medina from the Srinagar International Airport in 20 flights with two flights operating each day.

All arrangements for transportation, boarding and lodging, luggage checking and security at Srinagar Haj House and hassle-free screening of baggage, refreshments, nimaz, distribution of travel documents and issuance of boarding passes at the Srinagar Airport are in place for the Haj pilgrims, the statement said.
At least five people in the latter category of prisoner are currently being held in Iran. Meanwhile, the country remains in the midst of a domestic crackdown which has led to the arrest and imprisonment of a wide range of individuals, including activists, journalists, and persons with only Iranian citizenship who are nonetheless perceived as maintaining pro-Western sentiments or connections to foreign nationals.

The crackdown became particularly visible last November, about three months ahead of the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which has contributed to hardliner paranoia about Western cultural and economic infiltration. At that time, several Iranian journalists were arrested en masse.

On Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that one of these journalists, Isa Saharkhiz had finally received a sentence from the Iranian judiciary, after his trial was delayed following his being hospitalized as a result of long hunger strikes during which he was denied medical treatment. Three other journalists, plus a foreign-based journalists brother, were sentenced to sentences ranging from five to 10 years in April. Those cases are currently awaiting appeal.

Presently, Saharkhiz is facing the shortest sentence out of the group of five, having been sentenced to three years  two for insulting Iranian authorities and one for spreading propaganda. As with the other four convicts, there is no indication of any cause for the initial arrests other than journalism that was arguably unfavorable to the regime.

The justifications for arrests of certain dual nationals have reportedly been even flimsier. Among those currently in custody is Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who has been accused of being one of the leaders of a vaguely defined infiltration network aimed at the soft overthrow of the Islamic Republic. The accusation seems to stem from her British citizenship and the fact that Zaghari-Ratcliffe works for a Western-based charity, the Thomson Reuters Foundation. And as her British husband Richard Ratcliffe has pointed out in advocating for her release, the foundation does not even do work in Iran. The only apparent purpose for Zaghari-Ratcliffes travel to Iran was to visit with her parents, accompanied by her two year-old daughter, who is now stranded in Iran while her mother awaits trial.

Iran does not recognize dual citizenship, meaning that dual citizens who are arrested in the country do not have access to consular assistance. Nonetheless, international advocacy has been known to effectively put pressure on Iranian authorities in prior instances in which foreign nationals were subject to apparent wrongful imprisonment. With that in mind, some British politicians have taken action on Zaghari-Ratcliffes case, and a petition has received signatures from tens of thousands of British citizens.

In the wake of this attention, there are reports that indicate British Prime Minister Theresa May has personally taken up the issue. The BBC indicated on Tuesday that according to British officials, May raised concerns about Zaghari-Ratcliffes case in a telephone conversation with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. The officials added that May had also broached the subject of other cases involving dual nationals and had stressed the importance of resolving these cases as we worked to strengthen our diplomatic relationship.

However, if this was indeed a major topic of conversation between May and Rouhani, it appears that Iranian authorities have essentially ignored it. Reuters quoted a top Iranian official as saying that the telephone conversation involved the British governments expression of interest in expanded economic relations and regional cooperation. Iran and Western powers have remained at odds over issues like the Syrian Civil War, although the international community has made concerted efforts to include Iran in the dialogue. Meanwhile, Tehran has complained about the slow pace of its own economic recovery in the wake of last summers nuclear agreement, but the Iranians have taken few recognizable steps toward improving conditions for foreign investors.

Tehrans public dissatisfaction with the deal, combined with its apparent failure to take steps to strengthen it, has contributed to critical commentary in the West describing that deal as a failure or as abandonment of important leverage over the Iranians. This criticism was reiterated on Tuesday in the form of an editorial by first US Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, published in the Philidephia Inquirer. In it he said that the nuclear agreement had resulted in no progress since its conclusion one year ago.

Ridge explained: In return for modest, reversible concessions on the nuclear issue alone, the blood-drenched ayatollahs received sanctions relief from the United States and Europe to the tune of tens of billions of dollars, which has served, above all else, to further finance the Iranian regimes illicit, inhumane, and destabilizing activities. If the regime decides to abandon the deal, it will emerge stronger than ever before, laughing in the face of the Wests foolish compliance.

If it turns out that the Iranian account of Mrs. Mays conversation with Mr. Rouhani is more accurate than the account given to British media, it will be easy for opponents of recent Western foreign policy to argue that that conversation is further evidence of the same foolish compliance. That is to say, the British government and other Western powers face criticism for actively pursuing expanded trade relations and regional compromise at a time when Iran is arguably holding Western nationals hostage and also continuing its recent trend of arbitrary imprisonment and human rights violations against its own people.

Meanwhile, other reports suggest that the supposed Western neglect of these circumstances may still reach greater levels. For instance, on Tuesday Reuters reported that an Iranian activist who has been living as a refugee in Britain since 2009 was arrested during a trip to Italy, based on a warrant issued by Iranian authorities. Mehdi Khosravi stands accused of spreading corruption, a vaguely defined crime in Iranian jurisprudence, which could carry the death penalty. Khosravis advocates have emphasized, some of them in letters directly to Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, that this is exactly the fate that can be expected of the arrestee if he is extradited to Iran.

Italy was among the first countries to arrange state visits and visits from trade delegations in the wake of implementation of the Iran nuclear deal, which lifted sanctions related to the Iranian nuclear program and theoretically opened up the Iranian market for various forms of formerly banned trade. The rush to invest in Iran, as well as the general Western focus on the nuclear agreement, has prompted a number of human rights organizations to accuse Western governments of giving diminished attention to Irans human rights abuses.

Naturally, those Western entities who are aggressively pursuing expanded trade ties are doing so on the assumption that Tehran will not cancel the nuclear deal, as Tom Ridge warns it might. But there is a growing body of evidence that that warning is well justified. On Tuesday, The Algemeiner reported that Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, issued a statement insisting that despite the agreement with the West, Irans nuclear work is still ongoing and is in fact on the verge of dramatic expansion

This is in keeping with an order by Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Ali Larijani, directing Salehi to prepare a plan for such an expansion in nuclear enrichment. Larijani also recently declared that there was no way left for Iran other than to respond in kind to perceived American aggression in the wake of the nuclear deal. Meanwhile, by most accounts Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been putting more and more distance between himself and the agreement, suggesting that he might be on course to withdraw an endorsement that was only begrudgingly offered in the first place.
Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, August 9

The Uttar Pradesh Police late last night arrested three more persons in connection with the gang rape of a mother-daughter duo at Bulandshahr on the intervening night of July 29-30. However, the arrests raise more questions than they answer.

Within hours of the Allahabad High Court seeking a progress report as regards probe into the case, the state police claimed to have arrested the mastermind of the case, Salim, along with Sajid and Zubair. All of them belong to Kannauj and not to any criminal tribe, as claimed by the police earlier.

Another accused is said to be absconding and hiding somewhere in Jharkhand, claimed the police.

Earlier, the police theory revolved around the crime being the handiwork of the Bawaria tribe, who, according to IG (Law and Order) HR Sharma, became more active in the rainy season.

Addressing the media in Noida today, IG (Meerut zone) Sujith Pandey, entrusted with the investigation into the case by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, claimed the gang rape survivors had identified the three accused.

Violating Supreme Court guidelines, the Meerut IG even produced father of the minor rape victim before the media to buttress his claim. However, later the victims father contradicted the police version saying the survivors did not identify the accused as it was too dark and the police were in a great hurry.

The IG said some personal articles of the rape survivors, including jeans, T-shirt, were recovered from Sajid. He said the police had conclusive proof against the accused and it would be produced in the court at the appropriate time.

Sources claim the three accused arrested earlierRahisul of Sutari village in Bulandshahr, Shabit of Hapur and Jabar Singh of Gautam Buddha Nagarhad not mentioned names of the persons arrested yesterday.

On the intervening night of July 29-30, more than six armed men blocked the National Highway 91 near Dostpur village in Bulandshahr and stopped a car carrying a family to Shahjehanpur.

They tied the men and gang-raped the minor girl and her 35-year-old mother.
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 10

Expressing concern over the situation in the Kashmir valley and pledging to win back peoples confidence, the Rajya Sabha today unanimously passed a resolution, appealing to all sections in Jammu and Kashmir to work towards restoring normalcy and harmony.

The House conveys its deep sense of anguish and concern over the loss of lives and critical injuries caused by the deteriorating situation. The House is of the firm and considered view that while there cannot be any compromise on national security, it is equally an imperative that urgent steps are taken to restore order and peace for the alleviation of the sufferings of the people, read the resolution which was passed at the end of a daylong discussion.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

In his reply, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would attend an all-party meeting on Kashmir scheduled for August 12. No power in the world can take Jammu and Kashmir away from us, he said adding, talks will be on PoK, not on Kashmir when we speak to Pakistan.

Warning that pro-Pakistan slogans would not be allowed, Rajnath said, I request the people in Kashmir not to stand on Indian soil and raise anti-India slogans.

Referring to the Prime Ministers absence from the House, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad slammed Modi for speaking about the turmoil-hit Valley while in Madhya Pradesh. Expressing admiration and respect for former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who spoke of resolving the Kashmir issue through jamhooriyat, insaniyat and Kashmiriyat, Azad said: it sounds odd when those who do not believe in it use the same words, an obvious reference to the PM.

It is only when the pain is felt from the heart that it will reach the people of Kashmir, the former Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister said. The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is sensitive. It is imperative that the House speaks as one on the issue, Leader of the House Arun Jaitley pleaded.

Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) leader, said: There is a need to address the trust deficit in the Valley. Please start the process of political dialogue. Please stop using pellet guns. Explaining the trust deficit, Nazir Ahmed Laway (PDP) said "delegations come and go, nothing ever is done."

Dr Karan Singh said it was naive to believe that the solution to the Kashmir problem could be found overnight. It is a mammoth humanitarian, political and economic problem. Let us put our heads and hearts together and solve it.

Pointing out that the Kashmiri Youth wanted to be beneficiaries of India's success story, Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh said, Most children who are killed in the Valley are from the poorest of the poor sections while those provoking trouble have their children living in metros and abroad. Congress MP Vivek Tankha said the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley would help resolve the issue.

"Pro-Pakistan slogans will not be allowed. I request the people in Kashmir not to stand on Indian soil and raise anti-India slogans." - Rajnath Singh, Home Minister

"It sounds odd when those who do not believe in insaniyat, jamhooriyat and Kashmiriyat use these words. Pain felt from the heart alone reaches the people." - Ghulam Nabi Azad, Cong Leader
Tribune News Service

Imphal, August 9

Former Arunachal Chief Minister Kalikho Pul reportedly committed suicide at his official residence here today, weeks after the Supreme Court ordered him to step down after a brief stint, triggering protests by his supporters.

The post-mortem was conducted at a government hospital in Itanagar. The cremation will take place at Puls native place in Anjaw district tomorrow with state honours, as decided by the state Cabinet. The government has declared a three-day state mourning. A magisterial probe into the death has been ordered.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Pul's body was found hanging from the ceiling fan of his bedroom this morning. He was to vacate the official accommodation today. Pul served as the Chief Minister from February to July 13 this year, after having led a rebellion within the Congress Legislature Party against the then CM Nabam Tuki. Pul became CM with the support of 18 dissident Congress MLAs, 11 BJP legislators and two Independents.

His government was dismissed following the Supreme Court verdict on July 13 that reinstated Tuki as CM. Pul and other dissidents returned to the Congress fold even as Pema Khandu replaced Tuki as CM.

The Congress today blamed the 'undemocratic practices' of the BJP for Pul's death. As news of Pul's death spread, scores of his supporters and well-wishers gheraoed the Chief Minister's bungalow and demanded a probe into the 'unnatural' death.

A mob headed towards the official residence of Deputy CM Chowna Mein, less than 100 metres away, damaged the outer wall and 10 vehicles parked on the premises.
Ahmedabad, August 10

Gujarat BJP on Wednesday appointed Jitu Vaghani, an MLA from Bhavnagar West constituency and a Patel, as its state unit president in place of Vijay Rupani who became the Chief Minister recently.

Jitu Vaghani has been appointed as president of state BJP, party spokesperson Harshad Patel said.

Vaghani, 46, a relatively young Patel face of BJP, was earlier state units youth wing president.

He has also worked as secretary of the party state unit in the past.

Vaghani belongs to Leuva Patel community among Patels.

His name was finalised by party president Amit Shah, and central party communicated it to the state unit, which declared it here.

Vaghani won the election as an MLA for the first time in 2012. In 2007, he had lost against Congresss Shaktisinh Gohil.

Vaghani has apparently been chosen as party state unit president as BJP has made non-Patel leader Vijay Rupani chief minister of the state.

Rupani belongs to the Jain community.

While the newly-appointed Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel belongs to Kadva sub-caste of Patels, Vaghani is from Leuva Patel sub-caste.

The BJP has chosen Vaghani apparently to give a message to Patel community, who are agitating for reservation in the state for last one year.  PTI
New Delhi, August 10

A suspected militant of the Lashkar-e-Toiba in custody of the National Investigation Agency had been trained by Pakistans army, the agencys head said on Wednesday.

NIA Inspector General Sanjeev Kumar told the press on Wednesday: LeT terrorist and Pakistani national Bahadur Ali, who was captured recently in north Kashmir, was regularly guided by the control room of terrorist groups in PoK with the help of Pakistani forces.

Ali crossed over into India in June with two other militants, the NIA said.

Arms and ammunition training given to Ali shows the involvement of military experts, Kumar said.

Kumar claimed that Ali told them during questioning that there were a few army officers in plain clothes who checked their preparedness against a checklist.

He claimed that Ali had said that the LeT had 30-50 trainees from various parts of the country, even from Afghanistan, at its various training camps.

The NIA is also investigating the LeTs role in the ongoing unrest in Kashmir in which 54 people have been killed. The unrest was sparked by Indian security forces killing Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. Thousands have been injured in the violent protests.

Ali was arrested on July 25 after a shootout.  Agencies
Bijay Sankar Bora

Tribune News Service

Imphal (Manipur), August 9

Irom Chanu Sharmila (44), Manipurs mascot of protest against the imposition of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act,1958, today ended her nearly 16-year-long fast by sipping honey at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences here, a couple of hours after a court granted her bail in an attempt to suicide case.

Talking to mediapersons, Sharmila said she wanted to contest against Manipur Chief Minister Ibobi Singh and defeat him in his constituency (Thoubal)

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Earlier, she was produced in the heavily guarded court of Justice Lamkhanpau Tonsing, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal West district, at 11 am. She told the court she would end her fast and that she be set free as she now wanted to join electoral politics to achieve her goal.

#WATCH: Irom Sharmila ends her fast after 16 years. She was on hunger strike, demanding repealing of AFSPA.https://t.co/ndGmoEuZu8  ANI (@ANI_news) August 9, 2016

She was granted bail on a bond of Rs 10,000 after a three-hour hearing.

The court examined two prosecution witnesses, a member of the medical team taking care of Sharmila and an investigating officer and fixed August 23 as the next date of hearing when the accused will be examined under Section 313 of the CrPC, according to the court-appointed defence counsel, Laishram Rebeda.

Even if released from judicial custody (in a hospital ward), Sharmila would need medical care for a while, he said.

In solitary confinement at the high-security hospital ward, Sharmila was being forced-fed through the nose. None, including her family members and supporters, was allowed to meet her.

After the court hearing, she was whisked away in an ambulance back to the hospital. Virtually mobbed by mediapersons in the court premises, her attempt to brief the media did not materialise.

As soon as Sharmila was granted bail, disappointed members of Meira Paibi (women torch-bearers), who have been supporting Sharmila all along, said by deciding to end her fast without consulting civil society members, Sharmila had destroyed their hope to see the AFSPA withdrawn from the state.

Meira Paibi leader Momon, said: By deciding to end her fast, she has shattered the dreams of the people of Manipur to see the AFSPA scrapped. The decision is driven by self-interest and not the people's larger cause. She did not bother to consult us despite our unwavering support. The police did not allow Meira Paibi members to meet Sharmila.
Dubai, August 10

A 62-year-old Indian, who was on board the Emirates plane that crash-landed here, might be the luckiest man alive as he has won a million dollars in lottery, just six days after miraculously surviving the accident.

Mohammad Basheer Abdul Khadar from Kerala was among the 300 people on board the Emirates flight EK521, which crash-landed and burst into flames at the Dubai airport last Wednesday.

The Dubai expatriate struck gold on Tuesday when his lucky ticket number 0845 was drawn in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire at Concourse A at Dubai International Airport, winning him USD 1 million (dirham 3.67 million), Gulf News reported.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Khadar had purchased the ticket on Eid on his way for a vacation with his family in Thiruvananthapuram.

A fleet administrator with a car dealer group in Dubai, Khadar had made it a habit to purchase a raffle ticket whenever he travelled to his home country.

Khadar became a millionaire after purchasing his 17th ticket, just four months before he was due to retire in December, he told the daily.

I have been working in Dubai for 37 years, and I have always felt like this is my country. I live a simple life, and now that its my time to retire, I feel like God gave me a second life when I survived the plane crash, and blessed me with this money to follow all this up by doing good things, Khadar said.

Khadar said he planned to return to India after his retirement to find a job that involved helping people in need.

He wants to help children in Kerala who are in need of financial help and medical support.

I am blessed to have finally won with Dubai Duty Free and cant wait to share the news with my family. If you ask me about my plans, I obviously want to help the children in Kerala who are less fortunate than others and need some financial help and medical support, he said.

Khadar, a grandfather, earns dirham 8,000 (Rs 1,45,212) a month. However, he had to struggle a lot for the treatment of his 21-year-old son who became paralysed after an accidental fall just 13 days after birth.

I had to spend a lot of money on his treatment. Some years back I had to take a loan of Rs 1.8 million for a major surgery for him. I have managed to pay it back, said Khadar.

He said he was thankful for his job that also helped him get his daughter married.

I will continue to work till I can. Nothing else can give you the satisfaction of your hard-earned money, he said.

In 2007, Indian national Sadanand Raghavan, a mechanic in Sharjah, scooped dirham 5 million in a Mashreq Bank raffle. PTI
Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, August 10

Maharashtras historical Ajanta and Ellora caves will see more Japanese investments. A Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Maharashtra Government and the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) allows for construction of a Japanese village near the caves in a bid to attract Japans tourists.

Maharashtra Tourism Minister Jayakumar Jitendrasinh Rawal said in a statement that the state government would provide land for the village.



This is the third phase of development of the two historical sites with Japanese assistance in the last decade. According to the information provided by the Maharashtra Government, JICA has spent more than Rs 250 crore in the past 15 years to help improve infrastructure at the tourist site.



The Maharashtra Government has been conducting a Buddha Tourism Circuit with the caves as its highlight since the past a few years. Tourism department officials claim some 20,000 tourists from Japan, Korea and other parts of Asia visited Maharashtra last year as part of the Buddhist circuit.



Sources claim that the state governments plan to construct a Buddha theme park put on the backburner some years ago  may also see light of day.
Kudankulam (TN), August 10

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday jointly dedicated to the nation the 1,000 MW Nuclear Power Plant-I here, assuring it was one of the safest atomic plants in the world.

Speaking on the occasion through video conferencing from New Delhi, Modi said Kudankulum 1, an Indo-Russian project, was an important addition to the continuing efforts to scale up production of clean energy in India.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

"I have always deeply valued our friendship with Russia and it is fitting that we jointly dedicate Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) Unit 1. This also signals our joint commitment to build pathways of partnership for green growth," he said.

Putin, speaking from Moscow, said it was a big event for all.

"The power plant is updated with most modern Russian technologies. It is not just construction and commissioning of the power plant. It is well known that Russia is one of the world leaders in nuclear technology and we are glad to share with our Indian colleagues our technology," he said.

Joining the event from Chennai, Jayalalithaa said KNPP was a "monument commemorating the long standing, abiding and deep friendship between Russia and India and that she had supported implementation of the project, at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district, all through her 10 years in office".

The KNPP had been set up using the Russian VVER type reactors based on enriched uranium and its second unit was expected to start operations later this year.

The completion of the first unit was delayed in view of strident protests by local people, who raised safety concerns, before it became operational.

The Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) VVER-1000 had gone critical in July 2014 and the commercial operations started from December 31 the same year, with the unit coming to the aid of the then power starved Tamil Nadu.

The Cumulative Generation of Unit I since the date of commercial operation is 6,498 million units (MU) with its capacity factor peaking to 100 per cent in June this year.

The Prime Minister said the dedication of KNPP-I marked another historic time line in Indo-Russia relations.

"In successful completion, it is not only another fine example of the strength of our special and privileged strategic partnership, it is also a celebration of our binding friendship. It is only a start of our cooperation in this field," he said.

Modi said five more units of 1,000 MW each would be built at the KNPP.

Today's event is also a joyful occasion for the team of Indian and Russian scientists and technicians. We salute their dedication and hard work and congratulate them for the fruits of their labour," he said.

Jayalalithaa said nuclear power was "clean, green and firm power", which a rapidly growing state like Tamil Nadu, aspiring for higher growth rates and shared prosperity, really needed.

"The dedication of the KNPP is a major milestone in Indo-Russian cooperation. Throughout my 10 years in office as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu I have always extended support to the implementation of the Kudankulam project while at the same time laying focus on allaying the fears of the local people by convincing them about its safety," she said.

Noting that a nuclear power plant takes long time to be built and commissioned than conventional units, she said very high safety standards were needed to be observed.

"The smooth commercial operation of this project, overcoming many obstacles--economic, political and social, global, national and local--stands testimony to the unwavering commitment to the project of the governments of Tamil Nadu, India and Russia," Jayalalithaa said.

Successful commissioning of the project was an object lesson on how the fears and apprehensions of the local population could be and should be allayed through a process of engagement and reassurance and by building community assets and infrastructure, she said.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister recalled that when the commissioning of the first unit was getting delayed due to prolonged agitation by the locals, she had taken up the matter with Central government and the fears and concerns were heeded and addressed.  PTI
Mumbai, August 10

The Maharashtra government is considering the use of drones to monitor, identify and control vehicles breaking traffic rules.

Minister of State for Home (Urban) Deepak Kesarkar said initially, drones would be put in place on a pilot basis on the Mumbai-Pune expressway.

A meeting was held between officials of the Home Department and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation earlier this week at the Mantralaya here, which was attended by Kesarkar and PWD (undertakings) minister Eknath Shinde.

Kesarkar said the Mumbai-Pune Expressway has become a death trap with a large number of road casualties reported lately.

Incidents of road accidents have increased due to indiscipline and rash driving. We do not have control over rash driving as the length of the express way is long and there is insufficient police staff for surveillance, Kesarkar said.

He said while there is a need to control vehicular traffic, doing so by using a CCTV camera has its own limitations. Thus, the idea of using drones has been mooted.

The drones will be used at load line of the ghat on the expressway, where setting up of CCTV cameras is not possible, he said.

Mostly heavy loaded trucks jump lanes to overtake other big vehicles. This causes a traffic jam. The drones would click photos of such instances and the Transport department will take action against errant drivers, he added.

The minister said that even small vehicles would not be spared if found violating lane discipline.

He said the site of using drones has not been decided as yet but the MSRDC would submit its report suggesting requirement within the next 15 days.

Initially, four to five drone will be hired from private companies for the expressway. Depending upon the result, the Home department is considering to use drones across Mumbai, he said.

Along with CCTVs, usage of drones in the island city would take the burden of traffic police riddled with various woes, Kesarkar said.  PTI
Ridge says, Last week, Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei accused the United States of failing to honor pledges in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Citing the futility of negotiations with the Americans, he distanced himself from the nuclear deal he once supported.

The one-year anniversary of the agreement recently passed, and the era of good feelings that U.S. negotiators believed lay ahead, never came into being.

Tehrans change in tune should come as no surprise. Ridge continues, Intelligence reports have long warned that the regime continued its attempts to obtain illicit nuclear material right up to the brink of implementation of the deal. And while the accord did institute constraints on Irans uranium enrichment program and its capacity for producing weapons-grade plutonium, the vast majority of Irans nuclear infrastructure remains in place.

During a recent panel discussion in Paris, Robert Joseph, former U.S. special envoy for nuclear nonproliferation, spoke to this very issue, cautioning that the JCPOA had only compelled Iran to dismantle some of its enrichment centrifuges, but allowed them to stay safely in-country, ready to be re-engaged at the first opportunity.

Compared to the world communitys successes with other nuclear threshold states, such as Libya, who demonstrated genuine commitment by fully opening up their country to impartial international inspections. According to Ridge, Iran has come nowhere close to this.

He says, The lack of transparent monitoring has been a major point of unease among critics and initial supporters of the nuclear agreement alike. The deal only establishes international surveillance of declared nuclear enrichment sites, failing to address the likelihood that illicit nuclear development is taking place in secured locations, undetected by foreign intelligence agencies.

Iran successfully hid its nuclear efforts from the international community once before. In 2002, the Iranian resistance group Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) revealed the secret details of the Iranian nuclear program. If it werent for this intelligence breakthrough, the regime would likely be armed with nuclear weapons now.

Nuclear limitations aside, its hard to imagine that the hoped-for shift in Tehrans foreign policy will materialize. The strategic contours are set by the supreme leader himself, whose support for Syrian dictator Bashar Assad is unwavering. Various credible reports indicate that thousands of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members are now operating in Syria. Ridge declares, and adds, Western policymakers should have recognized that the theocracy is inherently incapable of reform. If history is any guide, Tehran will exploit every weakness in the nuclear agreement as part of its relentless effort to deceive its enemies. And, it will use the current environment of Western complacency to intensify regional adventurism and support for extremist thought.

Western leaders trusted that the moderate regime in Tehran would also give more regard to human rights, as part of the deal. Instead, political opponents and activists continue to be arrested, tortured, and executed in ever increasing numbers. During Hassan Rouhanis administration at least 2,600 prisoners, including many dissidents have been executed.

Ridge believes the deal led to no progress. In return for modest, reversible concessions on the nuclear issue alone, the blood-drenched ayatollahs received sanctions relief from the United States and Europe to the tune of tens of billions of dollars, which has served, above all else, to further finance the Iranian regimes illicit, inhumane, and destabilizing activities. If the regime decides to abandon the deal, it will emerge stronger than ever before, laughing in the face of the Wests foolish compliance.

He warns, Let Khameneis bellicose rhetoric stand as a warning and a call to action. Every interested American should urge the next president to chart a different, sensible course for American policy toward the fundamentalist regime in Iran. This course should, at last, reflect American values by identifying itself with the Iranian people and their cry for democracy and freedom.
Shubhadeep Choudhury

Tribune News Service

Kolkata, August 9

At the height of his charisma, Narendra Modi failed to make any dent in Manipur. There is no chance of Mamata Banerjee making inroads in the state, W Tiken, a senior Imphal-based journalist told the TNS during a phone conversation this evening.

Earlier today, the West Bengal Chief Minister addressed a rally in Tripura capital Agartala. With an important section of Congress MLAs led by Sudip Roy Barman, son of former Chief Minister Samir Ranjan Barman, switching loyalty to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by Banerjee, the TMC is seen as a genuine threat to Left Front which is in power in the state since 1998.

But those who are airing the view that the TMC leader has chosen Tripura as the launch pad for expansion of her party in other north-eastern states to help her realise the ambition of becoming a pan-Indian political figure has got it quite wrong.

The state leaders are very powerful in the North-East region. A party in power in Delhi may still have some attraction for the local leaders and their constituents. But a regional party of another state have no chance here, Tiken, who had edited Imphal-based English daily Peoples Chronicle, said.

Meiteis, the dominant people of Manipur, shared a closed cultural affiliation with Bengal through the medium of Vaishnavism. But things are different now, an observer here said.

N-E states such as Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh also hardly present a picture that may appear conducive to the growth of TMC. In fact it is the other way round. The ethnicity-based politics of the region makes TMC the most unlikely contender for finding a footing in these states.

The Bengali majority Tripura on the other hand has always reflected political trends of West Bengal.

Mamata Banerjee herself has not been speaking about expansion beyond Tripura in the NE region. However, a section of the media has blown up her rally in Agartala as something that can create ripples in the entire NE region, Manas Paul, an Agartala-based media professional said.
New Delhi, August 10

The Congress on Wednesday raised questions over Prime Minister Narendra Modis remarks about insaniyat, jamhooriyat and Kashmiriyat and said appeal should go out to Kashmiris from the heart and not only from the lips to enable integration of minds and heart.

As the Rajya Sabha took up a discussion on the prevailing situation in Kashmir, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad pitched for sending an all-party delegation to the Valley besides an appeal by Parliament for end to violence which is being witnessed there for the last 33 days.

We should appeal for peace and tranquility from here for a better future of Kashmir. This kind of unison voice should go from Parliament. That apart, an all-party delegation should go there, the Congress leader said, adding the announcement regarding it should be made immediately as the session is coming to an end in two days.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Initiating the discussion, Azad said criticised the Prime Minister for his delayed comments on the Kashmir situation and said even those were made at a rally in Madhya Pradesh rather than in Parliament.

We are discussing the Kashmir issue for the fourth time.

The Prime Minister should come. The Prime Minister chose Madhya Pradesh to speak on Kashmir. He did not come to this House, he said, adding that since when has Madhya Pradesh become the capital of the country?

Azad took a swipe on Modi regarding his statement on 'insaniyat (humanity), jamhooriyat (democracy) and Kashmriyat, saying such statements only suited former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Such words sound weird if it comes from someone who does not believe in them, he said.

The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir said such words should come from the heart and not only from the lips.

Referring to the oft-repeated assertion that "Kashmir is integral part of India", Azad said there should also be "integration of minds and hearts".

"...we are not feeling the love and affection, pain and agony, else the statement would not have come from Madhya Pradesh," the Congress leader said in an apparent reference to Modi's comments made at a rally yesterday.

"If it comes from the heart, it will reach Kashmir. It is mere lip-service and hence will not reach Kashmir," he said.

Azad said while Modi keeps sitting in his room in Parliament since morning to evening, he did not make any statement on Kashmir during the past three discussions on the issue in the House.

Azad said violence has increased in the Valley ever since the BJP has come to power in alliance with the PDP, remarks which triggered a brief uproar as ruling party members reacted sharply.

He said successive governments have fought against militancy in the Valley, but "perhaps you give statements for votes. You have only been indulging in fuelling the fire and not dousing it. Since the day you came to power, Kashmir is on fire...I don't want to go into reasons".

As members of the treasury benches objected to it leading to an uproar, Finance Minister and Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said the situation in Kashmir is "sensitive" and "therefore it is imperative, as far as possible, we speak in one voice".

He urged members from all sides not to touch historical issues where "we have difference of opinion ... this is not the occasion to discuss those issues ... members should speak from the national point of view.

The Congress leader from the troubled state asserted that while there is an issue of separatism, "Kashmir is not communal, it is secular. There is a difference between seperatism and communalism."

Higlighting that Kashmir is a "complex issue", Azad said politics comes first, economic developement at second place followed by employment.

Taking a dig at the Prime Minister, Azad said, He tweets if something happens in Africa. Even if something happens in our enemy country, Pakistan, he issues condemnation. It is not wrong to show sympathy if humanity is hurt anywhere in the world. But in our own country, when the Crown of India is burning, does the heat not reach... he should have spoken.

Citing media reports, he said Modi spoke on Kashmir on the insistence of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. Had the CM not spoken, even today, the PM would not have spoken, he added.

Just dont love Kashmir for its beauty, love it for its people

Referring to Modis comment that all Indians love Kashmir, the Congress leader said, One should not love Kashmir for its beauty and nature alone. One should love people out there as well.

Love the people who live there. Love the children who lost their vision due to pellet injuries..., he said while insisting on a political solution.

Talking about the 33-day-old unrest, Azad said things are not flowing from democracy but through the barrel of guns, pellet guns.

He said there has been curfew for the last 33 days and thousands of people including civilians and security forces have been injured in the violence.

The problem in Kashmir is not a normal law and order issue like in any other state, Azad said, while underlining that the Centre should come forward to help the state as it is dependent on New Delhi for everything, including security, development and even salaries.

While talking about the continuing problem of Kashmir, he said a lot needs to be done to strengthen the relationship between the Centre and the state.

He wondered what happened to reports of various committees, including one headed by late Justice Shabir Ahmed, which made several recommendations for strengthening the integration.

The report was submitted in 2009-10. Still nothing has been done, he said.

Earlier, Azad associated himself with the views of BSP leader Satish Mishra on Dalit issue and took a jibe on the Prime Minister for making statement on the issue from Telangana and not in Parliament.

Shamsher Manhas counters Azad

Shamsher Singh Manhas, a BJP member from Jammu and Kashmir, criticised Azad, saying instead of talking about the real problems of Kashmir, he spent most of his time on criticising the Prime Minister.

He said he felt that pain of Kashmiris who were suffering as he contended that only a handful of people of the valley are playing in the hands of separatists.

Referring to the contention that the trouble in Kashmir is because of unemployment, Manhas said youth in Jammu and Ladakh, two other regions of the state, are also unemployed but they have not picked up guns and raised anti-India slogans.

Jammu shares 500 km border with Pakistan. Everyday Pakistan does one or the other thing. ... 55 per cent of population of the state lives in Jammu. More than 7 lakh youth are unemployed. Could they not have picked up the gun? Could not they have raised anti-India slogans? There is a difference between nationalism and separatism, he said.

Manhas said the same was true for Ladakh region.

To stress his point that only handful of people are influenced by separatists, he said 61 per cent of people voted in elections, which proves they have faith in democracy.

Insisting that locals in the Valley would have to fight the menace, Manhas said, What is the reason behind turmoil?

We should go into reasons.

Talking about the incidents of stone-pelting, the BJP leader wanted to know from where stones come and who provides them to youth. He said huge amount is spent on stone pelting.

He said the Modi government had taken a number of initiatives over the last two years, including announcement of a package of Rs 80,000 crore and decisions to set up institutions like AIIMS, IIT, IIM.

Entire Kashmir is not in turmoil. You have Gujjars ... they are living peacefully. Separatists are creating entire turmoil. ... handful of people are working on behest of separatists. Kashmir is not burning, he said.

He said Modi is following former Prime Minister Vajpayees path for development of Kashmir.

Every effort is made for development of J&K. Our government is constantly on the job, he said.

He also questioned Azad as to why people who came from West Pakistan in 1947 have not been given citizenship of India even though Congress ruled the country for nearly 55 years.

The BJP member called upon political parties to sit together and find a solution to the problem.  PTI
Mumbai, August 9

Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik has been indicted by the Mumbai police that found him to be allegedly involved in unlawful activities with possible terror links, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said today.

Fadnavis said a watertight case was being prepared against the Islamic televangelist, whose organisation Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) is also under the scanner, and efforts would be made to extradite him. Naik is currently abroad.

The Mumbai police, tasked with probing his alleged provocative speeches, submitted its report to the state government today.

The police were asked to probe Naiks speeches available online to see if any of them could have encouraged youths to join terrorist groups amid reports that his preachings inspired some of those involved in the Dhaka terror strike.

The report has made observations about him (Naik) making (critical) comments on other religion and belittling theman action that would cause disharmony in society. The report also has details of countries that have banned him or his organisations.

The government is examining the report that has several aspects that are in the domain of the Centre, Fadnavis told reporters here.

The report would be sent to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and further action would be taken as per its guidance, said Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio.

There are many revelations in the report about illegal and unlawful activities (allegedly involving Naik and IRF) and activities which are not in the interest of the nation.

The report has shed light on aspects like his relation with Firoz Deshmukh (a terror accused). It also talks about its links with the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (a front of Pak-based terror outfit LeT) and the Indian Mujahedeen and other activities that are illegal, he said.

Fadnavis said the police department had given proofs against the 50-year-old Mumbai-based physician-turned-preacher.  PTI
Tribune News Service

Lucknow, August 10

Refusing to buy the UP Governments version on the Bulandshahr gang rape incident, the Allahabad High Court today directed the state government to file a status report on the case by 2 pm tomorrow.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice DB Bhonsle and Justice Yashwant Verma today attached another petition demanding a CBI probe into the matter filed by NGO We the People being heard by the Lucknow Bench of the High Court to the suo motu case being heard by it.

Advocate General Vijay Bahadur Singh said there was no laxity in solving the case hence there was no valid ground for ordering a CBI probe.

However, the counsel for the petitioner countered the argument by presenting a supplementary affidavit listing several equally heinous crimes committed in Bulandshahr recently, showing a pattern of rising crime.
Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 10

Claiming to be trapped amid pro-Pakistan elements, who were forcing them to join anti-India protests or face death, Sikhs in 39 villages of Kashmir have appealed to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Sikh organisations to rescue them.

The families told The Tribune that they had been living in fear in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani for over a month now. They claimed they could not move out of the houses and the state police and the Army had also not come to their aid. The villages with thick Indian population were Shomay, Chatragam, Monghama, Town Tral (where Wani was killed) and others in the Pulwama district.

They said for over a month Pakistani flags were fluttering in villages and on mobile towers. The matter has been taken up by the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), but so far the security forces have not reach the families.

SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar reportedly spoke to Ahmed Shah Geelani, Kashmir separatist leader, after which the Sikhs were spared from participating in a rally few days ago in protest against Wanis killing.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa, general secretary, DSGMC, has sought immediate attention of the Union Home Minister on the matter. In a letter to Rajnath, Sirsa has highlighted the plight of the Sikh families in Kashmir.

He said the Sikhs in 39 villages had told him that they were the only pro-India population left there. Sirsa said the Sikhs were forced to raise pro-Pakistan slogans to save their women relatives. He claimed that pro-Pakistan elements had pasted posters outside their houses saying there was no place for pro-India people in the Valley.

Sirsa has even given details of some of the suffering families and the kind of slogans raised against them and India in the Valley. He asked the Home Minister to rush forces in the villages and save the families.

Sirsa, general secretary of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and advisor toDeputy Chief Minister, Punjab, in a letter to the Union Home Minister has given details of the alleged horror in which Sikh families were living.

He said: Following long protests and shutdown in Kashmir, the Sikhs in 39 villages had told me that they were the only pro-India people left there.

Give them minority status, says Bajwa

Chandigarh: Rajya Sabha member and former Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa on Wednesday demanded minority status for Sikhs and special status for Punjabi language in Jammu and Kashmir. Participating in a special discussion on Kashmir in the Rajya Sabha, he reminded the House that the Sikhs did not migrate from Kashmir even after the Chirtti Singhpura massacre in which 35 members of the community were gunned down. About 1.25 lakh Sikhs spread across 70 villages live in the Valley while their population was about 2 lakh in the Jammu region. Bajwa said Punjabi was spoken by almost all Kashmiri leaders, including Karan Singh, Farooq Abdullah and Ghulam Nabi Azad. He recalled that Punjab was a victim of terrorism for 15 years during which about 33,000 persons lost their lives, 90 per cent of them being Sikhs.
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 10

Ludhiana Member of Parliament Ravneet Singh Bittu asked the central government on Wednesday to ensure peace in Punjab.

Speaking during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, Bittu cited repeated desecrations of Guru Granth Sahib and Quran and also recent attack on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Brig (retd) Jagdish Gagneja to buttress his argument on deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

The acts of violence and attempts to fan trouble have been puzzling, the Parliamentarian said, asking for additional paramilitary forces in the state.
Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 10

To exploit the religious sentiments after the sacrilege incidents, certain radical groups based in the US, Canada, Italy and Germany have recruited and funded youths to carry out specific attacks in Punjab.

This startling revelation came to light with the busting of two terror modules, one in Hoshiarpur and another in Jalandhar. Two NRIs Harjap Singh from the US and Avtar Singh from Italy, both belonging to Chabbewal and Bullowal, respectively, in Hoshiarpur allegedly carried out the recruitment in the last several months.

The Punjab Police have alerted Interpol to declare them wanted. On target of the modules were persons accused of sacrilege and some leaders of organisations such as the RSS. The fresh recruits have allegedly bought weapons from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh.

One of the modules is under investigation on the suspicion of attacking RSS leader Brig Jagdish Gagneja (retd). A youth from Jalandhar, identified as Pali, is among the recruits. He was paid around Rs1 lakh via foreign funding. He is in the custody of the Jalandhar police. A .32 bore gun has been recovered from him. The police are matching his description with the suspects caught in two CCTVs.

The counter-Intelligence wing of the state police carried out the operation. Officials said the accused in Hoshiarpur were about to attack a person accused of sacrilege in Adampur in few days.

They claimed the groups were operating at the behest and active support of the Pakistan-based ISI. The Hoshiarpur module was of five persons. The police have arrested Jaspreet Singh, Hardeep Singh and Kuldeep Singh, all alleged members of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF).

Two other fresh recruits, Bikramjit Singh and Balwinder Singh, are on the run. They are reported to be members of the banned KLF.

Lok Nath Angra, IG-Zone-II, Jalandhar, said: The arrested youths are in the age group of 21-23. They did not study beyond class 12. The two NRIs were in touch with them and managed to exploit their religious sentiments to carry out attacks.

Hoshiarpur SSP Kuldeep Singh said the accused were being questioned. DSP Harminder Singh Khalon said three pistols and some cartridges had been seized.

Intelligence officials say one of the groups accused of funding the youths was in the forefront of the protest against the visit of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to the US and state Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh to Canada recently.

The intelligence wing had alerted the Ludhiana police about the possible attack on a woman, Balwinder Kaur, accused of sacrilege. She was killed on July 26. It has also come to light that some persons sympathetic to radicals had held a meeting in Ahmedgarh before the attack where the task was given to a volunteer. Accused Gurpreet Singh Jaggowal and Nihal Singh later surrendered before the police.

(with Sanjeev Kumar Bakshi in Hoshiarpur)
PK Jaiswar/Gurbax Puri



Tribune News Service

Tarn Taran, August 10

A notorious gangster was shot dead, reportedly by a rival gang, near Pandor Gola village in Tarn Taran on Tuesday night.

Dilbagh Singh alias Lambu, 30, who hailed from Patti but had shifted to Jogewal village in Jandiala Guru, had recently come out of the Patti jail on bail in a murder case.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The assault also left one man injured, who was rushed to an Amritsar hospital.

Senior police officials, including DIG Border range AK Mittal visited the spot. Around 100 shots were fired that pierced Dilbaghs body and the SUV in which he was travelling.

SSP Manmohan Singh did not respond to the repeated calls. SP (D) Jagmohan Singh said investigations were under way and no one had lodged a complaint. He said the police were about to register an FIR. He said they were trying to establish the ownership of the vehicle. The initial investigation showed that Dilbagh was kidnapped before being shot at in a gang war, he added.

The police suspect that rival gang member Ravinder alias Shooter and his accomplices had killed Dilbagh.

Sources said the members of the Sonu Kangla and Bichhu gangs were involved in gang war. The incident led to panic in the area.
Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 10

The Punjab Government is now wooing the urban masses, especially the sagging industry. From allowing country homes in the lush greens of villages to the conversion policy in industrial estates and focal points; and from lowering power tariff on existing small and medium industry to 50 per cent exemption on stamp duty for conveyance deeds, the Cabinet meeting that took place under Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal tonight was clearly aimed at wooing the urban voters by its sop culture.

Among the most important decisions were the go-ahead for a conversion policy allowing plot holders in industrial estates and focal points to convert the land for residential, retail and institutional use; and a new policy allowing for country homes to be built by the states elite amid verdant green fields.

Under the policy, any developer having minimum 30 acres of land in rural areas can now build and sell farm houses, having a minimum area of one acre and a maximum of 2.5 acres. These farmhouses will have to be built as per the green building norms, having water harvesting structures and accommodating low density habitation (35 people to an acre). Official sources in the Housing Department, which had brought the policy for Cabinet approval today, said considering the high inventory available with realtors in Punjab and the demand for high-end farmhouses on the lines of Sainik Farms in Delhi, the new policy had been prepared. The developer will be allowed to construct swimming pools. The cap on saleable area has been kept at 65 per cent. This is the first time that licences will be granted for building farmhouses. The government expects the concept to pick up in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala.

The conversion policy was also brought in by the Housing Department. Only plots located at a distance of 100 m from red industries will be allowed for conversion. The conversion charges to the tune of 25 per cent of collector rate for residential use minus collector rate for industrial use, whichever is more, would be applicable in case of hotels and hospitals.

In case of residential flats, the collector rate of residential use minus the collector rate of Industrial use would be applicable. Two-third of the collector rate of commercial use minus the collector rate for industrial use would be applicable in case of commercial use to determine the conversion charges.

One-tenth of the collector rate of residential use minus the collector rate for industrial use would be applicable in case of institutional buildings.
Chandigarh/Hoshiarpur, August 10

In a major swoop ahead of Independence Day, security agencies and Punjab Police have busted a Khalistani terror module with links to NRIs and Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

The module was busted in Hoshiarpur district.

Punjab Police have arrested three suspects, all linked to the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), and booked two NRIs on charges of trying to revive terrorism in Punjab. The case has been registered at Chhabewal police station, 10 km from Hoshiarpur.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

In a joint operation, central security agencies and Punjab Police recovered three pistols, ammunition and explosives and nearly 15 bullet-proof jackets from their hideout.

The terror suspects are from the KLF--an insurgent group which was part of the separatist Khalistan movement in Punjab in the 1980s.

The NRIs booked are US-based Harjap Singh Japi, who is linked to radical Sikh organisation in the US--Sikhs for Justice--and Italy-based Avtar Singh. Both NRIs hail from Hoshiarpur district.

Police sources told IANS that further investigations were in on and some other people had been taken in custody and were being interrogated. The module is also being linked to terror and separatist outfits in the neighbouring Jammu and Kashmir.

We are trying to find out if this module had any plans to carry out a strike on or around Independence Day, a senior police officer said.

Punjab Police Inspector General Loknath Angra confirmed the arrests and busting of the terror module.

The module was busted following inputs from security agencies, based on phone call intercepts coming to some people at Handowal village in Hoshiarpur district.

The calls used to be made to one Jaspreet Singh of Handowal village, who was a gatka teacher in a gurdwara at Chhakowal Shiekhan. Avtar Singh (from Italy) met Jaspreet at the gurdwara on October 11, 2015. Avtar returned to Italy in June this year and used to call Jaspreet.

Avtar and Harjap Singh, who is based in the US, were in touch with Jaspreet and motivated him to revive the Khalistan movement in Punjab. They even sent him money, religious literature and T-shirts. Jaspreet roped in two more youths, Hardeep Singh and Kuldip Singh, for the purpose, an investigating officer told IANS.

After tracking their activities for a few days, Punjab Police and central agencies took Jaspreet and Hardeep in custody. Kuldip was taken in custody based on the questioning of these youths.

The conspiracy was unearthed earlier this month and the case registered on August 6, police officials said. The suspects have been booked under various sections of the Arms Act, IPC and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

The names of at least four other Khalistan sympathisers have been revealed, who are part of this module. These people were trying to collect explosives and ammunition. Investigations are in progress, sources said.

Besides the three KLF activists and two NRIs, the other names mentioned in the FIR are Vikramjit Singh and Balwinder Singh of Gurdaspur district.

Police sources said the suspects had revealed during interrogation that the weapons and bullet-proof jackets had been brought from Pakistan via the border belt in Tarn Taran district. IANS
Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Nara (Hoshiarpur), August 10

Mehal Singh of Kotli Khas village is requesting the police to let him meet Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal once. Along with 20 fellow villagers, he wants to bring his villages multi-crore Cooperative Bank scam to the knowledge of the CM. In the past less than a month, it is for the second time when this sangat has tried for the CMs darshan. Earlier, they met him at Beenewal on July 20, but nothing happened.

Inside the hall, raj nahi sewa reads the huge hoarding in the backdrop with the CM sitting on his red royal chair. The rows have been earmarked for panchayats. There is no other state where you will find such a programme. Works for which you have to shuttle from one office to the other are done within an hour here, the Punjabs octogenarian CM addresses briefly the panchayats of 10 villages of Hoshiarpur near Nara village. It is 11 am and this address kicks off the second Sangat Darshan programme of the day.

Looking at Mehal Singhs enthusiasm, more people gather around him. The common demand here is the CMs darshan. If a small group identifies themselves as unemployed multi-purpose health workers, another group of youngsters from Nara village is a bit hesitant to tell the CM that the panchayat do not allow them to play on the village playground.

If youngsters will not have a place to play, they will certainly take to drugs, a young Sukhbir Singh says. Vandana Devi is in tears and says she was duped of Rs8 lakh, but the police favoured the accused. Gurmail Singh of village Chak is carrying a pile of revenue records to support his contention of how the local patwari duped him. Harbhajan Lal from Chak village is carrying his 12-year-old mentally challenged daughter with a hope that the government will come to his rescue.

Outside the hall, the sangat is swelling. The local police in civil dress are getting a little jittery. They hurriedly start collecting applications and passing them on to their seniors, who assure the people that action will be taken. Please let us meet the Chief Minister once, Mehal Singh requests police officials. Charanjit Singh, a young IPS officer, who identifies himself as part of the Chief Ministers security, once again assures the villagers of prompt action on their complaints. Thus, most of the sangat is managed by the police at their own level.

Mehal Singh, meanwhile, gives police the slip. Along with members of a panchayat, he intrudes into the inner circle and appears before the CM and narrates his tale of woes. The CM directs the SSP to register a case against the accused. SSP sahib ji, the Deputy Commissioner calls from the public address system. Mehal Singh is then one-to-one with the SSP. He walks out of the hall with the hope that he will get some relief.

The electronic media is meanwhile busy with panchayats asking them to pose with cheques and say something positive about the government.

One after another panchayats start getting an audience with the CM. Shelter for cremation grounds, pakkian galiyan, funds for mahila mandals, gym kits, there are some of the common demands. Deputy Commissioner Anandita Mitra in her mixed Punjabi accent asks panchayats to list one or two important demands and then offers prompt solution to each problem. Cheques worth lakhs of rupees are being signed and distributed on the spot.

The next panchayat turns up. Aao ji aao, ki sewa kariyae, Badal asks. The demands are almost identical to the previous ones. The cheques are signed instantly.

Ram Lobhaya, a tailor master from Nara village, tells his both sons are well educated but they dont have jobs. Aaj kal padhe-likhyan nu naukriyan kitthe mildiyan, he says. He doesnt have any demand. He is here just for the CMs darshan. Is there any benefit of Sangat Dasrhan, we ask him. Kehnde ne votaan painiyaan agle saal, tahin aaya Chief Minister, he replies in sheer innocence.
The following telegram which His Most Gracious Imperial Majesty the King-Emperor has been pleased to address to the Maharaja of Patiala in response to the message of the Sikh gathering at the Patiala War Anniversary celebration, will be read with gratification not only by the Sikhs themselves but by all classes of the people in this Province. His Majestys gracious telegram is as follows:-- Your Highness' telegram of the 5th August conveying the stirring message form yourself and the great Sikh nation has impressed me deeply. It is a further proof of the loyal and gallant spirit which the Khalsa have invariably displayed in battle and in times of stress and danger. This noble spirit has never risen so high as in the wide flung battle fronts of this great war. I thank you all for your touching expressions of devotion to your King-Emperor and for the sacrifices you have already made.
Ajay Ramola

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, August 10

Tibetan-American fitness freak Lopsang Dokpatsang will visit his alma mater Wynberg Allen School in Mussoorie on Thursday and Friday to interact with students for creating awareness towards fitness.

Dokpatsang, an acclaimed nutritionist and film artiste, has held the title of Mr New York thrice (1992, 1998 and 2001). He is in India for Quality World Health Nutrition Tour. He holds the distinction of working for the Dalai Lama as a body guard on a few occasions. He is a US citizen. He has represented Nepal in the SAF Games on the insistence of the then prince of Nepal, who was his friend.

I am in New Delhi and looking forward to visit the school in Mussoorie where I spent my formative years. It is after 30 years that I am going to visit the school. I am curious to see the changes the school has undergone over the years, he said.

He will share his experience of becoming Mr New York with the students. Lobsang has also acted in a few Bollywood films, namely Qayamat with Ajay Devgan, Talaash with Akshay Kumar, and Janasheen with Feroz Khan. He will be playing the lead role in a film titled The New York Police Officer and Monk. The English movie will also be available in Tibetan and Hindi and will be released by the end of this year. Dokpatsang plays a cop from New York who comes to India for spiritual healing and his life changes after meeting a monk.

I am blessed with multiple identities. I am a Tibetan born in India (Darjeeling) and studied in Mussoorie, he says.

Another reason behind his India visit is to inspire the youth of the country, especially Tibetans, and help them with his expertise as per the directions of the Dalai Lama, he says.

Dokpatsang is the first Asian to win the Mr New York bodybuilding competition against all odds as he was rebuffed in the beginning by many who said that no Asian can have a body like those who were competing. It was after such comments he resolved to train and compete in the completion to win it three times.

I had to leave for the USA before completing my 10th grade to study in New York University film School where I met many Hollywood film stars such as Richard Gere, he says.

Students of Wynberg Allen School are eager to meet him.
New Delhi, August 10

The National Green Tribunal (NGT), in a bid to expedite cleaning of the Ganga, today directed the Uttarakhand government to demarcate flood plains of the river from Gaumukh to Roorkee in the state and submit a compliance report.

A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, which favoured a strict timeline for the demarcation of flood plains in the state, also sought a report on the total number of hotels in this stretch from the Harish Rawat government.

A flood plain is an area of land adjacent to a stream or a river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge.

The NGT allowed the state government to seek the assistance of the Roorkee-based National Institute of Hydrology for identification of flood plains.

The state government shall inform the tribunal whether cities, including Haridwar, Rishikesh, Joshimath and Roorkee, located on the stretch from Gaumukh to Roorkee have installed sewage treatment plants or not, the Bench, also comprising Justice M S Nambiar, said.

The order came after the state government informed the NGT that it has not been able to finalise a detailed flood plain map and sought one year to complete the exercise.

The tribunal has now posted the matter for hearing on October 20. It had earlier directed the National Mission for Clean Ganga, the implementing wing for rejuvenation of the river, to apprise it about the expenditure details of the Rs 20,000 crore budget granted to it for cleaning and protection of the Ganga.

It had also issued notices to the Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal governments to explain how they proposed to deal with the pollution caused in the river that flows through their jurisdictions and submit action plans in this regard.

The NGT has divided the work of cleaning the river in different segmentsGaumukh to Haridwar, Haridwar to Kanpur, Kanpur to border of Uttar Pradesh, border of Uttar Pradesh to border of Jharkhand and border of Jharkhand to Bay of Bengal.

On December 11 last year, the tribunal had imposed a complete ban on the use of polythene bags and plastic of any kind from Gaumukh to Haridwar along the river from February 1 and decided to slap a penalty of Rs 5,000 per day on erring hotels, dharamshalas and ashrams discharging waste into the river.PTI
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 10

Twenty seven students from various universities of the United Kingdom (UK) met Governor KK Paul at Raj Bhavan here today. They are here on a two-week course on Health and well-being: the theory and practice of yoga organised by Doon University. The course, organised as part of the British Council programme, enables students to know about the Indian culture, especially yoga and spiritualism.

The Governor discussed yoga and other cultural aspects with them. The students told the Governor that their keen interest in learning yoga had brought them to Uttarakhand. They were part of the audience at lecture sessions on the third day of the toppers conclave at Raj Bhavan today.

The Governor presented the students with mementos. Doon University Vice-Chancellor VK Jain, Registrar BM Harbola and British Council Assistant Director Himanshu Mittal were present.
BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, August 10

Zainab Fatima, a Muslim student who topped the MA (Sanskrit) final examination of Kumaon university, wants to do research in the Vedas and share their wisdom and knowledge with her community members. She says the secrets of life are hidden in the Vedas. When we can study English in India, why not Sanskrit?, asks Fatima, a resident of Jaspur town of Udham Singh Nagar district.

Fatima says she started studying Sanskrit from Class VI though no body knew the language in her area. Sometimes, she had to face sharp queries from her relatives for taking up Sanskrit as a subject. My father always supported me and encouraged me to study the language. It is because of his support that I have topped the MA (Sanskrit) exams in Kumaon University the results of which were declared on Wednesday, adds Fatima.

Her relatives also discouraged her from studying beyond intermediate. She had to leave regular study and pursue education as a private student. However, her father Shamshad Husain, who runs a shop of repairing pressure cookers and stoves in the Kashipur market, encouraged her to pursue studies.

Fatima has also qualified C-TET and U-TET after B.Ed. At present she is teaching in a school in Jaspur town. Teachers who guided her say she is a brilliant student and though she was appearing as a private student she always remained in touch with her guides. She is a brilliant student and will excel further in Sankrit studies. She wishes to do Ph.d in Sanskrit. I hope she understands the rhythm of the Vedas and share their wisdom and knowledge with the community around her, says Dr Vinay Vidhayalankar, teacher of Sanskrit at MB PG College at Haldwani.
Brasilia, August 10

Brazil's Senate voted early on Wednesday to indict President Dilma Rousseff on charges of breaking budget laws and put her on trial in an impeachment process that has stalled Brazilian politics since January.

With the eyes of the world on the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, senators in the capital Brasilia voted 59-21 against the suspended Leftist leader in a raucous, 20-hour session presided over by Chief Justice Ricardo Lewandowski.

A conviction would definitively remove Rousseff from office, ending 13 years of Leftist rule by her Workers Party, and confirm that interim President Michel Temer will serve out the rest of her term through 2018.

Rousseff's opponents needed only a simple majority in the 81-seat Senate to put her on trial for manipulating government accounts and spending without congressional approval, which they say helped her win re-election in 2014.

A verdict is expected at the end of the month and will need the votes of two-thirds of the Senate to convict Rousseff, five votes less than her opponents mustered on Wednesday. The vote showed the movement to oust Rousseff has gained strength in the Senate, which had voted 55-22 in May to take up the impeachment proceedings initiated in the lower house in December. It also looked like game over for Rousseff who lost crucial ground instead of winning over more senators.

Temer has urged senators to wrap up the trial quickly so he can move ahead with a plan to cap public spending, reform an overly generous pension system and restore confidence in government finances.  Reuters
Dhaka, August 10

In a relief to Bangladesh's former premier and opposition leader Khaleda Zia, a court today granted her bail in nine cases, including one for sedition and others for a deadly transport blockade.

Metropolitan Sessions Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah granted Zia bail in the sedition case filed by a Supreme Court lawyer over her remarks against liberation war martyrs.

Speaking at a discussion on December 21 last year, 70-year-old Zia had "expressed doubts" about the casualty figures of the 1971 liberation war with Pakistan.

Zia's BNP is a crucial ally of fundamentalist Jamaat-e- Islami, which was opposed to Bangladesh''s independence from Pakistan.

The ruling Awami League, 1971 veterans and members of the martyred families had sharply reacted to Zia's comments with some of them even calling her as the "agent of Pakistan".

The court came up with the bail order after Zia surrendered before it seeking bail in the case. The court also granted bail to Zia in eight arson attack cases filed with Draussalam Police Station.  PTI
Washington, August 10

The defamation Bill passed by the Maldivian Parliament is a serious setback for freedom of expression in the country, the US has said.

The Maldives Parliament passed the Bill that criminalises defamation yesterday despite US-led international concern that it risked undermining basic freedoms in the country.

The defamation bill passed by the Maldivian parliament today is a serious setback for freedom of expression in the country, State Department Spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau said yesterday.

When the bill was first introduced to parliament about two weeks ago, the American embassy in Colombo, had jointly with five diplomatic partners, released a statement voicing concern about the erosion of fundamental freedoms and the institutions of democracy in Maldives, including freedom of assembly and press.

The United States values freedom of expression as a key component of democratic governance. Democratic societies are not infallible, but they are accountable, and a free exchange of ideas is the foundation for accountability, Trudeau said.

We continue to express our support for all Maldivians struggling to preserve their hard won democratic institutions and rights, she said.

Earlier, the Maldivian journalists groups had also said that the bill would have a direct negative impact on the media.

The bill is a threat to constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression and freedom of press, the groups had said.

They have asked that the bill be amended to not give courts of law the authority to formulate the policies and regulation on how media should cover reports and rulings issued by courts and tribunals, they said.

Other amendments suggested include exclusion of articles related to national security, religious education and religious sermons and allowing the regulating body to investigate defamation cases against media personnel, prior to taking the cases to court.

The ruling party has defended the bill, saying it will not be withdrawn and that it was not a threat to anyone except journalists who fabricate stories.

After decades of autocratic rule, Maldives became a multiparty democracy in 2008.

However, President Yameen Abdul Gayoom is accused of reversing the democratic gains by misusing courts, police and the bureaucracy to silence dissent.

Street protests are banned in the country and people who post criticise government on social media are arrested.

Former president Mohamed Nasheed who travelled to the Britain on a medical leave from prison earlier this year has been given asylum by the UK.

Nasheed has also formed a united opposition front with other leaders in exile and supporters of those imprisoned to force Gayoom to resign.  PTI
By Peter Hammarstedt on 9 August 2016 for Sea Shepherd Global -

Image above: A 2006 photo of the Sea Shepherd ship "Bob Barker". From ( http://teakdoor.com/world-news/115479-japan-wont-go-awhaling-year-cant-6.html ).

.

SUBHEAD: In partnership with marines from Gabon the Sea Shepherd boarded and commandeered boat with illegal catch.On the 6th of August, the Spanish long-line fishing vessel Alemar Primero was boarded in waters belonging to the Central African island state of Sao Tome and Principe by Sao Tomean authorities, assisted by Sea Shepherd crew and law enforcement officers from Gabon.Although the long-liner was licensed to fish for 'tuna and similar species' inspections revealed that their fish holds were filled with sharks, predominately blue sharks that are classified as 'near-threatened' by the IUCN.Many of the shark's fins had already been detached from their bodies, a suspected violation of the European Union Finning Ban (1185/2003) and its amendment (605/2013), which requires sharks to be landed with their Fins Naturally Attached (FNA).Sao Tomean authorities ordered the long-liner to retrieve their fishing gear, release their catch and proceed to Sao Tome for investigation. With four marines remaining on board for security, the long-liner was escorted to Sao Tome by the Sea Shepherd vessel M/Y Bob Barker.On the 7th of August, the Alemar Primero arrived in the fishing village of Neves where it will remain, pending investigations, while the M/Y Bob Barker resumes patrols.Since April 2016, under the name Operation Albacore, Sea Shepherd has been assisting the Government of Gabon to tackle Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing by providing the use of the M/Y Bob Barker as a civilian offshore patrol vessel operating in Gabonese waters, under the direction of the Gabonese Government.In August Sao Tome and Principe partnered with Operation Albacore, sending two marines and one fisheries observer from Sao Tome to join Sea Shepherd crew, Gabonese marines and Gabonese fisheries enforcement officers on board the M/Y Bob Barker, to further detect and deter IUU fishing in the Gulf of Guinea.
HONG KONG, August 10

Vietnam has discreetly fortified several of its islands in the disputed South China Sea with mobile rocket launchers capable of striking China's runways and military installations across the vital trade route, according to Western officials.

Diplomats and military officers said that intelligence shows Hanoi has shipped the launchers from the Vietnamese mainland into position on five bases in the Spratly islands in recent months, a move likely to raise tensions with Beijing.

The launchers have been hidden from aerial surveillance and they have yet to be armed, but could be made operational with rocket artillery rounds within two or three days, according to the three sources.

Vietnam's Foreign Ministry said the information was "inaccurate", without elaborating.

Deputy Defence Minister, Senior Lieutenant-General Nguyen Chi Vinh, said in Singapore in June that Hanoi had no such launchers or weapons ready in the Spratlys but reserved the right to take any such measures.

"It is within our legitimate right to self-defence to move any of our weapons to any area at any time within our sovereign territory," he said.

The move is designed to counter China's build-up on its seven reclaimed islands in the Spratlys archipelago.

Vietnam's military strategists fear the building runways, radars and other military installations on those holdings have left Vietnam's southern and island defences increasingly vulnerable.

Military analysts say it is the most significant defensive move Vietnam has made on its holdings in the South China Sea in decades.

Hanoi wanted to have the launchers in place as it expected tensions to rise in the wake of the landmark international court ruling against China in an arbitration case brought by the Philippines, foreign envoys said.

The ruling last month, stridently rejected by Beijing, found no legal basis to China's sweeping historic claims to much of the South China Sea.

Vietnam, China and Taiwan claim all of the Spratlys while the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei claim some of the area.

"China has indisputable sovereignty over the Spratly islands and nearby waters," China's Foreign Ministry said in a faxed statement on Wednesday. "China resolutely opposes the relevant country illegally occupying parts of China's Spratly islands and reefs and on these illegally occupied Spratly islands and reefs belonging to China carrying out illegal construction and military deployments."

The United States is also monitoring developments closely.

"We continue to call on all South China Sea claimants to avoid actions that raise tensions, take practical steps to build confidence, and intensify efforts to find peaceful, diplomatic solutions to disputes," a State Department official said.

State-of-the-art system

Foreign officials and military analysts believe the launchers form part of Vietnam's state-of-art EXTRA rocket artillery system recently acquired from Israel.

EXTRA rounds are highly accurate up to a range of 150 km (93 miles), with different 150 kg (330 lb) warheads that can carry high explosives or bomblets to attack multiple targets simultaneously. Operated with targeting drones, they could strike both ships and land targets.

That puts China's 3,000-metre runways and installations on Subi, Fiery Cross and Mischief Reef within range of many of Vietnam's tightly clustered holdings on 21 islands and reefs.

While Vietnam has larger and longer-range Russian coastal defence missiles, the EXTRA is considered highly mobile and effective against amphibious landings. It uses compact radars, so does not require a large operational footprint  also suitable for deployment on islets and reefs.

"When Vietnam acquired the EXTRA system, it was always thought that it would be deployed on the Spratlys...it is the perfect weapon for that," said Siemon Wezeman, a senior arms researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

There is no sign the launchers have been recently test fired or moved.

China took its first Spratlys possessions after a sea battle against Vietnam's then weak navy in 1988. After the battle, Vietnam said 64 soldiers with little protection were killed as they tried to protect a flag on South Johnson reef  an incident still acutely felt in Hanoi.

In recent years, Vietnam has significantly improved its naval capabilities as part of a broader military modernisation, including buying six advanced Kilo submarines from Russia.

Carl Thayer, an expert on Vietnam's military at the Australian Defence Force Academy, said the deployment showed the seriousness of Vietnam's determination to militarily deter China as far as possible.

"China's runways and military installations in the Spratlys are a direct challenge to Vietnam, particularly in their southern waters and skies, and they are showing they are prepared to respond to that threat," he said. "China is unlikely to see this as purely defensive, and it could mark a new stage of militarisation of the Spratlys."

Trevor Hollingsbee, a former naval intelligence analyst with the British defence ministry, said he believed the deployment also had a political factor, partly undermining the fear created by the prospect of large Chinese bases deep in maritime Southeast Asia.

"It introduces a potential vulnerability where they was none before  it is a sudden new complication in an arena that China was dominating," he said.  Reuters
Stop the GATE madness

By Dr. Kwame Nantambu

August 10, 2016

The recent policy decision by the People's National Movement Government to revamp the Government Assistance for Tertiary Expenses (GATE) programme is indeed a most welcomed and long overdue move.

The fact of the matter is that adult citizens of this country both under and over 50 years of age have been abusing and dismembering this State funded programme for years.

As someone who has been involved in tertiary education in the country for over ten years, I can provide prima facie evidence/proof of that afore-mentioned conclusion. The stark reality is that as per my grade report sheets of many years, the record shows/reveals that there were some students who had taken my course titled "Caribbean Studies" once, twice and even three times, period.

Sometimes, I wondered why students even venture to turn up and sit the final exam. Their answer(s) was/were a total disaster and as their lecturer, I had to endure the pain of grading their supreme nonsense. I had NO other choice but to suffer peacefully through that exercise.

The stark reality is that Trinbagonians both under and over 50 years of age are and have been spoiled/accustomed to too much freeness from the State, period. This writer is firmly convinced that if those students who repeatedly failed my course had to pay out of their own pockets, as in salary, every time there is a repeat; or in other words, if the tuition cost was immediately deducted from their salary, then, none of that repeat free nonsense would exist.

As long as the money does not and did not affect, as in lessen, their personal disposable income, these Trinbagonians both under and over 50 years of age just did not care, period.

In addition, this writer would feel safe in guesstimating that over 85 per cent or more of these 'lucky' students do not come from households whose monthly income lies between $10,000 to $20,000. These are NOT poor student/people. They are NOT among the "least of these" in our society. That must be clearly understood. They are NOT among the "have-nots" in our society. They are the "haves."

These 'lucky' students are well-paid public servants, teachers, law enforcement employees, private sector employees, etc. They are NOT catching hell, 24-7-365, period. They are de jure members of the middle-class, well-off people. And to prove/validate this factual reality, this writer is publicly advising the Minister of Education that when the tertiary education semester starts in early September 2016, that he should send internal auditors/advisors to monitor and count the exact number of cars in the parking lot, for example, of Cipriani College of Labour and Continuing Studies, between 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. when these 'lucky' students are in class. The same must be done at other tertiary educational institutions who receive taxpayers money via GATE. Enough is enough. This Trinbago academic tertiary chupidness, as in madness, must stop NOW, period.

The stark reality is that 95.99 per cent of students, as in adults, both under and over 50 years of age in tertiary education DRIVE to attend class after leaving their full-time, well-paid job. That's a fact. This writer would not dare to indicate the model of car these students/adults drive, except to emphasize that they are NOT a poor person's vehicle, period.

The fact of the matter is that NO employee in the URP, CEPEP or OJT State-sponsored/funded programmes could afford to drive the cars these 'lucky' students/adults driveat least per legal means.

At this juncture, I would like to sincerely "thank" all of those students who voluntarily gave me a ride either into Port-of-Spain to catch a taxi to get home or who dropped me off in my front door after class. "Thank you."

However, the time has finally come for everyone to bite the harsh economic bullet. Reality check is on, big time. This tertiary education freeness must stop and it must stop NOW, period.

Now is the time for all Trinbagonians to clearly understand/realize that when the GATE programme was introduced by the then Patrick Manning (may he rest in eternal peace) government in 2004, money was no problem. Today, however, money is the problem. Ipso facto, revamping GATE is the only solution, period.

Indeed, this writer must hasten to bring to the fore that Trinbagonians both under and over 50 years of age are more than willing to pay from their salary $3,000 to $5,000 and counting to buy a bikini-clad costume to wear on carnival days. Why, because they have got the additional expendable disposable income by not paying for their tertiary education. Let the government pick up the slack. Now, because of the global financial/economic hard, albeit uncertain times, this same government is forced to say to the citizens of this country: "My fellow citizens, we all must pick up the slack." That's it. No more mass in yuh mass!

As usual, Trinbagonians would rank and rage (and some will agree) at and with this new policy decision but as the academic dust clears, everyone would come to the sane conclusion that revamping the GATE program was indeed necessary/vital to maximize the public good and the public purse.

In the final analysis, the public policy decision to revamp the GATE programme was the modus operandi of "government of the people, by the people and for the people" at its zenith.

Shem Hotep ("I go in Peace").

Share your views here...
[August 09, 2016] NetComm Wireless Launches New R&D Facility in the US

SYDNEY, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- NetComm Wireless Limited (ASX: NTC), a leading global developer of data communications technologies, today announced that it has established its first research and development (R&D) facility outside of Australia with the launch of its new R&D centre in Sunrise, Florida, United States. The establishment of this new R&D centre is a natural extension of NetComm Wireless' commitment to the US market, particularly in light of the Company's announcement of a major contract win within the US in respect of its fixed wireless business. The facility currently employs two teams of approximately 30 experienced software, hardware and radio frequency (RF) engineers. The selection of the Sunrise area in Florida became an obvious choice. It is a significant technology hub attracting a substantial number of multinational technology based companies and has a large pool of talented telecommuniations engineers.



"NetComm Wireless has experienced tremendous growth in recent years and we will continue to invest in the R&D resources needed to accelerate the expansion of our business in the US and globally. Our new R&D centre will allow us to meet the specific needs of our US based customers and partners, while strengthening our product design, development and testing capabilities," said David Stewart, CEO and Managing Director, NetComm Wireless. The Company has also announced the expansion of its R&D facilities in Sydney and Melbourne.

NetComm Wireless is exhibiting at CTIA Super Mobility 2016 from 7-9 September, 2016. Book a meeting and visit stand 5152 to find out more about NetComm Wireless' latest 3G/4G LTE M2M, Fixed Wireless and Fibre to the distribution point (FTTdp) technologies. Enquiries to: NetComm Wireless Communications

Phone: +61-2-9424-2000 or email: [email protected] About NetComm Wireless NetComm Wireless Limited (ASX: NTC) is a leading developer of Fixed Wireless broadband, wireless Machine-to-Machine (M2M)/Industrial IoT and Fibre and Cable to the distribution point (FTTdp / CTTdp) technologies that underpin an increasingly connected world. Employing our Listen. Innovate. Solve. approach, we provide solutions for the unique requirements of leading telecommunications carriers, core network providers, system integrators, government and enterprise customers worldwide. For over 30 years, NetComm Wireless has engineered new generations of world first data communication products and is now a globally recognised communications technology innovator. Headquartered in Sydney (Australia), NetComm Wireless has offices in the US, Europe/UK, New Zealand and Japan. For more information, visit www.netcommwireless.com. Logo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20150324/8521501794LOGO

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 10, 2016] RiskIQ Joins IBM Security App Exchange Community

RiskIQ, a leader in external threat management, today launched RiskIQ PassiveTotal App For IBM (News - Alert) QRadar, which integrates with IBM security intelligence technology to achieve fully integrated external threat context to security incidents. Joint customers can accelerate incident remediation seamlessly by accessing internet datasets as they investigate offenses in IBM QRadar. RiskIQ scans and collects external internet data at massive scale-datasets the RiskIQ's PassiveTotal App uses to create a feedback loop in which QRadar is constantly being updated with the latest threat data. The new application is freely available to the security community through the IBM Security App Exchange, a marketplace where developers across the industry can share applications based on IBM Security technologies. As threats are evolving faster than ever, collaborative development amongst the security community will help organizations adapt quickly and speed innovation in the fight against cybercrime. RiskIQ PassiveTotal App For IBM QRadar leverages IBM Security QRadar, the company's security intelligence platform which analyzes data across an organization's IT infrastructure in real-time to identify potential security threats. Leveraging QRadar's new open application programming interfaces (API), RiskIQ PassiveTotal App For IBM QRadar allows users to reduce the number of alerts they need to manage, speed up incident response and prevent cyberattacks. "You cannot prevent attacks on-and from-assets you don't know about," said Elias Manousos, CEO of RiskIQ. "RiskIQ's PassiveTotal increases the visibility your IBM QRadar security intelligence deployment has while ou perform your analysis and incident response. By bringing in key external data elements you can reduce the time to resolution, as well as time to detection for the threats coming your way, all from within the IBM QRadar interface."



RiskIQ PassiveTotal App For IBM QRadar uses RiskIQ reference sets, which are created automatically, make the integration completely bi-directional, enabling the security operations team to create IBM QRadar rules based on external internet data and thus get automatically alerted to offenses. As the alert is triaged and put into an incident response workflow, the external information is available for fast resolution. Data enrichment applied to both threat detection and IR functions benefits the security team as a whole. About RiskIQ

RiskIQ is a cybersecurity company that helps organizations discover and protect their external facing known, unknown and third-party web, mobile and social digital assets. The company's External Threat Management platform combines a worldwide proxy network with synthetic clients that emulate users to monitor, detect and take down malicious and copycat apps, drive by malware and malvertisements. RiskIQ is being used by leading financial institutions and other companies to protect their web assets and users from external security threats and fraud. We are headquartered in San Francisco, backed by growth equity firms Summit Partners and Battery Ventures. For more information, please visit www.riskiq.com. About IBM Security IBM's security platform provides the security intelligence to help organizations holistically protect their people, data, applications and infrastructure. IBM offers solutions for identity and access management, security information and event management, database security, application development, risk management, endpoint management, next-generation intrusion protection and more. IBM operates one of the world's broadest security research and development, and delivery organizations. For more information, please visit www.ibm.com/security, follow @IBMSecurity on Twitter (News - Alert) or visit the IBM Security Intelligence blog. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005604/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Sorry!

This content is not available in your region
[August 10, 2016] Landmark Partnership Improves Access to Eyewitness Accounts of Genocide

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ProQuest has partnered with USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education to distribute a streaming version of the Visual History Archive, dramatically improving access to 53,000 video testimonies of genocide survivors and witnesses. This streaming version includes new ProQuest search capabilities that enable users to locate specific terms and related ProQuest content -- a billion searchable items spanning dissertations, news, periodicals, scholarly journals and ebooks -- thereby improving contextual discovery. For libraries, a dedicated Internet2 connection and cache server is no longer required for Visual History Archive access, reducing costs and eliminating download delays. Visual History Archive encompasses more than 112,000 hours of testimony from survivors and witnesses of the Holocaust and other genocides, including Armenia, Rwanda, and Nanjing. Interviews have been conducted throughout 63 countries and in approximately 40 anguages, exploring life before, during and after genocide. The archive's scope is immense: streamed non-stop 24/7, it would take 13 years to watch all the testimonies in their entirety. However, with 62,000 manually indexed search terms, researchers can refine results to the minute-per-segment level.



ProQuest's partnership with USC Shoah Foundation aims to broaden the use of the Visual History Archive. As part of its commitment to add value, ProQuest is transcribing English-language testimonies; this complements existing indexing methods, and will help users retrieve testimonies about specific points of interest. Additionally, the Visual History Archive will grow yearly. In 2016 alone, 1,000 testimonies from the Cambodian and Guatemalan genocides as well as the Holocaust will be added.

In late 2017, ProQuest will enable the video testimonies to be fully cross-searched with the breadth of ProQuest content  including its vast historical collections, such as historical newspapers, periodicals, magazines, government records, and other primary source materials. For example, libraries that subscribe to ProQuest Historical Jewish Newspapers or History Vault, with its extensive content about World War II, can provide a richer experience for their students and researchers by adding the Visual History Archive to their collections. "The USC Visual History Archive is an unparalleled resource that empowers researchers to learn history first-hand from the people who were there," said Susan Bokern, ProQuest Vice President, Product Management. "We are honored that the USC Shoah Foundation has entrusted ProQuest to add value to this important primary source and make it more widely accessible and discoverable to students and researchers globally." The Visual History Archive is available for trial or purchase now. For more information visit proquest.com. About ProQuest (http://www.proquest.com) ProQuest connects people with vetted, reliable information. Key to serious research, the company's products are a gateway to the world's knowledge including dissertations, governmental and cultural archives, news, historical collections and ebooks. ProQuest technologies serve users across the critical points in research, helping them discover, access, share, create and manage information. The company's cloud-based technologies offer flexible solutions for librarians, students and researchers through the ProQuest, Alexander Street, Bowker, Dialog, Ex Libris and SIPX businesses  and notable research tools such as the RefWorks citation and reference management platform, the Pivot research development tool and the Ebook Central, ebrary, EBL and MyiLibrary ebook platforms. The company is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with offices around the world. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160810/397111

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120620/DE27948LOGO-a To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/landmark-partnership-improves-access-to-eyewitness-accounts-of-genocide-300311787.html SOURCE ProQuest

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Mondays Australian Story profiles teenager Georgie Stone, hoping to stop the need for young transgender people to go to court.

This episode is introduced by Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews.

Teenager Georgie Stone is taking on the system to try to help save the lives of other transgender teenagers.

I feel like I can actually help people, she says. Im hoping after seeing my story they can see a happy, free 16-year-old who came out the other side.

Georgie, 16, went through harrowing court ordeals to get permission for treatment that would enable her to transition and she doesnt want other teenagers to go through the same ordeal.

We all know that transgender children are more at risk of suicide and self harm between the time of coming out and then accessing treatment, she says.

The Family Court is expensive and often delays mean that teenagers cannot get into court before its too late and they hit puberty.

I would have killed myself if my voice had broken. It would have meant people could no longer take me on face value.

The director of the Gender Service at the Royal Childrens Hospital in Melbourne, Dr Michelle Telfer, says many of her clients feel the same way.

The court process causes delays, its very stressful, its pathologising for them. Going to court usually means that theres something wrong, youve done something wrong or theres something wrong with your family, and in these situations its just not the case.

Australian Story follows Georgies race against her biological clock to get a court order before her voice broke and she developed further masculine traits.

Georgie is now lobbying politicians in a bid to have them introduce legislation that would overturn the need for young transgender people to go to court.

Australia is the only country in the world where children must be assessed by a court as to their competency to consent to treatment.

The Gender Service at the Royal Childrens Hospital has 200 new referrals this year.

Melbourne lawyer Paul Boers, who has appeared in eight pro bono cases this year, says he does this because many families cannot afford treatment and kids lives are at stake.

If they dont get treatment, well theyre in trouble so I guess I do the cases for humanitarian reasons but I dont have the resources to do them all, he says.

Paul Boers said the court just rubber stamps the recommendations of the teenagers treating specialists.

My hope is that sooner rather than later theres going to be an end to this madness having to go the Family Court, he said.

I know the Family Court wants an end to these cases. Ive appeared before many judges who have said to me from the bench I dont believe this should be in the Family Court, I dont believe that these childrens parents and these children should have to come to court.

The Chief Justice of the Family Court, Dianna Bryant, said perhaps the matter needs to be reconsidered.

Well the laws the law at the moment and theres only the two circumstances in which it can be altered. I cant do anything about it unless someones prepared to challenge the existing case law, or unless the government is prepared to legislate, she says.

The program features home video footage following Georgie from a toddler through to the present.

Monday August 15 at 8pm on ABC.
It was a case of back to the future for one of 7TWOs Olympics presenters who accidentally told viewers the Equestrian finals were right here on 7TWO in beautiful Barcelona, where the city is sparkling today!

Could it be that the poor bloke was one of those left behind in Sydney commentating via monitor?

Not like 1992 when he was probably flown to Barcelona.
UK drama Safe House has been renewed for a second season with True Blood star Stephen Moyer leading a new cast and new story.

The first season starred Christopher Eccleston.

Moyer will star as a charismatic yet impulsive ex-police officer Tom Brook who runs a police safe house, which stands by the edge of the sea on the rugged coastline of Anglesey.

He will be joined by actress Zoe Tapper as his partner Sam.

The drama is written by Ed Whitmore (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, He Kills Coppers) and Tracey Malone (Rillington Place), and directed by Marc Evans (Hinterland, Collision).

Tom and Sams world is turned upside down when news of a shocking crime breaks. Years previously Tom investigated a series of abductions perpetrated by an assailant known as The Crow, who took wives away from husbands as they helplessly watched.

On hearing breaking news of a crime bearing the same hallmarks Tom immediately goes to the crime scene, revealing to the police that terrifyingly he believes The Crow is active again.

Filming begins in Wales, Liverpool and Manchester later this month.

ITVs Controller of Drama Victoria Fea said, Were delighted to be working on a brand new series of Safe House with Eleventh Hour Films.

The format lends itself beautifully to creating a suspenseful drama with a new set of characters in a new safe house. As always Ed and Traceys scripts are gripping and compelling with twists and turns that shock and take you by surprise.
US drama Zoo has been renewed for a third season.

The series based on the best-seller by author James Patterson, stars James Wolk amid a wave of violent animal attacks against humans.

The series has averaged 4 million US viewers and is already the longest-running original summer scripted drama on CBS.

In Australia the series struggled on TEN before being moved to ONE.

Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals recently called upon the series to stop using wild animals in its production, and draw upon technology instead.

Source: Hollywood Reporter
The third and final season of The Musketeers begins tonight on BBC First.

The 10 part series features Tom Burke, Santiago Cabrera, Howard Charles, Alexandra Dowling, Rupert Everett, Ryan Gage, Tamla Kari, Matthew McNulty and Luke Pasqualino.

In war-torn France, a sinister new battle awaits the Musketeers. The swashbuckling hit series returns for a thrilling third series as the intrepid foursome face their greatest challenge yet.

Heroes on the battlefield, the Musketeers return from the Spanish front to a Paris seething with resentment. Food shortages and profiteering have turned the poor into a powder keg about to explode. And, lurking in the shadows of the city, a dangerous new enemy threatens to light the fuse.

The corrupt Governor Feron, played by Rupert Everett, has been running Paris for his own ends, aided by the brutal Red Guard. As the Kings illegitimate half-brother, he has been twisted by a bitter sense of entitlement.

But behind Feron hides an even greater menace. Lucien Grimaud is a vicious gangster with a powerful hold over the governor. High taxes have turned the aristocratic establishment against a seemingly indifferent King, and Grimaud is conspiring to exploit the monarchys weakness. While Feron might be reasoned with, Grimaud deals only in chaos and rage.

Ordered to the heart of this simmering crisis, the Musketeers face their most treacherous test yet. Its a task that will challenge their allegiances to the crown, throw their personal lives into turmoil and compromise their loyalty to those they love  and to each other.

Thursdays at 8.30pm from August 11 on BBC First.
[August 10, 2016] Fitch Downgrades Community Health Systems to 'B'; Outlook Stable

Fitch Ratings has downgraded Community Health Systems, Inc.'s (CHS) Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to 'B'. The Rating Outlook is Stable. The ratings apply to $15.6 billion of debt outstanding at June 30, 2016. A full list of rating actions follows at the end of this release. KEY RATING DRIVERS Write-Down Reflects Operational Challenges: CHS acquired rival hospital operator Health Management Associates (HMA) in a 2014 deal that added about $7 billion of debt to CHS's capital structure. Since the close of the transaction, growth in EBITDA has been hampered by operational issues at the HMA hospitals, and ongoing government investigations and lawsuits. In second quarter 2016 (2Q16), CHS recognized a $1.4 billion goodwill impairment charge; we believe this reflects lower earnings prospects for the company's hospitals than at the time of the HMA acquisition. Restructuring Proceeds Reduce Debt: Progress towards deleveraging has been slow since the HMA acquisition; total debt/EBITDA is about 6.4x, versus 5.2x prior to it. So far in 2016, CHS has paid down about $1.5 billion of debt with the proceeds from the spin-off of Quorum Health Corporation (QHC) and the sale of a minority interest in several hospitals in Las Vegas. This was the first substantial debt repayment since the HMA acquisition. The company plans to divest another 12 hospitals before the end of 2016, and expects to apply the proceeds to debt reduction. Assuming the company executes on these transactions as planned, debt will be about $2.3 billion lower at the close of 2016 versus the January 2016 level, which is equal to about one-turn of EBITDA. More Profitable Hospital Portfolio: Fitch's $2.38 billion and $2.26 billion EBITDA forecast for CHS for 2016 and 2017, respectively, reflects the loss of a cumulative $380 million in EBITDA as a result of the company's portfolio pruning program. The largest portion of EBITDA divested was the 38 hospitals involved in the QHC spin-off. That transaction, plus the sale of the 12 hospitals the company plans to divest in late 2016, should result in a more profitable business profile, since the remaining group of hospitals are higher margin and are located in larger markets with better organic growth potential. Headwinds to Less Acute Volumes: CHS's legacy hospital portfolio is exposed to rural markets and therefore headwinds to lower acuity patient volumes. Volume trends in these markets are highly susceptible to weak macro-economic conditions and seasonal influences on flu and respiratory cases. Health insurers and government payors have been increasing scrutiny of short-stay admissions and preventable hospital readmissions. CHS has made some headway in turning around the company's hospital industry-lagging volume trends, but these challenges have proven difficult to overcome. Repositioning Portfolio Should Help: Repositioning the portfolio around larger, faster growing markets should help CHS's organic volume growth by reducing exposure to these lesser acuity volumes. Much like CHS's peers in larger hospital markets, the company is shifting the investment focus to building comprehensive networks of inpatient and outpatient facilities in order to capture share in certain targeted markets. This is a strategy that is aligned with secular trends in healthcare delivery, and should benefit the operating profile. However, successful execution of this repositioning is not without challenges. Management in part attributed weak 2Q16 volume performance to distraction during the QHC spin, and the HMA hospitals stubbornly lag the legacy CHS hospitals in volume performance, although the gap has been incrementally closing. Progress in Resolution of Legal Issues: CHS has been dealing with government investigations and lawsuits related to the issue of short-stay hospital admissions. CHS has made good progress in resolving the legal issues facing the legacy CHS hospitals, which did not involve financial fines significant enough to threaten financial flexibility and provided some comfort that the scope of the potential HMA fines or penalties will be similarly manageable. KEY ASSUMPTIONS Fitch's key assumptions within the rating case for CHS include: --Top-line growth of negative 5.3% and negative 8.7% in 2016 and 2017, respectively, reflects completed and planned hospital divestitures. Underlying same-hospital growth of 2%-3% is driven primarily by pricing. --EBITDA before deduction of non-controlling interest of $2.38 billion and $2.26 billion in 2016 and 2017, respectively, assumes that operating EBITDA margin recovers about 50 bps by the end of 2017 versus the June 30, 2016 latest 12 months (LTM) level, mostly as the result of divesting less profitable hospitals. --FCF margin recovers to 1.4% in 2016 and 2.5% in 2017, benefiting from lower cash interest expense due to debt re-payment, and lower capital intensity based on management's projections for capital expenditures of about 4% of revenues in 2016. --The company divests another 12 hospitals in late 2016, raises net proceeds of $850 million and uses the cash to repay debt; thereafter, debt levels ae fairly constant through the projection period assuming minimal cash towards acquisitions and share repurchases.



--Total debt/EBITDA is sustained between 6.0x and 6.5x. RATING SENSITIVITIES

Maintenance of the 'B' Issuer Default Rating (IDR) considers CHS maintaining total debt/EBITDA at or below 6.5x, an operating EBITDA margin of at least 12% and an FCF margin of 1%-2%. A downgrade could result from leverage sustained above 6.5x and a breakeven FCF margin. Risks to the operating outlook include the inability of management to execute on operational improvements necessary to improve organic volume growth and profitability. This could be evidenced by difficultly completing the remaining planned divestitures and associated debt pay-down, negative growth in organic adjusted admissions, and/or lack of progress toward resolution of HMA's legal issues.] LIQUIDITY At June 30, 2016, sources of liquidity included $461 million of cash on hand, $935 million of available capacity on the senior secured credit facility cash flow revolver and LTM FCF of about $64 million. CHS's EBITDA/interest paid is solid for the 'B' rating category at 3.3x and the company had adequate operating cushion under the bank facility financial maintenance covenants, one of which requires net secured debt leverage maintained at or below 4.25x. Despite a forecasted decline in EBITDA, Fitch expects the company to remain in compliance with the financial maintenance covenants through the projection period. Upcoming debt maturities include the A/R facility maturing in 2017 with $673 million outstanding at June 30, 2016, and $1.5 billion in bank term loans and $700 million of secured notes maturing in 2018. FULL LIST OF RATING ACTIONS Fitch has downgraded the following ratings: Community Health Systems, Inc.: --IDR to 'B' from 'B+'. CHS/Community Health Systems, Inc.: --Senior secured credit facility to 'BB-/RR2' from 'BB/RR2'; --Senior secured notes to 'BB-/RR2' from 'BB/RR2'; --Senior unsecured notes to 'B/RR4' from 'B+/RR4'. The 'B+' IDR of CHS/Community Health Systems, Inc. has been withdrawn. The Rating Outlook is Stable. The 'BB-/RR2' rating for CHS's secured debt (which includes the bank term loans, revolver and senior secured notes) reflects Fitch's expectations for 72% recovery under a hypothetical bankruptcy scenario. The 'B/RR4' rating on CHS's $6.1 billion senior unsecured notes reflects Fitch's expectations for principal recovery of 36%. In the U.S. healthcare sector, Fitch consistently uses a going-concern approach to valuation as opposed to assuming a liquidation value; intrinsic value is assumed to be greater than liquidation value for these companies, implying that the most likely outcome post-default would be reorganization rather than liquidation. The going-concern cash flow (measured by EBITDA) estimate assumes an initial deterioration that provokes a default, which is somewhat offset by corrective actions that would take place during restructuring. Fitch assumes a 37% discount to its 2016 forecasted EBITDA less distributions to non-controlling interests of $2.3 billion for CHS, resulting in a post-default cash flow estimate of $1.4 billion. Fitch applies a 7x multiple to CHS's post-default cash flow estimate of $1.4 billion, resulting in a going concern enterprise value (EV) of $10.1 billion. The 7x multiple is based on observation of both recent transactions/takeout and public market multiples in the healthcare industry. Administrative claims are assumed to consume 10%, or about $1 billion of going concern EV, which is a standard assumption in Fitch's recovery analysis. Also standard in its analysis, Fitch assumes that CHS would fully draw the $1 billion available balance on its bank credit revolver in a bankruptcy scenario and includes that amount in the claims waterfall. Fitch applies a waterfall analysis to the going-concern EV based on the relative claims of the debt in the capital structure. Fitch estimates EV available for claims of $9 billion, net of a standard assumption of 10% for administrative claims. At June 30 2016, about 60% of consolidated net revenue resides in the guarantor group, so Fitch assumes that 60% of the going-concern EV, or $5.4 billion, is recovered by first-lien secured holders, leaving $3.6 billion of non-collateral value to be distributed to unsecured claimants. Based on $9.5 billion of total secured claims (which includes the bank term loans, revolver and senior secured notes), the resulting first-lien secured deficiency claim of $4.1 billion is added to $6.1 billion of senior unsecured claims, resulting in $10.2 billion of total unsecured claims, recovery of which is assumed on a pro rata basis. Summary of Financial Statement Adjustments - Financial statement adjustments that depart materially from those contained in the published financial statements of the relevant rated entity or obligor are disclosed below: --Historical and projected EBITDA is adjusted to add back non-cash stock-based compensation. In 2015, Fitch added back $59 million in non-cash stock-based compensation to the EBITDA calculation. Additional information is available on 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 Recovery Ratings and Notching Criteria for Non-Financial Corporate Issuers (pub. 05 Apr 2016)

https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=879564 Additional Disclosures Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form

https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/content/ridf_frame.cfm?pr_id=1010199 Solicitation Status

https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=1010199 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/20160810005901/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
The University of Houstons Hobby School of Public Affairs is named in honor of former Texas Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby. The school was approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in August 2016.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Tuesday granted official approval for the University of Houstons Hobby School of Public Affairs.

The school, named in honor of former Texas Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby, will build on the existing educational and research programs of the Center for Public Policy, which was founded at UH in 1981.

Todays designation officially moves the Master of Public Policy Degree from the UH College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences to the Hobby School of Public Affairs and approves the addition of a Master of Public Policy degree as a dual degree with the Graduate College of Social Works Master of Social Work.

I believe that the Hobby School will continue to diversify the offerings of our Tier-One campus. I am thrilled that the work done by so many continues to drive great change at our University. Students who come to UH for their education will leave well-equipped for a future in public policy, said Paula Myrick Short, UH senior vice president for academic affairs and provost.

Public policy schools strive not only to serve the community but to create a center to foster research and teaching partnerships that expand traditional academic approaches to teaching and research, said Jim Granato, professor and executive director of the school.

"We need more bright minds in the public policy arena in Texas and beyond, said State Rep. Garnet Coleman, who was instrumental in obtaining both state and private funding to make the Hobby School a reality and whose district includes UH. This designation allows the University of Houston to expand its public affairs degree offerings and prepare more students to take on the challenges we face as a state and a nation.

The Hobby Center for Public Policy will be housed in the Hobby School and will continue its research projects, including its polling operations; government internship programs in Houston, Austin and Washington, D.C.; and its Certified Public Manager program.

Associated faculty represent a variety of disciplines including political science, business, psychology, social work, economics, decision and information sciences and education.

Bill Hobby has devoted his life to public service. He has served as as a naval officer, journalist, parliamentary expert, governmental policymaker, university agent, Lieutenant Governor of Texas, university professor, and Chancellor of the University of Houston System. Hobby has served as the Sid Richardson Professor, LBJ School of Public Affairs in Austin (1991-1995) and was a Member, Visiting Committee, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 1995-2001; University of Houston System Chancellor (1995-1997); and Commissioner of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (1993-1994). He also has served appointments to the boards of Rice University (1989-1993), Southwest Airlines (1990-2007) and St. Edward's University (1990-1995).
No Ukrainian servicemen were killed, but five soldiers were wounded in ATO area in eastern Ukraine over the past day.

Spokesman for the Presidential Administration on the ATO Oleksandr Motuzianyk said this at a briefing in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

No Ukrainian servicemen were killed, but five soldiers were wounded as a result of armed hostilities in ATO area in eastern Ukraine over the past day, he said.

He added that five militants had been killed and seven militants had been wounded over the past day.

ol
Sanctions against Russia are not planned to be lifted in the near future, taking into account the situation in eastern Ukraine.

This was stated by German Government Commissioner for Cooperation with Russia Gernot Erler, DW reports.

"In recent weeks, we have noted almost daily violations of armistice and ceasefire, which have resulted in numerous casualties on both sides," he stressed.

In addition, all 28 EU Member States share the view that the issue of lifting the sanctions may be raised only after the full implementation of the Minsk agreements.

As a reminder, the European Union early July decided to extend economic sanctions against Russia for its actions in Ukraine for another six months, until January 31, 2017.

ol
Ukraine must not delay the launch of a key electronic system to monitor the assets and interests of politicians and public servants as it is one the main requirements to get visa-free regime with the EU.

This is stated in the press release of Transparency International global anti-corruption organisation.

"Ukraine must not delay the launch of a key electronic system to monitor the assets and interests of politicians and public servants," the statement reads.

In its press release, the organisation recalled that when Jose Ugaz, Chair of Transparency International, had met with the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, the President had committed to launching the e-declaration system in August.

It is time for Ukraine to take serious steps to combat the endemic corruption in both its political and business sectors. President Poroshenko promised that this simple electronic platform would be launched in August and that anyone who lied on the forms would be criminally liable, said Transparency Internationals Ugaz.

He also stressed that Poroshenko must hold to his word and ensure that this happens despite the fact that it faced strong political opposition from those interested in avoiding transparency.

ol
Almost 15,000 kilometers, more than 24 hours en route, significant difference in time, summer instead of winter - Australia, until recently, has remained for Ukrainians a distant and mysterious country, in spite of a rather large and active Ukrainian diaspora.

Every cloud has a silver lining. The annexation of Crimea, sanctions against Russia, MN17 tragedy, conflict in the East  brought our countries closer. In late 2014, a Ukrainian delegation headed by the President visited the country-continent, and as soon as in March of the next year the Embassy of Australia was opened in Kyiv, and the Ukrainian cargo plane Mriya flew to the Australian distant lands in May of the same year. The promotion of bilateral contacts and support on the international arena grew into ambitious projects in the aerospace and energy industries.

In early July, parliamentary elections were held in Australia, which brought another victory to the ruling coalition. Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia Mykola Kulinich told about peculiarities of post-election prospects of the Ukrainian-Australian relations in an exclusive interview with Ukrinform.

CONTINENTAL MENTALITY AND FOREIGN POLICY

- Parliamentary elections have been recently held in Australia. Although the Liberal-National Coalition (LNC) has managed to remain in power, a significant progress of the Labourists, who literally were snapping at the ruling coalitions heels, cant be ignored. What changes in the Australian governments policy may occur? How this will affect the foreign policy of Australia, what Ukraine should expect in this context?

- One of specifics of these elections, as well as a peculiar feature of Australian political life in general, is that the fact that the issue of foreign policy is on the periphery of public attention.

As for me, the specifics of mentality and worldview have an impact on many states located on the islands of Britain, for example. And as for Australia, a huge area of the country occupying the entire continent should be taken into account. With this regard, the Australians feel themselves totally self-sufficient. A continental mentality reigns here, instead of the island one.

Thus, one should not expect any crucial changes in the foreign policy of the new Australian government, as the Liberal-National Coalition declared no new foreign policy strategy in its election program.

- Have you already assessed the new parliaments composition  who from the friends have remained? And weather the Ukraine-Australia friendship group is efficient with regard to Australia?

- Friends of Ukraine have remained in the new composition of the Australian parliament, but they number not many people Among them, Craig Laundy, the Chairman of the Ukraine-Australia friendship group, who has become a parliamentary deputy minister for industry, science and innovation. This is an extremely important position, considering the fact that the government of Malcolm Turnbull has declared the support for the development of innovation activities as one of his priorities.

Also, many members of this association from the parliamentary opposition have remained, in particular, Michael Danby, Richard Marles, who was the shadow minister for migration and border security in the previous parliament, and at present he is the shadow defense minister. By the way, it is worth noting that Richard Marles ran for the constituency in Geelong (satellite city of Melbourne), where a sufficiently powerful and numerous Ukrainian community lives, which support he traditionally counts on. Therefore, it gives reasons to the community to expect a response support.

- The issues of foreign policy were not in focus during the election campaign, but recent events in the world (Brexit, NATO Warsaw summit, Russian policy in Ukraine and Syria, the Arbitration on dispute in the South China Sea, preparations for elections in the United States, etc.) certainly havent remained unnoticed for Australians. Which side does Australia support? What kind of support Ukraine can count on in this context?

- Despite of the fact that foreign policy card during the election campaign was not practically played, it is worth noting that going beyond the above-mentioned "continental" boundaries and attempts to play a greater role in geopolitics have become a current trend in the political life of Australia in recent years. Therefore, the Australian elite, including the political one, is trying to attract more Australians to "global thinking", which they lack.

As to the issue on which side Australia is, then it has traditional allied commitments in line with the ANZUS Security Treaty, which was concluded in 1951, and which still operates.

For us, its very important that Australia supports Ukraine, supports sanctions against Russia, supports in general our idea of confrontation against foreign aggression and advocacy of universal values

AUSTRALIA-RUSSIA: PRINCIPLES AND TRANSPARENT HINTS

- At present people in the world are speaking a lot about the importance of establishing a dialogue with Russia, especially in the context of the fight against terrorism, abolition of sanctions policy, or at least gradual abolition. Australia traditionally has stronger trade ties with Russia rather than with Ukraine, so should Ukraine worry that it might lose its ally in the Asia-Pacific region?

Sanctions in their own are not a very popular tool within a country, which applies them, as this is a free-will refusal from trade and other relations, or at least their curtailment with a beneficial economic partner.

In addition, it is worth noting that Ukraine has never been the object of concentration of Australian interests, contrary to Russia, which they see as a Pacific country, and therefore, as an important partner.

However, a question of principles arises here as it is one thing when it comes to trade and economic expansion as a way to promote the interests, and another thing is when someone starts a war. Then these are the challenges to interests and encroachment on traditional values, which are extremely important to Australians.

Australia is a country with strong and self-reliant economy, with powerful own resource basis.

- Recently the whole world has commemorated the second anniversary of MH17 tragedy. Ukraine and Australia together with other countries joined the MH17 crash investigation group. Do Ukraine and Australia have common positions? What is a formula for bringing those guilty to responsibility?

Australia, as well as Ukraine, really joined the international group to investigate the tragedy that occurred over the territory of Ukraine. Both countries are interested in identifying perpetrators and their just punishment.

At present members of the investigation group are approaching the final stage of their work. There is an agreement that they will announce about results of the investigation as soon as this autumn. I have no information about any contradictions within the group, and this is a reason to believe that our position with Australia is consolidated.

As for the issue of brining those guilty to criminal responsibility, then it can be carried out in two ways: in line with the national legislation by one of the countries, or by means of ad hoc international tribunal,

NUCLEAR FUEL, ANTONOV AIRCRAFTS AND WOOMERA ROCKET LAUNCH SITE

Ukraine and Australia signed an Agreement on peaceful use of nuclear fuel. What is the current state of this agreement? When Ukraine should expect first supplies of Australian uranium to Ukraine?

Surely, this deal is of great importance for Ukraine, as well as for Australia. Thats why the signing of the agreement on supplies of raw materials for nuclear fuel gives a significant support for the nuclear sector of Australia. Another important issue is the fact that Ukraine could become a country that will compensate for the non-supplies of nuclear raw materials to Russia.

For Ukraine, in turn, the signing of such an agreement is a vital step. As we bought nuclear fuel form Russia, with which we suspended trade relations for well-known reasons. Australia also expressed its willingness to cover 30 to 70% of our needs in nuclear fuel that can actually make it a strategic supplier of nuclear fuel for the Ukrainian nuclear power plants. Thats why this document is a huge economic basis for building our political cooperation, because it is not of purely economic character, but it also largely solves the issue of energy security for Ukraine, which is a component of national security.

As for the current state of this agreement, this document is a political frame agreement. Commercial contacts are needed to be established to realize supplies.

- The arrival of Ukraines Mriya cargo aircraft in Australia made a furor. Will this trend have a practical continuation?

- I am sure that it will have, because we have already moved to the first concrete steps towards the implementation of possible cooperation between SE Antonov and Australian partners. And this cooperation could be of various forms.

However, in my opinion, the Australian Antarctic Division is the unique and most likely partner for cooperation. This structure, which is based in Hobart (Tasmania) and which apart from its other tasks, provides logistical support to the most of Antarctic stations.

SPIRIT OF LIBERTY OF UKRAINIANS AND AUSTRALIANS

- The Ukrainian community in Australia was traditionally a powerful factor of influencing the Australian-Ukrainian ties. How significant are the tools of influence of our diaspora today?

- This country is extremely interesting for me thanks to the work with the community. This is the first time when I work with the Ukrainian community abroad  in fact, there was no established community either in Korea, nor in Japan. These are our compatriots, they all have their own history, and this is the history of not only Australia, but the history of Ukraine as well: they do not lose the ties with culture, language, homeland. Of course, they strongly support Ukraine. Much can be achieved due to the active support of the Ukrainian community in Australia and us.

Thus, for instance, Id like to stress that the parliamentary support for Ukraine is based mostly due to our community in Australia, as it is a significantly strong electoral force. Event in spite of a rather small number  about 40,000 people  taking into account good self-discipline, similarity, the Ukrainian community plays an important role in political fight, as we can see.

- Many democratic countries, especially those where influential Ukrainian communities exist, provide humanitarian, consultative and military assistance to Ukraine. What position does Australia adhere to on this matter?

- Australia also provided military, technical and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine in difficult times, when the Russian aggression against our country begun. These were uniform, first aid kits and related materials. In addition, the training program was launched for the Ukrainian military at Australian military schools. This program is fully funded by the Australian government, it still is ongoing and is extremely interesting, useful for our officers. As Australia is a country with the experience of participation in armed conflicts, particularly, in current conflicts involving irregular military formations, the war in Iraq, Afghanistan etc. On the other hand, the Australian military is also interested in our combat experience of participation in modern hybrid war.

Ivan Yusypiuk, Canberra

iy
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the situation in Ukraine with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who currently chairs the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

This is reported by the press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

According to the statement, the parties continued to discuss topical issues related to promotion of the implementation of the Minsk package of measures to settle the situation in the occupied part of Donbas.

It was also noted (without specifying by whom) the need to synchronize the steps for a political settlement with solving the security issues, Moscow reports.

As stated by the Russian Foreign Ministry, the conversation was initiated by the German side.

ol
Russian de facto authorities in Crimea have fully resumed operation of three checkpoints in the occupied Crimea.

Spokesman for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Oleh Slobodian posted this on Facebook.

"The situation at the entry-exit checkpoints on the administration border with the temporarily occupied Crimea remains dynamic and has not undergone major changes. The regulatory bodies of the occupying state have fully restored crossing operations at the entry-exit checkpoints Chonhar, Kalanchak, and Chaplynka," Slobodian wrote.

ol
September 26-27, 2016, Krakow, Poland, will host the 2nd European Cybersecurity Forum - CYBERSEC, the Annual Public Policy Conference dedicated to strategic aspects of cybersecurity.

This is reported by the Forum organizers.

The invited experts will focus on building a regional cybersecurity system for Central and Eastern Europe, cyberdefence of NATO member states, cyber education and cyber innovations as well as public-private partnerships, the statement reads.

As noted, the ever growing number of cyberattacks is a "dark side" of the fourth industrial revolution. It is a problem that realistically jeopardise states and millions of citizens alike. It also gravely affects the private sector which is increasingly becoming a direct or indirect target of cyberattacks, suffering huge financial losses as a consequence. The dynamics of hostile acts in cyberspace will only increase in the coming years; therefore, it is so crucial to enter into a dialogue now that takes into account a cross-stakeholder and comprehensive approach to the problem. European Cybersecurity Forum will aim to develop ideas and make strategic decisions in this area.

This years CYBERSEC Forum will bring together more than 600 delegates, including key policy makers, the representatives of international organisations, expert circles, and leading media as well as world's leaders in the private sector.

The discussions will be held in several sections. State Stream will be devoted to facilitate strategic cross-stakeholder co-operation among the countries of Central and Eastern Europe in order to develop a regional cybersecurity system. The Military Stream will focus on issues related to cyberdefence of NATO member states. Discussions will draw upon conclusions of the July NATO Summit in Warsaw, during which a declaration of strategic cooperation between NATO and the EU in the area of cybersecurity and hybrid threats was made, and cyberspace was recognized as an operational domain of warfare. The Future Stream will examine the challenges posed by an increasing shortage of cyber professionals. Under the Business Stream, the experts will concentrate on creating mechanisms for effective public-private partnerships and the cybersecurity of industrial control systems.

CYBERSEC 2016 will culminate in the publication of recommendations for strengthening the cybersecurity of the European Union and NATO.
India is ready to cooperate with Ukraine in the field of education and invites Ukrainian youth to study in the country.

Indian Ambassador to Ukraine Manoj Kumar Bharti said this during a visit to Sumy region, Ukraine.

"The program, which the Indian Embassy offered to Ukrainians, includes 25 different areas of education. Within the program there are 65 courses (for example, English, IT or law-making), the study period is from 2 weeks to 3 months," the ambassador said.

According to him, in order to take part in this program a student has to enter its website or the website of the Indian Embassy, download the form, fill it in English and send to the Embassy of India. This must be done within three months before the start of the program, because all 65 courses start at different time. India takes care of all expenses for travel, study and accommodation.

ish
Some 240 young Somalis have taken part in vocational training courses offered by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Kismayo, the third largest city and the main commercial hub in the region. Successful graduates have found employment in the construction sector and have established small businesses to contribute to rebuilding their community.

The training courses were made possible thanks to the Countering violence and extremism through skills training and livelihoods support for at-risk youth in Kismayo project, funded by the Government of Japan.

With 70 per cent of the population in Somalia under the age of 30, creating jobs for youth is considered one of the greatest challenges to the countrys economic recovery. In the last few years, local authorities have worked hard to restore economic and political stability, but after decades of conflict, there is still a shortage of skilled labour.

Jonathan Eischen, who managed the project, highlighted the case of the Brothers Welding Group, six young men who have benefitted from the project. "UNIDOs methodology focused on providing practical on-the-job skills training through the integration of small-scale community infrastructure rehabilitation. Practical training exercises for the group of six youth included design and production of steel trusses for a new roof for a government maintenance yard, repair of a gate, and the fabrication and installation of a parking sunshade at the Kismayo International Airport, he said.

As soon as they finished the course and received tools and equipment from UNIDO, they quickly secured their first job, and began making a large industrial-size garbage can for a local hotel. They reinvested their income back into the operations of their enterprise, and soon began producing windows, doors, poles for Internet installation, and doing small repair jobs in the community. Having gained a good reputation in the community for the quality of products and work, they are now also receiving raw materials in advance from local vendors who trust their business. The young guys have doubled their income since starting the Brothers Welding Group, and are supporting a total of 32 dependents.

We are very happy to see our business run successfully, and we are very grateful to UNIDO for the skills we were provided with, said one of members of the Brothers Welding Group who did not want his name mentioned.

Eischen explained that UNIDO conducted post-training surveys which suggested that the project offered a fresh start to many young people, including women who constituted 30 per cent of project beneficiaries. Women who received tool-kits reported new confidence in their ability to increase household income and subsequently improve food security and access to education for their children.

The graduates indicated that thanks to vocational and dedicated conflict minimization skills training, they developed capacities to not only engage with community members from different clans, gender and age groups but also received more respect from their community and were less likely to join local armed groups.

According to Eischen, another project, which started in April and is also funded by the Government of Japan, is focusing on helping stabilize communities and restore livelihoods of at-risk youths living along border areas between Somalia and Kenya.

More details about this project can be found in the brochure.

For more information, please contact:

Jonathan Eischen

UNIDO Project Manager

email
Angelina Jolie is not going to teach as a professor at the Georgetown University; this is what a Washington D.C. spokesperson confirmed on Saturday.

The announcement came out days after news broke out and stirred up the excitement among students, faculties, and residents that The Tomb Raider is coming to their place as a visiting professor.

US Weekly reported on August 5 that Jolie allegedly signed on to teach as a visiting professor at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security. However, Rachel Pugh, the institute spokesperson clarified that there are yet no plans of Georgetown having Angelina Jolie to teach.

The rumor came out following Mrs. Smith's visit to London School of Economics in fall where she taught "Women, Peace and Security", a one-year master's degree program. The course is the first of its kind both in the US and in the whole world wherein Jolie shares her lectures, knowledge, and workshops.

Jolie said in a statement that she believes in the importance of the wider discussion about women's rights and the women's protection against unequal justice brought about by their awful situations such as sexual violence.

Jolie launched the program last year together with William Hague, the U.K. foreign secretary. Hague like Jolie is also a London School of Economics unpaid professor, The Washington Post reported.

Angelina Jolie is a mother to six and a 41-year old actress, who was known for her several character roles; one of which was Mrs. Smith from the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith, a 2005 movie with her real-life partner Brad Pitt.

A Georgetown University expressed her excitement over having Angelina Jolie and William Hague as visiting professors, but they still are waiting as of the moment for they are not receiving any news from the LSE and Georgetown managements about their visit. She assured that they are both welcome should they decide to conduct teaching sessions on the campus, The Daily News reported.

Watch this video and find out more about Angelina Jolie's rumored Georgetown teaching.
It does not take much for some celebrities and artists to earn a degree. While some endeavor to attend school, some get recognized for their achievements and works in the arts.

Take for example Kanye West. West has found a way to earn a doctorate degree without even stepping inside a classroom or lifting a text book. Schools of higher education, such as the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, has recognized his accomplishment as a musician and an artist.

He is now officially called Dr. Yeezus, according to Business Insider. Before he became famous, Kanye West was born in Atlanta, Georgia. As a child, he studied in Nanjing, China at the Nanjing University. He was educated there because his mother worked through an exchange program. When asked about his grades from Nanjing, he said "I got A's and B's. And I'm not even frontin." He does know the language but have already forgotten most of it.

At an early age, his love and skill for poetry would be his mark in the music world. Growing up in Chicago, he knew that the hip hop scene would be his platform. When he needed to go to college, he received a scholarship to attend the American Academy of Art in Chicago. He then transferred to Chicago State University to study English.

At 20 years old, he dropped out of school because he felt that it took him away from writing his music. His career started officially with Roc-A-Fella records but now the world knows him as Dr. Yeezus. Kanye West is famous and has become what many consider to be a studio name.

Although he only attended college for a short period of time, he was still honored for his works in music. West called the honor a "humanization" and promised his degree would make students' lives easier.

Watch Kanye West's full doctorate speech here:
Now that federal government has a smaller role in public school education, state and local governments should take advantage of this freedom and flexibility. If states want to see economic gains in the future, political leaders should focus on improving school quality.

According to Education Next, students who learn more in school are the ones who stay longer in the educational system and become more skilled as well as productive participants in the state's workforce. While there may be some who will migrate to other states, majority of these students have been noted to join the labor market in their own state.

Their contribution would directly lead to economic strength. In the long run, each state would receive a good return rate on successful efforts to enhance school quality.

In the publication's study, it was revealed that there is a strong relationship between the achievement component of the knowledge capital of a state's adult workers and economic growth. States who suffered from low math achievement levels on their workforces, such as Alabama, Mississippi, Utah and Nevada, had disappointing rates of economic growth.

On the other hand, states such as North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Texas, Massachusetts and Virginia have significantly higher levels of math achievement. This, in turn, gave them higher rates of economic growth.

There are other states that had low rates of economic growth despite its workers having high achievement rates. However, the overall results claim that achievement levels have a positive correlation with economic growth.

Some believe that the correlation may just be a causal relationship since students may learn more when their state is performing well in the economic area. The publication noted that there is a weak correlation between increased spending on schools and higher levels of achievement.

It was added that education reforms would take 10 years to be fully effective and that the labor force would only improve as new and more skilled workers replace the old ones.
UTSA professors STEM education program making massive gains in Mexico schools UTSA, Guadalupe Carmona's Campus Viviente uses low-cost technologies, innovative teaching-learning approach to improve STEM education (Photo courtesy: Guadalupe Carmona, Campus Viviente) Share this Story

(Aug. 10, 2016) -- Guadalupe Carmona, UTSA associate professor of interdisciplinary learning and teaching, and her research team are providing schools across Mexico with a low-cost, revolutionary approach to teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) concepts, and its paying off big-time.

Carmona is the director and principal researcher for Campus Viviente, a research and education program housed at UTSA. The interdisciplinary, international program is designed to give students of all economic backgrounds a leg up on learning and understanding STEM.

UTSA and Campus Vivientes shared philosophy is one of inclusiveness, collaboration and equity, where there is a true commitment for all students to succeed, regardless of their background, prior performance, or socioeconomic status," Carmona said. We believe that providing top-tier support to students so they develop a deep and meaningful understanding of STEM concepts is fundamental to keeping pace with the high demands of the workplace and academia in the 21st century.

The UTSA professor has helped municipal governments implement the program in several elementary, middle and high schools across Mexico. In 2013 alone, Campus Viviente programming was implemented in nine high schools across the state of Coahuila. Since then, Carmona said, the academic performance results from the first cohort of Coahuila Campus Viviente students have been on the upswing.

By the end of the first year of implementation, the students scoring in the top achievement levels on standardized tests for maths doubled compared to peers in a control group not using the Campus Viviente approach and curriculum. In the second year, that number was four times larger.

Carmona credits the success to Campus Viviente's approach. During implementation, the program provides teachers with specially tailored, culturally sensitive models to aid their instruction. Each model helps tie the STEM concepts to students home lives and their communities. This helps close the gap between formal and informal learning. Coahuila, for example, is home to a large mining community, and so Campus Vivientes model presents the STEM concepts within this context to make the learning meaningful to students.

The high school students in Coahuila were excited because they could connect advanced math, science, engineering and technological concepts to what was happening in their lives outside of school," Carmona said. "They can see how what they are learning in school can be used in their current lives and in their future jobs. This excitement has translated into real, measurable success..

In keeping with its mission of equitable learning, Campus Viviente provides each classroom with a self-contained digital learning environment housed in a USB drive. The drive contains dozens of educational resources - such as learning tools, software, and curricula - for students and teachers. All the resources are freely available to use and modify under a Creative Commons copyright for further customization and dissemination. All resources are currently available in Spanish and English, and can also be extended to other languages and cultures.

The Campus Viviente program is designed to be accessible by students and educators from all backgrounds, Carmona said. The resources can be booted onto any computer from a standard USB drive. No Internet connectively is required to access the programming. I have yet to meet a student or school for whom these resources are out of reach.



The UTSA programs success has encouraged several universities and school systems to adopt Campus Vivientes approach. Its currently implemented in the Mexican states of Coahuila, Durango, Michoacan and Quintana Roo. As more teachers begin to adopt the programs model, Carmona said she has seen a strong community begin to build online, with teachers sharing tips and experiences with each other.

I have been in education for more than 20 years, and I have never seen quantifiable results as encouraging as the ones recorded in Coahuila, Carmona said. Weve seen the teachers and students extending STEM learning beyond the classroom, and sharing their knowledge with their parents and the rest of the community. That makes me especially proud to be part of a program and university committed to sharing knowledge.

The first cohort of Campus Viviente students from Coahuila graduated this summer. Carmona attended the graduation ceremony as a guest of the local government.

Carmona is also working with UTSA and North East Independent School District to develop a local Campus Viviente program.

----------

UTSA and Campus Vivientes research partners include: La Secretaria de Educacion y Cultura del Estado de Coahuila (the Secretary of Education and Culture for the State of Coahuila), La Universidad Autonoma de Coahuila (Autonomous University of Coahuila), Universidad Juarez del Estado de Durango, Secretaria de Educacion del Estado de Michoacan, La Secretaria de Educacion y Cultura del Estado de Durango (the Secretary of Education and Culture for the State of Durango), and la Universidad de Quintana Roo (the University of Quintana Roo). It has been funded with the support of AHMSA International, Mexicans and Americans Thinking Together, Fondo Mixto de Fomento a la Investigacion Cientifica, USAID, and the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT).

UTSA and its College of Education and Human Development host the Campus Viviente program. For more information, contact Guadalupe Carmona at guadalupe.carmona@utsa.edu.

Learn more about how UTSA is leading efforts to enhance ties with Mexico and its National Council for Science and Technology.

Connect online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
All the latest Uttoxeter news

Story Saved

You can find this story in My Bookmarks.

Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.
On 3-5 October 2017 Kyiv is going to host the Space and Future Forum to network international experts and youth, many of whom will also participate at the first CosmoHack in the world. Joinfo provides media coverage of the Forum, and some of its topics were already discussed ...
Miller Retires as UW General Counsel; Evans Receives Interim Appointment

With University of Wyoming Vice President and General Counsel Rick Miller returning to retirement, President Laurie Nichols has appointed Deputy General Counsel Tara Evans as interim general counsel.

Rick has served the university well for many years, and we wish him the very best in his retirement, Nichols says. I have great confidence that Tara will provide strong leadership for our legal office until we are able to complete a search for a successor.

Miller, who returned to the university in 2013 as vice president and general counsel after retiring as vice president for government, community and legal affairs in 2010, is completing a lengthy UW career. He previously served as director of the Wyoming Legislative Service Office, on the staff of former Gov. Mike Sullivan and as a U.S. Air Force judge advocate.

Miller will be available to provide advice to the legal office and to assist in the transition through the fall.

Evans has been with the university since 2008, when she began working as a special assistant to the president. The UW alumna, with a bachelors degree in molecular biology and a law degree, also worked as an assistant attorney general for the state of Wyoming.

Nichols says she intends for Evans to serve as interim general counsel for the remainder of the current fiscal year, at which time a determination will be made regarding a search.
SHARE CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Ventura County Sheriff's Office Department.

By Christian Martinez, christian.martinez@vcstar.com

Three Oxnard residents were arrested early Wednesday in connection with burglary in Camarillo, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies were called just before 4 a.m. to the 1700 block of Calle Tierra Vista in the Spanish Hills neighborhood after homeowners saw people with flashlights in their backyard, authorities said.

Juliet Marcos, 24, was found in her vehicle parked in front of a house and Jesus Fabian, 23, was found getting out of a victim's vehicle, authorities said. Authorities allege Fabian was involved in a vehicle burglary when they arrived. Both suspects were detained in separate patrol cars, authorities said.

A third suspect, Gilberto Zuniga, 24, was seen running in the area, so deputies chased and detained him a short distance away, authorities said. Meanwhile, officers said, Fabian kicked out the window of the patrol car and fled through backyards.

A sheriff's helicopter and police dog were used to search for Fabian, who was found hiding in some brush, authorities said.

All three suspects were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a crime and burglary, authorities said. It was later discovered that Zuniga was allegedly involved in another residential burglary but was scared off by the homeowner, authorities said. He was booked on an additional burglary offense, authorities said.

Fabian was additionally arrested on suspicion of resisting arrest and vandalism to the patrol car, authorities said.
Star file photo

SHARE

By Anne Kallas

The Fillmore City Council voted unanimously to extend its ban on medical marijuana delivery, dispensaries and cultivation until after the Nov. 8 election when California voters will decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana.

The state already allows the sale of marijuana with a doctor's recommendation to treat a number of illnesses. But the Adult Use of Marijuana Act would not only legalize marijuana, it would also impose a sales and a cultivation tax.

At the urging of Councilman Douglas Tucker, the Fillmore council also asked city employees to look into how the election could affect the city legally, and prepare options for the council to consider.

"We want to be sure we have something in place if (Proposition 64) passes. We want to be proactive," he said.

About 100 people crowded into council chambers with some taking seats in an overflow area in the Fillmore City Hall, most of whom expressed support of the medical marijuana ban.

About two-thirds of the crowd stood in unison before Fillmore Unified School District Superintendent Adrian Palazuelos read a resolution adopted by the school district's governing board asking for a ban because "it is harmful to the development of the adolescent," among many reasons.

Ben Kalka decried the ban as an extension of "the failed drug policy of 1971 that has cost this country hundreds of billions of dollars. I don't have any personal issues that require the use of medical marijuana, but if I did I would use it."

Fatima Bazoto is in support of the ban. "We do not want this substance in our backyards. People can steal it and it's too close to innocent kids who could make the wrong decision. Please do not bring this substance into this town," she said to applause.

Fillmore Mayor Dianne McCall repeatedly asked the anti-medical marijuana proponents to stop clapping and cheering.

City Attorney Tiffany Israel explained that most cities ban clapping or other displays at meetings after members of the crowd shouted that they were practicing their right to free speech. "This is a business meeting of the council," she said, explaining that clapping and other displays slowed the process of the meeting.

"Cheering and clapping is intimidating to people who might want to speak on the other side. It's really not fair," Councilman Rick Neal said.

After hearing from about 20 people, the council addressed the issue that has become a hot topic in Fillmore, especially in light of the July 29 raid on a marijuana growing operation on Grand Avenue, just outside Fillmore city limits.

The council has already placed a measure on the November ballot that would levy a 15 percent sales tax in addition to taxes imposed by the state to marijuana. The city currently has a total ban on delivery and cultivation of marijuana.

Neal asked whether professional delivery of medical marijuana would be safer than "having it delivered by people with guns."

Councilwoman Carrie Broggie replied, "I don't know if having a delivery service will stop bad guys. That element will still be there."

McCall said that allowing the delivery and cultivation of medical marijuana would strain already thinly stretched public safety resources. "By adding a layer of additional oversight we may be exacerbating our problems," she said. "I see the real human side and it's a thing to be considered.  But I have concerns about opening this door. We would be enabling our youth to have more access to marijuana."

She said the council will revisit the issue of marijuana after the November election.

Earlier in the meeting, the council heard from Police Chief Dave Wareham, who said the crime statistics reported for the first half of 2016, was on pace to be lower than those reported in 2014, when the city was named the 17th safest city in California.

The rate so far for 2016 is 4.83 crimes per 1,000 people compared with 4.96 crimes per 1,000 people in 2014, he said.

"That's our benchmark  to be on that list. The safety of the community is our mission at the police department," Wareham said.
SHARE CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Ventura County Sheriff's Office Department.

By Megan Diskin of the Ventura County Star

Deputies are investigating Tuesday afternoon's the robbery of a bank in Oak View.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office said a robbery alarm went off at 3:47 p.m. at Rabobank, 410 N. Ventura Ave.

Officials said the bank was robbed by a male, but there was no further description. Authorities said they received reports that no weapon was seen during the incident.

A sheriff's helicopter responded to help deputies on the ground. A police dog also was on the scene, authorities said.

No injuries were reported.

After searching the area, officials said they were not able to locate the robber.
SHARE STAR FILE PHOTO

By Anne Kallas, Special to The Star

Change is coming to a deeply divided Port Hueneme City Council, where two seats are open in November and only one incumbent is running.

With Mayor Doug Breeze leaving his seat on the council after two terms, Councilwoman Sylvia Munoz Schnopp, a 31-year resident of the city, will be the only incumbent running for re-election.

Others who have taken out papers to run are Port of Hueneme Director of Marketing and Public Information Will Berg, former Councilman and Mayor Ellis Green, local businessman Oscar Sandoval and risk-management specialist Steven Gama.

Berg said a seat on the council would not present a conflict of interest with his job at the port. The city and port have had a tumultuous relationship, especially after the council in 2014 added to the ballot a business tax measure that was opposed by the port. Measure M was defeated at the polls by a wide margin.

"There is no conflict. I'm not a decision-maker at the port. If I was a commissioner, that would be different. But I am just a staff person," said Berg, adding that he plans to retire from his port job in the coming year. "Any time there would be an issue that the city and port addresses, I would recuse myself."

The City Council has been a divided body since the election of Councilmen Tom Figg and Jim Hensley in 2014. Figg and Hensley were stripped of their appointments to outside commissions and committees in November 2015, with the majority of the council  Breeze, Munoz Schnopp and Councilman Jon Sharkey  saying the newcomers' conduct was disruptive.

"Their behavior is unacceptable," Breeze said in November. "The staff feels they're being bullied. There have been veiled threats against people's jobs. Who wants to work in that environment?"

The entire council and city staff have been required to participate in performance improvement sessions given by the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, which provides workers' compensation insurance, all-risk property insurance and general liability coverage. The authority has said it could suspend the city's liability insurance or drastically raise rates if action isn't taken to stem the tide of claims against the city.

Berg, a 17-year resident of the city, said he is running for a seat "to bring collaborative solutions to bridging the social and economic gaps between the various local jurisdictions that have kept us from moving forward."

"I care about our community and want to leverage the resources of the port and the naval base that will generate a stronger economic impact for the city," Berg said.

Munoz Schnopp, who is running for her third term on the council, has served as mayor twice. She said among the pressing issues the city is facing are the numerous vacancies in the city government. Port Hueneme has been without a permanent city manager since December 2015, and other top positions are being filled on an interim basis, including the public works director, finance director, community development director and housing authority director.

"As a fiscal conservative and city leader, I consider the hiring of a permanent city manager and filling the remainder of vacant positions with qualified candidates to be very important issues for the city. We are in the process of filling one position, with efforts underway for the remaining positions," Munoz Schnopp said.

Green, who lost his seat on the council in 2014, said he remains committed to the city he has called home for 12 years.

"Our biggest challenges, presently, are City Council integrity, accountability and teamwork. Our inability to deal with these deficiencies have created a fiscal crisis of epic proportions involving erosion of financial reserves, outstanding liability claims by the federal government  HUD  and lawsuit concerns by the JPIA," Green said.

Sandoval, who has lived in Port Hueneme for six years, said he is also concerned about the strained relations between council members.

"I have yet to see any meaningful change in our city. Instead of working to better our city, many of the city's elected officials have allowed their squabbling and interpersonal issues to interfere with a duty to serve Hueneme residents, all the while leaving many of the real issues that we face unresolved." Sandoval said.

Gama, a 20-year resident of Port Hueneme who specializes in risk management, said he wants the city's government to be open.

"I am running for City Council to ensure public safety is the city's No. 1 priority," he said. "I also want to institute political reforms, achieve fiscal security and save our beach. My priorities are based on crystal-clear transparency; good or bad, open and honest. We need an inclusive governance where the residents have a voice in the city's future."
Star file photo Rincon Island is off the Ventura County coast north of the city of Ventura.

SHARE

By John Scheibe of the Ventura County Star

Faced with the possible termination of its lease, an oil company that operates on Rincon Island filed for bankruptcy protection in Dallas on Monday.

Rincon Island Limited Partnership "took this step to protect its key oil and gas leases from a wrongful attempted termination by the state of California," David Zdunkewicz, a bankruptcy attorney in Houston, wrote in a news release sent out Tuesday.

The bankruptcy was filed as California state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, sent a letter to the California State Lands Commission, urging that it terminate Rincon Island Limited Partnership's lease to operate on Rincon Island, located off shore from Mussel Shoals in northern Ventura County.

Jackson said the company "has not produced oil or gas on Rincon Island since October of 2008." California State Lands Commission staff found "there is an increased risk of an oil spill due to a natural increase in well pressure that has caused oil to flow without mechanical assistance" in the area around Rincon Island, Jackson stated in her letter.

Zdunkewicz could not be reached for comment after the notice of the company's bankruptcy filing was released.

Also on Monday, state regulators issued an emergency order to Rincon Island Limited Partnership to quickly make repairs to its facility around the island. This includes plugging two oil wells "to prevent environmental harm and protect the public," according to a news release from the state's Department of Conservation.

"The facilities on Rincon Island have not been properly maintained," said Ken Harris, an oil and gas supervisor with the state of California.

As part of the emergency order issued by state's Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources, Rincon must bring an oil rig and other equipment to the island to complete the repair work.

"Getting a rig to the facility will require the use of a vessel," since the causeway from the mainland to the facility is in disrepair and must be recertified for the passage of heavy vehicles and equipment," the Department of Conservation said this week.

Sheri Pemberton, a California State Lands Commission staff member, said in an email on Tuesday in response to the bankruptcy filing that commissioners "are still evaluating the situation and are unable to comment at this time." Pemberton's email was sent as State Lands commissioners met Tuesday in San Pedro.

Jackson, meanwhile, released a short statement on Tuesday saying "while we are still working to determine the implications of this bankruptcy filing, the health and safety of our residents, and the prevention of another environmentally and economically disastrous oil spill, remain my chief concerns."

Tuesday's meeting in San Pedro came nearly four months after the commission notified Rincon Island Limited Partnership that it had 60 days to fix a list of problems found by state regulators at the site.

Inspections by state regulators showed "a failure to perform the required maintenance over a number of years on the wellheads, piping, tankage and safety systems," said Mark Meier, chief counsel for the State Lands Commission, in a letter to the company.

Assemblyman Das Williams, D-Carpinteria, who has introduced legislation (Assembly Bill 2729) to strengthen state laws for idle oil wells, said recently that state regulators are worried about the environmental danger posed by unplugged wells and the damage that an oil spill would cause.

State officials also worry that should an oil company suffer financial hardship or declare bankruptcy, that it might just walk away from unplugged wells, leaving taxpayers with the costs to properly cap them.

Such concerns have only increased as the price of oil has fallen, Williams said.

California has more than 21,000 idle oil and gas wells, according to Williams' office. More than half of them have been idle for 10 years or longer and 4,700 have been unused for 25 years or more.

The state Senate's Natural Resources Committee, approved AB 2729 in June.
ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Jesus Hernandez and his wife Soledad share a laugh in front of the Seabreeze stage at the Ventura County Fair as they prepare to renew their vows with dozens of other long-married couples on Tuesday. The Oxnard couple has been married for 79 years.

SHARE ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR LaVonne and Patrick Askay, of Ventura, discuss the secret to their 73-year marriage with Pastor Jim Johnson, of Good Shepherd Church in Camarillo, as the crowd prepares for the annual renewal of vows ceremony at the Ventura County Fair on Tuesday. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Dave and Barbara Austin, of Ventura, renew their wedding vows in the company of several other long-married couple at the Ventura County Fair on Tuesday. The Ventura couple has been married 46 years. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Gary and Anita Hensley, of Ventura, share a kiss after renewing their wedding vows at the Ventura County Fair on Tuesday. The Ventura couple will celebrate their 48th wedding anniversary on Wednesday. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Robert and Mickey Molina (from left), married 50 years, and Gary and Anita Hensley, married 48 years, join dozens of other long-married Ventura County couples as they prepare to renew wedding vows at the Ventura County Fair on Tuesday.

By Mark Storer, Special to The Star

Don and Millie Seidler knew they wanted to get married, but the odds weren't in their favor.

"We lived in Chicago, and in Illinois, you had to be 21 to get married," said Millie. Her father asked Don what he would do if he refused to approve the marriage.

Don's reply?

"He said he'd just drive us to Wisconsin where the legal age was 18," Millie said.

The two were married in Illinois with their families' blessings in 1944.

The Seidlers, who live in Leisure Village in Camarillo, were at the Ventura County Fair on Tuesday along with about 30 other couples to renew their vows and celebrate their 72 years of marriage at an event the fair has been holding for more than 20 years.

Al and Leticia Perez, who run a nonprofit called MarriageWell.com, have been involved the last couple of years in helping organize the event.

"We brought a lot of married couples with us who have been married a very long time," Al Perez said, adding that more than 1,600 years of marriage were represented at the event. "It's such a great thing for us to be here honoring good marriages and really encouraging younger people that they can do it too. If these folks can be married for so long, they can, too."

Among those attending were Jesus and Soledad Hernandez of Oxnard and a number of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The couple is believed to be the longest married couple currently living in Ventura County. They've been married for 79 years "and two months today," said Mary Lou Sandoval, the couple's daughter.

"My parents love to celebrate this, and it's a real blessing for us to have them here," she said. Jesus Hernandez will turn 101 on Saturday.

"I look around here and see people, perhaps a little bit nervous at first, but then they turn to smiling and soon, everyone here, old and young, is all smiles," said Barbara Quaid, Ventura County Fair CEO. "I love this event and it's really what we're all about at the fair: making memories with people who have become family over the years."

Quaid said she believes Ventura County is one of the few fairs where this ceremony is performed.

Ask couples like the Seidlers and the Hernandezes what it takes to keep such a long marriage, and you won't get any secrets or hidden information.

"It takes a lot of laughter, hard work, love and patience," said Don Seidler, and Millie agreed.

"It takes patience, love and respect," said LaVonne Askay, who was renewing her vows with her husband, Patrick. The couple has been married for 73 years, and Patrick volunteered at the fair for 43 years and for a time, as a fair director. The Askays still live in Ventura and have two children, four grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

The second longest married couple in Ventura County, Harold and Helen DeNoon, were also on hand for the event. They've come to the fair to honor their marriage vows for many years, they said.

"We're happy to do it," Helen said. "It's a joy for us to share the time that we have. That's what so much of marriage is, is sharing and respect."

Pastor Jim Johnson of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Camarillo officiated at the ceremony and told several of his own stories about marriage to his wife Linda.

"There's no secret to marriage, it just takes a lot of love, a lot of laughter and a lot of communication," Johnson said.


Heres a peek at the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) in London thanks to our friend, Retna photographer Erik Kabik (Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com).

This year, EDC returned to Las Vegas but also make stops in New York, Chicago, Puerto Rico, Orlando, and for the very first time, London.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Expanding to London allowed Insomniac to share the signature EDC experience with fans who werent able to make it stateside for EDC Las Vegas. Attendees experienced a fully immersive audiovisual experience with multiple stages of world-class music, over-the-top production, carnival rides, and Insomniacs signature performers, all in the heart of England!

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com.


The seven-year-old, three time Best of Las Vegas Award-winning Sin City Comedy & Burlesque, will return to The Cabaret at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The Local Comedic Showcase, Tease from the Strip, will be extended to two nights a week (Pictured: Tara Sherwin  Photo credit: Vanessa McGrath).

Photo credit: Vanessa McGrath.

Sin City Comedy & Burlesque continues to entertain guests with a unique mix of comedy and burlesque not seen on stages since the days of Vaudeville. Comedian and Emmy Award Winning-writer John Padons vision of changing the landscape of comedy continues to be a reality as Sin City Comedy & Burlesque is now the longest running comedy show in Las Vegas. SCCB features an ever changing lineup of nationally known comedians and some of Las Vegas sexiest showgirls  its a unique blend of laughter and sexy.

Photo credit: Vanessa McGrath.

In June, Sin City Comedy & Burlesque moved across the Mezz level of Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino to The Cabaret. This new sexy, intimate venue provides the perfect atmosphere and old Vegas charm to compliment this unique show. Seating is a mixture of classic cabaret style with comfortable leather chairs, couches and cocktail tables; standard general admission seating  and if you prefer theres plenty of room to stand at the bar as well.

Along with the venue change Sin City Comedy & Burlesque also introduced to Las Vegas the only rising comedy showcase on the Strip Tuesday nights called Tease from the Strip hosted by Comedian John Hilder. Tease from the Strip showcases many of Vegas rising comedians with an eye toward molding future comedic stars as they compete for a nightly cash prize. The showcase has been so successful in its initial weeks that it has been expanded to Tuesday and Thursday nights immediately following Sin City Comedy & Burlesque. Tease from the Strip has no cover charge and offers 2 for 1 drinks for locals. Comedians looking to participate in the showcase must sign up at the end of any showcase.

Sin City Comedy & Burlesque has become a Las Vegas fixture, said Pete Housley, Director of Operations. The show is aptly named and the move to The Cabaret truly makes this a unique offering than a standard comedy club vibe. Tuesdays and Thursdays now offer even more laughs with the free comedy showcase  and of course buy one get one free drinks.


HEXX Kitchen + Bar at Paris Las Vegas will welcome attendees and exhibitors of the MAGIC Convention with a prix fixe menu available exclusively from Monday, Aug. 15, through Wednesday, Aug. 17 (Pictured: Grilled King Salmon  Photo credit: Anthony Mair).

Prepared by Executive Chef Matthew Piekarski, HEXXs MAGIC menu starts at $34.95 per person. The first course presents four different options including HEXXs signature simple salad topped with candied cocoa nibs; roasted tomato bisque; Maryland crab cakes or chilled jumbo shrimp, both for an additional supplemental charge.

Entree options include HEXXs classic burger, topped with aged Wisconsin cheddar; chicken & apple-cheddar waffles, topped with bourbon maple syrup; grilled king salmon, served with Manhattan clam chowder; a 14-ounce rib-eye or the roasted branzino, both for an additional supplemental charge. For dessert, guests will have the option of taking home one of HEXX Chocolate and Confexxions craft single origin chocolate bars, for the discounted price of $4.95 per bar.
Overtime hours and regulations refer to time worked in excess of regular working hours in Vietnam

Understanding overtime can be of critical importance for calculating costs for businesses operating in the country.

Vietnam Briefing briefly discusses the laws and compensation that regulate overtime hours as well as a comparison with Vietnams neighboring countries.

When companies turn to Vietnam to establish their manufacturing operations, it is important to not only consider the laws on regular wages, but also the policies on overtime that will be applicable to the workforce and style of a given operation. One of the benefits of Vietnam is that wages are low in comparison to the rest of the region, particularly China.

Overtime and night work policies in the socialist republic are essentially the same as those currently employed in China. The Vietnamese government enumerates all of these regulations in the new Labor Law of 2019 (Law No. 45/2019/QH14) and Decree 145/2020/ND-CP. Understanding how these laws and guidance shape costs is of utmost importance for investors seeking to maximize Vietnams potential as a low-cost destination for manufacturing.

Triggering overtime

The first consideration that an employer must make is to ensure a thorough understanding of when overtime is applied. Understanding this threshold will allow for the optimization of production targets to customers cost and time constraints.

Pursuant to the regulations mentioned above, regular working hours cannot exceed eight hours a day, 48 hours a week. For employees working in heavy or hazardous conditions, the law stipulates that employers are responsible for limiting their working limit due to exposure to dangerous substances or chemicals as per the national technical regulations and relevant laws. If a worker exceeds these limits, overtime compensation will be applied.

In addition to working beyond a set threshold of hours, overtime compensation may be triggered and influenced by the time and date that employees are engaged. Key triggers of overtime beyond hours worked include weekends, public holidays, and night hours  defined as between 22:00 and 6:00.

Overtime compensation

In the event that a company triggers overtime, they will be obligated to compensate employees beyond the wages that are outlined in their contract. This is applicable to all employees regardless of the wages that are offered. The following are the percentages in excess of standard that are to be applied in the event that certain work-related thresholds are crossed.

Note: there are limitations on the number of overtime hours an employee is allowed to work. As per the new labor code, overtime hours cannot exceed 40 hours per month from the previous 30. The new labor code also supplements cases where employers are permitted to organize overtime work for up to 300 hours per year these include  manufacturing and export of electric and electronic products as well work requiring high technical qualifications.

In cases where an employee works extra hours at night, they are paid extra in accordance to the applicable regulations. Further, employees who are given time off in compensation for working extra hours will need to be paid the difference between their wages during normal working hours and overtime work. Finally, employees who work night shifts should be paid at least 30 percent higher than normal.

Pregnant women, women with babies, and minor employees

Women that are in their 7th month of pregnancy and women with babies under 12 months are not allowed to work overtime, work at night, or take long-distance business trips. Further, pregnant women that are performing heavy work, must either be transferred to lighter work or decrease daily work time by an hour, while maintaining the same total pay.

The Vietnam Labor Code also establishes strict regulations for minor employees, which are workers under the age of 18. They are prohibited from working in dangerous conditions or with potential exposure to toxic substances. The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) also establishes a limit on which industries and what kind of work minors can undertake.

Minor employees between the ages of 15 and 18 can work a maximum of eight hours a day and 40 hours a week. They are only permitted to do overtime and night work in certain industries, as specified by the Ministry. For workers under the age of 15, regulations establish maximum hours at four hours a day and 20 a week, with no overtime or night work permitted. Working hours for those under 13 years of age is further reduced to one hour per day.

Vietnam vs China

The Labour Law of China establishes similar regulations for their employees. Employees working overtime must be paid at a rate of at least 150 percent; for work done during rest day/weekend, 200 percent; for work during a holiday, 300 percent. China has stricter rules regarding the amount of overtime work than Vietnam. Chinese workers are limited to only an hour of overtime work per day and three hours if it is a special circumstance. The monthly limit is 36 hours.

As Chinese wages continue to rise and the economy transitions towards a more efficiency-based structure of production, Vietnam and the wider ASEAN region has increasingly been tapped as the next factory of the world. Those looking to explore opportunities in ASEANs growing manufacturing base must be aware of the nuances found within the region and tailor their operations accordingly.

Note: This article was first published in August 2016 and has been updated to include the latest developments


Photo source Vietnamnet

Vinaconex Water Supply Joint Stock Company (Viwasupco) has decided to cancel the pipeline contract for Song Da Water Project - Phase II with Chinese contractor Xinxing Co., Ltd. (Xinxing) due to concerns over the quality of the ductile iron pipes.

The plan will be submitted for prime ministerial approval. Previously, the PM agreed to the Hanoi Peoples Committees proposal to suspend signing the contract with Xinxing to reconsider relevant problems.

Previously, Viwasupco planned to invest in Song Da Water Project - Phase II. Chinese pipe-maker Xinxing won the contract by bidding 11.8 per cent under the investors asking price. Under the VND588 billion ($26.25 million) contract, Xinxing was to supply ductile iron pipes for the projects 21-kilometre pipeline.

However, the selection of a Chinese contractor for a crucial water project faced protest from residents. Adding salt to injury, Singaporean Acuatico Pte., Ltd. decided to divest its 43.2 per cent stake, equalling 21.8 million shares, in Viwasupco as a reaction to a Chinese contractor winning the pipeline contract.

Chinese contractors are known for bidding low to win contracts, then asking for more, citing unexpected cost overruns. Most Chinese-contracted projects are likely to reach completion behind schedule, amassing further costs.

The infamous Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway project in Hanoi, for instance, is expected to cost 57 per cent more than the initial investment estimate. Notably, China Railway Sixth Group is the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor who initially estimated the project to cost $553 million, but the total investment has already risen to $868 million.

In addition, the construction of infrastructure for the project was expected to finish by the end of 2015 so that it may officially go on stream in March 2016. However, as of now, construction has yet to be completed.

Another example is Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Plant - Phase 2, invested by Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel JSC (TISCO), with Chinese contractor China Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC).

The plants construction was kicked off in 2007 under an EPC contract with the initial investment capital of VND3.8 trillion ($170.4 million). However, in 2009, the projects expected cost increased to VND8 trillion ($361.4 million).

In 2012, MCC decided to abandon the project and returned to China because the investor had difficulty arranging capital after disbursing more than VND4.5 trillion ($216.35 million). Thus, the projects construction has been delayed for four years.
Accordingly, it was reported that construction of the 60-hectare racecourse has started last July and will be completed within two months.

The racecourse also includes a 30-hectare parking lot and a grandstand that can accommodate 50-60,000 people.

Dai Nam JSCs chairman cum general director Huynh Uy Dung recently told the media that the company had sent the complete legal documentation and reported the project to Binh Duong provinces management authorities.

After completing the legal and administrative hurdles, the construction of the racecourse will be wrapped up in about mid-October 2016, and the racecourse will be ready to operate.

Dung also said that the racecourse will welcome local and international visitors and become a hotbed to the countrys new generation of talented racers. Also, the company has strict policies prohibiting gambling at the racecourse.

The picture painted to and by the media is rather rosy; however, something is out of place behind the scenes.

In a talk with the VIR late last week, director of the Binh Duong Department of Planning and Investment Nguyen Thanh Truc said that he only learned about the project through the media.

Truc affirmed that the department had yet to receive any files or legal documents related to Dai Nam JSCs racecourse.

Earlier, deputy director of the Binh Duong Construction Department Nguyen Loc Ha said that he was told the racecourse project already had a construction proposal and is in the process of legal setup for the licensing procedures.

An investment consultant told VIR that in light of the amended 2014 Investment Law, if Dai Nams racecourse project does not include gambling, it will only need to secure approval by the provinces Peoples Committee.

According to Clause 33 of the 2014 Investment Law, the investor must submit the project records to the local investment registration agency (here the Binh Duong Department of Planning and Investment).



After receiving these documents, the agency will go through the necessary procedures to submit them to the provincial Peoples Committee for approval.

If the media reports were true, Dai Nam JSC has not followed the regulations on investment activities.

Since the project is of a large size and involves the building of a grandstand with a carrying capacity of several dozen thousands of spectators, strictly adherence to investment and construction regulations is very important.
The two will also improve service quality at Hanoi Railway Station. Tourists traveling in a group, for example, will have staff assigned to assist them. Trains from Hanoi - Lao Cai province, Hanoi - Ninh Binh province - Thanh Hoa province - Nghe An province - Ha Tinh province - Quang Binh province - Hue city - Da Nang city - Hoi An city, and Hanoi - Hai Phong city will also be improved to international standards.

They will also research the building of more railway lines to new tourism destinations and introduce related packages including travel and accommodation.

In the first half of this year, while the number of domestic passengers traveling by air has increased dramatically the number traveling by rail is on the decline.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), domestic airlines carried about 25 million tourists, a 29.7 per cent increase year-on-year, with domestic air passengers increasing 33 per cent.

In the same period domestic airlines such as Vietjet Air opened more domestic air routes, such as Hai Phong city - Phu Quoc Island, Hai Phong - Da Lat, Hai Phong - Buon Ma Thuot, and Thanh Hoa - Nha Trang. Meanwhile, Jetstar Pacific opened routes such as Hue - Nha Trang, Hanoi - Chu Lai, and Hanoi - Quy Nhon.

Flight frequency also increased, especially during the summer. Vietjet, for example, added more than 5,700 flights and offered over 1 million promotional tickets. Vietnam Airlines added 2,115 flights, equal to 662,000 seats.

While airlines are recording good growth the prospects for the railway sector are the opposite. Revenue from railway travel in first half was VND1.954 trillion ($87.6 million), or just 77.5 per cent of revenue collected in the same period last year.

Ms. Phung Thi Ly Ha, Deputy Director of Haraco, told a meeting on July 16 to review railway activities in the first half that the sector is facing fierce competition from airlines.

A one-way flight from Hanoi to Da Nang costs VND600,000 ($26.9) against a sleeper ticket on the train for VND700,000 ($31.38). But if tickets were to be cut substantially the sectors profitability would suffer.

The railway sector has indeed made many improvements to its ticketing and services at stations and on trains.

The improvements have failed to win over passengers, however, and the sector must create a better travel experience at a cheaper price if it hopes to reclaim market share.
The K-care package has been approved by the Ministry of Finance to provide financial access to early-stage cancer treatment up to VND1.2 billion ($54,795) per policy.

Bao Viets close co-operation with the global pharmaceutical firm ROCHE, who have partnerships with 95 local hospitals nationwide, guarantees access to advanced treatments. Risks covered include cancer diagnosis (both at early and late stages), hospitalisation and death.

According to the Ministry of Health (MoH), by 2020 Vietnam will have 189,000 people will be diagnosed with cancer in the country. The number of deaths from the disease is expected to reach 82,000 by that time, equal to 43.5 per cent of the total number of cancer patients. Currently, Vietnams mortality rates from cancer are among the highest in the world.

Financing treatment remains an acute problem for Vietnamese cancer patients. The MoHs data claims that after 12 months of treatment, 34 per cent of patients cannot afford medicines, 22 per cent cannot pay travelling expenses and 24 per cent can no longer afford to pay their rent and household bills.

The arrival of K-care is expected to lessen the burden on Vietnam Social Insurance, who paid over VND4.4 trillion ($201 million) for cancer treatment in 2015. The insurance bill for six common types of cancer is estimated to equal to some 0.22 per cent of the countrys GDP. To mitigate these costs, in January 1, 2015, the Ministry of Health reduced the cost of 28 cancer treating pharmaceuticals to only 30-50 per cent.

At the product launch, Bao Viet Insurance and Vietnam Reinsurance Company donated VND100 million to the Supportive Fund for Cancer Patients  the Bright Future, and pledged ongoing support to the organisation.

Bao Viet Insurance is the current leader in healthcare insurance with a market share of 29 per cent. They are followed by VASS Assurance Corporation with 14 per cent, Petrolimex Vietnam Insurance (PVI) and Bao Minh Insurance Corporation both with 12 per cent.
HMAS Perth searches for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH 370 in the southern Indian Ocean in April 2014 AFP/Abis Nicolas Gonzalez

The Boeing 777 disappeared on Mar 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people onboard. An extensive underwater hunt in the southern Indian Ocean has not yet found the crash site, fuelling speculation it may be outside the current search zone, particularly if someone was at the controls at the end of the flight.

A manned plane could have been glided down, allowing it to enter the water outside the 120,000 square kilometre (46,000 square mile) area being searched, some experts have suggested.

But extensive testing by aircraft manufacturer Boeing and new Australian defence department data analysis both suggest that - regardless of the possible actions of one or both of the pilots - the jet dived into the ocean at high speed, The Australian reported.

Once MH370 ran out of fuel and the engines flamed, it slowed before plunging down towards the water in a series of swoops - dropping from 35,000 feet at a rate of between 12,000 feet a minute and 20,000 feet a minute, Boeing said, according to the report.

The sharp dive was confirmed by a new data analysis by Australia's defence department involving signals sent automatically between the plane and a satellite, the head of the agency leading the MH370 hunt said.

Australian Transport and Safety Bureau chief Greg Hood said this supported the view MH370 "was likely to have crashed in the 120,000 square kilometre (46,000 square mile) area now being searched," the paper said.

The area was defined under the ATSB's "most likely" scenario that no-one was at the controls and the plane ran out of fuel.

"The Australians leading the search do not doubt that the pilot may well have been responsible for the jet's disappearance but they say critics of the search strategy are wrong to assume that means they are looking in the wrong place," the report added.

Malaysian officials said last week that one of the pilots used a home-made flight simulator to plot a very similar course to MH370's presumed final route, but warned this did not prove he deliberately crashed the plane.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of talks at Konstantinovsky Palace outside Saint Petersburg. (AFP/Alexander Nemenov)

Erdogan's visit to Putin's hometown of Saint Petersburg is also his first foreign trip since the failed coup against him last month that sparked a purge of opponents and cast a shadow over Turkey's relations with the West.

"We lived through a very complicated moment in the relations between our states and we very much want, and I feel our Turkish friends want, to overcome the difficulties," Putin told journalists at a joint press conference after the encounter.

The Kremlin leader insisted it would take "painstaking work" and "some time" to return to previous trade levels as Russia looks to roll back a series of economic sanctions against Ankara, but both sides said they wanted to restart major energy projects hit by the crisis.

Erdogan said that he hoped Russian-Turkish relations would become "more robust" and stressed how important it was that Putin offered his support after the coup.

"We will bring our relations back to the old level and even beyond, both sides are determined and have the necessary will," he said.

The shooting down of a Russian fighter jet by a Turkish F-16 over the Syrian border last fall saw a furious Putin slap economic sanctions on Turkey and launch a blistering war of words with Erdogan that seemed to irrevocably damage burgeoning ties.

But in a shock reversal late June, Putin accepted a letter expressing regret over the incident from Erdogan as an apology and quickly rolled back a ban on the sale of package holidays to Turkey and signalled Moscow would end measures against Turkish food imports and construction firms.

Now in the wake of the failed July 15 coup attempt, there are fears in Western capitals that NATO-member Turkey could draw even closer to Moscow - with Erdogan bluntly making it clear he feels let down by the United States and the European Union.

Putin was one of the first foreign leaders to phone Erdogan offering support after the coup attempt and shares none of the scruples of EU leaders about the ensuing crackdown.

BACK TO BUSINESS?

Relations between Turkey and Russia - two powers vying for influence in the strategic Black Sea region and Middle East - have historically not been straightforward.

Yet before the plane downing crisis, Moscow and Ankara managed to prevent disputes on Syria and Ukraine harming strategic cooperation on issues like the TurkStream gas pipeline to Europe and a Russian-built nuclear power station in Turkey.

Those projects were all put on ice with trade between the two countries falling 43 per cent in January-May this year to US$6.1 billion and Turkey's tourism industry seeing visitor numbers from Russia fall by 93 per cent.

Now with Russia mired in economic crisis due to Western sanctions over Ukraine and low oil prices along with Turkey's outlook flagging, both men want to get business started again.

Erdogan said that he now wanted to see the TurkStream project "done as fast as possible", while Putin said construction could start "in the nearest future".

The Turkish leader also insisted that the two sides were once again targeting a very ambitious trade turnover of US$100 billion by 2024.

SKIRTING SYRIA

The earlier uptick in relations between Turkey and Russia was built on a macho friendship between Putin and Erdogan, two combative leaders in their early 60s credited with restoring confidence to their nations in the wake of financial crises but also criticised for clamping down on human rights.

But after such a bitter dispute - which saw Putin accuse Erdogan of stabbing Russia in the back and profiting from an illegal oil trade with the Islamic State group - it will take a lot for the pair to reheat relations.

The two strongmen leaders conspicuously skirted one major issue dividing them and that lay at the heart of their falling out - the war in Syria.

Putin and Erdogan said they would start discussing the conflict after the press conference but the Russian leader insisted both sides were committed to finding a peaceful solution.

Russia is flying a bombing campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad while Turkey is fiercely opposed to the Syrian leader.

Erdogan insisted in an interview with Russian media ahead of the talks that Assad must still go - a position opposed by Putin - but said that the conflict could now become the focus for renewed cooperation between the two sides.
With the initial price of VND14,290 ($0.64) per unit, the auctioned share volume will be valued at VND2.38 trillion ($106.6 million).

After the sale, VEAMs chartered capital will increase to VND13.28 trillion ($595.5 million), equalling 1.33 billion shares. Accordingly, the state will hold 51 per cent of the chartered capital with 678 million shares, and strategic shareholders will hold 36 per cent, equalling 478 million shares.

VEAM employees will hold 0.49 per cent of the company stakes. The rest will be sold at the company's IPO on HNX.

Regarding strategic shareholders, Vietnam N.A Motor Co., Ltd. (N.A Motor), which spent VND1.25 trillion ($55.8 million) on acquiring a 97.7 per cent stake in Vietnam Motors Industry Corporation (Vinamotor) in January, registered to buy the assigned 36 per cent at the price of VND10.050 ($0.45) per unit, equalling VND5 trillion ($223.8 million).

As of now, only N.A Motor has expressed interest in becoming VEAMs strategic shareholder, indicating a one-sided end to N.A Motor.

Established in 1990, VEAM specialises in manufacturing agricultural machinery, components, and assembling automobiles and motorbikes. The company has 20 subsidiaries nationwide, including Song Cong Diesel Limited Company, Southern Vietnam Engine and Agricultural Machinery Company Ltd. and An Giang Mechanical JSC, etc.

In addition, the company currently holds a 30 per cent stake in Honda Vietnam, a 20 per cent stake in Toyota Vietnam, and a 25 per cent stake in Ford Vietnam. Furthermore, it owns numerous sizeable land plots in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Haiphong, Dong Nai, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, among others.

According to the companys financial report, in 2015, it acquired a net profit of VND3.66 trillion ($163.8 million), VND3.39 trillion ($151.7 million) of which was distributed as dividend.

Regarding N.A Motor, established in 2005, the company specialises in distributing cars and motorbikes, selling spare parts, vehicle insurance, as well as providing vehicle maintenance and repair services. The company is currently expanding its operations to the real estate sector. N.A Motor, with its solid finances, commits to making Vinamotor become the countrys leading car manufacturer and distributor.


illustration photo

Online retailer Lingo.vn suspended its operations last week. The news gave rise to quick rumours about the company running out of money and the investor refusing to put more in. Lingo.vn, established in 2014, is a subsidiary of digital content creator VMG Media JSC. According to from the parent companys financial statements, the operation incurred a loss of VND150 billion ($6.7 million) until the end of June 2016.

Since 2015, e-commerce in Vietnam has seen thinning competition, as many businesses closed shop and backed out of the market, including online retailer Deca.vn and IDG Ventures-backed Project Lanas three e-commerce sites Lamdieu, Beyeu, and Foreva, which sold fashion items and cosmetics, maternity and newborn goods, and underwear, consecutively.

Meanwhile, all of Rocket Internets e-commerce ventures in Vietnam changed hands. Food ordering service Foodpanda was taken over by local start-up Vietnammm, online clothing and accessories retailer Zalora was sold to Central Group, and Lazada was taken over by Alibaba.

Contrary to the market trend, a number of new companies have recently entered the e-commerce fair. Examples include VNG's $17 billion investment into tiki.vn, a purchase of 38 per cent in May, or real estate tycoon Vingroup's launch of e-commerce site adayroi.com last August.

Of all the Vietnamese start-ups that secured funding from investors since the beginning of the year, there is only one from the field of e-commerce. Flash sales platform Topmot.vn last week announced that it had secured $1 million funding from a consortium of individual investors, a member ofwhich is a cofounder of US flash sales site Gilt Groupe. Topmot, launched in June, is the only flash sales site in Vietnam at the moment. It currently runs about 40 campaigns a week, each starting at 10 AM every day with a maximum time span of five days.

According to Nguyen Dac Viet Dung, chairman of online marketplace sendo.vn, the Vietnamese e-commerce market is reordering itself.

Big companies, such as Lazada, Sendo, and Tiki are receiving heavy investments, while smaller companies are closing or focusing on niche markets. This is normal and has happened in other markets, he elaborated.

The remark was somewhat echoed by Erik Jonsson, founder of Topmot and former CEO of Zalora Vietnam. E-commerce in Vietnam is not easy, said Jonsson in a recent interview with news site dealstreetasia.com. There is less and less room for me too modelsas the market grows, more players are added and competition increases. Unless you solve a specific problem or bring unique value to your customers, it will be hard to grow and thrive in the long-run against competitors that may have deeper pockets than you do.

Data from the Vietnam E-commerce and Information Technology Agency (VECITA) showed that in 2015 the total revenue from B2C e-commerce in Vietnam was $4.07 billion, up 37 per cent on-year, and accounted for 2.8 per cent of the total retail of goods and services in the country.
A foreign family crosses a street in downtown HCMC. Vietnam saw a big leap in tourist arrivals from Italy, Spain, the UK, Germany and France in the first seven months of this year  Photo: Uyen Vien/SGT

According to the General Statistics Office (GSO), 846,300 foreign tourists came to Vietnam in July, up 41.2% over the same month last year. The cumulative figure for the January-July period was 5.55 million, a 24% year-on-year increase.

Data showed that Italian tourist arrivals in the seven-month period rose 30.5% year-on-year to 27,425; Spain by 24.2% to 22,835; the UK by 23.4% to 147,673; Germany by 17.5% to 97,421 and France by 13.2% to 142,214.

In July alone, the number from Italy was 3,026, Spain 4,797, the UK 19,365, Germany 10,550 and France 18,193, representing year-on-year increases of 32.7%, 30.4%, 15.7%, 21.2% and 9.5%.

Citizens from the five European countries are allowed to enter and stay in Vietnam for up to 15 days without a visa.

Tourist arrivals from other important markets also grew strongly in the first seven months, with Hong Kong up a staggering 111.8%, China 54.5%, Thailand 37.2%, and South Korea 37%. On the other hand, a drop of 17.6% was recoded in the number of Cambodian tourists.

Given the strong growth in South Korean arrivals, an executive of the Tourism Authority of Thailand in Seoul recently told the Bangkok Post that Vietnam would be Thailands main rival in the competition for Korean tourists.

Last year, 1.37 million Koreans visited Thailand while 1.1 million came to Vietnam.

But Vu The Binh, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association (VITA), said Vietnams tourism sector cannot compete with Thailands on any international markets. Tourists from Korea may surge this year, but next year it would be still unpredictable.

Binh said Vietnams tourism sector does not develop in a sustainable manner. Thailand, in contrast, has a long-term plan and proper investment strategies to develop its tourism industry. Around 30 million international visitors arrive in Thailand a year while Vietnam only targets several million tourists from abroad, he said.

Binh said his association expects Vietnam to receive nine million international arrivals this year, exceeding the target of 8.5 million.


remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
Though Bass Pro Shops has been rumored to be nearing a deal to buy Cabela's, a financial analyst who follows the company says he thinks a more likely scenario is a sale of Cabela's World's Foremost Bank credit card operation.

Andrew Burns, a senior research analyst with D.A. Davidson, called a sale of the credit card operation, which is based in Lincoln, "the most likely option" of Cabela's strategic review.

Burns, who spoke to the Journal Star on Wednesday, said such a sale would free about $400 million that Sidney-based Cabela's could then use to buy back stock, a move that would please investors.

Cabela's has for the most part remained mum about any plans for a potential sale since last fall, when activist investor Elliott Management disclosed that it had acquired an 11 percent stake in the company.

In December, the company said it would explore strategic alternatives to enhance shareholder value.

Earlier this summer, Cabela's acknowledged for the first time in a securities filing that those alternatives could include "a sale of Cabelas or one of its businesses, including a sale of the bank or its assets."

Should the bank be sold, it would likely be to a financial services company -- Burns threw out TD Bank as one possibility -- which would not be good news for Lincoln, where Cabela's has about 700 employees, most of whom work in the credit card operation.

Such a sale would result in a "significant consolidation of operations," he said.

"I can't imagine it would not result in some headcount reduction," Burns said.

The New York Post last month, quoting anonymous sources, reported that a deal to sell Cabela's retail operations to rival Bass Pro Shops was just days away from being finalized. The newspaper also reported that Cabela's had negotiated a separate deal to sell World's Foremost Bank to a different buyer.

Burns said he's not sold on Bass Pro buying Cabela's. He said one complicating factor is a significant overlap of stores in several markets. Another is the personalities of the owners -- the Cabelas on one side and Bass Pro owner Johnny Morris.

"There's a decent probability of one of them backing away" from a deal, Burns said.

He said that if Bass Pro does buy Cabela's, he could see the company wanting to keep World's Foremost Bank, which would be good news for Lincoln. However, Cabela's being bought by Bass Pro would not be good for Sidney, likely resulting in major cuts to the company's 2,000-strong workforce there.

Burns stressed that it's tough to predict what will happen with Cabela's, because it is such a complex business, with a retail operation that specializes in selling firearms as well as its own bank.

While there is a wide range of potential outcomes, "some form of change is likely," he said.

As to when that change is likely to occur, Burns said the longest strategic review he's seen a company undertake lasted just under a year. Cabela's started its process about eight months ago.

"I think you could see something happen in the third quarter," he said.
Cambodias main opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party, has announced it will create what is in effect a shadow cabinet in preparation of an expected victory at the next election, scheduled for 2018.

Son Chhay, the CNRPs chief whip, said the party would create 10 committees to mirror those of parliament with the aim being to prepare the circumstances in which we believe that the CNRP will win the election and lead the country.

The party must be clear about the principle of implementing policy when we have a leadership role, so we are creating 10 committees first, then we will create more committees, he said.

The committees will cover issues such as human rights, finance, foreign affairs and education.

The CNRP has come under fire from critics who have argued that the party has not produced a coherent set of policies since it formed in 2012.

Ou Virak, founder of the Future Forum think tank, said to effectively run the country the opposition needed to play catch up with the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party in terms of the ability to govern.

An effective opposition party is a party which has [enough resources] to lead the country  a government needs to have a prime minister, ministers in each ministry and a party platform. When you have the resources, you also need to have a plan and knowledge of how to lead, he said.
More than half the men and women who have left the United States to join the conflict in Iraq and Syria may actually be battling against the Islamic State terror group instead of fighting for it.

That conclusion is based on a new report by the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), as well as on court records and information previously shared by intelligence and law enforcement officials.

"That pathway is fairly well-trodden. The scale of it surprised us a little bit," said ISD Policy and Research Manager Henry Tuck, who co-authored Shooting in the Right Direction: Anti-ISIS Foreign Fighters in Syria & Iraq. ISIS is an acronym for Islamic State.

The report, released Tuesday, looked at the nationalities and motivations of foreign fighters who traveled to the region through the end of 2015 specifically to fight IS or other known terror groups. It found 114 of these fighters were from the U.S.

That figure alone would represent a sizeable chunk  almost 46 percent  of the approximately 250 Americans who, according to U.S. law enforcement officials and the intelligence community, have sought to take part in the overall conflict.

But the percentage of American foreign fighters battling IS may be higher still  perhaps more than 50 percent  in large part because officials admit not all of the Americans who tried to go to Syria and Iraq actually made it.

In fact, statistics kept by the George Washington University Program on Extremism indicate as many as 47 would-be foreign fighters have been arrested in the U.S. and charged with IS-related offenses.

Authorities look the other way

While the U.S. has worked to cut down on the flow of foreign fighters to IS and other terror groups, travel to Iraq and Syria itself is not necessarily illegal, though the State Department advises against it.

"Private U.S. citizens are strongly discouraged from traveling to Syria to take part in the conflict," a State Department advisory warned earlier this year. "The U.S. government does not support this activity."

But the accounts of anti-IS foreign fighters included in the ISD report show few met with much, if any, resistance.

"We don't find too many stories of people getting stopped when they're leaving," said ISD's Tuck. "They might get taken aside and asked a few questions about where they're heading, what their plans are, but not too many people being turned away at the airport."

Some Americans fighting IS claim they have even been given verbal support from State Department officials in Iraq.

One such American, Matthew VanDyke, spoke with VOA via Skype in February 2015.

"This is really a full-time-plus job," VanDyke said at the time, describing his efforts to recruit U.S. combat veterans to offer specialized training to the Assyrian Christian fighters in northern Iraq. "It's going quite well."

State Department officials tell a different story.

"We do not endorse nonessential travel to Iraq by private U.S. citizens," one official told VOA when asked about VanDyke's claims.

Still, the ISD study found many anti-IS foreign fighters, whether from the U.S. or Europe, reported similar experiences.

"The advice will be, don't go, but it won't necessarily be explicitly illegal,'" Tuck said.

And while the anti-IS foreign fighters are not considered a threat to the homeland, there are reasons for U.S. officials to worry.

"We don't like any ad hoc foreign fighting," said Patrick Skinner, a former intelligence officer now with the Soufan Group, a New York organization that provides strategic security intelligence services to governments and multinational organizations.

"It's less the specific cause and more the general passion and armed militancy," he said. "The rising tide of extremism on all sides lifts all dangerous boats."

Who are they?

The report found a few primary routes to the conflict. One involved traveling through Turkey to Sulaymaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan, where many of the anti-IS foreign fighters joined up with local forces. Other anti-IS foreign fighters reported traveling to Iraq via Europe or the Gulf States.

Many of the anti-IS foreign fighters also appear to have had an additional advantage. More than 30 percent were military veterans, many of whom had taken part in Western operations in Iraq and described the region "as a kind of second home," the report found.

Many of them also expressed a desire to "finish the job."

"They believe it is their personal responsibility to ensure the region's security if the international community and their own governments are unable to do so," the report said.

Researchers also found some commonalities between the foreign fighters battling against the IS terror group and those who seek to join it.

"These fighters fighting against ISIS have very different overall motivations," Tuck said. "But I think some of the more personal, some of the more individual, factors are quite similar in some ways."

"It might be a lack of belonging, a lack of purpose. They don't feel like they're doing enough with their lives," he said.
A special tribunal dealing with war crimes committed during Bangladesh's independence war against Pakistan in 1971 on Wednesday sentenced a former lawmaker to death and seven others to life in prison for murder and other crimes.

The tribunal sentenced Sakhawat Hossain, a former parliament member belonging to the Jamaat-e-Islami party, to death on Wednesday. He and one of the other defendants were present in the court. The six others were tried in absentia.

Hossain was a central committee member of Islami Chhatra Sangha, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami party at the time, and was accused of acting as a local commander of a group that aided Pakistani soldiers. He left Jamaat-e-Islami and joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. At the time of the court case he was involved with Jatiya Party headed by former military dictator H. M. Ershad.

His lawyers said they will appeal.

Bangladesh says Pakistani soldiers, aided by local collaborators, killed 3 million people and raped 200,000 women in 1971.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina initiated the process of prosecuting suspected war criminals in 2010 by forming the tribunal. More than 20 people have already been convicted, and five men, mostly Jamaat-e-Islami's top leaders, have been executed.

Jamaat-e-Islami party openly campaigned against Bangladesh's independence in 1971 and formed militia groups to help the Pakistani army crush the uprising.
A retired Australian army officer on Wednesday won a 50-year struggle to gain official recognition for the bravery of 10 soldiers who fought under his command during Australia's most costly battle of the Vietnam War.

Harry Smith, 83, was presented at Parliament House with a recommendation by a review tribunal for nine soldiers to be decorated for the first time and a 10th soldier to have his medal upgraded for courage shown during the Battle of Long Tan in a Vietnamese rubber plantation on Aug. 18, 1966.

Smith, a retired lieutenant colonel, led a company of 105 Australian soldiers plus three New Zealanders supported by artillery that won a rain-drenched, three-hour battle against more than 2,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops, the Australian government said.

Eighteen Australians were killed and 24 wounded, while the Vietnamese were estimated to have lost hundreds of troops.

Within hours of the battle ending, Smith said he recommended to his commanding officer that 20 soldiers under his command be decorated.

Initially, only eight battle veterans were honored, including Smith. He was awarded the Star of Gallantry, the highest honor after the Victoria Cross.

He has since campaigned relentlessly to have others recognized. Wednesday's verdict of the Defense Honors and Awards Appeal Tribunal -- an independent court established five years ago to investigate such cases -- brings the number to 16, Smith said. The government accepted the recommendation.

Smith said he was happy with the decision despite the tribunal dismissing his application for another soldier to be awarded his first decoration and another two decorated soldiers to have their honors upgraded.

"Justice has been done," Smith said. "I learnt from my years in the army that you have to keep on fighting and you eventually win."

Three of the 10 veterans to receive new honors have died since the war.

Australia deployed more than 60,000 military personnel to Vietnam between 1962 and 1973, of whom 521 were killed. The Battle of Long Tan anniversary next week has become Australia's official Vietnam Veterans Day.
The Brazilian Senate has voted to begin the impeachment trial of embattled President Dilma Rousseff, a move that could officially hand over power to her former vice president  current interim president  Michel Temer.

Senate debate stretched into the early hours of Wednesday morning, but the results were clear-cut, with a 59 to 21 majority voting in favor of moving forward with the impeachment proceedings. The Senate needed just a simple majority to decide on taking Rousseff to trial, but a two-thirds majority will be needed in the final vote, which will come after the trial in late August.

The Senate suspended Rousseff in May after allegations emerged that she illegally fudged the numbers on the countrys budget to make it seem like a slump in the economy wasnt as bad as it actually was during her 2014 re-election campaign. Throughout the impeachment process, Rousseff has maintained that she did nothing wrong and called it a coup.

Rousseff has denied she broke budget laws and maintains she is the victim of a right-wing conspiracy to overthrow her government that advanced the interests of Brazil's poor.

In her written defense last month Rousseff said Brazilians knew an honest woman was being put on trial and she called the impeachment proceedings a "farce" and her alleged crimes no more than "routine acts of budgetary management."

Her conviction would end her 13-year reign over Brazil, and leave the largest economy in Latin America in the hands of her conservative former vice president.

Since the Senate suspended Rousseff on May 12, Brazils stock market and currency have strengthened based on investor speculation that Temer, who has laid out policy proposals that favor private business, will be better for the economy.

Temer has implored the Senate to move quickly, saying that the "people need to know who the president is."

If Rousseff is found guilty, Temer will become the president until the next election is held in 2018.
The images from the summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro have been strikingly beautiful. But underlying all that beauty is great turmoil as Brazil is in the grip of a crippling political and economic crisis. Ordinary Brazilians are feeling the pinch, especially those who live in the Rio slums called "favelas."

Huberto Sousa spent most of his life renting beach chairs to tourists on Copacabana beach. Then in October 2010 he decided to open a bar in the favela of Cantagalo, where he was born and raised.

I always wanted to work for myself rather than to work for others because I am lazy and I dont want a boss getting on my nerves. And this way I would be able to choose my own hours and earn my own money instead of earning it for someone else, said Sousa.

Known in the neighborhood as the king, Hujberto opened the Kings Castle and business took off.

2010 was a unique moment in Brazilian history. The economy was booming and many Brazilians moved out of poverty and into the middle class. Between 2003 and 2013, the median household income grew 87 percent in real terms. But the good times didnt last.

The good times were when the middle class people from down there would come and socialize with people from the favela, and it was cool because it was a mix of those people. That was the best time, but it started to drop off about 2014. And people would say they dont have the money, said Sousa.

Brazils economy hit a wall. Some blame rising debt and cuts in government spending. Others think of it as a convergence of economic forces  cuts in spending, consumption and investment.

Blame aside, Brazilian economist Rodrigo Magalhaes said the impact was felt hardest among people who had recently moved up into the middle class.

When the recession began it broke the expectation of these people because in the last 10 years they had seen the situation getting steadily better and then it all collapsed, said Magalhaes.

Public services like hospitals and public schools also have been hit hard. At the Amaro Cavalcanti school in Rio, the sign on the gate says The struggle has only just started.

Across Brazil, teachers like Fabiola Camargo have been on strike. And students have been occupying schools for weeks.

We have not had a raise since 2014. The occupations are supporting the strikes just as much as the strikes are supporting the occupations because they both were wanting improvements in education. It is as if the federal government and the city of Rio wants to stop investing in schools," said Camargo.

Unemployment in urban areas is reaching 8 percent and Brazil's GDP is expected to dip another 2 percent this year. Economists dont see any quick solution - a reminder that while the favela Cantagalo may have a beautiful ocean view, the outlook isnt always pretty.
Three small words  "maybe there is "  uttered by Republican Donald Trump as an off-the-cuff comment have shaken up the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.

Speaking Tuesday in Wilmington, North Carolina, Trump said Democrat Hillary Clinton would appoint liberal Supreme Court judges who would take away Americans' constitutional right to own guns.

"By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people  maybe there is, I don't know."

It is unclear whether Trump was joking when he said "maybe there is." But his opponents immediately interpreted it to mean that Clinton or the judges should be assassinated.

'Should not suggest violence'

"What Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way," Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook tweeted.

Social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, erupted over the Trump comment.

But Trump denied having any thoughts of violence when he spoke.

"Give me a break," he told Fox News. "This is a political movement ... a strong and powerful movement, the Second Amendment. Hillary wants to take your guns away. She wants to leave you unprotected in your home. And there can be no other interpretation."

The National Rifle Association also was quick to run to Trump's rescue.

"There is something we will do on #ElectionDay: Show up and vote for the #2A #DefendtheSecond #NeverHillary," the gun rights organization tweeted.

Campaign 'restart'

This newest controversy has all but wrecked Trump's apparent efforts to "restart" his chaotic campaign. He made a relatively straightforward speech Monday in Detroit in which he spelled out his economic plans if elected.

Trump has a reputation of veering away from his prepared remarks for ad-libs and off-the-cuff remarks that he says the media distort.

Clinton has said, "There is no other Donald Trump. This is it."

But Trump tried Tuesday to paint Clinton as the one who has no self-control, calling her volcanic and impulsive and someone who is "wacky and makes bad decisions."

Trump got back to business when he said that if he is elected, he would charge American companies that move their factories overseas a 35 percent tariff on goods they export to the United States. He also promised to cut government regulations for people who want to start new businesses.

Clinton was in Miami, Florida, where four new cases of the Zika virus, suspected to have been spread by mosquitoes, have been reported.

She urged Republican leaders to immediately call the House of Representatives into special session and pass a bill funding the fight against Zika. She said this is an epidemic that will only get worse.

The Senate has passed a Zika funding measure, but the House recessed before it could pass one and reach a compromise with the Senate on a final bill.
Lauren Kintner, chief policy adviser to Gov. Pete Ricketts and wife of embattled state Sen. Bill Kintner, is a "consummate professional," Ricketts said Wednesday.

"She's incredibly intelligent. She's got lots of experience. She knows policy inside and out," he said. "I just can't say enough good things about Lauren Kintner."

Ricketts and others have urged Bill Kintner to resign from the Legislature after he acknowledged using his state laptop to have cybersex last summer with a woman who immediately attempted to extort money from him.

Last week, the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commissioner fined him $1,000 for misusing state property.

It's a difficult situation for everyone involved, including staff in the governor's office, Ricketts said Wednesday during an unrelated news conference at the Capitol.

Lauren Kintner served as policy research director under former Govs. Mike Johanns and Dave Heineman and now holds that job with the Ricketts administration.

"She is, I will tell you, one of the most capable people that we have in state government," Ricketts said.

Meanwhile, lawmakers are weighing whether to convene a special session this fall to react to Bill Kintner's cybersex scandal. Many say he should be expelled from the Legislature if he refuses to resign.

Ricketts could call a special session himself, but said he is deferring to senators on the matter.

The Legislature has never called itself into special session, but it could do so with support from 33 members.

It's unclear whether an apology Sen. Kintner sent to fellow senators Tuesday will help his case.

"I have embarrassed the institution in which we serve and I have put you in an uncomfortable situation," he wrote. "I want you to know that I am sorry for that. I apologize for placing you and the Legislature in a difficult position."

Members of the Legislature's Executive Board plan to discuss the issue Aug. 19.

"This is something for the Legislature to deal with. This is their member," Ricketts said. "They don't like it when the governor's branch interferes with them, just like I don't like it when the Legislature tries to micromanage the executive branch."

Ricketts, who says he urged Kintner to resign last year after learning of the allegations, said he met with the senator who lives in Papillion again after the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission's decision Friday.

Again, he said, he asked Kintner to resign.

"Hopefully he's considering the words that I gave him."

Kintner was first elected to the Legislature from District 2 in 2012 and was reelected in 2014.
The sound of battle has long gone. But the ghosts remain in Ukraine's Independence Square, where more than two years ago police and protesters clashed for weeks amid acrid black fumes billowing from burning tires.

In Ukraine's Maidan where sniper rounds once cracked, there are now foreign tourists. Where 53 people were slain either with clean shots by expert marksmen or gunned down at closer range by less skillful assassins, there are now snaking lines of school kids visiting from other Ukrainian cities.

The kids listen in various states of indifference or interest to the guides explaining the events that led to the ouster of President Vladimir Putin's satrap Viktor Yanukovych.

That ouster triggered the Russian land-grab of Crimea and what Ukrainian and Western officials say is Moscow-fomented separatism in the country's mainly Russian-speaking eastern region of Donbas.

For all of the calm now in Maidan, Ukrainian officials fear the Kremlin is limbering up for another destabilizing offensive in the east. They say it is part of Moscow's hybrid war involving dirty tricks and misinformation to snap Ukraine back into the Russian orbit and prolong a state of uncertainty to hinder the government in Kyiv from accomplishing the political reforms Maidan protesters demanded.

Mounting tensions

And tensions are increasing, not only in the Donbas but on the Ukraine-Crimea frontier following the off-and-on closure over the weekend of all three border crossings by Russia. Kyiv accused Moscow on Tuesday of stepping up military activity on the Crimean peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014 within weeks of Yanukovych's fall. More helicopter gunship sorties reportedly are being flown along the border, as well as surveillance drone flights.

Ukraine's general staff is reinforcing units in Kherson, the Ukrainian region bordering Crimea, and residents say they have spotted anti-tank rocket launchers being transported by Ukrainian forces.

The Russians also are building up in Crimea. The deputy chairman of the outlawed Crimean Tatars' Mejlis, or council, Nariman Dzhelalov, wrote on his Facebook page August 7: "Witnesses report that large groups of Russian military hardware have been massed near Armyansk and Dzhankoy [in northern Crimea]."

On Wednesday, Russia's Federal Security Service claimed it had thwarted an armed Ukrainian incursion into Crimea that aimed to sabotage critical infrastructure. The FSB said a Russian soldier and an intelligence employee had been killed in clashes, and a group of Ukrainian saboteurs had been arrested.

That drew a curt denial from Yuriy Tandit, an adviser to Ukraine's security service SSU. "Ukraine is not trying to regain Crimea by force," he said.

The mounting tensions along Ukraine's border with Crimea coincide with a weeks-long uptick in fighting in the Donbas, where a Ukrainian soldier was killed Monday and five others wounded.

To the outside world, the confrontation in the Donbas is another one of Moscow's "frozen conflicts" subverting former Soviet countries on Russia's periphery, such as Georgia and Moldova, and blocking them from moving on from their Communist pasts  and, in Ukraine's case, from joining Western institutions.

Frozen isn't how it feels for Ukrainians living or fighting in the east more than two years after pro-Moscow separatists seized government buildings in Donetsk and Luhansk, and 18 months since Ukraine and Russia concluded an armistice, known as Minsk 2.

Rising violence, civilian deaths

U.N. officials worry at the rising civilian casualty toll: in June, 57 people were wounded and a dozen killed. Last month, eight civilians were killed and 65 injured.

Monitoring groups suspect the numbers of civilian casualties are higher. July was an especially deadly month for Ukraine's military, with 42 soldiers killed and 181 wounded.

Oleksandr Motuzyanyk, a spokesman for Ukraine's presidential administration, says that from Sunday to Monday, pro-Moscow separatists launched 47 attacks on Ukrainian positions; more than 50 attacks were recorded Monday to Tuesday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov blamed Ukraine for the jump in fighting, claiming he is "seriously concerned" about the escalating violence.

Some Ukrainian officials worry the increased violence is a prelude to full-scale fighting and the world may be witnessing the start of another land-grab launched by Russia during an Olympics. They point out it was during the Winter Olympics in the southern Russia city of Sochi in 2014 that Putin and his generals planned the annexation of Crimea.

Something bigger

Other analysts and Ukrainian officials suspect what is happening in Donbas is part of a two-year destabilizing pattern that has seen a rise in provocation, only to be followed by a period of quiet. Monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) accuse both sides of violating the cease-fire.

Motuzyanyk told VOA that Kyiv is only responding to Moscow-directed provocation. He says the separatist and Russian forces number 45,000 on Ukrainian territory, a mixture of local recruits, former Russian servicemen and current Russian military.

And he argues the separatists' political leaders are "just puppets and have no say about what happens." He adds, "The military forces are commanded directly by Moscow."

The Ukraine spokesman says, "It is disappointing to see the Russians using heavy artillery again. It is summer now and it easier to move vehicles and to launch military actions. And there is a huge possibility we might see something bigger, but we have large forces along the contact line. And in order to breach it, they would have to amass even more forces."

Both sides appear readying for that "something bigger" by redeploying forces.
A 73-year-old woman was shot and killed by a police officer during a gun demonstration in the southern U.S. state of Florida.

Mary Knowlton was hit by a live round fired by an officer during a role-playing exercise at an event hosted by the Punta Gorda Police Department for about 35 members of the community.

Authorities didn't immediately say how a gun with a live round came to be used at Tuesday evening's demonstration. They noted that blank rounds are typically used in such classes. The officer, who wasn't immediately identified, has been placed on administrative leave, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating.

Knowltons husband of 55 years witnessed the shooting and is "devastated," her son, Steve Knowlton, told the Associated Press.

Punta Gorda Police Chief Tom Lewis called the shooting a "horrible accident," and said that everyone involved is in a "state of overwhelming shock and grief."
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will travel next week to Serbia and Kosovo, where the government recently named a highway after one of the vice president's sons.

Beau Biden, who died May 30, 2015, of brain cancer at age 46, served a stint in 2001 as an interim legal adviser in post-war Kosovo.

In June, the Kosovo government decided to name a segment of the Gjilan-Ferizaj road that leads to Bondsteel, the American military base in Kosovo, after Beau Biden.

The White House, which announced on Tuesday the vice president's Aug. 15-17 visit to the Balkan countries, said Joe Biden would also hold meetings with each country's president and prime minister. The statement did not say what subjects would be discussed.

In March, Biden met with Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga at the White House, where he thanked Jahjaga for her "efforts to counter violent extremism and her leadership in strengthening Kosovo's democracy."

Last November, Biden traveled to Croatia to discuss the influx of migrants, energy issues and the fight against terrorism with Croatian officials and European Council President Donald Tusk.
Turkish officials say at least eight people have been killed in twin attacks by Kurdish rebels in southeastern Turkey. The bombings Wednesday also wounded dozens more.

Rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, detonated a roadside bomb in the town of Kiziltepe, in Mardin province, killing three people and wounding at least 25, including at least five children.



At the same time, a car bomb explosion targeting police in a historic part of the city Diyarbakir killed at least five civilians and wounded 12 others.

Both bomb attacks were aimed at passing police vehicles but ended up killing mainly civilians.

The bombings came hours after an earlier attack, also blamed on the PKK, killed four soldiers and wounded nine others near the border with Iraq.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter offered condolences to the victims of the attacks in a statement expressing Washington's solidarity with Turkey in combating terrorist activity. Both countries consider the PKK a terrorist organization.

"We stand shoulder to shoulder with our Turkish allies in strongly condemning these despicable attacks, which appear to have targeted Turkish security personnel," Carter said. "The United States remains committed to cooperating closely with Turkey," both in the coalition of nations fighting against Islamic State extremists in the region and within the NATO alliance.

Since hostilities with the PKK resumed last year, more than 600 Turkish security personnel and thousands of PKK militants have been killed, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency. Human rights groups say hundreds of civilians also have died.
Africa's Lake Tanganyika has more biodiversity than the Galapagos Islands. It is the worlds longest freshwater lake and is home to many of the colorful freshwater fish (called cichlids) that fill home aquariums. Hundreds of the species that call the lake home can only be found there.

But those species are being threatened by human activities. Commercial fishing practices are playing a role but the biggest threat has been around longer than the fisheries, according to a study in PNAS that threat is climate change.

Getting to the core

Lake Tanganyika, which laps the border of Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi and Zambia, provides anywhere from one-third to one-half of the animal protein that local villages need. Commercial fishing began in the lake in the 1950's, and now hauls in over 200,000 tons of fish a year. But in the 1990s, fishermen and local villages started noticing that the catch was declining.

There has been debate in academic circles whether overfishing or climate change is primarily responsible for the decline in fish populations seen over the last few decades. Past research has shown that the lake's surface water temperature has been increasing over the last 150 years. In an email to VOA, Jouko Sarvala, professor emeritus in the biology department at Finland's University of Turku, noted that although the temperature of the lake was rising, local fisheries reported an increase in their catches between the 1950s and 1970s. For the next two decades, the size of catches fluctuated in response to changes in fishery practices. It wasnt until the early 2000s that fishermen started noticing a clear decline.

In order to assess the impact of climate change on the fishery, a group of U.S. researchers extracted sediment cores from various locations in Lake Tanganyika. The layers of mud contain fossils which tell the story of rises and falls in fish populations. The researchers compared those shifts with temperature data that goes back 150 years.

They found the fluctuation of the fish population followed the natural warming and cooling cycles of the lake. But the researchers also saw a population decrease that followed the overall warming that began 150 years ago, around the Industrial Revolution. That indicated that the decline in fish had begun well before commercial fishing began in the area.



What this tells us is that the fish are responding primarily, not exclusively, [to climate change]. Fishing is certainly an important part of the equation and we have to take it into account when developing any management strategy but it ... really comes down to climate change, explains Andrew Cohen, a professor in the department of Geology at the University of Arizona and lead author of the study.

Sarvala acknowledges the study establishes, for the first time, a credible relationship between increasing lake temperature and decreasing fish populations, confirming that currently, both climate and fishermen are impacting the lake.

Habitat lost

Peter McIntyre, an associate professor of zoology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who also participated in the study, estimated a 38% loss of habitat for the fish and snails in the lake. Thats a staggering loss and something that had not been documented before, he tells VOA.

Most of the aquatic life lives in a bathtub ring of biodiversity along the coasts or at the very bottom of the lake says McIntyre. This is because having a maximum depth of almost 1500 meters makes it difficult to disperse oxygen throughout the lake. Oxygen enters the surface water from the air and is usually mixed to depths of 100 meters by winds. The temperature of the water decreases as you go deeper into the lake meaning the water also becomes heavier as you descend. Climate change causes the outside temperature to rise also warming the surface water, making it lighter. The difference in density between the much lighter surface water that holds oxygen and the cold water that holds nutrients means the wind can't mix the water to normal depths. Oxygen doesnt go down as far and fish food doesnt come up.

Maybe oxygen was getting down to 100 meters in some places 50 years ago, now its only getting down to say 70 meters, Cohen explains. So, a lot of the bottom habitat where the water had been rich in oxygen where animals could live, its no longer usable habitat.

Global changes, local effects

The effects of climate change are visible on all scales, from the melting of ice sheets in the Arctic to mice going extinct because their habitat is underwater. Just like the polar bears and mice losing their ecosystems, the people who rely on the fish from Lake Tanganyika cannot do much to stop climate change, but theyre working on strategies to mitigate the effects.

Ismael Aaron Kimirei is a principal researcher and center director for the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TFRI). TFRI advises the Tanzanian government on all fishery related matters. Kimirei tells VOA in an email that their main concern is how to make changes in fishery management and affect policy so that this important source of protein remains accessible. The fisheries of the lake are open access. Basically anyone can go in and fish and there are no regulations in terms of how much one should fish, he explains. If the warming continues, and the fishing is not regulated, sustainability of the fisheries will be a riddle.

TFRI is working with other universities and organizations to study the effects of climate change on the lake and inform local communities and policy makers. Kimirei hopes that explaining the situation will get them involved in the decision making process. The fishery industry is the third most important economic activity in the Kigoma region and the lake is the major provider of protein for the country, he notes. However, we have noticed that most poor families now cannot afford a daily intake of fish protein as a result of hiking prices and reduced supply of the commodity.

Focusing on local communities is how Colin Apse, the freshwater conservation director for the Nature Conservancys Africa Program, is trying to increase their resilience. His efforts involve community based fishing organizations that promote sustainable fishing techniques such as fishing nets that let juvenile fish escape. Apse clarifies that even though climate change has been driving the fish decline longer, removing juvenile fish from the population and inundating coastal areas with sediment have had a larger impact in recent years. These are the threats they can focus on, he explains, while also recognizing that climate change is a driver that these local villagers cannot control.

I am happy that the [study] authors recognize that while climate change may be at the center of the decline, the increase in fishing effort cannot be ignored, says Kimirei. In view of these results, much darker days are expected if the lake continue[s] to warm and the fishing ... continue[s] unabated.
Thailands military is looking to extend its government oversight following Sundays referendum approving a new, junta-backed constitution, legal experts say. But, one adds, the vote didnt directly endorse military leadership.

The draft charter  which won 15 million of the 25 million votes cast, or 61 percent  strengthens the militarys influence. A controversial clause enables a military-appointed 250-member Senate to join with the lower houses 500 elected members in selecting a new prime minister in the next election.

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said at a Tuesday press conference that a general election would be held in 2017. He reiterated the point in a nationally televised address Wednesday in which he also called for unity.

"I would like us to leave our differences, those feelings of like and dislike, acceptance or disagreement in the ballot boxes and walk forward," said the prime minister, who leads the National Peace Keeping Council (NCPO). "The referendum may be over but your mission and our mission is not over yet."

The referendum was the first to test public support since a May 2014 military coup led by the prime minister, the armys chief at the time. Sundays turnout was estimated at almost 60 percent. The government had tamped down opposition to the charter before the referendum.

The United States and European Union have called for an open election as soon as possible, and for unrestricted political debate leading up to it.

Thais last went to the polls in 2011 and elected the Pheu Thai Party, led by Yingluck Shinawatra. That government was ousted in 2014.

Assessing vote

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, said Sunday's outcome highlighted voters desire to move to general elections.

It was not a direct endorsement for the legitimacy of the military government. But Thai people dont really vote for a document. They are used to voting for individuals. So the overall result suggests that people want to have their say at the polls. Its a way of going forward to the polls, towards elections.

Henning Glaser, a lecturer in law at Thammasat University, said the new constitution reflects a trend in Thailand of "anti-electoral" charters, similar to those in the United States and Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries.

"Thai constitutionalism is always or has always been fundamentally anti-electoral," Glaser said. "However, looking at this draft constitution we see a kind of radicalization of this anti-electoral stance."

The Pheu Thai Party opposed the charter. Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva personally opposed the draft, leading to splits within his party.

Weak parties

Glaser said the main political parties, such as Pheu Thai and Democrat, also known as Phak Prachathipat, will be weakened under the new constitution.

"In terms of the election law, bigger parties will lose. This affects especially Pheu Thai and Phak Prachthipat parties, while middle-sized parties will relatively gain in elections, Glaser said.

We have a weak parliament consisting of weak politicians and political parties, which are highly fragmented. We will have a weak government, too," he said.

The 250-member appointed senate will include six military leaders and senior defense officials for at least five years.

We have very probably a government which will be represented by the powers supporting the government right now," Glaser said, predicting the power bloc would rule into 2017 "if theres no major interruption."

The latest charter is Thailands 20th since becoming a constitutional monarchy in 1932 and the second written since May 2014. The first was voted down by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) last September.

Controlling power

Suchit Bumbongkam, a Chulalongkorn University professor of politics who collaborated in writing the earlier draft charter, said the military leaders will not relinquish power easily.

"They will continue to play a very vital role in setting up the government" and "overseeing national security issues," the professor said. "It might be possible that one of the leaders of the NCPO would be the prime minister."

Under Thailands current interim constitution, Prayuth replaced martial law, imposed soon after the May 2014 coup, with Article 44, a law granting the leader absolute power. Rights groups have described it as "draconian."

The law  and others enacted by the military since taking power  grants soldiers the power of arrest, prevents political gatherings of more than five people and allows for media censorship.

David Streekfuss, director of the Council on International Educational Exchange - Thailand, said such laws are expected to remain in place even after a new government comes to power.

"Hundreds of laws and announcements, directives  all remain legal ... even after an elected government " comes to power, Streekfuss said. "All these things that we see  the suppressing freedom of speech  will stay in play. So you get more than just a constitution by voting for this draft, youd get the NCPO forever and ever."

But analysts say voters were willing to let the military take a central role while Thailand undergoes a transition against the backdrop of the popular but ailing 88-year-old King Bhumibol Adulaydej.

Chualonglongkorn Universitys Thitinan said many Thais are hoping the transition will be peaceful.

People "want to see some kind of peaceful and viable transition and thats why theyve cut some slack for the military," he said.
People can now send messages to President Barack Obama using a new Facebook Messenger bot, White House officials say.

The White House's Messenger bot, a first of its kind for any government the world over, will make it as easy as messaging your closest friends, says a press release from the White House. So, head on over to the White House's Facebook page and click "Message" to get in touch with the president.

Prior to the 1880s people contacted the White House by actually going there or using mailed letters.

"Abraham Lincoln was able to have regular office hours where people would come and wait outside his office, which was over in the residence, said President Barack Obama in a news release.

Telephones replaced personal visits and some letter writing, and in 1994, the White House launched its first website, allowing people to contact the president electronically.
A few hundred people gathered for a moment of silence on Tuesday at the spot in the central U.S. city of Ferguson, Missouri, where Michael Brown was killed by a police officer two years ago.

Later Tuesday, a few dozen people marched in protest, sometimes blocking traffic and chanting "no justice, no peace." An order to clear the street by police led to a shouting match between the two sides, The Associated Press reported.

Brown, 18, was shot by officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9, 2014, an incident that led to months of protests, sometimes violent, in Ferguson.

His father, also named Michael Brown, spoke at the memorial Tuesday.

Michael Brown Sr. said the teen's death opened the eyes of the world to concerns about law enforcement's treatment of minorities.

"My son built families up, opened the eyes of the world and let people know that this ... this ain't right. It ain't right. It's broke. It's wrong," he said. This color is not a disease. This color is beautiful. Black is beautiful.

Local resident Gerry Jasper told Reuters she attended the memorial to support the Brown family.

Jasper said Ferguson has struggled over the past two years but that change must come.

"Some days were really tense, but some people have the right to speak their mind and people have to stop dying," Jasper said.

Brandy Shields, 19, went to school with Brown and remembered him as a kid who never got into trouble.

At the memorial service, Shields comforted a young girl who was crying, according to an AP report.

It'll get better, Shields told the child. We have to make it better, but it'll get better.

The fatal police shooting of Michael Brown helped spark the Black Lives Matter movement, which rebukes police treatment of minorities.

The movement has grown following several other killings of black men and boys by police, including the deaths of Eric Garner in New York, Tamir Rice in Cleveland and Philando Castile in Minnesota.

The city had been under federal scrutiny since the August 2014 shooting of Brown, who was black and unarmed, by white police officer Darren Wilson.

Wilson was cleared of wrongdoing by the Justice Department in the shooting. A St. Louis County grand jury declined to indict him as well.

However, a Justice Department investigation that found patterns of racial bias in Ferguson's police and municipal court system.

In March, the U.S. Justice Department and Ferguson reached an agreement that resolved a lawsuit filed by the federal government against the city over reforming its mostly white police department.

The federal government, alleging a pattern and practice of unconstitutional police conduct, sued the city in February after city leaders voted to change the terms of a deal negotiators had been hashing out for months.

The City Council in the St. Louis suburb approved the agreement, which calls for the hiring of a monitor to ensure that Ferguson follows the requirements.

New diversity training will be instituted for police, software will be purchased, and staff will be hired to analyze records on arrests, use of force and other police matters. All patrol officers, supervisors and jail workers will be outfitted with body cameras.
The 1991 Eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines was the second largest of the 20th century. The eruption, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), ejected more than five cubic kilometers of material into the atmosphere, some of it nearly 35 kilometers into the atmosphere. "Fine ash fell as far away as the Indian Ocean," according to the USGS, "and satellites tracked the ash cloud several times around the globe."

Around Mount Pinatubo, a blanket of ash, in some cases over 200 meters thick filled deep valleys, and the violence of the eruption reduced the mount to a volcanic caldera (crater), 250 meters shorter than it had been before the eruption.

New research released Wednesday says that the volcano not only covered up a huge area of the Philippines.

It has also been covering up evidence of sea level rise.

Blanket of cooling ash

The new study was led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

It notes there has been general agreement that sea levels over a little more than two decades have been fairly consistent, rising about 3 millimeters per year.

But the paper notes that we first began measuring the rate of rising sea levels in 1993, just two years after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo when the effects of that eruption were still having a significant impact on the environment.

According to the USGS Web page, "Nearly 20 million tons of sulfur dioxide were injected into the stratosphere in Pinatubo's 1991 eruptions, and dispersal of this gas cloud around the world caused global temperatures to drop temporarily (1991 through 1993) by about 1F (0.5C)."

Those colder temperatures literally slowed the rate of sea level rise, skewing statistics from the get-go. One of the authors of the research John Fasullo from NCAR told VOA, "The main point of the paper is that the eruption changed the timing of sea level rise since 1991 and thus prevented an estimate of acceleration..."

Sea level rise accelerating

Three millimeters a year admittedly isn't much, but Fasullo says it's likely going to get worse. "In the absence of a major volcanic eruption," he says, "we can expect progressively increasing rates of rise in the coming decades." He says it's hard to predict exactly how much faster sea levels will rise in the coming years, and natural variability in the weather will impact the rate.

But he adds the important thing to take away from his new work is "acceleration is real and ongoing and that the timing of the eruption of Mt Pinatubo has limited our ability to quantify acceleration directly from the altimeter record."

Fasullo told VOA that climate scientists all over the world are working on getting new numbers that are "the focus of significant field work in Greenland and Antarctica, and major modeling efforts."
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has reaffirmed its committment to Turkey as a valued member of the 28 nation alliance in attempt to allay Turkey's concerns that it does not have the full support of the West.

"Turkey is a valued ally, making substantial contributions to NATO's joint efforts. Turkey takes full part in the alliance's consensus-based decisions as we confront the biggest security challenges in a generation," NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said Wednesday in a statement.

Lungescu issued the statement in response to "speculative press reports" about last month's aborted coup in Turkey and Turkey's NATO membership. "NATO counts on the continued contributions of Turkey and Turkey can count on the solidarity and support of NATO," she said.

NATO released the statement one day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The meeting fueled speculation that Turkey's strong relationship with the West could be weakening.

Turkey, the second largest military power in NATO, is an important ally with the West as it confronts unprecendented levels of instability in the Middle East.

Erdogan has been extremely critical of the U.S. and the European Union (EU) for not being more supportive of Turkey after the failed coup attempt. He has also brushed aside warnings from the West to exercise restraint and to respect human and democratic rights as he executes a broad crackdown that has netted thousands of people.

But Lungescu reassured Erdogan NATO has not wavered in its support of Turkey.



"The NATO secretary-general spoke to the Turkish Foreign Minister on the night of the attempted coup and later with President Erdogan, strongly condemning the attempted coup and reiterating full support for Turkeys democratic institutions. He expressed support for the elected government of Turkey and respect for the courage of the Turkish people," said Lungescu.
Sen. Bill Kintner passed up an opportunity to apologize Friday to his District 2 constituents for his cybersex indiscretions.

Now, some in his district want more. They want him to resign. And they want a quick election scheduled to replace him.

Some Cass County residents are circulating a petition at the Cass County Fair this week asking him to resign.

"The people of Cass County deserve to be represented by someone who can devote their full attention to effectively advocating for our issues without the distraction of defending against this controversy. Voters want to vote, said Marsha Babcock of Elmwood, chair of the Cass County Democrats.

She said if Kintner resigns before the end of the month, candidates would have the opportunity to petition to get on the fall ballot, and that would allow District 2 to select a new representative, she said.

A delay would preclude that option and leave replacement of the senator up to the governor should Kintner resign or be expelled.

Two Republican Cass County commissioners, a Republican mayor and former opponent, and a host of Democrats, also say he should resign. They believe Kintner has embarrassed his district.

"He may think God has forgiven him and his wife has forgiven him, but I don't think he is representing our voters and our constituents in a decent manner," said Janet McCartney, a Cass County commissioner and a Republican.

Fellow Commissioner Jim Peterson, also a Republican, said Tuesday Cass County citizens deserve to have a senator who hasn't acted as Kintner has.

Kintner engaged in cybersex a year ago using his legislative laptop. The governor knew of the allegation and ordered a State Patrol investigation last summer. It became public knowledge when the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission was nearing its decision to fine him $1,000 for violating the law as it applies to using state property.

Kintner has admitted to the act but said he believes God wants him to stay put and continue to advocate for limited government, lower taxes and public safety.

"To further avoid any more embarrassment to our county, it's only fitting that he resign," Peterson said.

The people Peterson has talked to in District 2 appear to feel the same, he said.

"I have not talked to anyone in the last 10 days that hasn't agreed with my feeling that he should resign," Peterson said.

Plattsmouth Mayor Paul Lambert, a Republican, said Ricketts wants Kintner to resign, and he would agree with Ricketts.

Lambert was appointed to the District 2 seat in 2011 by then-Gov. Dave Heineman to replace Sen. Dave Pankonin, who resigned. Lambert was then defeated in the 2012 election by Kintner after Heineman endorsed Kintner over Lambert.

Lambert said he's heard from voters who are upset with and disappointed in their senator.

"If I was in that position, I would know what the right thing to do would be," Lambert said. "But I'm not there so it's not up to me."

Mary Harding, a Nebraska Public Power District Board member from Plattsmouth, said putting the public first should be a priority.

Kintner's situation was kept secret so long that now the time is short for people who want to select another representative.

"For me, it's about our right to vote," she said. "We don't need to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a special election or special legislative session."

Bud Clouse of Plattsmouth said he has signed the petition. He has heard a lot of feedback on Kintner from people he knows, and he has joined the ranks encouraging him to resign.

Clouse, a Democrat, said Kintner has shown he represents only a group of special interest politicians and not the average citizen in his district.

"He broke the law in a way that Nebraskans in the past have found politically career ending," he said.

Kintner did not immediately reply to a text seeking his response. But he said Friday that any constituent who wants an apology can contact him and talk to him about it.
A new batch of U.S. State Department emails from Hillary Clinton's earliest days as secretary of state in 2009 shows close connections between the country's top diplomatic agency and the charitable Clinton Foundation that she founded with her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

Clinton, now the 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and leading in her race against Republican Donald Trump, has long denied that donors to the charity, which funds humanitarian programs across the globe, had special access and influence at the State Department during her tenure there from 2009 to 2013.

Previously undisclosed emails released Tuesday by Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group and frequent Clinton antagonist, show exchanges of emails between her aides and officials at the foundation.

In one instance, an executive at the foundation, Doug Band, emailed two Clinton aides, Huma Abedin and Cheryl Mills, asking for assistance connecting Gilbert Chagoury, a Lebanese-Nigerian billionaire and top donor to the foundation, with someone at the State Department to discuss his interests in Lebanon.

"We need Gilbert Chagoury to speak to the substance person re Lebanon," Band wrote. "As you know, he's a key guy there and to us and is loved in Lebanon. Very imp."

Abedin responded, "It's jeff feltman," referring to Jeffrey Feltman, who was the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon at the time. "I'm sure he knows him. I'll talk to jeff."

Band asked Abedin to call Chagoury immediately if possible. "This is very important," Band wrote.

In another email, Band lobbied the Clinton aides for a State Department job for someone else. Abedin told him, "Personnel has been sending him options."

Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton said, "No wonder Hillary Clinton and Huma Abedin hid emails from the American people, the courts and Congress. They show the Clinton Foundation, Clinton donors and operatives worked with Hillary Clinton in potential violation of the law."

The Clinton campaign said the emails did not relate to her work at the foundation before she became secretary of state.

The newly released emails are separate from the thousands of work-related emails that Clinton turned over to the State Department after she left office.

Those emails became the subject of a long-running investigation over whether she mishandled classified information on the emails that ran through an unsecured private email server she used as secretary of state rather than a more secure government email server. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation recently concluded that she was "extremely careless" with the national security material, but that no criminal charges were warranted.
The Republican National Committee is trying to strengthen its outreach to black voters by hiring a new national director of African-American engagement and bringing on new advisers and strategists to bolster its efforts to bring in more minority voters.

Ashley Bell, who was one of the 18 black delegates at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, started this week as an RNC senior strategist and national director of African-American engagement.



Bell is also founder and co-leader of the 20/20 Leaders of America, LLC, a bipartisan group of African-American leaders and elected officials "united to elevate issues disproportionately affecting communities of color above partisan politics,'' according to the group's website. Its Democratic leader is Mayor Aja L. Brown of Compton, California.



Bell said if Republicans can get personal conversations started with the African-American community about issues that blacks care about, their candidates may have a chance in contests against Democrats. It's healthy for blacks to have actual choices between the two major parties, he said.



"If we leave every African-American voter where they feel they have a legitimate choice, then we've won the day,'' Bell said.



He will be joined by Elroy Sailor and Shannon Reeves. Sailor, who used to work for Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, said he will serve as an advisory capacity to RNC Chairman Reince Priebus while Reeves, a political science professor at Alabama A&M University, will work with the party on creating a database of black voters.



All of them have important jobs to help convince black voters to consider the GOP that extends beyond this November's election, Sailor said.



"Ashley is focused on tactics, strategies, elections; Shannon is focusing on the X's and O's, the number, the data; I'm focused three-dimensionally on institutional infrastructure, sustainability,'' he said. "So when you look at the approach, it is a very comprehensive, that is a winning approach.''



The Republican Party has made a focus on getting more minority voters into its ranks, in part because racial and ethnic minorities are expected to make up a majority of Americans within about 30 years.



"We are growing our long-term commitment to engaging with black voters and being the party that promotes new models to solve old problems,'' Priebus said.



The number of African-American voters has increased steadily: 12.9 million in 2000, 14 million in 2004, 16 million in 2008 and 17.8 million in 2012. In the last presidential election year, 2012, blacks for the first time voted at a higher rate, 66.2 percent, than did whites, with a rate of 64.1 percent, or Asians or Hispanics, with rates of about 48 percent each.



Few of those votes went to Republican candidates; most African-American voters do not identify themselves as Republican. Exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and the networks showed that only about 6 percent identified themselves as GOP voters in 2004, and 4 percent did so in 2008 and 2012.



"We are growing our long-term commitment to engaging with black voters and being the party that promotes new models to solve old problems,'' Priebus said.
Russia's Defense Ministry says it will halt firing around the Syrian city of Aleppo for three hours each day so humanitarian aid can be delivered to the ravaged city.

Russia made the announcement Wednesday, saying the "humanitarian windows" would run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. local time starting the following day. The cease-fire is to include aviation and artillery strikes.

The United Nations on Tuesday called for weekly breaks of 24 to 48 hours for delivery of humanitarian aid. When informed of Russia's announcement, U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said during a news conference that he "will look at any kind of suggestion which enables humanitarian aid to be delivered," but that addressing the volume of need in Aleppo will take a full 48 hours.

O'Brien's latest comments come one day after he said more than two million people in Aleppo have no access to running water or electricity.

"To meet that capacity of need, you need two [traffic] lanes and about 48 hours to get sufficient trucks in." He said truck convoys are more efficient than air drops for the amount of aid the civilians of Aleppo require. "Six weeks of air drops is the equivalent of one truck convoy, to Deir Ezzor for example. Purely practical matter."





Need for medical treatment



In addition to efficiency, he said people in need of urgent medical treatment must be evacuated, a process that will take multiple hours and safe access to roads.

O'Brien also noted on Tuesday that the United Nations has supplies "ready to roll" and can deliver them if given safe passage and a sufficient time window.

Attacks this week have severely damaged Aleppos electric and water infrastructure, while the main supply routes to both the eastern and western parts of the city have been cut in recent weeks, making an already severe humanitarian situation much worse.



OBrien warned that the humanitarian situation across the country is dire. Conditions across the rest of Syria are difficult and increasingly difficult, he said.



U.S. General Sean MacFarland, the top commander for the coalition fighting Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, told reporters Wednesday that the humanitarian disaster in Aleppo is "a model of how I don't want to fight in Mosul [Iraq]."



"We want to conduct a campaign to liberate Mosul in a way that leaves the city largely intact and its people in good health," MacFarland said. "That does not seem to be the overriding consideration in the fight for Aleppo."

Political process in limbo

The U.N.s Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, also briefed Security Council members Tuesday. In a private discussion held by video link, diplomats said de Mistura wants to restart the third round of intra-Syria talks as soon as possible, but that the right environment must exist.

De Mistura said last month that he hoped to resume the talks at the end of August; but, the escalation in Aleppo has cast doubt on that possibility, with several Western diplomats saying there could not be substantive negotiations without a stop to the fighting.

Russias U.N. envoy, Vitaly Churkin, said that while Moscow hopes the situation in Aleppo will improve, we do not believe that there need to be any preconditions for talks.

Fighting surges on

Meanwhile, the Syrian government has reportedly sent several thousand reinforcements to mount a counterattack south of Aleppo, in a bid to recapture territory taken by rebel factions in recent days.

Syrian state TV broadcast an urgent plea for volunteers, amid reports the army and its Lebanese Hezbollah allies were bringing in reinforcements to try to retake a strategic corridor south and west of the city.

Heavy fighting took place along Aleppos southern outskirts of Khan Assel, Khan Toman, Atareb and Sarmada, and there were reports of heavy government and Russian airstrikes of rebel forces defending a supply corridor into the city.

According to Syrian government media, the Syrian military and its militia allies stopped rebels from advancing through a destroyed housing complex south of the city, demolishing dozens of armed vehicles; however, Hilal Khashan, who teaches political science at the American University of Beirut, discounted any major advance by the government or rebels in Aleppo.

I dont believe that either side will prevail in the battle for Aleppo, despite the recent attack or the counterattack by government forces or their allies, he said.

He argued that a decisive victory by either party precludes the possibility for a negotiated settlement, and said, An equilibrium will need to be maintained, whereby all local allies will be losers and their regional and international backers will have to reach a negotiated settlement for the distribution of the spoils.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of choosing terror over peace following "attacks" in Crimea that he says were orchestrated by Ukrainian military and intelligence forces.

"The attempt to provoke an uptick in violence, to provoke conflict is nothing but an attempt to distract public attention," Putin said in a press conference in Moscow on Wednesday.

"We will, of course, do everything to assure the security of infrastructure, citizens and will take additional measures to provide security, including serious additional measures," he said.

But, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko rejected Putin's claims, calling them "equally cynical and insane." He said, "We would never ever use terror to de-occupy Crimea."

"Ukraine is devoted to restore its sovereignty and territorial integrity exclusively through political and diplomatic means. That includes [the] de-occupation of Crimea," Poroshenko said Wednesday.

The FSB says it foiled "terrorist attacks" in Crimea by Ukrainian military and intelligence forces during the weekend. The security agency says two of its officers were killed during the clashes with groups it says were sent by the Ukrainian defense ministry.

Authorities say they found 20 homemade explosives, ammunition and mines in the area of the attack.



In a statement, the FSB said "the aim of the sabotage and terrorist attacks was to destabilize the social and political situation" ahead of next month's elections in Russia and Crimea.

It said several Russian and Ukrainian citizens were detained, including one it identified as a Ukrainian intelligence officer.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 following the ouster of Kremlin-backed president Viktor Yanukovych following pro-EU demonstrations.
The head of the Scottish government has reached out to Germany, the European Union's most populous member, as she tries to keep Scotland in the bloc  and is arguing that Scotland should be able to remain part of the EU without leaving the United Kingdom.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told German broadcaster ARD that "because we are in unprecedented circumstances, we should be prepared to think about unprecedented solutions. And that's the spirit that I will have in any discussions.''



The U.K. as a whole  which includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland  voted narrowly to leave the EU in a June 23 referendum, but voters in Scotland voted by a wide margin to remain in the 28-nation bloc.



"I would have thought it was very positive for the wider European Union for a part of the United Kingdom, if not the whole of the United Kingdom, to want to stay and continue to be part of the European family of nations,'' Sturgeon said on Tuesday.



The Scottish leader, who already has traveled to Brussels to press the same argument, met in Berlin on Tuesday with Germany's deputy foreign minister, Michael Roth. He is responsible for European issues at the German Foreign Ministry.



Sturgeon reiterated her stance that a new referendum on Scottish independence from the U.K. remains ``one option'' for Scotland to stay in the bloc.



Roth said the meeting was a "very pleasant and constructive conversation between two dedicated pro-Europeans.''



"I hope that the U.K. finds a way forward that will benefit Europe as a whole in the end,'' he said.



Prime Minister Theresa May's new British government hasn't yet formally set in motion the process of leaving the EU, and it remains unclear what future relationship it will seek with the bloc.
A Minnesota woman is positioned to become the first Somali-American state legislator after winning a key primary Tuesday in Minneapolis.

Ilhan Omar won the primary for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party, defeating Phyllis Kahn, who has served as state legislator for 40 years.

Omar is likely to win the November election in the largely liberal district.

"The fact that we made relentless campaigns and for Allah's sake, we finally made it," Omar told VOA's Somali service after her victory was announced Tuesday night. "We worked very hard to unite our district people and their votes."

Wiping away tears, Omar was greeted by Somali and non-Somali supporters as she walked into her victory party, and chants of "Ilhan" rang out.

Speaking to the crowd, Omar said, "Tonight we made history and it marks the beginning of the future of our district, a new era of representation. Tonight is about the power of you."

Afterward, she gave another victory speech in Somali.

Hafsa Muse Nuh, one of Omar's supporters said, "It is an amazing moment which I was expecting. The fact that she is a Muslim, a Somali, a refugee makes her victory historic."

Early years in Africa

Omar, 33, was born in Somalia and lived in a Kenyan refugee camp for four years after her family fled the civil war that devastated the Horn of Africa nation.

She ultimately moved to Cedar-Riverside, a largely Somali-American neighborhood in Minneapolis, where she has lived for nearly two decades and became a political activist.

In November, Omar will face Republican Abdimalik Askar in the race to represent District 60B of the Minnesota House of Representatives.

The Minneapolis area is home to the country's largest Somali-American community. In 2013, another member of the community, Abdi Warsame, won a seat on the Minneapolis City Council, becoming the highest elected Somali-American nationwide.
The United States flag has had 50 stars to represent the 50 states since Hawaii joined the Union in 1959. However, if a movement growing in Washington, D.C., picks up steam, the flag could one day have a 51st star.

D.C. statehood is a political movement advocating for the creation of a state out of what is currently the District of Columbia. The origins of the movement date to the 1700s.

Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution grants Congress power over a district "not exceeding ten Miles square" from which to govern the country. However, this setup has created a unique stretch of land now home to more than 672,000 people who pay federal taxes but have only "shadow" members in Congress  two in the Senate, one in the House  who have no voting rights.

According to many residents, that's the definition of "taxation without representation"  which, by the way, was one of the primary reasons behind the American Revolution in 1776.

D.C. residents were granted the right to vote for president in 1961, but the D.C. government cannot spend money it raises from local taxes and fees without approval from Congress.

Weary of 'half measures'

D.C. shadow Senator Paul Strauss, ranking member of the New Columbia Statehood Commission, says it's time for that to change.

"D.C. residents are tired of half measures," he said. "They're tired of having their rights ignored. We want to become a state."

Headed by the district's mayor, Muriel Bowser, the commission held a constitutional convention in June to present a draft constitution for the proposed state, currently dubbed New Columbia.

The issue of D.C. statehood is a personal one for Josh Burch. The native Washingtonian is a co-founder of Neighbors United for D.C. Statehood, a nonpartisan, citizen-led, pro-statehood organization.

"When I turned 18, I knew what it was like not to have a vote that mattered," Burch said. "And I can't in good conscience sit on the sidelines and have my children turn 18 and not do anything to ensure that they're treated fairly and equally as American citizens."

Burch got involved in the D.C. statehood movement in 2011 after some political horse-trading. President Barack Obama reportedly approved ending the district's right to fund abortions for low-income women in order to pass a budget deal with then-Speaker of the House John Boehner. Many in the district were furious that the president made the deal without input from D.C. residents. Forty-one people, including then-Mayor Vincent Gray and six members of the D.C. Council, were arrested during protests following the decision.

Matter of civil rights

That's part of the reason Burch considers D.C. statehood a civil rights issue as much as it is a political one.

"We have to stand up for ourselves and say, 'No, this is a moral issue, this is an American issue, and a free people deserve to have an equal voice and an equal vote in our democracy,' " Burch said.

Burch also said that even though it is clear the Founding Fathers did not intend for the District of Columbia to be a state, they no longer have what he called the "moral high ground" on the issue.

"What has happened is there are now 672,000 people that are disenfranchised, contrary to anything that our founders would have wanted," Burch said. "So we can't give up, we can't give in and say that it's OK to say that the decision of people 250 years ago is OK for us now."

However, the movement has a solid number of opponents.

One of the major arguments against D.C. statehood comes at the constitutional level. Roger Pilon, founding director of the Center for Constitutional Studies at the Cato Institute, has spoken extensively on why turning the District of Columbia into New Columbia is unconstitutional.

"The problem is, the Constitution still remains the Constitution, and so much of what is done today, especially through the federal government, is, under a properly read Constitution, unconstitutional," he said. The document, he said, lists "no power that the federal government has to create a new state" out of the district.

'Weighty' votes

Pilon warned that the new state could have too much influence on federal government operations, as it would take over responsibility for public services like ambulances and road maintenance. He also suggested that turning the district into the 51st state could leave a select few with far more political power than the rest of the country.

"The problem with creating this new state is that you would leave in place this small enclave and you would have a few people there  the first family, for example  and you would have other people, too, who still under this amendment would have the right to vote for electors for the presidency," he said. "But since there are so few of them, their votes would be vastly more weighty than the votes of the people in the rest of the country."

However, advocates point out that D.C. has more residents than either Vermont or Wyoming, and those states have the same representation in Congress as populous states like New York and California.

There is a partisan element to this debate as well. In citywide elections, D.C. residents have only elected Democrats to open offices, so statehood would almost guarantee the addition of two Democratic senators and one Democratic House member to Congress. That means the issue will never come up for a vote as long as Republicans control the Senate or the House.

Previous efforts to establish D.C. statehood have all failed. One attempt made it to the House floor in 1993, but it failed to pass, 277-153.
A $20 million federal lawsuit filed on behalf of four people arrested during protests following the death of Michael Brown accuses the city of Ferguson and its attorneys of constitutional violations and malicious prosecution.



The lawsuit was filed Tuesday, on the two-year anniversary of Brown's fatal shooting by an officer. It names the city of Ferguson, prosecutors Stephanie Karr and Patrick Chaissang, and multiple city police officers.



The plaintiffs were acquitted of wrongdoing earlier this year. The lawsuit claims the St. Louis suburb spent more than $120,000 in prosecuting cases against protesters who took to the streets in 2014 following Brown's death.



A message seeking comment from the city was not immediately returned.



The suit was filed by the law firm Dowd & Dowd and the nonprofit Arch City Defenders.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton made an open plea Wednesday for support from Republicans and independents, hoping to capitalize on what her campaign contends was a suggestion from Republican Donald Trump calling for violence against her.

Clinton, a former U.S. secretary of state, created a new web site, togetherforamerica.com, looking for names of new voters. It said she "understands the complex and volatile world we live in, and she has the temperament to be president and commander-in-chief. Donald Trump does not."

She made the appeal hours after Trump told voters at a rally Tuesday that Clinton would "decimate the Second Amendment," which guarantees Americans the right to bear arms. He said gun rights are at stake in the election, because of a vacancy on the Supreme Court and the potential for the next president to name other new justices who could rule in favor of more restrictions on gun ownership.

But then he told a cheering rally in North Carolina, "By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, [there's] nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people ... Maybe there is. I don't know."

The Clinton campaign and Democratic opponents of Trump said his comment was a suggestion for violence against her, while Trump said it was nothing of the sort. His Republican supporters described it as an ill-conceived comment, perhaps a bad joke, but they said he certainly was not calling for gun violence against her if she wins the election, now less than three months away.

Trump blames media

CNN reported Wednesday that the Secret Service, which guards President Barack Obama and U.S. presidential candidates, discussed the matter with the Republican contender.

On his Twitter account, Trump blamed the news media for the latest uproar.

The National Rifle Association, which endorses Trump, defended him on Twitter and cast the election as a decision about the Second Amendment. The country's biggest gun lobby launched a $3 million television advertising campaign against Clinton, calling her "out of touch" for living under Secret Service protection while calling for new gun restrictions.

Clinton backs common-sense reforms

Clinton said during her speech at the Democratic National Convention last month that she does not want to repeal the Second Amendment or take away people's guns, but she does advocate "common-sense reforms."

"I just don't want you to be shot by someone who shouldn't have a gun in the first place," she said.

Republican House leader Paul Ryan told reporters that Trump's comment Tuesday sounded like a "joke gone bad."

"You should never joke about something like that," he said.

The back-and-forth comments over Trump's gun remark came as yet another major news organization, Bloomberg News, said its latest national poll shows Clinton with an edge in the race for the White House, 50 to 44 percent.

The nonpartisan website realclearpolitics.com, which compiles an average of multiple polls, shows Clinton, seeking to become the first female president in the U.S., with a 7.7-percentage-point lead over Trump, a real estate mogul making his first run for elected office.

The winner of the November 8 election will become the 45th U.S. president, succeeding Obama when he leaves office in January.

WATCH: Trump Crossed the Line, Clinton Says
A Turkish admiral posted in the United States has disappeared and is reportedly seeking asylum after being sought by Turkish authorities to return home and participate in legal proceedings following charges of military espionage.

Turkish Navy Rear Admiral Mustafa Ugurlu, posted at NATO's Allied Command Transformation headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, is reported to have turned in his identification papers and disappeared on July 22.

Ugurlu was ordered home by Turkish authorities last month after an attempted coup July 15.

A Turkish official told Reuters news agency that two other officers stationed in the U.S. were called back to Turkey after the coup attempt, but neither of them was ordered into detention.

A U.S. Navy official told reporters more than 100 Turkish military personnel are in the United States  some at the NATO base and some taking part in exchanges at U.S. military institutions.

Military officers

Ugurlu was among hundreds of Turkish military officers released from their duties July 22.

U.S. agencies such as the State Department, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and Department of Homeland Security have not yet commented on Ugurlu's case.

NATO has referred reporters to the Turkish government for information about Ugurlu.

In Turkey, Ugurlu was implicated along with a number of other navy officers in a 2011 conspiracy case based in Izmir. The detention order for Ugurlu, which should have forced his return to Turkey, was from that court.

Ugurlu's case could further strain ties between the United States and Turkey.

Ankara already has asked for the extradition of Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric living in exile in the United States. It accuses Gulen, who is based in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, of the plot to take down President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The United States has replied that it must have evidence against the cleric, who is a former ally of the president, if it is to justify turning him over to Turkey.
Rose Marie Watters, died July 31, 2016. Rose Marie Watters lived a long and adventurous life. She grew up in Havelock and told us so many stories about running around town as a kid, going to the Joyo Theater and staying all day for a nickel. She loved Havelock and up until she left Lincoln when she was about 82 years old she regularly gathered socially with the "Havelock Ladies."

One of Rose's first adventures was to California in 1941 when her and a friend drove to California and landed in Long Beach working in the shipyards during the war. They explored their way around old Los Angeles like it was their backyard. Rose eventually made it back to Lincoln after having married and having her first child, Nancy.

She became the first woman bartender in the city while working at the Intercom Club in the old Cornhusker Hotel. She loved her time at the Intercom and had many fond and funny memories and made many life-long friends from her time there.

She married again and traveled to Morocco with her husband to live on a U.S. Air Force Base where she had a son, Dave. Nancy and Rose's mother also went to live with her at the base. As one might imagine, their time in Morocco was full of new experiences and a culture just a tad bit different than Nebraska. Lincoln came calling again about a year later. Always determined, she continued working to make the family financially comfortable.

Eventually, she married again, had a daughter, Paddy, and not long after we all moved to the suburbs in 1967 to Hickory Lane and a new home that cost $17,000. Rose lived in that house for about 40 years. She was unlucky in marriage, but worked various service jobs until she found a position at Square D as a machine operator. She stayed there for over 20 years and made enough money for her family to be solid middle America. As a mother she instilled our sense of right, respect for others, independent judgment, self-determination, work ethic and thrifty use of money.

Rose made many friends along her journey and developed lifelong friendships at each stop. After retirement, she continued caring for her lawn, shoveling the snow and dancing a 3-4 times a week at the Playmor Ballroom with Bobby Lane and his orchestra. The travel bug went into full gear and she and friends journeyed to China, Europe, Africa, Caribbean, Key West, Canada, Mexico, as well as many trips around the States to see her family and friends. She spent her last ten years split between Texas near Paddy and California near Dave. Rose's final domicile was in Laguna only a few minutes from her son's house.

She loved going to concerts and musicals and she always looked forward to the Sunday drive to the ocean with her favorite treat, a white chocolate mocha. For her 90th birthday we had a Frank Sinatra impersonator and dinner in her honor and it was so good to see her enjoy herself with her friends and family. Old age and dementia finally took control and she went comfortably with her family around her. We will all miss her very much.

Preceded in death by daughter Nancy Zuger. She is survived by son, Dave Bartlett (Watters) and daughter Paddy Feller (Watters). Daughter-in-law Anne Marie Sharrar Bartlett and son-in-law Matt Feller. Grandsons: K.C. Grimm, Brad Matthew Feller and Daniel Edward Feller. Granddaughters: Amanda Marie Feller, Megan Marie Bartlett, Amy Lynne Bartlett and Marcella Rose Bartlett.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said officials from the foreign ministry and military will travel to Russia Wednesday to discuss potential solutions to the conflict in Syria.

The announcement comes just a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would work toward restoring full relations with Turkey, but cautioned that rebuilding trade ties will be time consuming.

"Ahead of us lies painstaking work to resuscitate trade and economic cooperation. This process has already started but it will take some time," Putin said Tuesday after meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Saint Petersburg.

Erdogan said the two countries will restore their yearly trade target of $100 billion and will speed up the resumption of charter flights.

The Turkish leader also said he is ready to build a natural gas pipeline with Russia and negotiate a deal to construct Turkey's first nuclear power plant.

Supporting opposite camps



Marc Pierini, visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe and former EU ambassador to Turkey, told VOA there are no guarantees that Russia and Turkey can overcome their differences over the Syrian conflict. The two countries support opposing sides in the civil war.

Whether one day they can come to some sort of understanding on this, I doubt," he said. "It may take a little more than just a meeting. Maybe counter terrorism cooperation will resume, and it will be a first step. But I doubt you can see a long-term relationship if Turkey doesnt change its position on [Syrian President Bashar] al-Assad.

Erdogan is turning to Russia after post-coup criticism from the West and in an effort to mend relations with Moscow after Turkey shot down a Russian fighter plane along the Syrian border last year.

"Your visit today, despite a very difficult situation regarding domestic politics, indicates that we all want to restart dialogue and restore relations between Russia and Turkey," Putin told Erdogan.

Alexander Baunov of the Carnegie Moscow Center said, It is significant for both because both of them have to bargain hard with the West. Putin is about sanctions and about normalizing the relations, about bringing them more [to] business as usual."

"Erdogan wants, of course, that after crushing the coup he is criticized too much by the Western politicians, journalists and media," Baunov added. "For him to bargain means to show that he can get closer to Russia and alienate himself from the West.

EU relations



Erodgan was livid after Western nations that condemned the coup attempt last month also criticized him for his massive crackdown in response to the putsch.

Cavusoglu denied that the Erdogan meeting with Putin was intended to send a message to Western leaders, whom the Turkish government has accused of not fully supporting Turkey after the failed coup attempt last month.

"Unfortunately the EU is making some serious mistakes, They have failed the test following the coup attempt," Cavusoglu said Wednesday in an interview with the state-run Anadolu agency. "Support for EU membership used to be around 50 percent of the population, I assume it is around 20 percent now."

Russia was quick to condemn the Turkish insurgents. More than 270 people died during the failed attempt by some elements of the military.

Erdogan has accused Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is exiled in the U.S., of orchestrating the coup. On Tuesday, Erdogan warned the U.S. that if it fails to extradite Gulen, it would cause great harm to relations between the countries.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau told reporters Tuesday in Washington, "This [extradition] is not a process that is influenced by emotion or political rhetoric. It's actually governed by a treaty."

Erdogan viewed the Western response to the crackdown as betrayal, says Moscow State Institute of International Affairs Victor Mizin.

So, what he decided, it's some kind of his version of 'pivot to the East,' promoting the relations with such countries like Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, says Mizin.

But the relationship with Russia is the most important tactically, and not just for Turkey.

Now it's very important [for Russia] to turn this country which was the spearhead of NATO against the Soviet Union in the past, and where so many intelligence assets or radars had been placed to monitor Russian military activity, to draw it back to Russia and to resume good relations, says Mizin.

Jet downing

The face-to-face talks in St. Petersburg are expected to focus on restoring economic ties that were severed after Turkeys F16 shot down Russias SU24, resulting in the deaths of one jet pilot and a rescue pilot killed during a recovery attempt.

The incident sparked finger pointing, Russian sanctions, and fears of a wider conflict between Russia and the NATO member. Moscow accused Ankara of supporting terrorism while Turkey accused Russia of violating its airspace and bombing civilian targets inside Syria.

But, a surprisingly fast rapprochement came in late June after Erdogan gave a long demanded apology, expressing regret to the families of the two pilots in a letter to Putin. More recently, he accused the pilots of the Turkish F16 of being involved in the coup. They were earlier arrested.

Political analysts say while Erdogans quick 180-degree turn was motivated by the economic damage caused by lost Russian trade, tensions with his Western allies in Europe and the United States have spurred the face-to-face meeting with Putin.

Not all common ground

Some minority calls inside Turkey for Ankara to seek a strategic partnership with Russia to replace ties with the United States and the European Union are unlikely to gain ground.

At the same time I think it would be unrealistic to think that Turkey could be banished or ousted from NATO as certain American experts, especially on the conservative side, would suggest because, as I said, strategically, Turkey is too important, says Mizin.



While progress in the talks is expected on economic issues, the conflict in Syria remains a sticking point.

VOA's Natasha Mozgovaya and VOA's Nike Ching contributed to this story.
The top commander for the coalition fighting Islamic State says the terror groups foreign fighter stronghold in Syria likely will be in complete control of the Syrian Democratic Forces in a week to weeks.

The pocket of enemy resistance shrinks on a daily basis in Manbij, U.S. Gen. Sean MacFarland told reporters at the Pentagon via teleconference from Baghdad. I dont give it very long before that operation is concluded.

MacFarland, who has led the coalition in its fight against Islamic State since last September, said the coalition is learning how to shape the fight for Raqqa, Islamic States self-proclaimed capital in Syria, based on the current fight for Manbij.

Manbij will inform us as to how we are going to fight in Raqqa, as Ramadi has informed how well fight up in Mosul, the general said Wednesday.

Captured by IS forces in 2014, Manbij has served as a key transit point for foreign fighters and the trafficking of stolen goods.

Military officials have stressed the importance of the city for months, with MacFarland noting that IS has a lot of foreign fighters there, and they havent cut and run.
Officials in Afghanistan and the United States military have dismissed concerns the capital of restive Helmand province or any other district there was on the verge of collapse to the Taliban.

The largest Afghan province has been the scene of fierce battles between the insurgents and Afghan troops in recent weeks.

Residents say the Taliban has made rapid advances and lately the fighting has been taking place in districts around the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, effectively besieging the city.

The conflict has also uprooted thousands of families in Helmand, according to the provincial government.

But Afghan and American military officials dismiss concerns the insurgent group is on the verge of capturing another urban center like they briefly seized control of northern Kunduz city last year.

We do not believe Lashkar Gah, or the province of Helmand, is about to fall. We remain confident that the Afghan forces are fighting effectively and that they will continue to secure Lashkar Gah, U.S. Army Col. Michael Lawhorn told VOA on Wednesday.

In the past two weeks, he said, the U.S. military has conducted approximately 25 airstrikes in support of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces in Helmand.

Airstrikes

Local officials say that the airstrikes have killed scores of Taliban fighters and deterred their advances.

In recent days, the Taliban has repeatedly blocked the main road linking Lashkar Gah to Kandahar province in the south and have blown up bridges, hampering efforts to send reinforcements for Afghan forces battling the insurgents.

Both sides claim to have inflicted heavy casualties on the opposition but it is difficult to verify fighting details through independent sources.

Our brave Afghan security forces will not allow terrorists and criminals to turn Helmand into their hideout, said Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi on Wednesday. He added that all security institutions are determined to spare no effort in securing Helmand.

The Afghan province, which borders Pakistan, producing opium and income from the illegal drug, is funding the Taliban insurgency. Afghan officials and insurgent sources credit Taliban advances in Helmand to a newly created commando-style Taliban unit of several hundred fighters.

The so-called Red Brigade unit uses night-vision technology and snipers to launch lethal attacks against Afghan forces, Afghan commanders and Taliban officials have said in recent days.

Taliban insurgents also launched coordinated attacks Wednesday in two districts in Kunduz and neighboring province of Baghlan, capturing key security outposts and bases, according to Afghan officials and insurgent spokespeople.
The United States is painting a bleak portrait of religious freedom around the world, particularly condemning some Islamic societies that have adopted laws that harshly penalize blasphemy and apostasy.



One quarter of all the countries in the world have some form of anti-blasphemy law, one out of 10 punishes people for apostasy, State Departments Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom David Saperstein told VOA Wednesday in an interview, so this is a serious problem because often this has death penalties that are attached in them or very severe punishments. And we see this in countries all across the globe.



Saperstein underscored that the very nature of all these laws punishes people for expressing their core beliefs, when those core beliefs turn out to be offensive to whoever has the political power in the country. No one should be punished for expressing their religious views if they do so in a peaceful manner.

The report said that "false accusations, often lodged in pursuit of personal vendettas or for the personal gain of the accuser, are not uncommon. Mob violence as a result of such accusations is disturbingly common."



"Around the world," the State Department said, "governments continued to tighten their regulatory grip on religious groups, and particularly on minority religious groups and religions which are viewed as not traditional to that specific country."





Countries singled out



The report singled out numerous countries, alleging that governments targeted people for a variety of offenses, including online articles or public statements that allegedly defamed the Prophet Mohammed or desecrated Islam's holy book, the Quran, in some way.



The report said that in Pakistan, 40 people remain on death row for blasphemy, many of them religious minorities.





It said Sudan detained 27 Muslims last November, all "adherents of a school of Islam that maintains that the Quran is the sole source of religious authority, and that rejects the sanctity of the hadiths  contrary to the governments official view of Islam."



The State Department said Mauritania imprisoned Mohammad Cheikh Ould Mohammad, better known as MKheytir, after he allegedly criticized the Prophet Mohammad and "implicitly blamed the countrys religious establishment for the plight of the countrys forgeron (blacksmith) caste, which historically has suffered discrimination." Protesters in the country called for the death of a human rights activist who defended him



The report said that last year two non-state actors, the Islamic State and Boko Haram, "continued to rank amongst the most egregious abusers of religious freedom in the world."



It said Islamic State jihadists have committed what U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry believes to be "genocide against Yazidis, Christians, Shia, and other vulnerable groups in the territory it controlled." The report said it was "responsible for barbarous acts, including killings, torture, enslavement and trafficking, rape and other sexual abuse against religious and ethnic minorities and Sunnis in areas under its control."

Daesh kills Yazidis because they are Yazidi, Christians because they are Christian, Shia Muslim because they are Shia, said Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken, using another name for Islamic State group, Daesh is also responsible for crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing directed at these same groups, and in some cases also against Sunni Muslims, Kurds, other minorities.

Blinken emphasized theyve not only killed, theyve sought to erase the memory of those theyve killed, destroying centuries-old religious cultural sites. 

The State Department said Boko Haram in Africa "continued to launch indiscriminate, violent attacks targeting both Christians and Muslims who spoke out against or opposed their violent ideology."





It noted that "Boko Haram claimed responsibility for scores of attacks on churches and mosques, often killing worshipers during religious services or immediately afterward."



The report denounced Iran, where it said government officials executed 20 individuals "on charges of moharebeh, translatable as 'enmity towards god,' among them a number of Sunni Kurds." It said a number of other prisoners, including several Sunni preachers, are still being held while awaiting a government decision whether to implement their death sentences.



The State Department also disparaged religious freedom in China, saying that Beijing "ordered the demolition of several state-sanctioned Protestant and Catholic churches and the removal of over 1,500 crosses as part of a government campaign targeting so-called 'illegal' structures."





Meanwhile, it said Russia "continued to grant privileges to the Russian Orthodox Church that it did not accord to others," limiting the activities of Muslims and other minority religious groups, such as Jehovahs Witnesses, Pentecostals and Scientologists.



The State Department said religious freedom is gradually improving in Vietnam and praised the European Union for appointing two officials to monitor anti-Semitism and combat anti-Muslim hatred. The report lauded Kenyan Muslims for shielding Christians when al-Shabab militants attacked a bus they were riding on.
The deadly protests that rocked Ethiopia in the past week stem from a diverse host of regional grievances but they reflect a shared sense of marginalization that may be bringing two of the country's largest ethnic groups together, analysts say, warning that there could be more unrest on the horizon.

Nearly 100 people were killed as security forces crushed the demonstrations over the weekend, according to opposition political parties and Amnesty International. Security forces opened fire on protesters, activists say.

The Ethiopian government blames the opposition in and outside the country for organizing what it calls "unauthorized protests by anti-peace forces." According to a statement by the government communications office, some protesters were carrying lethal weapons, including explosives. Opposition leaders deny the allegations, stating that the protesters were peaceful and unarmed.

The dispute in central Ethiopia dates back to November 2015. Demonstrators opposed a government plan to expand the municipal boundaries of the capital, Addis Ababa, into the Oromia Region. Farmers in the region were particularly upset, worrying that it could mean an end to their livelihood. The protests claimed the lives of more than 400 people, according to Human Rights Watch. Video showed security forces beating unarmed protesters and using live ammunition.

The government put the capital expansion on hold, and protests quieted down  but the grievance did not go away.

In early July, another wave of protests began, this time farther north in the city of Gonder, in the Amhara Region.

The main complaint by people in Amhara is that they want three districts  Welkait, Telemt and Tsegede  to be reintegrated into the Amhara Regional State, said Alemante Gebreselassie, professor of law emeritus at the College of William & Mary in the eastern U.S. state of Virginia.

Currently, the three districts are under the Tigray Regional State. Members of a group known as the Welkait committee also identify as ethnic Amhara and want to be part of the Amhara Region administration.

Negussu Tilahun, spokesperson of the Amhara Region, said these administration issues are cross-regional and the Amhara Region alone can't find answers.

"The Amhara Region cannot take ownership in trying to answer these questions because it will not find answers and it is not constitutional," he said in an interview with VOA Amharic Service.

If questions raised go beyond regional administration, he added, people should try to find answers through the federal court system.

Decades-old dispute in Gonder

Last month in Gonder, members of the Welkait committee were arrested. Residents took to the streets demanding their release, resulting in clashes with police and destruction of property.

The Welkait committee is demanding the reversal of the 1991 decision to place Welkait in the Tigray Region, said committee leader Colonel Demeke Zewdu, in an interview with VOA Tigrigna Service prior to his arrest.

"The people have been opposing this in different forms until now," he said. Under the Tigray Region administration, the people didn't gain any benefits. Land has been taken away from them and they don't have socio-economic advantages. The society feels like it is regarded as second-class citizens."

Since the 15th century, the region known as Begemeder, which includes modern-day Gonder, had been autonomous and separate from the Tigray Region, said Gebreselassie.

Gebreselassie believes the move was an effort by Ethiopia's post-1991 leaders, who were from the minority Tigrayan ethnic group, to expand their homeland, an accusation echoed by protesters.

Oromia, Amhara solidarity

Decades of rivalry between the Oromo and Amhara may be giving way to solidarity, said Awol Allo, a fellow in human rights at the London School of Economics.

At rallies in the city of Bahir Dar, protesters were seen carrying signs that read "Stop Killing Oromo People" and "Free Bekele Gerba." Gerba is the deputy chairman of the Oromo Federalist Congress, an opposition party whose leaders are currently in prison.

Youth are key to this movement, Allo said. "[This is] a generation that would say it doesn't matter what force is used, I am determined to make my demands and to make my voice heard."

Ethiopia's Constitution states that regional borders can be redrawn.

The constitution gives the basic rights of people for self-administration and where they can identify themselves as a home," said Soleyana S. Gebremichael, an Ethiopian lawyer and human rights advocate. So the question of Welkait is directly related with that. People identify themselves as Amharas and they consider themselves as Amharas. They wanted to be administered by the region with their own language and promote their culture accordingly.

Government response could intensify tension

The government has defended its use of the military and police force and restricted access to the internet, in particular social media.

People have already learned how to go around that using proxies, using VPN. So the initial batch of videos came in using proxies and VPN. It seems to me that when authorities noticed that the information is still getting out thats when they moved to shut down the entire internet," said Mohammed Ademo, a journalist with Al Jazeera and the editor of Opride.com, a news website that focuses on Oromo issues.

Organizers continue to work the old-fashioned way, by word of mouth, said Gebremichael.

"The organizing had been done at the grass-roots level, so with or without the internet, she said. People already had the urgency of going out to protest and then presenting their question and petitioning the government. That's what we saw in the past weekend because the internet was down for 48 hours and the protests happened anyway."
Leaked reports published Wednesday are detailing more than 2,000 allegations of sexual assault, child abuse and attempted self-harm at Australian detention centers on the nearby island of Nauru.

More than half of the incident reports published by the Guardian Australia newspaper involve alleged assaults against children, who make up about 18 percent of the detainees held on Nauru. The reports reveal numerous incidents of sexual assaults and harassment of children, and stories of detainees harming themselves.

One of the leaked reports involves a child who had written in her school book that she was tired of the camp and wanted to die.

According to the newspaper, the reports cover a period between mid-2013 and October 2015.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said authorities would examine the material "to see if there are any complaints there or issues there that were not properly addressed." His government also said the reports were allegations.

Hundreds of asylum seekers are being held on Nauru or a second detention center on Papua New Guinea, where they were sent after being intercepted at sea by Australian naval vessels. The refugees are barred from resettling in Australia, even if they are granted refugee status.

Human rights groups have long called on Canberra to end the detention program and resettle the detainees in Australia or elsewhere, citing previous reports regarding conditions at the refugee camps; but, the government says it has halted the asylum seekers' attempts to reach Australia over dangerous seas.
The wife of a detained human rights lawyer in China has accused Beijing police of harassing her landlord and forcing him not to renew her lease.

Wang Qiaoling recently went to Tianjin, east of Beijing, to find out about the trial of her husband, Li Heping. He is one of several rights lawyers detained since July 2015. When she got home Tuesday, the owner of her building told her to move out.

The property owner was under the orders of local police, Wang Qiaoling told VOA on Wednesday.

"Pressed by police, the landlord is under lots of pressure, she said. I have talked to him before he told me he could not renew our lease, and I thought I would start looking, even though I know police would force us to move again. However, when rights lawyers were put on trial July 29, I was not allowed to leave home for five days. Now I have to move out tomorrow, it is hard to find the right apartment."

Chinese authorities have not commented on the allegations.

Wang said she has filed a "request for information" with the local police station, asking for an explanation as to why she was not allowed to leave home.

"I have to file the request. It is horrible that they detained me for 28 hours without any legal procedure, she said. Then they told me I had to go home. If I do not go home, they would carry me to a car and force me to go home. They then forbid me to leave the apartment."

Wang's husband, Li Heping, was arrested in July 2015 during the government crackdown against human rights lawyers who had taken up sensitive cases in which clients challenged the government.

Since the arrests, the lawyers have been deprived of legal counsel of their own choosing and have not been allowed to see their families.

China put four human rights defenders on trial last week, each of whom received a prison sentence of 3 years to 7  years for state subversion.

One of those sentenced was Zhou Shifeng, director of Beijing's Fengrui Law Firm.

Wang's husband works for the same firm. The court told Wang last week that her husband's case had been sent back for further investigation.
Violence hangs like an ominous cloud over national elections in Zambia, a copper-rich, landlocked southern African nation that has been recently battered by drought and economic woes.

Incumbent President Edgar Lungu of the ruling Patriotic Front party (PF) faces a serious challenge from opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema from the United Party for National Development (UPND) in Thursdays presidential vote. Lungu, who is widely considered a populist, narrowly beat Hichilema, a businessman, in a January 2015 snap election held after the sudden death of President Michael Sata.

This years election campaign has been marred with multiple clashes between supporters of the two main parties, prompting the head of the electoral commission to call the violence unprecedented. Unlike its southern African neighbors, Zambia has long been hailed as a bedrock of peace and democracy.

Risk of violence is very high

Many analysts say the presidential race is too close to call, but they agree on one grim prediction.

The risk of violence is very high, analyst Dimpho Motsamai told journalists at the Institute of Security Studies in Pretoria, South Africa.



The political violence is coming from both sides; that is very important to highlight. It is coming both from the PF and the UPND in particular. It really speaks about a politics that is very unhealthy; the relationship between the opposition and the government, its just a very unhealthy political relationship, its very antagonistic, and anything that happens is dealt with in a very antagonistic fashion, Motsamai said.

Lungus predecessor, Guy Scott, was Satas vice-president and is no friend of Lungu. During Scotts short tenure as acting president after Satas death, he fired Lungu from his post as secretary-general of the ruling party. He recently endorsed Hichilema.

Scott was deemed ineligible to contest the election because the constitution requires that both parents of presidential candidates are Zambian by birth or descent. Scott, a Zambian citizen, is white and was born to British parents.

Do or die moment for Zambia

Scott struggled to pinpoint why a nation praised for peace, and which watched with horror its neighbors political strife, is now struggling. He said, it boils down to bad economics and poor leadership. In the past year, copper prices have fallen and food prices have risen amid a crippling drought, all tinder for a fire of discontent.



Why its gone so bad, its hard to say, I think, he told VOA News by phone from Lusaka. People were upset at Mr. Satas death, they were upset at the people running around with knives and guns, and they were unhappy with the economic downturn, of course, last year, which has still failed to right itself in Zambia and which has led to a lot of unemployment and has strengthened the elite at the cost of the poor. It has a vaguely Venezuelan flavor to it, in that respect.

Motsamai says the vote could be a do or die moment for Zambia. The tension is also heightened by new election rules that say the winner needs to gain more than 50 percent of the vote to win without a runoff.

A lot of hopes are hanging on the candidates to do the right thing once they are in office. But also, the presidential race is particularly a tight one, Motsamai said. UPND in the last election went quite far, they in fact said the elections were rigged. They are unlikely to concede defeat without a fight.
Several people converged at Africa Unity Square today to press the government to find abducted political activist Itai Dzamara of Occupy Africa Unity Square who disappeared 17 months ago.

Patson Dzamara, the brother of Itai, Jestina Mukoko of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, who was once abducted by state security agents, and several other activists said they would hold such events until the former journalist-cum protest leader is found.

Riot police known for their alleged heavy handedness today left Africa Unity Square after some children, who participated in the event, tried to give them flowers and cakes as a sign of love.

Dzamara said they decided to bring children to ensure that they are not attacked by the police.

Itais wife, Sheffra Dzamara, told Studio 7 that she is living a painful life with her two minor children who no longer have a father.

She urged the government to release her husband.

Dirk Frey, an activist who used to engage in protests together with Itai Dzamara at Africa Unity Square before his abduction, said they will continue to mark the vision and spirit of Itai Dzamara.

Stanley Zvorwadza, the chairperson of the National Vendors Union who led the young children to handover the flowers to the riot police that were at Africa Unity Square, warned the government to desist from abductions.

Director of Zimbabwe Activist Alliance, Lynette Mudehwe who was among those that gave solidarity messages at the event, called on President Mugabe to value Zimbabweans the same way he values his own family.

Itai Dzamara was abducted on March 9th in 2015 after calling for the resignation of President Mugabe for allegedly failing to run Zimbabwe.

Although the courts instructed state security agents to investigate Dzamaras disappearance and give his family regular updates of their findings, Patson Dzamara claims that the police have defied the court order.

Police spokesperson Charity Charamba was not reachable for comment.




Some youth believed to be suspected Zanu PF supporters have invaded Garowa Farm Number 8 in Tengwe, Mashonaland West province, owned by the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Associations secretary-general Victor Matemadanda.

Matemadanda was recently arrested for being part of a group of former freedom fighters that wrote a scathing communique after a meeting in Harare claiming that President Robert Mugabe is to blame for Zimbabwes current social, economic and political problems.

He said told Studio 7 that the 60 youth invaded the farm on Saturday allegedly under the instructions of Hurungwe North Zanu PF Member of Parliament, Sarah Mahoka, who has declared to clampdown on anyone that criticizes the president.

Mahoka and Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo were not available for comment as their mobile phones were unreachable.

Matemadanda confirmed that his farm has been raided by the youth though Mashonaland West police spokesperson Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara could not shed light on the issue.

Matemadanda claimed that police have failed to deal with the invaders, adding that it is unfortunate that the farm is being used to settle personal and political scores.

He said what the youth are doing is an indication that the land reform program is not for ordinary Zimbabweans but for Zanu PF members only.

Zanu PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere recently told a party meeting in Karoi that his party would take back farms of people who abandon the former liberation movement like recalled Zanu PF Hurungwe West Member of Parliament, Temba Mliswa.

Matemadanda and most of his colleagues that include war veterans spokesperson Douglas Mahiya are on $300 bail pending trial for undermining President Mugabe after they issued a communique calling the president to step down.

Most of the war veterans boycotted the main event to mark Heroes Day in Harare yesterday, which was addressed by President Mugabe.
One sip of this soup is like getting wrapped in your warmest, coziest sweater. Between the thick chunks of vegetables, tender cubes of potato, juicy shreds of chicken (take your pick of boneless breasts or thighs), and thick, creamy broth, it truly doesnt get more comforting than chicken potato soup.

As the temps begin to dip, this is a family-friendly soup to keep on repeat all through fall and winter.
Zimbabwes rural teachers will next week embark on a 200 kilometer march against political violence, poor salaries and government failure to improve education facilities in the countryside.

The protest will start in Murehwa district, Mashonaland East on August 15 and proceed for 10 days to the capital city, Harare, said the Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe.

We call upon all teachers and parents based in the areas which we will walk through, to join us and march for the betterment of rural education, the Union said in a statement on Wednesday.

It is also demanding a monthly pay adjustment of between $700 and $800, a 100 percent increment in teachers rural allowances as well as restoration of maternity leave for teachers on probation.

Moreover, it wants infrastructural development in rural schools and communities, an end to all forms of violence against rural teachers and a dissolution of the government if its demands are not met.

RTUZ secretary-general Robson Chere told Studio 7 that many rural teachers were being subjected to political violence by Zanu PF supporters for demanding a better life from the government.

Chere noted that education standards were falling as a result of failure by the government to fix the economy.

Some pupils in rural areas travel more than 20 km to school daily, learning in deplorable infrastructure. Teachers are faced with the brunt of an economically, socially and politically bankrupt government and those based in rural areas are the worst affected.
Photo: Getty Images

It was announced yesterday that Sebastian Stan will star in the upcoming adaptation of We Have Always Lived in the Castle, and today we found out from The Hollywood Reporter about a few more residents of the lonely manse from Shirley Jacksons 1962 novel. Taissa Farmiga and Alexandra Daddario will put their horror hats back on to star alongside Stan in this movie about a family that keeps itself isolated from the nearby townspeople by using dark magic, but will potentially be brought down from within when a scheming cousin (Stan) shows up to swindle them out of their fortune. The two actresses will play agoraphobic sisters who find themselves at odds after Stans character arrives at the house, and with Daddarios haunting, translucent blue eyes and Farmigas demonstrated ability to play a panic-stricken housebound teen, were optimistic about how the pair will play as creepy shut-ins with deadly secrets to keep.
Colton Haynes. Photo: Sean Zanni/Getty Images

Colton Haynes graces the cover of the September issue of Out magazine, where he addresses his protracted coming-out process. Haynes publicly came out recently in an article for EW, saying that he wasnt ready to do so earlier. There were a lot of remaining questions, including Hayness photo shoot for the March 2006 issue of XY magazine, where hes engaging in some heavy, half-naked making out with his then-boyfriend. He more pointedly addresses what happened in the Out profile, saying that at 17, he was thrilled to do that photo shoot. This was, like, the cover of Vogue for me. I was like, This is it! Im going to be in a magazine! Haynes said. I truly thought it was going to be this serious moment in my career, and I knew it would earn me enough money to get to L.A.

While he would get to L.A., that photo shoot would haunt his career. It would be the evidence that made it look like Haynes was refusing to come out of the closet after he booked his first major gig on Teen Wolf. I looked like I was fucking gay-bashing, Colton said. Like I hated myself or I hated the gays, which was never the intention at all. I was just young and trying to make it in this town and doing what these people were telling me to do. Indeed, his earlier years in Hollywood sound rough: His agent dropped him when he learned Haynes was gay, and afterward, told him to advertise on RentBoy.com, an escort website, as a way to earn money.

I feel really bad that I had to lie for so long, Haynes said. But I was told that was the only way I was going to be successful. When youre young in this industry, people take advantage of you, and they literally tell you that your dreams are going to come true. If you believe that, youll do anything. And you do believe it, especially if youre from Kansas. The struggles of working as an out-of-the-closet gay actor in Hollywood can, at least, be something that he and Noah Galvin can agree on.
Photo: David Ramos/2016 Getty Images

While #PhelpsFace will likely take the title of most enduring meme of the 2016 Olympic Games, the most important GIF comes courtesy of sudden superstar Laurie Hernandez, who achieved two crucial honors last night in Rio: becoming a gold medalist in the womens gymnastics team all-around competition  the first repeat gold in that category ever for an American squad  and becoming Team USAs Olympic Sweetheart. Hernandez was the most animated member of the Final Five on the podium when her team was receiving its gold medals.

She inspired a nation to adopt the mantra You got this before undertaking any considerable challenge in their daily lives.

Adopting the @lzhernandez02 "I got this" before doing anything that scares me from now on. #Olympics pic.twitter.com/ecJ5eJx7T9  Hannah Sampson (@hannahbsampson) August 10, 2016

And she made us all believe joy is possible again in the abominable year that is 2016 when she played to the camera like a media-trained young professional beyond her 16 years.

This should cheer anyone up. https://t.co/I4PdRXnTz8  Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) August 10, 2016

But it was the move she made just before setting it off in her floor routine last night that encapsulates the spirit of American exceptionalism and the most dominating performances of our top athletes in Rio.

Laurie Hernandez, in her first major international competition, winked at the judges before the biggest floor routine of her elite gymnastics life. And then she crushed it. Laurie Hernandez winking is Michael Phelps getting revenge on Chad le Clos for beating him in the 200-meter butterfly event at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Laurie Hernandez winking is Lilly King wagging her finger at a Russian swimmer caught for doping, and then saying on TV that Americans compete clean after beating said Russian in head-to-head competition. Laurie Hernandez winking is Katie Ledecky being undefeated so far in major international competitions. Laurie Hernandez winking before a routine is a gamble that had the potential to pay off big. Laurie Hernandez winking is America.

The wink is our new handshake, our new national gesture of greeting. So if you meet someone new today, make sure to give them a confident wink and start the conversation with You got this, because thats what Laurie Hernandez would do. And Laurie Hernandez is a winner.
Harley galore. Photo: Hot Topic, Warner Brothers, DC Entertainment

In 2011, Supernatural writer/producer Adam Glass had an odd idea. DC Comics had hired him to pen a revamp of Suicide Squad, a series that had been intermittently published since 1987 and was known for its cast of villains. In assembling his lineup, he wanted to include a character whod been kicking around in the Batman mythos since she first appeared on Batman: The Animated Series in 1992: the Jokers sometimes-paramour Harley Quinn. Though shed never been a member of the Squad before, Glass thought shed add a manic flair and much-needed comic relief.

The powers that be were skeptical.

I gave them the script and they said, We love everything except Harley Quinn, Glass recalls. They were like, Shes a Batman villain! Why should she be on the Suicide Squad? Nevertheless, Glass was allowed to move forward with his concept, and Harley made her team debut in September 2011s Suicide Squad Vol. 4, No. 1. As is common with comics, the publisher released variant covers  alternate versions with different images on the front. A few months into the series, DCs co-publishers, Jim Lee and Dan DiDio, noticed something unexpected.

Harley covers sold better than any of the other characters, DiDio recalls. And the best-selling [paperback collection of issues] was the one that captured her origin story. So when we saw that she had some real interest  and the more we put her in the book, the better the book did  it seemed to generate some sensibility for us, saying, Theres more there.

DiDio hasnt been the only person to make that observation. Departments throughout DCs parent company, Warner Bros., have noted Harleys popularity and realized they have a hit property at their disposal. The character just made her big-screen debut via Margot Robbie in last weekends underwhelming Suicide Squad, bringing Harley an unprecedented level of visibility. A spinoff movie is already being discussed, but regardless of whether thats realized, consumers should expect to see a whole lot more of the character in the coming years: Warner Bros.  and the retailers who sell their products  are investing heavily in the Clown Princess, and theyre ready to laugh all the way to the bank.

I refer to her as the fourth pillar in our publishing line, behind Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, says Lee. Harley currently stars in four series  three eponymous ones and Suicide Squad. Only Batman and Superman have comparable numbers of monthly appearances, and Wonder Woman doesnt come close, making Harley DC Comics most prominent (and bankable) female character.

Lee and DiDio say thats not going to change anytime soon, and with good reason: Harley tears up the comics charts month after month. For example, in April DC released four different comics issues starring Harley: Harley Quinn No. 27, Harley Quinn and Her Gang of Harleys No. 1, Harleys Little Black Book No. 3, and Harley Quinn & Suicide Squad April Fools Special No. 1. The latter had more retailer orders than any DC comic other than Batman, and all four of them beat the orders for Superman and Wonder Woman. The April Fools special had an estimated 75,354 orders  for comparison, Marvel Comics top Spider-Man title had 1,711 fewer than that.

Yet while the comics division of Warner Bros. may only have gotten serious about Harley in 2011, other parts of the company have known about her power for a while. Weve been huge fans of Harley Quinn from her inception, says Kevin Kiniry, vice-president of DC Collectibles, which is responsible for items like action figures and statues. He says shes always a top seller and that she can go toe to toe with Batman and the Joker as one of the most fan-requested and sought-after characters. As a result, there are more collectibles coming out in the next few months: among them, a line based on artist Amanda Conners comics drawings of her and a statue series called Harley Quinn Red White & Black.

But the best indicator of Harleys value to WB is found in their consumer products division, which handles the licensing of the character for a dizzying array of merchandise. She appears on nearly 70 items at Hot Topic; shows up in toys from Lego, Funko, and Mattel; has hats from New Era; and even graces two Six Flags rides: Georgias Harley Quinn Spinsanity and New Jerseys Harley Quinn Crazy Train. Warner Bros. consumer products president Pam Lifford calls Harley a very important part of our DC franchise brand strategy and says they became acutely aware of her importance after a much-cited 2015 Google analysis that declared her the most popular Halloween costume in America. Indeed, Lifford says Harley costumes are the consumer products divisions biggest hit.

The major question mark for WBs Harley strategy, then, lies in film. Shes already a key part of the companys animated output, starring in the kid-oriented web series DC Super Hero Girls and next summers animated movie Batman and Harley Quinn, but the future is less clear for Robbies live-action incarnation  particularly following the response to Suicide Squad, which had a massive (but misleading) opening weekend yet was defined by its abysmal reviews. Even so, it would seem that a stand-alone movie featuring one of DC Comics most marketable characters (and starring one of Hollywoods buzziest actresses) remains a calculated risk worth taking.

When Vulture caught up with Robbie at the Suicide Squad premiere, we asked about the rumors. There are conversations, she said. I really wanna continue it. I think theres so much more you can do with the character.

No matter the spinoff movies fate, that last sentence seems to sum up WBs general philosophy about their hit piece of intellectual property  and if something can be done, its a safe bet theyre going to do it. As David Webster, vice-president of purchasing for New York-based retailer Midtown Comics, reiterates, demand for Harley comics and products is tremendous. A given vendor will call me up and say, Were doing more Harley Quinn stuff now  could you move more of that product? he explains. And Ill always say, Yeah.

Theyll say, You dont see an end? And I say, Not right now.
From Troilus and Cressida, at the Delacorte. Photo: Joan Marcus

There are some things that the Public Theater  founded as the Shakespeare Workshop in 1954 and known for a long time as the New York Shakespeare Festival  cant avoid. The occasional Troilus and Cressida is one of them. In every way, this mid-career work, probably written between Hamlet and Othello, is what Shakespeare scholars call a problem play. That the accuracy and authenticity of the text are still in doubt wouldnt matter if the version we have of it were sensible, but its not. Bits of Chaucer, The Iliad, and medieval romance are potted together like a particularly odd bouillabaisse; with each spoonful you have no idea what you might be asked to swallow. One fishy ingredient is the romance of the title characters, youthful Trojans whose fidelity is tested when Cressida is surrendered to the Greeks in exchange for a prisoner. Another lump bubbling around in the broth is the story of the great Greek fighter Achilles, who has lost interest in combat and instead languishes in his tent with his male varlet, Patroclus. And then there is the Trojan War itself, featuring all the familiar big names from Helen to Hector, doing selections from their greatest hits. These three stories barely intersect, let alone meld, which is why the play doesnt even have a genre. In the 1609 quarto its called a history, in the First Folio a tragedy, and in an epistle appended by a wishful publisher a witty comedy. Theyre all right, all wrong.

Whats a Shakespeare festival to do? First, hire the director Daniel Sullivan, an expert de-muddler, to offer the best case possible. Next, hire actors who, at a minimum, can make the verse flow clean. Then, put the director and cast together to develop characterizations that ring fresh and clear. (In a large cast, I especially enjoyed Corey Stoll as a Ulysses straight from the Pentagon, Sanjit De Silva as a snarky Aeneas, Forrest Malloy as a saturnine Menelaus, and Alex Breaux as an aptly cloddish Ajax.) Finally, cut the text judiciously and stage it clearly (the simple, effective set is by David Zinn) to clarify if not eliminate the chaos of the scene-switching, loose threads, and multiple points of view.

But perhaps its best not to do more than that. In his 2010 Delacorte production of The Merchant of Venice, another problem play of uncertain genre, Sullivan found ways to fold even the extreme discursiveness of its plot and style back into a coherent whole. Sensibly, he for the most part doesnt try that here; it would never work. Rather, he invests each separate element with as much distinct flavor and contemporary resonance as possible. The courtship of Troilus and Cressida, aided by her louche uncle Pandarus, turns out to make a surprisingly apt, ditzy-sweet rom-com, at least at first; hes shy and tongue-tied, shes sharp and self-doubting:

TROILUS: What offends you, lady?

CRESSIDA: Sir, mine own company.

TROILUS: You cannot shun Yourself.

CRESSIDA: Let me go and try.

Meanwhile, it takes just some skin and a smooch to make the relationship of Achilles and Patroclus feel both contemporary and timeless. Shakespeare clearly establishes them as lovers, but we later learn that the reason Achilles remains in his tent is that he has promised his Trojan girlfriend he wont fight. Sullivan does not stage or slant any of this to allow easy recourse to modern categories of sexuality: We are forced to consider the meaning of the mens love as an exigency instead of an identity. Sullivans treatment of warfare, in modern dress with modern arms, does much the same thing. Without comment he intensifies the plays peculiar contrast of viciousness and comity; enemies by day, the Greeks and Trojans are tablemates by dinner. What, we may wonder now, with our hatreds so seemingly solid state, can this mean?

Making these story lines, or parts of them, vibrate with tension is quite a victory, but doing so cannot win the war of Troilus and Cressida. It is still a blur, and when Sullivan does try to unite the play by underlining a few themes and motifs, the effect borders on camp. Cressidas servant, Alexander, becomes in this reading a fey stylist helping her try on kicky jackets while watching the news on a laptop; the hilarious (but ultimately tragic) Pandarus of John Glover is halfway to Paul Lynde. The warriors are so buff and masculine, on the other hand, that they might be models for Agamemnon & Fitch. Im not complaining, and Bill Heck makes a terrific Hector, illuminating an idea of soldierly dignity that is not much seen these days. But in such a strongly character-based context, the sudden descent into generic violence two-thirds of the way through feels like overkill. Also like overreaching: The ceaseless report of gunfire in Central Park, as effective as it is, drags the play in yet another direction it doesnt want to head. Terror, we have surely learned, is a least common denominator.

* * *

Men on Boats, by Jaclyn Backhaus, is another genre enigma. To the extent that it dramatizes a real event  the ten-man Powell Expedition of 1869 that survived a harrowing trip down the Green and Colorado Rivers  its a history. In fact, it reads like an adventure diary. But the stylish Clubbed Thumb and Playwrights Horizons co-production (first seen last year at the Wild Project) comes across onstage as a comedy. Its hard to say whether this is because or in spite of its gender-reversed casting; all ten men (and a few other characters) are played by women.

The effect is marvelously destabilizing both as history and theater. The stalwartness and selfishness of the adventurers  their cockiness and cluelessness  become biting satire when sent up by women. On the other hand, the deliberately corny performance style, which lends the production the air of an amateur civic pageant, prevents you from taking anything too seriously. Its a tricky balancing act: The anachronistic dialogue (We won the lottery with our boat. Party boat!) and implicit gender commentary (three of the vessels are named for women, and the fourth is called the No Name) keep raising issues the dialogue does not resolve, or even address. Thats probably a good thing, because too much earnest issue-mongering would surely sink the delicate craft of the play before its 100 minutes were up.

The terrific performances, amusingly detailed but seriously inhabited, also help to keep it afloat. Somehow the actors manage to convey sarcasm without actually being sarcastic. (Its a reaction that happens not as they speak but when their lines hit the audience.) And then, during the several interludes of heavy action  rapids and waterfalls and river turnings marvelously staged by the director Will Davis as little oratorios  the sarcasm completely evaporates. Like Powells men (well, some of them) emerging at last into the wonder of the Grand Canyon, the play lands in an unanticipated place of real, if fleeting, feeling.

Troilus and Cressida is at the Delacorte Theater through August 14.

Men on Boats is at Playwrights Horizons through August 21.
I buckled myself into the driver's seat of a Lincoln police cruiser and looked nervously at Officer Grant Powell.

Can I flip this car over? I asked.

Theres no way thatll happen, he assured me with a smile.

Game on.

I stomped on the gas, Powell grabbed the handle above him, and I hit the first curve of the coned course at about 30 mph.

Dont press on the brake around this turn, Powell said, surprisingly calm.

I whipped the car to the left, my body throwing itself into the center console and the tires squealing as I gripped the wheel. It felt like wed go off course.

You can go a bit faster, Powell encouraged.

I maneuvered out of the turn and sped up. The next curve quickly approached, and I slammed on the brakes, turned the wheel and hit the gas all in the span of a few seconds while the tires screamed. We made it around the sharp curve without hitting a cone.

Damn, this is awesome.

Finally, the straight-away -- I hit the gas harder this time, getting into the 40s before slamming on the brakes right before hitting the giant stop cones.

You probably went for it more than anyone else I rode with, Officer Chris Ehrhorn would say after my fifth trip around the course.

Again, please.

***

During Day 3 of the spring 2016 Citizen Academy 3.0, the Lincoln Police Department trusted 12 regular people to drive their cruisers. The three-hour class on how to operate emergency vehicles during pursuits was a highlight for many of the Citizen Academy students.

This is the greatest day of my life, community advocate Steph Janiak proclaimed with a smile.

Police Capt. Mayde McGuire, who organized all 10 days of the citizen academy, seemed as happy as Janiak.

"I'm excited to see you guys out there."

LPD brought back the program after a years-long hiatus.

We felt that part of being transparent in light of 21st century policing was to allow citizens to have a better understanding of police functions, McGuire said. We wanted to create a conduit of communication between law enforcement and the community the department serves.

Nineteen people, including community advocates, college students, attorneys and one print journalist, spent three hours a week for 10 weeks learning how the department operates.

Participants also visited Lincoln Fire and Rescue and the new Lancaster County jail.

Each class had a different topic.

One day, the class toured Fire Station 1 downtown and climbed a firetruck ladder. Lessons that day included these: 85 percent of LFR's calls are for medical emergencies, and 60 percent of cardiac arrest victims survive, a rate much higher than for other cities Lincoln's size.

Another day, the class broke into groups of two and shadowed correctional officers at the jail, walking side-by-side with inmates awaiting trial or sentencing, learning how to operate security in the jail and watching people who were arrested be processed.

But for many academy-goers, the time at the Lancaster County Sheriffs Office shooting range for three hours of shoot/no shoot training and information on Lincoln's "use of control" policy was the most important.

***

I stood in the LSO range, a gun loaded with blanks in my hand. The Kevlar vest weighed me down and the gun felt foreign, even though I had shot before.

Dispatch has just called you; theres a report of a suspicious person in the parking lot of a car shop, Sgt. Ryan Dale told me. Now go.

He opened the door, and my heart nearly jumped out of my throat.

What am I doing?

The sun had already gone down, and I couldn't see much. I walked slowly to my left, my back against the buildings wall, as I scanned the parking lot. A black figure crouched by a car, rummaging through a backpack.

Hi, Im Officer Nichole Manna with the Lincoln Police 

What do you want? the man interrupted angrily.

He stood and started walking toward me, picking up his pace as he got closer, his hands still in the bag.

What's in that bag?

Sir, please drop the bag," I shouted, my voice shaky. "Let me see your hands.

I dont want to get it dirty, he replied.

I tried to reason with him, but he started running toward me. I backed up.

Dont turn your back.

I reached down and touched my gun.

I thought I was prepared, but before I knew it, he was a foot in front of me and I nearly fell over. I cant remember what he said, but he pulled a wallet out of the bag.

Oh thank God.

I let my guard down, and before I could think again, he pulled a handgun and shot me six times from a couple of feet away.

What could you have done to change this situation? Dale asked.

I had no answer.

***

I think one of the most unexpected things I learned was how little information these agencies are running on in terms of what somebody reports and what their response is, Janiak said after the shoot/no shoot training. Theyre making those split-second decisions based on little to no information. Going outside in the dark, youre looking for a suspicious person, figure it out and its really intense because that entire time youve got a real person in front of you and youre thinking, Is he reaching for a cellphone or is it a gun? That to me was probably one of the most eye-opening experiences.

Participant Micheal Thompson also left class that day with a new perspective.

When we did the simulation, I shot the guy, he said. I think the average citizen really doesnt understand those pressures, they dont see what leads up to those incidents.

Thompson is a member of the city's Police Advisory Board, which reviews complaints against LPD and makes recommendations on policy changes. The board also advocates for people while keeping the police department transparent and holding it accountable, Thompson said. Two other advisory board members participated in the academy as well.

Just because we may see something on TV or in the paper, it really doesnt give you what actually led up to it, he said. When youre looking at the police department, fire department and county corrections, those guys are under a lot of stress.

This will allow me to ask some additional questions, he said. "On the other hand, if the police officer tells us something and it doesn't sound right, I can now say, 'Well, in Citizen Academy, we were told it should be handled this way.'"

***

On the day we toured the Lancaster County Correctional Center, most of us were pretty nervous and out of our comfort zones. We couldn't bring our cellphones, keys or notebooks into the jail and were told to follow a dress code that barred shorts and low-cut shirts.

We spent three hours walking around the jail, two academy participants paired with one correctional officer.

An inmate whistled when we walked through an open pod. Others stared at us and I looked away shyly, realizing I had written about many of the guys now sitting at tables in front of me.

Lindsay Spaulding, a community advocate for victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse, walked through with an open mind and said she was surprised to see how clean and well-run the county jail is.

It was amazing at how confident the guards were, she said. The ability to go two on one with a guard in there and be with the inmates was terrifying at first, then completely normal once we got in there. I was completely surprised by that.

The experience allowed Spaulding to put herself in the officers' shoes.

Its not something Ill easily forget.

The jail can hold as many as 786 inmates and on this day -- June 9 -- it held 603, Jail Administrator Brad Johnson told the class. At least 26 correctional officers work on first and second shifts, with 21 on third.

"Once you get a look behind the scenes, you see how much they are assigned with so few people," said Sheri Irwin Gish, executive director of communications, marketing and external relations at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

***

LPD is planning a Spring 2017 Citizen Academy and is looking for people who reflect Lincoln's diversity and want to learn about the department.

To me, it seems so logical that as a community member who depends on these entities, (people should) do the class. Its a good experience, said Melinda Stone, development director at the Eastmont Towers Foundation and a Citizen Academy graduate. Theres lots of ways to get involved, like volunteering, but having this understanding is so important for citizens, especially if we are making decisions of what their budget is.

Stone said her biggest takeaway has to do with how she'll vote.

I understand now the need to have better facilities, more staffing and I see how they are good stewards of our tax dollars."

Spaulding said the program helped her understand local emergency responders.

I still hold onto some of the views that I had before. I still think police brutality exists in this country and thats still a huge issue ... but what I learned through this is that our police department does a lot to train their officers on how to combat stereotypes ... they told us what the police go through in training to break down stereotypes and learn how to act to that. Thats huge.

An online application will be created later this year for those wanting to attend the next class. There is no cost and applicants can go to the city website for more information when it's available.

I think if you go in with an open mind and are willing to let the experience change you, youre going to learn so much, Janiak said.
the national interest

This Is Not the Political Violence That Should Scare Us

This Is Not the Political Violence That Should Scare Us
Three prison workers received medical treatment and the Nebraska State Penitentiary was locked down after an inmate assaulted them Tuesday afternoon, according to a Nebraska Department of Correctional Services spokeswoman.

Around 2 p.m., a maximum-security general population inmate began punching a correctional officer in the face, Dawn-Renee Smith said in a news release.

Two other staff members in the area were struck while trying to help the officer, Smith said.

They subdued the inmate using physical force, she said.

The first staff member was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Smith said.

The two assisting staff, who also suffered non-life-threatening injuries, also "sought outside medical attention," Smith said.

The department will conduct the criminal investigation and forward results to the Lancaster County Attorney's Office.

Smith did not release the names of the staff members and the inmate involved.

In addition to Tuesday's incident, multiple reports indicate general unrest among the population and threats of physical violence toward staff, Smith said in the release.

State penitentiary officials locked down the prison Aug. 2 after a group of inmates converged on staff and refused to leave the yard.

A tower guard fired a warning shot to break up the incident, officials said.

After Tuesday's incident, prison officials locked down the medium/maximum housing units in the facility, Smith said.

That means movement is strictly limited, and the affected units house about half the inmate population.

Their meals will be served in their cells tonight. No visits will be held on Wednesday.

The penitentiary's administrators will continue to monitor the situation to determine when movement will resume, Smith said.

In the release, Director Scott Frakes said lockdowns such as this one are safety measures to protect staff, inmates and the public.

"Though perceived as punishment, I don't authorize lockdowns to punish people," Frakes said. "They are done to regain control of a facility, or, in this case, prevent actions that could lead to people getting hurt."
Twelve people were arrested or cited in Lincoln on July 29 as a part of the National Johns Suppression Initiative aimed at reducing sex trafficking.

They included a Lincoln Public Schools teacher, a man who taught classes at the University of Nebraska at Kearney and a Lincoln attorney, according to the Lincoln Police Department.

The operation by agencies across the country rescued 32 underage girls lured into human trafficking, helped 58 adult victims find services and made 71 arrests for human trafficking and 1,358 for sex solicitation, according to the Cook County Sheriff's Office in Illinois. More than 1,300 charges were given ranging from ordinance violations to felonies.

This is the 12th national operation, which Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart launched in 2011 to target buyers of sex.

Since then, more than 5,800 johns have been arrested by more than 70 agencies in 12 states.

In Lincoln, seven people were arrested for solicitation of prostitution and four for prostitution.

Dwain Borchers, 58, who retired in 2011 as wrestling coach at Northeast High School and was still teaching physical education there, was among those arrested. Lincoln Public Schools confirmed Borchers was employed with the school system when he was arrested but no longer is. He worked for LPS for 23 years.

Police arrested Cory Walcott, chairman of the Military Science Department at UNK. Walcott taught at the school through an arrangement with the ROTC and was paid by the corps, said UNK spokeswoman Kelly Bartling. He has resigned since the arrest, she said.

Vincent Valentino, 66, was also cited in the bust, police said. Valentino represents clients in discrimination and governmental litigation and worked as a prosecutor for 15 years.

Neither Borchers, Walcott nor Valentino has been charged.

Arrested for felonies in the local operation were Maurice Briggs, 40, of Ralston, who was arrested on suspicion of pandering, and Scottie Hodtwalker, 47, of Lincoln, who has been charged with felony solicitation of prostitution for having a prior conviction.

The Journal Star is naming those arrested on suspicion of committing felonies, the former prosecuting attorney and the two who were in positions of authority at schools.

Lincoln Police Officer Katie Flood said no minors were rescued or involved in the local operation. The ages of the four women charged with prostitution range from 23 to 36.

In Illinois, Cook County Sheriff's investigators arrested a 15-year-old trying to buy sex. The Las Vegas Metro Police Department rescued 22 girls, police in Oakland, California, arrested a john who left his 7-year-old daughter in the car and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation rescued a 12-year-old girl who had been abducted in Texas and trafficked to Tennessee.

Sixty percent of arrests stemmed from online advertisements, Dart said.

The initiative also focused on ensuring all victims of sex trafficking were connected with appropriate social services.

Prostitution is defined as a person willingly exchanging sex for money. Sex trafficking happens when a commercial sex act takes place through force, fraud or coercion by a trafficker.

This is the third time in the past year Lincoln police have gotten involved in the nationwide initiative.

In September, they arrested 16 men, two for felony solicitation of prostitution. In February, 13 people were arrested, including six would-be sex buyers and two people for pandering after driving women to hotels for prostitution.
The Texas Rangers are investigating whether an offer by McLennan County Commissioner Will Jones to personally reimburse his primary opponents $1,250 filing fee in exchange for his withdrawal from the race warrants criminal prosecution.

The Tribune-Herald first reported Jones offer to West resident Ben Matus in January. Jones went on to reclaim his Precinct 3 slot by winning almost 56 percent of the vote in the Republican primary against Matus, a former West City Council member and an auto repair instructor at Texas State Technical College.

It is unclear why an investigation is being launched six to seven months after the allegations surfaced, but Jones attorney, Jim Dunnam, confirmed that Texas Ranger Patrick Pena has interviewed Jones as part of the Rangers investigation.

Jones declined comment on the investigation Tuesday, deferring to statements he made about the incident in January.

He has cooperated with law enforcement and everybody who has asked him for information in an official capacity, Dunnam said. He has answered all the questions. It is my understanding that from day one, he has fully cooperated and he has been open and candid about everything that happened.

Matus initially said Tuesday he had heard nothing else about Jones offer since the March primary election. Later, however, when asked if he had been interviewed by a Texas Ranger, Matus said, I will have to decline comment about that. Matus continued to decline comment when asked other questions about the investigation, including whether he asked McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reynas office to pursue the matter.

Pena declined comment Tuesday, saying Department of Public Safety policy precludes him from discussing open cases.

Neither Reyna nor his first assistant, Michael Jarrett, returned phone calls to their office Tuesday.

Matus said in January that Jones texted him several times and called him in December.

He was serious. He offered to pay me to drop out of the race, Matus said at the time. He kind of blindsided me. He told me I was wasting my time and money, and I kind of got agitated. It is my time and my money. He said it is a losing cause, but it made me want to run against him even more.

Jones said in January he offered to reimburse Matus the cost of his filing fee if Matus would pull out of the race.

I did say that I would refund his money, and I told him that would be a good idea for him, Jones said at the time. There is no way it could be considered a bribe. There is nothing wrong about it.

When asked in January how he would describe the offer, Jones said: Again, I dont think what I said was a bribe. It was a simple business transaction. The guy obviously has nothing to run on, thats the thing. I called him up and said, Why do you want to run against me? He said he didnt know. Wouldnt you want to do some research before you file to run for an office and to know what the job entails?

Matus said he had an app on his cellphone that records all his incoming calls. Jones offer to reimburse Matus the price of his filing fee is part of an eight-minute call recorded by Matus on Dec. 1, two weeks before the primary filing deadline. Matus allowed the Tribune-Herald to review the recording.

After Matus said he was told that his filing fee was not refundable, Jones said on the recording, I will refund your money. My wife and I have talked about this and if you want out, I will refund your money.

Matus also has a text message sent by Jones on Dec. 15 that says: You can still withdraw your name today. My offer still stands.

Matus said he chose at the time not to file a complaint or report the incident to the district attorneys office.

Recusals

Judge Matt Johnson of Wacos 54th State District Court said Tuesday that Reyna approached him last week about getting a special prosecutor appointed to look into potential criminal charges against Jones. Reyna, who said he would recuse his office from involvement in the matter, suggested an assistant from the attorney generals office for the appointment.

But, before Reyna could recuse his office, Johnson recused himself and took no action on the request because of his friendship with Jones, the judge said.

Johnson asked Billy Ray Stubblefield, the regional administrative judge, to appoint a judge to hear the potential case against Jones. Stubblefield appointed retired State District Judge James E. Morgan, of Comanche, to preside in an unfiled cause: In the Matter of Will Jones, according to an order filed Aug. 3.

Morgan said Tuesday afternoon he had not appointed a special prosecutor in the matter.

Jones, who is unopposed in the November general election, will take the oath of office in January. As part of their oaths of office, county and state officials are required to file what is known as an anti-bribery statement, which says, in part, that they have not directly or indirectly paid, offered, promised to pay, contributed or promised to contribute any money or thing of value, or promised any public office or employment for the giving or withholding of a vote at the election at which I was elected or as a reward to secure my appointment or confirmation.

I still feel comfortable taking the oath, Jones said Tuesday. I dont have any problem with the oath whatsoever.

Dunnam said he thinks it is important that the voters were aware of the allegations against Jones and returned him to office.

This was evidently an issue in the campaign, and the voters basically noted that it was not something that they thought was significant, Dunnam said. I think they appreciated his cooperation and honesty about it.

According to the Texas Penal Code, a person commits the offense of bribery if he intentionally or knowingly offers, confers, or agrees to confer on another, or solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept from another any benefit as consideration for the recipients decision, opinion, recommendation, vote or other exercise of discretion as a public servant, party official or voter.

A political candidate is considered a public servant under Texas law.

Bribery is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Attempted bribery is a third-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
An Arizona man remained in the Lancaster County jail Tuesday night after a state trooper found 19 bags of methamphetamine in his car during an Interstate 80 traffic stop early Tuesday, according to court documents.

The Nebraska State Patrol trooper pulled over 22-year-old Adrian G. Vazquez, of Nogales, who was eastbound just west of Lincoln for going 83 mph in a 65 mph zone just after 1 a.m., the trooper wrote in an affidavit.

Vasquez, the only person in the car, told the trooper he didnt have his license on him and gave the trooper a rental agreement, the affidavit said.

During a check, the trooper discovered Vasquez was wanted on a warrant out of Arizona for violating his parole.

After learning this, the trooper asked to search the rental car, which was registered to someone else, the affidavit said.

The trooper said he found a bag with less than an ounce of marijuana between the drivers seat and the center console.

In the trunk, the trooper found a black traveling bag containing the bags of meth.

The troopers affidavit didnt specify the total amount of meth found in the vehicle.

Vasquez was taken to jail on suspicion of possession of meth with intent to distribute.

Prosecutors charged him Tuesday afternoon, and a judge set his bond at $100,000.
William Boyd Ridings was sworn in Tuesday as the new representative for Precinct 4 on the Bellmead City Council, after a 3-1 vote to appoint him to the open seat.

Two residents applied for the position that was vacated by Ernest Butch Anz, who left his post for health reasons after about two months in office.

Bellmead resident Sandy Jordan also sought to serve in the seat for the remainder of the term.

Ridings, 67, who is retired, said hes not a rocket scientist, but he would be proud to serve and help in any way. He said he has lived in Bellmead just about all his adult life and lived in Precinct 4 for the past 40 years.

The term for the vacant seat ends in May 2018. Precinct 4 includes Brame Park and much of the citys area on the east side of Interstate 35, bounded by Loop 340 and State Highway 31.

Before selecting the new council member, the council asked each candidate a few questions.

Mayor Pro Tem Doss Youngblood questioned Jordans residency.

Jordan, 67, a real estate broker, said she has been working to obtain a home since late last year. Jordan said she has possession of the property, which is located in Precinct 4, but there is an issue with the title and she has not moved in.

Youngblood asked if she lived in Precinct 4.

Im pretty much homeless right now, Jordan said, adding she is bouncing between locations until her home is ready.

Youngblood also asked if she planned to resign her seat from the Bellmead Economic Development Corp. if elected.

Jordan said she has been active in the corporation since its inception and had not considered resigning.

Youngblood said that per city charter, no more than three council members can serve on the board of the corporation, and there are already three board members on the council.

City Manager Bo Thomas said that rule is actually found in the corporations bylaws, not the city charter.

Before taking a motion to select a new council member, Mayor Gary Moore read the section of the charter outlining residency requirements for council members, which states a person must live in that precinct for at least two years.

Thomas said after the meeting that Jordan met the residency requirements to serve.

Council member Alfreda Love made a motion to select Jordan as the new Precinct 4 council member, but her motion failed because of a lack of a second. Council member Mark Pace then made a motion to select Ridings.

Love was the only member of the council to vote against Ridings selection. Council member Travis Gibson was not at the meeting.

Also during the meeting, Jordan was the only person to speak at the first public hearing on the citys proposed tax rate. The city plans to keep the tax rate the same, at 30.3761 cents per $100 of property value.

The effective tax rate, which is the rate that would bring in the same amount of money to the city as the tax rate in the current fiscal year, is 28.6441 cents per $100 of property value. The rollback rate, the highest the county could have adopted without triggering a possible election to approve the rate, is 30.4050 cents per $100 of property value.

Jordan said the city is in need of many things, and the council needs to consider how they will pay for those items in the coming years.

I think that the tax rate has been held down for a very long time, she said.

The second public hearing on the rate is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 16 at the Bellmead City Hall council chambers, 3015 Bellmead Drive. The council is set to vote on the tax rate Aug. 30.

Residents May 7 voted for the city to roll the tax rate back almost 2 cents, from 31.86 cents per $100 of property value to the current rate. Moore collected the required signatures to trigger the referendum. Voters then approved the lower tax rate of 30.3761 cents per $100 of property value.

-----

If you go

What: Second public hearing on Bellmeads proposed tax rate of 30.3761 cents per $100 of property value

When: 6:30 p.m. Aug. 16

Where: Bellmead City Hall, 3015 Bellmead Drive
Two Texas State Technical College students suffered stab wounds after an altercation in a campus residence hall late Wednesday morning, TSTC Provost Adam Hutchison said.

At about 10:30 a.m., witnesses reported hearing a loud altercation on the second floor of Lavaca Hall, off Second Street on the schools campus. The disturbance led to the stabbing with a small knife before both students were taken to an area hospital with injuries.

I heard screaming when I was laying in my bed, so I woke up and I look through the peep hole and I see (one student) knock on the door and I see (another student) answer the door, TSTC student Jimmy Fite said. (One student who knocked on the door) said, Why did you rip me off? This is a robbery, and the other kid said, No, this isnt a robbery. 

A fight broke out in the residence hallway before Fites neighboring resident shut his dorm room door, Fite said. The disturbance continued before the student reopened the door.

This time, he is holding a small, almost like a Swiss Army knife, Fite said. Then all of a sudden, all the cops are here.

Fite said he saw the student inside the dorm room stab the other student multiple times. The student who allegedly stabbed the other student also suffered a stab wound to his hand, witnesses said.

Hutchison confirmed two TSTC students were involved and injured in the reported stabbing. TSTC police are investigating the incident as both students were rushed to a local hospital.

About 3,000 students are on campus for summer courses, Hutchison said. He said the schools main priority is the safety of all students and guests on campus.

Police are still working the scene to make sure they collect all the evidence, but we have also contacted our counseling department to make sure we have people available in case anyone, employees or students, need someone to talk to, Hutchison said. As far as I understand it, this was an isolated incident and there are not any other threats at this point.

The campus remained open throughout Wednesday and classes and activities conditioned as scheduled. College officials credited TSTC police for their quick response and containment of the situation.

No information about the students involved was available by Wednesday evening. TSTC officials said the incident remains under investigation.
Radio commentators and politicians stirring up the uninformed and the gullible would have everyone believe that the greatest threats to Texans in coming years are the loss of our guns and religious liberty. But a far more likely threat to our republic is the tightening of public transparency laws regarding what government actually does with our tax dollars.

For instance, down in the border town of McAllen, neither everyday taxpayers nor the press can learn just how much the city spent in taxpayer dollars to hire Enrique Iglesias to sing during the citys Dec. 5 holiday parade. And as The Texas Tribune reports, other governmental entities are beginning to show the same lack of public disclosure, such as a Kaufman County school districts hiding details regarding a food-service deal.

We remember when such information was readily available, all to the benefit of the public paying the bills. Now its no longer a sure thing. In an astonishingly bungled 7-1 Texas Supreme Court decision last year, the high court made it easier for private companies to keep their lucrative contracts with governmental entities hidden, especially if contract details might leave such companies vulnerable to competitors.

Our advice: If private companies fear such disclosures, they shouldnt contract with governmental entities, which should be all about transparency and accountability.

We brand the ruling bungled because the Texas Supreme Court sided with a contention by the aerospace manufacturer Boeing that the release of information concerning its lease with the Port Authority of San Antonio might aid Boeings competitors. However, as the sole dissenting justice on the court made clear, the lease at issue has been fully executed since 1998, continues until 2018 and is not currently or imminently subject to any competitive bidding process.

Whats more, dissenting Justice Jeff Boyd accurately noted that Boeing has not identified any particular federal contract for which it is currently or will soon be competing or any competitor against whom it is or will be competing for such a contract. Nor has Boeing shown any actual specific advantage that any competitor would receive by obtaining the information. And while he acknowledged that competition among aerospace firms might be unlike other competitive ventures, thats still no justification for hiding from the public the finer arrangements with the port authority.

Finally, while its still debated between legal experts, the prevailing opinion of state attorneys general in the past has generally held that exceptions to the Texas Public Information Act are invoked to protect a governmental bodys ability to handle certain transactions (such as real-estate matters, at least during the negotiation process)  not to protect private parties that may be conducting business with government.

Were surprised tea-party types have not raised an uproar about this. Those who believe in transparency should rally to the side of Republican state Rep. Giovanni Capriglione and Democratic state Rep. Terry Canales, reportedly working with open-records advocates on legislation to patch up this hole created by the Texas Supreme Court during the next session. As Capriglione recently noted, Accountability starts with your ability to see how the government spends your money.

The courts decision also gives us good reason to balk at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps list of nominees for the U.S. Supreme Court, given that Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett is among them. Fair or not, our states high court is regularly accused of siding with corporations against individuals. In this case, though, its ruling commits a sin running counter to the interests of Texas public at large.
God is a Republican

Trib columnist Glynn Beatys Aug. 5 column is wrong in stating, Neither party has a monopoly on God. First, he uses the Bible to point out that life begins at conception. He acknowledges that abortion is the taking of human life and murder. He clearly understands abortion kills a human being and is against God. Then he denies the Democratic Party platform is against God.

Sorry, but the Ten Commandments have no qualifiers on Thou shall not kill.

The Republican Party is pro-life, as stated in its 2016 platform. In contrast, the Democratic Party platform stresses protecting and advancing reproductive health, rights and justice. It says Democrats believe unequivocally, like the majority of Americans, that every woman should have access to quality reproductive health care services, including safe and legal abortion  regardless of where she lives, how much money she makes or how she is insured. We believe that reproductive health is core to womens, mens and young peoples health and well-being.

In fact, the Democratic Party is extreme on abortion. Their almost limitless support for abortion includes opposition to simple abortion clinical safety procedures, support for taxpayer-funded abortion and rejection of pregnancy resource centers that provide abortion alternatives. The old Clinton mantra of safe, legal and rare has been reduced to just legal. Democrats are against any laws that limit abortion.

While both parties have their problems, the Republican platform protects life from conception to natural death. Beaty should heed the Bible warning, Isaiah 5:20-21: Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Woe unto them who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight.

Sixty million American babies are dead from legal abortion, the population of several states combined. The Democratic Party celebrates death. This does not sit well with my God, the God of life. Protecting life is godly and biblical, and the Republican Party platform clearly protects life. The Republican Party has taken the godly position,

Ellen Staniszewski, Thornton

Keep em in lockup!

Well, so much for gun control. First, I am very pro-Second Amendment. I am appalled that the liberals and Democrats scream for more gun control. Yet President Obama commutes the sentences of two felons, one of whom was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

What we need is not more gun-control legislation, just enforcement of the laws we have. And let the sentences of those convicted run their course. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for those two felons to land back in our criminal justice system. I pray no one becomes a victim in the interim.

Doug Jones, Woodway
ASHLAND  Dr. Lacey Mink started college as a business major, but an assignment put her on the path to her ultimate career choice as a chiropractor.

The Valentine native had to find a small business owner to study for a class project at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She chose a chiropractor in Lincoln who was originally from her hometown. The doctor eventually offered her a job as an assistant, and Minks future as a chiropractor was set.

I fell in love with it, she said.

It wasnt the first time Mink had thought about chiropractic as a career. She lived next door to a chiropractor while growing up in Valentine and researched the subject before college. But she wasnt sure that was the path she wanted to take, so she majored in business instead.

After graduating from UNL, Mink attended Logan Chiropractic, now known as Logan University, in St. Louis. With her doctor of chiropractic degree in hand, she went back to the same chiropractic office where she had worked during college.

She spent three and a half years as an associate chiropractor in Lincoln before setting up her own practice, Family Chiropractic Solutions, last February in Ashland.

Minks husband, Ryan Mink, grew up in rural Greenwood and attended Ashland-Greenwood Public Schools. After the couple lived in Lincoln for a few years, they realized they were spending more time in Ashland and Greenwood than in Lincoln. So they moved to Ashland where they can spend more time with family and enjoy outdoor activities, she said.

Operating a business in a small town has its benefits, Mink said.

You can connect with people and talk with them more, she said.

Mink hopes to connect with more people when she holds a ribbon cutting and open house on Friday, Aug. 19 from 5:15 p.m. to 7 p.m.

At the open house, the public can learn about what Mink has to offer at Family Chiropractic Solutions.

Mink focuses on spinal remodeling, where adjustments, special postural care, traction devices and other methods realign spines that become out of place over time.

I would say were extremely focused in that area alone, she said.

Millions of people suffer from back pain, a leading reason why patients seek chiropractic care.

The stats on low back pain and neck pain are through the roof, she said.

Minks goal is to reduce pain by correcting the changes in the spine that occur when it is out of position. Once the spine is back in position, treatment will keep the spine stabilized, like an orthodontic retainer does after braces are removed from teeth.

Its a new position for the body, she said.

Prevention is also a key part of Minks practice, as well as improving overall health.

I like that theres this field where we can help people get more balance, she said.

Mink also enjoys the idea of following her mothers footsteps into the health care field. Her mother is a nurse.

Like my mom, I like caring for people, she said.
ALVO  The Alvo Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department will be hosting the Best Little Car Show in Nebraska Aug. 13.

This is the 15th year for the show to be held on Main Street in Alvo.

Alvo Fire Chief Rick Koutecky is inviting all car collectors to drive to Alvo and spend the day. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and will continue until noon. Pre-entry fee is $12 and day of the show fee is $15.

The first 50 entrants will receive dash plaques he said.

The public is invited to view the cars from 12 to 4 p.m. Trophy awards will be held at 3:30 p.m. Awards will be given to Best Mopar, Best Chevy, Best Ford, Best Import, Best Interior, Best Paint, and Best of Show.

The morning will begin with an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast served in the fire station from 7 to 10 p.m.

Lunch will be served beginning at 11:30 a.m. continuing throughout the afternoon at the fire station. Custom t-shirts will also be made during the show.

First and second place trophies will be awarded in each class at the end of the day.

Classes include Street Rods, American  Stock; American  Modified; Corvette, Mustang, Trucks, Motorcycles, and Import  Stock.

We had a good turn out last year, he said. We are hoping for the same thing this year.

Koutecky said earlier that with Highway 63 scheduled to be resurfaced next year, they would have to move the location for the car show.

We are working out details just where to have it, he said. But we plan to have one.

For more information, contact Koutecky at 402-326-1714 or 402-781-2959.
A 34-year-old Lincoln woman who was accused by police of selling cocaine will not be charged. Lancaster County Attorney Joe Kelly said there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the charges against Brooke Kimball.

She was arrested with three other people when Lincoln police officers served search warrants at two homes over the weekend, according to probable cause affidavits for their arrests.

Kimball has been released from jail.

Prosecutors charged four other people with selling cocaine after police served four search warrants during the narcotics investigation. Those warrants were at 846 Lamont Drive, an apartment at 7110 Van Dorn St., an apartment at 8301 Sunridge Road, and at 3101 N. 58th St.

The searches came after an undercover officer bought 149.9 grams of cocaine over four months from a man who said his supplier was Lance Allen, 38, documents say.

In total at all four addresses, officers found about 9 ounces of cocaine; three guns, one of which was stolen from AAA Pawn in December; numerous boxes of ammunition and a loaded magazine; paraphernalia; and more than $14,000 believed to have been obtained through selling narcotics, documents say.

Allen, a convicted felon, was charged Friday with delivering a controlled substance, delivering a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of money while violating state law and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Desiree Blanchard, 35, Lawrence Allen, 35, and Roaul Brown, 45, were charged with possession with the intent to deliver cocaine. Brown was also charged with possession of money while violating state law.

Ciara Dykes, 20, was arrested on suspicion of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, but prosecutors have not yet charged her.

All five have bonded out of jail.
Motorists who use 16th and 17th streets to skirt the edge of downtown will have more company soon.

Beginning Thursday, some 25,000 University of Nebraska-Lincoln students will begin moving back into dormitories and fraternity and sorority houses on campus, causing traffic slowdowns and backups in high-traffic areas.

The move-in will close lanes on both one-way streets -- 16th heading south and 17th heading north, UNL spokesman Steve Smith said.

Students and parents should plan for delays, because parking near many residence halls is limited, Smith said.

Classes for the 2016-17 academic year begin Aug. 22.

Construction will continue into the school year on several projects on campus, as well, which could add to traffic slowdowns. Work continues on the $33 million 17th Street Dining Complex just north of Knoll Hall, which will continue into 2017, and on construction of a new $84 million home for the College of Business Administration overlooking 14th and Vine streets.

Work continues on several projects on East Campus, including a new residence hall to replace aging Burr and Fedde halls.

Meanwhile, construction is winding down on two large off-campus student housing projects, where students will also be moving in over the next week. Combined, 8N Lofts at Eighth and N and Aspen Lincoln at 18th and P streets will add 1,200 beds to the space available for students living downtown.

On campus, members of UNLs sororities can begin moving into their chapter houses on Thursday, while women participating in Greek recruitment activities can move onto campus beginning at noon on Sunday.

Upperclassmen in fraternities can move into chapter houses next week, on Tuesday and Wednesday, while first-year students who pledged this summer can move into the chapter houses on Aug. 18.

Officials said alley construction south of R Street in the area will cut off access to parking lots used by some members of UNLs Greek community, pushing more unloading onto the street.

Next week, students assigned to even-numbered floors in UNLs traditional, apartment and suite-style residence halls can begin move-in on Aug. 18, while students assigned to odd-number floors will move in on Aug. 19.

To make move-in easier, UNL is asking families to bring no more than two vehicles and not bring everything at the beginning of the semester, if possible.
Nancy Hicks Reporter Nancy Hicks reports on Lincoln city government, but shes been following the leaders of local and state government for more than 40 years. Follow Nancy Hicks Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

Ed Binder is retiring. Again.

Binder is a familiar face, sitting behind the front desk as you enter the County-City Building on South 10th Street, where he greets everyone with a ready hello and instructions on how to get to a specific office if you need a little help.

Binder, 92, has been volunteering at the information desk for 19 years, and before that he helped in the assessor's office and before that he helped create the volunteer of the month program.

And before that he was a state leader.

Binder is a retired major general in the Nebraska Army National Guard, the adjutant general who led the guard from 1973 to 1983, during the tough recruiting years after the Vietnam War and in 1978 when women were given the same opportunities as men.

In 1982 Binder assigned Roma Amundson to command the 67th Signal Detachment, the first female commander of a National Guard unit in the state.

Amundson, now a Lancaster County commissioner, helped honor Binder during Tuesday's County Board meeting.

Binder will end his volunteering years at a reception on Thursday, his 93rd birthday. The reception will be 11 a.m. to noon in Room 113, on the first floor of the City-County Building.

Cut lobbyist and Casady, LIBA suggests

Coby Mach, president and CEO of the Lincoln Independent Business Association, suggested cutting two expenses during the city's budget hearing on Monday -- the $105,000 the city spends on lobbying and the $167,000 salary for the public safety director position.

Tom Casady is the city's public safety director and Eric Gerrard and the O'Hara Lindsay lobbying firm handle lobbying for the city.

The council must find about $2 million in cuts a year -- from a $180 million tax-funded budget -- in order to avoid the small property tax rate hike that is part of Mayor Chris Beutlers proposed two-year budget. Thats around a 1 percent cut.

One of the ideas approved by the Republican majority of the council -- to cut about $1.2 million from the business and safety special revenue fund -- has met with great resistance from a number of businesses.

That fund is made up primarily of fees paid by businesses for permits and inspections and using that fund for other purposes could lead to higher fees.

So Mach offered some additional potential cuts from the mayors budget plan to replace using the building and safety fund.

Rather than having someone representing Lincoln interests during the legislative session, the city could handle lobbying by sending department heads or even council members to talk with senators, Mach said. The mayor himself is a former state senator, Mach noted.

Mach did not point out that LIBA has two registered lobbyists, who are compensated for their work and who spend time at the Legislature during the session, as any effective lobbyist must. One of those lobbyists is Mach himself.

When faced with tough choices the city could look at the public safety director position, since the city already has a police and fire chief and assistant chiefs, Mach suggested.

And the average cost for a full-time employee in the Fire and Rescue Department will top $100,000 for the first time next year, he said.

But Casady countered that Lincoln police and fire departments are lean at the top, compared to departments in similar-size cities.

You dont have to take my word for it. You can look at organizational charts, Casady told the council after Monday's hearing.

And Rick Hoppe, the mayors chief of staff, justified Casadys role and salary as public safety director. Casady is the city's highest-paid employee.

Since Casady became the public safety director, coordination between 911, the fire department and the police department has improved a great deal, Hoppe said.

Casady built enough confidence with the public that voters passed a quarter-cent sales tax increase, which will fund the new 911 radio system, three fire stations and one fire/police station.

"We think he is worth every single penny being invested in him in making our public safety forces the envy of many communities across the nation. Tom has done a great job," Hoppe said.

Benefits can be costly

One of City Councilman Jon Camps favorite examples of costs associated with city employees this budget season is the City-County Health Department, where there is $1.4 million in accrued sick leave and vacation time that would have to be paid out if everyone eligible for retirement retired this year.

Judy Halstead, director of the department, has also used health insurance costs to highlight how unexpected changes can affect her budget.

The city pays $20,000 a year on the premiums for an employee using a family health insurance plan. So if one of her employees, who has been covered by a spouse's health insurance plan, decides to switch to city health insurance next winter, it adds $20,000 to her budget, she said.

Health insurance is a big-ticket item in the city budget. The city will spend about $29.5 million next year on its share of health insurance premiums for city workers. The city's share ranges from 80 percent to 100 percent, depending on the type of plan and the union involved.
Your Ultimate Investing Toolkit

Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools:

Portfolio Monitoring

Top Stock Lists

Premium Reports

Stock Screeners

Live News Feed

Premium Support

Free for your first month.
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and Other segments. The Securities Services segment offers custody, trust and depositary, accounting, exchange-traded funds, middle-office solutions, transfer agency, services for private equity and real estate funds, foreign exchange, securities lending, liquidity/lending services, prime brokerage, and data analytics. This segment also provides trustee, paying agency, fiduciary, escrow and other financial, issuer, and support services for brokers and investors. The Market and Wealth Services segment offers clearing and custody, investment, wealth and retirement solutions, technology and enterprise data management, trading, and prime brokerage services; and clearance and collateral management services. This segment also provides integrated cash management solutions, including payments, foreign exchange, liquidity management, receivables processing and payables management, and trade finance and processing services. The Investment and Wealth Management segment offers investment management strategies and distribution of investment products, investment management, custody, wealth and estate planning, private banking, investment, and information management services. The Other segment engages in the provision of leasing, corporate treasury, derivative and other trading, corporate and bank-owned life insurance, renewable energy investment, and business exit services. It serves central banks and sovereigns, financial institutions, asset managers, insurance companies, corporations, local authorities and high net-worth individuals, and family offices. The company was founded in 1784 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
National Bank of Canada provides various financial products and services to retail, commercial, corporate, and institutional clients in Canada and internationally. It operates through four segments: Personal and Commercial, Wealth Management, Financial Markets, and U.S. Specialty Finance and International. The Personal and Commercial segment offers personal banking services, including transaction solutions, mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit, consumer loans, payment solutions, and savings and investment solutions; various insurance products; and commercial banking services comprise credit, and deposit and investment solutions, as well as international trade, foreign exchange transactions, payroll, cash management, insurance, electronic transactions, and complimentary services. The Wealth Management segment comprises investment solutions, trust services, banking services, lending services, and other wealth management solutions. The Financial Markets segment offers corporate banking, advisory, and capital markets services; and project financing, debt, and equity underwriting; advisory services in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, and financing. The U.S. Specialty Finance and International segment provides specialty finance products; financial products and services to individuals and businesses in Cambodia; and investment solutions, guaranteed investment certificates, mutual funds, notes, structured products, and monetization. It provides its services through a network of 384 branches and 927 banking machines. National Bank of Canada was founded in 1859 and is based in Montreal, Canada.
The following companies are subsidiares of Ecolab: AO Ecolab, Abednego Environmental Services, Abednego Environmental Services LLC, Abednego Mexico Holdings LLC, Abednego de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Alcide Corp., Anios America S.A., Anios Diffusion SAS, Anios Manufacturing SAS, Aqua Environmental Limited, Bioquell, Bioquell Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Bioquell Global Logistics (Ireland) Ltd., Bioquell Holding SAS, Bioquell Inc., Bioquell Limited, Bioquell SAS, Bioquell Technology (Shenzhen) Ltd., Bioquell Technology Canada Ltd., Bioquell UK Limited, Bro-Tech Limited, CALGON LLC, CID LINES NV, CID Lines, CID Lines Beijing Animal Hygiene Co Ltd., CID Lines France Sarl, CID Lines Iberica SL, CID Lines LLC, CID Lines Mexico S.A. DE C.V., CID Lines R&D NV, CID Lines Sp. z o. o., CORPAK MedSystems, Cascade Water Services, Champion Technologies, Chamtech L.L.C., Chemlawn, Chemstar Corporation, Cirlam BVBA, Copal Holding NV, Copal Invest NV, Cymru Holdings Limited, DERYPOL SA, DMD, E&M Bio-Chemicals LLC, ECOLAB NL 10 B.V., ECOLAB PEST FRANCE SAS, EPN Water Col Ltd., Ecolab (Antigua) Ltd., Ecolab (Aruba) N.V., Ecolab (Barbados) Limited, Ecolab (China) Investment Co. Ltd, Ecolab (Fiji) Pty Limited, Ecolab (GZ) Chemicals Limited, Ecolab (Guam) LLC, Ecolab (Proprietary) Limited, Ecolab (Schweiz) GmbH, Ecolab (St. Lucia) Limited, Ecolab (Taicang) Technology Co. Ltd., Ecolab (Trinidad and Tobago) Unlimited, Ecolab (U.K.) Holdings Limited, Ecolab A.E.B.E., Ecolab AB, Ecolab AU2 Pty Ltd, Ecolab Acquisition LLC, Ecolab ApS, Ecolab Argentina S.R.L., Ecolab Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Ecolab B.V., Ecolab Bahrain S.P.C., Ecolab CDN 2 Co., Ecolab CDN 4 ULC, Ecolab CH 1 GmbH, Ecolab CH 2 GmbH, Ecolab CH 3 GmbH in Liquidation, Ecolab CH 6 GmbH, Ecolab Chemicals Limited, Ecolab Co. Compagnie Ecolab, Ecolab Colombia S. A., Ecolab DE 1 GmbH, Ecolab Deutschland GmbH, Ecolab Digital Center Private Limited, Ecolab EOOD, Ecolab East Africa (Kenya) Limited, Ecolab East Africa (Tanzania) Limited, Ecolab East Africa (Uganda) Limited, Ecolab Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Ecolab Engineering GmbH, Ecolab Europe GmbH, Ecolab Export GmbH, Ecolab FR 1 SAS, Ecolab FR 4 SAS, Ecolab Finance Company Designated Activity Company, Ecolab Food Safety & Hygiene Solutions Private Limited, Ecolab G.K., Ecolab Global Business Services LLC, Ecolab GmbH, Ecolab Gulf FZE, Ecolab HK 1 Limited, Ecolab HK 2 Limited, Ecolab Hispano-Portuguesa S.L., Ecolab Holding Italy S.r.l., Ecolab Holdings (Europe) LLC, Ecolab Holdings Inc., Ecolab Holdings Mexico S. de R. L. de C. V., Ecolab Hygiene Kft., Ecolab Hygiene d.o.o., Ecolab International SDN BHD, Ecolab Israel Holdings LLC, Ecolab JVZ Limited, Ecolab Korea Ltd., Ecolab LLC, Ecolab LUX & Co Holdings S.C.A., Ecolab LUX 1 Sarl, Ecolab LUX 2 Sarl, Ecolab LUX 4 Sarl, Ecolab LUX 7 Sarl, Ecolab LUX Sarl, Ecolab Limited, Ecolab Ltd., Ecolab Lux 10 Sarl, Ecolab Lux 12 SCA, Ecolab Lux 13 Sarl, Ecolab Lux 14 Sarl, Ecolab Lux 15 Sarl, Ecolab Lux 16 Sarl, Ecolab Lux 17 Sarl, Ecolab Lux 9 Sarl, Ecolab Lux Partner LLC, Ecolab MT Holdings LLC, Ecolab MT Limited, Ecolab Malta 1 Limited, Ecolab Malta 2 Limited, Ecolab Malta GPS, Ecolab Manufacturing IE Limited, Ecolab Manufacturing Inc., Ecolab Manufacturing UK Limited, Ecolab Maroc Societe a Responsabilite Limitee, Ecolab NL 11 B.V., Ecolab NL 15 BV, Ecolab NL 16 B.V., Ecolab NL 23 B.V., Ecolab NL 3 BV, Ecolab Name Holding Limited, Ecolab New Zealand, Ecolab Peru Holdings S.R.L., Ecolab Pest Deutschland GmbH, Ecolab Philippines Inc., Ecolab Production Belgium B.V., Ecolab Production France SAS, Ecolab Production Italy Srl, Ecolab Production LLC, Ecolab Production Netherlands B.V., Ecolab Production Poland sp. z o.o., Ecolab Pte. Ltd., Ecolab Pty Ltd., Ecolab Quimica Ltda., Ecolab S. de R.L. de C.V., Ecolab S.A., Ecolab S.A. de C.V., Ecolab SAS, Ecolab SIA, Ecolab SNC, Ecolab SRL, Ecolab Sdn Bhd, Ecolab Services Argentina S.R.L., Ecolab Services Malaysia SDN. BHD., Ecolab Services Poland Sp. z o, Ecolab Sociedad Anonima, Ecolab Sp. z o, Ecolab Spain Services S.L.U., Ecolab Temizleme Sistemleri Limited Sirketi, Ecolab U.S. 2 Inc., Ecolab U.S. 6 LLC, Ecolab U.S. 7 LLC, Ecolab US 1 GP, Ecolab USA Inc., Ecolab Viet Nam Company Limited, Ecolab Water Holding LImited, Ecolab a.s., Ecolab d.o.o., Ecolab s.r.l., Ecolab s.r.o., Ecolab y Compania Colectiva de Responsabilidad Limitada, Ecolab-Importacao E. Exportacao Limitada, Ecolabone B.V., Ecolabtwo B.V., Endoclear Equipamentos Medicos Hospitalares Ltda., Enviroflo Engineering Limited, Food Protection Services, GCS Service, Gallay Medical & Scientific Pty Ltd, Gallay Medical & Scientific Pty Ltd., GallayTrac Pty. Ltd., Georgia-Pacific - Paper Chemicals Business, Gibson Chemical Industries, Green Harbour Mainland Holdings Ltd, Henkel-Ecolab, Hicopla SL, Holchem Laboratories, Huntington Laboratories, Hydenet SAS, INTERNATIONAL WATER CONSULTANT B.V., Immobiliare R.E.O.P.A. SRL, Instrunet Hospital SLU, Jianghai Environmental Protection Co., Jianghai Environmental Protection Co. Ltd., KATAYAMA NALCO INC., Kay BV, Kay Chemical Company, LHS (UK) Limited, Laboratoires Anios, Laboratoires Anios S.A.S., Laboratoires Anios-Distribution SAS, Les Produits Chimiques ERPAC Inc., Lobster Ink, Lobster Ink Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Lobster International S.A., MOBOTEC AB LLC, Master Chemicals OOO, Meratech Rus Group LLC, Microtek Dominicana S.A., Microtek Italy S.R.L., Microtek Medical B.V., Microtek Medical Holdings, Microtek Medical Holdings Inc., Microtek Medical Inc., Microtek Medical Malta Holding Limited, Microtek Medical Malta Limited, Midland Research Laboratories, NALCO (SHANGHAI) TRADING CO. LTD., NALCO AB, NALCO ACQUISITION ONE, NALCO ACQUISITION TWO LIMITED, NALCO AFRICA (PTY.) LTD., NALCO ASIA HOLDING COMPANY PTE. LTD., NALCO BELGIUM B.V., NALCO CHINA HOLDINGS LLC, NALCO COMPANY OOO, NALCO DANMARK APS, NALCO DE MEXICO S. de R. L. de C.V., NALCO DELAWARE COMPANY, NALCO DEUTSCHLAND GMBH, NALCO DUTCH HOLDINGS B.V., NALCO EGYPT LTD., NALCO EGYPT TRADING, NALCO ESPANOLA MANUFACTURING S.L.U., NALCO ESPANOLA S.L., NALCO EUROPE B.V., NALCO FINLAND MANUFACTURING OY, NALCO FINLAND OY, NALCO FRANCE SAS, NALCO FRANCE SNC, NALCO GLOBAL HOLDINGS B.V., NALCO GLOBAL HOLDINGS LLC, NALCO HOLDING B.V., NALCO HOLDING COMPANY, NALCO HOLDINGS G.m.b.H., NALCO HOLDINGS UK LIMITED, NALCO HONG KONG LIMITED, NALCO INDUSTRIAL OUTSOURCING COMPANY, NALCO INDUSTRIAL SERVICES (NANJING) CO. LTD., NALCO INDUSTRIAL SERVICES (SUZHOU) CO. LTD., NALCO INDUSTRIAL SERVICES (THAILAND) CO. LTD., NALCO INDUSTRIAL SERVICES CHILE LIMITADA, NALCO INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS B.V., NALCO INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC, NALCO INVESTMENTS U.K. LIMITED, NALCO ISRAEL INDUSTRIAL SERVICES LTD, NALCO ITALIANA HOLDINGS S.R.L., NALCO ITALIANA MANUFACTURING S.R.L., NALCO ITALIANA SrL, NALCO KOREA LIMITED, NALCO LIMITED, NALCO MANUFACTURING BETEILIGUNGS GMBH, NALCO MANUFACTURING LTD., NALCO NETHERLANDS B.V., NALCO OSTERREICH Ges m.b.H., NALCO OVERSEAS HOLDING B.V., NALCO PAKISTAN (PRIVATE) LIMITED, NALCO PHILIPPINES INC., NALCO PORTUGUESA (QUIMICA INDUSTRIAL) UNIPESSOAL LDA, NALCO PWS INC., NALCO SAUDI CO. LTD., NALCO TAIWAN CO. LTD., NALCO TWO INC., NALCO U.S. HOLDINGS LLC, NALCO UNIVERSAL HOLDINGS BV, NALCO WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS LLC, NALTECH INC., NANOSPECIALTIES LLC, NLC PROCESS AND WATER SERVICES SARL, Nalco (BN) SDN BHD, Nalco (China) Environmental Solution Co. Ltd., Nalco Anadolu Kimya Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Nalco Canada ULC, Nalco Company LLC (1), Nalco Contract Operations LLC, Nalco Deutschland Manufacturing GmbH, Nalco Japan G.K., Nalco Libya, Nalco Middle East FZE, Nalco Polska Sp. z o. o., Nalco Production LLC, Nalco Real Estate GmbH, Nalco Schweiz GmbH, Nalco US 1 LLC, Nalco Wastewater Contract Operations Inc., Nalco Water India Private Limited, Nalco Water Pretreatment Solutions LLC, Nalco Worldwide Holdings S.a.r.l./B.V., National Wiper Alliance Inc., Nigiko, Nuova Farmec S.r.l., Oksa Kimya Sanayi A.S., Oy Ecolab AB, PT Ecolab International Indonesia, PT Ecolab Technologies and Services, Purate business - AkzoNobel, Purolite, Purolite (China) Co. Ltd., Purolite (Int.) Ltd, Purolite (Pty) Ltd, Purolite AG, Purolite GmbH, Purolite Ileri Kimyasal Ticaret Ltd, Purolite KK, Purolite LLC, Purolite Ltd, Purolite NZ Limited, Purolite Private Limited, Purolite Pte. Ltd., Purolite Pty Ltd, Purolite S. de R.L. de C.V., Purolite SAS, Purolite SRL, Purolite do Brasil Ltda, Purolite s.r.o., Purolite sp. z o.o., Purolite C Corporation, QazSorbent LLP, Quantum Technical Services LLC, Quimicas Ecolab S.A. de C.V., Quimiproductos S.A. de C.V, RP Adam Ltd, Research Fumigation Co., Royal Pest Solutions, Shield Holdings Limited, Shield Medicare Limited, Soluscope International Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Soluscope SAS, Swisher Hygiene, TechTex Holdings Limited, Technical Textile Services Limited, Terminix, Ultrafab, VanBaele Hygiene AG, Wabasha Leasing LLC, Zhe Jiang Purosoft Home Appliances Sale Co Ltd, and vanBaerle Hygiene AG.

Read More
1 hour ago

Elon Musk takes over Twitter but where will he go from here?

Elon Musk has taken control of Twitter after a protracted legal battle and months of uncertainty. The question now is what the billionaire Tesla CEO will actually do with the social media platform. Musk gave one indication of where he's headed in a tweet Friday, saying no decisions on content or reinstating of accounts will be made until a content moderation council is put in place.

Read Article
Royal Bank of Canada operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. The company's Personal & Commercial Banking segment offers checking and savings accounts, home equity financing, personal lending, private banking, indirect lending, including auto financing, mutual funds and self-directed brokerage accounts, guaranteed investment certificates, credit cards, and payment products and solutions; and lending, leasing, deposit, investment, foreign exchange, cash management, auto dealer financing, trade products, and services to small and medium-sized commercial businesses. This segment offers financial products and services through branches, automated teller machines, and mobile sales network. Its Wealth Management segment provides a suite of advice-based solutions and strategies to high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals, and institutional clients. The company's Insurance segment offers life, health, home, auto, travel, wealth, annuities, and reinsurance advice and solutions; and business insurance services to individual, business, and group clients through its advice centers, RBC insurance stores, and mobile advisors; digital, mobile, and social platforms; independent brokers; and travel partners. Its Investor & Treasury Services segment provides asset servicing, custody, payments, and treasury services to financial and other investors; and fund and investment administration, shareholder, private capital, performance measurement and compliance monitoring, distribution, transaction banking, cash and liquidity management, foreign exchange, and global securities finance services. The company's Capital Markets segment offers corporate and investment banking, as well as equity and debt origination, distribution, advisory services, sale, and trading services for corporations, institutional investors, asset managers, private equity firms, and governments. The company was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
Waterford Fine Gael Senator John Cummins has described the progress which has been made on the purchase of the former Waterford Crystal site for...
Port of Waterford has estimated that it would generate 3.5m this summer with the return of cruise ships for the first time in two...
Christmas is such an important time for family reunions, but there are many of us for whom Christmas is also a time when those...
WATERFORD is the most sunny city in Ireland and the county is second in the sunshine league, being pipped to first place by our...
When it comes to clashes against North Melbourne, Hawks star Jordan Lewis knows what will be coming.

The blueprint for Saturday afternoon's match that neither team can afford to lose  for very different reasons  has been left dog-eared from one hard-edged battle after another between the teams. Lewis and his skipper, Luke Hodge, copped bans for striking after their round five encounter last year.

"We expect that from North Melbourne," said Lewis on Tuesday of the Kangaroos' physicality.

"Especially against us. They like to try to get under our skin.
Australians might have been pulling their hair out in frustration as they tried to access the census on Tuesday night, but their Prime Minister had no such difficulty.

Malcolm Turnbull proudly announced via Twitter at 7.17pm that he had completed the form online, adding that it was "[very] easy to do".

His fellow citizens did not respond lightly, with many taking to Twitter to vent their anger.
Thanks to the Journal Star for its timely and appropriate tribute to Lower Platte South Natural Resources District General Manager Glenn Johnson on his retirement ("Johnson left a legacy of partnership," July 25). As noted in the editorial, Glenns many years of service to Nebraskas natural resources is marked by leadership of the first order, consensus building and dedication to the common good.
Following the conclusion of the National nCEN training on 6th July 2016, Vanuatu Customs now joins Fiji Customs as the only two Customs Administrations in the Pacific region, and only 20 others in the World, to have implemented this Customs intelligence system. This historical event is a result of continuous consultation between Vanuatu Customs and the World Customs Organization (WCO) since early 2015. As Vanuatu is a member of the WCO, the system was provided free of charge while the training was delivered complimentary by the WCO.

Intelligence is the core to any Enforcement agency. Unfortunately Vanuatu Customs has never had an enabling tool, let alone, a computer system to assist with strengthening its intelligence capacity. Volumes of intelligence data are stored manually on the Customs computer network. However due to lack of automation, it is rather ineffective and cumbersome to conduct the analysis required to identify systematic trends on Customs offences. Furthermore, it is currently difficult for front line Officers to effectively identify past offenders as such information is not readily accessible.

The National Customs Enforcement Network (nCEN) is a system developed by the WCO to assist Customs administrations with the collection and storage of law-enforcement information at the national level. The system also possesses the additional capability to exchange this information at the regional and international levels. Through the adoption of nCEN, Customs now has the ability to manage information on all aspect of their law-enforcement functions. These include details of offences, suspect persons or business entities, now held securely within a modern national system which is accessible through the Government network. The Information Communication Interface (Icomm) included in nCEN, allows Vanuatu Customs to legally exchange data with Fiji Customs by means of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two administrations in 2015. Furthermore, Icomm allows Vanuatu Customs to transfer the non-nominal components of the intelligence data directly to the global CEN database which is accessible by more than 150 Customs administrations globally.

With the proposal for Customs to assume responsibility for primary line processing of passengers at air and sea ports, the use of an intelligence computer system is essential to ensure Customs has the ability to identify suspects and to develop risk profiles. Thus replacing manual methods which are ineffective, and hinder the processing speed of passengers at arrivals and departures. With the advent of nCEN, advance passenger information received from airlines can be processed via the system to alert Customs to persons of interest.

Vanuatu Customs is committed to continuously improving and modernizing its procedures and operational techniques. The introduction of nCEN in Vanuatu is another example of this commitment which enables Customs to take large strides towards good governance, and the improved facilitation of people and goods across the border, resulting in better controls and ultimately sustainable development and economic growth.

Customs would like to thank the WCO for the delivery of the recent training in Vanuatu and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer for their assistance in hosting the system at the Government data centre.
Don Welch, an award-winning Nebraska poet and longtime English professor at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, died Saturday at his Kearney home. He was 84.

Welch, who had a bronze sculpture dedicated to him on the UNK campus in 2001, taught at UNK from 1959-97 and authored several published poetry collections.

His many national honors included the prestigious Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry, judged by the poet William Stafford.

Although he officially retired from the English department in 1997, Welch continued to teach in the UNK Department of Philosophy until 2008.

Welch published more than 30 books of poetry, and more than 300 of his poems appeared in magazines and journals throughout the United States.

Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Aug. 20 at UNK.
A Nobel Prize-winning economist and a Swiss anti-corruption expert have quit a Panamanian government commission tasked with investigating the countrys financial industry, according to the Toronto Star.Economist Joseph E. Stiglitz, former committee chairman, and anti-corruption expert Mark Pieth, said the committee  set up in the wake of the Panama Papers scandal  wasnt being given full independence.In a letter to Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela, Stiglitz and Pieth said they worried the government would hamper the panels investigations and keep its final report a secret, the Star reported. Stiglitz and Pieth wrote that the government wouldnt commit to publicly release the panels final report, instead claiming that any findings would be the property of the government. The Panamanian government itself, the letter claimed, was to have sole responsibility for any public announcements.How can a group allegedly committed to transparency write a report that is not transparent? Stiglitz said in an interview with the Star. It would undermine our own credibility. Evidently they wanted us to be part of a charade to convince people they were serious when in fact they werent.In their letter to Varela, Stiglitz and Pieth said the committee should be disbanded, the Star reported. And Stiglitz said that he and Pieth were likely to issue their own independent report.A spokesperson for the Panamanian government said that officials regretted the resignations, and that the government understands both resignations stemmed from internal differences, the Star reported.
LUX Center for the Arts has hired Susan McIntosh Kriz as executive director. Kriz brings 20 years of executive management experience to the LUX.

As business development director for Leadership Resources, Kriz worked with individuals and organizations to engage high-payback solutions to meet complex development needs. She also served as director of the Lincoln Partners for Public Art Development, a start-up organization that includes a public/private committee that advises the City of Lincoln regarding public art.

Krizs experience also includes 19 years of service as senior vice president of the Arbor Day Foundation, managing growth from 13 people to a staff of over 350. She oversaw all financial, operational and logistical functions, including accounting services, human resources and talent acquisition, technology and computer development, corporate and direct marketing initiatives, public relations campaigns, membership services, fundraising and development programs, and capital improvements. Kriz is a University of Nebraska graduate, earning both a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Business Administration.

Joining Kriz is Joe Shaw in a newly created position as associate director. Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Shaw has a journalism degree from California State University, Los Angeles. He spent 25 years in Southern California, winning awards as a nonprofit communicator at the Braille Institute, the AIDS Service Center in Pasadena and more recently as president of the Bolsa Chica Land Trust, leading efforts to save the last privately owned parcels of wetlands in Huntington Beach. Shaw served on the Huntington Beach City Council from 2010-2014 and moved to Lincoln in January 2015.

Kriz can be reached at susankriz@luxcenter.org and Shaw at joe@luxcenter.org. Visit the LUX online at luxcenter.org.
Fort Polk, LA (71446)

Today

Thundershowers overnight following a period of rain early. Low around 60F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible..

Tonight

Thundershowers overnight following a period of rain early. Low around 60F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.
Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required.

Your Full Name: (optional)

Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required.
Advertisement

By West Kentucky Star Staff

Aug. 10, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 10, 2016 | 05:39 AM | PADUCAH, KY

The Paducah City Commission had a busy meeting Tuesday evening, giving attention to floodwall infrastructure, local boards, new police officers, public works equipment purchases, and alcohol sales at certain types of businesses.



Pump Station Rehabilitation:

Due to the deteriorating condition of flood wall pump station #2 at 1416 North 6th Street, the city has been moving forward getting the rehabilitation and reconstruction plans in order. The total project is estimated to be more than $5.1 million which includes construction and engineering costs. The rehabilitation would include replacement of discharge pipes, the rehabilitation of various mechanical components of all seven pumps and motors, and the replacement of the sluice gate.



The larger-scale flood wall project which includes pump station #2 has been fully vetted through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but so far, the city has not been receiving in-kind credit for work completed because they have not received the Project Partnership Agreement. As the city waits for that final administrative piece, work on the pump station must begin as soon as possible.



Therefore, Commissioners approved a municipal order to authorize a Memorandum of Understanding between Corps and the city for work to be completed and get the City in-kind credits for the work. The Board also approved a municipal order to amend a previous MOU to incorporate in-kind credits regarding work on pump station, #9.



Commissioners also approved a municipal order to apply for a Community Infrastructure Fund grant through the Delta Regional Authority for $1,014,500, which includes a mandatory administration cost of $14,500 to be paid to the Purchase Area Development District. Grants Administrator Sheryl Chino says, Our project is a good candidate based on the guidelines. The City also plans to apply for a Community Development Block Grant next spring for the project.



City Software:

Also at the meeting, Assistant to the City Manager Michelle Smolen, who is the project manager for the Enterprise Resource Planning software project, provided the Board of Commissioners with an update. The project officially kicked off July 28 with the City departments and the vendor, Tyler Technologies. This is a multi-year phased project as city departments transition to the new software that will bring efficiencies to city services and enhancements to customer service.



The Citys current software system has been running since 1995. Smolen says the first phase is underway with the transition of the expenditure side of the Finance Department. Smolen says, From the initial meetings, departments have been excited to improve the services we provide and the way we provide them. City Manager Jeff Pederson says, The staff effort in this transition is taking place along with the provision of normal services. This puts a strain on the department in the review and implementation mode, but we are focused on the end game and the improvements.



Other highlights during the Commission meeting:



Circuit Judge Tim Kaltenbach conducted the swearing-in ceremony for Paducah Police Officer Jordan Murphy who transferred to Paducah from the Louisville Metro Police Department.



Boards and Commissions:

Oscar Gamble appointed to the Board of Adjustment.

Albert Parker reappointed to the Municipal Housing Commission.

Mike Stone reappointed to and Durwin Ursery appointed to Paducah-McCracken County Industrial Development Authority.

Rosa Scott and Phyllis Clymer reappointed to the Paducah Civic Beautification Board.



Ordinance approved authorizing the final subdivision of Ridgewood Villas and accepting the dedication of right-of-way. Ridgewood Villas is located at Lakewood Drive and Bleich Road. The Paducah Planning Commission held a public hearing for the subdivision plan March 2 with the Planning Commission approving a resolution at its July 18 meeting making a recommendation for the final subdivision plat.



Ordinances approved for the purchase using the Kentucky State Contract of the following equipment to be used by the Engineering-Public Works Department:



2016 wheel loader in the amount of $155,492.00

2016 backhoe loader in the amount of $112,988.60

2016 rubber track loader in the amount of $51,498.71

2017 Ford F550 side loader in the amount of $100,014.71



Ordinance introduced (vote August 16) to accept the grant award in the amount of $7396 from the Law Enforcement Service Fee program. The funds will be used by the Paducah Police Department to operate a DUI enforcement program. There is no required match for this grant.



Ordinance introduced (vote August 16) to amend Chapter 6, Article II of the Paducah Code of Ordinances to allow distilleries and bed and breakfast businesses to obtain a Non-quota 3 Retail Drink License. The Kentucky General Assembly passed Senate Bill 11 during the 2016 legislative session allowing the change. For distilleries, this license will allow on-premise consumption of distilled spirits, wine, and malt beverages by the drink from 6 am to 3 am the following day. For bed and breakfast businesses, it allows the same privilege as long as the business has an innkeeper who resides on or adjacent to the premises during the period of visitor occupancy.




By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 09, 2016 | 05:19 PM | HOPKINSVILLE, KY

The man accused of killing his two sisters in Hopkinsville Sunday morning has been arraigned in Christian District Court.

According to WKDZ Radio, a Christian County judge entered not guilty pleas on behalf of Robert Rogers Tuesday and set a preliminary hearing for Monday at 1 pm.

Rogers faces two counts of murder in the deaths of his two sisters, Joanne Rogers and Carolyn Coleman. Hopkinsville police said both women were stabbed at Joanne's 7th Street home Sunday morning. Joanne died at the scene. Coleman later died at a Nashville hospital.

According to police, Robert Rogers was found inside the home with blood on him and on his clothing. He remains at the Christian County Jail.

On the Net:
RACINE  The Racine City Councils Executive Committee met in closed session Tuesday evening to discuss Machinery Row without taking action, and few officials were willing to say anything about the meeting.

Machinery Row is the proposed mixed-use, riverfront redevelopment along Water Street. Machinery Row developer Rodney Blackwell, through his Davenport, Iowa-based company Financial District Properties, has proposed redeveloping two former J.I. Case Co. buildings at 820 and 900 Water St. into housing and commercial space.

In early June, Blackwell said he and city officials had worked out an adjustment to their development agreement that would give him more time to repay a $4.5 million city loan the city made in December 2014. With 20 riverfront acres as collateral, the city made that loan when Blackwell was trying to secure $9 million in state historic tax credits and faced an end-of-year deadline to show the state he controlled the property.

The loan came from the intergovernmental sewer agreement shared-revenue fund. Loan terms also required the city to buy buildings at 526 and 615 Marquette St. for a combined $1.8 million.

Originally, FDP was to have repaid the loan by Jan. 31, but the City Council granted an extension to April 30. City Administrator Tom Friedel said that before they reached the revised deadline, Blackwell asked for a second extension, of four months, to repay the city loan he used to buy the property.

Friedel said earlier hed like to give Blackwell that extra time, until Aug. 31  but not to go beyond that date.

After Tuesdays meeting, Friedel said, Were negotiating an extension. Thats what we have been at for a while. Its complicated.

Asked if the project looks positive, Friedel replied, Its positive. Were still talking.

Mayor John Dickert said, Well never quit. Its too important for our people.

District 6 Alderman Sandy Weidner said, I did say that this whole discussion needs to be more public, and said that would result in a better project.

In the meantime, while the city and Blackwell negotiate a loan extension, FDP is paying the city 1 percent quarterly interest on the loan.
Rita Redmond was a true lady who felt that every pupil had something to gift to the world
RACINE  Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Russ Feingold spent part of his primary Election Day among political pals here Tuesday.

The veteran Wisconsin politician visited Racine County Democratic campaign headquarters, 606 Sixth St., early Tuesday evening, and was greeted by Racine Mayor John Dickert, state Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, and about 50 admiring supporters.

On Tuesday, Feingold faced a longshot Democratic primary challenge from Kenosha private detective Scott Harbach for the right to face incumbent Republican Sen. Ron Johnson in the Nov. 8 general election.

Johnson has visited Racine County several times this summer, usually campaigning with U.S. Rep. and House Speaker Paul Ryan, who faced his own primary challenge Tuesday.

At Democratic headquarters, located next to Roberts Roost restaurant on Sixth Street, Feingold told the crowd he voted earlier in the day in Middleton and was traveling throughout the state to connect with voters.

Dickert, in his eighth year as mayor, recalled meeting Feingold, who represented Wisconsin in the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2011, in 1987, when Feingold was a state senator.

I have found that he listens and responds to the things that are of interest to us, Dickert said to the enthusiastic cheers of supporters.

Mason said he was inspired to run for the state Assembly by Feingold, and that there was a void when Feingold stopped serving in the Senate.

When he left, you felt like something left the politics in this state, Mason said.

The party line

Feingold said he returned to the political arena because he believes very wealthy interests are taking over the country to the detriment of hard-working, middle class citizens.

Were going to turn that around and were starting today, Feingold told the crowd. If you work hard you should be able to pay your bills and enjoy your life.

Feingold reiterated his oft-repeated campaign stances to support raising the minimum wage, providing day care for working families, and protecting Social Security.

He also urged the crowd to become educated on issues and involved in what could be a landmark election.

There is so much at stake right now, Feingold said. We need to make sure this country isnt divided. This election is off the charts important. People know that they are making history.

In a statement Tuesday, Johnson contrasted his business background with Feingold's political career as the general election officially kicked off.

I am proud of the work our team and the Republican Party of Wisconsin have done, and Im confident the grassroots army weve built will propel us to victory in November," Johnson said. "The choice in this election is clear: between an Oshkosh manufacturer and outsider like me, and a career politician who has made his living on the taxpayers dime and doesnt know the first thing about creating jobs or keeping local communities safe.
MOUNT PLEASANT  Supporters of Republican congressional candidate Paul Nehlen were improperly electioneering too close to polling places Tuesday, according to multiple complaints in Mount Pleasant and elsewhere throughout the 1st Congressional District.

With Nehlen facing House Speaker Paul Ryan in Tuesdays primary, Nehlen supporters attempted to put signs out and distribute literature within 100 feet of the entrance to polling places, in violation of state statute, Mount Pleasant Village Clerk Stephanie Kohlhagen said.

In one case at Mount Pleasant-Caledonia Memorial Park, 9614 Northwestern Ave., a supporter became argumentative and belligerent with election officials and claimed he received prior zoning approval, Kohlhagen said.

Some Nehlen supporters came in from out of state. About 8 a.m., a man was observed outside the polling place at the Mount Pleasant Village Hall, 8811 Campus Drive, posting large Vote for Nehlen signs. The mans car had a Tennessee license plate.

The sign was removed soon after, but the man returned and walked near Village Hall carrying a Vote for Nehlen sign, and after he left, another man returned to take his spot. Poll workers determined he was in compliance with state law.

A 19-year-old Texas man, who was flown in by the Nehlen campaign, walked around with a sign at Mount Pleasant Village Hall Tuesday morning. He said he was paid in food and travel, among other things, to walk around with the sign at the polling place Tuesday. The man went to two other locations in Mount Pleasant Tuesday morning.

This is better than working at a gas station, the 19-year-old said.

State law prohibits electioneering on public property within 100 feet of the entrance to a polling place, Reid Magney, spokesman for the Wisconsin Elections Commission, said in an email. That means no political signs or literature, etc., on public property in that area.

Mount Pleasant Police Capt. Tom Petersen talked to the Texas teen to explain the 100 foot-rule. Petersen used a measuring stick and cones to mark the 100-foot points from the entrance to the polling place.

Were marking it off so he understands whats 100 feet, Petersen said. He cannot come within 100 feet of this door. Nor can he impede with anybody and campaign. You cant stop people and impede traffic and try to persuade people.

Mount Pleasant also prohibits placing signs on village property without the villages permission, Kohlhagen said.

Nehlen campaign spokesman Noel Fritsch said he didnt know of any of the campaigns signs being placed on public property without permission. Everyone should abide by the local jurisdictional authority, he said.

Fritsch confirmed the campaign brought in people from out of state to help, but said dozens of people from Wisconsin also helped Nehlens efforts.

In a separate statement, Fritsch accused Speaker Ryans dwindling network of supporters of carrying out orders to prevent Mr. Nehlen and his supporters from carrying their message.

Complaints elsewhere

The state Elections Commission also received Nehlen-related electioneering complaints in Janesville. In Burlington, City Clerk Diahnn C. Halbach reported several Nehlen campaign signs were posted Tuesday morning near a polling place at United Methodist Church, 857 W. State St., and were promptly removed.

There were no further issues after that, Halbach said.

Racine City Clerk Janice Johnson-Martin said the city had received no complaints about Nehlen signs or campaign workers as of mid-afternoon Tuesday.

Stephanie Jones, Andrew Dawson and Mark Feldmann contributed to this report.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 09/08/2016 (2271 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Winnipeg documentary written and directed by Metis writer Katherena Vermette and filmmaker Erika MacPherson won the Coup de coeur du jury award at Montreal First Peoples Festival on Monday.

The pairs National Film Board documentary this river examines a volunteer organization that searches the Red River for clues relating to missing members of the indigenous community. Described as an indigenous perspective on the experience of searching for a missing loved one, the 20-minute film will have its Winnipeg premiere on Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, as part of The Decolonizing Lens, a film-screening and discussion series.

The film was jump-started by the experiences of Vermette and Kyle Kematch, who each endured the heartbreak of losing a loved one in separate incidents.

SUPPLIED Metis writer Katherena Vermette and filmmaker Erika MacPherson won the Coup de coeur du jury award at Montreal First People's Festival on Monday.

Kematch, whose sister went missing more than five years ago, now works with Drag the Red, a volunteer organization that searches for clues in the river.

MacPherson was in Montreal to accept the award.

Producer Alicia Smith celebrated the films all-woman crew.

Im humbled by the generosity and grace of Winnipegs Drag the Red community and honoured that they welcomed us to witness and document their crucial work, said the documentarys producer, Alicia Smith, who also noted that the films crew was made up entirely of women.

randall.king@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @FreepKing

If you value coverage of Manitobas arts scene, help us do more.

Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow the Free Press to deepen our reporting on theatre, dance, music and galleries while also ensuring the broadest possible audience can access our arts journalism. BECOME AN ARTS JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/08/2016 (2270 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Winnipeg mother accused of kidnapping her two children will remain behind bars, for now.

Sandra Giesbrecht, 44, has been in custody since her June 22 arrest on two counts of abduction and one count of fleeing from police.

Provincial court Chief Judge Margaret Wiebe denied bail to Giesbrecht, who appeared in court via closed-circuit video Wednesday. The judge also reinforced a no-contact order that prevents Giesbrecht from communicating with her children or their father.

Sandra Giesbrecht

Because the Crown was opposed to Giesbrechts release, Crown attorney Alanna Littman had to prove it was necessary to detain Giesbrecht to ensure her appearance in court, to ensure the safety of the public or to maintain public confidence in the administration of justice.

Wiebe denied Giesbrechts bail on all three grounds. Outside the courtroom, a group of about 10 of Giesbrechts supporters, who gathered to hear the decision, decried it as unfair.

Evidence and details of the judges reasoning presented during the bail hearing cant be published under a court-imposed publication ban thats designed to protect the accuseds right to a fair trial.

Defence lawyer Mike Cook had argued in favour of Giesbrechts release on bail.

Winnipeg police arrested Giesbrecht on a Canada-wide warrant following a short pursuit with officers after her nine-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter had been missing for five days. Their father had been granted full custody of the children after a lengthy custody dispute, and Giesbrecht was ordered to have no unauthorized contact with them. At the time of her arrest, police said they found evidence to suggest Giesbrecht had been wearing a disguise  a wig was found on the floor of the Ford Expedition SUV Giesbrecht was driving.

Queens Bench Justice Cathy Everett awarded full custody of the children to their father, lawyer Jacob Giesbrecht, April 8 after a four-week trial. Sandra Giesbrecht was only allowed to have supervised visitations once a week after the judge found her to be an emotionally unstable manipulator.

She was also ordered to pay monthly child support.

Child and Family Services seized the children in January because of concerns they were being emotionally and psychologically abused by their mother. There had been two previous criminal complaints in 2014 and 2015 made against the father for alleged sexual abuse of his daughter. A lengthy investigation by police and CFS found there was no merit to the complaints and deemed they were the mothers attempts to manipulate custody.

Giesbrecht has indicated she plans to appeal Everetts decision.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/08/2016 (2270 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitobans have lately been more diligent at paying down their non-mortgage debt, but the average delinquency rate in the province remains well above the national average, according to a new report released today.

In its latest quarterly Canada Industry Insights report (previously known as the Market Trends report), credit-monitoring agency TransUnion said the serious debt delinquency rate in Manitoba  the rate of debt accounts 90 days or more past due  dipped to 3.16 per cent in the second quarter of this year.

Thats down from 3.19 per cent in the first quarter. However, it was still higher than a year earlier, when it was 3.13 per cent.

Ryan Remiorz / The Canadian Press files The average debt load in Manitoba remains smaller than in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec, a report says.

At 3.16 per cent, Manitobas average delinquency rate was well above the national average of 2.72 per cent. And thats been the case for at least two years, said Jason Wang, TransUnions director of research and analysis in Canada.

You want to be on the lower side when you compare it with the Canada average, Wang said. We havent done a deep analysis of whats causing this within Manitoba, but well definitely look at that.

Wang said if he has any advice to offer Manitobans, it is to try to pay down higher-interest-rate debts first.

If they foresee any kind of financial trouble down the road, talk to their lenders. Most lenders are open to this kind of communication, he said.

The TransUnion report shows Manitobans continued to take on more debt in the second quarter. They were carrying an average of $17,722 in non-mortgage debt, which was an increase of 1.63 per cent from the previous quarter, when the average was $17,438, and an increase of 3.47 per cent from a year earlier, when it averaged $17,127.

Wang said, once again, Manitobas year-over-year increase was higher than the Canadian average increase of 2.9 per cent. But, at least, it wasnt way out of line with it, he said.

Also of note: even though Manitobans took on more debt in the second quarter, the average debt load in the province was still smaller than in any of the other five provinces covered in the report  British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec.

Alberta, which has been hit hard by a prolonged slump in oil prices, had the highest average debt load, at $27,583, while the national average was $21,580.

Wang cautioned against reading too much into the fact average debtloads in Manitoba are lower than in the other five provinces.

It just could be because of the culture of Manitoban residents and whether they like to use cash more, or credit more, he said. (But) all things being equal, the less debt the better.

Wang said its encouraging consumers in Ontario and B.C. took on more debt in the second quarter but their average delinquency rates declined slightly from a year earlier.

With more than half of Canadas credit-active population residing in these two provinces, their stable performance is a positive for the overall economy, he said.

murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca
RACINE  Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin announced Wednesday that 1624 Yout St. is the proposed location for the James A. Peterson Veterans Village.

Veterans Outreach is planning to place 15 tiny houses on the property by moving them in three phases of five houses each. The property also will have a community building with showers, toilets, a food pantry and a meeting room where residents can meet with counselors and financial planners.

I think it will have a huge impact, said Jeff Gustin, co-founder and director of Veterans Outreach. Because were not just giving them a place to stay, were not just one thing that were doing, were providing a whole package to give them a hand up.

The community building, which formerly housed Teamsters Local 200, will have separate, locking shower rooms for females and males.

In addition, the veterans will not be allowed to drink or do drugs while living there and they will be subject to drug and alcohol tests. There will be video surveillance of the area. Gustin said there is no time limit on how long the veterans can stay, although they hope it will be less than two years.

We want them to recover from homelessness in a way they never see it again, Gustin said. We want to break the cycle.

During the planning process, members of Racine-based Veterans Outreach went door to door in the surrounding neighborhood asking for residents to sign a petition supporting the project. Gustin said all but one person to whom they spoke was fine with the project.

This is not a shelter, Gustin said. (Veterans) will have to submit to background checks. Well know the residents of the veteran village ... well know their service records.

Veterans Outreach, 2234 Northwestern Ave., has one house completed and five houses being built offsite. Gustin said the organization knows of at least four homeless veterans who could use benefit from the tiny houses.

For many veterans, their discharge status can prevent them from getting some benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Well serve somebody with a less than honorable discharge,  Gustin said, adding they wont serve a veteran with a full dishonorable discharge. We dont feel that somebody that got into a little trouble should have their whole military career wiped out, because they were still brave enough to put on that uniform.

Gustin said the property needs to be surveyed before they apply for a permit from the city. He hopes the first five houses will be ready before winter but there currently isnt any set timeline.

Gustin said there will also be a member of the organization living in one of the tiny houses as a on-site manager but they havent determined who that will be.

Officials support project

District 7 Alderman Raymond Dehahn, who represents the area where the tiny house village is proposed, said he doesnt have a problem with the concept.

What (Veterans Outreach is) proposing is a good fit, Dehahn said, adding it gives veterans a sense of belonging. Whats the alternative, sleeping on the street or in someones bushes? We do so little for our vets.

Dehahn added its a win-win for everyone.

Racine Mayor John Dickert said the tiny house village will help homeless veterans get to that next step.

Tiny houses helped solve a problem that were having with veterans who dont want to go to any other facility because they feel for some reason that they should not be imposing, Dickert said, adding the services for the veterans will help them better their lives.

It gives them a chance to get counseling. It brings them to a point where were doing counseling and assessment and half the problem that we have right now is a lot of the veterans are not getting assessment, the mayor said.

Anthony Nudo, commercial real estate agent for Berkshire Hathaway, told The Journal Times last week that the Yout Street property was listed at $119,900 and an offer had been accepted. Gustin said the offer is contingent on city approvals for the housing project.

Veterans Outreach is trying to raise $125,000 for the project and has a GoFundMe online site, where the organization has raised just less than $10,000.

Gustin said the organization in total has raised more than $60,000 in donations.

Veterans Outreach is planning a car and bike show fundraiser starting at noon on Aug. 27 at Witts End, 11601 Highway G, Caledonia. The entrance fee is $5 for those showing their cars or bikes; $20 for vendors for a 10 by 10-foot space; and $35 for vendors for a 10 by 20-foot space. The show is open to the public, but the organization is asking for a $3 donation.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/08/2016 (2270 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Fresh off his appointment to the Senate in May, Murray Sinclair has been named the recipient of a prestigious award for his distinguished record of public service.

He will receive the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Businesss 2016 Award for Excellence in Aboriginal Relations for his work as chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The TRC released its sweeping report and 94 calls to action last year after six years of hearing testimony about Canadas residential schools.

JP Gladu, the councils president and chief executive officer, said Sinclairs work with the TRC is a watershed moment for the country.

Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press files Sen. Murray Sinclair will receive the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Businesss 2016 Award for Excellence in Aboriginal Relations.

When you think about the clarity that he has brought to the national conversation around the truth of indigenous issues and people in this country and their history and setting it up through all of the recommendations to reconcile, it is outstanding, Gladu said. It gives Canadians  at least the ones that want to understand better  the clarity to understand exactly how our peoples have been impacted through colonialistic practices and racism and all these things.

Throughout Sinclairs career  as a lawyer, Manitobas first indigenous judge, co-commissioner of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry, chairman of the TRC and now a senator  he has not necessarily been closely associated with the business community.

But Gladu said, What he has been able to do is allow organization like the CCAB to have more of a platform to reach out to our mandate on how the business sector can help reconcile with our indigenous people.

Sinclair received his law degree from the University of Manitoba in 1979 and was called to the bar in Manitoba the following year.

He was appointed associate chief judge of the Manitoba provincial court in 1988 and to the Manitoba Court of Queens Bench in 2001. Sinclair was also chairman of the pediatric cardiac surgery inquest into the deaths of 12 children that was released in 2000 and led to changes in pediatric heart surgery in Canada. He has also served as an adjunct professor at the U of M.

The CCAB, which has been around for 35 years, works to achieve full participation of indigenous peoples in Canadas economy. Its membership includes about 500 companies, more than 70 per cent of which are aboriginal-owned and operated.

This year, First Nation, Metis and Inuit people are expected to contribute $30 billion to Canadas economy. About $12 billion of that comes from indigenous businesses.

Number 92 of the TRCs calls to action urges corporate Canada to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to ensure co-operation, consent, equitable access to jobs, training and education opportunities for indigenous people, as well as education for business leaders and staff on the history of aboriginal people.

Past recipients include Cisco Canada executive Willa Black; Mary Simon, who was recently named the minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs special representative on Arctic issues; Phil Fontaine; and Paul Martin.

These are natural bridge-builders that are opening up the conversation, Gladu said. Without empowerment through knowledge and understanding, you cant build successful businesses. These are Canadians who have opened up the conversation so broadly and have been so impactful in their work business is just one of the wonderful things that come out of it.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/08/2016 (2270 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

KENORA  A fresh water research facility once in danger of closing has seen its federal funding revived by the Liberal Trudeau government.

Almost $2 million will flow from Ottawa to the Experimental Lakes Area over the next two years, Winnipeg South MP Terry Duguid said Wednesday.

The federal government announced the revival of funding to the research facility to the tune of $1.7 million over two years at an event on the shore of Lake of the Woods in Kenora, Ont. with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister.

JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS (From left) Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister and Kenora MP Bob Nault speak prior to a $1.7 million federal investment announcement into the IISD Experimental Lakes Area on the shore of Lake of The Woods in Kenora, Wednesday, August 10, 2016. IISD Experimental Lakes Area is a research facility where scientists conduct research on lakes and ecosystems.

The Manitoba government has committed over $6 million over the next six years to Winnipeg-based International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), which took over operations of the ELA in 2014. Of that funding, $900,000 is specifically devoted to the research facility, Pallister confirmed on Wednesday. Ontario has also agreed to spend $2 million a year over four years on the facility.

The Experimental Lakes Area is a group of 58 lakes about 75 kilometres northeast of Kenora, where research is done on whole bodies of water rather than in a lab. Founded in 1968, for more than four decades the lakes were a crown jewel of Canadian science as one of the only places in the world where experiments can be conducted on whole ecosystems.

The funding was discontinued in 2013 under the Conservative Harper government, which cut the $2 million it annually flowed to the facility, much to the dismay of scientists in Canada who pointed out the programs unique nature, and numerous protests were staged. The facility was in danger of closure before the Institute for Sustainable Development stepped up to take over operations with funding from the Ontario and Manitoba government.

Manitobas premier wasnt ready to condemn his former boss for the decision. Pallister was the Conservative MP under Stephen Harper for Portage-Lisgar from 2000 to 2008. When asked if he thought the funding cut was a mistake, Pallister replied, every government has to make difficult decisions.

I think it is important to be respectful of the decisions that others have made. We obviously take a different approach as a provincial partner in this important exercise, Pallister said.

In the 2016 federal budget, Ottawa set aside $197 million for freshwater and ocean science, including monitoring and research activities and support for the Experimental Lakes Area. Some of that is earmarked to hire 135 new scientists, biologists, oceanographers and technicians, including some which will be dedicated to the Experimental Lakes Area .

Matthew McCandless, the executive director of the IISD, said no research was lost when government funding for the Experimental Lakes Area was in limbo, but is thrilled with the fedeal governments commitment to return funding.

There was no interruption in the research at all, it was something we felt as an organization, the legacy of the Experimental Lakes Area was very important and we need to make sure there was no interruption, he said.

McCandless said with the extra funding, more scientists will be hired and focus will be put on examining the impact of climate change on fresh water lakes, as well as the impact of plastic disposed in lakes has on the ecosystem.

There is a lot of concern about plastics, plastic particles in the water and what happens once they are in the water, what happens when they are in the environment. Climate change, we certainly know from the decades of monitoring it that the climate of this area is changing, he said. What that means for ecosystems is what the research will focus on.

 with files from Mia Rabson

kristin.annable@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/08/2016 (2270 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  The federal government is getting back into the business of the Experimental Lakes Area.

Kenora Liberal MP Bob Nault will be joined today by Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne at an event on the shores of the Lake of the Woods to announce more than $1 million in federal money for the unique research facility.

It will be part of a long-term contribution agreement from Ottawa for the ELA, which will continue to be run by the Winnipeg-based International Institute for Sustainable Development, which took over operations in 2014.

Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg Free Press files Researchers use a seine net to catch fish on Lake No. 239, part of the Experimental Lakes Area in northwestern Ontario. Ottawa discontinued funding for the ELA in 2013.

The funding fulfils a pledge made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau more than a year ago to restore and even expand upon the federal funding for ELA that was discontinued in 2013. In the 2016 federal budget, Ottawa set aside $197 million for freshwater and ocean science, including monitoring and research activities and support for the ELA. Some of that is earmarked to hire 135 scientists, biologists, oceanographers and technicians, including some who will be dedicated to the ELA.

The ELA is a group of 58 lakes, about 75 kilometres northeast of Kenora, where research is done on whole bodies of water rather than in a lab.

Founded in 1968, the lakes were a crown jewel of Canadian science for more than four decades as one of the only places in the world where experiments can be conducted on whole ecosystems.

Scientists working for the federal government and based out of the Freshwater Institute at the University of Manitoba conducted research that looked at the human impact on freshwater, and several discoveries helped drive public policy on things from acid rain to hormone use to phosphates in dish soap. Work at the ELA is credited with helping save Lake Erie.

In 2012, the ELAs future was put in jeopardy when the federal government announced it was pulling the plug on $2 million in annual funding. The program was to be closed if another operator couldnt be found.

Scientists in Canada and around the world objected, pointing out the programs unique nature, and numerous protests were staged. In 2013, an agreement was signed that would see the program transferred to the Winnipeg-based International Institute for Sustainable Development, funded mainly by the Ontario government with a small contribution from Manitoba. The official takeover took place in 2014.

We really are proud to be supporting them. Its a world-class facility Sustainable Development Minister Cathy Cox

Ontario agreed to spend $2 million a year for four years, and Manitoba is providing $250,000 a year for six years. Six government scientists were transferred to the institute to work on ELA, and another 11 who had worked there earlier were hired.

mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/08/2016 (2270 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba came through Wednesday with the final piece in a western Canadian partnership for a $32 million Marine Observatory in Churchill to study arctic oil spills.

Everybodys provided their funding, the projects moving forward, said the lead scientist on the project, David Barber, a University of Manitoba professor and Canada Research Chair in Arctic systems science. We just need to finalize whos going to build the thing. Itll be in the next 12 months.

On Wednesday, Manitoba pledged $9 million towards construction of the observatory.

JULIANA KUSYK Conceptual drawing for the proposed Churchill Marine Observatory.

This project is an important part of our vision for a strong, diversified northern economy, Education and Training Minister Ian Wishart said in the provinces announcement.

The Churchill Marine Observatory will create up to 21 permanent jobs, boost tourism and transportation in the region and enhance Manitoba and Canadas reputation as a world leader in Arctic research, Wishart said.

The provincial funding will flow through the University of Manitoba.

Led by the U of M, the project includes collaboration from the University of Calgary and the University of British Columbia with major funding from the federal Canadian Foundation for Innovation and co-ordination from Polar Knowledge Canada, an arms-length agency of the federal Indigenous and Northern Affairs department. Funding is also in place from the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. Manitoba was the last major funder to make its announcement.

This whole project has been about four years in the making and it was established by the previous government and followed up by this one and its very nice theyre renewing their commitment to it, Barber said by phone.

In the next 12 months we hope to get the building put together, and functional and operating so we can use it for science, Barber said.

The announcement comes just weeks after Omnitrax revealed it would close the Port of Churchill, shedding more than 50 jobs.

Churchill mayor Mike Spence said the observatory is good news but he stressed the importance of placing the announcement into a wider context.

The community of Churchill has four pillars, theres the port and the rail line, thats one. Theres the Churchill regional health authority, thats two and theres tourism and then research and education, thats three and four. Theres been talk about this for some time and the federal funding came through over a year ago. This is not going to replace the port or the people employed there and nobody should see it as a trade off, the mayor said.

In 2014, the three universities applied for funding from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, to cover nearly 40 per cent of the $31.7 million proposal and triggered the commitments from the three provinces. Manitoba is the lead province with the most funding involved; Alberta put up $2.5 million and B.C., $300,000.

This is a project led by Manitoba, located in Manitoba and the other provinces are partners with us, Barber said. The lions share is here in Manitoba.

The observatory will study the potentially profound environmental effects of industrializing the Arctic.

About 20 scientists will live and work in Churchill to develop ways to detect oil in ice-covered waters, study the impact of oil on the northern ecosystem and come up with new technology to clean it up, in the event of a real spill.

Plans call for the observatory to be built on the estuary of the Churchill River where it flows into Hudson Bay.

With archeological and environmental assessments still to be conducted and building permits to be granted, scientists say the building must also be constructed and operated in a way that doesnt impede beluga or polar bears.

Beluga gather every summer in the estuary, while the shore is part of the polar bear migration route to Hudson Bay.

Its a good news story in terms of being able to bring more science to Churchill and to understand a lot of the complexities going on around climate change and transportation there, Barber said.

Meanwhile, the OmiTrax layoffs took effect Monday, said the opposition NDP, which also issued a statement about Churchill Wednesday. The NDP criticized the Conservative government for inaction on both the ports closure and a related decision to cut back rail service, the only overland route to the remote town of about 800 on Hudson Bay.

The PC government has been under intense pressure, along with the federal government, to save Churchill.

Pallister refused to bail out Omnitrax, which he accused of trying to leverage tax dollars in subsidies to keep the port open. I dont respond ever to threats, Pallister said.

Once completed, the Churchill Marine Observatory is expected to serve as a year-round hub for scientific research and technology development in the north, with involvement from universities in Canada, the United States and Europe.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/08/2016 (2270 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Local developer Andrew Marquess says hes not in default on any loans on a 900-unit Fort Rouge development and he still owns the land and remains involved in the project.

Marquess said media reports that hes no longer involved in the mixed development are false.

Im not removed as the developer on this in any shape or form, Marquess said during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon with the Free Press. I own the land. I have the mortgages on the land

SUPPLIED Artist rendering of first 40 townhouse units, now under construction by Sunstone Resort Communities, at the former Fort Rouge Yards near Rathgar Avenue.

To make this out that Im out and Sunstone is in and somehow First National is running this show is factually not true.

The Free Press earlier reported a Toronto lending firm, First National Financial, which holds two mortgages on Marquesss property and a $10-million loan guarantee to another project lender, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, had hired another local developer, Sunstone Resort Communities, to take over the construction and marketing of the project.

Marquess called First National Financial an incredibly supportive partner, that is also funding the construction, but could not explain why the Toronto firm had hired Sunstone and not himself.

If (First National) is happy, then Im happy and everyones happy about moving forward, Marquess said.

I am not in default. I own it and I always have. Sunstone has no ownership in it. First National doesnt own it.

Marquess said bringing in Sunstone is a positive development for the project but he remains the owner and the developer.

He said he was in meetings Tuesday and too busy to respond to Free Press questions about Sunstones involvement in the project and his own ongoing role.

I dont have to justify to anyone how I run my business, Marquess said. I dont have to justify in a newspaper article who ultimately is the project manager on the site.

Repeated calls from the Free Press to officials with First National Financial in Toronto were not returned.

Sunstone CEO Bill Coady told the Free Press Tuesday his firm had been hired by First National six months ago to assist in developing and executing the relaunch of the entire site it was all about execution, getting the thing going and getting some positive air under the wings of the project.

Marquess and his firm, Gem Equities, acquired the Fort Rouge property in 2008, where he proposed to develop a 900-unit townhouse, condominium and commercial development alongside the Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor on the former Fort Rouge rail yards. But theres been little visible development on the property.

Marquess said Wednesday most of the delays on the project were the result of his obligation to city hall to construct a bus station for the new transit corridor. He said he had decided months ago he would not be the general contractor for the project. He said he is happy Sunstone was brought in to be the general contractor and marketing manager.

Im not in default. The loans are up to date. The FCM loans are up to date, Marquess said. Im happy that Sunstone is doing the marketing and that construction is getting done. This is all good news. And, I own the land.

While Marquess is responsible for the underground infrastructure for the project, it was Sunstone that started construction four months ago on a 40-unit townhouse condominium  the first building on the site, near Rathgar Avenue and Argue Street.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/08/2016 (2270 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Recent interest in Churchills transportation woes has brought forth ideas to solve its unique problems. None has mentioned safety. Perhaps this is because many of those offering solutions havent lived or worked in the North.

Some may argue Churchill plays no economic role. However, as arctic ice covers less and less area due to climate change, Churchill, with proper land access, will be in a strategic position to ship goods to Europe and Asia from the Prairies.

Whatever your perspective, shipping goods to Churchill involves a considerable distance by ground transport over a variety of difficult terrain, often in challenging weather conditions. By air, Winnipeg to Churchill is about 1,000 kilometres and to Churchill from Thompson about 400 km. The rail line to Churchill from The Pas is 1,010 km. Road options exist, but all have engineering and safety factors that require attention. The result of surveys to determine the best route out of Thompson (or Gillam) will very likely come up with a road distance well in excess of 500 km.

SUPPLIED This 1988 picture of the Port of Churchill from Fort Prince of Wales shows Jim Collinson with a gun he carried for security.

Although I have a warm spot in my heart for Churchill, having visited there many times since 1967, two events remain etched in my mind that have a bearing on a ground-transportation route. In mid-January 1971, I landed at Churchill with a 62 km/h wind and a temperature of -40 C. That equates to about -64 C, when exposed skin can freeze in less than two minutes. In July 1973, I landed at Landing Lake (on floats), east of the south end of runway 33 and barely got in ahead of a fast-moving and not uncommon fog bank coming in from the bay.

These memories highlight the realities of weather extremes along the Hudson Bay coast. Whether by road or rail, there are clearly severe weather-related risks, much less so for rail.

If a road is to be constructed, there may be a need for repeater stations to provide sufficient connection for radios or cellphones to work in the event of a problem or an emergency. Any route near Hudson Bay is relatively easier to construct due to the existence of limited permafrost under old beach ridges that are high enough to remain above anticipated rising sea levels. Given the snow and winds at times, the likelihood of whiteouts, especially along the coast and in areas with little tree growth, is a factor that must be addressed carefully to ensure transport safety.

Travellers will also need to contend with polar bears relaxing in summer and migrating in the fall (until Hudson Bay freezes over at Cape Churchill). The prime polar bear denning area sits amongst and within the beach ridges nearer to Churchill, so special attention is needed there to ensure the bears and transport units dont meet. The most significant denning area is protected by a national park but not all dens are within it. There are also two caribou herds along the coast that could be affected by a road.

These realities will require careful attention regardless of the actual route that might be developed, although a more inland route would avoid most polar bear issues.

Winter roads have been in operation in northern parts of Canada for many years. Beyond repeater stations, thought might be given to temporary camps where travellers stranded by mechanical or weather problems could seek refuge. In more open areas, large and clear markers would assist in dealing, to a degree, with a limited whiteout. As a minimum, survival equipment should be mandatory for all those navigating the roads. Personal vehicles are a different matter: abandoned cars along more southerly winter roads illustrate the safety risks. Consequently, they may be required to have entrance permits subject to carrying appropriate communication and survival gear.

It is not clear whether a road for trucks or a rail line is best-suited to serve Churchill. Careful analysis will help in the decision. Whichever solution is chosen, the route will need analysis to determine the nature and extent of safety measures to make transport as safe as possible. The route to Churchill from Thompson or Gillam is not like other parts of Manitoba: the risks are considerable, unique and extreme.

Manitoba has been managing winter roads for 45 years, but beyond part of a winter road into Shamattawa, they pass through different terrain than that to be found in accessing Churchill. Given the combination of weather, wildlife and terrain involved, when determining the preferred type of transport and the route location, safety deserves priority and must be included in the multitude of factors impacting the decision.

Jim Collinson is a management consultant specializing in energy, economic, and environmental issues who has held assistant deputy minister positions in the federal and Manitoba governments.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/08/2016 (2270 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Many Republicans and zealous Bernie Sanders supporters would like nothing more than to lock up Hillary Clinton for all sorts of real and imagined transgressions. But theres no chance of that. Clinton is the first woman to be designated as a presidential nominee by either major U.S. political party, and the odds are fairly good she is heading to the White House, rather than prison.

This was not the case for the first woman who ran as a candidate for the American presidency, who really was locked up.

On Nov. 2, 1872, three days before that years election, Victoria Woodhull, who was a candidate for the Equal Rights Party, was arrested and incarcerated in a New York City jail. Her crime: she published (and then violated state law by using the postal service to distribute) allegedly scandalous articles in her weekly newspaper. One of the articles was about an alleged affair between Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, a popular Brooklyn minister, and Elizabeth Tilton, the wife of Beechers friend, journalist Theodore Tilton (who wrote a fawning biography of Woodhull and in all probability had an affair with her).

BRADLEY & RULOFSON Victoria Woodhull, c. 1860s, was the first woman to run as a presidential candidate.

Born in 1838 to an impoverished Ohio family, Victoria Claflin was a precocious child who claimed she had supernatural abilities. Her parents eagerly exploited her. She travelled with her siblings as part of a medicine show in which her faith-healing and fortune-telling skills and spiritualist powers were honed and marketed. At 15, she married Dr. Canning Woodhull, a notorious drunk and womanizer who was 12 years her senior. The unhappy union, which produced two children, lasted until 1864. She kept the Woodhull name.

Accompanied by her younger sister, Tennie, Woodhull relocated to New York, where the two young women befriended the septuagenarian railway baron, Cornelius Vanderbilt. Depressed after the death of his wife, as well as losing millions of dollars to stock speculators, he was taken by them, especially 23-year-old Tennie, who offered him physical and spiritual comfort. By 1870, he had helped them to establish the first female brokerage house in New York and then supported their newspaper venture.

Woodhull was a provocative personality. She was a feminist, supporter of the suffrage movement and labour rights and a proponent of free love. Despite what her many detractors maintained, she did not promote unbridled lechery, as historians Edwin G. Burrows and Mike Wallace point out, but rather addressed womens inferior and unequal status in marriage and in all aspects of life. In her newspaper and on the lecture circuit, she took a positive view of sex and campaigned for birth control and legalized prostitution  and did so while being fashionably avant-garde for the era. She kept her hair short, wore ankle-length skirts, and mannish cut jackets and neckties.

Early in 1871, she was invited to address the House of Representatives judiciary committee. She gave a convincing presentation that the recently adopted 14th and 15th Amendments to protect the civil and suffrage rights of African-Americans could be extended so women could be granted the right to vote. Though that was not to happen for close to 50 years, she attracted sufficient attention from the newly formed National Woman Suffrage Association. A year-and-half later at the NWSAs convention in New York, the delegates formed the Equal Rights Party and selected Woodhull as their presidential candidate.

Like Clinton, Woodhull was insulted by her enemies in the press as a witch and portrayed in political cartoons as Mrs. Satan. In 1872, she was 34 and hence one year shy of the 35-year-old constitutional age requirement to be U.S. president. The Equal Rights Party had selected as her running mate Frederick Douglass, the former slave and abolitionist, except it had not bothered to ask him first. He ignored Woodhull and the party and campaigned for the Republican incumbent (and eventual winner), Ulysses S. Grant. And even if she had not been locked up on election day, she could not have voted for herself and neither could the women who supported her.

It is not known how many popular votes the Woodhull-Douglass ticket received, though the number was likely not much more than a few thousand. Nothing came of the obscenity charges against Woodhull.

Since 1872, many more women have run for U.S. president; some (such as Clinton in 2008) as contenders for Democratic and Republican parties, but the majority for third or fringe parties. As the 2016 Democratic party presidential nominee, Clinton has finally broken the glass ceiling, as she has alluded to it, with one more big challenge to come in November.

Victoria Woodhull, no doubt, would have been supportive and sympathetic.

I announce myself as candidate for the presidency, Woodhull said in 1872. I anticipate criticism; but however unfavourable I trust that my sincerity will not be called into question.

Despite all of the heavy political baggage Clinton is currently carrying around, that sentiment holds true for her, as well.

Now & Then is a column in which historian Allan Levine puts the events of today in a historical context.
A lot of Wisconsin residents would like to opt out of having Scott Walker as their governor. But all the personal choice arguments in the world will not get you out of paying Wisconsin state taxes, no matter what you think of his policies or how he allocates your tax money.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/08/2016 (2270 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For five years, a Winnipeg Parking Authority employee says, hes been telling the city there are certain areas where parking tickets are being handed out unfairly. For five years, seemingly, his concerns have gone unheeded.

That is, until he took the Winnipeg Free Press and traffic-ticket crusader Todd Dube from Wise Up Winnipeg on a ride-along to point out bait zones where ticket enforcers lay in wait to hand out costly tickets.

Ambiguous, contradictory or hidden signage means there are areas where parking officers can hand out $300 dollars worth of tickets per hour. After the Free Press published a list of those bait zones, the city councillor responsible for the Winnipeg Parking Authority had something to say.

Coun. Jeff Browaty: responded to bait zone accusation

Coun. Jeff Browaty said Tuesday he will be presenting a motion at city council asking the parking authority to spend some time and energy producing an official list of the highest ticketing locations (for reasons other than expired meters and parking over time in a limited-time area). Publicizing this list and, where needed, improving signage and other indicators required to make it more obvious should reduce the number of people getting tickets. (Note: there is no commitment to followup on the complaints made public by Wise Up Winnipeg or from those interviewed in the Free Press.)

Mr. Browaty also said he will suggest, for areas where people are receiving a high number of tickets because of fire hydrants, the city could, as a courtesy, make them more visible by painting the curb. I would stress it is only a courtesy and not a legally binding requirement. Snow clearing that doesnt make the paint as visible as desirable would not be a reason to not issue a ticket.

Well, its a response, at least  and given the citys record on parking tickets, a lacklustre approach is perhaps not surprising.

The city had to write off $11.5 million in parking ticket revenues earlier this year because the tickets were issued incorrectly. Some of them dated to 1992, but it wasnt until August 2015 that the problem was discovered, when a justice of the peace threw out a parking ticket because it didnt comply with the Summary Convictions Act.

Michael Jack, the citys chief operating officer, said no refunds will be paid for any parking tickets already paid because, in the citys mind, that money was collected legally.

Small point: its not actual legal if it didnt comply with Manitoba law.

But wait, theres more. In December 2015, it was discovered that tens of thousands of invalid parking tickets were issued during winter parking bans during the past three years because someone in the citys legal department missed a key provision of the Highway Traffic Act. Again, Mr. Jack said no refunds would be issued to motorists who had already paid fines.

All right the moral of the story seems to be: dont pay parking tickets on time  just wait until theyre thrown out when they fail to comply with the law.

Who could blame Winnipeggers for feeling like city hall and the parking authority are relying on what could be considered illegal and deceitful practises in order to create revenue? And who could blame Winnipeggers for feeling frustrated when the councillor responsible offers a response that promises to publicize a list of areas to avoid and paint curbs as a courtesy.

Good government, Winnipeg.
WILSON  Just about everyone at this little country church has been coming for years, either because they grew up in one of the nearby farming towns, or because they married someone who did.

When we get strangers, said Arlene Jandt, who has attended Trinity Lutheran Evangelical Church in Wilson since her baptism there 75 years ago, we know it right away.

If theres a single reason why Trinity is still standing, why its outlived so many other country churches, its the loyalty of core parishioners. The congregation first met in 1866 in a log cabin for a service conducted in German.

An ever-changing group of families has been meeting ever since  and this week, parishioners are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the first gathering.

Beginning Sunday morning at 10, there will be a special service, an anniversary lunch and a re-enactment of the congregations founding.

Well be in costume, said Andy Straseske, Trinitys pastor.

Theyre coming together, essentially, to celebrate a tradition of coming together.

The first parishioners spent four years attending services in one home or another, moving into a wood-frame church, on what later became County Road 12, in 1870. Their current home was built in 1914 on the same road, and is a testament to the relative health of the congregation a century later.

A bulk of red brick with a new facade, the church sits on a patch of tightly mowed grass that interrupts a long stretch of cornfield. The pastor lives at the back of the property in a white house guarded by trees. Inside the church, the original altar and stained glass windows dont yet look 102.

The stained glass is beautiful, said Lila Salwey, who has attended the church for 55 years.

Weve got one of the prettiest altars around, Jandt said.

Dont make it sound like were bragging, Pastor Straseske said and waved their words away.

But even here, numbers are dwindling.

The parishioners who have been here the longest  among them 98-year-old Violet Herold  are old enough to remember how women in hats and men in suits used to fill the pews on Sundays.

The women sat on one side, and the men sat on the other, said Sandy Koeller, who has attended for 45 years.

Now the balcony rarely gets used, Straseske said, and its the same with the pews in the back.

So many of the parishioners have seen children or grandchildren grow up and move away, or simply lose touch with religion. Sports, they say, has started to take over Sundays.

Society is just not as church-minded as it used to be, Straseske said.

But their church is growing, the congregation says, in small ways.

The kitchen in Trinitys basement just got new countertops and a new refrigerator. More notably, in 2009, an entrance hall was added to the church, with an elevator for parishioners who cant use the stairs.

And there are opportunities like the celebration Sunday to reflect on the idea of 150 years and to draw others into the church.

The congregation realizes Trinity cant go on for a whole lot longer unless new people come in. Every year, it seems, they lose parishioners to rest homes or to the church cemetery down the road.

Some have died, said LeAnn Salwey, Lilas daughter-in-law, who married into the church 25 years ago. They dont get replaced.

Ask the congregation about the history of their church, and about its future, and the conversation gets wistful like that, like a cloud passing over the sun.

Unlike many country churches, Lila Salwey reminds her friends, were fortunate to still be a church.
To paraphrase an old saying, you can lead Minnesotans to a primary election but you cant make them vote.

Turnout for Tuesdays primary was predicted long ago to be slow, given the lack of statewide or national races on the ballot, or high-profile local and regional races in most areas of the state.

The Winona area was no exception, with just a few local races on the ballot: the Winona mayoral race, a Winona County Board of Commissioners seat, and two judicial seats  one each in Wabasha and Houston counties.

Based on visits to polling sites and anecdotal evidence Tuesday  formal turnout numbers will be tallied and released later this week  most Winona County residents were working, at home, out and about, on vacation, or anywhere else except at the ballot boxes.

Kate von Rohr, an election judge at the Winona City Hall, said that while site volunteers were expecting a slight surge after work hours, they hadnt seen much turnout throughout the day.

Its very slow for the primary, von Rohr said.

Regardless of the turnout, volunteer poll workers found ways to make the time count, ranging from the distractions they carried with them to treating Tuesday as preparation for what is sure to be a much wilder day in November.

We were calling this our warm-up for the general election, von Rohr said.

Sarah Olcott, who has lived in Winona for 14 years, was voting at Winona State Universitys Kryzsko Commons around 9:30 a.m. She said she was driven to vote because Winonas size means that even seemingly smaller public issues can impact a large number of people.

It affects us all because were so close, Olcott said.

She cast ballot number six at her location.

Michael and Jaime Hanratty took their young son, Aiden, to their polling place at Madison Elementary around 2 p.m. New to the area in May, the Hanrattys have been interested in becoming involved in community and civic life.

Part of (voting) is to show Aiden how important it is to be an involved citizen of a community, Jaime Hanratty said.

Other voters Tuesday, like Patricia Neal, were motivated by impressions of incumbents. Neal voted at her Southeast Tech polling place around 10 a.m., where she said she would like to see a new face for Winonas mayor.

Brenda Terpstra, a poll worker at the Southeast Tech location, has been working Winona elections for the last 12 years. The retired educator said she can remember when she used to have to count ballots instead of having machines count for them  not that hand-counting would likely have affected the workload on Tuesday.

But as a frequent poll worker, Terpstra said, slow days have never discouraged her.

I believe in the democratic process, Terpstra said. (Im) proud of the way elections are conducted.

She added: Get out and vote.
Judge Carmaine Sturino and Tim Guth of Caledonia will advance to Novembers general election in Minnesota 3rd Judicial District.

Sturino, who was appointed to the bench in October after the retirement of longtime Judge James Fabian, won with 10,390 votes. Guth of Caledonia had 4,762 votes and Daniel Moulton of Chatfield had 3,531 votes.

The 3rd Judicial District comprises 11 counties in southeast Minnesota.

Guth has been in private practice since 1993, serving mostly criminal defendants in Houston and Winona counties. Hes also a public defender in La Crosse, Buffalo, Monroe, Jackson, Crawford and Vernon counties in Wisconsin.

Moulton has lived on a farm in Chatfield his entire life and has practiced law in Rochester for more than 30 years. Hes a city attorney for several communities in the area.

Before her appointment, Sturino spent 14 years as an attorney, practicing exclusively in the 3rd District, including work as a public defender, prosecutor, private attorney and conciliation court referee.
Want to appear in Beauty and the Beast? The Baraboo Theatre Guild says, be our guest.

The community theater troupe will present the tale old as time Nov. 3-6 and 10-13 at the Al. Ringling Theatre. Auditions will begin in two weeks.

The musical is based on the 1991 film of the same name, which was in turn adapted from the French fairy tale. Beauty and the Beast tells the story of a prince who is transformed into a hideous beast as punishment for his cruel and selfish ways, and an adventurous young woman named Belle whom he imprisons in his castle. In order to become human again, the Beast must earn Belles love before its too late.

Seven new songs were written for the stage musical. Beauty ran on Broadway for 5,461 performances from 1994 to 2007, becoming Broadways ninth longest-running production in history.

Auditions for the local production will be held at Baraboo Arts Banquet Hall & Convention Center on Aug. 26 and 30, as well as Sept. 1. There is one part for kids ages 7-10. Other roles call for older performers, from freshmen in high school through adults.

Selections from the musical will be sung. A prepared audition piece is not necessary. On Aug. 26 and 30, kids will audition from 6-6:30 p.m. women will follow at 6:30, with men auditioning at 7:30 p.m. On Sept. 1, there will be no auditions for kids. Women will audition at 6 p.m., followed by men at 7.
Some poor souls go a lifetime without finding love. But one lonely sap had it even worse: He spent 10 days in an airport.

Last month, a 41-year-old Dutchman headed to a Chinese airport to meet a 26-year-old woman he had met online. What started with high hopes ended in heartbreak as the lovesick Alexander Cirk never met his girlfriend and had to be treated for exhaustion. Its not unusual to find courtship exhausting, but if youre getting carted around in an airport in a wheelchair with an IV drip, youre doing it wrong.

CCTV reports that Cirk arrived at Changshas airport hoping to meet a woman named Zhang. He had encountered her online two months earlier, and they hit it off. After sending her a copy of his travel papers, Cirk camped out in the arrivals terminal and waited. Subsisting on instant noodles and soda, he lasted 10 days before being hospitalized.

Its not unusual for a gal to keep a guy waiting. Sometimes women like to be fashionably late. Its a fellas duty to wait patiently, smile understandingly and pretend not to be enraged. After all, romance cant bloom without a sprinkle of duplicity. But when you find yourself doubled over with a case of noodle-induced gut rot, its time to move on.

Before he was confined to a wheelchair, Cirk was noticed by Chinese media. They learned his story, found Zhang and attempted to play Cupid. Zhang told Hunan ETV by phone that she had not expected Cirk to come to Changsha. This development represented a good news, bad news situation for Cirk: On the down side, she wasnt coming. But on a positive note, she may be an actual female and not an undercover government agent investigating international sex trade.

Zhang claimed she was unable to meet Cirk because recent cosmetic surgery had made it inconvenient for her to step outside. She added that while the couple seemed bound for marriage early on, he became a bit indifferent towards me.

Lets review: He traveled thousands of miles and was willing to live on ramen noodles and Sprite to meet her. She and I have very different definitions for indifferent.

Despite being tired and wheelchair-bound, Cirk remained interested in Zhang. He told Hunan ETV he was still determined to have a good talk with the woman I love, (and bring her) back to my hometown.

He learned an important lesson about women. They may say they value spontaneity, but they get weirded out when you unexpectedly fly to their country and camp out in the airport.

In time, Cirk may also learn a tough lesson about online dating. Things are not always what they seem. Profiles are easy to falsify. The fawning beauty giving you come hither looks may be the avatar of some old guy in boxers trying to get your credit card number. Hence the old I cant be seen in public because my face is bursting with Botox excuse.

Either way, this couple found out how easy it can be to miscommunicate. Zhang said she hadnt heard from Cirk after his arrival. But he had left her messages online, which went unseen when the surgery prompted Zhang to turn her phone off. So what, it was cosmetic ear surgery?

Despite all of these difficulties, there is hope for these lovebirds. Zhang said she wants to continue the romance, and will meet the Dutchman when she recovers from her operation.

Its reassuring when hopeful people demonstrate their belief in love. But this particular romance should serve as a cautionary tale for anyone looking to see an online relationship take flight. Remember, heartbreak can be terminal.
For the first time in its 11-year history, the Midwest Cream Cheese Competition is this year being held in the summer.

Judging for the annual event is Friday at The Watermark, 209 S. Center St., beginning at 5:30 p.m. Entries begin arriving at 4:30 p.m. and spectators are welcome to attend free of charge.

The reason for the summer event has been a learning experience, with planners hoping to pair the competition with an evening wine tasting event at downtown shops. Although the wine tasting did not materialize, the cream cheese competition remains.

We originally had the event in the spring, paired with our home business expo, said Beaver Dam Area Chamber of Commerce president Phil Fritsche. More recently we held it in the fall, and that was a good time to have it as well. In pairing it with a wine tasting we wanted to have good weather to allow people to walk from business to business, and to taste some of the entries after the wine tasting was over. We usually try to have events on the same dates and times, but this time our experiment didnt quite work out as wed hoped it would.

The cream cheese completion, however, will stand on its own, with the added bonus of including some summertime recipes that might not appear any other time of year.

Response has been generally good.

Weve had a lot of women, and some men, who have come back multiple times to participate, said Fritsche, and there have been some really wonderful recipes. We guess there are about 10 recipes in each category this year, and some of the cooks have said this gave them a reason to try a different kind of a recipe than they did when it was a colder season. So were expecting some different kind of recipes this time around.

The deadline to enter was Aug. 5.

Another change is the venue, with the citys new community center as the new location.

The chamber has been very supportive of The Watermark being constructed, so we want to support it, said Fritsche. Weve always supported having things downtown, so it has been a good fit to have the event there. The more the community uses that building, the more people will be exposed to it and see it as a resource for them.

The facilitys pantry will be used for warming the things that should be served hot and to stage the food for presentation.

Categories are long-standing and include cheesecake, dips and best new cream cheese recipe.

Anything thats not a cheesecake or a dip falls into the last category, Fritsche said. That includes a wide variety of types of recipes. That could include desserts, or entrees, or soups ... Its been an interesting category, and certainly the most varied.

Prizes are $200 for first place, $100 for second place and $50 for third place. Best new cream cheese recipe contest judging begins at 5:30 p.m. Greatest cream cheese dip contest begins at 6:15 p.m. Ultimate cheesecake contest judging begins at 7 p.m. An awards presentation will be held starting at 9 p.m.

Over the last 11 years the chamber has compiled some of the best recipes into a cookbook, which is now near its standing binders capacity. In addition to 50 recipes from the Kraft test kitchen, 12 winning recipes (three winners and a runner-up) have been added each year. The cost of the book is $20 and recipes from the following years are available for $3 per year.

Kraft, the maker of Philadelphia Cream Cheese and a major local employer, is a donor for the event.

So despite the lack of a wine tasting, the Great Midwest Cream Cheese Competition is set to go, and all are invited to not only watch the judging, but to sample the entries for free.

It will be a good time for all who attend, in a new location, with some delicious tasting treats to sample, Fritsche said. I invite everyone to come on down to The Watermark and enjoy the fun.
With thousands of leases set to expire in the coming days and city crews preparing to pick up hundreds of tons of garbage, clothing and furniture left behind by tenants, UW-Madison and local officials are once again ramping up their efforts to reduce waste during the rush of Downtown move-out days.

The push to find a better use for the usable stuff left behind on curbs and in dumpsters has become a hallmark of the big mid-August move, in which many leases Downtown and around campus will turn over on Sunday.

Once again, UW-Madison sustainability groups and local organizations will set up donation sites around student neighborhoods and high-rise apartments so items go someplace other than a landfill.

The university will also collect sealed, non-perishable food, as well as other unopened household goods such as dish soap or toiletries, which will be given to the campus new student food pantry, the Open Seat.

Those items can be dropped off at any of the donation sites.

UW-Madisons main collection area will be a donate and take site in campus parking lot 45, at 165 N. Mills St., where people can drop off their clothing, furniture and household items.

In a twist on the tradition of collecting free stuff left on curbs known as Hippie Christmas, visitors can pick up items dropped off by others.

The site also accepts e-waste, including televisions, computers and phones, whether theyre working or not.

It will be open from Aug. 12-17, though daily hours vary  a full listing of hours at the donate and take site, as well as other locations, is available at go.madison.com/moveout.

For renters in the Mifflin and Bassett Street area, St. Vincent de Paul has a donation site in the parking lot of U-Hauls Downtown location at 602 W. Washington Ave., which will be open Friday through Sunday.

Those in campus-area apartment buildings wont have to go far to find a place to donate.

Goodwill will place collection bins at more than a dozen buildings.

Locations include: The Embassy, the Equinox, Varsity Quarters, Grand Central, 420 Gorham, X01, Humbucker, La Ville, Park Regent, Vantage Point, Lucky, the Regent, Henry Street Apartments, Highland, the Hub and Towers on State.
A judge on Tuesday reduced a Pardeevilles man bond from $50,000 to $5,000 in the lead-up to his October trial on charges of first-degree child sexual assault.

Charles Leonard Siegler Jr., 32, appeared in Columbia County Circuit on Tuesday to address final scheduling of his trial. Siegler has been held in the Columbia County Jail since his November 2014 arrest.

What (defense attorney) Mr. (David) Geier is proposing seems to be a reasonable accommodation, said Judge W. Andrew Voigt, that essentially buys Mr. Burdon another month to prepare and possibly find a way to resolve this case in a way that sometimes a fresh set of eyes can.

The case, originally handled by Assistant District Attorney Brenda Yaskal, was passed to Assistant District Attorney Cliff Burdon when Yaskal left the office earlier this summer. The situation pressed Burdon for time with a trial scheduled for Sept. 19-22.

Without going into the details of the accusations, Voigt noted that this is not a one-day disorderly conduct case.

In November 2014, Siegler was arrested on charges of first-degree child sexual assault and repeated sexual assault of the same child, accused of assaulting a 12-year-old girl and a 10-year-old girl two months earlier.

At the time, Siegler was under community supervision as a registered sex offender, convicted in Sauk County in 2004 of felony child enticement. He served six years in prison with 10 years of extended supervision.

With the cash bond set at $50,000 right now, said Burdon, giving his take on potential bond reduction, I would be recommending $49,999.99.

There is no question in the courts mind, that reducing a cash bond from $50,000 to $5,000 is a big deal, said Voigt. Its a big deal for a lot of reasons. Its a big deal for the defendant; its a big deal for the court. And I think we all understand the scope of what we are talking about here.

Even if approved for a reduced bond, Geier would need to have his prospective housing pre-approved by a probation agent, as well as intense supervision with a long list of conditions set by both the court and the Department of Corrections.

As I said, I think that given the passage of time, and while the court is significantly and definitionally concerned by the nature of these allegations, said Voigt. I think we are at the point in time when I think that the court is obligated to at least attempt to find a number that, theoretically, Mr. Siegler could reach.

Given that Siegler has only been the subject of allegations and no proof has been given past the probable cause offered at his preliminary hearing, and that in the past 18 months in jail has not been in any additional trouble, Voigt lowered the cash bond to $5,000.

If Siegler posts that amount, he would be freed pending trial with requirements to report to his probation agent, have no contact with the alleged victims, no initiating contact with any juvenile, a curfew recommended and if possible, for the DOC to track him through electronic monitoring, Voigt ruled.

While I appreciate Mr. Burdons argument about the maximum consequence being a motivation for Mr. Siegler to flee, I dont have any information to say that he is likely to flee. The greater concern is how he will behave upon his release, said Voigt.

Obviously all of this is conditioned on the agent approving some place for him to reside. If the agent doesnt approve of a place for him to reside, theres no point in him marshalling the resources to post cash if hes just going to sit at the jail anyway.

Sieglers trial is scheduled for Oct. 24-27.
Air safety

There is no alternative to improving the quality of our countrys aviation
Portage is no longer the only public school district in the state to forgo membership to the Wisconsin Association of School Boards.

The Portage School Board on Monday renewed membership in WASB at a cost of $5,865.

The issue that had generated much debate among members in previous meetings received none prior to the vote. WASB membership renewal was part of the Finance Committees report that passed 6-1, with member Connie Shlimovitz as the lone dissenting vote.

Portage in August of last year became the only district to cancel membership citing concerns with WASB advocacy in the state Capitol. The decision for non-renewal followed several items in the state budget opposed by public school officials across Wisconsin, namely the expansion of the private school voucher program.

The absence of discussion about renewing WASB membership surprised President Matt Foster, who had all along been the most vocal in support of rejoining WASB. The board had discussed the issue in June to little effect, as several members said they believed the cost of membership would be better served in the district until WASB proved itself effective in influencing lawmakers in Madison.

Reversing course Monday were members Dan Garrigan, Steve Pate and Chad Edwards  Edwards who in June called WASB useless from an advocacy standpoint. Garrigan in June said he did not see a change for the district in 2015-16 during its non-membership, aside from the district saving $6,000.

Garrigan and Pate along with Fred Reckling serve on the Finance Committee that made the recommendation, though Pate could not attend the Aug. 1 meeting in which the recommendation was made. Subbing for Pate that day was Foster.

But, as Foster pointed out after Mondays meeting, all board members had access to the Finance Committees report before Mondays vote so Im assuming theyre OK with it now.

Pate, originally the most critical of WASB advocacy, said in June he was more receptive to rejoining WASB than he was last year, and after the meeting Monday said he believes its time that Portage gave WASB another opportunity.

Were going into another budget cycle so Ill be aware of what theyre doing, Pate said. Hopefully theyll be more aggressive.

Well see if we can at least hold our own in the next budget cycle.

Pate added he believes Portages non-membership sent a strong message and he commended WASB Executive Director John Ashley for making the trip to a Portage board meeting last year to address local concerns with WASB.

Sometimes people have to make it known they see some problems, Pate said of the boards year-long stand against WASB. Im always willing to give people another chance.

Shlimovitz said after Mondays meeting she was disappointed the board decided to rejoin WASB. We did just fine without them, and Im sure there are other ways to put that money to good use in schools.

I dont think anythings changed in the last year, Shlimovitz said. Nothing has changed for me, so in my eyes (cancelling) is still a cost-savings method.

As for the lack of board discussion on the subject Monday, Shlimovitz said she believes any issue that had generated so much debate in the past should be voted on as a separate item.

I always feel that way. Theres often so many individual items listed that if you oppose just one of them you have to vote down the whole report, she said, noting that to oppose rejoining WASB on Monday she had to vote against paying monthly bills she otherwise supported.

Foster said hes happy Portage is back in WASB, mostly for the access to meetings and seminars. Personally it helped me find out what other districts are doing regarding coursework and policies, so to me, its a good learning tool to improve myself as a board member.

It is kind of expensive, but as Ive said before, what we take out of (membership) is how we get our moneys worth.

Foster said he, too, would be keeping a closer eye on WASB advocacy, but added its hard to compete with big-money lobbyists who influence policy in Madison.

I hope they improve in advocacy (and we) take advantage of what they offer for us to improve as board members. Thats our job: to improve for the district.
Dale Carnegie is credited with saying, A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still. This is a thought provoking quote for those of us who like discussing politics. Once a person has chosen a position, it is nearly impossible to change his or her mind and we need to stop trying. The British say, It is best discussed before breakfast, which means that it is best not discussed at all.

However, it never hurts to look back on some of the quotes of famous folks regarding politics. As we all know, John F. Kennedy said, Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country. Now, theres a thought that has been lost in the entitlement atmosphere of our time. The most alluring thing a candidate can do, these days, is to list the free things he or she is going to give us in exchange for our vote.

President Kennedy also said, Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer but the right answer.

At one point in his career, President Bill Clinton said, I tried to walk the line between acting lawfully and testifying falsely, but I now realize I did not fully accomplish that goal.

President Richard Nixon said, Ill speak for the man, or against him, whichever will do him the most good. Nixon also said, I would have made a good Pope. I think most of us had and have serious doubts about that.

George Washington said, I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.

A very clever man, Albert Einstein said, Never do anything against conscience, even if the state demands it. Thats not always easy in the world today, just ask the Little Sisters of the Poor.

Winston Churchill said, The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings. The inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.

The famous news commentator, Edward R. Murrow, is quoted as saying, A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.

Franklin D. Roosevelt is credited with saying, Im not the smartest fellow in the world, but I can sure pick smart colleagues. Thats a pretty important talent for any administration.

I like the words of Harry S. Truman, Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source if terror to all of its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear. He also said, The buck stops here.

I think there is so much wisdom in quotes that I have labored over cryptograms every day for years, hoping to find that special inspiration to carry with me until the next day, when there is another cryptogram in the paper or I find one in my many books of cryptograms.

Benjamin Franklin said, Lifes tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late. But in response I say, Now, isnt that the truth?
Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy
Bandarjhula folks demand their alternative settlement

Bandarjhula folks in Chitwan district have asked Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to make arrangement for providing them with alternative settlement.
Cant work on polls sans local body report: EC

The Election Commission has made it clear once again that it will not be able to hold the elections until the government implements the report of the Federalism Implementation and Restructuring Committee, which is doing its work.
Chhakka Panjaa to break the mould

Actors Deepashree Niraula and Deepak Giri travelled to Dharan on Monday on a promotional tour for the upcoming feature film, Chhakka Panjaa. The movie is based on the story of migrant Nepali workers.
Children held at Australian camp suffer assaults, sexual abuse: leaked documents

More than 2,000 incidents, including sexual abuse, assault and attempted self-harm, were reported in about two years at an Australian detention center for asylum seekers in Nauru, more than half involving children, a newspaper reported on Wednesday.




China News on Women





Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page
Chinese Prez Xis visit depends on Nepals expectations

A visiting professor of a Chinese think tank has said that the Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Nepal will depend on the expectations of Nepal government and Nepali political parties.
India and Russia celebrate commissioning of Kudankulam 1

10 August 2016

Share

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin today inaugurated unit 1 of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant. Together with J Jayalalithaa, chief minister of Tamil Nadu, where the plant is based, the two leaders conducted the inauguration via a video conference.

Modi in a video conference with Putin and Jayalalithaa (Image: Indian Prime Minister's Office)

The unit is already in service, having started commercial operation on 31 December 2014. Output from Kudankulam 1 is being supplied to India's southern grid and divided between five states: Tamil Nadu (56%), Karnataka (22%), Kerala (13%), Andhra Pradesh (5%) and Puducherry (3%).

The Kudankulam plant's site director, R S Sundar, said during today's inauguration that unit 2 will be ready by end of this month. Both units are Russian-built VVER-1000 pressurized water reactors.

During the video conference, which included a link to the plant site in Tirunelveli, Modi said India and Russia plan to build a series of nuclear power plants. "Today's event is a joyful event for the Russian team of engineers in India and Russia. We salute them for their relentless work," Modi said. "I have a vision for India where [the] achievements of our economic development will benefit Earth. Kundankulam. The success of this plant demonstrates a common resolve to build new ties."

Putin said the unit had been built with the latest Russian nuclear power technology. "It is not just construction and commissioning of the power plant. It is well known that Russia is one of the world leaders in nuclear technology and we are glad to share with our Indian colleagues our technology," he said.

Cooperation between India and Russia to build the plant has its origins in an inter-governmental agreement signed in 1988 by the then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev. First concrete for unit 1 was poured in March 2002, with that for unit 2 following four months later. The units were originally scheduled to begin commercial operation in December 2007 and December 2008 respectively.

Although unit 1 was completed in March 2011, its commissioning was delayed due to protests and legal action following the accident at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant the same month. Plant owner Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) announced in July 2013 that the unit had achieved first criticality. It was connected to the grid in October that year. Unit 2 - India's 22nd nuclear power reactor - achieved first criticality last month.

Indian news agency IANS said today Russia's latest VVER-1200 reactor technology is likely to be used for future units. IANS quoted former NPCIL chairman M R Srinivasan as saying Russia's commissioning last week of Novovoronezh 6 "is of interest for India". Srinivasan added: "We expect to build the larger size units at the second site that is likely to be made available for Russian reactors."

During Modi's visit to Moscow in December last year, Modi and Putin said in a joint statement that cooperation between the two countries on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy was a "cornerstone" of their strategic partnership. Putin said negotiations were at an advanced stage for Kudankulam 3 and 4. Modi said India plans to have 12 Russian nuclear reactors at two sites.

Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said today that the 12 units in India will include up to eight reactors "in the Kudankulam area". Talks are now being held, Rosatom said, on a general contract for construction of Kudankulam 5 and 6, which is expected to be signed this autumn.

The Indian cabinet said in January that commercial negotiations between NPCIL and US-based Westinghouse on the construction of six AP1000 units at Mithi Virdi in India are on course to be finalized this year.

Mithi Virdi, in the Bhavnagar district of Gujarat, is intended to host up to six AP1000s built in three stages. NPCIL commenced site works in 2012, and Westinghouse and NPCIL signed a preliminary commercial contract in September 2013. Mithi Virdi is on a list of ten proposed sites for new nuclear power plants given in-principle approval by the Indian government in April 2015.

According to today's Rosatom statement, Putin and Modi are next scheduled to meet at the BRICS summit to be held in Goa in October. BRICS is a grouping of major emerging economies that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

Related topics
Tika R Pradhan is a senior political correspondent for the Post, covering politics, parliament, judiciary and social affairs. Pradhan joined the Post in 2016 after working at The Himalayan Times for more than a decade.
Reprocessing plant siting work halted in Lianyungang

10 August 2016

Share

The municipal government of Lianyungang in China's Jiangsu province has announced the suspension of site selection work for a planned Sino-French nuclear fuel reprocessing project. The move follows public protests against the project.

In a 6 August statement, CNNC Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing (CNFR) said, "At present, the Sino-French nuclear fuel cycle cooperation project is in the early stages of the project work. In accordance with the requirements of the national nuclear project, site selection work has started in Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Gansu and other provinces."

However, the Lianyungang municipal government announced today that it had decided to suspend site preparatory work. The move followed protests in the city after media reports suggested the project would be built in Lianyungang.

Site selection studies for the reprocessing plant are being conducted by Nuclear Science and Technology Co Ltd. The company's general manager, Xue Weiming, told Science & Technology Daily that the site will be finalized on the basis of scientific evidence, soliciting public opinion, agreement with the local government and ultimately by national decision-makers. "The site selection for the nuclear fuel cycle project will involve careful consideration of various factors, including seismic geology, rock formation, floods, man-made and external hazards," he said. "Our site work always demands scientific evidence and effective communication - the precautionary principle in decision-making."

China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and France's Areva signed an agreement in November 2007 to assess the feasibility of setting up an 800 tonne per year reprocessing plant for used fuel in China. The plant would be operated by Areva.

In November 2010, an industrial agreement on the project was signed, while in April 2013 a further agreement was signed setting out the technical specifications for the plant. Then in March 2014 another agreement was signed to continue planning the project and to complete the business case for it. A memorandum of understanding followed, in June last year, which Areva said "formalizes the end of technical discussions, defines the schedule for commercial negotiations and confirms the willingness of both groups to finalize the negotiations in the shortest possible timeframe."

CNFR was established in 2011 to take responsibility for site selection and other preparatory work.

Jinta county, north of Jiayuguan in Gansu province, had earlier been touted as a potential site for the complex, which will reportedly occupy three square kilometres.

Construction of the reprocessing facility is expected to start in 2020 and be completed in 2030.

In addition to the reprocessing plant, the site will also house a used fuel storage facility with the capacity to hold 3000 tonnes of fuel. In addition, a high-level liquid waste vitrification facility is also planned.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

Related topics
Income Disparity

Income disparity is the difference in household income between the lower and higher ends of the distribution. A wide gap between those who are considered rich and those who live in poverty within a country is indicative of socio-economic inequality. The extent of income disparity changes based on the time in history, the society, and the economic structure of a country. Some nations experience a large gap in income distribution where the bottom 10% of the population earns less than 2% of the total countrys income. These countries are all located in Latin America with the exception of one, the United States.

Income Inequality In Latin America

It is quite evident that Latin America is the region with the greatest disparity in the world. When the richest 10% earn over half of all available income, that does not leave much to distribute among the remaining 90% of the population. In Bolivia, the poorest 10% of the people earn only .9% of all the income in the nation, in Brazil and Honduras it is 1%, and Colombia and Panama are only 1.1%. All of the Latin American countries on this list have experienced great changes in economic policy over the past few decades, but it has done little to reduce the gap. Why?

Latin America is a post-colonial world that developed out of European colonization and exploitation of indigenous communities. Little has changed since then. During the late 1800s, access to education and ownership of land titles were available only to the upper echelon of the society. This system set them up for personal economic growth and laid the foundation for inequality. Indeed, the rich-poor gap continues along lines of ethnicity with those of European descent having far more economic privilege than those of indigenous descent. Deeply embedded structural violence works against those individuals who are trying to claw their way out of poverty.

This effect is seen in Costa Rica where only 1.4% of the national income is distributed among the poorest 10%, Paraguay and Peru with 1.5%, Ecuador and Argentina with 1.6%, Chile (1.7%), and Uruguay and the Dominican Republic (1.9%).

Income Inequality In The United States

Income inequality in the US is the same as that found in Chile, 1.7% of the nations income is divided among the bottom 10%. The US is the only developed country on this list. The number of rich people are growing, the number of poor people is growing, and the middle class is decreasing. Today, middle-income families earn practically what they earned during the 1970s.

The history of this country is similar to that of its neighbors to the south. The land was taken over by colonists who exploited indigenous populations and promoted slavery to make profits. This history has resulted in the current reality, a country where women earn less than men and non-whites earn less than whites. The income disparity was not always so pronounced (though it has always existed); right after World War II, the incomes were fairer that at any other time in history. This fact was due in large part to an economic structure that included a large workforce, social policies (like social security and minimum wage), infrastructure construction, access to education, and housing projects. Since then, that economic structure has declined. Some economists suggest it has been because of globalization and increasingly competitive marketplaces.

Consequences Of Income Inequality

Too much disparity within the population can have some seriously negative consequences. These countries typically have large numbers of social and health problems, little access to education, and obstructed economic growth. Some of the social and health problems include: obesity, mental illness, decreased life expectancy, homicide, incarceration, and drug use. Poor public and social health decreases economic productivity, and increases government spending on healthcare, police, and prisons.
What is Water Access?

One of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals was to reduce the number of people without access to sustainable and safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 50%. Access is defined by distance and amount of water available. If the water source is less than 0.6 miles away and consistently provides at least 20 liters of water per person in the family, the household is considered to have access to water. Safe drinking water is free of chemicals and microbes that cause disease and is obtained via a household connection, community tap, protected well or spring, and rainwater collection.

Lack of Access to Water

Nearly 1.1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water around the world, another 663 million cannot access improved water sources. These people are overwhelmingly located throughout sub-Saharan Africa although there are one Pacific island and one Middle Eastern nation on the list of countries with the worst water infrastructures. Papua New Guinea tops that list, only 40% of the population has access to an improved water source. The next six countries are in Africa: Equatorial Guinea (48%), Angola (49%), Chad (51%), Mozambique (51%), Madagascar (52%), and DR Congo (52%). Next is Afghanistan with only 55% of its population having access to improved water sources. This is followed by Tanzania (56%) and Ethiopia (57%).

Consequences of Little or No Access to Water

The consequences of lacking access to clean and safe water, improved water sources, and improved sanitation services are astounding. It affects education, health, hunger, poverty, and the economy. Children seem to bear the burden of inadequate access to water. Of the 1.6 million people who die annually from preventable, diarrhoeal diseases (like cholera), 90% are under five years old. A further 1.5 million people are annually diagnosed with Hepatitis A. This figure is all due to unclean water. In the countries previously listed, an estimated 80% of illness is attributed to poor water and sanitation conditions.

When children are fighting for their lives due to disease and malnutrition (from parasites in water), they are unable to attend school. In fact, a total of 443 million recorded school days is lost every year as a result of water-related illness. This problem is amplified for girls. Girls are more often responsible for collecting water than boys, and when the water source is far away, they miss school to make sure the household has water.

Adults and children who are forced to spend their time collecting water are unable to contribute to the economy by participating in the workforce. Either they do not obtain an education that allows them to go on and contribute to the formal employment sector, or they are consumed with thoughts of collecting water. According to UN estimates, African countries alone lose 40 billion hours annually in efforts to obtain household water.

What is Being Done?

Many non-profits, non-governmental organizations, and government agencies are working together to eliminate this problem across the world, including in the countries mentioned above. The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF) have joined forces via the Joint Monitoring Program for Water Supply and Sanitation which is used to measure progress against development goals. WHO also invests in research in order to illustrate the cost effectiveness for governments to invest in providing or improving water and sanitation conditions. They also work with other non-profits, research facilities, and governments to support water access and treatment efforts. UNICEF manages Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) teams in order to promote access to clean water, improved toilets, and hygiene practices.

Hope for the Future

Despite all of the negative numbers and consequences, there is hope. The Millennial Goal was met three years ahead of schedule. With a 2015 deadline, the population of people without access to water and improved sanitary facilities was cut in half by 2012. This means that governments and organizations everywhere have used the Millennial Goal indicators as a tool for improving living conditions for citizens. The fact that the goal was reached ahead of schedule indicates that ensuring water access is important to governments and was taken seriously. The countries listed in this article represent a portion of the estimated 11% of the global population that is still without access to water.
The living conditions of people earning an average income of $1.50 or less, which is the internationally recognized poverty level is dehumanizing. These are the situations experienced by the citizens of countries like Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In countries like Guinea, Uganda, Honduras, Djibouti, Laos, Georgia, Bolivia, and Colombia there are citizens are earning less than $2 every day. Some of the challenges which the citizens in countries experiencing extreme poverty levels face include;

Malnutrition

It stands out as the most common result of poverty. This effect is commonly visible among children with low-income family backgrounds. Access to nutritious meals is a luxury which poor families rarely enjoy. It is because they cannot afford decent meals and mostly take only one meal a day. Highly nutritious food is expensive and therefore, the poor people are sidelined by the fact that it is an expense they cannot afford. In addition, people in poverty-ridden countries do not eat enough to sustain them and they are not productive.

Poor Health

Reduced or deteriorating health conditions are the most experienced effects of poverty. The poor wellbeing conditions are usually because these people do not have enough funds to cater for proper nutritional needs. Proper feeding on healthy foods naturally fights and prevents diseases. Poor sanitation standards spread out in most parts of these countries like Uganda increases the spread of illness.

Life expectancy and child mortality

Life expectancy is highly affected by high levels of poverty. In most of these countries with high levels of poverty like Gabon, life expectancy is almost 30 years below the average of developed countries like Germany and France and the overall worldwide life expectancy. Shockingly, child mortality at birth in poor countries like Guinea, Honduras, and Djibouti are extremely high.

Measures Initiated

South American countries like Bolivia and Columbia have taken steps to bring change to the poverty levels. The adoption of scientific measures like the development of genetically modified organisms is one of the primary approaches to curb food shortages. Food generating projects are expensive to undertake, but if utilized by some developing countries like Honduras it can help reduce malnutrition.

In some developing countries like Laos and Georgia they are initiating infrastructural development as an income-generating strategy. These income-oriented projects provide jobs for the citizens and raise their productivity. These projects include the building of highways, power stations, and irrigation plants which are labor-intensive.

It is recommendable to develop human resources in third world countries. Developing literacy levels by investing in educational facilities like schools, vocational colleges, and technical training institutions help impart and instill skills to people through learning. There are campaigns for good health to the citizens through building health centers, hospitals, and dispensaries to ensure a healthy nation. These measures are all active efforts to eradicate poverty levels.

Good health, high levels of education and practical skills can engage in employment activities and also better manage self-employed businesses thereby promoting the fight against poverty. Adoption and implementation of these strategies can help alleviate the extreme poverty levels in these countries.
Equity risk premium, or equity premium, is the excess return that stock market investors can accumulate at a risk-free rate, most commonly through government treasury bonds. In a nutshell, the risk premium rate is the lending rate minus the treasury bill rate. In general, risk premiums are generally inversely proportional to the price point for risky assets.

Premiums vary depending on the level of risk in each country's economy, and they also change over time as market risk fluctuates. The equity risk premium on loans for any given country is determined by taking into account a number of factors, including economic risk, volatility of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the status of infrastructure and communication systems, and historical data. The ten countries discussed below are international leaders in low equity risk premium lending rates. All were lower than 2.5% in the year 2015.

Moldova (-6.4%)

Although the Republic of Moldova is one of Europe's poorest nations, and despite continued political instability and bank fraud, the country's economy has been growing steadily since 2001. Moldova has made considerable economic reforms since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Exports to the European Union (EU) have been increasing since the signing of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) accords. Prices have been liberalized and subsidies on basic consumer goods have largely been phased out. The privatization of Moldova's agricultural land has also had a positive effect on the economy.

Zambia (-5.8%)

Zambia's economic success is a result of advanced banking standards, high commodity prices, and political stability. Since 2000, Zambia has been able to significantly reduce poverty through national and international program implementation. Governmental power is kept in check by a floating exchange rate and open capital markets. Copper output continues to increase, while diversification of exports and an increase in tourism also promote continued economic stability.

Egypt (0.3%)

Egypt has made great strides to rebuild, reform and improve its economy after years of political upheaval. Recent political stability has revived the tourism industry, providing much-needed revenue. Additional incentives have been put in place to encourage more dynamic investments and create new jobs in the private sector. Successful reform of fuel subsidies has also greatly contributed to an already diverse and vibrant economy.

Sri Lanka (0.3%)

With an economy driven by agriculture, apparel, and tourism, Sri Lanka has made great strides towards privatization in recent years. There have been extensive reforms of tax, tariff and foreign investment laws. The expanding services sector has also spurred economic growth, particularly in the last five years.

Mexico (0.4%)

Constitutional reforms in energy, education and telecommunications have been a boon to the Mexican economy. Recent efforts have been made to enhance regulatory efficiency and liberalize investment regimes. Banking stability continues to attract increasing numbers of foreign investors, and the financial sector has retained its competitiveness in the face of recent global financial challenges.

Malaysia (1.5%)

Malaysia has recently undertaken expansive structural reforms to encourage creative entrepreneurship. In 2015, the government began an innovate multi-year drive to reduce and eventually eliminate fuel subsidies. The public finance sector remains stable, and there is continued improvement in regulatory efficiency.

Iceland (1.7%)

Iceland's economy took a major hit during the 2008 banking crisis, but the country has made great strides recently in the areas of public finance and policy reform. Iceland's banking system has undergone a major restructuring. Combined with a strong legal framework, minimal corruption and a competitive regulatory system, Iceland's economy is bouncing back.

Hungary (1.7%)

Hungary has embraced the modernization of trade and investment during their transition to a free-market economy. New regulations allow for innovation and flexibility in business practices. In 2015, the government responded to a drop in oil prices worldwide by lowering domestic regulated energy prices. Agriculture subsidies are also being drastically reformed.

Canada (2.3%)

Canada's strong economic fundamentals and financial prudence have served it well in recent years. Its banking sector has remained stable in spite of global and domestic financial challenges. Open-market policies and a focus on global trade and investment have also kept the economy growing.

Uruguay (2.4%)

Uruguay is a standout country compared to most others in Latin America because of its longstanding intolerance for corruption and its history of open economic practices. International investors are attracted to improvements in regulatory efficiency, and financial institutions are being revamped to encourage greater use of services by the general public.
The Zoolander 2 screenwriter flew to Los Angeles to be with his wife

Jennifer Aniston and husband Justin Theroux recently enjoyed a secret, low-key anniversary celebration, with Theroux flying to Los Angeles to spend it with the 47-year-old actress.

The event took place on August 5th as the 44-year-old actor took a brief break from filming the upcoming season of The Leftovers.

An insider revealed to People magazine: Justin flew from Australia to LA to spend their anniversary week with Jen. They relaxed at home, had dinner with friends and had a small anniversary celebration at home.

Aniston also feels like they had been husband and wife long before tying the knot, saying: We felt married for so long. Married life is so normal and fun and not much different.

The Cake actress  who was previously married to Brad Pitt  says Theroux makes her very happy and comfortable. She also praises his uncanny sense of humor and thanks the constant laughter for keeping her young at heart.

She said: Im lucky because Justin is the funniest person Ive met, and we make each other laugh. Laughter is one of the great keys to staying youthful.

The former Friends star is also thankful to have reached her 40s, as she feels much wiser and healthier than ever before.

I feel better in my 40s. Not only do you feel better in your body physically, but youre mentally better. Because, say, in your 20s, you didnt know s**t. For me, in my 30s, I was just trying to figure it all out. Then when you hit 40, youre like, Oh, OK. I got this.

There are women whove hit 50 who are stunners, like shocking. We just take better care of ourselves, she revealed.
Pentagon's Cyber Command given greater role and responsibilities

The Obama administration is preparing to elevate the status of the Pentagons Cyber Command. It will be tasked with developing offensive strategies to combat cyber attacks and drafting policies to punish cyber criminals while placing a particular emphasis on combating ISIS.

Cyber Command is currently part of the National Security Administration but will be separated out into its own unified command. Other examples of this command structure include the militarys Central and Pacific commands. That will empower officials within Cyber Command to have a larger voice for advocating for the offensive and defensive use of cyber strategies in future conflicts.

Cyber Command was created in 2010 and is now subordinate to the U.S. Strategic Command which is tasked with missile defense, space operations, and nuclear weapons. The looming change in command structure reflects the growing role that cyber strategies play in modern warfare. Officials who spoke to Reuters cautioned that the exact details of the plan are still being debated, and that President Obama has not yet given final approval.

The Pentagon has previously acknowledged that is has employed cyber attack to combat ISIS, although the exact nature of these attacks is unknown. Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work commented in April that, We are dropping cyberbombs. We have never done that before.

Many had previously predicted the growing role of Cyber Command. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said previously in a speech that the Pentagon planned to spend an additional $35 billion on cyber strategies over the next five years. Adapting to new functions will include changes in how we manage ourselves in cyberspace, Carter commented.

Navy Adm. Michael S. Rogers, the current head of Cyber Command, also created Joint Task Force Ares last month to improve the militarys efforts to combat ISIS on cyber fronts. The task force is made up of operations and intelligence officials from throughout the armed services.

The role of the NSA is largely dedicated to monitoring and intelligence gathering. The new Cyber Command is expected to have much more of an offensive role, dealing directly with the fallout from cyber attacks and responding in kind if ordered to do so.

This change directly reflects the rapidly evolving nature of modern warfare and is a specific response to the success of ISIS online. The militant group controls limited territory in the Middle East but has proved very successful at spreading its message and philosophy worldwide through online channels. James Lewis, a security expert working at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that the new command structure, Reflects the maturing of Cyber Command and its own capabilities.
A 73-year-old retired librarian playing a "bad guy" role in a Florida police community event was shot multiple times by a Punta Gorda officer

Mary Knowlton was one of two volunteers randomly chosen to participate in a shoot-dont shoot exercise, but was killed Tuesday night when a Punta Gorda, Fla., police officer shot her multiple times with live ammunition rather than blank rounds. Knowlton was playing the bad guy in a scenario that was intended to demonstrate the split-second decisions police have to make on the job. The exercise was part of the Citizens Academy event, an eight-session, interactive course for local residents that attempts to teach them about the roles of various city departments and services. About 35 people were taking part in the Tuesday event.

According to Punta Gorda police public information officer Lt. Katie Heck, the shoot-dont shoot scenario has been part of the program for 2 years. We have done them for the last two Leadership Charlotte police nights, Punta Gorda Citizens Academy, and then this was the first police night hosted by our Chamber of Commerce. In each session, four individuals went through the scenarios with no injuries or incident.

Knowlton was rushed to a nearby Fort Myers hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the killing.

Mary Knowltons Facebook page said she lives in Punta Gorda but had been a librarian in Savage, Minn. A longtime friend said that Knowlton had a love of books and tried to instill that in children. So much is on the Internet now, said Carolyn Hartwigsen. But, books are so important to have in childrens hands. That was important to her.

Police Chief Tom Lewis said he was devastated for everyone involved in this unimaginable event. The police officer involved in the shooting has not been identified, and has been placed on administrative leave while an investigation takes place.
A young man wanted to make a point about racism in the United States, but his plan backfired when he was exposed for a liar by police. 20-year-old Khalil Cavil of Texas was working at the Saltgrass Steak House in Odessa when he claimed he was discriminated against because of his Muslim name. Cavil took
Eager to welcome China president to Nepal: PM

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that Nepal was eager to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping to the country any time soon.
Fire displaces three resettled families in NH

Three resettle Bhutanese families in Manchester, New Hampshire were driven from their center city apartment building late Saturday night by a fire that police department said to be suspicious.
Wrexham University Backs Calls For More Construction Workers

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Aug 10th, 2016

Wrexham Glyndwr University has backed a campaign urging more people to lay foundations in a career in construction.

The Welsh construction industry is set to grow at nearly triple the UK average, with more than 27,000 jobs expected to be created in the coming five years, according to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

Wrexham Glyndwr University, which offers a Bachelors degree in Construction Management, is encouraging those who are interested in starting a career in the industry to visit the universitys open day on Saturday, August 20th from 10am-2pm.

Dave Cheesbrough, Construction Management programme leader at Wrexham Glyndwr University, emphasised that the UK needs more qualified construction managers as there is a lack of chartered practitioners in the industry.

He said: The Welsh Government has identified a need for greater numbers of qualified construction managers in Wales. The university is therefore helping to fill this skills gap in North Wales, and in the North West of England.

North East Wales has a thriving construction industry and were encouraging anyone interested in developing a career in construction to join our BSc (Hons) course.

The CITB has also launched Go Construct, an awareness campaign to encourage more people to consider a career in construction.

The BSc Construction Management degree, available full-time or part-time, is fully accredited by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and affiliated to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Sarah Morgan, a part-time estate agent in Ruthin and Denbigh, decided to study BSc Construction Management in Wrexham to change career direction.

She said: I applied for the course to expand my knowledge of the construction process and broaden my transferable skills for career progression.

The course allows people, with and without practical experience, to understand all construction methods, and also incorporates encompassing aspects such as environmental, economic and managerial processes which provides a holistic understanding of the entire process.

To gain insight and experience of working in the industry Wrexham Glyndwr University students visited HMP Berwyn which is currently under construction. The project is being undertaken by contractors Lendlease and more than 800 local workers are currently employed on the site.

Rita Patel Miller, community engagement and training manager of Lendlease, has commended the close working relationship and support between LendLease and Wrexham Glyndwr Universitys Built Environment courses.

For more details visit www.glyndwr.ac.uk or attend Wrexham Glyndwr Universitys open day on Saturday, August 20.
Foreign forces foiled merger

Chairman Kamal Thapa has claimed that the force involved in toppling the KP Sharma Oli-led government was responsible for foiling the merger plan between his Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal and the RPP.
Two babies were accidentally administered nitrous oxide instead of oxygen during resuscitation at a Bankstown-Lidcombe hospital operating theatre in Sydneys southwest. The nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, was incorrectly labelled as oxygen on the theatres gas supply wall units.

A boy, delivered by emergency caesarean section, died 57 minutes after he was born on July 13. A girl is in a critical condition with serious brain injuries, after being given nitrous oxide in late June. She is expected to suffer severe disabilities for the rest of her life.

The boys parents, Youssef and Sonya Ghanem, were not told for a week how their son died. It was almost a month before the girls parents were informed of what happened.

The gas lines were installed in mid-July 2015, 18 months after an oxygen bottle ran out during the resuscitation of a newborn baby in early 2014. BOC Limited, a major medical gas supplier and contractor to Australian hospitals, was engaged to install, test and commission the piped oxygen supplies.

A Root Cause Analysis (RCA) investigation began on June 23 into problems with the resuscitation of the girl, but it was not until a day after the death of the boy that a hospital paediatrician raised concerns about the gas lines. Eight days later, on July 21, BOC conducted a gas purity check and the theatre was closed.

BOC issued a statement claiming it was not involved in the original installation of the pipes, saying they were wrongly identified before its work at the hospital in 2015. The original pipes were fitted during the late 1990s.

The New South Wales (NSW) state government, which did not publicly release any information on the disaster until July 25, has responded by going into political damage control.

The government commissioned an interim inquiry headed by NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant, suspended BOC from installing, commissioning or testing works at public hospitals, and stood down a Bankstown-Lidcombe hospital engineer.

NSW Health is also conducting a combined RCA investigation into the incidents, headed by Professor Michael Nicholl, the clinical director of Women, Children and Family Health at Northern Sydney Local Health District. Its report is scheduled for release on August 25.

State Health Minister Jillian Skinner described the death of the boy and injuries to the girl as a devastating error and said both families would be compensated.

Joe Kharma, an uncle of the boy, denounced Skinners response. Speaking to 2GB radio, he said: I cant understand how its just a devastating error to the minister. Youre dealing with someones baby. Emotions are through the roof and all they can do is play the political game of covering up everything.

Kharma said the parents were distraught. Their son lived for less than an hour, he said. Were speechless. All we want is justice  I cant describe to you enough the feeling and the visuals we go through seeing a little white coffin go six feet into the ground. What makes it harder now is the fact that we know he was killed for nothing. They just kept pumping poison into him.

Pre-empting the outcome of the RCA investigation, Skinner told the media that BOC, who was responsible for the commissioning and installation of the line, along with a hospital engineer in the first instance, will be found to be involved.

The RCA investigation and a future coronial inquest, she continued, would help identify whether hospital managers or staff contributed to the tragedy. If so, theyll be held to account, she declared. In other words, Skinner and the government are looking for scapegoats to deflect attention from their own responsibility in creating the conditions that produced the tragedies.

Many questions remain unanswered. What testing was done on the gas lines before their commissioning? Why wasnt the problem identified after the injury to the girl in June? Why did it take eight days, after a hospital paediatrician raised doubts about the wall outlets, before they were tested by BOC?

Mistakes were clearly made but they cannot be divorced from the conditions created in public hospitals by decades of under-funding and cost-cutting by federal and state governments, Liberal and Labor alike.

Doctors, midwives and other health workers, as well as hospital engineers and medical gas supply contractors, are constantly being told they must do more with fewer resources. This generates extreme pressure on staff to cut corners to get jobs completed, inevitably leading to errors.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation recently reported that the South Western Sydney Local Health District, which covers the Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, was not meeting state targets for neo-natal care beds. Located in a rapidly growing working-class area, the facility should have had a minimum of 13 special care nursery beds by this year, but it only has 10.

A midwife who worked at the hospital for seven years said the maternity unit midwives were understaffed and run off their feet. She told the Bankstown-Canterbury Express: I believe that a major problem is that when midwives are on maternity leave the hospital cannot employ anyone to replace them. The positions are kept on hold. And when they come back they usually come back only two days a week so the other three days cannot even be filled.

According to the newspaper, the midwife warned people not to jump to conclusions and blame maternity staff over the tragic mistake.

The NSW Labor Party opposition has condemned the government investigation as inadequate. It called for the health minister to resign and declared it would move for a parliamentary upper house inquiry. This is so much hot air. Labor at federal and state levels, whether in government or opposition, has helped cut public health spending and slash jobs, while boosting private health industry profits.

Early this year, the Australian Medical Associations 2015 annual report card for Australian hospitals warned that the health system faces a funding black hole in 2017 because of last years Liberal-National cost-cutting measures. The cutbacks, which Labor has endorsed, will slash federal funding by $1.7 billion over four years and an estimated $57 billion in the next decade.
Dozens of refugees who are being detained indefinitely in two Ontario jails mounted a hunger strike last month to expose the horrific treatment to which they and thousands of others newly arrived in the country are being subjected by the Canadian government.

On July 11, a group of about 50 refugees imprisoned at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ontario, and the Toronto East Detention Centre started refusing food.

According to the refugee-rights groups No One Is Illegal and the End Immigration Detention Network, the hunger strikers were demanding an end to the governments policy of indefinitely detaining refugees in prisons, including maximum-security facilities. They were also protesting brutal prison practices including lockdowns and solitary confinement.

On the weekend of July 30-31, detainees at the Lindsay facility began accepting food.

Karen Cocq, a leading member of both refugee-rights organizations, explained that some migrants are locked up in prison for 2, 3 or 5 years and dont have access to health services and medication.

The refugee-rights groups had been urging Liberal Minister of Public Safety Ralph Goodale to meet the prisoners, a demand he rejected despite urgent warnings by a group of medical specialists that the strikers health was in danger.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) issued a statement saying it took notice of the circumstances and was working closely with the detainees in order to resolve quickly and safely the hunger strike. But pro-refugee activists charged that prison authorities, likely under CBSA instructions, are doing everything in their power to break the strike.

One of the strike organizers was deported at the end of July, after 26 months behind bars. Others were threatened with transfer.

Goodale refused to meet with the hunger strikers, let alone address their concerns. Instead, he penned a column for the Huffington Post in which he whitewashed the CBSA and the criminal character of indefinite detention, a measure that tramples on basic human rights, the UN Refugee Convention, and international law. He called for reform of the detention system, including the building of new federally funded facilities for detainees. These would effectively serve as prisons, but cost the government less.

Most of the refugee detainees have fled political repression or desperate conditions in countries that have been ravaged by imperialist-imposed economic restructuring programs and imperialist war, as in the Middle East. They are being detained without trial or charge on administrative grounds, such as the CBSAs claim that their identity cannot be verified or that they constitute a flight risk.

Their imprisonment makes a mockery of the attempt by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to portray himself and his Liberal government as progressive and a friend of refugees.

Last December, the media gave Trudeau wall-to-wall coverage when he met the first planeload of Syrian refugees on the tarmac of Torontos Pearson Airport. The prime minister made a show of handing out winter jackets, Canadian flags, and teddy bears to the refugees and told those who were fleeing the war and social devastation caused by Canada and the other imperialist powers that they were now home.

Trudeaus pledge to bring 25,000 carefully selected Syrian refugees to Canada, a tiny fraction of the 4 million who have fled the country and the millions more who have been internally displaced, was an election ploy. It was aimed at appealing to the groundswell of popular support for the refugees and at camouflaging the Liberals right-wing agenda, including plans to strengthen Ottawas military-security partnership with Washington and expand Canadas participation in the US-led war in Iraq and Syria.

While the government now boasts about having fulfilled its pledge to accept 25,000 Syrian refugees, many of those who arrived last winter were privately sponsored and are now facing government demands that they pay up to $10,000 for their relocation to Canada. Moreover, no sooner was the 25,000-target met than the government slashed the staff working on applications, leaving thousands who were in the processing of applying to come to Canada stranded in miserable conditions in refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan and other countries.

Behind its progressive and humanitarian facade, the Trudeau Liberal government has continued the aggressive, militarist foreign policy that the Harper Conservatives pursued on behalf of Canadian imperialism. It is also upholding the reactionary changes that Liberal and Conservative governments have made to the refugee determination process over the past two decades.

Although Canada has never been a haven for migrants and asylum seekers, recent years have witnessed a dramatic assault on their rights. Under the Chretien-Martin Liberal government, a law was passed that strips anyone who arrived in Canada via a safe third country of the right to even apply for refugee status.

In 2012, the former Harper government tabled the draconian Refugee Exclusion Act (Bill C-31), which legalizes mandatory incarceration for refugees designated as irregular arrivals. Under this law, which was presented as a way to reduce the flow of bogus refugees and people-smuggling, migrants, including children, can be detained for a year pending a governmental review of their case.

This legislation, which was drafted by the Conservatives but is now being implemented by the Trudeau Liberals, effectively strips refugees of basic democratic rights, including freedom from arbitrary detention, the right to freedom and security, and habeas corpus (the right to have a detention challenged quickly and by an independent court or judge).

In 2015, the Conservatives, with Liberal support, rushed through a new anti-terrorism law (Bill C-51) that dramatically increases the coercive powers of the state. This includes granting the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) the power to break virtually any law in thwarting purported threats to public security. As a result of Bill C-51s expansive new definition of activities deemed to undermine the security of Canada, the CBSA and government have much greater leeway to reject refugee claims and deny applicants permanent residence status. Bill C-51 also entrenches in law the state power to incarcerate non-residents indefinitelya practice the UN Human Rights Commission has explicitly condemned.

As a result of the past two decades of regressive changes to Canadian policy, thousands of migrants are victims of what the government calls preventive detention. Many are being held in maximum-security prison facilities, often alongside criminals or in segregation units even though they have been charged with no crime.

Immigration detention is one of the fastest growing forms of incarceration in Canada. The Canadian government jailed more than least 87,300 refugee claimants and other migrants without charge between 2000 and 2014. Of these, more than 4,000 were minors under the age of 18.

On any given day, some 400 migrants are held in detention in Canada, including more than 200 in Ontario jails. Over one third of all migrant detainees are held in provincial prisons, and the rest are imprisoned in one of three CBSA-run immigration-holding centers in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.

The conditions of detention, while largely concealed by the government and the corporate media, are atrocious. Since 2000, at least 15 people have died while detained by the CBSA, including 3 since the Liberals came to power just nine months ago.

Refugee claimants are usually detained on the basis that because their identities cannot be confirmed, they constitute a security threat.

Many refugees refrain from giving border agents much information because they fear being quickly sent back to their war-torn countries. In 2012, as part of Bill C-31, the government established a list of 27 countries deemed safe. Refugee claimants from these countries are deported through a fast-tracked process, with no right to appeal a negative decision.

For those refugees who are lucky enough not to be imprisoned, life is often extremely harsh. They live in poverty with difficulty finding jobs or decent housings in metropolitan cities where a two-bedroom apartment can easily cost C$1,500-C$2,000 per month, if not more. Many face language barriers and social isolation, while trying to cope with psychological distress arising from the traumatic experiences that they endured in their country of origin. Government cuts to health care and public services have only exacerbated this stark reality.
On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin met at the Constantine Palace in the Russian city of St. Petersburg. The meeting was the first between the two presidents for almost a year and the first visit abroad by Erdogan since the failed coup of July 15.

Following the shooting down of a Russian jet by a Turkish fighter over Syria last November, relations between Turkey and Russia had reached a low point. But on June 29, Erdogan sent Putin a letter of apology in an attempt to initiate a rapprochement. Since then, relations have rapidly improved.

A day after Erdogans letter, following a phone conversation between the Russian and Turkish presidents, the Russian government lifted its ban on tourist flights to Turkey. The Turkish and Russian foreign ministers met in the Russian city of Sochi on July 1.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Putin described Erdogans visit as a sign of normalizing ties. He said to the Turkish president, Your visit today, despite the very difficult political situation in Turkey, says that we all want to resume our dialogue, rapprochement, in the interests of the peoples of Turkey and Russia. Erdogan agreed, saying, Turkey-Russia ties have entered into a very different and positive phase.

There are many indications that the July 15 coup was, at least in part, a reaction to Turkeys new rapprochement with Russia. It was the Russian government that warned Ankara about the imminent coup, allowing Erdogan to escape and appeal to his supporters. Now the visit to St. Petersburg, which was scheduled before the coup, comes as Ankaras relations with the United States and the European Union have almost reached the breaking point.

There is no doubt that Washington supported the coup, and Erdogan is openly accusing Washington of having done so. He is demanding the extradition of exiled Islamic leader Fethullah Gulen, who resides under US government protection in Pennsylvania.

Erdogan is charging Gulens Hizmet movement with having organised the coup. He is at the same time taking advantage of mass opposition within Turkey to the coup to forge an alliance of national unity with two main bourgeois opposition parties, the Kemalist Republican Peoples Party (CHP) and the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). He is utilizing this alliance to purge his political opponents and suppress the extreme class tensions within Turkey while he carries out a new foreign policy orientation.

In the foreground of the new rapprochement between Russia and Turkey are economic issues. Erdogan arrived with a huge delegation. Following the talks, it was announced that Turkeys first nuclear power plant, built with the aid of Russia, would be completed, and the Turkish Stream pipeline project, which is to carry Russian gas via the Black Sea and Turkey to south-eastern Europe, would be restarted.

Last year, Moscow and Ankara set the goal of increasing their mutual trade volume to $100 billion by 2023. According to the Turkish Statistical Institute, trade between the two countries had increased by nearly 18 percent to over $30 billion between 2010 and 2014. Last year, Russia was the second-largest destination for Turkish exports and the third-largest source of imports.

In the first six months of 2016, however, after Russia imposed economic sanctions following the shoot-down of its jet over Syria, Turkeys exports to Russia dropped by 60.5 percent. Moscow also banned package tours and charter flights to Turkey after the November crisis, costing Turkey $840 million in tourism revenue.

In the US and other NATO countries, there are mounting fears that Erdogans visit might signal a strategic reorientation by one of the most important members of the military alliance. This could undermine not only Washingtons military encirclement of Russia, but also its attempt to overthrow the Assad regime in Syria.

The BBC web site posted a commentary that declared: In view of the current frost in the AKP governments relations with both the US and the EU, President Recep Tayyip Erdogans decision to choose Russia for his first official visit abroad since the botched coup appears rich in symbolism. And Western leaders will be looking on nervously.

George Friedman, former head of the Stratfor private intelligence service and a staunch opponent of Russia, spoke very frankly about those concerns. The hopes that they [Turkey] would help us in Syria seem to have gone up in smoke, he said in a video interview. On the other side of the equation we are trying to contain Russia. When they shot down the Russian plane we were hoping we would be in a close alliance with Turkey again. Now thats gone. So both our plans for blocking Russian expansion, our plans for blocking ISIS have been dealt a severe blow.

Both Putin and Erdogan indicated in St. Petersburg that they might work together in Syria, where they had up to now been at cross-purposes, with Turkey siding with the US against Russia and the Assad regime.

A day before the visit, Erdogan said in an interview with Russias TASS news agency and state television Rossiya 24 that the Russian Federation was the primary actor in bringing peace to Syria, adding, I think that we, Russia and Turkey, should resolve this [Syria] issue by taking a step together.

He described his impending meeting with Putin as a rebirth and declared: Now, I believe, we have a chance to reconsider everything, to open a new page in Turkey and Russia relations. I believe we have a lot to do as two important actors in all areas, including cultural, trade, political, military, economy. I have no doubt in this matter.

After the meeting in St. Petersburg, Putin said Russia and Turkey had a common goal of resolving the crisis in Syria. He remarked that their views on the question had not always coincided, but said that the two states had agreed to discuss further and seek solutions. I think it is possible to align our views and approaches, he concluded.

There remain many unresolved differences, such as the attitude to Kurdish forces in Syria and Turkey. Erdogan has accused Russia of arming the Kurdish PKK. Turkey, for its part, has supported Islamist groups in Syria that are also active in Russia. On the question of Crimea, Turkey is supporting Crimean Tatars who are hostile to Moscow.

One of the first responses to Erdogans visit came from Berlin. While the German press has generally been very hostile to Erdogan since the failed coup, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier took a more careful approach. It is good that after the downing of a Russian warplane by Turkey last year, there is a rapprochement now, he told the German daily Bild, adding, There wont be a solution to the civil war in Syria without Moscow and without Iran, Saudi Arabia or Turkey.
The enormous number of people in the UK depending on food banks for emergency food parcels is set to escalate.

Latest figures from the Trussell Trust, which operates more than 420 food banks across the UK, show a 2 percent rise in demand for the year 2015/2016 over the previous year. Some 1,109,309 food parcels, which provide three days of rations to tide people over an emergency, were distributed.

The rise in number of parcels runs parallel to the increasing levels of austerity imposed by successive governments following the financial crisis of 2008. In the year 2008/2009, immediately following the financial crisis, the Trussell Trust distributed just 25,899 emergency food parcels. Now it has reached 1 million emergency food parcels a year, with the Trust warning that this must not become the new normal.

The Trust, in collaboration with Hull University, has used data mapping to show an unfolding correlation between food bank use and areas with high numbers of people in skilled manual work, whohave long-term illnesses or disabilities. It also noted that the main drivers for people turning to food banks were problems with benefit payments and low incomes.

These figures showing increasing dependency on food banks are backed up by a report issued in July by researchers at Oxford and Chester universities and authored by Dr. Elisabeth Garratt, a research fellow at the Centre for Social Investigation at Nuffield College, Oxford. They studied users at a Trussell Trust food bank in West Cheshire, which handed out nearly 2,900 parcels last year.

The report, titled #stillhungry, Who is hungry, for how long, and why?, highlighted the impact of austerity and hunger on children, revealing that one in three of recipients of food parcels during the year of study was a child.

Dr. Garratt said, We find that emergency food referrals rose in 2016 and there is every indication that food banks are here to stay.  These findings show there are huge levels of povertyeven in a country as wealthy as ours.

The report claims to represent the most systematic and detailed exploration yet conducted of people receiving emergency food in the UK.  Over forty percent of referrals reflected problems in the benefits systemwhether changes, delays or sanctions. Problems of low incomes and debt were also prevalent. 

The Trussell Trust also released a press report on July 25 highlighting the impact school holidays have on parents. For many parents, the summer break puts increased financial pressure on already tight budgets and increases their anxiety over how to feed their children, particularly as there are no breakfast clubs or free midday meals for their children.

The report noted that around 20 percent of parents, with children between the ages of five and sixteen, would skip meals over the school holiday period to be able to feed their children. For younger parents aged between 25 and 34, the figure rises to a third. In total, around 1.5 million parents will miss some meals over the school holiday period. It also pointed out that last year, the Trust gave out an additional 5,000 emergency food parcels to children in July and August compared to the previous two months.

Trussell Trust Food Bank Network director Adrian Curtis said, Families who rely on free school meals during term time can find themselves facing hunger in the school holidays, when there is an extra financial pressure to provide main meals. No one knows the full scale of hunger in the school holidays yet, but these figures make one thing clear: many families are closer to crisis than we think. It should be a wake-up call to us all that so many children will have a parent expecting to skip a meal or more this summer so they can feed the family.

To try to address the need for food aid over the summer holiday, the Trussell Trust has initiated a pilot project of holiday clubs providing meals and other support, and plans to set up 50 over the next two years.

The evidence from the Trussell Trust showing increased reliance on food banks is confirmed even more sharply by Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS). A recent CAS report, Living at the Sharp End, noted: Last year Scottish CABs [Citizens Advice Bureaus] gave advice relating to food banks on over 7,400 occasionsan increase of 47 percent on the previous year. During 2014/15, 1 in every 42 Scottish CAB enquiries featured advice regarding food banks.

The extent of poverty was such that Almost two thirds of our survey respondents (63 percent) said they sometimes cut down on gas and electricity and 71 percent said they sometimes cut down on food.

Commenting on the report, CAS head of policy Susan McPhee said, It is clear that the social security system is simply not working for the most vulnerable people in our society.

That those attending food banks have multiple problems related to their level of poverty was also revealed in a recent survey published by the Rutherglen and Cambuslang Food Bank in the city of Glasgow. Of the almost 2,000 people fed in the past financial year, 433 were children.

In the survey, recipients of food parcels at the food banks three outlets were asked about problems paying for fuel usage. Of those experiencing fuel poverty, 90 percent were using pay-as-you-go meters (the most expensive method of buying fuel), 40 percent had gone without electricity for up to a week, and 18 percent without gas for a similar period. Another gruesome statistic involved two food bank clients unable to afford gas for more than a month.

Half of people reporting fuel poverty had experienced Job Centre sanctions (in which their benefits are cut or delayed as punishment). Others reported that paltry Universal Credit payments did not go far enough or that debt was the reason for their fuel shortages.

Some 79 households were given a 25 top-up for pay-as-you-go electricity or gas meters, but this was only made possible due to a 680 donation made to the food bank.

Ian Robertson of the Rutherglen and Cambuslang food bank committee explained, This survey, while short and limited in scale, shows clearly that food and fuel poverty are linked, with the vast majority of food bank clients being obliged to use the most expensive forms of energyprepayment meters.

The imposition of Conservative Theresa May, a hard-line Thatcherite, as prime minister following the Brexit referendum vote to leave the EU, indicates the determination of the ruling elite to maintain the policy of imposing austerity on the working class. This can only mean the exponential increase in the use of food banks will continue.
Guardian columnist Owen Jones has been forced to defend himself, after his barely veiled support for the right-wing coup against Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn met with widespread hostility.

The Guardian acts as a sounding board and propaganda sheet for the clique around former party leader Tony Blair that is playing the leading role in the attempted inner party putsch.

Jones has a particular function in seeking to make political capital from his self-declared role as a man of the left, who has supposedly come out against Corbyn solely in the interests of the party. He made his first major intervention on this theme in a July 14 column, describing the majority of Labour MPs as those who simply worry Labour would be defeated badly at a general election.

He explained that his initial support for Corbyn was based on his expectation that he would shift Labours political direction without winningmuch as Bernie Sanders has with the Democrats in the USand lay the foundations for a leadership challenge from Labours left wing new intake in a few years time.

Corbyns victory was a shock, which he was intent on reversing. Commenting, the World Socialist Web Site noted on June 27 that Jones wrote of the national crisis and political paralysis caused by the Leave vote in the June 23 referendum on membership of the European Union, echoing criticisms by the Blairite opponents of Corbyn that he had not done enough to secure a Remain vote.

He then explained, There was a plan that, along with others, I subscribed to. The general election was scheduled to take place in 2020; two years or so before, a younger left-wing member of the new intake would take Jeremy Corbyns place.

The Brexit crisis meant this timetable was no longer feasible. We wrote, The implication is clear. Corbyn has to go and Jones will provide the rationale for the right-wing plotters seeking this end.

Jones reply to his critics confirms this appraisal, puts flesh on who was involved in his plan to replace Corbyn and makes clear that he is a bitter opponent of anything that threatens the domination of the working class by the Labour and trade union bureaucracy.

On August 1, in a blog entry, Questions all Jeremy Corbyn supporters need to answer, Jones declares, Labour and the left teeter on the brink of disaster and attributes this to Corbyns leadership of the party.

In reply to his critics, he concludes his piece, Im beyond caring. Call me a Blairite, Tory, Establishment stooge, careerist, sellout, whatever makes you feel better. The situation is extremely grave and unless satisfactory answers are offered, we are nothing but the accomplices of the very people we oppose.

Jones is indeed an establishment stooge and a careerist, whose use value to the ruling class is that he is not identified as an overt Blairite.

No subject is as important to him as is the life and thought of Owen Jones. Therefore the first half of his latest piece consists of an extended self-justification, including a detailed biography replete with links to what he thinks are his more important pronouncements. He stresses his intimate connections to the Corbyn camp as proof of his supposed left political credentials. After leaving Oxford university in 2005, I worked in the office of the now Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell for two-and-a-half years, and helped to run his (abortive) leadership campaign in 200607, he begins, ending by stressing, I was at the first Corbyn campaign meeting, and the last campaign meeting, too This isnt a milieu that I know well: its a milieu Im part of.

This does not reflect well on Jones, but rather demonstrates the political opportunism of Labours left milieu now grouped around Corbyn. Moreover, as Jones makes clear, even within this grouping he sets himself up as a political policeman--cautioning against anything that might be deemed to be a leftist excess.

Jones states, When Corbyn stood for the leadership, the expectation --including Corbyn himself  was that he would lose, but do well enough to shift the terms of debate. Corbyns victory was therefore entirely unwelcome. It would raise political expectations that the left would act on their declared opposition to austerity and militarism, rather than hiding behind the coattails of the Labour right who lead the party.

Jones explains that he submitted a long detailed suggested strategy for his [Corbyns] leadership to follow on August 29 last year, to which he provides a link, entitled, My honest thoughts on the Corbyn campaign  and overcoming formidable obstacles.

His policy prescriptions amount to suggestions that Corbyn junk anything that might put him on a collision course with the right for being unacceptable to the ruling class. To cite just three examples:

* Concerns about immigration cannot be addressed by sticking our fingers in our ears, or only emphasising the benefits of immigration.... UKIP voters must be love-bombed, not treated as closet racists, but as people who feel abandoned by the political elite and who have burning concerns on issues ranging from housing to jobs...

* A Corbyn-led government has to pick its battles, because it already has enough of them. Take NATO: the merits of membership are so far from the mainstream of political debate, it would be pointless and self-defeating to pick a fight over it. Instead, Labour should suggest a more constructive role for Britain within the Alliance.

* Some people think that the left somehow hates being British or English. That simply is not true. A new approach to British  and, separately, English  traditions and values should be emphasised...

Taken together, this constitutes the essential pillars of the platform of the Blairite wing of the party and the focus of its attacks ever since Corbyn took office. And even though Corbyn capitulated to the right whenever these issues were to be fought out, this was not enough to satisfy Jones. When it became clear such a strategy was not going to be put into practice, I fell into despondency, he writes. After a few days, I was in a pit of despair.

Jones restates his preference for someone from the new intake of Labour MPs to have taken over from Corbyn before the scheduled 2020 general election, but this time he identifies Clive Lewis in, say, 2018 as his choice. Jones previously cites Lewis as my friend... who I campaigned for years before the election...

Lewis, as an infantry officer graduate from the elite Sandhurst Military Academy in 2006, who in 2009 was sent to Afghanistan for three months, fit the bill. Someone with a military background, he was also a useful asset as he was, in the parlance of Labours right wing, a clean skin. He did not vote for the Iraq war as he was not an MP during the time.

Although Lewis remained in Corbyns shadow cabinet, as more than 60 Blairites left it to begin the coup, Lewis abstained on the vote for the renewal of the Trident nuclear missile system during the recent parliamentary debate. During the recent debate on the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war, he put down a marker to insist that criticism of the invasion must not act as an impediment to the predatory aims of British imperialism. The lesson for the future was of ensuring the highest standard of proof for taking our country to war.

The Jones/Lewis plan was to co-opt the groundswell of support won by Corbyn due to his stated opposition to austerity, militarism and war by replacing him with someone more acceptable to and in tune with the right wing of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP). In a recent video interview conducted by Jones, Lewis said that when MPs such as he nominated Jeremy Corbyn [as a leadership candidate] we were saying we dont want our party to shift to the right, we wanted Jeremy Corbyn in there to bring the debate back to the centre [emphasis added].

For years, Jones has attended innumerable conferences and public meetings at which he insisted that the hope of a leftward shift in the Labour Party was the only realistic hope for the working class.

The Irish Look Left magazine in January 2014 summarises an interview with Jones in which he boasts that he can trace his familys radical roots back to a gunrunner for Garibaldi, through to a Russian Revolution-inspired train driver who took part in the 1926 British General Strike, a grandfather who joined the Communist Party in the 1930s, and a great-uncle in the Independent Labour Party. He himself is literally an offspring of the Militant Tendency in the Labour Party, where his parents met in the 1960s. His mother was once editor of the newspaper of the Militant-dominated Labour Party Young Socialists, while his father became a Militant organiser in South Yorkshire and was present at the 1984 Battle of Orgreave during the Miners Strike where he watched police charging and batoning miners. Jones was born just two months later.

Jones father left the pseudo-left Militant Tendency, which operated for decades as an entry group in the Labour Party claiming that it could be won for socialism, that same year in the face of a purge by the Labour right wing.

Surveying his parents political lives, Jones asserts, They were left smashed and defeated by what happened to the left and labour movement in the 1980s, they saw defeat after defeat, and decline, and they dropped out of politics. He has routinely cited his parents political demoralisation following the expulsion of the Militant and the inevitable failure of its stated objective of transforming Labour into a revolutionary party as proof that there is no alternative to an interminable campaign to rebuild the Labour left.

Jones insists in Look Left that any movement that exists outside of the Labour Party must intersect with the Labour left, Venn diagram-like, because as long as theres a trade union link theres a Labour Party, essentially, and potential for it to represent working class interests.

Jones has now made clear that his real concern has always been to preserve the stranglehold of the labour bureaucracy. Corbyn, McDonnell and Jones were political bedfellows as long as this was viewed by Jones as a means of preserving the illusion of a potential leftward evolution of the Labour Party. But last year Corbyn was swept to office as a distorted expression of a real shift to the left among workers and young people that saw hundreds of thousands join the party to take up the fight against the right wing. Now, in the midst of an unprecedented witch-hunt, thousands more have joinedtaking Labours membership over half a million.

Faced with this development, Jones sides with the coup plotters with the express aim of preserving Labour as a trusted political instrument of British imperialism in the name of ensuring its electability.

It must be understood that Jones is overt in stating his fundamental concerns, but his fallout with his former allies does not mean that these concerns are not shared by Corbyn and McDonnell. For the past 11 months, Corbyn has made preserving the unity of the Labour Party his goal and still maintains, in the face of all evidence to the contrary, that Labour can be refashioned into an opponent of austerity, militarism and war. In propagating this lie he remains allied with Jones and Lewis even as they conspire against himjust as he continues to offer an olive branch to the rest of the PLP while they plot his downfall.
This week marks two years since President Barack Obama initiated the latest US war against Iraq and Syria, launched in the name of combating the Islamic State militia. The American president cast the new military intervention as not only a continuation of the global war on terrorism, but also a crusade for human rights, invoking the threat to Iraqs Yazidi population and insisting that he could not turn a blind eye when religious minorities were threatened.

The toll of this supposed humanitarian intervention has grown ever bloodier. According to a report released this week by the monitoring group Airwars to mark the anniversary, more than 4,700 civilian non-combatant fatalities have been reported as a result of the US-led Coalitions air strikes (95 percent of which have been carried out by US warplanes). More innocent Iraqi and Syrian men, women and children have been slaughtered by American bombs in the course of two years than the total number of US soldiers who lost their lives during the eight years of the Iraq war launched by President George W. Bush in 2003.

All of Washingtons lies and pretexts about its latest war in the Middle Eastas well as the decade-and-a-half of wars waged since 9/11have been exploded in the course of the past several days as the US government and media celebrated purported victories by rebel forces in the battle for control of Aleppo, Syrias former commercial capital.

That the rebel offensive has been organized and led by an organization that for years constituted Al Qaedas designated Syrian branch, and the operation was named in honor of a Sunni sectarian extremist who carried out a massacre of captured Syrian Alawite soldiers, gave none of them pause. So much for the hogwash about terrorism and human rights!

The scale of the military gains made by the Al Qaeda-led forces in Aleppo are by no means clear. They have, however, apparently succeeded in placing under siege the western part of the city, which is under the governments control and where the overwhelming majority of the population lives. The rebels have killed and maimed hundreds of people with mortar and artillery rounds.

Washington and its allies, the Western media and the human rights groups that accused the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad of crimes against humanity for bombing the jihadists in eastern Aleppo are now indifferent when these imperialist-backed terrorists are killing civilians in the western part of the city.

Sections of the Western media have gone so far as to celebrate the exploits of rebel suicide bombers for providing a strategic advantage for the Western-backed militias. Among the most dishonest and duplicitous accounts of the recent fighting are those that have appeared in the pages of the New York Times, whose news coverage and editorial line are carefully tailored to serve the predatory aims of US imperialism.

In a Monday article on Aleppo, the Times wrote that the challenge to government control had been mounted by rebels and their jihadist allies. The article continued: A vital factor in the rebel advance over the weekend was cooperation between mainstream rebel groups, some of which have received covert arms support from the United States, and the jihadist organization formerly known as the Nusra Front, which was affiliated with Al Qaeda.

The newspaper reports this as casually as if it were publishing a report on the late artist formerly known as Prince. The Nusra Front changed its name to the Fatah al-Sham Front and announced its formal disaffiliation from Al Qaedawith the latters blessingjust one week before it launched the offensive in Aleppo.

There is every reason to believe that this rebranding was carried out in consultation with the CIA in an attempt to politically sanitize direct US support for an offensive led by a group that has long been denounced by Washington as a terrorist organization.

The Times never names any of the mainstream rebel groups it says are fighting alongside the Al Qaeda militia, suggesting that they constitute some liberal progressive force. In point of fact, one of these groups recently released a video showing its fighters beheading a wounded 12-year-old child, and virtually all of them share the essential ideological outlook of Al Qaeda.

The Financial Times of London carried one of the frankest reports on the Aleppo rebel offensive, noting that it may have had more foreign help than it appears: activists and rebels say opposition forces were replenished with new weapons, cash and other supplies before and during the fighting. It cites reports of daily columns of trucks pouring across the Turkish border for weeks with arms and ammunition, including artillery and other heavy weapons.

The newspaper quotes one unnamed Western diplomat who said that US officials backed the Al Qaeda-led offensive to put some pressure back on Russia and Iran, which have both provided key military support to the Assad government.

The Financial Times also quotes an unnamed military analyst as stating that the character of the fighting indicated the Al Qaeda forces had received not only massive amounts of weapons, but also professional military training.

Significantly, even as the fighting in Aleppo was underway, photographs surfaced of heavily armed British commandos operating long-range patrol vehicles in northern Syria. Similar US units are also on the ground. These are among the most likely suspects in terms of who is training Al Qaedas Syrian forces.

They would only be reprising the essential features of the imperialist operation that gave rise to Al Qaeda 30 years ago, when the CIAworking in close alliance with Osama bin Ladensupplied similar support to the mujahedeen fighting to overthrow the Soviet-backed regime in Afghanistan.

While the blowback from that episode ultimately gave us September 11, the present operation in Syria holds far greater dangers. In what is now openly described by the corporate media as a proxy war in which Al Qaeda serves as US imperialisms ground force, Washington is attempting to overthrow Russias key Middle East ally as part of the preparations for a war aimed at dismembering and subjugating Russia itself.

The frontrunner in the US presidential contest, Democrat Hillary Clinton, has repeatedly signaled that she intends to pursue a far more aggressive policy in Syria and against Russia, making neo-McCarthyite charges of Vladimir Putins supposed subversion of the US election process a central part of her campaign.

Whether Washington can wait till inauguration day next January to escalate its aggression is far from clear. The rebel gains in Aleppo may be quickly reversed and the fighting could end with the US-backed Al Qaeda militias deprived of their last urban stronghold.

US imperialism is not about to accept the re-consolidation of a Syrian government aligned with Moscow. Pressure will inevitably mount for a more direct and more massive US intervention, threatening a direct clash between American and Russian forces.

Fifteen years after launching its war on terror, Washington is not only directly allied with the supposed target of that warAl Qaedabut is preparing to unleash upon humanity the greatest act of terror imaginable, a third world war.
Right-wing businessman Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (popularly known as PPK) has formally taken office as president of Peru after narrowly defeating the right-wing populist candidate Keiko Fujimori in the June 6 elections. At 77, he is Perus oldest-ever head of state.

Between election day and the official takeover on July 28 (Perus Independence Day), the incoming president and his team engaged in negotiations for the selection of ministers and other key figures in his administration. Like Kuczynksi himself, those selected for his administration come from the higher echelons of Peruvian and international big business, with the bourgeois media forced to admit that the political background of most of Kuczynskis cabinet is not quite political.

Topping the slate in the new government is prime minister Fernando Zavala, former vice minister of economy when the ministry was chaired by Kuczynski himself under former president Alejandro Toledos right-wing pro-US government. In the interval between leaving and returning to a high state post, Zavala occupied seats on the boards of directors of six major corporations, including the brewery Backus and Johnston (where Kuczynski was on the board as well and had shares), which belongs to the multinational SABMiller.

Prior to becoming president, Kuczynski publicly resigned from the directorates of the assorted corporations over which he presided. However, a report states that he is still on the boards of several foreign companies, including one that is listed in the fiscal paradise of the British Virgin Islands, Dorado Asset Management.

Heading the Ministry of Economy is the free market economist Alfredo Thorne, formerly of JP Morgan Chase, the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. The Ministry of Commerce and Tourism will be chaired by Eduardo Ferreyros Krupps, a pro-free market manager who also chaired Comex, the main private association of foreign trade businesses. The Ministry of Mining and Energy and the Ministry of Production will be chaired by former business advisors Gonzalo Tamayo and Bruno Giuffra, respectively. The Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion will be chaired by Cayetana Aljovin, a notorious lobbyist who was accused, along with her husband, of using public money to bail out a bankrupt bank in the 1990s.

It was reported that Thorne held a private reunion with the most powerful association of Peruvian businessmen, in which he laid out the regimes first proposals, among them the loosening of restrictions on business investment. It has been reported that the president might ask the Congress for a fast track, that is, special powers to eliminate such restrictions and accelerate all permissions on investments and business projects.

Perus principal economic activity is the export of minerals, and it was one of the countries that benefited most from the so-called commodities boom. The enormous demand for minerals from China and other countries fueled a growth of GDP which reached almost 6 percent annually.

Now, with the end of the commodities boom, the IMF has called attention in a recent report to the fact that Peru has not found another important source of income: With the end of the commodities super cycle, Peru needs a new growth machine. The report also points to indications that corporations like BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Freeport-McMoran and Glencore will reduce their investments in Peru in the coming years.

Behind the backs of the Peruvian people, Kuczynski has developed proposals which have only been presented to the foreign financial markets, such as the floating of $8 billion worth of bonds.

The appointments made by the new president have been hailed by the bourgeois media. Nonetheless, the reality is that the new Kuczynski administration is possibly the weakest government in the countrys history. It is headed by a successful businessman with no real political base, who won the election by less than 50,000 votes and is neither supported nor even well known in large parts of the country

A clear sign of the governments weakness and isolation is the rejection it has suffered at the hands of Fuerza Popular, the party of Kuczynskis electoral rival Keiko Fujimori, which has an overwhelming majority in the congress, with 73 seats. It has been reported that the fujimoristas plan to block and oppose the proposals of Kuczynski and his ministers, unless he indicates his intention to pardon their candidates father, ex-president Alberto Fujimori. He is presently jailed for his role in massacres and other human rights crimes, political repression and corruption during his decade of quasi-dictatorial power that ended in 2000.

Kuczynski has signaled his willingness to appease the fujimoristas. He has said that he would grant Fujimori house arrest if the congress passes a law granting this benefit to all those over the age of 75. He has also refused to meet with the main youth group that organized mass marches against the return of fujimorismo, despite the fact that he signed a pledge to them that he would not in any way free Fujimori (the father).

The countrys main union federation, the CGTP, issued a statement expressing concern over Kuczynskis choice of ministers. I do not remember any cabinet so committed to big business as this one, said CGTP official Juan Jose Gorriti.

Nonetheless, the CGTP, like the Peruvian left, supported Kuczynski against Fujimori in the elections, supposedly to prevent the return of the  fujimorista dictatorship. It never occurred to the CGTP bureaucracy, it seems, that supporting a multimillionaire businessman could lead to the creation of a cabinet in his image and likeness.

In reality, the mission of the whole Peruvian pseudo-left was to channel the growing opposition amongst the youth and working class against Fujimori towards the Wall Street candidate and, in the case of the CGTP, curry some favor with the new government.

The CGTP also lent its support in 2011 to the election of President Ollanta Humala (who is leaving with a less than 30 percent approval rating), hailing his supposedly pro-working class program. When Humala predictably ditched all his promises and sided with the bosses and transnational mining companies, the CGTP blamed other forces inside his government that obstructed the governments real program.

More significant is the silence of the Frente Amplio de Izquierda (Broad Front of the Left, FAI), the coalition of left parties, whose leader Veronika Mendoza released a video making an unconditional call for a vote for Kuczynski in order to avoid a return of fujiimorismo .

Now that the cabinets formation has revealed the disastrous consequences of this support to Kuczynski, Mendoza has made some slight criticism. She declared, however, that the FAI will meet with premier Zavala to consider their coincidences in policies. It is also reported that the FAIs economy team has met with minister Thorne to see if they can offer economic proposals.

Workers and youth will never gain anything by following pseudo-left coalitions such as the FAI or the treacherous union bureaucracy of the CGTP, except disasters like Kuczynskis big business government. These organizations are completely integrated into the capitalist state machine and will not hesitate to support Kuczynskis government when it enters into open clashes with the working class.
On July 19, the Atlantic Council, an American think tank, published a 25-page strategy paper titled Arming for Deterrence calling for a massive NATO military build-up against Russia. Poland in particular is to be made into a stronghold for a war with Russia.

The paper is a kind of postscript to the NATO summit held in Warsaw in July. It calls for measures that go even further than the summit resolutions.

The authors of the paper, General Sir Richard Shirreff, a former high-ranking NATO General, and Maciej Olex-Szczytowski, a Polish banker, describe Russia as the most serious geopolitical and military threat to NATO.

They claim Russia has the military capability to rapidly attack the Baltic states and Poland with the Russian armys Baltic fleet reputedly in a position to cut communications and connecting routes between the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, Poland and other NATO countries. At the same time they argue that NATO is insufficiently prepared for war when it comes to command structures and military equipment.

While Russia does not appear willing to attack NATO for the moment, this could change unexpectedly should a crisis break out in Russia itself oras a reaction to US foreign policyin another part of the world, they say.

Although the authors claim the danger comes from Russia, their arguments show that in reality it is they who advocate a war of aggression against Russia, whose defence capabilities would be disabled as quickly as possible with the help of Poland and the Baltic states.

At least half of the paper consists of concrete proposals for a fast and comprehensive armament of Poland that already plays a leading role in war preparations against Russia. Polands Civic Platform (PO) government raised the military budget to 2 percent of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014. The current right-wing nationalist government of the Law and Justice Party (PiS) has since raised it to 3 percent of GDP (around 14.2 billion US dollars).

The Atlantic Council supports this course, but calls for it to be implemented more rapidly and resolutely, and for greater participation from the private defence sector. In addition to concrete measures regarding the modernization of the Polish army and the acquisition of fighter jets and other military technologies, the authors propose a number of steps for the Polish government that can only be seen as active preparations for a war.

They include:

A declaration by the Polish government stating that it will come to the aid of the Baltic states and Romania in the event of a Russian attack;

The publication of a list of potential targets for military strikes by Poland, especially Kaliningrad;

That the Polish government reserves the right to attack targets in Kaliningrad and other areas with conventional weapons should Moscow threaten nuclear war;

The nuclear armament of Poland, in particular its F-16 fighter jets;

A declaration by Poland that it will attack targets deep inside Russia with cruise missiles and rockets should it be attacked itself;

A declaration by Poland that it will launch cyber-attacks against Russia, with targets including the Moscow subway system, the St. Petersburg power supply and the broadcaster RT;

A declaration by Poland that in the event of a Russian attack, it will send special forces into Russian territory to assist NATO and destroy missile defence systems;

That Poland demonstrate its ability to deploy its military and quickly send troops into the Baltics and Romania.

The authors also call for a credible joint defence plan under the leadership of NATO headquarters and for the unification of Polish armed forces with those of the Baltic states and other willing NATO forces. While this has implications for national sovereignty, they write, Political issues aside, Poland is well-placed, by virtue of the size of its armed forces, to act as lead nation for a Baltic division under command of NATOs Multinational Corps Northeast.

Poland itself should expand its regular armed forces and increase its active troop strength from the current 100,000 troops to 150,000. To this end, the Polish government should prevent many Polish citizens capable of military service from migrating to other EU countries.

At the same time, the paramilitary units under state control should be expanded, a policy that the PiS government has already made a key component of its efforts to build up the military in recent months.

The authors of the paper hope that the strength of these units will be increased from the current 35,000 to as much as 90,000. According to the authors, in order to raise these numbers, the government can draw on the roughly 400,000 men now active in various paramilitary organizations.

The authors fail to mention that these paramilitary organizations are made up of militant right-wing nationalists. Significantly, however, they name the Forest Brothers as an example to follow.

The Forest Brothers were right-wing partisans in the Baltics who collaborated with the Nazis during the Second World War. After the war, they waged a guerrilla war against the Soviet Union with the support of Western intelligence services until the mid-1950s.

The authors are clear that not all NATO members will support their proposals. Without naming names, they repeatedly warn of insufficient agreement within the alliance. In the past, the German government in particular has been against permanently stationing NATO troops in Eastern Europe. France and Italy also criticize the aggressive position toward Russia and advocate the easing of Western sanctions.

The Atlantic Council paper calls on Poland to take a stand within the EU against plans for a common European army. It does not elaborate on this point, but its meaning is clear: Within the EU, Poland should take a more offensive position than Berlin, which calls for an EU army and, following a Brexit (British exit), work to push the EU in the direction of developing a military union. The authors of the Atlantic Council, however, insist that an EU army would weaken NATO, especially if Britain were no longer part of the EU.

Notably, both authors of the paper maintain close ties to the weapons industry and the military.

Shirreff was, until 2014, a high-ranking NATO general. This year he published the book 2017: War with Russia, which predicts imminent war with the worlds second-largest nuclear-armed power. Furthermore, he recently founded the consulting firm Strategia Worldwide Ltd., which employs numerous ex-military officers who until recently occupied high-ranking posts in the British military and NATO. Among them is Rob Weighill, who boasts on the firms website that in 2011, he planned the attack of NATO forces against Libya.

More than anyone else, Olex-Szczytowski embodies the close connection between finance capital and militarism in Poland. Since the late 1970s, he was active in important international banks. From 1983 to 1986, he was a member of the Polish government-in-exile in London, which based itself on the Polish constitution of 1935 that legitimized the dictatorial regime of General Jozef Pisudski.

In the 1990s, he played an important role in mass privatizations and the Polish governments business with Western banks. In the 2000s, he led the Military Property Agency and in 2012-14 was an economic advisor to then Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski.
In his speech Monday to the Economic Club of Detroit, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump embraced traditional right-wing nostrums about cutting taxes for the wealthy and slashing regulations on big business, claiming that the American economy would boom if only the wealthy were allowed to have their way completely.

The Trumps speech was a travesty of analysis, as he simply did not address the overriding economic issue confronting world capitalism: the deep economic slump triggered by the 2008 Wall Street crash, from which the world economy has yet to emerge. He said nothing about the financial collapse, the trillion-dollar bailout of the banks that followed, or the long-term consequences of that financial heart attack for world capitalism as a whole.

Remarkably, in a speech about economic policy delivered in Detroit, Trump made no mention of the auto industry bailout pushed through by the Obama administration, centered on the slashing of wages by 50 percent for new hires.

He did refer to the appalling social conditions in the city where he gave his speech, while indicting the Democratic Party as responsible. But he was silent on the most recent catastrophe, the bankruptcy of Detroit, which led to wage cuts, mass layoffs and the destruction of pensions and health benefits, in which politicians of both big-business partiesthe Republican governor and state legislature and the Democratic mayor and city councilplayed major roles.

The Republican candidate rattled off a string of figures about the dismal state of the US economy, prepared by his speechwriters, demonstrating that labor force participation, median household income and economic growth rates are down, while food stamp use, poverty and black youth unemployment are up.

His solutions, however, consisted of a combination of right-wing Republican boilerplatecut taxes on business and the rich, slash regulations, end all restrictions on oil drilling and coal miningand strident economic nationalism.

In effect, he was addressing two audiences. For the businessmen and right-wing political operatives who filled the seats at the invitation-only meeting, Trump offered trillions in tax breaks plus deregulation. For manufacturing workers and the unemployed, a major target of his election campaign, he offered tub-thumping and completely empty pledges to revive American steel, automobile, coal-mining and other heavy industries by excluding foreign imports and waging trade war against economic rivals of American capitalism.

It was notable that his business audience applauded loudly for the promised tax cuts, but largely sat on their hands when Trump declared his opposition to NAFTA and other trade deals, and pledged that Americanism, not globalism would be the watchword of a Trump administration. The giant Detroit-based General Motors and Ford, like their corporate counterparts elsewhere, operate globally, pitting workers in every country against each other in a race to the bottom for wages, benefits and working conditions.

There is little doubt that were Trump to enter the White House, he would do nothing to curtail the overseas operations of giant US corporations, while he would move rapidly to cut their taxes, along with the taxes of wealthy families and the estate taxes that only a tiny fraction of the super-rich (the top 0.2 percent) actually pay.

There were relatively few policy details in the hour-long speech, but Trump did indicate that he was shelving the tax cut proposals he made during the campaign for the Republican nomination in favor of the plan adopted by House Republicans, which calls for reducing income tax brackets to three and cutting the top tax rate from 39.6 percent to 33 percent.

The direct impact of these cuts would be a bonanza for the wealthiest families, while taxes would decline only marginally or not at all for middle-class and working-class families. According to the Tax Foundation, families in the top one percent would see a 5.3 percent increase in after-tax income, while middle-income families would gain 0.2 percent, and families in the bottom 40 percent would gain nothing at all.

Trump proposed the complete abolition of the estate tax, which has gradually eroded over the years as bipartisan congressional action has raised the amount of estates that are exempt from tax from $1.35 million for a couple in 2001 to $11 million today. Only 52,000 estates paid the tax in 2000, but this has dropped to one-tenth that number, only 5,000 estates, in 2013. One major beneficiary of abolishing the death tax, as Trump labeled it, would be his own children, since they would be able to inherit his fortune (assuming it exists) tax-free.

The only specific measure Trump proposed for Americans who are not rich was a tax break for childcare expenses. Even this would benefit primarily the upper layers of the middle class, since it would be structured as a tax deduction rather than a tax credit, meaning the nearly 70 percent of the population who do not itemize deductions on their tax returns would gain nothing.

For those who could claim it, the benefit would be heavily skewed to higher-income families. By one calculation, a family making $500,000 and spending $10,000 a year on childcare would net nearly $4,000. A family making $50,000, with the same childcare expenses, would get back only $1,500, even though they would need the money more.

Dwarfing even the impact of his tax cuts for the wealthy and abolition of the estate tax is Trumps proposal to cut the corporate income tax rate from its current (purely nominal) rate of 35 percent to only 15 percent. This would funnel trillions into the coffers of giant corporations.

Moreover, those companies that have parked some $2 trillion in profits in offshore accounts awaiting more favorable tax treatment in the US would be allowed to pay a rate of only 10 percent if they repatriated the funds to the United States. This one tax break would be worth $500 billion to a handful of corporate giants like Apple, Cisco Systems and General Electric.

Accompanying his Detroit economic speech was Trumps naming of an economic advisory team consisting largely of fellow billionaires, including oil man Harold Hamm, hedge fund boss John A. Paulson, real estate mogul Steven Roth, and Steven Feinberg, cofounder of the private equity firm Cerberus.

Two names on this list bear special note, given Trumps repeated efforts to present himself as the advocate of manufacturing workers: Dan DiMicco, former president and CEO of Nucor Corporation, the leading operator of US mini-mills, the pioneer in the campaign to slash steelworkers wages and benefits; and Wilbur Ross, the financial speculator and asset-stripper who took much of the US steel industry through bankruptcy, reaping billions in the process, and pillaging workers pension funds.

Carl Icahn, the notorious corporate raider and union-buster of the 1980s, was only left off the list of advisers because he has launched a super PAC on behalf of Trump, and claimed that for legal reasons he could not be formally associated with the campaign.

Trumps policies and list of corporate advisers and backers demonstrates that his claim to defend the interests of US manufacturing workers is so much hot air. He is given credibility only by the trade unions and the Democratic Party, which have long specialized in the type of nationalistic demagogy in which Trump is now outbidding them.

When Trump rants and raves against China and Mexico, he is only following in the well-worn trail blazed by the AFL-CIO unions, and particularly the United Auto Workers and United Steelworkers, as well as Democratic Party politicians like Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.

It was notable that during the week leading up to Trumps speech on the economy, the Clinton campaign staged a series of events attacking him from the right, claiming that his economic nationalism was bogus because Trump-branded products were being manufactured in many foreign countries and not in the United States.

In her remarks on economic issues, Clinton made it clear that her so-called jobs plan would not include a single job to be created by the federal government, by launching a public works program. All spending and job creation would be routed through the private sector. In other words, Clinton, like Trump, rejects any interference with the capitalist market except to prop up various industries and business through tax credits and federal contracts.
A debate has broken out in Australias political and media establishment over whether a state-owned Chinese company, State Grid Corp, should be barred from buying a 99-year lease to operate Ausgrid, which is being privatised and provides Sydneys electricity.

Competing with State Grid, Cheung Kong Infrastructure, the largest publicly-listed infrastructure company in Hong Kong, is also waiting for government clearance to purchase the $10 billion lease for 50.4 percent of Ausgrid.

A looming decision by Treasurer Scott Morrison on the bids under foreign investment laws is being described in the media as the first major foreign policy test for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbulls Liberal-National government since it barely scraped back into office in the July 2 federal election.

This is not an easy decision, Morrison said this week. National security out ranks everything. His comment, ranking geo-strategic and military-intelligence concerns over economic interests, reflects mounting pressure from the US for the Turnbull government to line up unequivocally behind Washingtons plans for a military confrontation with China.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, whom Turnbull ousted last September, joined the fray yesterday, saying he would not like to see Australia cede control of the electricity network to a foreign company. The intervention by Abbott, who publicly aligned himself closely with Washington, underscores the ongoing rifts within Turnbulls shaky government.

Among the headlines in the Australia media this week have been unsubstantiated allegations by anonymous senior government officials that Chinese spies have been caught by the intelligence services conducting brazen espionage in Australia over the past year.

This agitation underscores the underlying dilemma for Australias ruling elite because China is its largest export market and an increasing source of investment. Moreover, Turnbulls government has staked its future on delivering jobs and growth via agile engagement with Chinese and other Asian profit-making opportunities.

Many of the figures calling for State Grid to be blocked are openly framing the issue in the context of a possible conflict with China. One of the most prominent is Peter Jennings, executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), a government-funded think tank.

Jennings said a Chinese-controlled Ausgrid could become vulnerable to being shut down by cyber-attack. You have to be concerned in a future world where we might find ourselves in a much more hostile relationship with China: Could they do us damage domestically by hacking into our electricity grid in Sydney? Jennings told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Jennings role is significant because he was also conspicuous in last years controversy over the leasing of the commercial port of Darwin to the Chinese company Landbridge. That agreement provoked barely concealed hostility from Washington. President Barack Obama reportedly told Turnbull to let us know next time during a meeting in Manila last November. Darwin is the focus of a major US military build-up in northern Australia as part of the broader pivot to Asia aimed at confronting China.

In an opinion piece published by the Australian last weekend, Jennings declared: Under the increasingly authoritarian Xi Jinping, China is becoming more assertive. By ignoring international law Beijing has effectively taken over the South China Seaan area close to the size of the Mediterraneanwhich is vital to Australian trade.

In reality, it is the US that has moved aggressively against China, with plans to deploy 60 percent of its navy and air force to Asia by 2020, and line up countries throughout the region against Beijing. As part of this drive, Washington has stoked longstanding territorial disputes in the South China Sea, and orchestrated the recent Philippines challenge to Chinese claims in an international arbitration court whose jurisdiction Beijing did not recognise.

Jennings reported concerns held at the most senior levels of American government about cyber attacks on US electricity utilities. He cited a policy statement issued in July by the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, warning that the vulnerability of cyber enabled systems presents an assailable flank which competitors are likely to probe, infiltrate and potentially attack.

State Grid already part-owns electricity or gas networks in South Australia, Victoria, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory. It was also cleared by the federal governments Foreign Investment Review Board to bid last year for Transgrid, a New South Wales (NSW) electricity distributor. But that offer was ultimately rejected by the NSW state government, which sold the lease to Canadian interests after the Darwin port controversy erupted.

On the other side of the Ausgrid debate are figures, including former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr, warning of the risk of economic damage, including possible retaliation by China. Carr, who currently heads the Australia-China Relations Institute at University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), said if the Ausgrid bids were rebuffed, it would be a colossal blow to the NSW budget, to infrastructure spend, and to the states economy.

In an Australian Financial Review opinion piece, James Laurenceson, the deputy director of the UTS institute, said Australia badly needed Chinese investment to fill domestic funding shortfalls produced by declining foreign investment. In 2015 alone, British investors pulled a massive $70.2 billion more out of Australia than they put in, he warned.

Chinese investment in Australia remains comparatively small, accounting for $46.6 billion in 201415, or less than 2 percent of incoming foreign investment, compared to $860.3 billion, or 28 percent, from the US. But bids by China-based companies have risen sharply in recent yearsup by 68 percent in 2014 15.

Any halt to that flow could aggravate concerns on global financial markets, where the credit ratings agencies have threatened to cut the countrys AAA borrowing rating unless severe cuts are made to government spending. A Moodys spokesman told the Australian the ratings agency was considering the effect on NSWs rating of delaying the Ausgrid transaction.

Chinese government-linked academics have also warned of adverse consequences if Australia discriminates against Chinese investment. Han Feng, from the China Academy of Social Sciences, said: This will have a negative impact on the long-term investment relationship and its not good for the China-Australia relationship.

Washington has already displayed its readiness to intervene in Australian politics. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was ousted in 2010 by Labor Party and union powerbrokers later identified in WikiLeaks cables as US embassy protected sources. Rudd had suggested the US make concessions to accommodate China. Julia Gillard, who replaced Rudd, provided the Australian parliament as a venue for Obama to formally announce the pivot in November 2011.

Labor leader Bill Shorten, one of the key players in the Rudd coup, has weighed into the Ausgrid debate on a nationalist and protectionist basis, suggesting that a Chinese purchase could eliminate Australian jobs and drive up domestic electricity prices.

Whatever the government decides on the Ausgrid bids, the divisions in ruling circles will only intensify. The tensions reflect the increasingly precarious position of Australian capitalism, caught between its key strategic ally and its largest customer, under conditions of deepening world slump and mounting geo-strategic conflicts.
Under conditions of plunging global demand for steel and an escalating attack on the jobs of steelworkers throughout the world, the United Steelworkers (USW) union in the United States is working closely with the Obama administration to impose protectionist measures against China and other countries.

While doing nothing to stop the attack on jobs, the USW is seeking to whip up anti-Chinese hatred and provide ideological support for US imperialisms increasingly aggressive war preparations against China, which will be accelerated whether Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump wins the election.

The USW has filed several legal actions in conjunction with US- and foreign-based steelmakers operating in the United States, including US Steel, ArcelorMittal USA, AK Steel Corp., Nucor Corp. and Steel Dynamicsalleging that other countries are dumping low-cost steel or unfairly subsidizing their domestic steel industries.

Last Friday, the US Commerce Department set import duties on hot-rolled flat steel from Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Britain, Brazil, the Netherlands and Australia of as much as 34.3 percent for five years. This followed last months Commerce Department ruling for final duties on cold-rolled steel from Brazil, India, South Korea, Russia and the United Kingdom. The US International Trade Commission (USITC) is scheduled to make a final ruling on the tariffs next month.

Hailing the rulings, USW President Leo Gerard said, The hot-rolled steel trade case and others like it are vital to saving steel jobs and our communities. But they're only part of the solution. Chinese excess steel overcapacity is causing terrible injury world-wide and remains a long-term threat.

In testimony before the Congressional Steel Caucus last April, Gerard warned that protectionist measures were vital to Americas readiness for war. Manufacturing, and the critical steel sector, is vital to Americas national and economic security. In terms of national security, its not just the steel that goes into our ships, tanks, armored personnel vehicles and other weapons. Its the critical infrastructure that supports our warfighters and our nation.

Gerard was beating the drums for trade war and world war side-by-side with top executives from ArcelorMittal and US Steel who were at the time demanding sweeping wage and benefit concessions from workers and destroying thousands of jobs.

The USW and the steel bosses claim that China is overproducing steel of all types and causing global overcapacity, which has led other countries to sell their products below cost in the United States. The USW has also sought to corral workers behind sections of the Democratic Party opposed to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, on the basis that the agreement, which in fact excludes China, would provide a backdoor for Chinese steel to enter the US market.

In determining their own independent standpoint, workers must critically examine the meaning of overproduction, as the WSWS has explained before. There is no overcapacity in relation to human and social need. There is plenty of demand in the US and around the world for steel to repair decaying infrastructure and build new bridges, roads, schools, hospitals, residential and office buildings, along with trains, buses and cars.

Under capitalism, however, production is not carried out for human need but for profit. For the giant steel companies and the powerful financial institutions that control them there is an overproduction of steel in relation to the extraction of sufficient levels of profit. In order to restore their high returns on investment what is necessary is the closure of large sections of the global steel industry, the elimination of millions of jobs and the decimation of workers communities and lives.

Throughout the 20th Century the ruling classes of the world also utilized far more violent and destructive ways to reduce overcapacity. The productive forcesboth technological and humanmust be destroyed so that the capitalist orderbased on the accumulation of private profitcan be maintained. That is the logic of the USWs anti-Chinese agitation and jingoism.

Echoing Donald Trumps claims that US politicians have foolishly negotiated trade agreements that put the US at a disadvantage, Gerard said, The US is a nation that adheres to the rule of law and believes that every other nation wants to be like us and act like us. That simply is not the case and Americans across the countryfrom both political partiesare rising up this year to make clear that their elected leaders need to change course. He added that it was time for China to face a real cost for its alleged unfair trade.

The presentation of the US, which has carried out illegal invasions, renditions, torture and assassinations, as an international model of a law-abiding country would be laughable if it were not so sinister. The USWs call for the US government to ensure that the trade policies of foreign competitors are consistent with international rules echoes Obamas declaration that the US, not China, should write the rules of 21st century trade. These remarks ushered in the Pivot to Asia and the freedom of navigation military operations by the US in territorial waters claimed by China, which could quickly descend into a clash between two nuclear-armed nations.

The anarchy of the capitalist system and the irrational division of the world into rival and competing nation states makes any harmonious coordination of world steel production impossible. Instead in every country, the ruling class and their servants in the trade union bureaucracies are promoting the snake oil of economic nationalism, which would only lead to a more catastrophic collapse of world trade, and ultimately war.

Germany's IG Metall union now holds rallies to denounce Dirty Chinese steel. Faced with the planned mass layoffs at Tata Steel plants across the country, the British Unite union issued the following appeal to then Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron for tax breaks for British steel firms, trade barriers for Chinese steel and a Buy British mandate for government-backed construction projects.

The USW, like other industrial unions in the US, including the United Auto Workers, has long used economic nationalism to divide US workers from their brothers and sisters, and justify their corporatist collusion with the steel bosses. In the 1980s and 1990s, the USW mounted an anti-Asian campaign against Japanese steel, complete with bumper stickers saying, Remember Pearl Harbor. Gerard and other union executives worked with billionaire asset strippers like Wilbur Ross (a major Trump supporter now) to restructure the steel industry and destroy the jobs and pensions of hundreds of thousands of workers. In return, the USW was given control of billions of dollars in retiree health care benefits, known as VEBAs, which have been used as an investment vehicle for the union executives.

In his testimony to Congress last week, USW Vice President Tom Conway boasted how the union had worked systematically to destroy wages and conditions won over generations of struggle. In the wake of several waves of predatory steel imports over the past 30 years, our members and retirees have sacrificed to make the American steel manufacturing industry the most competitive steel industry in the world. We agreed to company consolidations, workforce reductions, and changes in workplace rules to increase productivity. We negotiated agreements that encouraged companies to put money back into the mills.

Conway noted that for the first quarter of 2016 steelworker wages were almost $50 million less than they were in the first quarter of 2015. In addition to blocking any struggle against layoffs and mill closures, the USW spent last year preventing a unified struggle by 35,000 steelworkers whose contracts were running out at US Steel, ArcelorMittal and Allegheny Technologies (ATI). The USW deliberately isolated 2,200 locked-out ATI workers while dragging negotiations out for months before ramming through a new round of concessions. Workers at all three companies now face plant closures, mass layoffs, stagnant wages, skyrocketing healthcare costs and steep cuts to retirement benefits for both new hires and current retirees.

The global economic crisis is throwing billions of workers around the world into struggle. In recent months strikes and other protests have erupted against the threatened layoff of 1.8 million steelworkers and coal miners in China; steelworkers in Mexico and India have struck at ArcelorMittal and Tata Steel respectively; and Australian, Canadian and US workers are facing huge job cuts.

In opposition to the nationalism and warmongering of the trade unions and right-wing politicians like Clinton and Trump, steelworkers throughout the world must coordinate their struggles to defend the social right to a good-paying and secure job for all. The only alternative to the anarchy of capitalism and the descent into world war is the program of international socialism. The major industries and banks must be put under the collective ownership and democratic control of the working class and the world economy reorganized based on a scientific plan to produce for human need, not private profit.

That is the perspective of the Socialist Equality Party in the US and its sister parties around the world.
Latin America

Bolivian peasants seize natural gas installation

On August 4, protesting peasants seized a natural gas pumping field in Santa Cruz province, in eastern Bolivia. At issue are peasants demands for title to the land that they have already occupied, and the paving of a road to give them access to local markets.

Following a two-day standoff with government troops, the occupiers voluntarily left the gas field in return for a government promise of negotiations over the two issues.

Bolivia is a major exporter of natural gas to Argentina, its southern neighbor, much of if it delivered from the occupied field. By some estimates, the country lost $400,000 due to this two-day occupation.

Bolivian oil workers strike

In Bolivia, on August 3, the Federation of Employees of the Oil Workers Health Fund launched a 72-hour strike, but it was observed by only about half the workers. Striking employees confronted non-strikers in the Santa Cruz headquarters of the Health Fund (CPS).

The main issue involved in this protest strike is the corruption that allegedly exists in the CPS itself. Its administrator, Victor Hugo Villegas is accused of spending only 1.6 percent of investment funds allocated for 2016. The strikers, led by union leader Cristina Morales are demanding Villegas removal. An opposing faction in the union, led by Roque Perez opposed the job action.

While the Health Fund was able to provide medical care during the strike, the strike by administrative employees impacted clinics across the oil-producing regions.

Teachers protest in Mexico City

On August 3, some 1,500 members of the Mexican Coordinating Committee of Education Workers (CNTE) marched through Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City and rallied at historic central square (El Zocalo) to announce that the new education cycle will not begin unless the government rescinds its education reform. CNTE leaders described the negotiations taking place with the Enrique Pena Nieto administration over the education reform law as going backwards.

The teachers had reached the Fine Arts Museum when they were stopped by police from advancing to the Zocalo. Following a brief interval, the police did allow the march to pass, in what appears to have been a last-minute concession made to the teachers by government officials.

The CNTE has also threatened to block refineries operated by the national oil company PEMEX and even to block the US-Mexico and Guatemala-Mexico borders.

Big business is demanding that the government do something about the nearly 100 days of teacher barricades in Southern and Central Mexico, which they claim have caused the loss of millions of dollars in profits.

Government threat to Ecuador teachers union

The Ecuadorean government is threatening to shut down the teachers union (Union Nacional de Educadores, UNE), in retaliation for public statements made earlier this year by UNE officials to the International Labor Organization and the UN human rights Committee on government violations of freedom of association.

Last week, the government of President Rafael Correa gave UNE 15 days to explain why it should not be shut down for violating government Decree 16 (that applies to nonprofit organizations) for having undertaken actions that are prohibited in the Constitution, without specifying particular charges.

Peru: Teachers strike in Piura

Last Wednesday, education workers in the northwestern State of Piura, belonging to the United Education Workers Union (SUTE, Piura) announced a teachers strike for this week.

The strike is over nonpayment of medical benefits and class preparation wages, an amount that represents US$25,000 per teacher (80,000 soles). There are 20,000 teachers in the region.

The United States

School district asks judge to block Yuba City, California teachers strike

On August 5, officials for the Yuba City Unified School District in northern California asked the Public Employment Relations Board to request that a judge block a strike by more than 700 teachers when school opens on August 11. The Yuba City Teachers Association (YCTA) countered with an unfair labor practices filing, charging the district with intimidating teachers and making unilateral changes to the contract.

Teachers voted by an 85 percent margin on May 17 to reject the districts 3.5 percent wage increase and in a second vote registered a 95 percent margin to strike. The YCTA is seeking a 13 percent raise.

The school district has been conducting training sessions for replacement teachers and teachers have responded with mass pickets chanting dont cross the line to potential strikebreakers attending the classes.

Teamsters union orders return to work in two-month Connecticut lockout

Teamsters Local 1035 officials ordered an unconditional return to work August 3 for some 120 drivers and warehouse workers who were locked out for eight weeks at Hartford Distributors in Manchester, Connecticut. Management at the beer distributor imposed its final contract offer that included a 75 cent per year wage increase over the course of a five-year agreement.

The contract includes an increase on commissions for drivers. But it also implements the companys demand to impose the cost of health care premiums on new-hires, something that had been free. The maximum load per truck was increased to boost productivity.

In earlier negotiations, the company included contract language requiring workers to give up their right to strike. It is not clear this issue was resolved in the final company offer.

Canada

Strike spreads against BC Nurses Union

Last week, servicing staff employed by the BCNU joined administrative staff who went on strike against that union on July 22 after being locked out that same day.

The workers, who are represented by Unifor, include lawyers, educators and health and safety advocates, voted unanimously to go on strike last week, but BCNU has indicated they will seek to have their jobs designated as essential services in order to circumvent a strike. Unifor has said that they were forced into taking this action because of the heavy-handed tactics employed by BCNU.

Striking administrative staff are represented by the Movement of United Professionals (MoveUP) who are facing proposed cuts to sick leave and other benefits in what the employer has termed its final offer.
I look up to Deepika Padukone: Diana Penty

Actress Diana Penty is proud of her "Cocktail" co-star Deepika Padukone, who is set to make her Hollywood debut in "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage".
Indias dilemma

India needs to design and implement a national refugee law to ensure comprehensive national security
You are the owner of this article.
If all goes as planned, Yakima County authorities next year may begin enforcing a ban on all marijuana businesses in unincorporated areas of t
Language and treatment

Communication holds a place of paramount significance in medical treatment. While we boast of being a nation with multi-cultured diversity, how efficient are we at communication?
If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules:

Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy.

The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party.

We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste.

Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters.

Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month.
The Israel Medical Association (IMA) plans on going ahead with a strike on Thursday, despite their original demands being met.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The IMA initially announced a labor dispute over intentions to regulate department heads. However, after the main issues had been addressed they changed their reason to protesting "the state of the health system."

Regardless of the motivations to strike by the IMA, barring any last minute changes, there will be a strike in public hospitals on Thursday, resulting in dozens of cancelled surgeries, with many departments working on a limited, emergency basis.

Photo: shutterstock

The labor dispute was declared by the IMA two weeks ago. At the time, the doctors asked to cancel a clause in the Economic Arrangements Law which determines that senior doctorsat the department and unit management levelwill not be able to practice in private clinics, but rather would stay in public service and in return, receive significant raises in their salaries.

In addition, the IMA came out against the plan to limit the tenure of hospital administrators and officials in the public health system to a period of 12-13 yearscompared to the current situation, where administrators are not limited by time. An additional motivating factor to the strike as mentioned by IMA heads is Minister of Health Yaakov Litzman's plan to put into effect a law that will enforce significant discipline on hospital administrators who exceed their set budget.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health announced that it has decided to remove the clause within the Economic Arrangements Law preventing department heads from working in private clinics. In response, however, the IMA has chosen not to back down from their intention to strike, and the strike is expected to commence regardless.

At a press conference Tuesday, Dr. Leonid Eidelman, chairman of the IMA, changed his reasoning for the strike and claimed: "The struggle is not about salary, but rather the development of the health system, perception of doctors, shortening of lines and advancement of medicinethe Economic Arrangements Law is cutting back health in the country."
Monsoon continues to wreak havoc

At least two people died and dozens more were displaced by floods and landslides triggered by incessant rains across the country in the past 48 hours.
ANKARA - The EU is making serious mistakes in its response to Turkey's failed coup and if the West "loses" Turkey it will be because of its own mistakes, not Ankara's good ties with Russia, China or the Islamic world, Turkey's foreign minister said on Wednesday.

In an interview with the state-run Anadolu agency, Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey's rapprochement with Russia was not meant as a message to the West. He said support for EU membership in Turkey had fallen because of the bloc's sympathetic attitude towards those who carried out the July 15 coup attempt.
A memorial service for Captain Hadar Goldin, whose body was abducted by Hamas terrorists in 2014 during Operation Protective Edge, took place on Tuesday in which the family urged the government to do more to secure his return to Israel.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



With tears streaming from their eyes, Hadars parents, Lea and Simcha, shook hands with hundreds of mourners who attended the service for their son.

The memorial took place in the military cemetery in Kfar Saba marking two years after his remains were snatched. Hadar was killed in Gaza and his body has remained in Hamas hands ever since.

Hadar, you were a lighthouse and now that you are no longer here suddenly that lighthouse has gone, said Hadars older sister, Ayelet.

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon attend memorial service (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Tzur, Hadars twin brother, called upon politicians to do everything they can in order to secure the return of his brothers body: Every day that passes is another one in which we have not fulfilled our obligations to our civilians.

The government failed to secure his release most recently during the Turkey reconciliation deal when it came under massive political and public pressure to make any deal conditional upon the return of Hadars body and other Israeli civilians and soldiers in Hamas captivity.

Despite the Goldin familys expressions of disappointment at the failure of government ministers invited to attend the service to confirm arrival, which was published in Yents sister newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth two days ago, three government ministers did indeed show up.

They included Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, Tzachi Hanegbi and Yoav Galant. In addition, former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon and Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben-Dahan also attended to pay their respects.

Our commitment to Hadar has not ended. We still have one task before us - to bring him home together with Oron Shaul, said Minister Shaked at the ceremony. We will not rest until we have done what is required of us.
The IDF published an aerial photograph via Twitter on Tuesday detailing a marina built by Hamas's military wing in the northern Gaza Strip, which was financed with funds siphoned from the United Nations Development Agency (UNDP).

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The aerial photograph depicts the marina extending into the sea, not far from Zikim beach in Ashkelon, as well as a command and observation tower.

Aerial photograph of Hamas port (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

According to the indictment filed following an investigation by the Shin Bet, Waheed Borsh, a 38 year-old engineer from Jabalia north of Gaza City, funneled aid resources from the UNDP to the construction of the marina, which the Hamas naval commando unit can use for future operations and training.

A senior naval official told Ynet that over the past year Hamas has invested significant resources into its commando unit with the focus being on improvement following conclusions drawn from the failed raid on Zikim beach during Operation Protective Edge.

According to the IDF's assessments, Hamas's secret naval arm utilizes sophisticated diving equipment, underwater combat tactics and has hundreds of fighters who train on the Gazan beach and in the sea itself.

Waheed Borsh, accused of stealng UN funds (Photo: AFP, Shin Bet)

Borsh's interrogation also yielded further information that Hamas exploited UN aid for its own purposes. For example, when weapons caches or tunnel entrances were discovered in homes being restored by the UNDP, Hamas would take control of the job site and the materials discovered. This is in contradiction to UN policies which clearly dictate that weapons discovered are to be reported and destroyed.

Hamas has denied the accusations, claiming: "These allegations are false and baseless. These accusations are part of the Israeli plan to tighten the siege on the Gaza Strip by going after the international aid organizations operating in Gaza and putting pressure on them. We are warning the Israeli occupation against the continuation of this policy, and call on the international community to shoulder its responsibility for these Israeli measures, which will lead to serious consequences if they continue."

The Foreign Ministry said that Borsh's arrest should send a message to the UN Secretary General and its aid agency heads. "We expect the UN, and especially the aid organizations, to unequivocally condemn Hamas for abusing aid mechanisms and to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those who really need it, and not Hamas terrorist leaders."
The Federation of Local Authorities in Israel on Wednesday announced that municipal systems would go on strike starting August 31 over planned changes to the Economic Arrangements Law that they say could seriously harm local authorities.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The strike will, in practice, also affect the education system, as it will include all municipality and local council employees: janitors, teachers' assistants, maintenance crew, security guards and secretariesmaking it almost impossible to operate the educational institutions.

The municipality heads claim that the amendment to the law, which the government is scheduled to discuss on Thursday, will include some NIS 2 billion in budget cuts to local authorities.

The mayors at the press conference (Photo: Jorge Novominsky)

According to the Federation of Local Authorities, the legislation's draft details measures including cutbacks to budgets meant for high schools and for adding more classrooms; establishing a government property tax fund, a move which means local authorities will receive less of that tax revenue; and the partial nationalization of the Maintenance of Cleanliness Fund whose budgets go to local authorities.

Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, Netanya Mayor Miriam Feirberg, Be'er Sheva Mayor Ruvik Danilovich, Holon Mayor Moti Sasson and the head of the Federation of Local Authorities Haim Bibas, who is also the mayor of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut, held a press conference on Wednesday to announce the strike.

The group mayors claimed that the planned cuts would "hurt the basic services that local authorities provide to all citizens."

"On August 31, we'll begin preparations, and when the school year begins (on September 1), we'll go on an all-out strike, because there's no other choice," Bibas said. "The Finance Ministry needs to wake up."

Bibas said the Teachers' Association, parents' organizations and the Education Ministry have all expressed their support to the local authorities' cause.

"The Finance Ministry crossed all the lines with the Economic Arrangements Law," he added. "It's playing a zero-sum game."

"The government has a responsibility towards the citizens and in its decisions it is systematically cutting funds from education, welfare, culture and sports," said Danilovich.
Russia was the first country to condemn the attempted coup in Turkey and publically support Recept Tayyip Erdogan's regime. The Turkish president, for his part, publically thanked President Vladimir Putin at the start of his press conference in St. Petersburg and even referred to him as his "dear friend."

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



"This is a position of principle for us," said Putin in response to Erdogan. "We completely oppose any anti-constitutional activity. I hope that under your leadership the Turkish people will deal with the attempted coup."

Presidents Putin and Erdogan in Russia (Photo: EPA)

Putin received the Turkish president in a meeting that symbolized the end of a crisis between the two countries following the downing of a Russian jet by Turkey near the Syrian border. Relations rapidly deteriorated following the incident, with the Russians imposing economic sanctions on Turkey. Erdogan also sharply attacked Putin following the incident.

Economic interests, however, prompted Turkey to adhere to the Russian demand of apologizing over the incident. In an interview with Russian media, Erdogan said, "I consider this visit a new beginning in the relations between our countries. I would like to extend a warm greeting to Vladimir Putin and the Russian people, on behalf of myself and the Turkish nation."

Another factor that may be bringing the countries closer together is Turkey's ire toward the United States, primarily over its refusal to extradite Fethullah Gulen, who according to Erdogan, was behind the attempted coup. Russia, which is interested in reducing the global power of the United States, would be happy to stand together with Turkey, in light of the new reality.

One of the biggest questions is whether Ankara and Moscow will succeed in bridging the gaps between them in terms of the desired solution in Syria. Until now, they were on opposite sides, with Moscow supporting Assad and Turkey working against him. If the two parties can succeed in coming to an agreement, it could greatly improve the chances of coming to a political agreement in Syria.
The family of Baha Aliyan, a terrorist who who became a symbol of the recent wave of terror, almost secured the release of their dead son being held by Israeli authorities but refused to abide by the funeral terms, according to the Jerusalem Police.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Alyan, from Jabel Mukaber in the capital, was one of the terrorists who murdered three Israelis in a deadly attack on the 78 bus in the Jerusalem last October.

Aylan, who on October 13, 2015 boarded a bus with fellow-terrorist Bilal Abu Ghanem, armed with guns and axes, was killed during the attack by security forces while Ghanem is currently standing trial.

'Symbol of Intifada' - The terrorist Baha Alyan

Since the attack, which claimed the lives of Haviv Haim, 78, Richard Lakin , 76, and Alon Andrei Govberg , 51and wounded several others - Alyan became one of the more prominent symbols of the escelation of violence. His legacy became one to which other like-minded Palestinians aspired and his actions transformed him into a role model worthy of emulation.

His family were since invited to lecture at a number of schools where they glorified his legacy and his actions.

At the beginning of the week Alyans family reportedly reached an agreement with senior officials in the Jerusalem Police regarding the return of the terrorists body. According to the agreement, only 30 people would be permitted to participate in the funeral and the burial site would be in one of the cemeteries in the Old City. The family also agreed to deposit a financial guarantee to ensure that it abided by the terms.

Scene of attack in Armon HaNatziv (Photo: Reuters)

However, according to the family, the police reduced the number of attendees allowed and instructed that Alyan be buried in a different cemetery next to Wadi al-Joz As a result, so the family claims, these changes are the reason that no agreement has been reached.

The Jerusalem Police however, categorically deny that any changes were made to the conditions presented to the family.

Bodies of terrorists have been released in the past for burial after families have agreed to certain preconditions such as discrete funerals at night, the prohibition of incitement and the deposit if financial guarantees.

Alyan speaks to a school in East Jerusalem

After the funeral of terrorist Alaa Abu Jamal from Jabel Mukaber turned into a display of hatred and incitement in May, with some 200 East Jerusalem residents crowding outside the cemetery and calling out "Allahu Akbar" and "In blood and spirit we will avenge you, shahid, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan instructed the police to stop returning terrorists' bodies to their families for burials.

As a result of the incitement another condition was added by the police , namely that they be the ones to select the location of the burial.

Erdan echoed the police statements that no changes had occurred on the Israeli side. According to the police, the family is simply unwilling to abide by the terms outlined by the police which accounts for the reason that Alyan will not be returned at this stage.
BERLIN - A series of controversial remarks by US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump show that the world should be concerned if he is elected president, a spokeswoman for German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Wednesday.

Steinmeier, unlike Chancellor Angela Merkel who has said she will not comment on the US election, is not neutral on the issue because he believes it is important to draw attention to the dangers posed by Trump, said spokeswoman Sawsan Chebli.

"He is indeed not neutral on this question because he thinks that if you follow what Trump is saying then you need to be really anxious about what could become of this world ... if (he) does in fact become president," Chebli told a regular government news conference.
SOFIA, Bulgaria - A French citizen with ties to the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris has told a court in Bulgaria he is a victim of injustice.

Mourad Hamyd was arrested on a French arrest warrant in Bulgaria for allegedly planning to join the Islamic State group in Syria or Iraq.

He is the brother-in-law of one of the men who attacked the satirical newspaper in January 2015. He was initially suspected of a role in that attack, but his classmates launched a successful campaign to clear his name.

Hamyd agreed Wednesday to be extradited to France, but shouted "This is unjust!" before entering the courtroom.

At the end of the hearing he added: "I think that I am a victim of injustice. I have been declared a terrorist only because of suspicions."
BERLIN - A German court has convicted a former monk and religion teacher of sexually assaulting a boarding student at a Benedictine monastery in the southern state of Bavaria more than a decade ago.

The Munich state court said Wednesday that 46-year-old Juergen R., whose last name wasn't given in accordance with German privacy laws, was sentenced to seven years in prison.

The former monk was defrocked and expelled from the Ettal Abbey monastery, near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, after being found guilty last year of sexually abusing the same victim, now 24, and two others in 2003-2004. He was sentenced to probation in that case.

The current case arose from testimony given in the first, but involved more serious charges from the 2004-2005 school year. The court said the defendant confessed during his trial.
Minister of the Interior Aryeh Deri (Shas) recently announced "great news for the ultra-Orthodox public": From now on, anyone who has studied six years in a large yeshiva or a kolel, and has passed three tests by the Chief Rabbinate, or someone who has certain rabbinical ordinations provided by the Chief Rabbinate, will be counted as someone who holds an academic degree, and thus will be up for consideration for "high quality" positions in Israeli municipalities.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



We should take note of the fact that this is great news for about half of the ultra-Orthodox public, since women are forbidden from studying in kolels or becoming rabbis. This is, of course, not due to any intellectual deficits with ultra-Orthodox women, but due to the ultra-Orthodox sector's unequal perception of the two sexes.

This little fact also shows us why the Interior Minister's revolutionary move is actually a step backwards. "It cannot be," Deri said, "that a (young person) who finishes a degree in the humanities will be able to contend and be selected, and would be favored ahead of a (yeshiva student) who studied and (continued his education) in Judaism." Why not? Perhaps because the humanities are nonsense, and there's no real reason for those studying non-academic nonsense to be thought of as less valuable than the nonsense college graduates.

"If you dare hint that these same men should go serve in the military, they will surely be insulted and return to the kolel." (Archive photo: Motti Kimchi)

Or maybe it's that Mr. Deri doesn't care what you study, just that you do. And maybe it doesn't really matter very much to him how your studies go: Lots of exams, very few exams; many papers, few papers; a closed study community that learns obedience, an open community that learns the proper implementation of doubtit may just all be the same to the interior minister. What's important is that you "study."

Those who doubt this is truly good news can always be appeased with the ultimate ultra-Orthodox carrot used to sooth secular Israelis: This is one of many incentives the state can give ultra-Orthodox men to cause them to willingly take a break from their holy unemployment schedules and join the job market. If you dare hint that these same men should go serve in the military, they will surely be insulted and return to the kolel.

If you were to tell these men that studying a serious profession (let's say, computer science, not the humanities) would mean conforming with the secular world's rules, according to which they must study and make a livingwhich would mean accepting the tutelage of teachers with two X chromosomes, studying in the same class as women, and generally playing by rules that all those not in their holy group already must abidethey will be insulted and return to their kolels, and you secular people will have to provide for them till the end of time. You've been warned.

The problem with Deri's reform is that it distorts equality under the guise of providing equal opportunities. First, it determines that different types of knowledge are all equally valuable; it determines that there's no difference between modern universities and their development of new knowledge and the ancient, static nature of ancient religious texts; it doesn't distinguish between academic standards of testing and screening processes and the way kolels conduct their business.

If we go by Deri's logic, why not call those who have studied Maimonides' medical book a doctoron the condition that they be certified by other people who've also studied the same books? After all, it's inconceivable that a young person who finished medical school should be seen as having a higher degree of importance to someone who studied books by one of the greatest Jewish religious thinkers in history. You can legitimately claim that a college degree shouldnt be required for "quality positions" in municipalities. You cannot, however, claim that these two sets of knowledge are equivalent.

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri.

Second, Deri's move isn't meant to give acknowledgement to a valuable knowledge baseit seems obvious that he believes the knowledge gathered during studies at a yeshiva is much more valuable than that accumulated by university studentsbut is just another clever maneuver meant to allow yeshiva students to have their cake and eat it too, as well as allowing rabbis to keep their flocks in their graspsince they will now hold the power to determine who gets "quality" municipal jobs and who doesn't.

These rabbis have already decided that no woman is qualified. You can once again look the other way. You can keep maintaining the crumbling yeshiva world, with womenas alwayslosing out on the benefits. But I ask you: Isn't it time we opened our eyes?
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.
Israeli activists campaigning to bring the Falash Mura (Ethiopians who claim Jewish lineage) from Ethiopia to Israel have been receiving recently reports about the severe distress facing those who remain in transit camps in Gondar following escalating conflicts in the region.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Falash Mura have spoken of their fear for their well-being and the serious difficulty in acquiring food and even in leaving their homes. According to various reports, some of them were injured in clashes, and ten Israeli volunteers have been evacuated from the camp because of the danger.

In recent days, Ethiopian security forces have shot dead some 100 persons. The forces have been attempting to suppress anti-government demonstrations in the Oromiya and Amhara regions. The riots in Ethiopia have caused the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem over the weekend to publish a travel warning for these areas.

Falash Mura in Gondar (Photo: Nitzan Hafner)

Because of the security situation, there is great fear amongst Ethiopian emigrants living in Israel that their family who remain in the Gondar regionand whose immigration Israel refuses to permit.

The chairman of "The Fight to Bring the Jews of Ethiopia," Yitzhak Mola, sent on Tuesday a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netnayahu in which he wrote, "We once again demand that you hasten the government's decision without further delays and bring the Jews of Gondar and Addis Ababa urgently, before disaster strikes."





Forces in Addis Ababa (Photo: Reuters)

In the letter, titled "The Jewish community in Ethiopia is in mortal danger," Mola wrote that the campaign that he heads receives "inquiries from families in Israel worried about the danger to the lives of members of their families, members of the Jewish communities in Ethiopia, due to the worsening security situation in the country."



One of those sending inquiries is Surfal Almo, 22, a discharged soldier from the Paratroopers whose four half-siblings remain in a camp in Gondar. They've been refused immigration to Israel for the past decade. "We're very afraid and worried," said Almo. "About half a year ago, one of my sibling died there from disease, and we don't want to lose another sibling because of the chaos in the country. They live in fear, afraid to leave the house. They have problems buying food. They're under a kind of siege. There have been exchanges of gunfire and confrontations not far from where they live."

Surfal Almo visiting his siblings who are not granted permission to immigrate

Almo, who immigrated to Israel in 2006, claims, "The state needs to do everything to bring them here." He is furious about the treatment that he claims that members of the community receive: "There was a terrorist attack in Paris, and the authorities gave a press conference and called on the Jews to come. Now, there's a situation of immediate and real moral peril in Ethiopia, and none of the politicians care."

Almo and Mola are both critical of the government's delay in deciding to bring some 9,000 of the Falash Mura waiting in camps in Gondar and Addis Ababa to Israel. Most of those waiting have relatives who have already immigrated to Israel. The project to bring the Jews of Ethiopia was apparently frozen by the prime minister half a year ago. After political pressure from Likud MKs David Amsalem and Avraham Neguise, in April it was agreed that the decision to bring the remaining Jews would be carried out.

Protests in Addis Ababa (Photo: Reuters)

However, since the coalition's expansion, the debate on this topic to organize the operation has been repeatedly deferred. How it should be carried out is a source of disagreement between activists and MKs on the one hand and representatives of the Prime Minister's Office on the other. The final number of Falash Mura to be brought is also a bone of contention. Thus, the program has yet to be implemented, despite the fact that nine months have passed since it was authorized , beyond the original planned timeline.

The Fight to Bring the Jews of Ethiopia is planning to hold a protest requiring the immediate implementation of the government's decision in light of the security situation.
Viper Flight

Maj. Gen. Michael Kim, mobilization assistant to the Air Force Reserve Command commander, prepares for his first F-16 Fighting Falcon flight Aug. 8, 2016, with the 301st Fighter Wing at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas. Kim experienced the F-16s combat capability while on a routine training mission.
This Account has been suspended.
National consensus must to address national issues

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said on Tuesday that national consensus is a must to address national issues.
Politics and the young

The stereotypical image of youth politicians as violent goons needs to change
Proposed multiple-entry visa sparks disputes

The Chinese governments proposal to issue multiple-entry temporary visas to traders from outside Rasuwa district too has got local entrepreneurs worried as they fear that their business will be affected.
Taking Nepali fashion to new heights

As the preparations for the Couture Fashion Nepal gathers steam, organisers speak about why the event will be a milestone for the Nepali fashion industry
Latest News

Washington, DC - Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL Brett McGurk and his deputy, Lt. Gen. Terry Wolff, arrived in Baghdad, Iraq today to meet with senior Iraqi government and security officials and representatives from the U.S.-led Coalition. While in Iraq, they will also travel to Erbil to meet with senior officials from the Kurdistan Regional Government. During all his meetings, Mr. McGurk will discuss the Coalitions ongoing support for Iraqi-led efforts to defeat ISIL, with a particular focus on the planning and preparation for the liberation of Mosul.

Following Iraq, Special Presidential Envoy McGurk will depart for Rabat, Morocco for meetings on August 15. Morocco is a strong partner in the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL and Special Presidential Envoy McGurk will meet with senior officials to provide an update on the campaign and discuss how we are intensifying Coalition efforts to degrade and destroy ISIL. While in Morocco, Mr. McGurk will also meet with Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, to discuss cooperation in the global campaign to defeat ISIL.
Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - The Yuma Police Department would like to inform the public of the times the school zone flashing lights will be activated during school days for Gila Ridge, Desert Mesa, Castle Dome and Otondo schools on 24th Street. The flashers will be activated warning drivers that the speed limit is 25 MPH in the school zone from 8:05 A.M. until 8:50 A.M. and from 3:35 P.M. until 4:10 P.M.

On early out days in the afternoons the flashing lights will be activated from 2:05 P.M. until 2:40 P.M. If you are driving in these areas during these times please be watchful of your speed and watch for children crossing the street.
Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business.
Thai and Bolivian nationals arrested with 3.5 kg cocaine

Narcotics Control Bureau of Nepal Police on Wednesday arrested a Thai and a Bolivian national with 3.5 kilograms of cocaine from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.
Theatre artist Sunil Pokharel admitted to Norvic ICU

Nepal's prominent theatre artist and director Sunil Pokharel has been admitted to Thapathali-based Norvic Hospital after he suffered a seizure attack on Tuesday night.
For someone who is an introvert and a loner of sorts, friends come in as angels to make life blissful. Times will change for sure but what will remain constant for another 69860000 million years is the special bond between friends. <br><br> And thanks to FBI mean Facebook for helping people re-connect with long lost friends. The letters FB occupy a very special place in my heart for it also means FRIENDS and BONDING to me. <br><br> I feel so proud of myself for deriving such a beautiful full form for FBI think I must fix up an appointment with Mark and suggest him to change FACEBOOK to FRIENDS & BONDING.wondering who Mark is? Mark Zuckerburg is the brain behind such a genius networking website <i>yaar</i><br><br> Theres none to laugh at my poor jokelet me keep it to myself<br><br> Jokes apart, with the help of FB, I have been able to virtually bridge the geographical distances between me and my friends, who are spread across the globe. I feel like thanking Mark a zillion times for creating such an incredible platform that helps people catch-up with old pals and even make new ones. What a genius he is! <br><br> A lot of controversies do surround Facebook for its credibility and its influence on people at largeand many have become FB addicts. Moreover, there are many, who refrain from getting hooked to social networking sites fearing they would becomes addicts. <br><br> However, I would beg to differ. In a way yes FACEBOOK has influenced regular users great deal and we tend to spend most of our times clinging onto our accounts to update the latest on our personal and even professional front. But that holds true for any other habit that becomes a part of our lifestyle. It is entirely up to us to ensure we dont go overboard! Isnt it? <br><br> I have least complaints about FACEBOOK and I believe its nothing less a boon to people who have friends far and wide; it is faster, easier and undeniably one of the cheapest mediums of constant communication. Of course, nothing brings bigger happiness than catching up with pals in person. But considering a busy schedule and the helpless physical separation one can do little but succumb to the inevitable. In such a scenario FB comes in handy. <br><br> Now let me shift the focus to friendsguess I have said too much about Facebookdoes that show how addicted I am to FBNo..Not allMay be! <br><br> I dont feel the need to celebrate friendship on the day that is solely dedicated to them and which falls on the first Sunday in the month of August. Friends are forever and eternal. What is more important than tying a friendship band and buying goodies for friends is that one needs to keep up the special bond through thick and thin. So to flood `Happy Friendship Day` messages on your friends FACEBOOK wall seems like a dud idea! Oh noNot againFB again finds a mention here.<br><br> Back to friends.there is this friend of mine who keeps posting weird status messages- My tummy feels sicksomething is cooking inside it.Have been visiting the loo regularly since morning. On reading his message I get to know he needs to visit a doc for sure.There is another crazy friend who keeps posting his love at first sight messages he might have posted 59478573 thousand times earlier. And like always I know he has yet again fallen in loveonly to fall in love once again the next day! <br><br> Recently, I viewed pictures of my school friends baby and those made me wonder and realize how old I have turned! But I was happy to see my darling friend put on oodles of weight, yet looking as pretty as ever before. I could even feel her baby in my arms. Oh what a wonderful feeling it was. <br><br> It has been months I have moved out of my cityyet I have traveled far and wideand even to the UKthere is where another friend of mine staysand I could see myself virtually traveling to the English countryside after seeing pictures posted by him on FB.<br><br> Virtual phones calls and traveling is cheaper, isnt itat least they dont burn a hole in your pocket! That is one of the reasons why I love FB.FB literally helps me save money that seldom manages to come to my handsit hardly does<br><br> Whateverif you think despite I having said I am not going to talk about FACEBOOKI ended up discussing it.I think I owe a lot to it for it has given me a wider horizon to get instantly connected to my friends who are very special. But one question that I need to ask myself is whether I am really a FB addict?I guess I amand I dont mind being oneas long as I am able to be in constant touch with my buddies.and btw are you too a FB crazy person like me? Let me clarify- here by FB I meant FRIENDS & BONDING! <br><br> What did you think?
Addis Ababa: Regional protests that began last year in Ethiopia have spread across the country, and despite successive crackdowns analysts say dissatisfaction with the authoritarian government is driving ever greater unrest.

Demonstrations began popping up in November 2015 in the Oromia region, which surrounds the capital, due to a government plan to expand the boundaries of Addis Ababa.

The region`s Oromo people feared their farmland would be seized, and though the authorities soon dropped the urban enlargement project and brutally suppressed the protests, they badly misjudged the anger it triggered.

Protests have since swept other parts of Oromia, and more recently to the northern Amhara region, causing disquiet in the corridors of power of a key US ally and crucial partner in east Africa`s fight against terrorism.

"Since it came to power in 1991, the regime has never witnessed such a bad stretch... Ethiopia resembles a plane going through a zone of extreme turbulence," independent Horn of Africa researcher Rene Lafort told AFP.

Despite what he described as the "state of siege" imposed on the Oromia region in recent weeks, the protests have refused to die down, and demonstrators have been challenging government more and more openly.One rally was even held in Addis Ababa on Saturday, a rare event for the seat of power of a nation ruled by a regime considered among the most repressive in Africa.

More than 140 people were killed when security forces put down the original Oromia land protests, shot or tortured to death, according to rights groups.

A fresh crackdown over the weekend led to the deaths of almost 100 more, according to an Amnesty International toll, with live fire used on the crowds.

"This crisis is systemic because it shakes the foundations of the model of government put into place 25 years ago, which is authoritarian and centralised," Lafort explained.

The protesters have different grievances but are united by their disaffection with the country`s leaders, who largely hail from the northern Tigray region and represent less than 10 percent of the population.

Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn heads the Ethiopian People`s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), which won all the seats in parliament in elections last year.

Although he comes from the minority Wolayta people, he is surrounded in government by Tigreans, who also dominate the security forces and positions of economic power.

Getachew Metaferia, professor of political science at Morgan State University in the United States, described the state as "controlled by an ethnic minority imposing its will on the majority," a crucial factor in understanding the protests.

More than 60 percent of the country`s almost 100 million people are either Amhara or Oromo.

"There is no fundamental discussion with the people, no dialogue... the level of frustration is increasing. I don`t think there will be a return back to normal," the professor added.

The country`s rulers have cultivated the skyrocketing growth and rapidly improving health outcomes that have changed the face of a nation whose famines weighed on the world`s conscience in 1980s.

But their grip on civil liberties has tightened: Ethiopia ranked 142 of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders` press freedom index this year, and social media used to organise rallies is regularly blocked by the authorities.

The use of anti-terror laws to jail opposition critics has also provoked ire, combined with more local issues such as the targeting of Amharan politicians campaigning for a referendum on a district absorbed into Tigrean territory.The West has largely avoided direct criticism of the country`s rights record because Ethiopia is credited with beating back Al-Qaeda-affiliated Shabaab militants in Somalia, but the protests put its allies in an awkward spot.

"Ethiopia`s leaders have lost the vision of Meles. They are showing signs of nervousness and don`t place trust in their own people," said one European diplomat on condition of anonymity.

After toppling dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991, Meles Zenawi ruled with an iron fist until he died in 2012, and Hailemariam took over.

More used to its image as an oasis of calm in a troubled region, the government is swift to blame foreign "terrorist groups" for the unrest, usually pointing the finger at neighbouring Eritrea.

Hailemariam last Friday announced a ban on demonstrations which "threaten national unity" and called on police to use all means at their disposal to prevent them.

Merera Gudina, leader of the opposition Oromo People`s Congress, said the nebulous movements were not affiliated with traditional political parties and were focused above all on claiming back freedoms the government has long denied.

"We are nine months into this protest. I don`t think it will stop," he told AFP. "This is an intifada," he said, using a term which means uprising.
State of New York: When arsonists reputedly set fire to some Donald Trump "lawn art" outside a New York family home, the man billed as the only conservative artist in America came out swinging.

Scott LoBaido simply erected a bigger version of the sculpture -- a giant "T" covered in stars and stripes -- on the same patch of lawn on Staten Island to whoops and cheers from the neighbors.

"I don`t care who you vote for, got a Hillary (Clinton) supporter over there, God bless you," he told the crowd. "Just respect, respect my opinion to vote for who I want to."

LoBaido called it his version of Norman Rockwell`s "Freedom of Speech" painting, which was inspired by Franklin D. Roosevelt, and described the 2016 election campaign as "a horror show."

"The hatred, the violence is just out of control," said the New York artist, whose patriotic art has been displayed across Staten Island and the United States.

He created the "T" image after Trump supporters were insulted for wearing the Republican nominee`s official campaign attire.

"May be it means tolerance, may be it means terrific, may be it means Trump," he said. "It just went crazy."

T-shirts of the image sell like hot cakes, but when he installed the first "T" on friend Sam Pirozzolo`s lawn, he and his supporters were incensed when it was burnt down at the weekend.

New York police confirm they are investigating the reported arson. So far no arrests have been made.

As the replacement went up on Tuesday, onlookers chanted "USA, USA, USA" and a woman protester yelling "Love Trumps Hate" was jeered.

"I`m not going to be intimidated by anyone else. This is my property, this is my right to do so and this is a work of art," said optician Pirozzolo outside his large, detached home.

While the previous sign was 12 feet (3.7 meters) tall, the new one is 16 feet, and will stay put "until my wife tells me to take it down," the father of two joked.

The Republican nominee even called Pirozzolo after the suspected arson, going on speaker phone to talk to his children.

Trump, "was a gentleman," Pirozzolo said shortly before the White House candidate stormed into fresh controversy over remarks about his Democratic rival Clinton.

"We were very surprised," he told reporters. "He said `how are you, how are your wife and children, is everything ok?`"

The neighbors called the lawn art beautiful.

"I do wish that may be it was fire-proof," said Nicole, a 27-year-old teacher who declined to give her second name.

"As we see all over the news and all over, the anti-Trump supporters are very violent, vicious people," she added.

She, like Lillian Christ, 74, said it was a question of free speech -- sacrosanct in America and enshrined in the first amendment of the nation`s Constitution.

If it had been a Clinton poster, Trump-supporting Christ said she would have felt the same way.

"It doesn`t matter which candidate it was, it`s the same thing, it`s not fair," she said.

While some Trump supporters in the neighborhood voiced concern as he slumps in the polls following a series of missteps, they believed he could still win the White House in November.

"The last five or six days, I know that`s not the highest bar to set, but I think he`s done a great job staying on message," said Joseph Borelli, a city council member and co-chair of the Trump campaign in New York state.

"As long as he keeps doing that, we will be fine."

Within hours, Trump sailed back into choppy waters over remarks that critics interpreted as incitement of violence against Clinton.

"Neighbors keep an eye on this baby!" LoBaido told the crowd.
Nusa Dua: Charities that send financial aid to trouble spots sometimes have the funds "hijacked" by militant groups to carry out attacks, an international counter-terrorism meeting was warned today.

A report by Indonesian and Australian authorities detailed the risk faced by non-profit organisations. It also urged countries in the region to cooperate more closely to halt the flow of funds from militants, particularly from the Islamic State (IS) group.

"These are often very legitimate organisations who are sending money to trouble spots around the world to help civilians who are suffering," Paul Jevtovic, head of Australia's financial intelligence agency, told the meeting on the Indonesian resort island of Bali.

"Unfortunately the intelligence tells us that some of these funds do not get to their intended destination and are in fact hijacked by terrorist groups and used for propaganda and/or actually committing terrorist acts."

The "unscrupulous nature" of terror cells meant that they would intercept funds intended for people in need and for hospitals, he added, without naming specific groups.

Jevtovic however stressed that non-profit organisations have a "critical role to play" helping civilians in war-torn areas, and he was not aiming to "denounce the importance of charities".

The warning came after an Israeli court last week charged the Gaza director of the World Vision non-governmental organisation with passing millions of dollars to the Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas and its armed wing.

The US-based Christian aid organisation has said it has "no reason to believe" the allegations against Mohammed al-Halabi.

The report on terrorism financing in Southeast Asia and Australia noted two cases in Australia from the mid-2000s that involved charities raising almost USD 750,000 which was sent to foreign-based terror groups for organisational funding.

In Thailand some non-profit groups had diverted money to fund propaganda in the insurgency-torn south, where Muslim rebels seeking greater autonomy have been waging a campaign against the Buddhist-majority state, the report said.

The report, put together with collaboration from other Southeast Asian nations, also urged countries in the region to combat money flowing into the region to fund terror attacks.
Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday issued a terror alert, warning that the Pakistani Taliban was planning to strike on the Wagah border with India around the Independence Day ceremonies of the two neighbours.

In a letter, accessed by IANS, Pakistan National Counter Terrorism Authority wrote to Punjab Home Secretary over the possible attack at the Wagah Border between August 13-15.

"Reportedly, Tehreek-e-Taliban, Fazal Ullah group is planning to target parade at Wagah border in Lahore or Ganda Singh Border in Kasur on August 13, 14 or 15," the letter stated.

It also warned that at least two suicide bombers had been dispatched to carry out the attack.

"Extreme vigilance and heightened security measures are suggested to avoid any untoward incident," the letter said.

The letter comes as Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a high-level security meeting.

On November 2, 2014, a suicide bombing had taken place at Wagah border following the daily border ceremony in Pakistan. The attack, which led to dozens of fatalities, was claimed by three militant groups.

Pakistan has already heightened its security at sensitive places across the country following the recent terror attack in Balochistan, which left over 70 people dead, making it the deadliest this year.

Top military commanders in the country believe the terrorist threat is taking on a brutal shape due to "a growing nexus between hostile actors in the neighbourhood and facilitators within the country".

At a corps commanders` conference held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, the generals reviewed the threat perception and discussed measures for countering the security challenges.
Islamabad: Pakistan's intelligence agencies are working hard to defeat the designs of enemies and eradicate the menace of terrorism, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Wednesday, two days after 74 people were killed in a deadly suicide bombing at a hospital in Quetta.

Addressing the National Assembly Sharif said the mindset behind the Quetta attack was the same one that had targeted Pakistanis in numerous terrorist attacks in the past.

"This incident [Quetta attack] was properly planned," he said, adding that "such a mindset does not want peace in the country, especially in Balochistan".

He said Pakistan's intelligence agencies are working day and night to defeat the designs of the country's enemies.

"Pakistan's military and political leadership are on the same page to eradicate the menace of terrorism," Dawn newspaper quoted him as saying.

"We will put to rest all these challenges."

Sharif's address to the National Assembly comes a day after Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai asked the Prime Minister to sack officers from the security and intelligence agencies if they fail to trace out the elements involved in the deadly Quetta attack.

The PkMAP chief had termed the Quetta attack an intelligence failure and had demanded to fix the responsibility of the blast in a debate held on the subject in the National Assembly.

He had asked the premier to "act as the real chief executive and take bold decisions".

At least 74 people were killed on Monday and over 100 injured after a suicide bomber struck the emergency ward of Quetta's Civil Hospital, where scores of people had gathered to mourn the death of Balochistan Bar Association (BBA) president Bilal Anwar Kasi in a gun attack earlier in the day.

The attack was claimed by Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan splinter outfit Jamaatul Ahrar and the Islamic State militant group.
Hong Kong: Vietnam has discreetly fortified several of its islands in the disputed South China Sea with new mobile rocket launchers capable of striking China's runways and military installations across the vital trade route, according to Western officials.

Diplomats and military officers said that intelligence shows Hanoi has shipped the launchers from the Vietnamese mainland into position on five bases in the Spratly islands in recent months, a move likely to raise tensions with Beijing.

The launchers have been hidden from aerial surveillance and they have yet to be armed, but could be made operational with rocket artillery rounds within two or three days, according to the three sources.

Vietnam's foreign ministry said the information was "inaccurate", without elaborating.

Deputy defence minister, senior Lieutenant-General Nguyen Chi Vinh, told Reuters in Singapore in June that Hanoi had no such launchers or weapons ready in the Spratlys but reserved the right to take any such measures.

"It is within our legitimate right to self-defense to move any of our weapons to any area at any time within our sovereign territory," he said.

The move is designed to counter China's build-up+ on its seven reclaimed islands in the Spratlys archipelago. Vietnam's military strategists fear the building runways, radars and other military installations on those holdings have left Vietnam's southern and island defenses increasingly vulnerable.

Military analysts say it is the most significant defensive move Vietnam has made on its holdings in the South China Sea in decades.

Hanoi wanted to have the launchers in place as it expected tensions to rise in the wake of the landmark international court ruling against China in an arbitration case brought by the Philippines, foreign envoys said.

The ruling last month, stridently rejected by Beijing, found no legal basis to China's sweeping historic claims to much of the South China Sea.

Vietnam, China and Taiwan claim all of the Spratlys while the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei claim some of the area.

"China's military maintains close surveillance of the situation in the sea and air space around the Spratly islands," China's defense ministry said in a faxed statement to Reuters.

"We hope the relevant country can join with China in jointly safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea region."

The United States is also monitoring developments closely.

"We continue to call on all South China Sea claimants to avoid actions that raise tensions, take practical steps to build confidence, and intensify efforts to find peaceful, diplomatic solutions to disputes," a State Department official said.
Guwahati: Here's some positive news from India's magnificent Northeast!

Little kids studying at a primary school in Assam recently decided to come together for a noble gesture.

They voluntarily decided to give up their mid-day meal for one day so that milk can be bought to feed eight orphaned baby rhinos, who were rescued from the flooded Kaziranga National Park.

The children in question belong to the Nepali Khuti Banuwa LP School situated near Oriole Park, east of Bokakha.

The headmaster of the school was quoted by a report as saying that the children wanted to help the baby rhinos after seeing their plight.

The baby rhinos were finding it difficult to survive without their mothers milk, the report said.

While the money saved from not giving a day's meal to students was not enough to feed all the baby rhinos, other people also pitched in with money when they came to know about the children's gesture.

Head of the Centre for Wildlife Rescue and Conservation (CWRC), Rathin Barman, was quoted as saying, Never have I come across an instance where I was told by the teacher that children below 12 had on their own given up a meal for the sake of wildlife.
Unilever says lockout of factory continues

Consumer goods manufacturer Unilever Nepal Limited (UNL) said on Tuesday that a lockout continues due to disruptions caused by trade union leaders.
Golaghat: The verification of rhino horns to check their genuineness and updating of the complete inventory of horns kept in various treasuries in the custody of Assam government since 1980, begins from tomorrow.

The first treasury to be opened will be Golaghat with the highest number of rhino horns in government custody with most from Kaziranga National Park, an official release said here today.

The Rhino Horn Verification Committee, under the chairmanship of former Assam State Information Commissioner Mohan Chandra Malakar, arrived here today for the purpose.

The 12-member committee has four wildlife experts, two representatives from media, one RTI activist, one forensic scientist beside four high officials of Assam Forest Department.

The forensic experts have set up a field lab at the Golaghat circuit house for scientific verification. The entire verification process will be streamed live for transparency.

The committee will visit every treasury of Assam where the horns are stored and are expected to file the report within 60 days, it said.

The rhino horns are scattered in 12 treasuries of Assam, the maximum being in Golaghat followed by Nagaon, Guwahati and Tezpur.
London: In a bizarre incident, a man breaching security protocols chased a flight on the runway of Madrid airport in a hope to catch it in last minutes.

A video-shared by ground crew at Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport- that has gone viral on Facebook shows an unidentified man breaking through the fire escape, picking his bag and chasing a Ryanair flight to Gran Canaria at the airport.

The incident reportedly took place on August 5 around 9.00 PM (local time), a day before the video surfaced on the airport's trade union Facebook page.

The 48-second video- which got 68 thousand views- criticised his actions and opined that passengers in Madrid "behave" similar way when they don't "arrive in time".

"This is how passengers in Madrid behave when they don't arrive in time for their flights. This particular passenger was missing a Ryanair's flight and, unbelievably, skipped several security protocols established by AENA in their airports," the post read.

The man, who was not named by police, was arrested upon reaching the Canaria Island in Spain. He was later released after he was cleared of any terror motives but would still face punishment for violating security protocols, the Guardian reported.
Ankara: Turkey accused the EU on Wednesday of "encouraging" the plotters on the night of the July 15 coup in an escalating row that has raised questions over Ankara`s future relationship with the bloc.

A day after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a highly symbolic visit to Russia, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkish people`s confidence in the EU had "unfortunately fallen" in the wake of the coup, saying the bloc "failed a test" on the night of the putsch.

"Let me say openly, this is because the EU adopted a favourable position to the coup (and) encouraged the putschists," the minister told reporters during a televised briefing in the capital Ankara without expanding further.

He claimed support for the EU -- which Turkey has sought to join since the 1960s -- had plummeted to some 20 percent.

Relations between Brussels and Ankara have become increasingly strained since Turkey launched a crackdown, imprisoning and dismissing tens of thousands within the military, judiciary and education in the wake of the putsch which it has blamed on US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen.

The EU has urged Ankara to act within the rule of law while condemning Erdogan for suggesting the country could bring back the death penalty, abolished in 2004 as part of Turkey`s reforms to join the union.

Ankara has expressed astonishment that no EU official has visited Turkey in the wake of the coup.

Cavusoglu`s comments came a day after Erdogan travelled to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin for the first time since Ankara downed one of Moscow`s warplanes in November, triggering a diplomatic crisis between them.

It was his first foreign trip since the failed coup, but the foreign minister said it was not a move to turn Turkey`s focus to the East.

"Our relations with Russia are not a message to the West. We worked very hard to have good relations with Europe for 15 years," he said, warning that any deterioration in ties would not be Turkey`s fault.

"If the West one day loses Turkey -- whatever our relations with Russia and China -- it will be their fault."

Russia and Turkey would work together on military, foreign affairs and intelligence, he said, stressing that both were united in seeing the need for a political solution in Syria.
Ankara: A Turkish rear admiral on a NATO assignment in the US has sought asylum in the country after Ankara sought his detention following the failed July 15 coup, state-run media said on Wednesday.

Turkish authorities have ousted thousands of military personnel including nearly half its generals and admirals since a rogue military faction tried to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power.

Rear Admiral Mustafa Zeki Ugurlu is the subject of a detention order in Turkey and has been expelled from the armed forces, the Anadolu news agency reported.

He has requested asylum from US authorities, it added, without giving its source. He had been stationed at NATO`s Allied Command Transformation in Norfolk, Virginia, the news agency said.

Ugurlu had not been heard from since July 22 when he left the base, Anadolu said.

Izmir`s chief prosecutor Okan Bato told Anadolu he was not able to get a statement from Ugurlu after seeking the prosecution of two admirals from the chief of staff.

NATO said on Wednesday that Turkey`s membership of the military alliance was "not in question", despite the tumult in the country.

Anadolu did not say whether the United States had accepted Ugurlu`s claim, believed to be the first of its kind since July 15, which comes at a time of strained relations between Washington and Ankara.

The Turkish government has repeatedly pressed Washington to extradite Pennsylvania-based preacher Fethullah Gulen whom it blames for the coup bid, warning Washington that relations could suffer over the issue.

"If the US does not deliver (Gulen), they will sacrifice relations with Turkey for the sake of a terrorist," Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told reporters during a televised briefing in the capital Ankara on Tuesday.

Gulen strongly denies the accusations and his lawyer on Friday said Ankara had failed to provide "a scintilla" of proof to support its claims.

Since July 15, tens of thousands of people from the military, judiciary, civil service and education establishment suspected of links with Gulen and his Islamic movement have been sacked or detained.
Allahabad: The Allahabad school whose manager didn't allow students to sing the National Anthem, has been sealed.

MA Convent School's manager Zia-Ul-Haq had refused to allow students to sing the National Anthem claiming that 'Bharat Bhagya Vidhata' line is against Islam. Zia-Ul-Haq has already been arrested.

The students will be shifted to other schools, a report in TOI said.

A probe is under way to find out how MA Convent School was allowed to run for two decades without proper affiliation.

A major controversy had broken out on Sunday over ban on National Anthem on this Allahabad school.

People from various sections of society had slammed the school management for the move.
New Delhi: Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday said in Rajya Sabha that slain Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani was more dangerous dead than alive.

The statement was made by its Rajya Sabha MP MP Derek OBrien while the House was discussing the current situation of unrest in Kashmir.

Earlier, the House had agreed to discuss Kashmir after a notice was given by Congress party. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad first spoke on the issue followed by other leaders from across parties.

Derek OBrien attacked Pakistan and started by saying, My advice to Pakistan is that please do not meddle in our internal affairs, please do not shed crocodile tears. Please do not say you have love for people of Kashmir. Please do not give us bhashans (lectures) from your generals, politicians and your establishment.

He then spoke further on the issue and urged the government not to distinguish between Kashmir the people and Kashmir the land. Kashmir is non-negotiable so Kashmir and its welfare should also be non-negotiable, OBrien added.

The Upper House is discussing Kashmir for the second time since the Monsoon Session of Parliament began.

It also had two short duration discussions. The situation in the Valley is tense since the killing of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen militant, on July 8. Some parts of the state are still under curfew. More than 55 people have lost their lives and thousands others have been injured in the clashes that ensued Wanis death.
New Delhi: The Home Ministry has initiated an inquiry against an NGO run by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik for alleged violation of Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act.

The move comes a day after the Mumbai Police indicted Islamic preacher Naik for involvement in unlawful activities and possible terror links.

A standard questionnaire has been sent to Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) after preliminary inquiry found the NGO run by Naik allegedly received about Rs 15 crore during a five-year period preceding 2012.

The IRF has been asked to furnish details of its bank accounts, including the designated FCRA account, and amount of foreign contributions received and utilised by it since inception, official sources said.

The preliminary probe has found that most of IRFs foreign funds came from the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and a few other Middle-East countries.

The Home Ministry probe will cover the allegations that foreign funding to IRF was used for political activities.

It will also look into allegation that the NGOs funds were used to induce people towards converting to Islam and attract youths towards terror, the sources said.

Meanwhile, sources said, legal opinion tendered recently to the Home Ministry has favoured declaring IRF an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The grounds for such a ban may include spreading hatred among religious communities and forced conversions by members.

Though IRF will be given a month to reply to the questionnaire, which seeks to know if NGOs are following FCRA rules, sources said, adding intelligence agencies have already pointed to a major violation by IRF as it is receiving and utilising funds for religious and religion-linked purposes despite being registered under educational purpose.

Sources said once the reply is received, a Home Ministry team will inspect the IRFs accounts. A show-cause notice may be issued if the inspection confirms FCRA violations.

The Home Ministry will move for cancellation of IRFs FCRA registration if the reply to the show-cause notice fails to satisfy it.

Any organisation declared as unlawful is banned from recruiting members and faces closure of all its offices and interests across the country.

With PTI inputs
New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi may be discharged on Wednesday from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

According to doctors, Sonia Gandhi is recovering fast from shoulder injury and her overall condition is improving towards normalcy.

She has been admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for more than seven days. The hospital has said all her systemic functions are stable.

Gandhi had undergone a surgery on her left shoulder. She has been doing mild exercises as part of post-operative physiotherapy.

69-year-old Gandhi was shifted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital last Wednesday from the Army Research and Referral Hospital, where she was rushed soon after her arrival from Varanasi around midnight on Tuesday.

She had to cut short her roadshow in Varanasi after she was taken ill. She had fractured her left shoulder during the roadshow. The Congress president was shifted out of the ICU last Thursday.
Gurgaon: A 16-year-old girl was allegedly gangraped by two persons in a flat at South Delhi's Kalkaji area, police said on Wednesday.

The class 10 student of a government school in Gurgaon was allegedly held captive in the flat on Saturday and Sunday (August 6 and 7) by accused Karan Singh and Sanjay Kumar who gangraped her even as two of their associates, Mahesh and Kala, filmed the entire act on mobile phones.

Praveen Malik, SHO, Badhshahpur police station, where the victim lodged a complaint on Monday, said Karan, a native of Palra village, was known to her, while Sanjay was a native of Dhani Shkohpur and Mahesh and Kala were residents of Karan's village.

According to the victim, Karan had picked her up from a Gurgaon bus stand on Saturday and taken her to Kalkaji temple on his motorcycle.

"The victim alleged that after the visit to the temple, Karan took her to a flat in the same area and later, three of his friends joined them.

"Subsequently, while Karan and Sanjay took turns to rape her, Mahesh and Kala videographed the act. They also threatened her with dire consequences if she reported it to anyone," said the SHO.

The victim was released after being held in captivity for two days. She reached home at Badshahpur in Gurgaon on Monday and narrated the incident to her parents who lodged the police complaint, he added.

The victim had initially alleged that Mahesh had raped her as well but later, before a magistrate, she accused Karan and Sanjay of rape and Mahesh and Kala of filming the act on mobile phones with the intention of blackmailing, said Malik.

Medical examination of the victim has confirmed rape, said the SHO, adding that a case under sections 363 (abduction), 365 (abducting with an intent of secretly and wrongfully confining a person), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was lodged against all the four accused, while Karan and Sanjay were also booked under section 376D (gangrape), IPC.

No arrest has been made as the accused are absconding, he said.
New Delhi: The government on Wednesday said that it has ordered inspection of all old bridges after the collapse of Mahad Bridge in Maharashtra.

"NHAI (National Highway Authority of India) has asked its field units to get all old bridges under its jurisdiction inspected through Project Director/Independent Engineer/ DPR Consultants for their fitness," the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement.

The ministry clarified that Mahad Bridge in Maharashtra was not under the jurisdiction of NHAI.

"Responding with extreme sensitivity to the collapse of Mahad Bridge and as explained earlier in various forums, it is again clarified that the collapsed bridge is not under the jurisdiction of NHAI," the statement added.

The instruction from the ministry has come on the heels of the collapse of Mahad Bridge on August 3, 2016.

The tragedy has resulted in 21 deaths.

The British era bridge had caved in last Wednesday in Raigad District of Maharashtra making the government launch a massive hunt of the victims on land, river, creek and the Arabian Sea.
Upper Karnali land acquisition hits price snag

Land acquisition for the much-awaited Upper Karnali Hydropower Project has hit a snag after the developer and owners of 49 hectares of private land failed to agree on the compensation amount.
New Delhi: 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 Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said that why don't they ask their children to lay down their lives for this holy cause.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, MoS Jitendra Singh said, ''If jihad is so sacred and guarantees a place in 'jannat' then why the separatists keep their kids in safe heavens.''

Rejecting the popular perception that the Kashmiri youth is misguided and harbours anti-India sentiments, Singh said, ''The youth of Kashmir wants to be the beneficiary of India's success story.''

Singh made these remarks while participating in a debate on the Kashmir situation.

Singh had earlier attacked the separatists for inciting the innocent Kashmiri youth for political gains and using them as pawns.

"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, had 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.
New Delhi: Congress on Wednesday took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "absence" from Parliament, saying "India has been forced to come to terms with a PM-mukt Parliament".

"When PM Modi assumed office, he had said that Parliament is a temple of Democracy and he kow-towed before entering the august building for the first time. A year into his term, on one of his numerous trips to the USA, he said, the Constitution is the only holy bookfor his Government.

"But, today, India has been forced to come to terms with a 'PM-Mukt Parliament'. PM Modi's actions show his disdain for the Parliament and its affairs", the party said, targeting PM-Mukt Parliament'. PM Modi's actions show his disdain for the Parliament and its affairs", the party said, targeting Modi by using a parody of his call for 'Congress-mukt Bharat' he had made during the Lok Sabha poll campaign.Congress-mukt Bharat' he had made during the Lok Sabha poll campaign.

Titled "India has a 'PM-Mukt' Parliament", the commentary has been posted on the party's website.

The party alleged that the Prime Minister loves to speak, "but, unfortunately, not in national interest but for vote bank politics."

It claimed that for all his "grandstanding", the Prime Minister was "chided" into making a rare appearance in the Lok Sabha during the final stages of the GST Bill, after it was debated threadbare in the Rajya Sabha.

"This was the first time in over 122 occasions when a Constitutional Amendment was passed in both the Houses of Parliament that the Prime Minister was absent. An embarrassed PM Modi made an appearance in the Lok Sabha after the GST bill was debated, to save face," it said.

The party said this year there has been violence in Kashmir, vigilantism by Gau Rakshaks and systematic violence against Dalits, "yet the Prime Minister did not make a statement in Parliament, but chose to address these issues outside."

The party said MPs are representatives of the people and the Houses of Parliament represent people's will.

"When there are serious atrocities, the Prime Minister must address the representatives of the people, who will then hold the Government accountable," it said.

"Is the Prime Minister's absence indicative of his disregard for the temple of our Democracy? There have been numerous occasions when the PM has been in the Parliament building, but chose not to attend the session. Prime Ministers of the past had made it a point to attend Parliament", it said.

"Instead of paying lip service, Mr Modi should actually give Parliament, and through it the 125 crore Indians, the respect it deserves," Congress said in the commentary.
Washington: In 2015, India witnessed religiously motivated killings, assaults, coerced religious conversions, riots and actions restricting the right of individuals to change religious beliefs, a US State Department report on religious freedom said on Wednesday.

"Minority religious groups expressed concerns about government discrimination and suggestions by government officials that Hinduism should be taught in public schools. Government officials at the federal, state, and local level made discriminatory statements against members of religious minority groups," the annual State Department report on International Religious Freedom for the year 2015 said.

"Members of minority groups who were victims of religiously motivated violence or other animus complained of police inaction regarding such incidents," it said, adding that attackers frequently acted with impunity, and, according to some victims, police resisted filing criminal complaints and in several instances threatened to falsely incriminate the victims.

The State Department said religious groups expressed concern about statements by certain government officials suggesting Hinduism should be taught in schools.

"They also complained about police inaction in incidents of violence or hostility against their members and unequal application of some laws by the government. Religious groups reported incidents of hate speech by government officials," the report said.

According to the report, there were reports of religiously motivated killings, assaults, coerced religious conversions, riots, and actions restricting the right of individuals to change religious beliefs.

This happened despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pledge that he would ensure "complete freedom of faith" in the country.

This is the first time that the State Department has commented on the status of religious freedom in India with a full year under the Modi government.

"On several occasions, such as at a meeting in February with Christians in New Delhi, Prime Minister Modi publicly stated he would defend religious freedom," the State Department said in its report which documents the allegations of violence against the Christian community in various parts of the country including Punjab.

"Christians who reported that they were victims of religiously-motivated violence or other animus voiced concern about the lack of police action against such incidents, as well as of hostility by the police towards Christians.

"According to the All India Christian Council and the Evangelical Fellowship of India, police resisted filing criminal complaints and had in several instances threatened falsely to incriminate the victims," said the report.

The report said police clashes with Sikh protesters in Punjab led to the death of two protesters.

In the absence of Secretary of State John Kerry, the annual report was released by the Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Police arrested Christians under charges of forced conversions and disrupting the peace.

Legal cases related to religiously-motivated violence and riots continued to go forward, it said.

"Local authorities disrupted church services and exercised control over events organised by Christian groups. The central government declined to restore or pay compensation for religious buildings damaged in communal riots taking place in past years," it added.

The State Department said hundreds of legal cases related to the burning of a train and subsequent violence in Godhra, Gujarat in 2002, which resulted in the deaths of more than a thousand Muslims and Hindus, remained pending.

"An appeal by Zakia Jafri against a Gujarat High Court judgement not to pursue charges against state officials for their alleged role in the violence remained pending," it said.

Fast-track courts assembled for the purpose of trying cases related to 2008 anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal, Odisha continued to hear cases but did not issue any verdicts during the year, the report said.

According to the All India Christian Council, a total of 255 court cases pertaining to the Kandhamal violence remained pending.

On September 8, some of the Christian survivors of the Kandhamal violence held a press conference in New Delhi to discuss their fear of persecution, it said.

The State Department said the US embassy and consulates general continued to advocate tolerance, pluralism, and religious freedom in discussions with the country?s leadership, as well as with state and local officials.

"During his January visit, at a speech at a town hall event in New Delhi, and during remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC, a few weeks later, President (Barack) Obama underscored the importance of religious freedom to India's success, urging it not to become ?splintered along the lines of religious faith," the report said.

"The US Special Representative to Muslim Communities also spoke on the importance of religious tolerance at a conference for countering online radicalisation and recruitment to violence during his visit to Delhi in November," it reported.

The US Department of State submits the report in accordance with the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.

In its last report for the year, the State Department had noted that there had been restrictions on "free expression" on basis of religion in India.
Islamabad: Needling India yet again, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had said that he is "obliged" to become the voice of the "oppressed" people of Kashmir and would "leave no stone unturned" to make the world understand the "plight" of the people in the Valley.

Sharif also shot off letters to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and UN High Commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, urging efforts to end "persistent and egregious violation of basic human rights" of the Kashmiri people and also to implement UN Security Council resolutions.

Sharif also chaired a preparatory meeting for the upcoming UN General Assembly (UNGA) attended by his foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz, special assistant on foreign affairs Tariq Fatemi, foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Pakistan's permanent representative in the UN Maleeha Lodhi, and Pakistan's ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani and other senior officials.

The meeting reviewed the agendas+ to be included in the next session of UN General Assembly in which the premier is expected to participate, said a statement from his office.

"It is an obligation for me as prime minister of Pakistan to become the voice of Kashmiris who have been oppressed in Kashmir. I will leave no stone unturned to make the world understand the plight and the legitimate struggle of the people of Kashmir," said Sharif.

The meeting observed that "Kashmir remains an unfinished agenda+ of the UN and accordingly India must realise that Kashmir is not its internal matter, rather it is a matter of regional and international concern".

Sharif said that the denial of right of self-determination for Kashmiris is one of the persistent failures of the UN.

"The right of self-determination is the basic right of Kashmiris and we will make every effort to make Kashmiris a captain of their own ship," the statement quoted Sharif as saying in the meeting.

Last week, Sharif had said Kashmir was witnessing a "new wave of freedom movement" and asked his country's diplomats to apprise the world that Kashmir was "not an internal matter of India".

With PTI inputs
New Delhi: National Investigating Agency (NIA) on Wednesday confirmed that the captured Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist Bahadur Ali was sent to India to take advantage of current situation in Kashmir.

Addressing a press conference, IG NIA Sanjeev Singh said, the LeT terrorist and Pakistani national Bahadur Ali, who was captured recently in north Kashmir, was regularly guided by the control room of terrorist groups in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir with the help of Pakistani forces.

The NIA official said the LeT centre at PoK is situated at a high altitude and named as Alpha 3.

Stressing on Pakistan Army's involvement in training the LeT cadre, NIA said, "The sophisticated arms, ammunitions and equipment recovered from terrorist Ali show that he was trained by military experts."

Pakistani national Bahadur Ali alias Abu Saifullah is a son of Mohd Haneef resident of village Jia Bagga, Tehsil Raiwind, district Lahore in the state of Punjab, Pakistan. He was born on 17, 1995 in the village of Jia Bagga and was arrested by Indian authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on July 25, 2016 with weapons AK-47 rifle, live rounds, grenades, grenade launcher etc as also sophisticated communication equipment and other material of Pakistani/international origin, the NIA said.

When Ali was arrested, security officials recovered AK-47 guns, radio sets, compass, GPS, and possessed very sophisticated equipments such as GPS, compass, maps and Japanese Icon sets.

The IG said Ali was sent to India to take advantage if the unrest in the Valley and mix with the locals and create disturbance and attack security forces with grenades.

The NIA is probing the role of LeT in the present unrest in Kashmir Valley which started after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani.

Divulging further details about the captured terroirist, the NIA official said, Ali was recruited by Hafiz Saeed's Jamaat-ud-Dawaah and subsequently LeT radicalised him.

During interrogation Ali revealed that he underwent all the three training camps of LeT. He said that there were 30-50 trainees at training camps of LeT from different parts of the countries including Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Bahadur Ali said that there were a few Army officers in civilian clothes who checked their preparedness.

The Lashkar cadre crossed into Indian side on either 11th or 12th June along with two LeT cadres, NIA confirmed.

Bahadur Ali was arrested by Indian authorities in J&K on July 25.
New Delhi: Vietnam on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Hanoi, possibly in the first week of September, will open a "new page" in bilateral relations even as it welcomed India's stand on the ruling of an international tribunal on the South China Sea dispute.

Vietnamese Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh said the situation in the South China Sea region was "getting worse" with militarisation.

"We expect that Prime Minister Modi's visit will be soon. It will open a new page in the bilateral relationship. We hope the visit will upgrade ties to a more comprehensive level. Preparation for the visit is going on," he said during a media interaction at the Foreign Correspondents Club here.

He did not announce any date when asked whether the trip would be around Modi's visit to China to attend the G-20 meeting or ASEAN summit in Laos in the first week of September.

The visit will be the first by an Indian PM in the last 15 years.

The envoy reminded that the two countries were gearing up to celebrate milestones in the form of the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations and 10 years of the establishment of strategic partnership.

Thanh said Vietnam "appreciates" India's position on the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling whereby it "recognises" the international court as well as the UN Convention on Law of Seas (UNCLOS).

"The most important part is that India respects international law and especially freedom of aviation and navigation. Other countries should not use force or threat of force in the South China Sea," Thanh said.

Stressing that Vietnam deplores "militarisation", the envoy said the court ruling, which holds the potential to reduce the area of dispute, needs to be complied with.

"The situation in the South China Sea is getting worse with militarisation and so the ruling is welcome. The situation is not stable and territorial issues have not been settled yet," Thanh, the country's ambassador to India since 2014, said.

Asked whether Brahmos would be on the table during Modi's visit, Thanh said while Vietnam appreciates India's "achievements" in the defence sector, "whatever we buy is for self-defence".

Referring to the 100-million-dollar line of credit extended to Vietnam for defence procurements during President Pranab Mukherjee's visit last year, he said the contractor has been chosen and the construction of the naval patrol boats would start soon with that amount.

He said Vietnam, which will host the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit next year, would welcome India's membership in the grouping provided there was a consensus to lift the moratorium imposed on any such new joining.

Thanh added that Vietnam was trying to manage good relations with both India and China and that mutual ties between any two countries should not be seen as "against" a third country.

"On bilateral disputes, we are ready to talk bilaterally while on multilateral disputes we are ready for negotiations involving two more parties. But if needed we may explore other legal options," he said.
New Delhi: After security forces officials gunned down Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani, now it seems his father Muzaffar Wani is emerging as the new face of protest in Kashmir valley.

Reportedly, Muzaffar Wani has overshadowed all the separatist voices including Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Last Friday, Burhan's father Muzaffar led a procession of thousands in Pampore district of J&K.

Hundreds of Kashmiri people turned up to hear him ignoring a call by the Hurriyat factions to march to Hazratbal in Srinagar, according to a report in TOI.

An umbrella separatist group which was formed recently had given a call for 'Dargah chalo' on Friday. This group includes Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik too.

Reportedly, Wani was the main attraction at the protest and he was escorted by several armed militants, the TOI report added.

Burhan's sister to join protest?

According to eyewitnesses, Burhan Wani's father told protesters that he was ready to offer his only daughter only daughter for the fight against "Indian occupation" after "sacrificing" his two sons.

Burhan Wani's brother Khalid was killed in cross-firing between militants and security forces in a forest in Tral in 2010.

Burhan Wani was gunned down by Indian security forces on July 8.
New Delhi: The Opposition on Wednesday discussed the 'deplorable' situation in Kashmir and the alleged thrashing of Dalits' by a new group of so called cow vigilanteas and sought the Centre's explanation in this regard.

Speaking in the Upper House, the Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said, ''I appreciate PM Modi's statement on Kashmir and his appeal to Kashmiri youth for shunning the path of violence. But we all want to know why it took the PM so long to break his silence on the issue''

Leading the Opposition charge on the issue, the Congress leader said, ''The PM tweets and expresses his condolences if anything happens in a far-off nation, but he addressed the Kashmir situation from MP and not from the Parliament.''

The PM chose to speak on Kashmir from MP and not from the Parliament. This is something which we fail to understand...we all want to know as to when MP has become the centre point of the national politics instead of Parliament, he added.

We have been repetitively demanding that PM should come and make statements on such issues in the Parliament, Azad said.

Cornering the Prime Minister further, Azad said, ''Everyone in Kashmir is a victim of militancy. Many of us have lost their near and dear ones due to this militancy in Kashmir.''

A militant is a militant, no matter where he comes from. Law and order is not sole responsibility of Kashmir Police, paramilitary forces are also involved, Azad said in Rajya Sabha.

Giving a piece of advice to PM, he said, ''Don't just love Kashmir for its beauty, love Kashmir for its people, love the children and people who lost their eyes due to violent protests there.''

There is a difference between communalism and separatism, the Congress leaders added.

Shifting his focus to the issue of Dalits' thrashing, Azad said , ''We did not hear PM's statement on Dalit issues here in the Parliament. We got to hear about his views from Telangana.''

On his turn, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury urged the central government to work out a political solution to problems in the restive Kashmir Valley.

"We have to end the violence and the current bloodshed in Kashmir. And start a political process to bring an end to the problems of people of Kashmir," Yechury said in the Rajya Sabha.

While Trinamool Congress MP Derek OBrien attacked Pakistan and said, My advice to Pakistan is that please do not meddle in our internal affairs, please do not shed crocodile tears. Please do not say you have love for people of Kashmir. Please do not give us bhashans (lectures) from your generals, politicians and your establishment.

However, Finance Minister Arun Jaitely sought to defend the Centre by saying ''J&K is facing a sensitive situation today, there's a need for all of us to speak in one voice.''

Under fire from a united Opposition, the government had earlier agreed to discuss the unrest in Kashmir in the Rajya Sabha first thing Wednesday.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh accepted Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azads proposal to suspend zero hour the following day and start the discussion at 11 am. It will the second discussion on the Kashir crisis this session.
New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday claimed that arrested Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Bahadur Ali was trained by military experts in Pakistan.

NIA said Bahadur Ali, who was arrested from Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir, was directed to take advantage of the volatile situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the death of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in a shootout.

NIA Inspector General Sanjeev Kumar Singh said: "Arms, ammunition and equipment recovered from Ali and four other LeT terrorists killed on July 26 in Monibal (Jammu and Kashmir) established involvement of military experts."

Giving example of sophisticated Icom communication hand sets recovered from the terrorists, the officer said the engineering modifications done on Icom RT sets (Made in Japan) to cover a whole range of very high frequency (VHF) requires a high degree of training in electronics.

The officer also said that providing specific grid references for the route to be followed and use of global positioning system (GPS), and compass and topographical sheets during movement also establish that these LeT terrorists were trained by military experts.

Grid reference is a map reference indicating a location in terms of a series of vertical and horizontal grid lines identified by numbers or letters.

Ali informed the interrogators that he was constantly guided and directed by the LeT control centre Alpha-3 which was available on the prefixed frequency on the Icom hand sets being carried by the terrorists.

"Ali`s statement and other evidences confirmed that Alpha-3 is a fixed communication centre established at a high altitude peak in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir which is operated with support from Pakistani armed forces," the officer said.

The officer said tghat once the terrorists are inside Indian territory, Alpha-3 guides, directs and controls their operations. "Whenever required, Alpha-3 arranges tactical and material support through previously identified contacts."

Ali, revealed to investigators that Alpha-3 told him that LeT cadres had been successful in fuelling large-scale agitation in Kashmir after Eid following the death of Burhan Wani.

Following the July 8 death of Wani, a 22-year-old social media savvy Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Kashmir has witnessed a total lockdown in the Valley for more than a month now.

Ali, resident of Zia-Bagha village in Lahore district of Pakistan, also informed interrogators that his group of terrorists was launched after being staged forward at their Dett (detachment) near the Line of Control between India and Pakistan.

He informed that this Dett is headed by a senior LeT member who provides arms and ammunition as well as other accessories like GPS, night vision devices, compass, grenade launchers, rubber maps, matrix sheets, food packets, dry ration, and medicines, among other things.

Ali was launched from Mandakuli Dett which was dealt by an LeT commander Abu Haider.

Singh said the captured terrorist underwent three mandated training processes organised by LeT. He was recruited in Jamaat-ud-Dawa by a close aide of the terror outfit`s chief Hafiz Sayeed in 2008-2009 at the age of 13-14 years and subsequently radicalised by LeT.

The NIA has said that this is an ongoing investigation to gather details about the role of LeT in the current situation in Kashmir.
Imphal: Manipuri human rights activist Irom Sharmila, who on Tuesday ended her 16-year-long fast, on Wednesday said those opposing her decision have misunderstood her.

They misunderstood me, about my real being, Sharmila told ANI news agency while reacting to news of protests against her in Manipur.

Sharmila, who had been on hunger strike demanding the removal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act [AFSPA], further rued that those who have been opposing her decision have failed to connect with her heart.

"They have been seeing me from their own version without connecting with my heart," she said.

Speaking about her next move, Sharmila said her next plan is to enter into politics for the power and choice to repeal this draconian law (AFSPA).

On being asked whether she had been approached by any political party, Sharmila said, They (JDU) came here, even though I won't join their party, they ensured me of their full support.

While ending her hunger strike yesterday, Sharmila had said that she wants to join politics and become chief minister one day to help the people.

"I want to be the CM of Manipur to help the people," she had said.
Will meet demands of indigenous people: PM

The government and the indigenous nationalities would formally observe International Day of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples from upcoming year.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Friday convene an all-party meeting over a deadly unrest in Kashmir, Home Minister Rajnath Singh told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Rajnath Singh was replying to a debate on Kashmir where over 55 people have been killed and thousands injured in over the month-long unrest in the valley.

The turmoil began after the July 8 killing of rebel commander Burhan Wani by security forces.


Patna: Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his assertion over the ongoing violence in the Kashmir Valley, Janata Dal (United) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said the former should use his brain instead of lip-service on the issue, and added he failed to refer about the Kashmiri Pandits.

Kumar expressed disappointment that Prime Minister Modi did not talk about the issue of Kashmiri Pandits in while addressing a public rally after unveiling a statue of freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad at his birthplace in Alirajpur.

"If front of whom is Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing his pain? You have the responsibility to rule the country. It was you who made promises before the Kashmiris. We were expecting that while talking about freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad, he would also talk about the pain of Kashmiri Pandits. But the pain of Kashmiri Pandits wasn`t mentioned, which is an issue of grave concern," Kumar told ANI.

Kumar insisted that PM Modi should address the Kashmir issue taking the Parliament and all the parties in confidence.

"Modi should use his brains instead of lip-service on the issue on Kashmir. Take the Parliament in confidence; take the confidence of all the parties. Because the government is led by you, you are running the government there. If the situation has been hampered then taking the moral responsibility Modi should try to better the situation there," he added.

PM Modi yesterday broke his silence on the ongoing violence in the Kashmir valley following the encounter of Hizbul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani and said that a handful of misguided people are hurting the great tradition of Kashmir and appealed to the youth to join him in fulfilling the dream of making the place the world`s paradise.

"A handful of misguided people are hurting the great tradition of Kashmir. I appeal to the Kashmiri youth come along, we will together realise the dream of making Kashmir the paradise of the world. We give so much love to Kashmir, while some people are causing it a lot of harm," he said.

The PM further said the Centre as well as the BJP-PDP coalition government under Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is making all efforts to solve the problems of Kashmir through development.
New Delhi: In yet another shocking incident of crime against women, a Gurgaon girl was gangraped in Delhi's Kalkaji area.

The teenage girl was lured by two of her acquaintances and was held hostage for over two days. During this period, she was repeatedly gangraped by the two.

The two boys also made the MMS of the act to blackmail her.

What happened actually?

The class X girl from Badshapur was lured out of her school by her acquaintance Karan Singh, who convinced her to accompany him to Delhi on Sohna-Delhi bus, along with the other accused, Sanjay.

After they reached Kalkaji in Delhi, she was held hostage in a room where the two boys repeatedly raped her, according to a report in TOI.

After two days in captivity , the accused allegedly put her in a Gurgaon-bound bus on Monday morning and sent her back to her parents.

She broke down before her parents and told them about the heinous crime.

An FIR has been registered in this regard. However, all the accused are still out of police net.
Bhopal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday visited Bhabhar, Madhya Pradesh the birthplace and vilage of revolutionary leader Chandrashekhar Azad, thereby becoming the first ever Indian PM to visit the birth place of the late freedom fighter.

While PM Modi was on his way, an incident took place which left PM's security in shock.

When PM Modi's convoy was heading towards the memorial of fearless revolutionary Chandrashekhar Azad from his village, it entered a Muslim-populated area, a fact security personnel knew beforehand.

And then what happened was not expected. Read further.

Suddenly, Modi's car was surrounded by mob lead mostly by Muslims, who were chanting slogans of 'Modi Modi' for their Prime Minister.

Before anybody would have realised the gravity of the situation, Modi stopped his car and came out in the crowd. He not only met few elderly people from the crowd very warmly but also greeted them before finally leaving for his destination.

Having the Prime Minister between them, the enthusiasm of the crowd was unbound.

Though PM's security personnel were alarmed to have Modi between the crowd, they handled the situation well.
New Delhi: Don`t forget about people of Jammu while discussing problems in Kashmir where a battle is raging between nationalism and separatism, a BJP MP told Parliament on Wednesday.

Shamsher Singh Manhas, from Jammu, was aghast over why "everyone is speaking about Kashmir and not Jammu".

"Jammu and Kashmir is not about Kashmir only. It is Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh that make the state," Manhas said as the upper house discussed the situation amid a bloody unrest in the valley.

More than 55 people have been killed in the valley in the unrest that broke out after security forces killed a rebel commander. The violence has left thousands injured.

Manhas said Jammu, which shares some 500 km of border with Pakistan, also had its share of problems.

"The region has 55 percent of population in the state. Some seven lakh educated youth are employed. They could have also picked the gun. They could have also shouted for freedom," he said, adding the people in Jammu "have always believed in democracy".

But in the Kashmir Valley, "it is a battle between nationalism and separatism". "People in Kashmir are following separatist dictates," he said.
Mumbai: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday said that life has come to a complete standstill in Jammu and Kashmir and there was a need for the Centre and the PDP-BJP government in the state to stop the situation from deteriorating further.

Leader Majeed Menon said,"There is curfew everywhere in Kashmir and even in Jammu, life has stopped and no strict action has been taken neither by the State Government and nor by the Central government."

"We have had talks with the Prime Minister as well as the Home Minister and even appealed in the house as well as outside house," Menon told ANI.

Menon further said that even after an all-party meeting and a visit by all-party delegation has not normalised the situation in the Kashmir Valley.

Prime Minister Modi earlier said on Tuesday that only dialogue and development can ensure peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Every Indian loves Kashmir. The azaadi (freedom) that every Indian feels, Kashmir can feel too," he said at a rally organized atrevolutionary Chandrashekhar Azad`s village at Bhabra in Madhya Pradesh`s Alirajpur district.

The Prime Minister said he was pained to see young men pelting stones on security forces in Kashmir."The boys, who should be holding laptops, bats and balls in their hands and dreams in their hearts, are ones carrying stones," he said."Whatever Kashmiris want for betterment of their livelihood, the Centre will help," he said.
Srinagar: Militants fired at a security picket guarding a minority village in Shopian district of Kashmir, a police official said on Wednesday.

"Militants opened fire on a security picket at Zainapora in Shopian last night around 9.30 PM," the police official said.

No damage was reported in the incident.

In another incident, a vehicle of the security wing of the police was damaged when it caught fire last night at Kursoo in Rajbagh area of the city, the official said.

He said the vehicle was deployed for the security escort of state health minister Bali Baghat.

The vehicle was stationary when the incident took place.

The official said the cause of the fire is being ascertained.
New Delhi: Pointing out that building trust among people of Jammu and Kashmir was the only way to integrate the bordering state with the rest of India, D.P. Tripathi of the NCP said on Wednesday that an all-party meeting should be arranged to discuss and resolve the problem of unrest in the Kashmir Valley.

Participating in a debate on the unrest in the valley, which was triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujaheedin commander Burhan Wani on July 8, Tripathi said only building trust among the people of Kashmir will improve the overall situation there.

"What is so wrong in calling an all-party meeting over Kashmir and sending a delegation there," the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) member asked the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government.

Extending support to the Union government in resolving the matter, Tripathi said that the people of Kashmir working or studying in other parts of the country must be given "due respect" as it would help in building the trust.

He also cautioned the Narendra Modi government against preparing a list of Kashmiri students to single them out.

"The government must take note of this," he said, adding that students from Kashmir must not be seen with suspicion.

He also urged the central government to extend full support to the Jammu and Kashmir government in dealing with the situation in the state.
Thiruvananthapuram: A Romanian national, who along with two other foreigners is suspected to be involved in the hi-tech ATM robbery in which a number of people lost money here, has been arrested in Mumbai, police said on Wednesday.

The accused, whose pictures were released by the police here yesterday, was taken into custody by the Mumbai Police late last night.

A Romanian national has been taken into custody in Mumbai in connection with the ATM robbery. A team of Kerala Police has left to Mumbai to take him into custody, a senior police official said.

"The Mumbai Police will first produce him before a court there and only then we will get him in custody," he told PTI.

However, he did not divulge any further details. Kerala Police yesterday zeroed in on three foreign nationals, who are suspected to be the key players behind the hi-tech ATM robbery, and decided to seek Interpol's help. The trio, found installing an electronic device inside an ATM kiosk of a public sector bank at Vellayambalam here, had been caught in the CCTV installed there.

According to police, the three foreign nationals were from Romania and had come to India on June 25 and reached Kerala on July 8. The three had come on tourist visas and had taken rooms in a hotel here for two days.

Police also seized from the hotel two scooters and three helmets, suspected to have been used by the trio.

The state police shared their photos and other available details with their counterparts in other states which led to the arrest of one among them, police said.

So far, more than 20 people had lodged complaints saying money was withdrawn from their account.

As per the preliminary assessment, about Rs 2.5 lakh had been lost, police said.

It is suspected that the electronic device at the ATM counter enabled the fraudsters to collect the secret pin code and card details.

Many of the customers who were duped came to know about the fraud after they received a text message on Monday, informing that money was withdrawn from their accounts.
Kochi: A joint team of Kerala and Mumbai Police have arrested one Romanian national in connection with the hi-tech ATM robbery in which several people lost about Rs 4.5 lakhs in Thiruvananthapuram.

According to reports, the Hollywood-inspired ATM robbery was executed by three Romanian nationals who entered inside an ATM, stole data and robbed people of nearly Rs 4.5 lakhs in Kerala capital.

Mario Gabriel, 47, the Romanian citizen, was arrested from a hotel at Worli in Mumbai. He is being interrogated by the Mumbai police. The police said that two others have managed to flee the country.

An investigation by the Kerala Police found that three Romanians - Christine Victor, Mariyan Gabriel and Florin - are behind the hi-tech ATM theft. The three reached the Kerala capital as tourists.

They stayed in three luxurious hotels in the city. The three went out from the hotel in two-wheelers.

Two vehicles used by them has been recovered from Kovalam. The three stayed in three different hotels so that no one would suspect them. However, the three used to meet in different places of the city.

The racket was busted after many people filed a complaint with the police, following messages they had received on their phone intimating them about transactions, which they had not carried out.

The investigators claim that the suspects are part of an international racket, which hacked crucial data and stole people's money from ATMs in Mumbai and Delhi.



An SIT team had earlier left for Mumbai to carry out further investigations after which it arrested one Romanian national.

The states Special Investigation Team had earlier obtained CCTV footage from the SBI ATM at Althara Junction near Vellayambalam, where all the fraudulent transactions were carried out.

The video showed three people attaching an electronic device at the ATM counter, enabling the fraudsters to collect the PIN code and card details.

The device that was fixed above the ATM machine, had a micro camera and another device was placed in the card slot of the machine. According to the police, the micro camera might have helped in getting the ATM PINs.

This is one of the biggest ATM heists that the state has witnessed and the modus operandi followed is eerily similar to a 2009 Malayalam movie Robinhood starring Prithviraj.
Will pay full attention to control price rise: PM Dahal

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the new Cabinet will get full shape within next few days.
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday that the Congress-led UDF was set to disintegrate with the departure of the Kerala Congress (Mani) from the alliance.

"When we told you during the election campaign that the UDF will disintegrate after the election, you did not take us seriously. Now it has happened," Vijayan told the media.

It was the first time Vijayan briefed the media after the weekly cabinet meeting after being sworn in on May 25.

"The UDF comprises of three pillars (Congress, Indian Union Muslim League and KC-Mani) and one pillar has crumbled. With that, the UDF will also crumble," added Vijayan.

On Sunday, K.M. Mani, the former Finance Minister who leads the Kerala Congress (Mani), ended his 34-year truck with the United Democratic Front and decided to sit as an independent group in the assembly.

"He (Mani) said he will offer support based on issues. This is dangerous because he will support even the NDA as he has got two members in Parliament," Vijayan said.

With Mani leaving, the UDF's tally in the 140-member assembly has fallen from 47 to 41.
Mumbai: The ill-fated British-era bridge across Savitri river, whose collapse claimed 26 lives, was to be dismantled in December this year as part of Mumbai-Goa Highway expansion project, Maharashtra Government Wednesday said as search continued for people who went missing after the crash.

"The bridge was to be dismantled in December 2016 as part of Mumbai-Goa Highway widening project. However, it unfortunately got washed away due to heavy rainfall in upper regions of Mahabaleshwar (from where the river originates)," PWD Minister Chandrakant Patil told reporters here.

The structure at Mahad, about 170km from here in adjoining Raigad district, crashed on the night of August 2.

Two State Transport (ST) buses and a few private vehicles using the bridge on the busy highway fell into the flooded Savitri river. So far, 26 bodies have been recovered, while nearly 14 are still missing and feared dead.

Rescuers continued their efforts, braving high water current and crocodile hotbeds in the river, to trace the missing, even as anxious relatives expressed anger over the pace of the search operation, which entered eight day today.

"Search operation is on like before with same positioning and deployment of security forces. The crew of NDRF, Navy, Coast Guard and local divers are at work," Raigad Resident Deputy Collector Satish Bagal told PTI.

Patil said there are about 2,300 bridges in the State, of which 100-odd are from the British era and from the time of 17th century warrior-king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

"All these bridges will be inspected twice every year. A three-member committee of experts from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) has commenced its study about the collapsed bridge and the report is expected by the next Cabinet meeting due on August 23," he said.

The process of launching judicial inquiry into the crash is also underway, Patil said. "A workshop will be conducted for the PWD engineers for methodology to be used for inspection of the bridges."

Patil said it will have to be decided whether dilapidated bridges should be repaired or reconstructed. "A bridge division will be created in each administrative division of the State to take care of the bridges."

On solatium to the deceased, he said the State Cabinet, in this particular case, has reduced the waiting period for granting compensation to next to the kin to two months (from seven years as per existing rules), he said.

If the missing people are not traced within two months, the State will declare them dead and award solatium.

He said Maharashtra State Road Development Corp has given a compensation of Rs 14 lakh each to the kin of deceased travelling in the ST buses and Rs 10 lakh each to the family of deceased in other vehicles involved in the tragedy.
Mumbai: With Mumbai Police indicting Islamist preacher Zakir Naik for involvement in unlawful activities and possible terror links, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is expected to press for his extradition.

Commenting on the Police report on Naik, Fadnavis said, After studying the report submitted by Mumbai Police Commissioner it was found that many unlawful activities have been pointed out towards the organisation Islamic Research Foundation headed by Zakir Naik.

Certain activities are attribute to him as well. So the state government is now studying report and we will share it with the Union Home Ministry and decide the further course of action.

Last month it was reported that Naik's IRF had converted around 800 people to Islam by paying them a hefty sum from the donations made to the organisation from across the world.

Naik, 50, is at the centre of a storm with calls for imposing a ban on his TV for allegedly inflammatory speeches.

Zakir Naik and his sermons have come under the scanner post the Dhaka cafe terror attack, after it was revealed that two of the terrorists were inspired by him.

Naik, who is in Medina in Saudi Arabia, was supposed to return to India but has delayed his return amid probes by various agencies into his activities.
Imphal: A powerful blast triggered by an Improvised Explosive Device allegedly targeting a BSF camp near Imphal in Manipur took place on Wednesday.

No casualties were reported in the blast in Moirang Purel village near Imphal.

Three civilians, including a seven-year-old child, were reportedly injured.

The incident comes a day after Manipuri activist Irom Charu Sharmila ended her 16-year long fast, which she began to protest against the Armed Forces (Special Powers Act).

The controversial act gives the armed forces extraordinary powers in 'disturbed' regions, including immunity from legal action.

The AFSPA is in force in all parts of Manipur except in seven Imphal districts. The state has often been used as a transit route by terrorist outfits based in Myamar.

With inputs from ANI
Imphal: A four-year-old girl was injured when insurgents attacked a Border Security Force patrol at Maphou village in Imphal on Wednesday.

The BSF personnel who were deployed to guard the Maphou dam escaped unharmed in the remote-controlled blast that took place around 9 a.m.

The girl, Bembem, was rushed to a private hospital. She was out of danger now, sources said.

Police and paramilitary officials rushed to the site, sources said.

The attackers escaped through the Maphou mountain in Ukhrul district. No combing operation was launched since the police feared the militants might have escaped to their camps.

Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam Gangmei instructed all the police stations as well as camps of the paramilitary forces and central forces to be on alert.

Director General of Police L.M. Khoute has ordered all police stations and Manipur Rifles camps to be on duty round the clock. Leaves of all security personnel have been cancelled.

Wednesday's attack comes after a series of bomb blasts in Manipur ahead of the Independence Day celebrations. The insurgent groups try to sabotage the celebrations every year.

Last week one security personnel and a two-year-old girl were injured when a bomb was detonated in the heart of Imphal city. One bomb was also recovered the following day.

Two powerful bombs were also exploded at the border town of Moreh on Monday. There was no casualty, officials said.
Itanagar: The mortal remains of former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Kalikho Pul were taken on Wednesday to his native village Hawai in remote Anjaw district bordering China for the last rites.

BJP MLA from Tezu Mahesh Chai accompanied the body of Pul along with his relatives in a helicopter which took off at 7:30 am for Hayulian as hundreds of supporters of the leader gave a tearful adieu to him.

The state government has declared a three-day state mourning and a holiday tomorrow when the last rites of Pul would be performed with full state honours at Hayuliang, the constituency he represents.

A pall of gloom descended in the state capital on Tuesday morning after the news of Pul's death.

Lok Sabha MP Ninong Ering, AICC secretary Jay Kumar along with senior party leaders, MLAs and admirers of Pul gathered at the Raj Bhavan helipad here in the morning from where Pul's mortal remains were flown to his native village.

Pul allegedly committed suicide at the chief minister's official residence here on Tuesday, weeks after he was ordered by the Supreme Court to step down after a brief stint, sparking violent protests by his supporters who torched a building and damaged cars.

He is survived by three wives and seven children.

The state government had requisitioned two sorties of Skyone helicopter to carry Pul's body and his relatives to Hayuliang.
Imphal: Amid reports that some militant groups were unhappy with her for breaking her 16-year-long hunger strike against AFSPA, Irom Sharmila on Tuesday said let them clear their doubts with her blood.

"(Some) people can't be convinced right now. Let them kill me the way people killed Gandhi and accused him of being anti-Hindu. People also killed Jesus," Sharmila told reporters when asked to comment on any pressure or threat on her over the decision.

"With my blood let them wash their doubts and emotions,"she said after being released on bail.

She was surrounded by a posse of policewomen who escorted her from the hospital, a room of which was converted into jail.

The activist has, however, refused any security and said she wants to settle down in an ashram.

Manipur's 'Iron Lady' ended her 16-year-long hunger strike, the world's longest such campaign, and declared that she wants to become the chief minister so that she could repeal the contentious Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

Outside a government hospital, a room of which was turned into a jail for her, the 44-year-old iconic rights activist turned emotional as she licked honey from her palm to end the fast that she undertook in protest against the AFSPA.

During her fast she was force-fed through a nasal tube to keep her alive. Now the familiar Ryles tube hanging from her nose was missing as she broke the fast.

"I want to be the chief minister of Manipur to make positive changes.. If I become chief minister, the first thing I will do is to remove the AFSPA," she said.
Itanagar: Locals on Wednesday morning paid homage to former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Kalikho Pul, who was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his residence on Tuesday.

Locals, along with many other dignitaries, paid floral tributes to the former chief minister at his official residence. The police honoured him with a gun-salute. Mortal remains of Pul were then taken to his hometown in Anjaw district.

T. Taki, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA said that Pul's death was a big loss for Arunachal, and asked for a police investigation to find out the truth.

"His journey from a night security guard to a chief minister of the state is an example for the country," Taki told ANI.

Paying tribute to late chief minister, Congress party member Ninong Ering said that Pul was a people's chief minister.

"He will always remain in the hearts of the people. The way he developed the state is appreciable," Ering told ANI.

"I am very shocked that he took very extreme step. A probe should be conduct for the satisfaction of the people and his family members,"

The former Arunachal chief minister was found dead at the Chief Minister's official residence, which he had not vacated yet.

He was chief minister from the period February to July 2016. News reports suggest that he committed suicide at his residence, but the police is yet to confirm.

According to initial reports, Pul was suffering from depression and was extremely upset after his appointment was struck down by the Supreme Court.

In a setback to Pul, the Supreme Court had earlier on July 13 restored the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh, declaring the actions of Governor J.P. Rajkhowa "illegal" and "violative of the constitutional provisions".

46-year-old Pul became the eighth chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh in February 2016.

Having lost his parents at an early age, Pul went on to learn carpentry, sell furniture and serve as a casual night chowkidar at Rs 212 per month. He also sold paan and beedi to attend a night school.
Amritsar: Punjab is slowly becoming a hot bed for terrorists.

Punjab Police have busted a major terror plot by arresting three suspected terrorists from the Hoshiarpur district, reports said on Wednesday.

The police also seized three pistols and a dozen of bullet proof jackets from them.

Early this year, Pakistan-based terrorists attacked an Air Force Base here in Punjab, triggering an encounter.

Seven security personnel and three infiltrators were killed in the terror attack on Pathankot airbase carried out by JeM on January 2.

The militants were associated with Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist group.

Recently,reports had emerged that terror outfits Lashkar-e-Toiba and JeM have set up terror camps in Pakistan's Punjab province, which is adjacent to the Indian borders.

The report had said the terrorists are being trained by Pakistani Army.

It further stated that the terrorists belonging to the dreaded Pak-based terror groups are trying to infiltrate and planning to execute Pathankot-type attack in India.
Chennai: The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Principal District Judge, Coimbatore, to visit the premises of Isha Yoga Centre near that city to conduct an inquiry with the inmates about their willingness to stay there and submit a report on Thursday.

A division bench comprising justices S Nagamuthu and V Bharathidasan gave the direction on the Habeas Corpus petition filed by parents of two women living in the premises of Isha yoga centre, 27 kms from Coimbatore.

The Principal District Judge, Coimbatore, who is also the Chairman of District Legal Services Authority, is directed to visit the centre by 3 PM today and conduct an inquiry with the inmates and other 'detenues' and submit a report to the court tomorrow, the order said.

On August 1, a retired professor Kamaraj and his wife had petitioned the Coimbatore Collector alleging that their two daughters had been held captive at Isha Yoga centre near Coimbatore and were made 'sanyasins'.

However, on August 5, Isha Foundation issued a press release refuting the allegations.

"We would like to clearly state on record that all the above allegations of holding captives, brainwashing, and forcing individuals into sanyas or brahmacharya are absolutely false," the Foundation, running the Centre, had said in the release.
Woman assaulted over dowry

An 18-year-old woman is undergoing treatment at a Nepalgunj hospital after she was brutally assaulted by her husband and her mother-in-law for allegedly failing to bring enough dowry.
Hyderabad: An SIT was constituted on Wednesday to probe the killing of notorious Maoist renegade-turned-gangster Mohammed Nayeemuddin and investigate "various criminal activities" conducted by him and his associates in Telangana.

The Special Investigation Team would begin functioning immediately and investigate from where the seized material has originated, especially land documents, arms and ammunition and explosives, a release from the office of Telangana DGP said.

Nagi Reddy, Inspector General Police, North Zone, would be in-charge of the SIT, comprising officers from various districts, constituted by the Director General of Police Anurag Sharma.

45-year-old Nayeemuddin, wanted in a string of cases including the murder of an IPS officer in 1993, was killed in an alleged exchange of fire with police in Shadnagar town of Mahabubnagar district on Monday.

The incident had occurred when police teams, tracking a case of attempted extortion registered in Nizamabad district, came under fire from a suspiciously moving SUV near Millennium Colony on the outskirts of Shadnaga.

Police yesterday conducted searches at different places in Nalgonda district ? Nayeemuddin is a native of this district ? and arrested nine persons, including four of his family members, on the charge of land-grabbing and extortion.

The SIT consists of B Srinivasa Reddy, Addl. DCP, Crimes, Cyberabad; Sridhar, Inspector of Police, Begumbazar, Hyderabad city; S Sudhakar, Inspector of Police, Tr PS, Uppal; Shakir Hussain, Inspector of Police, Wanaparthy Circle; Rajashekar Raju, Inspector of Police, Korutla Circle, Karimnagar; Samala Venkatesh, Inspector of Police, CCS, Sangareddy; P Madhusudhan Reddy, Inspector of Police, Kodad Circle; and and Seetharam, Inspector of Police, Armoor Circle.
Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to produce by Thursday a status report on the investigation in the Bulandshahr gang-rape case after it failed to submit the report on Wednesday.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice DB Bhosale and Justice Yashwant Varma, which has taken suo motu cognizance of the sexual assault on a minor girl and her mother, had on August 8 directed that the status report be submitted on August 10.

However, when Advocate General Vijay Bahadur Singh made a request for more time to submit the status report, the court ordered that the same be produced "tomorrow, by 2 pm in a sealed cover".

The court has taken a grim view of the incident that took place on July 29, when a car carrying six members of a Noida family to Shahjahanpur in western UP was stopped by criminals on a highway in Bulandhshahr district and the 13-year-old girl and her mother were gang-raped in the fields nearby after being dragged out of the vehicle.

The incident evoked a huge outcry and the Samajwadi Party government in the state drew widespread criticism over the law and order situation in UP.

Besides seeking a status report, the court has sought to know from the state government whether it was "willing to hand over the investigation of the case to the CBI" and "what steps the state would like to take to avoid such incidents in future".
Kanpur: Students at IIT here boycotted classes for the third day on Wednesday demanding action against a doctor and the workers of the health centre at the institute over the death of a 26-year-old research scholar, even as his family demanded a CBI probe into the case.

IIT Kanpur director Indraneel Manna said the college authorities held two rounds of talks with the agitating students and they have sent the demands of the family to the HRD Ministry.

The students are boycotting classes over the death of research scholar Alok Pandey. The IIT administration had claimed that the scholar died due to a cardiac arrest, whereas the students of the hostel and his brother Adarsh Kumar Pandey alleged that Alok died after he was given an injection by a doctor at the centre without conducting any tests.

Alok's brother has demanded a CBI probe into the incident and compensation of Rs 50 lakh to the family of the deceased, Manna said.

Alok, a PhD scholar of Material Science at the IIT, had complained of severe chest and neck pain on Monday after which he was rushed to the institute's health centre. As his condition deteriorated he was referred to a cardiology centre. However, he died on the way to a hospital.

Adarsh lodged a complaint on the basis of which a FIR was registered under section 304 A(causing death by rash or negligent act) against Dr Shailendra Kishore, the warden in-charge, Guide Kamal Kekar and the hospital administrator, Kanpur SSP Shalabh Mathur said.

He also alleged that the scholar was mistreated and tortured in the hostel, Mathur said, adding a probe is on in this connection.

Manna said a team of three specialist doctors from as many medical colleges of the city has been formed to probe the death and submit a report in two weeks.

He also said that they held talks with the students till around 1 am and again this morning but they are sticking to their demands for action against the health centre officials.

"We are holding meetings over this and will soon decide the course of action," Manna said.

Meanwhile, police personnel have been posted outside the campus.
Lucknow: A Dalit man and his daughter were attacked by a temple priest in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district.

The shameful incident happened, after the 13-year-old girl was stopped from drinking water from a handpump in the temple premises by the priest, on account of her being a Dalit.

When the minor girl's father confronted the priest, he was attacked by the latter with a trident.

Meanwhile, police have registered a case against the priest under SC/ST Act after the Dalit family protested. The temple priest has been arrested.

Though inhumane attitude towards Dalits have been common in India, however, of late spate of recent attacks on Dalits in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh have been hogging the deadlines, all thanks to the political parties.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public rally in Hyderabad on Sunday and expressed concern over the recent attacks on people from Dalit community and urged the opponents to stop politicising in the name of Dalit.

RSS said the right-wing Hindu nationalist group have being doing its best services to integrate Dalit societies into the main stream adding those attacking Dalits are anti-national.
New Delhi: A Dalit youth was allegedly beaten to death in the Lakhimpur district of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday over suspicion of being involved in a case of theft in the area recently.

According to reports, the 22-year-old Dalit youth, who belonged to a very poor family, was mercilessly thrashed by a mob and beaten till his death.

He was also paraded naked on the streets by the irate mob, which also pressed the victim to disclose his caste identity.

His dead body was abandoned on the road.

A case has been registered under the provisions of SC/ST Act and the matter is being probed by the local police.

No arrest has been made in this regard as yet.

In a similar incident, a Dalit man and his daughter were attacked by a temple priest in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district.

The shameful incident happened after the 13-year-old girl was stopped from drinking water from a handpump in the temple premises by the priest as she was a Dalit.

The fresh attack on the Dalit youth comes a day after PM Narendra Modi appealed people not to target the members of the backward community and directed state governments to take stern action against the so called cow vigilantes.
Dehradun: Security has been heightened at public places in Uttarakhand ahead of the Independence Day celebrations, a police official said on Wednesday.

While there were no immediate inputs from intelligence agencies of any terrorist movement in the state, the arrest of four Islamic State militant group sympathisers in Roorkie earlier this year had cautioned the security forces here, the official said.

The arrested persons had revealed to the National Investigative Agency that rekki for "a certain operation" was undertaken by them at Haridwar, Dehradun and Roorkie, an Intelligence official told IANS.

This has alerted the police, intelligence agencies and the security personnel in Uttarakhand and security was beefed up at malls, shopping arcades, bus and railway stations.

Security has also been spruced up at government offices and buildings as part of the precautionary measures.
Baghdad: At least 20 newborn babies were killed on Wednesday in a fire at a hospital in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, a police source said.

The accident occurred when a fire broke out in the maternity wards of Yarmouk Hospital, the source told Xinhua news agency.

The children died of suffocation in the wards, the source said.

The accident was being investigated, but initial reports said it was caused by electrical contact, the source said.
Washington: About 45,000 jihadists have been killed in Iraq and Syria since the US-led operation to defeat the Islamic State group began two years ago, a top general said Wednesday.

"We estimate that over the past 11 months, we`ve killed about 25,000 enemy fighters. When you add that to the 20,000 estimated killed (previously), that`s 45,000 enemy (fighters) taken off the battlefield," said Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland, who commands the US-led coalition campaign against IS.

MacFarland said estimates for the overall remaining strength of IS vary from about 15,000 to 30,000 but said the jihadists are having increasing difficulties replenishing their ranks.

"The number of fighters on the front line has diminished. They`ve diminished not only in quantity but also in quality -- we don`t see them operating nearly as effectively as they have in the past, which makes them even easier targets for us," MacFarland told Pentagon reporters from Baghdad via a videocall.

"As a result their attrition has accelerated here of late," he added.

Officials also estimate IS has lost 25,000 square kilometers (9,650 square miles) of the territory it once held in Iraq and Syria, or about 50 percent and 20 percent respectively in each country.

The US-led military effort against the Islamic State group started exactly two years ago, aimed at halting the jihadists as they swept across Iraq and Syria.

MacFarland was upbeat about the eventual recapture of Mosul in Iraq and Raqa in Syria, saying it would herald the "beginning of the end" of the campaign.
Diyarbakir: At least seven civilians were killed on Wednesday in two separate bomb attacks blamed on Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in Turkey`s southeast, a regional security source said.

Four were killed in a car bomb attack in the centre of the city of Diyarbakir while another three civilians lost their lives in a near simultaneous bombing in Kiziltepe in Mardin province to the south, said the source, who asked not to be named.

Both bomb attacks had been aimed at passing police vehicles, the Dogan news agency said. NTV television said 25 people were wounded in the Mardin attack and 13 people wounded in Diyarbakir.

The authorities believe both blasts have been carried out by the Kurdistan Workers` Party (PKK), a Turkish official said.

Hundreds of members of the Turkish security forces have been killed by the PKK in attacks since the collapse of a two-year ceasefire in July last year.

Earlier Wednesday, five Turkish soldiers were killed in an attack blamed on PKK militants in Uludere in the southeastern Sirnak province close to the Iraqi border.

Over 40,000 people have been killed since the PKK first took up arms in 1984. It is proscribed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.

The PKK has kept up attacks after the July 15 failed coup during which a rogue military faction tried to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power.

The government has vowed there will be no let up in the fight against the PKK even in the wake of the coup.
Beijing: China Wednesday warmed up for talks with the Philippines to resolve differences as Beijing welcomed Manila's special envoy to make joint efforts to improve bilateral relations and restore dialogue amid tensions over the South China Sea tribunal verdict.

"As neighbours of traditional friendship, China and the Philippines should make joint efforts to improve bilateral relations, restore dialogue and cooperation and push for the sound and steady growth of bilateral relations," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a statement.

Manila's special envoy Fidel Ramos is on a five-day visit to Hong Kong.

"It is learnt that during his stay in Hong Kong, Ramos will meet his Chinese old friends. The Chinese side is open to all forms of contact between the two sides and welcomes a visit to China by Ramos as a special envoy at an early date," she said.

The tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration quashed China's claims over the South Chia Sea and gave a verdict in favour of the Philippines which contested Beijing's claims.

Besides the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have counter claims.

While rejecting the tribunal verdict, China said it is open for bilateral talks with Manila to resolve the dispute.

Designated by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte as a special envoy, Ramos arrived in Hong Kong on Monday to start his visit to China after the South China Sea arbitration case has frozen the two countries' ties.

On his arrival in Hong Kong, he said the purpose of his visit to China is not for negotiations but to "rekindle" the Sino-Philippine friendship.

"We are here on a mission of goodwill and are not involved in any negotiations or official transactions," he said.

Ramos said that the people he want to first meet with during his trip is Wu Shicun, president of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, a major think-tank based on China's southern island of Hainan Province.?

"I have always been optimistic and looking for the best results. But of course that also depends on the attitude of the Chinese officials," he said, adding that his Chinese friends include very successful businessmen.

Ramos said he will not discuss the particular issue of the South China Sea arbitration with his Chinese friends but seek to improve economic and tourism cooperation between the two countries.

Ramos, served as the Philippine President from 1992 to 1998.

After his retirement, Ramos became a key figure who proposed the Boao Forum for Asia, an international think tank backed by China which was also based in Hainan.
Los Angeles: A former sanitation worker was sentenced to death on Wednesday for murdering nine women and a teenage girl as the "Grim Sleeper" serial killer who preyed on prostitutes and drug addicts in a Los Angeles crime spree dating back 30 years.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Kathleen Kennedy imposed the death sentence recommended in June for Lonnie David Franklin Jr., 63, by a jury. A month earlier, it had convicted him on 10 counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.

Franklin was convicted of shooting seven women to death from August 1985 to September 1988, then strangling a 15-year-old girl, and strangling or shooting two other women in a second round of killings between March 2002 and January 2007.

Before Franklin was arrested the killer was dubbed the "Grim Sleeper" because he seemed to have taken a 13-year break between the two spates of murders.

Franklin also was found guilty of attacking an 11th victim, who survived being shot, raped, pushed out of a car and left for dead in 1988. She testified against him at trial.

Prosecutors said Franklin stalked the streets of South Los Angeles, preying on prostitutes and drug addicts in a crime spree beginning at the height of a crack cocaine epidemic in the area. His victims` nude or partially clothed bodies were found dumped in alleys and trash bins.

Franklin did not testify in his own defence. During the trial, his attorneys sought to raise doubts about DNA evidence and suggested another "mystery man" was behind the killings.

Authorities said after Franklin`s 2011 indictment that they had evidence tying him to several more unsolved slayings, some of which occurred during the presumed lapse in killings.

Prosecutors in the penalty phase of the trial were permitted to present testimony about four such cases.
Washington: Igniting a new controversy, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has said that gun rights activists could stop Hillary Clinton from winning the polls and picking new Supreme Court judges, a remark strongly criticised as a threat of violence against his Democratic rival.

"Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the Second Amendment. By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks. Though the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know," Trump said at an election rally in Wilmington, North Carolina yesterday.

The US Constitution's Second Amendment guarantees a right to bear firearms.

Trump's comments were interpreted by many as a threat of violence against his Democratic rival with Clinton campaign decrying the remark as "dangerous."

"This is simple -- what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to the be president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way," said Robby Mook, Clinton's campaign manager, in the statement.

Trump, however, defended his comments, insisting that he was asking his supporters to use the power of their vote to stop Clinton from appointing justices who could restrict their Second

Amendment rights.

He claimed that the support for Second Amendment is a "strong powerful movement" and dismissed any other interpretation of his comments.

"This is a political movement. This is a strong, powerful movement, the Second Amendment. And there can be no other interpretation. Even reporters have told me. I mean, give me a break," Trump told Fox News.

Trump's "Second Amendment" remarks was criticised by several lawmakers, former national security officials and media.

Michael Hayden, a former CIA director who was among 50 Republican national security experts to denounce Trump in a letter, told CNN, "If someone else had said that said outside the hall, he'd

be in the back of a police wagon now with the Secret Service questioning him."

"You are not just responsible for what you say. You are responsible for what people hear," he said.
Brussels: The European Union and Turkey have overcome strains in the past and can still save a crucial deal stemming migrant flows to Europe, Ankara's envoy to Brussels said Wednesday.

In an interview with AFP, Turkey`s ambassador to the EU, Selim Yenel, said the EU should also not fear it will lose out from Ankara`s rapprochement with Moscow at Tuesday`s summit in Saint Petersburg.

"I am always an optimist," Yenel said when asked about prospects for the migrant deal as the two sides prepare to resume contacts after the August holidays.

"When September comes, I think we can manage to find a way out," he said.

EU leaders have expressed mounting fears that the deal, sealed in March, could collapse as a rift deepens over Ankara`s crackdown on tens of thousands of people after last month`s failed coup.

Turkey has angrily rejected EU criticism that its post-putsch purges might violate rights norms Ankara must meet under the agreement in return for visa-free travel for Turks and accelerated negotiations for bloc membership.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Wednesday accused the EU of having "adopted a favourable position to the coup (and) encouraged the putschists." He did not elaborate.

Brussels has also fired a shot across Ankara`s bow by warning that reinstating the death penalty in the wake of the coup would torpedo its bid for EU membership.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he will approve any decision by parliament to restore capital punishment that was abolished in 2004 as part of Turkey`s efforts to join the 28-nation bloc.

Yenel said the vehement EU reaction was premature.

"We are just debating it. It`s not even in the parliament. We know our international obligation. We know what will happen if the death penalty is accepted," the ambassador said.

Ankara has warned it could withdraw from the migrant accord if Europe fails to allow visa-free travel for Turks by October.Under the migrant plan,

Turkey agreed to take back Syrians who make it to Greece, in return for being allowed to send one from its massive refugee camps to the EU in a more orderly redistribution programme.

Yenel dismissed speculation that Ankara`s ties with the west could be at risk after Erdogan visited Russia on Tuesday to mend fences with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

"I am surprised that people are worried about our rapprochement," he said.

Several European countries have closer energy and trade ties with Moscow than Ankara despite EU sanctions over Russian actions in Ukraine, he argued.

Yenel recalled that relations between Ankaras and Brussels went through "much worse" in 1997 when Turkey stopped all political dialogue with the EU for two years when it was excluded from talks that saw Poland and other eastern European countries eventually join the bloc.

"We've all gone through difficult periods. This is not that bad," Yenel said.
Diyarbakir: Five Turkish soldiers were killed today in an attack blamed on Kurdish militants in the restive southeast of the country, a local security source said.

Eight other soldiers were wounded after a homemade bomb exploded while a military convoy was passing in Uludere, close to the Iraqi border, the source said.

The bombing was blamed on militants from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) with whom the Turkish military has renewed fighting since the collapse of a two-year ceasefire in July last year.

The Turkish army's hierarchy has been badly hit in the purge since the July 15 failed coup during which a rogue military faction tried to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power.

Nearly half of all generals have been imprisoned or dismissed, raising concerns about the coordination of the fight against Kurdish rebels.

More than 600 Turkish security force members have been killed by the PKK since the collapse of a ceasefire last year, according to a toll given by state-run Anadolu news agency on July 31.

The government has responded with military operations against the group, killing more than 7,000 militants in Turkey and northern Iraq, the agency said. It is not possible to independently verify the toll.

Activists claim innocent civilians have also been killed in the offensives.

Over 40,000 people have been killed since the PKK first took up arms in 1984. It is proscribed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.
Washington: Hillary Clinton on Wednesday sternly warned her Republican presidential rival Donald Trump about his "casual inciting" of violence, saying his startling remarks suggesting gun rights supporters could act against her "crossed the line."

It was the Democratic nominee`s most forceful denunciation after Trump caused a firestorm by suggesting to supporters in North Carolina on Tuesday that "Second Amendment people" -- those who support gun rights -- could take action to stop Clinton from appointing US Supreme Court justices as president.

"Yesterday we witnessed the latest in a long line of casual comments by Donald Trump that crossed the line," Clinton told a rally in Des Moines, Iowa.

"Words matter, my friends. And if you are running to be president, or you are president of the United States, words can have tremendous consequences."

Trump and his campaign had quickly sought to douse the flames, insisting the Republican flagbearer was merely urging gun rights supporters to reject her candidacy at the ballot box.

Clinton appeared to reject the Trump campaign`s defense, warning of the dangers of reckless language during a presidential race.

She slammed Trump`s "casual cruelty to a gold star family," referring to the billionaire`s clash with the parents of a Muslim American soldier who was killed in action.

"His casual suggestion that more countries should have nuclear weapons, and now his casual inciting of violence," she added.

"Every single one of these incidents shows us that Donald Trump simply does not have the temperament to be president and commander in chief of the United States."

With Team Trump seeking to dig the candidate out of a deepening hole, former New York mayor and Trump backer Rudy Giuliani insisted the uproar was triggered by "the Clinton spin machine."

But the Secret Service, tasked with protecting the president and presidential nominees, was taking Trump`s remarks seriously and has spoken with Trump`s campaign about them, CNN reported.

In an unnerving example of campaign security tensions, an animal rights activist appeared to rush the stage as Clinton spoke Wednesday, but was tackled and removed by security.

Secret Service agents jumped up to protect the candidate, then retreated after the protester was escorted out.Clinton meanwhile launched an open appeal Wednesday to independents and Republicans repulsed by Trump over his string of controversial statements.

The campaign unveiled a new website, togetherforamerica.com, that lists dozens of Republicans and independents who back Clinton, including former director of national intelligence John Negroponte and former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg.

"Regardless of party, voters are increasingly concerned that Trump`s tendency to bully, demean and degrade others sends the wrong message to our children," Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta said in announcing the effort.

Lawmakers, former national security officials and other critics expressed concern that Trump had advocated violence, possibly in jest, against Clinton or her Supreme Court nominees.

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks," Trump, 70, said Tuesday. "Although the Second Amendment people -- maybe there is, I don`t know."

Trump on Wednesday steered clear of the controversy at a Virginia rally, although he reiterated that the Second Amendment remained "under siege."

Trump has suffered what critics insist is a long string of missteps that have marred his campaign since he officially won the nomination last month, prompting several Republicans to reject his candidacy.

He has clearly roiled the party with his unorthodox remarks, with some Republicans frustrated at his apparent inability to stay on message.

A Reuters/IPSOS poll Wednesday found that 19 percent of Republican voters want the real estate tycoon to drop out of the race, while 70 percent think he should stay and 10 percent say they don`t know.

The RealClearPolitics national poll average shows Clinton leading Trump by 48 percent to 40 percent.

Fifty prominent Republican national security experts announced in an open letter this week they would not vote for Trump, saying he "lacks the character, values and experience" to be president.

Six GOP senators including Susan Collins and a number of House Republicans have disowned him too.Meanwhile, Clinton was enduring a fresh round of criticism over her emails from her time as secretary of state, which have been a thorn in her side and hurt her trustworthiness among voters.

Conservative watchdog Judicial Watch released a batch of emails that raise questions about the State Department`s relationship with the Clinton Foundation.

The Trump campaign seized on the latest emails to blast Clinton as "corrupt," with critics saying the messages showed the foundation sought improper preferential treatment from the department.
Tripoli: Libyan forces battling to oust Islamic State (IS) from Sirte said they had made major advances on Wednesday, capturing a convention centre previously used as a base by the jihadist group, as well as the city`s university and hospital.

"Our forces have complete control of the whole of the Ouagadougou (convention) complex - they even advanced some distance beyond the complex," said Rida Issa, a spokesman in the forces` media office.

If the gains are confirmed, it would mark the biggest advance the forces have made for weeks. They come 10 days after the United States began air strikes over Sirte, which fighters say have eased their advance on militants encircled in the centre of the city.

The capture of the Ouagadougou complex would also be an important symbolic victory. The large domed building is a landmark in Sirte, the hometown of late dictator Muammar Gaddafi, and was used for meetings and religious instruction by Islamic State after they took control of the city last year.

Forces aligned with Libya`s U.N.-backed government launched their campaign for Sirte in May. Their advance slowed as they approached the centre of Sirte, and the forces, led by brigades from the city of Misrata, have suffered heavy casualties from IS landmines and snipers.

Clashes have been sporadic, with heavier fighting interspersed with lulls that last for several days.

Since Aug. 1, U.S. drones and fighter jets have carried out a total of 29 strikes, targeting several IS emplacements on Monday and a gun-mounted pick-up truck on Tuesday, according to statements by U.S. Africa Command.

In Wednesday`s clashes, the government-backed forces said they had also advanced to a cluster of unfinished blocks just west of the centre of Sirte known as the "bone buildings, which had been used by Islamic State snipers.

At least three fighters from the government-backed forces were killed and 11 wounded, Issa said, adding that he expected the toll to rise.

Earlier in the day, Libyan forces said they had lost a fighter jet over Sirte. Issa said the cause of the crash and the fate of the crew could not be confirmed, but Islamic State claimed it had shot down the jet, killing a pilot, according to a statement on a website close to the group.

Libyan militants returning from combat in Syria`s civil war helped implant Islamic State in Libya in 2014, but IS has struggled to win support or hold territory as most local people regard it as a malign import dependent on foreign fighters.
Washington: Pressure from high-profile Republicans and rank-and-file voters mounted on Wednesday to reject Donald Trumps candidacy as his campaign dealt with fallout from his remark that gun rights activists could stop Hillary Clinton from nominating liberal US Supreme Court justices.

Nearly one-fifth of 396 registered Republicans in a Reuters/Ipsos August 5-8 poll released on Wednesday want Trump to drop out of the race for the White House and another 10 percent "don`t know" whether the Republican nominee should or not.

MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman from Florida, wrote an opinion piece in the Washington Post saying the party was in "uncharted waters" and called for leaders to start looking for ways to remove Trump from the ticket.

Clinton`s campaign announced an outreach effort to woo support from disenchanted Republicans for the Democratic nominee. John Negroponte, former director of national intelligence under President George W. Bush, and former Republican US Representative Chris Shays of Connecticut were among those that announced their support on Wednesday.

"Donald Trump lost me a long time ago," Shays told MSNBC in an interview. "He does and says everything my mom and dad taught me never to say and do. He doesn`t understand the basic requirements of being president of the United States. And, frankly, he`s dangerous."

Clinton`s campaign now has a website for Republicans and political independents to sign up in support of Clinton. It lists 50 prominent Republicans and independents who have endorsed her so far, including Hewlett Packard Enterprise Chief Executive Officer Meg Whitman and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Trump, a New York businessman, was seeking to reset his campaign this week with an economic policy speech after a series of missteps that included a prolonged clash with the parents of fallen Muslim American Army Captain Humayun Khan.

But Trump`s remark at a Tuesday rally that gun rights activists could prevent Clinton from placing liberal justices on the U.S. Supreme Court immediately sparked a torrent of criticism on social media that he was effectively calling for Clinton`s assassination.

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks," Trump said at the rally at the University of North Carolina. "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know," he continued. The US Constitution`s Second Amendment guarantees a right to keep and bear arms.

Clinton`s campaign called Trump`s remark "dangerous." Trump`s campaign said the comment was misinterpreted and that he was encouraging gun activists to use their political power.

"What he meant by that was you have the power to vote against her," former New York Mayor Giuliani said late on Tuesday when introducing Trump at another rally.

Trump`s comment and the resulting backlash occurred as Reuters/Ipsos polling showed already deep divisions among U.S. voters over Trump`s candidacy.

In addition to the poll showing 19 percent of registered Republicans want Trump to drop out, a separate Reuters/Ipsos tracking poll showed that some 44 percent of 1,162 registered voters believe he should exit the race.

Earlier this week, 50 Republican national security officials had signed an open letter questioning the real estate mogul`s temperament, calling him reckless and unqualified.

Other top Republicans, including Senator Susan Collins of Maine this week, have disavowed Trump but said they cannot back Clinton, either.

Trump has dismissed the defections and criticism by Republicans as an unsurprising reaction of the so-called Washington elite to his drive to change the status quo.

Even Republicans calling for Trump`s ouster from the Republican ticket acknowledge it would be difficult at this juncture to replace him ahead of the November 8 election.

Party rules would require hosting another nominating convention or having delegates vote following the same process used at a formal convention. In addition, some states require that nominee names on ballots be certified earlier than others. The deadline in Ohio is Aug. 10; Florida is September 1. Both are critical battleground states.
Moscow: Russia`s Federal Security Service said on Wednesday it had thwarted two armed Ukrainian attempts to get saboteurs into Crimea and dismantled a Ukrainian spy network inside the annexed peninsula.

The FSB accused Ukrainian special forces of planning to carry out terrorist attacks inside Crimea targeting critical infrastructure and said an FSB employee and a Russian soldier had been killed in clashes with Ukrainian forces.

"The aim of this subversive activity and terrorist acts was to destabilise the socio-political situation in the region ahead of preparations and the holding of elections," the FSB said in a statement.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 in an operation that triggered US and European Union sanctions. Ukraine says it wants the strategically important peninsula back; Moscow says the matter is settled and closed forever.

The FSB said it had tackled one group of saboteurs in an operation that spanned Saturday night and the early hours of Sunday morning and that an FSB employee had been killed while trying to detain them.

It said it had found 20 homemade explosive devices, ammunition, mines, grenades and specialised weapons it said were commonly used by Ukrainian special forces.

It said it had detained a Ukrainian spy network in the process, detaining citizens of both Ukraine and Russia.

In the early hours of Monday, it said Ukraine had attempted to infiltrate two groups of saboteurs into Crimea by force, but that the FSB and other agencies had repelled the attempts.

It said one Russian soldier had been killed in what it called a "massive firefight" when Ukrainian forces with the support of armoured vehicles had tried and failed to break into Crimea.

Security had been beefed up in areas popular with tourists, at key infrastructure, and along the border between Crimea and rump Ukraine, the FSB said.
Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday accused Ukraine of waging "terror" over alleged attempted incursions into annexed Crimea that Kiev has fiercely denied.

Russia`s security agency announced it had thwarted "terrorist attacks" in Crimea by Ukrainian military intelligence and beaten back an armed assault, claims that have ratcheted up tensions first sparked by Moscow`s 2014 annexation of the strategic Black Sea peninsula.

The FSB said in a statement that one of its officers was killed in armed clashes while arresting "terrorists" on the night of August 6-7 while a Russian soldier died in a firefight with "sabotage-terrorist" groups sent by the Ukrainian defence ministry on August 8.

"This is very alarming news. In fact, our security services prevented an incursion into the territory by a sabotage-reconnaissance group from Ukraine`s defence ministry," Putin said.

The Kremlin leader accused the authorities in Kiev of "practising terror" and pledged not to leave the deaths of the two Russian officers unanswered.

"From the Russian side there were losses -- two servicemen killed. We obviously will not let such things slide by," Putin said.

"This is a very dangerous game. We will of course do everything to assure the security of infrastructure, citizens and will take additional measures to provide security, including serious additional measures."

Moscow and Kiev have been locked in a bitter feud since the Kremlin seized Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 after Russian-backed president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted.

Ukraine`s national security council chief Oleksandr Turchynov branded the allegations as "hysterical and false" and said Moscow was trying to stoke fear in Crimea.

Ukraine`s defence ministry also dismissed the allegations as "nothing more than an attempt to justify the redeployment and aggressive actions" of Russian forces in the region.

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) monitoring the frontier between mainland Ukraine and Crimea did not report any incidents.

But it said road traffic was halted this earlier this week and border guards appeared to be on "heightened alert".

In its statement, the FSB -- which controls Russia`s border guards -- said it had "foiled terrorist attacks on the territory of Crimea prepared by the intelligence directorate of the Ukrainian defence ministry".

"The aim of the sabotage and terrorist attacks was to destabilise the social and political situation" ahead of elections in Russia and Crimea next month, it said.

The security agency said that in the August 6-7 raids, several people were detained, including a Ukrainian military intelligence officer, and a cache of explosives was discovered.

"On the night of August 8 2016 special operations forces from the Ukrainian defence ministry carried out two more attempts to make a breakthrough by sabotage-terrorist groups," it said.

The assault included "massive firing from the side of the neighbouring state and armoured vehicles" but was beaten back by the Russian authorities, the statement said.

The FSB said it had stepped up security measures around the peninsula following the alleged incidents.

Russia seized Crimea in 2014 after sending in thousands of special forces troops to take control of Ukrainian bases and holding a hastily-organised referendum that was rejected by the international community.

The move shattered ties between the two ex-Soviet neighbours and sent relations between Moscow and the West plummeting to their lowest point since the Cold War.

Since its annexation by Russia, Crimea has remained largely peaceful.

However, a separatist conflict -- that the West and Kiev blame on Moscow -- has killed some 9,500 people in two regions of Ukraine`s industrial east.

Fighting in the east between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels is still rumbling on as a peace deal to end the violence fails to make progress.

Putin said the alleged incidents in Crimea meant he would not hold a meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and mediators German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French leader Francois Hollande on the conflict at the G20 summit in China in September.

Russia is gearing up for nationwide legislative elections on September 18 and Putin has previously warned his security officials that "foreign enemies" are seeking to disrupt the vote.
Sanaa: Saudi-led coalition warplanes launched fresh air strikes against Shiite rebels across Yemen on Wednesday despite international concerns over the escalation after the suspension of peace talks.

The coalition resumed strikes days after UN-brokered peace talks in Kuwait between representatives of the government and the Iran-backed Huthi rebels ended without a breakthrough.

The coalition, which has been battling to prop up Yemen's government against the Huthis since March 2015, hit rebel positions across northern Yemen, said coalition officials and tribal sources.

That came a day after coalition jets struck targets around Yemen's rebel-held capital, Sanaa, for the first time in three months.

The United Nations said it was alarmed at the resumption of air raids.

"The secretary-general is deeply concerned about reports of increased fighting between various parties in Hajjah, Saada and Sanaa provinces including over the past few days," said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN chief Ban Ki-moon.

"The reported escalation in fighting exacerbates the already dire humanitarian and human rights situation and the suffering of the Yemeni people."

France said its Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault spoke by phone with his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir and emphasised the importance of a ceasefire to pave the way for a political solution in Yemen.

Iran, which Riyadh accuses of supporting the Huthis, denounced the international community's "inaction" while Saudi Arabia carried out what it called "atrocities" against Yemenis.

It called on the UN and countries that supply arms to Saudi Arabia to make "effective efforts to stop these attacks and... Protect civilians."

The renewed violence came as the Pentagon said it had approved the possible sale to Saudi Arabia of up to 153 tanks, hundreds of machineguns and other military gear in a deal worth USD 1.15 billion.

State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said she was "very concerned" by Tuesday's casualty reports, but did not directly comment when asked about worries that US weapons being sent to Saudi Arabia could be used against civilians.

Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted missiles fired from Yemeni territory towards two of its southern towns on today morning.
Kabul: The Taliban's deputy shadow district governor Abdul Rahman and 13 other insurgents were reportedly killed in a military operation in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province on Wednesday.

Kunduz police said 21 other insurgents were also injured.

According to the police, the operation was conducted in Imam Sahib district of the province and was supported by the Afghan air force.

It added that two security soldiers were also killed and three others injured.

No further details were provided by the police in this regard.
Hong Kong: Vietnam has discreetly fortified several of its islands in the disputed South China Sea with new mobile rocket launchers capable of striking China`s runways and military installations across the vital trade route, according to Western officials.

Diplomats and military officers told Reuters that intelligence shows Hanoi has shipped the launchers from the Vietnamese mainland into position on five bases in the Spratly islands in recent months, a move likely to raise tensions with Beijing.

The launchers have been hidden from aerial surveillance and they have yet to be armed, but could be made operational with rocket artillery rounds within two or three days, according to the three sources.

Vietnam`s Foreign Ministry said the information was "inaccurate", without elaborating.

Deputy Defence Minister, Senior Lieutenant-General Nguyen Chi Vinh, told Reuters in Singapore in June that Hanoi had no such launchers or weapons ready in the Spratlys but reserved the right to take any such measures.

"It is within our legitimate right to self-defence to move any of our weapons to any area at any time within our sovereign territory," he said.

The move is designed to counter China`s build-up on its seven reclaimed islands in the Spratlys archipelago. Vietnam`s military strategists fear the building runways, radars and other military installations on those holdings have left Vietnam`s southern and island defences increasingly vulnerable.

Military analysts say it is the most significant defensive move Vietnam has made on its holdings in the South China Sea in decades.

Hanoi wanted to have the launchers in place as it expected tensions to rise in the wake of the landmark international court ruling against China in an arbitration case brought by the Philippines, foreign envoys said.

The ruling last month, stridently rejected by Beijing, found no legal basis to China`s sweeping historic claims to much of the South China Sea.

Vietnam, China and Taiwan claim all of the Spratlys while the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei claim some of the area.

"China`s military maintains close surveillance of the situation in the sea and air space around the Spratly islands," China`s defence ministry said in a faxed statement to Reuters.

"We hope the relevant country can join with China in jointly safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea region."

The United States is also monitoring developments closely.

"We continue to call on all South China Sea claimants to avoid actions that raise tensions, take practical steps to build confidence, and intensify efforts to find peaceful, diplomatic solutions to disputes," a State Department official said.

STATE-OF-THE-ART SYSTEM

Foreign officials and military analysts believe the launchers form part of Vietnam`s state-of-art EXTRA rocket artillery system recently acquired from Israel.

EXTRA rounds are highly accurate up to a range of 150 km (93 miles), with different 150 kg (330 lb) warheads that can carry high explosives or bomblets to attack multiple targets simultaneously. Operated with targeting drones, they could strike both ships and land targets.

That puts China`s 3,000-metre runways and installations on Subi, Fiery Cross and Mischief Reef within range of many of Vietnam`s tightly clustered holdings on 21 islands and reefs.

While Vietnam has larger and longer range Russian coastal defence missiles, the EXTRA is considered highly mobile and effective against amphibious landings. It uses compact radars, so does not require a large operational footprint - also suitable for deployment on islets and reefs.

"When Vietnam acquired the EXTRA system, it was always thought that it would be deployed on the Spratlys...it is the perfect weapon for that," said Siemon Wezeman, a senior arms researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

There is no sign the launchers have been recently test fired or moved.

China took its first Spratlys possessions after a sea battle against Vietnam`s then weak navy in 1988. After the battle, Vietnam said 64 soldiers with little protection were killed as they tried to protect a flag on South Johnson reef - an incident still acutely felt in Hanoi.

In recent years, Vietnam has significantly improved its naval capabilities as part of a broader military modernisation, including buying six advanced Kilo submarines from Russia.

Carl Thayer, an expert on Vietnam`s military at the Australian Defence Force Academy, said the deployment showed the seriousness of Vietnam`s determination to militarily deter China as far as possible.

"China`s runways and military installations in the Spratlys are a direct challenge to Vietnam, particularly in their southern waters and skies, and they are showing they are prepared to respond to that threat," he said. "China is unlikely to see this as purely defensive, and it could mark a new stage of militarization of the Spratlys."

Trevor Hollingsbee, a former naval intelligence analyst with the British defence ministry, said he believed the deployment also had a political factor, partly undermining the fear created by the prospect of large Chinese bases deep in maritime Southeast Asia.

"It introduces a potential vulnerability where they was none before - it is a sudden new complication in an arena that China was dominating," he said.
Hanoi: Vietnam is working on a scheme to grant electronic visas for foreign visitors from next year, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said.

The government had allocated some 200 billion Vietnamese dong ($8.97 million) to speed up the implementation of the scheme so that the e-visa system can be launched on January 1 next year, Xinhua news agency quoted Phuc as saying on Tuesday.

The move aims to attract more tourists and boost the domestic tourism industry.

Phuc asked the ministries of finance, public security and foreign affairs to define e-visa fees and ensure that foreign tourists are warmly welcomed in the country.

The e-visas will be issued to applicants in a printer-friendly email after they fill out an online application form.

This system, it is believed, will further speed up the entire visa process, according to Kenneth Atkinson, chairman of the Tourism Working Group under the Vietnam Business Forum.

Currently, a Vietnamese tourist visa can be obtained upon arrival at the country's international airports where tourists have to wait in long queues, or through Vietnamese embassies or consulates.

Last month, in an attempt to attract more visitors, Vietnam renewed the 15-day visa waiver policy for citizens of Britain, France, Germany, Spain and Italy for another year.

By 2020, Vietnam targets to attract 10 million to 10.5 million international visitors with tourism revenue reaching $18 billion to $19 billion each year.
Farmers Business Network has raised $20 million in venture funding in a round led by food company Campbell Soups new $125 million food and agriculture investment fund Acre Venture Partners.

The round is an extension to the startups $15 million Series B in May 2015, or a Series B-2 round in the words of Charles Baron, co-founder and vice president of product for the company. Farmers Business Network will use the new funding to further expand its team, which has already increased to 90 from 56 in February of this year.

The California-based company brands itself as an independent farmer-to-farmer network cooperative, providing farmer members with data support services, agronomics, and data aggregation support. Launched in 2014, the company reports that its membership has tripled in the last year with farmers subscribing in new states like Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma.

Funding for precision agriculture startups helped to drive the top line investment numbers during the first half of this year, according to AgFunders Mid-Year 2016 AgTech Investing Report. The space captured $333 million across 58 deals involving 99 unique investors.

In February, Farmers Business Network debuted its FBN Procurements platform, offering farmers access to better pricing information for some 200 chemical products. The platform is designed to take some of the confusion and mystery out of purchasing crop inputs while cultivating more transparency and fairness in the market. After researching price disparities in the chemical inputs market, FBN concluded that farmers could pay up to 300 percent difference for the same product and even 40 percent difference within an hours drive.

One of the main hurdles for the procurement platform has been whittling down the delivery time to meet farmers needs. Now, the program offers 1-3 day delivery for in-season products, says Baron.

To further aid the companys campaign for price transparency and the democratization of information, Farmers Business Network recently launched a platform that allows farmers to upload their invoices and receipts anonymously. If Farmers Business Network receives a sufficient number of price reports, it posts the information for its network to review.

What does Farmers Business Network place such importance on price transparency and competition in inputs?

This is a very hard year for farmers, says Baron. Not only was there an excess of corn acres planted, but we may also have a bumper crop. Corn was already in a weak price environment and looking even more bearish. The University of Illinois released a series of studies showing how input prices have risen in absolute and relative bases in the last 10 years and are taking an even higher share of farmers revenue. This combination has been extremely difficult for farmers.

Despite the undisputed squeeze on farmers margins, some companies have had no qualms about letting their disapproval of FBNs procurement platform and price transparency platform.

Paul Schrimpf, the editor of CropLife publication, described it as the devil known as price transparency, in an article in February. He painted images of growers storming into retailers offices with price sheets and demanding lower input prices.

There has been a strong reaction from the industry who are very opposed to price transparencyand just in this simple form where we provide lists of prices from different states for comparison, argues Baron. Its not even the level where we are providing actual basic invoices from farmers showing what they are being quoted. Farmers have been very frustrated and fed up with this for a long time.

Acre Venture Partners (AVP) general partner Gareth Asten stands behind Farmers Business Networks mission to democratize input prices. For him, the same spirit behind the companys transparency crusade is one of the main drivers behind the $125 million fund.

Weve known FBN for a long time and wanted to invest from the get-go, Asten tells AgFunderNews. What they stand for, how they align with the interests of the farmers, how they think about price development and disrupting whats inside of the ag ecosystem today; those things align philosophically with what we think about the future of the farm system.

Acre Venture Partners takes first strides

Since closing the fund in February 2016, AVP has made eight investments including Back to the Roots, Juicero, TerraVia, and Solazyme. The other four investments remain unannounced for the time being. And while many media outlets have described AVP as Campbells venture arm, Asten eagerly notes that while the mega packaged foods maker is the funds sole limited partner, AVP stands completely independent from Campbells and has full autonomy.

Although AVP had its heart set on backing Farmers Business Network, theyve considered a few other plays in the big data and precision ag space.

There certainly is a need for continued capital and expertise in the space, but for us in particular, we like that information gives power, and power is knowledge. Farmers Business Network takes information and makes it more useful. The democratization of information is something that we think is really, really key in an environment where information has been tightly held.

Farmers Business Networks pricing model also allows farmers of any skill-level and scope to engage with the networks information and data services, he notes.

In the broader agtech market, drones, mechanical innovations like precision harvesting, and other technologies that serve up better outcomes, also interest AVP. When it comes to CPG, Asten says theyre keeping a close eye on developments in the microbiome space that may have applications to human health and nutrition.

And while there is an ever-growing bounty of new startups hitting the scene, Asten believes it will take more than just a handful of technologies to help address the major pressures on our current and future food systems.

The value in Farmers Business Network

To be successful, however, each company will need to demonstrate value.

In my experience  and I dont speak for everyone  farmers are very open to new technology and new sources of information to help them make better decisions, says Asten. The question is at the end of the day is how do you create something that is valuable for the farmer where they can identify a very discrete value-to-action orientation?

Achieving this result will, of course, require many innovators to include the farmer at the drawing board. A common mistake among many companies is creating the solution before theyve really understood the problem instead of asking farmers questions about the problems they actually face on a day-to-day basis, he says.

I think thats whats unique about FBN. One of their taglines is Created by Farmers, For Farmers, but its really true, he adds.

Farmers Business Networks growing employee roster will mostly consist of field representatives serving a variety of capacities, with an emphasis on providing direct farmer support.

They will be doing a bit of everything, explains Baron. Our field team really builds the community. They help farmers use the system, help with data, and they are now helping with the procurement program.

Its employees are stationed throughout the US, including Montana, Ohio, and Arkansas, and its planning a substantial expansion at its Sioux Falls center, which currently houses 27 employees.

This latest round of capital brings the companys total funding to $48 million and included existing investors Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byer, GV (Google Ventures), and DBL Partners.

Have news or tips? Email Media@AgFunderNews.com
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and President of Russia Vladimir Putin will hold talks on August 10 around political, trade-economic and humanitarian issues, and will also discuss international and regional issues, the Kremlins Press Service reported.

During the high level talks it is scheduled to discuss main issues of cooperation in political, trade-economic and humanitarian areas, discuss the progress of integration processes in the Eurasian territory, the Kremlins statement reads.

It is expected that opinions will be exchanged on international and regional issues.

Earlier this week Vladimir Putin visited Baku, where he had a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. When the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement was being discussed, Vladimir Putin announced that Russia will strive for Azerbaijan and Armenia to find a mutually acceptable solution.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. The Russian and German foreign ministers, Sergei Lavrov and Frank Walter Steinmeier, have discussed the settlements of conflicts in Syria and Ukraine by telephone at the German sides request, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, TASS reports.

"The ministers exchanged views on the situation in Syria and international assistance to settling the conflict in that country with a focus on resuming the inclusive dialogue between the government and the opposition within the framework of the Geneva process; as well as on ways of raising the efficiency of struggle against terrorist and extremist organizations and the solution of humanitarian tasks," the ministry said.

Lavrov and Steinmeier also discussed the Minsk-2 package of measures designed to implement the Minsk agreements for settling the Donbass crisis.

"They stressed the need to synchronize steps on the way to a political settlement of the intra-Ukrainian conflict with the solution of security issues," the ministry said.

The Russian and German foreign ministers considered separate aspects of Russian-German relations, including the schedule of forthcoming bilateral contacts.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan has signed a decree on August 10 on the dissolution of the National Security Council Staff and the repeal of the Presidential instruction NK-139 of 2008, August 25.

The Presidents also instructed the Presidential Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the National Security Council until September 1 to present the Councils Secretariats statute and structure for approval.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. At least 11 newborn babies have been killed in a fire at a hospital in Iraq's capital, Baghdad, the country's health ministry says, BBC reported.

The blaze broke out overnight inside the maternity department at the Yarmouk hospital, in the west of the city.

Nineteen women suffered burns and smoke inhalation and were transferred to another hospital for treatment.

The ministry said the fire was probably caused by an electrical fault. No other details were immediately available.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. Iranian oil exports have boosted to as high as 2.5 million barrels per day  a landmark development that could mean the country has already regained a crucial global oil market share that it had lost as a result of multiple years of sanctions, NIOC reported.





"Oil exports have increased to 2.5 million barrels per day," said Irans First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri. "The sons of the Iranian nation have been able to move again the wheels of the countrys oil production that had stopped [as a result of the sanctions] and thus regain the old [share] of the markets, Jahangiri told a meeting of education officials.

He emphasized that several oil producers  specifically the Persian Gulf states  have come across "enormous" problems as a result of the plunging prices of crude oil over the past few years.

However, Irans economic stability prevailed due to an efficient management, Jahangiri added.

In mid-January, a series of economic sanctions that had been imposed on Iran for multiple years were removed after a deal between the country and the P5+1  the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany  was implemented.

The sanctions barred foreign investments in the Iranian oil industry and also limited a low ceiling of 1 million bpd on the countrys oil exports.

Before the sanctions were lifted, Iran said it had made the necessary preparations to boost its oil production capacity to pre-sanctions levels.

Irans Petroleum Minister, Bijan Zangeneh had repeatedly emphasized that the country was determined to regain its share of the oil market that it had lost as a result of the sanctions within a short period of time.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. The European Union should end accession negotiations with Turkey completely due to President Tayyip Erdogan's "undemocratic initiatives" and his support for reintroducing the death penalty, Denmark's government party said on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

"The red line is crossed for what should be a minimum for an EU candidate country," foreign policy spokesman for the Liberal Party, Michael Aastrup Jensen, told Reuters.

"It should lead not only to a pause in the negotiations but to a downright stop, and a removal of Turkey from the list of candidate countries," he said.

The foreign ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comments.

On Sunday, Austria's foreign minister threatened to block EU negotiations with Turkey.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. Two people have been arrested for obstruction of media freedom and mass disturbances overnight July 29-30 in Sari Tagh.

The Special Investigations Service continues investigating the criminal cases on misconduct, obstruction of media freedom, excessive force and violence during overnight July 29-30 events in Sari Tagh, Yerevan.

The SIS told ARMENPRESS 20 reporters were victims of the incidents, 17 of them have already been questioned.

On August 10, two people were arrested for obstruction of media freedom (obstructing reporters from their duty) and hooliganism.

Investigation continues.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs that on August 10 the USD exchange rate was 476.25 AMD which is an increase of 0.06 drams compared to the previous day.

Armenpress reports that the Euro increased by 4.02 drams forming 532.02 drams. British pound increased by 3.74 drams forming 621.74 drams, Russian ruble dropped by 0.02 drams reaching to 7.35 drams on August 10.

The prices for precious metals are as follows: the price for silver per gram is 301.64 AMD, gold-20,533.11 AMD, and platinum-17,501.38 AMD.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. Hillary Clinton has retained most of the bounce she received after the Democratic National Convention and now enjoys a 6-point lead over Donald Trump in a two-way contest among likely voters, reports Bloomberg Politics.

The Democratic presidential nominees advantage in a new Bloomberg Politics national poll is smaller than in some surveys conducted the week after her convention, including some that sampled registered voters, a broader group. When third-party candidates are included, her lead in this poll shrinks to close to the margin of error.

The findings suggest damage has been done to one of Trumps main calling cards, his business expertise, with 61 percent of likely voters saying theyre less impressed with the Republican nominees business acumen than when the campaign started.

Clintons lead over Trump of 50 percent to 44 percent in a two-way contest is boosted by a greater consolidation of support among Democrats than Republicans have shown for their candidate. She wins 94 percent of the Democratic vote, including 93 percent of Democrats who backed Senator Bernie Sanders in the primary race, while Trump gets 87 percent of the Republican vote.

In a four-person race that includes Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson and Green Party nominee Jill Stein, Clinton leads Trump 44 percent to 40 percent.

Johnson, a former New Mexico governor, gets 9 percent, while Stein, a physician, receives 4 percent. Both scores are below the 15-percent average needed in national polls to be included in this falls presidential debates.

The survey was conducted before Trump ignited new furor on Tuesday when he suggested the Second Amendment people could stop Clinton from enacting liberal policies that would be upheld by federal judges she would nominate if elected president. The Second Amendment protects Americans right to bear arms, and some Democrats condemned Trumps remark as a death threat. Trumps campaign said he was referring to gun-rights advocates voting against Clinton.

The poll confirms Clinton emerged from the noisy campaign week that followed her convention in a stronger position than Trump. That edge could prove valuable, if she can maintain it, during a period when there are no major events on the political calendar until the first debate on Sept. 26.

The question following a convention bounce is how much of it will stick, as memory of the event and excitement fades, said pollster J. Ann Selzer, whose Iowa-based firm Selzer & Co. oversaw the survey. For Clinton, the contest is far from settled, but she is on solid ground.

Clintons voters are more positive about her candidacy than those backing Trump are about his, with 56 percent saying their alignment with her is more an act of support than to stop Trump. His fans, meanwhile, are more motivated by their disdain for her, with 56 percent saying their backing of Trump is more a vote against her than support for him.

In the two-way contest with Trump, Clinton's strongest demographic groups are non-whites (66 percent), those in the Northeast (65 percent), those under 35 years old (61 percent), the unmarried (60 percent), the college-educated (59 percent), and women (55 percent).

Trump does best among white men with no college degree (76 percent), evangelicals (59 percent), the non-college educated (52 percent), married people (50 percent), those in the South (50 percent), and men (48 percent).

Among those 65 and older, Trump beats Clinton, 50 percent to 46 percent. Independent voters, always a critical group in presidential elections, back Clinton over Trump, 48 percent to 41 percent.

Differing methodologies in this and other polls might result in differences in how that independent vote is measured. This poll has traditionally asked party affiliation by offering three options: Republican, Democrat, and independent. Some polls press independents on whether they lean toward one of the two parties, resulting in higher numbers for both parties and a lower number for independents than in this poll. This poll measured Republicans at 25 percent of the general population, Democrats at 27 percent, and independents at 42 percent.

Conducted Friday through Monday, the poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points among likely voters and 3.1 percentage points on questions that included the full sample of 1,007 U.S. adults. On subgroups, such as just Clinton or just Trump voters, the margin of error is higher.

The electoral environment documented in the survey shows a strong desire for change, even as 50 percent of adults approve of the job President Barack Obama is doing.

Nearly seven in 10 adults, 68 percent, say the country is headed in the wrong direction, with almost half of that group blaming Democrats and 22 percent pointing the finger at Republicans. Thirty percent said they arent sure who is to blame.

A solid majority of likely voters, 56 percent, say the U.S. is in a dark and dangerous place, a figure that includes 87 percent of Trump supporters. Four in 10 say the country is in a strong position for progress on the economy and national security, including two-thirds of Clinton supporters.

The poll shows a possible falloff in participation among younger voters, following the exit of Sanders from the race. Among those younger than 35, just 46 percent say theyll definitely vote in November. Thats down from 60 percent in June, and 54 percent of Clintons younger supporters say they are really voting against Trump rather than casting an affirmative vote for her.

The results indicate Trump should probably avoid statements such as the one he made during his nomination acceptance speech, when he said, I alone can fix the nations problems. More than eight in 10 likely voters say instead a leader should consult with many to accomplish major goals, while just 12 percent say they prefer a leader to formulate ideas alone and give direction on what to do and how to do it.

With pre-Election Day voting starting in some states as soon as late September, most voters are firm on whom they will cast their ballots for.

More than three-quarters of likely voters say their minds are made up and they cant be persuaded to support a different presidential candidate. Trump and Clinton supporters are equally adamant about this, at 82 percent each.

Clintons supporters are slightly more enthusiastic about her candidacy than Trumps are about his, with 62 percent saying theyre very or fairly enthused, while 55 percent of Trumps say that. Fifty-one percent of likely voters say they could never support Trump, while 44 percent say that of Clinton.

With some Republican strategists suggesting that their party should accept a likely White House loss with Trump and instead focus on keeping control of Congress, the poll shows a closer contest there. On the so-called generic ballot that asked whom likely voters support for the U.S. House in their district without any candidate names being offered by the pollster, 47 percent of likely voters picked Democrat or leaned that way, while 44 percent selected Republican or leaned that way.

Both Clinton and Trump continue to record favorability ratings that are historically low for presidential nominees, with 40 percent of adults viewing her positively and just 33 percent viewing him that way.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. Defense Minister of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan presented the newly appointed commander of the 2nd Army Corps, Colonel Davit Manukyan to the Commanders on August 9 during the ceremony held in Vardenis Cultural Center, press service of the Ministry told Armenpress.

Davit Manukyan said it is a great honor for him to take over this post and ensured the Army Corps Commanders will continue serving for the benefit of the National Army with the same devotion.

The former commander of the 2nd Army Corps, Mayor-General Poghos Poghosyan expressed gratitude to the staff and the representatives of local government bodies for the joint works and cooperation.

At the end of the ceremony Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan highly appreciated the level of preparedness of the Corps commanders and the units and expressed confidence the Corps units will continue fulfilling their military tasks completely and with joint efforts.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. Armenia expresses gratitude to Russia for its political and diplomatic efforts on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said at the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, reports RIA Novosti.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, I would like to personally express my gratitude to You for the efforts that Russia makes on the political-diplomatic settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Of course, it is very important the agreements to be implemented. We are ready for that, the Armenian President said.

Serzh Sargsyan also expressed gratitude to Putin for the meeting invitation.

During the meeting the Russian President will inform the Armenian President about the results of the meeting with the Azerbaijani President which was held on August 9.

At the meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku we, of course, could not cover the acute issue that You have mentioned, which is the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement. Of course, I will inform You the results of our talks in Baku with pleasure, the Russian President said.

President Serzh Sargsyan has paid a working visit to Russia on August 10.

During the visit the Armenian President met Russian President Vladimir Putin. It is expected to discuss political, trade-economic, humanitarian, other core issues of bilateral mutual cooperation, as well as issues related to the development of integration process in the Eurasian area during the meeting. The two Presidents will exchange views on other international and regional issues as well.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. Defense Minister of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan has visited one of the military units located in the northeastern border of Armenia on August 9.

The Defense Minister got acquainted with the social conditions, the organization of the military service of the military unit, press service of the Ministry informed Armenpress.

Seyran Ohanyan has followed the military trainings of the servicemen, and encouraged the best servicemen with symbolic gifts.

The Armenian Defense Minister also visited the military positions of the frontline, and met the servicemen and the officers while on their military duty.

The Defense Minister summarized the achievements of the Armenian Armed forces acquired during the first half of 2016 academic year. He also referred to the conclusions drawn after the April four-day war, as well as the military cooperation with the allied and partner states.

The Armenian Defense Minister also answered to journalists questions.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. Russian President Vladimir Putin has noted the high economic effect of Armenias integration with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), reports TASS.

"Armenia for us is a strategic partner in the Caucasus and we systematically build our relations of alliance along the most sensitive lines and in the international scene, the CIS space first and foremost," Putin said during narrow format negotiations with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan on August 10.

"Incidentally, I was very pleased to see that and I would like to congratulate you. Ive taken a look at last years statistics. Since Armenia joined the EAEU your GDP has grown 10%," Putin said.

He believes this is a very positive sign. Putin voiced the hope that the positive trend will be maintained.

Sargsyan said that in January-June 2016 Russian-Armenian trade was up 12% and commodity export to Russia reached a record-high. He attributed the growth to Armenias accession to the EAEU. Sargsyan said his country had no major problems in bilateral relations with Russia.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. The commanders of the volunteer squads and a number of soldiers, who have participated in the April military operations, were hosted in the Armenian Defense Ministrys administrative complex on August 10, press service of the Ministry informed Armenpress.

Welcoming the guests, Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan said in the time of danger the Armenian people are always united to face the threats.

During our modern history we have managed to create a state, army, security system and to make the Armenian army the core for security provision and for us to be united across it. The elimination of operations unleashed against the NKR in early April is evidence that the Defense Army is fulfilling its military tasks. But when the Army is being united with military friends, volunteers, it becomes stronger, more powerful and establishes a great base for forming the future security system, the Defense Minister said.

The volunteers said during the April events, as well as the days of the situation stability they had the same feelings and emotions, but they stated that there are more powerful soldiers with high spirit in the military positions. The volunteers said this fact had encouraged them a lot since todays generation is ready to defend the Motherland at any cost.

At the end of the meeting Seyran Ohanyan awarded dozens of volunteers with medals for their input on ensuring the NKR peoples security.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. On August 10 the meeting between the Presidents of Russia and Armenia was held in Moscow, Armenpress was informed by the Kremlins official website.

Armenpress presents the full talk:

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Dear Serzh Sargsyan, friends, it is a great pleasure to see you here in Moscow.

Armenia is Russias strategic partner in the Trans-Caucasus region, and we work consistently to develop our alliance in all, even the most sensitive areas, and on the international stage, in particular in the CIS region, where we work together in the CSTO and now in the Eurasian Union too.

I would like to congratulate you and say what a pleasure it is to see that over the year since Armenia joined the Eurasian Economic Union, your GDP has increased by 10 percent, as documents show. This is a very positive result, of course. I hope that this positive dynamic will continue.

We have many other bilateral matters to discuss, therefore I am very pleased to see you. Welcome!

President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan: Thank you, Vladimir Vladimirovich.

I am very pleased to see you again. We have made it a tradition to meet at this time of the year to discuss the state of our alliance and exchange views on the most topical issues on the bilateral and regional agendas, and of course, examine the state of progress on our earlier agreements.

I am pleased to see that despite the regional and global economic difficulties, our bilateral trade has increased by 12 percent over the past six months and Armenian exports to Russia are up by 90 percent and have set a historic record over this period. Of course, the opportunities the Eurasian Economic Union offers have played a big part in this. This is very good to see.

Over this time, we have carried out an intensive program of high-level visits and we have no serious problems in our bilateral relations. All issues that do come up are settled rapidly.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, I would like to express my personal gratitude for the efforts Russia makes in finding a diplomatic solution to the Nagorno Karabakh issue. It is absolutely crucial here to ensure that all agreements reached are implemented. We are ready to do this.

Thank you for that meeting, it was a pleasure.

Vladimir Putin: You know that we had to discuss this important and sensitive issue you just mentioned during my meeting with President of Azerbaijan Aliyev in Baku. We discussed the settlement in Nagorno Karabakh. It will be my pleasure, of course, to brief you on the results of my meeting in Baku.

Serzh Sargsyan: Thank you.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. During the talks between the Presidents of Russia and Armenia a great attention has been paid to the Karabakh conflict settlement taking into account the trilateral St. Petersburg summit and the meeting results with the Azerbaijani President on August 8, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the meeting with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan in Moscow on August 10.

Russia is interested in decreasing tensions in relations between our neighbors. We will continue doing all we can to help undo the Karabakh knot in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group and through direct contacts with Yerevan and Baku. We hope that Armenia and Azerbaijan will be able to settle their disagreements through compromise  without winners and losers, the Russian President said, the Kremlins official website reported.

He said the meeting with the Armenian President was held in a friendly and constructive environment.

Serzh Sargsyan told me about the recent events  I would say tragic events in Yerevan  related to the hostage situation.

I would like to emphasize and reiterate that Russia strongly condemned this action by militants right from the start. We consider unacceptable any attempts to resolve difficult domestic political issues through illegal, unconstructive actions, Putin said.

Putin said during our talks today they discussed ways of further developing the bilateral relations, including the trade and investment ties.

Russia is Armenias leading partner. We account for a quarter of the republics trade. Regrettably, in 2015 our bilateral trade fell by a little more than 11 percent. This was mostly due to unfavorable developments in the global raw materials and financial markets.

However, analysts noted positive signs in January-May of this year, notably an increase in trade. Although small, it still constitutes a trend and, as I said, we are happy about it. Now we must keep it going.

Imports of food and other agricultural products from Armenia have grown considerably, by 86 percent. Investment cooperation is going strong  Russias total investment in the Armenian economy has exceeded four billion dollars. It amounts to 40 percent of all foreign investment in Armenia.

About 1,300 Russian companies are operating in Armenia  around one third of all joint ventures with foreign capital. They are working in key sectors of the economy  gas, transport, telecommunications and finance, Putin said mentioning the names of several largest investors such as Gasprom, Rosatom, Russian Railways.

The Russian President said Armenias entry in the Eurasian Economic Union in January 2015 gave fresh impetus to bilateral contacts.

We have seen a high level of cooperation in educational, scientific and cultural exchanges. About 3,500 students study at the Russian-Armenian University and at eight affiliates of Russian universities. The first academic year has come to an end at Moscow State Universitys affiliate in Yerevan. The founding of a Russian-language grammar school in Yerevan is under consideration.

We also discussed some issues of cooperation within the CSTO now chaired by Armenia. The next CSTO summit is scheduled to take place in Yerevan in October and Russia is certainly planning to attend it, the Russian President concluded.
Argentina claims it inherited the windswept Falkland Islands from Spain when it gained independence in the 19th century

Britain's new Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday called on Argentina to discuss running more flights to the disputed Falkand Islands and lifting restrictions on oil exploration in the area.

It was May's first public overture to Argentina over the fiercely contested islands in the South Atlantic since she took over as prime minister last month.

She wrote to Argentina's President Mauricio Macri in a letter published by Argentine media. He has sought to strengthen his country's ties with Britain and other foreign powers since he took office in December.

"It is my sincere hope that, where we have differences, these can be acknowledged in an atmosphere of mutual respect and with the intention to act in a way that benefits all those concerned," May wrote.

"This includes making progress towards new air links between the Falkland Islands and third countries in the region, and the removal of restrictive hydrocarbons measures."

Currently, the only direct commercial flights connecting the islands to the outside world go via Chile with the South American airline LAN. Most of those flights are forbidden to enter Argentine airspace due to the Falklands dispute.

Under the previous 12 years of leftist government, Argentina restricted hydrocarbon exploration in the zone.

Argentine Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra said Macri has also written to May.

"We've begun discussing the possibility of establishing new flights. We've been exploring ways to do it. It still is not settled," she said in a statement.

"The United Kingdom has expressed interest in looking at the issue of the hydrocarbon law. Our legal departments are studying the matter," added Malcorra, who is a candidate for UN secretary general.

Argentina argues that it inherited the windswept islands from Spain when it gained independence in the 19th century.

But Britain says it has historically ruled them and that the islanders should have the right to self-determination.

Britain and Argentina fought a war in 1982 after Argentine forces occupied the islands.

Story continues

The conflict killed 649 Argentine soldiers, 255 British soldiers and three islanders.

Macri has maintained Argentina's claim to the islands but has softened the tone from the combative approach of his predecessor and political rival, Cristina Kirchner.

He said in July during a visit to Brussels that "our claim will never change," but hoped for dialogue with Britain on the issue.
Former Chilean President (2010-2014) Sebastian Pinera gestures during a press conference in Caracas on January 26, 2015

Chile's ex-president Sebastian Pinera on Tuesday denied accusations that he paid bribes to Argentine officials to help his former airline business.

Argentine prosecutors are investigating claims that a company run by Pinera paid a million dollars to the country's former transportation minister in 2006, according to court documents.

The payment was allegedly aimed at securing the minister's approval to launch operations in Argentina by Chilean airline LAN. Pinera was its director and main shareholder.

"This accusation is either very irresponsible or very malicious," Pinera told a news conference on Tuesday.

Pinera later served as president of Chile from 2010 to 2014.

The case was lodged against him last week, brought by plaintiffs including former LAN directors and Argentine authorities.

LAN merged last year with Brazilian carrier TAM to form LATAM, the region's biggest airline.
Visitors walk down the Main Street of Disneyland Paris on August 6, 2015 in Marne-la-Vallee, where the theme park's operator blamed "difficult" external factors like the terror attacks in Paris and Brussels for a drop in sales last quarter

The operator of Disneyland Paris said Tuesday that sales in the last quarter fell as security concerns hit tourism, following terror attacks in the French capital and Brussels.

Strike action and poor weather also led to Euro Disney posting a nine-percent drop in sales to 327 million euros ($363 million) between April and June, it said in a statement.

It blamed "difficult" external factors, including the jihadist shootings and suicide bombings in Paris that left 130 people dead in November and the Brussels attack in March that killed 32 people.

Tourism in France has taken a further battering more recently after an Algerian driver plunged his lorry into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in the city of Nice on July 14, killing 85 people.

Euro Disney's turnover for April-June was down 13 percent to 182 million euros, with visitor numbers dropping 11 percent and the average visitor spending two percent less.

The group added that operating costs had gone up due to efforts to "improve the visitor experience" as Disneyland Paris gears up for its 25th anniversary next year, as well as extra security costs following the attacks.

Real estate activities were the only cause for cheer, earning three million euros in the quarter thanks to land sales compared to a million euros a year earlier.
Tanks drive during the Northern Thunder military exercises in Hafr al-Batin, on March 10, 2016

The United States has approved the possible sale to Saudi Arabia of up to 153 tanks, hundreds of machine guns and other military gear in a deal worth $1.15 billion, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

The announcement coincided with news that Saudi-led coalition warplanes had resumed air strikes on Yemen's capital for the first time in three months, killing 14 people and shutting the airport after UN-brokered talks were suspended.

State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said she was "very concerned" by Tuesday's casualty reports, but did not directly comment when asked if the State Department worried US weapons being sent to Saudi Arabia could be used against civilians.

"We regularly talk to our partners and our allies around the world. You know, civilian casualties are obviously of grave concern to us," she said.

According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), Riyadh had requested the possible purchase of up to 133 American M1A1/A2 Abrams tanks that would be configured to Saudi needs, plus another 20 to replace damaged tanks in their fleet.

Additionally, the deal would include 153 .50-caliber machine guns, 266 7.62mm M240 machine guns, smoke grenade launchers, armored recovery vehicles and a range of other hardware.

The US State Department has approved the "possible" sale and notified Congress on Monday, the DSCA said.

Congress has 30 days to block the sale, though is unlikely to do so.

"This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a strategic regional partner which has been and continues to be a leading contributor of political stability and economic progress in the Middle East," the DSCA said in a statement.

"The addition of these tanks and recovery vehicles to the (Saudi military's) inventory will enhance Saudi Arabia's ability to support its soldiers in the field and to defend the Kingdom's borders."

- 6,400 dead -

The Pentagon announcement made no mention of the conflict in Yemen, where the Saudi-led coalition intervened in March last year after Shiite Huthi rebels and allied forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh overran Sanaa.

Story continues

Tuesday's raids included a strike on a food factory in Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa, medics said.

Factory director Abdullah al-Aqel gave a higher toll of 16 killed and 10 wounded, adding that all the victims were workers.

The Al-Aqel factory, which makes potato chips and is near a military equipment maintenance center targeted in the raids, was struck during working hours, he added.

The UN says more than 6,400 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Yemen since the coalition air campaign began last March.

The fighting has also driven 2.8 million people from their homes and left more than 80 percent of the population needing humanitarian aid.

Saudi Arabia also forms part of the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State jihadists in Syria and Iraq.

Last November, the United States approved a $1.29 billion deal to replenish the Saudi air force's arsenal, depleted by its bombing campaign in Yemen.
Cattle crowd inside a feedlot operated by JBS, the world's biggest producer of beef, on August 22, 2012 in Wiley, Colorado

Brazil's JBS, the world's biggest meat company, has said it will move its headquarters to Ireland but Irish officials reacted dismissively to the announcement on Wednesday, saying it would not bring jobs and investment.

The plans announced this month by JBS, which will reportedly see more than 30 billion euros' ($34 billion) worth of its assets being shifted to Ireland on paper, make it the latest to take advantage of Ireland's favourable corporate tax rate.

"Ireland does not encourage such transactions. Ireland does not encourage the location of brass-plate operations," an Irish finance ministry spokesman told AFP.

"We only have and want real substantive FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) -- the kind that brings real jobs and investment into Ireland," he said.

Like several multinationals drawn to low-tax Ireland, the funds for the newly-created JBS Foods International will be managed abroad -- Britain in this case.

The announcement was made by JBS to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last week.

The ministry spokesman said Ireland was working with other countries to address concerns over so-called "inversions", which allow multinationals to channel profits through low-tax jurisdictions, as it did not have the power to prevent such deals unilaterally.

"The Irish government has made clear that we would welcome any changes made by the other administrations to address inversions," he said.

Irish economist Jim Power branded the move "a total joke" that would bring further unwelcome scrutiny of Ireland?s 12.5 percent corporation tax.

"The bottom line is that this is the sort of business Ireland should be running a mile from ?- the government should be working harder to prevent deals such as this; they are bad news for Ireland.?

It is also unclear what effect the 30 billion-euro transfer will have on Ireland?s economic growth data.

When the country?s Central Statistics Office announced growth of 26.3 percent for 2015 -- skewed by inflows as a result of several corporate inversion deals -- the figure was widely ridiculed as "leprechaun economics".

Story continues

Ireland's low corporate tax rate is frequently criticised by other EU member states but the government has worked to close tax loopholes.

The country hosts the European headquarters of US tech giants including Google and Facebook.

JBS last year bought Northern Ireland-based poultry producer Moy Park for $1.5 billion.

JBS is the world's biggest beef producer.
Reuters

There is a greater chance of the U.S. Federal Reserve raising interest rates too far and tipping the economy into a recession, strategists and fund managers told the Reuters Global Markets Forum (GMF). "The biggest risk is that the Fed overdoes it since inflation tends to react quite slowly to higher rates, likely even more so this cycle given still not fully understood distortions to the economy caused by the COVID pandemic," said Nick Brooks, head of investment and economic research at ICG. While rate futures markets are still pricing in a 75-basis-point hike at the Fed's meeting next week, they now expect only a half-point increase in December and no more than a half a point further over the next two meetings.
By Ankit Ajmera (Reuters) - Online used-car startup Carvana, known for delivering vehicles through vending machines, said on Wednesday it closed a $160 million Series C funding round that brought the total raised to nearly half a billion dollars. The company said the funding was led by a U.S. institutional investor, along with existing and new investors, but declined to name them. Carvana, set up in 2013, said it would use the proceeds to support its expansion in the United States to more than 20 markets by the end of this year, up from 15 currently, and to double its inventory to more than 10,000 vehicles. The company operates automated towers holding several cars. A customer can buy a car online and can either pick it up from the "vending machine" or have it delivered. At the machine, customers are required to enter their details on a tablet, after which they get a coin. When the coin is inserted into the machine the ordered car is automatically delivered from the machine. The company did not disclose its valuation during the latest round of funding, but said its current valuation stood at a premium of more than 50 percent to the previous fundraising round. Carvana's valuation would have probably been a little higher in a better economic environment, Chief Executive Ernie Garcia said in a statement. Phoenix-based Carvana reported revenue of $140 million in 2015. The company is projecting revenue of more than $350 million in 2016. Carvana's rivals have also raised millions as the ability of online used-car startups to provide online financing and deliver cars to a buyer's home has proven to be popular. New York-based Vroom has raised $168 million so far from investors including T Rowe Price and Priceline Group Inc Chief Executive Jeffery Boyd. Vroom, also launched in 2013, reported revenue of $900 million in 2015. Another competitor, Mountain View, California-based Beepi Inc, had raised about $149 million as of the end of June, with the latest round of $70 million led by China's biggest automaker, SAIC Motor Corp. Beepi, launched in April 2014, has not revealed its revenue for 2015, but has said it increased by more than 10 times. (Corrects 12th graph to say Beepi is based in Mountain View, California not Los Altos, California) (Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)
Whether you're a venture capitalist or just a bill-paying Joe, you're probably wishing you were in Eric Martin's shoes right now.

Wal-Mart's $3.3 billion acquisition of e-commerce company Jet.com was potentially a flush exit for early employees and its familiar big-name investors like Goldman Sachs, Bain Capital and Fidelity. But it was also a probably huge windfall for 10 people who  like Pennsylvania's Eric Martin  won significant equity in the company.

Martin won 100,000 insider stock options in Jet.com last year as part of a contest aimed to get users to refer the most family and friends to the membership-based site. That means he'll likely get some sort of slice of Jet's $3.3 billion price tag, along with nine other contest winners, who each got 10,000 insider stock options.





It's a nice surprise for a family man who spent about $18,000 to refer about 8,000 customers to Jet in early 2015, surpassing more than 200,000 other contestants for the prize. Martin said he can't disclose the value of his shares, and he doesn't know how the Wal-Mart deal will pay out for him. (The terms of the deal weren't publicly disclosed.)

"Up until today, it was all just a hope and a wish and a dream," he said. "I don't think I'm some genius person that I thought Jet was going to work out. It was a gut instinct."



Martin, a devout Christian, said he hopes to live a lifestyle that "glorifies God," not money. He doesn't live like a millionaire, except for the occasional crab leg, though some reports have valued his Jet.com shares upward of $20 million.

But Jet.com has changed his life, Martin said, giving him the credibility to pursue a career in digital marketing, and inspiring a "gamefied" approach to his new start-up, Ideadash.

Story continues

Martin, a self-proclaimed addict to Bloomberg Businessweek, was inspired to sign up for Jet by a January 2015 cover story. He then referred his wife (the main Jet shopper in the household) to sign up.

Martin saw that his rank immediately shot up in the contest. After referring a few close family and friends, he was able to estimate how many referrals the top candidates had, and after talking to another contestant on Facebook, he guessed he needed at least 4,000 referrals to win the whole thing.

"I was working out one night during the contest, I was really thinking about it. I wasn't really questioning at the time whether it would worth something or not," Martin said. "I thought, 'I think I can win. Should I win? Should I do this?' I think I prayed about it a little. If it's going to me or someone else, I thought, why not do it?"

Martin used sites like Swagbucks.com and Facebook ads to get referrals, and was able to pay his way to the top 10 with about $3,000. He figured that if he could win 10,000 shares for $3,000, anything less than $300,000 would be worth it for the top spot  so he went all in until he got a call from Jet.com co-founder Marc Lore.

Since future of his Jet shares remains unclear, Martin is focused on the big picture.

"The overarching theme of my life is 'the great idea,'" Martin said. "Ideadash was born out of frustration on my part, no way to get your ideas out there in a way to get some sort of financial gain or return. ....But even if this Jet thing is worth a lot of money, way down the ladder, I don't want to live in a way where all I care about is money. I hope I never care about money."





More From CNBC


The EPS Control and Planning Segment (CAPS) continues on steady path toward system acceptance test

MCLEAN, Va.  Aug. 9, 2016  Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) successfully deployed the Enhanced Polar System (EPS) Control and Planning Segment (CAPS) hardware in December 2015 to operational sites at Clear Air Force Station (CAFS), Alaska and Schriever Air Force Base (SAFB), Colorado  paving the way for System Acceptance Testing in the spring of 2017.

The U.S. Air Force's EPS provides secure, jam-resistant satellite communications coverage to users in the North Polar region to support national objectives. CAPS is a next-generation ground system that receives telemetry and supplies configuration commands, mission planning and cryptographic planning for the two EPS polar-orbiting payloads.

Northrop Grumman deployed the CAPS operations and test equipment hardware strings (racks that enable testing) to SAFB in Colorado, which is responsible for hosting the software and tools necessary for CAPS functionality. Northrop Grumman also deployed the satellite interfacing and routing equipment to CAFS in Alaska, which is responsible for maintaining the communications interface with the EPS constellation. Completing these milestones prepares EPS CAPS for the System Acceptance Tests.

"Our EPS CAPS team continues to execute the program and deliver capability on this nationally strategic program," said Joe Ensor, vice president and general manager, space intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems division, Northrop Grumman Mission Systems. "Working closely with our customer, we are delivering innovation on an extremely complex effort to ensure mission success."

The CAPS design leverages Northrop Grumman's foundational payload control and planning proficiencies in use throughout the company from various heritage programs. These proven competencies establish a pathfinder for an affordable, scalable mission control capability for any variety of future protected satellite communications architecture options the company may pursue.

Northrop Grumman was awarded a contract in November 2012 to develop, build and deploy EPS CAPS. The Military Satellite Communications Systems (MILSATCOM) directorate at the Air Force's Space and Missile System Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is acquiring EPS and EPS CAPS.

The 18-month CAPS base contract was for segment design and risk-reduction efforts, which were successfully completed, on time, in May 2014. This current contract covers the next 48 months to complete CAPS development, deployment and initial sustainment. Primary design, development and testing are being done in Redondo Beach, California, with additional CAPS work performed in Orlando, Florida, and Needham and Marlborough, Massachusetts.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, and logistics and modernization to customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
Dublin, Aug. 10, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Hip Fractures and Replacements - Forecast for the USA 2016-2026" report to their offering.



Hip fractures are defined as a break in the upper quarter of the femur. The extent and exact location of the damage determines the resulting treatment.



Hip fractures most commonly occur in those with low bone mineral density (BMD). While hip fractures can occur at any age, they are most common in those of older age (> 65 years) due to osteoporosis - the most common cause of low BMD.



This report provides the current incidence population for Hip Fractures across the USA split by gender and 5-year age cohort. Along with the current incidence, the report also contains an overview of the risk factors for Hip Fractures, diagnosis and prognosis along with specific variations by geography and ethnicity.



Providing a value-added level of insight from the analysis team, several of the main surgical treatments and co-morbidities of Hip Fracture's have been quantified and presented alongside the overall incidence figures. These sub-populations within the main condition are also included across the 10-year forecast snapshot.



Main symptoms and co-morbidities for Hip Fractures include:



- Osteoporosis and osteopenia

- Female

- Older age



Reasons to Buy:



- Able to quantify patient populations in the USA's Hip Fracture market to target the development of future products, pricing strategies and launch plans.

- Gain further insight into the incidence of the subdivided types of Hip Fractures and identify patient segments with high potential.

- Delivery of more accurate information for clinical trials in study sizing and realistic patient recruitment for the USA.

- Provide a level of understanding on the impact from specific co-morbid conditions on Hip Fracture incident population.

- Identify sub-populations within Hip Fractures which require treatment.



Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction



2. Cause of the Disease



3. Risk Factors & Prevention



4. Diagnosis of the Disease



5. Variation by Geography/Ethnicity



6. Disease Prognosis & Clinical Course

- Hip replacements and joint repairs



7. Key Co-morbid Conditions/Features Associated with the Disease



8. Methodology for Quantification of Patient Numbers



9. Top-Line Incidence for Hip Fractures in the USA



10.Location/Type of Hip Fracture



11. Osteoporosis and Other Comorbidities of Hip Fractures



12. Joint Surgery and Replacement for Hip Fractures

- Transcervical fractures and Joint Repairs

- Pertrochanteric fractures and Joint Repairs

- Hip Replacements by ICD Admission Code



13. Utilisation of Health Care Resources for Hip Fractures and Treatment



14. Abbreviations used in the report



15. Patient-Based Offering



16. Online Pricing Data and Platforms



17. References



For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/zmg94k/hip_fractures_and






Copenhagen, 2016-08-10 10:58 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carlsberg Group has signed an agreement regarding the sale of its 59% share of Carlsberg Malawi Limited (CML, previously The Bottling and Brewing Group Limited) to Castel Group.

The registration of the transaction is pending certain regulatory and corporate approvals.

The transaction is in line with Carlsberg Groups new strategy to fully exploit and leverage its strengths while positioning itself for future growth. As part of the agreement, the Group has agreed a license agreement with CML to continue to produce and sell Carlsberg in Malawi.

Executive Vice President Asia, Graham Fewkes says: In line with Carlsberg Groups new strategy, we have evaluated all businesses in order to focus our efforts against a narrower and more precisely-defined set of priorities. We will continue to be present in Africa, and I am happy that our partners will continue to provide our great beers to the people of Malawi.
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 10, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robert Pugach, MD of Western States HIFU and physician partner of HIFU Prostate Services, LLC traveled to London to observe five focal HIFU prostate treatments with Mark Emberton, MD who is widely considered the global expert in focal HIFU ablations for prostate cancer. Dr. Pugach is the most experienced HIFU physician in the western United States and has treated over 400 patients with HIFU since 2006.



HIFU, or high intensity focused ultrasound, uses sound waves to precisely target and treat cancerous prostate tumors while sparing healthy tissue which preserves important quality of life functionality including erections and urinary continence. Unlike surgery and radiation that can lead to high rates of impotence and incontinence, HIFU offers patients similar efficacy rates with significantly reduced risk of co-morbidities.

Focal HIFU opens a new chapter for patients seeking prostate cancer treatment while avoiding the side effects of urinary incontinence or erectile dysfunction seen with older treatments like radical robotic surgery and radiation. By fusing high resolution MRI images with real time ultrasound in the operating room, we can use the remarkable precision of the Sonablate 500 HIFU device to destroy areas of cancer while leaving other areas of the prostate intact, said Pugach. Spending time with Professor Emberton was one of the most rewarding professional educational experiences in my career. Im glad to be able to offer focal HIFU to patients who travel to Western States HIFU from all areas of the United States and throughout the world.

Focal HIFU represents a breakthrough in the treatment of localized prostate cancer, similar to recent targeted treatment shifts in breast cancer care for women. Often referred to as the male lumpectomy, focal HIFU only targets the cancerous portions of the prostate and can be customized based on the diagnosis  treating half or a quarter of the prostate while leaving healthy tissue in prostate unharmed. Patients return to a normal lifestyle within days following the single, outpatient treatment.

Dr. Pugach partnered with HIFU Prostate Services, the US leader in implementing and managing HIFU practices in coordination with physicians to make HIFU available near Los Angeles. HIFU Prostate Services, which is headquartered in Charlotte, NC, has nine Sonablate HIFU systems in the country and has partnered with the leading HIFU physicians across the country.

Partnering with HIFU Prostate Services was a natural extension of my practice as I have worked with their team of HIFU veterans since I first started treating patients outside of the country over 10 years ago, said Pugach.

We are proud to work with physicians, like Dr. Pugach, who are really committed to equipping themselves with the most thorough and detailed knowledge of the Sonablate technology so that they can offer patients the best HIFU treatment possible, John McLean, chief operating officer, HIFU Prostate Services.

About HIFU Prostate Services, LLC

HIFU Prostate Services (HPS) is the first, largest, and most experienced HIFU team in the U.S. and was founded to provide men access to a less invasive treatment option for prostate cancer that has the ability to eliminate cancer and preserve patient quality of life. Our mission is to deliver the highest quality of care, support, and technology to the patient and to the urology community for the treatment of localized prostate cancer using Sonablate HIFU. The company is headquartered in Charlotte, NC and has established partnerships with physicians and urology practices throughout the country. More info: http://www.hifuprostateservices.com.

About Robert Pugach, MD

Dr. Robert Pugach is the medical director of Pacific Coast Urology Medical Center, the first urology practice centered on minimally invasive treatments of urological conditions. It continues to be at the forefront of new, innovative technologies like high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). Pugach is also active in many medical executive capacities, including his position as a member of the Board of Trustees of the California Medical Association, a member of the Medical Executive Committee of the Los Alamitos Surgery Center and an active member of the American Association of Clinical Urologists (AACU). He served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Community Hospital of Long Beach and led the effort to re-open this valuable neighborhood hospital. He was also honored as an educator with a lifetime membership in the Harvard Mens Health Forum. Lastly, Pugach received a Bachelor of Science Degree from New York University. Upon completing his medical studies at the College of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, he went to New York University-Booth Memorial Medical Center where he completed a general surgery residency. He completed his urology training at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center in New York.

About Pacific Coast Urology

Pacific Coast Urology is one of the leading practices in the United States in procedures that minimize discomfort and allow patients to achieve the same benefits as with more invasive procedures. It has pioneered minimally invasive therapies for many urological conditions and remains at the forefront of new advances. Pacific Coast Urology strives to always provide special, personalized care that puts patients at the center of what the practice does. Dr. Pugach performs HIFU at Los Alamitos Surgery Center near Los Angeles, CA. For additional information visit www.pacificcoasturology.com.
As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ
Yes, its hard to to tell when one enters the city limits

Yes, they will make the city more inviting

Maybe ... does it really matter?

No, the signs in place are fine

No, it would be a waste of taxpayer dollars

Vote

View Results
And Singapore balks on Lockheeds jets sale.

The recent drubbing in Singapore bank stocks is turning Southeast Asias biggest lenders into bargains for money managers including Aberdeen Asset Management Plc. DBS Group Holdings Ltd. lost S$3.6 billion ($2.7 billion) in market value in seven days from July 28 when its client Swiber Holdings Ltd. signaled it was in financial trouble. Read more here.

The island nations permanent secretary of defense development informed the U.S. in mid-June that it was delaying final steps toward purchasing four of the fighters by about 2022, with an option to buy eight more, according to the information presented to Pentagon officials last month as part of their regular reviews of the costliest weapons program. Read more here.

Singapore bondholders and lenders, already stung by Swiber Holdings Ltd.s woes, face mounting pain as a drop in oil leaves more companies in the industry starved for cash. Investment bank UOB Kay Hian Pte warned last week that the sector may suffer a "cascade" of defaults. Read more here.









More From Singapore Business Review


Oil prices slid Wednesday on news that US commercial crude reserves rose unexpectedly last week, sparking jitters over the global supply glut.

"US inventories saw another surprise build, adding to concerns of oversupply," noted CMC Markets analyst Jasper Lawler.

At about 1600 GMT, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for September delivery slid 83 cents to $41.94 per barrel.

Brent North crude for October lost 77 cents to $44.21 a barrel compared with Tuesday's close.

The US government's Department of Energy (DoE) reported that commercial crude stockpiles climbed 1.1 million barrels in the week to August 5.

That confounded market expectations for a drop of 1.5 million barrels, according to analysts polled by Bloomberg News.

Rising stockpiles indicate weaker demand in the world's top oil consumer, and tend to push prices lower.

The increase was however far less than the 2.1-million-barrel gain given by industry body the American Petroleum Institute (API) on Tuesday.

Oil prices have been fluctuating since entering a "bear" market last week, falling more than 20 percent and closing below $40 a barrel for the first time since April.

They rebounded after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said Monday that it would hold talks on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum in Algeria from September 26 to 28, ahead of a planned meeting due at the end of November.

The announcement was seen as a hint OPEC could take action to stabilise the crude market, amid rumours it may freeze output.

Analysts said investors remained unsure about what to expect from the OPEC meeting.

The last time OPEC met in April it could not come to an agreement about the production freeze and its members have been pumping crude at record high levels.

OPEC reiterated in its August monthly report on Wednesday that it expects the market to rebalance in 2017 as output from outside the group declines and demand rises.

This would be a vindication of OPEC'S Saudi-led strategy since 2014 of squeezing non-OPEC suppliers by keeping production at high levels despite low prices.

Story continues

OPEC forecast that global oil demand will grow to 95.4 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2017 from a projected 94.3 million bpd in 2016, thanks mainly to countries outside the OECD group of richer nations.

On the supply side, 2016 output from non-OPEC countries will decline by 790,000 bpd, a smaller drop than predicted before, the cartel said.

burs-rfj/har
Ukraine will ask the UN Security Council to hold an urgent meeting if tensions continue to rise over Russia's accusations that Kiev orchestrated a plot to attack infrastructure in Crimea, the ambassador said Wednesday. "We stand ready for any provocative developments," Ukraine's Ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko told reporters. "The convening of the Security Council is being considered," he added. "As soon as it comes to the point, we will do it immediately." Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday accused Ukraine of waging "terror" over alleged attempted incursions into Crimea, ratcheting up tensions over the annexed territory. Russia's security agency announced it had thwarted "terrorist attacks" in Crimea by Ukrainian military intelligence and beaten back an armed assault, claims Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko dismissed as "senseless and cynical." As a non-permanent member of the Security Council, Ukraine has the right to call a meeting on any matter considered to be a threat to international peace and security. Since Ukraine joined the council in January, it has held only one meeting on the crisis in the country. Yelchenko said he was ready to revive proposals for a UN peacekeeping force to be deployed to east Ukraine or for the creation of a special UN mission for Ukraine and the appointment of a special UN envoy. Those proposals have failed to gain traction at the United Nations because of objections from Russia, a veto-wielding member of the Security Council.
Pro-government forces said they captured the Islamic State group's headquarters in their main Libyan stronghold of Sirte on Wednesday, scoring a major victory in a push to oust the jihadists from the city. IS fighters remained in several parts of the city, officials said, but seizing control of their headquarters has been the key goal of the forces loyal to Libya's Government of National Accord. The taking of the headquarters followed rapid gains by pro-government forces through the city on Wednesday and after the United States last week launched air strikes on IS positions in Sirte at the GNA's request. The city's fall to IS in June last year raised deep concerns in the West, with fears the jihadists were gaining an important foothold just across the Mediterranean from Europe. "The Ouagadougou centre is in our hands," the operations centre for pro-GNA forces said, referring to the Sirte conference centre where IS had set up base. Reda Issa, a spokesman for the forces, said IS jihadists remained in three residential areas of the city and in a villa complex near the seafront. "The announcement of the liberation (of Sirte) will only be made once the entire city is liberated," he told AFP. The capture of the headquarters came after a lightning advance on Wednesday that saw pro-GNA forces seize the University of Sirte campus just south of the conference centre and the Ibn Sina Hospital to the north. - US raids hit jihadists - The operations centre said 16 pro-GNA fighters were killed in the battle for Sirte. It was unclear how many IS fighters may have been killed, but the centre said earlier that at least 20 jihadists had died in fighting for the university campus. The operations centre also said pro-GNA forces had lost contact with one of their military planes, without providing further details. The IS-linked Amaq news agency said the group's fighters had downed a warplane in Sirte, resulting in the pilot's death. Pro-GNA forces entered Sirte -- 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Tripoli -- in June, after IS seized the city amid the chaos that followed the 2011 ouster of Moamer Kadhafi. Their advance slowed as the jihadists hit back with sniper fire, suicide attacks and car bombings but on Sunday pro-government forces said the "countdown" had begun for the final assault on IS's holdout positions in the city. Washington launched its air strikes on August 1, with President Barack Obama saying it was "in America's national security interest" to help the GNA "finish the job" of ousting IS from Sirte. In a statement on Wednesday, the US Africa Command said 29 strikes had been carried out against IS positions as part of "Operation Odyssey Lightning" as of Tuesday. The pro-GNA operations centre said further US raids were carried out on Wednesday but did not say how many. The raids targeted IS positions, destroyed two armoured vehicles and stopped an explosives-laden car before it could reach loyalist forces, it said. - West backing government - The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that US commandos were working from a joint operations centre on the outskirts of Sirte, the first time they have directly supported Libyan forces in the anti-IS fight. Quoting US officials speaking on condition of anonymity, the Post said the US forces were operating alongside British troops, helping to coordinate American air strikes and providing intelligence. The Pentagon would not comment on the specifics of the Post story, but has previously acknowledged small US teams are in Libya. GNA chief Fayez al-Sarraj had told Italy's Corriere della Sera in an interview published Wednesday that his government had asked only for "air strikes which must be very precise and limited in time and geographical scope". "We do not need foreign troops on Libyan soil," Sarraj said. Western powers are backing the GNA in a bid to bring stability to Libya, which has been wracked by turmoil since Kadhafi was ousted and killed in October 2011, with rival governments vying for power and armed groups battling to control vast energy resources. As well as fears over IS, Western nations are also deeply concerned over the fate of Libya's vast oil reserves, the largest in Africa. On Wednesday six Western countries including Britain, the United States and France called for control of all oil facilities in Libya to "be transferred unconditionally and without preconditions or delay" to the GNA. The countries expressed particular concern about "reports of increasing tension" near Zueitina, one of Libya's largest coastal oil facilities.
Norwegian police said Tuesday they had found no proof of insurance fraud as they closed a new inquiry into the 1990 Scandinavian Star ferry fire which killed 159 people, and was believed to have been arson. The Scandinavian Star car and passenger ferry caught fire in April 1990 as it sailed overnight between Oslo and the Danish port of Frederikshavn, killing a third of the 482 people on board. Blame was initially placed on a Danish trucker who had previously been convicted of arson attacks and who perished in the ferry blaze, but there was not enough evidence against him. Norwegian police reopened the investigation in 2014 to examine claims that the fire was part of an insurance fraud scheme. Experts and families of the victims had noted that several fires flared up on the ferry after the trucker's death, and suggested the blazes were set as part of an insurance fraud. In February, the former head of the Danish maritime transport authority, Flemming Thue Jensen, accused two crew members of causing the blaze. After two years of additional investigations, Norwegian police said Tuesday they had found no new evidence to support an indictment or theories of sabotage and insurance fraud. The smaller fires observed after the trucker's death were likely caused by the extreme heat on the ferry, police said, citing technical experts. "In this kind of affair this complex, dating back 24 or 26 years, ... we can unfortunately not expect to have answers to all the questions," police commissioner Hans Sverre Sjovold told reporters. The group "Foundation for Arson Investigation into Scandinavian Star" has contested the inquiry's conclusions.
Singapores National Day Parade (NDP) 2016 held on Tuesday (9 August) at the National Stadium for the first time in a decade.



This years NDP marks the 51st anniversary of the Republics independence, which came on 9 August 1965. The current National Stadium was opened on 30 June 2014, replacing the former one that was on the same site.



Speaking to Yahoo Singapore, 36-year-old administrator Norjannah Zainal, who attended the parade with her husband and two children said:



I thought that this years NDP was very grand and nice. Its definitely a memory that I will always cherish Ive had many relatives participant in the marching in past NDPs and this year my cousin is actually marching together with SAF (Singapore Armed Forces).



She added: I think this will be my favourite NDP venue because it is indoors and more comfortable as there are individual seats.

Pre-school teacher Irene Tan, 29, who has attended past parades at the old National Stadium and the Marina Bay Floating Platform described this years parade as awesome because its at the new stadium.

Tan, who attended the parade with a friend, said: My favourite part of the NDP was the song Count On Me Singapore when everyone was doing the sign language together. I think its great that we are trying to be a more inclusive society, catering to people who have special needs.

Teaching assistant Dorcas Pillay, 49, was at the parade with her husband and two daughters.



She described the parade as very well-organised and always entertaining, adding that: The National stadium actually is better because we can have a few more thousand people. Thats why I managed to get the ticket, because at the floating platform its so hard to get one.

My favourite part was when we were all carrying the giant Singapore flags as we sang the National Anthem. To me its like we are working together as one, regardless of race and religion. We are all working to build a better Singapore, she said.



Over 50,000 people attended this years parade, which lasted about two-and-a-half hours.


The seventh month marks the Ghost Month in the Chinese calendar, and as Singaporeans and a multi-racial country, we are accustomed to the ritual of burning offerings. Also referred to as the Hungry Ghost Festival, the Chinese believe during this time, the souls of the dead roam the earth.



According to custom, the ghosts can get up to mischief if ignored, so all sorts of offerings are made during this period. Hence, the Taoists and Buddhists burn hell money and paper offerings, such as cars, watches and jewellery to appease their deceased family members  taking care of their material needs even in the afterlife.

But thats not all, there are also some things you should and should not do as both good and evil spirits will be roaming around.



Even if you dont believe in the supernatural, it might be wise to take heed to these beauty superstitions passed down by the older generation. Better safe than sorry, right?

1. Dont wear red clothes

As red is one of the colours known to attract ghosts, we would advise you against wearing Red during this month to avoid getting their attention.

2. Refrain from wearing black or dark nail colours

Traditionally, only the dead have nails that are black. Black nails may lead the spirits to think that you are one of them and may lead you back to hell as well.

If you really love your dark nail colours, consider adding some brighter colours to avoid making it look too dark!

3. Dont cut your hair at night

Haircut at Flamingo Hair Studio

This custom used to be more applicable in the past when electricity was absent. You can imagine that a haircut can be quite dangerous if done in the dark.

To avoid ghosts from causing any accidents, haircuts are generally discouraged once night falls.

4. Dont leave your clothes out to dry overnight

They say that ghosts will try on the clothes and infiltrate your homes when you bring the clothes in.

5. Dont keep long hair, especially if it covers your forehead.

Haircut by CLEO Hair & Make

Story continues

It is believed that a humans yang energy is focused on the forehead. If you cover your forehead with your hair, your yang will decrease and the probability that you will meet spirits will be higher.

Keep your forehead as bare as possible so the light from your forehead can shine bright and ward off the spirits.

7. Do not take pictures in the evening

Unless you want to see something spooky photobomb your selfies.

8. Avoid getting engaged or married in the 7th month

Other than the fact that 7th month is regarded to be inauspicious, it probably would be quite spooky if extra guests turned up for your wedding.

9. Avoid swimming

You may have heard of horror stories when experienced swimmers get their legs pulled by an unknown presence underwater and breaking free only at the last minute!

Even if you dont believe in ghosts, well, we think it is still better to be safe than sorry.

10. And of course, dont stay out late

Ghosts are at their strongest at night, as the yin energy from the moon increases their power.



Avoid going out late at night as they may just follow you home and disturb you while you are out!

Visit beautyundercover.sg for hair and beauty tips.


Have you noticed how annoying small business cliches seem to generate instant experts? Its as if repeating the same half true cliches that appear everywhere validates a voice.

I cant resist pointing out these three cliches below. Pointing out whats wrong with them, why they are only half true, and why they are also dangerous. So here we go.

1. Do What You Love

What business to start? Supposedly  you should just do what you love.

However, just imagine how many business failures came from people who loved, saycooking, graphic design, fashion, music, cars, travel, etc. but still failed. Doing what they loved did not make these millions of failures successful. It takes more than that.

I can guarantee you that the cliche do what you love and youll never work a day in your life was not floated by somebody running a business.

The truth is that doing what you love isnt enough at all. Doing something that people will pay for is way more important. Do not what you love, but what your customers love. Give value. Focus strategically on a realistic market and offer that market benefits that are worth enough money to cover your costs. Then you have sufficient resources to do it right, and  way more important  you execute properly.

The half truth here is that if you have everything else right, doing what you love is a significant advantage. It can help you get through long days and tough times. But youll also have to deal with sales, marketing, production, administration, and running a business.

2. Passion, Persistence, and Perseverance

Just keep trying and youll succeed is terrible business advice, and, unfortunately, way too common as well. I shudder to think how often some aging entrepreneur stands up in front of hopefuls, microphone in hand, suggesting that all it takes is sticking to it.

Thats terrible advice. Every one of those hackneyed presentations from successful entrepreneurs should be matched with equal time from some might-have-been entrepreneur who stuck with it, following the worn and tired advice, until stubbornly losing business, home, relationships and dreams.

The half truth here is that in some cases, every so often, a business that seems to be failing just needs more time, some adjustments, or a pivot. And when that happens, it can lead to a successful entrepreneur who is right, not lying, when she tells others that sticking to it was essential.

The hard part is figuring out which story youre in. There is no virtue in sticking to a plan that isnt working. And theres no success in sticking to a bad business that isnt working. And sticking to it can be equivalent to running your head into a brick wall, over and over.

3. The Cult of the Business Idea

Most of us seriously overvalue the role of the business idea, as if a good idea guarantees success (it doesnt) and a mediocre idea, or old idea, or copying somebody elses idea guarantees failure (they dont).

Apple wasnt the first personal computer manufacturer, Google wasnt the first Internet search engine, and Starbucks wasnt the first upscale coffee place. Excel wasnt the first spreadsheet. The new Mini-cooper, a new version of a cool car from the sixties, followed the Volkswagen idea of five years earlier, a new version of a cool car from the forties. And Fiat did the same thing seven years later, with a new version of the Fiat 500. Good ideas get copied all the time.

The half truth here is that mediocre ideas are worse than good ideas and bad business ideas are disastrous. The good idea is an advantage, for sure.

What really matters in all the cases above and millions of others is not the idea, but the execution. The vast majority of new businesses rest not on a new idea but a new spin, new angle, new variation, or simply doing something better. Is that new restaurant you like a new business idea, or just good execution? Most businesses displace other businesses, instead of creating something new.
If you were asked right now if yourbusiness provides excellent customer service, odds are youd probably say you do. Right?

In fact, your customer service is beyond compare. The best.

Of course, it is.

Well, its that head-in-the-sand mentality that causes the disparity  like the restaurateur who cant figure out why customers dont like his or her awesome food or the shop keeper who cant understand why no one appreciates the quirky over priced inventory that just wont sell.

In reality, statistics tell us customers are generally not as happy with the your customer service as you are.

Thats what GetFiveStars.com founder Mike Blumenthal discovered when he asked consumers and local merchants the same question:

What percentage of local merchants provide excellent customer service?

Real Life Customer Service Reviews Fell Below Expectations

The numbers say it all. On average, 61.9 percent of local merchants surveyed by Blumenthal believed they offered great customer service.

Moreover, most small business owners suggested that 75 percent of customers have excellent customer service. That means the average small business owners believes 3 out of every 4 local businesses are out there offering great customer service.

Ah, but what do the customers think? It should come as no surprise by now that customers have a somewhat different view.

Blumenthals survey of customers asked that same question answered that , on average, just 55.8 percent of local merchants are offering great customer service.

The most common response he received from consumers was 55 percent.

So customers believe just less than every other small business out there is offering less-than-excellent customer service.

The difference in perceptions is natural, Blumenthal said in a recent interview with Small Business Trends. Its called a cognitive bias. After all, what small business owner wouldnt believe he or she is offering great customer service?

But if you truly want your company to offer unparalleled service to its customers, of course , you must get beyond this natural instinct.

If you let your biases interfere, thats not a rational business behavior, Blumenthal explains.

In fact, Blumenthal adds, you wont ever know what your customers really think about your service  or anything else about your business for that matter  unless you ask them.

Its not about fishing for complaints but more about providing a forum for your customers to talk about their experiences before they actually lodge a complaint or create a negative online review.

You can also work on the operations side of your business to really improve customer service giving your customeers less to complain about.

To take care of that mean old cognitive bias, Blumenthal suggested telling yourself: Were pretty good, BUT 

See Also: 6 eCommerce Customer Service Benchmarks for Your Business

Make excellent customer service a process. Train every employee within your company to be prepared to handle any complaints.

Have a plan for addressing a low customer feedback score or negative feedback. We need to be prepared in a systematic way. Train every employee to deal with it, Blumenthal added.

This article is part of a series highlighting data collected by Blumenthal on small businesses, customer service and specifically, customer complaints and your response to them.
Admissions

Virtual College Fair Introduces Students, Parents to Admissions Counselors

CollegeWeekLive and the National Society of High School Scholars are hosting an event where students and families can live chat with admissions counselors from higher education institutions across the country.

CollegeWeekLive, a website where students and colleges connect online, is partnering with the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS), an international honor society, to host a virtual college fair. The partners are hosting the Back to School Event for students and families to live chat with admissions counselors to ask questions about admissions.

On August 25 there will be admissions counselors from more than 80 colleges and universities spread across the country. Participants have the opportunity to ask about programs, careers, scholarships and campus life to help guide them in their college selection. Additionally, there is a chance to win a $1,000 monthly scholarship that can be secured by logging in to the virtual college fair and visiting five college profile pages on the site.

Were excited to partner with NSHSS to help provide students with an edge in the college admissions process and give them the insights to find the right college match, said Sumant Mauskar, president of CollegeWeekLive, in a statement. This is also a tremendous opportunity for universities to connect with high-achieving, highly motivated students from around the United States.

Further information about the Back to School Event, including a list of participating institutions, is available on the CollegeWeekLive site.
STEM

Teachers and Boeing Engineers Create NGSS-Aligned Lessons for Grades 4-8

Airplane maker Boeing has teamed up with online community Teaching Channel to create and distribute 10 science and innovation curriculum modules that meet Next Generation Science Standards. The modules were created by teachers in grades 4-8, each of whom were teamed up with a Boeing engineer. All focus on design challenges, such as tuning blade design to optimize a wind turbine, developing a glider payload to support a mobile camera and adapting a skateboard to absorb maximum energy on impact.

Each module is intended to cover two weeks of classroom time and emphasize engineering design thinking and problem-based learning.

The teams didn't go into their work unprepared. Before the work began in 2014, both the teachers and the engineers were trained by learning scientists at the University of Washington's Institute for Science and Math Education. The institute also created a design template used by participants to support development of the curriculum to align to standards and current research on science learning and teaching.

The resulting content was tested out in the classroom by the teachers themselves in Puget Sound and Houston. In 2015 a second group of teachers taught the lessons and gave feedback for improving the modules. Science experts from Teaching Channel and other organizations were also brought in to evaluate the modules and ensure alignment with the NGSS standards.

In a recent Teaching Channel blog article describing the modules, Kate Cook Whitt, an assistant professor of education at Thomas College in Maine, described the evolution the lessons went through to better fit the science standards. For example, a module called "Soft Landing," started with a somewhat traditional egg drop challenge.

"Although the original design challenge was centered on the authentic problem of protecting an astronaut during landing, the students didn't spend much time thinking about or developing questions around this authentic problem," Cook Whitt wrote. Eventually, she noted, the curriculum underwent multiple forms of revision to better address performance expectations and support student learning.

Teaching Channel has also developed companion videos for lessons within many of the units. The purpose of those is to show teachers how to shift their instructional practices to help students gain an understanding of engineering practice and the design mindset.

The curriculum, including the videos, is available on the Teaching Channel website.
Grants

Texas Instruments Commits $5.4 Million to Power STEM

Educators and nonprofits in Texas, California and Maine will use TIs Power of STEM Education grants to provide professional development opportunities and introduce STEM programs.

The philanthropic arm of Texas Instruments (TI) is committing $5.4 million to improve public school education in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Formally known as the Power of STEM Education (POSE), the grants from the Texas Instruments Foundation will be distributed to nonprofit partners and educators in communities across the United States where TI has a major manufacturing presence. Special emphasis was given to support the primary and secondary school programs that emphasize opportunities for girls and minorities, who are underrepresented in the STEM field.

"Our focus is on collaborative strategies to improve teaching effectiveness and student success in STEM education," said Andy Smith, executive director of the TI Foundation and TI director of corporate philanthropy, in a statement. "We seek out effective partners who share our goals, make strategic investments and develop long-term relationships with educators and their organizations to support proven, successful programs that can be scaled and replicated."

A majority of the POSE grants will be distributed in North Texas:

Other endowments will be given to Teaching Trust; Lancaster, Mesquite, Plano and Richardson school districts; the University of San Antonio; the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity; and more nonprofits and educators throughout North Texas. TI and the TI Community Fund will issue close to $549,000 to fund programs that emphasize employee engagement, such as volunteering and mentoring students.

In California, grants will be distributed to several Bay Area organizations to establish partnerships and further training. Recipients include Breakthrough Silicon Valley, We Teach Science and many more.

Lastly, Maine is receiving grants to fund collaborative programs between the states two largest school districts. The South Portland School District and the Portland School District will implement a STEM academy for grades 8-10, focusing on minority and female students.

Further information about the grants can be found on the TI site.
- Al-Shabaab militants attacked a military base in Lower Shabelle, Somalia

- Somali National Army soldiers inside the base engaged the attackers in gunfight and repulsed them

- Somali government forces did not release the number of casualties on both sides only adding that one civilian was injured

Militant group al-Shabaab raided a Somali military base in Lower Shabelle, Somalia on Wednesday, August 10.

The militants engaged in a fierce gunfight with the Somali National Army (SNA) inside the base.

The SNA soldiers managed to repulse the al-Shabaab militants.

Al-Shabaab militants attacked an army base in Somalia and engaged in a fierce gunfight with the Somali soldiers.

READ ALSO: Al-Shabaab explosions cut off communication between KDF camp and Kenya

Somali government did not release the number of casualties on both sides but confirmed that one civilian was injured in the attack.

Militant group al-Shabaab raided a Somali military base in Lower Shabelle, Somalia on Wednesday, August 10.

READ ALSO: These Are The Five Kenyans Wanted For Planning Terror Attacks

The al-Shabaab terror group claims it will bring its war on Kenyan soil after they were defeated by Kenyan forces in the Operation Linda Nchi that was launched in 2011.

Operation Linda Nchi was aimed to destroy al-Shabaab and end their control of southern Somalia and the capital Mogadishu they used to launch terror activities in Kenya and Somalia.

In January 2016 al-Shabaab militants raided the KDF camp in El Adde near the Kenyan border and inflicted heavy losses.

The terror group went even far to release a propaganda video on how they managed to infiltrate the camp.

Al Shabaab claimed it killed more than 100 soldiers but Kenya has not given the exact number of casualties it suffered in the attack.

Cover photo: Radio Shabelle

Source: TUKO.co.ke
After being briefly out of the spotlight, the nuclear deal the U.S. signed with Iran is once again in the election-year glare. A new rift between the White House and Israel has been ignited, and Tehran hanged a nuclear scientist and alleged spy once, which once again brings scrutiny to Hillary Clintons use of email when she was Secretary of State.

Related: The Story of the Iran Deal Is Coming Back to Bite the Democrats

In the space of about a week, an Israeli Cabinet member has likened President Obama to an appeaser of Hitler, the administration has been awkwardly trying to explain the secret delivery of $400 million to Tehran just before it released four Americans from captivity, Donald Trump has had to walk back claims that he saw video of the plane delivering the controversial cash, and Senator Tom Cotton is blaming Hillary Clinton and her cavalier use of email for the execution of an Iranian nuclear scientist who may have worked for the CIA.

On Aug. 3, The Wall Street Journal broke the story of the U.S. shipping pallets of euros, Swiss francs and other currencies to Iran on the same day in January when the Americans were freed.

The right is calling it a ransom. The White House says the money represents the resolution of a financial dispute between the two countries that has festered since the Iranian hostage crisis.



Related: Kerry Just Confirmed the GOP's Worst Fears About the Iran Deal



The legal wrangle was before an international tribunal, and the U.S. maintains that if it hadnt cut a deal to deliver this first tranche of a $1.7 billion settlement stemming from an arms sale that was suspended after Irans Islamic revolution in 1979, Uncle Sam might have wound up shelling out billions more.

But the secrecy surrounding delivery of the money and the so-called coincidence of it being delivered on the same day the Americans were set free have made for some dubious optics.

Still, that didnt stop Obama from taking an ill-timed victory lap. At a press conference last Thursday, the president said, The country that was most opposed to the deal acknowledges this has been a game-changer.

Story continues

Related: Trump Calls Iran Deal Incompetent as Khamenei Calls for Israels Demise

The reaction from Israel was beyond harsh. In a diplomatic bombshell, its Defense Ministry issued a statement likening the deal with Iran to the 1938 Munich Pact with the Nazis that Britains prime minister, Neville Chamberlain, signed.

The Munich agreement did not prevent the Second World War and the Holocaust, precisely because their basic assumption, that Nazi Germany could be a partner to any kind of agreement, was wrong, the statement said in part.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to smooth waters, but the fury of the White House led outspoken Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman to retract his statement and apologize.

Then on Sunday, Iran announced that it had executed nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri for spying for our number one enemy the Great Satan, i.e. America.

Amiri was mentioned in the batch of Clinton emails the State Department released last year after a Freedom of Information request.

Yesterday, Trump tweeted, Many people are saying that the Iranians killed the scientist who helped the U.S. because of Hillary Clinton's hacked emails."

As the Clinton campaign tries to appear responsible and presidential, the last thing it needs is new controversies about Iran.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
* Brexit impact not major, could hit UK, M&G (Shanghai: 603899.SS - news) businesses

* May consider acquisitions in U.S (Other OTC: UBGXF - news) ., Africa

* H1 operating profit up 6 pct, beats expectations (Recasts with CEO, M&G comments on Brexit, adds M&A comment, analyst, updates shares)

By Carolyn Cohn

LONDON, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Insurer Prudential could shift more funds from its asset management business to Dublin or Luxembourg to maintain access to the European Union's single market after Britain's vote to leave the bloc, its asset management boss said on Wednesday.

Prudential (HKSE: 2378.HK - news) , like other British insurers, has experienced volatility in its share price from the uncertainty caused by the Brexit vote at the end of June. But the life insurer is concentrating its growth efforts on Asia, which contributes around a third of its operating profit.

"At the group level, the immediate impact of Brexit will not be material," chief executive Mike Wells told reporters on a conference call.

"Asia has been and will continue to be the growth engine of this group."

But Prudential said in a statement accompanying its first-half results that its UK-domiciled operations, including fund management division M&G, could be hit by Brexit.

M&G chief executive Anne Richards told reporters the company could increase the number of its funds domiciled in Dublin and Luxembourg, depending on the outcome of Brexit negotiations.

"What we are trying to do is...give ourselves options so we are in a position to react and adapt."

M&G said shortly after the Brexit vote that it was looking at expanding its operations in Dublin.

Under current rules, asset managers need an EU base to sell investment funds to continental European retail investors but it is not clear how this will work post-Brexit.

Wells said Prudential could look to buy firms in the United States and Africa, after completing a purchase in Zambia, marking its entry into a fourth African market.

Story continues

The company reported a forecast-beating six percent rise in first-half operating profit to 2.06 billion pounds ($2.69 billion) earlier on Wednesday, led by Asian growth.

Analysts had expected group operating profit of 1.88 billion pounds, according to a consensus forecast compiled by the company.

Progress in Asia helped to offset lower profit from M&G.

Operating profits in Asia rose 15 percent to 743 million pounds. M&G's operating profit fell 10 percent to 225 million pounds, and Prudential said M&G continued to experience "significant net outflows" in the first half.

Prudential's shares rose 1.5 percent to 1,412 pence by 1042 GMT, making it one of the top gainers in the FTSE 100 index . They earlier touched a 3-1/2-month high.

Barrie Cornes analyst at Panmure described the results as "excellent", reiterating his "buy" recommendation on the stock. He raised his target price for Prudential to 1610 pence a share from 1545 pence.

Prudential said it increased its interim dividend by 5 percent from a year earlier, to 12.93 pence per share. ($1 = 0.7663 pounds) (Additional reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain; editing by Keith Weir and Jane Merriman)
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union states agreed to cancel budget fines for Spain and Portugal and to set new deadlines for them to rein in their excess deficits, their representative body in Brussels said on Tuesday. The widely anticipated decision confirms proposals made by the European Commission in July to waive the sanctions, despite both countries having last year breached the EU deficit limit of 3 percent of gross domestic product. The EU Council said in a statement that Spain would have two more years, until 2018, to bring the deficit below 3 percent. Portugal would have one more year, to 2016, to reduce its deficit to 2.5 percent. The waivers, using a provision for exceptional circumstances, come against a backdrop of rising anti-EU and anti-austerity sentiment across Europe and follow a decision to grant France similar leniency when it missed deficit targets last year. Both Madrid and Lisbon must take "effective action" by Oct 15 and submit a fiscal report by that date, the Council said, confirming the recommendation made by the European Commission in July. Spain may find it difficult to adopt new measures by mid-October as it is struggling to form a government after two inconclusive national elections in December and June. After the summer break, the Commission will decide whether to freeze some EU funds to Spain and Portugal next year, a procedure within the remit of EU fiscal rules. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; editing by John Stonestreet)
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.
Ares Management is reportedly seeking to raise more than $45bn for its latest batch of funds.
Insurer Prudential could shift more funds from its asset management business to Dublin or Luxembourg to maintain access to the European Union's single market after Britain's vote to leave the bloc, its asset management boss said on Wednesday.

Prudential, like other British insurers, has experienced volatility in its share price from the uncertainty caused by the Brexit vote at the end of June. But the life insurer is concentrating its growth efforts on Asia, which contributes around a third of its operating profit.

"At the group level, the immediate impact of Brexit will not be material," chief executive Mike Wells told reporters on a conference call.

"Asia has been and will continue to be the growth engine of this group."

But Prudential said in a statement accompanying its first-half results that its UK-domiciled operations, including fund management division M&G, could be hit by Brexit.

M&G chief executive Anne Richards told reporters the company could increase the number of its funds domiciled in Dublin and Luxembourg, depending on the outcome of Brexit negotiations.

"What we are trying to do is...give ourselves options so we are in a position to react and adapt."

M&G said shortly after the Brexit vote that it was looking at expanding its operations in Dublin.

Under current rules, asset managers need an EU base to sell investment funds to continental European retail investors but it is not clear how this will work post-Brexit.

Wells said Prudential could look to buy firms in the United States and Africa, after completing a purchase in Zambia, marking its entry into a fourth African market.

The company reported a forecast-beating six percent rise in first-half operating profit to 2.06 billion pounds earlier on Wednesday, led by Asian growth.

Analysts had expected group operating profit of 1.88 billion pounds, according to a consensus forecast compiled by the company.

Progress in Asia helped to offset lower profit from M&G.

Operating profits in Asia rose 15% to 743 million pounds. M&G's operating profit fell 10% to 225 million pounds, and Prudential said M&G continued to experience "significant net outflows" in the first half.

Prudential's shares rose 1.5% to 1,412 pence by 1042 GMT, making it one of the top gainers in the FTSE 100 index . They earlier touched a 3-1/2-month high.

Barrie Cornes analyst at Panmure described the results as "excellent", reiterating his "buy" recommendation on the stock. He raised his target price for Prudential to 1610 pence a share from 1545 pence.

Prudential said it increased its interim dividend by 5% from a year earlier, to 12.93 pence per share. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie

About us
Becoming a millionaire may seem like an unobtainable dream. Ive been there and felt like it was unattainable and something that would never happen to me.

Then I started reading, studying and mimicking countless different successful millionaires.

In reality, its a lot more common than you think and completely possible if you have the right mentality to become rich. Here are 20 signs based on observations from several millionaire friends of mine, that youre destined to become successful.

1. You started making money at a young age.

One of the most common traits that the wealthy have in common is that they began earning money at young age. For example, a 12-year-old Mark Cuban sold trash bags door-to-door, Warren Buffett sold packets of gum to his neighbors when he was just 6-years-old and Richard Branson bred and sold parakeets as pets at the age of 11.
This is the eighth of a 12-part series on our blog highlighting the 12 major development issues. In case you missed it, last month we discussed women in development, which can be found here. This month we are focusing on appropriate technology.

The term appropriate technology has been around since the early 1950s and was coined to address the most effective technology to be used in developing areas, or to be socially and environmentally acceptable within industrialized nations.

Within the credit union movement, access to affordable and appropriate technology varies depending on local infrastructure, financial resources and credit union business plans. Members of Guadalupe Credit Union in rural New Mexico may not have access to internet services, making online banking impossible. Many lack even a cell signal and will drive 45 minutes to an hour to reach a financial institution of any kind. The credit union is considering a mobile branch to reach these remote communities.

As credit unions grow, they seek to become more innovative in adopting new technologies to increase efficiency and to give a better member experience. More than ever before, credit unions are seeking technology to help members manage their money with online applications and mobile devices. Will brick and mortar become a thing of the past? Will credit unions that focus heavily on technology lose what being a credit union means? Will these cease to grow?
The European Food Standards Agency (EFSA) has proposed modifications to the maximum levels of copper in feed for some animal groups.

It recommends a reduction in the maximum copper content in feed for piglets, cattle and dairy cows, and an increase in feed for goats.

The proposed levels would reduce the amount of copper released into the environment, which could potentially play a role in reducing antimicrobial resistance.

EFSAs Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) recommends that copper content in complete feed for piglets should not exceed 25 mg per kg (down from 170 mg/kg).

The maximum content of copper in complete feed for dairy cows and cattle should be reduced from 35 mg/kg of feed to 30 mg/kg, the Panel says.

For most other animal groups the currently authorised upper levels are unchanged except for goats where the Panel recommends an increase.

The recommended levels are considered sufficient to satisfy the nutritional needs for copper of these animal groups.

The EFSA estimates that the reduction of copper in feed for piglets would reduce the release of copper into the environment through manure by 20%.

In the scientific opinion, experts also suggest that reducing copper in feed could help to reduce antimicrobial resistance in pigs and in the environment.

This is because some studies indicate  as one of several hypotheses  that the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance could potentially be linked to the genetic proximity of some antibiotic and copper resistance genes.
When the firehouse catches fire

Early in his career, Coreys work on the first antiviral treatment for herpes paved the way for HIV therapies that in 1996 turned the virus from a certain death sentence to a chronic disease. But while antiretroviral drugs lower the level of HIV to undetectable levels, they are not a cure. The virus persists in a dormant state in reservoirs throughout the body. If therapy is stopped, HIV roars back.

One of the challenges of boosting the immune system to attack that HIV reservoir is that HIV attacks the immune system first. It targets a type of helper T cell involved in initiating an immune response.

HIV kills the human cells that normally control infections, said Dr. Thor Wagner of the University of Washington and Seattle Childrens Hospital, who, with Corey, is working on the defeatHIV CAR T-cell project. Its like a firehouse that catches on fire. Its a tough fire  or infection  to fight.

Still, Wagner said, its feasible to engineer T cells that can both kill HIV-infected cells and be resistant to HIV infection, adding that such CAR T cells in combination with other strategies might help achieve HIV remission.

Scientists already have proof that the immune system can cure HIV or at least drive it into long-term remission. Just as bone marrow transplantation provided the first definitive example of the human immune systems power to tame  and even cure  cancer, it did the same for the first  and so far only HIV cure, that of Timothy Ray Brown.

In 2007 and again in 2008, the Seattle-born Brown, living in Berlin, underwent two grueling bone marrow transplants to treat acute myeloid leukemia. Because he also had HIV, his German doctor sought out a stem cell donor who carried two copies of a rare gene mutation that confers natural resistance to the virus. Brown stopped taking antiretroviral drugs after the first transplant in 2007 and continues to show no signs of HIV.

Until now, attempts to duplicate Browns cure in other people with HIV who also needed a bone marrow transplant for cancer have not been successful; most of the very ill patients died either of the cancer or the transplant. But new information presented at the conference in Seattle and last month at a large AIDS conference in Durban, South Africa, offers hope that Browns cure can be repeated.

You turned my sadness to pride

A transplant, already a high-risk procedure for cancer patients, is even risker for people who also have HIV, with mortality rates approaching 60 percent, according to Dr. Annemarie Wensing, a clinical virologist at the University Medical Center in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Thats why Wensing and others, including Dr. Gero Hutter, the oncologist who cured Brown, formed a collaborative project called EpiStem to guide clinicians throughout Europe doing stem cell transplants in people with both cancer and HIV.

The project also studies the effect of bone marrow transplantation on HIV. In Durban and again in Seattle, Wensing reported on three patients who survived both the cancer and the transplant. Two now show no signs of HIV after extensive and sensitive testing and one shows just traces of the virus. Because just one patient had an HIV-resistant donor, Wensing hypothesizes that graft-vs.-host disease may have helped clear or at least reduce the HIV reservoir, much as a graft-vs.-leukemia effect is critical in achieving a cancer cure or remission.

But while the three EpiStem patients HIV may be cured or in remission, the only way to tell for sure is to take them off their antiretroviral medication, as was the case with Brown. But that has not yet been done, in part due to lessons learned about the physical and emotional effects of stopping the anti-HIV drugs.

In March 2013, as part of a carefully monitored research study at Bostons Brigham and Womens Hospital, Gary Steinkohl went off antiretroviral therapy three years after having a bone marrow transplant for cancer. His hopes of becoming only the second person in the world after Brown cured of HIV were dashed when the virus came back eight months later.
New Delhi : The Home Ministry has initiated an inquiry against an NGO run by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik for alleged violation of Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act.

The move comes a day after the Mumbai Police indicted Islamic preacher Naik for involvement in unlawful activities and possible terror links.

A standard questionnaire has been sent to Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) after preliminary inquiry found the NGO run by Naik allegedly received about Rs 15 crore during a five-year period preceding 2012.



The IRF has been asked to furnish details of its bank accounts, including the designated FCRA account, and amount of foreign contributions received and utilised by it since inception, official sources said.

The preliminary probe has found that most of IRFs foreign funds came from the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and a few other Middle-East countries.

The Home Ministry probe will cover the allegations that foreign funding to IRF was used for political activities.

It will also look into allegation that the NGOs funds were used to induce people towards converting to Islam and attract youths towards terror, the sources said.

Meanwhile, sources said, legal opinion tendered recently to the Home Ministry has favoured declaring IRF an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The grounds for such a ban may include spreading hatred among religious communities and forced conversions by members.

Though IRF will be given a month to reply to the questionnaire, which seeks to know if NGOs are following FCRA rules, sources said, adding intelligence agencies have already pointed to a major violation by IRF as it is receiving and utilising funds for religious and religion-linked purposes despite being registered under educational purpose.

Sources said once the reply is received, a Home Ministry team will inspect the IRFs accounts. A show-cause notice may be issued if the inspection confirms FCRA violations.

The Home Ministry will move for cancellation of IRFs FCRA registration if the reply to the show-cause notice fails to satisfy it.

Any organisation declared as unlawful is banned from recruiting members and faces closure of all its offices and interests across the country.

Source : Zee News
Were excited to announce that metalbulletin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com.

A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving metals market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets.

Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials.

If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details.
MINDEF Website is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance.

Updates will be posted on the MINDEF Facebook and Twitter pages during this period.

For NS-related queries, please contact NS Call Centre at 1800-3676767 (or +65 6567 6767 from overseas).

For MINDEF website-related queries, please contact digitalmedia@defence.gov.sg.

For media queries, please contact the Duty Media Relations Officer at +65 9228 6190.

We apologise for the inconvenience caused. Thank you.
Ugandan firms have not taken as much advantage of the US governments African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) to grow.

The US Ambassador to Uganda H.E Deborah Malac says this is mainly a result of the negative perception Ugandans have towards it.

She made the remarks during a press briefing at the US Embassy ahead of the 2016 AGOA forum scheduled to take place on 26th September, in Washington DC.

AGOA provides duty-free access to the US Market for eligible products giving beneficiary countries an upper hand over non AGOA countries.

Ambassador Malac says AGOA provides benefits to Ugandan companies and one of the tools to help the country achieve middle income status.

Currently, there are 37 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa benefiting from AGOA and exporting more than 6,000 items to the US duty free.

Story By Judith Atim
Civil Society Organisations have lashed out at the inspector general of police Gen. Kale Kayihura for failure to respect court summons.

This follows Gen.Kayihuras failure to appear before Makidye Magistrates Court as expected.

According to a statement from the Citizens Coalition for Electoral Democracy (CCEDU) coordinator Crispy Kaheru, Gen.Kayihuras nonappearance casts doubt on the institution of police or his willingness as a person for respects judicial processes.

Kaheru says Gen. Kayihuras failure to respect the summons is in contempt of court and to a large extent demonstrates profound contempt for rule of law in Uganda.

The Police Chief and seven of his commanders were meant to appear before the Makindye Magistrates Court this morning over charges of torture but did not show up.

The case has been adjourned to the 29th /August for court to hear and determine whether the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) should take over these proceedings.

Story By Benjamin Jumbe
The situation at Makindye Chief Magistrates Court turned violent this afternoon as supporters of the Police Chief (IGP)Gen. Kale Kayihura resorted to throwing stones at the lawyers for the complainants.

Abudallah Kiwanuka, one of the lawyers was stoned, while the lead counsel and Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago was holed up inside the magistrates chambers but was later freed after police tried to get the lawyers to safety one at a time.

The IGP and seven of his commanders were to appear before court this morning but nver showed up and no reason was given to court.

Relatedly, the three youth who filed the petition in court last month to have Gen.Kayihura and his officers summoned for alleged torture have also not appeared. The trio had initially claimed to be part of the group of opposition Forum For Democratic Change supporters who were clobbered by police officers as they celebrated the release from jail of former presidential candidate Dr. Kiiza Besigye.

Yesterday the three; Andrew Sebitosi, Rodgers Ddiba and Joseph Kaddu called a press conference held at Makerere University in which they accused some high ranking government officials of bribing them to give false testimony against Kayihura in court.

However, they were represented by a team of over ten lawyers who informed court that they had reliable information that their clients were under immense pressure and lived in intimidation from the public.

At exactly 10:00am, Chief Magistrate Richard Mafabi entered court and the case file of Uganda Vs Gen Kayihura and 7 others was read but no accused person took to the dock, despite objections by prosecution.

Instead, the magistrate overruled the prosecutions objection and allowed the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) represented by Happiness Ainebyona time to make a formal application requesting to take over proceedings of this case.

The lawyers had asked court to reject the DPPs request which had been presented in a letter dated 9th August, 2016 saying the law requires the DPP to either make an oral or formal application to court for purposes of taking over private prosecutions.

The magistrate said the constitution mandates the DPP to take over criminal prosecutions in this country.

The lawyers had also cited fears that once the DPP takes over, he will order police to investigate the alleged torture incidences yet police cannot investigate itself.

The case has been adjourned to the 29th /August for court to hear and determine whether the DPP should take over these proceedings.

Outside the court premises, Gen. Kayihuras supporters held placards and kept chanting and praising him in protest of his court appearance.

Story By
The government of South Sudan has rejected a proposal by the United States for deployment of an additional 4,000 troops by the UN Security Council to the country.

In a press statement issued on Wednesday, the government spokesman Michael Makuei, has said the proposal expected to be voted on this Friday by the Security Council is giving the UN ability to govern and seriously undermines South Sudans sovereignty.

He adds that an attempt to undermine this sovereignty may begin with South Sudan, but could end up with many African countries being turned into new colonies.

Last week IGAD said South Sudan had agreed to a regional force, but Makuei disagreed arguing that the government had not been consulted.

Deadly fighting in the capital, Juba, last month raised fears of a renewed civil war after a failed August 2015 peace deal and worsened a humanitarian crisis.

Meanwhile the Deputy executive director Uganda Media Centre Col Shaban Bantariza says Uganda will not stop hosting refugees from neighboring countries.

This comes as the country continues receiving refugees from South Sudan following renewed clashes that erupted in July.

He says the country has the best refugee policy on the continent and will continue offering a conducive environment for asylum seekers.

He however admits that government is constrained in terms of resources to meet the needs of growing numbers but quickly adds that the best way to solve the refugee crisis is addressing the cause of insecurity back in their home countries.

Story By Benjamin Jumbe
Welcome! You have come to the right place. Khmerization is a home to the Cambodian daily news, which is updated twice daily. Please take a tour and enjoy yourself. Thank you.

To contact Khmerization please send an email to:
August 10, 2016Train Ride and Tickets, 570-340-5204 Media Contact: Bill Nalevanko , 570-241-8258

Special Events Across the U.S. Will Celebrate the National Park Service 100th Anniversary in August

Scranton, Pennsylvania  The National Park Service invites visitors of all ages to join in the celebration of its 100th birthday throughout the month of August. With special events across the country, and free admission to all 412 national parks from August 25 through August 28, the NPS is encouraging everyone to #FindYourPark / #EncuentraTuParque for the centennial.

August  our birthday month  will be a nationwide celebration of national parks, and were inviting everyone to the party, said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. We like to think that we look pretty good for 100, and with so many events and activities to commemorate this milestone, we hope all Americans will join us to celebrate the breathtaking landscapes and inspiring history in our nations parks and public lands. Whether it is in a distant state or in your own community, there are hundreds of ways and places to find your park!

On Thursday, August 25, we will feature a special "Wish NPS a Happy Birthday  Create a Birthday Card" event. Visitors will create a birthday card to the NPS, which will be displayed at the park from the August 25 through the Railfest event weekend and the week following. Additionally, park visitors will receive a free NPS Arrowhead tattoo (while supplies last) on August 25 and during Railfest weekend.

Railfest 2016 Scheduled to Continue Centennial Celebration

Steamtown National Historic Site will host Railfest 2016 at the park on Saturday and Sunday, September 3 and 4 of Labor Day weekend. "Railfest is a great family-friendly event focused on our rich railroading history," said park superintendent Debbie Conway." This year's event will help commemorate two special milestones: the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service and the 30th anniversary of the creation of Steamtown NHS. The return of our Baldwin #26 steam locomotive to operating service this year will certainly be a focal point for Railfest 2016, and help make this Centennial and anniversary year special." The NPS site works with numerous partners to present this annual end-of-summer event, which is a celebration of railroading that features visiting railroad equipment displays  this year including a display featuring New Hampshire's Mt. Washington Cog Railway's "Peppersass" cog locomotive which is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2016  special shop demonstrations and, of course, train rides on both days of the event. Special event hours are 9:00 a.m.  6:00 p.m. each day. The park entrance fee is $7 daily for all, ages 16 and older; children age 15 and younger are admitted with an accompanying adult at no charge. Passenger excursions to Moscow, Pa. are scheduled on each event day. Each trip will operate with historic diesel locomotives, depart the Steamtown Boarding Platform at 12:30 p.m., and has a planned return to Scranton at approximately 3:00 p.m. Excursion fares are $24 for adults 16 to 61, $22 for seniors 62 and older, and $17 for children ages 6-15, and include the park's daily entrance fee. Children 5 and younger accompanied by an adult require a "no-charge" ticket. More schedule information on the event is available at www.nps.gov/stea/planyourvisit/railfest.htm.

A sampling of additional events is available on the National Park Service website, and many more can be found at FindYourPark.com and EncuentraTuParque.com.

Entrance Fees Waived for the NPS Birthday through the Weekend

Park entrance fees will be waived nationwide from August 25 through August 28 to encourage everyone to celebrate the NPS 100th birthday. Usually, 127 of the 412 national parks charge entrance fees that range from $3 to $30. The entrance fee waiver does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.

To continue the national park adventure beyond these entrance fee free days, the $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass allows unlimited entrance to more than 2,000 sites, including all national parks, throughout the year. There are also a variety of free or discounted passes available for senior citizens, current military members, fourth grade students, and disabled citizens.

Find Your Park to Celebrate the Centennial

On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act that created the National Park Service "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for future generations."

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of that moment and to look ahead to the next 100 years, in early 2015 the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation launched the Find Your Park / Encuentra Tu Parque movement. Inspiring people from all backgrounds to celebrate and support America's national parks and community-based programs, #FindYourPark / #EncuentraTuParque invites people to discover and share their own unique connections to our nation's natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history.

Located in downtown Scranton, Pa., Steamtown NHS is open daily from 9:00 a.m.  5:00 p.m; special event hours on September 3 and 4 are 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. From I-81 follow exit 185 (Central Scranton Expressway); then, follow the brown and white signs to the park entrance at Lackawanna and Cliff Avenues (GPS: N 41.41, W 75.67). General park information is available by phoning (570) 340-5200 during regular business hours, or by visiting the park website anytime at www.nps.gov/stea.

www.nps.gov/stea

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 412 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook , Twitter , and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice. Find YOUR park at FindYourPark.com!
Fence Crafters, Inc., South Florida's leader in residential and commercial fence sales, design, installation, manufacturing, maintenance and repair, has landed the exclusive Palm Beach County rights to sell Ply Gem Fence and Railing products.

By: Fence Crafters, Inc.

Full Service Fence Co. in Riviera Beach, Florida

Contact

Lou Yodice

Fence Crafters, Inc.

***@fencecraftersinc.com Lou YodiceFence Crafters, Inc.

End

-- Ply Gem vinyl fencing is the industry standard because it's exceptionally durable, highly attractive, low in maintenance, comes in a full range of styles, and is manufactured by Ply Gem Fence and Railing, the widely recognized 70-year-old pioneer of building products. Ply Gem vinyl fencing products are also building-code rated and backed by the best limited lifetime warranty in the business, yet are competitively priced compared to lesser-quality generic brands. And Fence Crafters, Inc. in Riviera Beach is now the only fence company in Palm Beach County where you can get Ply Gem vinyl fence products."This is quite a coup for Fence Crafters, Inc.," says Lou Yodice, president of the more than 25-year-old family-owned and operated company. "Residential and commercial vinyl fencing comprises a great deal of our business, and landing Ply Gem only bolsters our leading position in the South Florida market. We're honored to add this industry mainstay to our long list of fencing-related products and services."Ply Gem vinyl fencing products can be installed for a variety of residential and commercial applications and are available in a broad array of designs including: Privacy fences in semi-private designs, solid and solid with accents. Picket fences with closed pickets, scalloped, straight or in specialty designs. Ranch rail fences in both standard and specialty designs.Fence Crafters, Inc., is located in Riviera Beach, Florida, with residential and commercial customers from Broward County to the Treasure Coast. Services include design, manufacturing, installation and repair of all types of residential, commercial and industrial vinyl fencing, wood fencing, aluminum, steel, PVC, composite, chain link and more for privacy, security, decoration, boundary and containment. More at http://www.fencecraftersinc.com/ plygem-vinyl- fencing
Self-guided tour takes visitors to galleries, cafes, and inspires with art of all kinds

By: Newburyport ArtWalk

Contact

Julie Cook

***@cookbowe.com Julie Cook

End

-- Explore Newburyport's thriving art community through special exhibits, artist discussions, painting class demonstrations and more during the third ArtWalk of 2016 on Saturday, August 20 from 11-6 p.m. Enjoy a leisurely self-guided tour that winds through Newburyport's historic downtown to more than 20 galleries and partner sites that are celebrating the beauty and culture of the North Shore.The public is invited to take part in ArtWalk's free events, browse a variety of artwork in traditional and contemporary styles, shop, dine, and soak in all that the Cultural District has to offer. Throughout the year, there are also spontaneous individual gallery and group pop-up events.A free brochure/map of all venues is available at participating galleries, the Newburyport Chamber of Commerce, the passageway between State and Inn Street and at ArtWalk Partners' locations.Among the special activities planned for August's ArtWalk are:* Connor Summers Gallery: Connor Summers Gallery is pleased to have new still lifes and pastels by Janice Eaton Updike. The public is invited to meet artist from 3-6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20. Additionally, the gallery will be showing work by Michael Updike, Gordon Pryzbyla, Margaret Bernier, Marcia Hermann and Cathy Connor. 48 Market Street, Newburyport* Indigo Artist Studio/Alan Bull Studio: "" will be featured at Indigo Artist Studio on August 20. Indigo introduces the monumental woodcuts of Maine artist, printmaker, Keith Rendall. For most of his career, Rendall has created large-scale prints, woodcuts and etchings of creatures found among the waterways of Maine. Using beautiful Japanese papers and framed with his own hand-carved frames, these unique prints are not to be missed. Mary Arthur Pollak's new carborundum prints, influenced by the plants and patterns of the tidal waters, exemplify spring and summer in Maine. In addition, Newburyport artist, teacher and illustrator, Alan Bull will show his latest large paintings and his popular 2017 truck painting calendars will be available to order. Refreshments and great art from 11-6pm. 53 Middle St., Newburyport.* Valerie's Gallery: Meet two of our artists, Maggie Bokor and Colleen Kidder, at the August ArtWalk. Maggie Bokor, an artist from South Portland, ME, who creates elegant sterling silver jewelry, will be here from 1-5 p.m. Ipswich oil painter Colleen Kidder will be on hand from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Stop by to meet these talented artisans. 26 State Street, Newburyport* 36 Liberty Street Studios: Take in the dreamlike paintings with collage elements of artist E. Tobin Eckian on the first floor. Guest artist Sam Kimball will also showcase his paintings at 36 Liberty St. Upstairs on the second floor of this shared studio space is Portrait and Fine Art Photography by Kiki Larouge. 36 Liberty Street, Newburyport* Firehouse Center for the Arts: "," an exhibit of photographs by Robert Chiller and members of the Chiller Photo Project, is on view at the Institution for Savings Art Gallery at the Firehouse until September 11, 2016. The show represents a diverse group of photographers whose areas of specialty include architecture, abstract imagery, still life, landscape, portrait, and event photography. Market Square, Newburyport* Newburyport Art Association:On Saturday, Aug. 20 from 1-4 p.m., artist Steven Lush will be leading a demonstration and class on "." All are welcome to watch or sign up to participate (Members $15, Non-members $20).Lush, whose painting style is "painterly" in that he adds detail in the process, works in watercolor, oil, gouache and occasionally pastels. 65 Water Street, Newburyport* Sweethaven Gallery: J. Ann Eldridge's intaglio prints & drawings will be on display at Sweethaven Gallery in "" through Sept. 18.Ann is a state-juried member of the League of NH Craftspeople. Her work can be found in galleries around New England and she participates in a number of juried retail shows. Sweethaven will host an opening reception with light refreshments served from 12-6 p.m on Aug. 20. 25L Inn Street, Newburyport* Spirit of Newburyport:John William Brown has a gift for capturing the Port City's natural beauty. For the August ArtWalk, he is featuring his Newburyport Harbor with Mural Series of digital images from 2016. 32 Water Street, Newburyport* Paula Estey Gallery (PEG): "," an exhibition featuring contemporary art by painter Jennifer Jean Costello with PEG artists Miranda Updike, Kate Sullivan, Jessica Hachmeister, David Stone, Regina Valluzzi, Pat Forbes and Joanne Tarlin, has been extended for ArtWalk. 3 Harris Street, NewburyportAbout ArtWalkThe 2016 Newburyport ArtWalk events are held on four Saturdays this year. They are free and open to the public. A collaborative of galleries offer special exhibitions, artist demos, lectures, tours, and visual art, all within easy walking distance. Local restaurants, cafes and coffee shops also display original art on a rotating basis. ArtWalk 2016 participants include: 36 Liberty St. Studios, Alan Bull Paintings, Connor Summers Gallery, Firehouse Center for the Arts, Indigo Artist Studio, Newburyport Art Association, Paula Estey Gallery, Sisters We Three, Somerby's Landing Sculpture Park, Spirit of Newburyport, Studio 5, Sweethaven Gallery, Valerie's Gallery, and The Walsingham Gallery. ArtWalk partner businesses include: 17 State Street Cafe, Atomic Cafe Coffee Roasters, Commune Cafe (formerly Caffe di Siena), Plum Island Coffee Roasters, Chococoa Baking Company & Cafe, the Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce, Middle Street Foods, and The Tannery Marketplace. Follow along on http://www.facebook.com/ NewburyportArtWalk to stay informed of the latest activities.
Aviation expert brings leadership and technical skills to newly created national position

By: HNTB Corporation

End

-- Loy Warren, PE, rejoined HNTB Corporation as a senior vice president in the new position of national airfield engineering leader. He is a nationally-recognized expert who brings nearly 35 years of aviation leadership to the firm. He previously worked at HNTB from 1991 to 2003.He is based in Plano, Texas, but his national role will take him across the country."We are pleased to welcome Loy back to HNTB," said Doug Mann, FASLA, HNTB corporate development president. "Loy's prior experience, outstanding technical expertise and extensive client relationships will bring great value to our clients as they deliver complex aviation terminal, airfield, and freight infrastructure programs."Warren's areas of specialty include all aspects of airport development, such as planning, sustainability and environmental mitigation, program management, design and construction for terminal, airfield and landside development. He served as the principal services lead on numerous complex airport programs across the country, including Denver International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Dulles International Airport. He was a program leader in the TSA Baggage Screening and Security Mobilization Program after 9/11."Loy is a tremendous addition to HNTB's aviation team. His insights and practical experience will be of great value to the firm and our aviation clients," said Laddie Irion, HNTB national aviation market sector leader and senior vice president.Prior to re-joining HNTB, Warren served two other consulting firms as a leader for national airport practices. His responsibilities included business and technical management of multiple airport contracts simultaneously, while recruiting and leading a high-performing team of airport development professionals. His role as project executive on large development programs has included advisory services to airport executive management on risk mitigation, quality, financial management, environmental permitting, phasing and FAA integration.He holds a Bachelor of Science, civil engineering from the University of Missouri. He is a registered professional engineer in Texas, Michigan, California, Colorado and Arkansas.Warren frequently serves on industry panels and delivers papers/presentations for airport organizations such as American Association of Airport Executives, Airports Council International and Airport Consultants Council. He served on the World Business Partners Board and Steering Group; Technical and Operations Committee for ACI-NA. For, ACC, he served as panel member to write FAA's guidance for non-federal navaids and the 2005 and 2015 updates to FAA AC 150/5100-14D on airport procurement and contracting for architecture/engineering services. He also has actively served the American Society of Civil Engineers on airport standards and development issues throughout his career.Currently, HNTB is working on some of the most high-profile aviation programs in the country, including on-call Capital Improvements Project at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport; South Terminal C, Phase 1, at Orlando International Airport; Terminal Redevelopment Program Denver International Airport; and terminal planning for the new Mickey Leland International Terminal at Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport.HNTB Corporation is an employee-owned infrastructure firm serving public and private owners and contractors. With more than a century of service in the United States, HNTB understands the life cycle of infrastructure and addresses clients' most complex technical, financial and operational challenges. Professionals nationwide deliver a full range of infrastructure-related services, including award-winning planning, design, program management and construction management. For more information, visit http://www.hntb.com
Focus on Exchange Programs, Research Collaboration, & International Student Transfer

By: Saint Monica University

Contact

JJ Asongu

***@smuedu.org JJ Asongu

End

-- Saint Monica University (SMU): The American International University in Cameroon today announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the US-based Morgan State University (MSU) in Baltimore, State of Maryland. The MOU, which was signed today at the MSU campus by presidents of both universities, will lead to the exchange of students and faculty, the transfer of students to complete their degrees at the other university, as well as collaboration in research."As an American-style university, we are excited to partner with a reputable US-based institution such as Morgan State University,"said Prof. Januarius Jingwa (JJ) Asongu, President and Chief Executive Officer of SMU. "As a younger university, SMU has much to benefit from and contribute to this relationship. It's really a win-win for both institutions and ultimately our students. Our students are particularly attracted by the possibility of having first-hand experience of an American university through exchange programs and the ability for them to complete their degrees in the United States."The MOU focuses on joint educational and research activities; exchange of teaching and research personnel; interchange of ideas and practices, including joint research cooperation and curriculum development;exchange of academic materials and other information, subject to any applicable and/or desired non-disclosure agreements; exchange of students for study and research; ability of students to transfer between universities, pending transcript evaluation; exchange of faculty members for research, lectures, and discussions;collaboration in education, research and community outreach projects; establishment of joint programs, including research and community outreach programs; and any other areas of co-operation to be mutually agreed upon by both parties.Both institutions have agreed to make every reasonable effort to encourage direct contact, educational, and research cooperation between their constituents, including students, faculty members, departments, and research centers/institutes, and will endeavor to cooperate in the fields, with which both institutions are concerned.Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified Doctoral Research Institution offering more than 70 academic programs leading to bachelor's degrees as well as programs at the master's and doctoral levels. As Maryland's Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. More information about the university is available at http://www.morgan.edu Saint Monica University (SMU) is a leading private university in Cameroon. It is an American-style non-ecclesiastical Catholic institution, offering career-focused programs that are at the intersection of the liberal arts, science and technology. It is dedicated to providing educational opportunities for the intellectual, social, entrepreneurial and professional development of a diverse student population. SMU is focused on the student experience and helping our students achieve their educational and career goals, and contributing to a more sustainable society. We offer various certificates and diplomas as well as bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees through the School of Arts, Education, & Humanities (SAEH); School of Business & Public Policy (SBPP); School of Health & Human Services (SHHS); and School of Science, Engineering & Technology (SSET). SMU is accredited in the United Kingdom by the Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges, and Universities (ASIC) with Accreditation No: AS22357/0614 and is listed on the UK Register of Learning Providers (UKRLP) with the UK Provider Reference Number (UKPRN): 10048183. SMU is also fully accredited in Cameroon by the National Commission on Private Higher Education at the Ministry of Higher Education (MINESUP) with the Ordinance of Creation No: E14/0028/MINESUP/SG/DDES and the Ministerial Letter No: 15-09643/L/MINESUP/SG/DDES/ESUP/SDA/MM authorizing SMU to offer over 60 undergraduate and graduate diploma and degree programs. SMU is a member of many international academic organizations including the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), Global Universities In Distance Education (GUIDE), and the Talloires Network. For more information about SMU, visit our website: http://www.smuedu.org or write to us at admissions@smuedu.org.
By: Coronation

Media Contact

Coronation

clientservice@ coronation.co.za Coronation

End

-- By Martha ChaukeDeveloping countries like South Africa need FDI (Foreign direct investment). They are investments in a business by an investor from another country for which the foreign investor has control over the company purchased. The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) defines control as owning 10% or more of the business. Increased FDI in developing countries contributes to the country's economic development because of external capital and increased revenue. This helps developing countries create employment opportunities for its citizens and invest in local skills development and new local industries.The developing government is able to use the capital infusion and tax revenue generated from FDI for economic growth by improving the physical and economic infrastructure of the country. These include building roads, educational institutions, developing transport and communication systems and also subsidising the creation of domestic industries. The result is making it possible for all citizens to benefit from the FDI. Besides from the monetary aspect; FDI affords developing countries a learning experience which in turn leads to additional growth paths.South Africa is currently losing Barclays bank, which owns Absa bank; as an investor. Major newspapers are reporting that the country's wealthiest individuals are taking their money out of the country because they are weary of the country's economic future. To top things up, according to the latest World Investment Report 2016 ( http://unctad.org/ en/PublicationsLibrary/ wir2016_en.pdf ) FDI into South Africa is sitting at $1.8 billion, the lowest in 10 years, owing to factors such as lacklustre economic performance, lowercommodity prices and higher electricity costs.Policy uncertainty by the government has a major part to play in the economic misfortune and lack of foreign investment confidence from Western industrialised countries which happen to be the country's major source of FDI. South African households are extremely indebted while the government is short of funding both resulting in limited investment and domestic consumer growth. The future will only start looking brighter for South Africans once the country improves on domestic investments in the form of foreign direct investment.According to risk analysts, South Africa has risk factors which prevent it from being a lucrative investment market which include the prevalence of white-collar crime and corruption and the increasingly inevitable outcome that South African bonds will be downgraded to "junk" status. Not to mention that South Africa is Africa's most targeted region for cybercrime. Risk analysts also conclude that South Africa is still a good place to do business. There is plenty of slow and steady money to be made in the country. South Africa's fundamentals are not as bad as they seem. If you are confident South Africa is worthy of your investment, click HERE ( http://www.coronation.com/ global/ ) for investment insights.
Rishabh, 21, a resident of Janakpuri in Delhi was returning home from a party in his fathers Honda City. Travelling at 100 kmph, Rishabh who was drunk at the time hit 3 different persons at different locations, across a 1.5 km stretch after which he stopped and was arrested.

Rishabh was involved in multiple hit and run cases on Monday. Eyewitnesses noted that he first hit 40-year-old Kameshwar Prasad, a government employee who was taking his morning walk.

The Honda City rammed into him with such speed that he was thrown ahead for several meters. Rishabh did not stop there; he sped ahead and then hit another 40-year-old named Santosh who was out cleaning cars in a residential area. Rishabh sped away once again to go onto the wrong side of the road and rammed into 67-year-old Ashwani Anand, a property dealer also out for his morning walk.

It was after a chase that the police patrolling team managed to intercept the speeding Honda City. Delhi Police claims that Rishabh was in such a drunken state that he could not even stand straight. Liquor bottles were found inside the car while the vehicle is registered in the name of Rishabhs father which has now been seized.

CCTV footage from the area show the Honda City ram into Anand. While Anand could see the car speeding towards him he tried to escape impact by running towards a pavement. However, the car hit him but did not stop and sped ahead. Santosh who is critically injured is not in any position to give his statement.

Rishabh, a student of business administration at a Delhi college has been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder besides other charges of drunk driving under IPC and Motor Vehicle Act.

Janakpuri hit-and-run: Happened in front of my eyes, says Delhi Police constable https://t.co/94FGg2FnFn pic.twitter.com/sje3ESn8gY  The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) June 14, 2016

This incident comes a few weeks after a teenager driving Mercedes E-Class killed a person crossing the road in Delhi.
New-generation Honda Jazz has completed its first year in India. Offered in a choice of petrol and diesel engine options, new Jazz is one of the most successful offerings from Honda Car India. In its first year, Honda sold 47,335 units of Jazz (almost 12,000 units of which were CVT variants) in India.

Apart from being a best-seller, Jazz also enjoys a special place in the heart of its makers and fans. To celebrate this special car, Honda Car India organized a special drive from Jaipur to Samode.

The day started with us reaching Jaipur (hardly 200 kms from Tapukara, where the Jazz is manufactured). By noon, everyone who was part of this drive, had congregated at a hotel in Jaipur. Post lunch, we were given a brief description about the day ahead.

Soon the fleet of five Honda Jazz were flagged off from Jaipur. Our task for Day 1 was to reach Samode Palace, which was about 60 kms from the start point. To make our drive more interesting, Honda officials had arranged some exciting activities enroute.

An empty plot land, just outside the walls of Samode Palace, was our first pit stop. Here, we were split into five teams and given three tasks which were to be performed as a team.

The first task at hand was to utilize the versatile storage space of Honda Jazz. In this task, using Jazzs Magic Seats, we had to place a cycle inside the car, some pots of plants, and make a person sleep completely flat with cushion under his head and cover him with a blanket. All three had to be done in sequence.

In order to finish this task, first we lowered the rear seats, placed the cycle in Jazz boot. After removing the cycle, the rear seats were back in its original position. We then lifted the thigh support and placed the pots in the space between front and rear seats. For the third task, we used the front passenger seat, which was reclined 180 degrees and headrest removed. Our team managed to perform all three in just 48 seconds!

Second task for the day was to fit luggage of different sizes into the boot of Honda Jazz. Depending on the size of the luggage, you were awarded points. The team which manages to score the most, wins. We managed to fit in one full-sized suitcase and four small ones.

After seeing the photos above, if you are wondering that why an empty plot of land was arranged for these activities as the same could have been performed in the parking lot of the hotel in Jaipur or at the Samode Palace, well here comes task no 3.

In task 3, each team member had to do a slalom run over the parking cones. If you touch a cone or miss doing a slalom over a cone, penalty of 10 seconds was added to your time. The team which manages to finish the slalom in least time, wins.

The point of performing the three tasks above was to show us how versatile and fun car Honda Jazz is. Not only it has great storage options, but it is also a powerful and efficient family car. With the tasks completed, all teams headed to Samode Palace, where we were also going to spend the night.

Located about 60 kms north of Jaipur, Samode Palace is a four-century old architectural beauty which has reminisce of Mughal as well as Rajasthani art. Hidden among the hills, the palace takes you far away from modern day civilization. Below is a short video of how we were welcomed at the Samode Palace.

After a brief discussion about the day, all of us retired to our respective rooms for a few hours. In the evening, Honda Car India had arranged for a cultural program inside the Durbar Hall of the Palace which was followed by Rajasthani dinner.

Next day, our job was to drive the Jazz back to Jaipur, but in The Amazing Race style. Similar to the globally hit TV series, we were given a clue at the start of the race. Our job was to find the answer, perform the task, and get the next clue. In all, there were five tasks to be done. The team which finishes first, will be announced winner. Honda called this activity Jazzing in Jaipur.

After a group photo, all participants were flagged off from Samode Palace. Below are the instructions and our first clue.

After a brief discussion, and searching on Google, we figured the place hidden in the clue is Amer Palace in Jaipur. Soon we set course for our new destination, and left Samode Palace. We took a little over an hour to reach Amer Palace and finish the first task.

After we showed the above image to a Honda official, we were handed over the next clue, as below.

We soon figured that the second clue is talking about none other than the famous Hawa Mahal. Located in the middle of the old city, reaching there was a task in itself. Honda Jazz CVT which we were driving, managed to make the task a breeze. It is the perfect solution for those who are tired of commuting during peak hours or on a busy road. We put on some music, and jazzed our way to Hawa Mahal in no time.

After showing the image above, we got our next clue.

This one was a bit tricky, as Jaipur is a place filled with such eateries. Google didnt help much this time. Clueless, we turned to locals for help. All gave the same answer  Laxmi Mishthan Bhandar. It was very close to Hawa Mahal.

Apart from having their famous kachoris, we also bought some sweets before heading out.

Again we turned towards locals for help to figure out this clue. The answer was Kishan Lal Govind Lassiwaala.

After having a glass of Lassi, we headed towards solving our last clue.

As mentioned in the clue, this was actually the easiest of them all.

Once we reached the fuel station, a Honda official who was waiting there, told us that we were the first ones to arrive and thus are the winners of Jazzing in Jaipur.

The drive through Jaipur to Samode and back, including some fantastic activities planned by Honda Car India, showed us how versatile and fun the Jazz is as a family car.
Based on the Maruti Baleno on sale in India, a new variant has been launched called Baleno Cross

The hatchbacks with rough road package and gimmicky suffixes to the nameplate didnt really work in India as the customers were willing to pay extra for proper crossover SUVs. There are still some hatchback-based instant crossovers in our market but they mostly spend their time on the sidelines.

These species of spruced up hatchbacks may have better luck in some international markets. Suzuki thinks a slightly more rugged version of the Baleno hatchback would be well received in South American markets. The Suzuki Baleno Cross has been introduced in Colombia and from the looks of it, it doesnt even have what we call as the rough road package.

The Baleno Cross receives a sportier and more expressive front bumper which is seen on the India-spec facelift, special dual-tone alloy wheels, side rub strips and roof carrier. There are no black lower body cladding, raised ground clearance or faux skid plates. It looks more like a dealer-level accessorized version than a new standalone variant in its own right.

Interior is also identical to that of the regular Baleno save for updated colour theme for the fabric. The colour of the upholstery is matched with the exterior paint. There are no other changes whatsoever.

Suzuki Baleno Cross Engine

Suzuki Baleno Cross for the Colombian market is powered by the K14B 1.4-liter petrol engine which is tuned to produce 95 hp and 130 Nm of torque. The motor can be specified either with a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic gearbox. The Colombian Baleno Cross comes equipped with standard dual front airbags, ISOFIX mount and ABS with EBD. The higher end variant offers 6 airbags and LED DRLs.

Maruti Suzuk India Ltd., is the sole manufacturer of the Baleno hatchback for the entire world. The Colombia-spec model is shipped from here and is converted into a cross of the local market by adding a few accessories. The Cross variant is not likely to be introduced in India.

The Maruti Baleno for India received a facelift recently with subtle revisions. The hatchback competes with Hyundai i20, Tata Altroz, Honda Jazz and VW Polo. The Baleno has been dominating its segment since its inception and has clocked sales of over 7.2 lakh units. The hatchback is so popular in the India that one unit is sold every 3 minutes!

Its primary rival, the i20, is set to receive a vastly improved replacement in the coming weeks. The battle between the titans is set to get fiercer.
Japanese automakers Suzuki and Toyota announced a partnership last year on a global level to exchange products and technologies. The first fruit of this joint exercise will be seen in the Indian market where Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) will rebadge and sell four of Maruti Suzukis segment leading products. The products in question are the Maruti Baleno, Ertiga, Ciaz and Vitara Brezza.

A few days ago, we reported that the Toyotas version of Baleno is ready to hit the showrooms towards the end of this month, and now we have learnt that the car in question will be called as Glanza. According to our sources, production of the Toyota Glanza hatchback has commenced at Suzuki Motors new Gujarat plant. The plant which is set up by Suzuki Motor Corporation to manufacture and sell cars to its Indian subsidiary Maruti Suzuki will also sell Toyota badged Baleno to TKM initially.

We have also learnt that production of Toyota Blanza would be shifted to one of TKMs two plants in Bidadi, near Bangalore, once the automaker sorts out component sourcing. Such a move would not only improve Toyotas capacity utilization but also would free up production capacity at Suzuki Motors Gujarat plant so that it can cater to Marutis high demand.

Coming back to the Toyota Glanza, it will be available in Zeta and Alpha trim levels (names of the variants could be different) with the 1.2-liter K12B as the sole engine option. Like in the Baleno, the petrol motor will be mated to either to a 5-speed manual gearbox or a CVT. The engine produces 83 PS and 115 Nm of torque. The engine will be BS6 compliant.

It is to be noted that the Maruti Baleno has just received the 1.2-liter DualJet (K12C) engine update along with Smart Hybrid (SHVS) system. It remains to be seen when will this update seen on the Toyota Glanza. As far as features are concerned, both Toyota and Maruti versions will be identical.

Visually, the Toyota Glanza will feature revised front grille and bumper to have a Toyota brand identity. The sheet metal parts and interior will be carried forward without any change. The premium hatchback will be pitted against its donor car, Hyundai Elite i20, Honda Jazz. The rebadging exercise would allow Toyota to establish its presence in volume rich segments in India. Price of Toyota Glanza will be higher than respective variants of Maruti Baleno.
Despite having around 5,000 registered vehicles Uber has suspended its auto rickshaw hailing service in Delhi even as Ola, launched in November 2014 continues to offer the service. Introduced in April 2015, Uber auto rickshaw service has been temporarily removed to deal with specific problems that need to be ironed out before being reintroduced.

With around 5,000 registered vehicles as on date Uber faces competition from Ola that offers autos in six cities and plans further expansion to three additional cities by the end of this year. Uber riders were asked to stay away from Ola locations while another reason for the temporary suspension was that there were no licenses in this space. Auto permits were only issued to individuals. The government has not introduced a policy wherein licenses were offered to fleet ownership or corporate under this scheme.

OLA Auto seems to be winning the three wheeled space.

Delhi has restrictions for only 1,00,000 auto permits which has resulted in a huge grey market for auto permits while in some cities it was noted that cost of auto permits were so high that it was practically equal to the cost of the vehicle itself. Besides these problems, Uber also had to contend with training driver fleet and added spending on market and customer acquisition while having to keep prices competitive.

Also Read  Using Ola or Uber much cheaper than owning a car  Report

Uber launched uberAUTO allowing passengers the option of paying by cash after it ran into trouble with regulators over payment facility by credit cards. Uber had to stop credit card payments and entered into a contract with online wallets such as Paytm. Earlier this year, Uber once again introduced credit card payments with a two step authentication process and cash payment option for taxi rides.

via ETAuto
"You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours." This old adage is one that already preschoolers seem to follow, as a new study by Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich psychologist Markus Paulus, now demonstrates.

In a series of experiments, Paulus, who is Professor of Developmental Psychology and the Psychology of Learning in Early Childhood at LMU, has looked at the question of whether 3- to 5-year-olds take a strategic approach when they ask one another for a favor. The results of his study have now been published in the journal Developmental Psychology, and the title of the paper, "It's Payback Time," answers the question in no uncertain terms.

One of the issues in child psychology that has received a lot of attention in recent years is the question of the motives that shape the social behavior of preschool children. The cognitive mechanisms that underlie social behavior in preschoolers, and the extent to which they employ strategic thinking in their interactions with each other are subject to intense debate.

Paulus shows in his latest study that 3- to 5-year-olds expect reciprocity from someone who has previously benefitted from an act of generosity of their own part. In the experimental set-up, the subject first allocated unequal shares of a resource to two recipients, and could subsequently ask either of the two for a share in the resources they controlled. In the latter situation, the subject always made the request to the recipient who had benefitted more from their previous generosity.

"So even preschoolers seem to be aware of the relative amounts of social capital they build up in their relations with other, and they make strategic use of this knowledge," Paulus says. "Reciprocity is a very important element of social life and is essential for the stability of a society. The study shows, for the first time, that young children already demonstrate the expectation that acts of generosity will be reciprocated by the recipient in their social behavior."
Experiencing financial difficulties and worrying about debt at university increases the risk of mental health conditions such as depression and alcohol dependency, according to new research from the University of Southampton and Solent NHS Trust.

The research, published online in the Community Mental Health Journal, found that symptoms of anxiety and alcohol dependence worsened over time for those who were struggling to pay the bills. Those who were more stressed about their debt had worsening levels of stress, anxiety and depression.

Additionally, mental health issues and alcohol dependency predicted higher levels of financial stress and vice versa, suggesting the possibility of a 'vicious cycle' occurring.

Dr Thomas Richardson, a visiting academic at the University of Southampton and Principal Clinical Psychologist at Solent NHS Trust, led the study. He said: "The findings suggest a vicious cycle whereby anxiety and problem drinking exacerbate financial difficulties, which then go on to increase anxiety and alcohol intake. Interventions which tackle both difficulties at the same time are therefore most likely to be effective."

The study asked more than 400 first-year, undergraduate students, from universities across the UK, to assess a range of financial factors including family affluence, recent financial difficulties (for example being unable to afford bills or having to borrow money) and attitudes towards their finances, at four time points across their first year at university. The fact that this study was at a number of time points allowed researchers to examine which came first: financial difficulties or poor mental health.

The study also found that students who had considered not going to university or had considered abandoning their studies for financial reasons had a greater deterioration in mental health over time.

Andy Jones was studying occupational therapy but unfortunately had to stop due to depression and not being able to financially support himself. He said: "When I was not very well, I was not able to work part-time so was unable to supplement my income during university. Having financial difficulties increased my day to day stress levels and something usually had to give and it was usually my academic studies. It was a vicious cycle."

Dr Richardson, who has conducted staff training at universities in the south on debt and mental health, added: "Coming to university can be a stressful and daunting time for young people and finances can cause a lot of worry. We might not be able to change how much debt students are in but we can work with them to help them manage their finances and worries about money in order to mitigate the impact of these worries on mental health."

The University of Southampton has received good feedback about the services it provides to students who experience financial difficulties. Support is available through a drop-in centre, a fund to support students experiencing financial difficulties, advice and information from our Financial Information and Advice team, and access to a range of mental health support options..

Nicky Passmore, Director of Student Services, said: "It's important to us that our students can focus on their studies, and not be adversely affected by financial difficulties or mental health issues. We are proud of the range of services available and students know that our door is always open if they need help."
Currently, we are experiencing a new phenomenon with youth consumption of e-cigarettes all around the United States. For the second consecutive year, e-cigarettes were the most popular product among youth. FDA's newest statistics indicate that more than 3 million middle and high school students were users of e-cigarettes in 2015, representing 540,000 more consumers than in 2014. New flavors appear to be one of the main reasons why teens are getting hooked on this product. In 2013-2014, 81% of the current e-cigarette youth users, pointed to the appealing flavors of e-cigarettes as one of the main reasons of why they started using them, stating that they used e-cigarettes "because they come in flavors I like." This is even more concerning when we see how quickly this market is growing. In a report released in January 2014, researchers found that every month, an average of 240 new flavors are added to the e-cigarette market.

Although tobacco companies claim that new flavors are simply a response to adult users' demand for variety, flavored tobacco products primarily serve to attract new users, particularly kids, and to get them addicted. As shown by the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, an industry publication stated, "While different cigars target a variety of markets, all flavored tobacco products tend to appeal primarily to younger consumers." Even the industry leader Lorillard, which sells flavored e-cigarettes such as kool-aid and gummy bears, has admitted that "kids may be particularly vulnerable to trying e-cigarettes due to an abundance of fun flavors such as cherry, vanilla, pina-colada, and berry."

Previous bans on flavored tobacco

Cigarettes with specific characterizing flavors were prohibited by the FDA in 2009, with the goal of halting the tobacco industry's strategy and reducing the number of children who start to smoke and become addicted to different tobacco products. It was no secret that before this ban, tobacco companies marketed cigarettes with flavors, images and names in order to appeal to a younger audience. The flavored cigarette ban not only occured in the US but has been a trend in various parts of the world. For instance, in 2012, Brazil became the first place to ban all tobacco flavors. Likewise, in 2014, the European Union passed theTobacco Products Directive, which took effect on May 20, 2016, prohibiting flavored cigarettes, except for menthol, where the ban is delayed till 2020.

Almost seven years have passed since the FDA's prohibition, and the results have been favorable. In 2006, the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) indicated that 30.2% of male high school students and 21.3% of female smoked cigarettes, while the NYTS in 2013 showed that the smoking prevalence in male students had dropped to 14.1% and to 11.2% in females. The statistics appear to show that the ban on flavored cigarettes has been helpful in reducing prevalence. However, it is important to take into consideration that the ban was not the only change in tobacco regulation. In the last couple of years, there were other policies which could have also been helpful, such as taxation and the restrictions on tobacco sales, labeling, advertising and promotion.

E-cigarette consumption increases overall consumption

The FDA's ban on flavored cigarettes did not apply to e-cigarettes, which still can come in different flavors such as cotton candy, fruit punch, and chocolate. This is considered to be one of the main reasons why e-cigarette consumption has had such a huge increase. Indeed, studies regarding youth expectations about other flavored tobacco products such as bidis and hookahs, have found that young consumers prefer flavored tobacco over the regular tobacco because they consider flavored tobacco to taste better and be safer. So even though the ban on flavored cigarettes seemed to help in the reduction of youth use, the tobacco industry quickly found another product to replace it and keep targeting kids. This growing use of e-cigarettes can add to the problem by keeping overall youth tobacco use on the rise. A new study from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that there are more young tobacco consumers than before, if we include e-cigarettes. The study published in July 2016 states that among 12th grade students in Southern California, the combined current cigarette and e-cigarette use in 2014 was 13.7%, which was greater than 2004, were cigarette use was 9% (before e-cigarettes were available).

advertisement

New FDA Measures

This year, the FDA issued a final rule that includes e-cigarettes regulation, and which takes effect today (August 8). It regulates the manufacture, import, packaging, labeling, advertising, promotion, sale, and distribution of e-cigarettes. Among the restrictions to e-cigarettes are the prohibition to sell them to all of those under 18 years of age and to give away samples of e-cigarettes including their components and parts. However, the FDA did not ban the different flavors of e-cigarettes, and its spokespeople said that they would consider future regulation related to flavors based on a further study about the health risks and benefits of vaping.

Beyond the health risks and benefits of e-cigarettes, it would be important to consider the ban of all flavors given that the statistics show that a high percentage of young people who use e-cigarettes started because of their attraction to these. Even though the FDA wants further studies, the ban of flavored e-cigarettes has already been proposed by various international health authorities, such as the World Health Organization, which suggested the prohibition in its recommendations for regulating e-cigarettes.

What to consider in flavored e-cigarette banning?

In order to regulate flavored e-cigarettes, it is important to take into account that even when they are seen as a new way to introduce young people to tobacco use, e-cigarettes can also be considered less harmful than cigarettes and thus, as a new way to help older smokers quit cigarette smoking. Several authors have marked this duality and have proposed different ways to regulate them. For example, O'Neill Institute Senior Scholar Eric N. Lindblom in his article "Effectively Regulating E-Cigarettes and Their Advertising -- and the First Amendment," states that one way to stop young people's use of e-cigarettes is by banning the flavors which attract youth, which can help discourage them from trying "e-cigs" and not affect its use as an alternative to smoking by current cigarette users. Lindblom, like others, propose the ban of flavors that appeal to youth in order to protect children's health. Others argue against this stating that a ban on flavors limits adult choice and eliminates products that adults may prefer. Additionally, they argue that flavor options exist for different age restricted consumer products and therefore they shall be allowed in e-cigarettes as well. While it is true that adults should be allowed to decide what they want to consume, the government needs to take appropriate measures to ensure the well-being of children when their health is at stake. Similar arguments were made by the tobacco industry and other groups when the government was looking to ban cigarette flavors and yet the government went through with the prohibition of flavors in cigarettes. What is to come?

This year has been important for e-cigarette regulation with the FDA finally publishing a series of rules which can be applied to these products. It will be interesting to see the impact of the new policies on the e-cigarettes market, particularly in youth consumption. The ban of e-cigarettes for those under 18 years of age could be enough to curb the growth in consumption but that still remains to be seen. If in the years to come there is no substantial decrease, it may be necessary to start thinking on banning flavored e-cigarettes, just like it was done with cigarettes.
Levels of a widely used class of industrial chemicals linked with cancer and other health problems -- polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) -- exceed federally recommended safety levels in public drinking water supplies for six million people in the U.S., according to a new study led by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS).

The study will be published August 9, 2016 in Environmental Science & Technology Letters.

"For many years, chemicals with unknown toxicities, such as PFASs, were allowed to be used and released to the environment, and we now have to face the severe consequences," said lead author Xindi Hu, a doctoral student in the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard Chan School and Environmental Science and Engineering at SEAS. "In addition, the actual number of people exposed may be even higher than our study found, because government data for levels of these compounds in drinking water is lacking for almost a third of the U.S. population -- about 100 million people."

PFASs have been used over the past 60 years in industrial and commercial products ranging from food wrappers to clothing to pots and pans. They have been linked with cancer, hormone disruption, high cholesterol, and obesity. Although several major manufacturers have discontinued the use of some PFASs, the chemicals continue to persist in people and wildlife. Drinking water is one of the main routes through which people can be exposed.

The researchers looked at concentrations of six types of PFASs in drinking water supplies, using data from more than 36,000 water samples collected nationwide by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from 2013-2015. They also looked at industrial sites that manufacture or use PFASs; at military fire training sites and civilian airports where fire-fighting foam containing PFASs is used; and at wastewater treatment plants. Discharges from these plants -- which are unable to remove PFASs from wastewater by standard treatment methods -- could contaminate groundwater. So could the sludge that the plants generate and which is frequently used as fertilizer.

The study found that PFASs were detectable at the minimum reporting levels required by the EPA in 194 out of 4,864 water supplies in 33 states across the U.S. Drinking water from 13 states accounted for 75% of the detections, including, in order of frequency of detection, California, New Jersey, North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Georgia, Minnesota, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Illinois.

advertisement

Sixty-six of the public water supplies examined, serving six million people, had at least one water sample that measured at or above the EPA safety limit of 70 parts per trillion (ng/L) for two types of PFASs, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Concentrations ranged as high as 349 ng/L for PFOA (Warminster, PA) and 1,800 ng/L for PFOS (Newark, DE).

The highest levels of PFASs were detected in watersheds near industrial sites, military bases, and wastewater treatment plants -- all places where these chemicals may be used or found.

"These compounds are potent immunotoxicants in children and recent work suggests drinking water safety levels should be much lower than the provisional guidelines established by EPA," said Elsie Sunderland, senior author of the study and associate professor in both the Harvard Chan School and SEAS.

Other Harvard Chan authors of the study included Philippe Grandjean and Courtney Carignan.

Funding for the study came from the Smith Family Foundation and a private donor.

PFASs and reduced immune response

Another Harvard Chan School study, led by Grandjean, adjunct professor of environmental health, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, also suggested negative health impacts of PFAS exposure. That study looked at a group of about 600 adolescents from the Faroe Islands, an island country off the coast of Denmark. Those exposed to PFASs at a young age had lower-than-expected levels of antibodies against diphtheria and tetanus, for which they had been immunized. The findings suggested that PFASs, which are known to interfere with immune function, may be involved in reducing the effectiveness of vaccines in children.

Funding for this study came from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH (ES012199); the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (R830758); the Danish Council for Strategic Research (09-063094); and the Danish Environmental Protection Agency as part of the environmental support program DANCEA (Danish Cooperation for Environment in the Arctic).
The transient form of genetic information, the RNA, is processed in a similar manner in the cells of both organisms. These mechanisms seem to be at work throughout the whole animal kingdom. Scientists from the Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC) and their international partners showed this in a genome-wide study on flatworms whose results have now been published in the scientific journal eLife.

Stem cells are cellular all-rounders and can differentiate into any tissue. They hold great potential for regenerative medicine, which is why they are subject to intense study. Planarians, small free-living flatworms, are especially interesting for researchers due to their remarkable ability to regenerate any lost body part through their many stem cells.

The specific activation of certain genes is responsible for the special abilities of stem cells. Genes are transcribed into the transient RNA format, which in turn serves as a blueprint for proteins. Additionally, the RNA is usually processed through a mechanism called "splicing": sections of the RNA are recombined anew, and so-called "intron" sequences are cut out from the RNA, while "exon" sequences are retained. Where there is a selection of different versions of exons, the cell may choose from among them in a targeted manner. This "alternative splicing" may result in the creation of different versions of a single protein with different properties.

Until now, it was not known whether alternative splicing also controls stem cell properties in planarians. To learn more about this process postdoctoral researcher Dr. Jordi Solana who works in the lab of Prof. Nikolaus Rajewsky at the Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), part of the MDC, collaborated with by Dr. Manuel Irimia of the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona and the team of Prof. Benjamin J. Blencowe of the University of Toronto. The researchers recently published their findings in the scientific journal eLife.

Solana is interested in the stem cell biology of the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea. He is working in the team of Nikolaus Rajewsky, which is known for its expertise in systems biology and uses flatworms as model organisms. On this project he joined forces with Irimia, who specializes in RNA splicing. "At a level of detail unparalleled thus far, we analyzed which genes are being transcribed in either the mature cells or stem cells of the flatworms and then processed by alternative splicing," said the researchers.

The researchers identified splicing processes that operate only in the stem cells of the worms, and identified numerous alternative exons responsible for stem cell-specific protein variants. Surprisingly, introns were often not removed from the RNA, which meant that no more functioning proteins could be generated. The researchers also found small exon snippets -- "micro exons" -- in fully developed cells.

In subsequent experiments, the scientists switched off the proteins that control alternative splicing. One of these proteins is MBNL, which suppresses the production of stem cell-specific protein variants. They also discovered that the CELF protein counteracts MBNL by stimulating the production of these variants. During development from a stem cell to a tissue cell the two factors competed for predominance. This interaction between MBNL and CELF has been previously described only in mammalian cells.

"In our study we identified new mechanisms that we weren't aware of from the usual studies into mammalian stem cells. With this knowledge, it's now possible for us to look in a targeted manner for the same processes in human cells," says Solana.

Group leader Prof. Nikolaus Rajewsky, who is an expert on the systems biology of RNA, says: "I found it particularly fascinating that it's impossible to understand how MBNL without knowing about the function of CELF. Maybe other splicing factors compete or cooperate in a similar way."

The scientists' work also raises fundamental questions about the function of stem cells in animals. Solana: "To find the antagonism between MBNL and CELF in flatworms is interesting from an evolutionary biologist's perspective. For the first time, we described mechanisms in stem cells in organisms from extremely distant branches of the evolutionary tree. What we found is probably a fundamental process throughout the animal kingdom."
While the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic fuels tuberculosis (TB) outbreaks, it does not drive the development and transmission of multidrug-resistance in TB patients as previously suspected, according to a study published in eLife.

The findings, from a collaboration between Norwegian, British and Argentinian scientists, also show that TB drug resistance is not more likely to evolve in HIV-positive patients compared to HIV-negative patients.

"It is already known that a parallel HIV pandemic amplifies the TB epidemic, with ongoing efforts around the world to tackle these potentially fatal diseases," says lead author Vegard Eldholm, a research fellow at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

"Among the estimated 1.5 million people who died from TB in 2015, about 200,000 cases involved multidrug-resistant TB and 400,000 were HIV co-infected. However, it is not clear exactly how much of an effect HIV has had on drug resistance in the most common form of TB, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)."

To explore the impact of HIV co-infection on Mtb drug resistance, Eldholm and his team analysed the genomes of 252 TB isolates from patients belonging to the largest outbreak of multidrug-resistant TB in South America to date.

The isolates were collected from patients with known HIV status from the mid-1990s until 2009. The team used the genomes to create a time-labelled phylogenic tree, a diagram showing the inferred evolutionary relationships among the mutations within the sampled patients. They then applied a new mathematical model optimized for TB to reconstruct how the disease spread among individuals. Finally, they combined the results of both methods to estimate the length of the TB latent period -- the time from infection to infectiousness -- and identify the patients in who TB strains evolved drug-resistance mutations.

"We saw no significant differences in the rate at which mutations occur in the genomes of strains in HIV-positive and negative patients. This suggests that drug resistance is not more likely to evolve in HIV-positive patients," says co-corresponding author Francois Balloux, Professor of Computational Systems Biology at University College London.

While the team's reconstruction of disease transmission among individuals did not reveal a significant impact of HIV co-infection on the ability of patients to transmit TB, their estimates of TB latency confirm that HIV co-infection accelerates the development of active TB.

"HIV prevents some cells from doing their job in the immune system, meaning the body is unable to fight off a large number of infections," Eldholm explains.

"The disease therefore provides TB with a pool of susceptible hosts, amplifying the rate of co-infection. Indeed, for this reason, HIV patients at a major hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina, played a central role in fueling South America's largest multidrug-resistant TB epidemic in the early 1990s," he adds.
Biomedical scientists have revealed the inner workings of a group of proteins that help to switch critical genes on and off during blood-cell production, in a finding that could lead to the development of new and improved cancer drugs.

One of the proteins involved is linked to breast cancer, which is the most common cancer for women and kills more than half a million women around the world each year. Existing breast cancer treatments do not target this protein specifically.

Researcher Dr Daniel Ryan from The Australian National University (ANU) said the study could help explain how existing breast-cancer drugs work inside human cells.

"There are treatments for breast cancer which are in use today that are effective but we still don't know how they work," said Dr Ryan, from the John Curtin School of Medical Research.

"This research shines a light on an important set of proteins that could be targeted by these drugs and superior treatments yet to be developed."

The research is part of an international collaboration -- involving ANU, the University of Sydney and The University of Pennsylvania in the US -- that seeks to understand the mechanisms for gene regulation, particularly in relation to diseases such as cancer and blood disorders.

"By creating better targeted treatments for breast cancer and other serious diseases, we'll have better outcomes for patients because we'll be able to reduce toxicity and the risk of drug resistance," Dr Ryan said.

The research team described how a special group of proteins form into an enzyme that turns genes on and off to produce essential elements in the body, such as blood cells and stem cells.

"This enzyme is like a car and the proteins are the different parts that are used to make it. By knowing how these parts fit together, we can understand how the car works and hence we're in a better to position to fix it when something goes wrong," Dr Ryan said.

"We still need to pull the enzyme apart and explore the interactions between the various proteins involved to really grapple with this complex molecular machinery.

"Our ongoing research will help to advance our knowledge of how genes are regulated -- a phenomenon that is not only vital to normal functions in the body, but also a key factor in many diseases."
Researchers from Aalto University and the University of Wisconsin utilised a TMS-EEG device, which combines transcranial magnetic stimulation and EEG, to examine how the brain activity of people in the restful non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep is affected by whether they dream or do not dream.

When the NREM sleep of subjects had lasted at least three minutes, researchers gave magnetic pulses that induced a weak electric field and activated neurons. After a series of pulses, the subject was woken with an alarm sound, and they were then asked whether they had dreamed and to describe the content of the dream.

'It is traditionally thought that dreaming occurs only in REM sleep. However, as also our study demonstrates, subjects woken from NREM sleep are also able to give accounts of their dreams in more than half of cases,' Post-doctoral Researcher Jaakko Nieminen from Aalto University explains.

'EEG showed that the deterministic brain activity produced by magnetic pulses was notably shorter in people who did not dream, i.e. were unconscious, than in people who had dreamt. We also observed that the longer the story about the dream, the more the subject's EEG resembled that measured from people who were awake,' Dr Nieminen explains.

Assessment of consciousness may help in treatment of brain injury patients

Dr Nieminen performed the measurements with his research colleague Olivia Gosseries at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Sleep and Consciousness, which is headed by Giulio Tononi. The measurements were carried out during a period of over 40 nights and a total of 11 subjects participated. Due to sleeping difficulties and other challenges, reliable measurements could only be acquired from six subjects. During the night, subjects were woken a maximum of 16 times.

'Consciousness in different physiological states (e.g. during wakefulness, sleep, anesthesia and vegetative state) has previously been researched with TMS-EEG measurements. We wanted to eliminate all other differences related to the different states as thoroughly as possible, and for this reason we focused on the narrow physiological state of NREM sleep,' Dr Nieminen notes.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation is already utilised in such things as the treatment of depression and pain. According to Dr Nieminen, in the future the precise data provided by TMS-EEG measurements on the state of consciousness may also help in the treatment of brain injury patients who are unable to communicate.

The research results were published in Scientific Reports.
Invasive plants are a problem around the world, but are they just a nuisance or are they killers? So far there are no documented cases of native plants becoming extinct purely because of an alien plant invasion. However, researchers Paul Downey and David Richardson argue in a paper published this month in AoB PLANTS, 'Alien plant invasions and native plant extinctions: a six-threshold framework', that traditional methods of modelling extinction do not work well for plants. Focusing purely on extinction can distract plant conservationists from growing problems. Instead they propose six thresholds that species cross before they become extinct.

"The main reason why there is no clear evidence of extinction that can be exclusively attributed to plant invasions is that invasions have not been around long enough" said Dave Richardson of the Centre for Invasion Biology (CIB) at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. "Our research shows that plant extinction is an agonizingly slow process" he adds. "However, red flags are evident in numerous locations around the world -- species that now exist in fragmented populations, with radically reduced opportunities to reproduce."

It's this difference in timescale between human or animal activity and plant activity that the authors identified as a key problem in traditional models of extinction.

According to Dave Richardson, "There's often a substantial time lag between the introduction of an alien species and the manifestation of impacts attributable to invasions of that species. This results in an 'extinction debt' -- effects that place species firmly on a trajectory towards extinction that takes time to become obvious. Whereas many invasive animals (notably predators on islands) have caused extinctions of native animals very soon after the invaders arrived, processes leading to extinction in plants are orders of magnitude slower."

"Also, proving that every last individual of a plant species has been lost (i.e. gone extinct) is extremely difficult, especially for species which have long-lived seed banks in the soil, or can regenerate from underground structures. The extinction of a species is the result of a sustained level of threat across the entire distribution of a species, over a prolonged period. Demonstrating that alien plants cause the extinction of native plants requires a series of conditions to be met, many of which are either not measured, or have not been examined for long enough."

The study by Downey (Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra) and Richardson reviewed the evidence for impacts of alien plant invasions on native plant species worldwide. They identified six thresholds along the extinction trajectory of plant species affected by invasive plants.

Plants die quicker than they can be replaced by their offspring in some locations. Plants disappear from some locations entirely, but potential offspring remain as'propagules', seeds or spores that could regenerate a new cohort of individuals. Some locations lose both individual plants and their propagules. With no plants or seeds, this is a local extinction. The last locations hosting a species lose their individual plants, but in some places seeds or spores remain in the soil. The species is entirely lost in the wild with no individuals or propagules. The only survivors are held in botanic collections. Extinction. The remaining plants are lost, and the remaining seeds or spores are no longer capable of becoming new plants.

Although Downey and Richardson found no evidence for extinctions driven solely by plant invasions, they found abundant evidence for progression along the extinction trajectory driven by the effects of invasive plants. Using these thresholds as guides could help conservation efforts massively.

"If we wait until we have sufficient evidence to show that extinctions are occurring, it will be too late to save a great number of species," Paul Downey explained. "Also, land managers need to know when to undertake alien plant control to protect declining native plants before it is too late."

Moving to a plant-based model for plant extinctions will mean changing what kinds of data scientists collect in their fieldwork.

"The results of this work show that we must shift attention away from the end point of the extinction trajectory when assessing the impact of factors such as invasions on native plants, to give due consideration of the full series of processes that drive declines of populations of native species" said Downey. "We need a radical overhaul of the indicators used to track the impacts of plant invasions."

Richardson added, "Using only information on extinction rates when assessing the impacts of plant invasions on native plant species is extremely short-sighted. There is absolutely no doubt that alien plant invasions are eating away at native plant biodiversity. Many native plant species -- probably HUNDREDS of species -- are precariously close to being functionally extinct and survive as the "living dead."
With a trick of engineering, scientists at the Gladstone Institutes improved a potential weapon against inflammation and autoimmune disorders. Their work could one day benefit patients who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease or organ transplant rejection.

The Body's Natural Defense

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) reside in bone marrow and have been found to secrete anti-inflammatory proteins that help regulate the immune system. More than 500 clinical trials are trying to use these cells to fight diseases, but so far, many have failed.

Scientists think this failure may be because, like a match needs to be sparked to create a flame, MSCs must be triggered by pro-inflammatory proteins to produce their immune-suppressing effects. Some studies have tried soaking MSCs in a bath of pro-inflammatory chemicals before injecting the cells into a patient. However, the effects are short-lived, wearing off after just a few days.

"The success of therapies involving MSCs depends on the cells' environment," explained Todd McDevitt, PhD, a senior investigator at Gladstone. "A patient taking anti-inflammatory medication may not have high enough levels of inflammation to trigger the cells. We engineered the MSCs to ensure that they are consistently activated, so they can reliably dampen the immune response for longer."

Engineering A Better Method

In the new study, published in Stem Cells Translational Medicine, the scientists engineered tiny sugar-based particles that they loaded with pro-inflammatory proteins and stuck into the middle of clusters of MSCs. The particles slowly delivered the inflammatory trigger to the cells in a steady dose. This method increased the amount of anti-inflammatory proteins produced by the MSCs, enhancing the suppression of immune cells. In short, the cell-protein packets worked better and longer than other treatments.

"No one has successfully used biomaterials to deliver pro-inflammatory signals to control how MSCs affect the immune system," said first author Josh Zimmerman, PhD, a former graduate student in the McDevitt lab. "Our research suggests bioengineering has real potential to improve the anti-inflammatory and therapeutic abilities of MSCs. The next step is to test this method in a mouse model of autoimmune disease."

Marian Hettiaratchi from Georgia Tech also took part in the research. Funding was provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program, the National Science Foundation Stem Cell Biomanufacturing Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program, and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through UCSF-CTSI UL 1 TR000004.
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have identified a weakness in the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) of all Linux operating systems since late 2012 that enables attackers to hijack users' internet communications completely remotely.

Such a weakness could be used to launch targeted attacks that track users' online activity, forcibly terminate a communication, hijack a conversation between hosts or degrade the privacy guarantee by anonymity networks such as Tor.

Led by Yue Cao, a computer science graduate student in UCR's Bourns College of Engineering, the research will be presented on Wednesday (Aug. 10) at the USENIX Security Symposium in Austin, Texas. The project advisor is Zhiyun Qian, an assistant professor of computer science at UCR, whose research focuses on identifying security vulnerabilities to help software companies improve their systems.

While most users don't interact directly with the Linux operating system, the software runs behind-the -scenes on internet servers, android phones and a range of other devices. To transfer information from one source to another, Linux and other operating systems use the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) to package and send data, and the Internet Protocol (IP) to ensure the information gets to the correct destination.

For example, when two people communicate by email, TCP assembles their message into a series of data packets -- identified by unique sequence numbers -- that are transmitted, received, and reassembled into the original message. Those TCP sequence numbers are useful to attackers, but with almost 4 billion possible sequences, it's essentially impossible to identify the sequence number associated with any particular communication by chance.

The UCR researchers didn't rely on chance though. Instead, they identified a subtle flaw (in the form of 'side channels') in the Linux software that enables attackers to infer the TCP sequence numbers associated with a particular connection with no more information than the IP address of the communicating parties.

advertisement

This means that given any two arbitrary machines on the internet, a remote blind attacker without being able to eavesdrop on the communication, can track users' online activity, terminate connections with others and inject false material into their communications. Encrypted connections (e.g., HTTPS) are immune to data injection, but they are still subject to being forcefully terminated by the attacker. The weakness would allow attackers to degrade the privacy of anonymity networks, such as Tor, by forcing the connections to route through certain relays. The attack is fast and reliable, often taking less than a minute and showing a success rate of about 90 percent. The researchers created a short video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4Ns5wla9DY) showing how the attacks works.

Qian said unlike conventional cyber attacks, users could become victims without doing anything wrong, such as downloading malware or clicking on a link in a phishing email.

"The unique aspect of the attack we demonstrated is the very low requirement to be able to carry it out. Essentially, it can be done easily by anyone in the world where an attack machine is in a network that allows IP spoofing. The only piece of information that is needed is the pair of IP addresses (for victim client and server), which is fairly easy to obtain," Qian said.

Qian said the researchers have alerted Linux about the vulnerability, which has resulted in patches applied to the latest Linux version. Until then, Qian recommends the following temporary patch that can be applied to both client and server hosts. It simply raises the `challenge ACK limit' to an extremely large value to make it practically impossible to exploit the side channel. This can be done on Ubuntu, for instance, as follows:

1. Open /etc/sysctl.conf, append a command "/net.ipv4/tcp_challenge_ack_limit = 999999999."

2. Use "sysctl -p" to update the configuration.

Titled "Off-Path TCP Exploits: Global Rate Limit Considered Dangerous," the paper is available on Qian's lab website (http://www.cs.ucr.edu/~zhiyunq/pub/sec16_TCP_pure_offpath.pdf). In addition to Cao and Qian, Zhongjie Wang, Tuan Dao and Srikanth V. Krishnamurthy from UC Riverside, and Lisa M. Marvel, from the United States Army Research Laboratory, contributed to the work. The work is funded by Army Research Laboratory (ARL Cyber Security CRA) and Nation Science Foundation under Grant 1464410.
Malignant cancers strike certain organs, such as the colon or breast, more often than others. In an Opinion publishing August 9 in Trends in Cancer, researchers propose that this vulnerability in some organs may be due to natural selection. Humans can tolerate tumors in large or paired organs more easily than in small, critical organs, such as the heart, and so the larger organs may have evolved fewer mechanisms to defend against cancerous cells.

"The organs that are the most important to keeping you alive and capable of reproduction, such as the heart, brain, or uterus, may enjoy a better protection against cancer, all other things being equal," says Frederic Thomas, an evolutionary biologist at the Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Cancer Research in France. "We are not saying that this is the main factor to explain the different susceptibility of organs to cancer, but it is a factor that contributes with others."

Many oncologists have explained the difference in rates of organ cancer by looking at either external risk factors, such as smoking or UV light exposure, or internal factors, such as how often cells must divide in an organ. Thomas and his coauthors, including senior author Beata Ujvari, an evolutionary ecologist at Deakin University in Australia, now propose this evolutionary theory to supplement the current understanding.

The team suggests that natural selection has favored strong anti-cancer protection for small organs that are critical to human survival and reproduction. "Organs that are large or in pairs could potentially accumulate larger numbers of oncogenic manifestations without being impaired, whereas small and important organs like the pancreas could be easily compromised with only a few tumors inside," says Thomas. Therefore, so the theory goes, the pancreas should be better at defending against cancer compared to an organ like the kidney, if all other factors are equal. Anti-cancer protection mechanisms vary from organ to organ, but in general, they make an organ resistant to tumor formation.

The researchers also recommend that cancer biologists think of individual organs as specialized islands with their own environmental conditions (such as the level of oxygen, acidity, or water), where the survival of cancer cells depends on is the hospitality of the local environment. "Malignant cells are living entities -- it's just impossible that they are not influenced by the ecological conditions," says Thomas. "It clearly means that certain organs are more favorable than others to malignant perturbation."

Thomas, Ujvari, and their colleagues are now working to test their hypothesis. "A complete analysis requires that we take into account all the possible confounding factors," emphasizes Thomas. "We cannot just look at existing statistics on cancer and the size of the organs and make a correlation to see if it works or not." Currently, the team is running a long-term experiment with mice to measure the accumulation of cancerous and precancerous mutations inside different organs. The research is part of a new international collaboration between Deakin University and the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).

"It's a novel hypothesis that deserves to be explored," says Thomas. "We hope this paper will stimulate research in that direction."
Clinical research often excludes females from their trials under the assumption that "one size fits all," that a painkiller or antidepressant will be equally effective in subjects of either sex, but a growing number of scientists are criticizing this approach. In an Essay published August 9 in Cell Metabolism, one group argues that hormones and other variables make a difference in how potential therapeutics behave, and both males and females must be accounted for in trials to move medical advances forward.

"Right now, when you go to the doctor and you are given a prescription, it might not ever have been specifically tested in females," says Deborah J. Clegg, a Professor of Biomedical Science at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in California. "Almost all basic research -- regardless of whether it involves rodent models, dogs, or humans -- is predominately done in males. The majority of research is done with the assumption that men and women are biologically the same."

One reason females are excluded from studies, she says, is that across the menstrual cycle there are fluctuations in hormones such as estrogens and progesterone, in essence creating a different hormonal milieu or profile depending on the phase of cycle, which may potentially impact the research. Often overlooked in male-only studies, these sex hormones are implicated in all biological processes, including sensitivity to fatty acids, or the ability to metabolize simple sugars. These differences have implications for all clinical trials, whether they are testing the effects of a drug or a body's ability to tolerate an organ transplant.

It is important to remember that chromosomal differences also exist between the sexes, says Clegg. There is little research examining whether drugs behave differently in the presence of an XX chromosome as opposed to an XY chromosome. Even genome-wide studies often don't take chromosomes into account, even though sex chromosomes are an integral piece of an individual's genomic makeup.

While researchers appreciate that there are sex differences in disease risk, less is known about how or why these sex differences occur or how they extend to the transsexual community. Clegg's lab is currently investigating the impact of gender reassignment surgery on cardiovascular disease risk. Women are traditionally protected against cardiovascular diseases when compared to men; however, it is unclear whether a transsexual woman (a man who has transitioned to become a woman) is at a lower or higher risk for heart disease due to the presence of endogenous male chromosomes overlaid with exogenous female hormones.

"This is an important population of individuals to study, as they will begin to enlighten us about the optimal hormonal profile to protect us from disease risk not only in this population, but also with respect to men and women. It is important to begin to understand if there is a role for hormones, chromosomes, and/or their interactions with respect to disease risk.

The NIH has only recently begun addressing these issues by instating the Office of Research on Women's Health (doi:10.1038/509282a). Clegg says that though well intended, many researchers don't know how to properly include sex as a variable in their experiments. Often, they will include females in their study without addressing if they're pre- or post-menopause, whether they're on birth control pills, or if they're taking hormone blockers. These are all aspects that can impact the hormonal profile, adding another variable that's not accounted for in the experiment's outcome. "Without addressing all of these variables in your analysis, you're still not accurately reflecting the impact of hormones and chromosomes in your research," she adds.

Clegg is hopeful that in the future, clinical trials can change. "It would be great if there were drugs that were specifically tested and dosed based on sex," she says. "There are so many variables in medical research that can't be solved by placing all women, regardless of age, into one category and certainly can't be solved by excluding us completely. With the goal of personalized medicine, it is important to begin to address and focus on sex as a biological variable."
The White House wants to cut U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80 percent by 2050, but the goal raises questions about one of the greatest sources of those pollutants, light-duty vehicles (LDVs). The Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has taken a close look at what specific combination of measures national experts have determined is needed to slash LDV emissions from 1,514 million metric tons (MMTs) to 303 MMTs of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) per year and meet this larger emissions-reduction goal.

Just lowering gasoline consumption in conventional vehicles with internal combustion engines will not be enough to meet these GHG emissions targets. A recent review of scientific and engineering literature by Chris Gearhart, director of NREL's Transportation & Hydrogen Systems Center, explores the potential that advances in internal combustion engines, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and battery electric vehicles have to significantly decrease GHG emissions when paired with the adoption of alternative low-carbon energy sources.

In the U.S. transportation sector, LDVs account for 63 percent of petroleum use and 61 percent of GHG emissions. If travel patterns continue to increase at the current rate, the number of vehicles and the distance they travel, known as "vehicle-kilometers traveled" (VKT), are projected to reach 6.3 trillion kilometers by 2050.The significant time lag between vehicle technology development and commercial deployment makes multiple strategies even more crucial in attempts to reduce transportation-related energy use and GHG emissions.

"Impacting climate change will require a dramatic reduction in GHGs emitted by LDVs," Gearhart said. "We don't want to argue about what LDVs fair share of emission reductions might be, but rather ask, what will it take to get to that 80 percent target?"

"Implications of Sustainability for the U.S. Light-Duty Transportation Sector," appears in the journal MRS Energy & Sustainability-A Review Journal, and surveys key topics in materials research and development in the context of scientific, technological, and sociological complexities relating to energy, the environment, and sustainability. The paper reviews 74 key publications in the field to assess the consensus of the scientific and engineering community on this topic.

Gearhart's paper examines the potential each strategy has to reduce vehicle energy intensity (EI) and carbon intensity (CI), investigating improvements that can be applied to traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, as well as to advanced vehicles. Even with optimization of vehicle weight, aerodynamics, tire rolling resistance, transmissions, and idling and climate control loads, it was determined that ICE-based LDVs-including hybrids-could only meet GHG targets by replacing a large percentage of gasoline with low-GHG biofuels.

The potential of fully electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is explored by Gearhart. In parts of the country that already generate more than 70 percent of their electricity from renewable and/or nuclear energy, fully electric vehicles may already meet the 2050 GHG emissions targets. Similarly, 48 percent of hydrogen used for transportation fuel would have to be produced from renewable sources, such as solar or wind, in order to meet GHG targets.

In addition, the paper looks at the possible impacts of vehicle connectivity and automation. While these ascendant technologies may create some opportunities to decrease EI or CI, the conventional wisdom is that their greatest potential impact will be changes in VKT. A dramatic impact on GHG emissions by 2050 would require widespread deployment of autonomous vehicles in the next few decades, and it is still uncertain how quickly these vehicles will enter the market.

"Aggressive targets require aggressive innovation, which aligns well with the work we do at NREL," Gearhart said. "A whole-system approach, including the full spectrum of LDV technologies, will be crucial to meeting those 2050 goals."

NREL transportation expertise helps government, industry, and other partners develop and deploy components and systems needed for market-ready, high-performance, low-emission, fuel-efficient passenger and freight vehicles, as well as alternative fuels and related infrastructure.

NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for the Energy Department by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
Platelets are small anucleated blood cells responsible for stopping bleeding. They detect blood vessel damage and agglutinate, creating aggregates and stopping the blood loss. This process is called hemostasis (from the Greek "haimatos" -- blood, "stasis" -- stop). Platelets become able to aggregate and plug the wound upon activation. Scientists consider that the platelet is one of the simplest cells in the human body, because the goal of its life is to decide whether activate or not. But despite this relative simplicity, numerous questions remain about the mechanisms of its functioning. The article is devoted to the platelet activation process. Its lead author is professor of the Department of Medical Physics of MSU, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Mikhail Panteleev.

There are two kinds of activated platelets: "ordinary" ones (capable of aggregation) and "super-activated" (procoagulant platelets, able to accelerate coagulation). When activated, the aggregating platelets change their shape from discoid into an amoeboid one, with multiple "legs" (filopodia) to improve interacions and spreading on the surface. These platelets form the main body of the platelet thrombus. The super-activated platelets become spherical and enlarged (they are also called 'balloons'). They are able to enhance the clot and accelerate the blood clotting reaction. One of the mysteries in the field of hemostasis and thrombosis is how these cells get divided into two kinds when activated? What determines a platelet's fate? The team of scientists figured out a crucial puzzle of the platelet signaling.

The central player in this decision turned out to be mitochondria. It is believed that mitochondria -- the organelles that are present in almost all animal (and plant) cells -- including platelets provide them with energy due to redox reactions.

'But it seems that platelets need mitochondria not only for energy, or even not at all for energy, but for a quick suicide,' begins Mikhail Panteleev the story.

Scientists managed to show how the platelet's programmed death (mitochondrial necrosis) follows a chain of processes leading to the transition of the platelets into the super-activated state. In other words, to get super-activated, a platelet must die, as its mission begins from the moment they are 'dead'. For this reason, platelets are also called "kamikaze cells."

'It was not clear before how a platelet makes the decision of what type to become. We have deciphered the sequence of events: how the signal goes within the platelet, and how the cell decides to die,' Mikhail Panteleyev tells.

Together with the colleagues from Dm. Rogachev Scientific and Medical Center, Center for Theoretical Problems of Physicochemical Pharmacology, Russian Academy of Sciences and the Faculty of Therapeutics, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, researchers found that the activation process is as follows. A platelet has many activators, but the chief among them are: collagen, ADP and thrombin. Platelets detect different concentrations of an activator, and respond with a varying frequency of the calcium impulses in the cytoplasm. This phenomenon is called calcium oscillations. Platelets' mitochondria absorb and store the calcium, and when its concentration exceeds the critical level, the process of the mitochondrial necrosis (a rare version of programmed cell death) of platelets starts: calcium and reactive oxygen species are released from mitochondria, ATPases begin to destroy ATP instead of synthesizing it, the cell cytoskeleton collapses, and the platelet size greatly increases. As a result, at the outer membrane of the enlarged spherical platelet, a lipid called phosphatidylserine appears, which is responsible for rapid blood clotting. And all this is happening within seconds.

Last year, the same group of researchers published in the Molecular BioSystems an article about the theoretical mechanism of mitochondrial necrosis, and in the present paper this process has been experimentally proven.

Moreover, another article by Mikhail Panteleyev and his colleagues from the Faculty of Physics and Faculty of Fundamental Medicine, MSU, was accepted for publication ("Systems biology insights into the meaning of the platelet's dual-receptor thrombin signaling"). Scientists explain an exciting puzzle of the platelet intracellular signaling structure: it was the first to show that the same activator influences two receptors in the platelet to achieve maximum sensitivity.
Using a unique combination of advanced computational methods, University of Wisconsin-Madison chemical engineers have demystified some of the complex catalytic chemistry in fuel cells -- an advance that brings cost-effective fuel cells closer to reality.

"Understanding reaction mechanisms is the first step toward eventually replacing expensive platinum in fuel cells with a cheaper material," says Manos Mavrikakis, a UW-Madison professor of chemical and biological engineering.

Mavrikakis and colleagues at Osaka University in Japan published details in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Fuel cells generate electricity by combining electrons and protons -- provided by a chemical fuel such as methanol -- with oxygen from the air. To make the reaction that generates protons faster, fuel cells typically contain catalysts. With the right catalyst and enough fuel and air, fuel cells could provide power very efficiently.

Someday, fuel cells could make laptop batteries obsolete. Mere tablespoons of methanol could potentially provide up to 20 hours of continuous power. But alternatives to the expensive platinum catalyst in today's fuel cells haven't emerged because scientists still don't fully understand the complicated chemistry required to produce protons and electrons from fuels.

And finding a good catalyst is no trivial task.

advertisement

"People arrived at using platinum for a catalyst largely by trial and error, without understanding how the reaction takes place," says Mavrikakis. "Our efforts developed a big picture of how the reaction is happening, and we hope to do the same analysis with other materials to help find a cheaper alternative."

At first glance, the chemistry sounds straightforward: Methanol molecules awash in a watery milieu settle down on a platinum surface and give up one of their four hydrogen atoms. The movement of those electrons from that hydrogen atom make an electric current.

In reality, the situation is not so simple.

"All of these molecules, the water and the methanol, are actually dancing around the surface of the catalyst and fluctuating continuously," says Mavrikakis. "Following the dynamics of these fluctuating motions all the time, and in the presence of an externally applied electric potential, is really very complicated."

The water molecules are not wallflowers, sitting on the sidelines of the methanol molecules reacting with platinum; rather, they occasionally cut in to the chemical dance. And varying voltage on the electrified surface of the platinum catalyst tangles the reaction's tempo even further.

advertisement

Previously, chemists only simulated simplified scenarios -- fuel cells without any water in the mix, or catalytic surfaces that didn't crackle with electricity. Unsurprisingly, conclusions based on such oversimplifications failed to fully capture the enormous complexity of real-world reactions.

Mavrikakis and colleagues combined their expertise in two powerful computational techniques to create a more accurate description of a very complex real environment.

They first used density functional theory to solve for quantum mechanical forces and energies between individual atoms, then built a scheme upon those results using molecular dynamics methods to simulate large ensembles of water and methanol molecules interacting among themselves and with the platinum surface.

The detailed simulations revealed that the presence of water in a fuel cell plays a huge role in dictating which hydrogen atom breaks free from methanol first -- a result that simpler methods could never have captured. Electric charge also determined the order in which methanol breaks down, surprisingly switching the preferred first step at the positive electrode.

This type of information enables scientists to predict which byproducts might accumulate in a reaction mixture, and select better ingredients for future fuel cells.

"Modeling enables you to come up with an informed materials design," says Mavrikakis, whose work was supported by the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. "We plan to investigate alternative fuels, and a range of promising and cheaper catalytic materials."

The results represent the culmination of six years of effort across two continents. Jeffrey Herron, the first author on the paper, started developing the methodologies during a summer visit to work under the paper's second author, Professor Yoshitada Morikawa in the Division of Precision Science & Technology and Applied Physics at Osaka University.

Herron, who completed his doctorate in 2015 and is now a senior engineer for The Dow Chemical Company, further refined these approaches under Mavrikakis' guidance over several subsequent years in Madison.

"A lot of work over many years went into this paper," says Mavrikakis. "The world needs fuel cells, but without understanding how the reaction takes place, there is no rational way to improve."
Bisphenol S, a chemical used to manufacture polycarbonate water bottles and many other products such as epoxy glues and cash receipts, is an increasingly common replacement for bisphenol A, the of which was discontinued because of concerns about its harmful effects on the reproductive system. In a new study, UCLA researchers have found that BPS is just as harmful to the reproductive system as the chemical it replaced. BPS damages a woman's eggs and at lower doses than BPA.

While looking for replacements to toxic chemicals, manufacturers tend to choose substitute chemicals that, while technically different, often share similar physical properties. Due to increasing consumer pressure, companies have replaced BPA with other related compounds now found in many "BPA-free" products. However we do not know how safe these substitutes are. These uncertainties led the researchers to ask whether BPS could impart detrimental effects on reproduction similar to BPA's.

The researchers exposed a common laboratory model, the roundworm, to several concentrations of BPA and/or BPS that approximate the levels of BPA and/or BPS found in humans. They followed the worms through the duration of their reproductive periods and measured their fertility.

The researchers observed that compared to the controls, worms exposed to either BPA or BPS, or combination of the two, had decreased fertility. Surprisingly, these effects were seen at lower internal BPS doses than those of BPA suggesting that BPS may be more damaging to the reproductive system. This was especially significant when they examined the viability of young embryos.

These findings are also a cause for concern in humans as the same reproductive processes that are disrupted by BPS in roundworms are found in mammals. Furthermore, as noted above BPS products are already found in a plethora of consumer products.

"This study clearly illustrates the issue with the 'whack-a-mole' approach to chemical replacement in consumer products," said Patrick Allard, assistant professor of environmental health sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, and the study's senior author. "There is a great need for the coordinated safety assessment of multiple substitutes and mixtures of chemicals before their use in product replacement. But the good news is that a number of governmental programs and academic labs are now moving in that direction."
The small smattering of bright blue stars in the upper left of this vast new 615 megapixel ESO image is the perfect cosmic laboratory in which to study the life and death of stars. Known as Messier 18 this star cluster contains stars that formed together from the same massive cloud of gas and dust. This image, which also features red clouds of glowing hydrogen and dark filaments of dust, was captured by the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) located at ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile.

Messier 18 was discovered and catalogued in 1764 by Charles Messier -- for whom the Messier Objects are named -- during his search for comet-like objects [1]. It lies within the Milky Way, approximately 4600 light-years away in the constellation of Sagittarius, and consists of many sibling stars loosely bound together in what is known as an open cluster.

There are over 1000 known open star clusters within the Milky Way, with a wide range of properties, such as size and age, that provide astronomers with clues to how stars form, evolve and die. The main appeal of these clusters is that all of their stars are born together out of the same material.

In Messier 18 the blue and white colours of the stellar population indicate that the cluster's stars are very young, probably only around 30 million years old. Being siblings means that any differences between the stars will only be due to their masses, and not their distance from Earth or the composition of the material they formed from. This makes clusters very useful in refining theories of star formation and evolution.

Astronomers now know that most stars do form in groups, forged from the same cloud of gas that collapsed in on itself due to the attractive force of gravity. The cloud of leftover gas and dust -- or molecular cloud -- that envelops the new stars is often blown away by their strong stellar winds, weakening the gravitational shackles that bind them. Over time, loosely bound stellar siblings like those pictured here will often go their separate ways as interactions with other neighbouring stars or massive gas clouds nudge, or pull, the stars apart. Our own star, the Sun, was most likely once part of a cluster very much like Messier 18 until its companions were gradually distributed across the Milky Way.

The dark lanes that snake through this image are murky filaments of cosmic dust, blocking out the light from distant stars. The contrasting faint reddish clouds that seem to weave between the stars are composed of ionised hydrogen gas. The gas glows because young, extremely hot stars like these are emitting intense ultraviolet light which strips the surrounding gas of its electrons and causes it to emit the faint glow seen in this image. Given the right conditions, this material could one day collapse in on itself and provide the Milky Way with yet another brood of stars -- a star formation process that may continue indefinitely (eso1535).

This mammoth 30 577 x 20 108 pixel image was captured using the OmegaCAM camera, which is attached to the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) at ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile.

Note

[1] Messier 18 is also listed in the New General Catalogue as NGC 6613.
Page Content

An employee who is off duty isn't necessarily beyond an employer's reach. But how should an employer address off-duty misconductin broad company policies, such as anti-harassment and discipline policies, or in stand-alone off-duty company policies?

"What I would prefer to see is off-duty conduct included in the various policies for which it is most relevant," said Anthony Byergo, an attorney with Ogletree Deakins in Seattle and Kansas City, Mo.

"So, the anti-harassment policy should clearly mention that it covers behavior both on- and off-duty, and on and off the work premises," he said. "Likewise, the discipline policy should include mention [of] conduct on- or off-duty that harms the business interest or reputation of the company, including outside employment that creates a conflict of interest or criminal activity that would disqualify the employee from employment."

When a business prefers to adopt a separate policy addressing off-duty conduct, the employer should be careful to craft it narrowly, said Jason Habinsky, an attorney with Haynes and Boone in New York City. "If the policy is too broad, employers risk running afoul of state laws protecting employee privacy and federal law prohibiting employees from interfering with employees' protected concerted activities."

What Conduct Should You Address?

Lorie Birk is vice president of member services in Scottsdale, Ariz., for the Mountain States Employers Council and a lawyer licensed to practice in Arizona, California and Texas. She said the off-duty conduct that might need to be addressed in workplace policies may include:



Sexual harassment.



Arrests.



Off-the-clock work while on medical leave or off duty.



Marijuana usage.



Anti-Harassment Policy

An anti-harassment policy can be broad enough to cover when co-workers are socializing and one employee starts to harass another based on gender, race, national origin or other prohibited factor, according to Jay Hux, an attorney with Fisher Phillips in Chicago.

Even off premises and off hours, an employer will want to investigate if a boss sexually harasses a subordinate, for example.

Employers should clarify that harassment will not be tolerated while traveling for business, Habinsky said. "Employers should also communicate with supervisors that they are expected to be professional at all times around their subordinates and that they will face consequences for violating the company's anti-harassment policies."

Harassment of co-workers also should not be tolerated on social media, Birk noted.


HAMILTONU.S. Steel Canada Inc. is rejecting advances from the Essar Global fund, saying it isnt qualified to purchase the company formerly known as Stelco, which has been seeking a buyer under a lengthy court-supervised process.

The Hamilton-based company says Essar Global was previously eliminated as a contender in the court-supervised sales process  in part because it failed to provide sufficient evidence that it has the financial ability to buy and operate U.S. Steel Canada.

The Ontario Steel Investments group  a vehicle set up by Essar Global  didnt announce Tuesday what it would pay for the business, which has its operations in southern Ontario at Hamilton and Nanticoke.

However, Ontario Steel said its offering to assume $954 million in employer liabilities under U.S. Steel Canadas pension plans and a commitment to contribute $25 million per year toward so-called post-retirement benefits for both active and retired employees.

The same group has also offered to buy Essar Steel Algoma Inc. in Sault Ste. Marie, in northern Ontario, which is also under court protection.

U.S. Steel Canada said Tuesday that the Essar consortiums terms are substantially similar to what was previously rejected by the company and the province.

The Ontario government also has an important role in determining what happens to U.S. Steel Canada because of its huge pension liabilities.

Both Essar offers for Algoma Steel and U.S. Steel Canada would also require an agreement with the United Steelworkers, which has current and retired members at both Ontario steel companies.

The union hasnt commented publicly on Essar Globals proposal for U.S. Steel Canada, but one of its locals is working on a framework agreement at Algoma Steel.

U.S. Steel Canada has been operating under protection from the Companies Creditors Arrangement Act since September 2014. Last Friday was one of the interim deadlines within a court-supervised sales process.

The company said Tuesday its not considering any further proposals from Essar and will avoid any distraction that could be detrimental to the company, its employees and pensioners, at a time when the restructuring process is progressing, and negotiations with the current bidders continue.

SHARE:
Sorry your wife died. Can we sell your house?

Thats not exactly what the note said, but thats the message Launi Smith Bowie received when she fished the letter from two Vancouver-area realtors out of her fathers trash can last week. Days earlier, her mother Audry Smith collapsed at a family birthday party and later died. The loss was totally unexpected, Bowie said.

And so was the message her 73-year-old dad, Ted, got from the veteran realtors  Leanne de Souza and Linda Shaver  who knocked on his door days after his wifes death. Handwritten on a store-bought condolence card with the realtors business cards attached, the note said: Sorry to hear of your wifes passing. Please let us know if we can help in any way with your real estate needs when the time is right. Thanks.

Though the realtors insist they meant no harm and truly felt sympathy, Bowie said her 73-year-old father was distressed by their letter.

My dad is beyond devastated and still really recovering from shock, Bowie said on the phone from Surrey, B.C. You dont know either of my parents. Im not sure why youre sending them a sympathy card.

At first she was outraged, and posted the note on Facebook. But in the ensuing days, after news outlets picked up the story, Bowie said she feels the vitriol directed at the realtors has gotten out of hand.

In a joint interview with the Star, De Souza and Shaver said they spoke with Bowies dad at his house while canvassing door-to-door in his South Surrey neighbourhood. They said he expressed interest in learning how much his home would sell for, and then mentioned the recent death of his wife, to whom hed been married for 51 years.

Our sympathy was very heartfelt. It was very emotional to hear his loss, said de Souza. The realtors said they left quickly thereafter, and sent a follow-up card.

Shaver and de Souza  veterans in the business with 10 and 30 years experience, respectively  said such cards are common practice.

In response to the incident, the Real Estate Council of British Columbia has started an investigation. A spokesperson for the organization declined to comment on Tuesday.

The two realtors said they have received death threats and horrific emails and text messages after their business-linked condolence note was reported by Vancouver media. De Souza said some have called her, as Bowie did in the Facebook post that gave rise to the controversy, an ambulance chaser.

In hindsight, both of them said that she shouldnt have enclosed the business cards on the letter, but feel the harshness of the public blowback has been unwarranted.

Ive had people call me names that you would find unbelievable, De Souza said.

Shaver added, Its too vile.

They have since apologized to Ted and his family.

Bowie said she understands that the realtors are remorseful, and doesnt want them to suffer from negative public attention.

These two women have been pretty attacked on social media. I just never imagined it would go to that extent. I was hoping that the real estate industry overall would take notice, but not that these women would be so vilified, she said.

Not the greatest judgment call on their part, but I do believe they totally get that now.

Read more about:

SHARE:
OTTAWAA Canadian warship deployed at sea on a NATO mission has been hit by an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease, the Star has learned.

Some 20 sailors aboard HMCS Charlottetown came down with the contagious disease in recent days, which can cause painful sores and lesions on the tongue and gums as well as on hands and feet.

A military spokesperson confirmed the outbreak and said that personnel were being treated to ease the symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).

Members with HFMD on board HMCS Charlottetown are being treated to help alleviate their symptoms as required, Capt. Nicola LaMarre told the Star.

The frigate sailed from Halifax on June 27 to take part in Operation Reassurance, Canadas contribution to NATO deterrence deployments in Eastern Europe.

In mid-July, the ship was in the Black Sea where it participated in NATO operations, including exercises to hone anti-submarine warfare skills.

Its back in the Mediterranean Sea and spent the weekend docked in Souda Bay, on the Greek island of Crete, for a scheduled port visit.

As HMCS Charlottetown returned to sea Tuesday, there were just two active cases of hand, foot and mouth disease on the frigate, LaMarre said.

None of the cases of HFMD on board HMCS Charlottetown have caused serious illness or impacted operations. All of the members are being treated by the medical personnel on board the ship in accordance with established medical protocols, she said.

Canadian frigates, which sail with a crew of just over 200, dont usually carry a doctor. Instead, medical care is provided by a physicians assistant, who can consult with doctors onshore. There is no vaccination or specific treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease, though medication can be taken to relieve the symptoms.

Treatment is supportive and focuses on management of complications, said LaMarre, of the Canadian Joint Operations Command, which oversees domestic and international military operations.

The disease can be spread by close contact close personal contact, coughing or sneezing and touching infected surfaces, such as a door handle, making the confines of the frigate vulnerable.

Aboard the ship, none of those hit by the disease was quarantined and several continued working in the ships galley, raising concerns among some aboard, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Crew members were being told that it will pass in a few days and not to worry, the source told the Star.

However, LaMarre said that quarantine measures were not seen as necessary.

He said prevention measures have been put in place to contain the outbreak, such as frequent hand washing, avoiding close contact with those who have the disease, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, the disease is considered benign and self-limited.

While typically a childhood condition, it can strike adults, too. Lamarre said the navy is gathering information about the cases on board.

SHARE:
OTTAWACanadas top judge says the best way to one day see an aboriginal person named to the Supreme Court of Canada is for governments to appoint more indigenous judges to lower courts.

In an exclusive interview with the Star, Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin said the countrys highest court requires high-level judging and considerable judicial experience, and while she welcomes ethnic diversity and more aboriginal judges in the system, she suggested they must work their way up.

She said the challenge for aboriginal aspirants to the high court is the same that women faced three or four decades ago when there were virtually no women on the bench. And so how did the government go about changing that to the point now where were four women on the Supreme Court of Canada? They started appointing people at the trial level.

But the difficulty we have with racial minorities, indigenous people is that were just beginning this process of getting the judges in place on the trial benches and so on.

The federal government has launched a new judicial selection process, striking an independent advisory board to recommend candidates to fill the top court vacancy announced in March by retiring Justice Thomas Cromwell, of Nova Scotia, who steps down at the end of August.

Trudeau wants the seven-member advisory board to recommend jurists of the highest calibre who must be functionally bilingual and representative of the diversity of Canada.

The new process has again shone a light on the lack of diversity in Canadas judicial ranks.

McLachlin was consulted by the government as it devised the new selection process. She will also be consulted by the advisory board as it canvasses for Cromwells replacement. She was careful not to express an opinion on the governments changes, saying reforms to judicial selection for greater transparency have been an ongoing project, and it is up to the government to set its criteria, including the bilingualism requirement. Im not about to comment on that because its not my business.

However, she did endorse the functional bilingualism prerequisite as desirable even though she herself was not fully, functionally bilingual when first appointed in 1989 to the Supreme Court of Canada by then-Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. That came after she actually started working in the law in French, she said.

Most of the judges at the top court are completely bilingual now and those who might lack something are working very hard to improve their skill and the court works very well this way, she said.

Let me put it this way. Its possible for the court to function without everyone being bilingual. Weve done it in the past and I think weve done our job well. However, I believe that functional bilingualism is very helpful and desirable.

But the question of diversity on the court is more complicated.

McLachlin pointed to her own experience. She was first appointed to the County Court of Vancouver where I thought maybe thats where Id spend the rest of my days. And then I worked my way up through the trial court and through the court of appeal, and finally to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Now women make up about 35 per cent of Canadian judges, she said. Weve been able to achieve a significant measure of diversity on the gender front and, she stressed, have judges who are reflective of this high calibre of judicial experience, intellectual experience and judgment and familiarity with the law and judging. So weve been able to have it all.

McLachlin is encouraged by a host of very accomplished indigenous lawyers and professors who she said are the result of proactive programs in law schools and universities and better educational standards. However, she did not suggest any of those are in a position to be vaulted onto the top bench from the bar, as has been the case with some Supreme Court judges in the past: Suzanne Cote, Ian Binnie, John Sopinka.

Asked if there are any current sitting aboriginal judges that could sit on the high court, McLachlin dodged.

I cant say; I havent done a survey. Well see who applies, and what comes of it.

Osgoode Hall law dean Lorne Sossin said while bilingualism is an asset that should be encouraged and supported, to make it a requirement effectively acts as a barrier to many talented aboriginal candidates and others from Southeast Asian, and East Asian communities.

He said the governments heart and mind is in the right place because it seeks to boost transparency and diversity, but he asks why the ability to speak an indigenous language isnt viewed as an asset for a court that remains remarkably homogeneous.

Sossin wrote Tuesday in Policy Options that Canada has never had Supreme Court justice who is indigenous, who is from a visible minority, who has a religious background that is not Christian or Jewish, or who self-identifies as other than heterosexual. Suffice it to say, the Supreme Court of 2016 simply does not reflect the Canada of 2016  not even approximately.

Most people agree appointments should be based on merit but Sossin says the concept of merit signifies different things to different people.

For some, it can be measured objectively (for example, academic degrees, career achievements, and demonstrated legal expertise). For others, it can also encompass more holistic aspects of a potential jurist, such as empathy, imagination, humility, resilience and interpersonal/intercultural skills. But where do gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion, culture and life experience fit into these understandings of merit?

In an interview, Sossin said unquestionably there are indigenous candidates in Canadian courts, law faculties and in law practice that the government could appoint that could both enhance the quality of the (Supreme) court, its stature and its expertise and at the same time see the first member of an indigenous community appointed to the court. Absolutely. But I dont think the bilingualism requirement assists in that process.

On the other hand, he said, an aboriginal appointment to the high court would not merely tick a box on diversity and inclusion  it would bring much needed perspective on indigenous law and treaties that are a fundamental aspect of the Constitution, one that weve always had to interpret because weve never had anyone who can speak in a first-person understanding of the language and culture from which those treaties emerged.

SHARE:
It appeared like a vision  sniffing around a tree, wriggling itself under a plant, strolling along the metal fence with a swagger that did not subside despite a dogs barks metres away.

The at-first unidentifiable white animal was in Paula Gianasis Richmond Hill backyard late last month. It had the shape of a small raccoon, but certainly not the colour, so Gianasi followed it and took pictures from afar with the hope of later finding out what it was.

The next day I thought, I have to find out what it is, because Ive lived here 37 years, Ive seen every animal under the sun, Ive seen a lot of wild animals, but I have never seen . . .  Gianasi said, trailing off.

She called animal control services, the Town of Richmond and finally her local newspaper, which published an article and photos shed taken of the white animal, speculating it could be a possum.

But as soon as York University professor Suzanne MacDonald, who specializes in urban wildlife behaviour, saw the photos, she says she knew it was an albino raccoon.

I knew right away  thats not a colour variant found in raccoons so it had to be albino, she told the Star in an email Tuesday, adding albinism occurs in one in every 10,000 animal births.

They are more common than you might think, she said, but the babies dont usually survive very long due to health problems, like blindness, so we dont see very many of them.

When Gianasi heard what it might be, the encounter felt even more unusual. In church Tuesday, she joked it was her spirit animal. Shes called it Neige, which is French for snow.

It is special  I feel very special that I saw this beautiful creation that is rare, Gianasi said.

Shed had an inkling it may not be a possum because its tail was thicker. And an email with the photos she sent to neighbours and relatives jokingly surmised the animal was an albino raccoon.

The slow stroll started to make sense, given its possible blindness and even deafness.

I felt so sad, Gianasi said, speaking of the poor health that could be plaguing it. Im looking out every morning . . . Im hoping that, you know, its OK.

Nathalie Karvonen, director of the Toronto Wildlife Centre, said that, from Gianasis account of the animals behaviour, there was clearly something wrong with it.

She pointed to a spate this year of raccoons suffering distemper, a neurological disease causing them to be drowsy and unusually unafraid of humans or other animals, and which eventually kills them, but said it could be a host of problems.

Karvonen, too, guessed the animal was an albino raccoon at first glance of the pictures Gianasi took. The raccoon has a very characteristic body shape . . . and (its) the only representative of the procyonidae family in North America, she explained.

Gianasis sighting wasnt the only one in the area, noted Gail Lenters, founder of the Shades of Hope animal refuge in Pefferlaw.

In May, a wildlife removal company she knows well found a baby albino raccoon in a Richmond Hill attic, Lenters said, adding her refuge also took one in this year, but it died hours later.

I suppose its possible it could be the same one, she said of the one in the attic and the one believed to have been seen on Gianasis lawn.

Lenters said the one in Gianasis photo  despite the resolution being unclear  appeared to be a raccoon. She saw it online.

It crossed my desk, actually, and I saw it. It gave me a smile, Lenters said.

Read more about:

SHARE:
With a dozen green and white balloons sent drifting into evening sky, a mother, a family and a community said goodbye to 11-year-old Finnigan Danne.

Over the weekend hundreds of local volunteers, police canine units and officers on horseback searched for the boy who went missing Saturday in Dundas, Ont.

I want you to know that I was thankful to see so much love for my son, and for his family, and it is all of you who I will say is responsible for locating my son, said Finnigans mother Vanessa Velke standing next to Finnigans father, Neal Danne, and his brothers, Sebastian and Colin.

Tuesday night, a sombre crowd of more than 500, holding candles and balloons huddled around an intersection a short distance from where Finnigans body was found.

Its heartbreaking, said 49-year-old Chris Hayden of Dundas. He volunteers for a group who called off a watershed cleanup Sunday to put their waders and boots to use for an even nobler cause.

They searched all the way up Spencer Creek, up and down the neighbourhood streets, and when Finnigan was finally found, Hayden was busy canvassing the neighbourhood with a photo.

I think we were all convinced we were going to find him alive and well, said Hayden.

Dundas mother Taylor Baxter, says the first day of school will be the hardest. Her daughter attended Sir William Osler Elementary School with Finnigan, and she fondly remembers staff guiding him out before the other students every day at 3:15 p.m.

He was an icon of the school. You knew that everything was OK when Finn came out  He was beautiful, not a care in the world. It was too soon, too short.

The Vigils Facebook page, asked residents to bring candles, food, gift card or donations for the family.

The tragedy has brought the community together, said Dundas resident Courtney Christie. The vigil brings a lot of closure for the community, Christie said.

So far, support has come in at an astounding pace from Dundas residents, Christie said. Even former community members  now living as far away as the United Kingdom  have been donating to help out the family. Local churches, the Dundas Metro supermarket, restaurants and other businesses are donating food and needed items to the family.

Finnigan, a small boy who suffered from alternating hemiplegia, had had left his home at about 10 a.m. Saturday, said Hamilton Police. An Amber Alert was issued 27 hours after he went missing. His body was discovered about 200 metres from his home in a 1.5 metre-wide culvert at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

Canadian Press reports indicated that he may have been searching for his cat which had gone missing Saturday morning.

As Velke addressed the community she reminded them that Finnigans death was going to have an impact on his disease

It was such a rare syndrome that nobody really knew about any of it. Finnigan and all of you here today are going to make a difference in alternating hemiplegia, she said.

On Wednesday, friends and family will gather from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at the Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main St. in Dundas. The funeral service will be held Thursday at 4 p.m. at the same location.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to the Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood Foundation, 2000 Town Center, Suite 1900 Southfield, MI 48075.

SHARE:
Downsview residents awoke on August 10, 2008 to a cataclysmic explosion.

Burning asbestos and scrap metal from the nearby Sunrise Propane plantwhat remained of itlittered Wilson Ave. and Keele St. The blast was heard ten kilometres away.

12,000 residents were forced to flee in what was later described as a chaotic evacuation. Over a hundred firefighters battled the massive blaze.

Two died that morning: 55-year-old veteran firefighter Bob Leek and 25-year-old plant worker Parminder Singh Saini. Dozens were injured. Houses and businesses near the blast site were wrecked.

The cleanup bill totaled $1.9 millionand the city was left on the hook for the damage, as Sunrise Propanes insurance didnt cover all of it.

Investigators later found that Sunrise was notorious for swapping propane loads between trucks by pumping it from truck to truck, a faster method than emptying it to a buried storage tank and then having a second truck load up. It shaved minutes off of their turnaroundand the plants safety.

Sunrise Propane and its two directors were convicted on nine charges relating to environmental damage and not following a provincial order relating to safety.

Six years after the explosion, over 6,000 residents near the plant won a $23 million class-action lawsuit to compensate for their losses.

Read more about:

SHARE:
FERGUSON, MO.Michael Browns death opened the eyes of the world to concerns about law enforcements treatment of black people, Browns father said Tuesday during a memorial service marking the two-year anniversary of the shooting.

A few hundred people gathered for the service and moment of silence along Canfield Drive in Ferguson, Missouri, the spot where the black, unarmed 18-year-old was fatally shot by officer Darren Wilson after a confrontation on Aug. 9, 2014. It led to months of sometimes-violent protests in Ferguson.

A state grand jury declined to press charges against Wilson, and the U.S. Justice Department later cleared him, concluding that he had acted in self-defence. He resigned in November 2014.

Browns death also was a catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement, which rebukes police treatment of minorities and has grown since several other killings of black men and boys by police, such as Tamir Rice in Cleveland and Philando Castile in Minnesota.

Browns father, also named Michael Brown, said in a brief speech that the anniversary is a sad day for him and his family, but for the world, too.

My son built families up, opened the eyes of the world and let them know this aint right, he said. This colour is not a disease. This colour is beautiful. Black is beautiful.

The 2014 shooting also led to a Justice Department investigation that found patterns of racial bias in Fergusons police and municipal court system. The federal agency and the city agreed this year to make sweeping changes.

This month, more than 60 organizations affiliated with the Black Lives Matter movement published a list of six demands and 40 recommendations for how to achieve policing and criminal justice reforms.

Brandy Shields, 19, went to school with Brown and remembered him as a kid who never got into trouble. Shields comforted a little girl who was crying at the service.

Itll get better, Shields told the child. We have to make it better, but itll get better.

Later Tuesday, a crowd of a few dozen protesters marched from Canfield Drive to a busy intersection thats been the site of protests before.

Law enforcement officials were on hand as the group periodically blocked traffic and chanted no justice, no peace and other slogans.

Read more about:

SHARE:
NICOSIA, CYPRUSA mosaic floor dating to the 4th century and depicting scenes from a chariot race in the hippodrome has been uncovered, the only one of its kind in Cyprus and one of only a handful in the world, a Cypriot archaeologist said Wednesday.

Cyprus Antiquities Department archaeologist Fryni Hadjichristofi told The Associated Press that out of the many hundreds of ancient mosaic floors discovered around the world, only around seven depict similar chariot races at the hippodrome. What distinguishes this mosaic is its ornate detail and the fact that it depicts complete scenes from race in which four chariots, each with a team of four horses, are competing. This may be representative of different factions in competition with each other in ancient Rome.

The hippodrome was very important in ancient Roman times, it was the place where the emperor appeared to his people and projected his power, said Hadjichristofi.

The mosaic is 11 metres long and four metres wide but hasnt been fully uncovered yet. Its possibly part of a villa that may have belonged to a wealthy individual or nobleman when Cyprus was under Roman rule. The mosaic, about 30 kilometres west of the capital Nicosia, also sheds new light on the ancient past of the islands interior, about which little is known.

Most of the important ancient finds on the island are located near the coasts, where cities and towns flourished in antiquity. The earliest village found in Cyprus dates as far back as the 10th millennium B.C.

A small piece of the mosaic was first discovered by an area farmer tilling his land back in 1938. Authorities marked the area, but full-fledged digs didnt proceed until almost 80 years later because of work at many other sites the Antiquities Department had prioritized, said Hadjichristofi.

Hadjichristofi said the area, abutting a river, has long been known for its fertile ground and bountiful orchards.

Cyprus had been a wealthy island in antiquity, producing copper  from where according to a prominent theory the island got its name  timber from its then-ample forests as well as pottery, many examples of which have been found in neighbouring countries, said Hadjichristofi.

We know that Cyprus was once wealthy, the latest discoveries confirm this, she said.

Last month, crews working on a sewage system in the coastal city of Larnaca discovered another rare Roman-era mosaic depicting Hercules Labours.

Read more about:

SHARE:
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA  A retired Australian army officer on Wednesday won a 50-year struggle to gain official recognition for the bravery of 10 soldiers who fought under his command during Australias most costly battle of the Vietnam War.

Harry Smith, 83, was presented at Parliament House with a recommendation by a review tribunal for nine soldiers to be decorated for the first time and a 10th soldier to have his medal upgraded for courage shown during the Battle of Long Tan in a Vietnamese rubber plantation on Aug. 18, 1966.

Smith, a retired lieutenant colonel, led a company of 105 Australian soldiers plus three New Zealanders supported by artillery that won a rain-drenched, three-hour battle against more than 2,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops, the Australian government said. Eighteen Australians were killed and 24 wounded, while the Vietnamese were estimated to have lost hundreds of troops.

Within hours of the battle ending, Smith said he recommended to his commanding officer that 20 soldiers under his command be decorated.

Initially, only eight battle veterans were honoured, including Smith. He was awarded the Star of Gallantry, the highest honour after the Victoria Cross.

He has since campaigned relentlessly to have others recognized. Wednesdays verdict of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeal Tribunal  an independent court established five years ago to investigate such cases  brings the number to 16, Smith said. The government accepted the recommendation.

Smith said he was happy with the decision despite the tribunal dismissing his application for another soldier to be awarded his first decoration and another two decorated soldiers to have their honours upgraded.

Justice has been done, Smith said. I learnt from my years in the army that you have to keep on fighting and you eventually win.

Three of the 10 veterans to receive new honours have died since the war.

Australia deployed more than 60,000 military personnel to Vietnam between 1962 and 1973, of whom 521 were killed. The Battle of Long Tan anniversary next week has become Australias official Vietnam Veterans Day.

SHARE:
A giant, graffiti-filled storm sewer beneath a Walmart parking lot in upstate New York may have housed a shocking setup: An underground laboratory used for making methamphetamine, police said.

Authorities in Amherst, a suburb of Buffalo, have opened an investigation into the suspected meth lab some 3.6 metres under the superstore parking lot, along a busy thoroughfare that leads to the towns shops, according to local news reports.

I was completely astounded, Amherst Highway Superintendent Patrick Lucey told the Buffalo News. Its like, are you kidding me? Its just not something you run across.

Anywhere at any time somewhere where theres the opportunity and the motive, it can happen. But this was definitely something new.

Amherst police, assisted by state law enforcement, made the discovery beneath the parking lot Monday afternoon during a preventative patrol, according to CBS affiliate WIVB.

Routine patrol, thats what we do every day, Amherst Police Capt. Scott Chamberlin told the station, adding: We check in various areas that people who might be up to no good, might be using for no good.

Crews in hazmat suits were seen climbing from a manhole, pulling out wooden pallets that, police said, were used to stand above the water flowing through a culvert that leads to a main drainage line in town.

Shoppers gathered nearby to watch investigators sort through evidence pulled from the lab, which was deep inside the storm sewage tunnel.

Chamberlin said crews fished out aerosol spray paint cans, plastic soda bottles and various chemicals  including a liquid we believe is methamphetamine.

But police said the contents posed no immediate safety threats, according to WIVB.

Well talk to the proper authorities to figure out what we need to do to make sure thats not accessible anymore, Chamberlin told the station.

We were shocked when we found out about this, Erica Jones, a Walmart spokeswoman, told The Washington Post in a statement Wednesday. Its upsetting and unacceptable. Were glad the police have responded and well continue to help them with their investigation. Anyone who has information that can help should reach out to police.

Investigators plan to see whether Walmarts surveillance video shows people accessing the sewer, according to The Associated Press.

No arrests have been made.

The New York state Intelligence Center, which tracks meth labs across New York state, has released warnings about such clandestine laboratories.

Erie County District Attorneys Drug Task Force, which investigates drug crimes in Amherst, says on its website that meth labs are highly explosive and flammable threatening nearby properties and that the chemicals used in them are extremely toxic.

A Meth lab can be located anywhere, it states. The house next door, hotels, motels, RVs, campers, trailers, public storage facilities, the highway, forests.

According to data from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the only other known clandestine meth lab in Amherst was found in 2009, about 6.4 kilometres from Walmart.

Its a concern; I mean its unbelievable in this area, this isnt a bad area, Steve Harding, an area resident, told WIVB after the recent discovery, adding: This isnt the kind of thing youd expect in a place like this, thats the bottom line.

Town workers were surveying the apparent crime scene Tuesday.

Lucey, the highway superintendent, told the Buffalo News that the suspected meth-makers travelled some 244 metres from the culverts opening to get to the apparent lab.

Police said it was tall enough for people to stand up and walk through.

They did have a working surface. They just werent playing in the water, basically, Lucey told the newspaper, referring to the pallets pulled from the drain. He added: They must have had their own lighting system, too, because, as I look in here now, its dark.

Had authorities not discovered it, he said it could have been disastrous.

It could have been very dangerous. It was very dangerous, Lucey told the Buffalo News. Forget cooking and making their lab, just the gases themselves and the environment that they were working in was a very dangerous situation.

Certainly, they werent thinking, he added.

Read more about:

SHARE:
Thursday is a special day not only for Tamil-Canadians and Newfoundlanders, but for all Canadians alike, for it was 30 years ago that 155 Tamil refugees were found drifting off the shores of St. Shotts, Newfoundland by three local finishing boats.

The rescue on that fateful day on Aug. 11, 1986, not only allowed 155 Tamils to start a new life in Canada, but it was also a turning point in Canadian refugee and immigration history.

Capt. Gus Dalton and his crew from Admirals Beach, St. Marys Bay, Nfld., along with two other fishing trawlers, found two decrepit life boats overfilled with Tamil refugees. They were dropped off at night by an unscrupulous human trafficker, and were told to go west toward Montreal.

Dalton called the Canadian Navy to assist, and each of the boats immediately started dumping their catch of cod, in order to find space in their trawlers to rescue the Tamil refugees. They emptied their canteens, and fed the ever grateful newcomers who were at sea for three days.

The CCG Leonard J. Crowley, a Coastguard patrol vessel, arrived shortly afterward to help. The Tamils were taken to shore in St. Johns and then to Memorial University where they received food, lodging and were processed as refugees.

Canada has not always been so welcoming of non-European refugees and immigrants who arrive at our shores. In 1914, the Komagata Maru arrived in Burrard Inlet on the western coast of British Columbia, carrying 376 passengers from the Punjab, India, comprising mostly Sikh men. They were held at sea for two months before being forced to leave Canadian waters. Upon return to India at least 19 passengers were killed and countless others were imprisoned.

This spring, after 101 years, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered an unequivocal and sincere apology in the House of Commons for the Komagatu Maru tragedy.

A tragic echo of this incident occurred in 1939 when 908 Jewish refugees aboard the MS St. Louis were denied entry in Canada. The Jewish refugees returned to Europe where many faced Hitlers death camps.

Canada would not make the same mistake again in 1986 or thereafter.

The Tamil arrival was not without controversy. Like all refugees, they feared the worst, and initially lied about where their voyage originated. They were Tamils, born in Sri Lanka, and faced countless atrocities before they were forced to flee due to the outbreak of the civil war in 1983. Most had sought asylum in Germany, and due to the draconian refugee protection laws in that country, they were looking for a more free and secure place.

Some Canadians were outraged, and accused the refugees of fraud, queue jumping, and were called undesirable. As the controversy heated up, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney muted those who called for the return of the refugees.

He was unequivocal and he spoke for all Canadians when he told the national media, we are not in the business of turning away refugees. Within days, all of the 155 Tamils were settled in Montreal and Toronto, where they started careers, families and new lives.

However, the welcome that awaited the Tamils in 1986 was not there in 2009 and 2010 when 76 Tamils on board the MV Ocean Lady and 492 Tamils on board the MV Sun Sea arrived in British Columbia. Both of these groups were vilified and labelled as terrorists.

The 2011 federal election campaign even used images of the MV Sun Sea to demonize refugees. Due in part to the negativity surrounding the arrival of the MV Ocean Lady and MV Sun Sea, their cases continue to linger in the courts and many of the refugee claimants continue to live in limbo.

Thirty years from their arrival in St. Shotts, the Tamils are returning to Newfoundland, where their Canadian journey started, this time as Tamil- Canadians, who built extraordinary lives to thank the people of this great province and our country for doing the right thing.

They are joined by many members of the Tamil community, from those who were in leadership positions in 1986, to those in leadership positions today, to future Canadian leaders born to refugee parents who put this project together. All of them are coming together to mark a remarkable journey that in many ways defined the 300,000 strong Tamil-Canadian community.

Our country will never be the same again, and collectively our doors should always be open, not just to those who come to our shores, but those taking extraordinary risks to cross other shores in search of refuge. We must understand that people in normal circumstances do not risk their lives  and the lives of their families  to flea for reasons such as economic stability. They do so out of desperation and as a last resort.

Canadians were moved by the story of Alan Kurdi, the three year old Syrian boy who drowned and was found lying dead on the beach. In recent months, we have taken the right steps in welcoming 25,000 Syrian refugees, but much work needs to be done, and Canada must do more to help those in dire need.

We thank the great people of St. Marys Bay, Newfoundland, for their generosity and we thank Canadians across the country who open their hearts whenever the need arises. Equally, as Canadians, we should commit to never repeating our history of turning away those who come to our shores seeking refuge, and we should commit to doing more for those escaping turmoil.

Gary Anandasangaree is the Member of Parliament for Scarborough-Rouge Park

SHARE:
For more than 40 years, prisoners on Aug. 10th pay tribute to all those who have died while in custody. On this day in 1974, Eddie Nalon committed suicide in an administrative segregation cell at Millhaven Institution, sparking this annual vigil and call for justice.

If that call had been answered years ago, many young lives, including those of Ashley Smith, Eddie Snowshoe, Chris Roy, Devon Sampson, and, more recently, Terry Baker, might have been spared.

The growing disgust of citizens, advocates, and human rights bodies to allowing prisoners to languish in isolation, away from meaningful contact with others, should encourage an immediate end to this practice. The damage this type of confinement does to physical and mental health is well documented, and international bodies have defined periods of administrative segregation in excess of 15 days as a form of torture.

But this is not the only kind of prison death that demands action. The violence endemic to prisons, often borne of the hopelessness, overcrowding, and idleness, which can manifest in brutal and often deadly combat, needs to be addressed.

A recent court decision that acknowledged prison stabbings are reasonable as self-defence, due to the high levels of violence, implicitly admits prisons are intolerably violent. But prisons in Germany, Norway and other countries do not suffer this same degree of violence, which is dangerous to both prisoners and correctional officers.

The Correctional Investigators Report released last week identified 65 inmate deaths in a single year in the federal prison system alone. Even deaths resulting from natural causes should be subject to further inquiry. Lawsuits and other inquests are challenging whether underlying mental and physical illnesses received adequate treatment.

The Mandela Rules on the treatment of prisoners call for health care to be provided by agencies ordinarily responsible for health and not by agencies specifically responsible for prisons. Canada falls short of meeting that standard, except in Nova Scotia and Alberta.

Too often security and prison management issues lead to prescribed medicines being unavailable, limited, or arbitrarily changed by the prison. Prisoners wait long periods for illnesses to be diagnosed since access to medical services are limited. Chronic diseases, such as diabetes, are not managed with the same care as in the community, which can lead to serious complications.

The process of dying behind bars is a sad one. The tragedy of a terminal prognosis is compounded for family members and prisoners when they receive palliative care in custody. Now that Canadians have the right to receive physician-assisted death to relieve suffering, prisoners should have equal access to this option without delays. It would be even more just and humane to allow compassionate releases of those terminally ill so they could die with the support of loved ones. Other countries routinely allow such releases, so why cant Canada?

Prisoners experience many other forms of injustice. Access to justice and legal materials is inadequate. Prisoners grievances are resolved only after lengthy delays. The parole system in which most prisoners are held until their release is required by statute is essentially dysfunctional. Prisoners are being held to the end of their sentences, when they routinely face peace bonds, which essentially lengthen their sentences. Prisoner net pay is reduced despite increasing prices of available products, such as stamps. Prisoners are forced to endure double-bunking in cells designed for one. Rehabilitative programs and skills training are limited, such that correctional plans are not completed prior to parole eligibility.

And finally, residual liberties can be denied in manners that likely violate Charter-guaranteed fundamental principles of justice. The governments promised criminal justice system review should address these and other deficiencies of the current corrections system.

Let us hope that Canadians pause on Aug. 10th to take note of the many injustices experienced by our fellow citizens in custody. As Fyodor Dostoevsky said, the degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons. It is long past time to fix our broken corrections system.

Catherine Latimer is the executive director of the John Howard Society of Canada, a charity dedicated to just, effective, and humane responses to crime.

SHARE:
Canadas Liberal government wants to get back into United Nations peacekeeping. Unfortunately, theres not much peace to keep.

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan is in Africa this week scouting out the terrain. The UN has 12 peacekeeping operations on the go in the continent. Some, like those aimed at keeping the peace between Israel and its neighbours, have been in place for decades. Others, like the missions in Congo, Mali and South Sudan, are more recent. None is easy.

The bloody war centred on the Democratic Republic of Congo, for instance, has killed more than 5 million people  including 102 UN peacekeepers. In total, the UNs African operations have claimed the lives of 1,212 peacekeepers.

Why is Ottawa so anxious to reinvolve itself? The answer is largely political. In the run-up to last years election, the Liberals calculated that the voters were weary of full-bore wars like the Afghanistan conflict and wanted to return to a time when Canada, through the UN, played the role of helpful fixer.

To meet that desire, Justin Trudeaus Liberal platform promised a greater emphasis on peacekeeping.

Certainly, it would have been hard to promise less. Canadas previous Conservative government was not enamored of the UNs blue-helmet operations. Currently, of the roughly 101,000 UN police and soldiers involved in peacekeeping around the world, only 106 are Canadian.

But Stephen Harpers Conservatives also governed at a time when the UN was taking a more aggressive military stance in the world. The Afghan War, for instance, may have been prosecuted largely by NATO countries. But it was authorized by the UN.

Similarly, the 2011 Western airstrikes that deposed Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi carried the imprimatur of the UN Security Council.

Modern peacekeeping isnt very peaceful either. In Mali, for instance, UN troops routinely come under attack from Islamist rebels. In one incident this week, a roadside bomb killed one peacekeeper and wounded four others.

In short, the dividing line between the war on terror and much of UN peacekeeping is fuzzy.

What will Canada do? The government has made it clear it wants to re-engage in peacekeeping in Africa. It also said it hasnt made up its mind where or in what form. Perhaps Sajjans visit this week to countries in central and eastern Africa will give him some ideas.

Hes bringing along two advisers with dissimilar views on military intervention. One is Romeo Dallaire, the former general and senator who, as the commander of a largely toothless UN force, helplessly witnessed the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

Dallaire is an eloquent proponent of the so-called responsibility to protect doctrine, which holds that the world has a duty to intervene in the internal affairs of a sovereign state when the government there is mistreating its own people.

The other is Louise Arbour, the former supreme court justice and war crimes prosecutor, who later became the UNs high commissioner for human rights.

Initially, an adamant supporter of the responsibility to protect doctrine, she has softened her views in recent years, arguing that sometimes, as in Libya in 2011, military intervention to promote human rights can end up making matters worse.

In an interview earlier this year with Canadian Press, Arbour warned against what she called nostalgia  either for the peacekeeping era associated with former prime minister Lester Pearson or the responsibility to protect era associated with former external affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy.

Instead, she called for a principled pragmatism in foreign affairs which, if I understand her correctly, means concentrating on small practical things that can make lives better rather than the grand overarching goals of justice and human rights that politicians so often prefer to proclaim.

Both Dallaire and Arbour promise to be useful companions as Sajjan tours Africa looking for just the right place to insert Canadian troops. Like the minister, himself a veteran of the Afghan War, they recognize that UN peacekeeping isnt what it used to be.

Thomas Walkoms column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

SHARE:
Its interesting that, in a recent letter to the Star, Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca thinks theres significant progress when it comes to developing greater public transit in the GTA. In many ways hes not wrong but I always get the feeling that when politicians in Canada talk public transit, theyre only half committed.

Expanding and funding public transit in Ontario has been very poor. The current Liberal government, while funding more infrastructure and public transit projects than most previous governments, still comes up short when it comes to getting people out of their cars and into trains and buses.

After all, if they were totally committed, half of Mississaugas GO stations would not be idle for most of the day, only offering people public transit for peak periods or rush hours. If you dont offer people access to public transit, then theyll drive their cars  and we have the horrendous traffic problems to prove it.

There should be a network of rail lines connecting major cities across Ontario but there dont seem to be any plans for that. Have we even got shovels in the ground for Mississaugas light rail project slated for Hurontario Road? Is a much-needed east-west project for that city been planned?

If politicians in this province and this country are serious about providing better public transit, then they need to ante up and vastly improve access and availability. As a province we are less competitive and spend more time getting to and from work than most Europeans who can rely on dependable, accessible and extensive public transit networks.

To say were doing all sorts of things and investing more than any other government is great but full commitment means making existing GO routes available all day and new rail links being created all over the province.

Without those, people will continue to drive their cars.

Gareth Skipp, Mississauga

Read more about:

SHARE:
Re: This election is for you, mom, Aug. 4

This election is for you, mom, Aug. 4

Judith Timson blithely ignores polling that shows more than 60 per cent of Americans think Hillary Clinton is untrustworthy. Mothers may tell little white lies to their children about the tooth fairy, Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, but Hillary is perfectly comfortable lying to the American public, the U.S. Congress and to grieving mothers whose sons were killed in Benghazi.

Where was Ghazala Khans outrage over that?

John Turner, Stoney Creek

SHARE:
Cruise lines are offering investors something they don't like to offer to passengers: big, fat discounts.

Shares of Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCLH) - crushed by some uneven quarterly results and a more pessimistic view of the outlook for the balance of the year - are off 9% today, bringing the stock's year to date drop to 34%. Carnival (CCL) , also tilting lower Tuesday, has lost 17% in 2016. Royal Caribbean (RCL) , lower by 4% on the day, has given up nearly a third of the value it claimed at the start of the year.

So... is it time for investors to board cruise lines?

Hey, they're cheap, with the sector, as a whole, trading at about 16 times earnings, lower than the market average. There's an argument to be made that their biggest problems --health concerns, safety worries and higher fuel costs-- are either transitory and/or manageable. And they've been operating with real discipline --check out Royal Caribbean's touted "double double" plan for financial performance-- and you'll see the industry cutting costs and resisting discounts on bookings. Say "hello" to your yeoman purser.

All fairly compelling arguments. But the reality is, cruise operators have been on a downtrend all year --most have violated the trend lines that technical analysts attend to-- and are likely to stay in that pattern, at least for the time being. Cheap as they are, cruise operators are going to offer the same value proposition at year end as they are here just past the midpoint of the calendar.

In fact, the calendar is a big factor in cruise line operators' ability to reverse their stocks' fortunes. The end of summer is effectively the end of cruise season. Expectations for third quarter financial performances, which capture the critical late summer cruising season, can be as much as double the forecasts of the second quarter. But they hit the end of that third quarter and experience a big falloff in bookings.

Carnival, which recorded a blowout second quarter, is slated to post third quarter numbers Sept. 20. The company has an uneven record versus forecasts. Granted, the stock is cheap at just 14 times earnings, and it's been doing what it can to maximize passenger revenues. It's got a fuel hedging program that is helping insulate its exposure to volatile fuel costs.

Royal Caribbean, which reported Aug. 2, with a 3% revenue miss included in the performance, is scheduled to report Nov. 11. The company has the greatest exposure to the beaten down British currency, with 30% of its revenue generated in the pound. Like all of the other major cruise line operators, it reports in U.S. dollars.

The forex overhang is a significant for all the players, as has been the rise in fuel costs. Carnival, even with its hedges in place, probably suffers something on the order of 17 cents a share from the combined forex/fuel headwind.

The three big cruise line operators are, in effect, an oligopoly. No one of them can lay claim to really controlling the cruise market. But the scattering of small players that play in the market don't significantly damage their market share, so they've really got the market to themselves. It's not exactly Coke versus Pepsi. It's more like the market for batteries, film or razor blades. If they each maintain pricing discipline --not starting price wars by discounting berths or sneaking cheap prices into their packages-- they don't have to worry that their yields will go south.

But trends are working against the industry as a whole. Customers' tastes can be fickle. The Caribbean, which used to be the destination of choice for U.S. cruise takers --for certain operators, it used to represent 50% of their bookings-- has declined. It's now closer to a third of bookings for the operators that participate in that market. That fickleness hurts predictability.

Meanwhile, no one - and we mean no one - seems to want to go to the Mediterranean, owing to worries about terrorism and health, among other things. Those things may diminish with time - remember when the ebola scare was a paramount concern? - but they're manifest right now.

Additionally, the industry drives new or higher priced bookings from one great source --new boats. You build a boat, it's full of gee-whiz features, and passengers clamor. That's a plus for pricing. But the industry's new embrace of spending discipline and cost cutting is limiting the growth of capacity gains.

There's still some opportunities for cruise line operators. Only one in five Americans has ever booked a cruise, so there's a high ceiling on potential business. However, at the end of the day, predicting the recovery for the cruise line business might require an economist. And one who's adept at prognostications.

Tell me when the pound is going to recover, and maybe we can predict the cruise businesses' reversal of fortune.
No

Yes, a light case

Yes, two or more light cases

One serious case

Two or more serious bouts

Vote

View Results
The Bank of England said on Wednesday it will make up a shortfall in its government bond-buying scheme with a second round of purchases in November, after efforts to boost the economy with renewed quantitative easing fell flat this week.

The central bank confirmed it had offered to buy 1.72 billion ($2.24 billion) of long-dated government bonds, or gilts, as part of its 70 billion quantitative easing program. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney expanded that program on Aug. 4 to pull the economy out of the swoon induced by June's Brexit vote to leave the European Union. The objective was to push investors to look for better returns from lending to companies rather than relying on fixed-income instruments.

But Tuesday's gilt buying round raised just 1.17 billion, as insurance companies and pension funds chose to hang on to the income-generating paper, rather than sell at record-low yields. The yield on the benchmark 10-year gilt fell to a low of just 0.56% as the bond auction got underway and it was down 5 basis points at 0.53% as of Wednesday morning.

In a statement issued Wednesday morning, the Bank of England said: "The Bank will incorporate the 52 million shortfall from yesterday's uncovered operation within the second half of the current six-month purchase program. As set out in the Market Notice of 4 August 2016, details of these purchases will be announced on 3 November 2016."

However, some analysts believe the central bank will find it just as tough to find willing sellers at the next round, because pension funds and insurance companies need the income from the bonds to fund pension payouts.

Although the bank pays above the market price to attract sellers, continued high prices and low yields will make it hard to justify buying new paper to replace the old and many funds are restricted from making alternative investments.
During the last few months Tesla (TSLA) should have been a short seller's dream come true, but instead has only added to the frustration of company skeptics. It's a reminder that the debate on the automaker is unlikely to be resolved any time soon.

Tesla so far in 2016 has announced a dilutive secondary offering, dumped news of a below-expectations quarter in terms of deliveries on the Sunday of a holiday weekend and announced a balance-sheet challenging deal for SolarCity (SCTY) , a money-losing company with strong ties to CEO Elon Musk. Against that backdrop there have also been a series of crashes linked to Tesla's Autopilot technology --including one fatality-- which caused Consumer Reports to accuse the automaker of using its customers as "guinea pigs" to beta test software.

The latest issue comes out of China, with Tesla on Wednesday confirming reports that one of its vehicles had crashed in Beijing while in "autopilot" mode. While the details, including whether the fault lies with the software or the operator, are so far unclear, the incident has led to claims by Chinese customers that the feature was being sold as a fully-autonomous operation, not as a lane assist cruise control.

Yet shares of Tesla barely flinched Wednesday, trading off 1.8% at mid-day during a session where the indices are all in the red. That continues a pattern as shares of Tesla, currently trading at about $224 apiece, are barely changed on the year. Shares of Tesla have actually outperformed the stocks of General Motors (GM) and Ford (F) so far this year, despite those two companies having considerably more positive news flows in 2016.

The explanation for this seeming inconsistency is simple: Tesla since the day it went public has never been about current quarter or even current year results, it is a bet either for or against an ambitious --and expensive-- vision of the future. Tesla has been one of the most actively debated stocks on message boards and social media, and both believers and skeptics long ago dug in deep. What 2016 has shown is there seems to be very little that can be said to move the needle dramatically in either direction.

That should change in the years to come, as Tesla nears its self-imposed deadline to ramp up production and bring its more affordable Model 3 to market. Tesla doesn't necessarily even need to meet those deadlines; the company has a long history of missed targets and even bulls concede the company's likely overpromising this time around. History has shown the most important thing the company must do is give investors reason to believe Tesla will get to the finish line eventually.

For all the drama Tesla the brand has held up remarkably well. Though the company did not provide an updated number during its second quarter call, as of earlier this year it had well more than 300,000 deposits for its upcoming Model 3. And the crashes seem to have done little to dent the public's interest in self-driving technology or Tesla's reputation.

A survey conducted by AlixPartners in late July, after rounds of negative headlines, found that "new Silicon Valley manufacturers" are the most-trusted sources for self-driving technology, with public awareness that Tesla's developing a self-driving car jumping from 23.1% of respondents to 55.3% from May to July.

If seems that if Tesla can get its car to market, there will be buyers.

Financially the situation is far from certain. Tesla in its recent 10-Q disclosed it would burn $1.1 billion in cash in the third quarter due to CapEx requirements related to vehicle development and its Gigafactory battery plant, as well as repaying the principle on convertible notes. Tesla had about $3.25 billion on hand as of June 30, but CEO Musk has admitted that the company could require a "small equity capital raise" in the quarters to come.

Skeptics would note that the source of some of the unexpected cash burn, demand by convertible holders to cash out, could be a sign of trouble. Even if equity investors remain confident, the cashouts seem to say that traditionally more conservative bond holders are beginning to get cold feet.

For now large institutional managers have stayed on board, presumably more fearful of missing out on the upside of success than they are concerned with the chance of failure. But if jitters among bond investors spread to equity funds it would pressure Tesla shares, potentially making it harder for the company to return to markets for more capital.

Tesla to date has not had any trouble raising cash, and shareholders in growth companies will often accept the dilution that comes with new offerings if it is seen as providing the fuel to create an even larger enterprise in the future. It's going to take time for the story to play out. In the meantime expect the debate to rage on.
Theres a lot to love about boots. Not only can they add a badass touch to almost any outfit, but theyre also incredibly durable, standing up to wear and tear and looking better for it. However, with so many boot styles and options available, finding your ultimate pair can be challenging. After all, theres a lot to consider, including style, comfort, and quality. Luckily, were here to help make your decision a whole lot easier with a roundup of the best boots for men.

RELATED: How to Wear Mens Boots

RELATED: 20 Best Work Boot Brands for Men

1. Morjas

Stockholm-based mens boot brand, Morjas makes high-quality and timeless designs for fashion-conscious gents. Founder, Henrik, was tired of only finding bland and overpriced shoes in the market, so he created his own. In keeping the designs classic, each boot will look just as good now as it will in 20 years. Additionally, by using expert craftspeople and quality materials, including rubber soles, Goodyear welts, and signature leathers, theyll wear exceptionally well as they transport you through lifes many adventures.

SHOP: Morjas

ADVERTISEMENT

2. Myrqvist

If you love good-quality boots that will last for years, let us introduce you to Swedens fastest-growing footwear brand, Myrqvist. The appeal of Myrqvist is their attention to detail and dedication to quality. They value craftsmanship and want to create stylish yet timeless footwear that will last for decades. The shoes are handcrafted in Portugal with the best leathers and designs that will make you feel and look good, mostly made using the Goodyear Welted construction. There is also no middleman, with the company preferring to produce and sell the shoes directly to the consumer. This is an excellent way to ensure value and quality as retailers add a markup to shoes.

SHOP: Myrqvist

ADVERTISEMENT

3. Amberjack

Take a step away from cookie-cutter mens boots with a pair of Amberjacks. This New York-based brand switched things up, combining science and fashion to create the most comfortable and stylish boots. They use luxury full-grain leather sourced from an ISO-certified tannery and revolutionary dual-density soles that combine athletic and hiking technology for cushioning and structure. Environmental and societal sustainability is also a focus with plastic-free packaging, a fair wage factory, and sustainable tanning practices.

SHOP: Amberjack

4. Grenson

Its almost unfair how perpetually fashionable some of Grensons boots are. The companys famous for both its scotch grain leather shoes and three-tiered welt styles. Here you have a brand that has been around since the mid-17th Century, with a range of shoes that are at once timeless and on-trend. We suggest the Cosmo boot from the triple welt range for a shoe like no other.

SHOP: Grenson

5. Timberland

Best known for the original yellow boot introduced in 1973, Timberland today outfits consumers from head-to-toe with collections that reflect the brands rich heritage of craftsmanship. In the 90s, hip-hop artists began wearing Timberland boots as part of their style, and it has since become an icon in footwear. The Timberland boot has proved its worth as a fashion staple thats both rugged and stylish.

SHOP: Timberland

6. Trickers

Practical, sturdy, and elegant, three words at the center of Trickers boot design principles. The brands country range reinforces these principles while looking unlike any other. Trickers approach to manufacturing screams tradition, so each shoe feels unique as if its handmade just for you. You get the feeling that very few brands make a product like this anymore.

SHOP: Trickers

7. Belstaff

Another British label with a proud history is Belstaff. The brands heritage is deeply embedded with motorbiking subculture. The classic Belstaff look is the black, brutalist biker boot. Although originally made for bikers and Amelia Earhart, Belstaff boots today cut a stylish silhouette and pay homage to their authentic and adventurous spirit.

SHOP: Belstaff

8. Clarks

Founded in 1825, Clarks biggest moment was in 1950 when Nathan Clark designed the desert boot. Inspired by boots from the bazaars in Cairo worn by British army officers, the simple suede ankle boots almost instantly took off. Today, Clarks continues to design classic and contemporary shoes and has a place in many mens wardrobes.

SHOP: Clarks

9. Churchs

Churchs has managed to reinvent itself throughout the years and remains relevant today. But, as with so many boots, it is the style that pays tribute to the brands heritage that is clearly best. Churchs Shanghai-style footwear defined mens fashion in 1929. Today, its still a bold shoe style that works well for casual and semi-formal occasions.

SHOP: Churchs

10. UGG

The classic Australian sheepskin boot is where UGG draws its inspiration for its signature shoe. There is some dispute as to whom the Ugg Boot trademark rightfully belongs, although UGGs take on the style is iconic. The boots are not only a statement of style, but they also keep you warm in the winter. Today UGG makes more than just the classic sheepskin boot, although its entire range takes cues from the original idea.

SHOP: UGG

11. Wolverine

Founded in 1883, G.A. Krause had a dream of someday opening his own tannery and shoe company. Today the brand has become an enterprise and produces a line of motorcycle wear for Harley-Davidson. Wolverines famous 1000 mile range has its roots in the early 1900s and got its name from a guarantee that they will give you a thousand miles of wear. After you wear some Wolverines, you will feel like the hardest working man around.

SHOP: Wolverine

12. Blundstone

Blundstone is an impressive brand that was first founded in 1870 and is still going strong. It has humble beginnings, starting in Hobart, Tasmania, but has since become known worldwide for its comfortable, durable boots that can be worn in various conditions. They are renowned for their exceptional quality, and purchasing a pair of Blundstones is an investment because of the longevity you will get from them. They are built to last, have non-slip outsoles and leather uppers, and are also stylish.

SHOP: Blundstone

13. Carhartt

Carhartt boots are for the working man who wants shoes that can handle all terrains, providing protection and comfort. The great thing about this brand is that they are affordable and durable. You can choose from a selection of boots designed with specific features, depending on your needs, from the composite toe or non-safety toe work boots to designs that use waterproof-breathable technology or are slip-resistant. There are various casual styles to choose from that will keep you protected on the job site.

SHOP: Carhartt

14. Dr. Martens

Doc Martens or Dr. Martens is a brand that is stylish and versatile. It was founded in the 40s and has garnered a legion of loyal fans because they are comfortable, will last a lifetime, and have become a statement piece of footwear. It is the type of shoe you can wear with anything, but it is also highly functional. The superb quality makes this a sought-after boot, and it can be worn by everyone, from warehouse workers or those who spend their days outdoors. Some of the boots are slip-resistant, they have cushioned soles, and you can choose from leather or vegan leather.

SHOP: Dr. Martens

15. Florsheim

Florsheim has a long and interesting history, starting back in 1892 with The Florsheim Shoe Company in Chicago. They continue to be one of the leading brands for good quality and stylish shoes and have partnered with several fashion-forward menswear designers over the decades. You can pick from a wide range of dress boots or more casual styles to suit your preference.

SHOP: Florsheim

16. Red Wing

If you looking for boots and prefer traditional construction that has a timeless design, Red Wing has all of this and more! As the name suggests, the company is based in Red Wing, Minnesota, and was founded in 1905. The brand provides a wide range of good-quality products that are durable, functional, and made to last. The workboots have been tried and trusted for 100 years, and they focus on the best safety technology and materials of the utmost quality. As a bonus, all of Red Wings boots look cool!

SHOP: Red Wing

17. Alden of New England

From the other great shoemaking region of the world, Alden of New England makes a style of boots inspired by the hardworking culture of Massachusetts. Founded in 1884 by Charles H. Alden, the brands signature dress boots offer little in the way of embellishments, instead letting the graceful design and some simple stitching do most of the talking.

SHOP: Alden of New England

18. Crockett and Jones

Like so many brands in this list, Crockett and Jones hail from Northampton in the UK. Also, like many of the best boot brands, they are still making a range of shoes by hand. For a style that will impress, have a look at the brands Islay boot. Its a full brogue derby boot that manages to marry the rugged nature of a boot with the intricate elegance of a brogue.

SHOP: Crockett and Jones

19. Bogs

Bogs is a fantastic brand for men who are looking for practical, durable, and stylish boots. The company has a wide range of products on offer, from work boots with steel toes to farm boots and everything in between. There are various styles, including slip-on and lace-up, and there is impressive inclusivity with sizing. This is also a fantastic company if you are focused on sustainability, as the rubber factories they use minimize waste. Bogs incorporate green practices for their leather and partner with BLOOM to integrate algae-based EVA footbeds.

SHOP: Bogs

20. Caterpillar

Caterpillar, or CAT, is a well-known company for work boots, and their products are practical and look good. The company has a long and interesting history and has continued to evolve and expand its product line. Now, you can find a wide range of boots on offer, including alloy toe work boots for safety and Chelsea work boots. There is something to suit every preference, in a range of neutral colors and shoes engineered for comfort.

SHOP: Caterpillar

21. Julius Marlow

Australian brand Julius Marlow has some of the most stylish boots on offer. The company was founded in 1993 when Marlow opened his business in Collingwood. Marlow creates highly sought-after and stylish shoes at affordable prices with the utmost quality in mind. The brand also prides itself on its innovation, diversity, and products challenging conformity. Here you can find everything from dress boots to work boots.

SHOP: Julius Marlow

22. Adelante Shoe Co.

Adelante Shoe Co. will be your new favorite destination for quality, hand-crafted shoes. The story behind the brand is an interesting one, and came into existence after the founder, Peter, visited Latin America, witnessed poverty and inequality, and decided to give back; the shoes are handcrafted in Guatemala. The company sells connective products to fund sustainable economic development in Latin America. Shoes are made-to-order and can be of any width and size and shipped directly from Guatemala in approximately three weeks. The boots are exceptional and affordable, and the brand also gives back.

SHOP: Adelante Shoe Co.

23. Danner

Danner is a brand synonymous with superior quality, and its longevity is a testament to that. It was founded in 1932 and has become the go-to place for mens boots designed for adventure and exploration. Charles Danner, the founder of the company, had a respect for the landscape of the wild Pacific Northwest and wanted to create shoes that could handle tough terrain. They are exceptional and built to last. There are boots for work, hunting, hiking, and more, in various sizes and designs. Crafted in Oregon, United States, practicality meets style with Danner boots!

SHOP: Danner

24. Fracap

Italian handmade shoe brand, Fracap, is a great location to shop for boots. The company has a long and interesting history dating back to 1908, when the first pair of handmade shoes were made under the family name, Cappello. The name has changed, but the dedication to quality has not. The shoes are made in a factory in the small town in Puglia called Monteroni, remaining in the place where the family was born. Their boots are handmade, and there are several styles to choose from and various colors.

SHOP: Fracap

25. Astorflex

Handmade Italian shoe company Astorflex deserves recognition. Founded in the 19th century Astorflex is owned by Fabio Travenzoli, whose family started it. At Astorflex, they are passionate about good footwear and stick to traditional methods of Ideal stitching; the outer stitching along the edge of the sole. The lining and insoles are in vegetable-tanned calf leather, and the soles are produced with natural rubber; the combination ensures the utmost quality.

SHOP: Astorflex

26. Diemme

Diemme creates functional and stylish boots that are comfortable and practical. Their story began in 1992 and was founded and managed by brothers Dennis and Maico Signor. These are authentic Italian shoes, made at the Calzaturificio Diemme factory in One di Fonte, Veneto. The focus is on sustainability and producing high-quality footwear built to last. They also believe in products with an exceptional level of comfort. The footwear includes everything from Chelsea boots to performance footwear like hiking boots.

SHOP: Diemme

27. R.M. Williams

Australian brand R.M. Williams is one of the best mens boot companies. It was founded by R.M. Williams, who created his first pair of elastic-sided mens boots in 1932. The brand has continued to evolve but remains true to its origin, creating shoes that are handmade and built to last. They are also designed for adventure and to withstand the temperatures and rugged terrain of the Australian outback. Made on-demand designs include the Comfort Craftsman Boot and Burnished Macquarie Boot.

SHOP: R.M. Williams

28. Xtratuf

Xtratuf is best known for its fishing boots and deck shoes, making this the ideal place to shop if you want practical and functional footwear. Founded over 50 years ago, these boots are built to keep your feet dry and comfortable, despite harsh weather conditions. They have become an Alaskan icon because they are reliable and durable, crafted with a special slip-resistant Chevron outsole. Choose from a range of colors to suit your preference.

SHOP: Xtratuf

29. Chippewa Boots

The history of Chippewa Boots can be traced back to 1901 in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. While these boots have an appealing aesthetic, they are also designed to be durable and long-lasting, built to withstand harsh conditions. This is achieved by using the highest quality materials and focusing on expert craftsmanship to deliver the quality the brand has become known and respected for.

SHOP: Chippewa Boots

30. Durango

Comfortable and flexible are two commonly used adjectives to describe Durango boots. With over 50 years of experience in the footwear business, this brand has withstood the test of time. There are several styles to choose from, including cowboy boots or western boots that are stylish and comfortable. A wide range of colors and prints are used to create these boots, letting you find a pair that best suits your preference and allows you to express yourself.

SHOP: Durango

31. L.L Bean

Founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean, L.L Bean has a long and interesting history associated with it. It is an appealing company to shop for boots because these designs are built to be of unbeatable quality and for the outdoors. Suppose you are planning an adventure or intend to go exploring? In that case, you will find everything you need at L.L Bean, including Rain Boots, Leather Gore-Tex Cresta Hiking Boots, and for when you finally get to put your feet up, a pair of super-comfortable shearling-lined Chukkas. You can also choose a boot on not only size but width, ensuring you get the perfect fit.

SHOP: L.L Bean

32. Magnanni

It doesnt get better than luxury handmade Italian shoes, and Magnanni is one of the best. The company was founded in Spain in 1954 and remains family-owned and operated. The range of boots is stylish and ideal for formalwear; they are the type of shoes you want to show off. The superior quality comes from their attention to detail, expert craftsmanship, and the unbeatable quality fabrics used to create each shoe. They are also hand-painted. In addition, you can expect incredible comfort.

SHOP: Magnanni

33. Merrell

Merrell boots are built for the outdoors and are an excellent place to purchase hiking boots or outdoor gear. Established in 1981 by Clark Matis and John Schweizer, their products are designed to be flexible, durable, and built for performance. The company offers an impressive collection of practical and functional boots, including winter, hiking, and waterproof boots, which are available in various colors and styles.

SHOP: Merrell

34. Nunn Bush

Founded in Milwaukee in 1912, Nunn Bush has a wide selection of footwear, including boots. From Chukka boots to Chelsea boots, the designs are simple and timeless, lending themselves well to various occasions. The company focuses on providing customers with products that are good value, stylish, comfortable, and of the utmost quality. In addition, they state that their Midwestern values of hard work and fair play are what they continue to rely on.

SHOP: Nunn Bush

35. Original S.W.A.T

As the name suggests, Original S.W.A.T was created to produce footwear that could be used by elite law enforcement individuals like S.W.A.T teams. Founded by Terry Mackness in 1999, this is the year the first Original S.W.A.T boot was created, and in the decades since, the company has evolved to include several styles, like the Alpha Series. It remains one of the top places to shop for comfortable, durable, and high-quality footwear.

SHOP: Original S.W.A.T

36. Muck Boot Company

The Muck Boot Company designs shoes that are functional and practical, letting you go about your activities without worrying about keeping your feet dry. They are 100 percent waterproof, allowing you to venture into the mud or wet terrain, and there are several designs, depending on your preference and need. These include the Muck Original, ideal for those who want light-duty performance footwear, or the Chore, which can handle the toughest conditions.

SHOP: Muck Boot Company

37. Thomas & Vine

Thomas & Vine was established in 2001 and continues to be a popular place to shop for excellent boots for men. They have found the perfect balance between creating comfortable, stylish, and affordable shoes, and there is a lot to like about this brand. You can choose from a wide range of authentic leather products, including classics like Chukka boots or Business Casual shoes that are great for the workplace. In addition, the shoes come with a 12-month warranty.

SHOP: Thomas & Vine

38. To Boot New York

To Boot New York offers a stylish range of boots in classic colors and designs that lend themselves well to various occasions. These include your go-to casual boots and those made for formal occasions. The shoes are of the utmost quality and crafted in Italy, and the brand is tried and trusted, having been in existence for over 50 years.

SHOP: To Boot New York

39. Twisted X

Founded in 2005 and created with sustainable methods and with comfort at the forefront of each design, Twisted X brings something special to the mens footwear market. Comfortable footwear does not mean boring, though, and there is a wide range of different styles to choose from, including fun designs with colorful laces or unique detailing. It is also a brand that gives back, donating 10 percent of profits to causes they support.

SHOP: Twisted X

40. Milwaukee Boot Company

Milwaukee Boot Company is known for its midwest work ethic: getting down to the job and focusing on high-quality leather craftsmanship. The company consists of a small and hardworking team with headquarters in Milwaukee, where it is family-owned and run. They also sell directly to the consumer, with the mindset that they are sticking it to the middleman.

SHOP: Milwaukee Boot Company

41. Georgia Boot

Georgia Boot has marketed itself as Americas Hardest Working Boot. The company offers an affordable range of mens work boots designed to withstand tough conditions and the test of time. It was founded in 1937 and has remained one of the most sought-after brands, offering a selection of waterproof boots and styles designed for the job while also providing comfort, which is driven by technology.

SHOP: Georgia Boot

42. Whites Boots

Whites Boots has been around for a long time; established in 1853, the company remains one of the go-to places for heavy-duty boots that are practical and comfortable. These boots are handmade, with hand-sewn stitch down, and undergo 25 unique stages before their completion. This is impressive, but the expert craftsmanship is also evident in the superb quality, providing you with a shoe that is built to last.

SHOP: Whites Boots

43. Eastland 1955

At Eastland 1955, you can find a range of designs and styles, including chukka boots and cap toe boots. The company was founded in 1955, hence the name, and remains a family-owned business based in Freeport, Maine. It has been in the family for three generations, and the same attention to detail and quality has not changed.

SHOP: Eastland 1955
Applied Predictive Technologies is doing an all-night data-dive to benefit the Capital Area Food Bank in Arlington, VA on May 21, 2014. (Jeffrey MacMillan/Jeffrey MacMillan )

The Washington area has seen a string of fast-growing companies get gobbled up by out-of-town players. So when analytics outfit Applied Predictive Technologies (APT) was sold to MasterCard for $600 million last year, it looked like yet another successful local act was about to be swallowed by a national behemoth.

That doesnt appear to be happening  at least not yet.

On Wednesday morning, APT announced its intention to keep its headquarters in Northern Virginia and hire 368 new employees. The company plans to relocate to a larger location across the street from its current headquarters in Ballston. The company had been courted by North Carolina and the District.

The partnership that we have with MasterCard has been a phenomenal extension and expansion of how we can support our clients, and were thrilled to be on the growth path that weve had, APT chief executive Anthony Bruce said.

[What does this Ballston firm have that drew $600 million from MasterCard?]

The company was lured in part by more than $6 million in grants, tax breaks and other public incentives patched together by the state and county governments  all of it contingent on certain local growth targets promised by the company.

APT stands out among Northern Virginias business heavyweights in that its revenue doesnt come from the government. The company employs complex algorithms to test real-world business problems, setting up experiments and observing how seemingly insignificant tweaks to operations can affect sales. It helps Fortune 500 companies optimize such things as product pricing, store hours, incentive programs and other details.

[APT has a legion of geeks that help analyze data so companies can make better decisions]

Keeping APT local has been a point of focus for state and local officials in Northern Virginia. The state has been trying to diversify beyond government work for years  a dependence that served it well when the federal government ramped up following the 2008 financial crisis but came back to bite it when budgets stalled in Congress in 2012.

Helping businesses in growing sectors grow in your home is the best strategy, said Maurice Jones, Virginias secretary of commerce and trade. The prevailing wages of [APTs employees] are really high, so the return on investment to the taxpayer is superlative.

Arlington County officials are also looking to fill vacant office buildings, a problem for the region in recent years.

One of our overall goals is to work on our vacancy rate and really grow our tech sector, which is doing really well, Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey (D) said.

APT executives declined to comment on the companys employee count, but the firm reported having just over 250 in a survey submitted to The Washington Post late last year.

That would mean the companys planned new hires should more than double the size of the companys local employment base from the beginning of 2016  a huge influx of coveted technology jobs for one of the regions wealthiest business hubs. The countys economic-incentive programs require APT to create 54 new jobs by July 2018, an additional 63 by July 2019 and a total of 368 new jobs over the next five years.
A former employee at the burrito chains Dupont Circle store says she was harrassed and fired because she was pregnant. (Keith Srakocic/AP)

Chipotle Mexican Grill was ordered to pay $550,000 to a former employee of its Dupont Circle store after a jury ruled she had been discriminated against, and ultimately fired, for being pregnant.

Doris Garcia Hernandez, 31, who worked at the Chipotle on M Street NW, says her supervisor began restricting access to drinking water and forbidding routine breaks after she informed him that she was pregnant in November 2011, according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. She was fired a few months later, after leaving work early to go to a prenatal doctors appointment.

A jury of eight deliberated for three hours before issuing its decision last week. The award includes $50,000 in compensatory damages and $500,000 in punitive damages.

This is a victory for working women, said Christine Tschiderer, an attorney for the Washington Lawyers Committee who helped represent Hernandez. It sends a clear message to employers that pregnancy is not incompatible with the workplace.

A spokesman for Chipotle said the company does not plan to appeal the courts decision.

We maintain that Chipotles actions in this case were legal and appropriate, but we are moving on from this issue, Chris Arnold said in an email.

Hernandez says her supervisor, identified as David Hahn in court documents, harassed her in a variety of ways. When she needed to use the bathroom, for example, she was required to tell each employee in the store where she was going, and then wait for permission to leave her post. There were no such rules in place for non-pregnant workers, according to the complaint.

Hernandez was fired in January 2012. In her complaint, the mother of three says she told Hahn days in advance that she would need to leave early. He ignored those requests and on the morning of the appointment, told her she couldnt go. She did anyway.

The next morning, Hahn fired Hernandez in front of other employees in the stores lobby. Prior to announcing her pregnancy, Hernandez had received positive performance reviews for her work at the store, where she made tortillas and salsa, rolled burritos and prepped vegetables, the complaint says.

Hahn, who voluntarily left Chipotle shortly after firing Hernandez, testified on behalf of the company during the four-day trial, court documents show. During his testimony, Hahn said he had not imposed a separate bathroom policy for Hernandez, and that he had fired her for reasons unrelated to her pregnancy.

Calls to Chipotles attorneys to reach Hahn went unreturned.

The outcome of the proceedings comes as yet another blow for the fast-casual chain, which has been scrambling to recover after a series of E. coli and norovirus outbreaks linked to illnesses late last year. In February, Chipotle was ordered to pay three former general managers roughly $600,000 after a federal grand jury determined the company had discriminated against and fired the women because of their gender.

Hernandezs troubles at Chipotle spurred the D.C. Council to pass the Protecting Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which requires employers to provide pregnant workers with basic accommodations, such as access to drinking water and more frequent bathroom breaks.

The new law  and last weeks verdict  are particularly important in helping low-wage workers and immigrants fight gender and pregnancy discrimination, said Jonathan Smith, executive director of the Washington Lawyers Committee.

No woman should be forced to choose between a prenatal appointment and her job, Smith said.


(Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images; Illustration by The Washington Post)

The lawyer gave Donald Trump a note, written in Trumps own handwriting. He asked Trump to read it aloud.

Trump may not have realized it yet, but he had walked into a trap.

Peter, youre a real loser, Trump began reading.

The mogul had sent the note to a reporter, objecting to a story that said Trump owned a small minority stake in a Manhattan real estate project. Trump insisted that the word small was incorrect. Trump continued reading: I wrote, Is 50 percent small? 

This [note] was intended to indicate that you had a 50 percent stake in the project, correct? said the lawyer.

Thats correct, Trump said.

For the first of many times that day, Trump was about to be caught saying something that wasnt true.

I own 30 percent, Trump admitted.

It was a mid-December morning in 2007  the start of an interrogation unlike anything else in the public record of Trumps life.

Trump had brought it on himself. He had sued a reporter, accusing him of being reckless and dishonest in a book that raised questions about Trumps net worth. The reporters attorneys turned the tables and brought Trump in for a deposition.

For two straight days, they asked Trump question after question that touched on the same theme: Trumps honesty.

The lawyers confronted the mogul with his past statements  and with his companys internal documents, which often showed those statements had been incorrect or invented. The lawyers were relentless. Trump, the bigger-than-life mogul, was vulnerable  cornered, out-prepared and under oath.

Thirty times, they caught him.

Trump had misstated sales at his condo buildings. Inflated the price of membership at one of his golf clubs. Overstated the depth of his past debts and the number of his employees.

That deposition  170 transcribed pages  offers extraordinary insights into Trumps relationship with the truth. Trumps falsehoods were unstrategic  needless, highly specific, easy to disprove. When caught, Trump sometimes blamed others for the error or explained that the untrue thing really was true, in his mind, because he saw the situation more positively than others did.

Have you ever lied in public statements about your properties? the lawyer asked.

I try and be truthful, Trump said. Im no different from a politician running for office. You always want to put the best foot forward.

In his presidential campaign, Trump has sought to make his truth-telling a selling point. He nicknamed his main Republican opponent Lyin Ted Cruz. He called his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR! in a recent Twitter message. I will present the facts plainly and honestly, he said in the opening of his speech at the Republican National Convention. We cannot afford to be so politically correct anymore.

Trump has had a habit of telling demonstrable untruths during his presidential campaign. The Washington Posts Fact Checker has awarded him four Pinocchios  the maximum a statement can receive  39 times since he announced his bid last summer. In many cases, his statements echo those in the 2007 deposition: They are specific, checkable  and wrong.

Trump said he opposed the Iraq War at the start. He didnt. He said hed never mocked a disabled New York Times reporter. He had. Trump also said the National Football League had sent him a letter, objecting to a presidential debate that was scheduled for the same time as a football game. It hadnt.

Last week, Trump claimed that he had seen footage  taken at a top-secret location and released by the Iranian government  showing a plane unloading a large amount of cash to Iran from the U.S. government. He hadnt. Trump later conceded hed been mistaken  hed seen TV news video that showed a plane during a prisoner release.

But, even under the spotlight of this campaign, Trump has never had an experience quite like this deposition on Dec. 19 and 20, 2007.

He was trapped in a room  with his own prior statements and three high-powered lawyers.

A very clear and visible side effect of my lawyers questioning of Trump is that he [was revealed as] a routine and habitual fabulist, said Timothy L. OBrien, the author Trump had sued.

The Washington Post sent the Trump campaign a detailed list of questions about this deposition, listing all the times when Trump seemed to have been caught in a false or unsupported statement. The Post asked Trump whether he wanted to challenge any of those findings  and whether he had felt regret when confronted with them.

He did not answer those questions.



LEFT: Timothy L. OBriens book Trump Nation: The Art of Being the Donald. RIGHT: Andrew Ceresney, top, and Mary Jo White, bottom, who represented OBrien in the suit Trump brought against him. (Open Road Integrated Media; Mark Lennihan/AP; Seth Wenig/AP)

In 2005, OBrien, then a reporter for the New York Times, had published a book called Trump Nation: The Art of Being the Donald. In the book, OBrien cited people who questioned a claim at the bedrock of Trumps identity  that his net worth was more than $5 billion. OBrien said he had spoken to three people who estimated that the figure was between $150 million and $250 million.

Trump sued. He later told The Post that he intended to hurt OBrien, whom he called a lowlife sleazebag.

I didnt read [the book], to be honest with you. . . . I never read it. I saw some of the things they said, Trump said later. I said: Go sue him. It will cost him a lot of money. 

By filing suit, Trump hadnt just opened himself up to questioning  he had opened a door into the opaque and secretive company he ran.

OBriens attorneys included Mary Jo White, now the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and Andrew Ceresney, now the SECs director of enforcement. The lawsuit had given them the power to request that Trump turn over internal company documents, and they used it. They arrived at the deposition having already identified where Trumps public statements hadnt matched the private truth.

The questions began with that handwritten note and the 50 percent stake that wasnt 50 percent.

The 30 percent equates to much more than 30 percent, Trump explained. His reasoning was that he had not been required to put up money at the outset, so his 30 percent share seemed more valuable.

Are you saying that the real estate community would interpret your interest to be 50 percent, even though in limited partnership agreements its 30 percent? Ceresney asked.

Smart people would, Trump said.

Smart people?

Smart people would say its much more than 30 percent.

Trump inflates the numbers

TRUMP: I got more than a million dollars, because they have tremendous promotion expenses, to my advantage. In other words, they promote, which has great value, through billboards, through newspapers, through radio, I think through television  yeah, through television.

And they spend  again, Id have to ask them, but I bet they spend at least a million or two million or maybe even more than that on promoting Donald Trump.

LAWYER: But how much of the payments were cash?

TRUMP: Approximately $400,000.

LAWYER: So when you say publicly that you got paid more than a million dollars, youre including in that sum the promotional expenses that they pay?

TRUMP: Oh, absolutely, yes. That has a great value. It has a great value to me.

LAWYER: Do you actually say that when you say you got paid more than a million dollars publicly?

TRUMP: I dont break it down.

On to the next one.

I was paid more than a million dollars, Trump said when Ceresney asked how much hed been paid for a speech in 2005 at New York Citys Learning Annex, a continuing-education center.

Ceresney was ready.

But how much of the payments were cash?

Approximately $400,000, Trump said.

Trump said his personal math included the intangible value of publicity: The Learning Annex had advertised his speech heavily, and Trump thought that helped his brand. Therefore, in his mind hed been paid more than $1 million, even though his actual payment was $400,000.

Do you actually say that, when you say you got a million dollars publicly? Ceresney asked.

I dont break it down, Trump said.

As the deposition went on, the lawyers led Trump through case after case in which hed overstated his success.



Donald Trump, right, is interviewed by Larry King during a taping of "Larry King Live" on Oct, 7, 1999. (Marty Lederhandler/AP)

The lawyer played a clip from Larry Kings talk show, in which King asked Trump how many people worked for him. Twenty-two thousand or so, Trump said.

Are all those people on your payroll? Ceresney asked him.

No, not directly, Trump said. He said he was counting employees of other companies that acted as suppliers and subcontractors to his businesses.

Another one. In OBriens book, Trump had been quoted saying: I had zero borrowings from [my fathers] estate. . . . I give you my word.

Under oath:

Mr. Trump, have you ever borrowed money from your fathers estate?

I think a small amount a long time ago, Trump said. I think it was like in the $9 million range.

Another one. In one of his own books, Trump had said about one of his golf courses: Membership costs $300,000. I think its a bargain.

Under oath:

In fact, your memberships were not selling at $300,000 at that time, correct?

Weve sold many for two hundred thousand, Trump said. Then, Trump pushed it upward: Weve sold many for, I think, two-fifty.

But this was not the place to push it.

The lawyer had an internal Trump document that showed the true figure  $200,000 per membership, Ceresney said.

Correct, Trump acknowledged. Right.

Trump passes the blame

LAWYER: You didnt correct it when you read the book?

TRUMP: Well, I did correct it, and she didnt correct it.

But you could have her in as a witness, and Im sure well bring her in as a witness because what she wrote was  I asked her to change it to billions of dollars in debt, and she probably forgot.

LAWYER: And when you read it, you didnt correct it?

TRUMP: I didnt see it.

LAWYER: You didnt see it.

TRUMP: I read it very quickly. I didnt see it. I would have corrected it, but I didnt see it.

In some cases, Trump acknowledged he was wrong  but not that he was at fault. Instead, he sought to turn the blame on others.

This is somebody that wrote it, probably Meredith McIver, Trump said at one point when confronted with another false statement. That is a mistake.

McIver, a staff writer with the Trump Organization, blazed into the public eye last month for having inserted plagiarized material  taken from Michelle Obamas 2008 convention speech  in the convention speech of Trumps wife, Melania. McIver said it had been an innocent mistake.

But in this deposition more than eight years earlier, Trump was blaming her for a mistake in one of his own books, How to Get Rich. In the 2004 book, co-written with McIver, Trump described his massive debt load during a low period in the early 1990s. I owed billions upon billions of dollars  $9.2 billion to be exact, the book said as it retold the story of his rise back to success.



Trump signs copies of his new book "How to Get Rich" in New York in 2004. (Ramin Talaie/Corbis via Getty Images)

The depth of that financial hole made it seem even more impressive that Trump had climbed out again. But the figure was wrong. His actual debts had been much less.

I pointed it out to the person who wrote the book, Trump said, meaning McIver.

Right after she wrote the book?

Thats correct, Trump said.

Then the lawyer showed Trump another book hed written with McIver, three years later.

In fact, I was $9 billion in debt, Trump read aloud. A similar error, repeated. It was McIvers fault again.

She probably forgot, Trump said.

And when you read it, you didnt correct it?

I didnt see it, Trump said.

You didnt see it.

I read it very quickly, Trump said about a book he was credited with writing.

Trump makes unsupported claims

LAWYER: When you wrote, OBrien . . . threatened sources by telling them he can, quote, Settle scores with enemies by writing negative articles about them,  what was the basis for that statement?

TRUMP: Just my perception of him.

I dont know that he indicated anything like that to me, but I think he probably did indirectly. Just my dealing with him.

In other cases, the lawyers prodded Trump into admitting that he had made authoritative-sounding statements without any proof behind them. These statements were another kind of untruth.

They were not necessarily false. They might have been true.

But Trump said them without knowing one way or the other.

What basis do you have for that statement? Ceresney asked in one case, about an assertion from Trump that OBrien had been reported to the police for stalking.

I guess that was probably taken off the Internet, Trump said.

On to the next one.

You wrote, OBrien . . . threatened sources by telling them he can, quote, settle scores with enemies by writing negative articles about them,  Ceresney asked, reading Trumps words from a legal complaint. What was the basis for that statement?

Just my perception of him, Trump said. I dont know that he indicated anything like that to me, but I think he probably did indirectly.

The most striking example was a question at the very heart of the legal case: What was Trumps actual net worth?

Trump had told OBrien he was worth up to $6 billion. But the lawyers confronted him with other documents  from Trumps accountants and from outside banks  that seemed to show the real figure was far lower.

The lawyers asked: Have you ever not been truthful about your net worth?

Trumps answer here was that the truth about his wealth was  in essence  up to him to decide.



Trump outside the 92-story Trump International Hotel and Tower underway in Chicago in 2007. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)

My net worth fluctuates, and it goes up and down with markets and with attitudes and with feelings, even my own feelings, Trump said. But I try.

The interrogation finally ended after two days. Trumps attorney made a final demand.

I want the record to be crystal clear that every single word, every question, every answer, every word, is confidential, said the attorney, Mark Ressler.

In 2009, a judge dismissed Trumps case against OBrien. Trump appealed, but in 2011 that was denied, too.

Along the way, this once-confidential deposition became part of the public record when OBriens attorneys attached it to one of their motions.

In a brief statement this week, Trump said he felt the lawsuit was a success, despite his loss.

OBrien knows nothing about me, Trump said. His book was a total failure and ultimately I had great success doing what I wanted to do  costing this third rate reporter a lot of legal fees.

OBrien, now executive editor of Bloomberg View, said Trump got that wrong. The publisher and insurance companies covered the cost.

Donald Trump lost his lawsuit and, unlike him, it didnt cost me a penny to litigate it, he said.

1 of 60 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  What Donald Trump is doing on the campaign trail View Photos The GOP presidential nominee is out on the trail ahead of the general election in November. Caption The GOP presidential nominee is pressing his case ahead of Election Day. Nov. 7, 2016 Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at SNHU Arena in Manchester, N.H. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

Rosalind S. Helderman contributed to this report.
Dear Dr. Fox: Can you share your philosophy or professional views on how we can keep animals well and prevent their suffering?

L.O., the District

DF: I contend that all animals should be treated humanely and that their basic biological, psychological and emotional needs be met, whether they are companion animals, farm animals or captive wild species.

Resistance to adopting humane alternatives to how animals are raised and killed by the pig, livestock and poultry industries, with their disease-promoting concentrated animal feeding operations, is problematic.

Government support of this agribusiness sector and allied pharmaceutical food industry complex puts consumers and the environment at grave risk. It must be confronted by the medical and veterinary professions, and be supplanted by more humane, ecological and healthy food production systems and informed consumer choices.

Above all, I see my mission as helping to heal the human-nonhuman bond, which involves education and inspiration through promoting understanding and respect; a relationship with the environment; and ethical animal breeding and rearing. We must focus on optimal nurturing of the body, mind and spirit of every creature under our care and assumed dominion.

These basic animal rights are the core principles of holistic, preventive medicine. Combined with veterinary bioethics and applied veterinary ethology, it optimizes the provision of animals behavioral needs. For details, see my books, Healing Animals and the Vision of One Health and Animals and Nature First.

LIVES OF SUFFERING

Dear Dr. Fox:I have a 13-year-old pug. He sneezes and coughs from his throat rather than his lungs. Im told it is his trachea.

He has been on various medications. The latest is a high dose of steroids, which hes been on for almost a week with no relief. Hes been coughing and sneezing for months now.

J.M., Cumberland, Md.

DF: I am so sorry for your poor dog. So many dogs afflicted with the condition called brachycephaly  a foreshortened muzzle or squashed-in face  suffer lives of misery.

Brachycephalic animals are unable to breathe easily, so they cannot enjoy much physical activity. The pressure created by the abnormally narrowed nasal orifices and the excess of soft palate tissue in the pharynx (back of the throat) set up such a negative pressure that the trachea (wind pipe) collapses.

Pulling hard when the dog is wearing a collar may aggravate this; I advise a no-neck-pressure harness for all the afflicted breeds, including bulldogs, boxers, Boston terriers and pugs. These dogs also have protruding eyes, which make them more injury- and infection-prone. The large, domed heads mean difficult births, often calling for emergency surgical intervention. Many of these breeds are more popular than ever.

Remedial surgery to reduce the amount of soft palate tissue and widen the nasal orifices can help provide these poor dogs with better quality of life. But the ultimate solution is to stop breeding those with extreme brachycephaly and change the breed standards to stipulate longer muzzles and snouts.

In Britain, a committee that includes the British Veterinary Association, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Kennel Club and breed club representatives has been set up to address this long-neglected, human-caused genetic abnormality, which can result in much suffering. The American Veterinary Medical Association, of which I am a member, and the Humane Society of the United States, for which I once served as a vice president, should follow suit, along with the American Kennel Club.

KEEP EARS, TAILS INTACT

Dear Dr. Fox: I would like to address the response you received from Brandi Hunter, vice president of public relations for the American Kennel Club, which you printed in your column recently.

Hunter states, The AKC is dedicated to the well-being of all dogs; it in no way condones or supports substandard care.

Would you consider the painful and systematic ear and tail docking the AKC insists certain breeds have to maintain their vision of how a dog looks under the widely accepted dog standard substandard? The AKC inflicts a selfish vision of how some breeds should look, which is not the way they are born to look. The maiming of these helpless animals is animal abuse and absolutely unethical.

Hunter also mentions various breeder education courses. Do they mention in these courses that the tail is actually part of the animals spine, and dogs ears are full of nerves? I cannot begin to imagine the pain these dogs experience and the potential health and emotional issues caused by these procedures.

J.R., Arlington County

DF: I sent your letter to the American Kennel Club. This is the reply that I received:

Canine Legislation Position Statement: ear cropping, tail docking and dewclaw removal

The American Kennel Club recognizes that ear cropping, tail docking and dewclaw removal, as described in certain breed standards, are acceptable practices integral to defining and preserving breed character and/or enhancing good health. Appropriate veterinary care should be provided.

This position statement is ethically unacceptable, except insofar as the removal of extra, nonfunctional dewclaws on the hind legs, which is not cosmetic but needed to stop them being torn when the dog runs.

Tail docking and ear cropping should be phased out and breed standards changed, but the AKC is clearly pandering to breed clubs and those dog show judges who see nothing wrong with such mutilations. For more details, see my article Dog Mutilations, posted on my website, drfoxvet.net.

In more dog-friendly (and, in my opinion, less barbaric) cultures, such as in the United Kingdom, veterinarians amputate dogs tails only for medical reasons, and certain breed standards that involve ear cropping and tail docking are not evident in dog shows.

BIRDS IN A GILDED CAGE

Dear Dr. Fox:I was happy to see you remind us that captive animals are not necessarily pets. In this case, it was regarding reptiles and amphibians. Do you consider birds captive animals, as well?

Why is it acceptable to take a creature with the awesome ability to fly, clip its wings, cage it and call it a pet?

The only captive animals Ive kept were fancy mice during my daughters childhood. We tried to keep their habitat as natural as possible, and we tried to keep them busy hunting for food and nesting materials. We kept a wheel available, but it was rarely used. I always hoped that meant they were not going stir-crazy enough to need it!

S.P.K., Louisville

DF: For many people, bringing any animal into the home is like taking in a new family member to be treated with respect and understanding. For others, regrettably, they are disposable commodities  live toys for the kids who soon lose interest when there is a lack of parental supervision and example.

In general, animals adapt best to living with us if they have no fear. In the process of domesticating animals such as white mice, rabbits, ferrets, canaries and parakeets, there are genetic changes that mean less vigilance and less fearfulness and fright-flight-fight reactivity, and therefore less stress and potential suffering. This makes these animals easier to socialize, and they develop an emotional bond with people. Freedom from fear is a basic animal right.

Another right is a proper, safe environment. For any bird, captive and wild but not releasable, such as an Amazon parrot, or domesticated, such as a canary, this means a safe place to fly, preferably a large flight cage or room. Clipping or pinioning their wings is more for convenience than their safety, and it amounts to a cruel and unnecessary mutilation. Yet another right for highly social avian species such as parakeets is group housing, so that they have the security and enrichment of one anothers company.

Any bird in a cage  except briefly for medical purposes  is an abomination. Many suffer, developing stress-related diseases, physical problems from lack of activity and behavioral problems, such as feather-pulling and self-mutilation.

Michael W. Fox, author of a newsletter and books on animal care, welfare and rights, is a veterinarian with doctoral degrees in medicine and animal behavior. Send letters to animaldocfox@gmail.com or write to him at United Feature Syndicate, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, Mo. 64106.
1 of 25 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Must-haves for back-to-school shopping View Photos To help you get started, we enlisted five parenting gurus to pick items for kids of all ages. Caption To help you get started, we enlisted five parenting gurus to pick items for kids of all ages. Preschool and kindergarten The whimsical Oh Joy! bandages are part of designer and lifestyle blogger Joy Chos collaboration with Target ($3, target.com ). Oh Joy! Wait 1 second to continue.

With the first day of school on the horizon, theres no time like the present to stock up on gear for your young scholar.

Back-to-school shopping is like a rite of passage, says Elizabeth Thorp, editor of the comedy site PYPO and founder of Poshbrood, a blog that features mom-tested travel spots.

But figuring out what to buy can be time-consuming and stressful, not to mention expensive. This year, the National Retail Federation predicts that back-to-school spending in the United States will total $75.8 billion, up from last years $68 billion.

To help you get started, we enlisted five parenting gurus to pick must-have items for kids of all ages, from preschoolers to college-bound teens.

Preschool and kindergarten

Joy Cho, the designer and lifestyle blogger behind Oh Joy!, says its never too early to start prepping your pint-size pupil for learning. This is the age where children are transitioning from being toddlers, where you have to help them with everything, to being big kids,  she says. Theyre forming distinct personalities and preferences (exciting!) but still require parents to do most of the selecting. Because Chos 5-year-old daughter, Ruby, is so little and doesnt always like to choose all her things, I get stuff knowing that we need it or as I come across things, Cho says. I do a lot of shopping online, as opposed to the massive, Lets get all this stuff all in one day! route.

Chos preferred brown-bag alternative is Packit ($20, packit.com), a freezable lunch cooler that keeps food fresh for nearly 10 hours. It makes you feel a little more at ease, knowing that their lunch is going to remain cold until the time they need to eat it, she says.

To help kids get used to putting on their own shoes, Cho recommends a pair of cute Velcro or slip-on shoes, such as this nautical pair of espadrilles from the shoe company Toms ($36, toms.com). Those have been a great one for us, because the Velcro is only one strap [and] easy to slip on, she says. Preschool kids can figure it out.



(Rockets of Awesome )

For busy parents, Cho likes the idea behind Rockets of Awesome, a new clothing subscription service that sends on-trend, seasonal kids clothes directly to your home. The boys and girls collections, offered in sizes 2 to 14, feature clothes from $12 to $36 (rocketsofawesome.com).



(Nature Play Art)

Nature Plays jumbo crayons are a hit with Ruby ($4 for a set of 12, store.natureplayart.com). The triangular ones, for me, are key, Cho says. The easy-to-grasp crayons are fashioned for little kids fingers and, as a bonus, their shape prevents them from rolling off tables and desks, saving parents (or teachers) the extra cleanup. Ill also stick several in my bag and have them ready for when we are out in public spaces, she says.

Cuts and scraped knees are no fun at any age, but bright, patterned Band-Aids make the healing process a little more colorful. Chos whimsical Oh Joy! bandages are part of her collaboration with Target ($3, target.com). Kids love them, but millennial moms are also excited to use them, because theyre not cartoon characters or over-the-top kid-like, Cho says.

Elementary school

Its Simon Isaacss job, as co-founder and chief executive of Fatherly, a fast-growing parenting website, to have his finger on the pulse of millennial parents and, by extension, their kids. For our roundup, he selected five fun, gender-neutral items that can inspire  and stand up to  busy grade-schoolers.

Mix Legos with electronics, and youll get the LittleBits STEAM student set ($300, amazon.com), an educational tool kit designed to help kids get excited about science, technology, engineering, art/design and math (STEAM) subjects through hands-on activities. Isaacs says its great for after-school play and an easy way to get kids into STEAM education without necessarily being behind a screen.

One of Isaacss top choices for the next school year is the OmieBox ($39.50, omielife.com). A product of a successful Kickstarter campaign, this lunchbox, designed for little ones, includes a durable, dual-insulation system that keeps compartments temperature-controlled (hot or cold) for roughly four hours  perfect for kids lunchtime. The set is dishwasher-friendly and includes several removable dividers to allow it to fit all types of food. Theres a million different ways to configure it, depending on what foods and types of things you are packing, he says.



(Yoobi x i am OTHER )

Look beyond the school-supply aisles when putting together your childrens pencil boxes. Yoobis latest back-to-school collaboration with Pharrell Williamss brand, I Am Other, features pens and other products with messages that promote confidence and creativity and celebrate otherness ($10 for bundle of pens, pencils and highlighters, yoobi.com). Bonus: With every Yoobi product purchased, one is donated to a classroom in need. Think of it as Toms shoes meets Staples, he says.

Young kids, especially elementary school students, have a tendency to put a lot of wear and tear on their backpacks. The durable, water-resistant Patagonia Kids Bonsai Backpack ($59, patagonia.com) will withstand the elements and the toughest schoolyard dragging. Its a really rugged, great pack, Isaacs says.

Nothing says the start of school like a fresh pair of sneakers. Isaacs recommends the Los Angeles-based, unisex shoe brand AKID ($80, shop.nordstrom.com ). The fashion-forward kicks, which feature fun prints such as pineapples and tie-dye, are super-rugged, Isaacs says, and great for keeping up with the kids at recess. Your kid will probably be the only one on the playground with it, he says.

Middle school

Jessica McFadden has back-to-school shopping down to a fine art. It all begins two weeks before the first day of school, says the mother of three and writer behind the popular blog A Parent in Silver Spring. We go through the kids school-supplies lists first, then tackle their closets and then go through their hand-me-downs from other siblings, McFadden says. That being said, there are always things that dont make school-supply lists that youll want to stock up on before the school year starts.

Kids tend to really put value in their tennis shoes, McFadden says. Or, as they call it, their shoe game.  She recommends a pair of low-top mesh sneakers from the Nike Roshe series ($65-$160, nike.com) or Adidas Bounce series ($65-$135, adidas.com), which are often on sale online. They are colorful, on-trend and breathable, which helps prevent stinky preteen feet.

No more lost-and-found mishaps with these custom name labels from Minted ($16 for 72 labels, minted.com). They are so much more effective than just writing your kids names with a Sharpie on the label, says McFadden, who uses them on her three childrens clothing. They last through multiple washes and are really small but very easy to read. They are especially helpful for kids who wear uniforms.

Middle school is a popular time for parents to send their kids to school with a cellphone for the first time. McFadden recommends investing in a waterproof, drop-resistant case, such as the LifeProof Fre ($50-$90, lifeproof.com).

Embrace your kids personal interests with a shirt from SnorgTees ($12-$20, snorgtees.com). McFadden says kids love the sites quirky and pop-culture-inspired tees, which riff off popular TV series such as Gilmore Girls and Doctor Who and are silly and ironic while still being appropriate for school. Its great for when youre in that no mans land, between being a kid and a teenager and still want to embrace your childhood but not look too babyish at the same time, she says. SnorgTees are always at the top of her teens drawer.



(Case It )

A game-changer for her 12-year-old son was the Mighty Zip Tab by Case It ($22, caseit.com). I bought him a standard three-ring binder in a cool color, per the school list, but after two months it was falling apart, McFadden says. Her middle-schooler took a cue from the older students and requested a zip-around three-ring binder with a strap. Its so much more convenient to lug around and keeps things in place, she says.

High school

Before Elizabeth Thorp, the PYPO editor, commits to big back-to-school purchases, she scopes Basket, a price-comparison app, to find the best and closest deal. You just search what you want, be it pens, pencils, even sauvignon blanc, and it will pull up all the stores that are near you and tell you which stores offer the cheapest price, she says.

Another of her tricks is to purchase certain school supplies while vacationing in another state, if that states sales tax is lower. In Maine, things are a lot cheaper, compared to Washington, so Ive started stocking the kids up on the core items, like Number 2 pencils, Thorp says.

As for apparel, she suggests waiting a week or two after school starts before making big purchases. Teens go to school and notice what the other kids are wearing that they didnt know about and inevitably want.

Teens are on their phones. A lot. Whether it be Snapchat or Pokemon Go thats draining their battery, its a good idea to invest in a case that doubles as a backup battery pack, such as Mophies Juice Pack Reserve case ($60, mophie.com). In my era, the 1980s, I had to find a payphone. Now, you can just throw the case in your backpack and recharge it throughout your day, Thorp says.  Oh, my battery ran out is no longer an excuse.

For girls, Thorp recommends the Girl Crush 17-month agenda ($20, bando.com) for the new school year. It fits this recent movement of girl power, Thorp says, like the United State of Women convention and Michelle Obamas amazing speech at the Democratic National Convention. It also keeps teens accountable and prepared for when they have to handle their own appointments. Its hardcover, affordable and includes upbeat, positive messages, Thorp says. Think of it like an assignment notebook mixed with a diary.

Backpacks can be a way for teens to express their personalities. Thorp recommends JanSport High Stakes backpacks ($40, jansport.com), which feature wraparound, attention-grabbing graphics, such as graffiti art, American flags and beachscapes. When I was growing up, I had a plain red backpack, she says. Here, theres a bag for every personality. The packs are teen-tested and parent-approved. Weve used ours a bunch of times, and they are still in great condition, Thorp says.

To encourage teens to stay hydrated, Thorp likes the stylish, metallic 17-ounce reusable bottles from Swell ($42, swellbottle.com). Offered in a variety of sizes and customizable from the cap down, the bottles look good, are environmentally friendly and encourage kids to drink water, whether theyre at sports games or in between classes, she says.

Keychains arent just for little kids any more. This cute leather tassel from Urban Outfitters ($26, urbanoutfitters.com) includes a concealed USB charging cord for an iPhone. High school kids can clip it on their keys, purse or backpack and have it with them, wherever they go, Thorp says. Its leather, cute and expensive-looking.

College

Lisa Heffernan, co-founder of the popular parenting blog Grown & Flown, is well versed in all things college. She and her business partner, Mary Dell Harrington, were inspired to create the site, geared toward parents of kids ages 15 to 25, in 2005 after sending their eldest off to college. We were dealing with a lot of issues surrounding this age group that we were not seeing touched on anywhere, Heffernan says.

When it comes to outfitting a college freshman, one thing to keep in mind, Heffernan warns, is that it is simply going to be more expensive than previous years. Many students need laptops, mini-fridges and other dorm furnishings. We like to call it the mother of all back-to-school shopping trips,  Heffernan jokes.

To keep costs under control, make a budget and figure out with your teen which items are necessary and which are splurges. That being said, its okay if your teen doesnt have every single thing upon move-in. Only buy the things that you know 100 percent theyre going to use, Heffernan says. Its not 1984. As teens get used to their living situation, have them order things online that they need.

Heffernan recommends an ultra-compact personal safety device, such as a ROBOCOPP personal alarm ($15-$20, robocopp.com), as added security for teens late-night walks home from the library or elsewhere. This tiny device can be attached to a keychain or backpack and can make as much noise as an ambulance when activated. One of the biggest issues that is really making college parents nervous right now is the notion of sexual assault, Heffernan says. While there is nothing that can 100 percent ensure against it, these devices might help in some circumstances.



(First Alert )

Ask your teen to lock away prescription medicine, passports, emergency cash, jewelry and other valuables. You just dont want those kinds of things sitting around, getting lost or getting lifted, she says. Her pick is the First Alert Deluxe Digital Security Box ($50, firstalertstore.com), a small, flat steel box that can fit inside a desk drawer. The device also boasts an emergency override system, in case your teen forgets the passcode.



(Herschel Supply Co.)

A sturdy backpack is a staple for college students, who are often lugging laptops and textbooks long distances. In high school, kids jump out of a car and run straight into a building that has covered walkways, Heffernan says. In college, thats not going to happen. Teens are going to walk across campus in the pouring rain. The Herschel Supply Co. Pop Quiz Backpack ($90, shop.herschelsupply.com) is trendy and water-resistant and was designed with students in mind, with features such as a padded laptop sleeve.

Phones are the No. 1 safety device. Kids are on the go all day, and you do not want them having a dead phone, Heffernan says. She prefers the compact, affordable external charger from Jackery ($30, amazon.com), which can easily be thrown into a backpack or purse.

Dorm rooms are noisy and can make it impossible to study and sleep, Heffernan says. A solution to escape the chaos  without leaving the bedroom  is a pair of Bluetooth headphones from Urbanears ($99-$119, urbanears.com). Offered in a selection of colors, they provide up to 14 hours of solid play time before a charge is needed.
Anne Arundel County

The following were among incidents reported by the Anne Arundel County police. For information, call 410-222-8050.

GLEN BURNIE AREA

HOMICIDES

Hideaway Loop, 400 block, 10:24 p.m. July 31. A Glen Burnie man, 22, with gunshot wounds to his upper body was found lying in a parking lot. The man was taken to a hospital, where he died of his injuries.

ASSAULTS

Crain Hwy. and Fifth Ave., 4:10 a.m. Aug. 1. Three males in sport-utility vehicle pointed what appeared to be a handgun at a pedestrian. A Severn man, 20, and two Severn youths, were charged with first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, trespassing and disorderly conduct.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Baltimore Washington Blvd., 7500 block, 4 a.m. July 30. Two youths were seen leaving a high school in a vehicle, after they had jumped a fence and entered the school through an unlocked door. A Severn male youth, 17, and a Glen Burnie woman, 18, were charged with fourth-degree burglary and trespassing.

WEAPONS

Pioneer Dr. and Severn Orchards Cir., 5:30 p.m. Aug. 3. Several shots were fired from a vehicle apparently struck a silver sport-utility vehicle. No one was injured.

LINTHICUM AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Pinnacle Dr., 800 block, Aug. 2. During a surveillance for suspected theft of rooftop air conditioners, seven industrial units were found in the bed of a vehicle. Two Curtis Bay men, 37 and 47, and a woman, 32, were charged with destruction of more than $1,000, theft of more than $10,000, second and fourth-degree burglary and trespassing.

Annapolis

These were among incidents reported by the Annapolis Police Department. For information, call 410-268-9000.

HOMICIDES

Royal St., 900 block, 9:26 p.m. July 28. Officers responded to a report of a vehicle that had crashed into a building. Officers found the driver had been shot. He was taken to a medical center, where he died from his injuries.

ROBBERIES

W. Washington St., 3:05 p.m. Aug. 1. A man was robbed of cash.

ASSAULTS

Newtowne Dr., 700 block, 4 p.m. Aug. 1. During an argument, one of the two involved left and returned with a firearm.

Newtowne Dr., 700 block, 9:45 p.m. Aug. 2. A woman, 33, was shot in the arm. An investigation was continuing.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Americana Dr., 700 block, July 29 to Aug. 1. Two kayaks were stolen from a dock.

Bridle Path Lane, 300 block, 6 p.m. July 31 to 7:50 a.m. Aug. 1. Cash was stolen from a vehicle.

Bridle Path Lane, 300 block, 9 p.m. July 31 to 6:30 a.m. Aug. 1. A vehicle was entered, but nothing was reported stolen.

Cedar Park Rd., 1200 block, 11 p.m. July 27 to 6:45 a.m. July 28. Cash was stolen from a vehicle.

Frederick Douglass St., 1000 block, 10:30 p.m. July 31 to noon, Aug. 1. Someone entered a home, opened drawers and threw property on the floor. Nothing was reported stolen.

Landings Ct., 8:30 p.m. July 31 to 9:10 a.m. Aug. 1. A wallet was stolen from a vehicle.

Regent St., 1400 block, 4:40 p.m. Aug. 1 to 6:30 a.m. Aug. 2. A pair of sunglasses were stolen from a vehicle.

Rockwell Ct., 10 p.m. Aug. 1 to 7 a.m. Aug. 2. A wallet was stolen from a vehicle.

Rosecrest Dr., 9 p.m. July 31 to 10:20 a.m. Aug. 1. Cash and an iPod were stolen from a vehicle.

Roselawn Dr., 100 block, 6:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. July 27. Video games and equipment, cash, jewelry, a vehicle jump box, a rifle and three shotguns were stolen from a home.

Roselawn Rd., 100 block, 4 a.m. Aug. 2. A purse was stolen from a vehicle.

Tyler Ave., 1100 block, 9 p.m. July 27 to 8 a.m. July 28. A purse was stolen from a vehicle.

Water St., 2:30 a.m. Aug. 2. A television was stolen from a home.

Winslow Ct., 6:30 p.m. Aug. 1 to 7 a.m. Aug. 2. Someone entered four vehicles; nothing was reported stolen.

Howard County

These were among incidents reported by the Howard County Police Department. For information, call 410-313-2236.

COLUMBIA AREA

ROBBERIES

Columbia Rd., 5600 block, 3:56 a.m. July 30. An armed male stole a phone and wallet from another male and fled.

Dobbin Rd., 6400 block, 5:16 a.m. Aug. 2. A masked male robbed a delivery person of his wallet, assaulted him and fled.

ASSAULTS

Cradlerock Way, 7200 block, 1:38 p.m. July 31. During her arrest for shoplifting at a grocery store, a woman assaulted a security guard and police officer. A Columbia woman, 27, was charged with second-degree assault and theft.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Brook Way, 5200 block, 10:49 p.m. July 30. Electronic devices were stolen from a home.

Hayshed Lane, 8500 block, 7 a.m.-4:27 p.m. July 29. Jewelry was stolen from a home.

Pamplona Rd., 9500 block, 10:38 a.m. July 30. Two bicycles were stolen from a garage at a residence, and coins were stolen from a vehicle.

Stevens Forest Rd., 5700 block, 5:56 a.m. July 29. Air bags were stolen from five vehicles overnight.

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS

Oak Bush Terr., 8400 block, 10:31 to 11:16 p.m. July 28. A 2011 black Ford Escape was stolen.

ELKRIDGE AREA

DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY

Greenfield Rd., 6200 block, 7 to 9 p.m. July 28. A vehicle in a garage at a home was damaged; nothing was stolen.

ELLICOTT CITY AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Church Lane, 5 p.m. July 28. Four males approached an 86-year-old man at his home and asked whether he needed work done on his driveway. While the man was talking to them, one went into his home and stole cash and jewelry.

Main St., 8000 block, July 31. Four bottles of liquor were stolen from a restaurant that had been damaged during a flood. When a woman was approached by an officer, she threw one of the bottles toward the officer. An Ellicott City woman, 29, was charged with second-degree assault, fourth-degree burglary and theft.

Ramblewood Rd., 3100 block, 4:30 to 9 p.m. July 27. Cash and jewelry were stolen from a home.

Resort Rd., 11100 block, 6:58 a.m. July 31. A window was open and a screen damaged at a business; nothing was reported stolen.

West Spring Dr., 3200 block, 10 p.m. July 26 to 8:55 p.m. July 28. A laptop computer was stolen from a home.

DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY

Normandy Woods, 3100 block, June 27 to Aug. 1. An apartment was damaged.

JESSUP AREA

ROBBERIES

Preston Ct., 8200 block, 9:49 p.m. July 30. Four people assaulted a woman and stole her shoes.

LAUREL AREA

ROBBERIES

Covered Wagon Dr., 9600 block, 10:45 p.m. Aug. 2. After a man tried to take photos of a group of males standing by his vehicle, they stole the phone and fled.

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS

Freestate Dr., 8800 block, 12:30 p.m. Aug. 1. A 2004 silver BMW X5 was stolen.

MOUNT AIRY AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Watersville Rd., 8:15 a.m. to 6:17 pm. July 28. Several items, including prescription medication, were stolen from a home.

SAVAGE AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Howard Hills Dr., 8800 block, 3:44 p.m. Aug. 2. A window was broken at a home and lights turned on; no other information was reported.
THE DISTRICT

Driver dies after

car strikes Metrobus

A driver was killed Wednesday afternoon in a fatal crash involving a car and a Metrobus in Southeast Washington.

A Metro spokesman said that the bus was traveling toward Foggy Bottom about 2:30 p.m. and that a Nissan Altima struck it from behind on Alabama Avenue.

The cars driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said 17 people were on the bus. He said four people were treated for injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening.

 Victoria St. Martin

Man fatally shot near Gallaudet University

A man was fatally shot about 2 a.m. Wednesday in Ivy City near Gallaudet University in Northeast Washington.

D.C. police officers heard a gunshot and went to the 900 block of Mount Olivet Road NE.

The victim, whom police have not identified, was pronounced dead at the scene, spokeswoman Aquita Brown said.

 Perry Stein

Second man arrested

in fatal Shaw shooting

Police arrested a second man Tuesday in connection with a shooting during a dice game in Shaw last week.

On Aug. 3, officers went to the 600 block of N Street NW after a report of a shooting and found two men with gunshot wounds, D.C. police said. Derryk Johnson, 19, of Northwest Washington and another victim were taken to hospitals. Johnson died of his injuries, authorities said.

Marc Butler, 19, of Suitland, Md., was charged with first-degree felony murder while armed.

 Justin Wm. Moyer

MARYLAND

U.S. agency approves

flood aid request

Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said Wednesday that the U.S. Small Business Administration had approved his request to declare a disaster in Howard County after a flood last month in Ellicott City that killed two people, destroyed a half-dozen buildings and damaged many other buildings.

The action allows businesses, homeowners and renters to apply for low-interest flood-recovery loans. We acted very quickly, and they acted very quickly, Hogan said of the federal response. The governor made the request Tuesday.
Destruction caused by a flash flood along Main Street in Ellicott City, MD, July 31, 2016. (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post)

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said Wednesday that the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved his request to declare Howard County a physical disaster area following a flood last month in Ellicott City that killed two people, destroyed a half-dozen buildings and caused extensive damage to many others.

We acted very quickly, and they acted very quickly, Hogan said of the response time from the federal government.

The governor made the request Tuesday.

The approval allows businesses, homeowners and renters to apply for low-interest loans to repair damages from the flood.

[In flood-devastated Ellicott City, Md., a vow to rebuild the historic downtown]

Hogan made the announcement after touring the commercial district for the first time since the day after the June 30 disaster. He was joined by Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman (R).

Hogan said the area looks totally different, noting that roads are clear of mud, buildings have been shored up and huge holes that were in the roadway have been filled.
Shoppers can save on sales tax during Maryland Tax-Free Week, which begins Sunday and runs through Saturday.

Comptroller Peter Franchot (D) has been promoting what he calls the second most popular shopping week of the year in Maryland by stopping in stores across the state to encourage shoppers to take advantage of the deals.

On Wednesday, he was joined by Gov. Larry Hogan (R) in two stores in Frederick.

Businesses love it, it gives them a shot in the arm, Franchot said. It helps the state get into a shopping mode. . . . Its a win-win.

Shoppers who buy clothes and footwear priced $100 or less, per item, do not pay the states 6 percent sales tax during the tax-free week.
The discovery of a potentially deadly bacteria at the Prince Georges Hospital Center should not impact the hospital operators bid for state approval of a new regional medical center in Largo, officials said Wednesday.

Dimensions Healthcare Systems, the nonprofit corporation that operates county hospitals, is asking health-care regulators to sign off on construction of a state-of-the-art hospital to replace the aging Cheverly facility where the pseudomonas germ was detected in the neonatal intensive care unit.

The unit has been shut down while the source of the bacteria is investigated, and nine patients were transferred to Childrens National Medical Center.

[NICU shuttered after bacteria found in nasal swabs of infants]

Approval of the regional medical center has been delayed amid questions about the facilitys proposed governance, financing and, most recently, its size and scope. Dimensions and its partner, the University of Maryland Medical System, say they will submit their modified application by Aug. 31.

Maryland and Prince Georges County are planning a new regional hospital campus in Largo. (Courtesy of Prince Georges County)

This is not the type of incident that would have any direct impact on the CON [Certificate of Need] project review process, said Paul Parker, director of the Center for Health Care Facilities Planning and Development for the Maryland Health Care Commission.

Maryland Health Care Commissioner Robert E. Moffit told project planners in May that the size of the medical center needed to be reduced before he can recommend the project for approval. He asked for specific details about how UMMS would take over Dimensions role as operator of the hospital facility  a transition that is being closely watched by state elected leaders, including Gov. Larry Hogan (R).

[New management sought in quest for state-of-the-art regional hospital]

Since its founding in 1982, Dimensions has battled strikes, near-bankruptcy, lawsuits and severe reductions in patient volume, as more and more Prince Georges County residents sought health care elsewhere.

With the poor and uninsured making up an increasing share of its patient load, the organization has struggled to maintain its physical plant, dispel negative perceptions about the quality of its services and prove to state regulators that it makes sense to build a new hospital.

Officials from UMMS and Dimensions say they are working together and remain committed to the taxpayer-funded regional medical center project.

Since the discovery of the bacteria, UMMS epidemiology experts have been working closely with a team at the hospital center to find the source of the germ and decontaminate it, officials said.

The neonatal intensive care unit at Prince Georges Hospital Center in Md. was temporarily shut down on August 9 after tests discovered the potentially deadly pseudomonas bacteria. Nine babies were transferred to nearby Childrens National Medical Center in D.C. (Video: WUSA9 / Photo: Mark Gail/The Washington Post)

Dimensions provided little new information on Wednesday about where in the hospital the bacteria was detected, except to say that they think the contamination is isolated to one specific area, near the NICU.

Depending on the outcome of the germ investigation, Dimensions and the Prince Georges Hospital Center could face administrative consequences or be required to submit a plan to correct the practices that may have caused the contamination, state officials said.

But the sanctions would probably not rise to the level of suspending the hospitals license  an extreme measure that, officials said, could jeopardize state clearance for the new hospitals certificate of need.

Local leaders said they are confident that will not happen.

This is a bacteria that can be found in many hospitals, and people work hard to keep it at bay, said Prince Georges County Health Officer Pamela Creekmur. Since this scenario can happen at any hospital, I dont see it should impact the CON.
A Northeast Washington man was arrested Tuesday and charged in the death of a woman found slain last week in her home in the Wheaton area, the Montgomery County police said.

Kwasi Sadler, 23, who lives on Sheriff Road NE, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Linda Cheryl Johnston, 72, the police said.

Johnston was found dead Aug. 3 in her home on Arcola Avenue in the Wheaton Hills neighborhood. She had worked as an administrative assistant for a defense contractor and was a church member with an interest in biblically linked archeological sites in the Middle East, a friend said.

Her body was discovered after neighbors noticed they had not seen her and contacted the police. The cause of death was not clear.

Police said they found trauma to her body. The nature of the trauma was not specified, but the Maryland medical examiners office ruled the death a homicide, the police said.

Johnston owned the brick house in the neighborhood north of downtown Wheaton but rented out a portion, according to friends and neighbors.

She drove a car and parked it in her driveway, but neighbors said they had not seen it since she was found.

Police on Tuesday night did not specify whether Sadler and Johnston knew each other.

The arrest was announced around 11 p.m., and police described no motive at the time. They said additional information would be given Wednesday morning.
A mural dedicated to Freddie Gray is shown near the location where he was arrested in Baltimore. (Win Mcnamee/Getty Images)

Baltimores top law enforcement and political leaders on Wednesday vowed a sweeping overhaul of the city Police Department after a searing rebuke of the agencys practices, which the Justice Department said regularly discriminated against black residents in poor communities.

Officials promised improved community relations, a purge of race-based policing and a modernized department that better trains officers and holds them accountable. But they warned that reforming an agency entrenched in a culture of unconstitutional policing would be a slow process and could cost millions of dollars.

Police reform wont happen overnight or by chance, Vanita Gupta, principal deputy assistant attorney general, said at a news conference officially unveiling the Justice Departments 163-page report. Its going to take time, and its going to require a focused and sustained effort.

[For Baltimore, many examples of what police reform could look like]

The Justice Department explicitly condemned many long-standing discriminatory enforcement practices by Baltimore police that allowed for illegal searches, arrests and stops of African Americans for minor offenses. But the highly critical report is also an indictment of zero tolerance and broken windows policing, which seek to quell crime by targeting minor offenses. Once heralded as groundbreaking crime-fighting strategies, they are now the subject of intense scrutiny amid the national debate over racially biased law enforcement.

Vanita Gupta, principal deputy assistant attorney general, delivers a statement on the findings of a scathing Justice Department report on the Baltimore Police Department. (Reuters)

The powerful thing about this report is the way in which it validates what many of us have been saying about zero-tolerance policing in Baltimore for a very long time, said Sherrilyn Ifill, the president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, who lived in the city for 15 years. There are many of us who recognized that it was making the community less safe.

Often listed among the countrys deadliest cities, Baltimore has long struggled with racial strife, poverty and high crime. The citys population had dropped significantly by the 1980s, as the crack epidemic drove the homicide rate to among the highest in the nation.

As political leaders in Baltimore sought ways to stem the bloodshed, City Council member Martin OMalley won the 1999 mayoral election with a tough on crime platform. Confronting a decade of 300 or more homicides annually, OMalley adopted the zero-tolerance policing strategy of New York City.

Arrests soared  topping 108,000, prompting lawsuits and forcing judges to free prisoners to avoid overcrowding at the city jail.

Homicides dropped to 261 in OMalleys first year in office. But the numbers leveled off and then crept back up to 282 in the last year before he took office as Maryland governor in 2007.

[Strip searches, lock up all the black hoodies: Excerpts from Justice Dept. report]

A decade ago, with new leadership in the mayors office, the city abandoned zero-tolerance policing. The new administration concluded that it was not reducing crime and had badly damaged community relations.

The Justice Department, after its 14-month investigation, said despite that change, the old practices persisted.

The Departments current relationship with certain Baltimore communities is broken, the report states. This fractured relationship exists in part because of the Departments legacy of zero tolerance enforcement, the failure of many BPD officers to implement community policing principles, and the Departments lack of vision for engaging with the community.

In a statement released Wednesday, OMalley, who made a failed bid for the Democratic presidential nomination this year, defended his record. He said the Justice Departments report doesnt consider data and trends on enforcement levels, discourtesy, excessive force, and police involved shootings prior to 2010. The statement also said the report doesnt consider efforts by his administration to reform the police department and improve training.

Such a review would have shown reductions in each of categories of police misconduct even as Baltimore closed down open air drug markets and achieved historic reductions in violent crime, the statement said. Make no mistake about it  enforcement levels rose when we started closing down the open air drug markets that had been plaguing our poorest neighborhoods for years. But after peaking in 2003, arrest levels declined as violent crime was driven down.

The Justice Department found that zero-tolerance policing in Baltimore focused too much on the raw numbers of arrests and stops, which resulted in disproportionate stops of black residents over petty crimes such as loitering or trespassing.

The report cites several examples of how the enforcement strategy went wrong: a boy with no criminal record arrested for loitering outside his home; a black man in his mid-50s stopped 30 times in less than four years; and a police sergeant telling a patrol officer to make something up when there was no reason to stop and question a group of black men sitting on a corner.

These and similar arrests identified by our investigation reflect BPD officers exercising nearly unfettered discretion to criminalize the act of standing on public sidewalks, the report says.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake (D) said that while the findings of the report are challenging to hear, the investigation created a crucial foundation that will allow the city to change the department.

The report and its follow-up will help to heal the relationship between the police and our communities, Rawlings-Blake said.

Now that the investigation is complete, city officials will work with the Justice Department to implement a series of court-mandated reforms outlined in what is known as a consent decree. The mayor said it could cost the city $5 million to $10 million annually to make the suggested changes, which include improved training and new technology and equipment to modernize the police force.

[ Everybody is still in pain. But is it finally getting better in riot-scarred Baltimore? ]

The court-enforced order will be independently monitored.

City Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said he has already fired officers as a result of the Justice Departments investigation. Davis also said he would not tolerate policing that is sexist, racist or discriminatory.

Change is painful, growth is painful, he said, but nothing is as painful as being stuck in a place that we dont belong.

Baltimore has long struggled with strained relations between residents and police, but the need to ease those tensions became more urgent after the death of Freddie Gray in April 2015. Gray, 25, suffered a fatal spine injury in police custody, triggering demonstrations and riots that flung the city into the national debate over race-based policing and fatal law enforcement encounters involving black men.

Prosecutors dropped charges against three of the six officers charged in the Gray case after a city judge acquitted the other three in bench trials.

[Federal probe finds Baltimore Police Dept. racially discriminated in practices that target blacks]

Grays death prompted a number of police reforms, including installing cameras in the back of police vans, accelerating the citys body-camera program and developing new policies on the use of force.

Wednesdays report  which focused on agency-wide, institutional practices  is separate from a specific, ongoing probe into Grays death.

Perry Stein and Wesley Lowery contributed to this report.
BUTLER  Butler will observe its 175th anniversary with the Butler Days Festival beginning Thursday and continuing through Sunday.

Thursday, the Butler United Methodist Church will host a hog roast beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the church. The church will then host the popular Allen Family in concert at 7 p.m.

Lynn Kaiser will lead a walk through Butler Cemetery at 6 p.m. In a battle of the badges, Butler Police and Butler firefighters will play a charity softball game at 7 p.m. at the high school softball field. This event will collect donations of money, cat food and dog food for the DeKalb County Humane Society.

Craft and food vendors and a food pantry bake sale will be open Friday and Saturday.

From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Craig Berndt and Mike Brown will present a historical display celebrating both Indianas Bicentennial and Butlers 175th anniversary at Butler City Hall, 215 S. Broadway. The display also will be open Saturday.

The DeKalb County Historical Society Museum, in the former Butler Carnegie Library at 201 E. Main St., will have free admission from noon to 4 p.m. Friday. Sons of American Legion Post 202 will serve sausage sandwiches and onion rings from 5-8 p.m. Friday.

The Lamb of God Mennonite Church on West Oak Street will host the Dixie Melody Boys in concert at 6 p.m. The Fraternal Order of Eagles will host a cornhole tournament for adults at 6 p.m.

The third annual Butler Days light parade begins around 9 p.m. For this event, individuals, groups, businesses and churches are invited to decorate vehicles and floats with Christmas lights.

After the parade, Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church is sponsoring a showing of the movie Faith of Our Fathers on West Oak Street.

The Butler Fire Department will host a pancake-and-sausage breakfast from 7-9 a.m. Saturday at the fire station. Butler United Methodist Church is sponsoring a 5K run at 8 a.m., to benefit the Butler Community Food Pantry.

Entries for the Butler Days car show will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Butler Church of Christ parking lot, 173 W. Oak St. Judging will begin at 1 p.m.

DeKalb County Historian John Bry will host horse-drawn historic tours of Butler from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Entertainment for children will be from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. Farmers & Merchants State Bank will host a sawdust find. Other activities include archery tag, arrowhead making and a graffiti wall.

The Butler Days talent show is from 2-4 p.m., with the overall winner having the opportunity to open for Choice at Butler Elementary School at 6:30 p.m.

At 2 p.m., festival guests can enjoy a piece of Butlers 175th birthday cake, sponsored by the Butler City Council. Magician Kenny Wilcoxson will present illusions at 2:30 p.m.

Christs Church will host a fish fry from 4-7 p.m. at the church, 127 W. Main St. S&Js Fireworks will present a fireworks show at dusk at the elementary school.

A community worship service will take place from 10-11 a.m. Sunday in the tent on East Oak Street. A fellowship meal, sponsored by the Butler Church of Christ, will be served at the church at 11:30 a.m.
The Baltimore Police Department has engaged in years of racially discriminatory policing that targeted black residents, illegally detaining and searching people and using excessive force, the Justice Department concludes in a report released Tuesday.

In a scathing review that includes the historical backdrop of Baltimores racially divided past, civil rights investigators declare that a legacy of zero tolerance enforcement that started in 1999 and officially ended a decade ago continues to drive the policing strategy of the city.

The federal investigators found that officers are poorly trained and that the department has fostered a culture in which complaints against police are often ignored. Most of the unconstitutional stops occurred in predominantly poor black neighborhoods, the report says, and some people were stopped simply because police perceived them as disrespectful.

The Justice Department concluded that the police forces relationship with certain Baltimore communities is broken.

[See the Justice Department report on Baltimore police]

Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, center, speaks during a news conference after her office dropped remaining charges against the three Baltimore police officers who were still awaiting trial in Freddie Grays death on July 27. (Steve Ruark/AP)

Racially disparate impact is present at every stage of BPDs enforcement actions, from the initial decision to stop individuals on Baltimore streets to searches, arrests, and uses of force. These racial disparities, along with evidence suggesting intentional discrimination, erode the community trust that is critical to effective policing, the 163-page report says.

The Justice Department is scheduled to announce the findings of its year-long review on Wednesday at Baltimore City Hall. A copy of the report was first posted by the New York Times. The Justice Department later made the report public.

The civil rights inquiry was announced the month after 25-year-old Freddie Gray died of a spinal cord injury suffered in police custody after running from officers who confronted him in a high-crime area. That incident sparked protests and rioting in the city, and it drew attention to what residents said was a long frayed relationship with law enforcement.

Six officers charged in connection with Grays death were either acquitted or had their cases dropped.

In the report released Tuesday, Justice Department investigators did not focus, however, on Grays death in particular. That is part of a separate, ongoing federal investigation. Instead, they assessed generally how police do their jobs in Baltimore.

Baltimore police officials cooperated with federal authorities, and the report notes that police have already taken steps toward solving the departments problems, including revising its use-of-force policies and beginning to equip officers with body cameras.

Because of the Justice Departments investigation, the city probably will have to agree to certain reform proposals, including the possibility of a federal monitor. Baltimores police commissioner, Kevin Davis, worked in Prince Georges County, Md., when its department was being monitored by the Justice Department, and he was involved in implementing reforms there.

[Strip searches, lock up all the black hoodies,: Excerpts from the report]

Spokesmen for the Justice Department declined to comment; the Baltimore Police Department did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Under Attorney General Loretta Lynch, the Justice Department has been aggressive in trying to encourage change in local police departments.

The department sued the city of Ferguson, Mo.  alleging that the police and court system there routinely violated the civil rights of black residents  when officials balked at a tentative agreement. That ultimately persuaded local leaders to agree to policy revisions and more training for members of the citys police force. Justice also reached a comprehensive settlement with the city of Newark to resolve years-old allegations that city police officers used excessive force, stopped people without just cause and even stole peoples property.

Justice Department reviewers in Baltimore found fault at virtually every level of policing  from training to patrol to investigating complaints  and the report concludes that the department encouraged illegal stops as a crime suppression technique.

Baltimores former mayor, Martin OMalley, instituted zero-tolerance policing in 1999, a practice that filled the jails and resulted in more than 100,000 arrests a year. After OMalley left office in 2007, city leaders cut arrests to about 40,000 and publicly stated that arresting large numbers of people had little impact on curbing crime.

But the Justice Department found that the ingrained strategy continued. Police routinely detained and arrested people without cause, the report says, and even strip-searched them in public. Officers accused of misconduct rarely, if ever, suffered consequences, it says, because of an internal affairs process that was broken.

Police stopped pedestrians and motorists more often in African American neighborhoods, and often without reasonable suspicion. The report says 44 percent of all stops over five years were concentrated in just two small, mostly-black communities, meaning that hundreds of African Americans were stopped at least 10 times, and seven were stopped more than 30 times.

According to the report, one 22-year-old black man was detained merely for walking through an area known for high crime and drugs; another man wearing a hooded sweatshirt on a cold night was stopped because an officer thought it could be possible that the individual could be out seeking a victim of opportunity. One black man in his mid-50s was stopped 30 times in less than four years, the report says, and none of the stops resulted in a citation or criminal charge.

The report says many of the departments raced-based policing practices were encouraged by supervisors who told officers to target African Americans.

The department also was found to have engaged in two kinds of illegal arrests: those without probable cause and those involving people standing legally on public property who were cited for minor offenses such as loitering or trespassing without proper notice. African Americans make up 63 percent of the citys population but account for 86 percent of criminal charges issued by police.

The report hammers the departments use-of-force practices. It says officers often employed excessive force on people with mental-health problems, juveniles and people who were restrained and presented no threat to police.

When it came time to review such misuses of force, the department failed to hold officers accountable, the report says. Out of nearly 3,000 force incidents logged over a six-year period, the report says, only 10 were thoroughly investigated and just one was declared excessive.

The report faults supervisors monitoring of officers, saying that federal reviewers did not identify a single stop, search, or arrest that a front-line supervisor found to violate constitutional standards even though incident reports describe facially unlawful police action.

The department discourages the public from filing complaints through a cumbersome process and frequently closes out complaints with little effort to reach the person who complained, the report says.

A cultural resistance to accountability has developed in the department that leaves serious misconduct unpunished, even in the case of officers who have a reputation for violating department rules and constitutional protections, the report says.

Wesley Lowery, Clarence Williams and Keith L. Alexander contributed to this report.
Prince Georges County police said they are investigating a fatal shooting in Clinton.

At around 3 p.m., the department tweeted that it was responding to the scene of a homicide in the 6000 block of Butterfield Drive. There, the department tweeted that an adult male was found shot, and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Further information about the shooting was not immediately available.

Police asked anyone with information about the shooting to call 1-866-411-TIPS.
Montgomery County police charged a 23-year-old D.C. man Tuesday with first-degree murder in the killing of a Wheaton woman found dead in her home this month.

Police charged Kwasi Sadler in the killing of Linda Cheryl Johnston, 72. Johnston was found in her home in the 2700 block of Arcola Avenue on Aug. 3. An autopsy showed that she had been stabbed. Detectives say Johnston was probably killed on July 31 or Aug. 1.

[Woman, 72, killed inside Wheaton home]

Sadler was arrested Tuesday, and police said he acknowledged killing Johnston.

According to an arrest affidavit, Sadler and his girlfriend made purchases with Johnstons credit card around the time of her death. Detectives also alleged that Sadler had his girlfriend call Johnstons bank to have the personal identification number on Johnstons debit card changed.

Detectives also noted that Johnstons 2007 gold Toyota Prius was seen in the District on Aug. 2, driven by a man who fit Sadlers description. Detectives obtained several security videos of Sadler allegedly purchasing items with Johnstons debit card at stores in Montgomery and Prince Georges counties. One video showed Sadler leaving the stores parking lot in a gold Prius, police said. At the time, police said, Sadler was also wearing a red shirt, similar to the one worn by employees of the Target retail store, which is where Sadler worked.

Detectives linked Sadler to a tenant who lived in the basement of Johnstons home. The tenant told police that Johnston ordered her out of her home by July 30. During an interview at police headquarters on Saturday, detectives reviewed the womans cellphone records and found several calls to Sadlers cellphone, including three calls on Aug. 1, around the time Johnston was killed.

A Montgomery County police spokeswoman said no additional arrests have been made.

Johnston lived in the Wheaton Hills neighborhood, just north of downtown Wheaton. Police were called to Johnstons home after neighbors had not seen her.

When police arrived, they found Johnstons body wrapped in a sheet in a bedroom with blood splattered on the walls near her body, according to charging documents. Detectives determined that there was forced entry through the basement door. Johnstons wallet, purse and car keys were missing.

Johnston owned the house but rented out a portion of it, friends and neighbors said. She lived on a fixed income and Social Security benefits, and recently had filed for bankruptcy protection, according to court records.

Police said Sadler provided detectives with the location of Johnstons vehicle. They found it in Wheaton near Layhill Road and Glenallan Avenue.

Sadler is being held without bond and was expected to appear Wednesday in Rockville District Court, according to a police statement.
Police said they arrested a second man Tuesday in connection with a shooting during a dice game in Shaw last week.

About 10 p.m. on Aug. 3, officers responded to the 600 block of N Street NW after the report of a shooting, D.C. police said in a statement. There, they found two men suffering from gunshot wounds, and transported 19-year-old Derryk Johnson, of Northwest, and another victim to area hospitals, the statement said. Johnson died of his injuries, while the second victim was admitted in stable condition, according to the statement.

[D.C. police arrest suspect in fatal shooting during dice game in Shaw]

Police said in an affidavit that three people were driving around the city that day plotting a robbery when they spotted the dice game on N Street. Court documents didnt say whether the assailants obtained any money; Johnson and the other victim were shot moments after they approached.

On Tuesday, authorities arrested 19-year-old Marc Butler, of Suitland, who is being charged with first-degree felony murder while armed, police said. Over the weekend police arrested 19-year-old Marcus Martin, of Southwest, who is being charged with first-degree felony murder.

Police said they are looking for another man in connection with the shooting as well.
Jose Lopez Torres was sentenced Wednesday for his role in a murder and attempted murder. (Courtesy of U.S. attorneys office)

Jose Lopez Torres laughed when he recalled brutally stabbing to death a fellow gang member who begged for his life.

Spare my life, Ill go very far away, Torres recalled Nelson Omar Quintanilla Trujillo saying as a group of MS-13 members surrounded him in a Fairfax County park.

Yes, youre going away far. Kill him, Torres said he replied and then laughed.

That boast was recorded by federal authorities, and on Wednesday, Torres was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Alexandria to a life sentence plus 30 years in federal prison for his role in the death of Trujillo as well as the attempted slaying of another gang member.

His conviction was part of a sweeping federal case against Northern Virginia members of the El Salvador-based gang, in which six defendants pleaded guilty and six more were found guilty at trial. Torres and Jesus Alejandro Chavez, also sentenced Wednesday, are the first of those who went to trial to receive their punishments.

Here is what you need to know about MS-13, a street gang with an international reach. (Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post)

[MS-13 members convicted of three Northern Virginia murders]

Both Trujillo and the man Torres tried to kill, identified only as Peligroso, which means dangerous in Spanish, were suspected of betraying the gang.

These people are not people, because the death that my brother suffered is not the kind of death that can be done by someone who has a heart, Ruth Ascencio, Trujillos sister, told the court in Spanish as she asked for the longest possible sentence. These people dont deserve to be out on the street.

Torres, 26, became an MS-13 member in El Salvador at age 9 and had risen to second in command of his local Alexandria clique after he illegally immigrated to the United States, prosecutors said.

He orchestrated the slaying of Trujillo, who was lured to Holmes Run Park in October 2013 under the pretense that he would get a beating for minor transgressions against the gang. Instead, Torres instructed seven others to hold Trujillo down and stab him to death with a knife and machete and then bury the body in the woods.

Trujillo was a human being who was more than just a gang member, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia K. Martinez, and Torres deserves more than a life sentence.

Chavez was sentenced Wednesday to two life sentences plus 10 years in prison for the June 2014 fatal shooting of a man he believed had insulted MS-13. Chavez had gotten out of prison just eight days earlier on a violent robbery conviction.

The Alexandria native had joined MS-13 in prison, and prosecutors said he was eager to prove himself on the street. While looking for rival gang members in the Chirilagua neighborhood of Alexandria, Chavez and fellow MS-13 members provoked a fight with Julio Urrutia and his friend. Urrutia shoved one of Chavezs accomplices; Chavez responded by shooting him in the neck. Urrutia died two days later in the hospital.

The victim was not a gang member, Martinez said, but merely in the wrong place at the wrong time.

U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee said Chavez, 26, had been in and out of the criminal justice system since age 10.

You . . . are a menace to society, he said.

Lee rejected a request from Chavezs family for a prison near the Washington area, saying he assumed that the Federal Bureau of Prisons would want to separate the defendants in the case.

The lengthy sentences for both men, Lee said, were intended to shield the public and to send a message.

We are not going to let MS-13 rule our parks, our schools, our neighborhoods, he said.

This story has been corrected to reflect that Torres was sentenced to life plus 30 years in prison.
A program for troubled youth in Woodbridge, Va., is closing after a resident was charged last week with killing two of its counselors in a similar fashion within a five-month period, a local social services official said.

The announcement came Tuesday night during a contentious public meeting where Woodbridge residents questioned social services and police officials about Youth Quest Independent Living, which is in the Dominion Middle Ridge Apartments.

A Prince William County supervisor called the meeting after 19-year-old Ronald Francis Dorsey Jr. was charged with murder Friday in the deaths of Lizeth Lopez, 36, and Erica Janelle Hickson, 37, prompting worries among nearby residents.

Police said the two counselors were abducted during evening shifts and strangled on the YouthQuest site, and then their bodies were dumped near the apartment where Dorsey lived as part of the independent living program for foster children and juvenile offenders between ages 17 and 21. As many as eight young people live in four rented apartments at the site, county social service officials said Tuesday.

Lopez disappeared on April 17, and her body was found April 29. Hickson was abducted during a shift on Aug. 4, and her body was discovered the next day.

Maj. Steven J. Thompson of the Prince William police said at the meeting that Dorsey was interviewed along with most everyone else in the area after Lopezs killing. But at the time, we had nothing that said that Mr. Dorsey committed that crime, and he wasnt considered a suspect.

A woman who spoke during the community meeting but did not give her name because of privacy reasons described herself as Lopezs friend. She said that there was not enough security for counselors after Lopezs killing in April. YouthQuest is run by a for-profit company called Intercept Youth Services based in Richmond.

Liz was a huge advocate of the program, she said of YouthQuest. But these girls were then put back on without any security, and then somebody else had to die, somebody with a son. It was reckless.

Intercept officials declined to attend the meeting and declined to answer any questions about the program or its security measures after the first counselors death. YouthQuest programming director Natalie Elliot on Wednesday declined to address whether the Woodbridge location was permanently closing, but she did say that there are no youth living there anymore. She would not say when or where they were moved.

[Killing of 2 counselors raises questions]

In a brief statement, Elliott also called the womens deaths an unthinkable tragedy and said the company was committed to the safety and well-being of all of our clients, staff and the community at large.

Courtney Tierney, director of Prince Williams Department of Social Services, said Intercept had operated in the county without incident for 16 years.

Tierney said it was a very complicated process to place a young person in a program like YouthQuest, involving social services or court services and the provider. Funding for the program comes from the state, Tierney said, with some matching funds from the county.

Darrell Jordan, chairman of the northern region of the Virginia Department of Social Services, said that the vast majority of the roughly 85 YouthQuest clients around the state are teenagers who were aging out of foster homes and had no criminal history. However, he could not say whether Dorsey had a criminal background.

Several people who attended Tuesdays community meeting expressed concern about having the program as a neighbor without receiving notice. Police and social services officials at the meeting said there was no law requiring such notice and emphasized that problems are rare.

A few people who had been in the foster system also rose to speak Tuesday night, saying they didnt want the events at the Woodbridge program to be used to stigmatize foster children or programs designed to serve them.

The Washington Post reviewed online records of Intercepts independent living programs from the state Department of Social Services, showing dozens of violations over the past six years. Several involved the YouthQuest program failing to adequately screen clients or readmitting clients after violent behavior, the records show. In each case, deadlines were given for the program to correct the problem, but the resolution could not immediately be determined.

Search warrants show detectives concluded by May 10 that Lopez probably was abducted on the job because she failed to clock out from work or fill in work logs past 10 p.m. during the Sunday evening shift she was working.

Youth counselors were responsible for making sure that residents were in the apartments YouthQuest leased and were abiding by its rules. The counselors would walk or drive between the apartments, according to a search warrant.

Investigations that have not been described in court filings led detectives to Dorsey, who was arrested Friday after the discovery of Hicksons body.

A teen who was part of the program and was friendly with Dorsey said she was unaware of his having any problems in the program. She said that during the couple of months she spent in the YouthQuest program in Woodbridge, they would hang out together.

He was a very chill person, said the teen, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe behavior while she was a minor. I was totally shocked when I found out he had been arrested for the murders.

The teen said that after Lopezs death, the largely female staff of counselors was frightened. YouthQuest responded by having a male counselor available on call to accompany them on their rounds, the teen said.

The teen also said she thought the program was well run overall.

Altovise Hester formerly worked as a day counselor and site supervisor for Intercept at a Chesterfield County group home called Summit House, which served 10 youths. Hester said she left in 2014 after she was injured on the job by a youth and she grew increasingly frustrated by the organizations staffing cuts, which she attributed to cost savings.

Hester said one of youths in her all-girls program threw a five-pound water bottle at her in January 2014 because she was frustrated with a manager. The bottle struck Hester in the back, bruising a kidney and her spine, she said. Hester said she took workers compensation and never returned to active employment.

Hester said such incidents were rare in the girls program but said she had heard of staff facing problems at facilities that catered to boys. Hester said the program did not have dedicated security  she and other employees would called Chesterfield County police if there was a problem. At times, the low staffing made her concerned about security, she said.

They sent us to a mandated course to learn how to restrain someone, Hester said. Other than that, we were the security.
Metro workers make repairs on the rails of the outbound Orange and Silver Line tracks near the Ballston station. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)

Metros 10-month SafeTrack maintenance plan may become even more extensive as officials weigh the possibility of adding weekend shutdowns or postponing the programs conclusion as the agency continues its investigation and performs inspections in the aftermath of last months derailment at East Falls Church.

Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld said Wednesday that the agency has already taken significant steps toward revamping the track maintenance protocols that failed to prevent the July 29 derailment of a Silver Line train, but also acknowledged that it had been a mistake to keep the section of track where the crash occurred open so that SafeTrack work could continue.

Metro believes track defect caused Friday derailment

There was a balance there of service versus the work that needed to be done, Wiedefeld said at a news conference. And that balance probably was tilted more toward service than it should have been.

Still, Metro officials dispute a narrative from federal regulators that they had been aware of the imminent risks on the track where the derailment occurred. The derailment happened while the train was passing through an interlocking, the mechanism that allows trains to shift between the tracks.

The Federal Transit Administration said this week that its inspectors had encouraged Metro to include that particular stretch of track in the SafeTrack schedule.

In scathing report, FTA blasts Metro track maintenance program

But Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said federal inspectors had not specifically communicated to Metro that there was an acute need to take that particular interlocking out of service.

If [Wiedefeld] or [Metros chief safety officer] had known about a safety condition, trains would not have run, Stessel said. There is no evidence that FTA specifically requested that this interlocking not be used  and there have been lots of outside eyes looking at track here.

In a statement Wednesday, the FTA shifted blame back to Metro, saying it was the ultimate authority on the safety of its tracks.

The FTA highlighted concerns with the overall track condition along the Ballston to Vienna line, and WMATA agreed to move the most at-risk section earlier in its SafeTrack program, an FTA spokesman said in the statement. However, as our track condition report indicates, WMATA has systemically failed to conduct proper safety inspections on crossover tracks. We flagged this area of track as a concern, and ultimately WMATA must ensure that all infrastructure along that corridor  including crossover tracks  are in a safe condition.

In inspections since the derailment, Metro officials have identified at least six other interlockings that they say they believe need near-term repair work. To perform those repairs, they will need to shutter segments of the system  and theyre looking at weekend closures in order to do that.

Metro officials have already decided to close a stretch of track between Shady Grove and Grosvenor-Strathmore stations this weekend so that the interlocking at Twinbrook can be repaired.

[Metro officials may have known of track defect in 2009, NTSB officials say]

The prospect of a lengthier or more disruptive SafeTrack schedule follows a scathing federal report this week that blasted the agencys track inspection and repair protocol for systemic safety deficiencies, citing last months derailment of two rail cars as an example of how the agency continues to prioritize service over safety. The 36-page report resulted from months of investigations into Metros track maintenance practices.

The FTA, charged with providing safety oversight of Metros rail system, called for 12 corrective actions the transit agency must take to overhaul its track maintenance program, such as hiring more track inspectors and revamping the training program for repair workers.

Wiedefeld said that he had already been generally aware of the problems raised in the FTA report, and that many of the issues cited are already being addressed. He listed four contracts that have been awarded, or are in the process of being awarded, to overhaul the systems training manuals and track inspection training program, as well as hiring outside engineering consultants to conduct a comprehensive asset inventory.

Those contracts, Wiedefeld said, will go a long way toward solving the most significant problems raised by federal inspectors. Specifically, trainers with the University of Tennessees Center of Transportation Research are scheduled to visit Metro next month to conduct two weeks of intensive training on how to perform track inspections, categorize defects and prioritize repair work. By next summer, Wiedefeld said, the training curriculum for track inspectors will be completely rewritten, with trainers getting new procedures on how to teach other workers. The program will be audited by outside experts.

Wiedefeld said problems with the interlocking involved in the derailment, which federal officials said had been known to Metro since 2009, were never brought to his attention.

It was never brought up as an issue one way or the other, he said.

Of his employees approach to reporting problems, he said: I wish I could snap my fingers and they would all be on the same page at the same time.

Wiedefeld also said that a specialized vehicle capable of catching the wide gauge problem that caused the July 29 derailment was out of service because it was undergoing routine maintenance, not because it was broken. The vehicle is scheduled to operate twice per year  once in February, and once in August.

Wiedefelds news conference came as Metro board members have expressed mixed opinions on whether the agency is headed in the right direction.

Metro Board Chairman Jack Evans, who met with Wiedefeld and top-level staff Wednesday morning, said Wiedefeld plans to release a cost estimate in September for the SafeTrack work and accompanying measures meant to improve safety.

Whether its tens of millions or hundreds of millions, were looking at a big-ticket item here to continue to do this, Evans said. Where is this money going to come from? Ill tell you this: Its going to be the federal government or the three jurisdictions.

For lawmakers, Metros recent woes mean tougher prospects on the Hill

Evans has expressed outrage and frustration in recent days over the findings of the FTAs track maintenance report, but at Wednesdays news conference he took a more diplomatic tone.

Once the investigation into the derailment is concluded, Evans said, he will be watching to see if there are individuals who failed to complete necessary tasks and should be terminated.

Evans reiterated the point that SafeTrack will not alleviate all of the safety issues in the beleaguered system. I dont want anybody to have the impression that we will have a new system and everything will be hunky-dory, he said.

He said he remains confident in Wiedefelds leadership, calling his public mea culpa on excluding the problematic interlocking from SafeTrack honest and forthright, and adding that he believes the Metro board also holds responsibility for the degraded track that led to the derailment.

Board member Christian Dorsey, who represents Virginia, said he continues to support Wiedefeld and gives him time to instill permanent improvements.

I have a degree of patience that accepts that this will take some time and progress wont come without setbacks, Dorsey said Wednesday. But it is beyond frustrating that these safety lapses and issues seem largely preventable.

Others were less generous.

Metro Board member Corbett A. Price said restoring Metro to a state of respectability requires a total restructuring. He said he supports any changes to SafeTrack that would improve the safety of the system, but incremental changes are not enough.

Thats great and we should do that, but were reacting, said Price, who represents the District. We need to get ahead of the situation. These situations exist out there  some of them have existed for years. There are people in the organization who know the problems. They have to be the ones to come forward to say this is an issue  this has been an issue. 

The FTA report requires Metro to take a hard look at its overall approach to safety issues, he said.

Heres what expanded federal oversight of Metro safety will entail

Meanwhile, he said, Wiedefeld should examine whether some long-tenured staffers are up to the task of restoring the system. He reiterated his belief that Wiedefeld needs to populate his staff with those who are willing to fulfill his agenda, not those who are vested in the ways of the past.

Hes the CEO of a company. Hes been there for a very short period of time. Its a very troubled company. Hes not going to get instantaneous results, he said. Theres a lot of people there who are going to have to take responsibility for their actions and if not, youre going to have to remove them. You cant waste time.

Underscoring the urgency of the task facing Metro, he said: The clock is ticking.
Virginia election officials said Wednesday that they will reveal the names of nearly 13,000 felons who over the past few months have regained and then lost their right to vote, part of a still-raging drama fed by presidential politics.

The planned disclosure represents a partial about-face for the administration of Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), which announced in April that it would restore voting rights to about 200,000 nonviolent felons who had completed their sentences.

McAuliffe officials would not release the names of those felons, despite requests from registrars, GOP lawmakers and the media.

Last month, Virginias Supreme Court ruled that McAuliffe overstepped his authority by issuing the clemency order. Since 13,000 of the 200,000 felons had already registered to vote, the court ordered the state to once again put their names on its list of banned voters.

[Ex-felons: Why dont they want us to vote?]

At a meeting Wednesday, the State Board of Elections voted 2 to 1 in favor of a resolution saying that the state had fully complied with everything the court had ordered.

Elections Commissioner Edgardo Cortes later said that the state would release the list of 13,000 names because federal law requires that voter cancellation data be disclosed.

The names, which will be posted on the state governments website, could provide a potent political tool against McAuliffe for Republicans, who even without the list managed to ferret out the names of some murderers and sex offenders whose rights McAuliffe had accidentally restored.

The disclosure also will allow registrars and others to confirm whether the state has stricken the 13,000 recently restored felons from its voter rolls.

McAuliffe said the voting-rights restoration order would move Virginia away from a harsh lifetime disenfranchisement policy that hit African Americans particularly hard.

[McAuliffe vows to dodge court ruling, restore voting rights anyway]

Republicans said the order was really a bid to add Democrat-friendly voters to the rolls ahead of Novembers presidential elections, when the governors close friend and political ally Hillary Clinton will be on the ballot.

The lawsuit filed by GOP lawmakers said McAuliffe lacked the power to restore voting rights en masse instead of individually, as all previous governors have done.

Doubts about whether the 13,000 felons have again been stripped of their voting rights persist among McAuliffes critics, in part because of the errors and missteps in the administrations attempt to enforce the governors order before it was ruled unconstitutional.

Among the skeptics is Clara Belle Wheeler, vice chair of the three-member State Board of Elections, who pressed unsuccessfully Wednesday for far more disclosure: She wanted the government to release the names of the more than 200,000 felons who were originally said to be eligible to regain the right to vote.

[Clemency order comes under scrutiny as errors are discovered]

Wheeler was the holdout in Wednesdays board vote. She said the declaration of compliance was premature because the 13,000 names had not been released, much less checked for accuracy against voter records. Election officials said they expected to post the names online Wednesday or soon thereafter.

Theres no list of the 13,000. . . . It hasnt happened, Wheeler said. I want to make sure I have all the information that I need if Im called to the Supreme Court to swear that I complied with the order.

James B. Alcorn, chairman of the board, said the court had ordered the state to update its master list of prohibited voters to include the more than 200,000 felons who had been covered by McAuliffes order. My understanding is it has been, he said.

The administration will provide the felons names and addresses, without dates of birth or criminal history. Republicans could try to look up their criminal records and go public with any examples that are of concern.

The people of Virginia can now hold the governor accountable, said Matthew Moran, spokesman for House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford).

At the meeting, Wheeler pressed Cortes on whether the state has a list of every felon who would have been covered by McAuliffes clemency orders.

Is there a list somewhere, a master list, of all 213,874 individuals on the prohibited-voter list? she asked.

Cortes declined to respond directly, saying only that registrars can access a state database that includes criminal records to check the eligibility of anyone who registers to vote.

We work in databases. We dont work in a singular list fashion, he told reporters after the meeting. Its pulling information from all sorts of places.
Rep. Scott Rigell (R-Va.) this week became the first Republican member of Congress to publicly support Libertarian Gary Johnson over GOP nominee Donald Trump.

The endorsement meant the retiring congressman had to resign from the Virginia Beach Republican Party, whose members are required to support the party nominee.

Rigell, whose says his congressional district includes more members of the military than any other, is the son of a Marine veteran who served in Iwo Jima. Rigell himself served in the Marine Corps Reserves and inspired his son and two nephews to become Marines. He said his service makes him particularly critical of Trump and spurred his support for Johnson, who he hopes will gain enough traction in the polls to participate in the presidential debates.

The Washington Post spoke to Rigell on Wednesday about the election and Virginias diminishing clout in Congress.

When did you first realize you couldnt vote for Trump?

I dont see him as a man of being of reputable character. I never have. . . . The Khan comment, thats what really got me off the sidelines. [With U.S. Navy assets in my district], we have a heavy and disproportionate sacrifice. I know many, many families. We have grieved with them and held them. To see a man try to somehow put in context the sacrifice of a Gold Star family with his quote-unquote sacrifice of creating jobs, thats when I said, No, Im done.

What do you think of Trumps recent remark about Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Second Amendment supporters?

It was absolutely intentional on his part to put uncertainty in this. Hes raising the whole specter of violence. Its the antithesis of the man or woman that should lead this country. . . . Theres a Navy veteran  his name is Coby Dillard. He is one of the most thoughtful conservatives that I know. Hes got a big pain tolerance. Frankly, you have to if youre African American and in the Republican Party. [The GOP has] lost Coby. . . . I think [Trumps nomination] is going to be a permanent breach of what it means to be a Republican.

You endorsed Gary Johnson. Will you campaign for him? Will you fundraise for him? I noticed your name is misspelled on his website. What do you think of that?

Well, isnt that humbling? [Laughs] Well get that straight. I really believe that leaders need to be counted. I want to properly use the influence that I do have. I will help Governor Johnson to the extent that he wants me to help him. He was effusive, Id say, in his expression of thanks. . . . I really didnt think that much of it. And then the phone started blowing up, so here we are.

Youre not seeking re-election, but youre in the middle of a media blitz and some in the party have welcomed your message. I wonder if you regret not running again.

Oh no. . . . Theres a season to life. My major purpose was to take the gavel from Nancy Pelosi. We did that.

You endorsed Rep. J. Randy Forbes, but as you know, Del. Scott Taylor defeated him, tapping into some of what has animated Trump supporters. Do you feel out of touch?

I dont think thats the case, I really dont. About 40 percent of the people [in my district] wanted Trump, which is to say 60 percent wanted somebody else. I think if this vote was done over today I really believe it would be somewhere like 35.

Scotts a friend of mine, Im campaigning with and for him. It is true even after saying that the loss of [Forbes] as chair of the seapower subcommittee [of the House Armed Services Committee] and replacing that person with a freshman, youre so far down from the dais they cant even see you.
ANGOLA  The Steuben County Industrial Guild will host a training session on active shooter situations in the workplace on Thursday.

The training will take place in the Angola Training Center, 306 W. Mill St., from 9-11 a.m.

Steuben County Sheriffs Office Detective Sgt. Chris Emerick will present a seminar on workplace violence and what to do in an active shooter situation.

Topics will include:

 What is an active shooter;

 Appropriate actions to take when confronted with an active shooter and to assist responding law enforcement officials;

 Recognizing potential workplace violence indicators;

 Actions to take to prevent and prepare for potential active shooter incidents; and

 How to manage the consequences of an active shooter incident.

This seminar is free. Reservations are requested by emailing jessica@steubenedc.com or call 665-6889.
CALIFORNIA

Grim Sleeper killer receives death penalty

A serial killer known as the Grim Sleeper was sentenced to death Wednesday for the murders of nine women and a teenage girl that went unsolved for years as the body count grew in a poor section of Los Angeles haunted by the scourge of crack cocaine.

Lonnie Franklin Jr., 63, was sentenced in Los Angeles County Superior Court after emotional family members of his victims spoke about the pain they had endured for decades.

I cant think of anyone Ive encountered in all my years in the criminal justice system that has committed the monstrous crimes that you have, Judge Kathleen Kennedy told Franklin.

The killings occurred for more than two decades during the crack epidemic, and community members said that police didnt seriously investigate because the victims were black and poor and because many were drug users and prostitutes.

 Associated Press

Lonnie David Franklin Jr. was convicted of 10 counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder for the 'Grim Sleeper' killings. (Al Seib / Pool/European Pressphoto Agency)

Teenager is killed after firing at police officer

Los Angeles police say an officer investigating a report of people tagging a wall with gang graffiti killed a 14-year-old boy after the teen fired at the officer during a brief foot chase.

Deputy Chief Robert Arcos told reporters Wednesday that a witness said the youth fired at one of two officers Tuesday night. The officer was not hurt.

Arcos said an investigation of the shooting in the Boyle Heights neighborhood was ongoing and included video from body cameras worn by both officers.

 Associated Press

NEW YORK

Police remove climber from Trump Tower

A 20-year-old unidentified Virginia man who scaled the Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday for more than two hours using what looked like suction cups and a climbing harness was pulled inside through a window by police who had tried to coax him into the building during the escapade.

The 58-story Fifth Avenue tower is the headquarters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

In a video that was uploaded to YouTube on Tuesday, a man discusses climbing the tower in a message addressed to Trump. He called himself an independent researcher seeking a meeting with Trump to discuss an unspecified matter.

 Reuters
LIBYA

U.S.-allied forces seize Islamic State bastion

U.S.-backed Libyan forces said Wednesday that they have taken over the Islamic States headquarters in Sirte, the militant groups last bastion in Libya, breaking a weeks-long stalemate with the help of U.S. airstrikes.

The fighters said they had seized control of the sprawling convention center used as the Islamic States headquarters. The fighters, who are mainly from the nearby city of Misurata, launched their offensive in June. They also said they had seized the coastal citys main hospital.

The government-supported operation also said that it lost contact with one of its warplanes and the pilot. In an online statement, the Islamic State asserted responsibility for shooting down the plane and killing the pilot.

Since Aug. 1, U.S. warplanes have launched airstrikes against Islamic State positions in the city. The air support came in response to a request from Libyas U.N.-brokered government after battles in Sirte stalled.

The Islamic State seized control of Sirte last year.

 Associated Press

AFGHANISTAN

Taliban reportedly closing in on key city

Afghan troops are being deployed to the capital of the key southern province of Helmand amid intense fighting with the Taliban in surrounding areas and fears that the city could fall within days, officials said Wednesday.

According to Kareem Atal, head of Helmands provincial council, Taliban insurgents have completely surrounded Lashkar Gah after weeks of intense fighting in the province. Army and police units have been pulled back from checkpoints farther afield and brought back to reinforce the city. Also, new forces are arriving, he added.

Helmand is a strategically important province for both the government and the Taliban, whose insurgency is in its 15th year. The province produces opium, which is the raw material for most of the worlds heroin and which funds the insurgency.

Southern Afghanistan is considered Taliban heartland. During the Talibans 1996-2001 rule of the country, it made neighboring Kandahar province the seat of the regime.

In an indication of the seriousness of the Helmand situation, senior Kabul officials, including the deputy interior minister and the deputy chief of the military staff, were in Lashkar Gah, along with elite Afghan forces, said Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry. We know that the threats are high, he said.

Dawlat Waziri, a Defense Ministry spokesman, said the U.S. military is providing air support.

In September, the Taliban seized the northern city of Kunduz for a few days before being was pushed out by Afghan forces, who were backed by U.S. airstrikes.

 Associated Press

TURKEY

At least 12 killed in Kurdish rebel attacks

A wave of Kurdish rebel attacks targeting police and soldiers in Turkeys mainly Kurdish southeast killed at least 12 people Wednesday, as Turkey was still dealing with the aftermath of a coup attempt.

Officials said rebels of the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, launched simultaneous bomb attacks targeting police vehicles in the city of Diyarbakir and the town of Kiziltepe, killing eight people, while four soldiers were killed in an attack near the border with Iraq hours earlier.

The attack in Kiziltepe was caused by a roadside bomb that went off as a police bus was passing by. Three people were killed and at least 25 were wounded, including at least five children ages 2 to 5, an official said.

At the same time, a car bomb targeting police in a historic part of the city of Diyarbakir killed at least five civilians and wounded 12, the governors office said.

The blasts occurred hours after an attack, also blamed on the PKK, killed four soldiers and injured nine near the border with Iraq. The private Dogan News Agency said the attack targeted military vehicles.

Clashes between the PKK and Turkeys security forces resumed last year after a tenuous cease-fire collapsed.

Wednesdays attacks, however, came as the country is still reeling from a coup attempt on July 15 that left at least 270 people dead.

 Associated Press

Fire in Baghdad hospital kills 12 babies: A fire ripped through a maternity ward at a Baghdad hospital, killing 12 newborn babies, officials said. The director of the Yarmouk hospital in Baghdad, Saad Hatem Ahmed, said the initial investigation indicated that it was an electrical fire. Ahmed said 29 patients and eight babies were moved from the ward where the fire broke out and transferred to another hospital. Electrical fires are common in Iraq because of shoddy maintenance and poor wiring.

4 killed as wildfires rack Portugal: Wildfires raged unabated in Portugal, killing at least four people, burning down dozens of houses and charring huge areas of forest. The National Civil Protection Service reported 14 major wildfires burning out of control in mainland Portugal. A wildfire that swept into Funchal, capital of the Madeira Islands, killed three people and left more than 300 requiring treatment for smoke inhalation and minor burns, officials said. Meanwhile, a forest watchman was killed on the mainland when a blaze engulfed the trailer in which he was sleeping.

 From news services
FORT WAYNE  The step was unnecessary.

Bill Mallers, business manager for Northwest Allen County Schools, likes to take it anyway.

Mallers presented the NACS board with the legal advertisement for the 2017 budget during its meeting on Monday. Mallers said that most schools dont show the legal notice. They simply advertise the budget and make a formal presentation after the fact.

Weve just done an extra step, Mallers said. Ive always felt its important to make them aware.

The district is advertising a $69.9 million budget for 2017. Higher student enrollment will increase the general fund and the district anticipates a 3.8 percent increase in the capital projects, transportation and bus replacement funds. Mallers said the district will benefit from a decrease in the debt service fund, thinking it was either the 95-96 Carroll High School addition or the Hickory Center building that was coming off the books.

The advertisement has the budgets five funds broken down as follows: general fund ($45,186,100); debt service ($14,214,527); capital projects ($5,975,219); transportation ($3,450,182) and bus replacement ($1,107,650).

The maximum estimated levy is $24,215,412 and the district estimates losing around $1.9 million in property tax cap losses despite the advertisements aggressively high estimate of $5.8 million. Mallers said those estimates come from the state and that the state is strategically estimating those numbers high. The district is planning to work its budget around its own estimate, Mallers said.

Last years approved budget was just over $67 million and Mallers anticipated an increase of about 4 percent for this year.

A public hearing is set for Monday Sept. 12 with potential adoption on Monday, Oct. 10. Both will take place as part of regularly scheduled NACS board meetings.

In other board news:

 The district approved the acceptance of three donations. The Eel River Elementary PTO donated $1,525 for new playground equipment. The Maple Creek Middle School PTO donated $10,310 to replace television monitors in the building. The Allen County Farm Bureau donated $1,500 to help cover expenses from the Carroll FFA.

 The board approved payment from the capital projects emergency appropriations in the amount of $37,186 for HVAC control repairs at Carroll Middle School. Mallers said the work will take two months to fix but that a Band-Aid fix is in place for the start of the school year.

We were fortunate it happened the Friday before school started and not the Friday after it started, NACS Superintendent Chris Himsel joked.

 Thursday is the first day of school for students. NACS board president Kent Somers wished all the students and staff well-wishes for a safe and productive year.

 The next NACS board meeting is Monday, Aug. 29.
For 32 years, a group of Republican and Democratic foreign-policy experts has gathered here each summer to debate strategic issues facing the country. This year the bipartisan group had a strange imbalance: None of the Republicans was prepared to argue the case of the GOP nominee, Donald Trump.

Trump would probably be pleased to know that he failed to muster support from the Aspen Strategy Group, as this gathering is known. In a sense, hes running against the elite foreign-policy establishment that the group represents. He is happy to lose the Aspen primary if that strengthens his populist appeal in November.

Trumps shadow hung over the meeting here. Fifteen prominent Republicans who had served in past GOP administrations met Sunday for a private soul-searching session that one attendee described as painful and empathetic. The next day, eight of them joined in signing the public declaration by 50 top GOP former national security officials warning that Trump would be the most reckless President in U.S. history.

Were seeing a mass exodus of senior and experienced Republicans from Trump on national security. They are deserting him because he has denigrated NATO, appeased [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and shown little faith in American power, argued Nicholas Burns, director of the Aspen Strategy Group, who served as undersecretary of state under President George W. Bush. Burns had earlier announced that he would support Hillary Clinton for president.

The number of influential Republican officials saying that they can't vote for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton is growing as Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) pledges she won't vote for Trump. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

Trump seemed to relish this defection by the establishment. He described the 50 signers of the declaration as nothing more than the failed Washington elite looking to hold onto their power and thanked them for coming forward so everyone in the country knows who deserves the blame for making the world such a dangerous place.

What does the foreign-policy elite discuss in a time of anti-elitism? Partly, this years Aspen gathering (of which Im a member, along with several other journalists) explored why experts had missed early warnings of the public anger over trade and immigration that have fueled Trump.

But the conversation focused mostly on the technical details of strategic planning: How should the National Security Council staff be organized to give better foresight and maximize efficiency? How can U.S. technology be leveraged to deter Russia and China? A convention of machinists likes to talk about its tools; so too with this collection of experts.

Whats unusual about the Aspen group is that in a time of deep political polarization, it struggles for bipartisan consensus. Explains Peter Feaver, a Duke University professor who served on Bushs NSC staff: Principled disagreement of the sort that happens in the ASG opens the door to both pragmatic compromise . . . and persuasion, where you actually learn from the other side. However elitist this may sound, such a consensus-building process is part of what makes American democracy work.

Stephen Hadley, who served as national security adviser during Bushs second term, is a prime exemplar of quiet, principled, bipartisan public service. He didnt sign the letter denouncing Trump, and he cautioned me here that foreign-policy experts should pay careful attention to the growing public anger that globalization was a mistake and that the elites have sleep-walked the country into danger.

This election isnt just about Donald Trump, Hadley argued. Its about the discontents of our democracy, and how we are going to address them. The genius of our political system is that these discontents are being worked out this year within our political parties. Whoever is elected will have to deal with these discontents. If not, the anger against the system may be played out next time in the streets, as in the 1960s.

Philip Zelikow, a University of Virginia professor who also served in the Bush State Department, argues that the global engagement Trump resists can be summed up in two simple sentences: The future of America depends on partners and friends in the world. The future of America depends on doing business in the world. Most Americans, even Trump supporters, would endorse these principles if they could be articulated more clearly, he says.

With Trump running so hard against the traditional foreign-policy consensus, theres an unusual opportunity for Clinton to rebuild this framework in a way that speaks to voters discontent  and also reweaves the narrative of American power for the 21st century.

Prominent Republicans are helping Clinton make her argument. But she has to convince skeptical voters that updated global engagement on trade, security and economic issues as discussed by this group of professors and diplomats in a pristine mountain resort will benefit the ordinary citizen.

Read more from David Ignatiuss archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
The writers, both Democrats, represent Rhode Island and Massachusetts, respectively, in the U.S. Senate.

For years, ExxonMobil actively advanced the notion that its products had little or no impact on the Earths environment. As recently as last year, it continued to fund organizations that play down the risks of carbon pollution. So what did ExxonMobil actually know about climate change? And when did it know it?

Reasonable questions  particularly if ExxonMobil misled its investors about the long-term prospects of its business model or if the company fooled consumers into buying its products based on false claims.

So now the attorneys general of Massachusetts and New York are investigating whether ExxonMobil violated state laws by knowingly misleading their residents and shareholders about climate change. Those investigations may be making ExxonMobil executives nervous, and their Republican friends in Congress are riding to the rescue. House Science, Space and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Tex.) and his fellow committee Republicans have issued subpoenas demanding that the state officials fork over all materials relating to their investigations. They also targeted eight organizations, including the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Rockefeller Family Fund and Greenpeace, with similar subpoenas, demanding that they turn over internal communications related to what Smith describes as part of coordinated efforts to deprive ExxonMobil of its First Amendment rights.

Take a breath to absorb that: State attorneys general are investigating whether a fraud had been committed  something state AGs do every day. Sometimes AGs uncover fraud and sometimes they dont, but if the evidence warrants it, the question of fraud will be resolved in open court, with all the evidence on public display. But instead of applauding the AGs for doing their jobs, this particular investigation against this particular oil company has brought down the wrath of congressional Republicans  and a swift effort to shut down the investigation before any evidence becomes public. So far, both AGs and all eight organizations have refused to comply. We say, good for them.

Lets call this what it is: a master class in how big corporations rig the system. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Smith has received nearly $685,000 in campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry during his career. Now he is using his committee to harass the investigators and bully those who dare bring facts of possible corporate malfeasance to their attention. Undoubtedly, the oil industry wants no further attention, much less court-supervised discovery, into whether it has spent decades deliberately deceiving the public about the harms associated with its product. So here come Smith and his Republican colleagues with threats of legal action designed to sidetrack state investigations and silence groups petitioning the government to address potential wrongdoing.

Theres plenty for the AGs to investigate. The Union of Concerned Scientists, for example, issued a 2015 report, Climate Deception Dossiers: Internal Fossil Fuel Industry Memos Reveal Decades of Corporate Disinformation, and a 2007 report, Smoke, Mirrors & Hot Air: How ExxonMobil Uses Big Tobaccos Tactics to Manufacture Uncertainty on Climate Science. Both reports document how the industry has protected its bottom line by funding front organizations and scientists to put out junk science contradicting what peer-reviewed scientists, and even the industrys own experts, were saying about how its products affected the environment. Union of Concerned Scientists President Ken Kimmell rightly dismissed the committees request, saying, Mr. Smith makes no allegation that UCS violated any laws or regulations, and his claim, that providing information to attorneys general infringes on ExxonMobils rights, is nonsense.

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman are also fighting back. In separate letters, they told Smith that they have no intention of complying with the committees request. The Subpoena brings us one step closer to a protracted, unnecessary legal confrontation which will only distract and detract from the work of our respective offices, Schneiderman wrote.

Smith is not the first fossil-fuel-backed Republican in Congress to come to the industrys defense. In May, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), recipient of $1.8 million in oil and gas industry contributions since 1989, called the state AGs investigation a misuse of power and politics at its worst. The greater abuse comes when congressional committees appear to operate at the behest of the industries they are meant to oversee.

Congressional investigations and hearings have a unique ability to focus a nations attention and bring facts of public importance to light. As committee chairmen, Smith and Inhofe can direct their committees authority as they see fit, but using that power to stifle lawful state investigations doesnt advance the First Amendment, it tramples on it.

So we have an alternative suggestion. If Chairmen Smith and Inhofe are concerned about the First Amendment rights of ExxonMobil, they should each call a hearing, ask ExxonMobil executives to testify, and give them the opportunity to set the record straight. A committee chairman could do little more to protect any persons right to speak freely than to give that person the chance to testify before Congress. We would love to hear what they have to say.
James Hoefler is a professor of political science at Dickinson College specializing in American politics and public policy.

The 2016 presidential election has been notable for the rhetorical vitriol pervading the campaign, and unfortunately Donald Trumps suggestion Tuesday that Second Amendment people might be able to offer some sort of corrective to a Hillary Clinton presidency is merely a continuation of this well-established pattern.

At a July rally in Raleigh, N.C., Trump supporters can be heard chanting Hang that b----! Michael Folk, a Republican legislator from West Virginia, added his voice to the chorus several days later, tweeting that Clinton should be hung on the Mall in Washington, DC.

Al Baldasaro, a Republican legislator from New Hampshire and a retired Marine who serves as a Trump adviser, joined the fray, stating in a radio interview that, Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason. Licking County, Ohio, Commissioner Duane Flowers chimed in at a public meeting shortly thereafter, saying that Clinton should be hanging from a tree.

Do any of these statements cross the line of protected speech under the First Amendment? Probably not.

The relevant federal statute here  18 USC Section 879(a)(3)  makes it a felony to threaten a presidential candidate with death or bodily harm. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit has ruled that speakers should be accorded fairly wide latitude to express themselves in ways that do not pose a real and imminent threat.

For example, in the weeks prior to the 2008 presidential election, California resident Walter Bagdasarian posted the following on a public message board: [Barack] Obama . . . will have a 50 cal in the head soon. Bagdasarian followed this post with another, which began: Shoot the n--. The Secret Service investigated and found weapons in Bagdasarians home, including a .50 caliber rifle.

Bagdasarian was convicted, but his conviction was overturned by the 9th Circuit Court, which ruled that Section 879 could only be invoked if the speakers words went beyond expression of an opinion to constitute a serious expression of intent to inflict bodily harm. The court reasoned that while Bagdasarians posts might be loathsome and menacing they did not reach the level of a true threat.

While it is within the purview of the Secret Service to investigate those who have made menacing comments regarding Clinton, those comments probably fall within the realm of protected speech, if only because Bagdasarians patently more egregious speech was found to fall within the limits of protected speech.

Even before Tuesdays comments about the Second Amendment, however, Trumps own speech raised serious constitutional questions. After a protester threw a tomato at a February campaign stop in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Trump encouraged those in the crowd to take action.

If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you? Seriously, okay? Just knock the hell  I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees. I promise. Shortly thereafter, John McGraw was charged with assault and disorderly conduct after reportedly sucker-punching a non-violent Trump protester at a North Carolina rally.

Did Trump cross the First Amendment line with his comments? We look for guidance to the Supreme Courts most recent case to test the limits of this sort of speech: Brandenburg v. Ohio. In that 1969 decision, the court set forth a three-part test to determine the contours of First Amendment sanctuary: Was criminal action (1) intended, (2) imminent and (3) likely?

Trumps intention seems genuine and unambiguous, especially in the context of his comments after a protester was ejected at a February rally in Las Vegas, when Trump said: Id like to punch him in the face. Perhaps these were rhetorical flourishes, but it would be hard for anyone who watched videos of these events to come to the conclusion that Trumps intentions were anything less than sincere.

Trumps language also seems to qualify with regard to imminence. That Trump supporters have acted along these lines at subsequent rallies would suggest that criminal acts advocated by Trump qualify as imminent in the literal sense of that term.

Trumps speech also seems to meet the harder-to-establish likelihood test. At the very least, Trumps offer to pay the criminal defense costs of anyone who followed his advice would seem to increase the likelihood that someone would act on that advice.

We all celebrate the First Amendment and its broad protections of speech, as egregious and unpresidential as that language might sometimes seem. But all political liberties come with limits, and a case could be made that Trumps brutal entreaties have exceeded that limit. Should he continue to exhort violence at his rallies, it may be his own legal defense needs, rather than those of his followers, that he will need to worry about.
IT HAS been three months since the efforts of a Montgomery County high school principal to crack down on student drinking were undermined by higher-ups. Good, then, that some school officials seem to be worried that those events may have sent the wrong message about underage drinking. We hope their concerns lead to policies that put everyone on the same page in how to confront this critical issue.

Community uproar over the May events at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School prompted the school board to undertake a review of its policies on student drinking and drug use. The principal at the school had repeatedly warned that students who violated the rules to keep the prom alcohol-free would not be allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies. When she tried to follow through with students who had thumbed their nose at the rules, she was overruled by then-school superintendent Larry A. Bowers, who cited circumstances and board policy.

What is perhaps most sad about the incident is that the interference came at the behest of parents who, rather than setting the right example for their children, seemed not to place a high priority on following rules. Not being able to walk across a stage is a small price to pay to try to keep young people safe. Montgomery County too often has seen the deadly consequences of teen drinking, with at least three teenagers dying in alcohol-related crashes in less than two years. We hold our breath every year, but its like Groundhog Day, school board member Patricia ONeill said of the tense spring season of proms and graduation parties when seniors are most vulnerable.

As part of its study, the school board is looking at the experiences of surrounding jurisdictions, including those that limit offending students from involvement in school activities or from graduation events. Board members also would do well to check in with the chaperones who worked this years prom at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School and who noticed a marked difference in student behavior because of the principals warning about significant school consequences. For the first time in years, The Posts Donna St. George reported, there were no ambulances at the after-prom party or mopping up of vomit. Its now up to the school board to decide what kind of message it wants to send.
Protesters demonstrate over what they say is unfair distribution of wealth in Ethiopia at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa on Aug. 6. (Tiksa Negeri/Reuters)

OVER THE weekend, Ethiopia reminded the world of how it treats those who dare demonstrate against the government. At least 90 protesters were shot and killed by Ethiopian security forces in the regions of Oromia and Amhara. As demonstrations unusually reached into the capital of Addis Ababa, the regime censored social media posts and blocked Internet access.

This fresh outburst of repression follows months of unrest in the Oromia region over government plans to expand the Addis Ababa capital territory into the lands of the Oromo, the countrys largest ethnic group. According to Human Rights Watch, Ethiopian security officers have killed more than 400 people in clashes over the Oromia land dispute since protests broke out in November. Tens of thousands more have been detained. The clashes represent the worst ethnic violence that Ethiopia has seen in years. That the unrest is spreading to regions beyond Oromia underscores the depth of anger against the ruling Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front party.

The weekends bloodshed should prompt the West to reconsider its aid to the regime. Ethiopia has been hailed as a model of economic development and touts its progress on global anti-poverty indicators as proof that its developmental democratic style is working. But the repeated use of force to silence dissent threatens development by sowing seeds of future unrest.

The United States has long relied on Ethiopia as a partner in the fight against al-Shababs terrorism in Somalia and sends the country tens of millions of dollars in development assistance, tiptoeing around Ethiopias human rights abuses and resistance to democratic reforms. On Monday, the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa remarked that it was deeply concerned and expressed its deep condolences to those who suffered as a result but stopped short of explicitly urging the Ethiopian government to refrain from using excessive force against its citizens. The Obama administration should encourage a credible investigation into the killings and publicly make clear that Ethiopias continued crackdowns are unacceptable.

Europe is on the verge of helping to provide Ethiopia with even more aid. Ethiopia is one of the key countries to which the European Union is offering cash for cooperation, meaning aid and trade incentives in exchange for helping to keep refugees and migrants from reaching Europe. Now Ethiopia is providing a litmus test of the stated E.U. commitment to human rights. If Ethiopia continues its pattern of abusing its citizens and stifling dissent, and if it fails to credibly investigate the recent killings, the European Union should make clear to the regime that it risks being dropped from the migrant agreements.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said in response to criticism of the regimes human rights record that building democratic culture will take some time. But we are on the right track. Its improving. Thats hard to square with the continued killing and jailing of protesters.
Regarding the Aug. 8 editorial Metros latest missteps and embarrassments:

The editorial board called on D.C., Maryland and Virginia officials to establish a safety authority that will have real teeth in providing oversight of Metro. As co-chairs of the WMATA-Metro Work Group in the Maryland General Assembly, we have been involved in talks related to the establishment of the independent safety commission required by federal law. We support this federally required mandate but believe that if we want to give it real teeth, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authoritys inspector general should be removed from Metros chain of command and placed under the new safety commission. WMATAs inspector general has failed to adequately expose Metros failings. Moving the position under the safety commission would create an oversight agency much stronger, more robust and more effective than if we simply added a new team of safety inspectors.

Erek L. Barron, Bowie

Marc A. Korman, Bethesda

Erek L. Barron, a Democrat, represents

Prince Georges County, and Marc A. Korman,

a Democrat, represents Montgomery County,

in Marylands House of Delegates.
Every couple of years or so, I feel the need to whine about the plight of newspapers. Its August. Im Trumped out. So todays the day.

Except that HBOs John Oliver beat me to it with the best defense of newspapers  ever. His recent Last Week Tonight With John Oliver monologue about the suffering newspaper industry has gone viral in journalism circles but deserves a broader audience.

Besides, its funny.

Leavening his important message with enough levity to keep the dopamine flowing, Oliver points out that most news outlets, faux, Fox and otherwise, essentially rely on newspapers for their material. This includes, he says, pulsing with self-awareness, Oliver himself. Hes sort of part of the problem, in other words, but at least he knows it, which makes it okay, sort of.

The problem: People want news but they dont want to pay for it.

Consequently, newspapers are failing while consumers get their information from comedy shows, talk shows and websites that essentially lift material for their own purposes.

But somewhere, somebody is sitting through a boring meeting, poring over data or interviewing someone who isnt nearly as important as he thinks he is in order to produce a story that will become news. As Oliver points out, news is a food chain, yet with rare exceptions, the most important members of the chain are at the bottom, turning off the lights in newsrooms where gladiators, scholars and characters once roamed.

Some still do, though most are becoming rather long-ish in the tooth. (You can actually get that fixed, you know.)

That any newspapers are surviving, if not for much longer in any recognizable form, can be attributed at least in some part to the dedication of people who really believe in the mission of a free press and are willing to work harder for less  tweeting, blogging, filming and whatnot in addition to trying to write worthy copy. Most of the poor slobs who fell in love with the printed word go unnoticed by any but their peers.

An exception is Marty Baron, the unassuming executive editor of The Post, recently featured in the film Spotlight, about the Boston Globes stories under Barons leadership uncovering sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

Its a good movie, not just because of great casting and acting but because its a great tale about a massive investigative effort that led to church reform and the beginning of healing for victims. (Not to worry, my pay comes as a percentage of the money I make for the company. This wont make a dime of difference.)

My point  shared by Oliver  is that only newspapers are the brick and mortar of the Fourth Estates edifice. Only they have the wherewithal to do the kind of reporting that leads to stories such as Spotlight. What happens to the news when there are no newspapers left?

We seem doomed to find out as people increasingly give up their newspaper subscriptions and seek information from free-content sources. And though newspapers have an online presence, its hard to get readers to pay for content.

As Oliver says, now is a very good time to be a corrupt politician. Between buyouts, layoffs and news-space reductions, theres hardly anyone paying attention.

Except, perhaps, to kitties.

In a hilarious spinoff of Spotlight called Stoplight, Oliver shows a short film of a news meeting where the old-school reporter is pitching a story about city hall corruption. The rest of the staff, cheerful human topiaries to the reporters kudzu-draped mangrove  are more interested in a cat that looks like a raccoon.

And then theres Sam Zell, erstwhile owner of the Tribune Co., who summed up the sad trajectory of the nations interests and, perhaps, our future while speaking to Orlando Sentinel staffers in 2008. When he said he wanted to increase revenues by giving readers what they want, a female voice objected, What readers want are puppy dogs.

Zell exploded, calling her comment the sort of journalistic arrogance of deciding that puppies dont count. . . . Hopefully we get to the point where our revenue is so significant that we can do puppies and Iraq, okay? [Expletive] you.

Yes, he said that.

Moral of the story: If you dont subscribe to a newspaper, you dont get to complain about the sorry state of journalism  and puppies you shall have.

Read more from Kathleen Parkers archive, follow her on Twitter or find her on Facebook.
An election commission official displays a ballot to the media while counting votes during a constitutional referendum vote at a polling station in Bangkok on Sunday. (Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)

Regarding the Aug. 6 editorial Thailands Potemkin referendum:

In Sundays referendum on the draft constitution, about 29 million Thais exercised their voting rights in a transparent and peaceful manner, as many Thai and foreign observers attested. The draft constitution may not be perfect, but Thai voters supported it because they want to rectify flaws in Thai democracy that have led to broken politics, abuse of power, rampant corruption, a dysfunctional parliament, government shutdowns, street violence and chaos. People want good governance and respect for the rule of law. Most important, they want peace and stability.

Thai citizens made their wishes known with more than 60 percent voting in support of the charter. The government also will recognize the concerns of those who were not in favor of the draft.

All major political parties have voiced respect for the outcome of the referendum and expressed their desire to move forward. This spirit should be welcomed, as it shows how far Thailand has come from where it was a few years ago. All parties concerned should find a way to work together and move the country forward for the benefit of all Thais. Organic laws to facilitate political parties and elections will be enacted, paving the way for elections in 2017.

We hope our friends in the United States who may disagree with certain parts of the charter will at least respect the decision and the will of the Thai people.

Pisan Manawapat, Washington

The writer is Thailands ambassador

to the United States.
An appeals court on Wednesday put on hold an earlier ruling that residents without a photo ID could still vote if they attested to their identity in an affidavit, striking a blow to activists concerned that many in Wisconsin will be blocked from voting.

Advocates for voting rights have had recent legal victories with rulings against voting-restriction legislation in North Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin.

A federal ruling last month said Wisconsin residents who had trouble obtaining the necessary identification would still be able to vote with an affidavit. But the appeals court on Wednesday said that state lawyers challenging that ruling were likely to be successful.

Wisconsin has battled for years over its voter-ID law, and the latest bout of legal wrangling has left the situation decidedly unclear for voters in November.

In a separate case, a district court judge declared unconstitutional several of Wisconsins voting rules and ordered reforms to the process by which voters can obtain IDs from the Division of Moter Vehicles. That decision also is being appealed.

This year more states than ever will require potential voters to show photo ID in order to vote in the election. Here's why this is so controversial. (Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post)

Given the back-and-forth, experts say there remains concern about how much information will trickle down to voters and election administrators. Wisconsin recently made $250,000 available for a public information campaign, although it remains unclear what voters will be told about the rules.

We know there will be confusion, said Rick Hasen, a University of California at Irvine professor who specializes in election law.

Dale Ho, director of the Voting Rights Project for the American Civil Liberties Union, said as many as 300,000 registered voters in Wisconsin lack acceptable photo ID, although he acknowledged that not all of them would vote and that some could obtain documentation without much trouble. The ACLU had sued over the law.

As to whether requiring ID could tip the election in favor of the Republicans who support the law, Ho said: Obviously, the people behind these laws think it can help them. Whether or not it can, from our perspective, it really doesnt matter. Were just trying to make sure everyone can vote.

So, too, is, Anita Johnson, who spends her days stopping passersby at festivals, speaking to church groups and passing out literature with a simple question: Are you voter-ID ready?

She is determined to make sure that no voters in her home state of Wisconsin show up to cast a ballot in November only to learn that they will need to produce an identification card they dont have. The 70-year-old community organizer even drives prospective voters to the DMV to make sure they can navigate the bureaucracy to get the necessary documentation.

A lot of people still dont know that you need an ID to vote with, Johnson said.

[Federal judge rules that Wisconsinites without ID can sign affidavit to vote]

The stakes are high in Wisconsin because November would mark the first time the law would be enforced during a presidential election.

The numbers are large enough in a close swing state like Wisconsin to make the difference, said Robert Kraig, the executive director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin, which is among several groups suing in different cases over the law.

In 2012, President Obama beat Mitt Romney by more than 200,000 votes in the state. But other presidential elections in Wisconsin have been closer. In 2004, Democrat John F. Kerry defeated George W. Bush by just 11,384 votes. In 2000, Al Gore beat Bush by 5,708 votes.

In recent days, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has opened a significant lead on Republican Donald Trump in Wisconsin. A Marquette University Law School poll of Wisconsin registered voters released Wednesday found that 46 percent supported Clinton, compared with 36 percent who supported Trump. The poll, conducted Aug. 4-7, found Clinton with an even bigger lead over Trump among likely voters: 52 percent to 37 percent.

Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) told a local TV station in April that the photo-ID law would make a little bit of a difference in pushing his state toward whomever the Republican nominee might be. A former aide to a Republican state senator testified in a trial that GOP lawmakers were excited that voter-ID requirements might help them win.

Hasen said the decision blocking the affidavit-in-lieu-of-ID option for Wisconsin voters will probably be challenged with the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, and perhaps even the Supreme Court.

While the legal jousting continues, Johnson said she is still trying to get people their IDs, and bracing for confusion and frustration on Election Day. Even state lawyers  in arguing that the law be kept intact while they appeal  asserted that implementing a process by which voters could use an affidavit to attest to their identity would introduce confusion.

When the law was enforced in the April primary, there were reports of long lines in some places, although the parties have haggled over the reasons for that. Johnson said she observed no significant problems in the primary this month, though she attributed that to low turnout and feared what would happen in November.

You know whats going to happen? People will say: I still don't know what Im going to do. Im just not going to vote,  Johnson said.

Proponents of the voter-ID requirement, which was signed into law by Gov. Scott Walker (R) in 2011, say that it is a necessary step to prevent fraud and that it  at worst  causes a simple trip to the DMV for those who dont have an ID. The law requires voters to produce one of several acceptable forms of photo ID when they vote. Lawyers for Wisconsin wrote in one legal filing that the law is part of a Wisconsin election system that is fundamentally fair, easy-to-navigate, and open to all. [Appeals court says Texas voter-ID law discriminates against minorities]

Opponents say it is an unnecessary imposition that disproportionately affects poor, minority voters, and its true aim is not to prevent fraud  an imagined problem  but to prevent would-be Democratic voters from casting ballots.

Johnson, a Clinton supporter, said she has driven between 10 and 15 people to the DMV to get IDs, and she has informed hundreds of others of the requirement. Those facing the most serious challenge, she said, are people without birth certificates  which are required to get a Wisconsin state ID.

On a recent weekday, Johnson allowed a Washington Post reporter to tag along as she attempted to get an ID for a homeless man staying in a Milwaukee shelter.

The man, 44-year-old Richard Walker, does not have a birth certificate  although he does have an Illinois ID, a Social Security card and a letter from a Wisconsin food assistance program establishing his residency at the Milwaukee shelter. Wisconsin has a process for confirming his birth information with Illinois, although Walker seemed to need Johnsons help getting it started.

When DMV clerks twice questioned Walker about whether he had a birth certificate, Johnson interjected, saying Walker wanted to petition, a term that the clerks understood to mean he wanted them to ask Illinois to verify his birth information. Walker, an undecided voter, left with a letter saying that if his information checked out, he would be mailed a photo ID. A clerk told him he would leave with no such ID that day. A district judge has since ordered reforms to the process.

Walker may face other obstacles to voting. Records show that he is a convicted felon and registered sex offender, although court records and officials said he does not appear to be on probation or parole. Wisconsin allows convicted felons to vote if they are off paper, meaning they have completed any incarceration, probation or supervision that was a part of their sentence. Wisconsin Election Commissions Administrator Michael Haas said that having to register as a sex offender would not itself qualify as being under supervision for voting purposes.

Johnson  who did not know the details of Walkers criminal past  said his case is atypical, although it did show the difficulty some might face in obtaining an ID.

He just doesnt know the terminology, she said. They would never suggest the petition process.

The lawsuit alleged that Wisconsins voting regulations are problematic in a host of other ways, and a district judge largely agreed, ordering the state to undo, for example, many restrictions on early voting.

Wisconsin, in presidential election years, has the second-highest turnout in America, said Scot Ross, the executive director of One Wisconsin Now, another group involved in the lawsuits. Why would you want to change that?
At a rally in Wilmington, N.C., Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said rival Hillary Clinton wants to essentially abolish the Second Amendment. He warned of Clintons ability to pick Supreme Court justices if she wins, saying there would be nothing you can do, folks. (The Washington Post)

At a rally in Wilmington, N.C., Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said rival Hillary Clinton wants to essentially abolish the Second Amendment. He warned of Clintons ability to pick Supreme Court justices if she wins, saying there would be nothing you can do, folks. (The Washington Post)

Donald Trump was ticking through a list of reasons to support him over Hillary Clinton on Tuesday when he decided to linger on one.

If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks, Trump said with a shrug at a rally here after accusing Clinton of wanting to strip Americans of their gun rights. He paused, then softly offered a postscript: Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know.

The denouncements came swiftly from Clintons campaign and her allies  and from outside politics. The insinuation, critics said, was that Trump was inciting his followers to bear arms against a president in the future. And Trumps response was just as swift: Hed said nothing of the sort but was merely encouraging gun rights advocates to be politically involved.

The pattern has repeated itself again and again. First come Trumps attention-getting expressions. Then come the outraged reactions. The headlines follow. Finally, Trump, his aides and his supporters lash out at the media, accusing journalists of twisting his words or missing the joke. It happened last week, when Trump appeared to kick a baby out of a rally, then later insisted that he was kidding. It happened the week before, when he encouraged Russia to hack Clintons emails, then claimed he was just being sarcastic.

And with each new example, Trumps rhetorical asides grow more alarming to many who hear them  and prompt condemnations from an ever-wider universe of critics. On Tuesday, for instance, even Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), one of Trumps most ardent defenders, struggled to fully embrace his comments. Sessions insisted in an interview on CNN that Trump did not mean to encourage violence, but he acknowledged that Trumps words were awkwardly phrased.

1 of 60 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  What Donald Trump is doing on the campaign trail View Photos The GOP presidential nominee is out on the trail ahead of the general election in November. Caption The GOP presidential nominee is pressing his case ahead of Election Day. Nov. 7, 2016 Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at SNHU Arena in Manchester, N.H. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

People from other corners weighed in, too. As the daughter of a leader who was assassinated, I find #Trumps comments distasteful, disturbing, dangerous, tweeted Bernice King, daughter of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. His words dont #LiveUp. #MLK.

The Secret Service acknowledged Tuesday in a tweet that agents were aware of the episode.

Trumps most dedicated fans said they understood what he was saying, and they scoffed at the reaction of Democrats and the headlines from newspapers and news shows.

In no way was he threatening Hillary, said Sarah Smith, a 72-year-old retiree who attended the rally in Wilmington where Trump made the remark. Anybody who thinks that is delusional.

James Renaud, 66, said he took the comment at face value, meaning gun owners have to mobilize lest Clinton is able to stack the Supreme Court. It was just off-the-cuff talking.

And Keri Malkin, 49, said she didnt hear it that way at all, suggesting that the insinuation that the comment was a threat against Clinton was engineered by her supporters.

Hillary lies a lot, so its no surprise that her supporters would lie, Malkin said.

The number of influential Republican officials saying they cant vote for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton is growing as Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) pledges that she wont vote for Trump. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

[In North Carolina, Trump hits the trail hard but late where he needs to win big]

But Trumps rhetorical asides appear to be taking a toll among the electorate overall. Many voters find his remarks distasteful, even given his explanations. The possibility that he was joking or being sarcastic, or that he meant something other than what some people heard, doesnt alter the growing view that Trump is reckless with his words.

Each day brings new polls showing the Republican nominee lagging Clinton nationally and in several key battleground states. The surveys show widespread uncertainty about whether Trump has the temperament to serve as president  a doubt that his ever-replenishing supply of rhetoric continues to feed.

Dont treat this as a political misstep, tweeted Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a Clinton supporter and a staunch gun-control advocate. Its an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy & crisis.

Trump has made concerted efforts to counter such concerns; Monday, he delivered an economic policy address in Detroit that many anxious Republicans had hoped would reset a campaign that had flailed for more than a week after Trumps attacks on the Muslim American family of a U.S. Army captain killed in Iraq.

But part of the pattern of Trumps controversies is that they often step on his efforts to broaden his appeal, as they seemed to in this instance.

He also sometimes grabs the media spotlight away from Clinton when hed be better off letting her keep it. That happened Tuesday, too, when Clinton was dealing with an unwelcome distraction: the revelation that the father of the gunman in the mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub in June had secured a prime seat at her rally Monday in Kissimmee, Fla.

On Tuesday, it was not immediately clear whether Trump was inciting gun owners to use their weapons against judges or a sitting president  or was encouraging some other action. Trump spokesman Jason Miller released a statement just moments after the comment, swatting down the idea that the mogul was doing anything other than encouraging political action.

At an event in Fayetteville, N.C., later in the day, former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani defended Trump while introducing him. What he meant by his comment, Giuliani said, was that you have the power to vote against Clinton.

Later Tuesday, Trump appeared on Fox News, where he described the strong, powerful movement in the United States to protect the Second Amendment. There can be no other interpretation, he said. Even reporters have told me. I mean, give me a break.

Meanwhile, Clinton and her supporters on Capitol Hill and in the pro-gun-control community said they saw Trumps words in a very different way.

@realDonaldTrump makes death threats because hes a pathetic coward who cant handle the fact that hes losing to a girl, tweeted Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a regular Trump critic.

This is simple  what Trump is saying is dangerous, Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said in a statement. A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.

The campaign also quickly dashed off a fundraising solicitation after the episode, emailing supporters: We dont know how many children were watching him today, absorbing the kind of violence and hate that Trump is peddling.

What may have been lost in the flap was the substance of Trumps accusation against Clinton: that she wants to overturn the Second Amendment, and plans to appoint judges and justices to the federal judiciary who would help her do that.

Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the Second Amendment, he said. By the way, and if she gets to pick  if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know.

Clinton has never said she wants to eliminate the Second Amendment. Even if she did, neither the president nor the Supreme Court nor lower-level federal judges have the power to do so. There are two ways to alter the Constitution. One requires a two-thirds vote of Congress and then approval by three-fourths of the nations state legislatures. The other requires calling a constitutional convention and, again, approval by three-fourths of the states.

One common thread linking many of Trumps more controversial comments and actions is that he denies having said or done them. Trump claimed never to have mocked a disabled New York Times reporter, despite a widely disseminated video clip showing him making jerking movements with his arms. He claimed that he never said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is not a war hero, despite a Q&A in which he said just that.

He said he never advocated intervention in Libya, though he did.

Trump also relies regularly on the turn of phrase many people are saying to make pronouncements without offering evidence backing them up.

On Monday, for instance, he tweeted: Many people are saying that the Iranians killed the scientist who helped the U.S. because of Hillary Clintons hacked emails.

Mr. Trumps tweets speak for themselves, said Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks.

Trump and his allies often blame the media for misconstruing his words. The statement issued by his campaign after his Tuesday comments appeared under the heading: Trump Campaign Statement On Dishonest Media.

Sullivan reported from Washington. Abby Phillip in Austin, David Weigel in Washington and Jenna Johnson in Wilmington contributed to this report.
HUNTERTOWN  Smiles.

For three days, Jenny McComb had one on her face. She also saw a lot of them on others.

McComb, the chairperson of the Huntertown Heritage Days Festival committee, categorized last weekends festival as a success. Easy to do since 2015 went without a festival.

Now, McComb is focusing on the future of the festival. Notably, how to make it better and how to get more people involved.

We need somebody younger than me, the 75-year-old McComb joked with what little voice she had left. We need the experience of us older people and we also need the younger people and their skills on the computers and their ideas. It needs to be flexible and have ideas for everybody in order for it to be good. I think we showed that with a small group, you can get a lot done if you want it. It just depends on how bad we want it.

I thought the parade was good. The carnival was good. We had good acts in our event tent, but those events too far away (from the carnival) to be well attended. It will be better in time if it could all be closer together and have more things in the park. We also know you cant have the beer tent in the park, but the festival is not totally dependent on the beer tent, but it is something that a lot of people like. We will have to work on it.

McComb and the rest of the committee, which includes John Widmann, Kelli Brandt, Barb Wagner, Angie Keck and Diane Harris, met on Tuesday to go over the pros and cons of the festival. The committee, which meets on the second Tuesday of each month at Huntertown Town Hall, is inviting the community to its September meeting in hopes of getting new ideas from the public.

I want anyone who is concerned or wants to see anything in this town, to get together at that meeting and see what we can hash out, McComb said.

Some of the feedback collected over the weekend centered on moving the festival to a date earlier in the summer. Harlan Days runs at the same time and the festival is the third in a run of events in Allen County that includes the Three Rivers Festival and the Allen County Fair.

McComb said June was a popular suggestion, but weather concerns and the high volume of graduation parties could hinder attendance. July is also possible, but the warm weather of July isnt too different from August, McComb said.

Huseman Amusement Co. provided the 3-day carnival, which McComb said resulted in a positive investment. She also said the company was concerned about the popularity of an August festival was non-committal on a return next summer. The company does have more rides and games that could be a part of a future festival. In all, there were nine rides, divided equally among rides for kids and rides for teens.

Even though we made over the minimum to have the carnival, they need to make more than that too, McComb said. It was a big chance we took and it won out. I am glad we took the chance to show people what can be done.

The festival was themed as a celebration of Indianas bicentennial. Parade floats were to depict the celebration and two displays, one on states history and another on the towns history, were also on display. Those, however, were off sight from the carnival and sparsely attended.

You have some of the old guard that loves that kind of history, but that doesnt always appeal to the younger people. We have to come up with things that appeal to everyone, McComb said.

Other activities included a fish fry from the Huntertown Lions Club, a ballroom dancing demonstration, animal exhibits from Marks Ark and Soarin Hawk Raptor Rehab, and performances from Pottsies Past Time Band and the High Roller Band. The 200-inning wiffle ball game was canceled due to a lack of participation.

The main goal of the committee is more involvement. McComb said the festival could not have happened without help from the Huntertown Lions Club, the Friends of Huntertown Parks Inc., the Huntertown Historical Society, the Huntertown Fire Department and donations from local businesses.

We need the whole community, if they want this, to get together and help us out here, McComb said. We have too few people in each organization. We are going to have to see how we can get them all working together, and we did as much as possible, but we need more people in each of these organizations. The people we have just arent enough to put on an event like this as is should be.

Linda Eviston was the winner of the adult category of the pie baking contest with her cherry berry pie. Lorna McComb was second and Theresa Brown was third. In the 18-and-under category, Jasper Schroeder took first with a blueberry lemon pie and Bella Hensley was second with a peach pie.

The Our Hope Lutheran Church Mens Club provided the cash prizes of $30 for first, $20 for second and $10 for third in both categories. Thirteen total pies were entered. McComb was also pleased that four males entered pies, including John Bobay, Jim Bobay, Larry Wells and Jim Fortman. In all, the 13 pies were auctioned off for $240, which goes to the festival.

The winning parade float was the American Heritage Girls from St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church. Our Hope Lutheran School Church and School placed second and Garrett State Bank placed third. Chandra Gates State Farm Insurance provided the cash prizes of $50 for first, $30 for second and $20 for third.

I love this community and I want to see wonderful things happen for it. We want to try to do something for everyone. We just need some help if its what they want. I urge people to join different organizations, come together and lets see what we can do for this town, McComb said.
Putting up Hillary Clinton yard signs in Texas eight years ago was like playing a game of Whac-A-Mole.

They would get stolen. It was real horrible, said Bonny Krahn, 60, a precinct chair and two-time Democratic convention delegate for Clinton. Obama stickers were keyed off my car. I mean, just really bad stuff.

But I havent seen any of that this time around, she said with a wide smile.

Democrats say something is shifting in deep-red Texas. In a state with the second-largest Hispanic population in the country, Clintons Republican opponent, Donald Trump, has galvanized Latino voters in a way rarely seen. While few believe Clinton will win Texas this year, they are bullish that she will perform better than any recent Democratic presidential candidate.

That makes Texas, along with a growing list of red states where Clinton and her allies are investing time and money, fertile ground to raise funds, expand the partys strength, elect new candidates down the ballot and perhaps win a governing majority in one or both houses of Congress.

Texas is one of the reddest of red states, a place where Republicans have won every statewide office easily for two decades. But will Latino voters change that? (CNAM & Midnight Films as part of PBS Election 2016, funded by Latino Public Broadcasting and CPB)

A two-day swing this week by the partys vice-presidential nominee, Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.), adds to the evidence that the campaign is seeking to expand the partys reach into new, more hostile corners of the electoral map.

Standing on a wooden crate in the middle of a sweltering converted barn that serves as the Democrats Travis County coordinated campaign office, Kaine stated it plainly to campaign volunteers: Were serious about Texas. Were very serious about Texas.

That trip coincided with several other forays into red states this week. Campaign aides told Democratic leaders in Arizona and Georgia on Monday that they would begin sending money to pay for organizing staff. And in Utah, Clinton published an opinion piece directed at Mormons in a church-controlled newspaper.

[Clinton expands battleground state map with push into Arizona, Georgia]

[In North Carolina, Trump hits the trail hard but late where he needs to win big]

Texas Republicans scoff at the idea that Democrats will be competitive this year, or that Clintons campaign is doing more than sandwiching campaign events in between high-dollar fundraising stops.

Their actions are nothing more than AstroTurf, said Michael Joyce, communications director for the Republican Party of Texas. State Land Commissioner George P. Bush is doing a fantastic job running our victory effort this year, and our grass-roots activists are working hard across the state to keep Texas red for election cycles to come.

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine speaks with customers and workers at Chapala Mexican restaurant during a campaign stop in Austin on Aug. 9. (Ricardo B.Brazziell/AP)

Indeed, a real financial investment by a Democratic presidential nominee in Texas  in television ads and staff  would be unprecedented in the modern era of billion-dollar campaigns. And so far  beyond national cable television buys  the Clinton campaign has not shelled out for ads. Nor has it invested much in funding field organizers outside of its recently installed state director, Jaclyn Uresti.

And Clinton officials cautioned not to read too much into Kaines itinerary, in particular, which will stray more regularly from the battleground map than Clintons. Among other reasons, he is likely to accept more invitations from interest groups, including giving a speech to a Baptist gathering in New Orleans on Thursday, to free up Clinton to focus on the contested states.

Still, Democrats insist that they see real targets in Texas. And with Kaine as messenger, the Clinton campaign is sending a clear signal that they see opportunities to put their thumb to the scale.

As chairman of the Democratic Party during President Obamas first term, Kaine gave special attention to Texas, eyeing a time in the future when the states demographics made it ripe for statewide and national Democratic candidates.

We always look at Texas in the Democratic family, Kaine told Clintons volunteers Tuesday. When I was Democratic Party chairman, the first meeting we did, we brought it to Austin to show, hey, were going to go after Texas.

Fluent in Spanish, Kaine is also credited with successfully leveraging Virginias growing Hispanic population to hasten that states leftward shift.

At Taqueria Chapala in Austin on Tuesday afternoon, Kaine small-talked his way through the room until he arrived at a man who identified himself as Carlos, sitting alone and hunched over a platter of food.

Kaine launched the conversation in Spanish. Quickly, Carlos invited him to sit at the booth. For two minutes, Kaine and the man talked about immigration reform and worry.

He says Mexicans sell drugs, Carlos told Kaine, referring to Trump. My people work. My people work.

Gilberto Hinojosa, chairman of the Texas Democratic Party, said that Kaine more than anybody else . . . understands the potential of Texas because of his ties to the Hispanic community in Virginia. He was able to drive up Hispanic turnout and solidify Virginia as a blue state.

Among the goals in Texas are a competitive U.S. House race, where Pete Gallego seeks to retake a seat he lost in 2014 to Republican Will Hurd. And there are a dozen other statehouse seats and more county judge posts and sheriff elections that could benefit from the attention.

Because Trump is increasing interest substantially in this election, the presidential race is helping us in down-ballot races significantly, Hinojosa said. It comes down to this: If we can get Hispanics to vote in this state, it would be impossible for the Republicans to elect anyone.

Democrats have been promising a Latino voting juggernaut in Texas for years, but it has yet to materialize. Latino turnout is low in the state and nationally. Democrats claim, as they have before, that there is evidence of a turnaround on the horizon.

In the heavily Latino border district where Gallego hopes to retake his seat, his campaign said that voter registration data from January to May shows a 25 percent uptick in registration compared with 2012.

Trumps controversial comments in which he called Mexican immigrants killers and rapists are at the core of the antipathy toward him by Latinos in Texas.

With the presidential election itself, I would feel pretty good, Gallego said in an interview. But if you add in the Trump phenomenon, its gets exponentially better because Mr. Trump has stirred the pot significantly along the border to the point that he has become a local issue.

[Clinton expands battleground state map with push into Arizona, Georgia]

According to the campaign, Kaines exploits in Texas are the demonstration of its commitment to a true 50-state strategy, which rests on a commitment from Clinton to rebuild the Democratic Partys infrastructure top to bottom.

[Republican officials say Trump could lose to Clinton in key battleground states]

Even while Democrats have held on to the presidency and managed to keep the Senate for six of the eight years of the Obama administration, the party has been decimated at the state and local levels.

Democrats control 11 state legislatures nationwide  down from 26 in 2009. The party holds 18 governors mansions compared with 28 in 2009.

In Trump, Democratic operatives cautiously see an opportunity for the Clinton campaign to exploit the potential for a wave election, where the presidential ticket could help lift all boats.

John Wagner contributed to this report.
When Hillary Clinton and her vice-presidential running mate, Tim Kaine, took a celebratory bus tour through crucial Ohio after the Democratic National Convention, they got some unexpected company: Republican Sen. Rob Portman.

Portmans embattled reelection campaign had dispatched a squad of volunteers to Clinton-Kaine rallies in Columbus and Youngstown. There, they passed out literature touting his endorsements by several traditionally Democratic unions, signed up 400 new supporters and gathered more than 100 requests for yard signs, said Corry Bliss, Portmans campaign manager.

The campaign also featured Portmans outreach to Clinton supporters on its Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Portman is betting that a significant number of Ohioans in this turbulent election season might do something voters have not done in a long time: divide their preferences between the two parties as they work their way down the ballot. Breaking that pattern may be key to the survival of some endangered Republicans and possibly to the GOPs hopes of maintaining control of the Senate. Its a clear acknowledgment of the fear that Republican nominee Donald Trump is pushing away some voters  and of the threat he poses to the rest of his party.

[Even under oath, Trump struggled with the truth]

Former Ohio governor Ted Strickland, the Democratic nominee for the Senate in Ohio, speaks in Columbus, Ohio. (Jay Laprete/AP)

Voters like to insist that they cast their ballots on the basis of the candidate, not the party. And the largest single bloc of voters is the 39 percent who identify as independent, according to a study of 2014 data by the Pew Research Center.

But their behavior in the voting booth speaks differently.

Split-ticket voting, once common, has in recent elections been rare in this polarized country. In 2012, for instance, only 6 percent of congressional districts  just 26 out of 435  went for one party in the presidential race and another in picking a House member.

It was the lowest rate in 92 years  and a far cry from the zenith of split-ticket voting, which happened in Richard M. Nixons landslide of 1972, when 44 percent of the districts in the country voted one way for president and the other for the House.

Ohio is a good example of the trend. It has not split its preferences for the White House and the Senate since 1988, when it voted for Republican George H.W. Bush and to reelect then-Sen. Howard Metzenbaum (D).

There are some signs that Portman may be succeeding. The latest NBC News-Wall Street Journal-Marist poll, for instance, shows the senator holding a five-point lead over the Democratic nominee, former governor Ted Strickland, despite how Clinton has pulled ahead in Ohio by a similar margin.

A month ago, that same survey had the Senate and presidential races tied in the state.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton leads her Republican opponent Donald Trump by 8 points in a new Washington Post/ABC News poll. The poll also found a majority of voters see both candidates as dishonest. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

Republican incumbents are in tight races in six states that President Obama carried in 2012. In addition to the Ohio contest, those are Florida, Illinois, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Democrats need five seats to take back a Senate majority  or four, if they also hold onto the White House, giving Kaine a tie-breaking vote in the chamber.

That both parties have nominated relatively unpopular candidates for president is the main force that could disrupt what has become the typical straight-ticket dynamic.

Trump has higher negative ratings than any standard-bearer in history; were he not in the race, that dubious distinction would go to Clinton. Also scrambling the equation is how more and more leading Republicans are turning their backs on Trump.

GOP senators on the ballot this year are, by and large, performing better than Trump in the polls. They have their own organizations and bases of support.

[Why some Republican politicians are really coming out against Trump]

The unfavorable levels at the top of the ticket set up a condition that might enhance more ticket splitting than we have seen in recent elections, said Christopher Borick, director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion in Pennsylvania.

In his own state, Borick noted, Clinton appears to have a double-digit lead over Trump in the latest surveys, but the battle between Sen. Patrick J. Toomey (R) and Democrat Katie McGinty is a dead heat.

Pat Toomey seems to be holding on better to Republicans and winning more swing voters than Donald Trump, Borick added. If Trump becomes so unacceptable to a number of Republicans that they cant vote for him, that might become a scenario where ticket-splitting perks up a bit.

What they cannot afford, however, is for the bottom to drop out from under their presidential nominee.

In New Hampshire, on the other hand, Trumps unpopularity appears to be dragging down the reelection prospects of Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R), despite her efforts to distance herself from him and his caustic comments about her.

The latest WBUR poll shows Trump running 15 points behind Clinton in the Granite State and Ayotte doing almost as poorly, with a 10-point deficit against Gov. Maggie Hassan (D).

[Paul Ryan weathers his primary, but GOPs populist storm still rages]

Voters overall may be more unsettled  and therefore, up for grabs  than in the recent past.

An average of national polls taken in July, for instance, showed that 12 percent of the electorate had not made up its mind between Trump and Clinton  a higher share of undecideds at that point in the cycle since 1992, said Karl Rove, who was then-President George W. Bushs chief political strategist.

Were going to see a larger group of voters in play than we have before, said David Winston, a Republican pollster and longtime adviser to the congressional leadership. Well have to reach these campaigns that are not used to ticket-splitting, and teach them how to do it.

Some Democrats, however, are skeptical, especially given Trumps stumbles since the convention, and the growing numbers of Republican leaders who are saying they will not vote for him.

I dont think [Trump] diminishes the numbers of swing voters, but his inability to speak beyond the base of his primary electorate has put him in a corner, said Joel Benenson, Clintons pollster and chief strategist.

House Republicans are already appealing to voters to cast their ballots for Republicans in Congress as a brake on Clinton.

If we fail to protect our majority in Congress, we could be handing President Hillary Clinton a blank check, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) wrote in an urgent fundraising appeal earlier this month. The awkward implication was that Trump is unlikely to win.

That kind of calculation  in which ticket-splitting becomes a kind of check and balance  is known as strategic voting.

It rarely happens  almost never happens  but this year is such an unusual situation that you could actually imagine it happening, said Mark Mellman, a Democratic pollster who is working on gubernatorial and Senate races nationwide.

He added, however, that the dynamic is not likely to become clear until late in the campaign, possibly in the final weeks of October. And there remains the potential for voters to be so turned off by the presidential nominees that many decide to stay home.

Meanwhile, the effort to poach across party lines is working both ways.

In Ohio, for instance, Strickland campaign spokesman David Bergstein called Portmans hopes for a split-ticket path to victory a fantasy strategy.

But Strickland will be reminding Trump voters about Portmans record of supporting free trade.

By the time this election is over, every voter in Ohio, across Appalachia and the Mahoning Valley, will know that Portman is the best senator China has ever had, Bergstein said.

Portman, meanwhile, is boasting of his endorsement by unions that traditionally support Democrats, including the Ohio Teamsters.

This year, our endorsements are all over the map, said Fred Crow, political coordinator for the 2,800-member Teamsters Local 436 in northeast Ohio.

Among the rank and file, I think there is going to be a lot of ticket-splitting, Crow added.
When youre on maternity leave  with full pay from your employer  you probably dont expect a mortgage lender to reject your loan application on the grounds that your income doesnt count because you havent returned to your job.

Yet thats what a woman says she experienced when she and her husband sought financing to complete renovations on a house in Philadelphia. And shes hardly alone. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, there have been in excess of 200 cases alleging maternity-related discrimination against women seeking mortgages in the past six years.

Some cases that have gone to settlement involve companies prominent in banking and mortgages, including Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Bank of America, PNC Mortgage and MGIC, the mortgage insurer. In all agreements, the accused companies denied wrongdoing.

[More Harney: Dont assume you are frozen out of the mortgage market]

Under the Fair Housing Act, enacted in 1968, it is unlawful to discriminate in real estate transactions, including mortgage lending, on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability or familial status. That means lenders cannot deny  or delay  a loan simply because an applicant is on maternity leave but is otherwise qualified.

In the Philadelphia womans case, which resulted in a conciliation agreement July 29 with Citizens Bank N.A. and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania, the problem was that her pay stubs contained the wording short term disability, she told me. That troubled an underwriter at the bank, who suspected that she might not return to her job full time, she said, even though she and her employer were both willing to provide a letter specifying her return date. Without having her income counted in the application, the bank concluded that she and her husband would not qualify for the financing they requested. The woman, whose name was redacted from the agreement, asked that she not be identified when I interviewed her.

Im getting full pay on maternity leave, she said she explained to the loan officer. This is not 1950, and you shouldnt be penalizing me! Citizens  the 13th-largest retail bank in the country, according to its website  denied discriminating against the woman but agreed to make $115,000 in payments: $40,000 to her and $75,000 to an unnamed fair housing advocacy group. The bank also agreed to conduct fair lending compliance sessions with its staff and to adopt a parental leave policy.

[More Harney: Congress agrees on changes that may make condos easier to buy and sell]

In a statement, Citizens said, we follow fair lending practices and are committed to ensuring equal access and consideration for all customers while providing ongoing training for colleagues. The bank ultimately came through with the financing requested by the woman and her husband, but only after she had returned to her job, she said. By then, she had filed a complaint with HUD.

Shanna L. Smith, president and chief executive of the National Fair Housing Alliance, says there needs to be much better training for [lenders] about how to deal with interrupted income for loan closings when a woman is pregnant and [on] paid maternity leave. In one case brought by Smiths group and now pending at HUD, a loan originator in Arkansas told an applicant that even though she was on paid maternity leave, she would have to be back at work for the loan to close, according to Smith.

Curiously, interrupted income situations dont seem to be a problem for lenders when it is a factory or seasonal male worker, Smith said. But for a pregnant woman, the treatment too often is different: Underwriters dont seem to be able to calculate qualifying incomes properly. This is especially so, Smith said, when loan originators or underwriters have been with the bank a long time and are operating on decades-old rules that could require a woman to return to work before a mortgage went to closing.

Although discrimination like this is relatively uncommon given the large numbers of applications that are funded for pregnant women and those on maternity leave, it still occurs. If you or someone you know encounters it, contact HUDs fair lending office at 800-669-9777.

As the mortgage applicant in Philadelphia put it so well, this is no longer the 1950s. Federal law requires fair treatment of anyone on maternity or parental leave. Banks need to get it.

Ken Harneys email address is kenharney@earthlink.net.
Tokyo's first female governor, Yuriko Koike, was the first woman to run for the leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party in 2008. (Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)

Tokyos first female governor, Yuriko Koike, found an overflowing inbox when she took office last week: Fix the 2020 Tokyo Olympic preparations, clean up the government of the worlds largest city, eliminate the day-care shortage thats keeping women from the workplace, and restore Tokyos financial center to its former glory.

Oh, and do it all against the wishes of an old boys club that did not want her elected in the first place. (One of them even suggested it would be wrong to elect a woman who wore too much makeup.)

But Koike, a staunch conservative known for her nationalist positions, is not coming into office promising to make nice.

There will be no occasions on which I will compromise, she said in an interview in her new office Wednesday, her first with a foreign news organization since being elected, when asked about how she would proceed with a legislature that is not exactly enamored with her.

Instead, she invoked the maxim of one of her role models, Britains Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher, about acting on conviction, not by consensus.

Former defense minister Yuriko Koike, center, and her supporters celebrate during her gubernatorial election victory at her election office in Tokyo last month. (Shizuo Kambayashi/AP)

In Japanese society, you try to build consensus and try to keep harmony, but I would like to convince people to change for the sake of our society, Koike said. I learned that from Mrs. Thatcher. Koike, who is fluent in English, chose to speak mostly in Japanese.

She is taking on one of the most high-profile roles in Japan, running a megalopolis that has almost 14 million people and an economy bigger than Swedens.

[ Tokyo elects first female governor to tackle Olympic-size tasks ]

She comes to the office with a strong mandate. She ran as an independent after the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, in which she served, chose a lesser-known (male) candidate. She crushed him with a landslide victory.

Despite having spent nearly a quarter-century in public office, serving as national security adviser and minister for the environment, Okinawa and then defense, Koike, 64, won the governorship because she was viewed as an outsider.

She has two pressing tasks, analysts say. One: to restore order to the shambles that is the 2020 Olympics. And two: after two governors had to resign over financial scandals, to promote transparency in the Tokyo government.

The preparations for the 2020 Olympics have lurched from one fiasco to another. The official logo was scrapped after allegations of plagiarism, then plans for a stadium designed by architect Zaha Hadid were torn up because of costs.

Most recently, French prosecutors and the Tokyo organizers have launched an investigation into $2 million in suspicious payments made to a Singapore company.

Then there is the inevitable overspending. The budget for the next Summer Games has more than tripled, to more than $10 billion, and the public has become concerned that politicians have been awarding contracts to their cronies.

Its true that weve had some trouble relating to the Olympics, said Koike, who will travel to Rio de Janeiro for the closing ceremony, and handover, on Aug. 21. Her term runs until July 30, 2020  six days after the Olympic Games begin.

Koike said that many of the problems with the Olympics stemmed from the fact that it was not clear who was in charge: the organizing committee headed by former prime minister Yoshiro Mori, the Japanese Olympic Committee, the central government or the Tokyo metropolitan government.

We need to make it clear whos making the decisions, she said. Koike has already established a headquarters within the Tokyo government to make it clear who is in charge, that the buck stops with her. As the governor of the host city, Id like to take the leadership of the Olympics and Paralympics.

[Do Japanese really work themselves to death? In some cases, yes.]

Koike has an unusual background for any Japanese politician, male or female.

Her grandfather founded a trading company in Seattle in the early 19th century, and her father was involved in the oil trade, sparking Koikes interest in the Middle East. As a college student, she studied Arabic in Cairo and then completed a degree in sociology there. While in Egypt, she married a fellow Japanese student, but the marriage did not last long.

Upon her return to Japan, she put her language skills to work, interviewing Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi and Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, before becoming a news anchor. She entered parliament in 1992.

Koike was Japans first defense minister, but only briefly, serving 55 days.

In 2008, she became the first woman to run for the leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party, and, by extension, the countrys top job.

But Koike has not been particularly outspoken about womens issues. Regardless, she faces an official Japan plagued by rampant sexism, where male politicians comment on how much makeup she wears and how she dresses.

While all women worldwide face greater scrutiny compared to their male counterparts, the pressure on Koike to be effective will be especially harsh, said Shihoko Goto, a northeast Asia specialist at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

So far, though, she seems unafraid and confident enough to overcome obstacles her own way, Goto said.

Indeed, Koike is throwing down the gauntlet. As the new governor, I will make policies, and I doubt that my ideas will be opposed by the assembly, she said.

[In Japan, suspect in mass stabbing wanted disabled people euthanized]

There is talk in Tokyo that Koike will launch a new political party before next years assembly elections.

If she can form her own party and put her own people in the legislature, I think shell be able to move forward with her reforms, said Lully Miura, a political analyst at the University of Tokyo. The governor alone cannot make any difference. History has proven that.

But for all of her bravado, Koike will have to deal with an assembly dominated by a Liberal Democratic Party-led coalition, where many of the representatives  overwhelmingly men  are annoyed that she did not adhere to deferential etiquette by calling on them before she ran for governor.

She will need the legislature on board to implement changes to the running of the Olympics and the city government, as well as making good on other campaign pledges  such as eliminating the wait list for day care, improving facilities for the rapidly aging population, and reinvigorating Tokyos position as a major financial center.

But Koike will have to pick her battles and decide whether to champion the Olympics or to improve transparency in the Tokyo government  not both  or risk pushing the old guard too far, Miura said. Otherwise, shell find herself mired in scandals, just like her predecessors.

Yuki Oda contributed to this report.

Read more

Yuriko Koike: Germany and South Korea readjust toward Russia and China

Japans emperor signals desire to stand down, citing failing health

Japanese leader hails trade deal, says it will boost economy and entire region

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
North Koreas Neo Viagra is billed as an herbal medicine, but a test carried out for the Washington Post shows it contains the same active ingredient as is found in genuine Viagra. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post)

North Korea has made some eye-popping claims over the years about its pharmaceutical products. Like the injections that cure everything from bird and camel flu to diabetes and spontaneous gangrene.

And like Neo-Viagra, North Koreas purportedly herbal version of Pfizers superstar medicine. According to the box, it not only counteracts sexual dysfunction in both men and women, but relieves back pain and high blood pressure.

Well, chuckle no more. It turns out that Neo-Viagra might actually work.

A Washington Post reporter visiting Pyongyang in May bought a box of the North Korean-produced medicine to treat erectile dysfunction, then sent it to a Pfizer lab in Massachusetts to be tested.

Surprisingly, each dose of Neo-Viagra  brown granules in a vial that looks like traditional Korean medicine  turned out to contain 50 milligrams of sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra. The little blue genuine Viagra pills come in 50- and 100-milligram doses.

Lab analysis of the product known as Neo-Viagra . . . did detect the presence of sildenafil, said Yasar Yaman, Asia-Pacific director for Pfizers global security team. Sildenafil is the active ingredient in Viagra, however this is a different formulation to the sildenafil found in authentic Pfizer tablets.

Pfizer couldnt say whether the medicine would actually work or was safe because it had not conducted any clinical trials, and the reporter was not successful in convincing any male acquaintances to try it.

But the fact that Neo-Viagra, made by the state-owned Korea Oriental Instant Medicinal Center, is being marketed as an herbal medicine when it contains the synthetic drug sildenafil, poses a threat to patient health and safety, Yaman said.

[ North Korea claims it can cure MERS (and a whole bunch of other things) ]

After testing the medicine sent to it by The Post, Pfizer said it was currently reviewing whether to take any action against the North Korean manufacturers for patent or copyright infringement.

Neo-Viagra is sold in North Korea and surrounding areas  it has been spotted for sale in northeastern China  for between $12 and $15 for a box of three vials.

The box, which features a photo of trees around a lake, claims to immediately revive sexual ability (15 to 30 minutes) for men and women. It also claims to be effective for back, shoulder and knee pain; relieving paralysis; and alleviating kidney malfunction, sciatic neuralgia, high blood pressure and brain artery hardening.

Visiting reporters went on a state-organized tour of a maternity hospital in Pyongyang, while North Korean minders carefully monitored their conversations with the hospital's staff. (Jason Aldag,Anna Fifield/The Washington Post)

This product has been officially recognized in many countries for its excellent effect in immediately increasing stamina and it is believed to be better than American Sildenafil (Viagra), the information sheet inside the packet says.

The box even has customer reviews on the back. A 35-year-old man, identified as Woo, raved about the product: I was able to have a cute baby after using 10 boxes of this medicine, whereas all I had before was dead sperm."

While the claims are almost certainly exaggerated, not all of North Koreas boasts are empty, said Lee Hye-kyung, who worked as a pharmacist at a hospital in North Korea and is now licensed to practice in South Korea.

Dont underestimate North Korea, Lee said. The only real difference between pharmacists in North and South is infrastructure  in the North they dont have electricity or raw ingredients, but their technical skills are good.

Indeed, North Koreas pharmaceutical factories have largely ground to a halt along with the rest of the industrial sector, and many pharmaceutical products are imported from China to be sold in the markets. Medicines for chronic outbreaks are donated by humanitarian organizations, such as the drugs to treat multi-drug resistant tuberculosis that are imported from South Korea.

[ How North Korea got itself hooked on meth ]

When it comes to Neo-Viagra, although its packaging is entirely in Korean, it appears to be a product made for export.

Neo-Viagra and other medicines  among them Kumdang, which when injected can purportedly cure MERS and avian flu  are not prescribed for domestic use but are used to earn foreign currency, said Kim Jung-ryong, a South Korean doctor who worked in the inter-Korean industrial park on the northern side of the border for seven years, until 2012.

Websites based in China and Russia have been selling Kumdang; Neo-Viagra; Tetrodocain, which purports to treat an array of diseases including tuberculosis and HIV; and Chonghwal, which is said to do the same job as Viagra.

This is a source of pride as well as cash, said Kim. For North Korea, the propaganda effect is as important as making profits, he said. A new drug invented in North Korea using North Korean technology can boost pride among people if it is promoted as being effective against serious illnesses.

But for cash-strapped North Korea, the importance of finding new sources of revenue should never be discounted.

Over the years, North Korea has been nabbed counterfeiting everything from Marlboros to Benjamins. In the mid-2000s, it was making imitation Viagra in authentic-looking boxes, although the pills were round and white instead of blue and diamond-shaped.

After several high-profile busts of methamphetamine shipments and $100 supernote trade in the mid-2000s, North Korea appears to have cleaned up its act. This is not necessarily because North Korea is no longer involved in illicit activities, but more likely because it has diversified into new areas, said Sheena Chestnut Greitens, an expert on North Koreas illicit activities.

Theyre highly creative and highly adaptable. Theyre always developing new layers of business, said Greitens, who is affiliated with the Brookings Institution. If one of their businesses gets busted, theyve already been testing others.

By experimenting with new money-making schemes, North Korea has been able to skirt new layers of sanctions aimed at cutting off its ability to finance its nuclear and missile programs.

North Korea is marketing Neo-Viagra as an herbal product even though it contains a synthetic pharmaceutical. But it could become a new and valuable source of revenue.

If this stuff works, and even if theyre only selling it across the border to China, that could be very appealing to Chinese consumers, Greitens said. Chinese consumers have been known to flock to all sorts of purportedly aphrodisiac products, from ginseng and caterpillar fungus to deer or ox penis.

While each area of business in itself wont solve North Koreas economic problems, together they added up.

I think its by having this cluster of activities and abilities that has helped them as sanctions have been applied, Greitens said. With the newest round of sanctions, my guess is that theyre doing the same thing: looking for ways to navigate around them.

As it navigates, North Korea is also refining its products. Regular visitors to Pyongyang say the packet used to carry a warning: See your doctor for an erection lasting more than 24 hours. That, at least, has now disappeared.

Yoonjung Seo contributed to this report.

Read more

North Korean missile lands perilously close to Japan

U.S. sanctions North Korean leader Kim Jong Un

The secret life of Kim Jong Uns aunt, living in the U.S.

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
Iraqis jump off the ruins of an old building into the Tigris River to beat the heat in Baghdad on Aug. 1. The temperature in Baghdad reached 117 degrees. (Ali Abdul Hassan/AP)

 Record-shattering temperatures this summer have scorched countries from Morocco to Saudi Arabia and beyond, as climate experts warn that the severe weather could be a harbinger of worse to come.

In coming decades, U.N. officials and climate scientists predict that the mushrooming populations of the Middle East and North Africa will face extreme water scarcity, temperatures almost too hot for human survival and other consequences of global warming.

If that happens, conflicts and refugee crises far greater than those now underway are probable, said Adel Abdellatif, a senior adviser at the U.N. Development Programs Regional Bureau for Arab States who has worked on studies about the effect of climate change on the region.

This incredible weather shows that climate change is already taking a toll now and that it is  by far  one of the biggest challenges ever faced by this region, he said.

These countries have grappled with remarkably warm summers in recent years, but this year has been particularly brutal.

Using The Post's Snapchat account, reporter Hugh Naylor shared pictures and videos from a camp for displaced people in Baghdad where record-shattering temperatures cause suffering. (Hugh Naylor, The Washington Post)

Parts of the United Arab Emirates and Iran experienced a heat index  a measurement that factors in humidity as well as temperature  that soared to 140 degrees in July, and Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, recorded an all-time high temperature of nearly 126 degrees. Southern Moroccos relatively cooler climate suddenly sizzled last month, with temperatures surging to highs between 109 and 116 degrees. In May, record-breaking temperatures in Israel led to a surge in heat-related illnesses.

Temperatures in Kuwait and Iraq startled observers. On July 22, the mercury climbed to 129 degrees in the southern Iraqi city of Basra. A day earlier, it reached 129.2 in Mitribah, Kuwait. If confirmed by the World Meteorological Organization, the two temperatures would be the hottest ever recorded in the Eastern Hemisphere.

[Two Middle East locations hit 129 degrees]

The bad news isnt over, either. Iraqs heat wave is expected to continue this week.

Stepping outside is like walking into a fire, said Zainab Guman, a 26-year-old university student who lives in Basra. Its like everything on your body  your skin, your eyes, your nose  starts to burn, she said.

Guman has rarely left home during daylight hours since June, when temperatures started rising above 120 degrees and metal objects outside turned into searing-hot hazards.

People escape the searing summer heat at a swimming pool in in Basra, Iraq, on Aug. 1. The temperature that day reached 120 degrees. (Nabil Al-Jurani/AP)

About that time, Aymen Karim also began feeling trapped.

The 28-year-old engineer at a government-run oil company in Basra said employees were ordered to stay home for several days in the past month. He and his family try not to go outside before 7 p.m.

Were prisoners, Karim said.

Bassem Antoine, an Iraqi economist, said the weather has inflicted serious damage to the countrys economy. He estimates that Iraqs gross domestic product  about $230 billion annually  has probably contracted 10 to 20 percent during the summer heat.

Iraqi officials say scores of farmers across the country have been struggling with wilting crops, and general workforce productivity has decreased.

Hospitals, meanwhile, have seen an uptick in the number of people suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion.

Tens of thousands of Iraqis displaced by battles between government forces and Islamic State militants have endured the heat in tents and other makeshift shelters. Humanitarian organizations have been unable to reach all of them because of budget constraints, restrictions by Iraqs government and risks associated with operating in war zones.

A lot of these people are probably dying, but its hard to know, said an official at an aid organization who was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly and so spoke on the condition of anonymity.

In Baghdad, the capital, the temperature measured at the international airport has reached 109 degrees or higher nearly every day since June 19. The city has been 10 and even 20 degrees warmer than normal for this time of year.

[Persian Gulf may be too hot for human survival by 2090]

The government has declared multiple mandatory official holidays because of the heat. When that happens, many public employees turn up to work anyway because of the air conditioning available at government offices.

Most Iraqi homes and businesses suffer daily power cuts for 12 hours or more, and most Iraqis  unlike their rich neighbors in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia  are too poor to afford 24-hour air conditioning anyway. Such a luxury requires paying expensive fees for gas-powered generators.

During daylight hours, Baghdads streets are empty, but some businesses remain open. Its either sweat at work or starve at home, said Eissa Mohsen, who owns a fruit stand in the Karrada area of downtown Baghdad.

Look over there! Thats an air-conditioning unit, but I cant afford to pay the generator fees to run it, he said at his shop on a recent day.

The immediate cause of all this misery is a stubborn high-pressure system, but a fundamental shift in the countrys weather patterns appears to be taking place, said Mahmoud Abdul-Latif, spokesman for Iraqs meteorological department. In Baghdad, he said, the number of days with temperatures at 118 degrees or higher has more than doubled in recent years.

If you look back 40 years ago, youd have these temperatures for four or five days, but then the wind would kick up dust and that would cool the surface. Thats just not happening now, he said.

Climate scientists say this shouldnt be surprising.

A study published by the journal Nature Climate Change in October predicted that heat waves in parts of the Persian Gulf could threaten human survival toward the end of the century. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and the Cyprus Institute in Nicosia recently predicted a similarly grim fate for the Middle East and North Africa, a vast area currently home to about a half-billion people.

The regions governments are generally not prepared to deal with rapidly growing populations and climactic shifts, said Francesca de Chatel, an Amsterdam-based expert on Middle Eastern water issues. For years, she said, they have failed to address these problems adequately despite warnings from climate experts and U.N. agencies, and it may be too late now.

The United Nations predicts that the combined population of 22 Arab countries will grow from about 400 million to nearly 600 million by 2050. That would place tremendous stress on countries where climate scientists predict significantly lower rainfall and saltier groundwater from rising sea levels. Already, most countries in the region face acute water crises because of dry climates, surging consumption and wasteful agricultural practices.

Analysts point to inadequate government handling of an unprecedented drought in Syria as a trigger for the countrys devastating civil war, which has produced extraordinary refugee flows that have spilled into Europe.

Last year, Iraqis rallied in Baghdad against their governments inability to provide enough electricity during another scorching summer heat wave. Little, if anything, resulted from those demonstrations. According to some estimates, Iraqs population of about 33 million people will nearly double by 2050.

The countries in the region are not prepared to cope with the effects of climate change, said de Chatel.

Such a blistering future doesnt seem like a far-off possibility to 33-year-old Arkan Farhan, who lives with his family near Baghdad in a tin hut at camp for people displaced by the Islamic State.

Last month, he said, he contracted typhoid from a communal water source that has become particularly crowded  and filthy  this summer. To cool off, his sons use it to fill a pan for bathing.

This month, his 69-year-old father, Jassam, was taken to the hospital after passing out from the heat.

Fortunately, he was only bruised. He didnt break any bones, Farhan said of his father while sitting in his sweltering shack. Iraqis are strong people. But this heat is like a fire. Can people live in fire?

Mustafa Salim in Baghdad and Sheikha al-Dosary in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, contributed this report.

Read more:

Its official: We can now say global warming has made some weather events worse

Before his tragic death, nature photographer shot iconic images of climate changes threat

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
HUNTERTOWN  As a boy, Kerry Shank would work the fields on his family farm.

The work wasnt always exciting, but, every once in a while, Shank and his family members would come across original arrowheads and spearheads from Native American tribes that inhabited Allen County thousands of years ago.

Shank said he has between 400 and 500 such stones, a portion of which he had on display with all the other historical items during the Huntertown Heritage Days Festival on Saturday afternoon.

These stones date back thousands of years. They were not made 300 or 400 years ago, Shank said. I got into a habit of finding these stones and would walk for miles to find these stones.

The festival was themed around Indianas bicentennial celebration and the Huntertown Historical Society put together a pair of exhibits; one on the states history and another on the history of the town and its families.

Shanks collection was paired with an exhibit on the 29 Indian reservations that inhabited Allen County.

Its a great exhibit. I dont think people realize the history behind this town, Shank said. My grandma Sloffer was a descendent of William T. Hunter and his family was the founder of Huntertown. People forget the history part of it and I was brought up to love the history part of it. I read about it and I think its great to have this exhibition.

Shank said his family has been in Huntertown since the late 1930s. His family farm is located on Woods Road, about a mile west of downtown Huntertown.

If you go down Woods Road, it might as well be named Shank Road because there are a lot of relatives on that road. The family still lives in the community. We are still a family that gets along pretty well, he said.

Shirley Underwood is the long time director of the Huntertown Historical Society, which started out of a need to preserve the artifacts, photos and stories that make Huntertown what it is.

We were losing all that (history) and we didnt want to, Underwood said. We put it all together and this (historical display) is what we have come up with. This shows the picture of what Huntertown looked like when it first came into being. We put this together to show people the knowledge of what happened before the bicentennial.

The society has binders of information on each family and displays on each were visible in the pavilion behind Huntertown Elementary School on Saturday. Another exhibit in the Huntertown Fire Station provided a variety of informational posters on Indiana and Allen County facts, including one on the history of one-room school houses in Allen County.

We need to do research on some older families that we havent done them on. We have family histories that go back to the 1800s and we would like to find out the stories and pictures that go with those histories.

Underwood said that old pictures are sought and that the historical society only makes copies of those items and does not keep them.

World War II veteran Keith McComb put together a WWII slide show as part of Saturdays events and a proper American flag disposal demonstration was also held.
A fast-moving cataclysm underway in and around Aleppo has brought together all the major actors in Syrias civil war for what may be the most crucial battle of the five-year conflict, and it is testing whether U.S.-Russian cooperation to end it is a pipe dream.

North of the city  in which the government holds the western side and U.S.-backed moderate opposition forces have occupied the east since 2012  the opposition has lost control of its only lifeline for resupply under relentless pummeling by Russian and Syrian aircraft and artillery.

The road to Turkey also provided the only path for humanitarian aid or an escape route for at least a quarter-million civilians trapped inside Aleppo, who the United Nations said this week have been left without food, medical supplies or running water.

So dire is their situation that talks initiated by the Obama administration with Russia this summer about coordinating their Syria counterterrorism efforts have been put on the back burner, superseded by urgent negotiations with Moscow over reopening the road to Turkey, according to U.S. officials.

Russias U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, confirmed the negotiations following a closed-door Security Council meeting Tuesday, but he said certain problems remained, including Russias insistence that no rebel supplies be allowed to pass. So far, progress among the United States, Russia and the United Nations has been slowed by disputes over how far from the road weaponry must be positioned and who would monitor observance of the agreement and man checkpoints.

In Geneva, Russias U.N. representative charged that those supporting the opposition were promoting false hysterics over the humanitarian situation, Russias Interfax news agency reported.

Meanwhile, in Aleppos southwestern outskirts, an opposition force dominated by Islamist terrorist fighters, under brutal Syrian and Russian fire, has pushed through a government encirclement to the rebel-controlled part of the city. There, the more moderate opposition fighters now risk being subsumed or driven out by the militants.

The militants appear to have already begun setting up their own judicial councils and aid-distribution networks inside Aleppo, said Hassan Hassan, a Syria expert at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy.

They want to dominate the area and control the people in it, and they are really trying to boost their legitimacy among the locals by demonstrating their military [power] and winning hearts and minds, Hassan said of the group now known as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, or Front for the Conquest of Syria.

Two weeks ago, the Front changed its name from Jabhat al-Nusra and said it was severing its affiliation with al-Qaeda, a move Western officials described as a cosmetic change to mask ulterior motives.

As Front forces increasingly mix with civilians and moderate opposition groups and the remaining civilian population inside the city, the administrations hopes of separating them and joining Russia in bombing the extremists appear to have dimmed. Overlaps have spread throughout northwest Syria, as moderate fighters  some reluctantly, some less so  have flocked to relationships of convenience with the better-armed and more successful extremists trying to oust President Bashar al-Assad.

That led to the near-collapse of a countrywide cease-fire barely a month after it was negotiated in February by Washington and Moscow, who both had promised to impose it on their Syrian partners on the ground. Only al-Nusra, now the Front, and the Islamic State were exempt. But as Assads forces lost ground in continued fighting against al-Nusra, their Russian backers began bombing again. The United States charged that Russia and Assad were using al-Nusra as a smokescreen to strike moderate opposition forces; Russia countered that it was hard to tell them apart.





We have long been calling on our American partners to influence their proteges in order to stop them . . . associating with al-Nusra, as well as to make it clear where these moderate groups, which have pledged to observe the cessation of hostilities regime, are located, Alexei Borodavkin, Russias representative to U.N. organizations in Geneva, said this week.

Last month, Secretary of State John F. Kerry brought to Moscow a proposal for the United States and Russia to share intelligence, map out where the preponderance of various opposition forces were located, and coordinate in targeting agreed terrorists. The plan, which U.S. officials said gained White House approval over strong Pentagon disagreement, also called for Russia to force Assad to stop his own bombing. Officials spoke on the condition of anonymity about closed-door negotiations with the Russians and the rapidly changing situation on the ground.

A Joint Implementation Group of senior U.S. and Russian military and intelligence officials has now been formed, and maps have been agreed upon.

But, as so often is the case in Syria, events on the ground have outpaced the plan.

First came the Syria-Russia offensive northwest of Aleppo, completing government encirclement and severing of the Castello Road, the only rebel and humanitarian supply route into the eastern half of the city.

Then, last weekend, Front-led opposition fighters on Saturday drove pro-government forces out of Aleppos southwestern Ramouseh area. Although the advance raised hopes that supplies to besieged neighborhoods could enter along a southern route, fighting has still been too intense in recently captured areas to allow passage of food and other aid, said Firas Mashhadi, an activist in eastern Aleppo who supports the rebellion.

Mashhadi and others contacted by telephone there said that Russian and government warplanes have intensified attacks in response to rebel gains.

Rebels said they want to expand their assault to the western districts of Aleppo that are controlled by the government. They hope to consolidate their gains before an anticipated counterattack by pro-government forces, including Iraqi Shiite militiamen and fighters from Lebanons Hezbollah.

The assault has raised the possibility that opposition forces could impose their own siege on government areas of the city. Such concerns have reportedly caused price increases for food and other goods in government-loyal districts that have until now been largely protected from the fighting.

Battles are ongoing to secure roads and other entry points to Aleppo, and we are trying to expand areas controlled in the southwestern parts of Aleppo to fortify our positions, said Capt. Abdulsalam Abdulrazak, spokesman for the Harakat Nour al-Din al-Zenki rebel group that is linked to the umbrella Free Syrian Army.

Abdulrazak criticized the United States for what he called a lack of support for opposition forces in Aleppo. Despite calls from inside the administration and from allied governments to step up assistance to the rebels  including antiaircraft equipment that would allow them to challenge the enormous strategic advantage Assad has from his own and Russian planes and helicopters  officials said the White House remains reluctant to do so.

Rebel leaders inside Aleppo, noting the gains that Front-led forces have made in challenging government troops on the ground, and their willingness to endure heavy casualties under withering airstrikes, rejected the notion that the radicals will take over from them.

Adeeb Alsen, of the Jabhat Shamia rebel force, acknowledged that Front troops are participating in the assault. But, he said, we do not think that it has ambitions of trying to become the dominant force that controls Aleppo for itself.

Jeff White of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said the rebel advances in Aleppo underscored the persistent weakness of Assads ground troops. The fundamental problem for the regime is that it can take territory by using its [and Russias] firepower, but holding that territory then becomes very difficult, he said.

Naylor reported from Beirut. Zakaria Zakaria in Istanbul contributed to this report.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated comments by Adeeb Alsen, a member of the Jabhat Shamia rebel force. He said fighters with Jabhat Fatah al-Sham are participating in the opposition assault in Aleppo, not leading it. This article has been corrected.

Read more:

How Russian special forces are shaping the fight in Syria

In memo, U.S. diplomats urge more aggressive stance on Syria

Syrias Jabhat al-Nusra splits from al-Qaeda and changes its name
NATO went out of its way Wednesday to insist that Turkey  whose president this week visited Moscow and promised a new level of cooperation with the man he repeatedly called his dear friend, Russian President Vladimir Putin  remains a valued ally whose alliance membership is not in question.

In a statement posted on its website, NATO said it was responding to speculative press reports regarding NATOs stance regarding the failed coup in Turkey and Turkeys NATO membership.

Not only does Turkey make substantial contributions to NATO joint efforts, it said, Turkey takes full part in the Alliances consensus-based decisions as we confront the biggest security challenges in a generation.

The extraordinary statement, and the perceived need to issue it, highlighted the Wests growing nervousness over the fallout from last months coup attempt. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Turkeys friendship and alliance with the United States required the extradition of Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish cleric and permanent U.S. resident whom Erdogans government has blamed for masterminding the insurrection.

[Hes 77, frail and lives in Pennsylvania. Turkey says hes a coup mastermind.]

U.S. officials from President Obama on down have said they have no control over extradition requests, which must go through an impartial legal process.

Erdogan has also expressed resentment toward Western allies that have cautioned against the mass detentions and firings of alleged Gulen supporters in Turkey since the coup attempt.

The alliance statement pointed out that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had spoken to Erdogan and other officials since the attempt, strongly condemning the actions of a rogue military faction and reiterating full support for Turkeys democratic institutions.

Erdogan, in a Tuesday news conference with Putin, noted that the Russian had been the first foreign leader to call him.

His visit to Moscow marked full restoration of relations after last years Turkish shootdown of a Russian warplane operating over Syria. After long blaming Russia for entering Turkish airspace and refusing to apologize, Erdogan apologized last month. Putin then said Russian sanctions against Turkey would be lifted, and the two held long talks this week in the Kremlin.

[This filtered image of more than a million people captures the mood in Turkey]

Russia and Turkey remain on opposite sides of the Syrian conflict, with Turkey and the rest of NATO supporting opposition against the government of President Bashar al-Assad, whom Russia has backed with military supplies and its own bombing campaign.

For much of this year, the United States has led Western efforts to try to negotiate with Russia over a political settlement for Syrias civil war, while flying its own airstrikes against the Islamic State in other parts of the country. At the same time, NATO relations with Russia have been strained over Russian military incursions in Ukraine, including its annexation of Crimea, and aggressive behavior on the alliances eastern flank.

But during their Moscow meeting, Erdogan and Putin said they would increase bilateral military and intelligence cooperation in Syria.

In an interview Wednesday with Anadolu, the Turkish news agency, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that while his government was seeking a solution with its NATO allies on Syria, Turkey had to increase defense cooperation with other countries, as the alliance had let Turkey down.

Read more:

Turkeys Erdogan pivots to Putin as tensions rise with the West

What the West struggles to understand about Turkey and Erdogan

Turkeys purge marks endgame in Islamist civil war
Russia on Wednesday accused Ukraine of preparing a series of terrorist attacks and of igniting border clashes on the disputed Crimean Peninsula, the latest in a worrying trend of violent incidents along the line of contact between the two countries.

In a sign that the accusations could lead to an escalation, Russian President Vladimir Putin, after a meeting in Moscow with his Armenian counterpart, declared that Ukraine had gone over to the practice of terror and, referring to the death of two Russian servicemen in the alleged attacks, said Russia will not walk past something like this.

This is a very dangerous game, he said, saying security measures on the peninsula would be increased following the attacks.

Ukraine denied the accusations and alleged that Russia was building up its forces in Crimea to turn the peninsula into an isolated military base.

The accusations came after several days of reports of border closures and heightened military presence from Russian-controlled towns south of the administrative boundary between Crimea and Ukraine. They also come amid a rise in shooting and shelling attacks between Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists in the countrys southeast, as well as mounting casualties.

In its statement Wednesday, Russias Federal Security Service said that it had disrupted a secret network of pro-Ukrainian saboteurs who planned to attack crucial infrastructure on the peninsula with explosives and other weapons. An employee of the agency died as the suspects were being arrested, it said.

The agency also claimed to have prevented two more attempts by Ukrainian saboteurs to cross the administrative border under the protection of Ukrainian artillery, which killed a Russian serviceman.

Russia annexed the peninsula in March of 2014 following a revolution in Kiev, Ukraines capital.

In a statement, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry called the Russian accusations an attempt to justify the dislocation and aggressive actions of military units of the Russian Federation on the territory of the currently occupied peninsula.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which maintains a monitoring mission in Ukraine, reported unusual closures of border crossings and, on the eve of the supposed clashes, noted that border guard personnel were on heightened alert, carrying assault rifles and continuously searching the area with binoculars.

This week, online activists have published videos on social networks of Russian trains carrying army vans to the Kerch Strait, the waterway between Crimea and southern Russia. There have also been isolated reports of Internet outages in the Crimean border city of Armyansk, where the fighting is supposed to have taken place.

Read more:

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
It's double the Fonz!

Henry Winkler was in Wisconsin this week and stopped by to see an old friend, The Fonz. The actor visited the statue of his famous Happy Days character in Milwaukee and tweeted a picture of himself with his arm around the multi-colored life-size statue, beaming widely.

"OH YES I visit when I'm in Milwaukee," Winkler wrote.

OH YES I visit when I'm in Milwaukee pic.twitter.com/75GVCPL2YX

- Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) August 9, 2016

Fans of the actor replied to the happy photo with pictures of themselves with the bronze statue.
From Cosmopolitan

A 27-year-old woman was killed in broad daylight after going for a jog near her mothers home in Princeton, Massachusetts, ABC News reports. Vanessa Marcotte died less than a week after another New York City resident, Katrina Vetrano, was killed while jogging in Queens, though there is no evidence to connect the two crimes at this point.

Marcotte lived in New York City and was visiting family in Princeton when she decided to go on a run; she was last seen at 1 p.m. Sunday. According to Fox 25 Boston, her body was found that night, a half mile from her mothers house, and she had burns on her head and feet. Police say they are considering this a homicide investigation, and they arent sure if the attack is random; they estimate she was killed between 1 and 4 p.m. and are determining whether she was sexually assaulted.

We are concerned about the safety of our town residents and the visitors, Princeton Police Chief Michele Powers said in a press conference. Pay attention to your surroundings. There is no information about suspects at this point. If you have any information, police urge you to contact them at (508) 453-7589.

Marcotte graduated from Boston University in 2011 with honors and studied communications. She was working at Google as an account manager at the time of her death. Vanessa Marcotte was a much loved member of the Google team, working in our New York office for the last year and a half, and known for her ubiquitous smile, passion for volunteer work, and love of Boston sports, a Google spokesperson said in a statement. We are deeply shocked and saddened, and our thoughts are with her family and friends.

I am just in complete disbelief, Larry Kim, her former employer at the marketing firm WordStream, told the Boston Globe. She was a wonderful young woman and very ambitious and had a brilliant career cut short.

Follow Megan on Twitter.

Related:
Washington (AFP) - About 45,000 jihadists have been killed in Iraq and Syria since the US-led operation to defeat the Islamic State group began two years ago, a top general said Wednesday.

"We estimate that over the past 11 months, we've killed about 25,000 enemy fighters. When you add that to the 20,000 estimated killed (previously), that's 45,000 enemy (fighters) taken off the battlefield," said Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland, who commands the US-led coalition campaign against IS.

MacFarland said estimates for the overall remaining strength of IS vary from about 15,000 to 30,000 but he noted the jihadists are having increasing difficulties replenishing their ranks.

"The number of fighters on the front line has diminished. They've diminished not only in quantity but also in quality -- we dont see them operating nearly as effectively as they have in the past, which makes them even easier targets for us," MacFarland told Pentagon reporters via a videocall from Baghdad.

"As a result, their attrition has accelerated here of late," he added.

Officials also estimate IS has lost 25,000 square kilometers (9,650 square miles) of the territory it once held in its self-declared "caliphate" in Iraq and Syria, or about 50 percent and 20 percent respectively in each country.

The US-led military effort against the Islamic State group started exactly two years ago, aimed at halting the jihadists as they swept across Iraq and Syria.

MacFarland was upbeat about the eventual recapture of Mosul in Iraq and Raqa in Syria, saying it would herald the "beginning of the end" of the campaign.

But critics have blasted the pace of the war, which got off to a slow start and, despite more than 14,000 air strikes and an intense effort to train partner forces, still has not routed IS from much of its territory.

MacFarland, who has headed the US-led coalition for almost a year, said he had seen major progress.

Story continues

"You don't hear the word 'stalemate' anymore. That's because over the past year with our partners, we were able to seize the initiative," MacFarland said.

"We now talk about maintaining the momentum of the campaign in both Iraq and Syria. In other words, we spend more time thinking about what we will do to the enemy than we spend thinking about what the enemy might do to us."

Experts do foresee the eventual collapse of IS, but the jihadists are fighting back by calling on followers to launch attacks across the globe and are likely to persist for years as a terrorist organization.
The androgynous look is not everyones cup of tea. While it is smart, suave and sexy; it is also difficult to pull off, especially when youre thinking of manning up with an unusual pantsuit. There are some Bollywood actresses, who wore different suits and nailed the look, inspiring us to ditch our dresses for once. Here are 5 Bollywood actresses, who looked stunning and sexy when they suited up!

Kangana Ranaut: Kangana is known to wear outfits that probably no other actress would wear, and still look ravishing all the time. She can carry off everything from a simple saree to a complicated gown with equal ease. During the photoshoot for a leading fashion magazine, Kangana worked her attitude perfectly with a metallic, slightly oversized pantsuit by Rajesh Pratap Singh to give us the perfect retro look.

Anushka Sharma: While actresses are battling it out for top roles in Bollywood and Hollywood, Anushka is busy working with all the top actors and directors in the industry, while also running her own production house. Known for her casually chic style, Anushka decided to do something different for the cover of this magazine. She wore a striped white shirt with a striped pantsuit. With messy hair and gold accessories to complete the look, she looked stunningly classy!



Sonam Kapoor: Sonam Kapoor has often suited up, and it is still different every single time. At a recent event, Sonam unleashed her quirky sense of style and turned heads yet again. The actress wore an oversized Roksanda blazer and tied her hair up in multiple buns. She ditched the regular pants for a pair of neat culottes. And once again, we are floored by Sonams choice of outfit!



Jacqueline Fernandez: Jacqueline sure knows how to flaunt her perfect curves in the right way. While promoting Dishoom, the actress slipped into a funky, multicolor, striped pantsuit by Karn Malhotra. The vertical stripes made her look taller and slender, while the colors made it look super trendy. Needless, to say, she looked drop dead gorgeous.



Story continues

Priyanka Chopra: Priyanka is on a roll with her international achievements. To celebrate being recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the world by Time magazine, the actress wore something that made her look like a boss on the red carpet. For the Times 100 Gala, Priyanka wore a crisp, white pantsuit by Olcay Gulsen. She ditched the blouse and accessorized her bare neckline with a black-and-white diamond necklace.



Also read:

5 actresses who set temperatures soaring in a bikini on their vacation
Price to earnings (P/E) and price to sales (P/S) are the first ratios that come to an investors mind for narrowing down a list of undervalued stocks. However, the price-to-book ratio (P/B ratio), though underrated, is also an easy-to-use valuation tool for identifying low-priced stocks with high-growth prospects.

The P/B ratio is calculated as below:

P/B ratio = market capitalization / book value of equity

Explaining the P/B Ratio

To begin with, it is important to understand what book value is. Book value is the total value that would be left over, according to the companys balance sheet, if it goes bankrupt immediately. In other words, this is what shareholders would theoretically receive if a company liquidates all its assets after paying off all its liabilities.

It is calculated by subtracting total liabilities from total assets of a company. In most cases, that would equate to the common stockholders equity on the balance sheet. However, depending on the companys balance sheet, intangible assets should also be subtracted from total assets to determine the book value.

By comparing book value of equity to its market price, we get an idea of whether a company is under- or overpriced. However, like P/E or P/S ratio, it is always better to compare P/B ratios within industries.

A P/B ratio less than one means the stock is trading at less than its book value, which can also mean the stock is undervalued and therefore a good buy. Conversely, a stock with a ratio greater than one can be interpreted as being overvalued or relatively expensive.

But there is a caveat. A P/B ratio less that one can also mean that the company is earning weak or even negative return on its assets, or the assets are overstated, in which case the stock should be shunned because it may be destroying shareholder value. Conversely, the stocks share price may be significantly high  thereby pushing the P/B ratio to more than one  in the likely case that it has become a takeover target, a good enough reason to own the stock.

Story continues

But, the P/B ratio isn't without its limitations. It is useful for businesses  like finance, investments, insurance and banking or manufacturing companies  with many liquid/tangible assets on their books. However, it can be misleading for firms with large R&D expenditures or high-debt companies or service companies or those with negative earnings.

In any case, the P/B is not particularly relevant as a standalone number. One should also analyze other ratios like P/E, P/S, and debt to equity before arriving at a reasonable investment decision.

Screening Parameters



Price to Book (common Equity) less than X-Industry Median: A lower P/B compared with the industry average implies that there is enough room for the stock to gain.

Price to Sales less than X-Industry Median: The P/S ratio determines how much the market values every dollar of the companys sales/revenues  a lower ratio than the industry makes the stock attractive.

Price to Earnings using F(1) estimate less than X-Industry Median: The P/E ratio (F1) values a company based on its current share price relative to its estimated earnings per share  a lower ratio than the industry is considered better.

PEG less than 1: PEG ratio links the P/E ratio to the future growth rate of the company. PEG ratio portrays a more complete picture than the P/E ratio. A value of less than 1 indicates that the stock is undervalued and investors need to pay less for a stock that has robust earnings growth prospect.



Current Price greater than or equal to $5: They must all be trading at a minimum of $5 or higher.

Average 20-Day Volume greater than or equal to 100,000: A substantial trading volume ensures that the stock is easily tradable.



Zacks Rank less than or equal to #2: Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) stocks are known to outperform irrespective of the market environment.



Value Style Score equal to A or B: Our research shows that stocks with a Value Style Score of A or B when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 offer the best opportunities in the value investing space.

Here are five of the eight stocks that qualified the screening:

Dean Foods Company DF is a leading processor and distributor of milk and other dairy products in the U.S. as well as a leading manufacturer of various specialty food products. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 and a Value score of A. The companys projected 35 year EPS growth rate is 12%.

Horizon Pharma plc HZNP, a biopharmaceutical company, carries a Zacks Rank #2 and a Value score of B'. The companys projected 35 year EPS growth rate is 12.80%

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation NTT provides a variety of telecommunications services, including telephone, telegraph, leased circuits, data communication, terminal equipment sales and other services. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 and a Value score of A. The companys projected 35 year EPS growth rate is 20.7%.

Korea Electric Power Corp. KEP, also known as KEPCO, is an integrated electric utility engaged in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity as well as development of electric power resources in South Korea. This Zacks Rank #1 stock has a 35 year EPS growth rate of 25% and a Value score of A.

Impax Laboratories Inc. IPXL is a specialty pharmaceutical company with a presence in the generic as well as branded product markets. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 and a Value score of A. The companys projected 35 year EPS growth rate is 20.3%.

You can get the rest of the stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your own trading. Further, you can also create your own strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge.



The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your trial to the Research Wizard today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.

Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today.



Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.



Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance.

Zacks Restaurant Recommendations: Inaddition to dining at these special places, you can feast on their stock shares. A Zacks Special Report spotlights 5 recent IPOs to watch plus 2 stocks that offer immediate promise in a booming sector. Download it free 



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



KOREA ELEC PWR (KEP): Free Stock Analysis Report



NIPPON TELE-ADR (NTT): Free Stock Analysis Report



DEAN FOODS CO (DF): Free Stock Analysis Report



IMPAX LABORATRS (IPXL): Free Stock Analysis Report



HORIZON PHARMA (HZNP): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
HUNTERTOWN  The Huntertown Heritage Days is behind us and what a success it was.

Jenny McComb and all the folks who worked so hard to pull it off deserve kudos from all of us citizens who enjoyed it. We love ya, Jenny!

The Treasure is still begging to be found. The sum of $318.37 can be yours by following the trail of clues in the Northwest News. We start with $300 to make it fun and $18.37 to commemorate the founding of Huntertown in 1837.

The Treasure is hidden on public land or public access property within the Huntertown city limits. The dentists of Lima Road Dentistry are supplying the clues and the cash. Check out their web site at WeBabyChickens.com for the complete rules and the previous clues. Both are also available in the last three issues of the Northwest News.

The fourth clue usually generates a scramble to the hiding spot. Once the Treasure is found and it is verified, a sign will be posted at the location as soon as conveniently possible to alert other hunters. The news will also be posted at WeBabyChickens.com and the electronic message sign at the Empire Center at 9019 Lima Road.

Recent winners are:

2008  Carrie Ferguson, Ashtin Kurtz, Alexis Money

2009  Samara Perfect, Debbie Greer, Noah and Aiden Jones

2010  Debbie Greer, Samara Perfect, Noah and Aiden Jones

2011  Barry and Dedra Leffers

2012  Amelia, Landin and Riley Brinker AND Lucas and Matt Tester

2013  Erika, Trevor, and Josh Whedon

2014  Lucas and Matt Tester

2015  Lucas and Matt Tester

Ready, set , here is Clue 4:

Were all the way down to clue number four.

Perhaps a simple cipher will help you score.

DFEBS DBOZPO SE USFF is the coded tidbit.

Keep your feet on the ground. Its no time to quit!

Two green partners stand by themselves. It rests in ones hands.

Both occupy the south edge of Diocesan lands.

A parkway is near. East is P26T76R, say what?!?!

As you find the Treasure a bean leaf may brush your butt!
On Monday, OPECs President Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada provided fresh indications of talks between oil exporting countries in the bloc in order to arrive at an agreement on controlling crude production. Slack global demand and a fall in prices of oil may have led to producers considering such a move, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

Opinion remains divided about the likelihood of oil exporting countries reaching an agreement on controlling production. However, several market watchers believe that simply a discussion among the key stakeholders would be enough to boost sentiment. Adding oil stocks from sectors with relatively lower risk may be a good idea in such an environment.

OPEC President Sounds an Optimistic Note

Qatars minister of energy and industry and OPEC president Dr. Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada sounded optimistic about the market for crude. In a statement made in Vienna, he said that he expected demand for crude to firm up in the second half of this year. Additionally, he emphasized that the worldwide supply of crude would decline during this period.

Additionally, Dr. Al Sada also said that OPEC was closely watching the situation in oil markets and was regularly discussing with member countries about the possible methods that could be used to introduce a modicum of stability into the market for oil. More importantly, he said that the blocs members would most probably meet during the 15th International Energy Forum to be held in end September in Algeria in order to discuss the imposition of controls on production.

Prices Fall on Higher Domestic Production Outlook

Crude prices declined on Tuesday after the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) raised its short outlook. According to the EIAs new estimates, U.S. output will come in between an average of 8.73 million barrels in 2016 and 8.31 million barrels next year. This is higher than its earlier estimate of 8.61 million and 8.2 million for 2016 and 2017, respectively.

Story continues

However, market watchers believe that the very prospect of discussions between OPEC members could curb the price fall. Additionally, oil market participants await the release of EIA data on Wednesday. According to a survey undertaken by The Wall Street Journal, the EIAs report will likely reveal that domestic crude inventories declined by 800,000 barrels during the week ended Aug 5. During the week ended Jul 29, crude output in the U.S. dropped for the first time in four weeks by 55,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 8,460,000 bpd.

Our Choices

While some amount of skepticism continues to prevail among investors, it is increasingly likely that OPEC will soon enter into a discussion on controlling output. Meanwhile data and projections show that the demand supply gap is likely to come down at least on the domestic front.

This looks like a good time to pick select oil stocks. However, it may make for a better choice to pick companies with relatively safer businesses like refining and marketing or pipelines. At the same time, it is important to pick winning stocks.

This is where our VGM score comes in. Here V stands for Value, G for Growth and M for Momentum and the score is a weighted combination of these three scores. Such a score allows you to eliminate the negative aspects of stocks and select winners. However, it is important to keep in mind that each Style Score will carry a different weight while arriving at a VGM score.

We have narrowed down our search to the following stocks based on a good Zacks Rank and VGM score.

Murphy USA Inc. MUSA is a retailer of gasoline products and convenience store merchandise primarily in the United States.

Murphy USA has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and a VGM Score of A. Its earnings estimate for the current year has improved by 46.9% over the last 30 days. Its earnings estimate for the current year has improved by 7.6% over the last 30 days.

NGL Energy Partners LP NGL is a limited partnership operating a vertically integrated propane business with three operating segments: retail propane; wholesale supply and marketing; and midstream.

NGL Energy Partners has a Zacks Rank #1 and a VGM Score of A. The company has expected earnings growth of more than 100% for the current year. Its earnings estimate for the current year has improved by 5.9% over the last 30 days. The forward price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) for the current financial year (F1) is 14.92, lower than the industry average of 16.78.

Cypress Energy Partners, L.P. CELP offers pipeline inspection and integrity as well as environmental services across North America.

Cypress Energy Partners has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and a VGM Score of A. It has a P/E (F1) of 26.49, lower than the industry average of 30.17.

CONE Midstream Partners LP CNNX is an owner, operator, developer and acquirer of natural gas gathering and related midstream energy assets.

CONE Midstream Partners has a Zacks Rank #2 and a VGM Score of A. The company has expected earnings growth of 23.1% for the current year. Its earnings estimate for the current year has improved by 3.3% over the last 30 days. It has a P/E (F1) of 11.59, lower than the industry average of 17.50.

Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP BWP is a master limited partnership engaged in the transportation, processing and storage of natural gas.

Boardwalk Pipeline Partners has a Zacks Rank #2 and a VGM Score of B. The company has expected earnings growth of 35.4% for the current year. Its earnings estimate for the current year has improved by 8.7% over the last 30 days. It has a P/E (F1) of 14.23, lower than the industry average of 17.50.

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



BOARDWALK PIPLN (BWP): Free Stock Analysis Report



CONE MIDSTREAM (CNNX): Free Stock Analysis Report



CYPRESS EGY PTR (CELP): Free Stock Analysis Report



MURPHY USA INC (MUSA): Free Stock Analysis Report



NGL ENERGY PART (NGL): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Think your family has enjoyed every ride at Walt Disney World, cast every spell at Universal and seen every show at SeaWorld? With constant competition between theme parks to attract new guests, Disney parks and resorts always roll out new wow factors to give you a reason to return. Check out these six new attractions around Orlando, Florida, that recently opened (or are scheduled to debut soon) in 2016.

[See: 10 Top Budget-Friendly Disneyland Hotels for Frugal Families.]

The New Frozen Ever After Ride

Where: Epcot, Walt Disney World

Enjoy a "Summer Snow Day" with Queen Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff and other memorable characters from the animated film "Frozen" on this new family water attraction. The journey starts on the docks of Arendelle from the animated film. Onboard, guests can mix and mingle with Kristoff's troll family of "boulders" before taking in Queen Elsa's alluring icy palace and singing along to "Let It Go." Oscar-winning composers Bobby and Kristen Lopez even created new lyrics to the film's songs for the attraction.

Skull Island: Reign of Kong

Where: Islands of Adventure; Universal Orlando

A motion picture legend, King Kong has returned to Florida's Universal Orlando Resort. "It's amazing to have Kong back at Universal," says executive producer Mike West of Universal Creative, "This is his home," he says. Skull Island: Reign of Kong, transports guests through an interactive and themed queue to a mysterious island aboard a massive expedition truck. During the adventure, one of five guides take families into the jungle to meet creatures such as winged bats, dinosaurs, serpents, insects and, of course, an up-close look at the 30-foot-tall King Kong goliath himself.

[See: 10 Top Value Summer Vacations for Families.]

The "Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular" Display

Where: Disney's Hollywood Studios

The new Star Wars Galactic Spectacular fireworks show debuted at Disney's Hollywood Studios with high-tech lighting, pyrotechnics and other effects. With spectacular nighttime fireworks, music and iconic "Star Wars" characters, from Wookies to Ewoks, it's easy to unleash your inner Star Wars enthusiast while you enjoy saga-themed adventures. And as you catch the dazzling spectacle, you're bound to feel the Force. Gather your alliance together as you listen to John Williams' iconic theme song.

Story continues

The Tree of Life Awakening and Rivers of Light Attractions

Where: Disney's Animal Kingdom

At night, Disney's Animal Kingdom and its signature attraction, the Tree of Life, "awakens" with bright lights and rich color. Disney fan and video blogger John Saccheri describes the scene as "breathtaking, a stunning visual extravaganza swarming with animated imagery." Later this year, the Rivers of Light nighttime spectacular will debut on the natural stage of the Discovery River with illuminated lanterns.

According to Michael Jung, a creative portfolio executive at Walt Disney Imagineering, "Rivers of Light" will ramp up a magnificent finale with bursts of light as animal images soar above -- signifying the ancient belief that when animals passed from one world to another they danced in the sky and became beautiful rivers of light.

The Mako Roller Coaster

Where: SeaWorld Adventure Park Orlando

SeaWorld's newest roller coaster is Orlando's tallest, fastest and longest. Mako's 200-foot crest is visible throughout the park, and the squeals and cheers of satisfied amusement park-goers rings through the area as riders zip past. The coaster hits speeds of 73 mph as it zooms and twists across a two acre track. "Mako glides smoothly over the tracks, free of jarring and shaking," says theme park fan Cristen Curley Edwards, noting her knees continued to tremble after the ride was over.

[See: 8 Things to Avoid at Disney This Summer.]

The Heroes and Legends Exhibit

Where: John F. Kennedy Space Center

The immersive Heroes and Legends exhibit at the John F. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will serve as a reimagined entrance to the building beginning Nov. 11. Also featuring the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, the Heroes and Legend attraction will showcase the heroism of America's early space pioneers. "We've been focusing on a story to create a 'launch pad' for our visitors that sets the stage for their full-day experience," says Therrin Protze, chief operating officer of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Dave Parfitt is a reformed academic with a PhD in neuroscience, and began writing about his family travel adventures after surviving a trip to Walt Disney World as father of two budding princesses. As owner and editor of AdventuresbyDaddy.com, Dave offers family travel advice and escapist fun from Dad's point of view. You can follow Dave on Twitter @AdventuresByDad, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.





More From US News & World Report


From Good Housekeeping

Grandville, Michigan, resident Morrie Boogart might be ill and bedridden, but that doesn't stop him from working hard to give back to his community. That's right - prepare to be inspired, because at 91 years old, Boogart, a hospice care patient with skin cancer and a kidney mass, spends his days knitting hats to give to the homeless.

According to Michigan CNN affiliate WXMI, Knitting hats for the homeless has been a passion of Boogart's for more than 15 years. And in that time, he's made more than 8,000 of them. He tells WXMI that he's slowing down now (he can only complete one hat every two days from his bed at the Cambridge Manor hospice care facility), but he also says that learning to knit is the best thing that ever happened to him."The only time I'm not doing it is if I fall asleep," he told the news station.

As Boogart completes his hats - which he says he makes with a "rim" around the bottom to keep the ears of the homeless warm - they're delivered to shelters throughout the Grand Rapids, Michigan, area. His care facility is currently accepting yarn donations to help him continue with his craft.

Boogart might not know how much time he has left, but he's sure to spend every last possible second of it donating his time and effort to knitting hats for the homeless. "Why do I do it? It just makes me feel good," he told WXMI.

Consider our hearts officially melted.

[h/t WXMI]
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 10, 2016 / Abattis Bioceuticals Corp. (ATTBF) (CSE:ATT) (the "Company" or "Abattis"), is pleased to announce that it has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with the Jiangsu Regent Granary Trading Co., Ltd. ("Jaingsu"). Jaingsu is one of a select few that is exporting Canadian beef to China. They also export granola, dried fruit and will also include Abattis' line of Phytnos Superfruit tonics and VitaGum in mainland China. Jaingsu will utilize its network and sales experience to cultivate a market for Abattis' offerings. Jaingsu has certain sales revenue targets under the agreement; failure to achieve such targets will allow Abattis to terminate such agreement.

The key benefit is mainly access to our own distribution personnel in China. The market is vast and demand is very high for North American health products and technology that Abattis can offer.

The Company also announces that Michael Yung the Chief Executive Officer of Abattis has resigned. Mr. Yung will be replaced by Mr. Rene David on an interim basis while the board of directors appoints a new CEO.

These are exciting times for Abattis and the state of the Medical Cannabis industry and we wish to thank Mr. Yung for assisting with our most recent sales and marketing effort into Asia where we have made great progress from our recent trips to Shanghai and Korea. We wish Mr. Yung the best of luck with his new project.

About Abattis Bioceuticals Corp.

Abattis is a specialty biotechnology company that aggregates, incubates, integrates, and invests in the botanical drug development industry. The Company develops and licenses natural health products, medicines, extractions, and ingredients for the biologics, nutraceutical, bioceutical, and cosmetic markets - some of which will contain cannabinoid compounds. The Company also has an extensive pipeline of high-quality products and intellectual property for the rapidly expanding botanical drug market. We follow strict standard operating protocols, and adhere to the applicable laws of Canada and foreign jurisdictions. For more information, visit the Company's website at: www.abattis.com.

Story continues

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Rene David"

Rene David, CFO/COO and interim CEO

For further information, contact the Company at (604) 336-0881 or at news@abattis.com.

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

This press release contains forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks various risk factors discussed in the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. While the Company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time.

SOURCE: Abattis Bioceuticals Corp.
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.
Afghanistan rushed military reinforcements to Helmand as Taliban insurgents closed in on the besieged capital of the southern opium-rich province, with fighting intensifying in outlying districts, officials said Wednesday.

Pitched battles were reported late Wednesday in Nawa district, just a few kilometres south of Lashkar Gah city, compounding fears that the provincial capital could fall despite stepped up US air strikes to beat back the insurgents.

Fierce fighting in recent days across Helmand, seen as the focal point of the insurgency, has sent thousands of people fleeing to Lashkar Gah, sparking a humanitarian crisis as officials report crippling food and water shortages.

"We have sent reinforcements to Helmand," defence ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri told AFP.

"Intense fighting is going on in Helmand but our troops are trying to repel the Taliban offensive."

The turmoil convulsing Helmand, blighted by a huge opium harvest that helps fund the insurgency, underscores a rapidly unravelling security situation in Afghanistan.

Around 30,000 people have been displaced in Helmand in recent weeks, local officials said, with many fleeing to Lashkar Gah forced to abandon their lentil, maize and cotton farms during the lucrative harvest season.

Panicked Lashkar Gah residents said the city was practically besieged, with roads from neighbouring districts heavily mined by the insurgents.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said it had downscaled its staff in Lashkar Gah, with some non-medical staff relocated from the city.

"In Helmand, #Afghanistan, we're still running Boost hospital... as fighting nears," the international medical charity said on Twitter.

"We've shared coordinates of our 300 bed hospital to approaching warring parties in Helmand."

Heavy fighting also gripped Nad Ali district, where government troops sought to dislodge insurgents who overran a neighbourhood only a few kilometres from Lashkar Gah.

Story continues

The Taliban effectively control or contest 10 of the 14 districts in Helmand, the deadliest province for British and US forces in Afghanistan over the past decade.

The United States has stepped up air strikes supporting Afghan forces on the ground, highlighting the intensity of the battle in Helmand.

NATO officially ended its combat mission in December 2014, but US forces were granted greater powers in June to strike at the insurgents as President Barack Obama vowed a more aggressive campaign.

Washington has deployed several hundred troops in Helmand in recent months.

The Taliban briefly captured northern Kunduz city in September last year, the first urban centre to fall to the insurgents in a stinging blow to Afghan forces.

As fighting escalates in Helmand, NATO and Afghan officials have repeatedly insisted that they will not allow another city to be captured.
By Nqobile Dludla JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - More workers at South African state-run power utility Eskom joined a strike over pay, their union said on Wednesday, in defiance of a court order preventing the industrial action at the state-run firm. The company has branded the stoppage by thousands of National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) members which started on Monday illegal because its members are prohibited by law from striking, but said its operations had not been affected so far. The labour dispute is the latest problem to beset Eskom, which has struggled to meet power demand in Africa's most industrialised country due to its aging power plants and grid. However, it has managed a year without rolling blackouts that have hurt the economy in the past. "Our message to the whole nation is just to keep calm. We are handling the situation, currently the situation is under control," Eskom spokesman Khulu Phasiwe said, adding that he could not divulge the firm's contingency plans. Phasiwe said the court order prohibits NUM and two other unions from going on strike as part of the Labour Relations Act, which bars workers deemed to provide an essential service from going on strike. NUM said on Tuesday that all of its 15,000 members at the utility, or close to a third of Eskom's workforce, would stop work on Wednesday. [L8N1AQ41Q] The union's spokesman Livhuwani Mammburu said its members were on strike in provinces where Eskom runs its biggest plants, including in Mpumalanga province. "Our members are aware that for them being involved in this strike there are consequences and they are saying they are fighting for the right cause," said Mammburu. Asked whether union members will be dismissed if they do go on strike, Phasiwe said workers would not be fired en masse but that each case will be handled on its own merit. He said talks with the union had not yet collapsed and both parties were due to meet this morning for further discussions. The utility is offering pay increases of 7 to 9 percent while NUM on Tuesday lowered their wage demand to 8.5 to 10 percent from 12 to 13 percent. The stoppage at Eskom coincides with a strike over wages by around 15,000 workers in the petrochemical industry that has been going on since last week but has so far not caused any significant fuel shortages. (Editing by James Macharia and Louise Heavens)
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's state-run power utility Eskom said on Wednesday it had suspended two senior managers as part of an investigation into the leaking of documents in a court case involving Koeberg, Africa's only nuclear power plant. The station and plant managers at Koeberg were temporarily suspended for allegedly distributing documents containing information relating to Koeberg's production plan and its steam generator replacement, Eskom said. The utility said the leaked information could affect a court case between Eskom and Westinghouse Electric Company, which is contesting a 4.3 billion rand ($323 million) contract awarded to Areva in 2014 to replace steam generators. Westinghouse, the world's largest nuclear fuel producer and part of Japan's Toshiba group, had contested Eskom's decision to award the contract to Areva, saying the process was flawed. Areva won the contract to replace six steam generators at the country's only nuclear power plant, Koeberg, near Cape Town. The nuclear generators are expected to be installed by 2018. "The potential prejudice caused to Eskom by the unauthorised actions of the suspended personnel is currently being assessed," Eskom said in a statement. In an unrelated incident, a drone crashed on the Koeberg site in contravention of the nuclear safety regulations and was returned to its owner without the investigation having been completed, Eskom said. The utility said it had suspended the Koeberg safety officer so that it can investigate the incident, which it reported to the police. Koeberg is designated as a National Key Point, protected by law against sabotage as a site of national strategic importance. ($1 = 13.3020 rand) (Reporting by Nqobile Dludla; Editing by James Macharia and Adrian Croft)
The past week saw CA-based low cost carrier Virgin America VA report lackluster Q2 results with both earnings and revenues lagging expectations. On the other hand, Latin American carrier Copa Holdings CPA performed impressively in the second quarter, coming up with better-than-expected earnings as well as revenues.

On the non-earnings front, American Airlines Group AAL stole the limelight by virtue of its improved unit revenue forecast for the third quarter and the tentative pay-related deal pertaining to its ground employees. Other notable highlights in the week included the disruption at Delta Air Lines DAL due to a power outrage and United Continental Holdings UAL July traffic numbers with load factor (% of seats filled with passengers) improving as capacity expansion was outpaced by traffic growth.

TRANSPORTATION-AIRLINE Industry Price Index

TRANSPORTATION-AIRLINE Industry Price Index

(Read the last Airline Stock Roundup for Aug 03, 2016).

Recap of the Past Weeks Most Important Stories

1. Virgin America, which is expected to be acquired by Alaska Air Group ALK by year-end, reported lower-than-expected earnings and revenues in the second quarter of 2016. Earnings declined 36.3% from the year-ago quarter (read more: Virgin America Q2 Earnings & Revenues Miss).

2. Copa Holdings second-quarter earnings (on an adjusted basis) of 51 cents per share were well above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 23 cents. Earnings were however significantly below the year-ago figure of 93 cents. Quarterly revenues declined 8.2% on a year-over-year basis to $494 million. Revenues, however, beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $483 million.

The year-over-year decline was primarily due to the 8.6% decline in passenger revenues. Operating revenue per available seat mile declined 7.7% and yield per passenger mile decreased 14%. Average fuel price per gallon declined 21.3% year over year. Passenger traffic (on a consolidated basis) climbed 6.2% and capacity contracted 0.4% during the quarter. Load factor climbed 490 basis points to 78.3% as traffic expanded while capacity contracted.

Story continues

3. Delta Air Lines had to call off over 400 flights and delay several due to a power outage in Atlanta on Aug 8. The outage affected the computer systems which disrupted the companys operations worldwide (read more: Delta Air Lines: Power Outage Disrupts Operations).

4. Shares of American Airlines were boosted by the tentative labor deal with the TWU-IAM Association, covering 30,000 of its ground employees. The TWU-IAM Association, formed in 2013, is an alliance between the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). The deal, covering 12 organized workers groups in maintenance, fleet service and other ground services, increases pay by an average of 22%, according to the union (read more: Here's Why American Airlines Stock is Popping Today).

On a separate note, American Airlines revealed July traffic numbers wherein revenue passenger miles (RPMs: a measure of traffic) declined 0.3% while available seat miles (ASMs: a measure of capacity) climbed 2.3%. Load factor declined 210 basis points to 85.2% as traffic contracted while capacity expanded. American Airlines now expects total revenue per available seat mile (RASM: a measure of unit revenue) decline in the band of 3% to 5% for the third quarter (previous outlook had called for a decline in the range of 3.5% to 5.5%). The carrier still expects third-quarter pretax margin, excluding special items, in the band of 12% to 14%.

5. United Continental maintains its consolidated passenger unit revenue decline projection for the third quarter in the band of 5.5% to 7.5%. Traffic  measured in revenue passenger miles  stood at 20.7 billion in Jul 2016, up 1.2% from a year ago. On a year-over-year basis, consolidated capacity (or available seat miles/ASMs) inched up 0.7% to 23.7 billion. Meanwhile, the load factor increased to 87.5% from 87% a year ago.

Performance

The following table shows the price movement of the major airline players over the past week and during the last 6 months.

Company Past Week Last 6 months HA -0.13% 30.21% UAL 7.68% 0.21% GOL 13.04% 279.96% DAL 2.34% -14.14% JBLU 0.88% -15.55% AAL 3.86% -6.82% SAVE 2.81% -5.82% LUV 2.98% 5.40% VA -0.13% 102.06% ALK 0.55% -2.77%

The table above shows that most of the airline stocks traded in the green over the past week leading to the NYSE ARCA Airline index appreciating 4.32% at $87.96. Shares of GOL Linhas GOL gained the most (13.04%).

Over the course of six months, the NYSE ARCA Airline index appreciated 14.91% on the back of huge gains at GOL Linhas and Virgin America.

What's Next in the Airline Space?

We expect more traffic updates in the coming days. On the earnings front, GOL Linhas is slated to reveal its second-quarter results on Aug 15.

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



GOL LINHAS-ADR (GOL): Free Stock Analysis Report



DELTA AIR LINES (DAL): Free Stock Analysis Report



COPA HLDGS SA-A (CPA): Free Stock Analysis Report



ALASKA AIR GRP (ALK): Free Stock Analysis Report



UNITED CONT HLD (UAL): Free Stock Analysis Report



AMER AIRLINES (AAL): Free Stock Analysis Report



VIRGIN AMERICA (VA): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
We expect Alibaba Group BABA to beat expectations when it reports first-quarter fiscal 2017 results on Aug 11.

Why a Likely Positive Surprise?

Our proven model shows that Alibaba Group is likely to beat on earnings because it has the right combination of the two key ingredients.

Zacks ESP: Earnings ESP, which represents the difference between the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate, stands at +28.95%. This is a meaningful indicator of a likely positive earnings surprise.

Zacks Rank: Alibaba Group has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Note that stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), #2 (Buy) or #3 have a significantly higher chance of beating earnings estimates. The Sell-rated stocks (Zacks Rank #4 or #5) should never be considered going into an earnings announcement.

The combination of Alibaba Groups Zacks Rank #3 and +28.95% ESP makes us reasonably confident of an earnings beat.

What is Driving the Better-than-Expected Earnings?

The Chinese eCommerce company, which operates as a platform for third-party sellers, neither sells goods directly to merchants nor holds inventory. Alibaba Groups strong market position in China, uninterrupted growth in mobile business, unfazed improvement in commerce retail business and improving gross merchandise value (GMV) should boost fiscal first-quarter earnings.

Additionally, Alibaba is witnessing increasing monetization rates. The company, which focuses not only on foreign brands but also other high-profile merchants on its platforms, is building up its online marketing inventory on both mobile and PC. As a result of a higher monetization rate, its profits, too, are going up.

Some of the current buoyancy surrounding the shares of Alibaba owes its excitement to the Chinese eCommerce goliaths dominance in the mobile search market and matching product development efforts.

ALIBABA GROUP Price and EPS Surprise

ALIBABA GROUP Price and EPS Surprise | ALIBABA GROUP Quote

Story continues

Other Stocks to Consider

Alibaba Group is not the only firm looking up this earnings season. We also see likely earnings beats coming from these companies:

Alamos Gold, Inc. AGI has an Earnings ESP of +100.0% and a Zacks Rank #2. The company is slated to report second-quarter 2016 earnings results on Aug 10, 2016.

Eaton Vance Corp. EV has an Earnings ESP of +1.82% and a Zacks Rank #2. The company is expected to report third-quarter fiscal 2016 earnings results on Aug 17, 2016.

Synopsys Inc. DSW has an Earnings ESP of +6.90% and a Zacks Rank #2. The company is expected to report second-quarter 2016 earnings results on Aug 30, 2016.

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



EATON VANCE (EV): Free Stock Analysis Report



DSW INC CL-A (DSW): Free Stock Analysis Report



ALAMOS GOLD INC (AGI): Free Stock Analysis Report



ALIBABA GROUP (BABA): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Once upon a time, the idea of cutting the cord was terrifying. How can you possibly give up live television?! All those channels?! These days, however, the prospect of not cutting the cord and actually paying for cable TV is far more terrifying. Services like Netflix and Hulu will give you all the TV content you want, and for many people that will suffice. But if need your local channels and you're afraid to cut the cord and lose them, you should know that you don't have to lose anything.

For $13 shipped, you can get a 1byone 25 Miles Super Thin HDTV Antenna what will give you all of your local network channels in crystal clear full HD.

Here's what you need to know:

Free for Life - Never pay your cable or satellite fee for television again! You can get all local channels crystal clear and absolutely free! The 1byone antenna can pull in all of your local news, sitcoms, kids and sports programs

Full HD - 25-Mile range to access from broadcast tower. It delivers full 1080p HD to any digital-ready TV

Longer Cable, Easier Setup - A 16.5-foot coaxial cable makes it easier for you to place it at the position with the best reception in your house. Especially useful for customers whose TV's are quite far away from the windows

Easy Operation - Fast and easy set up with 3 steps - Unwrap, Plug it in and Scan channels

Buyer Guarantee - We stand behind our products 100% with a 12-month warranty. Please Note: Freeview reception is dependent upon environmental factors, we cannot guarantee reception in all conditions. We do offer a 30 day money back guarantee on all new items in order for you to test the suitability in your area

The 1byone 25 Miles Super Thin HDTV Antenna costs $12.99 on Amazon right now, and it qualifies for free Prime shipping.

Trending right now:

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
Now that the filmmakers behind The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story have declared case closed on one of the most famous trials in U.S. history, theyre turning their attention to the next crime.

The target for Season 2: Hurricane Katrina.

The writers room is right now working on Katrina, executive producer Brad Simpson teased during American Crime Storys panel at the Television Critics Associations summer press tour Tuesday. DV [Devincentis] returning to work with Ryan [Murphy].

One of the biggest questions surrounding such a famous disaster has been which major political players will be portrayed in the fictionalized, scripted series.

Also Read: Emmy Nominations: 'People v OJ Simpson' Creators Want to 'Stop While We're Ahead'

Yes, youll have the famous people, and also people who werent famous during Katrina, Simpson said, declining to confirm whether people like George W. Bush, president at the time in 2004, would be included.

Were looking at it to be tonally and thematically incredibly different [from Season 1], Simpson continued. Really its going to be about two things, one is just the intensity of what its like to be there on the ground, to be in the pressure cooker, but also thematically, the bigger crime  that Katrina was something that was predictable, that we werent prepared for, but we knew was going to happen. It turns a lens back on America, and shows some uncomfortable truths about it. Were about to get scripts in, so well know who the main characters will be.

The producer also declined to confirm whether any of the cast of Season 1  including Sarah Paulson, John Travolta, Cuba Gooding, Jr. and David Schwimmer  will return to take on new roles, in the grand tradition of Ryan Murphy anthology series.

'People v OJ Simpson': 9 Weird Facts It Didn't Include (Photos)

OJ Simpson Nicole Brown cash

Marcia Clark

Marcia Clark FX

CNN

Johnnie Cochran FX

OJ Simpson If I Did It book cover

Lance Ito FX

Lance Ito Margaret York Getty Images

Kato Kaelin Wendie Jo Sperber golf Getty Images

Getty Images

Kato Kaelin Getty Images

Mark Fuhrman YouTube

Johnnie Cochran FX

OJ Simpson Statue FX

oj fact check black fist juror

FX

oj simpson fact check generic FX

Story continues

Previous Slide Next Slide

1 of 17

If you think the details in the show were crazy, wait until you see what FX left out

The most shocking part of FX's "The People v OJ Simpson" is that the most amazing details were true. And the show didn't even include some of the strangest facts about Simpson's life -- although some made it into ESPN's recent "OJ: Made in America" (pictured). Here are nine bizarre details FX left out.

View In Gallery

Related stories from TheWrap:

Emmy Nominations: 'People v OJ Simpson' Creators Want to 'Stop While We're Ahead'

TCA Awards: 'People v OJ Simpson,' 'Mr Robot' Lead Pack With 4 Nominations

'Deadpool,' 'People v OJ Simpson' Help Fox Top Q3 Revenue Mark
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. AEO is expected to release second-quarter fiscal 2016 results on Aug 17. Last quarter, the company had delivered a positive earnings surprise of 22.2%. In fact, the bottom line has outperformed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for six straight quarters now, with a trailing four-quarter average of 12.3%. Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement.



AMER EAGLE OUTF Price and EPS Surprise

AMER EAGLE OUTF Price and EPS Surprise | AMER EAGLE OUTF Quote

Factors Influencing this Quarter



American Eagle has been gaining from its growth strategies, including merchandise-related initiatives as well as actions taken to improve operational performance. Moreover, the company has been strengthening its global presence for some time now after witnessing strong profitability at its overseas licensed stores, with little capital requirements. These factors, along with a splendid earnings history keep the company in good shape for its upcoming earnings release.



However, American Eagle is up against a challenging apparel industry, which is plagued by intense competition and a fall in mall traffic. Additionally, high dependence on external suppliers and macroeconomic headwinds remain deterrents for the upcoming results. Thus, we would prefer to wait and see if American Eagle can counter these headwinds and keep its solid streak alive in the quarter to be reported.



The company had earlier projected comparable-store sales growth in a low single-digit rate for the second quarter, with earnings per share in the band of 2021 cents per share.



Earnings Whispers



Our proven model does not conclusively show that American Eagle is likely to beat estimates this quarter. This is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1, 2 or 3 for this to happen. This is not the case here, as you will see below:



Zacks ESP: Earnings ESP for American Eagle is currently pegged at 0.00%. This is because the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are both pegged at 21 cents.



Zacks Rank: American Eagles Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) increases the predictive power of ESP. However, the companys ESP of 0.00% makes surprise prediction difficult.



We caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or 5 (Sell-rated stocks) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions.



Stocks that Warrant a Look



Here are some companies you may want to consider as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat:



L Brands, Inc. LB, scheduled to report earnings on Aug 17, currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.70% and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).



Lowe's Companies, Inc. LOW, scheduled to report earnings on Aug 17, currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.13% and a Zacks Rank #2.



The Gap Inc. GPS, slated to report earnings on Aug 18, currently has an Earnings ESP of +6.38% and a Zacks Rank #3.



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



LOWES COS (LOW): Free Stock Analysis Report



AMER EAGLE OUTF (AEO): Free Stock Analysis Report



GAP INC (GPS): Free Stock Analysis Report



L BRANDS INC (LB): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
We still have no clue what American Horror Story Season 6 is about, but we can identify another member of the cast.

AHS vet Sarah Paulson confirmed Tuesday at the Television Critics Association summer press tour that she is indeed a member of the top-secret Season 6 ensemble. The current Emmy nominee  for her role as Marcia Clark in The People v. O.J. Simpson  declined to provide any details about who she is playing in the latest chapter of Ryan Murphys horror anthology.

PHOTOSAmerican Horror Storys 15 Most Terrifying Moments of All Time

This makes Paulson the fourth AHS alum to confirm a sixth-season return; Cheyenne Jackson announced his participation in June; Lady Gaga revealed in March that shell be back, though she didnt say how or when, and Angela Bassett let news of her return slip during a February interview with Larry King.

Earlier in the day, FX Networks CEO John Landgraf  when pressed about Season 6s hush-hush premise  told reporters that his marketing team went out and created many more trailers than youve actually seen for hypothetical seasons of American Horror Story, in different genres, different places. One of them is accurate, and the others are all misdirects.

Launch Gallery: <i>American Horror Story</i>'s 15 Scariest Scenes Ever

Related stories

The Strain EPs Tease 'Major Story Turn' -- Plus, Could Season 4 Be the End?

Donald Glover Reveals Why He Skipped the Community Series Finale: 'It's Important That Things End'

American Horror Story Season 6 Theme: The Truth Is Out There?
By Laila Kearney

(Reuters) - Amtrak has begun settling lawsuits brought by passengers on a speeding train that crashed in Pennsylvania last year, killing eight people and injuring about 200, according to court filings and attorneys for passengers.

The Amtrak train was traveling through Philadelphia on May 12, 2015 with 243 people on board when it entered a curve at more than twice the recommended 50 miles-per-hour speed and derailed, mangling one train car and knocking another two on their sides.

Two of the dozens of lawsuits brought by passengers and train employees involved in the incident have settled, according to filings in federal court in Philadelphia on Monday.

The agreements appeared to be the first settlements of lawsuits filed against the U.S. passenger rail service over the accident.

One settlement involved claims from passenger Jessica Baen, a New York resident, who suffered a concussion, cracked ribs and other injuries after being flung from her seat and who was briefly knocked out in the crash, according to her lawsuit.

After regaining consciousness, Baen saw a passenger crushed and another covered in blood amid the twisted seats and spilled luggage, the lawsuit said.

Adam Barrist, Baen's attorney, confirmed the lawsuit had been settled but said he was barred from disclosing the financial amount or any other details.

"This case was resolved to my client's satisfaction, but we're under a strict confidentiality agreement," he said on Wednesday.

The second settlement resolved a lawsuit brought by passenger Adriana Passamano, a New Jersey woman who sustained a jaw injury and permanent physical damage.

"Our client is very satisfied with the result," Passamano's attorney Thomas Kenny said in an email. "Her family went through great pain and suffering throughout this terrible ordeal and is just happy to move on with her life."

Amtrak declined to comment on the lawsuits and other payouts to those involved in the crash.

Story continues

Federal law limits Amtrak's total liability to $295 million for any single crash.

The engineer driving the train was likely distracted by radio traffic when the crash occurred, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a report released in May.

The incident could have been prevented if the track had been outfitted with a safety system known as positive train control, the agency's report concluded.

(Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Frances Kerry)
Hokah Librarian Shari Carlson said she wants more people to know the library exists.

Community feedback has underscored lack of awareness of all the library does, and even that it exists at all. To that end, Carlson proposed putting up a permanent sign on the front of city hall letting everyone know the library is there.

Initially, Carlson thought of using the existing sign frame already mounted on the city hall, but a wrap-around or insert would possibly be too heavy, and amongst other challenges, the sign is mounted too high for effective use. She noted the existing sign frame often sits empty.

During the time that I have been at the library, Carlson said, I think maybe three times Ive seen the sign used for a community announcement.

The council demurred, in part it seems, because of a proposed community sign by the local Lions Club that wasnt entirely clear at the meeting. Carlson also proposed mounting a sign on city halls railing, which seemed to curry favor.

After a protracted conversation, the council unanimously voted to remove the existing community sign from its high location on city hall and mount it to the railing. Another sign, a permanent one for the library, will be affixed to city hall itself.

As part of the vote, the council also approved the color of the library doors being repainted green to match the librarys new logo (as well as the new sign), which were recently done by Thorson Graphics.

Carlson also said shes in monthly meetings with the other four county librarians to work toward consistent policies amongst the five locations. Patrons, she said, share many of their services, and it would also foster a fairer comparison mechanism when it comes to county library funding.

These include a consistent length of check-out times for materials, as well as general behavioral expectations. Grant collaboration is also on the table for discussion, she said.

Samantha Mullen, of the citys recreation board, came before the council to propose a run/walk fundraiser.

Mullen said the thought was to go from Twin Creeks to the city ball diamond, then to the city pool, then to Como Falls, and then all the way back again.

We didnt know if that would be possible, Mullen said.

She wasnt sure if the trail would be walkable for such an event, and she noted they wanted to keep the event off the highway.

The council informed her that such a circuit wouldnt be an issue, and when Mullen said she had considered asking the fire department if it could do it the morning of Fall Fest (as opposed to waiting until the spring), she was further assured that it would be fine in the morning, as Fall Fest events didnt start until noon.

Representatives of the recreation board, she said, would be walking the proposed trails to determine length. The plan is to make sure that at every recreation stop, as opposed to other run/walks, there would be the opportunity to do something, such as Frisbee throws and selfies at the falls posted on Facebook. More details will follow at a later time.

I think it will probably be a family thing, Mullen said.

Go ahead, was the word from the council.

Park bathroom

Councilor Matt Vetsch gave an updates on the bathrooms in Veterans Park.

The council had previously talked about making it one bathroom because its frequently unlocked and the victim of vandalism. Its roof is also in need of repair, amongst other items.

Vetsch said, looking at the structure, as he previously informed the council he would do, a total reconstruction would be in order, as opposed to reconfiguring what currently exists.

It might be better off to just build something new closer to the path, Vetsch said.

Power service for the nearby park shelters is also located in the bathrooms, he said.

The matter remained officially unresolved at the meeting.

In other news

There will be public meetings to discuss the citys budget, the first of which was Aug. 10 and another on the 23rd at 6 p.m. in the council chambers.

Rita Christianson, a former Hokah City Council member, was in attendance and addressed the council. With water rates and other city expenses going up, Christianson said, she wanted the council to keep some matters in mind during their budget discussions.

She questioned, while noting how great as it is to have a public library, if the city can afford a library anymore. She also questioned the need for both a city administrator and a city clerk (opining they might be collapsed into one job), as well as staffing levels across the board, especially in the police department.

I dont know what we can afford and what we cant afford, Christianson said.

A public meeting, in which the city will discuss upcoming proposed highway projects with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, will be held today (Thursday) at 3 p.m. in the council chambers.
The Trump phenomenon cant be explained through factual reporting and reasoned analysis on his positions. Whats really going on here is an exercise in the art of propaganda. Effective propaganda isnt about facts and policy, its about emotion.

In Trumps case, the emotions being provoked are fear and rage.

Trump seems to come by this talent naturally. His methods for stirring up the masses, though, are tried and true and have been used over and again throughout the course of history.

Propaganda has been deployed by politicians in both parties, not to mention advertisers and public relations professionals. But seldom has there been a candidate who has used it so deftly. He also takes it to extremes, said Aaron Delwiche, a professor in the Department of Communication at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and an expert on the subject.

He does not hesitate to demonize large groups of people, he said. That, I think, is new. You would have been more likely to hear that rhetoric on Internet forums and on talk radio.

This story is part of The Misinformation Industry. Illuminating the sometimes-misleading methods used by special interest groups to gain support for their agendas. Click here to read more stories in this series.

Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email.

Appeal to fear

Trumps view of America in his convention speech was widely described as dystopian. The New York Times editorial board wrote that his intention was to terrify voters into supporting him.

Our convention occurs at a moment of crisis for our nation, said Trump. The attacks on our police, and the terrorism in our cities, threaten our very way of life. Any politician who does not grasp this danger is not fit to lead our country.

What followed was a litany of alarming statistics, many of them since refuted by fact-checkers, laying out just how dire the situation is for Americans. The economy is in the Dumpster. Terrorists frolic in our midst. Immigrants are endangering our safety.

Story continues

Together, we will lead our party back to the White House, and we will lead our country back to safety, prosperity, and peace, he said. We will be a country of generosity and warmth. But we will also be a country of law and order.

In 1932, another budding politician used an appeal to fear to rally the masses, notes Delwiche on his handy website, which delves into these techniques. That was Adolf Hitler. Its absurd to compare Trump to Hitler, but its important to grasp how powerful the fear card can be.

By playing on the audience's deep-seated fears, practitioners of this technique hope to redirect attention away from the merits of a particular proposal and toward steps that can be taken to reduce the fear, writes Delwiche.

The professor bases his website largely on the work of the short-lived Institute for Propaganda Analysis, created in 1937 to educate the public about the dangers of the propaganda. The privately funded institute was staffed by social scientists, opinion leaders, historians, educators, and journalists. It ran out of money in 1942.

Appeals to fear work better if there are recommendations for reducing the threat. Trumps proposals to ban the immigration of Muslims to the U.S. and build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico  and make Mexico pay for it  are simple solutions that have no doubt appealed to his followers.

Shes the Devil

Trump is famous for his name calling, which is also an effective technique, according to information published by the Institute for Propaganda Analysis.

In addition to referring to Clinton as the Devil, Trump also calls her crooked Hillary. Hes also called U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, his former primary opponent, lyin Ted. Hes called Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida little Marco and Jeb Bush low-energy Jeb. Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts is called goofy and Pocahontas.

Why is such a seemingly juvenile practice so effective?

The name-calling technique links a person, or idea, to a negative symbol, Delwiche writes. The propagandist who uses this technique hopes that the audience will reject the person or the idea on the basis of the negative symbol, instead of looking at the available evidence.

This is closely related to scapegoating, another effective technique. An excellent example: Trump blaming the ills of the nations economy on immigration  Mexicans crossing the border. Hes also had harsh words for China.

But Hillary Clinton is the true enemy, as portrayed by Trump and his supporters.

Tell a lie often enough

Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Hitlers propaganda minister in Nazi Germany, knew that the facts were often inconvenient, and in the end, irrelevant when the goal was to whip the masses into a frenzy.

If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it, he is alleged to have said.

PolitiFact, the fact-checking website, awarded Trump the 2015 Lie of the Year award for a series of false statements. The site rated 76 percent of 77 statements Mostly False, False or Pants on Fire.

No other politician has as many statements rated so far down on the dial, reported the website.

Among them, his claim that thousands of people in New Jersey cheered as the World Trade Center came down on Sept. 11, 2001. Public safety officials say it never happened.

Trump has flummoxed the fact checkers.

The Poynter Institute quoted Glenn Kessler, the Washington Posts fact checker, as saying: Trump is unusual in that even though hes corrected or fact-checked, he keeps saying it, says it over and over.

Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email.

Loaded words

Trump also uses whats known as glittering generalities, a propaganda device common to politics. It is basically name calling in reverse. His campaign slogan, Make American Great Again, is an illuminating example. Great how? And for whom?

Glittering generalities are words that have no specific meaning. They appeal to the emotions and are associated with high-minded ideals and beliefs. They inspire us, yet are usually not accompanied by specifics.

The close of Trumps convention speech marked the pinnacle of his use of the technique.

To all Americans tonight, in all our cities and towns, I make this promise: 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.

Well, who cant get behind that?

John Dunbar is deputy executive editor and political editor for The Center for Public Integrity. He is also creator of The Misinformation Industry, a project that looks at propaganda and other misleading communication techniques used in the mass media.

This story is part of The Misinformation Industry. Illuminating the sometimes-misleading methods used by special interest groups to gain support for their agendas. Click here to read more stories in this series.

Related stories

Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.
A specialized team has been recruited with external support from experts

MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / August 10, 2016 / Argex Titanium Inc. (RGX.TO) (the "Corporation" or "Argex") is pleased to announce that activities have resumed at its R&D centre in Valleyfield.

Due to the suspension of activities in 2015, renovation work was required and the equipment had to be reconditioned in recent weeks before activities could resume. In the interim, a specialized technical team was recruited. The team will be supported by external experts.

"Given the current state of advancement of Argex's technology, our goal in the coming months will be to integrate each unit of the process, from ore selection at the entrance to reduction of water consumption, integration of heat sources and improvement of reagent consumption level, in order to optimize and confirm the parameters of the titanium dioxide products (TiO2)," said Carroll Moore, Chief Operating Officer of Argex. "We will benefit from a new team of internal and external engineers, chemists and technicians who will collect ongoing data with a view to commercial production of industrial-grade titanium pigment. We have also introduced internal and external data analysis services that will save us time and money."

"We plan to refine the Argex technology in order to set a new standard for the titanium industry," added Mazen Alnaimi, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Argex. "Given our experience in marketing and operation of commercial chemical plants, we are aiming for a future 1:2,000-scale demonstration plant design, followed by the construction of a 25,000-tonne commercial unit. This 50% reduction from the earlier design will tangibly reduce the risks associated with scaling."

About Argex Titanium

Argex Titanium Inc. has developed an advanced chemical process for the volume production of high-grade titanium dioxide (TiO2) for use in high-quality paint, plastics, cosmetics and other TiO2 applications. The Corporation's unique proprietary process uses relatively inexpensive and plentiful source material from a variety of potential vendors to produce TiO2, along with other valuable by-products. Argex's process provides a significant cost and environmental advantage over current legacy TiO2 production methods.

Story continues

Contact:

Nicole Blanchard

Corporate Communications and Investor Relations

Argex Titanium

(514) 843-5959

nblanchard@argex.ca

Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Argex Titanium Inc.
(HACKETT, Ark.)  An Arkansas deputy died Wednesday after being shot while responding to a call at a house, the sheriff said.

Sebastian County Deputy Bill Cooper was pronounced dead at a hospital around 1:15 p.m., Sheriff Bill Hollenbeck said during a news conference. Hackett Police Chief Darrell Spells was also shot and suffered superficial wounds.

Hollenbeck said the suspect, 34-year-old Billy Monroe Jones, wanted to cause a ruckus ahead of a court appearance.

The sheriff said Jones was due in a Fort Smith courtroom Wednesday for a hearing on whether a previous suspended sentence should be revoked. Court records show he has had a drug conviction along with a handful of minor charges.

After the shooting, the suspect barricaded himself inside the house for more than 4 hours before being arrested.

Authorities said the injured officers went to the home, about 6 miles from the Oklahoma border, after Jones pointed a weapon at his father, who called 911.

After the shootings, dozens of police vehicles, including a SWAT truck, quickly descended on the area. The shootings occurred in a rural, wooded area near Hackett, a town of about 800 residents.

James Markward, who lives nearby, said he heard a commotion early Wednesday.

It woke me up this morning, the gunshots. Of course I didnt know what was going on, the 72-year-old told The Associated Press in telephone interview. My neighbor called me and asked if I was shooting, and I said No, not me.'

Markward said the shooting suspect once helped him split wood, but said he hadnt seen the man in a few years.

As far as I know, he was all right, he said.

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he didnt have details about the shooting but said it underscored the danger that the states law enforcement officers face.

Its a risky business and it really illustrates the importance of our support for law enforcement, Hutchinson told reporters at an event in North Little Rock.

U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, whose district includes part of Sebastian County, also didnt have details about the incident but echoed the governors support for police statewide.

This has to stop, Westerman said. Its a shame the price that law enforcement officers are paying right now and, again, I dont know any details about whats happening here, but my heart and prayer is with them and their families.
Ahead of the official full trailer launch for Denis Villeneuves sci-fi drama, Arrival later this month, the folks at Paramount have dropped a teaser TV spot  check it out above. Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker star in the film that was titled Story Of Your Life when Paramount plunked down $20M to acquire U.S., Canada and China rights in a then-record Cannes deal in 2014. The anticipated film will have its world premiere in compeition at the upcoming Venice Film Festival.

Eric Heissere wrote the script based on a 1998 short story by Ted Chiang about an expert linguist (Adams) who is recruited by the military after a group of mysterious spacecrafts begins to hover over Earth. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, her job is to communicate with the aliens aboard the pods and determine if they are friend or foe. In a race against time for answers, she will take a chance that could threaten her life, and possibly humanity. Renner plays physicist Ian Donnelly and Whitaker is the colonel who accompanies them to make contact.

The teaser above shows the ominous pods and provides some insight into how Adams Louise Banks views the importance of communication amid the threat of war as she is about to experience her first close encounter.

Villeneuve here is following up last years Emily Blunt-starring drug-land drama Sicario which started its career in Cannes and went on to three Oscar nominations. Arrival has been positioned in the awards corridor with a November 11 domestic release set. 21 Laps, FilmNation and Lava Bear Films are producers.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwqSi_ToNPs&w=970&h=546]

Related stories

Venice Film Festival: Lido To Launch Pics From Ford, Gibson, Malick & More As Awards Season Starts To Buzz - Full List

Toronto Lineup Offers Lots Of Potential Oscar Contenders And Clues About Telluride

Paramount And European Union Finalize Deal Over Anti-Trust Investigation
There are no suspects in an early Aug. 2 assault that sent a Dakota man to the hospital with serious injuries.

The Winona County Sheriffs Department received a call at 10:35 a.m. Aug. 2 from Gunderson Health System in La Crosse reporting the admission of a 47-year-old man with serious head injuries, sheriff Ron Ganrude said.

On arrival in La Crosse, deputies learned the man had been brought to the hospital by friends after being found in his driveway about four feet from the drivers side of his pickup, Ganrude said.

Deputies were told that man had been at a Dakota bar Monday night, leaving between 11 and 11:30 p.m. after an uneventful evening.

The man said he had returned home between midnight and 1 a.m. Tuesday, pulled into his driveway, got out of his pickup and was hit from behind by an unknown assailant. He was knocked to the ground and said it hurt too much to move and remained where he fell until he was found and assisted by a neighbor that morning.

The man suffered a wound to the top of his head and had a large lump on the side of his head. Surgery was scheduled for Aug. 3, Ganrude said.

Ganrude said the man had no idea of who assaulted him or why. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Winona County Sheriffs Department at 507-457-6368.
Australian publisher Fairfax Media reported a loss of close to Aus$900 million (US$692 million) Wednesday but remained upbeat on signs that its digital and non-print businesses were performing strongly.

Fairfax -- which owns The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review -- booked a net loss after tax of Aus$893.5 million for the year to June 30.

This compared to a net profit of more than Aus$80 million in the previous corresponding period.

The media giant, like its international peers, has for years been battling declining advertising and revenues, particularly in traditional print divisions.

Chief executive Greg Hywood struck a positive note despite the loss, saying his company's push towards digital was succeeding, with star performer the real estate-focused Domain Group reporting a 33 percent jump in revenue.

"Digital and non-print earnings now constitute more than 40 percent of Fairfax's EBITDA (underlying or operating profit)," Hywood said in a statement.

"On current trends, next year this will be closer to 60 percent, reflecting the continued growth in digital and non-print earnings."

The company's share price closed lower, dropping 4.52 percent to 95 Australian cents.

Total revenue slipped two percent for the period, while underlying profit came in at Aus$132.5 million, a 7.6 percent decline.

Advertising revenue in the metro media division dropped 15 percent.

The firm declared a final dividend of two cents for a total payout for the year of four cents.

Fairfax, the main rival in Australia to Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, has shed thousands of staff and restructured its operations in recent years to focus more on its digital operations.

The publisher last week said it would book nearly Aus$1 billion in pre-tax impairment charges for the 2016 financial year, with a sizable chunk from major Australian metropolitan newspapers.
By Ian Simpson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Baltimore officials on Wednesday pledged to carry out sweeping police department reforms after a scathing U.S. Justice Department report found that officers in the majority-black city routinely violated the civil rights of black residents.

Vanita Gupta, the head of the Justice Department's civil rights division, said Baltimore and federal officials have agreed on a legal framework for police department changes that would be overseen by an independent monitor.

The report on the 2,600-officer department released on Tuesday found that black residents were regularly subjected to stops as pedestrians and motorists, arrests, strip searches and excessive force in violation of U.S. constitutional rights and federal anti-discrimination laws.

The 163-page report was prompted by the April 2015 death of a black man, Freddie Gray, from a neck injury suffered in police custody.

Gray's death was one of a series of incidents in various cities in the past two years that have raised questions about racial discrimination in U.S. law enforcement.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who is black, told a city hall news conference that Baltimore would implement a reform plan in the next few months.

"It's not going to be easy to reform the department, and it's not going to be quick," Rawlings-Blake said.

Rawlings-Blake said the police department had already revised 26 procedures, including changes in policies, training, a body-camera program and use-of-force guidelines.

Gupta said she expected quick progress toward a final agreement with the city on police reforms. Rawlings-Blake said Baltimore expected to spend between $5 million and $10 million a year to implement the agreement.

The framework agreement called for improved training of officers and data collection to ensure they are adhering to legal and constitutional standards. It also highlighted technology to allow better monitoring of officers, and strategies to rebuild relationships with city residents.

Story continues

The report found that police stopped black residents three times as often as white residents. Sixty-three percent of Baltimore residents are black, but the report found blacks faced 86 percent of charges by police. Black motorists accounted for 82 percent of traffic stops even though they make up only 60 percent of drivers.

In one of numerous incidents cited in the report, police stopped a female motorist merely for a missing headlight. Officers performed a strip search, including a body-cavity probe, and no evidence of wrongdoing was found.

The report said police had made more than 300,000 recorded pedestrian stops from January 2010 to May last year in the city of about 621,000 people, mostly in black neighborhoods. It said seven black men were stopped more than 30 times apiece during that period.

Police Commissioner Kevin Davis, who is white, said the department already has fired six officers this year as part of reform efforts.

Police arrested Gray for fleeing unprovoked in a high-crime area. He suffered a fatal neck injury in a police van. His death sparked protests and rioting.

Six officers were charged in Gray's death. Four trials ended without a conviction. Prosecutors dropped the remaining charges last month.

Tessa Hill-Aston, president of the Baltimore branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People civil rights group, called the Justice Department report long overdue.

"We're going in the right direction, but it's going to be a while for the community to trust the police," Hill-Aston said.

(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Will Dunham)
Embattled Bangladesh opposition leader Khaleda Zia was granted bail on Wednesday after she appeared in court on a string of new charges over a deadly transport blockade, a prosecutor said.

Hundreds of her supporters gathered outside the metropolitan sessions court in Dhaka chanting anti-government slogans, as the 70-year-old arrived to seek bail in the nine cases.

"We opposed the bail saying that police have found her involvement in the nine cases. But the judge granted her bail in all the cases," Dhaka's chief prosecutor Abdullah Abu told AFP.

"Although she was granted bail, the court has taken cognisance of all the charges against her," he added.

The new charges take to 30 the number of cases against the former two-time prime minister, mostly related to alleged violence and graft, her lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukder said.

Her party says the cases have been fabricated and are aimed at keeping Zia, a bitter rival of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, under political pressure.

Eight of the new cases relate to the nationwide transport blockade last year orchestrated by Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its Islamist allies in a failed bid to force Hasina to resign.

The blockade unleashed a wave of bloody violence, leaving about 150 people dead as opposition activists fire-bombed hundreds of buses and trucks and police responded by firing live rounds.

A pro-government lawyer has also filed a new case of sedition against Zia for publically questioning the official death toll during Bangladesh's war of independence against Pakistan in 1971.

The government says three million people were killed when then East Pakistan broke away to become Bangladesh. Independent researchers however say the overall toll was much lower.

Hasina has vowed to prosecute BNP officials for last year's violence. Around 15,000 opposition supporters and dozens of senior BNP officials were arrested as part of a crackdown in the wake of the unrest, weakening the party.

Story continues

Last month, a court sentenced Zia's eldest son and heir apparent Tarique Rahman to seven years in jail after convicting him over a money laundering case.

Rahman, who lives in exile in London, will be automatically banned from contesting polls unless he surrenders to a Bangladeshi court.

Experts said Hasina could call a general election in 2017, two years ahead of schedule, if Zia is convicted in any of the cases and therefore barred from politics. Two of her graft cases are in the final stages of hearing.

The BNP boycotted the 2014 general election, leaving the field clear for its rivals.
(Adds details, background)

Aug 10 (Reuters) - Peabody Energy Corp said on Wednesday its five-year business plan had been approved by its debtor-in-possession lenders, the first step towards emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Peabody, the biggest U.S. coal miner, filed for bankruptcy protection in April after a sharp drop in coal prices left it unable to service its $10.1 billion debt, much of it incurred for to expand in Australia.

The bankruptcy ranks among the largest in the commodities sector since energy and metal prices began to fall in 2014.

The St. Louis-based company said it was aiming for total annual sales of 194 million to 197 million tons between 2018 and 2021, up from an expected 168 million tons in 2016. Revenue over the period is expected to be $4.4 billion to 4.6 billion.

Peabody said it would review its assets in Australia to run a "smaller but more profitable" basis.

The company said in May it would sell its interest in undeveloped assets in Queensland for A$104 million (now $80.6 million) to Sydney-based Pembroke Resources, backed by private equity firm Denham Capital.

($1 = 1.2908 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Amrutha Gayathri in Bengaluru; Editing by Kirti Pandey and Ted Kerr)
By Huw Jones

LONDON, Aug 10 (Reuters) - New rules need to be better tested by regulators for any impact on lending and markets, a banking lobby said ahead of a meeting next month to finalise the latest wave of reforms aimed at preventing another financial crisis.

The Global Financial Markets Association (GFMA) said it has written to the watchdogs, requesting an end to duplication and conflicts in rules already rolled out, and for them to study how the demands will mesh with reforms in the pipeline.

During the 2007-09 crisis, leaders of the Group of 20 economies (G20) called for higher levels of bank capital, a step the Basel Committee of regulators implemented with "Basel III".

Balance sheets have since shrunk as banks shed risky assets, the GFMA said in a statement.

"While in many cases changes to the business models of banks and the structure of markets were intended, in other areas it is likely that the cumulative impacts go beyond those anticipated and may negatively affect the functioning of the financial system," it said.

The Basel Committee, which declined to comment, meets next month as it works to an end-of-year deadline for its key remaining reforms. These include stricter parameters for calculating how much capital big banks should hold.

The GFMA, which comprises regional associations like European banking lobby AFME, refers to these reforms as "Basel IV", meaning they represent a step change in capital requirements, a view regulators reject.

A report from Oliver Wyman commissioned by the GMFA, said one potential unintended consequence for Basel's rules may rise from "liquidity" buffers of cash and bonds that banks must be able to draw on alongside their core capital.

"While these rules work to increase stability and ensure liquidity at individual banks, this may happen at the expense of overall market liquidity," the report said.

The impact of other reforms, such as tougher "margin" or collateral requirements should be included, it added. "However, until all these reforms are finalised and fully implemented, the full impact cannot be determined."

Story continues

The GFMA does not detail any specific rule change it wants.

Basel is already looking at the impact, calibration and coherence of its rules, and has eased some.

G20 leaders have also agreed that new rules must not lead to a significant rise in capital at banks.

Regulators say industry assessments often assume the harshest capital treatment, and don't fully take into account the benefits of tougher rules in reducing the likelihood of costly crises.

(Reporting by Huw Jones; Editing by Alexander Smith)
Leading Canadian telephone operator BCE Inc.s BCE subsidiary, Bell Canada, has decided to acquire the remaining assets of Q9 Networks Inc., a Toronto-based provider of outsourced hosting and data solutions to Canadian business and government customers from its partner investors. The deal is expected to help BCE gain an edge in the increasingly competitive market of hosting and cloud services.

The Latest Deal

BCE had taken over 35.4% of Q9 Networks in Oct 2012 wherein a group of investors  Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Providence Equity Partners, Madison Dearborn Partners and Montreal-based parent of Bell Canada, CTV television  bought the data centre operator for $1.1 billion, including assumed debt. BCE shelled out $180 million while the other three investors contributed $420 million for the initial stake buyout.

The latest transaction, valued at approximately $675 million including Q9 Networksnet debt but excluding Bell's existing ownership interest, is slated to close by the end of 2016.

Growth Prospects

The transaction will drive BCEs investments in the data centre and cloud services industry . The acquisition is also expected to help Bell Canada compete with domestic and international providers in the emerging outsourced data services sector. Bell Canadas Business Markets and Q9 Networks managed data solutions and interconnected broadband fibre connectivity services are offered via a network of secure, high-capacity data centres. The deal should follow-up the ongoing existing co-operation between BCE and Q9 since their 2012 acquisitions and integrated operations in 27 centres.

Several analysts also believe that the deal will boost BCEs wireline organic revenues in 2017, considering the total size of $4.5 billion of BCEs business market revenue.

The Bottom Line

The company did not disclose the amount it paid to its partners for the remaining stake of Q9 Networks, stating that the deal only includes Q9 Networks net debt. Analysts estimate the amount at $175$190 million for the outstanding equity based on Q9s net debt of $500 million since its 2012 sale. Moreover, the companys Q9 Networks buyout is exposed to certain risks such as closing conditions, termination rights and uncertainties including limitation and regulatory approval.

Story continues

Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider

BCE currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Investors interested in the telecommunication sector may consider better-ranked stocks such as NTT DOCOMO, Inc. DCM and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation NTT , both of which carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and Intel Corporation INTC with a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

BCE INC Price

BCE INC Price | BCE INC Quote

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



NIPPON TELE-ADR (NTT): Free Stock Analysis Report



BCE INC (BCE): Free Stock Analysis Report



NTT DOCOMO -ADR (DCM): Free Stock Analysis Report



INTEL CORP (INTC): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
It turns out civility and efficiency does have a price after all, and its $45.

That was the cost of registration for the historic workshop, Running Effective Meetings and Leading with Civility, which took three-and-a-half hours in one of three locations across the state: Bemidji (July 13), Staples (July 14), and Mankato (July 28).

Historic because, for the first time in their collective histories, the meetings were presented in a collaborative effort by the Association of Minnesota Counties, the League of Minnesota Cities, the Minnesota School Boards Association, and the Minnesota Association of Townships.

Chairs and leadership from each of those entities were invited, although as the Association of Minnesota Counties Education Director Toni Smith said, the leadership was free to invite those within their respective boards and councils who might also want to attend.

A series of workshops aimed at efficiency and civility in political and educational discourse, which themselves are studded with meetings, Smith helmed Understanding Conflicts in Groups.

We see conflicts in all these entities, Smith said, and theyre all elected by the citizenry.

If there are rays of hope in what can often seem like a virulent quagmire, it might well be a reminder of observable data, invisible data, hidden agendas, reacting to conflict, even how a board is physically seated around its table.

We looked at it as an obligation to offer them some kind of background, Smith said of the workshops, which included not only rays of hope, but also a healthy dose of handouts and online resources.

Houston County Board of Commissioners Chairman Judy Storlie said she made the six-hour journey to the tiny town of Staples for an important reason.

We need help, Storlie said, and I thought I should go get it. The more I can learn the better, and I think its really important for our meetings to run properly and to get rid of these outbursts.

It was a surprise to her to run into a term those in Houston County have spoken about frequently: Hidden agendas.

Were always accused of hidden agendas, she said, so they were talking about people with hidden agendas, and then they said, Every county board member has a hidden agenda, every school board member, and they went through all the different things: Its to make the school district, the county, whatever, the best it can be.

Its a message shes since brought back to the board of commissioners she leads.

That just really struck home with me, she said, because if youre going to have a hidden agenda, thats what your hidden agenda should be.

The Houston County Board has had approximately eight hours of strategic planning this year alone  meetings which have attempted to shape the vision, goals and path of the county board as it moves forward into an unknown future.

The hardest part of that, she said, is we couldnt get communication going.

That included voicing opinions to each others; what are each commissioners hopes and dreams from the board?

Storlie said she had recently done just such a strategic planning process with Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center, where shes on the board of directors, and it was completely different.

It was the most incredible strategic planning, she said. We set goals, we were on board, everybody was putting in. It was just excellent.

Everybody within that organization, she said, had input, and the board was there to offer direction. Its a template that should work for the county board, but divisions have prevented that from happening.

That was, to a large degree, why Storlie wanted to venture to Staples.

She was immediately struck by an ice berg. Not a literal one, a metaphoric one, but somehow just as effective.

They showed an ice berg, Storlie said, and how the top is the part that people see, but you dont realize whats all underneath it. Thats kind of like what county boards are like. You see the meeting, but theres a whole lot of other work involved underneath.

Ice bergs werent the only things she struck that night in Staples.

Heres one thing that really struck me, Storlie said. Roberts Rules of Order has something that is for smaller boards.

You dont need the fuller, more frequently used, version, she said. This one takes its essence and distills it down to a simple, less cumbersome level. The basics you need to run a meeting.

And thats why weve never adopted (Roberts Rules of Order) as a county, she said. Because it has too many ins and outs of things that make it cumbersome.

The county tends to lean toward Roberts Rules, she said, and tends to follow them closely, but she reiterated theyve never been officially adopted by the board. Thats because, she explained, once theyre adopted, they must be followed to the letter  every one of them. That can be so cumbersome, and so complicated, the board has even had someone come in and try to train them.

A smaller board version, she said, offers some hope it could happen in the future. Shes working on finding out how to order the more relevant version.

Oh, I would bring that (back to the board), she said. Absolutely.

Hopefully, she said, there will be a video compilation of the workshops by the associations from each of the three locations. Then the public can be involved, which is important.

They really stressed for the public to have their time at the meeting, she said, but to keep it structured. Structure is so important in your meeting. Once you start interacting back and forth like this, you lose control of the meeting.

First and foremost, she said, the county board should be thought of as a business meeting. Theyre conducting business. Thats something she knows, and many have said, but it was good to hear it again.

It maybe should be, instead of just saying, The county board meeting, Storlie said, it maybe should say, The county board business meeting, or something like that.

Another piece she found important was a scored conflict analysis of groups, which is different than the more commonly known personality tests one is scored on. Storlie said shes done those before, but never one geared to a group as a whole. She wants to have it administered to the Houston County Board.

But it cant be done by just me, Storlie said. I need to bring somebody in to do it.

Perhaps, as with much of the other information she absorbed in Staples, its possible she might be met with resistance, but that doesnt mean shell give up. And, shes not unique in that respect: No one should give up.

You still have to move forward with it, Storlie said. You have to take little pebbles, and put little pebbles out at a time. Eventually, you can build a whole road. But youve got to start somewhere.
Okay so Michael from Hanger Clinic fit his client with this Black and White Imperialist cover. then he lit it up. Absolutely love working with fun and creative prosthetists! #regram from@mccauley_m: LED lights I put inside an Alleles cover for a patient today, this is why i love my job #alleles #amputee #prosthetics #oandp #hangerclinic #prosthesis #legs #legsfordays #amputation #prostheticcover Okay so Michael from Hanger Clinic fit his client with this Black and White Imperialist cover. then he lit it up. Absolutely love working with fun and creative prosthetists! #regram from@mccauley_m: LED lights I put inside an Alleles cover for a patient today, this is why i love my job #alleles #amputee #prosthetics #oandp #hangerclinic #prosthesis #legs #legsfordays #amputation #prostheticcover

As many people missing a limb will tell you, its hard to find prosthetics that allow you to show off your personal style. Enter British Columbia-based brand Alleles.

Founded in 2013, the brand was founded in an effort to create fashion-forward prosthetic leg covers that people can afford and with an aim to empower amputees through providing choice of self-expression.



Over the past three years, the brand has steadily been gaining recognition for their stunning designs , which have even been featured on the runways of Toronto and New York fashion weeks. And even cooler, some of this years Paralympians, like German sprinter and long jumper Vanessa Low, will sport the prosthetics during the summer Games in Rio.



Scroll through the gallery above to see some of our favourites and let us know which ones you like best by tweeting @YahooStyleCA.

All photos via Instagram/alleles
Berlin (AFP) - Germany's Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere is preparing to unveil a slew of new anti-terror measures, reports said Wednesday, after two attacks in July claimed by the Islamic State group.

The new measures to be announced Thursday include speeding up the expulsion process for asylum seekers convicted of crimes, Bild daily reported, quoting anonymous security sources.

The minister is also planning to introduce "threat to public security" as a new reason for deporting migrants.

Doctors will also have their confidentiality obligations lifted in special cases that would allow them to inform authorities should their patient be a potential threat to the population, added Bild.

The tougher stance comes after the two attacks by migrants in the southern state of Bavaria -- an axe rampage on a train in Wuerzburg and a suicide bombing in Ansbach.

In Wuerzburg, the 17-year-old attacker was shot dead by police after injuring five people. In Ansbach 15 people were injured after a failed Syrian asylum seeker detonated his explosive outside a music festival, killing himself.

De Maiziere is also expected to sign off next week on a declaration with regional interior ministers from Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union and sister party Christian Social Union that calls for further security and anti-terror measures, according to RND media group which publishes more than 30 regional dailies.

These additional measures include imposing a burqa ban, scrapping the possibility of dual nationalities and boosting the presence of police in trains, as well as at train stations and airports.
Bernie Sanders pushed to oust Debbie Wasserman Schultz as chair of the Democratic National Committee after leaked emails appeared to show party insiders conspiring against his campaign. Now the Vermont senator is working to help Wasserman Schultzs opponent defeat her at the ballot box.

On Tuesday, Sanders tapped into his vast grassroots network to raise money for Tim Canova, Wasserman Schultzs Florida primary challenger. This race is very important, Sanders wrote in an email. If we can win this tough fight in Florida, it will send a clear message about the power of our grassroots movement. The message asks supporters to make a donation so that the Canova campaign can put it to use before the primary against Debbie Wasserman Schultz on August 30th.

Its no secret that Sanders isnt a fan of Wasserman Schultz. The senator endorsed Canova in May and has helped fundraise for him in the past. But Sanderss latest attempt to unseat Wasserman Schultz is a reminder that even after Sanders urged his supporters to rally around Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention last month, there is still bad blood on the political left. To many Sanders supporters, the former DNC chair represents everything wrong with the Democratic establishment. Hostility intensified after Clinton named Wasserman Schultz an honorary chair of her campaigns 50-state program in the wake of the email scandal, a move that Sanders supporters took as evidence of the kind of favoritism that corrupted the election. If it wasnt clear already, it is now: Defeating Wasserman Schultz remains a priority for Sanders.

Recommended: Trump's Second Amendment Comment Cannot Be Excused

Sanderss efforts will be a test run of the former presidential candidates post-campaign influence. The fundraising bid also stands to shed light on what kind of appeals are most effective as he uses his newfound fame to help progressive candidates across the country. Sanders explicitly mentions the email leak that led Wasserman Schultz to leave her DNC post in his message, noting that the emails showed that under Debbie Wasserman Schultz, DNC staff were not exactly fair and even-minded during the presidential primary. But, the senator adds, now that Debbie Wasserman Schultz has resigned, we have the opportunity to transform the Democratic Party and open up its doors to working people and young people. It will be interesting to how successful Sanders is at turning a scandal that might otherwise be wholly demoralizing into one that motivates his supporters to act politically.

Story continues

Theres a certain irony to all this. During the primary, Clinton was quick to talk up her party loyaltynot so subtly implying that she was more committed to helping Democrats fundraise and win elections than Sanders. In April, Sanders started fundraising for congressional candidates, and later expanded his efforts to help state legislative candidates. His fundraising for Canova is only a part of an ongoing effort to keep the political movement he started alive. But if Wasserman Schultz ever felt anxiety that Sanders wasnt doing enough to raise money for Democrats, this current scenario could not have been what she would have wanted.

Recommended: Why Trump-Loving Christians Owe Bill Clinton an Apology

Which raises the question: Will Sanders prove to be more motivated by a desire to see political enemies defeated than by any desire to help the Democratic Party? Working against Wasserman Schultz could end up increasing ill-will within the party, without much to show for it in the end. On the other hand, Sanderss extraordinary success collecting small-dollar donations during the primary election was partly due to the personal appeals he made to supporters who hung on his every word. The appeal he is making now is certainly personalSanders supporters believe that the senator was treated unfairly by the former DNC chair. That is likely to make message more effective, at least in terms of the amount of money Sanders is able to raise. Whether it will be effective at building the kind of Democratic Party that Sandersor for that matter, rank-and-file Democratswants to see in the future is another question altogether.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) -- Two years ago Fiona Bigwood considered giving up riding. Today she's aiming for a medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Bigwood and her horse Orthilia posted a score of 77.157 percent on Wednesday to help the British dressage team into third place after the first half of the grand prix.

''I am so over the moon,'' Bigwood said. ''I just love that horse, I was very emotional after ... I have had many horses over the years but once you get a real friend like that it's something special.''

Bigwood, who was third best on the day, has to ride with an eye patch because the 40-year-old suffers from double vision as a result of an accident during a warm-up in April 2014.

''I think it's amazing how the body does adjust to these accidents,'' Bigwood said. ''I could get it operated on but I'd probably need several operations.''

''I might try after the Olympics now but I don't really notice it. I put the patch on and off I go ... you do adjust to it and life carries on.''

Bigwood, who admits she hasn't managed to get back on the horse she was riding when she had the accident, credits Orthilia with getting her through one of the darkest moments of her career and back in the saddle.

''When i had my accident, I wasn't allowed to ride anything that could be a little bit cheeky or naughty in case I fell again so I kept riding her because she would never do anything to hurt you,'' she said.

''All through my accident she was the one that kept me going, I was going to stop riding and that's why I think I have got such a lovely relationship with her. She is a friend ... she really is a friend to me. I love her to bits.''

Bigwood can also count on the support of one of her dressage rivals - husband Anders Dahl, who rides for Denmark.

The couple have three children together.

''It was lovely to be at the opening ceremony both of us,'' she said. ''What an experience is that? How many people can say that?

Story continues

''A couple of times he came and found me so it was quite sweet. He walked with the Danish team and when we were in the stadium he came and found me, so that was really nice.''

Germany, which won silver four years ago, leads the team standings ahead of Netherlands, which finished third in London.

Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin compete tomorrow for Britain, with the latter looking to defend her individual and team titles.

The results are calculated using the average of the three best riders' scores from each nation.

The six best placed teams progress on to the next phase, Friday's Grand Prix Special, when the team medals are decided.
Los Angeles (AFP) - The Los Angeles County Sheriff admitted Tuesday an African-American man shot dead by a deputy was not connected to a carjacking that led to the confrontation.

Donnell Thompson, 27, was gunned down on July 28 in the latest in a series of controversial shootings of black men by police that have sparked protests across the country.

The incident took place as officers were hunting a carjacking suspect who had allegedly fired at deputies, hitting their patrol car.

However the sheriff's department said in a statement Tuesday that it had determined "that there is no evidence that Mr Thompson was in the carjacked vehicle."

The admission, which comes on the second anniversary of Michael Brown's shooting in Ferguson, Missouri, prompted Thompson's family to call the killing racially motivated and demand a public apology.

A resident of LA's Compton neighborhood had called 911 after finding Thompson lying in his yard, the sheriff's department said, after deputies had already arrested the carjacking suspect.

One of Thompson's hands was hidden from view and he failed to respond to numerous commands, the department added.

Deputies were worried that he had been involved in the carjacking and was still armed, and when he finally stood up and charged at them, one of them fired at him, the department said.

No weapon was recovered, and the deputy has subsequently been reassigned to non-field duties.

Thompson's oldest sister, Matrice Stanley, told reporters outside a meeting of the LA County Board of Supervisors that her brother's "mentality was like a 16-year-old."

The 44-year-old nurse said she believed race had played a role in the killing of her brother, who went by the nickname "Bo Peep" and was just 5 feet 3 inches (1.60m) tall.

Video of the confrontation is inconclusive, according to Dawn Modkins of Black Lives Matter, who said that the family's lawyers would decide when and if to release it.

Story continues

Modkins said deputies "riddled him with rubber bullets" before fatally shooting Thompson.

She called for the Board of Supervisors to push plans forward for a civilian oversight commission, adding: "Our police and our sheriff's department can no longer be allowed to police themselves."

Compton station deputies had been patrolling early in the morning on July 28 when they stopped a motorist for a traffic violation.

After running the vehicle's plates they determined it had been stolen, the sheriff's department reported.

The motorist sped off, and deputies chased the vehicle to an apartment block, where Special Enforcement Bureau personnel were dispatched.

"Deputies encountered Mr Thompson shortly after the carjacking suspect who had opened fire on our deputies was arrested," the statement said.

The sheriff's department said it was conducting "an exhaustive review of the sequence of events" that will be presented to the Los Angeles district attorney's office.

Thompson's older brother Dwayne Hill said he wanted to "make sure my brother's name is being cleared" and demanded a public apology.
Blake Lively believes societys fascination with post-baby bodies is so unfair

Blake Lively believes societys fascination with post-baby bodies is so unfair

Pick up any magazine today and youre bound to find some kind of story about a beautiful celebrity and her impossibly stunning post-baby body. Whats perhaps even more popular are the pages that feature a post-baby workout.

Well, Blake Lively isnt too happy with this trend, and shes not going to remain silent on the topic (as if we would ever expect her not to speak her mind).

In a recent interview with Australias Sunrise, Blake got very real about what it was like to shoot her latest movie The Shallows, just eight months after she gave birth to her first child James. Blake called it a physical challenge more than anything else  the long, grueling hours in the water, the extended scenes they shot, and more.

Then, the interviewer brought up the whole post-baby body thing, noting that if anyone wants to know how she landed her beautiful post-baby figure, it was because she did all that endurance training to shoot this movie. (The guy had also just referred to her as Mrs. Ryan Reynolds. Dude, come on!)

There's only one thing more terrifying than this... A photo posted by Blake Lively (@blakelively) on Jun 9, 2016 at 12:39pm PDT

Fortunately, Blake didnt hesitate to shoot back with a truth bomb:

Its so unfair, though  Its so celebrated, This is what someone can look like after a baby! And I think a womans body after having a baby is pretty amazing.

She said theres no need to worry about getting yourself catwalk model-ready right afterwards. After all, you just accomplished one of the most amazing things in the world!

Youve just [performed one of the most incredible miracles] life has to offer. You gave birth to a human being. I would really like to see that celebrated.

We would, too, Blake! Also, how about we stop focusing so much on her body and turn our attention to how smashingly well her movie is doing at the moment? The Shallows got a 77-percent certified rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the movie was said to feature a powerful performance by Blake Lively. It may look like your typical, silly shark movie, but critics are saying its so much more than that.

Story continues

...I clearly don't deserve this special treatment. A photo posted by Blake Lively (@blakelively) on Jul 15, 2016 at 4:29pm PDT

Besides, look at Blakes love for life in general. Shes clearly a successful, wildly happy, hard-working woman who happens to be a mother and a wife. Lets listen to her advice and celebrate womens bodies exactly the way they are  post-baby or not.

The post Blake Lively believes societys fascination with post-baby bodies is so unfair appeared first on HelloGiggles.
GettyImages 136533689

With less than 100 days until the general election, conservative commentator Joe Scarborough on Tuesday night implored the Republican Party to fully disavow and remove Donald Trump from the party's ticket, pointing to a series of reverberating mistakes the New York businessman has made since accepting the presidential nomination as evidence the GOP "must dump" him.

"A bloody line has been crossed that cannot be ignored," Scarborough wrote in The Washington Post. "At long last, Donald Trump has left the Republican Party few options but to act decisively and get this political train wreck off the tracks before something terrible happens."

The "Morning Joe" anchor has appeared increasingly unnerved by Trump's refusal to tone down his occasionally authoritarian rhetoric. But Trump's suggestion Tuesday night that gun-rights advocates might try to stop Hillary Clinton from appointing Supreme Court justices was the tipping point.

"At this point, what else could Trump do that would be worse than implying the positive impact of a political assassination?" he asked.

Scarborough acknowledged that the GOP was in "uncharted waters" but said "that does not mean the way forward is not clear." He said it was time for the GOP to "start examining quickly their options for removing the Republican nominee."

During his Wednesday-morning broadcast, Scarborough continued to make his argument, again saying the real-estate magnate crossed the line into endorsing pseudo-fascist ideologies by leaving open the possibility of violence against Clinton. (Trump later said he was referring to political, not violent, action.)

"He crossed a lot of Rubicons yesterday," Scarborough said.

Scarborough and Trump's relationship wasn't always so fraught.

Earlier this year, the MSNBC host was accused of going too easy on Trump during interviews, calling pundits who failed to recognize Trump's success "jackasses."

Story continues

But Trump soured on Scarborough months ago as the MSNBC host became increasingly critical of the Republican presidential nominee, particularly over about his skepticism of the ability of a Mexican-American judge to properly oversee a lawsuit against him.

Nobody is watching @Morning_Joe anymore. Gone off the deep end - bad ratings. You won't believe what I am watching now!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 8, 2016

NOW WATCH: OBAMA: Heres the best advice George W. Bush gave me





More From Business Insider


Animals are known to have a therapeutic effect on those who interact with them. Because of this, one local non-profit program is looking to help people in Houston County gain these benefits. Shelley Ellingson created Windy Ridge Ranch Therapeutic Riding Center to make that easier for people in the area.

When I learned about Houston County residents traveling all the way to La Crosse, I wanted to make it easier for them to go, said Ellingson, who has volunteered with Horsesense For Special Riders, which is a program designed to get local residents with special needs to interact with horses.

Right now, the program relies on volunteers and the help of mentors. In order to be a PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) certified instructor, one has to pass tests, the horses have to pass standards, and they have to have 25 hours under a certified instructor. The facility needs to be approved, as well.

Windy Ridge is working toward this as a starting center in its second year and currently hosts mentors from Thunder Rode Therapeutic Riding in Decorah, Iowa, so they can help clients. Michelle McClain-Kruse is one of the mentors and she feels its great that the center is working toward its certification.

As well as the physical benefits, theres positive social interaction for the clients, McClain-Kruse said.

In the future, Ellingson hopes to increase the number of sessions for clients and have more volunteers, and also work toward certification for her and other teachers. By next year, Ellingson hopes she and her sister, Kerrie Hauser, will be certified instructors.

The ranch owns seven horses in total, with three of them in the program and two more training to be certified therapeutic animals. The program currently has 12 volunteers and is looking for more.

They are partnered with programs such as Houston County Human Services, a care provider for people with developmental disabilities and related brain injuries in Houston County called ABLE, and are a part of the La Crescent Area Healthy Community Partnership.

Clients get to learn how to groom a horse, along with basic riding skills, steering, voice commands and more, but the real benefit comes from the horses themselves.

The clients are increasing their confidence and this carries over into their house and work lives, Ellingson said. They get to interact with volunteers and each other and bond with the horses to gain physical and psychological benefits, as well.

The ranch has received grants from two organizations. United Way has given the group grants to help purchase materials and equipment for riders and the Minnesota Horse Council awarded one to work toward their instructor certification and to attend a workshop.

Houston County resident Nancy Nimmos daughter, Sarah Wiste, is in the program, and shes happy with the results of Sarahs participation thus far.

It really opens the kids up. They feel more comfortable and confident, Nimmo said. Its a wonderful program.
New York (AFP) - An 82-year-old former New England mafia boss, Frank "Cadillac" Salemme, was arrested and charged Wednesday with murdering a witness more than 20 years ago, US prosecutors said.

Salemme was arrested in Connecticut and was due to appear before a federal court in Boston later Wednesday.

Prosecutors said he was the "boss" of the New England La Cosa Nostra in the early 1990s until he was indicted with racketeering in 1995 and convicted in 1999.

He was convicted again in 2008 of lying to federal authorities about the 1993 murder of a Boston nightclub owner.

The Boston Globe said Salemme entered a witness protection program while cooperating in the prosecution of James "Whitey" Bulger, the notorious underworld Boston kingpin jailed for life in 2013.

Salemme's arrest comes a week after the FBI rounded up more than 40 East Coast reputed mobsters, spotlighting an Italian mafia purportedly alive and kicking in 21st century America.

The defendants were accused of orchestrating a vast criminal enterprise that stretched from Massachusetts to Florida, engaging in extortion, arson, fraud, illegal gambling, firearms trafficking and assault.
By Geert De Clercq PARIS (Reuters) - French firms Bouygues and Vallourec denied that members of their boards who are also on the board of EDF had a conflict of interest when they voted in favour of the French utility's Hinkley Point nuclear project in Britain. EDF's board narrowly approved the controversial 18 billion pound project in a 10-7 vote on July 28. EDF unions argue the project should be delayed because of its financial risk and said on Monday that conflicts of interest in EDF's board might have impacted the vote. They say three EDF board members are also on the boards of other firms that are EDF customers, which could benefit from Hinkley Point, and should therefore have abstained. Hours after the EDF board's decision, the British government announced a surprise decision to review the project, delaying its verdict until early autumn. EDF board member Colette Lewiner is also on the board of construction firm Bouygues, set to be one of the main contractors for Hinkley Point. "There was no conflict of interest with regard to Mme. Lewiner," a Bouygues spokesman said on Wednesday. He said Lewiner is an independent Bouygues board member with whom management cannot interfere. He added that Bouygues decisions about Hinkley Point are not taken at board level. Lewiner did not return a request for comment. In October 2013, a joint venture of Bouygues unit Bouygues Travaux Publics (TP) and British firm Laing O'Rourke said it had been confirmed as preferred delivery partner for the main Hinkley Point civil engineering and construction contract, valued at over 2 billion pounds. EDF board member Philippe Crouzet is also chairman of the board of Vallourec , whose Valinox unit makes tubes for nuclear power plants. A spokeswoman confirmed Vallourec sells steel tubes for steam generators to Areva , which will deliver the two Hinkley Point reactors. She would not reveal sales data for individual clients nor comment on Crouzet's Hinkley Point vote. She added that Vallourec's nuclear activities represent only about three percent of the group's worldwide turnover. "It is definitely not core business," she said. Vallourec says on its website it has been a partner of France's nuclear industry from the outset and will play a key role in renovating the country's nuclear power plants. Finally, EDF board member Christian Masset, secretary general of the French foreign affairs ministry, is also on Areva's board. Masset did not respond to a request for comment. Earlier this year, Areva board chairman Philippe Varin stepped down from his EDF board mandate after unions and the French press raised questions about a possible conflict of interest between the two positions. (Reporting by Geert De Clercq; Editing by Adrian Croft)
Brasilia (AFP) - Brazil's Senate voted Tuesday to open an impeachment trial against suspended president Dilma Rousseff, making her almost certain to be sacked for good.

The scandal is expected to end 13 years of leftist rule in Latin America's biggest economy, rocked by economic and political instability as it hosts the Olympic Games.

Here's how we got to this point:

- 2014 reelection -

On October 26, 2014, Rousseff was narrowly reelected Brazil's president, continuing the leftist policies of her more popular predecessor and mentor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

She is later accused of fiddling government accounts at the time to mask fiscal problems. Rousseff denies the allegation, saying previous administrations did the same.

- 2015 recession -

In June 2015, Brazil tipped into its worst recession in at least a quarter of a century. The economy shrank 3.8 percent, and is projected to contract this year by a similar amount.

Rousseff's popularity tumbled. On December 2, 2015, Congress launched the impeachment process. A week later, the Supreme Court halted the push over procedural irregularities.

- 2016: The ire of March -

On March 4, Lula was briefly detained by prosecutors probing a corruption scandal involving state oil company Petrobras. Rousseff was chairwoman of Petrobras from 2003 to 2010, but has not so far been directly implicated in the scandal.

Lawmakers later relaunched impeachment proceedings after the procedural obstacles were resolved. Rousseff's main coalition partner, the centrist PMDB, quit the government, triggering an exodus by four other parties.

- Impeachment vote -

On April 17, Brazilian lawmakers voted to authorize impeachment proceedings against Rousseff. On May 12, the Senate voted to suspend her from office to face an impeachment trial.

Her vice president and rival Michel Temer names a pro-business government. Several members later resign after being named in the Petrobras affair.

- Trial approved -

On August 9, as Brazil hosts the Olympic Games, the Senate votes to formally open an impeachment trial. It is set to open around August 25 with a judgment vote five days later.

If two-thirds of the senators vote against her, she will be out. Various analysts say that is a certainty.
By Anthony Boadle BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's Senate voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to indict President Dilma Rousseff on charges of breaking budget laws and to begin an impeachment trial that is expected to oust her from office and end 13 years of rule by the Workers Party. With the eyes of the world on the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, senators in the capital Brasilia voted 59-21 against the suspended leftist leader in a raucous, 16-hour session that began on Tuesday. Her opponents mustered five votes more than they will need to convict Rousseff at the end of the month, allowing interim President Michel Temer to serve the rest of her term through 2018. The result showed Rousseff had even less support in the Senate since the 55-22 vote to suspend her on May 12. She is charged with manipulating government accounts and spending without congressional approval, which her opponents say helped her win re-election in 2014. Wednesday's vote will strengthen Temer's hand as he tries to plug Brazil's fiscal crisis. Critics have blamed Rousseff for an economic recession that could be the country's worst since the 1930s. Temer, Rousseff's conservative former vice president, has urged senators to wrap up the trial quickly so he can move ahead with a plan to cap public spending and enact pension reforms in hopes of restoring investor confidence in government finances. Spokesman Marcio de Freitas said Temer is confident Rousseff's impeachment is irreversible and Wednesday's vote will give him more muscle to negotiate with Congress the reforms he believes are needed. Temer also hopes to be confirmed as president in time to attend the summit of the G20 group of leading world economies in China on Sept. 4, Freitas told Reuters. The move to replace Rousseff with the more business-friendly Temer has bolstered Brazil's currency against the dollar and boosted shares on the Sao Paulo stock market more than 30 percent since January, placing them among the world's best performing assets. The real strengthened to 3.13 reais to the dollar on Wednesday. It had weakened as low as 4.16 in January. Rousseff has denied wrongdoing and denounced her impeachment as a right-wing conspiracy that used an accounting technicality to illegally remove a government that improved the lot of Brazil's poor. "The cards are marked in this game. There is no trial, just a sentence that has already been written," Workers Party Senator Jorge Viana said in a speech to the chamber. The impeachment, he said, was driven by elite opponents of social welfare gains. Rousseff's critics say her interventionist economic policies and inability to govern led to the debacle in Latin America's largest country, and she should not be allowed to return. Her supporters argue that she is being ousted by politicians who are in many cases being investigated for receiving kickbacks in the graft scandal at state-led oil company Petrobras. Corruption allegations forced the resignation of three of Temer's cabinet members. In plea bargaining testimony published by local media over the weekend, jailed construction magnate Marcelo Odebrecht reportedly claimed Temer had received illegal campaign funding. The advance of the anti-Rousseff votes in the Senate would indicate that the corruption allegations have not hurt Temer's standing as the man to lead Brazil out of its present turmoil. (Additional reporting by Carolina Marcello, Lisandra Laraguassu and Bruno Federowski; Editing by Louise Ireland and David Gregorio)
SAO PAULO, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Oi SA has scheduled a Sept. 8 shareholders' meeting to vote on proposals by minority investor Societe Mondiale, the bankrupt Brazilian phone carrier said in a securities filing late on Tuesday.

The shareholders will vote on Societe Mondiale's proposal to replace six of the nine members of Oi's board, including five appointed by majority owner Pharol SGPS SA, formerly called Portugal Telecom.

Societe Mondiale, a fund controlled by Brazilian investor Nelson Tanure, is also proposing to annul the March 2015 shareholders meeting, which gave final approval to the merger between Oi and Portugal Telecom.

The investor also wants the company to seek damage claims against former managers and Banco Santander Brasil SA , which advised Oi on the merger.

Oi filed for bankruptcy protection in June.

(Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

The Mid-Century Modern home built for actor Brendan Fraser is back on the market, and you dont have to be an airhead to fall head over heels for the place. The star sold the spectacular home for $3 million in 2007, but its back on the market nearly a decade later with a significant price increase.

Now listed for just under $4.4 million in Beverly Hills, this 3,948-square-foot, four-bedroom home is an architectural gem inside and out. With a glass gate and modular design, the home has a distinct midcentury feel.

Stepping inside, each room makes perfect use of the gorgeous hilltop views. The shotgun-style kitchen is bright and airy with wraparound ceiling-level windows and features plenty of updates, including stainless-steel countertops and professional-grade appliances.

Unlike the dark dens we see in many homes, this den is hardly fit for a caveman. Jutting out from the rest of the property, the room has wall-to-wall, two-story windows.

The master suite has a simple contemporary design with a fireplace and built-ins.

Other amenities include a wine cellar, media room, gym, and dark room, where were hoping Fraser developed a lot of his gorgeous photos.

Fraser appeared in the History Channel miniseries Texas Rising last year and is currently filming a crime drama titled The Field.

Curb appeal realtor.com

Room with a view realtor.com

Cozy master suite realtor.com

The post Brendan Frasers Former Mid-Century Modern Home Back on the Market for $4.4M appeared first on Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com.





Related Articles
ray dalio

An employee of Bridgewater Associates who filed a sexual-harassment complaint against his supervisor has withdrawn the claim and started a new job at private-equity firm KKR.

With about $150 billion under management, Westport, Connecticut-based Bridgewater is the world's largest hedge fund.

Chris Tarui filed a complaint earlier this year with a Connecticut agency, alleging the harassment and describing Bridgewater as a "cauldron of fear and intimidation" that kept him silent.

Tarui, who raised money for the hedge fund, withdrew his claim earlier this week and did not receive any financial compensation from the firm, a Bridgewater spokesman said.

Bridgewater also agreed to withdraw Tarui's employment restrictions, the spokesman added. Typically, Bridgewater employees are bound to noncompete agreements. The supervisor who is alleged to have harassed Tarui is still employed at the hedge fund.

After the The New York Times last month reported on the complaint, Bridgewater founder Ray Dalio called the Times' story a "distortion of reality."

Still, the case has drawn scrutiny to Bridgewater's unique culture, which Dalio describes as radical transparency. At the fund, employee conversations can be recorded and viewed by other employees.



Like many companies, Bridgewater requires workers to agree to settle claims in private arbitration, keeping matters out of public view. The public agency filing in Connecticut, however, revealed the details of the allegations.

Reached by telephone, Tarui declined to comment. His LinkedIn page says that he started as a director at private-equity firm KKR this month. A KKR spokeswoman confirmed the move.

NOW WATCH: This indie rocker just took down a publicist whom she accused of sexual harassment





More From Business Insider


The discussion continues on the proposed frac sand ban in Winona County.

The Winona County Planning Commission continued a string of public meetings Monday night on a proposal that would ban sand mining for use in fracking, with conversation touching on health, land use, legal issues and jobs, with points for and against.

Most of the information, and several of the speakers, have been repeated over the past several public hearings. Monday, the commission heard from 10 speakers, including Winona County employees, and will continue its hearings Thursday evening before being expected to make a decision Aug. 15.

Speakers ranged from industry advocates for mining and farming, doctors, lawyers and environmental advocates, with their comments breaking predictably. For instance, Peder Larson, an attorney speaking on behalf of the Minnesota Industrial Sand Council, claimed that the county would be opening itself up to litigation and would be in a weaker position than the county attorneys office and ban advocates claim.

Larson said the county would be interfering with interstate commerce by restricting the sale of silica sand and had no rational basis for the ban given that there are alternatives through regulating individual sites.

We ask you to regulate the industry based on good science and according to the law, Larson said.

Conversely, Ed Walsh, a lawyer and Winona County landowner who is involved with the Land Stewardship Project and has advocated for the ban, said that the county would be in fine shape.

This county undeniably has the authority to prohibit industrial sand mining, Walsh said. He also derided the constant threats of litigation as disingenuous ways of preventing progress.

The discussion oscillated similarly on topics of the health matters, with advocates of a ban saying particulates are proved to be harmful and opponents of the ban saying there is no proof.

The most concrete information at the meeting regarded the commissions obligation to providing a recommendation to the Winona County Board of Commissioners.

Previously, there had been discussion of whether the commission could simply decide not to deliver a decision on frac sand mining.

Assistant Winona County attorney Stephanie Nuttall said the commission could only recommend to approve, disapprove or modify the ordinance.

Failing to make a recommendation is not an option for the planning commission, Nuttall said.

The county attorneys office also cleared up that the planning commission, at some level, would have to make the best decision they could based on the information theyve been collecting.

In response to questions about a likelihood of the county defending a ban against litigation, Winona County attorney Karin Sonneman said the commission and the county board were both responsible for establishing the record to defend the ban in court.

After that, its in the courts hands.

There is no set formula, there is no set answer, Sonneman said. Every case has to be examined on its own facts.

Other testimonies heard included Glen Groth, Winona County Farm Bureau president, and Tony Tomashek, vice president of Mathy Construction Co.

Groth maintained that frac sand would have no adverse effect on farming operations, while Tomashek said a ban worries people involved in other mining operations.

Were not in favor of a ban on any industry; it sets a bad precedent, Tomashek said.

Opponents of frac sand mining have been advocating for the ban for several months through a variety of methods, including speaking regularly at county board meetings. In response, the county kicked off the process April 26, when the board instructed planning staff and the county attorney to develop language for a ban on silica sand mining related to its use in fracking operations elsewhere in the county.

The amendment draws from several examples. It also clarifies the distinctions between restrictions on different types of mineral excavation, extraction and land alteration by defining some as commercial minerals compared to industrial minerals.

The amendment would establish a ban, as opposed to just regulating the mining through conditional-use permits issued by the county.
Buenos Aires (AFP) - Britain's new Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday called on Argentina to discuss running more flights to the disputed Falkand Islands and lifting restrictions on oil exploration in the area.

It was May's first public overture to Argentina over the fiercely contested islands in the South Atlantic since she took over as prime minister last month.

She wrote to Argentina's President Mauricio Macri in a letter published by Argentine media. He has sought to strengthen his country's ties with Britain and other foreign powers since he took office in December.

"It is my sincere hope that, where we have differences, these can be acknowledged in an atmosphere of mutual respect and with the intention to act in a way that benefits all those concerned," May wrote.

"This includes making progress towards new air links between the Falkland Islands and third countries in the region, and the removal of restrictive hydrocarbons measures."

Currently, the only direct commercial flights connecting the islands to the outside world go via Chile with the South American airline LAN. Most of those flights are forbidden to enter Argentine airspace due to the Falklands dispute.

Under the previous 12 years of leftist government, Argentina restricted hydrocarbon exploration in the zone.

Argentine Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra said Macri has also written to May.

"We've begun discussing the possibility of establishing new flights. We've been exploring ways to do it. It still is not settled," she said in a statement.

"The United Kingdom has expressed interest in looking at the issue of the hydrocarbon law. Our legal departments are studying the matter," added Malcorra, who is a candidate for UN secretary general.

Argentina argues that it inherited the windswept islands from Spain when it gained independence in the 19th century.

But Britain says it has historically ruled them and that the islanders should have the right to self-determination.

Story continues

Britain and Argentina fought a war in 1982 after Argentine forces occupied the islands.

The conflict killed 649 Argentine soldiers, 255 British soldiers and three islanders.

Macri has maintained Argentina's claim to the islands but has softened the tone from the combative approach of his predecessor and political rival, Cristina Kirchner.

He said in July during a visit to Brussels that "our claim will never change," but hoped for dialogue with Britain on the issue.
LONDON (Reuters) - Dutch-owned Abellio East Anglia has been awarded a renewed contract to run rail services in eastern England in one of the first such decisions made by Britain's new government. The deal included a 1 billion pound contract for Bombardier to supply new trains from its UK base, and would cut journey times on routes between London and the eastern English cities of Cambridge and Norwich, the UK's Department For Transport said on Wednesday. Theresa May became Britain's prime minister last month after Britain voted to leave the European Union in June. The new government has delayed some infrastructure decisions, such as Hinkley Point C, a plan to build the country's first new nuclear plant in decades. The award of the East Anglia rail franchise had originally been expected in June. Current operator Abellio East Anglia, owned by Dutch rail firm NS, will run rail services until 2025 after the government picked its bid over those of rival shortlisted British transport operators FirstGroup and National Express. The agreement includes a contract for Canadian train and plane maker Bombardier to build 660 new carriages at its Derby, central England factory, to expand capacity on the routes. Transport Minister Chris Grayling said the contract award would ensure work for Britain's rail industry. "This is part of our plan to make an economy that works for everyone -- not just the privileged few -- by ensuring prosperity is spread throughout the country," he said. Train services in some parts of Britain, which privatised its rail services in the 1990s, are being hit by a five-day strike this week. Southern, which runs trains from destinations such as Brighton and Gatwick Airport and is operated by Govia Thameslink Railway, part-owned by Go Ahead, has said only 60 percent of its services would operate during the week-long stoppage. (Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Keith Weir)
(Adds background)

LONDON, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Dutch-owned Abellio East Anglia has been awarded a renewed contract to run rail services in eastern England in one of the first such decisions made by Britain's new government.

The deal included a 1 billion pound ($1.3 billion) contract for Bombardier to supply new trains from its UK base, and would cut journey times on routes between London and the eastern English cities of Cambridge and Norwich, the UK's Department For Transport said on Wednesday.

Theresa May became Britain's prime minister last month after Britain voted to leave the European Union in June. The new government has delayed some infrastructure decisions, such as Hinkley Point C, a plan to build the country's first new nuclear plant in decades.

The award of the East Anglia rail franchise had originally been expected in June.

Current operator Abellio East Anglia, owned by Dutch rail firm NS, will run rail services until 2025 after the government picked its bid over those of rival shortlisted British transport operators FirstGroup and National Express.

The agreement includes a contract for Canadian train and plane maker Bombardier to build 660 new carriages at its Derby, central England factory, to expand capacity on the routes.

Transport Minister Chris Grayling said the contract award would ensure work for Britain's rail industry.

"This is part of our plan to make an economy that works for everyone -- not just the privileged few -- by ensuring prosperity is spread throughout the country," he said.

Train services in some parts of Britain, which privatised its rail services in the 1990s, are being hit by a five-day strike this week.

Southern, which runs trains from destinations such as Brighton and Gatwick Airport and is operated by Govia Thameslink Railway, part-owned by Go Ahead, has said only 60 percent of its services would operate during the week-long stoppage.

($1 = 0.7660 pounds) (Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Keith Weir)
London (AFP) - British workers on the Eurostar cross-Channel rail service will strike for seven days this month, including over a public holiday weekend, in a dispute over hours, a union said Wednesday.

Fifty-five members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will begin the action this Friday, which the company said would see a maximum of four train services cancelled each day of the strike.

Approved in a vote by RMT members, the walk-out will run from August 12 to August 15, and for three days over the weekend of August 27, which includes a public holiday in Britain.

The union claims that Eurostar is refusing to uphold a 2008 agreement over managing shift work and unsociable hours, to provide staff with a better work-life balance.

"Our members are sick and tired of waiting for this," Assistant General Secretary Mick Lynch told BBC radio.

He said the walk-out would cause "fairly severe disruption", but added: "We don't want to be on strike, we don't want our members and the public inconvenienced this way.

"We're ready to make an agreement today or tomorrow or whenever the company wants to speak to us."

A Eurostar spokeswoman told AFP the strike would result in the cancellation of a "maximum of two return trains a day, so four services".

"We will of course be using more of our continental crew," she said, noting that the strike only affects British staff, and the company would bring in French and Belgian employees.

Eurostar said it had been "working to find a joint resolution" with the RMT but refused to be drawn on any imminent talks.

"On the days of the strike we have made some small changes to our timetable to ensure that all passengers booked to travel will be able to on those days. Passengers affected will be notified in advance," a Eurostar statement said.

Separately, the RMT on Wednesday called off the rest of a five-day strike that began Monday on trains in southeast England, including London commuter services, over plans to downgrade the role of train conductors.

It said rail operator Southern had agreed to fresh talks.
Sofia (AFP) - The brother-in-law of one of the Islamic extremists behind the January 2015 attack on French magazine Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday agreed to his extradition from Bulgaria but denied being a "terrorist".

"I want an immediate extradition to France," Mourad Hamyd, 20, told an extradition hearing in Sofia, calling his arrest an "injustice... I have been declared a terrorist on the basis of suspicions".

Hamyd was arrested last month in Turkey while allegedly trying to enter Syria to join jihadists. He was handed over to Bulgarian authorities on July 28 and France issued a European arrest warrant.

The warrant, seen by AFP, said that Hamyd, brother-in-law of Cherif Kouachi, was wanted for "conspiracy for preparation of acts of terrorism".

Jihadist brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi gunned down eight Charlie staff as well as several others in and around the building in the assault, which began three days of terror in Paris.

The warrant however makes no mention of Hamyd being suspected of having had any involvement in the attack.

He was questioned and freed shortly after that attack after being wrongly identified on social media as being one of the three killers.

The warrant says that Hamyd lived with his family in the northern French town of Charleville-Mezieres. In late July, his sister Khadija alerted the French authorities about his "disquieting disappearance".

He was tracked down to have taken a train through Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria -- a route that French prosecutors said "corresponds to the one traditionally taken by jihadist fighters wanting to join the Islamic State in Syria or Iraq".

A search of his computer also found "numerous and recent visits to sites with jihadist content".

The bespectacled Hamyd has three days to change his mind on the extradition. Otherwise the court will issue the extradition order on Tuesday and he will be handed over within seven days.
(Adds details, BSI outflows throughout)

By Guillermo Parra-Bernal

SAO PAULO, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Grupo BTG Pactual SA on Tuesday missed second-quarter profit estimates for the first time in almost two years, as downsizing efforts by Latin America's largest independent investment bank curbed trading and money management income.

Net income totaled about 940 million reais ($299 million) in the second quarter, below an analysts' consensus estimate of 1.1 billion reais. Profit dropped 12 percent from the prior three months, falling below the 1 billion-real threshold for net income for the first time in five quarters.

Income from wealth management activities sank as Sao Paulo-based BTG Pactual sold control of Swiss subsidiary BSI SA and trading suffered with the spin-off of a commodities platform to ease capital needs. The downsizing also drove expenses down, yet at half the pace of revenue, which also suffered from weak asset management activity.

Return on equity (ROE) slumped to 16.1 percent in the quarter, the lowest in three years and below a 18.1 percent estimate.

Founder Andre Esteves, who steered the bank through an aggressive global expansion until his arrest in November in a corruption probe, had set a long-term goal for ROE of 20 percent. Esteves has denied allegations of his involvement.

The results suggest that BTG Pactual's decision to shed assets and dismantle risky but very profitable trading positions in the wake of Esteves' arrest may hamper the bank's ability to generate a more stable stream of revenue in coming quarters.

Esteves' arrest forced his partners to dispose of assets in the wake of massive client fund withdrawals. He returned to BTG Pactual in a senior advisory role in April, after a Brazilian judge freed him from months of house arrest.

"We went through a very stressful situation, although we were up to the task," Chairman Persio Arida said in a statement with the results. Once the BSI and commodities unit deals are finalized, BTG Pactual will see net equity reduced by about $1 billion, the statement said.

Story continues

BSI OUTFLOWS

Revenue totaled 2.595 billion reais last quarter, missing an estimate of 2.889 billion reais. Income from sales and trading dropped a bigger-than-expected 41 percent last quarter, while gains from wealth management activities plummeted 54 percent, more than expectations of a 47 percent decline.

However, corporate lending, as well as interest and other revenue lines, rose above expectations in the second quarter, despite a 15 percent reduction in BTG Pactual's loan book from the prior three months.

Assets fell 20 percent to 203.4 billion reais at the end of June, while potential loan losses remained at bay as BTG Pactual kept a coverage ratio of 192 percent last quarter.

Proprietary investments lost money for the fourth straight quarter. However, BTG Pactual's sharp balance sheet downsizing since November helped cut costly fund-raising and debt-servicing expenses.

BTG Pactual also said that BSI, now being bought by Switzerland's EFG International AG, saw net second-quarter new money outflows of 6.3 billion Swiss francs ($6.4 billion) amid sanctions over business ties to a scandal-hit Malaysian government fund.

Management led by co-CEO Marcelo Kalim will discuss the BTG Pactual results on a conference call early on Wednesday.

($1 = 3.1455 Brazilian reais) (Additional reporting by Joshuia Franklin in ZURICH; Editing by Sandra Maler and Richard Chang)
We have some bummer news for Ghostbusters fans (*cries*)

We have some bummer news for Ghostbusters fans (*cries*)

Were certainly in the middle of the lady-reboot renaissance, but it looks like we might have to pump the breaks a little bit: As of right now, there probably wont be a Ghostbusters sequel. If only we all had a Kevin nearby, so we could cry into his arms.

It unfortunately all comes down to numbers, and the Paul Feig Ghostbusters reboot isnt raking in the dough right now. While the movie got decent reviews, and people have certainly gone to see it, not enough people have made their way to the movies (also, Ghostbusters wont be released in China, the second biggest movie market in the WORLD, because of the subject material and the ~ghosts~).

According to BoxOfficeMojo, in the weeks since its release, Ghostbusters has made $180 million. It had a budget of almost $150 million, and would need to make at least $300 million to break even. It also sounds like it needs to make at least $300 million to warrant a sequel. The Hollywood Reporter suggests that, where the movie stands now, its expected to lose upwards of $70 million for Sony, the studio behind the project.

For those not great with the math and big numbers, just know that none of this adds up to being a good thing.

Still, the idea of a sequel isnt completely off the table. Also, the idea of a Ghostbusters ~universe~ is now being discussed, involving animated spin-off movies, video games, toys, and a bunch of other things to hype up the movie. Its possible that these ventures could make up some of the lost Ghostbusters money, and put a live-action sequel back on track.

And we desperately want that sequel! This Ghostbusters reboot clearly paved the way for more movies, from the fact that the ladies finally moved into the firehouse, to that very end post-credits tag. We want these hilarious ladies back, and bustin more ghostsand if it means we have to go see the movie 30 more times, thats just what were going to have to do.

The post We have some bummer news for Ghostbusters fans (*cries*) appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Two people were injured when a pickup truck crossed the centerline and struck a semi on Highway 27 in the town of Manchester last week.

William J. Meyers, 55, of Bangor, was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado northbound just after midnight Aug. 2 when the vehicle crossed into the southbound lane and struck a semi operated by Ernest R. Stiles, 54, of Orion, Ill., according to the Jackson County Sheriffs Department accident report.

Meyers sustained incapacitating injuries and was transported to a hospital and later airlifted to another facility, although his current condition isnt known. Stiles suffered non-incapacitating injuries and also was medically transported from the scene, according to the report.

The reason for the crash wasnt provided in the report, although it notes Meyers was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He was cited for operating left of center.

Highway 27 was shut down for cleanup of the semis materials and also shut down again for safety during removal of the unit.

The Jackson County Highway Department, Wisconsin State Patrol and Black River Falls Fire and EMS assisted the sheriffs department at the scene.
Los Angeles (AFP) - A massive wildfire has destroyed scores of buildings and threatens to raze several vineyards in California, where a prolonged drought has left vegetation tinder-dry, officials warned Tuesday.

The Soberanes fire, in the coastal Big Sur tourism hotspot, has incinerated 105 square miles (270 square kilometers) of the Los Padres National Forest since it started more than two weeks ago.

Some 5,000 firefighters are battling the blaze, which is just 50 percent contained, Rigoberto Herrera of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) told AFP.

The mountainous terrain in northern California has made the job particularly difficult, and the flames have destroyed 57 buildings with another 410 under threat, causing hundreds of homeowners to evacuate.

A bulldozer driver died battling the flames, said CalFire, while four vineyards under threat, according to Kim Stemler of the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association.

Investigations into the cause of the blaze are under way, although a camp fire is suspected of being the source.

Further south, the Pilot fire in San Bernardino county has doubled in size in just 24 hours to 11 square miles, while blazes in Colorado's Routt national forest and Boise, Idaho have consumed more than 150 square miles between them.

Robyn Broyles, of the National Interagency Fire Center, said the rest of the country was faring rather better than in previous years, however.

"Last year at the same time we'd already had 37,693 fires, compared with 35,646 this year, and in terms of area burned, it's half," she told AFP.

The statistics are skewed however by giant fires that were left to burn last year in vast, sparsely populated parts of Alaska.
By Alex Dobuzinskis

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department acknowledged on Tuesday its deputies were mistaken in last month's shooting death of an unarmed black man they encountered lying motionless on the ground and erroneously assumed was a carjacking suspect.

Relatives of the 27-year-old victim, Donnell Thompson Jr., whom they described as suffering from a learning disability, plan to bring a civil rights lawsuit against the county over the July 28 predawn incident, said their attorney, Brian Dunn.

The deputy who fired the fatal shots has been placed on leave, but an investigation into whether the shooting was justified under the circumstances is ongoing, the sheriff's department said in a statement.

The incident caps a growing series of high-profile deaths of unarmed black individuals by police in cities across the country that have reignited a debate over the use of lethal force by police officers and the role of racial bias in the U.S. criminal justice system.

Thompson was shot to death in Compton, a working-class town bordering the city of Los Angeles, as sheriff's deputies were searching for a carjacking suspect who had opened fire on officers.

Deputies discovered Thompson inexplicably lying in the front yard of a home, but he was unresponsive when they sought to gain his attention, according to the latest official account of the incident.

"We don't know why he was in the state he was in," sheriff's Captain Steve Katz said in a telephone interview.

The encounter grew confrontational when a deputy approached Thompson and spotted what was thought to be a weapon nearby, Katz said.

Believing Thompson to be the carjacking suspect, deputies closed in on him using armored vehicles, positioning one on either side of him, then lobbed a concussion grenade in his direction and fired a rubber baton at him.

At that point, Katz said, Thompson rose from the ground and charged toward one of the armored cars with his hand around his waistband, and a deputy in the turret of the vehicle shot him twice with a rifle, Katz said.

Story continues

Thompson was found to have been unarmed, and subsequent DNA and fingerprint testing showed no tie between him and the carjacking, the department said. The actual suspect was arrested a short time earlier.

But Dunn called the deputies' handling of their encounter with Thompson "a complete tactical blunder on every level."

"It quite possibly generated in his mind a belief that he was going to be harmed," he added.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; editing by Steve Gorman and G Crosse)
By Rod Nickel

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Canadian officials are in Beijing this week to try to convince China to back off a plan to toughen its standard for Canada's canola shipments, which has stalled C$2 billion ($1.53 billion) in trade, government and industry officials said on Wednesday.

China's quarantine authority AQSIQ told Ottawa in February that it would impose a stricter inspection standard for canola shipments starting April 1. It later postponed the move to Sept. 1. Canada is the world's biggest exporter of canola, used mainly to produce vegetable oil.

AQSIQ and other Chinese officials are meeting through Friday with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), as well as Canada's agriculture and trade departments, said Patti Miller, president of industry group Canola Council of Canada, which is also at the discussions.

"It's a pretty difficult time right now," Miller said in an interview from Beijing. "Both sides have been very open in expressing their desire to find a resolution, but there is a significant difference in opinion."

Canadian canola shipments for delivery in China after Sept. 1 have stopped, she said.

China has for years raised concerns about blackleg disease spreading from Canadian canola into Chinese crops of rapeseed, another name for the oilseed. Traders have suggested that China's real reason for a higher standard is that its domestic rapeseed oil stocks are high.

China's new standard would allow no more than 1 percent foreign material, such as straw, per shipment, compared with the current maximum of 2.5 percent. The tougher standard would raise cleaning costs and risk, exporters have said.

At stake for Canada is the potential loss of its biggest canola market for exporters including Richardson International, Viterra Inc and Cargill Ltd, just as farmers harvest a big crop.

For China, the dispute doesn't help its push for a free trade deal with Canada.

Guy Gallant, spokesman for Canadian Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay, said there are no plans for either MacAulay or Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland to join the talks.

Story continues

"There's an expectation from all that we meet in the middle here," Gallant said from Ottawa.

Whether Canada would retaliate if China follows through is a "hypothetical question," Gallant said. Both countries are members of the World Trade Organization.

The Chinese Embassy in Ottawa, CFIA and a spokesperson for Freeland could not be immediately reached for comment.

($1 = 1.3053 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Rod Nickel in Winnipeg, Manitoba)
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 10, 2016 / Canarc Resource Corp. (TSX: CCM, OTC-BB: CRCUF, Frankfurt: CAN) is pleased to announce that it has retained Gordon Neal as Consultant, Corporate Development in order to assist the company with its corporate development, growth strategy and market presence.

Mr. Neal was previously the Vice President of Corporate Development for MAG Silver Corp for over 8 years and played a key role in Mag Silver's significant growth during that time. During his tenure, Mag Silver's share price grew from about 50 cents to over $16 per share. Gord has more than 25 years of experience in corporate development, capital markets, financing and marketing.

Prior to Mag Silver, he managed Neal McInerney Investor Relations, his clients included several major Canadian corporations and he was instrumental in facilitating more than $4 billion in debt and equity financings. His company grew to become the second largest full service Investor Relations firm in Canada with offices in Vancouver, Toronto and Los Angeles.

Mr. Catalin Chiloflischi, Canarc's CEO, stated:

"I am pleased to welcome Gord to our team as we prepare Canarc for a new phase of growth. His extensive experience and past success should complement our existing skill sets well. Canarc is now focused on acquiring gold-silver resource projects with expansion potential and gold-silver mining projects with production potential in the Americas. The Company is well funded with over $12 million cash and marketable securities as we embark on an ambitious new growth plan."

"Catalin Chiloflischi"

Catalin Chiloflischi, CEO

CANARC RESOURCE CORP.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Catalin Chiloflischi, CEO

Toll Free: 1-877-684-9700

Tel: (604) 685-9700

Fax: (604) 685-9744

Email: info@canarc.net

Website: www.canarc.net

About Canarc Resource Corp. - Canarc is a growth-oriented, gold exploration and mining company listed on the TSX (CCM) and the OTC-BB (CRCUF). The Company is currently focused on acquiring gold-silver resource projects with expansion potential and gold-silver mining projects with production potential in the Americas. Canarc is also working with a partner to advance its 1.1 million oz, high grade, underground, New Polaris gold mine project in British Columbia to the feasibility stage.

Story continues

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States private securities litigation reform act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking information that involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the merits of the mineral properties of Canarc, the future performance of Canarc, mineral resource estimates and the Company's plans and exploration programs for its mineral properties, including the timing of such plans and programs. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "has proven", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "potential", "appears", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "at least", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved".

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, risks related to the uncertainties inherent in the estimation of mineral resources; commodity prices; changes in general economic conditions; market sentiment; currency exchange rates; the Company's ability to continue as a going concern; the Company's ability to raise funds through equity financings; risks inherent in mineral exploration; risks related to operations in foreign countries; future prices of metals; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals; government regulation of mining operations; environmental risks; title disputes or claims; limitations on insurance coverage and the timing and possible outcome of litigation. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could affect the Company and may cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, do not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All statements are made as of the date of this news release and the Company is under no obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable securities laws.

Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that the Company's activities will be in accordance with the Company's public statements and stated goals; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; that all required approvals will be obtained and that there will be no significant disruptions affecting the Company or its properties.

SOURCE: Canarc Resource Corp.
Captain America has returned home to Brooklyn.

Marvel unveiled its 13-ft, bronze statue of the superhero in Prospect Park Wednesday in honor of Cap's 75th anniversary.

For those not familiar with the deep back story of Captain America, Steve Rogers is originally from New York City and the Brooklyn borough. In the Marvel Studios films, Captain America (Chris Evans) has made a number of references to his ties to the borough. "I'm just a kid from Brooklyn," he says in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger and there's an endearing moment in this summer's Captain America: Civil War in which he bonds with Spider-Man (Tom Holland) over both of them being kids from New York.

LIVE on #Periscope: Live from the #CaptainAmerica ceremony at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY! #Cap75 https://t.co/oSBOwwgAhc

- Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) August 10, 2016

But according to The New York Post, some Brooklyn residents aren't happy about the statue. One resident quoted by The Post argued that it was harming the "serenity, calmness and beauty of the park." The paper also reported that green activists complained that the park was supposed to be a "non-commercial" zone - taking issue with a corporation like Marvel having a presence there.

Those upset won't have to be worried for long. It will be moved in two weeks to the plaza outside Barclays Center. The statue will stay there till late September before migrating outside to a new Bed Bath & Beyond in Sunset Park at some point in late October.

Check out a stream of the ceremony above, and follow Heat Vision on Facebook and Twitter for all things Marvel.
By Tom Polansek CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. meat processor Cargill Inc [CARG.UL] has stopped using an important antibiotic for people to prevent disease in most of its turkeys, the company said on Tuesday, the latest food maker to drop the drug over concerns about the impact on human medicine. Cargill has not used the drug, gentamicin, to prevent disease in turkeys that supply its two biggest brands, Honeysuckle White and Shady Brook Farms, since Aug. 1, the company said. Gentamicin was the only antibiotic Cargill used to prevent disease in turkeys, and by eliminating it from the brands, 50 million birds will be affected. The company did not remove the drug from its smaller turkey brands because they are produced to meet customers' specifications, a spokesman said. A number of food companies and restaurants have stopped using or are looking to curtail their use of certain antibiotics in livestock due to concerns about rising numbers of life-threatening human infections from antibiotic resistant bacteria dubbed "superbugs." On Tuesday, Yum Brands Inc investors filed a shareholder proposal encouraging the company to quickly phase out harmful antibiotics from its meat supply. The request came after McDonald's Corp said last week that it had removed antibiotics important to human medicine from its chicken months ahead of schedule. Veterinary use of antibiotics is legal, but as the number of human infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria increases, consumer advocates and public health experts have campaigned to end their routine use in farm animals. Cargill "weighed the desires of our customers and consumers to ensure the long-term effectiveness of antibiotics for people and animals when deciding to curb gentamicin use, John Niemann, president of the company's turkey business, said in a statement. The company will continue to use antibiotics to treat sick turkeys and to stop the spread of diseases within flocks that include sick birds. Cargill rival Perdue Farms has said it is raising more than half its turkeys without any antibiotics. Perdue and Tyson Foods Inc, the biggest U.S. meat processor, stopped using gentamicin in chickens in 2014. Gentamicin is injected into baby birds shortly after they hatch or into their eggs before hatching to prevent disease and death. Removing it is "a really important step if you want to quit using routine antibiotics in turkey production," said Steve Roach, food safety program director for advocacy group Food Animal Concerns Trust. In March, Cargill said it was trimming antibiotics from its cattle supply. (Reporting by Tom Polansek; editing by Diane Craft)
The city of Black River Falls will explore whether to establish a municipal court to handle prosecution of ordinance violations.

The city council plans to form an exploratory committee to discuss the proposal, which City Attorney Lisa Hirschman said she supports during the councils Aug. 2 meeting. Creating a municipal court would allow the city to directly handle ordinance violation cases rather than in Jackson County Circuit Court.

I think it would be nice to have a municipal court here, she said. Having a municipal court here would definitely streamline that process.

Hirschman said the process for resolving contested ordinance violation tickets currently takes a longer period of time for her than it would if the city had its own court, and moving to the municipal court system also would help alleviate the caseload on the countys circuit court system, which for years has grappled with a backlog.

Jury trials, however, are not heard in municipal court, and defendants would still need to appeal to have a trial conducted in circuit court in a municipal case.

Hirschman noted there likely would be significant upstart costs for a court, which would require a municipal judge, who does not have to be an attorney, and also a court clerk for assistance with administration. Other municipalities may want to collaborate to form a joint court, she said.

I do believe, though, that, and this is purely a personal opinion, that if you opened a municipal court, I think its very likely surrounding municipalities would get on board and contract with us to have a joint municipal court, she said, and that would help with costs.

There are 237 municipal courts in Wisconsin, including those in Tomah, Sparta, Arcadia and the Coulee Region Joint Municipal Court in Onalaska, according to data from the Wisconsin Circuit Court System.

A municipal court in Black River Falls would not make money, but it would allow the city to keep a larger portion of fines and fees collected through tickets.

That would be an additional revenue stream, Hirschman said.

The city wouldnt be required to hold court in city hall and could utilize the offices of an attorney if one is selected for a municipal judge position.

Were kind of maxed out here, Mayor Jay Eddy said at last weeks meeting. Were kind of looking for additional storage as it is.

Eddy said the city will form and approve the exploratory committee at an upcoming council meeting. Hirschman plans to draft a letter to Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Anna Becker to solicit her opinion on the possibility of a BRF municipal court.
Billionaire investor Carl Icahn said spending is akin to a deep recession during an interview on the FOX Business Networks Risk & Reward.

Capital spending is really in a terrible shape, he said. If you really analyze it, in a country thats supposed to grow you just had a 4% decline in capital spending, which is unheard of unless you have a deep recession.

In a statement Icahn released Tuesday, the billionaire investor said:

A capitalistic system cannot exist if government is at war with business.

Despite noting the U.S. is an over-regulated nation, which he believes keeps companies from investing, Icahn did say he agrees with some legislation.

There is good regulation. You really have to make sure that factories are safe and all that. But, whats happened now is regulation has run amuck. And I dont think theyre bad people, the regulators.

At one point in June 2015, Trump floated the possibility of offering the Secretary of the Treasury position to Icahn, who declined. The activist investor reiterated his point, saying he wouldnt accept a cabinet position, but would offer help if the GOP nominee asked.

Ive never worked for anybody in my life, its too late in the day for me to start working for anybody, Icahn said. But thats not the issue, you dont need me to work there. You need me maybe to talk to Donald once in a while, give him some advice.

Related Articles
man with a plan cbs

CBS president Glenn Gellar admitted the network's all-white male class of fall stars doesn't reflect well on its diversity efforts.

Were very mindful at CBS about the importance of diversity and inclusion," he said after being criticized by reporters during the Television Critics Association press tour on Wednesday, according to TVLine.

"We need to do better and we know it, Geller also said. We are definitely less diverse this year than last year, and we need to do better.

The network has six new shows for the fall season, all led by eight white males: Michael Weatherly of "Bull," Joel McHale on "The Great Indoors," Kevin James on "Kevin Can Wait," George Eads in the titular role on "MacGyver," Matt LeBlanc on "Man With a Plan," and "Pure Genius" stars Dermot Mulroney and Augustus Prew.

It doesn't stand up well to the diverse leads on the other broadcast networks' new shows.

In the network's defense, Gellar pointed out that CBS's diversity efforts are reflected in its returning shows and with the supporting casts on their shows as a whole. As an example, he pointed out that 11 of the 16 series regulars added to fall shows reflect a diversity of race and gender. "NCIS," "NCIS: New Orleans," and "Criminal Minds," for example, have added Wilmer Valderrama, Duane Henry, Vanessa Ferlito, Adam Rodriguez, and Aisha Tyler as series regulars.

Beyond the fall, Gellar reminded the reporters that its midseason drama, "Training Day," starred co-lead Justin Cornwell.



"Those arent just words, that is real action," he said.

He also pointed out that aside from leads, the network has made great strides in hiring diverse directors and writers.

NOW WATCH: LES MOONVES: Here is the biggest misconception about TV right now





More From Business Insider


By Carl O'Donnell and Greg Roumeliotis

Aug 10 (Reuters) - Buyout firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice LLC is in advanced talks to acquire Drive DeVilbiss, one of the largest U.S. wheelchair manufacturers, for about $750 million, including the assumption of debt, according to people familiar with the matter.

A deal would represent CD&R's latest bet on the home care market, as longer life expectancy fuels demand for durable medical equipment such as wheelchairs, power scooters and other mobility and bariatric products.

CD&R has prevailed in an auction for privately held Drive DeVilbiss and could strike a deal in the coming days, the sources said on Wednesday. They cautioned that the negotiations could still fall apart at the last minute.

Drive DeVilbiss' top executives plan to join CD&R as minority investors in the deal, one of the sources said.

The sources requested anonymity because the negotiations are confidential. CD&R declined to comment, while a Drive DeVilbiss spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.

Based in Port Washington, New York, Drive DeVilbiss is one of the fastest-growing manufacturers and distributors of durable medical equipment, according to its website. It has distribution facilities around the world.

The company has completed more than half a dozen acquisitions since 2011. In 2015, Drive DeVilbiss, at the time dubbed Drive Medical, acquired DeVilbiss Healthcare, which focused on products that aid breathing and sleep.

Founded in 2000, Drive DeVilbiss is partly owned by private equity firm Ferrer, Freeman & Co LLC.

CD&R has earned about five times its invested capital in healthcare investments that include VWR International, which supplies products and services to medical laboratories; Envision Healthcare, which provides outsourced medical services; and PharMEDium, a sterile compounding services company.

CD&R's previous investments in the home care sector include AssuraMed, a supplier of disposable medical products to chronic-disease patients. It sold that company to Cardinal Health Inc in 2013 for $2.1 billion.

(Reporting by Carl O'Donnell and Greg Roumeliotis in New York)
Mark Weinberger

In a recent interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Mark Weinberger, the CEO of professional-services firm EY, shared a counterintuitive perspective on retaining talent at his company.

Simply put, he expects people to leave after a relatively short stint at EY and move on to another job  and it doesn't really faze him.

Here's Weinberger:

"I've changed our value proposition. In the old days it was: 'You come. You stay with us. You work with us. You get a pension.'

"Today we know our people are not likely to stay with us for their careers. They're going to have five, six, seven jobs throughout their careers."

Once employees leave, he said, "they're part of the extended EY family."

That means if they want to come back to EY, great; if not, that's okay, too.

Weinberger himself left EY and returned several times  once to start his own business and once to become Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Tax Policy.

Weinberger also told Businessweek that a whopping three-quarters of EY employees are millennials, which is part of the reason why he anticipates that they won't stay at EY for long.

Research behind Weinberger's observation is mixed. While some reports suggest millennials are the most inclined to job-hop out of any generation, others suggest that millennials are in fact less likely to switch jobs than other cohorts.

Meanwhile, one Bloomberg View columnist found that average job tenure stayed about the same  4.6 years  between 1963 and 2014.

Regardless of whether job-hopping is increasing, the ability to accept some amount of turnover may be a crucial leadership skill.

In his book "Superbosses," Dartmouth business professor Sydney Finkelstein writes that managers who spawn new generations of talent within their industry (so-called superbosses) know that they can't hold on to employees forever. Instead, they know when it's time to let go of someone stellar who's moving onto something else.

In fact, the way superbosses become successful themselves is by creating industry-wide networks of people who have worked for them so that they're always well-connected.

Story continues

That idea is something Weinberger seems to embrace. He told Businessweek:

"If you can keep [your employees], great. If you can't, then hopefully they're a great representative of you, an ambassador of you out in their new jobs."

NOW WATCH: 9 phrases on your resume that make hiring managers cringe





More From Business Insider


unspecified 3

If you've checked Instagram or Facebook at all in the last month, chances are you've seen at least one selfie that looks like it was painted by Vincent van Gogh or Pablo Picasso.

That's because of a free app called Prisma.

Thanks to its bold, impressionistic filters, Prisma has quickly become the hottest photography app of the summer. The Russian startup behind the app, Prisma Labs, says that it has seen 42 million downloads since June 11 and "prismed" 1.2 billion photos.

What people who've used Prisma probably don't realize is that the app is actually an experiment in artificial intelligence. When you add a filter to a photo in Prisma, you're training a system of neural networks that analyze the photo and recreate it to look like a work of art. All of this happens in a matter of seconds.

In a recent interview with Business Insider, Prisma Labs CEO Alexey Moiseenkov said he plans to use the same technology to edit much more than just photos.

"The vision is to help people share more on the internet with the help of AI," he said.

From Russia, with love

Alexey Prisma

Moiseenkov, a 25-year-old graduate of Russia's Polytechnic University, leads a team of nine people at Prisma Labs in Moscow.

He got the idea for Prisma after stumbling on an open-source AI system called DeepArt last year. German doctoral students had built an algorithm that could redraw an image based on the style and brush strokes of a famous painting.

Moiseenkov thought the same AI system behind DeepArt could be made into a mobile filter app, but there was one problem: The algorithm was too slow at redrawing photos. He knew the app had to be as fast as using Instagram's filters.

After a few months of work, he said his team was able to make DeepArt's AI "1,000 times faster."

Once Prisma was released in the App Store on June 11, the app quickly rose on the top chart in the photo and video category. It eventually cracked the App Store's top 10 overall downloads in mid-July before arriving in the Google Play Store on July 24.

Story continues

What's impressive about Prisma's early success is that its popularity is based entirely on word of mouth. The app is most popular in Russia, India, and the US, according to the research firm App Annie.

"We did nothing at all," Moiseenkov said. "It's totally organic growth."

The app's subtle "Prisma" watermark on photos (which can be removed in the app's settings) helped it gain traction early on. Several celebrities, including Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and "Guardians of the Galaxy" writer James Gunn, helped spread the word on Instagram.

A photo posted by   (@damedvedev) on Jun 23, 2016 at 11:16am PDT

Having a blast playing with the Prisma App, which takes the turning-photos-into-art app to a whole new place (not a paid ad, I just think it's cool). #prisma #prismapp #yondu A photo posted by James Gunn (@jamesgunn) on Jul 29, 2016 at 10:28am PDT on Jul 29, 2016 at 10:28am PDT

Moiseenkov attributes Prisma's viral nature to the fact that, at the end of the day, people want their photos to look interesting.

"Everybody in the world wants to create something a little bit better than average," he said. "And these filters and styles help people to improve their photos. It's deeply connected with my vision."

Monetization and the Facebook question

unspecified

Prisma isn't the first Eastern European filter app to go viral. Its story is similar to that of MSQRD, a Belarus startup that Facebook bought earlier this year for its Snapchat-like face masks earlier this year. Before that, Snapchat scooped up Ukrainian startup Looksery in 2015 to power its selfie filters.

Moiseenkov's recent visit to Facebook's headquarters in California has led some to speculate that Prisma would also be acquired by the social networking giant.

A Facebook spokesperson denied the rumor and said the company was not considering an acquisition of Prisma. Moiseenkov declined to comment on his visit beyond saying that the meeting was "really private."

Aleksej Gubarev, a Prisma investor and CEO of Servers.com, said in an interview that Prisma had been in discussions with several top US and Chinese tech companies, but declined to elaborate. He said Prisma was close to completing a round of funding, but wouldn't reveal how much was being raised.

Other current Prisma investors include Russian tech company My.com (where Moiseenkov previously worked as a product manager) and Gagarin Capital, which also invested in MSQRD.

File Aug 10, 12 16 53 PM

If Prisma isn't acquired, Gubarev said the app could quickly become profitable by selling sponsored filters.

It recently started experimenting with sponsored filters from the likes of Gett, an Uber competitor. Gubarev, whose company provides the cloud infrastructure for Prisma, said that between 10 and 15 companies are in the queue to pay for sponsored filters in the app.

Moiseenkov said his team at Prisma is mainly focused on building new features, not monetization.

"For now, I'm really into product," he said. "Not into the business side."

What's next

Prisma plans to add video support in the next couple of weeks. Moiseenkov said the feature is done, but the team is making sure its servers will be able to handle the update.

Beyond video, he said Prisma could one day help enhance photos and videos in other ways. An API is being built to let businesses use the app's filters for professional video production and prints, according to Gubarev.

Here's a teaser of the upcoming video filters in action:

When asked if he was worried about Prisma's novelty wearing off, Moiseenkov said he sees Prisma as a startup that uses AI to help people, not just as a filter app.

"I think it's only the beginning," he said.





More From Business Insider






The villain from The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise, Chad Johnson, made a much-needed apology to a fellow contestant on After Paradise on Tuesday. Chad, who was known for his violent outbursts on The Bachelorette, blew into Bachelor in Paradise and left a path of drunken destruction. In a belligerent stupor, Chad said horrible things to and about Sarah, a contestant who was born without a portion of her arm. Chad was later sent home for his drunken antics.



On After Paradise, Chad apologized to Sarah by saying, I should absolutely never have said that. I did not want to say anything like that.  Sarah is here to promote her charity, shelift.org. Its to help people  who are born without limbs.

Sarah responded by saying, Thank you. I think thats what I wanted. To hear it face to face, in person. However, Sarah may have preferred for an apology to have come sooner and more privately. She said, I know you apologized on Twitter and on ET, but, like, you know a lot of people who have my phone number and you didnt do anything about it.

Bachelor in Paradise airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.



Watch the five craziest quotes from Bachelor in Paradise:

Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Cynthia LuCiette, on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.


Siblings Terrell and Faith were separated eight years ago, when they were moved to different foster homes. Faith's last name was changed, and the pair lost touch with each other.



But the pair stayed connected by more than just blood: They both ended up interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement. And they wound up meeting each other through a fellow foster child, New Jersey Trooper II Quaron Crenshaw, at the Rutgers Newark Campus Job Fair.



"It was amazing to be there to witness the moment they were reunited," said Tpr. Quaron Crenshaw in a Facebook post. "I am hoping they keep following their dreams and one day have a career in law enforcement."



Crenshaw is a recruiter with the West Trenton Division of the New Jersey State Police. The state cops shared the story on their Facebook page but did not reveal the siblings' ages, last name or hometowns.
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Threats against police officers by Chicago gang members angry about the police shooting of an unarmed black teen last month were "unacceptable," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said on Tuesday, as debate over excessive force by law enforcement continues to roil U.S. cities.

On Monday, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the Chicago Police Department had warned officers that leaders of three gangs had met and plotted to shoot police in response to the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Paul O'Neal on July 28.

The department said it was routine to send alerts when police were threatened, but did not provide further details or confirm that threats had been made by the gangs.

"The idea that a bunch of gang members would threaten violence against the men and women every Chicagoan relies on for their own safety is absolutely unacceptable," Emanuel said in response to the newspaper report.

A string of high-profile killings of black men by police in various U.S. cities in the past two years has renewed a national debate about racial discrimination in the criminal justice system and given rise to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Protests erupted nationwide after the back-to-back killing of black men in Baton Rouge and Minneapolis, but after a rally in Dallas, Texas, a gunman shot dead five police officers in an ambush. Days later, three Baton Rouge police officers were also killed in an ambush.

Tensions over the shooting of O'Neal picked up last week after authorities released videos that captured the moments before and after police shot him.

No firearms were found on O'Neal, who was shot in the back, according to police.

The video footage released on Friday shows two officers firing at a stolen car driven by O'Neal after it sped past them, the car crashing into a police car, and O'Neal running into a backyard where he was shot. The shooting is not shown. It is against departmental policy to fire at or into a moving car when the vehicle was the only potential use of force by a suspect,

(Reporting by Justin Madden; Editing by Sharon Bernstein and Alan Crosby)
The Tri-County Chapter 1386 of the National Association of Active and Retired Federal Employees is scheduled to meet in Tomah on Thursday, Aug. 18.

The meeting will be held at Pizones Restaurant, 202 Superior Ave., and start at 11:30 a.m. for lunch with the meeting following at approximately noon. The guest speaker will be Kyle Klett, who will explain and demonstrate, Clear Captions, a screen display phone system available for the hard-of-hearing community.
Santiago (AFP) - Chile's ex-president Sebastian Pinera on Tuesday denied accusations that he paid bribes to Argentine officials to help his former airline business.

Argentine prosecutors are investigating claims that a company run by Pinera paid a million dollars to the country's former transportation minister in 2006, according to court documents.

The payment was allegedly aimed at securing the minister's approval to launch operations in Argentina by Chilean airline LAN. Pinera was its director and main shareholder.

"This accusation is either very irresponsible or very malicious," Pinera told a news conference on Tuesday.

Pinera later served as president of Chile from 2010 to 2014.

The case was lodged against him last week, brought by plaintiffs including former LAN directors and Argentine authorities.

LAN merged last year with Brazilian carrier TAM to form LATAM, the region's biggest airline.
By Antonio De la Jara SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chile's President Michelle Bachelet proposed a series of reforms to the private pension system late on Tuesday that would require heftier contributions from employers and independent workers in order to boost payments for retirees. Bachelet's televised announcement comes as Chile's six private pension funds, which manage $160 billion in assets, have come under fire from protesters who say they do not guarantee a dignified old-age and only perpetuate inequality. Bachelet proposed a 5 percentage point hike to the current 10 percent contribution rate within 10 years that would be paid for exclusively by employers. Contributions from self-employed workers would gradually become mandatory, she said. "This increase in contributions will allow us to build the foundation for collective savings with solidarity. Part of it will enable raising current pensions and the other part will be used to ensure more equity in future pensions," Bachelet said. Workers would be given more say on investment decisions made by the pension funds, known as AFPs, which would be forced to pay back contributors after periods of losses, Bachelet said. "Losing workers' funds cannot be business for anyone," said Bachelet, whose approval rating fell to an all-time low in June. Bachelet also proposed eliminating hidden fees charged by the funds, using a single mortality table for both men and women and strengthening a program that provides a minimum pension for Chileans who have not worked or contributed to a fund. She reiterated that she would continue to push for the creation of a public pension fund to give workers an alternative to the private system started in the 1980s during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Opponents of the AFPs plan to hold a protest on Wednesday. (Reporting by Antonio de La Jara; Writing By Mitra Taj; Editing by Paul Tait)
BEIJING (Reuters) - China will push for the commercialization of genetically modified soybeans over the next five years as it seeks to raise the efficiency of its agriculture sector, potentially boosting output of the crop by the world's top soy importer and consumer. China, which has spent billions of dollars researching GMO crops, has already embraced the technology for cotton but has not yet permitted the cultivation of any biotech food crops amid fears from some consumers over perceived health risks. In its latest five-year plan for science and technology to 2020, China for the first time outlined specific GMO crops to be developed, including soybeans - used in food products such as tofu and soy sauce and for animal feed - and corn. The blueprint, published on the government's website on Monday, recommended "pushing forward the commercialization of new pest-resistant cotton, pest-resistant corn and herbicide-resistant soybeans". The use of the technology for corn was flagged in April when an agriculture official said that Beijing could greenlight GMO crops in the next five years. Corn is used mostly for animal feed and industrial products like starch and sweeteners and a move to biotech crops could be less contentious than with soybeans. Support for new soybean varieties comes as China seeks to overhaul its crop structure. Farmers are being encouraged to switch from growing corn to soybeans and to rotate between crops. But analysts say boosting soybean production could be difficult without higher subsidies. China is expected to produce 12.5 million tonnes of soy in 2016/17 but will import a record 86 million tonnes, according to a forecast by U.S. agriculture officials. China permits the import of GMO soybeans for use in animal feed. Herbicide-resistant soybeans are already planted by most growers in the United States, the world's top soy producer. "You can't manually kill weeds on the large farms in the north-east," said an executive at a seed company in China. "If if you're going to rotate between soy and corn, herbicide-tolerant soybeans are needed for mechanization," he added, referring to the need for crops to be able to tolerate repeated exposure to weed killers applied by tractors. But cultivating GMO soybeans is likely to face strong resistance from consumers and a local industry that sells GMO-free soybeans at a premium to imported beans. "The major production areas for key commodity crops shouldn't be planted with GMOs," said Liu Denggao, vice president of the Chinese Soybean Industry Association. "Domestic soybeans are extremely desired and trusted by consumers for food." Commercialization of GMO soy is likely to take a backseat to GMO corn however, said Huang Dafang, professor at the Biotechnology Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The government has previously said it will roll out biotech varieties of industrial crops such as corn before moving to food crops like soya. "Corn is more important from a production point of view," Huang said. (Reporting by Dominique Patton; Editing by Richard Pullin)
Beijing (AFP) - A Chinese city said on Wednesday it would halt preparations for a possible Sino-French nuclear project after thousands of locals protested against it over the weekend, the latest official concession following environmental demonstrations.

After days of protests by angry residents, the government of Lianyungang said on a verified microblog that it would "temporarily suspend" selection of a location for a nuclear fuel processing plant.

Thousands of people massed outside government offices over the weekend, calling for the project to be cancelled on health grounds, and clashing with police, locals said.

French nuclear fuel group Areva in 2012 agreed to cooperate with state-run China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) to build a reprocessing facility in China, without stating the location.

Locals say that Lianyungang, a port city in the eastern province of Jiangsu, is a prime candidate, because a large new nuclear power station is being built by CNNC nearby.

The reprocessing project has reportedly been opposed by the US, which says it would harm efforts to limit the spread of materials that can be used in weapons.

Street protests against large projects have become a regular occurrence in China, sometimes causing climbdowns from officials.

Last year officials in China's Inner Mongolia region vowed to shut down several chemical plants after police were said to have used tear gas to break up environmental protests.

Huge protests in the northeastern city of Dalian in 2011 prompted authorities to announce the closure of another chemical plant, although it was apparently still operating two years later.

The Lianyungang protests highlighted local opposition to nuclear projects in China, which is increasing its atomic power capacity on a huge scale and encouraging state-run firms to build plants abroad.

Mainland China has 34 nuclear power reactors in operation, 20 under construction, and work is about to start on more, according to the World Nuclear Association.

Safety fears grew following a series of meltdowns at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant in March 2011 that were intensely covered by China's state-run media.
Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f173316%2fap_690011942583

When it comes to love being in the air, no one's taking it more literally than Chinese couple Zhou Wenlong and Jiang Huizhu.

The lovebirds tied the knot on Tuesday in an unorthodox ceremony that saw them lying on a hammock that was suspended 180 meters in the air at the Shiniuzhai National Geopark in Hunan province.

SEE ALSO: China sets new world record with 1,007 dancing robots

The hammock hanged under one of the world's longest glass bridges that the Chinese media refer to as the Hero Bridge.

Image: Jiao zi/ imaginechina/ap

Zhou and Jiang chose the auspicious date of Aug. 9 to hold their wedding. The date marks the beginning of the Qixi festival, which is also known as Chinese Valentine's Day and falls on the seventh day of the seventh month in the Chinese lunar calendar.

Groom Zhou Wenlong hung on tight as he was lowered onto the hammock.

Image: Jiao zi/imaginechina/ap

In other parts of China, many Chinese couples celebrated their matrimony on the same day in other head-turning ways.

Image: qnb/Imaginechina/ap

A group of newlyweds in Shanghai screamed its way into wedded bliss with a roller coaster ride at the Happy Valley theme park.
NAIROBI (Reuters) - A Chinese tour guide stabbed and killed a tourist who was visiting Kenya's famed Maasai Mara Game Reserve after an argument over the seating arrangement for dinner, police and a lodge manager said on Tuesday. John Kiruti, manager of Keekorok Lodge, which is within the park, said the woman, also a Chinese citizen, sustained serious chest injuries in the incident late on Monday and died as she was being transferred to another tourist camp for treatment. Her husband sustained serious stomach injuries. "The tour guide who had brought three clients from his country for two nights differed with the couple ... over the sitting arrangement at dinner time," Kiruti said. "After a brief exchange of words, he drew a knife and stabbed the two, fatally injuring the woman and injuring her husband. Kiruti said the couple's two children, aged nine and 12 years old, watched as the incident took place. "The hotel staff rushed to restrain the guide. The kids are still in shock. We making plans to take them to Nairobi," he said. Police later arrested the guide. "We are holding him until investigations are over. It was a sad incident that is deeply regretted," Narok County Police Commander Abdi Galgalo said. (Reporting by George Obulutsa; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
In an architects rendering of the Global Innovation Exchange (GIX) in Seattle, imaginary students in light-filled rooms huddle over computers or chat in clusters, presumably discussing solutions to global challenges like sustainable development and mobile health. GIX, a graduate institute jointly run by the University of Washington and prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing, will start receiving applications this fall for the first class of students for a dual masters degree program to begin on its campus in 2017. The first on-the-ground project of a Chinese university in the United States, the program aspires to educate the next generation of innovators through project-based learning. It also represents a growing trend of globalization in Chinese higher education. But as Chinese universities pursue more collaborations and campuses abroad, early indications suggest that the architectural renderings are often more ambitious than the outcomes, and attracting students may prove harder than hoped.

While foreign schools including New York University, Duke University, and the University of Nottingham have swarmed into China over the past two decades to establish campuses, Chinese universities have had a limited presence overseas. That may soon change as Chinas leadership embarks on a campaign to increase its education-driven soft power, including establishing a campus of Xiamen University in Malaysia and an outpost of Soochow University in Laos. The question is whether non-Chinese students will find the latter appealing.



China U. is an FP series devoted to higher educations role as a major and growing node of connection between the worlds two powers. How will a new generation, fluent in China and in America, shape the future of bilateral ties?

Its clear enough why Chinas government is keen on the shift. Leadership in higher education has historically characterized major global powers, from Great Britain in the early 19th century to the United States in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Yet in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2015-16, Peking University and Tsinghua University, both hyper-selective schools in Beijing, were the only two Chinese universities among the top 100, ranking 42nd and 47th respectively. Thats limited Chinas ability to expose foreign students to Chinese culture and ideas.

Story continues

Its not for lack of trying. In a 1998 speech at Peking University, arguably Chinas flagship school, then-president Jiang Zemin announced a project to catapult Chinese universities into the upper echelons of international higher education by investing heavily in select universities. In a May 2014 speech at Peking University, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated the goal of building world-class colleges and universities. Its a call that Chinas propaganda outlets seem to have picked up. In February, a headline in state-run English paper China Daily announced, Overseas campuses lead the charge in soft power push. A sense of rivalry with Western universities may also partially motivate this push. Kevin Kinser, a professor of Education at Penn State, said that there is a sense in China that, if this is something that Western countries are doing, then its certainly something that China should be competing to do as well.

As of December 2015, Chinas Ministry of Education reported a total of 98 Chinese programs and four Chinese institutions operating overseas. Its unclear how much of an uptick this represents from prior periods, but in March 2016, the president of the Chinese Society of Education, the nations largest academic group for education, said, the pace of going out [for universities] has clearly accelerated. These international projects differ in size and structure. In addition to the campuses in Malaysia and Laos, other initiatives include a collaboration in London on applied data science between Zhejiang University and Imperial College London, a branch campus of Beijing Language and Culture University in Tokyo, a Sino-Italian campus operated by Tongji University in Florence, and perhaps most prominently, GIX in Seattle.

GIX may be better positioned than most initiatives to attract students, given its specific focus on technology and a number of Chinese already interested in studying at the University of Washington (there were 3,616 enrolled in 2014). Courses and projects at GIX will draw on both Tsinghuas strengths in computer science and entrepreneurship and Seattles status as an innovation hub. Microsoft is providing $40 million of the programs funding.

While GIX has gotten more attention, Soochow University in Chinas coastal Jiangsu province was the first Chinese university to set up a physical campus abroad. Its campus in Vientiane, Laoss largest city, opened in July 2011. It did so in part to burnish its domestic reputation; as Wang Jiexian, the vice president of Soochow University in Laos, told the New York Times in Feb. 2014, Only by going out can we close in on the top Chinese universities, and we think Laos is a suitable location to begin. From Chinas perspective, it may have been a way to test the waters before other universities undertook projects abroad in better-known locations.

One of the main attractions for students at Soochows Lao campus is the opportunity to study Mandarin to improve employment prospects in a country where Chinas influence looms large, and where domestic education options are relatively sparse. In 2015, it was among ten schools in Asia where the number of students taking the HSK, a test of Chinese proficiency, more than doubled from the previous year. By the time they graduate, all our students will be able to speak Chinese, Wang told the Times. They can speak at least two languages, understand the cultures of the two countries, and work well in a Chinese company here.

The campus still has many obstacles to scale. The tuition for the Vientiane campus is up to five times that at a Laotian university. For now, after a year of study in Laos, students transition to the (even more expensive) Suzhou campus for their remaining years. And construction on a permanent campus, which began in 2013, has since been hindered by land disputes. The university aspires to enroll 5,000 students within the next ten to 20 years, but in 2014, the school had only 50 undergraduates and 100 night students. The campus declared scale may be intended more to reflect the projects importance than actual expectations of how many students will enroll.

An even more ambitious new Chinese campus is taking shape across 150 lush acres 30 miles from Kuala Lumpur at the Xiamen University Malaysia Campus (XMUMC). The original Xiamen University is located in Fujian, China. The project is a substantial investment, with a cost of over $300 million and endorsements by senior officials in both nations.

XMUMCs president, Wang Ruifang, has claimed that student interest has already surpassed his expectations, although the first class of 187 students who enrolled in late February falls far short of the 5,000 students from ASEAN nations and China itself that the university says it intends to enroll in 2020. Wang explained in an interview with Malaysias Sunday Star that he hoped our China factor will help lure students. But Wang has also noted the challenge of vying against the large number of existing universities in Malaysia. That means that the number of students who actually show up at Xiamen matters  it is in a sense an index of the institutions reputation and of the countrys reputation as educators, said Alex Usher, the president of the consulting firm Higher Education Strategy Associates.

As it grows, the school eventually hopes to draw students from across Southeast Asia and to create a multi-cultural campus, according to the President of Xiamen University Zhu Chongshi. XMUMC offers eight of its ten academic programs in English, reaching out to a broader audience. Given Malaysias history of tensions between ethnic Malays and Chinese, the language of instruction and degree of affiliation with the Chinese community may affect XMUMCs soft power success. According to Usher, it could hinder their efforts if you get seen as being part of one community rather than the other. But Jackerson Ng, a current student at XMUMC originally from Malaysia, told FP by message that one of the factors that attracted him to the campus is that China is currently rising as a strong country in all aspects, [so] why not give this top university a try?

Exposing a younger generation, including potential foreign leaders, to Chinese perspectives can be a long-term investment to promote closer political, economic, and ideological ties. The current president of Ethiopia, Mulatu Teshome, received all of his higher education at Peking University. As president, he has shown interest in emulating the Chinese development model in Ethiopia. Nursultan Nazarbayev, the current prime minister of Kazakhstan, another nation that maintains warm relations with China, was a student at both Chinas Wuhan University and Beijing Language Institute. If campuses abroad can attract additional foreign students, the ranks of future world leaders with Chinese educations and friendly dispositions toward Beijing may grow.

But those Chinese values can be a double-edged sword; concerns over academic freedom have overshadowed previous Chinese educational ventures. Over 120 nations now host more than 480 Confucius Institutes, centers established to teach Mandarin and promote Chinese culture abroad by an affiliate group of the Chinese Ministry of Education known as the Hanban. These institutes have also found their share of controversy. In the United States, both Penn State and the University of Chicago closed the Confucius Institutes at their institutions over differences of opinion on research and course content. In June 2014, the American Association of University Professors Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure issued a statement noting the potential for excessive supervision from the Hanban and restrictions on academic freedom at Confucius Institutes.

Branch campuses abroad could potentially entail similar risks. Kinser said that since China is trying to present itself as sort of a modern and elite kind of country and developing a higher education system in that way, the effort could backfire if it gets hit with too many examples of places where it has restricted freedom.

The Chinese governments recent emphasis on promoting nationalism and party loyalty through its education system might also deter students. In February, the Ministry of Education issued a directive that encouraged educational institutions at all levels to embed patriotic education in their curricula and to remind all university students to always follow the party. The directive also sought to promote national values among Chinese students overseas through connections with the motherland, embassies and consulates, overseas student groups, and the broad number of students abroad  so that they fully feel that the motherland cares. The diktats said nothing about Chinese campuses or programs abroad. But if overseas Chinese students are targeted for patriotic education, overseas schools that ultimately answer to Beijing could be subject to similar meddling.

The new campuses have gotten a mixed reception within China. Some appear to take pride in the projects as a sign of their countrys growing influence. On Weibo, a researcher at the University of Science and Technology of China wrote that XMUMC was helping to flip the script on decades of Malaysian government discrimination against ethnic Chinese. Others criticized the choice to establish campuses abroad as driven by university or government officials, not students or faculty. Finally, some saw the entire trend of Chinese universities trying to go global as futile. One commenter on another platform wrote, Currently Chinese universities fundamentally do not possess the basic conditions for internationalization.

Some in China also suspect that the branch campuses will require government funding, which could divert limited educational resources away from Mainland universities. While branch campuses can be effective in promoting soft power and raising a universitys profile, Usher said, Theyre effective to the extent that youre prepared to lose money at them. Collaborations abroad are expensive endeavors. For now, Chinese universities dont seem overly concerned with potential profits; XMUMC says it plans to funnel any money it might make toward scholarships and research in Malaysia.

The target student bodies for branch campuses remain unclear. Some see them as operating more like study-abroad sites for Chinese students. For example, Tongji University s program in Florence hosted 29 Chinese students for a spring semester program. Others, such as GIX, are likely to recruit more mixed student bodies. In the near term, none of that is likely to dissuade Chinese educational institutions from their grand plans. But the success of the early campuses that have taken the plunge will be an important indicator of whether President Xi can hope to shape global higher education in Chinas image.

Stringer/Getty Images
Getting ready for the habanero kissing challenge with my Mexican me. (Photo: Chris Harrison)



Well, we are two weeks into Paradise and things are already up and running in ways that no one could have ever foreseen. Couples are forming, drama is brewing, and the seeds of love have been planted in Mexicos fertile ground. Last week, we left off with Chad refusing to get into a car and leave Paradise, and you saw the rest of that play out at the end of beginning of this week. As I mentioned before, we knew that we were going to send Chad home as soon as he woke up, but didnt want to attempt to eliminate him while he was so intoxicated. We didnt expect the goodbye to be as explosive as it was. In fact, I expected Chad to be contrite and realize that he had taken it too far. But it was not meant to be.

Related: Bachelor in Paradise Recap: Bait and Switch

Even after he left, Chad still found a way to cause some drama. Apparently, he had been in contact with Leah prior to filming and had gotten her excited at the prospect of meeting him. When she got there, quite naturally, she looked for Chad because she wanted to see if the Chad she saw on TV was the real Chad. But unfortunately the Chad we saw on TV ended up being exactly the same as the real Chad. Leah was immediately put between a rock and a hard place. She tried to be honest by admitting she had someone in mind to go out with, but as soon as he was unavailable, everyone else couldnt help but feel like a second choice.

Leahs date with Nick was actually quite nice. They had a good time and got to experience some of the local flavor in Sayulita. As far as first dates go, it was great. But of course, things always take a turn in Paradise. Nick enjoyed his time with Leah, but Nick also wanted to explore his other options, particularly Amanda. When he got his date card, it was fair of Leah to hope to get a second date with Nick, but it was also fair of Nick to want to get to know Amanda. Sometimes everyone can do the right thing but because of the situation, people still get their feelings hurt. Thats Paradise, and thats life.

Story continues

At the end of the week, Leah and Jubilee both were sent home. I want to thank both of them for taking a second chance at love and I want to remind everyone out there that its very difficult to open yourself up in front of the world. Jubilee and Leah, while very different, both deserve all the happiness the world has to offer and I wish them both the very, very best.

The week started off with a bit of wild card. Josh Murray, who was engaged to Andi at the end of her season came down those stairs and right away caught the eye of many of the ladies in the house. Those who remember Andis season remember that Josh was the man who ended up getting engaged while Nick was sent home alone. Now, whether they wanted to or not, Nick and Josh seem to be stuck competing for the same woman all over again. Nick went out with Amanda, and then Josh went out with Amanda, and at this point its pretty clear that Amanda is simply more interested in Josh.

I think Amanda has a great head on her shoulders, and even though she is finding herself in something of a predicament, caught in the middle of the drama, I am sure she will find her way on to the right path and make the decisions that are best for her and for her beautiful children.



Evan and Carly certainly got off to a rocky start. At first they were clearly starting to hit it off, but then something went terribly wrong: a kiss. A kiss that Evan clearly really enjoyed didnt quite have the same impact on Carly. I think its actually quite common for people to have different perspectives on chemistry, but usually its not polar opposites. The sheer beauty of their date  attempting to set the World Record for the Longest, Hottest, Habenero Kiss was the kind of miracle that seems to only happen in the summer in Mexico. Very few things were more visually jarring in the history of Paradise than the end of the Evan and Carly kiss. For that, America, I apologize on behalf of our entire team.

I applaud Carly for being honest, even though it was difficult. Last season, she felt led on by Kirk, whether he meant to or not, and now she wanted to be as up front as possible. Evan took it hard at first, but then obviously it mentally freed him up to go after Amanda. She is a single mom and he is a single dad, so in his mind, it made total sense, but in reality, Amanda has already chosen between two men, and the man she chose was Josh. Evan is going to have a lot of work to do if he wants to have a better ending in Paradise than he did last time around on The Bachelorette.

Two other new arrivals this week were Brandon and Christian. Christian hit it off right away with Sarah, but of course that put Daniel on the defensive. And Brandon hit it off with Haley, but the old twin switch trick fooled him, so he also has his work cut out for him. Nick is also finding himself on the chopping block. And Lace and Grant seem to be moving along well, but Lace and Grant are Lace and Grant, so theres just no way of knowing what is next for them.

Paradise is a wild ride and as you have seen, this is all just the beginning. Next week, some new arrivals will shake everything up all over again. And finally, I want to congratulate the new hosts of After Paradise, Michelle Collins and Sean Lowe. I know the show is in good hands and I hope you all have a tremendous amount of fun this season.

Until next week, Bachelor Nation!

Bachelor in Paradise airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC. After Paradise airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.


By Joseph Ax

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former aide to Chris Christie said in a text message that the New Jersey governor "flat out lied" when he said senior staff members were not involved in the "Bridgegate" scandal in 2013, according to a court filing on Wednesday.

The details were revealed in a document filed in New Jersey federal court by Bill Baroni, former deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, who is one of two former Christie allies facing trial next month on Bridgegate-related criminal charges.

Speculation has persisted for years about whether Christie or members of his staff were aware of an alleged plot to close two New York City-bound lanes at the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee as retribution against Mayor Mark Sokolich, a Democrat who had refused to back the Republican governor's re-election campaign.

Christie addressed the controversy at a Dec. 13, 2013, news conference, a day after the state legislature issued several subpoenas in its investigation of the lane closures.

"I've made it very clear to everybody on my senior staff that if anyone had any knowledge about this that they needed to come forward to me and tell me about it, and they've all assured me that they don't," Christie said at the time.

Christina Renna, former director of Christie's intergovernmental affairs office, immediately sent a text message to Peter Sheridan, a member of Christie's re-election campaign, according to the filing.

"Are you listening? He just flat out lied about senior staff and Stepien not being involved," her first text said, referring to Bill Stepien, who managed Christie's two gubernatorial campaigns.

In a subsequent text, Renna said "it could be bad" if emails were later uncovered through a subpoena or court discovery.

Christie would apologize weeks later at another news conference, when he said he was firing his deputy chief of staff, Bridget Kelly, and that he had been "lied to" when he told reporters no one on his staff was involved.

Story continues

He also cut ties with Stepien, saying at the news conference that he had lost confidence in Stepien's judgment. Stepien has not been charged in the case.

"The governor's statements have been clear," a Christie spokesman, Brian Murray, said on Wednesday. "Nothing contained in this text message changes that in any way."

A lawyer for Renna, now vice president of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey, said she would not address the issue until she testifies at the upcoming criminal trial for Baroni and Kelly.

Kevin Marino, a lawyer for Stepien, called the suggestion he might have been involved in Bridgegate "categorically false and irresponsible."

Sheridan, who works for the state Republican party, did not respond to a request for comment.

Jury selection will begin Sept. 12 for Baroni and Kelly, who face charges including conspiracy and fraud. Another former Port Authority official, David Wildstein, has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with federal prosecutors.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Bill Trott and David Gregorio)
The BloodCenter of Wisconsin is hosting blood drives in La Crosse County. Donations are especially needed in the summer due to an increase in accidents and a decrease in donors. Donors must be 17 or older or 16 if accompanied by an adult. A photo ID with birth date is required.
By Jonathan Allen

MIAMI (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton urged federal lawmakers currently on summer recess back into session to pass a crucial funding bill to combat the Zika virus as she visited a health clinic at the heart of a local outbreak in Miami on Tuesday.

Lawmakers should pass the $1.1 billion bipartisan bill for the mosquito-borne virus, Clinton said, or come up with a new compromise. The funding comes as Florida grapples with at least 21 cases of locally transmitted Zika.

Florida is the first state to confirm local transmission by mosquito bite in the continental United States, but health officials expect additional small outbreaks, particularly in southern U.S. states vulnerable to mosquito-borne disease.

"I am very disappointed that the Congress went on recess before actually agreeing what they would do to put the resources into this fight," Clinton said. "If we pass this critical funding we can develop rapid diagnostic testing and even begin the hard work of developing a vaccine."

The measure stalled after House Republicans attached language that would prevent Zika funding for abortion providers like Planned Parenthood, mainly in Puerto Rico. It would also require the administration to move unused money from President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law to help combat Zika.

Obama had initially asked the Republican-led Congress to approve $1.9 billion in emergency funds.

Several Democratic U.S. senators had sent a letter to Senate Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republican House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan urging them to summon lawmakers back from their recess to vote on emergency funding.

Florida Republicans Marco Rubio and Gov. Rick Scott have also called on Congress to come back and fund the Zika fight.

Congress has interrupted its own recesses at least eight times since 1998, most recently in 2013 when lawmakers returned early to debate the use of military force in Syria, according to congressional records.

Story continues

Zika was first detected in Brazil last year and has spread rapidly in the Americas. If contracted by pregnant women, the virus can lead to a rare and devastating birth defect called microcephaly. Brazil has reported more than 1,700 cases of microcephaly.

Clinton made her remarks after touring the Borinquen Health Center in Wynwood, the gentrifying Miami neighborhood in which Florida health officials have reported the Zika cases.

U.S. health officials have urged pregnant women to stay clear of the one square-mile affected area. Clinton's campaign staff gave out cans of mosquito repellent to reporters ahead of the visit.

After meeting doctors, Clinton inspected the leaflets and mosquito nets being handed out to residents and chatted with a pregnant woman who worked in the neighborhood who had gotten back her test results: negative for Zika.

Clinton, speaking to television cameras, said that people should visit a website set up by the federal government that contains Zika information.

"We don't want to unduly alarm people," she said after spelling out the website's address. "We want people to be informed."

(This version of the story adds additional details on Zika funding, quotes, background)

(Additional reporting by Amanda Becker and David Morgan in Washington; Editing by Bernard Orr)
Washington (AFP) - Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton launched an open appeal Wednesday to independents and Republicans repulsed by Donald Trump, after the party's nominee again sparked controversy with comments seen by some as a threat against her.

The latest Trump firestorm erupted when he suggested at a rally Tuesday in North Carolina that "Second Amendment people" -- those who support gun rights -- could take action to stop Clinton from appointing US Supreme Court justices as president.

After his comments were judged by many as courting violence, the Clinton team pounced by announcing a new "outreach to the growing number of Republicans and independents" who are prepared to vote for the former secretary of state on November 8.

The campaign unveiled a new website, togetherforamerica.com.

It lists dozens of Republicans and independents who back Clinton, including former director of national intelligence John Negroponte, former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and Hewlett Packard Enterprise chief executive Meg Whitman.

"Americans are looking to the next president to help bring us together to tackle the big challenges facing the country, and Hillary Clinton's bipartisan support is the latest proof that she can work across the aisle to make us stronger together," campaign chairman John Podesta said in announcing the effort.

"Regardless of party, voters are increasingly concerned that Trump's tendency to bully, demean and degrade others sends the wrong message to our children."

Trump insisted that his "Second Amendment" comments referred to the power of gun rights supporters as a "political movement."

But lawmakers, former national security officials and other critics expressed concern that he had advocated violence, possibly in jest, against Clinton or her Supreme Court nominees.

"Hillary wants to essentially abolish the Second Amendment" of the US Constitution, Trump, 70, told a rally at the University of North Carolina.

Story continues

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks," Trump said.

"Although the Second Amendment people -- maybe there is, I don't know."

It was the latest in a long string of Trump missteps -- including his prolonged clash with the parents of a Muslim American soldier killed in action -- that have marred his campaign since he officially won the nomination last month, prompting several Republicans to reject his candidacy.

- 'History is watching' -

Former New York mayor and Trump backer Rudy Giuliani was forced into clean-up mode Wednesday, insisting the uproar was triggered by "the Clinton spin machine" and that Trump was indeed talking about the power of pro-gun voters to defeat her at the ballot box.

"What he intended was that they should vote against her," Giuliani told ABC.

The Secret Service said it was "aware of the comments" but did not say whether they merited an investigation, which some Democratic lawmakers have called for.

Trump has clearly roiled the party with his unorthodox campaign remarks, with Republicans frustrated at his apparent inability to stay on message even as he unveiled his revamped economic plan on Monday.

A Reuters/IPSOS poll released Wednesday found that 19 percent of Republican voters want the real estate tycoon to drop out of the race, while 70 percent think he should stay and 10 percent say they don't know.

The RealClearPolitics national poll average shows Clinton leading Trump by 48 percent to 40 percent.

Fifty prominent national security experts recently announced in an open letter that they would not vote for Trump, saying he "lacks the character, values and experience" to be president.

Six US senators including Susan Collins and a number of House Republicans have disowned him as well.

Dan Rather, the former CBS News anchor with half a century of political reporting experience, warned in a Facebook post that Trump's "Second Amendment" comments mark a "new low" in US politics, and that "history is watching."

"This cannot be treated as just another outrageous moment in the campaign," Rather said.

- Emails, again -

Meanwhile Clinton was enduring a fresh round of criticism over her emails from her time as secretary of state, which have been a thorn in her side throughout her campaign.

Conservative watchdog Judicial Watch released a batch of emails that raise questions about the State Department's relationship with the Clinton Foundation.

The Trump campaign seized on the latest emails to blast Clinton as "corrupt," with critics saying the messages showed the department and the foundation were engaged in improper preferential treatment.
Your shirt is made of what?

That question could become cocktail-party chatter when a Dutch designer releases her first line of clothing made from the excrement of cows.

Its not as crazy as it sounds: If consumers can get over the initial ick factor, they can help protect the environment by wearing finely tailored manure instead of letting it leach into rivers, lakes, and aquifers and release planet-warming methane into the atmosphere.

The unconventional idea was conceived by Jalila Essaidi, a 35-year-old designer and entrepreneur who was asked by provincial government officials to help reduce excess animal waste in the Netherlands, where farmers produce more manure than the available land can absorb.

Runoff from manure can pollute waterways with high levels of nitrogen and phosphate, producing algae blooms and fish kills, including those that have plagued Florida this year.

Essaidis patented technology removes cellulose and acids from cow dung and converts them into a biodegradable plastic called Mestic, after mest, the Dutch word for manure. Mestic can be made into paper, textiles, and other items, replacing petroleum-based products.

It is a chemical separation method which allows us careful control of the nutrient composition of both the solid and liquid fraction of manure, Essaidi wrote in an email. The farmer keeps the liquid fraction which now meets his desired nitrogen and phosphate levels. We take the solid fraction.

Essaidi said the same process could be used on manure from pigs and other livestock.

Ramon Sanchez, director of the sustainable technologies and health program at the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard University, said the technology seems very feasible.

One advantage is that a cows digestive tract naturally breaks down cellulose, saving time, money, and energy.

RELATED: Meat Is Murdering American Rivers

The most energy-intensive and expensive part of the process is the pretreatment to break the [cell wall], but that is essentially what ruminants do to get energy from food, Sanchez said. The catch here is to see if there is enough cellulose left in dung to make it a cost-effective process.

Story continues

Food determines cellulose content. Dung from grass-fed cows probably has more cellulose than manure from cows raised in feedlots, where they typically eat corn, soybeans, and grains.

Dana Perls, senior food and technology campaigner at Friends of the Earth, is concerned that the patented technology has not been made available to the public.

These experimental technologies need to be transparent, particularly before being rubber-stamped as sustainable, Perls wrote in an email. We need to discuss potential concerns in addition to potential benefits, and we need strict and sensible health and environmental safety testing, regulations, and standards.

In June, Essaidi and colleagues used Mestic-derived fabric for a fashion show, and they plan to open a factory in the next two years to ramp up commercial production.

Plenty of big brands showed their interest in the material, said Essaidi, who declined to identify them. She added that her company soon will license the technology to several partners.

But will fashionistas buy it? Its easy to imagine the snickering on late-night television, with childish jokes about poo-poo pants or worse.

It depends on cultural traits and how well informed is the consumer, Sanchez said, adding that Mestic is perfectly safe. All of the bacteria and fungi in dung are killed during the process of extracting cellulose, and cellulose itself is a chemical compound that is absolutely clean and is unlikely to produce any adverse health effects.

It all comes down to marketing, he added.

If I were to launch a dress made out of the natural secretions from the Bombyx mori worm, it is very likely that this will trigger the ew factor, Sanchez said. However, what if I say that Im selling a silk dress? Both are exactly the same product. The impact of the ew factor depends on the level of information shared with the consumer.

Take the Pledge: Help Reduce the True Cost of Fast Fashion: Become a Responsible Clothing Consumer

Related stories on TakePart:





 Heres Why We Trash 26 Billion Pounds of Clothing a Year

 All-Beef, No Butcher: Meet the Minds Behind Lab-Grown Burgers

 Eating Meat Contributes to Climate Changebut How Much?

Original article from TakePart
Codeblack Films has acquired the movie rights to Angela Davis: An Autobiography with plans to develop and produce an authorized Angela Davis biopic film, Variety has learned exclusively

The untitled film will be produced by Nina Yang Bongiovi, whose credits include Fruitvale Station and Dope. Sidra Smith, a producer on the 2012 documentary Free Angela and All Political Prisoners, and Codeblack Enterprises CEO Jeff Clanagan will also serve as producers on the project.

The 72-year-old Davis has been a prominent activist and radical beginning in the 1960s as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement. She will serve as executive producer along with her niece Eisa Davis, who is also writing the script.

Eisa Davis was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama for her play Bulrusher. She wrote and starred in the play Angelas Mixtape.

Clanagan launched Codeblack Films, a division of Lionsgate, in 2012 with the mission to serve the global black community through a diversified content portfolio targeted to the underserved African-American consumer.

Codeblack acquired theatrical rights in early 2013 to Free Angela and All Political Prisoners and partnered with BET Networks for a theatrical release. The documentary, which debuted at the Toronto Intl. Film Festival, centers on Davis being implicated in murder, kidnapping and conspiracy in connection with the Marin County Courthouse hostage-taking in 1970. She was acquitted two years later.

Related stories

Azealia Banks Starring in 'Coco' Movie, Directed by RZA

Codeblack Films Signs South Africa Output Deal (EXCLUSIVE)
(The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.)

By Alison Frankel

NEW YORK Aug 10 (Reuters) - The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sent an unequivocal message Wednesday to the shareholder class action bar: not in our backyard.

In an opinion by Judge Richard Posner, a three-judge 7th Circuit panel rejected a settlement that purported to resolve a shareholder challenge to Walgreens' 2014 merger with Alliance Boots. The settlement called for Walgreens to make six additional disclosures about the deal in its proxy materials and for plaintiffs' lawyers to receive $370,000 in fees.

The appellate court said those fees were completely undeserved. According to Judge Posner's opinion, the benefit to shareholders from the additional disclosures "was not meager; it was nonexistent," he wrote.

"The type of class action illustrated by this case - the class action that yields fees for class counsel and nothing for the class - is no better than a racket. It must end. No class action settlement that yields zero benefits for the class should be approved, and a class action that seeks only worthless benefits for the class should be dismissed out of hand."

The 7th Circuit's decision comes at a pivotal moment in litigation over M&A deals. Up until the summer of 2015, nearly every deal worth more than $100 million was followed by a class action claiming investors were being shortchanged.

Occasionally, in these "deal tax" cases, plaintiffs' lawyers uncovered serious conflicts of interest or other significant flaws in the sale process. More often, they reached settlements in which the target company agreed to make additional proxy disclosures in exchange for broad releases from future shareholder claims.

Judges in Delaware Chancery Court routinely approved these "disclosure-only" settlements, awarding plaintiffs' lawyers hundreds of thousands of dollars a case.

That ended last summer. In a series of decisions culminating in Chancellor Andre Bouchard's January 2016 ruling in In re Trulia, Chancery Court judges said they would no longer reflexively approve disclosure-only settlements that delivered no material benefit to shareholders.

Story continues

Plaintiffs' lawyers responded to the Delaware clampdown like the rational economic actors they are.

"WHACK-A-MOLE" JURISDICTION

As Cornerstone Research reported last week, shareholder suits challenging M&A deals have dropped off dramatically. In the first half of 2016, investors sued in the wake of 64 percent of deal announcements, down from a peak of 94 percent in 2013.

More significantly, the shareholder bar took its business out of Delaware Chancery Court.

Only 26 percent of the suits challenging M&A transactions were filed in Delaware in the first half of 2016. It is increasingly likely, in other words, that judges outside of Delaware - including federal judges - will hear deal-tax shareholder class actions.

But if those judges preside in federal courtrooms in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, they are now bound to apply Delaware's tough standard for disclosure-only settlements.

The 7th Circuit's Walgreens opinion explicitly endorsed Chancellor Bouchard's Trulia decision, which Judge Posner quoted at length. If plaintiffs' lawyers thought they could evade Trulia by suing in federal court in the 7th Circuit, they will have to think again.

"Plaintiffs lawyers like to play whack-a-mole - if you beat them in one jurisdiction, they go to another," said Ted Frank of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, which represented a shareholder who objected to the Walgreens settlement and brought the appeal at the 7th Circuit. Judge Posner's decision, he said, will help put an end to such gamesmanship.

Frank said his group had been looking for a test case to challenge a disclosure-only settlement in the 7th Circuit, which is known for setting important class action precedent. Chancellor Bouchard's Trulia decision came out just before briefing was due in the Walgreens appeal. "The timing was perfect," Frank said.

The plaintiffs' firms in the Walgreens case - Pomerantz and Friedman Oster & Tejtel - argued that their settlement was a response to the problem of reflexive deal-tax litigation, not a symptom of it.

According to their brief to the 7th Circuit, the additional disclosures they obtained were meaningful to shareholders and the release they granted Walgreens was narrowly tailored, in contrast to the global releases Delaware judges have criticized.

The shareholder who objected "apparently concludes that because the settlement is a disclosureonly settlement, it must necessarily also derive from a merger strike suit," the plaintiffs' firms said. "That is false. Disclosurebased settlements can and often do provide salutary benefits, and the action and settlement present neither of the essential elements of the 'merger strike suit.'"

Judge Posner, whose opinion was written for him and 7th Circuit Judge Diane Sykes, analyzed each of the supplemental disclosures and concluded none of them added materially to the mix of information available to shareholders. (The third member of the panel, U.S. District Judge Staci Yandle of Benton, Illinois, sitting by designation, dissented from Judge Posner's opinion.)

The 7th Circuit questioned whether any disclosure-only settlement benefits shareholders, citing a 2015 academic study, "Confronting the Peppercorn Settlement in Merger Litigation." One of the authors of the study, Fordham law professor Sean Griffith, has begun litigating to block such settlements in Delaware and beyond.

He predicted Judge Posner's opinion would resonate even outside of the 7th Circuit. "You've got one of the most respected members of the federal bench saying Trulia applies," Griffith said. "This is a wonderful thing."

(Reporting by Alison Frankel. Editing by Alessandra Rafferty.)
japanese hayate destroyer

Its not often that you get a chance to see a World War II warship. It's even rarer that you get to visit a sunken one still resting in the ocean.

But thats exactly what researchers are allowing the public to do, as they prepare a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to explore the ocean depths.

During its mission to explore the uncharted ecosystems in the ocean near the Wake Atoll, a team from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) located the Hayate, a sunken destroyer of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Offering the public this rare chance to come along with their crew, starting at 4:30 p.m. EST, NOAA will be live-streaming the exploration around the wreckage of the destroyer.

The Hayate was unique in that it was sunk by American forces in the early stages of WWII. As the first Japanese warship to be sunk, the Hayate only had one survivor that was rescued after the Battle of Wake Island in 1941.

Watch the live stream below:

NOW WATCH: Watch a US Navy submarine rise through the ice in the Arctic Circle





More From Business Insider


What a difference a day makes  the water in the Olympic diving pool went from blue to green in less than a 24 hours.

Read: If Looks Could Kill! Michael Phelps Gives His Rival an Evil Stare

On Monday, the water in the diving pool at Rios Maria Lenk Aquatic Center was clear blue.

By Tuesday it had mysteriously turned green, baffling everyone, including divers competing in the water.

British diver Tom Daley posted on Twitter: Ermmmm What happened?!

Olympic officials released a statement ahead of Tuesday nights dives to say that the water was still safe, but they could not yet explain the color change.

Organizing committee spokesman Mario Andrada told CBS News: We don't know exactly what happened. And we don't know yet why the pool changed colors. If it were green and yellow, we would know it was a patriotic thing. We did test the water using the same parameters we do every day, and the results were exactly the same as we got when the pool was blue."

Read: What is Cupping? Michael Phelps' Body is Covered With Purple Marks After Alternative Therapy

But by Wednesday the cause was clear, Andrada said, telling the Associated Press that the water changed color because of a proliferation of algae. It was caused due to the heat, humidity and lack of wind entering the outdoor venue, authorities said.

Officials have added chemical agents to the water to clear up the algae, returning the water to its usual color.

Watch: Watch Michael Phelps and U.S. Swim Team Star in Epic Carpool Karaoke Spoof

Related Articles:
Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Congolese refugee Popole Misenga won over the Rio Olympic judo arena crowd Wednesday with a surprise victory, followed by a brave loss to the world champion.

Misenga, who is part of the unprecedented team of 10 refugees competing under the Olympic flag, defied the odds to defeat Indias Avtar Singh, ranked 71 in the world in the 90kg category.

Through to the last 16, Misenga faced Kwak Dong-Han of South Korea, the world champion and world number one.

The three-quarters full arena threw itself behind Misenga, who asked for asylum in Brazil in 2013, cheering his every move and booing the referee when a penalty went against him.

For four minutes of the regulation five minute bout, Misenga held his own in a defensive performance sprinkled with attempts to throw the champion. The crowd chanted: "Popole, Popole!"

The South Korean ended the drama with a sudden immobilization which had the refugee tapping out for an ippon.

When the opponents rose to their feet to bow, the applause for Popole made it sound as if he had been the winner.

"I think he did something heroic," said Geraldo Bernardes, the veteran coach of four Brazilian Olympic teams, who has overseen Misenga and fellow Congolese refugee Yolande Bukasa since they came to him penniless and traumatized.

- Pride -

Bukasa's Olympic experience was not so lucky, losing in the first round to Israel's Linda Bolder, who is 11th ranked in the world and went on to lose in the quarter finals.

But both refugees emerged from the mat beaming with pride in their journey from the horrors of the Democratic Republic of Congo's war to the Olympic Games.

"These fights are not just about judo," Bukasa said. "This is a fight for my life."

Bukasa said she hoped her family in Congo was sharing in her happiness -- but that she has no way of knowing.

"If they are alive, if they saw me, (my message is) I really miss them," she said.

Story continues

"My family has become the Brazilian people cheering for me."

Misenga said his credible showing in fending off the South Korean's fearsome arsenal of throws, forcing him to go for an immobilization, had inspired him to reach new heights.

"I managed to get in. I fought and won one fight, I fought the champion of the world and he didn't manage to throw me," Misenga said.

Having the crowd behind him was "very emotional," he said. "Brazil was rooting for me!"

Bernardes that the two refugees have had far less time to train than most Olympians.

Misenga's battling loss stood out, Bernardes said, because Kwak "has a very hard throw. Everyone respects and fears his throw. But he didn't manage to do the throw on Popole."

- Tough past, bright future -

Misenga and Bukasa arrived in Rio with the DR Congo team for the 2013 World Championships.

They grew up in the horrific wars ravaging their homeland and been subjected to cruel conditions while training for judo, including being locked up and given half rations after losing.

When their food vouchers in Rio were stolen by corrupt team officials, they ran.

Finally the pair came to the Instituto Reacao, a Rio de Janeiro NGO and training facility founded by Olympic bronze medalist Flavio Canto, whose other success stories include new gold medalist Rafaela Silva.

"They didn't have money or clothes or kimonos," Bernardes recalled.

Popole in particular was mentally scarred, the coach says. "He was brutal," he told AFP.

After so much suffering, the Olympics has opened a door to a new future.

Still pouring with sweat from his bout, Misenga laid down a challenge for himself -- and refugees everywhere.

"I'll become stronger to face the world champion again," he said.

"I'm sending a message to the children of the Congo and to refugees too: believe in yourself."
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton intervened in the Zika virus crisis on Tuesday, joining Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, in urging Congress to cut short its all-too-long summer recess and pass a $1.1 billion spending bill to help combat the spread of the dreaded disease in the continental United States.

Florida officials yesterday announced four more cases of Floridians who likely contracted the mosquito-borne virus in the relatively small, one-square-mile Miami neighborhood of Wynwood, the only area in the country reporting active transmissions of the disease. That brought to 21 the number of cases of people who contracted the disease locally, rather than while traveling overseas or having sex with a carrier.

Related: The Senate Dithers Again as Zika Virus Continues to Spread

The disease, which is spread by mosquitoes, already has affected Brazil, other Latin American countries and Puerto Rico, and now threatens the United States.

There have been numerous cases of pregnant women developing microcephaly and giving birth to infants with grotesquely deformed heads. The Centers for Disease Control is monitoring roughly 280 pregnant women infected with Zika in the U.S., while Brazil has reported nearly 3,600 pregnant women with Zika since the start of the year. Others who have contracted the infection have suffered from high fevers, rashes, pink eye and Guillain-Barre syndrome, a dangerous temporary paralysis.

While Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has generally downplayed the seriousness of the public health crisis, Clinton yesterday toured a Miami neighborhood health clinic near ground zero of the Zika outbreak and admonished lawmakers for having adjourned until after Labor Day without resolving a partisan impasse over the urgently needed spending bill.

I am very disappointed that the Congress went on recess before actually agreeing on what they would do to put the resources into this fight, Clinton told reporters gathered at the Borinquen Medical Center. I would very much urge the leadership of Congress to call people back for a special session and get a bill passed.

Story continues

Last weekend, Scott sharply criticized the federal government and lawmakers for dragging their feet in providing resources needed to combat the disease, including 10,000 Zika preparedness kits, mosquito spray and additional manpower to root out the mosquitoes. We still need the federal government to show up, Scott said during an appearance on NBCs Meet the Press. The President and Congress have to work together. This is a national, international issue. Its not just a Florida issue.

Related: U.S. lawmakers deadlock on Zika virus funds

There is currently no vaccine or treatment for the Zika virus, although federal and military research and studies are underway. However, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has warned that without adequate new funding, a larger Zika study being planned for 2017 will dramatically slow down.

If Clinton and Florida state and local officials are counting on a mid-summer response from a slumbering Congress, they are in for a disappointment. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have signaled a willingness to return before Sept. 6, but only if Democrats drop their objections to the Republican-crafted bill.

But Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and other Democratic leaders say the bill is unacceptable in its present form, including a ban on federal funding for Planned Parenthood in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory in the Caribbean that has reported nearly 2,000 cases of Zika infection.

Norman Ornstein, a political scientist at the American Enterprise Institute who has written widely on congressional gridlock, said that there is no excuse for lawmakers failure to act. He said the impasse highlights what has become an utterly dysfunctional legislative process.

Related: The US Military Has Declared War on the Zika Virus

Congress's failure to resolve the Zika funding impasse may reflect a larger political reality: Most Americans just dont care about it or else feel they are safe from the possible spread of the disease.

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 65 percent of Americans say they are not worried that either they or a member of their immediate family will become infected with the Zika virus. Just over a third of those surveyed said they were at least somewhat worried, while only 12 percent said they were very worried about infection.

The poll only found elevated anxiety levels about Zika in Florida and Texas, where 43 percent of residents are very or somewhat worried. However, throughout the rest of the country, fear about the Zika virus is far less than what it was about the outbreak of the Ebola virus in 2014 or the swine flu epidemic in 2009, according to a Washington Post analysis.

Related: How to Protect Yourself From the Zika Virus

Whats more, a recent STAT Harvard survey found that only 44 percent of Americans interviewed were aware that Congress left town without passing the funding bill.

For most Americans, when it comes to Zika, its a case of out of sight, out of mind. Moreover, if their constituents are largely indifferent to the brewing public health crisis, there is little incentive for members of Congress to cut short their vacations and return to Washington to take long-overdue action.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
U.S. Rep. Ron Kind held off a challenge from the left in Tuesdays partisan primary, virtually ensuring the La Crosse Democrat an 11th term representing Wisconsins 3rd District.

Kind had 29,335 votes with nearly 90 percent of precincts counted; opponent Myron Buchholz, a retired teacher from Eau Claire, had 6,784 votes, or about 19 percent.

With no Republican or third-party candidate registered for the general election, Kinds will be the only name on the November ballot. It will be the first uncontested general election for Wisconsins 3rd District in 90 years.

First elected in 1996, the 53-year-old Kind is chairman of the centrist New Democrat Coalition and is ranked by the organization govtrack.us as one of the most conservative Democrats in the House.

Buchholz, 58, accused him of being disloyal to Democratic principles.

Kind, who declared victory shortly after 9 p.m., said he has no plans to change his bipartisan approach.

If Im not taking incoming from the far right and the far left, Im not adequately representing this district, Kind said. Im not surprised that Im going to get some criticism from far right opponents and far left opponents, but thats not the district I represent.

Buchholz, in his first bid for public office, ran as a progressive Democrat inspired by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders presidential campaign. He focused largely on foreign trade, specifically Kinds support for the Trans Pacific Partnership, a multinational trade agreement that has become a lightning rod for economic anxiety.

Both Sanders and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton say they oppose the deal, as does Republican nominee Donald Trump.

Buchholz said trade agreements such as NAFTA have not resulted in prosperity for the average American. Instead, wages have stagnated and more than half of Wisconsin schoolchildren now qualify for free and reduced-price meals.

Kind, who was credited with corralling enough Democratic votes to get fast-track negotiation authority through the House, says the TPP is widely misunderstood and is crucial to establishing rules for trade that is already happening and ensuring U.S. companies have access to some of the worlds fastest-growing markets.

Buchholz, who decried the role of money in politics, was far outmatched by Kinds campaign war chest. Buchholz raised less than $27,000 and did most of his campaigning door-to-door. Kind, in his first primary challenge since 2006, brought in more than $1.6 million and reported spending more than $870,000 through the first half of the year.

Buchholz did not immediately respond to calls for comment Tuesday night.

Kind was one of three House incumbents from Wisconsin to face a primary challenge. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan easily fended off political novice Paul Nehlen, while fellow Republican Sean Duffy was leading Donald Raihala with 90 percent of the votes in his northwestern district.

Five-term Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore bested former state senator and convicted felon Gary George in the 4th District.
Conrad Hilton was released from prison on Aug. 1, a source close to the 22-year-old hotel heir confirmed to PEOPLE.



The younger brother of Paris Hilton was sentenced in June to two months in prison for violating his parole.



Hilton has been on parole since 2015 and admitted in court on June 6 to using drugs including marijuana, synthetic cannabinoids and cocaine, which was a violation of his parole.



In March 2015, he plead guilty to assault for making threats against both passengers and flight attendants on an international flight from London to Los Angeles in July 2014. According to a criminal report obtained by PEOPLE, witnesses reported that he shouted profanities at crew and passengers, including, "I am going to f---ing kill you!"







Hilton was ordered into a substance abuse treatment center in January for at least 90 days after allegedly failing drug tests and violating his parole.
By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Detainees at the Guantanamo military prison include fighters who sought to kill Americans, but also men who cooked, translated or had only tenuous militant ties but were nonetheless held for many years, according to a report released on Wednesday that is likely to fuel debate over closing the facility. The report is the first unclassified compilation describing more than 100 prisoners held at the U.S. naval base in Cuba as of November 2015. More than two dozen have since been transferred. Among detainees described in the 33-page Pentagon document are Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people. Others include Mahammad Mani Ahmad al-Qahtani, whom U.S. immigration authorities denied entry to the United States in August 2001 as he sought to be the 20th Sept. 11 hijacker, the report said. While al-Qahtani has often been referred to as the "20th hijacker," several other men have also made the claim. Al-Qahtani later fought in Afghanistan against the Northern Alliance, said the report released by Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte, who requested it from the Department of Defense. Ayotte, an advocate for keeping Guantanamo open, pushed the Pentagon for years to provide more than minimal information about inmates cleared for transfer. "Most of the detainees who remain at Guantanamo are the worst of the worst, as demonstrated by the fact that 93 percent of the detainees who remained there as of late last year had been assessed as a high risk for a return to terrorism," Ayotte said in a statement. Among those held for more than a dozen years were also Muhammad Said Salim bin Salman, who trained at an al Qaeda camp, but was on the frontlines "possibly as a cook." Another, Abdul Zahir, said he was a bookkeeper and translator for al Qaeda and the Taliban only because his family was threatened. President Barack Obama, who vowed to close the prison before leaving office in January, is downsizing it by transferring detainees not considered security threats to foreign countries. There are now 76 detainees, of whom 31 have been cleared for transfer. Overall, about 800 have been transferred, most under Republican President George W. Bush. Obama and other Democrats said holding prisoners for years without charge goes against U.S. values and makes Guantanamo a militant recruiting tool. Ayotte and like-minded Republicans call the prison essential for handling dangerous suspects. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; editing by Grant McCool)
San Jose (AFP) - Costa Rica on Wednesday expressed "concern" at neighboring Panama deciding to allow migrants to cross their common border, as it struggles with thousands of migrants blocked on its own territory.

"We are concerned that the migratory flow is increasing and now we have an additional concern with the official declaration by the Panamanian government that announced free passage for migrants on its territory," said Carmen Munoz, deputy minister for government and police.

Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela on Tuesday said his country would waive immigration restrictions for around 800 migrants who have recently crossed from Colombia and were in the Darien jungle on the border.

Many of the migrants are from Haiti and Africa, with some also from Cuba and Asian countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Varela said that, as a "humanitarian" gesture, they would be permitted to continue their journey north toward their target destination of the United States, meaning they would be let through into Costa Rica.

But Costa Rica is currently hosting around 2,500 migrants near its northern border with Nicaragua, which in November boosted security along the frontier to prevent undocumented migrants crossing.

Getting through Nicaragua is proving extremely difficult for the migrants, some of whom have paid upwards of $1,000 to people smugglers to attempt that leg of their trek.

Costa Rican lawmakers are pondering a number of measures to help cope with the influx.

One option being considered is to increase Costa Rica's tourist tax by five percent.
Could this new Netflix series be the next True Detective?

Could this new Netflix series be the next True Detective?

Remember the halcyon days of 2014 when True Detective started on HBO and practically *everyone* was obsessed with it? We could barely contain ourselves each week waiting for a new episode to air  it was completely chilling. Similarly, we really loved The Killing (although the Danish original was, we have to say, a bit better), and have spent HOURS going through Netflix watching shows like Top of the Lake, Broadchurch, and even Making a Murderer.

Basically, its probably safe to say that we love a scary murder mysterybut then who doesnt?

Well, weve just uncovered a brand new show coming to Netflix this fall that looks like it could give all of those scary thrillers a run for their money.

Titled Paranoid, the show is an eight-part drama produced in conjunction with British TV channel ITV, and follows the fallout after the murder of a female doctor in a childrens play park.

The trailer for the series just premiered and we have to say that it looks set to be one wild ride.

Doesnt it look super creepy, but also totally addictive? Were already completely curious to see what occurs, and how the case is solved, it at all.

The show was created and written by Bill Gallagher, and stars Downton Abbeys Kevin Doyle (or Mr Molesley), Game of Thrones Indira Varma (or Ellaria Sand in the show), and British acting legend Lesley Sharp.

If the show is anything like True Detective, we know were going to watch this one with a friend or partner because we got hella creeped out.

Paranoid will come to Netflix following its run on ITV, and is expected this fall. Finally something to fill the void that was left by Stranger Things!

The post Could this new Netflix series be the next True Detective? appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Megan Short  who was found dead Saturday in Pennsylvania along with her husband and three children, in an apparent murder-suicide  was a symbol of strength and a doting mother, "consumed with love for her children," her cousin tells PEOPLE.



The bodies of Short, her 40-year-old husband, Mark, and their three children  8-year-old Liana, 5-year-old Mark and 2-year-old Willow  were found inside the family's Sinking Spring home, according to investigators.



All five victims suffered fatal gunshot wounds, according to police. The family's dog was also shot to death.



It is still unclear who fired the fatal shots and police do not know what sparked the killings, which authorities have called a "tragic domestic incident." A handgun was discovered near either Mark or Megan, and police recovered a handwritten note from the scene (whose contents they have declined to detail).



Reports have suggested that financial difficulties may have sparked Saturday's fatal violence  which one relative dismissed as impossible to PEOPLE  and that Megan intended to divorce Mark.



Laurie Swingle McGuinness, Megan's cousin, wouldn't discuss a motive with PEOPLE.



"I know what was going on with Megan and Mark, I just don't know if it's my place to share her life's story right now," McGuinness says. "Yes, there were issues, but I know Megan, and if she felt the need to leave, it's because she exhausted all other options. Everything she did, she gave it her all. She tried.



"At the end of the day, her kids' well-being came first."



Robert McLaughlin, Mark's brother-in-law, previously told PEOPLE there is a "zero percent chance" the killings were "financially driven."



 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.





Cousin Remembers 'Strong' Mom Killed in Apparent Murder-Suicide: 'Yes, There Were Issues'| Crime & Courts, True Crime

McGuinness says the 33-year-old Megan "exuded beauty and strength her whole life," even when she learned from doctors that her youngest daughter, Willow, would need a heart transplant.



Willow survived the risky operation, which made national headlines and which was performed the week after she was born.



"As with everything else she did in her life, she was an amazing mommy," McGuinness tells PEOPLE of Megan. "I never missed a chance to remind her how strong she was  especially over these last few years when faced with unfathomable circumstances regarding Willow."



Earlier this year, Megan penned an online column about her post-traumatic stress disorder, which she says developed following Willow's acute health issues.



"Making time to help yourself is a necessity," Megan reportedly wrote. "We easily recognize the trauma that our children go through, but we need to acknowledge and work through the trauma that we experience as well."



McGuinness says that Megan was "smart, graceful, and filled with strength" and helped inspire scores of other "heart moms all over the country," even authoring blog posts she hoped would "help other moms navigate the transplant world."



Eight months ago, Mark posted a picture of him and Megan on his Facebook page, with the caption, "She's still the most beautiful girl that I've ever met. I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have her as my life and the mother of my three amazing children."



Going from that moment to now has been devastating: McGuinness tells PEOPLE she is "completely heartbroken that the world lost such a beautiful soul and her beautiful special babies so senselessly."
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 10, 2016 / Cruz Capital Corp. (CUZ.V) ("Cruz" or the "Company") is proposing a non-brokered private placement of up to $2,200,000. The private placement would consist of up to 6,000,000 non flow-through units at $0.30. Each unit will consist of one common share and one transferable share purchase warrant exercisable at $0.45 for a period of three years. The private placement would also consist of up to 1,000,000 flow-through units at $0.40. Each unit will consist of one flow-through common share and one transferable, non flow-through share purchase warrant exercisable at $0.50 for a period of three years. The Offering is subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV").

In addition other available prospectus exemptions, a portion of the offering may be completed pursuant to Multilateral CSA Notice 45-318, Prospectus Exemption for Certain Distributions through an Investment Dealer, and the corresponding blanket orders and rules implementing CSA 45-318 in the participating jurisdictions in respect thereof. As at the date hereof, the investment dealer exemption is available in each of Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and New Brunswick. Pursuant to CSA 45-318, each subscriber relying on the investment dealer exemption must obtain advice regarding the suitability of the investment from a registered investment dealer. There is no material fact or material change of the corporation that has not been generally disclosed.

As required by CSA 45-313, the attached table sets out the intended use of proceeds of the offering on a percentage basis. The intended uses of proceeds and/or the corporation's development capital needs may vary based upon a number of factors.

Flow-through funds will be allocated towards

existing Canadian properties 100% Non Flow-through funds allocation is as follows: Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and repayment of loans 30% Public company costs for one year (i.e. legal, accounting, transfer agent, filing fees, etc.) 10% For future identification, negotiations, acquisition,

and potential work commitments on mineral properties 30% Working capital 30% Total 100%

Contact Information:

Tel: 1.604.899.9150

Fax: 1.604.689.1733

"James Nelson"

President, Director

Cruz Capital Corp.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

SOURCE: Cruz Capital Corp.
Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy
Donald Trump is under fire for his comment that "Second Amendment people" can stop Hillary Clinton.



The controversial remark came at Trump's Wilmington, North Carolina, rally on Tuesday, when he appeared to suggest that gun rights supporters should take up arms against the Democratic presidential nominee.



"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks," Trump told the crowd, adding, "Although the Second Amendment people  maybe there is, I don't know."



The remark, which some are calling an assassination threat, sparked many to speak out against the business mogul.







Former CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather posted a scathing rant about the GOP nominee on Facebook, saying he couldn't ignore Trump's statements.



"When he suggested that 'The Second Amendment People' can stop Hillary Clinton he crossed a line with dangerous potential," Rather wrote in his post Tuesday night. "By any objective analysis, this is a new low and unprecedented in the history of American presidential politics. This is no longer about policy, civility, decency or even temperament. This is a direct threat of violence against a political rival. It is not just against the norms of American politics, it raises a serious question of whether it is against the law. If any other citizen had said this about a Presidential candidate, would the Secret Service be investigating?"



Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren also slammed Trump, tweeting that the GOP nominee "makes death threats because he's a pathetic coward who can't handle the fact that heas losing to a girl."



"Your reckless comments sound like a two-bit dictator," Warren said in a follow-up tweet. "Not a man who wants to lead the greatest democracy on the planet."





. @realDonaldTrump makes death threats because he's a pathetic coward who canat handle the fact that heas losing to a girl. a Elizabeth Warren (@elizabethforma) August 9, 2016







Your reckless comments sound like a two-bit dictator, @realDonaldTrump. Not a man who wants to lead the greatest democracy on the planet. a Elizabeth Warren (@elizabethforma) August 9, 2016







Related Video: VIDEO: Hillary Clinton on Donald Trump: 'We Were Not Friends'





Michael Hayden, a former CIA director who was among 50 Republican national security experts to denounce Trump in a letter on Monday, told CNN's Jake Tapper of Trump, "You're not just responsible for what you say. You are responsible for what people hear.a



He added, "That was more than a speed bump. That is actually a very arresting comment. It suggests either a very bad taste with reference to political assassination and an attempt at humor or an incredible insensitivity  it may be the latter  an incredible insensitivity to the prevalence of political assassination inside of American history. That is a topic that we don't ever come close to, even when we think we are trying to be lighthearted."



Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, who supports increased gun control measures, tweeted, "Don't treat this as a political misstep. It's an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy & crisis."



And Clinton's running mate, Tim Kaine, warned voters that Trump was "temperamentally unfit to be president."



"Nobody who is seeking a leadership position, especially the presidency, should do anything to countenance violence, and thatas what Donald Trump did today," Kaine wrote in a Facebook post. "There is a beautiful phrase in the Gospel of Luke that says 'from the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks.' What comes out often reveals something important about who you are. I think Donald Trump revealed again today that he is temperamentally unfit to be president. As a nation, we should be pulling together. Countenancing violence is not something a leader should do."
Fresh data on dark money

Data journalism is crucial to the Center as we seek to put unarguable fact and depth of background into our work.

News applications developer Chris Zubak-Skees is something of a star-cum-quiet achiever in this area, constantly noodling with existing and prospective datasets and thinking of ways to display data that add value to our journalism and contribute to the core mission of shedding light on money in politics.

Anyone concerned about the flow of untraceable money into the U.S. political process will benefit greatly from the latest remarkable tool that Chris created, which we released last week. Users of The Nonprofit Network tool can trace grants made to dark money groups, organizations that participate in elections, but are not required to reveal the sources of their funding.

Creation of the tool has already generated stories of its own. And other organizations working in the area of promoting transparency have reached out to Chris and the team with rave reviews like these:

"Great job, we are working on building something like that as well. You beat us to it and This new research tool is excellent! Thank you for developing this resource.this is precisely the tool I needed to run additional queries on groups for which Id hit a dead end. and The tool you developed is fantastic! Its going to make researching organizations much easier. Ive already discovered things I didnt know.

Dirty bomb risks

National security reporter Patrick Malone and managing editor R. Jeffrey Smith send a shiver of concern down anyones spine with a piece  co-published with our home town friends at the Washington Post and with the Texas Tribune  on the ease of assembling a dirty bomb.

Its part of a long-standing project led by Jeff and with his team on nuclear proliferation and analysis of the ways in which fissile material is stored across the United States. Their work makes grim reading if you thought those issues were dealt with with after the Cold War.

Story continues

The piece spread rapidly across the net this week with citations in more than 23 U.S publications online.

Jeff elaborates: "It explains how a secret group in three states (actually a bunch of GAO auditors) was able to purchase the radioactive ingredients of a dirty bomb without difficulty despite regulations meant to prevent such illicit sales. While the GAO published a poorly-written and highly-vague report about it last month, Patricks wonderful reporting teased out key details, including the location where the regulatory controls fell apart (Dallas, Texas), and the type of radioactive materials that were involved. It can probably be termed a worrisome success for the federal auditors who conceived of the sting and carried it out, since it highlighted a gap in federal oversight that needs to be closed quickly.

Also on Jeffs team Lauren Chadwick published a strong account of how Afghanistans persistent use of child soldiers has been ignored by the Obama administration so it can keep aid money flowing there, despite a U.S. law that bars foreign aid for countries that employ child soldiers. It also ran in Foreign Policy magazine.

Recognition for our work

Encore kudos to Talia Buford and Kristen Lombardi, and environment editor Jim Morris, for their series Environmental Justice Denied, which received two Salute to Excellence awards last weekend from the National Association of Black Journalists; NABJ was meeting here in Washington with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Talia, Kristen, Susan Ferriss and Ben Wieder also put on a panel at the convention The Data Have a Familiar Face about how to create compelling narratives out of deep data research.

What were reading and thinking about

Im just about to finish a remarkable take on the Holocaust by Yale historian Timothy Snyder. His latest book Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning is a forensic analysis of the way conditions in eastern Europe became ripe for the Holocaust and what lessons they have for today.

Its something I drew on recently in a piece for The New European, a pop up newspaper which emerged on the pro-European side after the recent Brexit vote. Snyder, a long time collaborator with the late Tony Judt, offers a chilling view of the risks of the European Union being undermined by right wing forces and the wedges pushed into it by the tactics of Russian president Vladimir Putin and his tactics of hybrid war. Snyder, writing a year or more before Brexit, says: The EU not only embodies a tradition of learning from the Second World War, it also supports sensible climate policies and bolsters the sovereignty of small states. Its collapse would thus weaken the structures that separate the Europeans of today from a history of mass killing.

I welcome feedback on this note. Thank you.

Peter Bale

CEO, The Center for Public Integrity

pbale@publicintegrity.org @peterbale

This story is part of Inside Publici. Stories were working on, the impact of our investigations, news about our fundraising efforts, and other issues that shape our work. Click here to read more stories in this topic.

Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.
Aug 10 (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines said it expects to return to normal operations on Wednesday after a power outage hit its computer systems on Monday, causing the cancellation of more than 1,600 flights over two days.

The company also said about 90 cancellations were expected at the beginning of Wednesday, and normal operations would resume later.

"We ... are working hard to achieve a normal operation by mid-day tomorrow," Delta's senior vice president for operations and customer center, Dave Holtz, said in an update posted on its website late Tuesday night.

The company said it would extend its travel waiver and its offer of compensation to travelers affected by the cancellations on Tuesday.

Delta, the No.2 U.S. airline by passenger traffic, had said that as of 5:15 p.m. EDT (2115 GMT) Tuesday it canceled about 680 flights, while about 2,400 had departed. That's on top of about 1,000 flights it canceled on Monday, stranding passengers at airports around the globe.

Delta's problems arose after a switchgear, which helps control and switch power flows like a circuit breaker in a home, malfunctioned for reasons that were not immediately clear, according to Georgia Power, a Southern Co unit that provides electricity to most counties in Georgia.

(Reporting by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan in Bengaluru; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)
By Jeffrey Dastin

(Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL.N) on Wednesday canceled more than 300 flights and upended thousands of travelers' plans for the third day in a row after a power outage hit its computer systems, though it forecast a return to normal operations later this afternoon.

Delta, the No. 2 U.S. airline by passenger traffic, said systems that allow customer service agents to process check-ins and dispatch aircraft are now functioning normally. Most of Wednesday's delays and cancellations are the result of flight crews being displaced or running up against maximum allowed work hours, it said.

As of 2:30 p.m. EDT (1830 GMT), Delta said it had canceled 311 flights on the day, adding to the more than 1,600 cancellations since Monday. Another 2,540 flights departed on Wednesday, with 70 percent of them within 30 minutes of their scheduled times, the airline said.

"We're in the final hours of bouncing back from the disruption," Bill Lentsch, Delta's senior vice president for airport customer service and airline operations, said in an online posting.

The travel havoc at one of the world's largest carriers has brought into focus the vulnerability of airlines' technology infrastructure. Experts say mergers - and sometimes insufficient investment in back-end technology - have left airlines with a hodgepodge of systems.

What is more, a drive by companies to automate operations, from mobile boarding passes to check-in kiosks, means the impact of any single glitch will multiply.

Delta said problems arose when critical systems did not switch over to a backup source following a power surge and outage on Monday.

The airline is still investigating the cause, Chief Executive Ed Bastian said in an online video post, adding that the company has invested "hundreds of millions of dollars" in infrastructure upgrades and backup systems.

"I'm sorry we let you down. We'll do everything that we can to make certain this does not happen again," Bastian said in the video.

Story continues

"There have been no indications of a hack," Delta spokesman Trebor Banstetter added in an emailed statement.

Shares were down 1.3 percent at $36.47 in late afternoon trading.

PASSENGERS FRUSTRATED

Frustrated fliers like Camille Davies-Mandel of Maplewood, New Jersey still faced multihour waits at airport lines on Wednesday.

"I have two kids with me, looking forward to getting to their cousins so they can seek out (characters) in Pokemon Go," she said in a telephone interview after waiting three hours to check in at Newark Liberty International Airport. She was unable to download a boarding pass online and missed her flight.

Davies-Mandel said she appreciated Delta's outreach on social media and messages from management, but she added "when you get on the phone and you deal with their customer service, that's a whole different experience," noting two calls took her four and a half hours.

Delta said it contacted some of its most frequent fliers who would be stuck in the disruption and offered them seats on its Delta Private Jets subsidiary to finish their journey.

Analysts expect passenger refunds, overtime hours for workers and other costs will reduce Delta's profit this quarter. Daniel McKenzie, an analyst with the Buckingham Research Group, said in a research note that earnings per share may be 5 percent to 10 percent lower, or 10 to 15 cents per share below his prior estimate.

"Delta still remains the best operation in the industry by a wide margin," McKenzie said, noting that the airline had canceled far fewer flights than rivals in recent years.

Other carriers have also suffered from technology issues.

Southwest Airlines Co (LUV.N) forecast on Wednesday a further drop in a key profitability metric for the quarter due to delays and cancellations of more than 2,000 flights after an outage hit its computer systems in July.

(Reporting by Jeffrey Dastin, additional reporting by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan and Arunima Banerjee in Bengaluru; editing by Maju Samuel and G Crossa)
By Jeffrey Dastin (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc on Wednesday cancelled more than 300 flights and upended thousands of travellers' plans for the third day in a row after a power outage hit its computer systems, though it forecast a return to normal operations later this afternoon. Delta, the No. 2 U.S. airline by passenger traffic, said systems that allow customer service agents to process check-ins and dispatch aircraft are now functioning normally. Most of Wednesday's delays and cancellations are the result of flight crews being displaced or running up against maximum allowed work hours, it said. As of 2:30 p.m. EDT (1830 GMT), Delta said it had cancelled 311 flights on the day, adding to the more than 1,600 cancellations since Monday. Another 2,540 flights departed on Wednesday, with 70 percent of them within 30 minutes of their scheduled times, the airline said. "We're in the final hours of bouncing back from the disruption," Bill Lentsch, Delta's senior vice president for airport customer service and airline operations, said in an online posting. The travel havoc at one of the world's largest carriers has brought into focus the vulnerability of airlines' technology infrastructure. Experts say mergers - and sometimes insufficient investment in back-end technology - have left airlines with a hodgepodge of systems. What is more, a drive by companies to automate operations, from mobile boarding passes to check-in kiosks, means the impact of any single glitch will multiply. Delta said problems arose when critical systems did not switch over to a backup source following a power surge and outage on Monday. The airline is still investigating the cause, Chief Executive Ed Bastian said in an online video post, adding that the company has invested "hundreds of millions of dollars" in infrastructure upgrades and backup systems. "I'm sorry we let you down. We'll do everything that we can to make certain this does not happen again," Bastian said in the video. "There have been no indications of a hack," Delta spokesman Trebor Banstetter added in an emailed statement. Shares were down 1.3 percent at $36.47 in late afternoon trading. PASSENGERS FRUSTRATED Frustrated fliers like Camille Davies-Mandel of Maplewood, New Jersey still faced multihour waits at airport lines on Wednesday. "I have two kids with me, looking forward to getting to their cousins so they can seek out (characters) in Pokemon Go," she said in a telephone interview after waiting three hours to check in at Newark Liberty International Airport. She was unable to download a boarding pass online and missed her flight. Davies-Mandel said she appreciated Delta's outreach on social media and messages from management, but she added "when you get on the phone and you deal with their customer service, that's a whole different experience," noting two calls took her four and a half hours. Delta said it contacted some of its most frequent fliers who would be stuck in the disruption and offered them seats on its Delta Private Jets subsidiary to finish their journey. Analysts expect passenger refunds, overtime hours for workers and other costs will reduce Delta's profit this quarter. Daniel McKenzie, an analyst with the Buckingham Research Group, said in a research note that earnings per share may be 5 percent to 10 percent lower, or 10 to 15 cents per share below his prior estimate. "Delta still remains the best operation in the industry by a wide margin," McKenzie said, noting that the airline had cancelled far fewer flights than rivals in recent years. Other carriers have also suffered from technology issues. Southwest Airlines Co forecast on Wednesday a further drop in a key profitability metric for the quarter due to delays and cancellations of more than 2,000 flights after an outage hit its computer systems in July. (Reporting by Jeffrey Dastin, additional reporting by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan and Arunima Banerjee in Bengaluru; editing by Maju Samuel and G Crossa)
Delta Air Lines DAL string of woes continued into Wednesday after the company cancelled 255 more flights, higher than its previous expectation of 90 flights. This comes after 775 cancellations on Tuesday and 1,000 on Monday. Delta had experienced a power outage on Monday, which went on to affect computer systems and thusly the companys global operations.

Southwest Air Lines LUV went through the same situation about three weeks before, when a router failure ultimately resulted in the cancellation of 2,000 flights and delays for another 7,000. In July, United Continental Holdings UAL also experienced a router issue, which resulted in a two-hour delay for all flights globally.

The airline industry is difficult to invest in, since it is exposed to many different macroeconomic factors, and is notably hurt whenever companies experience any kind of service disruption. World-renowned investor Warren Buffett once said that Investors have poured their money into airlines and airline manufacturers for 100 years with terrible results.

Lets take a look at some major airliners recent performance, and if they might be on track to prove Mr. Buffett wrong.

Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines was down 1.6% in afternoon trading on Wednesday on the aforementioned news.

The company has seen downward earnings estimate revisions for every period in the foreseeable future. Current quarter estimates stand at $1.76 in earnings per share, down from the $1.88 estimate 60 days ago. Current fiscal year estimates stand at $5.92 per share, which is down from the $6.41 estimate 60 days ago.

Although Delta reported better-than-expected earnings in Q2, it has to deal with currency headwinds and a shift in consumer sentiment due to recent terror attacks. The airline industry sits in the bottom 8% of the Zacks Rank, so I wouldnt expect anything special in the near future.

DELTA AIR LINES Price and EPS Surprise

DELTA AIR LINES Price and EPS Surprise | DELTA AIR LINES Quote

Story continues

Delta currently sits at a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell),

Southwest Air Lines

Southwest Air Lines has brought its operations back to normal, but shares have not recovered to pre-outage levels. As we have discussed, the company has not yet settled an agreement with its unions, missed Q2 earnings estimates, has outdated technology, and is engaged in ticket pricing wars with fellow discount airliners which are hurting revenues.

The culmination of these concerns along with downward earnings estimate revisions makes it difficult to believe that Southwest is out of the woods. Current quarter estimates stand at $0.93 in earnings per share, down from the $1.09 estimate of 60 days ago. Current fiscal year estimates are down to $3.95 from $4.23 per share.

SOUTHWEST AIR Price and EPS Surprise

SOUTHWEST AIR Price and EPS Surprise | SOUTHWEST AIR Quote

Southwest currently sits at a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

United Continental Holdings

United beat Q2 earnings expectations, but saw a 21.1% and 5.2% respective year-over-year decline in earnings per share and revenues. However, the company did also buy back $694 million worth of shares, with $255 million remaining under its current program, and approved another $2 billion worth of buybacks.

The company will launch a business traveler focused service, United Polaris, later in the year. These new initiatives reflect increased management confidence in Uniteds outlook, but earnings estimate revisions still serve as some cause for concern.

Current quarter estimates are down to $2.84 per share from the original $2.97 estimate. Fiscal year estimates stand at $7.94, down from the previous $8.27 estimate. Given the companys storied history and potentially new source of revenue, United could still be worth keeping an eye on moving forward.

UNITED CONT HLD Price and EPS Surprise

UNITED CONT HLD Price and EPS Surprise | UNITED CONT HLD Quote

United currently sits at a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

JetBlue Airways

Like Southwest, JetBlue Airways JBLU is a discount airliner, operating an average of 800 daily flights and carrying 30 million customers annually. Concerns with the company include increasing maintenance costs due to its use of an older fleet and engines. Along with being subject to the same headwinds as industry peers, JetBlue is also losing revenue on competitive ticket pricing.

However the company did also report increased traffic growth in July, which is a healthy sign. Still, JetBlue has seen multiple downward earnings estimate revisions. Current quarter estimates are down three cents to $0.57, while fiscal year estimates are down 14 cents to $2.14.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS Price and EPS Surprise

JETBLUE AIRWAYS Price and EPS Surprise | JETBLUE AIRWAYS Quote

JetBlue currently sits at a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

American Airlines

American Airlines AAL recently made news when it reached an agreement with 30,000 employees, agreeing to provide them an average pay raise of 22%. As we noted with Southwest, union discontent can be a major source of concern for airliners, and this recent news serves to quell that concern for American.

Furthermore, American beat Q2 earnings expectations, posting its 11th consecutive positive surprise. Unlike discount airliners, it has benefited from the oil glut, and expects to save money due to lowered fuel costs. The company also bought back $1.7 billion worth of stock in Q2 and paid out $58 million in dividends.

American is pouring money into new airliners, having retired 31 aircraft in Q2 and investing $1.2 billion towards new aircraft during the quarter. However, like every other airliner, it has seen downward earnings estimate revisions. Current quarter estimates are down 19 cents to $1.54, while fiscal year estimates are down 25 cents to $5.44.

AMER AIRLINES Price and EPS Surprise

AMER AIRLINES Price and EPS Surprise | AMER AIRLINES Quote

American currently sits at a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Bottom Line

The airline industry as a whole has fallen on hard times, again. Each company has seen a drop in Passenger Revenue per Available Seat Mile (PRASM), which is a key metric for these companies. Furthermore, a stronger U.S. dollar, Brexit, and terror attacks are a few of the many factors that have impacted tourism and spending in general.

Although some companies are working on promising new initiatives, the airline industry has plenty of work ahead. Then again, it always does.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



SOUTHWEST AIR (LUV): Free Stock Analysis Report



JETBLUE AIRWAYS (JBLU): Free Stock Analysis Report



DELTA AIR LINES (DAL): Free Stock Analysis Report



UNITED CONT HLD (UAL): Free Stock Analysis Report



AMER AIRLINES (AAL): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
An Innovative Natural Solution to Beach Erosion Looks to Save South American Beaches

MIDDLETOWN, OH / ACCESSWIRE / August 9, 2016 / Heightened demand in South America for a solution to extreme beach erosion has brought a Middletown, Ohio Rotational Molding company into the spotlight of the media and public. They are desperate to save coastal property essential to tourism as well as many ocean front residences that risk destruction.

Granger Plastics Company is deep into negotiations to install The Sandsaver in some of the most eroded areas of the continent. The Sandsaver is a natural solution to beach erosion. The Sandsaver is a rotationally molded polyethylene block style module which both reduces erosion and builds beach at the same time. This practically indestructible part can be used over and over again to rebuild eroding beaches, can be installed permanently for ongoing beach renourishment or can be relocated to nourish multiple sites.

Granger Plastics offers an environmentally friendly beach re-nourishment option that actually builds beaches back while discouraging erosion. Decades of research have gone into creating The Sandsaver, a product braced to revolutionize the way the world maintains and builds back its coastlines. Granger Plastics outlines the research behind this product and the impact it could potentially have on endangered coastlines on www.sandsaver.com.

For years Granger Plastics Company has battled resistance, extortion efforts and the political red tape of permitting agencies. Though a more primitive prototype was installed decades earlier, in May of 2011 the first Sandsaver modules were installed on sand starved beaches of Arcadia on Lake Michigan. This installation was found to be decidedly effective by third party monitoring. The South American proposed installation is now garnering great support from various Governmental Agencies and Universities.

Granger Plastics Company welcomes inquiries from other areas suffering from beach erosion or paying for renourishment methods that are not working. The Sandsaver has great potential to work in many areas where other erosion control methods have failed or only provided very costly temporary solutions. Please visit www.grangerplastics.com or www.sandsaver.com for additional information.

Story continues

For more information, please visit http://www.grangerplastics.com

Contact Info:

Name: Shawn Cravens

Email: scravens@grangerplastics.com

Organization: The Granger Plastics Company

Address: 1600 M.A.D.E. Industrial Drive Middletown, OH 45044

Phone: (513) 424-1955

Video URL: https://youtu.be/7VA15Fk1afY

SOURCE: Granger Plastics Company
Diane Kruger is embracing her new single life.



Kruger, 40, split from her longtime beau, Joshua Jackson, in mid-July after 10 years together. In the weeks following their breakup, the actress said she is keeping a positive outlook.



Its all good  all good, she told PEOPLE at the Chopard and Cinema Society debut of Disorder on Tuesday in New York City.



Kruger said she isnt dating anyone at the minute  but that doesnt mean she isnt open to the possibility of new love.



If you have a suggestion, let me know? she joked with reporters.



Following the split, Kruger jetted off to Sir Lanka for a tropical work-cation to film a new commercial.



My best friend [Fabienne Berthaud], who directed Sky was directing the commercial, said. So it felt like at least we got to hang out. It was beautiful. Ive never been, and it was great.



Kruger shared photos of her envy-inducing getaway on Instagram, showing off the exotic scenery and numerous fun activities.




CNN host Don Lemon got into a heated argument with former Secret Service agent and current congressional candidate Dan Bongino regarding comments Donald Trump made during a campaign rally in North Carolina.

Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the Second Amendment, Trump said. By the way, and if she gets to pick, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know.

Many have criticized Trump for this, saying that he was basically suggesting that gun owners could respond to the possibility of a President Clinton in a violent manner. Trumps campaign pushed back against this, with Trump himself tweeting: Media desperate to distract from Clintons anti-2A stance. I said pro-2A citizens must organize and get out vote to save our Constitution!

It was an argument over what Trump actually meant that caused a lengthy and tense conversation between Lemon and Bongino. To suggest he was calling [for] violence means to me that you came into this with the idea that Donald Trump was calling for violence, let me make the case afterwards. You didnt come into this with a clear and open mind, accused Bongino. Im sitting at home, Im watching Donald Trump, Lemon pushed back. I have two ears, and I have two eyes and I can see the reactions of people behind me, and were not stupid. You should be ashamed of yourself, declared Lemon later.

Don, frankly, Im ashamed that youre talking to me as if Im a child when 12 years of my life spat back Bongino before being interrupted by Lemon. After shouting over each other, Bongino fired off, You dont know crap about this, Don. Youre a TV guy. I was a Secret Service agent. Now cut off my mic. Do what you want to do.

Im not going to cut off your mic, Lemon replied. Im going to tell you that youre sitting here and youre lying to the American people, youre lying to the American people, and you know that youre lying to the American people.

Story continues

On Wednesday morning, Trump tweeted his gratitude to Bongino, writing, You were fantastic in defending both the Second Amendment and me last night on @CNN. Don Lemon is a lightweight  dumb as a rock.

CNN Host Says Fox News Had Staff Member Pretend to Date Him, Was Actually Spying:

Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Khalil Anonymous, on Twitter.


FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  Donald Trump dismissed critics Tuesday who accused him of using violent rhetoric against rival Hillary Clinton, insisting that when he said Second Amendment people could stop Clinton from threatening gun owners rights, he was advocating political action, not violence.

The GOP presidential nominee told Fox News Sean Hannity that there can be no other interpretation of his remarks. Even reporters have told me, Trump told Hannity, according to a transcript. I mean, give me a break.

The firestorm started at a rally in Wilmington, N.C. Trump called his Democratic rival a liar and told supporters it would be a horrible day if she were elected and able to appoint judges to the Supreme Court.

If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks, Trump declared. As the audience began to boo, the New York real estate mogul quickly added, Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know.

At a rally in Fayetteville after the interview, Trump appeared to rework lines in his stump speech describing his Democratic rival as a threat to the Second Amendment. Still, the GOP presidential nominee did not disavow or even the mention the comments he had made earlier.

Trump repeatedly attacked Clinton as dangerous and warned supporters that she might undo the Second Amendment and take away other rights if she were to control potential vacancies on the Supreme Court. And he warned that the country might never recover. Were gone for like 75 years, Trump warned. Were gone as a country.

The Second Amendment, he added, is under siege.

Donald Trump applauds during a campaign rally in Wilmington, N.C. (Photo: Evan Vucci/AP)

While Trump did not address the controversy at the later rally in Fayetteville, he appeared to leave the rebuttal to former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a longtime friend and political ally of the celebrity businessman who was traveling with the candidate Tuesday. Appearing onstage ahead of Trump, Giuliani immediately tore into the media, trashing coverage of the GOP nominees remarks and suggesting that the press corps was out to get Trump because they were in the tank for Clinton.

Story continues

At the same time, Giuliani accused the Clinton campaign of being corrupt for suggesting that Trump had implied violence against the Democratic nominee. I saw it. I heard it. I know what it meant. I know how the crowd reacted to it, Giuliani said. To buy that, youd have to be corrupt.

Giulianis remarks echoed the response of the Trump campaign, which slammed the dishonest media for coverage of the GOP nominees comments earlier in the day. Instead of inferring violence, a Trump spokesman said, the candidate was invoking the power of unification among gun rights supporters. Second Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power, said Jason Miller, Trumps communication director. And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it wont be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump.

At the same time, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trumps running mate, who has often had to clean up the candidates remarks in recent weeks, similarly insisted that the GOP nominee was not inferring violence toward Clinton. Of course not, Pence told the NBC affiliate in Philadelphia during a campaign swing in Pennsylvania. Donald Trump is urging people around this country to act consistent with their convictions in the course of this election.

The Clinton campaign quickly seized on Trumps comments, calling them inappropriate. This is simple, Robby Mook, Clintons campaign manager, said in a statement. What Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.

A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way. pic.twitter.com/Uu55CBCqdK  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 9, 2016

Other Democrats also fiercely condemned Trumps remarks. Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, who led the charge for new gun control laws in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting four years ago, called Trumps comments disgusting and embarrassing and sad.

This isnt play. Unstable people with powerful guns and an unhinged hatred for Hillary are listening to you, Murphy wrote on Twitter. Later, he added, Dont treat this as a political misstep. Its an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy & crisis.

Dont treat this as a political misstep. Its an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy & crisis.  Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) August 9, 2016

While the Trump campaign and its allies tried to cast coverage of his remarks as a media conspiracy to boost Clinton, even some allies of the GOP nominee struggled to explain the candidates words. In an interview with CNN, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, one of Trumps earliest supporters in Washington, denied that Trump had threatened Clinton but allowed that the candidates words were awkwardly phrased. But he also added that Trump absolutely shouldnt joke about harming another candidate.

Its contrary to everything we believe in, Sessions said.
Five-fifty leading groups representing 10 million scientists called Wednesday on presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to address key science-related policy issues in advance of the November election.

The coalition, which includes the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAS) and the National Academy of Sciences, among other organizations, highlights a list of 20 topics like climate change, vaccinations and public health.

Collectively, those issues have at least as much impact on voters lives as the economic policy and foreign policy candidates are used to debating, says Shawn Otto, a science advocate and chair of the Science Debate nonprofit.

This years election comes at a pivotal moment for many issues of concern for the scientific community. Climate scientists, for instance, have warned that the next several years will be crucial to any effort to stem catastrophic global warming. Trump has called climate change a hoax and promised to cancel the Paris Agreement on climate change. While doing so would be easier said than done, the agreement is structured in such a way that a president could simply choose not to enforce it.

The White House also sets funding priorities through its federal budget requests, providing federal tax dollars for virtually every area of scientific research. And the President directs agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Departments of Energy and Interior.

In previous administrations, funding for science has been uneven. The 1990s under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton saw a bipartisan initiative to double funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), while President George W. Bush took a different approach, appointing officials with little scientific background to key positions, according to Otto.

President Obama has been a prominent advocate of addressing a range of science issues despite coming to the White House with little background in the area. Beyond his focus on policies like the Clean Power Plan and an effort to address the opioid crisis, Obama has also brought attention to science with efforts like the White House Science Fair.

The questionnaire from the scientific groups is non-partisan and both major party nominees responded to a similar request 2008 and 2012. Some scientists and science policymakers have taken a position against Trump, particularly his energy and environmental policies. Two former GOP EPA heads endorsed Hillary Clinton this week and others have criticized Trumps energy plan.

Presidents, through the face of government and its institutions, set the tone of the public discussion around science, says Otto. Science is never partisan, but it is always political.
Hours after CBS president Glenn Gellers contentious session at Television Critics Association, during which members of the press pushed him on the networks lack of diverse leads, the cast of Doubt took the stage at the summer press tour.

Laverne Coxs casting marks the first-ever transgender actor to play a transgender character in a series regular role on broadcast TV  a milestone that Geller applauded during his Q&A earlier in the day.

Im really, really grateful to have a job as an actor, Cox said during the Doubt panel. Four years ago, I was standing in February of 2012 in New York City with an eviction notice in my handso Im just really happy to have a job.

In the upcoming legal drama, Cox plays Cameron Wirth, a trans Ivy League-educated lawyer. During the TCA panel, creators Tony Phelan and Joan Rater revealed that the shows case-of-the-week storylines will touch on violence and hate crimes against transgender people, along with rapes on college campuses. Rater also announced that a love interest for Coxs character that I think people will be interested in will be introduced in the first season.

Whats so exciting about Cameron for me and for being on CBS is that Im an avid TV watcherand growing up, I didnt see people like me on TV, Cox said of her history-making role. That piece is really wonderful that folks can have someone like Cameron who is Ivy League educated. Its wonderful to get to play a character and to be a black transgender woman in that position on CBS is really special.

Garnering laughter from the room, Cox quipped, And, she wears really cool stuff, too.

Cox stars in Doubt alongside an ensemble cast that includes Katherine Heigl, Steven Pasquale, Dule Hill, Dreama Walker, Elliott Gould and Kobi Libii.

The drama marks Heigls return to TV after her highly-anticipated post-Greys Anatomy vehicle State of Affairs, which was cancelled by NBC after one season. Heigl also served as an executive producer on the short-lived show.

Story continues

I actually loved being a producer. It was so fun for me and it was so engaging in a totally different way, Heigl said, adding that she wanted to be an EP on Doubt, as well. I really tried to let them let me be one and they said no  so Im just an actor.

Asked by a reporter about her experience jumping from one show to another, Heigl admitted that the process is scary.

Its always kind of thrilling. You can deny that fact that over time this opportunity happens and this coalescing of events takes you to this moment right herejust to get the pilot made and then to get it picked upits a whole exciting process but its also terrifying and stressful, Heigl said. I think Im really just trying to stay focused on how much fun its been and how much I love Tony and Joan and their storiesIm really excited for people to see this, and I think people are really going to love this.

Cox shares the same sentiment as Heigl. CBS has a great track record in this sort of thing, the Orange Is the New Black actress said. Theyve been really wonderful in this process, and its really nice to be with a network that knows what theyre doing.

Related stories

CBS 'Toying' With Commercial-Free All Access Option

CBS Needs Concrete Action, Not Vague Statements, on Diversity

Matt LeBlanc Is 'Not Sure' About 'Top Gear' Return
Wisconsin collected the third-largest amount of unwanted prescription drugs during the latest national take-back day.

State residents turned over 62,618 pounds of drugs on April 30, just behind California at 64,320, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Texas led the nation with 79,418 pounds.

At 5.8 million residents, Wisconsin has just a fraction of Texas 27.5 million residents and Californias 39.1 million.

Nationwide, law enforcement collected 893,498 pounds of unwanted medications, a record since take-back days launched in 2010. La Crosse County residents contributed 760 pounds, up from 685 pounds during the one-day event in October.

Law enforcement and prevention specialists encourage residents to clean out medicine cabinets to reduce the chance of theft and abuse of painkillers, which can be a gateway to heroin use when theyre no longer available.

Getting rid of them decreases the chance for anyone to experiment, said Rita Von Haden, prevention specialist at Coulee Council on Addictions.

The amount of drugs collected in Wisconsin may reflect statewide public awareness campaigns to prevent prescription drug abuse, including the state Department of Justices Dose of Reality initiative, Von Haden said.

The county collected about 13,400 pounds of prescription drugs from 2010 to 2014 and about 7,000 pounds since the drop boxes were implemented in July 2014, Von Haden said.

The next national take-back day is Oct. 22, but residents can dispose of unwanted medications during business hours in drop boxes at the La Crosse, Onalaska, Holmen, Campbell, Bangor and West Salem police departments, and La Crosse County Sheriffs Department. The boxes also are available at Gundersen Health System pharmacies in La Crosse and Onalaska.
HBOs Game of Thrones took Emmy nominations in the Drama Series categories for its massive Battle of the Bastards and the heartrending The Door, but the competition is fierce. Downton Abbey and The Good Wife are favorites in their final seasons; Mr. Robot and UnReal are hot newcomers; and The Americans, Homeland, The Knick, and Ray Donovan are established stalwarts.

Game of Thrones (HBO)

Directing: Miguel Sapochnik, Battle of the Bastards; Jack Bender, The Door

Writing: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss, Battle of the Bastards

Death and battles are always certain on Game of Thrones.

I think Dan and David are particularly cognizant of that and always looking for a way to up their game, Sapochnik says. A pitched field battle is something theyve been wanting to do for a long time I think as far back as season one or two  and so when we first talked about it, a key phrase for them was to make a strategic spectacle of it.

Sapochniks job was to interpret that idea.

I wanted to find a way to show both the psychological and tactical warfare that Ramsay brings to the table and at the same time find a way to remain at Jons side  physically and mentally  throughout the entirety of the sequence, he says. I also had my own preoccupations about luck and the horror of war, but those were secondary to the core themes.

The battle and scenes at Winterfell were filmed over a 25-day period.

The scripts always come in bigger than the final thing because I dont think David and Dan write with a filter, Sapochnik says. Part of the process is a negotiation between creative and production to refine the idea to its leanest and meanest and make it actually doable within the time and financial constraints. It actually makes it better most of the time.

For the death of fan-favorite Hodor in The Door, Bender wanted an image that was like rats overtaking a subway with the dead crawling on the ceiling in their nightmarish pursuit through a cave. But Bender says producers wanted to avoid a more graphic, horrific depiction of Hodors death.

Story continues

David and Dan said at an early meeting that we dont want the horror to overpower the emotional loss of Hodor, Bender says.

Downton Abbey (PBS)

Directing: Michael Engler, Episode 9

Writing: Julian Fellowes, Episode 8

For the penultimate episode of the series, Fellowes delivered some long-awaited take-downs of Lady Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery).

We had two scenes, which had in a way been missing: The moment when Tom [Allen Leech] really tells Mary off and the final battle between her and Edith [Laura Carmichael], when Edith calls her a bitch, which every viewer must have known was coming, Fellowes says.

I loved both these moments because we, the audience, had expected and wanted them for so long  I have always enjoyed writing for Mary, because Michelle has that wonderful gift of not caring if the public hates her, which is tremendously freeing for a writer. As for Tom, every now and then the public needs to have a character say what they are all thinking.

In directing the series finale, Engler wanted images that encapsulated the shows themes and relationships.

Julians script set that all up, but I felt a sense of responsibility to really make sure the visuals and the emotional expression of the actors was as vivid and clear and iconic as possible, he says, noting that sometimes the emotions of the characters and the actors playing them were in sync. Thats such a gift for a director and actors when the love and sense of family they share as a company can spill into the scene.

The Americans (FX)

Writing: Joel Fields, Joe Weisberg, Persona Non Grata

A question introduced in season one  does Russian spy Philip (Matthew Rhys) have a son back in Russia?  was left ambiguous at the time, but it returned to play a major role in the shows fourth-season finale with confirmation that Mischa would attempt to find his father in America.

We werent thinking theres definitely a son and we would spring it on the audience, Weisberg says of introducing the plot in the shows first season. It was in the middle of this season as we were writing the last arc of episodes that we started talking about it again, Fields says. Thats rare for us. Were pretty obsessive planners.

The Good Wife (CBS)

Writing: Michelle King, Robert King,End

In scripting the series finale, Robert and Michelle King say they had long planned to have Alicia (Julianna Margulies) slapped, that the victim was going to become the victimizer, but they werent sure until the final season which character would deliver it.

We auditioned a lot of different ideas: family members, colleagues  men and women  until we realized that Diane was the right choice, the Kings say. Not only did it allow us to spotlight two brilliant actors, Julianna Margulies and Christine Baranski, but it allowed us to play with the idea of Alicia turning a friend into collateral damage in the same way she was collateral damage in the political scandal that started the series.

Homeland (Showtime)

Directing: Lesli Linka Glatter, The Tradition of Hospitality

For this second episode of the shows fifth season, Glatter says she had a purposeful approach to shooting the scene where Carrie (Claire Danes) and her new boss, Otto During (Sebastian Koch), visit a Syrian refugee camp.

When Otto is giving his speech, so much of the scene is from Carries point of view, taking it in, versus it being about Otto delivering the speech, Glatter says. Theres some of that, too, but its not really the subtext of the scene, and thats whats always so interesting to me about Homeland and following Carrie Mathison through the world.

The Knick (Cinemax)

Directing: Steven Soderbergh, This Is All We Are

Though it marked the end for his character, Clive Owen says Soderbergh treated the second-season finale as any other episode.

He is very consistent and he directed the last episode as he did the first, Owen says. He respects actors and is very alive to what they are doing. I will miss his courage, focus, decisiveness, and intelligence.

Owen praises Soderbergh for his skill as a visual storyteller. He always finds an original perspective and never just shoots actors talking, Owen says. He looks at a scene and then finds the most interesting, original way to cover it and [does so] with such a clarity of intent.

Mr. Robot (USA)

Writing: Sam Esmail. eps1.0_hellofriend.mov

Alex Sepiol, executive vice president of development for NBCU Scripted Cable, still remembers reading the pilot script on a weekend and being taken aback by how Esmail gave voice to Elliot (Rami Malek) and the originality with which he wrote about technology and hacking.

The first time I read the Elliot-Krista therapy scene, the way he layered Elliots non-response with the running commentary of the voiceover, it was really a delicate dance, Sepiol says. It did capture the anger of a certain character but he was also able to do it with this detachment and perspective so you could understand him as a character. It was like a magic trick.

Ray Donovan (Showtime)

Directing: David Hollander, Exsuscito

Season finales are tricky due to viewer expectations, but for showrunner Hollander, directing the third-season ender also meant capping a season-long arc for the title character as Donovan (Liev Schreiber) acknowledges to Father Romero (Leland Orser) that he killed the priest who sexually abused him.

The beating heart of the story is Rays condition emotionally, Hollander says. I kept trying to find ways to photograph Liev in prayerful or suggestive-of-prayer positions before he landed finally in prayer.

But none of that works unless the performances are what they were, he says. I cant take credit for that.

UnReal (Lifetime)

Writing: Marti Noxon, Sarah Gertrude Shapiro, Return

A drama set behind the scenes of a reality dating show, UnReal benefits from viewer knowledge.

All you need is a hot dude in a suit standing at the top of a mansion driveway and people pretty much know whats going on, Shapiro says. There were so many visual signifiers that saved us from exposition.

The pilot that aired was actually the second one filmed for UnReal.

We ended up scrapping all the rewrites from our first shoot and going back to our original script  with a splash more dark stuff, Noxon says. With Lifetimes support, we had the rare opportunity to course correct and get the tone right.

Related stories

Emmy Nominees: Broadcast Writers & Directors Strong in Late-Night

Emmys: When the Run Is Limited, Basic Cable Writers & Directors Go Big

Inside the Office of 'Homeland' Boss Alex Gansa
By Estelle Shirbon LONDON (Reuters) - Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, a British billionaire landowner and close friend of the royal family known by his title of Duke of Westminster, has died suddenly aged 64, a spokeswoman for his family said. The duke, who inherited vast tracts of land in central London and elsewhere, was Britain's sixth richest person with a fortune estimated at 9.35 billion pounds, according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2016. A close friend of heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, the duke traced his family history back to distant ancestor Gilbert who came to England with William the Conqueror in 1066, according to the family estate's website. "It is with the greatest sadness that we can confirm that the Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor (64) died ... at Royal Preston Hospital," a family spokeswoman said late on Tuesday. "He was taken there from the Abbeystead Estate in Lancashire where he had suddenly been taken ill," she said, giving no further details. Prince Charles and his wife Camilla were "deeply shocked and greatly saddened" by the duke's sudden death, a spokeswoman said, while Queen Elizabeth and her husband Philip will send a private message of condolence to the Grosvenor family. The duke's wife Natalia is godmother to Charles's son William, the second-in-line to the throne, while the duke's son Hugh, who will inherit his title, is godfather to Prince George, William's three-year-old son. Cavendish Grosvenor had inherited the title aged 27, in 1979, along with hundreds of acres in two of London's richest districts, Mayfair and Belgravia, and thousands more in Scotland, Spain and elsewhere. According to media interviews over the years, the duke took pride in what he considered his responsible management of his estate. He was also one of Britain's major philanthropists, donating to thousands of charities and playing active roles in organisations such as the Royal National Institute of Blind People and St John Ambulance, a leading first aid charity. "In the context of eternity, if I'm lucky I might live on this Earth for 70 years," the duke said in 1995 in an interview on BBC radio. "That estate has been with us for 3, 4, 5, 600 years, so I'm only a mere flicker in the process of time and the process of history." The duke is survived by his wife Natalia and their four children, one son and three daughters. (Additional reporting by Michael Holden)
(Adds formal confirmation of court protection request in paragraphs 1-5) By Guillermo Parra-Bernal and Ana Mano SAO PAULO, Aug 9 (Reuters) - A Dutch court has accepted a request by Brazilian phone carrier Oi SA to put a Netherlands-based unit under protection from creditors, handing them a victory as they seek to recoup billions of dollars in losses.

In a securities filing, Oi said the Amsterdam-based commercial court accepted a request to put subsidiary Oi Brasil Holdings Cooperatief UA under a so-called "suspension of payment" procedure. The court also appointed an independent trustee to represent the interests of creditors in the subsidiary, the filing said.

Reuters reported earlier in the day that Oi had sought the suspension of payments and that the court had appointed lawyer Jasper Berkenbosch of law firm JonesDay as the trustee for Oi Brasil Holdings.

In recent months, several creditors including Aurelius Capital Management LP asked the Dutch court to start bankruptcy proceedings against the subsidiary. The court's decision is a "huge development because it forbids Oi's management from representing the company without the trustee's consent," a source directly involved in the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

New York-based Aurelius declined to comment. Efforts to contact officials at Amsterdam's commercial court and Berkenbosch of Jones Day for comment were unsuccessful.

Oi, Brazil's fourth-largest wireless carrier and the largest fixed-line operator, filed in June for creditor protection in a Rio de Janeiro court to restructure 65.4 billion reais ($21 billion) in debt.

The ruling makes it tougher for Oi to protect existing shareholders from potential heavy dilution by bondholders during bankruptcy proceedings in Brazil. It also gives more say to bondholders of Oi Brasil Holdings and Portugal Telecom International Finance Co, both Dutch-based subsidiaries of Oi, during reorganization talks.

Both subsidiaries issued a combined $6.33 billion in bonds. The ruling means Oi will have to deal with two different in-court reorganization processes in two different countries, a setback for the company, according to investors including Paolo Gorgo.

Apart from participating in the proceedings, the trustee will investigate Oi Brasil Holdings' prior and current management teams and enforce the company's claims against parent Oi and other affiliates. ($1 = 3.1555 Brazilian reais) (Additional reporting by Toby Sterling in Amsterdam; Editing by James Dalgleish, Bernard Orr)
Ed Sheerans hit song, Thinking Out Loud, copied core elements of Marvin Gayes Lets Get It On, according to a new lawsuit filed Tuesday.

The heirs of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote the lyrics to Gayes classic in 1973 and created its musical composition, are suing Sheeran for copyright infringement, claiming the Grammy Award-winning artist essentially duplicated the heart of Lets Get It On, Reuters reports.

The Defendants copied the heart of Lets and repeated it continuously throughout Thinking,' the lawsuit said, according to the news agency. The melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic compositions of Thinking are substantially and/or strikingly similar to the drum composition of Lets.'

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in the Southern District of New York, asks for damages to be assessed at a jury trial, according to Reuters.

Sheerans wildly successful Thinking Out Loud was the first song ever to hit 500 million streams on Spotify, and it won Song of the Year at this years Grammy Awards.

Sheerans representatives did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday.

The British musician is also being sued over his song, Photograph. Songwriters Martin Harrington and Thomas Leonard, who are seeking $20 million, say Photograph is nearly identical to their 2009 song Amazing.

Last March, Marvin Gayes family was awarded nearly $7.4 million dollars after a jury ruled that Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke copied Gaye on their 2013 hit Blurred Lines.
State Sen. Jennifer Shilling will face Dan Kapanke in November for a second time after defeating him in the 32nd Senate District recall election five years ago.

Shilling, D-La Crosse, easily won Tuesdays primary against Democratic challenger Jared William Landry of La Farge, receiving 91 percent of the vote. La Crosse Republican Kapanke won his partys primary with similar numbers, receiving 90 percent of the vote against John Sarnowski of Onalaska.

I am very honored with the strong showing in todays primarys results, Shilling said Tuesday. Starting tomorrow, the main event starts.

Shilling, 47, will face off against the 68-year-old Kapanke, who is attempting to take back the seat he held from 2005 to 2011, and independent Chip DeNure of La Crosse. She won the 2011 recall election with 55.38 percent of the vote compared with Kapankes 44.58 exactly five years ago Tuesday to represent voters from La Crosse, Vernon, Crawford and Monroe counties.

The owner of the La Crosse Loggers, Kapanke focused his campaign on offering services to improve his constituents lives, particularly when it comes to transportation costs and finding qualified employees for Wisconsin jobs. Kapanke did not immediately return requests for comment Tuesday night.

The Senate minority leader said she hopes to put what she calls her Coulee Region common sense to work to find bipartisan solutions to the states problems.

I think people are hungry for problem solvers, Shilling said. Voters here in western Wisconsin like people who can reach across the aisle and work with those across the aisle.

Shilling will concentrate on building public-private partnerships for job creation, fostering innovation and building up the states health care and education systems.

I think theres still angst over the slow economy here in Wisconsin, and we can connect the dots better as far as workforce development and economic growth here in Wisconsin, Shilling said.

As she criss-crosses the district talking to voters, Shilling said, she will discuss plans to expand funding of public schools and infrastructure such as roads and broadband access.

We are in the early stages of developing a new budget, and the governor has certainly sent some early messages in funding our university system, she said. Many people here in Wisconsin are concerned about the direction the university has taken with these deep budget cuts.

Shilling criticized tax breaks that led to 11 taxpayers earning more than $35 million a year being able to claim $21.5 million in tax credits, tax breaks that 98 percent of Wisconsin residents dont qualify for.

As we look at tax relief, we need to be targeting working families here in the state and helping with child care  looking at student loan debt, family medical leave, ensuring that women have access to reproductive healthcare, she said. Those are all things I will continue to work and defend and advocate for.

She added that she has also been hearing more and more about the states access to clean water and will work to be a good steward of Wisconsins natural resources.
The Egyptian Theatre is getting a facelift bankrolled by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

The HFPA has awarded a $500,000 grant to the American Cinematheque to restore the famous Hollywood Blvd. movie palace, it was announced Wednesday.

Less than a week ago, at their annual Grant Banquet, the HFPA awarded an additional $350,000 grant that would go towards retrofitting the theater so it will be able to screen 35mm nitrate film prints. This grant was made through The Film Foundation.

The $500,000 grant will go toward a variety of cosmetic changes, including replacing the carpet with a custom design that will mirror the theater's ornate ceiling, re-covering the theater's seats and replacing the concession stand. The 12 palm tree planters that sit outside and the historic murals of Egyptian deities on the walls also will be repaired.

The theater also will be technically upgraded with a 4K projector, replacing the current 10-year-old digital projector, and the sound system will be revised.

"The American Cinematheque is extremely appreciative of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's support of this historic landmark," American Cinematheque chairman Rick Nicita said in a statement. "We are dedicated to preserving this important landmark of Hollywood history where we continue to show movies on the big screen as they were meant to be seen."

Said HFPA president Lorenzo Soria: "The Egyptian Theatre is a very special place to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association - each year it welcomes our Golden Globe Foreign Language Film Symposium and celebrated foreign filmmakers. We want to make sure The Egyptian Theatre brings charm, culture and education to Hollywood for years to come, and continues to be a home away from home for our foreign filmmakers."

Movie exhibitionist Sid Grauman, who also was behind Hollywood's famed Chinese Theater, opened the Egyptian Theatre in 1922. The American Cinematheque purchased the Egyptian from the city of Los Angeles for $1 in the mid-1990s, under the stipulation that the theater should undergo an renovation.

Read more: New 'Chronicles of Narnia' Movie Planned by TriStar, Mark Gordon
By Rory Carroll

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Electric vehicle charging companies are calling for independent oversight of the $2 billion Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) is required to invest in clean car infrastructure, saying VW should not have the power to shape the nascent electric car charging space.

The German automaker agreed to invest the money, which includes $1.2 billion nationally and $800 million in California, as part of its penalties for equipping hundreds of thousands of its diesel vehicles sold in the United States with software designed to cheat tailpipe emissions tests.

While charging station companies called the money a potential "game changer," they worry that if it is misspent, it could hurt competition.

"The agreement shouldn't pick winners and losers, especially given that this emerging market transition will in no small part define 21st century transportation," twenty eight companies, including ChargePoint, EV Connect and Electric Vehicle Charging Association, said in a letter to the U.S. Justice Department on Friday.

The letter, seen by Reuters on Tuesday, said an independent administrator is key to ensuring that the program treats all industry participants, regardless of business model and technology, fairly.

VW did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"The program should be structured to benefit drivers in California and across the nation, not enable the settling defendants to enter or influence the markets for (zero emission vehicle) charging and fueling equipment and services," the letter said.

It said regulators should earmark some of the funds for a rebate program to incentivize employers, apartment owners, workplaces and other facility managers who want to install EV charging stations.

A shortage of charging stations at workplaces and multi-unit apartment dwellings is seen as a key hurdle to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

VW's plan for spending the $2 billion, which has yet to be released, will be overseen by the California Air Resources Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

(Reporting by Rory Carroll; Editing by Tom Brown)
By Maher Nazeh and Saif Hameed BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Thirteen prematurely born babies were killed in a fire that broke out early on Wednesday in a maternity ward in a Baghdad hospital and was probably caused by an electrical fault, Iraqi authorities said. Eleven or 12 other babies and 29 women were rescued from the Yarmuk hospital's maternity ward and transferred to other hospitals, Hani al-Okabi, a member of parliament who previously managed a health directorate in Baghdad, told journalists after visiting the hospital and speaking to the management. Firefighters and hospital staff took about three hours to put out the blaze that engulfed the ward, according to one medic. Yarmuk is a major hospital on the western side of the capital, with emergency care facilities among others. "My son's birth was difficult," Shaima Hussein, one of the grieving mothers, told Reuters TV at the gate of the hospital. She said she was not given a chance to rescue her newborn. "I came with milk powder for him, and then this happened ... They shut the electricity and the doors," she said. Hassan Omar said he was upset that the hospital would not give him information about his twins other than that he may have to have DNA checks to check if they were among the dead. "I went to the other hospital, they are not there, so where are they?" he said. Health Minister Adila Hamoud offered to resign if the investigation proved that the fire was caused by negligence at her department. She also announced in a statement the sacking of the hospital director. The incident intensified public accusations of state corruption and mismanagement. Pictures posted on social media showed the hospital in a state of neglect, with cockroaches crawling out from between broken tiles, dustbins overflowing with rubbish, dirty toilets and patients lying on stretchers in the courtyard. The relative of a patient who died recently in the hospital from meningitis said he saw a cockroach crawling along the tube of an oxygen mask. "It was so dirty," he said. "We had to bring our own bed sheets." Thirteen years after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, the oil-rich Arab state still suffers a shortage of electricity, water, schools and hospitals. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has been trying for more than two years to tackle corruption in Iraq, which ranks 161 out of 168 on Transparency International's Corruption Index, but has encountered resistance from much of the political elite. Graft has exacerbated the effects on the economy of a sharp decline in oil revenue caused by falling crude prices and the costs of fighting Islamic State, the militant group that has controlled large parts of northern and western Iraq since 2014. (Additional reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Jacques Spitzer was having a great run. Hes the founder of Raindrop Marketing, based in San Diego, which scored triple-digit growth in each of the past four years. And yet, the success worried him. The problem: He had no idea what to pay himself. Believe it or not, growth became frightening, not fun, Spitzer says. I was afraid to touch our increasing profits until after each quarters taxes were filed. And even after the paperwork was done, Spitzer and his partner, Adam Wagner, still worried that their own salaries would screw up their company.

So they played it safe, paying themselves the bare minimum to cover their lean lifestyles.

When you start your business, calculating what to pay yourself is simple: Start with your sales and subtract operating expenses and taxes -- and thats what goes into your wallet. Most entrepreneurs cross their fingers and hope its enough to cover the bills. When your business expands, things get trickier. Sure, you could increase your take-home pay right off the top -- and pay the additional taxes that go with it. But what if business drops in the next quarter? Will your company have enough in the bank to cover its obligations?

Thats why I suggest that owners create something called a variable component to a compensation structure. Heres what that means in English: You set up a modest, recurring salary, along with an additional monthly payment based on a percentage of your companys earnings. But beware: If you dont have the right business structure, a system like this can still turn your taxes into hell. Be sure to consult with an accountant.

When Spitzer and Wagner sat down with their CPA, the team drew up a plan to cover all their costs. Its a good one, and can work for almost any entrepreneur. Here it is:

This plan accounts for everything: The cost of doing business, taxes and an uncertain future. The guys also have a plan for any excess funds: After they pay estimated taxes, they pay themselves a midyear bonus. Its based on the companys performance to date, as well as a conservative projection for the final two quarters. By doing it midyear, they have time to make any necessary adjustments by years end. Now, finally, theyre getting paid for all their hard work -- and have a reason to work even harder.
By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. human rights chief urged Ethiopia on Wednesday to allow international observers into restive regions where residents and opposition officials say 90 protesters were shot dead by security forces at the weekend. In his first comments on the incident, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that allegations of excessive use of force across the Oromiya and Amhara regions must be investigated and that his office was in discussions with Ethiopian authorities. Since January, when he said the killings of protesters first began, his office had "not seen seen any genuine attempt at investigation and accountability". "The use of live ammunition against protesters in Oromiya and Amhara, the towns there of course would be a very serious concern for us," Zeid told Reuters in an interview in Geneva. Unrest flared in Oromiya for several months until early this year over plans to allocate farmland surrounding the regional capital for development. Authorities in the Horn of Africa state scrapped the scheme in January, but protests flared again over the continued detention of opposition demonstrators. At the weekend, protesters chanted anti-government slogans and waved dissident flags. Some demanded the release of jailed opposition politicians. Information on the reported killings has been difficult to obtain, Zeid said. "So I do urge the government to allow access for international observers into the Amhara and Oromiya regions so that we can establish what has happened and that the security forces, if it is the case that they have been using excessive force, that they do not do so and promptly investigate of course these allegations." Zeid said that any detainee who had been peacefully protesting should be released promptly. The state-run Ethiopian News Agency said on Monday that "illegal protests" by "anti-peace forces" had been brought under control. It did not mention casualties. As in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which Zeid visited last month, it is vital that security forces employ non-lethal means during peaceful protests, he said. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Robel Habte, foreground (Getty Images)

Clearly, Ethiopian swimmer Robel Habte isnt Tongas Pita Taufatofua when it comes to the physique department.

But does Habte really deserve to be body-shamed?

Sure, at 5-foot-9, 179 pounds, Habte isnt the lithe, 6-foot-4, 194 pounds Michael Phelps is. But tubby? Fat?

Robel the Whale?

Those are excessive, and downright mean.

[Related: Independent Olympian uses marker on uniform to show disdain for IOC]

Habte swam in the 100-meter freestyle prelims Tuesday, was last in his heat of three and last in the field of 59 competitors; his time of 1:04.95 was 17 seconds behind the fastest man in the prelims, Australias Kyle Chalmers.

Ethiopian Dadbod

The 24-year-old hails from a land-locked country of long-distance runners, and told Reuters he intentionally chose swimming to be different.

I wanted to do something different for my country, thats why I chose swimming, he said. Everybody, every day you wake up in Ethiopia, you run. Not swimming. But I didnt want to run, I wanted to be a swimmer.

It didnt matter where I finished.

Despite his slow swim (Habte said his personal best is 59.08), the crowd at the aquatic center cheered him on as he finished.

I am so happy because it is my first competition in the Olympics, Habte said. So thanks for God.

Habte got a special invitation into the Olympics from FINA, swimmings world governing body, because he is from an under-represented country.

He has faced charges of nepotism from back home, however. Habte is the son of the countrys swimming boss and many Ethiopians are angry that a more deserving swimmer was not selected.

Robel is a symbol of racism, favouritism, incompetence that were currently fighting, one Ethiopian tweeted.

More Summer Olympics coverage on Yahoo Sports:
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie reacts to a question during a news conference after announcing the chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey had resigned, a day after an internal investigation cleared Christie in the

A former aide to Chris Christie said that the New Jersey governor "flat out lied" when questioned by a reporter on the decision to close access lanes to the George Washington Bridge, text messages made public in a Wednesday court filing revealed.

Christie insisted during a December 2013 news conference that senior staffers and Bill Stepien, his campaign manager, assured him that they were not involved in the scandal widely known as Bridgegate.

But messages from Christina Genovese Renna, the former director of Christie's Intergovernmental Affairs Office, to Peter Sheridan, a campaign staffer, cast doubt on that claim.

Renna, while listening to the news conference, sent a text to Sheridan saying that Christie "lied" and acknowledging that "if emails are found with the subpoena ... it could be bad."

The messages came out in a court filing that's part of a trial over the lane closures, according to NJ Advance Media.

Here's the conversation from the court documents:

NEW court filing with texts between Christie aides, sent December 2013:

"Are you listening? He just flat out lied." pic.twitter.com/iqIXqD21Y2  Matt Katz (@mattkatz00) August 10, 2016

Christie said on Wednesday that the accusations that he lied were not true.

He has been campaigning on behalf of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. He was once under consideration to be Trump's running mate, and voiced his disappointment when the spot went to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence instead.

The Bridgegate scandal has been a black mark on his administration in New Jersey. While he is not on trial for fraud, two of his former deputies are.

Christie insisted that he wasn't involved in the scandal, and didn't know that the lanes in Fort Lee, New Jersey, were allegedly shut down as political retribution. The lane closures caused massive traffic backups after Fort Lee's mayor declined to endorse Christie for reelection.

Story continues

NOW WATCH: Hillary Clinton ripped Chris Christie while giving a speech in New Jersey





More From Business Insider


MADISON  University of Wisconsin System leaders plan to ask Gov. Scott Walker and Republican legislators to lift a tuition freeze and give the system about $40 million in new money in the next state budget.

The Board of Regents is expected to approve the request at a meeting this month. System President Ray Cross gave reporters a preview of the request that asks Walker to allow the regents to set tuition and calls for an additional $42.5 million in state aid.

Cross said the new money would be used to shorten the time to graduation, expand programs that offer high school students college credits for completing certain courses and build more robust student internship programs.

The request asks for no new money to fund fringe benefit adjustments or utility bills. System officials dont anticipate a need because about 1,800 fewer system employees are on state health insurance, Cross said, choosing instead to get on their spouses plans. He also noted that the system has lost about 1,200 employees.

Its not an excessive request, Cross said. Its time to invest. Lets send a message that this is really important.

The last four years have been a time of tight finances for the system. Walker and Republican lawmakers froze in-state undergraduate tuition in the 2013-15 state budget after it was found schools were sitting on massive reserves while raising tuition year after year. Lawmakers extended the freeze for another two years in the current budget and cut $250 million from the system.

Walker has called for the tuition freeze to be extended for another two years and has warned the system that it shouldnt expect any additional state aid in the next budget. The governor is considering more money for the system if schools meet performance benchmarks, but he hasnt said what schools would have to accomplish to win more money or how much funding would be available.

The UW Systems budget is the highest it has ever been, Walker spokesman Tom Everson said Tuesday, and the next state budget automatically adds $50 million in base funding.

Joint Finance Committee co-chairman Rep. John Nygren said Tuesday he looks forward to working with colleagues, the UW system, and stakeholders to preserve the quality and value of Wisconsins public institutions.

The state budget goes through a similar process every biennium. The governor always proposes his budget before its sent to the Legislature for consideration and modifications, Nygren said.

Cross said the system remains an economic engine for the state and deserves more money, supporting his argument with data that class sizes are increasing and class availability is decreasing, which translates to students paying more because it takes longer to graduate.

Other components of the request include:

$454.6 million for building maintenance, renovation and construction. About $100 million would go toward maintenance. A new mechanical engineering building at UW-Platteville would be the only new structure; the rest would be for renovations. Cross said the current state budget allocated $86 million for buildings.

New statutory language allowing the regents to issue bonds backed by program fees to fund projects. The state building commission would release the bonds in amounts requested.

Allow the system to purchase academic-related items without going through the state Department of Administration.

The next state budget is a long way off. State agencies must submit their requests to Walker by mid-September, and he will release his version of the budget early next year. After that, it must go through a legislative committee before the full chambers, and ends up on Walkers desk, who can use his veto power. The whole process will likely wrap up next summer.
By Brian Ellsworth CARACAS (Reuters) - A former Guantanamo prisoner who was relocated to Uruguay nearly two years ago is being held by Venezuela's intelligence agency after traveling to Caracas in an apparent attempt to reunite with family, a lawyer familiar with his case said on Tuesday. Jihad Diyab was held for 12 years in Guantanamo without being charged and was released to Uruguay in 2014 as part of an arrangement to reduce the number of detainees at the U.S. military prison, according to California-based lawyer Jon Eisenberg. The Syrian national was not seen in Montevideo after mid-June and arrived in Caracas on July 26, Eisenberg said in a telephone interview. At that point Diyab asked the Uruguayan consulate to help him travel to Turkey where he was to meet with his family. Diyab was then arrested by Venezuelan security forces and has been held by the Sebin intelligence service without access to lawyers or visitors since approximately July 30, Eisenberg said. "I have not been able to make contact with him and have gotten no official response from the Venezuela government as to why he is being detained or where," said Eisenberg, who represented Diyab in a court challenge to a U.S. Defense Department policy of force-feeding Guantanamo prisoners that went on hunger strike. The Venezuelan Information Ministry, which frequently handles media requests on behalf of other state agencies, did not respond to an email seeking comment. Reuters was unable to obtain comment from the office of Venezuela's vice president, which oversees Sebin. Eisenberg stopped representing Diyab after he was released but has been advising him regarding ongoing efforts to secure the public release of videos showing Diyab being violently force-fed while he was in Guantanamo. News that Diyab had left Uruguay led a group of U.S. lawmakers to demand that President Barack Obama halt transfers of Guantanamo prisoners, arguing that they represented a security risk to Americans. Diyab was captured in 2002 near the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan and transferred to Guantanamo, according to a letter written in July by a group of U.S. Senators, who described him as a "weapons smuggler." Venezuela's government, which has been an ideological adversary of the United States since the 14-year rule of late socialist leader Hugo Chavez, has been harshly critical of U.S. treatment of Guantanamo prisoners. Chavez in 2009 said Venezuela would be willing to receive Guantanamo prisoners as part of efforts to help close the prison and return the land housing the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the government of Cuba. (Reporting by Brian Ellsworth; Editing by Tom Brown)
By Steve Stecklow and Alexandra Harney

LONDON/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - ACT Inc, maker of Americas most popular university entrance exam, is laying off its head of test security and plans to audit nearly 200 education centers after Reuters detailed widespread cheating in an ACT-owned college-prep program for international students.

Rachel Schoenig, who oversees a 14-person team that handles security for thousands of ACT exam centers in 177 countries, will leave the not-for-profit organization next month, according to people familiar with the matter. It is not clear whether she will be replaced.

In June, a leaked test forced ACT Inc, based in Iowa City, Iowa, to cancel sittings for its college-entrance exam in Hong Kong and South Korea. Reuters reported last month that Schoenig's unit had repeatedly recommended tightening security overseas before the breach and cancellations, but that ACT executives had rejected the recommendations.

Schoenig is among several top security officials to leave ACT Inc recently. A senior investigator in her unit, Cody Shultz, recently quit, according to people familiar with the matter. And ACTs head of information security, Shari Lewison, left the organization to take a job this month at University of Iowa Health Care, according to her LinkedIn page.

Schoenig declined to comment. Shultz and Lewison did not respond to requests for comment.

ACT spokesman Ed Colby declined to talk about the departures, saying he could not discuss personnel matters. Nothing has changed regarding ACTs commitment to test security and to providing a fair and level playing field for all examinees, nor to our ongoing efforts to improve our testing and security procedures, he said.

Marten Roorda, ACTs chief executive, declined to be interviewed for this story.

ACTs chief rival, the New York-based College Board, which administers the SAT, continues to battle its own security problems. Reuters reported last week that a major breach exposed hundreds of unpublished questions for upcoming SAT exams. A College Board spokeswoman said the organization was investigating what she termed a serious criminal matter.

Story continues

Reuters also reported in March that test-prep operations in East Asia were exploiting security flaws in the SAT, which is often reused overseas after first being given in the United States. Those cram schools harvest items from earlier exams, enabling students to practice on questions that are recycled for international versions of the test.

The SAT and ACT are used by thousands of U.S. colleges to help determine the fates of millions of student applicants.

The news agency last month also detailed cheating in the ACT-owned Global Assessment Certificate program. The program has about 5,000 students and operates at 197 centers, mostly in Asia. (http://reut.rs/2akY3uf)

Seven students who attended three different GAC centers in China described how school officials and proctors ignored and were sometimes complicit in cheating on the ACT. Eight teachers or administrators who have worked at seven different Chinese GAC centers also described cheating in program courses.

Andrew Todd, who heads the ACTs wholly owned subsidiary that oversees the GAC program, said Tuesday that he was a bit shocked by the cheating Reuters found.

What well have to do now is actually start an audit of all of the centers just to see how bad it is or how much evidence we can turn up, said Todd, group general manager of ACT Education Solutions Ltd, the Hong Kong-headquartered subsidiary. If the problem is as big as seems to be indicated, then our systems should be flagging it sooner.

Reuters also identified six GAC centers  five in China and one in South Korea  that had administered the ACT while also offering commercial test-prep classes aimed at helping students score well on the exam. ACT Inc policy prohibits test-prep businesses from administering the exam because doing so would give them an unparalleled ability to help their clients by leaking them the test, according to ACT Inc officials.

Todd said he couldnt recall such a policy. If it is a policy, I should have known about it, he said.

The vast majority of students in the GAC program take the ACT. The program itself is recognized by admissions offices at more than 60 colleges in the United States  including state universities in New York, Michigan, Iowa and Missouri. Some U.S. colleges award credit for successfully completing the GAC program.

Todd said ACT Education Solutions had contacted all of the colleges affiliated with the GAC program and assured them we are dealing with the situation.

Officials at several universities contacted by Reuters  including the University of Cincinnati and the University of Northern Iowa  said they were troubled by reports of cheating at GAC centers.

The allegations made by Reuters in the article are obviously very concerning, Katharine Johnson Suski, director of admissions at Iowa State University, wrote in an email. Iowa State has enrolled 132 GAC students since 2009.

Suski said she plans to review the success rates of the universitys GAC students. We will also discuss the steps we will take moving forward and whether we are comfortable continuing our relationship with GAC and, if so, in what ways, she wrote.

(Edited by Blake Morrison.)
Last week, Matisyahu crafted a touching viral moment by singing "One Day" with a busker in a Maui coffee shop. At the time, Clint "Kekoa" Alama didn't know he was performing a Matisyahu song alongside the real Matisyahu. He certainly does now, as the reggae-rap musician arranged to forego a $50,000 warrant to have him join his band at its Hollywood Palladium concert Friday night (Aug. 12).

Stu Brooks, Matisyahu's bass player, producer and musical director -- already a jack of all trades -- has been the one orchestrating Kekoa's "supervised release" from a Hawaii jail. "Late night Sunday, Kekoa texted me saying, 'Hey in custody need to go to court ASAP if possible,'" Brooks tells Billboard. "At that point I felt the weight of the situation and sort of wondered, What exactly have I gotten myself involved in?"

After their chance encounter (Matisyahu was in Maui for the annual MayJah RayJah Music Festival) Kekoa and Matis' camp first discussed a follow-up performance via a Facebook Live chat, where the 27-year old busker revealed his legal complications. He'd turned himself in earlier this week and was being held on a probation violation after convictions for assault and other charges. But country prosecutor John D. Kim was willing to grant him a concession.

Matisyahu Talks Viral Coffee Shop Duet: 'I Didn't Want to Mess Up His Game'

The morning after Kekoa's dire text, all the pieces came together. A judge ordered the bail be "set aside" so Kekoa could get the "temporary release" necessary to play the L.A. gig. The judge ordered that the "bail be set aside" and the defendant be granted "temporary release" to perform with Matisyahu at the Palladium on Friday.

"We aim to have him sit in with us to do 'One Day' and introduce him to a sold out crowd in Hollywood," Brooks says. Authorities will oversee an Aug. 11 flight out of Maui and a return trip the day after the concert, where Matisyahu is opening for 311.

"It was easy to see that this was a nice young man, simply playing music to help spread a positive message and to help buy his next meal," Brooks says. "I could see kindness in his eyes. I think this is a chance to change someone's life."

In other news, today Matisyahu released a new track called "Love Born," produced, mixed and co-written by Brooks.
By Phil Stewart and Yara Bayoumy WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Turkish military officer on a U.S.-based assignment for NATO is seeking asylum in the United States after being recalled by the Turkish government in the wake of last month's failed military coup, U.S. officials told Reuters. The asylum bid is the first known case involving a Turkish military officer in the United States as Turkey purges military ranks after mutinous soldiers commandeered fighter jets, helicopters and tanks in an unsuccessful attempt to oust President Tayyip Erdogan. The case has the potential to further strain ties between the United States and Turkey, which is already demanding Washington hand over a U.S.-based Turkish cleric it alleges was responsible for the failed coup. The two U.S. officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the Turkish officer was working at the headquarters of NATO's Allied Command Transformation, located in Norfolk, Virginia. They did not name him or offer his rank. However, an official at Turkey's embassy in Washington said Turkish Navy Rear Admiral Mustafa Ugurlu had failed to report to authorities after Turkey issued a detention order for him last month. "On July 22, on that day he left his badges and his ID at the base and after that no one has heard anything from him," the official said, also speaking on condition of anonymity. The Turkish official said he was unaware of a subsequent asylum request. An April news article on the NATO website identified Ugurlu as the Norfolk-based command's assistant chief of staff for command and control, deployability and sustainability. The Turkish official said two other lower-level officers had also been called back from the United States to Turkey. "But there's no detention order for them," the official said. "One of them has gone back, and the other will go back shortly." MILITARY PURGES The purges within Turkey's military, which has NATO's second largest armed forces and aspires to membership in the European Union, has resulted in thousands of soldiers being discharged, including around 40 percent of generals. There are concerns within the Turkish opposition that the restructuring lacks parliamentary oversight and is going too far. Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis declined comment, referring questions about Turkish military personnel to Turkey. The Norfolk mission where the Turkish officer was assigned is the only NATO command in North America, according to its website. It directs Allied Command Transformation's subordinate commands, including the Joint Warfare Center in Norway and the Joint Force Training Center in Poland. A spokeswoman at the Norfolk-based mission said 26 Turkish military personnel were assigned there, and she praised Turkey's contribution, including hosting U.S. and allies at its Incirlik Air Base, an important staging area for the U.S.-led fight against Islamic State militants in Syria. "We want to state that Turkey is a valued NATO ally that continues to make important contributions to the fight against ISIL," U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Karen Eifert said, declining comment on questions about an asylum request. ISIL is an acronym for Islamic State. A NATO official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Turkey's internal reorganization of its military has not had a practical impact on NATO-led commands. "Turkey has notified NATO about the changeover of a number of Turkish military personnel. There has been no impact on the implementation of NATO-led operations and missions or on the work of NATO commands," the official said, declining comment on any asylum request. "I would refer you to the Turkish authorities for any further details on their staffing." U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said it could not discuss individual cases, including whether an individual has requested a specific immigration benefit like asylum. The State Department declined comment. ANTI-U.S. SENTIMENT RISING The case comes as Turkey presses Washington to hand over U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. Gulen, an ally of Erdogan in the early years after his Islamist-rooted AK Party took power in 2002, has denied any involvement in the coup, which came at a critical time for a NATO state facing Islamist militant attacks from across the border in Syria and an insurgency by Kurdish rebels. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said anti-American feeling among Turks was on the rise and "turning into hatred" and could only be calmed by the United States extraditing Gulen. Still, the U.S. and Turkish militaries have long had extensive ties, extending beyond the NATO alliance. One U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, estimated there were around 160 Turkish military personnel on assignment in the United States, including those at NATO in Norfolk and others at exchanges at prestigious U.S. military institutions. Navy Lieutenant Commander Patrick Evans said 123 Turkish military personnel were participating in the U.S. International Military Education and Training Program in the continental United States as of Aug. 9. Asked how many of those participants had been recalled to Turkey, Evans said: "We are aware of one student currently at the Army War College who received a recall notice to return to Turkey." The status of the student at the War College, located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was not immediately clear. Evans did not comment on any individual cases. (Reporting by Phil Stewart; Aadditional reporting by Julia Hart, Julia Edwards, Jonathan Landay and Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Cities large and small are leading the charge on the countrys transition to clean energy, driven by concerns that range from air pollution to the need to create jobs, according to a new report from the Sierra Club.

The report, part of the Sierra Clubs Ready for 100 campaign that is pushing cities to transition to 100% renewable energy, underscores the role urban areas play in addressing climate change. Cities produce more than 60% of the worlds carbon dioxide emissions, according to a United Nations report, and which makes urban zones a key point of leveraging fighting global warming.

But addressing climate change is often not the reason that cities accelerate their push to clean energy, according to the Sierra Club. In San Diego, one of the countrys most conservative big cities, a Republican mayor committed to transitioning to clean energy by citing how the commitment will help expand the citys clean tech sector. Leaders in Aspen, Colorado cited climate changes effect on the local economy: global warming has detracted from the local ski industry.

Read More: What Do Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton Think About Science? Researchers Want to Know

No two cities will do this for the same reasons or get there the same ways, says Jodie Van Horn, director of the Sierra Clubs Ready for 100 campaign. Cities are the canaries in the coal mine for the fossil fuel industry as they move to 100% clean energy, so will the country.

The cities in the report show the many different ways urban areas are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The majority of the cities plans include promoting energy efficiency. Some programs focus on requiring more efficient components in buildings while seeking to change behavior through public awareness campaigns. Some cities located in areas with abundant resources like wind and sunsuch as Georgetown, TXhave focused largely on switching to renewables, as much for the economy as for the environment.

Story continues

Read More: Scientists Are Making Stronger Links Between Climate Change and Extreme Weather

Im probably the further thing from an Al Gore clone you could find, says Jim Briggs, Georgetowns interim city manager in a statement. But we did [wind and solar] to get a competitive rate.

Citys energy policies play a significant role in countries across the globe, but they will be particularly important in the U.S., where local authorities wield significant control over energy and environmental regulation. Theyll need to pick up the slack while President Obamas Clean Power Plan, which sets standards for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from power plants in individuals states, remains on hold pending review by the Supreme Court.

Other cities listed in the report include Burlington, Vt., East Hampton, N.Y., Grand Rapids, Mich., Greensburg, Kan., Rochester, Minn., San Jose, Calif., and San Francisco, Calif. Many more have committed to reducing their carbon dioxide emissions significantly in the coming years and decades.
f35b

The Marine Corps' variant of the F-35 Lightning II is almost ready for its combat debut.

"We're going to start to see that airplane deploy here overseas after the first of the year," Gen. Robert Neller, commandant of the Marine Corps, said on Tuesday.

The "jack-of-all-trades" aircraft was designed to replace the Corps' Harrier, Hornet, and Prowler aircraft but has had significant snags.

Lockheed Martin's F-35 is America's priciest weapons system, and its development has become one of the most challenged programs in the history of the Department of Defense.

f35

Since its inception, in 2001, the F-35 has experienced setbacks that include faulty ejection seats, software delays, helmet display issues, and an inability to dogfight.

"We thought we were going to get that airplane a little bit earlier, but we didn't, but now we stood up our second squadron," Neller said during a discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Similarly, on July 29, when asked if the F-35B could fly combat missions to fight ISIS in Iraq and Syria, the US Marine Corps' head of aviation said, "We're ready to do that."

Noting that the decision to deploy the fifth-generation jet into combat would come from higher command, Lt. Gen. Jon Davis, deputy commandant for aviation for the Marine Corps, said that the F-35B is "ready to go right now."

aei amanda f35

"We got a jewel in our hands, and we've just started to exploit that capability, and we're very excited about it," Davis said during a discussion at the American Enterprise Institute on the readiness and future trajectory of Marine aviation.

Davis, who has flown copilot in every type of model series of tilt-rotor, rotary-winged, and tanker aircraft in the Marine inventory, said that the F-35 is an airplane he's excited about.

Story continues

"The bottom line is everybody who flies a pointy-nose airplane in the Marine Corps wants to fly this jet," Davis said.

Last summer, then Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Joseph Dunford declared initial operational capability for 10 F-35B jets  the first of the sister-service branches.

"There were a lot of people out here in the press that said, 'Hey, the Marines are just going to declare IOC because it would be politically untenable not to do that,'" Davis said.

"IOC in the Marine Corps means we will deploy that airplane in combat. That's not a decision I was gonna take lightly, nor Gen. Dunford," he said.

f35

Ahead of IOC, Davis said that the Marine Corps "stacked the deck with the F-35 early on" by assigning Top Gun school graduates and weapons-tactics instructors to test the plane.

"The guys that flew that airplane and maintained that airplane were very, very, hard graders," he said.

Davis added that the jet proved to be "phenomenally successful" during testing: "It does best when it's out front, doing the killing."

The Marine Corps' first F-35B squadron is scheduled to go to sea in spring 2018.

f35a

Meanwhile, the Air Force, which has been the most bullish on the F-35's combat capabilities, declared its variant ready for combat last week.

Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan, the F-35 program's executive officer, said that the Air Force's decision to declare the F-35A's IOC "sends a simple and powerful message to America's friends and foes alike: The F-35 can do its mission."

"The roads leading to IOC for both services were not easy, and these accomplishments are tangible testaments to the positive change happening in the F-35 program," Bogdan said.

As the Air Force is buying nearly 70% of the fifth-generation jets being made domestically  1,763 of 2,443 aircraft  the Air Force sets the economies of scale for the tri-service fighter, with each plane costing a cool $100 million.

Lockheed Martin, considered a bellwether for the US defense sector, is expected to generate nearly a fifth of its $50 billion in 2016 sales solely from the F-35 program.

Currently the US Navy variant, the F-35C, is scheduled to reach IOC by February 2019.

NOW WATCH: America's $400 billion warplane has some major flaws





More From Business Insider


Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f173063%2fgettyimages-586113532

A controversial Facebook community group 'Bloke's Advice' has been shut down following mounting pressure from the Australian community.

The 200,000-strong group's members were invited to share stories, anecdotes and jovial conversation  the sticking point being that some stories and anecdotes were seen to incite violence toward women, made light of domestic abuse and encouraged assault.

SEE ALSO: Noted feminist Barack Obama challenges men to fight sexism

The invite-only group page garnered national attention after an organisation called The Red Heart Campaign started a petition via change.org for its removal. Campaign spokesperson Sherele Moody told Mashable Australia that their Facebook page received an intense level of vitriol and abuse after the petition launched.

Many of the 'Bloke's Advice' members took to messaging Moody directly as well as commenting on posts aimed toward encouraging victims of domestic violence to speak out and seek help.

An example of the type of messages Moody was receiving personally after starting the petition.

Image: supplied/sherele Moody

Despite an earlier statement from Facebook stating that the page would not be removed but that offensive comments and posts would be deleted, the page itself has now been removed entirely.

Screenshot of one of many offensive comments posted by a 'Bloke's Advice' member.

Image: Supplied/rED HEART CAMPAIGN

The ABC reports that a Facebook spokesperson confirmed the deletion of the page. "Since the recent media coverage of this group, there has been an increase in the number of posts that do violate our policies, and consequently the group has been removed," he said."Where there are a large number of posts in a group that violate our policies, we remove the entire group."

The new website is asking it's members for money to keep it afloat.

Image: sCREENSHOT FROM BLOKESADVICE.NET

Since its removal from Facebook, the organisation has created their own website and the group is requesting fiscal support from their members. Anyone can access the domain but only members who sign up get full access to the website.

Meanwhile, Moody is "very concerned that the people behind a page that incites sexual and domestic violence is asking Australians to donate money to help keep it in the business of harassing and demeaning women."

Story continues

"It's an absolute slap in the face to the one in three Australian women who are subjected to male physical violence and it makes a mockery of the memories of each of the 41 Aussie women who have been killed by Australian men this year," she said.

"If we have any hope of decreasing the sexist attitudes that underline violence against women in our country we need to hold every supporter of 'Bloke's Advice' and similar forums to account."
Mark Zuckerberg

Facebook is partnering with a charter school network to push out an innovative concept in 120 schools across the nation: student-directed learning.

The Facebook-Summit Public Schools partnership centers on a learning system co-created by the social media behemoth and charter network through an undisclosed amount of money, The New York Times reported.

Called the Summit Personalized Learning Platform, the software enables students to create their own timelines for completing projects and lessons for the year, supplemented with one-on-one mentorship by teachers.

In return, the system gives students wide berth to develop creative problem solving skills and learn time management on their own, the creators of the platform say. The software will be free of charge to schools.

The partnership launched last year, with 19 schools receiving resources to bring personalized learning into classrooms. The program has now substantially increased, with 100 new schools participating across 27 states.

The partnership is Zuckerberg's latest influence on public education in the US.

In 2010, he donated $100 million to fix the failing school system in Newark, New Jersey with the goal of turning around the schools in five years.

Multiple sources called the investment a failure and tore into Newark Public Schools for squandering his money and not delivering on any of the goals it set out to achieve.

For all the criticism of the Newark project, however, Zuckerberg doesn't appear any less committed to public school reform, although he seems to be employing a different strategy recently. In 2014, he committed $120 million to school districts around the San Francisco Bay Area, focusing on reform at the community level, rather than a heavy-handed, top-down approach, as the Newark reform plan has been described.

Story continues

His attempts to benefit schools with the Facebook-Summit partnership seem similarly guided.

Editor's note: This story previously stated that the schools are located in Silicon Valley. They are located in 27 states through the US.

NOW WATCH: Scientists just collected a mysterious 'purple orb' at the bottom of the ocean, but no one could anticipate what happened next





More From Business Insider


Following their recent entry into new bear markets, United States Oil Fund (USO) , which tracks West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures, and the United States Brent Oil Fund (BNO) , which tracks Brent crude oil futures, have been the center of much debate among commodities market observers.

For example, some professional traders do not see the current oil bear market lasting very long. Still, some concerned oil market participants believe oil is rallying without strong fundamental cause. A case can be made that oils rally is defying still troubling supply dynamics and tepid demand.

SEE MORE: A Factor that Could Hinder Oil ETF Investing

On Monday, oil was boosted by a familiar catalyst: Speculation that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) could intervene to support prices. Oil prices bounced after Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Sada, Qatars energy minister and holder of OPECs rotating presidency, said that OPEC members are in constant deliberations on stabilizing the market and prices are expected to rise in the later part of 2016, Bloomberg reports.

Trending on ETF Trends

U.S. Dollar Slips Below Short-Term Trend on Lower Fed Bets

How to Prepare for a Possible Gold ETF Pullback

Oil ETFs Jump on Saudi Speculation, IEA Demand Comments

Palladium ETF Revs up on Rising Chinese Car Sales

Industrial Metal ETFs: Time to Shine Like Precious Metal Rivals?

Those headlines arrived just days after reports indicating some big-name Wall Street banks are increasingly bearish on crude.

The Wall Street Journal surveyed 13 investment banks on their predictions for Brent prices, and the average result was $56 per barrel for 2017, which was about $1 per barrel lower than the survey the WSJ conducted in June. The investment banks also dont see oil prices bouncing back to $50 per barrel until the end of this year, which is a dramatic change from last years expectation that oil would hit $70 in 2016, according to OilPrice.com.

Still, some traders see oils recent pullback as a potential buying opportunity.

Story continues

Weve obviously bounced 8 percent off these lows. Sentiment was extremely strong, people have been staring at the rig counts; I dont think its a lagging indicator; ultimately we are in a place here, you heard the comments from OPEC  they actually think the markets correcting itself, said Tim Seymour, managing partner at Triogem Asset Management, in an interview with CNBC.

SEE MORE: ETF Ideas for Profiting from a Pullback in Oil Stocks

Elevated levels of production remain an issue for oil as well. OPEC has kept up production to pressure high-cost rivals, such as the developing U.S. shale oil producers. The International Energy Agency expects it will take several years before OPEC can effectively price out high-cost producers.

For more information on the Oil ETFs, visit our Oil category.

United States Oil Fund

uso2

The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.
julian assange

The family of slain Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich is calling on conspiracy theorists to stop speculating about factually baseless connections between his death and a WikiLeaks hack.

Since Rich was shot while walking home in Washington, DC, on July 10, online conspiracy theorists have speculated that his death may have been connected to the hack and subsequent leak of internal DNC emails.

The group WikiLeaks on Tuesday offered $20,000 for information leading to a conviction in Rich's case. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange took the offer a step further in an interview, suggesting that Rich was potentially a WikiLeaks source.

In a statement to Business Insider on Wednesday, Brad Bauman, a spokesperson for the Rich family, thanked investigators and implored high-profile figures to stop attempting to politicize Rich's death by perpetuating unfounded theories about the shooting.

"The family welcomes any and all information that could lead to the identification of the individuals responsible, and certainly welcomes contributions that could lead to new avenues of investigation," Bauman said.

He added:

"That said, some are attempting to politicize this horrible tragedy, and in their attempts to do so, are actually causing more harm than good and impeding on the ability for law enforcement to properly do their job. For the sake of finding Seth's killer, and for the sake of giving the family the space they need at this terrible time, they are asking for the public to refrain from pushing unproven and harmful theories about Seth's murder."

DC police have also attempted to carefully tamp unproven online speculation about Rich's DNC connection while seeking information from the public.

Following Rich's death, Metropolitan Police Department officials suggested that the shooting was likely the result of an attempted robbery.

MPD spokesperson Alice Kim told Business Insider on Tuesday that there was no evidence connecting Rich's death to his work at the DNC but that the department welcomed information.

Story continues

"At this time, there is no indication that Seth Rich's death is connected to his employment at the DNC. However, we welcome information that could potentially lead to the identification of the individual(s) responsible for his death and are pleased when any outside contributors help us generate new leads," Kim said.

Rich's death has garnered significant attention from some online forums and right-leaning outlets, as he was killed weeks before WikiLeaks' release of hacked internal emails in which top DNC staffers criticized and considered taking political action against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

The FBI launched an official investigation into the hack, which experts linked to hackers with Russian ties.

NOW WATCH: Watch the RNC audience boo Ted Cruz for not endorsing Trump





More From Business Insider


BUYERS: Stella McCartney and Alasdhair Willis

LOCATION: Amagansett, NY

PRICE: $1,500,000

SIZE: 1,305 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

YOUR MAMAS NOTES: English fashion designer Stella McCartney, daughter of music legend Paul McCartney, of course, and her sartorially astute husband Alasdhair Willis, creative director of the venerable Scottish Wellington boot brand Hunter, plunked down $1.5 million for a humble if hardly inexpensive and decidedly not-chic waterfront cottage in the Napeague area of Amagansett, NY, a transaction first turned up by the East Hampton Press.

The petite and unpleasantly boxy bayside residence sits privately at the tail end of discreet and supermodel slim tree-lined lane with open views across the glimmering Napeague bay to the southern tip of Gardiners Island. The McCartney-Willises bought not only the .4-acre waterfront parcel on which the house stands but also a landlocked neighboring parcel of .33-acres that brings the total size of the property to .73 acres according to online marketing materials. The existing house measures in at a modest 1,350-square-feet with three bedrooms  all with weirdly tiny windows  and two perfectly ordinary but certainly serviceable bathrooms. Things get better and brighter in the combination living/dining room that features honey blond wide plank wood floorboards, a vaulted ceiling, and three sets of glass sliders on two walls. However, its back to blah in the adjoining galley-type kitchen thats clean and well maintained but also on the wrong side of puny with uninspired finishes and low-end, rental-grade appliances. The glass sliders in the living/dining room open to a north-facing deck that runs the full width of the house with a lovely elevated water view over a narrow stretch of scrubby dunes. The house would seem on the wee side for the McCartney-Willises who have four children between 11 and 16 years old and, as others have already speculated, its quite likely the existing house will get substantially expanded or perhaps even razed to make way for something larger and more stylishly outfitted.

Its not such a surprise the organic-minded and PETA-supporting fashionista would snatch up a house in the Hamptons since her father has owned an unassuming shingled cottage on an Amagansett cul-de-sac that few Hamptonites even know is there since the late 1990s when it was purchased for $498,000.

As far as we know the Britain-based couple continue to own a townhouse residence in Londons natty Notting Hill area as well as a 160-ish-acre country estate near Bishampton, Worcestershire, about 120 miles outside of London, that was bought sometime before they were married in 2003.

As a bone fide rock and roll heiress Miz McCartney might have easily rested comfortably on her family laurels but instead heads up a global empire that includes an eponymous high-end fashion label, perfume and skin-care products, a charming and pricey line of childrens clothing, and 17 stores located in plummy zip codes in some of the worlds most sophisticated cities.

Listing photos: Douglas Elliman
The day before Vanessa Marcotte went jogging near her mother's home in Princeton, Massachusetts, she had dinner with her father. It would be the last time he saw her.



"I went to eat with her at the Chop House Saturday night. After that, the next day, she was dead," John Marcotte told The Boston Globe Tuesday outside his home, with tears in his eyes.



Vanessa's body was found in a wooded area about a half-mile from her mother's home. A "preliminary review" of her body led detectives to believe it is a homicide, according to a news release from the Worcester County District Attorney's Office.



Authorities reportedly located her naked body with burns to the face, hands and feet, according to WCVB.





Father of Google Employee Killed While Jogging Tears Up Discussing Her: 'All We Want' Is Justice| Crime & Courts, True Crime

"I could only ask for your prayers, that they find [who] did this. That's all we want. That's all we want: justice," John told the Globe, adding, "I want my daughter remembered as a great kid. She's the best kid in the world."



 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.



Vanessa, a Google employee living in New York City, was visiting her family and last seen "walking or running" near Brooks Station Road in Princeton, officials said. After she didn't return home, a missing person's report was filed at 3:50 p.m. About four hours later, the Massachusetts State Police K-9 unit discovered her body.



John told the Globe that his daughter was smart and working her way up in her career. He thanked Google for its outpouring of support, and in an official statement, a Google spokesperson told PEOPLE, "Vanessa Marcotte was a much loved member of the Google team, working in our New York office for the last year and a half, and known for her ubiquitous smile, passion for volunteer work, and love of Boston sports.



"We are deeply shocked and saddened, and our thoughts are with her family and friends."



Vanessa's death has also shocked and saddened the small town she had returned to for a visit.



"People are traumatized," resident Diane Featherstone told the Globe. "Not just because it happened here, but because it happened."



As John told the Daily Mail, "How can anything ever be all right again when your only child has been horribly murdered?"





'Early in the Investigation'

On Tuesday, District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. told reporters that authorities have set up an anonymous tip line for anyone with information.



"Any information may be relevant," he said. "We're still early in the investigation."



"I must stress that we do not know if this is a random act," Early said previously. "We're asking the residents of Princeton to use an abundance of caution."



But he told reporters on Monday there is "nothing at this point" connecting Vanessa's death to Karina Vetrano, who was killed while jogging near her Queens home in New York City on Aug. 2.



Anyone with information on Vanessa's death should call Massachusetts State Police Hotline at 508-453-7589.
This is what our favorite couple from Anastasia would look like IRL

This is what our favorite couple from Anastasia would look like IRL

Though weve seen it 1 billion times (approximately), we cant help but fall in love with Anastasia over and over again. Were talking about the 1997 film that follows the journey of Anastasia Romanov (the last surviving child of the Russian Royal Family) as she works to reunite with the Dowager Empress (her grandmother). Along the way, she meets the hunky Dimitri and, together, they fight back against the evil forces of Rasputin (the films antagonist).

Basically, the entire movie is pure gold and we would not be opposed if it underwent a live-action remake  especially now that illustrator Jirka Vaatainen has shown us what Anastasia and Dimitri would look like in real-life.

We now present you with the intrepid Anastasia:

anastasia 2

Shes even wearing her Together in Paris necklace!

And the swoon-worthy Dimitri:

anastasia 3

According to Seventeen, Vaatainen solely uses Photoshop to create his illustrations. Using traits from about 30 different people, the artist will blend together these elements until he achieves his vision.

So this is pretty much proof that we need a live-action Anastasia, right?

The post This is what our favorite couple from Anastasia would look like IRL appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Helsinki (AFP) - Is stripping down and getting sweaty with strangers your kind of thing? In Finland, despite an astounding two million private saunas, the hottest trend sweeping the sweat-tank loving country is public saunas.

They're Helsinki's coolest spots this summer, drawing Finns and tourists of all ages to unwind on wooden benches in slick waterfront locations where the mercury hits at least 80 degrees Celsius (176 degrees Fahrenheit).

A trendy new boutique sauna called Loyly (Finnish for "Steam") opened its doors on the capital's shoreline in May and was such an instant hit that an online reservation is a must on sunny days.

On a recent visit, a group of men and women who went to university together celebrated Linnea Remes' 27th birthday by having a sauna -- a normal thing for friends in Finland where saunas are an integral part of daily life and all major celebrations year-round.

Remes has a sauna at home up to four times a week so her birthday choice was not for want of a good sweat.

"We thought that this was a fun way to pass time together and enjoy ourselves," Remes told AFP on the seaside terrace where the group cooled off before another round in the hotbox.

- Finnish sanctuary -

While Finns strip down to their birthday suits in their private saunas, the public ones either offer different rooms for men and women or require swimsuits in unisex saunas.

The sauna can be a moment to destress or a complement to a good workout. A couple of rounds is typical, with a cool shower and maybe a drink in between, or preferably a dip into a lake or the sea. In winter, a roll in the snow is even better

But saunas have been used for bigger goals -- sealing business deals and even serious diplomacy. During the Cold War, Urho Kekkonen, who served as president for 26 years, negotiated with Soviet diplomats in the sauna of his official residence.

It is precisely the social aspect of a public sauna that explains its country-wide renaissance.

Story continues

Over the centuries Finns used saunas for washing, relaxing and even giving birth. But the modern luxury of running water in virtually all residences spelt the demise of the popular old public sauna as people started installing their own private hot rooms.

Nowadays most houses and new apartments in Finland come with a private sauna. Statistics Finland estimates there are more than two million saunas for a nation of 5.5 million people.

At the same time, one in five Finns today lives on their own.

- Common experience -

"Many people live alone nowadays but yearn for that sense of community and common experience. A sauna is the best for that, an intimate place where you can exchange ideas with whomever happens to sit next to you," said Raoul Grunstein, head of Allas Sea Pool, another new public sauna and spa set to open this month.

Grunstein has such faith in the appeal of public saunas that he and his partners invested 10 million euros ($11 million) in the spa, which has three saunas and three pools floating in the sea right on Helsinki's main market square opposite the presidential palace.

Like Loyly, the facility boasts striking Nordic design and architecture.

Loyly's owners -- lawmaker Antero Vartia and actor Jasper Paakkonen, known to international audiences for his role in the Irish-Canadian TV series Vikings -- spent big, investing 6.3 million euros ($6.9 million) in a cubic design that holds three traditional wood-heated saunas, one of them a chimneyless smoke sauna.

"The city's tourism authorities have told us they believe this will shortly become one of Helsinki's top three attractions," Paakkonen said.

At Loyly's, Priya Selvaraj, a 42-year-old professor visiting from Chennai, India, marvelled at the experience, including a courageous post-sauna dip into the Baltic Sea, where water was a downright chilly 11 degrees Celsius (52 degrees Fahrenheit).

"I have taken sauna treatments back home in the southern part of India... and it's not new to us," she said, "but to have a country or a city where it's thriving on spas...!"

- Burgers and saunas -

The sauna's appeal is so strong in Finland that even the US-based fastfood chain Burger King wants its Finnish shops to partake: it recently opened a sauna at one of its Helsinki restaurants, available for groups upon reservation.

The revival of public saunas goes back to 2011 when a few Helsinkians built Sompasauna, an unlicensed sauna made of waste materials in the middle of an old harbour-turned-construction site.

The city's first reaction was to tear it down.

But the free-of-charge, mixed and nude sauna appealed to many and its fans have rebuilt the small shack every spring.

This year the city honoured it as Helsinki's "cultural act" of the year.
KIEV  When the rabbi of Chernobyl, Mordechai Twersky, felt he was dying in 1837, he set out on a long walk from Kiev. He made it about 30 kilometers to the west, where he came upon a rolling green field of wildflowers on the banks of the Irpin River, outside the village of Hnativka. It was there, he decided, that he would be laid to rest, having chosen the pastoral location, according to local lore, because there is no house of idol worship, and the sound of impure bells wont disturb my rest in the grave. A Jewish cemetery for residents of the nearby Jewish villages, known as shtetls, soon sprang up around the cyan mausoleum built to mark his grave. Two decades later, in 1859, the Yiddish author Shalom Aleichem was born nearby, and the cluster of Jewish settlements became the inspiration for his stories about Tevye the Milkman  now more commonly known as the Fiddler on the Roof.

That time period was the tail end of what the historian Yohanan Petrovsky-Shtern calls the golden age of the shtetl, in his 2014 book by that title  the last time a network of Jewish villages, and their distinctive Yiddish-speaking economic, religious, and cultural life, could truly be said to have prospered in Ukraine. The final decades of the 19th century ushered in a period of Russian national expansion that brought with it a series of pogroms and expulsions, and eventually the Jews of Hnativka and neighboring Boyarka  which some say appear in the Tevye stories as Anatevka and Boiberik  disappeared. Though Twerskys mausoleum remains, the cemetery surrounding it has been demolished, its tombstones removed to build foundations for nearby homes.

The Ukrainian Jews pushed off their land often migrated to other villages and urban centers, under increasingly strained conditions. The turn of the century made life harder still. More pogroms, far worse than before, swept through Ukrainian cities in 1905, killing hundreds. And as vibrant shtetl culture became a thing of the past, the towns became associated in the public imagination with the villages from Shalom Aleichems stories: dire straits, with  broken-down Jews, wooden huts, rotting shingles.

Story continues

Until now. The Anatevka shtetl is being rebuilt, this time as a home for Jewish internally displaced persons fleeing the ongoing war in eastern Ukraine. The settlements new founders are intent on bringing back a way of life that disappeared from the region long ago.

A view of Anatevka's fledging town center, Goodman Square.

I had this idea, to link the past and present, Rabbi Moshe Reuven Azman told me on the steps of the shtetls brand-new wooden synagogue, which the resident refugees helped build.

Azman, one of the chief rabbis of Kiev, came up with the idea of rebuilding Anatevka about two years ago, at the height of the war in eastern Ukraine. At the time, thousands were fleeing their homes in Donetsk and Luhansk every day. Many of these refugees were Jewish, and the rabbi and his congregation at Kievs Brodsky Synagogue were doing their best to keep up with the influx of displaced people arriving at their door.

Well-acquainted with history, Ukraines Jews felt themselves to be in a particularly perilous situation; a Jewish self-defense battalion was formed to defend the community during Kievs most violent days, and Azman advised his congregants to leave the city, and if possible the country.

The Jewish community had pulled together funding for a temporary shelter for refugees at a summer camp in the Cherkasy region, away from the fighting, but Azman sought a more permanent solution. Hed bought the land adjacent to Twerskys grave last year without realizing the Chernobyl rabbi, an early member of a famed Hasidic dynasty, was buried next door. It was only when he arrived in Hnativka in the spring of 2015 to survey his new purchase that he realized he was standing on hallowed land. It was an accident. But there are no accidents  There are now over a million refugees in Ukraine. It was a miracle that I bought land here, he said. By June 2015, construction of what is now the Anatevka Jewish Refugee Community had begun.

At their height, in the first half of the 19th century, shtetls were the unique habitat of some 80 percent of East European Jews, who constituted two-thirds of world Jewry at the time, Petrovsky-Shtern writes. The late 18th century partitions of Poland brought approximately 900,000 Jews into Russia, where the government immediately confined them to a region in the western part of the Russian empire known as the Pale of Settlement. There, large and small shtetls flourished.

Sequestering the Jewish population to a confined region had an enormous psychological impact on the development of East European Jewry, according to the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, a New York-based organization dedicated to the study of Jewish life, in its encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe. While it would be a great mistake to see the shtetl as an entirely Jewish world, without gentiles, it is nonetheless true that Yiddish reinforced a profound sense of psychological and religious difference from non-Jews. The shtetls became vibrant economic and religious centers, trading goods, particularly liquor, among themselves, and various Hassidic dynasties used the towns as their centers of Jewish study, until the Russian expansion and other forces began infringing on their way of life.

Even so, a diminished version of shtetl culture endured in a small number of villages until World War II, which wrought devastation upon the Ukrainian Jewish community. It was the Holocaust that finally destroyed the Soviet shtetl, YIVO notes. Approximately 1.5 million Ukrainian Jews were murdered, accounting for about 60 percent of the prewar population. German forces shot and killed nearly 34,000 Jews in just two days at Babi Yar, just outside Kiev, in one of the worst massacres of the war. Allied victory did not bring an end to anti-Semitism in Ukraine, however, where Soviet leadership discounted crimes against the Jewish people as crimes against Soviet citizens at large. Babi Yar did not receive an official memorial until 1976.

Like many former Soviet nations seeking closer ties with the West, Ukraine has sought to commemorate its Jewish history as part of an effort to document a formative part of its national past, while also disproving Russian accusations of rising fascism. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Babi Yar massacre, for instance, which the country plans to commemorate with the unveiling of a new million-dollar memorial at the site. But the country is also grappling with accusations that a rising wave of patriotism in the wake of the 2014 Russian invasion has brought with it an accompanying swell of anti-Semitism. Nationalist groups have sought to rehabilitate ethnic Ukrainian heroes with less-than-reputable histories when it comes to Jews, for instance, and new decommunization laws mean many of those heroes now have streets named after them. Just a few months ago, in May, vandals were caught burning an Israeli flag at the Babi Yar site, the latest in a long string of anti-Semitic incidents at the site.

At the same time, however, the Jewish community has begun to play an increasingly visible role in Ukrainian politics and culture. The country elected its first Jewish prime minister, Volodymr Groysman, in April. The fact that no one batted an eye or thought it would politically useful to exploit that is very important, David Fishman, professor of Jewish history at the Jewish Theological Seminary, said of Groysmans appointment. A new museum is being planned for Babi Yar, and a prominent gallery will spend more than half of this year hosting an exhibit entitled Loss: In Memory of Babi Yar. Anatevka is part of this revival  Azman and his congregation see it as an act of rebuilding and remembrance entirely in keeping with the nature of its namesake.

Azman hopes that one day five or six hundred people might live on the property, which today houses about 46 refugees of all ages in a two-story wooden barrack-style building. That would just about restore Anatevka back to its former glory  the 1897 census records 926 Jews living in the village. It just depends on whether we will get enough money and strength from above, Azman said, sweating through his suited uniform and looking up at the sky. He had just returned from a trip to New York, where he courted investors for the project. I saw taxi ads for Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway, he says. Everyone invited me to go see it, but I didnt have the time.

A member of the Jewish community takes out a portrait of the Russian-born Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson from the Anatevka synagogue.

Young Jewish girls play on a trampoline during a break between classes at the Anatevka school.

A Jewish IDP walks over to continue construction on Anatevka's main synagogue.

Katia, a Jewish IDP from Luhansk, sits in the room she shares with her husband Itzak in Anatevka.

IDPs walk toward their homes in Anatevka.

Rabbi Azman (right) and his son Yossi (center) dance during a prayer in the new synagogue in Anatevka.

Moshe (center), an IDP from Donetsk, prays in the synagogue in Anatevka with the help of children from the Jewish community in Kiev.

Azman doesnt just want to rebuild the shtetl as a home for Jewish refugees  he also wants to prove that it can return to being the religious center of its glory days. We want a physical and spiritual revival. We save people, we help them, feed them, Rabbi Azman told me. And spiritually too, we dont force them but we try to engage. Living in Anatevka also means living according Hasidic customs, in a practicing Orthodox Jewish community. The communal kitchen is kosher, and the children of Anatevka learn Hebrew in school  boys are educated in the cheder, a religious school on the second-floor of the synagogue. While Yiddish hasnt completely died out, daily life is conducted in a mix of Russian and Hebrew. Mezuzahs  decorative cases containing verses from the Torah  dot every doorpost, and modest dress is encouraged. Three times a day, a group of men trudge from the refugee cabin to pray in the synagogue.

These expectations create a delicate dynamic in the shtetl, where many refugees are not practicing Jews. Most grew up during the Soviet era, when few synagogues were allowed to operate in the open and practicing Judaism could mean risking ones livelihood.

Yaakov, one of the elderly refugees living at Anatevka, fled his home in Luhansk with his wife Nadya in August 2014. I didnt know anyone. It was incredibly difficult, Yaakov said over coffee in the small room he and his wife, who is not Jewish, share. We left amid bombing. Yaakov reached out to the local synagogue, which brought him to the temporary refugee camp in Chernivtsy. Rabbi Azman soon told the small community gathered there that he had bought a piece of land for them.

Until 1986 I was an atheist, like a lot of people. But then I had a really difficult operation, and after that I started to believe, Yaakov says. For me its really interesting, Im starting to understand a lot of things. But I could never pass for a truly believing Jew. Since moving to Anatevka, Yaakov has joined the five other refugee men who pray at the synagogue every day. Nadya has been living with him for 50 years, over which time she has learned how to make the food at Passover and other high holidays but hasnt adopted it as her own. Like all of Anatevkas new residents, she and Yaakov were promised theyd soon have their own home, and that, rather than religion, is her primary concern.

Sonia Semenenko, 39, lived near the Donetsk airport, where some of the heaviest clashes between separatists and government forces took place. When the bombs started, we took our things and left  it was May 26 when the first warplanes flew over, and by the 29th we were gone, she tells me as she pumps her sewing machine in the corridor of the refugee hotel, her young daughter Varya looking on. Everything burned, but by then we were already gone.

She didnt go to synagogue in Donetsk, but her father sometimes went. You know, Im just starting a new life. So for me, I dont feel anything yet, I dont believe. But my life is completely different now, she said. Life isnt so bad in Anatevka  Azman and his partners have taken pains to provide for the community there. Theres a good school, and a kindergarten. You dont have to go anywhere. We have everything here, Sonya says. Her son, Yegor, just turned 13 and was bar mitzvahed at the Anatevka synagogue.

Left: Children from the Jewish community in Kiev make their way to the new school in Anatevka. Right: The family picture wall of Elena and Sergey, two IDPs from Luhansk, at their room in Anatevka.

Anatevka so far consists of five buildings: the synagogue, the refugee hostel, a carpentry shed, a single-family home that one refugee, Chaim, built for his family, and a large concrete pastel-colored day school, the Mitzvah-613 Lyceum, which admitted its first students in September. Theres also an aspirational town square, dubbed Goodman Square, in honor of a family of wealthy donors, which consists of a metal gate, two benches, and a tree-of-life sculpture displaying benefactor names. The villages website features a blueprint for the modern-day shtetl consisting of 17 buildings, including single-family units, a health care center, and a nursing home, but the community does not yet have the funding to finance all of those projects. All buildings in Anatevka sport commemorative plaques in English and Russian; down the single dirt road that winds through the complex, the foundation of a rehabilitation center for refugees has been laid. Azman hopes that one day there will also be a museum of Hassidic life.

This is a form of historical justice for this place, Azmans wife, Chana, tells me one sweltering Sunday morning in the synagogue, where three small classes of young boys are about to graduate from the cheder for the first time. Most of the boys are not refugees, but their families wanted to enroll them in Azmans religious school. Every day, a bus drives them from Kiev to Anatevka and back again. On Sunday, dozens of cars from the city lined up in front of the synagogue, the boys proud parents greeting the Rabbi on their way inside. Here in the past Jews were expelled, there were pogroms here, Chana says. Its more evidence that God watches over the Jewish people.

Reminders of Anatevkas dark history dot the premises. When they had just purchased the land, Azmans sons, Shmulik and Yosef, were taking a walk along the outskirts of the property when they came across old Jewish gravestones hidden among rubble on the side of the road. Anything made of stone in [Anatevka] was clearly not Jewish, Petrovsky-Shtern writes, except, of course, the tombstones.

In his study of Jewish religious figures, Wise Men and Their Tales, Elie Wiesel called the shtetl a small colorful Jewish kingdom so rich in memories, a place where life could never be truly extinguished. Enemies might periodically appear to murder the resident Jews, he wrote, but then as if out of nowhere, a man, a woman, or adolescent appeared, and life would once again begin flowing, binding the abandoned survivors into a community. They would rebuild their homes, open schools, arrange weddings and circumcisions, celebrate holidays  all that, while waiting for the next catastrophe.

Azman hopes Anatevka will help Ukraine move on from its most recent catastrophe. Rebuilding a town here gives hope to Ukrainian people, too. Very little is being built in Ukraine now, he said. He hopes that Ukrainians will see him building Anatevka and think, If the Jews are building, then we have a future.

Amnon Gutman is a photographer who has been covering the conflict in Ukraine since 2014 and has been following the ongoing development of Anatevka since 2015.
Christ The Redeemer Brazil

Finance Insider is Business Insider's summary of the top stories of the past 24 hours.

To sign up, scroll to the bottom of this page and click "Get updates in your inbox," or click here.

The Bridgewater employee who filed a sexual-harassment claim has withdrawn it and left for the private equity firm KKR.

Chris Tarui filed a complaint earlier this year with a Connecticut agency, alleging the harassment and describing Bridgewater as a "cauldron of fear and intimidation" that kept him silent.

After the The New York Times last month reported on the complaint, Bridgewater founder Ray Dalio called the Times' story a "distortion of reality."

Meanwhile, investors just don't seem to be able to say no to hedge funds.

In macro news, Venezuela's president hopes the 'Jesus Christ of economics' can fix the country's economic disaster. And Brazil's president, Dilma Rousseff, is headed to trial.

Here in the US, the number of foreclosures in America is at an all-time low, and there's finally a tiny bit of good news for the 40 million Americans with student debt.

Here are the top Wall Street headlines at midday:

This could be the trigger for market mayhem  Everyone should be paying close attention to risk parity funds again, says Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Delta's computer nightmare reveals the biggest problem in corporate America  It's been a bad week for Delta.

There's a big misunderstanding about technology's impact on Wall Street  The rise of financial technology is threatening Wall Street, right?

'They are hurting right now': The oil patch and has been decimated  Oil prices have dropped over 20% since June.

Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Erdogan ate lunch off of plates with their faces on them  Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan met Tuesday to discuss normalizing bilateral relations.

JIM GRANT: Gold isn't a hedge on chaos; it's an investment in chaos  Jim Grant thinks that gold is misunderstood.





More From Business Insider


colorful easter eggs

Even if you know only the bare basics of investing, you've probably heard that you need to "diversify" your portfolio  the technical term for not putting all of your investing eggs in one basket.

Seems easy enough. Avoid sinking all your money into Google stock and you should be set, right?

Not exactly.

"Diversification is not just about having a bunch of different mutual funds or ETFs or even stocks," Bob Gavlak, CFP and wealth adviser with Strategic Wealth Partners in Columbus, Ohio, told Business Insider. "A lot of people will say, 'Yeah, my portfolio is diversified,' and then I look at their portfolio and they have 10 different mutual funds, but all 10 of those mutual funds are large cap value mutual funds or something like that."

He continued:

"Just because you have a bunch of mutual funds or ETFs does not mean you are necessarily diversified the way that you should be depending on your investment goals.

"The importance of diversification is that when the markets work  and they work in cycles  certain asset classes or certain pieces of the world economy are going to be up when others are going to be down. The goal is to minimize your overall exposure to one asset class so if that asset class does not perform as well, there are others holding up the portfolio or keeping you more in line with your long-term investment goals."

Charles Schwab portfolio consultant Sean Moore previously told Business Insider he regularly sees this mistake. Investors put together a "collection" of investments rather than a portfolio. "You find that because investors don't understand what's going to serve their best big-picture objectives, and they purchase or select investments based on factors like past performance or names they recognize," Moore said.

Moore pointed out that "funds of funds," like target date funds, are available for investors who aren't completely secure in their own diversification strategies. "They're sometimes referred to as market or balanced funds," he explained. "Obviously it's not tailored to you specifically, but the idea is it's pre-diversified."

Story continues

Gavlak recommended investors ask themselves, "What do I need my investments to do for me in order to be successful?" From there, he said, you can better develop an investment strategy that's properly diversified among the appropriate set of asset classes rather than through different funds that may overlap.

NOW WATCH: Watch the Air Force drop 8 armored Humvees out of a plane from 5,000 feet





More From Business Insider


WASHINGTON  Young people in America overwhelmingly support LGBT rights when it comes to policies on employment, health care and adoption, according to a new survey.

The GenForward survey of Americans ages 18 to 30 found that support for those policies has increased over the past two years, especially among young whites. But relatively few of these young adults consider rights for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender to be among the top issues facing the U.S.

According to the findings, 92 percent of young adults support HIV and AIDs prevention, 90 percent support equal employment, and 80 percent support LGBT adoption. Across racial and ethnic groups, broad majorities support training police on transgender issues, government support for organizations for LGBT youth and insurance coverage for transgender health issues.

GenForward is a survey by the Black Youth Project at the University of Chicago with The AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The first-of-its-kind poll pays special attention to the voices of young adults of color, highlighting how race and ethnicity shape the opinions of the countrys most diverse generation.

In the past two years, support has increased from 69 percent to 84 percent among young whites for policies such as allowing gays and lesbians to legally adopt children. Support among this group for employment equality for LGBT individuals rose from 84 percent to 92 percent. The poll also suggests support for allowing adoption by gays and lesbians has increased among Hispanics over the past two years, from 65 percent to 75 percent.

Christie Cocklin, 27, a self-identified multiracial American from Providence, R.I., says that LGBT rights are just common sense.

People who dont identify as heterosexual are human like we are, and should be entitled to the same kind of rights, she said. I have friends who are LGBT and I feel that its discrimination to not allow them adoption or employment or whatever.

Young Asian-Americans, African-Americans and Latinos are more likely to support insurance coverage for transgender health issues in general than when certain specifics are mentioned.

Eighty-three percent of Asian-Americans support insurance coverage for transgender health issues, but only 63 percent say so when gender reassignment surgery and hormone treatments are specifically mentioned. Similarly, support for insurance coverage drops from 69 percent to 57 percent among African-Americans, and from 74 percent to 57 percent among Latinos. Sixty-two percent of young whites favored insurance coverage of transgender health issues regardless of whether that specifically included gender reassignment surgery and hormone treatments.

While young Americans favored LGBT rights on every issue in the poll, only 6 percent, including fewer than 1 in 10 across racial and ethnic backgrounds, consider the LGBT rights one of the top issues facing the country. Among those who self-identified as LGBT, 17 percent said it is one of the countrys top issues.

The poll of 1,940 adults age 18-30 was conducted July 9-20 using a sample drawn from the probability-based GenForward panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. young adult population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

The survey was paid for by the Black Youth Project at the University of Chicago using grants from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Ford Foundation.

Respondents were first selected randomly using address-based sampling methods, and later interviewed online or by phone.
Despite going double-platinum with no features with his 2014 studio effort 2014 Forest Hills Drive, J. Cole is a team player. Logging collaborations with DJ Khaled, Kendrick Lamar, Drake and Wale to name a few, the Fayetteville lyricist comes correct on any track co-starring another act.

As J. Cole heads to Jones Beach as a headliner for Billboard's Hot 100 Fest on Aug. 20 - 21, revisit his best collaborations below.

Billboard Hot 100 Music Festival

Wale "The Pessimist" feat. J. Cole

Pensive deep cuts are Cole's forte but for this Wale gem, the North Carolina rep opts for melodies instead of bars, singing on the hook, "Got a pocket full of lint again, but it make no difference to me/ Fallin' out with my friends again, but it make no difference to me/ Goddamn I'm hopeless/ Oh man I'm hopeless."

J. Cole "Mr. Nice Watch" feat. Jay Z

After inking a deal to Roc Nation, Cole calls on his label boss, Hov, for a stunt-worthy baller anthem off his major label debut, Cole World: The Sideline Story.

Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment "Warm Enough" feat. J. Cole

This summer-ready number features contributions from Noname Gypsy, Chance The Rapper and a pensive Cole, who tries to find penance for his mistakes. He tells his girl, "I know you probably think you're blessed to have a wonderful guy/ And that's the truth but at the same time a wonderful lie."

J. Cole's Top 5 Biggest Billboard Hits

J. Cole "Crooked Smile" feat. TLC

Inspired by his real-life twisted grill, Cole taps TLC's T-Boz and Chilli for a self esteem booster reminiscent of the ladies' 1999 offering "Unpretty."

J. Cole "Forbidden Fruit" feat. Kendrick Lamar

The self-produced Cole track not only features the Tribe Called Quest-sampled "Mystic Brew" by Ronnie Foster but an assist from K.Dot. Rumors floated around this year and last that the hip-hop fan favorites would release a joint project.

Story continues

A Tribe Called Quest "Can I Kick It? (J. Cole Remix)"

Cole didn't even need to touch the mic for this collaboration. A part-time producer on the low, he flips this hip-hop gem into a smooth chill session for the re-issue of ATCQ's People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.

The Come Up: 10 Motivational J. Cole Lyrics

Tyga "Let It Show" feat. J. Cole

The sunny soundscape offers a pretty canvas for T-Raww and Cole, who call out fake friends and ponder the consequences of fame on the Careless World: Rise of the Last King cut.

J. Cole "In The Morning" feat. Drake

This bedroom bumper features Cole and Drake channeling Romeo while asking their special ladies bluntly, "Can I hit in the morning?"

Jeremih "Planez" feat. J. Cole

Cop tickets to a Jeremih or J. Cole show and this love song is an immediate high note. The pair get lifted on the Frank Dukes and Vinylz-produced jam fit for the mile high club.

J. Cole "Power Trip" feat. Miguel

Cole delivers another ode to bae on the Miguel-assisted "Power Trip." Warning: this lyrical joyride will have you up all night.
BAMAKO (Reuters) - Five Malian soldiers have been found drowned in central Mali, days after they went missing during clashes with militants, army officials said on Wednesday. Four of the soldiers were found near Tenenkou on Tuesday and a fifth near the town of Mopti, about 75 km (50 miles) away on Wednesday, army spokesman Souleymane Maiga said. The soldiers were reported missing after an attack claimed by Islamist group Ansar Dine near the village of Tenenkou on Sunday, Maiga said. "Yesterday evening, residents alerted us to the presence of bodies at the river's edge," Hama Thokary, a nurse in Tenenkou, said. He did not know how many bodies had been found by the river, and was waiting for the army to collect them. Sunday's attack was the latest in a string of assaults claimed by Ansar Dine. The group said in a statement that it had ambushed the army, killing and wounding soldiers, according to SITE Intelligence Group. Fighting continued into Monday. Islamist militant groups took advantage of an ethnic Tuareg uprising in 2012 to seize northern Mali before a French-led intervention drove them back a year later. They have since reorganized and launch frequent attacks across the region. (Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo; additional reporting by Cheick Dioura; Writing by Nellie Peyton; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
A Florida police officer shot an elderly woman Tuesday night during a training seminar, in what officials are calling an accident.

Mary Knowlton, 73, was at a citizen police academy at the Punta Gorda, Fla. police station when she was shot during a two-hour long course, according to the Washington Post.

Officers chose Knowlton to role-play a lethal force scenario, intended to demonstrate police judgement in pulling the trigger, when she was shot with an officers loaded gun. Knowlton was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Punta Gorda Police Chief Tom Lewis called the incident a horrible accident, and that there was no word as to why the officer was carrying live ammunition. Our entire police department and all of our city leaders are absolutely devastated for everyone involved in this unimaginable event, Lewis said, according to the Post. I am asking that if you pray, you pray for Marys husband and family and for all of the officers and witnesses involved in this incident.
By Colleen Jenkins (Reuters) - A Florida police officer shot and killed a 73-year-old retired librarian in a "tragic accident" during an exercise with local residents that was meant to involve simulated lethal force, authorities said on Wednesday. Mary Knowlton was hit by a live round fired by Officer Lee Coel on Tuesday night during a role-playing exercise at an event hosted by the Punta Gorda Police Department for about 35 members of the community, the agency said in a statement. The married mother of two sons was a retiree from Minnesota and had signed up for the city's Citizens Academy as a show of support for law enforcement after deadly attacks on police in Dallas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, son Steve Knowlton told NBC News. The academy consists of a series of sessions designed to provide insight into city government and includes site visits to various agencies, according to Punta Gorda's website. Mary Knowlton's neighbourhood had recent break-ins, and she was playing the role of an intruder when she was fatally shot, said her son, who could not immediately be reached by Reuters. Police Chief Tom Lewis gave reporters few details about the revolver fired in the incident. It had been used in similar exercises before, and officials thought only blank rounds were available for it, Lewis said. "We were unaware that any live ammunition was available to that officer at the time," the chief said. Officer Coel, who has been on the force since March 2014, is on administrative leave while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigates. The Punta Gorda Police Department said Coel is a frequent presenter at "shoot/don't shoot" role-playing scenarios, as well as at youth and neighbourhood events. "He's very grief-stricken," said Lewis, who added that counseling will be made available next week to others affected by the incident. Punta Gorda is a city of about 18,000 people located on Florida's west coast, about 30 miles (50 km)north of Fort Myers. The chief described Mary Knowlton as "a phenomenal person in this community" who attended many local events. "Everyone involved in this accident is in a state of overwhelming shock and grief," Lewis said in an earlier statement. (Reporting by Colleen Jenkins; Additional reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Jonathan Oatis)
A Florida woman was fatally shot by a police officer during an exercise as part of a citizens police academy on Tuesday, in an incident police called a "horrible accident."



Mary Knowlton, a 73-year-old librarian, died after being "struck with a live round" while participating in a "shoot-don't, shoot" role-playing exercise with Punta Gorda officers, police said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.



She died later at Lee Memorial Hospital.



The name of the officer who killed her has not been released.



"I am devastated for everyone involved in this unimaginable event. If you pray, please pray for Mary's family, and for the officers who were involved," Chief Tom Lewis said in a statement. "Everyone involved in this accident is in a state of overwhelming shock and grief."



About 35 citizens participated in the eight-session course, a series of free, interactive classes designed to give residents an up-close look at city government, according to the department's website.



Knowlton was randomly selected to take part in the scenario, in which participants made "decisions on using simulated lethal force in a live role play," police said in the statement.





Mother of Two Fatally Shot After Hours Long Standoff With Baltimore Police



A photographer for the Charlotte Sun witnessed the incident while covering the event for the newspaper, according to a post on the Sun's Facebook page.



Knowlton was playing the victim in the scenario and the officer, who portrayed a "bad guy," fired several shots at the woman, the post stated.



The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident, Lewis said in a news conference late Tuesday.









The officer involved has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation, Lewis added.



In a Facebook post, a woman who called Knowlton her aunt, described Knowlton as a "devoted Wife and Mother."



"How I loved her so much she will be forever missed by all," the post stated. My heart just breaksa"
Share price of Ford Motor Co. F increased to $12.19 on Aug 5 after the automaker and its joint ventures reported a 15% year-over-year improvement in China sales to 88,189 vehicles for Jul 2016. Sales increased 6% year over year to 652,836 units in the worlds largest automobile market in the first seven months of 2016.



Fords passenger car joint venture, Changan Ford Automobile (CAF) recorded a 20% year-over-year rise in vehicle sales to 69,074 units in Jul 2016. CAF sales rose 11% year over year to 503,719 units in the first seven months of 2016. CAFs performance was driven by strong sales of the Ford Escort and Ford Focus. Sales of Ford Escort surged 82% in July, while that of the new Ford Focus increased 13%.



Ford's commercial vehicle investment in China, Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC), sold 17,748 vehicles in Jul 2016. Notably, sales improved 6% from the figure recorded in Jul 2015. However, JMC sales declined 5% year over year to 139,262 vehicles in the first seven months of 2016.



In Oct 2015, Ford announced its plan to invest nearly 11.4 billion yuan ($1.8 billion) for research and development in China over the next five years. The automaker has been trying to augment its sales in the Chinese market by modifying its vehicles to meet consumer preferences. As a result, it has gained significant market share over the last few years. Ford plans to expand its portfolio of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles in the nation over the next few years. Further, it will launch the C-MAX Energi, a plug-in hybrid, and the Mondeo conventional hybrid in China this year.

FORD MOTOR CO Price

FORD MOTOR CO Price | FORD MOTOR CO Quote

Ford currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).



Stocks that Warrant a Look



Some better-ranked automobile stocks include The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company GT, Visteon Corporation VC and Gentex Corp. GNTX, each 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



FORD MOTOR CO (F): Free Stock Analysis Report



VISTEON CORP (VC): Free Stock Analysis Report



GENTEX CORP (GNTX): Free Stock Analysis Report



GOODYEAR TIRE (GT): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
SunPower Corporation SPWR disappointed investors Teusday evening after posting its second quarter earnings results. The companys shares have lost over 30% in value since yesterdays earnings release, and the price loss is mainly attributable towards SPWRs lowered income guidance for this year. In May, the company had issued earnings guidance between $0 and $50 million for fiscal 2016. Now, Sunpower expects to post a net loss amounting to as much as -$175 million.

SPWR stock is a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), so you may be better off by picking up some solar stocks that have been building earnings momentum in the form of positive earnings estimate revisions from analysts. The pay off on these stocks could be big if they surprise, and because of the positive EPS (earnings per share) revisions trending upwards this quarter, they have a strong chance of topping expectations. To capitalize on some potential gains, you should forget about SunPower for now and pick up these two Strong Buy ranked solar stocks instead.

Sunrun Inc-RUN

Sunrun Inc. develops and sells residential solar energy systems in the US. The company currently operates across 15 states and also offers leasing services on its solar products for no money down. Sunrun stock is a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and it isnt profitable yet, but it is heading in the right direction with regards to growing revenues and minimizing net losses. Last year, company sales grew by 53% and net losses improved to -$28 million from -$71 million in 2014. In addition to demonstrating growth potential, there is value in owning RUN shares since they are currently trading at a price-to-book ratio of 0.65. A price-to-book below 1 suggests that a stock may be undervalued.

SUNRUN INC Revenue (Quarterly)

SUNRUN INC Revenue (Quarterly) | SUNRUN INC Quote

In the last 2 months, analysts have unanimously revised their EPS estimates upwards for the current quarter, current year, and next year. For the current quarter, EPS estimates have trended upwards over the last 60 days. In that span of time, the consensus for the current quarter has improved, going from -$0.47 to -$0.41. Our EPS consensus estimate for the current year has moved up as well, going from -$2.16 to -$1.54 over the last 90 days. Sunrun reports its Q2 earnings results on the 11th of August.

Story continues

Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited-YGE

Yingli Green Energy, also known as Yingli Solar, is a vertically integrated solar panel manufacturer with photovoltaic products in China. The companys manufacturing process covers ingot casting and wafering through solar cell production and solar panel assembly. The company has over 30 regional subsidiaries and its solar panels have provided 15 gigawatts (GW) in total installed capacity for customers worldwide. Like Sunrun, YGE is a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). The stock has a beta of 2.91, so expect more price volatility from an investment in this company. The company is highly leveraged, so unless it proves itself capable of making a profitable turnaround in the long run, you should definitely make an investment in this company with the hopes of realizing profits in the short term.

YINGLI GREEN EN EPS Diluted (Quarterly)

YINGLI GREEN EN EPS Diluted (Quarterly) | YINGLI GREEN EN Quote

Shares are trading for around $4, so compared to its four year share price high of about $80, YGE shares are trading at a significant discount. Yingli Solar has seen its EPS outlook improve significantly over the last few months. Three months ago, our earnings estimate predicted EPS of -$2.00 for the current quarter. The estimate has updated since then, and it now forecasts an earnings loss of -$0.30 per share. The current year estimate has also seen a large change over the last three months, going from -$8.28 to -$1.71. Yingli posted a significant beat on our EPS consensus last quarter, reporting EPS of $0.60 after subtracting nonrecurring items versus our estimate of -$0.97. This represents a beat of 161.86%, so hopefully the company can carry the optimistic EPS momentum going into its Q2 earnings report, which is scheduled to be released on the 23rd of August.

The Zacks Rank is a truly marvelous trading tool. Our ranking system has beaten the S&P 500, yielding an average return of 25% per year for the last 29 years! Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



YINGLI GREEN EN (YGE): Free Stock Analysis Report



SUNPOWER CORP-A (SPWR): Free Stock Analysis Report



SUNRUN INC (RUN): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Paris (AFP) - French industrial production dropped for a second straight month in June, statistics bureau Insee said on Wednesday, alarming analysts who had been looking for a modest increase.

Output fell 0.8 percent in June, after dropping 0.5 percent in May, with oil refining posting the largest single decline after strikes in France's oil industry.

Connor Campbell, an analyst at Spreadex, called the latest French reading "alarming" and "far worse" than the May drop and the 0.3 percent increase that economists had been expecting for June.

Manufacturing output alone fell 1.2 percent in June after a revised 0.1 percent increase the previous month.

Stoppages at French refineries in early June in protest at a new French labour law pushed output in the refining and coking sector down by a massive 12.4 percent, Insee said.

The food, transport and capital goods sectors also all saw declines.

Energy and water extraction was one of the few bright spots in the data, rising by 1.9 percent.

For the second quarter as a whole, industrial production was down by 0.1 percent.

Wednesday's figures put a dent in economic recovery hopes for the eurozone's second-biggest economy after Germany.

Insee last month said the French economy failed to grow at all in the second quarter, dashing government hopes for a small expansion.

The finance ministry called the flat figure "disappointing", given that Insee had predicted 0.3 percent growth and the Bank of France 0.2 percent.

The government is still looking for full-year growth of 1.5 percent this year.
Frances Cannon is an artist whose empowering and beautiful Instagram feed is about to rule your world

Frances Cannon is an artist whose empowering and beautiful Instagram feed is about to rule your world

Few things are more important than self care, body positivity, and learning to love yourself, so when we came across this artists work, we were instantly blown away. Frances Cannon is a super popular Melbourne-based, feminist artist. Her empowering work has been turned into everything from tattoos to killer prints, and it isnt surprising. With nearly 60k followers on Instagram and new work posted regularly, shes basically a dream come true in so many ways.

Working hard or hardly working A photo posted by Frances Cannon (@frances_cannon) on Aug 9, 2016 at 7:59pm PDT

According to her website, Frances work examines what it is like to be a woman (and woman artist) in contemporary times; looking at ideas of body-love and body-loathing, anxiety, relationships, sex and sexuality, gender, and bodily functions. Were 100 types of on board.

We love spending our days scrolling aimlessly through Cannons feed. Plus, you can purchase tattoo designs! Its like we can feel the empowerment entering our bodies through our fingertips. Its rad AF.

Here are a few of our fave empowering and beautiful pieces by Frances Cannon!

1. This incredible workspace

A photo posted by Frances Cannon (@frances_cannon) on Aug 7, 2016 at 9:09pm PDT

Such major #goals.

2. This body posi print

A photo posted by Frances Cannon (@frances_cannon) on Aug 3, 2016 at 10:20pm PDT

Love, love, love.

3. This uplifting piece

A photo posted by Frances Cannon (@frances_cannon) on Jul 23, 2016 at 10:46pm PDT

This is *too* lovely.

4. This inspirational artwork

A photo posted by Frances Cannon (@frances_cannon) on Jul 23, 2016 at 10:39pm PDT

Need this one ASAP.

5. These realistic pieces

A photo posted by Frances Cannon (@frances_cannon) on Jul 28, 2016 at 10:25pm PDT

Ugh, our hearts.

6. This rad selfie

A photo posted by Frances Cannon (@frances_cannon) on Jul 21, 2016 at 8:34pm PDT

Five stars.

Story continues

7. This notebook shot

A photo posted by Frances Cannon (@frances_cannon) on Jul 21, 2016 at 7:47pm PDT

Truly beautiful.

8. This empowering ode to bellies

A photo posted by Frances Cannon (@frances_cannon) on Jul 4, 2016 at 3:45am PDT

All too necessary.

9. This hairy babe

A photo posted by Frances Cannon (@frances_cannon) on Jul 1, 2016 at 10:24pm PDT

Wonderfully unapologetic.

10. This relatable art

A photo posted by Frances Cannon (@frances_cannon) on Jun 27, 2016 at 11:16pm PDT

Self love takes time.

11. This stunning shot of one of her custom tattoos

A photo posted by Frances Cannon (@frances_cannon) on Jul 12, 2016 at 3:25am PDT

Such huge fans.

The post Frances Cannon is an artist whose empowering and beautiful Instagram feed is about to rule your world appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Bamako (AFP) - Renewed fighting pitted former Mali rebels against pro-government fighters for a second day Wednesday, the government and UN said, while the army separately found the bodies of five missing soldiers.

Fighting erupted Tuesday near the restive northeastern town of Kidal between ex-rebels from the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) and members of the pro-government group GATIA.

The Malian government said in a statement that lives had been lost but gave no details and expressed "deep concern" over the clashes.

It "condemns the resumption of hostilities", the statement said and called on the parties to stop, warning the situation was a "serious threat" to the implementation of a 2015 peace accord.

The two sides had clashed with heavy arms in Kidal itself on July 21-22, and again on July 30 around 40 kilometres (25 miles) to the east of the town, several sources said.

GATIA, the Imghad and Allies Tuareg Self-Defence Group, said in a statement that the violence was down to tribal differences between the Imghad and Ifoghas.

The CMA could not be reached for comment.

The clashes were confirmed to AFP by a source in MINUSMA, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the west African country, which helps maintain calm in Kidal.

"We have information on fighting" under way near Kidal, said the source, giving no further details.

Meanwhile Mali's army said it had recovered the bodies of five soldiers missing since an attack Monday in the Mopti region in the centre of the country.

Four bodies were found Tuesday and a fifth on Wednesday morning, said an army spokesman. "At this stage we cannot specify the cause of death. Our experts are still examining the remains," he said.

Another military official told AFP overnight that the four bodies had been washed up by the river, and a probe was launched to determine "if they were killed and thrown into the river or if they died by drowning".

Story continues

One military source blamed the attack on the soldiers on the Malian jihadist group Ansar Dine, which claimed a previous deadly attack against the army in the Mopti region on July 19, in which 17 soldiers died.

Ongoing international military intervention since January 2013 has driven Islamist fighters away from major population centres, but large tracts of the sub-Saharan country are still not controlled by Malian and foreign troops.

Jihadist groups early last year began to carry out attacks in central Mali as well as the north.
Mexico cocaine seizure Manzanillo Colima drug bust

In late July, Mexican police in Manzanillo, the biggest port on the country's west coast, intercepted 860 pounds of cocaine being smuggled inside a shipment of refrigerators.

The discovery was made by navy personnel and officials from the customs service, who uncovered the cocaine insider a container aboard a ship bound from Buenaventura, Colombia, and destined for Puerto Queztal in Guatemala.

The 860-pound shipment is not the only major drug bust that has taken place in Manzanillo recently.

Just a week prior to that discovery, Mexican marines intercepted 217 containers of spicy salsa bound from Ecuador to Sinaloa state, farther up Mexico's west coast, that had cocaine hidden inside. Though the exact size of that cocaine shipment wasn't confirmed at the time, Reuters reported that a little more than 13 tons was captured.

While Manzanillo is no stranger to illicit activity, the discovery of such a large amount of cocaine over a short period is a reminder that the port, the state that surrounds it, and much of Mexico's southwest coast are hotbeds for the drug trade  and that competition between criminal organizations for control of that trade has driven violence to new highs.

Homicides in Colima Mexico January 2015 to June 2016

Colima, where Manzanillo is located, is one of Mexico's smallest and least populated states, and while it has had fewer homicides than many of Mexico's other states this year, the spike in violence that it has experienced over the last year outstrips much of the rest of the country.

In the first six months of 2016, Colima had a 338% increase in homicides compared to the same period in 2015, Mexican security analyst Alejandro Hope noted.

Through the first half of this year, Colima had a homicide rate of 39 per 100,000 people, which not only put it well above the national rate of 7.7 per 100,000 over the same period, but also exceeded the 29.3 per 100,000 rate in nearby Guerrero state, which has been racked by organized-crime-related violence in recent months.

Story continues

"In relative terms, this is probably the worst epidemic of violence since Ciudad Juarez exploded in 2008," El Daily Post editor Alejandro Hope wrote in late May. "This is even worse, in percentage than the security crisis in Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas in 2010-2011."

In Colima, the fighting is believed to be between the Sinaloa cartel of imprisoned cartel chief Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and the Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG). Those two cartels are generally considered to be Mexico's most powerful.

Like most cartel clashes, this one is over territory.

Mexico southwest drug smuggling violence map

In Colima and neighboring states along the Pacific coast, maritime smuggling "has always been important, and the physical infrastructure and transportation infrastructure from the coast to the center of Mexico, to Mexico City importantly, is vital to all kinds of trade, including illicit trade," David Shirk, a professor at the University of San Diego and director of the school's Justice in Mexico program, told Business Insider in May.

This geographic appeal as helped attract high levels of violence, as fragmented and weakened criminal organizations compete over not just coastal areas and inland smuggling areas, but also control of cultivation areas, particularly in Guerrero state.

Acapulco Mexico beach soldiers homicides violence

According to Hope, just south of Colima in Michoacan state, also a hub of drug trafficking, there were 480 homicides in the first five months of this year, 37% more than over the same period last year (though, Hope notes, it is still less than occurred in the first five months of 2014, when cartels and civilian self-defense groups were clashing).

Guerrero state, south of Michoacan on Mexico's Pacific coast, is the site of extensive heroin production, and competition between criminal organizations  Sinaloa and CJNG among them  helped give the state the second-most homicides in the country through the first five months of the year.

Acapulco, formerly a tourist mecca on Guerrero's coast, is now the most violent city in the country. Mexican forces off the coast of Acapulco seized nearly 1,900 pounds of cocaine aboard two vessels in late July.

While its hard to state precisely the amount of drugs smuggled over a period of time, recent seizures suggest that smuggling along Mexico's west coast has continued unabated amid the region's rising violence and despite the government's intense response in some parts of the area.

That is perhaps the surest sign that neither trend will decline any time soon.

NOW WATCH: There's a terrifying reason people are warned to stay inside at 5:45 p.m. in parts of Mexico





More From Business Insider


The candidate: Hillary Clinton

The gaffe: Whos that standing behind the Democratic nominee during a rally in Kissimmee, Florida? Oh, just Seddique Mateen, the father of Orlando nightclub gunman Omar Mateen and a man who has espoused pro-Taliban and anti-gay views, in addition to peculiar statements suggesting he holds some power in Afghanistan.

The defense: In a statement to WPTV, the Clinton campaign said, The rally was a 3,000-person, open-door event for the public. This individual wasn't invited as a guest and the campaign was unaware of his attendance until after the event. (Mateen also said he had just decided to go.)

Why it matters (or doesnt): This isnt a major gaffe by the candidate, but its sort of baffling. Sure, events are open to the public, but how did staffers allow their boss to get in a situation where she was standing in front of Mateen, sitting somewhat prominently in the grandstand? Hes not the name you want in headlines with Hillary Clinton. Perhaps Trump was right: We have no idea where they come from, we have no idea who the hell they are. We know they believe in certain things that we dont want to believe in.

The lesson: Screen anyone who might appear on screen.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Illustration by

Most of us wouldn't think twice before holding our partner's hand at the supermarket. A loving PDA in the confectionary aisle is sometimes just what you need after a long, hard day at work.

Well one couple have been reprimanded for doing just that.

On Monday evening, while Thomas Rees and Joshua Bradwell were buying food in a Sainsbury's store in Hackney, London, a woman complained about their behaviour to a security guard.

After they had paid, a security guard called them outside to tell them about the complaint that they had acted "inappropriately", the BBC reported.

The couple have since expressed their shock and anger over the incident. "It's really knocked me for six and I've spent the last day or so analysing how I'm perceived," Rees told the BBC.

The couple merely held hands and Rees said he may have even  gasp!  put his arm around Bradwell's waist, the BBC reported.

To the bigot who complained about my bf & I holdin hands & the security guard at @sainsburys who felt the need to 'talk' to us outside  Thomas Rees (@doganddinosaur) August 8, 2016

Talking to the BBC, Rees said the couple "weren't all over each other" or "in the throes of passion".

"It was essentially just holding my boyfriend's hand as I do every day. I'm very much in love and that's how I express my love," he said.

"All it's done is strengthen the importance that if you love someone, irrelevant of their gender, that is love and you should express that love in whatever way you desire or wish to."

After tweeting about the humiliating incident, Sainsbury's offered Rees a 10 off voucher. A token gesture that would barely cover the cost of a nice dinner and wine for two.

A spokesperson for the supermarket said: "We sincerely apologise to Thomas and Josh. We are an inclusive retailer and employer and do not tolerate discrimination in our stores.

Story continues

"We will take appropriate action once we've concluded our investigation with our security contractor."

However, this isn't the first time customers have taken offence to gay people showing affection to each other in Sainsbury's.

In 2014, a young lesbian couple were threatened with ejection from a Brighton store after a customer complained that a kiss they shared was "disgusting". Students then held a mass "kiss-in" in protest at how the women were treated.

Since the incident, Rees said he'd like to know how the supermarket trains staff to deal with diversity. And maybe shoppers should get used to the fact that, in 2016, homophobia has no place in public.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

Swimming Pool Bans Women On Their Period

This Could Be The Silver Lining Of Brexit

New Stats Reveal Sexual Harassment At Work In The UK Is Rampant
Geraldo Rivera is coming out with both barrels blasting at Donald Trump, after the GOP presidential candidate made a controversial statement about Second Amendment people at a rally on Tuesday.

Former Celebrity Apprentice contestant Rivera fired up his Twitter account the next day, targeting longtime loyal friend Trump for the comments.

@realDonaldTrump is a longtime loyal friend-But his #SecondAmmendmentPeople bullst was dangerous incitement&blaming the media doesnt wash, Rivera said.

Also Read: Hillary Clinton Rips Donald Trump for 'Casual Inciting of Violence' in 2nd Amendment Remark

Trump caused an uproar during a rally in North Carolina on Tuesday, telling supporters that, if his political rival Hillary Clinton is elected, she would have the power to appoint judges to the Supreme Court.

If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks, Trump said. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know.

Trumps campaign issued a clarification that the GOP nominee wasnt encouraging anyone to kill Clinton. Even so, the comment was taken by some as a call to violence, and even reportedly prompted The U.S. Secret Service to discuss the matter with Trumps campaign, though Trump has subsequently denied that a meeting took place.

Also Read: Dan Rather Rips Donald Trump for 'Direct Threat of Violence' Against Hillary Clinton

On Wednesday, Clinton herself addressed the comment during a rally in Iowa, saying it was just the latest item on a laundry list of inappropriate comments that Trump had made and asserting that her competitor is unfit for the office of the President.

And now his casual inciting of violence, Clinton said. Every single one of these incidents shows us Donald Trump simply does not have the temperament to be president and commander in chief of the United States.

@realDonaldTrump is a longtime loyal friend-But his #SecondAmmendmentPeople bullshit was dangerous incitement&blaming the media doesnt wash  Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) August 10, 2016

9 Sickest Donald Trump Burns at the Democratic Convention

Donald Trump Tries to Steal Dems Thunder by Hosting AMA Session

elizabeth banks democratic convention

Sarah Silverman Democratic National Convention: Day One

Al Franken Democratic National Convention: Day One

Michael Bloomberg Democratic Convention

Joe Biden Democratic Convention

Lena Dunham and America Ferrera Democratic Convention

Tim Kaine Democratic Convention

admiral john hutson dnc democratic convention

Barack Obama at Democratic Convention

Bernie Sanders Democratic National Convention: Day One

Story continues

Previous Slide Next Slide

1 of 11

Dems call Trump a con man demagogue who may be wearing wigs

Democrats at their national convention want to tell Americans that whatever they think of Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump is worse. They're doing it with a barrage of sick burns. Here are the best.

View In Gallery

Related stories from TheWrap:

Hillary Clinton Rips Donald Trump for 'Casual Inciting of Violence' in 2nd Amendment Remark

Dan Rather Rips Donald Trump for 'Direct Threat of Violence' Against Hillary Clinton

Donald Trump, Marco Rubio Blasted for Plans to Attend 'Extremist Anti-LGBT Summit' in Orlando
The following editorial appeared in Tuesdays The Washington Post.

Muslim passengers are escorted off U.S.-based airlines with alarming frequency these days, and while the circumstances of each incident vary, there is also a sameness to them. More often than not, someone on the plane  a seatmate, a passenger a few rows away, a flight attendant  feels uncomfortable. The trigger for that discomfort is a passenger who looks or seems to be from a Muslim-majority country. And the outcome, as far as is generally known, is a bland statement from the airline setting forth its policy of nondiscrimination.

In fact, public acts of discrimination, especially against Muslims, have spiked along with Donald Trumps venomous campaign rhetoric in this election season. That, coupled with travelers anxiety about the threat of terrorist attacks, has yielded repeated episodes of baseless suspicion on airplanes  in other words, profiling.

Prodded to say something, passengers and airline personnel are quick to see something, but too often what theyve really seen is a person whose skin color or attire or language is a trigger for unfounded accusation.

The airlines have to do better. That means you, Delta Air Lines, for having removed a Pakistani American couple who were returning home to Ohio from a romantic 10th-anniversary trip to Europe on July 26. In Paris, a member of the flight crew said she felt uneasy at the gate because the woman, Nazia Ali, wearing a headscarf, was using her phone and her husband, Faisal, was sweating.

It means you, American Airlines, for having been involved in repeated instances of apparent ethnic and religious profiling. Those include an Italian economist from the University of Pennsylvania who was escorted off a plane in Philadelphia in May after his seatmate, convinced that his intent scribbling was Arabic, reported him to the flight crew. In fact, what she saw was math  a differential equation.

It means you, Southwest Airlines, for having evicted a University of California at Berkeley student from an airplane in Los Angeles in April after another passenger heard him speaking Arabic on the phone. The student, an Iraqi refugee named Khairuldeen Makhzoomi, said a Southwest employee demanded to know why he had been speaking Arabic on the plane.

That small sampling of recent senselessness raises the question of whether airline employees are getting the message from management that discrimination based on race, religion or national origin is unacceptable and illegal. If any airline employees have been disciplined for having mishandled passengers  either by indulging the prejudices of some or training groundless suspicions at others  the airlines arent saying.

To the contrary, its fair to ask, as advocacy groups representing American Muslims have done, if the airlines, with a wink and a nod, are tolerating the occasional ugly and unjustified conduct of some employees and passengers. The unfortunate truth is that, in the absence of no-nonsense enforcement policies by the airlines, deplorable acts of profiling are likely to proliferate. Its up to the airlines to ensure that blameless passengers can travel freely, without fear of harassment, removal or reckless accusations.
FRANKFURT, Aug 10 (Reuters) - German property company IVG has appointed more advisors as it prepares for an initial public offering for its office properties portfolio which could be valued at up to 1.5 billion euros ($1.7 bln), people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The company has called in Bank of America Merrill Lynch , Berenberg and property specialist Kempen to join Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank, three sources told Reuters on Wednesday. Additional investment banks are typically brought in a few weeks before the start of an IPO.

IVG, which went through insolvency proceedings in 2013 after costs for its landmark The Squaire office complex at Frankfurt airport overran, is also running a sale process for the office properties portfolio, which is called Officefirst.

However, indicative offers fell short of IVG's expectations, making an initial public offering of the unit more likely, several people familiar with the matter told Reuters last month.

Officefirst manages a commercial property portfolio worth 3.25 billion euros ($3.6 bln), the bulk of IVG's assets, including The Squaire.

A decision in principle on whether to pursue a sale or a stock market flotation is expected at the end of August, the sources said. An IPO could be announced in September and launched in October.

Officefirst and IVG's owners - funds including York Capital, Anchorage and Davidson Kempner - would look for proceeds of between 700 and 900 million euros from an IPO, two sources said. Officefirst is looking for a stock market valuation of around 1.5 billion euros, sources said.

($1 = 0.8955 euros) (Reporting by Alexander Huebner and Kathrin Jones; Writing by Victoria Bryan; Editing by Susan Fenton)
Gigi Gorgeous has been enjoying her moment in the spotlight for some time now. As one of the most visible transgender celebrities, shes been profiled in major media outlets, befriended by Kardashians, found success in modeling, and attracted more than 2.3 million subscribers to her YouTube channel, where shes documented her transition from male to female and become an inspiring role model.

But this week the Canadian 24-year-old has been garnering attention for something troubling: being detained by airport authorities in Dubai, she says, simply for being transgender.

After being detained and held at the Dubai airport for over 5 hours, this was the moment my baby came to rescue me, Gorgeous wrote in the caption to an Instagram post, in which she is embracing her friend Nats Getty. Yesterday was one of the scariest moments of my entire life and I wouldnt wish it upon anyone. How you can be denied entry somewhere just because of who you are is seriously disgusting and also very scary. This further proves the need for CHANGE. I am now on my way to somewhere much more accepting. Safe and sound and happy. I love you guys.

A photo posted by GIGI GORGEOUS ???????? (@gigigorgeous) on Aug 9, 2016 at 9:28pm PDT

Her post has so far been liked more than 76,000 times and has more than 4,600 comments  the majority supportive but some chastising Gorgeous for seemingly being unaware of Dubais laws.

A request for more details from Yahoo Beauty was not immediately answered by the models manager. But according to what Gorgeous told TMZ, an immigration officer said to her, I was told you are transgender. You cannot come into the country. She added that her passport identifies her as being female.

Its unclear why Gorgeous would have wanted to enter Dubai  a United Arab Emirates country thats known for its extreme anti-LGBT beliefs and laws. In 2014, two Brazilian transgender women made headlines when they were detained at a nightclub and forced to await trial after being charged with the crime of imitating women. And there have been countless incidents of gay men being detained  not to mention threatened with the death penalty or life imprisonment  simply for their sexuality.

Story continues

According to Muslim society expert Shaul Gabbay, executive director of the Global Research Institute Posner Center for International Development, in Denver, Muslim beliefs about homosexuality were likely at the root of Gorgeouss detainment if she was not seen by authorities as being a woman.

The bottom line is the suspicion of a man having relations with another man, Gabbay tells Yahoo Beauty. You have to remember that were not talking about a democracy here, so with any pretext or suspicion of anything they can basically detain a person at the airport. The overarching law [in Dubai] is Sharia law, or Muslim law, and homosexuality goes against one of the most important tenets in Islam.

Imitating a woman is another issue as well, he says, But the most important is the [possibility of] two men having a deviant relationship.

Gabby sees incidents like this as ways for authorities in Dubai  which has extensive commercial and growing cultural ties with Western nations, including the U.S.  to show they are doing their job well. Something like this detention, especially with someone [with such a big social media presence], could very easily be used by authorities to say, See? We are adhering to tradition here. It may cost some discomfort with the West, but it makes a very strong point in the Islamic world. Its basically a low-cost opportunity for them at a time when they are walking a very fine line with the West.

Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
"There was a saying in my house when I was growing up that was, 'Give your blessings away and you'll make room for more,'" says Golden Globe-winning actress Gina Rodriguez. "It's the way my world always has been." So it comes as no surprise that the actress and social activist has been tapped by beauty giant Clinique as one of the six faces of the newly launched Difference Maker global campaign, which plays off the name of the brand's famous Dramatically Different product range.

Using the idea that small changes can make a big difference (that goes for skin-care routines, too), Clinique chose six women - including The CW's??Jane the Virgin star, Rodriguez - who have had a positive effect on the community and people around them. Other Difference Makers include actress Erendira Ibarra, cyclist Victoria Pendleton, actress Jessica Nkosi, television host Nazan Eckes and actress Ning Chang. The??Clinique Difference Initiative will also back a number of causes, including Room to Read in the United States, and a number of similar literacy-driven charities globally.

(Beauty history side note: The concept for Clinique??was actually created by Vogue editor Carol Phillips in 1968, and the famous three-step skincare process relies on finishing with the yellow-hued Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, a cornerstone of the brand's product range.)??

Read more: The Ins and Outs of Eyebrow Tattooing

"I always want to align myself with like-minded people, people that have the same mind-set as I do, who want to push positivity in the world," says Rodriguez, who will star alongside Mark Wahlberg and Kate Hudson in Deepwater Horizon, in theaters Sept. 30.??

A photo posted by Clinique (@clinique) on Jul 31, 2016 at 5:49pm PDT

And for proof that small changes can make a big difference, one need look no further than Rodriguez's own dramatic transformation into a blonde after recently wrapping production on the Alex Garland-directed science-fiction drama, Annihilation.

Story continues

"I was looking in the mirror and thought, 'I cannot shake this character,'" she says of the role which already required her to seriously chop her locks. To switch things up even further, Rodriguez opted for a lighter 'do. "Going blonde was a huge change for me!" she says with a laugh.

Read more: Jessica Nail Clinic Opens Remodeled Space on Sunset
JOHANNESBURG  The unlikely new face of South African politics is white, and he speaks in the emphatic clicks of the Xhosa language.

Bullish and beaming, Athol Trollip, the presumptive mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africas sixth-largest metropolitan area, addressed a cheering crowd of supporters on Aug. 6. When the winds of change start blowing in this country, as they did on Wednesday, they are unstoppable, Trollip declared, switching easily between English and Xhosa, a Bantu language spoken mainly by black South Africans in the Eastern Cape region.

Trollips likely victory  his election wont be certain until the parties have formed a coalition  was seen as an embarrassing defeat for the party of his citys namesake. In last weeks local government elections, a record number of voters ditched Nelson Mandelas party, the African National Congress (ANC), which has been in power since the first post-apartheid elections in 1994, and cast their ballots for the opposition. In addition to black-majority Nelson Mandela Bay, the ANC also lost control of Pretoria, the nations capital. Nationwide, it saw its share of the vote slide to 54 percent, down from 62 percent in the 2011 local elections.

But there is an irony in the bad fortune of Mandelas party  it could hasten the realization, however slowly and imperfectly, of Mandelas vision of a multicultural rainbow nation. Not only did an important majority-black city elect a white mayor in Trollip, but his party, the liberal Democratic Alliance (DA), has gradually begun to shed its image as a party for whites. Last year, the DA elected Mmusi Maimane, a 36-year-old part-time preacher who grew up in the Johannesburg township of Soweto, as its first black leader.

Susan Booysen, a politics professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, described the election as the dawn of a a new era in South African politics. It came with a big electoral bang, she said.

Story continues

Since the end of apartheid, politics in South Africa have been conducted largely along racial lines. The black majority has voted overwhelmingly for the ANC in every election while whites and other minorities have mainly voted for smaller parties like the DA.

During this years often nasty campaign, the ANC relied heavily on rhetoric intended to foment racial division. President Jacob Zuma, whose time in office has been marred by one scandal after another, warned that the DA would bring back apartheid while accusing Maimane of being a puppet of the white minority. In late July, at a campaign rally in Nelson Mandela Bay, he accused the DA of being snakes and the spawn of the racist National Party that ruled during apartheid. (In fact, the DA was born in 1959 of a complex set of mergers with parties that were both progressive and not.)

The ANC also accused Trollip of being a racist, and claimed that his family had abused black workers at their Eastern Cape farm. Trollip has strongly refuted the allegations, calling them a pack of lies.

But if the ANC overreached with some of its attacks, it was attempting to exploit a reputation for racial insensitivity on the part of the DA that is very real. Although most DA supporters arent racists, the party has long attracted a crusty, bigoted fringe whose social media presence has become a liability. In one particularly damaging incident earlier this year, a DA member named Penny Sparrow was expelled from the party after complaining on Facebook about the mess black monkeys had left on beaches in the coastal city of Durban.

This checkered past no doubt helps to explain why the DA has historically struggled to appeal to black voters: While South Africa is 80 percent black, the DA received only 6 percent of the black vote in the 2014 general election. But since then, the party has tried hard to diversify  not just by electing a black leader but by focusing outreach efforts on formerly ANC-dominant areas.

Controversially, the DA has made the case that it, not the ANC, is the true political descendant of Mandela.

There is only one party in South Africa today that truly represents the values and vision that Madiba lived out, Maimane said on the eve of the election, using Mandelas Xhosa clan name, which is a term of respect in South Africa. That party is the Democratic Alliance.

This message may have helped the party broaden its appeal ahead of the vote, but the decisive factor in this election seems to have been the ANCs own record of failure. Not only has the party of Mandela disappointed many voters with its spotty provision of basic services like electricity and water, especially in rural areas and poor townships, it has presided over a deteriorating economy marked by worsening unemployment and frequent corruption scandals.

South Africas economy is expected to grow just 0.1 percent this year, while unemployment sits at a staggering 36 percent when those who have simply given up looking for work are taken into account.

Frans Cronje, the CEO of the Johannesburg-based Institute of Race Relations, said the election hardly marked a revolutionary swing to the liberal opposition. On the contrary, he said, it was a referendum on jobs and the economy  areas where the ANC has clearly failed.

Every poll we have seen or done for years reveals that the issue South Africans want the government to address most is jobs, said Cronje. This has not been done, and the governments policies remain hostile to growth, investment, and job creation.

Still, the DAs unexpected victories in Pretoria and Nelson Mandela Bay  as well as its impressive gains in Johannesburg, where depending on the outcome of coalition negotiations, it could end up leading the government  underscored the newfound willingness of South African voters to look beyond race when electing their political leaders.

The race-baiting and populist rhetoric of the ANC failed badly in this election, said Cronje.

Younger voters in particular seemed immune to the ANCs racially-tinged criticism of the DA, something that has resonated with the voters in in the past.

They are prepared to overlook that, and just see the emerging DA, Booysen of the University of the Witwatersrand said of younger voters.

For long, we were slowly inching towards being a proper, lively, multi-party system that holds power to account, the South African author and political commentator Justice Malala wrote in a column this week. We are now hurtling that way. Its exhilarating.

Image credit: RODGER BOSCH/AFP/Getty Images
A security research company came forward with information detailing a potentially dangerous set of security flaws tied to Qualcomms chips that are used in a significant number of mobile devices, saying that more than 900 million Android devices are at risk. However, Google followed up on that research, saying that 90% of those devices should be protected against QuadRooter, even if the actual vulnerabilities arent patched.

DONT MISS: Googles new Nexus phones will be just as fast as the Galaxy Note 7

Unearthed by Check Point, the four vulnerabilities are yet to be patched by Google and its partners, even though Qualcomm already made the fixes available. Google deployed three of the four patches, while others are likely behind when it comes to security updates.

But it turns out that a feature thats available in Android versions including Android 4.2 and later can protect users against QuadRooter. That means 90% of active Android devices out there already have built-in protection against QuadRooter.

In order for hackers to hijack a users device with the help of QuadRooter, the user needs to install a malicious app from a third-party store first. But Google says its Verify Apps feature combined with Safety Net will block such apps from being installed.

"We appreciate Check Point's research as it helps improve the safety of the broader mobile ecosystem, Google told Android Central. Android devices with our most recent security patch level are already protected against three of these four vulnerabilities. The fourth vulnerability, CVE-2016-5340, will be addressed in an upcoming Android security bulletin, though Android partners can take action sooner by referencing the public patch Qualcomm has provided. Exploitation of these issues depends on users also downloading and installing a malicious application. Our Verify Apps and SafetyNet protections help identify, block, and remove applications that exploit vulnerabilities like these."

Story continues

Even so, to make sure youre truly protected against malicious threats on Android, remember one simple rule of thumb: Do not download apps from any place other than the Google Play store.

Trending right now:

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
Doom game

You probably havent heard of Denuvo, but for the past few months, its been the bane of video game pirates existence.

The Austrian companys anti-tamper tech has famously held firm against would-be pirates as of late, making it difficult for them to illegally download certain games without paying. (Check this Kotaku explainer for more.)

The tech is still relatively new, but major publishers like Electronic Arts and Square Enix have used it to protect big-name titles in the past year.

Over the weekend, though, the first real cracks in Denuvos armor appear to have emerged. As Vice and TorrentFreak report, a 19-year-old Bulgarian hacker going by the name Voksi discovered a workaround that made various Denuvo-enabled games available for free.

Voksi didnt totally crack the software  instead building off an exploit involving a demo of the latest "Doom" game  but he claims that more than 650,000 users were able to use his method before Denuvo fixed the workaround on Monday.

Soon after that fix, however, a pirate group named CONSPIR4CY is said to have legitimately cracked Denuvos defenses for "Rise of the Tomb Raider," which was released on PC this past January.

This kind of back and forth is typical among game hackers and the companies trying to resist them, so its likely that Denuvo will clear up these latest maneuvers before long. Whats notable here is that it took several months for someone to break the tech in the first place  with normal DRM measures, pirates are often able to develop a workaround within hours.

Now, though, it appears as if Denuvo has been roped into the same cat and mouse game as everyone else. For those charged with thwarting piracy in media, its another reminder that this is game without a clear end in sight.

Denuvo was not immediately available for comment.

NOW WATCH: Sorry Apple fans  the iPhone 7 is going to be boring





More From Business Insider


Harvey Keitel made a weekend jump over to Switzerland from Paris this past weekend to pick up a lifetime achievement at the Locarno Film Festival, which celebrates global independent cinema. The actor is currently shooting Madame, the new English-language film from director Amanda Sthers.

Keitel received the award Saturday night from his longtime friend and Bad Lieutenant director Abel Ferrara on the Piazza Grande in front of 8,000 fans.

The actor has long been celebrated by the festival, for both his ability to bring the indie film scenes of New York and Los Angeles to life as well as for having worked with Italy's top directors, from Ettore Scola to Paolo Sorrentino.

The next day, Keitel spoke with festgoers about his life and career. Guests were eager to find out what drew him to play so many iconic violent roles throughout his career, from the titular bad lieutenant in the Ferrara film to Reservoir Dogs' Mr. White.

"Violence is a real thing and true violence is horrible and hurtful and destructive. Any art discipline that shows violence for commercial reasons is wrong," Keitel replied thoughtfully. "But we have to know violence, we have to know danger, because it exists.

"I have a 12-year-old son in the world and he has to learn about violence. Kids are playing all these video games now and there is violence that is very not authentic, and I think dangerous," he said. "And I keep trying to help him to understand that when you get hit in the face or stabbed or shot, it hurts. You don't just get back up in the video game and continue to fight. So we have an obligation to display violence in an authentic way as part of the nature of things, and our choice to use it or not is something else. That's a moral thing."

After pausing for the audience, Keitel continued: "The reason I'm in storytelling is because a lot of violent things have happened in my life, physically and in an abstract sense. And to deal with all these issues of what hurts us, what harms us, and what is wonderful about life, that's our job to give back in the stories that we tell. The cinema or dance that exploits violence is to be shunned. We all know when that happens. But we also all know the authentic people who are trying to show us life as it is so we can relate to things as they are."

Story continues

Keitel also was asked about his opinion on Donald Trump, and he responded cagily, but underscored his faith in the American people: "It's a very vital time and Americans are very attuned to what's going on and Americans are really listening to what's going on, and are very able to protect our country to do the right thing. And we're all working toward that direction, to do what's right."

The festival screened Wayne Wang's Smoke on Sunday, starring Keitel and written by Paul Auster. The film won Locarno's audience award when it first screened in 1995, and an audience member asked Keitel why he thought it earned the honor. "When I read that screenplay it was very thick. I read it and it was maybe the longest screenplay I'd ever read," he replied. "And I was getting very bored reading it. And I was reading it thinking, 'What the hell is this about? I have no idea.' And finally I got to the end of it and thought 'Jesus, I'm so bored. But there's so much writing this writer did. There must be something about it that I don't perceive, and I thought, I better do it. And so I did it and in the doing of it I found out there was something special about it."

Read more: Locarno Film Fest: Harvey Keitel to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award
De La Soul have unveiled the dreamy "Drawn," the latest sampling off the group's upcoming LP And the Anonymous Nobody...

"Drawn" surprisingly opens with a hypnotic, five-minute melody flush with strings and Little Dragon's Yukimi Nagano's coo before De La Soul finally appear over the track's closing minute. On De La Soul's Facebook, Nagano described "Drawn" as "a dreamy journey about not taking anything for granted in life. About love and being lost in something dangerously good."

De La Soul member Kelvin "Posdnous" Mercer previously mentioned the experimental "Drawn" as an example of why they decided to crowd-fund their new album, raising over $600,000 from fans. "We couldn't do that on a regular label," the rapper said. "How you gonna present them with a song like this? They may think it's beautiful but then it's like, 'Okay, so, there's no chorus. For maybe the first three minutes of the record, you're nowhere to be found.'"

"Drawn" follows previous Anonymous Nobody cuts like "Trainwreck," "Royalty Capes" and the Snoop Dogg-featuring "Pain." Besides Snoop and Little Dragon, the LP boasts an eclectic assortment of guest performers, from Talking Heads' David Byrne, the Darkness' Justin Hawkins and their Gorillaz buddy Damon Albarn to Usher, Pete Rock and Roc Marciano.

And the Anonymous Nobody... is out August 26th.

Related
Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f173285%2ftrumpvolleyball

Donald Trump may be headed to the White House, but there's one place he's not going: Rio.

Old footage recently began to circulate showing the candidate aggressively playing beach volleyball. But because he's Donald Trump, he doesn't do it in shorts and a t-shirt. He does it in classic Trump style, wearing jeans, a polo shirt, and a belt.

SEE ALSO: Hey America: It's August. Let's all take a nice long Trumpcation.

The billionaire plays volleyball the way billionaires do: incorrectly.

Here's a brief video of the incident, with the song "Playing With The Boys by Kenny Loggins added.

It's a sweet, nostalgic look back to Trump's more innocent days, a time before he called on voters to assassinate Hillary Clinton, tried to build a wall against Mexicans and dangled with nuclear weapons.

Awwww Trump.
image 20160809 18023 1yxnsz6

A new paper published in the Royal Society of Open Science names just one man as the culprit behind one of the biggest scientific crimes ever committed.

It all started in 1912, when Charles Dawson, a professional lawyer and amateur fossil hunter, discovered fragments of a humanlike skull, an apelike jawbone with two worn molar teeth, some stone tools, and fragments of animal fossils in a gravel pit in the UK. All of the fossils were stained a dark reddish-brown.

Dawson brought his discoveries to paleontologist Arthur Smith Woodward. When the two announced their find, it sparked major excitement in the scientific community. The skull, which scientists decided came from a creature nicknamed Piltdown Man who walked the earth up to 500,000 years ago, was hailed as the missing evolutionary link between apes and humans.

A few more fossil fragments were later excavated from the site, and one year before Dawson's death in 1915, he claimed that he had found fragments from another skull at a second site a few miles from the first one.

But something was a bit off about the findings.

One of the most famous scientific cons of all time

In the 1950s, scientists reexamined the bones using new technologies and found something odd: The bones were not all the same age.

The upper skull was only 50,000 years old and the jawbone, which scientists now think came from an orangutan, was only a few decades old. Further evidence suggested that the perpetrator had stained the fossils with a chemical to give them a reddish-brown appearance.

The Piltdown Man hoax quickly became known as one of the most famous scientific cons of all time.

Dawson was the obvious prime suspect, but did he act alone? Many suspected that Dawson had some help, as Jennifer Ouellette outlines in Gizmodo.

Woodward seems like a tempting choice for Dawson's accomplice, except that he had spent the remainder of his life continuing the hunt for more of these fossils.

Story continues

Some argued that French priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, who was there when a canine tooth was found at the site, may have sneakily planted it there. Even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the legendary creator of Sherlock Holmes, was eyed as a suspect.

But the new paper clears all of the other suspects of any guilt, naming Dawson as the sole perpetrator in the case of the planted fossils. The paper points out that every specimen ever uncovered was found in Dawson's presence, and the sites suspiciously dried up after Dawson's death.

Dawson knew that the British scientists would expect to see "a large brain, ape-like face and jaws, and heavily fossilized materials that indicated great antiquity"  so he gave them exactly what they were looking for.

And lead author Isabelle de Groote, a paleoanthropologist at Liverpool John Moores University, told Gizmodo that at least 38 other fake finds have been attributed to Dawson, including a stone ax, a fraudulent flint mine at the Lavant Caves, and what he claimed was one of the first bronze statuettes linked to Roman times.

"He clearly had been doing this for a very long time," she said.

A cautionary tale

For the new paper, the researchers used modern scanning technology and DNA analysis to investigate the fossils. They were able to conclude that the jawbone and teeth came from one orangutan, which they suspect might have come from a curiosities shop.

Another strange observation De Groote made about the fossils was that there was an off-white putty on the surface of the bones.

"This putty had been painted over and stained, and in some cases was used to fill in cracks and gaps that the forger accidentally created," Michael Price wrote in Science magazine. "Inside the crania and teeth, she found tiny pebbles stuffed inside hollow chambers sealed over with the same putty."

The paper was published on the 100th anniversary of Dawson's death. And the hoax leaves us with a valuable lesson.

"Piltdown Man sets a good example of the need for us to take a step back and look at the evidence for what it is and not for whether it conforms to our preconceived ideas," De Groote told Science magazine.

NOW WATCH: Archaeologists made a groundbreaking discovery that unveils the mysterious origins of real-life hobbits





More From Business Insider


Donald Trump

The chief controversy bothering voters about Donald Trump is his perceived mocking of a disabled reporter late last year, while the top controversy pestering voters about Hillary Clinton is her use of a private email server while she served as secretary of state, according to a poll released Wednesday.

The Bloomberg poll asked 1,007 Americans over the age of 18 about how much, or how little, a series of nine issues expressed by political opponents of Trump or Clinton bothered them.

For Trump, the top three included the incident involving his perceived mocking of a New York Times disabled reporter (an incident which has been featured in a series of anti-Trump ads), his recent criticism of the parents of a slain Muslim US soldier who spoke out against him at the Democratic National Convention last month, and his statement that "I alone" can fix the country's problems.

In addition to her use of a private email server and subsequent handling of sensitive information, voters thought Clinton's most bothersome issues were her handling of the 2012 Benghazi attack and that the Clinton Foundation accepted money from foreign governments while she was secretary of state.

Here is the full list for each candidate, ranked by total percentage of respondents who were bothered at some level:

Trump:

1. Perceived mocking of a disabled reporter:

Bothers a lot: 62%

Bothers a little: 21%

Total: 83%

2. His criticism of the Khan family:

Bothers a lot: 56%

Bothers a little: 19%

Total: 75%

3. Saying that "I alone" can fix the country's problems

Bothers a lot: 54%

Bothers a little: 21%

Total: 75%

4. Suggesting that the US might not automatically defend all NATO allies

Bothers a lot: 50%

Bothers a little: 24%

Total: 74%

5. Saying that he's sacrificed a lot in business after Khizr Khan said he has never sacrificed anything:

Bothers a lot: 48%

Bothers a little: 25%

Total: 73%

6. Trump University lawsuits:

Bothers a lot: 44%

Bothers a little: 27%

Story continues

Total: 71%

7. His praise of Vladimir Putin

Bothers a lot: 42%

Bothers a little: 27%

Total: 69%

8. His decision to not yet release his tax returns

Bothers a lot: 44%

Bothers a little: 24%

Total: 68%

9. Suggesting that Russian hackers should try and find Clinton's deleted emails

Bothers a lot: 45%

Bothers a little: 21%

Total: 66%

hillary clinton

Clinton:

1. Handling of sensitive information on a private email server:

Bothers a lot: 58%

Bothers a little: 22%

Total: 80%

2. Handling of the Benghazi attack in 2012:

Bothers a lot: 55%

Bothers a little: 20%

Total: 75%

3. Clinton foundation accepting money from foreign governments while she was secretary of state

Bothers a lot: 53%

Bothers a little: 21%

Total: 74%

4. Clinton's private speeches to Wall Street firms

Bothers a lot: 44%

Bothers a little: 22%

Total: 66%

5. Her handling of violence in the Middle East while she was secretary of state:

Bothers a lot: 43%

Bothers a little: 21%

Total: 64%

6. Her decision to flip her support of the Trans-Pacific Partnership:

Bothers a lot: 30%

Bothers a little: 34%

Total: 64%

7. Her decision to rarely hold press conferences

Bothers a lot: 28%

Bothers a little: 32%

Total: 60%

8. Voting for the Iraq War

Bothers a lot: 26%

Bothers a little: 29%

Total: 55%

9. Embracing President Barack Obama and much of his agenda

Bothers a lot: 36%

Bothers a little: 17%

Total: 53%

NOW WATCH: OBAMA: Heres the best advice George W. Bush gave me





More From Business Insider


By Lauren Hirsch and Lisa Baertlein

Aug 10 (Reuters) - The board of the $12 billion charitable trust that controls Hershey Co. will meet this week to discuss appointing new members, a spokesman for the trust's board said, as it embarks on its biggest overhaul in more than a decade.

Under a reform agreement announced last month with the Pennsylvania attorney general's office, its sole overseer, the trust will appoint up to nine new board members by the end of 2017. The agreement dictates that the trust must try to recruit members with training and experience in financial investments, in addition to education and social care -- a requirement that could influence its stance on any renewed bid by Mondelez International Inc for Hershey Co.

Hershey Co. rejected Mondelez's $23 billion bid in June without providing a reason publicly, though sources familiar with the deliberations said Hershey Co.'s board deemed the price offered to be too low for the trust to seriously consider it.

With two-thirds of the trust's investment comprising of Hershey Co. stock, some financial experts say it should consider opportunities to diversify its holdings and reduce its exposure to risks such as a major fall in commodities prices.

"If the trust is bringing financial people on board, I would expect that they would look at it primarily from a financial standpoint. And that is to say if [a deal] makes good financial sense, let's at least pursue a very good offer," said Bill Brill, a former member of the alumni board of the Milton Hershey School, which the trust funds and operates.

The reform agreement calls for the trust's board to be expanded from 10 members to 13, and for five members to resign in order for 10-year terms to be enforced. One trustee resigned last month, leaving a total of nine openings.

The attorney general's office has to be given 30 days notice under the agreement to review new trust appointments.

The trust is working with executive recruitment firm Heidrick & Struggles International Inc to identify and hire new trustees, sources familiar with the situation said, asking not to be identified because the deliberations are confidential. Heidrick & Struggles declined to comment.

Story continues

The attorney general's office pushed for the reform agreement to improve the trust's governance amid allegations of profligacy, self-dealing, and disregard for term limits.

FEASTING ON HERSHEY CO.

The trust was set up more than a century ago by Hershey Co.'s founder Milton Hershey with a mandate to run a school for underprivileged children "in perpetuity", with the remainder in assets such as mutual funds and real estate.

Feasting on Hershey Co. stock has paid off handsomely for the trust thus far. The shares have returned a 384 percent gain for the trust, including dividends. The S&P 500 Index, by comparison, has posted a 133 percent total return.

However, some experts argue that more trustees with an asset management background are likely to express concern that a commodities shock or a sharp consumer shift to healthier food options could deal the trust a serious blow.

Hershey Co.'s growth has already slowed in the last two years as competitors such as Mars Inc. expand their offerings and premium players such as Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Spruengli AG entered the U.S. market.

"What's wrong with the Hershey Trust is that it has a breathtaking concentration in the stock of a single company," said Robert Sitkoff, a Harvard Law School professor specializing in wills, trusts, estates, and fiduciary administration.

Mondelez's offer was half in cash and half in stock, sources have said. This means the new board members of the trust, whose approval is needed for a sale of Hershey Co., could use such a transaction to substantially reduce its exposure.

"The (trust's) board is satisfied that the asset portfolio is being managed in a responsible manner," said Kent Jarrell, the spokesman for the trust's board. Hershey Co. declined to comment.

Even if the trust does decide to explore a sale of Hershey Co., it can still be overruled. In 2002, the trust put Hershey Co. up for sale, citing a need to diversify its holdings. At the last minute, it pulled the plug on a sale to chewing gum maker Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co for $12.5 billion, after the attorney general's office successfully petitioned a court to block the offer amid local community protests.

Pennsylvania state senator John Rafferty, the Republican candidate for attorney general in the upcoming November election, has said he does not think diversification is always necessary, and has expressed "serious reservations" about a potential sale to Mondelez.

Democrat candidate Josh Shapiro has said he will "vigorously protect Hershey's continued success in Pennsylvania" and protect it from "multi-national corporations and Wall Street investors willing to destroy Pennsylvania jobs for their own profit."

(Reporting by Lauren Hirsch in New York and Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg Roumeliotis and Stuart Grudgings)
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has awarded a $500,000 grant to fund maintenance and essential technical upgrades to the historic 1922 Egyptian Theatre, a designated historic cultural monument situated on Hollywood Boulevard, American Cinematheque announced Wednesday.

News of the grant comes less than a week after the HFPA announced at its annual Grants Banquet a separate donation of $350,000 to help make the theater capable of screening 35mm nitrate film prints, a grant that was made through the Film Foundation, which is coordinating the project.

The scope of the HFPA-funded renovation includes repair from water damage to the main roof and the portico ceiling and walls on the buildings exterior. Inside, water damage to various areas of the ceiling and side walls will be structurally repaired and then restored by historic restoration specialists.

The theaters 1998 carpet will be replaced by a custom-designed carpet that brings elements from the showpiece of the theater  the ornate ceiling adorned with a scarab and other Egyptian icons - down to the floor. Other interior renovations include replacement of the concession stand and lighting, and recovering of the theaters seats.

Exterior renovations will include the repair of the 12 palm tree planters and the installation of a new lighting system to uplight the trees as well as the columns that flank the entrance. The historic murals of Egyptian deities on the walls will be repaired and repainted. Terrazzo will replace the existing outdoor carpeting to enhance the grand entrance to the building.

On the technical front, the ten-year-old digital projector will be upgraded to a 4K projector, and the sound system and projection booth electrical infrastructure will be revised.

Rick Nicita, chairman of the American Cinematheque said, The American Cinematheque is extremely appreciative of the Hollywood Foreign Press Associations support of this historic landmark. It has become a beloved icon of modern movie-goers in the nearly two decades our organization has owned and operated the theater.

Story continues

The Egyptian Theatre was the site of the first-ever Hollywood movie premiere under the supervision of Sid Grauman, who premiered some of the biggest hits of the silent era at the Egyptian. The Egyptian is the only historic theater on Hollywood Boulevard that has continually operated as a cinema to present day.

It also serves as the host of the HFPAs annual Golden Globe Foreign Language Film Symposium.

We are dedicated to preserving this important landmark of Hollywood history where we continue to show movies on the big screen as they were meant to be seen, Nicita added.

Related stories

Jamie Lee Curtis Tells HFPA Grants Banquet Attendees: 'Get Some Skin in the Game' for the Election

Sue Kroll Named Recipient of Sid Grauman Award

Golden Globes Timetable Set for 2017 Awards
Hillary Clinton on Wednesday slammed Donald Trumps comment about Second Amendment people as a casual incitement to violence.

Words matter, my friends, Clinton said at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa. If you are running to be president or you are president of the United States, words can have tremendous consequences.

The day before, Trump said at one of his own rallies that Second Amendment people could do something to prevent Clinton from appointing pro-gun-control Supreme Court justices as president. The comment was panned as a nod toward violence, though the Trump campaign insisted it was about the power of unification that activists on the issue could wield.

Yesterday we witnessed the latest in a long line of casual comments from Donald Trump that crossed the line, Clinton said Wednesday, grouping Trumps remark with other provocative things he has said. His casual cruelty to a Gold Star family, his casual suggestion that more countries should have nuclear weapons and now his casual inciting of violence.

Clinton further said the comment shows Trump lacks the temperament to be president.

At the Des Moines rally, the former secretary of state also addressed her campaigns announcement of several dozen Republican officials endorsing her, saying she was humbled and moved that they supported her.

I will work hard the next three months to earn the support of anyone willing to put our country first, she said.
(WASHINGTON)  The State Department has turned over 44 previously-unreleased Hillary Clinton email exchanges that the Democratic presidential nominee failed to include among the 30,000 private messages she turned over to the government last year. They show her interacting with lobbyists, political and Clinton Foundation donors and business interests as secretary of state.

The conservative legal group Judicial Watch obtained the emails as part of its lawsuit against the State Department. They cover Clintons first three months as secretary of state in early 2009, a period for which Clinton did not turn over any emails to the State Department last year. The government found the newly disclosed messages during a search of agency computer files from longtime Clinton aide Huma Abedin.

In one instance, Clinton exchanged messages with a senior Morgan Stanley investment executive whom she met with later that year at her office in Washington. They were among 246 pages of Abedin messages turned over to Judicial Watch.

Clinton campaign officials did not immediately answer questions about the issue.

The emails are separate from a larger batch of several thousand work-related emails that FBI officials recovered from Clintons private server. Clintons legal team turned over more than 30,000 emails from her server to the State Department last March but only after deleting another 30,000 messages that Clintons team deemed private and personal. The FBI plans to turn over the reconstructed Clinton emails to the State Department for public release.

The new Clinton emails include a February 2009 message to her from Stephen Roach, then-chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, saying he planned to testify to Congress that week and was happy to help in any way I can. Roach later met with Clinton over the summer for 30 minutes, according to Clinton calendars obtained by The Associated Press.

In another email, Clintons chief of staff, Cheryl Mills, informed her that National Security Agency and State Department officials discussed an attempt to develop a modified blackberry for Clinton that might be used when she worked in a restricted State Department office that did not allow private phones.

Clinton called the development good news, but she continued using a private Blackberry tied to her private server.



Associated Press writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.
Hillary Clinton

A surprising number of people who donated to former Republican primary candidates are jumping ship to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton rather than giving money to her rival, Donald Trump.

Donors who contributed $200 or more to the campaigns of Jeb Bush, John Kasich, Chris Christie, and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina are overwhelmingly more likely to also have donated to Clinton than Trump, according to a New York Times report.

In some cases, the disparity is pronounced. Of the 397 donors to Jeb Bush, who switched to another candidate, 303 of them donated to Clinton.

However, donors to candidates considered to be outside the Republican establishment were far more likely to give to Trump. The Republican nominee received donations from 697 former Ted Cruz donors, compared to 65 for Clinton. Ben Carson donors flocked to Trump in similar numbers, 509 to 31.

All in all, Clinton has received $2.2 million from donors to Republican candidates, more than $600,000 than Trump, according to The Times' report, citing Federal Elections Commission filings through June.

The report comes as a number of influential Republicans publicly reject Trump's candidacy. Maine Sen. Susan Collins announced on Monday that she wouldn't support the New York businessman, joining some of her congressional colleagues.

On the same day, 50 former top Republican national security officials signed an open letter declaring their opposition to Trump.

NOW WATCH: Watch Joe Biden's full speech  the most effective Trump takedown delivered at the DNC





More From Business Insider


From Road & Track

Are you looking for a race-prepped, turn-key historic racer to drive in the Monterey Motorsports Reunion this year? Well, we may have the car for you. This 1968 Chevy Camaro Trans-Am car is up for sale, and it's already been entered into the historic races at Laguna Seca next weekend.

The car, raced in period during the 1970 and 1971 Trans-Am Series, was put into storage in 1974. Discovered hiding inside a warehouse in Arkansas, the car received a full restoration, and a replacement 302ci V8 that runs on aggressive 110 octane race gas. Along with some other updates, including a nine-point roll cage, the car is fully prepped and ready to hit the rolling hills of Monterey.

Photo credit: Bring a Trailer

As long as the new driver is approved by the race coordinators, he or she can run this car, which already holds a spot in the field in the Trans-Am race group at the upcoming Reunion. This coincides with Monterey Car Week and the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, which means this car will be participating in one of the most significant motoring events of the year.

The car is currently being auctioned off at everyone's favorite car buying site, Bring a Trailer. It's currently sitting at $95,000, with three days still left to bid. That's a lot of cash, but no one ever said owning a race-ready historic Trans-Am car would be cheap.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has decided to give $500K to fund help in the restoration of the historic Egyptian Theatre, which has been around since 1922 and is getting a facelift. The money will go for maintenance and essential technical upgrades for the iconic theater on Hollywood Blvd. This comes on the heels of the HFPAs $350K donation to the theater to implement equipment so that it can show 35mm nitrate film prints. That money will go through The Film Foundation, which is coordinating the project. The announcement of the $500K donation was made by the American Cinematheque.

The Egyptian Theatre is the site of the first-ever Hollywood movie premiere under the supervision of master showman Sid Grauman. The American Cinematheque purchased the Egyptian Theatre from the city of Los Angeles for $1 in the mid-1990s, with the stipulation it would undergo a complete restoration, renovation and adaptive re-use remodel. The theatere also serves as the host of the HFPAs annual Golden Globe Foreign Language Film Symposium.

Heres how the HFPA donation will be spent:

It will be used to repair the main roof and the portico ceiling and walls on the buildings exterior due to water damage. Likewise, inside there was damage to various areas of the ceiling and side walls and that will have to be structurally repaired and then restored. The theaters 1998 carpet will be replaced and the concession stand and lighting will be replaced. Also, the theater seats will be recovered.

Exterior renovations will include the repair of the twelve palm tree planters and the installation of a new lighting system to uplight the trees as well as the columns that flank the entrance. The historic murals of Egyptian deities on the walls will be repaired and repainted. Terrazzo will replace the existing outdoor carpeting to enhance the grand entrance to the building.

On the technical front, the ten-year-old digital projector will be upgraded to a 4K projector, and the sound system and projection booth electrical infrastructure will be revised.

Story continues

Related stories

Hollywood Foreign Press Association Hands Out Millions With Help From Some Golden Globe Contenders

Hollywood's Historic Egyptian Theatre Undergoes Retrofit For "Rare" 35mm Nitrate Film Projection

Golden Globes Timetable: Nominations Set For December 12


"Miss Sunshine" director and cast at the recent press conference.





10 Aug  There's a reason why Hong Kong director Clifton Ko has chosen Penang, Malaysia as the main location for his new movie, "Miss Sunshine" starring big names like Maggie Cheung and Annie Liu, and that is because the island feels like two different places at once.



As reported on Sinchew, the director, who appeared at the press conference held in Penang alongside some of the cast members recently, stated, "I began preparing for the movie six months ago. I could have chosen any other place but after taking into account so many things, I decided to do it in Penang."



"I like Penang. At a glance, it's like Hawaii. But it also feels like home, since there is a strong continuation of the Chinese culture in Penang," he said.



Clifton stated that while most productions would go to Thailand, he finds it easier to do it in Penang as there is no barrier of communication.



Singapore-based Malacca-born Christopher Lee (middle) is happy to

be working in Malaysia again (Photo source: Laksou).





Actress Michelle Wai, who also attended the press conference, admitted that she met new friends through the production.



"Our common topic was durian. We even went to durian hill on our break for freshly fallen durians," she said.



Apart from Maggie Cheung, Annie Liu and Michelle Wai, "Miss Sunshine" also stars Singapore-based Malaysian actor Christopher Lee, Shirley Yeung, Louis Cheung, Alex Fong and Tse Kwan-Ho.



(Photo source: Laksou)
By Brendan O'Brien MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan handily won a primary election for his congressional seat on Tuesday, a contest overshadowed by presidential candidate Donald Trump's brief refusal last week to endorse his fellow Republican. Ryan, who ran unsuccessfully for vice president in 2012, had roughly 84 percent of the vote compared with challenger Paul Nehlen's 16 percent, with 87 percent of voting areas reporting results, the Journal Sentinel reported at 11 p.m. local time. "I am humbled and honored that Wisconsinites in the 1st Congressional District support my efforts to keep fighting on their behalf," Ryan said in a statement. In the general election for the 1st Congressional District seat in southeast Wisconsin on Nov. 8, he will likely face Iraq war veteran Ryan Solen, who won the Democrat primary on Tuesday. Nehlen thanked his supporters in a brief Twitter post after the polls closed. "Truly an amazing journey," he said. The race became the center of attention a week ago when Trump refused to endorse Ryan during an interview with the Washington Post. In a sign of the tension between the politicians, Trump told the newspaper he was "not quite there yet" - echoing a phrase Ryan had used about Trump. On Friday, Trump endorsed Ryan and Senators John McCain of Arizona and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire during a campaign stop in Green Bay, a show of support that could be a step to mend his frayed relations with fellow Republicans. Trump, a former reality TV star, has troubled many in the Republican establishment with his off-the-cuff, often insulting, style and controversial policies. These include a proposed ban on Muslims visiting the United States and his plan to build a wall along the Mexican border to keep out undocumented immigrants. Ryan, Ayotte and McCain had criticized Trump's feud with the family of Army Captain Humayun Khan, who was killed in Iraq in 2004 and was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal for bravery. Trump had a running dispute with Khan's parents after they criticized him at last month's Democratic National Convention. (Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Additional reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Editing by Paul Tait and Richard Pullin)
Los Angeles (AFP) - Interviewing Hugh Grant -- the poster boy for a campaign against press intrusion and a notoriously prickly subject when the mood takes him -- can be an intimidating experience.

When the English actor sits down at a hotel in Beverly Hills to promote his latest movie, "Florence Foster Jenkins," he looks ill at ease but determined to be on form, politely offering coffee and forcing a smile.

"I'm lovely in some interviews, I'm a little ratty in others. For some reason I'm ratty with those showbiz shows -- 'Extra' or 'ET' -- they're too in my face," he explains.

"The big celebrity ones," he says, affecting a southern California "Valley Girl" accent. "I grind my teeth in them."

Grant, 55, is the most high-profile face of the Hacked Off campaign against criminality and corruption in the British tabloids for the last five years.

But he is something of a paradox -- on one hand campaigning to protect ordinary people from the worst excesses of Fleet Street and on the other taking a torch to his own privacy whenever a microphone is shoved before him.

In the week leading to his interview with AFP, Grant was all over the world's print and online media and volunteered several revealing anecdotes on America's late night chatshow circuit.

On James Corden's "Late Late Show," he gleefully told of an emotional breakdown during which he "couldn't stop crying for three weeks" -- a story he rounded off with an amusing vignette about a disastrous visit to a hypnotist.

"Maybe I didn't think that one through. Really I was just trying to get to the hypnotist anecdote which I thought was quite a funny one," he tells AFP.

- 'Full of fear' -

"With all of these things, you're on these shows, you've got to think of something funny to say and you make catastrophic mistakes all the time."

Story continues

Grant, whose breakthrough role came in the Richard Curtis-scripted "Four Weddings a Funeral" in 1994, has gone on to become one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood.

His 25 films have earned well in excess of $2 billion, not to mention a Golden Globe, yet he doesn't exactly brim with pride when asked about his back catalogue.

"I'm glad that some of them were successful and pleased people," he offers.

"I take the Richard Curtis line, because he's a great advocate of commercial films and how difficult they are to do well, as opposed to arty-farty films which tend to get more prizes.

"He argues it's a little easier to please a small audience in Hampstead or the Village in New York than it is to please a mass audience across the world, and there's a sort of snobbishness about that."

Grant says he was "full of fear" after being cast by director Stephen Frears to star alongside Meryl Streep in "Florence Foster Jenkins," the moving and hilarious biopic of a tone-deaf wannabe soprano which hits US theaters on Friday.

More than 30 years after his film debut, Grant still suffers from sudden, crippling attacks of stage fright, which he tries to keep at bay with morning runs and doses of the stress reliever Rescue Remedy.

He had a scene with Streep which had to be re-shot twice after he was hit by what he describes as a panic attack.

"You're doing an easy-peasy moment and you've rehearsed it well and suddenly they say 'Right, let's shoot it close up now, Hugh' and bang!" he says.

"Sweat, tension -- it's so ridiculous."

- 'Never quite as good' -

Grant thinks he would be fine "poncing about" on the stage, as his attacks are a unique affliction of film acting, brought on by "having my head in the little box in close-up."

Having started out in regional theater before touring London's club circuit with his own comedy revue, Grant claims to have enjoyed treading the boards.

"Not so much in the cinema, to be absolutely honest. I was talking to Kevin Bacon last night at a screening and we agreed you always go home a little sad," he says.

"You're marvelous in rehearsal and in the wide shot, which you never really use in the edit, and when it finally gets to your close-up, you always clench up a bit. You're never quite as good."

Grant's self-deprecation often seems calculated to deflect questions that require deeper self-analysis, though he admits to being a tough person to work with at times.

Jon Stewart famously banned him from "The Daily Show" in 2012 after the actor had a backstage tantrum over the cutting of a joke from a clip for his latest film.

The host described his interviewee as the worst guest ever, adding: "And we've had dictators on the show."

Grant also admits to riling colleagues by getting involved in parts of the filmmaking process that ought not to concern him, and says the habit of a lifetime resurfaced on the set of "Florence Foster Jenkins."

"I interfere in stuff that's none of my business, like where the camera should be," he says.

"But to be fair to Stephen Frears, he was very welcoming of that kind of stuff."
Pioneering Lifestyle and Home Brand JESSIE STEELE has Announced an Expanded Product Line and Fresh, New Collections of their Iconic Aprons, Kitchen Accents, Totes, and other Signature Accessories

BERKELEY, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 10, 2016 / Pioneering lifestyle and home brand JESSIE STEELE has announced an expanded product line and fresh, new collections of their iconic aprons, kitchen accents, totes, and other signature accessories. This brand reinvigoration - comes on the heels of efforts to curb widespread counterfeiting of the brand both in the United States and overseas.

"As our brand became more internationally recognizable, so did the grey market for our products," explains Jessie Steele founder and CEO Helena Steele. "We became an international brand at the start of a tectonic shift in world commerce. Lower quality imitations began flooding the marketplace, especially online, which hurt our loyal boutique vendors and eroded sales, diluting our brand. Protecting our reputation for high quality home goods and accessories, by protecting our brand assets and trademarks on a global scale has been an ongoing learning experience."

While Steele has recently partnered with - Cyber Investigations Services - to help eliminate current counterfeit product listings online, she took more creative measures to breathe life into the iconic brand Jessie Steele, with inspired new collections of both classic products and new expansions that, to Steele, are a natural evolution of the brand. The collections feature a fun, whimsical take on iconic time-honored designs from the 20th century, envisioned through Steele's modern eye. The new patterns and styles highlight the brand's unique blend of elegant modernity and festive celebration of the joys of family, home, and entertaining.

In addition to the brand's signature aprons, home and kitchen products, Steele is pleased to announce the re-launching of the brand's pajama line later this year, with modern pant and shorts sets that feature classic polka dots and European-style floral patterns for a soft, feminine touch to modern cuts. Also joining the JESSIE STEELE lineup for the first time in the United States will be the brand's umbrellas, which have been wildly popular across elite, boutique retailers in Japan, and which will be available in limited editions in the United States.

Story continues

"Despite our growth over the past decade, we are determined to keep the brand personal," adds Steele, who is still directly involved in all aspects of design and development. . "We continue to will always be dedicated to creating new fresh stories, woven from the threads of a past - lovingly re-imagined, in prints and styles that evoke another era. Jessie Steele will always Bring Happy Home."

Speaking to continued brand expansion, Steele notes that fans can expect to see a resort collection of tunics, totes, flip flops and other resort items, with the classic JESSIE STEELE flair and personal attention to detail. For more information or to shop the latest collections, visit http://jessiesteele.com.

ABOUT JESSIE STEELE

Launched in 2003 - lifestyle brand JESSIE STEELE has at its heart the brand's iconic aprons, which caused a global revival of a classic home accessory that is the very symbol of domesticity. Over a decade later, the brand has steadily expanded to include the gamut of fashion related home and kitchen products, and providing licensing to other home goods, gift-ware, and apparel, as well as custom collaborations with major retailers. The entire Jessie Steele collection is available online at their website, as well as in - specialty boutiques in more than thirty countries. For more information or to shop JESSIE STEELE'S latest collections, visit http://jessiesteele.com.

Press Inquiries

Jody Green | Frame PR | jody@frame-pr.net

Related Files

Jessie Steele Editorial_BrandBook_JS2016.pdf

SOURCE: Jessie Steele
Indian police said Wednesday they have arrested the head of an upmarket hospital in Mumbai and four doctors on suspicion of organ trafficking.

Police reportedly stopped a kidney transplant procedure at the L H Hiranandani hospital after finding that documents showing the donor was married to the intended recipient were forged.

They said the woman giving up her kidney was being paid, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.

Organs can only be donated by close relatives or by non-relatives approved by a special committee in India, and buying and selling them is illegal.

"We have arrested the chief executive of L H Hiranandani hospital, Sujit Chatterjee, and four doctors," said Mumbai police spokesman Ashok Dudhe.

They have been remanded in custody until Saturday, he added.

It is not the first such case -- in June Indian police said they had uncovered an illegal organ donation racket run out of a top New Delhi hospital.

That case also involved forged documents showing that the donors and the recipients were related.

Staff at the Apollo hospital were arrested, although its management denied any role and said it was the "victim of a well-orchestrated operation to cheat patients and the hospital".

Millions of Indians suffer from kidney disease, mostly because of high rates of diabetes.

But a chronic shortage of organs available for transplant has fuelled a black market.
As the executive producer of Showtimes Emmy-winning Homeland, Alex Gansa has a more formal office on the Fox lot. But when it comes to getting the real work of his job done, he heads to the hideaway tucked behind his house in the Pacific Palisades. Its in this bright, airy loft where he hunkers down for three hours every morning and night to write the series page-turning scripts. The Internet is terrible up here, so Im really isolated with the page and with my books, he says. Its been such a sanctuary.

EVIL DOES IT

Through its five-season run to date, Homeland has a notorious lineup of villains whove driven the plot. When Shaun Toub, who played Javadi was being honored by an Iranian acting society, Gansa created a video presentation in his honor  hoping it might further his campaign for an Emmy guest actor nod, which he didnt receive. As a consolation prize, we inducted him into the Homeland Villains Hall of Fame, he says, which at the time included Abu Nazir, William Walden, Tom Walker, and the villain of all villainesses, Dana Brody.

WRITE STUFF

When Gansa first came to L.A. along with his friend Howard Gordon (and Homeland executive producer), the duo started an SAT preparation company to make ends meet. As luck would have it, one of their first students was Tori Wilder, whose father, John, was a producer on St. Elsewhere. A week later, they found themselves pitching him spec scripts. A framed letter from him inviting the two men to come in for a meeting  Gansa calls it a prized possession  sits on the shelf behind his desk. Everybody has their own unique way of getting into the business, and this was ours, says Gansa.

WELL NOTED

Back in 1998, Gansa created a show called Maximum Bob that he had a short but glorious run on ABC, starring Beau Bridges as a judge who handed out outrageous sentences. We wanted to give him a prop that represented his extreme views, so we chose a burdizzo emasculator that was used to castrate sheep, he recalls. Now the prop serves another function: helping him remain calm during notes calls. Im trying to be as diplomatic as I can possibly on the phone, but Im squeezing this thing in my hands as a way of relieving my stress.

Related stories

Emmys: Is the TV Academy Selling Writers & Directors on Broadcast Shows Short?

Drama Writers' & Directors' Struggle for Emmy Gold Starts With Pitched Battle

'Homeland' Streams to Hulu Under 20th Century Fox Pact
By Kathryn Doyle (Reuters Health) - People with sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia or restless leg syndrome may have a poorer recovery after a stroke and higher risk of a second stroke, according to a review of existing research. The authors recommend screening for these sleep disorders among people who have had a stroke or mini-stroke. We have been aware in neurology for a couple of years already that breathing disturbances are a risk factor for stroke, said coauthor Dr. Dirk M. Hermann of University Hospital Essen in Essen, Germany. Sleep has restorative functions for the brain and is important for storing information we collect during the night, which explains why stroke recovery is so much affected by sleep disturbances, he said. But in stroke treatment and recovery, treating acute issues tends to take precedent over sleep studies, Hermann told Reuters Health. In 29 studies of whats known as sleep disordered breathing, such as sleep apnea, the researchers found that breathing issues tend to precede a stroke and are often tied to strokes that happen during sleep. Hypersomnia, or sleeping too much, mostly emerges after a stroke, and may resolve in a few months but overall fatigue can last for years, the researchers report in Neurology. Insomnia is also common for stroke survivors, and in most cases it was an issue for patients before the stroke occurred. In two studies, more than 10 percent of stroke survivors experienced restless leg syndrome within one month of their stroke. Stroke survivors with restless leg syndrome were also more likely than others to have diabetes. More than half of stroke patients have some sleep disordered breathing issue, like sleep apnea, before their stroke, and treating the issue with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine reduces stroke risk and improves outcomes after a stroke, the researchers write. People who suffer a stroke should be screened for any sleep problems, and sleep apnea should be treated. There is less evidence that treating sleep-wake disorders like insomnia or sleeping too much with medications improves stroke recovery, they conclude. People, especially doctors, should be aware of the link between sleep issues and stroke, Hermann said. We have to consider that we have quite good ways of diagnosing sleep disturbances and effective means of treating them, he said. Its up to national associations to define which way it is most appropriate to integrate sleep screening and treatment into stroke care, he said. Typical post-stroke workup involves testing for many risk factors including carotid atherosclerosis, atrial fibrillation, hypercoagulable states, hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes among others, said Karin Johnson, medical director of Baystate Health Regional Sleep Program in Greenfield, Massachusetts, who was not part of the new study. Obstructive sleep apnea not only worsens all of these conditions but even with adjusting for other causes doubles the risk of stroke, but many people are not currently tested for obstructive sleep apnea after having a stroke, Johnson told Reuters Health by email. Even if someone has normal good quality sleep, just being sleep deprived can also increase the risk of stroke and other cardiovascular conditions like heart attacks so for most people trying to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night is the best to give enough sleep to protect and strengthen our body, said Johnson, who is also an assistant professor of neurology at University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester. If you have loud snoring, frequent urination at night, gasping arousals, disrupted sleep, unrefreshing sleep, daytime sleepiness or fatigue, or no symptoms but signs like difficult to control high blood pressure, a large neck, and obesity, ask you doctors to test you for sleep apnea so you can get treated early before other complications arise, she said. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2aEaqjz Neurology, online August 3, 2016.
As part of the National Constitution Centers on-going Interactive Constitution project, leading constitutional experts interact with each other to explore the Constitutions history and what it means today. These experts were selected with the guidance of leaders of two prominent constitutional law organizationsThe American Constitution Society and The Federalist Society.

In this common interpretation of the Second Amendment, Nelson Lund from the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University and Adam Winkler from the UCLA School of Law explain the Second Amendments basic history and recent court cases about it.

Amendment II: RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS

Passed by Congress September 25, 1789. Ratified December 15, 1791. The first 10 amendments form the Bill of Rights

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Modern debates about the Second Amendment have focused on whether it protects a private right of individuals to keep and bear arms, or a right that can be exercised only through militia organizations like the National Guard. This question, however, was not even raised until long after the Bill of Rights was adopted.

Many in the Founding generation believed that governments are prone to use soldiers to oppress the people. English history suggested that this risk could be controlled by permitting the government to raise armies (consisting of full-time paid troops) only when needed to fight foreign adversaries. For other purposes, such as responding to sudden invasions or other emergencies, the government could rely on a militia that consisted of ordinary civilians who supplied their own weapons and received some part-time, unpaid military training.

The onset of war does not always allow time to raise and train an army, and the Revolutionary War showed that militia forces could not be relied on for national defense. The Constitutional Convention therefore decided that the federal government should have almost unfettered authority to establish peacetime standing armies and to regulate the militia.

Story continues

This massive shift of power from the states to the federal government generated one of the chief objections to the proposed Constitution. Anti-Federalists argued that the proposed Constitution would take from the states their principal means of defense against federal usurpation. The Federalists responded that fears of federal oppression were overblown, in part because the American people were armed and would be almost impossible to subdue through military force.

Implicit in the debate between Federalists and Anti-Federalists were two shared assumptions. First, that the proposed new Constitution gave the federal government almost total legal authority over the army and militia. Second, that the federal government should not have any authority at all to disarm the citizenry. They disagreed only about whether an armed populace could adequately deter federal oppression.

The Second Amendment conceded nothing to the Anti-Federalists desire to sharply curtail the military power of the federal government, which would have required substantial changes in the original Constitution. Yet the Amendment was easily accepted because of widespread agreement that the federal government should not have the power to infringe the right of the people to keep and bear arms, any more than it should have the power to abridge the freedom of speech or prohibit the free exercise of religion.

Much has changed since 1791. The traditional militia fell into desuetude, and state-based militia organizations were eventually incorporated into the federal military structure. The nations military establishment has become enormously more powerful than eighteenth century armies. We still hear political rhetoric about federal tyranny, but most Americans do not fear the nations armed forces and virtually no one thinks that an armed populace could defeat those forces in battle. Furthermore, eighteenth century civilians routinely kept at home the very same weapons they would need if called to serve in the militia, while modern soldiers are equipped with weapons that differ significantly from those generally thought appropriate for civilian uses. Civilians no longer expect to use their household weapons for militia duty, although they still keep and bear arms to defend against common criminals (as well as for hunting and other forms of recreation).

The law has also changed. While states in the Founding era regulated gunsblacks were often prohibited from possessing firearms and militia weapons were frequently registered on government rollsgun laws today are more extensive and controversial. Another important legal development was the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Second Amendment originally applied only to the federal government, leaving the states to regulate weapons as they saw fit. Although there is substantial evidence that the Privileges or Immunities Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment was meant to protect the right of individuals to keep and bear arms from infringement by the states, the Supreme Court rejected this interpretation in United States v. Cruikshank (1876).

Until recently, the judiciary treated the Second Amendment almost as a dead letter. In District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), however, the Supreme Court invalidated a federal law that forbade nearly all civilians from possessing handguns in the nations capital. A 54 majority ruled that the language and history of the Second Amendment showed that it protects a private right of individuals to have arms for their own defense, not a right of the states to maintain a militia.

The dissenters disagreed. They concluded that the Second Amendment protects a nominally individual right, though one that protects only the right of the people of each of the several States to maintain a well-regulated militia. They also argued that even if the Second Amendment did protect an individual right to have arms for self-defense, it should be interpreted to allow the government to ban handguns in high-crime urban areas.

Two years later, in McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010), the Court struck down a similar handgun ban at the state level, again by a 54 vote. Four Justices relied on judicial precedents under the Fourteenth Amendments Due Process Clause. Justice Thomas rejected those precedents in favor of reliance on the Privileges or Immunities Clause, but all five members of the majority concluded that the Fourteenth Amendment protects against state infringement of the same individual right that is protected from federal infringement by the Second Amendment.

Notwithstanding the lengthy opinions in Heller and McDonald, they technically ruled only that government may not ban the possession of handguns by civilians in their homes. Hellertentatively suggested a list of presumptively lawful regulations, including bans on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, bans on carrying firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, laws restricting the commercial sale of arms, bans on the concealed carry of firearms, and bans on weapons not typically possessed by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes. Many issues remain open, and the lower courts have disagreed with one another about some of them, including important questions involving restrictions on carrying weapons in public.

Read more from these experts about Matters of Debate about the Second Amendment at the following links: Not a Second Class Right: The Second Amendment Today by Nelson Lund and The Reasonable Right to Bear Arms by Adam Winkler.

Note: This project is sponsored by a generous grant from the John Templeton Foundation.

Recent Second Amendment Stories on Constitution Daily

Constitution Check: Where does the Second Amendment stand now?

Podcast: Lund and Winkler talk about the Second Amendment

Town Hall Video: Debating the Second Amendmen
After a last-minute ad blitz created turmoil in the race, lawyer and anti-drunk driving advocate Jimmy Anderson emerged the winner of a three-way Democratic primary in Wisconsin's 47th Assembly District.

No Republican is running to represent the district, making Anderson the de facto winner of the seat. The 47th covers parts of Monona, Fitchburg, Madison, Cottage Grove, McFarland and the town of Dunn.

Anderson defeated Fitchburg Alds. Julia Arata-Fratta and Tony Hartmann after racking up endorsements from prominent progressives including U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan and former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk. He earned 45 percent of the vote, edging out Arata-Fratta with 38 percent and Hartmann with 17 percent.

Rep. Robb Kahl, D-Monona, decided not to seek re-election after representing the district since 2012.

Anderson said he knocked on more than 5,200 doors throughout the course of the race and credited the people who volunteered for his campaign with pushing him "over the finish line."

"Its as much a victory for them as it for me," Anderson said.

Hartmann applauded Anderson's "diligent" work ethic, noting that Anderson had beat him to many of the 4,000 doors he knocked during the race.

Between now and November, Anderson said he plans to knock on more doors and help raise funds for other Democratic candidates.

"Once the session starts, its going to be about focusing on issues like education, the environment, making sure people get paid a living wage," he said.

The race turned negative in the days leading up to the primary, when an outside group ran a radio ad in support of Arata-Fratta claiming Anderson refused to sign the petition to recall Gov. Scott Walker in 2012.

Anderson, who requested the ad be taken down, said he couldn't sign the petition because he hadn't yet regained the ability to write after being paralyzed from the chest down in a car crash. The 30-second ad was credited to the Construction Trades Coalition.

Anderson and his family were hit in 2010 by a drunk driver in California. The crash left Anderson paralyzed from the chest down and killed his parents and younger brother.

Construction Trades Coalition treasurer Michael Ervin argued that Wisconsin law authorizes those "unable to sign due to physical disability" to authorize another person to sign on his or her behalf.

Arata-Fratta said the radio ad was "not something that I, or anyone with my campaign, approved of or paid for."

"For the most part, the race was pretty positive, but at the end it was unfortunate that it got as negative as it did," Anderson said. "I really hope the people who went after me with those ridiculous attacks, I hope they realize it wasn't a kind thing to do."

Anderson  a California native  and his wife decided to stay in Dane County after finishing their law and veterinary degrees in Madison. He founded a nonprofit, Drive Clear, aimed at preventing drunk driving and helping its victims. Having benefited from the highly politicized Affordable Care Act in the treatment of his injuries, Anderson was later inspired to run for office.

He outspent his opponents overwhelmingly, listing nearly $75,000 in expenditures on his Aug. 1 campaign finance report. Hartmann reported spending about $3,000, and Arata-Fratta about $6,200.

"He had a very professional team. He just was really motivated and he had a lot of resources," Hartmann said, alluding to the money spent on the race.

Hartmann also praised Arata-Fratta for a "spirited fight."

"I want to congratulate Jimmy Anderson on his victory tonight," Arata-Fratta said in an emailed statement. "Even though I am disappointed by the outcome, I am proud of the positive, grassroots campaign that I ran. I want to thank all of my supporters throughout the 47th Assembly District for all their amazing support. I look forward to continuing in my role as Fitchburg Alder and working for the citizens of the community at city hall."

Hartmann issued a challenge to Anderson to "improve the situation" at the state Capitol.

"We can put another progressive down at the Capitol, but  if we dont start figuring out how to work together and knit this state back together, were in for a lot more heartache," Hartmann said.

Other notable primary results:

U.S. House District 1, Republican Primary

House Speaker Paul Ryan soundly defeated challenger Paul Nehlen, 84 percent to 16 percent.

"I am humbled and honored that Wisconsinites in the 1st Congressional District support my efforts to keep fighting on their behalf. Janna and I are grateful to have the support of so many in southern Wisconsin, and we are truly thankful for all of their hard work," Ryan said in a statement.

U.S. House District 8, Republican Primary

Mike Gallagher, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and former foreign policy adviser for Gov. Scott Walker's presidential campaign, defeated state Sen. Frank Lasee and Forestville village president Terry McNulty, with 73 percent of the vote.

State Senate District 4, Democratic Primary

State Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, fended off a challenge from state Rep. Mandela Barnes, D-Milwaukee, earning 58 percent of the vote to his 42 percent. Barnes gave up his Assembly seat to run.

State Senate District 6, Democratic Primary

State Rep. LaTonya Johnson, D-Milwaukee, defeated Milwaukee School Board member Michael Bonds and former legislative aide Thomas Harris, with 61 percent of the vote.

State Senate District 18, Republican Primary

Fond du Lac County Party Chairman Dan Feyen defeated Oshkosh businessman and former pastor Mark Elliott, 56 percent to 44 percent. Feyen will face Winnebago Count Executive Mark Harris, who won the Democratic primary, to replace outgoing Sen. Rick Gudex, R-Fond du Lac.
Water stocks have long been underrated in the investment world, since the basic necessity of life is most often for granted. We certainly cannot imagine a world without technology, but can we even survive in a world without fresh water? In the wake of drought conditions in California and other states this year, people can no longer be oblivious of the situation.



Demand for fresh water  which accounts for a meager 2.5% of the worlds total water content  is growing along with urbanization and ever-increasing global population. Today, a major part of water infrastructure in the United States is approaching the end of its useful life.



Are we nearing a time when we have to stop drinking water directly from the tap? Per the Natural Resource Defense Council, cities like Atlanta, Albuquerque, San Francisco, and Fresno have fair-to-substandard drinking water. If a city has substandard water quality, then tap water may be carrying a good number of contaminants. Consumers have started to question about the quality of the water they drink.



Upgrade and Replace  Need of the Hour



In recent times, drinking and waste water infrastructure in the U.S. has been under the spotlight. The talking point right now is whether the amount of infrastructure investment planned by the U.S. government is equal to the sum required for replacing the aged and outmoded water infrastructure.



The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") last conducted its Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment back in 2011. The report outlined that an investment of around $384 billion will be required over the next 20 years to modernize and upgrade U.S. water and waste water systems. On the other hand, a careful analysis by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) showed that about $1 trillion will be needed over the next 25 years only to restore underground pipes.



Consolidation Holds the Key



The water utility space is highly fragmented, as there are a number of water utilities in the U.S. operating on various scales ranging from thousands of customers to millions. The disjointed water industry has raised concerns about whether the smaller systems are sustainable in terms of competence and adaptability.



A plausible solution is the consolidation and integration of local and regional systems into large-scale structures. This would free up access to the capital markets for infrastructure development in order to provide reliable water services. This also explains the frequent acquisitions taking place in this space right now.



Top Players in the Water Industry

Story continues

The growing scarcity of water will definitely lead the water utilities to prosperity, making them an enduring investment play. Big players in the water industry are getting even bigger through a number of acquisitions and large infrastructure spending.



The largest publicly traded water and waste water service provider in the U.S., American Water Works Company, Inc. AWK, has recently made several acquisitions of water systems near its service territories. The company is growing by both organic and inorganic means. In 2014, the water utility closed 13 acquisitions, adding almost 4,500 customers to its regulated business

Arizonas fastest growing private water utility, Global Water Resources GWRS, was founded to aggregate and consolidate small to medium-sized water and wastewater utilities in the southwestern U.S.Global Water serves 50,000 people, and is focused on creating renewable water systems where wastewater from homes is treated and used again for a variety of outdoor applications.



Another top performing water company is American States Water Company AWR. The company provides water services in 75 cities in California. The company is primarily focused on long-term military contracts. American States Waters unit, Golden State Water Company, recently won the California Public Utilities Commissions (CPUC) approval to acquire all operating assets of Rural Water Company.



California Water Service Group CWT is also a consistent performer, serving about 477,900 customers in 83 California cities. The companys unit  California Water Service Company  recently filed a General Rate Case with the CPUC, requesting authorization to increase water rates. The rate increase appeal was filed to reimburse planned expenditure of around $693 million in water supply sources, pipes, pumps, treatment plants, and other facilities that are needed to provide safe, reliable water services.



Share prices of each stock have increased significantly over the past year. AWK, GWRS, AWR, and CWT have gained 48.61%, 27.04%, 8.79%, and 48.53%, respectively.



These companies also have an impressive earnings track record, and are known for consistently sharing their profit with shareholders. These water utilities are also reliable dividend payers. All the stocks currently carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).



Bottom Line



Though the water industry has long been affected by low rates and geographical and functional fragmentation, the pressing need of the hour is to replace hundreds of years of old pipelines and pumps. Now that most are in agreement that water is an essential element to all living things, the big question in the country is how to modernize dated infrastructure.



In terms of investment opportunities, there is speculation that water will be the next oil. Moreover, recent droughts have definitely made us realize that water isnt as abundant as we think. So, why not add some cool water stocks to your portfolio to quench that investment thirst.

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



AMER WATER WORK (AWK): Free Stock Analysis Report



CALIF WATER SVC (CWT): Free Stock Analysis Report



AMER STATES WTR (AWR): Free Stock Analysis Report



GLOBL WATER RES (GWRS): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
WUHAN, CHINA / ACCESSWIRE / August 10, 2016 / China Automotive Systems, Inc. (CAAS) will host a conference call to discuss the results of the second quarter 2016, to be held Thursday, August 11, 2016 at 8:30 AM Eastern Time.

To participate in this event, dial 877-407-8031 domestically, or 201-689-8031 internationally, approximately 5 to 10 minutes before the beginning of the call.

About China Automotive Systems, Inc.

Based in Hubei Province, the People's Republic of China, China Automotive Systems, Inc. is a leading supplier of power steering components and systems to the Chinese automotive industry, operating through eight Sino-foreign joint ventures. The Company offers a full range of steering system parts for passenger automobiles and commercial vehicles. The Company currently offers four separate series of power steering with an annual production capacity of over 5.0 million sets of steering gears, columns and steering hoses. Its customer base is comprised of leading auto manufacturers, such as China FAW Group, Dongfeng Auto Group Co., Ltd., BYD Auto Company Limited, Beiqi Foton Motor Co., Ltd. and Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. in China, and Chrysler Group LLC in North America. For more information, please visit: http://www.caasauto.com.

SOURCE: Investor Calendar
SHOUGUANG, CHINA / ACCESSWIRE / August 10, 2016 / Gulf Resources, Inc. (GURE) will host a live webcast to discuss the results of the second quarter 2016, to be held Thursday, August 11, 2016 at 8:00 AM Eastern Time.

You can listen to the event online at www.investorcalendar.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=175247 or on the Gulf Resources website (www.gulfresourcesinc.com/events.html).

If you are unable to participate during the live webcast, the event archive will be available at www.investorcalendar.com or www.gulfresourcesinc.com/events.html.

About Gulf Resources, Inc.

Gulf Resources, Inc. operates through four wholly-owned subsidiaries, Shouguang City Haoyuan Chemical Company Limited ("SCHC"), Shouguang Yuxin Chemical Industry Co., Limited ("SYCI"), Shouguang City Rongyuan Chemical Co, Limited ("SCRC") and Daying County Haoyuan Chemical Company Limited ("DCHC"). The company believes that it is one of the largest producers of bromine in China. Elemental Bromine is used to manufacture a wide variety of compounds utilized in industry and agriculture. Through SYCI, the company manufactures chemical products utilized in a variety of applications, including oil and gas field explorations and papermaking chemical agents. SCRC is a leading manufacturer of materials for human and animal antibiotics in China and other parts of Asia. DCHC was established to further explore and develop natural gas and brine resources (including bromine and crude salt) in China. For more information, visit www.gulfresourcesinc.com.

SOURCE: Investor Calendar
IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 9, 2016 / Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces that a class action lawsuit was filed against K12, Inc. ("K12" or the "Company") (LRN). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares between November 7, 2013 and October 27, 2015 (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the Firm prior to the September 19, 2016 lead plaintiff motion deadline.

If you purchased shares of K12 during the Class Period, please contact Joon M. Khang, Esquire, of Khang & Khang, 18101 Von Karman Avenue, 3rd Floor, Irvine, CA 92612, by telephone: (949) 419-3834, or by e-mail at joon@khanglaw.com.

There has been no class certification in this case. Until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. You may choose to take no action and remain a passive class member.

According to the complaint, K12 issued false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: that the Company published misleading advertisements about students' academic progress, parent satisfaction, graduates' eligibility for admission into the University of California and California State University, class sizes, the individualized and flexible nature of K12's instruction, hidden costs, and the quality of the materials provided to students; that the Company submitted inflated student attendance numbers to the California Department of Education in order to receive additional funding; that K12 was open to potential civil and criminal liability due to these practices; that K12 would likely be forced to end these practices, which would have a negative impact on its operations and prospects; and as a result of the above, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When this news was announced, shares of K12 dropped in value, causing investors harm.

If you wish to learn more about this lawsuit, or if you have any questions concerning this notice or your rights, please contact Joon M. Khang, a prominent litigator for almost two decades, by telephone: (949) 419-3834, or by e-mail at joon@khanglaw.com.

Story continues

This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions.

Contacts

Joon M. Khang, Esq.

Telephone: 949-419-3834

Facsimile: 949-225-4474

joon@khanglaw.com

SOURCE: Khang & Khang LLP
JERUSALEM, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Israel Chemicals (ICL) , one of the three major suppliers of potash to China, India and Europe, reported a better than expected second-quarter profit on Wednesday and predicted further gains from its specialty products units.

Growth in its essential minerals division, which includes its main businesses like potash, a crop nutrient, and phosphates, was marginal however and that would probably continue due to strong competition, Chief Executive Stefan Borgas said.

Israel's biggest chemicals producer earned 10 cents per diluted share, excluding one-off items, down from 13 cents per diluted share in the same quarter a year ago, but higher than the 6 cents per share forecast by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Revenue jumped 15 percent to $1.4 billion, in part due to a stoppage a year earlier when workers went out strike, and beat a $1.26 billion forecast.

ICL, which has exclusive permits in Israel to extract minerals from the Dead Sea, said quarterly results benefited from a diversification away from core businesses into specialty products, like advanced additives and specialty fertilizers.

Sales at the specialty solutions business grew 15 percent in the quarter.

"This is a sustainable growth rate for the upcoming quarters as well," Borgas said on a conference call with analysts.

ICL, a subsidiary of Israel Corp, said it would pay a quarterly dividend of $60 million, or 5 cents per share.

The company in recent weeks has signed potash supply contracts with Chinese and Indian customers and said it was continuing to negotiate with additional customers in India.

"ICL's potash business in the second half of the year will experience higher sales quantities but lower average prices," it said.

Given falling potash and commodities prices it will accelerate the transition from extracting and producing potash to producing polysulphate at its mine in Britain. The steps, ICL said, are expected to reduce the mine's annual potash production, freeing up production capacity for manufacturing polysulphate.

Story continues

ICL had planned to end potash production in Britain in 2018 but Borgas said the plan would now come into effect as much as 12 months ahead of schedule.

Shares in ICL's New York listed shares were up 3 percent at $4.12 in morning trade.

(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch and Steven Scheer; Editing by Susan Fenton)
My Italian immigrant father taught me everything I need to know about work

My Italian immigrant father taught me everything I need to know about work

My father began working full-time at age 10, and he is still working hard at age 65. An Italian immigrant, my father instilled in me lessons about working, balancing your life, and building a career that aligns with your passions. He has always been my biggest inspiration, because his story is that of the sentimental American dream: he came to this country without money, without knowledge of the language, and without education. 50 years later, he is one of the smartest, hardest-working, and most successful people I know.

This is what he taught me about how to work hard and live well.

No job, however menial it may seem, is ever beneath you if its honest work.

waitress

My father taught me that no job is shameful if you do it honestly and diligently. When he was a fresh arrival in America, my father took a job at a sheet metal company. It was a job that didnt require an education, but it was a job and he performed it well. In fact, he excelled so much at that position that when the companys finances took a turn for the worst, he was one of the few new hires that was not laid off.

From him, Ive learned that even if a job seems like its beneath you  whether youre overqualified or have to work with incompetent superiors  no shame should ever be attached to good, honest work, no matter the field. Ive translated that into my everyday life, especially when I was an unemployed postgrad waitressing practically full time. Many customers, making polite conversation, asked me if restaurant service was the only thing I was doing after college  clearly expressing that they thought the food service life was below me, and somehow embarrassing. It hurt me, but at the end of the day, I was always proud of my hustle and work ethic. And hey the cash tips didnt hurt either.

Story continues

Because it was honest work and I did it well, I took pride in it. My dad taught me that.

Show up early, and leave late.

Speaking of hustling and distinguishing yourself at work: my dad taught me that in order for your boss to notice you, you must go above and beyond to prove your worth. More than likely, there are dozens of people at any given time who would be all too eager to get your job especially in our economy and job market! So its almost necessary to do more work than youre expected to do. Now, there is a fine line between working hard and being taken advantage of, but those who work harder than others are usually the ones who keep their jobs when the going gets tough!

Never say no to an opportunity that scares you, or that doesnt seem perfect.

Restaurant

My father loves telling the story of how he serendipitously became the owner of a successful restaurant  for over 40 years. In the 1970s, my dad was planning to open a franchise location, but then randomly got an opportunity to become part owner of a restaurant. At first, he didnt like the idea; it was a lot of money to spend, it was a less familiar industry, and the opportunity didnt seem perfect to him. After some consideration, he decided to take the plunge.

That restaurant evolved into a successful business for 40 years. It was the business that established my father as a savvy entrepreneur, and the place where he eventually met my mother. Without taking a chance on an imperfect job, he may never have landed what turned out to be a dream career. I take that story to heart and carry it with me all the time. I try to never write off opportunities because Im frightened, unqualified, or because I dont think it is a perfect opportunity. No job prospect is ever 100% ideal, but it always has the potential to turn into something amazing. Why turn down that possibility?

Save money, save money, save money.

My dad was full of wisdom about saving money when my sisters and I were growing up. When we were old enough to help out at the family restaurant, wed bus tables for a couple shifts a week to earn some pocket change. My father would then collect that money and save it in an envelope for us to have once we were older. Hed only give us a small portion of it for spending money. He instilled in us the value of a dollar, and taught us that saving a few hundred dollars could make financial emergencies much, much easier to deal with when they inevitably come along!

A good savings pile is also great for when you want to splurge on something you deserve, like a vacation or a new purse. Years later, the greatest contentment I feel is when I can transfer my paycheck into a savings account and watch the numbers grow, knowing Im investing in a safer financial future.

Work/life balance is essential, but its a precarious balance.

Father dinner

My fathers role as a restaurant owner meant that he was gone for 12 hours a day, 5 or 6 days a week. My dad was constantly working, but he was also a hands-on, present father who always wanted to spend time with his kids. Thats why he offered each of us the opportunity to work at the restaurant once we were old enough. My teenage years were spent taking shifts at the restaurant, spending time with my parents, cousins, and aunts altogether as a family. My dad made it very clear that he strongly desired to balance his work life and his family life, so he balanced them the only way he knew how: by blending them together.

In my own professional life, I struggle with work/life balance because Ive become a workaholic. Even though Im still learning how to organize these two aspects of my life, I remember my father and know that Ill always find a way to spend time with the people I love.

Dont work for your co-workers.

When I got a new job at the beginning of the year, I was plagued with the struggles of the position: the long hours, the bad commute, the terrible boss, and the dissatisfaction I felt. My only solace was my beloved co-workers: a lively group of people that became my little family. So when I started seeing opportunities to get a better, more satisfying position, I second guessed making a career move because it would mean leaving the people with whom I had bonded.

But my father made me think differently. He told me that while its important to have friends at work and to enjoy yourself, ultimately, you dont work for your co-workers. You work for yourself  your career, your livelihood, your happiness. And I know that staying at a dead-end job because it was filled with fun people was not the right choice for me. I also reasoned that, if it came down to it, my co-workers wouldnt stay at a bad job just for me. Plus, co-workers can turn into real-life friends even after youve changed jobs.

At the end of the day, work is a huge part of your life  so you should enjoy it.

Look  no one really loves to work. Even I, a self-professed workaholic who held down four jobs this year, like nothing better than binge-watching Netflix in pajamas. But since work is sort of necessary in order to eat and buy shoes and stuff, you may as well like your job. And that doesnt mean you have to constantly search for the perfect job, that you must say no to opportunities that arent good enough, or that you have to deal with a terrible job just for the paycheck.

For me, and for my father, enjoying work means taking pride in everything you do, working hard to build a career you love, and not getting discouraged when things arent perfect.

It means waiting tables for years before you land a better job  but finding ways to love the hard work and the struggle. It means youre tough and strong, and youll fight for the life you want. It means finding the delicate balance between what you need to do and what you want to do. It means never apologizing for ambition, or for your pipe dreams. It means embracing work as a part of life, and turning it into something you wont hate.

My dad, an immigrant who built his life from scratch, taught me how to do all of that, and more.

The post My Italian immigrant father taught me everything I need to know about work appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano had some tough words for Donald Trump on Wednesday when discussing his readiness for the presidency.

The presidents comments and what comes out of the presidents mouth are so very important, she said of the recent firestorm over Trumps suggestion that Second Amendment people could help thwart President Hillary Clinton in office.

The American people need to be focused on what does the president do, and how the president employs that bully pulpit is so very important, she continued.

Napolitano discussed Trump as part of an interview with Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric. The day before, Trump said at a rally that gun rights supporters could possibly keep Hillary Clinton from appointing Supreme Court justices who would undermine the Second Amendment. Trumps comments were widely interpreted as either a joke or a quip suggesting violence against the Democratic nominees potential administration.

Napolitano, a former Arizona governor, said she could only speculate that the number of threats or things of that nature have increased throughout the course of the heated presidential election and that, unfortunately, rhetoric plays a role. Rhetoric can be fuel to the fire.

Couric noted that Clinton has also been the subject of her own negative headlines amid this weeks release of emails that raise new questions about the nature of the relationship between the Clinton Foundation and Clintons State Department.

Napolitano noted that while she is a Democrat and is openly supporting Clinton for president, I think she made a mistake in how she set up her email with a private server for official State Department business. That mistake would continue to be an Achilles heel for Clinton, she said.

Still, Napolitano urged voters to weigh their questions about Clintons judgment against the entire picture now that we are seeing of a candidate who seems to articulate that he is his own best decision maker, that he knows more about ISIS than the generals do, that he can amend the Constitution  really a lack of understanding about how our democracy is set up, and what would it be like to live under a Trump presidency.

Story continues

I would worry every night about what I would wake up to in the morning about what Trump had said or done, she said. In contrast, if Clinton were elected, Napolitano said, I would rest easy at night knowing she was making the kinds of judgments a president is called on to make.

I worked with her, I saw how she worked in the White House in the situation room, she said.

As for whether Napolitano, now president of the University of California system, would return to Washington if offered a position in Clintons potential Cabinet, she said, I dont play what-ifs.
Green Party candidate Jill Stein told CNBC on Wednesday she is the only 2016 presidential nominee who is free to provide the medicine the economy needs.

"As the only candidate that is not poisoned by corporate money lobbyists or super PACs, I can actually stand up for what it is we need," she said in an interview on "Squawk Box."

She said the United States needs an emergency jobs program like the New Deal  "a green New Deal" to solve "the emergency of climate change," and a cancellation of student debt to "liberate a generation to lead us forward to the economy of the future."

She said she would also make higher education free and make health care universal through a Medicare for all system.

The student loan forgiveness program could be paid for through a quantitative easing program in which the Federal Reserve would buy up student loans and agree not to collect on the debt, according to Stein.

"So essentially it's an expansion of the money supply, but in a way that actually unleashes enormous productivity. This is basically the stimulus package of our dreams," she said.

To be sure, the Federal Reserve is an independent government agency that devises monetary policy in accordance with its dual mandate of promoting price stability and maximizing employment. The president cannot dictate the Fed's asset-buying programs.



Stein said the reduction in health costs by eliminating fossil-fuel emissions and creating a healthy food supply alone would pay for her green energy transition. A reduction in the United States' "bloated and dangerous" military budget would also contribute to the green New Deal, she added.



She said reducing the military budget would also discourage the United States from waging wars that have produced failed states and stoked migrant crises, and would therefore make the country more secure.

Stein and her running mate, human rights activist Ajamu Baraka, formally accepted the Green Party's nomination last weekend in Houston.

Following the Democratic National Convention, 5 percent of voters said they plan to vote for Stein, down from 6 percent prior to the event, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. The poll has a margin of error of 3.46 percentage points.
The good guys who dress in black may never meet the good guys who dress like they are in high school.

For some time, Sony has been tossing around the idea of a crossover movie featuring two of their biggest comedy franchises, 21 Jump Street and Men in Black, but Jump Street star Jonah Hill now says a merging of the movies is unlikely to happen.

"I had the idea," Hill told the Toronto Sun. "But I doubt that movie will get made."

The idea of a Jump Street/Men in Black crossover first came to public light via the Sony email hacks in 2014. In March of this year, The Hollywood Reporter exclusively reported that Muppets director James Bobin was in early talks to helm the movie. And in April, Sony teased that the film was tentatively titled MIB 23.

But now Hill says he thinks the film would be too complicated to make work.

"They're trying to make all the deals, but it's kind of impossible with all the Men in Black stuff. The Jump Street films were so fun to make and the whole joke of them was they were making fun of remakes and sequels and reboots and then now it's become a giant sequel, reboot," said Hill. "It's almost become what we were making fun of and it's hard to maintain that joke when it's so high stakes."

The idea of combining the properties is an appealing option for Sony, with MIB being a hit franchise that became too expensive because of the compensation packages of its stars and producers like Steven Spielberg. Jump Street, on the other hand, featured an in-credits scene which imagined a future history of the franchise exhausted by sequelitis. Many think a crossover might be a fresh way to keep both franchises alive.

Read more: It's All Too Much: 'Suicide Squad' and the Way DC Movies Connect Together
When it comes to epic pranks and acting advice, you can always count on Leonardo DiCaprio!

While preparing for his new role as former international arms dealer Efraim Diveroli in War Dogs, Jonah Hill says he got some helpful advice from his Wolf of Wall Street co-star.

WATCH: Leonardo DiCaprio Epically Scares Jonah Hill by Pretending to Be a Fan

"He said, 'Always meet them if you can, take what you want and leave what you don't,'" Hill recalled DiCaprio telling him with regard to portraying real life people on the big screen, during a Q&A panel hosted by The New York Times on Thursday.

"It's great if you can [meet the person]. You just have to do a lot of editing of who they actually are," he added.

Unfortunately, the 32-year-old actor wasn't able to utilize DiCaprio's suggestion for War Dogs, as Diveroli was serving a prison sentence at the time of filming and declined any involvement with the movie.

WATCH: Jonah Hill Trims Down, Shows Off Slimmer Physique With Girlfriend in Los Angeles

The film follows the story of two international arms dealers who secure a government contract to supply weapons for U.S. troops in Afghanistan. But, this wasn't the first time Hill has encountered some resistance from a real person he was portraying.

"Most of the time when I play somebody, they have a violent reaction against me playing them," he said.

Recently, DiCaprio pranked Hill on a street corner in New York, running up to his friend with his phone out, pretending to be a crazed fan and nearly startling his buddy half-to-death.

"It was funny! I was totally taken off guard," Hill recently told ET. "I was scared sh*tless."

Check out the hilarious moment in the video below.

Related Articles
(Add quotes, background on dispute)

Washington DC, Aug 10 (Reuters) - The federal judge hearing the U.S. Justice Department's case to block Aetna Inc's $34 billion purchase of Humana Inc has set a trial date for Dec. 5, later than the companies had requested.

Aetna and Humana are fighting the U.S. Department of Justice's lawsuit asserting that combining the two companies will harm consumers and raise prices.

Aetna had asked for a trial date in the fall, perhaps October, because of a Dec. 31 deadline for the deal's completion. The Justice Department has said that that deadline can be pushed back.

Judge John Bates, who will decide if the merger may go forward, said during a hearing on Wednesday that the companies had failed to define any harm in a later trial.

Bates said that the trial would likely end on Dec. 21 and that the case would most likely be decided in mid- to late January.

The Justice Department filed lawsuits on July 21 asking a federal court to stop Aetna's planned acquisition of Humana as well as Anthem's planned $45 billion purchase of Cigna.

Aetna has argued that a single question will dominate the trial: Does Medicare Advantage, which is managed by insurance companies, compete with Medicare, which is managed by the government? The government says that the two products do not compete while insurers argue that they do.

If Medicare Advantage competes against traditional Medicare, then Aetna's MA products compete against the government's Medicare and the deal is much likely to be deemed legal under antitrust law.

(Reporting by Diane Bartz in Washington D.C.; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Alan Crosby)
Dirk van Tichelt won his first Olympic judo medal Monday. (Getty)

Dirk Van Tichelt probably didnt envision one of the greatest days of his life ending in the hospital. But thats exactly where the Belgian judoka found himself Monday night hours after winning his first-ever Olympic medal.

Van Tichelt won bronze in the 73-kg judo competition on Monday. Naturally, he went off to Copacabana Beach that night to celebrate the achievement. And thats where things went awry.

Van Tichelt was reportedly assaulted by a thief on the famous beach, and was struck in the face. He was taken to the hospital after the incident.

The thief, who was reportedly Brazilian, came away with a cellphone, but, crucially, not with a bronze medal. That allowed Van Tichelt to take this epic picture the following day:

Dief in Rio steelt gsm en slaat Dirk Van Tichelt. Gevolg: blauw oog voor onze bronzen plak: https://t.co/kFpnQ36398 pic.twitter.com/rMuuoUoVF5  sporza (@sporza) August 9, 2016

The Belgian Olympic Committee released a statement confirming the details, and saying that Van Tichelt didnt require treatment at the hospital. He appeared at a media event the next day with a black eye, and, undoubtedly, a smile on his face.

Van Tichelt now has more than just a medal to commemorate his Olympic success.


WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Tuesday floated a theory that the Democratic National Committee staffer who was shot dead in the streets of Washington, D.C., last month had been targeted because the operative was an informant.

In an interview on Dutch television, the Australian cyber-activist invoked the unsolved killing of Seth Rich, 27, earlier this summer to illustrate the risks of being a source for his organization.

Citing WikiLeaks protocol, Assange refused to confirm whether or not Rich was in fact a source for WikiLeaks, which released thousands of internal DNC emails, some of them politically embarrassing. Experts and U.S. government officials reportedly believe that hackers linked to the Russian government infiltrated the DNC and gave the email trove to WikiLeaks.

But Assange was apparently interested in hinting about an even darker theory.

Whistleblowers go to significant efforts to get us material and often very significant risks. As a 27-year-old, works for the DNC, who was shot in the back, murdered just a few weeks ago for unknown reasons as he was walking down the street in Washington, Assange said on Nieuwsuur. BuzzFeed drew more attention to the interview in the U.S.

Somewhat startled, news anchor Eelco Bosch van Rosenthal said, That was just a robbery, I believe  wasnt it?

No, theres no finding, Assange responded. Im suggesting that our sources take risks and they become concerned to see things occurring like that.

Why make the suggestion about a young guy being shot in the streets of Washington? van Rosenthal asked.

Because we have to understand how high the stakes are in the United States, Assange said, and that our sources face serious risks. Thats why they come to us, so we can protect their anonymity.

The Metropolitan Police Department in Washington have not established a motive for the killing but reportedly told the young mans family that he died during a robbery attempt turned tragic. His father, however, told Omaha CBS-affiliate KMTV he did not think it was a robbery because nothing was stolen: his watch, money, credit cards and phone were still with him.

Story continues

The WikiLeaks founder said that others have suggested that Rich was killed for political reasons and that his organization is investigating the incident.

I think it is a concerning situation. There isnt a conclusion yet. We wouldnt be able to state a conclusion, but we are concerned about it, he continued. More importantly, a variety of WikiLeaks sources are concerned when that kind of thing happens.

WikiLeaks further fanned the flames of conspiracy by offering a $20,000 reward for anyone with information leading to the conviction of the person responsible for killing Rich.

ANNOUNCE: WikiLeaks has decided to issue a US$20k reward for information leading to conviction for the murder of DNC staffer Seth Rich.  WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) August 9, 2016

Rich, who worked in voter outreach for the Democrats, was shot and killed just after 4 a.m. on July 10 a block from his home in the Bloomingdale neighborhood of Washington.

Late last month, WikiLeaks published nearly 20,000 emails from DNC employees that exacerbated the tension between Bernie Sanders supporters and the Democratic establishment during the partys national convention in Philadelphia. The emails led to the resignation of several DNC leaders, including Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Snopes has debunked that claim that Rich was killed to prevent him from meeting with the FBI to discuss his plans to testifying against Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 for anyone who can provide information that leads to the conviction of someone for any murders in Washington.

Brad Bauman, a spokesperson for the Rich family, released a statement to Business Insider Wednesday saying that people trying to politicize the death of their loved one are doing more harm than good and preventing police officers from fully doing their jobs.

The family welcomes any and all information that could lead to the identification of the individuals responsible and certainly welcomes contributions that could lead to new avenues of investigation, the statement read.

That said, some are attempting to politicize this horrible tragedy, and in their attempts to do so, are actually causing more harm [than] good and impeding on the ability for law enforcement to properly do their job. For the sake of finding Seths killer, and for the sake of giving the family the space they need at this terrible time, they are asking for the public to refrain from pushing unproven and harmful theories about Seths murder.

Related video:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - African-American residents in Baltimore are routinely subjected to unconstitutional stops, arrests and excessive force by the Baltimore Police Department, a scathing federal report released on Tuesday said.

The 163-page U.S. Justice Department report details an investigation launched after the death of black detainee Freddie Gray last year that found the Baltimore Police Department engages in a pattern of conduct that violates the constitution or federal law.

"This pattern or practice is driven by systemic deficiencies in BPD's policies, training, supervision and accountability structures that fail to equip officers with the tools they need to police effectively and within the bounds of the federal law," the report said.

However, the department "has already begun laying the foundation for reform by self-initiating changes to its policies, training, data management, and accountability systems", it added.

A spokesman said the department would not comment until a scheduled news conference on Wednesday.

The report comes 16 months after police arrested Gray, 25, for fleeing unprovoked in a high-crime area. He suffered a neck injury in a police wagon while shackled and handcuffed, and died a week later.

The incident triggered rioting and protests in Baltimore, a majority-black city of about 620,000 people. It fueled a national debate on police tactics and stoked the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Six officers were charged in Gray's death, but four trials ended without a conviction. Prosecutors dropped the remaining charges last month.

The Justice Department's investigation after Gray's death found that the Baltimore Police Department had routinely made unconstitutional stops, searches and arrests.

"BPDs targeted policing of certain Baltimore neighborhoods with minimal oversight or accountability disproportionately harms African-American residents," the report added.

Story continues

The investigation found African-American pedestrians were stopped three times as often as white residents after controlling for the population of the area in which the stops occurred, the report said.

Police have also engaged in a pattern of using excessive force when dealing with individuals with mental health disabilities, juveniles and subjects who do not immediately respond to verbal commands, the investigation found.

The department "uses overly aggressive tactics that unnecessarily escalate encounters, increase tensions, and lead to unnecessary force, and fails to de-escalate encounters when it would be reasonable to do so," the report said.

Police in Baltimore also have frequently violated the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution by detaining and arresting individuals who engaged in protected speech, the report said.

(Reporting by Ian Simpson, Julia Harte and Brendan O'Brien; Editing by Tom Brown, Sandra Maler and Gareth Jones)
The Canadian PM shared this photo of his wife. (Twitter/JustinTrudeau)

This year, Aug. 1 to 7 marked World Breastfeeding Week, and to show support, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted an intimate photo of his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, feeding their son Hadrien.

This World Breastfeeding Week, lets support mothers to breastfeed anytime, anywhere, the tweet reads, attributing the quote to Gregoire Trudeau.

This World Breastfeeding Week, lets support mothers to breastfeed anytime, anywhere.  SGT #WBW2016 pic.twitter.com/vgRMhzVY1Z  Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) August 6, 2016

And this isnt the first time the wife of the prime minister has come forward in support of breastfeeding. In a recent profile in Chatelaine magazine, she spoke candidly about continuing to feed her youngest son at age 2.

I know hes my last one; its a little hard to give it up, she says.

She later elaborated on this in an interview with Katie Couric for Yahoo, saying, I think its a womans choice. I breastfed my three babies. I also gave them formula. I think its a beautiful bond, and I encourage it, but I dont judge.

World Breastfeeding Week is aimed at raising awareness of the links between breastfeeding and the Sustainable Development Goals that were developed in September 2015 by a number of world leaders in an effort to end poverty and protect the planet.

By recognizing that breastfeeding is a key to sustainable development, we will value our wellbeing from the start of life, respect each other and care for the world we share, states the WBW website.

Joining Gregoire Trudeau, Alberta Cabinet Minister Stephanie McLean posted her own breastfeeding picture with the caption Breastfeed wherever  yes even at work!

Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Tripoli (AFP) - Key dates since the Islamic State group moved into Libya in late 2014 amid the chaos that followed the ouster of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

Pro-government forces said they had seized control of the IS's headquarters in Sirte on Wednesday as they push to oust the jihadists from the coastal city.

First jihadist attacks

- November 19, 2014: The US says it is "concerned" by reports that radical extremists with avowed ties to IS are destabilising eastern Libya, having already seized vast swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.

- December 27, 2014: A car bomb claimed by IS explodes outside the diplomatic security building in Tripoli without causing casualties.

- January 27, 2015: IS claims an attack on Tripoli's luxury Corinthia Hotel that kills nine people, including five foreigners.

Since then IS has carried out multiple suicide attacks, including in February 2015 in Al-Qoba, near the eastern town of Derna, that killed 44 people and in January 2016 at a police school in Zliten, east of Tripoli, which killed more than 50.

IS videos of killings

- February 15, 2015: IS releases a video showing the beheading of 21 Coptic Christians, all but one Egyptian, captured in Libya, that it says was filmed in January. Egypt carries out air strikes on IS in its then stronghold of Derna.

- April 19, 2015: A new video shows the execution-style killing of 28 Christians originally from Ethiopia.

Sirte seized

- June 9, 2015: IS announces it has captured Sirte, hometown of Kadhafi, east of Tripoli.

- July 12, 2015: The group acknowledges it has been pushed out of Derna after weeks of fierce fighting with the town's Mujahedeen Council.

First US strikes

- November 13, 2015: The US bombs IS leaders in Libya for the first time and says it killed Abu Nabil, an Iraqi also known as Wissam Najm Abd Zayd al-Zubaydi. Libyan officials identify him as the IS chief in Derna.

- February 19, 2016: A US air strike on a jihadist training camp near Sabratha, west of Tripoli, kills about 50 people.

Story continues

- February 24, 2016: Some 200 jihadists briefly occupy central Sabratha, before being ousted by militias.

Offensive on Sirte

- March 30, 2016: The head of Libya's UN-backed unity government, Fayez al-Sarraj, arrives in Tripoli, despite the hostility of rival authorities.

- May 12, 2016: A vast offensive begins by forces loyal to the unity government to retake Sirte. On June 9 government forces enter the centre of Sirte and besiege the jihadists.

- June 4, 2016: Unity government forces say they have retaken a jihadist air base south of Sirte.

- July 23, 2016: Loyalist forces say they have seized a building used by IS to manufacture explosives.

- August 1, 2016: The US carries out its first air strikes on IS positions in Sirte, at the unity government's request.

- August 10, 2016: Pro-government forces say they seized the IS's headquarters at the Ouagadougou conference centre in Sirte. Some parts of the town remain in the hands of the jihadists.
Things are getting quite heated between Dutch and DAvin on this Fridays Killjoys (Syfy, 9/8c)  though not in that good, sexy kind of way.

RELATEDZ Nation Season 3, Van Helsing and Other New Series Get Syfy Dates

In the episode Heart-Shaped Box, tensions rise and the entire team is tested when a lethal Level Six agent is captured. In the exclusive sneak peek above, DAv (played by Luke Macfarlane) argues in favor of healing the injured prisoner, while Dutch (Hannah John-Kamen) counters that the Level Six agent is no wounded animal but a weapon of war, so she isnt feeling merciful. At all.

Why is DAv taking this all so personally? Press play above to hear the duos full argument, and see if you can do the math.

RELATEDSyfys Krypton: Meet Supermans Grandpa and Other Key Characters

Elsewhere in the episode, Johnny secretly investigates Jelcos wall for Pawter.

Want more scoop on Killjoys, or for any other show? Email insideline@tvline.com and your question may be answered via Matts Inside Line.

Related stories

Z Nation Season 3, Van Helsing and Other New Series Get Syfy Dates

Sharknado: The 4th Awakens Photo Recap: From Random to Ridiculous

Quotes of the Week: The Bachelorette, Zoo, Rizzoli & Isles, DNC and More
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) -- The remnants of the final two targets scattered in the dreary Brazilian sky, landing in dozens of places across the rain-soaked Olympic shooting range.

Fehaid Al-Deehani raised his shotgun overhead with a shout and turned toward the crowd, pounding his chest as he walked toward them.

No matter what his team was called, what flag was raised or anthem played, the gold medal belonged to him.

Competing as an independent athlete with Kuwait's Olympic committee suspended, Al-Deehani captured the first gold medal of his storied career by beating Italy's Marco Innocenti in the men's double trap finals Wednesday at the Rio de Janeiro Games.

''That was for my country, for the people who don't want us to participate in the Olympics,'' Al-Deehani said. ''I'm showing them that we are here and we got the medal.''

A proud Kuwaiti army officer, Al-Deehani is not just the most decorated Olympic athlete in his country, he is the only one to earn a medal. He won his first, a bronze, at the 2000 Sydney Games and another in London four years ago.

Rio was his sixth Olympics, but it would not be for Kuwait.

The Arab country has been engaged in an ongoing rift with the IOC, which has accused Kuwait's government of interfering with sports.

The IOC suspended Kuwait in October and the country countered will a $1.3 billion lawsuit against 14 board members of the Gulf state's Olympic committee and the national federations of several sports. A lawsuit against the IOC was thrown out by a Swiss court.

The IOC made a concession just before the Rio Olympics, allowing Kuwait's athletes to participate as independents under the IOC flag, should they qualify.

Al-Deehani refused to carry the IOC flag for the independent team during opening ceremony, saying he would only carry Kuwait's flag.

Once shooting started in Rio, Al-Deehani became intent on defying the IOC's decision by winning a medal for his country, not an independent team filled with Kuwaitis.

Story continues

Al-Deehani almost didn't make it past the semifinals, needing a shoot-off to get past American Joshua Richmond into the final six.

But Al-Deehani had the best score in the semifinals, hitting 28 targets to earn a spot against Innocenti in the gold-medal match. With at least silver in his grasp, Al-Deehani dropped to his knees and put his face to the ground before getting up and pounding his chest at the crowd.

''The feeling was much better than any before because you know if you are competing for the gold medal, you have at least the silver for sure,'' Al-Deehani said.

He didn't want to stop there, though.

His confidence soaring, Al-Deehani took an early lead in the final and overcame a couple of late missed shots to put himself in position for gold. Shooting first and leading by two, he knew gold was his if he hit both targets on his final turn.

Al-Deehani's shots were true and so was his heart as he pounded it numerous times at the crowd.

But sorrow tinged the joy once he stepped on the top step of the podium.

Wearing a plain blue sweatshirt, Al-Deehani raised his arms and smiled before receiving the gold medal, but turned somber as the IOC anthem played and the IOC flag was raised instead of his country's.

''It hurts very much,'' said Al-Deehani, who struggled to stifle tears as the IOC anthem played. ''I can't describe my pain. It is too sad.''

Steven Scott hit all 30 targets to defeat British shooter Tim Kneale for the bronze medal.
Tuesday night (Aug. 9) proved to be a major night for American gymnasts in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Not only did America win the team gymnastics title with an 8.209 lead over Russia, New Jersey also managed to come out strong thanks to 16-year-old Laurie Hernandez.

Hernandez, an Old Bridge native, gave New Jersey its first gold medal of the 2016 Olympics. The Puerto Rican gymnast received a 15.100 on the vault, 12.233 on the balance beam, and a 14.833 on the floor exercise. Laurie described her experience at the Olympics by saying, It was awesome. I mean, when we first walked out there it really hit me: Wow, were at the Olympics. As I started dancing for my floor routine, I felt calm, I felt normal, and I think that was a really good feeling.

While congratulations are definitely in order for the young Hernandez, there may be more on the way. During Saturdays individual apparatus competition, she will compete on the balance beam in hopes of winning yet another medal. If her track record is any consolation, she can definitely do it.
bering land bridge national park

Remember back in high school when you learned all those human history basics, like the fact that we share a common ancestor with the African ape or that the first Americans reached the continent by way of a grassy strip of terrain called the Bering land bridge that emerged as the ice retreated between Russia and Alaska?

Turns out that last bit might be wrong.

According to a new study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, the first people to reach the Americas most likely never even saw this route. Instead, they took an alternative, more westward path along the Pacific coastline across lands that are now underwater.

"It definitely challenges what most people learned in high school," Mikkel Winther Pedersen, the paper's lead author and an anthropologist at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, told Business Insider.

For centuries, people have considered the Bering land bridge to be the main highway that the earliest human travelers used to get to the Americas. Back in the 16th century, Spanish explorer Jose de Acosta posited that those early hikers made their way south while tracking massive herds of animals like deer and elk, whose meaty flesh would sustain them on their treacherous journey.

Here's a GIF showing how the area called Beringia emerged and disappeared over thousands of years:

The gist of this theory has remained pretty widely accepted among archaeologists, though certain parts of it  like what types of animals and plants lived in the region at the time  are still hotly debated.

One recent study, for example, suggested that while the first Americans did indeed travel throughout and even settle in Beringia, they certainly weren't eating any large game, since the landscape would have supported only small animals and perhaps elk. Still, Beringians would have had all the resources they needed to survive there, the authors of that paper argued two years ago in a post for The Conversation.

Story continues

The new study challenges that assumption, finding instead that the area simply didn't have the resources to support thousands of hungry humans  at least not until thousands of years later.

willerslev_first_americans_paper_3 skitched (1)

But there's strong evidence that humans were present in the Americas long before then. In May a team of archaeologists uncovered a set of 14,550-year-old stone tools and butchered mastodon bones at the bottom of a Florida river  firmly placing the first Americans in those lands 1,000 earlier than scientists once thought.

So the question for the new study's researchers was this: How did these mastodon-hunting Americans get there? Did they somehow manage to eke out a route along the barren terrain of the Bering land bridge? Or did they use another route  perhaps the other ice-free pathway along what's now part of the submerged Pacific coastline?

To find out, the researchers dug ancient ice cores out of lakes in the region where ice once retreated and filled in with water, essentially forming frozen time capsules. It's a new and developing field of research called environmental DNA, or eDNA for short, that involves carefully inspecting all the genetic material hidden inside a sample of soil, sediment, or water.

"It was kind of like time travel," Pedersen said.

Trapped deep inside each ice core, the researchers found layers of sediment, each of which represented a distinct era in ecological time. They used the cores to get a glimpse of what the area looked like from roughly 15,000 years ago  when the ice retreated and the lakes began to fill with liquid water  up until about 12,600 years ago, when animals and plants began to establish themselves there.

"Putting this together we could suddenly see that well humans couldn't have used this corridor until 12,600," Pedersen said, "because they couldn't have walked along a thousand-kilometer stretch of land without having something to sustain them."

The finding could change history, Florida State University in Tallahassee archaeologist Jessi Halligan, and one of the authors of the study that uncovered the butchered mastodon bones in Florida but who was not involved with this paper, told Business Insider.

"This is a really big and important study," said Halligan. "It shows these first Americans couldnt have taken this corridor  it simply wasn't viable at the time."

NOW WATCH: One of the most groundbreaking archaeological discoveries of the year was almost turned into a necklace





More From Business Insider


KELOWNA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 10, 2016 / Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (LXRP) (CSE:LXX) ("the Company" or "Lexaria") has entered a letter of intent (LOI) to license its proprietary technology to CBDM LLC for the development and sale of a range of marijuana oil infused products in a potentially national-scale roll-out to Indian reservations across America and certain other U.S. territories.

Under the terms of the LOI, usage fees of $200,000 are contemplated for each product line introduced, over a five-year operating term per state. The Licensee can earn non-exclusive rights to sell up to five product lines on Indian reservations, through licensed medical or adult use retailers only. Currently, 35 states have federally recognized Indian reservations. The Licensee may also earn non-exclusive rights to sell these product lines in all areas of Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Nevada.

Technology license usage fees payable to Lexaria have the potential to reach as much as $36,000,000 over the term of the seven-year agreement, though the actual amount to be paid shall depend on the number of product lines and states the Licensee ultimately effects.

The LOI further contemplates a $175,000 per-state payment by the Licensee, to be paid in-kind to Lexaria by executing clinical testing in patients receiving products with Lexaria's technology. This clinical testing will be conducted and funded by researchers affiliated with the Licensee at a major US University and Lexaria will have access to study data and results. Lexaria's technologically enhanced products will be evaluated for their efficacy in alleviating certain symptoms associated with chronic disease to be studied, in concert with primary intervention treatment. Lexaria will begin collaborations with the Licensee and its affiliated university researchers on the basic design elements of the planned clinical testing. Lexaria will have no funding responsibilities for the clinical testing and does not influence its funding sources which are third-party to the Company.

Under this structure, total in-kind fees of $6,300,000 would grant the Licensee access to valid sales territories in each of the 36 states mentioned.

Additional information and details regarding these clinical testing plans will be announced in due course. Readers are cautioned that the clinical plans are currently in the preliminary design stages and will, like any other clinical testing in patients with chronic disease, likely take an as yet undetermined period of many months to complete and report.

"We are extremely pleased to have effected this LOI with our second prospective licensee in the medical and adult use marijuana edibles sector," said John Docherty, President of Lexaria Bioscience Corp. "Lexaria was recently granted its first patent allowance by the US Patent and Trademark Office, and is heartened to observe the response of the marketplace as it acknowledges the value of the Lexaria technology in improving flavor and performance of cannabinoids and other bioactive substances in consumer products. Lexaria feels confident that it will succeed in being awarded additional new patent allowances in 2016 and 2017 that will further strengthen its competitive position in the marketplace and its ability to effect additional revenue generating technology out-licensing agreements pursuant to its business plan within the cannabis sector and beyond."

Lexaria itself is not selling any products through this agreement. The LOI is expected to advance into a definitive agreement within 60 days though there is no assurance of this. Additional information will be released regarding the completion of the definitive agreement, and progress with the clinical testing, as they are confirmed and available. Readers are cautioned that a definitive agreement has not yet been reached and, even if reached, receipt of license usage fees is dependent upon the success of the Licensee in launching and operating their business.

About Lexaria

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. is a food sciences company focused on the delivery of active compounds that can behave as superfoods through its proprietary infusion technologies. Lexaria's technology enables higher bioavailability rates for CBD; THC; NSAIDs; Nicotine and other molecules than is possible without lipophilic enhancement technology. This can allow for lower overall dosing requirements and/or higher effectiveness in active molecule delivery. Lexaria hopes to reduce other common but less healthy ingestion methods such as smoking as it embraces the benefits of public health. www.lexariaenergy.com

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Lexaria Bioscience Corp.

Chris Bunka

Chairman & CEO

(250) 765-6424

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release includes forward-looking statements. Statements which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. The Company makes forward-looking public statements concerning its expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, including statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: that any license arrangements may be entered into with other companies or partners, that the Company's technology will prove to be beneficial to third parties or to generate revenue for the Company. Forward-looking statements are estimates reflecting the Company's best judgment based upon current information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that other factors will not affect the accuracy of such forward-looking statements. Access to capital, or lack thereof, is a major risk and there is no assurance that the Company will be able to raise required working capital. Factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by the Company include, but are not limited to, government regulation, managing and maintaining growth, the effect of adverse publicity, litigation, competition, the patent application and approval process and other factors which may be identified from time to time in the Company's public announcements and filings. There is no assurance that the engagement of consultants or participation in the hemp oil sector or alternative health businesses will provide any benefit to Lexaria, or that the Company will experience any growth through participation in these sectors. There is no assurance that any in-kind payment; that usage payments of $200,000 per state; that $33,000,000 or any part thereof in cash usage fees, or that royalties of any kind, will ever be received by the Company from any Licensee. There is no assurance that clinical testing for chronic disease at a US university will be conducted nor that Lexaria's product will in any way be involved. There is no assurance that existing capital is sufficient for the Company's needs. There is no assurance that any planned corporate activity, business venture, or initiative will be pursued, or if pursued, will be successful. There is no assurance that any patent application in the USA or any other nation or under any treaty will result in the award of an actual patent; nor that an award of any actual patent will protect against challenges from unknown third parties. There is no assurance that any of Lexaria's postulated uses, benefits, or advantages for the patent-pending technology will in fact be realized in any manner or in any part. No statement herein has been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). ViPovaTM products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Lexaria Bioscience Corp.
Tripoli (AFP) - Libya's pro-government forces said they seized a university campus Wednesday as they press an offensive against the Islamic State group in its stronghold of Sirte, killing at least 20 jihadists.

Forces loyal to Libya's internationally backed Government of National Accord are battling to oust IS from Sirte, a coastal city the jihadists seized in June 2015.

After a series of advances into the city, pro-GNA forces have faced fierce resistance in their push towards the Ouagadougou conference centre, a complex from the era of slain dictator Moamer Kadhafi where the jihadists have their headquarters.

"Our forces have taken complete control of the University of Sirte" campus, just south of the conference centre, the pro-GNA operations centre said in a statement.

"The bodies of at least 20 Daesh fighters were found after today's fighting," it said, using an Arabic acronym for the jihadist group.

The statement said surviving IS fighters had fled towards the conference centre and that clashes were continuing nearby.

The press centre also said pro-GNA forces had lost contact with one of their military planes that had been flying on Wednesday, without providing further details.

The IS-linked Amaq news agency said the group's fighters had downed a warplane in Sirte, resulting in the pilot's death.

Pro-GNA forces entered Sirte in June, but their advance slowed as the jihadists hit back with sniper fire, suicide attacks and car bombings.

They have stepped up the fight in recent days, and the Pentagon announced last week it had begun carrying out air strikes on IS positions in Sirte at the GNA's request.

On Sunday pro-government forces said the "countdown" had begun for the final assault on IS's holdout positions in the city.
By Ahmed Elumami TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libyan forces battling to oust Islamic State from Sirte on Wednesday captured a large convention hall complex in the city center, seizing a symbolic base where militants once held meetings and flew their black jihadist flag. Securing the Ouagadougou Conference Centre as well as hospital and university buildings would mark the biggest advance made by Libyan forces in weeks. The United States 10 days ago began air strikes on Sirte, which fighters say hastened their progress. "Our forces have complete control of the whole of the Ouagadougou complex, they even advanced some distance beyond the complex," Rida Issa, a spokesman in the forces' media office, said. Photos posted on the media office's Facebook page showed fighters with armed pickup trucks and a tank milling around next to the convention hall, which was pockmarked by shelling. The large domed building is a landmark in Sirte, hometown of late dictator Muammar Gaddafi, and was used for meetings and religious instruction by Islamic State (IS) after they took control of the city last year. Losing Sirte would be a major setback for the militants, already under pressure in Syria and Iraq. It would also be a boost for Libya's United Nations-backed government, which has struggled to impose its authority and faces ongoing resistance from hardline armed factions. Forces aligned with the government, which launched their campaign for Sirte in May, saw the advance slowed as they approached its center. Led by brigades from the city of Misrata, the forces have suffered heavy casualties from IS landmines and snipers. Clashes have been sporadic, with heavier fighting interspersed with lulls lasting for several days. IS militants are encircled in the center of Sirte but still control several residential areas, and the Misrata-led brigades have previously found it difficult to advance through neighborhoods in house-to-house fighting. Since Aug. 1, U.S. drones and fighter jets have carried out a total of 29 strikes, earlier this week targeting several IS emplacements and a gun-mounted pickup, according to statements by U.S. Africa Command. In Wednesday's clashes, the government-backed forces said they had also advanced to a cluster of unfinished blocks just west of the center of Sirte, known as the "bone buildings," which had been used by IS snipers and fighters had described as a major impediment to their progress. At least 16 fighters from the government-backed forces were killed and 11 wounded, Issa said. Earlier in the day, Libyan forces said they had lost a fighter jet over Sirte. Issa said the cause of the crash and the fate of the crew could not be confirmed. IS claimed it shot down the jet, killing a pilot, according to a statement on a website close to the group. POST-GADDAFI CHAOS Libyan militants returning from combat in Syria's civil war helped implant IS in the North African country in 2014, but the group failed to win widespread support or hold territory as most locals regard it as a malign import dependent on foreign fighters. The militant group took advantage of conflict between various factions of former rebels who emerged as powerbrokers after the fall of Gaddafi in 2011. The U.N.-backed government in Tripoli is the latest attempt to consolidate power and end the conflict. In addition to U.S. air strikes, Libyan brigades in Misrata and Sirte have been working with small teams of Western special forces who have provided intelligence and logistical support as well as strategic advice. A few dozen members of Italy's elite special forces are in Libya to collect intelligence, provide non-combat "support" to government-backed forces and help other allies present in Libya, such as British or American special forces, a source said on Wednesday. The Italian government delivered a brief document outlining the special forces mission in Libya to the parliament's intelligence services oversight committee last week, said the source, who had knowledge of the document. La Repubblica newspaper reported that Italians were teaching Libyans how to diffuse land mines in Sirte. The defense minister and prime minister's offices did not respond to requests for comment. (Additional reporting by Aidan Lewis in Tunis, and Massimiliano Di Giorgio and Steve Scherer in Rome; writing by Aidan Lewis; editing by Patrick Markey and G Crosse)
Misrata (Libya) (AFP) - In the fight against the Islamic State group in Libya, few communities have paid as heavy a price as Misrata.

The coastal city is home to powerful militias that formed in the 2011 uprising that overthrew Moamer Kadhafi and have played a key role in the war-torn country ever since.

Today, they are a crucial part of forces fighting to oust IS from its North African stronghold Sirte, 190 kilometres (120 miles) southeast of Misrata, Libya's third city.

In May, the jihadists came to within 100 kilometres (60 miles) of Misrata when they attacked the key crossroad town of Abu Grein.

"Every family in Misrata has a martyr," says Eshtewi Khalifa, whose cousin Abdelrahman al-Kissa, a 54-year-old former lawyer and onetime government minister, was killed in the battle in June.

Fighters from Misrata are at the forefront of efforts by forces allied with Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) to oust IS from Sirte, Kadhafi's hometown.

The jihadists seized control of Sirte in June 2015, raising fears of an IS stronghold just across the Mediterranean from Europe.

The UN-backed GNA, formed last year in an effort to end the political chaos that has plagued Libya since Kadhafi's ouster, has made defeating IS a top goal, winning broad international support.

It launched a major offensive in May to take Sirte from jihadist hands, with Misrata at its heart.

- 'It's time to fight' -

The operation's command centre is in the city, and Misrata's militias -- armed with tanks, MiG fighter jets and attack helicopters -- have formed the core of the pro-GNA forces.

At least 300 pro-GNA fighters have been killed and more than 1,500 wounded since the start of the battle, according to medical sources. Officials say most were from Misrata.

Abdelrahman al-Kissa's son Ali, 22, remembers bidding his father farewell as the ex-lawyer set off to fight in Sirte in early June.

"He told me 'I'm going to Sirte'... I told him 'Take care of yourself, and God willing, all will be well,'" Ali says.

Story continues

Two days later, the news came that his father was dead.

"He only went to the front once. He left on Monday and died on Wednesday," says Ali, a university student, as he looks through photographs of his father at the family home in Misrata.

"People here rejoice in their martyrs, but I hope the war will end," Ali says. "It's the hope of every Libyan today that this war will end and the country will stand up and be better."

Kissa had been a "minister for martyrs" with the rebel National Transitional Council (NTC) during the anti-Kadhafi uprising and later the president of Libya's bar association.

But when he left to join the battle in Sirte, he told his cousin Khalifa: "My role as a lawyer is finished. It's time to fight."

- 'Countdown' to final battle -

Abdullah Ehmeda, 66, has seen four of his nine sons on the battlefront in Sirte, three as fighters.

The other, 30-year Abdelqader, was killed while covering the battle as a journalist.

Sitting on a blue sofa in his living room, Ehmeda holds a closely guarded copy of a local newspaper containing photos and an obituary of his son.

He opens the newspaper, looks at the photos with tears in his eyes, puts it aside and speaks with pride of his son, who married a year-and-a-half ago.

"His life story was full of events. He was wounded by a bullet in the 2011 (uprising), he was kidnapped in 2013 and he died in Sirte. His life was like that of many Libyans who defend their country and their brothers."

Pro-GNA forces have stepped up the fight against IS in recent days, and the Pentagon announced last week it had begun carrying out air strikes on IS positions in Sirte at the GNA's request.

On Sunday pro-government forces said the "countdown" had begun for the final assault on IS's holdout positions in Sirte.

For Ehmeda, defeating IS would help the people of Misrata deal with their losses.

"Of course it is not easy for anyone to accept that their son be killed, and we had hoped that the war would not continue for this long," he says. "But victory would ease the pain of losing Abdelqader and all the other martyrs."
Lifetime has ordered a television movie about the JonBenet Ramsey murder case, Who Killed JonBenet?

The cable net announced the project on Wednesday. Production has begun and the movie will air later this fall.

Lifetimes movie marks the third JonBenet Ramsey television project recently announced, joining CBSs six-part docuseries and Investigation Discoverys three-part special.

With the 20 year anniversary of Ramseys murder coming up this December, the six-year-old beauty queens tragic story has become the new TV trend, following the first half of the year that was consumed with O.J. Simpson.

Ramseys infamous 1996 murder remains unsolved, after her body was found in her Colorado home. The story became a global phenomenon and interest in her death has not faded overtime, especially with the recent surge of true-crime television programming.

The TV movie will provide a closer look into what exactly happened the day after Christmas 1996 when Ramsey was found beaten and strangled in the familys basement. With the addition of recently surfaced information, the film takes a fresh look at the events and the competing theories about the murder.

Who Killed JonBenet? stars Eion Bailey (Band of Brothers) as Detective Steve Thomas; Michel Gill (Mr. Robot) as Ramseys father John; and Julia Campbell (Romy and Micheles High School Reunion) as Ramseys mother Patsy. Newcomer Payton Lepinski will play Ramsey.

Who Killed JonBenet? is produced by EveryWhere Studios and Brightlights. Julia Eisenman, Tom Mazza, Anne Carlucci, Shawn Williamson and Jamie Goehring are executive producers. Jason Lapeyre will direct and Brian L. Ross penned the script.

Related stories

Indie Film 'Sister Cities' Lands at Lifetime

'UnREAL' Season 2: Executive Producers Explain a Rocky Season and Its Explosive Ending

Investigation Discovery Greenlights JonBenet Ramsey Series & Police Brutality Special
(Adds analyst comment, details on trials)

Aug 10 (Reuters) - U.S. drugmaker Eli Lilly and Co on Wednesday said it would continue a late-stage trial of its experimental breast cancer drug in combination with a widely used treatment even though an independent panel determined the combination therapy failed to meet its interim effectiveness goal.

The independent data monitoring committee recommended the trial continue without modification through the first half of 2017 despite the fact that its interim look at the data suggested the combination treatment was not delaying progression of the disease.

Lilly shares were down 1.2 percent in morning trading.

Leerink analyst Seamus Fernandez said continuation of the study, called Monarch 2, would allow Lilly to better understand abemaciclib, which is also being tested in a variety of other trials.

The Monarch 2 study included 669 patients who had previously failed to benefit from anti-estrogen treatment for metastatic breast cancer. It compared combined use of abemaciclib and anti-estrogen therapy fulvestrant with fulvestrant alone.

Lilly's drug is from the same new class of breast cancer treatments as Pfizer Inc's recently approved Ibrance, which brought in more than half a billion dollars in second-quarter sales. They work through a new mechanism, by blocking the proteins CDK 4 and CDK 6.

Lilly is evaluating abemaciclib as a single agent in breast cancer patients who have not derived enough benefit from prior treatments. Three other studies are testing abemaciclib with other drugs.

Abemaciclib, which was granted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) breakthrough therapy status for breast cancer last year, is also being tested for use in lung cancer.

After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

About 40,000 of the 220,000 American women diagnosed with breast cancer die each year, the CDC estimates.

(Additional reporting by Natalie Grover in Bengaluru; Editing by Will Dunham)
L.A.-based company E Squared and sound supervisor Tobias Poppe have joined the international co-production Retablo (Story Box), a coming-of-age drama which marks Peruvian writer-director Alvaro Delgado-Aparicios feature film debut.

Set-up at Lima-based Siri Producciones, the co-production also teams Frances EZ Films and Norways Dag Hoel Filmprod. Currently in post, after rolling for six weeks from April in the Andean highlands of Ayacucho, Retablo boast a high-profile Peruvian cast, led by Magaly Solier (Milk of Sorrow, Magallanes) and Amiel Cayo (The Debt). The film also toplines debutante actor Junior Bejar Roca.

Sound supervisor Tobias Poppe, in collaboration with E Squared, the company behind Hollywood films and franchises such as Godzilla, Argo, Transformers, and Kung Fu Panda, is co-producing Retablo in return for its sound services, Poppe told Variety.

Retablo is set in a rural community outside Lima, where Segundo Paucar, a 14-year-old-boy, wants to become a master story box maker, just like his father, in order to carry on the family tradition.

On his way to a community celebration in the Andes, he accidentally observes his father in a situation that shatters his whole world. Trapped in a chauvinistic environment, Segundo will try to deal in silence with all that is happening to him.

An organizational psychologist, Delgado-Aparicio wrote and directed the award-winning short film El Acompanante, a 2013 Sundance player, which competed at more than 80 international festivals.

During El Acompanantes festival career, we were able to meet several key people with whom we are now collaborating on Retablo, in terms of co-production, Delgado-Aparicio told Variety.

Tobias Poppe, whose recent credits include Need for Speed, felt attracted by the very moving and character-driven story and everything that comes with setting up a story in such an exotic and beautiful location like the Andes.

We are especially looking forward to making the world of the Andes come alive in its sounds, carrying the emotions of the characters, carving out fragile nuances to show their inner conflicts, he added.

Story continues

Co-penned by Delgado-Aparicio, alongside writer-director Hector Galvez (NN), Retablo was picked up by Sundance for its June 2013 Screenwriters Lab and continues to receive mentorship there.

Backed by the DAFO Peruvian Film Fund and the Sorfond Norwegian South Film Fund, the film also received support from the Cinereach Project at the Sundance Institute and the New Cinema Network at the Rome Film Festival.

According to Delgado-Aparicio, the Dardenne brothers and Abbas Kiarostami were top inspirations for Retablo, because of the honesty of their stories and how they tell them. He aims to launch the film at an international film festival and release it in Peruvian theaters by mid-2017.

Related stories

Lima Festival: Peru's Jonatan Relayze Readies Sci-Fi Road-Movie 'Huaquero' (EXCLUSIVE)

Sudaca Films' Mariana Rondon and Marite Ugas Prep 'Contactado' (EXCLUSIVE)

Peru's 'Panza de Burro' Omnibus Pic Heads to San Sebastian
Peruvian director-editor Jonatan Relayze, whose 2015s directorial debut, drama Rosa Chumbe, became a hit on the international festival circuit, is initiating his sophomore film, sci-fi road-movie El Huaquero.

Set on the North coast of Peru, mixing ancient civilisations with aliens, the film focuses on a grave robber -a huaquero in Quechua  who finds an object that makes him to travel in time. [The term Huaquero refers more concretely to the people dedicated to the looting of the Inca or pre-Inca archaeological sites known as huacas]

Although El Huaquero, currently in development, will not be a Hollywood-style sci-fi film, it will include a huge number of digital effects, according to Relayze.

The films protagonist will be a solitary character, which at any moment feel like hes the only person alive in the world, he added.

Produced by Relayze and partner Eliana Illescas, at Peruvian prodco Yin Zhang Films, the project is looking for international co-producers and development funds.

Meanwhile, Relayze, who has worked as a freelance editor for international networks such as Discovery Channel, Al Jazeera and Channel 4 and was selected by the Berlinale Talent Campus in 2008, continues supporting Rosa Chumbes roll-out at international festivals.

Plaudits garnered by Rosa to date include best Peruvian film at the Lima Film Festival and a Montreal Fest Fipresci Prize and special mention for first feature film in 2015, plus best actress for Liliana Trujillo at Buenos Aires Bafici and best narrative feature at Austins Cine Las Americas festival in 2016.

Following Rosa, a mature officer who is forced to take care of her grandson after her daughter steal her savings, Rosa Chumbe offers a portrait of the city of Lima, where it entirely takes place, taking in topics such as alcoholism and abortion.

The film combines the realism of the city of Lima with a space for the fable, in Rosas moments of catharsis, when shes inebriated and experiences hallucinations, Relayze said.

Story continues

Cuzco and Madrid-based company Quechua Films handles both international festivals and international sales rights to Rosa Chumbe.

Facing market challenges for auteur movies, the film will receive a targeted theatrical distribution in Peru on a still to be confirmed date, having won a distribution award from the DAFO Peruvian Film Fund.

Peruvian art films have to compete in local theaters not only with Hollywood blockbusters but also with a more commercial Peruvian cinema which has established a strong foothold in the market. It is becoming more complicated for these kind of films to get a theatrical release, Relayze said.

Related stories

Lima Festival: L.A.-Based Sound Company E Squared Backs Peruvian Alvaro Delgado-Aparicio's 'Retablo' (EXCLUSIVE)

Sudaca Films' Mariana Rondon and Marite Ugas Prep 'Contactado' (EXCLUSIVE)

Peru's 'Panza de Burro' Omnibus Pic Heads to San Sebastian
Vincent and the End of the World is a dramatic comedy from director Christophe Van Rompaey (Moscow, Belgium) which world premieres Aug. 11 in the Piazza Grande at Switzerlands Locarno Festival.

Movie follows Vincent, a 17-year-old ecologist who drives his family crazy through his sermons on the importance of downscaling their carbon footprint  and makes a point about it via numerous suicide attempts. His extravagant French aunt Nikki takes him on a trip to France, convinced Vincent just needs to get away from his suffocating mother. But she finds his problems are more than meets the eye and more than she can handle. Variety chatted to Flemish helmer Van Rompaey a few days before Vincents Locarno bow:

What was it for you that felt right about Spencer Bogaert playing the role of 17-year-old Vincent?

The character of Vincent needed to feel as real as possible, so I wanted to find someone who was not a day older than seventeen. I often have trouble believing actors who play the younger version of themselves. You can just sense they havent got that adolescent spontaneous feel anymore. Spencer Bogaert instinctively understood the character and got the audition right from the very first take. I could see and feel his youth, his anger, his brooding, his rebelliousness and his humor. And he also had a personal feel with the story, so I knew I had my lead.

The story in part deals with Vincents obsession with his family reducing their carbon footprint. Why did you want to hang the story on that social issue?

Its an issue that I myself have been actively aware of since my own teens. Vincent is, like many adolescents today  and of course other people for that matter  very concerned, even obsessed with ecological issues. He has grown up within the age of a global warming panic and is afraid that the world is heading for some sort of ecological doomsday. The fact that he seems unable to change any of these issues created the opportunity to illustrate how he was stuck in his angry adolescent phase, to show his inability to overcome his fears and grow up.

Story continues

Vincent stages suicide attempts to convince his family to see his viewpoint. Thats a powerful way of getting that point across is it not? Why suicide?

Also an issue we cant neglect in todays world. In a certain age category, its even the number one cause of death! Living in a country where these numbers are pretty high and the fact that there is also a personal side to it for me, make it relevant. Story wise, suicide seemed like the ultimate immature thing for Vincent to do. Its his way of refusing or avoiding to grow up. And hes very serious about it. Vincents whole crazy voyage with his aunt Nicole  who herself is stuck in her own adolescence  is a healing one.

How did the decision to make this film a dramatic comedy as opposed to strictly a drama or comedy affect the message?

Drama for me doesnt necessarily need to be told in a dramatic way. Contrast is a very interesting tool when telling stories. Its like life itself, with its ups and downs, its tears and laughter. For example: I could only imagine Vincent hooking up with and being inspired by an opposite character. His flamboyant, exuberant, extrovert French aunt helps him make his journey towards adulthood. He would not have gone to France with a silent uncle who suffers from terminal cancer so to speak.

What were some of the important parts of the script for you to nail? Were there moments you werent willing to sacrifice?

When Im working, I go in some sort of tunnel vision mode and then sacrifice isnt really part of the vocabulary. So of course every scene is important, but its obvious some key scenes like act turning points, midpoint etc.. get some special attention.

As the audience is watching Vincent at Locarno, what is it that you want to resonate?

Many issues are covered in this film, so there is a lot to reflect on. If I have to pick one: Theres always more ways to look at things and seeing or approaching things differently then what comes naturally can be a struggle  which I am not unfamiliar with myself. So I guess, even when things seem dark, it is important to take a step back and reassess. There is always hope.

Related stories

Locarno: France's Pierre Menahem Talks Sales, Festivals, Trusting One's Own Taste

Locarno: Italy's Guido Chiesa on his Film Similar to 'Room', From Monster's POV

Locarno: 'Interchange,' 'The Last Family,' 'Glory' Close Sales (EXCLUSIVE)
Interchange, The Last Family and Glory led early sales announcements at an ever more hectic Locarno Festival where Moka and Paula drew positive critical plaudits  boding well for break-out sales as top Locarno titles segue from the Swiss Alps to Toronto.

Harvey Keitel, Bill Pullman and Roger Corman collected career awards, lending an U.S. edge to an event which largely focuses on European arthouse and world cinema. The most significant industry presence was, however, that of Participant CEO David Linde who talked about his career as an independent producer and emphasised his belief  and that of Participant founder Jeff Skoll  in further growth in international markets as an estimated 5 billion people, largely in Asia and Africa, will come online for the first time in the next 5 years.

Attendance at Locarnos Industry Days, which ran Aug. 6-8, came in at around 1,100, on a par with 2015, after sustained rapid growth since their inauguration in 2009.

Further expansion may now come outside the festival. Already consolidating as Europes biggest big fest industry exec think tank, via its Step-In panels and work group discussion platforms, Locarno confirmed this week its fifth Locarno Industry Academy International, after events at Locarno itself, New Yorks Lincoln Center, Mexicos Morelia Fest and the Cinema do Brasil Boutique Cinema mini-mart.

Targeting sales, distribution and exhibition execs  a market focus which runs through Locarno industry events  the fourth Locarno International Academy will unspool Nov. 7-11 during Greeces Thessaloniki Festival, the countrys main movie event.

Negotiations on many main Locarno Piazza Grande titles  Frederic Mermouds drama-thriller Moka, sold by Pyramide Intl, and The Match Factory-sold Paula, a bio of trail-blazing German painter Paula Modersohn-Becker, both of which drew upbeat reviews  will only really kick in as buyers return to their offices and will stretch well beyond Toronto. Others Locarno movies, such as Films Distrbutions Stefan Zweig: Farewell to Europe and the Beta Cinema-sold Vincent and the End of the World, still have to run the critical gauntlet at Locarno or at least engender international reviews.

Story continues

So major industry news at Locarno cuts other ways: Sales on select fest players, often screening in its first days; Locarno title sales agent pick-ups; production announcements; acquisitions on titles at Venice or Toronto, as sales agents seek to position new bets at Locarno before the biggest of pre-fall fest markets.

In this sense, news was legion. As this years Locarno headed towards its final straits early Wednesday, Paris-based Reel Suspects confirmed that Interchange, a supernatural nourish procedural with sci-fi elements from Malaysias Dain Iskander Said had closed Spain at Locarno with Luis Bellabas Film Buro Producciones Internacionales. Reel Suspects has also licensed Switzerland (Preasens Film) and Taiwan (Deltamac). GSC Movies handles domestic theatrical distribution in Malaysia. Germany is in negotiation; Interchange is sparking a lot of interest in France, Reel Suspects Matteo Lovadina reported.

Produced by Aurum Film, in co-production with HBO Europe, the Mazovia Film Fund, Lightcraft and Universal Music Poland, Locarno competition entry The Last Family was sold by New Europe Film Sales to Swedens Folkets Bio. NEFS is now negotiating deals for France and the U.S., said CEO Jan Naszewski. Familys Polish distributor Kino Swiat plans a hefty release for an arthouse movie on around 200 screens with a $250,000 P & A spend, he added.

The fiction debut of Polands Jan Matusynski, The Last Family is inspired by the true story of surrealist painter Zdzisaw Beksinskis following his family life for 28 years as he paints and lives in a crummy Warsaw flat.

Title looks set to stoke further talk of Poland as a new talent hothouse, many of its biggest-name new directors segueing into fiction from documentary, like Matusynski. It is no coincidence that Locarnos First Look, a pix-in-post showcase won by Rwandan genocide portrait Birds Are Singing in Kigali, from Joanna Kos-Krauze and Krzysztof Krauze (Papusza), was dedicated this year to Polish Cinema.

Usually more refined arthouse items, Locarnos international competition contenders are often harder sells. But Glory, also in competition, may buck that trend. It certainly looks set to do nothing to damage the reputation of co-directors Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov for incisive, damning social observation of contemporary Bulgaria.

In first sales on Glory, clinched by Loic Magnerons Wide Management, I Wonder has closed Italy, Filmarti bought Turkey, Arti Film picked up Benelux, Bounty Films acquired Australia/New Zealand and JSC Europos Kinas secured rights to Lithuania.

The film quietly builds to a feeling of inexorable disaster, guided by terrific performances as well as spot-on editing, Varietys Jay Weissberg wrote of Glory.

Directors fest-laurelled debut, The Lesson, proved an standout sales title for Wide Management.

In pre-sales, Stefan Zweig, German actress-director Maria Schraders portrait of the novelists final exile in Brazil and New York, will be released in France by ARP. Films Distribution has closed Spain (Caramel Films), Brazil (Esfera Culturas), Denmark (Camera Film), as well as Greece (Videorama), Portugal (Alambique) and former-Yugoslavia (MCF Megacom).

Bowing in Austria (via Filmladen) on July 15 and Germany, with X-Verleigh distributing, five days later, Zweig earned a bullish two-country 1.79 million ($2.0 million) through July 31.

Also striking promising pre-sales, coming-of-age dramedy Vincent and the End of the World, from Belgian Christophe Van Rompaey  whose Moscow, Belgium swept Cannes Critics Week in 2008  has closed France (ARP Selection), Belgium (Paradiso Filmed Ent.) and Switzerland (Cineworx). Further deals on the Alexandra Lamy starrer, most particularly to Germany, are under negotiations, said Thorsten Ritter, at Vincent sales agent Beta Cinema.

Among new Locarno fest entry acquisitions, Paris-based Luxbox added Locarno competition player By the Time It Gets Dark, from Thailands Anocha Suwichakornpong, to the prior-announced Marija, helmed by Switzerlands Michael Koch, which also contends for Locarnos Golden Leopard.

Of Venice pick-ups, Films Boutique revealed three titles: Heartstone, from Icelands Gumundur Arnar Gumundsson; Guilty Men, directed by Colombias Ivan D. Gaona, both debuts; plus Lav Diazs The Woman Who Left. M-Appeal will handle 4 Days in France, by French freshman Jerome Reybaud.

In further business, Film Movement announced acquisition of North America rights on Harmonium, Koji Fukadas Un Certain Regard winner; Brazils Rodrigo Teixeira at RT Features and director Karim Ainouz announced they are re-teaming on The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao.

Launching multiple initiatives this decade, Locarnos Industry Days may now have reached its optimum size with five programs overseen by four managers: Alliance For Development, a co-prod/networking meet; Industry Academy, a training facility; Locarnos StepIn think tank; and its First Look pix-in-post showcase and producers Match Me! networking forum.

Each activity interacts with the others with smooth coordination that allows the professionals to network and develop their business, considering that the Industry Days main goal is still promoting the films in the festivals official selection, Dresti said.

Related stories

Locarno: France's Pierre Menahem Talks Sales, Festivals, Trusting One's Own Taste

Locarno: Italy's Guido Chiesa on his Film Similar to 'Room', From Monster's POV

M-Appeal Acquires '4 Days in France' (EXCLUSIVE)
Switzerlands Locarno Festival, the biggest mid-summer movie event in Europe, is teaming with the Thessaloniki Fest to launch an inaugural Locarno Industry Academy International at the Greek Festival.

The Thessaloniki workshop will run Nov. 7-11, during the festival. Event underscores how some of Europes biggest movie events  Cannes, Berlin and now Locarno  are leveraging their expertise to expand beyond their own dates and location, launching or teaming on events throughout the calendar and world.

The largest example to date is the Cannes Festival and Cannes Film Markets co-creation with Argentinas Incaa Film Institute of Ventana Sur in 2009, quickly established as the regions biggest film mart-meet.

The Thessaloniki Industry Academy comes after Industry Academy events at Locarno itself, as well as at New Yorks Lincoln Center, Mexicos Morelia Fest and the Cinema do Brasil Boutique Cinema mini-mart.

Designed as the Industry Academys annual event in South East Europe and the Mediterranean region, it is open to attendees from South East Europe, the Middle East and Northern Africa. Marion Klotz, the Locarno Industry Academy International manager, will design and develop the edition with Vanja Kaludjercic, who held posts at Les Arcs European Film Festival and the Paris Co-Production Village.

We are indeed in need of such experts and key players able to fully understand what is at stake in these regions, said Klotz.

That need is paramount when it comes to how to train the new generation of professionals and provide them with the proper tools to navigate the industry as well as improving the visibility and circulation of films produced in those countries, she added.

The Thessaloniki Industry Academy does not look like Locarnos only international move this year as Step-In, Locarnos world cinema co-prod, talent and screening forum, looks set to spearhead workshops in South Asia as it focusing on the region through 2018.

Story continues

Going international, Locarnos Industry Academy underscores two significant trends in international arthouse. One is the Academys focus on sales, distribution and exhibition, these sectors supplying participants, normally young execs in a still early phase of their careers. Over 2010-14, public funds in Europe spent by far most money on theatrical film production, an average annual (902.9 million: $1.0 billion). Development (45.4 million: $50.3 million), distribution (123.9 million : $137.5 million) and promotion (71.9 million : $79.8 million) fell short by comparison. Y

Yet there is a growing consensus that Europes industry  barring countries where production funding has plummeted, such as Spain  needs to channel far more training and resources into initiatives that help European movies that merit it achieve more audiences. On its own, production funding is not enough.

Maybe the question is whether there are too many films, said Nadia Dresti, Locarno Industry Days, as this years edition kicked into gear.

A second trend is underscored by the Industry Academys constituents. Attendance is stoked not only by speakers from the worlds most illustrious festivals but also young execs at even micro-budget distribution outfits. The idea that films justify themselves by their mere existence is now questioned by a new generation of executives who battle weekly for films, however rarefied, to find some sort of audience, and work heroically  Mexico is one example  to create alternative distribution circuits whose films can inspire, fascinate and entertain beyond core big-city arthouses.

The Industry Academys success, and rapid international rollout since a pilot edition at Locarno in 2014, suggests there are like-minded film buff executives at the commercial end of the arthouse industry the world over.

Related stories

Locarno: France's Pierre Menahem Talks Sales, Festivals, Trusting One's Own Taste

Locarno: Italy's Guido Chiesa on his Film Similar to 'Room', From Monster's POV

Locarno: 'Interchange,' 'The Last Family,' 'Glory' Close Sales (EXCLUSIVE)
James Liverani still can't talk about it without getting emotional. On Sunday, at the Paul McCartney concert at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, he was invited up onstage to play a song with the former Beatle during the pre-show soundcheck. A fan of the Beatles legend all his life who attended his first McCartney show at age 3, Liverani says he still can't believe it. "There's no words to describe that," he said.

And the love of McCartney and his music runs in the family. "My dad, Tom, has been at every American tour since '76 and me since '90," he said.

The 7 Best Moments From Paul McCartney's One on One Tour in New Jersey

Before going to this show, James Liverani -- who teaches music to children at Friends Academy on Long Island -- told his dad he would love to play a song with his idol. Since McCartney usually invites select fans up onstage at his shows, Liverani thought of a way to get McCartney's attention. "My dad wrote a sign that said, 'My son would be the coolest music teacher if he could play with his idol.' Mine just said 'Music Teacher' with a piece of sheet music on it."

The two went to the soundcheck and held up the signs. "So he finished up with 'Lady Madonna,'" Liverani said, "and [McCartney] said, 'We're pretty much done with soundcheck, but I'm reading this sign here,'" looking at the signs they were holding. "I remember looking over at my dad. Our jaws dropped," he said.

The Beatles' 'Revolver' Turns 50: Classic Track-by-Track Rundown

He said McCartney called out, "Well what do you play?" Liverani answered, "Bass." McCartney then quipped, "Well I play bass.'" He invited them to the stage and asked if he could play guitar, then found out he played right-handed. McCartney guitarist Brian Ray's technician brought him a guitar and McCartney said, "Do you know 'Get Back'?" "And I said, 'Yeah.' And he said, 'In A.'" His father joined in at the end of the song to sing the chorus, and they all hugged. McCartney told him, "You did good, James. You did good."

Story continues

"I don't know how I got through it, and it felt incredible living that dream," Liverani says. "I just remember holding my face a lot in amazement looking at [McCartney] and looking back at my dad who's been by my side at every show. [It] was incredible."

Even The Beatles Got Scared: Paul McCartney Talks Early Days in Trailer for New Ron Howard Doc

He said singing "Get Back" with McCartney also had a special meaning for him. "When I was 3 years old, I had the chicken pox and my parents still took me to my first Paul show at Giants Stadium." The site of Giants Stadium, which is now demolished, was right next to where the current MetLife Stadium stands.

"I got chills just saying that," Liverani said.

"It was really amazing, like full-circle," Tom Liverani added. The whole experience left a big impression on Dad too. "Doesn't get any better than this," Tom said. "This is amazing. So proud. So proud of him. He's a great musician, my son. He really is."

[[{"fid":"623558","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":2748,"width":1548,"alt":"Paul McCartney soundcheck","class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]]

Paul McCartney performs with James Liverani during soundcheck before his concert at East Rutherford, New Jersey's MetLife Stadium on Sunday.Robert Gannon
The second official trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story premieres during the Olympics telecast tomorrow (the exact time has not been announced), but why wait that long for more shots of AT-ATs stomping on palm trees? Heres a 10-second teaser for the trailer, beginning with a good look at the new U-wing starship and ending with a shot of that dramatic beach battle shown in the poster. Watch it above.

Related: Our Rogue One Trailer Breakdown: Who Is Jyn? And Where Is Vader?



Mainly, the teaser re-introduces viewers to the motley crew of Rebels tasked with stealing the plans to the Death Star. Presented one by one, like an '80s sitcom intro, are our heroine Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones); no-nonsense warrior Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen); smart-aleck droid K-2SO (Alan Tudyk); dreamy intelligence officer Captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna); and blind Force-wielder Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen). Quick, somebody write them a theme song! (They couldnt be more different but theyll try to get along, cuz outer space is where they belong)



Related: Introducing Two Tubes, the Latest Character Revealed From Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Still not shown: Darth Vader, who will be voiced, as in the original trilogy, by James Earl Jones. (He showed up in an exclusive sizzle reel at Star Wars: Celebration in London, eliciting cheers from the crowd.)

To further whet fans appetites, Disney has released a gallery of high-resolution images from the film. Check it out here.



Rogue One: A Star Wars Story opens in theaters on Dec. 16.



Watch the first trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story:


Not since the 2012 recall election have Democrats had a stronger chance to remove Gov. Scott Walker from office.

That goal has proven elusive for the minority party in Wisconsin. Not only that, but Democrats' repeated attempts to unseat Walker served as a sort of jet pack in his ascent to the national stage.

But his presidential bid ultimately failed. Since then, his standing among Wisconsin voters has faltered.

Democrats know better now than to underestimate Walker. But in his flagging poll numbers, they see an opportunity.

The questions that remain: Will Walker run again? And do Democrats have a candidate who can win?

What will Walker do?

Just a week after he exited the presidential race  a move presented at the time as an effort to cut into now-GOP nominee Donald Trumps lead among the Republican candidates  62 percent of Wisconsin voters told the Marquette University Law School Poll they didnt want Walker to seek a third term in 2018.

Four months later, in February, that number was virtually unchanged. The Marquette poll hasnt asked about a third Walker term since then, but his approval rating in July was only one point higher than it was in February, at 38 percent.

With the exception of one poll in March, Walkers approval rating in Wisconsin has been below 40 percent since his short-lived presidential campaign.

Walker, for his part, shrugs it off.

Well, my approval rating is higher than Hillary Clinton and Donald Trumps, and one of them is going to win the state of Wisconsin, so I think its pretty clear that between now and November of 2018  my approval rating was pretty low five years ago, and we brought it back up again, Walker told reporters in Cleveland during the Republican National Convention last month, referencing his standing just before the recall election.

If he opts to run for governor again  a decision he has said hell make after the state budget process is completed next year  Walker said hell make clear to Wisconsin voters that, despite receiving national attention at events like the convention, his full and absolute intention would be to serve a complete term.

You see where the changes were in the polls and it was directly reflected to people being frustrated, I guess, in terms of our decision to run for president, he said. If we werent running for president as part of a future term, I think the poll numbers would be back up.

But Walker also dismissed the importance of the numbers.

Asked whether he would run for re-election with his current approval rating, the governor said he's never made decisions about poll numbers.

If I did, I never would have done the things Ive done in the past, he said, adding that he bases his decisions on what he thinks is right and wrong.

Do Democrats have a bench  and does it matter?

As soon as Walker signaled his interest in running for re-election, Democrats started mobilizing.

Stop Scott Walker before he wins a third term, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin enjoined its donors in April.

Since then, who might challenge Walker  or the Republican who runs in his stead  has been nothing more than speculation, save for a few potential candidates who have said they are considering campaigns.

Most of the names are old standbys, with the exception of a handful of relative newcomers. The reemergence of names that havent gotten off the ground does nothing to quell criticism of the lack of a Democratic bench in Wisconsin. But party leaders insist theres no problem.

The Democrats' bench is weak, said Republican strategist Brian Fraley, head of the conservative firm Edge Messaging. But a lot can change in a year. And the Trump impact on the 2018 electorate can't be predicted at this point. Also, some mid-tier Democrat could get wind behind their sails over the next year.

Fraley noted two Democrats who have been largely written out of the speculation narrative: Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson and Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele.

Nelson, known statewide as a tireless campaigner, is running for the open seat in the 8th Congressional District, located in the northeastern part of the state including Appleton and Green Bay. Its a signal to most that hes decided not to pursue a gubernatorial bid.

And Abele, who fended off a primary challenge this spring from state Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, has said repeatedly he has no plans to seek the states highest office.

If Nelson is elected to Congress, Fraley said, his star rises quite a bit in a key part of the state. And Abele, should he change his mind, has vast personal resources to fund a run.

But too much of the Democrats' power remains concentrated in Madison and the city of Milwaukee. They're still relying on interest group and identity politics and that makes creating a winning statewide coalition difficult, Fraley said.

Fraley blamed outmoded candidate recruitment strategies.

For years, the Democratic pipeline was filled by local government, the trial bar and the unions. That dynamic has changed significantly over the last 20 years and the state Democratic Party never adapted, Fraley said.

Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now, pointed out that an overwhelming majority of Republican leaders in Wisconsin are members of Generation X  Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, House Speaker Paul Ryan, Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, for example. Democrats need to do a better job of building for the future, Ross said.

The party should look to the strategies employed not only by Walker, he said, but his gubernatorial predecessors, Democrat Jim Doyle and Republican Tommy Thompson.

They did everything to put themselves in a position to be governor, for years and years. They were relentless, and it was all that they did, Ross said. It is not just going around the state and its not just raising money, and its not just trying to capture issues that can define you  but its all three. And each one of them did that.

Democratic Party of Wisconsin chairwoman Martha Laning said shes thrilled with the number and quality of people interested in running.

My initial goal when I came in as chair was that we needed to build a much stronger infrastructure in the state, so that when we had our candidates come forward that we were there and ready to support them and be sure they had the resources they needed to run an incredible campaign and win, Laning said.

The party plans to use the 2016 election as a springboard and hopes to carry that momentum into a strong midterm showing  something Democrats arent known for accomplishing.

Walker has only run for governor in non-presidential elections, said University of Wisconsin-Madison political science and journalism professor Mike Wagner.

Wagner also attributed the Democrats losses to Walkers strong base of support among Republican voters and that the Democratic Party has consistently fielded candidates from Madison and Milwaukee.

Those Democratic strongholds provide strong liberal candidates, Wagner said, but they also play into Walkers message of drumming up resentment toward the states largest cities.

The Democrats havent picked someone who, I think, has credibly convinced Wisconsinites who dont live in Madison or Milwaukee that theyre for them, Wagner said. Thats been a problem.

Who are the contenders?

A little more than two years away from the 2018 election, no candidates have officially entered the race.

UW-Madison political science professor Barry Burden said a deep bench is helpful but is probably overrated, noting that Democrats had decent contenders before the 2012 recall and lost, just as they did in 2010.

He said Tom Barrett was seen as the most formidable Democratic opponent because he was from outside Madison and the Legislature, but he was unable to succeed.

Burden said both parties have a good set of prospects who could run in 2018, but winners sometimes come from unexpected places.

No one had heard of Ron Johnson when he first entered the Republican primary campaign in 2010, but he won that race and defeated an incumbent senator in the general election, Burden said. The larger political environment is at least as important as the candidate's biography.

Over the next year, interested Democrats will likely wait to see who else is exploring a run while trying not to wait until its too late to launch a credible campaign.

The following people have either expressed interest in running or have been suggested as possible candidates by those involved in the process.

Tim Cullen

The Janesville Democrat served in the state Senate from 1975 through 1987 and again from 2011 through 2014. He was Senate majority leader for several years in the 1980s and spent one year as head of the state Department of Health and Family Services under Thompson.

Cullen, 72, briefly considered running in the 2012 recall election against Walker, but opted not to, citing fundraising concerns.

Things are different now, Cullen said.

Theres more time to prepare for the 2018 race than there was in 2012. Plus, hes retired. He can devote himself full-time to the race, and he plans to take a cue from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders presidential campaign by soliciting small-dollar donations online.

Ive gotten a lot of encouragement, he said, adding that he talks almost daily to people throughout the state about a potential run. Im spending the rest of this calendar year exploring this and checking support and talking to people, getting people to talk to people for me and so forth.

While he is regarded as a moderate, Cullen said his voting record is pretty progressive. He argued his reputation comes from a willingness to compromise with both sides.

There certainly is a major division between the two parties today more than 30 years ago, but what I get a sense of out there is just this hunger to replace Gov. Walker, Cullen said. And maybe Im the person best positioned to do that. Thats what I hear more than anything.

People dont say to me, How do you feel about the minimum wage? or whatever. (I hear), if youll do it, weve got to get him out of there. I get that, this yearning to have a different governor, more than people zeroing in on particular philosophies.

Cullen said he thinks the sentiment would be the same if Walker doesnt run, arguing any Republican candidate would share a nearly identical philosophy with the governor.

Cullen said hes very serious about running, but wont make an announcement until after the presidential election. He highlighted transportation and public education as areas of focus.

In his last campaign finance report, filed in July 2015, Cullens campaign account had a $0 balance. He donated the bulk of the money left in his account to charity when he retired from the Senate in 2014.

Kathleen Vinehout

The Alma Democrat has served in the state Senate since 2007. She won 4 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary in the 2012 recall election, and briefly considered a bid in 2014. She decided not to run after injuring her arm in a car accident.

Vinehout, 58, has been traveling the state with a PowerPoint presentation discussing the state budget. As she considers a gubernatorial bid, she said, shes asking people whether they think she should run, what kind of candidate they want and what kind of campaign theyd like to see.

For Vinehout, 2018 offers a different set of circumstances than previous years. Her Senate term will be up, so shell have to choose between running for re-election and running for governor.

Regarding the state climate, the losses in 2010 and 2014 have given people insight into what a successful candidate looks like, and the reverse, what an unsuccessful candidate looks like, Vinehout said.

Voters are tired of hyperpartisan rhetoric and would rather see solutions, Vinehout said. Around the state, she said she hears dissatisfaction about public money flowing to charter and voucher schools and the approval of $250 million in public funds to help pay for a Milwaukee Bucks arena.

She said she sees similarities between herself and Sanders, and underscored the importance of running locally driven campaigns.

Vinehout would face an uphill battle in appealing to reproductive rights groups like Planned Parenthood, which rescinded its 2006 endorsement of her after she authored an amendment that would have allowed pharmacists to refuse to fill certain prescriptions, including contraceptives, based on their religious beliefs.

Before her service in the state Legislature, she was described as a pro-life Democrat and was the only Senate Democrat to vote against confirming several pro-choice appointees to the UW Hospital Board of Authority and the state Medical Examining Board.

She acknowledged that the amendment she authored as a rookie senator  rankled some folks in the choice community.

Some people still remember that  but if they look at my voting record, I dont think theyd see a problem, Vinehout said. There have been a lot of really anti-choice bills that have passed in the last six years that I have been very outspoken against and voted against.

As of last month, Vinehouts campaign had about $4,900 in the bank, according to her most recent campaign finance report.

Dana Wachs

Wachs, 58, was elected unopposed to the state Assembly in 2012. He faces his first contested state-level race this fall, and said he wants to make it through that election before he makes any decisions about seeking a higher office.

But that doesnt mean hes not seriously considering it. Wachs said hes flattered and honored by the people who have encouraged him to run. Attendees at the Democratic National Convention noticed the Eau Claire Democrat speaking frequently with former DPW chairman Mike Tate, and Wachs latest campaign finance report shows a payment in July to Tates consulting firm.

Wachs, a trial lawyer, touts 31 years representing people against really, very powerful groups and a history in politics dating to age 9, when he licked stamps for Hubert Humphreys 1968 presidential campaign.

In other words, hes spent a lifetime fighting for people. Thats something Madison needs more of, he said.

Wachs said hed like to see lawmakers take a more deliberative, thoughtful approach to passing legislation  one that allows for more public input.

All that happens now is that bills are crushed through that building as quickly as possible with as little public oversight as possible, Wachs said. This is not what democracy looks like.

Wachs reported $27,000 on hand in his latest campaign finance report.

Joe Parisi

Parisi, 55, served in the state Assembly for six years before he was elected Dane county executive in 2011. His political career began when he was elected Dane County clerk in 1996.

Hes currently focused on running for re-election in 2017.

I always look for where I can make the biggest difference, and making that leap to county executive has been such a great experience, because you can actually identify challenges, put together solutions and see results, Parisi said.

Parisi has frequently contrasted Dane Countys policies and achievements with those of state government under Walker, and said he feels compelled to defend his community from Republican attacks. He touts accomplishments in office like cleaning up the countys lakes and managing a growing county population.

But the Dane County Democrat label could put him at a disadvantage in a statewide election.

Parisi said his intention is to serve as county executive, but hes not ruling out a statewide campaign.

Im not saying this to be coy. I dont have some great scheme in mind where Im going to say Im going to do this and then Im going to turn around and run for governor, Parisi said. The perfectly honest answer is I havent ruled it out. And thats as far as its gone.

The two biggest factors in his decision, he said, are determining where he feels he can make the biggest difference and how a campaign would affect his family.

In either position, Parisi said his number-one concern is expanding access to opportunities to succeed. Having dropped out of high school at 17, Parisi credits the support he received growing up in Madison with allowing him to turn his life around, graduate from college and eventually become county executive.

I dont know how many people still have the opportunity to turn their lives around like that. We need second chances, but we also need first chances, Parisi said.

Parisi reported $124,000 on hand in his county executive campaign account in July.

Jennifer Shilling

In the Senate since 2011, Shilling was elected to lead her Democratic colleagues in 2014. The La Crosse Democrat served in the Assembly for 11 years before entering the Senate.

Shilling, 47, has earned praise from colleagues on both sides of the aisle for her approach to Democratic leadership. Several potential contenders seem to be waiting to see what Shilling decides before they commit to the race, but her first priority is to pick up seats in the 2016 election. Shilling and her husband also have two young children.

Sen. Shilling is still focused on the fall elections and building toward a Democratic majority in the Senate, said her spokesman, Tony Palese.

Shilling, who faces a challenge from Republican former state Sen. Dan Kapanke in November, had $141,000 on hand, according to her latest campaign finance report.

Cory Mason

Mason, 43, has served in the Assembly since 2006. While hes a strong proponent of Democratic causes like raising the minimum wage, he had his most productive session yet in 2015-16, with five bills passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature. Mason, with state Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, has led the charge in the statehouse to allow for student loan refinancing  a proposal that hasnt passed, but has become a staple in Democratic campaigns throughout the country.

Mason and his wife have three young children, a factor that weighs heavily on campaign decisions. He said he is giving serious consideration to the idea and will likely decide by early next year.

The Racine Democrat ended July with a $56,700 balance in his campaign account.

Chris Taylor

Taylor emerged from a six-way primary in 2011 to succeed Joe Parisi in the Assembly. The former public policy director for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, Taylor now serves on the Legislatures powerful Joint Finance Committee. Both outspoken and media-savvy, the 48-year-old Madison Democrat quickly made a name for herself. Like Mason, Taylor and her husband also have young children.

Taylor also has her eyes trained on the seat held for the last 54 years by state Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison. And as a lawyer, shes also interested in the possibility of running for attorney general.

Im very interested in running in the Senate and Im looking at the statewide possibilities  although I still have young kids. Thats a big factor, Taylor said.

Still, she added, Democrats need candidates to step up and run  and she wants to walk the walk.

I think, probably, the consideration of my family would lead me to look farther in the future for a statewide run, Taylor said.

In her latest campaign finance report, Taylor reported $69,000 in the bank.

Susan Happ

The Jefferson County district attorney emerged from a three-way Democratic primary to challenge then-Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimel in the 2014 attorney general race, but lost with 46 percent of the vote.

Happ, 44, was elected DA in 2008  the first Democrat to hold the position in Jefferson County in 70 years. She touted her bipartisan appeal in the 2014 race and while shes disappointed in the outcome, she said running was a great experience.

Shes focused now on helping Democrats win in 2016 and doing her job as district attorney, she said.

Im keeping everything open. Im not ruling anything out, she said of the 2018 races for governor and attorney general. I want to get through 2016 and see what the political landscape looks like and see who some of the candidates are.

Happs campaign account had $36,200 on hand, according to her latest campaign finance report.

Tom Nelson

The Outagamie County Executive was a gubernatorial favorite until he announced in April he would run for the open 8th Congressional District seat. Nelson, 40, served in the state Assembly from 2004 to 2010 and as Assembly majority leader from 2008 to 2010. He ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor during Barretts 2010 bid against Walker and Kleefisch.

To run for governor in 2018, Nelson would either have to build a campaign from a loss or launch a campaign just a few months into his first term in Congress. Still, political observers havent scratched him off the list yet.

Kevin Conroy

Conroy, the 50-year-old CEO of Madison biotech company Exact Sciences, last considered a run for governor in 2009. He has since indicated he may still be interested in public office, and his name was frequently mentioned by Democrats looking at 2018.

His company is still recovering from plummeting stock prices since the launch of its colon cancer screening test, but shares started climbing back up this summer. Last month, he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he is not considering running for governor, opting instead to focus on his company. But one Democratic operative said, even after that interview, not to count Conroy out of the race.

Katherine Gehl

Gehl, the former president and CEO of Gehl Foods, is on the radar of political strategists, but hasnt signaled any plans to run. Asked by the Journal Sentinel in May about a future in politics, Gehl said, Well see.

On her website, Gehl presents herself as a public policy-minded business leader focused on the national debt, the tax code, comprehensive energy policy, K-12 education and investing in infrastructure. Gehl associates herself with moderate groups like No Labels and billionaire Peter G. Petersons Campaign To Fix the Debt. Her ties to those groups may put her at a disadvantage as a Democratic candidate, some party operatives said. She did not respond to an interview request for this article.

Chris Abele

Abele, 49, was re-elected as Milwaukee County Executive this year after a primary battle with state Sen. Chris Larson. The millionaire businessman was first elected to the post in 2011, succeeding Walker. Some political operatives arent convinced hes not interested in succeeding Walker in the governors mansion, too. But Abele has gone out of his way to shut down any speculation, pledging to serve his entire term as county executive.

Waiting for answers

Despite his current vulnerability, political operatives and observers agree Democrats are better off running against a new candidate than Walker. Incumbents are tough to challenge, and the governor has built a formidable campaign machine.

Its been 30 years since an elected Wisconsin governor lost a re-election bid, UW-Madisons Burden said.

Gov. Walker being on the ballot might even keep strong Democrats from running as theyve seen Tom Barrett and Mary Burke fall short in elections against him, UW-Madisons Wagner said.

While it might be easier for Democrats to coalesce around a high-profile personality  former Sen. Russ Feingold, for instance  Wagner said the party isnt necessarily in a bad place because it lacks an anointed candidate.

That doesnt always work out. Four years ago, we were saying when theres an open seat in the White House, Jeb Bush is going to coast to the nomination and maybe hell be given a hard time by Scott Walker or John Kasich. A lot of times, it doesnt work out for the candidate in waiting, Wagner said, adding that the open field allows the party to re-evaluate its core values and its message to voters.

Laning said DPW staff will be available as a resource to anyone whos interested in running.

Were the Democratic Party. The staff does not pick who our candidate is going to be, Laning said. The people pick.

The party will launch work on the 2018 campaign when the polls close in November, Laning said. Her goal is to make sure fundraising efforts start early and strong so the party has the resources and infrastructure to mount a successful campaign.

The strongest candidates are those who have the three Rs  relatability, reliability and resources  said Democratic strategist Joe Zepecki, who served as communications director for Burkes unsuccessful 2014 campaign against Walker.

(Democrats) have to present a compelling vision for how much better things will be when we have a progressive, middle class first agenda. The ideas and policies for how to grow our economy, improve the quality of education while making it more affordable, preserving our natural resources and on down the line are all there  but the narrative strand that ties them all together and paints a picture for voters of what that Wisconsin looks like is essential, he said.

Between now and 2018, would-be candidates will watch a number of variables shake out: who else is running, in both parties; what is the partisan makeup of the Legislature; and who wins the presidential election.

Strong showings for Feingold and Clinton in Wisconsin could embolden more Democrats to consider running, Wagner said.

But anyone thinking seriously about a gubernatorial bid should start acting seriously sooner rather than later, One Wisconsin Nows Ross said.

Winning a campaign  is about connecting with people. Its about raising the funds necessary to execute a plan that puts you in the best position to win on election day, and that is your single-minded focus, Ross said. And it doesnt just happen six months before an election or even a year before an election.

Especially when you consider what you are up against in terms of the most well-financed, most ruthless campaign machine thats ever existed in the state of Wisconsin.
Los Angeles (AFP) - A garbage collector convicted of the "Grim Sleeper" killings that terrorized southern Los Angeles for more than two decades was sentenced to death on Wednesday.

Lonnie David Franklin had been convicted of 10 counts of first-degree murder for the killings of nine women and a 15-year-old girl between 1985 and 2007.

During his three month trial which ended in May, the prosecution presented evidence that it said linked him to the killings of a further four other women, although authorities suspect Franklin is behind dozens more murders.

The court heard Franklin had committed crimes dating back to the 1974 kidnapping and gang rape of a 17-year-old girl in Germany while he was in the US military.

The 63-year-old was a "sexual predator" and "career criminal" whom DNA evidence showed had acted alone, Silverman said.

Franklin stalked the streets of South Los Angeles at a time when an epidemic of crack cocaine plagued the neighborhood, the authorities say.

Several of his victims were prostitutes and drug addicts whom he shot or strangled, dumping their bodies in alleyways or trash bins. He raped some before killing them.

Prosecutors said Franklin took advantage of some of his victims' addiction to crack to lure them to his backyard camper with money and drugs before killing them.

Investigators searching his home found nearly 200 pictures and videos of women, many of whom have not been identified.

Defense attorney Dale Atherton had urged the seven-woman, five-man panel to recommend life without parole, arguing that a death sentence would delay the healing process for the victims' families.

Franklin was given the moniker "Grim Sleeper" because of a 13-year gap in the murders.

Although he was arrested in July 2010 after his DNA was connected to some of the victims, appeals and judicial wrangling repeatedly delayed efforts to bring him to trial.

The killing spree was the subject of a 2014 HBO documentary by British filmmaker Nick Broomfield, who claims the Los Angeles police failed to properly investigate because the victims were mainly drug addicts and prostitutes.

It has been a decade since the last execution in California. Clarence Ray Allen was given a lethal injection on January 17, 2006 after being convicted of paying a fellow inmate to commit three murders.
Los Angeles (AFP) - A garbage collector convicted of the "Grim Sleeper" killings that terrorized southern Los Angeles for more than two decades was sentenced to death on Wednesday.

Lonnie David Franklin, 63, had been convicted of 10 counts of first-degree murder for the killings of nine women and a 15-year-old girl between 1985 and 2007.

"It's not vengeance, it's justice, Mr. Franklin," Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy told the serial killer before sentencing him to death for each count.

"There could never be a justification for what you've done. It's obvious that you have a deep-seated hatred for women that started long ago."

During Franklin's three-month trial, which ended in May, the prosecution presented evidence it said linked him to the killings of another four women, although the authorities suspect he is behind dozens more murders.

After the sentencing, Franklin's attorney Dale Atherton dismissed California's death row system as "a joke" and voiced doubts over whether the punishment would ever be carried out.

"The case is far from over. I seriously doubt he'll be executed -- he's already too old," the lawyer told AFP.

Franklin committed crimes dating back to the 1974 kidnapping and gang rape of a 17-year-old girl in Germany while he was in the US military, the court heard.

He showed little emotion during the sentencing, staring straight ahead as victims' relatives made statements to the court.

- 'True piece of evil' -

"I'd like to know why. What did (she) do to you?" asked the mother of Alicia Alexander, who was 18 when she was found naked under a mattress in an alley with gunshot wound to the chest.

Franklin turned and mouthed something inaudible, then turned back to stare ahead as she said she was thankful she had "lived to see this day."

"I'm one of your living victims," said Enietra Washington Margette, who gave evidence about surviving being shot by Franklin.

Story continues

"I really think you are truly a piece of evil. You're right up there with (Charles) Manson."

Laura Moore, who was not called as a witness during the trial, told the judge she was at a bus stop in 1984 when Franklin convinced her to accept a ride.

"He shot me six times and started laughing at me," she said.

"I just want to ask him why, why? I didn't do anything to him."

Franklin stalked the streets of South Los Angeles at a time when an epidemic of crack cocaine plagued the neighborhood, authorities say.

Several of his victims were prostitutes and drug addicts whom he shot or strangled, dumping their bodies in alleyways or trash bins. He raped some before killing them.

Prosecutors said Franklin took advantage of some of his victims' addiction to crack, luring them to his backyard camper with money and drugs before killing them.

Investigators searching his home found nearly 200 pictures and videos of women, many of whom have not been identified.

Deputy district attorneys Beth Silverman and Marguerite Rizzo, pushing for the death penalty, pointed to the "staggering number of murders" in the case.

- Killing spree -

"He routinely manipulated others to achieve his goal: doing evil," they said in a written submission.

Franklin earned the moniker "Grim Sleeper" because of a 13-year gap in the murders.

Although he was arrested in July 2010 after investigators connected his DNA to some of the victims, appeals and judicial wrangling repeatedly delayed efforts to bring him to trial.

The killing spree was the subject of a 2014 HBO documentary by British filmmaker Nick Broomfield, who claims the Los Angeles police failed to properly investigate because the victims were mainly drug addicts and prostitutes.

A defendant sentenced to death in California has a right to three lengthy and expensive stages of review, a complex appeals system and can petition the governor for clemency.

The California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice reported in 2008 that the average time lapse between sentence pronouncement and execution was 17.2 years, attributing the majority of deaths among condemned prisoners to natural causes.

It pointed out, however, that the average could be misleading since only 13 people had been executed since the reinstatement of the penalty in 1978.

More than a decade has passed since California's last execution. Clarence Ray Allen received a lethal injection in January 2006 after paying a fellow inmate to commit three murders.

Seymour Amster, Franklin's lead defense attorney, said in a statement a life sentence without parole would have "saved millions of dollars from being spent in the often futile pursuit of eradicating a life from this earth."
An angry mob in southern India attacked two low-caste cousins who they suspected of slaughtering a cow, police said Wednesday, the latest such attack by self-styled protectors of the animals.

Mokati Elisha and Mokati Venkateshwar Rao from India's lowest Dalit caste were tied to a tree and beaten up on Monday by a mob of around 50 men when they were skinning a dead cow in a village in Andhra Pradesh state.

"When a bunch of villagers saw Elisha and Venkateshwar skinning a cow, they assumed that they had slaughtered a live animal," local deputy superintendent of police Lanka Ankaiah told AFP.

"In the spur of the moment, villagers got carried away by emotions and they beat up Elisha and Venkateshwar," he said, adding police had detained seven people so far.

Cows are considered sacred by Hindus and killing them is banned in most Indian states, but the cousins said they were hired to skin the animal after it died of electrocution.

Formerly known as "untouchables," Dalits are commonly tasked with removing the corpses of dead cows from streets, where the animals often roam freely.

The latest attack comes days after Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged a halt to attacks on Dalits, who lie at the bottom of India's deeply entrenched social hierarchy.

Anger has mounted among the Dalit community and violent protests have erupted over the public flogging of four villagers by cow-protection vigilantes late last month.

Footage showed the four half-naked Dalit men tied to a car as the activists took turns to thrash them with belts and batons at a crowded marketplace.

After Monday's attack, police said both cousins were undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital, with Rao having lost his hearing in one ear.

Elisha's son, Chanti Babu, said his father and uncle were covered in bruises by the time their families were able to rescue them.

"We got calls that they have been tied to a tree and were being beaten up. By the time we reached there, they had bruises already," Babu told AFP.

"Stones were pelted and sticks were used to beat them up for a crime they didn't commit."
From Town & Country

My first taste of Madeira was a Sercial style, estimated to have come from the early 1800s. It was sweet and sour with a distinct nuttiness, layered with a saturated flavor of apricot jam and just a touch of salty minerality. It was divine, strange, and mesmerizing at the same time.

I had found myself at a Christie's collectors "potluck," where each guest was invited to bring a bottle of Madeira from his or her collection to share. Dinner was in the private dining room at Boulud Sud, an esteemed New York restaurant that hosts a notable wine list of its own. After enjoying 19 different vintage Madeira wines I was hooked on the complexity of the liquid gold that- depending on the grape, age, and style-ranges in flavor from earthy to sweet, and fruity to briny.

As we tasted through all 19 of the mind-bogglingly-old wines, I found myself wondering what in the world is Madeira and how can it possibly be this old?

Photo credit: Emily Arden Wells

HISTORY

Before we get into why you should be drinking Madeira, a bit of context: Madeira is a rocky and devastatingly beautiful island that is part of an archipelago 500 miles off the coast of Portugal, once a critical stop for ships heading in or out of Europe on their trade routes. Madeira is also a delicious and complex fortified white wine that is often served with dessert and typically has flavors of toffee, roasted coffee, roasted nuts, cooked fruit, and browned sugar.

The island of Madeira was settled in the 15th century with prisoners from Portugal and later with settlers who brought grape vines with them from Europe. In the years following, the island of Madeira was known as "The Island of Wine." The earliest documentation of wine production is 1485, an industry that quickly became a powerful and profitable commodity for the English crown.

Madeira was first fortified with brandy in the 18th century, a process used to stop fermentation of the grapes, thereby allowing it to be transported and stored in barrels without refrigeration. Ships traveled from mainland Europe to the island and would stock up on wine before continuing on to their final destinations which included The East and West Indies, Africa, South America, and North America.

Story continues

Barrels of the wine were used as ballast in the ships and would age as the ships crisscrossed across the oceans, naturally heating and cooling with the different climates. It is exactly this process that makes Madeira so incredibly unique: "While light, heat, and oxygen are typically the three enemies of wine, heat and oxygen are part of what makes Madeira what it is, says wine writer Allison Levine. The Madeira wine trade peaked in the 19th century, and miraculously, some of these bottles still exist and can be enjoyed today.

North America became a favorite and extremely profitable market for Madeira wines  Americans developed a taste for Madeira, and there was a great demand for wines in the colonies where they were initially unable to grow their own vines. Additionally, the wine benefited from extra time in the barrel while at sea, enhancing the wine's signature fruity baked and oxidized taste. Famously, George Washington celebrated his inauguration as the president of the United States with Madeira, and for years following, Americans toasted their independence with a swig of the boozy wine.

Collectors of vintage Madeira are a small group, but one that understands the value of their investment. "Madeira at auction offers collectors and enthusiasts the opportunity to access bottles with extraordinary [histories] at a price point not dissimilar to a prestige cuvee champagne. In our sale last December, we offered bottles from the mid-19th century with estimates starting around $300-400. There isn't really any other category within wine which offers such exceptional riches," says Christie's wine specialist Noah May.

"In addition, Madeira has already been through an oxidative process and doesn't oxidize once opened, so like a bottle of whiskey or Cognac, it can be enjoyed for months if not years. That means that a $400 bottle with a history that might run back to the time of Abraham Lincoln offers better value than anything on the market."

Before you start collecting Madeira older than your great-grandparents, let's start with the basics.

WHAT IT IS

There are four popular grape varietals: Malmsey or Malvasia, the sweetest grape variety that often has flavors of burnt caramel, chilies, and hoisin sauce; Bual, a medium-rich grape with flavors of vanilla, cinnamon, and sweet graham crackers; Verdelho, a drier grape with flavors of lemon, cucumber, and hay; and Sercial, the driest of the Madeira grapes that has flavors of walnuts, peaches, and smoked citrus. The majority of Madeira currently being produced is made from the Tinta Negra Mole grapes and has dominant flavors of toasted nuts and citrus. By law, each wine must be at least 85 percent of the grape on the label, otherwise it is released as a Blended Madeira.

In addition to grape varietal, Madeira is labeled based on the quality of the grape and by age. The lowest quality Madeira is "Rainwater" followed by "Finest" (3-year-old), "Reserve" (5-10 years), "Special Reserve" (10-15 years), and "Extra Reserve" (15-20 years). 20-Year-Old, 30-Year-Old, and 40-Year-Old wines are labeled according to their age statement, all of which must contain wine older than the age on the bottle, and are made from wines of the highest quality.

Photo credit: Emily Arden Wells

Today, there are two methods of making Madeira: Estufa or Canteiro. Both processes were developed to simulate the time spent in a barrel during a transatlantic crossing. The Estufa method heats large tanks or casks of wine multiple times to temperatures as high as 140 degrees Fahrenheit in order to caramelize the sugars and create the signature flavors of Madeira. This process is usually used for less expensive Madeira wines. The Canteiro method ages the wine in barrels that are kept in heated rooms or are aged directly in the sun, a process that lets the wine oxidate and caramelize within the barrel. This process can take anywhere from 20 to 100 years, and produces a much higher quality wine than the Estufa method.

WHERE TO START AND HOW TO PAIR IT

A Madeira novice is best off starting with a slightly older Madeira of the Verdelho or Bual variety. These wines are well balanced, have a nice range of sweet and savory notes, while a wine older than 10 years will be softer and well-rounded on the palate. Madeira is often served after dinner as a digestif, although "because of the variety of styles and grapes, Madeira pairs well with both savory and sweet foods," Levine says. Madeira pairs beautifully with cheeses, seafood, and flavorful savory dishes, so there's no need to save it until the end of the meal.

So you want to drink the old stuff? Keep an eye on the auction houses for old Madeira wines coming up for sale. "In recent years, the auction room has been a very good venue for starting a collection of Madeira," says May. "At Christie's we have been working with collectors and old families on the island of Madeira to bring previously unseen bottles to market. The range of wines we have been able to source has been nothing short of extraordinary: from mid-20th century bottles with very approachable estimates."

As for the most impressive bottle ever sold at the auction house?

Photo credit: Christie's

A JCA & CA/Kassab Terrantez 1715, which Christie's sold in December 2015 in New York for $19,600 against a pre-sale estimate of $10,00015,000. It was "the oldest bottle of Madeira that we ever offered at auction and possibly the oldest bottled Madeira in existence," says May.

The most incredible part of this 300-year-old wine? It had distinct flavors of bruleed orange and apple syrup, and with its well-balanced acidity, it was an impeccably well-preserved wine that was enjoyable even in 2015.

Try It in a Cocktail

Funky Cold Madeira

Created by Bob Peters of The Punch Room in Charlotte, NC

2 oz Coffee-Infused Madeira

.5 oz Homemade Honey Ginger Syrup

Instructions

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Garnish with a sprig of fresh Chocolate Mint.

For the Coffee infused Madeira:

Use a french press to infuse the Madeira with a fair-trade organic Guatemalan coffee roasted by Pure Intentions Coffee, or another coffee with flavors of allspice, molasses, and dark chocolate.

For the Honey Ginger Syrup:

In a small pot combine 1 part honey with 1 part water with a few chunks of sliced ginger. Bring to a boil, strain out ginger, and let cool. Store in a non-reactive container, and keep for 1 month in the refrigerator.

Emily Arden Wells is the editor and founder of the cocktail and travel blog Gastronomista. Follow her at @xxGastronomista.
Making a Murderer subject Steven Avery is blaming his defense attorneys for his conviction.

They didnt do their job, Avery said in an interview with InTouch that aired on Good Morning America. They were looking out for the state.

After Making a Murderer aired on Netflix, Avery got a new lawyer, Kathleen Zellner, who is preparing an appeal she hopes will free him from the life sentence without parole he is serving in the murder of Teresa Halbach.

Also Read: 'Making a Murderer' to Return to Netflix With New Episodes

One way defendants can appeal is by contending they had inadequate representation, and Avery seems to be laying the groundwork for such a claim.

If they would do more investigating on the case, they would find all of this stuff, Avery said of his trial lawyers, Dean Strang and Jerome Buting, who were featured prominently in the documentary. If they did their job, I wouldnt be here.

Avery continues to maintain his innocence, and said he believes the truth will come out.

I know Kathleen will get down to the truth. Im not going to lose, he told In Touch.

Strang and Buting fascinated many viewers of Making a Murderer, which has spawned a slew of theories and counter-theories about whether Avery and his nephew, Brendan Dassey, truly killed Halbach or were framed by police. Prosecutors say the right men are in prison for the murder.

'Making a Murderer': 8 Alternate Theories on Who Killed Teresa Halbach (Photos)

Scott Tadych Bobby Dassey Netflix

bobby dassey Netflix

Netflix

Ryan Hillegas Netflix

Netflix

Teresa Halbach Netflix

Twitter

Edward Wayne Edwards FBI

YouTube

Netflix

Avery brothers Netflix

charles and steven avery Netflix

earl avery Netflix

Andrew Colborn Netflix

Netflix

James Lenk Netflix

Making a Murderer Steven Avery mug shot Netflix

Manitowoc police

Steven Avery netflix Netflix

mystery man silhouette

Google Maps

Story continues

Previous Slide Next Slide

1 of 21

If Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey didnt kill Teresa Halbach, who did?

Theory No. 1.: It was Scott Tadych and Bobby Dassey

In January, a Reddit user posted a theory he first saw on YouTube, which claims Scott Tadych (Brendans mothers boyfriend at the time, now husband) and Bobby Dassey (Brendans brother) kidnapped, raped, shot and then burned Teresa Halbach in the privacy of the gravel quarry off of Jambo Road on Halloween evening.

View In Gallery

Related stories from TheWrap:

'Making a Murderer': 6 Steven Avery-Brendan Dassey Email Revelations (Photos)

'Making a Murderer': Steven Avery, Brendan Dassey Prison Emails Released After 5 Months
DENVER  Humans aren't the only species whose members speak to their babies in the womb. Dolphin mamas appear to sing their own name to their unborn calves.

New research suggests that dolphin mothers teach their babies a "signature whistle" right before birth and in the two weeks after. Signature whistles are sounds that are made by individual dolphins, which the animals use to identify one another. Calves eventually develop their own signature whistle, but in the first few weeks of life, mothers seem focused on teaching their offspring their signature sound, the scientists said.

"It's been hypothesized that this is part of an imprinting process," Audra Ames, a doctoral student at the University of Southern Mississippi, said here on Friday (Aug. 5) at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association. [Deep Divers: A Dolphin Gallery]

Dolphin chatter

Earlier studies had shown that mother dolphins start whistling their signature whistle much more in the days before birth, and then in the calf's first two weeks of life, Ames told Live Science. There are multiple theories about why, including that perhaps moms are trying to get babies to develop their own signature sound.

But no one had studied signature-whistle rates not only before and after birth, but also in the same dolphin mother, Ames said. She and her colleagues had the opportunity to do that in late 2012 and early 2014, when a baby dolphin named Mira was born to a 9-year-old mother at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California.

The researchers captured a total of 80 hours of recordings from the two months before and the two months after the dolphin's birth. They recorded the mom and the calf as well as the five dolphins housed with them. It was important to capture the noises of the mother's peers to understand whether the communication was exclusive to the mother-baby pair, Ames said.

Learning mom's name

The recordings showed that the increased signature-whistle production was, in fact, the purview of the mother dolphin. She began increasing her signature whistle two weeks before the birth, possibly starting the learning process while her calf was still in utero.

Story continues

A seemingly related phenomenon has been observed during human pregnancies, according to Ames. "We actually do see that human babies develop a preference for their mother's voice in the last trimester," she said. "We don't know if that's something that's going on here, but it could be something similar." [Photos: World's Cutest Baby Wild Animals]

The mother dolphin also produced her signature whistle at high rates until two weeks after the calf's birth, after which she tapered off. Interestingly, Ames said, the other dolphins in the group didn't produce their own signature whistle at very high rates during the first two weeks of the calf's life. But after mama stopped the repetitions of her own whistle, the other members of the group started producing their own whistle at higher rates.

"What the other dolphins might be doing here is remaining quiet so the calf does not imprint on the wrong signature whistle," Ames said.

Baby dolphins don't usually develop their own signature whistle until they're around the age of 2 months, with much variation in timing, Ames said. The baby's whistle tends not to be similar to the mother's or to the other dolphins in the group.

"You don't want to have a signature sound that is going to be similar to someone else you're around quite often," Ames said.

Ames and her colleagues are now studying other sounds in the mother-calf repertoire of communication, and they're studying other marine mammals such as beluga whales as well as dolphins.

Original article on Live Science.

Editor's Recommendations

Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
New York (AFP) - A shaggy-haired man was scaling Trump Tower in New York Wednesday using suction cups and prompting a police response outside the Manhattan headquarters of the Republican nominee for US president.

"We are sending our units there to try to find out what's going on," a New York police spokesman told AFP.

Television footage showed the auburn-haired man with curls dressed in grey shorts, an olive T-shirt and white cap, using five suction cups to mount his ascent. He was also wearing a black backpack.

He was seen edging his way up the side of the building gingerly -- at times his feet dangling precariously as he gripped onto the suction cups -- on a hot and steamy afternoon with a heat advisory in effect.

The man, whose identity and motive was no immediately clear, was being watched by a crowd of onlookers, reporters and police, who cordoned off the block between Fifth and Madison Avenues, an AFP reporter said.

At one point, personnel cut a piece of glass above him in an attempt to reel him in, police said, but more than two hours after officers received the call he was still embarked on his ascent.

New York billionaire and real estate developer Donald Trump lives in a marble triplex at the top of the 68-story building, which is also the headquarters of his Trump Organization and election campaign.

The Republican nominee was outside the city on Wednesday, holding a rally in Virginia with another event planned later in Florida.

He unleashed a firestorm on Tuesday when he suggested that "Second Amendment people" -- those who support gun rights -- could take action to stop Hillary Clinton from appointing US Supreme Court justices as president.

Since he launched his controversial, media-saturated bid for the White House, the tower on New York's prestigious Fifth Avenue has become a magnet for tourists.

Members of the public are free to roam inside its public atrium until 10 pm most days as part of an agreement that allowed Trump to build 20 stories higher.
An unidentified man scaled Trump Tower in New York City on Wednesday before being apprehended by police.

The man told authorities his name was Steve and he was from Virginia, according to multiple reports.

The climber made it past the 20th level before police were able to safely, but forcefully, pull him into the building. Prior to that, the man reportedly was not obeying police commands.

Numerous windows had to be broken out of Trump Tower by police to reach the man, who scaled the glass facade using suction cups. He had a backpack and used a harness and rope to fasten himself to the 58-story Donald Trump-run skyscraper.

According to a video posted online yesterday of the alleged climber, the man, who was pro-Trump, was doing the stunt because he wanted to have a conversation with the GOP presidential nominee.

The tower is headquarters to Trump's Republican presidential campaign and his business empire. Trump also lives there, but he was in Virginia in the afternoon and was headed to Florida for an evening event, reported the Associated Press.

The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

But Trump himself took to Twitter on Wednesday night, to thank the NYPD for saving the climber:

Great job today by the NYPD in protecting the people and saving the climber.

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 11, 2016

Several broadcast networks preempted their regularly scheduled evening news programming Wednesday evening to continue coverage of the Trump Tower climber as he was detained just after 6:30 p.m. ET.

ABC's World News Tonight, NBC's Nightly News and CBS' Evening News delayed their programming to cover the incident, which captivated social media for 2.5 hours on Wednesday.

All three programs aired at 7 p.m. ET in New York instead.

Twitter lit up with the news, and then jokes and memes about the event.

Jared Padalecki, who initially posted about the incident on social media (below), later took to his Facebook page to speak out on the resemblance, which was noted by more than a few fans.

Story continues

"To clear things up, this is NOT me trying to scale the Trump Tower in NYC. I am safe and sound in Vancouver filming #Supernatural. So please stop asking. ;)," the TV star shared.

See the reactions on social media below.

@fox5ny there is a man scaling Trump Tower! pic.twitter.com/48THanMgOk

- Jason Chu (@JasonC1219) August 10, 2016

Look at this idiot tryna climb the trump tower Lmaoo pic.twitter.com/sUGQtwXudH

-  (@StevOLucci) August 10, 2016

Lots of commotion at trump tower in NYC #nevertrump pic.twitter.com/vm8AgxCaK3

- Sophie Collins (@Sophies_Word) August 10, 2016

@DooM49 someone climbs the trump tower the one day I'm in NYC pic.twitter.com/hOC6uQY2Bq

- Ethan Harms (@Harmzy09) August 10, 2016

The scene in front of Trump tower where a man is climbing up the building. Legit like 30 police cars and blocked off pic.twitter.com/KwZvafa2Xf

- heather (@hnb6458) August 10, 2016

Cops grabbed. pulled climber in just now. Wow. pic.twitter.com/z0oVljSzdB

- Ryan Parker (@TheRyanParker) August 10, 2016

I would like to wish #BizarroJarpad the best of luck in climbing the Trump Tower. #??? pic.twitter.com/NsfsjLGKgm

- Jared Padalecki (@jarpad) August 10, 2016

Trying to figure out this climber's next move.. Two windows down going to need a strategy fast

- Jordan Spieth (@JordanSpieth) August 10, 2016

Glad someone is climbing Trump Tower - he could really use the publicity

- Andy Cohen (@Andy) August 10, 2016

Can't imagine Donald Trump would be too happy about someone trying to climb over his wall #TrumpClimber

- Summer Ray (@SummerRay) August 10, 2016

BYE STEVE pic.twitter.com/bEragO6o9c

- TysonCBeckford (@TysonCBeckford) August 10, 2016

So a guy recklessly wasted time and valuable resources desperately trying to climb to the top for selfish attention? Trump move, man.

- josh groban (@joshgroban) August 10, 2016

Aug. 10, 3:45 p.m.: This story has been updated with the information that the climber has been taken into custody by police.

7:20 p.m.: Updated with Trump, Padalecki social media posts.
An unidentified man scaled Trump Tower in New York City on Wednesday before being apprehended by police.

The man told authorities his name was Steve and he was from Virginia, according to multiple reports.

The climber appeared to have made it past the 20th level before police were able to safely, but forcefully pull him into the building. Prior to that, the man reportedly was not obeying police commands.

Numerous windows had to be broken out of Trump Tower by police to reach the man.

According to a video posted online yesterday of the alleged climber, the man was doing the stunt because he wanted to have a conversation with the GOP presidential nominee and he was pro Trump.

The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Several broadcast networks preempted their regularly scheduled evening news programming Wednesday evening to continue coverage of the Trump Tower climber as he was detained.

ABC's World News Tonight, NBC's Nightly News and CBS' Evening News delayed their programming to cover the incident, which captivated social media for hours on Wednesday.

ABC confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that World News Tonight will air at 7 p.m. ET in N.Y. instead.

Twitter lit up with the news, and then jokes and memes about the event.

@fox5ny there is a man scaling Trump Tower! pic.twitter.com/48THanMgOk

- Jason Chu (@JasonC1219) August 10, 2016

Look at this idiot tryna climb the trump tower Lmaoo pic.twitter.com/sUGQtwXudH

-  (@StevOLucci) August 10, 2016

Lots of commotion at trump tower in NYC #nevertrump pic.twitter.com/vm8AgxCaK3

- Sophie Collins (@Sophies_Word) August 10, 2016

@DooM49 someone climbs the trump tower the one day I'm in NYC pic.twitter.com/hOC6uQY2Bq

- Ethan Harms (@Harmzy09) August 10, 2016

The scene in front of Trump tower where a man is climbing up the building. Legit like 30 police cars and blocked off pic.twitter.com/KwZvafa2Xf

- heather (@hnb6458) August 10, 2016

Cops grabbed. pulled climber in just now. Wow. pic.twitter.com/z0oVljSzdB

Story continues

- Ryan Parker (@TheRyanParker) August 10, 2016

I would like to wish #BizarroJarpad the best of luck in climbing the Trump Tower. #??? pic.twitter.com/NsfsjLGKgm

- Jared Padalecki (@jarpad) August 10, 2016

Trying to figure out this climber's next move.. Two windows down going to need a strategy fast

- Jordan Spieth (@JordanSpieth) August 10, 2016

Glad someone is climbing Trump Tower - he could really use the publicity

- Andy Cohen (@Andy) August 10, 2016

Updated:

Aug. 10, 3:45 p.m.: This story has been updated with the information that the climber has been taken into custody by police.
The daredevil climber who attempted to scale Trump Tower on Wednesday is a 20-year-old man who traveled to Manhattan from Virginia and staged his stunt in the hopes of winning a meeting with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, police said.

William Aubry, chief of Manhattan detectives at the NYPD, identified the man in a Wednesday evening press conference only by his first name, Steve. He said the man drove to New York on Tuesday and was staying in a local hotel. Aubry said police were studying a video he posted to YouTube to understand the climbers motivation for making the risky vertical trek.

In the video, the climber describes himself as an independent researcher seeking to discuss an important matter with Trump.

His sole intention was to meet with Mr. Trump, Aubry said, adding that the man at no point posed a safety threat. He was taken to Bellevue hospital in Manhattan for a psychiatric evaluation, and it was not yet clear what charges he might face for his high-rise high jinks.

The 58-story tower houses Trumps campaign headquarters, but the candidate was not inside during the climb. The Spider-Man-like escapade began around 4 p.m., as the candidate was holding a rally in Virginia.

NYPD officers grab the climber. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters)

Slideshow: Man scales Trump Tower with suction cups in NYC

Detectives and officers from strategic and critical response teams described a meticulously planned effort to isolate and apprehend the climber. Police positioned themselves above his perch, removed several glass panels and attempted to persuade him to surrender voluntarily , NYPD officials said.

The climbers ascent ended abruptly around 7 p.m., when emergency responders were able to yank him in through a 21st-floor window of the glass skyscraper after a harrowing two-hour negotiation. He had been hoisting himself slowly up the glass facade using giant, hand-held suction cups.

I reached out, took hold of his hand and said, Sir, you need to come with me, said Detective Christopher Williams of the Emergency Services team, one of two detectives who heaved the climber safely inside Trump Tower.

Story continues

During the climb, crowds gathered on the sidewalk below and flooded social media channels with photos, videos and live streams of the spectacle, quickly dubbing the climber the human fly. Traffic was halted as he suctioned his way up the building.

The Trump Tower human fly is now resting his legs while also trying to avoid cops that popped out of the vents pic.twitter.com/Mjv4dHjaom  Clemzingis (@TheClemReport) August 10, 2016

The man made slow but steady progress up the side, by sticking the large suction cups above his head, then stepping into rope loops secured to handles on the suction cups with large carabiners. Police said the suction cups and other climbing gear was of a variety available at any outdoors store.

A man climbs up Trump Tower in New York, which houses Donald Trumps campaign headquarters. (Alex Cannon via AP)

The man was wearing khaki shorts, a black T-shirt and a backpack, which police said contained only climbing gear and multiple forms of identification with different names, which police are investigating.

Windows removed from 21st floor of #TrumpTower with highly trained @NYPDSpecialops officers speaking with climbing pic.twitter.com/os9J5Hy398  NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) August 10, 2016

Before the man was captured, law enforcement positioned below him installed large airbags to cushion the climbers landing in the event that he fell or jumped.

@NYPDSpecialops elite cops train for these kinds of things everyday. #NYPD #ESU best in the world at what they do. pic.twitter.com/FEdtL7sKaR  James P. O'Neill (@NYPDChiefofDept) August 10, 2016

Police are still investigating the YouTube video posted by the climber. While they did not explicitly identify the video in Wednesdays press conference, their description of its contents matches that of a clip posted Aug. 7, titled Message to Mr. Trump (why I climbed your tower).

The man in the video, looking off-camera, wearing a hoodie and speaking in a monotone, asks for a meeting with Trump and says, I guarantee that it is in your interest to honor this request.

He goes on to say in the one-minute video: Believe me, if my purpose was not significant, I would not risk my life pursuing it.

The video ends with a plea to those who view it to please help make this video viral so that it gets to Mr. Trump.
Enables HPC-like Storage Performance on Existing SANs

SANTA CLARA, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 10, 2016 / Flash Memory Summit 2016 -Mangstor Inc., a leading developer of high performance, next-generation, non-volatile memory storage solutions, today announced its SANConnect technology to connect NVMe over Fabric (NVMf) storage arrays to existing iSCSI or Fibre Channel (FC) SANs as a fast storage caching layer. SANConnect will be provided as a plug-in within the upcoming TITAN software release. It boosts performance of existing SANs by layering an intelligent, higher performance non-volatile memory cache paired with the low latency, high performance characteristics of Mangstor NVMf storage software.

Learn about SANConnect and TITAN software at Flash Memory Summit 2016 this week, in Mangstor's Booth #601, Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, California.

"Existing SANs based on FC or iSCSI have very high latencies which limit the performance of today's high performance applications that Mangstor has solved by adding NVMf arrays utilizing SANConnect as a fast caching tier," said Paul Prince, CTO for Mangstor Inc. "This technology continues our history of developing innovative non-volatile memory solutions by providing an evolutionary approach for introducing NVMf storage networks into existing datacenters."

Mangstor SANConnect technology brings the millions of random 4KB Read and Write IOPS performance and associated low latency of TITAN software as a caching layer to existing SANs. It provides a perfect migration strategy to the performance benefits of NVMf storage for customers with a high investment in traditional SANs and spindle-based storage. IT managers can upgrade their existing SANs to high performance storage fabrics in a phased manner without incurring the costs and complexities of uprooting and building such fabrics from the ground up.

NX-Series Storage Arrays are available through Mangstor's worldwide sales channel of distributors, resellers, system integrators and manufacturing representatives. Product information is available at www.mangstor.com. Sales and pricing information is available at sales@mangstor.com.

Story continues

All trademarks, registered trademarks, and/or service marks, indicated or otherwise, are the property of their respective owners.

About Mangstor Inc.

Mangstor Inc., founded in 2012 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, is a leading developer of next generation non-volatile memory storage products optimized for low latency, high performance applications. Its product portfolio includes MX-Series PCIe NVMe SSDs, NX-Series NVMf storage arrays, and TITAN NVMf storage target software. First presented at last year's Flash Memory Summit, the NX6320 array with TITAN software earned a Best of Show award as the Most Innovative Flash Memory Technology, and the first available storage array solution for NVMf.

About Flash Memory Summit 2016

The Flash Memory Summit program provides attendees with practical information on the current state of flash memory and its applications. Summit themes include: Solid State Drives (SSDs), Flash Memory Based Architectures, Enterprise Storage, Controllers, Enterprise Applications, PCIe SSDs, new non-volatile technologies, standards, testing, and applications. The Summit Program consists of a day of pre-conference seminars, followed by three days of panel discussions, keynotes, forums, paper sessions, tutorials, updates, and special sessions. The show is located at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, California, beginning Tuesday, August 9th and concluding on Thursday, August 11th.

Mangstor Media Contact:

Scott Harlin

Director of Marketing Communications

714-619-1795

sharlin@mangstor.com

SOURCE: Mangstor Inc.
The Manitowoc Company, Inc. MTW reported second-quarter 2016 adjusted earnings of 4 cents per share that beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. Notably the company has swung to profit from the prior-year quarter loss of 4 cents per share.



Including special items, the company posted a loss of 4 cents per share in the reported quarter. It had posted earnings of 17 cents per share a year ago.



However, shares of the company fell around 16.8% and closed at $4.82 yesterday, after this maker of cranes and restaurant equipment posted a 4.2% year-over-year decline in sales to $457.7 million in the reported quarter. Revenues also missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $467.9 million. Sales were affected by a challenging market environment on a number of levels  particularly in Mobile cranes in the Americas  partly offset by strength in Tower cranes.

Operational Update



Cost of sales deteriorated 3.5% to $369.5 million in the quarter from $382.8 million in the year-ago quarter. Gross profit decreased 7.1% year over year to $88.2 million. Also, gross margin contracted 60 basis points (bps) to 19.3%.



Engineering, selling and administrative expenses decreased 7.7% year over year to $73.4 million. Adjusted operating income was $14.8 million compared with $15.4 million in the year-ago quarter.



Backlog



Backlog was $394 million as of Jun 30, 2016 as against $502 million in first-quarter 2016. Second-quarter 2016 orders of $349 million dropped from $417 million in the preceding quarter. This represents a book-to-bill of 0.8.



Restructuring Activities



On Aug 8, 2016, Manitowoc announced its decision to relocate its crawler crane manufacturing operations from Manitowoc, WI to Shady Grove, PA. This action will support the companys strategy of reducing its manufacturing capacity globally. Manitowocs crawler business intends to maintain its product engineering and related support functions in the Wisconsin area.



The company projects cash outflows of approximately $35-50 million in settlement of these expenses by the end of 2017. In addition, the company anticipates recognizing non-cash charges of approximately $105-120 million. In total, this initiative is predicted to generate annualized pre-tax cost savings of $2530 million.



Financial Updates



Manitowoc ended the quarter with cash and temporary investments of $40.8 million compared with $31.5 million at year-end 2015. Long-term debt was $275 million as of Jun 30, 2016 compared with $1,326.6 million as of Dec 31, 2015. Cash flow used in operations was $16.4 million in second-quarter 2016 as against cash flow of $55.5 million in the prior-year quarter.

Story continues

MANITOWOC INC Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

MANITOWOC INC Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | MANITOWOC INC Quote

2016 Guidance



Manitowoc slashed its full-year 2016 outlook. The company expects revenues to decline approximately 1012% from the previous guidance of flat revenues. It lowered adjusted operating income margins to approximately 12% from the prior view of around 4%. The company reaffirmed its capital expenditures guidance, estimated to be in the range of approximately $45$50 million for the year.



Zacks Rank



Manitowoc currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).



Some better-ranked stocks in the sector include Astec Industries, Inc. ASTE, ACCO Brands Corporation ACCO and AO Smith Corp. AOS. All the three stocks hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



ASTEC INDS INC (ASTE): Free Stock Analysis Report



MANITOWOC INC (MTW): Free Stock Analysis Report



SMITH (AO) CORP (AOS): Free Stock Analysis Report



ACCO BRANDS CP (ACCO): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
India-set European-backed feature film In The Shadows will complete principal photography next week in the walled city of old Delhi.

The film is a psychological drama about a man who is trapped within the city walls and in his own mind. He attempts to break free to find a human connection. Feature debutant director, Dipesh Jain said: I want to tell a story that is simple to follow and connects emotionally, but structurally it is intricate, so the audience is forced to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

The cast includes Belgian actress Laura Verlinden (The Brand New Testament,) and Indian actors Manoj Bajpayee (Aligarh,) Neeraj Kabi (Ship of Theseus,) and Shahana Goswami (Midnights Children.)

U.K. producer Shuchi Jain of Exstant Motion Pictures produces alongside Germany based independent Swiss producer Lena Vurma, who is also the head of acquisitions for German distributor NFP (The Lunchbox, Toni Erdmann.)

The project emerged from the Indian National Film Development Corporations annual Film Bazaar event in Goa. The producers are in talks with Indian distributors for a theatrical release after the film bows at an international festival. An international sales agent is expected to be confirmed later this year.

Related stories

Netflix Taps Executives for India Roles

'Peepli Live' Co-Director Mahmood Farooqui Jailed For Rape

Rajinikanth's 'Kabali' Opens Strongly Worldwide
DUBAI/LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May raised concerns on Tuesday with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani over several cases involving dual British-Iranian nationals, including imprisoned aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, her office said. Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 37, who was detained in early April as she tried to leave Iran after a visit with her two-year-old daughter, is accused by Iran's Revolutionary Guards of trying to overthrow the Iranian government. Her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, has dismissed the Revolutionary Guards' accusation. During a telephone call, May, who took office last month after Britain's June 23 vote to leave the European Union, and Rouhani agreed their two countries should seek to advance their relationship. "The prime minister raised concerns about a number of consular cases involving dual nationals, including that of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, and stressed the importance of resolving these cases as we worked to strengthen our diplomatic relationship," a spokeswoman for May's office said. Zaghari-Ratcliffe works for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, a London-based charity that is independent of Thomson Reuters and operates independently of Reuters News. Several Iranian dual nationals from the United States, Britain, Canada and France have been detained in the past few months and are being kept behind bars on various charges, including espionage or collaborating with a hostile government. May and Rouhani also spoke about the implementation of the deal made between Iran and foreign powers about its nuclear programme, with May saying Britain would make efforts to enhance banking cooperation with Iran. Since international sanctions over Iran's nuclear programme were lifted in January, the world's big banks have continued to stay away because they fear being penalised by remaining U.S. sanctions over issues such as money laundering. May and Rouhani also agreed to work on forming closer ties at various levels, a top Iranian official was quoted as saying by the state news agency IRNA. The two discussed expanding economic relations, especially in the banking and insurance sectors, and regional cooperation, specifically in the fight against terrorism, Hamid Aboutalebi, Rouhani's deputy chief of staff tweeted, according to IRNA. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in Dubai and Kylie MacLellan in London; Editing by Giles Elgood)
Megan Fox has given birth to baby No. 3.

Fox, 30, and her husband, actor Brian Austin Green, 43, have reportedly welcomed a baby boy named Journey River Green on Aug. 4, according to E! News. The couple also have two sons named Noah, 3, and Bodhi, 2.

Though the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows star didn't make an official announcement about her pregnancy, she let her belly speak for itself at CinemaCon in April when she wore a tight Versace dress that showed off her growing baby bump.

Read more: Molly Sims Pregnant With Third Child

Apparently the actress's newborn already has the ability to convince her do whatever he wants. While appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in June, she told the late-night host that "I feel you receive messages from the child if you're open to it."

She continued: "For instance, this baby wanted me to live somewhere else, so we're moving to a whole different place in Los Angeles because I feel like that's where this baby wants to be raised."

Fox's third child comes nearly a year after she filed for divorce from Green after five years of marriage. However, a source tells E! News that it's not happening "anytime soon."

Fox's rep did not immediately respond to The Hollywood Reporter's request for comment.

Read more: Ellie Kemper Welcomes Baby Boy
Meryl Streep chatted with Yahoo Movies in advance of her new movie, Florence Foster Jenkins. When Streep was speaking with us, we brought up an interview that her co-star Hugh Grant had done with CBS News Sunday Morning, specifically his response to the question: Are you a perfectionist?

I want more takes, Grant told News correspondent Tracy Smith. I want to try new lines. Then I want to interfere in the editing process and then I want to interfere in the advertising process. Everything. Everything. Pretty much Barbra Streisand in trousers, I am.

I would totally agree with that, said Streep, laughing. Florence Foster Jenkins is the first movie Streep and Grant have starred in together. Streep described her perception of the British actor going into the project. Well, you imagine, in the films that you watch [Grant] in, because hes so sort of easy and graceful and self-deprecating, it just looks effortless, the award-winner noted. And you would imagine maybe that he has glancing relationship with the work, but absolutely, its the opposite. He is laser-focused on what hes doing and what everyone is doing. Hes got a big brain and sort of a deep interest in the whole piece, so yes. Very involved with [director Stephen Frears], and I heard a lot about late-night emails.

But turnabout is fair play. If she was going to talk about her perception of Grant, we thought it would be only right to ask Streep what her perception of  Meryl Streep is. I dont really look back that way, she told us. I am really focused on employment next month, you know, and keeping going. I dont know. I just have a relentless kind of curiosity about different kinds of people.

Hugh Grant Was a Little Bitter When He Didnt Get a Nomination for About a Boy:

Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Khail Anonymous, on Twitter.
Coatzacoalcos (Mexico) (AFP) - Mothers searching for missing loved ones said they have found seven clandestine gravesites with remains of an undetermined number of people in the eastern Mexican state of Veracruz, one of the most afflicted by drug gang violence.

Marcela Zurita Rosas, a participant in the search, said Tuesday the graves were found this week in a plot of land in the city of Veracruz, in an area near a major seaport.

"On Monday, we found three graves with bones and on Tuesday four more were found with remains of people who were murdered," she said.

Rosas, who has received training in forensic anthropology and search techniques, is a member of a group called El Solecito. It was formed by mothers who decided to organize their own searches for missing loved ones after growing tired of waiting for the authorities to act.

Rosas is looking for her son, Dorian Javier Rivera Zurita, who disappeared in Cordoba, Veracruz in October 2012.

The latest finds were made on the same plot of land where five decapitated bodies were found in 2015.

Mexico's federal police are guarding the property while forensic specialists remove the remains and transfer them to Mexico City for DNA analysis, said Rosas, expressing hope that "many people find their loved ones and can bury them."

A police officer taking part in the investigation said the remains were in pieces but were from at least two people.

Veracruz has been the scene of a deadly turf struggle between two violent drug cartels: the Zetas and the Jalisco Nueva Generacion.

One of the most shocking cases involved the disappearance in January of five youths, one of them a minor, who were picked up by police and turned over to drug traffickers and allegedly murdered, their remains incinerated and ground up in a mill.

Clandestine burial grounds have proliferated in Mexico alongside a surge in violence that has claimed 166,000 lives nationwide since 2006, according to official figures. More than 27,000 people have gone missing during that period.

The government statistics do not specify how many of those violent deaths and disappearances are linked to drug trafficking.
2016 Rio Olympics - Swimming - Final - Men's 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay Final - Olympic Aquatics Stadium - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 09/08/2016. Michael Phelps (USA) of USA reacts after his team won the gold medal. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

We all know that Michael Phelps is an amazing athlete, but according to The Washington Post, he's tied an Olympic record that's stood for over 2,000 years.

According to The Post, Leonidas of Rhodes, who competed in the ancient Olympics, holds the record with 12 individual Olympic titles. Phelps, of course, has 25 total Olympic medals, including a record 21 Olympic gold medals, but only 12 of those 21 have come from individual events, whereas the others came from relays.

Leonidas of Rhodes won gold medals in three events, in four straight Olympiads, which historians consider to be the all-time record.

ICYMI, Leonidas won the stadion, diaulos, and hoplite race at the 164-160-156-152 BC Ancient Olympic Games. 4 consecutive in 3 diff events  Bill Mallon (@bambam1729) August 10, 2016

According to historians, Leonidas of Rhodes was the closest thing to an Olympic god, winning his last three gold medals at 36. He competed in the stadion (a track event similar to the 200-meter sprint), the diaulos (described as twice as long as the stadion, or about 400 meters), and the hoplite.

The hoplite, apparently, was the most unique, and just sounds cool.

The Post describes the hoplite race like this: "The hoplitodromos  also called the hoplite race  might be the most intriguing. Runners competing in the ancient race were required to wear a helmet, leg armor and carry a shield. With 50 pounds of added weight, it was a test of strength as much as speed or endurance."

But times have changed. Phelps already broke the modern record in London, held by Ray Ewry, who competed in the 1900, '04, and '08 Olympic Games. And now, he's about to break the all-time record.

NOW WATCH: Why Michael Phelps and other Olympians have big red circles all over their skin





More From Business Insider


By Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi ZURICH (Reuters) - Amnesty International warned of a buildup of migrants on Italy's border with Switzerland and demanded clarification from Swiss authorities over reports by children that they had been sent back when trying to join their parents there. Switzerland said the buildup was due to an influx of African migrants seeking passage to north European countries such as Germany. Any individual requesting asylum would be granted the opportunity. Several hundred migrants have been sleeping near the train station in Como, Italy, since July after a Swiss clamp down on crossings. "We're concerned about reports from minors who by their own accounts were sent back to Italy at the Swiss border and were prevented from joining family members in Switzerland," Amnesty International Switzerland said in a statement on Tuesday. "If a minor has family members in Switzerland who could care for her or him, ultimately Switzerland should process that asylum request," the agency added. Some two-thirds of the nearly 7,500 migrants who reached Switzerland via the southern canton of Ticino have been turned back since early July, a steep rise from the one in seven denied entry earlier this year. That proportion was still rising in recent weeks. Swiss authorities said this was due to an influx of people -- mainly from Eritrea, Gambia and Ethiopia -- wishing to transit Switzerland from Italy to Germany or other northern European countries, which requires a valid permit. But any individual requesting asylum in Switzerland -- or communicating a desire to do so to border guards -- would be granted the opportunity, customs and migration authorities said. That practice hadn't changed in recent weeks, they said. Martin Reichlin of the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) said he would expect any child arriving at the border and attempting to join relatives in Switzerland to be delivered to the care of his organization. Authorities have a responsibility to inform minors of their rights, Amnesty said, and a systematic return of children would be incompatible with the U.N Convention on the Rights of the Child. "Recognizing the precarious circumstances for refugees in northern Italy, it's unacceptable to turn away especially vulnerable people," Amnesty said. Migrants turned back at the French and Swiss borders are beginning to pile up in Milan, the city's mayor, Giuseppe Sala, said on Tuesday. More than 3,000 migrants in transit to other European countries were stranded in Italy's financial capital. (Reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi in Zurich and Steven Scherer in Rome; editing by Ralph Boulton)
Donald Trump issued a dramatic warning Wednesday afternoon to court voters concerned about the Appalachian coal industry.

Many coal miners were in attendance during Trumps speech at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon, Va. The Republican presidential candidate urged those in the mining community to turn out to vote on Nov. 8 even if they are frustrated with the system because, he said, the fate of their industry hangs in the balance.

It is the last shot for the miners. That I know, Trump said. And Im not like a neutral for the miners. Im not like, Oh, well hell be all right. Hillary will be a horror show, and Im going to be an unbelievable positive. But this is the last shot. The mines will be gone. The mines will be gone if she gets elected.

According to Trump, the election of Democrat Hillary Clinton would be the death knell for the mining industry.

You look at the bad judgment and now were going to put her in charge of our country  we wont have a country left. So I just ask the people of Virginia and the people in this room, and in particular because were in such a mining area, give it one more chance. I know youre discouraged. Give it one more chance.

Throughout the speech, Trump presented himself as a champion of the fossil fuel industry. He contrasted himself with Clinton, who was endorsed early in the Democratic primary by the environmentalist group League of Conservation Voters.

The Manhattan billionaire referenced the moment in which Clinton claimed her policies would put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business as the country transitioned toward renewable energy. She later said she misspoke.

I dont know how to explain it other than what I said was totally out of context for what I meant, because I have been talking about helping coal country for a very long time, Clinton clarified, according to PolitiFact.

It was a misstatement because what I was saying is the way things are going now, they will continue to lose jobs. It didnt mean that we were going to do it. What I said is that is going to happen unless we take action to help and prevent it, she continued.

Story continues

Before the speech, World War II veteran Emory Altizer, 95, who has been a coal miner for 68 years, presented Trump with a flame safety lamp to demonstrate the industrys support for his economic plan and opposition to President Obama and the Environmental Protection Agencys energy initiatives.

When he wasnt hammering home common themes in his stump speeches  Clintons private email server, securing the U.S.-Mexico border, etc.  Trump spent a good deal of time empathizing with the plight of coal miners and other blue-collar workers who have fallen on hard times in recent years.

He recalled a conversation he had with several coal miners in which he asked whether the economic difficulties of their profession might ever compel them to take up a different career path. They told him that they did not want to do anything else, he said.

Trump said he could relate to the desire of coal miners to carry on a family tradition of working in a particular trade because he did just that, albeit in real estate.

I understood this very well because my father was in real estate, I went into real estate, it was sort of [you] do that. They said, Mr. Trump, we love mining. We dont want to do anything else. We love mining. I so understood that. It was so incredible. And they all said it like at the same time. They want to be miners. But their jobs have been taken away and were going to bring them back, Trump said to applause.

Coal miners holding up black and yellow signs that read Trump digs coal were seated behind Trump on stage, which was flanked by the American and Virginia flags.

NAFTA has been a disaster. Its been a disaster not just for Virginia but for virtually every state, Trump said of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Upstate New York, it looks like a war zone. Thats why I won, so much, and I got the upstate vote in numbers that nobodys seen before.

Trump, who easily won his home states primary, painted a picture of urban decay that would resonate with the coal miners: beautiful abandoned factories that had once been the lifeblood of small towns throughout the Northeast.

Upstate New York, you go to New England you see the factories, these beautiful old factories that you see, they were once thriving, thousands and thousands of people working, Trump said. And those people now are doing part-time jobs. Theyre working two jobs. Theyre making less money than they made 18 years ago.
tunisia_banner1

For the thousands of Tunisians who poured onto the streets to protest the despotic regime of President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, the day the dictator left power  Jan. 14, 2011  represents a monumental victory. It was the moment they felt free for the first time in their lives.

Hatem Ben Salem does not share those fond memories. At the time of the uprising, he was in the government, serving as the countrys minister of education. I remember the moment they announced that Ben Ali fled the country, he says. I was in shock. For me Ben Ali was not just a person. He was the president of the country. He represented the prestige and the power of the state.

Unsurprisingly, Ben Salem took the revolution personally. Its still one of the biggest shocks of my life, he says. I said to myself that everything that I thought Id been building throughout my life was destroyed, everything that Id been building for the country, not for me personally.

For many Tunisians, the uprising ushered in a welcome new era, giving them a chance to build an open society based on the participation of all citizens. Since 2011, Tunisia has experienced three rounds of fair and free elections and adopted a new constitution. Freedom of expression and freedom of assembly have transformed how Tunisians perceive and exercise their political rights.

Yet the transition has been marred by many problems. The rise of Islamist militancy and the decline of the economy have proven traumatic. Unemployment remains high and corruption is still rampant. Revolutionary demands for justice and equal opportunity are far from fulfilled, and the optimism of the early post-uprising years is giving way to creeping disillusionment and a certain wistfulness for the days of the old regime. That nostalgia was reflected in the victory of Beji Caid Essebsi and his Nidaa Tounes party in the 2014 election. Essebsi was a veteran of the governments of both Ben Ali and his predecessor Habib Bourguiba, so his ascension to power emboldened other former regime figures and facilitated their return to politics.

Story continues

Map of northern Tunisia

Today, Ben Salem serves as director of the Tunisian Institute of Strategic Studies, a government think tank. He was named to lead the institute by Essebsi in 2015, a decision that drew criticism from those who saw the appointment as the return of yet another familiar face associated with the ousted regime.

Ben Salem saw in the presidents offer a chance for political rehabilitation. Though he had initially decided to stay away from politics after the revolution, the new post made him feel appreciated: He was still being trusted to do something important for his country  in this case, helping to come up with ideas for fixing its persistent economic malaise.

One of the presidents main proposals for reviving the economy involves a controversial economic reconciliation law, first introduced in July 2015. The law has become a flashpoint for those who worry about overcoming the legacy of the old regime. As proposed, it would essentially allow those who profited from their closeness to a corrupt dictatorship to evade justice as long as they return the public funds they had diverted. The president and those who defend the law say it is an integral part of the transitional justice process, and that drawing a line under prosecutions of past malfeasance is a necessary precondition for attracting much-needed foreign investment.

When it was first proposed, however, the economic reconciliation law was met with a storm of criticism from activists, who worried, among other things, that its confidentiality provisions would prevent the public from learning details of corruption under the old regime. (The laws critics ultimately succeeded in having it removed from consideration by lawmakers, at least for a while.)

Amna Guellali of Human Rights Watch notes that the law, which was resubmitted to parliament just a few weeks ago, is not built around the idea of truth-telling. All the information obtained will be kept secret, preventing any future learning, teaching, or institutional reform based on the findings. Guelalli notes that a transitional justice law passed in 2013 contains provisions on human rights violations as well as economic corruption. The law created a Truth and Dignity Commission that, while criticized for some failings, provided a transparent mechanism for reviewing transgressions committed under the old regime.

Yes, there were corrupt people in the regime, says Ben Salem, who denies having profited from his place in the pre-revolutionary government. There were those who received bribes. But there were those who were not corrupt and who served the country like me. And there are many of them.

Ben Salem says he was subject to unfounded accusations in the aftermath of the uprising. I was interrogated because a teacher sued me, he says. Ben Salems accuser had been turned down for a promotion, a problem he blamed on corruption. At the time, I wasnt even minister of education. I was interrogated but they let me go because they had nothing on me. On the day he left his job as a minister of education, Ben Salem says, his assets consisted of $1,500 in his bank account and $2,000 in cash loaned to him by friends because he had recently built a house.

Corruption isnt the only grievance that some Tunisians harbor against Ben Ali and those who worked for him. The former regime was notorious for its persecution and systematic torture of political opponents.

Ben Salem admits that the Ben Ali regime may at some point have used terrorism as a pretext to persecute various groups, but he claims that he was far from all the political entanglements between Ben Ali and his opponents. My only involvement was when I was the general coordinator of human rights, and that lasted six months. I resigned because I couldnt do anything.

Nor is that all. Having served as Tunisias ambassador to various African countries, Ben Salem was part of the regimes propaganda machine. In interviews at the time, Ben Salem denied the existence of torture in Tunisia. There is no torture, he declared in one interview. This is an unacceptable phenomenon that Tunisia has always condemned.

Ben Salems claim contradicts what many local and international observers have noted. Torture was rampant in Tunisian prisons during the 23-year Ben Ali presidency, and blighted the lives of thousands, said Eric Goldstein, Human Rights Watch deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Ben Salem not only attempted to deny Ben Alis infamous history of torture. He also sought to polish the regimes image by claiming that press was free in Tunisia and that freedoms were respected. When asked about the interview, Ben Salem smirked. What would you imagine me to say as the ambassador of the Tunisian Republic in Geneva? Did you want me to say the opposite? Im proud of what I did. He insists that he has no regrets. We were in an information war. That was my conviction.

He says that he knew that the regime was flawed. But he was convinced that the system had to be fixed from within. He believed, he says, that the authoritarian regime had no future and that one day it would be reformed. I thought it would be reformed by us and not in the streets, he adds.

After finishing his studies in France and earning a doctorate in public law, Ben Salem returned to Tunisia. He said he had two choices. He could join the private sector, making money by practicing law. Or he could try to work for the government. I wanted to serve my country. I didnt believe in political opposition. I believed in the possibility of changing the system from within. I saw how those who joined the opposition ended up being marginalized and did nothing for Tunisia.

He started at the lowest level of politics, joining the Democratic Constitutional Rally party (known by its French acronym, RCD), as an ordinary member. He soon moved up to the post of mayor of the city of Manouba.

In pre-revolutionary Tunisia, the ruling party had a bad reputation among wide swathes of the population. Being a member, an RCDist, typecast you as an informant for the regime, and that you were not to be trusted. Ben Salem concedes that many RCD members were corrupt. But despite the bad reputation, he insists that the party represented an elite segment of Tunisian society, and that most of its members genuinely wanted to serve the country.

He says that he wanted to put his education and his experience at Tunisias service. I did not want to stay away and let the corrupt take advantage of the country. I was better than many others. I was protecting the country.

Ben Salem thinks that post-revolutionary Tunisia has been unfair to those with stories like his. He decries what he sees as the tendency to condemn everyone who served the regime, regardless of their actual actions. Come see what I own and what I have in my bank account, he says. But people dont want to do that. They would rather put everyone in the same basket.

If hes right about that, the logical answer would be to encourage transparency about the past, facilitating open discussion about old transgressions rather than obscuring them. In this respect, indeed, one could argue that the economic reconciliation law, presumably designed to enable the country to move on, will only lead to further demonization of former regime members. Whether or not Hatem Ben Salem actually has been involved in corruption or human rights abuses may never be known. If hes innocent, he has nothing to fear from any future investigation conducted by the Truth and Dignity Commission. But if the economic reconciliation law passes, the world may never know.

Photo credit: SOPHIA BARAKET for Foreign Policy

Read more from Tunisia: In Sun and Shadow:

Tunisias Glorious Confusion:The dawn of democracy is something to root for  but the forces that have pulled the other Arab Spring countries back into upheaval still threaten to undo its progress.

Tunisias War on Islam: Is overzealous prosecution of the war on terror contributing to radicalization?

A Verdict on Change: This ambitious young judge wants to change Tunisias justice system. But he still has to type out his own verdicts.

The Storyteller: Shukrii Mabkhout is not just a novelist  hes the biographer of modern Tunisia.

El Khadra Still Cant Breathe: This devastated community has been calling for help for years. Even in the new Tunisia, no ones listening.

Not Arab, and Proud of It: Tunisias long-suppressed Amazigh minority is finding its voice for the first time in years.

The Tourism Crash: Terrorist attacks have left the sector reeling  but its problems actually go much deeper..

Crisis of Governance: Local Edition: In many ways, democratic Tunisia remains just as centralized as it was before the revolution. And thats a big problem for the mayor of Kasserine.

Tunisias Dying Jazz: New freedoms have brought art and religion into conflict, threatening to crush a tradition trapped in the middle.

Trouble in the Wild East: The border town of Ben Guerdane is a haven for smugglers. Locals would like to keep it that way.

Terms of Abuse: On paper, Tunisias revolution has boosted legal protections for women. Yet the reality is starkly different.

Five Years of the New Tunisia: From revolution to disillusionment and back again: Milestones on Tunisias rocky path to democracy.

The Mainstreaming of Tunisias Islamists: The Ennahda Partys latest moves put its political astuteness on show once again.
Kirill Zdorov/iStock.com

Hopeful home buyers can be denied loans for all kinds of reasons, from a poor credit score to low income. It sucks, but it makes sense: Lenders prefer giving cash to people who can pay them back. (Can you blame them?) Yet, sometimes people are turned away for dumb reasons. Take, for instance, the recent case of a Philadelphia mom who was denied a mortgage because she was on maternity leave. It was even paid maternity leave, with a firm date to return to her job. Whats up with that?

According to the Washington Post, the mom in question (who remains anonymous) had applied for financing with her husband to fund renovations on a house in Philadelphia. But due to her maternity leave, her pay stubs showed she was on short-term disability, which prompted the loans underwriter to surmise she might not resume working full timeeven though her employer was happy to submit a letter indicating the day shed return to the office.

And this mom is hardly alone: Over the past six years, the Department of Housing and Urban Development has documented over 200 cases alleging maternity-related discrimination against women seeking mortgages. In one case, a lender in Arkansas allegedly told the applicant that shed have to be back at work before her loan could close!

And this is a shame, because housing discriminationbased on gender, familial status, disability, race, and other factorshas been illegal since the Fair Housing Act of 1968. Yet apparently it still exists even at prominent mortgage companies, as evidenced by the cases against Wells Fargo, Bank of America, PNC Mortgage, and others.

As for why this happens, experts surmise its because some lenders have outdated notions of women in the workplace, presuming most will bail or scale back on their jobs once kids enter the picture, permanently reducing the familys income and eligibility for a loan. But its hardly the norm: Census data suggest that more than half of first-time mothers return to work within three months. Another study by the Department of Health and Human Services Maternal and Child Health Bureau found that the average maternity leave lasted a mere 10 weeks.

Story continues

Bottom line: These days, many moms return to the officeyet some mortgage companies have missed that memo. But luckily, some moms are fighting backlike the Philadelphia woman above, who has recently reached a conciliation agreement with the lender, Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. Although the company denied discriminating against her, it also agreed to conduct fair lending training sessions with staff.

And more should follow, Shanna Smith, president and chief executive of the National Fair Housing Alliance, told the Post: There needs to be much better training for [lenders] about how to deal with interrupted income for loan closings when a woman is pregnant and [on] paid maternity leave.

All of which may have women everywhere wondering: If they hope to buy a home, might maternity leave get in their way? And if so, what should they do? Probably the first step is just knowing that its wrong: Maternity leavepaid or unpaidis not a legitimate reason to refuse a loan.

It always helps when you know your rights, says David Reiss, research director at the Center for Urban Business Entrepreneurship at Brooklyn Law School. If your lender appears to be violating fair lending laws, you may want to raise the issue directly with your banker and ask to speak to the supervisor to ask the bank to clarify its policy. If your lender continues to enforce a discriminatory policy, you can reach out to the relevant regulators, including HUD and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Because after all, the last thing you should be worrying about when youve got your hands full with baby is whether or not you can buy a home.

The post Mom on Maternity Leave Denied a Mortgage: Could It Happen to You? appeared first on Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com.





Related Articles
By Mica Rosenberg and Brett Wolf

NEW YORK/ST. LOUIS, AUGUST 10 (Reuters) - In 2011, amid a crackdown on international money laundering, the U.S. Treasury Department tried to close a loophole that authorities said allows drug cartels to move bulk cash across borders on gift and other prepaid cards.

The department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) proposed that money stored on these cards count toward a U.S. requirement to report cross-border movement of cash of $10,000 or more.

But FinCEN later withdrew its proposed rule after pushback from the prepaid card industry, according to law enforcement sources. The move has not been previously reported.

In response to questions from Reuters, FinCEN spokesman Stephen Hudak said the rule was being reworked and would be resubmitted, possibly by 2017.

"It's not dead," Hudak said.

The lack of a rule has stymied efforts to crack down on cross-border crime, including drug trafficking and money laundering, law enforcement officials said. The U.S. Department of Justice estimated in 2009 that up to $24 billion in cash is smuggled into Mexico each year, some of it on prepaid cards.

The use of the cards has grown steadily in recent years. More than $623 billion was loaded on gift cards and other types of prepaid cards in the United States in 2015, according to data from the Massachusetts-based Mercator Advisory Group.

For a graphic on prepaid cards: http://tmsnrt.rs/2b8nCxO)

The prepaid card industry opposed the rule, saying it would have discouraged people from using the cards.

"Implementing onerous requirements on reloadable prepaid cards could disproportionately harm vulnerable consumers, who rely on these products as their sole means of access to the financial services system," said Brad Fauss, President and CEO of the Network Branded Prepaid Card Association.

In March 2013, two years after FinCEN proposed amending the Bank Secrecy Act with the new rule, industry representatives met with officials from FinCEN and the Department of Homeland Security at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which reviews regulations, according to a record of the meeting topic, date and attendees published on a White House website.

Story continues

Visa Inc., the world's largest payments network operator and a major brand on prepaid cards, was the most vocal opponent at the meeting, according to a person who attended. Any member of the public can request a meeting about a regulatory action under review, and the OMB views these meetings as listening sessions.

In November 2014, FinCEN withdrew its proposal.

FinCEN's Hudak declined to comment on the meeting. He said the agency withdrew the rule "for further consideration and analysis of the benefits and costs."

Meetings between OMB and parties with a stake in proposed regulations are common, and it often takes years for an agency to complete the review of proposed regulations. But it is unusual for agencies to withdraw rules once they are proposed. Over the past decade, less than 6 percent of draft regulations were withdrawn by the agency that proposed them, according to OMB statistics.

In exchanges with law enforcement officials, "FinCEN just regurgitated the same arguments that the industry put out there," said a law enforcement source who asked not to be quoted on relationships with regulators.

A Visa spokeswoman declined to comment on the meeting. She said Visa's prepaid cards "are in full compliance with the law and are designed to deter illegal activities such as money laundering."

LIMITED DATA

Prepaid cards come in a variety of forms. So-called "open loop" cards carry credit card company logos and are re-loadable. Gift cards that can be used at specific outlets are known as "closed loop" cards.

Fauss, president of the prepaid card association, said that, unlike cash, open loop cards can not be used anonymously because they require vendors to collect purchasers' identification.

Law enforcement officials said they have little information about how often the cards are used for illicit transfers, and the rule would have shed light on how often the cards are crossing borders.

During the routine 60-day public comment period on the rule in 2011, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement submitted one comment supporting the rule. Industry groups and card companies submitted a dozen opposing it.

The industry said it would be difficult to implement because, in order to check balances, border agents would need card scanners, which are expensive and invade customer privacy. It said cross-border tracking was unnecessary because card companies already have implemented load limits and other controls.

The industry also argued the rule could unfairly affect the poor. Prepaid cards can be used for U.S. government benefits and payrolls for workers without bank accounts.

This type of argument has been raised more broadly by financial institutions claiming overzealous money-laundering regulation has led to "de-risking," where banks pull out of certain lines of business and even parts of the world, leaving few options for some customers.

"The proposed rule could result in bank-issued prepaid cards being stigmatized as second-class financial products in comparison to debit cards and credit cards," wrote Alex Miller, Visa's then-associate General Counsel in one of the 2011 comment letters.

The industry also opposed bipartisan Congressional legislation in 2010 calling for controls on prepaid cards. The bills died after the Network Branded Prepaid Card Association lobbied against them, according to records compiled by the nonprofit organization Center for Responsive Politics.

Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, co-chaired a 2011 Senate Caucus hearing on money laundering that aired concerns about prepaid cards. He did not know FinCEN had withdrawn its proposed regulation until he and Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat from California, sent letters last year to the Secretary of the Treasury and the Director of the OMB asking about it, a Grassley spokeswoman said.

"The long delays in finalizing regulations to crack down on this practice are frustrating to those of us who want to stop this way of laundering criminal proceeds," Grassley said in an emailed statement.

In 2011, Kumar Kibble, then Deputy Director at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement testified in Congress that authorities had found hundreds of the cards hidden "in a compartment similar to those used to conceal cash, drugs and other contraband."

John Tobon, deputy special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Miami, said the cards can be used to pay couriers smuggling money, drugs or other merchandise as large cash transactions come under greater scrutiny.

He said the European Union has become concerned about the use of the cards in recent terror plots. The EU recently published a proposal that would increase regulation of the cards in member states.

"The regulations are absolutely still necessary," Tobon said.

(Reporting by Mica Rosenberg in New York and Brett Wolf of Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence; Editing by Amy Stevens and Lisa Girion)
By Lin Taylor LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - More than half of British women have been sexually harassed at work, according to a survey published on Wednesday, but almost 80 percent said they did not report the incident to their employer. Nearly one in five respondents said the perpetrator was their direct supervisor, and around a quarter said they felt they would not be taken seriously or believed if they reported the harassment. Young women between 18 and 24 fared worse than other age groups, with two-thirds experiencing workplace sexual harassment, according to the report by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and women's rights group Everyday Sexism. "The numbers are shocking and it should be a wake up-call," Alice Hood, head of equality at TUC told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "Sexual harassment is still a really big problem for women in the workplace. It's certainly not gone away." She said many women did not report the incident because they were embarrassed, thought they would not be taken seriously, or feared it would damage career prospects. Sexual harassment can include sexual jokes or innuendos, the circulation of pornography, inappropriate touching or unwanted sexual advances, according to the report, which surveyed 1,533 women across Britain aged between 18 and 65. Almost a third of women said they had been the subject of sexual jokes at work, and one quarter said they had experienced unwanted touching, such as on the knee or lower back. "Things have not improved anywhere near as much as people would like to think," said Laura Bates, founder of Everyday Sexism. "It's so pervasive because it isn't being talked about. Women don't feel they are able to come forward, and when they do, it isn't being dealt with at all." Hood said employers must confront and deal with harassment through staff training, changing workplace culture and by implementing robust policies. "Maybe it's happening on email or social media - but it's still harassment and it still has a really humiliating effect on people experiencing it," she added. "Employers need to do much more - it is clearly a huge problem. The first step is taking it seriously ... so people know that harassment won't be tolerated." (Reporting by Lin Taylor @linnytayls, Editing by Emma Batha.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters that covers humanitarian issues, conflicts, global land and property rights, modern slavery and human trafficking, women's rights, and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org to see more stories)
From Woman's Day

How many people do you consider to be a part of your close circle of friends? Go ahead, take a moment and count 'em up-and then cut that number in half.

New research indicates that your set of friends is probably a lot smaller than you realize-and that we're pretty bad at knowing who our true friends are. A study published earlier this year in PLOS One revealed that for most people, only 50 percent of our friendly feelings are reciprocated. In other words, probably only half of the people you consider friends would call you a friend, and vice versa.

In the study, MIT researchers analyzed 84 people in a business management class and asked them to rank their relationships with their classmates on a scale of zero to five. A zero indicated no friendship or relationship at all, a three indicated friendship, and a five meant this person was one of their best friends.

When the results were tallied, 94 percent of the study volunteers predicted that their feelings would be reciprocated, but the researchers found that only 53 percent of those friendships were validated by the other person.

Similarly, an Oxford University study published earlier this year revealed that most of your Facebook friends don't care about you. The Facebook users in this study only considered a mere 28 percent of their social connections to be "true friends."

Photo credit: Getty Images

While the MIT study only included a small number of people, a recent article in The New York Times indicates that various studies analyzing the relationships of over 92,000 people over the past 10 years have found similar results: That friendship is only reciprocated about half of the time, or less.

There are a few potential reasons for this disparity, according to experts. First, friendship is hard to define, especially as an adult. Adults tend to see a friend as a serviceable thing in one's life, rather than a meaningful relationship.

"Treating friends like investments or commodities is anathema to the whole idea of friendship," Ronald Sharp, a professor who teaches a course on the literature of friendship at Vassar College told the New York Times. "It's not about what someone can do for you, it's who and what the two of you become in each other's presence." Social media seems to be intensifying the problem, Sharp explained. "The notion of doing nothing but spending time in each other's company has, in a way, become a lost art," Sharp said. "People are so eager to maximize efficiency of relationships that they have lost touch with what it is to be a friend."

Story continues

Another relationship expert quoted in the Times, researcher and psychologist Robin I.M. Dunbar, confirmed the study's findings with his own research, explaining that people can only have at most five close friends. "There is a limited amount of time and emotional capital we can distribute, so we only have five slots for the most intense type of relationship," Dunbar said. "People may say they have more than five, but you can be pretty sure they are not high-quality friendships."

The bottom line? It's worth identifying who, among the many people you encounter on a daily basis, truly enriches your life and makes time for you, because quality is much more important than quantity when it comes to friends.

(h/t Science Alert)
Ottawa (AFP) - A 33-year-old mother has been charged with sexually assaulting her own children -- a four-year-old and a teenager -- casting them in child pornography and prostituting the youngest daughter, police said Wednesday.

The woman, whose identity was withheld to protect the children, had been in custody on an assault charge that has been upgraded to attempted murder, the Niagara Regional Police Service said in a statement.

"This accused female is the biological mother of two female victims under the age of 18 years old, the youngest being four years of age," Constable Philip Gavin said.

"The charges are based on allegations that she was sexually assaulting both of her children," he said.

Some of the alleged assaults against her eldest daughter date back approximately six years ago, according to police. The victim would have been 12 years old at the time.

The woman is also accused of distributing sexually explicit images of her daughters "for her own personal gain," police said.

A total of six children between the ages of four and 17 were identified from pornographic images uncovered by police, and rescued.

Five men were also charged in the case, including the target of the alleged attempted murder.
As Donald Trump drops in the polls and alienates would-be allies, the National Rifle Association is standing by the Republican presidential nominee. The organization rushed to Trumps defense after the candidate wondered aloud at a rally on Tuesday whether Second Amendment people could do anything to stop Hillary Clinton getting to pick her judgesa comment widely interpreted as a thinly-veiled call for Clintons assassination.

In response, the NRA tweeted that Trump is right, noting that if Clinton gets to appoint Supreme Court justices theres nothing we can do. The NRA added in a second tweet: But there IS something we will do on #ElectionDay: Show up and vote. The tweet ended with the hashtag #NeverHillary. The gun-rights group echoed the explanation sent out by the Trump campaign, which suggested that his remarks referred to the political power of Second Amendment supporters, who will be voting in record numbers.

Thats not all the NRA is doing to show that it wants to see Clinton defeated. The organizations political-victory fund launched a roughly $3 million anti-Clinton ad buy calling the former secretary of state an out-of-touch hypocrite who would leave you defenselessness. Citing an NRA spokesperson, CNN reported that its the most expensive pro-Trump ad buy to date.

At a time when many prominent Republicans are attempting to distance themselves from Trump or are outright defecting to Clinton, the NRAs apparent loyalty is striking. Not everyone has been so quick to defend Trumps latest controversial remarks. House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters that Trumps Second Amendment remarks sounded like a joke gone bad, adding, You should never joke about that. I hope he clears it up quickly.

Recommended: How American Politics Went Insane

But how much does the NRAor other gun-rights supportersactually like Trump? Data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics suggests that, as of June 2016, Trump was far from the favorite Republican presidential candidate among gun-rights supporters. This group spent more money in support of Republican presidential candidates Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, and others than they did for Trumpa figure which includes spending by the NRA. For the organization, as for many Republicans, its possible that Trump may be a candidate of last resort.

It can be difficult to determine where Trump actually stands on most policy issues, and guns are no exception. As The Intercept pointed out in January: Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump has campaigned as an ardent advocate of expanding gun rights, but in the past he called for banning assault weapons and a longer waiting period for gun purchases.

Politico reported that after Trumps Second Amendment comments, Bob Owens, the editor of the website BearingArms.com, tweeted that Trumps words were neither nuanced nor clever but a threat of violence. As a REAL supporter of the #2A it's appalling to me. The article notes, however, that after a reporter asked the NRA about his tweet, he deleted that post, and wrote an editorial titled, No, Donald Trump Did Not Just Suggest Hillary Clinton Should Be Assassinated. Back in February, Owens bylined an article on the site declaring: Donald Trump Will Be the Death of the Second Amendment.

Recommended: Parsing Obama's Sexy, Sometimes Woke Summer Playlist

This isnt the first time the NRA has worked to help Trump. The NRA endorsed Trump in May. Its political arm launched a $2 million ad buy in support of Trump at the end of June featuring a survivor of the Benghazi attacks. The ad, though, explicitly acknowledges that Trump may not be a first choice for many voters. A lot of people say theyre not going to vote this November cause their candidate didnt win, the ad says. Text appears on screen that reads Stop. Hillary. Now. before flashing to: Trump 2016.

So why would reluctant gun rights advocates back Trump? Theres lot more at stake in November than just the White House, including the future make-up of the Supreme Court. As the NRA said in a Tweet responding to the controversy on Tuesday:

Its not just supporters of gun rights: Republicans all across the country will have to ask themselves in November whether its worth voting for a candidate who has so often strayed from their particular orthodoxy. Plenty of voters will ultimately opt to stand with the Republican nominee. But that doesnt mean theyll do it without reservation.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
By Shwe Yee Saw Myint and Aung Hla Tun YANGON (Reuters) - Two Myanmar labor rights groups looking after migrant workers said Myanmar authorities had blocked them from operating in Thailand because they had criticized recruitment practices as "legal human trafficking". Up to 3 million people from Myanmar are working in neighboring Thailand, many doing menial jobs, and contributing a significant portion to total remittances that amount to 5 percent of gross domestic product, according to a World Bank estimate. The two groups, Aid Alliance Committee for Myanmar Workers (AAC) and Myanmar Association in Thailand (MAT), need permission from their government to operate. But the groups said permission had been revoked after they called in a news conference last week for their government to crack down on Myanmar employment agencies, whose practices they said led to the mistreatment and even imprisonment of workers. "The embassy revoked the license it issued to us," Ye Min of the AAC told Reuters late on Tuesday. "We've decided to stop operations since we can't do anything without a license," Ye Min said, adding the AAC believed the embassy action was in response to their criticism at last week's news conference. The embassy did not respond to requests for comment but the permanent secretary at the foreign ministry, Aung Lynn, denied that the embassy in Bangkok has anything to do with the affair. He blamed the problem on infighting among activists and denied that their licenses had been revoked. Last week, the labor groups criticized arrangements for workers and called on the government led by democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi, who met migrant workers in Thailand on a visit there in June, to overhaul the system. "Only corrupt Myanmar officials and dishonest job agencies close to them are benefiting from existing policy and practices," Kyaw Thaung of the MAT told the news conference. The MAT likened the system to "legal human trafficking". Officials at the Myanmar Labour Ministry, which oversees arrangements for migrant workers, were not available for comment. Kyaw Thaung said that after the news conference, police told him an organization of employment agencies sending workers abroad had filed a defamation case against him. "I feel intimidated because of our open criticism of the malpractice and corruption by officials and job agents, he said. Kyaw Zaw, general secretary of the Myanmar Overseas Employment Agencies Federation confirmed it had reported Kyaw Thaung to the police. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party is drafting a law giving more legal protection to overseas workers, said Myo Zaw Aung, an NLD lawmaker. (Editing by Antoni Slodkowski and Robert Birsel)
Michael Phelps had plenty to celebrate Tuesday night. He also had reason to laugh.

With tears in his eyes, Phelps stood silently as the Star-Spangled Banner played following his gold-medal finish in the 200-meter butterfly. Inexplicably, the U.S. Olympic icon broke out in a fit of laughter.

But nobody really knew what caught Phelps eye.

Michael Phelps laughs following the playing of the national anthem. (Getty)

He cleared up the mystery in his post-race interview with NBC after taking yet another gold in the mens 4200-meter freestyle relay.

My boys from Baltimore were down on the other end, and back in Maryland, we all say O! for the Orioles during that part of the National Anthem. And all of the sudden I hear them roar O! and I knew exactly where I came from, and I just lost it because those guys came down from Baltimore and New York City to be here, and its just special to see those guys in the stands.

Clearly, hometown pride means a lot to Phelps, and he certainly has reason to smile these days. With three gold medals already under his belt in Rio and three events remaining, the 31-year-old looks like hes well on his way to finishing his Olympic career on quite a high note.
(Adds comment from defense lawyer for Robert Schulman)

By Nate Raymond

NEW YORK, Aug 10 (Reuters) - A Long Island investment adviser and a former partner at a major law firm have been indicted on charges that they engaged in insider trading ahead of Pfizer Inc's acquisition of King Pharmaceuticals Inc in 2010, prosecutors said on Wednesday.

Tibor Klein, who owned advisory firm Klein Financial Services, and Robert Schulman, a Washington, D.C., patent lawyer who at the time was with the law firm Hunton & Williams, were charged in an indictment filed in Central Islip, New York.

Prosecutors said Klein, who lives in Melville, New York, learned about the planned $3.6 billion merger from Schulman, who had been representing King Pharmaceuticals in patent litigation since 2009.

Prosecutors said that on the basis of Schulman's tip, Klein bought stock in King on behalf of himself, Schulman and his advisory clients, enabling them to make a combined $300,000 in profits when the deal was announced.

Klein had also tipped a broker in Florida about the expected merger, who traded on the information and split the more than $100,000 in profits he made with Klein, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors did not name the broker, but an earlier U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit identified him as Michael Shechtman, a former Ameriprise Financial Inc stockbroker and friend of Klein's.

Shechtman pleaded guilty in November 2014 to conspiracy to commit securities fraud in connection with the case.

Both Klein, 43, and Schulman, 58, were arrested on charges of conspiracy and securities fraud and are expected to appear later on Wednesday in federal courts in Central Islip and Alexandria, Virginia, respectively.

"We are extremely disappointed by the government's decision to charge Mr. Klein," said Christopher Bruno, his lawyer. "Mr. Klein intends to vigorously defend these charges at trial."

Christopher Mead, Schulman's attorney, in an email said the "evidence at trial will show that my client is innocent."

Story continues

The indictment followed an earlier civil lawsuit in 2013 by the SEC against Klein and Shechtman over the same trades.

The criminal case, though, differs in terms of the SEC's lawsuit by alleging that Schulman, who was most recently a partner at the law firm Arent Fox, intentionally tipped Klein.

The SEC had by contrast alleged that Klein misappropriated the information from Schulman, who during an August 2010 meal at his home after several glasses of wine became intoxicated and blurted out, "It would be nice to be King for a day."

The case is U.S. v. Klein et al, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, No. 16-cr-442.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Marguerita Choy)
NATO on Wednesday took the unusual step of reaffirming that Turkey, a member state since 1952, is in fact still part of the alliance. Turkeys status, NATO said in a statement, is not in question.

But lately it seems like it is. Ankara and Moscow are rekindling their close ties after a nearly nine-month freeze, brought about by tensions over the civil war in Syria and Russian fury over Turkeys downing of a Russian jet that violated its airspace last November. For much of last fall, Vladimir Putin threw insults and economic embargoes at Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan  accusing him, for example, of helping run the Islamic States oil-smuggling operations  as economic ties and tourism between the two countries dwindled.

This week, though, the grimaces turned to grins as the two leaders sought to rededicate themselves to creating the strategic partnership theyve talked about for years and that would include high-profile energy projects like a natural gas pipeline and a nuclear power plant. Putin and Erdogan held an unusually friendly meeting Tuesday, and a Turkish military delegation is bound for St. Petersburg Wednesday to hammer out new defense ties between the two countries.

Turkey-Russia relations are much better than the past, Erdogan said after their nearly two-hour meeting in St. Petersburg, according to a press release put out by his office. Both sides are determined and have the required will to bring the relations to the previous levels and even take it beyond.

Putin was just as effusive, telling reporters that the meeting is of major significance for the future of bilateral relations.

The newfound thaw is a sign that Putin sees a chance to exploit divisions between Turkey and its partners in the West, especially the European Union, NATO, and the United States. Right when Ankara feels abandoned or betrayed by the West, Putin is again dangling juicy incentives to draw Erdogan closer into his embrace.

Story continues

I think [Putin] will use this fear in Ankara to offer both commercial deals and political deals to move Turkey closer to Russia, said Soner Cagaptay, the director of the Turkish research program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

What makes it worrisome, from a U.S. point of view, is that the marriage of convenience comes at a time when NATO is under fire from other quarters. War planners have already suggested that alliance members right now would have trouble defending the Baltic region from a Russian attack. And Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has questioned the alliances very utility and said he wouldnt necessarily help out allies like the Baltic states if they were invaded by Russia.

Putins dream would be to break up the NATO alliance, and Turkey is one of those weak links, said Michael Reynolds, a professor of Ottoman and Russian history at Princeton University.

Turkey and Russia are already moving closer on Syria, a major sticking point between the two counties because Ankara has long backed rebel groups attempting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a close Putin ally whom Moscow has dispatched troops and warplanes to defend.

On Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the state-run Anadolu Agency that Moscow and Ankara now have similar views on the need for a cease-fire and access for humanitarian aid in the country. The remarks came as the Russian Defense Ministry announced a new cease-fire plan for the divided Syrian city of Aleppo involving a daily three-hour cessation of hostilities to allow humanitarian convoys to enter the war-ravaged commercial center, where as many as 2 million people lack access to clean running water, putting children at risk of disease.

Previous Russian plans for the creation of humanitarian corridors have been viewed with skepticism among the rebels and their backers, who believe Damascus uses the pauses to resupply troops. Cavusoglus remarks could signal a new openness toward working with Russia on ending the five-year civil war.

Turkeys rapprochement with Moscow comes as the country is trying to mend fences with other neighbors; it ended a six-year diplomatic spat with Israel recently. But it also comes just one month after an attempted coup that came close to toppling Erdogan and has significantly soured relations between Ankara and Washington. Since the failed coup, Turkey has jailed or detained thousands of soldiers, teachers, and journalists, arguing that they have ties to the network of Fethullah Gulen, a controversial cleric and Erdogan critic who lives in the United States.

Turkey blames Gulen and his followers for organizing the coup attempt and has sought his extradition from the United States. But U.S. officials have not been persuaded that Gulen orchestrated the botched military putsch and have said any extradition request would depend on the evidence  a posture that has infuriated Ankara. Far-fetched allegations in the Turkish press have blamed a range of U.S. actors for the coup, including the Wilson Center, a Washington-based think tank.

For most Turks, the coup attempt, replete with jets bombing the capital city of Ankara and buzzing the streets of Istanbul, packed a huge psychological punch. It has left both the government and opposition parties reeling and looking for the support they feel has been lacking from the West, especially in Washington.

We dont appreciate enough how traumatic that was for Turkey  the last time Ankara came under attack was 1402, when the army of Tamerlane occupied it, Cagaptay said. He called the failed coup the most traumatic event since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, just after World War I.

And yet, many Turks complain, erstwhile allies were critical of their elected government even while it fought to put down the coup attempt. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, for example, urged restraint when he spoke with his Turkish counterpart shortly after the failed coup. Putin, in contrast, was quick to call and offer Erdogan his unconditional support, Turkey says.

The United States has really handled the coup attempt horribly, and that has made a bad situation even worse, Reynolds said. That, he said, made some inside Turkey think, My God, we really would like to have closer relations with the Russians just to stick it to the U.S.

If the U.S. State Department is concerned about warming ties between Moscow and Ankara, its not showing it. On Tuesday, State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said theres nothing wrong or unusual with Erdogan paying a visit to his Russian counterpart, even if the United States has sharp disagreements with Moscow. Its not a zero-sum game, she said.

A senior State Department official, speaking on background, took a similar attitude. We would no more judge Turkey going and visiting Moscow than Turkey should judge us going and visiting France, the official said. They do have a lot in common. They do have economic ties. They are doing business deals.

At any rate, many experts believe that Turkeys more than 60 years inside the NATO alliance will help anchor the country to the West despite Erdogans flirtation with Putin. And even if both Turkey and Russia are seized with anti-American or anti-Western sentiment right now, thats hardly glue enough for a lasting bond, others argue.

But for now Putin has been quick to seize the opportunity for rapprochement that was already in the air before the botched coup. He said Tuesday that Russia would start unwinding economic sanctions on Turkish firms and roll back travel restrictions. He also vowed to jump-start long-stalled energy projects between the two countries, saying that energy and energy projects constitute the key point in our bilateral ties. Turkey is Russias second-biggest customer for natural gas, after Germany, and one of the few markets in Europe poised to grow.

Taken together, that would essentially put the two countries back where they were last year, before Turkish F-16s and Russian intransigence threw a wrench in the works, Cagaptay said.

Russia wants to use this opportunity to make Turkey like what it was a year ago: a member of NATOs southern flank that doesnt always play with the United States, he said.

Photo credit: Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images
Brussels (AFP) - NATO said Wednesday Turkey's membership of the military alliance is "not in question" following the failed coup in July and stressed its "very clear position" of continued support for Ankara.

"Turkeys NATO membership is not in question," spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said in a statement issued in response to "speculative press reports".

"NATO counts on the continued contributions of Turkey and Turkey can count on the solidarity and support of NATO," Lungescu said.

The statement comes the day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a highly-symbolic visit to Russia to mend fences with Moscow, sparking speculation that Ankara's close ties with the West could be at risk.

In Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu insisted the Russian visit had no wider agenda but did warn of the possible consequences if relations with Europe did not improve.

"Our relations with Russia are not a message to the West. We worked very hard to have good relations with Europe for 15 years," Cavusoglu said, as he blasted the European Union for having "encouraged the putschists."

"If the West one day loses Turkey -- whatever our relations with Russia and China -- it will be their fault," he said.

The Russian media on Wednesday hailed Putin's meeting with Erdogan as a major breakthrough, with past grievances forgotten in the interests of building new ties.

Early last month, NATO leaders including Erdogan had endorsed the alliance's largest military revamp since the end of the Cold War to counter a more assertive Russia in the fallout from the Ukraine crisis.

Turkey is NATO's second largest military power after the United States and is a crucial ally as the West faces unprecedented conflict and upheaval across the Middle East.

- Growing hostility to West -

In November, Turkish aircraft shot down a Russian fighter jet along the border with Syria, sparking a crisis in ties with Moscow and strong expressions of support from NATO.

Story continues

Recent reports in the Turkish media, picked up and amplified by the Russian press, have blasted Turkey's allies for their lukewarm condemnation of the coup attempt and suggested that they may even have had a hand in it.

Erdogan has sharply criticised the United States and the EU for not doing more to show support in the aftermath of the abortive putsch.

He has also bristled at their warnings that he should not undermine human rights and democratic norms in the subsequent crackdown which has netted thousands of people.

In the NATO statement, Lungescu recalled that alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg had telephoned Erdogan in the immediate aftermath of the putsch "strongly condemning the attempted coup and reiterating full support for Turkeys democratic institutions."

"He expressed support for the elected government of Turkey and respect for the courage of the Turkish people," she noted.

"He also conveyed his condolences for those who had lost their lives during the coup attempt."
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - NATO said on Wednesday that Turkey's membership was not in question and that Ankara could count on its solidarity and support after last month's failed coup, which has triggered deep purges in the alliance's second largest armed forces. "Turkey is a valued ally, making substantial contributions to NATO's joint efforts ... Turkeys NATO membership is not in question," the military alliance said in a written statement. The abortive coup on July 15, in which rogue soldiers commandeered tanks, fighter jets and helicopters in a bid to seize power, has raised concern about the stability of Turkey, a key member of the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State and battling an insurgency at home by Kurdish militants. Turkey has been incensed by the Western response to the attempted coup, viewing Europe as more concerned about the rights of the plotters than the events themselves and the United States as reluctant to extradite the U.S.-based Turkish cleric it holds responsible. President Tayyip Erdogan meanwhile met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Tuesday and said Putin's rapid phone call expressing solidarity after the failed putsch had been a "psychological boost". (Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by Daren Butler)
Donald Trump 's presidential campaign has long had a rocky relationship with the rest of the Republican Party.

But in recent days, a growing number of current and former members of Congress have joined their fellow Republicans in opposing him.

At least 22 current or former Republican members of Congress have now voiced opposition to his candidacy, in some cases even endorsing Democrat Hillary Clinton .

Maine Sen. Susan Collins, in a Washington Post op-ed this week, wrote that "I will not be voting for Donald Trump for president. This is not a decision I make lightly, for I am a lifelong Republican." She cited Trump's comments about the Muslim parents of a fallen U.S. soldier and his questioning of the impartiality of a judge based on his Mexican heritage as among her reasons for denying her support.

Collins has some company within her party in the Senate when it comes to opposing Trump. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk, and Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse have said they will not support Trump's campaign. Kirk went so far as to rescind his previous endorsement and air an ad against Trump.

In the House, Rep. Richard Hanna of New York has said he will vote for Clinton, writing that "[Trump] is unfit to serve our party and cannot lead this country." In a first for the current Congress, Rep. Scott Rigell of Virginia has said he will vote for Libertarian Gary Johnson for president.

That is not to say Trump does not have support from the Republican Party's leadership in many respects. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have endorsed thew New York tycoon. But the number of defections within party ranks has raised eyebrows, and accelerated in recent days as Clinton has pressed to recruit Republicans and independents.



Here is a list of current and former congressional Republicans who have voiced opposition to Trump or are supporting another candidate, as compiled by CNBC:

Story continues





More From CNBC


By Rina Chandran KATHMANDU (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Last year's twin earthquakes in Nepal disproportionately affected single women, underlining the need for equal land ownership to increase their resilience in disasters, a women's rights activist has said. Of the more than 900,000 homes damaged and destroyed, about a quarter belonged to female-headed households. More than 500,000 women and girls were displaced and about 2,000 women were widowed, according to official data. "The deep gender inequality in Nepal meant that women, and single women in particular, suffered most in the aftermath of the earthquakes," said Lily Thapa, founder of Women for Human Rights (WHR), a group campaigning for single women's rights with about 100,000 members. "They could not make themselves heard and they received the least assistance, which left many vulnerable to abuse, trafficking and harassment," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in Kathmandu. While the 2015 constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender and established equal property rights, a deep-rooted patriarchy still denies these rights to women, and to single women in particular. Nepal's categorization of single women - estimated by the charity to number 500,000 - includes those who are widowed, those who are unmarried above the age of 35, and those who are divorced. Early marriage, with 37 percent of Nepali women married before the age of 18, increases their vulnerability, Thapa said. The migration of millions of young Nepali men overseas to find jobs has also led to an increase in female-headed households to 26 percent in 2011 from 15 percent in 2001, according to census data. While women's ownership of land and property has improved in recent years, women are still much less likely to inherit land, to have land registered in their name, or possess documentation that supports their claim, Thapa said. Female ownership of land and/or property stood at 20 percent in 2011 compared with 12 percent in 2001. In rural areas, it is 18 percent compared with 27 percent in urban areas. TEMPORARY SHELTERS The quakes that struck last April and May killed 9,000 people and injured at least 22,000 in the Himalayan nation. Nearly a quarter of the 495 single women-headed households surveyed by WHR and Oxfam after the disaster said they had lost their property papers, and nearly half had lost their citizenship certificates. Many women have never had citizenship papers, marriage certificates or even birth certificates. Getting documentation can be daunting for single women, as large numbers are illiterate, Thapa said. After the quakes, these challenges were thrown into sharp relief as single women had to repair or rebuild their homes and care for the family. Many were unable to seek assistance. When WHR surveyed women several months after the quakes, more female-headed households than male-headed households were still in camps, Thapa said. "Women who were widowed in the quakes, for example, had to observe the mourning rituals for a year - staying indoors, not going into crowds. How could they go get relief or get new papers?" Thapa said. "There is a lot of social pressure on widows, on single women to observe rituals, to stay home, to remain dependent on men," said Thapa, a widow herself. Nepal appointed its first female president last year and its first female chief justice earlier this year, in signs that the country is becoming increasingly inclusive, following the end of 10 years of civil war in 2006. WHR is lobbying the government to include single women in the planning and implementation of disaster preparedness, response and recovery programs and resettlement plans. It is also asking the government to ensure that joint land ownership registration is made mandatory for married couples, and to promote women's registration on other forms of land documentation. "Strengthening single women's asset ownership is key to reducing their vulnerability to disasters and boosting their resilience," Thapa said. (Reporting by Rina Chandran @rinachandran, Editing by Emma Batha. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org to see more stories.)
Ted Sarandos Winona Ryder

Netflix has to have big hits if it's going to survive, according to the company's head of content, Ted Sarandos.

At a recent roundtable with The Hollywood Reporter, Sarandos explained why while defending Netflix's $120 million Baz Lurmann show.

"We have a one-on-one relationship with our subscribers," he said. "If you don't like what you're watching on Netflix, it's just one click and cancel. So we have to make noise. Part of our business mandate is we're making 'event television,' and it ain't cheap. So we have to take those big swings every once in a while. We're not competing against ABC sitcoms, we're competing against Pokemon Go, we're competing against the $200 million blockbuster movies."

Sarandos said that Lurmann's "The Get Down" was not a "runaway budget," and that Netflix knew from the get-go that it was going to be expensive, but spectacular.

Netflix is releasing 600 hours of content in 2016, and not all of it is high-budget extravaganza. But Sarandos' comments highlight how necessary a few can't-miss hits are to stop people from canceling.

In its last quarterly earnings, Netflix put out disappointing subscriber growth numbers in the US due to higher-than-expected cancellations. Netflix blamed it on media chatter surrounding its price hike, but having shows that everyone is talking about is one way to make sure people keep paying, even if the subscription is two more dollars per month.

NOW WATCH: How different camera lenses affect how you appear in photos





More From Business Insider


Rome (AFP) - The head of Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) said Wednesday the country did not need foreign troops on the ground in the fight against the Islamic State group.

"We do not need foreign troops on Libyan soil," Fayez al-Sarraj said in an interview with Italy's Corriere della Sera daily.

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that American special operations troops have for the first time started directly supporting Libyan forces battling the Islamic State (IS) group in their key stronghold of Sirte.

"Our men can manage alone once they have cover from the air. I only asked for US air strikes which must be very precise and limited in time and geographical scope, always carried out in coordination with us," he said.

Pro-GNA forces have been engaged in a military operation since May 12 to retake the coastal city located 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Tripoli. Sirte has been a stronghold of the jihadist group since June last year.

The United States has since last Monday been carrying out air raids on IS positions in the city at the GNA's request.

According to the Post, the US forces are operating alongside British troops, and are helping to coordinate American air strikes and providing intelligence to partner forces.

Sarraj warned IS "will use any means possible to send its militants to Italy and Europe" and said he "would not be at all surprised to discover that its men hide out on boats" of migrants headed for the Italian coast.

Rome has authorised the US to use its bases and air space for strikes in Libya against IS. The head of the GNA said he "may go to Russia soon", adding that his government had "good relations" with Moscow, but without providing further details on the possible trip.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 10, 2016 / Noram Ventures Inc. (TSX-Venture: NRM and Frankfurt: N7R) ("Noram" or the "Company") is pleased to report it has provided US$25,000 to support BEGO Advanced Materials Inc. ("BEGO") in its program with Colorado State University Foundation to advance the development of BEGO's new graphene production process (the "Process") using graphite from Noram's Jumbo Property in British Columbia.

The Process is the first known "bio-electro-chemical process" to produce graphene oxide and graphene. The Process relies upon naturally occurring microbes that act as catalysts and facilitators to exfoliate graphite into graphene oxide ("GO") and potentially graphene ("G"). The Process is an environmentally-friendly, green process that operates at ambient temperature and pressure, and does not use hazardous acids, bases, oxidants or reductants as compared to other graphene production methods. BEGO's goal is to make its Process one of the most cost effective ways to produce GO and G.

The agreement with BEGO provides that should Noram's Jumbo graphite prove to be a viable source material for producing graphene using the Process, then BEGO will grant Noram the exclusive rights to provide graphite material for any future commercial applications of the BEGO Process.

Michael Collins, P.Geo., and independent Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release on behalf of the Company.

"We are very pleased to be working with BEGO on this exciting project as it may fast track our ability to monetize the Jumbo graphite property. Graphene based materials have been shown to boost the energy density and recharge time of lithium-ion batteries, which makes our involvement in a project like BEGO synergistic with our lithium project in Nevada's Clayton Valley," said Noram's President, Mark Ireton.

About Graphene:

Graphene is a new material group that was first identified and named as such in 2004 by scientists at the University of Manchester, now known as The Home of Graphene. According to Dr. Aravind Vijayaraghavan, Lecturer in Nanomaterials, School of Materials and National Graphene Institute, who leads graphene research at the University of Manchester, "It's the strongest material in the world, it's the thinnest material it's bendable, stretchable, transparent, super light. The best conductor of heat, the best conductor of electricity..."

Story continues

About BEGO Advanced Materials Inc.:

BEGO is a private British Columbia company whose founders have developed a new proprietary process to produce Graphene Oxide (GO) and Graphene (G) from Graphite. The Process is the only known "bio-electro-chemical" process, which promises to scale well commercially and do so as a green and sustainable technology. BEGO's goal is to become a supplier of GO and G materials to application developers, including lithium-ion battery OEM's as BEGO believes GO and G could play a major part in the next generation lithium-ion batteries that will make electric vehicles more efficient by significantly improving the key performance parameters of lithium-ion batteries.

About Noram Ventures Inc.:

Noram Ventures Inc. (TSX-V: NRM and Frankfurt: N7R) is a Canadian based junior exploration company, with a goal of becoming a force in the Green Energy Revolution through the development of lithium and graphite deposits and becoming a low-cost supplier for the burgeoning lithium battery industry. The Company's primary business focus since formation has been the exploration of mineral projects that include the lithium projects in Clayton Valley in Nevada and the Jumbo graphite property in British Columbia. Noram's long term strategy is to build a multi-national lithium-graphite dominant industrial minerals company to produce and sell lithium and graphite into the markets of Europe, North America and Asia. Please visit our web site for further information: www.noramventures.com

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

/s/ "Mark R. Ireton"

President & Director

Direct: (604) 761-9994

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding, among other things, the completion transactions completed in the Agreement. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, regulatory approval processes. Although Noram believes that the assumptions used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, including that all necessary regulatory approvals will be obtained in a timely manner, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Noram disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: Noram Ventures Inc.
An aedes aegypti mosquitoes is seen in The Gorgas Memorial institute for Health Studies laboratory as they conduct a research on preventing the spread of the Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases in Panama City February 4, 2016. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso

Florida Governor Rick Scott said Tuesday that the state is looking at what's now 21 cases of mosquito-transmitted Zika, that all appear connected to one neighborhood in Miami.

These are the first reported cases of mosquito-transmitted Zika in the continental US, though the outbreak has affected other US territories including Puerto Rico.

"Every day that passes that Congress and the president fail to come to an agreement hinders our national response to Zika," Scott said in a statement. "This is not only an issue affecting us here in Florida  this is a national issue. Florida is just at the head of it with the first cases of local transmission of Zika."

The infections appear to have happened all in one neighborhood, called Wynwood, in Miami. In earlier statements, Scott specified that the location as bound by "NW 5th Avenue to the west, US 1 to the east, NW/NE 38th Street to the north and NW/NE 20th Street to the south."

Screen Shot 2016 07 29 at 4.20.18 PM

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised against pregnant women traveling to the area, and people living in the area should take steps to prevent mosquito bites. The CDC also said women in first and second trimesters of pregnancy who live or travel frequently to Wynwood should consider being tested for Zika.

Zika, which is transmitted mainly by mosquitoes, has been spreading around the Americas over the past year. The cases in Miami are the first time local transmission by mosquitoes has been reported in the continental US. Only about 20% of people who are infected with Zika ever show symptoms, which most commonly include fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes.

Here are all 54 countries and territories where local transmission of Zika has been reported as of August 3, not including Miami:

BI Graphic_Zika Virus Map And List (5)

NOW WATCH: Humans are finally starting to understand the octopus, and its mind-boggling





More From Business Insider


President Barack Obama is a bit of a night owl, known to spend the wee hours in the White House Treaty Room reading briefings, working on speeches, watching ESPN and eating almonds. And, according to the White House, Obama reads 10 letters sent to him by U.S. citizens every night.

It has been a part of his daily routine since taking office in 2009, White House chief digital officer Jason Goldman writes in a post for Medium.com. These 10 letters a day  or 10 LADs, as theyre known to staff  do more to keep the president in touch with whats happening around the country than just about anything else.

Until now, Goldman says, most of the letters chosen by the staff have been handwritten letters or emails sent through WhiteHouse.gov. But now those looking to send a note to Obama can reach him the same way your relatives reach you: by messaging him on Facebook.

The White Houses Messenger bot, Goldman boasts, will make it as easy as messaging your closest friends.

Well, not exactly. According to the administration, the White House receives tens of thousands of letters, faxes and emails each day.

But if yours is chosen, it will be read.

On June 13, for example, Obama read a letter from a Connecticut middle school teacher who reportedly asked him, How can we allow private citizens to buy automatic weapons? They are weapons of war.

And earlier this month, Obama shared a letter he received from Sherman Chester, a Florida man whose life sentence for a nonviolent drug offense was commuted by the president in December.

I hope youll take a minute to read and share Shermans letter, Obama wrote on Facebook. The more we understand the human stories behind this problem, the sooner we can start making real changes that keep our streets safe, break the cycle of incarceration in this country, and save taxpayers like you money.

The Facebook messaging initiative is part of the Obama administrations push to keep pace with the worlds rapidly changing technology. In recent years, the White House has created official Twitter and Facebook profiles for the president, and Obama has participated in online town halls and Reddit AMAs. (In June, first lady Michelle Obama joined Snapchat.)

Even the president himself has begun to fully embrace the technological revolution: After using a BlackBerry for most of his two terms on the Oval Office, Obama told Jimmy Fallon that he recently switched to a smartphone  though its not exactly smart.
Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fstory%2fthumbnail%2f17204%2fscreen_shot_2016-08-10_at_6.32.05_pm

Jackie Chan and fight scenes are made for each other like chocolate and cake, but an action sequence on top of the Sydney Opera House looks pretty dangerous. And impressive.

The 62-year-old (!) is in Sydney, Australia to film scenes from his upcoming movie Bleeding Steel, while also involving himself in some speaking engagements.

SEE ALSO: What if 'Wonder Woman' is terrible, too? Because that seems likely now.

Chan was on top of the iconic, jaunty building on Wednesday afternoon, fighting the advance of a woman dressed in all black. It was cool.

The martial arts super star has a long history with Australia  his family moving to the country's capital city Canberra when he was six years old. He stayed in Hong Kong to study drama, but has travelled regularly to Australia where his family remained, according to Fairfax Media.

Originally known as Chan Kong Sang, his western name Jackie originated from Canberra labourers in the '70s, according to the BBC. Chan worked alongside them, but they gave him the anglicised name "Jack." This eventually became Jackie, and the rest is history, as they say.

Following the death of his father in 2008, Chan paid tribute to his parents when he opened up the Jackie Chan Science Centre at the Australian National University in Canberra. Chan made significant donations to university's cancer research, leading to the building being named in his honour.

"Canberra took care of my parents for 46 years," Chan said at the time, according to ABC News. "It's about time I do something for Canberra."

Despite the connection between Chan and Australia, the last film he shot in the country was 1997's Mr. Nice Guy, which was filmed in the city of Melbourne.
As Q2 earnings season draws to a close, the overall picture is becoming clearer. We note a sequential improvement in the quarter despite of a negative year-over-year growth in both earnings and revenues.



So far, 414 S&P 500 members, which account for 85.2% of the indexs total market capitalization, have reported their results. Total earnings for these companies are down 4.5% year over year due 1% decline in revenues. While 70.3% of these companies beat earnings per share (EPS) estimates, 55.6% surpassed top-line expectations (as of Aug 4).



Per the Earnings Trends report, the general outlook for the energy sector remains bearish as the sector has registered a massive 76.9% decrease in earnings due to a 24.4% plunge in revenues, both on year-over-year basis. Excluding the impact of the energy sector, the S&P 500 index would witness earnings decline of 0.7% as revenues inch up 2.3%.



With the remaining companies slated to report their results soon, lets have a look at how some of these energy companies might fare this quarter.



Crescent Point Energy Corp. CPG is slated to release Q2 results on Aug 10. Our proven model does not conclusively show that Crescent Point is likely to beat on earnings this quarter. This is because the company has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) but an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. Both the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are pegged at a loss of 11 cents. Though stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 have a higher chance on beating on earnings, a 0.00% Earnings ESP makes surprise prediction difficult.

CRESCENT PT EGY Price and EPS Surprise

CRESCENT PT EGY Price and EPS Surprise | CRESCENT PT EGY Quote

Africa Oil Corp AOIFF is expected to release Q2 results on Aug 10. The company has a Zacks Rank #3 but an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. Despite the companys favorable Zacks Rank, our surprise prediction is complicated by its 0.00% Earnings ESP.

AFRICA OIL CORP Price and EPS Surprise

AFRICA OIL CORP Price and EPS Surprise | AFRICA OIL CORP Quote

Story continues

Ultra Petroleum Corp UPLMQ is set to release Q2 results on Aug 10. The company has a Zacks Rank #2 but an Earnings ESP of 0.00%, which makes surprise prediction inconclusive.

ULTRA PETRO CP Price and EPS Surprise

ULTRA PETRO CP Price and EPS Surprise | ULTRA PETRO CP Quote

Ithaca Energy Inc IACAF is expected to release Q2 results on Aug 10. Our proven model does not conclusively show that Intercontinental Exchange is likely to beat on earnings this quarter. This is because the company has a Zacks Rank #3 but an Earnings ESP of 0.00% as both the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate stand at a loss of 19 cents.

ITHACA ENERGY Price and EPS Surprise

ITHACA ENERGY Price and EPS Surprise | ITHACA ENERGY Quote

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



CRESCENT PT EGY (CPG): Free Stock Analysis Report



AFRICA OIL CORP (AOIFF): Free Stock Analysis Report



ULTRA PETRO CP (UPLMQ): Free Stock Analysis Report



ITHACA ENERGY (IACAF): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Brazil is not only the home of the Rio Summer Olympic Games, but it is also a top destination for plastic surgery medical tourism. (Photo: Trunk Archive)



Rio: Its the place to watch the best athletes kick serious butt this month  and its also the most popular place in the world to get a new butt of your own.

Brazil currently follows the United States as the second most-popular hot spot for cosmetic surgery and is a top booked destination for plastic surgery medical tourism this year  a term used to describe travel outside of a home country to undergo medical procedures.

Why schlep for surgery? People are primarily drawn to the lower price tag. The Brazilian Butt Lift, a popular procedure that liposuctions fat from one area of your body to then augment your bum, costs about $14,000 at a private clinic in the U.S., as compared with $4,000 in Brazil, according to Medigo, a Berlin-based medical tourism agency.

Americans make up the largest percentage (20 percent) of patients traveling to Brazil for plastic surgery according to Medigos records, followed by the French (18 percent) and British (6 percent). The most popular procedures for these patients include butt augmentation, liposuction, tummy tuck, breast implants, and face-lift.

The land of legendary beaches is more culturally open to going under the knife than virtually any other place. Celebrities and those with means tend to nip and tuck in the U.S., but cosmetic surgery is more democratic in Brazil, where its essentially available to every income level of the population and where people feel freer to discuss and undergo procedures, says Renato Saltz, MD, a native of Brazil who is contributing plastic surgeon at RealSelf.com, as well as the president-elect of Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.

However, this isnt drive-through surgery; medical tourism agencies we consulted say that Brazilian butt lifts and other common plastic surgeries are typically booked about three months in advance for optimal availability. Any clinic purporting to be a walk-in option is a blaring red flag for a seedy place  good surgeons are in demand and are typically booked out a couple of months at least, says Medigo.

Story continues

Theres no shortage of savvy surgeons though. Brazil has the highest per capita number of practicing cosmetic surgeons in the world; according to the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery, more than 5,200 are qualified with the appropriate credentials, says Wendy Lewis, a longtime cosmetic surgery consultant and editor-in-chief of Beauty in the Bag. Brazil has a wealth of world-class plastic surgeons and dermatologists, and well-established clinics and hospitals, most notably in Sao Paulo, she says.

And in the past few years, the Brazilian love for a plump rump has gone international. Culturally, Brazilian women have always tended toward smaller breasts and an ample bottom as the ideal. Meanwhile, in the United States, the opposite aesthetic of big breasts and a small butt have always been the desired look  but thats changing. Even in conservative areas like my practices in Utah, I see a lot of patients coming in  not for large breasts now  but for fat injections to their buttocks, says Saltz, whose patients often view his Brazilian heritage as a plus in that department.

Blame the ample bottom obsession on Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian, says Saltz. He credits these American celebs  and not Brazilian culture  with making big booties a desirable trait around the world. It also has a lot to do with Internet and globalization  everybodys now sharing their bodies through selfies, and it [big butts] has become a global look that has grown exponentially, says Saltz.

If cheap plastic surgery sounds too good to be true, thats because it often can be. Medical tourism nightmares have sickened, disfigured, and even killed patients in South America, where regulations are often nonexistent, and waiver forms can bring a whole new meaning to the phrase proceed at your own risk.

Evita Sarmonikas, a 29-year-old Australian woman who traveled to Mexico to get butt implants, died soon after the procedure from complications related to internal bleeding. And after four patients (including a 35-year-old Hawaiian woman) died after receiving liposuction at a Dominican Republic clinic and 19 women were sickened by infections, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel warning against medical tourism in the Dominican Republic.

Even celebrities arent immune to the dangers of medical tourism. Ushers ex-wife Tameka Foster (who was 38 years old at the time) suffered cardiac arrest while getting anesthetized for postbaby liposuction in Brazil and was put into a medically induced coma to survive. Doctors say the biggest surgical risk is actually the anesthesia, and there has been no shortage of malpractice cases that have resulted from botched jobs like this one.

Doctors in New York, Florida, Texas, and California have seen some of the worst complication cases of off-shore surgery, often taking place in Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Ecuador, says Lewis. The reasons are various, including unskilled surgeons, major infections due to poor hygiene standards, and complications related to traveling and exertion too soon after surgery.

Patients who have had vacation surgery go wrong and who are seeking help are not an unusual occurrence in Norman M. Rowes New York City office. Most times, treating them is a guessing game  and doctors are not fans of playing that type of game. If the patient manages to get any records, there is often very little information presented, says Rowe, who adds that what meager details can be turned up usually have to be translated first.



There is also the regular risk of complications following any surgery  no matter how responsibly done  that has to be considered. As a surgeon we want to see our patients during the postoperative period, says Rowe. Plastic surgeries entail follow-up visits to the doctor to make sure everything is healing correctly. Speaking with a surgeon on the phone or via Skype is not the same thing as seeing the surgeon who operated on you face to face, adds Rowe.



If saving cash is your primary motivation, Lewis says that trekking across the globe is rarely worthwhile once you factor in all the extra costs. While the most expensive markets are the New York City and Los Angeles areas, another option to consider is exploring possibilities within the U.S. If youre on a budget, you may find youre better off traveling to the Midwest or Southeast, where you can identify many experienced, board-certified plastic surgeons whose fees may be more affordable, she suggests.

Or perhaps you can settle on watching those Olympic athletes kick butt while learning to appreciate your own caboose  whatever its size or shape may be.

Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
This post has been updated.

On August 8, 2008, shortly after the opening ceremonies for the Beijing Summer Olympics, Russia and Georgia kicked off a five-day war. More than five years later, following the conclusion of the Sochi Winter Olympics and ouster of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in late February 2014, soldiers without insignia  later confirmed to be Russian special forces  appeared in Crimea, sparking a chain of events that ended with Moscow annexing the peninsula from Ukraine less than a month later.

Now, with the Rio Summer Games in full swing, tensions on Russias periphery are once again rising  this time with Kiev, along Crimeas de-facto border with Ukraine.

The FSB, Russias state security service, said on Wednesday it had foiled two attempted incursions by Ukrainian special forces to launch attacks in Crimea on critical infrastructure over the weekend and on Monday. The FSB said one of its officers had been killed during a shootout on Saturday night, when a group of armed combatants were allegedly found just across the Crimean border with mainland Ukraine. A Russian soldier was also killed on Monday, according to the FSB, after coming under heavy fire from the Ukrainian side.

Ukrainian officials have flatly denied the accusations by the Russian security agency, dismissing the claims as fake, adding that the assertions from Moscow could be used as a pretext for further offensive operations. Over the weekend, reports circulated that Russia was moving military equipment and personnel to Crimeas northern border with Ukraine.

Putin wants more war. Russia escalates, desperately looks for casus belli against Ukraine, tests Wests reaction, Dmytro Kuleba, a spokesman for Ukraines foreign ministry, wrote on Twitter.

The alleged raid, and the denials from Kiev, drew the Kremlins ire, with Russian President Vladimir Putin telling reporters on Wednesday that Ukraines actions were stupid and criminal and Russia would take further security measures in Crimea.

Story continues

Instead of trying to find peaceful solutions, Ukraine has resorted to the practice of terror, said Putin.

The Russian president also added that given the raid it made no sense to hold planned talks with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko at the G20 summit in China next month to discuss the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

In a stern reply to Putins comments, Poroshenko said in a statement on Wednesday that Ukraine strongly condemns terrorism and called on the Russian side to uphold its obligations under international law.

Russian accusations that Ukraine launched terror attacks in the occupied Crimea are equally cynical and insane as its claims there is no Russian troops in eastern Ukraine, said Poroshenko, referring to the area of eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Volodymyr Yelchenko, Ukraines ambassador to the United Nations, drew parallels between the current situation in Crimea and the outbreak of the Russo-Georgian War in 2008, which also coincided with the Summer Olympics and a U.S. election.

This scenario looks very similar and very familiar, said Yelchenko. Thats why we stand ready for further provocative developments.

The war in Georgia began after an escalation of clashes between pro-Russian separatists and Georgian forces, who tried to seize back South Ossetia, a breakaway region of Georgia. But Russian troops quickly retook the area and pushed deeper into Georgian territory, stopping short of Tbilisi, the capital.

Throughout the more than two year-old war in Ukraine, Crimea has remained relatively unaffected by the still on-going conflict in eastern Ukraine between pro-Russian and Ukrainian government forces. But this weekends military buildup and the alleged raid have inflamed already strained relations between Moscow and Kiev.

In its statement, the FSB said it also broke up and detained agents and accomplices working for Ukrainian military intelligence in Crimea. The only name released by the agency was Evgeny Panov, a Ukrainian citizen whom the security service described as a Ukrainian military intelligence officer. The FSB said he had made a confession, but gave no further information.

The agency said Ukraines aim with the incursion was the destabilization of the socio-political situation in the region during preparation for elections. Russia will hold parliamentary elections on September 18, with Crimea participating for the first time since it was annexed in 2014. Meanwhile, Kiev is preparing to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Ukrainian independence on August 24, with officials having suggested that the Kremlin may aim to spoil the commemoration.

The renewed hostilities in Crimea come as violence has surged during the summer months in eastern Ukraine despite a nominal ceasefire. More than 9,000 have died since the war began in April 2014, with more than 600 Ukrainian soldiers killed in fighting so far this year. According to recently released figures by the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, civilian casualties have spiked to a level not seen since August 2015, prior to the implementation of the most recent ceasefire.

FPs Colum Lynch contributed reporting to this article.

Photo credit: SEAN GALLUP/Getty Images
By Caroline Stauffer RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Phillip Dutton's individual eventing bronze medal was not his first time on an Olympic podium, but it was his first medal for the United States. Dutton, 52, a six-time Olympian, twice took team gold representing Australia before he became a U.S. citizen in 2006 and began competing for the country he has lived in since 1991. "In Australia people learn to ride not quite so much in an orchestrated way... they learn to ride on their own a bit more," said Dutton, who grew up riding on his parents' sheep and wheat farm. "In America it's a bit more managed," he told Reuters. "The U.S. has had some great riders as well traditionally, hopefully there will be more medals ahead." Eventing, one of three Olympic equestrian competitions, requires galloping over giant obstacles in an open cross country field and also completing a dressage test and stadium jumping. Dutton needed to turn to sheer grit as well as skill to get through Monday's tough cross country course when he lost a stirrup but still managed to clear a difficult combination with the horse Mighty Nice. The 2004 Irish Sport Horse had a personal best in dressage, and was in fourth place with Dutton, who is based in Pennsylvania, going into Tuesday's final show jumping round. "I had a rail down and was thinking hopefully I'd stay in fourth, then the guy in front of me had two rails down," said Dutton, who was seen hugging Mighty Nice after the competition. Of four Americans, only Dutton and Boyd Martin, who was also born in Australia, finished cross country. That put team USA out of medal contention. The team event was won by France, with Germany second, whose team member Michael Jung nabbed his second consecutive individual gold with the horse Sam. Dutton's former team, Australia came third. Turning 53 next month, Dutton is older than most Olympic athletes, but in equestrian, where men and women of a wide age range compete together, he was not the most senior on the field. New Zealand's Mark Todd competed in his seventh Olympics at 60. "I try to watch what I eat, depending on what the day is like I do some other sports," Dutton said of his fitness regime. "He (Mighty Nice) may have another Olympics," he added. Dutton previously visited Brazil in 2007 for the Pan American Games, also held in Rio's Deodoro area. "The Brazilian people have tried really hard. It's not easy for them, a lot of other things need money to be spent on as well, but I can't be more pleased with how welcoming they have been," he said. (Reporting by Caroline Stauffer, editing by Susanna Twidale)
(Adds background, quotes, women's results) By Chris Gallagher RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Russia climbed to the top of the judo medal table on Tuesday as Khasan Khalmurzaev earned his country's second judo gold of the Rio Games in emphatic fashion, thrilling the crowd at the Carioca Arena. Ending his campaign with a bang, the European champion won his final two matches by ippon, judo's equivalent of a knockout, over Sergiu Toma of the United Arab Emirates in the semi-final and then American Travis Stevens in the final of the men's -81kg category. Russia had also won bronze in judo on Sunday, extending its strong run in the sport after claiming five medals total at the Olympics four years ago, including a London-best three gold. Khalmurzaev had praise for Stevens and how he pushed him to victory. "I know this opponent and I know he is strong, so I did all I could do to win this gold medal," he said. Khalmurzaev's triumph ended Stevens' dream of becoming the first man from the United States to win gold in judo. Despite settling for silver, it was third time lucky for Stevens after he had come home without a medal from the Beijing and London Olympics. Takanori Nagase won Japan's sixth judo bronze medal so far in Rio, though his country remains stuck on one gold - a figure that the traditional judo power surely wants to boost. Toma won the other bronze. In the women's -63kg category, Slovenia's Tina Trstenjak defeated Clarisse Agbegnenou of France to become her country's second Olympic judo champion. After breaking Brazilian fans' hearts by topping Mariana Silva in the semi-finals, top seed Trstenjak handily beat Agbegnenou by ippon less than two minutes into the final. Israel's Yarden Gerbi and Anicka van Emden of the Netherlands won bronze. Agbegnenou's silver snapped a medal drought for France, seen as a top contender in Rio but which had come up short in the first three days of judo action. "This medal does not have the right colour, but it is still beautiful," Agbegnenou said. "I wanted to open the (French judo) medal count with a nice gold medal but the silver medal is not bad either." France is one of just three countries fielding a full team of 14 judokas in Rio and was hoping for a repeat of its strong performance in London four years ago, when it claimed seven medals - tied for the most with Japan. (Reporting by Chris Gallagher; Editing by Alison Williams and Meredith Mazzilli)
RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Olympic champion Nathan Adrian of the United States powered through to the men's 100m freestyle final with the fastest time of 47.83 seconds on Tuesday after only just making it out of the heats. Adrian came through in an outside lane to pip Australian Cameron McEvoy, who swum 47.93 and American Caeleb Dressel in 47.97. "People that are just stoked on USA -- it makes me so proud," said Adrian, who added the outpouring of support felt "a little bit like" the U.S. was the home team. In a tight second semi-final, Kyle Chalmers of Australia touched first in 47.88, ahead of Santo Condorelli of Canada who had the same time as McEvoy. World champion Ning Zetao of China failed to qualify for the final. There were huge cheers from the home crowd in Rio when the scoreboard showed that Brazilian Marcelo Chierighini had taken the last spot for Wednesday's final in eighth place. (Reporting by Mark Trevelyan/Alan Baldwin; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
By Mark Trevelyan RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Michael Phelps claimed his second gold medal in one night and the 21st of his career as the United States won the men's 4x200 metres Olympic freestyle relay on Tuesday. The most successful Olympian of all time swam the final leg to extend his career tally to a total of 25 medals, also including two silver and two bronze. Earlier he had won gold number 20 with victory in the 200m butterfly. It was the fourth successive U.S. Olympic victory in the event. The Americans led throughout, with Conor Dwyer handing over to Townley Haas and Ryan Lochte. There was a huge roar from the Rio crowd when Phelps sprang from the block with a lead of 1.76 seconds over Japan, and 2.88 seconds over Britain. The Americans touched home in 7 minutes 00.66 seconds. For Britain, who had qualified first for the final, James Guy overhauled Takeshi Matsuda on the final leg to take the silver in 7:03.13, with Japan clocking 7:03.50. It was Britain's first medal in this event since they won a bronze in 1984, and made up for Guy's disappointment in failing to pick up a medal in the 200m and 400m freestyle. But the night belonged to the Americans and Phelps, who after four days of competition in Rio has won three gold medals at his fifth Olympic Games. (Reporting by Mark Trevelyan. Editing by Patrick Johnston)


Osman Ali does however hope for a change in future FFM events.





10 Aug  Celebrated local filmmaker, Osman Ali says that he wishes not to be involved in the current Malaysia Film Festival (FFM) segregation fiasco.



However the director has said that he will continue to make more Malay films.



"I understand that both sides of the FFM issue have their own principles they believe in, but what is important is to champion Malay films," he was quoted as saying to Sinar Harian.



Added the "Langit Cinta" director, the local film industry is seen to be heading towards making more films that showcases the nation's diversity.



Osman said that he has been a loyal fan of FFM a long time now, but that is slowly fading as there seems to be controversies and issues surrounding it every year.



Following that, Osman hopes that a change will be seen in future FFM editions.



In fact, he also suggested to have two different festivals where one would be for Malay films only, while the other will be more 'global' by including both Bahasa Malaysia and non-Bahasa Malaysia films.



"For the latter festival, we can also invite other Southeast Asian films to compete in a special category."



FFM 28 will take place this 3 September at the Plenary Hall, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).



(Photo Source: mStar)
T. Rowe Price Global Technology (PRGTX) a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) invests the majority of its net assets throughout the world in the common stocks of companies that generate a majority of their revenues from the development, advancement, and use of technology.

This Sector - Tech fund, as of the last filing, allocates their fund in three major groups; Large Growth, High Yield Bond and Small Growth. Further, as of the last filing, AMAZON.COM INC, WORKDAY INC and NXP SEMICONDUCTORS NV were the top holdings for PRGTX.

The T. Rowe Price Global Technology fund, managed by T. Rowe Price carries an expense ratio of 0.91%. Moreover, PRGTX requires a minimal initial investment of $2,500.

PRGTX has a history of positive total returns for over 10 years. Specifically, the funds returns over the 1, 3, 5 year benchmarks; 1 year 9.74%, 3 year 24.27% and 5 year 17.42%. To see how this fund performed compared in its category and other #1 and #2 Ranked Mutual Funds, please click here.

PRGTXs performance, as of the last filing, when compared to funds in its category was in the top 5% in 1 year, top 1% over the past 3 years, and in the 1% over the past 5 years.

Want key mutual fund info delivered straight to your inbox?

Zacks free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing mutual funds, each week. Get it free >>



View All Zacks #1 Ranked Mutual Funds

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



Get Your Free (PRGTX): Fund Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Ozzy Osbourne is being sued by his former songwriting partner and bassist Bob Daisley over unpaid royalties related to the Prince of Darkness' hit "Crazy Train."

Daisley has filed a suit against Osbourne and his company Blizzard Music Limited seeking $2 million he claims is due to him. But Osbourne's camp denies any wrongdoing and says the Australian musician's legal action is "tantamount to harassment," citing previous lawsuits he has all lost to Osbourne.

Ozzy Osbourne Enters 'Intense Therapy' For Sex Addiction, Marriage With Sharon Back on Track

As NME reports, Daisley's suit claims that "although royalties have been paid to Daisley over the years, an audit conducted in 2014 showed that Osbourne and his company had been improperly deducting undisclosed fees before distributing royalties to Daisley and improperly withholding Daisley's rightful share of royalties owed under the publishing agreements for the commercial exploitations of the songs."

"While Mr. Osbourne was benefiting from the songs co-authored by our client, the audit shows that he was systematically short-changing Mr. Daisley," Daisley's lawyer Alan Howard told NME. "Mr. Daisley had no choice but to bring this action to secure his fair share of the proceeds those songs have generated."

Ozzy Osbourne, Tour Guide? The Metal God (and Travel Show Star) Weighs In on His Global Must-Sees -- From the Alamo to Stonehenge

In a statement, Osbourne reps responded, saying, "For the past 36 years Mr. Daisley has been receiving bi-annual royalty statements and checks from Blizzard Music, totaling in the millions of dollars, which have been routinely cashed. Mr. Daisley has audited Blizzard Music accounts over the years using several different auditing firms who found no discrepancies. He has previously filed lawsuits in the UK and the US and has lost on each occasion.

"We understand that Mr. Daisley is now in retirement and that these funds are his main source of income, so it is his right to be diligent with his money, but after 36 years, this is tantamount to harassment. We would have hoped that after 36 years that Mr. Daisley would have lost his unhealthy personal obsession and resentment towards Mr. Osbourne's success. Blizzard Music and Mr. Osbourne plan to vigorously defend these proceedings."

Daisley co-wrote on a majority of the songs on Osbourne's debut 1980 solo album, Blizzard of Ozz (including "Crazy Train"), as well as Osbourne's following studio albums through the 1980s: Diary of a Madman, Bark at the Moon, The Ultimate Sin and No Rest for the Wicked. He also played bass on a number of the albums.
Participants in the Mrs. International pageant must pledge to be against same-sex marriage. (GIF: Getty Images/Yahoo Beauty)

Mrs. International is a beauty pageant based in Jacksonville, Fla., that celebrates the accomplishments of married women  but only those who are married to men, note the rules. Contestants must also pledge to defend marriage as something reserved solely for a man and a woman, according to some who were blindsided by the requirement at the July 23 pageant.

I felt super-uncomfortable, one contestant, who requested anonymity, tells Yahoo Beauty about the document that was presented to be signed by all Mrs. International participants at the pageant orientation. The contract said, among other things (such as confirming that theres been no past history of posing nude and that there will be no gossiping), that should a participant win, she must agree to stand up against the idea of gay marriage.

Ive signed many different contracts for pageants, but have never heard of anything like this, defending a political position, the contestant notes. Its just bizarre. Pageantry is usually very gay friendly. If the Supreme Court says its OK, then who am I? I dont think Id ever participate [in this pageant] again.

A photo posted by Mrs.,Miss & Teen International (@intlpageants) on Jul 23, 2016 at 7:15pm PDT

Its true that pageants have generally been evolving when it comes to LGBT stances  an openly gay woman will compete in the Miss America contest for the first time in history in September, and others have recently made history at state levels. And when Miss California 2009 Carrie Prejean famously noted, while competing at the Miss America pageant, that she believed marriage should be between a man and a woman, she was widely criticized; some even believed that her answer cost her the crown.

That would certainly not be the case at Mrs. International, where some participants discomfort with the required contract was exacerbated as they were apparently told about it while sitting and facing the pageant sponsors  including two companies owned by gay couples. It was a very uncomfortable position to be in, admits the competitor. She says she did go through with signing the pledge, however, as dropping out at that point  after having spent roughly $20,000 on training, travel, and hair and makeup just to get there  would have been a bitter disappointment.

Story continues

Many others there faced the same dilemma, another source with knowledge of this pageant and the standard practices of other pageants tells Yahoo Beauty, also under the condition of anonymity.

Mrs. International 2016, Priscilla Pruitt, was crowned by her husband, Sean, and Mrs. International 2015, Farabe Algor. (Photo: PRNewsFoto/International Pageants, Inc.)

I am aware that contestants and state directors are complaining privately to each other and to trusted pageant friends, she says. What most of the contestants find particularly distressing is the fact that they were in a closed-door meeting with all the other contestants when they were asked to sign the document, and they had received no advance notice. So there they were  at the pageant, having spent all that time and money to get there  being told they had to sign the document right then in order to continue on. Adds the source: To my knowledge, this is the first time in pageant history that a pageant has required contestants to sign such a document.

The directors of the International Pageants  which include the Mrs. as well as Miss and Miss Teen contests  are husband-and-wife team Mary and Melvin Richardson of Virginia. Mary replied to an email seeking comment from Yahoo Beauty, saying only that she was out of the country. But Suzanne Huddleston, who works at the organization, does confirm for Yahoo Beauty that participants signed the document regarding marriage. Yes, they did, she says. Its not new. And its not the only thing in there. Its a two-page document.

Contestants say they were not given a copy of the document to keep after they signed it. And while there is no copy of it on the pageants website, and no apparent mention of the stance against same-sex marriage, the online rules and regulations section states that each contestant must be a naturally born female, married to a naturally born male.

Other contestants did not respond to requests for comment. But Drew Dunn, co-owner with his husband Thomas of Thomas Dunn Studios, a Mrs. International sponsor, tells Yahoo Beauty that he is aware of the anti-gay-marriage contract but not bothered by it. We are personal friends with [the directors] and go to their house for Christmas. Weve never felt any discrimination, and what they choose to put in their contract is OK with me, Dunn says. What they exude as people speaks higher than whats on a piece of paper. People have their own beliefs.

Drew adds that he and Thomas are very open about their marriage at the pageant and are about to become new fathers. Our friendship goes further than signing a contract, he says of the Richardsons. Another gay-owned sponsor did not respond to Yahoo Beautys requests for comment.

Still, others with extensive pageant-world knowledge say the requirement is beyond the pale. Its weird  its really out there, Shanna Moakler, executive director of Miss Nevada and a former Miss USA who was a vocal critic of Prejean in 2009, tells Yahoo Beauty. While pageant contracts do typically include a morality clause, she says, they usually address issues like pledging not be appear intoxicated in public.

Pageantry is something I celebrate and support and  the role of these winners is to be an ambassador for everybody, whatever race, color or creed, and a role model, says Moakler. So to have contestants sign a document like that is kind of against everything pageantry, in my eyes, stands for. Further, Moakler says, pageantry isnt just about holding a title, its also about helping women grow as people. Id want the women to be who they really are as people. To force them to make such a polarizing statement takes away from their year  and puts them in a dangerous spot in the community.

Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
pain doctor pain treatment pills

Over the past decade, the US has undergone an opioid epidemic.

Prescriptions for opioid painkillers like oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and morphine have skyrocketed  and, with them, the number of overdoses related to opioids.

The trend has been decades in the making.

Increases in painkiller prescriptions are linked to a "big push" in the early 1990s from medical groups encouraging doctors to treat pain more aggressively, according to Dr. Ted Cicero, a professor of psychiatry at Washington University in St. Louis and an opiate-use researcher.

Though the increased focus on pain treatment resulted in increases in opioid prescriptions in most doctors initially, for years now, pain specialists have advocated using alternative treatments to alleviate their patients chronic pain.

Theres one problem: Health-insurance companies are increasingly cutting reimbursements for these alternative treatments or not covering them at all.

Steroid injections, joint injections, fluid injections, physical therapy, nerve blocks, and radio-frequency ablation are just a few of the treatments advocated by pain specialists in place of opioids. Such treatments are frequently called interventional pain treatments.

Every year, pain interventions go to the chopping block, and doctors have to figure out how to provide that treatment and make ends meet, Dr. Janet Pearl, the medical director of Massachusetts-based pain-management center Complete Pain Care and the secretary of the Massachusetts Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, told Business Insider.

A difficult choice for patients and doctors

pain doctor pain treatment

Story continues

The policies of insurance companies have forced doctors to increasingly offer pain patients a difficult choice, according to Dr. Shalini Shah, the director of pediatric-pain management at UC Irvine Health.

Pay for expensive alternative treatments out-of-pocket, use opioids and possibly suffer a myriad of side effects and risk opioid addiction, or choose to do nothing and live with debilitating pain.

Even if we want to climb a population out of the well of the opioid epidemic and give alternatives, we cant," Shah told Business Insider. "Patients cant afford the alternatives and insurance companies wont cover them."

In some cases, insurance companies have classified widely accepted procedures in recent years as experimental or investigational, therefore making them ineligible for reimbursement, despite decades of common use.

Pain physicians brought up one such procedure again and again in conversations with Business Insider: radio-frequency ablation. First used in 1931, the procedure entails a physician using electric currents to decrease pain signals from the specific nerve causing a patient pain.

While policies vary among insurance companies and even among different insurance plans at the same company  doctors say they have increasingly found radio-frequency ablation on the chopping block, despite continued enthusiasm for the procedure.

Radio-frequency ablation has been well described in literature, scientifically studied extensively, and used to be covered, Shah said. Now insurance companies are saying ablation is experimental.

A 2016 United Healthcare policy called studies of radio-frequency ablation for conditions other than facet joint nerves limited, uncontrolled, and insufficient to support conclusions regarding efficacy or duration of effect.

There are currently five randomized trials using radio-frequency ablation for lower-back pain, the most common ailment treated by pain physicians. Three studies found positive results, one negative, and one ambiguous, leading an expert review in Medscape to conclude that the procedure is effective, given "careful patient selection."

"RFA [radio-frequency ablation] offers the most precise method currently available" for pain physicians to "control their patients' pain on a longer term basis," the review read.

The office building of health insurer Anthem is seen in Los Angeles, California February 5, 2015. REUTERS/Gus Ruelas/File Photo

United Healthcare; Anthem and various other Blue Cross Blue Shield-affiliated health-insurance companies; Aetna; and various Medicare-contracted payers have deemed the usage of radio-frequency ablation specifically for the sacroiliac joint  which represents approximately 15% to 20% of all back pain, according to the Ainsworth Institute of Pain Management  to be experimental or "investigational." This despite at least nine studies each showing significant levels of pain relief after using radio-frequency ablation for the sacroiliac joint.

This situation is not unusual, according to Pearl, who says that insurance companies have cut back on or cut completely previously accepted procedures under the rationale that doctors or researchers havent proven their efficacy.

'Draconian cuts'

The coverage issue hasnt gone unnoticed at a national level. In the January 2014 issue of Pain Physician, the official publication of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP), a cadre of pain specialists lamented the draconian cuts to numerous interventional pain treatments by commercial insurers and Medicare in a piece titled Declining Value of Work of Interventional Pain Physicians."

The article referred to reimbursement cuts ranging from 19% to 56% for various epidural injections by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Later that year, a similar group of pain specialists published an update to the cuts, noting that interventional pain physicians are struggling to keep their practices open and survive into the future because of increased regulations, expenses, and other issues.

All of the pain specialists Business Insider spoke to agreed that insurance companies have become increasingly restrictive in recent years, a situation that has made it difficult for them to provide the type of care and treatments they think is necessary for their patients.

I have to spend a lot of time figuring out what I can do for the patient rather than what I want to do for the patient and have the insurance pay for it, Dr. Houman Danesh, the director of Integrative Pain Management at Mount Sinai Hospital, told Business Insider.

Many pain specialists have begun offering their treatments at for-cash prices so that they can continue to treat their patients amid the restrictive insurance environment. While this may initially allow more people to receive these pain treatments, Danesh fears it may lead to a two-tiered healthcare system, where the affluent can afford alternative pain treatments, while the average person must either resort to low-cost generic medications like opioids or suffer the pain.

If patients are paying cash for more and more things, it becomes unaffordable for the average middle-class family, Shah said.

painkillers pain treatment

Shah was unequivocal when asked why she thinks non-opioid pain treatments have been restricted.

Simple. They cost more. It costs more for insurance companies for a physician to do a procedure on a patient or to do physical therapy. It is far cheaper for us to write a prescription for a 30-day supply of morphine. That's the only reason, Shah explained.

This reasoning is not unusual in healthcare, according to Dr. Stuart Schweitzer, a professor of Health Policy and Management at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.

Because insurers have a fiduciary responsibly to their millions of subscribers, insurers will frequently weigh a treatments cost into their coverage decisions, even if the treatments are medically efficacious, Schweitzer told Business Insider. Where that value-based decision-making runs into trouble is when insurers policies push patients toward dangerous or potentially addictive medications in lieu of equally effective medications that arent dangerous.

It would be scandalous if a patient had a dependency [on opioids] and the insurer told them they wouldnt pay for the counter treatment because it is cheaper for them for the patient to keep taking the dangerous drug, Schweitzer said.

And yet, that's exactly what many pain physicians contend is occurring.

If they don't allow us to treat pain effectively, then this is what you get. You go down to the lowest-cost option that is authorized, and it is painkillers, Shah said.

Part of the problem, says Dr. Neel Mehta, the medical director of pain management at New York-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medical College, is that in many cases, the pain cannot be completely eliminated, only managed. Alternative treatments advocated by most pain physicians are not typically one-and-done procedures, but instead may need to be done periodically to treat the pain.

Because of that, insurance companies may be making an unpopular but, in their minds, necessary judgment: If patients would have to undergo these treatments indefinitely, they may as well go on opioids, the lowest-cost option.

Opioids however, may only appear cost-effective in the short term.

That's the fallacy. If you look at the long-term cost of [opioids], plus monitoring, office visits and drug screenings  its cheaper long-term to do the more advanced therapy, Dr. Timothy Deer, the cochair of West Virginias Expert Pain Management Panel, tasked with helping alleviate the opioid crisis in the state, told Business Insider.

Insurance companies do have an appeals process in place to ensure experimental treatments or denied treatments can be covered if certain conditions are met, according to Clare Krusing, spokeswoman for America's Health Insurance Plans, the health-insurance industrys trade group.

Shah said doctors appealing coverage decisions must fill out extensive paperwork, submit to "peer-to-peer" reviews with the medical director of the health plan and, in some cases, submit to a second "specialty-specific" review that starts the process all over again. Shah said the appeals process is "time consuming," "eats up countless days of work" and administrative costs for physicians, and rarely succeeds. It leaves patients back at "square one"  managing their pain on high-dose opioids.

"Imagine doing this for almost every patient, especially if you practice in an HMO-heavy area such as California. It is exhaustive," Shah wrote in an email.

The success or failure of any payers appeals process comes down to the medical reviewer, according to Pearl. While some are receptive to pain specialists concerns, there are many that deny everything, Pearl said.

The problem with pain medicine

nih clinical center in bethesda

Health insurers base their coverage decisions on the available medical evidence around safety and effectiveness, according to Krusing. This evidence includes guidelines and recommendations from medical societies as well as peer-reviewed studies in the field. When doctors or hospital systems ask for a treatment to be covered, insurers will have their medical staffs evaluate that procedure based on the evidence.

The system seems sensible enough, but the field of chronic pain is ill-suited to such an approach for a number of reasons, according to pain specialists.

The first is that pain is inherently subjective, which makes measuring it (and the effect that a particular treatment might have) a difficult task, according to Danesh. Many insurance companies have policies that say doctors providing patients with pain injections must show that a patient experienced 50% to 80% pain relief before doing the treatment again, he added.

"Pain is so subjective," said Danesh, who added that percentage-pain-relief requirements seem arbitrary when patients convey to him major qualitative improvements in their life like being able to sleep through the night, even when the pain-relief level set by the payer isn't reached. He contends that insurance companies change the numbers because adjusting to the new policy and obtaining proper reimbursement takes doctors months to figure out.

Another issue is that there are a limited number of high-quality clinical studies for pain treatments. While this is partially because pain treatment is a relatively young medical discipline, the bigger issue is that pain studies are fundamentally difficult to recruit for, according to Mehta.

The kinds of studies that insurance companies want to see before approving a procedure are expensive, require large sample sizes, and, most importantly, require physicians to provide half of the study with the treatment and the other half with a placebo, says Mehta. Single- or double-blind studies, as they are called, are relatively standard practice for clinical trials for new treatments and are meant to prevent participants or researchers from influencing the results, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Asking patients in debilitating pain to risk receiving a placebo and waiting months to measure the treatment (or the placebos) effect is a big ask, according to Mehta, who says many patients opt to skip participating in clinical trials in favor of taking opioids or, if they have the means, paying out of pocket.

'Broadening' the treatment options

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director, Dr. Thomas Frieden, speaks at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia September 30, 2014.REUTERS/Tami Chappell

In theory, competition among insurers should fix the coverage problem, according to Schweitzer.

If consumers want the alternative pain treatments, they will move toward plans that cover them, thus pushing other insurers to cover them as well.

This scenario assumes that consumers are informed and in control of their policy decisions and that some insurers are substantially better than others about covering the treatments.

This doesnt appear to be the case, pain specialists told Business Insider. They maintained that while insurers may vary about which specific treatments they cover, they're all cutting back on coverage and reimbursements for alternative pain treatments as a whole.

The issue hasnt been limited to commercial-healthcare companies either. Coverage decisions and recommendations made by the government tend to have ripple effects across the industry, according to Schweitzer, with many insurers looking to the government for indications on what to cover. Guidelines and coverage recommendations released by the Centers for Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) and CMS have received significant pushback from pain specialists in recent years.

In a joint letter to the CDC in January, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) raised several issues with the CDCs proposed guidelines for prescribing opioids.

The letter notes that many of the guidelines' recommendations, specifically about encouraging non-opioid approaches, are difficult to implement because many of those approaches are not covered by insurance. In addition, the letter took the CDC to task for what appears to be improperly characterizing treatments, including epidural steroid injections, radio-frequency ablation, and spinal-cord stimulation  three core non-opioid pain treatments  as being associated with rare, but serious adverse events and being linked to only short term benefits.

The letter argues that interventional approaches actually can provide short-term and long-term improvement and have an extremely small number of complications. Further, the letter argued that interventional treatments are not measured equally against opioids, noting that while interventional treatments must show 50% or more in improvement in pain relief, opioids are only required to show 30%.

In a time where we are supposed to not be prescribing opioids, the options to treat pain are narrowing. They need to be broadening, Pearl said.

NOW WATCH: The FDA just released new warnings about painkillers like ibuprofen  here's what you need to know





More From Business Insider


millionaire

Palo Alto, in the heart of Silicon Valley, is turning into a place affordable for only "Joe Millionaires" and not the average Joe, warned former planning commissioner Kate Downing.

In her resignation letter, the former Palo Alto planning commissioner described how the city known for being an epicenter of the tech boom continues to do nothing to stop the bombastic rise in rent prices, which have creeped so high that Downing warns that not even a software engineer can afford them now:

"We rent our current home with another couple for $6200 a month; if we wanted to buy the same home and share it with children and not roommates, it would cost $2.7M and our monthly payment would be $12,177 a month in mortgage, taxes, and insurance. That's $146,127 per year  an entire professional's income before taxes. This is unaffordable even for an attorney and a software engineer."

Part of that is because of the rise of the tech industry in a city that has incubated the early life of companies like Google and Facebook and is now covered in Palantir offices. In the last five years alone, the median home value of the town has doubled from $1.2 million to over $2.5 million, according to Zillow.

In her open letter, Downing in part blames the city council for not listening to the planning commission's recommendations.

Small steps, including adding two floors of housing instead of one in mixed-use developments, legalizing duplexes, and allowing areas like shopping centers to build housing on top of shops and offices, could have help curb the meteoric rise.

Rather, Downing says, the city council "ignored the majority of residents" who listed housing as their No. 1 concern.

As a result, professionals like Downing are being forced out of their homes when they can no longer afford them. If the city doesn't reverse course, then she cautions that those people who once made Palo Alto famous wouldn't be able to live there today:

Story continues

"I struggle to think what Palo Alto will become and what it will represent when young families have no hope of ever putting down roots here, and meanwhile the community is engulfed with middle-aged jet-setting executives and investors who are hardly the sort to be personally volunteering for neighborhood block parties, earthquake preparedness responsibilities, or neighborhood watch. If things keep going as they are, yes, Palo Alto's streets will look just as they did decades ago, but its inhabitants, spirit, and sense of community will be unrecognizable. A once thriving city will turn into a hollowed out museum. We should take care to remember that Palo Alto is famous the world over for its residents' accomplishments, but none of those people would be able to live in Palo Alto were they starting out today."

You can read the entire letter on Medium.

NOW WATCH: The outrageous homes that make this Silicon Valley town the most expensive zip code in America





More From Business Insider


Paris Jackson isn't camera shy when it comes to posing with her boyfriend, musician Michael Snoddy.

The 18-year-old daughter of Michael Jackson took to Instagram to share behind-the-scenes footage of a photo shoot she and Snoddy did for photographer Troy Jensen on Monday. Rocking a spiked leather jacket over a red dress and black boots, Jackson completed her rocker glam look with a shaggy cut and dark lipstick, as she embraced her beau from behind. Snoddy was also out to turn heads in a red furry jacket and ripped black skinny jeans, sporting a mohawk.

 A video posted by Paris-Michael K. Jackson (@parisjackson) on Aug 9, 2016 at 5:34pm PDT

WATCH: Paris Jackson Fires Back at Instagram Haters, Says Her Dad Was 'Ripped to Shreds' -- 'I Will Not Let That Happen to Me'

"Such fun today," Jackson captured another collage.

She also posed for pics with DJ Caroline D'Amore on a bed.

#behindthescenes @parisjackson @itstroyjensen @davidreidhair A photo posted by Caroline D'Amore (@carolinedamore) on Aug 9, 2016 at 9:13pm PDT

Up all night with @parisjackson . #behindthescenes  @itstroyjensen A photo posted by Caroline D'Amore (@carolinedamore) on Aug 9, 2016 at 9:05pm PDT

But it's Jackson's striking look that stole the show. "Incredibly gorgeous," makeup artist Steve Oraha captioned a solo shot of the late King of Pop's daughter in a bathtub, showing off her multiple hand tattoos.

Incredibly gorgeous @parisjackson  @itstroyjensen  @steveoraha  @davidreidhair  @willstyleux A photo posted by Steve (@steveoraha) on Aug 9, 2016 at 8:18pm PDT

Jackson hasn't been shy lately about packing on the PDA with Snoddy -- a drummer for the band Street Drum Corps -- sharing a kissing pic on Instagram on Sunday.

"Love him," she captioned the snap.

... And there's plenty more where that came from.

best birthday ever  [:: my baby @nikiberger] A photo posted by Paris-Michael K. Jackson (@parisjackson) on Apr 3, 2016 at 11:06pm PDT

WATCH: Paris Jackson Has PDA-Filled 18th Birthday With Boyfriend Michael Snoddy

Watch the video below to see the couple get close during their Fourth of July celebration in Malibu, California.

Story continues

Related Articles
Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Park Sang-Young staged an incredible late rally to strike Olympic gold for South Korea on Tuesday with victory in the men's epee gold medal.

Park's hopes of becoming only the third Korean to win an individual fencing gold looked to be dead and buried as he trailed Hungary's Geza Imre 14-10 in the final.

But Park produced a remarkable run of five points to snatch victory 15-14 to leave Imre heartbroken after an agonizing defeat.

"The Olympics are one of the biggest sporting events in the whole world and I tried to take over his weaknesses," Park said. "It was impressive to win after being behind."

Park joins Kim Young-Ho, who won the men's foil in Sydney in 2000, and Kim Ji-Yeon, who triumphed in the saber in 2012, as the only fencers from Korea to win individual gold.

Imre was disconsolate after the defeat.

"I'm so sad. I was the winner up until eight-and-a-half minutes into the bout and in the last twenty seconds he beat me," Imre said. "I understand everything (why I lost) but I'm very sad."

"(Winning the) silver medal isn't bad, but I already have a silver medal from Athens 2004," he said. "I'm grateful for the silver but I was one touch away."

World number one Gauthier Grumier of France defeated Benjamin Steffen of Switzerland 15-11 to win the bronze medal.
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story star Sarah Paulson had to leave the room when clips from the FX miniseries were played for reporters at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour on Tuesday.

The actress later explained that she never watches herself on screen, but the shows portrayal of the verdict in the Simpson trial was especially tough for her to watch.

I havent seen of it, and I just saw a little bit of that verdict, she said. It literally made me physically ill. I thought I was going to cry and throw up.

Also Read: Emmy Nominations: 'People v OJ Simpson' Creators Want to 'Stop While We're Ahead'

The Emmy-nominated actress explained that the sense of unease she gets from watching the show comes from sympathy for the woman she was portraying, Marcia Clark. As goofy and goony and typically actressy as it may sound, I felt very, very connected to her, she said. I felt a lot of feeling for her.

Later in the panel, Paulson said the closing arguments scene was the hardest for her to shoot.

[There was] almost this fantastical idea that if we did it right, the verdict would be different, she said. And that obviously didnt happen, but there was a feeling that I can only imagine they must have felt that there was this enormous responsibility and opportunity to have justice be served.

Also Read: Here's the Harsh Way OJ Simpson Prosecutor Chris Darden Got Fired (Exclusive Audio)

Paulsons costar Cuba Gooding Jr. later revealed that he hasnt seen the series yet either, but he didnt have an explanation as good as Paulsons.

Hes waiting for the Blu-ray, Paulson joked.

'People v OJ Simpson': 11 Other Trials We Want to See Dramatized on TV (Photos)

charlie manson people v oj simpson american crime story LAPD

richard ramirez people v oj simpson american crime story San Quentin Prison

enron logo people v oj simpson american crime story Enron

menendez brothers people v oj simpson american crime story Court TV

leopold and loeb people v oj simpson american crime story German Federal Archives

patty hearst people v oj simpson american crime story FBI

oklahoma city bombing people v oj simpson american crime story CBS News

jodi arias people v oj simpson american crime storyjodi arias people v oj simpson american crime story ABC News

Getty Images

sacco and vanzetti people v oj simpson american crime story Boston Public Library

the rosenbergs people v oj simpson american crime story Library of Congress

Story continues

Previous Slide Next Slide

1 of 11

TheWrap looks back on other famous court cases that deserve the American Crime Story treatment, such as the Manson Family murders and the Menendez Brothers

The Manson Family Murders

Charles Manson and his cult-like "Family" terrified Los Angeles in 1969 with a series of murders, including that of Roman Polanski's pregnant wife, Sharon Tate.

Also Read: Why O.J. Simpson Wont Be Watching People v O.J. Simpson

View In Gallery

Related stories from TheWrap:

Emmy Nominations: 'People v OJ Simpson' Creators Want to 'Stop While We're Ahead'

'People v OJ Simpson': 9 Weird Facts It Didn't Include (Photos)

'People v OJ Simpson': 7 More Stunning Facts It Left Out (Photos)
Perrigo Company plc PRGO is one of the largest store brand manufacturers of over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceutical products and infant formulas. The Dublin, Ireland-based acquired Omega Pharma in Mar 2015 to form a leading OTC health care company. Post-acquisition, Perrigo changed its fiscal year to the calendar year.

Perrigo also changed its reporting segments to Consumer HealthCare, Branded Consumer Healthcare (newly acquired Omega business), Prescription Pharmaceuticals (Rx), Specialty Sciences and Other (includes the active pharmaceutical ingredients business). The company has been pursing prudent acquisitions under each segment.

In this scenario, investor focus will be on the companys performance apart from the usual top-and bottom-line numbers.

Perrigo has a pretty good track record with the company beating earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters with an average positive earnings surprise of 1.44%.

Currently, Perrigo has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), but that could definitely change following the companys earnings report which was just released. We have highlighted some of the key stats from this just-revealed announcement below:

Earnings: Perrigo failed to beat on second-quarter 2016 earnings. The company reported EPS of $1.93 while our consensus called for EPS of $2.00.

Revenues: Revenues in the reported quarter came in above expectations. Perrigo posted revenues of $1.48 billion, compared to our consensus estimate of $1.44 billion.

Key Stats: Excluding any net sales contribution from held-for-sale businesses (primarily the VMS business), adjusted net sales in the quarter came in at $1.44 billion. The companys Consumer Healthcare segment performed disappointingly in the reported quarter.

2016 Earnings View Lowered: Primarily due to revised expectations for the Rx segment, the company now expects 2016 earnings in the range of $6.85 to $7.15 per share (old guidance: $8.20 to $8.60 per share). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is $8.29 per share.

Story continues

<div class="chart_embed">

<h3>PERRIGO CO PLC Price</h3>

<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/chart/PRGO/fundamental/price">

<img class="editorial" src="https://s.yimg.com/os/en-US/homerun/zacks.com/8dd4d7e6b555028fc8078945eb8a56ef" alt="" title="" />

</a>

<p><a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/chart/PRGO/fundamental/price">PERRIGO CO PLC Price</a> | <a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/quote/PRGO">PERRIGO CO PLC Quote</a></p>

</div>

PERRIGO CO PLC Price

PERRIGO CO PLC Price | PERRIGO CO PLC Quote

Check back later for our full write up on this Perrigo earnings report later!

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



PERRIGO CO PLC (PRGO): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
LIMA (Reuters) - A fresh oil spill in the Peruvian Amazon was detected from the country's four-decades-old pipeline on Thursday, operator Petroperu said, bringing the number of leaks this year to four. Petroperu, the country's state-owned energy company, did not provide an estimate for how much oil was released and said emergency workers were implementing a contingency plan. The latest spill, in a ravine in the province of Condorcanqui, could heap more pressure on President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski to pass reforms to prevent future leaks. The 1,106-kilometer (687-mile) pipeline was shuttered for repairs in February after two spills leaked 3,000 barrels that polluted rivers and prompted an indigenous community to hold Petroperu officials hostage to press for aid. The then-energy and mines minister said in June that the third spill occurred as Petroperu was illegally pumping crude through the pipeline, which led to the ousting of the president of Petroperu and a $3.5 million fine. It is unclear how the fourth spill occurred. The new energy and mines minister, Gonzalo Tamayo, said this week that the pipeline would likely remain shuttered for at least a year. Peru's relatively small oil production has dropped to about 37,000 barrels per day since the pipeline closed, as output from oil blocks 192 and 67 has stopped completely. There have been 23 ruptures in the pipeline since 2011, according to the ombudsman's office. (Reporting by Mitra Taj; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
(Adds statement from PG&E, further details on case)

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Pacific Gas & Electric Co was found guilty on Tuesday of several federal charges stemming from a natural gas pipeline explosion in California that killed eight people and injured 58 others in 2010, a U.S. Justice Department spokesman said.

The utility was convicted of obstructing an investigation and violating pipeline safety regulations leading up to the deadly blast in San Bruno, a city of about 41,000 just south of San Francisco, spokesman Abraham Simmons said in an email.

The utility faces a maximum fine of $3 million, or $500,000 per guilty count, the unit of Pacific Gas & Electric Corp said in a statement.

"While we are very much focused on the future, we will never forget the lessons of the past," PG&E said. "We have made unprecedented progress in the nearly six years since the tragic San Bruno accident and we are committed to maintaining our focus on safety."

The U.S. Attorney's Office accused PG&E of knowingly relying on "inaccurate or incomplete" infrastructure management records and failing to investigate its high-pressure natural gas pipelines after potential hazards had been identified, according to court records.

The California Public Utilities Commission in 2015 levied a $1.6 billion fine against PG&E over the blast and other issues, which the utility did not appeal.

The fine ranks as its largest ever safety-related penalty, dwarfing a $38 million fine for PG&E over a 2008 natural gas explosion in the city of Rancho Cordova.

The company has also paid $500 million to settle civil lawsuits from people who had been injured or family members of those killed in the blast.

The utility said it has adopted new pipeline safety standards and spent some $2.7 billion in shareholder funds to improve its natural gas system.

(Reporting by Dan Levine and Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by James Dalgleish and Richard Chang)
JANESVILLE, Wis.  House Speaker Paul Ryan squelched any chance of an August surprise in Tuesdays Wisconsin primary, while a former Marine running for the first time easily won a three-way race for an open congressional seat in the northeast of the state.

And Russ Feingold, had an early and easy primary night. He trounced Scott Harbach and officially moves on to the race hes already been running for months  a rematch against GOP Sen. Ron Johnson, who knocked him out of office in 2010.

Ryans race was the unexpected focus just a week after GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump threw a burst of publicity toward his little-known and inexperienced opponent, Paul Nehlen. But Ryan, who had downplayed the challenge, easily handled the businessman by a 5-1 margin.

We knew we were going to do well, Ryan said after the win. We got the votes we were hoping and expecting to get all along. The outcome is exactly what we were hoping for.

The primarys other top race was in northeastern Wisconsin, where GOP Rep. Reid Ribbles retirement opened a swing congressional seat. Mike Gallagher, a former Marine who served as national security adviser for Gov. Scott Walkers presidential campaign last year, handily defeated state Sen. Frank Lasee of De Pere, and Forestville surveyor Terry McNulty in the Republican race.

Gallagher told The AP that his campaign benefited from his being a political outsider. This was his first run for office, while his closest challenger, Lasee, has been in the Legislature since 1995.

This is a year when being an outsider, being someone who is not part of the system and having national security experience resonated with a lot of people, Gallagher said.

He said he planned to take the same approach in the general election against Tom Nelson, the Democratic Outagamie County executive who ran unopposed. Nelson, a former state representative, touted his experience in a news release after Gallaghers win.

For too long, Washington has been paralyzed by partisan bickering and gridlock, Nelson said. Im running for Congress because we need more people with the experience and the skills necessary to represent northeast Wisconsin.

Gallagher had Ribbles support and picked up late endorsements from a slew of GOP heavyweights. Ryan and Gov. Scott Walker endorsed him after the win.

No House speaker in modern political history had lost a primary, and Ryan was keen to avoid the fate that befell House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in the 2014 primary, when his political career ended due to a tea party challenger.

Ryan will face Democrat Ryan Solen, an Iraq war veteran, in the Nov. 8 general election.

Three other congressional incumbents  Democrats Gwen Moore and Ron Kind and Republican Sean Duffy  all won.

In an unusual legislative race, incumbent Democratic state Sen. Lena Taylor easily dispatched with a challenge from state Rep. Mandela Barnes. No Republican was running in the Milwaukee race, making it all-but-certain Taylor would retain the seat.
By Krishna N. Das and Karen Lema

MANILA (Reuters) - Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC) officials say they have preserved ties with major U.S. banks despite the use of one of its branches in Manila by cyber criminals to funnel $81 million stolen from the Bangladesh central banks account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

The money was sent to RCBC by three of its so-called correspondent banks, Wells Fargo, Citigroups Citibank and the Bank of New York Mellon, in February, before mostly being laundered through the Philippines' casino industry. Only $18 million has been recovered.

"The relationships continue," Maria Celia Estavillo, RCBC's legal and regulatory affairs head, said in an interview at the bank's headquarters in Manila.

"Ours is a very old bank and the relationships are long standing, so I don't foresee our relationships would be discontinued. I guess there were questions that we answered," she said in her first interview since a Philippines' senate hearing into the heist ended in May.

Spokespeople for Citibank, Wells and BNY Mellon all declined to comment.

A correspondent bank provides services, such as facilitating wire transfers or accepting deposits, on behalf of another bank.

RCBC was fined a record one billion pesos ($21 million) by the Philippine central bank on Friday, about one fifth of its net profit last year, for its failures in preventing the Bangladesh Bank money from being transferred through accounts at the bank.

RCBC instituted "many changes" before holding review meetings with Wells, Citibank, and BNY Mellon a few weeks after the heist, according to Estavillo.

Dennis Bancod, operations head at RCBC, said the three banks had validated the new procedures.

Since the heist, RCBC has lowered the threshold level of remittances that trigger alerts and formed separate control units at its branches to double-check doubtful transactions, said the bank officials.

According to a former executive involved with security at a major U.S. bank it is rare for banks to sever ties with another institution over money laundering issues, provided security and oversight are improved. There is a bias toward continuing ties in the interests of customers, this source said.

Story continues

RCBC has blamed a couple of "rogue" officials at its Jupiter Street branch in Manila for "lapses" that allowed the stolen money to leave the bank within a few days of being stolen from the account at the Fed.

But the Bangladesh central bank has alleged that the money disappeared because of systemic failures at RCBC and not just mistakes by individuals.

After a series of meeting with authorities in the Philippines last week, a delegation from Bangladesh Bank said that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had given a commitment that the stolen money would be returned.

Bangladesh Bank has said it may sue RCBC if other efforts to recover the money fail. Estavillo said there was no way RCBC would pay any money to Bangladesh Bank without a court order.

(Reporting by Krishna N. Das and Karen Lema; Additional reporting by Jim Finkle, David Henry and Tim McLaughlin; Editing by Martin Howell)
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte threatened on Tuesday to declare martial law in the country if its judiciary gets in the way of his national war on illegal drugs, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reports.

Such bombastic remarks are characteristic of Duterte, who took the Philippines highest office in June after serving for years as the mayor of the city of Davao. In Davao, he made his reputation as an unorthodox enforcer with no tolerance for the illegal drug trade  a campaign he has carried into federal office. Hundreds have died in the so-called war on drugs since his inauguration.

His comments on Tuesday come amid an ongoing spat with the countrys judiciary. Earlier this week, Duterte released a comprehensive list of judges, politicians, and military personnel whom he alleged were involved in the narcotics trade. The countrys Chief Justice, Lourdes Sereno, responded in a letter questioning his legal procedure, but Duterte seems undeterred.

Dont create a crisis because I will order everybody in the executive department not to honor you, the President said before a military audience Tuesday, in reference to Sereno.

According to the Inquirer, Duterte added: You want me to be frank? Youre interfering.
MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday ordered the army to destroy the small but violent Abu Sayyaf militant group saying if not, the Philippines risked being "contaminated" by Islamic State. The mostly Christian Philippines has for decades battled rebels from the Muslim minority but while progress toward peace has been made with the main insurgent faction, Abu Sayyaf militants have remained ruthless enemies of the state. "Destroy them, that's an order," Duterte told soldiers at an army base in the southern province of Zamboanga del Sur on violence-plagued Mindanao island. He described Abu Sayyaf as terrorists and bandits who kill civilians for no apparent reason, and ruled out negotiations. Abu Sayyaf militants, notorious for extortion, kidnappings and bombings, beheaded two Canadians kidnapped this year from a tourist resort. They recently freed 18 Indonesians and Malaysian tugboat crew members after getting ransom. In June, a video appeared online showing Islamic State accepting the allegiance of Abu Sayyaf fighters, in the first formal recognition of a Southeast Asian group by Islamic State, counter-terrorism officials said. Action was necessary now, or the Philippines risked being "contaminated by the ISIS disease", he said, referring to Islamic State. "I see a looming problem, in three to seven years from now, we will have a problem with ISIS," Duterte said, promising the army modern equipment to fight Abu Sayyaf. Duterte, who has been touring army camps since coming to power five weeks ago, said he planned to recruit 20,000 more soldiers to help protect the country's territorial integrity. "We want to control all areas and we don't want to lose any territory," he said, reiterating a close alliance with the United States in fighting Islamist militancy, and in the Philippine maritime dispute with China in the South China Sea. The Abu Sayyaf are holding several foreign hostages, from Norway, the Netherlands and Malaysia. (Reporting by Manuel Mogato; Editing by Robert Birsel)
The Philippines' firebrand President Rodrigo Duterte has sparked a fresh diplomatic row with his colourful language, calling the US ambassador "gay" in comments that prompted Washington to summon Manila's envoy to complain.

In the latest of series of tirades, Duterte used a local Tagalog language homophobic slur to express his displeasure with US Ambassador Philip Goldberg in televised comments made Friday.

"As you know, I'm fighting with (US Secretary of State John Kerry's) ambassador. His gay ambassador, the son of a whore. He pissed me off," Duterte said.

Duterte, 71, surged to power with a landslide in May following an incendiary campaign in which he gleefully used foul language to disrespect authority figures, from his local political rivals to the pope.

He first came into conflict with US envoy Goldberg on the campaign trail, after he said he wanted to rape a "beautiful" Australian missionary who was sexually assaulted and murdered in a 1989 prison riot in Davao, the city he ran for two decades.

Goldberg and the Australian Ambassador both strongly criticised these comments.

"He meddled during the elections, giving statements here and there. He was not supposed to do that," Duterte said Friday.

The US State Department said that the Filipino charge d'affaires, Patrick Chuasoto, had been summoned Monday to discuss Duterte's comments.

"We had that conversation," department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said.

"I think what we were seeking is perhaps a better understanding of why that statement was made," she added.

Philippine foreign affairs spokesman Charles Jose confirmed the meeting but said Manila's envoy had been "invited to the State Department to discuss the entire breadth of Philippines-US relations."

"Philippine-US relations remain strong," he told AFP Wednesday.

A former US colony, the Philippines and the United States have long shared a military treaty.
Michael Phelps has not lost often in the Olympics. Entering the Rio Olympics, he had won 22 Olympic medals, 18 of them gold.

But one time Phelps did lose was in the 200-meter butterfly at the 2012 London Olympics, when South Africa's Chad Le Clos overcame a deficit in the final 10 meters and beat Phelps to the wall by 0.05 seconds.

Phelps got his shot at revenge in the event on Tuesday, and this time he didn't blow the lead down the stretch.

Associated Press photographer Martin Meissner caught the moment when Le Clos must have realized the race was over. This shot came with about 10 meters to go.

Michael Phelps

For a bit of perspective, here is where that happened in the pool. Phelps is actually farther ahead than it looks in the photo above. It was already race over for Le Clos.

Snapshot_20160809_223024

NOW WATCH: Heres why the Olympic diving pool turned green





More From Business Insider


LONDON (Reuters) - After a hectic first month in office following the June 23 Brexit vote, new Prime Minister Theresa May is off on holiday and she has chosen a country outside the European Union with close ties to the bloc - Switzerland. May, who became prime minister on July 13, will head to Switzerland on Thursday for two weeks, her office said. It did not provide any further details of the trip. The British leader has spoken previously of her love of walking holidays in Switzerland, a destination also favoured by her German counterpart Angela Merkel. "The views are spectacular, the air is clear and you can get some peace and quiet," May wrote in the Telegraph newspaper in 2007. The model of Switzerland is one Britain will be looking at closely as it seeks to determine its own future relationship with the EU following the vote to leave the bloc. Switzerland, along with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, is a member of the European Free Trade Association. Its goods exporters enjoy tariff-free access to EU markets while it is also free to negotiate its own trade deals with non-EU countries. It has only limited access to the EU's services market however, and almost none for financial services -- a significant contributor to the British economy. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Stephen Addison)
When Karen Rapp graduated from Tomah High School in 1956, she had no idea what she wanted to do with her life.

Now, 60 years later, she is not only celebrating her 60th high school reunion but also her 60th anniversary at F&M Bank.

On Aug. 13, 1956, just months after graduating, Rapp was hired as a proof operator.

Everybody had to have a job, and there was an opening at the bank, so I applied, she said. It was between me and another lady  the other lady didnt show up, so they said, Karen, you got the job.

The day she started Rapp was taken to a big, iron machine where she would be sorting, inputting and then checking the credits and debits  one-by-one  and then making sure the deposits balanced.

Once finished she had to take the checks to another bank they worked with to make sure their totals matched.

At first Rapp was intimidated with the machine.

They sat me down in front of that (machine)  it was big and had about 45 keys on it and I thought, Oh my God, what am I going to do with this? How the heck am I going to learn how to run that machine and all those keys on there? she said. It was a lot of learning, but I must have been alright, Im still here.

Today banking is easy, she said.

People just cant visualize from what it was 60 years ago, she said. Banking has changed a whole lot ... I know its not just the laws, its the processing of everything  if they had to process everything like I did, wed be here to midnight.

Over her years at the bank, Rapp has seen many changes in the way of banking from the manual checking and balancing she did, to computers to drive-up windows and credit and debit cards.

And with bankings changes, Rapps positions have changed, but shes always worked in the operations department.

I was the proof operator mostly, she said. Then I went to what they called the general ledger, which was ... the person who balanced the whole bank, nobody could go home at 5 p.m. until that person said, The banks in balance, you can go home. ... Then I was supervisor of the bookkeeping department, then we went to in-house computers.

She also worked as teller at the drive-up window for a time.

Now, working 10 hours a week rather than 40, Rapp does mail return and scanning and indexing.

The variety is what Rapp has liked best about her jobs at the bank.

Every once in a while they change everything on you, then you think, Oh my God, can I do this? she said. And somebody else is always checking what youve done, so you might get a little pile back, you might get a big pile back that says, You did this wrong. Just go back in and fix it.

Besides operation of the bank, the biggest change Rapp has seen is the employee turnover rate.

No one stays in a job nowadays like we did, she said. When we came, we didnt have all this, two-three months later, Oh, I got to go someplace else, and then get a whole new bunch of people. ... People (today) dont stay in their job, theyre looking for advancement all the time. We didnt. We stayed.

Rapp made it her goal to reach her 60-year anniversary.

Every year you had to have a goal. For the last five years mine have been to make it to my 60th year  because no ones ever going to pass me, she said.

Pete Reichardt, F&M president and CEO, said hes honored to have Rapp at the bank.

Were very thrilled to have her and work with her, he said. With the mobility that people have and just changes in peoples lives, to have somebody thats at one organization for 60 years and shes still giving back to the community is great ... shes still a vibrant member of our bank, and were just honored to have her here.

The people have made it easy to stay at her job, Rapp said.

I know a lot of people in this town just by working here ... your customers were our customers, she said. When we ran the drive-up window back there, those customers were ours, they came there every day, maybe two times a day, and youd laugh and giggle with them, and tomorrow here they would come again.

The most memorable moment of all her time at F&M happened in the early 1960s, when a police officer sat in the bank all day with a rifle.

Somebody called into the police station and said that the Farmers and Merchants was going to be robbed, she said. I was (pregnant with) one of my six children, and a policeman sat in an office ... the whole day with a rifle. Someone said, Karen, dont you think you should stay home, we dont want you to get too excited. I said, No, how am I going to know what happened if I stay home? So I came to work. ... That was something else.

No robber ever showed up.

To the workers of today, Rapp offered a few words of advice.

Have fun, enjoy it, learn, dont be too impatient to look someplace else, she said. Just make a commitment when you come to a new job, any job that you go to. ... You dont need to be running all over town looking for something different, because maybe youre not going to like that either, then two months later there you are out on the street looking for something else. So learn what you can learn and enjoy the people that you work with.
A nature photographer came to the rescue of a white-tailed eagle that became stuck in thick coastal mud near the Polish town of Swinoujscie on July 26, and a drone captured video of the dramatic and dangerous operation.

With the help of local firefighters, and after attempts to retrieve the eagle by other means had failed, Krzysztof Chomicz dragged himself through the sludge to reach the trapped bird while attached to a rope leading to dry land. Despite the distressed eagle attacking Chomicz in the arm and leg, the photographer managed to carry it back to safety.

According to local reports, the eagle spent the night in Swinoujscie being cleaned and cared for by wildlife conservation workers before being transferred to a refuge in Szczecin. Experts were reported as saying they believed the eagle, which was named Icarus, was about six months old and the flight that ended in the mud may have been the eagles first.

Chomicz has a history of saving birds in trouble. In summer 2015, he rescued another white-tailed eagle that had also become stuck in mud near Swinoujscie. A striking photo of two eagles taken by Chomicz was featured on the National Geographic website in 2014 Credit: YouTube/iswinoujscie
Mark Cuban

Brash billionaire Mark Cuban argued on Wednesday that polls would not be a good indicator of the 2016 election outcome.

"This election will be determined by the battle of science vs anger," the owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and star of ABC's "Shark Tank" tweeted. "Ground game vs the draw of the angry voter. Polls won't tell the story."

Trump, the Republican nominee, has watched as his standing in national polls, as well as in crucial swing states, has crumbled after a series of missteps following the Democratic National Convention in late July.

But polls are known to fluctuate throughout the campaign cycle and aren't necessarily predictive of what could happen in November.>

Cuban recently endorsed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton at a rally in Pittsburgh, his hometown. He called Trump a "jagoff"  a popular, demeaning slang term frequently used in western Pennsylvania  during the event.

Earlier in the cycle, Cuban expressed interest in serving as either Trump's or Clinton's running mate before souring on the Manhattan billionaire's candidacy.

NOW WATCH: Watch the RNC audience boo Ted Cruz for not endorsing Trump





More From Business Insider


Aug 10 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories from selected Canadian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL

** Bell Canada and its parent company BCE Inc's ratings were downgraded by DBRS Ltd. The downgrade came in light of the Canadian communications giant's plans to buy Manitoba Telecom Services Inc, which DBRS thinks is unlikely to fall through. (http://bit.ly/2b5Sgdw)

** The Liberal government has reversed a policy to increase the eligibility age for Old Age Security to 67, in spite of resistance from bureaucrats that the move would not be in line with what other developed countries are doing. (http://bit.ly/2aYLLbd)

NATIONAL POST

** TransAlta Corp's CEO Dawn Farrell said on Tuesday that tighter environmental controls for power generation companies are "here to stay". The comment was in light of new policies announced recently by the Alberta government. (http://bit.ly/2aYJTza)

** Albertan consumers will end up paying "closer to C$600 million ($461.22 million)", not the C$2.0 billion ($1.54 billion) alleged by the provincial government, on their electricity bills for power companies canceling controversial power contracts early. (http://bit.ly/2b5SfGw)

($1 = 1.3009 Canadian dollars) (Compiled by Gaurika Juneja in Bengaluru)
Staten Island (United States) (AFP) - When arsonists reputedly set fire to some Donald Trump "lawn art" outside a New York family home, the man billed as the only conservative artist in America came out swinging.

Scott LoBaido simply erected a bigger version of the sculpture -- a giant "T" covered in stars and stripes -- on the same patch of lawn on Staten Island to whoops and cheers from the neighbors.

"I don't care who you vote for, got a Hillary (Clinton) supporter over there, God bless you," he told the crowd. "Just respect, respect my opinion to vote for who I want to."

LoBaido called it his version of Norman Rockwell's "Freedom of Speech" painting, which was inspired by Franklin D. Roosevelt, and described the 2016 election campaign as "a horror show."

"The hatred, the violence is just out of control," said the New York artist, whose patriotic art has been displayed across Staten Island and the United States.

He created the "T" image after Trump supporters were insulted for wearing the Republican nominee's official campaign attire.

"May be it means tolerance, may be it means terrific, may be it means Trump," he said. "It just went crazy."

T-shirts of the image sell like hot cakes, but when he installed the first "T" on friend Sam Pirozzolo's lawn, he and his supporters were incensed when it was burnt down at the weekend.

New York police confirm they are investigating the reported arson. So far no arrests have been made.

- Trump call -

As the replacement went up on Tuesday, onlookers chanted "USA, USA, USA" and a woman protester yelling "Love Trumps Hate" was jeered.

"I'm not going to be intimidated by anyone else. This is my property, this is my right to do so and this is a work of art," said optician Pirozzolo outside his large, detached home.

While the previous sign was 12 feet (3.7 meters) tall, the new one is 16 feet, and will stay put "until my wife tells me to take it down," the father of two joked.

Story continues

The Republican nominee even called Pirozzolo after the suspected arson, going on speaker phone to talk to his children.

Trump, "was a gentleman," Pirozzolo said shortly before the White House candidate stormed into fresh controversy over remarks about his Democratic rival Clinton.

"We were very surprised," he told reporters. "He said 'how are you, how are your wife and children, is everything ok?'"

The neighbors called the lawn art beautiful.

"I do wish that may be it was fire-proof," said Nicole, a 27-year-old teacher who declined to give her second name.

- Not fair -

"As we see all over the news and all over, the anti-Trump supporters are very violent, vicious people," she added.

She, like Lillian Christ, 74, said it was a question of free speech -- sacrosanct in America and enshrined in the first amendment of the nation's Constitution.

If it had been a Clinton poster, Trump-supporting Christ said she would have felt the same way.

"It doesn't matter which candidate it was, it's the same thing, it's not fair," she said.

While some Trump supporters in the neighborhood voiced concern as he slumps in the polls following a series of missteps, they believed he could still win the White House in November.

"The last five or six days, I know that's not the highest bar to set, but I think he's done a great job staying on message," said Joseph Borelli, a city council member and co-chair of the Trump campaign in New York state.

"As long as he keeps doing that, we will be fine."

Within hours, Trump sailed back into choppy waters over remarks that critics interpreted as incitement of violence against Clinton.

"Neighbors keep an eye on this baby!" LoBaido told the crowd.
It's been 12 years since we last saw Renee Zellweger play Bridget Jones on the big screen, but this September, the hapless, calorie-counting, big pant-wearing, perpetually single lady protagonist is back. And this time, she's gone and got herself pregnant  by accident. Bugger!

Of the many questions you might have surrounding the new film, entitled Bridget Jones's Baby (and we shall come to them), the one that's burning the brightest in my mind is: Why? Why is Bridget still in our lives after these 12 long years?

When author Helen Fielding started writing a column, documenting the fictitious diaries of a woman called Bridget Jones in The Independent in 1995, she hit a nerve  and the jackpot. In Bridget Jones, Fielding had not only created a literary phenomenon (indeed, an entire genre: chick lit) but a revelatory tragicomic heroine for a new generation of women. The subsequent novel, the best-selling Bridget Jones's Diary, followed a year after the column first appeared, and was a thoroughly modern comedy of manners (based loosely on Pride and Prejudice) for the thirty-something urban dwelling, Chardonnay-swilling, Cosmopolitan -reading, Marlboro-smoking woman of the mid-1990s. Women identified with her, whether they were pleased about it or not. As a 10-year-old, I remember looking at the cover of a woman in silhouette elegantly smoking a fag and thinking: that looks like my Mum. Everyone read Bridget Jones's Diary  I read it before I was even in a trainer bra, let alone Spanx. Christ, my 12-year-old brother read it.

Fielding had found the zeitgeist, for sure. But in the 20 years since the Bridget Jones franchise and its sassier American stablemate, Sex and the City, clattered into public consciousness on a wave of cocktails, clutch bags and kitten heels, a lot has happened. Online dating, social media, Tinder  the internet in general. We've been through a recession. You can't smoke inside anymore. Plastic bags cost 5p. Mobile phones are smaller than our heads. House prices are up. Unpaid internships are a thing. Gay marriage is legal. Even Bridget's birthplace  The Independent  has shut up its print shop. And so, with the release of a new film, I got to thinking  shit, sorry, wrong character  about Bridget's place in 2016 and, specifically, whether she has one.

Story continues

Photo: Phoebe Waller-Bridge in Fleabag Courtesy of BBC.

When you look for the new Bridgets on our screens, it quickly becomes obvious that the changing cultural, economic and political landscape of the past two decades has necessitated a shift in portrayals of femininity, singledom and the search for love. While Bridget got to wallow in the cosy misery of her solo life and good job in a one bed flat with an SE1 postcode, today's "Bridgets"  Phoebe Waller Bridge's Fleabag, Lena Dunham's Hannah Hogarth, Sharon Horgan's eponymous character in Catastrophe  have to confront their bad life decisions in shared houses with no money. Where Bridget's preferred insult was "arse", our heroines prefer "cunt." While Bridget shared saucy emails with her boss, ours sext strangers. The one thing that hasn't changed is the amount they all drink.

Hollywood, too, has started to show the less shiny and slapstick side to 21st century female life in its romcom output. In 2010's Going the Distance, Drew Barrymore is a single 31-year-old intern who tries to make a six-week fling work as a long-distance relationship. Emily Blunt is painted as the cheating commitment-phobe in The Five-Year Engagement and in 2012's Obvious Child, an abortion is the aphrodisiac needed for Jenny Slate to fall for the guy that put her in the family way in the first place. And yet despite this, despite the plethora of interesting and nuanced and contemporary depictions of women in popular culture, Bridget Jones still seems to be held up as the defining example of female singleness.

our notion of what it is to be single has changed

It's no secret that Bridget's raison d'etre has always been to find a man. It's that quest which has propelled the plot of each instalment thus far. In Bridget Jones's Baby, a (quite alarmingly frail-looking, FYI) Colin Firth, aka Mark Darcy, is now Bridget's ex. So she's back to sitting on that sofa in those pyjamas. That's until she goes to a music festival wearing a pair of heels and white jeans in her capacity as a TV exec and meets the rugged Jack (Patrick Dempsey) and shags him, but also shags the ex too so that she doesn't know who the father of her unborn child is. Naughty Bridget! V bad. Must try harder.

I'd argue that the problem with this narrative is that our notion of what it is to be single has changed. The ritual humiliation Bridget would suffer at the annual Christmas turkey buffet for being single in her 30s helped fuel her dogged search for Mr Right. But being single now hopefully inspires far less shame. There are over 16 million single people in the UK according to figures from ONS, compared to 12 million in 2002. The number of married people  around 23 million  meanwhile, has largely stayed the same.

That's not to say that many of us aren't still preoccupied with our search for 'The One' or, at the very least, someone to rub bits with for the weekend. It's just that life as a single person isn't painted as the bleak picture it once was. Indeed, recent research from American psychologist Bella DePaulo suggests that being single allows people to "live their best, most authentic and most meaningful life." So... move over smug marrieds.

But the really bothersome thing in all of this however, isn't how out-of-date Bridget seems to me, but how Fielding and her co-writers appear to have forgotten who first made her famous. Between the last film  2004's The Edge of Reason  and this one, there has been a book: Mad About the Boy. Unlike the third film, the third book fits the original timeline of Bridget's life: she is in her 50s, widowed, with two grown up children. On its publication, Fielding told The Telegraph that she decided to "be brave" and show Bridget as a 50-year-old woman, challenging stereotypes about the commerciality of "women of a certain age."

Rather than meet Bridget again in her 50s, in the latest movie she is 43

It's a shame then, that the last book didn't receive the same silver screen treatment the first two did. Rather than meet Bridget again in her 50s, in the latest movie she is 43. And while it's undoubtedly positive that we get to see an unmarried, 'older' woman as a first-time mother in a mainstream film, it's disappointing that those women who first championed Bridget seem to have been abandoned by her. As they are time and again by Hollywood.

And so my question is this: who is this film for? Because it's not for the young and young(ish) single women who find any Bridget Jones connotations embarrassing and who are already much better represented across TV and film by the likes of Girls, Fleabag and Obvious Child. Nor is it for the women who actually grew up alongside Bridget, and who are now embarking on menopause and the next stage of their lives  single or not. Instead, Bridget has wound back ten years to try and strike a chord with the early-forty-somethings, gatecrashing a party she knows no-one at. Of course, Fielding never claimed Bridget was meant to be an exemplar of female empowerment  quite the opposite. But in my mind, she's become a parody of herself, a caricature of the modern woman, and one that I sadly can no longer relate to.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?

How Many Of These Cult Movies Have You Seen?

A Brief History Of May-December Romances On The Silver Screen

11 Brazilian Films To Watch Before Rio 2016
Heres proof that American Horror Story Season 6 is going to be about the Manson Family

Heres proof that American Horror Story Season 6 is going to be about the Manson Family

The twists and turns for American Horror Story keep coming, and Season 6 hasnt even started yet. While weve seen our fair share of promos and teasers for the show, that will kick off again on September 14th, it turns out most of them are a lie, and we dont even know what to believe anymore. AHS sure does love messing with us whenever it can.

Though not all the teasers relate directly back to the upcoming season, evidence is mounting that there is actually a theme at play, and its a doozy.

AHS Season 6 just might revolve around Charles Manson, the cult leader who led his followers to commit some pretty gruesome murders in the 1960s.

Before we go any further, know that this is just speculation, but its damn good speculation. Also, creator and showrunner, Ryan Murphy, has already explained that hed love to do a season about Manson. In a 2013 interview, he explained to Deadline:

I want to do an entire season about the [Charles] Manson case. But then we decided that wasnt respectful to the victims, and its really hard to get life rightsWe might go back to the Manson thing in some regard one day.

The Manson idea is already out there. While you might not know a ton about the Manson family and their murders off the top of your head, thats what the rest of the internet is for. Eagle-eyed viewers have spotted a lot of similarities between the teasers and the scenes of Mansons crimes.

Scene from new season of American Horror Story vs message Manson girl Susan Atkins left in Sharon Tate's blood. #AHS pic.twitter.com/rqQEGUgdDG  Creepy Catalog (@CreepyCatalog) July 30, 2016

Also, after Manson went to prison (uh, is that a spoiler? Maybe. But its also U.S. History!) he started making  wait for it  spider art, and what does the AHS poster feature? Spiders.

If thats not enough for you, long-time AHS cast member, Evan Peters, shared a picture of himself a while back, with very long un-Evan Peters like hair and a huge unruly beard.

A photo posted by Evan Peters (@booboodaddy) on Apr 20, 2016 at 9:58am PDT

Now look at this (very creepy) picture of Manson himself:

Photo of Charles Manson

Peters could CLEARLY take over the role of the notorious serial killer.

Without true confirmation from FX, AHS, or Murphy, this is all speculation. Theyre going to keep teasing us right up until the very last second, so be prepared to find out the theme for real at 10:01 p.m. on September 14th, 2016.

The post Heres proof that American Horror Story Season 6 is going to be about the Manson Family appeared first on HelloGiggles.
YENAGOA, Nigeria, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Nigerian protesters blocked the entrance to a Chevron oil facility in the restive Niger Delta on Wednesday, demanding jobs and housing, a protest leader said.

"Chevron has not fulfilled many of its promises," said Collins Edema, a youth and protest leader in the Ugborodo Itsekiri community in Delta state, home to Chevron's Escravos tank farm. Edema said the farm had been blocked.

He added the U.S. oil major had previously promised to create jobs for young people from the impoverished area and also provide new accommodation after housing next to the tank farm had been "destroyed" due to Chevron's activities.

He gave no further details.

Communities in Nigeria's southern swampland often complain about oil pollution and houses being moved so oil drilling can take place.

"Our protest will continue until Chevron listens to our demands. We at Ugborodo are urging other Itsekiri communities to follow suit and shut down Chevron activities in our communities," he said.

Chevron was not immediately available for comment, and it was not clear whether oil production was affected. The Niger Delta region has been hit by a wave of militant attacks on oil and gas pipelines.

(Reporting by Tife Owolabi, Anamesere Igboeroteonwu, Libby George and Ulf Laessing; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
(Adds Chevron comment, more details)

YENAGOA, Nigeria, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Protesters blocked the entrance to a Chevron oil facility in Nigeria's restive Niger Delta on Wednesday, demanding jobs and housing, a protest leader said.

"Chevron has not fulfilled many of its promises," said Collins Edema, a youth and protest leader in the Ugborodo Itsekiri community in Delta state, home to Chevron's Escravos oil depot.

Edema said the facility had been blocked and that more than 300 people, mostly local unemployed youths, had joined the protest, but Reuters could not confirm that figure.

He said the U.S. oil major had previously promised to create jobs for young people from the impoverished area and also provide new accommodation after housing next to the depot had been "destroyed" due to Chevron's activities.

He gave no further details.

Communities in Nigeria's southern swampland often complain about oil pollution and houses being moved so oil drilling can take place.

"Our protest will continue until Chevron listens to our demands. We at Ugborodo are urging other Itsekiri communities to follow suit and shut down Chevron activities in our communities," Edema said.

Chevron confirmed a protest had taken place but did not say whether oil production had been affected.

"Some members of the Ugborodo community gathered at one of the gates of our Escravos facility," the U.S. company said in a statement. "We continue to engage with the protesters and other key community leaders and stakeholders, including the Delta State Government, and hope for a resolution of the situation shortly."

The Niger Delta region has been hit by a wave of militant attacks on oil and gas pipelines, reducing the country's crude output by 700,000 barrels a day, according to state oil company NNPC.

The militants say they want a greater share of Nigeria's oil wealth - which accounts for around 70 percent of national income - to be passed on to communities in the impoverished region and for areas blighted by oil spills to be cleaned up.

(Reporting by Tife Owolabi, Anamesere Igboeroteonwu, Libby George and Ulf Laessing; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Susan Fenton)
(Reuters) - Several protesters pulled out guns and fired at a car speeding away after hitting a man at a vigil marking the second anniversary of the killing of Michael Brown, an unarmed black man shot by police in Ferguson, Missouri, local media said.

Other protesters tried to block the car to stop the driver from getting away, witnesses told the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

Ferguson police spokesman Jeff Small told the newspaper that the driver did not appear to have intentionally hit the protester and was cooperating with the authorities.

Police had found bullet holes in the car but no arrests have been made and no one was shot, he said.

The unidentified protester had walked into a busy street during the evening demonstration near where Brown was shot by a Ferguson police officer on Aug. 9, 2014, the St. Louis Post Dispatch said.

Brown's death sparked months of sometimes violent protests both in Ferguson and across America following subsequent police killings of unarmed black men in several other cities.

It also spurred the "Black Lives Matter" movement that has cast a spotlight on long-troubled relations between police and minority residents in many U.S. cities.

Ferguson police were not immediately available to comment.

(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Louise Ireland)
Moscow (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of waging "terror" over alleged attempted incursions into annexed Crimea that Kiev has fiercely denied.

Russia's security agency announced it had thwarted "terrorist attacks" in Crimea by Ukrainian military intelligence and beaten back an armed assault, claims that have ratcheted up tensions first sparked by Moscow's 2014 annexation of the strategic Black Sea peninsula.

The FSB security service said in a statement that one of its officers was killed in armed clashes while arresting "terrorists" on the night of August 6-7, while a Russian soldier died in a firefight with "sabotage-terrorist" groups sent by the Ukrainian defence ministry on August 8.

"This is very alarming news. In fact, our security services prevented an incursion into the territory by a sabotage-reconnaissance group from Ukraine's defence ministry," Putin said.

The Kremlin leader accused the authorities in Kiev of "practising terror" and warned the deaths of the two Russian officers would have consequences.

"From the Russian side there were losses -- two servicemen killed. We obviously will not let such things slide by," Putin said.

"This is a very dangerous game. We will of course do everything to assure the security of infrastructure, citizens and will take additional measures to provide security, including serious additional measures."

Moscow and Kiev have been locked in a bitter feud since the Kremlin seized Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 after Russian-backed president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Moscow's claims were "senseless and cynical".

"These fantasies are only another pretext for the next military threats toward Ukraine," Interfax news agency reported him as saying.

Ukraine's national security council chief Oleksandr Turchynov, meanwhile, branded the allegations as "hysterical and false" and said Moscow was trying to stoke fear in Crimea.

Story continues

The defence ministry also dismissed the allegations as "nothing more than an attempt to justify the redeployment and aggressive actions" of Russian forces in the region.

Kiev's ambassador to the United Nations Volodymyr Yelchenko said Ukraine would ask the UN Security Council to hold an urgent meeting if tensions continue to rise.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) monitoring the frontier between mainland Ukraine and Crimea did not report any incidents.

But it said road traffic was halted earlier this week and border guards appeared to be on "heightened alert".

- 'Destabilise situation' -

In its statement, the FSB -- which controls Russia's border guards -- said it had "foiled terrorist attacks on the territory of Crimea prepared by the intelligence directorate of the Ukrainian defence ministry".

"The aim of the sabotage and terrorist attacks was to destabilise the social and political situation" ahead of elections in Russia and Crimea next month, it said.

The security agency said that in the August 6-7 raids, several people were detained, including a Ukrainian military intelligence officer, and a cache of explosives was discovered.

"On the night of August 8, 2016 special operations forces from the Ukrainian defence ministry carried out two more attempts to make a breakthrough by sabotage-terrorist groups," it said.

The assault included "massive firing from the side of the neighbouring state and armoured vehicles" but was beaten back by the Russian authorities, the statement said.

The FSB said it had stepped up security measures around the peninsula following the alleged incidents.

Russia seized Crimea in 2014 after sending in thousands of special forces to take control of Ukrainian bases and holding a hastily organised referendum that was rejected by the international community.

The move shattered ties between the two ex-Soviet neighbours and sent relations between Moscow and the West plummeting to their lowest point since the Cold War.

Since its annexation by Russia, Crimea has remained largely peaceful.

However, a separatist conflict -- that the West and Kiev blame on Moscow -- has killed some 9,500 people in two regions of Ukraine's industrial east.

Fighting in the east between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels is still rumbling on as a peace deal to end the violence fails to make progress.

Putin said the alleged incidents in Crimea meant he would not hold a meeting with Poroshenko and mediators German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French leader Francois Hollande on the conflict at the G20 summit in China in September.

Russia is gearing up for nationwide legislative elections on September 18 and Putin has previously warned his security officials that "foreign enemies" are seeking to disrupt the vote.
After intriguing history buffs and beer enthusiasts with his foray into the roots of Maustons brewery background, local author Rich Rossin is back, exploring the once forgotten Elroy brewery.

In 2011, Rossin published his first booklet, The History of the Mauston Brewery 1858-1916. Through the process of chronicling the history of Maustons brewery, Rossin became intrigued with the states rich beer background, especially in central and western Wisconsin. In the past few years, Rossin discovered more hidden gems about the local brewery boom of the mid-to-late 1800s. The result was The History of Joseph Schorer and His Breweries in Sauk City & Elroy, Wisconsin.

After my first booklet, I jumped into the second project right away, Rossin said. Around 2008, I really started to get into research and genealogy. One day at the library in Mauston, I picked up a copy of Breweries of Wisconsin, by Jerry Apps and found out Mauston had a brewery. I thought, Where the heck was a brewery in Mauston? That sparked my interest and I had to find out.

Through extensive research, Rossin found out that the old Mauston brewery was in the neighborhood he grew up in. In his new booklet, Rossin writes about Shorer, an ambitious German immigrant who founded breweries in Elroy and Sauk City, and opened a saloon in Merrimac. Shorer also farmed for much of his life until his death in Elroy in 1887.

Most people in Elroy never knew the town once had a brewery, Rossin said. Almost nothing was known about his obscure business. It seemed to be open for a couple years in the 1880s.

As he dove into the project, Rossin learned of Sauk Citys beer boom as well. The village attracted many German immigrants in the middle of the 19th Century. Sauk City once had five breweries and even had the original Leinenkugel brewery, built in 1846. Rossin said finding information about Schorer wasnt easy. He describes the Elroy brewer as a ghostly figure who wanted to live a low-profile life in America.

Information had to come from a wide-range of sources, such as land records, census and tax data, county histories and old news stories, Rossin said.

The author said there was very little advertising in local newspapers promoting Shorers breweries. In fact, most of the newspapers in the Sauk City area were German language publications, making it harder to translate information.

Rossin said Schorers story is similar to many German-Americans who came to the U.S. seeking a better life through business ventures.

In the future, Rossin plans to pen booklets on the history of Wisconsin Dells and Reedsburg breweries.

When I share some of this information with people, the reaction is like, Wow, this is awesome information, I didnt know this, Rossin said. This has gone from local research to having articles featured in national brewing publications.

Craft beer brewing has become increasingly popular nationally. Rossin describes the craft beer boom as a rebirth of a new golden age of brewing across America. However, few people know that small breweries were built all across the state prior to Prohibition. Rossins goal through his writing is to document the rich history and unique stories of Wisconsins first beer producers.

Rossins latest offering is currently available at the Boorman House Museum in Mauston and Dans Auto Center in Elroy. Rossin is also offering free home, by bicycle, delivery in the Mauston area. Price for each book is $10.

For more information, contact Rossin at 608-847-4039 or send an email to themaustonbrewery@yahoo.com.
Qantas is set to receive its first delivery of Boeing 787 Dreamliners next year and the airline has big plans for its new planes.

At an aviation conference in Brisbane last week, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said that the airline is considering using its new planes on longhaul flights that could rival the worlds longest. Some of the massive routes that Joyce mentioned include Melbourne to Dallas, Sydney to Chicago and Brisbane to other U.S. cities.

The longest flight that Qantas is considering is nonstop service from London to Perth. The 8,891-mile cross-continental flight would rival Emirates record-holding service from Auckland to Dubai.

The race to win the title of Worlds Longest Flight has jockeyed back and forth between several airlines in recent years. Up until March, Qantas held the record for its 16-hour, 50-minute flight from Dallas Fort-Worth to Sydney. Then Emirates came in and took the title with a 17-hour, 15-minute flight from Auckland to Dubai, covering 8,189 miles.

If Qantas wants to retake the title, they will have to act quickly.

Qatar Airways is expected to open a direct route from Dubai to Santiago, Chile, which would have a flight time of about 18 hours, 30 minutes. Theyre also expected to operate a non-stop flight from Doha to Auckland. And Emirates has plans to hold onto its title with a long-haul flight from Dubai to Panama City. And last but not least, Singapore Airlines is considering opening nearly 19-hour direct service between Singapore and New York City some time next year.

Related Articles
Ralph Lauren Corporation RL reported a solid first-quarter fiscal 2017 as the top and bottom lines cruised ahead of the respective Zacks Consensus Estimate. In response, the companys shares rose over 6% in the pre-market trading session and opened to trade at up nearly 8%.



Adjusted earnings of $1.06 per share fared better than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 89 cents but declined 2.8% from $1.09 reported in the prior-year quarter.

Ralph Lauren Corporation (RL) Street Actual & Estimate EPS - Last 5 Quarters | FindTheCompany

On a reported basis, the company posted a loss of 27 cents per share against earnings of 73 cents in the prior-year quarter. Reported earnings for the quarter primarily included restructuring, impairment and inventory charges related to the companys recently announced restructuring actions.



Quarterly Highlights



Net revenue of this luxury apparel retailer was down 4% year over year to $1,552 million but ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,528 million. On a currency-neutral basis too, revenues fell 4% in the quarter. Quarterly revenue growth was in line with the companys recently provided guidance of a mid-single-digit decline.



During the quarter, reported revenues for the International business increased 10%, offset by an 11% fall in North American revenues.



Segment-wise, Wholesale revenues witnessed a 5% decline year over year to $607 million, both on a reported and currency-neutral basis. Similarly, reported and currency-neutral Retail revenues dipped nearly 3% to $907 million, while licensing reported and currency-neutral revenues were down 8% to $38 million.



Consolidated comparable-store sales (comps) at the retail division were down 7% on a constant currency basis, and 6% on a reported basis owing to challenging traffic trends.



The decline in Wholesale revenues is attributed to the soft performance in North America due to adverse traffic trends in the U.S. department store channel, partly compensated by a rise in Europe. In Retail, sales were hurt by a fall in comps, offset by improved non-comparable store sales.



Ralph Lauren's adjusted gross profit margin expanded 130 bps to 61.1%, owing to favorable sales mix shifts, fall in product costs and a rise in Asia due to actions to enhance the quality of sales metrics.



Adjusted operating income margin contracted 60 bps to 8.2% but fared better than the previously guided 110160 bps decline. The better-than-expected operating margin was mainly due to better inventory control actions and a favorable product mix. However, operating margin comparisons suffered due to fixed expense deleverage and gross margin pressures.



Financials



Ralph Lauren ended the quarter with cash and investments of $1.2 billion, long-term debt of $602 million and total shareholders equity of $3,566 million.



During the reported quarter, Ralph Lauren deployed $78 million toward capital expenditure. Also, the company repurchased shares worth $100 million during the quarter, with about $200 million remaining under the current authorization.



Store Update



At the end of first-quarter fiscal 2017, Ralph Lauren had 485 directly operated stores and 598 concession shops across the globe. The directly operated stores included 132 Ralph Lauren, 81 Club Monaco and 272 Polo factory stores. This took the companys net new directly operated stores count to 18 and net new concession shops count to 40.



Additionally, the companys global licensing partners operated 96 Ralph Lauren stores, 17 dedicated shops as well as 134 Club Monaco stores and shops as of Jul 2, 2016.



Guidance



Ralph Lauren provided its outlook for the second quarter and fiscal 2017. The company expects fiscal second quarter reported revenues to be down in the mid-to-high single-digits range, with minimal impact from currency headwinds at current exchange rates. Operating margin for the upcoming quarter is expected to contract about 200250 bps from last year, while the effective tax rate is projected at 29%. The company expects the initiatives related to its Way Forward Plan to bear a greater effect on its second half fiscal 2017 results than the second-quarter results.



Coming to fiscal 2017, the company reiterated its low double-digit percentage revenue decline forecast. The fall is likely to reflect from an intentional pullback in inventory receipts, closing of stores, harmonizing pricing, and other quality of sale initiatives, along with challenging retail traffic trends and a highly promotional retail backdrop. However, the company expects currency to bear minimal effect on its fiscal 2017 revenues, based on current exchange rates.



Further, the company anticipates operating margin for fiscal 2017 at 10% reflecting a rise in new store expenses, negative currency impacts, infrastructure investments and fixed expense deleverage, offset by synergies from cost-saving actions. The company expects an effective tax rate of 29%.



The company also stated that its fiscal second-quarter and fiscal 2017 guidance excludes any impact from the Way Forward Plan related charges.

RALPH LAUREN CP Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

RALPH LAUREN CP Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | RALPH LAUREN CP Quote

Zacks Rank



Currently, Ralph Lauren carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Some better-ranked stocks in the related apparel/shoe industry include American Eagle Outfitters Inc. AEO, DSW Inc. DSW and Nordstrom Inc. JWN, each 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



AMER EAGLE OUTF (AEO): Free Stock Analysis Report



NORDSTROM INC (JWN): Free Stock Analysis Report



DSW INC CL-A (DSW): Free Stock Analysis Report



RALPH LAUREN CP (RL): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f172933%2fabs-head

It's pretty easy to be mistaken for someone else on Twitter, but we certainly don't envy those who bear the wrath of angry Australians, Jedi-identifying or otherwise.

Tuesday was census night, with millions of citizens meant to submit their personal details online (for the first time) as part of the country's largest statistical collection. Unfortunately the census website was unable to be accessed, with government officials blaming "hackers" for the outage on Wednesday morning.

SEE ALSO: 'Cyberattack' takes down Australian census website

While people complained on Twitter with the hashtag #CensusFail, an American named Andrei Soroker found himself on the receiving end of Australia's grievances.

That's because Soroker's Twitter handle @abs, happens to be an acronym for the Australian Bureau of Statistics  the government organisation responsible for the Census.

Soroker even put changed his profile bio, to explain that he wasn't from the government organisation. Eventually, some clever folks figured out that @abs wasn't the Australian Bureau of Statistics, leading to apologies.

Soroker, who is from Oakland, California and is the CEO of startup Sameroom.io, told Mashable Australia via email that he gets mistaken for other organisations often on Twitter. On average he receives 1 or 2 odd tweets per day.

"I find it absolutely hilarious. I get a lot of rogue tweets (usually aimed at ABS-CBN), but the ones meant for the Bureau of Statistics are some of the most thoughtful. I added 'Not Australian Bureau of Statistics' to my Twitter bio a couple of years ago, because I quite like the name," he said.

"I find it interesting and kind of alarming that so many people don't understand how Twitter works  the seemingly trivial concepts behind mentions and hashtags are daunting for so many. One of the faces of ever-growing digital divide, I suppose."

Oh and if you didn't know, the correct Twitter handle for the Australian Bureau of Statistics is @ABSCensus. We're sure it's got bigger fish to fry right now, however.
Dan Rather, Joe Scarborough and others have joined the bandwagon of people passionately condemning Donald Trumps provocative suggestion that Second Amendment people would be able to stop a potential President Hillary Clinton from taking away their gun rights.

No citizen who cares about the country and its future can ignore what Donald Trump said, Rather wrote Tuesday in a Facebook post. He crossed a line with dangerous potential. By any objective analysis, this is a new low and unprecedented in the history of American presidential politics. This is no longer about policy, civility, decency or even temperament. This is a direct threat of violence against a political rival. It is not just against the norms of American politics, it raises a serious question of whether it is against the law.

Trump sparked the controversy at a rally in Wilmington, N.C., earlier in the day.

Hillary wants to abolish  essentially abolish  the Second Amendment, the Republican nominee said. And if she gets to pick, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do.

Trump added: But the Second Amendment people, maybe there is. I dont know.

The Clinton team was quick to respond. Like many critics, Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook interpreted Trumps comments as either provoking or joking about violence against a potential Clinton administration.

This is simple, Mook said in a statement. What Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.

The Trump campaign was equally swift in attempting to dismiss the controversy.

Its called the power of unification, Jason Miller, Trump senior communications adviser, said in a statement. Second Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power. And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it wont be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump.

Story continues

Rather didnt buy Team Trumps explanation.

Once the words are out there they cannot be taken back, he wrote. That is what inciting violence means.

Scarborough agreed.

Trump and his supporters have been scrambling wildly all day to explain away the inexplicable, but they can stop wasting their time, the host of MSNBCs Morning Joe wrote in an op-ed for the Washington Post. The GOP nominee was clearly suggesting that some of the Second Amendment people among his supporters could kill his Democratic opponent were she to be elected.

He added: A bloody line has been crossed that cannot be ignored. At long last, Donald Trump has left the Republican Party few options but to act decisively and get this political train wreck off the tracks before something terrible happens.

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman called Trumps remarks an ambiguous wink-wink to gun rights activists.

Trump knows what he is doing, and it is so dangerous in todays world, Friedman wrote. In the last year, we have seen a spate of lone-wolf acts of terrorism in America and Europe by men and women living on the fringes of society, some with petty criminal records, often with psychological problems, often described as loners, and almost always deeply immersed in fringe jihadist social networks that heat them up. They hear the signal in the noise. They hear the inspiration and the permission to do Gods work. They are not cooled by unfinished sentences.

Bernice King, the daughter of late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., slammed Trump on Twitter.

As the daughter of a leader who was assassinated, I find #Trump's comments distasteful, disturbing, dangerous. His words don't #LiveUp. #MLK  Be A King (@BerniceKing) August 9, 2016

Erica Smegielski, daughter of the late Sandy Hook school principal Dawn Hochsprung, also took to Twitter to rip the real estate moguls remarks.

.@realDonaldTrump you think gun violence is a joke? Would love to tell you about Mom's life and gruesome MURDER. pic.twitter.com/swlnTPpAW7  Erica L Smegielski (@EricaSmegs) August 9, 2016

Former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords, a Democrat who survived an assassination attempt by a lone gunman in 2011, called on Trump to apologize to both Clinton and gun owners.

Responsible, stable individuals wont take Trumps rhetoric to its literal end, but his words may provide a magnet for those seeking infamy, Giffords said in a statement. They may provide inspiration or permission for those bent on bloodshed.

She added: What political leaders say matters to their followers. When candidates descend into coarseness and insult, our politics follow suit. When they affirm violence, we should fear that violence will follow.

The New York Daily News, which is often fiercely critical of Trump, took it a step further, calling on him to end his campaign.

Today's front page:

THIS ISN'T A JOKE ANYMORE

The News says, Trump must end his campaign https://t.co/X4iuQGnCTA pic.twitter.com/Bk5gHbp8xN  New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) August 10, 2016

People are playing with fire here, and there is no bigger flamethrower than Donald Trump, Friedman added in his column. Forget politics; he is a disgusting human being. His children should be ashamed of him. I only pray that he is not simply defeated, but that he loses all 50 states so that the message goes out across the land  unambiguously, loud and clear: The likes of you should never come this way again.
MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's central bank is trying to prevent the rupee from becoming too volatile by regularly buying dollars when there are inflows from foreign investors, Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan said on Wednesday.

Rajan, in a television interview, also said the central bank would likely pay a record-high dividend to the government, which would be one-sixth higher than the 699 billion rupees ($10.48 billion) pencilled into the annual budget unveiled in February.

"We are absorbing a fair amount of the inflows," Rajan told ET Now, adding that was a reason why foreign exchange reserves have soared recently to a record high.

($1 = 66.7100 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Neha Dasgupta and Suvashree Choudhury; Editing by Rafael Nam)
Though the current reporting cycle is drawing to a close, results are still pouring in from the real estate investment trust (REIT) industry. In fact, on Thursday, Aug 11, Communications Sales & Leasing, Inc. CSAL, Care Capital Properties, Inc. CCP and Community Healthcare Trust Incorporated CHCT are slated to release their quarterly figures.



Per the Earnings Preview report, for the Finance Sector, of which REITs are part, total Q2 earnings are projected to be down 5.3% on 0.4% lower revenues. This will follow the 6.9% decrease in the sectors earnings in the previous quarter.



However, the REIT industry has witnessed a mixed earnings season thus far. Though the industry benefited from a sustained low-rate environment in the second quarter, the economic environment and individual market dynamics equally played a crucial role in their performances.



While REITs like Prologis, Inc. PLD, SL Green Realty Corp. SLG and Boston Properties Inc. BXP reported better-than-expected numbers, Public Storage PSA, Vornado Realty Trust VNO and Equity Residential EQR failed to surpass expectations in the quarter.



Since, neither do all REITs cater to the same asset class, nor are they equally poised to surpass analysts expectations, we relied on the Zacks methodology, combining a favorable Zacks Rank  Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold)  and a positive Earnings ESP, to predict the chance of a beat this quarter.



Our proprietary methodology  Earnings ESP  shows the percentage difference between the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Research shows that with this combination of rank and ESP, chances of a positive earnings surprise are as high as 70% for the stocks.



Conversely, we caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or #5 (Sell rated) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions.



Lets now check how the above-mentioned companies are expected to perform, when they report their second-quarter results on Aug 11, 2016.



Communications Sales & Leasing is involved in the acquisition and construction of mission critical communications infrastructure and provides wireless infrastructure solutions for the communications industry. The company has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank #2. Though Communications Sales & Leasing enjoys a favorable Zacks rank, its chances of a beat is lowered for a 0.00% ESP.

Story continues

COMMUNICTNS S&L Price and EPS Surprise

COMMUNICTNS S&L Price and EPS Surprise | COMMUNICTNS S&L Quote

Care Capital Properties is a healthcare REIT with a diversified portfolio of skilled nursing facilities and other healthcare assets operated by private regional and local care providers. The company has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank #3. Despite a favorable rank, surprise prediction becomes difficult due to its 0.00% ESP.

CARE CAP PROPRT Price and EPS Surprise

CARE CAP PROPRT Price and EPS Surprise | CARE CAP PROPRT Quote

Community Healthcare Trust is engaged in the acquisition and ownership of properties which are leased to hospitals, doctors, healthcare systems or other healthcare service providers. The company has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank #4. Surprise prediction here too becomes inconclusive, with the company not having the right combination of ESP and rank.

COMM HLTHCR TR Price and EPS Surprise

COMM HLTHCR TR Price and EPS Surprise | COMM HLTHCR TR Quote

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



EQUITY RESIDENT (EQR): Free Stock Analysis Report



PROLOGIS INC (PLD): Free Stock Analysis Report



BOSTON PPTYS (BXP): Free Stock Analysis Report



PUBLIC STORAGE (PSA): Free Stock Analysis Report



VORNADO RLTY TR (VNO): Free Stock Analysis Report



SL GREEN REALTY (SLG): Free Stock Analysis Report



COMMUNICTNS S&L (CSAL): Free Stock Analysis Report



COMM HLTHCR TR (CHCT): Free Stock Analysis Report



CARE CAP PROPRT (CCP): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
In the five months since Relativity Media emerged from bankruptcy, Ryan Kavanaugh has yet to give a single interview, but thanks to Twitter, the Relativity CEO can be heard again.

Kavanaugh joined the social media platform on July 25 and began tweeting primarily about the studio's first post-Chapter 11 release, the upcoming Zach Galifianakis-Kristen Wiig comedy Masterminds. But within a few days, Kavanaugh's missives took a more personal turn, featuring pictures of his 9-month old son, Tommy. "I told myself I wasn't going to, but it was literally impossible to not share my greatest joy," he told THR.

But even more colorful, Kavanaugh tweeted a video clip that takes the viewer inside a medicinal marijuana facility. When asked about the cannabis shout-out, he confessed that he took a stake in a Nevada-based company called Acres Cultivation five years ago.

Read more: Relativity's Ryan Kavanaugh Breaks Silence, Points Fingers in Emotional Post-Bankruptcy Interview (Exclusive)

"I thought that one was fun," Kavanaugh jokes of his little-known investment in the bud business. For those hoping he will be as unfiltered on Twitter as Relativity's Dana Brunetti, Kavanaugh says he will definitely get political. "I do plan on it, especially since I sit on the opposite side of most of the industry," says Kavanaugh, who has been outspoken on Israel (he's pro) and President Obama (anti). "If I feel something was missed by the media or needs to be addressed, I will certainly not hesitate."

A day after speaking to THR, he did just that, leaping to the defense of Brunetti, who was called an "idiot" on Twitter by Judd Apatow for agreeing with a Gavin Polone essay in THR saying he would not vote for Hillary Clinton. "This is the problem with hllywd anyone who doesnt blindly support a democrat is personally attacked," he wrote.

A version of this story first appeared in the Aug. 19 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
In order for solar power to compete with other forms of energy, the conventional thinking goes, it needs to become way cheaper.

Installing rooftop solar panels can be prohibitively expensive, after all, and it takes years before the resulting energy savings pay off. For the individual, it doesnt matter whether solar panels will save you money in the long run if you cant afford them in the short run.

For those of us who are renters, the decision of whether to go solar is even more irrelevant. We dont have the option to install panels ourselves. And unless your apartment comes with utilities included, your landlord has no incentive to install solar panels, because you would get all the savings.

But while the average family may be unable to make a costly investment in solar, the government has much deeper pockets  and an entire Department of Energy to work with.

There are already some state incentives to help bring down the cost of solar panels for homeowners. But the federal government can do more  starting with powering its own buildings with solar power, yielding savings every year that could make a big difference to taxpayers and help expand the industry, potentially lowering prices for the rest of us.

The same can be said for corporations, only their savings would result in bigger long-term profits to shareholders.

Yet while the solar industry is growing rapidly, it still remains a small part of our overall energy grid. One reason its not growing quicker is that energy companies and utilities are lobbying against its expansion, especially when it comes to privately owned panels.

Solar power allows individual home or business owners to produce their own energy and cease to be customers of the local electric companies  and the fossil fuel and nuclear industries that supply them.

When utility providers use coal, natural gas, or nuclear, in other words, they remain the centralized provider of energy and they get the profits. When you put a solar panel on your house, they dont.

So maybe the reason solar hasnt taken off more isnt because it isnt a viable technology, or because its more costly for consumers. Maybe its because it threatens corporate profits.

We didnt forestall the switch to cars because we wanted to save jobs and profits in the horse and carriage industry. If we choose to give up on solar power because its expensive, rather than finding ways to make it cheaper, were basically choosing to continue burning fossil fuels.

Do we really want to protect dirty energy jobs and profits while the planet cooks?

Instead of lobbying to continue polluting the planet, the energy and utility sectors could expand their repertoire to include selling and installing solar panels. That would be a win-win for everyone.
joeseph papa valeant

Valeant Pharmaceuticals, the troubled Canadian drugmaker, is under criminal investigation, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Federal investigators are considering bringing charges of defrauding investors with its relationship to specialty pharmacy Philidor, reported The Journal, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

According to the report, US district attorneys in New York are considering whether Philidor unfairly directed patients toward higher-priced drugs made by Valeant instead of lower-cost options without revealing the relationship between the two firms.

Investigators are looking into whether Philidor told insurers that it had no relationship with Valeant in order to secure coverage of the higher-priced drugs.

Philidor, which no longer exists, stated in a letter to a US Senate committee investigating Valeant that it did not push patients toward Valeant's products. Valeant paid $80 million in fees to Philidor in 2015, and the specialty pharmacy was dispensing more than 5o drugs made by Valeant, according to documents sent to the committee.

Valeant disclosed in October 2015 that it had a relationship with Philidor, including an option to buy the company. Eventually, Valeant severed ties with Philidor because of misstatements in its accounting.

According to the report, the US attorney's office is considering pressing charges related to mail and wire fraud. The Journal's sources said that the office is considering charges against two former Philidor executives individually.

Valeant had previously said in filings that it was facing investigations in four different states, including New York. The filing directly stated that New York investigators were looking into the Philidor relationship.

UPDATE: In response to the story, Valeant released a statement late Wednesday saying that the investigation was already public knowledge and that the firm is cooperating with the US Attorney's Office. Here is the statement in full:

Story continues

"Valeant previously disclosed in October 2015 that the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York commenced an investigation involving Valeant. We have been fully cooperating with the authorities throughout the investigation, and we are in frequent contact and continue to cooperate with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. We do not comment on rumors about investigations, and cannot comment on or speculate about the possible course of any ongoing investigation.

"Valeant takes these matters seriously and intends to uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct as we move forward with our mission to improve people's lives with our healthcare products."

In pre-market trading on Thursday, Valeant's stock fell by roughly 6.8% to $25.44 as of 8:48 a.m. ET.

Screen Shot 2016 08 11 at 8.48.27 AM

Read the full story at The Wall Street Journal 

NOW WATCH: Watch Hillary Clinton threaten to 'go after' one of the most controversial drug companies in America





More From Business Insider


United by their traumatic pasts, this calf and puppy have become unlikely best friends.

Read: Stray Cat Becomes Best Friends With Bear at Zoo: 'Wherever He Is, She's Not Far Off'

The 5-month-old puppy and 3-month-old calf have been inseparable since they were both rescued and taken to Julianas Animal Sanctuary in Colombia.

Rescue co-founder Juliana Castaneda Turner told InsideEdition.com that she was contacted by a small local dairy farm about a newborn bull that they didn't want.

[He would have] no chance to have a normal life, because the dairy industry needs cows that give milk, not bulls, Castaneda said.

To keep the newborn from its inevitable fate in the slaughterhouse, Castaneda said she took in the animal, even though they had hardly room in their rescue for another large animal.

The calf, named Bernie, was rescued at 8 days old and placed with the older dogs to make sure he was safe from being trampled by the larger animals.

The old dogs' area is big enough and [there is] no danger there because the dogs are too kind, she said. He needs a lot of attention day and night, and that area is for that special attention.

But Bernie needed more, she said. The older dogs were not as energetic as him but when he tried to play with older cows, Castaneda deemed it too dangerous.

That's where Sri Ram the puppy came in.

Read: Meet the Warthog Piglet and Rottweiler Puppy That Became Best Friends After Being Rescued

Castaneda said the puppy, which she rescued just a month before the calf, was just as lonely after being separated from his family.

She said she saw a litter of four puppies and their mother in the backyard of a nearby home, starving and near death. She told the owners, who planned to sell the dogs, that she would take the litter to receive medical attention. Castaneda said she never returned to the home.

Story continues

On a trip to the United States, she brought three of the pups to be adopted out. She left the smallest of the litter, Sri Ram, at the rescue.

Upon their return, her co-founder suggested they introduce the pup to the calf, who had grown up enough to be playing with other dogs.

Immediately, they were the best of friends.

They loved each other from the first day, Castaneda said. "They are just two babies, full of energy.

The unlikely pair has been inseparable since  doing everything from playing together to napping together.

Read: Deaf Girl Teaches Sign Language To Her Dog, Who Was Also Born Deaf

Despite the difficult journey to where they are now, she said Bernie and Sri Ram couldnt be happier at their new home.

Castaneda said it has been her dream since she was a kid to open an animal sanctuary and change the lives of animals like Bernie and Sri Ram.

Julianas Animal Sanctuary, located in the Andes Mountains, is reportedly the only no-kill rescue in Colombia. To support their mission, visit their crowdfunding campaign.

Watch: Toddlers Battling Cancer Become Best Friends: 'Happy While They're Fighting So Hard'

Related Articles:
Rob Reiner insists Donald Trump crossed a dangerous line on Tuesday and there is no going back from his comments about Hillary Clinton.

While stumping in Wilmington, N.C., the GOP presidential nominee told his supporters that Clinton was a threat to their Second Amendment rights, adding "By the way, and if she gets to pick - if she gets to pick her [Supreme Court] judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although, the Second Amendment people, maybe there is. I don't know."

Many took the statement as insinuation of violence against Clinton, including Reiner, who told The Hollywood Reporter he couldn't believe what he heard.

"There are so many horrific things that he says that you become numb to it and think you can't be shocked anymore, and then he says something like this," Reiner marveled in disbelief. "And even if he says he was joking, like he did about asking the Russians to hack into Mrs. Clinton's emails, this is really not - because here is the problem, he has got some very violent people who follow him. He's got all these neo-Nazi groups and white supremacist groups and they're capable of doing all kinds of things."

The Trump campaign released a statement saying the comment was a "unification" call and nothing malicious.

Read more: Hollywood Slams Donald Trump Over Clinton, Second Amendment Remarks

Reiner, who has been vocally critical of Trump on social media and while appearing on HBO's Real Time With Bill Maher, said the angry rhetoric came to a boil Tuesday with Trump's remark, calling it "scary stuff."

"We're talking about somebody's life here," he told THR. "And it's not as though there haven't been political assassinations in our country, there have been. So you have to say that this is the kind of thing that disqualifies him."

The billionaire businessman turned would-be politician is unlike any candidate Reiner says he has ever witnessed in his lifetime.

Story continues

"And people just accept that that's who this guy is," said Reiner. "And I call upon responsible leaders in his party to say, 'Enough already. It's enough.'"

No matter what the polls say, Trump has plenty of "diehard" supporters who follow the tone he sets, Reiner said.

"Where's the decency? Where's the compassion and decency for your fellow man? I don't care if you disagree with someone's politics, but there's a certain sense of decency towards other human beings, and he just doesn't show any," said Reiner. "He is a dangerous person. He is a very, very dangerous person. And he only cares about himself, and he is willing to hurt other people to benefit himself."

Saying the media is doing "a little bit better now" of holding Trump accountable than it did during the primary season, Reiner said the bar cannot go any lower this election season.

"There is no place in American political discourse for what this guy is doing," he said. "And he is already preempting everything by saying it's all rigged; the system is rigged, the election is rigged, and I am just scared of those diehard supporters being unleashed somehow. It's an angry mob."

Read more: Rob Reiner Period Drama 'The Tap' Gets Pilot Order at USA Network
Who says friends cant give each other a hard time?

In case you havent heard, Tom Hiddleston is on Instagram now, and the 35-year-old actors Avengers co-star, Robert Downey Jr., welcomed him to the social media platform on Tuesday, by teasing him about that now-infamous I heart T.S. shirt from the early days of his whirlwind romance with Taylor Swift.

Join me in welcoming the biggest T. Stark fan of them all to Instagram! @twhiddleston, Downey, Jr. wrote, joking that the T.S. inscribed on the shirt stood for Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man, who the 51-year-old actor plays in several Marvel franchise movies.

WATCH: Tom Hiddleston Joins Instagram, and His First Post Will Definitely Make You Smile

We gotta say only makes us love the tank top more!

As of yet, Hiddleston hasnt taken to his Instagram to respond to the shade. In fact, hes only made one post at all so far!

Watch the video below to see how Loki made his Instagram debut.

Related Articles
Roger Jay Pietschmann, a third generation motion picture industry vet who, like his father, was a boom operator, sound recordist and mixer with credits including Taxi Driver, Pee Wees Big Adventure and Twilight Zone: The Movie has died following a battle with multiple symptom atrophy. He was 71.

Growing up in Los Angeles, Pietschmann attended University High School, Santa Monica Community College, and the University of California at Long Beach before entering the film industry on Martin Scorseses Taxi Driver. Many other films followed, including Twilight Zone: The Movie, Pee Wees Big Adventure, Batman Returns, Honey, I Blew Up The Kid, and Madonna: Truth or Dare. Notably, Pietschmann was on location at the Twilight Zone shoot in Valencia, California when a stunt helicopter crashed, killing actor Vic Morrow and two child actors.

Pietschmann also worked extensively in television, his credits including 60 Minutes, American Masters, Family Law, The X-Files, The Division, Airline, Dirt, Sleeper Cell and Dexter.

Roger Jay Pietschmann died peacefully at home July 26 in Los Angeles with his family at his side after a six-year battle with multiple symptom atrophy (MSA). Throughout his illness he never lost his wonderful take on life and sense of humor. He was the third generation of family employed in the motion picture industry. Like his father before him, he was a boom operator, sound recordist and mixer. He received a Primetime Emmy for his work on Sleeper Cell and was nominated for the Cinema Audio Societys Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Sleeper Cell and Dexter.

Pietschmanns father, Richard J. Pietschmann Jr., is credited with helping to create the multi-track stereophonic sound system for Cinerama. His grandfather, Richard J. Pietschmann Sr., was a set lighter during the early days of the motion picture industry in both New York and Los Angeles. Pietschmann is survived by his wife Andrea, his daughter Devin, and his brother Richard J. Pietschmann 3rd. Known for his sense of humor, his family have said he maintained high spirits throughout his medical battle. His family have requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in his name to combat MSA. To that end, his daughter has set up a funding site for contributions.

Story continues

Related stories

Jodie Foster On 'Money Monster', Its Relevance And How Studio Movies Have Changed - Cannes Studio

Scorsese, De Niro & Foster Lead 'Taxi Driver' 40th Birthday Tribute - Tribeca Film Festival

Jodie Foster Calls Jonathan Demme "My Favorite Woman Director" - Tribeca Film Festival
Sound veteran Roger Jay Pietschmann died July 26 at his home in Los Angeles and with his family at his side after a six-year battle with multiple symptom atrophy, the Cinema Audio Society announced. He was 71.

A boom operator, sound recordist and mixer, Pietschmann began his career on Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976), and his feature resume also included Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985), Batman Returns (1992) and Honey I Blew up the Kid (1992).

On the 1983 John Landis film Twilight Zone: The Movie, Pietschmann was on the scene when a stunt helicopter crashed, killing actor Vic Morrow and two child actors.

He received an Emmy nomination for his efforts on Sleeper Cell and was nominated for the Cinema Audio Society's outstanding achievement in sound mixing award for that series and for Dexter.

He also worked in television on Nature, 60 Minutes, American Masters, Family Law, The Division, Airline and Dirt.

Pietschmann was a third-generation member of the motion picture community. His father, Richard J. Pietschmann Jr., is credited with helping create the multitrack stereophonic sound system for Cinerama and was recordist and mixer on four of those widescreen movies, including 1952's This Is Cinerama. His grandfather, Richard J. Pietschmann Sr., did set lighting during the early days of the industry.

Pietschmann graduated from University High School in Los Angeles and attended Santa Monica Community College and the University of California at Long Beach.

He is survived by his wife Andrea, daughter Devin and brother Richard.

His daughter has set up a funding site for contributions used to better understand and defeat MSA. Donations may be made in his name.

Read more: Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2016
A number of proposed changes to the Westby Area High School handbook for the 2016-17 school year resulted in spirited discussion without resolution at the July 11 monthly board of education meeting and further discussion at a special board meeting on July 25.

The heart of the discussion and proposed changes was centered around removing cell phones from high school classroom settings where they have become a major distraction and are problematic for educators.

Westby Area High School Principal Karl Stoker said his educators are unanimously on board with removing cell phones from the classroom and making the change part of the Co-Curricular handbook policies, but the proposal was shot down after spirited discussion regarding the subject and an overall consensus could not be reached by school board members and administration in time for the upcoming school year.

The proposal was to allow students to keep their cell phones in their lockers, with the opportunity to check for messages during breaks and between classes, but to remove them completely from students during classroom time periods.

Stoker brought the proposal to the board at the July 11 meeting held at the Chaseburg Village Hall, but was met with opposition from District Administrator Chuck Norton and Technology Support & Integration Specialist Nathan Papendorf.

Norton and Papendorf felt the black and white approach presented by Stoker was too stringent and the district approach should be to teach students appreciation for the hand held devices as they learn the art of self regulation.

Stoker said a battle is on in the classrooms and educators are losing valuable time teaching and spending more time handling ongoing issues with inappropriate time and use of cell phones by students.

Changing a culture is difficult, but cell phones are interfering with the learning process and teachers are being overrun and overwhelmed by the situation, Stoker said. He added that this is a growing problem and even the educators that didnt have a problem with students having cell phones in the classrooms before are jumping on board the time for change bandwagon.

Kids need to learn that there is our time and their time and our time does not allow for cell phone use in the classroom, Stoker said.

Board president David Eggen asked if this needed to be a policy change and suggested that the staff simply police the problem themselves.

Stoker said the steps currently in place are not working and that changing policy forces everyone to adhere to those changes creating a level playing field.

This is a real problem for the staff right now and we need to get a grip on it, Stoker said.

Robert Kerska agreed with Stoker and said the key is to adopt a unified policy. He said he saw no reason for kids to have cell phones in the classroom since the district has a 1-to-1 initiative in place and the Chrome books that students are provided with provide all the learning tools students need in the classroom.

Board member and father of teenage children Andy Lipski was on board with the new proposed changes. He questioned the purpose of cell phones in the classrooms when the district has invested so much money to provide all students a level playing field with the 1-to-1 initiative.

Lipski was passionate in his response stating that the first rule should be to have students follow the damn rules. He said it drives him nuts that the district spent all this money on 1-to-1 initiative and yet they continue to dangle a carrot in front of kids who they are still spending more time dinking around on their phones instead of learning in the classroom.

Papendorf said implementing such a black and white rule will fail and by imposing such a harsh rule its like putting the cart before the horse when the real changes needs to come from teaching students to self regulate the time they spend on the phones, not just going cold turkey.

With discussions going nowhere and anxiety level increasing the discussion was tabled until the July 25 special meeting.

In search of common ground and feeling the need for more unity from the school board on the issue, Stoker took a step back at the July 25 meeting. He was disheartened that administration blindsided him in this presentation at the July 11 meeting, since he had spent months preparing and going through all the proper channels before bringing it to the school board.

On July 25, Kerska took time again to reiterate his opinion that having cell phones on student in the classroom was ridiculous and illogical. He said social interaction was more important and kids need to learn that they dont need to be tied to their cell phone.

Lipski stood his ground as well and said there was no academic purpose to having a cell phone in the classroom.

Papendorf said there is more than one right answer and we need to teach restraint to students.

Norton said the district needs to engage kids so they know that what is happening in the classroom is a problem. He suggested implementing consistency and getting the house in order first before approving such a totally restrictive policy.

Jason Winsor suggested working through some of the concerns through the districts PBIS program.

Stoker agreed to inform his staff that they would have to operate under the current handbook policy already in place at the high school level for the 2016-17 school year and together with administration they will need to work toward a more applicable future solution to a growing problem.

Currently at the high school level cell phones may be used for personal use during passing time, lunch or break. During any other time they must be out of sight and turned off. Staff has the right to seize a students cell phone if they do not abide by the rules and place them in the high school safe. Students may retrieve them at the end of the day.

There is a more restrictive policy in place at the middle school level. Students are not allowed to have cell phones on their person in the classroom, but are allowed to have them in their lockers. They are not allowed to turn the phones on during the school day unless they have the permission of a staff member.

Future changes to the cell phone policy at the high school level will be discussed at future administration and policy meetings before returning to the Board of Education as an agenda item.

In other handbook related business at the high school level, Stoker suggested closing the campus during lunch hour after ongoing concerns over the past couple of years with students driving inappropriately during the lunch break. They also discussed changes and more clarification of appropriate and inappropriate apparel worn to school as listed in the dress codes.
Rose McGowan has penned an open letter to Donald Trump, the Murdochs and broadcast networks, including ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox, for coverage of the controversial Republican nominee for president.

In the letter, which was sent to media outlets on Wednesday afternoon and posted on McGowan's Facebook page, the actress turned outspoken activist blasts Trump and "media men" for poisoning the country with his rhetoric. "This is real. We are sick," writes McGowan, who has been speaking out on Trump through the course of this election season. "Living with your daily reign of terror cancer, and it is terror cancer, is something we are unwilling to do for another minute. I do not want to live my life this way. I am a proud AMERICAN & GLOBAL CITIZEN who's [sic] head is bowed to her knees in because she is sickened every day. Because of you. It is NOT most of America who should be ashamed, it is YOU for propagating this propaganda."

Read more: Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner Pen Open Letter to Donald Trump

She urges those in positions of power to "think differently and to do better."

"It's that easy to be a better person and to do the right thing no matter the cost. The time is now," the letter states. McGowan's letter comes a day after Trump incited a firestorm of controversy when he told his supporters at a Tuesday rally in North Carolina that "Second Amendment people" could block Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton if she was elected president.

McGowan isn't the first notable Hollywood name to pen an open letter to Trump. Previous statements have come from Lena Dunham and Russell Simmons. Read McGowan's full letter below:

AN OPEN LETTER TO CNN FOX CBS ABC NBC VIACOM THE MURDOCHS AND DONALD J. TRUMP

RE: STATE OF EPIDEMIC/ZIKA2

Dear Enablers and Donald,

After the Republican National Convention I wrote an open letter to a rabid Trump supporter. I realize now the letter was for you, Donald and media men. It's you I've been wanting to talk to. You who have been stressing me and most of the nation out to the point of a diagnosable sickness. WE ARE BEING POISONED. We, the public, are being sickened by an ever expanding assault on our right to live a healthy and free life. Donald & you ratings driven colluders, are holding us the public hostage and exposing us to disease. A massive DISease.

Story continues

Our symptoms are knots in our shoulders, sick feelings in the pit of our vaginas, stomach tightness, shortness of breath, wildly elevated stress levels - we are now chronically experiencing a true mass illness.

Caused by you. You all had a hand in this. You must take ownership of this situation.

You are causing a worldwide sickness. You are POISONING us as sure as Flint is poisoning its citizens. You are poisoning your very own family and us, your brothers and sisters.

This is real. We are sick. Living with your daily reign of terror cancer, and it is terror cancer, is something we are unwilling to do for another minute. I do not want to live my life this way. I am a proud AMERICAN & GLOBAL CITIZEN who's head is bowed to her knees in because she is sickened every day. Because of you. It is NOT most of America who should be ashamed, it is YOU for propagating this propaganda.

We, the public, need for you to look for your humanity. We, the public, need you to think differently and to do better. Think different. Do better. It's that easy to be a better person and to do the right thing no matter the cost. The time is now.

Stop poisoning humanity. Go rogue, reverse course, be BRAVE. He is a murderer in the making. Do NOT AID AND ABET A CRIME.

UNPLUG THE MICROPHONES

STOP COVERING HIM

TURN THE LIGHTS OUT

STOP THE CANCER

It is time to RISE and say NO MORE

#ROSEARMY#ANARMYOFTHOUGHT

Read more: Russell Simmons Asks Donald Trump to "Stop the Bullshit" in Open Letter
Madrid (AFP) - Spain's Popular Party (PP) will decide next Wednesday whether it accepts conditions set by centrist upstart grouping Ciudadanos in exchange for helping it form a minority government, acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said.

Ciudadanos on Tuesday put forward six conditions -- including electoral reform and anti-corruption measures -- which if accepted would see it sit down to negotiate with the PP and back the ruling conservative party in its bid to form a minority government.

This would be the first breakthrough after inconclusive elections in June, although Rajoy would still need support elsewhere to break Spain's deep-set political paralysis and get a government through the necessary parliamentary vote of confidence.

The PP "will do everything in its power to allow these negotiations to start", Rajoy told reporters after meeting with Ciudadanos chief Albert Rivera, adding the party's executive committee would meet next Wednesday to examine and vote on the proposals.

Spain has been without a fully functioning government for more than seven months following two inconclusive polls, leaving it in political limbo in a sensitive economic and political period.

But even as parties reiterate the need for a stable government after repeat elections in June, none has yet sealed a deal, leaving the country in the hands of a caretaker government.

Rajoy's PP, in power since 2011, won the June elections but fell short of an absolute majority, winning 137 parliamentary seats out of 350.

The acting prime minister has since been tasked by King Felipe VI with forming a coalition or minority government, which he will have to push through a vote of confidence.

In order to do so, Rajoy will need an absolute majority in the vote. If he fails, a second vote will be held several days later in which he would only need a simple majority.

But Ciudadanos, with the 32 seats it gained in June elections, will still not be enough for Rajoy to push a government through if everyone else votes against it.

He still needs the help of the Socialists, even if it is just an abstention in the vote.

But they have so far ruled out abstaining.
By Lidia Kelly MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Wednesday there would be daily three-hour ceasefires in Syria's Aleppo starting Thursday to allow humanitarian convoys to enter the city safely, a proposal which the United Nations said it would consider. Aleppo is split into rebel- and government-held . The rebel-held east, where about 250,000 people are thought to be living, came under siege in early July after government forces cut the Castello Road, the main supply route into the district. On Friday rebels staged a major assault southwest of Aleppo to break through this siege. Fighters did manage to pierce the ring of government-controlled territory, but a safe corridor for civilians and aid has not yet been established as fierce fighting continues. Speaking at a televised briefing, Lieutenant-General Sergei Rudskoi, a senior Russian Defense Ministry official, said the pause in fighting would run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. local time. Rudskoi said the question of joint control over delivery of humanitarian aid via Castello Road was being discussed with the United Nations and the United States. He said "all military action, air and artillery strikes" would be halted for the three-hour periods. "This is to ensure that all interested organizations have the opportunity to deliver their humanitarian assistance to the residents of Aleppo," Rudskoi said. He added that Russia, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against rebels in Syria's five-year-old civil war, would work with Damascus to ensure safe delivery of the aid. A spokesman for a major rebel group fighting inside Aleppo told Reuters it was skeptical of the Russian plan. "Is this publicity that Russia is a neutral party? What is three hours? In those three hours they will just be bombing (rebel-held) Idlib!" said Abd al-Salaam Abd al-Razzaq, military spokesman for the Nour al Din al-Zinki insurgent group. Air strikes killed at least 19 people and wounded dozens in rebel-held Idlib province, southwest of Aleppo, on Wednesday. One Idlib town, Saraqeb, has received daily heavy air strikes since a Russian helicopter was shot down nearby 10 days ago. QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE TRAPPED Concerns are growing for the roughly 250,000 people believed to be trapped inside eastern Aleppo, where food supplies, infrastructure and medical services are immensely strained. United Nations aid chief Stephen O'Brien said on Wednesday he was willing to consider the Russian plan, but that a 48-hour pause in fighting was needed to meet all the humanitarian needs in the Syrian city, Syria's most populous before the war. "At all times I will look at any kind of suggestion which enables humanitarian aid to be delivered," he told reporters. "When we're offered three hours then you have to ask what could be achieved in that three hours - is it to meet the need, or would it only just meet a very small part of the need? "Clearly, from our point of view, were simply there to meet the need, all the need...," O'Brien said. "To meet that capacity of need you need two (road) lanes and you need to have about 48 hours to get sufficient trucks in." He said last month that any Aleppo humanitarian pause needed to be 48 hours because the Castello Road was so damaged that only smaller trucks could be used, taking longer to deliver the assistance needed. In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said the United States would welcome any pause in fighting in Syria to facilitate delivery of vital humanitarian aid, but a truce must be observed by all parties. Rudskoi said that a point for collecting the aid and forming convoys has been established near Handarat, on the northern outskirts of Aleppo. Two weeks ago Russia and the Syrian government declared a joint humanitarian operation for the besieged area, showering it with leaflets telling fighters to surrender and civilians to leave through a number of "humanitarian corridors" it had set up. Russian and Syrian warplanes have bombarded eastern Aleppo and other rebel-held areas of Syria daily for months and the United States suggested the humanitarian corridors plan may have been an attempt to depopulate the city so that the Syrian army could seize it. "All seven humanitarian corridors, established for the exit of peaceful residents and militants who wanted to lay down their arms, are open and work around the clock," Rudskoi said. "An additional humanitarian corridor for militants with weapons continues to operate near the Castello Road." He said that a "number" of armed groups, with weapons, had already left the eastern part of Aleppo through that corridor. Rudskoi said the situation in the southwest of Aleppo remains difficult, with about 7,000 Jabhat Fatah al-Sham militants massing there for the past week and still being joined by new combatants. He said the militants had tanks, artillery and combat vehicles with weapons mounted on them. (Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols in New York, Lisa Barrington and Suleiman al-Khalidi in Beirut; editing by Andrew Osborn and Mark Heinrich)
Rentals at 399 Fremont currently start around $3,550 a month for an available 420-square-foot studio.

San Francisco is notorious for sky-high rental prices, and while that situation wont likely change in the near future, there are signs the San Francisco rental market is finally (finally!) softening.

San Francisco rental growth has slowed significantly over the last 12 months, according to the latest data from Zillow, the online real estate database company, which indicates San Francisco city rents climbed 5.5% year-over-year this June, versus a whopping 16.4% for June 2015.

Listings that once rented in just two to three weeks can now take two to three months to rent, explains Paul Hwang, principal broker at Skybox Realty, a San Francisco-based real estate agency.

At least four new apartment buildings have opened within a three-block radius of one another during the last 18 months in San Franciscos thriving South of Market neighborhood, which is home to major tech companies like Airbnb, Pinterest and Yelp (YELP).

Those four buildings  Jasper, 340 Fremont, 399 Fremont and Solaire  frequently offer some sort of bargain for prospective renters. 340 Fremont is offering six weeks of free rent; Solaire is pitching four weeks of free rent, free on-site storage and $1,000 discounts to renters who work at tech companies like Apple (AAPL), Facebook (FB) and Yahoo (YHOO). Meanwhile, another building, 399 Fremont, even tried giving away free bikes one weekend.

399 FREMONT IN SAN FRANCISCO HOUSES 447 RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON 42 FLOORS, AND 25,000 SQUARE FEET OF AMENITY SPACE.

Located at 45 Lansing St. in San Francisco, Jasper contains 320 residential units on 39 floors, with studios currently starting around $3,100.

Chalk part of that up to an apparent slowdown in tech hiring. Tech layoffs more than doubled during the first four months this year compared to the same period in 2015, according to the San Jose Mercury News. Raising funds isnt as easy as it once was, when seemingly any entrepreneur with a half-baked idea  another Snapchat clone, the 20th food delivery startup  could raise a few million before slowly puttering their way into irrelevance.

Then theres the huge surplus of the available units up for rent. The Dallas, Tex.-based housing research firm Axiometrics estimates 12,300 new units will glut San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose this year, up from about 7,000 units in 2015 and 6,700 units in 2014.

Story continues

This has forced many landlords to get more creative to fill units, doling out incentives not seen since 2009, according to Hwang.

For more attractive deals, look no further than Craigslist, where 1 month free is a popular tagline in listings spanning from San Francisco proper and Oakland to San Jose and Cupertino.

Welcome Home!! 1 Month Free!! No App Fees!! $500 Deposit!! reads one listing for an 845-square-foot one-bedroom in San Jose. Love where you live! 1 month free  $500 [Visa] gift card! another listing declares for a 679-square-foot one-bedroom in Redwood City. Still others are dangling a $1,000 look and lease special: Lease an apartment the same day you view it, and the landlord slashes $1,000 off the deposit or one months rent.

The fact, of course, remains that no matter how many incentives Bay Area landlords dole out, renters will still end up paying more for a one-bedroom than most Americans pay for the mortgage of their multi-bedroom homes. San Francisco, after all, continues to outrank New York City as the most expensive city to rent an apartment, according to the June national rent report from apartment website Zumper.

But if ever there were a time for well-salaried tech workers to rent the apartment of their dreams, that time is now. For everyone else? Lets hope the San Francisco rental market softens even more.



JP Mangalindan is senior correspondent for Yahoo Finance covering the intersection of tech and business.
Sarah Paulson is continuing her quest to be the busiest woman on TV!

Fresh off of her Television Critics Association Awards win and her Emmy Award nominations for playing Marcia Clark in The People v. O.J. Simpson, Paulson is already looking to be a part of the next chapter of American Crime Story.

"I'm begging them to let me do that," Paulson exclaimed to reporters at the summer Television Critics Association press tour on Tuesday. "Begging on my hands and knees."

The upcoming season of Ryan Murphy's FX anthology series, which will premiere in 2017, will shift away from the courtroom and onto one of the greatest natural disasters in American history: 2005's Hurricane Katrina.

MORE: FX Boss Reveals How to Uncover 'American Horror Story' Season 6 Theme

American Crime Story executive producer Brad Simpson revealed that the writers' room is "just now starting to get the episodes in," but the story will be completely unlike the inaugural O.J. Simpson-centric season. "We're looking at it to be tonally and thematically incredibly different," he said.

"I think every year, the show will change and morph based on the crime that we're exploring, but really it's going to be about two things: One is just the intensity of what it was like to be there on the ground and to be in that pressure cooker," Simpson continued. "And also, thematically, the bigger crime, which is that Katrina that was something that was predictable, that we weren't prepared for even though we knew that it was going to happen."

Simpson added that, like The People v. O.J. Simpson, the next season will feature a mixture of well-known and unknown characters.

WATCH: Holland Taylor Proudly Supports Girlfriend Sarah Paulson During TCA Awards

"You will have the famous people and you will also have the people who weren't famous during Katrina," Simpson said. "I'm, sadly, not going to be making any big news here today in terms of who will be returning."

Story continues

Even though Paulson's involvement in the Katrina-themed season has yet to be official, the 41-year-old actress did confirm that she will be appearing in American Horror Story's mysterious sixth season.

"I can tell you I'm doing it, but that's all I can say. I can't say anything else," she teased. "Nothing you've read on the Internet about it is correct though, I can tell you that."

Related Articles
DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia intercepted two ballistic missiles fired at the kingdom by Yemen's armed Houthi movement on Wednesday, Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV reported. The attack follows renewed air strikes by a Saudi-led military coalition on the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital, Sanaa. Thirteen civilians were killed when bombs a snack food factory. The Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for the missile attack. In the past, they have boasted of launching around a dozen Scud missiles at the south of the kingdom during more than a year of war. A senior Houthi official did say that he held the United Nations responsible for the stepped-up combat, which followed the collapse over the weekend of U.N.-backed peace talks. "The silence of the U.N. towards this dangerous escalation and mass extermination against the Yemeni people ... makes it a partner in the aggression," Saleh al-Samad, the chief of a new Houthi-backed political council, told state news agency Saba. Saudi Arabia and an alliance of mostly Gulf Arab allies have launched thousands of air strikes against the Houthis and their allies in Yemen's army since they intervened in Yemen's civil war on behalf of the exiled government. The Saudis are backing an offensive by pro-government fighters aiming to advance on Sanaa from the north and east. (Writing By Noah Browning, editing by Larry King)
By Alex Lawler

LONDON (Reuters) - Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia boosted its oil output to a record high in July, it told OPEC, in a sign key members remain focused on market share rather than tackling a supply glut by curbing production.

The monthly report from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries also said output from the 14-member group hit a new high last month, indicating excess global supply may persist into next year.

Oil (LCOc1) declined almost 15 percent in July on concern about a glut of crude and finished products that would delay a long-awaited rebalancing of the market. The drop has prompted some OPEC members to rally support for producers to agree steps to prop up prices.

"Cheap crude has led refiners to produce more refined products worldwide, adding to the oversupplied market," OPEC said in the report.

Saudi Arabia pumped 10.67 million barrels per day of crude in July, according to figures it provided to OPEC. That is up from 10.55 million bpd in June and above the previous record of 10.56 million bpd achieved in June 2015.

Saudi-based industry sources said in April output would rise to meet summer power demand, not to flood the market.

Other OPEC producers like Iraq and Iran are boosting supply, offsetting the impact of militant attacks in Nigeria. Based on figures OPEC collects from secondary sources, OPEC pumped 33.11 million bpd in July, up 46,000 bpd from June.

This is the highest since at least 2008, according to a Reuters review of past OPEC reports.

The report pointed to more resilient supplies from producers outside the group, despite a more than halving of oil prices since mid-2014 that OPEC officials hoped would curb rival production and create a more balanced market by this year.

OPEC now expects non-OPEC supply to drop by 790,000 bpd this year, not as much as the 880,000 bpd decline expected last month. Supply is also seen falling next year, but by a smaller rate of 150,000 bpd.

"The short-term outlook for non-OPEC supply in 2016 is being revised up due to the recovery in Canadian oil production following the vast wildfire in Alberta and rising rig counts in the U.S. for four consecutive weeks," OPEC said.

Story continues

OPEC's report backtracked from earlier predictions supply and demand would rebalance in 2016, saying higher seasonal demand in coming months would contribute to the "expected rebalancing of the market," without saying when it would occur.

OPEC expects demand for its crude in 2017 to average 33.01 million bpd, suggesting a supply surplus of 100,000 bpd if OPEC keeps output steady. Last month's report pointed to a small deficit.

In the report, OPEC made no significant change to its global demand outlook, predicting average demand growth of 1.15 million bpd in 2017.

(Editing by Jason Neely and Susan Thomas)
(BERLIN)  The head of the Scottish government has reached out to Germany, the European Unions most populous member, as she tries to keep Scotland in the bloc  and is arguing that Scotland should be able to remain part of the EU without leaving the United Kingdom.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told German broadcaster ARD that because we are in unprecedented circumstances, we should be prepared to think about unprecedented solutions. And thats the spirit that I will have in any discussions.

The U.K. as a whole  which includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland  voted narrowly to leave the EU in a June 23 referendum, but voters in Scotland voted by a wide margin to remain in the 28-nation bloc.

I would have thought it was very positive for the wider European Union for a part of the United Kingdom, if not the whole of the United Kingdom, to want to stay and continue to be part of the European family of nations, Sturgeon said on Tuesday.

The Scottish leader, who already has traveled to Brussels to press the same argument, met in Berlin on Tuesday with Germanys deputy foreign minister, Michael Roth. He is responsible for European issues at the German Foreign Ministry.

Sturgeon reiterated her stance that a new referendum on Scottish independence from the U.K. remains one option for Scotland to stay in the bloc.

Roth said the meeting was a very pleasant and constructive conversation between two dedicated pro-Europeans.

I hope that the U.K. finds a way forward that will benefit Europe as a whole in the end, he said.

Prime Minister Theresa Mays new British government hasnt yet formally set in motion the process of leaving the EU, and it remains unclear what future relationship it will seek with the bloc.
Paris (AFP) - Police in southwest France arrested a 21-year-old man in connection with the jihadist killing of a priest in a Normandy church last month, judicial sources said Wednesday.

The man arrested Monday in the Toulouse area is the second to be held in connection with the murder of 85-year-old Jacques Hamel, whose throat was slit in front of worshippers while he was celebrating mass in the town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray on July 26.

A police source said he had been in contact with the cleric's killers, Abdel Malik Petitjean and Adel Kermiche, who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.

The pair, both aged 19, were shot dead by police after a hostage drama in which a worshipper was seriously wounded.

The grisly attack -- the first committed in the name of IS against a church in the West -- came less than two weeks after a Tunisian ploughed a 19-tonne truck into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the Riviera city of Nice, killing 85 people and wounding more than 300.

A cousin of Petitjean named as Farid K. was remanded in custody on July 31 on charges of "criminal association in connection with terrorism".

The public prosecutor said the 30-year-old "was fully aware of his cousin's imminent violent action, even if he did not know the precise place or day."

Hamel's killing, which follows a string of attacks in France over the past 18 months, has raised questions about security failures.

Kermiche, who lived near the church, wore an electronic tag and was allowed to leave home on weekday mornings under his house arrest terms.

He met Petitjean through the encrypted messaging app Telegram.

Investigators have questioned several people over the killers' links with groups recruiting for jihad in Syria.

A 20-year-old man has been charged with trying to travel to Syria with Petitjean in June.
GettyImages 587342194

The Secret Service spoke with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump about his Tuesday remarks on the Second Amendment, CNN reported on Wednesday.

A top official at the agency told the cable news network that there had been "more than one conversation" about the comment.

According to CNN, the Trump campaign told law-enforcement officials that the New York billionaire never intended to incite supporters to violence.

In a tweet, Trump denied that a "meeting or conversation" took place.

A representative for the Secret Service did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Trump raised eyebrows on Tuesday when he alleged that Hillary Clinton would appoint Supreme Court justices who would aim to abolish the Second Amendment. The amendment preserves the right of citizens to keep and bear arms.

"If she gets to pick, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks," Trump said. "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know."

The comment was condemned by the Clinton campaign. Trump later attempted to clarify it, insisting that he never suggested violence.

NOW WATCH: 'A joke gone bad': How Republicans are responding to Trump's '2nd Amendment people' controversy





More From Business Insider


Shahid Kapoor and director Vishal Bhardwaj is a winning combination. The duos last two associations, Kaminey andHaider had a successful run at the BO and were much-loved by the critics. Their next film Rangoon too was supposed to hit theaters in Vishals favorite holiday weekend this year - the Gandhi Jayanti week. Rangoon was initially slated for a September 30 release but now it will release in February 2017.

In an interview with a daily, Shahid explained the reason behind the same. Yes, the films release has been postponed by a few months. It will now release on February 24 for sure, cleared the actor.

Recommended Read: A documentary on Shahid Kapoors role in Udta Punjab to be made?

On being asked about the reason behind the delay and he stated, Rangoon is mounted on a really high scale. Its a very content driven film but at the same time, a high budget commercial film. Vishal sir is taking more time to work on the films post-production which is required. That will take some time which is why we decided to come up with a release date in February next year.

Along with Shahid, Rangoon also stars Kangana Ranaut and Saif Ali Khan in key roles. In the meantime, both Shahid-Saif will get a lot of quality time to spend with their respective wives, as Mira & Kareena, both are pregnant. While Shahid-Mira is expecting to become proud parents by September this year, Kareena-Saifs baby is due in December.
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 10, 2016 / Purcell Julie & Lefkowitz LLP, a class action law firm dedicated to representing shareholders nationwide, is investigating a potential breach of fiduciary duty claim involving the board of directors of Medivation, Inc. (MDVN).

If you are a shareholder of Medivation and are interested in obtaining additional information regarding this investigation, free of charge, please visit us at: http://pjlfirm.com/medivation-inc/.

You may also contact Robert H. Lefkowitz, Esq. either via email at rl@pjlfirm.com or by telephone at 212-725-1000. One of our attorneys will personally speak with you about the case at no cost or obligation.

Purcell Julie & Lefkowitz LLP is a law firm exclusively committed to representing shareholders nationwide who are victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty and other types of corporate misconduct. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://pjlfirm.com. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

SOURCE: Purcell Julie & Lefkowitz LLP
By Michele Kambas and Antonio Bronic ATHENS/ZAGREB (Reuters) - A year after hundreds of thousands of refugees snaked their way across southeastern Europe and onto global television screens, the roads through the Balkans are now clear, depriving an arguably worsening tragedy of poignant visibility. Europe's migrant crisis is at the very least numerically worse than it was last year. More people are arriving and more are dying. But the twist is that, compared with last year, a lot of it is out of sight. Take the border between Greece and Macedonia. Summer crops have replaced the city of tents at the border outpost of Idomeni, even if some locals are convinced there is an unseen population hiding in the surrounding forests, waiting for smugglers to assist them on their onward journey. The tiny Greek village was a focal point of the migrant flow north toward Germany and other wealthy countries, with thousands of refugees squatting for months waiting for sealed borders with Macedonia to open Elsewhere in the Balkans, a Reuters photographer, revisiting the people-packed locations where he and his colleagues captured last year's diaspora, found empty roads, unencumbered railway tracks and bucolic countryside. The comparison is stark. To see the pictures, click: http://reut.rs/2aLGrXM More than one million people fleeing conflict in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan made their way to Europe last year, with the majority of them crossing the precarious sea corridor separating Greece and Turkey, the temporary home for more than 2 million refugees displaced from Syria.o They came carrying their worldly belongings in plastic bags and hauling babies on weary shoulders, a visual exodus of the kind not seen in Europe since the end of World War Two. Many have since reached their destination in northern Europe, but with the borders closed and the European Union now attempting to contain the numbers, thousands are stuck at holding centers in Greece and Italy. They are not so nearly visible there - nor are the ones still coming. VISIBILITY DOWN, ARRIVALS UP According to data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), arrivals are up 17 percent on last year, stoked mainly by a spike at the start of the year through Greece. Deaths among those trying to get to Europe, mainly due to drowning, are up more than 15 percent. "This is not a blip," said David Miliband, a former British foreign minister who now heads the International Rescue Committee, an aid group set up by Albert Einstein - himself a refugee - to rescue Europeans before the outbreak of World War Two. "The forces that are driving more and more people from their homes - weak states, big tumults within the Islamic world, a divided international system .. None of these things are likely to abate soon." Some of the mantle of accepting huge migrant flows that was carried by Greece last year and the beginning of this one has been taken up by Italy. This follows a resurgence of migrant flows from northern Africa. More than 140,000 asylum seekers are now housed in Italian shelters, a seven-fold increase on 2013, with the migrant crisis in its third year. In Greece, where arrivals plunged in the wake of an accord between Turkey and the EU to stem the flow in March, an estimated 57,000 migrants were still stuck in the country by Aug.8. Campaigners say the accord has lulled policymakers into a false sense of accomplishment by allowing them to believe that Europe's migration problem has been solved. "By outsourcing the responsibility to Turkey and to Greece, European governments are basically saying 'we have solved the crisis because we dont see it, and we can't smell it and we can't hear it," said Gauri van Gulik, deputy Europe director at Amnesty International. "The crisis is as big as ever, and as yet unsolved by governments," she told Reuters. IOM data says that 258,186 people arrived in Europe by the end of July, compared with 219,854 over the same period in 2015. There were 3,176 fatalities by Aug. 7, outpacing the 2,754 who died in the first eight months of last year, a slightly longer period. "Its absolutely incredible because if you think about the panic this caused last year and the incentive there was to really get some policy changes in place, nothing has happened," Van Gulik said. (Additional reporting by Steve Scherer in Rome, Lefteris Papadimas in Athens Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
Cartoon by Guay Chong Kian



A series of single-panel cartoons drawn by an advertising executive that make witty observations on topical issues ranging from massage parlours to a politicians extramarital affair has struck a chord with netizens.

Guay Chong Kian, a creative partner in an advertising agency, told Yahoo Singapore that he was taken aback by the response to a recent cartoon, which has been shared 750 times on Facebook since he posted it on 4 August. It depicts a family of cockroaches with a suitcase standing before a bin centre and exclaiming, Honey, NAC built us a very expensive home.

It is a reference to the recent Auditor-Generals Office Report, which revealed that the National Arts Council (NAC) had spent $470,000 on constructing a bin centre. NAC also paid $410,000 in consultation fees while doing so.

Asked why he thought the cartoon struck a chord, the 45-year-old Singaporean mused, People are unhappy. The issue is still there, but I just spun it off in a slightly funnier perspective. Maybe people just found it humourous.

Cartoon by Guay Chong Kian



While Guay initially shared the cartoons on his personal Facebook account, a desire to maintain his privacy led him to set up a page called SemiSerious. It is a reference to the documentary Very Semi-Serious, about the creative process of cartoonists at The New Yorker magazine.

Guays spare, simple style is reminiscent of renowned cartoonist Gary Larsons The Far Side series, though Guay does not cite any major influences. More of his cartoons can be seen here.

When I have a thought, I just doodle it. I keep it simple, as the content and what I want to say is more important, said Guay, whose creative impulses are sparked off by news reports and his observations of people and society.

He is quick to add that he is politically neutral, and prefers to steer clear of commenting on race or religion. Its just my perspective. Maybe its a little bit more uncomfortable for people to say it in a certain way, but I can say it the way I want to say it.

Asked if he hopes to get published, Guay was non-committal. I dont really have expectations. If people really enjoy it, I might just compile it into a book or something.
Theyre in. American and British special operations forces have been spotted in the Islamic States Libyan stronghold of Sirte, helping local militia forces call in airstrikes on Islamic State fighters in the city, the Washington Post reports.

Theres no indication yet that theyre involved in ground combat, but the deployment puts U.S. troops closer to the frontlines of that war  and in more danger of being killed or wounded  then they had been previously. FPs Paul McLeary writes that the growing role of elite U.S. forces in Libya comes as American military personnel are already in the fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. Both missions  in wars America has largely forgotten about  are leading to new U.S. casualties. In Iraq, two commandos and one Marine have been killed since October. In Afghanistan, meanwhile, five U.S troops were wounded fighting ISIS in July, and an Army Green Beret was killed fighting the Taliban in January.

And in Syria. British commandos have also recently been seen operating in Syria. The BBC obtained pictures of the soldiers at a base for the moderate rebel New Syrian Army on the Syria-Iraq border.

Top down. Top officers at the U.S. Central Command ordered their analysts to alter intel assessments to make it look like the fight against ISIS was going better than it actually was, according to the findings of a House Republican task force. The Daily Beast reports that a 10-page report on the scandal should be released by the end of next week. While it contains no definitive evidence that senior Obama administration officials ordered the reports to be doctored, the five-month investigation did corroborate earlier reports that analysts felt the leaders of CENTCOMs intelligence directorate pressured them to conclude that the threat from ISIS was not as ominous as the analysts believed.

Turkish officer disappears in Virginia. Washington and Ankara are about to be tested. A Turkish military officer on a U.S.-based assignment for NATO is seeking asylum in the United States after being recalled by the Turkish government in the wake of last months failed military coup, U.S. officials told Reuters. The Turkish officer was working at the headquarters of NATOs Allied Command Transformation, located in Norfolk, Virginia and has been identified as Turkish Navy Rear Admiral Mustafa Ugurlu, who the countrys embassy in Washington said has failed to report after Turkey issued a detention order for him last month. About 150 Turkish generals and admirals have been arrested since the failed military putsch on July 15. FP has some handy charts here showing how deeply the arrests have gutted the upper ranks of the Turkish military.

Story continues

Navy officer punished for Iran flap. Lt. David Nartker  the officer in charge of the two U.S. riverine boats and nine sailors who were captured and held by Iranian forces in January  faces an administrative punishment for his role in the incident, USNI News has learned. Two other officers have already received letters of reprimand, and four sailors were handed similar punishments in July. For more on the incident, check out this recent story from FPs Dan De Luce, where he outlined some of what was happening in the case.

Afghan on and on. The longest war in American history grinds on, with about 9,800 U.S. troops still in Afghanistan. While that fight grinds on, Afghan officials say U.S. warplanes have conducted about 25 airstrikes in southern Helmand province over the past two weeks in an effort to keep the Taliban out of the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah. The insurgents have shut down a major highway between the city and Kandahar, using checkpoints and roadside bombs, and the latest reports out Wednesday say that Kabul is rushing more troops south, as the provincial capital has been surrounded by the insurgents. Of Helmands 14 districts, five are under Taliban control, and another seven are contested, according to The Long War Journal with the status of another district unknown.Lashkar Gah is, at the moment, still in government hands.

Tehran in the machine. The Iranian government is going hard after dissidents, foreign activists and journalists, FPs Elias Groll reports, and is increasingly turning the tools of computer espionage to do so. Western researchers have found evidence that Iranian hackers have targeted the regimes perceived opponents by hacking into their computers to install spy software, mapped out the millions of Iranian users of the encrypted messaging service Telegram, and targeted journalists for espionage.

Good morning and as always, if you have any thoughts, announcements, tips, or national security-related events to share, please pass them along to SitRep HQ. Best way is to send them to: paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or on Twitter: @paulmcleary or @arawnsley

South China Sea

Vietnam is deploying rocket launchers to the disputed Spratly Islands, playing the rockets in range of military bases that China has built in the archipelago, according to a scoop from Reuters. The launchers are Israeli-made EXTRA rocket artillery systems camouflaged to hide from overhead surveillance. Vietnams deployments of the launchers to islands it controls in the Spratlys places Chinese military bases, like the runway on Fiery Cross Reef, and maritime traffic in range of the artillery systems.

Korean Peninsula

The disagreement over missile defense in East Asia is throwing a wrench into international efforts to isolate North Korea for its recent ballistic missile tests. Reuters reports that China has been blocking a draft censure of North Korea at the U.N. Security Council because of its gripes over the deployment of U.S. Terminal High Altitude Air Defense systems to South Korea. China has been pushing for the draft to include passive aggressive language scolding countries who use North Koreas missile tests as an excuse to deploy missile defense systems.

Erdogan and Putin

The two met in Moscow on Tuesday, and while no agreements were inked, it as an important step in reducing tensions after Turkey shot down a Russian fighter plane over Turkish airspace several months ago. The leaders are on opposite sides of the Syria mess, with Putins warplanes and troops bolstering Assad, and Erdogan a longtime foe of the Syrian leader. But chatting with Erdogan aside, Putin has recently called on Russias Parliament to approve an extended deployment of the Russian Air Force at Khmeimim Air Base outside Latakia, Syria, where its planes have flown sorties for almost a year to back up Assad. Parliamentary approval is little more than a rubber stamp.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is ready to buy $1.2 billion worth of armor from the United States, and the sale is offering a window into the losses the Kingdom has sustained during the war in Yemen. According to Defense One, 20 of the 153 Abrams tanks Saudi Arabia is purchasing are battle damage replacements. Given that Yemen is currently the only place where Saudi forces are engaged in land combat, its a fair bet that the Saudi-led effort against the Houthi movement there is the reason for losses.

Iran

The Pentagons annual report to Congress on Iranian military capabilities is out and this years edition gives the Islamic Republics offensive cyber efforts a thumbs up. The reports single sentence on cyber capabilities mentions that Iran has taken its hacking efforts against foreign powers up a notch, according to Bloomberg. The Pentagon also makes note of Irans growing missile arsenal, writing that theyre capable of reaching targets throughout the region, including U.S. military bases and Israel.

Army

DoD Buzz reports that the Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley stunned audiences by suddenly cutting the livestream when his turn to speak at a TRADOC on Tuesday and declaring his remarks off-the-record. The Pentagon had previously told reporters that the remarks would be fair game and Milleys own Twitter account urged followers to watch live. An Army spokeswoman had no explanation for why the talk, at a conference jointly put together by TRADOC and Georgetown University, went dark at the last minute.

Technology

The U.S. military recently wrapped up its Red Flag exercise, which aimed to integrate land, air, sea and cyber warfare skills more than ever before, according to the Washington Post. The exercise, which has been held since Vietnam, trained Air Force fighter pilots to work alongside troops carrying out cyber attacks in order to knock out adversarial air defense systems and maximize the use of airpower. The 527th Space Aggressor Squadron also participated in the Red Flag exercise, bringing with it the ability to simulate enemies that can jam U.S. GPS navigation and satellites.

Photo Credit: HAIDAR MOHAMMED ALI/AFP/Getty Images
Will Smith has something to say about Islamophobia, and were listening

Will Smith has something to say about Islamophobia, and were listening

Will Smith was at a press conference in Dubai promoting his new film Suicide Squad, when conversation turned to Donald Trump.

Will used the opportunity to speak out against the controversial Republican Presidential candidate, saying,

As painful as it is to hear Donald Trump talk  and as embarrassing as it is as an American to hear him talk  I think its good. We get to hear it. We get to know who people are and now we get to cleanse it out of our country.

Will then went on to say that its important for him to do his part to eradicate Islamophobia and the notion that all Muslim people and countries hate The United States. He feels that his trip to Dubai may be helpful in this respect, saying,

In terms of Islamophobia in America, for me, thats why its important to show up. Im in Dubai and Im having fun and Im Tweeting and Im showing pictures. Hey, doesnt look like they hate me does it?

WillSmith

Wills intelligent, diplomatic, and empathetic nature makes us love him even more than we did before, and inevitably makes us wonder would he ever consider running for office?! The world just may be ready for The Fresh President.

The post Will Smith has something to say about Islamophobia, and were listening appeared first on HelloGiggles.
By Abdi Sheikh MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Members of Somalia's new parliament to be elected this year must join a political party within two years or step down as part of efforts to shift the Horn of Africa nation away from clan-based politics, a forum of regional and national leaders said. Somalia is slowly rebuilding after more than two decades of conflict and chaos fueled largely by clan rivalries. It holds an election in September for the new parliament, whose lawmakers will in turn choose a president in October. Somali authorities and international sponsors had to scrap a plan for each person to get a vote, largely due to security challenges as the Western-backed government is still battling an Islamist insurgency. Instead, about 14,000 people from federal states will choose the 275 members of the lower house of parliament. While that represents a fraction of Somalia's 11 million people, it is more than the 135 elders who picked the 2012 parliament. "The leaders of the National Leadership Forum agreed to promote the establishment and registration of political parties within two years, starting from the date when the 10th parliament is elected," the forum said after a week-long meeting. The forum, which includes President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, senior cabinet members and regional leaders, said political parties would have to register and all members of parliament would have to join one group by Oct. 20, 2018. Any lawmaker who failed to join a party would lose his or her seat. Although some lawmakers group together, there is no formal party structure or registration system now. This year's election process will start on Sept. 24 with the parliamentary vote and culminate with the choosing of a president on Oct. 30. Mohamud is seeking another term. Diplomats have pushed Somalia to hold elections on time to avoid a major extension of parliament's term. The vote has already slipped from August, but diplomats had said a few weeks' delay was expected given the scale of the reconstruction effort. The term of the existing parliament formally ends on Aug. 20 and the president's term expires on Sept. 9. The leadership forum said office holders would stay in post until new leaders are in place. (Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Edmund Blair and Janet Lawrence)
* Eskom says obtained order barring strike

* Union, Eskom due to meet Wednesday over pay dispute (Adds NUM quotes, details)

By Nqobile Dludla

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 10 (Reuters) - More workers at South African state-run power utility Eskom joined a strike over pay, their union said on Wednesday, in defiance of a court order preventing the industrial action at the state-run firm.

The company has branded the stoppage by thousands of National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) members which started on Monday illegal because its members are prohibited by law from striking, but said its operations had not been affected so far.

The labour dispute is the latest problem to beset Eskom, which has struggled to meet power demand in Africa's most industrialised country due to its aging power plants and grid. However, it has managed a year without rolling blackouts that have hurt the economy in the past.

"Our message to the whole nation is just to keep calm. We are handling the situation, currently the situation is under control," Eskom spokesman Khulu Phasiwe said, adding that he could not divulge the firm's contingency plans.

Phasiwe said the court order prohibits NUM and two other unions from going on strike as part of the Labour Relations Act, which bars workers deemed to provide an essential service from going on strike.

NUM said on Tuesday that all of its 15,000 members at the utility, or close to a third of Eskom's workforce, would stop work on Wednesday.

The union's spokesman Livhuwani Mammburu said its members were on strike in provinces where Eskom runs its biggest plants, including in Mpumalanga province.

"Our members are aware that for them being involved in this strike there are consequences and they are saying they are fighting for the right cause," said Mammburu.

Asked whether union members will be dismissed if they do go on strike, Phasiwe said workers would not be fired en masse but that each case will be handled on its own merit.

He said talks with the union had not yet collapsed and both parties were due to meet this morning for further discussions.

Story continues

The utility is offering pay increases of 7 to 9 percent while NUM on Tuesday lowered their wage demand to 8.5 to 10 percent from 12 to 13 percent.

The stoppage at Eskom coincides with a strike over wages by around 15,000 workers in the petrochemical industry that has been going on since last week but has so far not caused any significant fuel shortages.

(Editing by James Macharia and Louise Heavens)
Juba (AFP) - South Sudan on Wednesday rejected a UN proposal to send a 4,000-strong regional force to the restive capital of Juba, saying it undermined the young nation's sovereignty.

The US-drafted resolution presented to the Security Council seeks to establish a protection force of African troops authorised to "use all necessary means" to provide security and deter attacks against UN bases in South Sudan.

But South Sudanese government spokesman Michael Makuei said his country rejected the resolution in its current form as it would "(turn) South Sudan into a protectorate and this is a situation that we will not accept."

The draft, which would also extend the current UN mission's mandate until December, would "undermine the sovereignty of the Republic of South Sudan," Makuei told reporters in Juba.

The head of the East African bloc IGAD, which first proposed the force, had said on Friday it had obtained South Sudan's permission to deploy it.

But Makuei appeared to throw that agreement into doubt, lending credence to fears among diplomats that the government's apparent willingness to participate in the IGAD summit was partly to buy time.

"The protection force should have been an independent body, not under (UN mission) UNMISS, so that they can perform their functions and duties... which we had agreed upon," Makuei said.

IGAD had raised the possibility of deploying an "intervention brigade" with a more aggressive mandate within the UN mission currently present, along the lines of a similar brigade sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2013.

Juba was rocked by several days of heavy fighting in early July between the government forces of President Salva Kiir and those loyal to ex-rebel chief Riek Machar, the latest upsurge in two and a half years of war.

Nearly 300 people died in the violence, and since then 70,000 South Sudanese have fled the country to Uganda, according to new figures released Wednesday by the Norwegian Refugee Council, an independent aid group.

Sporadic clashes have been recorded since the street battles last month, along with reports of rape and looting, adding to the ranks of 1.6 million displaced within the country since civil war broke out in 2013.

The 12,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, has faced criticism for failing to stem the latest bloodshed or fully protect civilians during the fighting.
A White House push to reinforce a struggling United Nations peacekeeping force in South Sudan encountered stiff resistance this week from its once-reliable ally President Salva Kiir, highlighting Washingtons waning influence in a country it helped create only five years ago.

The United States wants 4,000 new peacekeepers deployed to protect South Sudanese civilians after more than 300 people were killed when violence broke out between government and rebel soldiers in the capital of Juba last month. The uptick in violence came amid the uneasy implementation of a deal creating a transitional government intended to end the countrys brutal civil war.

But South Sudans ambassador to Washington, Garang Diing Akuong, told Foreign Policy on Wednesday that the plan amounts to the establishment of a U.N. protectorate in his country, which would undermine its sovereignty. This proposal means invasion of South Sudan, means recolonization of South Sudan, and means ruling of South Sudan by the U.N., Garang said in a telephone call.

The decision by South Sudan to oppose the deployment of the so-called regional protection force in Juba to reinforce UNMISS, a mission of 12,000 blue helmets, marked a reversal of a prior commitment it made to accept the U.N. force, according to U.S. officials. But South Sudan countered that the United States cut Juba out of U.N. discussions defining the mandate of the new force.

Anticipating South Sudanese support, the United States on Monday introduced a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for the deployment of the new force in Juba to restore order and take control of the international airport, and threatened to impose an arms embargo if those efforts were opposed. But negotiations over the text became quickly mired in acrimony after Juba announced its opposition.

South Sudans decision has divided the Security Council. The United States and its European allies want to press ahead with a vote on the new force by Friday, while Egypt, Russia, and Angola have been far more receptive to South Sudans concerns. Egypt has seized on the split, offering to play a role in mediating a resolution of the diplomatic standoff.

Story continues

South Sudans independence capped decades of bipartisan efforts by Republican and Democratic leaders to liberate the largely Christian and animist people from the predominantly Muslim Sudanese government in Khartoum. A final 2005 peace deal, the U.S.-brokered Comprehensive Peace Agreement, formally ended a decades-long war that left more than 2 million people dead.

With tremendous support from the United States, South Sudan gained independence in 2011, spurring hope for peace in a region rocked by the bloody split from the north. But a power struggle between South Sudans new leaders, President Salva Kiir and then-Vice President Riek Machar, plunged the country into a civil war in December 2013.

The two rivals signed a peace deal under intense international pressure last August, but some of the conflicts worst violence took place in the months that followed. Machar finally returned to the capital of Juba on April 28, but the already shaky transitional government essentially collapsed in July, as government and opposition forces battled in Juba. Forces loyal to Kiir ultimately attacked U.N. installations housing tens of thousands of civilians, in some cases raping civilians in front of peacekeepers who reportedly stood by and watched. The opposition also claimed government troops bombed Machars makeshift camp, forcing him to flee the capital after months of negotiations that allowed for his April return.

The opposition has spoken out in support of additional peacekeepers. Reath Muoch Tang, a former member of the South Sudanese parliament who now serves as a representative for the opposition in Washington, D.C., told FP in a phone call on Wednesday that Machar will not return to Juba until Kiirs forces no longer control the capital.

Sovereignty is for the government to protect its people and give them a parliament, he said. The sovereignty theyre talking about is that they should be allowed to kill and allow their people to rape women.

The scale of violence amid this political disorder has raised doubts about the ability  and the willingness  of U.N. blue helmets to protect civilians, even in U.N. compounds. Since the fighting started in December, 2013, more than 50,000 people have been killed and another 2 million people displaced, including more than 180,000 who are seeking protection in six U.N. compounds. A U.N. board of inquiry this month faulted the U.N.s response to an attack likely carried out by government forces and allied militias on a U.N. compound in the northeastern city of Malakal, which resulted in 30 deaths and 123 injuries.

The U.N. shortcomings in Malakal and elsewhere have contributed to the United States push for more peacekeepers. On Friday, an East African bloc of countries, known as IGAD, issued a statement from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, calling on the Security Council to authorize a regional protection force to help bolster the U.N. operations in South Sudan. The statement noted that the South Sudan had accepted in principle the idea of deploying such a force. But it also insisted that it would have to negotiate the composition and mandate of the new force with countries providing troops.

But with the U.N. peacekeeping missions mandate set to expire Friday, the United States moved quickly to table a resolution defining the new forces mandate. The U.S.-drafted resolution circulated on Monday demands South Sudans warring parties immediately cease fighting throughout the country and authorizes the new regional protection force to use all means necessary  diplomatic shorthand for the use of force  to secure key installations in Juba, including the airport, protect civilians and U.N. installations, and help implement an agreement to redeploy government troops outside of Juba.

But there were signs earlier this week that South Sudan, after seeing the U.S.-drafted resolution, was deeply uneasy over the plan. On August 8, South Sudans cabinet of ministers issued a statement expressing anxiety and serious concern over the U.S. draft resolution. The resolution, according to the statement, would make the U.N. representative the de facto president of the Republic of South Sudan.

The United States has already made concessions designed to win Kiirs support. For instance, Washington agreed to strip out a provision that called on South Sudans transitional government to prosecute individuals responsible for obstructing humanitarian aid and interfering with the U.N.s ability to carry out its mandate, according to an internal draft revision obtained by FP.

There is broad support among key American allies, including Britain, France, Spain, and New Zealand, for the imposition of an immediate U.N. arms embargo.

But Susan Rice, the U.S. national security advisor, has been reluctant to hit a long-time friend and ally with such an embargo, citing the likely ineffectiveness of such measures in a region already awash with weapons. Instead, the U.S. has continued to dangle the threat of a weapons prohibition for nearly two years without ever acting on it.

The latest draft before the council only threatens to impose an arms embargo if South Sudan blocks the deployment of thousands of new peacekeepers, and a new vote of the Security Council would be required to impose the arms ban, which human rights advocates say makes the White Houses threats self-defeating.

The U.S. National Security Council remains reluctant to pull the trigger on a long overdue arms embargo because of the mistaken hope that South Sudanese leaders will change their behavior based on threats alone, Akshaya Kumar, Human Rights Watchs deputy U.N. director, told FP. Threats ring hollow if they are never followed up by action.

But John Prendergast, a longtime friend of Rice who founded the Enough Project, a Washington-based nonprofit organization focused on genocide prevention, said that Rices overwhelming priority right now is to deploy international forces that can play a role in protecting civilians in Juba.

I believe she felt that threatening an arms embargo was better as leverage for that force than actually imposing an embargo, which could drive the Juba government further into an intransigent position regarding the deployment of the force, he added.

Photo credit: ALBERT GONZALEZ FARRAN/AFP/Getty Images
* Ciudadanos opens door to supporting Rajoy as PM

* Move could help end 8 months of political stalemate

* Rajoy's People's Party to vote on Ciudadanos deal

* Failure would edge Spain closer to third election (Recasts with Rajoy's comments, adds background, quotes)

By Angus Berwick

MADRID, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Spanish acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Wednesday his conservative People's Party would hold a leadership vote next week on a reform pact proposed by centrists Ciudadanos as a condition of their support to form a long-awaited government.

Agreement between Ciudadanos ("Citizens") and the PP - which won the most votes in a June election re-run but fell short of a majority - would mark the biggest step yet in ending a near eight-month political morass. Until now Ciudadanos had said only that it would abstain in any parliamentary confidence vote to install Rajoy as prime minister.

Though the PP would still need support from other forces to form a stable government and press on with an economic recovery, a shift from Ciudadanos, Spain's fourth-biggest party, could encourage others to ease objections to a conservative government.

Rajoy told a news conference that the Executive Committee - a body of about 100 people largely loyal to Rajoy - would vote on Aug. 17 on whether to back a six-point political reform package proposed on Tuesday by Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera. He would not say whether he supported the package as presented.

"Spaniards want a government and we hope we can start negotiations with Ciudadanos as soon as possible," Rajoy said. "The PP will do everything in its power."

The reforms could yet prove unpalatable for PP leaders, given they are aimed at tackling corruption scandals that have tainted their party, and at changing an electoral system that benefits larger forces.

But without an agreement, Spain may have little option but to hold its third election in a year.

With support from Cuidadanos, a natural ally for the PP on economic matters, Rajoy would still be seven seats shy of the 176 he needs in the 350-strong lower house of parliament for an absolute majority.

Story continues

Their endorsement would, however, pile more pressure on the second-placed Socialists to abstain in a confidence vote or be blamed for worsening the deadlock as worries rise over its impact on Spain's strong economic recovery.

So far growth has continued unhindered, outperforming many of its European peers, but important deadlines are approaching. Without a government, Spain will struggle to deliver its 2017 budget plans to Brussels by mid-October.

FRESH ELECTION?

There were few signs on Wednesday that the Socialists, under leader Pedro Sanchez, were yet willing to end their decades-long rivalry with the PP, though some former leaders have called on the party to change its stance.

"The PSOE has its position, it is clear ... there was a long, in-depth debate and that position is to vote no," Oscar Lopez, a senior Socialist party member, said in a TV interview.

Rajoy said he would continue to try to persuade the Socialists to back him. A third national election, according to polls, would likely deliver a similarly fractured result.

"If Sanchez maintains his 'no' position, we will again hold elections," Rajoy said.

Rajoy has yet to commit to a confidence vote, despite accepting a mandate from the king last month to form a government.

He declined to specify a date for the vote beyond saying he hoped to have a government in place that can deliver a budget to parliament before the end of September.

Rivera said he hoped the confidence vote would take place either in August or in early September.

"Spaniards' patience has a limit," he said.

(Reporting by Angus Berwick; Editing by Sarah White and Ralph Boulton)
The housing market is on fire! Jonathan Smoke, our chief economist, describes it as the strongest real estate market weve seen in a decade. Prices are at an all-time high, and still homes are flying off the proverbial shelves. But even in a fast-paced market like this, there are no guarantees for an individual home.

So how can a seller incite the kind of bidding war that pushes a homes price well over asking? We talked to experienced real estate agents for advice on how to get buyers to turn up and bid in droves.

Price your home to move

One bidding war basic is to price low to sell high.

Pricing the property below its true value can be scary, but it will attract a lot of attention to the property and generate multiple showings in the first few days on market, says Morgan Franklin with United Real Estate Lexington in Kentucky. Ideally, that will drive the multiple-offer scenario that will yield a price above listing.

But how low should you go? Even just 5% below market value will tempt buyers with the prospect of a deal and cause a stampede to your front door. Of course, the success of this pricing strategy depends on your particular market, so talk to your agent and understand the circumstances before making a decision.

Set a deadline for offers

People dont want to miss out, and setting a deadline can light a fire under procrastinators. But this strategy isnt for everyone.

You only want to do this when you know you are priced right, have a ton of showings lined up, and have heard from agents that offers will come in, warns Liane Jamason, broker associate at Smith & Associates Real Estate, in Tampa Bay, FL.

She usually waits until she has at least two offers on the table and then adds a note in the MLS and alerts all parties she knows are showing the home. The verbiage she uses is something like, We are in receipt of multiple offers. Seller has requested all buyers submit their highest and best offers by Friday at 5 p.m. She says that a recent deadline received 12 offers, with the highest one at $16,000 over asking price.

Story continues

Take a different view of listing photos

A picture is worth a thousand words, but listings usually showcase them in the same boring way, says Whitney Nicely, principal broker with Whitney Buys Houses in Knoxville, TN.

Most people feature a straight-on picture of the front of the house, she explains. But other angles could be much more eye-catching. One option is a corner picture, which allows the potential buyer to easily see two sides of the house. Or, select a picture highlighting a special featuresuch as your kitchen, to allow the potential buyer to imagine cooking for the family, or your glorious backyard, to highlight outdoor living opportunities.

A potential buyer is not always going to scroll through 36 pictures, so like my mama always told me, if youve got it, youd better flaunt it, she says.

Fuel buyers interest ahead of time

Jamason is a believer in advance marketing to spark interest in a property before it is listed. Use all your social media channels, and distribute a mass email to contacts, potential clients, and agents alike to spread the word that your home is coming on the market soon.

Another strategy is to put the home in the multiple listing service, but do not allow any showings until the open house that weekend, suggests Realtor Tracey Hampson of Century 21 Troop Real Estate in Santa Clarita, CA.

It creates a little frenzy, because everyone wants what they cant have, she says. So if you show them this beautiful home and then say, but you cant see it until the open house, it drives people crazy and creates activity and buzz for a listing.

Stage an over-the-top open house

To stoke a bidding war, dont be shy about going big for the open housewhich is second nature to David Parnes and James Harris of Bravos Million Dollar Listing, who recently threw a lavish open house for a Hollywood Hills home inspired by the Burning Man festival.

The extravagant party featured an open bar, caterers, dancers, DJs, costumes, tarot card readers, body and face painters, human lampshades, and confetti machines.

The party was insane and ending up generating numerous bids that sold the house for over asking price, Parnes said. Building buzz around a property helps to generate offers.

Of course, celeb glamour isnt the only way to up your open house game. Jamason recommends a mega open house, with hundreds of signs around town, a band, an art showing or other unique feature, and noteworthy food.

Really go above and beyond to have the house filled with people, she says. The more people who see it, the more interest you will generate.



Watch: The Features That Help a Home Sell Fastest

The post How to Spark a Bidding War for Your Home appeared first on Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com.





Related Articles
Sri Lanka Wednesday announced plans to replace its ageing jet fighters to better defend its maritime borders including rich fishing grounds, seven years after the island's separatist war ended.

Cabinet approved President Maithripala Sirisena's proposal to call for expressions of interest from global manufacturers to sell Sri Lanka the jets, government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said.

"The idea is to buy eight multi-role fighter aircraft with associated weapons on a government-to-government basis," Senaratne, who is also a cabinet minister, told reporters.

Sri Lanka's fleet of Chinese-made F-7, Soviet-era MiG-27 and Israeli Kfir aircraft are about 30 years old and have become obsolete, according to experts.

Sri Lanka used both the MiG-27 and Kfir jets to bomb rebel targets in the north at the height of the Tamil separatist war which ended in May 2009.

The country lost large numbers of aircraft during the decades-long fighting.

The main role of the new fleet would be to defend the island's exclusive economic zone which stretches some 200 nautical miles (370 kilometres) offshore, senior sources in the government said.

Both neighbouring India and its rival Pakistan are keen to sell combat aircraft to the island, they said.
By Michael Shields and Rupert Pretterklieber

ZURICH (Reuters) - Adecco has not been hit so far by Britons' vote in June to leave the European Union, Chief Executive Alain Dehaze said on Wednesday, forecasting modest growth ahead for the world's biggest staffing group.

"We don't see any material impact of Brexit, either in the UK or in the neighbouring countries and the UK's trading partners," he told Reuters after the company posted in-line results for the second quarter.

Adjusted for trading days, Adecco generated organic revenue growth of 3 percent in the quarter, in line with rival Randstad. Volume growth in July was similar to June, it added.

Organic revenue in the United Kingdom and Ireland, its third-biggest market, rose a headline 6 percent as growth in professional staffing and information technology helped offset a decline in finance and legal.

In France, its biggest single market, growth was recovering after a May marred by strikes and bad weather.

"We have seen a continuation of this modest growth and slow recovery in France in the month of July and also since the beginning of August," Dehaze said, adding September would be key as clients return from holidays and size up their order books.

Staffing companies are seen as bellwethers for the broader economy, with companies often taking on temporary staff at the beginning of a recovery or releasing temporary workers when a downturn begins to bite.

Adecco's stock has been one of the weakest performers among Swiss blue chips this year, losing more than a fifth as investors took fright over uncertainty in the wake of events like the Brexit vote. The shares were up 1.6 percent at 55.55 Swiss francs at 0836 GMT.

Dehaze gave a moderately upbeat assessment of market conditions. "The growth is continuing. It is modest growth, 4 percent organic, but we don't see any slowdown with a France that is robust, a little bit softer in North America."

Revenue in North America eased 1 percent in the quarter, and its operating margin there also contracted year on year.

Story continues

Dehaze said Adecco was "absolutely not" under pressure to act after Randstad, the second-largest staffing group, announced plans to buy Monster Worldwide, the dotcom-era survivor that owns Monsterboard and Jobs.com, for $429 million in cash and assumed debt.

Adecco already had a strong digital offering, he said, and was teaming up with partners pursuing disruptive technologies in areas such as big data and artificial intelligence.

Adecco's net profit rose to 190 million euros (162 million pounds), just ahead of the average estimate of 188 million euros in a Reuters poll of analysts.

Sales rose a reported 2 percent to 5.70 billion euros, in line with the poll estimate. Its margin on earnings before interest, tax and amortisation and before one-offs improved 10 basis points to 5.0 percent.

Netherlands-based Randstad reported 11 percent higher core earnings during its second quarter, while Wisconsin-based Manpower cited softening demand when it posted a 3 percent increase in revenue last month.

(Editing by Maria Sheahan and Susan Thomas)
Nowait Ware Sykes at Texas Roadhouse

There's something really annoying about Pittsburgh: the majority of restaurants don't take reservations.

This is incredibly irritating for residents who want to try out the new Japanese-Mexican fusion restaurant or plan ahead for Sunday brunch.

This is the problem startup Nowait aims to solve.

Nowait  which allows users to virtually "get in line" at a restaurant without stepping foot through the door ahead of time  is a darling of Pittsburgh's startup scene. I lived in Pittsburgh for a year and a half, and the majority of restaurants and residents are huge Nowait fans.

Now, the company can add one more fan to its list: Yelp.

When Yelp released its quarterly earnings Tuesday, it announced it's making an $8 million investment in Nowait and and integrating Nowait's technology into the Yelp app. If Yelp users find a restaurant they like, they're able to get in line using Nowait directly within the Yelp app (although the Nowait app will remain separate). The functionality will roll out in the next couple months.

Nowait CEO Ware Sykes told Business Insider he's excited about the partnership for a few reasons, but mainly because it will allow the company to reach more users. Nowait is currently available in all 50 states and 4,000 restaurants, and is used by both national chains and small businesses. Sykes says the goal is to make Nowait a win-win experience for both restaurants and customers.

"People are willing to wait longer because they don't have to wait at the restaurant," Sykes said. "It allows restaurants to capture customers that wouldn't have waited in a long line and it allows restaurants to market their product to app users."

While Nowait considers itself a tech firm first and foremost, Sykes says Nowait is still in the hospitality business  which means that the company has one very unique requirement of its new employees: they all have to work as a host at a restaurant for at least two nights.

Story continues

Sykes had that experience himself before he became CEO a few years ago, and he enjoyed the experience so much, he's made the task a requirement for all new employees  including board members.

NOW WATCH: How different camera lenses affect how you appear in photos





More From Business Insider


tunisia_banner1

When I met the novelist Shukri Mabkhout in his office on the campus of Manouba University, where he is president, he stood up from a wide, clean desk in the center of the room and led me to another desk tucked away in the corner, almost hidden, and covered in scattered newspapers, books, and official paperwork. Mabkhout is not afraid of chaos  its what drives his fiction.

The novel for me is a way of looking into the chaos of a society even if it at first glance it appears stable and coherent, said Mabkhout, while sipping a Turkish coffee and puffing a cigarette. Years of chain-smoking have given his smooth baritone voice a subtle rasp. The chaos described in the book is not my own chaos. It is a chaos of a society in transition from one regime to another.

Mabkhouts debut novel, The Italian, tells the story of a leftist student named Abdel Nasser as he navigates the political and social tumult that accompanied one of the most dramatic moments in modern Tunisian history  the day in 1987 when Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali seized power from then-President Habib Bourguiba. But it was likely because of the books intriguing parallels with another transition  that of modern-day Tunisia from dictatorship to democracy  that it won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (often known colloquially as the Arab Booker) in 2015. It was the first book by a Tunisian author to win the prestigious award.

Likely due to its controversial subject matter, the book was initially  albeit briefly  banned in the United Arab Emirates. Ironically, the Arab Bookers annual cash prize is funded by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and it was there, the Emirati capital, that the award was to be presented. Months later, Mabkhouts novel was excluded from the Kuwait International Book Fair. None of this stopped it from becoming a bestseller in Tunisia.

Map of northern Tunisia

The Italian

recounts the struggle of Tunisias political student movements to achieve freedom and recognition during the political transition of the 1980s. Because of restrictions on expression and assembly, Tunisian universities, and especially their departments for the study of humanities and the law, became major outlets for the currents of political dissent running through the rest of the body politic.

Story continues

The university was for a long time the only place for open political debate in the country, Mabkhout told me. Political parties  especially those on the left  who were struggling against the ruling regime but didnt have the capacity to really fight it, used their youth groups within the student movements to shake the apparent stability of the regime.

A contemporary reader is struck by the manner in which many of the political debates that divided Tunisias youth at the time  particularly debates about the role of Islam in society and the rights and freedoms of women  are the same that divide its political leaders today. According to Mabkhout, this is no coincidence: Yesterdays student activists are the leading members of todays newly formed political class.

Sometimes theyre even the same faces, he said, citing Mohsen Marzouk, the co-founder of Tunisias current ruling party, and Chokri Belaid, the leftist politician whose assassination in 2013 led to a political crisis, as well as other figures similarly active in student politics in their youth.

Because of these continuities, the author hopes his novel will be able to touch the younger generation  those who were born after Ben Alis 1987 coup detat  by introducing them to an episode of the nations history that is still not well-known and is not taught in schools. They may recognize quite a bit of what they read.

The political struggles between the different political movements that were discussed in the book are still the same, he said. Its still the same fight between liberals and leftists and conservatives, mainly Islamist ones.

Born in 1962 to a middle-class family in Tunis, Mabkhout witnessed those formative conflicts first as a student in the coastal town of Sousse, then as a young professor at the university over which he now presides. Ideological debates in his university years took place in the context of bitter economic discontent; tensions escalated amid an IMF austerity program that cut food subsidies and set off a wave of nationwide protests. The bread riots of 1984 were violently repressed, leaving 89 dead, according to official statistics.

But in Mabkhouts childhood, his mother gave him more practical advice about baked goods. She used to tell us: If you want to eat cake and croissant, you have to take school seriously, but if you want to eat stale bread, you dont have to go to school, he said with a smile.

Though illiterate herself, she encouraged him to read and study, and he duly devoured books on politics, philosophy, and literature. By the time the polarized 1980s arrived, he was too much the skeptical intellectual to throw in his lot unreservedly with any political faction.

By the time I got to university, I was vaccinated against political movements. I was in contradiction with Islamists, with leftists, and with nationalists. I saw that that there was theoretical weakness in all of those movements, said Mabkhout. I disputed every idea and criticized every ideology.

That distance allowed him to make friends with different political leanings, giving him the time to observe and understand interactions he would come to portray in his novel.

The Italian benefits from the authors nuanced characterization, a feature that drew praise from the awards judges. Among Mabkhouts more memorable creations is his protagonist, Abdel Nasser, a charming rake who is transformed by events from a passionate idealist to a canny pragmatist. Then theres Lella Jenaina, the lascivious neighbor who introduces both Abdel Nasser and his brother to sex. But most striking among Mabkhouts cast is Zina, Abdel Nassers wife.

Zina was the most difficult and complex character for Mabkhout to create, but she was also the one who came most resemble her author. She shares Mabkhouts passion for reading and fierce skepticism toward all ideologies. Through her, we are introduced to the intimate and painful sufferings of Tunisias women, like incest, rape, and sexual harassment in academic institutions.

Mabkhout said that he sought to depict not only the hurdles facing Tunisian women, but also their strength and intelligence in seeking to overcome those difficulties. In the end, though, the novel doesnt paint a rosy picture of the options for women in a society that, in Mabkhouts words, was built on rape.

Indeed, though Tunisian women are often rated by nongovernmental organizations and other outside observers as enjoying the highest level of human rights in the region, they still suffer from stark restrictions in sex and marriage, rampant domestic abuse, and a patriarchal culture built around male honor. We need to stop talking about Tunisian women as an example for the Arab world, Mabkhout said. Yes, they might have some gains that their peers in neighboring countries dont have, but we need to focus more on what is missing and what still needs to be done to achieve full equality.

The status of women is one of several issues that have animated post-revolution debates. Some politicians have recently introduced the idea, for example, of finally placing womens inheritance rights on legal par with mens. Under the current system, women inherit only half of what their brothers get unless a will specifies otherwise. Mabkhout strongly advocates reform of the law, but he notes that this one, like so many other proposed changes, has gotten lost in the muddle of Tunisias transition. Mabkhout blames some of this inertia on the inability of his old student activist colleagues to adapt to Tunisias present-day political climate. Theyre still adjusting to the current situation, a context of democratic transition. They arent used to democracy, he said. They found themselves in a new reality but they dont have the tools to cope with it.

In a country mired in economic stagnation, threatened by terrorism, and burdened by a lack of strong political leadership, the arts may not seem like the most obvious place to look for such tools. But for Mabkhout, creative people do have a role to play in guiding Tunisia through the troubled waters of transition.

Nations live by their symbols, said the novelist. George Washington and the like, theyre all symbols of nations, but people here have come to realize that there is a political void. Were starting to fill this void, but we need more work from writers and artists, poets and creators, to forge these symbols, so they can be anchored in the collective memory.

The Italian offers no simple narratives to serve as manifestos for Tunisias new generation of revolutionaries and radicals. But perhaps by revisiting the old patterns of his countrys history  the reflexes and neuroses of identity and tradition that recur like nervous tics  Mabkhout has managed to shake up the Tunisian mentality just a bit, raising the lid on his beloved chaos just enough to provoke knowledge-hungry young literati into seeking out new narratives and new possibilities.

Photo credit: SOPHIA BARAKET for Foreign Policy

Read more from Tunisia: In Sun and Shadow:

Tunisias Glorious Confusion:The dawn of democracy is something to root for  but the forces that have pulled the other Arab Spring countries back into upheaval still threaten to undo its progress.

Tunisias War on Islam: Is overzealous prosecution of the war on terror contributing to radicalization?

A Verdict on Change: This ambitious young judge wants to change Tunisias justice system. But he still has to type out his own verdicts.

Missing the Old Days: Tunisia is a democracy. Heres a man who still mourns for the old regime.

El Khadra Still Cant Breathe: This devastated community has been calling for help for years. Even in the new Tunisia, no ones listening.

Not Arab, and Proud of It: Tunisias long-suppressed Amazigh minority is finding its voice for the first time in years.

The Tourism Crash: Terrorist attacks have left the sector reeling  but its problems actually go much deeper..

Crisis of Governance: Local Edition: In many ways, democratic Tunisia remains just as centralized as it was before the revolution. And thats a big problem for the mayor of Kasserine.

Tunisias Dying Jazz: New freedoms have brought art and religion into conflict, threatening to crush a tradition trapped in the middle.

Trouble in the Wild East: The border town of Ben Guerdane is a haven for smugglers. Locals would like to keep it that way.

Terms of Abuse: On paper, Tunisias revolution has boosted legal protections for women. Yet the reality is starkly different.

Five Years of the New Tunisia: From revolution to disillusionment and back again: Milestones on Tunisias rocky path to democracy.

The Mainstreaming of Tunisias Islamists: The Ennahda Partys latest moves put its political astuteness on show once again.
Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f173445%2fdogwaits2

Humans don't have soulmates, but we can always pretend that dogs do.

Olivia Sievers is a flight attendant from Germany who routinely flies to Argentina. Earlier this year, Sievers found a stray dog hovering near the hotel where she stays in Buenos Aires.

Sievers was immediately drawn to the dog. But while she had no plans to further the relationship, their connection only got stronger.

Less than a year later, Sievers brought the pup home to Germany  for good.

SEE ALSO: Rescue puppy's delightfully weird portraits scream 'adopt me'

Every time Sievers flew from Germany and stayed in that same hotel, there was the dog, waiting for her. Even when she left the hotel and wandered around the city, the dog would walk right next to her, following her everywhere.

Technically this is called stalking, but because it's a cute pup it's totally okay (right?).

Sievers even gave the pup, Rubio, an airline blanket to keep him warm at night.

"I tried to change my way because I didn't want that he follow me back to the hotel," Sievers told Noticiero Trece. "But it was not possible. He always came back and followed me. I tried one hour, but he always watched me and followed me. He was really happy that somebody gave him attention.

Sievers tried to have the dog rescued and adopted, but the dog escaped from the home and was soon found waiting outside the hotel.

So Sievers decided to make things official: she signed the adoption papers and brought him home to Germany, where he's been happily running around ever since.

True love between humans may not be real  but between dog and a person, we can pretend that anything is possible.

BONUS: Corgi Tea Party




From ELLE

Today, Stuart Weitzman announced that its namesake founder will step down as creative director after nearly 30 years at the helm. The shoe designer will now be Chairman while Giovanni Morelli will take over his previous role.

Morelli has been in the industry for 25 years and hails most recently from Loewe, where has was the Leather Goods Design Director since March 2015. He began his career working at Prada after graduating from Domus Academy in Milan with a Masters in Fashion Design, then joined Burberry Accessories as Design Director for four years. He also designed for Marc Jacobs and Chloe.

"In Giovanni, we have found a Creative Director who willensure that the unique DNA of the brand will be preserved while infusing hiscreative vision for a modern age," Weitzman said in a release, "Giovanni is respected for his attention to detail, respect of quality and craftsmanship and for his modern sensibility that is always pushing new design boundaries."
Paris (AFP) - The first people to reach the Americas could not have passed through the ice sheet-cleaving inland corridor long thought to be the entry point of humans to the continents, according to a study published Wednesday.

More likely, the New World pioneers of our species -- probably some 15,000 years ago -- inched along a Pacific coastline free enough of ice to support life-sustaining flora and fauna.

The exact route and timing of this maiden migration remains conjecture, the researchers said.

But what is certain, according to findings reported in the journal Nature, is that the textbook version of that passage is wrong.

For decades, scientists favoured a scenario something like this.

About 14,500 years ago, a 1,500-kilometre (900-mile) north-south corridor opened up between the Cordilleran ice sheet -- which covered roughly what is today the Canadian province of British Colombia -- and the much larger Laurentide ice sheet, which smothered the rest of Canada.

The Ice Age was slowly giving way, but still held the region in its grip and -- draining the oceans by dozens of metres -- forged a land-bridge between Eurasia and Alaska.

So far, so good.

About a thousand years later, according to this theory, the first Ice Age humans moved through this elongated inland gateway to found new cultures to the south.

- A new storyline -

Among them was the Clovis people, who first show up in the archaeological record more than 13,000 years ago.

This storyline presumes, of course, that these path-breaking early people found sustenance along the way.

And that's where the theory falls apart, according to Mikkel Pedersen, a researcher at the Centre for GeoGenetics at the University of Copenhagen, and lead author of the study.

"The earliest point at which the corridor opens for human migration is 12,600 years ago," he told AFP.

While the passage may have been free, "there was absolutely nothing before this date in the surrounding environment -- not plants, not animals."

Story continues

Nothing, in other words, that would have allowed humans to feed themselves during a long, hard slog between towering cliffs of ice.

Other research showing that humans might have arrived in the Americas at least 14,500 years ago -- and perhaps a couple of thousand years before that -- had already begun to undermine the ice sheet corridor hypothesis, forcing experts to look more closely at the possibility of a coastal route.

Pedersen and colleagues now appear to have closed the door on the inland route for good.

The innovative methods they used for reconstructing the late Ice Age ecosystem was crucial.

Rather than hunt for DNA traces of specific plants or animals buried in sediment -- the standard approach -- Pedersen's team used what is called a "shotgun" method, cataloguing every life form in a given sample.

"Traditionally, we have been looking for specific genes from a single or several species," he explained.

"But the shotgun approach really gave us a fantastic insight into all the different trophic" -- or food-chain -- "layers, from bacteria and fungi to higher plants and mammals."

- Window onto ancient worlds -

The researchers chose to extract sediment cores from what would have been a bottleneck in the inland corridor, an area partly covered today by Charlie Lake in British Columbia.

The team did radiocarbon dating, and gathered samples while standing on the frozen lake's surface in winter.

Up to 12,600 years ago, the environment was almost entirely bereft of life, they found.

But the ecosystem evolved quickly, giving way within a couple of hundred years to a landscape of grass and sagebrush, soon populated by bison, woolly mammoth, jackrabbits and voles.

Fast-forward a thousand years, and it had transitioned again, this time into a "parkland ecosystem" dense with trees, moose, elk and bald-headed eagles.

The findings open "a window onto ancient worlds" and are a cornerstone in a "major reevaluation" of how humans arrived in America, said Suzanne McGowan of the University of Nottingham, commenting in Nature.

They also make the coastal passage scenario much more likely, she added.

Other scholars agree.

"If there ever was an ice-free corridor during the Last Glacial Maximum," James Dixon of the University of New Mexico wrote in a recent study, "it was not in the interior regions of northern North America, but along the Northwest Coast."

A "biologically viable" passage stretched along that coast from the Bering Land Bridge to regions south of the glaciers starting about 16,000 years ago, he reported in the journal Quaternary International.
Tom Hiddleston's First Instagram Is a Selfie [Instagram]

Emmy-nominated actor Tom Hiddleston - or is it Loki? - is now an Instagram user. Taylor Swift's other half joined the popular photo-sharing platform on Tuesday, posting a selfie of himself in character as Loki, the Marvel villain. "He's back!" he captioned. But what we really want to know: When is T.Swift making an appearance on his newly-minted account? TBA.

He's back!

A photo posted by Tom Hiddleston (@twhiddleston) on Aug 9, 2016 at 6:19am PDT

Uzo Aduba Is the Cover Star of Essence's September Issue [Essence]

Uzo Aduba has landed her first September cover for Essence. Styled by Cristina Ehrlich, the Orange Is the New Black star stuns in a matching fire-engine red Juan Carlos Obando blouse and skirt. In her cover story, the 35-year-old actress talks about self-acceptance. "This business will try to convince you that you're not enough," she tells the magazine. "That you're not pretty enough, thin enough, talented enough, interesting enough, experienced enough, and I say, 'Enough. Enough with that!'"

A photo posted by Uzo Aduba (@uzoaduba) on Aug 9, 2016 at 6:06am PDT

You Can Now Support Hillary Clinton on Your Jeans [Vogue]

In case repping Hillary Clinton with designer tees isn't your cup of tea, there's now another apparel option available to show your support for the Democratic presidential nominee. New York denim brand Industry Standard is introducing embroidered jeans (up to 15 characters) that can include "#ImWithHer," "Madame President" and "Hill Yes," among other HRC slogans. Twenty percent of each purchase will be donated to the Clinton/Kaine campaign efforts.

A photo posted by Industry Standard (@industrystandardny) on Aug 8, 2016 at 1:54pm PDT
An employee at a Subway sandwich shop in Utah has been accused of drugging a police officer who visited the drive-thru.

The officer began to feel strange shortly after sipping his lemonade drink, struggling to brake while driving his car and arriving at his station in Layton dazed and unable to respond to questions. The officer, who has not been identified, was treated at a hospital, and his lemonade was found to contain THC and methamphetamine.

Tanis Ukena, 18, was arrested on suspicion of surreptitiously giving a poisonous substance, the Associated Press reports. He has denied wrongdoing, but admitted he was the only person to handle the drink (a fact also confirmed by security footage).

Police Lt. Travis Lyman said investigators are looking into whether the incident could have been inspired by any anti-police sentiment in the wake of officer-involved shootings around the country. Its not a reach to make that connection based on the climate right now, Lyman said. I imagine officers will be bringing lunch from home for some time rather than risking future drive-thru poisonings.

Ukena has not had previous problems with the police besides being stopped for speeding. The officer is expected to make a full recovery.

[AP]
A teenage fast food worker was arrested this week and charged with poisoning a police officer's drink.

Tanis Ukena, 18, was arrested after Layton Police say he put THCthe active ingredient in marijuanaand methamphetamine into the drink of one of their sergeants on Monday.

Ukena was working the drive-thru window of a Subway restaurant when he allegedly stepped out of view of the surveillance camera with something in his hand, then served the uniformed sergeant a drink.

Watch: Drive-Thru Employees Freak Out Over Fake Alligator Prank

The sergeant pulled away and immediately felt impaired, KUTV reported. When he pulled up to a red light, he reportedly struggled to find the brake. At the station, he couldn't answer questions posed by colleagues, according to a probable cause statement.

Police say they don't know why Ukena allegedly drugged the drink.

Read: Man Arrested For Tossing Alligator Through Wendy's Drive Thru

Subway responded with a press release, which read:

"We are shocked by these charges. Our thoughts are with the Sergeant and his family and we are hoping for a quick recovery. The restaurant owners are working closely with the police in their investigation and will take appropriate action.

"As this is still an active police investigation, we cannot provide any further information and must refer further questions to the police."

Ukena was held in the Davis County jail on $10,000 bond.

Watch: Pregnant Wendy's Worker Dragged Out Drive-Thru Window, Assaulted: 'You Forgot the Effing Straw'

Related Articles:
LIMA  Filmmaking partners Mariana Rondon and Marite Ugas, whose Pelo Malo won Sebastians Golden Seashell and was one of sales agent FiGa Films bestselling titles ever, are prepping their next feature, Contactado, in Peru.

The duo have moved to Lima, partly because of the economic-political crisis in Venezuela, but also for the drama they plan to shoot in deserts outside of Lima.

Ugas, who is Peruvian, will take the directing reins this time round; Rondon, a Venezuelan, will produce. In their last pic,Pelo Malo, Rondon directed while Ugas produced. Plans include shooting by Venezuelas Lake Maracaibo, renowned for the constant lightning storms over the mouth of the Catatumbo river, which empties into the lake. The area attracts a number of sects who are lured by the otherworldly phenomenon, Rondon said.

The partners shingle Sudaca Films and DP Micaela Cajahuaringas Imagen Latina of Peru will co-produce the drama which centers on false prophets and religious cults in Latin America.

Rondon and Ugas co-penned the screenplay about a false prophet who comes across a younger version of himself, and the power struggle that ensues. They credit being able to effectively polish their script to their nearly two-month stay last spring at the oldest artists colony in the U.S., the MacDowell Colony, where they were invited to experience an internet-free environment that allowed for uninterrupted work and interactions with exceptional artists from all fields.

Contactado (officially translated to Contactee) was among six out of 67 fiction feature applicants to recently win coin from Perus film fund, managed by the Ministry of Cultures audiovisual division. Armed with $150,000 from this annual fund, as well as backing from Ibermedia, a regional co-production fund, they have covered about half their budget of some $600,000. Getting the next half will be a challenge, said Ugas, who hopes to reel in other co-producers.

Related stories

Story continues

Lima Festival: L.A.-Based Sound Company E Squared Backs Peruvian Alvaro Delgado-Aparicio's 'Retablo' (EXCLUSIVE)

Lima Festival: Peru's Jonatan Relayze Readies Sci-Fi Road-Movie 'Huaquero' (EXCLUSIVE)

Peru's 'Panza de Burro' Omnibus Pic Heads to San Sebastian
KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Talks to secure a lasting ceasefire in Sudan's three war-ravaged regions began on Tuesday, a day after an opposition coalition signed on to a roadmap for ending hostilities and achieving political reconciliation. There has been fighting between the Sudanese army and rebels in the southern regions of Kordofan and Blue Nile since 2011, when adjacent South Sudan declared independence. Conflict in Darfur began in 2003 when mainly non-Arab tribes took up arms against the Arab-led government based in the capital Khartoum. The roadmap, brokered by the African Union, marks the first time the country's major opposition groups have signed a deal with the government since regional fighting reignited in 2011. The accord spells out a process for reaching a permanent ceasefire, endorses a national dialogue between the government and opposition rebel and political groups, and includes provisions for immediate humanitarian assistance. Although violence has eased in recent years, an intermittent insurgency has continued. At least 130,000 people have fled fighting in the central Jebel Marra area of Darfur since mid-January alone. Khartoum signed the AU plan in March, but opposition groups, many of which call for the overthrow of veteran President Omar al-Bashir, refused at the time to follow suit. "We signed yesterday in Addis Ababa after the African intermediary agreed to include our demands in the agreement," Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) spokesman Jibril Bilal said. The Darfur leader was referring to a clause ensuring preliminary meetings in the Ethiopian capital among all political groups before a national dialogue in Khartoum. "The signing of the roadmap is a positive step, but the more complex stage will come with talks revolving around a ceasefire and a political solution," said Bilal. Signatories to the roadmap included many of the country's most prominent opposition and rebel groups, from JEM and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-North) to the Umma Party, the largest opposition party. "We welcome the opposition signing of the roadmap and today the government begins to engage in negotiations with armed rebels over a ceasefire...We are optimistic...It's important that a creasefire is reached to stop the war," government spokesman Ahmed Bilal said. Holdouts to the roadmap remain, however, with the Sudan Liberation Movement, a major rebel force in Darfur, and the country's communist party refusing to sign. "We are ready to reach necessary political solutions for the country, but this is tied to the will and desire of the other side, the government, for peaceful solutions," JEM's Bilal said. (Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz; writing by Eric Knecht; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Aug 10 (Reuters) - TerraForm Power Inc and TerraForm Global Inc, the "yieldcos" of bankrupt solar company SunEdison Inc, said they would delay filing their second-quarter earnings reports.

Both yieldcos, which are yet to file their annual reports for the year ended Dec. 31 and their first-quarter reports, said on Wednesday they would take additional time to finalize their financial statements.

The companies' second-quarter ended on June 30.

TerraForm Power and TerraForm Global said in their regulatory filings that they had identified "material weaknesses" in their internal controls over financial reporting due to SunEdison. (http://bit.ly/2aZPPYt)

SunEdison had delayed its filings after identifying "material weaknesses" in its financial reporting, primarily related to problems with a newly implemented IT system.

The company also said it was conducting an internal investigation into its financial position.

"Yieldcos" are publicly traded units that hold renewable energy assets, including those bought from the parent company.

(Reporting by Arathy S Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)
By Abdalrahman Ismail ALEPPO (Reuters) - At least four people died and many suffered breathing difficulties when a gas, believed to be chlorine, was dropped alongside barrel bombs on a neighborhood of the Syrian city of Aleppo on Wednesday, a hospital and a civil defense group told Reuters. Hamza Khatib, the manager of Al Quds hospital in Aleppo, told a Reuters photographer the hospital had recorded four deaths from gas poisoning and 55 injuries. Seven people were still receiving hospital treatment. Khatib said he was preserving pieces of patients clothing and fragments from the barrel bombs as evidence for analysis. Syria Civil Defence, a Syrian rescue service operating in rebel-held territory, told Reuters it had recorded three deaths and 22 injuries after a barrel containing a gas suspected of being chlorine fell on the Zubdiya neighborhood of rebel-held Aleppo. The group, which describes itself as a neutral band of search and rescue volunteers, said it could not independently verify the nature of the gas. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said helicopters dropped explosive barrels on the neighborhoods of Seif al Dawla and Zubdiya, leading to the death of a woman and her child from suffocation. The northern city of Aleppo, Syria's most populous before the war, is split into rebel- and government-held districts. Capturing the whole city would be a major prize for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country's five-year-old conflict. A fierce battle for control of the city broke out on Friday when rebels staged a major assault to break through a month-long government siege of the city's rebel-held east, where about 250,000 people are thought to be living. Fighters managed to pierce the ring of government-controlled territory, but a safe corridor for civilians and aid has not yet been established. There have been unconfirmed reports among activists and residents of chlorine gas falling on rebel-held east Aleppo since the insurgent offensive. The Aleppo Media Centre, an online opposition news portal for the city, posted a video that it said was of victims of the gas attack: a child and adults wearing breathing apparatus. Two men interviewed said barrel bombs were dropped and there was a strong smell of gas. People then began to suffer breathing and eye problems. Government and opposition forces have both denied using chemical weapons during Syria's conflict. Western powers say the government has been responsible for chlorine and other chemical attacks. The government and Russia have accused rebels of using poison gas. U.N. investigators established that sarin gas was used in Eastern Ghouta in 2013. The United States accused Damascus of that attack, which it estimates killed 1,429 people, including at least 426 children. Damascus denied responsibility, and blamed rebels. Later that year the United Nations and the Syrian government agreed to destroy the state's declared stockpile of chemical weapons, a process completed in January 2016. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed in late 2015 that sulfur mustard, commonly known as mustard gas, had been used for the first time in the conflict, without saying which party in the many sided conflict it thought had used it. (Reporting by Lisa Barrington in Beirut and Abdalrahman Ismail in Aleppo, Syria; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Aleppo (Syria) (AFP) - Fresh fighting hit Syria's Aleppo, the first day of a promised Russian aid window the UN said was insufficient to bring relief for the city's desperate residents.

Even as Moscow pledged to pause strikes around Syria's second city, it carried out raids further east on the Islamic State group bastion of Raqa. A monitor said 24 civilians were killed.

The divided city of Aleppo has been rocked by escalating violence, with people on both sides living in fear of being trapped.

Longtime Syria ally Russia has provided air cover for pro-government forces for nearly a year, including in Aleppo.

The UN said Russia was considering expanding three-hour pauses in fighting every morning to bring in desperately needed aid.

"Any pause obviously should always be seen and looked at with great interest, because a pause means no fighting, but three hours is not enough," said envoy Staffan de Mistura.

Russia was meanwhile offered the possibility of joint operations against IS by Turkey, which has backed rebels against President Bashar al-Assad.

The offer came one day after crucial talks between President Vladimir Putin and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

While it is unclear how possible cooperation between Moscow and Ankara -- which support opposing sides -- would work, the US tentatively welcomed the idea.

Working against IS "is a priority for all of us", State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said.

"If this is truly a step in that direction, we would welcome that."

- 'We do not need tears' -

Jan Egeland, who heads the UN-backed Syria humanitarian taskforce, said he was "hopeful" talks with Russia could lead to aid entering the city.

But rebels and regime forces clashed in southern Aleppo, including during the period when the pause was meant to take hold, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Rebels and jihadists broke a three-week government siege of Aleppo's east on Saturday, opening a new route for goods through the southern outskirts.

Story continues

An AFP correspondent in the east said trucks carrying food were unable to enter the city because of intense bombardment.

But the Red Crescent brought diesel to a pumping station and as a result water was restored to some areas in east and west Aleppo after six days.

An estimated 1.5 million people live in Aleppo, including about 250,000 in rebel-held districts.

State media said army troops seized territory south of Aleppo, and that rebel fire killed four civilians in a government-held district.

But it made no mention of the "humanitarian windows" announced by Russia.

Fifteen of the only remaining doctors in eastern Aleppo implored US President Barack Obama to protect civilians from atrocities.

"Unless a permanent lifeline to Aleppo is opened it will be only a matter of time until we are again surrounded by regime troops, hunger takes hold and hospitals' supplies run completely dry," they wrote.

"We do not need tears or sympathy or even prayers, we need your action. Prove that you are the friend of Syrians."

Human Rights Watch said it had documented six strikes by regime or Russian warplanes on health facilities in the north that killed 17 people in the past two weeks.

"With heavy bombing continuing relentlessly in Aleppo especially, hospitals and clinics need to be treated as the sacred life-saving places they are, not as additional bombing targets," said HRW's Nadim Houry.

- Concerns over chemical weapons -

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said he was "concerned by reports of a new chemical attack... that is said to have claimed four lives and left dozens injured."

Washington also expressed concern over the reports, which it said would be in violation of a 2013 UN resolution to dismantle the Syrian government's chemical weapons arsenal.

Activists accused government forces on Wednesday of carrying out an attack using chlorine gas on a rebel-held residential neighbourhood.

De Mistura said he could not verify the reports.

Further east, Russian raids hit the IS stronghold of Raqa, killing at least 24 civilians and wounding 70 people, said the Observatory.

Russia said the raids destroyed a "chemical weapons factory" as well as a weapons storage facility and IS training camp.

It said the jihadists suffered "significant" material damage and a large number had been killed.

Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011 and has since killed more than 290,000 people and drawn in world powers on all sides.
On his way to the Grand Canyon over the weekend, T.R. Knight's vacation took an unexpected turn.

The Grey's Anatomy star had to put the trip on hold when he encountered a little dog "darting back and forth on the busy freeway."

RELATED: 'Grey's Anatomy' Vet T.R. Knight Is Back in the Shonda Rhimes Universe

In an Instagram post from Monday, Knight, the owner of at least three other dogs with his spouse Patrick Leahy, shared that he pulled over to help the pooch.

"He was emaciated with his ribs and hip bones poking through, covered in ticks and fleas," he wrote. "We took him to @canyonpethospital and met our heroes Michelle, Jessica, Katie, Kristen and Dr. Amstutz. They spent over 2 hours removing hundreds of ticks from this brave little guy."

PICS: Stars and Their Adorable Pets

After their visit to Canyon Pet Hospital in Arizona, the dog found a new home with Knight.

"The Grand Canyon will have to wait, as we welcome our newest family member," he wrote. "Meet Traveler, a sweetheart (even when he is pooping all over me in the pet store). Another adventure begins!"

Related Articles
KALISPELL, MT / ACCESSWIRE / August 10, 2016 / In this article we will take a look at Gilla Inc. (GLLA), a global leader in the manufacturing and distribution of generic and premium E-liquid brands and proprietary recipes for the vapor industry. E-cigs represent a burgeoning industry growing at 24% CAGR, reaching $7 billion globally in 2015, which is still only 2% of the estimated $315 billion annual worldwide revenues from combustible cigarettes.

Recently, CEOLIVE.TV took the time to interview Graham Simmonds, CEO and Chairman of Gilla Inc. In the below interview, Mr. Simmonds makes a number of very well articulated points about the E-cig industry, Gilla's business model, and the unique opportunity that his company holds.

(Please visit http://gilla.com/?page_id=4124 for additional information)

Consolidating Brands Under A Single Platform

With the vapor industry growing at an annual compounded rate of 24% CAGR, and an industry size that is only 2% of the combustible cigarette market, one can see that there is huge potential for growth. According to Mr. Simmonds, Gilla has set up their business model to replicate the very successful strategy of the $70 billion giant Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO), the maker of Bailey's, Ketel One, Smirnoff, Crown Royal, and Guinness among many others, a company whose products consists of "brands from more than 200 sites in over 30 countries". Not coincidentally, Gilla's product line consists of approximately 14 marketed brands which are sold in over 25 countries.

Mr. Simmonds goes on to say, "Our model is not unique, we're really taking a page out of the book of other companies that have been in the bottling industry, when you look at spirit companies, liquor companies, soda pop beverage manufacturers, as well as companies in the beer industry, they are all consolidating brands under a single manufacturing platform, with a single sales and marketing platform, it really is a proven model."

Many people may not know for example that the Corona Beer and Black Velvet Canadian Whisky brands are owned by international conglomerate Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ), or that Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) is the maker of Odwalla juices and Dasani bottled water. By consolidating multiple brands under a single distribution and sales network, these multi-billion dollar companies have been able to provide a one-stop platform that is easy to work with, and clearly successful.

Story continues

Asia's Massive Vapor Potential

On May 17th, 2016, Gilla announced it had signed an exclusive distribution agreement with a Chinese distributor who currently does approximately $275 million in annual sales. As part of that agreement, the distributor is required to purchase a minimum of $5.5 million worth of Gilla product in the next three years. As it was stated in the Gilla press release, "Given the size of the Chinese market and the increasing demand for USA made E-liquid, the Company and the Distributor believe these numbers to be very achievable."

If the minimum purchase amount of $5.5 million were evenly achieved over the next three years, it would result in approximately $458k in sales per quarter over the next 12 quarters. With Gilla reporting $1.35M in sales last quarter, this agreement alone represents a 34% increase from current revenue levels, it is no wonder that Mr. Simmonds also gave this guidance in the same press release, "Given our strong revenue growth, we continue to make progress on our goal of achieving positive cash flow during the second half of 2016."

Under the terms of the agreement, Gilla has granted the exclusive distribution rights to all of its E-liquid products, including the award winning Coil Glaze E-liquid brand, and their just announced three new E-liquid brands now available in the United States market. As well, Gilla's E-liquid brands will be marketed to Chinese domestic vape shops and on the most visited Chinese online E-cigarette websites.

Gilla has also agreed to jointly develop E-Liquid flavors that will be designed to satisfy the Chinese palate. Just like with many other products, the Chinese are looking to Western companies to provide a higher quality product then what is readily available in China; hence the increasing demand for "USA made E-liquid".

With Asia having an estimated 300 million combustible cigarette users in 2016, a tremendous opportunity for further expansion exists in the region. In Malaysia for example, 50% of the adult population currently smokes. Mr. Simmonds mentions that Gilla is looking in the near term to target the international markets including South Korea and Russia.

The European Market

In January of this year, Gilla announced that they had formed Gilla Europe, which included a 20 - person team headquartered out of Budapest, Hungary, which was already accessing over 25 countries and covering 30 languages. According to the press release, "This distribution platform was providing exclusive services to a leading cig-a-like E-cig brand and had built its sales to a peak level of over $3 million per year."

The press release continues with, "Our existing customer relationships should provide immediate revenues to Gilla and quickly advance Gilla's international expansion." This appears to have held true with the previously mentioned $1.35M revenue figure for Q1 2016.

With news of expansion into the United Kingdom (UK) just this last month, Gilla continues to execute on their plan of bringing a quality portfolio of products to the global market. Having already sold more than 14,000 bottles of their Coil Glaze brand in just a few short months, Gilla made a decision to bottle and box the product locally in the UK, cutting down notably on lead times for delivering product to the estimated 2.1 million E-cig users in the UK.

Summary

E-cigarettes are generally regarded as a safer way to consume nicotine than by combustible cigarettes, with a 2015 study done in the U.K. showing them to be 95% less harmful than combustible tobacco. As well, a more recent article titled "E-Cigarettes May Help More Than They Hurt" in Bloomberg pointed out an interesting result of studies, "Researchers in the U.S., Australia, and Canada have devised a model showing that, among people born after 1996, the option of using E-cigarettes may end up triggering a 21 percent reduction in smoking-attributable deaths and a 20 percent decrease in life-years lost."

With a leading portfolio of branded E-liquid products under their own manufacturing in the vaping industry, Gilla is able to present distributors with a full slate of products while offering the convenience of using a single manufacturer.



To learn more about Gilla Inc., please visit http://gilla.com/?page_id=4124.

Disclaimer:

Except for the historical information presented herein, matters discussed in this release contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Tamarack Advisors is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority, and does not provide nor claims to provide investment advice or recommendations to readers of this release. For making specific investment decisions, readers should seek their own advice.

SOURCE: Tamarack Advisors
MUMBAI (Reuters) - Tata Chemicals, the Tata group's flagship chemical and fertilisers company, is selling its urea business to Norway's Yara International to focus on other fertilisers and consumer products like pulses and spices.

Tata said it had agreed the sale of its urea business, which is in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, to Yara, one of the world's largest fertiliser producers, for 26.7 billion rupees ($400 million).

The Uttar Pradesh business contributed 13 percent of Tata Chemicals' total sales revenue last fiscal year. The company will now focus on fertilisers such as soda ash and expand its consumer-related business that includes salt, spices and pulses.

"In many of these businesses if you don't have scale, it becomes unsustainable in the long run. We are trying to scale the consumer business and that is the company's broad strategy," Tata Chemicals' Managing Director Ramakrishnan Mukundan told a press conference on Wednesday.

About eight companies produce urea in India but analysts say the sector is hampered by regulated returns and delayed subsidy disbursements from the government, which has led to consolidation in the sector.

The operations being acquired by Yara produce 0.7 million tonnes of ammonia and 1.2 million tonnes of urea annually and had revenues of $350 million and operating profit of $35 million for the fiscal year through March 2016, Yara said in a statement earlier in the day.

The deal also includes Tata Chemicals' distribution network in Uttar Pradesh.

Indian merchant bankers Kotak Investment Banking and JM Financial advised Tata Chemicals on the deal.

($1 = 66.6900 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Promit Mukherjee; Editing by Susan Fenton)
Once again, high-end electric car maker Tesla is in the spotlight following a crash by a driver who was using the companys Autopilot feature. However, the company says the driver was taking the term autopilot too literally.

While one might hear autopilot and imagine some autonomous self-driving vehicle that does the driving for you, the way the word is used for Teslas Autopilot functionality is much more limited.

According to Tesla marketing materials, Autopilot will let vehicles steer within a lane, change lanes with the simple tap of a turn signal, and manage speed by using active, traffic-aware cruise control. It also has other features, like auto-braking, collision avoidance, and automated parallel parking.

This distinction is at the heart of a war of words between Tesla and a Tesla owner in Beijing. Last week, he crashed his car into a the side of a vehicle that was partially parked in the road. Tesla says the driver is to blame for taking his hands off the wheel, while the driver says he was misled about the Autopilot feature.

Related Stories from Consumer Reports

In an interview with Reuters, the driver says Tesla sold him on Autopilot as a feature that would do much of the driving for him.

The impression they give everyone is that this is self-driving, this isnt assisted driving, the 33-year-old programmer tells Reuters, which found a handful of other Tesla owners in China who also claim the car company is pitching Autopilot as self-driving.

They all described it as being able to drive itself, said one Tesla owner from Shanghai.

A rep for Tesla tells Reuters that the company has never described Autopilot as an autonomous technology or a self-driving car, and any third-party descriptions to this effect are not accurate.

Story continues

With regard to this particular incident, in which no one appears to have been hurt, Tesla says sensors show the drivers hands were not on the wheel at the time his car scraped along the side of a parked Volkswagen.

This sort of hands-off behavior, notes the Telsa rep, is apparently counter to the instructions provided by the car company.

As clearly communicated to the driver in the vehicle, autosteer is an assist feature that requires the driver to keep his hands on the steering wheel at all times, to always maintain control and responsibility for the vehicle, and to be prepared to take over at any time.

But in his videotaped interview with Reuters, the Beijing driver insists that when Tesla sales staff showed him the feature, they took their hands off the wheel and talked about is as a self-driving feature.

This is certainly related to some false promotion and marketing, he tells Reuters. They described [this function] very well to everyone, but in fact they took an unfinished product and used it as a promotional gimmick.

Tesla has been under increased scrutiny this summer over the Autopilot feature, following a fatal collision in Florida. Its since been confirmed that while the driver was going around 10 miles per hour over the speed limit at the time, the Autopilot feature was engaged.

The car maker said in July that it would not disable Autopilot, but a number of consumer safety advocatesincluding our colleagues at Consumer Reportshave called Tesla out for the potentially confusing messages surrounding the Autopilot feature.

By marketing their feature as Autopilot, Tesla gives consumers a false sense of security, said Laura MacCleery, vice president of consumer policy and mobilization for Consumer Reports, which has said that Tesla should disable the autosteering aspect of Autopilot until it is updated to require the drivers hands remain on the steering wheel. Autopilot cant actually drive the car, yet it allows consumers to have their hands off the steering wheel for minutes at a time.





More from Consumer Reports:

Top pick tires for 2016

Best used cars for $25,000 and less

7 best mattresses for couples





Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright  2006-2016 Consumers Union of U.S.
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A Texas man who managed an orphanage in Malawi was sentenced on Tuesday in federal court to 25 years in prison for sexually abusing children in his care, U.S. prosecutors said. Gerald Campbell, 66, of Odessa, who pleaded guilty in May, could have faced up to life in prison, according to papers filed in federal court in Texas. Campbell reached a plea agreement and admitted to engaging in sexual acts with eight minors, all of whom were orphans living at the Victory Christian Childrens Home in Malawi between 1997 and 2009, U.S. prosecutors said. "Campbell admitted that he knew that what he was doing was wrong and that he thought nobody would believe the minors if they reported the abuse," they said in a statement. He told U.S. investigators he lured children, including one infected with HIV, into his home to sexually abuse them. The home had more amenities than the orphanage and he used that to entice a few of the children to live with him for several months, court papers said. (Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Bill Trott)
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - By abandoning confrontation and seeking consensus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pulled off his biggest reform yet, securing the unanimous support of both houses of parliament for a planned Goods and Services Tax (GST).

For a story, click here: http://reut.rs/2beh7gF

Here's a timeline of how Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley first brought India's federal states on board, before finally closing the deal at a series of meetings with an opposition Congress party that had become increasingly isolated.

May 19 - Congress, which suffered its worst-ever election defeat at the hands of Modi in 2014, is punished by voters in a round of regional elections.

June 11 - Further losses in elections to the upper house mean that Congress and its fellow holdout, Tamil Nadu's ruling party, would struggle to muster the one-third of votes needed to stop a constitutional amendment to enable the GST.

June 15-16 - Jaitley wins the full support of West Bengal, a key swing state. Congress's anti-GST front is crumbling.

July 15 - Jaitley holds formal talks on the GST with Congress party negotiators for the first time in nine months.

July 17 - At an all-party meeting, Modi urges opposition parties to put national interests above all else and back the GST bill.

July 19 - Jaitley holds a second round of talks with Congress. He also meets Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who rules in an alliance with Congress. Kumar is placated by a government offer to delay a controversial piece of legislation and his party publicly backs the GST the next day.

July 26 - Jaitley offers to compensate states for five years for all revenue losses arising from the GST. The states are fully on board.

July 27 - Congress proposes tweaks to the GST amendment. They are approved by Modi's cabinet that evening.

July 28 - Two more meetings are held but Jaitley resists a Congress demand to anchor the GST rate at 18 percent.

Aug 1 - Congress tells Jaitley it will back the bill.

Story continues

Aug 3 - The constitutional amendment bill passes the upper house, with 203 votes in favour and none against, after lawmakers from Tamil Nadu walk out.

Aug 8 - The lower house unanimously approves the amendment.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

- At least half of India's states and self-governing union territories need to back the GST amendment.

- The GST Council, a forum bringing together the centre and the states, should draft the key terms and scope of the GST. The government's chief economic adviser has recommended a main rate of 18 percent, but many states want it to be higher while Congress wants it to be capped.

- Two new GST bills are expected to come before parliament in the winter session that begins in November. The states, too, are required to pass their own GST bills.

- The government targets a GST launch date of next April 1, the start of India's financial year, although experts say that deadline is likely to slip.

(Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh and Manoj Kumar; Writing by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Kim Coghill)
The primary motive of any investment is to generate profit. Investors pour money into businesses and companies in the hope of multiplying returns. Profits are used to reward shareholders and can be reinvested for expanding the business.



Net Profit Margin = Net profit /Sales * 100.



Net profit of a business is the amount that remains in the last line (also known as bottom line) of the income statement after all costs (including taxes) have been deducted from revenues.



In fact, net profit margin can turn out to be a powerful tool to measure how efficiently a company is running its business and controlling its costs. Moreover, a higher net profit margin as compared to peers lends a competitive advantage.



Further, a higher net profit margin attracts not only new investors but also well-skilled employees that eventually increase the value of the business.



Pros and Cons



Net profit margin helps investors to understand a companys business model in terms of pricing policy, cost structure and manufacturing efficiency. Hence, a healthy net profit margin is preferred by all kinds of investors.



However, net profit margin has a number of drawbacks that limit its scope as an effective analytical tool. Its calculation varies widely from industry to industry. Difference in accounting treatment of various items  especially non-cash expenses like depreciation and stock-based compensation  makes it a difficult metric for the purpose of comparison.



Further, for companies preferring to grow with debt, instead of equity funding, higher interest expense usually drags down the net profit. In such cases, it is not an effective tool to analyze the companys performance.



The Winning Strategy



Healthy net profit margin and solid EPS growth are two of the most sought after ingredients in a business model.



Apart from these two metrics, we have added a few other criteria to ensure maximum possible return from this strategy.



Screening Parameters



Net Margin 12 months  Most Recent (%) greater than equal to 0: High net profit margin indicates solid profitability.



Percentage Change in EPS F(0)/(F-1) greater than equal to 0: It indicates earnings growth.



Average Broker Rating (1-5) equal to 1: A rating of #1 indicates brokers extreme bullishness on the growth prospects of the stock.



Zacks Rank equal to 1: Only Strong Buy stocks are allowed. In good markets or bad, stocks with a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy) continue to outperform.



VGM Score of A or B: Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of 'A' or 'B' when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 (Buy) offer the best upside potential.



Here are five of the seven stocks that qualified the screen:



West Orange, NJ-based Lincoln Educational Services Corporation LINC provides career-oriented post-secondary education to recent high school graduates and working adults. The company operates 31 schools in 15 states. The stock has a VGM score of A. Moreover, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2016 has narrowed by 7 cents to a loss of 3 cents over the last 7 days.



El Segundo, CA-based Stamps.com Inc STMP provides Internet-based services for mailing or shipping letters, packages or parcels anywhere in the U.S. The stock has a VGM score of B. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2016 has surged 80 cents (17.2%) to $5.45 per share over the last 30 days.



Gibraltar Industries Inc. ROCK manufactures and distributes products to the industrial and buildings market. The company has its headquarters in Buffalo, NY. The stock has a VGM score of A. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2016 has increased by 6 cents to $1.44 per share over the last 30 days.



Illinois-based Global Brass and Copper Holdings Inc. BRSS is a converter, fabricator, processor and distributor of specialized non-ferrous products, including a wide range of sheet, strip, foil, rod, tube, and fabricated metal component products. The stock has a VGM score of A. Moreover, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2016 has remained steady at $2.15 over the last 30 days.



Colorado-based Innospec Inc. IOSP develops, manufactures, blends, markets and supplies fuel additives, oilfield chemicals, personal care and other specialty chemicals. The stock has a VGM score of B. Moreover, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2016 has surged 15 cents (4.1%) at $3.80 over the last 7 days.



Get the rest of the stocks on the list and start putting this and other ideas to the test. It can all be done with the Research Wizard stock picking and back testing software.



The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.

Story continues

Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today.

Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.

Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks' portfolios and strategies are available at:https://www.zacks.com/performance.

Zacks Restaurant Recommendations: Inaddition to dining at these special places, you can feast on their stock shares. A Zacks Special Report spotlights 5 recent IPOs to watch plus 2 stocks that offer immediate promise in a booming sector. Download it free 



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



STAMPS.COM INC (STMP): Free Stock Analysis Report



INNOSPEC INC (IOSP): Free Stock Analysis Report



LINCOLN EDUCATL (LINC): Free Stock Analysis Report



GIBRALTAR INDUS (ROCK): Free Stock Analysis Report



GLOBAL B&C HLD (BRSS): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Buenos Aires (AFP) - The head of acclaimed Argentine human rights group Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo refused Wednesday to testify in a corruption case involving the organization, condemning the courts as unjust.

Hebe de Bonafini, one of the most prominent political activists in Argentina, is locked in a highly public dispute with the presiding judge in the case.

The judge ordered the 87-year-old's arrest last week after she defied two court orders to testify in the case, which involves state funds that vanished from a low-income housing project run by her group.

The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, which Bonafini co-founded, has led the fight for justice for the thousands of people abducted, tortured and killed by Argentina's military regime (1976-1983).

Bonafini and her fellow activists are so far not accused in the corruption case. Prosecutors say they were taken advantage of by their former attorney.

But Bonafini, whose two sons were "disappeared" by the military regime, appears determined not to testify.

Last Thursday she dodged police officers dispatched to arrest her and bring her to court.

The next day, Judge Marcelo Martinez de Giorgi lifted the warrant for Bonafini's arrest after the activist's lawyer promised she would testify in private.

However, she refused to do that Wednesday when the judge and prosecutor arrived at her organization's headquarters. Instead, she signed a statement declaring she had nothing to say.

"Judges and justice are not the same thing," she later told a press conference.

"Justice would be if the Mothers were exonerated (in the investigation). Not for ourselves, but because we don't want them to dirty the image of our children, of the 30,000" people who disappeared under military rule, she said.

She accused Argentine judges of "answering to the government" of conservative President Mauricio Macri.

Bonafini was close to leftist ex-president Cristina Kirchner. She is a fierce critic of Macri, whom she has called a "son of a bitch" and a "dictator."

Story continues

He responded in kind Wednesday, calling her "deranged."

The corruption case involves a $53-million program launched during the Kirchner administration to build housing, schools and health centers in poor neighborhoods.

Much of the money -- which came largely from the government -- went missing. The ensuing scandal brought an abrupt end to the program in 2011.
Washington (AFP) - US House Speaker Paul Ryan beat back a challenge in the Wisconsin Republican primaries on Tuesday, winning a race in which presidential hopeful Donald Trump had praised his populist rival.

In a year full of US presidential race firsts, and with incumbent lawmakers under tough scrutiny, a loss by Ryan would have further jolted the rattled US political establishment as it eyes a White House election pitting Trump against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

"I am humbled and honored that Wisconsinites in the 1st Congressional District support my efforts to keep fighting on their behalf. Janna and I are grateful to have the support of so many in southern Wisconsin, and we are truly thankful for all of their hard work," the speaker said in a statement.

Republican Party chairman Reince Preibus hailed his victory, describing Ryan as "trusted."

"Speaker Ryan's commitment to faithfully representing the people of Wisconsin and making the case for conservatism have never changed, and his years of principled public service make him a trusted leader in our party," Preibus said.

Ryan, the top elected Republican, has been voted in nine times by constituents in his congressional district, so the race would usually garner little attention. With a roughly 80 percent approval rating, he had been expected to win.

But this time around, he faced an opponent who has openly supported Trump, and the Republican White House candidate -- with whom Ryan has sparred throughout the campaign -- only offered his support on Friday.

The movement against the 46-year-old Ryan took on the appearance of a revolt of sorts, in the midst of an anti-establishment wave that helped make Trump the party's presidential nominee.

Ryan's challenger, businessman Paul Nehlen, managed to get outsized attention by staging protests near Ryan's home.

In one July 23 incident, Nehlen supporters and mothers whose children were killed by undocumented immigrants challenged Ryan's lack of full support for Trump's immigration agenda.

Ryan has criticized Trump's call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States.

Trump touched off a firestorm last Tuesday when he refused to endorse Ryan for re-election. Instead, the brash billionaire also praised Nehlen.
Model and YouTube star Gigi Gorgeous said she was detained at the airport for more than five hours in Dubai, possibly because she's transgender.

She posted about the experience Tuesday on Instagram. "Yesterday was one of the scariest moments of my entire life and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone," she wrote. "How you can be denied entry somewhere just because of who you are is seriously disgusting and also very scary. This further proves the need for CHANGE." Gorgeous became widely known after documenting her transition on YouTube.

She posted an image of herself hugging Nats Getty. "After being detained and held at the Dubai airport for over 5 hours, this was the moment my baby came to rescue me," she said.

Gorgeous said she was on her way to "somewhere much more accepting" and is "safe and sound and happy."

The Canadian model elaborated on the incident to TMZ, saying an immigration officer told her, "I was told you are transgender. You cannot come into the country." Gorgeous said her name on her passport is now Gigi Loren. Airport officials told TMZ she is listed as male and has a photograph of herself as a man on her passport, although Gorgeous denies this. The "imitation of women by men" is illegal in Dubai.

Gorgeous' reps have not yet responded to The Hollywood Reporter's request for comment.

After being detained and held at the Dubai airport for over 5 hours, this was the moment my baby came to rescue me. Yesterday was one of the scariest moments of my entire life and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. How you can be denied entry somewhere just because of who you are is seriously disgusting and also very scary. This further proves the need for CHANGE. I am now on my way to somewhere much more accepting. Safe and sound and happy. I love you guys

A photo posted by GIGI GORGEOUS (@gigigorgeous) on Aug 9, 2016 at 9:28pm PDT

Read more: YouTube Red Picks Up Gigi Gorgeous Documentary, High School Comedy 'Foursome'
(Reuters) - Two of the fuel tanks on the drilling rig Transocean Winner, which ran aground off the northwest coast of Scotland after breaking free while being towed, have leaked an unknown amount of diesel oil, the UK's Maritime and Coastguard agency (MCA) said on Wednesday. Transocean Ltd spokeswoman Pam Easton said on Monday that during severe weather, the rig lost its tow and subsequently grounded off the Western Isles of Scotland. "No rig personnel are at risk", the spokeswoman said. The rig was being moved from Norway to Malta when the tug towing it got into difficulty in bad weather on Sunday evening, BBC reported. The MCA said the rig was carrying 280 metric tonnes of diesel oil on board, split between a number of separate tanks. The agency said a temporary exclusion zone of 300 meters (985 feet) to keep boats away remains in force. The Environment Group has implemented measures to identify any potential environment impact, Scottish Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said. The Scottish government said it would continue to closely monitor the situation. The response being coordinated by the British government, which is responsible for managing such incidents in the UK. Cunningham said the incident raises serious questions about why the rig was being towed through Scottish waters despite a forecast for stormy weather. (Reporting by Rama Venkat Raman in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Crosby)
Guy Martin, Triumph Break Personal Record at Bonneville Salt Flats

Isle of Man TT legend Guy Martin has piloted the Triumph Infor Rocket Streamliner to 274.2 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats, making the streamliner the fastest Triumph ever.

That speed falls short of the current land speed record for a streamliner  376.363 mph  which has been held by Rocky Robinson since 2010. But the record set by Triumph this week was achieved during practice. Bonneville Speed Week doesn't officially kick off until 13 August, and Triumph has said it has ambitions of beating Robinson's record.

Guy Martin

In the meantime, Triumph and Martin have expressed joy at having smashed the manufacturer's personal record at Bonneville. The previous official Triumph record stood at 245.667 mph, as well as the unofficial Triumph Record of 264 mph, were both set by Bob Leppan in the Gyronaut X-1.

Near perfect conditions greeted the team Monday, the final day of the teams land speed practice week. With confidence high after a successful number of days running on the salt at Bonneville, the teams goal for the day with the Triumph Infor Rocket Streamliner was the Triumph record.

Triumph Infor Rocket Streamliner

Triumph says Mondays record run is further proof of Martins growing confidence on the salt and the team's commitment to breaking the World Two-Wheeled Land Speed record.

Throughout the week, Martin has continued to impress everyone within the team with the speed in which he has been able to master the Triumph Infor Rocket Streamliner. When asked about becoming the fastest ever Triumph record holder Martin commented: Its good and we are moving in the right direction, but it is just one step on the way to what me and team are here to do.

Triumph Infor Rocket Streamliner

The Triumph Infor Rocket features a carbon Kevlar monocoque construction with two turbocharged Triumph Rocket III engines producing a combined 1000 hp at 9000 rpm. The motorcycle is 25.5 feet long, 2 feet wide and 3 feet tall. Powered by methanol fuel, the bike is competing in the Division C (streamlined motorcycle) category.

Triumph has a history of breaking the land speed record, holding the title of World's Fastest Motorcycle between 1955 to 1970. The record-breaking Triumph Streamliners included: Devil's Arrow, Texas Cee-gar, Dudek Streamliner and Gyronaut X1.
By Guy Faulconbridge and Kylie MacLellan LONDON (Reuters) - Nearly 76 years to the day since Leon Trotsky was murdered in Mexico with an ice-pick on Josef Stalin's orders, the Russian revolutionary has returned to haunt Britain's opposition Labour Party in the turmoil sparked by the Brexit vote. Labour was thrust into one of the biggest crises in its 116-year history after Britain's June 23 vote to leave the European Union, when most of the party's lawmakers responded by voting to withdraw support for left-wing leader Jeremy Corbyn. Less than a year into the job, Corbyn now faces a leadership challenge from lawmaker Owen Smith who, like most of his colleagues in the party's contingent in parliament, says Corbyn was lacklustre in campaigning to stay in the EU and too poorly organized to effectively oppose the Conservative government. But the decision is in the hands of party members, including more than 100,000 who joined this year, and polls show members still favor Corbyn. The party's deputy leader, Tom Watson, who has tried to persuade Corbyn to quit, raised the pitch of the rhetoric by saying some of the new members were Trotskyite infiltrators from the far-left, who saw Labour as a vehicle for revolution. "There are Trots that have come back to the party, and they certainly don't have the best interests of the Labour Party at heart," Watson said in an interview with the Guardian newspaper. Momentum, a Corbyn-supporting grassroots movement which says it wants to ensure Labour implements socialist policies such as wealth distribution, dismissed Watson's remarks as conspiracy theories. "There is no return of Trotsky's ghost," Jon Lansman, one of Momentum's senior figures, told Reuters. "The influx to the Labour Party of hundreds of thousands of mainly young people with no prior history of involvement in political parties means that Trotskyism has never been more irrelevant to British politics." POLITICAL FERMENT But the references to a 20th Century revolutionary are still a reminder of the fractious heritage of a party that moved firmly to the center during 13 years in power under prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, but whose members voted to reject that shift in selecting Corbyn last year. "There are some old hands twisting young arms in this process ... They are caucusing and factionalizing and putting pressure where they can, and thats how Trotsky entryists operate," Watson said. In British Labour history, "Trotskyite" was used to describe militant Marxist campaigners who battled the party's leaders in the 1970s and 1980s. "Entryism" refers to a tactic Trotsky encouraged, under which far-left Communists would join more mainstream Socialist movements and radicalize them. Alex Callinicos, professor of European studies at King's College London, who and said he himself could be described as Trotskyite in a broad sense, said Trotsky "still captures people's imagination". "He stood for the idea of international revolution and self-organized revolution ... Trotsky acts as reference point for those who do not like capitalism." But while some Labour members may be Trotskyites, they were not to blame for the party's turmoil, Callinicos added. "The Labour Party is imploding. What is happening in Britain after the Brexit vote is more broadly a political ferment," he said. "Britain has to work out what it is doing in the world." (editing by Peter Graff)
At first, she chalked up his insulting, coarse rhetoric and personal attacks on his rivals to political showmanship as he sought to shake up the GOP establishment and shatter hidebound political correctness.

But Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine explained in a Washington Post op-ed that over time, she became alarmed by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trumps complete disregard for common decency and his willingness to degrade almost anyone. That included Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran who spent nearly five years as a prisoner of war.

Related: Trump: Second Amendment People Could Do Something About Clintons SCOTUS Picks

Trumps mocking of a disabled New York Times reporter, his callous contempt for a federal judge of Mexican heritage who was presiding over a case involving the defunct Trump University, and  most recently  his criticism of the grieving parents of Army Capt. Humayun Khan, who was killed in Iraq in 2004 by a suicide bomber, put Collins over the top.

On Tuesday, she joined a fast-growing list of prominent Republican politicians, senior policy advisers, state officials and conservative media pundits who have disavowed the GOP presidential nominee. Scores of Republican luminaries, from Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Gov. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts to former Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Jr. and 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, have come out against him with more likely to follow.

With the passage of time, I have become increasingly dismayed by his constant stream of cruel comments and his inability to admit error or apologize, Collins wrote. But it was his attacks directed at people who could not respond on an equal footing  either because they do not share his power or stature or because professional responsibility precluded them from engaging at such a level  that revealed Mr. Trump as unworthy of being our president.

Related: The Trump Delusion: GOP Candidate Says Everythings Just Fine

Story continues

She was not alone in making the painful decision to break from the GOPs standard bearer and either support Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton or some other third party candidate -- or simply sit out the November presidential election. Collins says she is not sure of what she will do but has ruled out voting for Clinton, her one-time Senate colleague.

Just in the past day, a group of 50 former national security officials who served in previous Republican administrations reaching back to Richard M. Nixon and Ronald Reagan, signed a letter denouncing Trump and declaring he would be the most reckless President in American history.

The letter, which also said that Trump lacks the character, values, and experience to be president, was signed by two former homeland security secretaries, Michael Chertoff and Tom Ridge; former CIA director and National Security Agency chief Michael Hayden, and John Negroponte, a former director of national intelligence and deputy secretary of state.

Meanwhile, two former Republican administrators of the Environmental Protection Agency endorsed Clinton on Tuesday, explaining in a joint statement that Trump  who claims that climate change is a hoax -- has shown a profound ignorance of science and the public health issues embodied in our environmental laws.

Related: Trumps Economic Plan: Spend Like a Democrat, Regulate Like a Republican

One of the environmentalists, William D. Ruckelshaus, was the first administrator of the EPA, appointed by President Richard M. Nixon. He returned to the same post during the Reagan administration. The other former official, William K. Reilly, was the head of the EPA during the administration of President George H.W. Bush.

The defections started as a trickle during the primary season, grew as Trump opponents feverishly looked for a way to block his nomination and then turned into a torrent since the July Republican and Democratic national conventions. The sharp contrasts between Trump and Clinton during the conventions  and mounting fear that Trump lacked the temperament and knowledge to lead the country -- gave Clinton an important boost over Trump in the polls.

The former secretary of state currently holds a 10 percentage point lead over Trump, 51 percent to 41 percent, according to the latest NBC News/SurveyMonkey Weekly Election tracking poll. A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll also shows Clinton leading Trump in the battleground states of Iowa, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Collins is one of seven Republican senators who have parted company with Trump, including Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, Ted Cruz of Texas, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Jeff Flake of Arizona, Dean Heller of Nevada and Mark Kirk of Illinois. Graham and Cruz ran unsuccessful campaigns for the GOP presidential nomination, and Cruz famously urged delegates to vote their conscience during a speech at the Republican National Convention.

Related: Will Never Trump Candidate Evan McMullin Hand the Election to Clinton?

On the House side, Republican Reps. Scott Rigell of Virginia, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, Richard Hanna of New York and Reid J. Ribble of Wisconsin have broken with Trump, among others. Hanna and Ribble are retiring at the end of the year.

After Trump appeared to suggest during a rally in North Carolina on Tuesday that Second Amendment people fearful of Clinton appointing anti-gun justices to the Supreme Court take matters into their own hands, other Republicans might follow Collinss lead and dump Trump.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
Forty-eight years and 64 days before Donald Trump made now notorious comments about how it might be up to Second Amendment supporters to stop Hillary Clinton, Democratic presidential candidate Bobby Kennedy was shot dead in Los Angeles.

Now Trump is trying to weasel his way out of what might be his most dangerous off-the-cuff comment to date.

Related: Trump: Second Amendment People Could Do Something About Clintons SCOTUS Picks

He told Fox News that he meant only that Americans who back gun rights might be able to use their political power to defeat the Democratic nominee, who like Kennedy served as a U.S. Senator from New York.

Here is what Trump said at a rally on Tuesday in Wilmington, N.C.:

The reaction has ranged from namby-pamby (House Speaker Paul Ryan) to completely losing it (New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman).

"I heard about this Second Amendment quote, Ryan said at a Tuesday evening press conference after winning a primary battle in Wisconsin. It sounds like just a joke gone bad. I hope he clears it up very quickly. You should never joke about something like that."

Right. Not good to crack wise about popping a presidential candidate.

Others were not so sanguine.

Friedman wrote today: People are playing with fire here, and there is no bigger flamethrower than Donald Trump. Forget politics; He is a disgusting human being. His children should be ashamed of him. I only pray that he is not simply defeated, but that he loses all 50 states so the message goes out across the land  unambiguously, loud and clear: The likes of you should never come this way again.

Related: As Trump Drops in the Polls, the List of GOP Defectors Grows

Former Representative Gabby Giffords, who was shot in the head by a deranged gunman in 2011, said in a statement: Donald Trump might astound Americans on a routine basis, but we must draw a bright red line between political speech and suggestions of violence.

And the New York Daily News is calling on Trump to step aside. Its front-page headline reads: This Isnt a Joke Any More.

Story continues

But if Trump can get voters to laugh away what could be construed as a call to terminate his rival for the presidency, what would he have to say to put the last nail in his own political coffin? When would enough be enough for Trump supporters?

Related: Would Trump Really Be the Most Reckless American President?

Perhaps one of these might do it:



You know, I gotta tell you, our military could learn a lot from ISIS.



Sometimes I think, and I know this isn't popular to say in some quarters, but I think Hitler had it right.



Hillary says America is still great. I'm here to tell you, Russia and Syria are great. We have a long way to go.



You know, I must tell you, Ronald Reagan wasnt really that great a president.

Probably close. But if Trump could escape pretty much unscathed after saying Senator John McCain wasnt a war hero, he might be able to skate past a dis on The Great Communicator.

This, however, might do it:

You know, many, many people are saying Mary wasnt a virgin.

Or not.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
Character counts. That was evangelicals rallying cry in their all-out assault against Bill Clinton beginning in 1993. In response to what they perceived as widespread moral decline, some religious groups had become aligned with the Republican Party during the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations. To them, the allegedly draft-dodging, pot-smoking, honesty-challenged womanizer symbolized everything that was wrong with America.

More than two decades after Clintons first inauguration, many evangelical leaders of that era have endorsed the draft-dodging, foul-mouthed, honesty-challenged womanizer named Donald Trump for president. Only a handful refuse to follow suit, including Albert Mohler, the president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. During the Clinton years, he regularly argued in mainstream media outlets that the Arkansan was morally unfit to serve as Commander-in-Chief.

If I were to support, much less endorse, Donald Trump for president, Mohler says, I would actually have to go back and apologize to former President Bill Clinton.

At least Mohler is consistent, which is more than can be said for some of his peers in leadership. While prominent evangelicals tied Bill Clinton to the public whipping post for nearly a decade to make him pay penance for his character defects, they now celebrate a reality-television star who is at least as flawed. As Mohler said, if these Christian leaders want to endorse Trump, they should apologize to Bill Clinton.

Recommended: Trump's Second Amendment Comment Cannot Be Excused

Ever since the sexual revolutions of the 1960s, conservative Christians have been especially focused on sexual immorality. Many believe in staying abstinent until ones wedding day and forbid sex outside of opposite-gender marriage. Clintons sexual scandals convinced evangelicals that the president would lead America further away from its Christian roots. When Monica Lewinsky produced her infamous semen-stained dress, Clinton went from morally questionable to a moral disgrace in their eyes.

Story continues

The televangelist Pat Robertson once called Clinton a "debauched, debased, and defamed" politician who turned the Oval Office into a "playpen for the sexual freedom of the poster child of the 1960s." Its difficult to understand how Robertson could tell Trump recently, You inspire us all.

The Republican candidate has been married three times, and it is widely believed that he was unfaithful during each relationship. When he was deposed in the divorce proceedings with his first wife, Ivana, he invoked the Fifth Amendment 97 times to avoid answering questions about questions regarding other women. He married his second wife, Marla Maples, two months after she gave birth to their daughter. Until recently, Trump embraced his reputation as a Manhattan womanizer. In case you are wondering, evangelicals typically arent big fans of divorce, adultery, or out-of-wedlock pregnancy.

Trump clashes with evangelical ethics in ways that would have killed Clintons career two decades ago.

Recommended: 15 Years After 9/11, Is America Any Safer?

Evangelicals during the 90s were not merely concerned with Clintons private behavior; they were worried about its effect on a society they felt had already abandoned traditional values. In September 1998, James Dobson of Focus on the Family sent a letter to 2.4 million conservative Christians claiming Clinton should be impeached because his behavior was setting a bad example for our children about respecting women. Dobsons apparent concern for women back then feels like a partisan political move now that hes given Trump an enthusiastic endorsement.

While Clinton, at least, hid his indiscretions, Trump has paraded his affairs down Broadway for decades. In The Art of the Deal, Trump actually bragged about bedding multiple married women. Hes slept with so many women that he called his ability to avoid STDs my personal Vietnam. Hes objectified or insulted the women he hasnt married, divorced, or slept with, labeling those he finds unattractive with terms like fat pig, dog or slob. In numerous interviews with Howard Stern, he talked in graphic detail about his sexual exploits and discussed which female celebrities are worth a bang. How exactly do evangelicals reconcile this behavior with claims that they value respect for women?

In addition to Clintons sexual misconduct, evangelicals were particularly concerned with his alleged lies. But how, then, can they support the real-estate moguls candidacy? Donald Trump plays at least as fast and loose with the truth as Clinton did. From the size of his net worth to his claim that thousands of people in New Jersey cheered when the World Trade Center was attacked on 9/11, Trump fibs constantly. The website Politfact factchecked the GOP candidate 182 times and found that his statements were true or mostly true only 19 times. In 2015, the organization awarded Trump its lie of the year.

Recommended: Is Trump's Campaign Locking Him Out of Twitter?

Trumps character clashes with evangelical ethics in ways that would have killed Clintons political career two decades ago. Conservative Christians typically oppose pornography, but in 1990, Trump appeared on the cover of Playboy magazine. In 2006, he rewarded an Apprentice team with a trip to the Playboy Mansion. Conservative Christians also typically oppose gambling, but Trump has made millions as a largely failed casino owner. In 2013, he opened the nations first casino strip club: Atlantic Citys Trump Taj Majal.

Given all of this, its perplexing that the former Christian Coalition executive director Ralph Reed declared that character matters when it came to Clinton but privately offered to run Trumps campaign in 2012. Its hard to understand how the former Family Research Council head Gary Bauer ran television ads in the 90s calling for Clintons resignation due to a virtue deficit but now supports Donald Trump. Its confounding that the theologian Wayne Grudem signed a public letter lambasting former-President Clinton for ill use of women and manipulation of truth but recently wrote a 5,000-word endorsement of Trump, calling him a good candidate with flaws and arguing that people who vote for Hillary will be sinning.

All of this signals something bigger: an end to meaningful evangelical power and influence.

Many evangelicals have worked hard to rationalize their endorsements. Dobson excused Trumps behavior because he is a baby Christian. The author Eric Metaxas claims Trump is the lesser of two evils because Hillary is more like Hitler. Pastor Robert Jeffress argues that his fellow Christians should vote for Trump because at least he likes us. No matter which rationale they choose, these evangelicals double standard is undeniable.

Although both Bill Clinton and Trump have a morally checkered past, only one of them has apologized for his failings. In September of 1998, a solemn Bill Clinton asked that the country, his family, and God to forgive him, saying, I have sinned. Evangelical leaders largely dismissed his apology and continued their calls for impeachment. By contrast, Trump says he has never asked God for forgiveness. Conservative Christians were unwilling to extend mercy to a Democrat who asked for it but have offered it freely to a Republican who doesnt want it.

All of this signals something bigger: an end to meaningful evangelical power and influence. Since the late 1970s, conservative Christian leaders have claimed their political engagement is about morality. They have claimed it is about character. They have claimed it is about values. They have claimed it is about biblical principles. Pious preachers, thunderous televangelists, and moralizing activists have sold America a bill of goods about their pure motivation for decades. But evidence indicates that evangelical political engagement is really about cultural influence, social dominance, and power.

Trump-loving evangelical leaders should either apologize to Bill Clinton or admit, after all these years, that they, too, have a character issue.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
By Amanda Becker and James Oliphant WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Wednesday accused Republican opponent Donald Trump of inciting violence with his call for gun rights activists to stop her from nominating liberal U.S. Supreme Court justices. Clinton's comments added to a growing outcry over Trump's remarks on Tuesday at a North Carolina rally, which some interpreted as a call for violence against his White House rival. His remarks also fueled widespread concerns about his ability to stay on track. "Words matter, my friends," the former U.S. secretary of state, who rarely engages in direct back-and-forths with her Republican rival, said at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa. "And if you are running to be president or you are president of the United States, words can have tremendous consequences." "Yesterday, we witnessed the latest in a long line of casual comments from Donald Trump that crossed the line," she said, citing "his casual inciting of violence." Trump insisted in an interview with Fox News that his remarks were a call for political, not physical, action. There is tremendous political power to save the Second Amendment, tremendous," the New York businessman said. "And you look at the power they have in terms of votes and thats what I was referring to, obviously thats what I was referring to, and everybody knows it." The U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment guarantees a right to keep and bear arms. "I cant think of anything remotely comparable to it. No one tells a joke about the opponent getting shot. Ive never heard it," said Bob Shrum, a top aide for Al Gore's presidential campaign in 2000 and John Kerry's in 2004. REPUBLICANS SHAKEN High-profile Republicans and rank-and-file voters appeared shaken on Wednesday after a string of Trump misfires, struggling with how to best reject his divisive candidacy. Some pledged to withhold their endorsement and others backed Clinton. Some, including MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman from Florida, called for party leaders to replace Trump on the ticket. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll taken Aug. 5-8 - before Trump's latest controversy - showed that nearly one-fifth of 396 registered Republicans said they want Trump to drop out of the race and another 10 percent said they "don't know" whether the Republican nominee should or not. Clinton's campaign, seeing an opening, has moved to bring disenchanted Republicans into the fold by announcing an official intraparty outreach effort on behalf of the Democratic nominee. Clinton's campaign now has a website for Republicans and political independents to sign up to pledge their support, listing 50 prominent Republicans and independents who have endorsed her. On Monday, 50 Republican national security officials signed an open letter questioning Trump's temperament, calling him reckless and unqualified to be president. Other top Republicans, including Senator Susan Collins of Maine this week, have disavowed Trump but said they cannot back Clinton. James Rohrscheib, 74, a registered Republican and retired U.S. Navy officer from Washington state, told Reuters the reality is the Nov. 8 election will be a "tough one." "Im in a quandary as to who I am going to vote for," Rohrscheib said. Trump has dismissed the defections and criticism as an unsurprising reaction of the so-called Washington elite to his drive to change the status quo. One group that appears unswayed is Trump's donors. Reuters interviewed nine major Trump donors on Wednesday, and not one said his Second Amendment comment had given them pause. Trump Texas fundraising co-chair Gaylord Hughey called the interpretation of his remark as condoning violence "ridiculous" and "ludicrous." "Its just another issue the press has really twisted to make headlines," Hughey said. But Mike Smith, a Republican voter and Reuters/Ipsos poll respondent, said the support Trump is still receiving from Republicans "almost seems obligatory rather than voluntary." "Im almost at the point where I think Im going to vote for Hillary. I don't like her," said Smith, a 74-year-old retiree who lives in Clearwater, Florida. "But Mr. Trump is making me very nervous." RESET ABANDONED Republican strategist and Trump supporter Ford OConnell said Trump has "dug himself a deep hole" with voters and to win the election he will need to "make it a referendum on Hillary Clinton and the 'rigged system.'" Trump sought to do just that by using an economic policy speech in Detroit on Monday to correct a series of missteps that included a prolonged clash with the parents of a fallen Muslim American soldier. But his remarks Tuesday undermined that effort. "If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks," Trump said at the rally in North Carolina. "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know," he continued. A federal official familiar with the matter denied a media report that the U.S. Secret Service, which investigates threats against presidents and candidates, had formally spoken with the Trump campaign about his remark. Trump's comment and the resulting backlash occurred as Reuters/Ipsos polling showed some 44 percent of 1,162 registered voters believe Trump should exit the race, and that as of Tuesday, Clinton led Trump by more than 7 percentage points, up from a 3-point lead late last week. Strategists and Trump detractors agreed that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to remove Trump from the Republican ticket. "Its wishful thinking to believe the Republicans are going to replace its nominee after the convention. People are grasping at straws," Ron Bonjean, a Republican strategist unaffiliated with Trump, told Reuters. A more likely scenario would be a replay of the 1996 presidential race, when the Republican Party essentially deserted nominee Bob Dole, who was badly trailing President Bill Clinton, to focus on congressional races. (Additional reporting by Alana Wise, Emily Flitter, Ginger Gibson, Susan Heavy, Doina Chiacu, Grant Smith, Eric Beech and Jonathan Allen; Writing by Amanda Becker; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jonathan Oatis)
By Amanda Becker and James Oliphant WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Wednesday accused Republican opponent Donald Trump of inciting violence with his call for gun rights activists to stop her from nominating liberal U.S. Supreme Court justices. Clinton's comments added to a growing outcry over Trump's remarks on Tuesday at a North Carolina rally, which some interpreted as a call for violence against his White House rival. His remarks also fuelled widespread concerns about his ability to stay on track. "Words matter, my friends," the former U.S. secretary of state, who rarely engages in direct back-and-forths with her Republican rival, said at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa. "And if you are running to be president or you are president of the United States, words can have tremendous consequences." "Yesterday, we witnessed the latest in a long line of casual comments from Donald Trump that crossed the line," she said, citing "his casual inciting of violence." Trump insisted in an interview with Fox News that his remarks were a call for political, not physical, action. There is tremendous political power to save the Second Amendment, tremendous," the New York businessman said. "And you look at the power they have in terms of votes and thats what I was referring to, obviously thats what I was referring to, and everybody knows it." The U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment guarantees a right to keep and bear arms. "I cant think of anything remotely comparable to it. No one tells a joke about the opponent getting shot. Ive never heard it," said Bob Shrum, a top aide for Al Gore's presidential campaign in 2000 and John Kerry's in 2004. REPUBLICANS SHAKEN High-profile Republicans and rank-and-file voters appeared shaken on Wednesday after a string of Trump misfires, struggling with how to best reject his divisive candidacy. Some pledged to withhold their endorsement and others backed Clinton. Some, including MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman from Florida, called for party leaders to replace Trump on the ticket. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll taken Aug. 5-8 - before Trump's latest controversy - showed that nearly one-fifth of 396 registered Republicans said they want Trump to drop out of the race and another 10 percent said they "don't know" whether the Republican nominee should or not. Clinton's campaign, seeing an opening, has moved to bring disenchanted Republicans into the fold by announcing an official intraparty outreach effort on behalf of the Democratic nominee. Clinton's campaign now has a website for Republicans and political independents to sign up to pledge their support, listing 50 prominent Republicans and independents who have endorsed her. On Monday, 50 Republican national security officials signed an open letter questioning Trump's temperament, calling him reckless and unqualified to be president. Other top Republicans, including Senator Susan Collins of Maine this week, have disavowed Trump but said they cannot back Clinton. James Rohrscheib, 74, a registered Republican and retired U.S. Navy officer from Washington state, told Reuters the reality is the Nov. 8 election will be a "tough one." "Im in a quandary as to who I am going to vote for," Rohrscheib said. Trump has dismissed the defections and criticism as an unsurprising reaction of the so-called Washington elite to his drive to change the status quo. One group that appears unswayed is Trump's donors. Reuters interviewed nine major Trump donors on Wednesday, and not one said his Second Amendment comment had given them pause. Trump Texas fundraising co-chair Gaylord Hughey called the interpretation of his remark as condoning violence "ridiculous" and "ludicrous." "Its just another issue the press has really twisted to make headlines," Hughey said. But Mike Smith, a Republican voter and Reuters/Ipsos poll respondent, said the support Trump is still receiving from Republicans "almost seems obligatory rather than voluntary." "Im almost at the point where I think Im going to vote for Hillary. I don't like her," said Smith, a 74-year-old retiree who lives in Clearwater, Florida. "But Mr. Trump is making me very nervous." RESET ABANDONED Republican strategist and Trump supporter Ford OConnell said Trump has "dug himself a deep hole" with voters and to win the election he will need to "make it a referendum on Hillary Clinton and the 'rigged system.'" Trump sought to do just that by using an economic policy speech in Detroit on Monday to correct a series of missteps that included a prolonged clash with the parents of a fallen Muslim American soldier. But his remarks Tuesday undermined that effort. "If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks," Trump said at the rally in North Carolina. "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know," he continued. A federal official familiar with the matter denied a media report that the U.S. Secret Service, which investigates threats against presidents and candidates, had formally spoken with the Trump campaign about his remark. Trump's comment and the resulting backlash occurred as Reuters/Ipsos polling showed some 44 percent of 1,162 registered voters believe Trump should exit the race, and that as of Tuesday, Clinton led Trump by more than 7 percentage points, up from a 3-point lead late last week. Strategists and Trump detractors agreed that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to remove Trump from the Republican ticket. "Its wishful thinking to believe the Republicans are going to replace its nominee after the convention. People are grasping at straws," Ron Bonjean, a Republican strategist unaffiliated with Trump, told Reuters. A more likely scenario would be a replay of the 1996 presidential race, when the Republican Party essentially deserted nominee Bob Dole, who was badly trailing President Bill Clinton, to focus on congressional races. (Additional reporting by Alana Wise, Emily Flitter, Ginger Gibson, Susan Heavy, Doina Chiacu, Grant Smith, Eric Beech and Jonathan Allen; Writing by Amanda Becker; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jonathan Oatis)
Through their economic policy speeches this week, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton will lay out two very different portraits of America. One America celebrates enterprise and emboldens the individual. In that United States, innovation is welcome and American advantages  including cheap energy  are protected and exploited. That America gives its workers every tool to battle foreign competition including an excellent education and guarantees opportunity. Most important, perhaps, that nation expects its government to get its priorities straight  and to put America first.

That was Donald Trumps message in Detroit yesterday. He proposed a program that would allow the country to resume its historic growth rate of better than 3 percent  a rate that after Obamas 8 years seems almost fanciful. He talked about simplifying taxes and reducing regulations, offering sensible approaches to both, and about redoing our trade agreements to make them more beneficial for U.S. workers.

Related: Would Trump Really Be the Most Reckless American President?

Hillary Clinton will deliver her economic speech on Thursday. We already know what it will say because Clinton has promised four more years of Obamas policies as if that were a good thing. Clinton spoke at a rally in June with Elizabeth Warren at her side and revealed her economic plan.

Clinton will again argue that our economy is essentially unfair, with the richest Americans and wealthiest corporations not paying their fair share. She will decline to define what that share might be; she knows that the top twenty percent of the countrys earners already pays 84 percent of all federal income taxes and that a full 45 percent pay exactly zero. She also knows that her complaint that the wealthiest Americans pay a lower tax rate than their assistants is hogwash. Like so much else that Clinton says  it simply is not true.

Hillary will argue that if we just take a bit more from the wealthy, we could provide the kind of job training and infrastructure investment that would put lots of people back to work. She wont acknowledge the folks who have lost their jobs because of regulations passed by the Obama White House and the kind of job-creating infrastructure project that some saw in the Keystone Pipeline. She means the 93 million working age Americans on the sidelines who cant get jobs or who choose not to work.

Story continues

Clinton will talk, as Obama did, about the wonderful wave of jobs that will be created through investments in clean energy. Jobs that so far mainly went to China, which captured the lions share of the solar power industry. Jobs that are underwritten by industries and the American people, who shoulder the cost of subsidies for cleaner energy. She will admit how the push for alternative energy will slowly but surely ramp up electricity costs in the nation  a reversal of decades of low and stable power costs that in recent years has encouraged foreign companies to invest here.

Related: Heres Why It Will Be So Hard for Trump or Clinton to Rebuild America

Hillary will say, as she did on June 22 in North Carolina: When it comes to primary and secondary education, I pledge to you were going to make sure all kids have good teachers in good schools, no matter what zip code they live in. We know thats not true, because Clinton, like Obama, will refuse to take on the powerful national teachers unions. Without the get-out-the-vote muscle of that group, Clinton cannot win the election, and she knows it.

Clinton will also talk about restoring power to organized labor, and abolishing right-to-work laws. She will argue for better benefits and protections for workers, which will appeal to those whose incomes have been stuck for the past decade. She will not explain how higher costs for labor will discourage companies to build and produce in the U.S.

What Hillary will not do is extol the virtues of free trade, though she will be tempted to undermine Trumps powerful assault on NAFTA and the TPP, both of which Clinton has historically championed. She sold out on the TPP to match rival Bernie Sanders passionate denunciation of trade pacts that have hurt U.S. workers. But, as Trump said in Detroit, Hillary will come round on the TPP. A tweak or two and presto! The deal will meet her evolving standards.

Heres what Hillary also will not do: provide convincing data points that her economic nostrums will be successful. There are none. She could hardly cite the failed Socialist state of Venezuela, where bread lines grow longer by the day. She cannot point to France, a country that has adopted many of her policies, including strict protections for workers and robust climate change measures. French workers take to the street with depressing regularity to protest even the most modest loosening of the work rules crushing that economy. The IMF has cautioned that France cannot grow unless it weakens its labor laws.

Related: Federal Civilian Workforce Soars to 2.79 Million After Years of Restraint

Clinton cannot even cite the success of individual states. There are 31 Republican governors for a reason. GOP governors have typically delivered faster job growth and better budget control than their Democratic rivals. Think Indiana versus Illinois; Connecticut versus Florida. Ten of the fifteen states ranked most attractive to business have Republican governors. Appealing to job creators and adding jobs go hand in hand  a reality that Clinton and Obama fail to appreciate.

Trump, by comparison, backed up his comments with some excellent data points. It is true that Detroit is a failed city, where 40 percent of its citizens live in poverty and half the crime-ridden city does not work. It is, as he said, The living, breathing example of my opponents failed economic agenda.

Trump and Clintons two visions are as apart as can be. One imagines a race horse bolting from the starting gate; the other a draft horse plodding around the old mill for an eternity, going nowhere. Trump needs to convince voters we can and should do better  that they want to ride that thoroughbred nation to greater growth and success. His speech in Detroit was a good start.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
tunisia_banner1

Tunisia new constitution  passed with great fanfare by the countrys first democratically elected government in 2014  guarantees freedom of religion (though it also makes explicit reference to Islam as the national faith). So youd be forgiven for thinking that the country would be an easy place to be a Muslim. But if youre young and you take your religion seriously, it may not be so simple. Take the case of Noureddine Ayari, a devout young man who occasionally wears traditional Islamic clothing, keeps a short beard, and prays regularly at a mosque near his work.

One December day in 2015, while at work in a marble workshop in Meghira, a southern suburb of Tunis, he was approached by a policeman inquiring about a suspect who worked in the same place. Ayari said no, but the officer insisted that he come to the station anyway.

Ayari had no ties to terrorist groups. But it soon became clear that his appearance had turned him into a suspect in his own right. He was charged with terrorism, detained for several days, and savagely beaten. The police officer spat in my face and beat me, the 29-year-old Ayari told me later. My face was bruised, my mouth was bleeding. A beard and traditional clothing mean terrorism for security forces in Tunisia. Thats the bitter reality.

Ayari is just one of thousands of victims of the arbitrary and often violent methods the countrys police employ against conservative young men and women. A joint report on torture in Tunisia submitted by several local and international NGOs to the United Nations was unequivocal: Torture is widespread, in all its manifestations, it reads, and its practice tends to increase after each terrorist attack.

Its all part of an ongoing crackdown that has followed a spate of terror attacks in the past few years. Two high-profile political assassinations in 2013, followed by last years mass shootings at tourist sites in Bardo and Sousse, have made Tunisians especially sensitive to the threat of jihadist violence. Along the way, the intensification of Tunisias war on terror has also given the countrys security forces a free hand to return to many repressive practices used by the deposed Ben Ali regime.

Story continues

Map of northern Tunisia

Today theres a sort of trivialization of torture, especially in terrorism cases, said Amna Guellali, the Tunisia director of Human Rights Watch. When we speak up about the torture of terror suspects, we risk being considered traitors in the holy war against terrorism  and if we denounce torture, were considered pro-terrorist.

Rafik Ghaki, a lawyer who has defended dozens of suspects accused of terrorism-related charges, is certain that the abuses have not only infringed upon Tunisians human rights, but have also hampered the efforts to fight terror through their reliance on scattershot and ineffective techniques. The security service is weak and antiquated, still relying on the despotic methods of Ben Ali, like obtaining confessions through torture, said Ghaki. In Tunisia, the police end up creating terrorism, not fighting it.

In a sign of how ineffective their approach has been, 70 percent of those charged with terrorism-related offenses have their charges dropped for lack of evidence, by Ghakis estimate. But that doesnt mean their troubles are over.

Such was the case with Ayari. Though no evidence was found and the charges against him were dropped, his name was put on a central terrorism watch list that has led to constant harassment. Apart from having to endure continuous phone calls and questioning by police, Ayari said that he is frequently stopped and arrested at the checkpoints that dot nearly every major road in Tunisia. Its almost like house arrest, he said. Id like to get out of this country as soon as I can because of the way theyre oppressing me. I feel like Im not a Tunisian citizen.

Inclusion in the terrorism list also prevents people from obtaining copies of their criminal records. Since these have to be included with job applications, this amounts to an employment blacklist as well. This procedure means that hundreds, if not thousands, of Tunisians, most of whom are already from the most vulnerable segments of society, are subject to economic discrimination.

Ghaki explained that all of this has led to a sort of social persecution of men and women who look religious  something that could further exacerbate Tunisias terrorism problem. Alienation pushes these people to the margins of society, making them psychologically fragile and more receptive to radical discourse targeted against the state. How do you expect people to feel when theyve been subjected to this sort of treatment? said Ghaki. Theyll feel hatred and a desire for vengeance.

This is consistent with recent research on radicalization. A 2015 study of Muslims in America found a significant correlation between feelings of marginalization stemming from religious identity and sympathy towards fundamentalist groups.

A loss of significance stemming from personal trauma, shame, humiliation, and perceived maltreatment is associated with increased support for radicalism. Experiences of discrimination exacerbate this process, wrote the authors of the study.

Though the research was about Muslims in the United States, conservative Tunisians would undoubtedly empathize with its conclusions.

Chaima, a woman in her 30s who did not want to use her real name, told me that she experiences frequent harassment by police and security personnel because she wears a face veil, the niqab. She said she once had to wait 45 minutes before she was allowed into a hospital. Though she offered to show her face and allow the security personnel to check her identity, she said they made sure to humiliate her before letting her go inside to visit her ailing relative.

This kind of treatment of Tunisias most religious citizens was not uncommon under the Ben Ali regime. If anything, it was worse back then. Even women with simple headscarves, far less conservative than the face-covering niqab, were subject to official discrimination and harassment. They were prohibited from accessing schools and other public institutions, such as hospitals, municipalities, and police stations. At the time, the regime framed these practices as a defense of Tunisias secularism against what it saw as an increasing religious obscurantism. In reality the regime was targeting Islamists, its main political rivals.

The wave of freedom that followed the January 2011 uprising, and the electoral victory of a moderate Islamist party, led to a decline in these abuses  at least at first. But that respite came to an end once the threat of terrorism became more serious. In addition to the assassinations and attacks on civilians and security forces the country witnessed in the last few years, Tunisia has also become a wellspring of foreign fighters joining extremist groups in Syria and Libya, with some estimates placing Tunisia as the single most prolific source of jihadists.

While people have gotten used to seeing women wearing the hijab in Tunisias streets, niqabi women and bearded men are the countrys new scapegoats. Chaima said that she was once called a terrorist by a group of people in a passing car. Its not easy to be who we are in Tunisia, she said. Some people want to let us know that we have no place here.

In fact, some people in Tunisia want to outlaw the niqab altogether. This March, only a few weeks after a group of militants crossed from Libya and tried to capture the southern town of Ben Guerdane, a group of lawmakers tried to exploit the rising fear of terrorism by proposing a law that would make it illegal for women to cover their faces in public. The draft law drew comparisons to a controversial 2010 law passed in France under president Nicolas Sarkozy. This is no coincidence. France is Tunisias former colonial power, and French law, culture, and values have had a profound impact on modern Tunisian society, particularly among the upper classes.

The many examples of the harassment show that its not just Tunisias government and security apparatus, but society itself that is pushing its most religious citizens to the margins. Decades of forced secularization under the Bourguiba and Ben Ali regimes made people less accustomed to the sight of traditional clothing and long beards. Displays of conservative religiosity are less common than in other countries in the region, and thus tend to draw scrutiny.

Being stereotyped as a terrorist because of your religious clothing, or because you attend a certain mosque, or even because of the people youre related to, is not just a matter of inconvenience. It can drive you to the edge of your sanity.

On February 2, 2015, 10-year-old Adam and his 8-year-old brother Azer tried to commit suicide by overdosing on their uncles neurological medication. The children, who are the nephews of fugitive terror suspect Tarek Sellimi, could no longer stand the constant police harassment and continuous night raids their family was subject to.

They said, we would rather kill ourselves than be killed by [the police], said Mona Sellimi, the boys mother. Her brother Tarek has not been seen since mid-2013, when he decided to run away after hearing that police were looking for him. The authorities accuse Tarek of having joined a terrorist cell hidden in a nearby mountain. His family say theyve had only one phone call from him since then and have no idea of his whereabouts.

When I visited the Selimi family in early July in the northwestern city of Kef, they said that theyd had an unwanted visit by the security forces just two days before. The police didnt knock on the door  they broke it down and entered by force. Several family members said that the police took them out to the courtyard and made them lie face down on the ground with guns pointed at their heads.

This kind of treatment inevitably contributes to the alienation and sense of exclusion felt by many of Tunisias most vulnerable people. It should be no surprise if some of them actually end up joining the terrorists who society has already classed them with. Sometimes it seems that the security forces arent even trying.

Ahmed Sellimi, another of Mona and Tareks brothers, went to a police station one day to try to convince them to stop the harassment. Why are you here? asked the agent he addressed. Why dont you just go the mountains with the rest of the terrorists?

FATHI NASRI/AFP/Getty Images

Read more from Tunisia: In Sun and Shadow:

Tunisias Glorious Confusion:The dawn of democracy is something to root for  but the forces that have pulled the other Arab Spring countries back into upheaval still threaten to undo its progress.

A Verdict on Change: This ambitious young judge wants to change Tunisias justice system. But he still has to type out his own verdicts.

The Storyteller: Shukrii Mabkhout is not just a novelist  hes the biographer of modern Tunisia.

Missing the Old Days: Tunisia is a democracy. Heres a man who still mourns for the old regime.

El Khadra Still Cant Breathe: This devastated community has been calling for help for years. Even in the new Tunisia, no ones listening.

Not Arab, and Proud of It: Tunisias long-suppressed Amazigh minority is finding its voice for the first time in years.

The Tourism Crash: Terrorist attacks have left the sector reeling  but its problems actually go much deeper..

Crisis of Governance: Local Edition: In many ways, democratic Tunisia remains just as centralized as it was before the revolution. And thats a big problem for the mayor of Kasserine.

Tunisias Dying Jazz: New freedoms have brought art and religion into conflict, threatening to crush a tradition trapped in the middle.

Trouble in the Wild East: The border town of Ben Guerdane is a haven for smugglers. Locals would like to keep it that way.

Terms of Abuse: On paper, Tunisias revolution has boosted legal protections for women. Yet the reality is starkly different.

Five Years of the New Tunisia: From revolution to disillusionment and back again: Milestones on Tunisias rocky path to democracy.

The Mainstreaming of Tunisias Islamists: The Ennahda Partys latest moves put its political astuteness on show once again.
* Debt payments, weak revenues weigh on new leader

* New technocrat premier makes bold reform promises

* Past governments failed to push austerity plans

By Tarek Amara

TUNIS, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Tunisia has gone through five prime ministers in as many years since its revolution, each pushing a widely-praised transition to democracy. None, though, has made much progress in building the economic stability and opportunity that young Tunisians demand.

Now the sixth post-uprising premier, French-educated technocrat Youssef Chahed, is making bold promises even before he has taken office to tackle Tunisia's problems.

But a looming budget crisis and debt repayments, coupled with political inertia, may prevent the 40-year-old premier-designate from escaping the fate of his predecessors.

Since the 2011 overthrow of autocrat Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia has achieved free elections, a new constitution and a spirit of compromise between secular and Islamist parties - in contrast to the repression, chaos or war that has afflicted other countries which also had "Arab Spring" revolts.

The flip side is that popular protests, labour union resistance and political squabbling have held back plans to overhaul heavy state spending including on a huge body of public workers, and to implement banking and investment laws.

After the last premier lost a parliamentary confidence vote over the economy and security, President Beji Caid Essebsi called last week for Chahed to lead a national unity government capable of advancing economic reforms demanded by lenders including the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

"We are in times that require exceptional decisions and sacrifices," Chahed told reporters, saying his focus would be tackling corruption and terrorism, promoting economic growth and clearing up public finances. "I want to talk frankly with the Tunisian people about the reality of the country's financial situation."

Many Tunisians ask whether Chahed, an agricultural specialist and Essebsi ally, can muster the political capital to push through change. Some opponents dismiss him as an Essebsi puppet, chosen for his loyalty to the president rather than his ability to deliver. He is now negotiating to form his cabinet.

Story continues

"Chahed has been handed a poisoned chalice, the financial situation is pretty catastrophic. He is going to find the coffers empty and lots of demands," said Jamel Arfaoui, a local analyst and newspaper columnist. "He is facing potential protests at the same time as the need for reforms."

The change of premier comes at a difficult time. Three major attacks by Islamist militants have badly hit tourism bookings, forcing job cuts in an industry that accounts for 8 percent of the economy. Unemployment is already at 15 percent, with the rate far higher for young people in a country where more than half the population is under 29.

Months of on-off protests and sit-ins by jobless youths have also disrupted production and exports of the state-run phosphate industry, another major revenue earner. Essebsi estimated losses at $2 billion from sector disruptions over five years.

Under the 2016 budget, the public deficit is supposed to fall to 3.9 percent of gross domestic product from 4.4 percent in 2015. But that assumes the economy will grow 2.5 percent whereas the actual rate in the first quarter was only 1 percent year-on-year, weakening tax revenue.

Next year will be tougher still for the public finances. Around $3 billion is due in debt service payments and the state will struggle just to come up with the roughly $450 million it needs every month to pay its employees.

At 13.5 percent of the GDP, Tunisia's public sector wage bill is proportionately one of the highest in the world.

"Revenues forecast for 2017 will not be enough to cover the one billion dinars each month for 700,000 public sector employees," Central Bank Governor Chedli Ayari said last week. "We are going to need more foreign financing in this difficult context and with the fall off in tourism and phosphate revenues."

SOCIAL PRESSURES, POLITICAL WILL

A senior member of Essebsi's Nidaa Tounes party, Chahed will easily secure approval for his new cabinet in parliament, where Nidaa Tounes and Islamist party Ennahda in the ruling coalition control a majority.

But outside parliament, he must navigate relations with the unions and the social unrest that has scuppered past government attempts to push through the kind of financial sacrifices and austerity reforms he is promising.

The IMF has approved a $2.88 billion four-year loan programme for Tunisia. However, release of much of this is subject to reviews of the government's progress on economic and financial reforms.

Tunisia has been under pressure for some time from its international lenders to implement measures on the public deficit, investment and the financial sector.

Mehdi Jomaa, a technocrat prime minister managed to secure temporary fiscal reforms in 2014 to boost revenues. The last premier, Habib Essid, got a law to protect the central bank from political meddling through parliament, although only after protracted negotiations within the ruling coalition.

Deeper reforms have stalled, often because successive governments have lacked the political capital or will to stand up to popular pressures against public spending reductions or austerity measures.

An attempt to increase vehicle tax triggered violent protests in 2014, forcing the government to step back. A tax on border traffic also provoked rioting last year, leading to another government retreat.

Now doctors and lawyers are threatening strikes over increased audits on their billing to help combat tax evasion, while the powerful UGTT union is resisting reforms to raise the retirement age and reduce state pension payments.

Twice this year the government and the UGTT reached deals increasing public wage salaries, adding pressure to the state finances.

A new investment code law, aimed at increasing incentives for foreign investors and reducing bureaucracy, has been parked in parliament for three years after two revisions.

Social pressure over jobs already exploded into mass protests in southern and central regions at the start of the year, a reminder of the conditions that helped to inspire the Tunisian revolution and later Arab Spring uprisings.

"The Chahed government wants to chip away at freedoms to push through painful measures in his economic plan," said Hamma Hammai, leader of the Popular Front opposition party. "But the government will fail because it is not proposing anything new, just the same as Essid." (Writing by Patrick Markey)
Ankara (AFP) - Turkey remains a "strong" member of NATO, the presidency said on Wednesday, after a hugely symbolic visit by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Russia raised questions about its future in the alliance.

Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Ankara's NATO membership -- which dates back to 1952 -- was not "mutually exclusive" with relationships with other countries like China and Russia.

"There is no argument that Turkey should not remain a member. It is something important. We are a strong member," he told reporters during a briefing at the presidential palace in Ankara.

His comments came shortly after NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said Turkey's NATO membership was "not in question", in a statement issued in response to "speculative press reports".

Kalin said: "We do not see this as a zero sum game. We do not see (relations with other countries) as mutually exclusive, we see it as mutually empowering."

After a rogue military faction tried to oust Erdogan in the failed July 15 coup, Turkey has criticised what it perceives to be the European Union's lack of support.

Erdogan's visit to Russia -- his first foreign trip since the coup bid -- caused concern that Ankara's close ties with the West could be at risk.

But Kalin said Ankara felt isolated after the failed putsch because no EU leader had paid a visit to Turkey, recalling that top European officials had rushed to France after militant attacks there.

"They have called -- and we thank them for that -- but after such a critical moment, is coming to Turkey so difficult?"

He said Tuesday's meeting between Putin and Erdogan was "good" and the two countries wanted to get relations back on track, six months after Ankara's shooting down of a Russian war plane on the Syrian border caused an unprecedented crisis in ties.

Kalin said Ankara and Moscow wanted to work together to help the Syrian people suffering after more than five years of civil war.

Turkey and Russia are on different sides of the war with Moscow giving military support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad whom Turkey repeatedly said must leave office.

Kalin insisted Turkey's position on Assad had not changed despite the reconciliation with Russia: "We still want him to go. Our position has not changed."
Ankara (AFP) - A Turkish rear admiral on a NATO assignment in the US has sought asylum in the country after Ankara sought his detention following the failed July 15 coup, state-run media said Wednesday.

Turkish authorities have ousted thousands of military personnel including nearly half its generals and admirals since a rogue military faction tried to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power.

Rear Admiral Mustafa Zeki Ugurlu is the subject of a detention order in Turkey and has been expelled from the armed forces, the Anadolu news agency reported.

He has requested asylum from US authorities, it added, without giving its source. He had been stationed at NATO's Allied Command Transformation in Norfolk, Virginia, the news agency said.

Ugurlu had not been heard from since July 22 when he left the base, Anadolu said.

Izmir's chief prosecutor Okan Bato told Anadolu he was not able to get a statement from Ugurlu after seeking the prosecution of two admirals from the chief of staff.

NATO said on Wednesday that Turkey's membership of the military alliance was "not in question", despite the tumult in the country.

Anadolu did not say whether the United States had accepted Ugurlu's claim, believed to be the first of its kind since July 15, which comes at a time of strained relations between Washington and Ankara.

The Turkish government has repeatedly pressed Washington to extradite Pennsylvania-based preacher Fethullah Gulen whom it blames for the coup bid, warning Washington that relations could suffer over the issue.

"If the US does not deliver (Gulen), they will sacrifice relations with Turkey for the sake of a terrorist," Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told reporters during a televised briefing in the capital Ankara on Tuesday.

Gulen strongly denies the accusations and his lawyer on Friday said Ankara had failed to provide "a scintilla" of proof to support its claims.

Since July 15, tens of thousands of people from the military, judiciary, civil service and education establishment suspected of links with Gulen and his Islamic movement have been sacked or detained.
By Ebru Tuncay and Seda Sezer ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Limak Holding plans to bid in a sale of Sofia airport and is looking at more investments in Africa for its main construction, energy and cement businesses, the head of the group's investment arm said. Limak's emphasis on Africa and Eastern Europe highlights a shift in focus for Turkey from traditional export markets in Europe because of sluggish economic growth and the Middle East because of political instability. "There is a privatisation process for Sofia Airport. We are looking into it. They will collect bids in the autumn," Limak Investment Chairwoman Ebru Ozdemir said in an interview. "There may be new opportunities in Africa," she said. "We are looking into airports in Eastern Europe. I think we can do airports anywhere in the world," she said. Turkish exports to Africa have grown more than sevenfold since the ruling AK Party came to power, rising to $12.5 billion last year from $1.7 billion in 2002, with textiles, food, construction and infrastructure services among the key sectors. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan visited Uganda and Kenya earlier this year in a bid to increase trade. Limak in April was awarded rights to complete the construction of Senegal's Aeroport International Blaise-Diagne (AIBD) and operate it for 25 years. Limak, which is not listed, already has interests in Mozambique and Ivory Coast. In Bulgaria, Limak aims to bid in Bulgaria's tender to operate Sofia airport for 35 years, in a deal expected to bring in some 1.2 billion levs ($684 million). The company won a $4.34 billion tender last year to build Kuwait's international airport terminal. In its home market, Ozdemir said Limak was interested in infrastructure projects such as a plan to build a canal linking the Black and Marmara Seas and a bridge across the Dardanelles strait. In May, Limak and Cengiz Holding won a tender to build the Asian section of a 7 billion lira motorway connecting to a third bridge spanning Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait. "We are progressing to start financing talks with Turkish and foreign banks within this year," Ozdemir said. "After the third bridge opens on Aug. 26, there could be refinancing," she said. She also said the company might consider a bond issue for refinancing purposes following the opening of Istanbul's third airport, which Limak built as part of a consortium. Limak expects $4.2 billion in revenue this year, up from $3.8 billion last year, she said. ($1 = 1.7543 leva) (Writing by Seda Sezer; Editing by Daren Butler and Jane Merriman)
Diyarbakir (Turkey) (AFP) - At least eight people, mostly civilians, were killed on Wednesday in two separate bomb attacks targeting police blamed on Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in Turkey's southeast, officials said.

Five people, all civilians, were killed in a car bomb attack in the centre of the city of Diyarbakir, the regional governor's office said in a statement. Twelve people were wounded including five police, it added.

Another three people -- two civilians and one policeman -- lost their lives in a near-simultaneous car bombing in Kiziltepe in Mardin province to the south, said Transport Minister Ahmet Arslan, quoted by the state-run Anadolu news agency.

Fifteen civilians were wounded in the attack which took place close to the town's hospital, he added.

Both bomb attacks had been aimed at passing police vehicles but ended up killing mainly civilians.

Pictures showed the force of the explosion caused considerable damage to nearby buildings and vehicles in the Mardin bombing.

The authorities believe both blasts have been carried out by the PKK, a Turkish official said.

Hundreds of members of the Turkish security forces have been killed by the PKK in attacks since the collapse of a two-year ceasefire in July last year.

Earlier Wednesday, five Turkish soldiers were killed in an attack blamed on PKK militants in Uludere in the southeastern Sirnak province close to the Iraqi border. Eight other soldiers were wounded.

Over 40,000 people have been killed since the PKK first took up arms in 1984. It is proscribed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.

The PKK has kept up attacks after the July 15 failed coup during which a rogue military faction tried to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power.

The government has vowed there will be no let-up in the fight against the PKK even in the wake of the coup.

The Turkish army's hierarchy has been badly hit in the purge since the coup, with top generals accused of complicity in the plot.

Story continues

Nearly half of all generals have been imprisoned or dismissed, raising concerns about the coordination of the fight against Kurdish rebels.

More than 600 Turkish security force members have been killed by the PKK since the collapse of a ceasefire last year, according to a toll given by Anadolu on July 31.

The government has responded with military operations against the group, killing more than 7,000 militants in Turkey and northern Iraq, the agency said. It is not possible to independently verify the toll.

Activists claim innocent civilians have also been killed in the offensive and have accused the military of using excessive force in attempts to uproot the PKK from urban centres.
PARIS (Reuters) - Two trade unions on Wednesday urged their workers at France's SFR Group (SFRGR.PA) to strike on Sept. 6 in protest at the telecom group's plans to cull 5,000 jobs over the next three years.

In a joint statement, the CGT and CFE-CGC unions accused France's second biggest telecoms company of placing financial interests ahead of workers' rights.

They said the plan was "part of a global strategy that prioritises financial markets at the expense of stable and skilled employment (and) employee working conditions".

Members of the CGT and CFE-CGC, which refused to sign up to the redundancy plan, account for less than half of the group's workforce.

Two other unions representing a majority of the company's workers have already agreed to the job losses that are expected to result in savings of 400 million euros (342.02 million) annually.

SFR has proposed a redundancy package averaging 2.5 months of salary per year of service, a union official said last week. The redundancy plan will cost around 800 million euros, the company has said.

SFR's rivals have also had to cut costs since the arrival of Iliad's (ILD.PA) low-cost Free Mobile services in 2012. That triggered a price war whose effects are still being felt by the industry.

SFR said on Tuesday that the price war in the French mobile telecoms market was finally showing signs of easing, sending its shares up sharply despite lower quarterly profit.

(Reporting by by Richard Lough; Editing by Adrian Croft)
Today is the two-year anniversary of Michael Brown's shooting death in Ferguson, Missouri.

Americans may never fully understand why that terrible event became such a flashpoint, why that particular confluence of violence, systemic despair and social media turned a moment into a movement. Maybe it was the image of his lifeless body as it lay in the summer heat. Maybe it was just time.

"If you're going to pick someone to go bat for," a local St. Louis attorney told me just days after the shooting, "this kid isn't your guy." He was wrong.

Black lives matter has morphed from an anguished, tweeted cry, into a time of unprecedented social action and conversations about race, violence and inequity. A lot has happened. Here's just one example: As of last week, it's now mandatory that police departments report details of all deadly incidents involving their officers to the U.S. Justice Department every quarter.

The move was inspired in part by The Guardian's crowdsourced effort to document every police-related death called The Counted. (The Washington Post has a similar effort collecting data around police shooting deaths, specifically.)

Sign up for raceAhead, Fortune's daily newsletter on race and culture here.

Up until this point, reporting was voluntary, and woefully inadequate. There was no central database of these events, and as a result, no way to truly understand what was happening in communities, or hold people accountable. In a world in love with evidenced-based solutions to everything, this seems like a pretty basic piece of data to collect.

But, as America continues process the issues raised by Michael Browns death, there are other data points that each of us can take part in collecting.

I recently spoke with Dr. Monnica , a psychologist, researcher and an associate professor of psychological sciences at the University of Connecticut. We were talking about her research on the link between racism and post-traumatic stress disorder for a different essay, when she said something that struck me as a useful reminder for difficult days like today.

Story continues

"Right now we're looking for ways to reduce racism on campuses by addressing some of the difficulties people have around conversations," she said. Her students are willing to suffer through the awkward talking stuff because they have to. The rest of us? Were skipping school. "We cite research showing that most three quarters of white Americans don't have one black friend," she says.

"If you're not regularly communicating with people who are different from you - and that's not just about race, either  your mind will fill in the blanks with all the garbage stereotypes that's out there about them." So, when something happens, like on a hot summer day in Ferguson, were stuck with old talking points to explain a complex world. We all need to do better.

Ellen McGirt writes Fortune's raceAhead, a newsletter about race and culture.

See original article on Fortune.com

More from Fortune.com
Government-backed Libyan forces fighting the Islamic State in the strategically important coastal city of Sirte said Wednesday they captured the University of Sirte and the Ouagadougou Convention Complex, a location the terror group had been using as a base.

The Libyan forces were assisted by U.S. special operations personnel, who have been inching closer to the front line of the battle for Sirte, a longtime ISIS stronghold in the north African country. Recent reports indicate elite U.S. forces have been calling in airstrikes in support of troops backed by Libyas U.N.-backed Government of National Accord.

Our forces have complete control of the whole of the Ouagadougou (convention) complex  they even advanced some distance beyond the complex, Rida Issa, a spokesman in the forces media office, said Wednesday.

Taking the center of Sirte marks a rare but significant victory for the forces loyal to the fragile GNA. Earlier this year, U.S. defense officials estimated that there were as many as 6,000 ISIS fighters in Libya, crowded around Sirte, which sits on the countrys Mediterranean coast. Over the past week, those estimates have dwindled to just several hundred.

Libyan forces began their siege of Sirte in May, with the U.S. beginning airstrikes on targets in the city on Aug 1. American drones have since carried out 29 attacks there, according to U.S. Africa Command. U.S. special operators have been seen on the ground near the battle, but are not thought to be directly engaged in the fighting.

Anthony Cordesman, a Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, cautioned that the immediate impact of the gains was likely to be limited  and that the advances could quickly be reversed if Islamic State loyalists werent converted or killed, or if basic government services werent restored soon.

The difficulty that you have is you defeat the structure of the Islamic State inside the city, but the fighters and elements of resistance dont go away, he told Foreign Policy Wednesday. You get an ongoing state of urban warfare, and it just lasts and lasts and lasts, because you cant get to all of the elements involved.

Story continues

You arent repatriating people, the city isnt functioning economically, and there are still no safe transit routes, he added. Liberation reports often turn out to be a 24-hour developments and then were back to where we were.

The Sirte gains come as Islamic State casualty figures mount in several countries. General John Nicholson, commander of U.S. and NATO in Afghanistan, said Wednesday that Afghan forces and U.S. airstrikes, and American special operations have killed 300 Islamic State members in Nangarhar province over the past few days. Gen. Sean Macfarland, the U.S. commander in Iraq, also said Wednesday that the United States has killed 45,000 ISIS members in Iraq and Syria since August 2014.

Still, Cordesman cautioned, mounting ISIS casualties dont bring whats most needed in Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq or Syria: stability.

If you do defeat ISIS, what happens next? Its very unlikely to be stability, he said.

Photo credit: Getty Images
By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A federal appeals court said on Wednesday the U.S. Federal Communications Commission could not block two states from setting limits on municipal broadband expansion, a decision seen as a win for private-sector providers of broadband internet and a setback for FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler.

Cities in Tennessee and North Carolina had sought to expand municipal broadband networks beyond current boundaries, but faced laws forbidding or placing onerous restrictions on the expansions.

The FCC voted 3-2 in 2015 to issue an order seeking to pre-empt those state laws, saying a 1996 law required it to remove barriers to broadband investment and that the municipalities wanted to expand service into areas with little or no internet service.

Wheeler criticized the decision that "appears to halt the promise of jobs, investment and opportunity that community broadband has provided in Tennessee and North Carolina."

He said since 2015, "over 50 communities have taken steps to build their own bridges across the digital divide. The efforts of communities wanting better broadband should not be thwarted by the political power of those who, by protecting their monopoly, have failed to deliver acceptable service at an acceptable price."

Republican FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai said that "rather than wasting its time on illegal efforts to intrude on the prerogatives of state governments, the FCC should focus on implementing a broadband deployment agenda to eliminate regulatory barriers that discourage those in the private sector from deploying and upgrading next-generation networks."

USTelecom, the trade group that represents internet service providers including AT&T and Verizon Communications Inc, praised the decision as "a victory for the rule of law."

The group said the FCC should "concentrate on eliminating federal regulatory impediments to innovation and investment - where there remains to be much that can and should be done."

Story continues

The city of Chattanooga, Tennessee's municipal electricity provider since 2009, has offered high-speed broadband internet service to residential and commercial customers in its 600-square-mile service area. About 63,000 subscribe to the service. Residents in neighboring communities have asked to use the service.

Wilson, North Carolina in 2005 constructed the backbone of a fiber-optic network connecting all city-owned facilities that was expanded to a municipal broadband network now known as "Greenlight."

The city offers phone, internet and cable services which it says are cheaper than its private-sector competitors. The city also provides free Wi-Fi service to its entire downtown area and each of the top seven employers in Wilson is a customer. Individuals in five neighboring counties have also sought to join.

The FCC has noted that companies in Tennessee, including Amazon.com Inc and Volkswagen AG, use the service in Chattanooga.
By Eric M. Johnson

SEATTLE (Reuters) - A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit against the city of Seattle over a landmark law which allows Uber and Lyft drivers to unionize.

Seattle last year became the first U.S. city to pass a law giving drivers for ride-hailing apps, as well as taxi and for-hire drivers, the right to collectively negotiate on pay and working conditions.

The litigation unfolded amid a national debate over what level of benefits are owed to workers in the so-called "gig economy."

Both Uber and Lyft vigorously opposed the measure, arguing that existing federal labor law trumps local legislation.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a federation of more than 3 million businesses, filed a lawsuit in March and asked a Seattle federal judge to suspend the ordinance.

In a ruling on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik sided with city officials who argued that the lawsuit was filed too early because the ordinance had not yet taken effect, and who said the chamber did not have legal standing to sue because it was not directly impacted.

"Neither of the Chambers' members has suffered an injury that is traceable to the Ordinance and would be redressed if the Ordinance were declared invalid or enforcement were otherwise enjoined," Lasnik wrote in an 8-page opinion. "Thus, the Chamber itself has no standing to pursue the claims asserted in this litigation."

Seattle's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The chamber argued that Uber is one of its members, so it has standing, and that the city had concrete plans to begin implementation of the law this year so it is not too early.

Seattle has merely "delayed coming to grips with the legal flaws at the heart of this ordinance," the chamber said in a statement.

"While the judge held that it is too early to decide this case, he made clear at oral argument that he stands ready to hear a challenge to Seattle's unprecedented ordinance in the future," it said.

Seattle's ordinance was approved unanimously by the city council but opposed by Mayor Ed Murray. The Teamsters union also organized in favor of it.

(Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Editing by Richard Pullin)
By Dan Levine

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Twitter Inc won a bid to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the widow of an American killed in Jordan which accused the social media company of giving voice to Islamic State, a federal judge ruled on Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick in San Francisco ruled that Twitter cannot be held liable for Islamic State's rhetoric, but gave the plaintiff a chance to refile an amended lawsuit.

Social media companies including Twitter have faced pressure to crack down on online propaganda linked to terrorism.

Tamara Fields, a Florida woman whose husband Lloyd died in an attack on the police training center in Amman last year, said Twitter knowingly let the militant Islamist group use its network to spread propaganda, raise money and attract recruits.

While Orrick called the deaths "horrific," he agreed with Twitter and said federal law protects the company from liability for the content that third parties publish on its platform.

Attorneys for Fields and a Twitter representative could not immediately be reached for comment.

In her complaint filed earlier this year, Fields said San Francisco-based Twitter had until recently given Islamic State, also known as ISIS, an "unfettered" ability to maintain official Twitter accounts.

"Without Twitter, the explosive growth of ISIS over the last few years into the most-feared terrorist group in the world would not have been possible," the lawsuit said.

Twitter had previously said the lawsuit was without merit, but that "violent threats and the promotion of terrorism deserve no place on Twitter and, like other social networks, our rules make that clear."

(Reporting by Dan Levine; Editing by Alan Crosby and David Gregorio)
By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - The top U.N. human rights official urged Turkey on Wednesday to stem a "thirst for revenge" following a failed coup that has led to the arrest of more than 16,000 people and to uphold detainees' right to due process. Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, also said that he had raised concerns with China about lawyers and activists put on trial and convicted amid "allegations of forced confessions" in a year-long crackdown. Zeid told Reuters he had no sympathy with coup plotters who sought to topple the democratically elected Turkish government on July 15, but voiced alarm at the scale of the crackdown. In an interview in his office alongside Lake Geneva, he said he had received allegations of torture and mistreatment of detainees in Turkey and was seeking a visit by independent monitors to investigate. Ankara rejected accusations it was carrying out a purge and described arrests and sackings as normal measures to prevent a repetition of a putsch that killed 240 people. It accused Western allies of failing to show support over the coup attempt. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Tuesday 16,000 people had been formally arrested and remanded in custody, while another 6,000 were still being processed. "What we need to put across is that the thirst for revenge ... be reined in and that proper procedures and guarantees of the pursuit of due process are upheld in respect of all these Turkish citizens not withstanding that some are believed to have turned against the authorities," Zeid said. Zeid, a former Jordanian ambassador who took up the top U.N. rights job nearly two years ago, decried the emergence of "demagogues" and populist leaders in many countries who whip up public sentiment against migrants, Muslims, or other groups. "It's a really difficult moment. When you have the President of the Philippines saying really the most disgraceful things, it's a disgrace," he said, referring to Rodrigo Duterte who campaigned on threats to kill drug dealers who refused to surrender and has also made anti-homosexual comments. "I've spoken publicly about the gross and irresponsible things that Donald Trump has said," he added. The U.S. Republican presidential nominee has called for a temporary ban on immigration by Muslims and vowed to build a wall on the border with Mexico. Zeid, turning to repeat presidential elections in Austria set for October, added: "If the head of the Freedom Party should win, Norbert Hofer, I think it's a real turning point on the European stage and could have consequences well beyond Austria." Speaking generally of "skilled propagandists", he said: "Once you've started to go after a particular community, and you feel that the opposition is shrinking...you can then go after others as well." LAWYERS ON TRIAL IN CHINA Zeid said that he had raised concerns with Beijing. China last Friday convicted a rights activist for subversion and sentenced him to three years prison, the fourth such sentencing in a week. Dozens of people linked to a Beijing law firm have been swept up in a crackdown on dissent since July last year, as President Xi Jinping's administration has tightened control, citing a need to boost national security and stability. "We urge the Chinese authorities to ensure that defenders do not suffer reprisals, intimidation, harassment or legal action for their for legitimate work," Zeid said. "And to reconsider the proceedings against them." (This story has been refiled to correct the day in the lede paragraph) (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; editing by Ralph Boulton)
By Sanjeev Miglani NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Afghan forces, backed by the United States, have killed an estimated 300 Islamic State fighters in an operation mounted two weeks ago, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan said on Wednesday, calling it a severe blow to the group. General John Nicholson said the offensive in the eastern province of Nangarhar was part of U.S. operations to degrade the capabilities of Islamic State wherever it raised its head, whether in Iraq and Syria or in Afghanistan. The group, believed to be confined to three or four of the more than 400 districts in Afghanistan, last month claimed responsibility for bombing a demonstration by the Shi'ite Hazara minority in the capital, Kabul, in which at least 80 people were killed. Nicholson, in New Delhi for talks with the Indian military which has provided training and some arms to Afghanistan, said Afghan forces supported by the United States had just carried out a counter-terrorism operation against Islamic State. "They killed a number of top leaders of the organization and upto 300 of their fighters," he told reporters. "Obviously it's difficult to get an exact count, but what this amounts to is about 25 percent of the organization at least, and so this represents a severe setback for them." Islamic State first appeared in Afghanistan at the beginning of 2015, and had about 3,000 fighters at the height of the movement, many of them former members of militant groups such as the Pakistani Taliban and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. Previously considered a much smaller threat than its bitter enemies the Taliban, the group's bomb attack in Kabul underlined how dangerous it could be, even without holding large tracts of territory. On Tuesday, another U.S. military official said American soldiers helping Afghan troops fight Islamic State in Nangarhar were forced to abandon equipment and weapons when their position came under fire. Fighters from the group had circulated photographs of a rocket launcher, grenades, ammunition, identification cards, an encrypted radio and other equipment they said they had seized. By being more aggressive, the Afghan military were more successful this year against the Taliban than in 2015, when they lost 5,000 men, Nicholson said. The killing of Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan had been a greater blow to the group than they had let on, partly because the Taliban were having trouble getting control of the finances he dealt with, Nicholson said. (Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
TORONTO, Aug 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Steel Canada on Wednesday rejected a buyout offer from Ontario Steel Investment Ltd, a group that includes shareholders of Essar Global, saying it was not considering further proposals by Essar, which had been eliminated from the sale process.

The offer, made on Tuesday, included the assumption of C$954 million ($734 million) in liabilities under U.S. Steel Canada's pension plan and a commitment to provide C$25 million toward post-employment benefits for U.S. Steel Canada's staff.

U.S. Steel Canada, which has been in creditor protection since 2014, said Essar was rejected as a potential buyer of the business earlier this year following discussions with stakeholders including the Ontario government.

It cited a failure by Essar, the Indian energy and resources conglomerate, to provide evidence of its financial ability to own and operate the company and an inability to gain the support of all stakeholders including the provincial government.

The United Steelworkers (USW) union has criticized U.S. Steel Canada's decision and Essar later re-entered the bidding process through the Ontario Steel investment vehicle.

U.S. Steel Canada, which employs nearly 2,000 workers in Ontario and has the capability to produce 2.6 million tons of steel annually, is a former unit of United States Steel Corp .

($1 = 1.3003 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Matt Scuffham; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
* U.S. Steel Canada says not considering Essar proposals

* Union says decision "irresponsible" (Adds comment from union)

By Matt Scuffham

TORONTO, Aug 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Steel Canada on Wednesday rejected a buyout offer from Ontario Steel Investments, a group that includes shareholders of Essar Global, saying it was not considering further proposals by Essar, which had been eliminated from the sale process.

The offer, made on Tuesday, includes the assumption of C$954 million ($734 million) in liabilities under U.S. Steel Canada's pension plan and a commitment to provide C$25 million toward post-employment benefits for U.S. Steel Canada's staff.

U.S. Steel Canada, which has been in creditor protection since 2014, said Essar was rejected as a potential buyer of the business earlier this year following discussions with stakeholders including the Ontario government.

It cited a failure by Essar, the Indian energy and resources conglomerate, to provide evidence of its financial ability to own and operate the company and an inability to gain the support of all stakeholders, including the provincial government.

Essar this week attempted to re-enter the bidding process for U.S. Steel Canada's operations in Hamilton and Nanticoke, Ontario, through the Ontario Steel investment vehicle, and has the support of the United Steelworkers (USW) union.

Gary Howe, president of USW Local 1005 in Hamilton, criticized U.S. Steel Canada for rejecting the latest offer.

"It's ridiculous, especially when U.S. Steel Canada (took) just a day to think about it. This is going to cause people in Hamilton to be extremely upset and it's irresponsible," he said in an interview.

U.S. Steel Canada, which employs nearly 2,000 workers in Ontario and has the capability to produce 2.6 million tons of steel annually, is a former unit of United States Steel Corp .

($1 = 1.3003 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Matt Scuffham; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
By Matt Scuffham TORONTO (Reuters) - U.S. Steel Canada on Wednesday rejected a buyout offer from Ontario Steel Investments, a group that includes shareholders of Essar Global, saying it was not considering further proposals by Essar, which had been eliminated from the sale process. The offer, made on Tuesday, includes the assumption of C$954 million ($734 million) in liabilities under U.S. Steel Canada's pension plan and a commitment to provide C$25 million toward post-employment benefits for U.S. Steel Canada's staff. U.S. Steel Canada, which has been in creditor protection since 2014, said Essar was rejected as a potential buyer of the business earlier this year following discussions with stakeholders including the Ontario government. It cited a failure by Essar, the Indian energy and resources conglomerate, to provide evidence of its financial ability to own and operate the company and an inability to gain the support of all stakeholders, including the provincial government. Essar this week attempted to re-enter the bidding process for U.S. Steel Canada's operations in Hamilton and Nanticoke, Ontario, through the Ontario Steel investment vehicle, and has the support of the United Steelworkers (USW) union. Gary Howe, president of USW Local 1005 in Hamilton, criticized U.S. Steel Canada for rejecting the latest offer. "It's ridiculous, especially when U.S. Steel Canada (took) just a day to think about it. This is going to cause people in Hamilton to be extremely upset and it's irresponsible," he said in an interview. U.S. Steel Canada, which employs nearly 2,000 workers in Ontario and has the capability to produce 2.6 million tons of steel annually, is a former unit of United States Steel Corp . (Reporting by Matt Scuffham; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
On July 27, 1981, 6-year-old Adam Walsh went to a Sears in a Hollywood, Fla., mall with his mother. As she browsed, he played video games a few aisles away. When she returned, he was gone.

The store clerk called out his name on the sound system, no answer. The police were called. A helicopter and ground search ensued. Yet after four days, the estimated two dozen police officers assigned to the case had hit a wall, according to a book on the case Bringing Adam Home. Adams parents, John Walsh and Reve Walsh, went on Good Morning America to appeal for help.

Sixteen days after he went missingon Aug. 10, 1981, precisely 35 years ago Wednesdaytwo fisherman found Adams severed head floating in a canal off the Florida turnpike. The discovery would have reverberations that would change the way the United States dealt with crimes against children, for better or for worse.

The tragedy came just two years after another 6-year-old Etan Patz disappeared while walking to his school bus stop, and soon Adam became the newand literalposter child for a movement to stop of child-snatchers, which had already existed during the 1970s, according to Joel Best, a professor of sociology and criminal justice at the University of Delaware and author of Threatened Children: Rhetoric and Concern About Child Victims. Those activists had largely been concerned about children who were taken by a family member in a custody dispute or about children who run away from home, but they were frustrated by police departments sluggish response to cases.

Some had 72-hour waiting period before theyd do anything, he says, and if you notified your police department, they didnt necessarily notify the one next door or have a coordinated search going.

Adam Walshs much-publicized murder was the catalyst for change as law enforcement learned how to deal with missing children.

Story continues

Adams parents started the Adam Walsh Outreach Center for Missing Children, just four days after their sons funeral. They lobbied for the Missing Childrens Act, which, enacted in 1982, required entry of missing children data into the FBIs National Crime Information Center database (NCIC). In 1984, John Walsh would co-found the federally-funded National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and four years later, he started hosting Americas Most Wanted. In 1994, big box retailers like Walmart began implementing Code Adam, the measure that mobilizes all store clerks when a child is reported missing. And in 2006, George W. Bush signed The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, which expanded the national sex-offenders registry and created a national child-abuse registry.

Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter

While the FBI would credit Americas Most Wanted for helping nab at least 17 of the agencys 10 Most Wanted fugitives, John Walsh had to wait 27 years for the Hollywood Police Department to both admit that drifter and serial killer Ottis E. Toole abducted and murdered his son and apologize for investigative mistakes that transpired during the early years of this investigation, as police chief Chad Wagner said in a news conference. As reported on Nov. 14, 1983, Toole had first confessed to the killing in October of 1983 but, as the departments police chief told TIME in the mid-90s, Toole and his accomplice Henry Lee Lucas were notorious for confessing to crimes they didnt commit. Toole would end up dying in prison in 1996 while serving five life sentences for other crimes.

At the same time, however, the mobilization to find Adam Walsh created a massive alarm about stranger abduction that, some experts say, distracted from the clear reality that most threats to children come from their family and close social network.

During the panic in the mid-1980s, for instance, it was widely reported that 1.5 million children were reported missing each year and 50,000 child abductions by strangers occurred each year  estimates that were inflated because they tended to include data on kids like runaway children or family members who had taken children in custody disputes. But the FBI only investigated 67 cases of children kidnapped by strangers in 1984.

The truth is, stranger abductions are rare, says James Alan Fox, a criminologist at Northeastern University, citing a 2014 FBI report noting that 332 went missing in 2014. Research by David Finkelhor, Director of the Crimes against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire, finds that in fact the number of missing children being killed has been declining for the past 15 to 20 years.

My guess is that this is due to cell phones and the changing nature of youth recreation and risk-taking, Finkelhor tells TIME in an email. Cell phones have helped police track victims using GPS, while victims have been able to use the devices to call or text for help.

[The Adam Walsh case] created a nation of petrified kids and paranoid parents, says Richard Moran, criminologist at Mount Holyoke College. Kids used to be able to go out and organize a stickball game, and now all playdates and the social lives of children are arranged and controlled by the parents.

Even despite the decline in actual abductions, Moran says, the fear still lingers today.
UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi has resigned following an ethics probe investigating whether she potentially violated nepotism rules, misused student funds and misled administrators about her role in a social media scrub.

Katehi drew criticism in 2011 when campus police used pepper spray on student protestors. She said she shared the students outrage at the incident, but was blamed by many for allowing it to happen. This year, the controversy was stoked again by a Sacramento Bee report saying the school had spent $175,000 to hire a PR firm to scrub images of the pepper spray incident from social media. UC President Janet Napolitano initiated an investigation into whether Katehi really had authorized school funds for the PR engagement, and whether she had also violated nepotism rules by hiring and promoting her son and daughter-in-law, the L.A. Times reports. Napolitano placed Katehi on administrative leave in April.

Katehi announced her resignation on Tuesday via her lawyer, Melinda Guzman, who said Linda Katehi and her family have been exonerated from baseless accusations of nepotism, conflicts of interest, financial management and personal gain, just as we predicted and as the UC Davis Academic Senate found within days of this leave.

But a statement from Napolitano paints a different picture. The investigation is now concluded, and it found numerous instances where Chancellor Katehi was not candid, either with me, the press or the public, that she exercised poor judgment and violated multiple university policies, Napolitano wrote. In these circumstances, Chancellor Katehi has now offered to resign, and I have accepted that resignation.

Katehi will transition to becoming a full-time faculty member in accordance with the terms of her pre-existing contract, Napolitano wrote, and a search will begin for her replacement as chancellor.

[L.A. Times]
RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Japan's Kohei Uchimura became the first gymnast in 44-years to win back-to-back Olympic all around titles on Wednesday. Uchimura, who also won the team gold two days ago, had to wait until his final performance on the horizontal bar to snatch the top prize with a total of 92.365. Ukraine's Oleg Verniaiev had topped the standings going into the final rotation but had to settle for silver after losing out by just 0.099 of a point. Britain's Max Whitlock finished third. (Reporting by Pritha Sarkar; Editing by Alison Williams)
LONDON (Reuters) - After a hectic first month in office following the June 23 Brexit vote, new Prime Minister Theresa May is off on holiday and she has chosen a country outside the European Union with close ties to the bloc - Switzerland. May, who became prime minister on July 13, will head to Switzerland on Thursday for two weeks, her office said. It did not provide any further details of the trip. The British leader has spoken previously of her love of walking holidays in Switzerland, a destination also favored by her German counterpart Angela Merkel. "The views are spectacular, the air is clear and you can get some peace and quiet," May wrote in the Telegraph newspaper in 2007. The model of Switzerland is one Britain will be looking at closely as it seeks to determine its own future relationship with the EU following the vote to leave the bloc. Switzerland, along with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, is a member of the European Free Trade Association. Its goods exporters enjoy tariff-free access to EU markets while it is also free to negotiate its own trade deals with non-EU countries. It has only limited access to the EU's services market however, and almost none for financial services -- a significant contributor to the British economy. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Stephen Addison)
KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Wednesday that Russian accusations of a Ukrainian incursion into Crimea were a cynical pretext to make more military threats against Ukraine. Poroshenko also said Russia would not succeed in getting international sanctions on itself lifted by trying to discredit Ukraine, and that he expected Russia to help ensure the terms of the Minsk ceasefire agreement were fulfilled. Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier accused Ukraine of using terrorist tactics to try to provoke a new conflict and destabilize annexed Crimea. "Russian accusations towards Ukraine of terrorism in the occupied Crimea sound as preposterous and cynical as the statements of the Russian leadership about the absence of the Russian troops in Donbass (region of Ukraine)," Poroshenko said. (Reporting by Alexei Kalmykov and Matthias Williams; editing by Mark Heinrich)
KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Wednesday that Russian accusations of a Ukrainiaan incursion into Crimea were a cynical pretext to make more military threats against Ukraine. Poroshenko also said Russia would not succeed in getting international sanctions on itself lifted by trying to discredit Ukraine, and that he expected Russia to help ensure the terms of the Minsk ceasefire agreement were fulfilled. Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier accused Ukraine of using terrorist tactics to try to provoke a new conflict and destabilise annexed Crimea. "Russian accusations towards Ukraine of terrorism in the occupied Crimea sound as preposterous and cynical as the statements of the Russian leadership about the absence of the Russian troops in Donbass (region of Ukraine)," Poroshenko said. (Reporting by Alexei Kalmykov and Matthias Williams; editing by Mark Heinrich)
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The United Nations' top aid official on Wednesday said a three-hour truce announced by Russia to deliver aid to Aleppo would not be enough to meet the needs of civilians in the war-battered Syrian city.

"To meet that capacity of need, you need two lanes and you need to have about 48 hours to get sufficient trucks in," Stephen O'Brien told reporters.

Russia's military announced a three-hour daily halt of fighting starting on Thursday to allow humanitarian convoys to reach Aleppo, which has been engulfed in heavy fighting.

The United Nations has called for 48-hour weekly pauses for the aid deliveries.

O'Brien said he had not been fully briefed on the Russian proposal, but that there were complicated logistics to address, such as ensuring that truck drivers have enough time to safely make the trip to the city and back.

"When we are offered three hours, you have to ask what can be achieved in that three hours," said O'Brien, the UN under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs.

"Is it to meet the need or would it only just meet a very small part of the need?

"Clearly from our point of view, we are simply there to meet all the need and we need to have sufficient capacity to do that."

Fighting between government forces and rebels in Aleppo has intensified over the past month, with both sides sending in reinforcements for an all-out battle that could mark a turning point in the five-year war.

Up to two million people in Aleppo have gone without running water for the past four days, UN agencies said, raising the risks of disease in a city already devastated by years of fighting.

O'Brien on Tuesday renewed his call for a 48-hour pause during his meeting with the UN Security Council.
Geneva (AFP) - The United Nations on Wednesday urged Ethiopia to allow international observers in to parts of the country hit by deadly weekend clashes between security forces and protesters.

At least 49 people were killed at the weekend as the authorities cracked down on a wave of anti-government unrest in two key regions, central-western Oromia and Amhara in the north.

A spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva told AFP that news coming from the two regions was "extremely alarming", saying there had been "no genuine attempt at ensuring accountability" since reports of abuses by security forces began emerging in December.

"We urge the government to allow access for international observers into the affected regions to be able to establish what exactly transpired," the spokeswoman said.

Demonstrations began in November 2015 in Oromia, which surrounds the capital, over a government plan to expand the boundaries of Addis Ababa.

The region's Oromo people feared their farmland would be seized, and though the authorities soon dropped the urban enlargement project and brutally suppressed the protests, the anger has continued.

Protests have since swept other parts of Oromia, and more recently to Amhara, causing disquiet in the corridors of power in the country, a key US ally and crucial partner in the fight against terrorism in east Africa.

One rally was even held in Addis Ababa on Saturday, a rare event in the capital of a nation ruled by a regime considered among the most repressive in Africa.

More than 60 percent of the country's almost 100 million people are either Amhara or Oromo.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - UN Security Council diplomats on Wednesday considered limiting a proposed regional force for South Sudan to an initial four-month mission after the government in Juba rejected plans for a 4,000-strong brigade.

The new brigade would have a "clear exit strategy" and would work with the government, according to a revised draft resolution that would authorize the regional force.

The United States this week presented the council with the draft on deploying the protection force in the capital Juba to provide security and deter attacks on UN bases.

The city was rocked by several days of heavy fighting in early July between the government forces of President Salva Kiir and those loyal to ex-rebel chief Riek Machar, the latest flareup in two-and-a-half years of war.

After initially agreeing to the force during a summit of the East African bloc IGAD, the government of the world's newest nation on Wednesday said it now had reservations.

The troops would undermine South Sudan's sovereignty and turn the country "into a protectorate and this is a situation that we will not accept," government spokesman Michael Makuei said.

The force should not be placed under the command of the UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), which has come under heavy criticism for its failure to protect civilians, the government added.

The draft resolution was revised during a meeting on Wednesday to specify that the force would be "established for an initial period until 15 December 2016."

The council could easily roll over that initial mandate, however.

The revised draft included a new provision on ensuring unrestricted access for the troops, saying the force will "promote in coordination with the transitional government of national unity the well-being of the people of South Sudan."

The force commander will report to UNMISS in line with the initial plan, it said.

Diplomats said a vote on the draft resolution, which is still under negotiation, could take place on Friday.

Story continues

- Divided council -

Security Council members Russia, China, Egypt and Angola have expressed reservations with the plan to deploy a force that would be authorized to use "all necessary means" to fulfill its mandate.

"There is a clear split in the council between those who insist on sovereignty above all else and those who want to make sure there is a robust protection force," a council diplomat said.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for an arms embargo to be imposed on South Sudan along with targeted sanctions following the flare-up in violence.

The proposed resolution threatens to impose a ban on arms sales if the government blocks deployment of the regional force.

Under the measure, the council would vote on imposing an arms embargo if Ban reports "impediments" to the deployment.

Returning from a trip to South Sudan, UN aid chief Stephen O'Brien said the country's humanitarian crisis had worsened, with more people on the run and hungry across the country.

More than two million people have been driven from their homes since the war erupted in December 2013 and over 900,00 have fled to neighboring countries, he said.

Around 70,000 South Sudanese crossed the border into Uganda as refugees during the last month.

Some 4.8 million people are in desperate need of food aid in South Sudan and a quarter of a million children are severely malnourished.

During talks with Kiir, O'Brien also urged him to take action to ensure the protection of aid workers after some 30 were killed in the past year.
Michael Phelps unprecedented dominance of Olympic swimming is a major coup for sponsors like Under Armour Inc., (NYSE:UA) who pay hefty sums to tie his success to their brands. But the International Olympic Committees strict sponsorship rules forced the Maryland-based apparel company to find creative ways to congratulate Phelps after he scored two gold medal wins on Tuesday.

Unlike chief rival and official Olympic sponsor Nike (NYSE:NKE), the IOC prohibits Under Armour from using certain key phrases and images, such as Olympics or the interlocking rings logo, even if one of the companies athletes are directly involved. The rules limit the extent to which Under Armour can leverage Phelps success in their social media posts and marketing efforts.

Instead, Under Armour has combined its own marketing slogans with obvious signifiers like American flags and celebratory emojis to link Phelps to their products without breaking IOC regulations.

Theyre doing the best they can do without pushing the limit of getting sanctioned, getting penalties from the USOC, Eric Smallwood, managing partner at Apex Marketing Analytics, told FOXBusiness.com.

When Phelps defeated his archrival, South African swimmer Chad Le Clos, to win gold in the 200-meter butterfly event, Under Armour included the 31-year-old in a post on its Twitter account.

Its what you do in the dark, that puts you in the light, said the tweet, posted minutes after Phelps won his record 20th gold medal. Under Armour tagged Phelps in the post alongside its Rule Yourself slogan, an American flag and an applause emoji.

Its far from an ideal scenario for Under Armour, but the brand is well-served by doing all it can to leverage its athletes efforts on the international stage. Phelps has a signature line of swimwear through Aqua Sphere, another one of his sponsors. The IOC has permitted Phelps to wear the Aqua Sphere logo because swimmers are allowed to choose their gear. Phelps fiancee, Nicole Johnson, and his infant son, Boomer, have also worn the logo.

Story continues

By wearing Aqua Spheres MP logo on his swim cap in Rio, Phelps and his family members have generated more than $5 million in equivalent brand exposure for the brand, according to Apex Marketings calculations. That number should grow by several millions more before the end of this years Olympics, Smallwood said.

Under Armour has garnered about $200,000 in brand value from fleeting moments in which NBC cameras caught Phelps wearing the companys logo on a hat and sweatshirt between events. But only Nikes logo can be visible once Phelps steps onto the podium to accept his medal.

The brand has taken full advantage of Phelps return to the public spotlight on its website. The rotating images on Under Armours home page currently feature the brands patriotic Stars & Stripes collection and Phelps advertisement for the Rule Yourself campaign.

While Phelps is unquestionably Under Armours most recognizable athlete at the 2016 Olympics, the company has other key avenues to brand exposure in Rio. It designed the uniforms of several prominent Olympic teams, including Team USAs vaunted gymnastics team and the Netherlands beach volleyball team.

That means the companys distinctive logo will be on display every time those teams compete. USA Gymnastics is prominently featured on both Under Armours website and its main Twitter account.

And once the IOCs moratorium on marketing campaigns for non-sponsors expires, Under Armour is free to take full advantage of Phelps status as the most decorated Olympic athlete in history  a title he is likely to hold for years, if not decades, to come. Under Armour will reap the benefits of associating with an international athlete without paying tens of millions of dollars to be an official Olympics sponsor.

One school of thought is, why sponsor the Olympics? Its two weeks. Sponsoring athletes is year-round, Smallwood said.

Related Articles
Its getting close to that magical time of the year for horror fans  those glorious few weeks leading up to Halloween when a spate of scary films hit theaters. Hollywood has a solid lineup in store this year, with a new Blair Witch movie and that mysterious, freaky-deaky-looking Morgan on the way.

But the horror film that might make the most noise this fall comes imported from unexpected terrain: That would be Iran, the setting for Under the Shadow, writer-director Babak Anvaris buzzed-about fright-fest. Watch the exclusive trailer above.

Filmed in Jordan, Under the Shadow takes place in 1988 as the Iran-Iraq War ravages Tehran. Its there Shideh (Narges Rashidi) and her young daughter, Dorsa (Avin Manshadi), are haunted by an evil force after family patriarch (Bobby Naderi), a doctor, is dispatched to the frontlines.

Under the Shadow received rave reviews after premiering at Januarys Sundance Film Festival  and then again at Marchs South by Southwest. The beauty of the films trailer is that it captures the spirit (pun intended) of the films spooky vibe without actually revealing too much. Hollywood horror flicks  which often spoil their best scares in the previews  could take a lesson.

Under the Shadow will screen at Sundances NextFest in Los Angeles on Aug. 14 before opening in theaters on Oct. 7.
By Allison Martell and Allison Lampert

TORONTO/MONTREAL, Aug 10 (Reuters) - The union representing most Canadian autoworkers wants a more substantial pay raise for its members after years of small increases, as contract talks start this week with three major automakers.

"We're clearly looking to make some improvements," said Unifor President Jerry Dias in a telephone interview before his first meeting with General Motors Co on Wednesday.

Unifor, the country's largest private-sector union, will not make specific demands on salaries and pensions this week, Dias said.

The talks will cover about 20,000 Canadian autoworkers at GM, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Ford Motor Co. The union's four-year contract expires Sept. 19, putting the two sides in a position to strike or lock out workers.

Dias said the talks, which he called some of the most important in a generation for Canadian automaking, will not lead to a deal without production of a new vehicle model in Canada, which has lost jobs to places with lower-cost labor such as the United States and Mexico.

Ford has said it pays hourly employees an average of C$30 in Canada, C$28 in the United States and C$5 in Mexico.

GM's Oshawa plant in Ontario may shut down one of its two assembly lines, with several vehicles already produced elsewhere or expected to move in 2017.

GM Canada has said the negotiations are separate from the carmaker's future investments in Canada because labor is not the only cost it considers when deciding where to make new products.

"GM won't make any future product decisions for Oshawa Assembly until after these negotiations," said Steve Carlisle, president of GM Canada.

One challenge for Unifor in securing new vehicles for Oshawa is that GM already "locked up product" during a 2015 agreement between the three automakers and the United Auto Workers union in the United States, said Arthur Schwartz, president of Labor and Economics Associates, a consultancy.

Unifor will likely suggest which vehicles could be built at the Oshawa plant, Schwartz said. "But if the idea is to bring a vehicle out of a UAW plant, that's going to be difficult."

Schwartz, a former GM negotiator, said the automaker could ask Unifor for similar terms reached with the union during a 2013 contract for its CAMI automotive plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. That deal gives GM more flexibility, including the ability to hire new employees with a defined contribution pension, which is less costly than the defined benefit package for workers in Oshawa.

(Reporting by Allison Martell in Toronto and Allison Lampert in Montreal; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)
By Allison Martell and Allison Lampert TORONTO/MONTREAL (Reuters) - The union representing most Canadian autoworkers is seeking higher pay for members as it starts contract negotiations with three major automakers this week for a deal that its president said would make or break the country's auto industry. "We are expecting some increases for our members who absolutely deserve it," Unifor President Jerry Dias told reporters in Toronto following his first meeting with General Motors Co on Wednesday. Unifor, the country's largest private-sector union, will not make specific demands on salaries and pensions this week. The talks will cover 20,350 Canadian autoworkers at GM, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Ford Motor Co . The union's four-year contract expires Sept. 19, putting the two sides in a position to strike or lock out workers. Dias said the union won't agree to a deal unless GM commits to building new vehicles in Oshawa and Ford decides to keep its engine plant operating in Windsor. GM's Oshawa plant could shut one of its two assembly lines, with several vehicles already produced elsewhere or expected to move in 2017. Between 2001 and 2013, some 14,300 jobs were lost in vehicle manufacturing in Canada, according to Hamilton's Automotive Policy Research Centre. Some automakers have found cheaper labor in places such as the southern United States and Mexico. "We are looking at the death of the auto industry in Canada," Dias said. "Our message will be: invest in Canada." GM Canada has said the negotiations are separate from the carmaker's future investments because labor is not the only cost it considers when deciding where to make new products. GM said it will make future product decisions for Oshawa only after a labor agreement. Automakers, however, agreed to make investments during bargaining with the United Auto Workers in the United States. GM's 2015 deal with the UAW generated $1.9 billion in additional investment in U.S. plants. One challenge for Unifor in securing new vehicles for Oshawa is that GM already "locked up product" with the UAW, said Arthur Schwartz, president of Labor and Economics Associates, a consultancy. Schwartz, a former GM negotiator, said the automaker could ask Unifor for similar terms reached with the union during a 2013 contract for its CAMI automotive plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. That deal gives GM more flexibility, including the ability to hire new employees with a defined contribution pension, which is less costly than the defined benefit package for workers in Oshawa. (Reporting by Allison Martell in Toronto and Allison Lampert in Montreal, additional reporting by Bernie Woodall in Detroit; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)
Chicago (AFP) - Artist Peter Doig is famous for somewhat strange landscape paintings that fetch millions of dollars, but he has disowned one particular desert scene.

Is he telling the truth, or trying to hide from an embarrassing past? A US federal judge in Chicago will decide.

Robert Fletcher, a retired Canadian corrections officer who owns the disputed desert landscape painting, is suing Doig for refusing to acknowledge that the painting is one of his works -- which means its value is significantly diminished

Fletcher claims the refusal cost him millions of dollars in an auction sale. He is seeking damages from Doig that could add up to millions of dollars, as well as a court ruling that the painting is authentic.

Doig contends that he was nowhere near the prison where Fletcher says they met, and where he allegedly created the work. He says he has the documents to prove there is in fact a Peter Doige -- with the extra e -- who painted the scene.

The unusual case is stirring up the art world, and experts say it could set a dangerous standard that would leave artists at risk for costly settlements.

"The specifics of this case are pretty unusual," said Matthew Biro, a professor of modern and contemporary art at the University of Michigan.

"It could definitely set a precedent," he said, "If Doig loses this case, what would stop other collectors who feel they have found a multi-million-dollar painting to find backing to sue artists to agree to it?"

Biro says the case brings to light the increasingly speculative nature of the art world, in which works are bought and sold as investments.

Amy Whitaker, a professor of art business at New York University, expressed concern about the burden of proof.

"There's somehow an implication in the lawsuit itself that the artist is responsible for guaranteeing the value" of an artwork, Whitaker said.

"That is in no way shape or form the responsibility of the artist."

Story continues

- Are Doig and Doige the same man? -

The facts of the case date back to the 1970s, when Fletcher says he met a man named Peter Doige, who was later imprisoned at the facility where Fletcher worked for possession of LSD.

Fletcher says he remembers being impressed by one of Doige's paintings of a desert landscape in golden hues -- an acrylic painting on linen. He bought it for $100 in the hopes of keeping Doige from going back to selling drugs.

Decades later, a friend saw the painting hanging in Fletcher's home and said it was in fact the work of Peter Doig, whose creations can command $10 million at auction.

Fletcher spoke with Chicago-based art dealer Peter Bartlow, who agreed to sell the work.

"There can be no question that the disputed painting was painted by the hand of Peter M. Doig," Bartlow wrote in a report to the court.

Bartlow, who is a co-plaintiff in the case, said his decision was based on "several idiosyncratic forms" attributable to Doig's paintings, such as the "color and texture of the paint."

Fletcher and Bartlow tried to auction the painting, but were thwarted when Doig denied having painted it.

They asked Doig to provide proof by offering details of his whereabouts between 1976 and 1978 -- the time period when they say the sale occurred. No proof was forthcoming, they say.

So Fletcher and Bartlow sued Doig in 2013, claiming that Doig and Doige are one and the same.

- Mistaken identity? -

Their attorneys suggested Doig's denials may be rooted in embarrassment over his imprisonment. They have claimed he has a history of lying about his past.

As proof, Fletcher's lawyers have pointed to a number of intriguing similarities between the Peter Doige that Fletcher knew and the artist Peter Doig.

They said both Doige and Doig had been in Canada in the 1970s and the artist Doig has previously admitted to LSD use.

"Three of his famous paintings, 'Windowpane,' 'Blotter,' and 'Orange Sunshine,' bear titles that are street names for varieties of LSD," attorney William Zieske wrote in a court filing.

But Doig maintains the case is a matter of mistaken identity.

He said he has never met Fletcher and that he was never jailed in Canada. His lawyers say police records back up the latter claim.

Artistically, his representatives claimed that Doig did not begin painting on canvas until 1979, "well after this work was made."

Doig's lawyers even tracked down a Peter Doige in Canada -- also a painter -- who died in 2012 and who had in fact be jailed there in the 1970s. They claim he is the Doige that Fletcher met.

The deceased man's student identification card from 1976, submitted to the court, includes a picture of him bearing a strong resemblance to the artist Doig.

Unable to find a resolution and deciding there was enough evidence from the plaintiffs, US District Court Judge Gary Feinerman accepted the case for trial, taking place in a Chicago courtroom.

He is expected to rule after hearing testimony this week.
Washington (AFP) - A top Republican US senator pushed her case Wednesday for keeping Guantanamo Bay open, releasing an unclassified report on 107 current and former detainees to show why closing the military prison is a security risk.

Kelly Ayotte, a longtime critic of President Barack Obama's plans to shut the detention center, said the report highlights the inmates' terrorist pasts, showing why they must remain locked up.

"The Obama administration promised transparency, but this new report shows why they've been so reluctant to uphold that promise when it comes to the detainees at Guantanamo Bay," said Ayotte, who is running for re-election to her New Hampshire seat this year.

"The more Americans understand about the terrorist activities and affiliations of these detainees, the more they will oppose the administration's terribly misguided plans to release them."

The report provides short synopses about each of the 107 detainees at Guantanamo as of November last year.

Of the 76 detainees who currently remain in Guantanamo, 34 have been cleared for transfer to other countries, where they would be released subject to certain conditions.

Ten of the detainees face criminal trial, including the "9/11 Five" who are accused of plotting the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Yemeni-born Fayiz Ahmad Yahia Suleiman, who was transferred to Italy last month, "reportedly" trained with the Taliban and "may have" received specialized training in poison making, the report states.

And Abdel Malik Ahmed Abdel Wahab al-Rahabi, who had been in Guantanamo since January 2002 and was released to Montenegro last month, was "almost certainly" an Al-Qaeda member.

"A body of reporting indicates he fought on the front lines, was a bodyguard for Osama bin Laden and may have been selected by Al-Qaeda to participate in a hijacking plot," the document states.

The Pentagon said all the information released by Ayotte had been publicly available for "some time."

Story continues

"In some cases, the information is several years old," Pentagon spokeswoman Lieutenant Colonel Valerie Henderson said.

"The document does not contain all of the information available on all US government websites about each detainee."

Obama has promised since 2009 to close the Guantanamo prison, but his efforts floundered largely due to fierce opposition from Republican lawmakers.

In February, the president presented Congress with a new closure plan for Guantanamo, which he says serves only to stoke anti-US resentment and fuel jihadist recruitment.

But the plan is likely doomed as Ayotte and other Republicans continue to oppose the jail's shuttering, especially because Obama wants to transfer the highest-risk detainees to a site in the United States.
(Reuters) - U.S. federal prosecutors are investigating whether drugmaker Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc (VRX.TO) (VRX.N) defrauded insurers by hiding a relationship with pharmacy Philidor that boosted sales of its drugs, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Valeant's U.S. listed shares were down 12.2 percent at $24 in extended trading on Wednesday.

Neither Valeant nor the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan were immediately available for comment.

Lawyers in the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan are pursuing a theory that Valeant and Philidor Rx Services LLC allegedly defrauded insurers by concealing their ties, the WSJ said.

It is expected to be the most serious investigation that Valeant currently faces, and could lead to criminal charges against former Philidor executives and Valeant as a company, the Journal added, citing one person. (http://on.wsj.com/2aMvQwS)

Valeant cut ties with Philidor Rx Services last October after it was revealed that the speciality pharmacy used aggressive tactics to try to increase insurer reimbursement, mostly for dermatology drugs to help the Canadian drugmaker inflate revenue.

The probe revolves around whether the now-defunct Philidor made false statements to insurers about its ties to Valeant, and whether insurers thought Philidor was neutral rather than in the service of Valeant, the Journal reported.

The government lawyers are also looking at certain Philidor business practices, such as rebates and other compensation provided by the pharmacy to customers who used Valeant products, as well as Philidor's efforts to seek reimbursement from insurers, the WSJ said.

Political concerns about Valeant's drug price increases and investor scrutiny of its dealings with Philidor dragged down Valeant's shares last fall.

(Reporting by Anya George Tharakan in Bengaluru; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Matthew Lewis)
By Diego Ore and Girish Gupta

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela on Tuesday said it was trying to rally support for a meeting of oil producers to agree measures to prop up oil prices, the struggling Latin American country's biggest source of income.

Venezuela, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), is suffering from an economic and political crisis and relies heavily on oil export revenues.

Its government has long called for oil producers to come up with measures to buoy oil prices.

President Nicolas Maduro said on Tuesday night on state television that he was in talks with several other oil exporters to organise a producer meeting.

"I spoke today with King Salman of Saudi Arabia. In the coming hours, I will speak to the Emir of Qatar. I sent a communique to President Vladimir Putin (of Russia). I'm going to speak too with President Rouhani from Iran. I'm in touch with President Correa (of Ecuador), members of OPEC and non-OPEC (countries)," Maduro said on his weekly television show, adding that Venezuela was pushing to "stabilise" the oil price at $40 per barrel.

Venezuelan oil minister Eulogio del Pino had said on Monday that a meeting between OPEC and non-OPEC countries may take place "in the coming weeks", and that Venezuela was "actively promoting a meeting of producers ... so that OPEC and non-OPEC countries can sit down to see what the scenario for the winter looks like."

After recovering for much of the first half of this year following a 70-percent price rout between 2014 and early 2016, oil prices have slumped 15 percent again since June to the low $40s per barrel as crude and refined product markets remain oversupplied.

But analysts met Venezuela's calls with scepticism.

"Another round of proposed production freeze talks by OPEC failed to excite investors," ANZ Bank said on Wednesday.

Russia, the world's largest oil producer, said on Monday it did not see any ground for new talks on freezing oil output but said it was open to negotiations.

Story continues

Since the plunge in oil prices in 2014, Venezuela has repeatedly tried to broker deals to freeze production and reduce a supply glut, with limited success, as no oil producer was willing to cede market share by voluntarily cutting output, instead expecting competing exporters to restrict production.

As a result, OPEC members and other producers including Russia did not manage to reach an agreement on freezing supply at a meeting held in Doha in April.

OPEC members are scheduled to meet informally in September.

(Writing by Brian Ellsworth and Henning Gloystein; Editing by Sandra Maler and Joseph Radford)
tunisia_banner1

The main courthouse in the heart of Tunis has a name as grand as its imposing art nouveau architecture: Palais de Justice. Its French architect, who finished the job in 1902, made sure to include a nod to local traditions in the arabesque porticos that adorn its facade. But perhaps the most striking thing about the palace is what it lacks  namely a docket, the official calendar that tells those with court appointments when and where their cases are being deliberated. The shortcoming is revealing. Even in todays democratic Tunisia, the path to justice remains an obstacle course.

Anas Zammit knows the quirks of the Tunisian judiciary all too well. Two years ago, at age 23, he became the second-youngest judge in the country (out of 2,200 total). It was a remarkable achievement, reflecting his strong performance in the required examinations, and hes keen to fulfill the expectations of his compatriots. In the wake of the 2011 revolution, which was fueled largely by Tunisians widespread perceptions of their society as deeply unjust, those expectations remain sky-high.

Any democracy worthy of the label requires (among other things) a relatively efficient and impartial judiciary. Yet today, more than five years after the regime of President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali was toppled, attempts to reform the judiciary (which encompasses some 16,000 employees) are proceeding slowly at best.

Part of the problem is operational. Like so many other parts of the countrys administrative machinery, the court system has long suffered from chronic under-investment and organizational stasis  manifested, Zammit says, in the range of shortcomings he confronts in the course of his everyday routine. He explains, for example, there is only one photocopier in the Palais de Justice, and its often broken, or crippled by lack of ink or paper. So he pays from his own pocket to have documents copied at nearby print shops. Rather than relying on over-taxed staff in the courthouse, where there are only about 200 support staff for 100 judges, he often types up his own verdicts to speed things up.

Story continues

Zammit tells me all this over coffee in a pricey cafe in the upper-middle class Tunis neighborhood of Nasr, similar to a cafe closer to his office that has become his unofficial workplace. He explains that he shares his tiny courthouse office with three other judges, a situation hardly conducive to effective work; and so, like many of his compatriots, he opts to conduct much of his business in cafes instead. He explains that his choice of locale has a great deal to do with the social strictures that come with being a judge. If you go to a working-class cafe, you might run into someone you passed judgment on, he tells me. You have an image to maintain in society. You have to give a positive example. (In Tunisia, it would seem, the upper classes dont often find themselves in court.)

Map of northern Tunisia

As exasperating as these quirks of the system can be, however, the Tunisian judiciary faces more fundamental problems than the lack of funding and equipment. As Zammit notes, judicial reformers are still trying to cope with the lingering legacy of the ancien regime. The old autocrats  Ben Ali and his predecessor Habib Bourguiba  habitually regarded the courts as an extension of their own executive power, and used them to crack down on their political opponents and bolster their allies. Judges who resisted would get reassigned to backwater postings.

Reformers are now trying to lead the judiciary into a new era of independence. In March, the Tunisian parliament passed a long-awaited landmark law creating a new judicial council thats designed to give judges the power to regulate the affairs of their own branch, including the appointment of judges. The council will also appoint one-third of the members of Tunisias new Constitutional Court. Unlike its pre-revolutionary predecessor, this new court will also deliberate over disputes from lower courts and parliament, not just from the presidents office.

Yet the laws have met fierce criticism from observers, who worry that the new institutions still permit the governments executive branch too much influence over judges. Another point of contention: Lawyers wanted seats on the council, which, in the eyes of critics (including Zammit) would create a conflict of interest. (Judges have an incentive to avoid upsetting any lawyer whos a member of the council, and this would skew deliberations in cases involving them.) Tunisian judges went on strike for a week in early March to protest the law, which one of their professional associations referred to as a failure and a move away from one of the most important demands of the revolution, namely the establishment of a truly independent judicial authority.

Zammit shares that skepticism. You can feel that the priority of the state isnt to create an independent judiciary, he says, noting that the government isnt taking seriously the advice and suggestions of judges for how to approach reform. Old habits, he says, die hard.

Implementing such far-reaching reforms would be hard even under ordinary circumstances. But Tunisia is trying to pull them off at a moment when the nascent rule of law is under severe pressure from a deepening confrontation with jihadi militants. Rhodri Williams, senior legal expert at the International Legal Assistance Consortium, a Stockholm-based umbrella group for legal practitioners and scholars around the world who offer expert advice to countries trying to rebuild justice systems, has been intimately involved in providing new training to Tunisian judges.

Part of that training involves helping judges to see torture and other forms of police violence against prisoners as outside the bounds of legal procedure. Judges frequently told him that they used to take everything prosecutors and police said at face value. But now theyre skeptical, Williams says. They inspect prisons, and they understand that a slap is a human rights issue. Its encouraging to hear these things. On the other hand, theres a very broad tendency by Tunisian judges and officials to reflexively view some degree of harsh treatment as an acceptable tool in fighting Islamic extremism.

Changing that mentality will take time. This is a really long process, says Williams. There are very big institutional barriers to changing how the judges work. Judiciaries everywhere, he says, have an innate conservatism that makes them highly resistant to change. He speaks from experience, having advised on transitional justice issues in several countries going through rapid political transition, including Colombia and Libya.

Corruption is a particularly sensitive issue. In a 2013 survey by Transparency International, more than half of Tunisian respondents said they perceived the judiciary to be corrupt or extremely corrupt. And the fact that there have been very few prosecutions of old regime figures  despite considerable evidence of their involvement in systemic malfeasance  has helped to tar the image of the entire justice system.

Zammit insists that he sees little evidence of this problem when it comes to the conduct of judges. He says that clerks often scam clients of the court system in ways that erode its reputation. As he explains it, some court clerks tell citizens involved in cases that they can bribe judges for them. The clerks then pocket the money rather than passing it on. If the decision goes in favor of the client, the clerk takes credit, claiming that the bribe greased the wheels. If the verdict goes against the client, the clerk merely says that the clients opponent in the lawsuit outspent the client in bribes. There have been some legal proceedings against clerks accused of running these schemes.

Despite everything, though, the system is clearly changing, albeit slowly. Zammit notes that relations between judges and the police, who cozily coexisted under the old regime, are now experiencing serious friction as the interests of the two sides diverge. He recalls one big scandal that occurred in August 2015, when a policeman tried to arrest a judge (in flagrant violation of the immunity enjoyed by members of the judiciary). The way Zammit tells the story, when the judge explained who he was, the cop then threatened to seek support from a top prosecutor  a friend of his  who would back him up in any legal dispute. The judge filed a suit against the policeman for threats against a public servant during the exercise of his functions. The police then retaliated by refusing to enforce the order for their colleague to appear before court. The judges union had to lobby the Interior Minister to bring the cops in line.

Public opinion of the judiciary is also evolving. Judges who enjoyed relative freedom from criticism in the old days now find themselves under newfound attacks from human rights advocates, who accuse the judiciary (and the police) of using the countrys harsh anti-drug laws to harass government critics. Zammit says that virtually all judges are in agreement that the law is overly strict, which is why they routinely issue only the mandatory minimum sentence to drug offenders. If you dont think someone should be prosecuted for marijuana, dont criticize the police or judges, Zammit says. Change the law. And thats the job of elected lawmakers, not judges.

Judicial reform is well under way, but Tunisias messy transition is complicating the process. Change may seem painfully slow for the average judge trying to clear his or her docket each day, or for the average citizen whose faith in the courts and other state institutions has worn thin. But establishing the genuine rule of law is vital in a country where, for many, justice still feels out of reach.

Photo credit: SOPHIA BARAKET for Foreign Policy

Read more from Tunisia: In Sun and Shadow:

Tunisias Glorious Confusion:The dawn of democracy is something to root for  but the forces that have pulled the other Arab Spring countries back into upheaval still threaten to undo its progress.

Tunisias War on Islam: Is overzealous prosecution of the war on terror contributing to radicalization?

The Storyteller: Shukrii Mabkhout is not just a novelist  hes the biographer of modern Tunisia.

Missing the Old Days: Tunisia is a democracy. Heres a man who still mourns for the old regime.

El Khadra Still Cant Breathe: This devastated community has been calling for help for years. Even in the new Tunisia, no ones listening.

Not Arab, and Proud of It: Tunisias long-suppressed Amazigh minority is finding its voice for the first time in years.

The Tourism Crash: Terrorist attacks have left the sector reeling  but its problems actually go much deeper..

Crisis of Governance: Local Edition: In many ways, democratic Tunisia remains just as centralized as it was before the revolution. And thats a big problem for the mayor of Kasserine.

Tunisias Dying Jazz: New freedoms have brought art and religion into conflict, threatening to crush a tradition trapped in the middle.

Trouble in the Wild East: The border town of Ben Guerdane is a haven for smugglers. Locals would like to keep it that way.

Terms of Abuse: On paper, Tunisias revolution has boosted legal protections for women. Yet the reality is starkly different.

Five Years of the New Tunisia: From revolution to disillusionment and back again: Milestones on Tunisias rocky path to democracy.

The Mainstreaming of Tunisias Islamists: The Ennahda Partys latest moves put its political astuteness on show once again.
Verizon Communications (VZ) has thrown down the gauntlet in the fight for mobile consumers, launching an attack ad this week against rival Sprint Corp. (S).

This most recent spat started when Sprint hired away Verizon's "Can you hear me now" pitchman, Paul Marcarelli, reports Fortune. Sprint recently featured him in a commercial, where he claims "Guess what, it's 2016 and every network is great."

Verizon took matters into its own keyboards and released an ad starring Jamie Foxx, directly and unapologetically targeting Sprint. "Sprint is last nationally in 4G LTE coverage," he says in the commercial.

Sprint fought back and justified its ad claims in a statement. "Our network covers nearly 300 million people -- that's approximately 94 percent of the U.S. population," the statement reads. "Yes, our footprint is smaller in some markets, but our network covers every major market in the U.S. from Los Angeles to New York, Seattle to Boston, and every big city in between."

But this is the real meat of the statement that's more indicative of what's going on: "More and more customers are figuring out that they are being ripped off by Verizon."

Meanwhile, its CEO Marcelo Claure didn't hold back on Twitter, going off on a hurricane-level tweetstorm regarding the ad. Verizon still says Sprint was embellishing its coverage.

Fortune notes that Verizon's soon-to-be newest executive Ronan Donne, who will head the wireless unit, could be more prolific on social networks than Verizon executives of the past. This suggests Claure could be in for quite the wake-up call.

Verizon's stock is up about 16 percent on the year, though Sprint's is up a noticeably whopping almost 71 percent.

11 Stocks That Donald Trump Loves

9 Hot Dividend Stocks for 2016





More From US News & World Report


ViaSat Inc. VSAT posted yet another earnings miss in the first quarter of fiscal of 2017. The company posted adjusted earnings (including stock-based compensation adjustments) of 6 cents per share in first-quarter fiscal 2017 which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 15 cents by 60%.

GAAP earnings came in at 4 cents, down 20% from 5 cents in the year-ago quarter.

The bottom-line deterioration is largely attributable to a rise in cost of service revenues and selling, general & administrative expenses.

Inside the Headlines

The company posted revenues of $363.1 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017, led by robust growth in Satellite Services. Though revenues missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $366 million, it was up 5.4% year over year.

Segment-wise, Satellite Services revenues achieved a record high for the fourth consecutive quarter, up 15.1% year over year to $152.4 million. The impressive figures were driven by continued strength in residential broadband offerings and a thriving in-flight connectivity business.

However, Commercial Networks revenues continued to show weakness, edging down 1.8% on a year-over-year basis to $65.6 million. This was largely a result of lack of activities due to the completion of certain antenna systems and mobile broadband satellite communications systems programs. However, these declines were somewhat offset by a higher number of broadband terminal orders received under the NBN project.

On the other hand, Government Systems reported record revenues of $145.2 million, flat on a year-over-year basis. This was primarily fuelled by strong performance in government satellite communications systems products, offset by softness in the information assurance product line.

During the quarter, sales backlog increased 4.6% year over year to $912.9 million. Adjusted EBIDTA rose 3.5% from the comparable quarter last year to $80.2 million.

Quarterly Highlights

ViaSats Satellite Services average revenue per user (ARPU) in the residential internet business grew 8%, primarily fuelled by higher bandwidth, increased value plans and growth in value-added services. Also, the companys high-speed in-flight Internet service was selected by American Airlines for its new Boeing 737 MAX fleet. Moreover, in partnership with Eutelsat, ViaSat launched in-flight Internet service in Europe in collaboration with EL AL Israel Airlines.

Story continues

Moreover, the companys Commercial Networks business ViaSat-2 satellite communications platform passed critical program milestones, including completion of assembly, functional performance and first phase of environmental testing in preparation for a launch window. Also, the collaboration between ViaSat and Boeing Satellite Systems International (BSSI) on the ViaSat-3 program is progressing well as the two organizations continue to integrate ViaSat's communications payload with Boeing's upgraded platform.

Finally, the companys Government Systems business is progressing well as ViaSat was awarded a sole-source contract to provide global in-flight connectivity service to Air Force One and other prestigious U.S. government senior leader aircraft. Also, the company continued to execute on its contract with NEXCOM (Navy Exchange Service Command), which proved conducive to Managed Wi-Fi revenues.

In addition, Royal Canadian Air Force selected ViaSats KOR-24A STT technology for its CP-140 Aurora aircraft and the company also managed to secure NSA certification for two of its information assurance encryption devices.

Liquidity

ViaSat exited the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $47.2 million, compared with $42.5 million as of Jun 30, 2015.

VIASAT INC Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

VIASAT INC Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | VIASAT INC Quote

To Conclude

ViaSats first-quarter fiscal 2017 results can be best described as mixed with the bottom-line performance lagging expectations but revenue growth continuing. The companys ViaSat-1 satellite remains a star performer even after five years of launch, delivering record earnings and margins. Going forward, the company aspires to deliver more bandwidth-efficient satellites and improve its stronghold in regional and global markets by leveraging on its state-of-the art technology.

ViaSat exhibits a bullish sentiment regarding the launch of ViaSat-2 class satellites as it compounds the companys ability to expand its foothold in residential broadband, mobile WiFi, aeronautical and maritime applications in both thriving commercial and government markets. However, heavy R&D expenses on account of ambitious developmental programs may prove to be a drag on the financial performance in the short run.

ViaSat currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the same space include Sonus Networks, Inc. SONS, Motorola Solutions, Inc. MSI and Clearfield, Inc. CLFD. All three stocks hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



SONUS NETWORKS (SONS): Free Stock Analysis Report



VIASAT INC (VSAT): Free Stock Analysis Report



MOTOROLA SOLUTN (MSI): Free Stock Analysis Report



CLEARFIELD INC (CLFD): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
With the Cite du Vin -- a cultural center for all things wine-related -- now open for business in Bordeaux, the upcoming Cite de la Gastronomie et du Vin opening in Dijon in 2017, and the first anniversary of the Champagne region's hillsides, houses and cellars gaining UNESCO World Heritage status, there's never been a better time for wine lovers to discover where their favorite drink comes from. Relaxnews has picked a selection of the best vineyards and wine estates to visit this summer. Today we're heading to Ridge Vineyards in California.

What's new this summer?

South of San Francisco, Apple is not the only famous name in the town of Cupertino. There's also Ridge Vineyards, a long-standing wine business which is proof that the French are not alone in having been producing wine for centuries. The vast property, which also has vines two hours away by car in the Santa Cruz Mountains, has been making wine since 1885.

Famous for its Monte Bello vintage and its expertise with Zinfandel, an emblematic grape variety in California, Ridge Vineyards is starting a new chapter in its history in 2016. Paul Draper, its winemaker, is retiring. This marks a turning point for the international brand which built its reputation through Draper's choices, making him one of the most influential winemakers in the world. He is now approaching 80 years of age, and has devoted 45 years of his life to the property and to maintaining the quality of its wine. Through his successes and his vision, he is also one of the key people responsible for making California a global benchmark in the wine industry.

The estate

Ridge Vineyards is known for its longevity and the strong personality of its winemaker. In 1885, a doctor bought around 72 square meters of land close to Monte Bello Ridge, in the Santa Cruz Mountains, at an altitude of 850 meters. His idea was to plant vines in terraces. In the 1940s, a theologian moved the story forward by investing in a abandoned domaine and replanting Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine produced became one of the most elegant ones in California.

Story continues

In 1964, the property increased in size once again with the purchase of a vineyard at a lower altitude dating from the 19th century. With this new land, Ridge Vineyards could begin to grow Zinfandel. In 1968, the domaine was able to produce 3,000 cases a year. The following year, Paul Draper, an academic who had acquired knowledge and expertise in a Chilean vineyard, joined the venture. He left an indelible mark on the management of the domaine as he believed very strongly in allowing nature to be free. This pioneer of organic farming worked hard to create balanced wines and to lower the alcoholic content. He also imported the French concept of "terroir" by starting to produce from a single grape variety.

The wines

Due to its vast domaine, the property produces a very large quantity of different wines. Monte Bello is one of its flagship wines, produced from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The Geyserville vintage is also a memorable and interesting Zinfandel wine.
Back-to-school season is almost upon us, and that means investors needs to start looking at companies that thrive during this time of the year. Just like during the holidays, retailers around the country will be using special promotions and deals to attract the most customers during this busy shopping period.

During the back-to-school season, investors need to remember how the market tends to react to things. While back-to-school business will already be priced in to most retail stocks, the market will always tend to react positively to any additional news about a companys success during promotional periods.

With that in mind, the best back-to-school stocks are those that are already poised to succeed with strong fundamental metrics and are also in a competitive position to get the most back-to-school shoppers through the doors.

For this back-to-school season, one of the stocks that sticks out is Wal-Mart WMT. Currently, Wal-Mart is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), and based on forecasts about this years retail shopping behavior, the company should be ready to win the back-to-school race.

The Numbers

The vast majority of Wal-Marts back-to-school revenue will come in the current quarter, but the company has yet to report its results for the period ending in July. For that quarter, Wal-Mart has seen two positive estimate revisions in the past 30 days. With its strong Zacks Rank and a positive Earnings ESP of 1%, investors should feel more comfortable about the possibility of a beat when Wal-Mart reports on the 18th.

For the back-to-school quarter, Wal-Mart is already starting to see positive revision activity. We have seen one positive revision within the past 30 days, and the company currently has a positive Earnings ESP of 7.45%. On top of this, Wal-Mart is looking to shake off sluggish sales numbers, and our revenue estimate of $118.8 billion would represent growth of nearly 1.2%.

Cashing in on Trends

While the fundamental figures look great, its also important to note that Wal-Mart is the exact type of store that looks to have a great back-to-school season this year. According to research from the National Retail Federation, families this year are feeling more confident about the economy and will spend more money on back-to-school supplies.

Story continues

The NRF projects that the average family buying supplies for K-12 students will spend $673.57, up from last years $630.26. Spending is expected to be higher in the college market as well, with total spending by families of college students projected to grow over $5 billion to $48.5 billion.

This spells good news for Wal-Mart, which stocks everything under the sun and appeals to both K-12 students and college students. Also, the NRF says that 46% of parents will shop online, up from just 36% last year, which should be great for Wal-Marts recently-invigorated e-commerce segment.

Bottom Line

Wal-Mart and its investors always expect stores to be busy during the back-to-school season, but this year it looks like all of the pieces are in place for a better-than-expected period. If you want to look at more back-to-school stocks, check out our 5 Stocks to Watch This Back-to-School Season.

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



WAL-MART STORES (WMT): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
(Adds details of agreement, background)

By Nandita Bose

CHICAGO, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc's Mexican unit said on Wednesday it has agreed to sell its Suburbia clothing chain to El Puerto De Liverpool for about $852 million as the world's largest retailer streamlines operations in its largest non-U.S. market.

Wal-Mart De Mexico y Centroamerica, also known as Walmex, will sell Suburbia with its 119 stores and real estate for 15.7 billion pesos ($852 million) including debt of 1.4 billion pesos. Walmex will also receive an additional 3.3 billion pesos in items including declared dividends after the deal closes, it said in a statement.

In January, the retailer said it was looking to sell Suburbia without giving a timeframe for completing the sale. Some Mexican media outlets had speculated the sale could fetch as much as $2 billion.

Liverpool is one of Mexico's department store operators, with more than 100 outlets. Company representatives were not immediately available for comment.

Wal-Mart has been looking to double sales in Mexico by 2024 by boosting its core business of running discount retail and membership stores, and expanding its fresh food business. The divestiture is part of Wal-Mart's strategy, announced in 2013, to streamline and sell businesses not central to its overseas operations.

Wal-Mart's international division, which contributes roughly one-third of the company's total annual sales of nearly $480 billion, has divested some non-core businesses across Chile, Mexico and Canada in the past two years.

In Mexico over the past three years, Walmex has sold its Vips restaurant chain to fast-food operator Alsea SAB for $626 million, and its Banco Walmart unit to Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim's bank Grupo Financiero Inbursa for about $247 million.

Wal-Mart acquired Suburbia's parent supermarket chain Cifra in 1997. Suburbia has 119 stores in 46 cities and is popular with urban shoppers, ranking among Mexico's top five department stores, according to analysts.

Story continues

Suburbia, which is profitable, contributed 3 percent to Walmex's overall revenue in 2015. Walmex, Mexico's biggest private sector employer and the country's largest retailer, posted sales of about $26.35 billion in 2015.

At the company's shareholder's meeting in June, David Cheesewright, head of Wal-Mart's overseas division, singled out the Mexican market as a top priority. Mexico has Wal-Mart's largest number of stores outside the United States.

Wal-Mart has struggled in overseas markets, including Britain and China, but Walmex has remained a bright spot with second-quarter revenue growing 11.5 percent to about $6.93 billion.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose in Chicago; Editing by Leslie Adler and Richard Chang)
Yesterday, Brooklyns own Joey Bada$$ turned a video release into a bonafide celebration by hosting screenings of Devastated in New York City. Now the rest of the world can also view his hits triumphant visual.

Bada$$ and Shomi Patwary co-directed the video together. The latters creative collective Illusive Media has worked with the likes of Vince Staples, A$AP Rocky, and Lupe Fiasco. Joey leads a sizable gathering of friends, fans, and family through the streets. Marching bands walk on, dancing ensues, and the worries of the past are safely left behind.

Head above to watch the official video for a nice kick of inspiration this afternoon.

More from Pigeons & Planes
Weddings cut through gloomy mood in Gaza Strip In this Saturday, July 30, 2016 photo, two girls pose for a picture as they sit in front of the family house during the wedding party of Palestinian groom Saed Abu Aser, in Gaza City. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra)

Like dozens of other couples who got married this summer in the isolated Gaza Strip, for Saed and Falasteen Abu Aser, their wedding was an elaborately planned celebration, complete with a procession through the streets of their neighborhood.

In a time with little to be joyous about in Gaza, weddings have emerged as welcome festivities that offer a break from the often morose mood in the strip. The coastal territory has faced three wars with Israel over the last decade and a stifling blockade imposed by both Israel and Egypt after the Islamic militant Hamas group violently overran the territory in 2007.

But for the happy couple and their families, a wedding is both a respite from daily hardships and a focal point in the lives of both the well-off and the poor.

My joy is great among my family and my friends and my neighbors and I thank them because they helped and supported me, said the 22-year-old groom Saed Abu Aser.

His bride, Falasteen, is 17. The Abu Asers are first cousins who come from a poor family. It is not uncommon for cousins to marry in Palestinian society.

Their festivities began days before the wedding ceremony, with a boisterous stag party in which the grooms friends set the dance floor on fire to the tune of a local band while glitter twinkled from their sweaty faces.

On the day of the wedding, the families gathered for a cheerful lunch before the bride and groom got all spruced up for the big night ? he in a black suit and she in a white gown and matching cape, her face daubed in white powder.

They held a lavish wedding party at a hall, where they were driven to in a convoy of decorated, honking cars.

All those expenses can add up, but Abu Asers family took out a loan to pay for what has become an increasingly important milestone for people in Gaza. Other impoverished Gazans ask for donations to pay for their rites of marriage.

Associated Press photographer Khalil Hamra joined the celebrations, and here is a series of his photographs. (AP)

See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Tumblr
PARIS (Reuters) - Western countries including the United States, France and Britain said in a joint statement on Wednesday they were concerned by mounting tension around the Zueitina oil terminal in Libya. Washington, Paris, London and the governments of Germany, Spain and Italy urged a return to government control of all oil and gas installations and called on all parties "to abstain from any act of hostility and avoid all actions that could damage or disrupt energy infrastructure". Zueitina is one of three eastern oil ports blockaded by Libya's Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG). The PFG has signed a deal to reopen the ports with the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli, but forces loyal to a separate government based in eastern Libya have threatened to block a resumption of exports. Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) said on Sunday that it was concerned by reports of "imminent conflict" in the vicinity of Zueitina between the PFG and the Libyan National Army (LNA), which is loyal to the eastern government. In a statement released by the French foreign ministry, the six Western powers expressed their support for efforts by the GNA to "find a peaceful solution to the disruptions affecting energy exports in Libya". "The Government of National Accord must work with the National Oil Corporation to relaunch oil production in order to rebuild Libya's economy." Fighting, political disputes and militant attacks have reduced Libya's oil production to a fraction of the 1.6 million barrels per day the OPEC member was producing before the 2011 uprising against Muammar Gaddafi. "Restarting oil exports is crucial for generating revenues needed to provide for the essential needs of the Libyan people, notably electricity, healthcare and infrastructure," the statement by Western countries said. (Reporting by Michel Rose, writing by Aidan Lewis, editing by Gus Trompiz and William Hardy)
In the world of millennial entrepreneurs, Mark Zuckerberg is the unofficial gold standard for achievement. At the tender age of 32, he's leveraged Facebook's (FB) popularity to amass a net worth of more than $35 billion. That's pretty impressive for a company that got its start in a dorm room.

While Zuckerberg is certainly one of the best known millennial CEOs, plenty of other young adults share a similar ambition to succeed as entrepreneurs. An October 2014 survey from Bentley University revealed that 66 percent of millennials say they'd like to start their own business.

According to the 2016 BNP Paribas Global Entrepreneur Report, so-called "millennipreneurs" have started an average 7.7 businesses, and collectively they hold $5.6 billion in investable wealth. When the profits start rolling in, the big question for these burgeoning business owners is what to do with it. Stuffing it under the mattress is one option but a Solo 401(k) account holds a lot more appeal.

[See: Car Companies and the Race to Profits.]

Solo 401(k)s are designed for sole proprietors who are running a business single-handedly and from a wealth perspective, they make a lot of sense for millennial entrepreneurs. Here's a look at why it's worth considering if you're focused on growing your business and your retirement portfolio at the same time.

Higher contribution limits mean more investing power. If your goal is to bank as much of your entrepreneurial wealth as possible, a Solo 401(k) has the edge over other self-employed retirement plans.

Robert Farrington, founder of TheCollegeInvestor.com, uses a Simplified Employee Pension IRA to illustrate how much more a Solo 401(k) can allow you to save.

"While both a Solo 401(k) and a SEP allow you to contribute the same amount for profit-sharing (i.e., the portion of your business's net profit), the Solo 401(k) also allows you to make an employee contribution," Farrington says.

That's where the Solo 401(k) sets itself apart. He gives an example of a millennial entrepreneur with a net business income of $100,000. With the SEP IRA you could contribute $18,587 a year, while in a Solo 401(k), the business would contribute that amount but you could also elect to contribute another $18,000 as an employee. That brings the total annual contribution to $36,587.

Story continues

That can make a substantial difference in how much wealth a 20- or 30-something could accumulate over time. An annual investment of $18,587 would grow to $1.47 million over 30 years, assuming a 6 percent annual return. A millennial entrepreneur who's investing $36,587 over that same period with the same annual return, on the other hand, would see their nest egg increase to $2.89 million.

A Solo 401(k) offers a sizable tax break. Besides being able to contribute more to a Solo 401(K), these plans can create some insulation for millennial entrepreneurs who are worried about getting hit with a big tax bill.

Sterling Neblett, a certified financial planner and founding partner of Centurion Wealth Management in McLean, Virginia, says that the tax benefits associated with a Solo 401(k) are significant.

"Let's say you're a 33-year-old, self-employed individual with $200,000 in net earnings. Assuming that you fall into the 33 percent federal income tax bracket and a 5.75 percent tax bracket at the state level, you could potentially save up to $20,537 a year in taxes by maxing out a Solo 401(k)," Neblett says.

[See: The Perfect 10 Shares.]

By comparison, Neblett points out that contributing to a SEP IRA would reduce the tax savings to $14,723 while it drops even further to $6,987 for entrepreneurs who save in a SIMPLE IRA, assuming they're making the maximum contribution to either plan.

The Solo 401(k) emerges as the clear winner on the tax front. For a millennial entrepreneur who's focused on growing an existing business or starting a new one, having an extra $20,000 a year to work with can be extremely advantageous.

You've got the ability to borrow if you need it. Running a business requires a steady cash flow and if you need money quickly, a Solo 401(k) is an asset you can tap in a pinch. That can be invaluable, says Wayne Bland, a retirement consultant with Metro Retirement Plan Advisors in Charlotte, North Carolina.

"As a small business owner, it's not uncommon to face a downturn in your business cycle that presents a challenge to your cash flow. While I strongly discourage borrowing from a 401(k) if at all possible, a Solo 401(k) loan is an option you simply don't have with a SEP or SIMPLE IRA," Bland says.

"If there are no other funding sources available, you could borrow up to 50 percent of your vested balance or $50,000, whichever is less," he says. "The loan provision can literally keep the doors of your business open in hard times."

Do your research before jumping in. Like any qualified retirement plan, a Solo 401(k) does have guidelines that millennial investors need to be aware of. Farrington advises young entrepreneurs to understand the contribution rules.

"One of the biggest hidden pitfalls of a Solo 401(k) is that you can't contribute more than $18,000 per year yourself and total contributions are limited to $53,000," Farrington says. "You'd have to do the math each year to ensure that you don't exceed the contribution limits."

Making contributions over the allowed limit can trigger a hefty tax penalty that could eat into your bottom line. That's the last thing you can afford when you're building personal wealth.

You also need to keep an eye on the calendar, Farrington says. The deadline for opening a Solo 401(k) is Dec. 31 and that's the cutoff for making employee contributions. You'd have until you file your taxes to make the employer contribution.

Excessive fees are another thing to watch out for, says Scott Patterson, a certified financial planner with Core Financial Resources in Anderson, South Carolina.

"The good thing is that Solo 401(k)s don't have to be expensive. Many brokerages will file the annual tax return and handle the administrative work very inexpensively," Patterson says.

Even more importantly, he cautions, millennial entrepreneurs should be mindful of what a particular Solo 401(k) plan offers in terms of investments.

[Read: From Growing Private to Going Public.]

"Make sure you have access to the kind of investments you're comfortable with," Patterson says. "Don't settle for a cheap broker with bad options."





More From US News & World Report


Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop (Everett)

Right after his third Rocky and first Rambo movies, Sylvester Stallone could have played Axel Foley. When 1984s Beverly Hills Cop was in development at Paramount, Stallone was offered  and briefly accepted  the role of the wisecracking Detroit police detective ultimately played by Eddie Murphy. Why did Stallone pass on the film that made Murphy a superstar? For the new book Powerhouse: The Untold History of Hollywoods Creative Arts Agency (via THR), Stallone and talent agent Ron Meyer explained why Murphy, not Stallone, ending up in Beverly Hills, sticking a banana in a police cars tailpipe.

Meyer, Stallones agent in the early 1980s, told author James Andrew Miller that he was really excited about his client doing Beverly Hills Cop, even though he realized it was a stretch. I knew that he probably wouldnt want to do this film because it somewhat parodied his tough-guy image, Meyer explained. Sure enough, Stallone insisted on rewriting the role. Ron told me, Dont change it, but I took the script and rewrote it as a kind of compromise, where the guy was action-oriented, but he also had a wry sense of humor, Stallone recalled. His version was rejected by the producers, and despite Meyers pleas, the actor refused to make the movie with the original script. "I didnt think I could pull it off. Then that ship sailed, Stallone admitted.

Stallone in 1984 (Photo: Ron Galella/WireImage)

A 1984 New York Times article described Stallones script in more detail. Slys rewrite had heart, passion and pathos, producer Don Simpson told the newspaper. It was superb. It had more edge and more of the blood vengeance motif. However, it left out the entire point of the original script, which was a funny, fish-out-of-water story about a Detroit policeman who uses street smarts to crack a case in posh Beverly Hills. When Murphy was cast, he used his improv skills to play up that angle with great success. He did some marvelous extemporary things, said screenwriter Dan Petrie Jr. Hed take a line and expand it, make it special. Hed put it into the comic persona that he invented for the moment.



Story continues

Beverly Hills Cop became the highest-grossing film of 1984, beating out Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and The Karate Kid, and cementing Murphy (then a breakout castmember on Saturday Night Live) as a Hollywood leading man. Incredibly, Murphy was actually Paramounts third choice: According to the Times piece, Mickey Rourke was cast before Stallone, then dropped out because of delays in production.

Watch the Beverly Hills Cop trailer:
The city at the heart of Syrias civil war has seen a dramatic reversal in fortunes in recent days, as rebel fighters in Aleppo made a daring advance against forces loyal to the regime of President Bashar Assad. Opposition fighters reported that they had punched through pro-regime lines on Aug. 6, piercing a weeks-long siege on the eastern half of the city held by the opposition, even as they were able to surround the regime-held western side of the city.

The breakthrough has raised morale among the rebels and their civilian supporters but is unlikely to be a turning point in this five-year civil war, and may even deepen the humanitarian crisis in an already devastated city. The corridor created by the advance is narrow and no sustained supply route has been established. The shift on the battlefield now threatens to place both east and west Aleppo under de facto siege, by separate sides in the conflict. The U.N. humanitarian chiefs for Syria, Yacoub El Hillo and Kevin Kennedy, said in a statement that over two million Syrians now live in de facto fear of besiegement. Aleppo, they said, is a city now united in its suffering.

Read More: Meet the Syrian Refugee Swimming for Olympic Glory

The opposition advance in Aleppo represents a rebuke to the Assad regime and its allies, who consider the city the backbone of the armed insurrection that sprang out of a popular uprising in 2011. Assads forces are backed by troops from Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hizballah and have been bolstered since September 2015 by the might of Russian air power. Only weeks earlier, the opposition faced total encirclement of eastern Aleppo. Similar sieges imposed by the regime elsewhere in Syria have resulted in starvation and mass death.

The turnaround in fortunes has come just as the balance of power within the groups arrayed against the regime has swung towards Islamist hardliners, complicating matters for Western powers that seek Assads removal. The coalition of opposition groups that came together to fight the siege of eastern Aleppo in July included the jihadist fighters of Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, a newly renamed group that declared a split from al-Qaeda in July. Formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, they now fight in coordination with more mainstream Islamist groups and battalions from the Free Syrian Army, a rebel umbrella group that contains forces supported by Western governments.

Story continues

Read More: Syrias Nusra Front Announces Split From al-Qaeda

The role of the hardliners in the current opposition offensive unsettles some moderate Syrian opposition activists. Popular support has waned for moderate Syrian rebels, who say the U.S. and other Western supporters have failed to offer them enough support to turn the tide of the war. The jihadists however scored a significant victory this week with the estimated 300,000 people who live in the rebel sector.

The shift should unnerve Washington too, says Robert S. Ford, the former U.S. ambassador to Syria and a senior fellow at the Middle East institute in Washington. The United States did nothing to help break that siege, at least nothing that anyone could point to, he told TIME. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had been trying to negotiate a ceasefire with Russia that might have broken the siege on eastern Aleppo, but the talks failed. The end result is American credibility suffers a blow, Ford said, the credibility of extremists that we dont like in Fateh al-Sham goes up, and the Americans ultimately are in control of nothing.

The jihadists are only one component of the broader coalition that pushed through the siege on eastern Aleppo, but their role is a significant one. Fateh al-Sham is going to be a major source of military dynamism for Syrias rebels, and I expect itll have a large and growing role in setting the terms of political control in rebel-held areas.

Read More: The Siege of Aleppo Could Spell Disaster for Rebels Fighting Syrias Bashar Assad

As ever the civilians in Aleppo are paying the greatest toll. Nearly two million people there have no access to running water, according to the U.N. childrens fund. In rebel-held areas, airstrikes continue to devastate the medical infrastructure. In Aleppo alone, there were at least 15 attacks on medical facilities or personnel in July, according to the Syrian American Medical Society, which said that as of Tuesday night, a tiny core of 35 doctors are serving the estimated 300,000 civilians in the citys east. The rebels ensured this week that they will not go quietly into the night, but observers also fear a ferocious reaction from the pro-regime side. For the long-suffering people of Aleppo, there is no end in sight.
A Florida woman who was participating in an 8-week training course was accidentally shot dead by a police officer during a gun demonstration Tuesday, officials said.

Some 30 people watched as Mary Knowlton, a retired librarian from Minnesota, was chosen to participate in a role-playing situation staged by the Punta Gorda Police.

But instead of learning about how to make good "shoot/don't shoot" decisions as they were meant to, those 30 Citizen Police Academy students watched a woman die.

Read: College Athlete, 20, Shot Dead While Playing Pokemon Go at San Francisco Tourist Hot Spot

Knowlton was rushed from the police department to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

According to Chief Thomas Lewis, the demonstration was meant to instruct the class on making decisions "using simulated lethal force."

The round was meant to be a blank.

"Our entire police department and all of our city leaders are absolutely devastated for everyone involved in this unimaginable event, Lewis said in a press conference Tuesday night.

I am asking that if you pray, you pray for Marys husband and family and for all the officers and witnesses that involved this incident. Everyone involved is in an overwhelming state of shock and grief."

Read: Trump Slammed For Suggesting 'Second Amendment People' Could Stop Hillary Clinton

The victim's son, Steven Knowlton, spoke on behalf of the family, saying in a statement to CBS This Morning: "My mom was a saint. Such a tremendous loss of a wonderful human being and the best mom a kid could ever hope for."

The officer involved has been placed on administrative leave. The Punta Gorda police did not immediately identify the officer involved.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will investigate the incident.

Watch: 'Black Lives Matter' Chant Erupts as 9 Moms Who Lost Children to Police and Gun Violence Speak at DNC

Story continues

Related Articles:
Annie Safoian SADA Systems

In 1987, a 32-year-old Annie Safoian moved to Los Angeles from Armenia with her husband, Hovig, and their 9-year-old son, Tony.

Today and she and her family run an LA tech company called SADA Systems, a thriving Google and Microsoft reseller expected to do $65 million in revenue this year, she tells us.

And she has been fending off a constant stream of offers to acquire the company, for a healthy multiple over revenues. She wouldn't tell us how much money she's been offered, but given the market, offers have likely ranged from hundreds of millions of dollars to as high as half a billion, we understand.

But she likes her job and her company, worries a sale wouldn't be good for employees, and simply doesn't care that much about the loot.

"We have discussed selling within the family. Everybody wants to buy us. We are in our 60s, our son is 38 years old. Hes the CEO, my husband is CTO. We've been all together here and working all these years," she says. "If we sell this company and get more money in our bank account, we would still have to do something. My son is very young. We are still so passionate about this technology. It's never boring, but so exciting every single day. Why would I sell?"

Back in 1987, when the Safoians first moved to America, she couldn't have predicted her success. Her English was mediocre, she had no technical training and she wasn't exactly sure what she was going to do for a living. But she knew she loved her new home country and became a citizen right away.

She took some accounting classes, got a job as a payroll coordinator, which she disliked, yet might have toiled away at forever if the company hadn't laid her off. So she jumped into graphic designed, something she loved, and learned how to build web pages. Her husband found work as a programmer.

Slowly, her hard-work ethic had her customers asking her to do more and more tech jobs. One of them asked her to modify their accounting software. She enlisted her husband's help for that and they founded a tech company, SADA Systems, which then went on to manage computers and networks for small businesses, doing small custom apps for customers along the way.

Story continues

'Hello, this is Google calling'

And then, out of the blue, Google called.

A woman holds her smart phone which displays the Google home page, in this picture illustration taken February 24, 2016. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard/Illustration/Files

"The lucky year was 2007 when Google came to us and needed some help for their Google Apps. We were one of their launch partners on Work," she says, referring to Google's plan to sell Google Apps to more businesses.

Google also wanted SADA to build a tool that would let its customers easily transfer their email and documents into the Google Apps cloud, she says. SADA agreed to work on that, for no compensation, in exchange for becoming a major, early partner authorized to sell Apps.

"We had never had done what they were asking us to do. But we told them we could do it, and worked day and night and delivered it on time," Safoian remembers.

To this day, Safoian doesn't fully know how Google found SADA, except through word-of-mouth referrals when it was looking for a company to help it sell Apps for Work in LA.

Remember, in 2007, Microsoft's Office ruled, businesses distrusted putting their documents in the cloud, and Google had no experience selling its wares to businesses. It needed to start with smaller but established resellers that could help it get a foothold.

Enter Microsoft

Business took off for SADA after it began working with Google Apps. Microsoft took notice and convinced SADA to become a reseller for its cloud product, Office 365, too, which Safoian agreed to do. Both companies wanted SADA to help them steal customers away from each other, but she absolutely refused, she says.

Microsoft

"Believe me. You have to be a politician," she explains when asked how it is to work with both companies.

"People have to trust you. They know we are going to play this the right way. We will never approach anyone and try to sell them something else. It's never going to happen. We made that clear and now they dont even talk about it," she says.



As the cloud has taken off, and SADA has become a top-tier partner for both Google and Microsoft, SADA has found itself working with bigger and bigger customers and branching out in more areas. It's worked with the Chicago Department of Transportation, University of San Diego, Virgin America, the US Air Force, the state of Maryland, city of Los Angeles and so on, it says.

As of this month, SADA will employ 150 people, Safoian tells us. Revenue is expected to hit $65 million this year, up from $50 million last year, she says. All without any VC investment. Her family still owns the company.

Why she doesn't want to sell

Other successful Google cloud resellers have gone the traditional route and are starting to get acquired. Accenture bought Cloud Sherpas in September for an undisclosed but likely hefty sum.

Cloud Sherpas took the traditional startup route and raised nearly $63 million from VCs. It employed over 1,100 people when Accenture bought it.

Safoian knows that it's a risk to turn away potential acquisition offers. But she says it's a calculated risk.

"All of a sudden, things might not be going as well. We are willing to take the risk," she says.

And there's another reason she and her husband keep advising their son and CEO not to sell. She believes that working for what you want is better than having it handed to you.

"One of the things I tell my son every day is you dont need a lot of money. You want to give your children a chance to create something for themselves, to get the pleasure out of it. If everything is given, there is no fun in it," she says.

NOW WATCH: Watch the Air Force drop 8 armored Humvees out of a plane from 5,000 feet





More From Business Insider


This piece is part of an ongoing series on the unsung women of history. Read more here.

In the 1950s, New York City had few protections in place for its historic buildings. The destruction of the original Penn Station, and the subsequent creation of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, was still several years away. So the fate of the vacant and dilapidated Jefferson Market Courthouse, an elaborate Gothic structure in Greenwich Village dating to 1876, looked fixed. At the end of the decade, the city moved to tear it down.

That was, until writer and Village resident Margot Gayle rallied her neighborswho included the critic Lewis Mumford and the poet e.e. cummingsto save the building, first raising funds to get its clock fixed. By the fall of 1960, the clock was ticking again, and the committee expanded its mission, convincing the city to turn the building into a public library. After several years of planning and renovation, the reimagined Jefferson Market Library finally opened its doors in 1967.

By the time she brought her community together to save Old Jeff, Margot Gayle was a veteran campaigner. The woman whom mayor Ed Koch would one day call the Queen of New York was born in Kansas City, Mo., in 1908, and grew up all over, moving schools every year thanks to her fathers job as an automobile executive. After college at the University of Michigan, she moved to Atlanta for a masters degree, where she joined the League of Women Voters and threw herself into the fight to repeal the states poll taxthe system established during Reconstruction that made it much harder for black citizens and poor whites to vote. Her zeal earned her the nickname Poll Tax Margot.

Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter

In the 1940s, the GaylesMargot, her husband and their two childrenmoved to New York City, where Margot worked as a publicist for wartime civil defense programs; wrote for CBS radio, newspapers and magazines; and showed a talent for public relations, which was just coming into its own as a professional field in the early 1950s. In 1957, the same year she got divorced, Gayle announced her candidacy for the all-male City Council, running on the slogan We Need a Woman in the City Council, and dressing up her daughters in old-fashioned suffragist costumes for good measure. She didnt win, but she stayed active in city politics, turning her attention fully to preservation after the Jefferson Market victory.

Story continues

In 1963, when the Beaux-Arts masterpiece of Penn Station was doomed to demolition, the rest of New York woke up to the risks of over-zealous development. Gayle emerged as a leader among the architects, historians and community activists who cherished the citys history and character, even where it was impractical and inefficient. They battled planners and politicians who were seduced by the vision of an orderly, car-friendly, urban utopiathe modernized mediocrity that Life magazine decried in a 1963 article on the loss of Penn Station, which was illustrated with haunting photographs by Walker Evans.

Unlike her more famous co-conspirator Jane Jacobs, who fought to preserve the organic connection between the city and its inhabitants, Gayles attention was drawn to the physical structures of the city. She focused on the distinctive 19th-century cast-iron buildings downtown, leading walking tours around SoHo with a magnet in her pocket to show audiences that the buildings really had iron framing. Always savvy in her allegiances, she enlisted the support of the artists who lived and worked in the areas lofts, who could be trusted to value aesthetics over practicality. By 1973, Gayle and the organizations she foundedthe Victorian Society in America and the Friends of Cast Iron Architecturewere able to designate a full 26 blocks of SoHo, from West Broadway to Crosby Street, as the Cast Iron Historic District. Years later, after gentrification had transformed the area from artistic enclave to outdoor shopping mall, she acknowledged that good intentions were no match for market forces. Thats the price of getting something saved, she said. Theres got to be money in it for someone.

As a regular columnist for the Daily News on architecture and the changing face of New York, Margot Gayle had long witnessed the rapid pace of development and wanted to keep traces of history visiblenot just buildings, but smaller details and flourishes, like clocks and lampposts, that gave the city its unique character. The work of her cast-iron enthusiasts group stretched far beyond, however, and helped to save structures in Mississippi, Alabama, and New Orleans. Quite simply, as she put it to the New York Times in 1998ten years before her death at the age of 100Why not let people in the future enjoy some of the things we thought were extremely fine?
Landing the perfect job is no easy feat, which is why this California woman decided to celebrate with a photo shoot  just her and her offer.

Read: Amputee Veterans Reveal Why They Showed Off Their Battle Scars in Latest Nude Photo Shoot

Benita Abraham from Long Beach told InsideEdition.com that she has been working in healthcare administration for over 15 years.

After being laid off from her last position in December, she spent the seven months unemployed and working to figure out the next steps in her career, KCBS reported.

Finally, in July, a company in her field reached out to her with a formal offer.

I was so excited and trying not to make a fool out of myself on the phone with the recruiter, Abraham told InsideEdition.com. I knew what I wanted to do and how I wanted my career path to go, and it just fell in line.

She decided to break the news on Facebook, but decided her milestone deserved more acknowledgement than a simple status update.

Abraham instead decided to do a photo shoot, honoring the newest achievement in her life.

I finally found my soulmate, my perfect match, my boo, she wrote on Facebook. After 7 long months, I found the perfect job.

She used supplies from a dollar store and her iPhone to create romantic scenes on the beach, where she held up a sign that said, I said yes!

Abraham even took pictures of herself in bed with the framed offer, captioning it #EmployedWithBenefits.

Read: Bride Raps to Vanilla Ice's Hit Song During Wedding Speech: 'He Got Me Ice, Ice, Baby'

While the photo series has left friends and strangers laughing, Abraham said she hopes it can help other women realize that significant events other than engagements, weddings and pregnancies should be celebrated.

There is this well-known expectation [in my family] that once you get to a certain age, you get married, you have children, and thats your life goal, she said. For me, Ive never been of that mold. Its letting people know you dont have to follow that mold as a woman.

Story continues

Watch: Man, 54, Graduates College After a Lifetime Battling Alcoholism, Homelessness and Jail Time

Related Articles:
(NEW ORLEANS)  It was more than seven years from the time Ernest Smith, 38, died outside his New Orleans home in the spring of 2006 until his widow was arrested and charged in his death, but she had been on police radar early on.

Please be advised that the beneficiary, Emma Smith, wife of the deceased, cannot be ruled out as a suspect in the death of Ernest Smith, a New Orleans detective wrote to an insurance investigation company in a July 12, 2006, letter.

By the time Emma Smith was arrested in that case in 2013, she had a new name, Emma Raine, and was, again, a widow. Her third husband, James Raine, 37, was shot to death at the couples Pearl River County, Mississippi, home in 2011.

Emma Raine was out of town at the time, but authorities still had suspicions.

She is a suspect in that James Raine case, Pearl River County Sheriff David Allison said in a 2015 interview.

And through investigating that case we were able to get some information that New Orleans needed and passed it on to them, Allison added.

No arrests have been reported in James Raines death. Emma Raine has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Ernest Smith. Jury selection began Tuesday and opening statements could begin Wednesday in New Orleans. Conviction would mean a mandatory life sentence for the 52-year-old woman.

Court documents and testimony in an earlier trial make clear that James Raine also was under suspicion in Ernest Smiths death. His adoptive brother, Alfred T. Everette, was charged with being the trigger man in Smiths death. He was convicted of second-degree murder late last year after prosecutors said he had been promised  by James and Emma Raine  $10,000 from an $800,000 life insurance benefit. His appeal is pending at the state Supreme Court.

Jurors may also hear testimony about the death of Emma Raines first husband, Leroy Evans, who died while hospitalized in 1994 after having been hit by a car. No arrests were ever reported in that case but, during Everettes trial, prosecutors said the death was suspicious.
Dublin (AFP) - Brazil's JBS, the world's biggest meat company, has said it will move its headquarters to Ireland but Irish officials reacted dismissively to the announcement on Wednesday, saying it would not bring jobs and investment.

The plans announced this month by JBS, which will reportedly see more than 30 billion euros' ($34 billion) worth of its assets being shifted to Ireland on paper, make it the latest to take advantage of Ireland's favourable corporate tax rate.

"Ireland does not encourage such transactions. Ireland does not encourage the location of brass-plate operations," an Irish finance ministry spokesman told AFP.

"We only have and want real substantive FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) -- the kind that brings real jobs and investment into Ireland," he said.

Like several multinationals drawn to low-tax Ireland, the funds for the newly-created JBS Foods International will be managed abroad -- Britain in this case.

The announcement was made by JBS to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last week.

The ministry spokesman said Ireland was working with other countries to address concerns over so-called "inversions", which allow multinationals to channel profits through low-tax jurisdictions, as it did not have the power to prevent such deals unilaterally.

"The Irish government has made clear that we would welcome any changes made by the other administrations to address inversions," he said.

Irish economist Jim Power branded the move "a total joke" that would bring further unwelcome scrutiny of Irelands 12.5 percent corporation tax.

"The bottom line is that this is the sort of business Ireland should be running a mile from - the government should be working harder to prevent deals such as this; they are bad news for Ireland.

It is also unclear what effect the 30 billion-euro transfer will have on Irelands economic growth data.

When the countrys Central Statistics Office announced growth of 26.3 percent for 2015 -- skewed by inflows as a result of several corporate inversion deals -- the figure was widely ridiculed as "leprechaun economics".

Story continues

Ireland's low corporate tax rate is frequently criticised by other EU member states but the government has worked to close tax loopholes.

The country hosts the European headquarters of US tech giants including Google and Facebook.

JBS last year bought Northern Ireland-based poultry producer Moy Park for $1.5 billion.

JBS is the world's biggest beef producer.
vietnam girl umbrella grass

Its been understood for a while that Vietnam will

probably not reach the ambitious growth target it set for itself in 2016. Its growth in the second quarter was a pretty lackluster 5.6%, bringing first half growth to a total of 5.5%  well below its 6.7% target.

So the economy probably isnt going to grow by nearly enough in the rest of the year to make 2016 look great. The new Prime Minister, Nguyen Xuan Phuc  who succeeded former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung after he set an even more ambitious target of 7% earlier this year  even said it would be hard to achieve the necessary expansion in the second half of 2016.

But there are promising signs for Vietnams economy, according to a new research note from HSBC, despite todays slow growth.

One of the biggest causes of Vietnams problems in 2016 has been a huge drought  the worst in three decades and caused in part by El Nino.

Its dealt a major blow to the agricultural sector, which makes up 13% of the economy and experienced a 0.8% year-over-year drop in output. Its also probably had an effect on consumer spending, as agricultural workers  nearly half of Vietnams workforce  have seen their incomes fall.

But, importantly, other sectors have strengthened as agriculture fell. According to HSBC, the manufacturing sector jumped 10% in the first half of 2016, and construction jumped almost 9%. And manufacturing has continued to expand after the second quarter: Output increased in July for the eighth straight month, although at the slowest rate in four months.

Theres also hope for Vietnam that the Trans-Pacific Partnership  a pact that aims to foster trade between 12 countries, including Vietnam  will pass. Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump oppose the deal, and its unclear if it will be ratified or not. But if it were to come to fruition, the World Bank estimates it would lift Vietnams GDP by 10% by 2030.

Story continues

NOW WATCH: We asked a Navy SEAL what he ate during training, and his answer shocked us





More From Business Insider


Practicing yoga regularly may help relieve stress, suggests a small study of women.

In the recent report, published in the journal Journal of Psychophysiology, researchers in Australia looked at 116 adult women who reported experiencing moderate to very high levels of stress for at least a month. These women were assigned to either partake in a regular yoga practice or not do yoga. The women in the yoga group were asked to complete 16 one-hour yoga classes, twice a week, over an eight week period, though women could also do just one class a week. About 40 women went to at least one class a week for eight weeks.

Study author Kaitlin N. Harkess, a PhD candidate at the University of Adelaide in Australia and a yoga teacher, says she was inspired to do the study after experiencing stress relief from the practice herself. Over the years I noticed how practicing yoga regularly helped me balance my own stress levels and find joy through challenging periods, she says. I had students telling me their own stories of psychological and physiological change, which I found really inspiring.

The women who practiced yoga had lower levels of psychological distress as well as less perceived stress compared to the women who did not practice yoga. Women in the yoga group also had higher levels of more positive emotions and moods. The women also experienced lower waist size and more flexibility. The researchers didnt see a difference in blood pressure levels, mindfulness, well-being, and negative moods.

Since the number of women in the study is small, the researchers say they cant make any definitive conclusions, but that the findings do suggest that people might experience more positive emotions and less stress when practicing yoga at least once a week. The researchers didnt look at why yoga had an effect on stress and other markers, but as TIME has previously reported, other research has shown that practicing yoga can lower risk for heart problems as well as lower symptoms of pain and depression.

I think that the take-home message is that further investigation of yoga practices relationship with mental health and physical health is warranted, says Harkess.
YouTube star Gigi Gorgeous says that she's been released after reportedly being detained at the Dubai airport for several hours on Tuesday for being a transgender woman.

The internet celebrity, who gained fame for candidly documenting her transition on social media, addressed the frightening incident on Instagram alongside a photo of her friend, Nats Getty, hugging her in the airport.

"After being detained and held at the Dubai airport for over 5 hours, this was the moment my baby came to rescue me," Gigi captioned the snapshot. "Yesterday was one of the scariest moments of my entire life and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. How you can be denied entry somewhere just because of who you are is seriously disgusting and also very scary."

WATCH: YouTube Superstar Gigi Gorgeous Reveals the Best Advice Miley Cyrus Has Given Her

"This further proves the need for CHANGE," she continued. "I am now on my way to somewhere much more accepting. Safe and sound and happy. I love you guys."

Gigi recounted the troubling incident to TMZ on Tuesday, claiming that the immigration officer in Dubai said, "I was told you are transgender. You cannot come into the country."

MORE: 7 YouTube Stars Working Hard to Become the Next Oprah

While Gigi was born Gregory Lazzarto, she officially changed her name to Gigi Loren in 2014, and says that is the name that appears in her updated passport. Gigi also says her passport describes her as female.

According to TMZ, airport police claim her passport and passport photo depict her as male, and that "imitation of women by men" is illegal in Dubai.

Related Articles
For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL  August 10, 2016 - Stocks in this weeks article include: Amkor Technology, Inc. (AMKR), Comfort Systems USA Inc. (FIX), Celestica Inc. (CLS), OFG Bancorp ( OFG) and Principal Financial Group Inc. (PFG).

Screen of the Week of Zacks Investment Research:

5 Stocks with Strikingly Low EV/EBITDA Ratios to Buy Now

Price-to-earnings (P/E) is by far the most popular metric used by investors to work out the fair value of a stock. Many prefer to take the P/E route in their pursuit of a portfolio of stocks with attractive prices. In fact, the idea of chasing stocks with a low P/E is ingrained in the minds of many value investors. However, even this easy-to-compute, widely used metric is not without its pitfalls.

EV/EBITDA is a Better Approach, Heres Why



No doubt P/E enjoys great popularity among value inventors. But a more complicated and less used metric called EV/EBITDA is sometimes viewed as a better alternative as it offers a clearer picture of a firms valuation and its earnings potential.



EV/EBITDA is the enterprise value (EV) of a stock divided by its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). EV is the sum of a companys market capitalization, its debt and preferred stock minus cash and cash equivalents. Essentially, it is the entire value of a company.



EBITDA, the other component of the ratio, gives the true picture of a companys profitability as it removes the impact of non-cash expenses like depreciation and amortization that depress net earnings. It is also often used as a proxy for cash flows.



Usually, the lower the EV/EBITDA ratio, the more appealing it is. A low EV/EBITDA ratio could imply that a stock is potentially undervalued and vice versa.



Also referred to as the enterprise multiple, EV/EBITDA takes a more complete approach to valuation. It takes into account the debt on a companys balance sheet that P/E ratio ignores. This is the reason why EV/EBITDA is typically used to value potential acquisition targets. It shows the amount of debt the acquirer has to bear. Stocks boasting a low EV/EBITDA multiple could be seen as attractive takeover candidates.



Another flaw of P/E is that it cant be used to value a loss-making firm. Moreover, a companys earnings are subject to accounting estimates and management manipulation. On the contrary, EV/EBITDA is less susceptible to manipulation and can also be used to value firms that have negative net earnings but are positive at the EBITDA level.



EV/EBITDA also determines the total value of a company while P/E solely considers its equity portion. EV/EBITDA is also a useful tool in measuring the value of companies with highly leveraged balance sheets and substantial depreciation and amortization expenses. It also can be used to compare companies with different levels of debt.



However, EV/EBITDA is too not devoid of drawbacks. The ratio varies across industries (a high-growth industry typically has higher multiple) and is usually not appropriate for comparing stocks in different industries due to their diverse capital expenditure requirements.

Story continues

So, instead of solely banking on EV/EBITDA, you can combine it with the other major ratios such as price-to-book (P/B), P/E and price-to-sales (P/S) to achieve the desired outcome.



Screening Criteria



Here are the parameters to screen for value stocks:



EV/EBITDA 12 Months-Most Recent less than X-Industry Median : A lower EV/EBITDA ratio represents a cheaper valuation.



P/E using (F1) less than X-Industry Median : This metric screens stocks that are trading at a discount to their peers.



P/B less than X-Industry Median : A lower P/B compared with the industry average implies that the stock is undervalued.



P/S less than X-Industry Median : The lower the P/S ratio the more attractive the stock is as investors will have to pay a smaller price for the same amount of sales generated by the company.



Estimated One-Year EPS Growth F(1)/F(0) greater than or equal to X-Industry Median : This parameter will help in screening stocks that have growth rates higher than the industry median. This is a meaningful indicator as decent earnings growth always adds to investor optimism.



Average 20-day Volume greater than or equal to 100,000 : The addition of this metric ensures that shares can be traded easily.



Current Price greater than or equal to $5 : This parameter will help in screening stocks that are trading at a minimum price of $5 or higher.



Zacks Rank less than or equal to 2 : No screening is complete without the Zacks Rank, which has proven its worth since inception. It is a fundamental truth that stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or #2 (Buy) have always managed to beat adversities and outperform the market.



Value Score of less than or equal to B : Our research shows that stocks with a Style Score of A or B when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 offer the best upside potential.



Here are five of the 10 stocks that passed the screen:



Amkor Technology, Inc. (AMKR) is a leading provider of semiconductor packaging and test services. Moreover, the company is one of the leading developers of advanced semiconductor packaging and test technology. This Zacks Rank #1 stock has expected year-over-year earnings growth of 29.4% for 2016 and 40.9% for 2017.



Comfort Systems USA Inc. (FIX) is a national provider of comprehensive heating, ventilation and air conditioning installation, maintenance, repair and replacement services. This Zacks Rank #2 company delivered an average positive earnings surprise of around 28.2% over the trailing four quarters.



Celestica Inc. (CLS) is one of the largest electronics manufacturing services company in the world, serving the computer, and communications sectors. This Zacks Rank #2 stock has expected year-over-year earnings growth of 26.5% for 2016 and 3.5% for 2017.



OFG Bancorp (OFG) is a financial holding company that conducts its business activities through its subsidiaries, primarily in Puerto Rico. This Zacks Rank #2 stock has expected year-over-year earnings growth of a whopping 379.7% for 2016.



Principal Financial Group Inc. (PFG) is a leading provider of retirement savings, investment and insurance products and services. The company carries a Zacks Rank #2 and has an expected EPS growth rate of 6.5% for 3 to 5 years.



You can get the rest of the stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your own trading. Further, you can also create your own strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge.



The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.



Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today .



Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.



Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance.



Zacks Restaurant Recommendations: In addition to dining at these special places, you can feast on their stock shares. A Zacks Special Report spotlights 5 recent IPOs to watch plus 2 stocks that offer immediate promise in a booming sector. Download it free 

Sign up now for your free trial today and start picking better stocks immediately. And with the backtesting feature, you can test your ideas to see how you can improve your trading in both up markets and down markets. Dont wait for the market to get better before you decide to do better. Start learning how to be a better trader today: https://at.zacks.com/?id=111

Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.

About Screen of the Week

Zacks.com created the first and best screening system on the web earning the distinction as the "#1 site for screening stocks" by Money Magazine. But powerful screening tools is just the start. That is why Zacks created the Screen of the Week to highlight profitable stock picking strategies that investors can actively use. Each week, Zacks Profit from the Pros free email newsletter shares a new screening strategy. Learn more about it here https://at.zacks.com/?id=112

About Zacks

Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978. The later formation of the Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock picking system; continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Click here for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros.

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacksresearch

Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZacksInvestmentResearch

Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.

Contact: Jim Giaquinto

Company: Zacks.com

Phone: 312-265-9268

Email: pr@zacks.com

Visit: https://www.zacks.com/performance

Zacks.com provides investment resources and informs you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. Zacks is providing information on this resource to you subject to the Zacks "Terms and Conditions of Service" disclaimer. www.zacks.com/disclaimer .

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



AMKOR TECH INC (AMKR): Free Stock Analysis Report



COMFORT SYSTEMS (FIX): Free Stock Analysis Report



CELESTICA INC (CLS): Free Stock Analysis Report



OFG BANCORP (OFG): Free Stock Analysis Report



PRINCIPAL FINL (PFG): Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
By Chris Mfula and Stella Mapenzauswa LUSAKA (Reuters) - Zambia braced for what is expected to be bruising battle on Thursday to elect a new president and legislators, contested against the backdrop of lethargic growth as weak commodity prices have hit Africa's No. 2 copper producer. President Edgar Lungu and his main rival Hakainde Hichilema both have said they are confident of outright victory, but either could fail to garner more than half of the vote as required by electoral law, necessitating a second round. After a campaign marred by violence, Lungu and Hichilema on Wednesday made their final plea for votes in the capital, Lusaka, each pledging to steer the economy onto a firmer footing. "I have been on probation for one year, six months and I think I have done very well. I promise to serve you even better," Lungu told thousands of supporters at his final rally, referring to last year's vote to replace late president Michael Sata in which he narrowly beat Hichilema. "And I promise to respect the results and I will not fight even one day, to remain in State House. But I will not allow somebody to come to State House (through) violence or intimidation," he added. TENSIONS HIGH Supporters of Lungu's ruling Patriotic Front (PF) and Hichilema's United Party for National Development (UPND) have clashed in the run-up to the poll, forcing the electoral commission to temporarily suspend campaigning at one point. Tensions are high in what is otherwise one of Africa's most stable democracies, as Zambians grapple with rising unemployment after mine closures, chronic electricity shortages and soaring prices of household goods. Economist-turned-businessman Hichilema says Lungu, a former lawyer, lacks the expertise to manage the economy. "The difference between PF and UPND is what we bring to the table, knowledge of the financial markets and economics," Hichilema said on a radio program on Wednesday. "We are business people. We understand the economy, this economy is broken." Zambia is in talks with the International Monetary Fund over a possible financing deal, after conceding its budget deficit, which has averaged 4.8 percent of gross domestic product in the last two years, was unsustainable. Lungu insists the economic downturn was beyond his control given Zambia's heavy reliance on copper exports, but that his government has made strides in commissioning new power plants and investing in diversifying the economy toward sectors like agriculture. To win, a presidential candidate will have to garner 50 percent of the valid votes cast plus at least one additional vote, and a re-run must be held within 37 days if no one succeeds. Hichilema also says that with the police blocking several of his rallies and coverage by state media biased in favor of the ruling party, the election will not be free and fair. Lungu, however, insists the playing field has been level. "The probability of a contested election result is growing, which would undermine the credibility of the vote and trigger more widespread partisan violence," said Robert Besseling, head of the EXX Africa think tank. (Writing by Stella Mapenzauswa, editing by G Crosse)
LUSAKA (Reuters) - Zambia holds a general election on Thursday, pitting President Edgar Lungu as the flag-bearer for the ruling party against opponents who blame him for a weak economy, led by front-runner Hakainde Hichilema. Below are some of the key facts about the election and referendum in Africa's second-biggest producer of copper, which is a mainstay of its economy. - There are 6.6 million registered voters in a country with a population of about 15 million. - Voting starts at 6 am local time (0400 GMT) and ends at 6 pm (1600 GMT). - Zambians will be voting for the posts of president and a running mate who will be the vice-president, 150 members of parliament, mayors and councillors. - Voters will also cast a ballot in a referendum on proposed amendments to the Constitution, including changes to the Bill of Rights. - Lungu, who heads the Patriotic Front party, is a former lawyer. He narrowly beat Hichilema, known locally as "HH", of the United Party for National Development in a vote last year to replace Michael Sata, who died in office in October 2014. - Forum for Democracy and Development leader Edith Nwakakwi is expected to run a distant third. - To win, a presidential candidate must garner 50 percent of the valid votes cast plus at least one additional vote. - If none of the candidates receive the required amount of votes, a re-run for the top-two candidates will be held within 37 days. - For MPs, mayors and councillors, the candidate with the largest number of votes will be declared to have won. - The final results will likely be known by Saturday, according to electoral officials. (Reporting by Chris Mfula; Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa and James Macharia)
2016 is turning out to be a big year for the Toronto duo Zeds Dead: After a series of EPs and singles, DC (Dylan Mamid) and Hooks (Zachary Rapp-Rovan) are putting the finishing touches on a new album, which they hope to release by "the end of September, early October."

Zeds Dead Announce New Tour and Album, Premiere 'One Time' ft. Murs: Exclusive

The full-length features a star-studded guest list -- Jadakiss, Weezer's Rivers Cuomo, Diplo -- and to put the record out, Zeds Dead launched their own record label, Deadbeats. On Friday, Jauz, REZZ, and more will help the duo celebrate Deadbeats at a show in Toronto.

See you on Friday Toronto! pic.twitter.com/rk6xu6Ac3m

- ZEDS DEAD (@whoszed) August 9, 2016

Sitting with Billboard Dance in Manhattan's East River Park, the two producers discussed their new music and their love of classic hip-hop.

This album has been in the works for a while?

DC: The oldest track on the album actually dates back three or four years. But the main focus has been the last year and a half or so. We decided to make an album as soon as we did Zeds Dead. It was always a goal of ours. We put aside other stuff as we were making EPs and doing singles. We just felt like now was the time.

Hooks: We've also been touring nonstop since 2010. It was a year ago or so when we were like, we want to have a less crazy tour schedule for the next year so that we can actually work on this album and do it properly and not rush it. We still have to do it in hotel rooms and on planes, but we want to be in the studio as much as possible. That's what the last year has been like for us. Still a lot of shows, but less than before so we can be in the studio whenever we can.

Why did you decide to collaborate with so many vocalists?

DC: We wanted to not just do club-based music for the album - or any one thing. A lot of this album is just songs. Me and Zac don't sing, and we don't rap as much anymore, so we wanted people to complement our instrumentals.

Story continues

Hooks: As producers, we've always wanted to make songs for other people. In this day and age, you can shine as a producer and have your name be first. People recognize you for your work, while in the past, the producer was in the background.

DC: There were some albums like that when we were coming up, but they were few and far between, and not as big.

Hooks: Also, this many years in doing Zeds Dead, we have more access to people's managers. It's easier to connect the dots now. When we started, it was very difficult to get in contact with certain people to send them beats.

Between the two of you, is there a way that the beat-making often breaks down?

DC: We're both self-taught producers who started in our respective basements. Often we start something separately, work on it a bit, show it to the other one, and if the other person likes it, we'll take it into the studio. But for this album, we started more stuff together than we traditionally have. We challenge ourselves to be the best producers we can be, working on every aspect of the production - the lyrics, the songwriting. Doing an album like this is a good way to throw yourself into a situation where you're forced to learn new things.

Why did you enlist Rivers Cuomo for this album?

Hooks: Someone from our publishing company worked with him too and suggested him. We're big fans of Weezer. We went over to his place in Santa Monica and played him some stuff. He was into it. He was a really nice guy, humble. It's even crazier that the track ended up being him and Pusha T. I feel like that's something that we made happen.

DC: He's pretty open to whatever as long as he likes it.

Hooks: He liked a couple of them. He was asking if we had any pointers - I was like, maybe go on the vibe of "Island In The Sun?" He was like, "OK, I'll remember that."

The rappers that you have on here are mostly veterans - Jadakiss, Pusha T, Freddie Gibbs -

DC: We like good rappers. We're in New York right now; that's the Mecca of hip-hop for me. I like all sorts of stuff, but my heart is with the golden era, East Coast sound. These guys are legends to us. The type of hip-hop we gravitate towards involves good lyrics.

Hooks: New York had a huge influence on the Toronto hip-hop scene. Now you're sort of losing the geographic-centered styles. People in Toronto are doing songs like people in the South.

DC: Desiigner's from Brooklyn!

Hooks: It doesn't matter where you're from. I saw the same thing happen with graffiti. There used to be regional styles; with the internet, it's all global now. Which is a good thing and a bad thing at the same time. People don't care about rap anymore - if it's good rap. They just like songs. If you're a hip-head head, and you like bars [good lyrics], you like Styles P and Jadakiss. Now it's more about the hook then the story.

And you're putting this out on your own label?

DC: Yes we're putting it out on our own label, Deadbeats. We just started it; it's something we've been planning for a while. It felt right to launch our own proper album off our own label. We have a really strong movement and fanbase, people that ride with us. It makes sense to center everything around Zeds Dead.

Hooks: We've always done everything ourself. We didn't have any major labels or anything helping us out at any point in our career. In this day and age, if you have your own fanbase, what's the point of getting with a big label?

DC: All the means are there for direct communication with your fanbase. That's not to take anything away from the labels that we've linked with. But now we want to be able to do it ourselves.

Hooks: Shout-out to Mad Decent for being down with us for a long time. We had a great relationship with them. In the same way we looked up to how Diplo started his own label, we want to do that.

So do you have anybody you bounce your ideas off when they're finished, or is it just you two?

Hooks: Hardly anybody.

DC: We've always had each other.

Hooks: It's really hard when you play things for people, because anything they do will get in your head. And sample size is a big factor. If you play something for two people, and they both don't like it, that might not mean anything, but you're gonna think the song sucks. If both of us like something, that's a good sign.
By Jeffrey Moyo CHIPINGE, Zimbabwe (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Lush tracts of bamboo spread across southeastern Chipinge district, where the tall plant is increasingly regarded as green gold by villagers. They are harvesting it commercially while helping preserve Zimbabwe's fast-dwindling forests. Bamboo is native to Zimbabwe, according to Bio-Innovation Zimbabwe, a research organization specializing in underutilized plant species. The giant grass stays green all year round, and its woody, hollow stem grows again rapidly after it is cut down. In countries like China, bamboo has long been an industrial crop, but it is only now gaining popularity among agricultural entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe who are promoting it as an alternative to traditional timber. For villagers like Natalia Sithole, a 27-year-old mother of three from Mount Selinda in Chipinge, growing bamboo has proved a reliable safeguard against poverty. Sithole, who started eking out a living from bamboo at the age of 17 after having her first child, sells the plant to people around the country who use it to make products, earning her about $120 weekly. My life has changed for the better thanks to bamboo, and Im managing to support even my poor parents and siblings, besides my own children, Sithole said. The Chipinge agricultural office said about 580 women in the district were growing bamboo commercially as of early this year. SAVING FORESTS Just as important to some Zimbabweans are the environmental benefits. The plant is proving a boon to the countrys dwindling forests, where an estimated 330,000 trees are lost annually to deforestation, much of it for commercial reasons. Environmental experts say the rate of forest loss would be far higher were it not for the bamboo in areas like Manicaland Province. Zimbabwes environment ministry says around 85,000 trees are saved annually through the use of bamboo as an alternative. Bamboo can help rural communities become less vulnerable to poverty and climate change impacts when people include the grass in sustainable forestry and agro-forestry systems, said Louise Bragge, a bamboo consultant with Bio-Innovation Zimbabwe. Bamboo thrives in wet areas like Mount Selinda, but agriculture experts say it can also tolerate harsher conditions. Bamboo is drought-resistant as it has roots that grow slightly deeper, enabling it to reach out to more water underground, said Regis Mhandu, a government agricultural extension officer. In Mount Selinda, villagers use bamboo in place of timber for a range of wood products, from household furniture and cooking utensils to toothpicks and even coffins. Many local buyers of bamboo products, like Melford Dhliwayo, say they have fallen in love with items made from the grass, and are pleased they help reduce deforestation. Furniture made from bamboo is quite durable even for outdoor use, unlike wood, and this means forests now are at (less risk) of being destroyed, Dhliwayo said. Bamboo is also a handy substitute for wood in housing construction. According to the Mount Selinda Womens Bamboo Association, a six-member group set up in 2011, approximately 600 village huts have been erected here using bamboo poles instead of wood over the past several years. FINANCIAL RETURNS Environmental activists anticipate bamboo will become popular across the country because of its economic incentives. While bamboo is helping in the fight against deforestation, its popularity is set to grow owing to the financial returns the grass offers to growers. So as people fend off deforestation, they also make money from it, said Patience Chiri, an independent environmental activist. The bamboo harvested from one acre of land sells for $220, much less than timber which sells for $350 per acre, according to the Mount Selinda womens group. But bamboo matures more quickly. Erinus Ngadziore, a bamboo producer in Chipinge, says it is far less labor-intensive to cultivate than replanting trees after they have been felled. The bamboo also grows faster than normal trees, reaching full growth in two to three months, meaning early returns for us, he added. Some tobacco growers have started using bamboo to cure the golden leaf. According to statistics for 2015 from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board, around 9 percent of Zimbabwes 72,000 tobacco growers now use bamboo to cure their crop. The shift appeals to tobacco farmers such as Munyaradzi Ngorima from Manicaland Province. The days of going all out in search of firewood to cure tobacco could soon be over, said Ngorima. (Reporting by Jeffrey Moyo; editing by James Baer and Megan Rowling. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org)
Phoebe Dahl, founder of Faircloth & Supply. (Photo: Mark Peckmezian)

Do you remember as a child being badgered by your parents in the morning to go to school and feeling that sense of dread that kept you hitting the Snooze button way too many times? Well, for young Nepali girls, its the complete opposite. For them, school is the chance of a lifetime.



In the next few weeks, more than 50 million students in the United States will go back to school. The opportunity for an education in our country is granted to each child regardless of race, sex, or class. Unfortunately, this is not the case in many parts of the world, including Nepal. But one young fashion designer is making strides to change that. Her name is Phoebe Dahl, and she is the founder and creative director of Los Angeles-based clothing brand Faircloth & Supply. Her collection consists of sustainably produced linen shirts, blazers, tees, and jumpsuits that possess that minimalistic, chic, utilitarian quality that can easily make them your go-to uniform.

Even better, Dahl has devoted her clothing line to empowering women  through providing beautiful garments that also give back to young girls in Nepal through GWP and B Project, two nonprofit organizations focused on bringing educational opportunities to children who need them most.

After traveling to the region, Dahl was inspired to help the Nepali girls, who she saw were overwhelmingly denied the right to an education  and, by extension, were at high risk for sex trafficking. UNICEF reports that at least 7,000 Nepali girls are sex-trafficked every year. Its important to note Nepal still uses the caste system, and young Nepali girls are often denied schooling because of their class, gender, or lack of money.

If Dahls name rings a bell, its because her grandfather was Roald Dahl, the legendary author who penned childhood classics like James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, and The BFG. Although Phoebe was only 1 years old when he passed, his legacy lived on through her mother, who instilled in Phoebe her fervent passion for change, female empowerment, and the infinite possibilities that come with staying positive.

Story continues

There was just so much magic in our childhood, from spontaneous treasure hunts in the middle of the night to a lot of animals  bunnies, parrots, lizards, guinea pigs, you name it. Anything you can imagine, we had it. That was just my mom being so nurturing of her children and how formative those years [were] for me  really getting me to believe in magic and positivity, Dahl tells Yahoo Style.

Dahl hopes to provide young women with the same opportunity of dreaming big, starting with giving Nepali girls a chance at a better life through education.

Yahoo Style spoke to Dahl to learn more about the origins of Faircloth & Supply, how she keeps the brand sustainable and ethical, and her goals for the future. Lets break it down.

Photo: Courtesy of Faircloth & Supply

How It Started

Yahoo Style: Can you tell me a little bit about your background and how your interest in fashion began?

Phoebe Dahl: I went to college in San Francisco. Ive been designing and sewing since I was about 10 years old. I used to go visit my grandma, who owned an antique fabric and furniture store in Santa Fe, and she would teach me about the antique fabrics that she had in her shop. Thats where my love for textiles came from. She was a collector of antique French linens and 18th century farm plaids. I would sit and sew little hats with her  little berets out of these beautiful fabrics. That has been ingrained in me since I was a little girl.

I took on her passion as my own. When I was in middle school, I would sew little circle skirts, and they started to become a trend, so I was very busy in elementary school. I would bring a little swatch book of fabrics so the girls [at my school] could choose how they wanted their skirts. Then I would go home and make the skirts. I made quite a killing. I was a little hustler. [Laughs]

I later went to [the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising] in San Francisco. When I was applying to colleges, none of my classmates had any idea of what they wanted to do. I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and so I just went for it.



Photo: Courtesy of Faircloth & Supply



The Inspiration

Can you describe more about Faircloth & Supply and its inspiration?

I lived in Amsterdam for about three years in my early 20s. While I was living there, I was working for a designer who brought me on a work trip with her to Tokyo and India. My biggest takeaway for Tokyo was the style. Ive never seen men and women just wearing linen all the time in a stylish way. I was exposed to a different way of wearing linen and styling linen that sparked so many ideas, creativity, and inspiration within me. I decided this is what Im going to do. I started to design linen pieces that can be both high-fashion and trendy and [that] people my age would want to wear.

Photo: Courtesy of Faircloth & Supply



Ethical and Sustainable Initiatives

Can you describe how the brand is sustainable?

Linen is a natural fiber, so I only use natural fibers like linen and cotton. Using natural fibers is better for the environment to begin with than actually producing the fabric. As often as we can, well use organic cotton. For a lot of the dyeing that we do, we use organic and natural dyes. Most of them are seaweed-based dyes.

Tell me about how you decided to work with the B Project and GWP over other organizations?

When I started Faircloth, I knew I wanted to have a charitable component to it. I have worked in philanthropy and charitable work since I was a young girl, so thats something thats really close to my heart. I also knew I wanted it to be a womens empowerment organization targeting sex trafficking or child marriages because thats what I saw during my trip to India. I saw the gender inequality firsthand. It resonated with me, and I wanted to be the voice for these girls who dont have a voice. The B Project founder is actually a good friend of mine. We were connected through a mutual friend as we both lived in Los Angeles and were working toward the same end goal. It was like fate bringing us together to collaborate.

Whats it like working with the B Project?

With the B Project, were actually building a sewing school for [Nepali] women to learn how to sew and have an income for themselves. The B project just finished building the school [in Nepal], and now theyre starting the sewing classes.

Photo: Courtesy of Faircloth & Supply



One-to-One Relationship

Can you specify how Faircloth & Supplys partnership with GWP benefits the Nepali girls?

For each piece of clothing that we sell, we donate a school uniform. Often in Nepal and [largely in] India, children cant go to school if they dont have a school uniform. A lot of families cant afford the uniform, so that prevents them from going to school. If they cant afford it, theyll send the boy in the family and the girl gets left behind.

How many uniforms do you provide every year?

Every year it grows. To date, its been around 5,200.

Do you visit Nepal often and see the girls youve provided uniforms for?

I go to Nepal once a year. The last time I was there, I got to visit all the villages where we were giving out the uniforms, meet the girls, and spend time with them. Theyre so thankful and grateful for the uniforms. When I handed out the uniforms, every single one of them ran up, hugged me, and thanked me. They then stripped down from the clothes that they were wearing and put their uniform on immediately, even if it was mis-buttoned. Its incredibly touching because its so different than the way our kids are in America. They dont want to wear their uniforms. They dont want to go to school. For the kids over there, its the complete opposite.

Fast Fashion

How do you feel about the rise of fast fashion today, and do you think it will ever cease to exist in the future?

I think its about educating people, I really do. I think people are unaware of it. If someone says heres a $10 T-shirt, you dont know where that T-shirt came from or the background of it. Why would you know? My hope is that it will be similar to the food revolution that has happened. It was only 10 years ago that people had no concept or understanding of organic food. And now people care.

At first, documentaries came out, people started to become aware, and that was just through education. It changed the food industry and the way people treated their bodies. People care because they know the effects of it. Hopefully were just at the beginning of that revolution within the fashion industry. Its just bridging that gap between manufacturer and consumer. People have no idea where their clothing comes from. People are just disconnected. If they cant see it, it doesnt happen.

Theres a documentary that just came out a couple of months ago called The True Cost, and it was highlighting that issue. Its all about the garment industry and the true cost of a garment, what it looks like on the other side. Its an incredible documentary. Olivia Firth was involved. Shes very active in organic and ethical clothing design.

Photo: Courtesy of Faircloth & Supply



Career Advice

For every aspiring fashion designer who wants to be sustainable or ethical about how they make their clothing, what do you recommend?

The thing is, I think people have this notion that its a lot more difficult or more expensive than it is, but its really not. It just about putting in that little extra research to find that particular manufacturer and asking questions. The lasting effects are just not worth it. But any small adjustment you can make would be wonderful. It doesnt have to be the full package. I pretty much do it all  ethically made, organically made, organically dyed, and I also give back so its fully loaded. But any small adjustment you can make to either give back or change production processes to be more sustainable would be a great step.

The Future

What other countries would you like to work with in the future?

I would always keep my roots in Nepal, but would work with the surrounding countries  India, Thailand, or Vietnam. I would love to do some work in Africa and South America as well. Theres still a lot to be done in those countries in terms of womens rights, empowerment, and the way theyre treated and valued.

What is the end goal for Faircloth & Supply? What do you hope to achieve in the future?

I would love to make a significant impact in Nepal in terms of girls education, just from the way the countrys society views women and values women. That would be the most meaningful thing.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.


By Tom Westbrook SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's first online national census was in chaos on Wednesday after the survey website crashed overnight due to a possible cyber attack, raising concerns over the country's cyber security and criticism of its slow internet services. "It was an attack and we believe from overseas," Australias chief statistician, David Kalisch told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio. Kalisch said that no data from the 2.3 million forms already submitted to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) had been stolen. "We have it at the ABS. No one else has it," he said. The census provides a snapshot every five years of the living conditions of Australia's 24 million people, detailing incomes, religious and ethnic backgrounds, marital status, etc. The minister responsible for the survey, Michael McCormack, refused to call the online crash an attack, but rather a "denial of service attempt" when the website was deliberately overloaded. He said the site was equipped to handle heavy traffic, but there was a spike in visitors so steep that a router overloaded and the website was closed as a precaution. "This was not an attack, nor was it a hack, but rather it was an attempt to frustrate the collection of Bureau of Statistics census data," McCormack said. As authorities scrambled to provide a cohesive explanation for why the census was not completed for the first time in its 105-year history, some politicians and privacy advocates said the incident vindicated their security concerns. Some independent Senators boycotted the census because for the first time it was mandatory for Australians to identify themselves in the survey. "It shows woeful disregard for Australian people's privacy and data," Anna Johnston, a privacy lawyer and director of consultancy Salinger Privacy, told Australian Associated Press. The failure has also led to criticism of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's decision to scale back a A$38 billion ($29.2 billion) upgrade of Australia's internet infrastructure, stopping short of connecting homes directly to a broadband network amid cost overruns. Australia's internet services rank 48th in the world, by average speed, according to the most recent State of the internet report by Akamai Technologies, an IT company specializing in internet speed technology. Both Australia's Signals Directorate, an intelligence agency, and the government-appointed privacy commissioner, Timothy Pilgrim, are investigating the crash. "My first priority is to ensure that no personal information has been compromised as a result of these attacks," Pilgrim said in a statement. ($1 = 1.3002 Australian dollars) (Editing by Jane Wardell and Michael Perry)
Updated with AT&T comment: Cable and phone companies eager to block municipalities from offering competing broadband services just won a big victory at a U.S. Appeals Court in Ohio.

Justices reversed an FCC effort to preempt state laws in Tennessee and North Carolina baring local governments from expanding publicly supported broadband systems.

The FCC order essentially serves to re-allocate decision-making power between the states and their municipalities, the court says. To do that, the regulators would need at least a clear statement in the authorizing federal legislation supporting such a move. The FCC cited the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which was designed to promote competition. But the court says it falls far short of such a clear statement.

The decision upholds laws in Tennessee and North Carolina that limit publicly owned broadband services to serving their immediate communities  not to areas nearby that want it. Cable operators have vigorously supported laws in about 20 states that restrict local governments ability to develop competitive systems.

The court decision immediately affects the Chattanooga, Tenn. Electric Power Boards state-of-the-art 10 Gbps fiber optic service and Wilson, NCs Greenlight fiber optic network.

The ruling appears to halt the promise of jobs, investment and opportunity that community broadband has provided in Tennessee and North Carolina, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler says. The efforts of communities wanting better broadband should not be thwarted by the political power of those who, by protecting their monopoly, have failed to deliver acceptable service at an acceptable price.

Regulators will consider all our legal and policy options, he says.

In March a bill to change the Tennessee law and allow municipal systems to expand failed to make it out of a key committee. AT&T and Comcast lobbied against it. Cable and phone companies say that governments should be able help underserved areas, but not put them at a competitive disadvantage by challenging them in communities they do serve.

Story continues

Responding to todays ruling, AT&T Senior EVP of External and Legislative Affairs Jim Cicconi says the case was never about the best way to get broadband into rural communities. It was about whether the FCC had legal authority to preempt state law.Tellingly, the Justice Department declined to defend the FCCs actions in court.

AT&T would like the FCC to avoid creating further uncertainty in this area.

The Appeals Court ruling acknowledged the public benefit from the municipal systems.

The one in Chattanooga allows the schools to offer services not available in many parts of the country. Further, Chattanoogas public library systemwith a 14,000 square foot space dedicated to innovationis a leading one in the nation. The New York Public Library has announced that it sees Chattanoogas library as a model for its renovations.

The FCC also determined that after it was built Comcast stopped raising its rateswhich had risen sharply for yearsand subsequently reduced them.  And Comcast and AT&T have vastly improved their Internet download speeds since the EPBs entry.

Similarly, Wilsons Greenlight systems phone, internet and cable rates are cheaper than its competitors and it offers its Gigabit Internet while maintaining a positive cash flow. Wilson also provides free

Wi-Fi to its entire downtown area, which in turn frees up money that downtown businesses

would normally spend for Internet. Each of the top seven employers in Wilson is a customer

of the fiber network.

The FCC also found that Time Warner Cable improved its top download speeds in response to Wilsons entry.

Former FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, who now advises Common Cause, says the state laws limiting municipal broadband only exist because pliant legislators are listening to their Big Cable and Big Telecom paymasters. This decision does not benefit our broadband nation. Nor is it a good reading of the law. But if the FCC cannot set aside these bad laws, then the people must. We will redouble our state-by-state efforts to repeal these odious policies.

Related stories

DreamWorks Animation Reports Strong Q2 Results Ahead Of Sale To Comcast

Diamond Trade Drama 'Ice' From Antoine Fuqua Ordered To Series By Audience

Comcast Hit With $100M "Deceptive Practices" Lawsuit By Washington State AG


For two days this month, I joined some of the best hackers and programmers in the world at the Paris Las Vegas hotel to attend the 24th annual DEF CON hacker convention.

And no, the hackers werent the kind of bespectacled 18-year olds who slouched over their computers in their parents dark basements tapping away at their keyboards with Cheetos dust-caked fingers. In fact, the only person at DEF CON who fit that description was, unfortunately, me. But Im 31, so theres that.

DEF CON is among the oldest and largest hacking conventions in the world. Id never had the chance to attend before, so my only experience with the show came from second-hand sources who told me that going basically ensured that my phone and laptop would be hacked.

Since Im incredibly paranoid, I left for DEF CON 24 with my personal phone in airplane mode and turned off and a burner phone that I set up using a fake email address.

Naturally, the majority of the people at DEF CON probably werent there to hack my phone. Many were probably more interested in understanding how to prevent malicious, or black hat, hackers from getting access to consumers private computers and online accounts. Others just wanted to hear about interesting technologies like bio-hacking.

There are, of course, some folks at DEF CON who want to hack anyone they can for either fun, to give the person a reminder that they need to be more careful with their online security or just be a jerk and steal their information.

But DEF CON isnt just a place for hackers. The conference is also frequented by corporate security experts who want to learn about the latest attacks hackers can launch against their companies and government officials looking to find out more information about potential threats to government infrastructure and networks.

While at DEF CON I used a secondary burner phone to connect to the conventions open public Wi-Fi network that with the hope that I would be hacked and get to see what its like to be pwned by the best hackers around.

Story continues

But despite using the phone on an unsecured network, I never noticed anything amiss and didnt see my name on DEF CONs Wall of Sheep, which keeps track of attendees who have been hacked at the show.

Fortunately, that means is Ill have to go back next year to try again. And I cant wait.

More from Dan:

Email Dan Howley at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.
Intel says it has made quick progress with updating vulnerable chips (AFP Photo/JUSTIN SULLIVAN) (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File)

San Francisco (AFP) - US-based Intel announced a deal to buy an artificial intelligence startup as the computer chip colossus looks to broaden its role in data centers and the expanding internet of things.

Intel did not disclose how much it is paying for Nervana Systems, but US media reports on Tuesday put the price at more than $350 million.

"With this acquisition, Intel is formally committing to pushing the forefront of AI (artificial intelligence) technologies," Nervana co-founder and chief executive Naveen Rao said in a blog post.

"We can now shatter the old paradigm and move into a new regime of computing."

Founded two years ago in Southern California, Nervana has specialized in combining hardware and software to help machines think in ways similar to human brains, according to the companies.

Intel plans to put Nervana expertise to work in Xeon and Xeon Phi chips to better handle "deep learning" in the internet cloud, Intel data center group executive vice president Diane Bryant said in an online post.

"While artificial intelligence is often equated with great science fiction, it isn't relegated to novels and movies," Bryant said.

"AI is all around us."
Aside from its extremely popular Galaxy devices, Samsung also manufactures a wide range of other products, including many components that go into its own phones and into devices from the competition. Dangerous chemicals are used during production of some devices, and Samsung is being accused of not having provided crucial information about these chemicals to factory workers. 76 former Samsung semiconductor and LCD workers, most of them in their 20s and 30s have died as a result, according to the findings of an investigation into the matter.

DONT MISS: Googles new Nexus phones will be just as fast as the Galaxy Note 7

South Korean authorities let Samsung hide important details about work hazards, The Associated Press says. A worker safety group in the country documented more than 200 cases of serious illnesses that may be linked to exposure to chemicals used in Samsung factories. The diseases include leukemia, lymphoma, multiple sclerosis and lupus.

The report notes that former employees will not be compensated for occupational hazards from the South Korean government with ease, and the absence of information concerning their exposure to toxins makes it almost impossible to receive any compensation.

"[Samsung] once offered me 1 billion won ($864,000), asking me to stay silent, said the father of a former Samsung factory worker who died of leukemia at 22. The idea was to deny her illness was an occupational disease and to leave me without any power to fight back."

"There was never any education (at the factory) about what kind of chemicals could be bad so that we could be more careful, added a 36-year-old former Samsung display worker who lost her eyesight after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Trending right now:

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
All material things appear to be made of elementary particles that are held together by fundamental forces. But what are their exact properties? How do they affect how our universe looks and changes? And are there particles and forces that we dont know of yet?

Questions with cosmic implications like these drive many of the scientific efforts at the Department of Energys SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Three distinguished particle physicists have joined the lab over the past months to pursue research on two particularly mysterious forms of matter: neutrinos and dark matter.

Neutrinos, which are abundantly produced in nuclear reactions, are among the most common types of particles in the universe. Although they were discovered 60 years ago, their basic properties puzzle scientists to this date.

Alexander Friedland, a senior staff scientist in SLACs Elementary Particle Physics Theory Group, works on techniques that pave the way for future analyses of neutrino bursts from supernovae. Studying the details of these powerful star explosions helps scientists understand how dying stars spit out chemical elements into deep space.

Natalia Toro and Philip Schuster, associate professors of particle physics and astrophysics at SLAC, look for something even more enigmatic. They develop ideas for experiments that search for hidden particles and forces linked to dark matter, an invisible form of matter that is five times more prevalent than ordinary matter.

Alex, Natalia and Philip are significant additions to the SLAC family, whose outstanding expertise tremendously strengthens our research in areas of national priority, says JoAnne Hewett, head of the labs Elementary Particle Physics Division. Neutrino physics and dark matter research are among the five science drivers for U.S. particle physics identified in 2014 by the Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel. Neutrino research also ranked high in the 2015 long-range plan for nuclear science issued by the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee.

Left: This image shows the remnant of Supernova 1987A, a star explosion detected in 1987, in three different wavelengths (radio, red; visible, green; X-ray, blue). Neutrinos released by supernovae and detected on Earth help researchers understand how stars die. Right: This artists impression shows the Milky Way galaxy inside a halo of dark matter (blue), an invisible substance that makes up 85 percent of all matter in the universe. Researchers search for unknown particles and forces related to dark matter. (ALMA/A. Angelich/NASA/ESA, ESO/L. Calcada)

Neutrinos from Across the Country and from Across the Galaxy

One of the major neutrino projects with SLAC involvement is the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) at the planned Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF)  the world's flagship neutrino experiment for the coming decade and beyond. Researchers will send a neutrino beam produced at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois to the Sanford Underground Facility in South Dakota. After travelling 800 miles through the Earth, some of these neutrinos will be detected by the DUNE Far Detector, which will eventually consist of four 10,000-ton modules of liquid argon located 4,850 feet underground.

The ultrasensitive neutrino eye will measure how the three known types of neutrinos, called flavors, and their antiparticles morph from one into another during their underground journey. This study will provide crucial insights into the relative masses of neutrino flavors and the possibility that antineutrinos behave differently than neutrinos, which could potentially help explain why the universe is made of matter rather than antimatter. The experiment will also follow up on hints that there may be more than three neutrino flavors in nature.

"To help DUNE reach its full potential, my work addresses a number of fundamental questions," says Friedland, SLAC's first neutrino theorist, who joined the lab in the summer of 2015. "How can additional neutrinos be incorporated into our theories? Are there also additional forces? Is there a link between neutrinos and dark matter? How do neutrinos interact with atomic nuclei in the detector material?"

In addition to neutrinos from Fermilab, DUNE will also be able to detect very brief neutrino bursts from supernovae  powerful explosions of massive stars with cores that can no longer resist gravity and collapse to form dense neutron stars.

Such a burst should be an exquisite probe of neutrino properties, Friedland says. Our goal is to understand how to read the signal and optimize our detector for it.

Supernova explosions are important events in the universe. They inject chemical elements, synthesized inside stars over their lifetimes, into space, including crucial elements of life. Friedland hopes that DUNEs data will reveal never-before-seen details in the related neutrino bursts that could open a window into the processes inside dying stars.

Our calculations show that those neutrino signals have a certain time structure that is linked to whats going on in the star, he says. Measuring these minute details could help us understand the different stages of a supernova, from the collapse of the stars core to the outward propagation of powerful shock waves.

Such detailed analysis can only be done by looking at neutrinos. Unlike other particles, which frequently interact with their surroundings on their way out of the star and therefore carry the imprint of this complicated environment, neutrinos stream out nearly undisturbed and deliver direct information about the processes in which they were set free.



Supernovae go off without warning, and detectable ones dont occur very often, says Friedland, who co-leads the DUNE supernova working group. Although the next supernova neutrino burst may be a decade or more away, what will be seen then is affected by crucial decisions about the detector design made now. My job is to make sure that well be prepared.





Theorist Alexander Friedland is a senior staff scientist in SLACs Elementary Particle Physics Division. One of his focus areas is neutrino physics. (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory)

SLAC provides a unique environment for the pursuit of this line of research, according to Friedland. The lab is building a strong neutrino program, with experimentalists and theorists working closely together, he says. It also unites a number of disciplines under one roof that stimulate and complement each other, from particle physics to astrophysics to computing.

Before coming to SLAC, Friedland was at Los Alamos National Laboratory, first as a Richard P. Feynman Fellow and then as a staff scientist. He received his doctorate in physics from the University of California, Berkeley in 2000 and pursued postdoctoral research at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey from 2000 to 2002. In addition to neutrinos, Friedlands studies look into unknown ultraweak forces in nature, extra dimensions beyond space and time and the effect of postulated particles on the evolution of stars.

Searching for 'Light Dark Matter'

Another burning question researchers around the world are yearning to answer is: What is dark matter? With 85 percent of all matter in the universe being dark, this invisible substance has tremendous influence on how the cosmos evolves. Although scientists know that dark matter exists because it gravitationally pulls on ordinary matter, they have yet to find out what it is made of.

At SLAC, Natalia Toro and Philip Schuster search for entire dark sectors of hypothetical particles and forces that could be linked to dark matter.

We work on a number of small-scale experiments that have a real shot at discovering what dark matter is or what it isnt, Schuster says. Unlike most dark matter searches, which focus on rather massive particles, we look for much lighter ones, in a mass range that is surprisingly unexplored.

The researchers participate in two experiments that hunt for light dark matter at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Virginia: the Heavy Photon Search (HPS), for which the scientists developed the theoretical framework, and the A Prime Experiment (APEX), which they co-lead. Both experiments hope to catch a glimpse of dark photons  hypothetical carriers of a new force  that could potentially be produced when powerful electron beams slam into a target. Toro and Schuster are also members of a collaboration that proposed a third experiment at Jefferson Lab to search for dark matter, the Beam Dump Experiment (BDX).

Similar searches could also be done at SLAC once the upgrade to the labs Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) X-ray laser, a DOE Office of Science User Facility, is complete. The future LCLS-II will produce X-rays from a rapid sequence of electron bunches  up to a million per second  that will fly through the facilitys linear particle accelerator.

Were developing ideas for an experiment that would use the dark current of LCLS-IIs electron beam, Toro says. This is a small number of unused electrons in between the main bunches that we could extract and shoot into targets for light dark matter searches.

A proposal based on this concept is the Light Dark Matter Experiment (LDMX), whose young collaboration is led by researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara, the University of Minnesota and SLAC.

At the moment, the parasitic use of LCLS-II is only an idea, but Toro and Schuster have already teamed up with members of SLACs Accelerator Directorate to think about how these experiments could be designed and, most importantly, operated without interfering with X-ray laser operations. Together they are exploring the possibility for a future facility for Dark Sector Experiments at LCLS-II (DASEL).

The lab has a unique culture of vibrant collaborations, Toro says. It creates an ideal environment to follow through with our projects from beginning to end. Here we can establish the theoretical foundation, work on the engineering aspects and turn them into successful experiments, all in one place.

Natalia Toro and Philip Schuster are associate professors of particle physics and astrophysics at SLAC. Among other research interests, they develop ideas to search for dark matter and any associated new forces. (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory)

The husband-and-wife team joined SLACs faculty on Dec. 1, 2015. In addition to their work on dark sectors, the couple shares a variety of other research interests, such as searching for new physics in data from the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the European particle physics laboratory, and making theories that aim at better understanding the spin of massless particles.

Its great to share your passion for the most basic aspects of nature also outside work, Schuster says. We amplify each others excitement and hold each other to high standards. On top of that, its also a lot of fun to go off on wild research adventures and explore new places together.

Prior to their appointments at SLAC, the particle physicists were junior faculty members at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Canada. After receiving their doctorates in physics from Harvard University in 2007, they spent three years in the San Francisco Bay Area, Toro as a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University and Schuster as a research associate at SLAC. In 2015, both researchers received the New Horizons in Physics Prize.

For questions or comments, contact the SLAC Office of Communications at communications@slac.stanford.edu.

SLAC is a multi-program laboratory exploring frontier questions in photon science, astrophysics, particle physics and accelerator research. Located in Menlo Park, Calif., SLAC is operated by Stanford University for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.
A 58-year-old Ghanaian man was been sentenced to a jail term of 8 months for child pornography by a court in Canada.

Thomas Aboagye Acheampong, who was arrested Monday, July 25, 2016, at Halifax Stanfield International Airport, pleaded guilty to a double charge of child pornography and smuggling of prohibited goods.

According to a report by LocalXpress.ca, Acheampong told a Canada Border Services Agency officer he intended to visit for 17 days but was inconsistent with his answers when asked for further details.

READ : Each parent should read this before posting their offspring photos on social media

The border officer, during a second examination, found three videos on Acheampongs cellphone showing children having sex with one another.

Thomas Aboagye Acheampong, who was arrested Monday, July 25, 2016, at Halifax Stanfield International Airport, pleaded guilty to a double charge of child pornography and smuggling of prohibited goods.

After investigations, it was found that the children in the videos were aged between 5 years and 13 years. Subsequently, the accused pleaded guilty to the Criminal Code charge of possessing electronic media depicting the sexual exploitation of children and a Customs Act charge of smuggling prohibited goods.

He was sentenced by a court led by Judge Timothy Gabriel to a total of 16 months imprisonment; eight months on each count, with the time to be served concurrently.

READ : See 49 year old R. Kelly with his new 19 year old girlfriend

Judge Gabriel was very stern in warning the offender, If it wasnt for people like you, sir, who possesses this kind of material, there would be no incentive for the monsters doing this to the children...And youre bringing it into Canada!"

Upon completion of his sentence at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth, Mr Acheampong will be deported.

Source: YEN.com.gh
1 An exiled Tibetan holds a sign as he participates in a protest in Dharmsala, India, against the demolition of buildings in Larung Gar by Chinese authorities. Larun Gar is an area in eastern Tibet housing Buddhist institutions and thousands of monks and nuns.


On Monday, Donald Trump tried to reset his presidential campaign by offering a plan to cut taxes and renegotiate trade deals.

He read from a prepared speech. He was doing what some Republicans had been requesting for weeks -- that he provide details about how he would make American great again.

But one day later, Trumps campaign was again responding to new controversy. It was over comments Trump made at a campaign rally on the issue of gun rights in America.

He said his opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton, wants to take away the right of Americans to own guns -- something Clinton says is not true.

And if Clinton wins, Trump told his audience, she will appoint anti-gun judges to the U.S. Supreme Court.

By the way, and if she gets to pick -- if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks, although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know. But Ill tell you what, that will be a horrible day, Trump said.

Debate over Trumps comments

Soon people were debating what Trump meant. To some, he was suggesting people who back the Second Amendment might shoot Clinton to stop her from appointing judges.

The Second Amendment refers to the right of people to keep and bear arms.

But Trump, appearing later Tuesday on Fox News, said it was clear he meant that gun rights supporters are part of a strong powerful political movement.

"And there can be no other interpretation," he said. I mean, give me a break. His campaign blamed the dishonest media, which it says largely backs Clinton, for even suggesting Trump might be backing violence.

But that is how many Democrats, and some Republicans, viewed his comments.

I really, frankly couldn't believe he said it," said Tim Kaine, Clintons vice presidential running mate. "Nobody who is seeking a leadership position, especially the presidency, the leadership of the country, should do anything to countenance violence, and that's what he was saying."

Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said he was busy and had not watched Trumps gun comments. But he said, It sounds like a joke gone bad. You should never joke about that. I hope he clears it up quickly."

Comments troubling to some

But some Republicans said Trumps statement was too troubling to forgive. Former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough of Florida now has a TV program on politics. He wrote this in a Washington Post column Wednesday:

"A bloody line has been crossed that cannot be ignored. At long last, Donald Trump has left the Republican Party few options but to act decisively and get this political train wreck off the tracks before something terrible happens.

Democrats are trying to take advantage. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said Trump's suggestion of gun violence is unacceptable.

The only thing more appalling than Donald Trump are the Republican Senators and Senate candidates who continue to stand with him, the group said in a statement.

Trumps recent comments are raising new questions about whether he has the temperament - meaning character and personality -- to be president.

The same day that some Republicans were praising Trumps economic speech, 50 former Republican national security experts said he would put at risk our countrys national security and well-being.

And Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine said she could not support Trump because of his constant stream of cruel comments."

On Wednesday, Reuters released a poll reporting that 19 percent of Republican voters think Trump should drop out of the race. Reuters said that shows deep divisions in the Republican Party.

Trumps campaign said Tuesday that voters know Trump was talking about the great political power held by gun rights supporters, not violence.

And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it wont be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump, the Trump campaign said.

I'm Jill Robbins.

Chris Hannas and Jim Malone reported this story for VOA news. Bruce Alpert adapted the story for Learning English. Hai Do 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

controversy -- n. strong disagreement about something among a large group of people

interpretation -- n. the way something is explained or understood

frankly -- adv. in an honest and direct way

stream -- n. a continuous flow of people or thing

poll -- n. an activity in which several or many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to get information about what most people think about something

option -- n. the opportunity or ability to choose something or to choose between two or more things

tracks -- n. a pair of metal bars that a train, trolley, or subway car rides along

appalling -- adj. very bad in a way that causes fear, shock, or disgust
Officials say Vietnam has moved mobile rocket launchers to several islands in the South China Sea. The move is likely to raise tensions with China in the disputed area.

Western diplomats and military officials told the Reuters news agency that Vietnam moved the launchers to five bases in the Spratly Islands in recent months. They say these rocket launchers can attack Chinese military locations in the disputed waters.

Reuters reports that the launchers cannot be seen from the air and have not yet been armed. But sources say they could be armed with rockets within two or three days.

Vietnams foreign ministry said the information was inaccurate without giving any detail.

In June, Vietnam's Deputy Defense Minister said the country had no such launchers or weapons in the Spratly Islands. But he added that Vietnam had the right to self-defense to move any of our weapons to any area at any time within our sovereign territory."

On Wednesday, Chinas Foreign Ministry released a statement saying "China has indisputable sovereignty over the Spratly Islands and nearby waters." The statement also says that China opposes illegal construction and military deployments on the islands.

Carl Thayer is a Vietnam expert at the Australian Defense Force Academy. He said Vietnams defensive movements show how serious the country is about possible hostile actions by China.

He added that China is unlikely to see this as purely defensive, and it could mark a new stage of militarization of the Spratlys."

In 1988, China and Vietnam fought a sea battle to control parts of the Spratly Islands. Sixty-four Vietnamese soldiers were killed trying to defend the countrys flag on South Johnson reef.

Last February, Vietnam condemned Chinas deployment of missiles on Woody Island in the South China Sea. Vietnam said it "threatens peace and stability in the region as well as security, safety and freedom of navigation and flight."

Military experts believe the rocket launchers are part of a rocket system purchased from Israel. The system, known as EXTRA, can attack both ships and land targets up to a range of 150 kilometers. EXTRA is considered to be easily movable and effective against multiple targets at the same time.

Experts say it is the most noteworthy defensive move Vietnam has made in the South China Sea in more than 20 years. It is designed to counter China's build-up on reclaimed islands in the disputed waters.

Vietnam placed the launchers after an international court ruled against China in a case brought by the Philippines.

The July ruling dismissed Chinas claim of historic title to much of the South China Sea.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Jonathan Evans adapted this story for Learning English based on Reuters news report. Hai Do was the editor.
Remember last summer when Samsung introduced a 16TB solid state drive? Thats nothing. This week Seagate announced that its working on a 60 terabyte SSD, and Lenovo is also working on a 48TB SSD.

Sadly, neither of these storage devices is likely to show up in your next laptop.

Both Lenovo and Seagate are positioning their high-capacity SSDs as solutions for servers rather than personal computers. Theyll likely be very expensive, but offer higher speeds, better reliability, and lower power consumption than hard drives, which could make them attractive options for some enterprise customers.

Lenovos new solid state drive is about twice the physical size of a 2.5 inch hard drive or SSD that would be commonly used in a laptop, while Seagates drive is expected to be about the same size as a 3.5 inch hard drive.

While these are the largest SSDs announced to date, its been fascinating watching consumer-grade solid state storage advance over the past few years. Its not hard to find 512GB drives that sell for the same price that a 128GB version would have cost a few years ago, and if youre willing to spend (considerably) more money, you can even find 2TB and 4TB drives designed for laptops and desktops.

Update: Samsung wants in on the high-capacity enterprise SSD action too: the company just unveiled a 32TB SSD.

So did Huawei.
Thousands of passengers worldwide were left stranded in the wake of Deltas massive computer outage on Monday.

Computer glitch impacted thousands of passengers' travel plans



A local family was forced to drive from Atlanta after their flight was delayed



But rain or shine, the Fraifer family was getting home. Even if it meant renting a van and driving to Tampa from the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The family of six was stranded overnight in Atlanta, left sleeping on the terminal floor after their last connection home from Lebanon was cancelled.

My kids used the carpets to sleep, mother Lina Fraider said. My daughter said I dont want anything, I just want to go home and sleep in my bed.

After the extra day of travel, the Fraifers opted to make the drive home, rather than wait for other possible flights from Delta.

Lina said she will definitely consider other airlines in the future, before booking with Delta again.

Before I reserve my tickets I will think, she said. I will think a lot before that.
Tampa Police have released video of a burglary believed to be related to a string of 22 burglaries in the South Tampa area dating back to March.

22 burglaries in the South Tampa since March

Police think burglaries are related

Latest burglary caught on home surveillance

The latest burglary happened at a home in the 3600 block of Morrison Avenue West on Monday, August 8.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;

In Monday's break-in, the burglar broke in through a window in the rear of the house and removed jewelry and cash.

Police believe that as many as three burglars are working together.

Anyone with information about the burglar should call Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477). Your anonymous tip could earn you up to $3,000 in cash.
Starting in 2017, African youth will have an opportunity to gain technical and leadership skills through a new Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) internship program: 'Africa's Promise'.

Image by 123RF

MCCs new initiative, announced this week by President Obama at a Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) town hall in Washington, D.C., will expand opportunities for youth ages 18 to 35 across Africa. Approximately 60% of Africas total population is below the age of 35.

Africas Promise interns will support large-scale development projects that make up MCC-funded compact programs with a focus on reducing poverty through economic growth. Interns will learn best practices on project management  including financial and public sector management  in the local country context and be exposed to targeted professional development and networking opportunities in both the public and private sectors.

For Africa to reach its full potential, it will need experienced public sector leaders who can write the next chapter in Africas story

By increasing opportunities for young men and women across Africa to gain important job skills, MCC is supporting and empowering them to build a better tomorrow for their communities, MCC chief executive officer, Dana J. Hyde, said. For Africa to reach its full potential, it will need experienced public sector leaders who can write the next chapter in Africas story.

Africas Promise internships will be established and run by the host government implementing entity for MCC compacts, typically known as a Millennium Challenge Account (MCA).

Internships will start in the summer of 2017 in MCCs respective MCA offices across Africa, which may include countries like Benin, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Morocco, Niger and Zambia.

Interns will support the implementation of MCC projects in areas like clean water, electricity, land rights and education. Through its investments, MCC expands access to vital services and connects people to jobs, markets and opportunities.

MCC forms partnerships with some of the worlds poorest countries, but only those committed to good governance, economic freedom, and investments in their citizens. Before a country can become eligible for assistance, MCCs Board of Directors examines its performance on third-party indicators like government effectiveness, control of corruption, and gender in the economy, and selects compact-eligible countries based on policy performance.

The Africas Promise program will further MCCs work to create new opportunities for economic growth and poverty reduction while delivering development assistance that promotes sound policy reforms.
A Brazilian priest mentioned in the Catholic clergy sex abuse film Spotlight was found dead in a prison cell after he was arrested again for suspected pedophilia, authorities said on Monday.

Father Bonifacio Buzzi, 57, hanged himself with a sheet in a jail in the state of Minas Gerais where he was taken after his arrest on Friday, the state government said in a statement.

A decade ago Buzzi was convicted of abusing a 10-year-old boy in Mariana, Minas Gerais and jailed from 2007 to 2015. He was arrested last week following criminal complaints that he had molested two boys aged 9 and 13.

Buzzi was cited among the pedophilia cases listed at the end of Spotlight, the Oscar-winning 2015 film based on the Boston Globe newspaper's investigation of sexual abuses by Catholic priests and efforts by the Boston Archdiocese to cover them up.

Allegations against Buzzi first emerged in the 1990s in his home state of Santa Catarina. In 1995 he was convicted of molesting two boys in his parish near Mariana after their parents accused him of performing oral sex on their children.

Buzzi got a reduced sentence and the Catholic Church obtained a court order allowing him to serve it out at the home of the local archbishop.
Sharmila Tagore and Shammi Kapoors musical romance Kashmir Ki Kali wowed audiences when it released in 1964. The movie not only featured a beautiful love story but also focused on the scenic landscapes of the troubled valley.

Fast forward to Kashmir in 2016 where the city is under curfew after the demonstrations and protests that followed the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on 8 July 2016. Protesters who do venture out on the streets, hit with 'non-lethal' pellet guns, have sustained crippling injuries. More than 350 people have been hit by pellets and according to doctors, most will either suffer some form of permanent damage, disfigurement or loss of eyesight.

Read on Firstpost: With the Valley on curfew after Burhan Wani's death, Kashmiri artists respond to the uprising

Kashmiri cartoonist Mir Suhail created a poster showing Sharmila Tagore in the poster of Kashmir Ki Kali, with an apparent pellet injury on her eye. Suhail's now viral poster is being used to bring attention to the violence in the valley.

Using the hashtag #KashmirBleeding and #ResistingPellets, the artist is also penciling in eye injuries and pellet wounds on other famous paintings to highlight the use of the rising use of pellets on protesters in Kashmir.

Here's Van Gogh's Mona Lisa if she was a protester in Kashmir:

The Girl With A Pearl Earring after being hit by a pellet gun:

Another campaign against pellet guns that went viral was a Facebook campaign by a group called 'Never Forget Pakistan' that has posted some hard-hitting images of celebrities on Facebook, which have been photoshopped to show what they would look like if their faces had been injured by pellet guns. The celebrities featured were Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt, and others.

Read about it here.

Then there's Kashmiri artist Masood Hussain who has created a series of black and white posters of boys of the valley with shrunken, shikara shapped pupils. Hussain told the Hindu, "It pains (me) to see kids being blinded by pellets. All that an artist can do is stroke the canvas with that pain.

Also, since none of the international human rights organisations are speaking up against the crippling pellet injuries, founder of Black Sheep.Works Asif Amin Tibet Baqual started a campaign where they renamed these organisations and altered their logos with a common tagline running below them. In the interests of human rights everywhere but #Kashmir, the tagline reads.

Baqual also created Braille posters to add to the anti-pellet gun campaign on the social media.

When Indian illegal occupation goes blind with rage, the world starts to see their dark designs. #KashmirBlindSpot pic.twitter.com/ffpE5V989H  BlackSheep.Works (@dotBLACKSHEEP) August 6, 2016

There's also a Facebook page Kashmir Olympics which draws parallels between the ongoing Rio Olympics and the protesters in Kashmir.
Perhaps the last memorable role of 90s star Suniel Shetty is in Farah Khan's Main Hoon Na where he plays the highly engaging antagonist Raghavan Datta. Since then, we've only seen Shetty in blink-and-you-miss roles in forgettable films.

However, he is now ready to join Sidharth Malhotra and Jacqueline Fernandes in the film Reloaded, which is touted to be a prequel of Hrithik Roshan starrer Bang Bang that released in 2014.

Shetty will again be playing an ex-colonel who mentors a group of fresh recruits, reports Times of India. Sidharth is one such recruit. Shetty will be seen playing two ages; a middle-aged man and then seven years later, with a salt-and-pepper look as the film spans decades.

Since Shetty will be seen in many action sequences, he is reportedly working out to fit the role. The entire unit will then travel to Malaysia in October to shoot the film.

While Bang Bang was a remake of Hollywood film Knight and Day, starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, Reloaded is an original story written by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK (of Shor in the City and Go Goa Gone fame).
The film The Sea of Trees, directed by Gus Van Sant, has Matthew McConaughey starring as a professor named Arthur Brennan, who travels to Japan to reflect on his relationship with his wife, Joan (Naomi Watts).

There, he meets a stranger named Takumi (Ken Watanabe), and the two men find themselves bonding over discussions of love, death, and spirituality.

The trailer takes us through the marriage between Arthur and Joan, which seems to be at its lowest point. After his wife is diagnosed with cancer, Arthur travels to Japan to die in the infamous Aokigahara forest at the foot of Mount Fuji, where many people have committed suicide.

The problem with the trailer, and seemingly the film (the movie was criticised at Cannes Film Festival 2016) is that it plays overused Hollywood cliches.

Why do you need to go to Japan to contemplate life and death? Aren't there any places to die in America? This seems to be a notoriously invisible aspect of white washing which enraged Fresh Off The Boat star Constance Wu to speak out on white washing in Hollywood.

Also Read: Watch: Matt Damon is a Chinese warrior who battles dragons in 'The Great Wall'

Asia seems to be Hollywood's favourite place for spirituality and inner reflection, as explored by movies of the category of Eat, Pray and Love.

The other cliche is McConaughey's Arthur Brennan being portrayed as a stereotypical intellectual who is heartless and lost connection with his wife. Not only does McConaughey seem uncomfortable with the role, the trailer doesn't leave you rooting for the protagonist.

Here's the trailer:

The release date of the film is yet to be announced.
Babu Bangaram, Venkatesh's upcoming action drama has been given a U/A certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification.

The Telugu film which is slated to release this month created much hype with its trailer launch in July.

Babu Bangaram, directed by Maruthi, has Venkatesh and Nayanthara in the lead roles. This is the third time the two have teamed up for a film, after previous hits like Tulasi and Lakshmi.

From the looks of it, the film seems to be a complete entertainer, with Venkatesh essaying the role of Krishna, a police officer. His previous releases  Gopala Gopala and Drishyam, both remakes  were on the lighter side.

In Babu Bangaram, although he plays a serious character, the role does have humorous elements as well, especially when he is trying to woo his lady love.

What has fans most excited is the throwback dialogue towards the end of the trailer  "Bobbili Raja is back". Bobbili Raja, released in the '90s, is a fan favourite among all of Venkatesh's films.

Babu Bangaram was postponed a couple of times, and 12 August has finally been announced as the release date.

Will Venkatesh be able to re-create the Bobbili Raja magic? We'll soon find out. Meanwhile, watch the trailer here:
Naga Chaitanya's Malayalam remake Premam, has been confirmed for a 9 September release.

Directed by Chandoo Mondeti, Premam has Naga Chaitanya and Shruti Haasan replacing Nivin Pauly and Sai Pallavi from the Malayalam blockbuster. Anupama Parameshwaran and Madonna Sebastian will retain their roles from the original.

According to Deccan Chronicle, the shooting of the movie has come to an end and the makers are busy with post-production. Also, the audio launch is expected to be scheduled for the last week of August.

There's been a lot of excitement around the Premam remake. It reached fever pitch as Chaitanya unveiled the poster on Tuesday (9 August) night. The romantic comedy revolves around the protagonist Vikram, who meets various women in the different stages of his life, and finally finds the one who is right for him.

Although Chaitanya has acted in movies like Autonagar Surya and Bezawada, in which he portrayed a mass star image, with this new poster for Premam, the actor has moved away from his chocolate boy look to a more rugged, macho one.

With only one month for the release and the trailer not unveiled yet, fans are eagerly expecting a glimpse of the movie during its audio launch.

The 2015 romantic comedy Premam went on to become one of the biggest hits in the Malayalam film industry, with Nivin Pauly and Sai Pallavi's chemistry drawing praise from fans. Ever since this remake was announced, fans have been wanting to see how the Malayalam original will be translated into this new version.

Interestingly, Naga Chaitanya has worked in a remake earlier as well: his first release Ye Maaya Chesave was a remake of the Tamil film Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa.

It would be interesting to see if Naga Chaitanya's version manages to match up to the magic the original Premam created among Malayalam audiences.

Chaitanya's Sahasam Swasaga Sagipo with Gautham Menon too has been in the post-production phase for a while now and the film is simultaneously been made in Tamil as well as Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada with Silambarasan as the hero. The trio has been a hit ever since Ye Maaya Chesave and VTV went on to become huge hits.

According to International Business Times, Janatha Garage, Junior NTR and Mohanlal's much awaited action flick too is expected to hit the theaters in the first week of September.
The 2015 indie/experimental film X: Past is Present has found itself in the midst of a controversy after its directors have made serious allegations against the producer, Manish Mundra of Drishyam Films. After months of following up with the production house regarding the payment, one of the 11 directors of the film recently took to social media to put their troubles out in public.

Sudhish Kamath, the director of Past is Present, a part of the serialized anthology, in a series of posts on Facebook and Twitter described his issues with Mundra and Drishyam Films.

He revealed that the 11 directors, who were also co-producers of the film, have not received their dues for working on the film.

Besides he also alleges that Drishyam Films has infringed upon their copyright by distributing their film without authorisation from the original authors.

The website of Drishyam films describes its founder Manish Mundra as an indie saviour of sorts. The story of how the producer of films like Masaan and Dhanak helped Rajat Kapoor to make his film Ankhon Dekhi has now become a part of Bollywood lore and given Mundra this title.

But the directors who have worked with him do not believe this to be wholly true.

Drishyam Films has infringed upon the copyright of the original authors & does not have the authorisation from us to distribute the film.  Sudhish Kamath (@SudhishKamath) August 9, 2016

After establishing Drishyam Films as a production house, Manish Mundra came forward to produce the 2015 film X: Past is Present. The collaborative feature film film had 11 directors and some well known names like Rajat Kapoor, Huma Qureshi and Radhika Apte.

Now some of the film directors have come forward to claim that the producer has not upheld his part of the agreement for the film.

After deliberations with Mundra, the directors had reached an agreement that while Mundra would get solo producer credits, when it came to monetary matters the film would be co-produced by all eleven.

We did put in money as coproducers but the terms kept changing because Mr Manish Mundra wanted solo producer credit. https://t.co/PRMTQNJS2I  Sudhish Kamath (@SudhishKamath) August 9, 2016

Further he has hit out at the producer saying that they have infringed upon the copyright of the film which lies with the directors, the original authors by distributing the film. They plan to take the legal route and have already begun the process by sending out a cease and desist letter on Monday.

We have sent Drishyam a cease & desist letter yesterday and will be informing all channels and platforms infringing upon our copyright soon.  Sudhish Kamath (@SudhishKamath) August 9, 2016

Kamath, who had put the matter behind him and decided to move on with his films, decided to take to social media to put out his troubles when he saw a Fortune India article on Manish Mundra and his company. After taking the legal course he has now taken down some of his previous posts.

Kamath says that he has been pursing the matter for months with the producers, but on their part they have been non-cooperative.

When Firstpost tried to get in touch with Shiladitya Bora, CEO, Drishyam Films regarding the subject, he said, "We do not want to comment about it right now."
Mumbai: Outgoing RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan today strongly defended his controversial public speeches as "perfectly legitimate" ones within the remit of a central bank head and asserted that he was never critical of the government in any instance.

"These are perfectly legitimate speeches. You can interpret them any which ways you want," Rajan said at an

interaction with select news agencies on Tuesday evening.

"In none of those speeches that I have made has there been an explicit criticism or an implicit criticism of the

government. There are people who read the interpretation of what is the speech I have given," he added.

After his decision to return back to academia, there have been voices suggesting that his candid public speeches

were one of the aspects which made the government uncomfortable about reappointing Rajan for another term.

The academic-turned-central banker spoke a lot across the country and abroad in the three years at helm, and had a

special liking for educational institutes.

Some of the controversial speeches made by him include the one where he quoted American political philosopher Francis Fukuyama to question whether strong governments can really help a country or in defense of tolerance in the middle of a debate started by the killing of a Muslim man over suspicion of storing beef, or questioning the premise of the high-octane 'Make in India' campaign.

Rajan, who refused to accept a second term at helm of the Reserve Bank, today sought to defend his stance in all

these instances and stressed that he was within his remit as the central bank governor while making those remarks.

"Some of those speeches have been on economic issues but outside the monetary policy. But those economic issues are

perfectly within the remit of the central bank because ultimately we have a remit of macrostability," he said.

Rajan also said his concerns on the Make in India campaign -- wherein he had pitched for 'Make For India' given

the fragile economic conditions the world-over -- have come true.

"There was lots of criticism like you are being defeatist etc. Passage of time suggests that advice to look internally for demand at least for the short to medium term even while strengthening our manufacturing and service sector productive capabilities, which I thought was the central point of making in India, was extremely important," Rajan, who will go back to the Chicago University, said.

In case of the post-Dadri speech at his alma mater IIT-Delhi, Rajan reiterated the need to be open for ideas as a

service-sector driven economy. "That speech was about the fact that in order to grow as a country which is largely a service economy, we have to be open to ideas. Once you reach the frontier, the only way you can grow is by ideas. And in order to get those ideas, you have to have tolerance for unorthodox ideas because those unorthodox ideas is how we move forward," he said.

"As a society which is developing, which in some places is near the frontier, we have to have an open dialogue," Rajan added. "I haven't in a sense talked about (things like) dance and music. That would be exceeding my remit," he quipped.

Asserting that none of his speeches has caused any market fluctuations, the central banker also conceded that every

speech cannot be on the monetary policy. "Every speech if I give on monetary policy, I will commit a gaffe sooner or later. None of the speeches has moved the markets, which is an important criteria for a central banker," he said, adding markets have to be moved with policy announcements and not off-the-cuff remarks.

"As a central banker, whatever you say has to be calculated," he said, adding at times when the market requires

clarity like the post-Brexit vote, the central bank head has to be reassuring, which he did.

In context of the Make in India speech, Rajan said, "We need growth at a measured pace" which is consistent with what the economy can support and depend on fundamental reforms to fasten the process. I still maintain that the world doesn't look different than it looked three four years ago. So the focus should be on having a platform of economic stability. Only then can we have sustainable domestic demand," he said.

Noting that every economic problem stems from people looking for magic bullets which have no pain, Rajan said most

our problems are orthodox, which need orthodox solutions."When the problem is orthodox, its reasonable that

their solutions are also orthodox."

He concluded by stating that "we need to have a measured pace of growth consistent with what the economy can

support in a sustainable as the real oomph to growth will come from domestic reform like GST and the Bankruptcy Code. This will help elevate the growth rate."
It took him more than two years, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has finally discovered the art of the deal.

Realizing that a frontal assault wasn't securing the votes needed for India's biggest-ever tax reform, Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley changed tack this spring, government and ruling party sources said.

First, they sought to build a coalition among the nation's 29 state governments to isolate the Congress party, which despite losing heavily to Modi in 2014 had blocked a new Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the upper house of parliament.

Then, Jaitley held a series of meetings with Congress leaders whose outcome was uncertain right up to the last minute, sources close to the finance minister said.

He yielded to their demands - accepting, verbatim, a clause they proposed for the constitutional amendment needed to make the GST happen, according to a member of the Congress team that included former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram.

"Negotiations take place only if both sides are willing to be flexible," senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said. "Both sides were pragmatic."

An aide to Jaitley said Congress's growing isolation proved decisive in making a compromise possible.

"They had got themselves into a corner," said the finance ministry official, who was privy to the talks. "They had two options: strike a deal and come out with your reputation intact, or lose your credibility."

Last week's unanimous upper-house vote to pass the 122nd amendment to the Indian constitution brings the wheel full circle - the GST was proposed by Chidambram a decade ago but was stalled by political rivalry.

Introducing a unified sales tax across India's market of 1.3 billion people would mark a bold act of integration at a time of disintegration elsewhere, as Britain exits the European Union and a protectionist, Donald Trump, runs for the U.S. presidency.

The GST vote also addresses how India, as a federation, can implement a one-size-fits-all sales tax - something the United States and EU have been unable to do - by creating a GST Council that brings the center and the states together.

Tough bargaining on the rate and scope of the tax lies ahead, yet at least the atmosphere has improved, with Chidambram praising Jaitley's "friendly and conciliatory tone".

That could revive projects that foundered early in Modi's rule, including land and labor reforms.

Early Standoff

Despite winning India's biggest mandate in 30 years, Modi has struggled to advance his agenda.

Congress, though reduced to a rump opposition, has resisted. As the largest party in the upper house that represents the states, it had blocked the GST and derailed Modi's land acquisition bill which critics branded as being "anti-farmer".

While that tactic proved effective, it wasn't winning public support. Congress took hits in state elections and in June lost the upper house votes it needed to be sure of stopping the GST.

This was the cue for Jaitley to court the states, with key swing state West Bengal soon declaring its support. In July, he targeted Bihar, while at the same time re-engaging with Congress after nine months of radio silence.

Jaitley's promise to the states to compensate revenue losses for five years, made at talks in New Delhi on July 26, won them over, West Bengal's finance minister Amit Mitra said.

Congress moved to cut a deal, while Modi and Jaitley were ready to offer concessions - including scrapping a levy of 1 percent on the movement of goods between states - that experts say would actually make the GST a better tax.

On the morning of July, 27 Congress submitted a written proposal, with new wording on resolving GST disputes between the center and the states. Modi's cabinet approved identical tweaks that same evening.

When it came to the Aug. 3 vote, there were 203 votes in favor, and none against. The amendment passed the lower house on Monday, also unanimously.

It was a first for Modi, who called the GST a "Great Step towards Transformation".
Is Chenna-based public sector lender Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) staring at a crisis situation? Lets look at the numbers. At the end of the June quarter, the total gross non-performing assets (GNPAs) of the lender have touched a record high of 20.48 percent of its total loan book (of Rs 1,65,556 crore). In other words, one out every five rupees lent by the bank has now gone bad. According to a Firstpost analysis, thats the highest level of bad loans in at least 14 years. Total losses of the bank, in the last one year (four quarters put together) stood at Rs 4,467 crore. The numbers indeed say it is.

To be sure, at present, there is no immediate threat to the depositors and investors as the government has recently infused some money into the bank. But the situation can turn serious going ahead if the lender fails to generate money on its own or from the government.

Total bad loans of IOB in the June quarter stood at Rs 33,913 crore compared with Rs 30,049 crore in the preceding quarter (17.4 percent) and Rs 16,451 crore or 9.4 percent in the year-ago quarter. After making all the provisions on bad loans too, the banks net NPA stood at close to 14 percent of its book. With one-fifth of its total loans turning NPA, the bank will need nothing less than a major government bailout to stay afloat, said one of the leading banking analysts, who didnt want to be named since they stopped covering the bank long back.

There is no doubt that the bank is indeed facing a crisis situation on account of the huge NPAs. Either it needs to repair itself and generate money on its own or must be bailed out by the government immediately, said the analyst.

In the latest round of capital infusion in July, when the government infused Rs 22,915 crore in 13 PSBs, the Chennai-based lender had got Rs 3,101 crore, one of the largest shares for any bank. The countrys largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI), and by far the best performing one among the lot, was given Rs 7,575 crore. This means IOB, a bank where the crisis is deepening and has a much smaller balance sheet, received almost half of what SBI got.

In the June quarter, the bank used Rs 2,137 crore as provisions to cover its bad loans compared with Rs 2,666 crore in the preceding quarter and just Rs 663.57 crore a year ago. Going by the current trend, much of the money the government infused in the bank will go into providing for bad loans or to put it in other words, is going down the drain. Firstpost couldnt immediately contact the bank for a response.

Presently, IOB has a market cap of Rs 5,000 crore. The shares of the bank are trading at Rs 26.40 a piece on the BSE.

Dissecting the problem

Though the part of the reasons for the sharp jump in the NPA level of IOB can be attributed to the ongoing bad loan clean-up exercise forced on banks by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under Raghuram Rajan in September last year, the fact is that the trouble in the bank was brewing much before that. The bank, started by the Chettyar community in the pre-Independence era as a small bank, had high bad loans before the lender went public in 2000. Though the situation improved in the subsequent years, the bank never recovered from the NPA problem.

"IOB has been among the state-run banks with the highest bad loan levels even before the bad loan clean-up began. The pace of increase in bad assets increased after the exercise began, said the analyst quoted before. Like many other PSBs, IOBs current plight can be attributed to years of reckless lending, weak credit appraisal processes and inefficiency of the management. Major chunk of the current pile of bad assets are loans given to small and large companies lent over a period of years, where hardly any repayment has happened.

The IOB-crisis would require the Narendra Modi government prepare an urgent bailout plan to rescue the bank. It also indicates that the governments current capital infusion programme is too inadequate considering the huge funding gap in the public sector banks. Under the Indradhanush revival plan for PSBs, the government plans to infuse Rs 70,000 crore in the four-year period between 2015-16 and 2018-19 in the state-run banks. But, analysts and rating agencies have cautioned that this money is not sufficient considering the requirement of state-run banks.

For instance, rating agency ICRA estimated that the equity capital required by PSBs would be in the range of Rs 40,000-50,000 crore, much higher than that announced by the government this year. Hence, the government will need to increase the fund infusion significantly for 2017-19, Icra said.

Another rating agency, Fitch too said the same. Fitch believes pressures on public bank credit profiles will remain, and more capital than the Rs 70,000 crore earmarked through to FY19 will be needed from the government to restore market confidence and position the sector for long-term growth.

Larger malaise

IOB symbolises a larger problem seen in the public sector banking space. PSBs are suffering from inefficient managements, government intervention and tough competition from private rivals. Many state-run banks are facing serious asset quality issues.

There are at least four more state-run banks with NPAs above 10 percent. These are United Bank of India (14.29 percent), Punjab National Bank (13.75 percent), Andhra Bank (10.30 percent) and Union Bank of India (10.16 percent). There are two more with over 9 percent GNPAs, Canara Bank (9.71 percent) and State Bank of Travancore (9.38 percent).

All of these will require substantial amount of capital infusion from the government. The bigger question is how much of these funds, which ultimately use the taxpayers money, comes back to the system for productive lending. In the past nine years, the government has infused Rs 1.18 lakh crore in these PSBs. As Firstpost has said before, the governments decision to front load the annual capital infusion for PSBs may have come as an immediate relief for some of the cash-strapped banks, but it is only a painkiller, not a medicine that can cure Indias state-run banks from the begging bowl syndrome or the ritual of lining up before the North Block every year to get government funds to stay afloat. There has been no respite from the NPA additions yet, also due to a slowing economy. Clearly, finance minister Arun Jaitley has a tough task ahead to deal with this problem.

The total bad loans in the banking system rose to Rs 6 lakh crore in March, of which public sector banks have a share of Rs 5.4 lakh crore. In percentage terms, the gross NPAs of the scheduled commercial banks have risen from 5.43 percent in March 2015 to 9.32 percent in March 2016. The government owns stakes up to 80 percent in some of these banks. Thus far, it has refused to prepare a privatisation road map for these lenders except in some cases like IDBI Bank, also due to the trade union resistance.

For instance, in IOB, the government owns 73 percent stake. As Firstpost has argued time and again, there is no logic in government insisting to be the owner of PSBs and control these banks. Given that the cash-constrained government doesnt have the wherewithal to keep funding the massive capital requirements of PSBs (Basel-III and credit expansion), it will have to eventually go for privatisation of these entities.

But, again the question arises who will invest in these lenders with cracked balance sheets. The solution is once the ongoing clean up exercise repairs the books of these banks, the government should work out a road map to privatise these entities. As it appears now, the governments yearly capital infusion is just enough for most PSBs to cover their bad loans.

Data contributed by Kishor Kadam
New Delhi: Seeking to boost job creation in a manufacturing sector and facilitate ease of doing business, the Lok Sabha on Wednesday approved a bill to double the overtime working hours to 100 in a quarter for factory workers.

The Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which was opposed by several opposition parties, was passed after Congress and Left parties staged a walkout. Besides, Congress, the bill was opposed by Left parties, TMC, JDU and IUML.

Piloting the bill, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said the changes in the law would enable workers to "work more and earn more".

Contending that the bill will safeguard workers' interests, he said the total number of work hours in a day will not exceed 10 and total hours of work in a week after including overtime should not exceed 60.

"Overtime is only an opportunity. I have taken many safeguards. The proposed amendment is nowhere in conflict with the ILO norms and all provisions relating to daily or weekly hours.

Total number of overtime shall not exceed 100 hours in a quarter," Dattatreya said.

The current rules provide for overtime of 50 hours in a quarter, while the ILO provides for the upper limit of 144 hours.

Citing statement of objects and reasons of the bill, the opposition parties said the bill was being brought at the behest of the industry.

"The need for increasing the total number of hours of work on overtime in a quarter is based on the demand from industries so that factories can carry out the work on an urgent basis," said the statement of objects and reasons.

Dattatreya said the government is going with an innovative method in creating employment opportunities and large number of women workers will also get additional work.

"The proposal to increase overtime hours is not at all mandatory. It is up to the workers to decide. It is not compulsoru upon him or her. It is an incentive to get double wages," he said.

Among other changes, the bill also allows overtime of up to 125 hours per quarter in public interest and empowers central and state governments to exempt rules with regard to overtime working hours.

"There is no compromise on the safety and working condition of workers," Dattatreya said, adding this bill will facilitate an increase in employment generation in the manufacturing sector.

As members demanded to know what was the urgency to bring this bill when a comprehensive legislation is pending before the House, the Labour Minister said: "It was the need of the hour. We have taken the Make in India, Skill India and Digital India initiatives where a large number of workforce is needed".

He further said that the government will shortly come out with a comprehensive bill to amend the Factories Act of 1948.

The Standing Committee has already given its report to the Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2014, which is being considered by the Labour Ministry.

The bill also empowers the Central government, in addition to the state governments, to make exempting rules and orders in respect to total number of hours of work on overtime in a quarter, which would ensure uniformity, in its application by various state governments and Union Territories.

Trying to assuage concerns of members that state government rights are being taken away, Dattatreya said states are vested with the executive powers in the Act and ensuring the safety and health of working is the primary responsibility of the state governments.

Sankar Prasad Dutta (CPIM), while moving amendments to the bill, said its provisions were similar to one introduced in 2014, which was before the Standing Committee.

After Dutta's amendment was defeated in voting, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (Cong) said the "amendment can be voted out by number but you have failed in the argument."

Seeking reconsideration of the bill, he said, "It is anti-labour and it is biased towards employer."

Before staging a walkout, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge asked the minister to withdraw the bill, saying a comprehensive legislation is pending before the House.

By increasing the overtime, "you are burdening the existing employees", he said, adding the bill should not be brought without taking into confidence the stakeholders like states and labour unions.

"It is not the main bill... In a hurried manner (you have brought this)," he said.

In the name of ease of doing business, liberalisation and Make in India, "labourers should not be exploited", he said, adding the provisions which are beneficial for workers "you have left that... If the cabinet is giving approval for 2 sections, why not for the other sections?"

P Karunakaran (CPIM) charged the government with playing in the hands of corporate sector, while Saugata Roy (TMC) said the bill was opposed by all the trade union including BMS.

NK Premachandran (RSP) said the bill was encroaching upon the rights of the states and was against the federal structure of the country.

Stressing that the bill is "anti-labour", Kalyan Banerjee (TMC) said the government is interfering with the federal structure very intelligently even as the Prime Minister talks about cooperative federalism.

"This is a new innovation to interfere with the federal structure," he noted.

Wanting to know who wants overtime extended under the law, he said it might be the demand of some industrialists who have access to the Ministers.

"At whose pressure are you bringing in the bill? It is really hitting the basic structure," Banerjee said, adding that no a single workman or trade union is speaking in favour of the bill.

Talking about certain provisions in the bill, TG Venkatesh Babu (AIADMK) said it is "unwarranted" and that the Centre should not interfere with the states' powers.

Such moves would destroy the federal structure and the federal rights, he added.

Wondering why the government is in a hurry to bring this bill, he said states have not been consulted. He also wanted to know why a comprehensive legislation is not being brought by the Centre.

Rabindra Kumar Jena (BJD) said the bill is a "calculated move to enter into the state's territory", adding that it is not a good precedent.

According to him, certain provisions of the bill would further deteriorate unemployment situation. Stating that working over time could result in increased consumption of alcohol, tobacco, obesity and depression among

Stating that working over time could result in increased consumption of alcohol, tobacco, obesity and depression among women, he said such a situation could become a major social

issue.

Voicing his strong opposition to the bill, Sankar Prasad Datta (CPM) said the Narendra Modi government, which has an hidden agenda, has been targeting labour laws.

Also, rights of state governments are being encroached, he added.

This bill is for corporate classes and big business houses of our country as well as for "satisfaction of Adani and Ambani", he alleged, adding that no single trade union is in favour of the bill.

Shrirang Appa Barne (Shiv Sena) said the government should look at giving more benefits to daily wagers and action need to be taken against companies that do not pay the stipulated wages for working overtime.

M Srinivasa Rao (TDP) also spoke.
An unbeaten century stand for the sixth wicket by Ravichandran Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha put India in a respectable position after the first day of the third test against West Indies in St Lucia on Tuesday.

The visitors were 234 for five at the close of play with all-rounder Ashwin on 75 and wicketkeeper Saha on 46, the pair having added 108 to leave honours even at the Darren Sammy Stadium in Gros Islet.

Opener Lokesh Rahul chipped in with a brisk 50 earlier but India's batsmen were otherwise bogged down until Ashwin and Saha cut loose against the second new ball, plundering 46 runs off the final nine overs.

The late flurry took the gloss off what had been an encouraging day for West Indies after the hosts won the toss and decided to bowl.

Teenage paceman Alzarri Joseph enjoyed a dream debut, in his third over claiming the prized wicket of India captain Virat Kohli, caught at first slip for three.

Joseph (2-38) also snared Rohit Sharma, caught behind for nine, while all-rounder Roston Chase continued his excellent series by picking up two wickets with his off spin.

Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel (1-68) was expensive although he at least took the first wicket of the day when Shikhar Dhawan (one) gloved a short ball down the leg side to wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich.

Jason Holder and Miguel Cummins bowled with discipline in the four-pronged pace attack but went wicketless.

The day belonged to Ashwin, who was dropped on 21 and received another reprieve on 35 when he was caught at point off a Gabriel back foot no-ball.

THORN IN SIDE

Ashwin has been a thorn in West Indies' side the entire series, making a century and claiming seven wickets in the first test before picking up another six victims in the second match.

Rahul followed up his 158 from the second test by reaching his half-century in 64 balls before falling to the very next delivery when he flicked Chase straight into the waiting hands of short fine leg.

"I wanted to attack the bowlers and put them under pressure because the wicket was a little damp the first hour," said Rahul.

"The ball was doing a bit with sideways movement ... and with this being an open ground, and with the breeze, there was swing throughout the day.

"I did my job pretty well, got the team off to a decent start and the boys carried on from there. We're pretty happy with our effort at the end of the day."

India lead the four-test series 1-0.

(Reporting by Andrew Both; Editing by Tony Jimenez)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Imphal: A boy was injured in an IED blast near a BSF camp in Manipur's Imphal East district on Wednesday.

A police officer said the blast took place around 9 am, injuring the boy who was playing nearby at Moirang Purel village.

Another bomb blast took place at the gate of Manipur University, but the police haven't released details regarding the attack.

#FLASH Bomb blast at the gate of Manipur University in Imphal, More details awaited  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

#FLASH Bomb blast targeting BSF camp occurred in Moirang Purel village near Imphal (Manipur) this morning, more details awaited.  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

UPDATE: 7-year old child injured in bomb blast targeting BSF camp in Moirang Purel village near Imphal, Manipur.  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

The boy injured in the first blast has been rushed to a hospital in Imphal, the officer said.

BSF and armed state police cordoned off the area of the blast.

On 20 May last, a Border Security Force (BSF) convoy on foot patrol was ambushed by militants armed with rocket launchers and sophisticated automatic weapons in Thoubal district of Manipur but there was no casualty.
Vijayawada: Two Dalit brothers were stripped and thrashed by a group when they were skinning a dead cow in Andhra Prades's East Godavari district.

Police said eight persons were arrested for involvement in the attack but clarified that the incident was not linked to cow vigilantism.

The incident occurred on Monday night in Amalapuram town of East Godavari district.

Mokati Elisa and his brother Lazar were stripped, tied to a tree and thrashed when they were seen skinning a dead cow in a graveyard.

The victims sustained injuries on heads and other parts of the body.

A police officer said the eight persons were looking for their missing cow and they alleged that the duo killed and skinned their cattle.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu took serious note of the incident and asserted that nobody would be allowed to break law and order of the state.

A series of attacks on Muslims and Dalits by gau rakshaks (cow protectors) in recent months in different parts of the country has triggered outrage.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also condemned the attacks, saying fake gau rakshaks were behind these incidents.

He said anti-social elements were masquerading as gau rakshaks.

The centre on Tuesday ordered state governments to ensure that no local groups are allowed to initiate acts of violence using cow protection.
New Delhi: Taking a potshot at the Prime Minister, a BSP member in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday said that three dalits were thrashed in Andhra Pradesh on the day when Narendra Modi made a strong statement against the attacks on the community.

Raising the issue soon after the House assembled, BSP leader Satish Mishra said "Yesterday in Yamanapalli, East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh, a cow died after electrocution. After that, three dalits were tied to coconut tree and beaten up. Now, they are injured and admitted in hospital."

He said this incident occurred on the very day when Modi in Telangana said "shoot me, not them (dalits)".

"The Home Minister is here. I want to know if this is what 'shoot me' means," he asked.

Mishra further said "where BJP or BJP-coalition government is there, there are gangrapes of dalits in the state when they talk about 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padao'."

He also said that Modi has not spoken in Parliament on the issue of attacks on Dalits.

On 8 August, Modi had said discrimination against Dalits should stop and the onus for this lay on everyone.

"Stop attacking my Dalit brethren. If you have to shoot, shoot me, but not my Dalit brothers. This game should stop," he had said.
New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement in the Lok Sabha over the situation in the Kashmir Valley where a month of unrest has left over 55 people dead.

Raising the matter during Zero Hour, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge also slammed Modi for making a statement over the issue outside Parliament when the House was in session.

"The Prime Minister has broken his silence over the Kashmir issue and that too outside Parliament. If he would have given his statement in the House, it would have been better," Kharge said.

He urged Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to tell Modi to give a statement in the House.

"We know the situation (in) Kashmir. The whole House is worried about it. You give them directions in this regard," Kharge said.

The Congress demand for a discussion on Kashmir has come at a time when the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday took up the issue.

On Tuesday, Modi pledged to take forward former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's vision of Insaniyat, Jamahooriyat and Kashmiriyat.
Kolkata: Notwithstanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's criticism of the cow vigilante groups, the Cow Protection Cell in West Bengal, which is conducting a census of the animal in the state, on Tuesday said it would continue with the exercise.

"Whatever prime minister has said is right, nobody has the right to attack anyone in the name of cow protection. There are incidents of Dalits being attacked in the name of cow protection. This is wrong. This should not have happened. But our cow census has nothing to do with attack on Dalits, so it will continue," state president of Cow Protection Cell Subrata Gupta told PTI.

"This cow census will continue for the sake of mankind and the country. Cow is treated as a mother in Hindu religion and everybody has the right to protect and have concern about his/her mother," he said.

In his first public denouncement of cow vigilantes, some of whom flogged Dalits in his home state Gujarat, Modi last week said he felt enraged at such "anti-social elements" who indulged in crimes by the night and masqueraded as cow protectors by the day.

"We will come out with the report on 15 September. We are being helped by BJP, RSS, VHP, Shiv Sena and other Hindutva groups and organisations. We are facing a lot of threats and resistance while conducting this exercise, but we are committed towards the cause and will continue with it. Cow needs to be protected for the sake of environment, ecology and for the country," Gupta said.
Vijayawada: Eight persons were on Wednesday arrested by Allavaram police in East Godavari district for allegedly beating up two Dalits who were trying to skin a dead cow.

Police, however, clarified that the incident, which happened late on Monday night, had nothing to do with "cow vigilantism" as suspected.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed anger over the incident and warned that anyone trying to disturb law and order would be sternly dealt with.

He reviewed the incident with Director General of Police (in charge) N Sambasiva Rao and Additional DGs R P Thakur and A B Venkateswara Rao in the evening. He directed the DGP to take strong legal action against the culprits.

Chandrababu warned that stern action would be initiated against anyone attacking Dalits.

He directed East Godavari district Collector to take care of the medical expenses of the two injured. He also asked the Collector to immediately give them Rs one lakh each.

The arrested persons belonged to Kamanagaruvu village and were not "gau rakshaks", as suspected, a senior police official from Amalapuram said over phone.

The cow of U Narayana Rao and Gangadhara Rao went missing a couple of days back. As they were searching for their cattle, they found the two Dalits near a burial ground at Sudhapalem village, trying to skin a dead cow.

Suspecting that the two killed the cow, the villagers of Kamanagaruvu allegedly beat them up.

The cow had actually got electrocuted and its owner had engaged the two Dalits for burying it.

The Dalits sustained severe injuries and were admitted to the Amalapuram hospital.

Narayana Rao, Gangadhara Rao and others were on Wednesday arrested and booked under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the police official said.
Mumbai: On Tuesday, the Mumbai police arrested the Chief Executive Officer and four other doctors of the L H Hiranandani Hospital, Mumbai in connection with an alleged kidney racket which came to light last month.

Mumbai Police's spokesperson DCP Ashok Dudhe said the five doctors were arrested late this evening.

CEO Dr Sujit Chatterjee, medical director Dr Anurag Naik, Dr Mukesh Shetye, Dr Mukesh Shaha and Dr Prakash Shetye were arrested under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, he said.

The racket came to light when the police were tipped off that a kidney transplant operation had been scheduled on 14 July at the privately-run Hiranandani Hospital where donor and recipient were not related.

The operation on Brijkishor Jaiswal, the recipient, was stopped as police found that the woman who was donating him the kidney was not his wife, contrary to the papers submitted by the duo.

The woman had pretended to be his wife only to be able to donate the kidney to Jaiswal, according to the police.

Police then started probing if anybody else had received kidney using similar subterfuge and if the hospital authorities were involved.

According to a report by The Times of India, the police have arrested 14 people so far, including the kidney failure patient and his 'fake wife'. Out of the 14, six are associated with the hospital, including a medical social worker, Nilesh Kamble.

Founding trustee of the hospital condemned the operation and said it was a sad day.
New Delhi: Congress on Wednesday took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "absence" from Parliament, saying "India has been forced to come to terms with a PM-mukt Parliament".

"When PM Modi assumed office, he had said that Parliament is a temple of democracy and he kowtowed before entering the august building for the first time. A year into his term, on one of his numerous trips to the USA, he said, the Constitution is the only holy book for his Government.

"But, today, India has been forced to come to terms with a 'PM-Mukt Parliament'. PM Modi's actions show his disdain for the Parliament and its affairs", the party said, targeting Modi by using a parody of his call for 'Congress-mukt Bharat' he had made during the Lok Sabha poll campaign.

Titled "India has a 'PM-Mukt' Parliament", the commentary has been posted on the party's website.

The party alleged that the Prime Minister loves to speak, "but, unfortunately, not in the national interest but for vote bank politics."

It claimed that for all his "grandstanding", the Prime Minister was "chided" into making a rare appearance in the Lok Sabha during the final stages of the GST Bill, after it was debated threadbare in the Rajya Sabha.

"This was the first time in over 122 occasions when a Constitutional Amendment was passed in both the Houses of Parliament that the Prime Minister was absent. An embarrassed PM Modi made an appearance in the Lok Sabha after the GST Bill was debated, to save face," it said.

The party said this year there has been violence in Kashmir, vigilantism by Gau Rakshaks and systematic violence against Dalits, "yet the prime minister did not make a statement in Parliament, but chose to address these issues outside."

The party said MPs are representatives of the people and the Houses of Parliament represent people's will.

"When there are serious atrocities, the Prime Minister must address the representatives of the people, who will then hold the government accountable," it said.

"Is the Prime Minister's absence indicative of his disregard for the temple of our Democracy? There have been numerous occasions when the PM has been in the Parliament building, but chose not to attend the session. Prime Ministers of the past had made it a point to attend Parliament", it said.

"Instead of paying lip service, Modi should actually give Parliament, and through it the 125 crore Indians, the respect it deserves," Congress said in the commentary.
Srinagar: Militants fired at a security picket guarding a minority village in Shopian district of Kashmir, a police official said on Wednesday.

"Militants opened fire on a security picket at Zainapora in Shopian last night around 9.30 pm," the police official said.

No damage was reported in the incident.

In another incident, a vehicle of the security wing of the police was damaged when it caught fire on Tuesday night at Kursoo in Rajbagh area of the city, the official said.

He said the vehicle was deployed for the security escort of state health minister Bali Baghat.

The vehicle was stationary when the incident took place.

The official said the cause of the fire is being ascertained.
Srinagar: Doctors of Government Medical College, Srinagar on Wednesday staged a unique and silent protest inside the college, covering their one eye with the bandage to represent hundreds of victims who have been blinded due to pellets during the ongoing unrest in Kashmir Valley.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court had disapproved use of pellet guns by government forces last month and sought a report from the Centre on handling of the lethal weapons by untrained personnel.

"These are your people. They have anger. They are protesting. That does not mean you should render them disabled. You have to protect them. Hope it (use of pellet guns) is reviewed," a division bench comprising Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar said while hearing a plea on the rampant use of pellet guns in the Valley following a unrest that began on 8 July.

Meanwhile, the government has said it would look into the use of pellet guns in the Valley. It will constitute a seven-member expert team headed by a joint secretary in the home ministry to explore possible alternatives to the use of pellet guns. But the use of the guns continues unabated on the ground and almost every day, hospitals throughout the Valley receive people injured by the pellets.

Dr Sajad Majid Qazi, general secretary of Doctors Association, said that the use of pellets anywhere is inhuman and should be immediately stopped. He asked how anyone can claim that that these weapons were non-lethal, when three people have already been killed because of them and hundreds have been maimed.

Around 350 people have been partially or fully blinded by these pellets. Doctors from the state and outside are of the same opinion that the use of these so called non-lethal weapon should be banned immediately, Dr Qazi told Firstpost.

The ongoing unrest began in the Valley after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed on 8 July. Since then government forces have used pellet guns frequently to quell the protests in the region.

The association of the doctors demanded that the authorities should immediately ban on pellet guns. They stressed that the unabated use of pellet guns to quell protests in Kashmir is causing an irreparable damage to vital organs of both men and women.

They said the use of tear gas shells was equally detrimental to the health of patients, attendants and the hospital staff.

Ironically the Director General of CRPF Durga Prasad triggered a fresh controversy by equating pellet-blinding with wife-beating.

When asked by a newspaper, when CRPF would stop using pellet guns in Kashmir, Prasad was quoted saying: Its like asking when would you stop beating your wife.

Sajad Khanday, another doctor at the protest venue, said that despite concerns of doctors from the Valley and outside, the government has been unable to stop the rampant use of pellet guns, and the hospitals continue to receive patients with pellet injuries from different parts of Kashmir.

We wanted to show our solidarity with the victims of the pellet guns who have been maimed for life. A silent protest is the best way to express your helplessness when the state turns a blind eye towards its own people, Khanday told Firstpost.
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Police on Tuesday zeroed in on three foreign nationals, who are suspected to be the key players behind the hi-tech ATM robbery which has shocked the state capital, and decided to seek Interpol's help.

A team of top police officers, including ADGP B Sandhya, Range IG Manoj Abraham and cyber and technical experts visited the ATM of a public sector bank at Althara junction at Vellayambalam here, where a suspected electronic device was found to have been installed.

They also collected evidence from the ATM counter.

Sandhya later told reporters that as foreigners were suspected to be involved in the fraud, Kerala Police would seek the help of Interpol to nab the culprits.

"We will seek the help of Interpol. We are collecting evidence now," she said.

City Police Commissioner G Sparjan Kumar told PTI that police are trying to ascertain the whereabouts of the three persons, whose pictures had been retrieved from the CCTV, installed inside the ATM kiosk at Vellayambalam.

"We examined the visuals of the CCTV and got the pictures of three foreigners. We suspect that they had a hand in the ATM robbery," he said.

"We have already intensified our investigation to trace their whereabouts and establish their identity. We are also probing whether more persons were involved in the crime," he said.

The officer said the support of cyber and technical experts was sought to understand the technical method used by the fraudsters to withdraw the money.

"As many as 22 people have so far lodged complaints saying money was withdrawn from their account. As per the preliminary assessment, about Rs 2.5 lakh had been lost," he said.

It is suspected that the electronic device at the ATM counter enabled the fraudsters to collect the secret pin code and card details.

Many of the customers who were duped came to know about the fraud after they received a text message on Monday, informing that money was withdrawn from their accounts.

According to police, the three foreign nationals were from Romania and had come to India on June 25. They reached Kerala on 8 July.

They had come on tourist visa and taken rooms in a hotel here for two days, hotel sources said.

The hotel has released their names as Ilie, Florecy and Christian Victor.

Police said they have seized from the hotel two scooters and three helmets, suspected to have been used by the trio.
When the Catholic Church in Kerala paid a compensation of Rs 12 lakh to a nun after she was expelled from her congregation last year, priests and nuns hoped that they too may get similar consideration if they opted out of the religious vocation.

But a 45-year-old nun was given dispensation without a penny after she decided to give up her robes following harassment from her superiors at the convent. Sister Mary Sebastian, who works as a teacher in a Church-run higher secondary school at Pala in Kottayam district, is determined to fight it out.

Though the Cherthungal Nasrathubhavan Convent under Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (CMC) agreed to pay her Rs 1 lakh following the intervention of activists, Mary is insisting on a compensation of Rs 30 lakh considering the 20 years of service she has rendered as a school teacher. She has refused to leave the convent without getting the compensation.

The convent authorities stopped her giving food and water, lodged false complaints with the police, and even portrayed her mentally unstable after she took her plea to the Human Rights Commission and the Kerala Womens Commission. They gave her food only after the media brought her plight to the notice of the public.

The double standard adopted by the Syro Malabar Church, one of the three Catholic denominations in the state under which the convent comes, in the two cases dismays the faithful. However, the Church activists are not surprised.

Reji Njallani, who has been spearheading a campaign for severance pay to ex-priests and nuns under the banner of Catholic Priests, Ex-Priests and Nuns Association, feels Anitha, who belonged to St. Agatha Congregation, was paid the compensation as she had raised grave sexual abuse charges against a priest.

Anitha had alleged sexual assault by a priest while doing mission work in Madhya Pradesh in 2011. When she persisted with the complaint, she was transferred to Italy, where she was subjected to severe harassment and finally expelled. Anitha returned to her parent convent at Aluva and sought either reinstatement or compensation.

The convent authorities refused to pay any compensation to her even while rejecting her demand to take her back. They agreed to pay her Rs 20 lakhs after the Ernakulam-Angamaly diocese of the Church, under which the convent comes, intervened in the matter, says Reji, who is the national chairman of the association.

The intervention by the higher-ups in the issue was viewed as an attempt to silence the nun. Sister Jesme, who quit the vocation in 2008 after alleging sexual abuses within the Church, had advised Anitha to give up the compensation and continue her fight to bring the priest and others who tried to protect him to book.

Anitha, who did not have the mental strength to withstand further torture, took the money and opted for a quiet life. Sister Mary, who faced harassment for speaking against misappropriation of foreign funds received by the congregation for charity as well as alleged ill-treatment of the children at a special school under it, is also aiming the same thing.

"I did not ask compensation for a luxurious life. I sought compensation for the service I rendered as a teacher to meet my bare minimum needs. I need a job and a house to begin my life afresh. My family is not ready to take me back because of the stigma attached to dispensation," Mary told the Firstpost.

The nun, who was allowed to quit in May this year, said the salary she earned as a teacher in the last 20 years will come to about Rs 50 lakhs. Leaving a few hundred rupees that were required to meet her personal needs, the rest has gone to the convent.

"I am asking only part of the salary which was incidentally given by the government. I will not leave the convent until I get it. I will sit in front of the convent if they evict me forcefully," says the former nun.

Syro Malabar Church spokesman Father Paul Thelekkat said he was personally not aware of the details of the case. "I think this is a case of exclaustration of a nun who for her own reasons does not want to continue to live anymore in a convent. When one leaves like this, I do not think there is any provision for compensation, the priest said in an email communication.

However, Paul agreed that there could be a human problem depending on the case which he does not know. He said that the Church could consider supporting the nun since she was working in the school.

In such cases, the church authorities usually send the member graciously out for her another life. The farewell can be very pleasant and even generous, but both parties must show that spirit of understanding and mutual respect. The charges of harassment and other allegations can be sorted out by mutual agreement of the third party and work for a peaceful settlement of the case, the spokesman added.

However, the Church authorities have been denying compensation to priests and nuns who have quit the vocation either on their own or at the behest of the authorities citing Canon laws that the Church follows. The religious law does not provide for any severance pay to former priests and nuns. This is because the law does not define the Church service as a profession.

Njallani, who has been spearheading a campaign against ill-treatment of priests and nuns quitting the Church, does not buy the argument. The Church cannot deny the compensation on the ground that the priests and nuns are serving the God since the institutions of the Church are charging fees for their services, says the activist.

Njallani pointed out that the donation and tuition fees charged by many of the self-financing colleges under the Church are more than what commercial institutions charge. Nobody knows where the money goes and how it is spent.

The Angamaly-Ernakulam diocese had given Rs 12 lakhs to Anitha on humanitarian grounds. The authorities had then claimed that the settlement with Anitha was not a compensation for any wrongdoing on the part of the congregation or the Church but the generosity of the congregation to make her settle in life after so many years of life in a convent.

Activists wonder why the Church was not showing the same generosity to hundreds of priests and nuns who have left the religious vocations for various reasons. Njallani said there were over 10,000 former priests and nuns throughout India, most of them aged over 50, struggling to settle in their new lives.

A conference convened by the KCRM in Kochi last year to discuss the issue was attended by 613 former priests and nuns from Kerala where the Christians constitute over 18 percent of the population. Njallani said that the meeting had decided to launch a nationwide campaign for living allowance for all those who have left the religious vocation.

The priests and nuns who leave the vocation have spent their youth years within the Church. Not trained to do any other job, they are left with no money and family and society support to live the rest of their lives. How the Church that preaches compassion can so mercilessly push them into streets? asks Reji.

Pointing out that the Constitution gives every citizen a right to lead a dignified life, Njallani said the association of ex-priests and nuns will soon approach the high court to ensure their right.

He warns that the legal battle may prove costly for the Church. Churches in western countries are already paying billions as compensation to abuse victims. He said that it will be in the interest of the Church if it does not force the former priests and nuns to go to the court.

Njallani suspects that Church was not granting severance pay to former priests and nuns because they fear that it may encourage others serving the Church to leave. The Church apparently cannot afford it since the new generation is not coming forward to join seminaries and nunneries.

Shibhu Kalamparambil, who quit his Vincentian order after witnessing sexual abuses within the Church for 14 years, said many like him wanted to drop out. He said that the problem with the vocation was that the Church is recruiting young boys and girls before they acquire mental maturity.

By the time they become mature enough to decide for themselves it is too late. They are forced to remain in the Church because they are not prepared to live the lay life and have nothing to fall back on after they drop out. The family and society do not accept them as they consider quitting the vocation as a sin, says Shibhu.

Shibhu, who rattled the Church by terming nunneries as brothels in his book entitled "Vaidikante Hrudayamitha (Here is the Heart of a Priest)", believes that the Church has a moral obligation to pay severance pay to those who decide to quit so that they can take care of the rest of their lives.

Njallani doubts whether the Church will understand its obligation since it is not practising what it is teaching.
Mumbai: Mumbai Police is probing several angles including whether the four doctors from LH Hiranandani Hospital arrested along with its CEO in an alleged kidney transplant racket were involved in any exchange of money with agents and donors, a local court was told on Wednesday.

The court, meanwhile, remanded the five people in police custody until Saturday.

Hospital CEO Sujit Chatterjee, medical director Anurag Naik, Mukesh Shetye, Mukesh Shaha and Prakash Shetye were arrested on Tuesday under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act on the basis of a report by the Director of State Health Services Department, which named them during the inquriy.

Police told the court of Local Metropolitan Magistrate, Ashwini Lokhande in Andheri that the arrested doctors were also attached with other hospitals in city and that they wanted to probe if the racket is run in other hospitals as well.

Police also wanted to find out if there was any exchange of money among the doctors, agents and the donors in

alleged illegal transplant of kidneys.

Police are also studying the Call Detail Record (CDR) of the doctors and the racketeers arrested earlier.

"After studying the (Director of State Health Services) report we arrested them. They (the doctors) are

accused of negligence for not verifying the documents and not following the protocol involved in transplantation," police spokesperson DCP Ashok Dudhe said.

However, the defence lawyers told the court that it was not the doctors' job to scrutinise the documents. They

also argued that there is a separate Ethics Committee which screens the documents before allowing transplant.

The racket was exposed after the police were tipped off that a kidney transplant operation had been scheduled on

14 July at the privately-run Hiranandani Hospital in Powai where the donor and the recipient were not related.

Following the bust up, police arrested nine persons, including the donor, receiver and agents.

The operation on Brijkishor Jaiswal, the recipient, was stopped at the last moment as police found that the woman

who was donating him the kidney was not his real wife, contrary to the papers submitted by the duo.

The woman had pretended to be Jaiswal's wife only to be able to donate him the kidney for monetary gains, according

to the police.

Police then started probing if anybody else had received kidney using similar subterfuge and if the hospital

authorities were involved.
Mumbai: A court here onWednesday remanded L H Hiranandani Hospital CEO and four doctors, arrested in connection with an alleged kidney transplant racket, in police custody till 14 August.

Hospital CEO Sujit Chatterjee, medical director Anurag Naik, Mukesh Shetye, Mukesh Shaha and Prakash Shetye were arrested on Tuesday under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act on the basis of a report by the Director of State Health Services Department, which named them during the inquriy.

Police told the court of Local Metropolitan Magistrate, Ashwini Lokhande in Andheri that the arrested doctors were also attached with other hospitals in the city and that they wanted to probe if the racket was being run in other hospitals as well.

Police also wanted to find out if there was any exchange of money among the doctors, agents and donors in the alleged racket.

Police are also studying the Call Detail Record (CDR) of the doctors and the racketeers arrested earlier.

"After studying the (Director of State Health Services) report we arrested them. They (the doctors) are accused of negligence for not verifying the documents and not following the protocol involved in kidney transplantation," police spokesperson DCP Ashok Dudhe said.

However, the defence lawyers told the court that it was not the doctors' job to scrutinise the documents. They also argued that there was a separate Ethics Committee which screens the documents before allowing transplants.

The racket was exposed after the police were tipped off that a kidney transplant operation had been scheduled on 14 July at the privately-run Hiranandani Hospital in Powai where donor and recipient were not related.

Following the bust-up, nine persons, including the donor, receiver and agents were arrested.

The operation on Brijkishor Jaiswal, the recipient, was stopped at the last moment as police found that the woman who was donating the kidney to him was not his real wife, contrary to the papers submitted by the duo.

The woman had pretended to be Jaiswal's wife only to be able to donate him the kidney for monetary gains, according to the police.

Police is now also probing whether anybody else received kidney using similar subterfuge and if the hospital authorities were involved.
Armed with the confessional statement of an alleged Pakistani LeT operative, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), on Wednesday, confirmed that Pakistani national Bahadur Ali who was captured in Jammu and Kashmir last month, is a terrorist with the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). They said that Ali was trained by the LeT to infiltrate Kashmir and 'mix with locals and create trouble'.

The anti-terror probe agency also said it is gathering further evidence regarding the role of Pakistan- based Lashkar-e-Taiba in the ongoing turbulence in the Valley for the last 33 days.

In a confessional video, Bahadur Ali alias 'Saifullah' also named various terror groups in Pakistan and confirmed the involvement of Pakistan in the Kashmir unrest following the death of militant Burhan Wani.

Bahadur Ali crossed into Indian side on either 11th or 12th June along with two LeT cadres: NIA pic.twitter.com/zQBmB5ZP4S  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

Addressing a media conference, IG NIA Sanjeev Singh said, that Bahadur Ali, who was captured in north Kashmir, was guided by the control room of terrorist groups in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir aided by Pakistani forces. He said, "Recovered articles show that terrorist was provided great references in codes. It shows very highly trained people trained him."

He also hinted on the role of Pakistan in the current unrest in Kashmir. "We have collected all kinds of evidences. Bahadur Ali was directed to take advantage of current situation in Kashmir," said Singh.

Bahadur Ali underwent all three training process organised by LeT: NIA IG Sanjeev Kumar pic.twitter.com/LgzPafi9d1  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

NIA stressed on the sophistication of the training received by the LeT terrorists. He said,"They also receive training on how to mingle with the crowds."

Bahadur Ali, who was arrested by Indian authorities in J&K on July 25 '16, makes his disclosure on camera. pic.twitter.com/OdJbwghjOW  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

NIA revealed that Bahadur Ali was recruited by Hafiz Saeed's Jamaat-ud-Dawah and later on was radicalised by LeT.

In a confessional video Bahadur Ali gave information on the LeT training camps. He said, "There were 30-50 trainees at training camps of LeT from different parts of the countries including Afghnistan-Pakistan border."

The NIA's comments came a day after India handed over a "strong demarche" to Pakistan over its continued support to cross-border terrorism in India.

Ali outlined his journey from the training camps and into India. He described how he crossed over to India on 11/12 June along-with two other LeT commanders and described how the Pakistani army monitored the process, "There were a few army officers in civilian clothes who checked our preparedness with a check-list."

Ali told his interrogators that he was informed by his handlers from a control room code-named 'Alpha-3', believed to located at a high altitude somewhere in PoK, about the unrest in the Valley following the killing of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen militant on 8 July.

His handlers from the control room asked him to throw grenades at the security forces and also informed him that other cadres of the terror group had managed to sneak into the Valley, mingled with protesters at other places and were fuelling tension in the Valley.

A fourth-class dropout Ali, who hails from Jahama village of Raiwind in Lahore, was arrested from village Yahama in Mawar area of Qalamabad, Handwara, in North Kashmir on 25 July. The Army had recovered three AK-47 rifles, two pistols and Indian Rs 23,000 from his possession.

This is for the first time that NIA has shown a video statement of a captured militant. Pakistan had earlier this year shown a video statement of Kulbhushan Yadav, an Indian national arrested in Balochistan in March over charges of spying for the Indian intelligence agency.
Srinagar: Faculty members of Jammu and Kashmir government-run medical and dental colleges today

staged a sit-in here to protest against the killing of civilians during the ongoing unrest in the Valley and demanded an immediate end to the use of pellet guns.

Dressed in white aprons with one eye blind-folded showing solidarity with patients who have lost their vision to the pellet injuries, the doctors staged peaceful sit-in in the lawns of Government Medical College.

"We are staging the demonstration to condemn the killing of civilians and press for an immediate ban on the use of the pellet guns by the law enforcing agencies," Medical Faculty Association (MFA) said.

It said despite repeated concerns by specialist doctors from the Valley and outside, the unabated use of pellet guns continued which led to injuries to eyes and vital organs.

Kashmir Valley is on the boil since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces in Anantnag district of south Kashmir.

The widespread protests claimed the lives of 55 people and left over 6000 injured, with hundreds hit by pellets in their eyes as a result of which, doctors say, a number of youths have lost their eye sight.

MFA also condemned the use of teargas shells in and around hospital premises in the Valley and said the practice was detrimental to the well being of admitted patients.

Lauding the never-tiring efforts of doctors, paramedical staff, volunteers and blood donors, the association appealed to all those concerned to ensure a safe passage to the ambulances carrying the hospital staff and patients.
Mumbai: The Mumbai Police has recommended that the state book Islamic preacher Zakir Naik under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and ban his Islamic Research Foundation (IRF). In a 72-page report on the investigation conducted into Naik's alleged terror links submitted to the home department, the Mumbai Police alleged that Naik had used IRF for 'unlawful activities'.

The Mumbai police is all set to book Naik under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Mumbai police commissioner Dattatray Padsalgikar submitted the 72-page report to Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday. The report alleged that Naik justified terror acts like suicide bombing and added that some of those arrested for terror activities have said that they used to listen to Naik's speeches.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday issued an inspection notice to IRF for alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), a senior Mumbai Police official told Firstpost. The notice is the first step towards suspending or revoking the FCRA registration of any NGO or organisation, he added.

On 1 August, Firstpost had reported that the Mumbai Police was a single link away from closing in on the preacher.

The 72-page report alleged that through IRF and Peace TV, Naik gave a platform to 'terrorist minds' for propagating their ideology. It listed the names of Islamic speakers who have condoned terror and were banned in other countries, but arrived in India through IRF and made speeches on Peace TV.

The report also alleged that the IRF misused the status of an educational trust to convert people. According to a senior official, the report alleged that Naik used foreign funds to convert people in India by using these funds as inducements. Naik's IRF, according to the report, was in touch with a huge network of 'marriage agents' who used to bring people from other states into Maharashtra to be converted. The police report alleged that Naik's 'inspiration' Ahmed Deedat, a Surat-based South African preacher, had kept close ties with Osama bin Laden, who was involved in the 11 September, 2001 attacks.

Talking to mediapersons at Mantralaya, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, "In the probe, several new facts have come to light. Naik's activities are illegal. Statements made by a section of youths, who had links with the Islamic State and Indian Mujahideen, also point to the unlawful activities of IRF. We will take the strongest possible action in consultation with the law and judiciary department and MHA."

"From the documents gathered by the Mumbai Police and statements made by Naik about different religious, it is clear that there is a question mark over activities by him and IRF activities," Fadnavis added. He said that his government will seek the opinion of the law and judiciary department and the MHA before initiating action.

Padsalgikar has elaborated on the unlawful activities in his detailed report but has not recommended action, leaving it to the law and judiciary department and home department to decide. When Firstpost contacted Padsalgikar, he said, "I have submitted the report to the chief minister, thats all." He refused to comment on when the Mumbai Police will begin to take action against Naik.

"There are many indictments in the report. Many unlawful activities have been pointed out pertaining to the organisation of which Naik is the leader. The government is studying the report and will share the report with the MHA. There are certain activities attributed to Naik, as well. In consultation with the MHA, we will decide on the further course of action," he added

The Mumbai Police also attached a report of the Kerala Police that has booked IRF men for converting people and pushing them towards the Islamic State. The Mumbai Police has filed a case against two suspected Islamic State sympathisers Arshid Qureshi and Rizwan Khan  alleged to be close to Naik. The duo was picked up in Mumbai last month in a joint operation by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the Kerala Police.

To bolster its case, the government has compiled a list of FIRs registered against Naik  especially one filed in 2005 and another in 2012. The law ministry's proposal for action against Naik is based on these FIRs, sources said.

The Mumbai Police will be registering an offence against both Naik and IRF within a week, added a senior official.
Nagpur: A group of pro-Vidarbha activists, demanding statehood for the region, on Tuesday protested outside Union minister Nitin Gadkari's residence.

The activists took out a rally, under the leadership of former Legislator Wamanrao Chatap of Vidarbha Rajya Andolan Samiti, which ended at Gadkari's residence located in Mahal area in the eastern part of the city.

"A large number of farmers, students, women and youngsters from across various districts of Vidarbha took part in the protest march, which was aimed at reminding Gadkari of his promise on a separate Vidarbha state," Ram Neole, a leader of Samiti said.

Before being elected as an MP from Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency, Gadkari had openly espoused the cause of separate Vidarbha. However, he has been maintaining silence on the issue since his induction into the Union cabinet, Neole alleged.

"If Gadkari decides, he can deliver on the demand for separate state. The Centre has the discretion to carve out a new state without the consent of the Maharashtra Legislature," he added.

A memorandum in support of the separate statehood was submitted to Gadkari's staff as he was away in New Delhi to attend the ongoing Parliament session.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, in his reply to the discussion on the Kashmir unrest in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, thanked all the members of the House for speaking in one voice over the Kashmir issue and said that if anyone does not know the meaning of a healthy democracy, they should tune in to the Rajya Sabha session.

Singh began his speech by assuring the House that the situation is not as dire as what was being described during the debate and food and fuel is being provided to the people of Kashmir. He stated that he does not believe that only unemployment is the reason for the Kashmir unrest. "What is happening in Kashmir is sponsored by Pakistan," he said.

He then went on to address Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif's statements on the Kashmir unrest. "Two weeks ago, Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif said that he is waiting for the day when Kashmir will become Pakistan's. He has also written a letter to the UN Secretary General saying there should be a plebiscite in Kashmir. On the basis of the statements made in the House, I can say that no power in the world can take Jammu and Kashmir from us. If there is dialogue with Pakistan, it won't be on Kashmir, it will be on Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir," he said to much applause.

He also appealed to the youth of Kashmir to stop those who were displaying flags of the Islamic State in the Valley. "What has ISIS done? They have murdered the people who believe in Islam. If there is one country that believes all religions are equal, then that country is India. Islam has never said you should murder anyone. I believe that those who claim Islam does so are insulting Islam," he said.

On the issue of 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans being raised in Jammu and Kashmir, Singh made it very clear that "it is not acceptable on Indian soil." He further said, "I appeal to the people of Kashmir not to do this."

He also reiterated the statement that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made on Kashmir and said that the government has no intention of imposing President's Rule on Jammu and Kashmir.

Singh also read out a statement on behalf of the Rajya Sabha. "The House expresses sympathy to those affected. The House also urges steps to be taken to stop the violence quickly," he read.
M Ramani, 26, runs a photo studio in Nagapattinams Pazhankallimedu village in southern Tamil Nadu. He is a graduate with a bachelors degree in business administration. Ramani is now at the forefront of protests by the Dalit community in the village, who are demanding their right to worship in the Bhadrakaliamman temple there.

We want to be able to propitiate the Goddess in our traditional five-day thiruvizha (festival), explained Ramani. Since 1982 we have not been allowed to conduct our poojas. For about 10 years we have been protesting for our rights. This year, we said that if we are not allowed, we will convert to Islam. We have given a petition to the collector, he said.

Last month, 250 Dalit families signed the petition and stated their intention to convert if they were denied their rights by the dominant caste Pillaimars in the village. A court case filed by the agitating Dalits is pending since August 2015. The Nagapattinam district administration, after holding peace talks, decided to cancel the festivities altogether, citing the case pending before the courts. And so, the Dalit community is holding off on the decision to convert, awaiting the courts pronouncement.

Ramani says the community is aware that conversion will not make much of a difference to their reality. Bhadrakaliamman is our kuladeivam (ancestral deity), said the youngster. If we are not allowed to pray, then we will go to a God who allows us inside His abode to pray. We do not foresee any great change in our social status or any improvement in our lives due to conversion. It is simply about the right to pray to our Gods the way we want to, he explained.

The Meenakshipuram Experiment

Ramani is perhaps more realistic than the Dalits of Meenakshipuram in Tirunelveli. In 1980, around 300 Dalit families in the tiny usually peaceful village converted to Islam, as rebellion against the oppression and discrimination by dominant caste Thevars in the Hindu fold. What was then hailed as the answer to the caste conundrum faced by Dalits in the state, turned out to be an experiment gone wrong.

Today, Meenakshipurams converts follow the Islamic faith, but they say the discrimination continues. The only change is that we are called Mama or Macchan or Bhai (common terms used to address Muslims in Tamil Nadu), smiled Ismail Mohammed, a shopkeeper in Meenakshipuram village. Mohammed was 12 years old when the mass conversion happened and his family was one among the 300. Earlier they used to call us Pallan or Parappayalu (caste names of Pallars and Paraiyars used in a derogatory manner in Tamil). But otherwise, we are still in the same village, doing the same drudgery, being treated the same way by the dominant caste, he said in resignation.

As per the 2011 census, Dalits number around 20 crores in the country, forming 25 percent of the population. Tamil Nadus Dalits alone number over 7 percent of the total Dalit population in the country. Dalits who have converted to Christianity account for an average of 60 percent of the total Christian population of 6.12 percent in India. Those who converted to Islam are more in number  by some estimates, Dalits who embraced Islam number almost 10 crore in India.

Experts in Dalit studies agree that conversion to other religions does not seem to have worked out well for the community. Conversion serves the sole purpose of registering protest, said C Lakshmanan, associate professor at the Madras Institute of Development Studies. How much it translates to emancipation is not clear, as we can see from the Meenakshipuram case, he said.

Lakshmanan feels that the only way to access the due rights of the community is to unite and protest, as is happening in Una, Gujarat and in Uttar Pradesh and Telangana. The immediate need for the Dalits is to come together for a united struggle, continued Lakshmanan. Today Gujarat is witnessing a strong struggle because Dalit politicians are very few in that state. In Tamil Nadu there is a visible Dalit presence politically but there is no unity, he said.
Jahangir, the Mughal emperor, was a prolific hunter, one who hunted far and wide. His memoir  Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri  meticulously accounts his exploits between the age 12 and 50. Out of the total 17,167 hunted, 3203 were quadrupeds of all kinds  tigers, antelope, swamp deer, cheetahs, bears etc.

One prominent animal conspicuously absent from this record is the lion.

Jahangirs hunting expeditions were just an example. Similar records of accomplishments of all royal and aristocratic families before and after him, with the distinct addition of the British, show that lion was far less hunted than the tiger in the vast swathes of forest that India was home to. In addition to the unrestrained hunting and habitat loss, did other factors such as competition with tigers for the same prey and territory accelerate its demise? We will come back to this.

Now in 2012, scientists from the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad published a landmark research paper titled Genetic evidence of tiger population structure and migration within an isolated and fragmented landscape in northwest India. The research established a healthy dispersal and migration of tigers between Ranthambore tiger reserve in Rajasthan to Kuno-Palpur and Madhav national park in Madhya Pradesh. The research is significant also for the lions in India, for it establishes the credentials of the argument against the proposed translocation of lions from Gir in Gujarat to Kuno-Palpur.

Forest corridors are critical for the long-term survival of wild species, enabling their dispersal and migration and upholding their genetic robustness.

It is critical for tigers of Ranthambore to migrate and remain connected with the central Indian tiger landscape. Their only way is southeast via the Khandar range and Keladevi sanctuary, across the Chambal river into Kuno-Palpur (only a few KM away), and via Kuno-Palpur into Madhav National park (MNP) and further still, towards the Panna and Bandhavgarh tiger reserves.

Consider these few extracts from the CCMB research paper:

We could determine significant gene flow between RTR and MNP.

We have ascertained tiger presence in Kuno-Palpur wildlife sanctuary and Madhav national park, and established their genetic connectivity with the animals of Ranthambore tiger reserve.

Such dispersal and subsequent reproduction are crucial for the maintenance of long-term genetic health in small fragmented populations.

These forests are extremely important to national conservation strategies.

The corridor of Kuno-Palpur is a veritable jugular vein for the tigers of Ranthambore. The diagram below demonstrates the proximity of the two reserves.

Can a lion and a tiger co-exist in the same habitat competing for territory, prey, dominance? Has a scientific and historical analysis of this aspect ever been made? Will there be a conflict? The MP government has nonchalantly shrugged off this concern, and that is where the danger lies.

Ecologically speaking, both tigers and lions are migrants into Indian forests.

The lions arrived in India much earlier than the tiger, i.e. about 20,000-30,000 years ago. They were found in northern, western and central India.

The tiger arrived into India approximately 12,000 years ago from the north and northeastern Asia.

Having evolved to be apex predators both are naturally designed for dominance and hence conflict would be inevitable in case of overlapping habitat.

Those who dismiss this concern, point out that lions kill other lions all the time, same with tigers, how then is a lion-tiger conflict going to be any different, they ask. What is overlooked is that in this inexhaustible cycle of nature, elimination is followed by procreation  ensuring propagation of dominant genes, while in the case of a tiger-lion conflict, no procreation would follow  a disruption of the natural cycle.

It is not as if no evidence exists to give legitimacy to this concern.

In 1955, the widely-respected journal of the Bombay Natural History Society carried an article in its Vol 53, titled Experiments in implanting African Lions into Madhya Bharat wherein disastrous results of an effort by the Maharaja of Gwalior to introduce lions into tiger territory were produced. The experiment was a total failure  an important observation was of lions being killed by tigers. Later, the author of the article, Kesri Singh, in a book opined that tigers had a role to play in the disappearance of the lion in India, being direct competitors

Several noted authors have also opined likewise, vis-a-vis lion-tiger conflict: Richard Perry in The World of the Tiger, 1965, Jack Denton Scott in Speaking Wildly, 1966, Franklin Russell in The Hunting Animal, 1983 Kenneth Anderson in The Call of the Man-Eater, 1961.

There is much additional rationale in opposing the move, including its legality.

The Supreme Court ordered that the translocation must be strictly in accordance with IUCN guidelines. It might be falling short of several, such as

Guideline 1: There should generally be strong evidence that the threat(s) that caused any previous extinction have been correctly identified and removed or sufficiently reduced

Problem: The entire RTR-KPWLS-MNP landscape is a hostile human matrix  poaching, high prevalence of licensed and unlicensed firearms, fragmented forest corridors due to encroachments, rampant illegal sand and stone mining. Hence, threats such as habitat loss and killings that caused the previous extinction are still clearly present. The tiger-lion conflict issue compounds the threat.

Guideline 2: Where a high degree of uncertainty remains or it is not possible to assess reliably that a conservation introduction presents low risks, it should not proceed, and alternative conservation solutions should be sought.

Problem: A high degree of uncertainty does remain  viz the conflict with tigers compounded by concerns of inadequate prey-base, a hostile human matrix, uncertainty over the migration of lions and their acceptability once population expands etc.

Guideline 3: Human communities in or around a release area will have legitimate interests in any translocation. These interests will be varied, and attitude of the community can be extreme and contradictory. Consequently, translocation planning should accommodate the socioeconomic circumstances, community attitude, and values.

Problem: While MP has done a fine job of relocating villages from within Kuno-Palpur sanctuary, has anyone talked to or sensitised the population on the Rajasthan side, which has a smattering of hundreds of villages, which would have lions right in their backyard? Irate villagers around the Khandar range often confront hapless forest officials when tigers venture into their farms or villages, has anyone asked their opinion about having lions within a few kilometers in a few years? No.

Guideline 4: There is a risk of hybridisation with closely-related species or subspecies; this may possibly result in a lower fitness of offspring and/or loss of species integrity. This should be included in risk assessment

Problem: This is especially pertinent given the presence of tigers, and is also related to the potential of conflict. Has any study been made of lion-tiger conflict or competition in the same habitat? No.

The move does not sit in consonance with these and many other guidelines. Now, how can an order in violation of its own mandate get implemented?

This translocation might be more flagrantly violative of IUCN guidelines than any other.

Notwithstanding this, and Gujarats genuine reservations regarding the insufficiency of total area of the Kuno-Palpur sanctuary, inadequacy of prey-base, prevalence of firearms, poaching, a highly hostile human matrix that surrounds the Kuno landscape or Indias infancy in the expertise required in handling re-introduction of endangered species, if translocation does go ahead, as with all ecological disasters, the damage would only appear in the long term.

The Supreme Court has not been made fully aware of the importance of Kuno-Palpur as a migration corridor for tigers and the threat of lion-tiger conflict.

I am not against a second home for Asiatic Lions per se, although they seem to have already made a third, fourth and fifth home in Savarkundla, Palitana, Mahua, Girnar etc. By all means pursue it, in a feasible place, but not Kuno-Palpur. Because sandwiching lions between tigers would endanger both.

The author is a biotechnologist and member of State Board for Wildlife, Gujarat
Talk about authentic flavors, international cuisines and fast food, and we picture a swanky food joint in a foreign country. What if these food innovations were a part of our own Desi gastronomies?

Surprised?

Here, ogle your heart out at some of these crazy-twisted dishes that would make you go, now thats a good newsyummm!

Sev Puri Sandwich

On a monsoon evening, when you crave for some chaat and are on the lookout for the nearest Sev Puri stall, Mumbais sandwich makers will surprise you with some crunchy Sev Puri in a hot toasted sandwich, upping the ante with some spicy mint chutney for a lip-smacking twist.

Scrambled Egg Cup-noodle

One dish that goes well with different spices, vegetables and even eggs is our very own childhood favorite  Cup noodles. Most of us had started experimenting with it way back in our school days but as we grew, so did the innovations with this common household item. Throw in some cooked eggs garnished with onions & coriander leaves and, voila! Your 2-minute hot feast is ready!

Tuna Paratha Roll

For all the fish lovers out there, nothing could be better than soft Tuna melting in your mouth in the very popular and practical roll. Say hello to devouring in the fishy love of Paratha rolls!

McAloo Tikki in Lebanese & Mexican flavors

McDonald's is globe-trotting with its hot-selling McAloo Tikki burger  The American burger brand has brought the good news of the newest burger flavor launch 'Lebanese and Mexican'. The Mexican McAloo Tikki is stuffed with Jalapenos topped with tangy Salsa sauce and the Lebanese McAloo Tikki comes loaded with gherkins and spicy harissa sauce. So, are you all set to taste these mouthwatering burgers with a twist? These two transnational tastes are certain to be every vegetarian's delight and ready to sweep every foodie off his feet for 39/- only.

This is a sponsored post.
New Delhi: BJP on Wednesday demanded a high-level, independent probe into the death of former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul, who allegedly committed suicide, saying people wanted to know the truth behind his demise.

"Pul was a doughty leader. His death under such circumstances is very unfortunate and a matter of probe. BJP demands that there should be a high-level independent investigation into it. People want to know the truth behind his death," BJP National Secretary Shrikant Sharma said.

He wondered what was the stress that led to his alleged suicide and spoke about the internal crisis in Congress which he had joined back after defecting from it, along with several party MLAs, to become the state's Chief Minister with the BJP's support.

Pul briefly served as the chief minister from 19 February to 13 July before the Supreme Court reinstated the Nabam Tuki government.

47-year-old Pul was found dead at the Chief Minister's official residence yesterday which he was yet to vacate.
New Delhi: The cabinet on Wednesday gave ex-post facto approval to a proposal to amend the Lokpal Act to exempt Central government employees and NGOs executives from filing details of assets of their spouses and children.

Parliament had on 28 July passed a bill to amend the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013.

A meeting of the Union cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gave its ex-post facto approval for amendments to section 44 and consequential amendments to the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 by introducing the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in Parliament, a release issued by the government said.

"The approved amendments will address concerns and apprehensions expressed by different categories of public servants and addresses the difficulties being faced in implementing the provision of section 44 of the Lokpal and

Lokayuktas Act, 2013. The amendments are in line with one of the recommendations of the standing committee," it said.

As per old Lokpal rules, every public servant will file declaration, information and annual returns pertaining to his assets and liabilities, along with those of spouse and dependent children, as on March 31 every year on or before 31 July of that year.

This was changed through the amendment bill to exempt spouse and children of public servants.

The declarations under the Lokpal law are in addition to those filed by the employees under various service rules.

The last date for filing such declarations has been extended till 31 December, 2016.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad is right when he says that Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs to have his own ideas and action in dealing with the turmoil in Kashmir rather than simply reiterating his erstwhile party stalwart and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's beautifully coined terms to handle the issue - Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat.

Azad was neither overtly critical nor needlessly combative against the Prime Minister or the Union government, as most opposition leaders tend to do but he succeeded in effectively conveying the message. There is a need for early intervention by the Prime Minister on such critical issues and make his position known in Parliament.

His contention was that Vajpayee and Modi have two different persona. When Vajpayee used the terms Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat it conveyed a certain sense because words like these gelled with his persona. Whether it changed situation on the ground or whether it had any long term and short term impact was not an issue today but over a decade ago, the words had their novelty and opened a dialogue process with separatists and others. Modi has a different persona and these terms didn't really reflect this thought process. Prior to Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had spoken about it and the latter had urged PM Modi to go by Vajpayee's line. Modi had talked of the same in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday.

Azad's speech was a disappointment on other count given the fact the Leader of Opposition had been J&K chief minister and currently represents the state in Upper House. More substantive arguments on the issue at hand and some suggestion as to how the situation could possibly be dealt was expected from him. His attention was focussed on PM Modi and damage that pellet guns used by security forces had caused to young boys and girls in the valley.

But then he said as an opposition leader his role was to highlight the issues and take on the government, he couldn't be speaking the language of those in the government.

The other point that he made had some merits. The senior Congress leader said PM Modi had a commendable routine of coming to Parliament House, during session at 10 am and leave only at 6 pm. He would be in his Chamber and keep a close eye on proceedings of both Houses in Parliament. No other prime minister followed the kind of daily routine as Modi did. But then, he does not apply the same when it comes to actually sitting inside the House and speaking on matters of substantive importance.

The distance between his chamber in Parliament House and Lok Sabha is of 15 seconds, Rajya Sabha would be few more seconds away. But it took days for him to come to either of the two Houses. This has been a standing criticism of Modi by Opposition leaders. They had been demanding PM's presence in the House when Kashmir issue was being debated today. Though Home Minister Rajnath Singh on whose prompt response during Zero Hour on Tuesday made it possible for the issue to be discussed today, starting from 11 am, even cancelling Zero and Question Hour but the PM was not there.

It was also unusual for House to take up same subject (Kashmir) four times for discussion in this short, 20-working day session. In fact on Tuesday when the opposition leaders led by Congress were demanding yet another full-fledged debate on the subject during Zero Hour, Singh came to the House and agreed to discuss it today as the first subject in the morning.

The home minister's gesture was appreciated. But the opposition leader's argument was that when dalit issue was discussed in the House, PM didn't speak in Parliament, instead he chose to speak on other forums in Delhi and Hyderabad on gau rakshaks and dalits. Again on Kashmir issue, he chose to speak in Alijapur in Madhya Pradesh but he gave his views on the matter in Parliament.

Though it's difficult to say whether things would have taken a different turn if he had spoken in Parliament rather than outside. But his intervention in Parliament on any given issue has its own importance. A case in point is his intervention on GST in Parliament on Monday.

The Prime Minister did warn the self-styled gau rakshaks of stern action while addressing a town hall recently in New Delhi. He even offered his support to the dalit community and pledged to stand by them. Had he done the same in Parliament, it would have only strengthened parliamentary democracy.
A 65-year-old man died after being hit by Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia's car near Alapuzzha in Kerala on Wednesday.

#FLASH Man dies after being hit by a car near Alappuzha (Kerala), Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia was travelling in the car, escaped unhurt  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

Scindia, a three-time Member of Parliament from Guna, Madhya Pradesh, was travelling on the National Highway-66 in Pattanakadu village in Alappuzha when his car hit a sexagenarian riding a two-wheeler, according to AAj Tak. The elderly man died on the spot while Scindia escaped unhurt according to the report.

The accident reportedly took place at Puthiyakavu around 11.30 am on Wednesday as Scindia was travelling in a chauffeur-driven car from Kochi to Alapuzzha to attend a function at Cherthala after arriving at Kochi from New Delhi.

After the incident, the Congress leader tweeted to express his condolence and said that he will meet the bereaved family.

Devastated - sad loss of life - unfortunate accident betw Cochin-Allepy. Arranged for hospital immediately - on way to meet bereaved family!  Jyotiraditya Scindia (@JM_Scindia) August 10, 2016

Police identified the deceased as Sasi, a resident of Puthiyakavu locality. Though Sasi was rushed to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to injuries, police said.

After handing over the car to the police, Scindia left in another car, KC Venugopal, Congress MP from Alappuzha, said adding his colleague would later call on the bereaved family. Besides the former union minister, three other Congress workers were in the car when the mishap occurred, Venugopal said.
Auto refresh feeds

"I will not accept that this problem is just one created by Pakistan or separatists," he said.

"You cannot escape the issue by just blaming Pakistan for the problems in Kashmir," he said. "Just because of good tourism in one season in Kashmir, you cannot think you solved the problem. If you do not pay attention to this problem, it will turn into a law and order problem."

"There must be a conspiracy being hatched by Pakistan. But you have to look at the measures you are taking to counter it," Yechury told the government in Rajya Sabha.

In response, a beleaguered Arun Jaitley said that BJP will take strict action against Dayashankar Singh. "I should tell Mayawati ji that the party shares her grief over this issue, I will look into this matter, we stand with her...I am personally hurt that a BJP party person used such derogatory words against Mayawati," he said.

"This is not only a woman's issue. This is a man's issue," said TMC MP Derek O'Brien.

Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury stressed on the fact that the man making such remarks was none other than the vice president of the UP unit of BJP and demanded that he be arrested. "A man speaks with such language on the day both houses are discussing issues on violence on Dalits?" she said.

"The nation will not forgive BJP for this, especially with what is going in Gujarat," ANI quoted Mayawati as saying. "There are wars of thoughts and ideas in the House, but never have I used derogatory words against anyone ever," she said.

"The insulting words used against me are against all of womankind," said Mayawati. "Dayashankar Singh should be arrested. Otherwise, if in response to this people get violent, it will not be on my conscience," she added.

UP BJP vice president Dayashankar Singh's cheap remark against BSP chief Mayawati created uproar in the Parliament as Opposition leaders attacked the Modi government over the issue.

In response, a beleaguered Arun Jaitley said that BJP will take strict action against Dayashankar Singh. "I should tell Mayawati ji that the party shares her grief over this issue, I will look into this matter, we stand with her...I am personally hurt that a BJP party person used such derogatory words against Mayawati," he said.

"This is not only a woman's issue. This is a man's issue," said TMC MP Derek O'Brien.

Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury stressed on the fact that the man making such remarks was none other than the vice president of the UP unit of BJP and demanded that he be arrested. "A man speaks with such language on the day both houses are discussing issues on violence on Dalits?" she said.

"The nation will not forgive BJP for this, especially with what is going in Gujarat," ANI quoted Mayawati as saying. "There are wars of thoughts and ideas in the House, but never have I used derogatory words against anyone ever," she said.

"The insulting words used against me are against all of womankind," said Mayawati. "Dayashankar Singh should be arrested. Otherwise, if in response to this people get violent, it will not be on my conscience," she added.

UP BJP vice president Dayashankar Singh's cheap remark against BSP chief Mayawati created uproar in the Parliament as Opposition leaders attacked the Modi government over the issue.

"On one hand, BJP did a lot of things to celebrate Ambedkar Jayanti and assured Dalits that they will do a lot to celebrate it. On the other hand, Dalits still do not have reservation rights in the private sector," she added.

"The legal rights which Ambedkar created for the backward sections of the society will only reach the society when honest work is done for providing those rights to them," she said.

"Even after the country got independence, whether it is Congress rule or BJP rule, the sad truth is that the Dalits are still suffering," Mayawati said in the Rajya Sabha.

"There is an urgent need to change the mindset of the major political parties of the country towards Dalits," she said. "I have to tell the Union government that this is a serious matter. I ask the government to give justice to the Dalit victims in Gujarat. It is not enough to just send the Gujarat CM to meet them. Action needs to be taken against authorities which were negligent. They should be arrested," she said.

"In the name of protection of cows, a lot of unfair things are being done. Injustice against Dalits is being done in the name of protection of cows," said Mayawati in the Rajya Sabha.

Crimes against Dalits being done in the name of cow protection, says Mayawati

"Instead of making Dalits a political weapon, Congress, BJP and other parties should be reminded that they should rise above petty politics and work for the development of backward sections," she said.

"The victims often do not get justice in case of a CID probe," said Mayawati in the Rajya Sabha. "Gujarat government did not act quickly enough. It was only when the media picked up this issue that some action was taken."

"This Una incident case should run in a fast track court. We also demand that one of the judges should be a Dalit," Mayawati said. "Forget about Dalits getting justice, even their FIR is not filed many times and the latest example is the Una (Gujrat) incident," she also said.

Deputy Chariman PJ Kurien denies that the House is taking the subject lightly. Rajya Sabha is currently debating Aam Aadmi Party lawmaker Bhagwant Mann's video of him entering Parliament by crossing several security layers. Mann then posted it on social media, inviting attack from MPs across party line, who termed his act as a security breach.

In the video, which went viral, Mann was seen showing entry gate through which MPs enter Parliament House and saying how strong is the security. "The car is registered with the Lok Sabha. It has a censor, which has the vehicle details. As soon as so you come near the gate, the censor identifies the car and announces the name and number of the car," Mann says in the video with him crossing several layers of the security.

On the fifth day of the Monsoon Session (Friday), Aam Aadmi Party MLA Bhagwant Mann's filmed a video entering Parliament by crossing several security layers, which eventually caused uproar in both the Houses. Mann, who posted it on social media, invited attack from MPs across party line, who termed his act as a security breach.

As soon as the House assembled, she informed it about the action being taken on the issue which had led to the adjournment of Lok Sabha proceedings on July 22. "The inquiry committee shall inquire into the serious security implications and related aspects.... (and) suggest suitable remedial measures to avoid recurrence of such incidents in future and recommend appropriate action in the matter," the Speaker said.

The member is "advised not to attend the sittings of the House" until a decision is taken in the matter, Mahajan said. Mann was not present in the House.

The panel has also been asked to "suggest remedial measures" so that such episodes are not repeated.

Mahajan has formed the nine member panel headed by BJP MP Kirit Somaiya which includes Anandrao Adsul (Shiv Sena), Meenakshi Lekhi, Satya Pal Singh (both BJP), B Mahtab (Biju Janata Dal), Ratna De Nag (Trinamool) and K. C. Venugopal (Congress) and other members.

Therefore, the "act of the member" has put the security of the Parliament in peril, she said. Mahajan said she had consulted leaders of all political parties and everyone supported her actions on this issue.

Describing Parliament as "sanctum sanctorum" of democracy, Mahajan recalled that on 13 December, 2001, security personnel had sacrificed their lives protecting the parliament and after that entire security system was reviewed and overhauled.

It put "security of the parliament in peril", Mahajan added. Mann has been asked to appear before the panel by 10.30 am tomorrow and make his submission.

Addressing the Lok Sabha as soon as it reassembled after the weekend break, Mahajan said taking audio video footage of security zones in the parliament by Punjab's Sangrur MP Mann on July 21 and putting them on social networking site was improper.

"The act of the member of audio-visual recording of the Parliament and posting it on the social media puts the security of Parliament in peril," the Speaker said, adding that several members had expressed concern over the issue on Friday last.

The panel, chaired by BJP member Kirit Somaiya, has been asked to submit its report by August 3, while Mann has time till tomorrow morning to submit his explanation to the committee.

Acting tough, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan today said AAP MP Bhagwant Mann's videography of the Parliament House complex had put its security "in peril" and asked him not to attend the House till a decision is taken on the matter while setting up a nine-member panel to probe the issue.

The Lok Sabha is likely to discuss The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill today. Apart from this, the Lower House is also slated to discuss The Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Bill.

Sasikala Pushpa began crying in the House over the issue of attacks on women in the country. She has alleged that she was harassed and was being forced to quit her post.

"So what if we disagreed with you? This is not the country we are used to living in," O'Brien said. "The Prime Minister needs to come in the House and say that we can live in the India we know, the India of unity and diversity."

"For Rs 15, they (Dalits) are being killed because they are Dalits. I am a gau sevak. But in the name of gau sevaks, don't cross the line. This is a sitaution which has gone beyond the border of this country. Since they are taking these decisions, they must listen to what the UN had to say about this country," he said.

"The curb on religious fundamentalism, this is a dangerous situation. If it happens and happens and happens, it is a decision. This is a decision of this government. Otherwise, the Defence Minister would not have said what he said yesterday," TMC MP Derek O'Brien said, referring to Parrikar's remarks that Aamir Khan needs to be taught a "lesson" because of his remarks on intolerance.

An angry Parrikar responded by saying that he did not take the name of any person in the video.

"Since the BJP government came to power, they targeted Muslims first. Now, they are committing atrocities against the Dalits. The Prime Minister should come to the Parliament and clarify on what is happening," Mayawati said.

CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury responded to Parrikar and said, "What he said is objectionable. That cannot be acceptable. Tomorrow, are you going to threaten me? If he is raksha mantri, kiska raksha ho raha hai?"

Defence Minister Parrikar responded to the uproar in the Rajya Sabha over his remarks against Aamir Khan and said, "Let them see the video themselves and make up their minds."

"We should think about the respect for women. In Bareilly, a teacher was abducted during daytime. This is not right. The government should speak. Why is the government silent?" she said.

"There are rapes taking place against Dalit women everywhere in the country. The government should take this matter seriously," Mayawati said.

Naqvi agreed with her and said the government was ready for a discussion.

"I am really embarrassed for standing here and talking about the same issue once again, even after the Nirbhaya gangrape...I want a discussion on women's protection. I do not care which place. I do not want politicising of this issue," Jaya Bachchan said in the Rajya Sabha.

An emotional Jaya Bachchan got up in the Rajya Sabha and demanded a discussion on the issue of safety of women.

"In view of seriousness of matter, Bhagwant Mann is further advised not to attend the sessions of Parliament for further two weeks," she said.

"The chairperson (of the committee) has sought extension of time for further two weeks. I have accepted the request for extension," Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said.

On the issue of AAP MP Bhagwant Mann being barred from the Parliament for making a video of the Parliament House complex, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said that the committee probing this issue had asked for more time.

"This legislation will only be passed after a serious discussion. I hope the Finance Minister passes the Bill not on the strength of his numbers, but on the basis of logic," Chidambaram said.

"Government tried to pass the GST Bill without the support of the principal Opposition and I am happy they failed," he said.

"Many issues are still outstanding issues and still need to be resolved. We had earlier tried to pass the GST Bill with the support of the Opposition and we failed," he said.

"I welcome the friendly tone of the Finance Minister's speech. I think the tone and approach has changed over the last few weeks," Congress leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram said.

"People of India expect low indirect taxes. There are many voices in the government which speak for the corporate, but someone must speak for the people. I am doing that," Chidambaram said in the Rajya Sabha.

"When this Bill is passed today, we will prepare for the next stage of the debate, which is the Central GST Bill. I want an assurance from the Finance Minister....This is a very important legislation. I want an assurance that when that Bill is brought, that will be brought as a Financial Bill and not as a Money Bill," Chidambaram said.

"Persuade all parties and sections of the people that a standard of 18 percent is the most appropriate," he added.

"The worry that we have is creeping taxation. But that is what Parliament is for. Taxation is the exclusive power of the Parliament. It is ultimately Parliament which calls the shots in taxes," he said.

"I, on behalf of my party, loudly and clearly demand that the GST rate should not exceed 18 percent," Chidambaram said in the Rajya Sabha.

Bill in next stage of GST debate should be brought as a Financial Bill: Chidambaram

Chidambaram warns that a rate too high, something like 23 percent, will be inflationary. He insists that the Bill needs to be passed as a finance Bill. The critical point we shouldnt be miss here is that the Congress is pitching for 18 percent standard GST rate and isnt ready to give up on this point in any case.

This comment is crucial since the NDA government has not yet arrived on a single rate. Chidambaram attacks the Narendra Modi government, saying it does not care about the problems of the common people. Chidambaram stresses on the point that the rate should be changed only with the permission of Parliament, and thus makes Congress compromise formula that the GST rate should be included in the GST Bill, though his party is willing to compromise on the earlier demand that the rate should be included in the constitution.

According to Firstpost Financial Editor Dinesh Unnikrishnan, P Chidambaram has hit the core point in his speech  the final GST rate. Chidambaram positions Congress as the voice of poor and emphasises on the fact that standard GST rate should not exceed 18 percent on the lines of what governments chief economic advisor, Arvind Subrmanian, suggested.

"It (GST) violates states' autonomy. It results in permanent revenue loss to the state of Tamil Nadu. We strongly oppose this Bill," AIADMK MP A Navaneethakrishnan said in the Rajya Sabha.

"We have moved an amendment that the compensation should be for at least 5 years," he added.

"Tamil Nadu will lose Rs 9270 crore because of GST. This is not a small amount," he said.

"Till date, the revenue-neutral rate has not been fixed by the government," he said, adding that this was a problem in the GST Bill.

"Petroleum and petroleum products must be kept outside GST permanently. We can save our people only then," he said. "It is a well-known fact that Tamil Nadu is a manufacturing state. It is also known that this method of taxation is destination-based. We strongly oppose that," he said.

He then went on to elaborate on the changes which AIADMK wanted in the GST Bill.

"The composition of the GST Council is not fair. The weightage of each state's vote should be in proportion to their representation in the country," said the AIADMK MP in the Rajya Sabha.

"Now let me tell you about the ping pong match," O'Brien said

"I'm feeling like a teenager in the presence of these senior lawyers," O'Brien said. "There is the politics of the Bill. GST can also be interpreted as the Girgit Samjhauta Tax," TMC MP Derek O'Brien said in the Rajya Sabha.

TMC MP Derek O'Brien has always been dramatic in his speeches, and his speech during the GST Bill is a perfect example.

The money has to first come from Centre to states and then from states to local bodies. If the availability of funds to local bodies gets delayed, that can seriously hamper functioning of local bodies, Patel cites. In a larger context, this problem is not for MCGB alone. It would apply to all big and small local bodies across the country in the GST regime. Patels remarks suggest the magnitude of challenge the Modi government has while implementing the revolutionary tax regime.

Patel raises the challenge of GST implementation. Under the GST regime, when various indirect taxes including sales tax, VAT and Octroi get consolidated in one uniform tax rate, will large local bodies such as MCGB get funds on time for its daily functioning? Patel asks.

Firstpost Financial Editor Dinesh Unnikrishnan says that NCP Rajya Sabha MP Praful Patel raises an interesting case of states within the states, citing the example of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGB), which under Octroi alone garners about Rs 8000 crore to Rs 9000 crore per annum.

"The Prime Minister should come to the House apologise to the nation. If he cannot come, we will be happy even if Finance Minister Jaitley apologises," Budania said. "It was Congress which forced you to follow the right path of this Bill."

"At that time, the then Gujarat CM had said that this Bill is against the welfare of the nation. Today, the same man who is now PM, said that this Bill is benefitial for the nation," he said.

"When the Congress had brought this Bill to the Parliament, then BJP had protested against it," said Narendra Budania, Congress MP from Rajasthan.

PM Modi should apologise to the nation for his U-turn on GST Bill: Congress in Rajya Sabha

"We have given this notice for discussion to wake up the government. It is unfortunate that the Taj of Hindustan is burning but the central government cannot feel the heat. Which kind of heat will wake up the Kashmir government?" Azad said.

"Today, it has been 30 days since curfew was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir. I do not think that any state in India has seen curfew for 30 days since Independence," Congress leader Azad said.

"Please call for an all-party meeting and send a delegation to Kashmir," he said.

"This cannot be solved through law and order machinery," he said. "The silence of the Prime Minister is more eloquent than words. He is sending the message that the government does not care about the situation in Kashmir."

"This is one of the most grave situations I have risen in to speak. I have not seen continuous curfew for 30 days in my life. How can we remain silent? More than 1000 incidents of firing have been reported in a month. More than 8000 have been injured. 60 are dead. It is inhuman and criminal. Why are we using pellet guns? I am told that even Israel does not use pellet guns against Palestinians," CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury said.

"If you (BJP) were not opposing this Bill at that time, this Bill would have been passed two years ago. So, you are actually responsible for delaying the Parliament passing this Bill, but we are taking the blame," he said.

"Why was it that in 2011, some ministers who are sitting on that side were opposing this Bill?" Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said in the Lok Sabha.

"Today, the Parliament is going to take a big step for the freedom from tax terrorism," he said. "Some people will know the condition of taxation in our country," he added.

"Today is 8 August. On this day many years ago, Mahatma Gandhi had moved the nation with 'Bharat choro' slogan," PM Narendra Modi said in the Lok Sabha.

"Therefore, who won and who lost is not a matter of debate," the Prime Minister further said.

"But the credit for this Bill does not belong to one party. It belongs to the culture of Indian democracy," Modi said.

"It is true that someone created this Bill while someone else nurtured it," he said. "Just as someone gave birth to Krishna and someone else raised him," he said.

"The most important requirement was the creation of trust between Centre and the states. The most important thing was to not decide this on the basis of sheer numbers. That is why I have earlier said that democracy is not just about numbers," he said.

"We were successful in taking care of a lot of flaws with the GST Bill. 'Ek manch, ek manth, ek marg, ek manzil' is the mantra behind GST which all of us have experienced," the PM said.

"Sometimes, there were doubts about the GST. When I was the CM, even I had doubts about GST. And today, because of seeing GST continuously as a CM, my viewpoint changed when I viewed it as Prime Minister," Modi said.

"All Centre and states need to unite to create a mechanism for Ek Bharat," PM Modi said in the Lok Sabha.

I had different view of GST because I looked at it earlier from the point of view of a CM: PM Modi in Lok Sabha

"A message will go to the people through GST that the consumer is the king," Modi said. "GST gives a guarantee of security to small traders and businessmen. It will result in economic growth."

"Despite our differences, we made efforts to take GST forward," he said. "A uniformity in the processing of taxation will come through GST."

"In the entire discussion of GST, none of us used it as a platform for politics. We rose above politics for the welfare of the nation," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in the Lok Sabha.

GST will send the message that the consumer is the king: PM Modi in LS

"Even during the all-party meeting, I had said that the credit for the GST Bill goes to all political parties," the Prime Minister said.

"It is a matter of great strength for Indian democracy that all of us are making efforts to take this forward together," he said.

"It is also true that we need to have IT-preparedness and legal preparedness. In the world, even the countries which are praised for their democracy find it tough to deal with Bills," he said.

"Because of GST, the taxpayer will realise that he will benefit from honesty. Therefore, we will succeed in bringing down the generation of black money," Modi said.

"There will be data integration. Because of a strong cross-checking mechanism, a seamless method which will help in catching any wrongdoing will be created," the PM said.

"GST will help in curbing corruption and black money," Modi said. "Corruption will move towards zero because of GST," he said.

"When something happens in Africa, the Prime Minister tweets about it. But when the Taj of India is burning, the heat is not reaching the central government," he added.

"We were told that he spoke on Kashmir issue in Madhya Pradesh because the CM told him to do so. This shows that the Parliament means nothing to the PM and he would not have spoken on the Kashmir issue if the Chief Minister had not asked him to do so," he said.

"This is the fourth time we are asking the Prime Minister to provide a statement in the House," Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said in the Rajya Sabha.

PM spoke on Kashmir in Madhya Pradesh just because the CM told him to do so: Azad in RS

"When you truly feel pain from the heart, it will reach Kashmir," he said.

"When you say Kashmir is an integral part of India, it should not only be on paper. There should be integration of hearts and minds. What about the integration between federal and state government?" said Azad.

"Law and order in Kashmir in not just in the hands of Jammu and Kashmir police, but also in the hands of paramilitary forces," Azad further said. "If someone says that Mehbooba Mufti should alone solve the problem in Kashmir, that is not possible for her," he added.

"Kashmir is secular. The destruction of Kashmiriyat and insaniyat is not happening because of democracy but because of the pellet guns," he said.

"There is a difference between communalism and separatism. Militants are also targeting Muslims. Militancy has no religion," Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said in the Rajya Sabha.

"You can only keep Kashmir in India when you treat Kashmiris as equals," he said. "Shoot the people but do not use pellet guns. Pellet Guns are worse than live bullets. It is worse than killing people," he further said.

"The Prime Minister said that the people of the country love Kashmir. But the people of Kashmir should also love the country," JD(U)'s Sharad Yadav said.

"Merely repeating what Atal Bihari Vajpayee said is not going to create that trust. Create that trust by stopping the communal polarisation that is taking place in the country," he said.

"If everyday you talk about abrogating Article 370, you talk about love jihad, ghar wapsi, are you creating trust?" said Yechury.

"Unless you address the central question of the promises made to the people of Kashmir at the time of independence, this problem will not be solved," he said. "The problem today can only be solved if you initiate a political dialogue. I have urging this government that this can only come through with an atmosphere of trust.

"The trust deficit exists (in Kashmir) because of the string of betrayals of the promises made," said the CPI(M) leader.

He also took a dig at the government's foreign policy and said, "When you want to wish Happy Birthday, you go to Pakistan."

"If other governments have engaged in dialogue in the past, what is preventing this government from initiating the political dialogue?" Yechury said.

"The threat we face today is not a mere question of autonomy. There is also an orchestrated terrorist threat in Kashmir," he said.

"Today, there is an attempt to create dual power in Kashmir," Dasgupta further said. "Let us remember that dialogue cannot be done if we are going to tie the hands of the executive."

"While I agree with Sitaram Yechury that we need a form of political approach, the form and time of that approach should be different," he said.

"We have been talking about development and healing hearts and unfortunately, we have come across a rather big emotional divide. At an earlier time, it was thought that Article 370 would facilitate the process of integration. But we may have actually hardened the emotional divide," he said.

"A lot of the people who have taken to the streets may be spontaneous. But there is also a large degree of pre-meditation in the protests," he said.

"That was the death of Burhan Wani. The death of any Indian should be a source of anguish. But Burhan Wani never considered himself an Indian. And what do you say about a person who glamourises terrorism?" Dasgupta said.

"The problem we face in Kashmir today is somewhat different from the problems we have faced earlier," he said. "Three months ago, Kashmir was peaceful. We had a unique political experiment. It was an alliance between the Valley and Jammu, something which was unique and encouraging. And then something broke loose," he added.

"While we try to evolve a consensus on this issue, we should sometimes be brutally frank about what we are dealing with," Swapan Dasgupta, nominated MP, said in the Rajya Sabha.

"I wish people in this Parliament talked about sending a delegation to AIIMS, where a girl injured by pellet guns is admitted," he said.

"Why do we only remember Kashmir when it is burning? Guns will not solve any problem," he said. "The people of this country should understand what the problem in Jammu and Kashmir is."

"Why wasn't there any problem in Kashmir until 1987?" said a dramatic PDP MP Nazir Ahmad Laway in the Rajya Sabha.

Why do we remember Kashmir only when it is burning? asks PDP MP in Rajya Sabha

Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia: When we are talking about Swachh Bharat, we should first clean our minds. Fringe elements have now turned into the Centre today. Why the Home Minister didn't visit Rohith Vemula?

PM made a strong statement: Shoot me, not the Dalits. But why he didn't include Muslims? Muslims can never be part of Hindu nationalism but they are a part of Indian nationalism.

Sexual violence against Dalit women has increased. About eight lakh Dalits are dependent on selling skins, bones of dead cows, what will they do now?

AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi: No democracy in the world has prioritise animal life over human life. But the Indian democracy has. Why do gua rakshaks have come to power? The credit goes to the idealogy of ruling party. What right do so-called gau rakshaks have to look at what I eat?

NK Premchandran, RSP MP from Kollam: The attrocities against the Dalits is politics. Educational, economical and social upliftment is the need of the poor.

We all should work together and committ ourselves in taking action in order to stop the atrocities on Dalit. Also, I would appeal all the state governments to take strictest action against anti-social elements who try to disrupt the harmony of secular fabric of the country.

It is pointless to blame the other government. Why did we celebrate Ambedkar's 125th anniversary with such genuinty? Respecting Ambedkar is like respecting India.

Seva Bharati, an RSS organisation, is one of the organisations which has been majorly active at the grassroots for the upliftment of Dalits.

Dalit community has contributed a lot towards Indian heritage. When India was under the British Rule, no matter how atrocities were inflicted on them, still they stood by India. They never demanded a separate country. We in the government emphathise with the Dalits.

On PM Modi's silence, Singh said, "Has any PM spoken during all discussions in Parliament? When PM spoke on the atrocities, and gau rakshaks, I issued an advisory that strict action should be taken against such gau rakshaks.

Our biggest challenge is to counter the twisted mentality of the perpetrators. What happened in Una was extremely condemnable.

"This is rumour that after BJP came to power that the atrocities on Dalit have increased. Just ask yourselves if this is true. Show me the data records. I don't want to point fingers at any political party. But following figures would explain: In 2013, 39,346 cases were registered against atrocities, 40,300 and 35,564 were registered respectively," Singh said.

"We can make India world's best country if we consider humanity above all. There are many articles in our Indian constitution for Dalits. But there is a need for effective laws to act on these articles. Our government is working at socio-economic development of the Dalits."

"It is painful that even after 70 years of independence we are still discussing atrocities on Dalits. We cannot deny that there are people from several castes and religion. We should not politicise the atrocities on Dalits," Singh said.

On Friday, 12 August, 2016 the bills for consideration and passing in the Lok Sabha are Mental Health care Bill,2016 and Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016.

Congress leader Anand Sharma said that the government should not be hypocritical. He said, "When administrators have high salary, MLAs have a good rise, why don't we get the same treatment?"

Ram Gopal Yadav, SP, Uttar Pradesh raised the issue of the low wages of the members of Parliament. He said, "The pay of the MP's is only a fraction of ministers in Telangana Assembly or Delhi Legislative Assembly. We are asked to reduce our expenditure but we cannot do that when we have to entertain people of our constituency. The rising inflation also makes it difficult for us to sustain ourselves."

In the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha Congress leader Shashi Tharoor raised the issue of failing start-ups in India. He said, "The government has given tax incentives to the start-ups but everyone knows that they don't make any money in the first few years. Hence the tax incentives should be given to the angel investors."

After GST this is the second resolution which has been adopted unanimously.

She added, "This house earnestly appeals to all sections of society in India to work for the early restoration of normalcy and harmony. This is to restore confidence in people and youth in general. The resolution is adopted unanimously."

Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan announced that the resolutions proposed on the Kashmir issue has been passed. She said,"This house expresses serious concern over the violence in Kashmir Valley. Everyone here conveys loss of life caused by the deteriorating situation. The house is of the firm view that there cannot be a compromise on security."

Dubbing passage of the GST Constitution Amendment Bill as historic, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said that manufacturing taxes and VAT will come down with the new national sales tax but the same for services tax will be decided by states and Centre. The Goods and Services Tax (GST), which will subsume over a dozen central and state levies including excise duty, service tax and VAT, is "perhaps the most important" tax reform, he said soon after Rajya Sabha overwhelmingly voted for the legislation.

"Today is a historic day for the reason that Rajya Sabha has passed the GST bill which have been held up for a very long time. All members present at the time of voting, voted in favour of the bill," Jaitley told reporters in Parliament House.

Thanking Congress and other opposition parties for supporting the legislation, he said proceedings in the Upper House demonstrated to the world that this is a great day for Indian democracy and Indian federalism. "In fact Indian democracy and Indian federalism are at there very best in as much as all national political parties and regional parties, state governments have come together to usher a major taxation reform.. The government wanted to build a larger consensus, which we succeeded in doing," he said.

Asked if the implementation of the GST would mean rise in cost of air travel, mobile bills and eating out because of incidence of service tax going up in the new regime, he said that tax rate would be decided by the GST Council, comprising of the Centre and the states.

"Manufacturing taxes will certainly will come down, VAT will come down. What level services taxes are to be kept is a discretion of GST Council. It will depend on what states along with Centre will decide," he later told Times Now. On Congress demand for not converting the supporting GST legislation as Money Bill, Finance Minister said he has not pre-decided on bringing the Bills as Money or Finance Bills.

"Once the GST is implemented, it will bring basic changes as far as the Indian tax structure is concerned, it will converge India into one unified market, with one unified tax in the country, it will improve the base of taxation, it will make evasion extremely difficult.

"The central and state governments have to work together to make this a great success. Overall, I think we had an excellent debate," he told reporters.

He said although every state government is on board in order to implement one of the most important taxation reform in India, the fact is that it has been passed unanimously all regional and national parties have actively supported it.

Congress hoped that subsequent legislations for its implementation like CGST and IGST bills would be brought in the Winter Session as financial and not money bills. Former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said he was only half satisfied with the Finance Minister's promise made in the Upper House in this regard.

"It's a half promise. Therefore, I am half satisfied," he told reporters after the passage of the Constitution Amendment Bill. Chidambaram said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has assured that he will hold discussions with the Congress party before bringing the bills. Senior Congress leader and former Law Minister Kapil Sibal cited the example of Aadhaar Bill to claim the new legislations could be converted into Money Bills to block voting.

"We have seen the Aadhar Bill was converted into a money bill and we were not given the right to vote on it. We have doubt that this GST bill will also be turned into a money bill whereby a discussion on it will take place in Rajya Sabha but members will not be allowed to vote on it. We are concerned over it," he said. "We hope that it will be a financial bill and there will be a discussion on it and we will be given the right to vote on it," he said.

Another Congress member Renuka Chowdhury said, "They have considered many of our aspects. Have to wait and see what happens in the winter session." NCP leader Praful Patel said it is very good that the Constitution amendment bill to bring GST was passed with general consensus.

"It is good for the country and states will also benefit, especially those which considered themselves as backward as they will get more revenue.

"We hope that the Bill to be brought by government in November will also be passed with general consensus. Finance Minister has given an assurance that whatever bill will be brought, it will be honoured," he said. Earlier in the day, Congress had made it clear to the government that firm assurances for keeping the GST rate capped at 18 per cent and bringing subsequent legislations needed for its rollout as financial bills alone could ensure its support to the long-pending Constitution Amendment bill.

"We also demanded an assurance that the CGST and IGST should not be moved as money bill. The Central GST and Integrated GST are bills which will apply on taxpayers, on common man. They must be debated and voted upon by both Houses of Parliament. We hope to get assurance from the Finance Minister. If these assurances are forthcoming, we will be able to support," Chidambaram told reporters.

The GST Bill will finally be taken up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha.

India Inc had said it is looking forward to introduction of the much-awaited Goods & Services Tax (GST), saying it would be a very significant step in the field of indirect tax reforms in India.

The government has circulated official amendments to the GST bill to drop 1 percent additional tax and include a definite provision in the statute for compensating states for revenue loss for 5 years as it gears up to discuss the long-pending bill in Rajya Sabha.

The eleventh day of Parliament's Monsoon Session on Monday began with AIADMK Rajya Sabha member Sasikala Pushpa's statement where she said that she was facing a "life threat" and was being "compelled to resign".

Sasikala, who hit the headlines for slapping DMK leader Tiruchi Siva at the airport on Saturday, said: "I am receiving an unconditional apology from Tiruchi Siva. Something was spoken against my party leader and I behaved like that."

The parliamentary proceedings over the day saw the passage of the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016, and the Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016, that provide for putting the NEET in place for admission to medical and dental courses across the country from next year; and National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in Rajya Sabha.

The Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws Amendment Bill 2016 was moved in the Lok Sabha for consideration and passing.

Key proceedings/issues discussed in Lok Sabha:

 Supplementary demands over additional spending

The government sought parliament's nod for additional spending of Rs 1.03 lakh crore, though the cash outgo will only be Rs 20,948.26 crore.

Presenting the Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2016-17 in the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley sought parliament's approval for a transfer of Rs 5,000 crore towards National Employment Guarantee Fund and Rs 1,000 crore for providing funds to Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves for Sovereign Strategic Crude Oil Reserve at Vizag, Mangalore, and Pudur.

 Bill for speedier recovery of bad loans passed

The Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws Amendment Bill 2016 was moved in the Lok Sabha for consideration and passing.

Piloted by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the bill seeks to amend four laws  the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002; the Recovery of Debts due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993; the Indian Stamp Act, 1899; and the Depositories Act, 1996.

 Special status: TDP MPs protest in Parliament

Unhappy over the Centre's stand on special status to Andhra Pradesh, TDP, a partner in NDA government, staged protests both inside and outside Parliament. Seeking immediate announcement for special status, the MPs of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) tried to disrupt the proceedings in the Lower House.

Holding placards and raising slogans in support of their demands, the TDP members in the Lok Sabha began the protest as soon as the house met for the day. They rushed to the speaker's podium, demanding that the government fulfill its commitments under Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan repeatedly appealed to members to return to their seats but they continued the protest. The Speaker conducted the proceedings amid the uproar before adjourning the proceedings till 2 pm.

 Attack on Dalits and Muslims

Opposition members expressed concern over growing attacks on Dalits and minorities and called for stern action against cow vigilante groups which have been targeting them.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandopadhyay underlined the need for action against those targeting the Dalits and Muslims to uphold secularism and communal harmony.

Key proceedings/issues discussed in Rajya Sabha:

 GST Bill listed for Wednesday

The government has listed the GST bill for discussion in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, hoping it will be passed through consensus, but the opposition Congress said that consultation is still on over the issue and an agreement is not yet finalised.

In view of the development, the BJP has issued whip for all its Rajya Sabha members to be present in the house for the next three days.

"The GST bill is listed for Wednesday. We hope it will be passed through consensus," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said.

 Bills to put in place NEET passed

The Rajya Sabha passed by voice vote the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016, and the Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016, that provide for putting the NEET in place for admission to medical and dental courses across the country from next year.

The bills provide for a Constitutional status to the 'National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and seek to amend the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, and the Dentists Act, 1948.

Responding to a debate on the bills in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda said the whole exercise was aimed to stop multiplicity of examinations, to bring transparency to curb corruption and to stop exploitation of students.

 Uproar over Manohar Parrikar's comments on Aamir Khan

Rajya Sabha witnessed a brief uproar by opposition members over alleged remarks by Manohar Parrikar against actor Aamir Khan even as the Defence Minister denied having said what was been quoted to him.

During the Zero Hour, Derek O'Brien (TMC) raised the issue of "dangerous" rise in religious fundamentalism in the country, saying the government, ministers and people associated with the ruling party were "shooting their mouths off every day".

"The Prime Minister needs to come and say these are in fact mistakes, this is not thinking of the government. Prime Minister come here and assure us that we can live in the India we know  Unity in Diversity".

As soon as he finished his Zero Hour mention, Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad quoted a report which said 'Parrikar takes a swipe at actor Aamir; those who speak like this must be taught a lesson'.

"So may I ask him (Parrikar who was sitting in the House) what lesson he is going to teach us...The entire nation should be told what type of action and lesson he is going to teach the minorities of this conuntry," Azad said.

To this, Parrikar said: "I would only say one thing. Let the members see the video...and make up their mind". However, this did not pacify the agitated opposition.
Shame on the people of Manipur who made Irom Sharmila feel dejected by preventing her from entering Kaisampat area of Imphal town. Sharmila should be angry today instead of being hurt, angry at this audacious sense of entitlement over her body (and identity) displayed by an array of people.

Who is Alliance for Socialist Unity, Kangleipak (ASUK)? Why should Sharmila care about what they think they are entitled to? What moral right or authority do they have to suggest to her that she should not marry a certain person or fight elections? What makes Sharmilas brother believe that he is entitled to a consultation from her? Sharmilas mother, my respect to her, but what kind of heartless mother pulls a long face at the news of her daughter finally reclaiming her life? The Meira Paibis, you all are mothers? What kind of mother would force her daughter to die when she clearly wants her life back for whatever reasons?

We should all be angry at this bunch of thankless and heartless people who are so selfish that they would rather see her die or rot alone, just so that they can continue to feel good and morally superior that one of their own is dying for them, one, whose body is not hers but that of the nation. After everything that she has done, people should rather just bow their head, say thank you and start thinking for themselves.

When Sharmila broke her fast on Tuesday with a drop of honey, a certain journalist said, Ma'am, you are a Goddess for the people of Manipur. Sharmila immediately retorted in her frail voice, I do not like that identity. I am a human.

Enough is enough, really. The time has come that every Indian woman starts getting furious every time somebody calls them Goddess. There can be nothing more dehumanising than imagining women as Goddesses and using that image for religious gratification.

Sharmilas fate today is a stark reminder of the bone-chilling ending of Satyajit Rays classic Devi (1960) in which we see that the living Goddess who was being worshipped for months is frantically running for her life as she is scared that the mob will kill her because she failed in her performance as a Goddess.

Based upon a short story by Provatkumar Mukhopadhyay, the film depicts the tragic consequences of objectifying women as Goddesses. The patriarch of a wealthy upper caste Bengali family had a dream one day that his daughter-in-law, Dayamayi, 17, is Goddess Kalis incarnation. Next morning, he jumps out of his bed and heads straight towards Dayamayis bedroom, calling out Maa, Maa. Dayamayi opens the door and he falls upon her feet in reverence followed by her Bhasur (husbands elder brother). This sudden intrusion in a womans private space around her body is as much discomforting as it is when shes been groped by a man in a crowded bus or breathed heavily upon.

In no time, the young beautiful sexual Dayamayi was transformed into a pious living Goddess stripped of every shred of her human identity. She is displaced from her bedroom and shifted to worship room, her gold jewellery are replaced by flower garlands, colourful sarees are replaced by a plain simple one, the kohl from her eyes are rubbed off, the red hue from chewing beetle leaves are missing from her luscious lips.

She is made to sit alone on a pedestal like a statue while a large group of men perform various rituals around her. The solitary woman in a room full of men, all of whom are looking at her and getting some sort of gratification. This is the same as a room full of men watching poll dancers. Objectifying and dehumanising women for whatever purpose is simply unacceptable.

The nation (here defined in more ways than political borders) plays out its politics on women bodies. Nations idea of masculinity, feminity, sexuality, culture is depicted through womens bodies and that includes its idea of struggle and resistance.

By ending her unprecedented 16-year-long fast, Irom Sharmila has reclaimed her body for herself, and the people of Manipur are feeling a sense of loss. They are not upset because this is a setback for the fight against AFSPA but because it is a loss of the body that represented their politics. Suddenly, the barycentre around which they were orbiting is missing. These are wails of people who are clueless themselves, unsure of the next logical step. Manipur should think for itself and come up with ideas to take the struggle over from Sharmila. Instead, they are hell bent upon sacrificing her at the altar so that they can make a statue of her, put a garland on it and continue to claim her body as the nations legacy.
Tuesday's Union Home ministry advisory, asking states to have zero tolerance for self-proclaimed 'cow protection' vigilante groups, is a belated but commendable step in the right direction. In urging states to protect subaltern groups and minorities from unscrupulous 'gau rakshaks' and their ringmasters who use an emotive issue to achieve their criminal and political ends, the advisory addresses a deep-rooted social prejudice that Dalits, above all, have routinely and historically been subjected to. It's a start, but that's not all.

The Central government advisory tries to separate a sociological problem  which has law and order implications  from its blatant and enduring politicization. This in turn has led to a strange situation where every political party woos Dalits but the oppression and violence against them continues unabated.

As the Congress, pioneers of the 'Minority Project', successfully ghettoised Muslims into a fear psychosis and reaped rich electoral dividends (a model now followed by nearly all 'secular' parties), studies and committee reports have proved how ground realities stayed the same for Muslims even almost seven decades into Independence. This should tell us how little political parties care for the groups and communities that they represent, because economic and social empowerment for that community invariably have a detrimental effect in votebank politics.

Before I elaborate on this, let's take a detailed look at what the government advisory says.

The MHA advisory, while making a caveat on cow slaughter prohibition laws, advised firm action against law-breakers.

"In States where slaughter of cows is prohibited by law, such slaughtering would be in violation of law, and an offence. However, that does not entitle any individual or group of persons to take action on their own to prevent the alleged slaughter or punish the alleged wrong doers."

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi on cows being the symbol for the "helpless and weak", and mentioning Directive Principles of State Policy that provide for the preservation of cows, the advisory stresses on Article 48 of the Constitution. But the urge to employ law and order was unequivocal and absolute.

Recently some incidents have been reported where certain persons or groups have taken law into their own hands in the name of protecting cows and have committed crimes This is not an acceptable situation. The states are enjoined upon, and expected, to ensure that any person who takes law into his/ her own hands is dealt with promptly, and punished as per law. There should be no tolerance at all for such persons and full majesty of law must come to bear on them, without exception.

"Any person, or persons, doing so have to be dealt with strictly under the relevant laws, and brought to justice in the quickest possible fashion, for the strictest punishment," it read.

Now combine the advisory with the Prime Minister's recent statements where he categorically and unambiguously warned "fake gau rakshaks" who "have a problem with the countrys unity and only want to destroy society" from the long arm of law, and you get a picture of how the Modi government is trying to separate a law and order issue from a social prejudice. While the advisory focuses on implementation of law and order, Modi's message focused on the social impact of caste-based discrimination and the need for respecting the "Dalit brothers and sisters". In this, he also received support from RSS.

It could well be that the BJP is wary of Dalit backlash and is trying desperately to cut losses ahead of crucial Assembly polls. Accusations can also be made against the PM for not speaking out sooner but regardless of the motive, there is nothing wrong in trying to address a social evil. Untangling the knotty conflations is a much-needed step.

Not the least because blurring the line between blatant acts of criminality, deep-rooted social prejudice and the emotive issue of cow among Hindus is the modus operandi of parties who sense a huge political opportunity in fanning up the flames. Exploiting Dalit anger is of course a legitimate political ploy but it does little to address the historical, traditional and cultural discrimination Dalits have faced.

The issues faced by Dalits and the politics around it are two completely different things. The latter, if anything, obstructs a remedy for the former.

The issues faced by Dalits and the politics around it are two completely different things. The latter, if anything, obstructs a remedy for the former. The point to understand, regardless of what a section of the media peddles and parties such as the Congress, SP or the BSP claim, is that discrimination against Dalits did not start on 16 May, 2014, the day Narendra Modi came to power. Neither are atrocities against Dalits related to only those states where the BJP is in power.

While Una in Gujarat has gained our attention, reports have poured in from non-BJP ruled states of Dalits being subjected to violence and discrimination.

In UP, a Dalit man and his daughter were beaten up for drawing water from a handpump at an ashram in Sambhal district, just two days after Modi's appeal. The 13-year-old girl who was working in the fields went to drink water from a handpump installed outside the Dunda Ashram in Gunnor area when she was beaten up. Later, when her father raised the issue, he too was thrashed allegedly by the priest and his aides.

Once again in UP, a state where scheduled castes and tribes form 20 percent of the population, Dalits have refused to dispose of carcasses after two of their community members were beaten up by 'cow vigilantes' on suspicion of cow slaughter on 28 July in Takrohi area of Indiranagar.

Once again in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party government led by Akhilesh Yadav suspended all 14 policemen in Kanpur. A murder case was also filed against one of them after a young Dalit man was found dead in custody.

And on Monday, A mob of gau rakshaks allegedly beat up two Dalits in Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari district after they skinned a cow which had died due to electrocution. The brothers were allegedly tied to a coconut tree, stripped and thrashed for skinning a dead cow at Janakipeta in Amalapuram town of Andhra Pradesh. According to police, after the cow died following electrocution, its owner engaged the brothers for skinning the animal. On getting to know of the skinning, the cow vigilantes went to the place and beat up the duo, suspecting that they had killed the animal.

In many of these cases, vigilantism have tried to capitalize on a vacuum in governance. Strict implementation of law and order may deter these self-styled breaker of laws and that is exactly why the Home Ministry advisory is important.

But to see these atrocities only through the prism of criminality is, of course, wrong by miles. All these incidents are also a reflection of the growing resentment among the upper castes at having to increasingly share social and political privileges with Dalits.

As sociologist Dipankar Gupta pointed out in an India Today report: "When oppressed classes start asserting themselves, backlashes happen. In the US, the lynching of Blacks started in the later part of 19th century when they began asserting their rights. The same is happening with Dalits as they are increasingly participating in the social and political process," he says, pointing to how a 90 percent increase in Dalit literacy between 2001 and 2011 has given them a bigger voice, supported by the gradual penetration into traditional and social media.

Tied to this is the political arithmetic. The BJP doubled its Dalit vote share to 24 percent in 2014 from 12 per cent in 2009. It won all 17 Lok Sabha seats in UP that year and a total of 40 out of 84 seats reserved for SCs and STs. The BJP also won 41 of the 70 reserved constituencies in all the states where it has formed a government since 2014. This ability to swing electoral fortunes made Dalits a lucrative community for parties to purse. Though Dalits have historically never voted in blocks, non-BJP forces are confident that a mobilization of Dalit anger against it will swell their electoral tide.

This, sadly, remains the intrinsic calculus of Indian polity. Sanghmitra Acharya, director of the Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, Delhi, tells India Today: "Political parties don't see these as problems. They want to keep deprivation among Dalits an issue which they can exploit for electoral benefits."

Modi's message and the advisory, may trigger a strategic shift in the Dalit debate where the focus is on better implementation of law and order and greater stress on social inclusiveness. His political rivals are already nervous about such a shift happening. That should tell the PM that he must continue in his path towards social egalitarianism.
Washington: A new set of 44 emails released by a conservative watch dog have thrown light on how top officials from the Clinton Foundation sought access to the State Department when Hillary Clinton served as the Secretary of State in the first term of the Obama Administration.

According to the email exchanges spread over 296 pages, officials of the Clinton Foundation not only sought to get job opportunities in the State Department, but also the help of in getting meetings with foreign government, alleged Judicial Watch which obtained these emails through Freedom of

Information Act.

The new documents reveal that in April 2009 controversial Clinton Foundation official Doug Band pushed for a job for an associate, the Judicial Watch said.

In the email Band tells Hillary Clinton's former aides at the State Department Cheryl Mills and Huma Abedin that it is "important to take care of [Redacted]. Band is reassured by Abedin that "Personnel has been sending him options."

Band was co-founder of Teneo Strategy with Bill Clinton and a top official of the Clinton Foundation, including its Clinton Global Initiative, it said.

Included in the new document production is a 2009 email in which Band, directs Abedin and Mills to put Lebanese-Nigerian billionaire and Clinton Foundation donor Gilbert Chagoury in touch with the State Department's "substance person" on Lebanon.

Band notes that Chagoury is "key guy there [Lebanon] and to us," and insists that Abedin call ambassador Jeffrey Feltman to connect him to Chagoury.

Chagoury is a close friend of former US President Bill Clinton and a top donor to the Clinton Foundation, Judicial Watch said.

He has appeared near the top of the Foundation's donor list as a USD 1 million to USD 5 million contributor, according to foundation documents. He also pledged USD 1 billion to the Clinton Global

Initiative.

According to a 2010 investigation by PBS Frontline, Chagoury was convicted in 2000 in Switzerland for laundering money from Nigeria, but agreed to a plea deal and repaid USD 66 million to the Nigerian government, Judicial Watch alleged.

"Clinton's top aides' favors for and interactions with the Clinton Foundation seem in violation of the ethics agreements that Hillary Clinton agreed to in order to be appointed and confirmed as Secretary of State," it said.

As preparation for Hillary's upcoming visit to Asia, Stephen Roach, chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, on 11 February, 2009, sends Hillary a copy of his upcoming testimony before Congress in which he would condemn any US efforts to criticise Chinese monetary policy or enact trade barriers.

Several days later, Hillary asked Abedin about Roach possibly "connecting" with her while she was in Beijing: "I forwarded you my email to him about connecting in Beijing. Can he come to the embassy or other event?" Morgan Stanley is a long-time financial supporter of the Clintons, the Judicial Watch said.

"The emails also reveal that Abedin left then-Secretary Clinton's daily schedule, a presumably sensitive document, on a bed in an unlocked hotel room," the Judicial Watch alleged.

An email on 18 April, 2009, during a conference in Trinidad and Tobago, from aide Melissa J Lan to Huma Abedin asks for the Secretary's "day book binders."

Abedin replies: "Yes. It's on the bed in my room. U can take it. My door is open. I'm in the lobby. Thx."

Moreover, the emails show the annoyance of another Clinton aide that the schedule was sent to an authorised State Department email address and not to an unsecured non-state government account, Judicial Watch alleged.

"The emails reveal that Clinton campaign adviser and pollster Mark Penn advised her on Nato and piracy.

Another major Clinton fundraiser, Lana Moresky, also pushed Clinton to hire someone for a position at State. Clinton directed Abedin to follow up and "help" the applicant and told Abedin to "let me know about the job issue," it said.

"This is yet more evidence that Hillary Clinton lacks the judgement, character, stability and temperament to be within 1,000 miles of public power. She views public office as nothing more than a means to personal enrichment - and every dollar she takes comes at the expense of the public welfare," said Stephen Miller, national policy director of the Trump Campaign.

"This latest finding is an unseemly, disturbing window into a corrupt office, and yet more evidence that Hillary Clinton has been lying from the beginning - and by any reasonable definition attempted to obstruct the investigation of the FBI," he said.
Leaders of Opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha have managed to get the government to discuss the situation in Kashmir for the second time in the current Parliament session. On Wednesday, the Rajya Sabha is discussing the situation in the Kashmir Valley where for the 33rd consecutive day, curfew has remained in force.

From demanding that the government facilitate an all-party delegations visit to Srinagar, there were also suggestions that MPs be allowed to talk to people of Kashmir.

On Monday, as Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti landed in Delhi to meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Opposition leaders in the Rajya Sabha had raised the demand for a discussion and targeted the Narendra Modi government for its silence on the situation in the Kashmir Valley. Mehbooba, who seemed to have lost crucial support of people in the PDPs bastion of South Kashmir by staying indoors and silent as protests over the killing of terrorist Burhan Wani assumed serious proportions, had no new ideas to share with the Central government.

The chief minister asked for the commencement of a dialogue, taking forward former NDA prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayees initiative and even implementation of packages decided during the UPAs decade-long-tenure. In the Rajya Sabha, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and Leader of Opposition from the Congress, Ghulam Nabi Azad, rattled off the latest figures on deaths, injuries and arrests while demanding a discussion. Followed by CPM leader Sitaram Yechury who, questioned the continued use of pellet guns to tackle protesters when even Israel did not use this non-lethal gun against Palestinian protesters, the CPIs D Raja went a step further and called for the withdrawal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Acts (Afspa) with an end to the use of pellet guns.

Sharad Yadav, the veteran JD(U) leader expressed his surprise at the Modi governments silence on the situation in Kashmir.

It was left to PDP member Mir Mohammed Fayaz to share the frustration of MPs keen to debate and discuss the same thing over and over again, when he questioned the utility of sending a parliamentary delegation to the Valley. Who will meet them? he asked. Fayaz said if the Congress had implemented the packages it spoke of during UPAs decade-long tenure, then things today would have been different.

That brings us to ask a question: Do Opposition parties have anything tangible to say on Kashmir?

Will they offer constructive ideas that could be used by the government as it looks for ways to calm down a section of the restive population? Frankly, have leading national parties given even a thought to probable solutions or guiding principles on how to even start a conversation with Kashmiris?

While targeting Pakistan and exposing Islamabads links to militant groups in Kashmir political parties also need to consider who to talk to, and what to talk. If voices on social media are any indication of what young Kashmiris think, then political parties in the country have to seriously consider at different options. Accusing the Modi government of not doing anything will not help or work. What do these responsible parties have to offer as suggestions?

Congress president Sonia Gandhi accused the Modi government of undoing the good work done by UPA. Pray, what was it? If the appointment of interlocutors who lacked political weight and if the UPA governments lack of courage to implement even some of the ideas suggested by its interlocutors, or take forward the dialogue with Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf are examples of good work, then Congress leaders need to introspect.

In fact, the dismal Congress record was criticised by one of the interlocutors Dileep Padgaonkar, who was quoted by The Wire as saying, (B)y and large the report was ignored by the UPA. I had been assured that the report would be tabled on the floor of the House and that there would be a debate on it and all the parties would be allowed enough space to deliberate on the recommendations, but that was not done

Opposition parties in India need to begin mature articulation of views on sensitive subjects where they offer well thought-through suggestions rather than making predictable criticisms. Having been in power for 10 years until 2014, the Congress as the leader of the then UPA government should ideally provide constructive ideas on the recommendations of five working groups that were set up by then prime minister Manmohan Singh. Or, the doable bits on suggestions made by interlocutors that UPA had appointed.

The leaders of the Hurriyat Conference have been further sidelined by protesters in the past month. Syed Geelani and Yasin Maliks call last Friday for a march to Hazratbal shrine was not heeded. Only a small group of people joined them while the majority of protesters went to Pampore to hear slain terrorist Burhan Wanis father. Who will Opposition leaders ask the government to talk to? And discuss what? Will Opposition members in Rajya Sabha during the second round of discussion on Kashmir have anything worthwhile to contribute in the form of probable solution/s?

The answer unfortunately is a resounding 'no'.
Islamabad: Pakistan has stepped up security after a terror alert warned of possible Taliban attack at border crossing points with India on the country's Independence Day on 14 August, officials said on Wednesday.

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab province has sent a memo to the chief secretary that Taliban were planning to target Wagah or Ganda Sindh border crossings between 13 and 15 August.

It claimed that two suicide bombers had been tasked by Mualana Fazlullah, the fugitive chief of Taliban who is hiding in Afghanistan, to attack Independence Day parade at the border points.

"Extreme vigilance and heightened security measures are suggested to avoid any untoward incident," the CTD said.

Both crossings are close to Lahore.

In 2014, at least 55 people, including children and security personnel, were killed and about 200 others injured in a suicide blast at Wagah.

An official of home department said that security has already been increased after a suicide bombing at a hospital in Quetta on August 8 in which 74 people were killed around 72

people were injured.

"We take special security measures for the Independence Day and all alerts and suggestion by the

intelligence agencies are considered and security have been provided at relevant points," he said.
Islamabad: Islamabad has issued an alert for a possible attack at the India-Pakistan border in Punjab province.

Pakistan's National Counter Terrorism Authority on Tuesday, in a letter to Home Secretary of Punjab, said: "Reportedly, Tehreek-e-Taliban, Fazal Ullah group is planning to target parade at Wagah border in Lahore or Ganda Singh Border in Kasur on 13, 14, 15 August."

It also said at least two suicide bombers have been dispatched to carry an attack on the border.

"Extreme vigilance and heightened security measures are suggested to avoid any untoward incident," it said in a statement.

Security have been heightened in Pakistan ahead of 14 August, Pakistan's Independence Day.

Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will chair a high level security meeting on Wednesday to discuss the National Action Plan.

Talking to Dawn, a government official privy to the meeting, said a point-wise discussion was expected with the top brass.

"Everything under the sun which has something to do with NAP implementation will be taken up and discussed," said the official.
Chandigarh: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday appealed to the central government to thoroughly investigate funding received by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its leaders, alleging that radicals from Punjab had aligned themselves with Arvind Kejriwal's outfit.

Badal, who is the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal President, said the Punjab government has already conveyed information to the Union Home Minister and the National Security Adviser about Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) plans to destabilise the situation in Punjab before the assembly elections, which are due next year.

"Leaders of radical groups have been regularly meeting the convener of AAP and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Radical leaders like Mohkam Singh were trying their best to utilise the 2017 elections as an opportunity to destabilise peace and harmony attained by people of Punjab after great sacrifices," Badal said.

"It is unfortunate that Kejriwal was in touch with such elements despite being on a very important constitutional post. I want a thorough investigation into AAP funding to expose the dangerous truth behind it," Badal told media persons on Wednesday.

Expressing concern over recent incidents in Punjab, Badal said the ISI has plans to target important leaders, besides designing sacrileges to destabilise peace and harmony in the state.

"We have already conveyed this information to Union Home Minister and National Security Adviser. Our police is doing its job in the best way possible. Punjab Police has busted many modules and arrested people from abroad also in this connection," Badal added.
Chennai: Forty-five children, who had stopped going to school out of fear of wild animals like tigers, have returned to their institution in Mudumalai, a tiger habitat in Nilgiris district, after the Tamil Nadu government provided jeep for their safe transportation.

State Minister for School Education P Benjamin also said that state government's self-defence programme for girl children has developed confidence among them.

He said the Panchayat Union Primary School at Mudumalai in Nilgiris district caters to the educational needs of 100 families in areas of Puliyalam, Mundakarai, Melnagam Palli, and Kappur.

Tribals belonging to communities, including Kattu Naicker, live in such areas which are the natural habitat of tigers besides other animals like leopards, bears, wolves and hyenas, he told the Assembly on Tuesday.

"As a result of provision of transport facilities, 45 children who had dropped out from fear of these animals have been coming to school safely and regularly," he said, adding jeep was provided for transportation needs of children.

According to the state government, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Western Ghats "is part of the huge tiger landscape in southern peninsular India which serves as source population of tigers in the region."

On education vis-a-vis girls, he said Tamil Nadu is implementing several activities for the promotion of education and all round development of girl children.

"One such programme is the self-defence training for the upper primary girls implemented during 2015-16," he said adding the programme includes lessons and training on recognising danger, attacker, confidence, communication and physical (combat) skills through karate and other martial arts.

For each district, 1000 girl students in seventh and eight classes were selected for self-defence training.

"Totally 30,000 girls benefited from this training. Most of the parents commented that a great change occurred in the attitude and behaviour of their girl children. They developed greater confidence and self-esteem," he said.

The Minister said recognising the aspirations of parents on educating their children in English medium, the state government commenced English medium sections in elementary education from 2012-13.

"This initiative witnessed a great response from the parents and enrolment in English medium classes has increased considerably. So far, 3,32,590 children have been enrolled in English medium sections," he said, adding primary school teachers are trained every year in teaching through English language."

"The improvement in enrolment and performance in English in State Level Achievement Survey prove that English medium in government schools is not just a pretentious claim but really a paramount achievement due to the efforts of the Tamil Nadu Government," he said.

He said at primary level, the Net Enrolment Rate has increased to an all time high of 99.85 per cent during 2015-16 and at upper primary level, NER improved to 99.11 percent during 2015-16.
Kabul: Lashkar Gah, the capital of Afghanistan's embattled Helmand province, is under pressure from Taliban militants who have closed in on surrounding districts despite reinforcements sent from Kabul, local and government officials said Wednesday.

Two of the city's previously stable districts - Nawa and Garmser - are now seeing heavy fighting, and Afghan forces are struggling to hold off insurgents who have gained ground in the last 10 days, despite supporting airstrikes by US and Afghan forces.

"Afghan and international air-forces are targeting Taliban positions as well as supplying our ground troops in the province," said Dawlat Waziri, a spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defence.

Heavy fighting is raging in at least three districts - Nawa, Garmser and Nad-e Ali - according to civil society leader Sardar Mohammad Hamdard and Mirza Hussain Alizada, a provincial council member.

"We have fresh reinforcements fighting the Taliban in these districts," Amar Zwak, the governor spokesman for Helmand said.

The UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Tuesday reported "large displacement movements."

"The complexity and scale of the attacks last week was much more significant, particularly in Helmand where two district centres were targeted and contested," OCHA said.

Hamdard said 4,000 families were displaced in Helmand as food and household good prices doubled or tripled.

The main highway connecting the capital of the province to southern Kandahar, western Herat and Kabul has been closed off by Taliban fighters for several days.

A source from the country's Ministry of Defence, meanwhile, reported that the chief of army staff and a deputy interior minister had travelled to Helmand to lead the fight against the Taliban.

Afghan security forces are stretched thin throughout the country, fighting growing insurgencies from both the Taliban and the Islamic State.
WASHINGTON Baltimore will implement police department reforms recommended by the U.S. Justice Department as quickly as possible after a report found that officers routinely violated the civil rights of the city's black residents, officials said on Wednesday.

The Justice Department on Tuesday released a scathing report on the 2,600-officer department that found that black residents in the majority-black city are commonly subjected to unconstitutional stops as pedestrians and motorists, arrests and excessive force.

The 163-page report was triggered by the April 2015 death of a black man named Freddie Gray in police custody.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said at a city hall news conference that Baltimore would put a reform plan in place in the next few months and that changes would be carried out as quickly as possible.

"It's not going to be easy to reform the department, and it's not going to be quick," the mayor said.

Vanita Gupta, the head of the Justice Department's civil rights division, said Baltimore and federal officials had already agreed on a legal framework for changes that would be overseen by a court-appointed monitor.

Gupta said she expected quick progress toward reaching a final agreement with the city.

The mayor said the police department had already begun to lay the groundwork for reform through changes in policies, training, the start of a body-camera program and a new use-of-force policy.

The police department suffered from built-in shortfalls in training, supervision and accountability that left officers without tools they needed to be effective within federal law, the report said.

The department's "targeted policing of certain Baltimore neighborhoods with minimal oversight or accountability disproportionately harms African-American residents," the report stated.

Police Commissioner Kevin Davis called the report and future reforms "a turning point for better policing not just in Baltimore, but in our United States."

The mayor said other cities that have implemented such agreements have spent between $5 million and $10 million a year, adding that "we anticipate that will be the range" for Baltimore.

The Justice Department report was issued 16 months after police arrested Gray, 25, for fleeing unprovoked in a high-crime area. He suffered a neck injury in a police vehicle while shackled and handcuffed, and died a week later.

His death sparked protests and rioting in the city, and helped fueled the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Six officers were charged in Gray's death, but four trials ended without a conviction. Prosecutors dropped the remaining charges last month.

(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Will Dunham)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Baltimore: Baltimore police officers routinely discriminate against blacks, repeatedly use excessive force and are not adequately held accountable for misconduct, according to a harshly critical Justice Department report being presented Wednesday.

The report, the culmination of a yearlong investigation into one of the country's largest police forces, also found that officers make large numbers of stops  mostly in poor, black neighborhoods  with dubious justification and unlawfully arrest citizens for speech deemed disrespectful. Physical force is used unnecessarily, including against the mentally disabled, and black pedestrians and drivers are disproportionately searched during stops, the report says.

The Justice Department released a copy of the report in advance of its public announcement at an event Wednesday morning in Baltimore.

The report represents a damning indictment of how the city's police officers carry out the most fundamental of policing practices, including traffic stops and searches and responding to First Amendment expression. Beyond that, though, it could serve as a blueprint for sweeping changes: The Justice Department is seeking a court-enforceable consent decree to force the police agency to commit to improving its procedures in order to avoid a lawsuit.

The Justice Department in recent years has undertaken similar wide-reaching investigations into the police in Chicago, Cleveland, Albuquerque and Ferguson, Missouri, among other cities.

The federal investigation was launched after the April 2015 death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man whose neck was broken while he was handcuffed and shackled but left unrestrained in the back of a police van. The death set off protests and the worst riots in decades.

The report went far beyond the circumstances of Gray's death to examine a slew of potentially unconstitutional practices, including excessive force and discriminatory traffic stops, within the department.

Federal investigators spent more than a year interviewing Baltimore residents, police officers, prosecutors, public defenders and elected officials, as well as riding along with officers on duty and reviewing documents and complaints.

Among the findings: Black residents account for roughly 84 percent of stops, though they represent just 63 percent of the city's population. Likewise, African-Americans make up 95 percent of the 410 people stopped at least 10 times by officers from 2010 to 2015.

During the same time period, officers stopped 34 black residents 20 times, and seven African-Americans 30 times or more, while the report says that no individuals of any other race were stopped more than 12 times.

One man who spoke to investigators said he was stopped 30 times in less than four years. At least 15 of those stops, he said, were to check for outstanding warrants. None of the stops resulted in charges.

In addition to pat-downs, Baltimore officers perform unconstitutional public strip searches, including searches of people who aren't under arrest.

The report also says officers routinely use unreasonable and excessive force, including against juveniles and citizens who aren't dangerous or posing an immediate threat. Twenty percent of force incidents reviewed by investigators involved someone who was not being arrested for a crime or who suffered from a mental health disability. Force is often used as a retaliatory tactic in instances where officers "did not like what those individuals said."

"BPD teaches officers to use aggressive tactics," the report reads. "BPD's trainings fuel an 'us vs. them' mentality we saw some officers display toward community members, alienating the civilians they are meant to serve."

The report partially blames the department's unconstitutional practices on a "zero tolerance" policy dating back to the early 2000s, during which residents were arrested en masse for minor misdemeanor charges such as loitering.

Although the department has publicly denounced these practices after a 2010 settlement with the NAACP, which sued the department over the policing strategy, "the legacy of the zero tolerance era continues to influence officer activity and contribute to constitutional violations," the report said.

Officers also routinely stop and question individuals without cause or a legitimate suspicion that they're involved in criminal activity, the report says: No charges were filed in 26 of every 27 pedestrian stops. The directives often come from supervisors. In one instance, a supervisor told a subordinate officer to "make something up" after the officer protested an order to stop and question a group of young black men for no reason.

Unconstitutional frisks are also rampant, the report says. In one incident in 2010, a man fled from an officer patrolling a "high-crime area." The officer proceeded to fire his stun gun at the running man's back, striking him several times. When the officer was able to detain the man, he frisked him but found no weapon. The officer's report "provides no reason to believe the man was armed."

State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, the city's top prosecutor, said she expected the report to "confirm what many in our city already know or have experienced firsthand."

"While the vast majority of Baltimore City Police officers are good officers, we also know that there are bad officers and that the department has routinely failed to oversee, train, or hold bad actors accountable," she said in a statement.

She said she was confident that the federal probe would "lead to even more reforms which is an important step in ensuring best practices for a fully functioning police-prosecutor relationship."

Six officers, three white and three black, were charged in the death of Gray. Three were acquitted, another officer's trial ended in a mistrial and the charges against the others were dropped.
Dhaka: A special tribunal in Bangladesh on Wednesday sentenced a former lawmaker to death and seven others to life in prison for their crimes committed during the country's War of Independence in 1971.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 found the eight persons guilty of committing rape, murder, confinement and torture of unarmed civilians, Xinhua news agency reported.

Sakhawat Hossain, now a presidium member of the Jatiya Party of former military strongman H.M. Ershad, who ruled Bangladesh for nearly nine years from 1982 to 1990, and Billal Hossain Biswas were in the dock when the court ruling came.

Ibrahim Hossain, Sheikh Mojibur Rahman, M.A. Aziz Sardar, Abdul Aziz Sardar, Kazi Ohidul Islam and Abdul Khalek are fleeing from justice and were sentenced in absentia.

Shakhawat was a central committee member of Islami Chhatra Sangha, the then student wing of Jamaat, which opposed the independence of Bangladesh and break-up of Pakistan, and a commander of Razakar, an auxiliary group of then Pakistan Army in what then was Eastern Pakistan.

Shakhawat was elected to parliament on Jamaat ticket in 1991 and on the ticket of Bangladeshi Nationalist Party of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in the 15 February election in 1996.

Defence counsel Abdus Satter expressed discontent with the verdict, saying his clients will file appeal with the Supreme Court.

After returning to power in January 2009, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangladesh's independence hero and founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, established the first tribunal in March 2010, almost 40 years after the 1971 War of Liberation.

Four Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party leaders -- Motiur Rahman Nizami, Abdul Quader Molla, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid -- have already been executed for the 1971 war crimes.

Besides them, opposition BNP leader Salaudin Quader Chowdhury was executed on 22 November last year.

Both the BNP and Jamaat have dismissed the court as a government "show trial", saying it is a domestic set-up without the oversight or involvement of the United Nations.

The government of Sheikh Hasina said about three million people were killed in the nine-month war.
CHICAGO Threats against police officers by Chicago gang members angry about the police shooting of an unarmed black teen last month were "unacceptable," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said on Tuesday, as debate over excessive force by law enforcement continues to roil U.S. cities.

On Monday, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the Chicago Police Department had warned officers that leaders of three gangs had met and plotted to shoot police in response to the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Paul O'Neal on July 28.

The department said it was routine to send alerts when police were threatened, but did not provide further details or confirm that threats had been made by the gangs.

"The idea that a bunch of gang members would threaten violence against the men and women every Chicagoan relies on for their own safety is absolutely unacceptable," Emanuel said in response to the newspaper report.

A string of high-profile killings of black men by police in various U.S. cities in the past two years has renewed a national debate about racial discrimination in the criminal justice system and given rise to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Protests erupted nationwide after the back-to-back killing of black men in Baton Rouge and Minneapolis, but after a rally in Dallas, Texas, a gunman shot dead five police officers in an ambush. Days later, three Baton Rouge police officers were also killed in an ambush.

Tensions over the shooting of O'Neal picked up last week after authorities released videos that captured the moments before and after police shot him.

No firearms were found on O'Neal, who was shot in the back, according to police.

The video footage released on Friday shows two officers firing at a stolen car driven by O'Neal after it sped past them, the car crashing into a police car, and O'Neal running into a backyard where he was shot. The shooting is not shown. It is against departmental policy to fire at or into a moving car when the vehicle was the only potential use of force by a suspect.

(Reporting by Justin Madden; Editing by Sharon Bernstein and Alan Crosby)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Beijing: China on Wednesday launched a high-resolution satellite for the protection of its maritime rights as the South China Sea dispute continues to simmer.

The Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging satellite was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in northern Shanxi province on Wednesday.

Gaofen-3, China's first SAR imaging satellite, will be used for disaster warning, weather forecasting, water resource assessments, and the protection of maritime rights, said state-run news agency Xinhua.

China is locked in a maritime dispute with its neighbours over the South China Sea, which is believed to have large reserves of oil and gas. The Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Taiwan have also staked claims in the waters.

Though a UN-appointed Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague rejected China's claims over the South China Sea in June, Beijing rejected the ruling, calling it "illegal".

With 12 imaging modes, the high-definition observation satellite is capable of taking wide pictures of the Earth and photographing detailed scenarios of specific areas.

Gaofen-3 is also China's first low orbit remote sensing satellite that has a lifespan of eight years. It is able to provide high-definition remote sensing data for its users over a long period of time.

The Gaofen-3 and the Long March 4C rocket were developed by the China Academy of Space Technology and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, under the guidance of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
Attempts to create order after experiencing extreme disorder has been the story of mankind since creation.

More recently, the League of Nations, the Geneva Convention, the UN and many more such measures have been pursued with the sole intention of creating law and order where little existed. The situation is equally applicable at sea where the absence of laws could result in anarchy, collisions and worse, destruction of the entire ecosystem that has the capacity to support life on earth.

International maritime laws covering a wide spectrum of activities at sea have been conceived and activated to cater to maintaining good order and discipline in oceans which are international highways, where ships of all nations ply. These laws find application among heads of state, legislatures, courts, diplomats and indeed among those who man, commercial as well as war ships.

The two better known convention/rules/laws that affect all those who are associated with the sea are the UN/IMO sponsored International Regulations for Prevention of Collisions at Sea and the United Nations convention of the laws of the sea (Unclos).

Since this article is confined to the recent judgement of the dispute brought to the international tribunal by the Philippines, against her powerful neighbour China, on the illegal claims to her maritime territory in the South China Sea (SCS), let me limit the discussion to consequences to law abiding coastal and island states and the world at large.

Given that Philippines or her other neighbours Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan either singularly or collectively do not have the capacity to stand up to China, the continued presence of a powerful US Navy carrier task force in the area coupled with a strongly worded Japanese white paper released just a couple of days ago are indicators of the immediate reaction to China's bizarre and crude response to the verdict delivered by the international tribune.

Can China be allowed to get away by not abiding by the convention that she voluntarily signed and ratified? What if China is emboldened by a meek response of the international community, to violate the clauses of NPT for instance? Is this the beginning of the end of an era of initiatives taken by the UN and other multi-national bodies to regulate and maintain a conflict free environment especially at sea? In this context, the non-military and if necessary military response to contain China's aggressive thrust in the South China Sea merit examination and consideration. A brief review of China's apparent change of strategy after Xi Jinping took over, would clarify the situation.

China under Xi Jinping

Xi has introduced a shift in Chinese declared policy about her willingness to project and use power, as is evident in the May 2015 White Paper on Military Strategy. He has, with great resolve, steered China away from the direction proposed by one of his predecessors Deng Xiaoping. The silent and subtle methods suggested by the latter have been gradually replaced with show of power and aggressive intent. Ongoing People's Liberation Army reforms appear to focus on power projection outside her own territory and in the immediate periphery.

What then are the options open to law abiding coastal and island nations who have benefitted by the provisions of Unclos?

Non-military measures

These include diplomatic, judicial and economic. Sensing that sooner than later the international community with or without the cover of UN would launch a diplomatic offensive, China has adopted some unprecedented countermeasures. A battery of diplomats and Chinese military personnel have descended on the capitols of countries that have a say in the UN. Hurried consultations and meetings with decision makers to justify their stand of rebutting the verdict of the international tribune is the agenda. Massive graphics and video clippings of their stand are available on the official Chinese media. Not even the Times Square in New York has been spared of the media onslaught on a giant screen. This is an unprecedented show of diplomatic/media offensive that has not been attempted by any global power.

It is to be seen if the Americans can or will mobilise their allies in the Asia Pacific including Australia and Japan to match this diplomatic offensive.

The judicial measure initiated by the Philippines has been justly rewarded. It is to be seen whether UN Security Council will attempt to rebuke one of its erring permanent members with a veto power. The very fact that in the past too, the permanent members of the security council have violated laid down procedures to establish peace in crisis ridden areas, strengthens India's repeated call for reforms of the UN.

Economic measures against China have repercussions on almost all powerful nations who trade with China. It would need consensus of a unique nature.

Military measures

The US in its attempt to continue to engage with China is expected to adopt a twin track approach of openly challenging China's claims in South China Sea by claiming the right to innocent passage and freedom of navigation as enumerated in Unclos. Japan and Australia may join this venture. This will be supplemented by inviting China to join powerful displays of warships drawn from many nations including India, as was the case in the recently held RIMPAC off Hawaii.

India has the option of participating in non-military and military measures of her choice. We need to support the desire of the international community to contain China before she assumes the role of a permanent bully in the critical waters of East and South China Sea.

Lack of action or sitting on the fence is not an option we can afford, given that China is expected to flex her muscle increasingly in the immediate future and in our backyard too!

The author is a retired vice-admiral of the Indian Navy and former chief, Southern Naval Command. Views expressed are personal.
WASHINGTON Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Wednesday accused Republican opponent Donald Trump of inciting violence with his call for gun rights activists to stop her from nominating liberal U.S. Supreme Court justices.

Clinton's comments added to a growing outcry over Trump's remarks on Tuesday at a North Carolina rally, which some interpreted as a call for violence against his White House rival. His remarks also fuelled widespread concerns about his ability to stay on track.

"Words matter, my friends," the former U.S. secretary of state said a rally in Des Moines, Iowa. "And if you are running to be president or you are president of the United States, words can have tremendous consequences.

"Yesterday, we witnessed the latest in a long line of casual comments from Donald Trump that crossed the line," she said, citing "his casual inciting of violence. Every single one of these incidences shows us that Donald Trump simply does not have the temperament to be president and commander in chief of the United States."

Trump insisted in an interview with Fox News that his remarks were a call for political, not physical, action.

There is tremendous political power to save the Second Amendment, tremendous," the New York businessman said. "And you look at the power they have in terms of votes and thats what I was referring to, obviously thats what I was referring to, and everybody knows it."

The U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment guarantees a right to keep and bear arms.

But high-profile Republicans and rank-and-file voters appeared shaken on Wednesday after a string of Trump missteps, struggling with how to best reject Trump's divisive candidacy. Some pledged to withhold their endorsement and others backed Clinton. Some sought for an unprecedented way to oust Trump from the Republican ticket.

MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman from Florida, in an opinion piece in the Washington Post, said the party was in "uncharted waters" and called for leaders to start looking for ways replace him.

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll taken Aug. 5-8, showed that nearly one-fifth of 396 registered Republicans said they want Trump to drop out of the race for the White House and another 10 percent said they "don't know" whether the Republican nominee should or not.

Clinton's campaign, seeing an opening, moved to bring disenchanted Republicans into the fold by announcing an official intraparty outreach effort on behalf of the Democratic nominee.

James Rohrscheib, 74, a registered Republican and retired U.S. Navy officer from Washington state, told Reuters the reality is the Nov. 8 election will be a "tough one."

"Im in a quandary as to who I am going to vote for," Rohrscheib said.

PROMINENT DEFECTIONS

Clinton's campaign now has a website for Republicans and political independents to sign up to pledge their support, listing 50 prominent Republicans and independents who have endorsed her so far, including Meg Whitman, a high-profile Republican fundraiser and chief executive of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE.N), and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

John Negroponte, former director of national intelligence under President George W. Bush, and former U.S. Representative Chris Shays of Connecticut, also a Republican, were among those who announced their support on Wednesday.

On Monday, 50 Republican national security officials signed an open letter questioning Trump's temperament, calling him reckless and unqualified to be president.

Other top Republicans, including Senator Susan Collins of Maine this week, have disavowed Trump but said they cannot back Clinton.

Strategists and Trump detractors agreed that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to remove Trump from the Republican ticket.

"Its wishful thinking to believe the Republicans are going to replace its nominee after the convention. People are grasping at straws," Ron Bonjean, a Republican strategist unaffiliated with Trump, told Reuters.

Trump has dismissed the defections and criticism as an unsurprising reaction of the so-called Washington elite to his drive to change the status quo.

"The support he has from Republicans almost seems obligatory rather than voluntary," Mike Smith, a Republican voter and Reuters/Ipsos poll respondent, said of Trump's remaining defenders.

"Im almost at the point where I think Im going to vote for Hillary. I don't like her," said Smith, a 74-year-old retiree who lives in Clearwater, Florida. "But Mr. Trump is making me very nervous."

RESET ABANDONED

Republican strategist and Trump supporter Ford OConnell said Trump has "dug himself a deep hole" and that to win the election he will need to "make it a referendum on Hillary Clinton and the 'rigged system.'"

Trump sought to do just that by using an economic policy speech in Detroit on Monday after a series of missteps that included a prolonged clash with the parents of a fallen Muslim American soldier. But his remarks Tuesday undermined that effort.

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks," Trump said at the rally at the University of North Carolina. "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know," he continued.

The U.S. Secret Service, which investigates threats against sitting presidents and party nominees, has had "more than one conversation" with the Trump campaign about his remark, CNN reported on Wednesday.

Trump's comment and the resulting backlash occurred as Reuters/Ipsos polling showed some 44 percent of 1,162 registered voters believe Trump should exit the race, and that as of Tuesday, Clinton led Trump by more than 7 percentage points, up from a 3-point lead late last week.

Republican Party rules and state laws would make it difficult at this juncture to replace Trump on ballots ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

A more likely scenario would be a replay of the 1996 presidential race, when Republican nominee Bob Dole was badly trailing President Bill Clinton. The party essentially deserted Dole by urging its congressional candidates to cut ties and concentrate on maintaining a Republican majority in the U.S. Congress.

(Additional reporting by Alana Wise, Emily Flitter, Ginger Gibson, Susan Heavy, Doina Chiacu, Grant Smith and Jonathan Allen; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jonathan Oatis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Washington: Igniting a new controversy, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has said that gun rights activists could stop Hillary Clinton from winning the polls and picking new Supreme Court judges, a remark strongly criticised as a threat of violence against his Democratic rival.

"Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the Second Amendment. By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks. Though the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know," Trump said at an election rally in Wilmington, North Carolina on Tuesday.

The US Constitution's Second Amendment guarantees a right to bear firearms.

Trump's comments were interpreted by many as a threat of violence against his Democratic rival with Clinton campaign decrying the remark as "dangerous."

"This is simple -- what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to the be president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way," said Robby Mook, Clinton's campaign manager, in the statement.

Trump, however, defended his comments, insisting that he was asking his supporters to use the power of their vote to stop Clinton from appointing justices who could restrict their Second Amendment rights.

He claimed that the support for Second Amendment is a "strong powerful movement" and dismissed any other interpretation of his comments.

"This is a political movement. This is a strong, powerful movement, the Second Amendment. And there can be no other interpretation. Even reporters have told me. I mean, give me a break," Trump told Fox News.

Trump's "Second Amendment" remarks was criticised by several lawmakers, former national security officials and media.

Michael Hayden, a former CIA director who was among 50 Republican national security experts to denounce Trump in a letter, told CNN, "If someone else had said that said outside the hall, he'd be in the back of a police wagon now with the Secret Service questioning him."

"You are not just responsible for what you say. You are responsible for what people hear," he said.
Washington: Observing that the fate of the US and China are "inescapably intertwined" Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday said the next administration would have to continue to expand its network of relationship beyond its core alliances including America's strategic ties with India.

And because Asia is home to half the world's population and many of the world's fastest-growing markets, we simply cannot afford to ignore the economic opportunities there, the outgoing vice president wrote.

Noting that in nearly every part of the world, the US contends with regional powers that have an enormous capacity to contribute to the international orderor to undermine it, Biden said nowhere is this truer than in America's relationship with China.

"The United States and China are the world's two largest economies, so our fate are inescapably intertwined. President Obama and I have sought to define this relationship through enhanced cooperation and responsible competition," Biden wrote.

"We have found common ground with Beijing and made historic progress to address such global challenges as climate change, pandemic disease, poverty, and nuclear proliferation. At the same time, we have stood firm on such issues as human rights, intellectual property, and freedom of navigation," he said.

This balancing act will only grow more difficult in the context of China's economic slowdown and the worrying steps Beijing is taking to reverse course on more than three decades of economic reform and opening up to the world, the vice president said.

"As a result, the next administration will have to steer a relationship with China that encompasses both breakthrough cooperation and, potentially, intensified competition. And sometimes, as when facing the mounting threat from North Korea, cooperation and competition with China will coexist," he said.

"The notion that it will be all one or the other is shortsighted and self-defeating," he added.

The same is true with regard to Russia, with which the US should continue to pursue a policy that combines the urgent need for deterrence, on the one hand, with the prudent pursuit of tactical cooperation and strategic stability, on the other, he said. Terrorism mustand willbe defeated, Biden said.

Biden said the next administration will have to continue to address the challenge of Islamic State in a smart, sustainable, and holistic manner.
Miami: The father of the gunman who killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida was spotted at a speech Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton gave to supporters in the swing state.

Seddique Mateen was caught on camera seated in the audience behind Clinton during her campaign appearance on Tuesday night in Kissimmee, a town 23 miles (37 kilometers) south of Orlando.

Mateen's son, Omar, proclaimed his allegiance to the Islamic State group during the 12 June massacre at the Pulse nightclub, which ended after three hours when police finally stormed the venue and shot him to death.

It was the deadliest mass killing on US soil since the 11 September, 2001 attacks on the United States.

Clinton, on a trip through the crucial swing state, opened her speech with a tribute to the 49 people who lost their lives in Orlando.

Mateen, an immigrant from Afghanistan, was approached by a reporter from the local WPTV television station and asked about his presence at the rally.

"Why should they be surprised? I love the United States, and I've been living here a long time," he said.

"Hillary Clinton is good for United States versus Donald Trump, who has no solutions," he said.

The rally was open to the public and about 3,000 people attended.

"This individual wasn't invited as a guest, and the campaign was unaware of his attendance until after the event," the Clinton campaign said in an email sent to reporters.

Today, the Orange County medical examiner's office released the official autopsy reports for the victims of the Orlando shooting.

It counted 200 gunshot wounds among the dead alone. Another 53 people were wounded in the attack.
Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, started a campaign against Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, after his organisation launched a searchable archive in March of 30,322 emails and email attachments sent to and from Clintons private email server while she was the secretary of state. According to wikileaks.org, "The 50,547 pages of documents span from 30 June, 2010 to 12 August, 2014. Seven thousand five hundred and seventy of the documents were sent by Hillary Clinton."

Clinton was then under FBI investigation to determine whether she broke federal laws by using her private email to send classified information. FBI Director James B Comey later issued a statement saying, "Although we did not find clear evidence that Secretary Clinton or her colleagues intended to violate laws governing the handling of classified information, there is evidence that they were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information."

A look at WikiLeaks Twitter page only proves Assange's war on Clinton.

"You don't publish a million secrets a year without making a few enemies" #WikiLeaks https://t.co/MsNZhrBYvb pic.twitter.com/H7ujQAFErm  WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) August 7, 2016

US intelligence officials contradict Clinton claims over WikiLeaks https://t.co/mnwGWJ1uZ4 pic.twitter.com/SqemrTWJMR  WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) August 10, 2016

Clinton campiagn has developed a new PR strategy. All future corruption revelations about her are the work of Russia https://t.co/P5za3nYh44  WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) August 9, 2016

According to Fox News Insider, Assange has threatened to release more emails against the Clinton Foundation which could have implications for Clinton's presidential campaign. Assange also alleged that Saudi Arabia could be one of the biggest donors to the Clinton Foundation and there could be a deeper connection between Clinton and Russia, the report added.

In fact, recently WikiLeaks offered monetary reward for information in the murder of Democratic staffer Seth Rich. According to Slate, Rich, who was part of voter outreach for the Democratic National Committee (DNC), was killed in a shooting incident in Washington DC last month. The report added that Assange hinted that Rich could have been an FBI informant and that WikiLeaks is investigating Rich's murder.

WikiLeaks Offers $20K Reward for Information in Murder of DNC Staffer Seth Rich https://t.co/c0YARaemzL  WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) August 9, 2016

WHOA! Julian Assange HEAVILY IMPLIES that the #DNC's Seth Rich was a source & was murdered for helping @wikileaks! pic.twitter.com/RBavQgGCAf  Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) August 9, 2016

During the primary elections in April, months before Hillary Clinton had officially clinched her party's presidential nomination, the DNC said it noticed unusual activity on its internal computer network. According to AP, it hired Crowdstrike Services Inc. of Irvine, California, to investigate, which secretly monitored the hackers and discovered evidence of separate break-ins by two groups it recognised. The first had happened in mid-2015 and the second was in April.

The Hill said on 13 July that the hacker gave it stolen DNC files, and WikiLeaks on 22 July published on its website more than 19,000 stolen DNC emails. Later, a self-described Romanian hacker, calling himself Guccifer 2.0, claimed responsibility and delivered stolen DNC materials to news organisations, according to AP.

In a television interview, Assange had declined to share information on how WikiLeaks got the documents. He also said there is no proof Russia was behind the hack and has promised that more material was on its way.

Meanwhile, according to Media Matters for America, which a non-profit organisation, Roger Stone, a Donald Trump ally, claimed to have communicated with Assange. He said that though he is not sure about the contents of the "October Surprise", he has reasons to believe that the next batch of documents could be related to the Clinton Foundation.

During an interview, Assange had said that though Trump would be unpredictable as the president of the United States, Clinton's victory could pose "problem for freedom of the press more," according to The New York Times.

On Assange's criticism of Clinton, Michael Sainato wrote in the Observer, "Assange makes no reservations that hes staunchly against Hillary Clinton becoming president of the United States, as she represents the corruption he sought to combat with the creation of WikiLeaks."

While Assange has been criticised for being reckless with confidential data, a fresh set of documents  if released by his organisation  could give fodder to the Trump camp against Clinton.

With inputs from agencies
Needling India yet again, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said he was "obliged" to become the voice of the "oppressed" people of Kashmir and would "leave no stone unturned" to make the world understand the "plight" of the people in the Valley.

Sharif also shot off letters to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, urging efforts to end the "persistent and egregious violation of the basic human rights" of the Kashmiri people and also to implement UN Security Council resolutions, a Foreign Office statement said.

Sharif chaired a preparatory meeting for the upcoming UN General Assembly (UNGA) attended by his foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz, special assistant on foreign affairs Tariq Fatemi, foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Pakistan's permanent representative in the UN Maleeha Lodhi and Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani and other senior officials.

The meeting reviewed the agendas to be included in the next session of UN General Assembly in which the premier is expected to participate, a statement issued by the Premier's office said.

"It is an obligation for me as Prime Minister of Pakistan to become the voice of Kashmiris who have been oppressed in Kashmir. I will leave no stone unturned to make the world understand the plight and the legitimate struggle of the people of Kashmir," Sharif said.

The meeting observed that "Kashmir remains an unfinished agenda of the United Nations and accordingly India must realise that Kashmir is not its internal matter, rather it is a matter of regional and international concern".

Sharif said the denial of right of self-determination for Kashmiris is one of the persistent failures of the UN.

"The right of self-determination is the basic right of Kashmiris and we will make every effort to make Kashmiris captain of their own ship," the statement quoted Sharif as saying in the meeting.

The Foreign Office statement, giving details of the letters sent by Sharif to Ban and Zeid said, "Highlighting human rights abuses by Indian forces, Prime Minister stated that more than 50 deaths and 3,500 injuries had taken place, out of which 400 were critical."

"The use of illegitimate and excessive force against innocent civilians protesting peacefully over extra-judicial killings was a blatant violation of a range of fundamental rights," the statement said.

In the letters, Sharif alleged that force was being used to prevent access to hospitals, to harass doctors and prevent access to medical facilities.

"The situation is a clear manifestation of Indian state terrorism to suppress the Kashmiris' struggle for their inalienable right to self-determination," the statement quoted the letters as saying.

Prime Minister Sharif called for investigation into the "brutalities and atrocities" committed by Indian forces, protection of Kashmiris' fundamental rights, a fair inquiry into the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani and implementation of UN resolutions. Earlier, Sharif also offered to arrange for the treatment of Kashmiris who were injured in the ongoing violence in the Kashmir Valley. Sharif called upon the international community to request India to allow Pakistan to help in the treatment of the injured persons in the valley, Dawn Online reported citing a prime ministerial statement.

At least 55 people have been killed and hundreds injured in the present unrest in the Kashmir Valley since Hizbul militant Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with Indian security forces on 8 July. Sharif said Pakistan wanted to provide medical treatment to the injured, particularly those injured by pellets.

Pakistan wants to get the best possible medical facilities available in the world for Kashmiris, he said.

The statement comes days after a war of words erupted between Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Pakistan's Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan over Kashmir, prompting Singh to leave a Saarc meeting halfway through in Islamabad.

"The magnitude of the humanitarian crisis in Kashmir has compelled us to immediately pool our material and human resources for the victims' [treatment]," Sharif said.

"Being blinded has severe consequences for the victims and their families. Some victims of the pellet guns may never see light again. Still, they are resolute; they are guided by the light of freedom for the realisation of their right to self-determination. The world should realise this. Pakistan will continue to support them morally, politically and diplomatically," Sharif maintained.

According to the statement, Sharif has directed Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to mobilise support from the international community, humanitarian organisations and civil society through Pakistani missions abroad to exert pressure on India to allow Pakistan to arrange for the treatment of Kashmiris on humanitarian grounds.

The Pakistani government will provide for the boarding, lodging and medical expenses of the victims, he said.

With inputs from agencies
Bali: Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said that there was need for an international legal framework to combat terrorism.

"In order to address the menace of terrorism, a strong international legal framework is the need of the hour," said Rijiju at the International Meeting on Counter Terrorism.

He also said that the nations must expedite finalisation of Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism under the United Nations.

He added, "There is a need for increasing the effectiveness and transparency of procedures for effective implementation and better coherence between various UN counter terrorism structures."

He said that the will and the mandate of international community against wanted terrorists and their organisations must be respected and implemented.

"If the world community is to rid themselves of the terrorism, we will have to rid ourselves of the notion of making distinctions between good and bad terrorists."

"No type of terror activity or support to it can be justified on any grounds whatsoever. Only then justice will be delivered for the victims of terrorist attacks," Rijiju said.

He asked for action against those who support terrorists or any terrorist organisation.

"A terrorist anywhere is a terrorist everywhere. Those who provide support, encouragement, sanctuary, safe haven or any assistance to terrorism or terrorists must be isolated," he said.

He added: "Strongest possible steps need to be taken not only against terrorists and terrorist organisations but also against those individuals, institutions, organisations or nations that support them."

He said that India has adopted multi-pronged approach to counter cross-border terrorism.

"India, which has been a victim of cross-border terrorism for decades. The government (of India) has strengthened border management through multi-tired deployment along international borders/Line of Control and international routes," he said.
QUETTA, Pakistan Pakistani lawyer Ataullah Lango had just arrived at the Civil Hospital in the southwestern city of Quetta to mourn the slain head of his provincial bar association when he heard a loud explosion and felt the pain of glass stabbing his face.

He lost some 60 colleagues in the suicide bombing that decimated the leadership of this tight-knit legal fraternity, probably for years.

"The cream of our legal fraternity has been martyred," Lango told Reuters at the house of the slain bar president.

"Our senior leaders ... are now gone."

Pakistan has endured a wave of militant attacks in recent years, but lawyers have not been singled out on such a scale before.

That changed on Monday when a suicide bomber struck a crowd of lawyers who had crammed into a hospital emergency department to accompany the body of Bilal Anwar Kasi, president of the 3,000-member Baluchistan Bar Association.

At least 74 people were killed, most of them lawyers, in Pakistan's worst bombing this year, claimed by both a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, and the Middle East-based Islamic State.

Across Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province surrounded by mountains, lawyers gathered for funeral prayers on Wednesday, visited families of lost friends, shouted slogans at protests and urged the government to protect them better.

Baluchistan is no stranger to violence, with separatist fighters launching regular attacks on security forces for nearly a decade and the military striking back.

Islamist militants, particularly sectarian groups, have also launched a campaign of suicide bombings and assassinations of minority Shi'ites.

After Monday's attack, the legal community in Baluchistan and across the country said it felt leaderless but also vowed unity.

Kasi's younger brother, Shoaib Kasi, himself an attorney, said the attacker had "pre-planned" to first kill the bar association president and then target the hospital, knowing that mourners would gather there.

"It will take centuries for us to make up this loss," lawyer Abdul Aziz Lehri told Reuters at the district court building, largely deserted due to a strike by his colleagues.

The president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Ali Zafar, called the attack a "turning point", and gave the government until Thursday to present a security plan to protect lawyers and other "soft targets".

ANGER AND DEFIANCE

Emotions ran high at a press conference where lawyers expressed anger, particularly against the country's powerful military, but also voiced defiance.

"We are not tense because of the terrorists," said senior lawyer Manzoor ul Hassan. "We have sadness, of course, but no fear."

Lawyers have held a special place in Pakistan's democratic process.

A lawyers' movement emerged as the vanguard of a campaign against the then army chief Pervez Musharraf after he suspended the country's top judge in 2007 for opposing plans to extend the general's term in office.

Lawyers organised convoys travelling from city to city to support ousted chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, and the government was forced to re-instate him.

Musharraf emerged from the confrontation a much diminished figured and stepped down as president in 2008.

"Lawyers were the targets, because we fight for the rights of the people," Ali Zafar told the press conference. "They think we will be weakened ... I say we will become stronger."

Prominent lawyer Ali Ahmed Kurd said those left would carry the torch.

"The juniors who are left, they are filled with the passion for working hard, for honesty ... that will make up the difference," Kurd told Reuters in Quetta.

But he added that the lawyers of Baluchistan were afraid to call a meeting of the bar association to map out the legal fraternity's next steps.

"If you convene a meeting now, who will come?" Kurd said. "There's no one. None is left."

(Writing by Mehreen Zahra-Malik; Editing by Mike Collett-White)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
MOSCOW Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine on Wednesday of using terrorist tactics to try to provoke a new conflict and destabilise annexed Crimea after Russia said it had thwarted two armed Ukrainian attempts to get saboteurs into the contested peninsula.

Russia's FSB security service said two people were killed in clashes and its forces had dismantled a Ukrainian spy network inside Crimea. Kiev denied the assertions, calling them an attempt by Moscow to create an excuse to escalate towards a war.

The Russian president accused Kiev of playing a dangerous game and said he saw no point in holding a new round of talks about the troubled peace process in eastern Ukraine on the sidelines of a G20 summit in China next month.

"The people who seized power in Kiev ... have switched to terror tactics instead of searching for ways for a peaceful settlement," Putin told a news conference, saying Russia would not let such actions pass without a response.

"The attempt to provoke an outbreak of violence, to provoke a conflict is nothing other than a desire to distract (Ukrainian) society from its problems," he added, calling Ukraine's actions "criminal."

Putin's comments will stir fears that Russia, which has been steadily reinforcing Crimea militarily, may be considering new military action.

"Putin wants more war. Russia escalates, desperately looks for a casus belli against Ukraine, tests the West's reaction," a spokesman for Ukraine's foreign ministry, Dmytro Kuleba, tweeted.

The Russian allegations follow an uptick in Russian military activity in northern Crimea and heavier fighting in eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian government troops are battling pro-Russian separatists.

If true, the events - which the FSB said involved at least two armed clashes on the border between Crimea and Ukraine - would be the most serious escalation on the contested peninsula since Moscow annexed it from Ukraine in 2014.

U.S. and European Union sanctions to punish Russia for the land grab remain in place, though Moscow has made clear it has no intention of handing the peninsula back to Ukraine.

BORDER CLASHES

The FSB said it believed Ukrainian special forces had been planning attacks targeting critical infrastructure.

An FSB employee and a Russian soldier were killed in the clashes, it said.

"The aim of this subversive activity and terrorist acts was to destabilise the socio-political situation in the region ahead of preparations and the holding of elections," the FSB said, referring to Russia-wide parliamentary elections next month.

The FSB said it had tackled one group of Ukrainian saboteurs in an operation that spanned late Saturday and early Sunday, smashing what it called a Ukrainian spy network.

Ukraine and Russian nationals were arrested and an arms cache, including 20 homemade explosive devices, ammunition, mines, grenades and specialised weapons commonly used by Ukrainian special forces, were recovered, it said.

The FSB said the situation escalated further late on Sunday and in the early hours of Monday.

"Ukrainian special forces units tried to break through two more times with groups of saboteur-terrorists but were thwarted by FSB units and other forces," it said.

"The attempts to break through were accompanied by massive covering fire from the neighbouring state and from Ukrainian armoured vehicles."

Security had been beefed up in areas popular with tourists, at key infrastructure and along the Crimea border, the FSB said.

U.S. officials are monitoring the situation, but have yet to drawn any conclusion about Russias intentions, said a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

(Additional reporting by Lidia Kelly and Maria Tsvetkova in Moscow, Pavel Polityuk and Matthias Williams in Kiev and Jonathan Landay in Washington; Editing by Janet Lawrence and Robin Pomeroy)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Bangkok: Responding to the slew of criticism ahead of a constitutional referendum in the country, Thai authorities on Wednesday defended the vote as "free and fair", media reported.

A majority of voters approved the junta-backed Constitution in Sunday's referendum, following which the European Union and the US denounced the restrictions on free speech imposed by the junta in the run-up to the vote in which more than 100 opponents were detained, Efe news reported.

Brussels said "there were serious limitations to fundamental freedoms" during the campaign while Washington underlined its concern for the exclusive drafting process and denounced that "open debate was not permitted in the run-up to its adoption".

The Thailand Foreign Ministry said the referendum was conducted in a "free, fair and transparent manner, in accordance with internationally accepted practices and standards as well as internal legislative requirements".

The ministry said the government "voluntarily" included the referendum as part of a "roadmap" to encourage public participation in shaping Thailand's future.

"Citizens were free to express opinions regarding the draft in good faith and in accordance with the lawsnone of these critics has disputed the outcome of the vote," the statement said.

The head of the military junta and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha responded on Sunday, after the vote, criticising "inappropriate intervention by foreign elements".

"All these interferences have inevitably led us to have contempt for the sentiments of those who claim to be 'friends' of Thailand," said the head of the junta.

The Electoral Commission was scheduled to announce the definitive result of the referendum on Wednesday. The provisional data showed the new constitution poll received 61.4 per cent in favour and 38.6 per cent against.

The outcome of the referendum facilitates general elections which will be held in 2017, according to what the Prime Minister, in power since the coup in 2014, reiterated on Tuesday.
Ankara: Turkey and Russia have agreed to build a mechanism on Syria which includes officials from the intelligence services, foreign ministries and armed forces, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday.

Cavusoglu said the first bilateral meeting of this mechanism will be held in St. Petersburg on Thursday, Xinhua News Agency cited from Anadolu News Agency.

The formation of the mechanism was agreed during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.

"We are building a strong mechanism with Russia regarding Syria, " Cavusoglu said. "We think alike on the cease-fire, humanitarian aid and a political solution."

Turkish National Intelligence Organisation Chief Hakan Fidan and representatives from Turkey's Foreign Ministry and the Turkish Armed Forces will depart for Russia on Wednesday, Cavusoglu said.

He said the pilots involved in the downing of a Russian jet on 24 November, 2015, which led to a crisis in bilateral ties, were in custody for their ties with the so-called Gulen Terrorist Organisation, a reference to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Turkey accuses Gulen of masterminding the 15 July coup attempt and had called for his extradition from the US.

The shooting down of the Russian jet led to a freeze in relations of the two countries, including economic sanctions and a bar on Russian tourism to Turkey, which thawed in June after Erdogan wrote to his counterpart and the two later spoke on telephone.

Putin gave his support to Turkey over the coup attempt and said he stood by the elected government, offering his condolences to the victims of the failed coup.
WASHINGTON The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of more than 130 Abrams battle tanks, 20 armoured recovery vehicles and other equipment, worth about $1.15 billion, to Saudi Arabia, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

The approval for land force equipment coincides with Saudi Arabia leading a military coalition in support of Yemeni forces loyal to the exiled government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi who are trying to oust Iran-allied Houthi forces from the capital, Sanaa. Human rights groups have criticized the coalition's air strikes because of the deaths of civilians.

The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which implements foreign arms sales, said that General Dynamics (GD.N) will be the principal contractor for the sale.

"This sale will increase the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) interoperability with U.S. forces and conveys U.S. commitment to Saudi Arabia's security and armed forces modernization," the agency said in a notice to lawmakers posted on its website.

Lawmakers have 30 days to block the sale, although such action is rare.

Saudi Arabia and its mostly Gulf Arab allies intervened in Yemen's civil war in March 2015 after the Houthi movement had pushed the Hadi administration into exile in Saudi Arabia.

On Tuesday, the Saudi-led military coalition conducted air strikes on Sanaa for the first time in five months, residents said, after U.N.-backed peace talks to end the conflict broke down at the weekend.

Medics said nine civilians were killed in a strike on a potato chip factory in the Nahda district of the capital.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch called on the United Nations General Assembly in June to suspend Saudi Arabia from the U.N. Human Rights Council until the military coalition stops killing civilians in Yemen.

"The Saudi-led coalitions campaign in Yemen has been devastating for civilians (and) the U.S. should be suspending arms sales to Saudi Arabia, not approving more," said Kristine Beckerle, a researcher with Human Rights Watch.

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut who has been critical of arms sales to Saudi Arabia, said in a statement that he was concerned about the high civilian casualty rate in Yemen. Murphy said Saudi Arabia had "largely backed away from" the fight against Islamic State militants "and Id like to see them commit to rejoin that fight as part of major new military sales."

(Reporting by Idrees Ali; Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle. Editing by Frances Kerry and Grant McCool)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Hong Kong: Vietnam has discreetly fortified several of its islands in the disputed South China Sea with new mobile rocket launchers capable of striking China's runways and military installations across the vital trade route, according to Western officials.

Diplomats and military officers told Reuters that intelligence shows Hanoi has shipped the launchers from the Vietnamese mainland into position on five bases in the Spratly islands in recent months, a move likely to raise tensions with Beijing.

The launchers have been hidden from aerial surveillance and they have yet to be armed, but could be made operational with rocket artillery rounds within two or three days, according to the three sources.

Vietnam's Foreign Ministry said the information was "inaccurate", without elaborating.

Deputy Defence Minister, Senior Lieutenant-General Nguyen Chi Vinh, told Reuters in Singapore in June that Hanoi had no such launchers or weapons ready in the Spratlys but reserved the right to take any such measures.

"It is within our legitimate right to self-defence to move any of our weapons to any area at any time within our sovereign territory," he said.

The move is designed to counter China's build-up on its seven reclaimed islands in the Spratlys archipelago. Vietnam's military strategists fear the building runways, radars and other military installations on those holdings have left Vietnam's southern and island defences increasingly vulnerable.

Military analysts say it is the most significant defensive move Vietnam has made on its holdings in the South China Sea in decades.

Hanoi wanted to have the launchers in place as it expected tensions to rise in the wake of the landmark international court ruling against China in an arbitration case brought by the Philippines, foreign envoys said.

The ruling last month, stridently rejected by Beijing, found no legal basis to China's sweeping historic claims to much of the South China Sea.

Vietnam, China and Taiwan claim all of the Spratlys while the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei claim some of the area.

"China has indisputable sovereignty over the Spratly islands and nearby waters," Chinas Foreign Ministry said in a faxed statement on Wednesday. "China resolutely opposes the relevant country illegally occupying parts of Chinas Spratly islands and reefs and on these illegally occupied Spratly islands and reefs belonging to China carrying out illegal construction and military deployments.

The United States is also monitoring developments closely.

"We continue to call on all South China Sea claimants to avoid actions that raise tensions, take practical steps to build confidence, and intensify efforts to find peaceful, diplomatic solutions to disputes," a State Department official said.

State-Of-the-art system

Foreign officials and military analysts believe the launchers form part of Vietnam's state-of-art EXTRA rocket artillery system recently acquired from Israel.

EXTRA rounds are highly accurate up to a range of 150 km (93 miles), with different 150 kg (330 lb) warheads that can carry high explosives or bomblets to attack multiple targets simultaneously. Operated with targeting drones, they could strike both ships and land targets.

That puts China's 3,000-metre runways and installations on Subi, Fiery Cross and Mischief Reef within range of many of Vietnam's tightly clustered holdings on 21 islands and reefs.

While Vietnam has larger and longer range Russian coastal defence missiles, the EXTRA is considered highly mobile and effective against amphibious landings. It uses compact radars, so does not require a large operational footprint - also suitable for deployment on islets and reefs.

"When Vietnam acquired the EXTRA system, it was always thought that it would be deployed on the Spratlys...it is the perfect weapon for that," said Siemon Wezeman, a senior arms researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

There is no sign the launchers have been recently test fired or moved.

China took its first Spratlys possessions after a sea battle against Vietnam's then weak navy in 1988. After the battle, Vietnam said 64 soldiers with little protection were killed as they tried to protect a flag on South Johnson reef - an incident still acutely felt in Hanoi.

In recent years, Vietnam has significantly improved its naval capabilities as part of a broader military modernisation, including buying six advanced Kilo submarines from Russia.

Carl Thayer, an expert on Vietnam's military at the Australian Defence Force Academy, said the deployment showed the seriousness of Vietnam's determination to militarily deter China as far as possible.

"China's runways and military installations in the Spratlys are a direct challenge to Vietnam, particularly in their southern waters and skies, and they are showing they are prepared to respond to that threat," he said. "China is unlikely to see this as purely defensive, and it could mark a new stage of militarisation of the Spratlys."

Trevor Hollingsbee, a former naval intelligence analyst with the British defence ministry, said he believed the deployment also had a political factor, partly undermining the fear created by the prospect of large Chinese bases deep in maritime Southeast Asia.

"It introduces a potential vulnerability where they was none before - it is a sudden new complication in an arena that China was dominating," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa will jointly dedicate the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP's) first unit, to the country on Wednesday. You can watch the live proceedings here:

Here is a brief timeline of the events leading up to the dedication of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project :

1988

The Indian government under former Prime minister Rajiv Gandhi had signed a contract with Soviet Union to build the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) in 1988. Due to the dissolution of Soviet Union in 1991 and the subsequent political and economic upheaval, the project was left in limbo until 1997. The project was then revived in 1998.

2002

Construction AT the KKNPP began in March 2002.

2004

A small port became operational in Kudankulam in January 2004. Prior to the establishment of this port, materials had to be brought in via roads, running the risk of damage during transportation.

2008

With the aim of increasing the total capacity of the power plant, negotiations on building four additional reactors at the site began

2011

The construction of the first two units had to be halted in September 2011 following protests by villagers and local fishermen around the plant. Their concerns ranged from how the reactor would adversely affect their livelihood to the fear of a nuclear accident similar to the Daiichi nuclear accident in Japan.

2012

Work at the plant finally resumed in March 2012.

2013

In July 2013, power generation initially started at 300 Mw, which step by step was increased to 500 Mw.

2014

In December, Unit 1 of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant was declared commercially operational from December 2014.

2015

For major part of 2015, unit I remained shut. The Plant engineers cited a new and upgraded valve control system that had to be incorporated, which led to delays in bringing back the plant online. This installment only extended the annual maintenance shutdown that started in March, 2015.

However, after April, power generation continued non-stop without any snags.

2016

On 10 July, 2016 the second unit of KKNPP- II attained criticality after regulatory and statutory clearances.
New York: Targeting brown people as potential Taliban sympathisers in America is as old as the 11 September, 2001 terrorist attacks. However, 50-year-old Surjeet Bassi, an Indian national is tired of racial profiling and is suing a New Jersey car dealership for $1.26 million for allegedly refusing to sell him a Mercedes Benz for fear that he might ship it to the Taliban.

When Bassi, 50, who runs a successful medical transport company, and his business partner Deepak Kumar approached Prestige Motors Inc in Bergen County, New Jersey, at the beginning of June, he intended to trade in his old Mercedes-Benz for a newer Mercedes Benz GLS550 SUV with the black interior he desired.

Bassi went through all the hoops: He spent five hours at the dealership choosing a vehicle, then negotiating a price with the salesman. He passed a credit check, paid a $1,000 down payment, and showed the dealership his bank statements. Finally, a deal was reached. Just as Bassi thought the hardest part of the process was over, his day took a turn for the worse.

The manager called Bassi into his office and said he couldn't sell him the car. According to Bassi, the manager told him that he came from a high-risk area where people often buy cars and send them to the Taliban.

A startled Bassi, who has lived in New Jersey for 30 years explained that he is originally from India, and is in no way connected to the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The lawsuit says a search of Bassi's name on a federal database of those banned from exporting cars turned up nothing, but the manager still refused to sell him a new car. Bassi even offered to sign a waiver stating that he wouldnt sell the car to anyone for three years. I said, Give me the paper, Ill sign it, Bassi said, adding, I have a Mercedes already, if I wanted to export it I would sell that one.

But the Mercedes car dealership still refused to sell Bassi a new car, which the lawsuit says is "racial stereotyping, premised on the plaintiff's race and appearance" and it wouldn't have happened if he'd been "a white citizen of the United States".

When contacted by Firstpost on Tuesday, the dealership's manager declined to comment.

"Prestige Mercedes Benz values its relationships with customers and prospective customers," spokeswoman Theresa V Boylan later said in a statement, "As a company, we do not condone discriminatory practices or conduct. Out of respect for the process and all parties, it is our policy not to comment on pending legal matters."

Bassi, who said the entire experience left him rattled" and heartbroken, is now suing the car dealership for $60,000 in compensatory damages and $1.2 million in punitive damages. His lawyers filed a lawsuit on 5 July in the US District Court in New York's Southern District.

Bassi's civil rights attorney, Michael Sussman, described the appalling incident as blatant racial discrimination.

This is an instance of the madness weve come to, Sussman told the US media.

The law firm said the dealership had violated the Equal Credit Opportunity Act by refusing to extend credit to Bassi.
GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here.
Over-fishing, such as for these sharks in Gabon, is wiping out threatened species worldwide. Credit: Caleb McClennon/WCS

Less than a month away from the kick-off the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawaii, a team of scientists report in the journal Nature that three quarters of the world's threatened species are imperiled because people are converting their habitat into agricultural lands and overharvesting their populations.

The team, from the University of Queensland, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), studied information on 8,688 species on the IUCN Red List. They found that 72 percent of species are imperiled by overexploitation (the harvesting of species from the wild at rates that cannot be compensated for by reproduction or regrowth), while 62 percent of species are imperiled by agricultural activity (the production of food, fodder, fiber and fuel crops; livestock farming; aquaculture; and the cultivation of trees). In comparison, 19 percent are considered threatened by climate change.

There are 5,407 species threatened by agriculture alone, including cheetah, African wild dog and Asia's hairy-nosed otter. Illegal hunting is decimating populations of all rhinoceros and elephant species, western gorilla and Chinese pangolin. Other threats are affecting substantially fewer species, for example hooded seals being threatened by climate change. Perhaps surprisingly, climate change was ranked 7th among the 11 threats studied.

"Addressing these old foes of overharvesting and agricultural activities are key to turning around the biodiversity extinction crisis" said lead author Sean Maxwell of the University of Queensland, "This must be at the forefront of the conservation agenda."

From September 1-10, representatives from government, industry, and non-environmental organizations (NGOs) will define future directions for conservation at the World Conservation Congress of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The report authors urge congress delegates - and society in general - to focus on proposing and funding actions that deal with the biggest current threats to biodiversity.

Said Dr. James Watson, a co-author of the study from the WCS and the University of Queensland. "History has taught us that minimizing impacts from overharvesting and agriculture requires a variety of conservation actions but these can be achieved. Actions such as well managed protected areas, enforcement of hunting regulations, and managing agricultural systems in ways that allow threatened species to persist within them, all have a major role to play in reducing the biodiversity crisis. These activities need to be well funded and prioritized in areas that will reduce threat."

The authors also add, however, that while overharvesting and agricultural activities are currently the predominant threats to species, this may change in the coming decades.

Said co-author Dr. Thomas Brooks of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature: "Reducing immediate impacts is essential to tackling the biodiversity crisis, but climate change could become an increasingly dominant threat for species in the coming decades. Thankfully, those actions that best reduce current threats such as unsustainable use, habitat destruction, and invasive species now are often a sensible first-step in responding to the challenges of rapid climate change."

Explore further Many more species at risk from Southeast Asia tree plantations, study finds

More information: Sean L. Maxwell et al, Biodiversity: The ravages of guns, nets and bulldozers, Nature (2016). Journal information: Nature Sean L. Maxwell et al, Biodiversity: The ravages of guns, nets and bulldozers,(2016). DOI: 10.1038/536143a
Credit: National Research Nuclear University

Researchers of MEPhI (Russia), the University of Rostock (Germany) and the University of Pisa (Italy) suggest a new method for generating extremely strong magnetic fields of several giga-Gauss in the lab. Currently available techniques produce fields of one order of magnitude less than the new method. In nature, such superstrong fields exist only in the space. Therefore, generation of such fields in laboratory conditions provides new opportunities for the modeling of astrophysical processes. The results will contribute to the new research field of laboratory astrophysics.

The Faraday effect has been known for a long time. It refers to the polarization plane of an electromagnetic wave propagating through a non-magnetic medium, which is rotating in the presence of a constant magnetic field. There is also an inverse process of the generation of a magnetic field during the propagation of a circularly polarized wave through a crystal or plasma. It was considered theoretically in the 1960s by Soviet theorist Lew Pitaevsky, a famous representative of Landau's school. The stronger the wave, the higher the magnetic field it can generate when propagating through a medium. However, a peculiarity of the effect is that it requires absorption for its very existenceit does not occur in entirely transparent media. In highly intense electromagnetic fields, electrons become ultrarelativistic, which considerably reduces their collisions, suppressing conventional absorption. The researchers demonstrate that at very high laser wave intensities, the absorption can be effectively provided by radiation friction instead of binary collisions. This specific friction leads to the generation of a superstrong magnetic field.

According to physicist Sergey Popruzhenko, it will be possible to check the calculations in the near future. Several new laser facilities of record power will be completed in the next several years. Three such lasers are now under construction within the European project Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI) in the Czech Republic, Romania and Hungary. The Exawatt Center for Extreme Light Studies  XCELS is under the development at the Applied Physics Institute RAS at Nizhny Novgorod. These laser facilities will be capable of the intensities required for the generation of superstrong magnetic fields due to radiation friction and also for the observation of many other fundamental strong-field effects.

Explore further The role of magnetic fields in star formation

More information: T V Liseykina et al. Inverse Faraday effect driven by radiation friction, New Journal of Physics (2016). Journal information: New Journal of Physics T V Liseykina et al. Inverse Faraday effect driven by radiation friction,(2016). DOI: 10.1088/1367-2630/18/7/072001
The U.S. Department of Justice says the police department in the eastern city of Baltimore, Maryland, violated the Constitution and federal anti-discrimination laws by systemically engaging in a pattern of illegal stops, searches, arrests and use of excessive force, particularly against the city's African-American population.

"Public trust is critical to effective policing and public safety," Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Wednesday. "The results of our investigation raise serious concerns, and in the days ahead, the Department of Justice will continue working tirelessly to ensure that all Baltimoreans enjoy the safety, security and dignity they expect and deserve."

The report found that the Baltimore Police Department's practices perpetuate many issues rooted in poverty and race, focusing law enforcement actions on low-income minority communities in ways that are often unnecessary and unproductive.

WATCH: Baltimore mayor reacts to report findings

"The findings are challenging to hear, but let me be clear, I never sugarcoat our problems, nor will I run away from our most pressing challenges," Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake told reporters Wednesday at a news conference there. "The report identifies specific problems in the department, but the transparency of the report offers a crucial foundation if we are going to move forward."

Baltimore Police Department Commissioner Kevin Davis said the report "is not an indictment" of all Baltimore police officers, many of whom he said are "offended" by the details in the report. "This report is, however, an indictment on those bad behaviors by a relatively small number of police officers over many years."

Extensive investigation

Federal investigators interviewed current and former city leaders, police department chiefs and officers, and people and organizations from the community. They also rode along with police officers during their shifts and reviewed hundreds of thousands of pages of documents.

Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta said that nearly everyone investigators interacted with "agreed that the Baltimore Police Department needs sustainable reform."

Gupta said the Baltimore Police Department has agreed with the Department of Justice to negotiate reforms to policies that have led to discriminatory policing.

Samuel Walker, professor emeritus at the University of Nebraska and an expert on police accountability, described the report's findings as "very powerful and very hard hitting." He told VOA the findings represent "a failure of accountability across the board," but he is "guardedly optimistic" the negotiations will lead to an improved police department in Baltimore.

"It will require a number of reforms, changes in their policy on use of force, changes in their policy and training on stops and frisk, and the development of new procedures for reporting use of force," Walker said.

The Justice Department report was launched after the high-profile death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African-American man who died from spinal injuries suffered while he was in police custody. Gray's death fueled ongoing concerns about policing in Baltimore, a city of 620,000 that experienced a record number of homicides last year.

Longstanding issues

The report pointed to the lingering legacy of department policy in the 1990s and early 2000s that prioritized officers making large numbers of stops, searches and arrests, saying that today supervisors who began their careers during that era still focus on those numbers to measure performance.

Investigators found that multiple officers showed a mistaken understanding of the law, believing that people standing in front of a business or a vacant lot were considered to be loitering or trespassing.

In one incident reviewed by the Justice Department team, an officer who believed his supervisor would be unhappy if he did not clear an area where people were talking and waiting for food outside of a late-night restaurant confronted the group and ended up in an altercation with a man who refused to leave. The officer feared the man was going to kick him and responded by firing his gun, striking two people, including one person who was not involved. Supervisors said later the officer acted appropriately.

The report criticized the department for underreporting the number of people that officers stop; but, among the 300,000 reported stops of pedestrians between January 2010 and May 2015, 44 percent took place in two small districts that contain just 11 percent of the city's population and are predominantly African-American.

The Justice Department said the stops "often lack reasonable suspicion," and that less than 4 percent of them resulted in any citation or arrest. Many of those arrested later had their charges dismissed. The report noted that one African-American man in his mid-50s was stopped 30 times in less than four years. None of the 30 stops resulted in a citation or criminal charge.

Targeting African-Americans

"In some cases, BPD supervisors have ordered officers to specifically target African-Americans for stops and arrests," the report said. "BPD failed to use adequate policy, training, and accountability mechanisms to prevent discrimination, despite longstanding notice of concerns about how it polices African-American communities in the city."

The report further criticized the department for using what it says are overly aggressive tactics that only escalate situations.

"Officers frequently resort to physical force when a subject does not immediately respond to verbal commands, even where the subject poses no imminent threat to the officer or others," according to the report.

The Justice Department said nearly 90 percent of excessive force incidents it identified involved force against African-Americans; but, it said the department rarely categorized incidents as excessive.

The Justice Department said it recognizes the challenges officers in Baltimore and other communities face, and said the department's current leadership has taken "laudable steps" toward improvements. Those include revising policies on the use of force, as well as boosting accountability and transparency with steps such as beginning to equip officers with body cameras to record their activities.
Pro-government forces in Libya say they have taken control of Islamic State's headquarters in the city of Sirte.

The statement was issued by forces loyal to Libyas Government of National Accord (GNA).

The U.S. has been carrying out airstrikes aimed at pushing IS out of Sirte, a key coastal city that has served as a base for the terror groups operations.

U.S officials on Wednesday stressed that U.S.troops are not engaged in any direct fighting on the ground.

Several of you have asked about media reports suggesting that U.S. forces are engaged in direct action on the ground in Sirte. I can tell you those are not true," Pentagon Press Secretary Gordon Trowbridge said. "Our mission in Libya is focused solely on conducting air strikes at the request and in support of forces aligned with Libya's Government of National Accord. We are providing unique capabilities - notably intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and precision strikes - that will help enable GNA-aligned forces to make a decisive, strategic advance."
The Legislative Assembly (AL) gathered in plenary session yesterday for the final discussion and approval of a bill that amends the AL Electoral Law.

The amendments, disclosed by the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Sonia Chan on July 28, were considered a matter of great urgency by the government. Only 12 days after the bill was completed it was sent for the ALs speedy discussion and approval.

The bill was approved at the first reading yesterday in the plenary session with the support of 28 out of the 32 voters; legislators Pereira Coutinho, Leong Veng Chai, Ng Kuok Cheong and Au Kam San voted against it.

The debate was fueled by the directly-elected lawmakers. Some of them expressed doubts about the presentation of the law made by Sonia Chan. The secretary mentioned the four favorable principles that should be fulfilled for the development of Macaus political system according to the Basic Law and the constitution regulations of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress.

She said that the bill aims to improve on the regulations of electoral campaign activities; reinforce the fight against electoral fraud; perfect the works of the electoral committee and improve on the requirements to submit an application [for office] and on the rules about the incompatibility of legislators.

Ng Kuok Cheong criticized the fact that the bill did not propose any change to the constitution of the assembly, specifically regarding the long-awaited growth of democracy. According to the lawmaker and early member of the New Macau Association, the population had expected to see in the 2017 elections the number of directly-elected legislators grow from 14 to 20.

Im really sorry that since the public consultation process and until today, the focal point of the stagnation of [Macaus] political development has not been addressed, Ng Kuok Cheong said. The government simply applied the proposals from the Electoral Affairs Commission without integrating the opinions of society. [] This isnt to the benefit of the [democratic] development of the MSAR, he argued, citing a study conducted by a Hong Kong university institution which concluded that over 60 percent of the population was hoping for a change involving the direct election of the Chief Executive.

Ng said that the content of the bill doesnt respond to peoples expectations  quite the contrary  the authorities are seeking to limit freedom of participation in the elections.

Pereira Coutinho raised the bar, building on the criticism shared by Ng. The legislator accused the new Electoral Law of violating the Basic Law in at least six of its articles.

This proposal violates the Basic Law. And these [violations] dont occur only over one or two articles. A handful of articles from our fundamental law, which we should all respect, are being violated [by the proposal], said Coutinho, remarking that the written text of the proposal seems only capable [of being drafted] in North Korea.

The lawmaker slammed the law, which he regards as a suspension of freedom of expression and an authentic gag law, that is leading to the bureaucratization of the electoral process.

Coutinho also said the new ineligibility proposal is a revengeful law that is invading a sacred reserve of the statutes of the legislators.

In the legislators opinion there is already an ineligibility rule, which can only be proposed, approved and amended by the legislators themselves. He therefore called on his fellow legislators not to let the bill pass without significant changes made.

However, Song Pek Kei showed support for the bill, highlighting that the election of the AL is an important process in our society. This initiative is an opportunity to review and perfect the law. Song raised questions regarding the rule that prevents legislators who have renounced their mandates to participate afterward in a supplementary or mid-term election.

From the governments side, not much was advanced in terms of answers to the doubts raised by legislators. Instead it was proposed that these suggestions could be further addressed in the committee that will analyze the specifics of the law later.

The Secretary for Administration and Justice noted that amendments to the AL Electoral Law aim to ensure that the election process is conducted with integrity and is open to the public, remarking more than once yesterday that the bill was worthy of the consent of the central government.

Sonia Chan stressed that disallowing the election of legislators with a political role in another country or territory  a proposal that recalls the case of Coutinho, since he was candidate in the latest legislative election in Portugal while also being a lawmaker in Macau  is followed by most other countries worldwide, including Portugal.

Regarding matters of corruption, the deputy Commissioner Against Corruption, Kuan Kun Hong, said: In the past there were several registered actions that aimed to provide benefits to people and this can be considered a case of corruption.

This mechanism [of prior declaration of interests] aims to establish a way to prevent complaints and unnecessary investigations, he added, also noting that not all of the associations need to declare. Only when there is a direct connection with their candidates.

On the lawmakers agenda

SMG FLAWS DURING TYPHOON NIDA Zheng Anting said the Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) failed to communicate effectively with society during Typhoon Nida. This was not the first time that the bureau has made mistakes this year and the population questions what is behind these flaws. The lawmaker urged the government to open the underpass of Sai Van Bridge for the transit of motorcycles even during lower typhoon signals and other severe weather situations. He also urged the government to solve the problem of flooding in the Inner Harbor area and on some streets, to which traffic is being due to the implementation of the exclusive bus corridor.

LAND CONCESSIONS Mak Soi Kun and Kwan Tsui Hang said the government does not demonstrate concern for citizens regarding land concessions that have resulted in problems. Mak said: For the building on Calcada da Guia, the government suspended the project in 2008 based on heritage issues but didnt [pay attention to] buyers. Similar thing are occurring now with the Pearl Horizon development, he said. Managing these issues according to the law seems to mean leaving peoples rights behind. Regarding the Coloane hill skyscraper construction, Kwan Tsui Hang concluded: Answers from the government are contradictory. She said that what is needed is to have competent departments investigate the legal terms of the changing of the general planning.

CTM MONOPOLY Song Pek Kei said liberalizing the market necessitates that all operators are at the same starting line. She claims that the monopoly of CTM and the unfair contract signed with the government either highlights lack of juridical knowledge from the services workers at the time [] or an intention to give preference to the concessionaire. The missing answers from the government are creating distrust and unhappiness in society, she said.

MONEY WASTED ON PUBLIC WORKS Ng Kuok Cheong noted that the most recent public works revealed a waste of money and lack of planning. Taking as examples the Taipa Maritime Terminal and the LRT project, the legislator shared concerns that the same wastage problem will be repeated with the Grand Prix Museum renovation. Cheong asked for further clarification on the details of the project.


Seven passengers of the bus that crashed into a building on Rua da Entena on Monday remain at the Kiang Wu Hospital. One of the three passengers, who was in intensive care, has been moved to the hospitals general ward, the Health Bureau announced. However, one passenger is still in coma. Yesterday, the residents living in the building which was struck by the bus were allowed to visit their homes. They asked for the governments intervention in the repair works and raised concerns about the buildings structure.

Neptune Group expects significant loss

The Neptune Group has stated that it expects to record a significant loss for the year that ended on June 30, 2016. The expected loss is being primarily attributed to the Macau junket business, which continues to be slow and payments of which are often delayed. The Hong Kong-based company also noted that the difficult gaming environment in Macau for VIP rooms in addition to a pervasive reluctance of junkets to issue credit to players might also be contributing to its loss. The final results announcement is expected to be released on or around September 30.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is playing the China-bashing card in an attempt to rescue his falling poll numbers but has no real ideas to resolve the two nations differences, Chinas official news agency said yesterday.

Responding to a speech Monday in which the candidate accused China of breaking trade rules in every way imaginable, Xinhua said such inflammatory rhetoric was meant to appeal to blue-collar Midwestern voters. It called the remarks dangerous and said they offered nothing of substance to improve bilateral relations.

Trump played the China-bashing card once again in his latest attempt to rectify his falling popularity, Xinhua said in an editorial.

Trump accused China of illegally subsidizing exports, manipulating its currency and stealing intellectual property, all recurring themes in his campaign. Trumps criticism has focused almost exclusively on trade practices with few mentions of Chinas authoritarian political system or human rights abuses.

At the center of my plan is trade enforcement with China. This alone could return millions of jobs into our country, Trump said in the speech that focused on economic policy.

Xinhua said Trump had not only betrayed traditional Republican support for free trade, but also ignored the importance of China to his own business. Trump has claimed to have done major deals with Chinese customers, but given few specifics. Items in his Trump-branded clothing line have been produced in China.

China-bashing is a recurring theme every four years, and by now its become quite dull, Xinhua said. Lets hope the next time around that future presidential [contenders] have something more substantial to say about Americas relationship with China. U.S. voters deserve better. AP
The wreckage of the bus that crashed into a building on Rua da Entena on Monday leaving 32 passengers injured and seriously damaging the building, was removed from the street yesterday.

Prior to removal, several iron pillars were installed to compensate for the fact that a main pillar of the building was hit and almost destroyed by the out-of-control bus.

The latest information released by authorities indicates that 10 of the injured remain at the Kiang Wu Hospital. Three of the injured are in intensive care and there is one case considered life threatening.

The 22 tourists that were discharged from hospital were taken to the Public Prosecutions Office, where they testified their accounts of the incident. According to the Government Spokesperson Office, the local travel agency [involved in the accident] is negotiating with the tourists the compensation to be paid, which depends on the injuries suffered. The travel agency will pay the compensations in advance, before concluding negotiations ongoing with its insurance company.

Following the evacuation of residents from the building on Monday, the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) issued a statement yesterday informing that seven families who live in the affected building were lodging in a center for victims of accidents. Five other families totaling 10 persons, were temporarily lodged in hotels with IAS support.

The bus was carrying 46 tourists that had arrived from Shenzhen for a short one-day visit. The tour group included tourists from several different regions and provinces of mainland China.

The driver was allegedly outside of the vehicle trying to resolve a smaller traffic accident when the bus started to roll down the road. According to preliminary conclusions from the police, it did not have its brake applied successfully.

The structure of the building that was struck by the bus requires assessment, the director of the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT), Li Canfeng, said on Monday.

The pillar [hit by the bus] is a main pillar and an important part of the buildings structure, he stated. PB
Mozambiques energy sector, which includes major projects being launched by Chinese companies, offers the country the best prospects to overcome the current adverse economic period, analysts have indicated.

One recently launched project is the building of a coal-fired power plant in Tete province, a USD25.5 million investment involving Shanghai Electric Power and Ncondezi Energy. Another planned thermoelectric plant in Tete involves the governments of Mozambique and Zambia.

The most recent report on Mozambique by credit-rating agency Standard Poors calls attention to current economic and financial difficulties. It estimates real GDP growth of just 4 percent this year, one of the lowest in recent decades, though predicting that it will accelerate to 6 percent in 2017 and 7 percent in 2018, with gas sector investments on the rise, along with those in power and transportation networks.

Construction of most railway track linking ports in the north and center of the country to new coal deposits should sustain higher coal production in 2016-2019 provided international coal prices recover from the current low levels, indicates the report.

More significantly, S&P believes that the government and foreign partners in liquid natural gas (ENI and Anadarko Petroleum) will conclude negotiations on this years investment framework, allowing construction of facilities to begin in 2017-2018.

The Economist Intelligence Unit sees foreign investment staying low in the short term, though recovering slowly beyond 2017 if the government takes sufficient steps to re-establish the IMF program, which would be a crucial sign to investors that authorities are responding to the economic crisis.

Privatization of assets should attract some investment, while capital employed in the gas industry may recover in the middle term, it specifies, adding that given slow overall demand for Mozambiques main exports there will be no promise of high returns to attract investors; the government will have to boost efforts to improve the business climate.

China should become one of the main clients for Mozambican natural gas, where it has already made its presence felt. The Chinese National Offshore Oil Corp has obtained the first long-term contract envisaging the annual purchase of from 2 million to 2.5 million tons of gas, a quarter of production capacity at the first liquefaction unit associated to Area 1 of the Rovuma Basin, where Anadarko Petroleum is the lead operator.

Chinese oil companies interest in Mozambican natural gas had already led Sinopec to buy from Italys ENI a 20 percent stake in Area 4, next to the one operated by Anadarko, for $4.2 billion.

According to Standard Bank, natural gas exports will initially earn $67 billion for Mozambique. With six liquefaction plants operational earnings will rise to $212 billion.

The final decisions on Mozambique project investment by ENI and Anadarko are expected in coming months. ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum should also be involved, Reuters recently reported.

ENI envisages financing of USD11 billion, selling a 20 percent stake in the Mamba well to ExxonMobil, a deal which could result in $1.3 billion in tax earnings for Mozambique. That sum would be equivalent to the hidden debts whose discovery led to cancellation of support from the IMF and other partners.

China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau (China National Petroleum Group, stakeholder in Rovuma Basin Area 4) will conduct the feasibility study for the 2600 km Rovuma/Gauteng gas pipeline announced last March. Once the investment decision is made, Chinese financial institutions will take on 70 percent of the financing.

Chinese involvement means the project will be a triple winner, the analyst Aubrey Hruby of the Atlantic Council Africa Centre has stated.

China gains because Chinese contractors get the business; South Africa and Mozambique gain because they secure the gas they need and Zimbabwe and Zambia gain because they also need energy, said Hruby, cited by Interfax. MDT/Macauhub
The visit of the U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Benfold to the northern Chinese port of Qingdao earlier this week is the latest development in a long-term effort to build trust between the countries militaries amid tensions and a rivalry for dominance in Asia.

Though China resents the highly visible presence of the U.S. armed forces in Asia, especially the South China Sea, it has gradually overcome its reluctance and shown a willingness to engage that the sides hope will help avoid conflicts. Below is a look at the Benfolds visit and some of the steps the sides have taken to build their relationship.

WHATS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE VISIT?

The Benfolds visit is the first to China by an American warship since Beijing responded furiously to a Hague-based international arbitration tribunals ruling that its expansive South China Sea maritime claims had no basis in law. The fact the visit went ahead appears to show that Beijing now values the military-to-military relationship too much to allow it to be derailed by other events as was once the case. Qingdao is the base of Chinas northern fleet and is thus less sensitive than ports to the south closer to hotspots, such as Taiwan and the South China Sea.

HOW HAVE THE SIDES RESPONDED TO THE ARBITRATION RULING?

China was incensed by the ruling and declared it null and void. It renewed its commitment to defend its sovereignty claims and continue work on man-made islands in the Spratly island group that have been heavily criticized by the U.S. and others as adding to regional tensions. Beijing has also launched what it says will be regular aerial patrols over the South China Sea and says it will consider whether to declare an air defense identification zone over all or part of the water body. The U.S. has called on China to respect the ruling, but has not staged another freedom of navigation mission in which its ships sail near Chinas artificial islands, which draw warnings and rebukes from Beijing.

WHAT HAVE THE SIDES DONE TO BUILD TRUST?

Apart from exchanging visits, China and the U.S. have sought to reach agreements on the rules of the road and work with each other on non-combat oriented training missions. At a multilateral forum in Qingdao in 2014, the two navies agreed to a Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea that seems to have allowed them to avoid confrontations. Last year, they added a similar agreement on aerial encounters between their military pilots that calls for, among other things, maintaining a secure distance, communicating clearly and avoiding rude body language. This year, China also took part in the worlds largest maritime drills, known as RimPac, hosted by the U.S. every two years near Hawaii.

WHATS THE OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE?

China says it wants to turn a page on the arbitration ruling through bilateral talks with other claimants, although the U.S., Philippines and others resist that. The man-made islands will continue to be a source of tension, while the U.S. presence in the region will continue to grow. At the same time, China is narrowing the still-considerable gap with the U.S. Navy, adding to its fleet of high-tech destroyers similar to the Benfold and building homemade aircraft carriers to join the single, heavily refurbished Ukrainian one it has now. That will make it even more crucial that the sides build trust and relationships to help overcome future problems. AP
Former PhilWeb Corp. Chairman Roberto Ongpin, whos been singled out by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in a campaign to end the influence of big businesses on the government, said he will sell his stake to protect the electronic gambling company and its workers.

Duterte on Aug. 3 named Ongpin as among the businessmen he says have undue influence on the government and whom the newly installed head of state wants to destroy as he seeks to end online gambling in the country. The tough comments caused PhilWeb shares to plunge by a record and forced Ongpin to resign from the company.

I was hit by lightning, Ongpin said in a phone interview yesterday, referring to Dutertes rebuke. I will auction my shares to the highest bidder. The 79-year-old said he owns 53.7 percent of Manila-based PhilWeb, a supplier of electronic gambling software he founded in 2000.

The Philippine Stock Exchange on Wednesday approved PhilWebs request for a voluntary trading suspension until Aug. 23. The gaming companys shares have fallen 70 percent since Aug. 3 through Tuesday, wiping out about 14 billion pesos (USD300 million) in market value. The stock exchanges main index rose 2 percent during the period.

Ongpin served as trade minister under Ferdinand Marcos until the late Philippine dictator was ousted in 1986, after which the Harvard-trained businessman rebuilt his clout to become among the countrys most prominent, and its 20th-richest person as ranked by Forbes. Naming Ongpin in his Aug. 3 speech, Duterte said he wants to end the tycoons influence.

Destroy the oligarchs that are embedded in government now, said Duterte, who was elected president in May and took office June 30. These are the guys who just sit in their jets and in their mansions everywhere, and their money trickle like a taxi meter.

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation or Pagcor, the state-owned gambling company that also functions as a regulator, said on Tuesday it wont renew PhilWebs contract supplying software to Internet gambling cafes in the country. The government-licensed e-Games cafes, run by independent operators, open around the clock offering casino games such as baccarat, blackjack, slot machines and video poker and others.

Clearly I am the target. They had nothing to do with this, Ongpin said, referring to workers at the cafes. About 5,000 people work in these e-Games cafes, he said.

Manila is aspiring to become the next Asian gambling hub as high-stakes gamblers increasingly abandon Macau amid the Chinese governments crackdown on corruption, with four new casino resorts sited along Manila Bay. Enrique Razon, chairman of Philippine casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corp. that owns one of the resorts, said in June that Dutertes election and move to calm tensions with China was good for business. Cecilia Yap, Bloomberg
Indonesia will study a proposal from Iran to build an oil refinery, along with bids from other countries, as it seeks to boost refining capacity to catch up with rising consumption.

Iran proposed a plant with processing capacity of more than 100,000 barrels a day and pledged to provide the crude, IGN Wiratmaja Puja, director-general of oil and gas at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, said in Jakarta yesterday. The projects value is estimated at USD8.4 billion and would be built over four or five years in Java, Irans state run news agency Mehr reported, citing Hassan Khosrojerdi, head of the joint Iran-Indonesia refinerys board of directors.

Indonesia, already the only OPEC member thats a net oil buyer, may need to import half of its annual fuel needs even after increasing its refining capacity by 500,000 barrels a day in the next seven years, according to BMI Research. Iran is seeking to boost crude exports after international sanctions on its economy were eased in January.

A feasibility study on the refinerys economic justification is being conducted, a spokesman for Irans oil ministry said. The National Iranian Oil Co. has not signed any deals on the project, he said. Indonesia has made no decision on Irans proposal because its still preliminary, Puja said.

Indonesia has also received proposals from China, Kuwait and Russia, Puja said. The ministry hasnt come to any decisions on the bids. The government plans to offer the Bontang refinery in East Kalimantan to investors before other projects, he said. Fitri Wulandari, Yudith Ho and Hashem Kalantari, Bloomberg
Sands China held its annual Responsible Gaming Team Training Program at The Venetian Macao, for the fourth consecutive year, Monday and yesterday, attracting nearly 80 participants.

In a bid to enhance team members knowledge of problem gaming and improving general awareness of the importance of responsible gambling, the gaming operator again invited experts both from the region and Las Vegas.

The program was overseen by Bo J. Bernhard, executive director of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas International Gaming Institute, along with local scholar and counselors.

According to Bernhard, the program has become stronger over the last few years. He believes that the regions treatment programs for problem gamblers are improving, as the industrys understanding of these problems has increased.

Really, our understanding of problem gambling today is about where our understanding of alcoholism was maybe 20 years ago. But its moving forward very, very fast and our knowledge is getting better, he told the press yesterday.

The expert also noted that the regions gaming industry is moving from focusing on high-rollers to more of a mass market, adding that the move would lead to new challenges in the city as the customer base changes.

According to Bernhard, the teaching approach he employed at The Venetian Macao was different from the ones he had used in Las Vegas. He stressed that the education programs provided for Sands China team members mainly focuses on the cultural importance of saving face.

Here we really emphasize making sure these conversations [with problem gamblers] happen in private [] because the shame is really powerful. I think its really hard in Macau to get people to talk about this, he said.

Meanwhile, according to local scholar Davis Fong, also the director of Institute for the Study of Commercial Gaming at the University of Macau, efforts to raise awareness on responsible gaming in Macau have been successful.

He recalled that according to a study on problem gambling conducted in 2013, the rate of gambling disorder in the region was the lowest figure he had seen since 2003.

Based on the 2013 survey, some 60 percent of local residents have heard about responsible gaming, while back in 2009, only 16 percent of residents were aware of gaming problems.

According to Fong, the 2015 prevalence study on the matter will be released soon.

Although most gamblers in the region are not locals, Bernhard is confident that the mainland is also starting to recognize problem gambling.

Our hope is that we would also see more and more programs in the mainland, as well as more communication between mainland programs [and] mainland research, he said.

Thats why its very important that Dr Fong was also in Beijing talking with experts in Beijing to make sure were all communicating best practices, he added.

Certificates issued by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) were presented to the participating team members who came from the gaming operations, security and human resources departments to attend one or two training sessions.

This years program included the increased participation of Sheng Kung Hui Macau Social Services Coordination Office, which teaches crisis management and intervention skills. As a result, this years training hours were extended from four to eight.

The Responsible Gaming Team Training Program was launched in 2013 and to date, over 360 participants have attended training sessions and more than 1,700 hours of training have been provided during the annual campaigns.
NagaCorp, which operates a casino in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, is set to open a new casino in Cambodia, Naga2, in 2017. The company has now confirmed that the resort is expected to contain as many as 200 gaming tables and up to 1,000 slot machines.

The companys existing resort, Naga casino in Phnom Penh, has seen more mainland Chinese visitors in the wake of President Xi Jinpings anti-corruption campaign that has deterred gamblers from going to Macau.

However, in spite of this, the companys chief marketing officer of South East Asia, Mike Ngai, told The Standard that most of the casino customers hail from Southeast Asia, especially Malaysia.

Visitors to the country rose 2.4 percent year-on-year in the first five months of this year to 2 million.

Chairman Timothy Patrick McNally said that the firm is also predicting growth in the revenue generated by NagaCity, a pedestrian mall offering Chinese duty-free goods in the Cambodian capital.

The companys net profit jumped 24 percent to USD125.2 million (MOP1 billion) in the first half of 2016, thanks to local economic growth and a rising number of visitors.

At the same time, the companys revenue from just VIP gaming jumped 26 percent in the first half of the year to USD4.5 billion, with further expectations that the whole year will record growth in excess of 20 percent.

Naga shares jumped 7.24 percent to HKD5.78 on Tuesday  the highest they have been since last September.
Cyprus police are investigating how an officer mistakenly telephoned a Serbian who was suspected of being the ringleader in a mafia-linked assassination plot.

Police spokesman Andreas Angelides said this week the officer intended to call his counterpart at Interpols office in Serbia in March this year, but erroneously called the suspect instead. An investigation found it was a genuine mistake and not corruption-related.

The second probe will determine if the officer will face any disciplinary measures.

Cyprus police say the error happened after they were informed by Belgrade about a planned assassination attempt.

Critics claim the gaffe warned the plot ringleaders, who postponed the assassination to June, when a 51-year-old Cypriot businessman was killed in the resort of Ayia Napa. No one has been convicted of the killing yet.
After massive delays on the construction of the Pac On Ferry Terminal, the MOP3.9 billion project (sixfold the initial budget) is set to open its doors within the next six to nine months, with a capacity to accommodate 400,000 passengers per day.

In a press visit to the site yesterday, authorities said that the new five-floor-terminal is approximately 200,000 square meters; quadruple the size of the temporary Taipa ferry terminal.

The upcoming terminal will accommodate three ferry operators, namely Turbo jet, Cotai Water Jet and Yuet Tung Shipping across its 16 berths.

The project, which has a total of 88 immigration counters, will also feature three multifunctional berths that will house large ferries and cruise ships, while its heliport will accommodate five helicopters. The terminal floor area is four times bigger than the initial design size.

Authorities said the helipad was reconstructed, as it first failed to meet the requirements of the Civil Aviation Authority.

Although the terminal would not be fully ready by the expected date due to renovation and improvement works, Chou Chi Tak, acting director of Marine and Water Bureau, told the press that the temporary terminal operation will remain in place for now. There are 110 sailings in Taipa terminal per day and about 7 million tourists use that terminal every year, he explained. So once the new one is open, the old one may likely be demolished. We hope to divert some tourists from Macau peninsula to Taipa.

Transferring of the ferries to the new terminal would take place during the night when there are fewer sailings. Chou affirmed that once the temporary terminal stopped its operation, the new site would commence immediately without any interruption.

The acting director also noted that even when the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HKZMB) opens, there would still be a demand for a marine transport, adding that the figure of tourists coming into the region by sea is pretty stable.

Meanwhile Tomas Hoi, engineering chief officer of Infrastructure Development Office, defended the staggering project budget, stressing that the project focuses on the long-term development of the region.

[In] this project, we got the needs from the users, so we make the designs according to the needs. Of course I think the project is not only for short term, he explained.

Hoi also explained the reasons behind several delays seen in several of the regions infrastructure projects, outlining that such delays do not only occur in the region but in mainland China, Hong Kong and Southeast Asian countries.

Of course there are some problems with human resources, the limitation of the space that we have here in Macau which will create difficulties for the contractor to apply some works, he elaborated.

Thats why I think there are no differences with other countries. [] Also in China and Hong Kong, these situations happen.

Regarding penalties, Hoi hinted that the project was not subjected to fines despite major changes and some additional works as the contractor had completed the works by its set deadline, which was December of last year.

The construction of the last phase of the Pac On Ferry Terminal will only occur once it opens its doors, expected to be in May. The final phase will house gasoline storage tanks, fuel refill and firefighting equipment.

Further, authorities confirmed that the Outer Harbor Ferry Terminal would continue to operate in the peninsula even after the new terminal commences operations. The acting director of Marine and Water Bureau, Chou Chi Tak, said that two-thirds of the ferries arriving to Macau would still be received in the Macau terminal, similar to its current operations.
The U.S. government has expressed concern over extrajudicial killings of suspected drug dealers and users in a bloody crackdown overseen by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and urged his government to ensure law enforcement efforts comply with human rights obligations.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau yesterday [Macau time] also criticized recent remarks by Duterte about the U.S. ambassador in Manila and said Philippine officials have been asked to clarify them.

The president recently referred to U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg with a profanity and accused him of meddling in the Philippine elections.

Duterte has had an uneasy relationship with America and has said he would chart a foreign policy that is not dependent on the U.S., his countrys longtime treaty ally. Relatedly, Duterte has tried to repair relations with China that have been strained over escalating disputes in the South China Sea.

The drug crackdown has left more than 400 suspected dealers and pushers dead and more than 4,400 arrested since Duterte took office on June 30. Nearly 600,000 people have surrendered to authorities, hoping to avoid getting killed. The arrests have further overwhelmed the countrys mostly rundown and already-overcrowded jails.

We are concerned by these detentions, as well as the extrajudicial killing of individuals suspected to be involved in drug activity in the Philippines, Trudeau said. We strongly urge the Philippines to ensure its law enforcement efforts comply with its human rights obligations.

We believe in rule of law. We believe in due process. We believe in respect for universal human rights. We believe, fundamentally, that those aspects ensure and promote long-term security, she said.

Roman Catholic church leaders and human rights groups in the Philippines have also expressed alarm over the widespread killings in reported gunbattles with police or still-unexplained deaths of drugs suspects, some of whom were abandoned with cardboard messages warning the public to stay away from illegal drugs or they would die next.

Several of the slain drugs suspects were killed by motorcycle-riding gunmen in recent attacks similar to those carried out by the so-called death squads, which were blamed for years of killings in southern Davao city while Duterte was its longtime mayor.

Trudeau also criticized Duterte for inappropriate comments on Goldberg.

Weve seen those inappropriate comments made about Ambassador Goldberg. Hes a multi-time ambassador, one of our most senior U.S. diplomats, she said. We have asked the Philippine charge to come into the State Department to clarify those remarks.

In a speech before army troops on Friday in the central Philippines, Duterte narrated a lunch meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at the presidential palace in Manila last month. Duterte said Kerry, who offered more than USD30 million in aid for law enforcement training, was OK but he criticized Goldberg.

I had a feud with his ambassador, his gay ambassador. Son of a bitch, Im annoyed with the guy. He meddled in the elections, giving statements here and there. He wasnt supposed to do that, Duterte said without giving details.

During the presidential campaign, the Australian ambassador in Manila criticized a joke by Duterte, who said he should have been first in line to rape Australian missionary, who was gang raped and killed during a jail riot in 1989. Goldberg expressed support to the statement of his Australian counterpart.

Duterte reacted by asking the two ambassadors to shut up. Jim Gomez, Manila, AP
The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is taking part in the event known as Beautiful China  Grasslands Silk Road Tour, to be held in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region between August 8 and 12.

During the event yesterday, MGTO signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation with the Tourism Bureau of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to foster mutual exchange and cooperation in the tourism field.

Inner Mongolia, Hong Kong and Macau held a joint destination presentation followed by an array of signing ceremonies

During her speech at the event, MGTOs deputy director, Cecilia Tse, remarked that as Macau is a major hub along the Maritime Silk Road, the local government will strive to raise the international influence of the Silk Road cultural tourism brands.

MGTO representatives and members of the local travel trade will pay visits to a range of major tourism resources and facilities in various places to familiarize themselves with the other industries. These locations include Hohhot, Xilamuren Grasslands, Baotou as well as Ordos around Inner Mongolia, all of which are part of the Grasslands Silk Road.
YEMEN Airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition bombed a food factory in the capital Sanaa early yesterday, killing 14 civilians working on an overnight shift. Five women were among those killed in what effectively was the resumption of heavy bombardment by the Saudi-led alliance targeting Shiite rebels and allied forces loyal to ousted president Mansour Hadi. U.N. peace talks on the conflict collapsed over the weekend in Kuwait.

SOUTH CHINA SEA Japans foreign minister summons Chinas ambassador over the increased number of Chinese vessels in waters near disputed islands in the East China Sea.



CHINA-TRUMP Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is playing the China-bashing card in an attempt to rescue his falling poll numbers but has no real ideas to resolve the two nations differences, Xinhua says.

THAILANDs junta leader says he will hold elections in November 2017 under a newly approved constitution that ensures the militarys control over the next government.

PHILIPPINES A historical commission, former human rights victims and left-wing groups oppose President Rodrigo Dutertes approval of a plan to bury late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in a heroes cemetery, reigniting a divisive and emotional debate. Meanwhile, the U.S. expressed concern over extrajudicial killings of suspected drug dealers and users. More on p13

PAKISTAN Lawyers mourn colleagues slain in a shocking suicide bombing the previous day at a hospital in the city of Quetta that killed 70 people, mostly lawyers. The attack, which stunned the judicial community, also underscored concerns that militants in Pakistan are still capable of striking in the heart of the countrys cities and towns  despite government claims of dismantling terror networks.

MALDIVES The United Nations human rights chief urges the Maldives to stick to a decades-long moratorium on imposing the death penalty, citing fears that three men are at imminent risk of execution.

AZERBAIJAN Leaders of Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan met to discuss a new transport corridor and other economic projects in the Caspian Sea region. A prospective railway link between Iran and Azerbaijan is expected to become part of a transport corridor that would run from India all the way to St. Petersburg in Russia, providing a faster and cheaper alternative to existing sea routes.

EUROPEAN UNION Brussels has set new deadlines for Spain and Portugal to bring their budget deficits into line after both countries escaped fines for failing to rein in spending. EU headquarters said yesterday that Portugal is now required to correct its deficit by 2016 and Spain by 2018 at the latest. The two countries must submit a report by Oct. 15 on how they plan to bring their deficits under the EU ceiling of 3 percent of GDP.
RUSSIA-S. KOREA Growing Chinese anger at South Korea over a U.S. anti-missile defense system bodes ill for everything from pop star appearances to United Nations action against North Koreas nuclear and missile threats. Since Beijing criticized Seouls decision last month to proceed with the THAAD system, there have been reports of event cancellations and possible bans on South Korean TV series, amid scattered calls for a total boycott of imports from the country.



KOREA Like dozens of athletes at the Rio de Janeiro Games, gymnasts Hong Un Jong of North Korea and Lee Eun-ju of South Korea met on the sidelines during competition and training. The two posed for a smiling selfie in a picture that was captured by journalists and immediately took on larger significance for the two countries still technically at war. More on p18



RUSSIA The Russian intelligence agency FSB said yesterday that one of its employees and a soldier were killed in separate incidents in Crimea described as foiled terrorist attacks.

BANGLADESH Authorities in Bangladeshs capital arrest six suspected members of a banned Islamist group blamed for recent deadly attacks, including one last month that killed 20 people.



AFGHANISTAN Troops are being deployed to the capital of the key southern province of Helmand amid intense fighting with the Taliban in surrounding areas and fears the city could fall to the insurgents within days, officials said yesterday.

IRAQ A fire ripped through a maternity ward at a Baghdad hospital overnight, killing 12 newborn babies, government officials said yesterday, likely caused by faulty electrical wiring. By morning, grief-stricken fathers searched for their missing newborns in vain while angry relatives gathered outside the Yarmouk hospital in western Baghdad blamed the government for the tragedy. More on p15

ZAMBIA, often praised for its healthy democracy and economy, now faces a presidential election with high tensions on both fronts. This southern African country votes today amid concerns about political violence after years of peaceful power transitions that the U.S. last year praised as a model for Africa.



UK Striking workers on a British rail network have called off the final two days of a strike that has disrupted the journeys of hundreds of thousands of commuters. Trade union staff walked out on Monday over plans to remove conductors from trains. The strike was due to last five days.
IDAHO CITY  As fall hunting seasons approach and the Pioneer Fire burns in hunt Unit 39, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game put out a statement telling hunters about expected effects of the fire.

The fire spread into the southern portions of Units 33 and 35, near Lowman, and the extreme north-central portion of Unit 39, north and east of Idaho City. The burned portion of Unit 39 represents only about 4 percent of the units total of 1.6 million acres, Fish and Game said.

If the fire continues to burn into the fall hunting season, its likely that area closures will continue when hunting seasons roll around, the agencys release said. The good news tied to possible area closures is that big game hunters have options.

Mule deer hunters holding a general deer tag can hunt in other open general hunt areas, including the majority of Unit 39. If you are the holder of a controlled mule deer tag, you have the option of switching that tag for a general over-the-counter hunt before your controlled mule deer hunt starts or hunting another portion of Unit 39. This same strategy applies to holders of a controlled elk tag; this tag can be exchanged for a general over-the-counter-zone tag as long as the exchange is made prior to the start date of the controlled hunt.

Holders of a Sawtooth Zone elk tag or general deer hunters planning a trip to Unit 33 or 35 have similar options, including hunting in most of these two units, unaffected by the Pioneer Fire.
Adams County Sheriff cancels meeting about ranchers death

BOISE  Adams County officials say there will not be a community meeting about the November shooting death of a rancher.

The Idaho Statesman reports that Sheriff Ryan Zollman had said both at a community meeting in the fall and more recently on July 29, the day prosecutors declined to charge the deputies involved, that he planned to hold a public forum about the death of Jack Yantis.

Yantis died in November after one of his bulls was hit by a car. Yantis arrived with a rifle just as deputies decided to put down the animal. Authorities have said there was an altercation, and Yantis and the two deputies all fired their weapons.

Zollman said Monday that there would not be a meeting on the matter because of pending civil litigation.

Skull of extinct giant bison on display at E. Idaho airport

POCATELLO  The skull of an extinct giant bison with 7-foot-wide horns has been put on display at the Pocatello Regional Airport in eastern Idaho.

KIFI-TV reports in a story on Monday that the display near the baggage claim includes information about the species that roamed North American before becoming extinct about 20,000 years ago.

The skull was found in the 1950s along the shore of nearby American Falls Reservoir and is being loaned to the airport by the Idaho Museum of Natural History.

Museum Director Leif Tapanila says the skull is one of the best preserved giant bison specimens in the world.

N. Idaho treehouse fate up in air with no building permit

COEUR DALENE  Northern Idaho authorities say a 600-square-foot treehouse featured on a cable program about treehouses lacks a building permit.

The Coeur dAlene Press reports in a story on Tuesday that treehouse owner Paul Buttars failed to respond within 45 days to a violation notice sent by Kootenai County officials.

The DIY Networks The Treehouse Guys in June featured the treehouse thats 30 feet off the ground and supported by three Douglas firs. County officials sent the violation notice the day after the program ran.

Buttars says he plans to use the treehouse for lunch breaks and dinners for his zip-line tour company.

Buttars has a conditional use permit for the zip-line, but county officials could revoke the permit if the treehouse isnt brought into compliance.
TWIN FALLS  Laura Wilson and her 5-year-old daughter, Ivy, watched the construction of Rock Creek Elementary School for a year.

On Monday, they finally had a chance to see inside the new Twin Falls campus, where Ivy will start kindergarten Aug. 18. Shell be in the first group of students at the school.

So far, I think its awesome, Wilson said as the family checked out a pod of kindergarten classrooms.

The Twin Falls School District held grand opening ceremonies Monday and Tuesday for Rock Creek and Pillar Falls elementary schools. The events included speeches, a ribbon cutting and tours.

Rock Creek and Pillar Falls are the citys first new elementary schools in more than 20 years. Theyll help alleviate school overcrowding as Twin Falls continues to expand and attract new businesses.

The new schools are paid for by a nearly $74 million bond voters approved in 2014. A new middle school, South Hills Middle School, opens in 2017.

Hundreds of people  including students, parents, educators, business leaders, elected officials and community members  filtered through each school during the two-hour open houses. Entire families attended including infants and grandparents.

It is with great pride  and some relief  that I speak to you this afternoon, Superintendent Wiley Dobbs told the crowd.

Its no small task to build two new elementary schools, he added, and to create new school attendance zones.

Its a relief to open the new schools after many sleepless nights and 14-hour workdays, he said.

School officials thanked construction managers and community members who served on rezoning and school name/color committees.

At both ceremonies, a crowd congregated on a staircase gathering area. Dozens of others stood in a nearby hallway, with a crowd backed up all the way to the front doors.

Twin Falls Mayor Shawn Barigar told students at both schools theyre part of history. He led a cheer at each event, for the Rock Creek raptors and Pillar Falls falcons.

Heres a glimpse inside the opening ceremonies:

Rock Creek Elementary

Before Mondays open house at Rock Creek Elementary, cars poured into the parking lot at the new school on Federation Road.

The northwest Twin Falls campus is surrounded by agricultural fields and new homes. St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center is visible off in the distance.

Director of operations Brady Dickinson told a crowd he watched the schools progression from a mud hole to the gorgeous building it is today. Hes in charge of overseeing school construction and facilities.

The two new elementary schools are sisters, but not identical twins, he said.

Dobbs introduced the crowd to his parents, who were in the audience. His mother was part of history as the first group of students in 1953 to attend school in the new Twin Falls High School building.

Like his mother, everyone at Mondays open house was witnessing history, he said. Im most proud that tens of thousands of students will grace the hallways of Rock Creek Elementary School over the next century.

School board chairman Bernie Jansen called the schools opening a momentous occasion.

Barigar told the attendees the opening of Rock Creek Elementary is a great, historic event. He asked how many children in the crowd would attend the school. About two dozen hands went up.

After a ribbon cutting ceremony outside, school principal Shari Cowger greeted parents and children. She asked two girls: Are you excited for Rock Creek? They nodded nervously.

Maci Hunt and her two sons walked around the building. Bladen, 6, is going into first grade.

He attended St. Edwards Catholic School last year, but Hunt gave him the option of where to go to first grade.

He wanted to come to the new school, she said.

The family lives near the hospital and saw construction progress throughout this year at Rock Creek Elementary.

On Monday, Hunt said it was exciting to be in the new school. Everything is just so organized.

Pillar Falls Elementary

An open house Tuesday at Pillar Falls Elementary, cars lined Stadium Boulevard. Inside the northeast Twin Falls school, group pictures of teachers for each grade level hung on a wall.

The ceremony had a similar feel to Mondays event at Rock Creek Elementary  and some similar speeches.

But Dobbs told the crowd a new story about two new Twin Falls students who moved this summer from Lexington, Ky.

One of them, Lucy Coles, will be a fifth-grader at Pillar Falls Elementary. Her brother, Jack Coles, will be a junior at Twin Falls High School.

Dobbs took the family on a tour of both schools. Lucy was so excited about her new elementary school, he said, she was trembling. She was walking on air, it appeared.

Pillar Falls Elementary also has enthusiastic teachers, Dobbs said. A few teachers camped out late last week waiting to get into their classrooms when the building opened. Dobbs also introduced the crowd to principal Nancy Murphy.

Stephanie Martin has four children who will attend Pillar Falls Elementary: a fifth-grader and triplets who will be in fourth grade. They used to go to Canyonside Christian School in Jerome and will experience a public school for the first time.

Everyone seems so friendly and nice, Martin said about Pillar Falls.

In the third grade pod of classrooms, Imad Eujayl and his family looked around. His son, 8-year-old Hafiz, will go to Pillar Falls Elementary this school year. He used to go to Morningside Elementary, but is now in a new school zone.

I think its very modern, Eujayl said about the school, adding desks that connect together are uniquely designed. He also likes how theres a different color to differentiate the pod of classrooms for each grade level.
As of Tuesday, the Dry Creek Fire, six miles northwest of town, was 20 percent contained and 730 acres were involved, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Stanley Lake, Elk Creek, Sheep Trail, Trail Creek Campgrounds and Park Creek Overlook are all closed to the public still. Idaho 21 is open, but in the area of the fire a pilot car is being used to assist travelers through the fire area and there may be a short wait.
SUN VALLEY  Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine will be in Blaine County raising money next week.

Kaine will be in Sun Valley Aug. 18, for a lunch reception at a private residence, said county Democratic Party Chairwoman Janie Davidson.

"We are very excited that he has included Blaine County into his busy schedule," Davidson said in an email.

Idaho has been a solidly Republican state for decades when it comes to presidential elections, and while visits from candidates in presidential primaries are not infrequent  Democrat Bernie Sanders and Republicans Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio all held events in the Gem State this year  general election candidates dont usually view it as a necessary stop on the way to 270 electoral votes.

Unfortunately, Idaho ... were not that big, Davidson said.

However, Blaine County is a home (or second home) to a good number of wealthy and powerful people, and candidates do sometimes visit to raise money and relax. Republican Mitt Romney visited Blaine County in August 2012 when he was running for president  and according to an Idaho Mountain Express story, he raised more than $2 million during his visit. Democrat John Kerry, whose wife has a home near Ketchum, visited in 2004 when he was running for the presidency.

That area has a lot of connections with some of the wealthy and influential, state Democratic Party spokesman Dean Ferguson said. So Republicans and Democrats, national figures, like to pop in and leave with their money.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton named Kaine, a U.S. senator from Virginia who was governor before that, as her vice presidential nominee last month. They are running against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and vice presidential candidate Mike Pence.
TWIN FALLS  Recent scam reports have prompted Idaho Power and the Idaho Department of Insurance to issue warnings to customers.

Idaho Power has reported ongoing telephone scams, and a company known as National Enrollment Center may be using deceptive practices to market health insurance in Idaho.

Idaho Power said to be aware of phony pop-up ads, threatening calls, requests for immediate payment, fraudulent job postings and other scams using the Idaho Power name.

The most typical scenario in this case is a call demanding an immediate payment and threatening termination of service. Some scams target specific groups, such as restaurant owners and Spanish-speaking customers.

Customers should avoid disclosing any personal information to someone claiming to be from Idaho Power. If an account does become delinquent, the company follows a process of multiple written notices prior to service disconnection.

Threatening calls or suspicious communication regarding customer bills can be reported to Idaho Power directly at 800-488-6151.

Possible insurance scam

The Idaho Department of Insurance has been made aware of a possible scam through Your Health Idaho, Idahos health insurance exchange. Customers have complained about a company known as National Enrollment Center.

Multiple attempts to contact the company went unanswered or were disconnected.

We dont really know what type of health insurance they are selling, Consumer Services Bureau Chief Elaine Mellon said. When pressed for details about what company they sell for, what type of insurance they are selling, or licensing information, they hang up.

The Department of Insurance provided these tips and information for consumers who are contacted by anyone attempting to sell insurance:

Open enrollment for health insurance will run Nov. 1 through Jan. 31  no special state enrollment period for individual health insurance exists. Anyone offering insurance plans through an enrollment period outside of open enrollment is not selling an ACA-compliant policy.

No one offering ACA-compliant health care coverage will ask if you have a pre-existing condition.

The federal government will not call you to sell you health insurance. Be wary of telemarketers from the National Enrollment Center, National Healthcare Center or other official-sounding names.

Never provide bank account or health information or agree to any request to send money over the phone. If you are being pressured to provide this information, hang up.

Purchase insurance only from a licensed agent. Ask agents for their license number and verify it by calling the Department or visiting doi.idaho.gov. If a person refuses to provide licensing information, hang up.

If you receive a sales call from someone selling health insurance, ask the caller to send you information in writing about the policy, including premiums. If they refuse, hang up.

Information: Call 800-721-3272.
BURLEY  A man accused of attempting to abduct a Burley girl is set to go to trial next month.

Vadian Eugene Dougal, 50, is charged with second-degree attempted kidnapping and misdemeanor charges of battery and enticing a child. He and Melvin DeWayne Simpson, 40, were arrested April 11 at White Pine Elementary School.

The two men were arrested after three White Pine Intermediate School girls told officials they were grabbed before school by a strange man. Another child reported she was grabbed by a man about a block from the school as she walked to class.

The children said the men tried to lure them away with offers of money and candy.

Dougal hes pleaded not guilty, and a jury trial is set for Sept. 14 in Cassia County District Court. Hes being held at the Mini-Cassia jail in lieu of $250,000 bond.

Simpson was originally charged with two counts of second-degree kidnapping and two counts of misdemeanor battery, but the felonies were dismissed when Simpson declined to waive his right to a speedy trial, Cassia County Prosecutor Doug Abenroth said.

Charges were refiled several weeks later, but then dropped again.

The prosecutor said he spoke with parents of one of the children and charges were again dismissed after an evaluation. The second set of charges against Simpson were dismissed when another child could not identify him during a May preliminary hearing.

Because the charges were dismissed, Simpsons bond was returned in June.
This appeared in the Lewiston Tribune:

For 60 years, Mormons believed they had a First Amendment right to engage in plural marriage.

The United States government did not see it that way.

The government argued polygamy offended the nations sensibilities.

It contended one man with more than one wife was harmful to children and families  essentially the same case Idaho Gov. C.L. Butch Otter employed against ending Idahos ban on same-sex marriage.

The government feared one man could not support several wives and many children without resorting to welfare.

Treating women in this way, the government argued, leads to subjugation of girls, the alienation of boys and the abuse of children.

People have the right to believe whatever they want, the U.S. Supreme Court decreed; they just cant act on it.

So government agents, such as future U.S. Sen. Fred T. Dubois of Idaho, locked up Mormon polygamists. The people who wrote Idahos Constitution sought to disenfranchise anybody who even believed in the LDS faith. And until Mormons renounced the practice, Utahs admission to the union was on put on ice.

Followers of the Rastafari faith sincerely believe marijuana is a sacrament. They say its good for body, mind and soul  and brings them closer to God.

But if they follow that teaching in Idaho, it will bring them closer to a magistrate judge along with a jail cell, fines and community service.

When the Gem State looks at marijuana, it does not see a sacrament; it sees a gateway drug, leading people to addiction to more lethal street drugs.

Idaho considers marijuana use a breeding ground for black markets, crime and corruption. A state that wont even allow seriously ill children to use a derivative of marijuana to prevent seizures has zero tolerance for the idea that the First Amendment gives anyone the right to smoke pot.

And members of the Santeria  a mixture of Caribbean and Roman Catholicism  engage in animal sacrifice for healing, births, marriages and deaths. The First Amendment aside, at least one community in Florida sought to ban the unnecessary killing of chickens, goats and turtles. The courts sided with the Santeria.

In other words, freedom of religion in this country is a right  but its one right among many, to be balanced against other constitutional interests such as, in this case, the general welfare.

With one glaring exemption.

In Idaho, a parent has an absolute right to withhold medical treatment from a suffering or dying child as a religious principle.

We believe in freedom of health care, Dan Sevy of Marsing, a member of the Followers of Christ who practices faith healing, told a legislative panel looking into the practice Thursday. Not health care, but freedom of choice. There is no greater intrusion (by the state) than into your faith, your body or your family.

Co-chaired by Sen. Dan Johnson, R-Lewiston, the panel launched its probe amid reports of children dying because of faith healing.

In 2013, the last year on record, the Idaho Child Fatality Review Team found five newborns died from faith healing in lieu of medical care. Five more deaths were documented in the preceding two years. And in a Canyon County graveyard used by members of Sevys religion, there are 40 graves occupied by children  signaling a child mortality rate 10 times higher than what youd expect.

Within and outside Idaho, it turns out the faith healing exemption is an anomaly.

Nowhere else in Idahos child protection law will you find the rights of the parent placed above those of the child, deputy Attorney General Mary Jo Beig said.

And as the Spokesman-Reviews Betsy Russell reported, Idaho is among seven states with a faith-healing exemption. Moreover, only Idaho and Virginia preempt taking action against parents in virtually any circumstance, such as non-support, neglect or injury to a child.

Odd, isnt it?

Idahos conscience is not troubled about infringing on the religious rights of consenting adults.

But when it involves the health and safety of children too young to choose for themselves, its willing to look the other way.

Why?
Letter: The fickle media

Call me old school, but something is amiss here. The case is that there are falsehoods and manipulation being perpetrated by all media in all shapes and forms. What is truth, what is spin, why and what for  its getting harder and harder to tell as reflected in the example above. I just want to urge all the citizens of Idaho to please examine what has been placed in your head by the various forms of media. Seriously think about the presentation, the context, the content, and do not fall victim to the spontaneous and at times fictional propaganda that is laid in our minds on a daily basis. Take the time to review, compare and find the contrasts. When scrutinized our information over-loaded media can give a real eye-opening education. Its up to each of us to take the time and to ask the questions needed to identify fact or fiction from the many forms of media.
iStock/Thinkstock(RIO DE JANEIRO) -- Two socially conscientious chefs have started an initiative to feed Rio de Janeiro's hungry population with surplus food from the Olympic Village during the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.



RefettoRio Gastromotiva, the project co-founded by Italian chef Massimo Bottura and Brazilian chef David Hertz, aims to "offer food and dignity to people in situations of social vulnerability," according to a statement released by the City of Rio, which is supporting the initiative by providing a building for the group to use in the city center.



A team of international chefs will create meals daily from the surplus of "non-manipulated" ingredients donated to them by the catering company that feeds the Olympic Village (including more than 11,000 athletes), the Olympic Media Center and the rest of the workforce of the Rio 2016 Games.



RafettoRio Gastromotiva is supported by a team of more than 40 organizations and individuals and hopes to continue to provide free meals to the hungry population of Rio even after all the athletes and spectators go home by relying on donations from sponsors, according to the City of Rio, which has given the group the building for the next 10 years.



The concept of providing free meals to the often-overlooked population of Rio is inspired by Bottura's Refetterio Ambrosiano, an initiative where 65 international chefs cooked meals with food that would otherwise go to waste during the Milan World Expo in 2015.

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
The Turkish Rear Admiral who has applied for asylum in the USA has been identified by Anadolu News Agency as Mustafa Urgulu. He is stationed at the NATO Allied Command Transformation headquarters in Virginia, US.

Turkey launched the arrest warrant against the officer for military espionage following the July 15 coup detat.

A diplomat positioned at the Turkish embassy in the US said Urgulu, who disappeared on July 22, left his badges and his ID at the NATO base and after that no one has heard anything from him.

Turkey is already pushing for the extradition of Fetullah Gulen from the USA and the addition of the Rear Admiral to the equation could further affect the two countries ties.

Foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Wednesday said that Ankara wanted to cooperate with NATO members up to this point, but, he added, the results we got did not satisfy us. Therefore, it is natural to look for other options.

The Foreign Minister, who mentioned his countrys plans to establish a joint military, intelligence and diplomacy mechanism with Russia, was however quick to underline that Turkey does not see these plans as a move against NATO.

NATO and Russia have been at odds over the years as Moscow alleges that the installation of NATOs arsenals in neighboring countries poses a threat to its security.

Cavusoglu said their revival of ties with Moscow is not a message to the West before stressing that if the West one day loses Turkey- whatever our relations with Russia and China- it will be the Wests fault.
American and Libyan officials who spoke to the Washington Post under the condition of anonymity have confirmed that US troops are in Libya to support forces loyal to the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in their fight against the militants of the Islamic State in Sirte.

The forces are engaged in providing direct on-the-ground support to the local forces, coordinate American airstrikes and provide intelligence. US forces are not the only troops there as British forces are also on the ground.

Pentagon has not confirmed the presence of US forces in the North African country but at the beginning of the month, its Press Secretary Peter Cook stated that precision airstrikes against the extremist group were carried out at the request of the GNA. The airstrikes will continue as they seek to defeat ISIL in its primary stronghold, the Pentagon spokesperson had said.

Prime minister-designate of the GNA Fayez Serraj had stated that foreign troops would not be allowed into the country claiming that the war is to be fought by Libyans. Even in recent days, Libyan militia commanders declared that there were no Western boots on the ground and that the pro-government forces in Sirte are mostly made up by militia fighters from the city of Misrata.

Robyn Mack, a spokeswoman for the US Africa Command (AFRICOM,) said there is a small number of US forces in Libya but she did not dwell on their actions.

It is unclear if the US, the UK and France will maintain their forces in Libya when the Islamic State is ousted from the coastal city of Sirte.
Egyptian police officers have been barred from speaking to the media on issues regarding their work without a written approval from the Ministry of the Interior.

The restrictions preventing the police from providing information to the media were approved by the Parliament, part of amendments of the text governing the police authority.

The restrictions apply to documents, reports, photos or other materials related to the police agents work. They are bound to respect the new text even when they are no longer serving in the police. The amendments also call for the respect of human rights.

Police officers who breach the law could face unspecified prison terms and fines of up to 20,000 Egyptian pounds ($2,252).

Critics say the amendments would help authorities to shield high-level abuses, police brutality and corruption from the public. Rights groups argue the amendments do not focus on eliminating the culture of impunity amid widespread police brutality.

President Sisi demanded that the police authority law be revised in February following the fatal shooting of a taxi driver by a low-ranking police officer after they exchanged words concerning the fare to be paid.

Analysts warn that the government should be cautious in its dealings with police brutality, as this brutality was one of the major reasons that triggered the uprising against Mubaraks regime. Protests had erupted on Police Day, January 25, to draw attention to the use of excessive, at times fatal, force by the police.
Speaking in his annual National Heroes Day speech, honoring guerrillas who died in the countrys war of independence in the 1970s, Zimbabwes President, 92-year old Robert Mugabe, asked those seeking political power to do so through the ballot box and not through violent demonstrations.

Over the years that he has been in power, Mugabe has been strongly criticized and blamed by the international community for crippling the development and economic advancement of Zimbabwe, which was previously referred to as the bread basket of Africa.

Over the last few weeks, the Southern African country has experienced escalating protests, which shook the Mugabe regime to its core.

Sporadic protests have broken out because of a severe shortage of cash.

If you want to remove the government, wait for elections, not violent demonstrations, that is what democracy dictates, Mugabe said in his Monday speech.

He urged Zimbabweans to remain united in the face of challenges and to defend their national sovereignty. We should remain united, remain cognizant of the fact that without unity we cannot make much progress, the State run Herald news portal reported.

Zimbabwe is facing its worst financial crisis since it scrapped its national currency in 2009 and adopted the United States dollar.

The government is currently in talks with the International Monetary Fund to secure a $986 million loan.
International human rights group, Amnesty International, on Monday accused Ethiopian security forces of shooting dead people in Oromia and Amhara regions in an attempt to suppress a new wave of anti-government protests in the two key regions.

In a statement titled Ethiopia: Dozens killed as police use excessive force against peaceful protesters, Amnesty said, quoting credible sources that at least 67 people were killed and hundreds more injured when Ethiopian security forces fired live bullets at peaceful protesters across Oromia region over the weekend.

Thousands of protesters turned out in two regions of the country  Oromia and Amhara  calling for political reform, justice and the rule of law.

Ethiopian forces have systematically used excessive force in their mistaken attempts to silence dissenting voices, Michelle Kagari, Amnesty Internationals deputy regional director for East Africa, the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes, said.

Amnesty said, even though there were no deaths reported in the case of protests in the capital, Addis Ababa, videos and photos showed police beating protesters with batons in the main public square, the Meskel Square.

The demonstrators accused the government of rights abuses and marginalization of ethnic communities.

The Oromo are Ethiopias largest ethnic group, making up more than 30 percent of the population of about 100 million.
Zambias constitutional court on Monday ruled that all cabinet and provincial ministers should vacate office ahead of the countrys upcoming elections.

The country is heading for the polls just 18 months after the last presidential election, which saw Edgar Lungu win by less than 28,000 votes.

After the Parliament was dissolved in May, Zambias president Edgar Lungu said that an amendment to the constitution allowed the ministers to remain in office until the election, but the constitutional court overruled this decision.

Lungus Patriotic Front (PF) party said it would abide by the ruling.

Todays decision  gives credence to a robust and independent judiciary that Zambia has where the courts can enter judgements against the state, the PF said in a statement.

According to the main opposition partys flag bearer, Hichilema Hakainde of the United Party for National Development (UPND,) We need a free, fair, transparent and credible election and UPND is winning this election. Lungu knows that, thats why he is panicking, thats why he is behaving in a brutal way.

There are nine presidential candidates, with President Lungu, 59, of the ruling PF and Hakainde Hichilema of the UPND, 54, the front-runners.

The run-up to the election has been marred by skirmishes between the two parties supporters.
(HealthDay)While Americans are living longer than ever, a new study finds there's still an important racial gap in health: Older black people are more likely than older white people to live their final years with disabilities.

"In 2011, at age 65, whites could expect to be free of disability for 15 out of their nearly 20 remaining years of lifeabout three-fourths of the time," said study lead author Vicki Freedman.

In contrast, "blacks could expect to live 12 out of 18 yearsor about two-thirds of remaining years of lifewithout disability. The gap was a similar size in 1982," she said.

Freedman is a research professor with the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research.

It's not clear why this difference exists, but the study authors said older black women seem particularly at risk.

"The gaps persisted in part because of the lack of progress for older black women in gaining years of active life," Freedman said. "Why this group has lost ground is not clear. A better understanding of the root causes occurring earlier in life, particularly those that disadvantage black women, is needed."

The study included information from national surveys and studies from three points in time. The 1982 information included about 18,000 whites and more than 1,500 blacks. In 2004, the researchers had information from around 14,000 whites and more than 1,000 blacks. In 2011, the study included nearly 6,000 whites and 2,000 blacks.

All of the participants were 65 or older. They answered questions about whether a disability or health problem kept them from doing things without assistance, such as eating, getting in or out of bed, getting in or out of chairs, dressing, bathing, using the toilet, preparing meals and managing money.

Life spanthe expected number of years that people would live beyond the age of 65rose from 1982 to 2011 for both whites and blacks, the researchers said.

From 1982 to 2011, whites gained nearly three years of life without disability, while blacks got 2.2 additional years, the study noted.

But a larger gap persisted between the years that whites and blacks could expect to live without a disability and the number of years they could expect to live. In 1982, the gap was 74 percent for whites and 65 percent for blacks. That means that 74 percent of the remaining years for whites could be expected to be disability-free, while just 65 percent of remaining years would be disability-free for blacks, the study showed.

By 2011, the gap was 76 percent for whites and 67 percent for blacks, the researchers reported.

The researchers found that 22 percent of whites over 65 had a disability in 2011, compared to 32 percent of blacks. For instance, 18 percent of blacks in 2011 had trouble shopping for groceries compared to 11 percent of whites.

The statistics used by the researchers didn't allow them to determine levels of disability among people of differing ethnic groups.

Dr. Marshall Chin, a professor of Healthcare Ethics at the University of Chicago, is familiar with the study findings and had some theories as to why this disability disadvantage exists.

"These disparities reflect a lifetime of disadvantage," Chin said. "Compared to whites, African-Americans have worse education, lower income and fewer social ties, all leading to worse health.

"African-Americans are more likely to lack health insurance, and even when they do receive care it is more likely to be of inferior quality. Finally, for older people, the U.S. health system puts its money into treating diseases rather than keeping people healthy and strong," he added.

Black women, in particular, may face unique pressures, said Christopher King. He's program director and assistant professor of Health Systems Administration at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Black women are more likely than other women to be heads of their households, and "the heavy demands and competing priorities associated with this responsibility cause some women to forgo their own health needs to take care of others," King said.

This, he said, can lead them to not seek preventive medical services or not get illnesses diagnosed earlyor both.

What to do?

Among other things, King said communities must make it easier for older people to live safely at home through strategies like supporting caregivers and preventing falls inside homes.

The study appears in the August issue of the journal Health Affairs.

Explore further Active life expectancy varies for older blacks, whites

More information: For details about health disparities affecting blacks, visit the Journal information: Health Affairs For details about health disparities affecting blacks, visit the NAACP

Health News Copyright  2016 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
A new study by Tel Aviv University researchers demonstrates that the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain associated with cognitive functions, plays a major role in "Parkinson's Gait." It suggests a radically new understanding of the mechanism underlying gait difficulties in people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and may lead to new therapeutic approaches.

The study was led by Prof. Jeffery Hausdorff of TAU's Sackler School of Medicine and Dr. Anat Mirelman of the Department of Neurology at TAU's Sackler School of Medicine, co-directors of the Center for the Study of Movement, Cognition and Mobility at the Tel Aviv Medical Center; and conducted in large part by Dr. Inbal Maidan of Tel Aviv Medical Center. The work was recently published in the journals Parkinsonism and Related Disorders and Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair.

More than motor deficits involved

The ability to walk safely and independently is central to functional independence and quality of life. That ability is impaired in people with PD, rendering the most basic and commonplace tasks nearly impossible.

Researchers had previously theorized that motor deficits associated with PD were the direct cause of impaired walking, the reduced ability to multitask while walking, and the dangerous falls associated with the disease.

However, when TAU researchers asked patients to walk and complete another taske.g., a verbal fluency task such as naming fruits or simple serial subtractionsat the same time, also called "dual tasking," the gait pattern of patients with PD became worse. They walked slower and with less stability. This suggested that cognitive resources were being used as they walked.

"Work by our group has demonstrated that cognitive control deficits play an active role in the walking difficulties experienced by many people with Parkinson's," said Prof. Hausdorff.

New pictures of the problem

The team used functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to show that cognitive resources are utilized by PD patients much more often than by healthy individuals. "The advantage of fNIRS is that we can measure brain activation during actual walking," said Dr. Mirelman. "These results are consistent with our study using MRI that found brain activity in Parkinson's patients was activated in the prefrontal cortex even during 'imagined walking.'

"The overactivation of the prefrontal cortex has a two-pronged effect in Parkinson's patients," Dr. Mirelman continued. "Because the prefrontal cortex is 'saturated,' it is unable to perform other tasks, impairing gait and creating cognitive deficits. The debilitation is two-fold."

Even when patients were lying flat in the MRI and merely imagining themselves walking, there was a "ceiling effect"they were unable to recruit additional cognitive resources to tackle more difficult tasks involved with walking. "The increased activation during normal walking curtails the ability of Parkinson's patients to recruit further cognitive resources during other challenging tasks," said Prof. Hausdorff. "It may even exacerbate the high risk of falling in these patients."

The team is now conducting research to better understand the underlying mechanisms of the brain activation pattern and therapeutic approaches that may improve gait and reduce the risk of falls. The information is critical to the design of appropriate therapies such as virtual reality or non-invasive brain stimulation to improve neural efficiency.

Explore further Smartphone app may prevent dangerous freezing of gait in Parkinson's patients
Roopa Grewal says the social stigma around mental illness in her culture prevented her from receiving treatment for decades. Here she shows a photo of herself as a young girl, when she first felt something was wrong. Credit: Susan Merrell

In the 1940s, it was cancer. In the '80s, it was HIV. Today, the condition that's battling pervasive social stigma is mental illness.

As with cancer and HIV in the past, the stigma comes at a high cost: millions of Americans go untreated because of misconceptions and shame. "Mental illness is much like cancer 75 years ago, because it's scary and unpredictable. And because it's still mysterious, people want to keep their distance," says Stephen Hinshaw, PhD, vice chair for Psychology in UCSF's Department of Psychiatry.

Hinshaw, who has written several books about mental health stigma, is part of a growing movement in psychiatry to tackle the issues of stigma head-on and remove the barriers to treatment. He and his colleagues are focused not only on educating the public about the prevalence and treatability of mental illness, but also pushing for policy changes. One of the biggest changes is the push to approach all treatment through the lens of neuroscience  treating mental illness as a biological condition, interacting with contextual factors, instead of merely a social issue.

"Serious mental illnesses fundamentally are no different from cancer or heart disease," says Matthew State, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and one of the leaders of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences. "The developing brain is particularly complex and we need a much better understanding of what's causing those physiological disruptions and how to correct them."

Everyone Is Impacted by Mental Illness

The effects of the stigmatization are far-reaching in the United States. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimated that nearly one in five adults in the country  43.8 million  was living with a mental illness in 2014. The rate among youth is just as staggering  one in five people aged 13 to 18 have experienced a serious mental disorder at some point during their life, according to NIMH.

Roopa Grewal says she felt like something was wrong with her as early as 5 years old when she would awake in the morning with horrible feelings. "I felt dirty and bad, basically like there was a black hole inside of me."

Grewal, who is Indian-American, says she told her parents about her feelings, but facing stigma within the South Asian culture, there wasn't any movement toward addressing her condition.

Only later, after she began cutting herself while a sophomore in high school, did her parents allow her to see a psychologist. Grewal says she began actively seeking mental health treatment from a psychiatrist as soon as she went to college, and it still took years to reach a proper diagnosis and receive treatment.

More than a decade passed before she was finally diagnosed by a psychiatrist, at the age of 32, as having borderline personality disorder. Today, Grewal is married, owns a home in San Francisco and is an advocate for mental health. She says she's "living successfully" with borderline personality disorder.

What finally helped her was the right medication, combined with dialectical behavior therapy, she says. "Getting diagnosed correctly worked."

Battling Self-Stigma and Social Distance

Others with a mental illness may not be as proactive about seeking out treatments if the stigma from society filters down to them.

"There is a high degree of what is called self-stigma," which involves people taking on and internalizing the attributes of societal stereotypes, Hinshaw says.

Researchers have created scales to measure how much a person stigmatizes himself or herself  high levels of self-stigma predict that people either won't go to treatment or drop out early of treatment. He says it becomes a vicious cycle: Society stigmatizes, a person picks up the message and self-stigmatizes, he or she doesn't get engaged in treatment, and the symptoms and impairments of mental illness are never tackled.

Compounding the problem is ostracism through what is known as social distance. Here, members of society rate how close they would be willing to be in contact with a certain group, such as living in the same city, being neighbors, being friends, dating, or allowing their child to marry.

Americans are now more knowledgeable than ever about mental illness through things such as learning basic psychology in school and reading more about it in the media, but social distance has either stayed flat or gotten worse over the past half century, Hinshaw says. "People want to keep their distance from people with mental illness more than any other group in society."

Media focus on acts of violence  linked with mental illness  is undoubtedly a key factor. Yet on average, he notes, people with most forms of mental illness are no more likely to exhibit aggression than others, though they are far more likely to be victimized by violence.

The tattoo on Roopa Grewal's arm reads "How fragile we are." Grewal aggressively sought out psychiatric care as an adult after being denied help for decades because of stigma. Credit: Susan Merrell

Shortage of Mental Health Services

The stigma people face is exacerbated by a shortage of mental health services, forcing many to live untreated or undertreated.

As millions more Americans become eligible for mental health coverage through the Affordable Care Act, the population of psychiatrists has not grown proportionally. According to a 2014 report by the Kaiser Family Foundation, only 44 percent of Californians' mental health care needs are being met by the current availability of professionals.

"If you have a serious psychiatric problem, you are disadvantaged  you are underserved," State told Carry the One Radio, a podcast by UCSF students.

As for many people, State's first encounter with the mental health system was a personal experience. While in his first year of medical school at Stanford University, a close friend of his had a psychotic break.

"Despite the best efforts of a really close group of friends, she ended up on the street," State recounted for the podcast. "She was here up at the Haight, sort of lost to her friends and family."

The friend eventually was admitted to San Francisco General Hospital. State and a group of friends then worked over the course of a year to get her into and keep her in treatment. "It was a profoundly difficult and  disturbing experience to understand how broken the mental health system was," he said.

"That system feels nearly impossible to navigate, State said. "Even with private insurance and ample resources, if you have a loved one who is severely ill, there are few options but to pick up the phone and start calling anyone you know to try to find an available psychiatrist or gain access to a profoundly limited number of psychiatric beds."

Experts believe that half of adults with a range of mental illnesses get treatment, but less than half of those people get the gold-standard treatment that they deserve, according to Hinshaw. "There is still very poor access to mental health treatments in the United States, and there is even poorer access to evidence-based treatments  the ones we know from studies really work."

Changing Minds and Policies

Hinshaw says the solution to ending stigma  and therefore getting more people the treatment they need  is multipronged and needs to include policy changes, better understanding about mental illness and especially more humanization of the illnesses.

Among the laws that need to be changed are the ones in many states that deny renewal of driver's licenses as well as disallow service on a jury or the ability to run for office to people who have been admitted for a mental illness or even a history of one, Hinshaw says. Of the existing laws, he says the federal statues that are meant to enforce parity for insurance coverage for mental health issues need better enforcement.

On the more individual level, one fact that needs to be taught, he says, is that many people who have a mental illness  even serious ones such as schizophrenia  get better with treatment.

In a major effort to reach people who need care, UCSF's Department of Psychiatry has embedded mental health providers in more than a dozen medical services across UCSF Health, ranging from neurology, to oncology, to pediatrics and internal medicine. It also is building a new state-of-the-art outpatient center adjacent to the Mission Bay campus that aims to break down the barriers between physical and mental health, with plans to house clinicians and scientists from psychiatry, psychology, pediatrics, neurology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

On the research side, UCSF recently established the Weill Institute for Neurosciences with the aim of integrating scientists studying the range of brain disorders. The closer alignment between the researchers is meant to promote research that seeks to understand the biological and genetic underpinnings of mental illnesses.

Hinshaw points out that the default in society is that mental health is still under a person's complete control. However, research is revealing that the causes, like with cancer, are primarily biological. The understanding of the biological and genetic causes of mental illnesses still is developing as more research is done to understand the brain.

Studies Revealing Genetic and Biological Factors

Large studies already are revealing genetic and biological factors and helping to point toward treatments. The best current research has shown that contexts switch on key genes  a combination of nature and nurture, Hinshaw says. For example, early trauma serves to intensify genetic vulnerability in many cases. Integrative models, rather than those that focus on false dichotomies, are essential.

The research from the last decade is finally starting to unearth the genetic contributions to serious psychiatric disorders. For instance, State and colleagues at UCSF and have led groundbreaking research efforts identifying more than 60 genes involved in autism spectrum disorders. Progress in understanding schizophrenia has been just as dramatic, with recent large-scale studies pointing to more than 100 unique regions of the genome contributing to disease risk.

More such research about the brain and mental health is being funded by President Barack Obama's Brain Initiative, including a project at UCSF that is seeking to identify the disrupted human brain circuitry involved in depression and anxiety. The project has the aim of creating devices that detect circuit aberrations and send corrective impulses to offset them.

The research at UCSF and elsewhere is going to transform the field, State says. "The scientific advances taking place now are laying the foundation for a new generation of therapies. This new understanding and the ability to do much more for patients is going to change the way that people think about mental illness  and finally eliminate the stigma that is associated with it."
Williams syndrome-derived neurons in culture. Credit: UC San Diego Health

In a study spanning molecular genetics, stem cells and the sciences of both brain and behavior, researchers at University of California San Diego, with colleagues at the Salk Institute of Biological Studies and elsewhere, have created a neurodevelopmental model of a rare genetic disorder that may provide new insights into the underlying neurobiology of the human social brain.

The findings are published in the August 10 online edition of Nature.

Scientists investigated Williams syndrome or WS, a rare genetic condition caused by deletion of one copy of 25 contiguous genes on chromosome 7, out of an estimated 30,000 genes in the brain. WS affects one in 10,000 people worldwide, and an estimated 20,000 Americans. The condition occurs equally in both genders and across cultures.

WS results in a host of medical problems as well as a specific heart defect. Persons with the deletion typically display a distinctive face with a small, upturned nose, wide mouth, full lips and small chin and may also have dental and orthopedic problems. Neurologically, they have developmental delays, with severe spatial deficits, yet relative strengths in language use and face processing.

"An interesting aspect is the typical hyper-social predisposition," said study co-author Ursula Bellugi, EdD, director of the cognitive neuroscience lab at Salk and an adjunct professor at UC San Diego who has studied WS for years. "Persons with the WS deletion tend to be overly friendly, overly trusting, drawn to strangers, yet anxious."

But Bellugi said it has not been clear how genetics links to the behavioral aspects of WS. "A human model for the disease could fill in the scientific gaps and would help to understand the mechanisms behind the disorder. WS is an elegant model for being able to go across levels," she said.

Co-senior study author Alysson Muotri, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics and cellular and molecular medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine, became intrigued by WS because the condition is so different from his usual research focus on autism, which is characterized by lower sociability and language skills.

"I was fascinated on how a genetic defect, a tiny deletion in one of our chromosomes, could make us friendlier, more empathetic and more able to embrace our differences," Muotri said.

In recent years, Muotri and colleagues have created in vitro cellular models of autism using reprogrammed induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) derived from discarded baby teeth of children with autism, work dubbed the "tooth fairy project." They did so again here.

The team began with dental pulp cells extracted from teeth donated by young children with WS. The cells were reprogrammed to become neural progenitor cells able to form functional neuronal networks resembling the developing cortex of the human brain in a dish.

"We discovered that WS neural progenitor cells failed to proliferate due to high levels of cell death," said Muotri. "And as a consequence of the lower replication of progenitor cells, WS brains have reduced cortex surface area." The observation was validated using magnetic resonance imaging of live study participants by Eric Halgren, PhD, professor in the Department of Neurosciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine, and colleagues.

Cultured WS neurons have a distinct morphology. They are more arborized (treelike, with many dendritic branches) than neurons derived from typically developing individuals. "At the functional level, they make more synapses or connections to other neurons than what you would expect," said Muotri. "That might underlie the WS super-social aspect and their gregarious human brain, giving insights into autism and other disorders that affect the social brain."

The neuronal morphology was confirmed using a rare collection of WS postmortem brain tissue by Katerina Semendeferi, PhD, co-senior author and professor at UC San Diego Department of Anthropology. "One striking observation was that these cortical neurons in WS individuals are more complex than controls (typically developing children of same age). The morphological alterations that presumably appeared during WS gestation are kept postnatally."

Muotri noted that the research represents one of the first efforts to use iPSCs and brain in-a-dish technology to generate novel insights about a disease process and not simply replicate data from other models.

But beyond that, he believes studying WS may help explain what makes humans social beings - a key development in the evolution of humanity. "It was our social power that made us a collaborative species," said Muotri, "capable of dramatic transformation of our environment by creating poetry, music and technology."

Explore further First human in vitro model of rare neurodegenerative condition created

More information: Thanathom Chailangkarn et al, A human neurodevelopmental model for Williams syndrome, Nature (2016). Journal information: Nature Thanathom Chailangkarn et al, A human neurodevelopmental model for Williams syndrome,(2016). DOI: 10.1038/nature19067
Reducing outdoor concentrations of two air pollutants, ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), to levels below those set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would likely save thousands of lives each year, result in far fewer serious illnesses and dramatically reduce missed days of school and work, according to a new analysis conducted by the American Thoracic Society and the Marron Institute of Urban Management at New York University.

In "Estimated Excess Morbidity and Mortality Caused by Air Pollution above ATS Recommended Standards, 2011-2013," published online in the August edition of Annals of the American Thoracic Society, researchers report on the annual health benefits of meeting more protective standards recommended by the ATS for O3 and PM2.5.

They found that meeting a 0.060 parts per million (ppm) 8-hour standard for O3, rather than the EPA's 0.070 ppm standard, and an 11 micrograms per cubic meter (g/m3) annual standard for PM2.5, rather than the EPA's 12 g/m3 standard, would each year:

Save 9,320 lives;

Reduce serious health events (morbidities), such as heart attacks, hospital admissions and emergency room visits, by 21,400; and

Decrease "adverse impact days," during which people may not be able to work, go to school or otherwise be physically active because of severe breathing problems, by 19,300,000 days.

"While there is information available about counties in the United States that exceed EPA air pollution standards, there has not been a similar source of information about how that air pollution actually affects the health of people living in those areas," said lead study author Kevin Cromar, PhD, director of the Air Quality Program at the Marron Institute of Urban Management and assistant professor of population health and environmental medicine at the NYU School of Medicine.

The ATS recommended standards for O3 and PM2.5 are based on scores of national and international epidemiological, animal and human exposure studies.

The EPA sets standards for six principal air pollutants to meet its obligation under the Clean Air Act to protect the health of the American public, including vulnerable populations, by an adequate margin of safety. In addition to ozone and particulate matter, the other pollutants are lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide.

Dr. Cromar said that most studies have looked at only one air pollutant. By including the two most important air pollutants in the analysis, the new study "gives policy makers and local air quality managers a much better picture of what is going on." Overall, the study found that the more protective O3 standard accounted for about 75 percent of the estimated health benefits due to a greater number of metropolitan areas with O3 concentrations above the ATS recommendations.

The researchers used the same software that the EPA uses to conduct regulatory cost-benefit analysis to estimate the health benefits of more protective standards for O3 and PM2.5. Data inputted into the program came from census tract information, 19 large national or multi-city studies that assessed the health impacts of the two pollutants, and a network of air monitors that the EPA relies upon to determine if states and counties are meeting air quality.

The authors emphasized that their findings do not specifically address an individual's health risk or the personal benefits of cleaner air, but rather assess population level health impacts. Metropolitan areas with the large populations and elevated concentrations of one or both air pollutants, they wrote, would realize the biggest improvements in public health by meeting the more protective standards.

The ten metropolitan areas that would benefit the most from more protective O3 and PM2.5 standards are:

Los Angeles (Long Beach-Glendale), CA: 1,341 lives saved, 3,255 fewer morbidities and 2,892,029 fewer impacted days

Riverside (San Bernardino-Ontario), CA: 808 lives saved, 1,416 fewer morbidities and 1,321,762 fewer impacted days

New York City (Jersey City-White Plains), NY-NJ: 282 lives saved, 977 fewer morbidities and 818,666 fewer impacted days

Phoenix (Mesa-Scottsdale), AZ: 283 lives saved, 598 fewer morbidities and 636,730 fewer impacted days

Pittsburgh, PA: 285 lives saved, 533 fewer morbidities and 281,858 fewer impacted days

Fresno, CA: 260 lives saved, 672 fewer morbidities and 390,551 fewer impacted days

Bakersfield, CA: 241 lives saved, 333 fewer morbidities and 220,722 fewer impacted days

Houston: (The Woodlands-Sugar Land), TX: 229 lives saved, 661 fewer morbidities and 636, 211 fewer impacted days

Cleveland (Elyria), OH: 196 lives saved, 487 fewer morbidities and 231,859 fewer impacted days

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN: 173 lives saved, 298 fewer morbidities and 192,989 fewer impacted days

The ATS and Marron Institute expect to update the report annually. The report and an online tool with searchable information can be found at www.healthoftheair.org/. The online tool includes information about whether a metropolitan area meets EPA and ATS-recommended standards for each of the two pollutants and estimates the health benefits, for each pollutant, of meeting ATS recommended standards.

"As an organization of health care providers and researchers, we know firsthand the toll air pollution takes on people's health, particularly the young and elderly," said ATS President David Gozal, MD, MBA, Herbert T. Abelson professor of Pediatrics at the University of Chicago. "This report begins to quantify that toll and provides information that, we believe, should inform the setting of national air pollution standards."

He added, "Equally important, state and local policy makers can use the online tool to better understand the nature of their air pollution problem so they can consider the best solutions for addressing their particular problem and improving the public's health."

Explore further Researchers say anti-pollution rules have uncertain effects
Front-line protection of U.S. communities against disease epidemics relies on seamless information sharing between public health officials and doctors, plus the wherewithal to act on that data. But health departments have faltered in this mission by lacking guidance to effectively strategize about appropriate "IT investments. And incidents like the current Zika crisis bring the issue to the forefront," says Ritu Agarwal, Robert H. Smith Dean's Chair of Information Systems and Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Research at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Agarwal, with a team of UMD researchers, recently finished a two-year "intensive analysis" of the rollout of an electronic health records system in Montgomery County, Md., and a local primary care coalition, which works with a system of hospitals and clinics designed to provide safety net services to low-income patients.

"We uncovered a host of barriers and obstacles to effective use of information, including the complexity and usability of the software, the inability of the software to support certain unique public health reporting needs, the learning curve for public health workers, and the lack of standards for effective data exchange," Agarwal says. "All of this does not bode well, either for crisis response or for proactive crisis anticipation."

Their findings are published in Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research and detail a new tool, a Public Health Information Technology (PHIT) Maturity Index, to better understand and counter the shortcomings they observed.

"Health departments can apply the index to assessing their IT capabilities, benchmarking with their peers, setting specific goals and fostering a cycle of continuous improvement," says coauthor and researcher Kenyon Crowley, deputy director of the Center for Health Information and Decision Systems (CHIDS) in the Smith School.

Prior to late-July confirmation of U.S. Zika cases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Thomas Frieden warned: "Make no mistake: The Zika virus is an emergency that we need to address." But Congress recessed for summer without approving emergency funding to combat the virus linked to microcephaly-stricken newborns.

But the challenges facing public health managers run deeper than a lack of funding, says Agarwal. "Health officials need to know the source of the infection, who the infected individual has contacted, where it occurred and the circumstances under which it occurred. The list goes on," she says. "In other words, a complete and accurate picture of every incident is the foundation for developing an effective response strategy."

"Public health managers can deploy the [PHIT Maturity] index to "measure their departments' progress in using IT to support its public health mission, or in other words, its journey towards maturity," Agarwal says.

Agarwal says "fulfilling the mission" broadly would mean information from Zika diagnoses, for example, is flowing to the right public health official whether it's from patient-hospital encounters stored in a state health information exchange or a primary care setting when a patient presents for treatment or even when such cases are documented at a public health care service location.

Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the researchers collected data through staff interviews, staff observations, patient focus groups, and staff surveys to create the index with a questionnaire and scoring guide. It's divided into four IT-based categories: Scale and scope of use; quality; human capital, policy and resources; and community infrastructure.

History Lesson"The early-2000s SARS epidemic is a good illustrator of information as one of the most critical tools in addressing any type of public health crisis," says Agarwal. "[Cases] spread like wildfire with more than 8,000 people becoming infected globally over a three-year time frame. "That number may have been substantially lower if information about new cases had been monitored and shared to get an accurate picture of the prevalence and spread of the disease."

More recently, a Texas Ebola case illustrated a public health worker as unprepared to act on access to a hospital's electronic health records containing information about the patient's travels that could have resulted in immediate action, Agarwal says. "But no one paid attention to it."

Both cases, collectively, show the importance of "seamless data integration across acute care (hospitals), primary care (clinics and other ambulatory facilities), and public health delivery locations," she says. "And of course, all of this has to occur while simultaneously maintaining the privacy of pertinent patient data."

In positive trends, Agarwal says "syndromic surveillance" has been a core aspect of the Meaningful Use standards enforced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and electronic health records adoption is on the rise by as much as 55 percent, according to estimates. "But resource-strapped departments remain unable to utilize the data effectively," Agarwal says. "We have a long way to go."

Read MoreThe Public Health Information Technology Maturity Index: An Approach to Evaluating the Adoption and Use of Public Health Information Technology by Kenyon Crowley, UMD's Robert H. Smith School of Business; Robert S. Gold, UMD School of Public Health; Sruthi Bandi, UMD's iSchool; and Ritu Agarwal, UMD's Robert H. Smith School of Business, appears in the April 2016 issue of Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research.

Forthcoming ConferenceCHIDS will host its annual Workshop on Health IT and Economics on Oct. 21-22, 2016, at the Westin Georgetown in Washington, D.C. The event is designed to deepen the understanding of health IT design and its resultant impact and to stimulate new ideas with both policy and business implications.

Explore further Florida probes new Zika case outside Miami
We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message.
China to open a jacket-making factory in Georgia

A large Chinese clothing manufacturer is gearing up to open a jacket-making factory in Georgia to make top quality jackets for world famous brands.Silk Road Investment Group will open a satellite branch in Georgia and employ local seamstress and tailors to create the jackets.The Chinese company operates its main garment factory in Jiangxi province in Chinas southeast.Silk Road Investment Group has already signed a deal with Georgias state-owned shareholding company the Partnership Fund that outlined terms of the new factory.Head of the Partnership Fund David Saganelidze said the new garment factory will bring economic benefits to Georgia.This will be a branch of the jacket manufacturing factory, which is located in Jiangxi and meets the demand of 60 percent of the local population. Opening a branch of this factory in Georgia will increase the countrys export potential, he said.The factory in Georgia will sew jackets for world famous brands who order from the mother factory, he added.After signing the Memorandum of Cooperation this week, a representative from the Silk Road Investment Group announced it would begin a feasibility study and release more details of the garment factory in the coming weeks and months.
Not to interfere in Georgias political processes

By Messenger Staff

The administration of the President of Georgia has called on Georgias ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili to refrain from interfering in Georgias ongoing political processes and desist from making pre-election appeals to the population of Georgia prior to the October 8 parliamentary elections.Presidents Parliamentary Secretary Ana Dolidze has stressed that Ukrainian citizen Saakashvili has no right to interfere in political developments in Georgia.Dolidze also said Saakashvilis comments to the local NGO Young Lawyers Association was unacceptable and the ex-President lied when he said he was deprived of the Georgian citizenship.We cannot accept the fact that Saakashvili is trying to stain the reputation of one of the most influential organizations, the Georgian Young Lawyers Association, which plays a very important role in the pre-election period, Dolidze said.Besides which, Saakashvili lied when he said that he did not voluntarily cancel his Georgian citizenship. He knew very well that when taking the Ukrainian citizenship, he would lose Georgian citizenship automatically, as our legislation reads, Dolidze said.Dolidze stressed Saakashvili should not hinder friendly relations between Georgia and Ukraine with his behaviour.The Young Lawyers Association said Saakashvili violated pre-election legislation with a recent video address to the Batumi population in which he encouraged them to vote for a certain individual.According to the organization, a citizen of a foreign country has no right to participate in pre-election campaigning.The organization called on the Supreme Electoral Commission of Adjara to put a sanction on Saakashvili and fine him 2000 GEL.In response, Saakashvili expressed surprise over the statement of the NGO.I was deprived of Georgian citizenship by the instruction of the Russian oligarchs [referring to Georgias ex-PM Bidzina Ivanishvili, who founded the current ruling Georgian Dream coalition and defeated the nine-year rule of Saakashvilis party] puppets, Saakashvili said.Please recall the motive of that decision and get a deeper insight into the true reasons. I remain faithful to my country. Citizenship is not defined by a blank document signed by the Russian oligarchs puppets, - said Odessa Governor Saakashvili.Saakashvili, who remains wanted by Georgias law-enforcement bodies for several alleged breaches of the law, has done certain things under his presidency worth appreciating ( police reform among them).One of the main reasons why his party failed to win the 2012 elections was multiple incidents of human rights violation and a serious risk that Saakashvili very soon would become a dictator.He claims all the accusations against him are fabricated. He also said he would never revoke his Georgian citizenship. However, this happened automatically when he took Ukrainian citizenship.
The News in Brief

I will have a normal business relationship with the new Defence Minister - Parliament Speaker



I will have a normal business relationship with the new Defence Minister, Parliament Speaker Davit Usupashvili said in an interview with Rustavi 2.



At the same time, the Speaker once again noted that the Ministry of Defence should be guided by a political figure.



"When our defence minister was a military person, then we, the Republicans, had an initiative to move to a system where the Ministry of Defence is ruled by a politician. In my opinion, this is a European model which we are aspiring to.



Levan Izoria is now the Minister of Defense and I am the Chairman of Parliament as well as a member of the Security Council. I support the strengthening of the army and defence capabilities like I did yesterday and the day before yesterday. So I will have a normal business relationship with the Defence Minister, said Davit Usupashvili. (IPN)







UNDP and Government of Georgia commit to GEL 6.8 million rural development initiative funded by EU and Government of Adjara



Shombi Sharp, UNDP Resident Representative in Georgia and Otar Danelia, the Minister of Agriculture of Georgia, signed an agreement to continue assistance to rural development in the country through a GEL 6.8 million project funded by the European Union and the Government of Adjara.



This initiative will assist in the development of a national Rural Development Strategy of Georgia and a specific strategy for the Ajara Autonomous Republic, and support their practical implementation.



95% of the GEL 6.8 Million (Euro 2.63 million) project budget is provided by the European Union and 5% by the Ajara Government.



The two-year initiative is part of the European Union funded European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD) which launched its second phase in Georgia a month ago.



Through ENPARD, the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia works closely with the European Union, UNDP, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Government of Ajara Autonomous Republic to promote rural development all over the country, and specifically in Ajara, and enhance institutions  respective ministries, national agencies, associations and educational bodies  engaged in this process. (ge.undp.com)







Jordan will share Georgias experience of reforming education system



Jordan will share Georgia's experience of reforming the education system.



This statement was made during a meeting between the Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, and the Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Education of Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Mohammad Thneibat.



The relevant agencies of Jordan will cooperate with the International Education Center of Georgia in the area of various university programs covering professions, such as technologies, archeology, Arabic studies, etc.



The Prime Minister provided the Vice Prime Minister of Jordan with detailed information on fundamental reforms planned with regards to Georgia's education system. Giorgi Kvirikashvili indicated that the Government plans on ensuring that the country's higher education system is in line with market demand. Furthermore, in the area of vocational education, the Government is willing to cooperate with private sector to establish Germany's so-called dual model, thus ensuring education in highly demanded fields.



According to the Vice Prime Minister of Jordan, Georgia is a regional leader in the area of reforming of its education system, and Jordan is willing to share its experience. Mohammad Thneibat invited Giorgi Kvirikashvili to Jordan and noted that such a high-level visit will foster deepening of bilateral cooperation in this area. (gov.ge)




HAMILTON  When you lose everything to a fast-moving fire, its hard to know where to even begin to start down the road to recovery.

And the people who want to help often dont know how.

More than a dozen families in Ravalli County are just now beginning that journey following the July 31 Roaring Lion firestorm southwest of Hamilton that destroyed their homes.

On Friday and Saturday, a number of organizations are coming together at the Salvation Armys Disaster Resource Center to focus their efforts on helping those homeowners.

The center is located in the old Marilyns restaurant building in Hamilton. From 4 to 7 p.m. Friday and between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 organizations ranging from the Red Cross and the Salvation Army to HUD and the Baptist Church will offer the owners of the 16 homes destroyed in the fire a chance to see whats available to them.

We want to try to make this process as easy as possible for those people who have been devastated, said Ravalli Countys Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Neoma Greenfield. Well get them set up and find out exactly what their needs are so we reach out to the public for donations.

Donations have been coming through the door at a steady pace since the Salvation Army first opened the disaster resource center.

The challenge so far has been to match what people need with what people have to give, said Crystal Hill of the Ravalli County Salvation Army.

Right now, many of the people who have lost their homes dont really even know where to start, Hill said. Some have lost everything. They dont know if they are going to rebuild or move away.

The disaster center is already filled with cases of bottled water, food and an assortment of clothing. Hill said people have also donated a camper and offered to allow people to use their land to park camp trailers until they find a new place to stay.

The center has started to collect names of people who want to volunteer their services to help those who have lost their homes.

We want to make sure that help gets where it needs to go, Greenfield said. There are fences that are down and trees that need to be felled. These people are going to need a lot of help.

Dallas Erickson, disaster action team chair for the Bitterroot American Red Cross of Montana, said the initial flow of assistance from both local and regional sources was just mind boggling.

We had people stepping forward to help from the Bitterroot, Missoula, Great Falls, Erickson said. We had people drive over Skalkaho to deliver donations from Butte. It was just amazing and so touching that so many people wanted to help. It boosted peoples hearts to see how much people cared.

The Red Cross and others have moved past the emergency care to the recovery stage.

This is really the time that we need cash to be able to help people, Erickson said. This is where the big bucks will be spent and rightfully so. Those people who have lost their homes are overwhelmed.

There is an underlying feeling in the valley that if you donate to the Red Cross, the money will go someplace else, he said. You can earmark your donation for the Roaring Lion Fire.

Casey Gallagher said United Ways 2-1-1 will also lend a hand.

That organization provides an information service that will connect fire victims with other organizations that can help as well as a cadre of volunteers.

We will be present in Ravalli County and take information about what they need and then disseminate that information, Gallagher said. We have already had calls from people looking for services, but they are just starting to inquire. The smoke hasnt cleared yet.
Retired University of Montana professor Harry Fritz and I recently returned after delivering a series of lectures on the U.S. political system at Nankai University in Tianjin, a city of 12 million people near the Chinese capitol of Beijing. This was my fourth trip to China.

Americans who have been there know that Chinese cities are forests of building cranes on the tops of countless high-rise buildings. While one would think the construction boom that is powering Chinas domestic economy will reach a saturation point, the Chinese expect their population will support it.

Projections show Chinas population of 1.4 billion falling to 1.125 billion over the next 50 years. That is why the government has modified its one-child mandate and now allows two children per family. According to the Chinese model, population sustains growth. Labor-intensive projects provide millions of jobs. Vast amounts of electrical power must be generated to keep Chinas manufacturing and employment colossus surging forward. China is a nation of builders, both for its domestic use, and for products exported abroad.

The rapid rise of China has been likened to a rhino climbing into the canoe of world nations. It is greatly destabilizing. While Chinas economy will likely overtake ours, the huge population required to sustain it also has to be sustained. Per capita income in China is improving, but it is only about $14,100, compared to more than $55,800 in the U.S. Chinas push for productivity is primary. Environmental fallout from total economic emphasis is shocking. Montanans would say you could cut the air there with a knife.

While working at the University of Montana in 2006, I spent several weeks at Nankai University. On this recent visit, professor Fritz and I lectured to the senior-level international relations class of professor Han Zhaoying. I had explained American politics and culture to that same class when I was there 10 years ago. All have had a minimum of 12 years of English. While few American college kids have any knowledge of Mandarin, no interpreter is necessary in communicating with many upper-division college students in China. Though bright and motivated as ever, these students were also noticeably more reticent to express themselves than those I encountered a decade ago.

The reason is probably because the new regime of Xi Jianping is returning to a tougher and more authoritarian form of Maoism. Xis fire wall of blocking information into China from the outside world has been surprisingly effective. The Communist Party has a greater hands-on presence in Chinese society now than when I was there previously.

Students seemed clearly more uncomfortable about sharing their thoughts in class discussions. They were very aware of Chinese military expansion into the South China Sea. They accepted Xis construct that since China was once the worlds greatest civilization, and because of its new rise to economic greatness, China should expand its sphere of military influence to match the glory of its past. Essentially, Xi is sounding a theme that we have heard in our country. Hes going to make China great again.

A highlight of our trip was attending the annual American Independence Day Celebration sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. It was festive and patriotic. Montanas former Senator Max Baucus, now U.S. ambassador, spoke well and effectively as our countrys representative in China. Harry Fritz and I felt deeply grateful for our freedoms symbolized there in China by Independence Day. Baucus made us proud to be Americans and Montanans in this challenging time in world history.
On Tuesday, Aug. 16, Missoula County and consultant HDR Engineering will present the second meeting on the South Avenue Bridge Project, the replacement of the Maclay Bridge over the Bitterroot River.

Maclay Bridge has provided access to Missoulas treasured recreational Blue Mountain Area for decades. In 2013, the Missoula County Board of Commissioners and Montana Department of Transportation agreed to replace the one-lane Maclay Bridge with a two-lane bridge. The public was told the new bridge was free since only federal and state gas tax funds would be used. Though a feasibility study was done, citizens suggestions for rehabbing the bridge were disregarded and the replacement moved forward.

Once again, the stage is set to ignore public opinion. Following a presentation, the audience will be relegated to tables for discussions on specific aspects of the new bridge. While this format may provide convenient crowd control, it fails to allow the public to hear input from other members of the community. The public has questions; the public needs answers and an open forum is required. A question-and-answer period must be included to give people the opportunity to share concerns.

This bridge construction is not a stand-alone project. The feds and the state allegedly are paying for the bridge but feeder road improvements have not been identified or costed. No provisions have been made for adjacent tie roads, South Avenue, River Pines, Big Flat Road and Blue Mountain Road are narrow, substandard, winding, with no shoulders. They are inadequate for the increased traffic that will be induced with the new two-lane bridge. These improvements will be costly but they are not being addressed. The public needs to know what will be done with these roads, when it will be done and how much it will cost. Open this public meeting to an open forum format.

Helen Orendain,

Missoula
HAMILTON  Cooler temperatures and longer nights have combined to create conditions safe enough to allow trout fishermen to try their luck all hours of the day on the Bitterroot and Blackfoot rivers.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officially lifted hoot owl restrictions on both rivers Wednesday.

The Bitterroot River from Tucker Crossing downstream and the Blackfoot, including its North Fork, Copper, Monture and Morrell tributaries, have been under hoot owl restrictions since July 29.

The restrictions are designed to reduce the impact on drought-stressed trout. They prohibit fishing during the hottest part of the day (2 p.m. to midnight).

On the Bitterroot, the restrictions are driven mainly by water temperature. State fisheries managers can implement the hoot owl restrictions when water temperatures exceed 73 degrees for three consecutive days.

FWP Region 2 Fisheries Manager Pat Saffel said during the last spell of hot weather last week, the temperatures on the Bitterroot didnt exceed those critical levels.

Even though hot weather is forecast to return later this week, Saffel said it appears it wont be as warm as it was earlier this summer and the nights remain cool and are getting longer.

The worst period for warm waters in the states rivers typically comes to an end by the second or third week of August, he said.

Water temperatures on the Blackfoot River have also cooled quite a bit, but Saffel there is some concern about the potential of low flows forcing fish to seek out what deep water remains on the river.

If fishing pressure becomes too heavy on any of those pockets of water, Saffel said the state may consider doing some localized closures to protect trout.

Hoot owl restrictions remain in place for the 100 miles of the Upper Clark Fork River from its headwaters where Silver Bow and Warm Spring creeks join to the Rock Creek. Silver Bow Creek from its confluence with Blacktail Creek to its mouth and confluence with Warm Springs Creek remain under the same restrictions.

The water is still warm and really low there, Saffel said.

Other rivers in the state remain under hoot owl restrictions. For up-to-date information on the restrictions related to drought, go to fwp.mt.gov/news/restrictions.
POLSON  Approximately 40 protesters carried signs, some shouted at the older couple and one hit their car with his sign after Larry and Nadene Latzke made their initial appearance Wednesday morning in Lake County Justice Court.

The Latzkes, who operate LDR Kennels between Charlo and St. Ignatius, are charged with felony aggravated cruelty to animals.

Both requested public defenders during their appearance in a packed courtroom before Lake County Justice of the Peace Randal Owens. Owens told the couple the felony charges would be transferred to District Court within the next 30 days, and released them on their own recognizance as recommended by the Lake County Attorneys Office.

When Larry Latzke asked if he could say something, Owens answered, I would prefer you didnt say anything without an attorney present.

Latzke later ignored reporters as he and his wife, who used two canes to walk, left the courthouse.

***

Protesters carrying signs that read things such as Puppy Mill Horror Show and Animal Cruelty is Not a Montana Value shifted from their position outside the courthouses main doors as word came the Latzkes were using an elevator to access a disabled-accessible entrance on the side of the building.

I hope they throw you in jail and throw away the key, one man shouted at them. You people are horrible  horrible.

As the Latzkes drove out of the parking lot, coming within inches of the man in the process, he hit the rear window of their car with his cardboard sign.

Several of the protesters indicated their goal Wednesday was to use the case as an example of why they believe Montana legislators should adopt laws regulating dog breeders like the Latzkes. Montana is one of 16 states with no such regulations.

Late last month authorities seized 11 of the 120 or so dogs at LDR Kennels after receiving a complaint that there was a terrible smell coming from the kennel and that the person who filed the complaint had seen one dog with its hair matted and smelled like urine, and the dog did not look in good health, Lake County Sheriff Don Bell said at the time.

Deputies, who learned the Latzkes had refused to allow authorities to inspect their dogs when previous complaints had been received, obtained a search warrant this time.

At least seven of the dogs have since been returned to the Latzkes after receiving veterinary care.

***

Deputy Lake County Attorney Molly Owen also asked the justice of the peace to keep a restraining order in effect. It orders that the Latzkes not tamper with evidence at their kennels.

Protesters worried that could adversely affect the treatment the animals are receiving, but Owen told the Missoulian later that the restraining order also contains language requiring the Latzkes to maintain a superior level of care for the dogs.

The LDR Kennels website says it sells Chihuahua, Maltese, Yorkshire terrier, Havanese and Shih Tzu breeds, and that its puppies are raised in the most loving, humane, clean environment possible.

Missoula veterinarian Patti Prato, who attended the court hearing and protest, said animal rights activists have been aware of LDR Kennels for more than a decade.

***

When one of her clients alleged dogs there were being raised in an unhealthy environment after purchasing a Bernese mountain dog puppy from LDR Kennels, Prato said she bought a puppy from the Latzkes too, back in 2005.

I was surprised they were willing to sell a sick dog to a veterinarian, Prato said. They even dropped it off. They were on their way to a puppy mill auction in the Midwest, and showed up in a toy hauler stacked with dog crates.

They offered Prato the puppys mother as well, she said, and she bought both.

The puppy died within two weeks and the mom had severe emotional problems  you could barely touch her, Prato said. She died at 4. It was horrendous then and its been that way for a decade.

Prato said she and others have tried since 2006 to get legislation passed regulating such operations, to no avail. Opponents have called such attempts government overreach. There are concerns that the laws, written for pets, could affect livestock breeding, and people who describe themselves as hobby dog breeders who run clean operations have said the proposed laws are so broad they could be put out of business.

I think weve made it out of committee one time in the last 10 years, Prato said. Thats as close as weve gotten. If emotions stay fresh after incidents such as the Latzke case, maybe it will finally happen.

Just days after the search warrant was served on the Latzkes, Lincoln County officials seized more than 120 animals  including donkeys, parakeets, canaries and poodles  from a suspected puppy mill in Libby. The dogs were underweight and had eye, ear and dental infections, Sheriff Roby Bowe said.
BILLINGS - Thomas Craig Pfeifle, 19, of Rapid City, S.D., who fell Monday while climbing Granite Peak, was in critical condition Tuesday at Seattle's Harborview Medical Center, according to hospital spokesperson Susan Gregg.

Pfeifle was rescued by helicopter on Monday afternoon and flown to a Billings hospital, but later transferred to Harborview, where he is being treated for a head injury.

Pfeifle was at an altitude of about 12,200 feet when he was rescued. He fell near the summit of the 12,808 foot peak, according to a press release from the Park County Sheriff's Office. The mountain is the highest peak in Montana.

A call came through Sweet Grass County at about 11 a.m. Monday from one of Pfeifle's climbing partners requesting rescue, said Park County Undersheriff Clay Herbst.

Pfeifle was climbing with at least four others and one of them was able to get cellphone service for the first emergency call, Herbst said.

The climbers borrowed a satellite phone from another climbing group to stay in contact with authorities throughout the rescue, Herbst said.

Rocky Mountain Rotors Co-owner Mark Taylor said his company was involved in the rescue of Pfeifle on Monday afternoon.

He was rescued by a Gallatin County high-angle rescue team and flown by helicopter to a separate landing zone near Sky Top Lakes. A medical helicopter from Bozeman then landed to provide medical treatment before he was flown to Billings.

Pfeifle is the son of South Dakota Seventh Circuit Court judges Craig Pfeifle and Jane Wipf Pfeifle.
HAMILTON  As the firefighting effort begins to wind down on the Roaring Lion fire southwest of Hamilton, people are starting to get an idea of what the flames have left behind.

Near the popular trailhead where the fire is suspected to have started, there isnt a whole lot of green left to see.

People are going to be pretty shocked when they finally get to go up to the trailhead, said Forest Service Public Information Officer Mike Cole. It was pretty much a crown fire that went through there. On both sides of the canyon, it did get up into the trees. The south side of the canyon is just black snags.

Cole and several others with the Forest Service ventured up to the trailhead for the first time since the fire started on July 31.

From the trailheads parking lot, Cole said the forest was black as far up the mountain as he could see.

We were lucky there werent a lot of people up the canyon that day, he said. That was one hot and fast moving fire that moved through there. Its the type of fire that would trap animals. Even animals wouldnt be able to get out of the way fast enough in that kind of fire.

What needles on the trees that didnt burn were frozen in the direction of the high winds that must have blown down through the canyon that first night.

You could tell which direction the fire was coming from by looking at the needles, Cole said. All of the needles were pointed east. Its something called needle freeze. Its really unique  the fire was burning through so fast and so hot and it flash-froze the needles.

The only thing that survived on the trailhead sign was the metal that framed it.

Even with the recent rain, Cole said there was a still quite a lot of smoke coming from tree trunks and downed logs in the area.

That little bit of rain that we got was nice, he said. Its slowed things down for a few days, but by this weekend it will be hot again and well see more fire activity occur.

When firefighters do their mop-up work, they focus their efforts on the first 200 feet in from a fire line. Beyond that, Cole said people are going to notice that theres quite of bit of material still smoldering.

When we were at the trailhead today, around us 360 degrees, we could see stumps burning and other material smoking, he said. Its going to take a season-ending event to put this out. I think people may have a false sense of hope right now. They might think that this fire is out. While that would be nice, its not true.

A Hotshot crew has spent the past couple of nights camped out high on the southwestern edge of the fire in order to get an early start each day extending the fire line higher up the mountain.

They want to hang that fire far up on the side of the mountain so it cant come back down and get into the stands of heavy timber in Camas Creek, Cole said. We dont want to allow it to blow out into the valley again.

On Wednesday, a feller buncher was used to take out trees to help widen fire lines on the southwestern edge of the fire. The trees were limbed and the logs hauled out by trucks on FS Road 496 down to the Lost Horse Road.

We have some logging truck traffic coming out of there that people need to be aware of, Cole said.

On Wednesday, the management of the fire was turned over by the Northern Region Type 1 Incident Management Team to a smaller Type 3 team as the resources tied to fighting the fire continue to be released.

The new incident commander is Drew Daily, who has served as operations manager with the larger Type 1 team.

This is the best-case scenario, Cole said. He knows the whole fire and all of its moving parts. That should make the transition really smooth.

There are 518 people assigned to the fire. Cole said those numbers will continue to drop over the next few days.

The fire received a little bit of rain Tuesday.

Over the past four days, a portable weather station just south of the fire recorded a half-inch of precipitation.

That doesnt mean the fire got a half-inch, Cole said. It did get a good shot of moisture yesterday (Tuesday). We a little bit of a chance for a thunderstorm today and then the system will be moving out of here. Then well be back to typical August weather.

Farther south, firefighters have made good headway around the eight-acre Lost Trail fire.

They are doing mop-up right now, said Bitterroot Forest spokesman Tod McKay. They havent called it contained, but they have de-mobed a lot of resources from it. Its looking pretty good at this point.
Professor Molalign Belay Adugna of the University of Gondar in Gondar City, Ethiopia, will visit the University of Montana this month to work toward developing an exchange program between UM and UG.

Adugna will give a presentation on opportunities for faculty and student exchanges and collaboration between the universities at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in Social Science Building Room 338. The event is free and open to the public.

Adugna is a lecturer in the Sociology Department and director of the Alumni Relations and Partnership Office of the University of Gondar. He is also a trustee of the Yenage Tesfa Orphan and Street Children Organization in Gondar City. He is the recipient of the 2016 Mandela Washington Fellowship for emerging young African leaders. As part of the fellowship, he has been in the U.S. for six weeks of leadership training, culminating in a summit in Washington, D.C., including a town hall meeting with President Barack Obama.
HAMILTON  A Florence physician charged with 400 felonies for allegedly providing patients with illegal prescriptions said Wednesday that he still isnt prepared to proceed to trial this fall.

During a short hearing, Ravalli County District Court Judge Jeffrey Langton told Dr. Chris Christensen that the trial was moving forward and that he needed to be ready to produce his list of witnesses and exhibits at a pretrial conference set for later this month.

Christensen, 67, appeared at the hearing without representation.

Since December, when the Office of the State Public Defender withdrew from the case after finding that he made too much money to qualify for state-funded counsel, Christensen has maintained that hes seeking a lawyer, but cant afford one.

Langton recently denied Christensens request to delay his trial that is set to begin October.

Christensen was arrested in August 2015 after allegedly providing hundreds of illegal prescriptions to his patients, including two who died from overdoses. Among the charges he faces are two counts of negligent homicide.

At Wednesdays hearing, Christensen said he was unable to proceed to trial without a lawyer and told Langton that he was doing everything possible to move his situation forward.

Christensen has maintained all along that he has no plans of representing himself at the trial.

In his request in May for a yearlong delay in the trial date, Christensen said he will require three attorneys, three legal assistants, several law clerks, two secretaries and an office manager to prepare his case. In addition, Christensen said hell need medical experts in at least 11 different specialties and an in-house medical law consultant.

Christensen claimed the boutique law firm would cost as much as $1 million in public defense fees and might require a special appropriation by the Montana Legislature.

On Wednesday, Ravalli County Deputy Attorney Thorin Geist told Langton that he had offered Christensen a plea agreement, but there had been no response.

After Christensen read a short statement saying he was unable to proceed without a lawyer, Geist told the judge the agreement was now off the table.

Geist also expressed concern about the fact the confidential plea agreement document had been disseminated to the press. A copy was forwarded earlier this week to the Missoulian newspaper.

Geist learned the agreement had been circulated after a Ravalli Republic reporter inquired about its validity.

Geist said Christensen was the only person who had been emailed a copy.

At Wednesdays hearing, Geist warned Christensen about circulating confidential criminal information, including names of witnesses and other information that he will be presented with at the upcoming pretrial hearing.

Geist told Christensen that he could face additional charges if he disseminated that material.

Christensen denied forwarding the proposed plea agreement to the newspaper.

I cant offer any explanation to that allegation, he said.

Christensen faces a potential sentence of up to 388 life terms, plus 135 years and a fine of up to $20 million if convicted on all charges.

Potential jurors for the trial set to begin on Oct. 20 will be notified soon. The trial is expected to last a month.
Two songs from the first album just came up that had never come up before, Ms. Bayer said. I think when Warner got the catalog, I think people started making claims, people were kind of coming out of the woodwork going, Oh, well now its a major label involved, and we can possibly get more from them than we might have gotten from an independent label like Tommy Boy.

But others, including Paul Huston, the producer known as Prince Paul, who worked closely with the group on its first three albums, say they did their due diligence. Sampling was obviously new, but we were told, Hey, heres some sample-clearance forms  you have to fill these out, Mr. Huston said, adding that Tommy Boy became much more careful after the success of 3 Feet High and Rising. It got to the point where it was like, What is that scratch!?

Image Stakes Is High (1996)

Tom Silverman, the founder of Tommy Boy Records  which also put out albums by Digital Underground and Queen Latifah  said that making the groups catalog available digitally would not be difficult, considering that Warner Music should know the copyright holders who have been receiving royalties for the physical sales of the records.

Mr. Silverman said: Cutting a deal, you would think, to give them more money, shouldnt be that hard, especially if youre fair and logical and say, Let me pay you the same percentage that weve always paid you on physical on digital, too, so you can make that much money. So it doesnt really make a lot of sense that theyve havent even tried.

For De La Soul, Warner Music and the owners of the copyrighted samples, the catalogs absence from digital media can be felt in an absence of income. That money would have come from downloads (the iTunes Music Store opened in 2003); streaming; ringtones (Mr. Silverman points out the groups 1991 single Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey) as a potential ringtone windfall); and deals with television, movies and advertisers.
" " The fiscal cliff describes a series of U.S. tax increases and budget cuts scheduled to kick in during the first weeks of 2013 unless Congress acts to change them. Hemera/ Thinkstock

Americans may have very little to celebrate on New Year's Day 2013. If Congress is unable or unwilling to come to a compromise on scheduled tax increases -- the largest in 40 years -- and painful automatic budget cuts, the nation's economy will be pushed over a "fiscal cliff" in 2013. Before we get into the potentially devastating effects of that cliff, let's explain what the term means and how Americans arrived on the edge of economic free fall.

Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke was the first to use the term fiscal cliff to describe a series of tax increases and budget cuts that are scheduled to kick in during the first weeks of 2013 [source: Montgomery]. If allowed to happen, the nation would almost surely plunge back into recession, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office [source: O'Keefe]. Another colorful term for the apocalyptic economic moment is "taxmageddon."

Advertisement

But why would Congress have passed legislation that would put the U.S. in such a mess? To answer that question, we have to go back to the debt ceiling crisis of 2011. Congress is the one that authorizes the U.S. Treasury to borrow money to pay for federal programs. When the Treasury reaches its borrowing limit, it asks Congress to raise the limit by a few hundred billion dollars, which Congress has done dozens of times [source: The New York Times].

In 2011, however, fiscally conservative tea party Republicans in the House of Representatives refused to pass any legislation that raised the national debt. They were also opposed to any debt-reduction plan that included tax increases. Without the ability to borrow money or raise tax revenue, the Treasury couldn't pay off its other debts, meaning the federal government was poised to default.

Despite months of feverish negotiations, the White House and Congress were deadlocked. In a last-minute fix, the two sides agreed to $2.4 trillion in budget cuts over the next 10 years. Only $900 billion of those cuts would be made immediately. The rest would begin automatically in early January 2013 unless the two sides could negotiate a better deal in the interim [source: The New York Times]. When a nonpartisan congressional "supercommittee" failed to reach a compromise, negotiations were tabled until after the 2012 presidential elections.

As of this writing, there is still no deal to avoid the automatic spending cuts scheduled for 2013. There is also no agreement on whether or not to extend the Bush-era tax cuts past the end of 2012. If no action is taken on these two fronts, there could be grave economic effects. We'll detail the damage on the next page.
It's 6 a.m. and Sophie, my chocolate Lab, is staring at me with her marble eyes, while Ivy Sue, the Great Dane, snoozes. Sophie sees me stir. She yelps, a high-pitched yelp that means "Dad, get your lazy butt up and take me out." Ivy rubs her meaty head against her oversized bed, groans, and slowly begins her day. I shove my partner Karen awake and take the dogs out. Within the hour, my belly is full of coffee. Karen is on her way to work, and I amble upstairs to my writer's garret. My day ends when I say it ends. Sometimes it's 4 p.m., other times earlier. Still other times, like tonight, around 9 p.m. (OK, I didn't work all day, but you get the idea.)

Home has been my only office for more than four years. I've learned a few things by working at home. It is my belief that, on average, I am more productive working from home than I ever was at the office. For one thing, there's no commute (I once traveled three hours a day). I'm not being called into senseless meetings, and no one is trying to sell me Girl Scout cookies. Lunch hours are now lunch 15 minutes. Watercooler gossip is gone. Distractions are nonexistent, unless Sophie and Ivy need to go outside or the cats are clawing one another's eyes out.

Advertisement

I'm not the only person who works this way. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of workers who telecommute has doubled in the past 30 years. In 1980, the percentage of people working from home primarily was 2.3 percent. In 2010, it was 4.2 percent. Census officials found that 10 percent of American workers labor from home at least one day a week. Just as many men work from home as women [source: Fottrell].

What's the reason? For one thing, many more jobs can be done from home. Those working as salespeople, IT workers, and yes, writers and editors are among the top telecommuters [source: San Francisco Chronicle]. That's because technology has made working at home easy. I can write upstairs on the PC or downstairs on the laptop. Broadband, wireless, instant messaging, texting, Skype and a host of other high-tech programs and innovations make a brick-and-mortar office obsolete for many of us. We can attend meetings virtually, converse with bosses and clients, and send files from one corner of the globe to the other [source: Kensing]. I don't even have to leave the house to send packages. Delivery and pickup is a computer mouse click away.

Many companies understand the positive benefits of allowing workers to telecommute. In fact, 90 percent of Cisco employees work from home, as do 81 percent of Accenture workers and 80 percent of Intel employees [source: CNN Money]. In all three instances, those employees were allowed to telecommute at least 20 percent of the time.

Smart Workers According to a 2009 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics study, 64.2 percent of those who telecommute are self-employed; 38.9 percent hold more than one job; and 14 percent are better educated than most workers [source: Kensing].
Police reports

CRAWLING SNAKES

Brendon Heim, 25, of Butte was arrested for disorderly conduct on the 1200 block of Kaw Avenue about 3 a.m. Wednesday. He stood on the railroad tracks and screamed obscenities. Police say he thought snakes were crawling on him. He admitted using methamphetamine and hadnt slept in days.

THEFTS

A 20-foot flatbed trailer parked behind the fire training center on the 1900 block of South Franklin Street went missing between Saturday and Tuesday. The trailer and scrap metal were valued at $2,000.

Tools valued at $1,000 were taken from a garage on the 2100 block of Pine Street between 10:30 p.m. Monday and 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. There was no sign of forced entry.

TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS

Robbie Kennedy, 33, of Butte was stopped Tuesday by police in the area of Montana and Iron streets for misdemeanor traffic violations. He was booked for driving a motorcycle with a suspended or revoked license, failure to have headlights and no license plates.

DRUNK MAN

Mark Altrichter, 54, of Butte was walking in the middle of the 3900 block of Harrison Avenue about noon Tuesday. A witness said he threw a beer can at a moving vehicle, but didn't damage it. Police say he was intoxicated and barely able to talk. He was arrested for disorderly conduct.

SHOPLIFTING

Kari OConnell, 30, of Butte was arrested for allegedly shoplifting cosmetics and electronics valued at $100 from Walmart on Tuesday. She was seen by store security placing the items in a purse belonging to a female companion, placing the purse under her sweatshirt and fleeing the store.

Police caught the suspect shortly about 7 p.m. They are seeking her accomplice seen on video surveillance.

JOYRIDE

David Brault, 49, and Christian Cross, 45, both of Spokane, were each arrested Tuesday on out of jurisdiction warrants after police received a report of an intoxicated driver in a yellow truck. A man was seen falling out of the rig bed and jumping in the pickup.

When the suspects were stopped in the area of Gladstone and Cornell, the man was gone. Brault, who police say was not intoxicated, was also booked on driving with a suspended or revoked license and no liability insurance in effect.

NURSE STRUCK

Paul Batterman, 70, allegedly hit a nurse shortly before 6 a.m. at Genesis HealthCare, 2400 Continental Drive. Police say he also broke a window in the sitting area. The Butte man pleaded not guilty to disorderly conduct and criminal mischief, both misdemeanors, in city court Wednesday.

STORAGE BREAK-IN

Cassandra Dutra, 29, of Butte was taken into police custody early Wednesday after she allegedly broke into a Sentry Storage unit, 3947 Paxson Ave. Police say she and a man were standing adjacent to the open unit.

Dutra refused to allow a search of her red Chevy Monte Carlo. A warrant is sought by police. She was arrested for felony burglary.
A U.S. Forest Service decision on nearly 5,000 acres in the Flint Foothills, 6 miles southeast of Drummond, is expected to create 208 jobs and $8.9 million in labor income over the life of the project.

Of the nearly 5,000 acres in the Pintler Ranger District in Powell and Granite counties, 1,086 will be harvested for timber.

Our main goal is to manage the land for timber production, Pintler District Ranger Charlene Bucha said Tuesday.

According to a record of decision released Aug. 4, a prescribed burn will take place on 1,644 acres. The Forest Service will thin 858 acres to reduce the density of the trees; 1,195 acres will be salvaged for dead and dying lodgepole pine, which will be harvested.

Bucha said the work will reduce fuel loading, but declined to say that the work would help prevent forest fires.

Work is expected to start sometime in 2017, and in order to get it done, the Forest Service anticipates building 1-1/3 miles of new road and putting in a little more than seven miles worth of temporary road.

Almost 4 miles of both open and closed unauthorized routes will become haul routes, which the Forest Service will decommission once the project ends. Another 1 miles of open and closed unauthorized routes will be opened to the public.

Bucha said the Forest Service looked at about 45,000 acres total to decide where to place the activities.

We look where its most productive to apply those treatments and be compliant with laws and policies of the forest plan, Bucha said.

The Forest Service put the plan through a process that included scoping, an analysis of environmental impacts and a public comment period. The early stages of the process began in June 2011 and the final decision was made last week.

During the public comment period, the Forest Service received two objection letters, one from the Alliance for the Wild Rockies and the other from Native Ecosystems Council. Alliance for the Wild Rockies and Native Ecosystems Council are two of the most frequent litigators of the Forest Service in the country.

According to a 2010 U.S. Government Accountability Office report, from 2006 to 2008 Alliance for the Wild Rockies filed nine lawsuits against the Forest Service and Native Ecosystems Council filed seven. Those were more than any other environmental group or individual within those two years.

The two groups objected in 2015 to the Flint Foothills project due to concerns over habitat for bull trout, Canadian lynx, grizzly bears and snowshoe hares.

Bull trout inhabit streams west of the Continental Divide. Fish biologists consider them at a moderate risk of extinction in 65 percent of their Montana range and at high risk in 33 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service website.

Canadian lynx and grizzly bears are listed as threatened species. The snowshoe hare population is in decline, according to the U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service website.

Michael Garrity, of the Alliance for the Wild Rockies, said Tuesday he doesn't think the timber sale will help prevent a catastrophic fire by taking out some of the beetle-killed trees.

If anything, logging isnt going to reduce fire danger. But itll mean building more roads, which will put more sediment into the streams, hurt fish, spread weeds, harm wildlife and cost taxpayers money.

He added that the Forest Service document that explains the environmental impacts, produced in 2015, states that the agency will lose money on the project.

Bucha said she is not an economic expert and could not comment on that.

The environmental document estimates the project will cost about $2.3 million but also says it will result in 128 direct and 208 total part- and full-time jobs and $8.9 million in total labor income over the life of the project.
A son, brother, uncle, and friend, Sergeant Kevin Michael Smith died unexpectedly on Aug. 4, 2016, in Miles City, Montana. He was 25 years old.

The youngest of Margaret Compton and Perry Smiths four children, Kevin was born in Carson City, Nevada, on Dec. 10, 1990. From the get-go, Kevin had an infectious smile that lit up a room, a warmth about him that always left you feeling loved, and a laugh that could ease even the toughest of moments. He grew up in Butte and attended Kennedy Elementary and East Middle School and graduated from Butte High in 2009.

Kevin joined the Montana Army National Guard in June 2008 as part of the 631st Chemical Company. In July of 2011, he joined the 260th Engineer Support Company and deployed to Afghanistan with them from June 2012 to March 2013. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the NATO Medal, the Meritorious Unit Citation, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Drivers Mechanic Badge-Operator, the Armed Forces Reserve Military Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Combat Action Badge, and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal. His state awards include the Montana National Guard Attendance Ribbon and the Montana National Guard Noble Eagle Ribbon.

After his deployment, Kevin continued to work toward his dreams, often keeping two jobs at a time, while also spending one weekend a month with the Army National Guard. No matter how busy he was, he always found time to be there for anyone that needed him. He was the most selfless person you would meet, always checking in to see how you were doing or offering a lending hand.

He attended Montana Tech with long-term dreams of becoming a veterinarian. Kevin had a love for animals, especially his dog Marlow. She was the light of his life, his welcome-home gift, and a source of constant comfort and joy.

Kevin was always the life of the party, making everything funny in his own way. Buffalo Wild Wings was his favorite hangout; his name was at the top of the jukebox list. He was always up for a good time and always had a Corona to share. He leaves behind many friends locally and afar as well as many military comrades that grew close to him over the years.

Above all, Kevin had a passion and never-ending love for his nieces. They were his pride and joy, a source of happiness and love, and always greeted him with hugs, smiles, and laughter. He was very close with his siblings, Tori, Jess, and Bryan. Whenever they were all together, there was nothing short of a good time and laughter to the point of tears.

Kevins passing came light-years too soon and leaves a void in the heart of every person fortunate enough to know him. He is survived by his parents, Perry Smith and Margaret Compton; siblings, Victoria Kocher, Jessica Smith, and Bryan Smith; brother-in-law, Matthew Kocher; sister-in-law, Shonnie Smith; grandmother, Audrey Weil; nieces, Kiley, Leah, Allie, Kaitlyn, and Gabby; nephew, Donovan; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, fellow soldiers, and friends as well as his beloved dog Marlow.

Kevin was preceded by his grandparents, Betty Fiedler, Larry Fiedler Sr., Rev. MS Compton Jr., and Jack Smith, and uncle, Richard Smith.

Services will take place Wednesday, Aug. 10, at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort Convention Center. Public viewing will begin at 10 a.m. with a funeral service at 11 a.m. followed by a graveside service with full military honors. A celebration of his life will directly follow at the Fairmont Resort gazebo. Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home is managing funeral arrangements.

Please feel free to wear your favorite tie in honor of Kevins notorious love for ties.

Should friends desire, memorial contributions can be sent to US Bank of Helena under Kevins name.

Express condolences at www.mtstandard.com.
Hell Creek State Park is not closing, nor did the Park Board vote to close it. It is a nice park, 26 miles north of Jordan, with 71 camp sites and a very good access to Fort Peck Lake.

The Park Board wants to keep Hell Creek State Park open and make it accessible for everyone to continue to enjoy. But as so often happens, no one wants to pay for it. The large increase in visitation has pushed the capability of the park to the limits. To continue we need some $4.5 million  almost half of our annual budget. And it is not even one of our most significant parks or our most significant needs.

Visitation throughout all 55 state parks has increased over the last five years by 32 percent, yet we have to provide the best services we can for the same budget we had five years ago. It is the smallest budget of any park system of the seven states in the Rocky Mountain West, except North Dakota and they only have 13 Parks to our 55. We are able to provide only 68 percent of the staffing provided by our peer states in the Rocky Mountain West and we have more parks.

Right now Hell Creek needs $1 million to put in a water system, $286,000 to put in a sewer system, and over $1.2 million to upgrade the electrical system. The staff has identified $1.48 million of high priority needs that must be met just to keep us going because of the health and safety concerns. We cant expand the 71 camping sites until we put in a new water and sewer system. User fees normally only pay for about 29 percent of the costs of upkeep and maintenance. So where do we get the money?

Worse, if we had any money, it would have to go to Bannack State Park ($1.5 million) to put in a better fire system  we cant let the best ghost town in America burn up  or to Lewis & Clark Caverns ($1.75 million) whose electrical system was installed in the 1930s by the CCC boys and is in danger of causing harm if it is not updated, or to Makoshika, which needs $1.3 million to provide water to its only campground. The first two of these three projects were in the Governors long-range building program which was defeated by the last session of the Legislature by one vote.

Currently Hell Creek is owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and leased to the state to use as a park. The Park Board did notify the Army Corps of Engineers that when the existing lease comes up five years from now in 2021, we may not be able to renew it unless we can find some more money to run it. We had hoped that our landlord, the Army Corps of Engineers, might help us out a little with some money for the infrastructure; doing so would greatly improve their land. So far, the answer has been no.

We certainly hope we can find a solution. We have five years to do so. But if we cant get any help from the Legislature or the Army Corps of Engineers or the local community, we may not be able to renew the lease. The Army Corps then will undoubtedly do as they have done in other cases, either contract it out to a concessionaire or run it themselves. I doubt if it will ever close. With 30,000 to 35,000 visitors a year, it is too popular and too important for that.

The one group that can help us the most is the Montana Legislature, which is now controlled by Republicans. If state Senator John Brenden would allow $4.5 million for the water, sewer, electrical, and other upgrades at Hell Creek in his infrastructure bill and if Senator Brenden can persuade his Republican colleagues to support it, we will be just fine. Or if Senator Brenden can persuade his colleagues to support a larger budget for the Parks Division, that would be the best way to make sure the state has the money to keep Hell Creek as a State Park when the lease terminates in 2021. The ball is in his court and there is no reason for him to criticize the governor.

If Senator Brenden, who has been critical of the Park Board and the Governor on this issue recently, is really concerned about Hell Creek as a State Park, I invite him to help us in the Legislature. He is in an excellent position to do so.

-- Tom Towe, Billings, is chairman of the Montana Parks and Recreation Board and former state legislator.
MISSOULA  A 26-year-old Lolo man was killed late Monday night when he walked onto Interstate 90 near Clinton and was struck by a truck.

The Montana Highway Patrol reports that alcohol is suspected as a factor, but the road was also wet from a recent rainstorm.

The crash was reported at 10:08 last night at mile marker 123.7. A Chevy Silverado in the right westbound lane struck a pedestrian when the man walked onto the interstate from the median, according to the Highway Patrol. The pedestrian, whose name was not immediately released, died at the scene, the Highway Patrol said.

The 72-year-old driver and his 66-year-old female passenger were wearing seat belts and have not been charged with a crime. They were unhurt.

It is the 116th roadway fatality in Montana investigated by the Montana Highway Patrol this year.
BILLINGS  The sponsor of a ballot measure to repeal the state medical marijuana program said that counties failed to verify valid signatures and lost thousands of others.

The Montana Secretary of State's Office has completed its count of ballot initiative signatures, leaving Safe Montanas I-176 still short of the minimum needed to get before voters. A tally released on Aug. 2 put I-176 at 20,038 verified signatures  short of the 24,175 necessary.

I-176 would repeal the Montana Marijuana Act and defer to the federal scheduling of the substance as a Schedule I drug. About 13,000 people in the state currently get medical marijuana under the act.

For weeks, Safe Montana has been internally reviewing about 8,000 signatures that were rejected from its statewide campaign thats been active since the fall.

Were finding that a third of those are incorrect, Zabawa said on Monday. They just kind of pushed through them or didnt take care in finding the registered voter.

Office spokeswoman Emily Dean said on Monday that there are no remaining signatures to be tabulated.

Zabawa said that county election officials failed to match more than 2,000 signatures with registered voters. Most of this happened in Yellowstone and Flathead counties, he said.

Yellowstone County Election Administrator Bret Rutherford said that the records show nearly 70 percent of rejected I-176 signatures were due to unregistered voters.

Rutherford said that its common for signatures to be rejected if theyre not legible and unable to be matched with a registered voter, but not on the scale the Zabawa alleged.

I find that highly unlikely that theres going to be thousands and thousands of people missed, Rutherford said.

Of the rejected I-176 signatures statewide, 66.9 percent were not registered voters, he said. There were 811 people who signed it twice.

Rutherford said that the rate of rejection for ballot initiatives this year was typical-- 28 percent for I-176.

In addition to the audit, Zabawa said that another 2,000 signatures were lost in Flathead County. He said it amounted to two months of petition work.

We turned them in, and we didnt get any credit on any of them, he said.

Flathead County Election Administrator Debbie Pierson did not return a call for comment. Recording Manager Monica Eisenzimer said that the alleged lost petitions were not turned into that office.

Zabawa said that he is in the process of asking the courts to step in at Flathead County.

A competing initiative, I-182, qualified in July for the fall ballot with more than 27,000 signatures. The measure would remove new restrictions on the medical marijuana program, including a limit of three patients per provider and a review of doctors who recommend more than 25 patients.

The restrictions also allow for unannounced police searches of medical marijuana provider facilities. These provisions go into effect on Aug. 31, putting some medical marijuana businesses on hold as they wait for the November vote.

I-182 is backed by the Montana Cannabis Industry Association, which is supported by providers across the state. The rejection rate for I-182 signatures was higher than that of I-176  33 percent  but the net figure still made the cut.

Zabawa sponsored a similar measure in 2014 that failed to collect enough signatures for the ballot. He started his campaign earlier in this election cycle and has spent more than $92,000 on the effort.

In July, he said that Safe Montana had collected more than 30,000 signatures.

He said on Monday that the ballots should be handled more carefully and that his signees were treated like second-class citizens.

He added that the people who signed the I-182 petition in favor of medical marijuana were not the same as those who signed Safe Montanas I-176.

Theyre not stoned, and theyre pretty good people, Zabawa said. Theyre more accurate with their information than the other initiatives were.

He said he hopes to resubmit the internally audited signatures before Aug. 25.
HELENA  Prayer, not politics, topped the agenda at Montanas Capitol on Tuesday, where evangelist Franklin Graham held a rally meant to encourage Christians to live out their faith at home, in public and at the ballot box.

An estimated 2,700 churchgoers, state workers and other curious onlookers packed almost every patch of the Capitols north lawn, snarling traffic on their way to hear a roughly 45-minute speech from Graham, the eldest son of the televangelist Rev. Billy Graham.

Three event-branded tour buses parked in front of the Capitol provided the backdrop for the 33rd stop on Grahams nationwide Decision America Tour, one of 50 planned in state capitals around the country.

The rally didnt feature any stump speeches or election endorsements, nor candidate appearances of any type.

Instead, Graham called on attendees to put their faith in God to help solve the countrys problems.

That's not to say the event was short on politics. Even the country band that served as Grahams opening act managed to mix a few muscular lyrical threats aimed at ISIS in among the praise music.

Graham himself endorsed no candidate for any office, referring to both major party presidential nominees, Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, as flawed people.

But Graham did encourage rally attendees to give special consideration to some of Trumps favorite campaign topics, including efforts to bolster national security and put a stop political correctness.

The word progressive, he said, is just a code word for atheist.

You need to stand up and you need to be in their face, Graham said as he implored rally attendees to run for office and become more engaged in public life. I'm sorry but you just need to be in their face."

You can be a community organizer for God, he added in one of the speeches louder applause lines -- an apparent reference to President Barack Obamas past work as a community organizer in Chicago.

The message  putting prayer ahead of political allegiances  resonated with Betty Dutton, who made a nearly two-hour trek from Twin Bridges to hear Graham speak.

If you have faith in God, he can do anything, Dutton said. The Bible says if you pray to him, he will restore.

But you cant just pray. You have to pray for the answers about who to vote for, and you have to do the research on who is most aligned with what the Bible says.

The event didn't seem to sit nearly as well with Laurel Hesse, a Montana Democratic Party staffer who donned a Planned Parenthood button on her lapel.

It made me sad that I felt like I couldnt hold someones hand during prayer, she said. Someone next to me offered their hand, then took one look at my pin and took it away.

Moments earlier, whispers about lesbianism, sodomy and abortion could be overheard as Graham encouraged attendees to confess aloud the sins of our nation.

A hand-drawn sign Hesse held aloft during that prayer suggested a few parenthetical additions to the blurb used to promote Tuesdays event on Grahams website: Practice your faith (love, respect, compassion) at home, in public and at the ballot box.

The Decision America tour is scheduled to stop Wednesday in Boise, Idaho, and finish the week in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

For more information, visit decisionamericatour.com.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  A man wanted by Muscatine Police for allegedly threatening another person with a gun is in custody.

Robert Owen Knapp III, 24, Muscatine, was arrested in the 200 block of West Mississippi Drive about 2:50 p.m. Wednesday. Knapp was wanted on a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon.

At approximately 1:23 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9, Muscatine Police responded to the area near 510 W. Fourth St. following a report of a subject pointing a gun at another person.

Upon arrival, authorities discovered the alleged offender had left the scene. There were no injuries or property damage was reported.

No further details about Knapp's apprehension are available at this time.
MUSCATINE, Iowa A bachelor party inspired a Muscatine native to organize the River Rat Rumble, a hot rod car cruise along the Mississippi River.

Travis McConnaha, owner of Keep the B**** Floored, a hot rod gear and apparel company, said after cruising during his cousin's bachelor party last year, he wanted to do it again.

McConnaha had planned to host a car show but decided a "car cruise" was the way to go.

"I wanted a fun thing to do and I wanted it to be something that was low pressure, mainly about getting together with people and hot-roders and things like that," he said.

All are invited to join the hot rod cruise, which will gather at the Muscatine riverfront at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, and leave to cruise around 2 p.m. The entry fee is $10, and the event will include door prizes and giveaways.

McConnaha is hoping for a good crowd.

"I think the local community and support, its pretty large. I would love to see between 50 and 100 cars, thats a huge success for me," he said.

The cruise will begin at the Muscatine riverfront, head towards Davenport on Highway 22, cross over into Illinois, and return to Muscatine on Highway 92.

"I think itll be fun. I think that itll be something neat to watch," McConnaha said.

Fifty percent of the proceeds will be donated to Parent Group Muscatine, and local businesses have donated prizes and coupons for the giveaways. And McConnaha's company, KTBF, which is presenting the event, will be donating prizes as well.

While McConnaha said he would like the event to remain hot rod oriented, the rules for participation will not be strict, it will be open to bikes and hot rods.

"If someone hasnt seen a hot rod cruise before its something to experience, thats the coolest thing," he said.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  Friends of Pine Creek Grist Mill will host the Ken Hyman Memorial Wildcat Den State Park 5K Trail Run/Walk. It will be held at 8 a.m. Saturday Sept. 10.

The course is a 5K route beginning and ending in the upper picnic area. Most of the course is off-road following marked trails through the parks scenic natural areas. Wildcat Den State Park is located 1 mile north of Iowa Highway 22 and is half way between Muscatine and Davenport.

Sponsored by Friends of Pine Creek Grist Mill and Wildcat Den State Park. All proceeds go to Pine Creek Grist Mill. Any questions should be directed to Tom Hanifan, 563-263-4818 or by email to tomhanifan@yahoo.com.

The entry fee is $20 through Sept. 7. Late entries are $22 per person.

Entry forms can be found at the mill, the Muscatine YMCA, Running Wild in Davenport, the Cornbelt Running Club Web site, and the Muscatine Running Club Web site. Participants can also register online at http://getmeregistered.com/WildcatRun
MUSCATINE, Iowa  The Muscatine County Democratic Central Committee will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16 at the campaign office, which is located at Lincoln Center, 810 Park Ave. in Muscatine.
WILTON, Iowa  The Friends of the Wilton Public Library annual fundraiser will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1.

This year the Friends will be hosting a trivia night with a silent auction. The cost is $80 a table maximum or $10 a person. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. to allow visitors time to peruse the auction items.

The Friends only host one fundraiser a year and this is a great way to show your support for the Wilton Public Library, according to organizers.

Interested participants should call 563-732-2583 by Sept. 1 to reserve a table.
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 []
Your digital subscription includes access to all content on our agricultural websites across the nation. Access unlimited content and the digital versions of our print editions - This Week's Paper.
The latest MyBroadband speed test results show that RSAWEB had the fastest average ADSL speed over the past month, while Cybersmart had the highest average VDSL speed.

MyBroadbands speed test servers make use of Ooklas platform and are hosted in Teracos vendor-neutral data centres in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Through NAPAfrica, all network operators at its peering points are provided with a free 1Gbps connection to the MyBroadband speed test platform.

MyBroadband filters speed tests based on network information from Internet service providers to ensure accurate results which reflect real-world conditions.

The tables below show the highest average ADSL and VDSL speeds by ISP.

Top ADSL ISPs Rank ISP Service Download Speed Upload Speed 1 RSAWEB ADSL 7.3 Mbps 0.73 Mbps 2 XDSL ADSL 4.66 Mbps 0.58 Mbps 3 Internet Solutions ADSL 3.9 Mbps 0.52 Mbps 4 Axxess ADSL 3.78 Mbps 0.51 Mbps 5 Afrihost ADSL 3.63 Mbps 0.52 Mbps

Top VDSL ISPs Rank ISP Service Download Speed Upload Speed 1 Cybersmart VDSL 17.94 Mbps 1.81 Mbps 2 Afrihost VDSL 15.43 Mbps 1.23 Mbps 3 Internet Solutions VDSL 14.76 Mbps 1.69 Mbps 4 Telkom VDSL 11.72 Mbps 1.12 Mbps 5 MWEB VDSL 11.06 Mbps 1.06 Mbps

More on ADSL and VDSL

South Africas ADSL ISPs ranked by customer service levels

ADSL data prices in South Africa: 2002 to 2016

How much money your ISP really makes from an ADSL account
MTN South Africa CEO Mteto Nyati said improving customer satisfaction is at the core of improving the companys reputation.

Over the last year, MTN suffered many setbacks  including a large fine in Nigeria, a falling share price, and network problems.

This damaged the companys reputation among shareholders and customers.

When asked by Business Day TV how the company plans to address its reputation problems, Nyati said customer satisfaction is their main focus.

Ultimately, the key to reputation is how we satisfy you as a customer. And that is why, within South Africa, we put that as our key focus, he said.

Making sure that our network is up there, is a quality network, and is providing the kind of speeds [which people want].

Nyati said their support services are another focus area, and they are working to make sure they are at the right level.

He said they are transforming their call centres and revamping their stores to make sure they address the needs of their customers.

Nyati said they are also addressing corporate governance problems, which led to the fine in Nigeria, by tightening up at group level.

We have appointed three regional vice presidents which will add an additional layer which will help us to drive governance, said Nyati.

More on MTN

This comparison shows how Telkoms new FreeMe contracts smash Vodacom and MTNs

Why a suspended WASP could still use MTNs network
Eskom obtained a court interdict on Tuesday to prevent employees from embarking on a strike.

This comes after the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said its members at Eskom will embark on a full-blown strike in all nine provinces of South Africa on Wednesday.

According to NUM national spokesperson Livhuwani Mammburu, the power utility obtained an interdict against the wage strike by members, which started on Monday. NUM is currently communicating with the shop steward council on the issue, he said.

The union is set to meet with Eskom at 10:00. NUM called an urgent national shop steward council meeting on Tuesday to discuss Eskoms decision to reconsider its 7% offer, Paris Mashego, NUM Eskom energy sector coordinator, told Fin24.

After the meeting, members revised down their demand of a 12% wage increase to 10% for the lowest paid workers and 8.5% for the highest paid workers, said Mammburu. The housing allowance has also been revised down from R5 000 to R3 000.

Fin24

More on Eskom

Eskom workers go on strike

More renewable energy will make electricity more expensive: Eskom CEO
Sony is set to reveal its upgraded PlayStation 4 console  codenamed Neo  on 7 September, according to a report from French gaming website Gameblog.

Additionally, various sources at Vice have confirmed that the new console will be unveiled in September.

According to leaked specifications of the next-generation device, the PlayStation Neo will be at least twice as powerful as the current PlayStation 4, and will be able to easily reach 60FPS at 1080p in modern games.

All PlayStation 4 games will be compatible with the new device and vice versa, with the PlayStation Neo becoming a sort of PlayStation 4.5, despite featuring hardware far more powerful than the original console.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Sony stated that the Neo is intended to sit alongside and complement the original PlayStation 4.

More gaming news

This crazy mod lets you play Pokemon GO in GTA V

No Mans Sky players meet in the same spot, but cant see each other

This is what designers and programmers actually earn in South Africa
Advertise Here

Be seen advertise here. Contact us.


To make vegetables more appealing, parents of picky eaters may want to take home the Maple Ginger Dressing from Napas newest takeout kitchen, Nappalachia by La Saison.

I tell parents that this dressing would get any child to eat any kind of vegetable imaginable, co-owner Natalie Niksa said.

Niksa and her husband, Jonathan, will officially open Nappalachia (pronounced Napa-lay-chia) on California Boulevard, south of Third Street, on Aug. 19.

Nappalachia offers food-to-go only and features a menu of snacks, pastries, salads and other foods perfect for people on the go.

Natalie Niksa said the name Nappalachia doesnt refer to Appalachian food but is instead an homage to the fact that she and her husband met on the East Coast before moving together to the Napa Valley.

The Niksas are also the co-founders of La Saison, a specialty food and custom events company.

We believe that food creates community, Niksa said.

La Saison has allowed for us to be really creative as culinary professionals who travel to you. Nappalachia allows for us to welcome our Napa community into our home, our kitchen.

Niksa was a second-grader growing up on the East Coast when a new family moved to her hometown from the Napa Valley. The description of Napa sounded wonderful to Niksa and, as she puts it, a seed was planted.

When she was 18, she and a friend flew to the Bay Area for New Years Eve and decided to drive north.

We literally played like children with a video recorder throughout the town of Yountville  including at The French Laundry! Niksa said.

In addition to Nappalachias Maple Ginger Dressing (one of Niksas personal favorites), their menu features such items as cashew bars ($3), a seasonal fruit turnover ($4), and potato bacon pierogis (eight pierogis for $12).

Pre-orders will be available in early 2017 and will be geared toward those who want to pick up hors doeuvres and desserts for entertaining at home.

Currently, Nappalachia will be weekends only, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

For Jonathan Niksa, one of his favorite menu items is their falafel sandwich with hot sauce.

Jons hot sauce is addicting, Natalie Niksa said. The peppers we use take 180 days to ripen!

Although certain staple items will be available all year long, Nappalachias menu will change regularly to reflect the changing seasons.

We do this to create food memories, which are wonderful and incredibly powerful, Niksa said.

It is always the best compliment anyone could give to me: that food I have created reminds them of a memory.

While many people are accustomed to having any type of food available throughout the year, Niksa believes eating seasonally creates greater appreciation.

Missing something and waiting for its season to arrive again brings a sort of joy and excitement. I always bring it back to feeling like a child, she said.

Its healthy not to always be able to reach for what you want. It tastes so magical when the time comes for you to have it again.

All of the menu items, Niksa said, were developed over the years by she and Jonathan. The couple will have a hands-on approach to their new business just as they do with La Saison.

Nappalachia is like having a child, Niksa said. We will both continue to lead our team and develop exciting foods to share with our neighbors.
Calistoga Police are cautioning residents to be aware of a scam where the victims typically receive a call from 911 regarding their immigration status or an unpaid warrant.

This is not a new scam, but Calistoga Police have received three reports of such calls recently. If you receive a call from 911, call back the business line of your local law enforcement agency to ensure it was a legitimate call.

Police said people will generally receive a call from 911 only if they have placed a call just prior to that.

In this scam, the victim receives a call from 911 or some other number asserting that the victims Alien Registration Number is out of status and that the caller is from the Department of Homeland Security or United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Office. Some callers assert that the victim owes money for a warrant, police said in their alert.

If the intended victim says they will hang up on the caller, they are threatened that police will go to their home to arrest them. After much conversation, the caller tells the victim that the situation can be taken care of by sending money via Western Union or by obtaining money from their bank and buying prepaid money cards, such as MoneyPAK or Green Dot from a gas station or drug store. The victim is asked to scratch the number behind the card and read it to the scammer.

Any notice from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Office would be sent by mail, and USCIS personnel will never ask someone for any form of payment or personal information over the phone, police said. Nor would they carry on a lengthy conversation.

Scammers are using a technique called Caller ID spoofing to display a misleading or inaccurate phone number in a recipients caller ID. The scammer poses as a USCIS official and requests personal information (such as Social Security number, passport number, or A-number), identifies supposed issues in the recipients immigration records, and asks for payment to correct these records. The scammers may also already possess the personal information of those they target, according to a USCIS website.

If you receive a call like that, USCIS urges you to hang up immediately and report it to the Federal Trade Commission at FTCComplaintAssistant.gov.

If you have a question about your immigration record, call the National Customer Service Center at 800-375-5283, or make an InfoPass appointment by visiting the USCIS website at InfoPass.uscis.gov.
More than three years after its nurses voted to join the California Nurses Association, Queen of the Valley Medical Center and its RNs have reached a tentative agreement on a three-year contract.

The agreement is now subject to a ratification vote by nurses and the details of the vote will be provided to you by the union, said a statement from Vanessa de Gier, area director of communications and marketing for Queen of the Valley Medical Center, who said she was speaking for Queen CEO Walt Mickens.

We have reached a tentative agreement that meets and exceeds community standards, said Desi Murray, assistant director of collective bargaining with the CNA. This first contract is a big victory for Queen of the Valley nurses and will help with improved patient care and RN recruitment and retention.

Were very pleased, said longtime Queen nurse Mary Lou Bahn. She said that negotiators for the CNA and the Queen spent almost all weekend coming to the tentative agreement.

It was a hardworking group, she said. We hope the membership will ratify the contract, which is for a three-year term, she said.

Bahn said she could not reveal the specifics of the contract yet, but its a competitive package.

The CNA also informed the hospital that a previously planned strike will not take place Aug. 18.

We greatly appreciate the hard work and dedication of the bargaining teams throughout this process and look forward to the ratification vote, wrote de Gier. We hope you agree that this tentative agreement is something you can be proud of and support and that you vote yes.

In April 2013, the Queens nurses voted to join the California Nurses Association union. However, an agreement about a contract, including pay, benefits and other issues, could not be reached.

Queen nurses held a one-day strike in 2014 to protest the stalled talks. In 2015 they picketed outside the hospital.

In July, St. Joseph Health, the parent company of the Queen, formed a new organization with Providence Health to become Providence St. Joseph Health.

If the Queens CNA members agree, the new contract could be ratified as soon as next Tuesday, said Bahn.

Three years later, there are no bad feelings, assured Bahn.

At the end of the meeting this past weekend, everyone shook hands and there were hugs. We even hugged the mediator.
At least one resident walked out of a downtown neighborhood meeting to discuss homelessness on Tuesday, frustrated by what other residents called abandonment by the city.

When it comes to the homeless issue in Old Town, there are a lot of mixed emotions. Residents want people to be helped, but they dont want criminal s in their neighborhood.

Im distraught and I feel abandoned, said one resident as she described a homeless man entering her home and refusing to leave. She said that residents in the neighborhood have had packages stolen from the porches and people defecating on their property as well as people hanging out on their steps and in yards.

Although residents voiced appreciation for the efforts of the Napa Police, they said that its not enough and that the Hope Resource Center, which is housed in the old community room of the United Methodist Church on Fourth Street, needs to be relocated.

The Hope Resource Center is a downtown drop-in facility with showers, restrooms, phones and other services for the homeless during the day.

City Housing Division Manager Lark Ferrell and Mitch Wippern, Napa County Health and Human Services deputy director of operations, began to discuss a recent study along with recommendations by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, but thats not what people wanted to hear about. Instead they wanted to know where people would be housed, if that housing would be sustainable and when could they expect the Hope Resource Center to be relocated.

Ferrell said that the city will be using a housing first model, which would make it easier for people to get into shelters and housing. One of the ways to do this would be to have the South Napa Shelter open 24 hours and eliminate barriers keeping people out, such as if they have had a drink or two of alcohol, she said.

The focus needs to be on housing, she said, not just providing daycare.

Eve Howard, a five-year resident of the neighborhood, asked that relocating the Hope center be a priority, along with making the system changes recommended in the study. Can we make sure thats on the docket to be a serious consideration?

Nancy Weiss, assistant city manager, said that the primary focus has to be on getting the system changes in place and letting them work before relocation can happen. Switching gears and trying to find a place to relocate the center would divert efforts to get people housed and supported, she said.

It will be 18 to 24 months before center relocation can be considered, she said.

You have to begin to address this, Nancy, said resident Elizabeth McKinne. You cant keep diverting.

Although she supported the original location of the Hope Resource Center, McKinne said that it hasnt fulfilled its goals and that it isnt working for the community.

You know the way we feel, said resident Lowell Downey. The Hope Resource Center has changed, so why not change the location? he asked. The centers location was supposed to be a temporary solution, he said, and it shouldnt be placed in the neighborhood.

We have been through this time and time again, Downey said, referring to prior meetings when the issue of relocating the center has been brought up. It was most recently discussed during a community meeting last November. Enough is enough, Downey said.

Were not taking it off the table, said Weiss, but the center wont be relocated when the lease is up on June 30, 2017.

Moving the Hope Center is not going to necessarily solve the problems in the neighborhood, she said. The Hope Center is one piece and its a very important piece to all of you and we get that.

We just want to be told that we as a community have value, said McKinne. Lets find a way to serve the homeless  and at the same time, lets take care of a community that, basically, weve sort of been abandoned.

Im just asking, dont put it off for a year, pleaded resident Howard.

Weiss agreed to send concerned residents email updates on the issue, but acknowledged that there are many pieces to the problem and that she couldnt guarantee that relocating the center would be a priority.
MIDDLETOWN -- The cause of last Septembers historic Valley Fire, the third-most destructive wildfire in Californias history, was a faulty electrical connection for a hot tub, Cal Fire announced Wednesday afternoon.

The connection arced and ignited surrounding dry grass on High Valley Road on Cobb Mountain, creating a wildfire that killed four people, burned 76,000 acres, destroyed 1,955 structures and cost nearly $57 million to extinguish, Cal Fire reported.

Cal Fire will be submitting its 500-page investigative report to Lake County District Attorney Don Anderson who will determine if any criminal or civil charges will be filed, officials said.

A full copy of the report is available at: calfire.ca.gov/fire_protection/fire_protection_firereports.

The Valley Fire caused $1.2 billion in damage and it was the largest of the three fires that hit Lake County last summer.

Besides the four fatalities, four firefighters were injured during the Valley Fire, which began Sept. 12 at 1:21 p.m. on Cobb Mountain when a vegetation fire was reported behind 8015 High Valley Road, Cobb Mountain.

The homeowner was John Pinch, Cal Fire said.

The circuit was not up to national standards, it was not buried 18 inches deep and it shared a trench with a water line, Cal Fire said.

An electrical engineer determined that the connection was loose in the wire nut and it arced and melted the copper wire. It took a temperature of 1,981 degrees to melt the wire, investigators said.

According to the CalFire press release, there were no other plausible causes for the fire.

Pinch's house was damaged, but did not burn down, Cal Fire said.

The blaze burned 76,000 acres, destroyed 1,955 structures, mostly single-family homes, and at the peak of the fire on Sept. 19, 4,400 firefighters from throughout the nation were fighting the blaze. Especially hard hit was the Anderson Springs neighborhood, where 197 homes were destroyed and only 17 survived.

Additionally, 20,000 people were evacuated, many to the Napa County Fairgrounds. Carlene Moore, CEO of the fairgrounds, estimated it cost the Fair Association some $57,000 in lost revenue to act as an emergency shelter.

The shelter was open for 14 days and served more than 20,000 hot meals to 1,000 evacuees. More than 500 volunteers worked 20,000 hours during those two weeks.
CALISTOGA  A Calistoga employee who was bitten by a police dog received a public apology from Napa County Sheriff John Robertson at a City Council meeting.

Robertson also thanked the Calistoga community for their patience during the four-hour lockdown on July 12. During that event, law enforcement officers were combing the area looking for alleged robbers that John Beebe, the office manager of Optimal Health Center on Washington Street, was bitten by the police dog.

I do also want to apologize, one of our K-9s had an accidental bite. It wasnt the dogs fault, it was the handlers fault, and we are handling that through our claims system and we will make restitution as is needed, Robertson said. I wanted to apologize for that but accidents do happen.

Beebe, who declined to comment on the day of the incident, later said he was outside the office building taking a break, standing in the shade while police were searching for two suspects believed to be involved in an armored car heist in Windsor earlier that day.

A passer-by saw Beebe standing on the side of the building, and from that viewpoint it probably looked like he was hiding, Beebe acknowledged. The person alerted police.

Beebe was unaware of the lockdown status and was standing on the side of the building when the dog came around the building and bit him in his lower right leg.

After determining that Beebe was not a suspect, he said the officers apologized, and were later seen helping him to a chair while the dog was nearby.

Beebe is seeking medical cost reimbursements and said he filled out the necessary paperwork but was told it could take up to 45 days to process.

The suspects, Serge Gutsu, 24, of Antelope, and Ivan Morales, 23, of Lakeport, were arrested, but only after Gutsu allegedly fired shots at Calistoga Police Officer Luis Paniagua, who quickly reacted by striking Gutsu with his patrol car.

Gutsu was arrested at the scene, but Morales fled on foot and a four-hour search involving about 200 law enforcement officers ensued. Morales was discovered hiding in a culvert near where Gutsu was arrested and they had stopped their vehicle.

At the Aug. 2 City Council meeting, Robertson said Paniagua acted heroically and did a fine job.
Thomas Edward Gracia, of Napa, California, passed away of heart complications on August 8, 2016 with family at his side.

Tom, born on August 2, 1949, grew up in Santa Maria, California. In 1970 the Army called him into service and he served honorably for 3 years during the Vietnam War. He graduated from University of Iowa, where he met the love of his life, Roxann Gracia (Miller). They were married on October 1, 1977 and settled in the quiet little town of Napa. Tom began work as a Pharmacist at Family Drug and became the heart and soul of the business for 40 years. He was a caring, old fashioned pharmacist, who knew everyones parents, kids, grandparents, and grandkids and answered the inevitable question: Hey Tom, what do you think about...

Tom was involved in many Pharmacy Associations holding multiple offices, including District Trustee for CPHA, Continuing Education Council, and Academy of Pharmacy Management. Tom served as pharmacist consultant for Napa Valley Hospice, Clinic Ole, and for Partnership Health Plan for many years.

He was past president of the area American Diabetes Association. Although not diabetic, he was instrumental in getting the annual bike-a-thon up and running to raise awareness of diabetes, as he believed it was a disease where he could make a difference.

He dearly loved his family and when his sons joined the Boy Scouts, Tom quickly stepped up to be scout leader, eventually earning the Silver Beaver award for his exemplary leadership. He truly loved the outdoors and camping.

As he aged, he vacationed at Lake Almanor, where he enjoyed fishing, boating, and ATV riding.

Tom was devoted to his faith and attended mass at St. As in Napa. He was past treasurer of the Mens Club and was 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus.

He is survived by his wife, Roxann; sons, David and Joseph; daughter-in-laws, Leslie and Neanna; Grandchildren, Alex and Alyssa; his Mother, Lodene Gracia; Brothers and Sisters, (Dan Gracia, Kathleen Fitch, Annette Neumann, Cynthia Williams, John Gracia, and Paul Gracia); and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Preceded in death was his father, Kenneth Gracia.

Special Thanks to Dr. Sergio Manubens, Staff at Cardiology Consultants, and Dr. David Jue.

Funeral Mass is Saturday, August 13, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. in St. Apollinaris Church with reception following. Rosary will be said Friday at Claffey & Rota Funeral Home at 7 PM. Graveside service reserved for family only, which will include military honors. In lieu of flowers, donate to the charity of your choice.

Memories and notes of sympathy may be shared at claffeyandrota.com
ST. HELENA  Almost a third of the St. Helena High School senior class returned to school a few days early this week to get a head-start on the college admissions process.

The college admissions boot camp, which took place Monday through Wednesday mornings, gave about 30 incoming seniors the skills theyll need to prepare for the next phase of their education.

We want to level the playing field for kids who cant afford a private college counselor, said teacher Paige Rios. We want to give everybody access to that.

The seminar was led by Rios, guidance counselor Terri Linder and library media specialist Susan Swan.

Linder advised students on how to research colleges, keep track of paperwork, set priorities, and fill out the Common Application that more than 700 colleges use.

Swan talked about how application essays should reflect each students unique voice, and encouraged students to avoid the cliched This moment changed my life essays that admissions officers read all the time.

Were trying to get them exposed to each stage of the process, so they have the tools to get through it, Rios said.

The high school prides itself on its high college admissions rate, which was 90 percent for the Class of 2016. Rios runs the AVID program, which is geared toward college-bound students who are the first members of their family to go to college.

In March, the high school teamed up with the St. Helena Public Schools Foundation to bring The New York Times columnist Frank Bruni to the Cameo Cinema to discuss his book about the college admissions process.
City officials have endorsed an effort by Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, to create a commemorative stamp honoring the Depression-era mural at the St. Helena Post Office.

The proposed stamp would commemorate Lew Kellers Grape Pickers, a mural on the south side of the post offices interior, on the left as you enter the building. It would not involve the mural on the north side, which was painted by local artist John Maxon in 2002.

Grape Pickers was installed in 1942, and was one of many public art projects commissioned by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Treasury Departments Section of Fine Arts. From 1935 to 1943, the WPA provided millions of jobs for unemployed American workers, including artists who were hired to enrich public buildings with art.

In a July 8 letter to the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC), Thompson and four other members of Congress proposed a series of stamps commemorating WPA murals in St. Helena; Safford, Arizona; Long Prairie, Minnesota; Waurika, Oklahoma; and Greybull, Wyoming.

Post offices across the country were enlivened by murals showcasing our nations history, culture and values, the letter states. Sadly, many of these murals have decayed, been destroyed, or been painted over. However, many still remain. The five post offices in the cities listed above contain sterling examples of the murals from this important era in our history.

These murals are illustrative of the American spirit, representing men and women overcoming adversity through hard work and ingenuity. We can think of no better way to memorialize this period and the spirit of hard-working Americans than an official commemorative postage stamp.

According to the letter, the same proposal was made in 2000, 2004 and 2010.

Because CSAC receives so many requests and only 25 to 30 subjects are approved each year, it can take years before a decision is made on a commemorative stamp proposal, Thompson wrote in a letter to the St. Helena City Council seeking its support.

The citys own letter calls both post office murals wonderful works of art that members of the community enjoy every day.

The St. Helena Chamber of Commerce has also endorsed Thompsons proposal.

The WPA mural is a precious visual reminder to our citizens of all ages of our rich history, the Chambers letter states. This stamp would honor the time and dedication of the families and individuals who devoted their time and energy to develop the land and agriculture of Northern California. Without them, the Napa Valleys legendary wine industry would not be what it is today.

The Chamber is encouraging people to send letters of support to the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee, 475 LEnfant Plaza SW, Room 3300, Washington, D.C. 20260-3501.
The Olympics are keeping me entertained, the weather has cooled down, and I finished 10 whole books last week (they were short). I have absolutely nothing to complain about at the moment. (But just you wait  Ill think of something.)

***

Napa Police Officer Dustin Dodd will read from his new novel Savage Justice at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, at the St. Helena Public Library. The book, which will be available for purchase and signing, was inspired by events Dodd investigated when he was with the Clovis Police Department. The story is about Officer Daniel Deacon (do those initials seem familiar?), his faithful K-9 partner Justice, and a typical overtime shift that quickly descends into chaos. It sounds like a good read for crime buffs and animal lovers alike.

***

In other literary news, St. Helena poet Eileen R. Tabios is launching a new poetry collection at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Mendocino Public Library in Ukiah. According to a note I got accompanying an advance copy, Amnesia: Somebodys Memoir remixes lines from 26 (!) previous Tabios collections to assert the persistence of memory against loss and erasure. It will be available through Black Radish Books.

***

When the Brazilian TV network Globo went looking for American expats in Rio de Janeiro to talk about the Olympics, they turned to St. Helena native Liana Kelperis Oliveira, a third-grade teacher whos lived in Rio for 12 years. The audio is in Portuguese (a lovely language, by the way), so I havent the foggiest idea what she says, but if you want to see Liana and her family interviewed, Google Americanos participam ativamente da vida dos cariocas.

***

The St. Helena Historical Societys August newsletter included some news that reminded me how lucky we are to live in a small town. The St. Helena Unified School District was looking to donate six unneeded display cabinets. Leslie Stanton put the society in touch with Susan Swan at the high school library. Then the society rounded up some muscle in the form of Larry Smith, the Bartoluccis, John Sales and Ed Salvestrin. Everybody worked together, and now the snazzy lighted cases are sitting in one of the societys storage units. Lets see: display cases, check. Historical artifacts, check. A venue to display them  well, we can all hope.

***

Looking to fill up the last few days of summer vacation? The Napa Valley Museum is holding a Free Family Fun Day at 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. Inspired by the museums Down the Rabbit Hole exhibit, families can create art using square pixel-like sticky notes. In my opinion, sticky notes are the stationery equivalent of duct tape  useful for anything and everything.

***

Connolly Ranch is looking for a full-time administrative and development assistant. If you know someone with good office and organizational skills, tell them to look at the job description at ConnollyRanch.org. The nonprofit is also recruiting volunteers for the following tasks: special events, ranch hands, education volunteers/docents, and weekly animal feeders.

***

School starts Wednesday, Aug. 17, so watch out for all those kiddos crossing the street.
Italian prime minister demands that she be addressed as prime minister in masculine form

Pentagon to send Ukraine new aid package worth $275 million

Europe will ban sale of one type of car

European Commission head announces new aid and investments for Serbia

Biden calls Putin's rhetoric on nuclear weapons 'dangerous'

Lukashenko on Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict: What are you fighting for in these mountains, where not even goats walk?

Swedish authorities offer to create united northern army

Lukashenko: Conflict issue between Armenia and Azerbaijan must be resolved now - with Ilham Aliyev

Lukashenko about situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border: Where are we racing horses, where are we rushing to?

Pashinyan: Armenia-Diaspora relations undergo profound substantive changes

Lukashenko to Pashinyan: Sit down with Aliyev and make a decision, if you don't make it today, it will be worse

Bulgarian interim government urges to speed up transition to euro zone

President of Karabakh: It is necessary to unite all national potential and efforts

IMF: China's sharp and uncharacteristic economic slowdown will stall growth in Asia by the end of 2023

Iran: Riots in country were planned by the intelligence services of the USA, England, Israel and the KSA

Steinmeier: Ukraine war caused 'epochal break' in Germany's relations with Russia

Gas prices in Europe remain high in coming years

Ararat Mirzoyan and Toivo Klaar stress importance of hosting EU civilian mission in Armenia

Armenia's ambassador-at-large: Daily false propaganda can't cover up Azerbaijani war crimes

Taiwan MFA outraged by Putin's speech on his status and Pelosi's visit

Armenia gives no response to peace treaty proposals, Bayramov says

Netanyahu expects return to power after 5th Israeli election in 4 years

Armenian gravestone found in Trabzon, Turkey neighborhood

Pashinyan: CSTO Secretary General's report mainly reflects existing realities

Azerbaijan talks possible deliveries of its gas to international Turkish hub

CSTO leaders to meet in late November: Situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border will be discussed

Dollar, euro continue falling in Armenia

Pelosi's house attacked, her husband injured

Russias Putin to have private talks with Armenias Pashinyan, Azerbaijans Aliyev

Mher Grigoryan: CIS needs a new scientific and technical agreement

Pentagon strategy doesn't rule out use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear threats

French National Assembly plans to pass resolution proposing certain sanctions against Azerbaijan

Mher Grigoryan: There are no other corridors in the trilateral statement other than Lachin's

Konstantin Zatulin: Russia should have made maximum efforts so that there would be no war in Karabakh

The Hill: The American people deserve to know how the war in Ukraine will end

Sochi to host trilateral talks of Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders on October 31

Poland receives first Turkish drones

Hungarian government may extend price limits on fuel and some basic foodstuffs

Armenias Simonyan attends meeting of heads of EEU countries parliaments

Polish general appointed as head of EU mission to train Ukrainian troops

Russia MP: Karabakh status decision is in fact its Armenians safety guarantee

Zatulin: West seeks to push Russia out of negotiation process at any cost

Legislature head proposes to organize, under CIS auspices, return of Armenians detained in Azerbaijan

Iran prevents bomb explosion in Shiraz crowded street

Iraqi parliament expresses vote of confidence in new cabinet

France lawmakers visit Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan

Putin: Moscow is doing everything possible to normalize relations between Yerevan and Baku

Annual shopping festival kicks off in Dubai on December 15

Lazarevsky Club: Minute of silence held in memory of fallen Russian and Armenian soldiers

Bayramov and US Assistant Secretary of State discuss Yerevan-Baku relations

Expansion of cooperation with Interpol is important, Armenia PM says

Armenia defense minister briefs Austria envoy on situation due to recent Azerbaijan military aggression (PHOTOS)

Australia can't rule out energy price caps

Armenia parliament speaker: Use, threat of force undermine processes aimed at establishing peace

Garo Paylan is in Yerevan

Barack Obama tries to help Democrats win midterm elections

Azerbaijan president, Russia first deputy PM discuss North-South transport corridor project

PM Pashinyan receives France-Armenia friendship group delegation from French parliament

Taiwan urges China to start talking

Armen Grigoryan and Toivo Klaar discuss Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiation process

Matviyenko: Russia will continue mediation for signing Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty

Politico: Scholz and Macron threaten U.S. trade retaliation

CIS premiers sign several agreements at Kazakhstan meeting

Konstantin Zatulin: Nagorno-Karabakh peoples right to self-determination must be respected

Armenia legislature head: Policy of threats, coercion is unacceptable to us

U.S. must strengthen its defense against growing threats from both China, Russia

Karabakh ex-President: Necessary to rule out mistakes, miscalculations which will have irreversible consequences

EU reaches agreement to ban new cars with internal combustion engine by 2035

Benny Gantz: Future of Israel and Turkey is promising

EU Special Representative for South Caucasus arrives in Armenia

Lazarevsky Club meeting underway in Yerevan, Moscow

Yellen sees no sign of recession in U.S. economy in near future

Cannes palm trees promenade named after Charles Aznavour

Pashinyan: Armenia agrees to work on basis of main principles proposed by Russia

CIS prime ministers meeting kicks off in Kazakhstan

Newspaper: Karabakh people to make appeal to Armenia authorities

Viking swords embedded in mound 1,200 years ago discovered in Sweden

Residents of Moldova asked not to go out into street in dark

Bloomberg reports fuel shortages in some parts of Europe

British schoolboy writes book that became bestseller

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
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Florida  An Angry Birds backpack spotted on a Florida man walking down a sidewalk early Tuesday morning was the break Volusia County sheriffs investigators needed to make two arrests in the overnight armed robbery of a convenience store in Deltona, Florida.

The robbery, called in just before 4 a.m. at the Kangaroo Express at 2798 Elkcam Boulevard, was captured on video surveillance. A Kangaroo employee told deputies two men came through the front door, pointed guns at him and told him to follow their orders. One handed him a black backpack with a cartoon character on it and allegedly said: You know what I want.

The employee put cash, cigarettes and cigars into the bag, handed it back, and the suspects ran off with it. A woman parked outside the store also witnessed the robbery and gave deputies a similar account.

A review of the surveillance video gave deputies a detailed description of the suspects, including the distinct Angry Birds backpack. Deputies, K-9 units and the Sheriffs Office Air One helicopter searched the area for suspects.

About a half-mile away from the robbery, in front of a Dollar Tree store at 2135 Howland Boulevard, a deputy noticed a man walking down the sidewalk carrying a backpack with a Bomb Bird from the Angry Birds cartoon embroidered on it. It appeared to match the bag in the video. The 18-year-old suspect, Luis Montanez, was also carrying a black handgun.

Deputies say that Montanez confessed to the robbery, and investigators also identified a second suspect, 18-year-old Devyn Omar Rivera, who was taken into custody later on Tuesday. Investigators also recovered the cash and cigarettes stolen from the store.

Rivera is being charged with armed robbery and violation of probation. Montanez is being charged with armed robbery and petit theft.

Photo credits: Rovio / Volusia County Jail
The United Nations' human rights chief is urging the Maldives to stick to a decades long moratorium on imposing the death penalty, citing fears that three men are at "imminent risk" of execution.



Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said in a statement issued in Geneva on Tuesday that the Maldives long provided "important leadership" in efforts to end the use of the death penalty and it is "deeply regrettable that a series of steps have been taken to resume executions in the country."



President Abdulla Yameen is under fire at home and abroad



But he went on to say that it was "deeply regrettable that a series of steps have been taken to resume executions in the country."



A country with an estimated population below 400,000 people, the Maldives has 17 people on death row. Three are potentially imminent, including convictions against a 22-year-old man, Ahmed Murrath, and his partner Fathimath Hana.



Both have been convicted in the stabbing death of a prominent member of parliament in 2012. The country's Supreme Court reaffirmed the death penalty against Murrath in June. Shortly before this court decision, the government amended its rules to allow the death penalty by lethal injection or hanging. Former Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon, the president's niece and a former leader's daughter, cited this issue when resigning from her post in July.



The Maldives suspended the death penalty in 1954, converting all such sentences to life in prison.


Researcher analyzes natural ecosystem benefits

by Andrea Hahn

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- If conservation is important, there must be a reason for the importance, a demonstrable value that goes beyond mere aesthetics. Southern Illinois University Carbondale graduate student Mark Healy is focusing his research on describing that value in practical terms, of finding ways to measure how natural ecosystems benefit society and individuals and why conservation is worth the trouble. That field of study is called quantification of ecosystem services.

Healy earned his bachelors degree and continues his studies in the Department of Geography and Environmental Resources at SIU. Like many in his field, he has a fierce desire to protect natural environments and to find ways to lessen the harmful effects of human populations. But he knows not everyone agrees that conservation for its own sake has value.

I like to think that if I am going to make a difference in real world applications in the field I am working in, the quantification of ecosystem services is a promising means to do so, Healy said. Regardless of ideological leanings in regard to the environment, people can agree on decisions that potentially reap the greatest net benefits to society as a whole.

Healy said he believes ecosystem service quantification  proving a demonstrable, practical and economic value to ecological conservation  is crucial to successful and sustained conservation movements. Conservation activity foisted on people against their will or without their consent wont have staying power, he said.

Many who are proponents of environmental conservation and environmentalism in general tend to appeal to societys conscience to coerce support, he said. I consider it more pragmatic to appeal to societys well-being. We live in a democratic society with varying ideologies -- if we cant show how protecting the environment contributes to tangible societal benefits, then, to many people, it is an aimless cause.

As an undergraduate at SIU, Healy conducted research on sediment loss in the Big Muddy River Watershed. Sediment loss is a good place to start to make the argument that conservation practices may have practical value. Soil erosion costs Americans as much as $40 billion every year. The costs accrue from degraded farmland and from water treatment costs that escalate as sediment enters a body of water. It also causes increased risk of flooding, decreased water recreation due to poor water clarity and damage to wildlife habitat.

Healy used geographic information system (GIS) modeling tools to measure and predict sediment loss. He examined and compared different potential land use and management scenarios to measure those that might be effective to curb sediment loss and provide a clear benefit to area residents.

The Big Muddy is a water system of considerable local importance -- the watershed spans 11 Southern Illinois counties. Healy focused on it for that reason and also because damage from sediment to lakes and streams, including Rend Lake and Crab Orchard Creek, within the watershed is wide-spread, according to a report from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

Healys study suggested that woody wetland and forest land-cover contributed to sediment retention and decreased soil erosion. In his study, soil loss was highest at Galum Creek, which is an area characterized mostly by cultivated crops and pasture. Soil erosion was also high at the Middle Fork of the Big Muddy, and at Beaucoup Creek -- again, both areas with considerable farm and pasture land in the watershed, but also some forest. Potential soil erosion was lowest at Crab Orchard Creek and low at Cedar Creek-Big Muddy River watershed, Kincaid Creek and Casey Fork. All of those sites are characterized by more forest than pasture and cropland, and by considerably more pasture than crops.

Healy concluded that deforestation contributes significantly to soil erosion in the Big Muddy watershed. To reduce soil erosion, then, he explained, dont cut down all the trees. In addition, mixed use of agricultural land, such as incorporating pasture with crops, may reduce erosion in the watershed area.

Healy suggests that a tree break or margin of forest near watershed areas will help keep cropland soil in place, where the farmer wants it, and out of the watershed. Other practices that might contribute to the same goal -- less erosion -- might include no-till farming, cover crops between harvests and agricultural terracing

A follow-up study of a block of agriculture land restored to its historic wooded wetland condition south of Rend Lake suggested a similar conclusion.

Healy earned a prestigious Masters Fellowship Award to continue his work at SIU. His research activities in the immediate future will focus on the quantification of ecosystem services from levee setbacks and other floodplain strategies in the Illinois River basin.
At a conference attended by the Pakistani Army chief, General Raheel Sharif, the commanders said the threat was emanating from Afghan soil, which was being managed by Indian intelligence agencies, Dawn online reported.

However, at the same time there was an acknowledgment that a network of "facilitators" within the country provided an enabling environment for the external enemy, an Inter-Service Public Reations statement said.

At a corps commanders' conference held at the General Headquarters on Tuesday, the generals reviewed the threat perception and discussed measures for countering the imminent security challenges.

The meeting, a monthly feature, was significant because of Monday's terror attack on a Quetta hospital which left at least 70 people dead. An upcoming high-level security meeting is expected to take important decisions with regards to future direction of counterterrorism operations, the statement said.

Gen Sharif told his commanders that the Quetta attack was an attempt to undermine the successes of operation Zarb-e-Azb, which was in its final phase.

--IANS py/vm

( 202 Words)

2016-08-10-11:58:00 (IANS)
A special tribunal in Bangladesh on Wednesday sentenced a former lawmaker to death and seven others to life in prison for their crimes committed during the country's War of Independence in 1971. The International Crimes Tribunal-1 found the eight persons guilty of committing rape, murder, confinement and torture of unarmed civilians, Xinhua news agency reported. Sakhawat Hossain, now a presidium member of the Jatiya Party of former military strongman H.M. Ershad, who ruled Bangladesh for nearly nine years from 1982 to 1990, and Billal Hossain Biswas were in the dock when the court ruling came. Ibrahim Hossain, Sheikh Mojibur Rahman, M.A. Aziz Sardar, Abdul Aziz Sardar, Kazi Ohidul Islam and Abdul Khalek are fleeing from justice and were sentenced in absentia. Shakhawat was a central committee member of Islami Chhatra Sangha, the then student wing of Jamaat, which opposed the independence of Bangladesh and break-up of Pakistan, and a commander of Razakar, an auxiliary group of then Pakistan Army in what then was Eastern Pakistan. Shakhawat was elected to parliament on Jamaat ticket in 1991 and on the ticket of Bangladeshi Nationalist Party of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in the February 15 election in 1996. Defence counsel Abdus Satter expressed discontent with the verdict, saying his clients will file appeal with the Supreme Court. After returning to power in January 2009, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangladesh's independence hero and founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, established the first tribunal in March 2010, almost 40 years after the 1971 War of Liberation. Four Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party leaders -- Motiur Rahman Nizami, Abdul Quader Molla, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid -- have already been executed for the 1971 war crimes. Besides them, opposition BNP leader Salaudin Quader Chowdhury was executed on November 22 last year. Both the BNP and Jamaat have dismissed the court as a government "show trial", saying it is a domestic set-up without the oversight or involvement of the United Nations. The government of Sheikh Hasina said about three million people were killed in the nine-month war. --IANS py/vt ( 356 Words) 2016-08-10-16:02:01 (IANS)
Nudgespot has built a best-in-class messaging platform that will integrate into Boomtrain's technology to deliver a seamless experience for businesses to communicate with customers and visitors on websites and in mobile apps.

Boomtrain and Nudgespot initially partnered nine months ago, and have been co-developing a product that combines Nudgespot's platform with Boomtrain's AI technology. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

"The acquisition of Nudgespot will accelerate our strategy to enable AI-powered communications between businesses and their customers," said Nick Edwards, CEO and founder of Boomtrain.

"This is the first productized messaging application that will be fully integrated into a marketing suite. This gives marketers the ability to incorporate multi-channel chat functionality, combined with our artificial intelligence platform, to facilitate personalized, scalable conversations with their customers," added Nick Edwards.

"Nudgespot and Boomtrain are pushing the envelope when it comes to bi-directional messaging technologies," said Co-founder of Nudgespot, Raveen Sastry.

"Teaming up with Boomtrain will continue to extend our offering to more businesses in need of advanced, easy-to-use B2C messaging solutions, powered by advanced artificial intelligence," added Sastry.

With the addition of Nudgespot, Boomtrain significantly expands its APAC business. Together, Boomtrain and Nudgespot will have 70 people in offices located in San Francisco and Bangalore, and will continue to expand its footprint globally.

The teams will continue to collaborate to add more functionality to Boomtrain Messenger during its beta program. (ANI- Business Wire India)
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for introduction of Pension and Post-Retirement Medical Schemes as part of superannuation benefits for employees of Food Corporation of India as per guidelines of Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), said an official statement.

"The annual financial implication for both schemes combined would be around Rs. 134.4 crore at present level of salaries of the employees," it added.

--IANS sid/ahm/vm

( 109 Words)

2016-08-10-21:46:06 (IANS)
When asked whether he would form a group anytime soon, the Punjabi rapper exclusively told ANI, "I won't really prefer working in a group now, but yes I want to work with a lot of rappers. I really have to work on myself because I have got bigger aspirations and unfortunately I won't be able to achieve my dreams if I will be a part of a group now."

The 'Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai' hit-maker concluded, "Being a part of a group won't make any sense at this point of time."

The group 'Mafia Mundeer' disbanded in 2012 after their last song 'Get Up Jawani'.

Badshah also praised several underground rappers like Divine and Naezy, adding he is glad that the underground rap scene in India is gradually making its mark on the commercial front.

On the professional front, the rapper will drop his debut solo album in September. (ANI)
Downey Jr posted a shot of Swift's beau from his Fourth of July vacation (during which he was clicked wearing a I heart T.S. tank top) and wrote a hilarious caption, reports eonline.com.

"Join me in welcoming the biggest T. Stark fan of them all to Instagram!"

Hiddleston recently joined the social media platform and posted his debut shot in his Marvel character Loki.

"He's back," he wrote presumably from the set of "Thor: Ragnarok", currently shot in Australia.

Hiddleston has already garnered almost a half of a million followers on Instagram.

--IANS nn/rb

( 126 Words)

2016-08-11-02:00:01 (IANS)
In a major breakthrough, the Mumbai police have arrested five medicos, including the CEO and Medical Director of the reputed L.H. Hiranandani Hospital in Powai, in connection with a racket in kidney sales, officials said. Hospital CEO Dr. Sujit Chatterjee, Medical Director Dr. Anurag Naik and three other medicos Prakash Shetty, Mukesh Shah and Mukesh Shetye were arrested late on Tuesday. They have been accused of being involved in illegal trade and sale of kidneys. Powai police will present them before an Andheri magistrate's court later on Wednesday for remand, the official said. When contacted, an official spokesperson for Hiranandani Group told IANS that an internal probe is being conducted and declined further comments till the investigation was completed. So far, a total of 15 persons (including the five medicos) have been arrested in the case which first came to light last month at the hospital. A few more suspected cases have surfaced later and police are probing around 30 transplants conducted at the hospital in the past one year. Following the expose, the Maharashtra Directorate of Health Services set up a committee of medical experts which found irregularities related to at least four kidney transplant cases at the hospital. Based on the probe report of the committee, the police arrested the five medicos of the 12 years old, 240-bed prestigious hospital, sending shockwaves in the state medical fraternity. The lid was blown off the racket on July 14 when a social worker, some political activists and members of a trade union stopped a kidney transplant midway here in which the donor and recipient were found to be fake husband and wife. Delving deeper, the police identified Brijendra Bisen, who created the false documents with the help of two other external agents. Incidentally, Bisen had been earlier arrested in 2007 when one of the biggest kidney sale-transplant rackets was busted nine years ago. In the current scam, the police had earlier arrested a total of 10 persons, including Bisen, the fake couple comprising recipient Brijkishore Jaiswal, a textile businessman from Surat, and donor Shobha Thakur who was promised Rs 10 lakh for her kidney, hospital official Nilesh Brijkishore Jaiswal, and others. The accused have been charged under Section 12 and 21 of the Transplantation of Human Organ Act, 1994, and the Indian Penal Code sections, said the police. --IANS qn/py/vt ( 403 Words) 2016-08-10-11:42:01 (IANS)
Kashmiri activist Sushil Pandit on Wednesday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'concern' for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He, however, said unless and until the people who are corrupting the minds of the Kashmir youth are dealt with, every other spoken word would go waste. "I think the entire country was waiting for the Prime Minister to speak on this matter. It is very reassuring for the people of Kashmir that the Prime Minister sees their concerns and their pains. But he is not the first prime minister to say these words. Over the past seven decades, India's successive prime ministers have reached out to the people of Kashmir with all the assurances and the governments have done their best in the state," Pandit told ANI. "What needs to be done is those who creates trouble, who handover the stones to these children, who plants seditious slogans in their mouths, they are to be dealt with. And unless they are dealt with, every other spoken word will go waste," he added. Yesterday, Prime Minister Naredndra Modi broke his silence on the ongoing violence in the Kashmir valley following the death in an encounter of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani and said a handful of misguided people are hurting the great tradition of Kashmir and appealed to the youth to join him in fulfilling the dream of making the place the world's paradise. "A handful of misguided people are hurting the great tradition of Kashmir. I appeal to the Kashmiri youth come along, we will together realise the dream of making Kashmir the paradise of the world. We give so much love to Kashmir, while some people are causing it a lot of harm," said the Prime Minister, while addressing a public rally after unveiling a statue of freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad at his birthplace. Stating that Kashmir is a paradise for Indians, Prime Minister Modi said, "Every Indian desires to go to Kashmir, every Indian loves Kashmir. The boys, who should be holding laptops, bats and balls in their hands and dreams in their hearts, are carrying stones." "The freedom that every Indian has also belongs to every Kashmiri. We want the same bright future for every youth in Kashmir. We are the people, who walk the path that Atal Bihari Vajpayee took when it comes to Kashmir," he added while asserting that Kashmir wants peace. The Prime Minister further said the Centre as well as the BJP-PDP coalition government under Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is making all efforts to solve the problems of Kashmir through development. "The citizen of Kashmir wants to earn more money through tourism. We want to provide employment opportunities to the Kashmiri youth," he said. Expressing his gratitude to the nation and the opposition for showing solidarity with the Centre on the matter, the Prime Minister said, "I want to thank the nation, I want to thank Congress that we all very maturely made attempts to deal with the situation in Kashmir." (ANI)
Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his assertion over the ongoing violence in the Kashmir valley, Janata Dal United JD (U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said the former should use his brain instead of lip-service on the issue, and added he failed to refer about the Kashmiri Pandits. Kumar expressed disappointment that Prime Minister Modi did not talk about the issue of Kashmiri Pandits in while addressing a public rally after unveiling a statue of freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad at his birthplace in Alirajpur. "If front of whom is Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing his pain? You have the responsibility to rule the country. It was you who made promises before the Kashmiris. We were expecting that while talking about freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad, he would also talk about the pain of Kashmiri Pandits. But the pain of Kashmiri Pandits wasn't mentioned, which is an issue of grave concern," Kumar told ANI. Kumar insisted that Prime Minister Modi should address the Kashmir issue taking the parliament and all the parties in confidence. "Modi should use his brains instead of lip-service on the issue on Kashmir. Take the parliament in confidence; take the confidence of all the parties. Because the government is led by you, you are running the government there. If the situation has been hampered then taking the moral responsibility Modi should try to better the situation there," he added. Prime Minister Modi yesterday broke his silence on the ongoing violence in the Kashmir valley following the encounter of Hizbul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani and said that a handful of misguided people are hurting the great tradition of Kashmir and appealed to the youth to join him in fulfilling the dream of making the place the world's paradise. "A handful of misguided people are hurting the great tradition of Kashmir. I appeal to the Kashmiri youth come along, we will together realise the dream of making Kashmir the paradise of the world. We give so much love to Kashmir, while some people are causing it a lot of harm," he said. The Prime Minister further said the Centre as well as the BJP-PDP coalition government under Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is making all efforts to solve the problems of Kashmir through development. (ANI)
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi yesterday, Secretary in Minister of Social Justice Anita Agnihotri said the number of identified manual scavengers across the country is little over 12 thousands, while Uttar Pradesh alone has 10 thousand.

"But the actual number of people who are practicing manual scavenging could be much more than that," she added.

The ministry has estimated there are 2.5 lakh manual scavengers across the country and only 10 to 12 states have sent the details of 12000 manual scavengers.

The ministry has already provides financial assistance of 40,000 rupees to people who leave manual scavenging. (ANI)
" " A Native American sweat lodge. VisionsofAmerica/Joe Sohm/ Getty Images

Let's say you're a wet rag. Not only that -- let's say you're a dirty wet rag, a rag that was used to clean the grime off the rims of a car. If someone picked you up and twisted you really hard, you'd release a rain shower of water. And, along with that water, would trickle grime. That's kind of what it feels like when your body breaks a good sweat. It's dirty business, but when it's all said and done, you feel cleaner, fresher, newer. You feel as if the grime has been wrung from your body.

The desire to "sweat it off" is no new thing. Throughout history, humans have found ways to sweat out their demons, and sweat lodges are just one example of that fact. In the United States, sweat lodges are largely associated with Native American tradition. But they've been seen in cultures around the world. Ancient stone buildings in Ireland suggest they appreciated the benefits of sweating -- same thing in rural China, Russia and Mongolia, and the Polish make use of sweat lodges in folk medicine. The oldest sweat lodge evidence dates back to 5 B.C. It appears that the Scythians, a nomadic group that populated today's southern Russia, constructed sweat lodges from poles and woven cloth.

Advertisement

Cultures use sweats for a variety of reasons. Within the Native American culture, sweats may be used to give thanks, to cleanse, to heal, to celebrate or to mourn. Some tribes use sweats to seek wisdom and counsel or to elicit visions. Historically, Native Americans believed that the sweat had sacred properties. For this reason, many of the Christians that arrived in America forced the Native Americans to abandon their sweat rituals. Although some tribes totally gave up the practice, others, such as the Crow, held on to their traditions of sweating.

Sweat lodges are similar in some ways to saunas. Rocks generate heat in the room, and added water creates steam. But while people may limit their sauna time to 20 minutes, it's not unusual to spend several hours in a sweat lodge. Some people think the ceremonial aspects of the sweat lodge experience make it easier to endure the heat for longer. But that's not always the case for everyone.

Will you overheat? Is it good for your health? So many questions.
The assurance was given by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday as the Upper House witnessed noisy scenes during the Zero Hour with the Opposition demanding a discussion.

Speaking in Rajya Sabha, Singh said the government is ready to find the solution with the support of other political parties.

Raising the issue, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed serious concern over violent incidents in the valley resulting in the death of civilians and security personnel.

He reiterated his party's demand for holding an all-party meeting followed by an all-party delegation to Srinagar to take stock of the situation. He was supported by leaders of several other opposition parties.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to the people of Kashmir and indicated his willingness to hold dialogue under the framework of the 'Insaniyat (humanity), Jamhuriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat'.

He said that when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister, he had adopted the path of 'Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat' and the present government walks the same road.

The Prime Minister was speaking at a public meeting at Bhabra in Madhya Pradesh, the birthplace of freedom fighter Chander Shekhar Azad.

Prime Minister Modi appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony in Kashmir.

The Prime Minister said Mehbooba Mufti Government and the Centre are working together to solve the state's difficulties but some people, who are unable to digest it, are clinging onto the path to destruction.

He said his government wants to take Kashmir to new heights of development, empower its panchayats and give job opportunities to its youth. (ANI)
The order was passed by a two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice D.B. Bhonsle and Justice Yashwant Verma while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) moved by the Uttar Pradesh primary teachers' association of Ghaziabad.?

The teachers' association had argued that the 2009 Act makes education the right of each child but this would be possible only when teachers do their duty regularly.

The Election Commission had argued that it was difficult to keep teachers away from poll duty as election work is also a national duty.

After hearing both the parties, the bench passed the order refraining the Commission to deploy teachers for poll duty during examinations. (ANI)
Moms who give birth at home are twice as likely to breastfeed their little ones, compared to hospital births, says a study. The Trinity College Dublin research involved the largest population cohorts comprehensively examined to date for an association between breast feeding outcomes and place of birth in low risk pregnancies. Principal researcher, on the study Lina Zgaga, said, "The key question that this work raises is: "When breastfeeding is so strongly recommended across the board by the medical profession, what causes lower rates of breastfeeding following hospital births?" The study, which included over 17,500 women from the UK Millennium Cohort Study and 10,500 women from the 'Growing Up in Ireland' study, found that home birth is significantly associated with breastfeeding immediately after birth, with continued breast feeding during the first six months. Secondly, home birth mothers were more likely to exclusively breastfeed for six months, following the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines regarding the same. Based on the collected data and on an analysis of factors surrounding home and hospital based birth, the researchers suggested a number of potential reasons for the stronger association between breastfeeding and home birth. Firstly, the level of support and type of care offered by each birth option is very different. In a home birth, care is typically midwife-led as opposed to physician-led. In contrast, multiple health professionals are involved in care following hospital birth, potentially providing unpredictable and inconsistent input. There is also a difference in the level of training related to lactation amongst carers with midwives typically receiving more education in this area. Secondly, the non-clinical setting of a home birth can facilitate immediate and prolonged skin to skin contact post-partum, which is widely considered to have a positive effect on the initiation of breastfeeding and mother infant bonding. Thirdly, interventions such as forceps or vacuum-assisted delivery that occur more frequently during labour in hospital may be stressful and stress during birth has been linked to stalled breast feeding. Similarly, hospital births are associated with greater usage of pain-relieving medications, which can cause lethargy in the infant and delay milk production in the mother. Finally, it has been shown that formula supplementation in the early postnatal period reduces the likelihood of subsequent exclusive breast feeding and overall duration of breast feeding. Hospital births have been associated with formula supplementation. This may be due to busy, understaffed clinical settings, where formula feeding may be found to be a more convenient solution to feeding problems than diagnosis and treatment of breast feeding issues. Principal researcher on the study Lina Zgaga, said, "The key question that this work raises is: "When breastfeeding is so strongly recommended across the board by the medical profession, what causes lower rates of breastfeeding following hospital births?" "Hopefully this research can help us learn from the home birth model and identify the changes that could be implemented in standard hospital-based perinatal care to encourage and facilitate breastfeeding," Zgaga added. The study has been published in BMJ Open. (ANI)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu called upon the people to extend their cooperation for developing the city into an International reputed city in the world. Launching the website of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India,China and South Africa) meeting to be held here from September 14 to 16, he said people's cooperation is essential to develop the city. He said in the three-day BRICS ( IIIrd BRICS urbanization form ) meeting, about 100 foreign delegates and 500 delegates from India besides representatives of all the states will take part. He said the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA) is organizing the meeting, sponsored by Union Ministry of Urban Development . The smart cities, green field cities, weather conditions, water and sanitation management and urban development will be discussed in the the BRICS meeting, he added. He also launched the GPS-fitted police motor bikes at the airport late last evening and asked the police department to integrate the system to control the crimes. On the proposed International Airport at Bhogapuaram in Vizianagaram district, the Chief Minister said he had held discussions with the farmers on the land acquisition and Relief and Rehabilitation package at the Airport.UNI BSR CS 1130 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-880333.Xml
A Romanian National, the key suspect in the hi-tech ATM frauds in Kerala, has been taken into custody in connection with the ''unauthorised withdrawal'' of nearly half a million rupees from the accounts of customers after stealing their card details using hi-tech devices. The suspect, identified as Gabriel Marian, was taken into custody in Mumbai last evening when he tried to withdraw Rs 100 by using a cloned ATM card, police sources said here today. The arrest was made by Mumbai police on the basis of information provided by their Kerala counterparts. Police also sought the assistance of Interpol to nab two other Romanian Nationals, whose visuals were made available from the CCTV footage of ATM counters in the city where they had installed a hidden camera in smoke detector on the ceiling and also other skimming devices. The other suspects were identified as Bogdean Florian( 25) and Cristian Victor(26), from Crajova city in Romania. Police were also in the look out for a fourth foreigner who was also involved in the crime. The suspects had arrived in the Kerala capital in the last week of June in the guise of tourists and stayed at luxury hotels, police said. The incident came to light when some of the customers who were robbed of the money ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 40,000 came to the bank on Monday to enquire about it. A police team led by IG Manoj Abraham has left for Mumbai in connection with the investigation. ''We have already informed the CBI and other National agincies regarding this,'' he said. According to initial reports, 20 people have lost around Rs 4.5 lakh. The police recovered a device, suspected to be a skimmer embedded in the smoke detector on the ceiling of an ATM cabin. The device that was fixed above the ATM machine, had a micro camera and another device was placed in the card slot of the machine. The micro camera might have helped in getting the ATM PINs.UNI CR CS 1147 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0324-880370.Xml
Briefing newspersons after a meeting of the State Cabinet, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Kerala State Civil Supply Corporation (Supplyco) would be given Rs 81.42 crore for taking various steps.

He said a sum of Rs 8.76 crore would be set apart for the distribution of Onam kits, consisting of essential commodities, to tribal families and those living below poverty line. Another sum of Rs 13 crore would be utilised for the supply of subsidised sugar through ration shops.

He said the government also decided to set up 1,466 Onam Chandas (markets) in different parts of the state as part of the efforts to ensure supply of essential commodities at a reasonable price to the people.

A special squad would be constituted to prevent hoarding of essential commodities during the Onam festival season.UNI CR CS 1232

-- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0324-880443.Xml
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday said that life has come to a complete standstill in Jammu and Kashmir and there was a need for the Centre and the PDP-BJP government in the state to stop the situation from deteriorating further. Leader Majeed Menon said,"There is curfew everywhere in Kashmir and even in Jammu, life has stopped and no strict action has been taken neither by the State Government and nor by the Central government." "We have had talks with the Prime Minister as well as the Home Minister and even appealed in the house as well as outside house," Menon told ANI. Menon further said that even after an all-party meeting and a visit by all-party delegation has not normalised the situation in the Kashmir Valley. Prime Minister Modi earlier said on Tuesday that only dialogue and development can ensure peace in Jammu and Kashmir. "Every Indian loves Kashmir. The azaadi (freedom) that every Indian feels, Kashmir can feel too," he said at a rally organized at revolutionary Chandrashekhar Azad's village at Bhabra in Madhya Pradesh's Alirajpur district. The Prime Minister said he was pained to see young men pelting stones on security forces in Kashmir. "The boys, who should be holding laptops, bats and balls in their hands and dreams in their hearts, are ones carrying stones," he said. "Whatever Kashmiris want for betterment of their livelihood, the Centre will help," he said. (ANI)
Expressed serious concern over violent incidents in the Kashmir Valley for past more than a month, resulting in the death of civilians and security personnel, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad today called for an "integration of hearts and minds" of people of the state with rest of the country. Initiating a discussion on the prevailing situation in the Kashmir Valley, Mr Azad said despite Parliament discussing the situation four times during this session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not find time to come to the House to make a statement on the issue."The Kashmir issue has been debated four times in the two Houses of Parliament during this session. However, the Prime Minister has not been present during even one. "Instead, Mr Modi spoke of the situation during his visit to Alirajpur in Madhya Pradesh. Has Madhya Pradesh become the capital of the country and the venue of Parliament?'' Mr Azad asked.In this context, Mr Azad said despite the Opposition's demand that the Prime Minister speak in Parliament on atrocities on Dalits, he did not come to make a statement. "We did not hear Prime Minister's statement on Dalit issues here in Parliament. We got to hear about his views from Telangana,'' Mr Azad said.He said even though the Prime Minister comes to his office in Parliament daily, he could not find time to come to the Rajya Sabha which is just at half a minute's distance from his office. "Despite being in Parliament, the PM seems to be far away from it. A half a minute's distance from PM's office to the Rajya Sabha seems like thousands of kilometers away.'' Mr Azad said while the Mr Modi was quick to tweet when something happens in Africa or in Pakistan, , when the crown of the country is burning, the Prime Minister does not experience the heat.Calling for an integration of hearts and minds between people of the state and the Central government, he said, "You call Jammu and Kashmir an integral part of India, but there should be integration of hearts and minds.''More UNI AR SW 1309 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0092-880481.Xml
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not speaking in parliament about the month-long deadly unrest in the Kashmir Valley and urged the government to integrate hearts and minds of people of the "integral part of India" to solve problems there. Azad initiated a debate in the Rajya Sabha over Kashmir that came after over a month of unrest which has left more than 55 people dead and thousands injured in the valley. The Leader of Opposition criticized Modi's absence from the house during the sensitive debate, saying "the Prime Minister is so close, yet so far". "The Prime Minister reaches the parliament (complex) everyday at 10 a.m. He stays in his (parliament) office till 6 p.m. His room is barely a minute and a half from the Rajya Sabha," Azad said. The Congress leader also lashed out at Modi for speaking on Kashmir at a rally in Madhya Pradesh and not in parliament, a day after the Prime Minister appealed for peace in the restive valley. Azad expressed concern over the violence in Kashmir but stressed the government should endeavour to win hearts and minds of the valley people and stop using force, including pellet guns, against protesters. "We always say Kashmir is an integral part of India. But integral part should not be on paper only. There should be integration of minds and hearts," Azad said. "Kashmir has had curfew for over 30 days. Many have been killed. Thousands are injured," Azad said. "If something happens in Africa, you (Modi) tweet, Pakistan is an enemy nation, still you speak when something happens there. It is good to show sympathy with all. But the crown of India (Kashmir) is burning. You must have felt the heat on your head, if not the heart." He asked the government not to see the valley as a mere law and order problem and called for an all-party meeting to discuss the issue. He also asked for a delegation to be sent to Kashmir to find a political solution to problems of the people there. "Kashmir is a complex issue. Politics comes first, economics second, employment after that. If we talk about electricity, roads and water, and not about politics, it will be wrong." A BJP MP from the state, Shamsher Singh Manhas, participating in the debate, was aghast over "everyone is speaking about Kashmir and not Jammu". "Jammu and Kashmir is not about Kashmir only. It is Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh that make the state," Manhas said. He said Jammu, which shares some 500 km of border with Pakistan, also had its share of problems. "The region has 55 percent of population in the state. Some seven lakh educated youth are employed. They could have also picked the gun. They could have also shouted for freedom," he said, adding the people in Jammu "have always believed in democracy". But in the Kashmir Valley, "it is a battle between nationalism and separatism. "People in Kashmir are following separatist dictates," he said. --IANS ao/sar/vt ( 520 Words) 2016-08-10-14:24:01 (IANS)
"We have to end the violence and the current bloodshed in Kashmir. And start a political process to bring an end to the problems of people of Kashmir," Yechury said in the Rajya Sabha during a long debate on the situation in the valley.

"The government must call for an all-party meeting and consult all shades of opinion. What is preventing this government from starting a political process (to resolve the Kashmir problem)?" he asked.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist leader called for ending the use of pellet guns against Kashmiri protesters that has partially or fully blinded hundreds in the valley during the month-long unrest.

"We should stop the use of pellet guns," he said, flashing a picture of a pellet injury victim from Kashmir.

Yechury asked: "Why is there a mistrust with the people of Kashmir? If there is a trust deficit, you have to create an environment of trust."

--IANS ruwa/sar/mr

( 190 Words)

2016-08-10-14:28:01 (IANS)
Asserting that the Tamil Nadu government has achieved the target of equipping all schools in the State with toilet facilities, Finance Minister and Leader of the House O Panneerselvam today said works were on to construct separate toilets for boys and girls. Responding to remarks made by DMK member Austin during the debate on demands for grants for School Education department in the Assembly last evening, Mr Panneerselvam, who had said that he would reply to it today, said the government led by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was determined to provide all necessary facilities to educational institutions. He said as per an announcement made in the House under Rule 110 by the Chief Minister, the government has achieved the 100 per cent target of constructing toilets in schools. '''Steps are now on to construct separate toilets for boys and girls,'' he said. Reeling out statistics, he said, 2,057 common toilets and 5,760 separate lavatories have been constructed last year. Earlier, during the Question Hour, Revenue Minister R B Udhayakumar said the government has issued record number of pattas to ensure that everyone in the State has an own house to live. Replying to Tiruttani MLA P M Narasimhan, he said his request to issue pattas to people living in Nehru Nagar, Periyar Nagar and Akkaiah Naidu Road in the temple town would be taken into consideration.UNI GV CS 1407 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-880611.Xml
The Ministry of Textiles, headed by Smriti Irani announced a revival strategy for the handloom industry on the occasion of the National Handloom Day held on August 7.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will facilitate designer intervention at selected Weavers Service Centers across India was signed between Alok Kumar, Development Commissioner Handlooms and Sunil Sethi, President Fashion Design Council of India.

This ceremony was held in the presence of Minister of Textile Smriti Irani, Minister of State for Skill Development Rajiv Pratap Rudy, inister of State for TextilesAjay Tamta, U.P Textile Minister Mahboob Ali, and Textile Secretary Rashmi Verma.

FDCI designers Rajesh Pratap Singh, Anju Modi, Rakesh Thakore, Rina Dhaka, Rahul Mishra, Abhishek Gupta, Samant Chauhan and Shruti Sancheti were also present for the function in Varanasi.

Through this initiative, designers will impart professional training in design development at various Weaver Service Centers across the country. This will help add new vigor to age-old crafts, which will help make them more contemporary without losing focus of tradition.

This strategy has been devised with the long-term goal of making the handloom weaver an entrepreneur, through knowledge sharing and resource optimization. (ANI)
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has filed a petition urging the National Green Tribunal to ban the use of glass coated thread 'manja' which is used while flying kites and sought an immediate ban on it across the country. As PETA India warns, manja - which is often coated with glass, metal, or other sharp objects - poses a lethal threat to humans and animals alike. In July 2016, a man died in Ghaziabad after his throat was slashed by manja while he was riding a motorbike. In August 2015, a man in East Delhi died after his throat was slit by manja while he was returning home on his motorbike. Thousands of birds are also killed every year when they are cut or trapped by manja, which can get caught on trees or buildings for weeks. A bird rescuer in Ahmedabad estimates that 2,000 birds including pigeons and endangered species such as vultures are injured every year during the Uttarayan festival, and 500 of them die from their injuries. According to estimates, more than 300 birds were injured and over 100 died because of manja during Makar Sankranti in Hyderabad in 2015. "Manja is a menace to public safety, posing a life-threatening risk to humans and birds alike," said PETA India Government Affairs Liaison Nikunj Sharma. "PETA India is calling on authorities to make kite-flying enjoyable and safe for everyone by banning manja from the activity," he added According to Delhi power company BSES, a single incident involving a kite near an electrical establishment can affect up to 10,000 customers. Several top power companies, such as Reliance Power and Tata Power, have time and again issued advisories urging people not to fly kites near electrical establishments. Mukesh Patel was only 13 years old when he sustained burns over 95 per cent of his body when his kite hit a power line in Mumbai. Manja is made of synthetic material such as nylon and is also non-biodegradable - it litters the soil and chokes drainage lines, sewer systems, and natural waterways. Citing the dangers manja poses to humans, birds, and the environment, the High Courts of Rajasthan, Allahabad, and Jammu and Kashmir have already banned the use of manja in their respective states. Many other states and district administrations - including Amritsar, Andhra Pradesh, Chennai, Gujarat, Indore, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, South West Delhi, and the Gandhi Nagar subdivision of East Delhi - have also taken steps to ban the production, sale, stocking, and use of manja. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has also issued an advisory to all states and union territories asking them to address the manja threat, and the Animal Welfare Board of India has written to all states and union territories urging them to ban manja. (ANI)
NIA said Bahadur Ali was directed to take advantage of the volatile situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the encounter of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani.

NIA Inspector General Sanjeev Kumar Singh said: "Arms and ammunition training given to LeT terrorist Bahadur Ali show the involvement of military experts."

Singh said that the captured terrorist underwent all three training processes organised by LeT. He was recruited by Jamaat-ud-Dawa and subsequently radicalised by LeT.

"Articles recovered from him show that he was provided references in codes which clearly indicates highly trained people provided training to him."

The officer also claimed that Bahadur Ali, who was recently captured from North Kashmir, was regularly guided from "control rooms of terrorist groups in Pakistan occupied Kashmir with the help of Pakistani forces".

The NIA has said that this is an ongoing investigation to gather details about the role of LeT in the current situation in Kashmir.

Following the encounter of Burhan Wani, a 22-year-old social media savvy Hizbul Mujahideen commander on July 8, Kashmir has witnessed a total lockdown in the valley for more than a month now.

--IANS aks/in/bg

( 220 Words)

2016-08-10-16:42:01 (IANS)
Two bombs exploded here today at separate places, injuring a seven-year-old boy, police said. ''The boy was injured when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blasted near a Border Security Force(BSF) camp here at Moirangpurel, Imphal East. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment,'' they said. A senior police officer has rushed the incident spot to take stock of the situation. The area was cordoned off and it was suspected that the IED could had been planted earlier. Police was investigating into the matter. In another incident, a bomb blasted near the gate of the Manipur University here at Canchipur. However, no one was injured in the incident. There was chaos in the university area after the explosion. Meanwhile, security personnel have rushed in for investigation into the blast. Also, security was stepped up after the incident. Earlier too, on August 8, two BSF men were injured in a blast at Senapati district, while as many people were injured in the same incident on August 5 at the heart of the city. All roads near the Raj Bhawan have been blocked as security measure and combing operations were on to apprehend suspects militants.UNI NS PR SB 1654 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0105-880923.Xml
After facing exodus of senior leaders from the party in the recent past,Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) today bounced back in Uttar Pradesh when four sitting MLAs, all Muslims including 3 of Congress and one of the ruling Samajwadi Party joined the party here.The MLAs who joined the BSP are Nawab Kazim Ali Khan, MLA from Swar seat in Rampur; Dr Muslim, MLA from Tiloi seat in Amethi and Dilnawaz Khan, Assembly member from Sayana seat in Bulandshahr, all from Congress and SP MLA from Burahana seat in Muzaffarnagar Nawazis Alam Khan.Along with these, three former BJP MLAs and former minister Awadhesh Kumar Verma of Shahjahanpur also joined the BSP in presence of senior party leaders, including leader of the opposition in UP legislative council Nasimuddin Siddique and leader of the opposition in the state assembly Gaya Charan Dinker.The joining was a 'reply' to the recent leaving of senior BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya and R K Choudhury. Maurya had already joined the BJP and was slated to visit for the first time Lucknow after embracing the BJP.Talking to reporters, all the new entrants the muslim sitting MLAs claimed that Mayawati is the only leader who can improve law and order situation in the state besides can protect the life and properties of the minorities. All the three Congress MLAs had been expelled by the party way back after they cross voted in the Rajya Sabha and legislative council polls in June. Besides SP MLA Nawazis Alam too has been suspended by his party for cross voting.However, commenting on the joining of the MLAs, BSP leader Nasimuddin Siddique said these leaders have joined the party for being impressed with the ideology of Ms Mayawati. He, however, also commented that during elections, such things happens when some leaders desert the party and some joins.Nawab Kazim Ali Khan, son of senior Congress leader Begun Noor Bano of Rampur, claimed that Congress cannot fight the communal forces and it has been termed as a B team of the ruling Samajwadi Party. "There is an understanding between the congress and the SP. When we were facing atrocities during SP rule, none from Congress party came to support us. It's only during council polls we get orders from high command to vote for SP. This is unacceptable," he said.Mr Khan, a die heart rival of SP leader and UP Minister Mohammad Azam Khan, claimed that only BSP can ensure security to Muslims in UP. Congress might be trying hard but unfortunately poll strategist Prashant Kishor, engaged by Congress for UP polls, and others have no chance in UP.There is a record of Kazim Ali's love and hate relationship with BSP. The four time legislator Mr Ali was elected first time MLA in 1996 on Congress ticket and again in 2002. But in 2006 he joined the BSP and was elected MLA in 2007 and became minister in the Mayawati government. But later left the BSP in 2011 and rejoined the Congress and got elected from the party ticket in 2012 polls. Dr Muslim, a two time MLA, criticising the Congress particularly the Gandhi family, said that," the family has been misguided by the state leaders and Congress has lost its mass support."Mayawati is the only leader who take care of the poor while the Congress is just engaged in promoting the leaders," Dr Muslim said. Dr Muslim represents the Tiloi seat, which is one of the assembly segment of the Amethi Parliamentary seat represented by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. Dr Muslim was first elected in 1996 on Samajwadi party ticket but lost two elections later as Congress candidate. He won the last elections on Congress ticket.Similarly, Dilnawaz Khan, the first time Congress MLA from Sayana seat in Bulandshahr said that he has joined the BSP on the call of his heart." There is nothing left in the Congress in UP and it would not survive in the present political scenario," he further claimed.SP MLA Nawajiz Alam Khan, representing Burahana seat in the riot infested Muzaffarnagar district, said that the ruling party has lost control over the governance and hence he was forced to join the BSP. He further said that more MLAs from SP are likely to embrace BSP in coming days thus giving a clear political picture that Ms Mayawati is emerging as the biggest leader of the state.UNI MB ADG RAI1558 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0129-881017.Xml
The Kerala Cabinet today decided to reconstitute the Planning Board with Chief Minister as its Chairman. Dr V K Ramachandran is the Vice-Chairman. State Ministers E Chandrasekharan, Mathew T Thomas, A K Saseendran, Kadannapally Ramachandran and Dr Thomas Isaac were appointed as the official members. P Jayaraman and R Ramkumar of Mumbai Tata Institute of Social Science, Jayan Jose Thomas of IIT, K N Harilal of CDS, former Vice Chancellor of Kerala University Dr B Iqbal, Dr K V Raman and Mridul Eapen of Nehru Memorial National Museum have been appointed as the unofficial members of the planning board. Chief secretary and Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) would be the permanent invitees. Planning board secretary will be the member secretary. The today's Cabinet meeting also decided to inform the UAE Government of its compliment for taking effective steps for engaging in the rescue operations in the recent flight accident in Dubai. The Cabinet has also decided to send Finance Minister Thomas Isaac and Water Resources Minister Mathew T Thomas to Vatican to attend Mother Theresa's elevation to sainthood on September 4. The Government took a decision in this regard following a request from Cardinal Cleemis Catholica Bava to send an official team to Vatican. The Government also decided to provide Handloom uniforms to all Government school students as part of a scheme to support handloom industry in the state. The Education department has been directed to submit a detailed report with their suggestions for the implementation of the scheme.UNI DS CS 1705 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0324-880982.Xml
To mark another historic tie-up between India and Russia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today dedicated a 1,000 MW unit of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) to the service of the nation. On the occasion, the Prime Minister said, "In dedicating the N-power plant, we mark another historic tie-up between India and Russia. Today's event is also a joyful occasion for the team of engineers in India and Russia, we salute them for their relentless work.''Long live India-Russia friendship". India and Russia, who have been strategic partners since the Cold War era, inaugurated former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam's dream project through video conferencing with Modi in New Delhi, Putin in Moscow and Ms Jayalalithaa in Chennai.The KKNPP is located at Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, around 650 km from Chennai. Once fully operational, the Kudankulam project would provide electricity to Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.The Indian government signed a contract with the USSR to build the plant in 1988, but its construction started only in 1997 due to the political and economic disturbances after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.The project was further delayed in September 2011 following protests by villagers around the plant. But the work finally resumed in March 2012 and now it was about to generate electricity. Ms Jayalalithaa said dedication of the Kudankulam power plant is a ''milestone in Indo-Russian friendship." UNI XC RP1913 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0105-881382.Xml
Police today filed a First Information Report (FIR) against expelled AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP L.Sasikala Pushpa and three of her family members, following a complaint of wrongful confinement and sexual harassment alleged by her former maid servants. The victims K.Banumathi (22), a widow and her elder sister Jhansi Rani (24) submitted a petition to Thoothukudi district Additional Superintendent of Police D.Kandasamy that they were tortured and severely beaten up by Sasikala Pushpa, when she was the Thoothukudi Mayor from 2011-2014 at her Anna Nagar house in Chennai. The siblings were sexually harassed by Sasikala Pushpa's husband T.Lingeswara Thilakan and son L.Pradeep Raja. When Banumathi attempted to escape from the house in August 2015, the MP's mother T.Gowri assaulted and tonsured her head. Sasikala Pushpa forced her to sign on a blank paper and warned of dire consequences in case she reveals what had happened to her and her elder sister in the house, the plaintiff alleged. Thoothukudi District Superintendent of Police Ashwin M.Kotnis ordered an inquiry into the complaint, based on which the All Women Police in Pudukottai in Thoothukudi registered a case under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code, including the non-bailable 506 (ii) (criminal intimidation), wrongful confinement, besides Tamilnadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 1998 against Sasikala Pushpa, Lingeswara Thilakan, Pradeep Raja and Gowri. AIADMK General Secretary and Chief Minister J.Jayalalitha expelled Sasikala Pushpa from all party posts, including primary membership for bringing great disrepute to the party on August one, after the latter made a statement in Rajya Sabha that she is being compelled to resign her MP post and her life is under threat. The Madras High Court on Monday closed the anticipatory bail petitions filed by Sasikala Pushpa's husband and son, apprehending arrest after the Chennai police informed the court that there are no cases pending against them in their jurisdiction. UNI GSM CS 1753 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-881173.Xml
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today expressed anger over the incident of two Dalits being thrashed by Cow Protection group people at Sudapalem village in Uppalaguptam mandal in East Godavari district yesterday. Official sources said state Director General of police N Sambasiva Rao submitted a report on the incident to the Chief Minister today. The Chief Minister directed the DGP to initiate a stern action against the perpetrators. According East Godavari district police, a man engaged two Dalits-M Elisha (56) and M Venkateswara Rao (53) to take away his dead cow yesterday. They took away the cow to the outskirts and started peeling off the skin of it. Suspecting that they killed the cow and peeling off the skin, eight people of Cow Protection Group, beaten the two Dalits, in which one of them sustained serious injuries. Cases were registered against the culprits, police said. Meanwhile, Opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) condemned the beating of two dalits by people of Cow Rakshna Samithi. YSRCP MLA U Kalpana talking to media here today alleged that the TDP and BJP workers in the name of Cow Rakshana Samithi thrashed the dalits for peeling the skin of dead cow. A Rasta Roko was organised in protest against the incident at Gandhi statue centre at Mogalturu village in West Godavari district.UNI DP CS 1846 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-881357.Xml
As per the latest data released by the Ministry of Tourism, a total of 68,487 tourists arrived in July 2016 on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 21,476 during the month of July 2015 registering a growth of 218.9 per cent. According to the data, UK was on the top followed by USA and France amongst countries availing e-Tourist Visa facility During July. In respect of e-Tourist Visa availed by International tourists visiting India last year in 2015 the achievement has been surpassed in the first six months of the current calendar year 2016. Commencing from November 27, 2014 e-Tourist Visa facility was available until February 25 for citizens of 113 countries arriving at 16 Airports in India. The Government of India has extended this scheme for citizens of 37 more countries w.e.f 26th February 2016 taking the tally to 150 countries. During January-July 2016, a total of 5,40,396 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 1,47,690 during January-July 2015, registering a growth of 265.9 per cent . This high growth may be attributed to introduction of e-Tourist Visa for 150 countries as against the earlier coverage of 77 countries. New Delhi Airport (44.00 per cent), Mumbai Airport (20.77 per cent ), Chennai Airport (9.43 per cent), Bengaluru Airport (9.10 per cent), Kochi Airport (5.10 per cent), Hyderabad Airport (3.68 per cent), Kolkata Airport (2.50 per cent), Ahmadabad Airport (1.38 per cent), Trivandrum Airport (1.35 per cent) and Amritsar Airport (0.99 per cent) were the top airports who got tourist on e-visa.UNI ADP PR 1812 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0429-881179.Xml
Taking another key step in ensuring energy security for the Gorakhpur, Barauni and Sindri Fertilizer Plants under revival enroute Phulpur Haldia Natural Gas Pipeline, GAIL (India) Limited has placed orders for purchase of 315 km of Line Pipes for Auraiya Phulpur Pipeline on two Indian Companies, Jindal Saw & Essar Steel at a total cost of Rs. 305 crore. Auraiya Phulpur Pipeline is one of the main feeder lines for the "Energy Highway (Urja Ganga)" of Eastern India. According to a release, GAIL has already placed orders earlier for Line Pipes of Phulpur Dobhi (Gaya) Section of the Project at a cost of Rs. 550 crore and awarded Laying Work Contracts for the Dobhi Patna / Barauni sections at a cost of Rs. 216 crore. Laying Works in Dobhi Patna / Barauni section have already commenced in Sep'15. Further, Bids received for Laying Works of Phulpur Dobhi section with Spurline to Varanasi are presently under evaluation. Tenders for Laying Works of Auraiya - Phulpur Pipeline and for procurement of Line Pipes of Gorakhpur Spurline have already been floated. GAIL is planning to start the construction works in these sections from Oct'16. The 315 Km Auraiya Phulpur Pipeline, 341 Km Phulpur Dobhi (Gaya) Section and 414 Km Spurlines to Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Patna & Barauni will be completed by Dec'18 at a cost of Rs. 4600 crore. Phase-II (1201 Km) & Phase-III (583 Km) of the Phulpur Haldia Pipeline Project are targeted to be completed by Dec'19 and Dec'20 at an estimated investment of Rs. 5,565 crore & Rs 3,425 crore, respectively.GAIL presently is taking up farmer engagement & public awareness campaign activities in these sections in order to create a congenial working environment for project execution prior to start of construction. CMD, GAIL stated that the above actions are being taken to ensure timely revival of fertilizer plants as envisaged by Government of India.UNI ADP PR SB 1853 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0429-881330.Xml
"The ISIS flag is flashed sometimes in Kashmir. What has the IS done? They have just killed believers of Islam," Rajnath Singh said in the Rajya Sabha.

"India is the only country that respects feelings of people of every religion. Those hoisting the flag are defaming Islam," he said, adding that Islam does not allow beheading any one, or even hurting anyone.

He also said that slogans such as "Pakistan zindabad" will bot be tolerated on Indian soil.

"I appeal to the people of Kashmir to refrain from such activities," the Home Minister said.

--IANS ao/rn

( 139 Words)

2016-08-10-19:40:00 (IANS)
The Gujarat Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 25 ministers including Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, the ADR said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Of the 10 ministers who have declared criminal cases, five have declared serious criminal cases. These include murder, attempt to murder, robbery and dacoity," it said.

Of the 25 ministers, 21 (84 per cent) are crorepatis, with average assets worth Rs 7.81 crore.

The minister with the highest declared total assets is Parshottmbhai Odhavjibhai Solanki from Bhavnagar Rural constituency with assets worth Rs 37.61 crores.

He is followed by Vallabhbhai Gobarbhai Kakadiya who has assets worth more than Rs 28 crore and Rohitbhai Jashubhai Patel with assets worth more than Rs 23 crore.

A total of 18 ministers have declared liabilities, out of which the minister with the highest liabilities is Jayeshbhai Vithalbhai Radadiya from Jetpur constituency (Rs 7.94 crore).

He is followed by Vallabhbhai Gobarbhai Kakadiya (liabilities of more than Rs 5 crore) and Parshottmbhai Odhavjibhai Solanki (more than Rs 3 crore).

--IANS mak/pgh/mr

( 219 Words)

2016-08-10-19:44:00 (IANS)
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today gave its approval to amend regulation for foreign investment in the Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs).The amendment in the existing Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of Security by the Person Resident Outside India) regulations on Non- Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) will enable inflow of foreign investment in "Other Financial Services" on automatic route provided such services are regulated by any financial sector regulators (RBI, SEBI, PFRDA) or Government Agencies. Foreign investment in "Other Financial Services", which are not regulated by any regulators or Government Agency, can be made on approval route.Further, minimum capitalisation norms as mandated under FDI policy have been eliminated as most of the regulators have already fixed minimum capitalisation norms. This will induce FDI and spurt economic activities. It will cover whole India and is not limited to any State/Districts.In the Budget 2016-17 Speech, Finance Minister had announced that FDI will be allowed beyond the 18 specified NBFC activities in the automatic route in other activities which are regulated by financial sector regulators. The present regulations on "Non-Banking Finance Companies" stipulates that FDI would be allowed on automatic route for only 18 specified NBFC activities after fulfilling prescribed minimum capitalisation norms mentioned therein.In the proposed regulations, FDI is allowed on automatic route for all "Other Financial Services" provided such services are regulated by any regulators (RBI, SEBI, PFRDA etc.) or Government Agencies. Further, minimum capitalisation norms as mandated under FDI policy have been eliminated as most of the regulators have already fixed minimum capitalisation norms.UNI ADP RSA 2013 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0429-881612.Xml
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today gave its approval for signing and ratification of an Agreement between India and Croatia on Economic Cooperation.India and Croatia had earlier signed an agreement on trade and economic cooperation in September, 1994 with an aim to promote and develop bilateral trade and economic relations. Signing of the new Agreement between India and Croatia would be a step in continuity as the existing Agreement expired in November, 2009, according to an official statement here.India's bilateral trade with Croatia during 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 were 152.01million dollar, 148.86 million dollar and 205.04 million dollar respectively. The average bilateral trade growth was 17.44 per cent during the last three years.UNI ADP RSA 2031 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0429-881659.Xml
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today gave its ex-post facto approval for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and South Africa for cooperation in the field of Tourism.The MoU was signed on July 8. The MoU aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector; exchanging information and data related to tourism ; encouraging cooperation between tourism stakeholders, including hotels and tour operators.to establish exchange programmes for cooperation in Human Resource Development and Investing in the tourism and hospitality sector, an official statement said here.It also envisages to encourage visits of Tour Operators/Media/ Opinion Makers and tourists from both countries for promotion of two way tourism; to exchange experiences in the areas of promotion, education, marketing, destination development and management; to participate in travel fairs/exhibitions in each other's country; andto promote safe, honourable and sustainable tourism.UNI AR RSA 2105 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0092-881708.Xml
Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar today indicated that there could be another casino in river Mandovi near here. Responding to a question related to a report which said that there could be another casino in the state, the Chief Minister said the case being discussed was an old one and not new. ''I exactly do not know the details. It is an old casino. No file has come to me. They had gone to court and opinion was given that if the party pays arrears which is around 50-60 crore... We are taking care to see that state also gets benefited,'' he said. The Chief Minister hinted that if the license of the casino which was non-operational was renewed the state would earn revenue. Meanwhile, opposition criticised the govenment for granting license to casinos. Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Pratapsingh Rane said, ''When they were in the Opposition, All the time they said they will throw the casinos out into the high seas. Now they are bringing it close to land and so many casinos concentrated. I have been to Macau and one doesn't see that there is so much gambling involved or so many casinos. Here there are plenty of casinos. I think it is time to find some place for them elsewhere.'' Independent MLA Vijay Sardesai said alleged that the government had given license to an onshore casino a week ago and now they are giving license to offshore.UNI AKM CJ 2134 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-881651.Xml
Uttar Pradesh Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today flagged off the first batch of Haj pilgrims here from the Maulana Ali Mian Haj house. On the occasion while congratulating the pilgrims, the Chief Minister urged them to pray for prosperity of their families, society and the country. He also stated that all regions in the world propagated the message of peace, mutual harmony and to work for the prosperity of the society. Mr Yadav reiterated that the Samajwadi Party government respected all religions and was working for welfare of all, as a result of which all-round prosperity has come in the state. Pointing out how pilgrimages have always been of importance from time immemorial, the Chief Minister said that it was for this reason that his government had attached great importance to the such religious trips. He also expressed the desire that the Lucknow and the Ghaziabad Haj house be used for preparation of competitive exams like IAS, PCS and others, by candidates. The fact that so many people are going for Haj, he said, was indeed a blessing of the God Almighty. Mr. Yadav also underlined that the people with socialist background always fought for spreading goodness in the society and fighting evil in the society. He also assured the pilgrims that his government would always resist attempts by certain sections to divide the society. Referring to the facilities being provided to the Haj pilgrims, the Chief Minister said the state government was committed to give the Haji's good facilities. On this occasion, the Minority Affairs Minister Mohammad Azam Khan said the first duty of the government should be to ensure peace and harmony in the society and to be judicious to one and all. He praised the efforts of the Chief Minister in this direction. Greeting the Haj pilgrims, Maulana Sayyed Rabe Hasni Nadvi and Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali prayed for their successful journey. This year 22,297 Haj pilgrims have been provisionally chosen by the Haj Committee of India from the state. Of the total haj pilgrims 8,750 will leave from New Delhi, 9,744 from Lucknow and 3,803 from Varanasi. All the Haj pilgrims have already got their Visa and Passports. Also present at the seeing off event were Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Family Welfare Ravidas Mehrotra, Chairman of the UP Urdu Academy Dr. Nawaj Deobandi, secretary (Minority Welfare) Mr. S P Singh, district officials and relatives of Haj pilgrims. UNI MB CJ RSA 2247 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-881718.Xml
China's central bank is expected to pick a Chinese lender to clear yuan transactions in the United Arab Emirates by the end of the year, which would strengthen the growing economic ties between China and the Middle East, a Chinese banking executive said.Qatar opened the region's first yuan clearing centre in April last year, with Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) becoming the clearing bank.A clearing centre can handle all parts of a currency transaction from when a commitment is made until it is settled, reducing costs and time taken for trading.A clearing bank in the UAE could have a big impact on trade and investment in the Gulf because Dubai acts as the region's top business centre, handling flows of money and goods to countries in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and beyond."In this region everyone thinks of Dubai as the hub for the whole of the Middle East," Fang Min, senior executive officer of Agricultural Bank of China (ABC), said in an interview."From an economic and financial centre point of view, Dubai is the most appropriate (place) to set up an offshore renminbi market."Fang said one of the big four Chinese banks - ABC, ICBC, Bank of China and China Construction Bank - would become the UAE's yuan clearing bank. He did not elaborate.Partly because of the UAE's role as a trans-shipment point for goods to the rest of the Gulf, trade between China and the UAE was estimated at $60 billion last year, up from $47.6 billion in 2014, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) figures show.SWIFTThe UAE is already the most active country in the Middle East in using yuan for direct payments to China and Hong Kong. In 2015, the currency was used for 74 percent of payments by value from the UAE to China and Hong Kong on the SWIFT international transactions network.Overall, the U.S. dollar is still used for most trade between the Gulf and China, and China's payments for its oil imports from the region are believed to be denominated in dollars, the main currency used in global oil trade.Nevertheless, Fang said he expected the UAE's ratio for SWIFT direct payments in yuan to rise to 80 or 85 percent by 2020.The UAE centre "will provide local Chinese companies, as well as UAE companies and companies from other regions, with renminbi liquidity for trade settlement, investment."Qatar has become ICBC's third-largest overseas clearing centre globally behind Singapore and Luxembourg, handling 350 billion yuan ($52.6 billion) in transactions since it launched, said Zhou Xiaodong, general manager of ICBC's Dubai branch.Last December, China said the UAE would be included in its Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor scheme with a 50 billion yuan quota, allowing UAE-based institutions to channel offshore yuan holdings into Chinese securities. The UAE clearing centre could make it easier for UAE investors to do this.Low oil prices are hurting GCC governments and companies. But Zhou said far from deterring Chinese banks, this gave them a chance to expand in the region."We are facing an asset shortage domestically, so there's an opportunity to develop the international business for all of ICBC's clients."In May, ICBC participated in a $10 billion international loan for the Saudi Arabian government, which is looking abroad to help finance a huge budget deficit caused by cheap oil. Zhou said ICBC aimed to be involved in an upcoming international bond issue by Riyadh and its future issues.In the longer term, the UAE clearing centre could encourage GCC issuers to tap funding in China through panda bonds, yuan-denominated debt sold by foreigners into Chinese markets.The DIFC-based operations of China's big four banks have doubled their combined assets to $21.5 billion in the last 18 months, accounting for 26 percent of all assets at the DIFC, data it released in February showedREUTERS CJ BD2126 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-881755.Xml
While spending hours on Facebook or other social media sites can lead to bad results in school, playing video games may not have such adverse effects. A new study has found that online video games can even sharpen math, science and reading skills in teenagers. The video games could help students to apply and sharpen various skills learned at school. The findings showed that students who played online games almost every day score 15 points above the average in maths and 17 points above the average in science. "When you play online games you're solving puzzles to move to the next level and that involves using some of the general knowledge and skills in maths, reading and science that you've been taught during the day," said Alberto Posso, Associate Professor at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. However, teenagers who regularly engage in social media sites are more likely to fall in school results, the researchers said. Students who used Facebook or chat every day scored 20 points worse in maths than students who never used social media. "Students who are regularly on social media are, of course, losing time that could be spent on study," Posso added. But it may also indicate that they are struggling with maths, reading and science and are going online to socialise instead, the study said. Teachers can look at blending the use of Facebook into their classes as a way of helping those students engage as well as consider incorporating popular video games into teaching -- so long as they are not violent ones, the researchers suggested. For the study, published in the International Journal of Communication, the team tested more than 12,000 Australian 15-year-olds in maths, reading and science, as well as collecting data on the students' online activities. --IANS rt/gb/py/ ( 307 Words) 2016-08-10-10:58:00 (IANS)
Turkish President Recep Tayip Ergodan on Tuesday met Russian President Vladimir Putin to give a fresh start to the bilateral relations of the two countries which nosedived after Turkish military downed a Russian fighter jet last November. This was the two leaders' first meeting since the downing of the Russian fighter jet by Turkey on November 23 last year, RT news reported. "Your visit, which comes amid a very complicated situation in Turkey, indicates that all of us want to revive our dialogue and restore relations for the sake of the Turkish and Russian peoples," Putin said, greeting Erdogan in St. Petersburg. Erdogan said he appreciates Putin's willingness to meet him in person. The two leaders are expected to come out with a "roadmap" to help bring Russia-Turkey relations to a new level. Putin said he was "one of the first [heads of state] who called President [Erdogan] and reaffirmed support for overcoming the domestic political crisis related to the [military] coup". "This will be a historic visit, a fresh start. I believe that a new page will be opened during the negotiations with my friend Vladimir [Putin]," Erdogan said. "The Syrian crisis will be discussed in depth and we hope that Turkey's position will become more constructive," Yury Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy aide, has said. Moscow and Ankara largely disagree on Syria, as Turkey wants Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to be ousted, while Russia supports him and the Syrian army in their fight against the Islamic State militant group. Russia's Defence Ministry has accused Turkey of aiding the IS in the past, citing data indicating that the militants were being re-supplied and re-armed from Turkey. According to a Russian analyst, Erdogan "has realised that to fight the IS is equally important and Turkey cannot do it alone, and with the European countries Ankara was not getting enough help". "Western countries, including the NATO, have not been able to bring peace and stability to Syria. So this is why Erdogan has probably shifted to Russia to get much more support from Putin." Ties between Moscow and Ankara hit rock bottom when Turkish Air Force downed a Russian fighter jet which, according to Ankara, was in Turkish airspace while Russia insists the jet was in Syria. One of the two pilots was killed, as was a marine who took part in a rescue operation. Relations between the two countries began to thaw in late June after Erdogan sent an apology letter to the Kremlin. The one-day meeting in St. Petersburg also marked Erdogan's first foreign visit since the July 15 failed military coup attempt against him in Turkey, which has strained relations between Turkey and the US. --IANS py/vt ( 461 Words) 2016-08-09-18:36:01 (IANS)
Russia warned today that the next round of Syria peace talks should not be contingent on a halt to fighting in Aleppo after UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura told the UN Security Council he aims to reconvene negotiations in late August.Speaking after a closed door meeting of the 15-member council, Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters: "The lower the level of violence the better it is for the talks... but there must be no preconditions for the talks."Insurgents effectively broke a month-long government siege of eastern, opposition-held Aleppo on Saturday, severing the primary government supply corridor and raising the prospect that government-held western Aleppo might become besieged.Churkin called on countries with influence over the Syrian opposition to make sure they are prepared for future talks."They were coming to the talks without saying anything, they were just saying (Syrian President Bashar) 'Assad must go' and this is not a negotiating position," he said.Russia and the United States are both conducting air strikes in Syria against Islamic State fighters, but support opposing sides in a wider civil war, with Moscow backing Assad's government and Washington saying he must leave office.Peace talks broke up last April after the opposition delegation quit, accusing the government of ignoring a cessation of hostilities brokered in February.U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said the Syria peace talks urgently need to get back on track but "the environment for talks also has to be right.""On humanitarian access... we're in reverse gear. On the cessation of hostilities, we're back to where we were before the cessation of hostilities, with the additional negative of Aleppo being besieged," Power told reporters.The United Nations has been calling for a weekly 48-hour pause in the fighting to access Aleppo. U.N. aid chief Stephen O'Brien, who also briefed the council, said talks were ongoing.Churkin said the United States and Russia were "very practically" discussing in Geneva how aid could be delivered to Aleppo and that Moscow supported a 48-hour pause in fighting, but that such a truce "does not apply to terrorists."The United Nations said today that two million people lack access to clean water in Aleppo, creating a risk of disease. It said technicians need access to repair electricity networks that drive water pumping stations. REUTERS SDR 0036 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-880091.Xml
Pakistani mourners flocked to funerals today for 74 victims, most of them lawyers, of the bombing of a hospital in the southwestern city of Quetta, and legal organisations staged a nationwide strike in protest.Yesterday's suicide bombing, which struck grief-stricken colleagues crowding around the body of the slain head of the provincial bar association, was the deadliest jihadist attack in Pakistan this year.Shreds of black cloth from slain lawyers' trademark dark suits still littered the ground today at the Civil Hospital in Quetta, where glass from shattered windows remained and blood stained the walls.Medical staff said up to 60 of those killed were lawyers who had gathered to mourn the assassination earlier that day of the president of the Baluchistan Bar Association, Bilal Anwar Kasi."We cannot understand who did it and why ... We have no personal enmity of any kind with anyone," said Shoaib Kasi, 42, Bilal Kasi's younger brother and himself a lawyer at the Baluchistan High Court.Abdul Hamid Khokher was speaking to his brother, lawyer Rashid Khoker, on the phone just moments before the blast."I tried to contact him again, but we could not reach him," the grief-stricken 67-year-old said at his brother's funeral."I took his son Tayyab with me, and we went ... and all we could see were bodies. We started looking for my brother and at the end, we found him, he was lying there. We found his body."ANGER, BLAMEBoth a Pakistani Taliban faction, Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, and Islamic State claimed responsibility for the carnage, although Pakistani analysts and officials expressed doubt about any IS involvement.Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, like myriad Islamist militants waging war against Pakistan's government, consider civil society workers such as lawyers as part of the system they seek to overthrow to establish their vision of strict Islamic law.Shops, businesses, schools and universities in Quetta and beyond remained closed as the government announced three days of mourning.Today morning, four of the more than 100 people wounded, including two more lawyers, died in hospital, taking the toll to 74, said Abdul Rehman, the medical superintendent at the Civil Hospital, Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province.Rehman said that last year the hospital had requested paramilitary soldiers be stationed there for security."We briefed ... security officials," the medic said. "They said 'we'll see what's possible'."At Rashid Khokher's funeral on the outskirts of Quetta, the cleric leading prayers chanted: "May all the terrorists who carried out this heinous attack meet true justice."Ghulam Ghaus Qadri, who came to say his final goodbyes to his friend added: "For how long will we carry these bodies? I'd like to ask the government, for God's sake, these attacks must not happen."At a protest outside the Supreme Court in the capital Islamabad, Ashtar Ausaf Ali, Pakistan's attorney general, called the attackers "weak and pathetic."They should know that the nation and the legal community are united against them," he said.Supreme Court Bar President Ali Zafar called for the government to do more to protect lawyers.DOUBTS OVER CLAIMSSome Pakistani analysts were sceptical of the Islamic State claim."The claim of responsibility by Jamaat-ur-Ahrar is more credible," said Muhammad Amir Rana, head of the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies.He noted that Jamaat had sworn loyalty to Islamic State's Middle East leadership in 2014, but later switched back to the Taliban.It remains unclear what ties, if any, Jamaat has to Islamic State, whose leadership is a rival to both the Taliban and al Qaeda over claims to represent the true Islamist Caliphate.Only last week, Jamaat was added to the United States' list of global terrorists, triggering sanctions.Baluchistan, which borders Afghanistan, is home to many militant groups, most notably sectarian outfits who have launched a campaign of suicide bombings and assassinations of ethnic Hazaras - Persian-speaking Shi'ites who mostly emigrated from Afghanistan and are a small minority of the Shi'ite population in Sunni-majority Pakistan."Many groups based in Baluchistan have an anti-Shia agenda, so they find ideological linkages with ISIS," said a military official who was based in Quetta until 2015."But is ISIS present there to a degree that they can carry out this kind of well-planned, pre-meditated attack? I don't think that is possible."Zahoor Afridi, the police officer leading the investigation, added: "Their (Islamic State) presence in Baluchistan is limited mostly to sympathisers, not to executioners."REUTERS SDR 0129 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-880102.Xml
Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minister Theresa May spoke by phone today and agreed to meet "in the near future" to try to improve poor relations between Moscow and London, the Kremlin said in a statement.Both leaders are due to attend a G20 summit in China early next month, giving them an opportunity to meet for the first time since May became prime minister.Relations between Russia and Britain are strained by differences over Ukraine and Syria as well as by what London says is a sharp increase in flights by long-range Russian bombers near British air space.The Kremlin said Putin and May had agreed to try to work to ensure that the two countries' intelligence services communicated with one another properly and to improve air safety, a reference to Russian military flights.Both leaders had expressed dissatisfaction about the current state of Russian-British relations, the Kremlin said.It said the phone call had taken place at Britain's initiative.REUTERS SDR 0232 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-880111.Xml
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump suggested that gun rights activists could act to stop Democratic rival Hillary Clinton from nominating liberal US Supreme Court justices, igniting yet another fire storm of criticism just as he sought to steer clear of controversy."If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks," Trump said at a rally. "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know," he continued yesterday.The US Constitution's Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear firearms.Before the remark, Trump had been emphasizing his case against Clinton, who is leading in national opinion polls in the race for the November 8 election. Some in the audience in North Carolina who were seated behind Trump could be seen wincing when he made the comment.Clinton's campaign called the remark "dangerous.""A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way," it said.When asked to clarify what Trump meant, his campaign said he was referring to getting supporters of the Second Amendment to rally votes for Trump in the election."It's called the power of unification - 2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power," the Trump campaign said in its statement.Immediately after Trump made his comment, many on social media accused him of effectively calling for Clinton's assassination. In just three hours, 2nd amendment became the top trending topic on Twitter, with more than 60,000 posts mentioning the term.Introducing Trump later at another rally in North Carolina, in Fayetteville, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani accused the news media of taking the remark out of context to help Clinton get elected."What he meant by that was you have the power to vote against her," Giuliani said to cheers. "You have the power to speak against her. You know why? Because you're Americans.""It proves that most of the press is in the tank for Hillary Clinton," he added. "They are doing everything they can to destroy Donald Trump."The US Secret Service, which provides security details for both Trump and Clinton and rarely comments on political matters, when asked for a response on Trump, said: "The Secret Service is aware of the comment."Trump later told Fox News Channel's "Hannity" program that "nobody in that room" thought he meant anything other than to rally support against Clinton."This is a strong powerful movement, the Second Amendment," Trump said. "Hillary wants to take your guns away. She wants to leave you unprotected in your home. This is a tremendous political movement."By day's end, Trump was drawing criticism on several fronts, another chapter in a campaign marked by bitterness and partisanship.Michael Hayden, a former CIA director who on Monday was among 50 Republican national security experts to denounce Trump in a letter, said on CNN, "You're not just responsible for what you say. You are responsible for what people hear."US Senator Elizabeth Warren, a liberal firebrand who loves tweaking Trump, tweeted that the Republican nominee "makes death threats because he's a pathetic coward who can't handle the fact that he's losing to a girl."Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conway fought back in a tweet of her own, calling Warren a "disgrace."GUN RIGHTS AN ISSUEGun rights, which have long stirred strong emotions in America, have been a particularly potent issue in the 2016 presidential campaign as violence has convulsed some U.S. cities.Trump has planted himself firmly on the side of gun owners with a "law and order" campaign. Before his remark about Clinton yesterday, he had said Islamic State militants who killed 130 people in France last year could have been stopped if some of the victims had been armed.The Clinton campaign has challenged Trump when in the past he has accused her of planning to abolish the Second Amendment if elected president. Clinton, in her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, said, "I'm not here to repeal the Second Amendment," saying she wanted "common-sense reforms" to gun laws.Yesterday's speech came on the heels of a discordant week on the campaign trail for Trump, a businessman seeking his first public office. He came under fire from within his party for belatedly endorsing fellow Republicans in re-election races and a prolonged clash with the parents of fallen Muslim American Army captain Humayun Khan.On Monday, Trump seemed to be heeding Republican advice to stick to a message of criticizing Clinton and other Democrats while putting forward economic policy proposals in a speech in Detroit.Trump's vice presidential running mate, Mike Pence, asked if he believed Trump was inciting violence toward Clinton, told NBC's Philadelphia affiliate: "Of course not. No."But Democrats called Trump's remarks another sign of a candidate unfit for the White House."Don't treat this as a political misstep. It's an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy & crisis," US Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, said in a tweet.Overall sentiment on social media posts on Trump's remarks was more negative than positive, at a ratio of 2.5 to 1, according to the social media analytics firm Zoomph. #ProtectHillary was also one of the top trending hashtags on Twitter.The 50 prominent national security officials said in their letter on Monday that Trump would be "the most reckless president in American history.""He appears to lack basic knowledge about and belief in the US Constitution, US laws and US institutions, including religious tolerance, freedom of the press, and an independent judiciary," their statement said. REUTERS SDR 0559 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-880142.Xml
"Deeply shocked and saddened by the terrorist attack which caused grave casualties in Quetta, Pakistan. We express our strong condemnation. Our hearts go out to the families of those killed and injured, and we mourn for the lives lost," the Express Tribune quoted Chinese foreign ministry statement as saying.

The statement added that Beijing opposes all forms of terrorism.

"We will always stand behind the Pakistani side in its fight against terrorism and its campaign for stability of the country and security of the people," it added.

Japan also condemned the attack, saying, "Japan strongly condemns such act of terrorism which targets innocent people as inexcusable."

The press secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in a statement said it intends to support efforts by the Pakistan government to combat terrorism in cooperation with the international community.

French President Franois Hollande also expressed solidarity to the people Pakistan.

A statement issued by the deputy spokesperson of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, "France condemns the cowardly attack that targeted the Quetta Civil hospital in Baluchistan. We express our condolences to the families and friends of the victims and assure Pakistan of its solidarity in the fight against terrorism."

A suicide bomber on Monday targeted the emergency services ward at Quetta's Civil Hospital killing over 70 people and leaving scores injured.

Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) splinter group, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA), claimed responsibility for the bombing which occurred at the gates of the building housing the emergency ward.

The blast took place after a number of lawyers had gathered at the hospital following the death of the president of the Balochistan Bar Association in a separate shooting incident the same day. (ANI)
Within less than two years of the launching of the 46 billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), several projects today are facing delays or are in danger of being closed. One such project is the 870-megawatt Suki Kinari hydroelectric power project, part of CPEC which is valued at USD 1.8 billion. The project may be delayed by at least one year as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has so far failed to resolve the land acquisition issue, the Express Tribune reports. Another is the Punjab-based 330MW coal-based power project. A major Chinese firm bowed out of the USD 590 million mine-mouth project that was scheduled to start electricity production by end-2017. The project was a key component of the high profile CPEC launched last year by President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) has lost interest in the project because of issues relating to feasibility of producing enough energy for running the project. Another reason was the tariff allowed by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) that was lower than its expectations. The Dawn quoted Sami Rafi Siddiqui, spokesman for the Private Power and Infrastructure Board the one-window organisation for private power projects, as saying that the project was not moving. Similarly, reports also suggest that five CPEC energy projects worth around USD 7 billion are at risk of being axed due to slow pace of their development. While one project relates to mining coal in Thar, the remaining are power plants which are listed to generate 4,620 megawatts of power. Four of these projects fall under the 'priority' schemes category and have to be completed by December 2018. But if the decides to drop these schemes from CPEC, Sindh's share in the mega project is said to fall from USD 11.3 billion to roughly $6.7 billion and Balochistan's share to fall around USD 7 billion. The projects reportedly facing the axe are four Sindh-based schemes, including the Engro surface mine in Block-II of Thar Coal with a capacity of 3.8 million metric tonnes per annum, the 1,320MW Engro Thar coal-fired power plant, the 1,320MW Sino-Sindh Resource Limited Power Plant in Thar Coal Block-I, and the 1,320MW Thar Mine Mouth Oracle coal-fired power plant. The water and power ministry has directed sponsors of these projects to complete them by the December 2018 deadline. If not they would face ejection from the multibillion-dollar project. Even the $2.1-billion, 878-kilometre-long Matiari-Lahore Transmission Line planned to supply 4,000 megawatts of electricity produced from coal in Sindh to cities in Punjab under the CPEC is said to have become unviable reportedly owing to the government's decision to give priority to power projects in Punjab. Officials of the ministries of water and power, and planning and development owing to delays in commissioning of power generation projects in southern parts said there would not be much load available to lift from Sindh, raising question mark over the feasibility of the project. The scheme was among the priority projects that Beijing and Islamabad wanted to complete by December 2018 in the first phase of the CPEC construction. The officials initially said that the government planned to give high priority to coal-based power plants in Sindh and transmit electricity to Punjab. However, the priority has shifted to three LNG-based, 3,600MW power plants that are being setup in Punjab and a 1,320MW coal-based plant in Sahiwal. (ANI)
Voicing concern over the leaked reports revealing widespread abuse and trauma among children and women at Australia's offshore detention centre for asylum seekers on the Pacific island of Nauru, the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, has said it is "gravely concerned by the reports". "Although UNHCR is not able to verify the individual incidents raised by the reports, the documents released are broadly consistent with UNHCR's longstanding and continuing concerns regarding mental health, as well as overall conditions for refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru," it said in a statement. UNHCR has observed and reported a progressive deterioration in the situation of refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru through its regular visits since 2012, reports the Guardian. Meanwhile, a number of former Save the Children workers from the Nauru Regional Processing Centre (RPC) including, case managers, social workers, child protection specialists, teachers, and adult, child and youth recreation workers, called for the closure of the RPC and the immediate transfer of all asylum seekers and refugees on Nauru to Australia. Another advocacy group ChilOut campaigning against children in immigration detention, has also expressed concern for the 49 children believed to still be on Nauru in immigration detention. "These most vulnerable children have been placed in singularly dangerous and shameful environments in Nauru. Australia needs to stop this systematic and institutionalised abuse of children," said ChilOut's campaign coordinator and human rights lawyer, Niru Palanivel. The Australia Government outsources the processing of asylum seekers who arrive in the country by boat to two privately run facilities one on Nauru and another on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. This was done to stop the influx as the number of asylum seekers travelling to Australia by boat rose sharply in 2012 and early 2013. (ANI)
However, at the same time, there was an acknowledgement that a network of 'facilitators' within the country provided an enabling environment for the external enemy.

At a corps commanders' conference held here yesterday, top military commanders believed that the terrorist threat is transforming because of a growing nexus between hostile actors in the neighbourhood and 'facilitators' within the country.

The meeting, a monthly feature, was significant because of Monday's terror attack on a Quetta hospital, which left at least 70 people dead, Pakistan daily Dawn reported, quoting a statement from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

An upcoming high-level security meeting is expected to take important decisions, with regards to future direction of counter-terrorism operations.

"Participants of the conference were given detailed briefings on ongoing military operations and overall external and internal security situation in the country with particular reference to counter-terrorism domain," it added.

Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif told his commanders that the Quetta attack was an attempt to undermine the successes of operation Zarb-i-Azb, which is in its final phase.

He had said on Monday that the target of the attack was the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

"By adopting a whole of nation approach, the armed forces would not allow anyone to reverse our gains against terrorism," the Army chief added.

The ISPR said the commanders had been directed "to provide all necessary assistance to provincial LEAs in their capacity building through training, resourcing and planning so as to integrate them effectively in counter-terrorism operations".UNI XC SV RJ 1343

-- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0103-880513.Xml
A meeting at the Communist Party of Nepal- Maoist Centre headquarters yesterday entrusted party chairman Dahal the task of selecting ministers from the party.

He is likely to select Janardan Sharma as Minister for Energy, Ram Karki as Minister for Information and Communication, Pravu Sah as Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Hitraj Pande as Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development and Dhaniram Poudel as Minister for Education, reports the Kathmandu Post.

The meeting held yesterday also held discussions on making the Cabinet inclusive with the inclusion of women.

Meanwhile, the Nepali Congress, the key coalition partner, has its own fair share of struggles in selecting the ministers.

With too many aspirants, party president Sher Bahadur Deuba is yet to make picks for the ministers in the new government.

Deuba had last Saturday informed Dahal that his party would send ministers to the government after the conclusion of the general convention of the Nepal Students' Union, sister wing of the party.

The NSU's convention kicked off on Sunday and was supposed to conclude on Tuesday, but its closed session was postponed on Monday following some disputes over representatives.

The convention's closed session has been rescheduled for today. (ANI)
A year after hundreds of thousands of refugees snaked their way across southeastern Europe and onto global television screens, the roads through the Balkans are now clear, depriving an arguably worsening tragedy of poignant visibility.Europe's migrant crisis is at the very least numerically worse than it was last year. More people are arriving and more are dying. But the twist is that, compared with last year, a lot of it is out of sight.Take the border between Greece and Macedonia. Summer crops have replaced the city of tents at the border outpost of Idomeni, even if some locals are convinced there is an unseen population hiding in the surrounding forests, waiting for smugglers to assist them on their onward journey.The tiny Greek village was a focal point of the migrant flow north towards Germany and other wealthy countries, with thousands of refugees squatting for months waiting for sealed borders with Macedonia to openElsewhere in the Balkans, a Reuters photographer, revisiting the people-packed locations where he and his colleagues captured last year's diaspora, found empty roads, unencumbered railway tracks and bucolic countryside.More than one million people fleeing conflict in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan made their way to Europe last year, with the majority of them crossing the precarious sea corridor separating Greece and Turkey, the temporary home for more than 2 million refugees displaced from Syria.They came carrying their worldly belongings in plastic bags and hauling babies on weary shoulders, a visual exodus of the kind not seen in Europe since the end of World War Two.Many have since reached their destination in northern Europe, but with the borders closed and the European Union now attempting to contain the numbers, thousands are stuck at holding centres in Greece and Italy.They are not so nearly visible there - nor are the ones still coming.VISIBILITY DOWN, ARRIVALS UPAccording to data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), arrivals are up 17 per cent on last year, stoked mainly by a spike at the start of the year through Greece.Deaths among those trying to get to Europe, mainly due to drowning, are up more than 15 per cent."This is not a blip," said David Miliband, a former British foreign minister who now heads the International Rescue Committee, an aid group set up by Albert Einstein - himself a refugee - to rescue Europeans before the outbreak of World War Two."The forces that are driving more and more people from their homes - weak states, big tumults within the Islamic world, a divided international system .. None of these things are likely to abate soon."Some of the mantle of accepting huge migrant flows that was carried by Greece last year and the beginning of this one has been taken up by Italy.This follows a resurgence of migrant flows from northern Africa. More than 140,000 asylum seekers are now housed in Italian shelters, a seven-fold increase on 2013, with the migrant crisis in its third year.In Greece, where arrivals plunged in the wake of an accord between Turkey and the EU to stem the flow in March, an estimated 57,000 migrants were still stuck in the country by August 8.Campaigners say the accord has lulled policymakers into a false sense of accomplishment by allowing them to believe that Europe's migration problem has been solved."By outsourcing the responsibility to Turkey and to Greece, European governments are basically saying 'we have solved the crisis because we don't see it, and we can't smell it and we can't hear it," said Gauri van Gulik, deputy Europe director at Amnesty International."The crisis is as big as ever, and as yet unsolved by governments," she told Reuters.IOM data says that 258,186 people arrived in Europe by the end of July, compared with 219,854 over the same period in 2015.There were 3,176 fatalities by August 7, outpacing the 2,754 who died in the first eight months of last year, a slightly longer period."Its absolutely incredible because if you think about the panic this caused last year and the incentive there was to really get some policy changes in place, nothing has happened," Van Gulik said.REUTERS JW RAI1635 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-880930.Xml
Five Malian soldiers have been found drowned in central Mali, army officials said today, days after five soldiers went missing during clashes with militants.Four of the soldiers were found near Tenenkou yesterday evening and a fifth near the town of Mopti, about 75 km (47 miles) away on Wednesday morning, army spokesman Souleymane Maiga told Reuters.A group of soldiers was reported missing after an attack claimed by Islamist group Ansar Dine near the village of Tenenkou on Sunday.Officials did not confirm whether the drowned soldiers were the same soldiers who went missing over the weekend. It was not immediately clear how the soldiers drowned.Sunday's attack was the latest in a string of assaults claimed by Ansar Dine. The group said in a statement that it had ambushed the army, killing and wounding soldiers, according to SITE Intelligence Group. Fighting continued into Monday.Islamist militant groups took advantage of an ethnic Tuareg uprising in 2012 to seize northern Mali before a French-led intervention drove them back a year later. They have since reorganised and launch frequent attacks across the region. REUTERS JW PR1645 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-880945.Xml
Afghan forces, backed by the United States, have killed an estimated 300 Islamic State fighters in an operation mounted two weeks ago, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan said today, calling it a severe blow to the group.General John Nicholson said the offensive in the eastern province of Nangarhar was part of US operations to degrade the capabilities of Islamic State wherever it raised its head, whether in Iraq and Syria or in Afghanistan.The group, believed to be confined to three or four of the more than 400 districts in Afghanistan, last month claimed responsibility for bombing a demonstration by the Shi'ite Hazara minority in the capital, Kabul, in which at least 80 people were killed.Nicholson, in New Delhi for talks with the Indian military which has provided training and some arms to Afghanistan, said Afghan forces supported by the United States had just carried out a counter-terrorism operation against Islamic State."They killed a number of top leaders of the organisation and upto 300 of their fighters," he told reporters."Obviously it's difficult to get an exact count, but what this amounts to is about 25 per cent of the organisation at least, and so this represents a severe setback for them."Islamic State first appeared in Afghanistan at the beginning of 2015, and had about 3,000 fighters at the height of the movement, many of them former members of militant groups such as the Pakistani Taliban and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.Previously considered a much smaller threat than its bitter enemies the Taliban, the group's bomb attack in Kabul underlined how dangerous it could be, even without holding large tracts of territory.Yesterday, another US military official said American soldiers helping Afghan troops fight Islamic State in Nangarhar were forced to abandon equipment and weapons when their position came under fire.Fighters from the group had circulated photographs of a rocket launcher, grenades, ammunition, identification cards, an encrypted radio and other equipment they said they had seized.By being more aggressive, the Afghan military were more successful this year against the Taliban than in 2015, when they lost 5,000 men, Nicholson said.The killing of Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour in a US drone strike in Pakistan had been a greater blow to the group than they had let on, partly because the Taliban were having trouble getting control of the finances he dealt with, Nicholson said. REUTERS JW PR1645 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-880948.Xml
Turkey said today the European Union was making grave mistakes in its response to Turkey's failed coup and was losing support for EU membership from Turks as a result.Ankara has argued that the United States and Europe have shown undue concern over a crackdown following the abortive July 15 coup but indifference to the putsch itself.More than 240 people, many of them civilians, were killed when a faction of the army commandeered tanks and warplanes in an attempt to topple the government. More than 60,000 people in the military, judiciary, civil service and education have been detained, suspended or placed under investigation since."Unfortunately the EU is making some serious mistakes. They have failed the test following the coup attempt," foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an interview with state-run Anadolu Agency."Support for EU membership used to be around 50 per cent of the population, I assume it is around 20 percent now."Turkish accession talks have progressed only slowly since beginning in 2005, with several key EU countries expressing doubts the country could be ready for membership in the forseeable future. Similarly, support in Turkey itself for the ambition has fluctuated.President Tayyip Erdogan yesterday took a big step toward normalising relations with Russia, meeting President Vladimir Putin in a visit to St Petersburg, his first foreign trip since the failed putsch.The visit was closely watched in the West, where some fear that both men, powerful leaders critics say are ill-disposed to dissent, might use their rapprochement to exert pressure on Washington and the European Union and stir tensions within NATO, the military alliance of which Turkey is a member.'LOSING' TURKEYCavusoglu said Turkey's rapprochement with Russia was not intended to unsettle Europe or the United States. However, he also warned the West against the possibility of one day "losing" Turkey."We are not amending our relations with Russia to send a message to the West," he told Anadolu. "If the West loses Turkey one day, it will not be because of Turkey's relations with Russia, China, or the Islamic world, but rather because of themselves."Putin yesterday said Moscow would gradually phase out sanctions against Ankara, imposed after the Turks shot down a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian border nine months ago, and that bringing ties to their pre-crisis level was the priority.Cavusoglu also indicated that Turkey could find common ground with Russia on Syria, where they have been on opposing sides of the conflict. Moscow backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey says Assad is a dictator who must be removed."We think similarly regarding the ceasefire, humanitarian aid and (the need for) political resolution in Syria. We may think differently on how to implement the ceasefire," he said.He also said that Turkey was building a "strong mechanism" with Russia to find a solution in Syria, and a delegation including the foreign ministry, military and intelligence officials will go to Russia today for talks. REUTERS JW RAI1734 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-881099.Xml
Russia's Federal Security Service said today it had thwarted an armed Ukrainian incursion into Crimea designed to target critical infrastructure and that a Russian soldier and FSB employee had been killed in the clashes.The FSB said the attempted incursions had taken place over the weekend.REUTERS JW BD1827 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-881281.Xml
Turkey said today the European Union was fuelled by anti-Turkish sentiment and hostility to President Tayyip Erdogan and was making grave mistakes in its response to a failed coup which was costing it the trust of ordinary Turks.Erdogan and many Turks have been incensed by what they see as the undue concern of Europe over a crackdown after the abortive July 15 putsch but indifference to the bloody events themselves, in which more than 240 people were killed."Unfortunately the EU is making some serious mistakes. They have failed the test following the coup attempt ... Their issue is anti-Turkey and anti-Erdogan sentiment," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the state-run Anadolu Agency."We have worked very hard towards EU (membership) these past 15 years. We never begged, but we worked very hard ... Now two out of three people are saying we should stop talks with the EU."More than 60,000 people in the military, judiciary, civil service and education have been detained, suspended or placed under investigation since the coup attempt, in which rogue soldiers commandeered tanks and warplanes to try to take power.Some of Turkey's European allies are concerned Erdogan, already seen as an authoritarian leader, is using the coup attempt as an excuse to further tighten his grip. Turkish officials dismiss such claims, saying the purges are justified by the gravity of the threat posed by the putsch.Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern has said Europe needs to think again about Turkey's possible EU membership."I am interested in a fundamental discussion," he said today in an interview with broadcaster ORF."That fundamental discussion is: Can we accept someone within the EU who does not adhere to democratic standards, who has difficulty with human rights, and who ignores humanitarian necessities and necessities regarding the rule of law?"Turkey began EU accession talks in 2005 but has made scant progress despite an initial burst of reforms. Many EU states are not eager to see such a large, mostly Muslim country as a member, and are concerned that Ankara's record on basic freedoms has gone into reverse in recent years.'LOSING' TURKEYErdogan on Tuesday took a big step toward normalising ties with Russia, meeting President Vladimir Putin in a visit to St Petersburg, his first foreign trip since the failed putsch.The visit was closely watched in the West, where some fear both men, powerful leaders ill-disposed to dissent, might use their detente to pressure Washington and the European Union and stir tensions within NATO, of which Turkey is a member."We're not mending relations with Russia to send a message to the West," Cavusoglu said. "If the West loses Turkey one day, it will not be because of Turkey's relations with Russia, China, or the Islamic world, but rather because of themselves."NATO said today that Turkey's membership was not in question and that Ankara could count on its solidarity and support after the failed coup, which has triggered deep purges in the alliance's second-largest armed forces.Putin said on Tuesday Moscow would gradually phase out sanctions against Ankara, imposed after the Turks shot down a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian border nine months ago, and that bringing ties to their pre-crisis level was the priority.Cavusoglu also indicated that Turkey could find common ground with Russia on Syria, where they have been on opposing sides of the conflict. Moscow backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey says he is a dictator who must be removed."We think similarly regarding the ceasefire, humanitarian aid and (the need for) political resolution in Syria," Cavusoglu said, although he added the two may think differently on how to implement the ceasefire.He said Turkey was building a "strong mechanism" with Russia to find a solution in Syria, and a delegation including the foreign ministry, military and intelligence officials would go to Russia today for talks. REUTERS JW PR1929 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-881494.Xml
-Pakistani lawyer Ataullah Lango had just arrived at the Civil Hospital in the southwestern city of Quetta to mourn the slain head of his provincial bar association when he heard a loud explosion and felt the pain of glass stabbing his face.He lost some 60 colleagues in the suicide bombing that decimated the leadership of this tight-knit legal fraternity, probably for years."The cream of our legal fraternity has been martyred," Lango told Reuters at the house of the slain bar president."Our senior leaders ... are now gone."Pakistan has endured a wave of militant attacks in recent years, but lawyers have not been singled out on such a scale before.That changed on Monday when a suicide bomber struck a crowd of lawyers who had crammed into a hospital emergency department to accompany the body of Bilal Anwar Kasi, president of the 3,000-member Baluchistan Bar Association.At least 74 people were killed, most of them lawyers, in Pakistan's worst bombing this year, claimed by both a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, and the Middle East-based Islamic State.Across Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province surrounded by mountains, lawyers gathered for funeral prayers on Wednesday, visited families of lost friends, shouted slogans at protests and urged the government to protect them better.Baluchistan is no stranger to violence, with separatist fighters launching regular attacks on security forces for nearly a decade and the military striking back.Islamist militants, particularly sectarian groups, have also launched a campaign of suicide bombings and assassinations of minority Shi'ites.After Monday's attack, the legal community in Baluchistan and across the country said it felt leaderless but also vowed unity.Kasi's younger brother, Shoaib Kasi, himself an attorney, said the attacker had "pre-planned" to first kill the bar association president and then target the hospital, knowing that mourners would gather there."It will take centuries for us to make up this loss," lawyer Abdul Aziz Lehri told Reuters at the district court building, largely deserted due to a strike by his colleagues.The president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Ali Zafar, called the attack a "turning point", and gave the government until Thursday to present a security plan to protect lawyers and other "soft targets".ANGER AND DEFIANCEEmotions ran high at a press conference where lawyers expressed anger, particularly against the country's powerful military, but also voiced defiance."We are not tense because of the terrorists," said senior lawyer Manzoor ul Hassan. "We have sadness, of course, but no fear."Lawyers have held a special place in Pakistan's democratic process.A lawyers' movement emerged as the vanguard of a campaign against the then army chief Pervez Musharraf after he suspended the country's top judge in 2007 for opposing plans to extend the general's term in office.Lawyers organised convoys travelling from city to city to support ousted chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, and the government was forced to re-instate him.Musharraf emerged from the confrontation a much diminished figured and stepped down as president in 2008."Lawyers were the targets, because we fight for the rights of the people," Ali Zafar told the press conference. "They think we will be weakened ... I say we will become stronger."Prominent lawyer Ali Ahmed Kurd said those left would carry the torch."The juniors who are left, they are filled with the passion for working hard, for honesty ... that will make up the difference," Kurd told Reuters in Quetta.But he added that the lawyers of Baluchistan were afraid to call a meeting of the bar association to map out the legal fraternity's next steps."If you convene a meeting now, who will come?" Kurd said. "There's no one. None is left." REUTERS CJ GC2105 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-881695.Xml
People pose for photos in front of the monument at the atomic bomb hypocenter to commemorate the 71st anniversary of U.S. atomic bombing, at the Peace Park in Nagasaki, on Aug. 9, 2016. To accelerate Japan's surrender in the World War II, the U.S. forces dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively on Aug. 6 and 9, 1945. (Xinhua/Ma Ping)

NAGASAKI, Japan, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Nagasaki, a southwest Japanese city, marked the 71st anniversary of atomic bombing on Tuesday, amid calls from ordinary Japanese people for reflecting on the country's aggression history.

The annual event, held at the city's Peace Park, was itself once again short of any apology to Japan's neighbors for the war crimes committed by the Imperial Japanese Army and also without any reflection on Japan's militarist history of invasion.

Nagasaki was A-bombed on Aug. 9, 1945. Three days earlier, Hiroshima was A-bombed. The United States dropped the two bombs in a bid to accelerate Japan's surrender in WWII.

Japan was a major aggressor that launched wars of aggression against China, Southeast Asian countries and the United States in the 1930s and 1940s. Six days after the Nagasaki bombing, Japan surrendered to the Allied Forces.

Reflecting on the Hiroshima and Nagasaki tragedy, Tokyo has always focused on Japan's much-trumpeted victimhood, evading the fact that the root cause of the U.S. bombings lies in Japan's militaristic aggression and brutal violence against other countries.

At Tuesday's event, Tomihisa Taue, mayor of Nagasaki city, urged the government to enshrine into law its Three Non-Nuclear Principles of not possessing, not producing and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons on its soil.

Toyokazu Ihara, representative of atomic bombing survivors, who was nine years old when the bombing took place in Nagasaki, addressed the ceremony, calling on the government to abolish controversial securities bills which are contrary to the country's pacifist constitution and abandon dependence on the U.S. nuclear umbrella.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the revisionist premier and also a hawkish nationalist, also attended the ceremony and delivered a speech. As he stepped up to the platform, angry shouts were heard from the crowd, "Abe Out!"

Abe did not mention the historical background and root cause of the atomic bombings, nor did he offer apology for the war atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese Army.

Hundreds of people and several Japanese civic groups rallied around the Peace Park, protesting against Abe's attendance at the ceremony and criticizing Abe for his wrong view of history and policies including new security bills.

"We strongly oppose the security-related bills," "Retract the war bills," shouted the protesters, holding banners.

Asai Ryunosuke, a citizen from southwest Japan's Miyazaki prefecture, told Xinhua that "Prime Minister Abe's visit to Nagasaki is an insult to war victims in Japan and Asia," "His abuses on peace memorial is intolerable."

Ryunosuke blamed the Abe administration for not offering apology for or reflecting on the aggression war. "He absolutely does not think the war is wrong in his heart," he added.

The Abe administration rolled out policies including security bills which might trigger wars, adopted hostile attitude to some Asian countries including China and hyped up "threat theory" and "sense of crisis" in order to seek excuse for war preparations, he said.

Referring to a huge stockpile of weapons-grade nuclear materials in Japan, Ryunosuke said Japan's intention to produce nuclear weapons is absolutely clear despite the Abe administration's claim to abandon nuclear weapons.

As for Japan's aggression history, he said Japanese schools do not tell students about it; Japanese media, meanwhile, focuses on suffering of Japan in the war. As a result, most Japanese do not know the country's militarist history of invasion.

"Many Japanese know Japan suffered a lot in the wars, but don't know its Asian neighbors were victimized by Japan's brutal aggression and colonial rule," he said.

Kitahara Hiroki, a citizen from southwest Japan's Fukuoka prefecture, also condemned Abe's historical revisionism, saying millions of people in Asia died in wars waged by Japan and the real reason for Nagasaki tragedy lies in the war of aggression.

Japan has adhered to its post-war tradition of pacifism to avoid mistakes in future, but "Abe is doing exactly the opposite," with the aim to get rid of the postwar system and fundamentally overturn the postwar social form in Japan, he said.

"Amending Japan's pacifist Constitution has been put on agenda now," said Hiroki, stressing that "I'm resolutely opposed to Abe's attendance at today's ceremony."
BRATISLAVA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Slovakia's foreign trade produced a surplus of 1.793 billion euros (about 1.99 billion U.S. dollars) between January and May in 2016, rising by 36.7 million euros year-on-year, the Slovak Statistical Office announced Tuesday.

The highest surplus was recorded with Germany, 2.081 billion euros, followed by Britain (1.307 billion euros) and France (966.1 million euros).

The largest deficits were in foreign-trade with China (1.741 billion euros), South Korea (1.553 billion euros) and Russia (522.7 million euros).

Goods worth 28.559 billion euros were exported from Slovakia in the first five months of this year, increased by 3.9 percent compared to the same period of 2015, while the total import saw an increase of 4 percent year-on-year to 26.766 billion euro-worth of goods.

In relations to the most significant trade partners, imports increased respectively from Germany and China by 9.2 percent and 8.9 percent, while imports from South Korea and Russia were down by 6.3 percent and 35.6 percent. (1 euro = 1.11 U.S. dollars) Enditem
BRUSSELS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- About 74 percent of Europeans want the European Union (EU) to do more to manage the situation, according to the latest Eurobarometer poll commissioned by the European Parliament.

According to the poll results posted Tuesday on the European Parliament website, about two thirds of respondents said EU action on migration was insufficient.

The Eurobarometer survey was conducted among 27,969 people from all EU countries on April 9-18.

According to EU border agency Frontex, the total number of detections of illegal crossings in the EU external borders reached 1.83 million in 2015 (compared to 283,500 the year before) although it should be noted that a person can illegally cross an external border more than once and thus may be counted more than once too.

Europe is faced with a significant influx of migrants: hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war and poverty are traveling to Europe in search of safety and a better life. As the EU searches for the best approach to deal with this unprecedented increase in migration, members of the European Parliament press for a comprehensive and fair asylum system.

On July 6, members of the European Parliament voted in favor of creating an EU border control system that will bring together the EU's border agency Frontex and national border management authorities.
CHICAGO, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) grains futures closed mixed Tuesday, with soybeans rising for a fifth straight session, while corn futures fell slightly.

The most active corn contract for December delivery was down 2.25 cents, or 0.67 percent, to 3.325 dollars per bushel. September wheat delivery kept unchanged at 4.17 dollars per bushel. November soybeans was up 3 cents, or 0.3 percent, to 9.88 dollars per bushel.

Analysts said export demand for U.S. soybean supplies and supply concerns continues to support prices.

"The market's optimism for strong U.S. export demand was bolstered after the USDA reported yet another large sale of beans to China," said Tobin Gorey, director of agricultural strategy, Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

The USDA pegged 72 percent of the soybean crop at good to excellent, unchanged from a week earlier and matching analysts' expectations.

USDA said 74 percent of the corn crop was rated good to excellent, below market expectations of 75 percent good to excellent.

Market attention is turning to the next USDA report on Friday. The government is broadly expected to increase its U.S. corn and soy production forecasts. Enditem
File photo taken on Feb. 4, 2016, shows Pollyana Rabello (L), holding her baby, Luiz Philipe, who was born with microcephaly, in their house in Marica, Rio de Janeiro state. Brazil has confirmed 1,581 cases of microcephaly related to the Zika virus since October last year, the Health Ministry said on June 15, 2016. (Xinhua/Daniel Castelo Branco/Agencia o Dia/AGENCIA ESTADO)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. state of Florida has identified four new Zika cases who likely contracted the virus through a mosquito bite locally, bringing the total number there to 21, the state's Governor Rick Scott said Tuesday.

So far, Florida is the only U.S. state that has reported homegrown Zika transmission by mosquitoes.

Scott said that active transmissions were only taking place within a less than one-square-mile (2.6-square-kilometer) area just north of downtown Miami, known as Wynwood.

Scott criticized the U.S. federal government for failing to fulfill the state's requests such as an additional 10,000 Zika prevention kits for pregnant women.

"The federal government must stop playing politics and Congress needs to immediately come back to session to resolve this," he said in a statement.

"This is not only an issue affecting us here in Florida -- this is a national issue. Florida is just at the head of it with the first cases of local transmission of Zika," said Scott.

U.S. President Barack Obama has requested 1.9 billion dollars to combat Zika, but members of Congress left for a seven-week recess in mid-July without approving any Zika-fighting funds.
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday deplored the killing of four children earlier this week in Yemen, calling for all parties to the conflict to keep children out of harm's way.

The UN agency said in a statement that the four were killed, and three others injured on Sunday in the Nihm District, east of the Yemeni capital Sanaa, Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesman, said at a daily news briefing here.

UNICEF said since the escalation of the conflict in March of last year, at least 1,121 children were killed and another 1,650 were injured.

"The actual numbers are likely to be much higher," the UNICEF statement said.

"UNICEF urges all parties to the conflict in Yemen to adhere to International Humanitarian Law and keep children out of harm's way," said the statement.

The UN accused both the Yemeni warring parties of using child soldiers, and it is reported that 900 children were killed while 1,300 were wounded during the 2015 conflict.

The Iran-allied Shiite Houthi group supported by forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh advanced from their stronghold in the far north of the province of Saada, storming through the capital Sanaa and other cities in September 2014, dissolving the Saudi-backed government along with President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi based on combating "corruption" allegations.

The Saudi-led air force coalition intervened in March 2015, triggering an all-out civil war and vowing to reinstate Hadi to power and reclaim Sanaa.

The civil war has escalated since then, leaving over 6,000 dead so far in ground battles and airstrikes, half of whom are civilians.

The ongoing conflict has also forcibly displaced over 2.4 million people from Yemen.
LISBON, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of people across mainland Portugal and Madeira were forced to leave their homes due to forest fires which spread rapidly on Tuesday.

Over 940 firefighters are on the ground to fight the forest fires, according to local media reports.

In Madeira, hundreds of people left their homes and two fire fighters were injured.

On Tuesday evening, the government is sending a fire fighting force to the Madeira regions affected, Prime Minister Antonio Costa said.

Mayor of Funchal Paulo Cafofo told local media that people are being forced to leave the areas of Babosas and Curral dos Romeiros.

The Hotel Choupana Hills has also been evacuated due to the fire, which has been spreading due to strong wind.

Earlier Tuesday, President of the Regional Government of Madeira Miguel Albuquerque said two firefighters were injured and needed hospital assistance.

Around 174 people needed medical assistance due to breathing problems.

An elderly man who refused to abandon his home suffered severe injuries and was flown in an airforce plane to the burns unit of the hospital in Lisbon Santa Maria.

Despite the alarming figures of people affected the government of Madeira said the fires were under control.

Other fires have raged in the past days through mainland Portugal affecting regions like Aveiro, Viseu, Leiria, Portalegre and Viana do Castelo.
RAMALLAH, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday that contacts are still going on to hold the international conference for peace in the Middle East before the end of this year.

Abbas told a convention for his Fatah Party held in Ramallah that the contacts are held with all international parties and in coordination with French side to gain enough international support for holding the peace conference.

He said the Palestinians back the French initiative for holding the international conference for peace and resolving the Palestinian cause, according to the Palestinian state-run news agency WAFA.

"Solving the Palestinian cause is by establishing an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital in 1967 borders," said Abbas.

On July 3, Paris hosted an international ministerial meeting which included the foreign ministers of 25 countries, including four Arab states, and debated the revival of the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.

Last peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians were sponsored by the United States in 2014, lasted for nine months and ended in April without reaching an agreement to end their conflict that has been going on for decades.

Meanwhile, Abbas stressed that holding the municipal elections in the Palestinian territories in October is "a national commitment and essential for the Palestinian people."
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Senior UN officials on Tuesday underlined indigenous peoples' right to education, calling on governments to improve access to education and ensure that the most vulnerable are not left behind as the journey to achieve the new UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) gets under way.

"In some countries, less than 40 percent of indigenous children attend school full-time," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his message to mark the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. "In many others, few indigenous children complete a full high school education."

"This is unacceptable," the secretary-general said, underscoring that "we will not achieve the Sustainable Development Goals if we fail to address the educational needs of indigenous peoples."

The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is observed on Aug. 9 each year to promote and protect the rights of the world's indigenous population. This event also recognizes the achievements and contributions that indigenous people make to improve world issues such as environmental protection.

This year's International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is devoted to the indigenous peoples' right to eduction. In spite of these instruments, the right to education has not been fully realized for most indigenous peoples, and a critical education gap exists between indigenous peoples and the general population.

Indigenous peoples regularly face stigmatization of their cultural identity and lack of respect and recognition for their heritage and values, including in textbooks and other educational materials.

Moreover, their marginalization is often compounded by language barriers as instruction is mainly in the national language, with little or no instruction in, or recognition of, indigenous languages, Ban said.

"I call on Governments everywhere to draw on the guidance of this international framework (the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) to improve access to education for indigenous peoples and to reflect their experiences and culture in places of learning," said the secretary-general.

Meanwhile, Ban also stressed the commitment to "ensuring indigenous peoples are not left behind as we pursue the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals."

The SDGs was approved by world leaders in September last year to serve as the blueprint for the global development efforts for the next 15 years.

Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls for ensuring equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations.

Hailing indigenous peoples' crucial role as custodians to rich cultural diversity, carrying unique wisdom of sustainable living and respect for biodiversity, Irina Bokova, the director-general of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), reaffirmed the organization's determination to safeguard and promote their identities, languages and knowledge systems.

However, "nurturing and harnessing this potential calls for inclusive and equitable quality education for all," Bokova said, adding that "too many indigenous peoples are still denied the full right to quality education."

The right to education is fundamental, she said, also added that Indigenous knowledge systems hold many answers to mitigating the consequences of climate change.

"UNESCO will continue to draw on these to bolster scientific cooperation for biodiversity as well as education for sustainable development," she said.

This year's theme for the International Day -- Indigenous Peoples and the Right to Education -- reflects a core and underlying principle of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), said the director general of WIPO, Francis Gurry.

"WIPO's program of work in support of Indigenous Peoples focuses on appropriate tools, both existing or to be developed, to prevent the misuse of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions by third parties," said Gurry.

Also in his remarks on the International Day, Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, the executive secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), touched upon the challenges indigenous peoples continue to face, especially their right to access a culturally appropriate education inclusive of their histories, world views and traditional knowledge.

"The CBD works on several themes relevant to indigenous education, most significantly traditional knowledge, innovations and practices, and customary sustainable use of biological diversity," said Dias.

He added that the CBD Secretariat also works closely with indigenous peoples' regional and local organizations to deliver culturally appropriate training through a "train-the-trainer" methodology on participation in the implementation of the Convention.

Applauding for this year's timely theme, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the executive director of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), said the theme also aligns with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development's commitment to educational attainment among indigenous women and girls.

"Formal, non-formal and informal education are potent means to enhance the ability of indigenous women to reach their full potential," said Mlambo-Ngcuka, adding that "formal education must also be promoted to ensure that indigenous girls and women are able to effectively participate in all domains of social, economic and political activity."

However, she stressed that high levels of illiteracy among indigenous women regrettably attest to the historical patterns of discrimination and exclusion.
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday welcomed the signing of a roadmap agreement by Sudanese opposition groups to end conflicts in Sudan.

The opposition groups signed the African Union-proposed roadmap agreement in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Monday, more than four months after the government of Sudan signed it on March 21.

The roadmap includes ceasefire arrangements in regions of South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur, and endorses a national dialogue between major stakeholders.

"The Secretary-General is encouraged by this valuable step towards ending the war and resolving the crises in Sudan," said a statement released by Ban's spokesperson.

Ban urged relevant parties to continue working toward an agreement on cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access to conflict areas and to reach a final political settlement through inclusive national dialogue.

The conflict in Darfur began in 2003 and there has been fighting between the Sudanese army and opposition groups in South Kordofan and Blue Nile since 2011.

Due to the conflicts, around 5.8 million people in Sudan are in need of humanitarian assistance.
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is expected to adopt an agreement on globally resolving issues on refugees and migrants at a high-level meeting to be held on Sept. 19, UNGA President Mogens Lykketoft said on Tuesday.

Lykketoft told reporters that member states have finalized negotiations on the draft agreement, which will act as "a solid base" to change the paradigm of how member states deal with the issues of refugees and migrants.

He said the current refugee and migrant crises are "manageable" based on international cooperation and the principle of shared responsibility.

The world is faced with unprecedented refugee and migrant crises due to wars and conflicts. UN statistics showed that 65.3 million people were displaced at the end of 2015.

The draft document proposed a comprehensive refugee response framework as well as a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration, which outline recommendations with regard to reception of refugees and migrants as well as supporting them with ongoing assistance.

The refugee and migrant issues will be one of the highlights for discussion during the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations in September.

A series of high-level meetings will be held on this topic to figure out ways to tackle the challenges.
KIEV, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Igor Plotnytsky, the leader of independence-seeking insurgents in Ukraine's eastern Lugansk region, said Tuesday he came back to work three days after surviving an attempt on his life.

"The work of the authorities continues in the usual mode and I participate in the meetings and conferences on a regular basis," Plotnytsky said in a statement published by the insurgent-run Lugansk information center.

In his statement, the leader of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic (LNR) urged the public not to trust the "toxic rumors" about the deterioration of his health.

Plotnytsky was injured on Saturday morning when an explosive device went off near his car and he was hospitalized in Lugansk.

The Ukrainian security authorities suggested that Plotnytsky was in serious condition, while the self-styled Health minister of the self-proclaimed LNR Larysa Airapetyan said that the wounds were not life-threatening.

Plotnytsky has blamed the Ukrainian government for the explosion, while Kiev has denied the charges, saying it was not implicated in the blast.

Since April 2014, the Ukrainian army and rebels have been engaged in a military conflict in eastern Ukraine that has killed some 9,400 people so far.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The allegation in Turkish press that the Washington-based think tank Wilson Center was behind a failed coup in Turkey is "absolutely not helpful," the State Department said Tuesday.

"I think this sort of conspiracy theory, inflammatory rhetoric ... is absolutely not helpful," State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau told a regular press briefing. "Conspiracy theories get us nowhere."

The failed coup attempt in Turkey last month has left more than 200 people dead and the authorities have since detained more than 18,000 people.

Pro-government Turkish newspapers have implicated a group of academics who were attending a conference organized by the Wilson Center on the island of Buyukada near Istanbul at the time of the coup.

"There was nothing clandestine or sinister about the conference, which brought together specialists on Iran, Turkey, and the Middle East," Haleh Esfandiari, a senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson, wrote in an article published Tuesday on The Wall Street Journal.

Turkish authorities have accused U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen of orchestrating the coup attempt in coordination with a faction within the military.

An Istanbul court recently issued an arrest warrant for Gulen over his suspected role in the coup attempt, and Turkey has already sent its request to the United States to extradite Gulen.

Turkey-U.S. ties were strained by the failed coup amid Turkey's indication of U.S. involvement in it.

U.S. President Barack Obama last month denied any involvement in the coup attempt in Turkey.

Turkey, a NATO ally for the United States, is a major member of the U.S.-led coalition in the fight against the Islamic State terrorist group.
MELBOURNE, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- A prominent animal rights group has called on an Australian council to rename "Eggs and Bacon Bay" to a vegan alternative.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) proposed "Apple and Cherry Bay" as an alternative name to Tasmania's Huon Valley Council, where the popular fishing spot is located.

Ashley Fruno, associate director of campaigns for PETA Australia, said the group hoped the change would promote a healthier lifestyle for residents of the area.

"Considering the high levels of cholesterol and saturated fat in both eggs and bacon, the area may as well be called 'Heart Attack Bay'," Fruno told News Limited on Wednesday.

"The Huon Valley is famous for its delectable apples and cherries, so we are asking the council 'where's the fruit?' in the hope that it will apply to change the name to 'Apple and Cherry Bay'."

In a written submission to Huon Valley Mayor Peter Coad, Fruno said that 93 percent of Tasmanians did not eat enough fruit and that Tasmania had the highest rate of lap-band surgery in Australia.

"Reminding residents to stay away from cholesterol and fat-laden bacon and eggs and instead to eat the fresh plant produce of the Huon Valley might be just what the doctor ordered," she wrote.

Despite an offer of a vegan apple pie for every Huon Valley resident if the name is changed, locals took to social media to mock the proposal.

One person suggested the simple "Quinoa Cove" as an alternative while another said they think "egg, bacon, sausage and steak would be appropriate."
(Xinhua file photo)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump got embroiled in a political firestorm on Tuesday after suggesting that supporters of gun rights could take action against his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton if she wins the election.

During a campaign rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, Trump repeated his claim that Clinton intends to abolish the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which protects Americans' right to keep guns, before appearing to make a joke about using violence to stop Clinton from picking a liberal Supreme Court justice.

"Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the Second Amendment," said Trump. "By the way, if she gets to pick her (Supreme Court) judges, nothing you can do, folks."

"Though the Second Amendment people, maybe there is," he added.

The Clinton campaign immediately seized on Trump's remarks, criticizing the New Yorker for instigating violence.

"This is simple -- what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way," said the Clinton campaign in a statement.

Other Democrats piled on, with one Democratic senator equating Trump's remarks with "assassination threat" against Clinton.

The Trump campaign defended the nominee by arguing that Trump was talking about nothing other than encouraging gun rights supporters to vote against Clinton in November.

"It's called the power of unification -- Second Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power," said the Trump campaign in a statement.

"And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it won't be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump," it added.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- An Olympic media shuttle bus was attacked on the way back to Barra Olympic park here on Tuesday as one of its windows was broken.

According to Brazilian news hub UOL, the bus was hit two times after leaving Deodoro, north of Rio, for Barra Olympic park, southwest in the city. Police searched the bus and said it was stones, not bullets, to break the window.

Rio organizing committee has confirmed this accident and a special investigation force including the federal police is formed to review it.

Around 12 people were on the bus when this accident happened. Two of them suffered minor injuries. A journalist from Belarus suffered small cuts on the hand. A volunteer got injured on his arm.

Although police said it was stones hitting the window, passengers on the bus suspected it was small-caliber bullet. A Reuters photographer, who has experience in battlefield, said he also had the impression that the bus was hit by gunfire.

After the incident, all the buses leaving from Deodoro were escorted by the military.
HANOI, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- "Vietnamese people don't produce, buy, import or spray Agent Orange in the country, but we have been and continue to be victims of Agent Orange," Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has said.

Dam made the remarks at an international scientific seminar on assessments of the damage of Agent Orange/Dioxin used by the U.S. military during the War in Vietnam held by Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange here on Tuesday.

At the two-day seminar, for the first time, over 100 domestic and foreign scientists reached a consensus that over 80 million liters of herbicides were sprayed in Vietnam.

Some 61 percent of the herbicides was Agent Orange, directly affecting 4.8 million Vietnamese people, reported local Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberation of Sai Gon) online newspaper on Wednesday.

Participants at the seminar also discussed impacts of Agent Orange/Dioxin to the next generations and called on countries, organizations and individuals to join hands in supporting the victims.
HANOI, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- A court in Vietnam's northern China-bordering Lang Son province on Tuesday sentenced 11 people to death for smuggling some 280.24 km of heroin from the country to China from 2013 to 2014.

The other two defendants got life sentences, reported local Bao Giao Thong (Transport News) online newspaper on Wednesday.

According to the indictment, the 19-member drug smuggling ring was responsible for trafficking heroin from Vietnam's northern provinces to China, to rake in profit of some 10 billion Vietnamese dong (448,430 U.S. dollars) during the two-year period.

In December 2014, Vietnamese police arrested the ring and seized large quantities of illegal drugs.

Of the 19 ring members, as many as 13 were brought to trial, four have remained at large, one was dead before the trial began while the last member, a Chinese national, has been sent back to China.

Earlier in 2014, in what was one of Vietnam's largest narcotic cases, a court in Vietnam's capital Hanoi sentenced 29 people to death for trafficking more than 12 tons of heroin from Laos into Vietnam and China.

According to Vietnamese law, those convicted of smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kg of methamphetamine will face death penalty.

The production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics is also punishable by death.
MOSCOW, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday met in St. Petersburg with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a bid to further stabilize bilateral cooperation.

This is their first meeting since Turkey downed a Russian warplane last November for alleged air space violation.

This is also Erdogan's first visit abroad after the failed coup attempt in Turkey last month.

During their meeting, a full range of bilateral cooperation issues were discussed, including the construction of a nuclear power plant and a Turkish gas pipeline, as well as coordination on regional issues like the Syrian crisis.

The two presidents promised to fully reactivate the intergovernmental commissions on economy, politics and foreign affairs for consultation on details of all-round cooperation, with a 2016-2019 mid-term cooperation program to be designed.

The meeting is expected by Russian experts to speed up the resumption of bilateral economic cooperation, as well as to pave the way for coordination of the two countries' stances on the Syrian crisis.

"Confrontation did not meet the interests of Russia or Turkey. Both sides suffered politically and economically," Dmitry Suslov, an expert at the Higher School of Economics of the National Research University, told Xinhua on Monday.

Another expert, Amur Gadjiev, a research fellow at the Institute of Oriental Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences, said that the strained bilateral ties have already dealt a serious blow to Turkey, particularly to its economy.

According to Erdogan, the trade turnover between Turkey and Russia once reached 35 billion U.S. dollars, but has fallen to about 28 billion dollars, even lower, after the warplane downing incident.

In this regard, Putin on Tuesday promised to gradually lift the economic restrictions introduced against Turkey, encouraging Russian businesses to cooperate with their Turkish counterparts.

Erdogan on his side assured facilitation for joint projects with Russia.

"We had set a goal of reaching a 100-billion-dollar trade turnover, and we are striving vigorously to achieve it," Erdogan said.

Russian experts said the strained Russia-Turkey relations also had a negative effect on Turkey's position in the region and on its role in international affairs.

Turkey has realized that there would be no support from the West in its confrontation with Russia, while Moscow knew that it is practically impossible to resolve the Syrian crisis and other issues in the Middle East and Central Asia without the participation of Ankara, they said.

Trying to find a way out of the diplomatic dilemma, Ankara has strengthened control over the Turkish-Syrian border to curb the traffic of terrorists, and reduced its support for radical militants operating in Syria, which did not go unnoticed in Moscow, Gadjiev said.

Turkey has been accused by Russia of supporting Syrian rebel groups, and the two sides have also differences on the support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Kurdish issue, among others.

The move toward normalization of relations must be progressive and gradual, Gadjiev commented.
CANBERRA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Australia's attorney-general said Wednesday he is "very confident" that Australian and Indonesian authorities have terrorism in the area under control.

Speaking from Indonesia ahead of a meeting between 20 counter-terrorism ministers from Oceania and southeast Asia this week, George Brandis praised Indonesia's role in fighting terrorism in the region.

"Indonesia has been an extremely helpful partner to Australia and I would go so far as to say that Australia and Indonesia together have led our region in the development of counter-terrorism strategies," Brandis told the ABC on Wednesday.

Brandis said that while it is impossible to guarantee complete safety from terrorist attacks, Indonesia and Australia have done as much as possible to counter the threat.

"We are very confident that the Indonesian authorities do have the situation under control," Brandis said on Wednesday.

"Of course, no country including Indonesia is immune from the threat. We saw that in Jakarta in January. But we've had terrorist outrages of course in Australia as well.

"But the Australian Government and Australia's police and intelligence authorities are working in a close partnership with their Indonesian counterparts to ensure that Indonesia's capability, our sharing of information with them, our co-operation ... is as good as it can be."

Justice Minister Michael Keenan, who will join Brandis at the ministerial summit in Bali, said the number of Australians who visit Indonesia each year made a strong relationship of paramount importance.

"Our national interest is in having the closest possible co-operation with Indonesian security agencies," Keenan told Fairfax Media on Wednesday.
BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Beijing police have launched a two-month crackdown on cyber crimes, according to authorities.

The operation is being carried out to restore online order and security, Beijing police said in a statement.

It will target cyber crime that damages political security, while also cracking down on online terrorism and other types of illegal information.

Police will pursue crimes related to pornography, gambling, guns, explosives and drugs.

The special operation also targets infringement of private information, telecommunications fraud, hacking, the spread of violence and terrorism, and damage to the social order.

Websites, online service providers and employees will also be subject to police inspection, it said.
SEOUL, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- German carmaker BMW is required to recall about 12,000 vehicles for faulty baby seat latch, Seoul's transportation ministry said on Wednesday.

BMW Korea, the South Korean importer and distributor of BMW brand, will be subject to recalling 11,968 vehicles of 11 models, including X3 xDrive20i, that were produced between Nov. 19, 2010 and April 15 this year, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Welding defect was found from latches for baby seat of the models, raising possibility for baby seat not to be fixed properly, the ministry said.

Owners of the vehicles will be allowed to repair free of charge from next Friday.

GM Korea, the South Korean unit of U.S.-based General Motors, will be subject to recalling 384 vehicles of Malibu and Alpheon models that were manufactured between July 9 and July 13.

Those vehicles have a faulty buckle in back seat belt. Owners of the vehicles can exchange the buckles free of charge from next Wednesday.
MONTREAL, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The 12th World Social Forum began here Tuesday, with the forum organizers accusing the Canadian government of refusing hundreds of invitees' visas.

Most of the people being denied visas are from Africa and Latin America, including Aminata Traore, a high-profile anti-globalization activist and a former minister of tourism and culture in Mali.

Traore, who has been to Canada several times to give conferences on the same themes, told Radio Canada that the visa refusal is a stain on Canada's reputation as an open and democratic country.

"In reality, the West is more and more afraid of debates on ideas ... We are bearers of ideas, not bombs," said Traore, who is also a candidate to succeed Ban Ki-moon as UN secretary-general.

However, Immigration Canada blamed conference officials, saying the rules for visitor visas need to be followed rigorously, and the event's directors said they did all they could to facilitate the visa process.

The forum is aimed at finding "concrete alternatives to the neoliberal economic model and to policies based on the exploitation of human beings and nature."

The annual meeting this year, held from Wednesday to Sunday, was expected to bring together more than 50,000 activists and leftist intellectuals from around the world.

This year's forum has set several precedents as it is the first to be held in North America and the first to take place in a Group of 7 country.
HANOI, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam has been working on a scheme to grant electronic visas for foreign visitors next year, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said.

Phuc said at a national tourism development conference held in central Vietnam Tuesday that the government has allocated some 200 billion Vietnamese dong (8.97 million U.S. dollars) to speed up the implementation of the scheme so that e-visa system can be launched on January 1, 2017.

The move aims to attract more tourists to the country and boost the domestic tourism industry, local VNExpress online newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Phuc asked the ministries of finance, public security and foreign affairs to define e-visa fees and ensure foreign tourists are warmly welcomed upon arrival.

The e-visas will be issued to applicants in a printer-friendly email after they fill out an online application form. This system is believed to further speed up the entire visa process, according to Kenneth Atkinson, chairman of the Tourism Working Group under the Vietnam Business Forum.

Currently, a Vietnamese tourist visa may be obtained upon arrival at the country's international airports where tourists have to make long queues, or via Vietnamese embassies or consulates.

Vietnam has a visa waiver program for citizens from 21 countries, much fewer than other neighboring countries like Malaysia (164), the Philippines (157), Indonesia (45) and Thailand (52).

Last month, in an attempt to attract more visitors, Vietnam renewed the 15-day visa waiver policy for citizens of Britain, France, Germany, Spain and Italy for another year.

By 2020, Vietnam targets to attract 10 million to 10.5 million international visitors with tourism revenue reaching 18 billion to 19 billion U.S. dollars each year.

In the first seven months of this year, Vietnam received 5.55 million foreign tourists, a 24-percent year-on-year rise.

In 2016, Vietnam is set to welcome 8.5 million foreign tourists, up 6 percent over 2015. Tourism revenue is expected to hit more than 16 billion U.S. dollars, up 9 percent year-on-year, said Vietnam's General Statistics Office.
Jose Eduardo Cardozo, former justice minister and lawyer of Brazil's suspended President Dilma Rousseff, delivers a speech during a session of the Brazilian Senate in Brasilia Aug. 9, 2016. The Brazilian Senate decided Wednesday to give the go-ahead to an impeachment trial against suspended President Dilma Rousseff. (Xinhua/Andre Dusek/Agencia Estado)

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian Senate decided Wednesday to give the go-ahead to an impeachment trial against suspended President Dilma Rousseff.

At the end of a lengthy session that lasted over 15 hours, senators voted 59 to 21 to approve the trial, surpassing the 41 votes needed to open the trial.

Rousseff is accused of committing fiscal fraud in an attempt to balance the 2014 budget. She has not yet made comments on the Senate's decision.

According to earlier reports, the impeachment trial is expected to take place in late August or early September.

Related:

Brazil's Senate impeachment commission recommends removing Rousseff

BRASILIA, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Senate impeachment commission on Thursday recommended the full Senate remove suspended President Dilma Rousseff in an impeachment trial for alleged fiscal irregularities.
File photo taken on May 24, 2016 shows a music fountain in West Lake in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. Hangzhou is the host city for the 2016 G20 summit on Sept. 4 and Sept. 5. With one month to go, Hangzhou looks forward to G20. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

BUENOS AIRES, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- China is poised to play a "crucial" role at the upcoming summit of G20 leaders in Hangzhou, serving to guide talks aimed at jump-starting the world economy, according to a leading Argentine economist.

"Important and powerful conflicting interests coexist within the G20," said Gustavo Girado, head of the Buenos Aires-based consulting firm Asia & Argentina.

"While most of its members seem to agree on the need to spur the global economy, it is not at all apparent whether they agree on how to go about it, so they can take joint measures. In that sense, China plays a crucial role and it appears to have taken due note of it," Girado said.

In the lead up to the Sept. 4-5 summit in China's eastern city of Hangzhou, Girado published his views on Monday in local financial daily BAE.

China's interests, said Girado, are more than ever linked to the progress of its partners, even small ones. It could cost this great economy a lot if its partners face economic and political limitations.

With that in mind, China will host the meeting with a willingness to rearrange core interests in the institutional and economic matters that gave rise to the G20, without losing sight of the fact that times have changed significantly since then, said Girado.

In Fortaleza, Brazil in 2014, the BRICS bloc of emerging economies -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, all members of the G20 -- expressed their shared discontent with the existing multilateral lending institutions, which had already come under fire for, among other things, serving the interests of the developed nations at the expense of developing countries.

In a joint declaration, BRICS countries said they were "disappointed and seriously concerned" that reforms to the International Monetary Fund that had been agreed on back in 2010 had been almost totally disregarded.

China decided to set a proactive agenda to channel the group's demands, leading to the creation of new banking mechanisms to finance infrastructure projects, said Girado.

This new form of financing serves collaterally as a financial security net for Argentina and other developing countries, so they can better tackle the risks of international capital flows and financial turbulence, he added.

"Cooperation to promote innovation and encourage individual initiative ... require improving the existing means of coordination, and that includes supporting a multilateral trade system," Girado said.

Related:

Interview: China's role in G20 summit vital to global growth: Italian expert

ROME, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's role in promoting global economic growth is vital, an Italian economic expert told Xinhua in context of the forthcoming G20 summit to be held in Hangzhou, China. Full Story

Interview: G20 summit a chance to show China's view on global development: Russian expert

MOSCOW, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The 2016 Group of 20 (G20) summit to be held in the Chinese city of Hangzhou in early September will give the country a great chance to present and promote its ideas on global development, a Russian expert has said. Full Story

Commentary: Current world calls for G20 to play bigger role
CANBERRA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The two-year Australian-led hunt for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has begun to draw to a close, after it was announced one of the search vessels will depart the area to rendezvous with its next project.

Australia's Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC) released its latest operational update for the search for MH370 on Wednesday, and said that more than 110,000 square kilometers of the 120,000 square kilometer search zone in the southern Indian Ocean had been probed to no avail.

One of the search vessels, "Fugro Discovery", will depart the search area on Thursday after commencing operations in the hunt for MH370 on Oct. 23, 2014.

"(Fugro Discovery will depart) the search area on Aug.11, 2016, to undertake mandatory scheduled maintenance, bringing to an end its involvement in the search for MH370," the statement said.

"The search plan provides for the remaining search area to be completed using the other vessels."

As the search area begins to narrow without any further evidence of the missing Boeing 777 airliner, the JACC reiterated that search operations would be "suspended" but not abandoned if no new evidence is found in the given search zone.

"At a meeting of ministers from Malaysia, Australia and the People's Republic of China held on July 22 2016, it was agreed that should the aircraft not be located in the current search area, and in the absence of credible new evidence leading to the identification of a specific location of the aircraft, the search would be suspended upon completion of the 120,000 square kilometer search area," the statement said.

Ministers went to great lengths to explain that this does not mean the termination of the search; should credible new information emerge which can be used to identify the specific location of the aircraft, consideration will be given to determining next steps.

MH370 was a scheduled passenger flight from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing. It disappeared on March 8, 2014 with 239 passengers and crew on board.
BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- China is open to any form of communication with the Philippines, said a Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wednesday.

Hua Chunying made the remarks when asked to comment on former Philippine President Fidel Ramos' visit to Hong Kong.

Designated by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte as a special envoy, Ramos arrived in Hong Kong on Monday evening to pave way for talks with Beijing after the South China Sea arbitration case caused a breakdown in bilateral ties.

"My job is to look for some old friends who have links to high officials in Beijing. My job is not to negotiate, but to help pave the way, break the ice and rekindle the friendship that we had during my time with China," Ramos told a press conference Tuesday.

Pointing out that China and the Philippines were traditionally friendly neighbors, Hua said the two countries should make joint efforts to improve bilateral ties, resume dialogue and cooperation, and promote the sound and stable development of relations.

She said Ramos would have private communication with his old Chinese friends during his stay in Hong Kong.

China welcomes an early Beijing visit by Ramos as Philippine President 's special envoy, she added.

The 88-year-old Ramos led the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. After retirement, Ramos became a key figure, proposing the Boao Forum for Asia, an international think tank based in Hainan Province, southern China.
ANKARA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Five Turkish soldiers were killed and eight others wounded early Wednesday in a bombing attack by suspected Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) militants in the southeastern province of Sirnak, Dogan News Agency reported.

The militants detonated bombs when the military's armored vehicles were transiting the Uludere district of Sirnak, Dogan said.

The bombing came one day after the Turkish Air Force destroyed four PKK targets in rural areas of the eastern province of Tunceli late Tuesday.

Over 500 members of Turkish security forces and thousands of PKK members have been killed in confrontations inside Turkey and in northern Iraq since last July 2015.

More than 40,000 people have lost their lives in clashes with the PKK since 1984, when the group first started anti-government attacks.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and Turkey.
MANILA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Philippine exports fell by 11.4 percent year-on-year to 4.8 billion U.S. dollars in June, its 15th consecutive month of decline, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Wednesday.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), an agency that oversees PSA, attributed the drop to weak demand from major export markets, such as Japan, U.S. and China.

For the first semester of this year, exports plunged by 7.5 percent to 26.832 billion U.S. dollars from 29 billion U.S. dollars during the same period last year.

"We must continue to improve our efforts in ensuring an enabling environment where industries can upgrade and improve their competitiveness," said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia, also director general of NEDA.

He said that an example would be transforming the agriculture sector from traditional farming to a globally competitive agribusiness sector.

"This can be done by effectively linking the agriculture sector to the local and global industry supply chain," Pernia said.

With the slow global economic recovery, he said the country should identify non-traditional markets such as in Europe and within the ASEAN region, to reduce the external shocks from times of weak demand from traditional markets.

"We should also ensure that the programmed spending on infrastructure projects, particularly those related to transportation and logistics, to support the country's growing industries," he added.
BAGHDAD, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 20 newborn babies were killed on Wednesday in a fire at a hospital in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, a police source told Xinhua.

The incident took place at dawn when a fire broke out at the maternity wards in Yarmouk Hospital in western Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

"The children mainly died of suffocation from the thick smoke which spread in the wards," the source said.

The fire is under investigation, but initial reports said that it was probably caused by "electrical contact," the source added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia, on August 9, 2016. (Sputnik Photo)

MOSCOW, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday met in St. Petersburg with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a bid to further stabilize bilateral cooperation.

This is their first meeting since Turkey downed a Russian warplane last November for alleged air space violation.

This is also Erdogan's first visit abroad after the failed coup attempt in Turkey last month.

During their meeting, a full range of bilateral cooperation issues were discussed, including the construction of a nuclear power plant and a Turkish gas pipeline, as well as coordination on regional issues like the Syrian crisis.

The two presidents promised to fully reactivate the intergovernmental commissions on economy, politics and foreign affairs for consultation on details of all-round cooperation, with a 2016-2019 mid-term cooperation program to be designed.

The meeting is expected by Russian experts to speed up the resumption of bilateral economic cooperation, as well as to pave the way for coordination of the two countries' stances on the Syrian crisis.

"Confrontation did not meet the interests of Russia or Turkey. Both sides suffered politically and economically," Dmitry Suslov, an expert at the Higher School of Economics of the National Research University, told Xinhua on Monday.

Another expert, Amur Gadjiev, a research fellow at the Institute of Oriental Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences, said that the strained bilateral ties have already dealt a serious blow to Turkey, particularly to its economy.

According to Erdogan, the trade turnover between Turkey and Russia once reached 35 billion U.S. dollars, but has fallen to about 28 billion dollars, even lower, after the warplane downing incident.

In this regard, Putin on Tuesday promised to gradually lift the economic restrictions introduced against Turkey, encouraging Russian businesses to cooperate with their Turkish counterparts.

Erdogan on his side assured facilitation for joint projects with Russia.

"We had set a goal of reaching a 100-billion-dollar trade turnover, and we are striving vigorously to achieve it," Erdogan said.

Russian experts said the strained Russia-Turkey relations also had a negative effect on Turkey's position in the region and on its role in international affairs.

Turkey has realized that there would be no support from the West in its confrontation with Russia, while Moscow knew that it is practically impossible to resolve the Syrian crisis and other issues in the Middle East and Central Asia without the participation of Ankara, they said.

Trying to find a way out of the diplomatic dilemma, Ankara has strengthened control over the Turkish-Syrian border to curb the traffic of terrorists, and reduced its support for radical militants operating in Syria, which did not go unnoticed in Moscow, Gadjiev said.

Turkey has been accused by Russia of supporting Syrian rebel groups, and the two sides have also differences on the support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Kurdish issue, among others.

The move toward normalization of relations must be progressive and gradual, Gadjiev commented.
MOSCOW, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier have exchanged views on Syria and Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday night.

The two ministers spoke by phone and discussed the situation in Syria and international efforts to settle the country's conflict.

The ministry said their discussion focused on ways to resume the inclusive dialogue between the government and the opposition within the framework of the Geneva process.

They also discussed the Minsk-2 package of measures designed to implement the Minsk agreements for settling the Ukraine crisis.

"They stressed the need to synchronize steps on the way to a political settlement of the intra-Ukrainian conflict with the solution of security issues," the ministry said.
President of the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Venezuela Tibisay Lucena addresses a press conference about the presidential recall referendum in Caracas, capital of Venezuela, on Aug. 9, 2016. Lucena announced that if the established requirements are met, the second phase of the plebiscite, namely the collection of signatures from 20 percent of the electorate, will be in October. (Xinhua/Boris Vergara)

CARACAS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) Tuesday announced a timetable for a presidential recall referendum demanded by the opposition against President Nicolas Maduro.

CNE chief Tibisay Lucena said the second phase of the petition will probably begin in late October. The collection of signatures from 20 percent of the country's electorate, or close to 4 million voters, will be needed at the stage.

Election officials would then have 29 days to confirm the signatures and then 90 days to hold a referendum.

Lucena said there should be no rush to hold the referendum to ensure its "effectiveness" for citizen participation and that the legal and technical principles should be adhered to.

On Aug. 1, the electoral body confirmed the end of the first phase in petitioning for the presidential recall referendum as demanded by the opposition coalition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD).

During the first phase, the opposition collected signatures from the 1percent of voters needed to start the next phase.

The opposition has accused the CNE of delays benefiting President Maduro's administration, while Lucena has vowed not to give in to "pressure from anyone."
Outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Bu Jianguo (L) shakes hands with Cambodian parliament president Samdech Heng Samrin in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Aug. 10, 2016. Outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Bu Jianguo bid a farewell with Cambodian parliament president Samdech Heng Samrin on Wednesday and pledged to continue helping Cambodia despite the end of her term in office this month. (Xinhua/Phearum)

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Bu Jianguo bid a farewell with Cambodian parliament president Samdech Heng Samrin on Wednesday and pledged to continue helping Cambodia despite the end of her term in office this month.

"Her Excellency Bu said that she was fond of the Cambodian people and promised that no matter where her new mission would be, she would continue to further enhance relations between China and Cambodia," Keo Piseth, a spokesman for Heng Samrin, told reporters after the farewell meeting.

Bu said that she was very satisfied with her three-year diplomatic mission in Cambodia, which had contributed further to deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Cambodia.

She expressed sincere thanks to Cambodian leaders at all levels for working closely with the Chinese Embassy to strengthen and expand relations and cooperation between the two countries.

For his part, Heng Samrin praised Bu for her active contributions to further promoting Cambodia-China relations during her three-year tenure.

"The National Assembly of Cambodia is very satisfied with the achievements that have been born from the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between Cambodia and China," he said.

Meanwhile, Heng Samrin pinned the country's honorary medal to Bu in thanks for her contributions to enhancing Cambodia-China relations.
BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has allocated 821.1 billion yuan (124.4 billion U.S. dollars) to cover the renovation of substandard housing in the first seven months of the year, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said Wednesday.

Work began on the building of 4.67 million homes in former shanty towns during the January-July period, accounting for 78 percent of this year's target of six million homes, according to a press release by the ministry.

The government has been pushing people-oriented urbanization and improving living conditions for low-income families.

Last year, China started to renovate 6.01 million substandard dwellings, exceeding the target by 4 percent. It aims to build 18 million homes for shanty town residents between 2015 and 2017.

The government spent 1.54 trillion yuan in 2015 on affordable housing programs in 2015, which provides cheaper homes to low-income families that have been priced out of the property market.
JERUSALEM, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Israeli security forces arrested overnight Tuesday a Palestinian man who allegedly planned a shooting attack on soldiers, the Israeli army said Wednesday.

The man, identified as 27-year-old Ahmed Abu Rub, has ties with the Islamic Jihad movement in the Gaza Strip, was arrested in a joint operation of the Israeli military, Shin Bet security service and the police, according to a statement by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

"Ahmed Abu Rub was involved in the planning of a shooting attack at an IDF crossing near the community of Mevo Dotan, southwest of Jenin," the IDF said in the statement.

Israel and the Palestinians have been mired in a fresh wave of violence since October 2015, which killed 34 Israelis and 220 Palestinians.

The Israeli victims were killed in stabbing, shooting and car-ramming attacks. Some of the Palestinian victims died in clashes with Israeli security forces during protests, while others were gunned down after allegedly carrying out or trying to carry out attacks against Israelis.

Israeli leaders accuse the Palestinian National Authority of inciting violence, whereas the Palestinians say the unrest is the result of 49 years of Israeli occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip territories, where they wish to establish an independent state.
BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- China will continue anti-dumping duties on a commodity chemical imported from the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Thailand.

The tariffs on pure terephthalic acid will become effective for another five years on Thursday, with rates ranging from 2 percent to 20.1 percent, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Wednesday in a notice posted on its website. The chemical is used to make clothing and plastic bottles

Products from companies including ROK's Hyosung Corporation and Thailand's Indorama Petrochem Ltd. will continue to be subject to the tariffs.

The ruling was made after official surveys showed that damage to the domestic industry would reoccur if the tariffs were terminated, the notice said.

The ministry started imposing anti-dumping duties on the industrial organic compound in 2010.
PHNOM PENH, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Wednesday strongly condemned Hong Lim, Member of Parliament of Victoria in Australia, for calling Cambodia as "beast", saying that his disgraceful statement was absolutely contrary to the reality.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation condemns in the strongest term this individual Hong Lim for this disgraceful statement that is completely inconsistent with the reality in Cambodia," said a ministry's statement.

"The Kingdom of Cambodia and Australia have been enjoying the relations of friendship and good cooperation in many fields. We hope that the statement made by Hong Lim does not in any way reflect the views of the government and people of Australia as a whole," the statement said.

It added that the humiliation made by Hong Lim upon the Cambodian nation has pushed the ministry to consider him as "persona non grata" for Cambodia.

The reaction came after Hong Lim, who was born in Cambodia and first elected to the Victoria state's legislature in 1996, delivered the criticism during his interview with the U.S.-backed Radio Free Asia last week.
PUL-E-KHUMRI, Afghanistan, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of Taliban militants launched a massive offensive in Dahna-e-Ghori district of the northern Baghlan province on Wednesday, a local official said.

"Hundreds of Taliban militants stormed Dahna-e-Ghori district early today and fighting between militants and government forces has been continuing," the official told Xinhua.

According to the official who declined to be named, Taliban militants have overrun four police checkpoints and the attacking insurgents are attempting to capture the district headquarters.

Security officials have yet to make comment.

However, locals in Dahna-e-Ghori in talks with Xinhua confirmed Taliban's attack, saying 20 local policemen under Nik Mohammad joined the advancing militants.

The strategically important Dahna-e-Ghori distirct is just 30 minutes drive from the provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri.

Two Taliban militants have also been killed and a few others injured in Dahna-e-Ghori district, locals said.
KIRKUK, Iraq, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Gunmen blew up an oil well on Wednesday in Iraq's northern province of Kirkuk, a provincial police chief told Xinhua.

"A group of saboteurs blew up a bomb in an oil well at Bai Hassan oil field northwest of the city of Kirkuk, some 250 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, setting a huge fire," Brig. Sarhat Qadir, a police chief of Kirkuk province, said.

Kurdish security forces, known as Peshmerga, arrived at the scene and defused two more bombs planted in other oil installations in the oil field by the gunmen, who fled the scene before the troops' arrival, Qadir said.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack on the gas facility, but the Islamic State (IS) group has previously targeted oil facilities in the province.

Iraq has been hit by a new wave of violence since the IS terrorist group took control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions in June 2014.

Many blame the current chronic instability, cycle of violence, and the emergence of extremist groups such as the IS on the U.S., which invaded Iraq in March 2003 under the pretext of seeking to destroy weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the country.

The U.S. invasion led to the ouster and eventual execution of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, but no WMD was found.
RIYADH, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Saudi forces intercepted two missiles from Yemen on Wednesday, local media reported.

The incident occurred at 6:30 a.m. local time (0330 GMT), with no reported casualties or damage, Al Akhbariya news channel said.

The missiles were directed at the border cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait in southwest Saudi Arabia, the news channel reported.

Airstrikes were subsequently conducted against the suspected missile-launch locations within Yemen, the report said without elaboration.

A Saudi-led coalition has been engaged in a war in Yemen against Houthi rebels for over a year.

The coalition's airstrikes have intensified since United Nations-sponsored talks in Kuwait between Houthi rebels and the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi fell through on Saturday.
MANILA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte defended on Wednesday his criticism of the U.S. envoy to the Philippines for meddling with Philippine domestic affairs, downplaying his statements against U.S. ambassador he made last week.

Duterte said in a speech at a military camp in Zamboanga del Sur in the southern Philippines that Philip Goldberg, the U.S. envoy, has indeed criticized his statement regarding the rape and murder of an Australian missionary during the election campaign.

"They're simply true, anyway," Duterte said, adding that Goldberg's remarks was highly inappropriate and that the envoy should not have done it.

"He is not supposed to meddle (with our affairs) because that's our business," Duterte said.

Goldberg, at the height of the campaign in April, criticized Duterte for making joke about the rape and murder of an Australian missionary during a jail riot in Davao in 1989. Duterte took offence of Goldberg's statement.

Elizabeth Trudeau, spokeswoman of U.S. State Department, told a news conference on Monday that the department summoned Patrick Chuasoto, the diplomat in charge of the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C,. to clarify Duterte's remarks about Goldberg.

"We've seen those inappropriate comments made about Ambassador Goldberg," Trudeau said, adding that Goldberg was a "multi-time ambassador and one of our most senior U.S. diplomats." She declined to give details of the meeting.

Charles Jose, a spokesman for the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, also confirmed that Chuasoto was indeed "invited" by the State Department "to discuss the entire breadth of Philippine-U.S. relations."

"We cannot, however, discuss details of the conversation," Jose said.

Duterte reportedly called Goldberg a "gay ambassador" and "son of a bitch" during a recent meeting with soldiers.

"I am pissed with him. He meddled during the election, giving statements here and there. He was not supposed to do that," Duterte was quoted as saying on the occasion.
BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Yuan Luogeng vividly remembers every time he has escaped death since becoming a test pilot for the Army of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) nearly a decade ago.

Every critical situation, be it landing with a missile, a stub wing breaking off, or a rotor hit by a rocket projectile, could have resulted in his helicopter crashing, and certain death for all onboard had he not handled the danger promptly and properly.

"You don't have time for fear. You just act on instinct," said Yuan, 50, who joined the Army's test-pilot battalion in early 2007.

Thanks to the composure and skill of Yuan and his peers, the battalion, founded in February 2001, has survived more than 60 highly dangerous situations, with no helicopters destroyed and no one hurt.

"Death could come at any moment. These test pilots are the closest to death in peacetime," said Chen Fenghua, the battalion's political commissar.

The battalion, the only one of its kind in the Army, tests military helicopters during the research and development stage, and before they are delivered to users.

To test a helicopter's performance, pilots must push it to its limits to find out its maximum speed, load and ceiling, as well as other useful data.

As a result, they often need to conduct test missions in extremely high or low temperatures, at very high altitudes and other harsh conditions.

On average, each test pilots, aged between 28 and 50, has encountered nearly eight dangerous circumstances during missions, battalion figures show.

In January 2010, pilots Yao Haizhong and Yuan Luogeng carried out a mission in Hailar in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The temperature was minus 43 degrees centigrade.

"We only wore very thin cotton gloves. The control stick felt like a block of ice. My hands were numb, I was in so much pain. The mission lasted only 40 minutes, but it felt like hours," said Yao Haizhong, who now heads the battalion.

By always pushing the limits, the battalion has achieved much over the past 15 years.

It has completed all kinds of test missions for more than 20 new China-designed helicopters, setting dozens of records, including a world record for a high-altitude flight, according to Chen.

"Everything we've done contributes to the Army's ongoing transformation. The Army needs helicopters, to ensure it is highly mobile and flexible in offense and defense. The battalion supports the development of all helicopter models every step of the way," said Xu Guolin with the Army's armaments department, who was also former chief of the battalion.

In recent years, test missions have increased markedly, as China has developed more new models of helicopter.

"Initially, we only tested one or two models, and now its over 20. We used to hand over two or three helicopters to users every year, and now it's nearly 100 annually. Our pilots' test flight time has risen from less than 100 hours a year to several thousand hours," Chen said.
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Taliban's former stronghold in the southern Helmand province has been the scene of increasing insurgency and bloody conflicts for more than a decade.

Notorious for growing poppies for the drug trade and continued militancy, the restive Helmand province has been regarded as a Taliban hotbed and the most volatile province in the conflict-ridden country where intense fighting has escalated over the past couple of weeks, as Taliban militants are attempting to besiege the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, the key city in the southern region.

Fighting between government forces and Taliban militants has claimed hundreds of lives from both sides, and has forced thousands of families to leave their homes for safer places over the past couple of years.

Taliban militants, of late, are more active in Helmand province than in any other part of the country and the armed outfit, according to locals, currently have completely controlled over five districts and have tightened their grip on nine other districts, forcing the government to send reinforcements to consolidate its positions.

More than 200 militants, according to officials, have been killed in the fight for control of Helmand in the last fortnight, and almost the same number of government forces have also lost their lives over the past two weeks, according to Taliban claims.

Taliban fighters have focused their militant efforts on controlling the strategically important Nad Ali and Marja districts over the past month and have been attempting to raise their flag in the areas.

Local analysts believed that the unchecked poppy cultivation and the production and smuggling of illicit drugs in Helmand, have been fueling the war in the restive province, along the border with Pakistan.

According to observers, mafia groups, Taliban militants and other underground organizations with vested interest in such criminal elements have all been fanning the flames of war in Helmand province to maintain the drug trade for their own profits.

"The involvement of mafia groups, the Taliban and corrupt officials in drug trafficking, as well as the smuggling of precious stones, are the main reason for the persistent instability in Helmand province," head of the Helmand Provincial Council, Karim Attal, told Xinhua.

Attal also said that mafia groups and Taliban commanders had been collaborating with corrupt officials in both smuggling and drug operations.

Political experts also were of the view that the local economy in Helmand province depends on poppy cultivation, a practice also backed by the Taliban militants.

"Contrary to the government, the Taliban militants encourage farmers to grow poppies," the analyst said, adding that the Taliban collects taxes from the trade to fund its war against the government.

Afghanistan, according to United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC), produced some 3,300 tons of opium-producing poppies in 2015, with the majority of the yields harvested in Helmand and neighboring provinces.

Afghan soldiers fighting against Taliban militants in Helmand province were quoted by local media recently saying that they are running out of food and ammunition and have demanded more appropriate equipments for their frontline battles.

Meanwhile, fierce fighting, according to locals, has been continuing in Marja, Nad Ali, Gereshk, Babaji, Nawa and Nahre-e-Saraj districts over the past couple of weeks and the militants are inching closer to the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah.

To lead the war against Taliban militants, ranking military officials including the deputy chief of army staff are currently in Helmand province.

A former army officer and military analyst, Khudai Noor, who formerly served in Helmand described the situation there as "fragile" and warned that "lack of coordination among more than 10,000 troops deployed in Helmand" and unchecked drug smuggling could pave the way for the total collapse of Helmand and adjoining provinces.

Allaying security concerns, however, Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri has stated that neither Helmand nor other provinces will fall to the government's enemies.
BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Profit growth for Chinese commercial banks slowed this year, the top banking regulator said Wednesday.

The net profits of commercial lenders reached 899.1 billion yuan (about135.14 billion U.S. dollars) during the first half (H1) of the year, up 3.17 percent year on year, according to a statement on the website of the China Banking Regulatory Commission.

The assets of the banking sector jumped 15.7 percent from one year earlier to 218 trillion yuan at the end of June, while liabilities hit 201.8 trillion yuan, an increase of 15.2 percent year on year.

The banking sector continued to give financial support to agriculture, small-and-micro enterprises as well as affordable housing projects.

Outstanding agriculture-related loans stood at 27.3 trillion yuan at the end of June, up 8.7 percent year on year. Outstanding loans to small-and-micro firms hit 25 trillion yuan, up 13.2 percent.

Loans to pay off credit card debt and loans to affordable housing projects surged 17.2 percent and 62 percent during the first half of the year, outpacing average loan growth.

Commercial banks' non-performing loans (NPL) increased by 45.2 billion yuan to 1.44 trillion yuan at the end of June. The NPL ratio was 1.75 percent, unchanged from the end of March.

An NPL is a loan that is in default or close to being in default.

The capital adequacy ratio of commercial lenders stood at 13.11 percent at the end of June, down 0.25 percentage point from the end of March, the statement said, adding that banking liquidity remained ample.
SAO PAULO, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The world's shortest couple with a combined height of five feet ten inches (1.77 meters) got engaged last week in Brazil after eight years of dating.

In front of their friends, 30-year-old Paulo Gabriel da Silva Barros, standing at 34.8 inches (0.88 meters), proposed to 27-year-old Katyucia Hoshino measuring 35.2 inches (0.89 meters) at a sushi restaurant in their hometown of Itupeva, Southeast Brazil.

After making sure Paulo was not joking, Katyucia accepted his proposal.

The couple said they were open to the possibility of having a baby in the future, even though it may be difficult for Katyucia to carry a baby full-term given her size.

"I want to one day get married," Katyucia said. "Whether we have kids or not, I want to be happy, that's what I want."

The couple also hope the engagement can lead to their official recognition as the world's shortest couple.

"Once we get married we will try to be recognized as the world's shortest couple through the Guinness World Records," Paulo was quoted as saying.

The official title currently belongs to another Brazilian couple, Douglas Maistre Breger da Silva, 46, and Claudia Pereira Rocha, 43, with a combined height of five feet eleven inches (1.80 meters). They got married 18 years ago.
Margaret Kenyatta delivered a speech during the 9th Stop Cervical, Breast and Prostate Cancer in Africa Conference partners breakfast in Nairobi in 2015. (Xinhua/Fred Mutune)

NAIROBI, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's First Lady, Margaret Kenyatta, on Tuesday launched a new public private partnership initiative to boost screening, treatment and management of breast cancer that kills 2,000 women in the country annually.

Speaking during the launch of the initiative in Nairobi, Kenyatta decried the rising breast cancer cases among women of reproductive age, and urged investment in infrastructure, research and personnel to help contain the disease.

"Strong and healthy women are the foundation of families and nations. Tragically, breast cancer has shortened the lifespan of our women and girls hence the need to combine efforts and fight the disease," Kenyatta said.

Kenya's ministry of health and British pharmaceutical giant, Roche Industries, are part of the new initiative to revitalize the war against breast cancer.

Kenyatta said this initiative will build on the recently launched national strategy for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in Kenya.

"We are committed to expanding access to prevention and treatment services for women with breast cancer. A partnership between government and industry is critical to ensure diagnostic services and medicine are available to patients at an affordable cost," said Kenyatta.

She added the African First Ladies have signed a pact to strengthen response to breast cancer in the continent through resource mobilization and community outreach.

The ministry of health and Roche Industries will roll out breast cancer awareness programs, upgrade diagnostic equipment, and train additional oncologists as part of the initiative to boost the war against breast cancer.

Cabinet Secretary for health, Cleopa Mailu, said the initiative will also entail drastic reduction in the cost of drugs for treating breast cancer patients.

"Both the ministry of health and Roche Industries have settled on a formula of ensuring all breast cancer patients in the country access quality medicine at minimal cost in public health facilities," Mailu remarked.

Kenya is part of Roche Industries Africa strategy launched in 2015 to revitalize the fight against breast cancer in the continent through public awareness, training of healthcare providers, investment in modern diagnostic equipment, and provision of affordable drugs.

The Head of Sub-Saharan Africa Region at Roche Industries, Markus Gemuend, said that industry has a critical role to play to ensure breast cancer patients have access to subsidized treatment and care.

"Our partnership with the ministry of health will ensure that breast cancer patients in Kenya have improved access to life saving medicines and quality care," Gemuend remarked.
The Bamasaba initiation ritual into adulthood that involves a public circumcision without anesthesia is held biennially. (Xinhua/Yuan Qing)

by Ronald Ssekandi, Yuan Qing

MBALE, Uganda, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Bellowing sounds of horns, whistles and drums re-echo through the ranges of Mount Elgon.

Youthful men clad in traditional wear sing along, moving from village to village, signaling the start of the biennial traditional circumcision ceremony, a centuries-old initiation ritual into adulthood among the Bamasaba people.

Bamasaba is an ethnic group of about 7 million people along the common border between Uganda and Kenya. Although divided by a common border, the over 4 million Bamasaba in Kenya and the 3 million in Uganda share the same culture, and male circumcision commonly referred to as Imbalu is one of them.

Imbalu is a revered custom of initiating teenage boys into adulthood. Without anesthesia, the boys are circumcised in public as a sign of showing bravery and to indicate that they are ready to face any hardships in life without giving up.

The event is held every even year starting in the month of August and ending in December.

This year is different because the Bamasaba are marking 200 years since the start of the practice.

Moses Kutoi, Chairman Imbalu in Inzu Ya Bamasaba told Xinhua on Saturday at the launch of this year's Imbalu that every human or society has an identity, and circumcision is the identity of the Bamasaba. Inzu Ya Bamasaba is the cultural institution that brings together the Bamasaba.

"We regard culture as a backbone of society. It is important that we initiate these people so that they can be the custodian of culture and guard it against all odds," Kutoi said.

At the beginning of the year, a teenage boy voluntarily informs the father of his intention to get circumcised. The father then starts the preparations among which include planting millet, buying a bull that would be later given to the boy as gift after circumcision.

In mid-year, the boy intending to get circumcised accompanied by his peers visits relatives informing them of the initiation ceremony. The relatives in turn give the boy gifts.

On the D-Day, the boy plus a group of other candidates walk from their villages accompanied by large groups of people singing and chanting. Some even walk from as far as 15 km to converge at Mutoto Cultural Ground on the foothill of Wanale, one of the ranges of Mount. Elgon.

According to legendary stories, the first man to be circumcised among the Bamasaba lived at Mutoto and since then, the launching ceremony of the Imbalu every even year has been held there.

After going through all the necessary rituals, the candidates are presented before the 'traditional' surgeons. The surgeons are appointed by ancestors through spiritual powers.

"If you don't circumcise, your peers will reject you. You cannot even address elders," Joseph Masabasi, a seasoned traditional surgeon told Xinhua. Masabasi has circumcised over 10,000 boys since he started in 1986.

A local surgeon demonstrated his tools for circumcision. Fears of AIDS and criticism of inhumanity are overshadowing the centuries-old tradition. (Xinhua/Yuan Qing)

CULTURAL EROSION

The Imbalu is under threat of being eroded as the Bamasaba continue interacting with the outside world.

"The non-Bamasaba try to discourage it so much and to us it is a big worry. They say the boys undergo a lot of pain," Kutoi said.

One of the elders in the region decried the practice, describing it as horrendous.

"The bravery those boys exhibit during circumcision is plastic. In later years of life, memories of that pain you went through come back," the elder told Xinhua in an interview, preferring to be anonymous for fear of being scolded by staunch supporters of the cultural practice.

Some critics have argued that it is an abuse of the rights of those who decline to be circumcised.

According to the customs among the Bamasaba, if a man reaches 20 years before being circumcised, his peers will arrange forceful circumcision.

Even when one dies before circumcision, their body would be circumcised. In this case the family of the deceased would be asked to pay a hefty fine.

HEALTH CONCERNS

With the onset of HIV, the cultural practice suffered a blow as concerns were raised over the knives used. One knife would be used to circumcise more than one person without being sterilized.

Overtime, the surgeons have been trained on how to carry out safe circumcision. This year, over 700 traditional surgeons have been trained, according to the cultural institution.

The institution estimates that this year over 2,000 boys would be circumcised among the Bamasaba, both in Uganda and Kenya.
BEIJING, April 10 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday hailed the repatriation from Kenya of 40 people suspected of having committed telecom fraud.

"[This] showcases the resolution of China and Kenya to jointly combat transnational crimes," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying.

Hua made the remarks in a press release after the 40 suspects -- 35 from the Chinese mainland and five from Taiwan -- were brought back to China in police custody Monday.

Another 77 suspects from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan were repatriated from Kenya in April.

Hua noted that all the repatriated suspects were involved in one case, all the evidence had been gathered in China, and all the victims lived on the Chinese mainland. The investigation of all the suspects will help the police understand the situation and address the telecom fraud.

She said the investigation will be supported by the people across the Taiwan Strait and by the international community.
KATHMANDU, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has appointed Rajeev Jha, a Nepalese professor in China's university, as its honorary Public Relations Representative for China's Shanxi and Sichuan provinces.

Jha who has been staying in China for 20 years, will serve as tourism representative for the next two years, NTB said. Jha is professor of Surgery at Xi'an Medical University in Shanxi province. He is also director of Sino-Nepal Research Center there.

Shraddha Shrestha, senior officer of NTB told Xinhua that the Jha would represent NTB to promote Nepal's tourism in the two provinces of China.

The appointment was based on the recommendation of Nepalese embassy in Beijing and decision of Nepal's Tourism Ministry.

Jha said as there have been a limited promotional activities in these two regions, he would actively participate in promoting Nepal's tourism.

"Nepal has great potential of attracting more tourists from the regions where I have been appointed as tourism representative," he said.

China is Nepal's second largest source for tourist arrivals after India. Nepal has exempted visa fees for for Chinese tourists as per the agreement signed between the two countries in December 2015.
BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Five government officials are under investigation or awaiting prosecution for accepting bribes, the People's Procuratorate (SPP) announced Wednesday.

They were Zhu Zejun, former head of the Guangdong provincial administration for industry and commerce; Peng Zeying, former inspector with Guangdong's Water Resources Department; Liu Zijing, former president of Guangdong Airport Authority; Wu Jiezhong, former vice mayor of Zhanjiang; and Jiang Jianming, former vice head of Donghua University in Shanghai, the SPP said in a statement.

Jiang, who is also accused of corruption and embezzling public funds, and Zhu have both been placed under "coercive measures," which include arrest, detention, issuing a warrant to compel a suspect to appear, bail pending trial, or residential surveillance, while their cases are being investigated.

The investigations into Peng, Liu and Wu have ended and their cases await formal prosecution, according to the SPP.
With China's economy entering the "new normal", which requires reducing excess industrial capacity and deleveraging, an increasing number of Chinese enterprises are shifting their focus from domestic to overseas investments in a fresh bid to "go global".

Developed economies like the United States, Germany and Japan, too, have been encouraging their enterprises to expand in overseas markets. After the bursting of the real estate bubble in the 1990s, Japan sought to revive its economy by urging domestic enterprises to enter foreign markets. As a result, by 2015 the country's net overseas assets increased to as high as 340 trillion yen ($3.4 trillion), nearly three-fourths of its GDP.

Now Chinese enterprises are showing an even stronger urge to "go global" in the face of a widespread glut of commodities, waning investment returns, and the fluctuating yuan. Besides, the 2008 global financial crisis has dealt a heavy blow to most economies, prompting them to attract foreign investments to revitalize their manufacturing and economic growth.

Chinese enterprises have made good progress in expanding overseas. According to the Ministry of Commerce, they made direct non-financial investment of more than $88.8 billion in about 155 countries and regions during the first half of this year, an increase of 58 percent year-on-year. In particular, over $12 billion have gone into equipment manufacturing, more than 5 times the level in the first half of 2015.

Transnational mergers and acquisitions, a popular choice for Chinese investors, reportedly saw transactions of at least $111.6 billion by the end of June, higher than the total for the whole of last year.

But expansion on this scale also comes with risks and challenges, ranging from trade protectionism and lack of transnational talents to tackle volatile geo-political and economic situations in parts of Europe and Asia.

On the one hand, local governments speak highly of Chinese investors for job creation and the financial support they bring along. On the other hand, some populist political groups portray Chinese enterprises as a major threat to their national security, environmental protection, and local cultures, setting unnecessary barriers to their entry.

Following the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union, many countries face latent flight of capital and currency devaluation. The rising number of terrorist attacks and the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe, as well as tension on the Korean Peninsula also pose big challenges to the regional order.

These disadvantages have added more uncertainties to Chinese enterprises' overseas operations, for which the government is still playing a coordinating role. China has reached a series of agreements on capacity cooperation with 15 countries, and is encouraging financial institutions and its embassies to facilitate the expansion of Chinese companies abroad.

To survive and prosper overseas, Chinese enterprises should have a clear understanding of the local market environment, including relevant laws, cultural traditions and employment rules. They also need to make the best use of local labor resources, by not only creating jobs but also streamlining the management. Recruiting managers locally would be a worthwhile effort in this regard.

If more Chinese investors gain entry to overseas markets, they must not forget their social responsibilities of participating in local charity events, improving people's livelihoods and minimizing the harm caused to the environment.

The author is a senior researcher at Suning Institute of Finance affiliated to Suning Appliance Co Ltd.
Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong (R) meets with Jesus Zambrano Grijalva, president of the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico, in Mexico City, Mexico, on Aug. 9, 2016. (Xinhua/David de la Paz)

MEXICO CITY, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government will continue to support exchanges and cooperation between the legislative bodies of China and Mexico, visiting Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong said Tuesday.

China-Mexico relations have entered a new phase of all-round and rapid development since the two countries announced the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2013 during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit, Liu said in a meeting with Jesus Zambrano Grijalva, president of the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico.

She said China and Mexico have maintained frequent high-level exchanges and close exchanges and cooperation in various fields, adding that her visit aims to boost the two countries' exchanges and cooperation in such areas as education, science, technology, culture and health, and to increase mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples.

Liu called on the two countries' legislative bodies to play a constructive role in boosting the China-Mexico comprehensive strategic partnership.

For his part, Zambrano Grijalva spoke highly of Liu's extensive contacts and exchanges with all walks of life in Mexico, saying the two countries' consensus for cooperation in education, culture and other fields will help consolidate and advance bilateral ties.

The Chamber of Deputies of Mexico is willing to strengthen exchanges with the National People's Congress of China and actively push forward the two countries' friendship and cooperation, he said.

The exchanges and mutual learning between Mexico and China, as two models of multi-cultural harmony and coexistence, will not only help their reform and development, but also help promote a harmonious and inclusive world civilization, he said.
SANAA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Shiite Houthi rebel group said it fired two ballistic missiles against military targets in Saudi border cities Wednesday, according to the Houthi-controlled Saba news agency.

One missile struck an air defense base in Saudi Arabia's Khamis Mushait city, whereas the second destroyed a military camp in Abha city, Saba said.

The attack comes only two days after the Saudi-led military coalition supporting the Yemeni exiled government stepped up its air campaign against Houthi rebels, following the collapse over the weekend of United Nations-sponsored peace talks in Kuwait between the warring factions.

Houthi rebels said that Saudi warplanes launched over 50 sorties Wednesday targeting the Nehem district, northeast of the capital city of Sanaa.

On Tuesday, coalition airstrikes killed 15 employees of a food factory in Sanaa.

The Riyadh-based coalition spokesman, Ahmed Aseeri, said that air operations supporting Yemeni government troops advanced into the district of Nehem, in preparation for advancing into Sanaa next.

Houthi rebels and allied forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh have controlled Sanaa since 2014, after forcing the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile.

The Saudi-led coalition intervened in March 2015 to help restore the internationally recognized Hadi government.

Coalition airstrikes and fighting on the ground have since left more than 6,400 people dead, the majority of which were civilians.
ANKARA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Turkey and Russia have agreed to build a mechanism on Syria which includes officials from the intelligence services, foreign ministries and armed forces, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday in Ankara.

In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Cavusoglu said the first bilateral meeting of this mechanism will be held in St. Petersburg on Thursday.

The formation of the mechanism, which is at the ministerial level, was agreed during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, he said.

"We are building a strong mechanism with Russia regarding Syria," Cavusoglu said. "We think alike on the cease-fire, humanitarian aid and a political solution."

Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Chief Hakan Fidan and representatives form Turkey's Foreign Ministry and the Turkish Armed Forces will depart for Russia late on Wednesday, according to the foreign minister.

He said the pilots involved in the downing of a Russian jet on Nov. 24, 2015, which led to a crisis in bilateral ties, are in custody for their ties with the so-called Gulen Terrorist Organization, a reference to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Turkey accuses Gulen of masterminding a July 15 coup attempt and has called for his extradition from the United States.

Regarding the long-awaited missile defense system, Cavusoglu said that Turkey first sought cooperation with NATO countries; however, so far the results were unsatisfactory.

"Therefore, it is normal for us to seek other alternatives," he added, referring to Turkish and Russian presidents deciding to increase cooperation on defense.

"But we don't perceive this as a step against NATO. We need to set up our own defense system and develop our own technology in cooperation with other countries," Cavusoglu said.

The shooting down of the Russian jet led to a freeze in relations of the two countries, including economic sanctions and a bar on Russian tourism to Turkey, which thawed in June after Erdogan wrote to his counterpart and the two later spoke by telephone.

Putin gave his support to Turkey over the coup attempt and said he stood by the elected government, offering his condolences to the victims of the coup attempt.
Visitors browse the exhibit "The Paralympics Spirit -- From Heidelberg to Beijing" in Heidelberg, Germany, on July 26. In the middle is Joerg Schmekel, himself disabled, who played a key role in organizing the 1972 Paralympics. (Xinhua/Heidelberg Municipal Archives)

BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- With the Olympics having just kicked off in Rio, have you ever fantasized about racing against time in an Olympic sprint, pearls of perspiration running down your face, and snatching that coveted gold medal? Probably. How about doing the same while strapped to a wheelchair?

At an exhibit named "The Paralympics Spirit -- From Heidelberg to Beijing" that opened on July 26 in the Olympic Training Center in Heidelberg, Germany, and runs through September, visitors can try out conventional and racing wheelchairs to get a better idea of what it is like to have impaired mobility.

Co-organized by the Beijing Municipal Archives and the Heidelberg Municipal Archives, the exhibit looks back at Heidelberg's host role in the 1972 Paralympics and Beijing's host role in the 2008 Paralympics with display panels, historical photos and a short film on the Beijing Paralympics.

Next to staff from the Heidelberg and Beijing Municipal Archives and the Chinese Consulate in Frankfurt, some of the contemporary witnesses from the 1972 Paralympics were present for the opening ceremony. For example, Hennes Luebbering, a wheelchair-bound athlete, proudly wore his medals to the opening.

Besides being a dignified platform for disabled athletes to compete with their peers, across the decades, the Paralympics have raised awareness of the everyday challenges people with disabilities face and even led to some positive changes.

The exhibit is not only a reflection on the past of the Paralympics, but more importantly a projection of the future -- namely, the social inclusion of disabled people, said Dr. Peter Blum, the director of the Heidelberg Municipal Archives in an email interview. He believed archives have a special role to play in this.

He suggested that archives should make their cultural heritage accessible to help achieve a solution to both contemporary and future problems.

"One could say that today's archives have a socio-political task, so to say, a task that transcends borders and cultural barriers," Blum said.
Source: Xinhua| 2016-08-10 19:58:36|Editor: Song Lifang

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed in a shooting that occured in a parking lot at the Miami International Airport in the U.S. state of Florida, the airport said on its official Twitter account Wednesday.
DAMASCUS, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Russian warplanes struck a meeting place of top rebel commanders in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib on Wednesday, in addition to 12 other strikes targeting other rebel positions in that province, a military source told Xinhua.

The Russian airstrikes targeted commanders of the Jaish al-Fateh rebel group in Binnesh, a town in the eastern countryside of Idlib, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

It was not clear if any of those targetted were killed or injured, the source said.

Russian warplanes also carried out 12 other strikes on positions of Jaish al-Fateh, or the Conquest Army, in the province, which is largely under the control of the rebel group, the source added.

The source said the airstrikes achieved direct hits. He did not elaborate.

Jaish al-Fateh, an alliance of several rebel factions, was reportedly formed in March 2015 under the supervision and coordination of Saudi cleric Abdullah al-Muhaysini.

Some of its factions are active in the provinces of Hama and Latakia. The group, reportedly supported by Saudi Arabia and Turkey, seized most of Idlib province in northwestern Syria last year.

The group was responsible for downing a Russian helicopter earlier this month over Idlib, which resulted in the killing of all five Russian crew members. The chopper was shot down after delivering aid to Aleppo, Russian state media said.
MOSCOW, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Russia may take measures against the European Union in response to the EU's denial of entry visas to Russian citizens living in Crimea, a senior official said Wednesday.

"The EU prohibition to issue visas to Crimeans is a clear violation of human rights and we cannot leave it unanswered," Andrei Kelin, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's European Cooperation Department, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

"We always have opportunities for response measures in some similar areas. In terms of readmission, for example," Kelin said without giving more details.

The EU in 2014 restricted entry visas to residents of Crimea after the peninsula was absorbed into Russia following a referendum, which was recognized by Moscow but rejected by Ukraine and Western powers.

The visa restrictions were extended along with other sanctions against Crimean residents in June 2016 for another year.
PARIS, Aug.10 (Xinhua) -- French police have arrested a 21-year-old man in relation with the knife attack in a church in northern France, news channel BFMTV reported on Wednesday.

The man was arrested on Monday in Toulouse, southwest France, on charges of having contacting the two assailants who took hostage in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray and killed a priest last month, according to the report.

The suspect made a round trip between Toulouse and Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray days before the attack, it added.

Three people have already been held into custody, including a Syrian asylum seeker and a minor, for the investigation into the attack.

On July 26, two young men took six hostages in a church in northern France, later slaughtered a priest and seriously wounded the other person. They were shot dead by the police.
BERLIN, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The number of visitors staying overnight in Germany increased by 3 percent in the first half of 2016, compared with the same period last year, the German statistics office Destatis said on Wednesday.

Germany welcomed about 199.2 million tourists between January and June.

The number of domestic and foreign visitors both grew by 3 percent to 163.7 million and 35.5 million respectively.

The number of overnight stays in June, however, dropped by 1 percent, compared with last June, mainly due to the loss of foreign guests.

Only establishments with an accommodation capacity of at least 10 visitors were considered for these statistics.
DAMASCUS, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Up to 142 civilians have killed in rebel attacks in Syria's northern province of Aleppo since July 31, a military source told Xinhua on Wednesday.

An array of extremist groups unleashed what they called "Aleppo's Large Epic" battle on July 31, the source said on condition of anonymity.

A total of 48 children, 31 women, and 63 men have been killed, in addition to 672 injuries, mostly women and children, the source added.

The rebel attacks, which included firing mortar shells and improvised rockets, targeted several districts in the government-controlled part of western Aleppo.

Meanwhile, pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV put the death toll among civilians over the past week at 162, adding that over 662 others were wounded.

The rebel groups that unleashed the attacks are mainly Jaish al-Fateh rebels, in coordination with Ahrar al-Sham, Nour Addien Zinki, the Islamic Turkestan Party, Failaq al-Sham, and Jabeht Fateh al-Sham.

Jaish al-Fateh, an alliance of several rebel factions, was reportedly formed in March 2015 under the supervision and coordination of Saudi cleric Abdullah al-Muhaysini.

Some of its factions are active in the provinces of Hama and Latakia. The group, reportedly supported by Saudi Arabia and Turkey, seized most of Idlib province in northwestern Syria last year.

The Jaish al-Fateh rebel group earlier claimed that it had broken the siege of the Syrian army on rebel-held areas in the eastern part of Aleppo city after six days of strenuous attacks. Key areas said to have been captured include the military college and the southern town of al-Ramuseh.

Aleppo, the country's previous top commercial hub, has been divided since 2012 between a government-held west and a rebel-controlled east. Many observers believe that whoever controls Aleppo will gain the upper hand in any potential settlement in Syria.

Battles in Aleppo flared up last month, when the Syrian army, backed by the Lebanese Hezbollah group and Russian airstrikes, made sweeping progress in the northern countryside of Aleppo, severing the last supply route for the rebels in eastern Aleppo.

The move triggered counterattacks by the rebels, which fired mortars and rockets continuously on the government-controlled western part of the city.
BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- It used to be a big headache for Xu Li when her children got sick.

She would search the internet for solutions and call friends for suggestions, but usually ended up rushing to a hospital where she sometimes had to queue for hours before seeing a doctor.

"I remember thinking, if only I had a doctor right downstairs," said the 36-year-old mother who lives in the Shangqingsi community in southwest China's Chongqing municipality.

Now things have changed.

Xu signed a contract with a team of family doctors with the community health center late in 2014, since then she has enjoyed a set of personal medical services around the clock, including the use of a family doctor.

Now she immediately calls the contracted doctor if any of her family feels unwell, and the doctor visits her at home and gives medical instructions.

"It gives me a sense of safety," she said.

Chongqing began piloting the family doctor program in 2012, under which community doctors sign contracts with residents and provide with them customed medical services, including health management, disease prevention and regular physical examinations at home.

A family doctor team is generally composed of at least one general practitioner, a nurse, and a public health physician, and in some places there is also a pharmacist.

They can handle most minor illnesses, while they will register and transfer patients with more advance issues to major hospitals through an internal fast track system.

The program means every family has a doctor that they can consult first, rather than the internet, said Fang Laiying, director of the Beijing municipal health and family planning commission.

Once a preserve of the rich, family doctor services are now becoming available to ordinary Chinese citizens.

On Saturday, two hundreds medical staff were sworn in to such a program, at a square in Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province,

Alongside Kunming, 200 Chinese cities will introduce such services this year. By 2020, China is planning to extend family doctor services to the entire population.

In Shanghai, 10.27 million citizens, nearly half of its population, have joined the program, which is mostly paid for by the government.

"It's not such a high-end medical service as private doctors. Residents covered by medical insurance only need to pay about 10 yuan for a single home service," said Dr. Liu Wei, who signed contracts with dozens of households at Gumei community, Shanghai. The money does not include the cost of medicines.

In Chongqing, a home visit from a general practitioner costs about 15 yuan, while other services, such as consultations and basic physical examinations from public health physicians, are free of charge

Liu Wei can visit over 20 families a day. He has also created a WeChat group of all his customers to keep close contact with them.

"I regularly visit my contracted families, examining and documenting their heath conditions. I know what they need," he said.

Jin Guoqing and Li Na are two such family doctors. At the home of a patient surnamed Liu in the Mayu community in Beijing, Li tests the urine of Liu, who just underwent surgery. Meanwhile, Jin takes Liu's blood pressure and examines her heart and lungs. They offer suggestions for her recovery.

"They [family doctors] are really useful. We do not have to commute between our home and the hospital for post-operation instructions and examinations," said Liu's daughter.

The family doctors have saved residents' time and money as well as reduced the heavy burdens of hospitals, said Meng Shan, head nurse at the Chongqing-based Southwest Hospital.

Liang Hong, dean of the School of Social Development and Public Policy, Fudan University, said that the program is key to establishing a tiered disease treatment system, which means different medical institutions receive different patients according to the severity of their illnesses.

The tiered treatment is seen as a solution in helping people to see a doctor in good time, as often patients have to wait for hours, even days, to get medical treatment at hospitals.

Many people are reluctant to bother small medical institutions or community health centers for mild symptoms such as coughing or vomiting,instead they go to big hospitals which they believe have the best doctors, making many major hospitals as busy as train stations.

These patients would be better handled by family doctors or guided to smaller medical clinics, said Meng, the head nurse of the Chongqing hospital.

The program will make use of community-level medical resources and ensure the long-term health care of citizens, Liang of Fudan University said.

In 2015, community health centers in Shanghai received 84.5 million visits, one third of that in the city's hospital, according to government statistics. In Beijing, the figure was 48.9 million last year, or 21 percent of total visits to all medical institutions.

CHALLENGES

The promotion of the new program has not always been smooth. In some places, people are used to the major hospitals, and family doctors, mostly from community-level medical institutions, are not trusted by some residents.

"On one hand, family doctors should enhance their professional skills and provide better services to win trust; on the other hand, we hope people can give us more support and be confident in us," said Zhu Lan, a Shanghai family doctor who received the nation's top award for doctors in 2014.

Zhu Lan has made friends with many of her patients.

"They trust me," said Zhu. "The tension between doctors and patients is eased when trust is built."

More efforts are needed to increase people's understanding of family doctors, said Gao Xiuping, a family doctor in Beijing, adding that many people still regard them as private doctors.

The Chongqing government said that in the future most family doctors will be general practitioners.

In June, the Sichuan provincial authorities invited family doctors and medical experts from the United States for a one-week training of local family doctors in a bid to improve their service and professionalism.

To attract more family doctors, the Chinese government has also promised to increase doctors' incomes and provide more opportunities for their promotion and advancement.
Ji Zhiye, president of China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (R), addresses the "China-Nepal-India Economic Corridor: Feasibility and Approaches" workshop in Kathmandu, Nepal, Aug. 10, 2016. The establishment of a China-Nepal-India economic corridor will help secure economic prosperity of the entire Asian region through enhancing cooperation on trade, tourism, energy and connectivity, experts said here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhou Shengping)

KATHMANDU, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The establishment of a China-Nepal-India economic corridor will help secure economic prosperity of the entire Asian region through enhancing cooperation on trade, tourism, energy and connectivity, experts said here on Wednesday.

Speaking at a one-day workshop organized by China Study Center on "China-Nepal-India Economic Corridor: Feasibility and Approaches," experts highlighted the potential mutual economic benefits for the three neighboring countries and the entire Asia region after establishing the economic corridor.

Ji Zhiye, President of China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), a think tank under China's State Council, said that the trilateral cooperation among China, Nepal and India can be enhanced through Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China.

"China wants to enhance economic cooperation with neighboring countries such as India, Nepal, through Belt and Road Initiative which is aimed at creating a win-win situation for economic cooperation between China and other countries," Ji said.

Nepalese former Foreign Minister Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, who is currently a coordinator from the Nepali side in the India-Nepal Eminent Persons Group, said that China and India have played significant roles in global stage in 21st century.

"The concept of establishing China-Nepal-India economic corridor is now gaining momentum. Establishment of such corridor will promote people-to-people and

institution-to-institution contacts of the three neighbouring countries. This is more important to Nepal which is sandwiched between the two emerging countries," said Thapa.

Experts were of view that the economic corridor will bring benefit to all three countries and will promote the region more vibrant as a economic and commercial zone.

Saying that the 21st century belongs to Asia, the economic and foreign affairs experts opined that Trans-Himalayan Connectivity proposed by China is a landmark step for the shared economic prosperity of people in the Asia region.

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Wu Chuntai, said that the China-Nepal-India Economic Corridor is not a sole strategy of China, but it's for creating win-win

cooperation among the three countries.

"Himalayas are not barrier but in fact they are linkages for enhancing connectivity," said the ambassador.

Reiterating the support provided by China in Nepalese roads, major airports and other mega projects, Wu said that China is ready to assist in the development of

neighboring countries.

On the occasion, Nepalese former ministers and ambassadors dwelt over the feasibility, approach and challenges of the economic corridor.

Former Chief Secretary of Nepal Leela Mani Paudyal, said that Nepal can serve as a bridge between China and India, the two emerging economies of the world.

"China has made tremendous progress on the economic front while India and Nepal need foreign investment in order to develop their infrastructure," said Paudyal, adding that the trilateral partnership will create win-win cooperation among the three countries to enhance economy.

Nepalese Infrastructure expert Surya Raj Acharya stressed on extension of Chinese railway to Kathmandu which is decided to extend to Kerung of Tibetan Autonomous Region of China from Xigatse.

"Geography is not a barrier to extend railways in this region," said Acharya, adding that the Qinghai-Tibet Railway will change the entire structure of the Himalayan region after it is expanded to Indian northern states via Nepal.
JERUSALEM, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Israeli authorities announced on Wednesday that they successfully thwarted a knives-smuggling attempt into the Gaza Strip on Tuesday.

"Officials from the Ministry of Defense Crossing Authority, along with Shin Bet, foiled an attempt to smuggle commando knives into the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom Crossing," the government said in a statement.

Shin Bet is the country's domestic security service.

According to the statement, the shipment contained two boxes of "professional grade 30 cm commando knives" hidden inside.

Furthermore, the government stated that a second attempt to smuggle graphite used in rocket-fuel production into the Gaza enclave was also successfully thwarted.

Authorities confiscated the items and began interrogations of those involved in the shipment, the statement said.

Israel occupied the Gaza Strip, along with the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Golan Heights territories, during the 1967 Mideast War.

In 2005, Israel evacuated its settlers and soldiers from the Gaza Strip, which has been under the rule of the Islamist Hamas movement since 2007, when it took over from the Fatah movement.

In the wake of the Hamas takeover, Israel imposed a blockade on the strip, restricting the flow of goods and people in and out of the enclave.

Israel and Hamas have fought repeatedly over the past decade, with the latest round occurring during the summer of 2014, killing over 2,200 Palestinians and over 70 Israelis, in addition to severely damaging the enclave and rendering thousands of Palestinians homeless.
BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday offered condolences to his Pakistani counterpart Mamnoon Hussain over a recent deadly terror attack in the country.

In his message to Hussain, Xi extended condolences to the victims who lost their lives in the attack, and expressed heartfelt sympathy with the bereaved families and those wounded.

He said China opposes terrorism in all of its forms and strongly condemns the terrorist attack, and the Chinese side will continue to support Pakistan in its efforts to counter terrorism and maintain stability and security.

At least 70 people were killed and 112 others injured in a suicide blast inside the emergency ward of Civil Hospital in Pakistan's southwestern Quetta city on Monday.
BRUSSELS, Aug.10 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Mission to the European Union (EU) here on Wednesday expressed its strong dissatisfaction over a statement issued recently by the European External Action Service (EEAS) on the conviction of Chinese Citizens on charges of state subversion.

"China enshrines the principle of rule of law. In China, all people are equal before the law. Anyone who breaks the law shall be brought to justice, regardless of his/her occupation," said a spokesperson when responding to the statement issued on Aug. 5 by the EU side.

The spokesperson said that China's judicial authorities handle cases in accordance with the law, while protecting every legitimate right of the suspects, noting that as proved by sufficient evidences, the persons in the case mentioned by the EEAS' statement have violated the Chinese law, and they have acknowledged that in public.

"By making irresponsible accusation against the normal operation of Chinese judicial authorities, the EU actually goes against the spirit of the rule of law. The EU's statement constitutes serious intervention into China's judicial sovereignty. The Chinese side is firmly opposed to and will not accept this kind of accusation," said the spokesperson.

"We urge the EU side to stop meddling in China's judicial sovereignty and domestic affairs, and to work with China to ensure the healthy development of China-EU relations," said the Chinese side.
BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday sent a message of condolences to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over a recent deadly terror attack in the country.

In the message, Li said he was shocked by the terrorist attack in southwestern Pakistan's Quetta City which caused heavy casualties.

Li said that on behalf of the Chinese government, he extended deep condolences to the victims and expressed heartfelt sympathy to the families of the victims and those wounded.

China strongly condemns the attack and firmly opposes terrorism of all forms, and will continue to support the unremitting efforts of the Pakistani government and people to maintain national security and stability and fight terrorism, he said.

At least 70 people were killed and 112 others were injured in a suicide blast inside an emergency ward of Civil Hospital in Quetta on Monday.
File photo taken on May 24, 2016 shows an aerial view of expressways linking Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport at night in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. Hangzhou is the host city for the 2016 G20 summit on Sept. 4 and Sept. 5. With one month to go, Hangzhou looks forward to G20. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- As the annual Group of 20 (G20) summit draws closer, the world's media has begun forecasting the issues to be addressed at the meeting.

Leaders of the world's 20 largest economies are scheduled to meet in China's southeastern city of Hangzhou on Sept. 4 and 5. The gathering has caught global attention amid lackluster global economic performance and rising geopolitical tensions in Asia and around the world this year.

According to Agence France-Presse, the fluctuation of China's currency, the yuan, will be on the agenda.

The yuan is expected to drop this year, given the continuing impact of Brexit, AFP said, adding that China and other G20 nations have reaffirmed a pledge to refrain from "competitive devaluations."

"China has committed to moving in an orderly way to a more market-oriented exchange rate," AFP quoted a senior U.S. Treasury official as saying in July.

The Associated Press believes this year's summit will focus on China's diplomatic relations with some of its neighbors.

The media outlet cited a string of China-related diplomatic issues this year, like a Hague-based tribunal's invalid award on the South China Sea issue last month, and South Korea's latest decision to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), whose X-band radar can snoop on Chinese and Russian territories.

Meanwhile, other diplomatic issues of global concern are also expected to be raised. Reuters reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minister Theresa May are due to attend the summit. The two leaders will discuss how to relax the "strained" relations of the two nations over their differences on "Ukraine and Syria as well as ... a sharp increase in flights by long-range Russian bombers near British air space."

Reuters also said that China is sparing no effort to ensure its first-ever G20 summit a success. The government and community organizations have offered English lessons to elderly residents of Hangzhou so that they are able to say "hello" to foreign leaders and reporters visiting the city.

According to Xinhua News Agency, the G20 countries will push for global economic recovery "through pro-growth strategies and innovation."

"In light of recent developments, we reiterate our determination to use all policy tools -- monetary, fiscal and structural -- individually and collectively to achieve our goal of strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth," Xinhua quoted G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in a statement.

Xinhua also interviewed a number of foreign economists and experts on the upcoming summit, who said China is poised to play a "crucial" role at the meeting and guide talks aimed at jump-starting the world economy.

Related:

Interview: China's role in G20 summit vital to global growth: Italian expert

ROME, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's role in promoting global economic growth is vital, an Italian economic expert told Xinhua in context of the forthcoming G20 summit to be held in Hangzhou, China.

The summit, from September 4 to 5, is the first ever to be hosted in China. Full story

Interview: G20 expected to be "ambitious" on innovation, trade, investment: Italian experts

ROME, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Scholars and economists from global think tanks expect the G20 summit in September to be "ambitious" on key challenges weighing on global economy, an Italian economist said.
JAKARTA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian transport ministry plans to rise and intensify the use of train as transport facilities in the country's big cities in a bid to address traffic jam.

Newly appointed Transport Minister Budi Karya stressed on Wednesday that the roles of train on the transportation in the highly populated areas will be stepped up to 25 percent from the current level of 10 percent.

"I think this is an efficient transport means, therefore its contribution must be risen," he said at Manggarai train station.

The minister said that the train capacity to carry passenger will also be boosted.

Taking Jakarta as an example, Minister Budi said that the capacity could be increased to 420 million passengers per year from the current level of 280 million people.

Indonesia, home to over 250 million populations, is attempting to address the problems of traffic in big cities, particularly in the country's capital of Jakarta, the capital city of West Java province, Bandung and other big cities in Java Island.

Cooperating with the Chinese government, Indonesia is constructing the first fast-train in the Southeast Asia's region, connecting Jakarta and Bandung cities, which can significantly smooth the flows of humans and goods between the two business centers.

Such project not only solves traffic problems but also brings a huge economic benefit for the communities.

The government has hinted to develop such projects in other parts of the country, including a fast train connecting Jakarta in western part of Java Island and the country's second largest city of Surabaya in eastern the island. Enditem
MANILA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte warned Wednesday of the looming problem of terrorist Islamic State (IS) in the country.

Duterte made the warning after receiving information of the presence of "white skinned" Arab-looking people in southern Philippines.

"They are here as missionaries. They are not armed but they are into indoctrination," he said in a speech before members of the Philippine Army in southern province of Zamboanga del Sur.

"I see a looming problem. I think three to seven years from now, we can have an IS problem," he said.

He said before the minds of the Muslim brothers could be "contaminated" by the "IS disease," the government should act on this.

"There is something wrong in their minds about killing people...they burn people to death (with) no reason at all," Duterte added.

The previous administration had denied the presence of IS in the country, while the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group, which has been engaged in high profile kidnappings and killings, has pledged allegiance to the international terror group.
ISLAMABAD, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told the parliament on Wednesday that his government will pursue anti-terror fight with more strength, days after a bomber killed over 70 people in the southwestern city of Quetta.

Daesh and a breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban claimed the responsibility for the attack on Aug. 8 that also prompted high level security meetings to explore ways how to counter the threat by the terrorists who are now killing civilians.

Sarfaraz Bugti, Home Minister in Balochistan, of which Quetta is the capital, claimed involvement of foreign hand to destabilize the natural resources-rich province.

The Prime Minister, delivering statement on the Quetta terrorist attack in the National Assembly, lower house of the parliament, called for national unity to defeat the remaining terrorist who are targeting innocent people in sheer frustration.

"I want to announce in the parliament that the nation is united in the war against terrorism and this war will be taken to its logical conclusion at all costs."

The opposition leader, Syed Khurshid Shah, and other lawmakers also spoke on the occasion said the Quetta carnage has shocked the whole nation and underlined the need for the effective implementation of the anti-terror National Action Plan.

The Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali informed the parliament about the progress in investigation into the attack.

"We have found some clues regarding the terrorist bombing that have been shared with the prime minister," he said.

"I am confident to reach the perpetrators soon," the minister said, adding that the terrorists conducted the blast in a very scientific manner.

A suicide bomber detonated his vest when lawyers gathered outside the city's main hospital to receive the dead body of their president who was also killed by a militant group hours earlier of the suicide attack. Police say that over 20 lawyers among those killed in the attack.

Nawaz Sharif told the lawmakers that terrorist incidents cannot deter the resolve of the nation in the fight against terrorism.

"We will move forward with full strength and completely eliminate terrorism from the country. We will have to defeat this ideology because they are the enemy of the country," he said.
BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Evergrande, China's second biggest property developer, is in the spotlght over information disclosure in the country's most high-profile boardroom fight in years.

The highly-leveraged developer said last Thursday night that it had bought a 4.7 percent stake in China Vanke, the country's largest property developer, for around 1.4 billion U.S. dollars, but a number of media outlets quoted sources within Evergrande on Thursday afternoon,categorically denying that the developer was buying any stake in Vanke.

This led the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, where Vanke is listed, to question why Evergrande had denied buying Vanke's publicly-traded shares, when it was doing exactly that.

On Tuesday night, Evergrande said neither the company nor its senior management ever said, nor authorized anyone to say, that the company was not buying stakes in Vanke.

The statement effectively said that Thursday afternoon's media reports were untrue. However, Caixin, one of China's leading financial publications, reported, after Evergrande's Tuesday night statement, that "it and other media organizations" had received denials from Evergrande that it was buying a stake in Vanke.

Shareholders and senior management of publicly-traded companies cannot be allowed to disseminate false information to manipulate the market for its own interests, said Sun Lijian, vice dean of economics at Fudan University. Enditem
BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Liu Li, 54, teaches third grade in Beijing and keeps touch with parents of her students via WeChat.

Four years ago, she did not even own a smartphone and then, in 2012, her sister brought her an iPhone5 and a whole new world opened up to her.

"I found there were so many things that I needed to learn," she said.

Liu soon noticed that many of her coworkers were using WeChat, so she asked a colleague to install the app for her and teach her how to use it.

She still remembers her first "moment," a kind of WeChat newsfeed to share text, photos or videos. She posted photos of the first snow in Beijing in 2012.

Now she does far more. She has a chat group that includes parents of all her students. When there is an activity at school, she sends photos or videos of students to their parents.

"I can send notifications and answer parents' questions at any time via the group. It's so convenient," she said.

"Convenient" is a word she uses frequently to describe smartphones and mobile Internet, and convenience is probably the main reason why she has become so dependent on them.

"Now I use my phone for checking maps, booking trips, shopping and calling cabs," she said.

When she first came across payment by phone, she was a little skeptical but soon began to "rely on it."

Mobile payments also changed the life of Liu Jianhua, 55. After her daughter showed her how to shop online with her phone, she seldom goes to supermarkets.

"It really saves me a lot of time," she said.

Mobile Internet also caters to her needs for information. Instead of reading newspapers, she now gets the news on phone every morning.

"I usually spend two or three hours each day reading news on my phone," she said. She subscribes to a dozen newsfeeds from newspapers like the "People's Daily" and "Beijing Daily."

"If there is a good article, I share it in my moments," she said.

For retiree Zhu Dan, 56, browsing WeChat moments has become part of her routine.

"I would feel a little awkward if I could not do it one day," Zhu said. "It is like closure for the day."

Beside browsing, Zhu posts things herself.

"I mainly post photos of myself going out for activities or trips. It's just a record of my own life, but when my friends comment or like the photos I get very excited," she said.

She has even learned how to use photo processing apps to make her photos look better, which takes time but makes her happy.

"I'm quite into this new stuff now and very willing to learn more," she said.

However, Luddites remain.

According to a 2015 survey by Wuhan University, around a third of the seniors "frequently" encounter difficulties when using the Internet and about half of them "occasionally" have problems.

Li, 65, told Xinhua that he is annoyed that many restaurants offer discounts for mobile payment but he hardly knows anything about smartphones except chatting on WeChat.

"As seniors, we have to spend more money or time to accomplish what young people do just by tapping their fingers," he complained.

Aware of this problem, some businesses have tried to help.

In 2015, Wang Guanchun founded Laiye, a mobile Internet platform that helps ordering cabs, food, hotels, air tickets, housekeeping.

Users can send requests by text or voice message, and Laiye staff do the technical stuff. Laiye aims to save users the time and stress. Although the company targets busy young professionals, senior people are also clients, Wang said.

Wang's mother uses Laiye every week. Another senior client, despite his lack of online shopping skills, orders toys for his grandson with the help of Laiye.

There is still be a long way to go. The main problem for seniors is not that they are incapable, but that they have not had the chance to learn.

"Many seniors assume that new things are challenging, but if they have a try and learn from the young, there are not too many challenges. You have to believe that you will be able to do it," said Liu Li.
BERLIN, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Britain's withdraw from the European Union will affect Germany for a long time, and hurt the German economy more than the whole euro zone, a study found on Wednesday.

The German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) estimated that due to Germany's economic openness and dependence on trade, its gross domestic product (GDP) would be 0.4 percent lower eight months from now than in a no-Brexit scenario.

By comparison, the Brexit would cut euro area GDP roughly by 0.2 percent.

"The German economy is suffering more from the uncertainty than is the euro area as a whole: our manufacturing sector is very export-oriented and will feel the direct effects of the weaker demand from the UK," said DIW economist Malte Rieth.

According to the Berlin-based institute, the Brexit shock will have lasting effects, even after two years, German GDP will still be below the level that would have been in a no-shock scenario.

"To reduce economic insecurity for businesses, the future relationship between Britain and the EU should be clarified as soon as possible," the institute said, urging the German government to invest more and set policies to promote business investment.
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan during a news conference following their meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, August 9, 2016. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

ANKARA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Turkey and Russia have agreed to keep in close contact regarding the war in Syria in order to avoid a repetition of incidents such as last year's downing of a Russian warplane, a Turkish presidential spokesman told local media on Wednesday.

Russia is waging a bombing campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad while Turkey is fiercely opposed to the Syrian leader.

"We have agreed to be in close contact in order to avoid such incidents," Ibrahim Kalin, a spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, told A Haber.

"In this framework, our chief of General Staff and his Russian counterpart have established a direct line," Kalin said. "They are in talks on this."

On Tuesday, Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin held lengthy talks in St. Petersburg to normalize ties after nine months of tension.

The talks focused on Syria, as the two sides decided to establish a mechanism to exchange information on the country, Kalin said, adding that the Russian chief of General Staff was also part of the discussions.

"They are in close contact on Syria, bilateral relations and regional issues as well as air space," he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara and Moscow agreed to build a mechanism on Syria, which includes officials from the intelligence services, foreign ministries and armed forces.

The agreement was made during a meeting between the Turkish and Russian presidents in St. Petersburg on Tuesday, Cavusoglu said.
ABUJA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- About 1,900 herdsmen in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno were killed in separate attacks by terror group Boko Haram in the last four years, an official said on Wednesday.

President of the local Al-Hayah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Ibrahim Mafa, told reporters in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, that more than 169,000 cows and 63,000 sheep and goats were also lost in various attacks.

The herdsmen also lost landed property estimated to the tune of 26 billion naira (over 92 million U.S. dollars) to Boko Haram attacks, Mafa noted.

The local districts, in which herdsmen belonging to this association, were mostly affected by Boko Haram attacks include Kala Balge, Marte, Mafa, Munguno, Bama, Konduga and Gwoza, he said.

Nigeria has made progress in the fight against Boko Haram in the past year, with the army retaking most of the areas previously under the terror group's control.
BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Those who illegally use others' identity cards will be punished and blacklisted, according to a new regulation.

The regulation, aimed at strengthening the protection of citizens' private information, was issued on Wednesday by eight ministerial-level departments including the Ministry of Public Security, and went effect immediately.

According to the regulation, government functionaries must not copy, reproduce or retain ID cards without authorization.

Authorities should perfect a security management system protecting citizens' information. Personal information for official business should be kept confidential, the regulation said.

Government organs should blacklist those who deliberately infringe other individual's identities, and form a joint disciplinary scheme for offenders.
by Alessandra Cardone

ROME, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Italy has stepped up counter-terror vigilance in major cities and around sensitive targets in recent days, with the number of suspected extremists expelled from the country rising to 107, authorities and media said.

Strengthened security measures were implemented especially in the capital city Rome and Milan, the country's major economic hub.

Controls in Rome were increased at the Colosseum, in historic central districts, after recent video threats against the city were made by alleged militants of the Islamic State (IS) group.

A special security plan had already been in place in Rome since December 2015, and has been updated, taking into account higher tourist arrivals in the summer, police said.

In Milan, joint units of police and soldiers equipped with hand metal detectors were deployed on Tuesday, and are patrolling popular areas for tourists and citizens.

"This summer scheme might be further extended, if it proves effective," Milan prefect Alessandro Marangoni told a press conference on Monday.

However, Marangoni stressed that police activity and security measures would be kept as less intrusive as possible as "citizens and tourists do not like being in a heavily armored city."

A 41-year-old Tunisian man was arrested last Friday near Naples, after Italian military police identified him as a self-radicalized supporter of IS.

"He did not carry out concrete actions, but he would have been ready to. He is a dangerous person," Giuseppe Governale, head of local Special Operation Group, told reporters, describing the man who was charged with criminal conspiracy to commit acts of international terrorism.

The suspect also allegedly led an illegal immigration ring involving seven other people, and served as caretaker at a mosque in a small town out of Naples, police said.

Since the beginning of 2015, some 107 people were expelled from the country for suspected ties to extremism, the Interior Ministry said last week.

"Police and intelligence have shown an outstanding level of expertise, which is crucial in order to reduce the terror risk in our country as much as possible," Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said.

Surveillance around suspected extremists living in Italy has further increased since June, in the wake of the attacks in Belgium, France and Germany.

At least 10 people were either arrested or expelled in the last two weeks alone.

A young Somali asylum-seeker was also given two years and six months in jail in Campobasso, central Italy, after being arrested in March for inciting terrorism.

In July, Italian President Sergio Mattarella had urged the country "not to fall into an age of anxiety" over terrorism concerns.
BRUSSELS, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The European Union(EU) has allocated 187.5 million euros (about 210 million U.S. dollars) for the construction of the Balticconnector, the first Estonia-Finland gas pipeline, as part of the bloc's efforts to unite its energy markets, the EU said on Wednesday.

The Balticconnector, set to end the gas isolation of Finland and develop the Baltic regional gas market, contributes to solidarity and security of supply in the entire Baltic region, the European Commission, or the executive body of the EU, said in a statement.

"Diversifying energy sources and routes, and uniting the energy markets... is key to ensuring secure, affordable and sustainable energy for all EU citizens," the statement quoted Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Canete as saying.

"What the Commission has started with the Poland-Lithuania pipeline (GIPL) we are now pursuing with the support to Balticconnector - promoting a chain of projects that will end the gas isolation of north-eastern Europe and develop the Baltic regional energy market," he added.

The EU's financial support to the Balticconnector comes from the Connecting Europe Facility program and corresponds to 75 percent of the needed funding.

The pipeline will be constructed jointly by Baltic Connector Oy (Finland) and Elering AS (Estonia) and it will include Finnish onshore (22 km) and offshore (80 km) sections, as well as an Estonian onshore (50 km) one.

The pipeline is expected to be operational by December 2019. (1 euro=1.12 U.S. dollar) Enditem
COPENHAGEN, Aug.10 (Xinhua) -- Danish brewer Carlsberg has signed an agreement to sell its 59 percent share of Carlsberg Malawi Limited (CML) to French beverage company Castel Group, the company said Wednesday.

Carlsberg said the sale is in line with the Group's new strategy to fully exploit and leverage its strengths while positioning itself for future growth.

As part of the agreement, the Group has agreed on a license agreement with CML to continue to produce and sell Carlsberg in Malawi.

It however did not disclose financial details on Wednesday.

"In line with Carlsberg Group's new strategy, we have evaluated all businesses in order to focus our efforts against a narrower and more precisely-defined set of priorities," said Graham Fewkes, Carlsberg's executive vice-president in Asia.

Officially opened in 1968, CML is the Group's only brewery in Africa and is capable of producing 380,000 hectoliter of beer per year.

The transaction is subject to regulatory and corporate approval. Enditem
Photo taken in 2015 shows the cross-sea Kigamboni Bridge under construction in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. (Xinhua/Zhang Ping)

DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said on Wednesday that the east African nation welcomes Chinese investors, saying geography has made Tanzania a natural trade and logistics hub.

"I would like ... to invite and to welcome investors from China to follow the 'One Belt, One Road' philosophy along the path that leads to Tanzania as the landing beach head on the eastern seaboard of Africa," Majaliwa said.

The prime minister made the remarks during his inspection in Tooku Garments Company Limited, a Chinese firm at Benjamin William Mkapa special economic zone in Dar Es Salaam.

With fertile arable land, industrial raw materials, and a sizeable and trainable young population with social stability, Tanzania is an ideal platform to accommodate industrial enterprises that wish to relocate from China to Africa, especially for those in search of access to markets, sources of industrial raw materials and manpower for labor intensive industries, said the prime minister.

The total African regional population that can be accessed through Tanzania, a trade and logistics hub for an integrated market, is 600 million, according to the prime minister.

Tooku will employ around 6,000 workers and that will mean a fourfold growth from the current number of 1,500 workers over the next 30 months or so after local residents graduate from a training program jointly sponsored by the Tanzanian government and the Chinese private sector.

The list of development assistance projects standing as monuments and legacy of the all-weather friendship of China and Tanzania is quite impressive, the prime minister said, listing the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA) project as an example.

It is sufficient to say the development assistance that Tanzania has received from China over the past five decades has touched the lives of many Tanzanians and made a positive difference to economy and social services delivery that touches the lives of ordinary Tanzanians, he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (third right) and President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan during a meeting in Moscow on August 10, 2016. (Sputnik Photo)

MOSCOW, Aug 10 (Xinhua) -- Russia has prevented a series of terrorist attacks in Crimea planned by the Ukraine military intelligence service, the Russian Federal Security Bureau (FSB) said Wednesday.

One officer died on the night between Aug. 6 and Aug. 7 during a clash with saboteurs and another serviceman was killed on Aug. 8, as Russian forces prevented two attempts of the special units of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry to penetrate Crimea from Ukraine which was covered by heavy shelling from the Ukrainian side, the FSB said in a statement.

Some 20 improvised explosive devices equivalent to more than 40 kg of TNT, as well as different ammunition, including mines, grenades and special weapons used by Ukrainian special forces were found at the site of clashes, said the statement.

An Ukrainian military intelligence officer and a group of Russian and Ukrainian citizens who were suspected to be Ukrainian military intelligence agents and assisted in preparing of terrorist acts were detained and interrogated, the statement added.

Crimea, which was previously part of Ukraine, was incorporated into Russia in 2014 following a referendum, which was recognized by Moscow but rejected by Ukraine and Western powers.

"The purpose of sabotage and terrorist attacks was to destabilize the social and political situation in the region during the preparation and conduct of elections by federal and regional authorities," said the FSB.

Russia has adopted additional security measures to protect the Crimean people and critical infrastructure and has toughened border checks, said the statement.

The claims made by the FSB were immediately rejected by the Ukrainian side.

Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov said the claims were "hysterical and false," and the Ukrainian Defense Ministry termed the allegations as Moscow's attempt to justify its redeployment and actions in the region, media reports said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (C-L) and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C-R) enter a hall to start their meeting with Russian and Turkish entrepreneurs in Konstantinovsky Palace outside Saint Petersburg on August 9, 2016. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

ANKARA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Turkey and Russia have agreed to build a mechanism on Syria which includes officials from the intelligence services, foreign ministries and armed forces, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday in Ankara.

In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Cavusoglu said the first bilateral meeting of this mechanism will be held in St. Petersburg on Thursday.

The formation of the mechanism, which is at the ministerial level, was agreed during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, he said.

"We are building a strong mechanism with Russia regarding Syria," Cavusoglu said. "We think alike on the cease-fire, humanitarian aid and a political solution."

Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Chief Hakan Fidan and representatives form Turkey's Foreign Ministry and the Turkish Armed Forces will depart for Russia late on Wednesday, according to the foreign minister.

He said the pilots involved in the downing of a Russian jet on Nov. 24, 2015, which led to a crisis in bilateral ties, are in custody for their ties with the so-called Gulen Terrorist Organization, a reference to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Turkey accuses Gulen of masterminding a July 15 coup attempt and has called for his extradition from the United States.

Regarding the long-awaited missile defense system, Cavusoglu said that Turkey first sought cooperation with NATO countries; however, so far the results were unsatisfactory.

"Therefore, it is normal for us to seek other alternatives," he added, referring to Turkish and Russian presidents deciding to increase cooperation on defense.

"But we don't perceive this as a step against NATO. We need to set up our own defense system and develop our own technology in cooperation with other countries," Cavusoglu said.

The shooting down of the Russian jet led to a freeze in relations of the two countries, including economic sanctions and a bar on Russian tourism to Turkey, which thawed in June after Erdogan wrote to his counterpart and the two later spoke by telephone.

Putin gave his support to Turkey over the coup attempt and said he stood by the elected government, offering his condolences to the victims of the coup attempt.
Photo taken on March 10, 2016 shows red flags on the Tian'anmen Square and atop the Great Hall of the People before the second plenary meeting of the fourth session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

BRUSSELS, Aug.10 (Xinhua)-- The Chinese Mission to the European Union (EU) here on Wednesday expressed its strong dissatisfaction over a statement issued recently by the European External Action Service (EEAS) on the conviction of Chinese citizens on charges of state subversion.

"China enshrines the principle of rule of law. In China, all people are equal before the law. Anyone who breaks the law shall be brought to justice, regardless of his/her occupation," said a spokesperson when responding to the statement issued on Aug. 5 by the EU side.

The spokesperson said that China's judicial authorities handle cases in accordance with the law, while protecting every legitimate right of the suspects, noting that as proved by sufficient evidences, the persons in the case mentioned by the EEAS' statement have violated the Chinese law, and they have acknowledged that in public.

"By making irresponsible accusation against the normal operation of Chinese judicial authorities, the EU actually goes against the spirit of the rule of law. The EU's statement constitutes serious intervention into China's judicial sovereignty. The Chinese side is firmly opposed to and will not accept this kind of accusation," said the spokesperson.

"We urge the EU side to stop meddling in China's judicial sovereignty and domestic affairs, and to work with China to ensure the healthy development of China-EU relations," said the Chinese side.
LONDON, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- More than half of the young women in Britain have experienced sexual harassment at work, research published Wednesday reveals.

The study by the trade union body, the TUC, said the problem was even worse for young women workers aged 18 to 24 with nearly two-thirds saying they had been sexually harassed by colleagues.

The study is the largest of its kind for a generation and cited by leading Dublin-based academic Dr. Jane Pilliger as one of the most extensive pieces of research on sexual harassment at work in Europe.

It reveals that of those surveyed, nearly one in three (32 percent) of women have been subject to unwelcome jokes of a sexual nature while at work.

More than one in four (28 percent) have been the subject of comments of a sexual nature about their body or clothes at work, while 23 percent of women have experienced unwanted touching, such as a hand on the knee or lower back at work.

In total, 51 percent reported experiencing some kind of sexual harassment. One in eight women say they have experienced unwanted sexual touching or attempts to kiss them at work.

The survey also finds that around four out of five (79 percent) women who said they experienced sexual harassment at work did not tell their employer fearing they would be disbelieved or it would harm their career prospects.

Nearly one in five (17 percent) women reported that the aggressor was their line manager or someone with direct authority over them.

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Sexual harassment is undermining, humiliating and can have a huge effect on mental health. Victims are often left feeling ashamed and frightened. It has no place in a modern workplace, or in wider society."

Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, said: "Many people would like to think that workplace sexual harassment is a thing of the past. In reality it is having a huge impact on tens of thousands of women's lives."

"These findings reveal the shameful extent of the problem and the reality of the touching, unwanted advances, and inappropriate comments women find themselves confronted with while simply trying to do their jobs," she added.
HAVANA, Aug.10 (Xinhua) -- Starting from Wednesday, Cuban artists may apply for state funding for cultural projects with no commercial purposes.

The Extraordinary Official Gazette No. 22, issued by the island's authorities, published a set of rules organizing the provision of funds in Cuban Pesos and Convertible Pesos directly to writers, artists and groups of artists, regardless of age, cultural projects for non-commercial purposes.

According to the new requirements, the endowment will be granted by the Ministry of Culture through its institutes and councils and the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC), and through the issuance of bank instruments on behalf of writers or artists.

The criteria for deciding which projects will benefit include the quality of the proposals, their social impact, the level of interest among cultural institutes and organizations, and the responsibility and experience of the artists.

These grants will be exempt from taxes. However, if the resulting work is eventually used for commercial purposes, the artist and the institution must pay the established market taxes.

The money support to private cultural non profits projects was approved by the Cuban government in February 2015 and only be able to come into force now.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) report said on Wednesday discriminatory practices against the African-American communities had long existed among police forces in Baltimore, Maryland.

According to the 163-page scathing report, after a year-long investigation into the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) following the death of a 25-year-old black man who died in police custody, the DOJ found "reasonable cause to believe that BPD engages in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the Constitution or federal law."

In detailing its findings, the report depicted a bleak picture for local African-American communities which had long been complaining about excessive use of forces and racial profiling by local police force.

"Statistical evidence shows that the (Baltimore Police) Department intrudes disproportionately upon the lives of African Americans at every stage of its enforcement activities," said the report.

Between 2010 and 2015, though they comprised about 63 percent of the city's population, African Americans accounted for 84 percent of stops.

"The high rate of stopping African Americans persists across the City, even in districts where African Americans make up a small share of the population," said the report, adding that African Americans were also far more likely to be subjected to multiple stops within short periods of time.

Between 2010 and 2015, BPD stopped 34 African Americans at least 20 times and seven other African Americans at least 30 times, while no person of any other race was stopped more than 12 times, the report said.

In addition to the large racial disparities in stops, the BPD officers may also have used force against African Americans disproportionately.

"We found that African Americans accounted for roughly 88 percent of the subjects of non-deadly force used by BPD officers in a random sample of over 800 cases we reviewed," said the report.

The DOJ in recent years had launched similar civil rights investigations into police departments in Chicago, Cleveland, Ferguson, etc.

In another blistering report released in March, 2015, the DOJ said it had found a widespread discrimination against the black communities existed among law enforcement officials in Ferguson, Missouri.
DAMASCUS, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 people were killed Wednesday by renewed rebel shelling on government-controlled district in Syria's northern city of Aleppo, pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV reported.

The shelling targeted the sprawling Hamadaniyeh district in the government-controlled western part of Aleppo city, said the report.

The relentless shelling lasted all day Wednesday as ambulances were franticly speeding to transfer the wounded to hospitals.

According to the report, over 40 wounded people were hospitalized, as some bodies of civilians were found charred due to the intensity of the "random" shelling.

The report said the targeted areas are all civilians with no military presence, adding that the death toll is not final as the shelling is still ongoing and ambulances were still wailing in that part of the city.

The TV aired live footage from near a hospital in Hamadaniyeh district, showing many families crying and waiting for the destiny of their wounded relatives.

Earlier in the day, a military source told Xinhua that up to 142 civilians have been killed in rebel attacks in Aleppo since July 31.

An array of extremist groups unleashed what they called "Aleppo's Large Epic" battle on July 31, the source said on condition of anonymity.

A total of 48 children, 31 women, and 63 men have been killed, in addition to 672 injuries, mostly women and children, the source added.

The rebel attacks, which included firing mortar shells and improvised rockets, targeted several districts in the government-controlled part of western Aleppo.

Meanwhile, al-Mayadeen TV put the death toll among civilians over the past week at 162, adding that over 662 others were wounded.

The rebel groups that unleashed the attacks are mainly Jaish al-Fateh rebels, in coordination with Ahrar al-Sham, Nour Addien Zinki, the Islamic Turkestan Party, Failaq al-Sham, and Jabeht Fateh al-Sham.

Jaish al-Fateh, an alliance of several rebel factions, was reportedly formed in March 2015 under the supervision and coordination of Saudi cleric Abdullah al-Muhaysini.

Some of its factions are active in the provinces of Hama and Latakia. The group, reportedly supported by Saudi Arabia and Turkey, has seized most of Idlib province in northwestern Syria last year.

The Jaish al-Fateh rebel group earlier claimed that it had broken the siege of the Syrian army on rebel-held areas in the eastern part of Aleppo city after six days of strenuous attacks.

The group said that key areas have been captured include the military college and the southern town of al-Ramuseh.

Aleppo, the country's previous top commercial hub, has been divided since 2012 between a government-held west and a rebel-controlled east. Many observers believe that whoever controls Aleppo will gain the upper hand in any potential settlement in Syria.

Battles in Aleppo flared up last month, when the Syrian army, backed by the Lebanese Hezbollah group and Russian airstrikes, made sweeping progress in the northern countryside of Aleppo, severing the last supply route for the rebels in eastern Aleppo.

The move triggered violent responses by the rebels, which fired mortars and rockets continuously on the government-controlled western part of the city.
ANKARA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- A total of six civilians were killed and 54 others wounded on Wednesday in two separate attacks staged by militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in southeastern Turkey, local Dogan News Agency reported.

Two civilians were killed and 50 others wounded when a roadside bomb was detonated by PKK militants in Kiziltepe district of Mardin province, according to an official.

A separate bomb blast hit Sur district of the Diyarbakir province while a police vehicle was passing by, killing four civilians and wounding four police officers, according to the report.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU, resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in 2015.
Photo taken on Aug. 8, 2016 shows the baby panda at the Pairi Daiza Zoo in Brugelette, Belgium. The baby panda born in Belgium on June 2 will remain at the Pairi Daiza animal park in the south of the country for four years before returning to China. (Xinhua/Gong Bing)

BRUSSELS, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- After a long wait of two months, the first panda ever born in Belgium finally made its maiden public appearance and instantly became the star attraction of Pairi Daiza zoo.

On Saturday, his mother Hao Hao decided to take her baby out of the nursery and "show him" to the public. Skittish at first, Hao Hao picked her baby up with her mouth several times, shying away from the crowd of visitors.

Weighing 3,120 g, the baby panda -- nicknamed Baby P -- now looks more like a real panda than a "pink sausage" that people described when he was first born.

Adorable as he is, Baby P is still an infant, unable to do more than sleep and drink milk.

That, however, did not stop a sea of visitors coming to see the adorable little creature. The queue outside the panda cave was hundreds of meters long, with people waiting at least an hour to get a glimpse of the sleeping Baby P.

Pairi Daiza staff told Xinhua that on Sunday, visitors had to wait three to four hours to see the panda cub.

"The baby panda is beautiful," said one little boy. Another girl Rebecca said that it was her fourth time seeing a panda, but the first time seeing a cub.

Although Baby P sleeps during much of the time, his mother doesn't leave his side. When the caregiver led Hao Hao out of the cave to feed her, she became very anxious, walking around the feeding cage and sometimes crawling on the wall fretfully.

"That shows Hao Hao is a good mother," Tanya, the caregiver, told Xinhua, "She does not want to leave her baby for one minute."

The Mother panda Hao Hao looks at her baby at the Pairi Daiza Zoo in Brugelette, Belgium, Aug. 8, 2016. (Xinhua/Gong Bing)

Compared to the loving mother, Xing Hui, the male panda, seems to have no idea that he has become a father. He lives in a separate cave and continues his idle life.

"It is the way pandas raise their young," said panda expert Wu Daifu, who takes care of the pandas in Pairi Daiza. "After mating, the job of raising the young is left to the mother. We have to keep the two adult pandas apart to prevent them from fighting."

Hao Hao and Xing Hui were sent to Belgium from China in 2014. They are the first giant pandas China has sent overseas for a lease term of 15 years instead of the usual 10.

The arrival of Hao Hao and Xing Hui made Belgium the 13th country and Pairi Daiza the 18th zoo in the world to house giant pandas, which are considered one of the world's most endangered species.

About 1,600 giant pandas live in the wild, mostly in the mountains of China's southwestern province of Sichuan, while over 300 live in captivity.
NICOSIA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus is beefing up security measures on its northwestern shores to stem a stream of migrants arriving from Turkey, an official statement said on Wednesday.

The measures were announced after a team of 15 Syrian migrants, among them a woman and a minor, were found overnight hiding behind rocks on a deserted beach where they had arrived a short while before.

It was the second group to arrive in the northwestern Cypriot shores, after another group of 15 immigrants were spotted there on August 2.

The statement said there will be patrols and stationary lookouts along the coastline, just 70 kilometers from the southern coast of Turkey, while a patrol boat will monitor boat movements in the region.

A police spokesman said information was obtained that more immigrants are in the city of Mersin, Turkey, waiting for transport to Cyprus.

"The police are evaluating specific information on the traffickers," the spokesman said.

"We are on high alert along in the region with other state authorities," he added.

There is an increased military presence in the area, which is neighboring to territory occupied by Turkish troops in 1974, in reaction to a coup organized by the military rulers of Greece at the time.

Immigrants said on questioning that they paid 2,000 euros each to human traffickers to ferry them to Cyprus in speed boats.

Authorities are worried that after the agreement between the European Union(EU) and Turkey to stem a flood of immigrants from the Turkish shores to the Aegean Greek islands, many immigrants will try to travel to Cyprus as asylum seekers.

Under current EU quotas, Cyprus has to take less than 400 immigrants.

Several groups of immigrants either beached on Cyprus or were rescued at sea last year as they ventured the perilous trip to other European countries, mainly Italy.

Cyprus has not been up to now a favored destination of immigrants from the battle fields in the Middle East because of limited means to travel to large European countries. Enditem
Swing dancers shake up the crowd at the Culture Festival in Stockholm, capital of Sweden, Aug. 11, 2015. (Xinhua/Rob Schoenbaum)

STOCKHOLM, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Police in Gothenburg, western Sweden, have decided to install surveillance cameras in the city center during a major culture festival taking place this month in order to detect sexual assaults.

More police officers will also be posted at the festival this year in order to deal with reports quicker and on site. In addition, festival organizers and staff members have also undergone training in how to assist sexual assault victims, according to local media.

The initiatives follow reports of a hike in sexual assaults at festivals across Sweden.

"Considering all the police reports of sexual assaults recently, both in this country and abroad, the police authority has decided to make use of current legislation that enables us to use camera surveillance," Jonas Bergqvist, who heads police operations during the Gothenburg Culture Festival, told local newspaper Goteborgsposten.

Speaking to a local radio station, the festival's press spokesperson Fredrik Beckman said: "Considering the discussions around festivals and events earlier this year, we think it's good that we're proactive. We haven't had these kinds of problems before and we haven't seen these kinds of reports at the Gothenburg Culture Festival."

Beckman added: "Instead of waiting to see if it happens, we think it's important to take these kinds of issues seriously."

The surveillance cameras will be placed at two major squares - Gotaplatsen och Kungstorget - which attract the largest crowds during the six-day long street festival.

The purpose is to prevent crime but also to increase the possibilities of investigating any crimes committed at the festival, which is an annual event.

Last year, there were six reported cases of sexual assault. Two were rapes that apparently took place at a restaurant and at a hotel.

"My impression is that the festival itself is a pleasant event and the sexual-assault reports we received last year concerned incidents that took place at locations that I cannot link to the festival," said Bergqvist.

Bergqvist said the Gothenburg police is counting on receiving more reports this year since more people have become aware of the problem of sexual harassment and are less likely to accept it.

This year's edition of the Gothenburg Culture Festival is expected to attract 1.5 million visitors and will feature concerts, street theater, film screenings, art shows and more. The festival kicks off on August 16. It has been held in the city center of Gothenburg - Sweden's second largest city - since 1991.
LJUBLJANA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Slovenia received a group of 18 asylum seekers from Greece on Wednesday under an European Union-sponsored relocation scheme, the Interior Ministry has said.

The group comprises 13 nationals of Syria and five citizens of Iraq, the ministry said in a press release.

The migrants have been sent by bus to the asylum centre in the Ljubljana Vic borough, where their asylum requests will be processed. In addition, another 14 migrants will also arrive in next week, the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) reported.

With the latest arrivals, Slovenia has so far accepted 61 migrants under the relocation plan. Before the latest group, 18 Syrians and 10 Iraqis had been relocated from Greece and 15 Eritreans from Italy.

By July 21, the ministry had processed 24 applications for international protection filed by the first group, granting refugee status to 12 and subsidiary protection to 11.

With the latest two groups, the number of asylum seekers relocated to Slovenia will increase to 75 out of the total of 567 that the country committed to accept under the relocation plan this and next year.

In addition, 60 more refugees are to be permanently resettled to Slovenia, including 40 Syrian refugees who are currently in Turkey.
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- UN relief chief Stephen O'Brien on Wednesday called on the international community to save the lives of the South Sudanese people who were fleeing fighting in their country with food, water, medical care and shelter.

O'Brien, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, made the appeal when he was speaking to reporters here after he just returned from a three-day visit to South Sudan.

"Let me be clear: people in South Sudan are not just fleeing their homes because they need food, shelter or medical care and school for their children," said O'Brien, who is also the UN emergency relief coordinator.

"They are fleeing through fear for their lives -- just as you or I would if faced with the same hideous threat. So we must protect them, and we must save their lives with food, water, medical care and shelter," he said.

"I call on the international community to make sure together we can avert an even worse humanitarian tragedy in South Sudan," he said.

"Sadly, in the past year, the humanitarian situation has significantly deteriorated, including in areas that were relatively stable, and displacement and hunger are now widespread across the country," he said.

South Sudan was founded in July 2011, after it gained independence from Sudan. The country descended into conflict in December 2013 due to internal struggles between rival factions.

The recent fighting erupted in and around the capital of Juba on July 7 between rival forces -- the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in opposition backing First Vice-President Riek Machar, killing some 272 people, including 33 civilians.

During the visit, the second one by the senior UN official to South Sudan since he assumed office in June last year, O'Brien travelled to Wau and Aweil, where he met with displaced and severely food insecure people and hear first-hand the stories of their plight.

"Women in Wau told me how they were attacked and displaced multiple times," he said. "I spoke personally with three courageous women who told me how women and girls were raped, and men and boys were killed, abducted or prevented from seeking protection. They did tell me that they need security to continue their lives."

In Aweil, O'Brien said, he met a woman who brought her eight-month-old daughter, Icahn, to a treatment center for severe acute malnutrition.

"The mother herself was so malnourished that she could no longer breastfeed," he said. "She had already lost the baby's twin due to malnutrition not long before. I can add that eight-month-old baby weighed only three kilograms."

"The situations that I saw in Wau and Aweil are of course emblematic of the devastating fate that has befallen this country, even since I last visited, and over recent times," he said.

In July 2015, both of these locations were seen as beacons of hope and prospects for development, he said, adding that at present, one is mired in conflict and the other is facing the worst food insecurity in many years -- and is at real risk of getting worse, despite the incredible work of humanitarian organizations.

"But Wau and Aweil are just the tip of the iceberg," he said. "In each location where there has been fighting, civilians have been attacked and forcibly displaced."

More than 2 million people have fled their homes since December 2013. Some 1.6 million people were displaced inside South Sudan, with more than 900,000 people having fled to neighboring countries.

Over the past month, some 70,000 South Sudanese crossed the border into Uganda as refugees. Across the country, some 4.8 million people are severely food insecure and a quarter of a million children are severely malnourished.

"Again this year we are battling a cholera outbreak," he said.

During his meeting with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and senior government officials, they discussed the dire and worsening humanitarian crisis.

"I expressed in clear terms my shock and dismay at the appalling reports of violations committed against civilians during fighting in recent months, including in Juba," he said. "In particular, I condemned the heinous acts of sexual violence carried out against women and girls, including by members of the armed forces."

He said that he also reiterated the need for humanitarians to be granted free, safe and unhindered access to all people in need, wherever they may be, and for humanitarian workers and their assets to be respected.

"Humanitarians are in South Sudan to save lives and for no other reason," he said. "Our task and our demand by the UN and beyond is to impartially meet the urgent and severe humanitarian and protection needs of the millions of suffering people in this country."

"Humanitarian workers are saving lives while risking their own, and I am appalled that they continue to be harassed, targeted and killed," he said.

When he visited last year, 27 of UN humanitarian staff workers had lost their lives and many more were missing and unaccounted for, he said. "Today, the number of aid workers killed since December 2013 is 57. This is unacceptable and unconscionable, and I urged the president to take immediate action to end the impunity that has prevailed to date."

So far this year, even in the most difficult circumstances, aid workers have reached more than 2.8 million people with assistance and protection in South Sudan, he said.

"Despite the violence, intimidation, and interference they have faced, aid agencies are determined to assist civilians across this country who have already suffered too much."

"The scale, breadth and depth of humanitarian needs in South Sudan continue to grow, and the plight of the people demands the world's attention," he added.
KIGALI, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Seventy medical personnel of the Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) on Wednesday left the country for operation under the United Nations Mission in Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

Led by Col. John Byimana, the personnel are to replace their colleagues who returned to the country after serving in MINUSCA Level Two Hospital since January 20, 2015.

According to military officials, the Level Two Hospital could be compared to a District Hospital with advanced equipment and medical specialists.

Under the United Nations standards, Level Two Hospital should have the capacity of treating up to 40 ambulatory outpatients per day, provide three intensive care beds, stabilize and evacuate a casualty for evacuation to the next level of medical care, among others.

Lt Col. Edmond Mukimbiri returning from the UN Mission told the media that though they were the first contingent to establish Level Two Hospital there, the RDF medics noted that their mission of providing medical care to MINUSCA personnel was a success.

"We faced challenges operating in region with a number of armed groups, but we treated more than 2,600 patients", said Mukimbiri. Enditem
MADRID, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) gave its "full support" to the decision of Indonesia to allow visa-free travel to citizens of 169 different countries and regions on Wednesday.

The new travel offer aims at simplifying travel procedures to attract more international travelers, according to the government's announcement.

The UNWTO said that the policy, which allows travelers to remain in Indonesia for a maximum of 30 days, could lead to the creation of between 333,000 and 654,000 new jobs over the next three years.

A greater freedom of movement can give an important boost to promoting sustainable growth in developing nations, according to the organization.

"Indonesia is setting an example to the world, and UNWTO welcomes the decision of the Government of Indonesia," UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai said in a communique issued on Wednesday.

"This decision clearly reflects the commitment of the country with the development of the tourism sector as a driven force of economic growth, jobs and well-being for its people," Rifai added.

UNWTO and the World Travel and Tourism Council recently launched a report on the impact of Visa facilitation for the states making up the Association of South East Asian Nations, which concluded that improved visa access could lead to between 6-10 million international tourist arrivals and generate income of between 7-12 billion U.S. dollars.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan during their press conference in Konstantinovsky Palace outside Saint Petersburg on August 9, 2016. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

by Shi Chun

ANKARA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- After months-long rift over the downing of a Russian warplane, leaders of Turkey and Russia stepped up to mend ties to levels beyond what they were before last November's crisis, according to local experts.

The two leaders' meeting in St. Petersburg was in the wake of Turkey's ties with the western bloc having strained.

At the joint press conference, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan particularly thanked Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for calling him up in solidarity the day after the July 15 failed coup attempt ahead of any NATO member countries.

He underlined that it was one of the reasons why he made his first visit abroad to Russia after the coup attempt.

"Not a single Western leader has visited Ankara to offer condolences and display solidarity. This has raised questions in the minds of ordinary Turks about whether or not the coup attempt was supported by the West," Ilnur Cevik, the former adviser of President wrote on Daily Sabah.

Turkey's rapprochement with Russia also comes amid accusation of Ankara against the U.S. for hosting Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen who the Turkish government claims the mastermind of the coup attempt.

The deepening gap between Turkey and its Western allies has a role in this convergence, Gila Benmayor, the Turkish columnist said.

Ankara and Moscow also need to cooperate in Syria, Cenk Balsamis, a journalist expertised on Russia said, "Turkish-Russian ties had been deteriorating since the Syrian crisis. Downing of the Russian jet was just last straw."

In an interview with Russian media before his visit to St. Petersburg,Turkish President Erdogan described Russia "as the most important and primary actor in bringing peace to Syria."

"Turkey and Russia should take steps together to resolve this issue," Erdogan stated.

Ankara and Moscow have been at odds due to differences on Syrian issue as the latter lends support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, however Turkey insists the Syrian leader should step down for a solution in the war-torn country.

"I don't expect a long-term security cooperation between Turkey and Russia, but the West should understand the message given by the visit itself," Ahmet Yukleyen, Associate Professor of International Relations at Istanbul Commerce University said.

Economic loss is another main dynamic in Turkish-Russian rapproachment.

Turkey, for its part to compensate its economic loss, wants removal of Russian restrictions on Turkish agricultural products and on Turkish construction companies in Russia.

Ankara also wants re-instituting charter flights in order to recover loss in its tourism revenues, Baslamis said.

Rift between Turkey and Russia has badly damaged Turkish tourism this year, tourism professional Ender Alkoclar said.

Total number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey is 250,000 so far in 2016, while last year's figure from February to June was 2,800,000. Turkey's total revenue from tourism has decreased 40 percent compared to 2015, he added.

"The period of rift in bilateral relations did not help for both Turkey and Russian. Both countries have suffered in economic terms. Interests of them need bilateral cooperation," Balsamis stressed.

Having been in economic crisis since two years, Moscow wants to realize Turkish stream gas pipeline to sell energy to the West since this project is the optimal one, according to Baslamis.

The Turkish Stream, announced in December 2014, was suspended in late 2015 after Turkey downed a Russian Su-24 jet in 2015. The pipeline's expected annual capacity is 63 billion cubic meters.

Russia also wants to guarantee its investment on the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, which has been stalled since the crisis erupted between Ankara and Moscow, Baslamis said.

The two countries sealed an agreement to construct and operate Turkey's first nuclear power plant at the Akkuyu site in 2010. The plant is expected to produce some 35 billion kilowatt-hours per year.

Turkey remains a part of the Western defense system but wants strong ties with its neighbor Russia, according to Ilnur Cevik.

"We have commercial, economic and energy interests that require strong ties between Ankara and Moscow. We also want to be a part of the Shanghai five. But this does not mean we will give up our NATO membership," Cevik wrote.

"In this new world order, we have seen that you should not keep all your eggs in the same basket," he added.

Related:

Turkey establishes direct contact line with Russia over Syria

Turkey and Russia have agreed to keep in close contact regarding the war in Syria in order to avoid a repetition of incidents such as last year's downing of a Russian warplane, a Turkish presidential spokesman told local media on Wednesday. Full story

Turkey, Russia agree to build Syria mechanism: Turkey FM
People hold up a banner during a Black Lives Matter protest outside City Hall in Manhattan, New York, U.S., August 1, 2016. (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) report said on Wednesday discriminatory practices against the African-American communities had long existed among police forces in Baltimore, Maryland. According to the 163-page scathing report, after a year-long investigation into the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) following the death of a 25-year-old black man who died in police custody, the DOJ found "reasonable cause to believe that BPD engages in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the Constitution or federal law." In detailing its findings, the report depicted a bleak picture for local African-American communities which had long been complaining about excessive use of forces and racial profiling by local police force.

"Statistical evidence shows that the (Baltimore Police) Department intrudes disproportionately upon the lives of African Americans at every stage of its enforcement activities," said the report. Between 2010 and 2015, though they comprised about 63 percent of the city's population, African Americans accounted for 84 percent of stops.

"The high rate of stopping African Americans persists across the City, even in districts where African Americans make up a small share of the population," said the report, adding that African Americans were also far more likely to be subjected to multiple stops within short periods of time.

A counter demonstrator jeers at police supporters as officers keep the two groups separated during a "Blue Lives Matter" rally in support of the Baltimore police in front of City Hall in Baltimore, Maryland May 30, 2015. Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man, was arrested April 12 and suffered a spinal injury in police custody. His death a week later led to protests and rioting in Baltimore that prompted a curfew and a National Guard deployment. (REUTERS/Jim Bourg)

Between 2010 and 2015, BPD stopped 34 African Americans at least 20 times and seven other African Americans at least 30 times, while no person of any other race was stopped more than 12 times, the report said.

In addition to the large racial disparities in stops, the BPD officers may also have used force against African Americans disproportionately.

"We found that African Americans accounted for roughly 88 percent of the subjects of non-deadly force used by BPD officers in a random sample of over 800 cases we reviewed," said the report.

The DOJ in recent years had launched similar civil rights investigations into police departments in Chicago, Cleveland, Ferguson, etc.

In another blistering report released in March, 2015, the DOJ said it had found a widespread discrimination against the black communities existed among law enforcement officials in Ferguson, Missouri.
ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) has welcomed the signing of the Sudan roadmap by opposition groups, saying it represents an important breakthrough in achieving a permanent end of the conflicts in the country.

The opposition groups signed the AU-proposed roadmap agreement in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa early this week.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the AU Commission, has welcomed the signing of the roadmap agreement developed in March 2016 under the auspices of the AU High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), an AU statement said Wednesday.

The Chairperson reiterated the significance of the dialogue as a process that would lead to the adoption of a new national constitution, which will address Sudan's multiple challenges, and thereby ensure stability and sustained prosperity for Sudan, it said.

Dlamini-Zuma said AU remains steadfast in supporting the Sudanese parties, and urged them to sustain the momentum of the signing of the Roadmap by ensuring rapid progress in the negotiations that would resume in Addis Ababa on a cessation of hostilities and much-needed humanitarian access for the South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur.

She called on all other Sudanese political and civil society formations, and the general Sudanese public, to endorse and support the roadmap agreement and processes as the most significant opportunity for achieving the democratic transformation of Sudan.

She also urged the parties to cooperate with the United Nations and other humanitarian agencies to ensure that the needs of civilians affected by the conflict are effectively addressed.

The conflict in Darfur began in 2003, and there has been fighting between the Sudanese army and opposition groups in South Kordofan and Blue Nile since 2011. Enditem
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan during their press conference in Konstantinovsky Palace outside Saint Petersburg on August 9, 2016. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

ANKARA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- After months-long rift over the downing of a Russian warplane, leaders of Turkey and Russia stepped up to mend ties to levels beyond what they were before last November's crisis, according to local experts.

The two leaders' meeting in St. Petersburg was in the wake of Turkey's ties with the western bloc having strained.

At the joint press conference, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan particularly thanked Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for calling him up in solidarity the day after the July 15 failed coup attempt ahead of any NATO member countries.

He underlined that it was one of the reasons why he made his first visit abroad to Russia after the coup attempt.

"Not a single Western leader has visited Ankara to offer condolences and display solidarity. This has raised questions in the minds of ordinary Turks about whether or not the coup attempt was supported by the West," Ilnur Cevik, the former adviser of President wrote on Daily Sabah.

Turkey's rapprochement with Russia also comes amid accusation of Ankara against the U.S. for hosting Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen who the Turkish government claims the mastermind of the coup attempt.

The deepening gap between Turkey and its Western allies has a role in this convergence, Gila Benmayor, the Turkish columnist said.

Ankara and Moscow also need to cooperate in Syria, Cenk Balsamis, a journalist expertised on Russia said, "Turkish-Russian ties had been deteriorating since the Syrian crisis. Downing of the Russian jet was just last straw."

In an interview with Russian media before his visit to St. Petersburg,Turkish President Erdogan described Russia "as the most important and primary actor in bringing peace to Syria."

"Turkey and Russia should take steps together to resolve this issue," Erdogan stated.

Ankara and Moscow have been at odds due to differences on Syrian issue as the latter lends support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, however Turkey insists the Syrian leader should step down for a solution in the war-torn country.

"I don't expect a long-term security cooperation between Turkey and Russia, but the West should understand the message given by the visit itself," Ahmet Yukleyen, Associate Professor of International Relations at Istanbul Commerce University said.

Economic loss is another main dynamic in Turkish-Russian rapproachment.

Turkey, for its part to compensate its economic loss, wants removal of Russian restrictions on Turkish agricultural products and on Turkish construction companies in Russia.

Ankara also wants re-instituting charter flights in order to recover loss in its tourism revenues, Baslamis said.

Rift between Turkey and Russia has badly damaged Turkish tourism this year, tourism professional Ender Alkoclar said.

Total number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey is 250,000 so far in 2016, while last year's figure from February to June was 2,800,000. Turkey's total revenue from tourism has decreased 40 percent compared to 2015, he added.

"The period of rift in bilateral relations did not help for both Turkey and Russian. Both countries have suffered in economic terms. Interests of them need bilateral cooperation," Balsamis stressed.

Having been in economic crisis since two years, Moscow wants to realize Turkish stream gas pipeline to sell energy to the West since this project is the optimal one, according to Baslamis.

The Turkish Stream, announced in December 2014, was suspended in late 2015 after Turkey downed a Russian Su-24 jet in 2015. The pipeline's expected annual capacity is 63 billion cubic meters.

Russia also wants to guarantee its investment on the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, which has been stalled since the crisis erupted between Ankara and Moscow, Baslamis said.

The two countries sealed an agreement to construct and operate Turkey's first nuclear power plant at the Akkuyu site in 2010. The plant is expected to produce some 35 billion kilowatt-hours per year.

Turkey remains a part of the Western defense system but wants strong ties with its neighbor Russia, according to Ilnur Cevik.

"We have commercial, economic and energy interests that require strong ties between Ankara and Moscow. We also want to be a part of the Shanghai five. But this does not mean we will give up our NATO membership," Cevik wrote.

"In this new world order, we have seen that you should not keep all your eggs in the same basket," he added.
TRIPOLI, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Libyan government forces fighting the Islamic States (IS) in Sirte announced on Wednesday that they have taken over the city's Ouagadougou convention center, central hospital and university.

"Ouagadougou Congress Hall and Ibn Sina hospital are now under our control," the media office of the government forces tweeted, saying the IS is completely breaking down and "it is time of victory."

The military operation was launched in May by the forces allied with the UN-backed unity government to fight against the increasing dominance of the IS in Sirte, some 450 km east the capital Tripoli.

A military source said that a war plane of the government's forces has fallen on Wednesday morning while launching airstrikes on the IS sites.

"We have no contact with the fighter jet for over four hours after it launched the strike this morning. It has definitely fallen without refueling for such a long time, leaving the fate of the crew so far unknown," the source added.
ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) has said that the nomination process for the next Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and eight Commissioners of the AU Commission has been re-opened.

The AU Commission has officially informed all member states, providing detailed timeframes and deadlines for the submission of candidatures for the ten positions that are open, said a statement from the pan-African bloc on Wednesday.

The elections are scheduled to be held during the 28th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, scheduled for 30-31 January, 2017, at the AU Headquarters in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, according to the statement.

The statement said that the election of the members of the AU Commission held in Kigali, Rwanda in July this year were suspended since none of the three contenders for the position of the Chairperson of the Commission obtained the required two-thirds majority, after seven rounds of voting.

Re-opening the process allows for both the former candidates, as well as new candidates to run for any of the ten positions, it said.
KHARTOUM, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Sudan on Wednesday reiterated demand for the United States to remove Sudan from the list of states sponsoring terrorism, Sudanese Media Center (SMC) reported.

Khartoum urged Washington to end the system of U.S. envoys to Sudan, and that the bilateral relations should be diplomatic like other countries.

"Until now Sudan does not know why the U.S. delays responding to our proposed issues, particularly after they promised more than once in exchange for peaceful transfer of power in Sudan," Sudan's State Minister for Foreign Affairs Obeid-Allah Mohamed Obeid-Allah was quoted as saying.

"However, all Sudan's fulfilled commitments were only met with further extension of sanctions," he noted.

Obeid-Allah urged the U.S. to reconsider its unilateral coercive sanctions imposed on Sudan, which he described as a "violation" according to international standards.

He said Sudan declared its readiness long ago to cooperate with the U.S., noting that the U.S. should provide concessions towards the sanctions.

"Sudan has nothing to give more than what it has committed to and fulfilled," he noted.

The U.S. has been imposing sanctions on Sudan since 1997 and listing it one of the countries sponsoring terrorism.

Since then, Washington has been renewing its sanctions on Sudan due to the continuing war in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions besides a number of outstanding issues with South Sudan including the disputed oil-rich area of Abyei.

Sudan's losses due to the U.S. sanctions reportedly amount to over 4 billion U.S. dollars annually.
Donald Trump speaks on the last day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, the United States, July 21, 2016. New York billionaire Donald Trumpofficially accepted the presidential nomination of the U.S. Republican Party Thursday night on the final day of the Republican National Convention. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

by Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Republican nominee Donald Trump's speech on the economy on Monday showed a more statesman-like side of him, but his controversial remarks on Clinton's gun control policy a day later quickly betrayed him.

Trump has in recent months become infamous for his big personality and equally big mouth. While it has galvanized blue collar white males to help him win the nomination, his colorful but often over-the-top rhetoric has offended many Americans outside Republican rank-and-file voters.

Analysts said he needs to tone down his presentation in a bid to clinch independent voters and others. But this proves to be a nearly impossible task for the brash New York real estate billionaire.

Trump's speech on Monday was in part a bid for him to appear to be more presidential. He refrained from trash talking, outlined his plan to revive the economy, and put it together in a cogent and rational argument.

"Trump attempted to change the conversation by giving a major economic address," Darrell West, vice president and director of governance studies of the Brookings Institution, told Xinhua.

Indeed, Trump used a teleprompter to deliver the speech, instead of just winging it, as he so often does.

Reading from a pre-written speech helped Trump stay focused and refrain from his usual confrontational demeanor, which is a turn-off for many moderate voters.

Dan Mahaffee, an analyst with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, told Xinhua that speeches and policy positions like Monday's speech are certainly what Trump needs to do in order to shift away from the distractions and self-inflicted wounds of the past few weeks.

To try to appeal to voters, Trump will have to suggest that rival Hillary Clinton is a continuation of U.S. President Barack Obama's economic policies and that his policies will be a break away from policies on trade and regulations.

Mahaffee said that thus far, the "Hillary's status quo" message seems to be driving the most attention. He was referring to Trump's argument that Clinton would simply continue what Trump calls the failed economic policies under Obama.

But few people believe Trump can maintain the sense of civility very long. "He is able to stay in script for limited periods of time," West said.

On Tuesday, Trump issued arguably his most vile remarks in this year's campaign, by indicating that gun rights advocates could stop Clinton from appointing Supreme Court judges who will support stricter gun control.

"Hillary wants to abolish ... the Second Amendment ... by the way, and if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is," Trump told a campaign rally in North Carolina.

U.S. gun advocates insist their gun rights derive from the Second Amendment of the Constitution.

Critics interpreted Trump's remarks as a suggestion that gun rights advocates should kill Clinton to prevent her from implementing her gun control policy.

Trump later explained that he was not inciting violence, but was talking about a political movement only. But this could hardly convince people that he will become a guy who is calmer and more measured just as he was making the economic speech on Monday.

Certainly, many of Trump's recent stumbles have been self-inflicted, and a lot of them have to do with his temperament as a candidate.

Trump has come across to a lot of the American people as thin-skinned and impetuous, and that raises questions about someone who will have the powers and responsibilities inherent with the presidency, Mahaffee said.

While there is a lot of time left in the campaign, Trump has pushed away many educated moderates over the past few week, and his tumbling poll numbers in some important swing states have demonstrated that.

"With the debates looming and plenty of campaigning, there is time for that to change, but there is a risk that many people have made up their minds about Trump's temperament," Mahaffee said.

Related:

Republican presidential nominee Trump says no plan to change temperament

U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said on Tuesday he had no plan to change his temperament as the bellicose New Yorker was grappling with his sagging poll numbers following recent feud with a family of a fallen Muslim American soldier and leaders within his own party. Full story

News Analysis: Trump hones in on sluggish U.S. economy to bolster struggling campaign
Donald Trump speaks on the last day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, the United States, July 21, 2016. New York billionaire Donald Trumpofficially accepted the presidential nomination of the U.S. Republican Party Thursday night on the final day of the Republican National Convention.

(Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secret Service had spoken to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's campaign about his controversial gun rights comments, local media said on Wednesday.

Citing a U.S. Secret Service official who spoke on condition of anonymity, CNN reported that "more than one conversation" had been held between officials from the agency and Trump's campaign, during which the campaign said Trump did not intend to incite violence against his Democratic counterpart Hillary Clinton.

Trump again got embroiled in a political firestorm on Tuesday after suggesting that supporters of gun rights could take action against Clinton if Clinton wins the election.

During a campaign rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, Trump repeated his claim that Clinton intends to abolish the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which protects Americans' right to keep guns, before appearing to make a joke about using violence to stop Clinton from picking liberal Supreme Court justices.

"Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the Second Amendment," said Trump. "By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks."

"Though the Second Amendment people, maybe there is," he added.

The Clinton campaign immediately seized on Trump's remarks, criticizing the bellicose New Yorker for instigating violence.

"This is simple -- what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way," said the Clinton campaign in a statement.

Other Democrats piled on, with one Democratic senator equating Trump's remarks with "assassination threat" against Clinton.

The Trump campaign defended the nominee by arguing that Trump was talking about nothing other than encouraging gun rights supporters to vote against Clinton in November.

"It's called the power of unification -- 2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power. And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it won't be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump," said the Trump campaign on Tuesday in a statement.
SANTIAGO, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- A G20 summit to be hosted by the Chinese city of Hangzhou in September "couldn't have come at a better time," Chile's Ambassador to China Jorge Heine has said.

In an article published on Wednesday in Chilean daily La Tercera, the top diplomat stressed the relevance of the group of the "world's leading economies, which represent 85 percent of global GDP, 80 percent of international trade and 65 percent of the world population."

The G20, which is meeting amid a global economic slowdown, was established in 2008 amid a global financial crisis, "and played a key role in containing its worst impacts," said Heine, underscoring the timeliness of the upcoming summit.

Since then, "it has emerged as an important forum that brings the leaders of developed and emerging economies together around a single table," said Heine.

China's hosting of the summit, he said, is significant for two main reasons.

"This is the first time that China is serving as host, confirming the country's increasingly central role on the diplomatic circuit," Heine said.

In addition, choosing to hold the event in east China's Hangzhou, instead of one of the country's larger, more economically developed cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou, neatly encapsulates the message the Asian giant wants to send to the rest of the world.

"China is betting on innovation as a springboard for growth and development in coming years, and Hangzhou, an ancient imperial capital, is a great center of innovation. Among other things, it is home to the headquarters of Alibaba, the e-commerce giant," said Heine.

In fact, Jack Ma, its founder and president, is set "to play a starring role at the summit," which is taking place under the banner "Towards an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy."

According to Heine, conventional wisdom held that BRICS, the bloc of emerging economies formed in the early 2000s by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, was no more than a flash in the pan, and the Western economies would continue to be the central axis around which global finance and the world economy would spin.

However, "Brexit (Britain's decision to exit the European Union) and the protectionist and populist tendencies we see emerging in the United States and Europe show the error of this point of view," said the ambassador.

"The reality is that the world increasingly depends on the emerging economies, especially the Asian giants China and India," Heine said, adding foreign affairs expert and author Gideon Rachman highlights this trend in his recent book "Easternization: War and Peace in the Asian Century."

Between 1995 and 2005, international trade grew 6 percent a year, double the rate of global gross domestic product (GDP). But from 2012 to 2015, trade growth has failed to surpass 3 percent, noted Heine, adding that China is well-placed to spearhead the global drive to turn around the slowdown.

"China, one of the economies that have most benefited from globalization, is in a privileged position to promote an agenda of this type. It is about promoting innovation, increases in productivity, and a more open world economy," said Heine.

"If there is one thing the world does not need, it is to listen to the siren song of protectionism, which is heard so often these days in some developed countries," he added.

At the Sept.4-5 summit, Heine said, "China has the great opportunity to show its capacity to lead in the governance of the world economy."
MEXICO CITY, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The death roll rose to 50 after tropical storm Earl triggered landslides in Mexico's central and eastern mountainous communities over the weekend, a government official said Wednesday.

Ricardo de la Cruz, director of Mexico's Civil Protection under the Interior Ministry, said 36 were killed in the central state of Puebla, one more than the latest official report published Tuesday.

Over the weekend, the storm struck small towns located in the mountains in Puebla, bringing heavy rain which caused the earth to soften and fall on top of several houses.

De la Cruz said reports showed that there were no communities cut off in the area since the emergency services managed to enter Tuesday using all-terrain vehicles.

The inhabitants of the affected areas in Puebla have gradually returned to their homes even though, on Wednesday, around 950 people were still housed in five shelters, said de la Cruz during a television interview with Primero Noticias.

Emergency funds have been allocated to rebuild damaged roads and bridges and the federal authorities were checking the conditions of houses.

According to the director, 13 people died from landslides in the eastern state of Veracruz, and one person was killed upon returning to his property after a landslide in the central state of Hidalgo.

Earl touched ground as a category 1 hurricane on Thursday in the neighboring country of Belize and after weakening to a tropical storm, it moved through southeast Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico before hitting Veracruz.

The official also said weather phenomenon Javier did not cause significant damage on Tuesday in the state of Baja California Sur, in northwest Mexico, and its risk has diminished.

Javier became a tropical storm on Monday in the Pacific Ocean but weakened to a low pressure system when hitting the state located in the Baja California peninsula. Enditem
HELSINKI, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Finnish government's budget talks for the year of 2017 started on Wednesday, with efforts to promote employment high on the agenda.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Finnish Finance Minister Petteri Orpo described the first day of the budge preparation as "in a gloomy shade."

He said the world economy has no visible impetus to the export-driven Finland, although the domestic demand is showing positive signs.

"The demand for the domestic market is not enough... We will make next year's state budget in very tight frames," said Orpo.

Investment will be made to enhance employment. The proposals in the budget include measures to reduce disincentives to work and to help people move in pursuit of employment.

Orpo said the government will make further cuts if the employment does not improve.

Orpo was the minister of interior before he succeeded Alexander Stubb in June to become the chairman of the National Coalition Party and took the stewardship of finance.

Finnish economic development has remained stagnant since the global financial crisis in 2008. The unemployment rate has been climbing in the past years. Currently the figure is close to 10 percent.

The goal of the government is to raise the employment rate from 68 percent to 72 percent, which would mean a creation of 110,000 new jobs by 2019.

The Center Party, the biggest ruling party in the coalition government, proposed a plan for tax reduction for companies earlier in July, but Orpo did not support the idea.

In an interview with Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat on Monday, Orpo warned against the thought of the company tax reduction. He said he does not believe taxation is an obstacle to investment.

The proposed tax relief would only help companies that make profits, said Orpo, and he was "concerned about the outfits that do not make profits."

According to the minister, the reform of corporate taxation will be discussed later in autumn, and decisions will be made in spring next year.

Juhana Vartiainen, an MP from the National Coalition Party and former head of the Finnish National Institute for Economic Research, told Finnish daily Ilta-Sanomat on Wednesday that he was concerned about the increasing debt.

Vartiainen said the reduction of the net borrowing is currently very slow or almost non-existent.

This year's budget of Finland is 54.9 billion euros (61.3 billion U.S. dollars), of which about 5.6 billion is to be covered by the net debt.

Vartiainen said Finland's state budget has not been brought to balance for eight years and the public finances are not on a sustainable basis.

Vartiainen also underlined the importance of employment. "If the employment increases, then we get more tax revenue," he was quoted by the daily as saying.

Antti Lindtman, chair of the Social Democratic Party's parliamentary group, claimed to MTV channel on Wednesday that the opposition party will monitor Orpo's budget closely, particularly the measures to improve employment.

"We spend over 5 billion euros annually on the passive support caused by unemployment. This sum of money should be put to active use, and it could lower the threshold for the employment of long-term unemployed," Lindtman said.

According to the Finnish government, the Finance Ministry's proposal for the draft budget will be presented on Friday, and negotiation among the three ruling parties will start at the end of August. The draft budget for 2017 will be released in mid-September. (1 euro=1.12 U.S. dollar)
by Raimundo Urrechaga

BIRAN, Cuba, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- In the deep fields of Cuba's northeastern countryside lies a cluster of wooden houses painted in brilliant yellow that draws thousands of local and international visitors every year due to its historical significance.

This is the town of Biran, birthplace of Cuban revolution leader Fidel Castro, who will turn 90 on Aug. 13.

The Castro family estate, which once reached 11,700 hectares, was the starting point for the Cuban leader's life, surrounded by farmers and migrants who worked for his father.

Angel Castro, a Spanish migrant and wealthy landowner, planted and sold sugarcane and timber in the area and developed the zone's first cattle raising facility.

Fidel's father bought the estate in 1915 and provided work to local farm workers as well as Jamaican and Haitian migrants in the area.

There, he met Lina Ruz, a young farmer, whom he later married and had seven children with.

"When Fidel was born in 1926, the family estate was already consolidated. He was surrounded by very poor people and without a doubt, this got him thinking about social justice and other values he later developed," Antonio Lopez, a historian at the site, told Xinhua.

The estate has been a museum since 2002, displaying the early history of Castro and his family.

Visitors who roam the complex can see Fidel Castro's crib, the bedroom he shared with his brothers, pictures of his childhood, a cockfighting arena where his father's birds fought, and even a 1920s Ford.

"With the arrival of Angel Castro, this place considerably developed and he ordered the building of a cinema, a rural school, the teachers' house, a hotel, a post office, restaurants, drug stores, a nursery and a bakery," Lazaro Castro, the actual director of the museum but no relation to Fidel, told Xinhua.

Fidel and his older brother, Ramon, attended the rural school, where they learned how to read and write.

At six years of age, his parents sent Fidel to the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba to study, and he returned to Biran every summer.

"This was the site where it all started and where social justice ideas first flourished in Fidel. Without these experiences, his later path would not have been possible," said the museum director.

After Castro took power in 1959, the estate was subject to the land reform law and the family property was reduced to 28 hectares. Fidel's mother, Lina Ruz, lived on the property until her death in 1963.

A fire in 1954 burned part of the family home but Fidel Castro's assistant Celia Sanchez led its restoration from 1966 until 1980.

"Fidel came that year to inaugurate the house once again and would then often stop by to chat with locals. His last visit here was in September 2003," said the director.

Since the site opened as a museum in 2002, it has gained increasing attention from locals and foreign visitors, particularly this year as Fidel Castro is set to reach 90 years of age.

Over 27,000 people visited the complex in 2015, two-thirds of them Cubans. In the first half of this year, 22,000 people already visited the museum.
Actor Mahmoud Masoud performs during a stage show named "In Egypt's Name" at a small drama theater in Cairo, Egypt, June 14, 2016. (Xinhua/Meng Tao)

by Mahmoud Fouly

CAIRO, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- "For me, Egypt is the most beloved and beautiful of all. I love her when she owns the world's east and west. And I love her when she is down, wounded in war... "

With these verses, Egyptian well-known actor Mahmoud Masoud opened his one-man poetic stage performance entitled "In Egypt's Name," written by late renowned poet Salah Jahin in 1971, with a background screen displaying historic and modern photos of Egypt for few attendees at the country's national Cairo Puppet Theater.

"The audience today are different. In the past, a spectator used to go to theater to enjoy art and poetry, but today they have neither patience nor energy. Therefore, I didn't perform the whole poem but only parts of it," Masoud said following the performance, lamenting the deteriorating conditions of the theater art in the most populous Arab country.

"I had the same stage poetry experience in Alexandria Bibliotheca and other places, and I just hope it will become a popular theater trend. I don't care about fees or revenues, because I see that the artistic and literary returns are much greater than millions of pounds," the actor continued.

Theaters in Egypt used to be in the lead decades ago, and the art gradually weakened and vanished over the past few years despite attempts of revival launched by some private and public theaters to maintain the valuable art regardless of financial returns.

The actor said that Britain, France, China and other countries pay much more interest in theatre, hoping his attempts and those of other artists can start "a new era" for the revival of theatre in the country.

Although the audience weren't many, Mahmoud Nasr, a young man in his 20's, went backstage to shake hands and take a picture with the sole actor, saying he came from the Suez province to the capital Cairo to enjoy the show.

"I love this poem so much as it narrates parts of Egypt's history and stirs up patriotic sentiments. Also the background screen display and the dark and colorful lighting provided a suitable, calm mood for enjoying the show," the young man said.

At the Opera House in downtown Cairo, Egypt concluded Tuesday evening the 9th session of the Egyptian National Theater Festival that included 41 shows for free over two weeks, which is a constant national attempt to maintain the popularity of theater, known in Egypt as "the Father of Arts."

"We cannot follow the degrading public taste for arts. I believe it's not the public taste to blame but some opportunists, who want to make fast money and have ruined the public taste, using cinema and theater for trade," said Nashwa Moharram, a philosophy professor who won best playwright award for her play "the Zombie and the Ten Sins."

"I have seen people overwhelmed by the show although it is in classical Arabic," the playwright said at the Opera House, noting that the work fits all levels of audience from cultured ones to ordinary people.

Moharram added that it is a dream for each artist to provide a serious and honest work that also achieves a financial success. "However, it's a far-fetched dream and in most cases a true artist gives up the financial part."

Mahmoud Gamal, a young writer as the Egyptian National Theater Festival's best playwright in 2013 and 2015, believes that an artist should not look for financial gains when trying to create valuable art.

"Money can be gotten elsewhere. But when you create real art, do not expect money," Gamal said, adding Egyptian theater's popularity is on the rise.

The best costumes award of the festival went to the staged classical Arabic version of Russian novelist Maxim Gorky's "the Lower Depths," starring a group of young actors mostly university students.

"The Lower Depths talks about the people of the lowest bottom of the society. Through our performance, we tried to illustrate that those people are the same everywhere in the world, sharing the same sufferings, worries and aspirations," said Mohamed Hassan, one of the actors.

He explained that every piece of work in Egypt has its own fans, from low-level movies to sophisticated classical plays. "However, unlike what's circulated in the media, people really seek valuable arts."

His co-star Ismail Ibrahim said that they do "art for art's sake," adding this kind of art mainly targets the audience, neither the awards nor the funds. "Thus, it appeals to the audience and gradually gains more fans."

The actor, also an engineering university student, argued that university theater is one of the factors that help to revive theater art in Egypt.

"The choice is made in the beginning. Does the artist take it as a source of income by accepting low level works for money or as a source of enjoyment through providing valuable and elegant art?" he added.
Supporters of Sudanese President shout slogans during a ceremony in his honour upon his return in the country from Ethiopa on July 30, 2016 in the capital Khartoum. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

KHARTOUM, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Sudan on Wednesday reiterated demand for the United States to remove Sudan from the list of states sponsoring terrorism, Sudanese Media Center (SMC) reported.

Khartoum urged Washington to end the system of U.S. envoys to Sudan, and that the bilateral relations should be diplomatic like other countries.

"Until now Sudan does not know why the U.S. delays responding to our proposed issues, particularly after they promised more than once in exchange for peaceful transfer of power in Sudan," Sudan's State Minister for Foreign Affairs Obeid-Allah Mohamed Obeid-Allah was quoted as saying.

"However, all Sudan's fulfilled commitments were only met with further extension of sanctions," he noted.

Obeid-Allah urged the U.S. to reconsider its unilateral coercive sanctions imposed on Sudan, which he described as a "violation" according to international standards.

He said Sudan declared its readiness long ago to cooperate with the U.S., noting that the U.S. should provide concessions towards the sanctions.

"Sudan has nothing to give more than what it has committed to and fulfilled," he noted.

The U.S. has been imposing sanctions on Sudan since 1997 and listing it one of the countries sponsoring terrorism.

Since then, Washington has been renewing its sanctions on Sudan due to the continuing war in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions besides a number of outstanding issues with South Sudan including the disputed oil-rich area of Abyei.

Sudan's losses due to the U.S. sanctions reportedly amount to over 4 billion U.S. dollars annually.
DAMASCUS, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army carried out a pre-emptive strike against a rebel position in the countryside of Aleppo on Wednesday evening, inflicting hefty losses among the opposition militants, a military source told Xinhua.

The military forces targeted gatherings of the rebels' Jaish al-Fateh group in the Project 1070 area, one of the several areas that have recently fallen to Jaish al-Fateh, in the southern countryside of Aleppo.

The source noted that the rebels were preparing to unleash an all-out offensive in Aleppo.

The army struck the rebel positions in southern Aleppo, destroying an explosive-laden vehicle, whose blast triggered a series of explosions in other vehicles.

The pre-emptive strike caused big losses among the rebels, which was conducive in hampering the rebels' planned attack.

Meanwhile, the state news agency SANA said the Syrian and Russian air forces dealt "decisive strikes" on the positions of Jaish al-Fateh in southern Aleppo Wednesday.

Citing a military source, SANA said the airstrikes targeted the gatherings of the rebels, killing "large numbers of them and destroying armored vehicles outfitted with machine guns."

The strikes destroyed four command centers, three booby-trapped vehicles and tens of armored vehicles, SANA added.

It said the Russian and Syrian air forces had killed hundreds of terrorists a day earlier in Aleppo, isolating the battle areas from the rest of the province.

Jaish al-Fateh announced last Monday that the next phase of battles in Aleppo will be a wide-scale offensive to "liberate the entire city" from the government forces.

Since then, reports emerged that the Syrian army and the rebels are sending reinforcement in anticipation to the all-out offensive.

Jaish al-Fateh, an alliance of several rebel factions, was formed in March 2015 under the supervision and coordination of Saudi cleric Abdullah al-Muhaysini.

The group seized most of Idlib province in northwestern Syria last year.

Military experts said that the group received military aid from Turkey, which explains the sudden rise and success they had achieved in southern Aleppo.

Aleppo is strategic for all warring parties due to its key location beside the Turkish border and role as Syria's industrial capital.

The battle of Aleppo is decisive, as observers declared that whoever controls Aleppo will gain the upper hand in any potential settlement in Syria.
BHP reports potential gas find

The deep water LeClerc 1 ST01 well located, 135 miles off the east coast of Trinidad reached a total depth of 22,876 feet. BHP Billiton said in doing so, the well encountered gas in multiple zones. BHP Billiton President Petroleum Steve Pastor said, While the focus of our program is a commercial oil discovery, we are encouraged by the results of the first well in our TT exploration campaign, Le- Clerc. Pasto added,  The results will help BHP Billitons plans to further appraise the basin, as part of our extensive TT exploration program. The LeClerc well is the first of three deep water wells in the southern region of TT and forms part of the BHPs planned eight well deep water program in this area.
Policeman denied bail

He said, however, that he was concerned that the provisions in the Bail (Amendment) Act 2015 would expire on August 15. Government failed to get the support of the Opposition to extend the life of the Act which mandates that bail be denied, for up to 120 days, if a suspect is charged with an offence which features the use of a firearm or imitation firearm.

Jagroo said that while deliberating over the bail application, he also considered the sunset clause of the Act, but asserted that the law was the law and that it should be applied to everyone regardless of their status or profession.

Jagroo also said that since the accused had no prior convictions, he was eligible for bail under the Act. The court has a discretion as to how much bail is to be granted, Jagroo said. However the law of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is the law at the end of the day. I may have a discretion in setting the amount for bail but I do not have any discretion in applying the laws of the land. Radix was remanded into custody and is expected to reappear in court on August 16. Radix, who served as an SRP constable for four years at the La Horquetta Police Station, Crime Patrol Unit, was arrested on Thursday by officers of the same police station in connection with the alleged robbery of money lender, Peter Williams, James, Knox, Alicia Knox and Joan Knox of approximately $55,000 in valuables and a white Mitsubishi station wagon.
DNA samples to be taken from burnt couples relatives

Speaking with Newsday yesterday, pathologist Dr. Valery Alexandrov said that the bodies of the couple were burnt beyond recognition, so autopsies could not be performed.

Alexandrov said that the next step was to acquire DNA samples from relatives of the victims to make positive identifications. He said tissue samples would be suitable for DNA. When the samples are obtained, then they would be analysed. Yesterday police officers were making arrangements for blood samples to be taken from the relatives. Although it is unclear how the couple met their demise, police suspect that it is a case of murder/suicide.

Newsday learnt that Marchan, 48, had been so frustrated after being recently estranged from his wife Ardia Yearwood-Marchan, 45, that he went on leave for ten days. Marchan worked as a civilian mechanic at the Mon Repos Fire Station. Yearwood-Marchan worked as a dance teacher at the La Romaine High School. According to a police report, at about 7.02 pm on Wednesday, an anonymous caller alerted Fyzabad Police that a vehicle was seen on fire at Forest Reserve in Fyzabad. Police officers responded where they observed an Izuzu pick-up on fire and contacted the Fire Services. Fire-fighters doused the blaze and on checking, the charred remains were found in the front seat of the twin-cab pickup.

The vehicle was traced to Peter Marchan. At the couples home, police officers found blood splashes inside but no sign of forced entry or missing items to suggest robbery.

The couple had been married for 12 years and had no children.

Investigations are continuing
36.5 percent murders in safe zones, PLOTT

Murders in Tobago was 0.4 percent of the total number.

Of the total, the east/ west corridor accounted for 81 murders, south Trinidad had 63, Port-of-Spain and environs, 50, and, central Trinidad, 39.

A whopping 36.5 percent of overall murders took place in what may be considered safe zones such as indoors, at work, at home or within the victims car.

Of the murders that took pace in the socalled safe zones, 49.8 percent took place between 6 pm and 6 am, and the remaining 50.2 percent took place in daylight.

Gunshots accounted for 76 percent of all murders, and 90 percent of the victims were male. Of the male, 60 percent were 35 years and under, while 24 percent were under the age of 25.

Stab/chopping accounted for 14 percent of murders, 3.5 percent was due to blunt force, 2.7 percent to burns, 0.8 strangulation, 0.8 other and the rest, unknown.

The murder toll figure was derived from the overall homicide figure year to date
PSA warns of one-day fast for backpay

At a press conference on Monday at PSA headquarters on Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain, after meeting with its executive members, general council and wider membership, Duke said the day of fasting was agreed to.

Noting that all outstanding arrears must be paid by September 29, he said, After the 29th (August) we will decide on a series of action to let this Government know not to play with workers. The political season is over! All outstanding arrears which, he said, amounted to about $100 million, must be paid by September 29.

Expressing concern that Government has said it cannot afford to pay workers, Duke said the PSA notes a different type of lifestyle displayed by senior Government officials.

If the Prime Ministers bread has butter, dont tell us to use lard...

cause what good for the goose must be good for the gander. When asked whether the association will be willing to wait given the countrys current economic situation, Duke expressed outrage at the fact that public servants have been waiting since 2011 for their outstanding arrears.

With applause from fellow PSA members, Duke said that arrears were outstanding for Civil Aviation Authority, Public Transport Services Corporation, Regional Health Authorities and certain categories in the Tobago Regional Health Authority, Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), Blind Welfare Association, Chaguaramas Development Authority, traffic controllers, and the Bureau of Standards among others.

Duke also highlighted that attorneys will be meeting in Tobago sometime this week to discuss potential legal action.

This comes in light of the fact that some categories of TRHA members have yet to receive their back pay, although some of their Trinidadian counterparts have.

Concerning the working conditions under which workers have been exposed to, Duke warned that from September any building that is not compliant with the standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will be shut down.

He also used the opportunity to point out the deafening silence on the issue of outstanding arrears by other local trade unions.

Further commenting on the PSAs struggle, Duke commented, We want our pound of flesh too adding that come September morning, let them prepare for a full fight.
Wang Xiaoying / China Daily

Thanks to the sluggish global economy, rising terrorist attacks and the refugee crisis in Europe, the world has all but forgotten about the effects of climate change. But a new study shows it is precisely for these reasons that we should take seriously the deadly impacts of climate change. Heat waves, droughts, floods and other natural disasters are expected to increase because of climate change, which not surprisingly are also pushing countries and regions, especially those already split along ethnic, religious or sectarian lines, toward conflicts, says a new study by German scientists.

Climate scientists, including those in the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, have already warned that if temperatures increase significantly, large parts of the Earth could become uninhabitable, forcing millions of people to migrate to other places in search of food and livelihood, which will significantly increase the risk of conflicts breaking out. Now the new study by German academics has established a "statistical link" between the outbreak of large-scale violence and extreme weather conditions.

In 2007, some scientists and academics said the conflict in Darfur, then part of united Sudan, was nothing but a "climate war". UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon even said: "The Darfur conflict began as an ecological crisis arising at least in part from climate change". Although many academics dismissed the contention claiming rainfall had eased drought conditions before the start of the civil war in Sudan, the impact of climate change on conflicts in African and other countries is yet to be fully analyzed.

The linking of conflicts to natural disasters has been controversial, particularly because some studies comparing wars to temperature, for example, did not yield the desired results. But the German researchers used data from international reinsurance company Munich Re. They combined the figures with information on conflicts and used an index to quantify how "ethnically fractionalized" countries are. They then conducted a statistical analysis of armed conflicts and climate-related natural disasters between 1980 and 2010, and their conclusion that 1 in every 4 conflicts in ethnically divided countries coincided with or followed natural calamities suggests that wars should be added to the threatswhich include rising sea levels, crop failures, droughts, water shortages and floodsposed by climate change.

Drought and arid conditions in Syrian from 2006 to 2011the worst in recorded history in the Levant where wheat and other food crops were first cultivateddestroyed agriculture, causing many farmers and their families to migrate to cities. Last year, Richard Seager, a climate scientist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory who co-authored an earlier study, said the drought and arid conditions "added to all the other stressors" that could have led to the civil war in Syria. And a drought of that magnitude was made possible "by the ongoing human-driven drying of that region".

The new German research report says: "Recent analyses of the societal consequences of droughts in Syria and Somalia indicate that such climatological events may have already contributed to armed conflict outbreaks ... (and) the destabilization of Northern Africa and the Levant may have widespread effects by triggering migration flows to neighboring countries and remote migrant destinations such as the European Union."

Jonathan Donges, co-writer of the German study, is surprised "by the extent that results for ethnic fractionalized countries stick out, compared to other country features such as conflict history, poverty or inequality".

"We think that ethnic divides may serve as a predetermined conflict line when additional stressors like natural disasters kick in, making multi-ethnic countries particularly vulnerable to the effects of such disasters", Donges said

Not surprisingly, many have already rubbished the findings of the two studies. But there is not denying that despite the denials, the need for international action on climate change remains strong enough. And the world can only ignore that at its own peril.

The author is a senior editor with China Daily. oprana@hotmail.com
Obamas $400 million ransom to Iran and how the most lawless president in history has completely exploited our political system

(Freedom.news) Outrage is the best way to explain what tens of millions of Americans felt last week after learning that President Obama and his regime  its not an administration, it is a despotic, authoritarian regime  paid Iran $400 million in ransom money to secure the release of Americans Iran was holding hostage.

As he always does when he flouts the Constitution, U.S. statutory law, national security and prior executive policy while appeasing the worlds biggest state sponsor of terrorism, Obama tried to convince everyone that he didnt really do what we all know he did. It wasnt ransom, you see, because gosh, the U.S. doesnt pay ransoms. And besides, providing material support to a state sponsor of terrorism is hugely against the law (see a good explanation of how many statutes Obama violated here).

No, it was a settlement for an arms deal with Iran that went bust after the Ayatollahs minions sacked the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took dozens of American diplomatic personnel hostage for more than a year. Obama had to settle this now, because it was a legal matter that couldnt wait any longer.

Right.

Its hard to know what angers most about Obama  is penchant for lying to our faces or his arrogant assumption that we are to believe him simply because he says it.

If this truly were a settlement  the tending to of a legal issue the regime says we had to do in order to avoid losing a lawsuit in international court  one can only ask why it had to be settled now, instead many years ago. Or ever, considering that the deal was made with an Iranian administration that ceased to exist months after the ink dried.

Anyone who isnt an Obama sycophant knows exactly what took place last week: The president, who has decided that he wants to anoint Iran as the preeminent power in the Middle East  despite the Mullahs hatred of, and vow to destroy, Israel  will go to any lengths to provide any aid and comfort he can before he leaves office, U.S. law and longstanding policy regarding terrorist nations be damned.

What he also knows is this: He is above the law because there is no constitutional way he can be held accountable. The House could vote to impeach him tomorrow  and frankly, it should  but he knows the Senate doesnt have the votes to convict because the Democratic Party has become the party of power at any price.

In fact, Obama has shown future presidents exactly how to navigate our republican form of government: As long as the party in the White House retains at least 34 members, there is no way he or she can be removed from office.

We have, in effect, the same form of imperial system our founders rebelled against. When the majority of the Legislative Branch, regardless of political party, refuses to hold the head of the Executive Branch to account, we dont have a functioning system of government anymore. When the Judicial Branch has become a political tool that functions solely to grow and maintain the power of the Executive Branch, we dont have a functioning system of government anymore.

We have tyranny.

Obamas most recent lawlessness will not be the last time he pushes presidential boundaries, of that you can be sure. Because he knows he can get away with it.

But there is a constitutional solution. It must come from the states.

More:

Freedom.news is part of USA Features Media.

Submit a correction >>
Former CIA Boss Wants to Kill Russians

On Monday the former director of the CIA, Michael Morell, told Charlie Rose of CBS News that he favors supporting jihadi terrorists and killing Russians in Syria.

He said after the invasion and during the occupation of Iraq, the Iranians killed Americans. When we were in Iraq, the Iranians were giving weapons to the Shia militia, who were killing American soldiers, he insisted.

The Iranians were making us pay a price. We need to make the Iranians pay a price in Syria. We need to make the Russians pay a price.

Morell said paying a price in Syria would necessitate killing Russians.

Omitted from the discussion is the fact the Iraqi resistance made the U.S. military pay a price. Both Sunnis and Shias participated in the resistance. The largest and most active elements of the resistance were Sunni and included the Iraqi National Islamic Resistance, the National Front for the Liberation of Iraq, the Iraqi Resistance Islamic Front, and a number of smaller, less organized groups. Bathist factions also participated, including Saddams Fedayeen and al-Awdah.

The Shia resistance was comprised primarily of the al-Mahdi Army led by cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Another Shiite group, the Imam Ali Bin-Abi-Talib Jihadi Brigades, targeted occupation forces in Al-Najaf and Karbala. The Imam Ali Mosque in Al-Najaf and the Imam Husayn Shrine in Karbala are considered two of the holiest sites of Shia Islam.

In 2003, the US military destroyed much of Karbala as it fought the al-Mahdi, a fact virtually ignored by the media in the United States. The following year, the U.S. military invaded Al-Najaf and fought pitched battles with the Shia militia.

Morell also failed to mention that the government of Syria formally requested military support from Iran. In February, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said military advisers were sent to Syria at the request of the Damascus government.

Prior to talks with President Obama last September, Russian President Vladimir Putin said U.S., Saudi, and Gulf Emirate involvement in Syria is illegal. In my opinion, provision of military support to illegal structures runs counter to the principles of modern international law and the United Nations Charter, he told CBS News and PBS.

The Syrian conflict was initiated by the U.S. and its Arab partners in March of 2011. It has thus far claimed the lives of nearly a half million people, left close to two million injured, and displaced 6.36 million people.

Morells remarks reveal the frustration of the U.S. as Syrian, Russian, and Iranian troops regain territory captured by U.S. and Gulf Emirate-backed jihadi fighters, including the Islamic State.

The former CIA director is, in essence, calling for a repeat of the CIA-sponsored conflict against Russia in Afghanistan. According to another former director of the CIA, Robert Gates, the agency supported the Afghan Mujahideen six months before the Soviet intervention in the country in 1979.

That secret operation was an excellent idea. It had the effect of drawing the Russians into the Afghan trap, President Jimmy Carters National Security Adviser, Zbigniew Brzezinski, told the French newspaper Le Nouvel Observateur in 1998.

The day that the Soviets officially crossed the border, I wrote to President Carter. We now have the opportunity of giving to the USSR its Vietnam war. Indeed, for almost 10 years, Moscow had to carry on a war unsupportable by the government, a conflict that brought about the demoralization and finally the breakup of the Soviet empire.

Michael Morell would like to see a repeat of that humiliating defeat in Syria.

Russia, however, is far less likely to take the bait this time around.

Sources:

CBS News

The Jerusalem Post

Le Nouvel Observateur

Submit a correction >>
ISIS fight increasingly includes battling in cyberspace

(Cyberwar.news) Recent attacks in Europe inspired or sponsored by the Islamic State aside, the effort against the self-declared Islamic caliphate has seen much progress in recent weeks as more territory is re-conquered in Iraq and Syria.

But according to top U.S. defense officials, the fight against ISIS is not only taking place on the physical battlefield, but also in cyberspace.

In the latter part of July officials from several nations including member of NATO met at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, to discuss progress against ISIS and the campaigns next phase to, in the words of Defense Secretary Ash Carter, deliver [the group] a lasting defeat.

We reviewed and agreed on the next plays in the campaign, which, while  I cant discuss them publicly yet, culminate in the collapse of ISILs control over the cities of Mosul [in Iraq] and Raqqa [in Syria], Carter said at a July 25 news conference, using an alternative acronym for the Islamic State group. And we identified the capabilities and support required to execute those next plays.

Many countries, including the United States, have recently committed to make additional contributions to the campaign, and some of those commitments were made just last week. And I expect we will be hearing from others in the weeks and months ahead, he added.

In particular, the fight against ISIS has been joined in cyberspace. That has included offensive operations, targeting command-and-control infrastructure as well as communication, as well as counter-messaging campaigns to counter the groups propaganda efforts which are largely used for recruiting new fighters. Cyber Command is in charge of these operations, working with Central Command, which is responsible for much of the Middle East.

CENTCOMs activities are closely coordinated amongst our Coalition partners and the interagency in direct support of the U.S. Governments counter-ISIL strategy, a spokesperson said in an email to C4ISRNET.

The combined weight of our efforts is, in fact, disrupting ISILs ability to convey their propaganda and brand on social media. As the Coalition continues to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIL, CENTCOMs counter-ISIL operations, including those on social media, will continue to take the fight to the enemy and keep them on the defensive, the spokesperson added.

Because cyber operations are very sensitive, details about what the Pentagon is doing specifically to target ISIS are hard to come by. But DoD officials did confirm to C4ISRNET that the battle against ISIS is indeed taking place in cyberspace as well.

Recently, NATO declared cyberspace a battle domain, and other military and defense experts have said it will be a major aspect of U.S. and other great-nation warfare for the foreseeable future.

More:

Cyberwar.news is part of USA Features Media.

Submit a correction >>
AAP Claims of Working Against The Spread of The Influence of The Liquor and Drugs Stands Exposed

New Delhi, Wed, 10 Aug 2016 NI Wire

Aam Aadmi Party's Claims of Working Against The Spread of The Influence of The Liquor and Drugs Stands Exposed

New Delhi, 9th August: Delhi BJP President Shri Satish Upadhyay has said that after a RTI revelation on increase in the number of Government owned Liquor Shops in Delhi during last 17 months, Aam Aadmi Partys claims of working against the spread of the influence of the liquor and drugs stands exposed.

Shri Upadhyay has said that Delhi BJP Media Cell Incharge Praveen Shankar Kapoor had also sought information on number of licenses granted by the Excise Department of Delhi Government for new pubs, restaurants, farm houses, night clubs and shockingly Excise Department has said that the information sought does not pertain to it. This is nothing but a mockery of RTI Act.

Shri Upadhyay has said that there have been widespread news reports of women special wine shops and in its reply Excise Department says it has no knowledge of such shops. He said Delhi BJP demands that Delhi Government should immediately act to shut such shops promoting liquor amongst girls.
PM Modi flags off Tiranga Yatra to mark the launch of 70th Freedom Year Celebrations

Madhya Pradesh, Wed, 10 Aug 2016 NI Wire

PM pays homage to great freedom fighter Chandrashekhar Azad at his birthplace in Bhabra in Madhya Pradesh

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, yesterday paid homage to the great freedom fighter Chandrashekhar Azad at his birthplace at Bhabra in Alirajpur District of Madhya Pradesh. The Prime Minister garlanded the statue of Shahid Chandrashekhar Azad and visited the memorial at his birthplace.

Addressing a public meeting, the Prime Minister recalled that Mahatma Gandhi had given the call for the British to Quit India  this very day. He urged to people to remember those who gave their lives so that we could breathe the air of freedom.

The Prime Minister said it is his privilege to have come to the birthplace of Chandrashekhar Azad. People like him inspire us to work for the nation, he added.

The Prime Minister said that all of us, who may not have got a chance to lay down our lives for the nation, should take the opportunity to live for the nation. The Prime Minister emphasized that a nation moves forward on the strength of its people, their aspirations, and their hard work.

The Prime Minister said every Indian loves Kashmir, and wishes to visit Kashmir. He said a few misguided elements were attempting to spoil the great traditions of Kashmir.

The Prime Minister said the Union Government wants to create employment opportunities for the youth of Kashmir. He appealed to the youth of Kashmir to come forward and move ahead with the vision of making Kashmir heaven on earth. He said Kashmir wants peace and the people of Kashmir want to earn more through tourism.

He said both the Centre and the J&K State Government are attempting to find a solution to all problems through development. He said former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayees vision of Insaniyat, Jamahooriyat, Kashmiriyat will be taken forward.

The Prime Minister said the need of the hour is for all of us to work together with a common resolve to take the nation to new heights. He said the Indian tricolour unites us, and inspires us to rewrite India's destiny.

The Prime Minister later flagged off the Tiranga Yatra to mark the launch of the 70th Freedom Year celebrations.

Source: PIB
Government of Maharashtra yesterday launched the Quit India Movement 2 against various social ills

Maharashtra, Wed, 10 Aug 2016 NI Wire

Maharashtra launches Quit India Movement 2 against social evils

It is time to convert our 'Swaraj' into 'Suraj' says Venkaiah Naidu

Commemorating the Platinum Jubilee anniversary of the Quit India Movement the Government of Maharashtra yesterday launched the Quit India Movement 2 against various social ills, in the presence of Union Minister Shri M Venkaiah Naidu. The launch took place at the historic August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai, from where Mahatma Gandhi had given the clarion call of Quid India in 1942.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Naidu said yesterday after 68 years of Independence, there is a need for the people to respond with similar passion, zeal and commitment to quit several social and other evils plaguing the nation and take India to newer heights. He said, poverty has to be completely eradicated from the country. Providing education to all, creating employment, combining development with welfare measures are all part of the larger Quit Poverty campaign and every Indian should supplement the efforts of the government in this regard. Antyodaya is the way forward he asserted.

Shri Naidu further said, for the nation to achieve faster progress on all fronts, every section of the society irrespective of caste, creed, religion and region should be part of the growth story. He said, that precisely this is the philosophy behind Prime Minister Narendra Modis Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas slogan. The Minister said we need to say Quit India to illiteracy, discrimination, disunity and disharmony, terrorism and anti-nationalism to take the country from Swaraj to Suraj

The Union Minister, who holds both the Urban Development and Information & Broadcasting portfolios informed that Government of India is celebrating this years Independence Day as Azadi 70 Saal  Zara Yaad Karo Qurbani in a bid to rekindle patriotism among citizens of India, especially among the younger generation. All the Central Ministers and also Chief Ministers of the States have been assigned with two places each for visiting birth places of national icons and places of historical importance related to Indias independence movement such as Jallianwala Bagh, Chauri Chaura, Cellular Jail, Sabarmati Ashram, Dandi etc he added.

Earlier, addressing the gathering, Maharashtra Chief Minister, Shri Devendra Fadnavis said Mumbai had played a significant role during the freedom struggle. Today, the city is taking a lead in launching the second Quit India Movement. This time the fight is not against the British, but against the social evils plaguing the state like corruption, farmer suicides, malnutrition, water wastage and terrorism.

Earlier, Shri Venkaiah Naidu, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra Ministers Shri Sudhir Mungantiwar, Shri Vinod Tawde and others paid their respects at the August Kranti Diwas Memorial at Mumbais August Kranti Maidan.

Maharashtra Department of Culture staged a captivating dance-drama, full of patriotic fervor recreating Indias freedom struggle.

Source: PIB
A string of mid-rise developments is transforming a long-neglected stretch of Queens Boulevard at the border of Elmhurst, Woodside, and Maspeth. One of the dozen-odd projects rising there is the apartment building at 70-09 45th Avenue, where excavation is currently underway. The seven-story structure will stand on a roughly 7,850-square-foot, mid-block lot, facing the irregular intersection where 45th Avenue meets Queens Boulevard at an acute angle. Permits place the height of the future building at 73 feet. Its 30 residences will be spread across 24,299 square feet, giving an average of 810 square feet per unit. The ground floor will feature 5,122 square feet of retail. The project is being developed by Choi Yui Chan, designed by Angelo Ng & Anthony Ng of Architects Studio PC, and built by First Class Management Contracting Corp.

70-09 45th Avenue is truly a product of the local building industry, as every entity listed above operates primarily within the boundaries of north-central Queens. Choi Yui Chan is one of several Flushing-based developers that are expanding west into Elmhurst. First Class Management Contracting Corp. is based in Corona, which sits halfway between Flushing and Elmhurst. The bulk of projects designed by Architects Studio PC are located around the same area, including some just a few blocks away from the building at hand.

Upon completion, the building would be the largest of its kind on the low-rise, residential block. However, its understated design aesthetic ensures that it would blend into the neighborhood rather than draw attention to itself. Its setback-free, rectangular facade is adorned with balconies on floors three through seven. The structure would be most effective as a part of a greater street wall, which would inevitably rise along the adjacent street frontage. Though no full-color renderings have been released, the on-site schematic indicates a brick facade above a paneled ground floor, leading us to believe that the final product would look somewhat akin to the architects similar project at 90-31 171st Street in Jamaica. Although the No Yards option is marked within the permits, the new building is scheduled to occupy just 53 percent of the property, leading us to believe that a rear yard would be included, after all.

The ground floor retail would go hand-in-hand with the old-school bodegas on either side of the building. However, those two-story properties may not stick around for long, since the 2006 upzoning made the area lucrative for dense development. 70-09 45th Avenue itself replaces two commercial structures similar to its current neighbors. On the other side of the 200-foot-wide thoroughfare, between 69th and 70th Street, two lots have been cleared for development at 69-02 Queens Boulevard and 46-02 70th Street. One block east, an 11-story building at 70-32 Queens Boulevard is structurally complete. Another project is being planned on the other side at 72-01 Queens Boulevard. The eight-story 65-15 Queens Boulevard and similarly-sized 64-06 and 64-26 Queens Boulevard are also underway just a few blocks west.

These developments would transform the barren strip of auto shops and parking lots into a proper urban corridor. The new community core would unite the established, low-rise residential neighborhoods on either side of the boulevard, transforming the strip from a periphery into a focal point. Given the areas proximity to the E, F, M, R, and 7 trains, as well as the Woodside station of the Long Island Rail Road, such development is long overdue. Local potential stems not only from public transit options, but also from vehicular access afforded by the adjacent Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Even bicycle commuters are now accommodated, thanks to the recently introduced bike lanes along Queens Boulevard. Lastly, basic urban planning tenets, as well as zoning codes, stipulate that wider streets may support larger buildings, and the boulevards is among the widest thoroughfares in the city.

Given the upcoming influx of new businesses and residents, additional work needs to be done to make the local streetscape more pedestrian-friendly. The ongoing redevelopment of Queens Boulevard, scheduled for completion in 2018, promises to engage its wide medians for public use. Unfortunately, nothing is planned to address the fact that there is not a single pedestrian crossing over an almost half-mile stretch of the boulevard, east of the 45th Avenue intersection. The city ought to introduce at least one crosswalk along this stretch to prevent it from being an impenetrable border between the two halves of the neighborhood.

Moreover, the 45th Avenue intersection presents a unique opportunity for public space creation. Coming from the east, the avenue meets Queens Boulevard at an acute angle. The avenue then turns south at an almost 90-degree angle right before it crosses the boulevard, where it is renamed 70th Street on the other side of the intersection. But before reaching the boulevard, the westbound lane of 45th Avenue curiously splits in two. Although we at YIMBY have not conducted any full-fledged traffic studies, the side conduit seems entirely unnecessary. The main run of the street services all northbound traffic, all southbound traffic headed to the boulevards westbound express lanes, both of its eastbound local and express lanes, and to 70th Street to the south, without any trouble. The side conduit services only the westbound local lane of the boulevard, but takes up a disproportionately large amount of street space. In addition, it creates an unnecessarily long, awkwardly-angled crossing across 45th Avenue. In terms of traffic movement, there seems to be no real need for the extra lane in the first place. Motorists would be able to access the westbound local lane of the boulevard as effectively from the main portion of the avenue, in the same manner as they currently make the right turn onto the westbound express lanes.

Closing the side lane to traffic would create a brand new, 3,700-square-foot pedestrian plaza in front of the future 70-09 45th Avenue, joining the 2,300 square feet of converted road space with the 1,400-square-foot triangular traffic island that sits in the middle of the crossing. The length of the crosswalk across 45th Avenue would decrease threefold, from 150 feet to 45 feet. This arrangement, as illustrated above, would not impede driveway access to either of the adjacent properties. The suggested configuration would allow for access to the new building from the east. While three parking spaces would be lost along 45th Avenue, five more would be created along Queens Boulevard. We urge the city to consider this option. This is a prime opportunity to bring a much-needed green oasis in this promising but public space-starved neighborhood.

Subscribe to YIMBYs daily e-mail



Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates

Like YIMBY on Facebook

Follow YIMBYs Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews
Libyan oil production is falling more sharply than expected, declining by 70 percent from pre-civil war levels due to continued instability and hostilities between armed groups. The situation has sparked serious concerns of Western powers.

A joint statement issued by the French Government said five of its NATO allies have expressed concern about tensions near the Zuetina oil facility.

The governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States call on all Libyan warring factions to refrain from hostilities and avoid any action that could damage or disrupt Libyas energy infrastructure, added the statement.

The six-western powers renewed support to the U.N.-backed administration in Libya, noting control over oil terminals rests solely with that government.

Restoring oil exports is vital to generating revenues that can provide for the essential needs of the Libyan people, including electricity, healthcare, and infrastructure, stressed the joint statement.

According to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, member-state Libya produced about 304,000 barrels of oil per day last month, down about 6 percent from June.

At the request of the UN-backed Libyan unity government in Tripoli, the US launched lately airstrikes against ISIS positions in the strategic port city of Sirte to enable local government forces make a decisive and strategic advance to capture the city wherein jihadist fighters are entrenched.

Libya, following the death of former ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, has descended into chaos, with no central government. The Islamic State has taken advantage of the situation to conquer vast swaths of land in the country, mostly in coastal regions where many criminal gangs indulge in illegal migrant trafficking.

Rival groups signed a political accord that hashed out a Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Serraj. Despite strong and vast backing from the international community, the GNA is still struggling to assert its authority challenged by Islamists and armed groups.
US military ground forces are helping the allied militiamen of the Government of National Accord (GNA) in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group, the largely circulated Washington Post reports.

The Pentagon announced last week it took military actions against IS at the request of the GNA, which has launched its anti-IS campaign since May.

The Washington Post, citing US officials who asked not be named, indicated on Tuesday that some commandos were working from a joint operations center on the outskirts of Sirte.

The US ground warriors are reportedly operating alongside British troops and are helping to coordinate American airstrikes and provide intelligence to partner forces.

The Pentagon has not made any comments about the revelations but acknowledged that some US special forces have been in Libya to share and gather intelligence with Libyan counterparts.

A group of US military were spotted near Benghazi but did not take part in the fighting between the Libyan National Army and IS militants, reports say.

British and French troops have also been reported present in Libya. In May British troops were reportedly fighting alongside GNA forces of Misratras Third Force. They neutralized two IS suicide car bombings.

French President Francois Holland last month confirmed the death of three French military officers in the East of Libya as they were on an intelligence-gathering mission. They died in a helicopter crash.

The US, France, UK and several Western countries have thrown their support behind the GNA, tasked with repairing war-torn Libya. The oil-rich country slipped into chaos following the killing of Col. Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed revolution in 2011.

IS group took advantage of rivalries between different camps to conquer parts the Libyan territory including Gaddafis hometown of Sirte which they captured last year.
India has openly voiced support for Moroccos return to the African Union, a decision, which cements longstanding ties between the two countries, the Times of India reported.

India welcomes Moroccos initiative to re-join the African Union. India enjoys close relationship with all African nations, including Morocco, spokesperson for the Indian Foreign Ministry said, describing the Kingdoms move as conducive for the pan-African organization.

The Indian position in support of Moroccos territorial integrity, which is a condition for Moroccos return to the African union, was taken despite the existence of detractors within the Indian foreign office who long for the Rajiv Gandhi era when India recognized the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) leading to a freeze in Indian-Moroccan ties, the paper added.

Indias policy change on Morocco was started by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and carried forward by Narendra Modi. Bilateral relations between the two countries were boosted by the invitation of the Moroccan king to attend the India-Africa summit in New Delhi in 2015.

Indias applauding Moroccos move might have consequences for Indias ties with Algeria, but at the ministerial level it was felt that India should back Morocco, the paper said.
Roger Ailes. Photo: Stephen Lovekin/2012 Getty Images

Accusations of sexual harassment against former Fox News chief Roger Ailes have opened the door to much broader questions about Ailess tenure as CEO of the cable network  including tactics he used against outside journalists, and how he managed the Fox budget.

New York Magazines Gabriel Sherman reported last weekend that Ailes used money from the Fox News budget to employ consultants, political operatives, and private detectives who reported only to him and who targeted personal and political enemies, including journalists. Sherman described smear tactics used against him during the reporting of his 2014 Ailes biography, including negative websites and Google search ads. Another source told Sherman that a private investigator had been tasked with trailing him and his wife. Sources now tell Politicos Joe Pompeo that the campaign was even darker, with one source claiming that Ailes said, I know where [Sherman] lives, and Im gonna send people to beat the shit out of him. A source also said that people suspect Ailess team acquired phone surveillance illegally. Per Politico:

The first source also relayed a separate conversation in which the source was told, If it ever came out, meaning the lengths Ailes went to in his campaign against Sherman, multiple people at Fox would go to jail.

Questions are also swirling about how Ailes managed to pay out big settlement packages to women who he allegedly harassed  including a 2011 $3.15 million payment to former Fox booker Laurie Luhn  without attracting scrutiny. Foxs parent company, 21st Century Fox, was allegedly unaware of the payout. As experts told the Financial Times, that dollar amount should have been large enough to grab the attention of Rupert Murdoch and other higher-ups  or of the auditors of a public company.
Damn emails. Photo: David Becker/Getty Images

If the GOP had nominated someone with enough self-control to avoid attacking Gold Star families and joking about insurrectionary violence, theyd be in pretty good shape right now. Hillary Clinton remains one of the least popular major-party nominees in recent history, with an unfavorable rating hovering around 54 percent. Decades of mendacious right-wing attacks  combined with Clintons genuine indiscretions  have gifted her an aura of untrustworthiness and corruption. And on Tuesday night, the latest chapter in her endless email scandal drew renewed attention to that aura. Or, at least, it would have, had Trump resisted the temptation to joke about Clinton being assassinated.

The Democratic nominees critics have long claimed that donors to her familys foundation enjoyed undue influence in her State Department. In 2015, the New York Times reported that the Clinton Global Initiative accepted donations from Canadian mining magnates while those magnates had a request pending before the State Department to sell off a uranium-production company to Russias atomic-energy agency. Secretary Clinton approved that request. But the Democratic standard-bearer has vociferously denied that associates of the CGI wielded any influence over her decisions in government.

On Tuesday night, the conservative advocacy group Judicial Watch released a batch of emails that call Clintons denials into question. Through a Freedom of Information Act request, the organization obtained a pair of email exchanges that Clinton had not included in the 55,000 pages of work-related emails she turned over to the State Department. In one of those exchanges, an executive at the Clinton Foundation asked for the State Department to put a billionaire donor in touch with the American ambassador to Lebanon. In another, he pushed Clintons aides to find a job for an associate within the department. In both instances, Clintons aides appeared to oblige the requests.

We need Gilbert Chagoury to speak to the substance person re Lebanon, Clinton Foundation head Doug Band wrote to Clinton aides Cheryl Mills and Huma Abedin in 2009. As you know, hes a key guy there and to us and is loved in Lebanon. Very imp.

Its jeff feltman, Abedin replied, referring to Jeffrey Feltman, the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon at the time. Im sure he knows him. Ill talk to jeff.

In a separate exchange, Band asked Abedin and Mills for a favor regarding an associate who had recently taken a Clinton Foundation trip to Haiti and was apparently seeking federal employment.

We all have him on our radar, Abedin wrote back. Personnel has been sending him options.

The Clinton campaign argues that Band was writing in his capacity as Clintons personal assistant, rather than in his role as the leader of the Clinton Global Initiative.

Neither of these emails involve the Secretary or relate to the foundations work, the campaign said in a statement. They are communications between her aides and the presidents personal aide, and indeed the recommendation was for one of the secretarys former staffers who was not employed by the foundation.

Even in the least charitable interpretation of the emails, the brand of cronyism they reveal is more distasteful than dangerous. Its hard to see how a pro-Clinton billionaire getting a little face time with the ambassador to Lebanon jeopardizes the public interest. Nonetheless, the exchanges raise questions about what other favors the foundations donors might have been able to secure.

This is not the kind of bombshell that could single-handedly rescue a candidate as troubled as Donald Trump. But it is the sort of thing that would solidify John Kasichs lead over Clinton, in some parallel universe.
Laughing time is over. Photo: Sara D. Davis/2016 Getty Images

The Trump campaign should be adept at responding to scandals by now, but that would go against its ethos of doing the exact opposite of what any normal presidential candidate would do. Thus, following Trumps suggestion on Tuesday that theres something Second Amendment people can do if President Hillary Clinton selects Supreme Court justices who abolish the Second Amendment, his team rejected the ready-made excuse that he was joking, insisting instead that it was a completely serious call for supporters of gun rights to head to the polls.



Video of the speech shows several people chuckling at Trumps aside:



Trump: If Clinton picks judges, "nothing you can do, folks -- although the 2nd Amendment people, maybe there is." https://t.co/7oFn4JE2D8  NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) August 9, 2016

And, as Vox noted, a debate quickly emerged over whether he was just joking. Paul Ryan, who claimed on Tuesday night that he still hadnt heard the brief remarks, suggested that was the case. It sounds like a joke gone bad, he said. You should never joke about that. I hope he clears it up quickly.

On CNN, Trump ally Senator Jeff Sessions agreed with Wolf Blitzer that you absolutely should not joke about assassinating your political rival.

Sen Jeff Sessions: You shouldnt suggest that violence can be used in this political system https://t.co/rcEvTh7YYw

https://t.co/TUeQb7guez  The Situation Room (@CNNSitRoom) August 9, 2016

Even the mainstream media, which the Trump camp accuses of bias on a daily basis, acknowledged that he may have been making a dark attempt at humor. Politico described the incident as Trump applying his signature sarcasm to a political third rail. The Washington Post pointed out that whenever Trump says something outrageous, his campaign accuses the press of twisting his words or missing the joke. Dozens of outlets (including New York) ran headlines depicting the comment as an attempt at a joke.

There was widespread consensus that political violence is no laughing matter, but the Trump team never argued that it was. Instead, the campaign said he was talking about Second Amendment supporters using democratic means to keep Clinton out of office.



As some others have noted, this Trump statement doesn't directly deny that he was calling for violence pic.twitter.com/Cfhg7TIsfU  Nick Riccardi (@NickRiccardi) August 9, 2016

Even after many pointed out that Trump was clearly talking about Clinton nominating Supreme Court justices after assuming the presidency, Trump agreed with honorary campaign member Sean Hannity, who said he was obviously talking about mobilizing voters.

Nobody in that room thought anything other than [that], Trump said. This is a political movement. This is a strong powerful movement, the Second Amendment. Hillary wants to take your guns away. She wants to leave you unprotected in your home. Trump added that there can be no other interpretation of his remarks.



Trump reiterated his claims of a media conspiracy in some late-night tweets:



When is the media going to talk about Hillary's policies that have gotten people killed, like Libya, open borders, and maybe her emails?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2016

Media desperate to distract from Clinton's anti-2A stance. I said pro-2A citizens must organize and get out vote to save our Constitution!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2016

And the rest of the Trump team used the same nonsensical talking points. Running mate Mike Pence commented:



I think what Donald Trump is clearly saying was that people who cherish that [Second Amendment] right, people who believe that firearms in the hands of law abiding citizens makes our communities more safe, not less safe, should be involved in the political process and let their voices be heard.



Trump spokesperson Katrina Pierson (who last week blamed Obama for U.S. Army Captain Humayun Khans death in 2004), said on CNN, He was talking about unification and coming together to stop Hillary Clinton.

And at a rally on Tuesday evening in North Carolina, Rudy Giuliani claimed Trump was merely describing what Clinton will do if elected, and telling supporters, You have the power to do something about it, and what he meant by that is you have the power to vote against her. (At the same event, Trump said its time for a tougher tone against Clinton.)



In any other election, the fact that the candidate and his surrogates repeated the same weird, incorrect statement would be a bad thing, but for the Trump campaign, its actually bizarre that they were able to stay on-message for an entire evening. Looks like Trumps long-awaited general-election pivot is finally here.


Yikes, that sucks! Hopefully she gets out safely.



Although, I had no idea she was transgender...

Reply

Thread

Link

i don't follow youtube celebs that closely, but i always just assumed she was renowned for makeup or having that instagram barbie aesthetic.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

She's on a plane out of there already according to her snap chat

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

that is so fucked up and scary. hope she makes it home safely.

Reply

Thread

Link

what the fuck dubai

Reply

Thread

Link

I didn't even know she was trans



Jesus, that's such a scary situation, hope she gets out okay. She's lucky that she's a public figure, hopefully that will be to her advantage.

Reply

Thread

Link

OMG! Justin Trubae go help her!

Reply

Thread

Link

She's Canadian?



Also Dubai is such a weird, disturbing place.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Yup from Toronto but lives in LA

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

this is fucked up and scary.

Reply

Thread

Link

Oh no. I hope she stays safe. She seemed really sweet at VidCon.

Reply

Thread

Link

exactly, no one should be surprised by this and she probably has does have the correct wording on her passport. Many people have reported being harassed in Dubai

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Fucked up



Poor girl

Reply

Thread

Link

I hope she'll be ok :(

Reply

Thread

Link

so she didn't legally transition or they could just tell?

Reply

Thread

Link

Fucking awful. Hope she makes it home soon and safely.

Reply

Thread

Link

that's absolutely terrifying. i hope she's okay

Reply

Thread

Link

"imitation of women by men" is illegal in the country and punishible with a year of jail time.





:/



I hope she can get free.

Reply

Thread

Link

why tf would anyone go to Dubai



hopefully it's cleared up

Reply

Thread

Link
Malina Weissman is super cute as young Kara on Supergirl.



Honestly I'm so annoyed because the rest of the cast looks great but I still can't stand the idea of NPH as Olaf. Just. What the fuck.

Reply

Thread

Link

that kid doesn't seem like a klaus to me ehh



yes @ joan cusak being justice strauss tho

Reply

Thread

Link

ugh i forgot nph is in this



at least i'll have patrick warburton's sexy sexy voice to comfort me

Reply

Thread

Link

his voice is amazing. ugh, I'm so excited for this series I don't want to wait until 2017

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

get that good netflix coin, alfre!! 

Reply

Thread

Link

omfg ive been waiting for this since 2004

Reply

Thread

Link

same, this shit was my harry potter

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

YES!! they were seriously such smart books.



also the uneven edged pages were my jam for whatever reason i felt fly as hell.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

NPH as Olaf what in God's name



I can't remember names but I could see Alfre as that weird aunt who lives on the seaside cliff.

Reply

Thread

Link

aunt josephine!

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link





lmao

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

looking like Jack Frost from the Care Bear movies

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

looks like me when i wake up on a monday morning

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Young me was so blown away by the grammar and spelling mistakes of the aunts letter spelling out a secret message, I think I had to put the book down to take a walk to collect myself lol.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Lol it's such a reach

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

It's so bad

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

now i really want shaved ice :(

Reply

Thread

Link

That's shaved iced, not cotton candy?

Reply

Thread

Link

There were both, but the truck said cotton candy all over it. I just picked the picture with a closeup of the sign.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

This series was dead to me when the last book was terrible and nothing happened. All that build up for nothing. Truly awful writing.



I'll still watch this though

Reply

Thread

Link

apparently rhys darby is in the cast too



i need to know who's gonna play esme

Reply

Thread

Link

Yeah, I was going to mention that he's in it too, but I guess I deleted that when I was editing stuff around.



If this stuff about the order is correct then we wouldn't get Esme until next season, right?

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

true! i hope this is good and there's a second season cause books 5 and 6 were my fav!

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

I was a big fan of these books, but then I stopped around the 9th or 10th, I just got tired of them.

Reply

Thread

Link

it definitely started going downhill, and the final one was atrocious.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

The only one I outright do not like is the last one. but the 8th >>>>

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I just pulled them on wiki and yeah looks like I stopped at #10

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i was so excited when i heard about the show happening but casting NPH really threw me off. hoping i'll be pleasantly surprised

Reply

Thread

Link

NPH



keep it

Reply

Thread

Link

I'm confused by the hesitation to be on board with NPH... in the books he was portrayed as this theatrical villian, basically an actor who was terrible at acting, a guy who wasn't as smart as he thought he was and a ne'er do well that was shady, slimy, and gross but also pretty incompetent. I feel like NPH could pull it off... I mean he cant be worse than Jim Carrey playing Jim Carrey right? /genuinelyconfused

Reply

Thread

Link

jim carey as olaf was a MESS

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I think Jim Carrey as Olaf scarred me for life so I'm worried about how NPH will be. that being said, I generally like him as an actor so idk

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link
A-Listers and the rich to pretend like they're slumming it with burning trash cans as promotion and exhibits featuring burned out cars.







what the fuck

Reply

Thread

Link

Came here to say this. Like what is this even? Also dumb fucking name Piano District.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link





I remember Keith Rubenstein's wife got a ton of (deserved) blowback on instagram. yeah, they attended this exact event http://www.vogue.com/13366619/gigi-hadid-naomi-campbell-lucien-smith-party-2015/ I remember Keith Rubenstein's wife got a ton of (deserved) blowback on instagram.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

MTE

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

This sounds like some Zoolander ~Derelicte~ level of parody.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

My jaw dropped at that... Just...

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Isnt he from harlem? He should know better



So embarrassing. Most of my extended family live in bronx, the housing projects some of the worst projects ive ever seen. They need to fix the place up for the people that live there!!! Why cant poor people have nice streets. Not rich bougies who want to live the nyc lifestyle on the cheap.

Reply

Thread

Link

Isnt he from harlem? He should know better



This is the same person who said that he didn't relate to BLM so...





Historically rich whites never cared about POC, the POC that have made it have always attempted to assimilate instead of invest in poorer communities. NYC is like the extreme of all those things.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Im all for improving or rebranding poor areas but if the people there dont benefit from it....then well...



Reply

Thread

Link

When, in recent history, has rebranding helped residents in poor residents?

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Atlanta, LA and West London kinda.

The idea is if you're gonna invest in poor urban areas and rebrand them, it should also work with the intention that people in the community can get jobs and benefit from it. If its just about high prices of property and new business spaces to rent that drives them out then no beuno

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

I've never understood why rich/middle class people love 'slumming it' so much.



I didnt grow up in a slum but I grew up poor, it has 0 glamour to me. If anything it's turning me into a workaholic since I sure as fuck don't want to go back to that.

Reply

Thread

Link

preach

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

it's the young that "slum" it. like all these new money kids wanna be down, they think it's inspirational. they've been to harlem (but not pass 125th) down to bk (but only brownstones! because that's authentic) queens (they live in lic but hang in astoria)....ugghhhh i hate them.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

like someone else said, its about the cheap rent while living in a new or remodeled building in an ~artsy neighborhood

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

it reminds me of people who use the word ghetto, if you really grew up in the ghetto and truly knew what that word meant it isn't something cute or chic or anything you'd actually want to be associated with.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

They think it makes them interesting and they know they can leave whenever they want.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Not having to worry yourself with things like money or survival gives you free time to ponder your existence and play house as someone who struggles.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

because when youre so rich and surrounded by everything you desire, you can CHOOSE to slum it and 'have fun' pretending to be dirt poor. the difference is when youre rich you can leave that situation whenever you want and when you do you come back thinking you know how poor people think

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i miss the bronx. i used to get all my club dresses on fordham 

Reply

Thread

Link

LOL, you betta thot up

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

fucking gross.



But I hail from the Bay Area and it's the fucking pits here too. I can only see myself surviving another 2-3 years MAX. I

Reply

Thread

Link

Bay Area is the WORST! (I'm never leaving though. Just gonna have to take this shit over myself *sigh*)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

My parents house is in the hood and it was basically all Mexicans and Vietnamese/Filipinos growing up, but the amounts of white people that are popping up in that area is making my head spin.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

this hits way too close to home. my family along with the other tenants were kicked out of a brownstone in astoria because the landlord was selling it to a developer. this was during the early 00's so they had no idea they could have filed legal action.

Reply

Thread

Link

That's what SF is trying to do with developers right now, or fund homeowners that are willing to add rental units to their existing property and I'm just...... /toolittletoolate

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Atlanta's following suit, too. The city's looking to be 'high end' with all those prices that many people can't afford to live in. So now they're building luxury apartments no one can afford to live in. The house is taking away the neighborhood character found in every nook and cranny, giving way to big blocks of steeled glass that doesn't tell anyone about the history, especially in poor/working class areas. Perfectly good buildings are torn down instead to build ugly shit that no one actually wants. Or putting in 'multi-use' projects where a grocery or big box will anchor with drab, suburban strip mall aesthetics and little care in the traffic congestion. And it's the same couple of developers who keep getting those.



The Atlanta Central Library (Marcel Breuer, Bauhaus Movement) was saved from being leveled, which is ironic since it was built over a leveled location to start with. A Carnegie opened in 1902. The gigantic columned and classic design fit perfectly in Atlanta. Before everyone started to knock down and rebuild in fads. Developers flash cash to greedy, corrupted officials and end up ruining communities.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

the fucking apartment complexes popping up in every single corner of atlanta are pissing me off. can't drive 100 feet identical looking artwork boasting "COMING SOON." No thank you.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

i would suggest you watch show me a hero to get more perspective on this! ita, but my god, the lengths white people will go to to keep poc out of their neighborhoods. they're like children who never learned how to share their toys.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

god, gentrification is so depressing. even in my 'microurban' community, a lot of the really cool older downtown buildings are being swallowed up by brand new condos and office space. and of course, there's like zero diversity now--it's basically a bunch of middle aged white people, young professionals, and rich asians bc no one else can afford it.



w. kamau bell's episode on portland's gentrification was really good.





Reply

Thread

Link

DC is all about building dumb warehouse art spaces/condos right now and it's such a disaster. And yet somehow there is always some rich twenty something dying to live there.

Reply

Thread

Link

the situation in dc makes me sad tbh. it's been undeniably severe on black residents.

places like columbia heights are marketed as "diverse" neighborhoods and that's just laughable. the ethnic division or separation between whites and predominantly salvadorans/latinos is really visible.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link





edit: lol of course someone wrote an article about this phenomenon today



Edited at 2016-08-11 10:07 pm (UTC) Any yuppie I've met who lives in Columbia Heights has made me want to shoot myself in the face. Maybe I'm just jealous because I'm broke as fuck, but my God I can't believe how many completely oblivious racist idiots make tons of money and live there but are uncomfortable with the community that preceded them that's still there.edit: lol of course someone wrote an article about this phenomenon today http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/article/20830436/withering-heights

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I wasn't aware that music and art had left the Bronx. Maybe if they used more Bronx artists they would have been aware that there's plenty left?

Reply

Thread

Link

i fear very soon how westchester is going to be the new brooklyn because it seems there isn't one place in nyc that isn't being gentrified, or at least soon.

Reply

Thread

Link

if they're starting to gentrify the bronx then there's no doubt westchester and rockland will be hit next. i wouldn't be shocked if yonkers becomes the new ~~hipster spot

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

westchester is too old money. the hipsters have skipped the lower hudson valley counties and are coming up into beacon/cold spring, sullivan county/catskills, etc. i read an article a few years ago about how beacon is the new williamsburg. there's always been artists on the hudson river but the hipster scene has been blowing up in the last few years - just look all the craft breweries popping up.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i thought westchester was a rich area

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I have mixed feelings about gentrification. On one hand, I'm glad people are moving back to the urban core. Our roads and infrastructure is a mess, and I don't think (actually, I DO think) that they will ever be sufficient and up to par.



On the other hand, gentrification just runs out middle and lower class people out to the surburbs with the shitty infrastructure and no public transportation. I love driving through neighborhoods seeing older homes remodeled and new homes scattered in between and neighborhoods just thriving; the feeling wanes when you see a house that was worth $90k a decade ago now goes for over $500k.



Edited at 2016-08-10 11:19 pm (UTC)

Reply

Thread

Link
Having briefly dipped under $40, oil quickly rebounded over the past few days after the now traditional rumors of an "imminent" OPEC oil supply cut re-emerged, with the catalyst this time supposedly being the informal meeting set to take place next month in Algeria. Alas, this "plan" to push the price higher appears to have just suffered a terminal setback after Oman announced it would not participate in a meeting of oil producers and consumers in Algeria next month "as it is disappointed by the group's failure to address the issue of low oil prices" the Minister of Oil and Gas Mohammad bin Hamad al-Rumhy said on Wednesday, cited by Reuters.





The International Energy Forum, which groups producers and consumers, is due to meet on Sept. 26-28 in Algiers. Qatar said on Monday that OPEC members had agreed to hold talks on the sidelines, which served as a substantial upside catalyst to WTI and Brent.

Alas, any credibility OPEC may have left evaporated when Oman, a small non-OPEC oil producer, said that it doesn't "see the point of continuing to be part" of the group, Rumhy told Reuters in an interview in Muscat.

"We are moving into difficult times, and others still believe that everything will be fine."

Taking a clear shot at Saudi Arabia, Rumhy said that "those who expected the expensive oil producers will be run out of the business and shut down their operations, have been proved wrong."

Rumhy added: "There were hopes of seeing the impact of fewer investments in oil and gas, and less exploration, on supply and demand with hopes that this might affect the low oil prices. But that didn't happen, and there has been no positive impact on oil prices."

As a result, he said, producers would have to tighten their belts further or find some way to prop up prices by revisiting the idea of freezing production. Oman has reduced state spending as it grapples with a big budget deficit caused by cheap oil.

Meanwhile, the country whose ultimate decision for any credible oil production freeze, Saudi Arabia, not only announced it produced a record amount of oil, but has already seen its economy reeling as a result of low oil prices to the point where some 16,000 foreign workers, mostly in the construction industry, are left stranded in the dessert with no jobs, money or prospects how to get back home. Of course, there is always the risk that Saudi Arabia will turn its back on the strategy it unveiled at the 2014 OPEC Thanksgiving meeting, and curb output, although as of this moment, the odds of that happening are about the same as the Fed hiking next month.

By Zerohedge

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Approved version of IPCs has more than 150 minor and major changes from the draft

Following the end of international sanctions against Iran in July of 2015, the Islamic Republic has ramped production up from existing fields faster than many thought would be possible. In the year that followed the Iranian nuclear deal, Iran increased production 814,000 bpd to 3.6 million bpd in June 2016, but in order to reach its self-proclaimed goal of 5 million bpd, Iran will need the help of foreign investment, a task the newly-designed Iranian Petroleum Contracts (IPCs) are hoped to achieve.

When the terms of the IPCs were laid out in Tehran in December, 2015, hardliners in Iran began posing opposition to the contracts, saying the IPCs gave too much control of Iranian oil assets to foreign companies, something which is against the Iranian Constitution. The IPC originally required that international oil companies (IOCs) working in Iran formed a joint venture with an Iranian partner, typically the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), with the Iranian party acting as owner and supervising planning and operations. Even with this requirement, resistance to the IPC was so great that hardliner groups protested outside Irans oil ministry in February, 2016.

To help design an IPC that was more palatable to hardliners and still attractive to IOCs, a new version of the contract was drafted, and approved by the Irans cabinet last week.

The draft of the general conditions, structure and patterns of the upstream petroleum and gas contracts which included more than 150 minor and major changes  was given final approval in todays cabinet meeting, the Iranian oil ministrys news agency, SHANA, said.

These changes are, for the most part, minor, Dr. Iman Nasseri, a senior consultant with Facts Global Energy (FGE) told Oil & Gas 360. The majority of the changes made from the last draft of the IPCs concern the language and definitions in the IPC, said Nasseri, but a few important alterations were made.

The main changes are, first and foremost, with regards to the local partnerships, said Nasseri. In the early drafts of the contracts, this was mandatory for companies looking to bid on oil and gas upstream assets in Iran. Now that requirement is up to the discretion of the foreign company, if and when they want to bring on a local partner to the project, he explained.

Another major change made in the latest draft of the IPC is how the specifics for each project are negotiated with IOCs. The IPC is a framework. It does not have fees or individual terms. Those are going to be negotiated between the foreign company and the NIOC. Initially, it was supposed to be one open tender in which they put up all the fields to which they hoped to attract foreign developers, and then have the IOCs select the fields that interested them, and then have them go and bid. Related: Morgan Stanley: Oil To Fall To $35 In A Few Weeks

They changed the guidelines though so that it is not mandatory anymore. They have selected the most attractive fields for closed, or limited tender. They have put these aside, and they have selected a number of companies, and sent them an invitation to submit their interest in those fields, and thats based on previous interests shown by those companies in those projects and fields.

After that, they will move on the second-tier fields and hold an open tender.

The third major change made to the language in the IPC is that the specific framework set forth in the document is no longer the exclusive petroleum contract available to foreign companies looking to operate in Iran. IOCs can choose to bid using an IPC, or buyback contract, or any other that NIOC feels fits the project, said Nasseri.

The future is riding on elections

While the IPC has been approved by Irans cabinet, much could change depending on the outcome of Irans presidential elections.

This is the final framework, said Nassari, but there is still opposition. We believe the IPCs had to be endorsed [by the government] in order to keep moment going. They wanted to show the international community that this had not stagnated. But in reality, it make take several months before it is fully accepted by all parties and the opposition stops criticizing these negotiations.

In fact, one of the main critics is the Head of the Energy Committee in the Parliament. As long as that continues, we dont expect to actually see a contract signed, said Nasseri. IPC is just a framework. The individual contracts will need to be signed by the Minister of Petroleum, and he may not be able to do that until all parties are finally on board.

The growing concern that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani might lose a reelection could also derail the IPCs, as well as other reform Rouhani and his party have tried to move forward while he has been in office, including the Iran nuclear agreement. And because of the analysis still being done on Irans oil and gas assets, it could be six months to a year before contracts are ready to be signed. If Rouhani loses reelection, and no contracts have been signed, it will be much simpler for a new president to scrap the IPC framework without worrying about international arbitration.

By Oil & Gas 360

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The wind has been taken out of the sails of todays crude rally by a super-sized Saudi production number from the monthly OPEC report, in combination with a dubious EIA report (West Coast imports reaching the highest level since April 2014 does not pass the sniff test. Hum dee dum). Hark, here are five things to consider in oil markets today:

1) North Africa is home to two OPEC members, Algeria and Libya, and both are seeing signs of life from their exports. While Libyas recent challenges are well known, oil exports have just clambered back above 300,000 barrels per day for the first time since May of last year.

As for Algeria, our ClipperData show its exports for June also reached their highest level since July 2015  with its light sweet Saharan blend arriving in eight countries. Although Europe is the destination for some three-quarters of Algerias oil exports, North America is a consistent buyer.

While the cargoes to Canada make their way to the East Coast, volumes to the U.S. predominantly head to the U.S. Gulf  unlike flows from Nigeria, which largely head to East Coast refiners. As for exports to Europe this year, the leading recipient in Southern Europe is Italy, with France and the UK the biggest beneficiary in Northwest Europe.

(Click to enlarge)

2) The latest OPEC oil market report is out, and it looks like Saudi Arabia has thrown in the towel in terms of targeting market share. (Only kidding). According to primary sources, Saudi production has reached 10.67 million barrels per day, up ~120,000 bpd on the prior month.

While it is not unusual to see Saudi production ramping up in the summer given higher demand for crude to be used for power generation, what is unusual is that production is now at a record high, above the peak seen last summer (see below). Although secondary communications peg production at a lesser 10.48mn bpd, this is still a lofty level. Related: Mexico Made $3 Billion From Oil Hedging In 2016  What is Their 2017 Strategy?

(Click to enlarge)

3) In terms of other highlights from the OPEC report, the cartel has revised up demand growth for this year to 1.22mn bpd, up 30,000 bpd from last month; it projects 90 percent of this demand growth to come from emerging markets. The cartel is also being vigilant about which shoe could be next to drop, given high inventories of both crude and products (hark, 3,045 million barrels in OECD stocks, 311 million bbls above the 5-year average).

OPEC currently sees slowing demand for middle distillates, and fears that the supply side could continue exerting pressure on OECD distillate inventories, which are 80 million bbls above the five-year average:

4) As for yesterdays EIA Short Term Energy Outlook, despite being less fun of a read than the OPEC report (opec = epic), it had some interesting nuggets. It expects 1.4 million bpd of demand growth this year and next, while seeing production dropping off from China by 180,000 bpd this year, and an additional 80,000 bpd next year  encouraged by a lack of investment.

It also projects North Sea production to drop 200,000 bpd next year, and Russia by 150,000 bpd (which is contrast to other recent projections). It sees Canadian production next year marginally higher. It still doesnt expect to see inventory draws beginning until mid-next year:

(Click to enlarge)

5) Finally, despite draws to both gasoline and distillates from todays weekly inventory report, builds elsewhere have lifted total U.S. crude and product inventories to a new record at over 1.39 billion barrels. This number has risen by 200 million barrels in the last 17 months. Glut ahoy!

By Matt Smith

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
For the first time, elite U.S. Special Operations troops are directly helping fighters combat against ISIS in Libya with on-site support, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday, citing U.S. and Libyan officials.

A small group of U.S. Special Operations forces are operating together with UK troops in Sirte, a city on the Libyan coast and ISIS de facto capital in North Africa. The role of the U.S. troops is limited to backing forces loyal to Libyas unity Government of National Accord (GNA), The Post noted, quoting U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Last week, the U.S. launched precision air strikes against targets of ISIS in its stronghold Sirte in order to back the efforts of GNA-affiliated troops to defeat ISIS in the city.

The U.S. strikes have hit nearly 30 militant targets so far, according to The Post.

While Western forces step up their support for fighters against ISIS in Libya, the country continues to be torn by militant attacks at or close to oil infrastructure. In the latest incident, gunmen from the Benghazi Defense Brigades attacked on Tuesday members of the Libyan National Army (LNA) who were guarding the Naga oilfield, local media reported. The insurgents were forced to withdraw after six hours of clashes in which six militants and two army members were killed. In May, the LNA took over the oilfield which is not currently active.

Just last week, another Libyan militia, Operation Dignity, attacked the Zueitina oil terminal near Benghazi. The attack was repelled by Petroleum Facilities Guard forces, which are another militia operating in the country. Depending on sources, the Operation Dignity move was seen either as an attack on oil facilities or as an attempt to secure their reopening as agreed by one of the chiefs of the PFG, Ibrahim Jahdran, and the Presidential Council. The agreement followed years of PFG-led blockades of Libyas four major oil export terminals, which have a combined capacity of 860,000 bpd.

All that militant activity, however, indicates that the likelihood of Libyas oil output rising by 600,000 bpd, as Libyas National Oil Corporation (NOC) said last week, is still far from a certainty.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select.
"I love Milwaukee. I love my life here. I love the people here. And I love my restaurant. And its the very hardest thing to do, to let it go," says James Beard Award semi-finalist Jan Kelly, who recently announced that she will sell her nearly decade-old restaurant, Meritage, and move back to her home state of California.

Kelly, who says she didnt make the decision lightly, notes that it was the culmination of numerous factors. Her husband Gary is retiring, and the health of her mother, who Kelly describes as "always active and on the go," has waned in recent months.

"Both of my parents are in their 80s," Kelly notes. "Its to the point where I cant do this from a distance. I need to be there with them and spend time with them  Would I love to stay here for another nine years? Yes, but everything had just aligned, and its the right time."

But her departure doesn't mark an end to the legacy Kelly has left with Milwaukee. Nor does it mean her time here will be easily forgotten.

We talked with Kelly about her career in Milwaukee, as well as her plans for the future. And then we consulted with some of her colleagues in the industry  all of whom helped to paint a colorful portrait of her contributions to the growing culinary scene.

Love at first sight

"I wanted to move here the first time we came here on vacation," she says. "It took a while to convince my husband Gary [who is from Wisconsin], but when his friend offered him a job, we took it on."

"For many years, it was important for me to clarify that I lived in Milwaukee, but I was from California. And eventually, that didnt matter. Being here has been a really wonderful experience. I will always carry a part of the Midwest in me now."

Watching the scene grow

"One of the best things about being here has been watching Milwaukee grow into a true culinary destination ... There are so many chef-owned, chef-driven restaurants," she says. "And you can do that here. Its difficult and expensive to do that most other places. And here, theres so much opportunity. There are cool little enclaves and tiny spaces where you can open restaurants, and people will come. Its like New York, but better."

"And the thing Im really sad to miss out on is what will all of this mean for Milwaukee? In five or 10 years, will there be a shake-out? What will happen?"

On farm to table

"One of the best things has been making the connection between the food I make and the person who produced it. When Dave [Swanson] initially approached me with this idea of cooperative buying and his restaurant supported agriculture program, I thought that was brilliant."

"I started with Growing Power when they were just growing lettuce. And I remember moments when Lynn from Yuppie Hill would deliver eggs to me in her car. Al from Lakeview Buffalo Farm always had great stories."

On developing her culinary style

"Milwaukee made me the chef that I am today. When I came here, Id worked at very high end restaurants that served a lot of French food. And there were very few of those here. And ultimately, it was so fun to be set free from what Ive done before. It was so enjoyable to break out of the mold and make foods that I loved."

"When I worked at the Knick, it was so fun. You always had a choice of pasta salad or fries. I love the combination of barbecue sauce and mayo. So I mixed them together and put them on a pasta salad. And youd think Id invented ice cream or something. And that was so funny. I could never have done something like that in the restaurants where Id worked. Working in Milwaukee  I really just started having fun. I started developing my own style."

Becoming Midwestern

"I learned so much about being gracious and kind and supportive. Theyre things my parents taught me. But theyre also things that are so natural to people here. There are always people in the corner cheering you on when you try something new, when you branch out."

"People dont need to do all of these collaborative and charity dinners, but chefs here are always willing. And Ive loved doing them over the years because I get to work with talented chefs and play in the kitchen with them. One of the things Ill always carry with me are the friendships Ive made. Ive always felt privileged to be included in groups of chefs, some of whom were friends for years before me."

Great people

"I have so many memories of great people Ive worked with. Two of them are Robert and Mary Lou Simmelink. She was a pastry chef at Delafield House. And I remember we bonded early on  When I was Mike Engels sous chef at Hotel Metro, Mary Lou was the pastry chef there. And those are things I take away. Ive always loved the way Michael Engel cooks. I took joy from it. It just flows from him with such ease that it was just like watching the symphony. And I remember thinking, 'Gosh, I hope I can do that someday.' And eventually it did, but at the time, it was something I could only aspire to."

"And Lish Steiling ... She came to me when I working for John Nehring at Sommeliers Palate at Sendiks in Shorewood. She was working at Grenadiers when it started on fire. And she came in to work at the deli, but her talent was so wasted there. So I brought her over to the wine bar. And we just clicked. Oh, my God, I never had so much fun cooking. She always says I was her mentor, but she was really mine. She brought out things in me that I didnt think I had. She taught me to be fearless about what I cooked and what I thought I could do. And we ended up at Barossa together. And working with her was like breathing in the best ocean air you probably could. I always knew, if Lish was there, that the day was going to kick ass."

The future

When we asked Kelly whats next for her in California, she smiles.

"Honestly, Im not sure," she says. "My parents live in San Clemente, so well live somewhere in the area. Ive promised my husband that I wont be opening a restaurant, but Im not retiring. Im excited and scared at the same time."

She says shes unlikely to hang up her apron anytime soon. However, she says she may branch out and try something new.

"Tom from Maple Creek Farms suggested I do pig roasts," she notes. "So when Im all done settling up at the restaurant, Im going to work a couple of pig roasts and see what I think. Its an intriguing idea."

Jan Kelly: Milwaukee will miss you, too

As Meritage closes its doors, the culinary community in Milwaukee is already mourning the loss of Kelly and Meritage. I talked to a number of area chefs, as well as those who have worked closely with Kelly over the years, and here is what they had to say.

David Ahlf, longtime Meritage bartender

"As talented as Chef Jan is in a kitchen, that didn't necessarily translate well behind a bar. Thanks to this imperfection, I am eternally grateful for the eight years of absolute carte blanche I was granted to experiment, learn, grow and develop my bartender craft behind her bar. There are very few people in this world who get to work in that kind of environment. I am honored to have been one of them. The more creative her menus became over the years, the more I felt pushed to concoct more creative cocktails. That's a very good thing, because Meritage made a lot of people very happy."

Marie Edwards, longtime hostess and server at Meritage

"Jan [Kelly] is a truly awesome person. She never said no to any group or event. So many other restaurants have extra staff and kitchen space to do events  and here she was with a tiny kitchen and three people max and always willing to go the extra mile. Among other things, she was cooking with local products before local was cool ... and her vegetarian dishes were so good, they made me consider becoming vegetarian."

Chef Nell Benton, The National Cafe

"It has been an honor working with Jan over the years on fundraisers and various culinary events in Milwaukee. Jan welcomed me with open arms into the culinary community and has always inspired me with her creativity, talent and hard work. Her love and enthusiasm for her craft shines through in everything she does. Milwaukee is losing a truly great chef. She will be sorely missed."

Chef Thi Cao, Buckleys

"Jan Kelly's wonderful culinary career is well documented and greatly deserved. As a person, she has the wonderful ability to lift a room full of tense chefs and lighten it with laughter. I have worked with her on many events, and you always know when Jan has arrived because you can hear her laugh and the laughing of others; Jan always smiles, and I will miss her dearly."

Chef Mike Engel, Pastiche

"When I decided to open Pastiche in 2009, Jan was really generous with her time and advice in helping me flesh out my business plan. Any question I asked her, I got a straight answer. She was more help than she'll ever admit to being. Since opening, Ive always been able to go to her for advice and also as a resource to find some good local producers and vendors. Her generosity is ongoing: Now that shes closing, shes let us hire her bar man, David, to enhance what were doing here with his cocktail ingenuity and quiet professionalism.

"I feel that Jan is one of my two or three best friends, and Id do just about anything for her. I admire her for her excellent palate, for her wonderful, intuitive blending of cuisines to produce something that is as unique and exciting as she is, and for her loyalty to her friends, staff and customers. Im going to have to find a new favorite restaurant now."

Chef Joe Muench, Black Shoe Hospitality

"[Jan Kelly] is one of the kindest and most caring chefs I've known. I always feel like she is a mentor to anyone that comes in contact with her. Her talents are timeless and her demeanor is one of kindness and hospitality. I've worked with her in many collaborative settings and it's always a pleasure to learn and discuss our craft. She will be missed in this community and wherever she goes she will always bring joy to the ones around her. Her style is always reflecting her timeless skills in the chef community."

Chef Justin Aprahamian, Sanford and Like Minds

"Jan Kelly: Such a great and fun chef. Someone I will miss greatly as she moves back west to be with her family. A true friend in the community of chefs, she was always warm and super supportive of peers across the board. Made amazing food and I feel lucky I've had the opportunity to work with her on so many dinners and events. I still owe her for being one of the chefs who cooked at my wedding!!"
Reprinted from Michael Moore Website

Over the past few days, a number of polls have come out showing Hillary Clinton leading Donald Trump nationally by double digits, including in blue collar states like Michigan (10%) and Pennsylvania (11%). If you are a Clinton supporter and have felt a sense of relief when you saw these numbers, your shoulders suddenly relaxing and an audible "phew" coming from your mouth, if you got excited that your belief system was now reassured that there was no chance your fellow Americans will vote for a narcissistic misogynist, then you just became part of the problem -- and why Donald J. Trump could actually win on November 8th.

Please do not think for a second this election is over or in the bag. There are three long months to go. If you think that all we have to do is just let Trump keep shooting himself in the head -- that "Trump will beat Trump" and the rest of us just have to sit back and watch with glee -- well, you are playing with fire. And you're looking for a way to get out of doing any work. Clearly you've forgotten this election is not about whether there are more people "for" Hillary or Trump. Of course there are more people for Hillary! She will lead in the opinion polls from now until Election Day.

AND IT DOESN'T MATTER.

Because this is not a popularity contest decided by polls (or in this year's edition, a contest over who you dislike the least). As I've said, if people could vote from their sofa via their Xbox or remote control, Hillary would win in a landslide. But this election is only about who SHOWS UP to the VOTING BOOTH on November 8th (or to early voting or by absentee ballot). The election this year is not being held as usual on the first Tuesday of November; it's happening in the second week of the month, so if you live in the top half of the country, that means a greater chance for snow or icy rain -- and that means a lower turnout. A lower turnout helps Trump.

This election is ONLY about who gets who out to vote, who's got the most rabid supporters, the kind of candidate who inspires people to get out of bed at 5am on Election Day because a Wall needs to built! Muslims are killing us! Women are taking over! USA! USA! Make My Penis Great Again! Hillary is the Devil! America First! Fetus First! First in Line at the Polls!

So instead of feeling better this week because of the new polls (BTW, only one of these polls is of "likely voters" -- the Reuters Poll -- and in that one, Hillary leads by only 4 points), or regaling over Trump's insanity (so insane, he raised $82 million last month in mostly $10-$20 contributions, stunning the Clinton campaign, because Bernie never had a grassroots month anywhere near that), I would like to suggest a different response. I'd like to ask those who love Hillary to hold off on the victory party 'til the wee hours of November 9th. Please, can we all agree that now is NOT the time to do this.

Let's stop the early celebrating and the gloating over Trump's Bad Week. No premature end-zone dances. If you are serious about this election, and if you are smart enough to still take Donald Trump seriously, then here's five things to do -- four for you, and one for Hillary:
Reprinted from Consortium News



Joe McCarthy

(Image by DonkeyHotey) Details DMCA



The irony of Hillary Clinton's campaign impugning the patriotism of Donald Trump and others who object to a new Cold War with Russia is that President George H.W. Bush employed similar smear tactics against Bill Clinton in 1992 by suggesting that the Arkansas governor was a Kremlin mole.

Back then, Bill Clinton countered that smear by accusing the elder President Bush of stooping to tactics reminiscent of Sen. Joe McCarthy, the infamous Red-baiter from the 1950s. But today's Democrats apparently feel little shame in whipping up an anti-Russian hysteria and then using it to discredit Trump and other Americans who won't join this latest "group think."

As the 1992 campaign entered its final weeks, Bush -- a much more ruthless political operative than his elder-statesman image of today would suggest -- unleashed his subordinates to dig up whatever dirt they could to impugn Bill Clinton's loyalty to his country.

Some of Bush's political appointees rifled through Clinton's passport file looking for an apocryphal letter from his student days in which Clinton supposedly sought to renounce his citizenship. They also looked for derogatory information about his student trips to the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia.

The assault on Clinton's patriotism moved into high gear on the night of Sept. 30, 1992, when Assistant Secretary of State Elizabeth Tamposi -- under pressure from the White House -- ordered three aides to pore through Clinton's passport files at the National Archives in Suitland, Maryland.

Though no letter renouncing his citizenship was found, Tamposi still injected the suspicions into the campaign by citing a small tear in the corner of Clinton's passport application as evidence that someone might have tampered with the file, presumably to remove the supposed letter. She fashioned that speculation into a criminal referral to the FBI.

Within hours, someone from the Bush camp leaked word about the confidential FBI investigation to reporters at Newsweek magazine. The Newsweek story about the tampering investigation hit the newsstands on Oct. 4, 1992. The article suggested that a Clinton backer might have removed incriminating material from Clinton's passport file, precisely the spin that the Bush people wanted.

Immediately, President George H.W. Bush took to the offensive, using the press frenzy over the criminal referral to attack Clinton's patriotism on a variety of fronts, including his student trip to the Soviet Union in 1970.

Bush allies put out another suspicion, that Clinton might have been a KGB "agent of influence." Rev. Sun Myung Moon's Washington Times headlined that allegation on Oct. 5, 1992, a story that attracted President Bush's personal interest.

"Now there are stories that Clinton ... may have gone to Moscow as [a] guest of the KGB," Bush wrote in his diary that day.

Democratic Suspicions

With his patriotism challenged, Clinton saw his once-formidable lead shrink. Panic spread through the Clinton campaign. Indeed, the suspicions about Bill Clinton's patriotism might have doomed his election, except that Spencer Oliver, then chief counsel on the Democratic-controlled House International Affairs Committee, suspected a dirty trick.

"I said you can't go into someone's passport file," Oliver told me in a later interview. "That's a violation of the law, only in pursuit of a criminal indictment or something. But without his permission, you can't examine his passport file. It's a violation of the Privacy Act."

After consulting with House committee chairman Dante Fascell, D-Florida, and a colleague on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Oliver dispatched a couple of investigators to the Archives warehouse in Suitland. The brief congressional check discovered that State Department political appointees had gone to the Archives at night to search through Clinton's records and those of his mother.

Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
America's leaders have been deaf to Vladimir Putin's calls for a united front against Islamic fascism because they want to protect the neo-liberal variety, such as the one we installed in Ukraine. Although much of Trump's "grass roots" carry guns, they would more likely be used to defend a rough individualism than a militarized regime. (Yesterday Trump suggested that these guys with guns eliminate Hillary for wanting to take away their gun rights....)

Decoding the slide toward fascism requires ideological literacy, and as the Clinton/Trump battle gets into full swing, never has America's lack of it been so apparent. The media drumbeat about Vladimir Putin's preference for a Trump presidency shows that not even the pundits know the difference between an autocrat and a dictator. The average voter still imagines Russia as a place where an armed soldier stands behind each worker/slave, and even sophisticated Americans ignore that a handful of parties compete in Russian elections, while we have only two, our political class doing its best to keep it that way.

Since even pro-Democratic-anchors admit that Trump could very well be the next President, let's survey the similarities and differences between him and the Russian leader that Democrats are determined to treat as an enemy. It's clear that both Putin and Trump like to get things done - and expect their subordinates to do likewise. But this does not make Putin a dictator, while the United States supports many such across the globe. Some of my friends wonder how Putin, who can be considered a social-democrat, can support a billionaire accused of stiffing his employees. The answer is that while most American politicians play checkers, Putin is playing chess, a game with multiple facets.

US pundits note that Putin supports the right-wing parties that have flourished in Europe thanks to the immigration crisis, from Marine Le Pen's National Front in France, to Viktor Orban's Jobbik Party in Hungary, however, it's clear they do not know why. Vladimir Putin supports the right-wing because it touts nationalism. He believes that globalization -- the financialization of economies that forces austerity upon the majority of citizens -- should give way to independent countries living according to their individual heritage, resisting the global culture of consumption and competition known as 'keeping up with the Jonses'. Challenging American claims that its principles are universal, Putin believes that only God is universal, while peoples are and should remain distinct.

When Donald Trump announces that he would prefer the US to be allied with Russia and China against ISIS, he is showing that he knows the difference between real and imaginary enemies and that Russian belligerence is imaginary, while ISIS's crimes are real.

As I wrote in a July 9, 2013 blog on my website otherjones.com titled "The US chooses Capitalist Muslims":

"Given the need for oil from an area ruled by religion, it's not hard to believe that the United States took the practical decision to work with 'moderate' Muslims, that is pro-capitalist Muslims, instead of trying to secularize them.

Although Sunnis occasionally lean left, as was the case with Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath Arab Socialist Party, leftist Muslims are usually found among Shi'as, such as the Iranian and Syrian governments. The Western media avoids identifying the 1979 Iranian revolution with its predecessors, the French, Russian, Chinese and Cuban revolutions, all of which are associated with equity. When it comes to Syria, it never mentions that Assad's is the only secular Arab regime, that its eduction system is modeled on the French (Syria having been a French protectorate before independence), and that women enjoy Western-style equality, from divorce to education to careers.

Military might cannot ensure a coherent American Middle East policy, given the region's fundamental rivalries: secular vs. religious, left vs. right, traditionalists vs. moderns, 'democratizing' Sunni's vs. socializing Shi'a and Alawites."

Very differently, Russia has co-existed for centuries with the Muslim nations along its southern rim, and Putin's policies toward Chechnya, after ending a brutal Islamist insurgency, show that he prefers to back modernization in Islamic lands rather than convert them to Orthodox Christianity - the equivalent of US efforts to 'bring democracy' to benighted populations.

When Donald Trump says he will build a wall to keep Latinos out, and interrupt Muslim immigration 'until we can figure things out', he is exhibiting the lowest level of political sophistication. But that pales in comparison to Hillary's determination to carve up Russia into smaller entities run by obedient consuls, as outlined twenty years ago by Zbignieuw Brzezinski in The Grand Chessboard, a plan continuously updated by America's Neo-Cons.
Articles Listed By Date List By Popularity

Search Title

Date Between Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 and Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Page 1 of 2 First Last Back Next 2 View All

(1 comments) SHARE

It's Time for a New U.S. Foreign Policy Committed to Diplomacy and Peace America's regime-change wars are a disaster, but the time is right to adopt a new foreign policy committed to diplomacy and peace. Monday, December 16, 2019America's regime-change wars are a disaster, but the time is right to adopt a new foreign policy committed to diplomacy and peace.

(11 comments) SHARE

America's Motto Can't Be "America First." It Must Be "People First." The U.S. should begin to shift its foreign policy away from waging war or providing military aid to benefit the regional ambitions of countries whose principal virtue is that they serve America's geopolitical interests. Instead, its foreign policy should be aimed primarily at helping all undeveloped countries gain access to life essentials such as clean water and food. The defense dollars saved could be put to much better use. Monday, February 19, 2018The U.S. should begin to shift its foreign policy away from waging war or providing military aid to benefit the regional ambitions of countries whose principal virtue is that they serve America's geopolitical interests. Instead, its foreign policy should be aimed primarily at helping all undeveloped countries gain access to life essentials such as clean water and food. The defense dollars saved could be put to much better use.

(3 comments) SHARE

A Multifaceted Movement to Outlaw War: as Outlined in David Swanson's "War No More: the Case for Abolition" In the words of its Director, David Swanson, the anti-war activist organization World Beyond War stands for something new: "not a movement to oppose particular wars or new offensive weapons, but a movement to eliminate war in its entirety." Achieving that goal, as he shows in his book "War No More: the Case for Abolition," will be hard and take time, but the alternative is to invite either nuclear or environmental destruction.

Series: (8 Articles, 11546 views) Sunday, September 24, 2017In the words of its Director, David Swanson, the anti-war activist organization World Beyond War stands for something new: "not a movement to oppose particular wars or new offensive weapons, but a movement to eliminate war in its entirety." Achieving that goal, as he shows in his book "War No More: the Case for Abolition," will be hard and take time, but the alternative is to invite either nuclear or environmental destruction. War Must and Can Be Ended (8 Articles, 11546 views)

(2 comments) SHARE

Non-Violent Civil Resistance Works. It May Be the Only Way to Stop America's Next Unnecessary and Illegal War! Non-violent civil resistance has proved a successful strategy for combating the conduct or policies of repressive regimes and repelling occupation by foreign invaders. It may also be the only way to prevent America's next unnecessary and illegal war and, ultimately, in freeing the world from the tyranny of institutionalized militarism.

Series: (8 Articles, 11546 views) Sunday, September 17, 2017Non-violent civil resistance has proved a successful strategy for combating the conduct or policies of repressive regimes and repelling occupation by foreign invaders. It may also be the only way to prevent America's next unnecessary and illegal war and, ultimately, in freeing the world from the tyranny of institutionalized militarism. War Must and Can Be Ended (8 Articles, 11546 views)

(4 comments) SHARE

Compared to the Benefits of Peace, Spending Money on War Is Insane Few people fail to regret the death, destruction and suffering inflicted by war. Another of its consequences, however, is in the long run even more damaging to the cause of human well-being. That is the waste of resources in preparing for, and waging, war that could otherwise be used to help meet the physical, economic, social, and cultural needs of ordinary people.

Series: (8 Articles, 11546 views) Tuesday, September 12, 2017Few people fail to regret the death, destruction and suffering inflicted by war. Another of its consequences, however, is in the long run even more damaging to the cause of human well-being. That is the waste of resources in preparing for, and waging, war that could otherwise be used to help meet the physical, economic, social, and cultural needs of ordinary people. War Must and Can Be Ended (8 Articles, 11546 views)

(8 comments) SHARE

Distorted Views of the Enemy and Bush's "Axis of Evil" The willingness of our government to kill and bring misery to millions of powerless people in nations like Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq, which represent no direct threat to us, cannot be justified alone in terms of vague strategic concerns. It must be further rationalized by psychological projections that distort perceptions of the adversary's true motivations and justify making war against him.

Series: (8 Articles, 11546 views) Thursday, September 7, 2017The willingness of our government to kill and bring misery to millions of powerless people in nations like Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq, which represent no direct threat to us, cannot be justified alone in terms of vague strategic concerns. It must be further rationalized by psychological projections that distort perceptions of the adversary's true motivations and justify making war against him. War Must and Can Be Ended (8 Articles, 11546 views)

(3 comments) SHARE

America's Wars Are Making Us Less Free and Safe America's best course as the world's only superpower is not to try to force small developing nations to remake themselves in ways that serve our own security and economic interests. We should instead help them realize their own national aspirations by offering them the economic, political and technological assistance they may need to do so. Isn't this, in the end, the only sensible approach for dealing with North Korea?

Series: (8 Articles, 11546 views) Tuesday, September 5, 2017America's best course as the world's only superpower is not to try to force small developing nations to remake themselves in ways that serve our own security and economic interests. We should instead help them realize their own national aspirations by offering them the economic, political and technological assistance they may need to do so. Isn't this, in the end, the only sensible approach for dealing with North Korea? War Must and Can Be Ended (8 Articles, 11546 views)

(11 comments) SHARE

War Is Immoral: It Reinforces a Social Pathology That Keeps Us from Fulfilling Our Positive Human Potential War is immoral, because it violates the very principle of what it means to be a human being. War may have a transitory effect on human history, but it is at bottom a reactionary force, serving mainly to reinforce a human mindset that famed psychologist Abraham Maslow called the "psychopathology of the average." A principle manifestation of that pathology is the inability to see the world from the other guy's point of view.

Series: (8 Articles, 11546 views) Wednesday, August 30, 2017War is immoral, because it violates the very principle of what it means to be a human being. War may have a transitory effect on human history, but it is at bottom a reactionary force, serving mainly to reinforce a human mindset that famed psychologist Abraham Maslow called the "psychopathology of the average." A principle manifestation of that pathology is the inability to see the world from the other guy's point of view. War Must and Can Be Ended (8 Articles, 11546 views)

(11 comments) SHARE

War Can Be Ended: It Is a Product of Cultural Choice, Not of "Human Nature." A prominent meme in American foreign policy is "Peace through Strength," but what I want is "Strength through Peace." Guided by that principle, our foreign policy would no longer be driven by the imperatives of strategic dominance, but by the empathic impulse for creative collaboration with our neighbors around the world, aimed at ensuring every individual physical security and the freedom to pursue his or her own happiness.

Series: (8 Articles, 11546 views) Friday, August 18, 2017A prominent meme in American foreign policy is "Peace through Strength," but what I want is "Strength through Peace." Guided by that principle, our foreign policy would no longer be driven by the imperatives of strategic dominance, but by the empathic impulse for creative collaboration with our neighbors around the world, aimed at ensuring every individual physical security and the freedom to pursue his or her own happiness. War Must and Can Be Ended (8 Articles, 11546 views)

(7 comments) SHARE

War Not Only Kills People: It's the Single Biggest Destroyer of the Environment. The global anti-war activist organization World Beyond War is seeking to increase its impact by joining forces, where possible, with environmental activist groups. The two movements are natural allies: Militarism is the single biggest destroyer of the environment, and government spending on war and war preparation diminish financial resources available for other pressing needs, including fast-paced creation of a green economy.

Series: (8 Articles, 11546 views) Tuesday, August 8, 2017The global anti-war activist organization World Beyond War is seeking to increase its impact by joining forces, where possible, with environmental activist groups. The two movements are natural allies: Militarism is the single biggest destroyer of the environment, and government spending on war and war preparation diminish financial resources available for other pressing needs, including fast-paced creation of a green economy. War Must and Can Be Ended (8 Articles, 11546 views)

(3 comments) SHARE

A Proposed Meaning for Human Life: Using Our Powers of Conscious Creativity to Find Joyous Harmony in Diversity. We human beings are the most successful product of biological evolution on earth, the only species with the capacity to create the necessary conditions for our own happiness. The key to that happiness is to make conscious use of our inborn talents to produce, in creative interplay with others, new ideas, tools, products, and other resources that add objective value to society and the world by meeting genuine human needs. Tuesday, July 4, 2017We human beings are the most successful product of biological evolution on earth, the only species with the capacity to create the necessary conditions for our own happiness. The key to that happiness is to make conscious use of our inborn talents to produce, in creative interplay with others, new ideas, tools, products, and other resources that add objective value to society and the world by meeting genuine human needs.

(2 comments) SHARE

We Can, and Need To, Negotiate with Putin, Not Demonize Him. To my mind, the current obsession of American politicians and mass media with Russian interference in our presidential election is both blatantly hypocritical--considering America's own misdeeds--and demonstrative of an inability to walk a mile in the other guy's moccasins. The far bigger fish we Americans have to fry is avoiding a nuclear war with Russia. That will require negotiating with Putin, not demonizing him. Monday, July 3, 2017To my mind, the current obsession of American politicians and mass media with Russian interference in our presidential election is both blatantly hypocritical--considering America's own misdeeds--and demonstrative of an inability to walk a mile in the other guy's moccasins. The far bigger fish we Americans have to fry is avoiding a nuclear war with Russia. That will require negotiating with Putin, not demonizing him.

(7 comments) SHARE

Ten Tips on Writing Articles for Online Publication This tutorial by a seasoned copy editor offers some valuable tips on improving the readability and publishability of articles submitted to online discussion forums. Wednesday, February 8, 2017This tutorial by a seasoned copy editor offers some valuable tips on improving the readability and publishability of articles submitted to online discussion forums.

(1 comments) SHARE

"Manglehorn": A Call to the Authentic Life The 2014 Al Pacino movie "Manglehorn," available on DVD, is a psychological drama that also seems to me an artful meditation on the theme of inauthenticity in American life. The title character, Manglehorn, played by Pacino, avoids facing life's realities until a harsh in-your-face challenge to his own sense of self sets him on a different course. Wednesday, January 4, 2017The 2014 Al Pacino movie "Manglehorn," available on DVD, is a psychological drama that also seems to me an artful meditation on the theme of inauthenticity in American life. The title character, Manglehorn, played by Pacino, avoids facing life's realities until a harsh in-your-face challenge to his own sense of self sets him on a different course.

(4 comments) SHARE

We Need a Creativity Revolution to Meet Real Human Needs and Spark Personal and Social Joy. We human beings are the most successful product of biological evolution on earth, the only species with the capacity to create the necessary conditions for our own happiness. The key to that happiness is to make conscious use of our inborn talents to produce, in creative interplay with others, new ideas, tools, products, and other resources that add objective value to society and the world by meeting genuine human needs. Wednesday, August 10, 2016We human beings are the most successful product of biological evolution on earth, the only species with the capacity to create the necessary conditions for our own happiness. The key to that happiness is to make conscious use of our inborn talents to produce, in creative interplay with others, new ideas, tools, products, and other resources that add objective value to society and the world by meeting genuine human needs.

(5 comments) SHARE

How To Add Staying Power to the Sanders Campaign In my book, Bernie Sanders of all presidential candidates has the best ideas for America and can be trusted most to back his ideas to the hilt. But for staying power to win the presidency, his campaign needs to be strengthened in two ways: by broadening its message to include the One Percent, and by quickly planning and mobilizing an activist people's movement with a comprehensive strategic plan. Saturday, January 16, 2016In my book, Bernie Sanders of all presidential candidates has the best ideas for America and can be trusted most to back his ideas to the hilt. But for staying power to win the presidency, his campaign needs to be strengthened in two ways: by broadening its message to include the One Percent, and by quickly planning and mobilizing an activist people's movement with a comprehensive strategic plan.

(10 comments) SHARE

Progressives Need To Stand for Something Positive and New: the Broad Common Interest, Not Narrow Special Interests. My purpose in this paper is to propose an approach by which progressives can gain a fair hearing and engaged response in presenting their economic ideas to people outside the progressive choir. Such people include alienated non-voters and struggling conservatives, who, together, may represent an unsuspected pool of potential support. Thursday, April 30, 2015My purpose in this paper is to propose an approach by which progressives can gain a fair hearing and engaged response in presenting their economic ideas to people outside the progressive choir. Such people include alienated non-voters and struggling conservatives, who, together, may represent an unsuspected pool of potential support.

(9 comments) SHARE

A VIEW FROM THE PROGRESSIVE SIDE: Ayn Rand's Despised "Altruism" Is Essential to Building a NATION of "Producers." Ayn Rand was once acknowledged by Paul Ryan as an important intellectual influence, and her views seem now to be uncannily echoed in public statements by Mitt Romney and other members of the Tea Party-dominated Republican Party. This article offers a politically progressive critique of Rand's views, as they appear in a fictional 55-page speech delivered in ATLAS SHRUGGED by its hero, the anti-parasite "producer," John Galt. Thursday, September 20, 2012Ayn Rand was once acknowledged by Paul Ryan as an important intellectual influence, and her views seem now to be uncannily echoed in public statements by Mitt Romney and other members of the Tea Party-dominated Republican Party. This article offers a politically progressive critique of Rand's views, as they appear in a fictional 55-page speech delivered in ATLAS SHRUGGED by its hero, the anti-parasite "producer," John Galt.

(1 comments) SHARE

Living Out the Creative Self: It's the Key to Bridging Differences and to a Meaningful Life. As de Toqueville noted, Americans are "joiners," deriving a large part of their self-identity from the values of the groups to which they are attached. The insularity of many value-based groups makes outreach to groups with other views and values difficult or impossible. This article argues that meaningful communication is only possible when it reflects the powers of creativity and insight innate in individual group members. Monday, March 19, 2012As de Toqueville noted, Americans are "joiners," deriving a large part of their self-identity from the values of the groups to which they are attached. The insularity of many value-based groups makes outreach to groups with other views and values difficult or impossible. This article argues that meaningful communication is only possible when it reflects the powers of creativity and insight innate in individual group members.

(4 comments) SHARE

Let's Stop Waging War To Advance America's "Interests." This article argues that, though it is rarely acknowledged by opinion makers, it is a moral outrage that the American government has felt free throughout the twentieth century and into the twenty-first to undertake wars of choice on weak nations -- effectively wrecking their societies and killing countless civilians -- whenever it believes they pose a problem for perceived "national interests." Friday, January 6, 2012This article argues that, though it is rarely acknowledged by opinion makers, it is a moral outrage that the American government has felt free throughout the twentieth century and into the twenty-first to undertake wars of choice on weak nations -- effectively wrecking their societies and killing countless civilians -- whenever it believes they pose a problem for perceived "national interests."

Page 1 of 2 First Last Back Next 2 View All
Are you a sexual deviant? Are you a serial rapist? A child molester? A sexual predator? Well welcome to Oregon, the government has got your back.

Have you repeatedly raped a thirteen year old child over a three year period? Well you could be Oregons governor. Have you pursued teenage boys in the public restrooms of City Hall? Well you could be Portlands mayor. Have you been accused of unwanted sexual aggression, touching, fondling, or kissing? You could be a congressman or senator from Oregon. Do you insist on placing your paramours on the public payroll and using taxpayer money for sexual liaisons across the country? You could be a Multnomah county commissioner, or for that matter any number of state legislators.



Hey, dont worry about those pesky registration requirements as a sex offender. Its just a formality and Oregon government will bury your registration in a data base that no one from the public ever sees  that is if they even ask you to register.

A recent report by KATUs Joe Douglass noted:

Oregon now has the most sex offenders per capita in the U.S. according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which in June released a map showing the state had 713 sex offenders per 100,000 residents. Nationwide it showed there were 262 offenders per 100,000 people.

Oregon, at 713 sex offenders per 100,000, is nearly three times the national average of sex offenders per 100,000 residents. When Mr. Douglass notes that Oregon is in first place, its not by a little, rather it is by a lot. The next closest state is Arkansas, home of former President Bill Clinton (naturally) with 515 per 100,000.

Mr. Douglass continues:

KATUs On Your Side Investigators discovered more than 98 percent of Oregons sex offenders are not listed publicly and thousands are not complying with the law.

Oregon State Police (OSP), the agency that oversees sex offenders, also admitted in July the state isnt following several federal requirements.

Our sex offender laws are very weak compared to most states, Portland Police Officer Bridget Sickon told KATU Thursday.

The story continues that a search of the publicly accessible data bases showed there were nine sex offenders within a mile of the KATU building. However, a search of the data bases not available to the public indicated that there were in fact 159 deviants within a mile radius of KATU  over seventeen times as many as the public is allowed to know.

Yes, despite resistance by the current governor while she was a state senator, Oregon does have a version of Jessicas Law (mandatory minimum sentences for sex offenders). It also has a version of Megans Law (registration by sex offenders) although, according to the KATU story, that registration is kept from the public for whom it was designed to protect. Go figure.

With a population of over 4 million people, Oregon is home to over 28,500 sex offenders. Where do they all live? Well, other than the ones who populate state and local government, it is probable that one or more of them live in your neighborhood  one lives in our neighborhood. But given the fact that the average citizen cannot access a large part of the information on sex offenders, you will probably never know. I suppose we are fortunate because our sex offender is publicly identified and the Clackamas Sheriffs Office has, on more than one occasion, alerted the neighborhood to his presence.

So if you are a sexual predator, a pervert, or a serial rapist, pack your bags and move on out to Oregon  Portland in particular  where you will be met with open arms and a decided government effort to shield your crimes from the public. After you are here for a short while, you might just as well run for public office  others have and successfully.

There are a lot of things that a state can strive to be. But when you are number one in sex offenders and number 43 in education maybe it is time to get rid of the loons who run Oregon.
When words fail, pictures speak. With the emergence of photo and video sharing social platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat, brands are increasingly harnessing the power of pixels. If you are a food, fashion or lifestyle brand, these platforms are the best bet for audiences seeking young and creative audiences, unlike Facebook and Twitter, which work well for brands with mass appeal.

In India, Instagram has a lead; Snapchat, however, still has fewer takers. Rajiv Dingra, Founder & CEO of WATConsult, believes this could be because it is a fairly new platform. "Snapchat is a 'for-the-moment' medium and therefore has presence of brands that are youth-centric," he adds.

Paper Boat, a non-carbonated drinks brand from Hector Beverages, was one of the five launch partners of Instagram ads in India. The company wanted to show people newer ways to try its products. Knowing that its drinks were used as mocktail mixers, Paper Boat created a series of recipes using pictures on Instagram. "It is a great platform for storytelling. You are not confined by code and can be as creative as you want," says Parvesh Dubeka, Marketing Head at Paper Boat. It has over 14,000 followers on the network acquired organically as well as through ads.

After opening up advertising for businesses around the world in September 2015, Instagram claims to have more than 200,000 global advertisers on its platform today. "In India, we are seeing significant marketer demand in areas like consumer packaged goods, e-commerce, tech, telecom and auto," the spokesperson from Instagram told Business Today. Nestle KitKat, Grofers, Sportskeeda, Haptik and Inshorts are some of the brands present on the platform in India.

Snapchat as a marketing platform is still being mulled by brands in India. "Its user base in India is still not big; also, it is not very easy to use," says Hareesh Tibrewala, Joint CEO of Mirum India.

Lenovo was among the first few to use Snapchat while launching the A6000 smartphone with a video campaign featuring actor Ranbir Kapoor. The videos were later posted on Facebook and Twitter. Amit Doshi, Head, Consumer and Digital Marketing, Lenovo India, says that Snapchat is great for engaging with consumers in the moment. "The numbers are not great, but we believe it could be at an inflection point. One can never tell if a platform will take off, but when it does, we want to make sure we are ahead."

Apart from wanting to create awareness, companies are also using these networks to drive app installs. On-demand delivery service company Grofers has seen an 8 per cent incremental reach in its core target audience after using Instagram. It has seen a 50 per cent reduction in cost-per-install (CPI) on the platform.

Of the 500 million monthly active users globally on Instagram, more than 80 per cent are outside the US. Snapchat, meanwhile, has 100 million daily active users. Instagram is popular among users in the ages of 18-29 years, and hence also popular among marketers. Snapchat is a favourite among users in the 13-21 age group - a preferred medium for brands looking to engage with them in real time.

The creative independence offered by these networks makes them much sought after by advertisers. However, since creativity is paramount to get noticed, brands have to invest more time and human resources to build content. That said, the return on investment on these sites is still not as high as on Facebook or Twitter. "Once they grow bigger, more brands will put in the effort," says Dingra.

Post and Earn

Microblogging and social networking website Tumblr, in a blog post, announced that it plans to introduce ads so that people can start making money from their blogs. "Tumblr is a place where brilliant, creative, funny, impossible people shape culture. Some of you have even turned your passions into jobs: book deals, music careers, paid gigs with the Creatrs program. Now, (soon!) that opportunity will be available to any eligible Tumblr poet, musician, fan artist, and misfit weirdo memelord alike," the networking site said in the blog post. Users who don't wish to see advertisements on their page, can turn it off by changing the settings. To make money on the site, users need to register, details of which will be provided by the company shortly.

Hackerati

An Indian bug-bounty hunter Avinash was rewarded with $10,080 by Twitter recently, after he discovered a loophole in its video sharing app Vine. He found a Docker image for Vine while searching for vulnerabilities using censys.io. Censys is a public search engine that enables researchers to ask questions about the hosts that compose the Internet, while Docker is a new open-source container that contains everything needed to run a software. Avinash found that the source code for Vine was stored as part of a Docker image used to host the site. On downloading the image, he found that he could see the entire source code of Vine, its API keys as well as third-party keys and secrets. The 23-year-old reported the issue to Twitter on March 31, and the company fixed the issue within five minutes. Apple, too, has announced that it would pay bug bounties to researchers who find and report vulnerabilities in specific Apple software.
SMS Text:

Turkish Full Body Massage

With 2 beautiful Girls @1499,

Single body MSSG @999/-

Venaz Thai Spa Jacuzzi Rooms,

Noida Sec- 18, Call:

+919811643471, 919811643481

The SMS above is a sample of the tens of promotional calls and messages that most of us get on any given day. But there has been a change of late. The numbers have seen a sudden spurt, after a relatively quiet phase following crackdown by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, or TRAI, starting with the Do Not Call, or DNC, guidelines in 2007. These were followed by more detailed norms in 2010. TRAI has changed the regulations 17 times. To little effect. Even the DNC registry - a system under which one can register one's number for prohibiting any telemarketer from calling or sending promotional messages - is of little help as telemarketers have devised ways to skirt the rules. The number of complaints against spam calls and messages grew from 39,636 in quarter ended December 2015 to 51,540 in quarter ended June 2016. The phone numbers disconnected rose from 23,540 to 34,412 during the period.

The reasons for the spurt in unwanted calls/SMEes and emails include loopholes in rules, lack of awareness, rising mobile penetration, backing from some telecom operators, and rise of e-commerce and services companies. The biggest, however, is affordability. Telemarketers have to pay just 8 paisa to telcos (the selling price is 9-11 paisa), whereas bulk emails require buying of server space in data centres that costs between Rs 20,000 and Rs 40,000 per server per year. The cost of an email is one paisa. It is sold for 2-4 paisa.

Though there is no official estimate, experts say telemarketing is around a Rs 1,500-crore industry. TRAI says India has 10,888 registered telemarketers. The unregistered space is even bigger. In the past two years, TRAI has blacklisted about 317,000 unregistered telemarketers.

Advantage Spammers

The system to monitor commercial calls and messages is not watertight. TRAI issues licences to telemarketing companies for five years. After getting the licences, telemarketers tie up with telecom companies, which assign them dedicated SMPP pipes for sending SMSes. SMPP is a protocol that allows non-mobile players to use services of telecom companies for sending and receiving SMSes.

Most registered telemarketers abide by the rules. The problem is non-registered telemarketers who buy bulk SIM cards off the shelf and bombard users with spam SMSes. However, the rules, as they are, handicap the licensed player, who can contact only those who are not on the DNC registry as in case of a violation the penalty can be as high as Rs 2.5 lakh. At last count, 234.3 million subscribers had registered their numbers in the National Customer Preference Register out of the total mobile subscriber base of 1,034 million. In contrast, non-registered telemarketers can spam whoever they want to. This means their reach is wider. Two, if an unlicensed telemarketer is caught, there are no penalties. TRAI can only disable the SIM card used for sending the messages. "They buy SIM cards in bulk, send SMSes, and then dispose of these cards. When we receive complaints, we disconnect the numbers. We cannot do more," says Sudhir Gupta, Secretary, TRAI. Registered telemarketers have to deposit Rs 50,000 as security with the telecom operator for deducting the penalty amount in case of a violation.

Another reason for the proliferation of unlicensed telemarketers is lack of strict rules for getting a phone connection. As per the rules, an individual can buy up to 10 SIM cards. But a few telemarketers BT spoke with said there are ways by which people can buy hundreds of SIM cards in their names. If one SIM card is deactivated, more can be issued in their names or in names of employees and relatives.

"There are some fly-by-night operators who are creating problems. The guy who wants to scam the system will always find a way," says Rajan Mathews, Director-General of the Cellular Operators' Association of India, the GSM industry body.

The process of filing complaint through SMS is also tedious. Users have to send SMS "the unsolicited commercial communication, XXXXXXXXXX, dd/mm/yy, Time hh:mm" to 1909, where XXXXXXXXXX is the phone number or the message header of the unsolicited call or message. A unique complaint number is generated. Users are informed about the action taken within seven days.

"On paper, telecom companies may have the identity of each SIM owner, but when it comes to violation it's difficult for TRAI or telecom companies to track SIM factories," says Kalpit Jain, CEO of netCORE, a Mumbai-based mobile marketing company. Unlicensed telemarketers are called SIM factories in industry parlance.

TRAI, however, says that the spike in spam SMSes/calls and emails has got to do a lot with the rise in the number of users. "It's not that the framework we have put is not working. It is just that more people are using SMSes for promotion," says Gupta.

TRAI says it has asked telecom companies to block SMSes from unlicensed operators (unregistered telemarketers use regular 10-digit mobile numbers whereas licensed ones use alpha-numerics). "Telecom companies are not allowed to read SMSes. However, we have asked them to find identical SMSes that number beyond a limit and block them on their own," says Gupta. This means every telecom player keeps a directory of key promotional words and blocks bulk SMSes that have these words. But some unregulated telemarketers have found a way out of this too. For instance, they replace "LOAN" with "L0AN" (with 0 digit).

TRAI had imposed a limit of 200 SMSes per day per SIM card in 2011. This reduced spamming to an extent. In 2012, the Delhi High Court removed the cap. Later, it increased the cost of sending more than 100 messages to 50 paisa per message, higher than the average of 10 paisa. But this has not helped much either.

Flying High

There are many reasons for the proliferation of telemarketers. First, the cost of setting up operations is minimal. Ram Kailash, 26, worked for about 18 months with a digital marketing company before starting a telemarketing firm, Hind Adsoft Pvt Ltd, in 2013. Kailash and his partner, Sanjay Baghel, operate out of a small first-floor office in New Delhi's Laxmi Nagar and employ 12 people. Baghel and Kailash used Rs 4 lakh savings to start the business. Kailash says within three months they were earning as much as their monthly pay checks. That's not all. The business is growing at 30-40 per cent a year. Both take home Rs 1.5 lakh each per month. "The business is thriving thanks to demand from real estate, e-commerce, banking and services companies. We process close to one crore messages every month," says Kailash. They have served over 1,000 clients across the country, including Andhra Bank, Honda Motorcycle And Scooter India, IFFCO and Union Bank of India.

Baghel's business card reads Sales Manager. He says this helps them get payment upfront. "If we tell new clients that we are the owners, they may ask us for trial. In this business, client satisfaction can never be guaranteed. Sometimes when a client doesn't get good RoI (return on investment), it holds back payments," he says.

Hind Adsoft is a small player in a market dominated by netCORE, ValueFirst Digital Media, SMSCountry and mGage. netCORE was started by Rajesh Jain, who managed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's social media campaign in the 2014 general elections. It processes close to 1.8 billion SMSes per month and also offers a host of other services such as IVR (interactive voice response), outbound dialling, missed call and bulk emails. So, when the prime minister calls you up and asks you to give up LPG subsidy, the call has most likely originated from netCORE's outbound dialling facility. The company claims to be a market leader in spam emails. It sends four-five billion emails from its 400 servers in a month.

"In case of a violation, it's difficult for Trai or telcos to track sim factories"

However, remember that not all SMSes are spams - they can be classified into promotional and transactional. Online transactions, one-time passwords and reminders are transactional messages, a fast-growing category in the spam economy.

"We connect with seven billion customers in a month, which makes us the largest player in this business," says Jain. Telemarketers such as netCORE are now entering push notifications, short messages sent by e-commerce apps to promote special offers.

"The guy who wants to scam the system will always find a way"

What is driving the business is affordability, in spite of strict DNC rules increasing costs. In 2013, TRAI introduced a termination charge of 5 paisa on each transactional SMS and 2 paisa on each normal SMS on operators from whose network the message originates. Earlier, the total cost was 1.5-2 paisa. "Still, in comparison to other channels such as TV and hoardings, SMS is an affordable medium. It's effective as well. People usually read each SMS. They may not watch all TV commercials. Also, SMSes reach the target audience," says a telemarketer.

Several countries, including Australia, US, Japan, New Zealand and Canada, have strict rules on unsolicited calls and messages. In the US, for instance, many states framed their DNC regulations much before the federal government drafted national guidelines. Some states such as California operate their own DNC registries. Australian regulator ACMA joined hands with regulators from 11 countries to form the International Do Not Call Network in 2012.

Thriving Biz

The spam economy is thriving. Billions of messages and call minutes generate decent revenues. Though the margins are thin, good volumes ensure steady income.

COAI's Mathews says telecom companies by and large obey DNC rules. "For most large operators, it contributes less than 1 per cent to revenues. Smaller operators with excess capacity may feel compelled to grow this side of the business," he says, adding that "some telcos with around 60 per cent utilisation may be using their capacity for such services."

TRAI's June report shows that VLR (visitor location register) of four telecom companies - MTS, Videocon, MTNL and Quadrant - was around 60 per cent. VLR is the number of active subscribers compared to the subscriber base. A low number suggests telecom companies have high unutilised capacity.

Intelligent Spamming

The spamming industry, like others, is becoming smarter. The clients are demanding higher RoIs, that is, higher conversion rates - the number of people who enquire about or buy the product or service as a proportion of those spammed. There are no industry standards but 1 per cent RoI is considered good.

As stricter DNC guidelines have hit RoI, telemarketers are offering clients smart solutions. For instance, email is cost-effective, but not many people read all their emails. So, the marketers are using systems that track how many people clicked on an email (or the weblink in the SMS) and how many made the purchase.

"Spamming software are becoming intelligent and doing behaviour-based marketing," says netCORE's Jain. For instance, there are software that look at the behaviour of the user and then decide what message to send next. So, if the user buys a mobile phone from Flipkart, he is likely to receive SMSes for mobile accessories over the next few days.

With constant spamming, telemarketers are invading privacy. The serious business models being built around this make it even more difficult for the regulator to come down heavily on them. For consumers, it seems there is no sign of the end to suffering.
It was 11 PM when a Noida-based IT consultant was bringing her father home from the hospital - he was being discharged after two months. "We needed a full-time assistant and an air bed urgently," she recalls. Doctors prescribe air beds for bed-ridden patients to prevent bed sores. She contacted Health Care at Home, a patient care service provider, and in an hour a team was setting up the bed at her place. This was in May 2015; she has continued using the service since then.

Vivek Srivastava, CEO of Health Care at Home (HCAH), admits that it was an anomaly and that it usually takes 24 hours of fulfilment time as commercial vehicles - required to carry items such as beds - are allowed to ply only in the early hours.

Patient services at home are being increasingly availed by families, especially for those with long-term chronic illness. The weak public hospital infrastructure, and over-crowded and expensive private hospitals - as per World Health Statistics, India has only 0.9 beds per 1,000 people, far below the global average of 2.9 - are paving the way for more such services. Moreover, a PwC report states that India needs an investment of around $245 billion to address this problem of limited resources; only then can it cater to the need for 3.5 million beds, three million doctors and six million nurses over a period of 20 years.

In 2012, Srivastava, who used to manage private investments for the promoters of Dabur, met Charles Walsh and Dr. Gareth Jones, co-founders of Health Care at Home in the UK. The duo had exited the Rs 13,000-crore company - built over 18 years - and was scouting for a partner in India for a similar venture. The Dabur scions, Anand Burman and Gaurav Burman, also got interested and co-founded the venture. The partners plan to invest Rs 200 crore in the entity over the next five years.

In the beginning, HCAH tied up with hospitals to provide post-operative treatments such as injections, dressings and physiotherapy sessions at patients' homes. Delhi-based Fortis Healthcare was its first partner. When the company realised there was a huge demand for post-surgery and palliative care for patients 24x7, it launched the ICU at Home service, which now generates the maximum revenue, Srivastava informs. Over the years, it expanded its services to provide complex treatments such as home ventilation and chemotherapy. Srivastava claims that HCAH can provide 70 per cent of the services provided in hospitals at the comfort of a patient's home. Surgeries, radiation-related medical tests such as MRI and ultrasound, which require a licence, are outside its purview.

In 2014, the company started partnering with pharmaceutical companies to offer value-added services such as counselling for specific illnesses and reminders for medicine delivery. HCAH has tied up with 40 pharma companies; the contracts can cost Rs 50,000 to Rs 20 lakh per month, depending on the scale of services required. Today, 60 per cent of its revenue comes from this segment. The rest comes from hospitals and individual patients.

The cost of a wound dressing or injection could be Rs 500, whereas setting up an ICU at home could cost between Rs 6,000 and Rs 20,000 per day, which, Srivastava says, is 30-50 per cent lower than what a hospital charges, on average.

HCAH provides mandatory six-week in-house training to its personnel, followed by regular refresher courses and an examination. There is heavy reliance on technology to ensure processes are streamlined and quality is assured. Its in-house tech platform generates care plans automatically, as per the disease, and measures the patient's condition on 300 parameters. The software is loaded onto the tablets that the healthcare providers carry. This allows HCAH to monitor services provided in real time. Apart from remote monitoring, random physical checks are carried out every month and calls to the patient's family are made once in two to three days.

The two users this writer spoke to affirmed HCAH's emphasis on strong customer service. A Delhi-based female entrepreneur said, "I have screamed at them and vented my frustration, but the good thing about them is that they listen, apologise and try to rectify the situation."

The IT consultant quoted in the beginning, who does not wish to be named, said, "They would call me three times a week to check if the service provided was fine. When they got to know that I have a travelling job and my mother is alone at home, they started calling her every alternate day, without us asking." However, she would prefer that physical checks be done more often, especially for critical patients.

HCAH is exploring partnerships with insurance companies for pre-policy check-ups, post-operative care and ICU at Home services for people covered under an insurance plan to bring down the claim cost. Recently, it acquired Mumbai-based Health Impetus for an undisclosed amount to offer disease management services. It has also partnered with Japan's $10-billion healthcare media company M3 to launch an internet-based healthcare service in India.

According to PwC, globally, the home healthcare market is estimated to be worth $210 billion, of which India has 1 per cent share - about Rs 13,200 crore. Estimates indicate that close to 90 per cent of the home healthcare market is unorganised, serviced by local players. Several other companies such as Bangalore-based Portea Medical and Nightingales Home Health Services, and Chennai-based India Home Health Care have woken up to this huge opportunity.

Start-ups such as Care24 in Mumbai and Pramati Healthcare in Delhi, too, have entered the fray recently. From 3,000+ monthly visits in October 2015, two-year-old Pramati claims to be handling 6,000+ monthly visits. Founded in December 2014, Care24 serves around 500 patients per day and claims to be growing at about 30-40 per cent month on month.

HCAH claims to have grown by a hundred times since its inception and has serviced 300,000 patients. This growth has helped the company become gross-margin positive, says Srivastava. "We are yet to recover the investments for fixed costs, which we hope to do by 2018." As per MoC, in FY 2014/15, the company's revenue was Rs 13.77 crore, a healthy growth from the Rs 1.87 crore in 2013/14.


If You Enjoy My Articles, Please Consider Supporting My Writing By Giving A Donation Of Any Amount. Thank you!
Back in the Days, photographer Jamel Shabazzs classic photo book on 1980s street style and the roots of hip hop culture, has never been in out of print since it was published in 2001. Now Shabazzs collection of street photography is getting a fun remix. Book publisher powerHouse Books, which published the original Back in the Days and a tenth anniversary collectors edition, has just released a coloring book version. Back in the Days Coloring Book presents a selection of Shabazzs photos, made in New York City between 1980 and 1989, but digitized to remove the colors.

If youre nostalgic for the Kangol caps, Adidas sneakers, T-shirts and shearling coats worn by Shabazzs proud subjects, grab your crayons. Heres your chance to decide what colors you want each of these fashion items to be.

Shabazz says his editor, Craig Cohen of powerHouse Books, came up with the idea. He explained to me that there was a new market for coloring books and envisioned my book Back in the Days as a perfect book to transform into a coloring book. Shabazz needed some convincing, but eventually agreed. Now, he says, The very thought has already created a serious buzz on social media. I have received hundreds of messages from around the globe inquiring about the book, so there is an international audience eager to have copies. A week after the coloring books publication, its already Amazons #1 hot release in the category of fashion coloring book (which is a thing, weve now learned). Some of us are hoping to find it in our Christmas stockings.

When Shabazz was shooting the photos that were eventually gathered in the book, he wasnt interested only in style or fashion. As he has told PDN, I realized that my lifes mission over these past three decades has been to contribute to the preservation of world history and culture for future generations to see and learn from.

Rather than simply shooting street photography, Shabazz engaged with his subjects, striving to produce a positive representation of neighborhoods the media usually ignored. And hes remained committed to his community, mentoring youth (as well as young photographers).

The DJs and young style icons in Back in the Days were expressing their own creativity. It seems appropriate that the new Back in the Days Coloring Book gives fans a way to express their own creativity. Shabazz says, Personally, I look forward to seeing some of the artistic creations that will come forth.

Related articles:

Photo of the Day: Jamel Shabazz, Represent

Documentary Showcases Jamel Shabazz, Street Photographer
Bert Clark, President & CEO of IMCO and Rossitsa Stoyanova, Chief Investment Officer of IMCO published an IMCO Insight comment , Don't hit the panic button: How investors can manage (and even profit) from short-term volatilit y: How we think at IMCO At IMCO we believe that short-term volatility of returns is generally unavoidable for long-term investors. We think the key is not to try to alter asset mix to avoid it, but to have adequate liquidity to survive and, in some cases, profit from it. In retrospect, down markets may seem predictable and can cause investors to wonder whether they should stick with their long-term asset mix. Hindsight is 20-20, as they say. However, as painful as these periods of underperformance feel, we believe that investors should not attempt to tactically adjust their asset mix to avoid short-term weakness in returns. Instead, our view is that investors sho
This is the new crushed rock aggregate  with the sharpest edges removed. It will be mixed with gravel taken from the same location. Credit: SINTEF

Norwegian cities are expanding very rapidly and in the areas surrounding many of them, naturally-occurring aggregates for asphalt and concrete production are becoming scarce. The solution may lie in local rock outcrops.

The local scarcity of key aggregates results in the increasingly expensive and environmentally harmful long distance transport of raw rock materials. SINTEF researchers believe it would be better if we found ways of exploiting local natural resources, and have developed an environmentally-friendly alternative involving the production of aggregates from mixtures of crushed quarried rock and natural gravels. These materials turn out to possess just the properties required in aggregates used for the production of concrete and asphalt.

At Verrabotn near Trondheim, the production method is adapted to the resources on site, which consist of both natural gravels and bedrock.

"There is nothing very special about the rocks at Verrabotn, so the approach used here will be applicable at other locations with similar geologies both in Norway and overseas," says SINTEF researcher Kari Aarstad.

Major environmental benefit

"I am very familiar with the situation in Trondheim and Bergen," says Aarstad. "Much of the aggregate currently used in Bergen is transported all the way from the coastal areas of mid-Norway, or from south of the city," she says. "As a rule, if you're looking for concrete aggregates other than crushed rock, you have to seek out areas some distance from the city. If you don't apply the correct crushing technology, the aggregates will consist of sharp and angular clasts which make the concrete more difficult to work with," says Aarstad.

Transporting the material over short distances, and preferably by boat, will result in major reductions in environmentally harmful emissions.

Ole Martin Woldseth is District Manager with asphalt producers Peab. He says that for every 100,000 tonnes of asphalt he supplies to Trondheim via boat from Verrabotn, the public roads are spared 7,500 heavy-duty haulage journeys. A boat can carry between 800 and 1,500 tonnes, while a lorry carries only 30 tonnes.

Smooth around the edges

The new method involves producing aggregates by crushing quarried rock to form clasts that are as well-rounded as possible, not long and splintery. This is then mixed with natural gravels from the same site to produce a mixture tailored to its intended application. It then needs no further processing.

"This is not a revolutionary technology. It's all about the smart exploitation of available resources," says Aarstad. "The challenge is to find a way of producing the aggregate economically. Then we have to find a mixing formula that ensures that it can be used to make an effective, pourable and durable concrete," she says.

Ten-fold production increase

Peab owns the site at Verrabotn, which includes both a quarry and one of Norway's largest natural gravel deposits. The volume of rock materials on site is so large that even with production rates of 200,000 to 300,000 tonnes a year, the company will still be producing aggregates here for many decades to come.

Peab's current production is between 20,000 and 30,000 tonnes of aggregate a year for use in asphalt production, but it reckons that it can increase this by ten-fold using the new method. Moreover, aggregates produced using the new technology will also meet the quality requirements for concrete, which are more stringent than those for asphalt.

"If we succeed, year-round production will be more economic and practical," says Ole Martin Woldseth at Peab. "And increased production will probably mean between five and six new jobs at the Verrabotn site," he says.

Explore further Why not recycled concrete?
Final Pleiades HII 3441 images. (Left) reduced HS -band image taken in the 2011 observation. (Middle) reduced HL-band image taken in the 2011 observation. (Right) reduced H-band image taken in the 2014 observation. All images were analyzed using standard ADI. Pleiades HII 3441B can be seen southeast of the primary star. There is no methane absorption in Pleiades HII 3441B when left and middle panels are compared. Credit: Konishi et al., 2016.

An international team of astronomers has found a new substellar mass companion to one of the stars in the Pleiades open cluster. The discovery could contribute to our understanding of stellar and substellar multiplicity as well as formation mechanisms in this cluster. A study detailing the new findings was published Aug. 5 on the arXiv pre-print server.

Due to its proximity, the well-known Pleiades cluster is frequently observed and studied by amateur and professional astronomers. The cluster, located some 440 light years away, is about 120 million years old, which makes it one of the nearest young open clusters. It is also a great target for searching new low-mass substellar objects such as brown dwarfs.

From 2011 to 2015, an international team of researchers led by Mihoko Konishi of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan conducted a series of observations of the cluster's member star, designated Pleiades HII 3441, looking for planetary-mass and substellar companions. These observations were part of the Strategic Explorations of Exoplanets and Disks with Subaru (SEEDS) survey, which uses adaptive optics assisted high contrast imaging for studying planets and disks, including primordial systems, transitional systems and mature systems. The survey utilizes the 8.2 Subaru Telescope located on Mauna Kea, Hawaii.

The newly detected object was named Pleiades HII 3441B. According to the study, it was found southeast of the primary star with a projected separation of about 66 AU.

"A companion candidate was detected southeast of the primary star, and subsequently confirmed as a companion object to the primary star. () The projected separation and position angle are 0.49  0.02 (66  2 AU) and 136.4  3.2, respectively. These values were derived by averaging all observations," the researchers wrote in the paper.

The mass of Pleiades HII 3441B was calculated to be approximately 68 Jupiter masses and its temperature was estimated to be 2,700 K. Moreover, the team found that there is no methane absorption in the atmosphere of this substellar companion. They emphasized that methane is considered to condense below 1,300 K.

The object was classified an M7-type brown dwarf, due to the fact that its mass is below the hydrogen-burning limit (72 Jupiter masses). Its spectral type was deducted from the photometry-derived temperature. However, as the researchers noted, Pleiades HII 3441B is "close to the boundary between the stellar and substellar regime."

The scientists have also taken into account the possibility that the object is another faint Pleiades member along the same line of sight; it cannot be ruled out completely as the observations could not detect the orbital motion.

According to the researchers, their study provides an important input for the determination of the initial mass function in Pleiades, and might help us understand the formation mechanisms in the cluster. Substellar multiplicity in Pleiades is also discussed in the paper, with the aim to estimate the general fraction of substellar companions in star clusters. However, as the team noted, further studies are needed in order to get comprehensive answers.

"A much larger survey of the Pleiades would be needed to draw general conclusion on the multiplicity differences between open clusters and field star populations," the astronomers concluded.

Explore further Scientists detect radio emission from a nearby brown dwarf

 2016 Phys.org
The ins and outs of nitrogen in California. Credit: Tom Watts/UC Davis

Nitrogen is essential for agriculture but also has health and environmental impacts. The California Nitrogen Assessment, a new report from the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at the University of California, Davis, presents a big picture of the scale and impacts of nitrogen in the state. The report, published by UC Press, offers a scientific foundation to develop practices and policies that balance nitrogen's benefits and harm.

It's easy for nitrogen to become too much of a good thing, according to the report, which is the first state-level nitrogen assessment. Excess nitrogen can pollute groundwater and air, and impacts the environment, human health and climate change.

The report shows that excess nitrogen in the state comes primarily from agriculture and fuel combustion.

"This problem was created by all of us," said lead author Tom Tomich, director of the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis. "Nitrogen is an issue that affects and is affected by every Californian."

Nitrogen in balance

The seven-year, multi-institutional assessment identifies how much nitrogen enters the state, where it is used, and its eventual fate. It consolidates existing scientific knowledge and weighs options for addressing nitrogen management.

"Many programs in California have been recently put in place to help balance the benefit and harm of nitrogen use," Tomich said. "The California Nitrogen Assessment hopes to contribute to long-term solutions and we see farmers as the leaders in positive change."

Agriculture the major source of California's nitrogen

Each year, about 1.8 million tons of nitrogen enter California. Agriculture represents the largest source of California's nitrogen imports from synthetic fertilizer, livestock feed, and nitrogen-fixing crops, which pull nitrogen from the air and convert it into a useable plant nutrient.

Nitrogen fertilizer helps California produce 21 percent of the nation's dairy commodities and more than half of the nation's fruits and vegetables.

However, vegetable and fruit crops throughout the state use only half of the nitrogen applied to them on average. For livestock, only about a quarter of the nitrogen in animal feed becomes meat or dairy products. The remaining 75 percent becomes manure, which can emit nitrogen into the air as ammonia, a known air pollutant.

Much excess nitrogen from crops leaks into soil and eventually the state's groundwater. Sixteen percent of the state's net nitrogen imports each year accumulate in groundwater, and 11 percent of nitrogen from crop land and livestock is lost as air pollution.

Nitrogen in groundwater linked to health issues

Tom Tomich, director of the UC Davis Agricultural Sustainability Institute and lead author of The California Nitrogen Assessment, kneels in an alfalfa field. Credit: Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis

Nitrogen leaches into groundwater as nitrate, which has been linked with blue-baby syndrome in infants, adverse birth outcomes and various cancers. While most adults consume more nitrate through food than through drinking water, people who rely on contaminated wells may take in the majority of their nitrate through drinking water.

Parts of the state regularly fail to meet federal drinking water standards for nitrates, and previous reports have shown low-income Latino communities in agricultural regions are the most exposed to groundwater nitrate contamination.

Excess nitrogen in the environment can have detrimental impacts on crop yields, native species and biodiversity, as well.

Nitrogen, fossil fuels and air pollution

Fossil fuel combustion is responsible for nearly a quarter of the nitrogen coming into the state in the form of nitrogen oxides, which contribute to ozone formation, and ammonia, a component of particulate matter.

Well-established scientific evidence links ozone and particulate matter to poor respiratory and heart health.

Much of the nitrogen oxides and ammonia produced in California are transported downwind from California, making the state a major exporter of nitrogen air pollution.

A very small amount of the state's nitrogen, 2 percent, is released as nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. Nitrous oxide emissions account for 4 percent of California's total greenhouse gas emissions.

Emissions have declined since 1980 as regulations have pushed fuel efficiency advancements, but nitrogen-related air pollutant levels still exceed state recommendations in many areas.

The path forward

The dispersed, "non-point" nature of nitrogen pollution makes achieving solutions especially challenging. A one-size-fits-all approach will not work for managing nitrogen.

The report highlights practices farmers and ranchers can use to decrease nitrogen losses and save money, such as reducing nitrogen application rates and timing nitrogen application closely with irrigation, practices many farmers in California already are using.

"California has amazing resources to address this issue," said Rich Rominger, a California farmer and former director of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. "The state has skilled and motivated farmers and a university system that can continue to dive deep into our unanswered questions about nitrogen. California is often looked to as both an agricultural innovator and an example of strong environmental policy. How we deal with nitrogen can enhance our leadership in these areas."

Explore further Less fertilizer good news for the Great Barrier Reef
At low temperatures, from inside towards the outside, exerted by the water molecules, and at high temperatures from outside towards the inside caused by the absence of the molecules. Credit: Hegoi Manzano - UPV/EHU

Cement is subjected to a vast range of conditions, both physiological and meteorological, including extreme temperatures, humidity and pressure. Conditions can range from -80 C in places such as scientific bases in the Antarctic, to several hundreds of degrees in infrastructure near heat sources or in the case of fires.

These variations in humidity and temperature are translated into physical processes involving evaporation or freezing of the water contained in the cement paste, which often cause stress and even micro-cracking inside the cement. Characterizing the response to these phenomena affecting the confined water in the smallest pores of the cement "is hugely important, as a large proportion of the water, about 30 percent, is located in these small spaces, so to a great extent it contributes towards the final properties of the material," said Hegoi Manzano, a researcher in the UPV/EHU's department of Condensed Matter Physics, and author of the study in collaboration with a research group of the University of Tohoku in Japan.

Given the difficulty of studying the behaviour of water located in pores of approximately one nanometre in size by means of experimental channels, the researchers resorted to molecular simulation methods that "imitate" the interactions among the atoms that make up the cement in order to determine how they behave as a whole and the properties that these interactions are translated into. The temperature range the researchers studied was from -170 C to 300 C.

Stresses at both extremes

The simulations revealed that at both extremes of temperature, "significant volume changes owing to water physics take place. Through totally opposite effects, we arrived at the same consequences," Manzano said. At high temperatures, the water evaporates and disappears from the pores. In these conditions, the pressure brought to bear by the material itself may cause the empty pores to collapse and micro-cracking to occur, which in particularly serious cases, could cause the material to collapse.

At extremely low temperatures, what happens is that the water freezes and therefore expands. "In these conditions, it should be emphasized that the frozen water does not form ice because of the small space in which it is located; the water molecules cannot order themselves to form a crystalline ice structure," Manzano said. However, the expansion is enough to create stresses in the cement and likewise cause micro-cracking.

The conclusions of this study can be used to modify the formulation of the cement for infrastructures that are going to be located in environments with extreme temperatures. "Let us take, for example, an oil company. Knowing the stresses and forces that may be created in the cement, they would have the chance to change certain design factors, such as the additives added to the cement to compensate for the expansion or collapsing of the material in oil wells. That would be the ideal application of the work," concluded Manzano.

Explore further Dried sewage sludge could be recycled by adding it to cement to make concrete

More information: Patrick A. Bonnaud et al, Temperature Dependence of Nanoconfined Water Properties: Application to Cementitious Materials, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C (2016). Journal information: Journal of Physical Chemistry C Patrick A. Bonnaud et al, Temperature Dependence of Nanoconfined Water Properties: Application to Cementitious Materials,(2016). DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b00944
Nanocontainer consisting of lipid (in orange) and the engineered version of proteorhodopsin (in red). Light irradiation of the molecular system fails in establishing a proton gradient across the membrane because of the symmetrical integration of proteorhodopsins, which results in a short-circuit (left). After chemically switching off wrongly oriented proteorhodopsins (right), correctly oriented ones can establish a proton gradient across the membrane (indicated in gray). Credit: Dimitrios Fotiadis, University of Bern

Synthetic biology is an emerging and rapidly evolving engineering discipline. Within the NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering, Bernese scientists have engineered a chemically switchable version of the light-driven proton pump proteorhodopsin  an essential tool for efficiently powering molecular factories and synthetic cells.

Synthetic biology is a highly interdisciplinary field, which combines biology, chemistry and physics with engineering. Its goal is to design molecular factories and synthetic cells with novel properties or functions for applications in healthcare, industry, or biological and medical research. Such artificial systems are in the nanometer scale and are built by combining and assembling existing, synthetic or engineered building blocks (e.g., proteins). Molecular systems have wide application ranges, e.g., for chemical compound synthesis, waste disposal, energy supply and medical diagnosis or treatment.

In this context, the NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering brings Swiss scientists from different disciplines together to stimulate innovation, and address existing and future challenges. The University of Bern is represented by the Fotiadis laboratory in the NCCR MSE.

Nanomachines for energy conversion

Energy-providing building blocks are essential to power molecular systems. Light-driven proton pumps such as the membrane protein proteorhodopsin represent excellent nanomachines for efficient energy conversion. Light energy, e.g., solar energy, is easily accessible and efficiently used by proteorhodopsin to establish proton gradients across membranes, which separate two different compartments. Such gradients can then be used to drive proton-driven building blocks of molecular systems, for example proton-driven transporters. Living cells commonly use proton gradients to power processes such as import and export of solutes and ions through transporters, and the synthesis of metabolites.

Eliminating the short-circuit

Using common methods for the assembly of proteorhodopsin, and membrane proteins in general, into containers such as liposomes or polymerosomes (i.e., spherical structures consisting of lipid or polymer membranes), symmetric integration in membranes is observed leading to short-circuit and failure in establishing a proton gradient. Therefore, members from the Fotiadis group, in particular Dr. Daniel Harder and Stephan Hirschi, together with colleagues from the NCCR MSE have implemented a chemical on-off switch into proteorhodopsin, thus extending its versatility and allowing the establishment of an asymmetric distribution of functional proteorhodopsin proteins in membranes by selectively deactivating one of the two possible orientations.

This engineered version of proteorhodopsin represents the first light-driven proton pump and energizing-building block that can be activated and deactivated chemically to meet the requirements of the molecular system. "Possible applications of this versatile energy-providing building block in specific molecular factories represent the light- and solar-powering of the production of molecules such as life's universal energy currency ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and of the bioremediation of pollutants such as antibiotics in water resources", says Fotiadis. The study was published in the renowned scientific journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

Explore further Copolymer membranes toughened up

More information: Daniel Harder et al. Engineering a Chemical Switch into the Light-driven Proton Pump Proteorhodopsin by Cysteine Mutagenesis and Thiol Modification, Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2016). Journal information: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Daniel Harder et al. Engineering a Chemical Switch into the Light-driven Proton Pump Proteorhodopsin by Cysteine Mutagenesis and Thiol Modification,(2016). DOI: 10.1002/anie.201601537
The consequences of climate change are an increasing concern for humans around the world. How will we cope with rising sea levels and climbing temperatures? But it's not just humans who will be affected by these worldwide shiftsit's our closest cousins, too: monkeys, apes and lemurs.

A new Concordia study published in the International Journal of Primatology shows that the world's primate populations may be seriously impacted by climate change.

"Our research shows that climate change may be one of the biggest emerging threats to primates, compounding existing pressures from deforestation, hunting and the exotic pet trade, ," says Tanya Graham, the article's lead author and an MSc student in the Department of Geography, Planning and Environment.

She worked with environment professor Damon Matthews from Concordia and primatology post-doctoral researcher Sarah Turner from McGill to assess the exposure and potential vulnerability of all non-human primate species to projected future temperature and precipitation changes. They found that overall, 419 species of non-human primatessuch as various species of lemurs, lorises, tarsiers, monkeys and apeswill experience 10 per cent more warming than the global average, with some primate species experiencing increases of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius in annual average temperature for every degree of global warming.

The researchers also identified several hotspots of primate vulnerability to climate change, based on the combination of the number of species, their endangered status and the severity of climate changes at each location. Overall, the most extreme hotspots, which represent the upper 10 per cent of all hotspot scores, cover a total area of 3,622,012 square kilometres over the ranges of 67 primate species.

The highest hotspot scores occur in Central America, the Amazon and southeastern Brazil, as well as portions of East and Southeast Asiaprime territory for some of the globe's best-known primates who call these areas home.

The ursine howler monkey, black howler monkey, and barbary macaque are expected to be exposed to the highest magnitude of climate change when both temperature and precipitation are considered. For example, the ursine howler monkey, found in Venezuela, will experience an increase of 1.2 degrees Celsius annually and a 5.3 per cent decline in annual rainfall for each degree of global temperature increase.

"This study highlights the vulnerability of individual species, as well as regions in which primates as a whole may be vulnerable to climate change," says Matthews, who will present the findings of this study during the Joint Meeting of the International Primatological Society and the American Society of Primatologists in Chicago later this month.

"Our findings can be taken as priorities for ongoing conservation efforts, given that any success in decreasing other current human pressures on endangered species may also increase that species' ability to withstand the growing pressures of climate changes," says Graham.

"Primates are often seen as flagship species for entire ecosystems, so conservation can have important ramifications for many other species too. I hope our study will help direct conservation efforts for individual primate species in particular, but also for vulnerable ecosystems in general throughout the tropical regions inhabited by non-human primates," adds Turner.

More information: Tanya L. Graham et al. A Global-Scale Evaluation of Primate Exposure and Vulnerability to Climate Change, International Journal of Primatology (2016). Journal information: International Journal of Primatology Tanya L. Graham et al. A Global-Scale Evaluation of Primate Exposure and Vulnerability to Climate Change,(2016). DOI: 10.1007/s10764-016-9890-4
Genius Platform Integrates With PaceSetter Solution for Fast, Flexible and Secure EMV Transactions

SAN DIEGO, CA(Marketwired  Aug 10, 2016)  Blue Sage Software, a leading provider of software to the automotive aftermarket, today announced their latest integration to Cayans Genius Platform, a cloud-based payments solution that mitigates the business challenges associated with integrating payment to the point-of-sale (POS). As a result of this partnership, users of Blue Sages PaceSetter solution will be able to provide customers with a faster, more flexible and engaging EMV payment processing solution at the point-of-sale.

With our Genius platform and ChipIQ technology now fully integrated into PaceSetter, merchants can accept secure EMV transactions in under 4 seconds today, explained Henry Helgeson, CEO and co-founder of Cayan. It works with every card brand and requires no software upgrades or additional testing for the merchant.

With nearly 600 million chip cards in U.S. consumers wallets today, the ability to swiftly and securely process EMV chip and signature transactions is essential for every business. By partnering with Cayan, Blue Sage is not only helping merchants accept this payment type, but also build customer confidence, relieve liability for chargebacks, and protect against the rapid increase of fraud. The Genius platform integration with PaceSetter will provide merchants with:

Real-time updates: Genius will now update your GL and payments to your customer accounts  no more manual entries at the end of the day.

Genius will now update your GL and payments to your customer accounts  no more manual entries at the end of the day. EMV speed: Cayans ChipIQ technology achieves lightning-fast EMV processing times of just 3.66 seconds.

Cayans ChipIQ technology achieves lightning-fast EMV processing times of just 3.66 seconds. Security: Genius keeps sensitive customer data off your POS and reduces your PCI compliance overhead.

Genius keeps sensitive customer data off your POS and reduces your PCI compliance overhead. Integration: Genius integration provides seamless centralized reporting and lessens errors in credit card input. The platform eliminates the need for double data entry and accepts multiple-tender transactions.

Genius integration provides seamless centralized reporting and lessens errors in credit card input. The platform eliminates the need for double data entry and accepts multiple-tender transactions. Versatility: Genius uses a Verifone terminal that accepts all payment types, including Apple Pay, Google Wallet, Samsung Pay and anything that comes next.

At Blue Sage, were driven by providing our customers with the most state-of-the art business solutions to apply and accept payments, said Roger Moyers, President of Blue Sage Software. With Cayans Genius platform, our customers can leverage an easy application and setup process that is integrated right inside their PaceSetter solution and experience all the benefits of an integrated payment processing solution.

About Cayan

Cayan is the leading provider of payment technologies that give businesses a competitive advantage. From simple and reliable payment processing, to fully integrated, multi-channel customer engagement platforms, Cayan is continuously developing new ways for businesses to unlock the power of payments. Headquartered in Boston, the company has multiple offices in the United States and Belfast, Northern Ireland. Cayan is one of the worlds fastest growing payment companies. For more information, visit www.cayan.com.

About Blue Sage Software

Blue Sage Softwares PaceSetter business management system provides solutions for inventory management, point-of-sale (POS), e-commerce, invoicing, accounts receivable, warehouse efficiency, Internet storefronts and delivery tracking to keep businesses running smoothly day-in and day-out. PaceSetter is a scalable, stable and reliable platform for warehouses, WDs, jobbers, and retailers. Analytical tools track and identify parts movement, sales trends and more, and Blue Sage has had unparalleled aftermarket IT support for over 35 years. The company is headquartered in San Diego, CA and is privately held. For more information, visit www.bluesagesoftware.com. Read more http://www.marketwired.com/mw/release.do?id=2149569&sourceType=3

MORE Point of sale News:
QUEENSBURY  Maria G. McGloin, 74, of Queensbury, passed away on Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, after a courageous battle with Parkinsons disease at Fort Hudson Nursing Home, with her loving family at her side.

Maria was born Feb. 19, 1942, in New York City, New York, the daughter of the late Walter and Margaret (Yagasits) Donovan.

She graduated from Andrew Jackson High School in Queens, Class of 1959, and after moved to Queensbury and became a member of Our Lady of the Annunciation Church.

Upon graduating, she went to work on Wall Street for several years and also worked at Hinch Produce in Queens, New York. Maria moved to Queensbury in 1969, and a few years later started working for the Queensbury Union Free School District in 1978, most recently in the Computer Room, and after 25 years of service retired in 2003.

Maria met the love of her life in the fall of 1968 when, on a daily basis, she drove miles out of her way to fill up her gas tank at this handsome young mans gas station at which he worked. After several visits, she introduced herself, and the rest is history. On Nov. 8, 1969, Maria married William J. McGloin, moved to upstate New York and from that day forward, through sickness and in health, never left each others side. They complemented one another and were always together. They enjoyed daily journeys, explored various places, as well as frequented all the restaurants to see her people. In Marias spare time, she played the piano, enjoyed making her deposits in the slot machines, wherever they were, and ultimately visited with friends and family during the unique get-togethers of Beefuary, Blarch and Lobstoberfest, of which she will be greatly missed.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her sister and brother-in-law, Peggy and Richard Zikmanis; her niece, Denise Zikmanis; brother-in-law, Larry Uhl; and sister-in-law, Marie Green.

Survivors include her loving husband of 46 years, William J. McGloin; her beloved daughters, Kathleen (Fernando) Serra of Lunenburg, Massachusetts, and Deborah McGloin of Queensbury; her granddaughter, Daniella Serra of Lunenburg, Massachusetts; sister, Helen Uhl of Queens; and brothers, Richard Green of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and Walter (Annamarie) Donovan II of Scottsdale, Arizona. Also surviving her are several nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 12, at Our Lady of Annunciation Church, 448 Aviation Road, Queensbury.

Burial will be private for the family.

Friends and family may call from 5 to7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, at Singleton Sullivan Potter Funeral Home, 407 Bay Road, Queensbury.

The family would like to express their gratitude to Fort Hudson Nursing Home, and a special thank-you to the nurses and aides on G-Wing for all the care and compassion given to Maria and her family during this difficult time.

Donations in Marias memory may be made to the National Parkinson Foundation, Albany Medical Center, 47 New Scotland Ave., Albany, NY 12208.

Those who wish may make online condolences by visiting sbfuneralhome.com.
RUTLAND, Vt.  A Whitehall man was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol Sunday afternoon after he hit another vehicle and left the scene in Rutland, police said.

Thomas J. Moore, 21, was stopped around 4 p.m. as he drove west on Route 4 in the town of Ira, Vermont, according to Vermont State Police.

Police said he fled the scene of a 3:46 p.m. property-damage collision, driving on the curb at one point, before he was located and arrested.

Moore was charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence and released pending prosecution in Vermont Superior Court.
WHITE CREEK  State environmental officials are investigating the source of PFOA contamination found in wells in White Creek near the Hoosic River.

The state Department of Health has found concentrations of the chemical at levels above the Environmental Protection Agencys advisory limit of 70 parts per trillion in 27 of the 126 well samples in southern Washington County, according to information provided by state health and environmental officials.

PFOA was not found in 32 of the samples and results for 13 are pending.

Perfluorooctanoic acid, a chemical that was used in nonstick coatings or commonly known as Teflon until its phase-out in the early 2000s, has been found in water supplies for residents of Hoosick Falls and Petersburgh in Rensselaer County as well as in North Bennington, Vermont.

Prolonged exposure to the chemical could result in risk of cancer, birth defects, or problems with the liver, immune system, and thyroid, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The state in May reached a settlement with the Saint-Gobain and Honeywell companies to clean up the contamination found in the Hoosick Falls area and pay for the cost.

As a result of its Hoosick Falls investigation, state officials have been testing wells in southern Washington County since April, according to Rob Swider, environmental health director for the state Department of Healths Capital Area Environmental Health Program.

Working our way north, we noticed that wells were showing contamination going into Washington County, so we expanded that investigation along the Hoosic River, following areas where we were still detecting contamination in private wells, he said.

The state DEC has installed 26 filtration systems, known as point-of-entry-treatment systems, in White Creek and two in Cambridge to remove PFOA from the affected wells.

The treatment system includes a pre-filter that takes out sediment; then the water is sent through a granular-activated carbon filter to remove the PFOA, according to Mike Ryan of the DECs Division of Environmental Remediation. Ultraviolet light destroys any bacteria.

Until the filtration systems are installed, residents can obtain free bottled water at Tops in Hoosick Falls.

State officials do not know the source of the contamination but are continuing to investigate, according to Ryan.

In addition to the known plant sites, weve had a number of reports of illegal disposal sites in and around the town of Hoosick, he said.

DEC offers to install free point of entry systems systems on drinking water wells in impacted areas in Washington County. Residents interested in well testing and installation of the systems should call the states Water Quality Hotline at 1-800-801-8092.

State officials prioritize the well sampling in southern Washington County based on location, according to the Health Departments Charlotte Bethoney. Were working out from the area closest to the Hoosic River, she said.

Officials are also going door to door to see if residents want their water sampled.

White Creek Supervisor Robert Shay said among the areas that have had positive tests in wells are along River and Turnpike roads. He does not know the source of the contamination.

No one seems to have an idea why because we dont have any of those types of plastic manufacturing plant around us, he said.

Among the causes that have been speculated are air pollution, acid rain, runoff from chemicals used in agricultural fields and perhaps from the Hoosic River, according to Shay.

Weve had a major flood down there in that end of Eagle Bridge a few years ago, where the Hoosic River flooded into just about every home on that road, he said.

Peter Brown of 26 Center Road, which is off River Road, had a reading of 658 parts per trillion in his well. The Department of Health put in a filtration system, which he said is working fine.

Brown said he has been trying to fix up his house so he can leave it to his son one day. But the PFOA contamination is looming large.

This is my sons inheritance. Is it going to be a ghost town? he said.

Brown has Lyme disease and other health issues, but he does not think they are connected to PFOA. He is a smoker and also has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

White Creek resident Dean LeBarron, who lives at 53 River Road, near the border between Washington and Rensselaer counties, said there were 100 parts per trillion of PFOA in his well water.

His immediate neighbors did not test positive for PFOA, but another resident farther down the street did. LeBarron said he is not sure why positive results are showing up on some properties and not others.

Anne Walton of 320 River Road had a reading of 248 parts per trillion in her well.

I was surprised. Weve been drinking it for 10 years, she said.

She is not sure whether she can attribute any health effects to the water. She is at risk for osteoporosis. She also worked in Hoosick Falls for a time at a diner. Her husband does not go to the doctor, but complains of not feeling well.

She said local industry should have not have been using and dumping chemicals.

They should have warned us years ago when they knew about it, she said.
FORT EDWARD  Former Fort Edward Town Supervisor Merrilyn Pulver-Moulthrop hopes to sell nearly 200 acres of land as a wildlife management area to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Selling the land as a wildlife management area requires the approval of the Fort Edward Town Board.

The Friends of the Washington County Grasslands Important Birding Area submitted a proposal to the Fort Edward Town Board on Monday in support of the sale as an environmental conservation measure.

The IBA already controls 15 acres of land that supports 10 of 11 endangered grassland birds listed in the states 2015 Wildlife Action Plan.

The boards primary concern was the loss of tax revenue. In its proposal, the friends have made it clear they will pay $3,804 annually to the town in lieu of taxes.

Pulver-Moulthrops land, located just off Plum Road between state Route 197 and county Route 46, is important to the IBA because it would almost double the size of state protected grasslands in the area.

Our mission is to protect these endangered grassland birds, said Laurie LaFond, director of conservation and program development at the IBA.

The IBA does not intend to make payments on the land forever. LaFond said her organization is hoping new legislation, which was passed by the state Senate during the last legislative session, will soon pass through the Assembly, allowing the state to pay taxes on the land.

Sen. Elizabeth Little, R-Queensbury, worked to bring the bill up for a successful vote in the Senate this year, but the session ended before the bill could be voted on in the Assembly.

Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, has pledged her support to bring the bill up for a vote when the new legislative session begins.

Mary-Ellen Stockwell, the towns legal representative, said the problem with the proposal in its current form is there is no way for the town to ensure the payments are made by the IBA.

It has no teeth, Stockwell said.

She said if the board is going to enter into a contract with the IBA, there would need to be a promissory note or similar measure.

It was also noted by Stockwell that the school district should be consulted, as it also would be affected by the loss of tax revenue if the IBA failed to pay.

Supervisor Mitchell Suprenant asked LaFond if she thought one of the groups members would be willing to make the payments in the event that the organization ceased to exist. LaFond said that is something the group would be willing to investigate.

The board also asked if the IBA would turn over its financial records, which LaFond said they would be willing to do.

Suprenant said the board is not unsupportive of the measure, but said town officials must consider the future of the town.

We are losing our tax base, so we dont want to take the loss, he said.

According to Suprenant, while the funds are not a significant source of revenue for the town, he said with the proposal of creating Water District 3 in Fort Edward, the town is wary of letting the land drop from the tax rolls.

Even with his concerns, Suprenant expressed his support for the project and encouraged the IBA to bring the issue back to the board when the two members who were absent on Monday could attend.

Im for it. Some of our board members have different opinions, but thats what a board is, Suprenant said.

LaFond said she was pleased with the progress that was made at the meeting and said she has hope for the project moving forward.

I think its moving in the right direction and we were pleased with how receptive the board was, LaFond said.

LaFond said in addition to preserving the land for endangered grassland birds, the effort also brings people to Fort Edward. Pulver-Moulthrop said she has seen this already with people coming to her property in search of these rare birds.

Im really hopeful the town will agree to the purchase. It will help the overall economy of the town, Pulver-Moulthrop said.

Pulver-Moulthrop sold a similar 100-acre parcel to the state in 2008 in order to preserve it. This sale would connect the two properties.

I just really hope the board appreciates what it is the IBA is trying to do, Pulver-Moulthrop said.

At the meeting, Pulver-Moulthrop addressed the board, explaining she could most likely get more money for her land if she sold it to someone other than the state. She said, however, she felt preserving the property was more important.

The Pulver-Moulthrop family has owned the land for nearly 50 years, but she said it was time to start letting it go.

At present, 94 acres of Pulver-Moulthrops land has a conservation easement, which she put in place in 2002. The easement prevents any type of development on the property until June 28, 2052.
Former Philippine president's HK visit marks effort to mend damaged relations

Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos gestures as he speaks to journalists during a trip to Hong Kong, China after the Hague court's ruling over the maritime dispute in South China Sea, August 9, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

A special Philippine envoy who is in Hong Kong to test the waters of bilateral ties suggested on Tuesday that Manila and Beijing cooperate on sectors of common interest to rekindle their relationship, which was soured by maritime disputes.

Experts said that although the proposal by the envoy, former Philippines president Fidel Ramos, to improve economic and tourism links might be considered by China, the Philippines' attitude toward the arbitration ruling on the South China Sea remains the key to restoring ties.

Ramos, 88, also told reporters on Tuesday that he planned to meet with Wu Shicun, who heads the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, a think tank on China's southernmost Hainan Island.

Ramos, who gave no other details of his itinerary for the five-day trip to Hong Kong, said earlier that he would meet "old friends" with links to officials in Beijing.

Wu did not respond to phone calls from China Daily seeking comment on Tuesday.

As a special envoy of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Ramos defined the trip as "ice-breaking", after bilateral ties were jeopardized by an arbitration case unilaterally initiated by Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino III.

"The idea is to use the South China Sea as a place to save lives, not to kill people or to destroy lives," Ramos said.

During his time as president, from 1992 to 1998, the two countries eased tensions caused by confrontations over Meiji Reef.

Xu Liping, a senior Southeast Asian studies researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Beijing could consider Ramos' suggestion and seek common interests with Manila.

Chen Qinghong, a researcher of Southeast Asian and Philippine studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said that Ramos' remarks send a positive signal and provide an opportunity for the two countries to rebuild political trust and amend their relationship.

Zhang Yaozhong contributed to this story.

anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn
A statement from the organizers, Top Brass Ghana said, GLICO LIFE and GENERAL were awarded for their strong brand position on the Ghanaian market, especially for their contribution to the development of Ashanti region.

GLICO LIFE specifically received a Gold Award for best life insurance company that provides protection-based funeral insurance and GLICO GENERAL received two Silver Awards for providing fire and travel insurance to the people of Ashanti region.

Receiving the award on behalf of the GROUP, Nana Efua Rockson, Group Head, Corporate Affairs and Marketing for GLICO GROUP said, we are thrilled to receive this recognition as it underpins our fervent commitment to provide our customers with value-based products that makes their lives easier and secured."

"Being named amongst so many notable companies and worthy peers in the financial industry in Ghana, is a great honor and we dedicate these awards to all our customers," she remarked.
The government on Wednesday, August 3 announced the reduction of aviation fuel by 25%.

Per the directive, a litre of Aviation fuel, which is currently selling at $3.14 now sells at $2.35.

The reduction makes Ghana the second country with the lowest price of aviation fuel in the West African Sub-Region, Mr Asaga said at the meeting.

Mr Asaga added that the reduction will go a long way to making Ghana an aviation hub in Africa.

READ MORE

Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association says the real effect of the reduction would be felt if the taxes on aviation are reduced, and not the service charges.
His comments follow parliament's ratification of the Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU.

However, Mr Kareweh in an interview with Citi FM argued that the EU market has always been available to local producers but was quick to add that "market accessibility has to do with ones' competence, external trade measures or administrative measures that were imposed by at the point entry which by itself are not part of the agreement."

READ MORE







He identified additional challenges such as production cost, internal production and administrative challenges that could affect the country's access to the EU market.

According to him, availability of the EU market alone does not necessarily give advantage to Ghanaian producers or processors of agricultural produce to be able to access that market.

so if you look at the production challenges within the country are such that they do not give advantage to Ghanaian producers on the account of the fact that there is now a market in the European Union.
In the report, the two professors challenged the accreditation of the SMC, a challenge to which UPSA issued a response claiming otherwise.

Below is a copy of the rejoinder.

Rejoinder: Developing a Responsive Human Capital for Growth  A Forward Looking Progressive Approach by UPSA

We write to commend the administration of the University of Professional Studies (UPS), which has been identified in our investigative report and many other articles in recent times on the question of academic standards, for coming up with a press statement on the issues. Unfortunately, the responses to the substantive issues, by any standards, are unimpressive, drab, and naive.

Before we delve into the main issues, we call upon the UPS administration to acquaint itself with the process of accreditation, locally and internationally. On the press release document are two logos: one for UPSA and the other for ACBSP with the word Accredited beneath it. For the benefit of readers, ACBSP is a body in the USA that accredit business programs offered by institutions.

The two logos posted side-by-side suggests UPS is accredited by ACBSP. But this is gross misrepresentation because ACBSP does not have the jurisdictional mandate to accredit UPS! It may only accredit the business programs offered by UPS. These are two different things.

Academic standards should not be trivialized. It is irrelevant whether or not the university (UPS) was pressed by circumstances at the time of making the decision to seek online doctorate degrees for its teachers.

The idea of creating opportunities for junior lecturers at the university to upgrade themselves is laudable but this should be done the right way. It is regrettable that the University has taken the position that residential doctorate degree training is outdated. On the contrary, it is the convention all over the world, especially for individuals who aspire for academic jobs in properly accredited universities. Indeed, we are utterly surprised that the UPS administration got this wrong.

The notion that over time, all doctorate programs will be offered online is not only ridiculous and absurd, but a clear manifestation of an institution whose leadership lacks a thorough understanding of the academic trajectory. This speaks loudly to the lack of understanding of what Ph.D. training entails, particularly for aspiring academics, and is an affront to the dignity of universities of good standing globally.

But we can understand the position of UPS, considering the fact that a large number of its faculty members either do not have a Ph.D. or are now in the process of pursuing one. The point is that if the Vice-Chancellor of UPS, Joshua Alabi, had gone through the rigors of Ph.D. training himself, before attempting to transform an institutionwhich offered professional programs mostly by distance educationto a university status, his grasp and appreciation of standard practices and processes, including the peer-review process would have been different with desirable outcomes for his students, faculty, and the entire UPS as an institution.

Universities are places of academic excellence. As a result, a university teacher who is seeking an advanced credential must go through rigorous training from a recognized institution of higher learning.

A typical Ph.D. training include about 2-3 years of coursework and 1-2 years of dissertation writing under the strict supervision of a number of renowned professors in a particular field. Unfortunately, online doctorate programs, which are usually setup for profit, do not measure up to these expectations. It is not uncommon to find an individual who has absolutely no training in a discipline parading as a professor in that field in an online institution.

A typical example is Dr Hardy Bouillon who read Philosophy at both undergraduate and graduate level claiming to be an Economics professor at SMC (http://www.smcuniversity.com/about/our-faculty/department-of-economics/). This is the main reason good ranking universities in say Africa, such as University of Cape Town (UCT), rubbish such certificates.

On the issue of SMC, we wish to commend the management of UPS for making attempts at establishing its credibility from the National Accreditation Board (NAB) and the Swiss Embassy. Both letters attached to the press statement noted that although investigations revealed that SMC is accredited, they urged the then Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) contact person to contact one of the institutions they are accredited with for verification of their status.

The fact is that the content of the letter from NAB clearly indicates it plagiarized Martin Saladin (Counsellor & Economic Advisor of the Swiss Embassy). This makes it hard to believe that the verification was independently sought. Secondly, Switzerland has a national board which accredits institutions of higher learning. If SMC offers full time training in Switzerland, as purported by the Swiss Embassy, why is it not accredited by the Swiss National Accreditation Board? What is not good for the Swiss cannot be good for students of UPS and Ghanaian students generally.

We would like to state unequivocally that ACBSP in the USA does not have the mandate to accredit any foreign institution, including SMC. The ACBSP can only certify (or accredit) a program BUT not accredit foreign institute like SMC, which does not have a national accreditation from Switzerland. And an institute that is not accredited places its students and graduates in a dilemma as the one we are discussing. Again, it is rather unfortunate that UPS misrepresented this in their press statement that SMC is accredited by ACBSP.

It sounded so bizarre that a public university in Ghana could resort to pettiness and insinuations in response to a genuine quest for academic excellence by well-meaning academics. Again it is a fact that SMC is not accredited in Switzerland by the nations recognized board for accreditation, and it is not accredited by ACBSP (by their own admission). Perhaps even more troubling is the duration of the doctorate program, which is typically one year (not 4. 79 years falsely reported by UPS).

A typical case in point with regard to individuals with doubtful credentials is the current Pro-Vice Chancellor of the UPS, (Prof.) Abednego Feehi Okoe, who completed a masters degree in Marketing at the University of Ghana on July 25, 2013. By 2015 he held two doctorate degrees: One from SMC and the other from Central University of Nicaragua. In 2016, he was promoted to Associate Professor (by the UPS Council) and also becomes the Pro-Vice Chancellor of UPS.

We are not aware of any serious person in academia who will be jealous of a degree from Central University of Nicaragua and SMC. On the contrary, it is an indictment on our profession and to be quiet is tantamount to connivance and condoning of a dubious scheme that would dilute the substance of the community of scholars that a legitimate Ph.D. Conferral engenders.

While, out of respect for the decorum that should characterize the academic an discourse, we have decided not to join in the degradation ceremony of the UPS (as evidenced in its press statement), we would not countenance any further act involving abusive language, insinuation, and intimidation from any quarters, including that of the UPS. We are not sure any reader of average intelligence will need a torchlight to locate where Ohio University and Georgia Institute Technology are.

We emphasize that if it would take our purported mischief and ignorance to prevent the franchising of poor academic standards on Ghanaian students, particularly students of UPS, so be it. At least, we have not extended our mischief and ignorance to other academics whose credentials are without blemish. If we did the research out of envy because those involved obtained a Ph.D., why should it not be about any other Ph.D. holders in Ghana but those included in the case? In fact, some of the responses sounded childish and painted a sordid picture of the state of academia in UPS.

Perhaps, even more troubling is the promotion process at the University of Professional Studies (UPS) which brings the credibility of the university council into question. Universities are supposed to be power houses of knowledge creation and transmission. The very reason accredited universities all over the world emphasis research as the dominant criteria for promotion. In all disciplines, academic research from university teachers and researchers are supposed to be published in journals that are recognized by scholars within a discipline. Conversely, any publication in a journal that is not approved by the scholars within the discipline is considered inferior or worthless.

The normal publication process starts with conception of a clever idea (value addition is extremely important); developing the idea into a serious research product; submitting the draft paper to a recognized journal; waiting many months for the journal editors decision, which is aided by comments from a number of reviewers of the journal; addressing the comments and resubmitting the revised draft; receiving further feedback from the editor; submitting a second revised version; receiving a final decision; and then waiting for it to be published.

In the social sciences, such as economics, this entire process could take up to 5 years! It could even be longer if the first draft is rejected by the editor, which normally occurs over 80 percent of the time, and has to be submitted afresh to another journal. This is exactly the reason why it takes quite a bit of time for someone to meet the publication criteria for promotion to say a senior lecturer or professorial rank in a good university.

All credible journals are established by institutions and professional bodies. In recent times, however, tons of fake journals, also called predatory journals, have emerged on the Internet, aimed at extorting money from unsuspecting lecturers and researchers in Africa. These journals are established by individuals who largely have absolutely no knowledge of the fields of research purported by the journals. They accept all submissions for publication, provide no or superficial review comments, publish within days or weeks after submission, and charge submission fees ranging from US$80 to US$2000 and upward.

The consequences of this is far reaching if a university accepts such garbage for promotion. An individual who is only qualified as a lecturer (as per his/her research experience) could be carrying a senior lecturer or professorial title. With such a title, the taxpayers has to reward that individual with a higher salary and allowances. Next, he/she may end up designing and teaching upper level courses to students, who upon graduation could become lecturers too.

This obviously creates a vicious cycle of knowledge poverty or deficit. Furthermore, the inferior research published in a predatory journal may wrongly inform policies within the country and the continent. Finally, since the international community cannot be fooled, our universities may retain low rankings and fail to attract foreign students and research collaboration from their Western counterparts.

The UPS, which is supposed to be a public institution, has set the bar too low on many fronts denting the reputation of other good standing public universities in Ghana. Besides allowing its staff to go online and buy doctorate certificates from Nicaragua for $10,000, lecturers are promoted based on sub-standard publications in predatory journals. There has even been a situation where a journal was setup at UPS (Journal of Business Research), with a masters degree holder who had no knowledge of research as the chief editor, serving her interest and that of her husband.

This stands on the roof of ethical misconduct in academia. According to the UPSs own criteria for promotion, 11 and 18 research articles in refereed journals are required for promotion to the ranks of Associate and full Professors, respectively. We challenge the UPS governing council to respond to this letter with proven evidence of refereed/credible publications of the individuals promoted to such ranks.

We would like to remind the media and the general public that as contenders in this debate, we have furnished the Ministry of Education with our report through the Ghana Embassy in Washington, D.C. We have also made the documents available to the media and the general public. Similarly, the UPS and all the alumni of SMC who are moving from one media house to another to state their position have done so. We were not expecting those affected by the report to have acted differently to our findings, as ours was not a hallelujah chorus in celebrating them.

As a matter of fact none of usthe authors of the report, the SMC, the alumni of the SMC, and the NABcan be judges in our own arguments. In our report, we highlighted the conflict of interest position of Professor Paul Buatsi, who concurrently served as a representative of the SMC and at the same time a board member of NAB. We are also aware that after receiving the questionable degrees from the SMC, graduates were made academic auditors for the NAB (e.g., Goski Alabi, the wife of the Vice-Chancellor of UPS, who served in the past as an academic auditor for the NAB). For these reasons, we are not really expecting any meaningful interventions from the NAB at this time. We are patiently waiting for the Ministry of Education and its Minister to study the report, conduct its own investigations, and state its policy position.

While we await the Minister of Education and the Education Ministry to respond to the findings in our report and to determine the way forward, we believe that individuals and institutions who have been identified in the report have an image to protect. Thus, whoever (both individuals and institutions) feels maligned by our report can head to court to seek legal redress under our constitutional provisions.

For now, we would like the Students Representative Councils (SRCs) on Ghanaian university campuses, including the Ghana National Union of Students (NUGS), to independently take up this issue, examine the cases presented carefully, draw their own conclusions, and come up with a position statement on the matter. We also wish to remind the general public and the media that we have identified over 10 institutions and more than 40 individuals in our report.

Our discussion should, therefore, not be solely centered on the SMC and the UPS. Let us examine each case and the evidence provided. This way, our discussions would be more encompassing and focused than focused on only institution stated in the report. It is only by so doing that we can appreciate the magnitude and the scope of the problem. May we express our profound gratitude to the general public for the spirited debate following the release of the report. Let us all come together and save UPS from itself. The future of our children who find themselves in that school are at stake.

It is also heartwarming to learn that the NAB has withdrawn its registration of the SMC and halted any new admissions into its programs. What we make out of this sudden turn of events is that the NAB itself seems to be confused about the actual status of the SMC in Ghana. Based on this new development, there is the urgent need for the evaluation of the course content and the dissertation of the SMC degrees by any of the recognized business schools in GhanaUniversity of Ghana Business School, the University of Cape Coast Business School, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Business Schoolin order to establish if those degrees are equivalent to any descent or legitimate doctoral degrees either from Ghana or overseas. If they fall short, any of local universities can help in the upgrade and re-confer those degrees. Otherwise, their recognition could be withdrawn.

Finally, we urge the Minister of Education to set up a task force to conduct a wholesale cross-examination of qualifications and publications submitted for promotion in our universities. The threat of dubious qualifications and publications in predatory journals and using them for promotion and tenure is alarming. We will be on hand to provide the needed support to the Minister in unravelling the complexities of predatory journals, should the Minister find it necessary to engage our services.

Prosper Yao Tsikata, Ph.D. , Assistant Professor of Communication - Valdosta State University
At least 598 candidates who sat in the 2016 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) had their entire results cancelled, a statement signed by Agnes Teye-Cudjoe, Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, said.

The statement indicated that 1,576 candidates had their subject results cancelled while some 13 candidates who had their entire results cancelled have also been barred from taking any of the Councils examinations for two years mainly for impersonation during the examination.

Even though WAEC said this years performance is a significant improvement over that of 2015, Nana Akufo-Addo has told the chiefs and people of Sefwi ahwiaso on Wednesday that the outcome of the examination is a reflection of the poor performance of the Mahama-led administration.

...That less than half of Senior Secondary school certification examination had the requisite grades for the university is a very, very sad day for the development of our country, he said.

Nana Addo who is touring the Western Region to canvass votes for the 2016 general elections said the situation requires an urgent response by way of a new policy.

Meanwhile, Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, Agnes Teye-Cudjoe has told Pulse.com.gh that with the exception of those candidates who have been barred for two years, candidates whose subject results or entire results have been cancelled can register and rewrite them.

Background

WAEC indicated that a total of 125,065 students obtained A1 to C6 in English Language, which is 53.19%, 59,725 (25.40%) obtained D7-E8 whilst 46,595 (19.82%) had F9.

The statement said for Mathematics, 77,108 (32.83%) obtained A1-C6; 65,007 (27.68%) obtained D7-E8 whilst 89,477 (38.10%) had F9.
Whether its for a medical or social reasons the power of this herb rings strong for many, despite Ghana Police often arresting and charging people for using it.

Here are some of the more unusual ways we have heard of it being used.

In a soup

On Tuesday August 9, The Ghanaian Times reported on a dawn swoop by the Ashaiman Divisional Police Command which led to the arrest of a couple accused of using cannabis (wee) in the preparation of light soup in their chop bar.

According to a Ghanaian Times report the couple who operate a drinking spot at New York in the Kpone Katamanso District were arrested for allegedly selling narcotic drugs to the public.

Their soup which is sold at the spot is popularly called nkrampi or light sanja (wee light soup)" in the community.

This arrest comes a few months after the Police discovered that substances suspected to be Indian hemp are used in the preparation of toffees.

The police said they found pots of soup, four compressed slabs and 112 wrappers and quantities of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, 69 pieces of toffees and a bottle of drink all believed to have been prepared with narcotic drugs.

In alcohol

This potent mix has made headlines here, and been condemned by communities and experts.

The drug is mixed with alcohol, and in areas around Tema the drink is known as "Shocker", "Amen" in Osu, and "Wengeze" in Adabraka. In East Legon, the drink is termed "Atemuda".

Pulse reporter Europa Taylor has seen people causing havoc in her community, after apparently ingesting the concoction. Mixing alcohol and marijuana can also cause paranoia, which makes people make flawed or even fatal choices. Alcohol and marijuana are both depressants, which work by slowing down the central nervous system, Psychology Today has said.

As a sweet

Watch out if someone you might not trust offers you a sweet. This is a known way some people will get high. There have been news stories over the past few years of people being arrested for selling marijuana-laced sweets. In September 2015, a drinking bar operator allegedly sold toffees suspected to be laced with cannabis in Kumasi.

Also last year, police in the Eastern Region arrested a woman accused of selling candy made of weed to children in the community. She was accused of being part of a gang which proceseed weed into different products such as cakes and toffees and selling it. Police had said it was a new way for drug dealers to sell in a bid not to be caught.

With eggs

There are rumours every now and then of people starting their days with some nutritious eggs, with a side of weed  apparently they will sprinkle the drug over their eggs. Pairing marijuana with food is not uncommon, as we have seen with the couple allegedly selling it in a soup.

In hair

Hemp is a popular product for a lot of health products, from oil to body lotions, It is also used in clothing as a natural fibre. Here in Ghana it is gaining popularity for women's hair. Considered a natural product, hemp is a part of the cannabis plant. According to Ghana beauty company We Naturals, which uses it in some of their products, hemp oil is rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. It is made from the Cannabis sativa plant but has no psychoactive properties. Hemp in products is generally legal in many countries in the world.

The oil contains essential fatty acids which tend to greatly improve the hair condition and contribute to keratin formation, thus making the hair healthier and stronger, We Naturals says on its website. It moisturizes the scalp and hair, stimulates hair growth and strengthens hair to prevent breakage.
GLICO HEALTHCARE was internationally acknowledged by the President of Business Initiative Directions (BID), at an event held at the InterContinental Frankfurt Convention Hall in Germany.

READ ALSO:

BID has over the last 30 years been committed to recognizing, educating and spreading quality culture around the world by encouraging businesses with the presentation of awards so as to continue observing quality standards.

Receiving the award on behalf of GLICO HEALTHCARE, Madam Harriet Tenge, Scheme Manager of GLICO HEALTHCARE, expressed her appreciation, saying that: it is indeed a mark of honour and encouragement which has come to urge us on in our unrelenting efforts in delivering satisfactory services to our customers.

She further stated that, by receiving the 2016 International Arch of Europe Award, GLICO HEALTHCARE will continue to make total quality management a core focus in business strategy to ensure persistent improvement in all work processes in order to maintain the leadership in its sector and community.

Ms. Maame Akua Afriyie Boachie, the Business Development Manager of GLICO HEALTHCARE who stood tall beside the Scheme Manager to pick up the reputable award, could not hide her excitement and gratitude. She also remarked that, this award is a clear indication of the impact of our innovative and unique health insurance products and unparalleled customer services that we deliver to delight our customers.

The Arch of Europe Award seeks to recognize not only the success and excellence of GLICO HEALTHCARE but also to promote efficiency through the implementation of management practices aimed at obtaining results, profitability and increased sales and optimization.

Indeed, by receiving the BID Arch of Europe Award, it signals a clear representation and recognition that GLICO HEALTHCARE follows the path of excellence, promoting the ideals of Social and Business Intelligence as measured by BID.

To this end, the Executive Chairman of GLICO Group Ltd, Dr. Kwame Achampong-Kyei, thanked the Lord for this award articulating with glee that,  it is nice to dream and hold a vision of success; but to see that dream materialize and acknowledged internationally is heartwarming and gratifying.
According to a report by Accra based radio station, LiveFM, the body of the deceased was found lying on the highway by a police team that was patrolling the area.

The news of her death broke on Monday evening when her parents confirmed an unidentified body at the morgue as that of the model.

She was last spotted at the Bedouin club in Kasoa before she went missing in the company of a friend.

The police revealed that her death could be as a result of a hit and run but friends of the model who was well known in the Ghanaian fashion industry believes she was brutally murdered by some unknown assailants.
Apaatse made the claim during a TV interview last week that he dated Shatta Michy before Shatta Wale married her. The statement was not well received by fans of Shatta Wale and he came under heavy fans attack.

The rapper came out to explain on Hot93.9fm that his reason for saying that was not to tap into the hype of Shatta Wale or any body else for that matter because he has better songs.

Apaatse who is known for one of the biggest songs the country has ever seen, Wedding Day mentioned that he did the latter song when he was in high school and till date people still enjoy it so why will he come tapping into someone elses hype.

I am very young, at my age, I have released so many hit songs, worked with some international stars and reached the biggest market in the music business  Nigeria, so why will I make a statement to tap into someones hype", Apaatse opined.

He lamented by saying: "I have better songs, most of my songs are timeless hence fans of shatta Wale should know that I (Apaatse) just answered a question that I was asked during an interview, period".

Apaatse claims his newest single is currently the street anthem, so why will he leave that and come look for hype from some other artistes.
He explained that provision was not made for payments of such nature in the 2016 budget.

Members of CLOGSAG have been on strike for the past two weeks, demanding that the government pays them their respective market premium before they return to work

The National Labour Commission (NLC) has described the strike as illegal. They explained that the association did not inform them of their action. The Commission, therefore, asked the striking workers to go back to work.

Addressing the media in Accra on Tuesday, Haruna Iddrisu corroborated the demands of the NLC saying negotiations cannot be done when one is on strike. It is not a fair labour practice to be on strike whiles you are negotiating; neither is it fair to be threatened with whether there will be salaries paid or not. Therefore to allow for credibility and respect for the process, we all must come back to the table with clean hands. You must withdraw your strike as you negotiate with the government.

He added that government may disappoint you because the 2016 budget did not contemplate the payment of those related compensation allowances, therefore we should be working into the future and there is room for us to engage further. In January 2017, the government will launch a new market premium policy.
According to the MP, the noise made about his comment was unnecessary as he was only joking.

I said a lot of things on that day, even this one, I was joking, I immediately took my seat after making those commentsyes, I was joking, he told Accra-based Adom FM.

READ ALSO: Gender group demands parliamentary action against Ken Agyapong

The comments did not go down well with some sections of the public, including many civil society organisations and women groups.

The Minister of Gender Children and Social Protection subsequently requested an apology from Mr. Kennedy Agyepong on behalf of the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission.

But Kennedy Agyapong believes the Gender Minister should be blamed what he calls the unnecessary reaction to his comment.

There is an element of hypocrisy in this country. Nana Oye Lithur was organising and paying persons GHC20 to go and demonstrate against me because I have made comments against Charlotte Osei, he said.
He explained that the duty of the minister of the gospel does not entail telling their congregation which presidential and parliamentary candidates to vote for.

He was quick to add that the ministers were allowed to educate their congregations on issues that will help them make informed choices.

Rev. Dr Adu-Gyamfi, who is also the President of the Ghana Baptist Convention, said this when he addressed the Ministers Conference of the Ghana Baptist Convention and the 28th Annual Refresher Course, Retreat and Business at Ejura in the Ashanti Region.

He also urged politicians to only make promises they can fulfil. He said they didnt need to make outrageous promises they knew were unattainable.

he quizzed.
The media across the world, particularly in Ghana, is, in terms of ownership and leadership, heavily gender-biased against women  he told Accra-based Class FM.

According to Sarpong, this affects the kinds of issues that are selected as news for the papers and bulletins. While men favoured conflict and drama, women leaned towards development, education, health, sanitation issues.

The concern that the commission has is that once this generally may explain the phenomenon, it does not entirely excuse the mediaevery media house has a certain degree of choice in determining who to source content and news from and how to handle questions of selection.

He thus called on the media in Ghana to make a conscious effort to address the imbalance.

A study of over 500 media organisations worldwide by the International Womens Media Foundation in 2011 found that men occupied 70 percent of management positions.
The man, Thomas Aboagye Acheampong was arrested Monday, July 25, 2016, at Halifax Stanfield International Airport after arriving on an Air Canada flight from London, localxpress.ca reports.

Acheampong told a Canada Border Services Agency officer he intended to visit for 17 days but was inconsistent with his answers when asked for further details.

The border officer, during a second examination, found three videos on Acheampongs cellphone showing children having sex with one another.

The six children in the videos appeared to range in age from five to 13, Crown attorney Perry Borden told Dartmouth provincial court.

Acheampong subsequently pleaded guilty to a Criminal Code charge of possessing electronic media depicting the sexual exploitation of children and a Customs Act charge of smuggling prohibited goods.

He has since been sentenced to eight months in jail on each count, with the time to be served concurrently.

The judge, Timothy Gabriel told the offender that If it wasnt for people like you, sir, who possesses this kind of material, there would be no incentive for the monsters doing this to the children...And youre bringing it into Canada!

Let me be very direct. If youre the type of person who doesnt care that children are treated this way that is prepared to contribute to the perpetualization of an industry that treats children this way, youre not the type of person we want in Canada in any event.

The judge has also directed Acheampong to provide a DNA sample for a national databank and register as a sex offender for 10 years.
The NDC propaganda that the vice presidential candidate of the NPP Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, was verified at his residence during the recent voter exhibition exercise, has been shot down by the Electoral Commission.

GHANA IN WRONG DIRECTION  SAYS CDD SURVEY

The recent survey of the Centre for Democratic Development has revealed that the majority of Ghanaians believe the country is heading in a wrong direction.

DONT USE HONORARY DOCTORATE TITLE, IT IS WRONG  NAB

The National Accreditation Board (NAB) has asked persons who have been confronted with honorary doctorate degrees to desist from using the title Dr, since it is wrong to do so.

GHANA TO WEAN ITSELF FROM GAS SUPPLY FROM NIGERIA
Pe Adams Kwarase whose role is being disputed is alleged to have barred party members in his community from taking part in the election. But the three executives flouted the order by the chief and got themselves banished.

Speaking to Accra-based Starr FM Chairman of the Tigakuri Polling Station Mohammed Akwari said Akwari left behind two wives and eight children.

Chairman for the Tazika Polling Station, Clement Abazang also left behind two old women, a father, a wife and children. He said the chief argued that we as executives should have stopped people from voting and that we failed to ensure that his command was followed.

READ ALSO: Mahama joins Chiefs and people of Mepe to celebrate 62nd Afenorto festival

The three say they have been wandering in Paga doing menial jobs so they send money to their families back home through other people.

The banished three are not the first to experience this. The chief banished three people from the community in 2014 for associating themselves with Paga.

Sources say that a long-standing misunderstanding between the Paga Traditional Council and the chief is the reason for the eviction of all these people.

After he was installed chief, Pe Adams Kwarase is alleged to have sought to declare his area independent from Paga. He also around that period allegedly pronounced his area as no longer part of the Kassena-Nankana West District but rather a divisional domain under the Navrongo Traditional Area in the next-door Kassena-Nankana Municipality.

The banished executives said the chief had warned his subordinates not to engage in any civic business with the district and the constituency.

But the chief described the allegations as untrue linking them to the conflict between him and the Paga Traditional Council.

In a related development, the police say they are investigating a complaint from two people claiming to be banished from the area by the chief.

The Kassena-Nankana West District Police Commander, DSP Isaac Kojo Forson, said actually, thats the allegation they are making, and we are also investigating. At the end of the day, we would know whether its true or not.
The Election Situation rooms will serve as conflict mediation platforms and as coordinating centres for field observation of the elections by civic society and other international election observers.

Senior Research Fellow at IDEG, Kwesi Jonah said the Election situation rooms, which was first experimented in 2008, is part of activities to complement the work of the Electoral Commission and ensure peaceful and credible polls this year.

He said IDEG will be training coordinators to enable them to collect information meticulously.

We are using new guidelines on how to gather the information and how to send information to Accra and how to link up with very important agencies that are connected to the election process, Kwesi Jonah said.

Many have equated the Election Situation rooms with the Strong room of the EC, which collates results.

But Kwesi Jonah said the Election Situation rooms have nothing to do with election results.
The rest have been calling on electorates to vote for them without setting out a clear path they intend to send the country when elected. The IEAs evening encounter with some candidates has been the only chance electorates have had to know the plans of those who seek to govern.

The reason could be because of a fear of copycatting among the parties.

The latest in this years elections has been plagiarism by supporters of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC). It involves a campaign video by the main opposition; New Patriotic Party (NPP) which has been edited by supporters of the NDC with messages of the presidents achievements.

Although this has not been attributed to the party officially, social media has been awash with criticism for this sort of behaviour with some comparing it to Melania Trumps plagiarised speech of Michelle Obama.

This is not the first time, the NDC (in particular) has been accused stealing ideas from other parties.

READ MORE

Key examples of copying

Unfortunately, many of the key examples are not in favour of the government.

1. In 2008, the campaign slogan of the Convention Peoples Party (then led by Dr Nduom), was Yeresesamu translates as we are changing. The NDC (then in office) also adopted it as its slogan leaving Dr Nduom to accuse the party of stealing.

2. In 2012, while the NPP proposed free senior high school education for all, President Mahama argued against a blanket implementation. On the contrary, he promised to build 200 community day schools towards making secondary school education 'progressively free'. Mahama in 2014, in an address to Parliament, announced that his government would be making education free for senior high school students. The NPP has accused the government of bad mouthing the policy for votes only to steal it when they assumed office.

3. In 2015, journalist turned politician, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (NPP) threatened to sue Moses Karma; an NDC parliamentary candidate aspirant, after his campaign team to unusual inspiration from the campaign photo of Nkrumah. It was very apparent that Karmas campaign team had simply replace Nkrumahs head with his, changed the party colours and passed it off as theirs.

4. The governments message has been that it is Changing Lives, Transforming Ghana. It increasingly looks like this would be the partys slogan in this years elections; except that it sounds too familiar. The title of the NPPs manifesto document in the last election was; Transforming Lives, Transforming Ghana.

5. The NPP have also been accused of stealing 1 district, 1 factory idea from a lesser known politician who has previously run for president. In June, Kofi Akpaloo, flagbearer of the Independent Peoples Party (IPP) of stealing an idea he had already proposed ahead of his return bid for the presidency.

The two main parties have already given indication that their campaign messages are ready. Although the NDC is launching its campaign on Sunday August 13, it is not releasing its manifesto. The NPP have also not given any indication of when it is outdooring its.
Addressing some Muslim youth in Koforidua in the Eastern region, the Member of Parliament said the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition has a long history of discriminating against Muslims when they are in power and will repeat it if Nana Addo gets the nod.

They are accusing several Muslims of not being Ghanaians. In 2000, they claimed that over 631 Muslims were not Ghanaians in Adeisu. Today, that same person is in the Zongos trying to convince you and telling you things. The NPP that is talking to you today cannot be trusted. If you give them the chance to come to power again, they will do the same things to you, Alhaji Collins Dauda said.

He believes Muslims across the country should never entertain the NPP and its flag bearer.

"The NPP looked into my face and told me that because I am Morsi, I am not a Ghanaian and they challenge me to go to court until the court cleared me. These are the people we are talking about. My brothers and sisters, must you entertain someone who has hurt and deprived you in the past? These UP people are not people that the NDC and Muslims must listen to and trust, he stated.

The Local Government and Rural Development Minister added: The battle is between the NPP and the NDC in this elections. Everyone must learn about their history so they can be guided into the future. Some speakers here have already spoken about the Alliance Compliance order and all those things.

When they were sacking people under the Alliance Compliance Order it was a difficult issue. Many prominent Muslims in Koforidua were sacked and made to go away without their properties. My father was a prominent and wealthy man in the Brong Ahafo region too, but Busia ordered for them to go to their hometowns, he said.

Meanwhile, Nana Akufo-Addo in his recent tour of the Central Region cautioned Ghanaians to be wary of what he calls an anti-Moslem propaganda that will be waged against the NPP by appointees and functionaries of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Kofi Portuphy and Johnson Asiedu Nketia visited the trio, who are serving a four month jail sentence at the prison. Among the delegation was the Director of Elections, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.

Background

The jailed Montie three, Alistair Nelson, Godwin Ako Gunn and Salifu Maase alias Mugabe were sentenced to four months in prison by the Supreme Court following contempt proceedings against them.

The contempt proceedings came after the three threatened the lives of Supreme Court judges who sat on the Abu Ramadan and Gary Nimako versus the Electoral Commission case.

A petition book was subsequently opened by pro-government group Research and Advocacy Platform (RAP) to collect signatures of Ghanaians to implore the president to exercise his prerogative of mercy powers to free the three contemnors.

Those who signed the petition included the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hanna Tetteh, Minister of Children, Gender and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, the Minister of Education, Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang and her deputy, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

A counter petition has also been started by the opposition Progressive Peoples Party to urge the president not to pardon the trio.
Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected!
Today, Wednesday August 10, 2016, Ibinabo Fiberesima shared a photo of herself which had a quite revealing caption written on it.

ALSO READ: Ibinabo Fiberesima becomes woman rights activist?

"I'm that woman who is always there for people when they need a friend. I'm also that woman who faces many issues alone, but will still do anything to see someone else smile" read the caption.

This year has been trying for the ex-president of the AGN. In March 2015, a Lagos High Court dismissed the actress' appeal of her 5 year jail term.

Fiberesima had been sentenced to five years imprisonment by Justice Deborah Oluwayemi presiding over a Lagos High Court for reckless driving, resulting in the death of a hospital staff of a Lagos State hospital Giwa Suraj in 2006.

After a few weeks at Kirikiri prison, the Appeal court in said it was granting the actress N2million bailpending the determination of a suit filed by her at the Supreme court.

ALSO READ:Ibinabo Fiberesima shares photo of her footballer son

During her time in prison it was reportedly said that she fell ill and a tumour was reportedly removed from her breast.
Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected!
It was gathered that the 27-year-old Adamu who was arraigned on a one count charge of assault, stabbed the victim on the stomach on July 29, 2016, at Ajido Bus Stop in the Badagry area, following the argument that erupted between them when Adams gave the conductor a defaced N100 note as his bus fare.

The prosecuting police officer, Inspector Innocent Uko, told the court:

The complainant who was a passenger in the bus, gave the accused a defaced N100 note as his transport fare and this resulted into an argument.

In the middle of it, the accused carried a bottle, broke it and stabbed the complainant on his stomach," he said.

Inspector Uko said the offence contravened Section 171 of Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

When the charge was read to him, Adamu pleaded not guilty and his counsel, Joseph Awuwu, pleaded with the court to grant him bail to the accused in liberal terms, promising that his client would not skip bail and would attend further court hearings.
According to the police prosecutor, Lucky Ihiehie, Okoro who is standing trial on a three-count bordering on indecent treatment, attempt to commit murder and assault, committed the alleged offences sometime in June and again in August, this year.

The complainant who is the girl's stepmother, told the police that Okoro, a furniture maker, had sometime in June, used a dog chain to tie the girl to a ceiling fan and left her there.

The accused tied the daughter to the ceiling because she failed to submit his lotto number to an agent. The indecent assault on the girl was reported by the stepmother, to the Ketu Police Station.

Maria told the police that on August 8 at about 8:00 p.m, Okoro called his daughter to bring her report sheet. When he saw that she failed, he indecently punished her. He told her to lie down and he put the dry in her eyes and all over her body.

Her screams alerted the stepmother who tried to stop him but he beat her up, Ihiehie said.

The offences, according to Ihiehie, contravenes sections 135, 228(1) and 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The disgusting act came to public light when a video of the dehumanizing scene was posted on the social media where the girl was stripped naked and flogged severely on the allegations that she had brought home one of her lovers to have sex with her.

But when Nigerians rose in their numbers to condemn the act, higher authourities including the including the lawmaker representing Onicha, Ohaozara and Ivo Federal Constituency, Hon. Linus Abaa Okorie, who took up the case and vowed to unravel the brains behind such a dastardly act.

Further investigations later unveiled that the girl was actually innocent of the crimes she was accused of, as the man in question was not her father but Odi, who had ordered his brother, Enekwachi Ene Odi, and his police orderlies to deal with the girl because she refused to sleep with him.
Also Read: "Double Tragedy: Police kill man on his way to sister's burial"

Another of such questions were raised with the alleged killing of a 27-year-old young man identified as Iyke Ogbonnaya, by the police on Sunday, August 7, 2016, at about 10am, after he was arrested following a fight that broke out in their area in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.

The victim's brother, Kalu Ogbonnaya, took to his Facebook page to bemoan the fate that befell his family with the killing of his brother over what he did not know about.

This is what Kalu wrote:

"My fellow Nigerians, you people should see what the Nigeria police has done to my beloved brother, Iyke ogbonnaya."

Also Read: "Recklessness on Duty: Police kill man during neighbourhood raid"
According to a Facebook user, Annybrown Ahanmisi, the suspect whose name is Damilare but uses jerryboidasaint on his social media accounts, claims to be a graduate of Mechanical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, but lives in Abuja.

On June 29, 2016, Ahanmisi had taken to her Facebook page to issue a warning about the antics of Damilare, saying he is a common thief and a fraudster who stole her sister's phone, gold jewelry and money, urging people to be careful around him.

Damilare allegedly fled to Ghana when the heat was becoming too much for him.

See the post here

But nemesis pursued Damilare to Ghana and his light fingers landed him in hot trouble after he allegedly stole a phone belonging to a lady and was caught in the act.

He was given the jungle beating after he was stripped naked and after he had had enough of the beating, he was handed over to the police.
The warning was contained in a circular sent out from the office of Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.

The circular was titled Plans by Boko Haram terrorists group to attack in FCT and other parts of the country.

It reads:

Information at the disposal of this headquarters strongly point to plans by Boko Haram terrorists group to attack various locations in the country. The targeted areas include but not limited to police stations, prison facilities, schools and market places.

Details show that the terrorist group intend to target police stations and formations in Abuja, Kano and Imo states. Similarly, schools that are being re-opened in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states are also at risks, in the light of the wide ranging plot by the group to cause large-scale destruction.

In view of the above, I am directed to inform you of this imminent threat and respectfully request that you take all necessary proactive measure to prevent Boko Haram terrorists from carrying out these heinous acts.

Fresh concerns about Boko Harams capacity arose recently due to the naming of a new leader by the Islamic State (ISIS).

ALSO READ: Shekau vows to fight on in new video

ISIS ejected eccentric leader, Abubakar Shekau and replaced him with Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, a former spokesman for the Nigerian sect.
They (Boko Haram refugees) will soon start showing up on the Mediterraneans shores, the report quoted a source close to Nigerias National Intelligence Agency as saying.

Some of these people are trained suicide bombers and fighters, including children as young as 10. They have all been indoctrinated by Boko Haram and they could soon turn up in Europes capitals, the source added.

The report adds that human traffickers from Boko Haram are transporting girls and young men across the Sahara Desert into Libya.

Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has warned that trafficking of Nigerian women from Libya to Italy is reaching crisis levels.

According to the IOM, about 3,600 Nigerian women arrived by boat into Italy in the first half of 2016 and more than 80% of that number will be trafficked into prostitution in Italy and across Europe.

ALSO READ: Why ISIS removed Shekau

The recent activities of Boko Haram have been attracting global attention following the naming of a new leader for the sect by the Islamic State (ISIS).
The lawmaker made the comments via a statement released on Tuesday, August 9, 2016.

The statement reads:

The only reason why they wanted me out is my independent-mindedness, resistance to corruption and my refusal to play ball on the gross abuse of office they institutionalised in the house.

They simply want to have someone that can do their corrupt bidding. Now that I have exposed the fact that speaker Dogara and the three others are the padders, padding is no longer an offence, Shame! Shame!! and shame!!!.

Let me also state that contrary to some myopic opinion that it would affect the institution of the house, it will rather free the institution of the grip of these corrupt vested interests, restore its integrity and shape it to become a pride to Nigerians home and abroad.

While speaker Dogara and the other 12 corrupt members are running from pillar to post trying to redefine padding, avoid the anti-corruption agencies, looking for cover or soft landing, I have held several meetings with the agencies, provided useful documents and vital information. They obviously have so much to hide, so much to fear.

ALSO READ: EFCC grills Jibrin over allegations against Dogara

Dogara said earlier that he wont vacate his office because budget padding is not a crime.
Jibrin was invited by the anti-graft agency over a petition which he submitted.

The former chairman accused the House Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers of the Green Chambers of budget padding.

The source also told Punch that Jibrin came to our office to honour an invitation. His petition was voluminous and we needed clarification. He submitted more documents before leaving. We told him that we could call him again at any time.

Based on the allegations and documents he submitted, we will invite other lawmakers, especially Dogara, and members of the appropriations committee.

Jibrin also called for a thorough probe into his allegations of budget padding by Dogara and other principal officers of the House.

He said Now that I have exposed the fact that Speaker Dogara and the three others have padded the budget, padding is no longer an offence. Shame!

There is massive individual and institutional corruption in the House of Representatives. All Nigerians have a responsibility to avail themselves of this rare opportunity to flush out corruption in the House.

Meanwhile, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na'Abba, has called for proper investigation of the role played by officials in the executive arm in the current budget padding controversy.
Yesufu who spoke exclusively with Pulse correspondent in Abuja lauded the efforts of the Nigerian Army in northeast but stated that a lot more still needs to be done by the federal government.

She lamented the information gap between the government and Nigerians.

"Our sisters are there in Sambisa, they are waiting for this nation to rescue them and up till now they haven't," she said.

"I don't think government is doing enough. A lot has been done in the fight against insurgency but there is a whole lot that needs to be done that is not being done.

", you remember was found, she is one of our 219 Chibok girls and that is how we have 218 in captivity and what are the informations she brought. How has the federal government used the information she provided?

"Lots of people keep asking why we have continued to gather everyday. I always ask them; 'If your daughter was abducted will pack your things and go home and give up on that?' So why do they feel that we should give up on our Chibok girls? is it because we have not carried them in our wombs, because they are poor, is it because they dare to be educated or is it because they are Nigerians.

"Basically, that is the problem with us as a nation we always feel we want to move on from certain things, we can't move on from certain things until we see it through to the end and learn lessons from that.

"Our efforts won't end until all our 218 girls are accounted for, all abductees are rescued and we have an end to the insurgency," she said.
The group made the called at peaceful protest to the Nigeria Police Headquarters in Abuja.

President of the group, Bishop Musa Fomson expressed worry that hoodlums may take advantage of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) massive protest to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

"Any further agitation that anyone has should now be addressed by institutions of the state especially in view of the fact that the Commission has presented its report to Kaduna state governor, Mallam .

"Those that have grievances can therefore approach the court to air them even as we recognize that national interest and security will play crucial roles in what the court and even the military decide.

"We have however seen that the IMN as a sect is bent on fomenting trouble with the controversial trek its members are undertaking from Kaduna to the FCT. The trek was preceded and is being backed with demonstrations in several cities of the northern states," he said.

Bishop Fosman charged the Northern Governors Forum to 'arrest' the growth of extremism being promoted by the sect.

Habila Joshak, a deputy inspector general of police who received the protesters stated that the force would act on the group's request.
The theme of the meeting which was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Culture was `` Towards Effective Implementation of the 2016 Budget.

The minister said that the ministry inherited 206 uncompleted road projects across the country, adding that contractors of most of the projects had since been mobilised to site.

According to him, the Federal Government has paid N300 billion for various projects since the budget was passed out of which the ministry received N102 billion.

He added that of the sum received, the ministry had embarked on several road and electricity projects, including the rebuilding of the Mambilla and Zugeru Power Plants, among others.

He, however, said that though the country was going through challenges, the change Nigerians desired was possible, if every one remained focus and determined.

"We are mindful that it is a tough time, but life will get back to normal. We are not a repository of knowledge; so we are willing to hear from you and make amends.

Foshola, however, debunked insinuations that he was saddled with too many responsibilities as a minister of three ministries combined.

He explained that his duty in the ministry was supervisory and directional, adding that the portfolio was not too much for him as was being speculated.

"For me, it is to serve my country in whatever capacity I am told to do so.''

He said that that one of the ministry`s greatest challenges was human-related, adding that some communities went to the extent of forestalling projects with spiritual power.

Speaking also, the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, said that the government inherited 1.2 million public servants and spent N165 billion monthly as salaries.

She added that the government had been able to save N8 billion from the monthly pay roll of public servants due to various strategies introduced to block loopholes.

She maintained that the country`s present economic challenges was not peculiar to Nigeria, adding that the economies of most western countries were built out of their diversity.

"Change can be extremely painful, but we must change.

She further added that to come out of the country`s present economic challenges, there was the need for financial discipline as well as investing in capital to attract private capital investors.

The government, she said, had no choice than to borrow to invest in the country`s infrastructure, adding that this was the only way to create jobs.

"We have a very conservative borrowing programme; we will borrow conservatively so we dont burden the future generation.

"We must borrow, not like in the past when loans were taken to pay salaries; we will this time, borrow to invest and build our infrastructures.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that meeting, which was attended by the Ministers of Agriculture and Rural Development, Power, Works and Housing, Finance, Information and Culture, Budget and National Planning and Foreign Affairs, was the sixth in the series of town hall meetings.

The ministers took time to brief the audience on what the Federal Government was doing in their various ministries to address the country`s challenges and improve the economy.
This is coming after Jonathan debunked the allegation that he is the founder of the Niger Delta militant group.

The RNDA, in a statement sent to Pulse News, titled: How NDA Was Formed, the spokesperson of the group, Cynthia Whyte, insisted that GEJ is the founder of the NDA.

Whyte also alleged that the Niger Delta Avengers was formed to counter the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), after secret talks with Charles Okah failed.

The RNDA spokesperson said the name, Avengers came from the lips of former President Jonathan.

Read the full statement: To cut a long story short, NDA was formed to counter MEND but failed. It therefore did not come to the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA) as a surprise that the Grand Patron of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has distanced himself from the NDA. Like every sponsor, sympathizer and operative earlier mentioned who has equally denied links with the Avengers, we can understand the wisdom behind their decision; as their participation was always meant to be covert.

After a clandestine meeting in Otuoke, Bayelsa state in 2014 between the Grand Patron and several unidentified persons ahead of the Presidential election campaign of 2015, it was agreed that the Okah brothers should be contacted to reach out to the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) to endorse former President Goodluck Jonathan, and work with the group of persons to ensure victory for the PDP and President Jonathan.

At the time, because MEND was the suggested tool, the NDA as a body was not yet formed.

Mr Kingsley Kuku and Mr. Gordon Obuah, SA on Niger Delta and Chief Security Officer to President Jonathan, respectively were selected to visit Charles Okah in Kuje prison. Mr Daniel Alabrah was given the assignment to draft an endorsement statement for Charles Okah to go through and pass on to MEND.

The duo reported back that they had visited Okah in Kuje prison at night with the promise of his release along with others should he cooperate to get MEND to endorse Jonathan.

It therefore came as a shock when MEND did the opposite and endorsed Buhari. Mr. Jonathan was livid with anger and swore that the Okah's would rot in prison.

It was also agreed that a show of force be put up in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state where ex-militants led by Government Ekpemupolo and Kingsley Kuku would threaten war should the electorate vote in Buhari's favour.

It was around that period the idea of forming the Niger Delta Avengers was conceived. In fact the name "Avengers" came from the lips of Goodluck Jonathan.

As election day approached, certain stakeholders were mobilized to form a force to standby and ensure total anarchy in the South-South and South-East within 24 hours if the election results were not favourable to Jonathan. It took everyone by surprise to learn that Mr

Jonathan had conceded defeat even before the final results were released. The standby force who were to attack specific targets were told to stand down. They were all compensated in US dollars cash.

The Niger Delta Avengers was born from the failure at the polls and would now be used as an organ to make the Buhari government ungovernable, bring economic hardship and cause hatred for the administration towards failure at the 2019 general elections.

MEND was aware of this plot through a spy that could not be identified, and the group began its campaign to counter every effort of the NDA and the Biafra agitators to this day. MEND has been a thorn in the flesh because MENDs successful propaganda has caused the split in our ranks today.

If former President Jonathan provokes us further with denials of this revelation, we will reveal more sordid details. The prison authorities in Kuje who witnessed the closed door meeting from the outside can attest to that night visit of November 2014.

The Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA) named Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, former Governor, Godswill Akpabio and Raymond Dokpesi, Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo),the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB),Kingsley Kuku, Kimi Angozi, Patrick Akpobolokemi, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state and a host of others, as sponsors of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

Jonathan also alleged that the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is plotting to assassinate him.
The students denounced membership of different cult groups during an interactive session between heads of tertiary institutions in the state and the Coordinator of Campus Cult Eradication Foundation, an NGO.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the students took turns to denounce their membership of the groups in a meeting that was co-sponsored by the police.

Miss Blessing Ibrahim, a student of Benue Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, who renounced her membership at the meeting, told NAN that she did so owing to the non-beneficial nature of cultism.

Another, Mr Samson Adakachi, also said he was recanting his membership of the group because of its heinous activities.

Adakachi said the devilish activities of his cult gang, ``the vikies" were ``unimaginable".

The ex-cultists said that they were tired of their association with the groups and willingly denounced their membership.

Speaking during the interactive session, Prof. Mathias Nder, Rector, Katsina-Ala College of Education, Katsina-Ala, said cult activities posed serious security challenges to the institution.

Nder said that most lecturers in the school live under threats of physical harassment from cult groups who demanded money in exchange for attacks.

He regretted that most institutions in the state lacked the requisite security to deal with the emerging security threat.

Nder appealed to the State Government to grant approval to schools to include the study of Ethics and Morals in their academic curriculum.

"The increased cases of insecurity in the state is as a result of the collapse in the social values of our society today.

"Therefore, we need to include ethics and moral courses in the academic curriculum since the culture of a people is buried in the people's language.

On his part, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Bashir Makama, assured that the command would provide adequate protection to the ex-cultists and urged them to encourage their old members to also renounce their cult membership.

Makama warned that the command would not fold its arms and watch cult groups unleash terror on innocent citizens.

Earlier in an address, Mr Samuel Ejembi, founder of the Campus Cult Eradication Foundation, described cultism as a "deadly menace that has destroyed lives of many innocent Nigerian citizens".

Ejembi decried the ills of cultism, noting that most of its adherents are initiated without knowing the inherent dangers.

He said the ex-cultists were the best instruments against the evil group in the state; stressing that it is a threat to security in any state.
According to Vanguard, the company's Escravos Tank Farm workers were evacuated at around 4pm on Wednesday, August 10, when the protest worsened.

An Aero plane just landed like 40 minutes back to continue evacuation of top staff from the tank farm. This is in addition to other staff, earlier evacuated with the choppers. But junior staff is not going in or out company because of the tense situation, the newspaper quoted a security staff of the company as saying.

The aggrieved villagers, who are protesting the alleged neglect and discrimination by the multinational oil conglomerate, were said to have occupied the company's premises, saying they will not vacate the place until their demands are addressed.

ALSO READ: NNPC loses over N26bn in June, blames Niger Delta Avengers
The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) said it would leave no stone unturned to resolve the impasse between drivers and their employer.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the drivers on Tuesday downed tools to protest alleged delayed salary payment and unfavourable conditions of service.

The scheme, which provides bus services on a dedicated corridor or lane, is being operated by Primero Transport Services Limited.

Mr Iyiola Adegboye, LAMATAs Acting Managing Director, who addressed the protesting drivers, said the agency was concerned about the possible impact of the strike on commuters.

"What we have done is to speak to the busmen and we have assured them that the state government is ready to listen to their demands, he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after addressing workers.

"We have invited their representatives for a meeting at which we would discuss the issues, look into their grievances and then see how we will address them.

"But we have asked them to go back to the road and we believe that they will comply with that, he said.

Adegboye appealed to stranded commuters, especially residents of Ikorodu, asking them to bear with the government.

"What has happened is not something that was not expected.

"We appreciate the fact that they are going through a lot of pressure now but we want to ask that they should please bear with us.
The inmates broke out of their cells on Tuesday, August 9, 2016, and scaled the prison fence, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The inmates carefully opened their cells and scaled the perimeter fence of the prisons, a prison source told NAN.

Before prison officials on night duty knew what was happening, about 15 inmates had escaped.

The jailbreak has also been confirmed by the Controller of the prison, Lawrence Okonkwo who however refused to specify how many prisoners escaped.

Yes there was a jailbreak last night in Nsukka prison but I am not in a position to say how many prisoners escaped, he said according to The Cable.

We are expecting the Enugu state prisons controller, Mr Isaiah Amariri, in Nsukka prison so that we brief him on what happened last night. He will be the one to tell the public the number of inmates that escaped, the re-arrested ones and efforts put in place to arrest those still on the run, he added.

ALSO READ: 5 inmates recaptured after escape from Koton Karfe prison
In all our years of legislative engagement, we have yet to find in the legislative lexicon the word, padding. When the budget is presented before the legislature, the legislature is to consider the budget and pass as it deems fit.

So, what the legislature passes becomes the Appropriation Act upon assent. Therefore, any word which has yet to crystallise in legislative lexicon, you cannot hear us mention it," he said.

Enang said this after appearing before the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership to state the Presidencys stand in the ongoing budget padding scandal rocking the House of Representatives.

He also said We have given explanation on every issue. There is nothing, to our knowledge, like padding of the budget. The budget, as assented to by the President, is the budget passed by the National Assembly and it is being executed.

For now, the party is handling it as a domestic issue; a party issue. All of us have been told not to make public comments because the matter is still under consideration.

We will not want to go into the details so that we will not breach the partys directive or pre-empt the outcome of the partys probe.

Abdulmumin Jibrin accused the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers of padding the 2016 budget.
The minister who was speaking on Tuesday, August 9, at a town hall meeting in Abuja said that the federal government is, however, exercising caution about its borrowing to avoid leaving a heavy debt burden for future generations.

Adeosun said: We have a very conservative borrowing programme, and we must borrow; because to do rail  the rail that we have now was done in the colonial era  there has been really significant upgrade.

We have urgently to do rail to enable agriculture and solid minerals to be competitive, so I really dont see that there is any option than to borrow.

We will borrow sustainably; we would borrow conservatively to make sure that we dont burden future generation.

She noted that unlike in the past, the federal government will not borrow to fund recurrent expenditure, instead its focus is on developing infrastructure.

The difference is, weve been borrowing in the past to pay salaries; now we borrow to invest.

When you borrow to invest, there is an expectation that there will be additional revenue that will service those borrowings.

I think that is the clear difference. I dont think people should be unduly concerned about borrowing; we have to borrow, we have no choice but we will borrow as strictly as possible.

This is why we have approached the World Bank and export credit organisations that provide concessional loans. We are taking concessional loans before going for commercial loans, the minister said.

Adeosun added that the size of the public sector shows that the private sector, which should be the major employer, was not developed.

She said investments in infrastructure have become imperative in order to create an environment for the growth of the private sector.

------------------------------------------------
According to Vanguard, the trunk line conveying crude from Isoko to the Eriemu manifold Urhobo nationality, which belongs to NPDC and Shoreline Resources, was bombed on Wednesday, August 10.

The group had in a statement last night, said the Central Operational Command of the group has approved the commencement of demolition and evacuation of uplands tagged Operation Zero to correct the wrongs that have afflicted on the people of the region for many years.

In the statement signed by its spokesman, self-styled General Aldo Agbalaja, the group warned the Federal Government to stop negotiating with the Ijaw ethnic nationality alone.

Announcing today's the attack on the oil facility, the group said: As a mark of our seriousness and to prove we are people of our words, at about 02.00hours of today; Wednesday, August 10, 2016, operatives of the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate brought down a major trunk delivery line from Isoko to the Eriemu Manifold in Urhobo, belonging to the NPDC/Shoreline Resources.

We would also want to use this medium to give a very strong warning to the operatives of the asset NPDC/Shorelines not to commence repairs pending when they get signals from us, otherwise the inevitable may occur to their personnel, as we have earlier warned them to begin evacuating the uplands.

This is just a glimpse of what is to come, there are several assets already penned down for destruction. This line of action has been made inevitable by an unjust system, which only responds to the violent to the detriment of the peaceful and law abiding.

ALSO READ: RNDA threatens to expose Jonathan's link with Niger Delta Avengers
He stated this in Abuja during a forum tagged 'The Podium', organised by The Kukah Centre in collaboration with the Ford Foundation.

He said: "This is where I'm different. I still insist any government who wants to be taken seriously must have a national minimum wage.

"We must maintain a national minimum wage, look for ways to increase it; that is what I still advocate for.''

Giving an informal account of his stewardship and why he carried out most of his actions, the governor said he stayed true to his activism years by not owing salaries.

"Activism is not synonymous with being progressive. I believe we should all be idealistic and not dismiss the possibility of an ideal society.

"One man's idealism is another man's reality. Wages paid to people is not burden.

"In Edo we increased it to 38 per cent and I'm proud to still pay before the last day of every month,'' Oshiomhole said.

He explained that complaints about salaries from the state were mostly about the 18 months pension arrears he inherited and the inability of local governments to pay their staff.

"We respect the autonomy of the Local Government but we insisted that if they cannot do environmental sanitation, waste management, grading rural roads, cleaning up the market at least you must pay the teachers salaries.

"So I am not responsible for non-payment at that level. Non-payment of wages is a criminal breach in the law of contract.

"You can pay daily, weekly, monthly but not in excess of 30 days, you are breaching the agreement,'' he said.

Oshiomhole said as an activist he was in governance to know the ropes, know how to help people and counter concepts like god-fatherism in politics.

"I have been militant, will remain a militant and retire a militant not with guns. I don't burst pipelines but we must react to sayings like the 'if you can't beat them join them'.''
For today, August 10 2016:

THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER

South West PDP rejects zoning of chairman position to Lagos

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership in the South West yesterday rejected the Mondays zoning of the chairman position of the party to Lagos State by some PDP Governors and leaders of the party.

Army hunts for killers of soldiers in Bayelsa

A manhunt has begun for militants who killed three soldiers attached to the Operation Delta Safe in Bayelsa State on Monday, according to the Nigerian Army. READ MORE

Osinbajo sustains conversation on reparation for slavery

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said yesterday that issues relating to reparations for slavery can only be delayed and not denied.

THE VANGUARD NEWSPAPER

Budget Padding: EFCC grills Jibrin for seven hours

ABUJA  The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, commenced a formal probe into alleged padding of the 2016 federal budget, with the former chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin being grilled for seven hours. READ MORE

Anti-graft war: NPCC to take over prosecution of ex-govs

ABUJA The Federal Government has given the National Prosecution Coordination Committee, NPCC, the nod to take over the trial of high profile public officers, especially former governors, alleged to have looted their state treasuries

CBN sets new limit for sale of foreign exchange cash to BDC

LAGOS  The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday, set a new limit of $30, 000.00 per week for the sale of foreign exchange cash from the Authorised Dealers, ADs to Bureaux de Change, BDCs, just as the Naira depreciated to N350 per dollar.

THE PUNCH NEWSPAPER

Town hall drama: Nigerians tackle Buharis ministers

Nigerians on Tuesday tackled members of President Muhammadu Buharis cabinet about poverty and rot in the country at a dramatic town hall meeting in Abuja.

Jonathan using Avengers to destabilise Buhari govt  MEND

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta says it has been vindicated by the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers allegation that former President Goodluck Jonathan is a grand patron of new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers.

Presidency backs Dogara, says budget not padded

The Presidency on Tuesday said the 2016 budget, which President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law, was not padded. READ MORE

THE NATION NEWSPAPER

Budget padding: EFCC writes Clerk, Perm Sec

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has written the National Assembly Clerk, Mohammed Sani Omolori, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and National Planning over the budget padding scandal, it was learnt yesterday.

Lagos to seize properties used by kidnappers

THE Lagos State Government yesterday warned that it will not hesitate to confiscate houses and hotels used as hideouts for kidnapping and other criminal activities.

Troops swoop on creeks for soldiers killers

The military swung into action yesterday, combing some creeks and waterways in Bayelsa State for the militants who killed three soldiers at a checkpoint near Nembe Jetty on Monday.

THE BUSINESS DAY NEWSPAPER

CBN tightens noose on its lending window

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday barred all authorised dealers from accessing its discount window standing lending facility (SFL) on the settlement date for government securities' auction, in a renewed effort at monitoring and managing banking system liquidity.

Recession creates opportunities to formalise export, mining sectors

The economic recession currently besetting Nigeria provides big opportunities to formalise the export and solid minerals sectors an enable them serve as engines of growth rebound, experts say.

Experts see devaluation gains on Eurobond auction
Directed by Ron Howard and written by David Koepp, the upcoming mystery thriller is based on 2013 novel of the same name by Dan Brown, and is the sequel to "Angels and Demons."

The movie stars Tom Hanks reprising his role as Robert Langdon, alongside Felicity Jones, Omar Sy, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Ben Foster, and Irrfan Khan.

ALSO READ: undefined

About film

Robert Langdon awakens in a hospital room in Florence, Italy, with no memory as to what has transpired over the last few days. He suddenly finds himself, again, the target of a major manhunt. But with the help of Dr. Sienna Brooks, and his knowledge of symbology, Langdon will try to regain his freedom, and lost memories, all whilst solving the most intricate riddle he's ever faced.

ALSO READ: undefined

The franchise launched with "The Da Vinci Code" in 2006 and continued with "Angels and Demons" in 2009.

Filming kicked off on April 27, 2015 in Venice, Italy, and wrapped on July 21, 2015 in Budapest.

In July 2013, Sony set "Inferno" for a December 18, 2015 release, but rescheduled as a result of its clash with "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."
Duke said this in Abuja on Wednesday, August 10, while speaking at a programme organised by the Kukah centre, themed From activism to political power: the challenges of democratic governance in Nigeria.

He criticised the 'change' mantra of the President Muhammad Buhari administration, saying "time will tell".

Duke said: Sadly, politicians in our society are jobbers and padders and apply the word change.

As a member of the PDP or what is left of it, the change they do me one kind. So change is not always necessarily the way to go, as for the change wey we dey so. Only time will tell.

According to him, the confusion for activists who get into political office is between the theories espoused and the reality on ground.
MEND also criticized Jonathan for not properly responding to allegations raised by the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA) on his connection to NDA.

The group made the comment via a statement released by spokesman, Jomo Gbomo on Tuesday, August 9, 2016.

It reads:

MEND cannot hold brief for the RNDA, which pointedly accused Mr. Jonathan of complicity in fueling the ongoing Niger Delta crisis and patronising the NDA, apparently for political reasons.

We are, however, quick to point out the fact that the RNDA has merely vindicated MENDs belief and conviction that the former President and his cronies, who lost the 2015 presidential election, were using the illegal and treasonable NDA platform to destabilise President Buharis government.

Indeed, the problem in the Niger Delta today has nothing to do with the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Far from it! The problem is simply the failure of Mr. Jonathan to address the root issues confronting the region when he was at the helms of affairs.

Even though he was from the impoverished region and had, by his own admission in numerous electioneering campaigns, experienced the utter poverty and abject neglect of the region foisted by successive Nigerian governments and the international oil companies since the discovery of oil in 1958 at Oloibiri (a few metres away from his native Otuoke) in Bayelsa State, Mr. Jonathan disappointingly frittered away the opportunity to rescue his people when the Nigerian Presidency fortuitously landed on his laps, virtually on a platter of gold.

For six whole years, Mr. Jonathan was busy drinking, making merry and generally chasing shadows at the State House. Such a fellow deserves to be ostracised from the assembly of reasonable men; because the Nigerian Presidency might never come back to the Niger Delta region as cheap as it came to Mr. Jonathan; perhaps, in the next 100 years.

Lest we forget, MEND was at the forefront of the armed struggle back in 2006/2007 which forced the then Government of President Olusegun Obasanjo to consider the option of drafting an Ijaw into the mainstream of Nigerian politics.

That was how the perpetually timid and naive Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan became Vice-President and later, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. When he assumed the reins as President, he did the unthinkable; he tracked down perceived MEND leaders and promptly got them imprisoned on a trumped-up charge of attempt to assassinate him.

Up until today, Mr. Jonathan is still suffering from an assassination paranoia complex.

ALSO READ: Goodluck Jonathan denies links with Niger Delta Avengers

Jonathan had accused MEND of plotting to assassinate him while denying claims that he was a sponsor of NDA.

The RNDA is claiming to be a faction of the NDA and also named Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and former Akwa Ibom governor, Godswill Akpabio as sponsors of the latter group.
Agbaje also admitted that the PDP had made mistakes in the past but it would soon be reformed.

The PDP gave way so that Nigerians can test what other parties have in stock. But it is regrettable that party has failed to provide the change promised. Every youth in Nigeria will like to see PDP reformed, and the reformation has started, Agbaje said according to Vanguard.

We accept that mistakes were made in the past in the PDP, especially with our internal democracy. So we have to go back to the position of the founding fathers of our party on internal democracy.

And that means that we have go back to our constitution. That is very important. We have to be more all-inclusive as we have been thus far. It is about bringing people nearer rather than sending them far away from the party. Everybody must feel to be part of this party.

What I bring to the table is that I am not a member of any faction or any tendencies. I am in a position to talk to everybody, to ensure that if you love the PDP, then it is time to come back to the zone.

I will appeal to those who feel very strongly to join us because Nigeria cannot make the progress it deserves without a viable opposition and that PDP is going to provide that opposition as an alternative government and in a responsible manner, he added.

The PDP is currently involved in a leadership crisis due to the refusal of former chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff to vacate the office.
Speaking in an interview with Punch on Tuesday, August 9, the South-West Zonal Chairman of the party, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, said they will meet and choose their preferred candidate before the party's August 17, national convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Mimiko and Fayose were said to have hosted a factional meeting in Akure on Monday to decide on the zoning arrangement of the positions allocated to the south-west - the meeting Ogundipe described as a nullity and non-inclusive.

He said: We wont allow Mimiko and Fayose to impose any national chairman on members of the party from the zone and the country in general.

The Akure meeting is a nullity because they didnt even allow the genuine delegates to have access to the venue of the meeting.

A meeting that was dominated by non-delegates to the national convention, statutory delegates were barred and so on, cannot be said to be in the interest of the party in our zone.

It is sad that even when a court of competent jurisdiction gave a valid judgement that our executive should be in office till 2018, the governors are disregarding it.

We wont go anywhere if we continue to choose the judgement to obey and the one to disregard. We are therefore meeting at Ibadan this week to take a constitutional decision on the issue.

The factional leaders, at the Akure meeting, had zoned the office of the national chairman to Ogun and Lagos states, Ekiti and Ondo states were allocated the office of the national treasurer, while the deputy national publicity secretary slot went to Oyo and Osun states

According to reports, the Independent National Electoral Commission only recognises the Makanjuola-led zonal executive, which was said to have been excluded from the Akure meeting.

Members of the Ogun State executive committee were also said to have been prevented from gaining access to the venue of the meeting.

ALSO READ: Sheriff says BoT peace committee members are part of party's problem
He said President Buhari, if I remember correctly, even said he was going to stop it (sponsoring pilgrimages). So, I am shocked that in 2016, government is still sponsoring people to Jerusalem or Mecca for pilgrimage.

People should spend their hard earned money to promote the advancement of their religion. What government is doing is totally dishonest and a misdirection of national wealth. What if tomorrow, pagan worshippers say they want to go to Haiti? Would government start sponsoring them to go there?

The clergyman also said it is wrong for the government to involve itself in the sponsorship of pilgrims.

Adding that If tomorrow, the Ifa people say they want to start going to Brazil, will the government sponsor them? Or if a sizeable number of Nigerians are becoming Hare Krishna, would we start sponsoring them to go to India? We dont have just two religions in Nigeria.

These are contentious, explosive issues that government should have nothing to do with. Anybody who believes he must go to Jerusalem should talk to God. If God wants you to go, he will give you money. The same goes for anyone who wants to go to Mecca.

80,000 Muslim pilgrims are expected to travel to Saudi-Arabia for the 2016 Hajj.
Speaking in Ibadan, he also disclosed that the university receives about N150 million only from the federal government which was inadequate for effective management.

Olayinka, who spoke on the ongoing strike by the non-teaching staff of the institution, called on the federal government to consider the premier university for special intervention fund to be able to meet its mandate of teaching and research effectively, added that funding the university for research would be of great benefit to the country.

ALSO READ: Varsity shut down over staff protests

He appealed to the government to pay all outstanding shortfalls owed the university to guarantee peace and enhance productivity among staff.

Olayinka acknowledged, with gratitude, the receipt of N422 million shortfall of salary arrears from the federal government for January through April this year.

In his speech, he also appealed to the striking members of staff to return to work.

"The overhead cost that we receive from the federal government in a year for running the institution can barely last us for a month. We need to pay for electricity, diesel, internet bandwidth, pay our external examiners, maintain buildings, fuel official vehicles, among other items of expenditure.'
Demonstrations began popping up in November 2015 in the Oromia region, which surrounds the capital, due to a government plan to expand the boundaries of Addis Ababa.

The region's Oromo people feared their farmland would be seized, and though the authorities soon dropped the urban enlargement project and brutally suppressed the protests, they badly misjudged the anger it triggered.

Protests have since swept other parts of Oromia, and more recently to the northern Amhara region, causing disquiet in the corridors of power of a key US ally and crucial partner in east Africa's fight against terrorism.

"Since it came to power in 1991, the regime has never witnessed such a bad stretch... Ethiopia resembles a plane going through a zone of extreme turbulence," independent Horn of Africa researcher Rene Lafort told AFP.

Despite what he described as the "state of siege" imposed on the Oromia region in recent weeks, the protests have refused to die down, and demonstrators have been challenging government more and more openly.

- Minority rule -

One rally was even held in Addis Ababa on Saturday, a rare event for the seat of power of a nation ruled by a regime considered among the most repressive in Africa.

More than 140 people were killed when security forces put down the original Oromia land protests, shot or tortured to death, according to rights groups.

A fresh crackdown over the weekend led to the deaths of almost 100 more, according to an Amnesty International toll, with live fire used on the crowds.

"This crisis is systemic because it shakes the foundations of the model of government put into place 25 years ago, which is authoritarian and centralised," Lafort explained.

The protesters have different grievances but are united by their disaffection with the country's leaders, who largely hail from the northern Tigray region and represent less than 10 percent of the population.

Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn heads the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), which won all the seats in parliament in elections last year.

Although he comes from the minority Wolayta people, he is surrounded in government by Tigreans, who also dominate the security forces and positions of economic power.

Getachew Metaferia, professor of political science at Morgan State University in the United States, described the state as "controlled by an ethnic minority imposing its will on the majority," a crucial factor in understanding the protests.

More than 60 percent of the country's almost 100 million people are either Amhara or Oromo.

"There is no fundamental discussion with the people, no dialogue... the level of frustration is increasing. I don't think there will be a return back to normal," the professor added.

The country's rulers have cultivated the skyrocketing growth and rapidly improving health outcomes that have changed the face of a nation whose famines weighed on the world's conscience in 1980s.

But their grip on civil liberties has tightened: Ethiopia ranked 142 of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders' press freedom index this year, and social media used to organise rallies is regularly blocked by the authorities.

The use of anti-terror laws to jail opposition critics has also provoked ire, combined with more local issues such as the targeting of Amharan politicians campaigning for a referendum on a district absorbed into Tigrean territory.

- Reclaiming freedoms -

The West has largely avoided direct criticism of the country's rights record because Ethiopia is credited with beating back Al-Qaeda-affiliated Shabaab militants in Somalia, but the protests put its allies in an awkward spot.

"Ethiopia's leaders have lost the vision of Meles. They are showing signs of nervousness and don't place trust in their own people," said one European diplomat on condition of anonymity.

After toppling dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991, Meles Zenawi ruled with an iron fist until he died in 2012, and Hailemariam took over.

More used to its image as an oasis of calm in a troubled region, the government is swift to blame foreign "terrorist groups" for the unrest, usually pointing the finger at neighbouring Eritrea.

Hailemariam last Friday announced a ban on demonstrations which "threaten national unity" and called on police to use all means at their disposal to prevent them.

Merera Gudina, leader of the opposition Oromo People's Congress, said the nebulous movements were not affiliated with traditional political parties and were focused above all on claiming back freedoms the government has long denied.
Campbell reached a plea agreement and admitted to engaging in sexual acts with eight minors, all of whom were orphans living at the Victory Christian Childrens Home in Malawi between 1997 and 2009, U.S. prosecutors said.

"Campbell admitted that he knew that what he was doing was wrong and that he thought nobody would believe the minors if they reported the abuse," they said in a statement.
Below are some of the key facts about the election and referendum in Africa's second-biggest producer of copper, which is a mainstay of its economy.

- There are 6.6 million registered voters in a country with a population of about 15 million.

- Voting starts at 6 am local time (0400 GMT) and ends at 6 pm (1600 GMT).

- Zambians will be voting for the posts of president and a running mate who will be the vice-president, 150 members of parliament, mayors and councillors.

- Voters will also cast a ballot in a referendum on proposed amendments to the Constitution, including changes to the Bill of Rights.

- Lungu, who heads the Patriotic Front party, is a former lawyer. He narrowly beat Hichilema, known locally as "HH", of the United Party for National Development in a vote last year to replace Michael Sata, who died in office in October 2014.

- Forum for Democracy and Development leader Edith Nwakakwi is expected to run a distant third.

- To win, a presidential candidate must garner 50 percent of the valid votes cast plus at least one additional vote.

- If none of the candidates receive the required amount of votes, a re-run for the top-two candidates will be held within 37 days.

- For MPs, mayors and councillors, the candidate with the largest number of votes will be declared to have won.
Moscow is returning to the Middle Eastern weapons market, following its successful air campaign against Daesh (ISIL/ISIS) in Syria. According to Nikolay Kozhanov of Chatham House, Russia is not only benefitting from arms sales, but also bolstering its geopolitical positions in the region.

"The Middle Eastern arms market is not new for Russia. The Soviet Union exported weapons to Algeria, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Sudan and Yemen. But the fall of the USSR led to a drop in Russian arms exports," the academic reveals, adding that in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union the country's military industry was seriously damaged.

Furthermore, in the early 2000s the region turned into a hotbed with Russian traditional clients being dragged into the chaos of war. By 2012 the main Russian arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, had found itself in a rather vulnerable position after losing its the Iraqi and Libyan markets.

"Russian weapon producers made several attempts to enter the arms markets in the Gulf but failed to create long-standing positions as Western rivals successfully defended their existing relationships," Kozhanov underscores.

However, the situation has changed dramatically after Russia stepped in in Syria in response to an official request from Damascus.

"The Syrian war has reinvigorated Russian arms exporters, as their weapons have proved their reliability on the battlefield," Kozhanov stresses.

Indeed, Russia's air campaign against Daesh (ISIS/ISIL) in Syria has become an advertisement for some of the best weapons in its arsenal.

In April it was announced that Amman and Jordan were conducting consultations on acquiring Su-32 (export version of Su-34) fighter-bomber jets, as the Russian anti-terror campaign in Syria raised popularity of these bombers.

In May the Turkish newspaper BirGun reported that Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia are shifting towards Russia as an arms supplier.

"Military cooperation between Russia and Muslim countries, especially in North Africa, is building up. Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria are now facing the threat of jihadist violence and want to enhance their security systems Now, Russia is a global power and Muslim countries facing security threats are now looking for military cooperation with Moscow," the media outlet noted.

It was reported that in 2015 Algeria struck a deal with Russia to buy 12 Su-32 jets as well as Mi-28NE attack helicopters and Il-76MD-90A transportation aircraft. The cost of the contract was about $500-600 million, prompting speculation that the deal is likely to cover Moscow's air campaign expenses in Syria.

Following the inking of the nuclear deal and partial lifting of sanctions on Iran, Tehran and Moscow accelerated their talks regarding the delivery of four S-300 surface-to-air missile system battalions to Iran.

Sergei Chemezov, CEO of Rostec Corporation, said the S-300 delivery to the Middle Eastern country is due to be completed by the end of this year.

"Between 2011 and 2015 the volume of weapons contracts signed between Moscow and Middle Eastern countries increased substantially, and included a Russian return to Egyptian and Iraqi weapons markets that have recently been dominated by the US," Kozhanov points out, highlighting that "Russia signed a $3.5 billion package of agreements with Cairo in 2014, under which Moscow is supposed to sell Egypt MIG-29M/M2 fighter jets, Mi-35M strike helicopters, S-300VM missile complexes and a coastal defense system."

However, according to Kozhanov, Russia's interest is not purely economic.

He explains that arms exports usually mean that importers will need the assistance of their suppliers to service and upgrade their weapons. This creates the preconditions for a more permanent presence in the market.

But that is not all: by gaining the reputation of a reliable military partner and arms supplier, Moscow is likely to boost its geopolitical positions in the Middle East.
General John Nicholson said the offensive in the eastern province of Nangarhar was part of U.S. operations to degrade the capabilities of Islamic State wherever it raised its head, whether in Iraq and Syria or in Afghanistan.

The group, believed to be confined to three or four of the more than 400 districts in Afghanistan, last month claimed responsibility for bombing a demonstration by the Shi'ite Hazara minority in the capital, Kabul, in which at least 80 people were killed.

Nicholson, in New Delhi for talks with the Indian military which has provided training and some arms to Afghanistan, said Afghan forces supported by the United States had just carried out a counter-terrorism operation against Islamic State.

"They killed a number of top leaders of the organisation and upto 300 of their fighters," he told reporters.

"Obviously it's difficult to get an exact count, but what this amounts to is about 25 percent of the organisation at least, and so this represents a severe setback for them."

Islamic State first appeared in Afghanistan at the beginning of 2015, and had about 3,000 fighters at the height of the movement, many of them former members of militant groups such as the Pakistani Taliban and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.

Previously considered a much smaller threat than its bitter enemies the Taliban, the group's bomb attack in Kabul underlined how dangerous it could be, even without holding large tracts of territory.

On Tuesday, another U.S. military official said American soldiers helping Afghan troops fight Islamic State in Nangarhar were forced to abandon equipment and weapons when their position came under fire.

Fighters from the group had circulated photographs of a rocket launcher, grenades, ammunition, identification cards, an encrypted radio and other equipment they said they had seized.
Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg
IowaWORKS will host a Veteran Employment and Resource Fair next week to assist service members, veterans and their dependents in search of new career opportunities.

The event will be Aug. 16 at the National Guard Armory, 3615 N. Brady St., Davenport. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., participants can receive resume assistance. From 1-3 p.m., the Employment and Resource Fair will feature nearly 40 regional employers and 20 resource agencies.

The first-time event is a collaboration between IowaWORKS, HomeBase Iowa, Great River HR Association and the National Guard Family Assistance Center. The event is free to veterans and transitioning military as well as their spouses and adult children.

Jennifer Toenjes, IowaWORK's Disabled Veterans Outreach Program representative, said veterans bring an incredible amount of training and job experience to the workforce. "But it can be difficult to translate these skills and experiences into civilian employment and many times the veteran will be looked over," she said, adding "the military language they are accustom to is so different than that used in the civilian world."

Volunteers will assist veterans in writing a resume or improving their current resume. Job-seekers will be provided with copies to share with employers at the fair. Many employers will be conducting interviews on site or accepting resumes and applications.

Toenjes, a veteran, said the goal "is to connect veterans with employers to have the opportunity for a one-on-one interaction regarding their qualifications and experience."

She said a unique feature of the fair is that it also is open to veterans' dependents. "Sometimes people forget those spouses and adult children of veterans do need jobs too."

In addition, area resource agencies and educators will be on hand to meet with participants.

For more information, call Toenjes at IowaWORKS at 563 445-3200 x43348.
A Lombard, Illinois, man has been charged in Wisconsin in connection with a crash that killed John and Francine Hansen of Moline.

Eugeniu Caraus, 27, has been charged in Grant County with two counts of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle, according to online court records.

The charge is a Class G felony, which carries a possible prison sentence of up to 10 years. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 15, according to online court records.

The crash happened just before 9 a.m. Friday. The Grant County Sheriffs Office said the Hansens were traveling north on Highway 129 near Lancaster, Wisconsin, when a semi-tractor trailer driven by Caraus failed to stop at the intersection.

John, 69, and Francine, 66, were traveling to the family cabin in Cable, Wisconsin. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

John Hansen was a Moline dentist. Their son, Kirk Hansen, joined him in the practice in 2009, and it was renamed Hansen Family Dentistry, according to his obituary. He also was president of the Rock Island District Dental Society.

Francine taught fifth-grade language skills at Denkmann Elementary in Rock Island until the birth of her first child, according to her obituary. She routinely volunteered at the school and the Parent Teacher Association and was an active participant at her church, in King's Daughters and PEO.
Senior-to-be Bailey Hassig, 17, of Davenport, is interested in a career in health sciences.

"I like helping people and making sure they get the right care for their health," said Hassig, a Davenport West High School student.

Hassig's interests got a boost on Wednesday after Genesis Health System donated thousands of dollars' worth of hospital equipment to Davenport West for its Inspire Career Education Academy.

The equipment will be used in the health sciences area and will allow West students to experience a real-life training experience as they work to be CNAs, or certified nursing assistants.

The Inspire academy at West offers students the chance to explore career opportunities, Principal Jenni Weipert said. The academic initiative is to help students find career paths and develop the skills to succeed on the post-secondary level.

It offers internships and degree levels, including the nursing certificate.

The patient equipment will give the students real-life experiences and will be taught by a nurse in a one-semester program.

Once the students graduate high school, they will have clear paths forward, said Jennifer Boyd, West's career technology education specialist.

Teens in grades 7-9 are introduced to the Inspire academy and the opportunities it offers, Boyd said. They can start the program when they are sophomores at West.

The CNA students will not have a problem finding jobs. Davenport-trained CNAs are valuable to Genesis Health System, Nancy Adams, the hospital system's education outreach facilitator, said.

The donation allows Genesis to "plant the seeds of success" in a young workforce who might have future goals to work at Genesis, she said.

Weipert was a CNA several years ago and said the real-life experiences offered in the program will help the students make decisions on their futures.

Hassig, who also works in the office at West and volunteers at a local animal rescue agency, said Inspire academy courses, such as the one for CNA training, make sense. Future costs would be less because the classes are taken at West, and it's much more convenient to do them at the school.

In the meantime, the hospital items, including two "second generation" patient beds, were unloaded from a panel truck and the variety impressed a group of onlookers.

"I've not seen equipment like this since I was at a community college in Texas," John Brosius, a West High computer science teacher, said.
The Rock Island County Sheriff's Department is investigating the death of an inmate at the Rock Island County Jail.

Corrections officers responded at 4:30 p.m. Monday to an inmate with a medical emergency, according to a news release from the sheriff's department.

The inmate, identified as Todd Allen Payne, 46, was taken to Trinity Rock Island where he was pronounced dead.

The incident remains under investigation.

Payne has been in the jail on a $100,000 since late July and was awaiting a preliminary hearing on two counts of criminal sexual assault.

In August 1994, when he was 24-years-old, Payne pleaded guilty but mentally ill to a charge of aggravated criminal sexual assault. He was sentenced to 11 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
A trio of Illinois Republicans urged Wednesday that state lawmakers act in the fall veto session to approve a term limits proposal as well a plan to revamp the way political boundaries are drawn.

Republican candidates Tony McCombie and Dan Swanson, along with Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Moline, encouraged lawmakers to act during a news conference.

McCombie and Swanson are on the ballot this fall. Anderson is not.

The term limits proposal has become a key priority for Gov. Bruce Rauner, who was in the Quad-Cities two weeks ago to push for lawmakers to approve a plan to limit statewide officers to eight years and legislators to 10.

If lawmakers were to approve a term-limits proposal, it would go to the voters in 2018.

On Wednesday, all three Republicans targeted House Speaker Michael Madigan's tenure in office while trying to make the case for passage of the two measures.

The broken system we have in place today lets career politicians hold their place for decades, said McCombie, the mayor of Savanna. She said that long-serving politicians have developed self-serving relationships, adding we need to stop this cycle of corruption."

McCombie is challenging state Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, in the 71st District race. The district encompasses upper Rock Island County, including Moline, as well as parts of Whiteside and Carroll counties.

Swanson, of Alpha, is competing for the open 74th District seat, which is being vacated by the Rep. Don Moffitt, who is retiring. Democrat Bill Butts of Galesburg also is seeking the office. The district includes all or parts of Mercer, Henry, Bureau and Knox counties.

Supporters of the term-limits proposal say that polls show voters favor it, and it's needed to change the culture in Springfield. However, critics say the push now is merely a GOP tool to appeal to voters in the November election  and to tie Democrats to Madigan.

Many lawmakers, including Madigan, dont favor term limits, so its unlikely it will pass.

Smiddy supports the proposal for an independent group to draw political boundaries, but not term limits.

"I dont believe we should be taking the authority away from voters to be able to choose who they want to represent them in Springfield or wherever," he said Tuesday. He added that since a term-limits proposal wouldn't go to the voters for two years, "Im not sure why were talking about this when in the veto session we should be" talking about getting a budget passed.
Around 15 months ago while renovating the Hyatt Hotel in Savannah, Georgia, Jeff Hicks, 55, saw two ships pass by at lunch time.

Eager to know more, the former carpenter and Florida native went to see the boats, eventually becoming a crew member. Since then, and with almost 16,000 miles under his belt, he's never looked back.

Hicks is part of the 12 member crew on board the Pinta and Nina ships of the Columbus Foundation  the only two operational replicas of Christopher Columbus' ships in the world.

The Pinta and Nina sailed into Davenport on Tuesday from Clinton. The replicas will be open to the public Thursday through Aug. 21.

Crew members live on the ships while traveling from different states to exhibit the replicas.

"I've had a great time doing it," said Hicks, who works as a cook and deckhand on the Pinta. "I was laying in bed the other night and I was thinking, I've probably accumulated four life times of vacations."

Hicks, who's been sailing since he was 10, said living and working on the Pinta is a dream come true.

The Nina was built by hand without the use of power tools and is considered to be the most historically correct Columbus replica ever built. The Pinta was built in Brazil, and is a larger version of the archetypal caravel, according to a release.

The ships have a mix of new and experienced crew members. Stephen Sanger has been commanding the Nina for the past five years, and has been a crew member for almost nine years.

"I feel like we're a selected few who get to travel across the country, sharing history, putting smiles on little kids' faces and seeing different cultures," he said. "It's great; it's my third time up here in the Quad-Cities. I feel like I'm almost turning local in these areas."

He said the Pinta and Nina have been travelling around the United States since 2009 and 1992, respectively. This year is the Nina's 25th anniversary.

"Columbus logged in 25,000 miles, whereas our Nina has log in well over 300,000 miles. It's traveled a lot of places, and has logged in a lot of miles. A lot of people around the country has seen the Nina," he said, crediting the Nina's longevity to today's more advanced technology, better resources, and the crew's efforts to maintain the ship.

Before arriving in Davenport, Sanger said, the ships made stops in Minnesota, Wisconsin and some parts of Iowa. Crew members will end their upper Mississippi tour at Hannibal, Missouri, before heading to the Tennessee River this fall.

For Kat Wilson, 22, of Florida, sailing is a rare and fun opportunity because of the tranquility that comes along it. She works as a deckhand on the Nina.

"The sails are filled with air and the ships are bouncing around with little waves and there's nothing around," she said. "You forget about the busy cities and everybody's problems  there's nothing but the power of the wind."

To her, the historical exposure she gets from work is ultimately why she loves her job, adding that the travel is just a "bonus."

Being a crew member also allows a person to gain people skills, Wilson said. She notes that in a single day from morning to evening, more than a thousand visitors can flood the ships.

"If you don't have people skills, you realize you are going to learn them while on board," she said. "And a lot of those people are essentially going to be asking the same questions, but they don't necessarily want the same answer."

Besides getting to share the history behind the ships, Wilson said, she believes crew members also gain knowledge of the people and the cities they visit.

"We're learning about the places that we're traveling to more than just by looking at them," she said. "We're also learning new things every day."
GENESEO, Ill.  Duane W. Ting Dilenbeck, 89, of Geneseo, Illinois, passed away Monday Aug. 8, 2016, surrounded by his family at his home. A funeral service celebrating his life will be 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, at Vandemore Funeral Homes and Crematory, Geneseo. The Rev. Chris Ritter will officiate. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery, Geneseo, where military honors will be accorded by Don Cherry VFW Post 5083. Visitation will be two hours prior to the service from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Geneseo Aisle of Flags.

Duane was born Nov. 30, 1926, in Geneseo, the son of Horace and Mildred (Johnson) Dilenbeck. He graduated from Geneseo High School in 1944 and proudly served in the US Army and spent two years in the Far East Command. He was united in marriage to Beverly A. Bensenberg on March 14, 1953, at Colona Methodist Church. Duane and Beverly were happily married 62 years before she preceded him in death on July 17, 2015. He farmed his entire life in Edford Township on the familys Century farm, which was established in 1893. He loved his farms and raising Angus cattle. He had a large interest in the cattle business.

Duane served on the Geneseo Telephone board as a director, secretary and chairman. Under his direction the Geneseo Communication Charitable Foundation was founded. He retired with 35 years of service in 2004. Duane was a member of First United Methodist Church, the Geneseo Moose Lodge, and a lifetime member of the American Legion.

Survivors include his children, Nancy (Jon) DeDecker of Coal Valley, Karen Dilenbeck of Geneseo, and Denna (Tom) Brophy of Geneseo; and two granddaughters, Andrea DeDecker and Bryann Brophy.

He was preceded in death by his wife; his parents; a brother, Kenneth; and an infant sister.
CEDAR RAPIDS  A day after job-shadowing emergency room personnel at a Waterloo hospital, U.S. Rep. Rod Blum toured a Cedar Rapids community health center he thinks can expand access to affordable health care.

This was really beautiful coming from the emergency room job shadow yesterday, Blum said Tuesday, a day after visiting the ER at Allen Memorial Hospital Monday. This was a great contrast.

The visit to the Eastern Iowa Health Center reinforced for Blum the benefits to patients as well as taxpayers of the community health care center concept.

The first-term Republican who is up for re-election was impressed by the time staff members spent with patients and their emphasis on patient education.

Its front lobe here on how to educate their clientele on how to stay out of the emergency room, care for a newborn, for examples, how to treat chronic conditions, Blum said after an hour-long tour.

Along the way he fist-bumped young patients and discussed the health care centers services with staff members.

The visit, the second Blum has made to Eastern Iowa Health Center, is a way for him to hear from people on both the delivery and receiving ends of the health care services process, Blum staffer John Ferland said. The congressman often hears about issues and legislation from people who are passionate about them.

That was the case Tuesday. Diane Sorenson, a social worker who specializes in working with obstetrics patients, talked to Blum about the cost of diapers. A typical child will use an average of 50 diapers a week before being potty-trained, she said. Its not uncommon to see children whose parents have reused disposable diapers because of the cost.

She encouraged him to support a bill in Congress that would provide diaper assistance funds to families that qualify for day-care assistance.

Are there any Republicans on it? he asked referring to co-sponsors.

There should be, Sorenson replied.

How can you get a job if you cant get day care? Blum said before asking Sorenson for more information about the bill.

Blums tour, which coincided with National Health Center Week observance, is part of the effort to expose members of Congress to the work being done in their districts, said Sarah Dixon, senior director of the Iowa Primary Care Association.

Seeing it means more to them than just hearing about it, said Dixon, who was on hand for the tour. Were able to demonstrate innovations and our specific programs to meet the unique needs of our clientele.

Thats important because of the significant federal investment in community health centers, Dixon said.

CEO Joe Lock said Eastern Iowa Health Center had more than 40,000 patient visits last year, up from 25,000 the previous year. He estimated 98 percent of the patients have incomes ranging from 0 to 200 percent of the federal poverty level and 80 percent are Medicaid-eligible.

Community health centers play a key role in health care delivery, especially from a cost standpoint, Blum said.

We needed to do things to bring costs down, he said after the tour. One of the pieces of the puzzle is to have community health centers for people who cannot afford health care insurance.
After three decades of reading about the Sturgis motorcycle rally, Larry Mackey has finally seen the real thing. The retiree from Fairport Harbor, Ohio, and his wife Lida spent Friday morning walking through Sturgis, visiting motorcycle dealerships and buying souvenir T-shirts.

The couple made their way to town via Rapid City, where Mackey is working for a couple of weeks as visiting pastor at Chapel in the Hills.

When he called the Chapel this spring to ask about available dates for the position, he was hoping to also fulfill a motorcyclist's dream.

He began riding in 1970. In 2001, following a motorcycle accident that broke his right leg, he added a sidecar to his 1989 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide FLHS.

Ive always wanted to come to the rally," Mackey, 68, said. "I was hoping, perhaps, the first or second week of August was open. His distance from Sturgis, coupled with his job as a pastor, always made attending the rally difficult.

The pastor can now claim the mark of being a true motorcyclist. But his three-wheeler had to sit out this trip.
The last remaining personnel from a deployment force of about 300 people were scheduled to leave Tuesday from Ellsworth Air Force Base for Andersen Air Force Base on the island of Guam in the Pacific Ocean.

The deployment force, including some personnel who departed earlier and an undisclosed number of B-1 bombers, will replace B-52s from North Dakotas Minot Air Force Base. Those planes had been conducting operations in support of the U.S. Pacific Commands Continuous Bomber Presence mission in the region.

Since 2004, a rotating presence of bombers in Guam has been designed to enhance regional security and provide reassurance to allies and partners that the United States is capable of defending its national security interests in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

B-1s were last stationed in Guam about 10 years ago and are returning to conduct routine deterrence and training missions.
The winds of blame in South Dakotas immigrant-investor scandal shifted again this week as state government officials formally disputed allegations that they are responsible for wrongdoing by a private contractor.

In a Monday letter and exhibit packet sent to the Administrative Appeals Office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a lawyer for the state of South Dakota argued that the states regional center for handling foreign investments in South Dakota economic development projects should not be terminated.

We trust that these materials, combined with those already on file regarding the Regional Center, will overcome USCIS erroneous, unfair, and unnecessary conclusion that the Regional Center no longer serves the purpose of promoting economic growth, said the letter from Robert Divine, of the Baker Donelson law firm in Chattanooga, Tenn., on behalf of the state.

The USCIS began termination proceedings against South Dakotas regional center in September 2015 because of alleged improprieties, including the diversion of millions of investor dollars away from allowable expenditures. The termination proceedings are now in the appeal stage, and the Monday letter from the states lawyer represented the states formal statement in support of the appeal.

South Dakotas regional center is one of dozens around the country  though most others are not affiliated with state governments  that handle investments from foreigners as part of the federal governments EB-5 program. EB-5 is shorthand for the employment-based, fifth-preference visa, also called a permanent-residency green card, which is awarded to foreigners who invest at least $500,000 in job-creating projects in the United States.

South Dakotas EB-5 regional center has been mired in scandal since the October 2013 death of Richard Benda, the former head of what was then called the Department of Tourism and State Development. Bendas death was ruled a suicide, and it was soon revealed that he had been facing potential prosecution for stealing state grant money intended for a meatpacking project that received EB-5 funding in Aberdeen.

Benda was accused of diverting the grant money as he transitioned from state employment to a job with SDRC Inc., which had a contract with Bendas state office to operate the EB-5 regional center on behalf of the state from 2009 to 2013.

SDRC Inc. is run by Joop Bollen, of Aberdeen. In the states Monday letter, the state attempted to shift blame onto Bollen and SDRC, saying that the state contracted with SDRC, Inc. to responsibly manage the Regional Center. The letter further stated that the improper diversion of funds was attributable only to SDRC, Inc.

Those claims are in contrast to a position taken by USCIS, which said in a written notice last month that the regional center designation in 2004 was granted to the state of South Dakota, and it has always been the states responsibility to ensure monitoring, oversight and due diligence.

USCIS has alleged that SDRC Inc.s mismanagement of the regional center included, among other things, the diversion of at least $1.7 million of investors money to an offshore holding company in Cyprus; the diversion of more than $3 million for unapproved expenses; and the diversion of more than $12 million to initially service debt underwritten by a lending company in the British Virgin Islands and then to buy that same lending company. All of that money should have gone to job-creating economic development projects, USCIS has said.

The state's Monday letter and packet referenced an "Attachment A" prepared by SDRC Inc., but Tony Vehnhuizen, chief of staff to Gov. Dennis Daugaard, declined to send the attachment to the Journal and said the request for the attachment should go to SDRC Inc. The Journal sent a request via email to Bollen and one of his attorneys but did not immediately receive a response.

The appeal of the USCIS attempt to terminate South Dakotas regional center could take six months. Thats the time frame in which the USCIS Administrative Appeals Office attempts to resolve appeals, according to the USCIS website.

Meanwhile, the revelations about the state's EB-5 regional center have spawned several lawsuits, some changes to state laws and policies, and an ongoing state criminal prosecution of Bollen. He is accused of illegally using $1.2 million of EB-5 money for personal gain, including the purchase of ancient artwork, before paying some of the money back.

Across the country, the federal EB-5 program is embroiled in similar scandals. The controversial program is scheduled to expire after Sept. 30 unless it is reauthorized by Congress.
Roxray Adonis was bitten by the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally bug four years ago. The IT professional, from the Chicago suburb of Palatine, Ill., came just to experience one of the motorcycle worlds biggest gatherings.

He and his 2013 Harley-Davidson Street Glide FLHX have shown up at the annual event ever since.

Adonis, 55, kept coming back to soak in downtown Sturgis festive atmosphere, as well as the rallys distinct brand of camaraderie.

People are friendly, he said, it doesnt matter who you are or where youre from. He talked about memorable interactions with foreign rally-goers from New Zealand, Japan and Canada.

A member of Illinois Top Cats motorcycle club, Adonis and his group left South Dakota on Tuesday to continue with their 13-day tour of four states. But you can bet hell be back next rally. Hotel reservations have already been made.
Three Rapid City men have been arrested following a shooting earlier this week that police say stemmed from a drug dispute.

A joint press release from the Rapid City Police Department and the Pennington County Sheriff's Office names 41-year-old Fred Brassfield, 34-year-old Paul Roubideaux and 33-year-old Joshua Wahle as the men arrested. All three are from Rapid City.

The release says the men were arrested on charges stemming from the shooting, which took place some time between 11 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 7, and 2 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 8.

Investigators say the shooting resulted from a dispute over methamphetamine sales in Rapid City; authorities said it is the second meth-related shooting in less than a month in Rapid City.

Brassfield was arrested Tuesday evening in Sioux Falls on charges of aggravated assault, discharge of a firearm at a motor vehicle and first-degree robbery.

Brassfield was identified as the driver of a Nissan Maxima in the 1800 block of Haines Avenue, according to police. He allegedly fired several shots at the occupants of a Pontiac Grand Prix.

No one was hurt in the initial gunfire, but police say Brassfield then assaulted one of the people in the Grand Prix before stealing the car. He left the Grand Prix in an alley and was picked up by the second occupant of the Maxima. Brassfield drove the Maxima from the scene.

Investigators believe the gunshot victim, who was not identified, accidentally shot himself while in the passenger seat of the Maxima, which was again being driven by Brassfield. The victim remains in the hospital in serious but stable condition, according to the release.

Police say they believe Roubideaux and Wahle are connected to the shooting incident. Each has been arrested on one charge of ingestion of a controlled substance, with other charges pending.
A weather phenomenon known as a heat burst caused high winds in the Rapid City area Tuesday night, knocking down power poles and leaving hundreds without power.

About 400 people in the Red Rock Meadows area southwest of Rapid City were without power Wednesday after the storm knocked down 13 power poles along a single row about a mile long, according to Vance Crocker, vice president of operations at Black Hills Energy.

Crocker said the company dispatched crews to the area Tuesday night and continued adding workers from the surrounding area, also enlisting contractors to get the power back on as soon as possible.

Crews hoped to have power restored by Wednesday night.

Meteorologists say the storm's wind speeds could have been as high as 100 mph. The National Weather Service in Rapid City's closest wind report is still a few miles from where the damage occurred, said meteorologist Melissa Smith.

Smith said several of the power poles were snapped, which is indicative of winds over 100 mph, but there is no official measurement to confirm that.

"This was a very localized event, and what we would consider somewhat rare," Crocker said.

Crocker said their equipment is designed to handle the extreme weather of South Dakota.

"Our systems are designed to handle heavy ice and heavy winds on top of that ice," Crocker said in a phone interview Wednesday. "And they're also designed to handle what we call extreme winds. This is a very rare event for us; we do not see things like this, really, outside of a tornado."

Smith said it was not a tornado, but possibly the combination of winds from the southwest moving down the Black Hills.

Matthew Bunkers, science and operations officer with the National Weather Service in Rapid City, said winds in other areas reached 55 miles per hour at their downtown office and up to 62 mph at Rapid City Regional Airport.

Bunkers said a heat burst happens when a thunderstorm or area of thunderstorms decay rapidly. He said the storms will descend from high in the atmosphere  like 30,000 feet  to the ground, and descend rapidly enough to maintain a warm temperature at the surface and bring high winds and dry air.

"We have thunderstorms decay all the time, but you need the right atmospheric conditions for this heat burst to happen," Bunkers said.

Heat bursts commonly occur at night when temperatures have cooled down, and cause a sudden bump in the temperature.

He said they happen across South Dakota a few times each summer. Heat bursts can occur anywhere in the world, but are mostly observed in the Central Plains of the U.S.

One thing that makes the winds so damaging from such storms is the sudden change from relative calm to high wind gusts, Bunkers said.
South Dakota Republicans should get behind their state's party leader, Gov. Dennis Daugaard, and show him some support on Medicaid expansion. It's an issue that shouldn't be polarized into political camps but one that really needs to be addressed on a utilitarian basis.

"Utilitarianism," as a political and economic set of beliefs, boils down to the principle that policies that lead to the greatest good for the greatest number of people should be the ones pursued and implemented by their governments.

Expanding Medicaid fits this definition to a tee, considering that it will add about 50,000 South Dakotans to the Medicaid rolls, taking pressure off of state resources to provide them with health care and give South Dakota medical providers a chance to reduce the losses that accrue from caring for people without insurance.

If Daugaard's opinion and plans cant persuade our legislators to show the governor some support, they might consider Indiana Governor and GOP Vice-Presidential nominee Mike Pence's supportive attitude toward the program, which he adopted in Indiana.

Pence created a plan that provides Medicaid coverage for 350,000 residents who make up to 138 percent of poverty level wages (about $16,000 per year for individuals, $33,000 per year for a family of four). He attached some strings to the program, which is called Healthy Indiana 2.0, that require enrollees to pay into health savings accounts, which may be a tweak worth considering in this conservative state of ours.

The plan's website doesn't provide a table, but touts the premium as an "affordable, monthly contribution ... based on your income." Apparently, its indeed affordable enough. Indiana's 350,000 enrollees amount to nearly 6 percent of the state's population, about the same percentage of S.D.s population that would qualify here.

According to Politico, Pence's program went through despite "upsetting many conservatives who saw the move as betrayal."

No doubt Daugaard, regardless of what method for expansion he promotes, will get similar push back from South Dakota lawmakers. The ideologically hidebound House Majority Leader Brian Gosch, R-Rapid City, told the Sioux Falls Argus Leader last June that a block of elected Republican lawmakers don't support expansion because "they know it's bad for the state and for the country." But like Pence, Daugaard shouldn't be deterred by opposition like that, because (like Pence), our governor understands that the money pouring in for Medicaid expansion does the greatest good for the greatest number of South Dakotans.

I invite Gosch and the other naysayers to examine how Medicaid expansion has worked, even in conservative states like Indiana, then I challenge them to find a way of making it work here.

These intransigent Republicans need to explain why they oppose Medicaid expansion when two of the most conservative governors in the United States found it to be something workable and worthwhile in their respective states. In the meantime, this ideological inflexibility should be considered by voters in November who are just plain sick and tired of reflexive hatred toward a plan that promises to do us some good just because it was spawned by the Obama administration.
Officials in Nebraska and other states stop every once and a while and do a smart thing. They take a hard look at the array of state commissions to see whether all of them are truly necessary. Often, some commissions are disbanded.

It's a sensible idea. Here's another one: States should start scrutinizing the dozens  and in some states, hundreds  of professions that require licensing by government.

A report this year by the White House Council of Economic Advisers rightly calls for action on the issue.

Licensing has stepped beyond justified protections for consumers in many cases and has become a significant barrier to job opportunities, the study says.

There's a striking consensus across the philosophical spectrum about the need for reform of business licensing. In Nebraska, the conservative Platte Institute is emphasizing the issue heading toward the 2017 legislative session.

In Nebraska, 24 percent of workers are in jobs that require licenses, just below the national average. Iowa, at 33 percent, has a higher percentage of jobs requiring licenses than any other state, The World-Herald has reported.

At the same time, trade associations continue to press for even more job categories to come under government approval.

"These requirements can be worth it if they provide real protections for consumers and workers," the White House report says, "but because it limits which workers can enter a field, licensing necessarily excludes people who would work in an occupation if the barriers were lower."

Licensing tends to raise the price of goods and services by 3 percent to 16 percent, the report concludes. "The benefits of licensing therefore need to be balanced against these costs."

One study found that on average, applicants seeking a license need to complete nine months of education or training requirements, pass at least one examination and spend over $200 in fees.

Over the past four decades, the "de-licensing" of an occupation by a state government or court has happened only eight times, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Adding to the problem is the widespread lack of licensing uniformity among the 50 states.

These roadblocks to entering particular occupations can hit certain populations especially hard: Military families. Minority workers. Anyone with a high school diploma only. Immigrants whose training or education was acquired abroad. Men and women paroled from prison.

The point isn't that states should begin tossing out licensing requirements willy-nilly. On the contrary, the scrutiny should be methodical and prudent. Public safety is often involved.

Among worthwhile options recommended for state governments to consider:

Less restrictive alternatives to licensing need to be explored in appropriate cases. One option is registration, in which a worker files basic information with a regulatory agency.

For occupations where licensing is retained, requirements should focus on public health and safety concerns, to minimize burdens.

States should use rigorous cost-benefit analyses, including regular reviews by independent agencies.

It's time for long-needed reform on licensing. States should keep sensible requirements, then adjust the rest to open up new economic opportunity.
Infamous childrens camp fined $3,000 over Karelia lake tragedy

MOSCOW, August 10 (RAPSI)  The Commercial Court of the Republic of Karelia has fined the Park-Hotel Syamozero, where 14 children drowned this summer, 200,000 rubles ($3,000), according to the Online Justice web portal.

The court thus granted a lawsuit lodged by the republican Health Ministry demanding to hold the camp administratively liable. According to court records, the ministrys lawsuit was conditioned by licensing violation committed by the defendant.

Earlier, a case was opened under the Criminal Codes Article Fulfillment of Works or Rendering of Services Which Do Not Meet Safety Standards against the Park-Hotel executive Elena Reshetova, her deputy Vadim Vinogradov, instructors Lyudmila Vasilyeva and Regina Ivanova and Valeriy Krupodershikov.

According to investigators, on June 18 children and instructors of the childrens camp Park-Hotel Syamozero were sailing on a raft and two canoes over the lake Syamozero in Karelia. 47 children were accompanied by 4 adults (Vinogradov, Krupodershchikov, Ivanova and Vasilyeva) who did not take gathering storm into account. Storm made sailing extremely dangerous: a raft with children and two adults washed up near one of the islands while both canoes were capsized, leaving passengers in the open waters.

Only some managed to swim across to the shore. According to the latest data of the Investigative Committee, 14 children drowned. Other children survived and were evacuated.
Russian investigators press for criminalization of inducing children to suicide

MOSCOW, August 10 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul)  Russian investigators consider it is necessary to introduce criminal liability for forcing minors into suicide, official spokesman for the Investigative Committee Vladimir Markin told journalists on Wednesday.

Analysis of the crime situation indicated high suicide rates among children in Russia. In 2015, 685 cases of minors suicide were fixed. Interestingly, children often commit suicide under the influence of information posted on the social media and other Internet resources, Markin said.

According to the Investigative Committee representative, exacerbating the situation is that the problem of childrens suicide receives wide coverage on the Internet as a trend that provokes imitation by minors. It is necessary to negotiate an issue on authorizing a certain government body to monitor suicide content on the Internet, Markin added.
Whatever ones view of law enforcement and military personnel, certainly we can agree that these are highly stressful times for these professions. Therefore it is important to know that a powerful scientifically-validated, cost-effective stress reduction tool is available to police and military, known in military circles as Invincible Defense Technology (IDT). IDT is an innovative application of Transcendental Meditation (TM) that has proven itself effective to reduce stress and high tensions, for individuals as well as for society. See: Results of the National Demonstration Project to Reduce Violent Crime and Improve Governmental Effectiveness in Washington, D.C. Social Indicators Research, 47, 153-201.

The calming IDT influence has been documented in over 300 peer-reviewed research studies. It is effective in a wide variety of high-stress circumstances.

IDT is included in the training program of Brazil's Elite Police force and has been field-tested by militaries worldwide. Its calming societal influence has been validated by 23 peer-reviewed studies carried out in the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Independent scientists and scholars endorse it, based on its continuous record of effectiveness where traditional police and military tactics have failed. The IDT approach has been used during wartime, resulting in reduction of fighting, reduced war deaths and casualties, and improved progress toward resolving the conflict through peaceful means. Its coherence-creating effect has been documented on a global scale in a study published in the Journal of Offender Rehabilitation.

When large assemblies of IDT experts gathered during the years 1983-1985, terrorism-related casualties decreased 72%, international conflict decreased 32%, and overall violence was reduced in nations without government intrusion.

An article published in the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin (pp. 2632, May 2009) entitled Brain Functioning as the Ground for Spiritual Experiences and Ethical Behavior discusses the potential benefits of TM and concludes that the practice of TM technique leads to increased frontal brain integration, faster habituation to stressful stimuli, and higher moral reasoning. TM practice enlivens frontal brainwave coherence. This builds global brain circuits that place individual experiences in a larger framework. As such, TM provides an inner armor to protect police officers from the noxious effects of stress and negative experiences.

In a study conducted by Ecuadorian army psychologists, over 96% of the military police officer cadets found the TM technique to be a highly practical activity. 92% found their performance in activity had improved and they were better able to deal with stress; 96% declared their relationships with others had improved; and 95% said their practice of the TM technique was completely satisfying. Significant improvements in health and discipline were experienced by the officers and cadets practicing the TM program in the State of Bahia, Brazil. Most importantly these improvements resulted in improved community relations as measured by a dramatic increase (1,206%) in the number of positive reports received by the Police Department from the citizens of Salvador.

In the early 1970s, six thousand active New York City Police, many working in high-crime areas, actively practiced the TM technique. One of the most common reports was an improvement in their marksmanship. Feedback from meditation students has been received for many years, both in college programs and, in some cases, years later, by individual police officers who said they were "still TM-ing."

Some of the overwhelmingly positive results include feeling more aware, particularly in life-threatening situations. This is especially important in that law enforcement officers often find themselves in a position of having to resort to using deadly force in an effort to protect and save lives. Those who regularly practice TM have the ability to find other ways of defusing these same situations.

IDT has the advantage of being a portable strategy. After learning the technique, all one needs is a comfortable place to sit with eyes closed. No additional resources are needed. The self-reliance of this approach appeals to the police "protector" and military "warrior mindset." IDT offers an approach that not only helps save precious minds and lives, but also saves money in the process during these difficult and uncertain times.

We urge our leaders to implement IDT and its advanced practices as an integral part of police and military training.

The Lahore Times recently published an article which included two online videos from DLFTV documenting IDT applications in Ukraine and the USA. See, http://www.lhrtimes.com/2016/05/09/transcendental-meditation-norwich-university for more information about these IDT developments.

____________________

About the Authors:

John Theobald received his B.S. in Behavioral Science/Criminal Justice (cum laude) at the New York Institute of Technology, and an M.S. in Counseling and Psychological Testing with a minor in research design from Nova University. His program provided an extensive background in counseling psychology and testing, with an emphasis on psychological testing, and on the physiological and quantitative aspects of rehabilitation. John was an honor graduate of the New York City Police Academy. (At that time college credits were granted for graduating from the academy.) He served in the New York City Police Department (NYPD) where he received special Anti-Terrorist Training and worked a variety of assignments, including uniform patrol, undercover and plain clothes, drug and anti-crime task force, and administrative duties. While serving as an administrative assistant to the commanding officer of the Queens Task Force, NYPD, John received additional training in forensic science and investigative techniques, and later became, and still is, a Licensed Private Investigator. He also served as a Probation Officer in Hawaii. John developed the College Accelerated Program for Police, a college degree program designed for full-time police officers in the New York area. He served as coordinator for this program and assumed the directorship of the Student Service Department, when the enrollment reached 12,000 students. His paper, "Three Alternative Systems of Criminal Defense: A Comparative Analysis," was published in Perspectives in Criminology.

Dr. David Leffler received his Ph.D. in Consciousness-Based Military Defense from The Union Institute & University. His pioneering 1997 doctoral dissertation study investigated the stress-reducing field effects of the collective practice of the Transcendental Meditation and advanced TM-Sidhi programs by Invincible Defense Technology (IDT) experts on employees of a nearby police department who were not practicing the technologies and were blind to the purpose of the study. Dr. Leffler presented research at a conference for military and law enforcement in Washington, D.C., titled "The Fifth Annual Countering IEDs: Assessing the IED Threat and its Evolution on the Battlefield and in the Homeland," about how IDT might be used to prevent terrorism. Dr. Leffler is currently the Executive Director at the Center for Advanced Military Science (CAMS). He served as an Associate of the Proteus Management Group at the Center for Strategic Leadership, US Army War College. In this consultant capacity, Dr. Leffler published on the topic of IDT ("An Overlooked, Proven Solution to Terrorism") that appears in "55 Trends Now Shaping the Future of Terrorism". Dr. Leffler has published in over 1,100 locations worldwide about the military applications of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs. His IDT paper titled "A New Role for the Military: Preventing Enemies from Arising - Reviving an Ancient Approach to Peace" was published in the Journal of Management & Social Science.
KATHMANDU: Big and fringe shared contrasting views on whether an election threshold should be set to let parties represent in the provincial and federal legislatures under the proportional representation system.

While the Election Commission interacted with them seeking their views on a draft bill, the big parties said threshold of at least five per cent should be set to ensure political stability at provincial and federal parliaments.

The fringe parties, however, said the threshold provision should be completely removed.

The Commission has proposed that parties which secure at least 1.5 per cent votes in the proportional representation election system in elections of the Provincial Assembly and the House of Representatives get a seat.

Speaking at the interaction today, leaders of Nepali Congress and CPN-UML asked the Commission to increase the threshold up to five per cent for election to the House of Representatives and up to seven per cent for the election to the Provincial Assembly.

Nepali Congress leader Min Bahadur Bishwakarma, meanwhile, also suggested the government to make policies to encourage women candidates participation in first-past-the-post election system.

Lawmakers Gopal Dahit, Rukmini Chaudhary and Shivaji Yadav, representing the fringe parties, however, argued that there should not be any threshold.RSS
Kathmandu, Nepal: The Special Court (SC) has on Wednesday demanded Rs 10 million in bail from the suspended lawmaker Lharkyal Lama.

A joint bench of judges SC Mohanraman Bhattarai, Bhupendra Prasad Rai and Prabha Basnet demanded the bail after first hearing on a corruption case filed by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) against CPN (Maoist Center) lawmaker.

Lama was also appointed as the State Minister for Finance in the Jhalanath Khanal's cabinet as he was associated with the CPN-UML earlier. Likewise, he had also served as the chairman of Monastery Management Committee on January 3, 2002.

The CIAA had filed the case against Lama on May last May accusing him of amassing property worth Rs 92.4 million illegally by holding public posts on various occasions.
Kathmandu, Nepal: CPN UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has accused the major allies of the incumbent government- Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN (Maoist Center) for driving the country towards the political and constitutional vacuum.

Speaking at an interaction organized by Press Chautari, the journalist wing of the UML, at the UML headquarters in Dhumbarahi on Wednesday Oli, who is also the former Prime Minister also claimed that the Nepali Congress and CPN Maoist Center have no intention to implement the constitution by holding the elections on time.

The Nepali Congress and the CPN (Maoist Center) are in a plan to drive the country toward a political and constitutional vacuum by not holding polls on declared date. Oli said.

During the function he also suspect over the agreement reached with the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) stating that the agreement would create a constitutional vacuum in the country.
Anyone who has ever been married knows that In-laws, even the kindest ones, are no joke. Now, just imagine if the father of your betrothed is the Devil himself. This is the predicament in which Rudy Ray Moore's Petey Wheatstraw found himself in Moore's follow-up to The Human Tornado, and the film proved to be a turning point in his career as a performer.

Moore returned to the big screen two years after The Human Tornado with another one of his stage characters in Petey Wheatstraw. Petey is another touring comedian, just like Dolemite in Moore's earlier films, who is rolling into a new town with his crew to set up shop for a standing gig. Little does he know that a pair of busted comedians, played by Moore's pals Leroy & Skillet, have also booked a string of dates around the same time. When Wheatstraw's massive popularity threatens to cost Leroy & Skillet their audience - and their lives if they can't repay the debt they owe to secure their bookings with a local Caucasian hoodlum - they decide to secure their investment by wiping out Wheatstraw and his companions in a drive-by shootout.

Luckily for Petey, the Devil happens to be nearby and snatches up his soul just before it's too late. Old Nick offers Petey a deal: he'll give Petey and his friends and family their lives back and give him the ability to take revenge on those who did him wrong, if Petey will promise to marry the Devil's daughter. At this point Wheatstraw is game for any plan that will get him back on his feet and he accepts the deal. The Devil hands Petey his all-powerful walking cane that imbues the carrier with all of the Devil's powers, and Petey gets down to business. However, when it's time to repay his debt to The Devil, Petey balks after seeing his betrothed and then it becomes all out war as he fights the Devil off to secure his own life and avoid this damned wedding.

Rudy Ray Moore's films aren't exactly known for their gritty depiction of ghetto life. In fact, Moore's films are probably the most escapist of the blaxploitation age. The two Dolemite films that preceded Petey Wheatstraw are fantasy action features, with The Human Tornado going particularly off the rails of sanity. With Petey Wheatstraw, Moore employed The Human Tornado director Cliff Roquemore to both write and direct, and the result is strangely one of the best composed of Moore's career. Yes, there are numerous scenes of Petey and the Devil conversing in a no-budget recreation of Hell, and there are hilariously overboard scenes of kung fu action between Petey and various imps and hoodlums, but it's also more subdued than The Human Tornado.

None of Moore's films had any particular moral stance to defend up until Petey Wheatstraw, and this film doesn't exactly break that streak. However, Roquemore takes great pains to place the fanciful action within a fairly recognizable facsimile of urban life in the late '70s. The result is a strangely emotionally resonant film that just happens to have a paunchy Moore fighting off a dozen leotarded devil imps inside of a night club. It's really something special.

If one word could be used to decribe the films of Rudy Ray Moore, you could do a lot worse than "idiosyncratic." It certainly takes a particular temperment and appreciation of trash cinema to truly engage with Moore's films on anything more than a surface level, but those who allow themselves to connect emotionally to the work might find more than they'd bargained for.

The Disc

Vinegar Syndrome does it again with their new 2K scan of Petey Wheatstraw. This is probably my least seen of Moore's films, but even that distinction still puts it around the half-dozen mark, and I've never seen it looking anywhere near this good. The film holds up better than The Human Tornado in terms of suffering from less print damage, and the colors and sharpness are definitely beyond what I could've expected.

The multi-part documenty I, Dolemite enters its third part on the Blu-ray for Petey Wheatstraw. In this section we are given further background on the experience of Moore and Roquemore's working relationship from many of the same talking heads that we saw in the feature from The Human Tornado. What is interesting is that we get further interviews with Cliff Roquemore's sons, who both feature in Petey Wheatstraw, so they are able to bring a bit more insight to this disc than the last.

The disc also features a commentary track from Moore biographer Mark Jason Murray and all-around Moore associate Jimmy Lynch along with excerpts from Moore himself. Finally, there is some wonderful archival footage of Rudy Ray Moore giving a location tour of the many settings from all of his features, including this film, The Human Tornado, and Vinegar Syndrome's next feature, Disco Godfather.

I was a goner for this disc before it even arrived, but Vinegar Syndrome's new restoration and context packed presentation make it even better than I could've hoped. Cult film fans need to own Petey Wheatstraw on Blu-ray; it's a definite winner.
A couple of years ago up and coming Bollywood superstar Ranveer Singh (Band Baaja Baaraat, Lootera) appeared in a one off music video for a song called "My Name is Ranveer Ching." The music video was meant as a big budget ad film for the Ching's Secret food brand, a company that specializes in Indian-Chinese fusion products for home cooking. The song was incredibly - and baffingly - popular in 2014 and has so far racked up nearly two million views on YouTube.

Apparently it was popular enough that Ching's Secret is back again for seconds with a teaser dropping today for an extended ad film titled Ranveer Ching Returns. Normally we don't put a whole lot of focus on ad films, but once in a while there's something too crazy to ignore. In the sequel, Ranveer Ching (Singh) is joined by Baahubali starlet Tammanah in a crazy post-apocalyptic cross between Mad Max and your typical big budget Bollywood masala action films.

The kicker with this new ad is that not only does it feature huge talent in front of the camera, but they've also wrangled major talent behind the camera as well. The film is directed by Rohit Shetty (Singham, Golmaal, Dilwale, and a billion other films where dozens of cars spontaneously explode) who is one of the biggest action directors, if not the biggest, in India. Shetty is joined by big league composers Shankar Ehsaan Loy, and legendary lyricist Gulzar, who won an Academy Award for his work on Slumdog Millionaire's "Jai Ho."

The best part? This crazy 64 seconds is only a trailer for the real ad that is scheduled to hit the net next week on August 19. I don't think I've ever been this excited to watch a commerical before, but hell, I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like this either.

Give it a chance. It'll make you say, "What the hell was that?" in the best possible way.
TIFF's Vanguard Program(me) always features some of the most innovative filmmakers on the international scene. Ana Lily Amirpour is just that and her debut feature A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night made everyone sit up and ask what else she had. Her answer is the "savage dystopian cannibal fairy tale" The Bad Batch with one of the most eclectic casts of the year.

Also premiering in Vanguard is Message From the King by Fabrice Du Welz about a missing girl in LA, and the big American cast debut from everyone's pal Nacho Vigalondo, Colossal. Here's the full Vanguard list:

The Bad Batch

Ana Lily Amirpour, USA, North American Premiere

A savage dystopian cannibal fairy tale set in a Texas wasteland where society's rejects are just trying to make ends meat. Starring Suki Waterhouse, Jason Momoa, Giovanni Ribisi, Yolonda Ross, Jayda Fink, Cory Roberts, Louie Lopez, Keanu Reeves, and Jim Carrey.

Blind Sun

Joyce A. Nashawati, France/Greece, North American Premiere

Greece, sometime in the near future. A seaside resort is struck by a heavy heat wave, water is rare and violence is mounting. Ashraf, a solitary immigrant, is looking after a villa while its owners are away. On a dusty road crushed by the sun, he is stopped by a police officer for an identity check.

Buster's Mal Heart

Sarah Adina Smith, USA, World Premiere

A mountain man on the run from authorities survives the winter by breaking into people's empty vacation homes. He has recurring dreams of being lost at sea  only to find that he is, in fact, the man lost at sea. He is one man in two bodies. This is the story of how he split in two.

Colossal

Nacho Vigalondo, Canada, World Premiere

Gloria is an ordinary woman who, after losing her job and being kicked out of her apartment by her boyfriend, is forced to leave her life in New York and move back to her hometown. When news reports surface that a giant creature is destroying Seoul, South Korea, Gloria gradually comes to the realization that she is somehow connected to this far-off phenomenon. As events begin to spin out of control, Gloria must determine why her seemingly insignificant existence has such a colossal effect on the fate of the world. Starring Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis, Dan Stevens, Austin Stowell, and Tim Blake Nelson.

Godspeed

Chung Mong-Hong, Taiwan, World Premiere

Critically acclaimed director Chung Mong-Hong's latest endeavour centres on a young man whose plan to reform himself takes a tumble when he, along with a seemingly carefree, innocent cab driver, is kidnapped over the heroin he is delivering. Starring Hong Kong veteran Michael Hui.

I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House

Osgood Perkins, Canada/USA, World Premiere

I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House is a modern and minimalist ghost story, set in an 1800s farmhouse in rural Massachusetts. Lily, a hospice nurse, retells the story of how she moved into the house to care for an ailing horror writer in the last few months of her life...and never left.

Interchange

Dain Iskandar Said, Malaysia/Indonesia, North American Premiere

A hard-nosed cop and a forensics photographer confront their darkest selves as a macabre murder investigation leads them to the realm of superstitions, shamans and the supernatural.

Message from the King

Fabrice Du Welz, United Kingdom/France/Belgium, World Premiere

After suddenly losing all contact with his younger sister, Jacob King arrives in Los Angeles determined to track her down. Piecing together her last known movements, King finds unsettling evidence of a life gone off the rails as he relentlessly pursues the truth about what happened to his sister. Stars Chadwick Boseman.

My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea

Dash Shaw, USA, World Premiere

High school can be brutal. Renowned comic book writer/artist Dash Shaw examines how the social structure within a high school changes when calamity strikes. Starring John Cameron Mitchell, Reggie Watts, Jason Schwartzman, Lena Dunham, Maya Rudolph, Susan Sarandon, and Alex Karpovsky.

Nelly

Anne Emond, Canada, World Premiere

A film inspired by the life and work of Nelly Arcan. Nelly is a portrait of a fragmented woman, lost between irreconcilable identities: writer, lover, call girl, and star. Several women in one, navigating between great exaltation and great disenchantment. The film mirrors the violent life and radical work of its subject, paying tribute to a writer who insisted on taking risks. Starring TIFF Rising Star Mylene Mackay.

Prevenge

Alice Lowe, United Kingdom, North American Premiere

Written and directed by British comedian and actress Alice Lowe during her own pregnancy, Prevenge is a darkly comic drama about a pregnant woman out for revenge.

The Untamed (La region salvaje)

Amat Escalante, Mexico/Denmark/France/Germany/Norway/Switzerland, N. American Premiere

Young mother Alejandra is a working housewife, raising two boys with husband Angel in a small city. Her brother Fabian works as a nurse in a local hospital. Their provincial lives are upset with the arrival of the mysterious Veronica. Sex and love can be fragile in certain regions where strong family values, hypocrisy, homophobia and male chauvinism exist. Veronica convinces them that in the nearby woods, inside an isolated cabin, dwells something not of this world that could be the answer to all of their problems.

WITHOUT NAME

Lorcan Finnegan, Ireland, World Premiere

Land surveyor Eric, alienated from urban existence and those who love him, travels to a remote and unnamed Irish woodland to assess its suitability for a dubious development project. Intangible elements are at play in this ethereal environment. The place seems to be imbued by an intelligence of sorts. A silhouette flits between trees. The place fascinates the fragmenting Eric as much as it disturbs him. Following in the psychonautic footsteps of the mysterious Devoy, Eric attempts to communicate with his surroundings, but he becomes a prisoner of a place without a name.
If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE).
Using a service like Airbnb is always a bit of a gamble, both for the homeowner and the renter, and sometimes you get dealt a really bad hand. According to ABC 7, one Menlo Park women recently discovered this truism when she returned home to find her house flooded and littered with items suggesting her guest was not a real estate agent as promised, but rather a sex worker.

"There was water pouring from the second floor to the first floor," homeowner Sharon Marzouk said in a video posted to Facebook. "The place is destroyed." CBS 5 reports that the damage totaled almost $25,000.

In a lengthy blog post detailing the aftermath of the rental, Marzouk describes not just discovering that the bathtub had been left on and the house flooded, but finding items leading her to believe her guest had been shooting porn in the bathroom. Those items included extra lighting installed in the bathroom and a checklist of "pics" to be taken.

"It was only after I brought these new revelations to my housemates that have been living with her for a month did they tell me the stories she told them of working in a 'Vietnamese coffee house' in San Jose where an old woman looked at her vagina and you serve coffee naked," wrote Marzouk.

If Marzouk's renter was indeed a sex worker, it would hardly be an unusual occurrence. Airbnb is reportedly very popular with sex workers looking to serve numerous clients in a manner not possible in a hotel without drawing the attention of staff.

Airbnb, of course, issued its standard statement following the incident. "We have zero tolerance for this kind of behavior and have removed this guest from our platform."

As for Marzouk? It doesn't sound like she'll be using the service again anytime soon. "This experience has severely shaken my confidence in this technology driven 'sharing system' and has put my safety and well-being at risk, and if left as is will continue to put more peoples property and well being at risk."

Related: Deplorable Teen Allegedly Pretends To Be Midwestern Adult, Trashes Oakland Airbnb


In the case of a devastating explosion that killed eight people, injured 58 others, and destroyed 38 homes in a San Bruno neighborhood six years ago, utility company PG&E has been found guilty in US District Court in San Francisco on six of 12 counts. The Mercury News, the Chronicle, and others reported the verdict from the courtroom where it was handed down by a jury of eight men and four women.

The company was felonious on five counts relating to failures to inspect and test gas lines for potential problems. It was also found guilty of felony obstruction: Employees claimed in 2011 that a 2009 document stating certain allowable pipeline pressures was just a draft of a policy never put in place, a misleading statement intended to throw off investigators. PG&E was acquitted on six other charges of violating pipeline safety.

Prosecutors concluded their arguments at the end of July by painting PG&E as a company that had "lost its way." But though the company was fined in 2014 for the explosion, paying $1.4 billion to the Public Utilities Commission, it was possible that PG&E would again face steep financial repercussions in the criminal trial. If, for example, the company had been found guilty on all charges, it would have been liable for an additional $562 million  until the prosecution unexpectedly backed down last week, possibly in order to ensure some conviction, requesting that the court dismiss much of the entire potential punishment.

That still puzzling decision was made during the jury's fourth day of deliberations, and the prosecution decided to let go of a demand to charge the utility twice the amount it would have cost to comply with safety standards, which was estimated at $281 million. Now, PG&E will pay just $3 million in fines, at $500,000 for each conviction, which seems like a negligible and insanely low sum, but is the maximum allowed in this type of case.

So there you have it. You can probably hear the entire community of San Bruno screaming right now.

Update: The New York Times covered the verdict, and adds a statement from PG&E saying they are "committed to re-earning [the publics trust]. While we are very much focused on the future, we will never forget the lessons of the past."

Did Sam Singer write that?

Previously: PG&E Trial Closes With Prosecutor Saying The Utility Had 'Lost Its Way'


The man who famously created the Obama "Hope" poster (and those ubiquitous Andre the Giant stickers), artist Shepard Fairey, is in San Francisco this week executing two new murals as part of a series he's doing about five "abiding issues of our time," titled American Civics. The pieces, which will be released as limited edition serigraphs, are all based on photographs by photojournalist Jim Marshall, and the two being done as murals here in SF focus on the topics of voting rights and workers' rights.

One mural, being painted Tuesday and Wednesday at 453 Hayes Street (at Linden) depicts labor activist Cesar Chavez, based on a photo Marshall took of Chavez after he completed his 300-mile march to Sacramento in support of farmworkers' rights in 1966. "[Chavez] fought for the rights of people doing some of the most difficult work for some of the lowest wages so they could unionize and advocate for themselves to earn a dignified wage," says Fairey. "In my art piece, I included articles that reflected the struggles of people who are on the lowest rung of the economic ladder."

Fairey (and company) will be working on the mural from noon to sundown, today and tomorrow.

Then on Thursday and Friday, he'll move to 701 Alabama Street (at 20th), where he'll be painting a mural on the topic of voting rights, using a photo by Marshall of Fannie Lee Chaney from 1964, taken the day she found out that her son, James Chaney, and two friends died at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan at the age of 21 for registering African Americans to vote.

Fairey's SF appearances culminate with a public art opening on Saturday, August 13, at the San Francisco Art Exchange (458 Geary Street), where he'll be doing a meet-and-greet from 2 to 4 p.m.

Other pieces in the series include one focused on gun control, one on income inequality, and one depicting Johnny Cash focused on mass incarceration.

Related: The 12 Best Public Art and Street Art Works in San Francisco
Chinatown organizer and activist Rose Pak is much to thank for the Central Subway project, a $1.5 billion, 1.7-mile undertaking to connect Chinatown to Market Street that was pitched in part as compensation for the removal of the 1989 earthquake-damaged Embarcadero Freeway, which was a conduit to her sometimes isolated neighborhood. But to build the Central Subway, Stockton Street has been closed to cars, damaging Union Square surrounding businesses. To make up for that fact, for the last two years the city has paused construction annually and created a pedestrian space between Market and Union square covered in astroturf called the Stockton Street Winter Walk.

It was an extreme success, Karin Flood, head of the Union Square Business Improvement District, tells the Chronicle. The businesses loved it. The visitors loved it. Could the Walk become permanent, SFist wondered during the Winter Walk's first season in 2014. Wouldn't you know it, others agreed: Union Square merchants have since banded together to support a year-round pedestrian mall, either closed to all traffic or permitting buses only, for when the subway is finished in 2019.

Just one problem: Rose Pak is a major obstacle to the plan, having written to SFMTA Director of Transportation Ed Reiskin to criticize the idea in a letter obtained by Examiner at the end of last month. On behalf of the SF Chinese Chamber of Commerce, she claimed that a permanent pedestrian mall would make permanent all the problems weve experienced, which would be unacceptable to our community. As she told the Examiner with finality, "I consider the issue closed."

We have about 300 family associations, district associations, temples, churches, Pak told CBS 5 with regard to the pedestrian mall. Everybody is here. 100 percent of our businesses rely on delivery trucks. Look at Chinatown any hour. You cant move. Speaking of which, Pak will negotiate with a similar force. Wait until I have my blockade of the MTA for a week and see how they like it, she said. Well have thousands of trucks and cars blockading the whole City Hall and MTA area for one week and see how they like it when no one can get in and out. To clarify, "thats a promise, not a threat," Pak added.

Pak, who spent six months rehabilitating from a kidney issue in China before returning to San Francisco, has already been flexing her political muscle upon her return, protesting an effort to recall Ed Lee and perhaps working to help elect Cindy Wu to Jane Kim's Supervisor post, provided Kim wins her senate race against Supervisor Scott Weiner.

Chuck Nevius of the Chronicle provides some support to Pak's opposition, quoting a local business owner, Jon Handlery of Handlery Hotels. "How is a guest going to get to the hotel if they cant drive?," said Handlery. "How are you getting out of Union Square? Traffic is a joke. While the MTA says it studied the Union Square traffic patterns and determined that the Stockton Street closure has not had a significant impact on traffic congestion, Nevius casts aspersions on that, arguing that since traffic has been disrupted by the Central Subway construction since 2013, it's difficult to know for sure. They said they did a study and you can go from Union Square to the Bay Bridge in 10 minutes," Nevius quotes Handlery. "I said, What time? 3 a.m.?

However, A lot of the merchants, a lot of the pedestrian activists and bike advocates are all saying this is something that would work, the MTA's Paul rose countered to CBS 5. Streetsblog appears to agree, pushing an effort to mobilize with a petition to move the pedestrian mall project along.

And, to touch on bicyclists, one prominent pro-bike voice, the parody account Bob Gunderson, has been "critical" of the Winter Walk, which is to say he's clevelry promoted it. Gunderson's blog, Dearest District 5, lampoons the likes of Rob Anderson, an actual opponent of bikes, by insisting that the Winter Walk has been a "carless nightmare." In fact, "The Pedestrian Plaza was supposed to be all fun and games and a "relief from cars," but it's done nothing but tear apart families, ruin children's dreams, and tank the Disney, Apple and Ferrari stores," writes Gunderson. How long, surely he wonders, can this be permitted to endure?

Previously: Should Stockton Street's Pedestrian Holiday Plaza Become Permanent?
The troubled chancellor of UC Davis resigned today following the completion of an investigation that called into question her actions as head of the university. The Chronicle reports that Linda Katehi's resignation is effectively immediately.

Katehi had been suspended since April after news broke that she paid a private company $175,000 in public funds to scrub the internet of images relating to the infamous 2011 pepper-spray incident.

The report released today, however, was not focused on her dealings surrounding the pepper spraying of students. Rather, one of the main charges against Katehi was that she had given her campus-employed daughter-in-law $50,000 in raises along with other inappropriate benefits to her also campus-employed son.

According to the Chronicle, UC President Janet Napolitano said in a statement that the investigation found "numerous instances where Chancellor Katehi was not candid, either with me, the press, or the public, that she exercised poor judgment and violated multiple university policies.

Rosa Guzman, Katehi's lawyer, meanwhile sent out a press release this afternoon claiming that her client had been cleared of any wrongdoing. "Linda Katehi and her family have been exonerated from baseless accusations of nepotism, conflicts of interest, financial management and personal gain, just as we predicted and as the UC Davis Academic Senate found within days of this leave, read the statement.

The report itself has yet to be released, so at this time we'll have to assume that Katehi's resignation means that there is something at least damning  even if not criminal  in the report.

Katehi was paid a salary of $420,000 as chancellor, and her contract with the university means that she will still be able to stay on as a faculty member (she previously taught engineering). We're sure the engineering department is stoked.

Previously: UC Davis Chancellor Placed On Leave Following Attempt To Scrub Pepper Spray Cop From Internet
Shepard Fairey, the prodigious artist behind Obama's "Hope" poster, is in San Francisco this week where he's working on two murals in a series of five called American Civics. Those focus on what Fairey considers to be abiding issues of our time, and in Hayes Valley (at PROXY) that means he was working today (and supposedly yesterday, though I saw that little progress was made until this morning) on a mural depicting Cesar Chavez in an effort to highlight wage rights. The image of Chavez Fairey has chosen is a photo Jim Marshall took of Chavez taken after the activist's 300-mile march to Sacramento in 1966 in solidarity with farm workers.

"I believe in what Chavez stood for as an activist and civil rights leader," says Fairey. "He fought for the rights of people doing some of the most difficult work for some of the lowest wages so they could unionize and advocate for themselves to earn a dignified wage. In my art piece, I included articles that reflected the struggles of people who are on the lowest rung of the economic ladder. Chavez fought to increase the minimum wage for these people, and that battle continues today."

Next, Fairey will be at 701 Alabama Street (at 20th) for his subsequent mural, one depicting Fannie Lee Chaney in 1964, and through her, the fight for voting rights. Chaney's son was killed by the Ku Klux Klan members for registering black voters.

Finally, Fairey will appear at a public art opening on Saturday at the San Francisco Art Exchange at 458 Geary Street.

Previously: Shepard Fairey Painting Two New Murals In SF This Week
Ah, Vallejo. Our neighbor to the north is in the news again this week, with four women standing accused of going totally nuts in a Jack in the Box after their drive-through order was deemed to be not up to their standards. The Los Angeles Times reports that this all went down on Sunday afternoon  proving that the questionable decision to eat fast food is not only a late-night affair.

The four women reportedly got their order around 12:45 p.m. from the fast food joint at 1610 Lewis Brown Road, and things quickly went sideways. They said the food was too cold, Lieutenant Herman Robinson of the Vallejo Police Department told the paper. The store's manager, likely following some corporate manual, asked that they pull into the parking lot and said they could have a fresh order.

We don't know what they ordered (Sriracha Curly Fry Burger Munchie Meal? Bacon Ranch Monster Taco?), but whatever it was, they must have had quite the craving as the manager's offer didn't go over so well.

They werent satisfied with that, Robinson told the Times. They wanted immediate service." The women then reportedly pulled back through and chucked their food through the drive-through window, and the manager later told police he thought he spotted a gun (no gun was found).

"Subsequent to that, they enter the restaurant, where they basically terrorize the employees," explained Robinson. The alleged terrorizing included knocking over a cash register and stacks of cups and straws.

CBS 5 reports that one of the women struck an employee in the head, but the Times clarifies that the employee was hit in the head with an object  possibly a cold Chicken Fajita Pita?

The women fled after their alleged mini-rampage, but employees got the car's license plate and police arrested them a short time later. Three of the four, aged 19 to 24, were arrested on suspicion of trespassing and vandalism. The fourth, 28-year-old Keyira Gipson, was arrested on suspicion of vandalism, trespassing, and probation violation.

No word on whether or not they got a chance to eat any lunch before police showed up.

Related: McDonald's Manager Arrested After Robbing Own Store
Nothing written, appearing, or linked to, on this site is intended to be individual legal, or investment, advice. Consult a financial or legal adviser before making any trade, or any other decision, based anything you read, or see, on this website. This website treats all U.S. viewers' visitor-paths -- and visits -- as public data. If you are from Europe, understand that this site can see -- but will not disclose to the public -- your visitor-path, in compliance with applicable E.U. directives. We also (via enabled cookies) receive useful information about the device and software you use to access these pages, including IP address (from which location may be inferred), device type, web browser type, operating system version, phone carrier and manufacturer, member agents, application installations, device identifiers, mobile advertising identifiers, and push notification tokens. We do not sell any of this information, however -- we are not for profit, here. We automatically receive information about your interactions with these pages, such as the posts or other content you view, the searches you conduct, the people you follow, and the dates and times of your visits. We may collect (for our own use only) information using cookies, pixel tags, and similar technologies. Cookies are small text files containing a string of alphanumeric characters. We may use both session cookies and persistent cookies. A session cookie disappears after you close your browser. A persistent cookie remains after you close your browser and may be used by your browser on subsequent visits to our pages.




SIOUX CITY | Latasha Boucher scooped up ground beef, placing it inside some homemade Indian fry bread.

The Yankton, South Dakota, woman then added lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream and a dollop of spicy salsa.

"This is our famous Indian taco," said Boucher, who is co-owner of the Delicious Depot food truck along with husband Dallas Boucher. "People can't seem to get enough of them."

Setting up shop inside a gray truck which bears the legend "Grub on the Go" is a dream-come-true for Dallas Boucher, a former restaurant chef.

"I wanted to be my own boss," he said. "Now, I have my own restaurant on wheels."

Delicious Depot has been one of the mainstay mobile eateries participating in Food Truck Fridays, a weekly event hosted by Start Up Sioux City since June 3.

Locally-owned food trucks set up shop on Seventh Street between Douglas and Pearl streets from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. every Friday until the end of August.

"Food Truck Fridays has gotten a good response," said David Brockshus, one of the event's volunteer coordinators. "It's grown so big that we decided to try it out on Thursday nights."

From 6-9 p.m. Thursdays, trucks will be selling a variety of cuisines on Fifth Street between Jackson and Nebraska streets.

"We realized that a lot of people don't have time for lunch on Fridays," Brockshus said. "Hosting the event on a Thursday night will allow more families to participate. It will also draw more traffic to the downtown businesses."

It was the aroma of Asian food that attracted Corry Berens, who ordered the Thai Basil Chicken from The Leaf Grill & Wokery, a food truck with "fresh, fusion bistro" cuisine.

"This is amazing stuff," Corry Berens said, eating from a cardboard container. "Very delicious."

Corry Berens' wife Eva nodded her head in agreement.

"I can't believe food of this quality came from a truck," she said after a few bites of The Leaf Grill's Hibachi Beef. "It's great."

Walking down the block, Brockshus noted the variety of cuisines offered by food trucks.

"We've had trucks that offered gourmet hot dogs, Mexican food, healthy fare, you name it,' he said. "People like choices and we certainly have that."

Jackson Street Brewing's Dave Winslow looked outside the window of his 607 Fifth Street brew pub. He said diners will get a free second pint of beer with a food purchase during Food Truck Thursdays.

"The food truck movement is similar to the craft beer movement," Winslow said. "It's when entrepreneurs start out small and do something that is very creative to them."

Which is exactly what Dallas Boucher wanted to do with Delicious Depot, which has been in business since February.

"I've always wanted to do an updated version of the hearty foods from my childhood," he said of a menu that includes smoked ribs and gumbo in addition to the aforementioned Indian tacos. "A food truck gives me the luxury of being able to change up the menu whenever I want."

So much so that Dallas Boucher, wife Latasha and their five kids spend much of their time working area festivals, pow-wows and other events.

"It's hard work but it's worth it," he said.

Luckily, he has a perfect partner in Latasha.

"People always ask me why does our food tastes so good," she said. "I simply tell them that food tastes better coming from a food truck."
DES MOINES  Gov. Terry Branstad has ordered a review of Iowa laws governing liquor, wine and beer with an eye on balancing the needs of a rapidly expanding industry of micro-enterprises with state regulations and social concerns associated with alcohol consumption.

Iowa laws regulating alcohol were first written in 1934, Branstad said Wednesday in announcing a study of laws governing the regulation of alcohol in Iowa. Many things have changed in this industry since then, and we want to make sure our laws are not barriers to entrepreneurs and businesses.

Branstad named Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, and Stephen Larson, administrator of the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, to spearhead the working-group review beginning next month with the goal of providing recommendations to him by next January. Durham, of Sioux City, is a former president of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce.

Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Cedar Falls, chairman of the Senate State Government Committee, said he welcomed an effort to improve and streamline Iowas regulatory framework while maintaining the three-tier system for manufacturers, distributors and retailers that make up Iowas spirits, wine and beer markets.

I fully support it, said Danielson, who had hoped for a similar legislative interim study. We can preserve the three-tiered system and grow Iowa products at the same time. There is common ground around some changes. I see it. We just havent had a chance to get everybody in the room and to talk about it.

Among the topics for consideration would be easing restrictions on out-the-door products by microbreweries that currently serve their products at on-premise restaurants or lifting production caps on distilleries and allowing them to sell their products on their venue sites, he noted.

With the rapid growth in recent years of craft breweries, native wineries and micro-distilleries, the composition of the states industry is far more diverse and innovative than in years past, according to the governors office.

Micro-enterprises in this industry are locating in our communities  both big and small  and are not only creating jobs but are also increasing tourism in our state, Durham said. Its important that we modernize our laws so this cottage industry is on a level playing field and feel like they have a chance to succeed.

Matt Matthiesen, owner of West O Beer brewery in West Okoboji, Iowa, said the states step to modernize the laws is a "win." He said Iowa wineries have been around longer than breweries, and enjoy some advantages over breweries.

"One thing off the top of my head is that I wish we could, at least, sell local wines," Matthiesen said. "Wineries can sell beer; breweries cannot sell wine. I think we are missing customers because of that."

Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds noted that the demand for Iowa-made products in the beverages industry is growing every day, making it important to ensure that Iowa laws are encouraging business development as well as protecting Iowans.

Larson said laws governing alcoholic beverages must be clear and easily understood, noting that exceptions and carve-outs that have been enacted over the years have led to confusion and ambiguity in some regulatory areas.

The working group will be designated to look at the existing laws and make recommendations for changes that could better position the state for growth in the cottage industries of wine-making, brewing and distilling, according to the governors directive. Appointees will work with representatives of the alcoholic beverages industry, including wholesalers, manufacturers, retailers, prevention specialists and regulators to gain a broad range of perspectives.

Journal staff writer Alex Boisjolie contributed to this story.
SIOUX CITY | A Sioux City woman has been charged with assault and eluding after she attempted to run from police by climbing onto the roof of a building.

According to court documents, police were called at 3 p.m. Tuesday when Amber Flectcher, 20, punched her mother in the face on the front porch at 1623 26th St.

After her mother called the police, Fletcher climbed onto the balcony from the porch. When officers tried to climb the balcony to pull her into the residence; she climbed onto the second story roof. The documents said she then climbed onto a live power line in an attempt to reach to the power line pole, but fell two stories to the ground where she was arrested.

Sioux City Police Sgt. Jay Hoogendyk said she was taken to the hospital for evaluation, but was released to the Woodbury County Jail with minor injuries to her ankle.

She is being held with a bond amount of $1,000.
CHEROKEE, Iowa | The driver involved in a July 30 rollover crash that killed a Sergeant Bluff man who served on the city's fire department has been charged with vehicular homicide.

According to a news release from the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, 21-year-old Casey Robert Herron, of Quimby, Iowa, was arrested Tuesday.

Herron was the driver of a pickup that crashed at 6:45 p.m. July 30 near the intersection of 470th Street and High Country Road in rural Cherokee County. A news release said Herron was traveling east when he lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle rolled over.

Vitali Zhylka, 21, one of three passengers in the vehicle, was transported to Cherokee Regional Medical Center, where he died of his injuries. Herron and the other two passengers suffered minor injuries.

Zhylka had been a volunteer on the Sergeant Bluff Fire Department for approximately four years.

Herron was booked into the Cherokee County Jail. He was released on $25,000 bond.

The charges follow an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and the Iowa State Patrol.
STORM LAKE, Iowa | A Storm Lake man was arrested Tuesday morning after police said he physically assaulted a woman while she was holding a one-year-old child.

According to a news release from the Storm Lake Police Department, officers were dispatched to 701 E. Fourth St. in Storm Lake at 8:33 a.m.

When police arrived they found woman with a cut on her arm. The release said Leroy Abraham, 28, is believed to have assaulted the woman as she was holding a one-year-old child.

Abraham was arrested at the scene and charged with domestic assault causing injury and child endangerment.

The woman declined medical treatment, the release said. A report was filed with the Iowa Department of Human Services.

Abraham was booked into the Buena Vista County Jail. He was later released on $2,000 bond.
SIOUX CITY | The U.S. Department of Transportation has turned down Sioux Citys bid for a $14.8 million grant for a proposed viaduct over railroad tracks on 18th Street, putting the long-awaited economic development project in jeopardy.

The cost of the project is pretty cost-prohibitive without federal funding," City Manager Bob Padmore said Tuesday.

The city in April formally applied for the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Program, or TIGER, grant. The federal funds would have covered nearly 75 percent of the estimated $20.7 million cost of the viaduct, which backers said would spur more growth in the Hoeven Valley industrial area bordering the Floyd River.

The overpass, which would span tracks between Floyd Boulevard and Lewis Boulevard, would eliminate the long and frequent waits for trains by vehicles crossing 18th Street.

To meet TIGER grant requirements, the city also was required to close at least one other rail crossing in addition to 18th Street. The council chose 11th Street over the other identified option, 28th Street.

Closing 11th would benefit Cargills large soy processing complex, which straddles the street, because traffic would no longer run through the companys property. Other nearby employers, including the Food Bank of Siouxland, warned that closing 11th Street would disrupt their operations.

Cargill pledged $1.5 million toward the project, while the railroads with tracks at the two crossings -- Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway and Canadian National Railway, also would contribute.

The citys share would be $2 million.

City Councilman Dan Moore called the denial of the TIGER grant a "setback" to the project.

Economic development department Director Marty Dougherty said the city plans to seek federal money in 2017 for the project, including a TIGER grant if it exists under a new incoming presidential administration.
SOUTH SIOUX CITY | The Marina Hotel and Conference Center has secured a reservation with one of the world's most famous luxury hotel brands.

Marriott International Inc recently approved the South Sioux City hotel's application for a franchise, Marina Inn owner John Gleeson said.

"We are very excited to become a franchise operator for one of the full-service Marriott brands," Gleeson said. "Like many people, we view Marriott International as the world premier hospitality company."

Gleeson said he will continue to own the hotel, which has been in his family for the last 44 years. The hotel also will continue to be managed by the current team of 150 full-and part-time employees, which he said "have been doing a great job."

Gleeson said $3 million to $4 million of improvements to the hotel will begin this fall to further enhance the guests' experience. The work is expected to take about six months.

After the completion, the hotel name will change to one of Marriott's full-service brands, which will be announced at a later date, Gleeson said.

Marriott International operates 19 brands internationally, including luxury, upscale, extended stay, and limited service brands. Full-service brands in the U.S. include Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, J.W. Marriott, Autograph Collection, Renaissance and Delta.

Ralph Bobian, general manager of the Marina Inn for the past five years, said the "high standards and culture of Marriotts properties are very similar to how we currently operate the Marina Inn."

"My previous experience in working at Marriott hotels in Denver has given me an opportunity to appreciate the high hospitality standards of the Marriott brands," Bobian said. "We look forward to being part of the Marriott rewards program, which is very important to many of our hotel guests."

The Marina Inn, which sits on the banks of the Missouri River, boasts 181 guest rooms, 45,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space and a premiere restaurant, Kahill's Steak, Fish and Chophouse.

The hotel has operated under the Marina Inn name since it was built in 1970. Two years later, the hotel had filed for bankruptcy.

In August 1972, Gleeson, at the time a college student, remembered going with his father to the sale of the hotel on the steps of the Dakota County Courthouse. The previous owners owed the Gleeson family's contracting business and a number of other subcontractors and suppliers money for the hotel construction, he said.

Gleeson, who today is president of Sioux City-based Klinger Companies, has described his hotel business as a personal hobby and passion. Over the years, he has invested millions of dollars into the Marina Inn, which has long been one of the region's most prominent hotels.

Marriott International, based in Bethesda, Maryland., was founded by John Willard Marriott in 1927. Today, the chain has nearly 4,500 properties in 87 countries, with revenues of more than $14 billion in fiscal year 2015.
Todays top picks from our online calendar. Find more events at siouxcityjournal.com/calendar.

Sioux City Farmers Market: Enjoy locally grown produce, baked goods and hand-crafted items 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays at Tyson Events Center Suite Parking Lot, corner of TriView Avenue and Pearl Street. Visit www.siouxcityfarmersmarket.com or call 712-279-4850 for more

Iowa Community Conversation on disability and Aging Advocacy: Bringing people with disabilities and aging Iowans to the table together to learn about disability and aging advocacy in Iowa from 1-4 p.m. today at the Sioux City Public Museum, 607 Fourth St. Call Don Dew at 712-255-1065 for more information.

Gaelic Storm: The chart-topping multi-national Celtic band, will perform at 7:30 p.m. tonight on the Lauridsen Performing Arts Theatre stage at the Pearson Lakes Art Center, 2201 U.S. Highway 71. Tickets range from $45-$55. Visit lakesart.org or call 712-332-7013 for more information
"Isolationists must not prevail in this new debate over foreign policy," warns Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations. "The consequences of a lasting American retreat from the world would be dire."

To make his case against the "Isolationist Temptation," Haass creates a caricature, a cartoon, of America First patriots, then thunders that we cannot become "a giant gated community."

Understandably, Haass is upset. For the CFR has lost the country.

Why? It colluded in the blunders that have bled and near bankrupted America and that cost this country its unrivaled global preeminence at the end of the Cold War.

No, it was not "isolationists" who failed America. None came near to power. The guilty parties are the CFR crowd and their neocon collaborators, and liberal interventionists who set off to play empire after the Cold War and create a New World Order with themselves as Masters of the Universe.

Consider just a few of the decisions taken in those years that most Americans wish we could take back.

After the Soviet Union withdrew the Red Army from Europe and split into 15 nations, and Russia held out its hand to us, we slapped it away and rolled NATO right up onto her front porch.

Enraged Russians turned to a man who would restore respect for their country. Did we think they would just sit there and take it?

How did bringing Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia into NATO make America stronger, safer and more secure? For it has surely moved us closer to a military clash with a nuclear power.

In 2014, with John McCain and U.S. diplomats cheering them on, mobs in Independence Square overthrew a pro-Russian government in Kiev that had been democratically elected and installed a pro-NATO regime.

Putin's response: Secure Russia's naval base at Sevastopol by retaking Crimea, and support pro-Russian Ukrainians in Luhansk and Donetsk who preferred secession to submission to U.S. puppets.

Fortunately, our interventionists failed to bring Georgia and Ukraine into NATO. Had they succeeded, we almost surely would have been in a shooting war with Russia by now.

Would that have made us stronger, safer, more secure?

After the attack on 9/11, George W. Bush, with the nation and world behind him, took us into Afghanistan to eradicate the nest of al-Qaida killers.

After having annihilated some and scattered the rest, however, Bush decided to stick around and convert this wild land of Pashtuns, Hazaras, Tajiks and Uzbeks into another Iowa.

Fifteen years later, we are still there.

And the day we leave, the Taliban will return, undo all we have done, and butcher those who cooperated with the Americans.

If we had to do it over, would we have sent a U.S. army and civilian corps to make Afghanistan look more like us?

Bush then invaded Iraq, overthrew Saddam, purged the Baath Party, and disbanded the Iraqi army. Result: A ruined, sundered nation with a pro-Iranian regime in Baghdad, ISIS occupying Mosul, Kurds seceding, and endless U.S. involvement in this second-longest of American wars.

Most Americans now believe Iraq was a bloody trillion-dollar mistake, the consequences of which will be with us for decades.

With a rebel uprising against Syria's Bashar al-Assad, the U.S. aided the rebels. Now, 400,000 Syrians are dead, half the country is uprooted, millions are in exile, and the Damascus regime, backed by Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, is holding on after five years.

Meanwhile, we cannot even decide whether we want Assad to survive or fall, since we do not know who rises when he falls.

Anyone still think it was a good idea to plunge into Syria in support of the rebels? Anyone still think it was a good idea to back Saudi Arabia in its war against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, which has decimated that country and threatens the survival of millions?

Anyone still think it was a good idea to attack Libya and take down Moammar Gadhafi, now that ISIS and other Islamists and rival regimes are fighting over the carcass of that tormented land?

"The Middle East is arguably the most salient example of what happens when the U.S. pulls back," writes Haass.

To the CFR, the problem is not that we plunged headlong into this maelstrom of tyranny, tribalism and terrorism, but that we have tried to extricate ourselves.

Hints that America might leave the Middle East, says Haass, have "contributed greatly to instability in the region."

So, must we stay indefinitely?

To the CFR, America's role in the world is to corral Russia, defend Europe, contain China, isolate Iran, deter North Korea, and battle al-Qaida and ISIS wherever they may be, bleeding our country's military.

Nor is that all. We are also to convert Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and Afghanistan into pro-Western preferably democratic countries, and embrace "free trade," accepting the imported merchandise of all mankind, even if that means endless $800 billion trade deficits, bleeding our country's economy.

Otherwise, you are just an isolationist.
DES MOINES | In the wee morning hours of Feb. 2, Hillary Clinton stood on a stage in Des Moines and celebrated a narrow victory in the Iowa caucuses.

That victory in Iowa was Clintons first step on a history-making journey across the country that concluded with her becoming the first woman to earn a major U.S. political partys nomination for president.

On Wednesday, more than six months after that caucus victory speech, Clinton makes her return to Iowa to hold another campaign rally, this time as the Democratic candidate for president.

Clintons national political director Amanda Renteria spoke with the Des Moines Bureau last week about Clintons return to the state where it all began and the campaigns plans for Iowa.

We kicked it off here. This place is pretty special for us, Renteria said during an interview in the Clinton campaigns headquarters in downtown Des Moines. We won the caucus here. It was a big deal to have won that caucus. Its special for our entire campaign that this is where it all started, and we did it, and we learned a lot from it as well.

Clintons remarks Wednesday will focus on the economy, including her proposal for the largest investment in job creation since World War II, according to the campaign.

Renteria said Iowans can expect to see plenty of Clinton and her campaigns high-profile supporters in the months leading up to the Nov. 8 election.

Polls in the presidential race in Iowa conducted before the parties national conventions showed a tight race in Iowa.

Most election forecast maps have Iowa marked as a toss-up state or leaning slightly toward Clinton.

We know this thing is going to be tight all the way to the end. I dont see any change in that, Renteria said. Were under the assumption it will be close all the way through, and were under the assumption that weve got to make sure that were earning every single vote.

Renteria said it is important to Clinton that Democrats are successful not only in keeping the White House but also in congressional and Statehouse races. Without being asked, Renteria noted the state Senate races in Iowa, where Democrats cling to a 26-24 majority that if flipped would give Republicans full control of the Capitol.

If we build the right kind of organization here, and we are, and were really coordinating as much as we can, we can make some real headway on whats happening in the state, Renteria said. One of the things as Ive gone around talking to folks, the (state) funding thats been cut is hard for these community organizations and I can only imagine what that might mean if the Senate were to go in a different direction. So (Clinton) wants to help make sure that were building the party out here.
Despite facing challenges, women entrepreneurs are more optimistic about revenue and growth than their male counterparts, a new study has found.

Bank of Americas (NYSE:BAC) inaugural Women Business Owner Spotlight study (PDF) surveyed 1,000 small business owners across the United States and found some interesting insights into the minds of women entrepreneurs.

Key Highlights of the Women Business Owner Spotlight Study

Here are some notable takeaways that have emerged from the study.

About 54 percent of women entrepreneurs expect their revenue to increase over the next 12 months, compared to 48 percent of male entrepreneurs.

Sixty percent of women small business owners expect to grow their business over the next five years, compared to only 52 percent of men.

Business credit cards (28 percent), bank funding (23 percent) and personal credit cards (16 percent) are the main sources of finances for women entrepreneurs.

Fifty one percent of women start their own business because they want to be their own boss.

Business Confidence Higher Among Women Owners

Female entrepreneurs are excited about the future and focused on the success of their small businesses. They are demonstrating much greater levels of optimism than their male counterparts, said Sharon Miller, managing director, head of Small Business at Bank of America in a release issued by the bank.

Economic Concerns of Women Business Owners

Although women entrepreneurs feel confident about growth, they have concerns about a variety of economic issues and their impact on business.

Interestingly, both women and men small business owners share similar worries about top economic issues over the next 12 months. These are:

Concern about the corporate tax rates (54 percent of women and 45 percent of men),

Concern about the strength of the U.S. dollar (59 percent of women and 45 percent of men), and

Concern about commodities pricing (52 percent of women and 44 percent of men).

Miller asserts women small business owners do express concerns about certain areas, which they are taking into account as they continue to grow.

What Successful Women Entrepreneurs Do Differently

The growing number of women entrepreneurs and their optimism about their businesses may be driven by the successful examples set by prominent female business owners. Whether its entrepreneurs like Caterina Fake, co-founder of Flickr or Julia Hartz, co-founder of Eventbrite, women entrepreneurs have proven how business should be done.

Sophia Amoruso, founder of Nasty Gal, a clothing retail company, advises, Dont give up, dont take anything personally, and dont take no for an answer. Her business started out as an eBay store before she turned it into a multimillion dollar empire with its own clothing line.

Today technology has made it easier for women business owners to pursue their passion and follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Melissa Curling, founder and owner of District Dance Company says internet has made everything a bit easier. She uses Facebook groups to reach her target audience and spread the word about her business.

With the right focus and strategy, women entrepreneurs can turn opportunities into success stories.

About the Study

GfK Public Affairs and Corporate Communications conducted the Bank of America Women Business Owner Spotlight Survey for summer 2016 between March 17 and April 19, 2016 using a pre-recruited online sample of small business owners.
The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
Less than one month after the shooting at the LGBT Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, an assault took place at the now-deceased shooter Omar Mateens mosque, the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce.Attending the mosque, at the time, was Abdul Rauf Khan, an official from the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA). His account of the assault has been called into question by local law enforcement. What should also be called into question is the mosques involvement with Khan and ICNA, entities with links to terror and bigotry.The Islamic Center of Fort Pierce (ICFP) has numerous associations with terrorism. In May 2014, mosque goer and devoted member of al-Nusra, Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha, drove a massive truck bomb into a restaurant in Jabal al-Arbaeen, Syria, killing himself and several Syrian troops. On June 12, 2016, while pledging allegiance to ISIS, mosque goer Omar Mateen murdered 49 individuals in a mass shooting he had perpetrated at the Orlando gay nightclub, Pulse. Mateens father and former ICFP Vice President, Seddique Mir Mateen, has publicly stated his support for the Taliban.Following the Pulse attack, the Communications Director for the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Wilfredo Amr Ruiz, was named ICFP spokesman. CAIR was created in June 1994 as part of a terrorist umbrella group headed by then-global head of Hamas, Mousa Abu Marzook. In 2007 and 2008, CAIR was named by the Justice Department a co-conspirator in the financing of millions of dollars to Hamas. CAIR reps have served jail time and/or have been deported for terror-related crimes. In July 2014, CAIR-Florida co-sponsored a pro-Hamas rally in Miami, where rally goers shouted, We are Hamas and Lets go Hamas.Last month, ICFP brought to the mosque another terror-related group, ICNA Relief, the main charity of ICNA.On July 31st, ICFP hosted an event titled BACK2SCHOOL GIVEAWAY. The event was a project of ICNA Relief (the event organizer) and co-sponsored by CAIR.ICNA is the American affiliate of South Asian Islamist group Jamaat-e-Islami (JI). JIs militant wing, Hizbul Mujahideen, owned the Pakistani compound where Osama bin Laden was hiding out and where he was eventually killed by US Navy Seals. ICNA, itself, has been linked to terrorist financing and has used the web to promote different terrorist groups, including Hamas, al-Qaeda, Hezbollah and the Taliban. ICNA conducts annual functions along with the Muslim American Society (MAS), which, in November 2014, along with CAIR and others, was designated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government a terrorist organization.Leading the BACK2SCHOOL event was the Secretary of ICNA Florida and extreme bigot, Abdul Rauf Khan. Khan has used his Facebook page to post videos dedicated to Nation of Islam leader and anti-Jewish fanatic Louis Farrakhan and Egypts banned Muslim Brotherhood. He has been photographed wearing Muslim Brotherhood garb , himself. He also posted a video on his Facebook site glorifying a member of Hezbollah as a hero, and he posted a link to an anti-Semitic video labeling comedian talk show host Bill Maher, Zionist Jew Bill Maher.This was not Khans first time at ICFP. He was also there at the beginning of July, during a physical confrontation involving one of ICFPs mosque goers.On July 2nd, at around 4:00 am, a mosque goer at ICFP, who had been locked out of his car that was parked outside the mosque, was assaulted by an individual who had driven up in a white truck. Police were called to the scene and, upon arriving, found the victim bleeding from the mouth . The assailant, Taylor Anthony Mazzanti, was soon apprehended.Khan, who was at the mosque at the time of the assault, described what he alleges had taken place. According to a news report, Khan claimed that he had brought the victim to a friends house to retrieve a wire hanger, so that they could attempt to open the car door. According to another report, Khan and the victim stood nearly side by side, when the man in the truck got out and approached them from behind.Khan claimed that the attacker stated during the attack, You Muslims need to go back to where you came from. Khan said of the attacker, He was cursing, saying Muslim this and Muslim that. And He had been drinking. He was smelling bad. It was a vicious attack. He just started throwing punches.There are a number of problems with Khans story, however. According to the victim, Khan offered to stay and help open the car, but the man told Khan to go inside because he had already took up too much of his time. It was only after Khan went inside that the truck pulled up. Video provided by the mosque supports this scenario, as Khan is not present in the video during the attack.Furthermore, according to St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara, the person who called 911 said someone was trying to burglarize a vehicle, and the victim on the scene said his attacker merely asked him what he was doing before punching him. He stated that interviews by detectives and supervisors and a statement by the victim dont indicate racially motivated comments were made during the attack.The mosque has released a statement mimicking Khans allegations, as well as a photo of Khan and the victim with big smiles , taken just a day after the assault. Wilfredo Ruiz used the story to take a jab at the Sheriffs Office, which refused the mosque security following the Orlando shooting. Sheriff Mascara responded forcefully by stating, The untruthful rhetoric from the mosque and its spokesperson is doing nothing more than trying to bring empathy to their causeOf course, the mosque, CAIR and Khan want more than just empathy. They want to push the hate crimes angle  Islamophobia  and make themselves out to be the victims, when in reality it is they who are promoting violence and hatred. They hide behind this misleading term as a way to mask their radical behavior: the mosques association with ISIS and the Taliban, CAIRs association with Hamas, and ICNAs association with all of the above.We should thank the Sheriff for calling them out on their lies and/or exaggerations. You can personally do so, by sending a note here ICFP is a hotbed of jihad and terrorism and poses a legitimate threat to the security of the United States. We should look forward to the day, when the Sheriff receives the authority to finally padlock its doors.Beila Rabinowitz, Director of Militant Islam Monitor, contributed to this report.
LEONARDTOWN, Md. (Aug. 10, 2016)A grand jury returned an indictment charging a former St. Mary's Co. government employee with six counts of reckless endangerment. In March of 2016, the Sheriff's Office, in partnership with the Department of Land Use and Growth Management (LUGM), initiated a criminal investigation involving a former LUGM employee who allegedly completed numerous building, plumbing, gas, and electrical inspections without the proper certifications, in violation of the International Residential Code, International Building Code, and the Annotated Code of Maryland. The man was identified as Brian Richley Taylor, 40, of Clements.



Police say Taylor was employed as the code coordinator within the LUGM department from 2009 through March of 2016. As the code coordinator, Taylor directly supervised and managed the County's process for issuing certificates of occupancy after all necessary inspections and certifications were met for each building permit which includes: building, electric, plumbing, and gas inspections. Such inspections are beyond the official scope of Taylor's official duties and require certifications that he did not, nor has ever, possessed as the code coordinator or in any other professional capacity.



Detectives determined that Taylor, on his own accord and without the approval or knowledge of his superiors performed, or at minimum, certified inspections for several premises within St. Mary's Co., to include residential and commercial structures. In St. Mary's Co., inspections related to building, electric, gas, and plumbing are performed by businesses operating in the private sector that employs individuals who are certified to perform such inspections.



According to police, an extensive audit and inspection of LUGM records revealed that more than fifty permit numbers were identified as having illegal inspections completed by Taylor. After reviewing those files, six permit numbers were identified as having inspections for building, gas, plumbing, and electric completed by Taylor within the past year. As the result of Taylor's actions, several dwellings in St. Mary's Co. were not adequately inspected during multiple phases of construction, thereby endangering the life and safety of the occupants who inhabited the structures with the presumption the dwelling was inspected by a certified, licensed building inspector, master electrician, and master plumber.



The state's attorney presented the facts of the case to the Grand Jury for St. Mary's County and an indictment was returned on Wednesday, Aug. 3. A writ of summons was issued on Friday, Aug. 5.



The investigation was conducted by the Vice Narcotics Division of the sheriff's office. The investigating officer was Shawn Moses.
Craig Wesley Norton, 45, of Lexington Park, and Margaret Patricia Hare, 50, of Lexington Park. (Booking photos)

LEONARDTOWN, Md.

(Aug. 10, 2016)The execution of a search and seizure warrant at a home in Lexington Park on Thursday, Aug. 4, resulted in drug-related charges against two people.Detectives say they developed Craig Wesley Norton, 45, of Lexington Park, as a distributor of morphine and oxycodone and subsequently applied for the warrant. During the search, police say they recovered methadone, oxycodone and related paraphernalia.During the search, police also found Margaret Patricia Hare, 50, of Lexington Park, inside the home and in possession of cocaine and related paraphernalia.Norton was charged with Possession of CDS-Not Marijuana and Possession of CDS Paraphernalia.Norton has 85 public records in the Maryland Judiciary Database dating back to 1991, many of which are criminal charges. He also has cases involving domestic violence and a paternity cased filed against him by the Dept. of Social Services.Hare was also charged with Possession of CDS-Not Marijuana and Possession of CDS Paraphernalia.Hare has 38 public records in the Maryland Judiciary Database dating back to 1994, many of which are criminal charges.Police say additional charges are pending a review with the local State's Attorney.The investigation was conducted by the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office Vice/Narcotics division.
The Tri-County Animal Shelter (TCAS) is asking residents to delay turning over their cats until mid-September or to reach out to a rescue partner. A cat rescued from the shelter has tested positive for feline panleukopenia virus (FPV). FPV is a viral disease contagious to cats, both domesticated and wild feline species but not humans. TCAS will continue receiving both stray and owned cats but is striving to limit the number of cats potentially exposed to this virus.TCAS is taking all necessary precautions to reduce the possible spread of FPV to other cats in the shelter; including consulting with our veterinarians, quarantining exposed cats, ensuring our cleaning procedures are followed, and continuing to vaccinate at the appropriate intervals. FPV is resistant to many disinfectants and survives a long time in an environment.Vaccinations against FPV are very effective, and are part of the core vaccines routinely given to cats. Most vaccinated cats are completely protected from this disease. As part of a new pet cat program, your vet will recommend a series of vaccines, usually starting at 6-8 weeks of age. It is important to follow this schedule as the vaccinations will not fully protect your cat until the entire series is given. Different types of vaccines are available, your veterinarian can help you choose the one right for your cat.Keeping kittens (and cats) indoors, and away from other unvaccinated cats, is the best way to prevent exposure to FPV and other viruses.If anyone has any additional questions about FPV, please contact your veterinarian. If you need a list of our rescue partners, contact TCAS at 301-932-1713 or 1-800-903-1992.On Wednesday, July 27, the Charles County Department of Health, in partnership with the Charles County Department of Emergency Services, Sen. Thomas "Mac" Middleton, Charles County Commissioners, and the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center announced the launch of the Mobile Integrated Health Care Team. The program is supported by a three-year, $400,000 grant from the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission, and is expected to serve approximately 60 individuals during the three-year grant. The program is a collaboration among the Charles County Department of Health, Charles County EMS, and University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center, each of which is supporting the project financially.The Bassmaster Elite at Potomac River presented by Econo Lodge will be held from Thursday, Aug. 11 to Sunday, Aug. 14. The event will feature the Bassmaster Expo and Discover Quest Festival. Highlights include Bassmaster Elite Series Tournament weigh-ins, interactive programs by the Department of Natural Resources and Living the American Indian Experience, and local artisans and crafters.Bassmaster Elite (Thursday, Aug. 11- Sunday, Aug. 14)Smallwood State Park (2750 Sweden Point Road, Marbury)Tournament Begins: 6:15 a.m.Aug. 11-12 Weigh-in: 3 p.m.Indian Head Pavilion and Village Green (100 Walter Thomas Road, Indian Head)Aug. 13-14 Weigh-in: 3 p.m.Bassmaster Expo and Discover Quest Festival (Saturday, Aug. 13- Sunday, Aug. 14)Indian Head Pavilion and Village Green (100 Walter Thomas Road, Indian Head)Event time: Noon- 5 p.m.Commissioner Vice President Debra M. Davis, Esq. (District 2) is one of only 25 women nationwide selected to participate in the Governing Institute's 2017 Women in Government Leadership Program. GOVERNING Magazine, a leading government publication, recognizes state and local women elected officials each year for the bipartisan national program. The Women in Government Leadership Program acknowledges the work of women public servants, provides leadership training and critical job skills, and builds a mentoring network for future women government leaders."More than one hundred women were nominated for this distinguished leadership program, and it is truly an honor to be one of the few selected for the Class of 2017," said Davis. "I appreciate this unique opportunity to meet and engage with other government leaders across the country. It's a remarkable way for Maryland and Charles County to be recognized."Davis, a local practicing attorney, was first elected to the Charles County Board of Commissioners in 2010, and is currently serving a second term. Davis spearheaded efforts to establish the Vision 2020 Program, a comprehensive, holistic program aimed at reducing poverty in rural areas. Davis is chair of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland and the Local Government Insurance Trust Board of Trustees. She also serves on several statewide, regional, and local boards.The Daily Record named Davis as one of Maryland's Top 100 women in 2012 and 2014, and inducted her into the Maryland's Top 100 Women Circle of Excellence in 2016, for her leadership and community service. A consummate student of leadership, Davis completed the University of Maryland's Academy for Excellence in Local Governance professional development program in August 2012. She is a 2009 graduate of Leadership Southern Maryland, a 1999 Maryland State Bar Association Leadership Fellow, and served on the African American Leadership Summit for the U.S. Congress in 2004.Davis holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maryland in Criminology and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore's School of Law.The Governing Institute advances better government by improving performance and outcomes through research, decision support and executive education to help public sector leaders govern more effectively. Citizens with special needs may contact the Maryland Relay Service at 711, or Relay Service TDD: 800-735-2258.Registration for upcoming fall aquatic programs begins on Wednesday, Aug. 10. Classes are available for ages 6 months to adult. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Highlighted swim programs include:FALL SWIM LESSONS: Sessions consist of eight, 35-minute classes. Each session includes one day of basic water safety skills. Children must be able to perform all skills of the previous level before moving on to a higher level. The resident fee is $60 and non-resident is $65.MINI SWIM LESSONS: This fast-paced session is designed to teach children the basic fundamentals of swimming. Sessions consist of four, 30-minute classes completed in one week. The fee for residents is $40 and non-residents is $45. There are beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes available for children age 3-12.ADULT LEARN TO SWIM HOUR: This course is designed for adult beginner to advanced intermediate swimmers ages 17 years old and older looking to gain confidence in the water. Each class will focus on basic swimming skills, stroke development, and water safety. Space is limited. The fee for residents is $65 and non-residents is $70.CHARLES COUNTY SWIM CLUB: The Charles County Swim Club is a recreation based program designed for both competitive and non-competitive swimmers ages 6-18. Through leveled instruction, we are able to meet the needs of both the advance and novice swimmer in a fun and safe environment. Prices vary based on skill level.For a complete listing of swim lessons, to register, or more information on these events or other activities offered by the Department of Recreation, Parks, and Tourism, visit www.CharlesCountyParks.com , or call 301-934-9305 or 301870-3388. Citizens with special needs may contact the Maryland Relay Service at 711, or Relay Service TDD: 800-7352258The County Commissioners will not be holding public session. The Commissioners will be representing the county at other meetings and will conduct individual appointments as scheduled.
Richard Gray

Managing Director, LGBTQ Market

Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau

ON THE LGBT TRAVEL MARKET

Last year we welcomed 1.5 million LGBT visitors who spent a whopping $1.5 billion. That is a mega economic impact. We have become the #1 LGBT destination in the state of Florida and the #1 gay resort destination in the U.S.

ON WHAT IT TAKES TO BE #1

Our LGBTQ marketing budget has grown from $35,000 in 1996 to over a $1 million in 2016. I would say we have one of the largest destination LGBTQ marketing budgets in the world. In the past, all that was needed to show a destination was LGBTQ-friendly was to wave a rainbow flag, but we believe that a destination needs to talk the talk and walk the walk and we have definitely done that for more than 20 years. 

ON GREATER FORT LAUDERDALES APPEAL

We have a huge resident LGBTQ community, with the most same-sex couple households per capita in the U.S. Our community is open and accepting, we have one of the most diverse populations in the country and we have blended our messaging to highlight the importance of inclusion.

ON GREATER FORT LAUDERDALES TRANS-GENDER AND FAMILY OUTREACH EFFORTS

It is all about education and acceptance. In the Transgender market we want ALL travelers to Greater Fort Lauderdale to be free to be themselves, free to be accepted, to feel welcome and most of all safe. We include LGBTQ sensitivity training in our SUNsational Service training for all employees working in the hospitality industry in Greater Fort Lauderdale.

ON HIS GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT SO FAR

Unquestionably, our historic Transgender travel study and launch of our Trans marketing campaign, Where Happy Meets Go Lucky. What we are doing in the Trans platform has gone global and in my wildest dreams I never thought that as a destination we would influence a community on a global level.
Check out the latest news from around the world!

Legal  Judge: Mississippi Cant Enforce Anti-LGBT Law as Court Battle Continues

(DV) A federal judge in Mississippi on Monday, Aug. 1, refused state officials request to be allowed to enforce Mississippis anti-LGBT HB 1523 as the state appeals his ruling against the constitutionality of the measure, according to BuzzFeed reports.

HB 1523, signed into law in April by Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, provided protections for individuals, religious organizations and certain businesses who take actions due to their sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions regarding same-sex marriage  or any sex outside straight marriage. It also provided similar protections for those who object to transgender people.

U.S. District Court Judge Carlton Reeves in June issued a permanent injunction barring Mississippi from denying same-sex marriage licenses, meaning no circuit clerk or staff member clerk can deny a gay couple a marriage license even if House Bill 1523 is in effect.

On Monday, Reeves refused to put his ruling on hold while the state appeals the ruling to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. He wrote, [I]ssuing a marriage license to a gay couple is not like being forced into armed combat or to assist with an abortion. Matters of life and death are sui generis. If movants truly believe that providing services to LGBT citizens forces them to tinker with the machinery of death, their animus exceeds anything seen in Romer, Windsor, or the marriage equality cases.

The motions are denied, Reeves added. The baton is now passed.

Related: Poll: Young Americans Favor LGBT Rights on Adoption, More

Politics  Rubio Holds Event with Anti-LGBT Groups on Orlando Massacre Anniversary

(DV) Marco Rubio, who Miami New Times calls Floridas most brazen political opportunist, will be holding an anti-gay event in Orlando on the two-month anniversary of the Pulse massacre.

On Aug. 12, Rubio will speak to Liberty Counsel, the organization run by Mat Staver  Rowan County, Ky. County Clerk Kim Davis attorney. Davis is the clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses and went to jail for four days until she agreed to a compromise.

The meeting is also hosted by the Florida Renewal Project, another anti-LGBT group that believes homosexuality is a Marxist plot and universal same-sex marriage is suicide. Because we want to force everyone to get same-sex married, I guess.

Among the other anti-gay speakers is Bill Federer, who thinks gays people are responsible for Islamic terrorism. Hey, Bill, Im Jewish. I have some wonderful Muslim friends, but leave me out of this. Another is the Rev. Ken Graves who preaches about militant homofascism. Yeah, Im against that too. Does that put me on this creeps side?

Rubio had promised Florida he would not run for re-election. But when he lost his home states presidential primary, he dropped out of the presidential race and decided to run for his Senate seat again.

While Rubio has been hostile to Floridas LGBT community since he became a U.S. senator six years ago, no one thought he would be so tone deaf that hed mark the anniversary of the murder of 49 people by celebrating with people who hate them.

Related: NYPD Investigating Subway Stabbing as Anti-Gay Hate Crime

Sports  Out Gay Olympian Wears Trunks with Gay and Lesbian Written On at Rio 2016

Olympian Amini Fonua from Rio is using his butt to promote equality, according to Pink News.

The 26-year-old swimmer competes in his second games for Tonga with the words Gay and Lesbian written on the back of his swimsuit.

Having the words gay and lesbian over my butt is my way of announcing my queerness for the swimming world to see, Fonua told Vanguard Now.

Fonua will not be wearing the swimsuit when he competes for Tonga in the 100-yard breastroke, but that will not stop him from showing off the pair that was gifted to him by the Los Angeles LGBT Center. According to Fonua, he has so far worn them to all of the practices.

I have worn that suit to every single practice leading up to Rio  because theres not a lot of diversity in swimming, Founua said. Its a gentle reminder to everybody and myself that Im different, and to take pride in that difference.

The trunks were given to Fonua after he helped to raise thousands of dollars through the Beach Volleyball Classic Fundraiser.

Fonua was one of the few out gay Olympians at the 2012 London games and is a proud flag-bearer for the opening ceremony for Tonga, Pink News reports.

I also believe theres real strength to be derived from the power of openly LGBT athletes, so to all the others in Rio, I say this: just by being here and being queer and present, youre making a difference, Fonua said, adding: I want the next generation of athletes who advance through swimmings world rankings to feel safe and comfortable being themselves.

Related: Same-Sex Married Couple Makes Olympics History

Memorial  Mayor of Orlando Says City Plans to Buy Pulse Club to Create Permanent Memorial

The Mayor of Orlando says that the city may take ownership of Pulse nightclub to ensure that it stays a permanent memorial on the site, according to Pink News.

The Orlando massacre saw 49 dead and more than 50 wounded at the hands of a gunman who opened fire during a Latino night in June. The majority of the victims were LGBT people of color.

The owners of Pulse initially planned to re-open with a street party in the wake of the massacre, with promises to carry on. Plans filed last month by the club owners non-profit onePULSE Foundation suggested that a memorial may be built on-site to sit alongside the re-opened nightclub.

However, Mayor Buddy Dyer has suggested that the club should be taken into public ownership by the city and converted into a permanent memorial.

At some point I think the city needs to gain control [or] purchase the Pulse site and then make some determination, with a lot of input, on what a permanent memorial might look like, Dyer told local radio station WMFE. One thing Ive been thinking about is I think we need to determine some period of time that we leave it exactly as is with some adequate fencing  because there will be people that want to travel here and see it as it exists, without modification to it.

He added: Theres some time frame where we need to keep it intake as is, and then transition to whatever a permanent memorial it may be.

Maybe well make that judgement [on the conversion] if the volume slows down, but I think there are a lot of people that want to pay tribute.

Related: Pulse Victim Finally Dances Again

Business  Target Stock Continues to Rise Despite Hate Group Boycott

(EDGE) Conservative "Christian" buying power is taking a hit this quarter as the stock price for Target continues to rise despite a hate group-led boycott of the mega retailer.

Following a sharp drop in stock price prompted by the American Family Association (AFA)-led boycott of Target over the stores transgender-inclusive restroom policy, it appears as though the discount retailer is doing just fine. Shares of Target are going for 74.65, up from a low of 66.74 in mid June.

Meanwhile, AFA is re-upping its efforts to keep shoppers out of Target stores during the back-to-school season.

According to Christian Times, AFA marked the new season on the first day of August with a new drive to garner another million signatures to force the retail company to abandon its bathroom policy.

"Target is dependent on a large back-to-school sales season," said AFA on its website. "Those who spend their money elsewhere will send a strong message to Target that the bathroom policy is bad for business."

In reality, business for Target has increased over the past year. On August 1, 2015, shares traded at 51.85. A year later, there has been a 22.8 increase in value to the current price of 74.65.

Related: Top 5 Non-binary Video Game Characters

International  Gay Syrian Refugee Found Beheaded, Mutilated In Turkey

(CNN) A gay refugee living in Turkey has been found murdered, his body so mutilated his friends could only identify him by his pants, a local rights group said.

Wisam, who arrived in Istanbul about a year ago after fleeing Syria, went missing on July 23 and was found two days later in the city's Yenikapi district.

He previously had been threatened, kidnapped and raped, according to Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Association (KAOS GL), a Turkey-based rights group. CNN is not using the victim's last name out of concern for his family's safety.

"We identified him from his pants... They had cut (him) so violently. So violent that two knives had broken inside him. They had beheaded him. His upper body was beyond recognition," said one friend, whom CNN is not naming for safety reasons.

"If you saw his body, if you even saw a picture of it, you would faint," said another friend, who asked CNN to identify him as Mohammed out of fear for his safety. "It was as if he was attacked by a beast."

Wisam had been stabbed 20 times, his organs were removed and he had been beheaded, according to Alex Benjamin, who works for an organization that aims to help LGBT refugees get expedited asylum.

"Police are doing nothing," Benjamin said, "because he is Syrian and because he is gay."

Police told CNN they were not authorized to comment on the case. Authorities haven't said whether Wisam was killed for being gay. As of Friday, his killers had not been detained.
Police in Uganda forcefully disrupted Pride activities last week, reports multiple human rights activists.

Again and again, Ugandan authorities show that they have no regard for basic human rights of LGBTIQ people and that they will even violate the Ugandan constitution in order to stop LGBTIQ people from exercising those basic rights, said Maria Sjodin, Deputy Executive Director of OutRight Action International, in a news release.

On August 4, police raided a Pride sanctioned event on the rooftop of a pub in the capital city of Kampala. There are reports as many as 20 people were arrested, including noted gay Uganda activist Frank Mugisha.

After a few hours of detention, I have been set free, every one is safe. Thank you all my friends for the support & solidarity, Mugisha tweeted.

Related: Pope Francis Condemns Trans Studies: An Annihilation of Man

Police targeted men they perceived were together as well as transgender individuals, reports the African human rights blog, Kuchu Times.

It was a heartbreaking site as they searched and sexually assaulted transgender persons by touching their genitals and breasts all in an attempt to determine whether they were male or female, Kuchu Times reported.

Observers reported transgender people removing wigs and braids to avoid further inspection. One young gay man, reportedly, jumped from the four-story roof to evade police, barely escaping with his life.

The raid forced several Pride events to be cancelled, but Mugisha is vowing to continue the fight.

The police raid from last evening wont break us but make us strong, Mugisha tweeted.
NASA MissionSTEM Summit 2016 - Opening Session and Keynote Address. NASA

NASA is hosted its first MissionSTEM Summit Aug. 8-9 at the agencys headquarters in Washington, bringing together representatives and students from grantee institutions, federal and grantee civil rights compliance officials, and other experts from government, academia, industry and professional organizations.

Special guest speakers at this opening session include NASA Deputy Administrator Dava Newman, Tina Tchen, assistant to President Obama and chief of staff to the First Lady, and Jo Handelsman, associate director for Science in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
This is the hero of the line, says Jessica Mitchell, Senior Director of Innovation at Peets Coffee. Shes just passed me a 12-ounce glass bottle of Baridi Black, the most straightforward of three variants in Peets newly-launched Ready-To-Drink (RTD) collection. She leans back to watch my face as I take the first sip, and I mentally scroll through a long list of coffee brands who have already taken the plunge into the RTD market. Can we call this one a hero?

To wit: Its been decades since Ueshima Coffee Coompany first tossed some coffee, milk, and sugar into a can and called it a profitable day back in the 60s. Slowly, other companies began dipping their toes into the water. From Maxwell Houses conceptually problematic iteration in the early 90s to Blue Bottle Coffees milk carton-clad line and the Stumptown stubby, these days it seems like every major coffee brand has some RTD product to boast. Credit competitive marketing. Credit the popularity of healthier options over sugary sodas. Hell, get lofty and credit the way technology has shaped our approach to wait time and business-to-consumer interactions. Whatever the reasons, the demand for RTDs continues to grow.

And thats because at its core, ready-to-drink is uncomplicated. Its accessible. It sells. (Even Sprudges own Zac Cadwalader is on board.) Its successful because, lets be real: Deep down, even the most corporeal of coffee nerds occasionally, begrudgingly, enjoys convenience. Also, as Mitchell argues, it simply tastes good.

We found that when we started experimenting with cold brew about two years ago that we really loved the cold brew profilethat lack of of bitterness and acidity, she explains. Its smooth, its refreshing, its aromatic.

And the Peets customer seemed to agree. In their cafes, cold brew sales doubled in those two years. Though the spike in cold brew demand isnt unique to Peets (according to Food Business News, cold brew business in the United States grew 115% last year alone), the company could justify the desire to neatly bottle up that success into a RTD collection. Keen on locking down an already interested body of clientele, the San Francisco Bay Area-based corporation set out to shape their own producta distinctly Peets product. Available as of the last Monday in July, the line is now carried in Peets cafes and grocery stores exclusively in the Bay Area.

Enticed parties have three options. Theres the aforementioned Baridi Black, a simple blend of Eastern Africa beans (from Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Rwanda, to be exact) thats as straightforward as promised, anddespite its ominous opaquenessis not too toasty. Theres the Coffee Au Lait Cold Brew, a sweeter option that couples the Baridi blend with the freshest rBST-free milk. And finally, the Dark Chocolate Cold Brew, a Guittard cocoa-infused wallop that, even as an enthusiastic guzzler of all things sugar, I find a little overwhelming.

Its easy to walk into any new situation with an agenda, and I fully admit that I find myself wanting to be all snobbily Third Wave, all hypercritical of any product that threatens to disrupt my blissfully cafe-filled lifestyle. But standing there with Mitchell, sneaking additional little sips of hero Baridi Black as we chat, Im surprised. Im enjoying this.

Will green coffee buying legend Aleco Chigounis be squirreling away a lifetime supply of Peets RTDs to quaff whilst weeping? Probably not. Will some average, 9-to-5 Joe snag a few of these to drink while hammering away at a desk? SureI happen to be that very same Joe at this exact moment, and Im having a totally decent time. Simply put: Youre not going to be buying a bottle of the worlds most interesting coffee when you pick up this RTD product, or frankly, any RTD product on the market right now. Youre going to buy a bottle of coffee that gets the job doneone that tastes much better than your parents generation of bottled Frappuccino dreck.

Can we call this line heroic? Lets call it the least offensive product you could possibly imagine. To paraphrase Fitzgerald: Show me a hero, and Ill bottle you an RTD.

Laura Jaye Cramer is a freelance writer based in San Francisco, and has written for SF Weekly, GOOD, and Catster. This is Laura Jaye Cramers first feature for Sprudge.

Photos courtesy of Peets Coffee & Tea.
ROME (Sputnik)  Faiez Mustafa Serraj, the chairman of the Libyan Presidency Council and prime minister of the Government of National Accord (GNA), urged the international community to assist the country in the fight against the Daesh terrorist organization.

"Our Libya needs international assistance in the fight against IS [Daesh]," Serraj said in an interview with the Milan-based newspaper Corriere della Sera published on Tuesday.

According to him, Daesh is a treacherous and dangerous enemy not only for Libya, but also for Italy, Europe and the whole world.
"My sources say a variety of deals in the energy, tourism, trade, finance, investment and defense spheres are to be negotiated," Smyth said.

Smyth noted the St. Petersburg talks are likely to mark a crucial step toward Turkey turning its back on the United States, the European Union and NATO and reasserting its identity as a non-Western nation.

"This is very possible and would begin a major disruption in US relations in the Middle East and beyond," he stated.

Smyth added that US President Barack Obama most likely will not be able to stop Erdogan from eventually leaving NATO.

University of Louvain philosopher and eminent political commentator Jean Bricmont said that Turkey is moving out of the United States and NATO camps and Putin is outplaying US policymakers in his dealings with Ankara.

"As the saying goes, the Americans play poker and the Russians play chess and this Turkish episode may illustrate this," he noted.

Turkey has traditionally been the closest and most reliable ally of the United States in the Islamic world.
In 1967, Denmark built its first mosque. Since then, mosques have ceased to be an oddity in the Nordic country with a growing Muslim community. In recent years, however, the peaceful co-existence was shattered, as numerous local imams were caught on film, preaching, among other things, about domestic violence against unfaithful women, insubordination to the civic authorities and killing Zionist Jews.' This uncanny revelation unleashed a number of other disclosures about the ongoing radicalization of Danish Muslims in Mosques.

The notorious discoveries, embodied in the TV-film "Mosques Behind the Veil," set the Danish society at odds with the country's Muslim community, stirring a major debate on the appropriateness of building more mosques. Thus, the construction of a 'super mosque' in the Danish city of Aarhus was put on hold amid public fears that it would become a reprise of the infamous Grimhj Mosque, which made international headlines last year by openly declaring support for Daesh and whose name in Denmark became synonymous with a hotbed of radical Islam.

Nevertheless, a new albeit much smaller mosque was recently opened in the very same city of Aarhus to meet local demands. The new 1,200 square meter mosque has a 14-meter-high dome, and will soon be also furnished with a minaret. The total construction bill landed at around 16 million DKK (roughly 2.5 million USD). The mosque imams come from Turkey and have a higher education, which was paid for by the Turkish state.
As a solution to the problem, Perez told local authorities to ban Muslims from entering the urban area. He also ordered non-Muslim property owners in Urdaneta who rent living or business space to Muslims to evict them.

Urdanetas local economy is heavily dependent on businesses run by Muslims, with some 400 dry goods stalls, and other distribution and retail establishments, dispersed across the city. The mayor has declared, however, that a banishment of the entire religious community, including families with women and children, is essential to stop the proliferation of illegal drugs here.

Among obstacles to the realization of Perezs plans are that some 3,000 Muslims legally reside in the area and many are employed in local government.
Among the draft constitutions disputed sections was an emergency provision allowing the appointment of an unelected prime minister and the upper house of parliament. The upper house also gains the right to veto the lower house's constitutional amendments.

The referendum has been criticized over the lack of monitor access to observe its conduct, as well as the authorities' restrictions of any criticism of the document.
Virgil Ortiz

Growing up in Cochiti Pueblo, Virgil Ortiz didnt consider himself an artist. He was just making potterythe same traditional pottery that his ancestors had been making for generations, in the style that his mother and grandmother taught him to make. The patterns from this traditional Cochiti pottery have stuck with Ortiz throughout his career, even as he branched out into photography and fashion design. Now, hes an artist who takes on countless media: Hes designed textiles, movie sets and costumes, written a screenplay and has exhibited his pottery and other works at museums, galleries and fashion shows all over the world. But as far abroad as hes roamed, New Mexicoand Cochiti Pueblo in particularis still home for Ortiz.

Virgil Ortiz

This month, Ortiz has an exhibit opening at the Albuquerque Museum. This exhibit, which will occupy the atrium of the museum until June of 2017, focuses on a subject that has been central to much of his work from the past several yearsthe Pueblo Revolt of 1680. 1680 is when the Native people of several Pueblos throughout New Mexico united to fight back against the colonizing Spanish, who had been enslaving them and destroying their way of life for over a century. Its an event that you might not know much about, even though it happened right here in New Mexico. As Ortiz says, [the Pueblo peoples] history is not taught in schools nor included in history or textbooks. My big plan is to educate the world about these events using my art.

The way that Ortiz does this is beautiful and astonishingly original. Rather than a straightforward telling of the events of 1680, he has created a rich storyline injected with science fiction that tells of a different invasion: the invasion of 2180. Ortizs fantastical revolution takes place when the Castilian people attempt an invasion of the Pueblos after destroying several of them with weapons of mass destruction. The people of the Pueblos, fed up with having their families and their lands destroyed, rise up in arms to defend themselves. The mannequins in Ortizs exhibit at the Albuquerque Museum are some of the warriors in this battle, and they each have their own story to tell.

...included in the exhibit are two murals and several ceramic works by Ortiz. One mural depicts Popay, the character modeled after the Pueblo leader of the same name who lead the rebellion in 1680.

These characters, dressed head-to-toe in monochrome red or black, look like a militarized Daft Punk. In modified motorcycle helmets, double-breasted coats and angular armor, these warriors seem to have adapted quite well to hyper-modern warfare (and to the fashion runway, for that matter). They stand on top of a dividing wall on the east side of the atrium, looking down on passersby as if ready to strike at any moment.

Virgil Ortiz

Also included in the exhibit are two murals and several ceramic works by Ortiz. One mural depicts Popay, the character modeled after the Pueblo leader of the same name who lead the rebellion in 1680. Hes the Translator [and] Head Commander of the Spirit World Army, says Ortiz. The mural of Popay is on the north wall just outside the entrance of the museum.

Then theres Tahu. According to Ortiz, she is the leader of the Blind Archers, purposefully blinded by the invaders [because of] her fighting skills and spiritual visions. She appears in the giant mural on the west wall of the atrium as a half-mechanized, futuristic warrior, looking across an open sea. On the other side of the mural, staring back at her, is a Castilian: dressed all in black and helmeted, this soldier looks like a cross between a conquistador and Darth Vader. Although I suppose the two really arent all that different, when you think about it.

One of the most interesting objects in the exhibit is under glass. Its a ceramic mask, bearing the stark black and white designs that are characteristic of Cochiti Pueblo potterybut this is an artifact of the future, not of the past. The mask is totally alien, with hair sprouting from the side and an odd number of slits for eyes. Its a ceremonial object for a ceremony that doesnt exist yet. This object, to me, carries a lot of the meaning behind Ortizs artwork, and this exhibit in particular: the Pueblo people are still here, and still adapting. They remember their history, but theyre preparing for the future, too.

The two parallel timelines in Ortizs story serve to teach two profound lessons: that the oppressed Native people of this country have rebelledand successfully freed themselves in the past, and that such a rebellion is possible again in the future. His artwork is a testament to the tenacity and strength of a people who have never been afraid to fight back.

Our story and history has been ignored for too long, says Ortiz. Through it all, the Pueblo People have fought to maintain [our] way of life, our language, ceremonies and art. I want to give proper thanks to our ancestors who fought for our way of life, and to prove that we are still here and prospering.
A Romanian national, Marian Gabrielle Illie was arrested in Mumbai in relation to a high tech ATM heist which was carried out in the month of June in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Following suspicious scrutiny of security cameras installed around ATMs, police grew suspicious of the activities of some foreigners who were seen installing some gadgets in the ATM booth. Later police revealed that these were cameras and skimmers which were used to copy secret pin codes, passwords and other card details of the ATM users who visited the ATM Counter.

More than 25 people lodged complaint of theft from their accounts after receiving text messages of money being withdrawn which they hadnt withdrawn. An estimated $ 3,746 had been reported stolen as per the initial investigation by the police.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, The Guardian published over 2,000 leaked files on the state of affairs in the Australia-run asylum-seeker center on Nauru Island, revealing large-scale abuse, with 51.3 percent of cases involving minors.

"It appears from looking through the published database that nowhere near the full extent of the incident reports written on a day-to-day basis have been released. What you are seeing here is just the tip of the iceberg," former teacher Jane Willey said in response to the files publication.

A number of other professionals who worked at Nauru also condemned the suffering there and expressed concern over lack of legislation to ensure childrens safety at the facility.
"The contradiction lies in the fact that the Japanese government and Japanese politicians are positioning Japan as the world's only country to have suffered atomic bombings. On this basis, Japan claims to be the leader in the movement for nuclear disarmament, but at the same time it does not abandon the American nuclear umbrella'. In principle, this contradiction has long been evident, but in recent years this contradictory situation somehow remained in the background. Therefore, the statement of the Nagasaki mayor will definitely attract much attention," Kistanov added.

To resolve this contradiction, the mayor suggested that the Japanese government should adopt new legislation containing "three non-nuclear principles": not to possess, not to produce and not to import nuclear weapons into Japanese territory.

"This is a very reasonable suggestion. But the problem is that it can be accepted and then voluntarily given up again as it was the case with Japanese principles in the field of arms exports," Kistanov said.

"Meanwhile, there is a new Minister of Defense in the new cabinet recently formed by Abe, a woman named Tomomi Inada. She is not a professional soldier, but politician, who at the same time has conservative nationalist beliefs. She said that Japan does not intend to acquire nuclear weapons now, but the situation may change in the future. These statements provoked protests not only in China but also in South Korea. So, Japanese politics is indeed characterized by a certain inconsistency regarding the three non-nuclear principles," the expert stated.
"Following the conference, we decided to establish five committees in our organization: the Security Council, the High Commissioner for Refugees, the Counter-Terrorism Committee (its priority will be the fight against Daesh, which is gaining strength in Afghanistan every day), the Council of Women's Affairs (different aspects of women's participation in political life will be considered within its framework), and finally, the Committee of Economic and Social Affairs (the fight against corruption and unemployment will be in its jurisdiction)."

"The organizational structure is built in such a way that youth were given the green light to participate in policy. Our priority is attracting ambitious young staff in each of the committees," Koshani said.

According to the President of the PIMUN, each of the 29 provinces of the country is represented in the organization. Moreover, all the cultural and social features of each province are taken into account.

"We appreciate the cultural dialogue between the members of our organization," Koshani added. Therefore, for example, PIMUN members have the right to come to the meeting in the national costumes of their region.
With Chinas nine-dash territorial claims rejected by the Hague-based Court of Arbitration last month, tensions have escalated, with both Beijing and Washington pushing for an increased military presence in response to the ruling. Now Vietnam has reportedly upped the ante by placing its own military units in the Spratlys.

Diplomats and military officers speaking on condition of anonymity say that intelligence shows Vietnam moving mobile missile launchers from the mainland to five separate facilities in the Spratly archipelago.
On July 26 in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, an ex-employee of the facility, Satoshi Uematsu, gained access to the building, and stabbed to death 19 people and wounded 26. He later told police officers that "the disabled should all disappear."

The incident pushed Japanese authorities to contemplate providing financial support to municipalities working to improve security at the country's care centers for disabled, children and the elderly, hospitals, and clinics.

Some family members of people with disabilities voiced concerns that enhanced security goes against the idea that care facilities should be open to local people.
"The issue is likely not the growth in size of the overall HF industry, as there appears to be an ample supply of assets. The issue may be, however, the growth in size of many individual HFs, which are pursuing similar strategies leading to crowding," Barclays observed.

Therefore, the accumulated overcapacity and uninventive profit-seeking patterns as practiced by some of the world's leading hedge funds are likely to result in an erasure of billions of dollars of investment capital by the year-end.

The main issue is the slow global economic growth, hitting hedge fund performance, as the funds themselves are doing nothing wrong to their understanding, based off their past experience.

"Historically, investing in crowded names has generated positive returns, particularly in stable, rising markets. However, when the reverse happens, it tends to be sharp and painful," Barclays explained.

Meanwhile, as certain individual hedge funds are at grave risk, the overall HF industry does not look overheated. HF assets have gained only an average 10 percent per year between 2009 and 2015, whilst certain particular funds have added over 65 percent of that to their balance sheets and new and smaller funds had a smaller share of wealth and asset accumulation.

Yet, even the 10 percent year-on-year growth in hedge funds looks like an overkill against the backdrop of a weak global growth environment, averaging below 3 percent a year during the same period.

Recently, Howard Marks of Oaktree Capital Group also observed that hedge fund appeal amongst investors is slowing as their existing balance sheets will effectively prevent them from growth in revenues and wealth-generating fairly soon.

"The performance of the greatest hedge funds, run by geniuses, created a huge umbrella over this industry, which permitted the other 9,990 hedge fund managers to start hedge funds and command hedge fund fees," Marks noted. "I dare say that the average hedge fund performance since 2004 has not warranted the average hedge fund compensation."
 . If you do not agree with the blocking, please use the Access to the chat has been blocked for violating the rules . You will be able to participate again through:. If you do not agree with the blocking, please use the feedback form

The discussion is closed. You can participate in the discussion within 24 hours after the publication of the article.
BEIJING (Sputnik)  The authorities of the city of Lianyungang, which was set to be chosen as the site for the project, decided to suspend the choice of venue for the future plant.

The project, agreed by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and Frances Areva in 2012, is expected to be completed by 2030. The reports on Lianyungang's choice as the site for the project led to local protests during the weekend, to which government officially responded that the final choice on the location was yet to be made.

There are currently 30 energy units in China, with a total capacity of 28 gigawatts (GW), while another 24 power units are under construction.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Scotland will also introduce a new Business Information Service "to provide support and reassurance to businesses in Scotland."

"An additional 100 million of capital spending will be brought forward this year. This will be in addition to planned capital spending for 2015-16 and will include spending in health and other key infrastructure sectors," a SNP statement reads.

During the June 23 UK-wide referendum on EU membership, 62 percent of Scottish voters backed remaining within the European Union but 52 percent of all British voters backed Brexit. The Brexit decision caused economic turbulence in the UK economy, including a drop in the countrys stock indexes and a devaluation of the national currency.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Following a Brexit vote, UK Prime Minister Theresa May proposed to secure a Brexit which would allow London to remain part of the EU single market, with membership of the EFTA, which includes non-EU members Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, regarded as the best way to do so.

"The Icelandic authorities believe it is important to explore all avenues of cooperation to guarantee continued stability in our relations with the United Kingdom and thereby to secure future economic and trade arrangements that are at least comparable to the current arrangements under the EEA [European Economic Area] and other cooperation agreements. We believe it is premature to exclude any possible outcome, including for Britain to join EFTA," Urdur Gunnarsdottir said.

"While UKs withdrawal from the EU is being negotiated, there will not be any alterations to our economic and trade relations, movement of persons or any other cooperation arrangements. " Gunnarsdottir said, expressing confidence "that the work that lies ahead will produce good results and continue beneficial cooperation between the relevant countries."
Earlier this summer, the first cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD), a deadly deer sickness, were registered in Europe. The sickness was first occurred in two elk in Norway, near the Swedish border. Today, major Swedish authorities and competent bodies launch a campaign to investigate whether the disease already spread itself further to affect deer animals in Sweden. According to scientists, the creatures move freely across the border to Sweden, further raising the risk of infecting their Swedish cousins.

The notorious infection emaciates and disorients the animals. The disease-ridden deer, exposing tell-tale symptoms, usually die within a few months. The infection has been found in North America since the 1960s, and it remains uncertain how it reached Norway in the first place. According to Swedish game pathologist Erik Agren, it could be a case of spontaneous mutation, but the spread with imported animal products is more likely. If the disease is found in Sweden during monitoring, a ban on selling wild game may be imposed.

Cow and calf out together for lunch on a beautiful afternoon #Moose pic.twitter.com/4jpRYsnHA4  neil waring (@wyohistoryguy) August 1, 2016

The autopsy room at the National Veterinary Institute in Uppsala is already in combat readiness mode to investigate the spread of the disease. According to Erik Agren, the disease may be recognized through the dissection of the brain and the lymph nodes.
Einaudi, 61, whose many boasts include having an unexpected younger demographic following around the world, cites, amongst others, none other than Hip Hop artist Eminem as one of his many unlikely inspirations.

For this unique concert set in the ice, Einaudi traveled as a special guest on board the Greenpeace boat 'Arctic Sunrise'. Speaking onboard, following the performance, Einaudi said:

"Being here has been a great experience. I could see the purity and fragility of this area with my own eyes and interpret a song I wrote to be played upon the best stage in the world. It is important that we understand the importance of the Arctic, stop the process of destruction and protect it."

The Arctic Ocean is the least protected sea in the world, its high seas currently have no legal safeguards. As the ice cover decreases with rising temperatures, this unique area is losing its frozen shield, leaving it exposed to reckless exploitation, destructive fishing trawlers and risky oil drilling.

The OSPAR Commission, which is the mechanism by which 15 Governments and the EU cooperate to protect the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic, has a required mandate to protect the marine environment of the northeast Atlantic, including part of the Arctic Ocean. But three countries, Norway, Denmark and Iceland, who are accused of listening more to corporate interests, are keen to stop that from happening.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The Paris Agreement on climate change adopted in December 2015 at the 21st UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) is not enough to stop climate change process in the Arctic region, the chair of an Arctic Council working group told Sputnik.

"It is clear that the pledges given at COP21 will not be sufficient to stop the ongoing climate change processes in the Arctic. Recent climate modelling shows that more stringent commitments are therefore needed," Martin Forsius from the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) said.

The AMAP chair urged for more emission reductions, adding that reaching the COP21 target of keeping the change in global temperature below 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) would be harder to achieve the longer additional reductions are postponed.
"I think there should be rent caps in areas like Shoreditch, so that they don't lose their culture and identity and affiliation with artists, creative start-ups and small businesses," Smith told Sputnik.

"I'm not some crazy socialist, but if London is going to continue being the city everyone thinks it is, then there has to be a place where people can start out and get on and produce the art, music, clothes, designs or films that give areas the reputation they get."

also Shoreditch's been much less 'cool' since the artists and musicians, and general ne'er do well 'bohemians' were priced out the area  Elly Tams (@Notorious_QRG) May 20, 2015

The Director of the Tate, Sir Nicholas Serota, also recently waded into the debate over the unaffordability of London rents, issuing a warning that London's creative success was threatened by the high cost of living.

During a Q&A at Tate Britain between Creative Industries Federation members and Sadiq Khan, just before he became mayor of London, Sir Nicholas said: "Young artists that might have thought of coming here no longer do because they can't afford to live in London. That must give us pause for thought."
Fear and expectation of additional terrorist attacks ranged from seven to 64 percent across the bloc, with the smallest figure from the tiny Balkan nation of Slovenia and the highest from France, a country which has recently been subjected to a row of bloody attacks.

Asked what immediate steps could improve security in the EU, about 40 percent of respondents noted three measures: prevention of terrorist group funding, increased research to root out the causes of the terrorism, and enhancing border control in the EU.

According to Xinhua, the European Parliament refuted proposed initiatives, saying that existing legislation has sufficient capacity to deal with the problem.
With more alluring options being shut off, Egypt is gradually becoming the jumping-off ground for migrants and refugees, coming from the desert near the Sudanese border, Swedish Radio reported.

"The number of migrants coming to Egypt over the southern border with Sudan has increased recently," said Mohammed al-Kashef from the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, who has studied migration in the coastal city of Alexandria for years.

His estimation is shared by the UN refugee agency UNHCR, which has painted the same picture: the old smuggling route through the south-Egyptian desert is on the rise and so are attempts to cross the Mediterranean from Egypt. So far, however, no exact figures have been produced due to shady nature of the trafficking business.
The arrested asylum seeker is thought to be a Daesh jihadist group sympathizer. North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Ministry released a statement clarifying that the alleged terrorist plot being investigated at no point posed a real threat to security.

Last month, an Afghan asylum seeker carried out an ax and knife attack on a train near Bavaria's Wuerzburg, wounding five tourists. A few days later, a Syrian refugee set off a bomb outside a music festival in Ansbach, also in Bavaria, killing himself and wounding 15 bystanders. Daesh, banned in Russia among other countries, claimed responsibility for both attacks.
"The proceedings will test whether Sweden complies with its binding treaty obligations and whether it acts in good faith under the UN human rights system," a representative of Mr Assange's legal team said.

History of Disagreements

Assange, who was first taken into custody at London's Wandsworth prison in 2010, was then living under house arrest and has been living in Ecuador's UK embassy for more than four years.

After exhausting all legal options in the UK aimed at avoiding extradition to Sweden, he was granted political asylum in Ecuador in 2012.

Sweden @swedense Do the right thing and respect the order of #UNWGAD about ending #Assange 's arbitrary detention pic.twitter.com/IoNjnt2atD  Latinos con Assange (@Latinos_Assange) August 4, 2016

The Australian has never formally been charged with any offense in Sweden, with investigators stating that they want to interview the WikiLeaks founder before making a decision on sexual assaults claims.

Despite offers from Assange to be interviewed in London's Ecuadorian embassy, no agreement between Swedish and Ecuadorian officials has yet been struck.

UK submits response to UN Assange case. To suggest he is "arbitrarily detained" is deeply flawed @foreignoffice https://t.co/PklTzKG5oS  Tony Kay (@anthonypkay) March 24, 2016

Citing an outstanding European arrest warrant, British officials have stated that they will arrest and extradite the WikiLeaks founder to Sweden should he leave the embassy in London.

However, Assange has rejected calls to travel to Sweden to speak to authorities, amid fears he could be then extradited to the US over his role in the leaking of thousands of sensitive government documents.
With British leaders looking at ways to leave the EU but still maintain the country's access to the European single market, some Brexit supporters have suggested joining the EFTA, which consists of non-EU member European countries with close trading links to the bloc  like Switzerland, Norway Liechtenstein and Iceland.

However Norway's European affairs minister, Elisabeth Vik Aspaker, has seemingly raised doubts over such a proposal, hinting that it could use its veto to prevent Britain from joining the EFTA.

Terrible consequences of #Brexit continue to unfold w/ future options closed off at home & abroad including doubts in Norway about EFTA/EEA.  Peter Sutherland (@PDSutherlandUN) August 9, 2016

"It's not certain that it would be a good idea to let a big country into this organization. It would shift the balance, which is not necessarily in Norway's interests," she told the Aftenposten newspaper."
BERLIN (Sputnik)  The suspect was arrested in the town of Mutterstadt on Friday after inmates in a prison in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia reported overhearing a conversation in which the planning of a terrorist attack was alluded to.

"There is no information on this man's exact plans," Jaeger said at a press conference organized by the N-24 broadcaster, adding that during police questioning new details emerged "however, not about terrorist attack plans but maybe about crimes in Syria."

Last month, an Afghan asylum seeker carried out an ax and knife attack on a train near Bavaria's Wuerzburg, wounding five tourists. A few days later, a Syrian refugee set off a bomb outside a music festival in Ansbach, also in Bavaria, killing himself and wounding 15 bystanders. Daesh claimed responsibility for both attacks.
EDINBURGH (Sputnik)  Frasers comments came as the Scottish Government announced a 100-million-pound ($130 million) stimulus plan intended to boost the Scottish economy following the Brexit vote. In recent weeks companies in Scotland have been warning of a slow-down in the economy and a drop in orders.

"If the SNP wants to ease the uncertainty surrounding Scotlands economy, it should unequivocally drop its threat of a second referendum. Far from seeking stability since the Brexit vote, Nicola Sturgeon [Scottish First Minister] has only exacerbated the uncertainty with her opportunistic talk of separation," finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said in a statement.
Now migrants are trying to cross the border on mountain trails.

On Friday, migrants for the first time violated the border. In the course of recent circumstances, the border must be secured by additional police forces, maintained the mayor.

According to Guibal, Italys Ventimiglia could become the new Calais.

Italian authorities are doing everything they can to resolve the migrant situation. But unfortunately it is not enough. We want Europe to come to concrete actions in the sphere of migrant politics and border security, the mayor told Sputnik.

To enforce the border trains are systematically checked. If migrants are noticed on them, police takes the refugees back to the border.

The same is done on motorways.

I understand that the police and the military are concentrated on combating terrorism. Anyway, I think that some forces could still be put on the border to secure it, stated Guibal.

For many months, Europe has experienced a refugee crisis. France has become a target of multiple terrorist attacks. These unpleasant events raised many concerns regarding migrants who are trying to cross the Italian-French border. French authorities are trying to prevent any possible security threats.
EDINBURGH (Sputnik)  On July 30, The Times newspaper published a story under the title "Putin wages propaganda war on UK," suggesting that the Princess Dashkova Centre was part of a "Russian information effort" because it was part-funded by the Russkiy Mir Foundation.

"The Princess Dashkova Russian Centre at the University of Edinburgh seeks to advance knowledge in the field of Russian language studies and to foster a broader cultural understanding of Russia through research, academic training and knowledge exchange," Public Relations Manager for Edinburgh University Ronald Kerr said.

Kerr said that the center retained freedom of action in all aspects of its activities, the principle of academic freedom being at the heart of its operation. He said it prided itself in bringing together a wide range of views and opinions.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  According to figures published by the paper, Germany is the biggest contributor to the EU budget, while Poland receives more than it gives. Warsaw is also one of the fiercest opponents of EUs scheme to distribute refugees across member states.

"We need stricter rules for disbursing funds," Inge Graessle, the head of the Parliament's Budgetary Control Committee, told Die Welt newspaper. "Countries that do not abide by EU rules or are reluctant to take in or register a fair share of refugees must be denied financing."

European Parliament Vice-President Alexander Graf Lambsdorff backed Graessle's proposal, saying Germany should make sure that Poland and Hungary, the main beneficiaries, respect EU values and cooperate on the refugee distribution plan.
KIEV (Sputnik)  On Wednesday, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said that it had eliminated a spy ring organized by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry in Crimea, detaining both Russian and Ukrainian nationals involved in preparing terrorist attacks on the peninsula. An FSB officer died as a result of a firefight during the arrest.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Kiev of resorting to terrorism.

"The Ukrainian Defense Ministry refutes information spread by Russian FSB on participation of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine in diversionary activities on the territory of temporary occupied Crimea," the statement reads.
"After an investigation, the prosecutor's office found that there is no threat, the situation returned to normal, the planes fly on schedule," the Belgian TV channel reported.

An Air Arabia Maroc plane was reportedly diverted to Toulouse, while a Scandinavian SAS plane from Oslo landed in Brussels.

Reports one aircraft with a bomb threat was SAS #SK4745 inbound to Brussels from Oslo. Aircraft landed approx 19:02   Flight Alerts  (@FlightAlerts777) 10  2016 .

A representative of Brussels' fire-fighters, Rierre Meis, told RIA Novosti that a false report about bomb threats aboard two passenger planes, which were due to land at the Brussels airport, was received via a call to the country's emergency services from a hospital.

"We are talking about calls received by the "112"[emergency service] in Brussels. The Brussels' office of the "112" called the Belgocontrol to find out whether we are talking about the two planes, which seemed to have explosives aboard. But when the service called the Belgocontrol, these two planes already landed. It is probably an intentional false threat", he told RIA Novosti.

Some flights have been redirected to other airports because of the reports of a possible explosive device aboard the two planes bound for Brussels.

An Air Arabia Maroc passenger jet has been diverted and landed in the French city of Toulouse, sources told the VRT broadcaster.

BREAKING Were receiving reports of bomb threat against 2 flights to Brussels https://t.co/QOmwOzQ0yZ  AIRLIVE (@airlivenet) 10  2016 .

Bomb alarms have been frequent in Belgium in the past several weeks and the authorities are taking all the necessary precautions, a federal police spokeswoman told Sputnik on Wednesday, as news emerged of bomb threats on two Brussels-bound planes.

"All I can say at the moment that these weeks there were often bomb alarm[s] in Belgium. We take all the precautions," Sandra Eyschen said.

Medical emergency services have been alerted.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The suspect is on the run after the girl was attacked at the Vieux Pont camping site near the town of Saint-Alban-Auriolles sometime between late Monday and early Tuesday, France Bleu news outlet reported.

According to the outlet, 25 police officers have been mobilized for the search. The law enforcers have started interviewing campsite residents and passers-by as part of the investigation into the rape case.
According to the Paris regions tourism office, foreign tourist arrivals fell by 10% from January to May 2016, compared to the same period in 2015, the IB Times noted. Hotel occupancy in June dropped 12% from the same time last year, and the number of flights arriving in the month of July has dropped 10% from that period in 2015.

"The main reason for this fall (in the number of tourists visiting Paris) is the fear of the risk of attack, which is weighing on a lot of foreign customers, generally from far away, particularly Asian customers who are averse to risks, who don't know these security problems in their own countries in general  I'm particularly thinking of Japan  and who are afraid of coming to France, to Paris, in Europe generally," Thomas Deschamps, statistics officer for the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, told the Times.

While the decline is not good for an economy that relies heavily on tourism, those who make the trip see far shorter lines at popular destinations such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Kurdish militants are said to have opened fire at Turkish soldiers engaged in the anti-terror operation, Anadolu news agency reported.

One of the soldiers reportedly died at the scene and one more  later in a hospital.

Another incident occurred in the southeastern province of Hakkari where seven Turkish soldiers were injured while removing landmines laid by PKK fighters, according to Anadolu.
Aleppo, according to the media outlet, will only be freed when terrorists locked in urban areas run out of supplies . This will not happen in an instant.

"Militants have lived in eastern Aleppo for approximately three years. They have settled comfortably in those areas, preparing for prolonged defense," the daily explained. The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and all those helping "will only be able to free the city when the militants truly begin to run out of supplies, including ammunition and radio batteries."

Not a single expert can accurately predict when this will happen. "Even the CIA has no idea how many resources [radical groups fighting in Aleppo] have amassed, particularly at the time when they said they were democrats and liberals," the media outlet observed.
Sweden must see to it that Assyrians are granted local autonomy over the Nineveh Plains in order to be able to ensure their survival in the Middle East, Swedish Liberal Party members Nino Maraha, Birgitta Ohlsson, and Robert Hannah demand in an open letter in Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet . According to them, this must be done soon, before it's too late, preferably under UN patronage.

"Two years ago, Daesh occupied one of Iraq's largest cities Mosul, where church bells fell silent after over 1,600 years as the city's Christians were forced to flee head over heels," Liberal activists wrote. However, it was only a premonition of what was to come. Shortly thereafter, the Nineveh Plains in Iraq were emptied of its indigenous people, as hundreds were slain and over 50,000 were forced to flee.

Unfortunately, not all Assyrians managed to escape the black-clad jihadists. Women and children were captured, raped and enslaved. Girls were sold as sex slaves. This is a human tragedy difficult to grasp, the Liberals pointed out. According to them, many Assyrians still dream of a future in Iraq and Syria, despite today's nightmare. Therefore, it is important to support these people's desire for a life of peace and freedom.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The states also expressed their support for Libya's Government of National Accord and its efforts to find a peaceful solution to the situation that is affecting export of energy sources from the country.

"The governments of Germany, Spain, the United States, France, Italy and the United Kingdom express concern at the increasing tension reported near the oil terminal of Zueitina, in the central part of Libya," the declaration reads.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Tuesday, Russian President Putin met with Erdogan in St. Petersburg to reset bilateral relations, for the first time since the November 2015 downing of a Russian aircraft by Turkey.

The two leaders agreed on a series of measures to boost economic and other ties. The Turkish president said that Ankara was ready to assign the status of strategic investment project to the Akkuyu NPP.

"The words regarding strategic investments, which were used during the meeting to describe the Akkuyu nuclear power plant project, complement the concept of strategic partnership between our countries. The given project is one of the largest investment projects to be implemented between Turkey and Russia. Keeping this in mind, the Turkish side's statement on its willingness to give the Akkuyu project strategic investment status comes very much naturally," Kocer said.
Growing Tension Over Demolitions, Settlements

The issue of destroying Palestinian structures in the occupied territories has been an issue of friction between Israel and its western allies, with the EU and US denouncing such actions, while calling for a halt in the construction of further Jewish settlements on occupied Palestinian land.

In July, B'Tselem said Israel had destroyed more Palestinian homes in the first six months of 2016 than in 2015, claiming 740 Palestinians had been displaced.

A pic of demolition carried out this morning at Umm al-Kheir, South Hebron Hills pic.twitter.com/mXsBZaEoRu  B'Tselem   (@btselem) August 9, 2016

The tension also led to a diplomatic standoff between Israel and the EU, after officials in Brussels required all products coming from the occupied territories to be labeled as such when being sold in European markets.

However, not all have criticized the latest demolitions, with local Jewish councilors arguing the buildings should have been taken down as they had not adhered to licensing laws.

Haaretz: Israel admits that parts of the land on which Ofra settlement was built were confiscated (declared as "State land") "by mistake"  Gabriel Helou (@GabrielHelou) August 9, 2016

"I hope this signals the beginning of a new trend because until now the message sent by Israel's reluctance to enforce the law was that this kind of construction was approved of. This brought about an increase in the scope of illegal construction by the Arabs," Head of the Har Hevron Regional Council, Yochai Damar, said.

"We can't have such blatantly selective enforcement. We in Har Hevron have been dealing with a construction freeze for over a year now. Every pipe and every caravan are put under the most exacting legal microscope while right next to us there are people who build whatever and whenever they want in open contempt for the law," he added.
This exclusive footage made minutes after the fighting was over shows a burning oil tanker. The source said that Damascus-led forces have been primarily tasked with recapturing strategically important areas in eastern Hama to put an end to Daesh's illegal oil business.

"We are advancing deeper into the Syrian Desert to take the lead in the fighting close to the villages of Al-Mufakar and Aqarib. These are the closest settlements to the pipeline," the source detailed.
The Syrian army's progress in the north of the city has made it possible to pave a new "road of life" to Aleppo. On July 28, the Syrian army and loyal militias gained control of Aleppo's Beni Zeid district, which became the new gateway to the city. Previously this district had been the main militant stronghold in the area.

The RIA correspondent reached Beni Zeid without running into any difficulty and Syrian soldiers accompanied by militiamen from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) meet us at the entrance to the neighborhood. It is impossible to find even one undamaged house. The district is in ruins and the road has been obliterated by shelling.

Finally, our column reaches the point where they will be stationed, somewhere in a southwestern quarter, where only half a mile separates us from the enemy. The air forces and artillery operate continuously. Air bombs are blowing up such close range that it seems like the window glass will fall down on our heads.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The airstrike hit "one pickup truck with mounted recoilless rifle," the press release stated on Wednesday.

On August 1, the United States began the aerial campaign against Daesh at the request of and in coordination with the GNA.

US forces have conducted a total of 29 airstrikes in support of the campaign, called Operation Odyssey Lightning, AFRICOM noted.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The Bunyan Marsous Operations Room announced that Daesh terrorists had been ejected from their hideout after a days offensive, the Libya Herald newspaper reported.

The operations center said they had liberated a hospital and a university, killing around 20 jihadists. They confirmed having lost contact with a Libyan Air Force warplane, the second in the past two months. The outlet cited Daesh who claimed they had downed the jet.

Daesh gained a presence in Libya in the turmoil following the 2011 overthrow of the country's long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi. The country has been mired in a civil war since 2014.
"According to our estimates, there are about 120 Daesh militants in the city. They either surrender, or will be destroyed. We hope to fully liberate the city in the coming days," he added.

A few days ago, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance of militias was reported to have taken control of strategic locations in the northern Syrian city of Manbij, which is partially held by Daesh, the SDF's press service said in a statement Thursday. It was added in the statement that SDF militia forces have also liberated Al-Tall district of the city.

"In the central part of the city there are still 4,000 civilians, including women, children and the elderly. Daesh militants use them as human shields. Because of that we can't use heavy weapons in the city, and the aircraft of the coalition doesn't carry out airstrikes on the positions of the militants. We are very careful with the lives of civilians and do our best to prevent civilian casualties," Yunus said.

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to President Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups, such as Daesh, outlawed in many countries, including Russia and the United States. In late May, SDF, backed by the US-led coalition, began an offensive to retake the Syrian city of Manbij from Daesh militants.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The ministry added there the political dialogue between the conflicting Yemeni parties remained the only way out of the crisis.

"Moscow urges the parties to the conflict in Yemen to adhere to the previously announced ceasefire and return to the talks under the UN auspices," the ministry said.

The ministry noted an increase in the number of airstrikes on the part of the coalition led by Saudi Arabia, which also affect civilian targets. The ministry also recalled ballistic missiles launches from Yemen towards Saudi border areas.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The first Russian-Turkish committee on Syria will hold the first meeting on Thursday, a spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday.

"The first meeting will be held tomorrow, the delegation will go to Moscow this evening," Ibrahim Kalin told the Turkish A Haber broadcaster.

Erdogan visited St. Petersburg on Tuesday to have talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, after seven months of strained relations following the November downing of a Russian military aircraft by Turkey.
ROME (Sputnik)  Rome is considering a request made by Prime Minister of the Libyan Government of National Accord Fayez Sarraj regarding the provision of assistance in the form of military mine clearance training to the Libyan army, local media reported on Wednesday citing a source in the Italian government.

"The request has been received and the government is looking into it. For any new initiative [to be adopted], the government has to involve the Parliament," the Askanews cited its source, who noted that the Italian authorities have long been engaged in activities to aid and support the legitimate Libyan authorities, especially "in the field of humanitarian aid and providing help to the injured."

Earlier on Wednesday, media reports emerged claiming that Italian special forces have already been deployed in Libya and Iraq where they fight the Islamic State (Daesh) terrorist group.
CAIRO (Sputnik)  A total of 15 terrorists linked to the Islamic State (Daesh) terrorist group were killed in airstrikes conducted by the Egyptian security forces on the Sinai Peninsula, local media reported on Wednesday.

Two strikes launched form the helicopters targeted the positions of the Ansar Beit al-Maqdis terror group loyal to Daesh near the cities of Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid, Akhbal el-Yom media outlet said, adding that the anti-terror operation was still ongoing.

The Egyptian security service has not confirmed the reports on the operation so far.
"Everything is possible right now, and I think that is what both of these leaders are saying to their domestic audiences, and sitting across from each other on each side of the table. It is a very interesting time, but I dont think we should be rash in drawing any conclusions," said Lavelle.

Will Turkey drift away from NATO and the EU toward Russia?

"I think what Turkey is going to do, which any rational power would, is to play off different players to get what it wants most, and that is perfectly natural," said Lavelle. "The Russians are perfectly aware of that. Turkey will not leave NATO anytime soon, but will it leverage its membership to get certain things that it wants regionally? Of course."

"I dont see any black and white that they will completely turn their back on NATO and the European Union, and fall into some kind of Eastern orbit with Russia, China, and Iran," said Lavelle.

"It could happen at one point," he suggested.
The likelihood of a Western military presence on Libyan soil is reflected in the words of Mattia Toaldo, a Libya expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations. According to Toaldo, the US mission in Sirte is "different" from the French presence in the eastern city of Benghazi, as Libya's rival political factions are unlikely to object to attempts to defeat Daesh.

"As long as they keep this low profile the risks both for the US and for the Libyan government are quite low," he suggested.

Libyan militia officials believe that the arrival of Americans and British near the front line signals preparations for a significant push into Daesh territory. The official US position says that Western involvement in the fight against Daesh-affiliated Islamic State in Libya will solidify the foundation of the current UN-backed government, following a period of political instability caused by the Western invasion of Libya and the assassination of its then-leader Moammar Gaddafi, which, according to the officials, "opened the door to the expansion of the Islamic State."
"@livestord will start using military drones, three meters wide, to drop thousands of electronic Bibles over closed areas in the Middle East. Lets pray the message of Gods love in Christ will conquer that of darkness and hate!"

You had to be there! #LivetsOrd #Ek16 A photo posted by Forsamlingen Livets Ord (@livetsord) on Jul 30, 2016 at 12:43pm PDT

The Bibles will be pillbox-size and battery-powered. They will be dropped by a private contractor that, presumably, has clearance to operate in Syrian airspace.

Critics have pointed out that using military drones doesnt exactly send a welcoming message. For those on the ground, being unable to differentiate the Bible from a Hellfire missile doesnt bode well for a successful promotional pitch.

But Christian Akerhielm, Livets Ords mission director, defends the strategy, telling the Washington Post that its "closer to traditional smuggling of Bibles, and it is not connected to any military or aggressive action in any way."

The church also argues that the airdrop will be conducted in coordination with its efforts to provide medical care to refugee camps in the region.

If the Livets Ord plan is successful, it will beat Amazon to be first-to-market in drone delivery.
Erdogan is complaining to America that Gulen almost toppled him and he should be extradited to Turkey immediately, Xulam stated. This crisis has a lot of smoke and very little heat.

Erdogan wants to avoid any further clashes with the Turkish army, whose leadership he purged after the failed coup and so is focusing on Gulen and his supporters as internal enemies instead, Xulam maintained.

Erdogan cant take on the Turkish military and Gulenists at the same time, so he has decided to gang up on Gulen, he added.

US efforts to restore good relations with Ankara would fail because of the new level of mistrust towards Washington, Xulam predicted.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, Xulam observed, is trying to restore a dialogue of trust but the odds are against him succeeding.

John Kerry will try, and his job will not be easy, to instill some sense into his interlocutors. He will come back with the biggest headache of his life, Xulam suggested.
ROME (Sputnik)  The decision to reopen the embassy in Libyas capital Tripoli, closed in February 2015, was made on Wednesday evening by Italys Council of Ministers.

Giuseppe Perrone, 49, who will now be Italys Ambassador to Libya, has served as Deputy Director General/Principal Director for the Mediterranean and Middle East of the Italian Foreign Ministry.

On Wednesday, Italian media reported that Rome was mulling a request made by Prime Minister of the Libyan Government of National Accord Fayez Sarraj regarding the provision of assistance in the form of military mine clearance training to the Libyan army.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Russia plans to turn the Hmeymim base in Syria into a fully operational base, Franz Klintsevich, the first deputy chairman of the Defense and Security Committee of the Federation Council (the upper house of Russia's parliament), said.

"After an agreement on its legal status, Hmeymim will become a base of Russian armed forces, all the appropriate infrastructure will be built there and our servicemen will live in decent conditions," Klintsevich said in an interview with the Russian Izvestia newspaper.

According to the defense official, a permanent contingent of Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) could be based at the Hmeymim airbase, located in the northwestern Syrian Latakia province.
However there has been a change of rhetoric coming from Turkey recently. The new Prime Minister, Binali Yildirim, said that Turkey needs to revive its relations with its neighbors, as former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's policy of "zero problems with the neighbors" turned out, by Yildirim's definition, to be "zero relationships with the neighbors."

"They need their neighbors. At the end of the day they are not living on an island," Almassian said.

Syria, he says, is a strategic neighbor, as products from both Turkey and the West cannot reach Gulf markets without the involvement of Damascus.

Almassian notes that current predictions regarding Turkey's possible shifts in foreign policy are speculation. It is important to check how changes in Turkish rhetoric, following a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will work out on the battlefield, as there are some 8,000 militants whose presence would not be possible without Turkish assistance, Almassian says.

"If the Syrian government succeeds in retaking Aleppo again, then [Erdogan's] neo-Ottoman dreams will fade away," Almassian said, noting that Russian support to Kurdish forces, which has led to Kurdish military and political rise, has effectively created a common ground between Turkey and Syria. The possibility of independence for Kurds can soften tensions between Ankara and Damascus.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The UK army admitted that the Russian military forces can outgun the British ones on the battlefield, in a leaked report cited by The Times on Wednesday.

"In the unlikely event of a direct confrontation between NATO and RUS [Russia], we must acknowledge that RUS currently has a significant capability edge over UK force elements," the report said, as quoted by the news outlet.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in the first reconciliatory meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday since the downing of a Russian jet by Turkey last fall, named defense industry as one of several sectors where Ankara intended to bring ties to pre-crisis levels.

The decision to increase cooperation with Russia in the field of defense is not a move against NATO. There are NATO countries that cooperate with foreign states in the defense sector, including importing missiles, Cavusoglu said in an interview with Turkeys Anadolu news service.

He explained that Ankaras move to seek defense cooperation outside the Western military bloc stemmed from its dissatisfaction from exclusive work with NATO member states to date.
"The goal of the sabotage and terrorist acts was to destabilize the sociopolitical situation before and during the election of federal and regional authorities," the FSB said.

One FSB officer was killed during the counterterrorist operation.

As a result of search operations on the night from August 6 to August 7, 2016, a group of saboteurs was discovered near the town of Armyansk in the Crimean Republic. An FSB officer died as a result of a firefight during the arrest, the FSB said.

Twenty improvised explosive devices, ammunition and other weapons at the disposal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been uncovered at the site, the service added.

FSB Stamps Out Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Spy Ring in Crimea

The FSB said that it had eliminated a spy ring organized by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry in Crimea, detaining both Russian and Ukrainian nationals involved in preparing terrorist attacks on the peninsula.

"An agent network [created] by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense's Main Intelligence Directorate has been eliminated. Ukrainian and Russian nationals involved in the preparation of terrorist acts have been detained and are confessing," the FSB said in a statement.

The Federal Security Service also said it had prevented two overnight attempts by Kiev-organized terrorist groups from entering Crimea.

Russias border with Ukraine has been reinforced and security at places of mass gathering and key infrastructure facilities in Crimea has been stepped up.

Additional security measures in public and recreational places have been adopted, including the protection of critical infrastructure. The boundary regime on the border with Ukraine has been strengthened, the FSB said.

A criminal investigation has been opened into an attempted act of terrorism filed late last week and claimed to be directed by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's intelligence service, it added.

The Federal Security Service also said it had prevented two overnight attempts by Kiev-organized terrorist groups from entering Crimea on the night of Monday, August 8, in which one Russian soldier was killed.

"The break-through attempts were covered with massive shelling from the neighboring state and the Ukrainian Armed Forces' armored vehicles. A Russian Defense Ministry serviceman was killed in the firefight," the FSB said.
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.

The export version of the Podsolnukh has been showcased at several international maritime defense shows.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The US-led coalition of more than 60 nations has been conducting anti-Daesh airstrikes in Syria and Iraq since 2014.

"In Syria, coalition military conducted 14 strikes using attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL (Daesh) targets," the release stated on Wednesday. "Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 11 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq."
Prior to the upgrades, the Shenzen served as Beijings flagship in the South China Sea, but it remains uncertain whether it will currently remain in the position of the Peoples Liberation Army Navys command ship.

Significant upgrades to what was already Chinas most lethal destroyer come as Beijing faces increasing pressure to relax its claims over oil rich South China Sea territories, through which some 40% of the worlds shipborne commerce travels each day.

The recent ruling by the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration is challenged by China, saying that the Hague does not have the jurisdiction to decide upon the case. According to Beijing's interpretation, China would have had to jointly submit to the dispute for the courts decision to be enforceable.

Despite Chinas explanation, Beijing faces growing pressure from the West, as well as from regional rivals Japan and Australia, that analysts worry could push the regime of Xi Jinping into a corner, increasing the threat of hostilities.
"You dont know the area, youre speaking in a different language. It lets you put a mirror up to yourself, and you learn a lot from that," he said.

"[International exercises] are not just military, but strategic in nature. And the strategic benefits are not always direct; they can also be roundabout."

While Israel maintains strong ties with the US, it has no formal relationship with Pakistan and the UAE.

Red Flag will also give Washington a chance to showcase its F-35 Lightning II fighter, deemed combat-ready earlier this month. This week, however, reports surfaced that the US Air Force is still attempting to fix the aircrafts faulty ejection seat, which could put the lives of pilots at risk.

Israel has ordered 33 F-35 "Adir" jets.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The Wednesday release of the 263 previously top secret articles taken by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden cover internal newsletters distributed in the last half of 2003.

In the SIDtoday articles, "the agencys spies explain a surprising amount about what they were doing, how they were doing it and why," The Intercept explains.

The latest batch of articles catalogue NSAs challenges monitoring signals intelligence (SIGINT) from al-Qaedas primitive communications, and the role the NSA played in the early phases of the war in Iraq, including miscalculating the strength of the countrys insurgency.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  At a meeting with Putin in St. Petersburg on Tuesday, Erdogan apologized for the shooting down of a Russian bomber outside Turkish air space last November. The two leaders then agreed on a series of measures to boost economic and other ties.

"Erdogan and Putin have mostly economic interests that bind them," Giraldi said on Tuesday.

Turkey had infuriated Russia by supporting rebels in Syria seeking to topple President Bashar Assad, Giraldi noted.
MEXICO CITY (Sputnik)  A total of 59 out of 81 members of the Senate voted on Tuesday in favor of holding an impeachment trial against Rousseff, the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper reported.

The trial is due to take place late August. A total of 54 votes will be enough to remove Rousseff from power.

In May, Brazil's Senate voted in favor of starting impeachment proceedings against Rousseff after she was accused of concealing the countrys budget deficit ahead of the 2014 re-election. Rousseff has been suspended from office for 180 days, pending trial. Michel Temer, who had been Brazil's vice president since 2011, is assuming presidency during that period.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  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 Daesh, as well as the al-Nusra Front, both outlawed in Russia and a range of other states, are not part of the deal.

"We are working with Russia on a reliable mechanism for Syria," Cavusoglu told Anadolu news agency.
"On the Russian side, Putin is interested to see what kind of independence Turkey might have with respect to its relations with NATO, and with the US and the EU. And he wants to see what flexibility Turkey might have with respect to the war in Syria," Pearson noted.

Ankara needs the restoration of relations with Moscow to get the ability to influence the situation in Syria and the crisis settlement, he stressed.

"There are two important aspects. One is that Turkey would like to have Moscow have less of its relationship with the Kurds. Also, Turkey wants to include leverage on what will happen to [Syrian] President [Bashar] Assad," Pearson said.

Russia wants to know what Turkey is planning to do with "its relationships in the past with the ISIS [Daesh]," he explained.

Relations between Moscow and Ankara hit rock bottom last November after a Turkish jet shot down a Russian plane on the Syrian border. Their ties started warming up again after the Turkish president offered his condolences to the family of the slain Russian pilot in June. During Tuesday's press conference, Putin said that Russia and Turkey were determined to find a mutually-acceptable solution to the conflict in the Arab republic.
"America's foreign policy in the Middle East did pay off, it failed. Washington is now trying to pursue its destabilization strategy in Asia-Pacific. But China's positions in the region are strong and the US will not be able to do anything about it," the analyst said.

Tarasov also mentioned that Washington tried to capitalize on tensions between China and Japan, as well as North Korea's nuclear activities in its standoff with Beijing. This strategy has not been successful and if the US tries to push forward with it, increasing tensions with China will most likely lead to what the analyst described as "a major geopolitical failure of US foreign policy."

The analyst described China's behavior as "increasingly assertive," adding that Beijing has been "rather smart and confident" in its activities. The East Asian nation, he added, has prevented "the US from reinforcing its positions in the region like Washington planned to."
Instead of subsidizing the defense of its "prosperous allies," Washington could have used this money on domestic needs, Posen underscores, referring to the US' crumbling infrastructure, the federal budget deficit and stagnant real incomes of American workers.

However, the US foreign policy establishment is calling for a more muscular and tough policy toward the Middle East and Russia that actually means that Washington should spend even more money on wars for the sake of its foreign partners.

When it comes to the US' nuclear commitments to its allies, Washington may eventually find itself on thin ice.

To defend its partners in Europe and Asia from their potential adversaries, the US must signal to those potential challengers that "it would, if pressed, wage nuclear war" on behalf of its allies, the scholar explains.

"Are these nuclear commitments strategically necessary?" Posen asks.

Is the US really ready to wage an all-out nuclear war to defend its allies in Europe or in Asia?

To make matters even worse, the US' "extravagant insurance" that Washington offers its partners "encourages them to engage in risky behavior," he emphasizes.
In an interview with Sputnik, Malan stated that he has sent a corresponding appeal to the country's parliament in which he asked for explanations on the issue.

"So far the government has not responded to my request. Although in fact, it has to do it but apparently not in Italy. Here, the Renzi government doesn't respond to requests, even to those of the members of the Chamber of Deputies or the Senate," the senator stated.

Malan also explained how he came up with his revelations. According to him, he was studying the list of sponsors who sent financial contributions to the Fund, and "Italy's Ministry of Environment was among them".
Russian MP Irina Yarovaya, the head of the State Duma Committee for Security, echoed these sentiments, saying that Morell made "monstrous remarks." He essentially confirmed that Washington is capable of carrying out "covert killings  to pursue its own devastating plans."

Yarovaya also noted that Morell's comments point to a hidden agenda in Washington's counterterrorism activities. "The US State Department must issue a clear statement on the issue. Otherwise, there are grounds to assume that the former CIA deputy director inadvertently revealed an existing top secret CIA plan."

Morell's remarks are meant to "fuel tensions between Russia and the US," Dmitry Gorovtsov, the deputy chairman of the State Duma's Committee for Security, told RIA Novosti, adding that such rhetoric is unacceptable. He also called Morell's plan "extremist" and "akin to fascist ideology."
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On July 15, a coup attempt took place in Turkey, which was suppressed the following day. Over 13,000 people have already been detained in connection with the coup attempt, 10,000 of those were members of the Turkish military.

"Turkey is a valued Ally, making substantial contributions to NATO's joint efforts. Turkey takes full part in the Alliances consensus-based decisions as we confront the biggest security challenges in a generation. Turkeys NATO membership is not in question. Our Alliance is committed to collective defence and founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty, human rights and the rule of law," the spokesperson said.

According to the spokesperson, Turkey can count on solidarity and support of NATO.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Earlier in the week, Deputy Chairman of Turkey's Republican Peoples Party (CHP) Namik Havutca said that the Incirlik airbase poses a threat to Turkeys internal stability as it is turning the allies of the country "into enemies." The lawmaker reportedly pushed forward a proposal titled "Incirlik Get Out."

Turkey will never close the Incirlik Airbase and will continue to cooperate with the United States. Our warm relations with Moscow will not be an alternative to our relations with the West and especially the United States, Cevik said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in St. Petersburg for the first talks to reset bilateral relations after the November 2015 downing of a Russian aircraft by Turkey.

"The way I see it, we will not only be seeing a normalization of the relations between Turkey and Russia but we will also observe a speedy warming of relations that will bring the two countries as well as the people of Turkey and Russia much closer together. This is good news for regional peace and security and, of course, for world peace," Cevik said.

Turkey and Russia are not only neighbors but also key players of the region as well, he stressed.
BERLIN (Sputnik)  On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in St. Petersburg for the first talks to reset bilateral relations after the November 2015 downing of a Russian aircraft by Turkey.

"We welcome the fact that after months of tensions the two countries are seeking rapprochement," Chebli told reporters.
"It is not going to change because of that meeting, it will change for the better for the Kurdish people because of our fighting Erdogan has killed Kurdish people, even this week, that is why I would not expect in the near future any meetings outcome for the benefit of the Kurdish people. He is there [in Russia] for his own safety, not for even the Turkish people's benefit," Rizgar Wan said.

His words were echoed by honorary president of the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) Ertugrul Kurkcu, who reminded that Ankara is against Kurdish self-governance.

"I am not sure that Turkey will be able to change its mind-set in its approach to the Kurdish problem in Syria and in Turkey For the Turkish establishment self-governance is the worst idea. This contradictions is still in place regardless of the meeting with Mr. Putin," Ertugrul Kurkcu underlined.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Norway is keen to maintain dialogue and good relations with the United Kingdom after Brexit, as Britain is working out its relations with the European Union after its decision to leave the bloc, a senior member of the Norwegian Progress Party told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"Norway has, and has had a good relationship with the United Kingdom. It is important that we maintain this sound relationship after Brexit. It is however for Britain to decide on their future connection with Europe. We follow this work with great interest, and will always be open to dialogue," Harald Nesvik, the parliamentary leader of the Progress Party that rules in coalition with the Conservative Party, said.

The lawmaker's comments come on the heels of Norwegian European Affairs Minister Elisabeth Vik Aspaker's statement that it is not necessarily in Oslo's interest that Britain should join the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which includes non-EU members Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
Relations between the two countries worsened drastically after Ankara shot down a Russian jet, which was on anti-terrorism mission in Syria. In June, President Erdogan sent a letter apologizing for the downing of the jet and expressed his condolences to the relatives of a pilot, who was killed by rebels after ejecting from his plane.

Prior to his visit to Russia, President Erdogan called President Putin his friend and noted that he wanted to open a new page in relations with Moscow. After the failed coup attempt in Turkey, Vladimir Putin expressed support for the Turkish leader and condemned the unlawful actions of the military.

"We have experienced a serious crisis in relations, but both sides have the will and the desire for a speedy overcoming of these negative tendencies and a return to pre-crisis cooperation. I witnessed this desire both by the Turkish and the Russian side. I think that yesterday's meeting will start active rehabilitation of close bilateral cooperation in all spheres  economy, tourism, energy policy," Turkish politician Nejat Kocer told Sputnik.

After Tuesday's meeting President Putin promised to lift sanctions against Ankara step by step. Both leaders announced the restart of two major energy projects  the Turkish Stream gas pipeline and the construction of Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey.

"It was an extremely important, constructive and positive meeting that took place yesterday. The negotiations are of significant importance for the region, as the success in the development of Turkish-Russian trade, economic and political relationships can change the political order in the region for better," the politician noted.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  His comments came on the heels of the Tuesday meeting in St. Petersburg between Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin, with hopes running high that Russia may slightly change Turkey's stance on Syria.

"There is still no sign of any change in Turkeys Syria politics. For the first step of this kind a change, the Rojava [Western Kurdistan, a de facto autonomous region in northern Syria] representatives and the Syrian Democratic Forces should be invited to the negotiation table and Turkey of course should lift its veto on this subject," Oluc said.

He added that without the representatives from the Syrian Kurdistan in the negotiations on Syria's future it was not possible to reconstruct a democratic Syrian regime.
As if that wasn't enough, the Green Party candidate, Jill Stein, has also been "designated" as a "Kremlin tool" by Clinton's supporters after she has risen in the polls.

The pro-Clinton AMERICAblog alleged on Saturday that the Green Party candidate has joined the dark side.

Last year Stein attended a conference organized by Russia Today in Moscow. But that's half the story: Vladimir Putin "himself joined Stein and other attendees for dinner," John Aravosis of AMERICAblog highlighted.

Aravosis claimed that Stein lambasted the US and remained mute on Russia's "horrific lack of respect for human rights," referring to her anti-war video message. That was enough for the journalist to label the Green party candidate as a Russian "propaganda tool."

Was only a matter of time before Jill Stein was smeared as a disloyal Kremlin-sympathizer (tweet is 100% false) https://t.co/mieEn1GwRP  Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) 7  2016 .

However, Greenwald points out that Stein could hardly be called a Russia apologist. Although she called upon Moscow and Washington to team up in Syria to settle the crisis and criticized the US for embarking on a $1 trillion program to update its nuclear weapons, she likewise criticized Russia for "diverting scarce resources into military spending while its people suffered."

But who in the Clinton camp cares what Stein really meant? Pro-Clinton journalists and media pundits have rushed to accuse the Green party politician of being an "agent of the Kremlin."

Interestingly enough, after Sputnik turned the spotlight on the opinion piece by Aravosis, the journalist presented it as yet more "proof" of Stein's cooperation with Russia.

"The Kremlin is now defending Stein, and attacking me, as a result of this article. That speaks volumes about just how important a tool Putin finds Stein for both his propaganda war and for helping Trump this election," he insists.

"So that's the Democratic Party's approach to the 2016 election. Those who question, criticize or are perceived to impede Hillary Clinton's smooth, entitled path to the White House are vilified as stooges, sympathizers and/or agents of Russia: Trump, WikiLeaks, Sanders, The Intercept, Jill Stein. Other than loyal Clinton supporters, is there anyone left who is not covertly controlled by or in service to The Ruskies?" Greenwald underscores.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Erdogan visited St. Petersburg on Tuesday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, after seven months of strained relations following the November downing of a Russian military aircraft by the Turkish Air Force.

The two leaders agreed to develop bilateral ties, returning to the pre-crisis level of cooperation in trade, energy and defense and other spheres.

"Turkey remains one of NATOs strongest members, our ties with Russia would not cast a shadow on that," Ibrahim Kalin was quoted as saying by the Turkish Daily Sabah newspaper.
He added that Russia views the assassination attempt against Igor Plotnitsky, the head of east Ukraine's self-proclaimed Lugansk Peoples Republic, as well as the Crimean sabotage attempt, in the context of terrorism.

Earlier this month, a bomb exploded on a road near Plotnitsky's car. He sustained non-life threatening injuries.

Holding a Normandy Four meeting with Ukraine, Germany and France on settling the Ukrainian conflict at the upcoming G20 summit in China would be futile given the uncovering of a spy ring organized by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry in Crimea, the Russian president said.

"This is very worrying information. Security services have, in fact, prevented the intrusion of a Ukrainian Defense Ministry sabotage and reconnaissance mission from Ukrainian territory. And, of course, holding a meeting in the Normandy format in China given these conditions is pointless," Putin said.

According to the Russian president, the plot was an attempt to distract the Ukrainian peoples attention from the countrys leadership.

"An attempt to provoke an outbreak of violence, to provoke a conflict is nothing else but a desire to divert attention of the countrys society from the people who have taken over the power in Kiev, who continue robbing their own people to remain in power for as long as possible and to continue robbing its own people," he stressed.

"There is no point to carry out such campaigns other than to divert attention of its own people from the dire situation of the [Ukrainian] economy, of the dire situation of a significant number of people," Putin told reporters.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On July 15, the Turkish authorities said that an attempted coup was taking place in the country. A day after the coup attempt, eight Turkish servicemen flew a helicopter to the northern Greek border town of Alexandroupolis where they sought political asylum out of fear for their lives. Turkey demanded their extradition, while the men in question denied any involvement in the coup attempt.

"Eight suspects boarded a Skorsky S 70 Black Hawk model helicopter belonging to the Samandra Air Base and landed in a region near Riva of [Istanbuls] Beykoz district. The suspects, who made phone calls for a while there, took off again on July 16 at 10:40 a.m. and landed in Greece It was determined that the device which is a part of a transponder and also publishes MOD C altitude information had been removed and all military codes and flight information records of the helicopter had been deleted after landing at the Dedeagac [Alexandroupoli] region [in Greece], according to information obtained from command personnel as a result of examinations," the requisition reads, as cited by the Hurriyet Daily.

According to the requisition, which the Turkish Justice Ministry should send to the Greek authorities, the eight men are accused of violating the constitution with force and violence, attempted assassination of the president, crimes against the legislative body and the government and robbery, and are facing jail terms ranging from five years to life sentences for those crimes.
Voices continue to emerge in the US calling for a bombing campaign against the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad.

In mid-June, 51 US State Department diplomats singed an internal memo urging the Obama administration to carry out strikes against Assad in Syria.

A few days later Michele Flournoy, who is believed to be most likely Clinton's pick for Secretary of Defense, called for "limited military coercion" against Damascus as well as the creation of "no bombing zones" in Syria, Defense One reported.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Col. Ilhan Yasitli and Halis Tunc went missing a few days after a military faction staged a putsch in Istanbul and Ankara on July 15, sources told Greek news website Onalert.gr.

Their absence was noticed after they did not turn up for several events at the diplomatic mission in the Greek capital.

According to the websites preliminary data, both men likely boarded a ferry bound for Italy ant took families with them. They have not filed for asylum yet, the outlet added.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, Sargsyan held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Following the meeting, the Armenian president thanked Putin for his efforts to help resolve the crisis in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

"I am confident that Armenia will only benefit from an increase in Russias role in our region," Sargsyan said at a press conference.

Earlier on Wednesday, Putin reiterated that Moscow was interested in the easing of tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh and expressed hope that a compromise could be reached in the dispute.
"Such rigid statements made by Michael Morell could also be explained by the fact that the US is now in the middle of the presidential race. That is why Morell does not mince his words, and sometimes says crazy things about Donald Trump, calling him Putin's agent," the expert explained.

However, these hard and inappropriate remarks could also be connected with the changing political order in the Middle East. According to Jalalzadeh, Morell's statement could signify the weakening of the US' position in the region.

"After Iran and Russia set up a tacit alliance during the Syrian crisis, the West and the so-called opposition of Bashar Assad have mired in the crisis even more. Especially, when Russia and Iran jointly carried out a successful operation to destroy terrorists," the expert said.

"The victory and success of the Russian anti-terrorist military operations in Syria, including those near Aleppo, have been a blow to the ego of the West []. Another reason for the anger and resentment of the West is President Erdogan changing his political course after the recent coup attempt. His course is now aimed at reviving strategic cooperation with Russia and Turkey's eastern neighbors, and not with the West. Erdogan said that he does not see Turkey as an important player in a political alliance under US leadership," Jalalzadeh added.
The Syrian Army has sent thousands of reinforcements to the country's largest city after rebel groups including the former al-Nusra Front broke the siege in the east. But the Syrian government claims that they have retaken that ground. Are we witnessing a turning point, or even decisive moment, in Syrias five year war?

Turkish President Erdogan has met with Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on his first trip abroad since last months attempted coup. Peter Lavelle, host of RT's flagship program Crosstalk, discusses if it's back to business as usual between Turkey and Russia, and if Turkey is moving to a new policy on Syria.

Protesters for and against Brazils President Dilma Rousseff rallied outside of the Senate on Tuesday as lawmakers voted on moving her to within a step of losing office. But do her opponents have the two thirds needed in the Senate to oust her? Becker is joined by Aline C. Piva of Brazilian Expats for Democracy and Brazilian-British analyst Victor Fraga.
And there was another disturbing revelation about the FBIs activities leading up to last years failed terrorist attack in Garland, Texas. The Intercepts Murtaza Hussein called into the show to tell us what he found out.

Finally, foreign policy has led to a pair of outcries about US posture toward Yemen and Brazil  and no, were not talking about Michael Phelps cup marks.
SIMFEROPOL (Sputnik)  Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said earlier on Wednesday it had dismantled a spy ring organized by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry in Crimea, detaining both Russian and Ukrainian nationals involved in preparing terrorist attacks on the peninsula.

"Any attempt to destabilize the socio-political situation in the Republic of Crimea, wherever they may come from, will continue to be suppressed with maximum toughness," Aksyonov wrote on his Facebook page.
OSCOW (Sputnik)  Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said earlier on Wednesday it had dismantled a spy ring organized by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry in Crimea, detaining both Russian and Ukrainian nationals involved in preparing terrorist attacks on the peninsula.

"Seven people have been detained, including local agents-coordinators in Crimea," the source told RIA Novosti.

Two Russian servicemen have been killed in preventing the attacks. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Kiev of resorting to terrorism.
The wrecks of the "Thames" were found in the mouth of the river Salnaya Kuria (Yenisei's tributary) near the village of Goroshikha at a depth of approximately 2 to 10 meters. According to Goncharov, the steamer arrived on the Yenisei in 1876 with the famous English explorer Joseph Wiggins on board. However, in Siberia, the English steamer was put to a serious test. In 1877, the vessel ran aground and was firmly frozen.

"After spending the winter there, Wiggins tried to return to England, but went aground near the town of Igarka. After that, he sold the "Thames" to the merchants of the town of Yeniseisk. The merchants tried to pull the ship, dragged it to the river Salanya Kuria, and finally broke it through and drowned. It remains buried there forever," Goncharov stated.
MAKHACHKALA (Sputnik)  A federal judge has been killed in Russias North Caucasus Republic of Dagestan, a source in the republics law enforcement told RIA Novosti in the early hours of Thursday.

"In the Shamilsky District of Dagestan unknown individuals shot dead a judge from the federal court, he died from the injuries," the source said.

According to the source, the judge, Ubaydul Magomedov, was shot in his home on the night from Wednesday to Thursday.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  International conflicts are the main fear of Russian citizens, a poll conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) said Wednesday.

"Conflicts between states (including military ones) are still at the top of the rating of Russian citizens fears," the research said.
This "price" appears to be murder, which would be carried out "covertly, so you dont tell the world about it, you dont stand up at the Pentagon and say we did this. But you make sure they know it in Moscow and Tehran."

This would, undoubtedly, risk direct conflict with Russia and Iran. Morell also suggested that Washington bomb government buildings in Syria, as well as the presidential guard of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in order to "scare" the leader.

Morell does not officially represent the Clinton campaign, but as Murtaza Hussain points out for the Intercept, he could become part of her cabinet.

"Morells endorsement of Clinton was quickly seen as a sign that he was interested in a role in a possible Clinton administration," Hussain says. "He wrote that Clinton would be a highly qualified commander in chief and a strong proponent of a more aggressive approach to the conflict in Syria."

The Clinton campaign jumped on the op-ed, tweeting out a link on the candidates Twitter account.
A Clinton spokesperson commented, "This individual wasn't invited as a guest and the campaign was unaware of his attendance until after the event."

Clintons opponent, Republican nominee Donald Trump, blamed the June 12 massacre on Americas immigration system which he claims is too lax, ignoring that the shooter, Omar Mateen, was born in New York and was an American citizen.
A new policy is expected to be put in place by Pentagon officials later this year, which upends the standard tape test that measures body mass index. Instead, new technology will be put into use to distinguish between those who are obese and those, such as bodybuilders, who have nontraditional body types, but are fit for duty.

When you have groups of individuals who are fit and highly trained, then BMI is absolutely useless, Dr. Dympna Gallagher, director of the body composition unit at the New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center, told Military Times.

Currently, the military requires troops to maintain fat levels below 26 percent for men and 36 percent for women. The standards are currently shrinking the pool of potential recruits, as recent studies have confirmed that 75 percent of young Americans are ineligible for service because of their weight.
"I think the time is now for all the movements together to proceed with supporting third party candidates. Third parties should not be seen as a poor alternative, we are the real alternative," Gloria La Riva, of the Party for Socialism and Liberalism, told Radio Sputniks Loud & Clear.

"Its necessary to keep on this fight in this most critical of elections where the billionaires and the millionaires always win and the people lose. But our fight will continue to grow."

It remains unclear whether both major party candidates will participate in debates. The Trump campaign has used the proposed debate schedule as an excuse to hint that the Republican may back out.

"Our posture is we design something we think is in the best interest of American citizens. Its based on a lot of experience over time and we kind of set the table for the candidates and expect them to show up," McMurry said.

The Clinton campaign has already formally accepted the debate invitation.

"Secretary Clinton looks forward to participating in all three presidential debates scheduled by the independent debate commission," campaign chairman John Podesta said in a statement. "With so much at stake in the fall elections, she believes these debates will provide the American people with an important opportunity to hear from the candidates on issues critical to the countrys future."

Even if Trump backs out, Clinton may still have someone to speak with.
After the success of the pilot EMERGE program, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) again turned to startups and small business to fuel federal government research and development. This time the agency's Science and Technology Directorate has teamed up with the Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) and TechNexus, a venture group based in Chicago, to bring wearable technology to first responders.

The agency hopes that, with the help of wearable devices, today's firefighters, police and emergency medical technicians will be able to minimize equipment requirements and concentrate on effective response efforts.

"This forward thinking partnership stems from the need to better protect our first responders by identifying new cutting-edge technologies," said TechNexus CEO Terry Howerton. "We are excited to build upon the successes of last year and continue our partnership with CIT, and DHS S&T."
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The tragedy occurred when police officers were simulating lethal force in a live role play, the NBC2 News broadcaster said. Local police department chief Thomas Lewis said there were a total of 35 people present during the exercise and two of them were randomly chosen for participation.

Woman killed by cop during lethal force exercise at Punta Gorda Florida police department @WFLA pic.twitter.com/j7PsdlkzLn  Paul Michael Mueller (@WFLAPaulM) August 10, 2016

Punta Gorda Police say 35 were participating in the Citizens Academy were woman was shot. pic.twitter.com/TQqXGg8w28  Carlos Munoz (@ReadCarlos) August 10, 2016

The victim, identified as Mary Knowlton, was "mistakenly struck with a live round," according to Lewis.

"I am devastated for everyone involved in this unimaginable event. If you pray, please pray for Mary's family, and for the officers who were involved. Everyone involved in this accident is in a state of overwhelming shock and grief," Lewis was quoted as saying by NBC2 News.
Dozens of protesters then chased the car, firing bullets, as the driver tried to reverse and head in a different direction to avoid the crowd, according to the publication.

Police later said the crash was not intentional and the driver, who has been questioned by police, did not see the protester.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, the Miami Herald newspaper reported that police were investigating the double shooting but had released no details about the tragic incident so far.

"There was a shooting in the employee parking lot, 2 fatalities. Lot open & no impact to airport operations," the airport said via its official Twitter account.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The Justice Department opened an investigation into the BPD practices in May 2015, one month after 25-year-old African American man Freddie Gray died of spinal cord injuries sustained while in police custody.

Six officers were charged in connection with Gray's death; three were found not guilty and charges were dropped against the remaining three in July.

"We conclude that there is reasonable cause to believe that BPD engages in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the Constitution and federal anti-discrimination law," Gupta stated.
Maggie Toulouse Oliver: You and I are in very different career fields at this point in our lives  I would love to hear from you how you understand your place in the world personally, professionally and what brought you to this place in your art career.

Jodie Herrera: A lot of my family members are artistic, so I guess it was kind of in the blood.  My first memories are of doing art and growing up around it and my family was always supportive.  I'm a very emotive person and I've a very observant person. I feel like my work is just me trying to translate [my] feelings for other people.

Toulouse Oliver: So you've always considered yourself an artistis there any one thing that happened in the course of your life that made you feel like this isn't just a hobby for you, but what you want to do with your life [and] your career?

Herrera: I had a lot of insecurities [growing up] especially around education because I'm dyslexic, and so [art] was the one thing that I felt confident in. It was the one way that I felt like I could actually express myself in a way that was done well.

I know you have two children that you're raising in Albuquerque.  Have you learned anything through them about the state of New Mexico, the educational system, the arts or the way that we are changing?

Toulouse Oliver: I've learned that even though our education system has suffered cuts in a lot of areas, and I know that the arts are sometimes viewed as additional, I think for many kids they're really fundamental. And sometimes for kids, they're the one thing that motivates them to go to school.  It's not just about the art itself, it helps stimulate thinking and stimulate learning and I think we need to continue investing in that in our schools. I've definitely, through my own experience and my kids' experiences, learned the value of that.

So, I know you've worked as an illustrator and more recently you've focused on oil painting as your main medium  and your work has been more geared toward one project. Please tell me about this project and the inspiration for it.

Herrera: The project is basically geared towards telling the story of the female experience. A lot of the models want to be a part of it because they have a story to tell or I feel very inspired by who they are and I ask them to be a part of the project. A lot of them have gone through very traumatic experiences everything from heroin addiction or addiction in general to surviving cancer to sexual abuse. Things that we deal with as women and as human beings. Basically, it's kind of a platform for them to tell their story and to not be ashamed of it, to have power over it  this is their chance to tell their story and be proud of themselves that they've gone through it and that they've persevered.

Toulouse Oliver: Is there anyone in particular that stands out for you  that really resonated with you?

Herrera: It's so hard to pick just one  I've made a lot of really long-lasting friends and connections through this.  But my friend Lan, she survived cancer twice. She's just such a badassa really strong, good-hearted human being. In her painting she's wearing this shawl and headdress that [Vietnamese people] usually wear for their engagement ceremonies. She's Vietnamese [and] when she was engaged she didn't get to have the ceremony because she had to go through a really intense surgery and she and her now-husband wanted to get married immediately because she might not have survived.  So, basically, in the painting she wanted to wear her engagement garment. She was actually taking that moment back and having the ceremony within the painting.

I know you were raised in New Mexico where you attended public schools and later received your master's degree in political science from the University of New Mexico, and since 2007 have served as Bernalillo County Clerk. What is it that made you stick with New Mexico?

Toulouse Oliver: I graduated from Highland in '94 [and] literally the first thing I did was go to Mexico for a month for a Spanish immersion class. I came back and was driving to the mall one day and I drove by Senator Bingaman's re-election campaign office and I thought, I've always, always, always been interested in government and politicslike you said, it's always been in my blood. [I] really viewed it as a path for justice and change. I spent the rest of the summer between high school and college interning on Senator Bingaman's campaign and loved it.  I went away to school in Texas [and that made me] realize how much I loved New Mexico. And I loved Albuquerque. It was going away that me realize how much it was truly inside of me.

Herrera: In 2014 you ran against Republican candidate Diana Duran for Secretary of State and lost. In August of 2015, Duran was shockingly charged with fraud and embezzlement and resigned before she pled guilty.  How do you think this kind of scandal could be avoided? Is there something we should learn from this?

Toulouse Oliver: I think theres a lot of irony tied up in that situation with our former Secretary of State because she was charged with this very important role in overseeing accountability and transparency of our elected officials and ensuring that they live up to the highest of ethical standards that we expect and deserve as citizens.  I think that's the reason it was so shocking [and] why for a lot of people it felt very personal and like a violation.  I ran for the position because I care very deeply about my work overseeing elections and I wanted to take my vision to the state leveland my vision is of ensuring that every eligible voter in the state casts a ballot and ensuring equal access for voters across the state. I truly believe that our government is only at its best when everybody's voice is being heard.  People sometimes don't want to participate in a system that they think validates that kind of corruption.

I've learned that even though our education system has suffered cuts in a lot of areas, and I know that the arts are sometimes viewed as additional, I think for many kids they're really fundamental. And sometimes for kids, they're the one thing that motivates them to go to school.

Herrera: You're running for Secretary of State again this November against Republican candidate Nora Espinosa. What are some defining issues that set you apart from her? What are the issues that you'll focus on if elected?

Toulouse Oliver: I think the main difference between she and I [is that] I've got nine-and-a-half years running elections in the largest county in the state. I'm deeply knowledgeable and experienced about the majority of the duties of the office  so I'm going to be stepping into the job on day one with a very clear view of the work that needs to be done and having had direct experience with the subject matter of the office.  Besides that, [Espinosa] has been very focused on what I think are some of the most divisive issues to be brought up in legislature in the last 10 years. She's been a sponsor of very anti-choice legislation such as invasive ultrasounds for women who are seeking to have an abortion. She's been a sponsor of bills that would ban Hispanic heritage literature in our schools, which, in a place like New Mexico, we value and embrace our Hispanic heritage, to try to ban literature that speaks on that subject in our schools is sort of antithetical to who we are. And this year she was the sponsor of a bill called The Religious Freedom Act that would have given businesses the right to legally discriminate against the gay and lesbian community in our state.  We need somebody in the Secretary of State office that's going to be focused on moving in the right direction, moving the office away from this unfortunate history of corruption, focusing on putting rules in place to administer ethical guidelines [and]  to continue to modernize and improve our election system and make it better for the people who use it.

So, when you create your art, you're giving something back, helping these women work through something that's really hard  but have you had your own personal growth experience through doing this too?

Herrera: Absolutely  I've gone through a lot of experiences and I didn't want to be a victim of those and I felt almost judgmental of myself and everything that I've gone through. So, this was a way to shed light [on those experiences]just because we have these experiences doesn't mean that we are forever scarred in a bad way, we are scarred in such a way that we hold those as badges. We persevered and we are resilient as women. I wanted to share that about myself but also about women in general, because I feel like we always are shown in a light of [purity] or the slut or the damaged. We're never this in-between. We're never regarded as just human beings. I want to show that we are the full picture, and we are proud of that. [That] should be honored.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Tuesday, WikiLeaks offered a reward of $20,000 for leads on the unsolved murder of Rich who was gunned down last month. The 27-year-old DNC voter expansion data director was shot at several times a block away from his Washington, DC home on July 10. He was rumored to be behind the recent DNC email leak.

"Whistleblowers go to significant efforts to get us material and often very significant risks. As a 27-year-old, works for the DNC, was shot in the back, murdered just two weeks ago for unknown reasons as he was walking down the street in Washington," Assange told Dutch TV.

The US police claimed the murder appeared to be an attempted robbery gone wrong, but Rich's family reportedly said that nothing had been stolen. Assange also ruled out a robbery scenario.
Michael Wood Jr., a former Baltimore police officer and Black Lives Matter supporter who famously took to Twitter to describe misconduct he personally witnessed within the department, spoke to Sputnik regarding the DOJ report.

There is a sense of vindication for activists and victims, but we have to be careful about what the DOJ report means, and the impact, going forward. DOJ reforms only have a 50% success rate and that is by their own measurements of success, Wood told Sputnik.

There is no American city that I can point to as the model of success and empirically these problems exist, to some extent, in every police department in this country. It should be safe to say that from the public perspective, none of these reforms can be deemed successful.

Instead of performing smart management and redirecting resources, the city of Baltimore and the Baltimore Police Department will demand tens of millions of taxpayer funds to implement reform measures of which have no history of success, he continued.

Woods Twitterstorm last June, about misconduct he personally witnessed, made global headlines as he recounted seeing an officer slap an innocent woman for bumping into him, officers defecating in beds and on the clothing of suspects during raids, and the consistent targeting of black men aged 16 to 24.

This additional tax money will come at the expense of the very victims that the DOJ report seeks to highlight, Wood explained. At the very same time that the city is in the middle of handing the largest TIF ever to developers, again at the expense of these same victims. The DOJ is no solution. The only answer is the one I will continue to push.
Neller explained that this issue doesnt just affect the Marines, but that the Navy, Army and Air Force face retention problems as well. "How do we convince them to stick around," he asked, "and wear this uniform, or wear a uniform, and do that when some of your companies are out there offering up two, three times as much money and they get to sleep in their own bed at night and no one is trying to kill them?"

"So far, enough of them take pride and are willing to accept the challenge, but I worry about that because as the force becomes more technical, the force becomes more capable and they have more options."
The department is asking for prayers for Knowltons family, as well as the officers involved.

I am devastated for everyone involved in this unimaginable event, police chief Tom Lewis told reporters during a news conference at department headquarters. If you pray, please pray for Marys family, and for the officers who were involved. Everyone involved in this accident is in a state of overwhelming shock and grief.

Knowlton was rushed to the hospital after the shooting, and was pronounced dead.

City officials are now offering free grief counseling for anyone who asks, and the officer involved has been placed on administrative leave while the incident is investigated.

Authorities have not released information on why a gun used in a public-affairs exercise was loaded with live ammunition.
BALI (Sputnik)  Dmitry Feoktistov, deputy director of the Department for New Challenges and Threats of the Russian Foreign Ministry, is heading the Russian interdepartmental delegation to the meeting being hosted by Indonesia.

"In the context of foreign terrorist fighters we offered the regional countries to join the international data bank on terrorism, which was created by Russia's FSB in 2008, Feoktistov told RIA Novosti.

According to the diplomat, as of today, 29 states and several international organizations, including the United Nations, have joined the data bank.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The State Department said the terrorists engaged in torture, enslavement and sexual abuse of people. In addition, Daesh, which claims to be a Sunni group, continued suicide bombings against Shia Muslims, according to the report.

"Daesh continued to pursue a brutal strategy of what Secretary Kerry judged to constitute genocide against Yezidis, Christians, Shia, and other vulnerable groups in the territory it controlled," the report stated.

The report noted that Daesh terrorists executed more than 60 people in Syria alone in 2015.
On Tuesday, the Turkish justice minister stated that if the US did not extradite Gulen, "it will have sacrificed Turkey to a terrorist."

Ugurlu is the first known Turkish military officer to request asylum in the US. His request comes alongside Turkeys attempts to arrest and detain tens of thousands of people suspected of aiding Julys failed military coup that attempted remove President Erdogan.
The day after the fields for the 2016 Gold Cup & Saucer trials were announced, shockwaves ripped through the Maritimes as one of the locally-connected horses looking to compete and contend passed away on Tuesday morning.

Big Boy Dreams, a five-year-old son of If I Can Dream, was being led back to his stall on Tuesday when he collapsed. His co-owner, Don MacRae of Vernon Bridge, PEI, told The Guardian he assumes the horse had a heart attack.

Purchased by trainer and co-owner Rene Allard for $265,000 at the Tattersalls January Select Mixed Sale at The Meadowlands, Big Boy Dreams was also owned by Exeter, Ont.'s Bob Hamather. He won 14 of 49 lifetime starts, earning more than $580,000 while taking a mark of 1:49.4f at Pocono last year. Among his major stakes wins were the Windy City Pace and the Matron as a three-year-old.

MacRae told The Guardian that Big Boy Dreams had a slight temperature after a less-than-stellar performance on Saturday night -- finishing eighth in a race at Yonkers. He was reportedly treated for a virus and his temperature had returned to normal in advance to planned transport to PEI from Allard's stable in New York.

He was a nice horse to watch race," said MacRae, who currently owns about 15 race horses. "This is the best horse that I have ever owned."

Allard has offered MacRae a 10 per cent piece of another Gold Cup & Saucer contender, Go Daddy Go, to help soften the loss of MacRae's pacer.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Big Boy Dreams.
For the past few decades, the North American Amateur Drivers Association has been hosting amateur drivers from various countries in Europe and Down Under. Plans are currently being finalized by the amateur driving group for an upcoming Friendship Competition against their counterparts from Italy.

Four veteran amateur drivers from Venice will be coming in to challenge the NAADA members in a series of races at three different American racetracks with races slated at Monticello Raceway (8-17), Yonkers Raceway (8-18) and Tioga Downs on (8-19).

Those who will be driving for team Italy include; Raffaello Ruffato (110 lifetime wins), Giancarlo Moretti (55 wins), Roberto Michelotto (74 wins) and Zorzetto Otello (462 wins). Coming along with the Italian amateur drivers is their club representative, Luigi Cardin.

Although the Italian team will be constant at all three venues NAADA will field a different team at each racetrack.

We look forward to once again hosting our friends from the Venice area of Italy, said NAADA President Joe Faraldo. We were their guests in the past and weve previously reciprocated by hosting them here in the States. We always have a wonderful time although we usually end up on the short end the stick. But make no mistake, we (NAADA members) will do our best to win this upcoming competition. However, winning or losing is incidental; its the camaraderie that is shared with these competitions that is the important thing.

We have what we hope will be an entertaining visit for our Italian guests, Faraldo continued. Tom Grossman will host the participants and sponsor a luncheon at his Blue Chip Farm on Tuesday (8-16) and then the visitors will tour Goshen Historic Track and enjoy the nearby Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame.

After driving at Monticello Raceway on Wednesday (8-17) the visitors will make a stop at the Bethel Woods Museum, the site of the original Woodstock Festival in 1969, noted NAADA event coordinator Alicia Schwartz, who was an integral part of finalizing the agenda.

Along the way, Schwartz says there will be a tour of the Mark Ford Training Center, in Goshen, NY and shopping at the Woodbury Common Outlet Mall in Central Valley, NY, as well as great dinners at local area restaurants each evening. Then, on Saturday (August 20), the visiting Italians will be able to explore and enjoy two days in greater New York City.

(NAADA)
Horseman Ernest J. Miller Jr. passed away on Saturday, August 6 at the age of 65.

He was born on May 3, 1951, to Ernest and Bernita (Eustice) Miller. He graduated from Verona High School in 1969 and attended Madison Area Technical College.

As a joint venture, he founded the social group DIOB  Danger Is Our Business. He worked at Premier Co-op for a number of years and then for a short time at Burkart-Heisdorf Insurance.

Miller felt honoured and forever grateful to be a two-time kidney transplant recipient. He was extremely appreciative of his sisters for their organ donations and to everyone who supported him throughout his health issues, allowing him to enjoy a longer, high-quality life.

In retirement, he continued to pursue his passion for training and racing Standardbreds. His lifelong passion was harness racing, and he will be remembered for his positive attitude, great sense of humour, and generosity.

Miller and Heidi Garfoot dated for many years and married on October 26, 2001, in San Diego, Calif.

His motto in life was All my stories may not be true, but they were all good stories. He always managed to light up a room with his witty personality, the sparkle in his eye, and a smile on his face. He never once missed an opportunity to tell a great story.

Miller is survived by his wife, Heidi; daughter, Amanda M. Lee; siblings, Cheri Timpel, Sandi (Tom) Robertson, Peg (Bob) Koch, Barb (Bob) McGinnis, Joanne (Tom) Eveland, Bruce (Karen) and Donna (Ray) Hanna; nieces, nephews, in-laws, other relatives, and all friends whom he considered part of his family. He was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother-in-law, Ken Timpel.

A day of celebration of his life will begin at 10 a.m. on Sunday (Aug. 21) with a final lap around the track at Iowa County Fairgrounds grandstand (weather permitting). Visitation will be from 11 a.m. 2 p.m. on Sunday at Quality Inn, 1345 Business Park Road, Mineral Point, Wis. A tribute service and blanket ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday at Quality Inn. A luncheon will follow at Quality Inn. Private burial will be at Mifflin Cemetery. The Ellestad Camacho Funeral Home, 500 N. 8th St., Mt. Horeb, Wis., is serving the family.

The family would like to thank Mr. Millers support system including family, friends, doctors and nurses, UW Transplant Unit, and Mt. Horeb EMS.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Ernest Miller Jr.

(USTA)
A record number of 180 horses have entered the weekend race card for the Ladbrokes Vincent Delaney Memorial Weekend at Portmarnock Raceway just outside of Dublin.

My brother James and I cannot believe how everyone wants to race this weekend, said Derek Delaney, head of the Vincent Delaney Memorial Committee. For the fourth straight year we keep growing and growing.

A total of 188 horses have been entered for the Saturday-Sunday two-day meet. That is up more than 11 per cent over the prior year.

The big race of the weekend is the 5th annual Ladbrokes Vincent Delaney Memorial (VDM) for two-year-old pacers. This is first year that there are both a colt and filly division with 14 youngsters entered in both events.

The VDM is a rugged event that requires horses to compete in elimination divisions on Saturday and then come back again Sunday to race in the finals. The inaugural filly division is being sponsored by Diamond Creek Farm.

Vincent Delaney was Derek and James' younger brother who tragically died in 2011 at the age of 27. The brothers developed the memorial race series in his honour and it has since grown to become the richest stakes event and weekend in the history of harness racing in Ireland the UK.

Additional major stakes events over the weekend include the Oakwood Stud Derby for three-year-olds at 1.5 miles, the Paul Murtagh, Sr. Memorial for four-year-olds, the RocknRoll Heaven/Pet Rock Irish-American FFA Pace, the Lee Edwards/PJI Engineering Junior FFA Pace and the Elvin-Delaney French FFA Trot.

There is a gala kickoff dinner Friday evening at the Airport Hilton Hotel that is already sold out and Sundays VIP Marquee Tent is also sold out with over 300 to attend.

Every year the VDM Committee selects a local charity to benefit from the VDM Weekend, especially at the Friday night gala dinner auctions. This years charity is Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH) of Dublin, Ireland.

It is just grand how all of this has come together, Derek Delaney said. And this year we have so many great horsemen and women coming over for Vincents weekend. Dexter Dunn from New Zealand, Aaron Merriman from the USA, Diamond Creek Farms' Adam Bowden, Joe Bellino and his entire crew, Roger Huston, Heather Vitale, Heather Wilder, Murray Brown, John McDermott, Alan Galloway, Sydney Weaver, Joann Looney-King, Susan Looney and a huge group from Australia on tour. What a great time we will show them all!

The guests begin their VIP weekend with carriage ride tours of downtown Dublin plus lunch at the world famous Temple Bar, a bus trip to Oakwood Stud training and breeding facility, the gala kick-off dinner Friday and then the two big VDM race days Saturday and Sunday.

(with files from the Vincent Delaney Memorial)
It's Election season and our editor's mailbox is overflowing. Who do your neighbors support? Read about it here.
Bonneville Power Administration electric rates are expected to increase again in 2018, the chief of the federal power marketing agency said Tuesday. That likely will lead to new rate increases at the Cowlitz PUD.

Elliot Mainzer, BPA administrator, told PUD commissioners from Cowlitz and Lewis counties that declining natural gas prices and rising fish and wildlife conservation costs are putting pressure on the agency to raise its wholesale rates. Bonneville provides 90 percent of Cowlitz PUDs power needs, so the agencys rate increases trickle down to PUD customers.

Mainzer said BPAs base rates could increase by 3 to 4 percent in the 2018-2019 rate setting cycle. Transmission rates could increase by at least 4 percent and as much as 9 percent in a worst case scenario if gas prices continue to tank, he said.

Plummeting natural gas prices have pulled down the energy market. That has decreased the revenue BPA normally earns from selling surplus hydropower from the Columbia River dams. Mainzer said the agencys revenue from surplus power sales is $100 million lower this year than originally expected.

Fish and wildlife management also continues to be a big cost driver, totaling about $300 million a year. Commissioner Dena Diamond-Ott pushed Mainzer to reexamine those costs, noting that for every dollar paid by a Cowlitz PUD ratepayer, about 30 cents goes towards fish and wildlife management.

Were for the environment, were as green as everyone else, but we just want to make sure were getting the benefit, she said.

The agency had set the a goal of capping costs for fish and wildlife after 2019. However, that plan is in jeopardy after a recent federal court ruling, Mainzer said.

A federal judge in May struck down Bonnevilles plan for salmon protection on the Columbia River, which was created in conjunction with four other federal agencies. The judge found the plan violates the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. He ordered the agencies to develop a new plan for managing salmon on the river by next spring.

Beyond fish and wildlife, BPA is continuing to look at efficiency measures and negotiate with its clients about controlling power costs, Mainzer said.

Contracts with some of BPAs customers, including Cowlitz PUD, wont expire until 2028. However, utilities and customers are already looking ahead.

Higher electricity costs from BPA could push large industrial clients like Weyerhaeuser Co. and KapStone Paper and Packaging Corp. to seek third-party power sources, Diamond-Ott said.

We believe these customers will very aggressively seek third power suppliers ... these parties are considering these options, Diamond-Ott said.

Mainzer said he hopes to continue working with Cowlitz PUD on cost-saving measures.

Ive heard you guys loud and clear. I understand the economic challenges that youre facing in your communities, Mainzer said. We are in a period of increased costs, low commodity markets .. well work until our last breath to try to keep these costs as manageable as possible.
This weekend, a burglar made off with a safe full of guns, thousands in cash and jewelry from a West Longview home, according to police records.

The homes residents told police the burglary occurred between Friday and Sunday at their home along 46th Avenue.

The items listed stolen were: a 1958 shotgun, an AK47 Polish Under Folder, a Remington Model 700 rifle, a Mosin-Nagant rifle, two social security cards, four credit cards, a gun safe with six guns and the guns paperwork inside, a passport, six bottles of mens cologne valued at $500, dark green Plano tackle box, $5,700 cash, mens gold wedding ring with five or six diamonds in a V shape, two Leatherman-style tools, a mens Nikon watch and a CRKT Bear Claw folding knife.

The gun safe was a black Stack-On 12-gun safe with a yellow Jiu Jitsu sticker, Mill Town Beard Co. sticker and Grunt Style sticker on it.

The burglar cut a hole in the living room window screen and forced the window open, according to police records.
A Cowlitz 2 firefighter has found another way to serve his community.

Brad Yoder, a Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue Firefighter/EMT, will donate his right kidney to Dana Clayton, a local woman who is lifelong friends with Yoders wife, Laura, according to a Cowlitz 2 press release.

The surgery will take place Monday at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland.

Clayton suffers from Polycystic kidney disease, a genetic disorder characterized by the growth of numerous cysts in the kidneys. Yoders kidney is an exact match.

According to the press release, PKD cysts can greatly enlarge the kidneys and replace their normal structure, which can result in kidney disease. Kidney function declines over time and can lead to kidney failure. Clayton is in the end stages of the disease, according to the press release.

Most candidates go through a four to six-month testing process before finding a match, Yoder said, according to the press release. Ours took only six weeks; it was just meant to be. For me, this is the ultimate in servanthood. Im donating so that she can live, period.

In order for Yoder to take enough time off from work to undergo and recover from the operation, multiple employees donated sick time to him.

My brothers and sisters from Local 3828 and all the employees at Cowlitz 2 have been super supportive, he said. This brotherhood and department breathes and selflessly displays servanthood. ... I am blessed to be a part of this organization.

Yoder and his two brothers grew up in Kalona, Iowa. After high school, Yoder enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and achieved the rank of Lance Corporal. He later moved to Washington and began riding bulls in rodeo circuits. In 2001 he signed up to serve as a volunteer firefighter for Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue and fought wildland fires working for the U.S. Forest Service.

Cowlitz 2 hired Yoder full time in 2007. In addition to responding to emergencies, Yoder has instructed the agencys high school cadet program for 10 years. He and his students also created a memorial, featuring an actual piece of steel from the World Trade Center, honoring those lost in terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
Amazon Great Indian Sale started on 8th August and will go live until 10th August 11.59 pm. After finishing the first-day sale benchmarking of record sale of 100K units, the auction is on its second day and going viral with each passing moment.

On the second day of the auction, Amazon has revived itself with best-ever deals on hundreds of brands, products, and categories and the users will get 72 hour high rebates on all categories available on the website of Amazon India.

However, this biggest-ever auction is more beneficial for prime members who have the membership of newly launched Amazon Prime as they have the permission to explore best deals before 30 minutes of the non-prime users.

On the first day, the best-seller products were JBL Go speaker, Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, Samsung Galaxy On7 Pro, Moto G4 plus, etc. and the second day has comprised greater deals in comparison to the initiate day.

What to pick on Second day?

Xiaomi Mi 5 (Black) which costs Rs. 22, 999 is available at Rs, 2000 less than the actual price. However, this offer is only limited to black color variants. Similarly, JBL Go Speakers are available only at Rs.1, 699 instead of Rs. 3,199.

D-Link Dir-600M Broadband Wireless Router is available at Rs. 749 which is 72% less than the real price. Apple MacBook Pro (Core i5/4GB/500GB), the lavishing gadget from Apple is available at 70% off. The device is offered on Amazon only at Rs. 52,799, against its market price Rs 78,900.

Among other special offers, the users will get Cool Pad Note 3 at a whopping discount of Rs. 1500. The phone is available for Rs 7,999 instead of Rs. 9,499. Similarly, in TV section, Sanyos 43 inch TV is available at Rs 24,990, and 49 inches variant is available at Rs 34,990 only which are 25% less than the MRP.
tech2 News Staff

Sony is holding a PlayStation Meeting event next month. The event is scheduled for 7 September in New York and its very likely that well see a PlayStation Neo there.

Its been reported that journalists are being invited to an event at the PlayStation Theatre in New York for a press-only meeting. Its been dubbed the PlayStation Meeting and its been set up to reportedly discuss the PlayStation business.

With PlayStation (PS) VR just around the corner and Sony confirming the existence of the PS Neo, its expected that the PS Neo will make an appearance there.

The only confirmed details of the PS Neo that we know are that it will support 4K gaming, that it will sell alongside the PS4 and that it will be more expensive than the PS4. All games developed for the PS platform will have to be developed for the PS4 as well, not just the Neo.

When it comes to rumours, they hint at a PS Neo with an 8-core CPU clocked at 2.1GHz and 4.14TFLOPS of power on tap. The CPU is expected to be based on AMDs updated 14nm manufacturing process, making for a processor that is faster, cheaper and quieter than the original.

Microsoft has made similar promises for their upcoming console, the Project Scorpio. Specs for that console are also not clear, but Polygons sources apparently tell them that the Scorpio will be four times as powerful as the Xbox One.
tech2 News Staff

US President Barack Obama will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the sidelines of the G20 summit in China between September 4 and 5. This is expected to be the last time that Obama will be meeting Modi in the official capacity as the President of the United States. Both sides are expected to sign the US-India Cyber Relationship Framework during this meeting. Cyberspace is being considered a domain on par with land, maritime, air and space.

The framework is being implemented to incorporate and promote best practices, for an open and secure cyberspace in order to promote innovation and economic growth. Promotion of free flow of information is on the agenda. A plan for transparent governance that is accountable to its citizens is being chalked out for better co-operation between the government, the citizens and the private sector.

The signing of the framework will better equip law enforcement agencies in both countries to combat cybercrime. There will be exchange of technologies and best practices to combat cyber threats and promoting cyber-security. The framework also mandates the inclusion of the private sector, when it comes to law enforcement. Information on cybersecurity threats will be shared in real time, and the systems for real-time information sharing will also be developed.

There will be increased co-operation on cybersecurity research, and the development of cybersecurity products. There are expected to be joint training programs for law enforcement agencies. There will be workshops for digital forensics. The laws of both countries will be taken into consideration for these programs.

Finally, the US is expected to contribute to the growth of critical infrastructure building in India.
Anirudh Regidi

Do you remember Tay, Microsofts Twitter Bot that went from innocent teenager to racist monstrosity in just over 16 hours? Well, Microsofts come up with another bot now and this ones called Project Murphy.

Unlike Tay, Murphy isnt really a chatbot as such. As Microsoft puts it, Murphy is a what if bot. It might sound a bit confusing, but just try out the bot for yourself and youll understand what were talking about.

You can ask Murphy questions like What if Spock was a Klingon? or What if Elon Musk was Theon Greyjoy? and the like.

The results are very hit-and-miss, but youll find some real gems as well. Such as

The bots ability to mix and match images in seconds is impressive, but its also not very intelligent. Questions like What if Hugh Jackman was Wolverine? results in horrific images like this one.

On the other hand, Murphy seems to have a particular affinity for Donald Trump, producing some remarkable results at times.

Microsoft says that Project Murphy is based on the Cortana Intelligence Suite, which also relies on the Bing search engine and the Microsoft Bot Framework.

As bots evolve to become the next generation of applications, we're also thinking about our principles in bringing machine learning and intelligence together with human interaction. Our intention is to make sure we augment human ability with that of machines, that these new apps are trustworthy and that they're inclusive and respectful so they can be used by everyone. We're still learning, and so is our new bot Murphy, says Microsoft.

Project Murphy is a great way to waste a few minutes and the results can be hilarious. Its honestly more fun than Tay ever was.
hidden

A private firm co-founded by an Indian-American and licensed to launch a spacecraft and land on the moon plans to take human remains to the Earth's satellite at $3 million per kilogram, according to a media report. Moon Express, co-founded by Naveen Jain, was last week granted a license by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to launch a spacecraft and land on moon in 2017, becoming the first private company to get such approval. The breakthrough US policy decision provides authorisation to the company for a maiden flight of its robotic spacecraft onto the Moon's surface, the company had said.

The New York Post reported that Moon Express's plans for commercial cargo include taking human ashes to the moon. Jain told the New York Post that the delivery of one's ashes for lunar interment would be based on a "payload" price of $3 million per kilo. "Since the cremated remains of adults generally weigh between 4 and 6 pounds, the indicated price range is $5.4 million to $8.1 million," the Post said, adding that the demand for such a service is high.

"We already have a long list," it quoted Jain as saying. There have been no private space missions so far beyond Earth's orbit and only state agencies have performed outer space missions. "The sky is not the limit for Moon Express, it is the launchpad. Space travel is our only path forward to ensure our survival and create a limitless future for our children," Jain had said following the announcement by FAA.

"In the immediate future, we envision bringing precious resources, metals, and moon rocks back to earth," he had said. The company was co-founded in 2010 by space visionary, Bob Richards, Jain and serial entrepreneur and artificial intelligence and space technology guru, Barney Pell, with the common vision to be at the forefront of commercial space exploration and innovation.

PTI
hidden

The idea of taking apart a rat's heart and transforming it into a tissue-engineered stingray first came to Kevin Kit Parker during a trip to the New England Aquarium with his daughter. Four years later, a robotic ray that swims toward light has made the cover of Science Magazine and is pushing the limits of what's possible in the design of machines powered by living cells. A research team based at Harvard University's Disease Biophysics Group, which Parker directs, created the translucent, penny-sized ray with a gold skeleton and silicone fins layered with the heart muscle cells of a rat.

It's remote-controlled, guided by a blinking blue flashlight. Each burst of blue sets off a cascade of signals through the cells, which have been genetically engineered to respond to light. The contraction of the tissue creates a downward motion on the ray's body. When the tissue relaxes, the gold skeleton recoils - moving the fin upward again in an undulating cycle that mimics the graceful swimming of a real ray or skate.

Parker, whose research includes cardiac cell biology, launched the project as a method for learning more about the mysteries of the human heart and a step toward the far-off goal of building an artificial one. But the interdisciplinary project is also sparking interest in other fields, from marine biology to robotics. Parker is not a roboticist. But as an Army veteran who did two tours in Afghanistan, he welcomes any part his stingrays could play in advancing the development of machines able to perform dangerous jobs.

"Bio-hybrid machines - things with synthetic parts and living materials - they're going to happen," Parker said. "I've spent time getting shot at and seen people getting shot. If I could build a cyborg so my buddy doesn't have to crawl into that ditch to look for an IED, I'd do that in a heartbeat." When he first asked postdoctoral researcher Sung-Jin Park to help him create the stingray four years ago, the bench scientist was doubtful.

"I had this whole idea of a laser-guided, tissue-engineered stingray made out of rat," Parker said. "He looked at me like a hog staring at a wristwatch. He was like, 'Have I trusted my career to this yahoo'? I think he thought I was unglued." Indeed, the project to build the ray was more difficult and expensive - close to $1 million, according to Parker - than either of them imagined. A mechanical engineer by training, Park had to delve into molecular and cell biology. The team pulled experts from diverse fields, including an ichthyologist - someone who studies fish - to understand and help replicate a ray's muscle structure and biomechanics. Their work was published in Science last month.

Biologically-inspired robots aren't new. A precursor to the stingray was a tissue-engineered jellyfish Parker helped create in 2012, also with the aim of understanding the muscular pumping of a heart. But one of the robotic stingray's most intriguing contributions is the way it shows a glimpse of autonomy, said John Long, a professor of biology and cognitive science who directs Vassar College's Interdisciplinary Robotics Research Laboratory.

"By putting in the light control they have a way of controlling the cell without a nervous system," said Long, who was not involved in the stingray research. "We used to control puppets with strings. Now we can do it with light." Long says the creation could spark new research into autonomous, part-living machines. He envisions a time when a packet of micro-rays could be unleashed into a busted sewage pipe with simple sensors to measure acidity.

The stingrays in Harvard's lab - Park and his colleagues built more than 200 of the tiny creatures during years of research - won't be going into any pipe or ocean. They swim in a pool of warm liquid solution filled with sugar and salt. The cells couldn't survive outside of a dish and weren't designed to, though Long said it would be possible to give a similar creature a skin that wraps up the solution and creates a kind of circulatory system. Battery power is a big challenge for robots, especially for tiny, lightweight machines, Long said, but creating a living power system of glucose-fed tissue could extend a robot's mission time.

Associated Press
hidden

The base price and the quantum of airwaves on offer make the next round of spectrum auctions the largest ever. But the high reserve price, notably for the 700 MHz band, and time still for the expiry of existing holdings could make the response muted, analysts warn. The views of six top brokerages and consultancies is that service providers will cherry-pick the bands they need, putting a question mark over how much of the 2,354.55 MHz on offer across seven bands will be sought and what quantum of the $84 billion reserve price be realised.

"Since no spectrum is up for renewal for any of Bharti, Vodafone India and Idea Cellular, we do not expect aggressive bidding," said a Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research said in its report, predicting no major surprises. "The upcoming auction is crucial for Idea and Vodafone in our view, as they still have large amount of 3G and 4G gaps and will look to fill those. Bharti and (Reliance) Jio have very few circles without 3G and 4G, and will try to bolster their data spectrum holding," it said.

The government has put on block 2,354.55 MHz of airwaves for sale in seven bands -- 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz, 2,300 MHz and 2,500 MHz -- with a reserve price of $84 billion -- against 470.75 MHz in the previous round that saw bids worth $17 billion.

"The September 2016 auction will be the first in the past three years without material 'renewal' spectrum on offer -- not a 'gun on the head' auction for most operators, in our view," Kotak Institutional Equities said. "To this end, this auction is a critical test of the operators' rationality; an auction where operators need to guard against getting swayed by competitive spirits and bid with long-term interests in mind; no self-goal, in other words," the brokerage added.

"In our view, 1,800 MHz and 2,100 MHz spectrum bands will see most participation from telcos," added the Goldman Sachs report, a view shared in the majority of six reports analysed by IANS. "We believe the 1,800 MHz would see demand from Airtel, Idea, Vodafone and Jio; 2,100 MHz from Airtel, Idea, and Vodafone; and 800 MHz from Jio and Reliance Communications. We do not expect the 700 MHz auction to be a success," said Morgan Stanley.

"The reserve price of the 700 MHz band is at 4x (four times higher than) the reserve price of 1,800 MHz. Thus, if an operator intends to bid for one block (5 MHz) of spectrum pan-India, it would need to spend Rs 574 billion or $8.5 billion." In the Delhi circle, the reserve price for 700 MHz is pegged at Rs 1,595 crore per MHz -- which is the highest -- and for pan-India, it is Rs 11,485 per MHz.

"We expect Vodafone and Idea to add more spectrum in the 1,800 MHz band to enhance their 4G spectrum holdings," Edelweiss said, otherwise expecting the response to be lukewarm in thr 700 MHz band on account of high reserve price for 700 MHz band. The brokerage also expected some shakeout in the industry once Jio announces a full commercial launch. "We remain cautious on the sector due to sustained high capex and the anticipation of increased competitive intensity with the launch of Reliance Jio."

Bank of America Merrill Lynch also cautioned about the 700 MHz pickup, citing reasons like high pricing, relatively immature handset and equipment eco-system and theb already available 4G spectrum in other bands like 1,800 Mhz and 2,300 MHz. The government said operators will have the choice of both upfront payments and instalment options. The service providers who win airwaves below 1 GHz bandwidth will have to pay 25 per cent upfront, and those winning above that the upfront payment will be 50 per cent.

"There are no surprises in the Notice Inviting Application apart from the 50 per cent upfront payment condition for spectrum above 1GHz. This will further burden the balance sheets of companies which are looking to acquire spectrum, especially in the 1,800 MHz band," Edelweiss said. Deutsche Bank Market Research cautioned that increased realism on the competitive landscape will reduce the number of bidders. "We estimate total proceeds at around Rs 70 to Rs 120 billion. Furthermore, the change in revenue-share framework for spectrum payments benefits Bharti and Jio."

Bank of America Merrill Lynch also commented on the proposed move by the watchdog to scrap charges paid to carriers on whose networks calls are received. "Such a move in our view, will impact Bharti and Idea as they are net interconnect gainers and positively benefit smaller telcos and new entrant Jio."

IANS

Disclaimer: Jio is owned by Reliance Industries which also owns Network18, the publisher of Firstpost.com and Tech2
tech2 News Staff

Kochi's Startup Village had launched its first digital incubator for students known as SV.CO, which has now partnered with Facebook to offer a broader exposure to students. Facebook will give the budding entrepreneurs access to its developer teams. The SV.CO Startup programme will ensure a six-day trip to Facebook's headquarters in Menlo Park, California. At the headquarters, these students will be able to present their ideas to the Facebook team and get feedback. The aim is to ensure students learn how technology companies work across the world and also take lessons on building successful startups.

This piece of news comes on the heels of reports around how Facebook has begun testing Wi-Fi hotspots in India. It was just a few months ago that the startup community was irked with the social giant for pushing its Free Basics into India and taking away the fair play chances that startups have to compete in the fierce tech industry. In fact, Facebook that started at the Harvard dorm room should have known it better.

Looks like, it is now trying to make all the wrongs right by helping with infrastructure for Internet, Wi-Fi hotspots and now working with students. SV.CO is the first to follow the PPP model and its six months program will be conducted for up to 50 engineering students startups from across India. Each one of these startups will have 2-3 students.

The Kochi Startup Village had also disclosed its plans to support 10,000 campus startup teams across India in the next five years as part of its second phase. For this, it plans to align with the PMs Startup India programme. "In Phase I, we succeeded in creating a seed entrepreneurial ecosystem in Kerala. In the next five years, we plan to support 10,000 campus startup teams across the country, completely digitise the incubation process and launch a new business model, said startup village chairman Sanjay Vijayakumar had said.

Lately, Facebook has been finding unique ways of working with open source and startup communities. Remember the Facebook Incubator. It is believed to be the company's new way for releasing open source projects and the first project under it being Create React App that helps React developers get started with their new projects. "The create-react-app repo already has over 6,000 stars and 300 forks, so Incubator is off to a good start," points out TheNextWeb.

Facebook has been taking some keen interest in Indian startups. Remember Tookitaki, and Indian startup and its first Facebook Marketing Partner from the country. It was a part of Facebook's Marketing Partners Program. Meanwhile, SV.CO is believed to be looking for more similar collaborations to build an optimum startup ecosystem in India. Now, it is to be seen if Google and Apple will follow suit.
The activists want to bring justice to a five-year-old American girl who was raped on June 2 by a group of refugee children as a 14-year-old refugee videotaped the horrible incident. Idaho activist Julie Ruf tells Breitbart News that statements made by Olson to protect the refugee community in the wake of rapes indicate she is unfit for the job of protecting the Constitution.



Julie Ruf has been working with the victims family since the rapes happened, trying to help get them both victim services and fair treatment by local authorities. The fight is an uphill climb for Ruf and other activists, as both local authorities and media members began attacking the group for expressing concerns about the dangers of the recent influx of Muslim refugees into the area.



A number of local businesses in the food processing industry use the refugee population as a source of cheap labor, and also receive financial incentives from both the state and federal government for employing refugees instead of Americans.



The Twin Falls activist expressed concerns about the brutal rape of the mentally challenged five-year-old, which included oral and anal penetration as well as the victim being urinated on by at least two of the boys. One concern of the local activists were recent headlines around the world about videotaped sexual assault involving Muslim refugees, such as the New Years Eve attack in Cologne, Germany.



U.S. Attorney Olson made a statement that appeared to threaten local activists with legal action for expressing their concern if that speech contain false information.

It's stunning how many leftists there are in Twin Falls, Idaho, who're going out of their way to cover up for the Muslim children who raped a 5-year-old girl in the city:Read the rest, because it's already horrific enough that the attorney would have the sick gall to do that. The press coverage in the area is also horrific , and all reporters who called the girl's friends "racists" should be ostracized.Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton have both been asked to visit the area , but with Hilary's record , I think it's better that just Donald pay a visit. This is very disturbing that practically a whole town governing system is corrupt enough to cover for sexual abuse, all because of money.

Labels: anti-americanism, dhimmitude, islam, misogyny, msm foulness, political corruption, terrorism, United States
the life I lead is the life I read... the life I led was the life I read...
About Me Common Ills We do not open attachments. Stop e-mailing them. Threats and abusive e-mail are not covered by any privacy rule. This isn't to the reporters at a certain paper (keep 'em coming, they are funny). This is for the likes of failed comics who think they can threaten via e-mails and then whine, "E-mails are supposed to be private." E-mail threats will be turned over to the FBI and they will be noted here with the names and anything I feel like quoting. This also applies to anyone writing to complain about a friend of mine. That's not why the public account exists. View my complete profile

Blog Archive
Brazil Senate votes to hold Dilma Rousseff impeachment trial

Suspended Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff attends a news conference with foreign media in Brasilia, Brazil.

AFP, Brasilia :Brazil's Senate early Wednesday voted to hold an impeachment trial for the nation's suspended president Dilma Rousseff, a process that could see her permanently removed from office.The vote in favor of trying Rousseff, who was suspended from the presidency in May, was 59 in favor, 21 against.The Senate suspended Rousseff, the South American nation's first female president, on May 12 over accusations of illegal accounting practices and fiddling the budget to mask a slumping economy.The timing of the impeachment vote could hardly be more awkward for Brazil, which was meant to be showcasing its burgeoning economic clout and political stability with South America's first Olympics.Rousseff, 68, has likened the impeachment drive to a putsch by her political enemies.The impeachment trial is set to open around August 25 -- four days after the Olympics closing ceremony -- and is expected to last five days, concluding with a judgment vote.The impeachment of Rousseff, a former leftist guerrilla and the first woman to lead Brazil, has paralyzed Brazilian politics since the start of the year, deepening a crisis set off by a massive kickbacks and bribery scandal at state-led oil company Petrobras.The outcome of the vote is a foregone conclusion because opponents of Rousseff, who was suspended in May, need only a simple majority in the 81-seat Senate to put her on a trial.A final verdict expected at the end of the month will require two thirds of the votes. Media surveys of the Senate point to defeat for Rousseff and the end of 13 years of her Workers Party rule.Meanwhile, the Senate suspended Rousseff, the South American nation's first female president, on May 12 over accusations of illegal accounting practices and fiddling the budget to mask a slumping economy.Rousseff, 68, has likened the impeachment drive to a putsch by her political enemies.The impeachment trial is set to open around August 25 -- four days after the Olympics closing ceremony -- and is expected to last five days, concluding with a judgment vote.
Afghan officials raise alarm as Taliban gain in Helmand province

An Afghan policeman searches commuters at a checkpoint in Helmand province on Tuesday.

Reuters, Lashkar Gah :The Taliban are tightening their noose around the capital of disputed Helmand province in southern Afghanistan which has seen sustained fighting, residents and local officials say.Security officials and local leaders offered differing assessments of the risk of the city of Lashkar Gah falling, with military commanders asserting that the situation has stabilized.But officials in the besieged city are increasingly pessimistic."If we don't receive support from the central government, the province will collapse soon," said provincial council chief Karim Atal.The Taliban are seeking to make Lashkar Gah the second provincial capital they have captured since their extremist Islamic rule was toppled in a U.S.-led campaign in 2001. The insurgents briefly held the northern city of Kunduz last October before being driven out by U.S.-backed Afghan troops.Atal said Afghan security forces in the province, which have undergone major reorganization this year, are capable but he said there was a lack of attention from leaders in Kabul.As part of its national strategic plan, much of the Afghan government's focus in the past month has been on a campaign against Islamic State militants in eastern Afghanistan."If the government does not support Helmand, we will call on our people to grab weapons and fight against the Taliban," Atal said.Lashkar Gah continues to be flooded with civilians fleeing the fighting that has nearly surrounded the city. The Taliban have seized some areas only a few km from the city center, said Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor.A major highway between Lashkar Gah and Kandahar has been closed on and off for days by Taliban checkpoints and roadside bombs, he said.Many in the city point to U.S. air strikes as a decisive factor in preventing the Taliban from overrunning the whole province. In the past two weeks U.S. warplanes have conducted around 25 air strikes in the province, while hundreds of coalition advisers try to bolster Afghan troops.Fighting has consumed much of Nawa-i-Barakzayi district immediately to the south of Lashkar Gah, district police chief Ahmad Shah Salem said."Contact has been lost with police in some places," he said. "The Taliban have conquered some of our checkpoints. So far we haven't received reinforcements, as well as food and ammunition. If we do not receive reinforcement soon, the district will collapse."Officials from the Defense and Interior Ministry visited Lashkar Gah on Tuesday. Provincial police chief Brigadier General Aqa Noor Kentoz said reinforcements were scheduled to arrive soon.
Dr. H.B.M. Iqbal, Chairman of Premier Bank Limited is seen handing over a Cheque of Tk 7.5 million to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as a donation to the PM\'s relief fund at a function at Ganobhaban Tuesday.
Both war and climate intensifying migrant issues

Roberto Savio :

The media are increasingly reporting events in a basic manner, and have by and large abandoned the process of deep analysis. Now is the moment to focus our attention on terrorism. This topic be will remain a pressing issue for quite some time. We now know that terrorism has many causes, which can be rooted in religion to feelings of social exclusion and from a desire for glory to the actions of a damaged psyche.

There is no way to fight against the unpredictable, and in mentally unstable minds emulation is an important factor. The danger is that we will probably fall into the ISIS trap, and this kaleidoscope of confusion could subsequently result in a war of religion, which will further radicalize European Muslims. In fact, until now, no act of terror has come from immigrants (except a mentally disturbed afghan). Yet, still, it is important to take into account that for every European killed, there are over 120 Arabs, who die because of ISIS.

Since the United Nations Conference on Climate Change concluded last December, climate topics have almost disappeared in media content, and in public debates. Everybody is mesmerized by the tide of refugees, and how they are changing the political landscape of Europe. The rise of nationalism; populism and xenophobia calls to mind the fatal decade of the thirties.

We cannot ignore the lasting impacts climate change and natural disasters leave on affected populations. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council," every second a person is displaced by disasters. In 2015 alone, more than 19.2 million people fled disaster in 113 Countries. In fact, disasters displace three to ten times more people from conflict and war worldwide. The International Organization for Migration forecasts 200 million environmental migrants by 2050, moving either within their countries or across borders, on a permanent or temporary basis. Many of them predicted to populate coastal areas. If the world temperature rises to 3.1 degrees, which is presently the final agreement of the Paris conference, the mean sea level would increase by 0.73 meters, with large areas made susceptible to flooding.

The New York Times carried a story on the demise of Lake Poopo, in Bolivia, which was 3.000 square kilometres, and provided livelihoods to over 10.000 villagers. Now only 636 remain, while the others havegone to seek labour in coal mines 200 miles away, or to the nearest city, La Paz. A millenarian culture has been lost. Lake Poopo is one of the several lakes worldwide that are disappearing, because of human causes, writes the NYT. California's Mono Lake and the Salton Sea have dramatically shrunk because of water diversion. Rising temperatures jeopardize lakes in Canada and Mongolia.

Let us recall that in Paris all countries of the world agreed to fight climate change. However, to be able to carry as many countries as possible on board, the Preparatory Conference of Lima, December 2014, agreed to implement a target system. Every country is to decide its objectives and will be responsible for ensuring their individual implementation. Let us just stop to think what would happen if every citizen was granted full monetary responsibility and were left to decide how much taxes they should pay.

The result is that the sum of the national targets adopted at Paris indicates a rise in the world's temperature by 3.4 centigrades. In fact, the original goal was to not exceed 2 degrees, and this is the basis for the final declaration. At the same time, scientists have been saying that if we go beyond 1.5 degrees, the planet will suffer immensely. They consider the target of 2 centigrades a political gimmick, and of course the present t level of agreement of 3.4 centigrades a threat to the survival of humanity.

At Paris, it was also agreed that controls on the implementation of the agreement would start only in 2020: therefore we cannot predict the outcomes of the agreement. From different reports, we are fully aware that nobody is in a rush to get this done. In spite of this, NASA, the respected American Space Agency has recently published a worrying report: for three consecutive years the world's temperatures have been the hottest on record since 1880. This year, 2016, will be even hotter than 2015 and 2014. We are now at an increase of 1.3 centigrades over 1880. Gavin Schmidt, the director of NASA 's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, declared: "I certainly, would not say that we have gotten to that higher Paris number and we are going to stay there, But I think it's fair to say that we are dancing with that lower target".

This brings the problem of climate refugee much closer to us than we realize. The additional problem being that in legal terms, the category of climate refugee does not exist. The Human Rights Convention protects only those who escape war and violence, not climate change. Yet, Europe and the The United States are entering in a serious political crisis, because of a lack of policy on the tide of refugee status. In the political agenda, there is not a word about climate refugees, which exceed the number of political refugees by far. It is widely agreed, that a long and severe drought in Syria made many escape from their villages to towns, and the deplorable conditions fuelled the protests against the government. The consequent repression, in many ways, triggered the civil war which has destroyed the A country, killed over 400.000 civilians, created an exodus of 4.7 million citizens, of whom over a million come to find refuge in Europe. An influx of displaced Syrians who are being used by populists like Marine Le Pen and Nigel Farage to win elections. Donald Trump has a lead of 44 to 30 percent, according to a CNN The poll, over the issue of order and security, because of his strong talks about immigrants and refugees.

A UN Summit for refugees and migrants will be held in September in New York. This would be the ideal moment to shape a global policy surrounding refugees, also incorporating the category of climate refugees. We are now on the brink of the American Elections. Let us hope this moment in history will not pass us by as a missed opportunity to lessen the plight of climate refugees.

IPS


Illegal activities so easy

THE media on Tuesday reported that the Rapid Action Battalion arrested 10, nine foreigners and one of their local agents alongwith huge amount of fake dollar notes, known as 'black dollar' and fake currency making materials in the capital on Sunday night. The nine arrestee foreigners are citizens of some African countries  7 from Cameroon and 2 from Congo. They are allegedly involved in producing fake currencies and cheating Bangladeshis for quite a long time. The Commanding Officer of RAB-2 said in a press briefing that the detained gang used to trap people to sell fake dollars or other hard currencies including local currency. Five of the nine foreigners could not show their passports and the remaining four however, had their passports with visas expired. RAB suspects that the group is connected with an international gang producing fake currencies. Besides, the gang is also believed to be involved in drug trading.Illegal business of selling fake currencies is not new in Bangladesh. Bangladeshi people often become worst sufferers of it. It is believed that fake Bangladeshi currency notes are also produced in home and at times such fake notes come from across the border. Surprisingly, such fake notes are also channelled though the banking window. Many a times before, some people were also arrested on charges of producing fake currencies and processing currency forging materials and machines. But subsequently most of them got bail from court and their whereabouts were not monitored properly. Things become more complicated with the involvement of foreign gangs in this illegal but lofty business. In December in 2015, RAB arrested six people including a Pakistani citizen from Dhaka on charge of making fake foreign currencies having involvement in human trafficking. In November 2014, the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested 31 foreigners of 10 African countries for staying here illegally. Police found that many of them were involved in forged currency business. But they were not handed down appropriate punishment through the court of law.There is reason to believe that these illegal activities are continuing in Bangladesh because of loose monitoring by the law enforcers and the Central Bank. Weak laws or lack of enforcement of existing laws are rather helping growth of such quick profiting business.
Spl rickshaws, buses for diplomatic zone

New buses, rickshaws were launched for diplomatic zones of Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and Niketon areas in the wake of heightened security after recent terror attacks. This photo was taken on Wednesday.

Staff Reporter :In accordance with government's plan, special bus and rickshaw services have been introduced at Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and Niketon areas in the city's Diplomatic Zone keeping adjustment with the heightened security following July 1 terror attack. LGRD Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain inaugurated the circular bus and rickshaw services on Wednesday. In this regard, a total of 20 Air-Conditioned [AC] buses and 500 special rickshaws will hit the roads of city's Diplomatic enclave. The new bus service named 'Dhaka Chaka' was inaugurated at around 12:15pm at a programme in Gulshan-1 along with the special rickshaw service. Dhaka North City Corporation [DNCC] Mayor Annisul Haque presided over the function.Officials said, the bus service will be plied by private operators introduced under the coordination of DNCC in assistance of four local communities of Gulshan, Baridhara, Banani and Niketan. At the same time, adequate numbers of security staff have been deployed in the area, who would patrol round-the-clock to oversee the new transporting system, they said.Each AC bus has 35 seats. The buses will follow two routes-- one from Police Plaza to Gulshan-2 and another from Kakoli Crossing to Nutan Bazar. Passengers will get buses after 10 minutes. Fare of the AC buses has been fixed at Tk 15 for all routes. In the first phase, ten buses have started operation. Ten other new buses would join the fleet within August 20.Apart from bus service, 200 rickshaws will be plied at Gulshan, 200 at Banani and 50 each at Baridhara and Niketan. The rickshaws have been painted with yellow [upper portion] and black [lower portion] colours. Meanwhile, the authorities have also collected details information about the rickshaw owners and pullers. There would be three pullers for one rickshaw who will ply the vehicle rotation basis. The fare chart has also been pasted at each rickshaw. The rickshawpullers will be dressed with orange-colour uniform. The authorities has taken the above initiatives as police banned bus operation in Gulshan and Banani areas for security reasons following the July 1 militant attack at Holey Artisan Bakery in the city's Gulshan that left 22 people, including 17 foreigners, killed.Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque who attended the programme urged all families and guardians to monitor the activities of their children, so that they do not get involved with militant and terror activities.'If the behaviour of your child changes or you find it suspicious, monitor them closely and if needed seek help from police,' the IGP said. After the Gulshan attack, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Chief Asaduzzaman Mia said that the police were barring entry of public transport in the areas and will launch separate services for the zone.
Khaleda granted bail in 10 cases

Court Correspondent :

The Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court of Dhaka on Wednesday granted bail to BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in 10 cases including eight sabotage cases filed under the Special Power Act and a sedition case.

Metropolitan Sessions Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah granted bail to Khaleda Zia in the sedition case. The same court heard on the bail petitions of Khaleda Zia in eight cases and allowed her bail. Besides, the court fixed October 10 to hear on framing charges in five of the eight cases.

Momtaz Uddin Ahmad Mehedi, a lawyer of the apex court and also a member of the ruling Awami League central committee, filed the sedition case against the BNP Chief for her comments on the number of martyrs in the Liberation War of 1971. The complainant, who filed the case on January 25, was present in the courtroom during the hearing.

The police filed nine arson attack cases with Darussalam Police Station against Khaleda Zia while the court granted her in the cases.

The court fixed October 10 for the next date of hearing in the sedition and nine arson cases. Later, the BNP leader appeared to the Special Judge's Court-2 Judge Hosneara Begum and she fixed September 8 for next hearing in Barapukuria coalmine graft case.

Meanwhile, Kotwali Police Station OC Dilip Kumar said, security of the area was tightened so that no untoward incident could happen on the occasion.


Agri sector incurs Tk 150cr loss

Anisul Islam Noor :

The agriculture sector incurred losses of Tk 150 crore in 14 districts of the country due to the ongoing flood that had washed away fish and cropland measuring 1, 13,500 hectares of which cropland was 109, 305 hectares, according to primary data of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).

The ongoing flood has caused severe damage to fisheries, livestock, vegetables and crop sectors. As per data, 20,568 fish farms on 4,195 hectares of land in 14 districts have been affected by floods.

The worst-affected district was Kurigram with 5,102 fish farms, followed by Jamalpur 4,175 farms, Sirajganj 2,978 farms, Manikganj 2,636 farms and Lalmonirhat 2,415 farms.

A total of 4,600 tonnes of fish and 671 tonnes of fish fry worth Tk 725.3 million were washed away by floods in these districts. Floods totally damaged infrastructures of a number of farms causing losses of Tk 104 million, Deputy Director of DoF Dr Md Golzar Hossain said. He said the loss might increase further in case of floodwater remaining for some more days. Chaitannya Kumar Das, Director of Monitoring under Field Service Wing of DAE, told media that 1,09,305 hectares of farmland in 22 districts remained under water for some days. Crops including Aman, Aus, seasonal vegetables, fruits and jute were inundated, he added.

Vegetables of Kharip-2 (one of three cropping seasons) like teasel gourd, ridge gourd, and sponge gourd etc might not be picked up again, he said, adding that fresh flood may hit the country at the end of August or early September.

As a precautionary measure, the DAE has instructed the farmers to prepare the seedbeds for late-Aman (Nabi) varieties like BR-22, BR-23, Brridhan-34, Binashail etc on highlands through which the farmers could recoup their losses.

Meanwhile, water level in the Brahmaputra and the Jamuna Rivers in Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Sirajganj and Bogra districts marked decline on Tuesday, but floodwater still remained there, according to the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) offices in the districts concerned.
Anti-militancy rallies in edn instts Sept 3

Staff Reporter :

The Education Ministry has decided to hold anti-militancy rallies at all educational institutions across the country on September 3.

The Ministry took the decision in an emergency meeting on Wednesday.

The Ministry thinks that the students get involved in militancy and terrorism, as they have no knowledge about the country's culture, heritage and history.

It has also sent notice to all the public and private universities, colleges, schools and madrasas to arrange the rally on the day.

The notice has advised that the institution must ensure the presence of teachers, students, guardians, managing committee members, imams, influential persons, and ideal dignitaries in the rally.

The notice also asked the institutions to arrange regular cultural programmes including sports, songs and drama, scouting and girls' guide activities.

On July 27, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid called upon the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to inspire the students to practice the country's culture with a view to discouraging the militancy.

The Ministry has also decided to form anti-militancy monitoring committee at every upazila across the country with a view to discouraging the students to involve in militancy and terrorism.

The Ministry sources said, the committee members will monitor the overall activities of the school, college and madrasa. The committee will also ensure cultural activities in the institutions and reading books on culture and history.

Professor Emeritus Dr Serajul Islam Chowdhury told The New Nation that the government has to include Bangladeshi culture, history and tradition in the academic syllabus at all classes.

"There is no practice of the country's culture at the private universities and the madrasas. A few students know about the country's history. They will never involve in militancy if they know their land's tradition. So the government must ensure it for the students," he said.


Rooppur N Plant to use safest tech: BAEC

bdnews24.com :The Rooppur nuclear power plant in Pabna will be built using the 'safest technology', says Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) Chairman Md Ali Zulquarnain.Locals of the area will not have to move from the project area, he says, even if an accident happens.Zulquarnain's assurance about the safety features of the first nuclear power plant came at a programme at the commission on Tuesday. An organisation named 'Star Trek Dream' organised it to mark the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the US in August 1945 during the World War II.Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA) Chairman Prof Naiyyum Choudhury was the chief guest at the event. The nuclear power plant is being built with Russia's assistance at an estimated project cost of $12.65 billion. Two units of the plant will generate 1,200 MW each. Russia will provide $11.38 billion for the project and the Bangladesh government the rest.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone of the project in 2013, with 2021 targeted for the launch of the first unit. But many in Bangladesh are worried following the horrifying aftermaths of accidents in nuclear plants around the world. But the government said the Rooppur power plant will maintain all kinds of safety measures. Defending the decision to go for a nuclear-powered plant, BAEC chief Zulquarnain on Tuesday brought up issue of the growing demand for power. "Our gas reserves are running out. That's why we'll have to go for nuclear energy." The plant will cost more at first, but the overall costs will come down due to long-term power generation, he said. He referred to China and India's nuclear energy scenario. "India currently generates 6,000-7,000 MW. They plan to make take it to 64,000 MW. China currently produces 20,000 MW, and they plan to increase their capacity to 200,000 MW in 2030."There are 70 nuclear reactors around the world and 84 percent of them use the latest technology, Zulquarnain added. "We've also adopted the right technology. This tech has been designed on the experiences from different accidents." He said the reactor in Rooppur power plant will have thicker concrete walls around it in order to avoid any possible accident and damage from it."Currently, Generation III reactors are being used (everywhere). We are getting Generation III Plus reactors. This was added to the grid in Russia on Aug 5." He pointed out the profits made from the nuclear energy projects. "India has a massive programme. They made Tk 20 billion profits in 2014.""It will take 3 million tonnes of coal annually to produce 1,000 MW electricity. But in nuclear plant's case, it will take only 25 tonnes of coal." He said Bangladesh has also been sending 20 students every year for the past three years to Russia to get training to run the nuclear power plant.BAERA chief Naiyyum Choudhury said, "This may boomerang for those who are playing with (nuclear) bombs. We are for its (nuclear technology) peaceful use and against bombs."We'll keep protesting against those who are manufacturing bombs."Regarding the criticism of the Rooppur power plant, he said, "The good thing about technology is that the more people talk about it, the more it adapts to new situations. It worked after the Fukushima tragedy. This has also influenced our deal (with Russia). "Accidents don't stop technology. Technology finds new ways and progresses."
RAB arrests six radicals

Militants claim responsibility for 11 attacks

Staff Reporter :The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Tuesday arrested six suspected members of two militant outfits, who believed to be involved in different terror attacks, including Gulshan and Sholakia. In an overnight raid, they were arrested from the city's Uttara, Mirpur and Gabtali areas. The arrested persons admitted to RAB that they had carried out 11 attacks so far.The arrestees were identified as Jahid Anwar alias Porag, 22, a student of Govt Titumir College, M Tajul Islam, 29, Jahid Hasan, 21, Engineer Mostafizur Rahman alias Shifat, an alleged administrator of JMB website 'At-Tamkin', M Ziaul Hoque Zia, 24, and M Nayan, 21. Of them, five are members of the Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and another one from Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT). Commander Mufti Mahmud Khan, Media Wing Director of the elite force, disclosed this in a press briefing at the RAB Headquarters on Wednesday. "Tipped off that a group of militants were preparing to carry out subversive activities in the capital, the elite force members raided the Airport Railway Station and arrested Jahid Anwar Porag around 10:00pm," Mufti Mahmud said. Following his information, another team of RAB arrested Tajul and Jahid from a restaurant in the city's Gabtoli around 2:00am, the RAB official said. Later, they arrested Engineer Mostafiz, Zia and Nayan from a house at Uttar Bishil in Mirpur area around 5:00am, he said. During the preliminary interrogation, five of them claimed themselves as members of the Jama'at-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) while another said he was a member of Ansarullah Bangla Team, the elite force official said. On the other hand, Engineer Mostafiz admitted to the RAB that he was the administrator of website 'At-Tamkin' and the five others are the members of 'Sleeper Cell' of JMB, he also claimed. Two pistols, 13 detonators, four machetes, five hand grenades, 12 chocolate bombs, four grams of power gel, eight grams of white gunpowder and five grams of red gunpowder were also seized from their possessions, he said.
BB seeks account info of 18 suspects



The central bank has asked for information about the bank accounts of 18 suspected militants whose names have appeared in media in connection with terrorists activities in the country.

It has also asked the country's scheduled commercial banks to freeze their accounts if found with them, officials said.

Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) on behalf of the central bank sent letters in this regard to the scheduled commercial banks on Wednesday.

These 18 militants include Bangladesh born Canadian citizen Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury, sacked army major Zia-ul-Haque, two prime suspect of Dhaka cafe attack that killed 21 hostages and two police officers.

Police earlier announced bounties of Tk 20 lakh for each of the presumed masterminds (Tamim and Zia) of the attack.

"We have asked the banks to provide account information of 18 people whose names have come up in the media in connection with militancy links and recent terror incidents," Debaprosad Debnath, General Manager of BFIU told The New Nation yesterday.

Letters related to the matter have been forwarded to all scheduled banks after a meeting of BFIU, specifying three directives.

"The banks have been asked to freeze their accounts immediately, provide account information and produce transaction statement of their accounts," noted Debnath.

Letters asked the banks concerned to send the required information to the central bank within seven working days.

Officials said the BFIU has sought the information following request from the government's security agencies.

The security agencies are now in massive hunt for the hideouts of the masterminds and financier of the Dhaka and Solakia terror attacks.

Investigators dealing with Dhaka and Sholakia terror attacks said that Tamim Chowdhury and Zia-ul Haque, two leaders of banned militant outfits--Jamatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT)-- are among 10 who planned the Dhaka and Solakia terror attacks.

They have primarily identified five businessmen for financing a neo-JMB group in aiding radical extremism and carrying out terror activities in the country.

"The suspected militants have created a network of financiers inside and outside the country. We want to track down their source of finance to curb their activities and prevent future terror attack," an investigator told The New Nation yesterday, requesting not to be named.

"As part of the effort, we have requested the central bank to freeze bank accounts of the militants and their account information," he added.

The militancy issue is currently on top of the government agenda and it has been asked the law-enforcement agencies to go all out against militants in the country by rooting out the militants' dens and source of militant financing.


Mir Quasems son picked up by 'law-enforcers', family says

bdnews24.com :

War crimes convict Mir Quasem Ali's son has been picked up by men identifying themselves as law-enforcers, claims his family.

Mir Ahmed Bin Quasem, a lawyer in profession, was whisked away late on Tuesday by men in plainclothes from his home at Dhaka's Miprur. Quoting wife Tahmina Akhter, the house's caretaker Mafidul Islam told bdnews24.com, "Five men took him away in an unmarked white microbus."

Police, however, said they have no information

over detaining the Jamaat-e-Islami leader's son. "We do not know anything about it," said Dhaka metro police spokesperson Deputy Commissioner Masudur Rahman told bdnews24.com. Mir Quasem Ali, whose death sentence has been upheld by top court, now awaits the hearing of his petition to review his sentence.

The Supreme Court was scheduled to hear the matter on Jul 25, but deferred it to Aug 24 after the defence pleaded for more time. Mir Quasem, founding president of the Islami Chhatra Shibir, has been a member of the Jamaat's Central Executive Council and the organisation's fifth most important leader.

The International Crimes Tribunal found him guilty and sentenced him to death in 2014 for the killing of young freedom-fighter Jashim Uddin Ahmed and eight others. He challenged the verdict but the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence in March this year. On June 19, he filed a petition for a review of the top court's verdict.

He had been in the Kashimpur prison, in Gazipur, since his arrest in 2012 .

If the review verdict upholds the death sentence, Quasem will have the scope to seek presidential clemency.

But if the Jamaat leader is denied pardon, the government will be free to order his hanging.

Mir Quasem was the Al-Badr's third most important functionary after Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami and Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid.

Both Nizami and Mujahid have been executed for their 1971 war crimes.

Mir Quasem, a terror in Chittagong during 1971, later proved to be a shrewd businessman and politician.

The 63-year-old media tycoon pumped billions into Jamaat coffers since the mid-1980s to make it financially strong in Bangladesh.
The Undead Archives

I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world.
If you are looking for the new Immoral Minority posts, you should know that they can be found here at our new home Please stop by to get caught up on politics, join the conversations, or simply check out the new digs.
Paris, TX (75460)

Today

Rain likely. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 51F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall possibly over one inch..

Tonight

Rain likely. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 51F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall possibly over one inch.
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.
CARBONDALE  City Council unanimously approved a 2 percent tax on food and beverage sales.

The tax applies to prepared food sales, including food and beverages served at restaurants, bars and hotels, as well as bakery items and cold foods that are sold at grocery and convenience stores, and foods sold in movie theaters.

At its June 14 meeting, the Council passed a 4 percent tax on prepared food and beverage sales. After criticism from the business community, the City Council on Tuesday approved recommendations from city staff to drop the tax rate from 4 percent to 2 percent and tabled considerations of a .25 percent retail sales tax.

"We are not talking about the quarter percent across the board with this ordinance," City Mayor Mike Henry said.

During a forum last Thursday local restaurant owners met to discuss the new food and beverage tax. As a result of the meeting, local business owners recommended that the tax be lowered up to a 1 percent rate and a retail tax of .25 percent be applied.

In response to the Council's approval of the amended ordinance, Meghan Cole, director of Carbondale Main Street said, "There is a compromise there (but) we need to look at this from all angles."

Councilman Navreet Kang backed his vote for the extensions and amended the 2 percent rate stating that he would prefer for members of the City Council repeal the new tax and apply a 1 percent sales tax for the Jan. 1 date, but the amendments to the ordinance is better than what was previously approved.

"Two percent is better than the 4 percent but we shouldn't have any of it," he said.

In agreement with Kang, Councilwoman Jessica Bradshaw said she sticks to her formal denial of the new food and beverage tax, but will vote in favor of the tax as long as the city implements it well.

"We are talking about something that will affect the city and their business. I think that we should give it more time," Bradshaw said.

Discussions of an amended code allowing the sales of alcohol in convenience stores was also a major concern for locals at the Aug. 9 meeting.

"I just have a concern about selling alcohol in the proximity to selling gasoline," said former acting mayor and liquor commissioner Don Monty.

Along with the approval of the new food and beverage tax, ordinance members of the City Council approved a request from Carbondale Main Street for Fair Days for the 30th annual anniversary for the Lost Cross. The approval of the request permits public consumption of alcohol for the Sept. 3 event, which will be held on West Elm Street.

Members of the City Council also approved recommendations for appointments to the city's boards and commissions. The recommendations include appointments of Winslow Chow and Carole King to the city's tourism board, the appointment of William Hamilton to the city's planning commission and zoning board of appeals, and the appointments of Jordan Wren and Justin Zurlinden to the preservation committee.

The city also approved reappointments for Philip Brown, Susan Tulis, Sharifa Stewart, Janet Lilly, Kathy Benedict, Kevin Clark, Barbara Doherty, Dorothy Ittner, Scott Comparato, Jason Sigler and Ed Van Awken.
Three suspects were arrested in the past week in Saline County, Kansas, in connection with the July 31 shooting of a Carbondale Police officer, according to a news release from the Carbondale Police Department.

The suspects are identified as Alex Karcher, 22; Xavier McCray, 22; and Xavier Lewis, 24, all Kansas residents.

The release states that during the evening of Sunday, Aug. 7, and early morning of Monday, Aug. 8, the I-135/I-70 Drug Task Force, Saline County (Kansas) Sheriffs Office, Salina (Kansas) Police Department, McPherson (Kansas) Police Department, Saline County (Kansas) Attorneys Office and Kansas Bureau of Investigation took the three men into custody and charged them with conspiracy to commit capital murder.

All three subjects were booked into the Saline County Jail on $1 million bond.

The taskforce investigation team, led by the Illinois State Police, with assistance from the City of Carbondale Police Department and numerous local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, is continuing a comprehensive investigation, and is cooperating with the ongoing investigation in Kansas.

The Kansas investigation culminated in a sealed indictment in Saline County, Kansas, that is associated with the July 31 shooting in Carbondale. Since the investigation in ongoing, Carbondale Police Department declined to comment any further on the investigation.

The City of Carbondale is offering a $15,000 reward for information which leads to the identity, arrest and conviction of suspects in this incident.
MARION  A 22-year-old employee of the Williamson County State's Attorney's Office was arrested Tuesday night, charged with delivery of marijuana.

The employee, Darien Daniel of Marion, was classified as a grant-funded employee of the office in a news release from the Williamson County State's Attorney's Office.

Daniel was charged with three counts of unlawful delivery of cannabis, including unlawful delivery more than 10 grams but less than 30 grams of a substance containing cannabis and delivery of less than 10 grams of a substance containing cannabis, according to a news release from the Hamilton County State's Attorney Justin Hood.

Because of Daniel's employment relationship with the Williamson County State's Attorney's Office, that office  so as to not to appear to show any bias or prejudice toward the investigation  has appointed Hood to handle the case.

Daniel was arrested by the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group. Both news releases said Daniel resigned from his position with the office on Wednesday.

"We are obviously shocked at his conduct," the Williamson County news release says. "We stress that no one is above the law, certainly not an employee of a law enforcement office."

Daniel posted bond; his preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 19.
EDDYVILLE  The former treasurer of this tiny Pope County village of about 100 people has been accused of stealing tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars by forging the signature of the village mayor and cashing government checks made out to herself.

But Kim Smith, 58, of Eddyville, who is facing five felony counts related to allegations of theft, is claiming she cant remember anything at all about what happened.

A court document submitted by her attorney seeking a psychological examination to determine her fitness to stand trial states that Smith is suffering from retrograde amnesia, a medical condition indicating a loss of memory of all events and information taking place before the development of the condition.

At a hearing in Golconda on Wednesday morning at the Pope County Courthouse, Judge Joseph Leberman granted the motion for Smith to undergo a psychological exam to determine whether she is fit to stand trial. Dr. William Donaldson, a clinical psychologist who practices in Marion, is expected to perform the exam, the court document reads.

The motion for fitness exam document states that Smith has no memories before March 3. Smith was terminated on March 4, a village official said.

A village official, who asked that their name be withheld, said Smith was elected to the position of treasurer, a part-time job that paid $200 a month, in the spring of 2013. That official said that about $80,000 has gone missing from the village coffers since that time.

Smith has been charged with five felony counts that are as follows, according to the charging documents in her court file:

 A Class 1 felony charge of forgery alleging she stole between $10,000 and $100,000 from the village of Eddyville between June 2013 and Feb. 25, 2016. (The charge, outlined in state law, is not specific to the amount she is alleged to have stolen. It was the village official who estimated that what is missing from the village is in excess of $80,000).

 A Class 3 felony charge of official misconduct, alleging that in her role as a public officer as the treasurer of Eddyville, and while acting in her official capacity, knowingly performed an act which she knew was forbidden by law 

 Three Class 3 felony charges of forgery alleging she signed as co-drawer Mayor Darrell Alys name on three separate checks totaling $1,940 in February.

There have been several theft cases or alleged cases involving taxpayer funds and government officials in Southern Illinois in the past few years  affecting Williamson and Franklin counties, Pinckneyville and West City  as well as other communities across the state, though the alleged circumstances in this case make it among the most bizarre and tragic of late.

Investigation of the case was handed over to the Illinois State Police after a suspicious fire at Village Hall, said Pope County Sheriff Jerry Suits, whose county jurisdiction includes Eddyville. A fire broke out in Village Hall on the night of Jan. 26. The firefighters were able to salvage Village Hall, as the flames were primarily contained to a room where records were kept, a village official said.

A routine annual audit  as required by state law  was scheduled for the next day, on Jan. 27. Eddvyille was behind on its annual audit, and had been issued a fine by the Illinois Comptroller, according to the village official.

According to the charging documents, Smith is alleged to have forged Mayor Darrell Alys signature on checks into February.

In the motion for fitness exam documents filed by Smiths attorney, it states that the defendant was hospitalized on March 3 at Harrisburg Medical Center for hypoglycemia. The defendant was admitted again on March 4  the day she was fired  and discharged six days later, on March 10, with a diagnosis of insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes and other physical conditions, as well as long-term memory loss, anxiety and depression, the court document states.

It continues that the defendant followed up for a neuropsychological examination on April 9 and April 28 and was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, retrograde amnesia and conversion disorder, the latter of which is, according to the Mayo Clinic, a condition that describes a health problem that begins as a mental or emotional crisis.

The document also states that Smith makes inappropriate responses when questioned regarding the allegations made against her, lacks ability to focus and has no memories prior to March 3. She has been referred to Vanderbilt University Hospital for neurological testing, the document states.

While the missing money is frustrating on its own merits to people living in the community, making the case even more upsetting, the village official said, is that Eddyville Mayor Aly, whose signature Smith is alleged to have forged on checks, is suffering from terminal lung cancer and has been given only weeks to live. This is making a difficult personal time for Aly, 82, even more stressful, the official said.

The newspaper reached out to Aly at his home, but his granddaughter, who answered the phone, said he was not feeling up to an interview. He did sit for an official, lengthy deposition with the state on Tuesday.

In early July, Pope County States Attorney Melissa Presser entered a motion to conduct an evidence deposition with Aly because, she said in the court document, he is a material witness and conducting the interview ahead of trial was necessary to preserve his testimony for trial. A note from his doctor included in the file states that Aly is not undergoing chemotherapy because of other health complications, and that without it, has a life expectancy of less than two months. It was signed on June 30.

In court on Wednesday, Presser asked the judge to enter into the case file sealed documents related to that deposition.

After the hearing, Smith, accompanied by her husband, declined comment on the allegations against her. She is represented by Tammi Jackson of the Harrisburg-based Law Office of Robert C. Wilson, who also did not respond to a call seeking comment.

A reporter from The Southern Illinoisan was present at the court proceeding on Wednesday morning but had a difficult time hearing what transpired because it took place at the judges desk, several feet from the public seating area, with all parties speaking in low tones that were largely inaudible over the hum of the air conditioning. This was also the case with several of the defendants with scheduled hearings called prior to Smith.

Smith was arrested in connection with this case on May 18. She was booked at the Saline County Jail and is out on a $300,000 bond, having paid the required 10 percent, or $30,000 cash bail. Her address as noted in the court file is listed as for sale. The asking price for the 2,400-square-feet, three-bedroom home is $239,900. The home features a curvy, heated in-ground swimming pool, which a community member said was built in the spring of 2015.

In addition to her part-time role as village treasurer, a village official said Smith also had worked as a school bus driver for the Pope County Community Unit School District. A status hearing was scheduled in her case for 9 a.m. on Sept. 21.
MURPHYSBORO  The contract engineer overseeing the Grand Tower levee repair project on the Big Muddy river was a no-show on Tuesday at a committee meeting of the Jackson County Board, where he had been expected to provide a progress report.

The Real Property Committee agenda included the item Grand Tower Project Update. Kevin Grammer had been invited to provide an update.

The repair project in question that remains incomplete is on a section of the levee on the Big Muddy where a drainage pipe burst in June 2013. Repairing the busted draining pipe on the Grand Tower levee is one of a number of maintenance, repair and prevention projects spanning the Degognia-Fountain Bluff and Grand Tower levee districts included in a more than $1 million project.

Under the terms of an intergovernmental agreement, the levee districts manage the project and Jackson County cuts checks for the work from dedicated bond funds. Grand Tower officials pointed to that weak spot in the levee as the tipping point in its decision to evacuate the town as the water rose to near-record-setting levels during the so-called New Year's Flood of 2016.

When it came to that portion of the agenda, Orval Rowe, the committees chairman, said Grammer let him know Friday that he would not be in attendance at the meeting. Rowe said he asked that Grammer instead email a progress report so that he could share it with the committee members. A handful of Grand Tower citizens also showed up to Tuesdays meeting with a specific interest in that item on the agenda.

Rowe said that, to the best of his knowledge, Grammer had yet to send that email to him or the boards executive assistant, both of whom checked their email accounts again before the start of the 5 p.m. meeting.

Grammer is the highway department superintendent in Union County, but in his capacity on this project is a private contract engineer.

Rowe said he would take some of the blame on himself since he had not followed up with Grammer again this week as to the status of his request for a progress report to be sent to him via email since Grammer did not plan to attend.

But some of the committee members, while not specifically critical of the work and reasons cited for delays, were clearly irritated that Grammer did not show up or send along a progress report in what has morphed into, at the least, a public relations problem for the project.

Its frustrating Kevin didnt send anything, said committee member Andrew Erbes. He said the project may be progressing along to the best of Grammers ability given that he cant control the weather, but he said Grammer needs to do a better job of sharing updates with the public. He noted that the image created by circulating photographs of the remaining piece of the pipe to be installed and equipment seemingly sitting idle for months surrounded by weeds is not a good one.

Visuals matter, Erbes said. Public perception matters.

The newspaper also has left several messages with Grammer to discuss the project, but he has declined to return those calls, as was noted in the newspapers story published Friday Three years after pipe burst, Grand Tower levee repair project still incomplete.

Emily Burke, a Jackson County board member who sits on the committee, wrote on a Facebook note that, according to recent conversations with Grammer, it is her understanding that the piece of pipe pictured in the newspaper lying in the weeds is the last piece that goes in where they replaced the failed pipe they started last fall." "Apparently, there is a sand boil near where it goes making it not workable in that area until the river is very low and the water table drops," Burke wrote. She was not in attendance at Tuesday's meeting because she is out of town on business. But the day prior, Burke said that it was her understanding Grammer planned to attend Tuesday's meeting, and she had sent along questions she wanted addressed to another committee member.

Grand Tower Levee District Commissioner Craig Miller also has said that Grammer, in explaining the delay, has cited the unusually wet summer making it too dangerous to work in that area at this time. Grand Tower Mayor Mike Ellet Sr. and Councilman Richy Pyatt said previously that they were shocked that the project still was not complete.

They previously told the newspaper, in separate interviews, that a levee commissioner had informed them at a recent Grand Tower City Council meeting that the work was done, and said they only discovered it wasnt upon a Grand Tower city employee taking a drive out to the site, which sits outside city limits in unincorporated Jackson County, to check out the completed project for himself.

Miller has taken exception to those statements, saying he never said it was completed and that, in fact, the minutes reflect he told them it still wasnt done and why  that its been too wet.

Grand Tower City Councilwoman Cindy Cox, who attended Tuesdays county board committee meeting, said she remains confident in Grammers ability to complete the project to the highest standards and is trying to take a positive approach.

She said that rumors tend to take on a life of their own on social media and breed fear, but she said that it might help if everyone would calm down and have faith in the system. She also took up for Grammer, in part, saying that it seems he has shied away from taking phone calls of elected officials, concerned citizens and the media after being repeatedly thrust in the hot seat for situations that are outside of his control.

Still, she said, he needs to move past that and begin providing regular updates one way or another, preferably, she said, through levee district commissioner Miller.

I would like to see Kevin Grammer communicate more with the levee commissioners, and the council and the county board, she said.

Rowe, the committee chairman, said he would be following up with Grammer and assured there would be a report made available when the full county board meets on Tuesday, Aug. 16.
KRAKOW -- "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"; Hillary Clinton paraphrased FDR's famous declaration during her acceptance of the Democratic nomination for president. And she also said that Americans aren't fearful. They are frustrated and angry, she acknowledged, but not fearful.

Frustration and anger are definitely a good part of the reason Donald Trump is the Republican nominee for president.

But just about everywhere I go these days -- including during a brief visit to Rome and a longer one here in Krakow, I run into many Americans, and they're fearful. And so are the Europeans who ask what on Earth Americans are doing. Surely, there had to be better possibilities for president of the United States, they say to me, almost to a person.

I agreed with one thing Clinton said. Going after Trump, she warned against trusting anyone who says he or she is the only one who can fix things. That is, indeed, a dangerous assertion.

I've was in Krakow among crowds of people gathering for World Youth Day, a major Catholic celebration. Young people gathered at the largest venue in Krakow, Tauron Arena. They came here and slept on the ground, even outdoors. They flocked to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis, who arrived here the same day.

These are a people of faith, who have tasted the alternative lifestyle that is Christianity. They are followers and friends of Jesus Christ. They want to be transformed by him. They want to be instruments of His peace. If you saw the joy I saw on these faces, if you heard the desire for goodness and beauty here, you would have no fear.

Have you been smiled upon by fate? Chelsea Clinton said she had been during her introduction of her mother, the first woman presidential candidate to be nominated by one of the major political parties. If you have experienced such a blessing, you have a responsibility: You have been given a gift by the creator of the universe. You, in fact, are a gift.

Chelsea Clinton has the right idea there. But the young people swarming Krakow went a step further. They see everything, especially their lives and the lives of each and every person they encounter, as beautiful, indispensible gifts from God. Their lives have not simply been smiled upon. They belong to him. And so every day is a gift that must be given back to him in love. This attitude of gratitude is one reason that even an atheist should love religious freedom: Because people on fire with this kind of all-consuming love do work that benefits everyone. They build communities and nourish families. They renew culture and keep hope alive in the world, in service to the source of all that is good and merciful and just.

Hillary Clinton, during her acceptance speech, talked about human and civil rights, and even mentioned lives that are not disposable. But her politics don't always reflect an understanding of these things. I have a renewed sense of hope, not because of almost eight years of President Barack Obama, but because I have seen the miracle of young people choosing God, choosing the Beatitudes, choosing mercy over all that is important to the secular world.

Taking the gospel seriously, being bold and creative in implementing Catholic social teaching, seeing more than a mere smile of fate, they will do great things. They will be true witnesses of hope, in the spirit of one of the seminal leaders of moral courage in the last century who spent years in Krakow as a student, priest, and cardinal archbishop -- and who seems still alive on the streets here -- John Paul II.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

Russian shipyard Red Sormovo, which is a member of a group of companies "Sea and oil & gas projects" (MNP group), intends to expand partnership with Azerbaijan.

Representatives of the MNP group management took part in the extended meeting of the Russian-Azerbaijani and Azerbaijani-Russian business councils in Baku on August 8, the Moscow representative office of Red Sormovo said.

"The goal of participation was the development of further relations of PJSC Plant Red Sormovo with business partners and potential customers from Azerbaijan," the office said. The meeting was timed to the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Azerbaijan and aimed at enhancing economic cooperation between the two countries.

In the framework of the business program of event, business representatives of various industries of Azerbaijan and Russia held bilateral meetings. Executive Director of MNP group Vadim Malov and the Deputy CEO Murat Duguzhev discussed the prospects of further cooperation in the field of shipbuilding with their potential partners.

Malov stressed that Azerbaijan being one of the key players of oil and gas market in the Caspian region will always be of interest to manufacturers of oil and gas tankers, and Red Sormovo has obvious advantages in that field.

Projects for Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company, implemented earlier by the group of MNP and Sormovo shipbuilders, have created a basis for long term partnership with ship-owners operating in the country. Therefore, we continue to participate in such large-scale bilateral meetings. As a rule, they are quite productive, Director of MNP added.

Plant Red Sormovo founded in 1849, is one of the oldest Russian shipbuilding enterprises. The plant and MNP group have established significantly friendly relations with Azerbaijan. From 2002 to 2009, Red Sormovo supplied one dry-cargo ship Volga, two tankers SFAT and seven tankers Heydar Aliyev for Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company.




An Azerbaijani delegation is participating in the certificate course for strategic management of anti-corruption program in Kuala-Lumpur, Malaysia.





The Malaysia Anti-Corruption Academy (MACA), the first of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region, was established in December 2005 under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).





The training center aims to be the regional hub for anti-corruption capacity building, offering more than 50 courses on various fields, including investigation, prosecution, Intelligence, and prevention, for anti-corruption practitioners from around the world as well as officials of MACC and relevant government agencies of Malaysia.








By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

Turkey suggested the creation of tripartite mechanism on the discussion of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia. This was said by the Foreign Minister of Turkey Mevlut Cavusoglu, TRT Haber news channel reports.

Cavusoglu noted that trilateral format will be beneficial to all parties.

We discussed this format during the meetings in Baku. Azerbaijan positively appraised the trilateral mechanism with Russia. This initiative was also announced during the meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia also praised the mechanism, Turkish Foreign Minister said. He also noted that the three countries may cooperate in the political, economic, transport and energy sectors.

On August 9, President Erdogan also said that Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia may establish a tripartite cooperation mechanism, and that both Turkey and Russia have a positive attitude to the creation of this mechanism.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign State with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.
By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijans National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) has inspected six craters, an acreage and pasture on August 9. As a result, the Agency detected and collected fragments of several exploded ammunition, including parts of Grad rocket 9M22U.

The Agency cleansed an area of 8,500 square meters in the Agdam and Terter regions, ANAMAs press service said.

From April 7 to August 8, the Agency experts viewed 642 houses and infields, two military units, five rural schools, two cemeteries, 30 farms, a medical center, a warehouse of scrap metal and acreages in Zardab, Tartar, Agjabadi, Agdam, Barda, Fizuli, Goranboy, Tovuz, Gazakh, Agstafa, Samukh, Goygol, Shamkir, Jalilabad, Ujar, Astara regions, and in cities of Mingachevir, Sumgayit, Ganja and Baku.

As a result, ANAMA discovered and defused 3,470 UXO, 15 anti-personnel mines PMN, three anti-personnel mines POMZ-2, an anti-personnel mine OZM-72, and 24 anti-tank mines.

Currently, mobile groups of ANAMA continue their operations on the contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops and in the territories with schools and other facilities.

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 surrounding districts.
By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

Chairman of the Germany-South Caucasus Parliamentary Friendship Group at Bundestag Karin Strenz visited the Milli Majlis of the Azerbaijan Republic on August 9.

At the meeting, Chairman of the working group on Azerbaijani-German inter-parliamentary relations Rovshan Rzayev talked about achievements of Azerbaijan in recent years and Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

He stressed that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to developing cooperation with Germany in various spheres, including the expansion of inter-parliamentary relations.

Speaking on the settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, other members of the group also expressed their hope that the German presidency at the OSCE will facilitate the resolution of the problem and concrete steps on its settlement will be taken.

Karin Strenz, in turn, expressed her satisfaction from the presidency in the Germany-South Caucasus Parliamentary Friendship Group. She stressed that such meetings contribute to the development of inter-parliamentary relations, and this development in a number of fields is beneficial to both parties.

Strenz particularly stressed the importance of resolving the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on international legal norms and in accordance with the adopted UN resolutions.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign State with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.
By Azernews

By Amina Nazarli

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan will leave for Russia on a working visit on August 10 to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During the negotiations the two sides will discuss key issues on the bilateral agenda of cooperation between two countries and strategic partners in a number of areas including political, trade-economic, humanitarian as well as the development of integration processes in Eurasia.

Presidents Putin and Sargsyan will also exchange views on topical problems of international and regional agenda, according to the Armenian state press service.

The Kremlin reported that Sargsyan will arrive in Moscow on the invitation of Putin.

Prior to this, the two leaders met in June, when St. Petersburg hosted a summit to discuss the aggravation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also attended the meeting.

But what promises the meeting between Putin and Sargsyan, to be held just two days after tripartite meeting of Azerbaijani, Russian and Iranian presidents in Baku.

While being in Baku the Russian president also had a face-to-face meeting with President Aliyev. It is not the exception that alongside wade range of issues, the presidents also touched upon acceleration of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict solution.

Right after his visit to Baku, Putin met with Turkeys President Rejep Tayyip Erdogan in St. Petersburg, after nine months of tensions, where the presidents decided to strengthen their ties even more than previously.

Making a statement after the meeting Erdogan suggested to create a trilateral cooperation mechanism between Turkey, Russia and Azerbaijan, that can strike at the interests of Armenia in the region.

There is huge probablity that the upcoming Russian and Armenian presidents meeting will discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and schedule another trilateral meeting between Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia to fin a solution to the conflict by liberating seven regions of Azerbaijan and identifying the corridor, as were agreed between the sides during the St. Petersburg meeting in June
Siemens has energised the high-voltage substations built as part of a greenfield development under Kuwait National Petroleum Company's (KNPC) Clean Fuels Project at Mina Al Ahmadi (MAA) and Mina Abdullah (MAB) refineries in Kuwait.



The substations pave the way for a significant capacity boost and increasing power stability at the two facilities.



The Clean Fuels Project involves the upgrade and integration of the MAB and MAA refineries, located 60 and 45 km south of Kuwait, respectively.



As part of a KD68-million ($225 million) contract, Siemens delivered and installed a 132 kV AHRF C substation at MAA and a 300/132 kV MARF W substation at MAB.



The upgrade, which provides the refineries with their own dedicated substations, allows for an increase in the combined output of the two refineries to 800,000 barrels per day. Siemens also provided 250 km of cabling for the project.



We are excited about reaching this important milestone. With two high-voltage substations completely dedicated to the Mina Al Ahmadi and Mina Abdullah refineries, power is now provided to the oil facilities to meet the increasing demand. These new substations will now ensure a reliable and stable electricity supply for the refineries, said Adrian Wood, CEO of Siemens in Kuwait.



Again, we would like to thank our customer KNPC for placing their trust in Siemens technology and the companys track record of successful execution and on-time delivery, Wood added.



The Clean Fuels Project is one of KNPCs strategic projects, seeking to transform the two refineries into an integrated merchant refining complex that meets the diversified requirements of the world oil market. It is set for completion in 2018. - TradeArabia News Service


Qatar-based Quality Group International has signed a contract with Global Real Estate Company to launch a new 160,000-sq-ft shopping mall in Al Wakrah, Qatar.



Construction of the project is expected to be completed by mid-2017, a Gulf Times report quoting a Quality Group's statement said.



The agreement was signed at an official ceremony in the presence of Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohamed bin Saud Al-Abdurrahman Al-Thani, owner of Global Real Estate Company; Shamsudheen Olakara, chairman of Quality Group; Shahid V, executive manager of Quality Retail Group; Ramshad, commercial manager of Quality Retail Group; and Rayees K, media and operations manager of Quality Group International.



The mall will have a full-fledged supermarket and department store spread over two floors, with ample and convenient parking facility on the basement and ground-floor levels, the statement said. It will also have many other outlets.

Quality Group International is a business conglomerate with diversified business interests. Presently, the group has 22 companies in different activities and about 4,000 employees.


Saudi Arabia's King Saud University has earned the accreditation of US-based AACSB International for its College of Business Administration.



Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master's, and doctorate degrees in business and accounting.

King Saud University, founded in 1957, is located in Riyadh.



"AACSB congratulates King Saud University and dean Moaddi M Almeth-Hib on earning the accreditation," said Robert D Reid, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB International.



"AACSB Accreditation represents the highest achievement for an educational institution that awards business degrees. The entire KSU teamincluding the administration, faculty, directors, staff, and studentsare to be commended for their roles in earning accreditation."



AACSB accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education, and has been earned by less than five percent of the world's business programmes. Today, there are 777 business schools in 52 countries and territories that maintain AACSB Accreditation. Similarly, 185 institutions maintain an additional specialised AACSB Accreditation for their accounting programs, a statement said.



Achieving accreditation is a process of rigorous internal review, engagement with an AACSB assigned mentor, and peer review. During the multi-year process the school focuses on developing and implementing a plan to align with AACSBs accreditation standards. These standards require excellence in areas relating to strategic management and innovation; student, faculty, and staff as active participants; learning and teaching; and academic and professional engagement.



"It takes a great deal of self-evaluation and determination to earn AACSB accreditation, and I commend King Saud University for its dedication to management education, as well as its leadership in the community," said Reid. "Through accreditation, KSU has not only met specific standards of excellence, but has also made a commitment to ongoing improvement to ensure that the institution will continue to deliver high quality education to its students. - TradeArabia News Service
Germany-based BASF, a leading chemical company, is planning an investment of $4 billion in Iran, said a report.



Together with an Iranian company, BASF wants to build new petrochemical plants near Iran's petrochemical and gas industry hub in Assaluyeh, Bushehr Province, added Iran Daily News, citing a Handelsblatt report.



In April, BASF signed a memorandum of understanding with National Iranian Oil Company on future cooperation, it said.



The German company has been in business with Iran since 1959. In addition to a sales office in Tehran, BASF maintains a polyurethane system house for production of plastics northwest of the capital, but its operation is currently very limited.



Additionally, Munich gas manufacturer Linde was also interested in investment worth billions of dollars in the Iranian petrochemical industry jointly with the Japanese Mitsui Group.



According to Handelsblatt, Linde CEO Wolfgang Buchele has been in "pre-business talks" with the Iranians for some time. Neither BASF nor Linde commented on the report, the paper said.



Iran wants to use its huge reserves of raw materials to establish itself as the largest supplier of basic chemicals in the Gulf, added the report.
A high-level Spanish delegation recently visited the Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (Dafza) to discuss and develop mutual economic cooperation.



Dafza discussed with the Spanish Business Council ways to enable Spanish companies to benefit from the available growth potentials at the free zone, which provides an ideal gateway to the emerging markets in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asian regions (Menasa), said a statement from free zone authority.



The delegation was headed by Jose Eugenio Salarich, ambassador of Spain to the UAE, who also commended Dafza for providing a pioneering global model on effective free zone management, it said.



Dafzas director general Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni received the visiting delegation, which also included Ricardo Fessas, chairman of the Spanish Business Council and other senior Council officials, it added.



Al Zarooni stressed on the role of free zones in revitalising global investments and strengthening international trade to achieve a more diversified, stable and sustainable global economy, said a statement.



The Dafza official also expressed happiness in the move towards exploring the prospects of investment cooperation with the Spanish Business Council. He noted that the visit of the Spanish delegation reflects the high confidence of the international business community in Dafza  reinforcing its position as a premiere investment destination that attracts major international and multinational companies from the most vital sectors.



Al Zarooni added: Our free zone has become a main player on the global investment map, which motivates us to continue moving forward in our efforts to establish a strong strategic presence regionally and globally.



Our free zone represents an attractive environment for the Spanish business community to direct its investments towards the UAE market that is full of tremendous growth opportunities in conjunction with the ongoing preparations to host Expo Dubai 2020, he said.



Al Zarooni concluded: We are keen on transferring our leading experience as one of the most advanced free zones in the world to our counterparts in Spain and the rest of world, as well as innovating and providing the best business services and solutions that are designed specifically to meet the needs of the international and regional investors.



For his part, H.E. Salarich explained that DAFZA has exceptional global experience in the field of free zones, emphasizing the importance of benefiting from its success story and how it is now widely reputed as one of the fastest growing free zones and one of the most competitive in the world.



Salarich said: We look forward as well to the forging of effective partnerships that will pave the way for even more Spanish companies to take advantage of the facilities provided by Dafza, which is considered as an ideal investment environment for expanding within the promising regional market.  TradeArabia News Service


Abu Dhabi Ports has announced the arrival of the first container of UK-based Morgan Advanced Materials, a world leader in advanced materials, at Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad).



Abu Dhabi Ports is the master developer, operator and manager of ports and Kizad.



Abu Dhabi Ports ensured timely handling of the first shipment, which contained critical equipment for Morgans dedicated 37,000-sq-m advanced materials facility in Kizads Free Zone, to support the companys production activities, it said.



As the first container to a free zone company to be processed through Abu Dhabi Customs, several clearance procedures were put into practice for the first time, it added.



Mana Mohamed Saeed Al Mulla, chief executive officer, Kizad, said: The arrival of this shipment was an opportunity for us to showcase our success in managing the supply chain leading into our industrial free zone, which relies heavily on state-of-the-art IT systems and operational procedures.



We are pleased to announce that our commitment to being well-prepared has paid off, and that this shipment was processed with exceptional efficiency, he added.



The milestone underscores the streamlined, interconnected nature of the supply chain leading to and from Kizads free zone, said a statement.



Ian Robb, president of Morgan Advanced Materials thermal products division, said: Kizad is truly world-class, with well-considered plot layouts, roads and facilities.



Most important, though, is the exceptional service we received from both Kizad and the authorities involved in processing this shipment, he said.



The support we received has further reinforced our confidence in selecting Kizad for our new advanced materials facility, he added.



Morgan has a presence in the region since 2001, and in 2014 it selected Kizad for its first dedicated facility in the Middle East in part due to its proximity to Khalifa Port, which provides direct shipping links to more than 50 destination ports globally, it stated.



Morgans decision to create a dedicated facility with Kizads free zone follows significant growth in demand for its products, especially in the areas of thermal insulation, energy saving, acoustic barriers and fire protection, many of which are produced to very high tolerances and are designed for use in extreme environments, it said.



Through an initial 30-year Musataha agreement, Morgan has committed to an initial investment of Dh50 million (around $13.6 million) in its facility at the free zone, it added.  TradeArabia News Service


Oil prices dipped on Wednesday as a global supply overhang weighed on markets, while talk of a potential producer meeting to discuss propping up prices lent some support but was met with scepticism by analysts.



US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures CLc1 were trading at $42.69 per barrel at 0207 GMT, down 9 cents from their last settlement.



International Brent crude futures LCOc1 were at $44.93 per barrel, down 5 cents.



Traders said that markets were being weighed down by an ongoing supply overhang in crude and refined fuel products, while a suggested meeting by oil producers was unlikely to result in a significant market tightening.



"Oil eased lower as another round of proposed production freeze talks by Opec failed to excite investors. An upgrade in US oil production forecasts by EIA also weighed on sentiment. EIA is now expecting US output to reach 8.31 million barrels per day in 2017, up from its forecast of 8.2 million barrels per day in July," ANZ Bank said on Wednesday.



Venezuela, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), is trying to drum up support for a producer meeting to decide measures that would buoy oil prices.



"We are actively promoting a meeting of producers, which we estimate could take place in the coming weeks, so that Opec and non-Opec countries can sit down to see what the scenario for the winter looks like," its oil minister Eulogio del Pino said this week.



The last time producers met to discuss measure to tighten oil supplies and prop up prices, in April, Opec members were not able to agree on any measures.



Analysts said they did not expect more success from a potential future meeting.



"Renewed attempts at verbal intervention by Opec will help bolster oil market sentiment, although the group will struggle to rebuild its role as a backstop to Brent," said oil analysts at BMI Research in a note to clients.  Reuters
Turkish Airlines has appointed Mehmet Can Tasci as the new general manager for its Bahrain office.



Tasci will lead the overall Turkish Airlines operations to strengthen the airlines in-country presence, and highlight the companys commitment to operating closer to customers while also accelerating their growth in the rapidly evolving Bahraini market. He has been with Turkish Airlines for the last five years as a revenue management specialist and demand analyst PROS supervisor.



Tasci said: Bahrain is a strong growth market for Turkish Airlines with tremendous interest among the residents to explore the exclusive touristic experiences that Turkey offers. As a major hub connecting with the rest of the world, Istanbul is ideally placed for visitors from Bahrain and the region to reach out to other destinations. We will continue to focus on our core strengths including the unbeatable connectivity and excellent service standards as well as our exclusive amenities to passengers from Bahrain.



Turkish Airlines has now been operating in Bahrain for 30 years, connecting travellers from the city to 290 destinations globally, across 116 countries, the largest country network for an airline. - TradeArabia News Service


Aircompany Armenia has signed an agreement with Sharjah-based Information Systems Associates (ISA) for a complete Passenger Service System comprehend with reservation, departure control, weight and balance and budgeting solutions.



By signing the contract with ISA, Aircompany Armenia is empowered with a new generation web-based reservation system aeroMART Sell embedded with aeroMART WEB - internet booking engine, aeroMART AGENT - Agent Booking Engine, aeroMART Mobile - Mobile Application and aeroMART Reward - Loyalty Management System.



In addition to the above, the Aircompany Armenia contract with ISA includes aeroPORT solution suite, which comprises of aeroPORT Fly departure control system and the aeroPORT Trim Weight & Balance system. State-of-the-art budget management system aeroLINE Sales is the other main product included to Aircompany Armenia shopping cart which is going to automate and streamline the budgeting process of the airline.



We were pleased with this deal, and we could not be more impressed with the experience of ISA and the capabilities of their innovative solutions Robert Oganesian, the CEO of Aircompany Armenias said.



Aircompany Armenia has chosen ISA for its industry leading technology solution, experience and expertise in providing passenger services solutions for many of the leading airlines across the world. We are happy to be the preferred partner of Aircompany Armenia for the key IT solutions for their business Nader A Shukralla, CEO of ISA said. The continuous expansion of ISA in the market reflects the strength of our products and its technology competences, our companys focus is to deliver leading technology solutions faster than ever before he added. - TradeArabia News Service


A married Saudi woman will not be allowed to travel, even with her father, without the permission of her husband, according to a new ruling.



The decision, which was unveiled by the Passports Directorate, states that a woman registered in the records of her husband is obligated to get permission from her husband before travelling as he is now the wife's guardian, Arab News reported.



Sheikh Abdullah Al-Manea, a member of the senior scholars council, welcomed the decision saying: "When a woman is married, she has to abide by the orders of her husband. The Passports Directorates decision to not to allow a woman to travel abroad, even if with her father, without the permission of husband, is the right approach."



"However, in the case of a wife who has requested divorce and it has yet not been decided, and the husband was not allowing her to travel abroad, then the matter should be solved through judicial means," he added.



Col. Mala Al-Otaibi, spokesman of the Passports Directorate of the Eastern Province, said: "When the husbands name is added to the family card, it shows that he is the wifes guardian and not the father. Therefore, it is mandatory for a married woman to get permission from her husband if she is traveling with her father."



The facility of getting travel permits is available on the Absher services of Jawazat, the report said.
Downtown Rotana, the new luxury hotel located in the heart of Manama, hosted 10 teenagers, aged 14 to 18 years old, from the Al Kawther Society to a day of culinary learning, team building activities and kitchen fun.



The hotels staff developed a tailor-made, half-day introductory programme focusing on the basics of cooking, combining practical and theoretical training as well as team building excercises that culiminated into an amusing competition and the vie for the grand prize. The youngsters were first taken through a theory-based session to learn the basics of operating in a kitchen including cleanliness and food preservation; they were then split into five teams of two and given a chance to cook a dish demonstrated by the chefs in the Teatro Downtown kitchen, which was judged on the overall taste, technique and presentation. Two shortlisted teams battled it out over dessert with the winning dish and a lucky duo being rewarded.



Commenting on this initiative, Lilian Roger, general manager of Downtown Rotana said: Todays activity is one of many we plan to host for the youth of Al-Kawther as part of our sustainable engagement plan. We have expressed our commitment to work closely with this inspirational Society that cares for the future of so many orphans, and build an enduring relationship with its youngsters. In the coming months we will be organising a series of exciting events at our premises, ranging from swimming lessons, healthy eating sessions, hospitality career days, cinema nights and arts and crafts; all aimed at enhancing their knowledge, developing their skills across multiple areas and promoting team building, mixed with lots of fun.



We are also working on a mentorship programme to introduce the children to the Hospitality industry, again through a combination of practical and theoretical training; this ambitious initiative will have a two-fold effect - familiarise the Al Kawther children to the different aspects of the hospitality world and also open up the doors for more youngsters to join this flourishing industry.



During Ramadan, Downtown Rotana hosted over 20 Al-Kawther children, aged six to 14 to an afternoon of Gargaoun festivities at the hotel premises. Children spent their evening enjoying a host of games and songs to mark the occassion and were treated to a themed iftar buffet. - TradeArabia News Service


HUGO, Colo.  Authorities in eastern Colorado are offering a reward for help finding the person responsible for shooting and killing cattle.

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office says someone is killing cattle north of Hugo and leaving them to lie and rot in the pastures. The most recent shooting was July 30, but investigators say they've been tracking livestock killings since 2013.

Authorities say a total of five cattle and seven antelope have been killed.

Capt. Michael Yowell says the sheriff's department is offering a $10,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest. He said the shooter or shooters could face multiple felony charges.
U.S. House candidate Charlie Hardys campaign is crying foul after Democratic Party organizers advertised a Cheyenne fundraiser for Ryan Greene, Hardys opponent, in the Aug. 16 primary.

Several members of the Laramie County Democratic Party, including at least one elected precinct committeeman, sent out a flyer last week advertising an Aug. 21 house party fundraiser for Greene. The flyer included the Wyoming Democratic Partys logo.

Hardys campaign said that scheduling an event for Greene after the primary amounted to an unfair show of support by the state party.

They claim that (Greenes) already the candidate, which is not true, and it doesnt acknowledge that there are other people in the race, Hardy campaign manager David Lewis said.

Wyoming Democratic Party vice chair Bruce Palmer said he was not aware of the flyer but that he did not see anything wrong with its production. He said any candidate was free to use the logo.

We certainly arent going to police its use, Palmer said in an email. If the Hardy campaign wanted to put in on their bus and drive it all over the state, wed be psyched to get them the artwork.

Joe Corrigan, a Cheyenne precinct committeeman and one of the sponsors of the fundraiser, said he organized the event for Greene before Hardy entered the race.

Hardy announced in late May that he was seeking the office.

If Charlie wins the race, we will immediately switch the party to being a Charlie party, Corrigan said. He added that he believed using the party logo was allowed for any Democratic candidate in the state.

Greene operations director Joe Barbuto said the campaign had not seen the flyer before it was sent out but that he did not see it as a problem.

The organizer in this case is a good friend of the campaign and he always makes good decisions, Barbuto said, adding that using the state party logo was at most unusual.

It certainly wasnt done in malice. ... I think he was just trying to attract Democrats to an event being hosted at his house, Barbuto said.

Palmer said that the state party has supported both candidates.

Hardy said he sees the flyer as only the latest attempt by some members of the state Democratic Party to stop his campaign.

I sensed there was a very well-orchestrated campaign against me, Hardy said. He cited negative comments from Democratic Party leaders he declined to name and internet comments posted to a news story about his campaign.
Some wildfires in Wyoming are starting to dwindle, while others continue to grow.

The Lava Mountain Fire near Dubois is 90 percent contained and mainly smoldering at this point. Crew members are in the mop-up phase, clearing debris and removing hazardous trees from the fire that covered 14,644 acres.

We are pretty confident that the fire is not going to do anything else, said public information officer Gabrielle Kenton. Its pretty much over with. Even though it wont be 100 percent contained until the snow flies. (In the meantime), we are expecting some red flag conditions, dry with high winds. That may increase the smoking from the smoldering. But we dont expect the fire to pick up.

There are nine large, active wildfires in Wyoming. The Whit Fire near Cody still has a specialized Type 1 incident command team in place, though it will soon be downsized to a Type 3 crew, according to state forester Bill Crapser.

The Beaver Creek Fire, on the other hand, is only 28 percent contained.

According to a report, that fire picked up sporadically on Monday, with most of the activity inside the fires existing boundaries. The wildfire, located 24 miles north of Walden, Colorado, crossed into Wyoming last month and has consumed 35,395 acres. Firefighters are patrolling the area and fortifying spots where the fire might escape a containment line.

Wyomings wildfire activity has been above average this season, Crapser said, which came as a surprise.

Earlier this spring, the weather predictions said we were going to have a lot of moisture this year. That changed, Crapser said. Its been dry across the state. Even the predictive services are looking at above-normal fire activity for probably the rest of August and returning to more normal as we move into the fall.

As part of the response to wildfires in the region, the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center set up a temporary staging and mobilization center at Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center to host transient firefighters from across the country.

But even with the added help, wildfires are still draining resources.

It puts a strain on the local volunteer fire departments, on our state resources and on the federal agency resources, Crapser said. Weve had a lot of activity in the Rocky Mountain region. The longer the fire season goes and the more fires you have, you start putting strain on your resources.

Not just on numbers, but on cumulative fatigue.
CHEYENNE  Firefighters are headed to battle a new, growing fire in northwest Wyoming.

The fire in the Shoshone National Forest started Tuesday and has burned more than 1 square mile about 30 miles northwest of Cody.

Nearby scattered rural residences have been evacuated but no structures have been lost.

Part of Buffalo Bill Reservoir is closed to the public because air tankers are using it.

Elsewhere in Wyoming, firefighters are mopping up fires burning in the Shoshone forest northwest of Dubois and in the Bridger-Teton National Forest southeast of Jackson. Two small fires in backcountry areas of Yellowstone National Park are being allowed to burn.

Red flag warnings were posted Wednesday for a large part of central and southern Wyoming.
Two people died early Wednesday in a crash about 5 miles west of Cheyenne.

Dustin Lovell, 29, of Cheyenne, and his passenger, a 29-year-old woman, died at the scene, according the the Wyoming Highway Patrol.

Lovell was driving a 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan west on Interstate 80 about 3:56 a.m. when the SUV crossed both westbound lanes and crashed into a semitrailer parked in the emergency lane, according to a news release.

Neither Lovell or the passenger were wearing seat belts. Alcohol and drug use are being investigated as possible contributing factors.

Officials have not identified the passenger, who had an address listed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, pending notification of family.

The crash marked the 64th and 65th highway deaths in Wyoming this year. There were 92 deaths during the same time period in 2015.
Editor:

Wyoming faces many challenges due to the downturn in oil and gas, coal and the economy. These economic conditions have impacted all our state and local governments, with predictable cuts and shortfalls in the schools and University of Wyoming. The recent candidate debate sponsored by the Casper Star-Tribune, Casper College and Wyoming PBS demonstrated that Liz Cheney is best prepared to get results for our state.

Liz has run a campaign based on conservative solutions and not negative attacks against fellow Republicans. She has offered detailed policies on how to strengthen our fossil fuel industry, achieve energy security, and protect our borders. She also has thoughtful plans on how to rein in excessive Washington bureaucracy and the burdensome weight of federal programs that amount to little more than unconstitutional job-killers.

Wyoming has only one voice in the U.S. of House of Representatives. That is why I am voting for and supporting Cheney. She has the national experience to bring much-needed attention to our state issues. Liz will fight to preserve our way of life every day. She has earned my vote and I encourage you to support her on Aug. 16 at the primary election.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Moving beyond "Obamacare," political activists are looking to state ballot questions to refocus the nation's long-running debate over government's role in health care.

This fall, California voters will decide whether to lower some prescription drug prices, while Coloradans will vote on a state version of a "single-payer" government-run health system, similar to what Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders proposed in his unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Sanders supports both the California and Colorado initiatives, said spokesman Michael Briggs.

"We are in the process of building a new organization to keep a lot of the energy going," he said. "Backing those kinds of ballot initiatives is one of the major things that we are focusing on."

Pharmaceutical companies and insurers are spending millions of dollars to defeat the two ballot questions.

The measures are among the more far-reaching health care questions to be decided by voters around the country on Election Day. With ballots still being finalized in some states, other questions may include raising tobacco taxes, expanding use of marijuana for medical treatment and allowing terminally ill patients to have physician assistance in dying.

A proposal in Ohio to limit drug costs didn't make it on the ballot this year, but proponents are pushing for a vote in 2017.

California's Proposition 61 would bar drug companies from charging state programs more than the discounted price paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

There would be exemptions, however. For example, it would not apply to medications purchased through private insurers who contract with the state to cover beneficiaries in the Medi-Cal program for low-income people.

Opponents of the California initiative have reported $69.6 million in contributions, mainly from pharmaceutical companies. That's more than seven times the $9.4 million that supporters have raised. Those amounts guarantee national visibility for the battle.

In Colorado, a measure known as Amendment 69 would create ColoradoCare, a government-financed system that would cover most state residents, largely replacing private insurance. Seniors would continue to rely primarily on Medicare.

Opponents have raised $3.6 million, more than five times the $678,000 reported by supporters. The nation's second-largest insurer, Anthem, donated $1 million to the opposition.

As envisioned, Colorado's new public health care system would be paid for with tax increases and with federal and state money that now goes to programs such as Medicaid, and for subsidized insurance under President Barack Obama's health care law. Federal approval would be needed under a provision of the Obama law that takes effect next year, allowing states to redesign their health care systems.

The tax increase features a new 10 percent levy on wages and other income. Employers would pay two-thirds of the new payroll tax, with workers responsible for the rest. The taxes would raise $25 billion in 2019, the earliest the program could start.

A recent nonpartisan study projected that as currently structured, ColoradoCare would post a small deficit starting in its first year and the shortfall would keep growing.

With the presidential campaign consumed by questions about the candidates' character and temperament, the traditional debate over issues has been downplayed. Republican Donald Trump has pledged to repeal Obama's health care law, while Democrat Hillary Clinton would build on it. The California and Colorado initiatives steer the conversation away from the highly scripted back-and-forth on "Obamacare."

The two proposals are strikingly different, said John McDonough, a former U.S. Senate Democratic aide who worked on the federal health overhaul. The Colorado plan seeks a total transformation of the health care system, while the California initiative reflects concerns about the rising cost of many medications.

Which ballot question has a better chance? "Of the two, I probably think the prescription drug piece, because people have so much anger and antipathy toward the pharmaceutical industry," said McDonough, now a professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Supporters of the California drug costs proposal say it would save state taxpayers money; opponents say such savings are not a sure thing and the whole scheme could prove to be unworkable. Supporters of ColoradoCare say it would guarantee coverage for all and reduce administrative costs; opponents fear it would lead to more tax increases.

Both proposals face strong business opposition, but that does not worry the Sanders' camp.

"He's been involved in longshot campaigns for most of his career," said spokesman Briggs.

___

Associated Press writers Kristen Wyatt in Denver, Juliet Williams in Sacramento and Ann Sanner in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this story.

___

Online:

California Proposition 61: http://tinyurl.com/zquo5jp

Colorado Amendment 69: http://tinyurl.com/gpwqqca
PHOENIX  Four of the five Republican candidates for Arizona Corporation Commission said at a debate theyre not convinced that human activity contributes to climate change.

I dont see the evidence of it, said Rick Gray in the live televised debate Monday night. Where are the facts?

Host Ted Simons of KAET asked Gray if he was discounting whats been said by many scientists.

Im just saying we have not seen all the evidence, Gray responded.

I dont think its been proven absolutely for me, said former judge Boyd Dunn. He said its a good thing that Arizona, unlike some other states, has a diversity of power sources, including coal.

Former state Sen. Al Melvin said theres been climate change since the beginning of time and I would suppose that is the situation as opposed to man-made problems. He also took a slap at the Obama administrations policies, saying the move to shut coal-fired plants is political.

Current commissioner Bob Burns also expressed skepticism of human-caused climate change.

I have a hard time believing that when you can have a volcano go off and create more pollution than we can deal with for who knows how long, he said.

Only Andy Tobin, also on the commission, said it would be foolish to believe that humans are not affecting climate.

Its hard to argue that all the asphalt that humans have put down in the city of Phoenix hasnt done something to increase the heat here, Tobin said. And the same is true, he said, of other activities, including greenhouse gases.

Were burning these things so I do think its impactful, Tobin said. The question is, to what extent?

Their views are significant because commissioners have purview over regulations that now require utilities to obtain at least 15 percent of their power from alternate clean sources like solar, wind and geothermal by 2025. The commission can not only increase or decrease that mandate but also is deciding what costs utilities can impose on homeowners who install rooftop solar.

Only three of the contenders will advance to the general election, where they will face Democrats Bill Mundell and Tom Chabin.

As anticipated, the debate provoked some fireworks over the ongoing contention by Burns that Arizona Public Service secretly helped finance independent campaigns that spend $3.2 million in 2014 to elect Republicans Tom Forese and Doug Little. APS has declined to confirm or deny it was the source of such money.

Among this years candidates, Burns is alone in wanting new rules to require utilities to disclose their political spending. He said hes the only one looking for transparency.

But Burns found himself under attack for his decision last week to hire an attorney, at public expense, to take a closer look at the influences affecting the commissions decisions, including political donations.

Gray said there is no evidence that the votes of either Forese or Little have been affected by that outside spending.

Gray charged that Burns is trying to make up for his lack of funds by making an issue out of APSs possible spending. Now, he said, that includes a contract to pay a lawyer up to $95,000 to poke around, which gives him (free) press.

Theres just an obvious questionable appearance, Gray said.

Burns shot back, This just didnt come up before the election started. Ive been working on this for almost two years. This cloud has been hanging over this commission for at least two years.

You created the cloud, Gray interjected.

No, APS created this cloud, Burns responded.

Tobin, who opposes Burns efforts to force utilities to disclose political donations, questioned why all the attention now on a 2-year-old race.

So theyre guilty, he said as a hypothetical. What do you want to do about it?

It remains to be seen whether the other commissioners will try to overturn or modify Burns decision to hire the attorney, which was approved by Jodi Jerich, the commissions executive director.

Gray also criticized Burns for his complaints about spending by anonymous donors. He pointed out that Burns is the beneficiary of some outside spending this year.

But the robocalls and mailers for Burns have disclosed their dollars are coming from SolarCity, which is engaged in an ongoing battle with several utilities over how much the commission will force their customers to pay to the power companies. By contrast, the two groups that spent money in 2014 on behalf of Forese and Little have pointedly refused to disclose the source of their dollars, saying they are organized as social welfare organizations exempt from state campaign finance laws.

Former Republican Commissioner Kris Mayes, who did the robocall for Burns, said there was a deliberate decision to be transparent on the source of the funds.

Candidates have no control over independent outside expenditures. But Burns said he has publicly asked other groups not to provide such help.
The chamber of commerce in Nogales, Sonora, says it will take legal action against the U.S.-based Ambos Nogales Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, claiming it is violating Mexican federal law.

In a cease-and-desist letter dated Dec. 14, 2015, lawyers representing the Nogales Camara Nacional de Comercio said the law prohibits a group to act as a chamber of commerce in Mexico unless it is incorporated under specific statutes and registered with the Ministry of the Economy.

The dispute has continued since then. Carlos Jimenez Robles, president of the Nogales Camara Nacional de Comercio, said recently via email that he could not comment on the situation because the group is very close to a legal action.

Demands made in the letter include that the Ambos Nogales chamber stop claiming it is a chamber in Mexico, discontinue advertising across the border and cancel any activities as a chamber representing businesses in Nogales, Sonora.

Launched in early 2015, the Ambos Nogales chamber is an affiliate of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, along with Hispanic chambers in Douglas and Sierra Vista.

We were very disappointed to receive the letter, Lea Marquez-Peterson, president of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said recently via email. The new board members and leadership at Canaco Nogales have a misunderstanding of our work and vision in working in the Arizona-Sonora region.

The chamber has responded through its attorneys that it is not operating as a Mexican chamber, she said, so the claims have no bearing. Activities by the Hispanic chamber in Sonora include trade mission trips and events in partnership with the U.S. Consulate in Nogales.
RUNAWAY COUPLE IS DETAINED BY SHERIFF

Sheriff Forbes by clever work deduced that Ramon Robles and Edith Dowdy, two young people who arrived last evening, were a runaway couple, and detained them.

Robles, who is a Mexican, stated that he was 21 and that the girl was 16, and that they had run off from Prescott to get married. They were taken to the county jail and questioned. Miss Dowdy, who is an American, has a sister in Tucson.

Sheriff Forbes communicated with Prescott officers and an effort will be made to get the consent of the mother to the marriage. Robles claims that the girl is mistreated at home, and they both are anxious to get married.
The man accused of killing an 80-year-old woman in a head-on crash while evading Border Patrol agents was sentenced Monday to 11 years in prison.

A federal judge sentenced William Ken Huebbe, a 31-year-old Tucson resident, to 11 years in prison after Huebbe pleaded guilty to human smuggling that resulted in a death near Three Points on Jan. 8, 2015, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a news release.

Huebbe was smuggling two undocumented immigrants towards Tucson when he swerved into oncoming traffic to get away from Border Patrol agents and struck another car. The impact killed an 80-year-old woman and severely injured her 55-year-old daughter as the two were heading home from a medical exam.
The story about the UAs senior vice president for health sciences taking chauffeured trips to and from Phoenix angered me just like it did everybody else.

Obviously, if Dr. Joe Skip Garcia wanted to work while he traveled, he should have just taken the train!

And, when I saw drivers plowing through rivers of storm water down Tucson streets Tuesday, I thought, Why dont they just take the dry, well-drained streets?!

And when I see disabled people riding their scooters the wrong way in the bicycle lane down Speedway and other busy streets, I always think  Why dont they just ride on the sidewalks?!

Yes, Im being sarcastic. During my 2  weeks of vacation in Minnesota and the San Diego area in late July and early August, the one thing that really stuck out to me  and I admit this isnt flattering  was their infrastructure, and our relative lack thereof.

This really hit me when we were driving down U.S. Highway 169 from northern Minnesota toward the Twin Cities and stopped at the Rum River rest area.

First, it was surprising there was a rest area on any highway other than an interstate. Second, it was beautiful. The doors to the bathrooms were inside, and therefore the bathrooms themselves were climate controlled. There was visitor information, a walking path, a playground and, incredibly, a trail down to the Rum River used by canoeists. We could have spent the day there.

All this at a rest area on a secondary highway equivalent in size to Arizona 90 between Benson and Sierra Vista.

A week or so later, we were driving from San Diego back to Tucson on Interstate 8. Of course, the first rest area in Arizona, called Mohawk, was closed. It has been for as long as I can remember. That reminded me of when we were driving back from the Chiricahuas in April: The first rest area along Interstate-10 coming west from New Mexico, the San Simon rest area, has also been closed.

(ADOT tells me the Mohawk rest area is being remodeled and San Simon has re-opened since I passed through, though it has had a flooding problem.)

These are relatively minor items in a states budget, easily targeted when money is tight. And it is very tight in Arizona, thanks to our self-imposed austerity.

Our operating budget this fiscal year is about $10 billion; Minnesota is spending about $20 billion per year. Oh, and it has about 1 million fewer residents than Arizona. These budget figures arent a perfect apples-to-apples comparison, but per-capita-spending rankings show Minnesota spending about 50 percent more per-person than Arizona.

No wonder they can afford 56  yes, 56  rest areas scattered around the state compared to Arizonas 22.

And no wonder the passenger train that Dr. Garcia should have been taking between Tucson and Phoenix  like the well-traveled trains between Los Angeles and San Diego  does not exist and likely never will.

The Arizona Department of Transportation has been studying rail between the states two biggest cities for years and is moving forward. But eventually well get to that place where the billion-dollar project needs to be funded.

Unless the federal government steps in and funds most of it, I dont see the support materializing. In Arizona, we just dont spend money on massive infrastructure like that these days.

But its not just the states infrastructure that lacks. As becomes clear every time we have a heavy rain, our local infrastructure has problems, too. This isnt the fault, generally, of the current occupants of office. Its the result of decades-old bad or delayed decisions.

Here, Im thinking of decisions like building North Alvernon Way and other streets in such a way as to funnel water, rather than shed it. Designs drawn decades ago can only be fixed through massive public works.

Those wouldnt even be included in the $700 million that City Manager Michael Ortega said is necessary to repair Tucson roads.

The reality is we have a lot of unmet needs. How do we deal with it  address those systematically over time and in partnerships, Ortega told me Tuesday.

The same is true of another of our great lacking pieces of infrastructure  sidewalks. As we all know, the average Tucson-area neighborhood has no sidewalks. That endangers pedestrians, especially children, and discourages people from walking, contributing to our societal health problems.

This resulted in part because of the way the city developed. After Tucson began requiring streetlights, storm sewers and sidewalks in the 1920s, developers began building just outside city limits, Tucson historic preservation officer Jonathan Mabry said. Then the city would annex the developments with the infrastructure lacking.

Whoever is to blame, were left with the deficit.

Now the city is working to retrofit the older urban core with those amenities, Mabry said.

However, the city itself isnt putting much effort into the sidewalk issue  there is no current capital plan to build new sidewalks. Its left that to the Regional Transportation Authority, which is building 250 miles worth of sidewalks in the Tucson area as part of its 20-year plan. Those are all along busier streets, not within residential neighborhoods.

Now, there is some hope federal help will be coming. Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have promised major infrastructure programs if they are elected. We could use the help, obviously!

But my travels tell me its best not to wait for that  and definitely not to wait for the state of Arizona. Last year, Phoenix passed a sales-tax increase, lasting 35 years, that will help pay for $30 billion in rail and other transit improvements.

Weve seen what happened with Tucsons road bonds  theyre helping tremendously. Whats clear is, if we want things, we need to build them.
Pima County Sheriff's deputies are searching for three men in connection to a Quik Mart robbery on Tucson's south side.

On Aug. 3 shortly after midnight, deputies responded to the convenience store at 4280 E. Benson Highway, said Deputy Ryan Inglett, a sheriff's spokesman.

When deputies arrived, they learned that three men entered the store and demanded money and cigarettes. One man was armed with a shotgun, and another with a knife, Inglett said. He said the third man did not show a weapon.

The men ran from the store with an undisclosed amount of cash and cigarettes, said Inglett.

Detectives are asking the public for help in identifying the assailants. All three men were described as Hispanic, in their 20s and with small builds.

One was wearing a bandana covering his face, and was dressed in black pants and was wearing a black hoodie. He was carrying a red and black bag.

The other was wearing a mask. He wore black pants and a gray and black hoodie. He was armed with a knife.

The third wore a black hat and a red, white and blue bandana covering his face. He was dressed in jeans and a black hoodie. He was armed with a camouflage shotgun, Inglett said.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or 88-CRIME.
The University of Arizona has hit a brick wall in its efforts to establish a veterinary school in Oro Valley, a project that recently received an $8 million infusion from state taxpayers.

The American Veterinary Medical Association, which accredits veterinary schools, says the UA proposal has substantial flaws that indicate it isn't ready yet to take the first step toward accreditation.

The ruling, which the UA plans to fight at a potential cost of $10,000, would put the project at least a year behind schedule. Once turned down, a school must wait 12 months before restarting its accreditation effort.

The association's Council on Education conducted a site visit and reviewed documentation submitted by the UA to support its request. In April, the council delayed its decision to obtain more information from the university.

The council cited five areas of deficiency in rejecting the UAs application. They include lack of proof of the veterinary school's long-term financial viability, inadequate staffing and recruiting plans, lack of a high-quality research program and unanswered questions around student access to learning opportunities.

"The council found that the school's plan, when implemented, will not permit the school to be in compliance" with accreditation standards, the notification letter said.

The UA says the information provided so far to the accreditor should have been enough to merit initial approval. Officials will make that argument on appeal, a UA news release said.

"The UA has provided a detailed plan for a novel year-round veterinary medical program that will provide a faster path to a DVM degree for less money" President Ann Weaver Hart said in a statement.

"We will demonstrate that we have addressed all of their concerns,"she said of the accreditor. "We are is absolutely committed to earning AVMA accreditation."

The UA had A 30-day window in which to appeal and waited until a few days before the deadline to do so. The appeal letter is dated Aug. 8.

The university now has 60 days in which to resubmit documentation and it must also provide a $10,000 deposit to cover the appeal costs.

The accreditor then has 120 days to schedule the hearing, to be held in Illinois where the group is based.

When the UA announced the Oro Valley site, near North Oracle Road and North First Avenue, at a news conference last fall, officials said they hoped to obtain accreditation in 2016.

Arizona's recent state budget provided the UA with $8 million to renovate the 33,000-square-foot Oro Valley site to add classrooms, laboratories and veterinary surgical suites. The work has already begun, the news release said.
This is how the city of Tucson is set up to tackle an aging and crumbling infrastructure: Fix it when it breaks.

With $1.2 billion in identified capital projects on hold, city leaders are tasked with keeping things running while trying to find a way to pay for its massive needs.

The recent mechanical failure of the 38-year-old air conditioner inside the Armory Park Center illustrates how major expenses are handled.

The city scrambled for an emergency fix so that more than 100 senior citizens would not be forced to skip meals. The estimated cost of the repair was nearly $80,000.

Possible long-term solutions were contemplated this week at a budget retreat for the Tucson City Council. Options discussed for coming up with the kind of money the city needs to take on $1.2 billion in projects would raise taxes.

Despite the looming bill, City Manager Mike Ortega began the retreat by trying to reassure the council that the city is still in relatively good financial shape.

The sky is not falling, Ortega told the council.

Ortega stressed at the meeting that no solution would address all the needs on the $1.2 billion list, noting the citys ability to tax cannot meet all the demands.

City officials opted to delay some capital improvements during the recession, which has added to the backlog of projects.

A half-cent sales tax was mentioned by several council members as a possible solution. The city estimates it could generate $50 million a year.

Councilman Paul Cunningham said he was open to allowing the proposed sales tax to be open-ended, not ending the tax after a five-year period as Ortega has suggested. Tax revenues, he said, could help meet a lot of the citys needs in a single decade.

Other council members said they would be open to considering a half-cent sales tax for planning purposes, but it is unlikely a tax would go to the voters sooner than next year.

Mayor Jonathan Rothschild said that while the council has an obligation to discuss the outstanding needs in the community, voters will ultimately decide whether they want to pay for it.

Voters would also need to amend the city charter to approve a half-cent sales tax.

Another option, asking voters to approve a $100 million general obligation bond, would not require amending the charter.

The retreat this week was the first step in discussing the magnitude of the citys needs. Ortega is expected to revisit the issue in September during a council meeting.
The University of Arizona has hit a brick wall with plans to establish a veterinary school in Oro Valley, a project that recently received an $8 million infusion from state taxpayers.

The American Veterinary Medical Association, which accredits veterinary schools, rejected the UAs proposal, saying it has substantial flaws that show it isnt ready yet to take the first step toward accreditation.

The proposed veterinary school is one of President Ann Weaver Harts signature initiatives. She recently persuaded state lawmakers to provide $8 million to retrofit the Oro Valley site, work that already has begun, according to a UA news release.

The money is being spent to install classrooms, laboratory space and veterinary operating suites at the 33,000-square-foot site near North Oracle Road and North First Avenue.

The accreditors finding, which the UA plans to fight at a potential cost of $10,000, would put the project at least a year behind schedule. Once turned down, a school must wait 12 months before restarting its accreditation effort.

The veterinary associations Council on Education conducted a site visit and reviewed documentation submitted by the UA to support its request. In April, the council delayed its decision to obtain more information from the university.

The council cited five areas of deficiency in rejecting the UAs application. They include lack of proof of the veterinary schools long-term financial viability, inadequate staffing and recruiting plans, lack of a high-quality research program and unanswered questions around student access to learning opportunities.

The council found that the schools plan, when implemented, will not permit the school to be in compliance with accreditation standards, the notification letter said.

The UA says the information provided to the accreditor so far should have been enough to merit initial approval. Officials will make that argument on appeal, the UA news release said.

The UA has provided a detailed plan for a novel year-round veterinary medical program that will provide a faster path to a DVM degree for less money Hart said in the news release.

We will demonstrate that we have addressed all of their concerns, she said of the accreditor. We are absolutely committed to earning AVMA accreditation.

The UA has known about the accreditors decision since July 12 but didnt make it public until Tuesday. The UA had a 30-day window in which to appeal with a deadline of Aug. 11. The appeal letter is dated Aug. 8.

The university has 60 days in which to resubmit documentation and must also provide a $10,000 deposit to cover the appeal costs. The accreditor then will have 120 days to schedule the hearing, to be held in Illinois where the group is based.

When the UA announced the Oro Valley site at a news conference last fall, officials said they hoped to obtain accreditation in 2016.

State lawmaker Bruce Wheeler, a Tucson Democrat who supported the recent $8 million state contribution for the veterinary school, said he is flabbergasted the UA didnt have a better grasp of its eligibility for accreditation before seeking public funds.

He blamed Hart for not paying close enough attention to the accreditation process and said he plans to call on the Arizona Board of Regents to expedite her departure.

This is another black eye for the University of Arizona, said Wheeler, who also has clashed with Hart over her service on the board of for-profit DeVry University.

Hart already has said she plans to retire as president when her contract expires in 2018. The UA is planning a national search for her replacement.

Shane Burgess, interim dean of the UA veterinary school, said in the news release that the UAs proposal is intentionally different from traditional veterinary schools. It relies heavily on partnerships with the Reid Park Zoo, Pima Animal Care Center and other local entities to provide veterinary students with training opportunities.

Its not the traditional vet school model, and its not intended to be. We need a model for the 21st century and for Arizona, he said.
HELENA, Mont. (AP)  The U.S. government, facing rising firefighting costs as blazes rage more frequently and with greater intensity across the West, wants Montana's largest utility to compensate it for a 2010 wildfire near Canyon Ferry Lake east of Helena.

Over three days in July 2010, the Lakeside Fire burned nearly 900 acres of federal, state and private land. It destroyed a cabin and two other structures and forced the evacuation of residents north of the lake. More than 200 people from various agencies and led by the U.S. Forest Service responded to the fire.

NorthWestern Energy's negligence of a power line caused the fire, according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court. A Forest Service investigation concluded the fire was started after the power line malfunctioned, severed and ignited the grass and timber on the ground.

The power line's poles and insulators had not been properly maintained by NorthWestern Energy, the lawsuit said.

"The Ward Ranch Line would not have malfunctioned, snapped and caused the Lakeside Fire if defendant had exercised reasonable care in the maintenance and operation of the line," Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Dishong wrote in the lawsuit.

The government seeks $485,855  the cost of fighting the fire  plus interest and an unspecified amount in penalties.

NorthWestern's attorneys filed a response Monday in which the company denies any liability. Attorney Chad Adams submitted a number of possible defenses, including that the damage caused by the fire was an Act of God, the fault of others not named or caused by the government itself.

NorthWestern spokeswoman Claudia Rapkoch said she could not speak in detail about the lawsuit or the cause of the fire, but that the company strongly denies the allegation of negligence. "The company does plan to defend itself in court if it comes to that," she said.

Fighting and preventing fires now consumes more than half of the Forest Service's annual budget, and the agency estimates the costs could jump to two-thirds of the budget by 2025 unless changes are made. The costs have risen as fire seasons have grown longer and the size, frequency and severity of fires have increased, agency officials said in a report released last year.

But lawsuits such as the one filed against NorthWestern Energy are not part of any new strategy to cut down those costs, said Forest Service spokesman David Smith.

"If a responsible party has been identified, the government seeks to recover costs," Smith said. "We've collected from energy companies, mines, and individuals over the years."

It may not be uncommon for the U.S. government to sue to recover firefighting costs, but the government should be doing more of it, said J. Curtis Varone, a Rhode Island attorney who runs a blog called Fire Law.

"In the US we have historically looked at fire as an accident for which no one is really responsible," Varone said in an email to The Associated Press Tuesday. "Many other countries look at it a bit differently: negligently causing a fire is a criminal act."

Some states also have turned to the courts to recover firefighting costs. The Wyoming Supreme Court last year ruled the state could recover money from Black Hills Power Inc. that was spent fighting a 2012 wildfire on state land near Newcastle.

Montana also paid more than $13,000 of the cost of the Lakeside Fire, its share for the damage to state lands, according to a cost-share agreement between the Forest Service and the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. The state agency is reviewing the federal lawsuit, spokesman John Grassy said.

"We haven't made a determination whether or not we'll get involved," Grassy said.

Three landowners previously sued NorthWestern Energy over the Lakeside Fire, making similar claims to those contained in the government's lawsuit. One of the landowners settled with the utility for terms that plaintiffs' attorney Thomas Budewitz declined to disclose.

One of the other lawsuits was thrown out earlier this year and the other has been suspended, according to court records.
NITV will host of the biennial gathering of the World Indigenous Television Broadcasters Network in Sydney in November.

Bringing together 8 Indigenous broadcasters from around the world, the event is held every 2 years. The inaugural gathering was held in New Zealand in 2008, followed by Taiwan, Norway and Canada.

WITBN Chairperson and NITV Channel Manager, Tanya Denning-Orman, said: Its fitting to announce the meeting in Australia on the International Day of the World Indigenous Peoples  a day which celebrates the diverse cultures of the world and an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the injustices and challenges Indigenous people continue to face across the globe.

Its something each of our members work hard to achieve on a daily basis through our own networks and the reason why Indigenous television is so important.

Its an honour for NITV to host WITBN in Australia, the home of the worlds oldest continuous culture. We will focus on next steps for WITBN projects including our daily news exchange, co-production and program exchange, as well as showcase our unique Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture to our visiting members.

WITBN was founded in 2008 with a vision to preserve and promote Indigenous languages and cultures worldwide.

A not for profit organisation, WITBN is an alliance made up of members from around the world including NITV  Australia, Maori Television  New Zealand, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN)  Canada, Taiwan Indigenous Television (TITV), TG4  Ireland, BBC Alba  Scotland, Oiwi TV in Hawaii and NRK Sapmi in Norway.
On art, music, books, movies, politics, life - sometimes with astrology thrown in.
Help India!

By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,

Kolkata: After honorarium to the Imam and Muazzin, West Bengal Government has taken a special initiative to help disadvantageous widow and divorcee Muslim women. The honorarium to the poor widow and divorcee Muslims would be provided through the state Waqf Board, informed the Chairman of the Waqf Board, Justice Md Abdul Ghani.

Support TwoCircles



The Panchayat election is just round the corner, and this new intiative may help build goodwill amongst Muslim voters in favour of Mamata Banerjees Trinamul Congress (TMC).

Few months ago, Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee had declared that the honorarium of Rs. 2500 will be given to the imams of mosques each month and a sum of Rs 1000 per month for the Muazzin.

The honorarium will be given from the special funds of the Chief Minister, but it would be delivered through State Waqf Board. Banerjee also holds the additional charge of minority affairs and madrasah education.

Justice Abdul Ghani also informed that so far more than 29000 Imams and 24000 Muazzains have submitted their application for the honorarium.

Although no fixed allocation has been made yet, but he explained that the state Waqf Board will be the nodal agency for the distribution of those honorariums. He also said that those Muslim women, who are widow or divorcee and whose annual income is not more than Rs 18000 they will be eligible to submit their applications for the remuneration.

This is for the first time in the country that the state waqf board will be distributing honorarium to poor Muslim widows and divorcees.

Application for the honorarium will be available at the state Waqf Board office, , 6/2 Madan Stree, Kolkata-700072 upto 4th April, 2013.

Divorcee women will also have to submit a copy of the Talaknama, and widows will have to furnish supporting documents from the local authority.

According to Justice Ghani, based on number of the applications received, the amount of the honorarium will be fixed.
Help India!

By TCN News,

New Delhi: Terming Prime Minister Modis statement to shoot him instead of Dalit brothers as selective and divisive in nature, the Welfare party of India has asked him to clarify stand on cow vigilantes attacks against Muslims.

Support TwoCircles



After maintaining a long silence over the Dalits thrashing by cow vigilantes at various places in India, Prime Minister Modi on Sunday called such gau rakshaks (cow protectionists) as anti-socials and told them to shoot him but not Dalits.

Reacting to this statement of him, WPI said it lacked sincerity and seriousness. It also said his words are too little as well as selective and divisive.

By saying to shoot him but not his Dalit brothers, Modi is again taking refuge of the divisive and partisan politics being practiced by the Sangh Parivar, said P.C. Hamza, national general secretary of WPI in a statement released to media.

He also raised many questions, Why our Prime Minister is selective and cannot consider all citizens as his brothers and sisters? Why Modi is keeping silence on the assault of Muslims by these same cow vigilantes? Why the PM not in clear terms and words condemn the attack on religious minorities in various part of the country by fringe groups affiliated and inspired by Sangh Parivar?

WPI alleged that Modis reaction was made out of political compulsion as the BJP felt apprehension of political reverse from agitating Dalit communities in forthcoming assembly elections.

The Party also criticized him for not reaching out to the families of those five people killed by consolation words and compensation rewards, in various incidents across the country by the cow vigilantes.

The statement from WPI further reads, The PM post warrants head of the nation to see all Indians of the country as brothers and sisters irrespective of (their) caste and religion.

WPI also maintained that the emerging unity among the affected sections to fight communal fascism cannot be thwarted by such hollow statements of PM Modi.
Help India!

By TCN News,

New Delhi: In order to address concerns over the current communal condition of the country in which weaker sections are being targeted and attempts have been made to corner them, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind has decided to primarily focus on the need of Dalit-Muslim unity during its 33rd general session.

Support TwoCircles



The 33rd general session  a mega gathering- is going to be held in Ajmer, Rajasthan on November 11, 12 & 13, 2016. Several renowned social activists, political leaders and intellectuals are expected to remain present during the three day program.

Through this session, Jamiat aims to forge unity among Dalit & Muslims and to reduce enmity between different sects of the Muslim community so that a united fight can be put forward.

Maulana Mahmood Madani, national general secretary of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind while briefing about the programme, elaborated that issues like unreasonable interference of judiciary into the Muslim personal laws, prevention of sectarian enmity, protection of citizenship rights in Assam, message of peace in Islam, issue of terrorism and Dalit-Muslim unity will come up for discussion.

Maulana Madani said that the organization in its meeting of national executive and managing committee would pass resolutions on the said issues and would organize mass mega gathering in the concluding day at a ground that has capacity of nearly more than two lakh people.
Brexit will have a knock-on effecton the rest of the EU and eventually its impact will be felt in the rest of the world, including the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries. As Brexit unfolds British trade policy could become more effective outside of the EU as London will likely push to win orders all over the world to compensate for the losses deriving from the lack of access to the EU Single Market.

Gulf traders worse off?

Exiting from a GCC-EU stalled Free Trade Agreement (FTA) may breathe new life into the UK's trading relationships with the Gulf.

A more favourable exchange rate as the pound's value falls will open doors to new Investment in the country, including from the GCC. However, those Gulf investors with already existing holdings in the UK, either in companies or properties, are, in the short term worse off than they were before Brexit. To better understand the implications and effects of Brexit on GCC countries, I spoke to Omani entrepreneur Qais al-Khonji, CEO of Genesis International.

Question time

BN - Has Brexit had any direct impact on GCC so far, and in particular on Omans economy?

QAK - Yes investors are undoubtedly facing the most direct impact, assets and properties values have already dropped significantly, its not a great time to sell.

However, other investors might also see this as an opportunity to buy in the UK, a lower sterling means greater opportunities for investment in the UK. I would definitely consider investing in the UK, but I think the pounds value hasn't hit the bottom yet, I will keep a close eye on the market to see when is the best moment to invest.

Moreover, the country has become much cheaper for GCC visitors, the pound has lost value and its below 500 Omani baisas, with positive effects for the tourism industry.

BN - The UK government will have to renegotiate trade relations with the outside world. Should we expect to see tighter bilateral relations between your region and London?

QAK - Yes, some of the countries in the region such as the UAE have already accelerated talks over a possible free trade agreement with the UK, I believe once thats been secured then all the other GCC countries will follow in the same direction.

BN - What benefits, if any, do you see for your countrys economy in dealing with a UK outside the EU? Which sectors are most likely to be positively or negatively affected?

QAK - It would definitely bring a number of positive developments, including increasing exports in goods and services, lower tariffs on exported goods, although this would occur gradually. On the other hand, a removal or relaxation of quotas on certain imported goods is also an important factor to be considered. The sectors that would see most changes are manufacturing and those concerning mass exports, ranging from cars, dealerships to food products.
Germany's Van Hiep Tran Ships the WPTN Rozvadov Main Event at King's Casino for 68,081

August 10 2016 Jason Glatzer

Yesterday, Germany's Van Hiep Tran outlasted a field of 339 entrants to win the partypoker World Poker Tour National (WPTN) Rozvadov Main Event at King's Casino Czech Republic for 68,081.

The event easily eclipsed its guarantee of 200,000 with 339 entrants (296 entries + 43 reentries) ponying up the 1,100 buy-in to generate a huge 330,101 prize pool.

The tournament kicked off on August 5 with the first of its two opening days. Players began the day with 30,000 opening chips and were able to rebuy once on each day. Additionally, players that survived Day 1a were allowed to reenter on Day 1b on August 6 and bring their best stack forward when the surviving players returned for action on Day 2 on August 7.

The action whittled down to 19 players to start the final day of action on August 8 with the eventual winner, Tran, holding a commanding chip lead. Soon after play began, one of Czech Republic's biggest names in poker along with a regular at King's Casino in Martin Kabrhel was the first player eliminated to bank the 19th place prize of 3,268.

Including Kabrhel, five players from five different countries were eliminated during the first blind level on Day 3, including Germany's Bernd Alexander Rygol ((18th - 3,730), Spain's Adrian Quevedo (17th - 3,730), Hungary's Istvan Nagy (16th - 3,730), and Netherland's Luuk Krabbe (15th - 4,357).

The international affair continued on as the final table bubble began to approach with players from two more different countries being the next to exit including Poland's Lukasz Jankowski (14th - 4,357) and Sweden's Velican Sahin (13th - 4,357) before a trio of Germans were the next to exit including Thassilo Achim Krause (12th - 5,315), Dennis Kraus (11th - 5,315), and Patrick Alexander Marquardt (10th - 5,315).

While Marquardt was the official final table bubble boy, he received some additional consolation of his buy-in back as well from the tour's sponsor thanks to winning the partypoker Last Longer Bet.

The final table proved to be a long and tough battle between players from six different countries. Czech Republic's Vitezslav Pesta was the first to bow out in ninth place for 7,295 before Israel's Shay Vodka (8th - 9,573), Germany's Patrick Beuter (7th - 12,148), Austria's Markus Hofer (6th - 14,623), and Israel's Itay Bernstein (5th - 17,294) all hit the showers in succession.

A pair of Germans were the next to be eliminated from the tournament with Daniel Oliver Schumacher banking 23,767 for fourth place and Jan Christoph Streicher taking home 31,954 for third place.

Tran entered heads-up play against Netherland's Harmjan Poel with a 3:2 chip advantage. Before play began, the two players agreed to a deal guaranteeing both players to win at least 58,081.

Play then resumed with blind levels cut in half to 30 minutes per level for the remaining money, the coveted trophy, and of course the chance to be entered into the WPTN history books as the latest champion.

After an hour of battling it out, play came to an end with Tran winning the top prize of 68,081 and Poel walking away with a great payday of 58,021.

On the final hand, Tran bested his opponent holding , against Poel's on a board that read giving Tran the victory when all was said and done.

Final Table Payouts of the partypoker WPTN Rozvadov Main Event

Place Name Country Prize 1 Van Hiep Tran Germany 68,081* 2 Harmjan Poel Netherlands 58,081* 3 Jan Christoph Streicher Germany 31,954 4 Daniel Oliver Schumacher Germany 23,767 5 Itay Bernstein Israel 17,294 6 Markus Hofer Austria 14,623 7 Patrick Beuter Germany 12,148 8 Shay Vodka Israel 9,573 9 Vitezslav Pesta Czech Republic 7,295

*Reflects heads-up deal

PokerNews Cup Up Next at King's Casino!

The 10th anniversary edition of the PokerNews Cup returns to King's Casino for a full schedule of exciting low limit events that can't be missed.

The festival starts today, August 10, with the fun 80 PokerNews Cup Opening NLH featuring a healthy 6,000 guarantee.

Of course, the highlight of the poker festival is the 250 PokerNews Cup Main Event running from August 11-15 where players can strike it rich thanks to a lofty 200,000 guaranteed prize pool. Players still have the opportunity to get in on this event for a fraction of the cost thanks to three 40 qualifiers taking place August 11-13 at King's Casino.

The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be on hand providing updates throughout the festival.

Lead image courtesy of the World Poker Tour and King's Casino.

Get all the latest PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and find us on both Facebook and Google+!

Sharelines Big win for Germany's Van Hiep Tran! Ships the WPTN Rozvadov Main Event at King's Casino for 68,081.
General practitioners have implicitly been given responsibility for guiding men's decisions about prostate-specific antigen-based screening for prostate cancer, but patients' expectations of the bounds of this responsibility remain unclear. We sought to explore how well-informed members of the public allocate responsibilities in prostate-specific antigen screening decision-making. In 2014, we convened two Community juries in Sydney, Australia, to address questions related to the content and timing of information provision and respective roles of patients and general practitioners in screening decisions. Participants in the first jury were of mixed gender and of all ages (n = 15); the participants in the second jury were all male and of screening age (n = 12). Both juries were presented with balanced factual evidence on the harms and benefits of prostate-specific antigen screening and expert perspectives on ethico-legal aspects of consent in medical practice. In their deliberations, jurors agreed that general practitioners should take responsibility for informing men of the options, risks and benefits of prostate-specific antigen testing, but arrived at different positions on whether or not general practitioners should also guide screening decisions. Jurors also disagreed on how much and when general practitioners should provide detailed information about biopsies and treatments. These responses suggest that for prostate-specific antigen testing, there is a public expectation that both the allocation of responsibility between general practitioners and their male patients, and the level of information provided will be tailored to individual men. In the presence of expert uncertainty, a well-informed public may have reason to embrace or resist shared decision-making processes.

Health (London, England : 1997). 2016 Aug 03 [Epub ahead of print]

Chris Degeling, Stacy M Carter, Lucie Rychetnik

The University of Sydney, AustraliaThe University of Notre Dame Australia, Australia ., The University of Sydney, Australia., The University of Notre Dame Australia, Australia.

PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27491944
Matt Brown, the eldest son of the Alaskan Bush People family, is undoubtedly one of the favorite cast members of the reality television show featured by Discovery Channel. After Matt shared in an emotional interview last month that he had been struggling with alcohol problems for quite some time and that he might not be ready to return to his Alaskan family living in the wilderness, fans are concerned that without Matt Brown, Discovery Channel cancelled Alaskan Bush People.

The truth behind the family living in the Alaskan wilderness

As the Morning Ledger recently reported, there are rumors that the Brown family is not really from Alaska.

However, as Billy Browns 2007 book One Wave at a Time clearly states, this is not a rumor but a mere fact. Billy and Ami grew up, married in Texas, and came to the Alaskan bush in order to make a home for their family.

Matt Brown was three years old and his brother Joshua (Bam Bam) was just one when the Brown family discovered that living in Alaskas wilderness was something that they had been looking for. As for the rumors that the family left the outback in order to pursue other interests, the Brown family admits to having lived in other parts of the country.

What Matt Brown revealed about his family

Matt Brown is the Alaskan bush familys first-born son, the most talkative one, and the most symbolic one.

When speaking about his Brown family, he says that he could not wish for more support from his siblings and his parents, but that despite of everything, there comes a time when someone loses his way.

Matts words sound very similar to his dads words when it came to facing the consequences of having tried to deceive the state of Alaska for money in their Permanent Fund dividend applications.

The scandal, which revealed that the Brown family had not actually lived in Alaska for the past 30 years, prompted Billy Brown to apologize to what he considered to be his true home state.

The reality behind reality television

After saying that there is a time when everyone loses his or her way, Matt Brown says that there is also a time when someone finds his way back to where he belongs.

Undoubtedly, for Matt and his dad Billy, that place is ones family and the Alaskan wilderness.

The emotional connection to surviving in the Alaskan outback and sticking together as a family is what fans of the reality television show treasure. The values shared by the Browns are the same values that viewers of Alaskan Bush People are looking forward to seeing each week.

"I'm protective because I love my family" -Bam #AlaskanBushPeoplehttps://t.co/hJjheLiXgL  Alaskan Bush People (@AlaskanBushPPL) August 5, 2016

Will the show continue without Matt Brown?

Discovery Channel, which used to be known primarily for its documentary television programming, is not providing viewers with a fake program, as some headlines claim, but rather a type of programming that viewers appreciate.

Recent post-season episodes provided by Discovery give fans a behind-the-scenes look of how a reality television show is made. While fans are eagerly following the shows social media updates, Discovery Channel has not announced any news that Alaskan Bush People will be cancelled.
Lawmakers from ROK seek solution Updated: 2016-08-10 09:50 By CUI SHOUFENG(China Daily)

Discussions held at seminar in Beijing over bilateral relations in light of missile deployment

The controversy surrounding the China visit of six lawmakers from the Republic of Korea demonstrates split opinion and the opposition ROK President Park Geun-hye faces in her decision to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system.

The six anti-THAAD lawmakers from the main opposition Minju Party of Korea, all in their first terms in the National Assembly, embarked on a three-day visit to Beijing on Monday. They attended a closed-door seminar on Chinese-ROK ties organized by the Chinese think tank Pangoal Institution on Tuesday.

Representatives from both sides had "in-depth, candid" discussions on certain bilateral issues, exchanged their opinions, and offered "constructive suggestions" to improve Beijing-Seoul ties, according to a brief statement issued after the meeting that included Chinese scholars and the visiting lawmakers.

No further comments were made by either side. The seminar was not open to the press at the request of the ROK's side.

Previous reports said they planned to discuss the deployment of the THAAD anti-missile system in the ROK with Chinese officials and scholars.

The six lawmakers faced strong opposition from the ROK's presidential office and media outlets before their visit to Beijing.

Park had urged the lawmakers to scrap the trip, which they said was made to discuss ways to prevent bilateral relations from deteriorating further, calling the missile system counterproductive.

During her meeting with senior presidential secretaries on Monday, Park denounced the visit because it further split public opinion over the THAAD deployment.

Park said she is ready to receive any criticism, as she believes THAAD is aimed at protecting South Koreans from nuclear and missile threats from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Wang Junsheng, a researcher in Asia-Pacific strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the lawmakers' visit mirrors the rifts over THAAD's deployment in the ROK, as opposition has been noted from not only politicians, but also local governments and residents.

"The visiting ROK lawmakers represent their voice, and they are here for the friendship between China and the ROK and their country's nation interests," Wang said.

"Their trip highlights the importance of high-level bilateral exchanges, which are now plunging into a chill, and the need to reduce strategic misunderstandings," he said.

Xinhua contributed to this story.
Beijing police launch operation against cyber crime Updated: 2016-08-10 12:47 (Xinhua)

BEIJING -- Beijing police have launched a two-month crackdown on cyber crimes, according to authorities.

The operation is being carried out to restore online order and security, Beijing police said in a statement.

It will target cyber crime that damages political security, while also cracking down on online terrorism and other types of illegal information.

Police will pursue crimes related to pornography, gambling, guns, explosives and drugs.

The special operation also targets infringement of private information, telecommunications fraud, hacking, the spread of violence and terrorism, and damage to the social order.

Websites, online service providers and employees will also be subject to police inspection, it said.
EU needs to regain its reputation as a safe, secure place Updated: 2016-08-10 08:30 By FU JING(China Daily)

Paramedics help injured outside Turkey's largest airport, Istanbul Ataturk, following an explosion on Tuesday. [Photo / Reuters]

In the decade up to 2014, the European Union could claim to be safer than the rest of the world, mainly because the number of terrorist attack victims decreased in the EU even as it increased globally. From 2009 to 2013, according to EU figures, 38 people died in terrorist attacks in the EU. In 2014, the number of terrorist victims within the EU was four, although many Europeans were killed in terrorist attacks in conflict zones outside the union.

But last year, things changed tragically: 151 people were killed and more than 360 injured in terrorist attacks in the EU, says the annual report of the European Police Office, the EU's law enforcement agency that started monitoring terrorist activities after the Sept 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

This year, the attacks have spread to Belgium, with explosions at the Brussels airport and metro in March killing 32 people. In July, an Islamic fanatic killed 84 people in the French Riviera city of Nice by driving a truck through a crowd watching Bastille's Day fireworks. And smaller-scale terrorist attacks, too, have occurred from time to time in other EU countries.

Terrorism attacks and activities have been rising in the EU, the EPO says, mainly because of the influence of the Islamic State group and increasing xenophobia and racialism across the bloc. The EPO says the overall threat to security in the EU remains on an upward trajectory. Some European politicians, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls for example, have even said Europe has to live with such a danger for a while.

The EU has tried to lighten the threat by saying on its website that terrorism is not a new phenomenon in Europe as EU states recorded 1,010 failed, foiled or completed attacks between 2009 and 2013. Last year, the total number of such attacks was 211.

The fact, however, is that the number of deaths has been rising rapidly, which shows the EUespecially France that has borne the brunt of such attacksneeds to intensify efforts to prevent and counter terrorism.

Some people say France is relatively safe, citing the uncertainty of life. They claim more people die in traffic accidents than in terrorist attacks. But this is absurd logic. In particular, since EU officials lay great emphasis on human rights and security, they should ensure that the threat of a terrorist attack within the bloc is minimum. If the situation doesn't get better soon, then the EU, a project aimed at establishing permanent regional peace, could face a potential credibility crisis now that the UK has dealt a serious blow to European unity by parting ways from the bloc.

Terrorist attacks act as a big "disruptive force" and affect a long chain of people both within and outside Europe. For example, a growing number of Chinese are concerned about the safety and security situation in Europe when they decide to invest, travel or send their children to study there. Some Chinese parents are even urging their children who are already settled or studying in London, Paris or Brussels to return to China.

Reactions in China and other non-EU countries will affect European businesses. The declining number of tourists to Europe is a telling indication of the things to come. So EU politicians must realize the severe consequences of continuing terrorist attacks in the bloc, because they could erode the attraction of Europe as an investment and tourism destination.

For the safety and prosperity of the EU, its politicians have to take strict measures to preempt terrorist attacks by launching a serious counter-offensive against terrorism, instead of saying the European Union has to live with it for some time.

The author is deputy chief of China Daily European Bureau

fujing@chinadaily.com.cn
An archaeological site in the upper Yellow River region. Xinhua

The inventory of flood legends through the ages is long and wide. Ancient Sumerian myth talks about a king who saved his people after learning that the gods did not intend to spare anyone from an impending deluge. Both Plato and Ovid wrote about a great flood that had occurred thousands of years before them. In Hindu mythology, Vishnu took the form of a fish to warn a king of a coming flood in time for him to build a great ship and save his family, a do-it-yourself project also pulled off successfully by Noah in the Bible.

The list goes on - Finn, Welsh and Norse in Europe; Mbuti, Maasai and Yoruba in Africa; Maori, Hopi, Navajo all have flood stories. The Inuit reasoned that only a great flood could explain why you can find sea shells in the mountains.

All the legendary floods seem to have one thing in common - they punctuate game-changing historical events.

That's what makes the new theory about a mega-flood on the Yellow River so fascinating. Not only because the evidence suggests that the Great Flood of Chinese lore really happened, or that the legendary first Emperor Yu really existed, but the timing of it puts it right on the cusp of China's transition from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age, around 1900 BCE, and the emergence of the Erlitou culture.

Emperor Yu was believed to have said: "The flood is pouring forth destruction, boundless and overwhelming. It spills over hills and mountains," which is a pretty good description of the model described by the geologists writing in Science magazine.

A massive earthquake sends mountainsides of avalanches crashing into the steep Jishi Gorge, creating a natural dam the height of a 65-story building. Downstream the Yellow River slows to a trickle. Upstream from the blockage, the waters rise, and rise, filling the gorge over a period of nine months.

Once high enough, the waters begin to spill over the dam, which quickly erodes away, opening the floodgates, so to speak. The scientists figured the water came down the river valley at a rate of half a million cubic meters per second - a tsunami of biblical proportions that nothing can get out of the way of.

Darryl Granger, a geologist at Purdue University and co-author of the paper, tried to put that in perspective: "That's roughly equivalent to the largest flood ever measured on the Amazon River, the world's largest river. It's among the largest known floods to have happened on Earth during the past 10,000 years."

Towns and villages, levees and canals for 1,000 miles downstream would have been washed away or submerged, the authors suggest. And people would have been talking about it for years, generations on end.

Winston Churchill was apparently fond of saying that the Chinese character for "crisis" was a combination of the characters for "danger" and "opportunity".

And an opportunity it proved to be for Yu, first emperor of the Xia Dynasty, dredger of canals, digger of channels that drain the deadly torrents away and tame them into service.

"He brings order out of the chaos and defines the land, separating what would become the center of Chinese civilization," said co-author David Cohen, assistant professor of anthropology at National Taiwan University.

"This outburst flood provides us with a tantalizing hint that the Xia Dynasty might really have existed."

The theory needs more supporting evidence to get the entire scientific community on board, but in that wonderful way that science works, researchers now know what to look for.

University of Washington geomorphologist David Montgomery wrote an accompanying commentary for the study in Science, calling the paper compelling evidence "for the historicity of the Great Flood myth," noting that flood myths from various cultures usually spring from the environment they live in.

Contact the writer at chrisdavis@chinadailyusa.com
Louisiana looks to boost its China trade Updated: 2016-08-10 11:13 By Paul Welitzkin in New York(China Daily USA)

Pushing expertise in oil, chemical production and looking ahead to aviation and aerospace

Louisiana wants to parlay its strengths in oil and natural gas and chemical production into expanded trading ties with China, according to the state's top economic development official.

Don Pierson was appointed secretary of Louisiana Economic Development when John Bel Edwards became governor in January. Pierson said the state intends to build on its traditional industries - energy and chemical production, forestry and manufacturing.

"We are also confident of embracing future opportunities in aviation and aerospace, IT and water management," he said in an interview in New York on Tuesday.

Trade between Louisiana and China has been thriving. Since 2008, Louisiana has ranked first in the US in per capita foreign direct investment, and Chinese companies have played a large part.

China is the second-largest investor in Louisiana.

China represents Louisiana's top export market, with more than $8.6 billion in exports in 2014, ranking Louisiana No. 4 among US states in exports to the mainland.

Pierson said there are two areas that appear to be particularly promising for expanding trade between the state and China. One is producing chemical feedstock like methanol, which is required to manufacture chemical products.

Another involves the production of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, which is created when natural gas is cooled to minus 259 degrees Fahrenheit.

In 2014, Louisiana secured an investment of $1.85 billion from Shandong Yuhuang Chemical Co to develop a methanol plant in Louisiana's St. James Parish. The facility, which is expected to create 400 permanent jobs and about 2,000 temporary construction jobs, is under construction.

"We anticipate it will come on line and begin production in 2017," he added.

While low oil and natural gas prices hinder the state's energy production, the prices are a spur for the chemical business.

"The drop in oil prices has hit some areas of Louisiana hard, as we are the number two producer of oil and natural gas in the US," said Pierson.

"But the low prices also create an opportunity, since oil and gas are the feedstock for chemical production and are also used to power the facility that manufactures the feedstock."

China's growing economy will require feedstock for chemical products, and Louisiana's strategic location on the Gulf of Mexico will make it easy for Chinese firms to establish production in the states and then ship the product back to China through the state's pipeline network or from one of its ports, said Pierson.

Louisiana's port system is among the largest in the world, with 27 deepwater and shallow-draft ports.

paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com
Russia, Turkey mend ties Updated: 2016-08-10 11:13 By Chen Weihua in Washington(China Daily USA)

Foreign policy experts have praised the meeting on Tuesday between Russian President Vladimir and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the first between the two since Ankara shot down a Moscow warplane in November.

The meeting in Putin's hometown of St Petersburg was Erdogan's first trip abroad since the failed coup against him last month that has marred Turkey's relations with the United States.

"Your visit today, despite a very difficult situation regarding domestic politics, indicates that we all want to restart dialogue and restore relations between Russia and Turkey," Putin said after the two leaders shook hands, according to an AFP report.

Erdogan, who has said the trip represents a "new milestone", told Putin that ties had entered a "very different phase", and he thanked the Kremlin leader for his backing after the coup attempt.

Ted Carpenter, a senior fellow for defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute, described the meeting as "very significant." He said the summit meeting is the latest manifestation of a rapprochement that has been gradually taking place since the downing of the Russian plane.

"Vladimir Putin sees Turkey both as a potential ally in the Middle East against Islamic extremism and as a way to split NATO and weaken its anti-Russian orientation. Erdogan is hedging his geopolitical bets, pursuing closer ties with Moscow in case Turkey's Western allies begin to shun the country because of his increasingly corrupt, authoritarian rule," Carpenter said.

Carpenter believes both leaders currently benefit from a closer relationship, but he said the US and the other leading NATO powers will not be happy about the warming relations between Ankara and Moscow, and will likely pressure Erdogan to cease his efforts.

Many in Turkey have accused the US and the CIA of being the masterminds behind the failed coup. Turkey also hoped the US would repatriate Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric who has lived in Pennsylvania since 1999 and whom Ankara believes was behind the attempted coup.

Mikhail Antonov, a George F. Kennan Fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington, described Putin and Erdogan as "emotionally united in their discontent with the Western

policies of 'double standards'."

"Erdogan seems to be tuned to the same wavelength as Putin, condemning the EU and the US for stirring up subversive elements in his country," said Antonov, who is also a professor at the High School of Economics in St Petersburg.

Antonov believes that through the meeting, Putin was able to demonstrate that Russia is not isolated after the Ukrainian conflict and is ready to continue shattering the NATO, the EU, and other Western alliances.

Russia imposed economic sanctions on Turkey and launched a war of words with Erdogan following the shooting down of a Russian fighter jet by a Turkish F-16 over the Syrian border last fall.

But in late June, Putin surprisingly accepted a letter expressing regret over the incident from Erdogan as an apology and quickly rolled back a ban on the sale of tour packages to Turkey, signaling that Moscow would end measures against Turkish food imports and construction companies.

Putin was one of the first foreign leaders to phone Erdogan offering support after the coup attempt.

AFP contributed to the story.

chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
Dubuque, Iowa, started as a small lead mining town, but by the end of the 18th century it had grown into a modern city with a thriving port, an excellent art scene, and fantastic outdoor spaces. The best place to learn about the mighty Mississippi and the creatures that live in it is The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium. Here are the best things to do in Dubuque, IA on your weekend getaway or day trip.

We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times.

1. National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, Dubuque, IA  National Mississippi River Museum

The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium tells the fascinating story of America's rivers. The museum consists of a large campus with two major centers that showcase different aspects of life on Mississippi. There are more than a dozen aquariums with living representatives of the animals living in the Mississippi River, a historic Train Depot, steamboat William M. Black, Woodward Wetland, steam boilers, a blacksmith shop, the Pfohl Boatyard, a stream, raptor aviaries, and much more. The Mississippi Discovery Center has a range of activities, and the 3D Theatre shows fascinating movies such as Flying Monsters. There is also the River's Edge Cafe to replenish your energy after all the fun. 350 E 3rd St, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Phone: 563-557-9545

-- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa" Back to Top

2. Places to Visit: Mines of Spain Recreation Area, Dubuque, Iowa  Courtesy of Tony Campbell - Fotolia.com

Located other outskirts of Dubuque, the Mines of Spain Recreation Area is a 1,439-acre state park along the Mississippi River. The park consists of some intriguing land forms, a variety of plant species, and plant and animal communities. Mostly a combination of forests and prairies, the area is largely rugged with 250-years-old burr oaks standing like sentinels on the bluffs above the river. Some parts of the park were used for grazing, cropping, mining and logging in the past, but everything mostly looks the same way it did when Julien Dubuque came to the area in 1785. There are twelve miles of hiking trails and four miles of ski trails. If you're lucky, you might see rare animals such as bobcats, flying squirrels, red-shouldered hawks, and bald eagles. The park includes the EB Lyons Interpretive Center and the Julien Dubuque Monument. 9097 Bellevue Heights Rd, Dubuque, Iowa 52003, Phone: 563-556-0620

-- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa" Back to Top

3. Places to Visit: Fenelon Place Elevator, Dubuque, Iowa  Courtesy of spiritofamerica - Fotolia.com

The Fenelon Place elevator is probably the steepest and shortest scenic railway in the world. It takes passengers from Fourth Street up to Fenelon Place, stretching296 feet in length and 189 feet up in the air. The view of the Mississippi River, Dubuque business district, and three surrounding states is spectacular. The elevator is the brain child of Mr. J. K. Graves, a former Dubuque mayor and state senator who lived on top of the bluffs and worked at the bottom; he had to spend an hour every day going around the bluff. The original cable car was used only by Mr. Graves, and it had a simple wooden building with a winch and a coal-fired steam engine. A hemp rope pulled a simple wooden up and down. The cable cars were rebuilt in 1977, and the original gear was replaced by a modern gear box powered by a DC motor. The Fenelon Place elevator is one of the best things to do in Dubuque, Iowa. 512 Fenelon Pl, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Phone: 563-582-6496



-- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa" Back to Top

4. Parks Near Me: Eagle Point Park, Dubuque, Iowa  Courtesy of spiritofamerica - Fotolia.com



Eagle Point Park is a one hundred and sixty-four-acre park overlooking the Mississippi River and its Lock and Dam No. 11. The park, which was established in 1908, offers breathtaking views of three states: Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Park Superintendent Alfred Caldwell, whose use of native materials, designs of the buildings, and meticulous craftsmanship show his love for the prairie architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, did most of the landscaping design. Eagle Point Park consists of a range of facilities such as the Shiras Memorial Pavilion, the Riverfront Pavilion, Veranda Rooms, Terrace Room, and much more. Other fun amenities are the Rock Garden, Spray Fountain, six tennis courts, the Fish Pond, and a music band stand. The park is a popular venue for local events and celebrations - about 1,200 are held each year. Miles of hiking, biking, and walking trails weave through the park along the old trolley line starting at Shiras Avenue and ending at the large statue of an eagle. 2601 Shiras Ave, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Phone: 563-589-4263

-- You are reading "Fun Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa this Weekend with Friends" -- You are reading "Fun Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa this Weekend with Friends" Back to Top

5. Clock Tower  geraldmarella/stock.adobe.com



Dubuques historic Town Clock is a prominent landmark located on the Town Clock Plaza on Main Street. The clock tower was originally built on top of a 3-storey building at 825 Main Street in 1873 and was brought to its current site in 1971, just more than 100 years later. This was no easy job as the clock tower weighs at least 13 tons and must have been extremely difficult to reposition without damage. The clock and its tower were mounted on a lofty 4-column concrete pedestal. Today you can admire the impressive Town Clock, rumored to be accurate to within 2 seconds, as you explore the Main Street Historic District of Dubuque. Clock Town and Town Clock, Town Clock Plaza, Dubuque, IA 52001, 563-589-0890

-- You are reading "What to Do in Dubuque, Iowa this Weekend" -- You are reading "What to Do in Dubuque, Iowa this Weekend" Back to Top

6. Activities Near Me: Dubuque Museum of Art, Dubuque, Iowa  Dubuque Museum of Art



The Dubuque Museum of Art, founded in 1874, has a rich collection of over 2,200 works of primarily American art. It has one of the world's largest collections of paintings by Grant Wood, a rare and complete compilation of Edward S. Curtis's photographs of the American Indian, and a number of touring exhibitions. The museum places great value on arts education and welcomes school groups, group tours, and Boy Scout badge workshops. For children there are Saturday morning and summer art camps, for families there are family-friendly matinee art performances, and for adults there are classes in drawing and oil and landscape painting. Regular lunch-time lectures teach brown-baggers about art history. 701 Locust Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Phone: 563-557-1851

-- You are reading "Top Romantic Tourist Attractions in Dubuque, Iowa" -- You are reading "Top Romantic Tourist Attractions in Dubuque, Iowa" Back to Top

7. Veterans Memorial Plaza  City of Dubuque Government

Brainchild of a former US Marine Louis Kartman, who served in the Korean War and the famous Frozen Chosin Reservoir Battle, the original Veterans Memorial Plaza was built in 2009. At that time the memorial included a curved wall which was dedicated to the memory of all members of the services and the wars in which they fought. In 2021 the plaza underwent an enormous improvement project funded by the Dubuque Racing Association. Improvements included a decorative swirling concrete path which becomes a boardwalk projection out over a pond. At the end of the boardwalk there is a moving sculpture entitled Skyward, which contains a hidden etched poem within. Veterans Memorial Plaza, 1801 Admiral Sheehy Drive, Dubuque, IA 52001, 563-589-4263



, From LA -- You are reading "What is There to Do with Kids in Dubuque, Iowa" Back to Top

8. Winery Near Me: Stone Cliff Winery, Dubuque, Iowa  Stone Cliff Winery

Stone Cliff Winery is well known in Dubuque for its charming wine bar and tasting room located in the historic and beautifully restored Star Brewery Building in the heart of the Port of Dubuque. The spectacular aesthetics, which include exposed bricks, original industrial elements, ornate ceiling, and old black and white photos on the walls, create a warm and friendly atmosphere. They have a simple but delightful lunch menu of salads and paninis to go with their excellent wines that come from their own vineyard. Once a month the winery offers a Murder Mystery dinner, a fun and popular form of entertainment where murder is served with excellent food and select wines. 600 Star Brewery Drive, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Phone: 563-583-6100



9. Julien Dubuque Monument, Dubuque, Iowa  Courtesy of KorwelPhoto - Fotolia.com

The Julien Dubuque Monument stands like a sentinel guarding the city of Dubuque high on the bluff above Catfish Creek and the Mississippi river in the Mines of Spain Recreation Area. The monument was built in 1897 in honor of Julien Dubuque, a trader and lead miner who Mesquakie Indians granted the right to mine their land, creating the first Euro-American settlement in the area that would eventually become Dubuque and Iowa. Julien got close to the chief and even closer to his daughter, who he married. When he died, the tribe buried his body under the log mausoleum on the site of the current monument. 1810 Monument Dr, Dubuque, Iowa 52003, Phone: 563-556-0620

-- "Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" -- "Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" Back to Top

10. Caves Near Me: Crystal Lake Cave, Dubuque, Iowa  Courtesy of vovik_mar - Fotolia.com

Crystal Lake Cave was discovered in 1868 by miners who were looking for lead but instead discovered an enormous underground cave, a magical place that took nature 2 million years to create, and it is still working on it. The cave, which was opened to the public in 1932, consists of a network of passages and cave formations such as a stalactite named St. Peter's Dome and a bunch of stalagmites on a stone shelf called the Cliff Dweller. There is also a shallow underground Crystal Lake and anchorites, beautiful flowerlike white crystal clusters hanging from the ceiling of the cave. The deepest point of the cave stretches down 100 feet. The cave, which is located about five miles from Dubuque, offers a special treat for the kids, who can look for fossils and use sifter and water like real geologists in the special gem mining area. There is also an hour and half long Wild Cave Tour through unexcavated and unexplored passageways. 6684 Crystal Lake Cave Rd, Dubuque, Iowa 52003, Phone: 563-556-6451



11. Art on the River, Dubuque, Iowa  Courtesy of stryjek - Fotolia.com

Art on the River is a free temporary public art exhibit on the Mississippi Riverwalk in the Port of Dubuque. Every year, local and national artists submit outdoor installation art to an expert three-person jury, after which point ten finalists are chosen. The ten art works decorate the Mississippi Riverwalk for an entire year for the enjoyment of walkers, joggers, and families in the hopes of inspiring public interest in fine art. The Riverwalk where the art is located is stroller and wheelchair accessible. The art works may be sold, but must remain in place for an entire year. At the year's end, the jurors select a grand prize winner, and a People's Choice favorite is voted on by the citizens of Dubuque. 450 E. 3rd Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Phone: 563-690-6064

-- "New cool stuff to do in Dubuque, Iowa" -- "New cool stuff to do in Dubuque, Iowa" Back to Top or Romantic Getaways

12. Mountains Near Me: Sundown Mountain, Dubuque, Iowa  Courtesy of minicel73 - Fotolia.com

Sundown Mountain is a resort in Dubuque with ski and snowboard runs. A wonderful place to learn how to ski, Sundown Mountain offers lessons to children and adults, and it has a bunny slope with its own ski lift, practice slopes for advanced skiers, and excellent, patient instructors. The resort has twenty-one runs and four lifts, a ski patrol to guarantee visitor safety, and two warm lodges, each with its own full-service cafeteria, large-screen televisions, and comfortable lounges. This terrific family resort uses man-made snow, has camps and programs for young skiers, and is home to diverse wildlife such as deer and eagles. 16991 Asbury Road, Dubuque, Iowa 52002, Phone: 563-556-6676



13. Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa: Park Farm Winery  Courtesy of karandaev - Fotolia.com

Park Farm Winery is an eleven-acre vineyard and winery located seventeen miles west of Dubuque in the rolling hills of Iowa's countryside. Family owned and operated, the winery grows hybrid grapes that have been adapted to Iowa's shortened growing season, and they are able to withstand the harsh Midwestern winters. Park Farm Winery has a tasting room and retail store that are open year round, and they have recently begun serving made-to-order gourmet wood-fired pizza in their cafe. The winery also has rental spaces that range from intimate rooms to banqueting facilities able to host two hundred people for weddings and other special events. 15159 Thielen Road, Bankston, Iowa 52039, Phone: 563-557-3727



14. Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa: Shot Tower  Courtesy of Dmitry Grushin - Fotolia.com

Dubuque's Shot Tower, built in 1856 by the George W. Rogers Company, is one of the few remaining shot towers in the United States, and it is a National Historic Landmark. Shot towers were an innovation allowing mass production of lead shot balls by dropping molten lead from a certain height into a basin of water. At the peak of its production, Dubuque's Shot Tower was making between six and eight tons of lead shot daily for use by the United States military. The tower, which stands 120 feet tall, is tapered and made up of seven stories of stone and three stories of soft red brick. It is currently undergoing extensive renovations to repair the damage done to it through fire and general disuse. 600 East Commercial Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Phone: 563-589-4100



15. Activities Near Me: Bell Tower Theater, Dubuque, IA  Courtesy of yodiyim - Fotolia.com



Bell Tower Theater is a theatrical company in Dubuque housed in the basement of a restored chapel. Built in 1930 by the Sisters of the House of the Good Shepherd and boasting a three-hundred seat theater in the basement, the building has changed hands several times over the years, and the theater eventually fell into disrepair. After renovations beginning in 2001, Bell Tower Theater started presenting the community with high-quality theatrical productions in 2003. The theater company now presents five plays and musicals annually and has an award-winning youth program that includes theater classes for young people and a free summer youth musical program that produces two full-scale musicals each year. 2728 Asbury Road, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Phone: 563-588-3377

-- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa" Back to Top or Amazing things to do around me

16. St. Luke's United Methodist Church, Dubuque, Iowa  Tomasz/stock.adobe.com



St. Luke's United Methodist Church is a historic church located in Dubuque, Iowa. It was built in 1896 in the Richardson an Romanesque style, which was very unusual for Dubuque especially during a time when the town was not much more than a trading post and a miners' camp with log cabins and a muddy street. The church has a significant collection of religious Tiffany windows, the best in the country. The pipe organ, another significant historic element of the St.Luke's, was the largest organ in the area at the time of its installation. It has 36 ranks or pipes- 2,200 in total. St. Luke's has been included in the National Register of Historic Places. 1199 Main St, Dubuque, IA 52001, Phone: 317-846-3404



17. Activities Near Me: Sky Tours at YMCA Union Park Camp, Dubuque, Iowa  Courtesy of muro - Fotolia.com



Sky Tours is an eco-adventure tour with a nature walk and nine exciting zip lines that take its riders over ravines and valleys, through forests into the habitat of Cooper's Hawks and Great Horned Owls, and over the ruined amphitheater of the old Union Park. In its heyday in the early 20th century, Union Park attracted Dubuque citizens with band shells, a children's playground, a carousel, and a wooden roller coaster. The park fell into disuse due to declining public interest and became a Boy Scout Camp in 1946. Since 2011, fully-trained guides have been taking locals and visitors ages ten and above on fun-filled zip lining tours that leave daily and last two hours. 11764 JFK Road, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Phone: 563-484-4248

-- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa" Back to Top

18. Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa: Storybook Hill Children's Zoo  Courtesy of bulgn - Fotolia.com



Storybook Hill Children's Zoo is a replica of a 1940's American farm, and it contains all the animals that may have been on a farm in that era. Horses, cows, pigs, donkeys, goats, rabbits, and more are there for children to admire, touch, and learn about, and there are also chickens, turkeys, geese, and ducks little kids can feed. The Storybook Express train circles the park and is a fun ride for little tykes. There is a short tractor-towed wagon ride that children enjoy immensely. A picnic shelter is available for birthday parties, family reunions, and picnics, and there are plenty of unsheltered picnic areas as well. Admission is free. 12201 N. Cascade Road, Dubuque, Iowa 52003, Phone: 563-588-2551



19. Attractions Near Me: Mathias Ham House, Dubuque, Iowa  Courtesy of cityofdubuque.org



The Mathias Ham House is a large antebellum estate built in 1839 and greatly expanded in 1856. Mathias Ham, a wealthy farmer, lumberman, and brick maker who was involved in local politics and the Underground Railway, had this home built in eclectic architectural styles. Docents in period costume give excellent and detailed tours of the house and the outbuildings, which include a fur trader log cabin, a miner's lean-to, a one-room school house, and a replica mine shaft. The tour includes a ten-minute film about Mathias Ham and lasts about an hour. Due to the number of steps between the floors of the house, the tour is not wheelchair accessible or suitable for those with mobility issues. A Fourth of July ice cream social on the house grounds is a popular event with Dubuque locals and tri-state tourists. 2241 Lincoln Avenue, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Phone: 563-557-9545

-- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa" Back to Top

20. Hiking Near Me: Dubuque Water Trail, Dubuque, Iowa  Courtesy of spiritofamerica - Fotolia.com



The Dubuque Water Trail is an eleven-mile tract of the Mississippi River and Catfish Creek that can be safely paddled via canoe or kayak. Historically, the Mississippi River was a significant lifeline, and it was a prime determiner of settlement and economic development along its shores. Signs posted along the river allow canoers and kayakers to share in the history of the area, making the Dubuque Water Trail scenic and recreational, and it provides a great way to learn about local history. The water trail runs between A.Y. McDonald Park and Massey Marina Park and has five different entry points. It is suitable for both novice and experienced boaters and can be enjoyed eleven miles at a time or in shorter segments.



21. Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa: Dubuque Symphony Orchestra  Courtesy of Mr Twister - Fotolia.com



The Dubuque Symphony Orchestra is a sixty-member professional orchestra that performs approximately twenty-five concerts annually, showcasing classical, opera, chamber, and pop music. Special Christmas concerts are performed annually. Organized in 1958, the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra draws concert subscribers from across the tri-state area and attracts guest soloists from around the world. The Dubuque Youth Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1969 and draws on the skills of the fifty most talented young musicians in the region. The orchestra offers a Third Grade Art Trek, which is a forty-minute introduction to instruments and instrument families, and a Fifth Grade Art Trek, which supplements students' exploration of American history. 2728 Asbury Road, Suite 900, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Phone: 563-557-1677



22. Diamond Jo Casino, Dubuque, IA  Courtesy of Uzfoto - Fotolia.com



Diamond Jo Casino is an entertainment and gambling venue with over 975 slot machines and table games that include blackjack, craps, roulette, Pai Gow poker, Texas Hold 'em, and Mississippi Stud. The casino has a 30-lane bowling alley, a cocktail bar, facilities for weddings, meetings, and corporate events, and live entertainment four nights a week, showcasing both bands and comedians. Diamond Jo Casino has several excellent restaurants, including the Woodfire Grill, a fine dining restaurant with a cozy fireside atmosphere that serves steak and seafood. The Kitchen Buffet, on the other hand, features roast chicken, chef-carved meats, pasta, a salad and soup bar, and great desserts. Mojo's Sports Bar is a terrific place to kick back and watch the game while dining on delicious appetizers, burgers, and po' boys. 301 Bell Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Phone: 563-690-4800

-- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa" Back to Top

23. Things to Do Near Me: Q Casino, Dubuque, Iowa  Courtesy of Jeff - Fotolia.com Q Casino is a gambling destination with over 1,000 slot machines, a poker room with four tables, daily tournaments, and HDTV, which enables spectators to view the matches. Twenty-two gaming tables feature popular games such as blackjack, roulette, craps, Pai Gow poker, 21 +3, and Texas Hold 'em. Regular live musical events are hosted here, including performances by Grammy Award-winnng artists. The casino has five restaurants, including a huge buffet, a sports bar, a breakfast cafe, a fine dining restaurant with French cuisine, and a casual restaurant serving the best in comfort foods. Off-track betting on local greyhound racing is popular at Q Casino. 1855 Greyhound Park Road, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Phone: 563-582-3647



24. Things to Do Near Me: Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark, Dubuque, Iowa  Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark The Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark is located at the water's edge of the Mississippi River. It encompasses hotel rooms and suites, a restaurant, gym, arcade, business center, and a 25,000 square foot indoor water park. The water park is extremely popular with both visitors and local residents and has waterslides, tube rides, a lazy river, water spouts, squirt guns, and two whirlpools. A concession stand at the water park serves hot dogs, nachos, macaroni and cheese, pizza, and assorted snacks. The large arcade has video and pinball games and skee ball lanes. The 193 hotel rooms have thoughtful amenities and great views of either Dubuque or the Mississippi. The resort boasts a Tony Roma's restaurant that is famous for its baby back ribs and has magnificent views of the river. 350 Bell St, Dubuque, IA 52001, Phone: 563-690-4000



25. Places to Visit: Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Dubuque, Iowa  Courtesy of makistock - Fotolia.com The Dubuque Arboretum & Botanical Gardens was established in 1980 and is entirely managed and maintained by volunteers. This 56-acre labor of love is located in Marshall Park and is a living museum that changes daily; every time you come, you will have a different experience. It is mostly peaceful and serene, but there is a small park for the kids. The area consists of a range of thematic gardens that seamlessly blend and create a colorful mosaic of colors, fragrance, and sights. The Rose Garden has an award-winning display of old garden roses, hybrids, and miniature and shrub roses. There is a formal English Garden and even more formal Japanese Garden. Hosta Shade Garden has an impressive display of 13,000 host as of 900 varieties, while the Annual Gardens are showy with bursts of flowers. A conifer collection contains rare Bill Walter Dwarf Conifer and HermsenDward Conifer Collections. There is also a romantic Lagen-Buelow Gazebo. Packard Memorial Amphitheatre hosts events and celebrations, and Heinemann Visitors Center offers information and help to visitors. 3800 Arboretum Dr, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Phone: 563-556-2100



25 Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa

You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Dubuque, Iowa " Back to Top


Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page.

Loading...

Checking your browser before accessing the website.

This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly.

Please wait a few seconds.
HCM CITY  Entrepreneurs running around 100 start-ups will present their products and innovative ideas to convince investors to invest in their businesses at the 2016 Start-up Exchange to be held in HCM City at the end of this month.

The businesses are in various sectors, including IT, education, agriculture, trading and services.

Sixty of them have been chosen from a business start-up contest (Start-up Wheel 2016) organised by the same people -- the HCM City Young Businesspeople Association and the Business Start-up Support Centre -- while the rest have been recommended by incubators and start-up support organisations.

Of the 60 chosen from the contest, the organisers hailed highly Medixu, a monitoring device for people with cardiovascular diseases; ceb.vn, a website that provides training programmes in finance and accounting via infographic video (the first of its kind in Viet Nam); and Vincent hi-end pennywort powder and related products to help cool the liver, detoxify, purify the body, treat acne and scars and others.

Duong Thanh Tam, CEO of Onnet JSC and a member of the Start-up Exchange jury, said, "From the perspective of a young business owner, I support the Vietnamese Governments strategy to turn the country into a start-up nation.

But it can only succeed when every young entrepreneur, every young person dares to engage and connect and support each other.

That is why we are always ready to back events like the Start-up Exchange. I think this is not simply a playing field for young people with an ambition to succeed in life, but also an environment that equips you with deeper knowledge of managing and running a business and of business plans.

And the biggest benefit brought by the programme is linking feasible projects with capital sources and prestigious investors."

Many big investors are willing to look for promising start-ups this year, according to the organisers.

Mobifone, for instance, has a war chest of VN15 billion (US$672,645) to invest in promising start-ups in IT and telecom infrastructure.

Vietcombank is among a handful of banks that will be present, looking for promising start-ups to whom they will provide loans on easy terms.

According to economists, like start-ups elsewhere in the world, in Viet Nam too they are focused on IT and applications in healthcare, education, and agriculture.

A professor at the University of Economics International School of Business, who asked not to be named, said investment in education is flowing into developing countries, including those with a major start-up scene like Thailand and Viet Nam.

But to attract large investments, start-up ideas should not be confined to their own countries but instead should be applicable globally, he said.

Start-up Exchange, which began in 2013, has greatly benefited start-ups in the country, with more than 150 of them attracting investments of over VN22 billion ($986,547) at the annual event as of last year.

To be held at the Riverside Palace in District 4 on August 27, it is expected to attract more than 3,000 investors, start-up funds, entrepreneurs, and others.

It will be part of Start-up Day, which will also include the final round of the Start-up Wheel 2016.  VNS
The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang is striving to earn at least US$1 billion from exports by 2020, according to the provincial Department of Industry and Trade.  VNA/VNS Photo Khuong Duy

KIEN GIANG  The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang is striving to earn at least US$1 billion from exports by 2020, according to the province recently-released action programme.

Of these, farm produce is expected to yield $495 million and aquaculture $230 million. The province will boost the exports of frozen shrimp, frozen squid and rice to markets with strong purchasing power while enhancing the competitiveness and integration capacity of businesses.

The province will also support key export enterprises in finding partners, boosting selling and buying opportunities and providing services. Maintaining and enlarging distribution networks, as well as stabilising traditional markets and expanding potential markets, are also among the provinces goals.

Along with creating favourable conditions for local enterprises to upgrade their production, the province is seeking to attract large-scale projects with advanced technology.

In addition to enhancing trade promotion, the province will use market surveys and international and domestic trade fairs and exhibitions to popularise local products.

The provinces products have been sold in 43 countries and territories. It earned $196 million from exports in the past seven months, equivalent to 44.5 per cent of its yearly plan and up 1.8 per cent from the same time last year.

Meeting export goals has been challenging due to fierce competition from regional countries, shortage of capital, restricted markets and lack of materials for aquaculture processing.

However, the province still enjoyed a surge in rice exports in July, increasing total rice shipments to 270,000 tonnes in the first seven months of the year.  VNS
The Government has issued Decree No. 86/2016/N-CP (July 1, 2016) governing requirements applicable to securities investment and business activities in Viet Nam. The decree applies to securities companies, fund management companies, securities investment companies, foreign securities business organisations, and relevant organisations and individuals in Viet Nams stock market. Below are highlights of requirements for securities investment and business activities.

Foreign organisations holding 51% or more charter capital of securities business organisations in Viet Nam must meet the following requirements:

 The purchase of shares or capital portions to hold 51 per cent or more of charter capital of securities business organisation must be adopted by the general meeting of shareholders (GMS), the board of members (BOM) or owner(s) of the foreign organisation;

 The purchase of shares or capital portions to hold 51per cent or more of charter capital of securities business organisation by the foreign organisation must be adopted by GMS, BOM or owners of the securities business organisation, unless the foreign organisation makes a public offer under the securities laws;

 The foreign organisation only can use its own capital or other legal capital sources to purchase shares or capital portions; and the foreign organisation is not in the cases of ownership limits;

 The foreign organisations annual financial statement up to the latest submission is made and audited under the foreign laws and in conformity with international accounting and auditing standards;

 Additionally, the foreign organisation also must meet general requirements of organisations contributing the capital into the securities business organisations.

Establishment and operation of securities companies

Requirements to obtain the license for establishment and operation of securities companies:

 To have an office, facilities and equipment, such as a computer system, software of investment analysis, risk analysis and management, and document retention and equipment for office safety and security as guided by the Ministry of Finance (MOF);

 To have minimum capital contribution equivalent to legal capital required by the law, VN10 billion up to VN165 billion, applicable to each business scope at the time of company establishment;

 To have at least three securities practitioners for each business scope respectively. General Director (GD) must have at least three years experience in the field of finance, banking, or securities and at least three years experience in business administration; and practice certificate of financial analysis or fund management;

 To have structure of shareholders and capital contributors in compliance with general requirements by laws and comply with regulations applicable to foreign investors. At the time of company establishment, capital contributors have no accumulated loss in the latest audited annual financial statement and the latest examined biannual financial statement, if any. In case the securities company is established in the form of one member limited liability company, the owner must be a commercial bank, insurer or foreign organisation satisfying the above requirements of investing in the Vietnamese stock market.

Establishment and operation of fund management companies

Requirements to obtain the licence for establishment and operation of fund management companies:

 To have an office, facilities and equipment such as a computer system, software of investment analysis, risk analysis and management, and document retention and equipment for office safety and security as guided by MOF;

 To have minimum capital contribution equivalent to legal capital required by the laws, VN25 billion at the time of companys establishment;

 To have at least five staff obtaining practice certificates of fund management. GD and Deputy General Director (DGD) in charge of specialised services must have at least five years of experience in the field of finance, banking or insurance; and practice certificates of fund management or accepted international degrees; and must not work full-time in other business entities at the same time.

 To have a structure of shareholders and capital contributors in compliance with general requirements by laws and comply with regulations on foreign investors. In case the fund management company is established in the form of one member limited liability company, the owner must be commercial bank, insurer or foreign organisation satisfying the above requirements of investing in the Vietnamese stock market.

The decree took effect on July 1, 2016. Except converting into one member limited liability company, the securities business organisation established before the effective date of this decree and re-organise the company is exempt from requirements of structure of shareholders, capital contributors under this decree. - MAI COUNSEL -
HA NOI  The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has proposed clearing and freezing tax debts of enterprises totalling VN14.7 trillion (approximately US$655 million) as one of the measures to tackle the difficulties they are facing.

Under the proposals submitted to the Government, the ministry will probably eliminate the penalties for late payments of taxes incurred by enterprises that provided goods and services, and were supposed to receive payments from the State budget, though the State has not made all payments. Through the end of 2015, the fines total VN542 billion ($24 million).

The authority also plans to erase tax debts and fines for overdue payment totalling VN7.4 trillion ($331 million) for tax payers whose businesses were dissolved or went bankrupt before January 1, 2014.

Of the total, more than 86 per cent is owed by enterprises, with the remainder coming from households or individual businesses.

In addition, the MoF proposes to freeze the tax debts and charges on late payments of firms and household businesses for which dissolution or bankruptcy happened between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2015. The amount of the debt to be frozen is VN6.7 trillion ($300.5 million).

Explaining the proposals, Pham inh Thi, director of the ministrys Tax Policy Department, told cafef.vn that there were some situations leading to owing tax debts that were not covered in the tax regulations. One of them is the case of firms supplying goods and services serving the States infrastructure construction projects.

He said that some enterprises made efforts to pay taxes, but still owed penalties for late payments and, under current regulations, they had to use part of their after-tax incomes to pay the fines. This makes them suffer lingering losses and finally go bankrupt, he noted.

From 2007 to 2013, due to the economys sluggishness, enterprises suffered even more hardships, Thi added, thus it was not possible to collect all taxes, especially those incurred by household businesses.

inh Van Nha, deputy chairman of the National Assemblys Committee for Finance and Budget, said that erasing delinquent tax was a necessary solution to assist enterprises in this time.

He further said that it was reasonable to clear the penalties imposed on businesses that had been the States creditors, adding that some companies were having difficulties operating as they wait for payments.

It is unfair for the enterprises, if they are fined due to late payments, while the State is not, Nha said.

Tran Xuan Thang, former head of the General Department of Taxation, urged the ministry to specify criteria for enterprises to benefit from this policy. Otherwise, it would be misused by tax officials, he warned.

Tax officials tasks are to keep close watch on firms performances, thus they must ensure fairness while putting the policy into practice. Otherwise, they have to take full responsibilities for their wrongdoings, he added.

The ministrys proposals are included in the National Assemblys draft resolution on measures to boost the development of the countrys business community.  VNS
President Tran ai Quang delivers speeech at a meeting with the Supreme Peoples Procuracys key officials in Ha Noi yesterday.  VNA/VNs Photo

HA NOI  The Supreme Peoples Procuracy must continue to effectively implement the policies of the Party and State, enhance socialist legislation, ensure law enforcement and uphold the rule of law, President Tran ai Quang said yesterday.

Speaking with the agencys key officials in Ha Noi, the President, who is also head of the Central Steering Committee for Judicial Reform, asked them to pay special attention to bettering the draft law on amendments and supplements to some articles of the Penal Code 2015 and related bills.

Judiciary sectors, including the Supreme Peoples Procuracy, ought to make greater efforts to combat corruption in the spirit of no prohibited areas, he said, stressing the need to recover appropriated assets.

President Quang also hailed the sectors efforts in performing its assigned duties, saying they contributed to making judicial activities more effective.

The role and responsibility of prosecutors have been enhanced, while the time and quality of handling cases and the litigation skills of procurators have improved.

Activities by investigation agencies under the Supreme Peoples Procuracy were more and more effective, with 25 cases, including 19 relating to corruption, being prosecuted.  VNS
Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Le Hoai Trung speaks to the press about the role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in resolving the simmering East Sea (South China Sea) dispute.

How is ASEAN handling the East Sea dispute so far, in your opinion?

ASEAN has reached a consensus on the East Sea dispute, one of which is that maintaining peace, stability and co-operation in the East Sea plays a key and inseparable role for peace, stability and co-operation in the whole Southeast Asia region.

The East Sea, therefore, is in the mutual interests of all ASEAN member nations and even of the international community, judging from its geographical strategic location for global transportation, the economy and security, both for countries inside and outside the region.

As a matter of fact, the East Sea is deemed by governments, researchers and the media as one of the places most significantly at risk of conflict, as there have been tensions concerning the international community.

And the second consensus of ASEAN regarding the principle to resolve the East Sea dispute is that all countries have to abide by international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982. Particularly, parties must not resort to threat or use of force, but only dialogues and other peaceful means to resolve their disputes.

ASEAN and China have to effectively follow the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), of which there are three key contents. Item number four is about peaceful dispute resolution principles, while numbers five and six, respectively, are about exercising self-restraint to avoid the escalation of disputes and further co-operation towards establishing a Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.

ASEANs task is determining how to bring about measures that both ASEAN and China can carry out together to more effectively implement the DOC. The DOC is just a non-binding principle and ASEAN wants to negotiate with China to reach the COC, which is legally binding between signed parties. That would help to further sustain peace, stability and co-operation in the East Sea.

Has the work on the COC achieved any practical progress so far?

ASEAN nations really want to advance to the next stage of negotiations, but unfortunately, the COC so far is still at the consultation level.

The countries have exchanged their views on the new elements of a potential COC since last year, but ASEAN countries and Viet Nam in particular are hoping that all parties can further discuss a framework for the COC.

We also want to have a specific schedule - for example, trying to set the targets of what we can achieve in 2017 and a detailed working agenda on the COC. The exchange of views is a good start, but ASEAN is looking forward to taking one step closer to the COC.

Some ASEAN countries have expressed thoughts different to the rest of ASEAN regarding the East Sea dispute. Are such differences challenging the solidarity of ASEAN?

I have to state again that ASEAN considers the East Sea dispute a matter of common interest and agreed to find a peaceful solution to the dispute and to strengthen co-operation via a variety of forums and mechanisms in diplomacy, defence and maritime law enforcement co-operation, as well as the DOC and the COC.

However, it is true that some differences remain. ASEAN is an intergovernmental organisation and its members joined on a voluntary basis for the sake of their national interests. It is understandable that a country only participated in ASEAN when its interests matched those of the organisation. Yet when it became a member, it also agreed to uphold a common cause. This is not applied to ASEAN only, but to any other international organisation.

We should be reminded of how confrontations in Southeast Asia in the 60s and 70s have badly damaged the countries involved. ASEAN now is actually an opportunity to prevent such kind of tensions and conflicts from being repeated again.

A united and strong ASEAN is in the long-term interests of its partners. ASEAN is an element to promote regional peace, stability and co-operation, which will consequently be weakened if that element is undermined.

But ASEAN is also alike other international organisations like the United Nations or the European Union in terms of how its outside partners always want to pressure them when it comes to their interests and issues they care about.

If ASEAN is divided during this difficult period, some members will have to choose other partners.

The solidarity of ASEAN is what helps promote the position of each member country, and allows them to be more independent and have their own voice on issues with less dependence on the outside. A weakened ASEAN will force some members to seek new partners because they cant rely on ASEAN for what it has initially brought to them any longer. The differences between the members will increase and there will be more risks of tensions and confrontations in the region.

ASEANs consensus principle is even more needed during times of differences because all member countries will get to discuss as a group rather than just in bilateral meetings.

But the bottom line here is that ASEAN members should have a long-term vision to see that a strong ASEAN is in their own interests.

As one ASEAN foreign minister said, we will all have to pay for what was not done right.  VNS
HCM CITY  Nearly 1.2 million students in HCM City are expected to enrol in schools for the upcoming academic year, an increase of 59,000 compared to last year, according to the citys Department of Education and Training.

The number of students attending public schools this year has risen by 46,496, while private schools have seen an increase of 12,504, said Le Hong Son, director of the department.

Schools in Binh Tan District have reported an increase of 5,780 students, followed by Binh Chanh with an additional 5,380, and 12 districts with an increase of 4,250.

The city has spent VN82 billion (US$3.66 million) on new school equipment as well as teaching and learning supplies. In addition, more than 1,900 new classrooms costing a total VN2 trillion ($89.28 million) will be available for the new school year.

The city has implemented a price stabilisation programme for school supplies, with 15 participating suppliers.

To meet the increasing number of students, the education department plans to recruit a total of 4,600 teachers and officials.

Of that figure, more than 1,550 teachers for pre-schools, 1,590 teachers for primary schools, 1,200 teachers for secondary high schools and 400 for high schools will be newly employed this school year.

Last week, more than 340 new teachers and officials were assigned jobs for the new school year.

This years school fees for all grades will remain unchanged, according to a document that the citys Peoples Committee has submitted to the citys Peoples Council for approval.

The new school year begins on August 15.  VNS
Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh calls on training programmes to foster the capacity of network security experts and information system operators.  Photo vietnamplus.vn

HA NOI  The amount of hi-tech crimes has risen by 21.6 per cent in the first six months of the year, according to a report by the Ministry of Public Security.

The figure was announced at an online conference on enhancing control on crimes and human trafficking, which was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh and Minister of Public Security To Lam.

According to the report, the country has seen a rise in crimes involving the internet and social networks, including fraud and the dissemination of images and text and software used against the Government and State to trigger social disorder.

Minister of Public Security, To Lam, said the country was facing large-scale difficulties in network security. "While there are firms working in network security, theres a lack of management mechanisms in these firms, resulting in difficulties in evaluating the effectiveness of their services," he said.

Besides, due to limited capacity in the IT sector, enterprises and organisations often leave it to the service providers to take care of network security systems. This creates a large loophole in network security, according to the minister.

If we only focus on developing the network and the number of people using the network without paying proper attention to network security, we will have to face huge risks of hi-tech crime, he added.

The leader of the public security ministry also said that management of online businesses, games and the abuse of the internet for gambling faced certain challenges.

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh said network security was an urgent problem for the country, mentioning the recent cyber attacks on Vietnam Airlines websites last month. He asked relevant agencies to strengthen co-operation to boost network security capacity and cope with threats of cyber attacks.

Binh also called on training programmes to foster the capacity of network security experts and information system operators.

Regarding human trafficking, the rate has decreased by 13 per cent compared to the same period last year, with 147 cases involving 351 victims.

Human traffickers have taken advantage of the countrys openness policy and integration and set up rings to bring people abroad for prostitutions, illegal marriages and forced labour.VNS
HA NOI  Tran Van Them, 81, of northern Bac Ninh Provinces Yen Phu Commune, after 44 years charged with murdering, was declared innocent by Deputy Judge of the Supreme Peoples Court Bui Ngoc Hoa yesterday afternoon.

Further, judicial agencies are prepared to officially apologise to Them and compensate him for the losses he suffered due to their mistake.

Previously, on July 23, 1970, Them and his male cousin went to Vinh Phu Provinces ong Tinh Commune to buy tram (Canarium nigrum Engl) fruit to sell in their hometown. That night, when the two men were sleeping in a hut, a robber used a hammer to strike them. His cousin was struck in his head. Them screamed and tried to fight off the robber, who escaped. After hearing Them screaming, local residents came to his assistance. At that time, Them was found with a bloody stick in his hands. Local residents helped him bring his cousin to the communes health station for first aid. However, his cousin died on the way to Vinh Phu Hospital.

In August 1972, the Peoples Court of Vinh Phu Province charged him with murdering his cousin and sentenced him to death. Them appealed against the charge, but in August 1973 he received the same verdict from the appeals court.

However, in 1975 the real murderer confessed to having committed the crime. Early in 1976, Them was freed from prison without an official declaration from a court.

He returned to his hometown and faced much hostility from local residents and even his cousins family.

My cousins family even thought I gave money so that I could be freed. Its really painful, he said.

Since then, Them and his family continuously sent letters to authorised agencies to say he was wrongfully convicted of murder and ask them to reverse the verdict.

In 2014, the Supreme Peoples Court found the two verdicts in Thems case to have been incorrect and ordered judicial agencies to change the verdict to not guilty for Them.  VNS
HA NOI  Some 1,200 boys in kindergarten schools have been found to be suffering from genital infections in Ha Nois Hoan Kiem District.

The finding has caused concerns among many parents in the district.

The news follows screening tests recently taken by Ha Nois Family Planning and Population Centre and the Ha Noi Nephrology Hospital.

Truong Kim Hoa, head of the centre, said this was the first year the district conducted screening tests for boys at local kindergarten schools.

Hoa said many boys were found to be sent to school when their genitals were not properly washed. Therefore, foreskin problems, including phimosis and infection among boys, were common, she said.

Nguyen The Luong, deputy head of the hospital who examined the children, said improper hygiene and negligence from parents were one of the causes for the infections.

Further, many parents knew their children were developing infections with foreskin, but they thought the children were too young or it was not a suitable time to seek medical help, he said.

Further, such infections pose risks later of children contracting diseases related to kidneys and urinary tract infections, he said.

Luong advised that genital infections found in children should be quickly treated.

This is particularly a problem for young boys with undescended testicles. According to the World Health Organisation, if children with undescended testicles are treated when they are 1 to 2 years old, then the ratio for later fathering children is 90 percent. However, it treatment is delayed until children are above 15 years old, the fertility ratio drops to 15 per cent.

Luong also urged parents to join together to prevent genital infections in children.  VNS
Alison Matthiessen has been named director of communications for the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.

In her new position, Matthiessen will lead a comprehensive communications program for the school, overseeing development and distribution of content to internal and external audiences, including support of advancement activities and the recruitment and retention of students and faculty. She will coordinate efforts at the school through collaboration with its two key partners, Virginia Tech and Carilion Clinic.

Most recently, Matthiessen was communications coordinator for the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost at Virginia Tech. In that role, she supported four vice provost areas, including enrollment and degree management, faculty affairs, resource management and institutional effectiveness, and undergraduate academic affairs.

Prior to her role in the provost office, Matthiessen was marketing communications specialist for the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, where she now returns. During her tenure there, she supported the schools inaugural communications efforts as the school opened, welcoming its first two classes of students.

Matthiessen began her career in journalism as a local television news producer for the NBC and Fox affiliates in Roanoke, Virginia. She received the industrys highest honor, a Peabody Award, as a contributing producer with WSLS-10.

Matthiessen received her bachelors and masters degrees in communication at Virginia Tech.
The Iron Lady of Manipur, Chanu, who had been on a hunger strike since November 2000 in protest against alleged atrocities by security forces on civilians in the northeastern state of Manipur, ended her 16-year fast on Tuesday.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has lauded the banks in the way they have cleaned up their balance sheets. "Broadly speaking, we are comfortable with the recognition process as banks have certainly taken a lot of steps. Some banks have taken more steps than we require them to take, and so the culture of cleaning up seems well-embedded as well as a culture of recovery on the loans," RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan said.
FLOYD COUNTY -- A Charles City man was critically injured after his car collided with a Mack truck on the Avenue of the Saints on Tuesday morning.

Trent Alan Smith, 23, of Charles City was westbound on the Avenue of the Saints near the intersection of T26 at around 11:45 a.m. Tuesday when his Buick LeSabre collided with a stopped Mack truck driven by Milton Jeffrey Arroyo, 49, of Rolla, Missouri, according to the Iowa State Patrol.

Smith was airlifted by Mercy Airmed to Mercy Hospital in Mason City with life-threatening injuries and was in critical condition as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the Patrol.

Smith was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Arroyo was not injured in the crash.

The Floyd County Sheriff's Office, Nora Springs Fire Department and the Iowa Department of Motor Vehicle Enforcement assisted in the crash.
WATERLOO -- Police have arrested a Waterloo man who allegedly robbed a man of his coat at gunpoint in a bar in April.

Isaiah Tyrell Buchanan, 26, of 221 Courtland St., was arrested Tuesday for first-degree robbery, carrying weapons, felon on possession of a firearm and going armed. He was also arrested on an unrelated domestic assault charge. His bond was set at $220,000.

According to court records, Buchanan entered J's R&B Bar, 501 Independence Ave., at about 7:47 p.m., April 4. He pointed a silver-colored handgun at patron Jose Galindo and demanded money, court records state. When Galindo said he wasn't carrying cash, Buchanan took Galindo's coat and fled, according to authorities.

Witnesses were familiar with Buchanan and were able to identify him, records state.
DES MOINES  In the wee morning hours of Feb. 2, Hillary Clinton stood on a stage in Des Moines and celebrated a narrow victory in the Iowa caucuses.

That victory in Iowa was Clintons first step on a history-making journey across the country that concluded with her becoming the first woman to earn a major U.S. political partys nomination for president.

Today, more than six months after that caucus victory speech, Clinton makes her return to Iowa to hold another campaign rally, this time as the Democratic candidate for president.

Clintons national political director Amanda Renteria spoke with the Courier Des Moines Bureau last week about Clintons return to the state where it all began and the campaigns plans for Iowa.

We kicked it off here. This place is pretty special for us, Renteria said during an interview in the Clinton campaigns headquarters in downtown Des Moines. We won the caucus here. It was a big deal to have won that caucus. Its special for our entire campaign that this is where it all started, and we did it, and we learned a lot from it as well.

Clintons remarks were to focus on the economy, including her proposal for the largest investment in job creation since World War II, according to the campaign.

Renteria said Iowans can expect to see plenty of Clinton and her campaigns high-profile supporters in the months leading up to the Nov. 8 election.

Shes going to be traveling all the battleground states obviously and not stopping. Youre also going to see surrogates out here, some of our other main principals, Renteria said. Iowas used to it, so of course, (Clinton will campaign here).

Polls of the presidential race in Iowa conducted before the parties national conventions showed a tight race in Iowa.

Most election forecast maps have Iowa marked as a toss-up state or leaning slightly toward Clinton.

We know this thing is going to be tight all the way to the end. I dont see any change in that, Renteria said. Were under the assumption it will be close all the way through, and were under the assumption that weve got to make sure that were earning every single vote.

Renteria said it is important to Clinton that Democrats are successful not only in keeping the White House but also in congressional and Statehouse races. Without being asked, Renteria noted the state Senate races in Iowa, where Democrats cling to a 26-24 majority that if flipped would give Republicans full control of the Capitol.

If we build the right kind of organization here, and we are, and were really coordinating as much as we can, we can make some real headway on whats happening in the state, Renteria said. One of the things as Ive gone around talking to folks, the (state) funding thats been cut is hard for these community organizations and I can only imagine what that might mean if the Senate were to go in a different direction. So (Clinton) wants to help make sure that were building the party out here.

Renteria also said the Clinton campaign is reaching out to leaders in minority communities to engage voters, and she is confident most people who supported Bernie Sanders during the closely contested and sometimes contentious primaries will vote for Clinton in November.
DES MOINES  In her first trip to Iowa since winning the states first-in-the-nation caucuses six months ago, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton stressed her economic proposals during campaign stops Wednesday at a popular local T-shirt shop and a high school.

During a visit to Raygun, Clinton said she wants to make it easier for young entrepreneurs to start businesses and wants to encourage businesses to invest in American-made products.

Clinton accused Donald Trump, the New York businessman and Republican candidate for president, of outsourcing much of his businesses work to other countries.

This is one of the big differences I have with Donald Trump, Clinton said. He could make his ties in Denver. He could make suits in Ohio. He could make furniture in North Carolina.

You can build it in America, and I am determined that were going to build more, and were going to be able to create more businesses and more jobs by doing so.

The Trump campaign responded to Clintons assertions by pointing to Trumps previous responses to questions on the subject. During a recent interview with an Ohio radio station, Trump said he is forced to make products overseas because of trade deals that he says are bad for U.S. businesses.

All Im doing is Im doing the market, Trump told WSPD-AM in Toledo. But I want products to be made in our country.  A lot of products arent even made here anymore because theyre outsmarting us at the negotiating table, other countries.

In a conference call hosted earlier Wednesday by the Republican Party of Iowa, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge tied Clinton to President Barack Obama, whose policies she said create over-regulation of small businesses and businesses across this great country.

Clinton, during her address to a crowd of 1,600 at Des Moines Lincoln High School, cited an analysis by Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moodys and a former economic adviser to Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

Zandis analysis said Clintons proposals would result in 7.1 million new jobs, which would outpace current law by 2.2 million jobs.

Clinton also pointed out Zandis analysis called Trumps economic proposals fiscally unsound and would result in very large deficits and much higher debt load.

Clinton said during her first 100 days as president she would call for heavy investment in both physical and electronic infrastructure, in clean and renewable energy sources and programs and in programs that promote small business growth.

She also proposed a three-year moratorium on student loan payments, which she said would not only help young people start businesses but also would help recent college graduates manage their student debt.

If we do infrastructure and we do clean, renewable energy jobs, then were going to be on our way to a 21st-century economy that will work for everybody, not just those at the top, Clinton said. If we want to get the economy working for everybody, then we need a campaign that lays out the agenda so people can vote for it, so when Im elected I can tell Congress this is what the people of America voted for.

At one point during the rally, U.S. Secret Service stormed the stage to protect Clinton; they were responding to protesters who unfurled two large signs directly behind Clinton. The protesters appeared to be from an animal rights group.

During her visit to Raygun, Clinton talked shop with store owner Mike Draper, telling him her father, Hugh Rodham, printed drapery fabrics.

For the event, Draper wore a Raygun-printed T-shirt that displayed one of Clintons campaign slogans, America: Hill yes, and he gave one to Clinton.

Clintons return to Iowa was brief. She appeared at Raygun for roughly 30 minutes, popped in on a local coffee shop, then spoke for roughly 17 minutes at the rally, after which she also greeted supporters.

Clinton left immediately; she was scheduled to give a speech later in suburban Detroit.
WATERLOO  Ras Smiths mom told supporters Tuesday the Democratic House District 62 candidate has been a champion for his community since he was 2 years old.

Smiths first political stance? According to his mother Belinda Creighton-Smith, a longtime community activist, it was a public plea as a toddler, No no no no no more drugs.

Since then, Smith has had long thoughts and deep conversations with his mom about his beliefs and his ideas to strengthen the community. And while his positions have evolved, not a lot has changed.

His first priority remains on youth positive development and success.

In order to create a society thats progressive and is going to be established in 20 years, you have to take a holistic approach, understanding that everything is intertwined, Smith told a crowd of more than two dozen supporters at Lincoln Park Tuesday to kick off his general election campaign.

Smith, 28, has been in the race since March when he filed to be on the Democratic primary ballot days after Iowa Rep. Deborah Berry, D-Waterloo, announced she would be retiring after 14 years in office.

But for the first time since then, he has opposition.

Independent John Patterson was nominated by petition last week to be on the November ballot, and Republican Todd Obadal filed his paperwork earlier this week. The election is in 90 days, on Nov. 8, and early voting starts Sept. 29.

During his event, Smith laid out his other two top priorities as having educated and globally competitive Iowans, and security, safety, well-being and equity.

He stressed the importance of looking to the specific needs of the districts rural population as well as its urban areas. Iowa House District 62 encompasses east Waterloo, Raymond, Evansdale and Elk Run Heights.

While Smith did not shy away from his stances on social issues  declaring himself supportive of abortion rights and willing to look at firearm restrictions  his focus was on those areas where he hoped to find common ground with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

He said those areas where politicians could find common ground are supporting young mothers, funding education and sustainability.

Right now, our legislators are doing a lot of that sounds good type things. Theyre saying theyre going to do this and it sounds good, but when it comes down to it, were not putting those things in action, Smith said. Some of the issues that we have right now in our political arena arent political issues. These are moral issues. These are issues that at times are life or death issues.
DES MOINES  The head of the states largest public employees union warned Tuesday that correctional officers and staff at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison are at risk due to understaffing that needs to be addressed.

Danny Homan, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Iowa Council 61, issued a statement calling Iowas only maximum-security prison a dangerous place for workers, saying staffing is so critically low there arent enough employees to respond to medical or behavioral emergencies.

The working conditions at ISP are an outrage, Homan said in a statement. The men and women protecting our inmates are, in their own words, walking into ISP not knowing if they will walk out at the end of the day. They are truly, and reasonably, afraid for their safety.

Homan said there recently was a series of fights involving about 16 inmates and the discovery of makeshift weapons led to a lockdown without the staff necessary to ensure both inmate and officer safety. Also, he said, on multiple occasions in the past two weeks, at least 15 officers from state correctional facilities at Oakdale and Mount Pleasant were dispatched to the Fort Madison penitentiary to assist with shakedowns  a clear indication that ISP is desperately in need of more support.

The AFSCME leader called on Gov. Terry Branstad, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, state lawmakers and the Iowa Department of Corrections to examine staffing trends at the penitentiary and allocate the staff funding to run a safe and secure facility.

We have to do better for our public servants, Homan said in his statement. We cant sit by and let them walk into preventable danger day after day.

Fred Scaletta, spokesman for the state Department of Corrections, declined to comment on Homans statement.

On July 31, officials at the Fort Madison prison said the penitentiary had been placed on restricted movement with inmates confined to their cells following several altercations. The incidents involved multiple offenders with no serious injuries to inmates and no staff injuries, according to the departments July 31 news release.

Rep. Gary Worthan, R-Storm Lake, co-leader of the Legislatures joint justice systems appropriations subcommittee, said he has not heard of any concerns specific to the Fort Madison facility but added he is aware the is stress system-wide given the tight funding allocations within the states fiscal 2017 budget.

Weve got situations where the manpowers just not there, said Worthan, noting it is difficult to schedule vacations when state agency budgets are tight. Thats been true for state troopers who have seen extra duties related to the National Governors Associations summer meeting in Des Moines, the statewide RAGBRAI bike ride and now the Iowa State Fair, which opens an 11-day run on Thursday.

The entire justice systems budget, it put some stress on it, theres no way around it. Nobody got enough money for salary annualization, he said, let alone any increase in manpower. At the same time, he said, he has not heard from corrections officials regarding any need for supplemental funding.

Worthan said he had not seen Homans statement but he noted union officials occasionally raise staffing concerns to get the top on the publics radar before the next legislative session convenes in January.

In responding to Homans claims, Branstad spokesman Ben Hammes made note that the AFSCME leader also serves as vice chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party.

The vice chair of the Democrat Party, Danny Homan, is only interested in taking cheap political partisan shots, Hammes said in a statement. Gov. Branstad will keep his focus on the effective management of taxpayer resources at the Department of Corrections and the public safety of Iowans.
DORCHESTER  Dont girls like to camp anymore?

The Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois recently announced plans to sell Camp Tahigwa in Allamakee County. The 315 acres of wooded hills and prairies straddle one of the states finest trout streams.

Nature lover Brecka Putnam of Decorah, a volunteer counselor at the camp for six years, said she is happy plans call for it be maintained as a public nature area.

But ...

Its still a tremendous loss not to have Girl Scout programs at the camp, said Putnam, a member of Friends of Camp Tahigwa, which has urged the camp remain open.

In an era in which people are losing contact with nature, Camp Tahigwa provides a rustic, natural, technology-free experience, Putnam said.

Despite Girl Scout statistics showing declining usage at Tahigwa, Putnam said, the Scouts who camp there thoroughly enjoy the experience.

If we expose them to it, they love it, and I dont think they miss their phones, Putnam said.

Diane Nelson, president of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, agrees girls still love the outdoors. But declining use at some camps and increasing maintenance costs have forced the organization to make adjustments, she said.

That includes selling Tahigwa and converting the former Camp Conestoga into a 21st century camp with air-conditioning, microwaves and Wi-fi.

Conestoga  in Scott County, much closer to the councils demographic center  has been renamed Camp Liberty and is in the midst of a $3.6 million upgrade, according to Nelson.

On Thursday, Camp Liberty unveiled a new activity center underwritten by a $200,000 grant from Hy-Vee and intended to help Scouts learn the value of healthy choices, staying physically active and taking care of the environment.

Camp Tahigwa is part of a national trend in which many Scout camps across the nation have closed or been sold in recent years.

The not-for-profit Scouting group owns four camps in eastern Iowa with a combined value of several million dollars. An original plan to close them all met stiff resistance and a lawsuit, which may have influenced council leadership to conduct usage surveys of its properties.

Those surveys show Tahigwa is the least used of the four camps, Nelson said.

Use of Camp Liberty has increased from 800 campers last year to more 1,400 so far this year, she said.

Camp Little Cloud near Dubuque will continue to be used and maintained while a usage evaluation proceeds, Nelson said.

Camp L-Kee-Ta near Burlington has shown a slight increase in use, according to Nelson. The board, she said, has agreed to sell parcels not central to the organizations mission.

In a statement issued last month, the organization said its property committee recommends selling Tahigwa in its entirety to an entity with the condition that the land be maintained as a natural space in perpetuity for public use.

The Scouts board of directors will vote on the recommendation at its meeting Thursday.

The property committee also recommended sending a letter to the Department of Natural Resources, the conservation boards of Fayette, Winneshiek, Clayton and Allamakee counties and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, which has been instrumental in brokering similar property transfers to public entities.

Foundation President Joe McGovern said the Girl Scouts are to be complimented for their desire to protect the property in its natural condition. Hes optimistic plans for the property may even include scout camping opportunities.

They came to us to see if we are interested, and of course we are, said Mike Steuck, the DNRs northeast Iowa fisheries supervisor. Its a great resource with awesome uplands, several prairies and a mile of Bear Creek, one of the states top trout streams, flowing through it.

Conservation officials in Allamakee and Winneshiek Counties also expressed support for keeping Camp Tahigwa as a public resource.
CHARLES CITY  Can a name be destiny? In the case of DeRailed, a bar at 1130 N. Grand Ave., it appears so.

A Canadian Pacific railroad car tipped over on the adjacent tracks early Tuesday and crushed a corner of the metal storage shed at the back of the bar. Chief Hugh Anderson of the Charles City Police Department said the derailment occurred about 4 a.m. while crews were moving cars and changing hookups.

Kind of ironic that it derailed, said Lori Eckenrod of Charles City, as she sat at the bar in DeRailed shortly before noon. Kind of been the talk of the town and everywhere else, from what I heard. Her husband, Tom, is one of four co-owners of the bar.

He got called at 4:15 in the morning, she said. No one really knows what happened.

Eckenrod added, At least it happened at the end of the bar. Thats all storage.

Anderson was alerted by a patrol officer that a train car had derailed into Derailed. Its not every day you get to say that, the police chief quipped.

He said it appeared the track separated, and a grain car rolled into the bar, caving in the back corner. The owner estimated damage at $10,000. No one was in the bar and no injuries were reported.

Workers were on the scene throughout the morning assessing the situation. Heavy equipment arrived at 12:15 p.m. and workers began attaching cables to the railroad car. About 35 minutes later, the car was pulled upright.

Despite the accident, DeRailed was open for business Tuesday. Patrons were stopping in and the seats at the bar near the front of the building were full around noon.

Lucky it didnt hit the bar, or we wouldnt be in here, Teresa Smith of Osage said with a smile. She and Starla Tindell of Floyd stopped in for a drink following a business meeting in town.

A quarter after 8 this morning, I caught it on my Facebook, Tindell said of the derailment. She didnt believe me, Tindell added, pointing to Smith.

I just found out about it when I got here, said Fuzzy Hollander of Floyd. Like other patrons, he seemed unconcerned about the incident.

Outside, there was a little more interest. A steady stream of people were driving by or stopping in the parking lot to get a look at the damage.

Howard Iverson of Charles City made his second stop during the noon hour, taking some pictures. He first learned about it in the morning over coffee with a friend. He went to get a look around 8:30 a.m. but was chased away by railroad employees after taking a few photos.

That building didnt have much of a chance, did it? he said. I mean, hell, thats all the excitement we have in a small town.

Staff writer Jeff Reinitz contributed to this story.
WATERLOO  The citys top law enforcement officer has welcomed two new family members into his fold.

Waterloo Safety Services Director Dan Trelka and his wife, Sandy, adopted two girls Wednesday during a ceremony at the Black Hawk County Courthouse.

Carmella Marie Trelka, 10, and Isabella Faith Trelka, 9, join the couples five biological children and two adopted children as part of the Trelka family.

Theyve been in foster care with us for two years, Dan Trelka said. They came up for adoption several months ago and we had grown very fond of them and attached to them.

Carmella and Isabella are very sweet little girls considering difficult circumstances which led them to foster care, he said.

Those girls had no input in the hands they were dealt, Trelka said. Thats unfortunate for them. We want to give them a promising and fruitful future.

The Trelkas history as adoptive and foster parents is no secret among those close to City Hall and law enforcement. The couples other two adopted children were from the Waterloo area too.

Its simply in my wifes heart, he said. Shes passed that along to me.

Trelka doesnt anticipate the family growing with future adoptions.

But Ive said that before, he said. For the size of home we have now, were maxed out.

A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Trelka became Waterloos police chief in May 2010. He has strived to promote a community-oriented policing approach in the city during his tenure.
Perhaps next year will, finally, be the year Iowa lawmakers take substantive steps to crack down on the pervasive, dangerous problem of distracted driving.

At his July 25 weekly news conference, Gov. Terry Branstad said he asked Public Safety Commissioner Roxann Ryan to lead a task force in a study of driving distractions. Ultimately, the panel will make recommendations to Branstad ahead of the next legislative session.

Branstad said safety on Iowas roads will be one of the major issues he will discuss in his January Condition of the State address.

Weve seen not only an increase in the deaths of cyclists, bicyclists (and) motorcyclists, but also motorists, Branstad said. And I do want to see us address those issues.

We commend state government for undertaking this study, which we hope will help push the issue of distracted driving to near the forefront of next years session, where it deserves to be.

We have used this space on multiple occasions in the last several years to advocate for state action on distracted driving  in particular, use of a cellphone while driving.

We support making use of a hand-held cellphone while driving illegal.

At a minimum, the state should make texting while driving a primary offense. The state was right in 2010 to make texting while driving illegal, but because the ban is enforceable only as a secondary offense, or only when a law enforcement officer stops a driver for a primary offense, it lacks impact.

We also support discussion, pushed by the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, of changes to the states reckless driving law. In response to the deaths of nine bicyclists on Iowa roads so far this year (the most since 2010), the coalition advocates for an expanded definition of reckless driving (to include, for example, texting while driving), with a goal of stronger charges and punishment for motorists who strike bicyclists.

Under current law, drivers must be drunk, high, drag racing or fleeing from police to be considered reckless.

Alarming statistics about the scourge of cellphone use by drivers abound.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, some 660,000 drivers use cellphones or manipulate electronic devices while driving at any given daylight moment.

The National Safety Council reports use of cellphones causes 26 percent, or roughly one in four, of the nations car accidents, resulting in some 1.6 million crashes each year.

Iowa should seek to become a leader in protecting the public from this national epidemic.

To this end, we look forward to reading what the new task force recommends.

And we urge state lawmakers to join Branstad and make distracted driving a priority legislative issue next year.
Seat belt law

NORM BIBLER

WAVERLY  Again as every month or so Herman Lenz from Sumner has a letter dissing seat belt use. My father was killed in a car accident in 1953 near Oelwein before seat belts were available. I am 100 percent sure if he would have had a seat belt on, he would have been only slightly injured.

He and my mother were both ejected from their Packard vehicle. She was critically injured.

Statistics show between 1964 and 1973, an average of 843 traffic deaths occurred yearly. Adopting a tougher drunken-driving law lowered the fatality figure to 470 in each of four consecutive years.

Other states supported mandatory use of seat belts. In Illinois, 38 fewer people died in the first six months after its seat belt law went into effect. Missouri recorded 51 fewer deaths for the year, and Nebraska had 47 fewer casualties.

On Feb. 20, 1986, Iowa became the 18th state to require seat belts. So Herman, go ahead and ride around sitting on your seat belts. I wont be surprised to see your name on the obituary page.

Trumps mental state

VELMA FLAUCHER-FALCK

CEDAR FALLS  Hillary Clinton (and many others) is correct in saying Donald Trump is missing something. No one has said it outright, that I know of, but he has many signs of being mentally ill. He doesnt understand nor care about the significance of his words and actions and how they affect others.

Trump is totally within himself. A good many of his sentences begin with I or me. There is always some rationale for his behavior and it is always someone elses fault. He has a grandiose mentality. He can do no wrong. He may even think of himself as God.

Before anyone runs for president of the United States, he or she should be given a psychiatric evaluation. The world depends on stability. Mentally ill people strive to drag others into their distorted world. That is how they justify themselves.

If you cant see the damage Donald Trump can and is heaping on others, you may be mesmerized into his sick rhetoric. Saying you have always been a Republican and always will be, despite whatever or whoever, is sick itself. The Republican Party sold its soul when they declared war against President Obama.

Police officers

SHERRI MURPHY

WATERLOO  Its becoming more common nationally that police officers are being arrested for their actions and are being fired.

While there are officers who are doing right protecting us, there are officers who are wrong-doers.

Trump children

VERNON WEEMS

WATERLOO  I challenge your readers to both a mental academic workout and food for thought and deliberation. Then share their thoughts by writing a letter. On Aug. 5, Donald Trump suggested daughter, Ivanka, as a member of his cabinet if elected.

What do readers think about Ivanka as a cabinet secretary and which slot she might fill? Should any other or all of his children and other family members be included in his possible administration? I have reserved stating my opinion so as not to taint the discussion.
BETHEL, Vt. Whether or not there is such as thing as Pagan community is as slippery a concept as the definition of Pagan itself. The core question is whether or not people who follow vastly different traditions have enough in common to share a common label, or a common table. Some festivals are positioned to reinforce a feeling of community. For example, at the end of Pagan Spirit Gathering participants dont just leave; they head out on a year-long supply run. This week, participants at CWPNs Harvest Gathering are told, Welcome home, as they arrive at the camp.

This begs the question: can community exist if its members gather only once a year?

One group of Pagans, who gathered in rural Vermont at the end of last month, certainly think so. They were attending the annual Lughnasad festival at Laurelin Retreat , where notions of community were reinforced by this years theme: The Journey Home.

For some, Laurelin is considered one of the most beautiful Pagan places that no one has ever heard of. It is located on over 50 acres of land that was once farmed a generation ago. It slopes gently upward from ritual fields into verdant forest. Earlier in the summer the site was descended upon by well over a thousand people who disappeared into the woods for the Firefly Arts Collective, a Burning Man regional feeder festival. But the aggressive leave-no-trace ethic makes that hard to believe.

The Lughnasad festival is a much smaller event with some 70 in attendance this year.

That number of people together for meals, rituals, workshops, and discussions for five days is small enough to form personal connections, but large enough that this bounding wont happen widely without some effort. Attendees were randomly assigned to houses, color-themed groups responsible for aspects of the main ritual. Encouraged to wear their house color, they were also asked to sit together for lunch, whether or not they were on the meal plan. Its not a new idea, but it encouraged people to forge connections they might have otherwise overlooked.

This is a far cry from the halls of Pantheacon, where people juggle massive schedules and often meet each other waiting for elevators. Only one or two workshops were held at a time, under the dining fly or the shade of the box elder tree. There were also daily guided discussions, and one of those was focused specifically on community. Since blogger Cat Chapin-Bishop  who wrote a love letter to the Pagan community  was in attendance, Laurelin host Kirk White tapped her to facilitate.

Chapin-Bishop is a teacher, she explained, and during the school year, online is the only community [she] can find. It was in that space that she has seen Pagans debate whether there is a community among these religions, and if its even important to strive for one.

Some say we dont share enough theology to make that viable, she went on, but thats not at all my impression.

White has been hosting events at Laurelin for at least 30 years, and said a loose definition of membership had been adopted: If youve been here at least once, and identify yourself as part of the Laurelin community, then you are.

People from many different Pagan traditions have crossed through the gate, he said, in part because of how he differentiates community from tribe in his thinking. Tribalism is us against them, he said, but he models community more on the annual town meeting tradition in Vermont. People disagree with me on a lot of things, but we work together for the common good of the community. Its a broader concept than tradition or tribe, he explained.

Walking the land and meeting the attendees reinforces that notion of community. Shrines to several deities, which were erected by a Hellenic reconstructionist group, dot the landscape in among old ritual circles used by Whites family in days gone by and sites which once held more temporary shrines to local spirits or foreign gods. The most prominent shrine is a standing stone on the cusp of the woods; this is the community shrine, where news of the year is shared as offerings are made.

High magicians and Witches alike participated in a Heathen sumbel, drinking to the many gods worshiped and honored by those around the fire. Some of the same people joined the five Quaker Pagans in silent worship. Conversations during meals or over a shared drink helped forge connections among people who traveled from as far as Texas and Michigan to be in attendance.

A common aspect of community, agreed those at Lughnasad, is the coming together over death and grief. One community member was even buried on Laurelin lands.

Not all aspects of community are tied to place, observed one traveler. I feel a sense of community in Pagan gatherings all over the country, she said. Chapin-Bishop characterized that as the cross-pollination which makes the next generation stronger as a result.

I dont feel woven into a community until I return a third time, Chapin-Bishop said, but even that depends in part on the nature of the event. She drew a distinction between what she called consumer Paganism  paying to be entertained at a festival  and the notion of duocracy, in which people who want to improve the experience simply do something to make that happen. The difference is partly cultural, and partly pragmatic. The more people in attendance, the more likely a festival will take on a consumer feel.

Another way White has tried to avoid the consumer feel is by employing something he has borrowed shamelessly from the Rites of Spring. Prior to the event, a group of village builders transform the site and make it ready for everyone else. By doing so, they create bonds which they attempt to infuse into the entire site. Then these builders are broken into different houses, so that they dont just talk only to the people that they know for the rest of the week.

Its easy for the locals to hang out together, White said, but hes mindful that many Pagans are introverts. The goal is that it doesnt feel like youre going to someone elses family reunion.

Whites daughter Killian has watched this community shift and change over 25 years. She likened the way people step into a central role for a time before backing away to part of a tree breaking off. That can happen for any number of reasons, including when it arises out of conflict.

Are conflicts a bug or a feature of community? Chapin-Bishop pondered.

Conflict can arise over theological differences, leadership styles, or personal relationships. One goal of community might be to find ways for people to experience conflict without one member feeling that they must leave, and never return. As one attendee said, Real communities have ragged edges, both as a result of conflict, and because the definition of who belongs can often get fuzzy.

The community feel at Laurelin was palpable during Lughnasad. The site is more primitive than some with only porta-potties and limited running water available. But, this fact also may be considered a feature rather than a bug. It meant that worshipers of Caffeina tended to gather around the great central percolator each morning, and that dish washing after meals was also a communal experience.

Thats only possible because of the small number of people. However, White is confident that triple the number wouldnt change that vibe or tax the facilities.

What a small festival doesnt mean is a lack of options. A half-dozen or more vendors opened up shop for the week, and their number swelled Saturday afternoon to accommodate a psychic fair thats open to the public. Lughnasad also has a history of attracting talented musical guests; this year Jenna Greene and Willowfire graced the stage for a concert that brought the energy levels up. Many later used that juice to climb the road leading to the fire circle in the deep woods, where drums and dancing continued until light returned.

One particularly poignant observation about community was made by Sybelle Silverphoenix. I was one of the last 250 finalists for the Mars One project, she told people at the community shrine. During the first round, 4,227 people applied, and she was ultimately not selected as part of the Mars 100 finalists. Nevertheless, It made me think long and hard about what home is, and by extension, community as well. Silverphoenix is planning on applying to future rounds, and if shes successful, shell become the most distant member of the Laurelin community to date.

This idea of community remains a moving target, particularly among Pagans who attempt to create it largely through the internet or annual gatherings. While this group of Vermont Pagans probably dont have a universal key to the idea, they have at least found a sweet spot for creating community with Yankee flair.
archives 11 Sep - 18 Sep (1) 14 Aug - 21 Aug (3) 7 Aug - 14 Aug (3) 17 Jul - 24 Jul (3) 10 Jul - 17 Jul (3) 19 Jun - 26 Jun (2) 12 Jun - 19 Jun (4) 22 May - 29 May (1) 15 May - 22 May (5) 1 May - 8 May (2) 17 Apr - 24 Apr (3) 27 Feb - 6 Mar (3) 13 Feb - 20 Feb (1) 30 Jan - 6 Feb (3) 2 Jan - 9 Jan (4) 26 Dec - 2 Jan (1) 5 Dec - 12 Dec (3) 28 Nov - 5 Dec (2) 14 Nov - 21 Nov (1) 7 Nov - 14 Nov (1) 10 Oct - 17 Oct (1) 22 Aug - 29 Aug (3) 15 Aug - 22 Aug (1) 8 Aug - 15 Aug (3) 1 Aug - 8 Aug (1) 25 Jul - 1 Aug (3) 18 Jul - 25 Jul (1) 11 Jul - 18 Jul (1) 27 Jun - 4 Jul (4) 20 Jun - 27 Jun (3) 13 Jun - 20 Jun (1) 30 May - 6 Jun (2) 23 May - 30 May (4) 2 May - 9 May (3) 25 Apr - 2 May (4) 4 Apr - 11 Apr (2) 28 Mar - 4 Apr (4) 28 Feb - 7 Mar (1) 7 Feb - 14 Feb (2) 10 Jan - 17 Jan (2) 27 Dec - 3 Jan (2) 13 Dec - 20 Dec (3) 6 Dec - 13 Dec (1) 29 Nov - 6 Dec (1) 15 Nov - 22 Nov (6) 8 Nov - 15 Nov (1) 25 Oct - 1 Nov (1) 18 Oct - 25 Oct (3) 4 Oct - 11 Oct (1) 27 Sep - 4 Oct (1) 20 Sep - 27 Sep (2) 13 Sep - 20 Sep (4) 6 Sep - 13 Sep (3) 30 Aug - 6 Sep (1) 23 Aug - 30 Aug (1) 16 Aug - 23 Aug (4) 9 Aug - 16 Aug (1) 2 Aug - 9 Aug (3) 26 Jul - 2 Aug (4) 19 Jul - 26 Jul (5) 12 Jul - 19 Jul (2) 5 Jul - 12 Jul (7) 28 Jun - 5 Jul (2) 21 Jun - 28 Jun (7) 14 Jun - 21 Jun (4) 7 Jun - 14 Jun (4) 31 May - 7 Jun (3) 24 May - 31 May (2) 17 May - 24 May (1) 10 May - 17 May (1) 19 Apr - 26 Apr (1) 12 Apr - 19 Apr (1) 15 Mar - 22 Mar (1) 8 Mar - 15 Mar (3) 1 Mar - 8 Mar (2) 23 Feb - 1 Mar (2) 9 Feb - 16 Feb (3) 26 Jan - 2 Feb (1) 19 Jan - 26 Jan (2) 12 Jan - 19 Jan (2) 5 Jan - 12 Jan (1) 29 Dec - 5 Jan (1) 8 Dec - 15 Dec (1) 24 Nov - 1 Dec (2) 17 Nov - 24 Nov (1) 27 Oct - 3 Nov (1) 6 Oct - 13 Oct (1) 1 Sep - 8 Sep (2) 25 Aug - 1 Sep (4) 18 Aug - 25 Aug (1) 11 Aug - 18 Aug (2) 4 Aug - 11 Aug (8) 28 Jul - 4 Aug (5) 14 Jul - 21 Jul (3) 7 Jul - 14 Jul (3) 30 Jun - 7 Jul (4) 23 Jun - 30 Jun (2) 16 Jun - 23 Jun (4) 9 Jun - 16 Jun (1) 2 Jun - 9 Jun (5) 26 May - 2 Jun (1) 19 May - 26 May (6) 12 May - 19 May (1) 21 Apr - 28 Apr (3) 14 Apr - 21 Apr (1) 31 Mar - 7 Apr (3) 24 Mar - 31 Mar (6) 17 Mar - 24 Mar (5) 10 Mar - 17 Mar (1) 3 Mar - 10 Mar (3) 24 Feb - 3 Mar (2) 17 Feb - 24 Feb (5) 10 Feb - 17 Feb (3) 3 Feb - 10 Feb (2) 20 Jan - 27 Jan (3) 13 Jan - 20 Jan (1) 23 Dec - 30 Dec (3) 2 Dec - 9 Dec (1) 25 Nov - 2 Dec (2) 18 Nov - 25 Nov (2) 11 Nov - 18 Nov (2) 4 Nov - 11 Nov (1) 21 Oct - 28 Oct (4) 14 Oct - 21 Oct (5) 7 Oct - 14 Oct (2) 30 Sep - 7 Oct (1) 23 Sep - 30 Sep (1) 9 Sep - 16 Sep (4) 2 Sep - 9 Sep (1) 19 Aug - 26 Aug (1) 12 Aug - 19 Aug (4) 5 Aug - 12 Aug (6) 29 Jul - 5 Aug (2) 22 Jul - 29 Jul (1) 15 Jul - 22 Jul (3) 8 Jul - 15 Jul (4) 1 Jul - 8 Jul (1) 24 Jun - 1 Jul (1) 17 Jun - 24 Jun (3) 10 Jun - 17 Jun (5) 3 Jun - 10 Jun (3) 27 May - 3 Jun (5) 20 May - 27 May (6) 13 May - 20 May (6) 6 May - 13 May (1) 29 Apr - 6 May (5) 22 Apr - 29 Apr (4) 15 Apr - 22 Apr (6) 8 Apr - 15 Apr (4) 1 Apr - 8 Apr (4) 25 Mar - 1 Apr (3) 18 Mar - 25 Mar (3) 11 Mar - 18 Mar (3) 4 Mar - 11 Mar (4) 25 Feb - 4 Mar (3) 18 Feb - 25 Feb (1) 11 Feb - 18 Feb (4) 4 Feb - 11 Feb (5) 28 Jan - 4 Feb (6) 21 Jan - 28 Jan (1) 14 Jan - 21 Jan (4) 7 Jan - 14 Jan (2) 31 Dec - 7 Jan (7) 24 Dec - 31 Dec (2) 17 Dec - 24 Dec (3) 10 Dec - 17 Dec (1) 3 Dec - 10 Dec (4) 26 Nov - 3 Dec (3) 19 Nov - 26 Nov (2) 12 Nov - 19 Nov (1) 5 Nov - 12 Nov (4) 22 Oct - 29 Oct (3) 15 Oct - 22 Oct (4) 8 Oct - 15 Oct (4) 1 Oct - 8 Oct (1) 10 Sep - 17 Sep (2) 3 Sep - 10 Sep (2) 27 Aug - 3 Sep (1) 20 Aug - 27 Aug (6) 6 Aug - 13 Aug (4) 30 Jul - 6 Aug (1) 23 Jul - 30 Jul (5) 16 Jul - 23 Jul (3) 9 Jul - 16 Jul (5) 25 Jun - 2 Jul (5) 18 Jun - 25 Jun (2) 11 Jun - 18 Jun (6) 4 Jun - 11 Jun (1) 28 May - 4 Jun (5) 21 May - 28 May (2) 14 May - 21 May (4) 7 May - 14 May (4) 30 Apr - 7 May (4) 23 Apr - 30 Apr (3) 16 Apr - 23 Apr (3) 9 Apr - 16 Apr (1) 2 Apr - 9 Apr (3) 26 Mar - 2 Apr (2) 19 Mar - 26 Mar (3) 12 Mar - 19 Mar (3) 5 Mar - 12 Mar (2) 26 Feb - 5 Mar (3) 19 Feb - 26 Feb (2) 12 Feb - 19 Feb (2) 5 Feb - 12 Feb (6) 29 Jan - 5 Feb (5) 22 Jan - 29 Jan (1) 15 Jan - 22 Jan (8) 8 Jan - 15 Jan (7) 1 Jan - 8 Jan (4) 25 Dec - 1 Jan (3) 11 Dec - 18 Dec (3) 13 Nov - 20 Nov (4) 6 Nov - 13 Nov (2) 30 Oct - 6 Nov (1) 23 Oct - 30 Oct (1) 16 Oct - 23 Oct (1) 9 Oct - 16 Oct (1) 2 Oct - 9 Oct (2) 25 Sep - 2 Oct (1) 18 Sep - 25 Sep (4) 11 Sep - 18 Sep (2) 4 Sep - 11 Sep (1) 28 Aug - 4 Sep (4) 21 Aug - 28 Aug (1) 14 Aug - 21 Aug (2) 7 Aug - 14 Aug (4) 31 Jul - 7 Aug (6) 24 Jul - 31 Jul (3) 17 Jul - 24 Jul (6) 10 Jul - 17 Jul (3) 3 Jul - 10 Jul (6) 26 Jun - 3 Jul (3) 19 Jun - 26 Jun (4) 5 Jun - 12 Jun (5) 29 May - 5 Jun (1) 22 May - 29 May (1) 15 May - 22 May (1) 8 May - 15 May (5) 1 May - 8 May (5) 24 Apr - 1 May (1) 17 Apr - 24 Apr (2) 10 Apr - 17 Apr (3) 3 Apr - 10 Apr (2) 20 Mar - 27 Mar (2) 13 Mar - 20 Mar (4) 6 Mar - 13 Mar (1) 28 Feb - 6 Mar (2) 21 Feb - 28 Feb (1) 14 Feb - 21 Feb (1) 7 Feb - 14 Feb (3) 24 Jan - 31 Jan (2) 17 Jan - 24 Jan (3) 10 Jan - 17 Jan (2) 3 Jan - 10 Jan (1) 27 Dec - 3 Jan (1) 20 Dec - 27 Dec (1) 13 Dec - 20 Dec (3) 6 Dec - 13 Dec (2) 29 Nov - 6 Dec (2) 22 Nov - 29 Nov (2) 15 Nov - 22 Nov (1) 8 Nov - 15 Nov (5) 1 Nov - 8 Nov (2) 25 Oct - 1 Nov (2) 18 Oct - 25 Oct (1) 11 Oct - 18 Oct (4) 4 Oct - 11 Oct (1) 27 Sep - 4 Oct (3) 20 Sep - 27 Sep (2) 13 Sep - 20 Sep (1) 6 Sep - 13 Sep (3) 30 Aug - 6 Sep (5) 23 Aug - 30 Aug (6) 16 Aug - 23 Aug (1) 9 Aug - 16 Aug (1) 2 Aug - 9 Aug (3) 26 Jul - 2 Aug (2) 19 Jul - 26 Jul (1) 12 Jul - 19 Jul (5) 5 Jul - 12 Jul (6) 28 Jun - 5 Jul (4) 21 Jun - 28 Jun (7) 14 Jun - 21 Jun (5) 7 Jun - 14 Jun (2) 31 May - 7 Jun (5) 24 May - 31 May (3) 17 May - 24 May (5) 10 May - 17 May (3) 3 May - 10 May (1) 26 Apr - 3 May (1) 19 Apr - 26 Apr (5) 12 Apr - 19 Apr (5) 5 Apr - 12 Apr (2) 29 Mar - 5 Apr (1) 22 Mar - 29 Mar (5) 15 Mar - 22 Mar (9) 8 Mar - 15 Mar (6) 1 Mar - 8 Mar (10) 22 Feb - 1 Mar (5) 15 Feb - 22 Feb (5) 1 Feb - 8 Feb (2) 25 Jan - 1 Feb (1) 18 Jan - 25 Jan (4) 11 Jan - 18 Jan (1) 4 Jan - 11 Jan (3) 28 Dec - 4 Jan (3) 21 Dec - 28 Dec (3) 14 Dec - 21 Dec (4) 7 Dec - 14 Dec (2) 30 Nov - 7 Dec (3) 23 Nov - 30 Nov (3) 9 Nov - 16 Nov (3) 2 Nov - 9 Nov (5) 26 Oct - 2 Nov (3) 19 Oct - 26 Oct (8) 12 Oct - 19 Oct (6) 5 Oct - 12 Oct (3) 28 Sep - 5 Oct (5) 21 Sep - 28 Sep (4) 14 Sep - 21 Sep (1) 7 Sep - 14 Sep (4) 31 Aug - 7 Sep (1) 24 Aug - 31 Aug (2) 17 Aug - 24 Aug (2) 10 Aug - 17 Aug (7) 3 Aug - 10 Aug (3) 27 Jul - 3 Aug (3) 20 Jul - 27 Jul (3) 13 Jul - 20 Jul (4) 6 Jul - 13 Jul (1) 29 Jun - 6 Jul (5) 22 Jun - 29 Jun (2) 15 Jun - 22 Jun (4) 8 Jun - 15 Jun (2) 1 Jun - 8 Jun (2) 25 May - 1 Jun (8) 18 May - 25 May (4) 11 May - 18 May (1) 4 May - 11 May (3) 27 Apr - 4 May (4) 20 Apr - 27 Apr (2) 13 Apr - 20 Apr (6) 6 Apr - 13 Apr (2) 23 Mar - 30 Mar (4) 16 Mar - 23 Mar (2) 9 Mar - 16 Mar (2) 2 Mar - 9 Mar (2) 23 Feb - 2 Mar (2) 16 Feb - 23 Feb (1) 9 Feb - 16 Feb (6) 2 Feb - 9 Feb (1) 26 Jan - 2 Feb (2) 19 Jan - 26 Jan (1) 12 Jan - 19 Jan (1) 29 Dec - 5 Jan (1) 22 Dec - 29 Dec (2) 8 Dec - 15 Dec (2) 1 Dec - 8 Dec (1) 24 Nov - 1 Dec (4) 17 Nov - 24 Nov (4) 10 Nov - 17 Nov (1) 3 Nov - 10 Nov (4) 20 Oct - 27 Oct (2) 13 Oct - 20 Oct (4) 29 Sep - 6 Oct (1) 22 Sep - 29 Sep (2) 15 Sep - 22 Sep (3) 8 Sep - 15 Sep (1) 1 Sep - 8 Sep (6) 25 Aug - 1 Sep (7) 18 Aug - 25 Aug (9) 11 Aug - 18 Aug (6) 4 Aug - 11 Aug (4) 28 Jul - 4 Aug (3) 21 Jul - 28 Jul (8) 14 Jul - 21 Jul (4) 7 Jul - 14 Jul (5) 30 Jun - 7 Jul (8) 23 Jun - 30 Jun (8) 16 Jun - 23 Jun (4) 9 Jun - 16 Jun (7) 2 Jun - 9 Jun (7) 26 May - 2 Jun (8) 19 May - 26 May (7) 12 May - 19 May (5) 5 May - 12 May (5) 28 Apr - 5 May (11) 21 Apr - 28 Apr (6) 14 Apr - 21 Apr (5) 7 Apr - 14 Apr (6) 31 Mar - 7 Apr (7) 24 Mar - 31 Mar (4) 17 Mar - 24 Mar (4) 3 Mar - 10 Mar (6) 24 Feb - 3 Mar (3) 17 Feb - 24 Feb (3) 10 Feb - 17 Feb (5) 3 Feb - 10 Feb (3) 27 Jan - 3 Feb (6) 20 Jan - 27 Jan (1) 13 Jan - 20 Jan (6) 6 Jan - 13 Jan (2) 30 Dec - 6 Jan (2) 23 Dec - 30 Dec (1) 16 Dec - 23 Dec (3) 9 Dec - 16 Dec (2) 2 Dec - 9 Dec (1) 25 Nov - 2 Dec (1) 18 Nov - 25 Nov (3) 11 Nov - 18 Nov (5) 4 Nov - 11 Nov (2) 28 Oct - 4 Nov (6) 21 Oct - 28 Oct (9) 14 Oct - 21 Oct (9) 30 Sep - 7 Oct (4) 23 Sep - 30 Sep (2) 16 Sep - 23 Sep (2) 9 Sep - 16 Sep (6) 2 Sep - 9 Sep (3) 26 Aug - 2 Sep (3) 19 Aug - 26 Aug (3) 12 Aug - 19 Aug (7) 5 Aug - 12 Aug (4) 29 Jul - 5 Aug (8) 22 Jul - 29 Jul (7) 15 Jul - 22 Jul (7) 8 Jul - 15 Jul (7) 1 Jul - 8 Jul (7) 24 Jun - 1 Jul (9) 17 Jun - 24 Jun (10) 10 Jun - 17 Jun (7) 3 Jun - 10 Jun (10) 27 May - 3 Jun (6) 20 May - 27 May (8) 13 May - 20 May (8) 6 May - 13 May (11) 29 Apr - 6 May (6) 22 Apr - 29 Apr (8) 15 Apr - 22 Apr (5) 8 Apr - 15 Apr (11) 1 Apr - 8 Apr (5) 25 Mar - 1 Apr (9) 18 Mar - 25 Mar (9) 11 Mar - 18 Mar (8) 4 Mar - 11 Mar (8) 19 Feb - 26 Feb (7) 12 Feb - 19 Feb (7) 5 Feb - 12 Feb (5) 29 Jan - 5 Feb (7) 22 Jan - 29 Jan (4) 15 Jan - 22 Jan (2) 8 Jan - 15 Jan (5) 1 Jan - 8 Jan (5) 25 Dec - 1 Jan (6) 18 Dec - 25 Dec (4) 11 Dec - 18 Dec (5) 4 Dec - 11 Dec (7) 27 Nov - 4 Dec (7) 20 Nov - 27 Nov (7) 13 Nov - 20 Nov (3) 6 Nov - 13 Nov (4) 30 Oct - 6 Nov (5) 23 Oct - 30 Oct (9) 16 Oct - 23 Oct (3) 9 Oct - 16 Oct (8) 2 Oct - 9 Oct (5) 25 Sep - 2 Oct (11) 18 Sep - 25 Sep (4) 11 Sep - 18 Sep (6) 4 Sep - 11 Sep (6) 28 Aug - 4 Sep (7) 21 Aug - 28 Aug (3) 14 Aug - 21 Aug (9) 7 Aug - 14 Aug (4) 31 Jul - 7 Aug (8) 24 Jul - 31 Jul (11) 17 Jul - 24 Jul (8) 10 Jul - 17 Jul (9) 3 Jul - 10 Jul (11) 26 Jun - 3 Jul (9) 19 Jun - 26 Jun (9) 12 Jun - 19 Jun (7) 5 Jun - 12 Jun (9) 29 May - 5 Jun (5) 22 May - 29 May (8) 15 May - 22 May (9) 8 May - 15 May (4) 1 May - 8 May (6) 24 Apr - 1 May (6) 17 Apr - 24 Apr (10) 10 Apr - 17 Apr (8) 3 Apr - 10 Apr (8) 27 Mar - 3 Apr (8) 20 Mar - 27 Mar (8) 13 Mar - 20 Mar (12) 6 Mar - 13 Mar (7) 27 Feb - 6 Mar (7) 20 Feb - 27 Feb (11) 13 Feb - 20 Feb (7) 6 Feb - 13 Feb (5) 30 Jan - 6 Feb (8) 23 Jan - 30 Jan (10) 16 Jan - 23 Jan (10) 9 Jan - 16 Jan (9) 2 Jan - 9 Jan (11) 26 Dec - 2 Jan (6) 19 Dec - 26 Dec (7) 12 Dec - 19 Dec (6) 5 Dec - 12 Dec (7) 28 Nov - 5 Dec (5) 21 Nov - 28 Nov (4) 14 Nov - 21 Nov (7) 7 Nov - 14 Nov (6) 31 Oct - 7 Nov (6) 24 Oct - 31 Oct (5) 17 Oct - 24 Oct (5) 10 Oct - 17 Oct (7) 3 Oct - 10 Oct (2) 26 Sep - 3 Oct (4) 19 Sep - 26 Sep (6) 12 Sep - 19 Sep (7) 5 Sep - 12 Sep (10) 29 Aug - 5 Sep (8) 22 Aug - 29 Aug (5) 15 Aug - 22 Aug (6) 8 Aug - 15 Aug (6) 1 Aug - 8 Aug (4) 25 Jul - 1 Aug (13) 18 Jul - 25 Jul (9) 11 Jul - 18 Jul (9) 4 Jul - 11 Jul (8) 27 Jun - 4 Jul (9) 20 Jun - 27 Jun (11) 13 Jun - 20 Jun (11) 6 Jun - 13 Jun (11) 30 May - 6 Jun (9) 23 May - 30 May (23) 16 May - 23 May (12) 9 May - 16 May (12) 2 May - 9 May (10) 25 Apr - 2 May (7) 18 Apr - 25 Apr (9) 11 Apr - 18 Apr (10) 4 Apr - 11 Apr (11) 28 Mar - 4 Apr (9) 21 Mar - 28 Mar (6) 14 Mar - 21 Mar (9) 7 Mar - 14 Mar (2) 28 Feb - 7 Mar (9) 21 Feb - 28 Feb (7) 14 Feb - 21 Feb (9) 7 Feb - 14 Feb (9) 31 Jan - 7 Feb (6) 24 Jan - 31 Jan (14) 17 Jan - 24 Jan (9) 10 Jan - 17 Jan (11) 3 Jan - 10 Jan (10) 27 Dec - 3 Jan (10) 20 Dec - 27 Dec (8) 13 Dec - 20 Dec (6) 6 Dec - 13 Dec (9) 29 Nov - 6 Dec (13) 22 Nov - 29 Nov (10) 15 Nov - 22 Nov (14) 8 Nov - 15 Nov (11) 1 Nov - 8 Nov (16) 25 Oct - 1 Nov (13) 18 Oct - 25 Oct (12) 11 Oct - 18 Oct (9) 4 Oct - 11 Oct (11) 27 Sep - 4 Oct (14) 20 Sep - 27 Sep (19) 13 Sep - 20 Sep (13) 6 Sep - 13 Sep (12) 30 Aug - 6 Sep (15) 23 Aug - 30 Aug (15) 16 Aug - 23 Aug (16) 9 Aug - 16 Aug (14) 2 Aug - 9 Aug (15) 26 Jul - 2 Aug (20) 19 Jul - 26 Jul (10) 12 Jul - 19 Jul (13) 5 Jul - 12 Jul (21) 28 Jun - 5 Jul (15) 21 Jun - 28 Jun (20) 14 Jun - 21 Jun (10) 7 Jun - 14 Jun (13) 31 May - 7 Jun (13) 24 May - 31 May (13) 17 May - 24 May (15) 10 May - 17 May (16) 3 May - 10 May (11) 26 Apr - 3 May (21) 19 Apr - 26 Apr (17) 12 Apr - 19 Apr (20) 5 Apr - 12 Apr (16) 29 Mar - 5 Apr (19) 22 Mar - 29 Mar (17) 15 Mar - 22 Mar (23) 8 Mar - 15 Mar (22) 1 Mar - 8 Mar (21) 22 Feb - 1 Mar (22) 15 Feb - 22 Feb (25) 8 Feb - 15 Feb (25) 1 Feb - 8 Feb (21) 25 Jan - 1 Feb (23) 18 Jan - 25 Jan (19) 11 Jan - 18 Jan (35) 4 Jan - 11 Jan (23) 28 Dec - 4 Jan (27) 21 Dec - 28 Dec (28) 14 Dec - 21 Dec (23) 7 Dec - 14 Dec (22) 30 Nov - 7 Dec (19) 23 Nov - 30 Nov (22) 16 Nov - 23 Nov (19) 9 Nov - 16 Nov (15) 2 Nov - 9 Nov (17) 26 Oct - 2 Nov (10) 19 Oct - 26 Oct (12) 12 Oct - 19 Oct (13) 5 Oct - 12 Oct (19) 28 Sep - 5 Oct (14) 21 Sep - 28 Sep (17) 14 Sep - 21 Sep (19) 7 Sep - 14 Sep (22) 31 Aug - 7 Sep (15) 24 Aug - 31 Aug (14) 17 Aug - 24 Aug (9) 10 Aug - 17 Aug (5)
past daily news Sep 13 (1) Sep 09 (15) Sep 06 (12) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (10) Aug 31 (17) Aug 29 (14) Aug 26 (13) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (12) Aug 19 (21) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (10) Aug 10 (10) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (10) Aug 06 (10) Aug 05 (8) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (14) Jul 29 (1) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (10) Jul 22 (11) Jul 19 (16) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (10) Jul 15 (13) Jul 12 (7) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (11) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (8) Jun 28 (7) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (8) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (9) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (9) Jun 18 (8) Jun 15 (9) Jun 13 (13) Jun 11 (11) Jun 09 (19) Jun 06 (10) Jun 04 (10) Jun 03 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (5) May 30 (5) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (7) May 26 (6) May 25 (4) May 23 (6) May 22 (6) May 21 (4) May 20 (7) May 19 (9) May 18 (4) May 17 (6) May 16 (5) May 15 (7) May 14 (3) May 13 (3) May 12 (9) May 10 (3) May 09 (7) May 08 (4) May 07 (3) May 06 (5) May 05 (8) May 03 (9) May 02 (1) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (8) Apr 29 (5) Apr 28 (4) Apr 27 (7) Apr 26 (12) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (8) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (5) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (1) Apr 19 (5) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (5) Apr 14 (2) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (2) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (3) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (10) Apr 04 (2) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (9) Apr 01 (7) Mar 31 (10) Mar 30 (6) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (10) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (10) Mar 22 (6) Mar 21 (5) Mar 20 (11) Mar 19 (8) Mar 18 (5) Mar 17 (4) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (7) Mar 13 (7) Mar 12 (5) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (6) Mar 07 (8) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (12) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (8) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (8) Feb 28 (7) Feb 27 (5) Feb 26 (6) Feb 25 (7) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (6) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (3) Feb 20 (1) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (2) Feb 15 (5) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (6) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (6) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (6) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (2) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (1) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (8) Jan 30 (2) Jan 29 (4) Jan 28 (1) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (4) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (2) Jan 20 (2) Jan 19 (3) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (2) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (6) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 05 (5) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (1) Dec 31 (5) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (5) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (2) Dec 17 (1) Dec 16 (4) Dec 15 (2) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (7) Dec 12 (5) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (2) Dec 08 (2) Dec 07 (4) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (1) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (5) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (5) Nov 29 (10) Nov 28 (6) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (3) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (6) Nov 19 (2) Nov 18 (5) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (2) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (4) Nov 10 (5) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (5) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (9) Oct 30 (9) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (6) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (6) Oct 22 (4) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (4) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (4) Oct 12 (7) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (10) Oct 07 (1) Oct 06 (10) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (8) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (1) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (6) Sep 26 (5) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (6) Sep 23 (5) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (6) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (5) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (4) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (4) Sep 06 (8) Sep 05 (6) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (5) Aug 31 (8) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (6) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (1) Aug 26 (4) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (7) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (4) Aug 21 (4) Aug 20 (7) Aug 18 (5) Aug 17 (8) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (4) Aug 08 (8) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (3) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (10) Aug 02 (9) Aug 01 (8) Jul 31 (1) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (2) Jul 28 (11) Jul 27 (10) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (5) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (8) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (1) Jul 16 (10) Jul 14 (7) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (7) Jul 10 (5) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (8) Jul 06 (4) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (6) Jul 03 (7) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (2) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (5) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (6) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (8) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (4) Jun 15 (3) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (7) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (8) Jun 08 (8) Jun 07 (8) Jun 06 (10) Jun 05 (14) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (6) Jun 02 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (7) May 30 (2) May 29 (7) May 28 (7) May 27 (2) May 26 (4) May 25 (5) May 24 (4) May 23 (5) May 22 (5) May 21 (5) May 20 (3) May 19 (10) May 18 (6) May 17 (3) May 16 (6) May 15 (2) May 14 (3) May 13 (5) May 11 (1) May 10 (5) May 09 (3) May 08 (4) May 07 (2) May 06 (4) May 05 (6) May 04 (5) May 03 (5) May 02 (1) May 01 (6) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (7) Apr 28 (8) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (14) Apr 25 (6) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (1) Apr 21 (8) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (1) Apr 15 (8) Apr 14 (1) Apr 13 (7) Apr 12 (10) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (2) Apr 09 (2) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (6) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (5) Mar 30 (4) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (9) Mar 26 (4) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (11) Mar 23 (10) Mar 22 (9) Mar 21 (10) Mar 20 (11) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (3) Mar 16 (7) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (6) Mar 13 (9) Mar 12 (6) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (6) Mar 07 (13) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (7) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (6) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (5) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (6) Feb 23 (9) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (8) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (5) Feb 14 (7) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (9) Feb 08 (8) Feb 07 (7) Feb 06 (10) Feb 05 (7) Feb 04 (2) Feb 03 (8) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (5) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (7) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (7) Jan 26 (8) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (6) Jan 23 (5) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (6) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (12) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (8) Jan 12 (6) Jan 11 (6) Jan 10 (7) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (6) Jan 05 (9) Jan 04 (9) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (6) Jan 01 (8) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (1) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (8) Dec 26 (4) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (12) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (7) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (5) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (1) Dec 15 (7) Dec 14 (10) Dec 13 (7) Dec 12 (12) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (6) Dec 08 (7) Dec 07 (12) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (13) Dec 04 (6) Dec 02 (8) Dec 01 (8) Nov 30 (6) Nov 29 (7) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (4) Nov 26 (8) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (11) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (7) Nov 17 (6) Nov 16 (11) Nov 15 (10) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (5) Nov 11 (12) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (14) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (11) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (5) Nov 04 (11) Nov 03 (9) Nov 02 (10) Nov 01 (8) Oct 31 (12) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (5) Oct 28 (5) Oct 27 (11) Oct 26 (13) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (10) Oct 23 (8) Oct 22 (5) Oct 21 (11) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (6) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (10) Oct 12 (11) Oct 11 (9) Oct 10 (10) Oct 09 (7) Oct 08 (5) Oct 07 (10) Oct 06 (9) Oct 05 (14) Oct 04 (9) Oct 03 (12) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (9) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (7) Sep 28 (13) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (7) Sep 22 (10) Sep 21 (12) Sep 20 (12) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (11) Sep 15 (8) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (8) Sep 12 (8) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (10) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (9) Sep 07 (8) Sep 06 (11) Sep 05 (2) Sep 04 (8) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (6) Sep 01 (9) Aug 31 (9) Aug 30 (7) Aug 29 (9) Aug 28 (4) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (5) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (2) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (6) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (4) Aug 16 (6) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (4) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (3) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (7) Aug 06 (7) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (11) Aug 02 (6) Aug 01 (9) Jul 31 (11) Jul 28 (7) Jul 27 (11) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (1) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (2) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (8) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (7) Jul 15 (4) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (10) Jul 11 (11) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (5) Jul 06 (6) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (6) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (3) Jun 30 (8) Jun 29 (5) Jun 28 (6) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (11) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (7) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (6) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (6) Jun 09 (8) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (8) Jun 06 (7) Jun 05 (5) Jun 04 (7) Jun 03 (1) Jun 02 (9) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (8) May 30 (7) May 29 (5) May 28 (5) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (3) May 23 (5) May 22 (2) May 21 (3) May 20 (7) May 19 (11) May 18 (1) May 17 (7) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (4) May 11 (11) May 10 (2) May 09 (6) May 08 (6) May 07 (2) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (5) May 03 (8) May 02 (4) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (13) Apr 28 (5) Apr 27 (7) Apr 26 (5) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (2) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (9) Apr 21 (11) Apr 20 (2) Apr 19 (2) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (6) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (2) Apr 12 (9) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (6) Apr 09 (5) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (10) Apr 06 (7) Apr 05 (7) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (9) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (6) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (8) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (10) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (6) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (6) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (9) Mar 08 (10) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (3) Feb 27 (8) Feb 26 (9) Feb 24 (11) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (8) Feb 20 (7) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (6) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (11) Feb 13 (2) Feb 12 (5) Feb 11 (5) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (10) Feb 08 (9) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (2) Feb 05 (9) Feb 03 (7) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (7) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (5) Jan 29 (6) Jan 28 (5) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (7) Jan 24 (8) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (14) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (10) Jan 18 (11) Jan 17 (9) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (7) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (10) Jan 06 (8) Jan 05 (7) Jan 04 (9) Jan 03 (8) Jan 02 (5) Jan 01 (14) Dec 30 (13) Dec 29 (13) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (5) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (7) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (5) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (8) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (8) Dec 18 (9) Dec 16 (8) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (5) Dec 13 (8) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (17) Dec 09 (8) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (10) Dec 06 (12) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (8) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (7) Nov 30 (9) Nov 29 (6) Nov 28 (11) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (15) Nov 24 (7) Nov 23 (15) Nov 22 (9) Nov 21 (6) Nov 20 (11) Nov 18 (11) Nov 17 (13) Nov 16 (8) Nov 15 (13) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (7) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (13) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (6) Nov 06 (4) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (8) Nov 03 (9) Nov 02 (8) Nov 01 (6) Oct 31 (10) Oct 30 (8) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (8) Oct 27 (15) Oct 26 (10) Oct 25 (10) Oct 24 (13) Oct 23 (9) Oct 21 (8) Oct 20 (13) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (8) Oct 16 (14) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (13) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (15) Oct 07 (7) Oct 06 (11) Oct 05 (18) Oct 04 (14) Oct 03 (1) Oct 02 (10) Sep 30 (11) Sep 29 (11) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (15) Sep 26 (7) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (17) Sep 20 (20) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (11) Sep 16 (10) Sep 15 (12) Sep 14 (9) Sep 13 (12) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (8) Sep 09 (9) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (13) Sep 06 (15) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (10) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (12) Aug 31 (14) Aug 30 (14) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (8) Aug 27 (9) Aug 26 (12) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (6) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (11) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (4) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (5) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (9) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (8) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (6) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (6) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (15) Jul 15 (14) Jul 14 (5) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (12) Jul 11 (8) Jul 10 (3) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (10) Jul 05 (4) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (10) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (7) Jun 20 (3) Jun 19 (7) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (11) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (14) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (8) Jun 09 (9) Jun 08 (11) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (16) Jun 03 (8) Jun 02 (12) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (7) May 30 (15) May 28 (7) May 27 (5) May 26 (21) May 25 (14) May 24 (10) May 23 (7) May 22 (8) May 21 (11) May 20 (5) May 19 (4) May 18 (10) May 17 (11) May 16 (5) May 15 (6) May 14 (7) May 13 (12) May 12 (10) May 11 (7) May 10 (13) May 09 (4) May 08 (7) May 07 (3) May 06 (6) May 05 (9) May 04 (14) May 03 (7) May 02 (10) May 01 (10) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (9) Apr 28 (5) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (8) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (14) Apr 22 (16) Apr 21 (11) Apr 20 (7) Apr 19 (16) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (10) Apr 15 (8) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (11) Apr 12 (10) Apr 11 (8) Apr 10 (12) Apr 09 (5) Apr 08 (13) Apr 07 (9) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (15) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (15) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (11) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (10) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (7) Mar 27 (12) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (8) Mar 24 (7) Mar 23 (15) Mar 22 (17) Mar 21 (9) Mar 20 (8) Mar 19 (4) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (8) Mar 16 (19) Mar 15 (13) Mar 14 (7) Mar 13 (20) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (11) Mar 09 (13) Mar 08 (13) Mar 07 (7) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (9) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (16) Mar 02 (16) Mar 01 (13) Feb 29 (8) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (16) Feb 26 (10) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (12) Feb 23 (14) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (8) Feb 19 (12) Feb 18 (12) Feb 17 (11) Feb 16 (8) Feb 15 (9) Feb 14 (7) Feb 13 (10) Feb 12 (11) Feb 11 (13) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (13) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (11) Feb 03 (7) Feb 02 (19) Jan 31 (21) Jan 29 (11) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (13) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (2) Jan 23 (8) Jan 22 (13) Jan 21 (11) Jan 20 (9) Jan 19 (13) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (11) Jan 15 (7) Jan 14 (13) Jan 13 (9) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (5) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (7) Jan 08 (7) Jan 07 (6) Jan 06 (11) Jan 05 (7) Jan 04 (7) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (8) Jan 01 (5) Dec 31 (10) Dec 30 (9) Dec 29 (7) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (1) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (6) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (7) Dec 19 (13) Dec 18 (16) Dec 17 (10) Dec 16 (13) Dec 15 (11) Dec 14 (8) Dec 13 (4) Dec 12 (9) Dec 11 (10) Dec 10 (12) Dec 09 (10) Dec 08 (13) Dec 07 (7) Dec 06 (12) Dec 05 (8) Dec 04 (11) Dec 03 (12) Dec 02 (16) Dec 01 (14) Nov 30 (10) Nov 29 (11) Nov 28 (15) Nov 27 (16) Nov 26 (11) Nov 25 (9) Nov 24 (13) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (1) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (11) Nov 17 (11) Nov 16 (10) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (10) Nov 13 (14) Nov 12 (8) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (10) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (11) Nov 06 (12) Nov 05 (17) Nov 04 (12) Nov 03 (11) Nov 02 (5) Nov 01 (12) Oct 31 (11) Oct 30 (11) Oct 29 (10) Oct 28 (18) Oct 27 (16) Oct 26 (11) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (12) Oct 23 (11) Oct 22 (14) Oct 21 (12) Oct 20 (17) Oct 19 (12) Oct 18 (13) Oct 17 (15) Oct 16 (14) Oct 15 (10) Oct 14 (16) Oct 13 (12) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (8) Oct 10 (12) Oct 09 (21) Oct 08 (22) Oct 07 (19) Oct 06 (18) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (17) Oct 03 (13) Oct 02 (14) Oct 01 (13) Sep 30 (14) Sep 29 (15) Sep 28 (12) Sep 27 (11) Sep 26 (15) Sep 25 (13) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (10) Sep 22 (12) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (4) Sep 19 (12) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (16) Sep 16 (21) Sep 15 (14) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (10) Sep 11 (16) Sep 10 (7) Sep 09 (8) Sep 08 (10) Sep 07 (7) Sep 06 (5) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (9) Sep 03 (8) Sep 02 (11) Sep 01 (10) Aug 31 (4) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (1) Aug 28 (10) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (8) Aug 25 (14) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (13) Aug 20 (9) Aug 19 (13) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (8) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (12) Aug 11 (9) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (14) Aug 08 (6) Aug 07 (1) Aug 06 (4) Aug 05 (8) Aug 04 (6) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (2) Aug 01 (6) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (6) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (6) Jul 23 (5) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (5) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (9) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (1) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (13) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (7) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (9) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (3) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (7) Jun 17 (7) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (11) Jun 12 (6) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (10) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (2) Jun 05 (9) Jun 04 (8) Jun 03 (9) Jun 02 (6) Jun 01 (4) May 30 (7) May 29 (9) May 28 (13) May 26 (8) May 25 (5) May 24 (2) May 23 (8) May 22 (9) May 21 (7) May 20 (4) May 19 (6) May 18 (7) May 17 (8) May 15 (9) May 14 (5) May 13 (8) May 12 (6) May 11 (6) May 09 (7) May 08 (6) May 07 (11) May 06 (7) May 05 (4) May 04 (11) May 03 (5) May 02 (4) May 01 (9) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (4) Apr 28 (9) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (10) Apr 22 (8) Apr 21 (9) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (4) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (6) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (6) Apr 10 (2) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (5) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (2) Apr 05 (2) Apr 04 (5) Apr 03 (7) Apr 02 (7) Apr 01 (12) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (1) Mar 28 (2) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (2) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (4) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (6) Mar 20 (9) Mar 19 (9) Mar 18 (8) Mar 17 (9) Mar 16 (7) Mar 15 (11) Mar 13 (5) Mar 12 (12) Mar 11 (9) Mar 10 (12) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (5) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (11) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (8) Feb 27 (9) Feb 26 (9) Feb 25 (8) Feb 24 (6) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (10) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (7) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (2) Feb 14 (8) Feb 13 (12) Feb 12 (8) Feb 11 (10) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (2) Feb 06 (7) Feb 05 (4) Feb 04 (11) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (8) Jan 29 (12) Jan 28 (6) Jan 27 (8) Jan 26 (13) Jan 24 (8) Jan 23 (12) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (10) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (9) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (11) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (6) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (6) Jan 06 (4) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (3) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (3) Dec 31 (6) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (3) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (4) Dec 19 (5) Dec 18 (8) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (9) Dec 15 (7) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (10) Dec 11 (9) Dec 10 (10) Dec 09 (11) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (9) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (8) Dec 02 (10) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (1) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (9) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (7) Nov 25 (12) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (8) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (6) Nov 18 (10) Nov 17 (12) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (12) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (8) Nov 10 (7) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (6) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (9) Nov 03 (6) Nov 02 (14) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (6) Oct 30 (7) Oct 29 (9) Oct 28 (9) Oct 27 (3) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (8) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (2) Oct 19 (11) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (7) Oct 15 (7) Oct 14 (8) Oct 13 (5) Oct 12 (8) Oct 11 (6) Oct 10 (5) Oct 09 (11) Oct 08 (10) Oct 07 (8) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (8) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (10) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (7) Sep 29 (6) Sep 28 (5) Sep 27 (8) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (11) Sep 24 (15) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (4) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (9) Sep 18 (10) Sep 17 (10) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (8) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (7) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (7) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (7) Sep 02 (7) Sep 01 (2) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (1) Aug 29 (10) Aug 28 (5) Aug 27 (4) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (9) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (8) Aug 20 (12) Aug 19 (8) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (4) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (4) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (8) Aug 11 (7) Aug 10 (12) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (6) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (8) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (4) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (12) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (8) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (8) Jul 20 (6) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (8) Jul 17 (2) Jul 16 (7) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (9) Jul 13 (10) Jul 11 (9) Jul 10 (8) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (7) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (7) Jul 05 (10) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (5) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (15) Jun 26 (10) Jun 25 (9) Jun 24 (16) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (12) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (8) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (6) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (5) Jun 13 (13) Jun 12 (7) Jun 11 (14) Jun 10 (3) Jun 09 (2) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (16) Jun 05 (7) Jun 04 (18) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (8) May 31 (3) May 30 (6) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (6) May 23 (4) May 22 (8) May 21 (5) May 20 (6) May 19 (2) May 18 (9) May 17 (1) May 16 (5) May 15 (5) May 14 (7) May 13 (7) May 12 (7) May 11 (4) May 10 (4) May 09 (5) May 08 (10) May 07 (4) May 06 (13) May 05 (4) May 04 (10) May 02 (2) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (9) Apr 29 (6) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (9) Apr 25 (9) Apr 24 (7) Apr 23 (11) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (10) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (7) Apr 14 (11) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (9) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (6) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (10) Apr 03 (9) Apr 02 (9) Apr 01 (12) Mar 31 (4) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (10) Mar 28 (7) Mar 27 (8) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (15) Mar 24 (11) Mar 23 (8) Mar 22 (7) Mar 21 (14) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (11) Mar 18 (11) Mar 17 (12) Mar 16 (8) Mar 15 (8) Mar 14 (13) Mar 13 (8) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (8) Mar 10 (7) Mar 09 (3) Mar 08 (12) Mar 07 (15) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (9) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (12) Mar 02 (20) Feb 28 (11) Feb 27 (8) Feb 26 (11) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (14) Feb 23 (5) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (8) Feb 20 (11) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (8) Feb 16 (11) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (10) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (10) Feb 11 (7) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (6) Feb 07 (5) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (5) Jan 29 (2) Jan 28 (6) Jan 27 (3) Jan 26 (2) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (7) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (5) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (7) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (5) Jan 13 (4) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (3) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (1) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (6) Jan 01 (2) Dec 31 (6) Dec 30 (1) Dec 29 (5) Dec 27 (1) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (8) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (1) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (8) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (4) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (7) Dec 09 (5) Dec 08 (2) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (10) Dec 04 (9) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (2) Dec 01 (8) Nov 29 (5) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (5) Nov 26 (9) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (5) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (12) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (8) Nov 15 (7) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (6) Nov 12 (12) Nov 11 (6) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (5) Nov 05 (9) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (4) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (10) Oct 30 (4) Oct 29 (11) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (7) Oct 26 (7) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (7) Oct 23 (11) Oct 22 (2) Oct 21 (7) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (7) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (7) Oct 11 (20) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (21) Oct 07 (20) Oct 06 (34) Oct 04 (24) Oct 03 (21) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (7) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (5) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (5) Sep 26 (6) Sep 25 (5) Sep 24 (2) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (4) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (9) Sep 19 (11) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (6) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (8) Sep 12 (11) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (6) Sep 06 (10) Sep 05 (7) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (5) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (8) Aug 31 (5) Aug 30 (7) Aug 29 (10) Aug 28 (7) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (6) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (8) Aug 20 (8) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (7) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (4) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (6) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (4) Aug 01 (10) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (6) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (7) Jul 23 (10) Jul 22 (8) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (7) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (10) Jul 16 (11) Jul 15 (5) Jul 13 (5) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (11) Jul 10 (12) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (8) Jul 06 (9) Jul 05 (10) Jul 04 (8) Jul 03 (10) Jul 02 (12) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (5) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (23) Jun 27 (18) Jun 26 (12) Jun 25 (14) Jun 24 (15) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (11) Jun 21 (15) Jun 20 (9) Jun 19 (8) Jun 18 (11) Jun 17 (7) Jun 16 (6) Jun 15 (6) Jun 14 (6) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (6) Jun 11 (9) Jun 10 (10) Jun 09 (9) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (2) Jun 06 (6) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (3) May 30 (5) May 29 (8) May 28 (7) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (8) May 24 (7) May 23 (6) May 22 (9) May 21 (6) May 20 (5) May 19 (6) May 18 (9) May 17 (10) May 16 (11) May 15 (5) May 14 (11) May 13 (6) May 12 (7) May 11 (7) May 10 (5) May 09 (3) May 08 (10) May 07 (8) May 06 (11) May 05 (5) May 04 (9) May 03 (3) May 02 (2) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (5) Apr 29 (8) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (9) Apr 25 (11) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (11) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (5) Apr 20 (7) Apr 19 (10) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (10) Apr 16 (8) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (7) Apr 12 (11) Apr 11 (6) Apr 10 (7) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (9) Apr 05 (10) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (2) Apr 02 (6) Apr 01 (4) Mar 31 (3) Mar 30 (4) Mar 29 (3) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (10) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (6) Mar 21 (9) Mar 20 (5) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (9) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (8) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (10) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (2) Mar 10 (1) Mar 09 (6) Mar 08 (4) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (7) Mar 03 (6) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (9) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (7) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (4) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (2) Feb 17 (1) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (6) Feb 14 (5) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (7) Feb 11 (2) Feb 10 (2) Feb 09 (5) Feb 08 (5) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (9) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (3) Feb 02 (10) Feb 01 (9) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (8) Jan 29 (5) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (7) Jan 18 (3) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (8) Jan 15 (7) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (1) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (1) Jan 10 (3) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (2) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (4) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (8) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (5) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (6) Dec 17 (4) Dec 16 (5) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (8) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (8) Dec 10 (5) Dec 09 (4) Dec 08 (4) Dec 07 (7) Dec 06 (7) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (6) Dec 03 (7) Dec 02 (1) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (2) Nov 29 (8) Nov 28 (16) Nov 27 (7) Nov 26 (5) Nov 25 (2) Nov 24 (6) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (5) Nov 20 (15) Nov 19 (8) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (7) Nov 14 (6) Nov 13 (9) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (8) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (5) Nov 08 (8) Nov 07 (9) Nov 06 (9) Nov 05 (1) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (8) Nov 02 (6) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (6) Oct 30 (7) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (8) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (1) Oct 22 (6) Oct 21 (1) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (10) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (15) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (7) Oct 10 (1) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (8) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (7) Oct 02 (6) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (8) Sep 29 (6) Sep 28 (13) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (8) Sep 25 (8) Sep 24 (8) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (9) Sep 20 (7) Sep 19 (8) Sep 18 (4) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (8) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (7) Sep 12 (7) Sep 11 (9) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (10) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (12) Sep 06 (13) Sep 05 (15) Sep 04 (5) Sep 03 (4) Sep 02 (6) Sep 01 (9) Aug 31 (7) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (11) Aug 27 (2) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (15) Aug 24 (6) Aug 23 (8) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (7) Aug 19 (2) Aug 18 (5) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (9) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (5) Aug 08 (7) Aug 07 (9) Aug 06 (4) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (9) Aug 01 (10) Jul 31 (11) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (11) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (5) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (6) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (7) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (8) Jul 11 (6) Jul 10 (14) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (4) Jul 06 (9) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (6) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (8) Jun 25 (3) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (14) Jun 22 (11) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (7) Jun 18 (4) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (12) Jun 15 (12) Jun 14 (10) Jun 13 (10) Jun 12 (9) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (12) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (12) Jun 06 (6) Jun 05 (7) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (3) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (8) May 31 (4) May 30 (3) May 29 (8) May 28 (7) May 27 (4) May 26 (3) May 25 (5) May 24 (9) May 23 (16) May 22 (12) May 21 (11) May 20 (7) May 19 (10) May 18 (8) May 17 (8) May 16 (10) May 15 (8) May 14 (5) May 13 (1) May 12 (6) May 11 (9) May 10 (9) May 09 (10) May 08 (9) May 07 (6) May 06 (5) May 05 (7) May 04 (10) May 03 (7) May 02 (9) May 01 (10) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (9) Apr 28 (12) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (4) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (9) Apr 23 (4) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (8) Apr 20 (9) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (2) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (10) Apr 14 (7) Apr 13 (5) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (7) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (7) Apr 07 (10) Apr 06 (8) Apr 05 (8) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (6) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (4) Mar 31 (11) Mar 30 (12) Mar 29 (16) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (10) Mar 26 (12) Mar 25 (6) Mar 24 (9) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (12) Mar 20 (14) Mar 19 (8) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (8) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (9) Mar 12 (6) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (8) Mar 08 (10) Mar 07 (12) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (12) Mar 01 (8) Feb 29 (11) Feb 28 (5) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (13) Feb 25 (10) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (10) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (18) Feb 20 (6) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (5) Feb 16 (9) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (6) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (8) Feb 09 (5) Feb 08 (8) Feb 07 (10) Feb 06 (7) Feb 05 (7) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (11) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (12) Jan 30 (7) Jan 29 (7) Jan 28 (7) Jan 27 (12) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (11) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (6) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (12) Jan 20 (11) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (6) Jan 17 (11) Jan 16 (9) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (9) Jan 10 (10) Jan 09 (5) Jan 08 (10) Jan 07 (5) Jan 06 (6) Jan 05 (8) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (8) Jan 02 (7) Jan 01 (7) Dec 31 (10) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (10) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (7) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (9) Dec 21 (8) Dec 20 (8) Dec 19 (5) Dec 18 (1) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (6) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (13) Dec 13 (8) Dec 12 (7) Dec 11 (9) Dec 10 (12) Dec 09 (7) Dec 08 (11) Dec 07 (9) Dec 06 (11) Dec 05 (10) Dec 04 (6) Dec 03 (8) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (14) Nov 30 (7) Nov 29 (8) Nov 28 (8) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (9) Nov 25 (10) Nov 24 (12) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (10) Nov 20 (4) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (8) Nov 17 (9) Nov 16 (9) Nov 15 (12) Nov 14 (6) Nov 13 (9) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (10) Nov 09 (10) Nov 08 (7) Nov 07 (8) Nov 06 (10) Nov 05 (8) Nov 04 (7) Nov 03 (10) Nov 02 (11) Nov 01 (10) Oct 31 (5) Oct 30 (8) Oct 29 (8) Oct 28 (8) Oct 27 (11) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (10) Oct 23 (5) Oct 22 (14) Oct 21 (10) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (11) Oct 18 (13) Oct 17 (7) Oct 16 (6) Oct 15 (9) Oct 14 (7) Oct 13 (12) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (9) Oct 10 (8) Oct 09 (9) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (12) Oct 06 (8) Oct 05 (13) Oct 04 (11) Oct 03 (7) Oct 02 (5) Oct 01 (14) Sep 30 (12) Sep 29 (12) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (11) Sep 26 (7) Sep 25 (10) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (7) Sep 22 (8) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (7) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (14) Sep 16 (7) Sep 15 (11) Sep 14 (13) Sep 13 (11) Sep 12 (9) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (13) Sep 08 (11) Sep 07 (11) Sep 06 (16) Sep 05 (1) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (8) Sep 02 (8) Sep 01 (7) Aug 31 (1) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (2) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (8) Aug 25 (5) Aug 24 (5) Aug 23 (6) Aug 22 (7) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (10) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (12) Aug 05 (5) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (13) Jul 28 (10) Jul 27 (6) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (12) Jul 22 (14) Jul 21 (6) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (12) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (6) Jul 15 (8) Jul 14 (15) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (10) Jul 11 (6) Jul 10 (6) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (6) Jul 07 (9) Jul 06 (15) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (10) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (11) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (11) Jun 24 (9) Jun 23 (10) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (8) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (5) Jun 18 (15) Jun 17 (8) Jun 16 (13) Jun 15 (15) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (6) Jun 12 (15) Jun 11 (7) Jun 10 (7) Jun 09 (18) Jun 08 (20) Jun 07 (17) Jun 06 (9) Jun 05 (9) Jun 04 (12) Jun 03 (13) Jun 02 (14) Jun 01 (8) May 31 (13) May 30 (8) May 29 (6) May 28 (8) May 27 (17) May 26 (8) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (9) May 22 (4) May 21 (4) May 20 (11) May 19 (14) May 18 (6) May 17 (10) May 16 (4) May 15 (5) May 14 (28) May 12 (9) May 11 (17) May 10 (15) May 09 (12) May 08 (5) May 07 (4) May 06 (10) May 05 (8) May 04 (10) May 03 (5) May 02 (6) May 01 (8) Apr 30 (8) Apr 29 (12) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (12) Apr 25 (6) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (5) Apr 22 (10) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (13) Apr 19 (11) Apr 18 (11) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (12) Apr 15 (11) Apr 14 (17) Apr 13 (6) Apr 12 (16) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (1) Apr 09 (18) Apr 08 (14) Apr 07 (6) Apr 06 (10) Apr 05 (21) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (13) Apr 01 (8) Mar 31 (10) Mar 30 (11) Mar 29 (10) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (12) Mar 25 (15) Mar 24 (10) Mar 23 (12) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (8) Mar 20 (4) Mar 19 (11) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (9) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (2) Mar 12 (14) Mar 11 (13) Mar 10 (7) Mar 09 (9) Mar 08 (17) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (7) Mar 05 (13) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (14) Mar 02 (12) Mar 01 (18) Feb 28 (8) Feb 27 (2) Feb 26 (9) Feb 25 (13) Feb 24 (17) Feb 23 (13) Feb 22 (12) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (11) Feb 19 (16) Feb 18 (17) Feb 17 (15) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (15) Feb 14 (10) Feb 13 (8) Feb 12 (10) Feb 11 (15) Feb 10 (11) Feb 09 (13) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (6) Feb 05 (15) Feb 04 (15) Feb 03 (11) Feb 02 (14) Feb 01 (15) Jan 31 (11) Jan 30 (9) Jan 29 (19) Jan 28 (9) Jan 27 (9) Jan 26 (16) Jan 25 (19) Jan 24 (17) Jan 23 (8) Jan 22 (15) Jan 21 (9) Jan 20 (11) Jan 19 (7) Jan 18 (9) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (12) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (14) Jan 12 (11) Jan 11 (13) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (8) Jan 08 (20) Jan 07 (11) Jan 06 (11) Jan 05 (8) Jan 04 (14) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (7) Jan 01 (7) Dec 31 (14) Dec 30 (15) Dec 29 (7) Dec 28 (10) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (11) Dec 24 (9) Dec 23 (9) Dec 22 (15) Dec 21 (12) Dec 20 (11) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (16) Dec 17 (6) Dec 16 (12) Dec 15 (14) Dec 14 (11) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (10) Dec 10 (17) Dec 09 (11) Dec 08 (12) Dec 07 (16) Dec 06 (11) Dec 05 (5) Dec 04 (12) Dec 03 (15) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (12) Nov 30 (16) Nov 29 (7) Nov 28 (11) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (13) Nov 25 (16) Nov 24 (15) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (4) Nov 20 (8) Nov 19 (9) Nov 18 (16) Nov 17 (11) Nov 16 (11) Nov 15 (10) Nov 14 (9) Nov 13 (6) Nov 12 (10) Nov 11 (12) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (6) Nov 06 (7) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (14) Nov 03 (10) Nov 02 (13) Nov 01 (9) Oct 31 (9) Oct 30 (11) Oct 29 (18) Oct 28 (13) Oct 27 (23) Oct 26 (12) Oct 25 (14) Oct 24 (20) Oct 22 (18) Oct 21 (18) Oct 20 (19) Oct 19 (12) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (18) Oct 15 (8) Oct 14 (11) Oct 13 (9) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (6) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (27) Oct 08 (14) Oct 07 (10) Oct 06 (9) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (10) Oct 03 (6) Oct 02 (9) Oct 01 (13) Sep 30 (12) Sep 29 (13) Sep 28 (8) Sep 27 (9) Sep 26 (8) Sep 25 (14) Sep 24 (4) Sep 23 (14) Sep 22 (20) Sep 21 (11) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (9) Sep 18 (14) Sep 17 (8) Sep 16 (17) Sep 15 (6) Sep 14 (11) Sep 13 (9) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (14) Sep 09 (12) Sep 08 (17) Sep 07 (12) Sep 06 (13) Sep 05 (9) Sep 04 (20) Sep 03 (16) Sep 02 (16) Sep 01 (10) Aug 31 (13) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (9) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (11) Aug 25 (10) Aug 24 (14) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (13) Aug 21 (10) Aug 20 (13) Aug 19 (15) Aug 18 (8) Aug 17 (10) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (11) Aug 13 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (10) Aug 10 (17) Aug 09 (6) Aug 08 (13) Aug 07 (11) Aug 06 (13) Aug 05 (11) Aug 04 (11) Aug 03 (10) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (6) Jul 31 (10) Jul 30 (21) Jul 29 (14) Jul 28 (13) Jul 27 (16) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (15) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (15) Jul 21 (19) Jul 20 (17) Jul 19 (9) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (26) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (20) Jul 14 (16) Jul 13 (19) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (13) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (16) Jul 05 (9) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (15) Jul 02 (11) Jul 01 (14) Jun 30 (13) Jun 29 (19) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (9) Jun 26 (16) Jun 25 (22) Jun 24 (17) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (15) Jun 21 (14) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (17) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (10) Jun 16 (17) Jun 15 (13) Jun 14 (14) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (13) Jun 11 (15) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (10) Jun 08 (23) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (20) Jun 05 (10) Jun 04 (11) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (21) Jun 01 (14) May 31 (10) May 30 (14) May 29 (8) May 28 (23) May 27 (20) May 26 (16) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (10) May 22 (18) May 21 (14) May 20 (12) May 19 (18) May 18 (14) May 17 (13) May 16 (4) May 15 (7) May 14 (16) May 13 (13) May 12 (8) May 11 (18) May 10 (8) May 09 (7) May 08 (13) May 07 (11) May 06 (15) May 05 (18) May 04 (17) May 03 (7) May 02 (5) May 01 (11) Apr 30 (19) Apr 29 (21) Apr 28 (18) Apr 27 (16) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (11) Apr 24 (9) Apr 23 (20) Apr 22 (23) Apr 21 (5) Apr 20 (16) Apr 19 (13) Apr 18 (6) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (16) Apr 15 (18) Apr 14 (13) Apr 13 (14) Apr 12 (9) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (16) Apr 09 (14) Apr 08 (12) Apr 07 (18) Apr 06 (7) Apr 05 (11) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (16) Mar 31 (16) Mar 30 (22) Mar 29 (16) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (19) Mar 26 (31) Mar 25 (25) Mar 24 (26) Mar 23 (27) Mar 22 (22) Mar 21 (22) Mar 20 (13) Mar 19 (21) Mar 18 (20) Mar 17 (24) Mar 16 (18) Mar 15 (9) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (29) Mar 12 (15) Mar 11 (11) Mar 10 (11) Mar 09 (20) Mar 08 (12) Mar 07 (6) Mar 06 (21) Mar 05 (22) Mar 04 (19) Mar 03 (9) Mar 02 (20) Mar 01 (11) Feb 28 (11) Feb 27 (27) Feb 26 (15) Feb 25 (18) Feb 24 (17) Feb 23 (19) Feb 22 (24) Feb 21 (10) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (25) Feb 18 (16) Feb 17 (19) Feb 16 (23) Feb 15 (8) Feb 14 (11) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (16) Feb 11 (12) Feb 10 (18) Feb 09 (12) Feb 08 (14) Feb 07 (8) Feb 06 (27) Feb 05 (28) Feb 04 (24) Feb 03 (17) Feb 02 (20) Feb 01 (23) Jan 31 (16) Jan 30 (20) Jan 29 (26) Jan 28 (17) Jan 27 (21) Jan 26 (24) Jan 25 (16) Jan 24 (14) Jan 23 (16) Jan 22 (17) Jan 21 (19) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (17) Jan 18 (13) Jan 17 (14) Jan 16 (10) Jan 15 (21) Jan 14 (16) Jan 13 (19) Jan 12 (30) Jan 11 (14) Jan 10 (11) Jan 09 (8) Jan 08 (23) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (21) Jan 05 (15) Jan 04 (18) Jan 03 (9) Jan 02 (12) Jan 01 (15) Dec 31 (18) Dec 30 (7) Dec 29 (13) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (8) Dec 26 (6) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (28) Dec 23 (12) Dec 22 (12) Dec 21 (17) Dec 20 (19) Dec 19 (19) Dec 18 (22) Dec 17 (24) Dec 16 (17) Dec 15 (29) Dec 14 (22) Dec 13 (12) Dec 12 (22) Dec 11 (24) Dec 10 (25) Dec 09 (18) Dec 08 (15) Dec 07 (21) Dec 06 (24) Dec 05 (30) Dec 04 (28) Dec 03 (26) Dec 02 (22) Dec 01 (33) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (9) Nov 28 (18) Nov 27 (25) Nov 26 (17) Nov 25 (23) Nov 24 (27) Nov 23 (12) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (15) Nov 20 (23) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (24) Nov 17 (21) Nov 16 (20) Nov 15 (13) Nov 14 (15) Nov 13 (27) Nov 12 (23) Nov 11 (19) Nov 10 (21) Nov 09 (13) Nov 08 (16) Nov 07 (16) Nov 06 (32) Nov 05 (24) Nov 04 (20) Nov 03 (29) Nov 02 (12) Nov 01 (15) Oct 31 (20) Oct 30 (22) Oct 29 (27) Oct 28 (20) Oct 27 (23) Oct 26 (21) Oct 25 (15) Oct 24 (23) Oct 23 (26) Oct 22 (27) Oct 21 (28) Oct 20 (24) Oct 19 (13) Oct 18 (9) Oct 17 (30) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (20) Oct 14 (14) Oct 13 (17) Oct 12 (16) Oct 11 (8) Oct 10 (19) Oct 09 (22) Oct 08 (16) Oct 07 (18) Oct 06 (23) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (15) Oct 03 (21) Oct 02 (17) Oct 01 (22) Sep 30 (25) Sep 29 (20) Sep 28 (17) Sep 27 (13) Sep 26 (20) Sep 25 (15) Sep 24 (24) Sep 23 (23) Sep 22 (18) Sep 21 (20) Sep 20 (11) Sep 19 (24) Sep 18 (25) Sep 17 (25) Sep 16 (19) Sep 15 (21) Sep 14 (15) Sep 13 (10) Sep 12 (23) Sep 11 (23) Sep 10 (25) Sep 09 (25) Sep 08 (17) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (17) Sep 05 (14) Sep 04 (24) Sep 03 (16) Sep 02 (11) Sep 01 (19) Aug 31 (20) Aug 30 (11) Aug 29 (24) Aug 28 (24) Aug 27 (16) Aug 26 (26) Aug 25 (21) Aug 24 (15) Aug 23 (19) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (25) Aug 20 (27) Aug 19 (19) Aug 18 (24) Aug 17 (14) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (15) Aug 14 (16) Aug 13 (21) Aug 12 (30) Aug 11 (19) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (12) Aug 08 (17) Aug 07 (21) Aug 06 (26) Aug 05 (23) Aug 04 (21) Aug 03 (12) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (19) Jul 31 (21) Jul 30 (25) Jul 29 (29) Jul 28 (23) Jul 27 (17) Jul 26 (11) Jul 25 (21) Jul 24 (14) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (19) Jul 21 (15) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (10) Jul 18 (15) Jul 17 (22) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (21) Jul 14 (20) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (29) Jul 10 (19) Jul 09 (17) Jul 08 (26) Jul 07 (21) Jul 06 (18) Jul 05 (14) Jul 04 (20) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (24) Jul 01 (23) Jun 30 (23) Jun 29 (18) Jun 28 (16) Jun 27 (16) Jun 26 (17) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (32) Jun 23 (29) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (17) Jun 20 (25) Jun 19 (28) Jun 18 (19) Jun 17 (25) Jun 16 (23) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (14) Jun 12 (22) Jun 11 (19) Jun 10 (17) Jun 09 (15) Jun 08 (16) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (29) Jun 05 (27) Jun 04 (24) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (22) Jun 01 (13) May 31 (9) May 30 (26) May 29 (19) May 28 (15) May 27 (15) May 26 (23) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (24) May 22 (13) May 21 (21) May 20 (18) May 19 (16) May 18 (7) May 17 (12) May 16 (25) May 15 (24) May 14 (23) May 13 (19) May 12 (17) May 11 (8) May 10 (6) May 09 (14) May 08 (21) May 07 (26) May 06 (14) May 05 (14) May 04 (3) May 03 (3) May 02 (24) May 01 (13) Apr 30 (15) Apr 29 (24) Apr 28 (24) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (13) Apr 24 (27) Apr 23 (15) Apr 22 (21) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (17) Apr 19 (8) Apr 18 (20) Apr 17 (27) Apr 16 (27) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (8) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (22) Apr 09 (15) Apr 08 (15) Apr 07 (17) Apr 06 (14) Apr 05 (5) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (19) Mar 31 (25) Mar 30 (13) Mar 29 (9) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (23) Mar 26 (22) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (25) Mar 23 (16) Mar 22 (13) Mar 21 (24) Mar 20 (27) Mar 19 (20) Mar 18 (24) Mar 17 (17) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (20) Mar 13 (28) Mar 12 (30) Mar 11 (20) Mar 10 (21) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (8) Mar 07 (17) Mar 06 (20) Mar 05 (19) Mar 04 (15) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (12) Feb 28 (16) Feb 27 (17) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (23) Feb 24 (15) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (10) Feb 21 (24) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (24) Feb 18 (19) Feb 17 (27) Feb 16 (13) Feb 15 (11) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (13) Feb 12 (13) Feb 11 (21) Feb 10 (16) Feb 09 (15) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (17) Feb 06 (21) Feb 05 (17) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (23) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (8) Jan 31 (17) Jan 30 (22) Jan 29 (23) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (24) Jan 26 (12) Jan 25 (9) Jan 24 (12) Jan 23 (19) Jan 22 (19) Jan 21 (14) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (12) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (20) Jan 16 (14) Jan 15 (23) Jan 14 (8) Jan 13 (20) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (18) Jan 09 (11) Jan 08 (18) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (12) Jan 05 (12) Jan 04 (11) Jan 03 (10) Jan 02 (9) Jan 01 (9) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (13) Dec 26 (15) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (8) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (14) Dec 19 (17) Dec 18 (14) Dec 17 (14) Dec 16 (13) Dec 15 (9) Dec 14 (9) Dec 13 (11) Dec 12 (16) Dec 11 (18) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (24) Dec 08 (11) Dec 07 (19) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (26) Dec 04 (15) Dec 03 (20) Dec 02 (17) Dec 01 (11) Nov 30 (10) Nov 29 (18) Nov 28 (21) Nov 27 (10) Nov 26 (22) Nov 25 (16) Nov 24 (12) Nov 23 (8) Nov 22 (18) Nov 21 (9) Nov 20 (17) Nov 19 (16) Nov 18 (16) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (9) Nov 15 (21) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (20) Nov 12 (16) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (9) Nov 09 (10) Nov 08 (16) Nov 07 (15) Nov 06 (18) Nov 05 (19) Nov 04 (16) Nov 03 (11) Nov 02 (5) Nov 01 (17) Oct 31 (17) Oct 30 (21) Oct 29 (9) Oct 28 (16) Oct 27 (6) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (16) Oct 24 (18) Oct 23 (14) Oct 22 (17) Oct 21 (10) Oct 20 (6) Oct 19 (8) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (12) Oct 16 (14) Oct 15 (19) Oct 14 (15) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (10) Oct 10 (23) Oct 09 (13) Oct 08 (15) Oct 07 (20) Oct 06 (13) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (16) Oct 03 (17) Oct 02 (17) Oct 01 (20) Sep 30 (17) Sep 29 (9) Sep 28 (8) Sep 27 (14) Sep 26 (20) Sep 25 (19) Sep 24 (13) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (5) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (21) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (20) Sep 16 (16) Sep 15 (10) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (18) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (24) Sep 10 (17) Sep 09 (16) Sep 08 (16) Sep 07 (10) Sep 06 (20) Sep 05 (13) Sep 04 (23) Sep 03 (14) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (11) Aug 31 (11) Aug 30 (13) Aug 29 (18) Aug 28 (14) Aug 27 (21) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (8) Aug 24 (10) Aug 23 (17) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (14) Aug 20 (20) Aug 19 (20) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (9) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (12) Aug 14 (14) Aug 13 (19) Aug 12 (14) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (12) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (18) Aug 07 (16) Aug 06 (16) Aug 05 (20) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (12) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (16) Jul 30 (16) Jul 29 (11) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (9) Jul 26 (17) Jul 25 (20) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (11) Jul 22 (18) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (14) Jul 18 (11) Jul 17 (15) Jul 16 (12) Jul 15 (10) Jul 14 (8) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (17) Jul 11 (18) Jul 10 (16) Jul 09 (13) Jul 08 (10) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (8) Jul 05 (16) Jul 04 (14) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (13) Jul 01 (16) Jun 30 (19) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (19) Jun 27 (21) Jun 26 (27) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (23) Jun 23 (12) Jun 22 (9) Jun 21 (18) Jun 20 (15) Jun 19 (24) Jun 18 (21) Jun 17 (13) Jun 16 (9) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (18) Jun 13 (24) Jun 12 (18) Jun 11 (23) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (24) Jun 08 (27) Jun 07 (5) Jun 06 (25) Jun 05 (30) Jun 04 (23) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (16) Jun 01 (17) May 31 (18) May 30 (19) May 29 (17) May 28 (23) May 27 (15) May 26 (10) May 25 (19) May 24 (16) May 23 (16) May 22 (27) May 21 (20) May 20 (26) May 19 (6) May 18 (8) May 17 (20) May 16 (8) May 15 (18) May 14 (5) May 13 (21) May 12 (9) May 11 (8) May 10 (12) May 09 (18) May 08 (11) May 07 (27) May 06 (12) May 05 (16) May 04 (19) May 03 (14) May 02 (18) May 01 (18) Apr 30 (25) Apr 29 (27) Apr 28 (11) Apr 27 (10) Apr 26 (18) Apr 25 (10) Apr 24 (29) Apr 23 (29) Apr 22 (14) Apr 21 (15) Apr 20 (20) Apr 19 (22) Apr 18 (16) Apr 17 (32) Apr 16 (12) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (21) Apr 13 (15) Apr 12 (13) Apr 11 (14) Apr 10 (16) Apr 09 (20) Apr 08 (36) Apr 07 (22) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (28) Apr 04 (20) Apr 03 (29) Apr 02 (32) Apr 01 (18) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (15) Mar 28 (22) Mar 27 (24) Mar 26 (17) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (13) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (15) Mar 20 (18) Mar 19 (19) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (10) Mar 16 (6) Mar 15 (18) Mar 14 (24) Mar 13 (18) Mar 12 (18) Mar 11 (17) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (18) Mar 07 (25) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (16) Mar 04 (22) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (23) Feb 29 (19) Feb 28 (25) Feb 27 (26) Feb 26 (23) Feb 25 (12) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (15) Feb 22 (26) Feb 21 (31) Feb 20 (12) Feb 19 (21) Feb 18 (15) Feb 17 (10) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (19) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (20) Feb 11 (9) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (28) Feb 08 (20) Feb 07 (22) Feb 06 (20) Feb 05 (19) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (16) Feb 02 (28) Feb 01 (37) Jan 31 (27) Jan 30 (31) Jan 29 (18) Jan 28 (14) Jan 27 (10) Jan 26 (18) Jan 25 (26) Jan 24 (34) Jan 23 (21) Jan 22 (21) Jan 21 (18) Jan 20 (18) Jan 19 (18) Jan 18 (26) Jan 17 (24) Jan 16 (23) Jan 15 (30) Jan 14 (20) Jan 13 (18) Jan 12 (24) Jan 11 (11) Jan 10 (23) Jan 09 (22) Jan 08 (17) Jan 07 (17) Jan 06 (9) Jan 05 (18) Jan 04 (15) Jan 03 (19) Jan 02 (14) Jan 01 (6) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (15) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (7) Dec 26 (10) Dec 25 (16) Dec 24 (13) Dec 23 (16) Dec 22 (11) Dec 21 (26) Dec 20 (28) Dec 19 (14) Dec 18 (25) Dec 17 (23) Dec 16 (19) Dec 15 (22) Dec 14 (38) Dec 13 (26) Dec 12 (25) Dec 11 (27) Dec 10 (31) Dec 09 (15) Dec 08 (30) Dec 07 (31) Dec 06 (27) Dec 05 (38) Dec 04 (25) Dec 03 (27) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (36) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (17) Nov 28 (23) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (16) Nov 25 (14) Nov 24 (18) Nov 23 (21) Nov 22 (21) Nov 21 (24) Nov 20 (20) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (17) Nov 17 (17) Nov 16 (34) Nov 15 (25) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (21) Nov 12 (18) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1)
by John Stanton

The world knows that the 2016 US presidential horse race features two cartoonish characters that are perhaps the most polarizing figures in American national politics. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump appear at a tenuous moment in the worlds history as economies struggle, infrastructure collapses, nations crumble, and the political systems, at least in the US and Europe, are viewed with disdain by a majority of citizens.

In the USA, the drumbeats for war seem to be getting louder. US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter uses a truncated version of David Lettermans Top Ten List to rank the most dangerous threats to the USA: 1. Russia; 2. China; 3 Iran; 4. North Korea; and 5. Islamic State/Terrorism. The demonization of Russia and the references to Islamic State as a cancer or virus recalls Whiteheads Cannibal War Machine.

Like or hate Trump, the media bias against him for challenging the neoliberal order is astonishing, harkening back to Cold War thinking. He is vilified out of fear he might shake the old order up: Reorder NATO, work with the Russian president, focus money on US infrastructure.

US Crushing it in Asymmetric Information War

The US is waging a highly successful asymmetric war against Russia which that country can hardly match given the US Instruments of National Power (INP), one of which includes media under the INP Information. The mainstream media propaganda campaign against Russia has been so successful that a Russian swimmer who served a suspension for illegal drug use and was cleared to compete in Rio was booed by fans and publically admonished by an American swimmer. The US does not even want the viewing public to see the flag of Russia raised during an NBC broadcast at the US Olympic Games. US sportscasters, and their counterparts in US owned media outlets in South America, pound into the viewing publics collective minds that Russia is enemy number one. The penetration of the DNC computer network blamed on Russia comes at a moment when US dominated media coverage of the Olympics can be used to amplify the information warfare campaign against Russia and its comrades in Carters Top Five enemies list.

The New York Times, Washington Post, mainstream/cable news reek of polemic and government officials in a stunning disinformation campaign while at the same time they try to dismiss Clintons continued flirtation with the FBI/IRS over email, the shenanigans of the Clinton Foundation, and her militaristic love a man in uniform, and her coup instigating past. Even former military commanders and the CIA have gotten in on 2016 presidential campaign.

General Martin Dempsey, USA (Ret.)former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS)and General Joseph Dunford, USMC, and current chair of JCS, are so alarmed at this development that they publically warned military personnel about getting involved, vocally, in the 2016 presidential election.

Sharknado

Its like a Sharknado movie or better still, a nutty cartoon. Perhaps it is better to think of Clinton and Trump as the cartoon characters they are.

Cruella de Vil was the evil female villain in 101 Dalmatians. She is described by Wikipedia as being the tyrannical figure in the marriage, and her husband as a meek, subservient man who seldom speaks and obeys his wife entirely. Cruella expresses her sinister interest in the Dalmatians, remarking how she and her henpecked husband have never thought of making clothing from dog pelt before. Yet seeing the spotless skins of the newborn puppies she is revolted and offers to have them drowned at once; her way of getting rid of animals she views as worthless, including dozens of her own cats kittens. Upon a second visit to the house she picks up the mature puppies and treats them like clothing to be worn.

Replace puppies with 70 percent of the US population and you get a fine sense of what she really thinks about the vast majority of Americans. If she had her way shed get the names of all the citizens who will vote for Trump and have them pilloried or sent to the gulag.

Trump is the Captain Klutz of the US political scene. He is running close to Cruella in spite of his wacky statements and the clumsy carnival that is his campaign. It is like watching a bizarre Saturday Night Live episode (one in which Trump appeared).

Captain Klutz, or Ringo Fonebone, cant handle the normal life, according to a Lutz fan site: Klutz usually succeeded in capturing the bad guy in spite of himself. As a child, Fonebone did nothing other than read Brap Man, The Blue Blockhead, Baboon Boy, and other comic books, leaving him with little aptitude for normal human activities.

Trump is a bona fide member of the US 1 Percent having lived anything but a normal human life and who knows what his reading list included. His gaffs somehow earn him more supporters, like Captain Klutzs goofball actions help save the day.

Klutz remains within 10 percentage points of Cruella.

John can be reached at jstantonarchange l@gmail.com
Aug 10, 2016 | By Alec

If asked what university faculties could benefit from 3D printing, Archeology wouldnt be very high up on our list. But thats exactly where 3D printers seem to be going (probably after the engineering departments). Just two weeks ago, the University of Queensland, Australia, started 3D printing archeological artefact replicas for educational purposes, and now the University of Canterbury in New Zealand is doing the same. Among others, they have already 3D printed replicas of a 3,000 year old Babylonian cuneiform tablet, a priceless terracotta artefact made around 1700 BC.

Fortunately for archeology students in New Zealand, the University of Canterbury owns the James Logie Memorial Collection, a priceless collection of fragile and ancient objects. Unfortunately, their state makes it quite difficult to study them closely. Many are around 3,000 years old, and cannot simply be left in the hands of students, after all. But starting the next semester, students will be able to finally touch the objects themselves, as a series of 3D printed replicas will be introduced into the teaching program for the Logie Collection.

This fantastic innovation is the result of a two year long 3D scanning project of Don Clucas and Paul Docherty from the Mechanical Engineering department and Logies curators Terri Elder and Penny Minchin-Garvin. They selected a series of artefacts which were 3D scanned and 3D printed by the Mechanical Engineering department.

Among them is this remarkable Babylonian tablet, which uses the syllabic script called Cuneiform to list land grants in ancient Babylonia. While a very interesting object, it falls apart very easily. Cuneiform tablets deteriorate over time and as with everything else it is a case of dust to dust, says UC Classics Professor Victor Parker. So anything that can be done to replicate tablets in their three-dimensional form before they crumble is extremely important. Also, such replicas can be used for teaching purposes without risking increasingly fragile originals.

The same can be said for the Greek cup made by the Logie Painter in 525 BC (the namesake of the collection). While impossible to handle, a 3D printed replica can be very useful for teaching high school students about archeology principles. They will be able to handle the object and thereby better visualize and understand its use, said Terri Elder. The cup would have been used in a symposium (a Greek drinking party). It is one of the heroes of the Logie Collection, as there are only two other cups in the world by this painter, known to have survived.

To ensure the best quality, a polyjet 3D printer was actually used for the tablet replica. While you could argue that some of the original quality is lost, the Artec Spider 3D scanner that was used actually records textures as well. A video of the process can be seen here. The result is a full-color 3D print that approaches the original object as best as possible. The 3D images are also shared online with students, allowing them to study the objects away from campus and even 3D print them themselves.

Whats more, the student response has been excellent so far. They just light up when they are getting to handle the objects, even if they are replicas and not the originals, Elder said. Students that have interacted with the real objects, and the replica objects, tend to recall the information better and they tend to recall it for longer as well.

Student Kate Tinkler, who had the opportunity to work with the objects already, called it a fantastic idea. It's so different to looking at something through the glass. You can feel the size and the weight of it and all those tiny details, she said. There's never anything you can hold without gloves because half of the stuff is so fragile, you don't want the oil from your fingertips eroding into the paintwork.

According to Dr. Paul Docherty, a senior lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, they are already planning to greatly expand this initiative. The project has been very exciting as it has allowed a new dimension of tactile interaction with the replicas of antiquities that would not be possible with the real thing. In the future, we hope to increase the number of scanned antiquities and put 3D representations of the collection online, he says.

They are also already looking to expand the project to include the collections of other museums and universities, which could act as a huge boost for archeological research efforts. It would open up the possibility for us to share objects with collections overseas, partially where the cost of freighting the original object would have been too much for us to bear, Elder said. 3D printers are thus quickly becoming indispensable at universities everywhere.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

Maybe you also like:












Nicola Lagioia in The New Yorker:

Elena Ferrante: Where do I start? In my childhood, my adolescence. Some of the poor Neapolitan neighborhoods were crowded, yes, and rowdy. To gather oneself, so to speak, was physically impossible. One learned very early to have the greatest concentration amid the greatest disruption. The idea that every I is largely made up of others and by the others wasnt theoretical; it was a reality. To be alive meant to collide continually with the existence of others and to be collided with, the results being at times good-natured, at others aggressive, then again good-natured. The dead were brought into quarrels; people werent content to attack and insult the livingthey naturally abused aunts, cousins, grandparents, and great-grandparents who were no longer in the world. Of course, today I have small quiet places where I can gather myselfbut I still feel that the idea is slightly ridiculous. Ive described women at moments when they are absolutely alone. But in their heads there is never silence or even focus. The most absolute solitude, at least in my experience, and not just narrative experience, is always, to paraphrase the title of a very good book by Hrabal, too loud. To the writer, no person is ever definitively relegated to silence, even if we long ago broke off relations with that personout of anger, by chance, or because the person died. I cant even think without the voices of others, much less write. And Im not talking only about relatives, female friends, enemies. Im talking about others, men and women who today exist only in images: in television or newspaper images, sometimes heartrending, sometimes offensive in their opulence. And Im talking about the past, about what we generally call tradition; Im talking about all those others who were once in the world and who have acted or who now act through us. Our entire body, like it or not, enacts a stunning resurrection of the dead just as we advance toward our own death. We are, as you say, interconnected. And we should teach ourselves to look deeply at this interconnectionI call it a tangle, or, rather, frantumagliato give ourselves adequate tools to describe it. In the most absolute tranquility or in the midst of tumultuous events, in safety or danger, in innocence or corruption, we are a crowd of others. And this crowd is certainly a blessing for literature.

More here.
Business roundup: Dunn Bros. to open in November, E Glass's big pitch

In business news, an Aberdeen entrepreneur is making a nationwide pitch, car wash coverts to Tunnel of Terror, Dunn Brothers to open in November.
Peoria, Illinois  The International Association of HealthCare Professionals is pleased to welcome Andrew J. Lancia, MD, Psychiatrist, to their prestigious organization with his upcoming publication in The Leading Physicians of the World. Dr. Lancia is an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria as well as the medical director of UnityPoint Behavioral Health Integrated Services of Hospital Based Programs and the Department Chair of UnityPoint Behavioral Health at Methodist. He has five years of experience specializing in psychosomatic medicine.

Dr. Lancia was educated at Creighton University and completed a residency at University of Iowa. He is an active member of the American Psychological Association and the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine and is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Golden Apple Award for Inpatient Education, an Outstanding Teacher Award and a Faculty Teaching Award, and an Outstanding Achievement Award in Integrating Behavioral Health into Primary Care from the Illinois Psychiatry Society. He also won the Teaching Excellence Award for the M3 Clerkship at UICOMP.

Dr. Lancia attributes his success to hard work, good education, and his mentors Dr. Malin and Dr. Black. When not assisting patients, he enjoys reading the journal of the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine, Psychosomatics, and spending time with his family.

View Andrew J. Lancias Profile Here: https://www.findatopdoc.com/doctor/Andrew-Lancia-Psychiatrist-Peoria-IL-61602

Learn more about Dr. Lancia here: http://chicago.medicine.uic.edu/cms/one.aspx?portalId=513437&pageId=10616512 and be sure to read his upcoming publication in The Leading Physicians of the World.

About FindaTopDoc

FindaTopDoc.com is a hub for all things medicine, featuring detailed descriptions of medical professionals across all areas of expertise, and information on thousands of healthcare topics. Each month, millions of patients use FindaTopDoc to find a doctor nearby and instantly book an appointment online or create a review. Findatopdoc.com features each doctors full professional biography highlighting their achievements, experience, patient reviews and areas of expertise. A leading provider of valuable health information that helps empower patient and doctor alike, FindaTopDoc enables readers to live a happier and healthier life.

For more information about FindaTopDoc, visit http://www.findatopdoc.com

Media Contact

Company Name: International Association of HealthCare Professionals

Contact Person: Lauren

Email: lauren.findatopdoc@gmail.com

Phone: 877-447-8360

Country: United States

Website: www.findatopdoc.com
Gold Anomaly Limited (ASX:GOA) is pleased to announce further progress towards early gold production at its Sao Chico Gold Project in Brazil. As previously announced, Kenai Resources Ltd (CVE:KAI) has signed an option agreement with GOA to acquire an initial 50% in the project with further options to progress in stages to 75% and 100%. Kenai are currently seeking TSX-V approval before proceeding with the agreement.
Shandong Gold is principally engaged in the exploration, mining, refining and sale of gold and non-ferrous metals. Shandong Gold is listed on the main board of both the Shanghai and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges.



Shandong Gold had a market capitalisation of approximately US$14.5 billion as at 18 June 2020. In 2019, Shandong Gold produced mined gold of 1.273 million ounces and generated revenue of US$9.0 billion and EBITDA of US$771 million. As of 31 December 2019, Shandong Gold controlled total resources of 35.5 million ounces. Shandong Gold is 48% owned by Shandong Gold Group Co., Ltd ("Shandong Gold Group"), which is ultimately controlled by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Shandong Province of China ("Shandong SASAC").


Appointment of Due Diligence Consultants

Perth, Aug 10, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Altech Chemicals Limited (Altech/the Company) ( ASX:ATC ) is pleased to provide an important update on the progress of financing for its proposed high purity alumina (HPA) project.



Highlights:



- Altech and KfW IPEX-Bank appoint lenders due diligence consultants



- Technical, market and legal due diligence



- Reputable international audit firm to provide "expert opinion" also mandated



- Due diligence initiation meeting held in Stuttgart, Germany



- Due diligence site visits at Meckering and Johor conducted last week



Following the announcement on 3 August 2016, of a positive pre-assessment by the German Government interministerial committee (IMC) and Euler Hermes Aktiengesellschaft (Euler Hermes) of Altech's export credit project finance application (refer ASX Announcement dated 3 August 2016 for details), due diligence consultants have now been appointed.



The due diligence consultants are to undertake the definitive technical, market and legal review of the project on behalf of the proposed financier, Germany's government-owned KfW IPEX-Bank supported by German export credit agency Euler Hermes.



The appointment of the due diligence consultants is a significant milestone for project financing and will culminate in the provision of an "expert opinion" on the projects viability and risks.



The appointed due diligence consultants are:



Technical

M.Plan International Limited



Review the technical, environmental and social aspects of the project. Including amongst others, the geology, mineral resources and reserves, metallurgical test work, construction budget and schedule, infrastructure, permitting, environmental and social aspects.



Market

Persistence Market Research



Assessment and confirmation of HPA target market, product production, consumption, demand, trade, and a review and validation of proposed sale quantities and considered prices use in the project financial modelling.



Legal

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer



Assessment and confirmation of legal aspects of the project including permits, licences, contractual terms, structuring, and financial transactions. Adnan Sundra & Low is engaged as Malaysian counsel and Minter Ellison as Australian counsel. Freshfields will act as lenders' legal counsel to KfW.



Expert Opinion on Financing for Euler Hermes



An Expert Opinion on the project's overall viability, assessment and justification of project risks will be provided by a "reputable international audit firm". The expert opinion is required for the grant of export credit cover for project financed transaction and issued to the responsible authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) represented by the German Export Credit Agency (ECA) - Euler Hermes.



A due diligence initiation meeting was held in Stuttgart, Germany recently, with representatives from the appointed due diligence consultants as well as M+W Group (engineering procurement and construction contractor) and KFW IPEX-Bank in attendance. At the meeting technical due diligence consultants M.Plan International Limited and market due diligence consultants Persistence Market Research each presented their initial preliminary findings, which identified no fatal flaws in the project. The initiation meeting was chaired and facilitated by Altech managing director Iggy Tan, in conjunction with KfW IPEX-Bank project leaders.



Due diligence activities have now progressed to the next stage and site visits were conducted last week by the various consultants, to the Company's Meckering kaolin deposit; the HPA pilot plant site at Simulus Engineering's Perth testing facility and to the proposed HPA plant site at the Tanjung Langsat Industrial Complex, Johor, Malaysia.



Altech managing director Mr Iggy Tan said, "The commencement of the Lenders detailed project due diligence is a significant advance towards finalising project financing. The site visits last week follow an extremely constructive due diligence initiation meeting in Stuttgart, Germany during which all participants were updated on the status of project detailed design and funding plans. The site visits enabled the consultants to quickly familiarise themselves with the project, the Company and provided for specific queries to be answered in a most effective manner."



To view all images, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/D0B02AHW





About Altech Chemicals Ltd





Altech Chemicals Limited (ASX:ATC) (FRA:A3Y) is aiming to become one of the world's leading suppliers of 99.99% (4N) high purity alumina (Al2O3) through the construction and operation of a 4,500tpa high purity alumina (HPA) processing plant at Johor, Malaysia. Feedstock for the plant will be sourced from the Company's 100%-owned kaolin deposit at Meckering, Western Australia and shipped to Malaysia.



HPA is a high-value, high margin and highly demanded product as it is the critical ingredient required for the production of synthetic sapphire. Synthetic sapphire is used in the manufacture of substrates for LED lights, semiconductor wafers used in the electronics industry, and scratch-resistant sapphire glass used for wristwatch faces, optical windows and smartphone components. Increasingly HPA is used by lithium-ion battery manufacturers as the coating on the battery's separator, which improves performance, longevity and safety of the battery. With global HPA demand approximately 19,000t (2018), it is estimated that this demand will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30% (2018-2028); by 2028 HPA market demand will be approximately 272,000t, driven by the increasing adoption of LEDs worldwide as well as the demand for HPA by lithium-ion battery manufacturers to serve the surging electric vehicle market.
NMSU Bernalillo County Extension Service

The scent of approaching fall across New Mexico is found in the smoky acrid smell of roasting green chile.

For many New Mexicans, harvest months signal the time to buy a bushel of green chile for roasting and freezing.

But those of us with small freezers generally cannot join in the fun.

But theres more to preserving green chile than freezing; green chile can be successfully home canned or dried for use throughout the year.

Cindy Schlenker Davies, program director and home economist for New Mexico State University Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Program, annually reduces a bushel of green chile to a convenient two-pound box to mail to her chile-deprived son living in the Pacific Northwest. He eats it as a snack and adds it to his soups, stews and casseroles, where the moisture reconstitutes its flavor and texture.

Drying or dehydration  one of the oldest methods of food preservation  is particularly successful in the hot, dry climate of New Mexico.

Moisture found in food is necessary for bacterial growth and eventual deterioration.

Drying removes moisture from food thus preserving it.

Successful dehydration depends upon a slow steady heat supply over an extended period of time to ensure the food is dried from the inside out.

Electric dehydrators offer the easiest and most efficient way to dry a wide variety of food including chile.

There are a number of makes and models on the market. Home goods stores sell home dehydrators either in a round tower model or a rectangular rack system. With tower models, additional trays can be added. Sporting goods stores also have dehydrators, geared to the needs of hunters for jerky but can be good options for drying all types of foods. Green chile can also be safely dried in the sun on covered trays to keep pests out. It may also be dried in the oven at a low temperature, but not lower than 150 degrees.

Roast the chile

For drying, canning or freezing green chile, choose mature chiles that are heavy for their size, smooth, symmetrical, bright green, fresh and crisp.

Choose your favorite roasting method for all preservation methods.

Blistering the skin by one of the following methods makes removal easy. Be sure the heat source is very hot. Turn frequently to prevent scorching and ensure even blistering.

 Oven or broiler method: Place chiles in a hot oven or broiler, 400-450 degrees, for 6-8 minutes until skin blisters so that it can be pulled away.

 Range top method: Place chiles on a hot electric or gas burner after covering burner with a layer of heavy wire mesh.

 Outdoor grill method: Place chiles on a charcoal grill about 5-6 inches above glowing coals.

Many New Mexicans have their green chile commercially roasted. If using this method, you must cool the chile to 40 degrees or colder within two hours of roasting for food safety. Dont transport your chile in black trash bags as many are sprayed with pesticides.

Remove from the heat and spread out on a flat surface in a single layer to cool before peeling. For a crisper product, dip chile into ice water as it is removed from the heat.

Dry the chile

Once chile is roasted, using gloves, remove the charred skin and open the chile.

Remove the seeds and spread the chile flat on the dehydrator rack system of your choice.

The amount of time for complete drying depends on the method chosen.

Electric dehydrators take 6-8 hours to dry chile. The sun can take several days and require bringing the racks in each night.

Perfectly dried chile should be crisp to the touch and not flexible. (For more information, download the NMSU Extension publication, Drying Foods at aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/ or call the Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service at 505-243-1386 for a copy.)

Canning green chile

Green chile is naturally low in acid and requires high-pressure canning to prevent the growth of micro-organisms, specifically botulism.

Pressure canning raises the internal temperature of canned green chile to 240 degrees, which is required for low-acid foods.

Approximately one pound of chile equals a pint of canned  so 10 pounds of fresh green chile will produce 10 pints of canned.

After choosing the best chile and roasting it, remove skins, stems and seeds from chile.

It can be cut into pieces or left whole.

Pack chile loosely in sterile jars and add boiling water to completely cover the chile, leaving 1 inch of space at the top.

Use a rubber spatula or plastic knife to gently move through the liquid to release any trapped air bubbles.

Wipe the jar rims with a wet clean paper towel before placing new seals and metal bands on each jar, tightening only until resistance is met and not too tightly, as this may interfere with obtaining a good seal.

Follow the instructions for pressure canning or obtain the NMSU Extension publication Canning Green Chile from the sources noted above.

Freezing

Freezing green chile continues to be a favorite preservation method. As with the other methods choose the mature, heavy chile, wash and dry and roast or blister the skins.

The tough outer skin must be removed, but you can do that before or after freezing.

With a knife, make a small slit in the side to allow steam to escape.

For more thoroughly cooked chile, place them in a pan and cover with a damp towel for a few minutes.

As the chile is peeled, either before or after freezing, slit along the sides and remove seeds and veins. Stems may be left attached for chiles rellenos. Pack whole unpeeled chile in plastic freezer bags or wrap in heavy aluminum foil or freezer wrap. Press down to remove all air and seal.

Peeled chile, whole or diced, can be packaged in plastic bags or rigid containers of glass, metal or plastic. Leave -inch of head space and seal.

Freeze chile immediately after packing. Freeze at 0 degrees or below. Put no more food into a home freezer than will freeze within 24 hours.

Usually this is about two or three pounds of food to each cubic foot of freezer capacity.

For quickest freezing, place packages against freezing plates or coils and leave a little space between packages so air can circulate freely. After freezing, packages may be stored close together. Store them at 0 degrees or below.

For information, obtain the NMSU Extension publication in English and Spanish, Freezing Green Chile from the sources noted earlier.

Dianne Christensen is the family and consumer science agent for the New Mexico State University Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service

Chile can burn

Handling pungent chile can burn hands and eyes.

Protect hands with a thin layer of solid fat or by wearing rubber gloves.

Keep hands away from eyes while working with chile. Wash hands before touching other people.

If hands are burned by chile, place them in regular vinegar to ease the stinging sensation.

Attend a class

Learn more about the ways to preserve green chile by taking a class with food preservation specialist Cindy Davies.

Green Chile! Canning, Drying and Freezing, $10 for supplies, is 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7, at the Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension office, 1501 Menaul NW.

Call 243-1386 or email diannec@nmsu.edu to register.
Gov. Susana Martinez made a quick trip to Dallas today to attend unspecified political meetings, according to the Governors Office.

Martinez, who is the chairwoman of the Republican Governors Association, a national group that supports GOP gubernatorial candidates, has traveled out of state extensively in recent months.

Most recently, she headed up New Mexicos delegation to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland last month.

As for this weeks trip, the governor is scheduled to return to New Mexico tomorrow, Martinez spokesman Michael Lonergan said.

Her political committee, Susana PAC, will pay for the expenses of the governors trip.

Per the state Constitution, Lt. Gov. John Sanchez will serve as acting governor while Martinez is traveling out of state.
DALLAS  Dallas County District Attorney Susan Hawk has been hospitalized at an Arizona clinic since mid-June, the third time she has sought inpatient treatment for mental illness since taking office in January 2015.

The Dallas Morning News (http://bit.ly/2bhoi3Q) reports that even though Hawk has reported for work at her courthouse office 66 days this year, her second-in-command, Messina Madson, says the Republican has no plans to resign and does plan to return.

However, its unclear when Hawk will return and Madson, whos running the DAs office in her absence, declined to discuss Hawks mental state or the treatment she is receiving at the Sierra Tucson clinic.

If she were to resign before Aug. 26, voters would choose her successor in November. If she resigns later, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott would choose.

___

Information from: The Dallas Morning News, http://www.dallasnews.com
Chevron Mining Inc. has agreed to a $143 million settlement with the state and federal governments to clean up the closed molybdenum mine near Questa, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday.

The proposed partial consent decree, if approved by the court, will provide for the next phase of the cleanup at the Superfund site, according to a Justice Department news release. It is the largest settlement of its kind for cleanup work in Environmental Protection Agencys Region 6, the department said.

The mine, which had been in operation in Taos County on and off since 1916, closed for good in 2014.

Under the settlement, the company will undertake a pilot project to cover about 275 acres of mine waste, or tailings, operate a water treatment plant and install groundwater extraction systems, according to the Justice Department. Chevron Mining will also reimburse the Environmental Protection Agency more than $5.2 million for overseeing past cleanup at the site.

Mining operations and waste disposal over the years contaminated soil, sediment, surface water and groundwater, the Justice Department said.

In addition to requiring crucial cleanup work, the settlement includes important measures to prevent further contamination of the environment and provides for extensive monitoring to ensure compliance, said U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez of the District of New Mexico.

Chevron Mining already has completed some cleanup work at the site under previous agreements with EPA, including the cleanup of Eagle Rock Lake and the removal of numerous tailing spills. The new work is expected to improve efforts to permanently prevent contamination of the Red River and other water resources and to reduce risks to nearby communities.

This $143 million cleanup is a powerful example of regulatory protections that work, said Acting Secretary Butch Tongate for the New Mexico Environment Department. In addition to the $112 million already collected for environmental work during this administration, the State of New Mexico is pleased with the enforcement of regulations that hold Chevron Mining accountable for the environmental impacts caused by the now-closed Questa Mine which will foster a renewed Questa/Red River destination area.

The proposed settlement follows a September 2015 consent decree on behalf of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service and the New Mexico State Office of Natural Resource Trustee. Under that decree, Chevron Mining paid more than $4.2 million for acquiring, restoring or replacing natural resources damaged by mine activities.

The consent decree is subject to the 30-day comment period, during wich the public can submit written comments, and final approval by the court. Efforts to reach Chevron officials for comment Tuesday were unsucessful.

A copy of the consent decree is available here.
SANTA FE  Jessie Harbeck and her mother, Debra Harbeck, just wanted to celebrate with drinks the night before Jessies 22nd birthday in January.

Hours later, Jessie ended up spending part of her birthday taking her mother off life support after the highly intoxicated woman choked during a risque corn dog eating contest at a now-defunct Albuquerque nightclub.

Now Jessie, her father and her grandmother are suing the club, Fire and Ice, and others connected to the property and its liquor license, in a complaint for wrongful death filed in Santa Fe District Court. It alleges, among other things, that the club served her too much liquor.

According to the complaint, Fire and Ice held a corn dog eating contest where female contestants got on their knees in front of males who were holding corn dogs near their groin area on Jan. 27.

The winner of the corn dog eating contest won a prize by eating the corn dog the fastest, the complaint says.

Jessie Harbeck told the Journal on Tuesday that her mother paired up with one of Jessies friends for the contest. Debra began choking on the corn dog, and patrons rushed to apply the Heimlich maneuver and CPR before paramedics got there.

The choking caused the loss of oxygen to her brain before medical personnel could be there, said Albuquerque lawyer Gene Chavez, who filed the lawsuit for the Harbecks. Her body fought valiantly, but the damage was irreparable.

The lawsuit says Debra Harbeck, 56, was intoxicated, had been over-served at the bar and should not have been allowed to take part in the eating contest. The suit also argues the club should have had medical personnel on hand for the contest.

The family pulled Debra from life support on Jan. 28, Jessies actual birthday, and Debra died at 12:22 p.m. the next day.

My dad wanted to wait to pull the plug until midnight of my birthday so that she wouldnt die on my birthday, Jessie said. I told him my one birthday wish was for her to not suffer. I knew she was in pain, and I didnt want her suffering anymore.

Chavez says the club didnt supervise the contest well enough in allowing such an intoxicated person to take part. Debra had a blood alcohol content between 0.13 and 0.14 percent, according to the suit. She had been served three double shots & four double gin and tonics, the suit says.

The complaint maintains Debra Harbeck was at a fatal or near-fatal level of intoxication, although the BAC described in the court complaint is less than twice New Mexicos presumed level of intoxication for drivers, 0.08 percent.

Quite honestly, they did not cut her off, Jessie said. She was pretty intoxicated when I got there. The bar did not take the initiative to get her to stop drinking. Jessie said she had a designated driver so she could enjoy her birthday, and she said she took her mothers keys and told her she would drive her home because she was drunk.

Chavez said its common for eating contests around the country to have medical personnel nearby in case someone starts choking or has another medical problem.

Jessie and Anthony Harbeck, Debras husband, are suing PKG Investments LLC, which the suit says was operating as Fire and Ice at Montgomery and Eubank.

Also named are Anodyne Corp., which was leasing its liquor license to PKG, according to the suit, and Hinkle Investments LLC, which owns the property Fire and Ice was leasing. The suit can be filed in Santa Fe because the estates personal representative is in the capital city.

No one connected to the club ownership as described in the suit could be reached for comment Tuesday.

Jessie said Debra was an active supporter of the fire and police departments in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties. Her husband is retired from Phoenix Fire Department, and Debra made quilts and donated them to fire departments or to the homeless.

Jessie was an only child, and her relationship with her mother extended beyond a normal mother-daughter relationship, she said.

She was my best friend, Jessie said. She was my support system.
Its time for the University of New Mexico to tell the truth about its handling of sexual assault on campus.

Yes, as UNM President Robert Frank said in his recent guest column in this paper, it is true that the University of New Mexico has made strides toward addressing the sexual assault crisis on campus.

Those steps include trainings on sexual assault reporting and prevention; new policies and procedures to resolve complaints in a more fair and timely manner; and updating its Office of Equal Opportunity policies, and hiring two new investigators and an intake staffer.

But, while these things may be true, they are only part of the truth.

It is time that we start telling the whole truth  not just the parts that help parents feel better about sending their children and their hard-earned money to the University of New Mexico.

We need to also tell the hard truths that will keep those students safe on campus.

That is why, while we thank Frank and the university for what they have done, we are compelled to publicly hold them accountable for what they have not done.

Simply put, UNM has not:

 Accepted responsibility for findings in the Department of Justice report.

 Moved quickly enough to ensure that students, staff and faculty have the information they need to report sexual assault.

 Allocated enough resources to the Advocacy Center for it to be effective.

 Been transparent with its response to the Department of Justice.

 Involved all the stakeholders necessary to ensure the successful implementation of positive changes.

Whats more, UNM in general and Frank in particular have treated the safety of students and ending sexual assault on campus as an afterthought.

The truth is that, without the U.S. Department of Justice intervening, the university would not have taken any action. Sexual assault and harassment, which have been rampant on campus for decades, would have continued to be the norm. Parents would still be dropping their kids off at the dorms thinking that they would be safe and protected, when they absolutely were not.

The truth is that the university was dragged kicking and screaming into making the limited reforms they have made. And they did so in a private process that effectively muted community partners, outside organizations, campus organizations, faculty, staff and survivors.

And the truth is that neither the university nor Frank has ever apologized to victims, parents, students, staff, faculty or families for allowing this problem to persist for so long or for the cavalier attitude with which the university dismissed and downplayed sexual violence.

Dont misunderstand us: Progress has been made.

But, as we said, that is just part of the truth.

The whole truth is that, until all of the hard work is undertaken and every student is safe to learn and grow on campus, UNMs work will not be done.

No news conference or carefully prepared guest column can distract from the hard truth that UNM has only just begun to address these deep, systemic problems.

Very soon, another round of parents will drop their sons and daughters off for their freshman year at the University of New Mexico. When they drive away from the dorms, those parents will naturally be worried. Theyll worry about their child making new friends; theyll worry about their child eating well and doing their laundry; theyll worry about their childs future.

But no Lobo parent should have to add to that list the worry about whether their child will be protected from sexual violence.

And that is the truth.
In light of new complaints, the University of New Mexico made the right move in again suspending a professor who was previously under investigation over allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination.

Now, it needs to proceed quickly but ensuring due process because having Cristobal Valencia still on the payroll is a difficult pill for hardworking taxpayers to swallow given the findings and patently offensive allegations by women that led to his first suspension and official censure.

After an earlier investigation, Valencia was disciplined but for some reason cleared by Les Field, chairman of the Anthropology Department, to return to class for the fall semester with the caveat that he would be monitored.

That investigation found probable cause that Valencia had violated university polices and produced findings of an extremely serious nature involving sexual harassment and differential treatment.

Allegations against Valencia, who has declined comment, are partly based on a memo reportedly delivered to dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Mark Peceny, from anthropology faculty members who wrote they continue to work in a hostile working environment where they fear retaliation and are concerned about the safety of their graduate students.

The memo makes specific complaints, including:

  students being encouraged to get drunk and party with drugs at his home, in which they were then encouraged to sleep over at his house where unwanted sexual advances were made.

 Valencia inappropriately touching and coming on to graduate students in public venues.

 Unprofessional conduct toward white people, quoting Valencia as saying, I dont take orders from white bitches.

 That Valencia created a sexual desirability list of female graduate students, described in vulgar terms unsuitable for general publication.

The university has ordered Valencia not to have contact with students or faculty while the investigation is conducted.

Unless these allegations and Office of Equal Opportunity findings are spurious, its hard to conceive of a situation in which it would be appropriate to have Valencia in a teaching position where he can exercise authority over students and create a hostile environment for his colleagues.

It would be beneficial to all if UNM can with reasonable dispatch determine the truth of the matter and if appropriate put an end to professor Valencias taxpayer-funded vacation.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
The trial of Davon Lymon on federal weapons charges is now set to begin Oct. 24 in Albuquerque, according to a scheduling order filed by Chief U.S. District Judge M. Christina Armijo.

The trial originally was scheduled for Aug. 3 in Las Cruces, but Armijo decided to delay the trial in response to defense concerns about publicity surrounding several recent police shootings in Dallas and Baton Rouge, La.

Lymon is facing federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm used in the shooting death last year of Albuquerque police officer Daniel Webster during a traffic stop on East Central.

Webster was shot on the evening of Oct. 21 while he was attempting to handcuff Lymon during an arrest for driving a motorcycle with a stolen license plate. Lymon allegedly fired six rounds, striking Webster several times. Webster died eight days later of wounds suffered in the shooting.

Federal prosecutors want to present evidence that Lymon told police officers to tell Websters family he was sorry and hoped Webster recovered.

Lymon faces 10 years for each of the four counts in the indictment, but he was scheduled to go to trial only on the charge of possessing the pistol connected to the Webster shooting. A separate trial on the three remaining counts has not been scheduled.

Court records show Armijo decided to delay the trial at the request of Lymons attorney, Kari Converse.

The Court finds in view of the recent police officer shootings in Dallas and Baton Rouge it creates a very volatile and extremely emotional set of circumstances, Armijo ruled.

She found delaying the trial was a reasonable act on the part of the court to allow events to recede in the minds of potential jurors in this case to ensure Lymon has a fair trial.

Converse, according to court records, raised the issue because the men who shot and killed a total of eight police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge were African-American, as is Lymon.

In May, Lymon pleaded guilty to a separate three-count superseding indictment charging him with distributing heroin Sept. 11, 2015, and Oct. 2, 2015, to federal undercover agents, and unlawfully possessing a firearm Oct. 2, 2015, in Bernalillo County.

Lymon faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the two heroin trafficking charges and 10 years on the firearms charge.

Lymon has not been charged with Websters death in state court. District Attorney Kari Brandenburg said her office is working with federal prosecutors and isnt under a time crunch to file charges against Lymon.
WILMINGTON, N.C.  Donald Trump ignited a fresh political firestorm Tuesday by declaring gun rights supporters might still find a way to stop Hillary Clinton, even if she should defeat him and then name anti-gun Supreme Court justices. Democrats pounced, accusing him of openly encouraging violence against his opponent.

The Republican presidential nominee has been working this week to move past distracting campaign disputes, but once again he put himself at the center of a blazing controversy.

First, he falsely claimed that Clinton, his Democratic opponent, wants to essentially abolish the Second Amendment. She has said repeatedly that she supports the Second Amendment right to own guns, though she does back some stricter gun control measures.

Trump then noted the power Clinton would have to nominate justices to the high court.

By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people  maybe there is, I dont know, Trump told supporters at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina. But Ill tell you what. That will be a horrible day.

The reaction from Democrats was immediate. Said her campaign manager, Robby Mook: This is simple  what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.

Trumps reaction later as the uproar grew: Give me a break. Interviewed by Fox News Sean Hannity, he said everyone in his audience knew he was referring to the power of voters and there can be no other interpretation.

Trumps campaign sought to quell the controversy with a statement that blamed the dishonest media for misinterpretation. And Trumps running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, said his boss was talking about the election choice for pro-gun voters, not encouraging violence.

Yet Trumps foes were unconvinced and unforgiving.

Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, said, I think it was just revealing  and I dont find the attempt to roll it back persuasive at all.

Priorities USA, a super PAC supporting Clinton, said Trump had suggested that someone shoot Hillary Clinton. Across the country, Democratic House and Senate candidates piled on, working to tie Trumps comments to their GOP opponents.

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which has endorsed Clinton, said Trump was encouraging gun violence based on conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton.

Tweeted Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, @realDonaldTrump makes death threats because hes a pathetic coward who cant handle the fact that hes losing to a girl.

The National Rifle Association, the gun lobby that has endorsed Trump, came to his defense. The group wrote on Twitter that theres nothing we can do if Clinton is elected, urging voters to defeat her in November.

The controversy immediately overwhelmed Trumps intended campaign-trail focus: the economic plan he unveiled just a day earlier and was promoting during a series of rallies in the most competitive general election states. It also reinforced the concern, voiced by many worried Republicans, that he cannot stay disciplined and avoid inflammatory remarks that imperil not only his White House prospects but the re-election chances of many GOP lawmakers.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, who was celebrating a primary victory in Wisconsin Tuesday night, said: It sounds like just a joke gone bad. I hope they clear this up very quickly. You never joke about something like that.

At another rally later Tuesday in Fayetteville, Trump was careful with his words. He repeated his argument that Clinton poses a threat to gun rights, but avoided any talk about advocates taking matters into their own hands. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, introducing him, blamed the controversy on disgusting journalists.

Clintons supporters are hoping the latest Trump trip-up will lead yet more of his fellow Republicans to defect. A day earlier, Maine Sen. Susan Collins became the latest to declare she wont vote for her partys nominee, explicitly pointing to his constant stream of cruel comments.

The U.S. Secret Service, responsible for both Clintons and Trumps protection, said it was aware of what Trump had said but declined to say whether it planned to investigate.

Contrary to Trumps remarks, Clinton has made her support for gun rights a key piece of her stump speech in a bid to pre-empt attacks from Trump and groups like the NRA. Still, she supports reinstating a federal assault weapons ban, expanding background checks and barring purchases by domestic abusers, among other steps.

Im not here to repeal the Second Amendment, she said in her Democratic National Convention speech. Im not here to take away your guns. I just dont want you to be shot by someone who shouldnt have a gun in the first place.

Clinton spent Tuesday in Florida calling for emergency public health action on the Zika virus while visiting the Miami area dealing with the first U.S. outbreak. At a local health clinic, she urged Congress to cut short its summer recess and immediately pass funding for a Zika response. She blamed congressional Republicans for inaction.

Everybody has a stake in this. And thats really why Im here, Clinton said. We dont want to wake up in a year and read more stories about babies like the little girl who just died in Houston.

Its an issue that could affect votes in a crucial swing state where she has held a small advantage in recent polls. So far, Trump has not addressed the issue in depth, though he told a Florida television station last week that Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, really seems to have it under control.

___

Lucey reported from Miami. Associated Press writers Lisa Lerer, Jonathan Lemire and Will Weissert contributed to this report.

___

Follow Josh Lederman at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP and Catherine Lucey at https://twitter.com/catherine_lucey

___

What political news is the world searching for on Google and talking about on Twitter? Find out via APs Election Buzz interactive. http://elections.ap.org/buzz
PUNTA GORDA, Fla.  A police shoot/dont shoot demonstration in Florida went shockingly awry when an officer shot and killed a 73-year-old former librarian with what police said was real ammunition used by mistake at an event designed to bring police and the public together.

Authorities didnt immediately say how a gun with a live round came to be used at Tuesday evenings demonstration, noting blank rounds are typically used in such classes. The officer has been placed on administrative leave, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating.

We were unaware that any live ammunition was available to the officer, Punta Gorda Police Chief Tom Lewis said at a news conference Wednesday. The officer involved is grief stricken. Weve got officers assigned to him to make sure hes psychologically stable.

Mary Knowlton, a well-known community volunteer, was shot after being randomly selected to take part in the role-playing scenario illustrating the split-second decisions an officer must make about firing. It was part of a popular citizens academy attended by 35 people, including her 75-year-old husband, and the police chief.

Her son, Steve Knowlton, said his father was devastated.

The younger Knowlton said in an interview Wednesday at his parents home that, on his mothers behalf, he was forgiving the officer who fired.

Theres too much hate in this world, in America, we always feel like we need revenge and it doesnt solve anything, he said. I obviously cant say its easy to forgive, but it needs to be done. Shes watching me now.

Punta Gorda Police Lt. Katie Heck said officers in such demonstrations normally use simunition guns, which are real-looking weapons that fire a non-lethal projectile with reduced force. But Knowlton was mistakenly struck with a live round, officials said.

Later Wednesday afternoon, Heck identified the officer as Lee Coel and said he has worked for the department since 2014. She said Coel frequently gave department presentations and tours, specifically role-playing in these shoot/dont shoot scenarios.

The class put on by the Chamber of Commerce and the Punta Gorda police station, was just one stop during the weeks-long curriculum.

Officer Oscar Vasquez of the Jacksonville, Illinois Police Department, who is president of the National Citizens Police Academy Association, said he had never heard of anyone taking part in such courses being fatally shot. He said most departments do not use weapons in shoot/dont shoot scenarios that are capable of firing a live round.

When we run scenarios, we will use starter pistols, Vasquez told The Associated Press. You cant even put live ammunition in them.

Some departments use video simulators or other non-lethal devices, he said. Officers involved in most citizen academies dont typically even bring service weapons into classes, he added. Citizens are told beforehand that live weapons wont be used.

We put them in the shoes of the officers so they can see, real time, the decisions we have to make and the time frame we have to make them.

With suspicions running high between police and many citizens in recent years, particularly in minority communities, Vasquez said, a death like the one in Punta Gorda is extremely unfortunate.

It just breaks my heart. Its such a tragedy, he said.

Mary Knowlton attended the class with her husband and it was supposed to be a fun night, her son said.

Steve Knowlton tearfully told reporters Wednesday that he used to tease his mother about how much she worked in retirement. She helped with the local Chamber of Commerce, was active in a program for at-risk kids, loved the library and spent hours there volunteering.

Mary Knowlton moved to Florida after living for years in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota.

Books and magazines lay scattered on tables of the home she shared in Florida with Gary, her husband of 55 years. The couple split their time between Minnesota and the small Gulf Coast community. She had two sons.

Steve said that his father hadnt yet been able to see his wifes body, more than 12 hours after the shooting.

To see your wife shot and killed, and not be able to see her  Steve Knowlton said, his eyes filling with tears.

And yet, Knowlton said his mother would have wanted him to forgive the officer who pulled the trigger.

I forgive him. My mom was very spiritual. She brought us up right, he said.

Carolyn Hartwigsen, of Edina, Minnesota, told The Associated Press she was a longtime friend of Knowlton, adding she loved books and sought to instill that in young readers.

So much is on the internet now. But, books are so important to have in childrens hands. That was important to her, Hartwigsen said.

Hartwigsen said Mary and her husband would come back to Minnesota periodically to visit.

She was the salt of the earth, a beautiful soul and the kindest woman you would know, she said.

___

Associated Press writer Curt Anderson contributed to this report from Miami.

Follow Tamara Lush on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tamaralush
ANKARA, Turkey  A delegation of Turkish foreign ministry, military and intelligence officials is traveling to Russia for discussions on finding a solution to the Syria conflict, Turkeys foreign minister said Wednesday.

The announcement by Mevlut Cavusoglu came a day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Russias Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg for the first time since the countries agreed to mend relations soured by Turkeys downing of a Russian plane in November.

The two leaders agreed to take steps to rebuild their damaged trade ties and revive major energy projects. They also held a separate meeting to discuss the conflict in Syria  despite their divergent views. While Moscow has backed Syrian President Bashar Assad throughout the nations civil war and further bolstered that support by launching an air campaign last September, Turkey has pushed for Assads removal.

Cavusoglu told state-run Anadolu Agency that the Turkish delegation would head for Russia on Wednesday in search of common ground. The meeting would be followed by talks by higher level officials, he said, adding that the two countries had a mutual understanding on a number of issues.

On Syria, we think the same on the issue of a cease-fire, on humanitarian aid and a political solution, the minister said. We may have a different outlook on how the cease-fire should be implemented.

Cavusoglu said: We (Turkey) especially dont want attacks that harm civilians. We dont believe it is appropriate that the moderate opposition is attacked. We dont find the Aleppo siege to be appropriate.

Cavusoglu on Wednesday also denied that Erdogans visit to St. Petersburg was intended to send a message to Turkeys allies in the West, which Ankara accuses of not showing Turkey sufficient support since last months failed coup.

Turkey is pressing the United States to extradite U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom it accuses of orchestrating the coup attempt, and has expressed frustration at its slow response. Gulen has repeatedly denied any involvement.

The dispute has strained U.S.-Turkish ties, with some Turkish officials implying Washington could have been behind the coup. Washington has strongly denied that.

Turkish officials have also fumed at expressions of concern from European officials over Turkeys sweeping crackdown on the Gulen movement, and accused the West of failing to show support for a democratically elected government. Ankara also lashed out at the EU for failing to uphold its end of an EU-Turkey agreement on migration.

Still, Cavusoglu said the rapprochement with Russia was independent of relations with the West.

We have always regarded our relations with Russia as complementary not as an alternative (to the West), Cavusoglu said.

We are not improving ties with Russia to send a message to the West, Cavusoglu told Anadolu. We are doing it for our own interests and for the interests of the region.

Turkeys shooting down of the Russian plane near the border with Syria had brought relations with Russia to freezing point until Erdogan apologized to Russia in June.
CARLSBAD  Efforts to construct an interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel are moving forward as Intrepid Potash relinquished a mineral rights lease to acreage proposed to house the project.

The project, a partnership between Holtec International and the Eddy Lea Energy Alliance, will temporarily store spent nuclear fuel rods from power plants across the country.

We approached them and asked, Would you consider being generous enough to relinquish your mineral rights? and it turns out they were, said John Heaton, chair of the Eddy Lea Energy Alliance. That gives us the security that there will be no mining.

Though there are potash reserves on the 640 acres Intrepid relinquished, Intrepids Executive Vice President Jamie Whyte said the company wouldnt be in a position to mine them for many years.

The commodity price for oil and gas and potash have impacted our communities, Whyte said in a news release from the City of Carlsbad. We, along with our regulators, all need to be good neighbors and work together to help each other strive and thrive.

Intrepid Potash idled their West Mine near Carlsbad in May, eliminating around 300 jobs.

The HI-STORE Consolidated Interim Storage project is expected to cost more than $1 billion and provide around 200 construction and operations jobs, program director Ed Mayer said.

The project is going to have a positive effect on the local economy, Mayer said.

The storage facility will initially be built to house 200 to 500 spent fuel casks but can be expanded to store 4,000.

Holtec will present its application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in March and the approval process will take 2 to 3 years.

Mayer said the facility should be up and running in four years.

The facility will be licensed for 40 years of operation with the option to renew for another 40 years.

Heaton said the Department of Energy has estimated they should have a permanent, deep disposal option available for spent nuclear fuel by 2048.

The news release said the New Mexico Land Office will now retain the rights to the minerals. The Alliance and Holtec will ask them to refrain from mining on the land until after the life of the project has been completed.

The potash isnt going anywhere, Mayer said. Its not like anybody is losing the minerals.

Maddy Hayden can be reached at 575-628-5512.



2016 the Carlsbad Current-Argus (Carlsbad, N.M.)

Visit the Carlsbad Current-Argus (Carlsbad, N.M.) at www.currentargus.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

_____
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  After he escaped unharmed from the burning wreckage of an Emirates airplane that had crash-landed in Dubai, Mohamed Basheer already considered himself lucky.

Then came the call telling him he had won $1 million.

I said, Dont joke!' the 62-year-old Indian recounted, laughing inside the auto-body repair shop where he works in Dubai. They said, Yes, you are the winner! I said, No!'

Basheer won Dubai Duty Frees Millennium Millionaire sweepstakes Tuesday with a ticket he purchased July 6, just before he boarded an Emirates flight to head to Indias Kerala state and his hometown of Pallickal.

He believes the 1,000-dirham ($270) ticket, No. 845 in Series M222, was his 17th attempt to win the sweepstake.

Yet perhaps his luckiest numbers were yet to come as he boarded Emirates flight EK521 on Aug. 3 to return to Dubai. Sitting in seat 26G, Basheer said the flight passed normally for the 300 onboard until the Boeing 777-300 attempted to land at Dubai International Airport, the worlds busiest international airfield.

The plane hit the runway, bounced and slammed into the ground again. For Basheer, who works at Al Tayer Motors auto body shop as a fleet operations coordinator, it felt like the shuddering stop of a speeding car with anti-lock brakes.

The cabin quickly filled with smoke when the plane came to a halt.

Nobody knows whats happening, Basheer told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday. But Im not scared.  I was supporting the people and also I saved my life.

He jumped out of the airplanes emergency exit and down the slide, before turning back to see the fire spreading as others fled. He said he saw the explosion that caused the crashs only fatality, an Emirati firefighter responding to the blaze.

But he said he remained in awe that the passengers all escaped.

That really is a miracle, Basheer said. Thanks for God and thanks for the pilot.

An investigation into the crash is ongoing, though radio traffic and transponder data suggest the aircraft tried to regain altitude in the last moments before it hit the ground. That could indicate the pilots were trying to go around for a second landing attempt when something went wrong.

For Basheer, a no-nonsense employee like many of the laborers, taxi drivers and others from Kerala who take jobs in the United Arab Emirates, he immediately went back to work at the auto shop.

And then, at 1.45 p.m. on Tuesday, he received the phone call telling him hed won.

We were all excited, but he was the same  calm, said Ambujam Satheesh, his manager at the body shop. He was taking calls from the customers.

That calm has carried Basheer through an intense 24 hours of non-stop calls to his mobile phone. Two bankers even came to visit him at the workshop, ending their pitch for his cash with a request for a selfie that he obliged.

To Basheer, the money isnt life-changing, though it can help his partially paralyzed son, grown daughter, grandchildren and wife. Hell keep working until mandatory retirement and will try to create a program to help the poor by teaching them useful work skills.

Dont rubbish that money by giving something to someone for free, the 37-year Dubai resident said. If youre hard-working, you make the money valuable.

The interview over, Basheer walked past the gleaming Ford Mustangs in the body shop and returned to his desk. A moment later, the phone rang with a worried customer and he got back to work.

___

Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/jon-gambrell .
WASHINGTON  The Latest on the U.S. presidential campaign (all times EDT):

9:16 p.m.

Republican Donald Trump has come prepared with visuals at his Fort Lauderdale, Florida, rally.

The GOP nominee, who usually speaks without the aid of visuals, brought a collection of printed graphs and charts filled with statistics.

They include how much various countries donated to the Clinton charitable foundation, how many sentences various presidents have commuted and the percentage of immigrants in the United States.

Trump says he was thinking of using screens, but decided to do it the old-fashioned way and some cards made.

He says he saved some money that way.

___

8:46 p.m.

Donald Trump says President Barack Obama is the founder of the Islamic State group.

Trump in recent days has accused Hillary Clinton rhetorically of being the founder of IS. Hes referring to national security policies in the Middle East that he says enabled the extremist groups rise.

But Trump is now leveling that accusation directly at Obama during a rally in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Trump is also referring to the president by his full legal name: Barack Hussein Obama.

___

8:38 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is getting a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T at a Detroit-area fundraiser.

The Democratic presidential candidate was treated to a performance by Aretha Franklin at a fundraiser in a Detroit suburb Tuesday night. Attendees said the so-called queen of soul performed at the private gathering.

Franklin  whose hits included Respect, Think and Natural Woman  has performed for President Barack Obama in the past, including at his 2008 inauguration.

___

8:28 p.m.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is making light of the Zika virus outbreak during a Donald Trump rally in Florida.

Huckabee is introducing Trump in Fort Lauderdale. He says hes a lot more scared of a Hillary Clinton presidency than he is about a mosquito bite in South Florida.

Florida officials have said nearby Miami-Dade County is where more than a dozen non-travel-related Zika cases were discovered last week. Those are believed to be the first and only active transmissions in the mainland United States.

___

7:58 p.m.

Donald Trump says hes concerned that the moderators in the upcoming presidential debates wont be fair.

Trump has said he wants to participate in all three scheduled debates with Hillary Clinton but hasnt concretely committed. Hes complained that two debates are scheduled at the same time as NFL games and he says thats really unfair to do that.

Trump tells Fox News that Republicans and conservatives get unfair treatment by moderators and the media. He says he wants to see a fair moderator selected.

The commission organizing the debates hasnt yet announced the moderators.

Trump also says that former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani will be working with the commission on his behalf on the debate-planning.

___

4:29 p.m.

Mike Pence is personally apologizing to a Republican state representative who was denied VIP seating at Pences rally near Dayton, Ohio.

Rep. Niraj Antani, of Dayton, says he was denied promised seating in the VIP area for, he believes, sending a positive tweet about Ohio Gov. John Kasich. Kasich is one of Trumps most outspoken Republican critics, and Antani had served as one of his convention delegates.

Antani and Pences campaign say the GOP vice presidential nominee has called Antani to apologize for the seating incident.

Antani says the Trump campaign had called and asked him to remove a Tweet that said he was finding Kasich supporters, but no Trump backers, while door knocking.

Seth Unger, a spokesman for Trumps Ohio campaign, is not confirming or denying whether the campaign asked Antani to take down the tweet. He says, seating in our VIP area is very limited and we cant accommodate everyone.

4:10 p.m.

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine is wrapping up a two-day Texas swing.

The Virginia senator made an unannounced visit to a Salvadoran restaurant in Dallas tony Oak Cliffs neighborhood between a fundraiser in Fort Worth and a second in another part of Dallas. Hes leaving for Louisiana later Wednesday.

Kaine posed for pictures and chatted with diners about the importance of teachers and the process of agreeing to be Hillary Clintons running mate.

Some on-hand said theyd like to see Democrats succeed in Texas, but Kaine didnt make any predictions.

On Tuesday in Austin, though, he vowed that he and Clinton are serious about doing well in Texas in November  even though a Democrat hasnt won statewide office in Texas since 1994.

___

4:05 p.m.

A protester has tried to disrupt a Hillary Clinton rally in Des Moines, but was quickly removed from the event.

The woman, protesting on behalf of animal rights, tried to rush onto the stage during a rally at Lincoln High School, but, struggling, was escorted, out by security.

Clinton is visiting the battleground state of Iowa for the first time since her narrow win in the leadoff caucuses.

___

4 p.m.

Hillary Clinton says there could be tremendous consequences from Donald Trumps comments that there may be something Second Amendment supporters can do to stop her.

Clinton says the remark was a casual inciting of violence that shows he lacks the temperament to be commander-in-chief. The comments, Clinton says, were the latest in a long string by Trump that crossed the line and raises the stakes for the 2016 campaign.

She says that words matter and if you are running to be president or you are president of the United States words can have tremendous consequences.

Trump insists he never advocated violence and his comments Tuesday have been manipulated for political purposes.

Clinton is speaking at a campaign rally in Des Moines.

___

3:40 p.m.

Donald Trump is accusing Hillary Clinton of pay for play during her tenure at the State Department. He says her behavior is illegal.

Trump is responding to emails released by the conservative group Judicial Watch that shed light on ties between the State Department and the Clinton Foundation.

Republicans have alleged the emails show improper influence on the State Department by the Clinton familys charitable foundation, a claim Clintons campaign denies.

Trump says it shows that under Clinton, you pay, and youre getting things. He says its really, really bad and is comparing Clinton to disgraced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was imprisoned for corruption.

___

3:35 p.m.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Ted Strickland of Ohio is apologizing for remarks appearing to celebrate the death of late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (AN-toh-nihn skuh-LEE-uh).

In audio of an appearance Monday before the AFL-CIO in Cleveland, the former Ohio governor is heard saying he didnt wish anyone ill but Scalias death happened at a good time for union workers. The crowd laughs.

Scalias son, Christopher, tweeted: Stay classy, @Ted_Strickland and you ghouls giggling along.

Strickland said in a statement Wednesday the remark was insensitive and I apologize.

The high court deadlocked four times after Scalias death, including in a major union case over a nearly four-decade-old practice that lets public-sector unions collect fees from non-members to cover collective bargaining costs.

Strickland seeks to unseat Republican Rob Portman this fall.

___

3:30 p.m.

The conflict between Donald Trumps campaign and loyalists to Ohio Gov. John Kasich appears to be continuing.

Trumps running mate, Mike Pence, is speaking at two Ohio rallies today, starting in the city of Dayton. State Rep. Niraj Antani, of Dayton, says he was denied promised VIP seating at the event. He says a Trump campaign staffer called him recently and asked him to remove a tweet favorable to Kasich. Kasich is an outspoken critic of Trump.

The tweet, now deleted, had said Antani was finding Kasich supporters instead of Trump supporters while out door-knocking in his district.

Antani, who was a Kasich delegate, says he was ready to come on board with the Trump campaign but is reconsidering after the campaigns petty actions.

Ohio is a crucial battleground state that Trump likely needs to win to capture the White House.

___

3:10 p.m.

An Iowa shop has given Hillary Clinton a new T-shirt to wear on the campaign trail.

Clinton is touring Raygun, in Des Moines, on Wednesday, where she was given a shirt that said America: Hill Yes.

Store owner Mike Draper showed Clinton the operation and she recalled her fathers drapery business as he printed her shirt.

She said: He had nothing as nice as this, as she looked around the large airy space.

Clinton stressed her commitment to small businesses and helping young entrepreneurs during brief remarks.

___

2:45 p.m.

Republican Donald Trump is holding a roundtable with coal industry executives and businesspeople in Glade Spring, Virginia.

Its a rare, intimate event for the billionaire candidate, whose public campaign appearances are usually limited to large rallies.

Trump is talking about the difficulties facing the coal and other energy issues.

He tells the workers that he knows theyre struggling.

He says, Youve been put in an impossible position, as far as mines are concerned.

Trump his also going after rival Hillary Clinton, who is advocating a move toward renewable fuel sources. He claims Clinton wants the mines closed,

Danny Atwell of Buchanan Mine #1 tells Trump the industry has shrunk over the 43 years hes been involved with mining.

He says, Everyone is trying to choke our business.

___

2:20 p.m.

Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson is set to appear on ballots in at least 39 states, and party activists are working in places such as swing state Ohio to get his name before voters this fall.

Johnsons ballot status in Ohio remained uncertain Wednesday, a day after Libertarians submitted thousands of signatures on behalf of a different candidate as a placeholder.

The state party said it would substitute in Johnsons name once the petitions are certified by Ohios elections chief. The secretary of states office says its legal team will review the situation.

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein is slated to appear on ballots in at least 27 states.

Libertarians and other third parties face a patchwork of rules and laws nationwide governing access to ballots.

___

12 p.m.

President Barack Obama will mix business with vacationing during his stay in Marthas Vineyard in a nod to the hotly contested November election.

The White House says hell attend a fundraiser Monday for the Democratic National Committee at a private residence in Chilmark, the town where the first family is staying during their two-week summer vacation.

Obama plans to play an active role on the campaign trail this fall and has already appeared with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in North Carolina. The White House did not disclose exactly where the fundraiser would occur or the cost of attendance. He is expected to deliver remarks and take questions from those in the audience.

Obama and the first family arrived on the island Saturday afternoon.

___

8:05 a.m.

Hillary Clintons campaign is launching an effort to win over Republicans and independents.

Called Together for America, the group aims to use a wave of nearly 50 recent endorsements by high-profile Republicans and independents to convince voters to cross party lines.

Clintons campaign is also releasing new endorsements from several retired Republican officials, including former Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Carla Hills, former Maryland Congresswoman Connie Morella, former Connecticut Congressman Chris Shays and former Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte.

Some Republicans say they back Clinton because they dont support Donald Trumps bombastic style and controversial statements. Others object to his lack of foreign policy experience. The Clinton backers largely include former officials, though some current Republican officeholders have said they wont vote for Trump.

___

3:10 a.m.

On the defensive once again, Donald Trump is blaming faulty interpretations and media bias for an uproar over his comments about the Second Amendment.

Hes insisting he never advocated violence against Hillary Clinton, even as undeterred Democrats pile on.

The latest Trump controversy arose from an offhand quip at a rally. Trump said there would be nothing you can do if Clintons elected to stop her from stacking the Supreme Court with anti-gun justices, then added ambiguously, Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is  I dont know.

Was Trump suggesting gun owners take matters into their own hands? Or merely musing about the powerful influence of the gun lobby?

Like so many times before, Trumps supporters and opponents construed his comments in entirely different ways.
LAS VEGAS, N.M.  A judge has found probable cause to believe a Las Vegas man raped three women who moved into city boarding homes after release from the state psychiatric hospital.

The ruling Tuesday by state Magistrate Judge Melanie Rivera means the case accusing Benjamin Baca, 75, of six counts of criminal sexual penetration and kidnapping will move to state District Court for further proceedings, including possible trial.

Rivera made the ruling after several hours of testimony from Bacas alleged victims, boarding home operators and an investigator for the state Attorney Generals Office. The judge dismissed charges that Baca raped a fourth woman after the woman testified she willingly engaged in sex with Baca.

Baca is accused of preying on women released from the Behavioral Health Institute, luring them into his truck or to his home with promises of cigarettes and sodas, then forcing them to engage in sex. I want to put him away so he wont do that to other people, one of his alleged victims testified.

Baca also faces possible trial in Magistrate Court on related misdemeanor charges of criminal sexual contact, battery and indecent exposure.
NEW YORK  A federal judge in San Francisco has dismissed a lawsuit accusing Twitter of supporting the Islamic State group.

The families of two men killed in Jordan claimed that Twitter had contributed to their deaths by allowing the group to sign up for and use Twitter accounts. The judge agreed with Twitter that the company cannot be held liable because federal law protects service providers that merely offer platforms for speech, without creating the speech itself.

As horrific as these deaths were,  Twitter cannot be treated as a publisher or speaker of ISISs hateful rhetoric and is not liable under the facts alleged, U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick wrote Wednesday .

The federal Communications Decency Act has long protected service providers for remarks made and actions taken by their users, so Wednesdays ruling came as no surprise. But that law runs in conflict with an anti-terrorism law prohibiting support for groups like the IS.

The families have the option to amend and refile the case.

Lloyd Carl Fields Jr. and James Damon Creach were shot and killed in 2015 while working as U.S. government contractors in Amman, Jordan, according to the lawsuit. The Islamic State group later claimed responsibility for their deaths. The lawsuit names Anwar Abu Zaid as the lone gunman.

Orrick noted that the lawsuit didnt claim that the IS recruited or communicated with Abu Zaid over Twitter, nor did the lawsuit accuse either of using Twitter to plan, carry out or raise funds for the attack. Rather, the lawsuit said Twitter provided material support in allowing the use of Twitter accounts for recruitment and other purposes.

A similar lawsuit against Google, Facebook and Twitter was filed in June by the father of a young woman killed in the Paris massacre last November.

Representatives for Twitter and a lawyer representing the families of two men could not immediately be reached for comment.

___

Online:

District Court ruling: http://bit.ly/2b96k7b
AUSTIN, Texas  A revamped womens health program in Texas that ousted Planned Parenthood is giving a $1.6 million state contract to the nonprofit of an anti-abortion activist, who state officials said Wednesday submitted a robust proposal for helping low-income women in rural areas.

The Heidi Groups Carol Everett has been a visible abortion opponent at the Texas Legislature. She supported two major anti-abortion restrictions the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in June, and last year, Republican lawmakers incensed by undercover video taken of Planned Parenthood operations and staffers invited her to discuss abortion clinics.

Planned Parenthood criticized the selection of Everett and accused Texas health officials of bypassing proven providers to funnel hard-earned tax dollars in support of their anti-abortion agenda, said Sarah Wheat, spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas.

The contract is the second-largest state health officials have given so far under its new Healthy Texas Women program; $1.7 million was given to Houstons Harris County.

Everett said her state contract  a first for the Heidi Group  begins in September and is about filling gaps, not about ideology. She said her services will connect women in more than 40 rural counties with providers.

I did not see quality health care offered to women in rural areas, Everett said.

The Healthy Texas Women program, unveiled last month, absorbs an old program that ousted Planned Parenthood in 2011 at the behest of lawmakers.

Texas began paying for its own womens health initiatives after the federal government said excluding Planned Parenthood  an approved provider  was against the law and halted federal funding for womens care statewide. The push to defund Planned Parenthood was part of a larger, yearslong anti-abortion effort by the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Texas Health and Human Services spokesman Bryan Black said the proposal by the Heidi Group was one of the most robust of any of those who applied for the grants.

Everetts biography on the Heidi Group website says her nonprofit, which is based near Austin, had offered practical and scriptural solutions for unplanned pregnancies.

State health officials have said the new program will have roughly three times as many providers as five years ago. It offers contraception, pregnancy testing and counseling, immunizations, breast and cervical cancer screenings, and testing and treatment for ailments such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Those under 18 will need a parents permission to qualify.

___

Follow Paul J. Weber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pauljweber
(c) 2016, The Washington Post.

When Hillary Clinton and her new running mate Tim Kaine took a celebratory bus tour through crucial Ohio after the Democratic convention, they got some unexpected company: Republican Sen. Rob Portman.

Portmans embattled reelection campaign had dispatched a squad of volunteers to Clinton-Kaine rallies in Columbus and Youngstown. There, they passed out literature touting his endorsements by several traditionally Democratic unions, signed up 400 new supporters and gathered more than 100 yard sign requests, said Corry Bliss, Portmans campaign manager.

The campaign also featured Portmans outreach to Clinton supporters on its Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Portman is betting that a significant number of Ohioans in this turbulent election season might do something voters have not done in a long time: divide their preferences between the two parties as they work their way down the ballot. Breaking that pattern may be key to the survival of some endangered Republicans and possibly to the GOPs hopes of holding onto its control of the Senate. Its a clear acknowledgment of the fear that Donald Trump is pushing some voters away  and of the threat he poses to the rest of his party.

Voters like to insist that they cast their ballots on the basis of the candidate, not the party. And the largest single bloc of voters is the 39 percent who identify themselves as independent, according to a study of 2014 data by the Pew Research Center.

But their actual behavior in the voting booth speaks differently.

Split-ticket voting, once commonplace, has in recent elections grown rare in this polarized country. In 2012, for instance, only 6 percent of congressional districts  just 26 out of 435  went for one party in the presidential race and another in picking a House member.

It was the lowest rate in 92 years  and a far cry from the zenith of split-ticket voting, which happened in Richard M. Nixons landslide of 1972, when 44 percent of the districts in the country voted one way for president and the other for the House.

Ohio is a good example of the trend. It has not split its preferences for the White House and the Senate since 1988, when it voted for both George H.W. Bush and to reelect then-Sen. Howard Metzenbaum, D.

There are some signs that Portman may be succeeding. The latest NBC News-Wall Street Journal-Marist poll, for instance, shows the senator holding a five-point lead over the Democratic nominee, former governor Ted Strickland, despite how Clinton has pulled ahead in Ohio by a similar margin.

A month ago, that same survey had both the Senate and presidential races tied in the state.

Currently, Republican incumbents are in tight races in six states that President Barack Obama carried in 2012. In addition to the Ohio contest, those are: Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Florida.

Democrats need five seats to take back a Senate majority  or four, if they also hold onto the White House, giving Kaine a tie-breaking vote in the chamber.

That both parties have nominated relatively unpopular candidates for president is the main force that could disrupt what has become the typical straight-ticket dynamic.

Trump has higher negative ratings than any standard-bearer in history; were he not in the race, that dubious distinction would go to Clinton. Also scrambling the equation is how more and more leading Republicans are turning their backs on Trump.

Incumbent GOP senators on the ballot this year are, by and large, performing better than Trump in the polls. They have their own organizations, and bases of support.

The unfavorable levels at the top of the ticket sets up a condition that might enhance more ticket splitting than we have seen in recent elections, said Christopher Borick, director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion in Pennsylvania

In his own state, Borick noted, Clinton appears to have a double-digit lead of Trump in the latest surveys, but the battle between incumbent Sen. Patrick Toomey, R, and Democratic challenger Katie McGinty is a dead heat.

Pat Toomey seems to be holding on better to Republicans and winning more swing voters than Donald Trump, Borick added. If Trump becomes so unacceptable to a number of Republicans that they cant vote for him, that might become a scenario where ticket-splitting perks up a bit.

What they cannot afford, however, is for the bottom to drop out from under their presidential nominee.

In New Hampshire, on the other hand, Trumps unpopularity appears to be dragging down the reelection prospects of Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R, despite her efforts to distance herself from him and his caustic comments about her.

The latest WBUR poll shows Trump running 15 points behind Clinton in the Granite State, and Ayotte doing almost as badly, with a 10-point deficit against Gov. Maggie Hassan, D.

Voters overall may be more unsettled  and therefore, up for grabs  than in the recent past.

An average of national polls taken during July, for instance, showed that 12 percent of the electorate had not yet made up its mind between Trump and Clinton  a higher share of undecideds at that point in the cycle since 1992, said Karl Rove, who was from president George W. Bushs chief political strategist.

Were going to see a larger group of voters in play than we have before, said David Winston, a Republican pollster and longtime adviser to the congressional leadership. Well have to reach these campaigns that are not used to ticket-splitting, and teach them how to do it.

Some Democrats, however, are skeptical, especially given Trumps stumbles since the convention, and the growing numbers of Republican leaders who are saying they will not vote for him.

I dont think [Trump] diminishes the numbers of swing voters, but his inability to speak beyond the base of his primary electorate has put him in a corner, said Joel Benenson, who is Clintons pollster and chief strategist.

House Republicans are already appealing to voters to cast their ballots for Republicans in Congress as a brake on Clinton.

If we fail to protect our majority in Congress, we could be handing President Hillary Clinton a blank check, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., wrote in an urgent fundraising appeal earlier this month. The awkward implication was that Trump is not likely to win.

That kind of calculation  in which ticket-splitting becomes a kind of check and balance  is known as strategic voting.

It rarely happens  almost never happens  but this year is such an unusual situation that you could actually imagine it happening, said Mark Mellman, a Democratic pollster who is working for gubernatorial and Senate races across the country.

He added, however, that the dynamic is not likely to become clear until late in the election, possibly in the final weeks of October. And there remains the potential for voters to be so turned off by the two presidential nominees that many decide just to stay home.

Meanwhile, the effort to poach across party lines is working both ways.

In Ohio, for instance, Strickland campaign spokesman David Bergstein calls Portmans hopes for a split-ticket path to victory a fantasy strategy.

But Strickland himself will be reminding Trump voters about Portmans record of supporting free trade.

By the time this election is over, every voter in Ohio, across Appalachia and the Mahoning Valley will know that Portman is the best senator China has ever had, Bergstein said.

Portman, meanwhile, is boasting of his endorsement by a number of unions that traditionally support Democrats, including the Ohio Teamsters.

This year, our endorsements are all over the map, said Fred Crow, political coordinator for 2,800-member Teamsters Local 436 in Northeast Ohio.

Among the rank-and-file, I think there is going to be a lot of ticket-splitting, Crow added.

swingvote

_____

Keywords: swing states, swing voters, ticket-splitting, campaign 2016, donald trump, hillary clinton, rob portman
Privately held companies are scaling back their hiring plans, according to a survey from PricewaterhouseCoopers, partly due to fretfulness over the presidential election.

PwCs Trendsetter Barometer for the second quarter of 2016 found that only 39 percent of the 200 private company executives polled felt optimistic about the U.S. economy in the second quarter, down slightly from 41 percent in the first quarter. Twenty-two percent of the survey respondents felt optimistic about the world economy in the second quarter, only slightly more than the 19 percent in the first quarter of the year. Only 41 percent plan to increase their headcount, down from 52 percent in the first quarter.

There are quite a few economic and political headwinds out there that are affecting the results, said PwC Trendsetter Barometer leader and tax partner Ken Esch. The global economy continues to struggle, with low growth rates, if not recessionary environments, in many foreign countries that weigh on U.S. companies ability to export products or perform services in foreign jurisdictions. I think the strong U.S. dollar has an impact as well. Then youve got the Brexit vote, which has really thrown a lot of uncertainty into not only the E.U., but also the U.S., because theyre substantial trading partners with the U.S. Thirdly youve got a U.S. election going on that is like none other in recent history, where weve got candidates vying for the president role, both of whom have pretty high unfavorable ratings.

The PwC Trendsetter Barometer results tend to decline in an election year, he acknowledged. We went back and took a look at our survey results for the prior elections going back to about 2004, and our recent history shows that the results on optimism levels and growth expectations tend to trend downward leading into an election, said Esch. There are many other factors other than just the U.S. election that bear on these survey results, but we have been seeing some optimism and growth levels drop around a U.S. election.

The low growth expectations also seem to align with the tepid growth in the gross domestic product. The U.S. Commerce Department reported in late July that GDP grew only 1.2 percent in the second quarter. The Commerce Department also revised downward its GDP figures for the first quarter to an average of 1 percent for the first half of the year. However, Esch sees some signs of optimism in the PwC report belying the gloomy growth expectations for the economy. For example, over one fourth (27 percent) of the private company leaders polled in the second quarter plan major new capital investments, the same as in the first quarter. More than three-quarters (77 percent) of the survey respondents intend to increase their operational spending, up from 66 percent a year ago.

The good news is there is a little bit of divergence between the GDP reports we saw and what were seeing in our Trendsetter results, said Esch. Capital investment is one of those. Reading the GDP reports, it looks like businesses have been pulling back a little bit on their investment, and the consumer has been holding up the economy for now. In our Trendsetter results, weve seen stable reading on investment within the businesses, both in terms of capex and operational spending, which we feel is a testament to private companies, owners and leaders taking a long-term view of the economy. They know they need to continue to invest in their business in order to grow it, and theyre reluctant to pull back on those investments just because were seeing slower growth rates in the overall economy.

Another positive is the 91 percent of private company leaders who said in the second quarter they expect their own businesses to grow, up from 86 percent in the first quarter.

A positive for me was the sheer number of companies that expect to grow, said Esch. Being above 80 percent was a very high reading for our surveys. There are very few who expect a revenue drop out there. While there are a number of headwinds in the overall economy, companies still expect to grow and theyre continuing to invest in their business.

Despite the robust jobs report last Friday from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, indicating that employers added 255,000 jobs to payrolls in July, including 8,100 in accounting and bookkeeping, PwCs survey indicates some weakening in hiring plans in the future, at least within private companies. Less than half (41 percent) of the private company leaders plan to increase headcount at their businesses, a decline from 52 percent in the first quarter. Planned wage increases are only 2.29 percent, roughly the same as the 2.72 percent in the first quarter.

Were seeing that fewer companies plan to hire over the next 12 months, said Esch. Thats not good news for payroll expansion over the next year. That tends to be a leading indicator for whats going on in the economy. For those that are expecting to hire, the average headcount is going to increase less than 2 percent, and the wage growth is stuck below 3 percent as well, so theres just not a lot of positive momentum in the report regarding the labor market.

Companies are also dampening their international expansion plans, with only 23 percent of private companies that are already selling in China planning new capital spending, down from 53 percent six months ago. But Esch believes that in the long run, companies will continue to invest in international growth.

Companies are tapping the brakes a little bit about how much theyre going to invest for international expansion, said Esch. We can break out the data between those that operate internationally, and those that operate just domestically. The international companies routinely achieve and expect higher growth rates than their domestic-only peers, and they often spend a little bit more in the way of capex and operational expenditures to fuel the growth of their business. We do see ebbs and flows with the investment expectations out there, but companies are not abandoning their growth strategy or the expectation that the international markets are going to be significant contributors to their growth over a long period of time.
(Bloomberg) Daily Journal Corp., a publisher that counts billionaire investor Charles Munger as chairman, has shored up how it discloses information to investors after years of disputes with auditors.

Management believes that its internal controls over financial reporting is effective as of June 30, Los Angeles-based Daily Journal said Tuesday in its quarterly filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company has made significant changes to its internal controls to rectify those previously identified material weaknesses mentioned in its annual report.

In its previous quarterly filing in May, Daily Journal had said its disclosure controls and procedures werent effective.

Few companies of Daily Journals size would draw much attention. But its affiliation with Mungerbest known as Warren Buffetts longtime business partner at Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has made the firm a curiosity among investors. Its annual meeting typically draws a standing-room-only crowd of a few hundred people, who come to ask Munger questions and listen to his thoughts on investing, the economy and politics.

The publishers market value has more than tripled to $313 million since the end of 2009, thanks in part to an investment that Munger made in Wells Fargo & Co. during the depths of the financial crisis. As Daily Journal grew, it struggled to meet the accounting standards required of larger firms.

The company has burned through two auditors. Ernst & Young LLP faulted the companys internal controls in 2014 and was fired. Its next accounting firm, BDO USA LLP, determined last year that there were material weaknesses tied to financial reporting and was replaced in February by Squar Milner LLP.
(Bloomberg) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP failed to spot for seven years a multibillion-dollar fraud that led to the demise of Taylor Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corp., a lawyer for the lenders bankruptcy trustee told a Miami jury on Tuesday.

At issue is PwCs work for Colonial Bank, which bought mortgages that Taylor Bean originated. Had PwC adequately vetted documents that Taylor Bean gave to the bank, it would have spotted a multiyear fraud by executives at both firms far earlier and put an end to it, the trustee claims. Instead, federal regulators uncovered it in 2009 and Taylor Bean and Colonial went bankrupt. The bankruptcy trustee sued in 2013 seeking $5.6 billion in damages.

Year after year, Pricewaterhouse didnt do their job, they didnt follow the rules and they failed to detect the fraud, Steven Thomas, an attorney for the trustee, said in opening statements.

There have been several suits stemming from the financial crisis in which bankruptcy trustees sorting through the remains of firms that collapsed due to fraud have gone after auditors, saying they failed in their roles as watchdogs. Taylor Beans accountant, Deloitte & Touche, settled similar allegations by the trustee three years ago for an undisclosed amount.

This isnt the first time PwC has been accused of negligence. Last year, the firm agreed to pay $65 million to settle similar claims tied to the collapse of MF Global Holdings Ltd.

PwC maintains it complied with auditing standards in the Taylor Bean case and accused the mortgage issuer of being responsible for its own losses.

Remember, Taylor Beans owner and half of its board of directors were criminals, Beth Tanis, an attorney for the accounting firm, told jurors. They didnt rely on Pricewaterhouses audit report because they knew about the fraud they were committing.

Taylor Bean, once the 12th-largest U.S. mortgage lender, collapsed after federal regulators uncovered a $3 billion scheme involving fake mortgage assets. Six Taylor Bean executives were convicted and jailed for their roles in the fraud, including former chairman Lee Farkas, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Beginning in 2002, Farkas sent mortgage data to Colonial Bank for loans that didnt exist or that Taylor Bean had already committed or sold to other investors. By the end of 2007, the scheme, which involved executives at Colonial Bank, consisted of about $1.5 billion in fake or severely impaired residential mortgage loans.

PwC allegedly failed to spot the fraud when it audited the books of Colonials parent, Colonial BancGroup Inc., even though Taylor Bean was the banks largest client and a stakeholder in PwCs audits, according to court documents. PwC allegedly certified the fake mortgage assets as true sales to Colonial and tried to cover up its negligence when federal regulators questioned the accounting, according to the papers.

Colonial Bank, which became the sixth-largest bank failure in U.S. history, cost the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.s insurance fund about $4.2 billion.

The judge overseeing the case ruled last year that a jury should determine whether or not punitive damages are warranted to punish PwC based on allegations of gross negligence and intentional misconduct.

The case is Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Plan Trust v. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 13-033964, Eleventh Judicial Circuit for Miami-Dade County, Florida (Miami).
Grant Thorntons new chief operating officer, Jim Brady, plans to execute the firms strategy and expand its presence in advisory services such as cybersecurity and strategic consulting.

We want to be in the Russell 2000 space, servicing large dynamic private companies, Brady told Accounting Today. Thats the segment were targeting. By targeting segments of clients, were not trying to play with local and regional firms on the low end of a client portfolio. Let the local firms have tiny businesses that belong with local CPA firms for reviews and compilations, maybe audits of private companies and tax work.

Grant Thornton needs to compete with firms both large and small for talent. Obviously you have limited resources, said Brady. Theres a shortage of CPAs in the United States and a shortage of chartered accountants across the world, so weve got to pick our spots and thats our bet. Were putting in our chipswe call them purple chips at Grant Thornton because purples our colorin the Russell 2000 and dynamic high growth private companies. Thats where were going to spend our time, energy and effort to build our brand.

Bradys appointment took effect on August 1. He joined Grant Thornton only a little over a year ago from Deloitte as the Central region managing partner and a member of GTs Senior Leadership Team. He will be based in the firms Chicago headquarters.

Brady plans to expand the firm in several other cities. We built up a few new offices, most recently in Pittsburgh and Jacksonville, and were always looking at any point in time at two or three cities on our list in terms of expanding, he said.

Grant Thornton currently has 59 offices across the U.S. Brady would also like to expand the firm in several niches.

We clearly are not just a tax firm, he said. Our audit practice is quality first. Thats the foundation of our national brand.

However, he is also looking to expand the firms advisory practice with experts who have skills servicing industries such as consumer products, manufacturing, financial services, banking, retail and technology.

Audit is obviously a mature business, having been in the United States for approximately a hundred years, said Brady. Advisory is a high-growth business, so a core part of our strategy is the audit quality foundation first and foremost. Thats the initial brand, and building an advisory practice with a suite of professional services that goes to market by industry. For example were building a United States cybersecurity practice. Theres enormous demand for cyber, and we want to be a part of supplying that demand.

Other areas targeted for expansion include data analytics, enterprise risk advisory services, internal audit and strategic consulting in supply chain management.

Were now taking our advisory practice and brand and moving it beyond the fundamentals of enterprise risk and controls or internal audit and were now going upstream into services like supply chain and cyber and data analytics, said Brady.

GT has also been growing its transaction services practice in recent years, advising companies on mergers and acquisitions.

We have a very fast-growing transaction services practice, both buy side and sell side, said Brady. The growth of that practice has exceeded our expectations for the past few years in a rather benign economy. Thats a real part of our strategy going forward.

Grant Thornton plans to do some acquisitions of its own that fit in with its strategy. In April, it acquired Arryve, a Bellevue, Wash.-based business consulting firm (see Grant Thornton Acquires Arryve).

That really ties into the more sophisticated consulting services that were looking to grow and expand, said Brady.

Before joining GT last year, Brady was national managing partner of U.S. government affairs and public policy at Deloitte. Prior to that, he was CEO of Deloittes U.S.-India audit and advisory joint venture. He worked at Deloitte for three decades.

I think there are maybe half a dozen exceptional accounting, auditing and tax firms in the United States, Deloitte being one of them and Grant Thornton being one of them, he said. I was very happy at Deloitte, and in my one year at Grant Thornton I am very happy. My expectations were high, and after one year they have been exceeded.

In his new job, Brady will continue to report to Grant Thornton CEO Mike McGuire, who previously served as COO. He will be involved in all of GTs office operations both nationally and for the firms Central and East regions. In addition, Brady will lead Grant Thorntons Public Policy team.

Mikes the CEO and sets the strategic direction for Grant Thornton, and as his COO Ill help him execute, whether its the go to market strategy, branding, and building our people culture, which has been an exceptional journey, said Brady. Its really to take the strategy of the firm set forth by Mike as the CEO, and in a nutshell help him execute the Grant Thornton strategy that was in place before I even arrived. In fact the strategy of the firm was a big part of attracting me to Grant Thornton. The overarching notion is quality and client service."

Its an honor and a privilege to be the COO at Grant Thornton, one of the half dozen excellent accountancy firms in the United States, he added. I cannot be more pleased than to serve as Mike McGuires lieutenant.
IMGCAP(1)]Ready to launch your own practice and wondering how to legally structure your business?

Many firms choose to become an LLC (limited liability company) or a PLLC (professional limited liability company).

Overview of the LLC

The LLC has become a very popular choice for small businesses. In some ways, it offers the best of both worlds: the limited liability protection of a corporate structure, but with fewer administrative formalities than a corporation. A key purpose of the LLC is to limit the personal liability of the owners from events that happen in the business. Personal liability protection means that if youre one of the owners of an LLC and the business gets sued or cant pay its debts, you wont be expected to use your personal assets to pay off the debts and settlement. Of course, this assumes youve been operating the business according to the letter of the law and have kept the business in good standing.

However, some states dont allow licensed professionals, such as accountants, to form an LLC since they dont want them to escape personal responsibility for professional malpractice by hiding behind the personal liability protection of an LLC. In addition, because the LLC has fewer corporate formalities, its harder for the state to monitor LLCsand states want to make sure that these professionals are properly licensed.

PLLCan LLC for Licensed Professionals

A PLLC is a special type of LLC thats designed for licensed professionals, such as accountants. While the specifics vary by state, generally speaking a PLLC has the specific purpose of rendering the professional service and its owners (members) are licensed for this professional service. In some states, all owners of the business must be licensed.

The LLC and PLLC are state constructs; as such, rules vary widely by state. For example, professionals in New York cannot form an LLC, but may form a PLLC. Professionals in California cannot form an LLC or a PLLC, but can form a RLLP (Registered Limited Liability Partnership) or PC (Professional Corporation). And professionals in Arizona can choose between an LLC or PLLC.

To find out the rules for accountants in your state, youll need to call the Secretary of States office in your state and ask whether or not you can form a PLLC. You can also call an online legal filing service or attorney. And, take a look at what everyone around you is doing. If most of the accountants in your state are operating as a PLLC, its a safe bet that the PLLC is permissible, but the LLC is not.

Forming a PLLC

As expected, the process to form a PLLC is more involved than forming an LLC. Youll need to draft up Articles of Organization (just like a standard LLC), but your state licensing board needs to approve this document before you can file your formation paperwork.

Once you have their approval, youll need to submit the Articles of Organization and any other required formation paperwork with the state. You can either do this directly with the Secretary of States office, or have an online legal filing service or attorney handle it for you.

Liability and the PLLC

Like an LLC, the PLLC creates a separation between the individual owners and the business. But theres a very important distinction. As a professional in a PLLC, you will still be personally liable for malpractice claims related to your own actions.

For this reason, youll need to have a good malpractice insurance policy even if you form a PLLC. However, a PLLC will typically protect you from personally liability for the business debts, as well as the malpractice of other owners within the company.

The Professional Corporation (PC)Another Option

While some states may not allow professionals to set up an LLC or PLLC, they do allow a Professional Corporation (PC). A PC is a corporation designated for licensed professionals. As with a PLLC, you form a PC by drafting up Articles of Incorporation and getting the approval of your state licensing board. And like PLLCs, a PC protects owners from personal liability related to business debt and malpractice suits directed at other associates, but it doesnt protect against malpractice suits aimed at you.

Since a PC is a corporation, it involves more administrative formality than a PLLC. For example, youll need to create a formal structure consisting of shareholders, directors and officers. In addition, the PLLC is taxed like an LLC, which offers pass-through taxation. But a Professional Corporation is generally taxed like a C Corporation, which can lead to double taxation should you take some profits out of the company. However, keep in mind that a C Corporation can still elect S Corporation status with the IRS.

The bottom line? When youre ready to form your own business, keep in mind that most states have special rules that apply to accountants and other licensed professionals. Check with your states Secretary of State office or online legal filing service to find out which entity types are permissible in your state. And remember to determine the level of liability protection thats provided by your business entity; in most cases, youll need malpractice insurance to protect you against malpractice claims.

Nellie Akalp is a passionate entrepreneur, small business advocate and mother of four. As CEO of CorpNet.com, a legal document preparation filing service, Nellie helps entrepreneurs start a business, incorporate, form an LLC, set up sole proprietorships and DBAs, and maintain a business in compliance with state filing requirements for a new or existing business.
By James Holbrooks

Over two dozen rural towns in southern Minnesota, fed up with waiting for corporate high-speed Internet to reach them, have taken it upon themselves to build a fiber optic network of their own  and theyre doing it entirely without federal funding.

Last July, POLITICO highlighted the disaster that became of a federal program, signed into life by President Obama in 2009, designed to bring high-speed Internet to rural communities. That program was plagued by mishandling of funds by the department overseeing it, the Rural Utilities Service (RUS).

A POLITCO investigation has found that roughly half of the nearly 300 projects RUS approved as part of the 2009 Recovery Act have not yet drawn down the full amounts they were awarded, the news agency writes. More than 40 of the projects RUS initially approved never got started at all, raising questions about how RUS screened its applicants and made its decisions in the first place.

The problem rural communities face is that before they can have access to high-speed Internet, the infrastructure first has to be built  and the cost of such endeavors is high. And because of the low-density populations of these sprawling communities, those with the means to invest are hesitant, due to what they perceive will be a poor return.

But residents in southern Minnesota, it seems, have found a way to work around this issue. There, 27 small towns in four counties formed a cooperative  RS Fiber  that will, if everything goes to plan, be providing its members high-speed, fiber optic Internet by 2021.

To achieve this, the community created an entirely new financing model. The towns issued resident-approved bonds that covered nearly half cost of the first phase of the project, around $16 million, which in turn made local banks feel safe enough to give loans to cover the rest.

Thats a win-win, Chris Mitchell, of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, recently told YES! Magazine. Its a model in which local governments can take on the risk if theyre willing, and local banks can get a very reasonable return.

To sweeten the deal, the local governments agreed to be repaid last if the projects financial projections arent met. This, of course, is risky for the taxpayers in those towns, but its a gamble that may already be paying off for the local economy.

In January, the Minnesota College of Osteopathic Medicine  citing RS Fibers burgeoning high-speed infrastructure as one of the determining factors  finalized plans to set up a medical school in the area.

And this could be a hint of much more to come for the rural Minnesota community. Theres certainly a precedent.

Cedar Falls, Iowa, thanks to early investments by the city in broadband infrastructure, now has Internet speeds nearly 100 times faster than the national average  which caught the eye of the technology sector.

As YES! Magazine explains:

This distinction as a Gigabit City has helped turn Cedar Falls, population 40,500, into a Midwestern tech hub with unemployment below 3 percent. The early bet on broadband has helped the city attract and retain high-tech firms like Spinutech, a web design and digital marketing company, and host events like Product Camp Iowa, a conference for entrepreneurs and startup leaders.

Access to high-speed Internet has become crucial to the economic health and development of communities, which is why cities all over the country have been investing in broadband infrastructure. Its a tougher go for rural areas, however, as small farm towns lack available funding.

But increasingly, these communities are in need of faster Internet as more and more farming machinery is incorporating smart technology.

Now, towns in rural areas have been given an example of how to go about getting it. RS Fiber was recently given an award for its efforts by the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisers, and was even the subject of an April 2016 case study. In it, the authors outline just how meaningful whats happening in southern Minnesota really is:

RS Fiber offers a working model for any rural region looking to establish a new fiber-optic cooperative to deliver high quality Internet access to every household.

This article (These Towns Gave Up on Corps and Just Built Their Own High-Speed Internet) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to James Holbrooks and UndergroundReporter.org. If you spot a typo, please email the error and the name of the article to undergroundreporter2016@gmail.com. Image credit: Flickr/Barta IV
Avian Media has won McDonalds communications mandate for South and West India. The agency will represent Westlife Development, the owner of the master franchisee for McDonalds in that region.

Avian has been tasked with enhancing the brands reputation and cementing consumers trust in McDonalds by focusing on the brands ambition of Good food, good people, and good neighbour. The agency will develop and amplify key strategic messages to craft a unified narrative for the company to position brand McDonalds as a thought leader in the QSR space, as well as increase the medias affinity with the brand. The agency will also be responsible for building a comprehensive content strategy for the brand.

Commenting on the win, Nitin Mantri, CEO, Avian Media, said, We are excited to add value to one of the most renowned brands in the world. This win will strengthen our food and beverage portfolio. Our integrated communication programme for McDonalds will be a mix of public relations and advocacy.
Following a multi-agency pitch, DDB MudraMax has bagged the media duties of Hong Kong-based itel Mobile. Established in 2007, this hi-tech innovative brand comes from the house of Transsion Holdings Conglomerate, which is a major player in mobile handsets worldwide.

Having established its presence in 40 countries across the globe, itel Mobile has recently entered the lucrative Indian market with the intent to deliver value-driven offerings for the Indian consumer. Keeping in line with the highly competitive Indian market requirement, DDB MudraMax  Media would partner with itel Mobile to address the brands requirement of holistic media strategy, reflective of key metrics, in order to fulfil the brands aspirations in the country. Additionally, DDB MudraMax  Media will proactively identify & assess new media opportunities for the brand.

Quoting on the association, Sudhir Kumar, CEO, itel Mobile India, said, We launched itel in India as a mobility-based connectivity solutions provider that could help eliminate the technological disparity existing between the urban and the rural geographies. The response that our products have received from the Indian consumer so far has been highly encouraging. We are looking to build on our impressive initial showing and firmly establish itel as a brand that provides highly relevant, value-plus offerings to aspiring Indian mobile phone owners.

itel has marked its grand India entry by selling over 14 lacs handsets in just a couple of months. We believe with this association, we will be able to further penetrate and scale brands presence and image across India, he added.

Gaurav Tikoo, Chief Marketing Officer, itel India added, Given how vital India is to our long-term global strategy, we wanted to leverage traditional and new-age media channels to increase the awareness of our value-driven offerings within the country's consumer base. Partnering with a proven indigenous player such as DDB MudraMax will allow us to further our brand proposition as the leading provider of high quality feature and smart phones. We are looking forward to the association, and are confident that it will help us drive adoption for our best-in-class mobility-based communication solutions.

Commenting on the new win, Tarun Nigam, EVP, DDB MudraMax-Media, said It is a proud moment for us to handle such a big mobile brand. The mobile space is an extremely competitive space and we look forward to offer integrated and innovative media solutions for the brand, and grow with the client as they grow their business.
There is always a revolution happening within the digital media landscape. With the advent of new technologies, the digital playing field is constantly evolving. The market waits for no one, and what sets successful businesses apart is how quickly they adapt to change.

Traditionally, marketers have relied on display advertising for revenue, but consumers have reached a breaking point with display ads and are now finding the idea of blocking them alluring. Growing at a staggering rate of over 40 per cent year-on-year globally, ad blockers are hitting publisher revenues like never before.

Faced with an urgent need to find new ways of monetising, publishers are turning to content in a bid to stay relevant and profitable.

In conversation with AdGully, Sandeep Balani, Director, Business Development, India, Outbrain, speaks about the ways publishers can drive business results through content and reap the benefits content marketing brings to the table.



Beyond tapping on content programming technologies like Outbrains Automatic Yield and building video inventory to increase monetisation, Balani also shares the following:

News aggregator apps: With digital content consumption on the rise, the demand for customised and curated content that is both diverse and relevant has been increasing. Many publishers are using news aggregator apps to amplify their content, increase brand awareness and grow their audience. India, which is becoming increasingly wired, has seen a slew of news aggregator apps in recent years, such as DailyHunt and News In Shorts, and just recently, UC News.

Facebook Instant Articles: Facebook Instant Articles speeds up a users mobile experience and makes it more seamless, ultimately changing the means and frequency of mobile content discovery. While Facebook is a great platform for publishers to market their own properties and brands, publishers should be cautious about feeding all content to Facebook, as this might cause users to grow accustomed to experiencing content on Instant Articles, rather than on the publishers own site.

Google AMP: Google AMP joins the latest series of platforms that signal a shift to mobile. As display ads get squeezed out of a mobile-first world, native is a huge opportunity for publishers. Not only are publishers able to speed up loading of their mobile content through Google AMP, they can also monetise it through content recommendation.

When it comes to content marketing in India, what are the factors that define its growth?

One of the opportunities weve seen in India lies with the growth of mobile; nearly half of our networks recommendations in India come via mobile or tablets. As such, we have invested a lot of effort into developing our mobile offering. For instance, content recommendations can be integrated within publishers mobile sites or apps through our SDK, while publishers have a wide variety of options and flexibility in terms of how the content is recommended across different formats, platforms and so on. With mobile consumption on an upward trend, audience demand for mobile content will continue to grow  and publishers who adapt their mobile strategies accordingly will be far ahead of the competition.

What do you envisage as the major challenges in the growth of content marketing in India?

Talent is one challenge that we are facing across the industry today. While there is plenty of emphasis on the role of digital and content, and the growing investments, there appears to be a lack of investment in developing skills and talent. It can get tough finding suitable talent needed to run high quality content marketing programmes that match up with those were seeing from more developed digital markets. With many businesses only beginning to recognise the need and value for content industry talent, there is an urgent need for always-on education, training and accreditation programmes.

What is the size of the global content marketing sector? How does India compare vis-a-vis the global market?

According to statistics from MediaPost, global content marketing revenues (money generated by operators who provide content marketing services) increased by 14.4% during the first half of 2015, with this figure predicted to increase by more than two-fold by 2019. This is in line with trends were seeing in the India market - an interview by CXO Today with 380 India CMOs revealed that 84 per cent of them had plans to increase their content marketing budget in 2015, and it was found in another study by eMarketer that 64 per cent of India marketers find content marketing increases brand awareness and plays an integral role in attracting and retaining customers.

More interestingly, with a growing influence of home-grown celebrities, this content marketing revolution has resulted in a phenomena of e-Celebs in India - who according a report published by Ernst and Young (EY), are able to gain mass popularity with the creation of their own niche content areas. Indian brands are also observed to create more content around the festive season, in order to build recognition and drive consumer demand.

Globally, what are the key ways in which brands are using data to drive results with content today?

On a global scale, brands are becoming more mature in their understanding of content, and resultantly, have started to tell stories with data. Data, for instance, can lend support to creating a headline that not only achieves a high CTR (click-through rate), but also draws in the right audience. It is in the interest of brands to keep testing for the headline that works best because it is the users first point of interaction with any content. Through the sheer scale of data and content that Outbrain analyses, we are able to work more efficiently with brands to deduce the elements that make the perfect headline, and the types of images that work well.

We are also seeing brands team up with data scientists and analysts to make meaningful, actionable business recommendations from the data sets collected. Rather than amassing every kernel of data, brands are seeing the relevance of their data to business and consumer decisions, and are taking a step back to reconsider how processes can potentially be improved.

What are the factors that content marketers need to keep in mind while optimising video for higher engagement?

It is also important to consider how content is best optimised on different platforms. YouTube, Vimeo, Wistia, Facebook are all great places to host videos, but all these platforms have different features suitable for certain types of content, messaging, and brand strategies. Take for instance, how Facebook users need to actively enable sound to their video because the default audio setting on the platform is muted. As a result, brands that promote video content on Facebook might need to includeon-screen text or captions to narrate videos more effectively.

Lastly, it might sound cliche, but one of the advantages of video is putting a face to your brand. This idea is shorthand for a bigger idea that we so often overlook in digital: humanising your content. As we spend more of our day-to-day life in the digital world, seeing a face on-screen can be comforting and engaging.

Of course, there are many other considerations to keep in mind when creating video content. Check out some of the content published on our blog, including a post on Video Content Marketing  The Dos and Donts to Help You Plan as well as 9 Advanced Tactics For Promoting Your YouTube Channel. These tactics can be useful in getting the right eyes on your video.

Apart from your tie-ups with Eenadu and Mediacorp, what have been your other key partnerships this year?

India continues to be one of Outbrains fastest growing markets and strategically, we are looking at regional publishers as our fastest growing segment. Apart from Eenadu, we have also recently signed up with Patrika.com - which will give us access to 100 million users. In terms of Outbrains current publisher base, which include titles such as The Hindu, Network18, ABP Live, Financial Express, MTV India, Sanjeev Kapoor, StoryPick, Eenadu, we are seeing steady growth - with a total combined page views that surpasses 300 million. With the launch of 4G services in India, we expect user growth to further accelerate.

Outside India, in Singapore we recently announced a two-year partnership with Mediacorp,one of Singapores largest media companies with the widest range of media platforms spanning digital, television, radio, print and out-of-home media. The partnership will see Mediacorp deploy the full stack of Outbrain Engage solutions and gain access to Outbrains revolutionary product  Visual Revenue  which allows publishers to optimise their content pages across multiple channels, devices and screen sizes. We also renewed our multi-year deal with the countrys largest publisher, Singapore Press Holdings (SPH). Our proprietary content recommendation technology will offer SPH the ability to deliver relevant content recommendations across SPHs online news platforms, including AsiaOne, The Straits Times, Business Times, and U-Weekly.

What are the steps that content marketers need to take to strengthen content distribution over digital platforms?

According to Joe Pulizzi, founder of the Content Marketing Institute, in an article on Campaign Live, the average business in Asia spends about 25% of its marketing budget on content-marketing creation and distribution. Dedicating budgets to content creation is important, but content marketers need to ensure that they devote sufficient budgets to distribution to ensure that their content gets in front of the right people.

I would say the other thing to keep in mind is the need for a clear content marketing strategy with clear goals in mind, and a properly segmented, targeted audience. The lack of a cohesive strategy will result in low-volume and low-quality leads which precludes the function of distribution. This brings us to my next point on the need for content marketers to employ social, amplification and CRM distribution channels in harmony rather than in silos. By combining results and measuring success across channels, marketers will better understand which levers to move on which channel in order to attain the best results.

How important is the Indian market for Outbrain in the overall strategic roadmap? What are some of the opportunities that the market offers?

India is one of Outbrains strategic markets. According to comScore, in April 2016 we reached over 21 million unique visitors on desktop only (and far more on mobile) and within our network, premium publishers we work with include Indian Express, The Hindu, Network18 and Eenadu. Weve been constantly growing our publisher network in this market and this enhances the content marketing opportunity for brands in this market.

Our plan is to continue expanding our partnerships with premium publishers in India - not only across the news genre, but into finance, lifestyle, youth, automotive and other categories. For publishers, we intend to roll out new tools and leverage our analytics and insight capabilities to help them personalize both their content and content recommendations. For marketers, we continue to remain focused on helping them develop a comprehensive and insight-led approach to digital content - one that allows them to track and measure their returnson content marketing.

What sets apart Outbrain from other players in this field like Taboola?

We are currently focused on building long-term value for publishers, while generally other players have been focusing more towards just generating revenue. Our acquisitions of companies such as Visual Revenue - to provide the right editorial tools to publishers - and Revee - to help publishers get the maximum ROI from each content piece, have been in the lines of benefitting publishers with technology they can leverage to provide users with better quality content and get maximum ROI out of it.

Tell us more about your products for publishers which help them scale on Revenue?

We launched Outbrain Automatic Yield during the first quarter of this year  a content recommendation solution that enables publishers to monetize audiences with a real-time understanding of each piece of content.By isolating the page or video value in real time, this solution gives publishers an entirely new way to drive revenue that didnt previously exist.

Our Engage offering is similarly focused on generating revenue for our publisher partners via discovery on your own website as well as promoted discovery on third party websites - with links to high-quality content from our 7MM deep index. Sanjeevkapoor.com, a website with a compendium of more than 9,000 recipes plus a wealth of information on the art and craft of cooking, is one fine example. Owned by Sanjeev Kapoor, one of the most celebrated faces of Indian cuisine today, the portal powered internal recommendation technology through Outbrain Engage and provided paid links to relevant third-party content. Despite historically relying on display and text-based advertising as primary revenue streams, exploring new ways to surface interesting internal content opened up opportunities for content monetisation.

We are also looking to launch, for the first time, Hindi Language content recommendations. This will be particularly useful for brands, marketers and publishers looking to expand their reach and will appeal to a completely new audience demographic.
Vizeum, the media agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has been appointed as the media AOR for TCL Corporation. The agency won the account following a multi-agency pitch. According to the agency, the marketing spends are estimated at around Rs 35 crore.

TCL Corporation, a global corporate group focused on the production of smart products and the provision of online application services, has announced its entry into the Indian market with the launch of a range of Smartphones and Televisions through an exclusive tie up with Amazon.

Commenting on the partnership with Vizeum, Praveen Valecha, Regional Director - TCL, said, The agency has demonstrated deep understanding of the categories, with an offline and online integration for the launch, and we believe their digital at its heart approach will help us in building a brand we look forward to partner with Vizeum in this journey of launching a comprehensive mobile and Television portfolio.



On the win, Amita Karwal, COO, Vizeum, said, Delighted to be given an opportunity to build a brand in a category where the market and consumer dynamics are changing continuously. We look forward to supporting the brand across all the marketing communication platforms.

Shripad Kulkarni, MD, Vizeum, added here, We are happy that TCL has chosen us as their AOR. We understand the challenges in scaling up in this category and are setting up a bespoke team comprising specialists across relevant Communication Platforms for TCL.



TCL Corporation has a global presence in more than 160 countries across the world, and is the fastest selling TV brand in America. The consumer durable giant pioneering in disruptive technology is the 3rd largest manufacturer of TV worldwide. It has manufactured 80 million handsets in 2015 and positioned themselves as the 5th largest mobile brand globally (in-terms of shipments). TCL said it has teamed up with over 450+ service centers across India right from the day of launch.



On a global footprint expansion mode, TCL is looking towards India as a strategic market with substantial growth opportunities in India. They will be launching a range of advanced technology oriented convergence products in the country. TCL looks forward to broaden the presence of its mobile Internet products designed for enhancing Indian consumers digital lifestyles.
Spread across six continents, VML has been working for the fundamental human need to connect with one another. The full-service marketing agency helps fulfill this need to connect and makes work that truly matter to people.

Two top VML executives  Global CEO Jon Cook and CCO Debbi Vandeven  were in India recently to shed light on the industry on a whole. They spoke about the future of an agency in the digital world, the expansion of the VML global business, secrets to VMLs success at Cannes over the years, 3 rules of storytelling, and digital customer experience.

Both Cook and Vandeven stressed on how Heart, Home, Wisdom and Courage remained strong as the DNA of the company. They also highlighted the 3 rules of brand storytelling, which were:

Consumer cares less about product than you do

Be deceived and disciplined

What brand does matters as much as what brand says

VML focused that work is not just done with an aim to sell; they do the work that is felt. Everything created adds real value to the lives of everyone it reaches. They deliver powerful messages to bring people together and develop innovative ways for them to connect.

Award winning work

VML became the digital agency of record for Gatorade in 2010. Since then, the team members have collaborated with Gatorades network to deliver award-winning work and stellar results. VML and Gatorade work hand-in-hand as client partners to craft the vision for the brand in digital, as well as consumer-facing messaging that brings that vision to life. Together, the agency continues to develop work that spans campaigns, social, branded content, digital innovation and more.

The work:

https://vimeo.com/124957378

https://www.notube.co/media/56c45a8270c72703008908d2

VMLs partnership with Wendys began in late 2012, when they became their digital agency of record. While they first focused on digital campaign activation, the role grew to include planning, social media strategy, publishing, and community management. In 2013, they started major technology projects for the brand, including website management, mobile apps, a mobile ordering experience and more.

Today, they serve as the brand voice across all social media channels. They also act as a strategic and creative lead, continuing to produce 360-degree campaign activations on a project to project basis. Throughout their work, they follow Wendys philosophy, aiming not for quantity of fans, but quality of experiences.
10 August 2016

Andalas Energy and Power Plc

(Andalas or the Company)

Pertamina Approves TOE Proof of Concept Work Programme

Andalas Energy and Power Plc, the AIM listed Indonesian focused oil and gas exploration company (AIM: ADL), is pleased to advise that Pertamina, Indonesias national energy company, has approved the Companys Tuba Obi East (TOE) proof of concept work programme. The first step in this programme will be the recompletion of the existing TOE-1 well and production testing of the gas bearing Air Benakat Formation (ABF).

Highlights:

The TOE-1 production well will be recompleted to the ABF and production testing of the gas will assess deliverability, recoverable volumes, and gas quality at TOE

The workover reduces Andalas upfront costs significantly and expedites the acquisition of key subsurface data. This new data will enable the optimisation of the future drilling campaign

Andalas, as the technical operator, is now finalising the recompletion design, tender documents, and mobilisation plans

Budgetary approval for the programme will be sought from Pertamina in the coming weeks, following which work will commence onsite

Andalas CEO, David Whitby, said: Over the past two months we have been working closely with Pertamina and our joint venture partner, PT Akar Golindo, to determine the most cost effective way to evaluate the gas in ABF at Tuba Obi East. Pertamina has recognised the significant potential of the ABF gas, its close proximity to a high demand energy market, and that the proof of concept work programme will quickly and efficiently assess the gas quality, quantity and deliverability.

Importantly, the TOE proof of concept programme is in line with Andalas strategy to develop a gas-to-power business whilst contributing at the local level to the Government of Indonesias objective of decreasing the countrys power shortfall. The approved programme will also reduce near-term costs by around 60%, allowing us to gather crucial subsurface data weeks earlier whilst simultaneously avoiding any potentially lengthy land acquisition delays.

Further Information

The TOE field contains three existing wells that intersect the gas bearing ABF. The recent extensive subsurface technical review has identified the centrally located TOE-1 well as the best candidate for recompletion and testing of the gas in the zone. As part of the re-entry programme well casing integrity will be assessed; the well will then be recompleted to the shallower ABF; a multi-rate production test will then assess formation productivity; and pressurised gas samples will be collected for laboratory quality testing.

The information gathered by the programme will contribute to better location selection for future delineation and development wells and support gas processing and power plant front-end engineering (FEED) and design studies. It will also enable the joint venture to complete a gas reserves assessment and commence gas and power sales negotiations.

Tuba Obi East

The Tuba Obi East oil and gas concession area is located in the Jambi province in Sumatra, Indonesia, approximately 30 km north-west of Jambi city. The concession covers an area of 55 sq km in the South Sumatra basin and is close to the major Sumatra gas pipeline to Duri and Singapore.

Tuba Obi East was discovered in 1986 and to-date three wells have been drilled on the concession, with current production of light, sweet crude oil on an intermittent basis from one well. All three wells tested near pipeline quality gas in the key South Sumatra hydrocarbon bearing formations, namely, the ABF and TAF. In April 2016 Gaffney Cline & Associates reported Best Estimate Gross Prospective Resources of 43.7 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of gas in the ABF upper and lower reservoirs within the TOE structure.

Of the six wells that have been drilled through the gas bearing zones (three wells within the concession and a further three just outside), several have flowed gas to surface at rates up to 3 million cubic feet per day (MMscf/d) of gas. Crucially, the ABF has flowed gas outside the concession at commercial rates, but only limited data from this formation has been gathered within the concession area.

Andalas near-term work programme is aimed at gathering data to support rapid development of the TOE gas in conjunction with a small scale, independent power project.

**ENDS**

For further information, please contact:
DANANG, Vietnam, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With the launch of the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa's new Explore package, guests can now see the UNESCO world heritage site of Hoi An in unprecedented style.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160805/395941

With its ancient ruins, unspoiled beaches, chic boutiques and rich melting pot of cultures, Vietnam's central coast is a must-visit Southeast Asian destination. The exquisitely preserved trading port of Hoi An is the jewel in its crown, but the whole region is an intoxicating mix of natural beauty, historical charm and thriving street life, from the bustling coastal metropolis of Danang to Hue City, the Cham Islands, the Marble Mountains and My Son.

The ideal base to explore these sights is the area's premier beach resort, the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa. Offering a choice of room types, all with gorgeous sea views, the VIE spa and world-renowned dining, this luxurious hideaway provides the perfect setting for a relaxing beach holiday. Conveniently located just 15 minutes from Danang International Airport, 30 minutes from Hoi An, and two hours from Hue City, Hyatt Regency Danang is the perfect gateway to all the central coast has to offer.

The resort's Explore package includes accommodation, daily breakfast at the Green House restaurant, and a visit to magical Hoi An, including a private car, English-speaking guide and entrance to tourist attractions.

Guests can book the package directly with the resort, via the website www.danang.regency.hyatt.com or by contacting the resort reservation department at reservation.danang@hyatt.com or on +84-511-398-1234.

ABOUT HYATT REGENCY

The Hyatt Regency brand prides itself on connecting travellers to who and what matters most to them. More than 160 conveniently located Hyatt Regency urban and resort locations in over 30 countries around the world serve as the go-to gathering space for every occasion  from efficient business meetings to memorable family vacations. The brand offers a one-stop experience that puts everything guests need right at their fingertips. Hyatt Regency hotels and resorts offer a full range of services and amenities, including notable culinary experiences; technology-enabled ways to collaborate; the space to work, engage or relax; and expert planners who can take care of every detail. For more information, please visit www.hyattregency.com.

Contacts:

Nguyen Thi Hoang Anh

Marketing & Communications Manager

+84-511-398-1234

anh.nguyen@hyatt.com
A-10s land on highway in Estonia

Eight Air Force Reserve Command A-10 Thunderbolt IIs conducted highway landings on the Jagala-Karavete Highway in Northern Estonia Aug 1.



The A-10s are assigned to the 442nd Fighter Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, and according to Col. Gregory Eckfeld, the 442nd FW vice commander, it is important to practice landing on alternative runways in case primary runways are not available during a combat situation.



Eight successful landings and takeoffs from the highway not only displayed the Air Forces tactical capabilities, it also displayed the partnership between the U.S. and Estonia that allowed for the coordination of the event.



Overall, the Estonians were great in helping us out and getting our mission accomplished, and as far as the coordination went, it couldnt have gone smoother, said a 321st Special Tactics Squadron combat controller who acted as air traffic control for the event. This was a good experience and a good time and it definitely enhanced our capability and presence in the area.



This event marked the second highway landing to take place in Estonia; the first took place last June as part of exercise Saber Strike 16.



The A-10s design allows the aircraft to be able to land in a variety of locations, including semi-prepared landing strips and austere sites.



We can operate the A-10 anytime, anywhere, 24/7, said Eckfeld, adding that the A-10 has wide tires and high-mounted engines, which help avoid foreign object damage and allows the aircraft to land on many surfaces other aircraft cannot.



The 442nd FW arrived in Estonia July 25 and began a flying training deployment with the Estonian Air Force in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. The exercise demonstrates the commitment the U.S. has made to European security and demonstrates joint force capabilities and readiness.
The Tourism Ministry has issued an advisory to all states, giving the guidelines restricting taking selfies in front of national memorials from August 12 -18.



The advisory has been issued as part of a security measure being taken in view of the Independence Day and the Bharat Parv event.

Police and other security establishments believe that terrorists can pose as tourists and launch attacks during Independence Day week. They have asked Tourism and Archaeological Survey of India to impose certain restrictions on the movement of visitors at all important monuments and memorials.

After getting inputs from security agencies about high threat perception to Prime Minister Narendra Modi this Independence Day, the Delhi Police has demarcated and deployed security personnel around 3,140 trees in and around the Red Fort premises as a part of an extensive security cover.
Police seeks assistance of cyber and technical experts for understanding the technical method used by the fraudsters for committing the crime.

The Mumbai Police have arrested a Romanian national and two other persons who are suspected to be involved in the hi-tech ATM robbery committed in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Police had already released photos of the accused. A team of Kerala Police has left to Mumbai to take the Roman national into custody, a senior police official said. The Mumbai Police will first produce him before a court there and only then we will get him in custody said the police official.

A suspected electronic device was found to have been installed inside the ATM of a public sector bank at Althara junction at Vellayambalam. A team of senior police officials, including ADGP B Sandhya, Range IG Manoj Abraham and cyber and technical experts visited the ATM for carrying out further probe into this incident. They have gathered vital evidence from the ATM counter.

We will seek the help of Interpol. We are collecting evidence now, Sandhya said.

Several people have lost about Rs 4.5 lakhs in Thiruvananthapuram due to the ATM robbery. It is suspected that the electronic device at the ATM counter enabled the fraudsters to collect the secret pin code and card details. The device that was fixed above the ATM machine, had a micro camera and another device was placed in the card slot of the machine. According to the police, the micro camera might have helped in getting the ATM PINs.

City Police Commissioner G Sparjan Kumar said that police are trying to ascertain the whereabouts of the three persons, whose pictures had been retrieved from the CCTV, installed inside the ATM kiosk at Vellayambalam.

We examined the visuals of the CCTV and got the pictures of three foreigners. We suspect that they had a hand in the ATM robbery, he said.

As many as 22 people have so far lodged complaints saying money was withdrawn from their account. As per the preliminary assessment, about Rs 4.5 lakh had been lost, he said

An investigation carried out by the Kerala Police has found that three Romanians  Christine Victor, Mariyan Gabriel and Florin  were involved in the ATM burglary. The trio had come to India on June 25 and reached Kerala on July 8. They had arrived on tourist visas stayed in three luxurious hotels in the city. The three ventured out from the hotel in two-wheelers.

Police have seized from the hotel two scooters and three helmets, suspected to have been used by the trio.

The police officer said the support of cyber and technical experts was sought to understand the technical method used by the fraudsters to withdraw the money.
This piece of writing is dedicated to all those who merely keeps on blaming the government all the time for every single problem they face in their life. I being a newcomer in this island city  Mumbai, hence equally awfully is fascinated by the sight of the ceaseless sea. There was a time, when I literally used to look forward to free myself into the nature by going to the most visited beach in the city  Juhu Chowpatty every weekend, if not every day, until my last two visits; when all my fondness for the ocean dropped its anchor, having witnessed unhygienic filth, waste, trash and litter coming ashore along the waves more than that of water.

The same goes for one of Mumbais many Signature places  Marine Lines. When seen on screen, anybody would want to be there at that very time, but when seen in reality, it again is full of torn clothes and plastic filth stuck over tetrapod-shaped huge rocks surrounding the shores and not to forget the foul smell emanating along the breeze from this garbage.

Who is responsible for this menace? Well, for the anti-BJPs yet another opportunity to directly put the whole blame over Modiji. He up there in the 7RCR, New Delhi (Official Residence of Prime Minister of India), wouldnt even be knowing as to who had Chana in a paper plate or had drank tea in a disposable glass and leisurely threw the same empty dishes and glasses in the beautifully paved walk-way, as if their such act were supposed to yield them an award.

It is we, the very citizens who must take blame on our shoulders for being utterly slothful that we cant even dump the empty plastic glasses and paper dishes we drink and/or eat from, in the Trash Can just lying a couple of steps far. A couple of days back, when an effort was made by two exasperated residents of Versova in north-western Mumbai after having decided that they were done with waiting for authorities to do something about the polluted beach near their home, organised fellow citizens to clean it up. The United Nations Patron of the Ocean Lewis Pugh, who assisted in a clean-up initiative, said he has never seen so much of litter on a beach. Open defecation was a serious issue, he added.

Only if the concerned authorities goes in for an in-depth analysis and concludes to implement some stricter rules for the visitors, like imposing huge amount of fine for the ones littering around, and installing increased amount of Trash Cans at these most visited public places, then only there is a faint possibility of a great living visionary  Narendra Modis dream of Swacchh Bharat come true!

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
Bahadur Ali, a terrorist who was caught in Jammu and Kashmir last month, has revealed that he was trained by the Lashkar-e-Taiba to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir, mix with locals and create trouble, Indian investigators said, showing a video of his confession.



LeT is being helped by Pakistan army in spreading unrest in the Kashmir valley, NIA IG Sanjeev Kumar said in a press briefing in Delhi. Pakistan army officers in civilian clothes visit LeT facilities and are referred to as Major Saheb and Capt Saheb, Kumar added.

The NIA said this was one of many revelations made by Bahadur Ali, a LeT terrorist who was caught by security officers on July 25.

Kumar disclosed that Bahadur Ali was recruited by Jamaat-ud-Dawa and was subsequently radicalised by LeT. Bahadur Ali said that there were 30-50 trainees at training camps of LeT from different parts of the countries including Afghanistan and Pak. He said that there were a few army officers in civilian clothes who checked their preparedness with a check-list, said Kumar adding that Bahadur Ali crossed into Indian side on either 11th or 12th June along with two LeT cadres.

Counter-terror officials said Ali, who was described by the government as a big terror catch, had crossed over to India to attack security forces and fuel more unrest in the valley. He was on a fidayeen or suicide mission in Kashmir.

The agency also told reporters that the LeT has instructed its cadre to stay behind Kashmiris during protests in the valley that has witnessed a wave of violence after security forces gunned down Burhan Wani, a poster boy of the militant Hizbul Mujahideen.

According to the agency, Alli is the son of a former police constable in Pakistans Punjab province and has six brother and two sisters. They said his family owns 12 canals or over 5,000 square feet of land in Jia Bagga near Lahore.

He dropped out of the government primary school in his village after Class 8 and also attended a local madrassa Jamia Qasmia affiliated to Tablighi Jamaat.

In 2008-09 when Ali was 13 or 14, he met an imam of Ahle-Hadith mosque and his son who motivated him to join the sect. At the same time, he also met Mohammad Yusuf and Hafiz Shehzad, who worked for LeTs parent outfit Jamaat Ud Dawa.

In 2013-14, he started working with Falah-e-Insaniat, the charity long suspected of a front of the LeT. A JuD donation collector by the name of Abdullah asked Ali to join the Lashkar.

Officials also said Indian national called Deen Mohammad is related to Ali.

He is the fourth Pakistan terror suspect to be captured alive in Kashmir since the arrest of Mohammad Naveed Yakub, a 22-year-old from Pakistans Faisalabad city who joined LeT at a young age after getting indoctrinated at a local mosque.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 10, 2016  Brazils Ministry of Agriculture, desperate to open up new feed supplies for the livestock industry, is asking the countrys biotech regulatory agency to temporarily lift restrictions on corn imports from the U.S., according to USDAs Foreign Agricultural Service.

Brazils second yearly corn crop, the safrinha, is looking worse and worse as the harvest continues and there are fears that Brazil will run out of corn by 2017, FAS said a report released today. Export demand has also reduced domestic supplies.

As a result, the Brazilian Agriculture Ministry last week went to the countrys National Biosafety Technical Commission (CTNBio)  an independent agency responsible for GMO approvals  and officially requested that imports of U.S. corn be allowed from September through November, FAS said in the report.

The CTNBio is scheduled to meet on Sept. 1 to decide on allowing U.S. corn imports and there is a lot of political pressure on the agency to do so, FAS said.

Here in the U.S. corn farmers would welcome any new business, said Tom Sleight, CEO of the U.S. Grains Council. U.S. exports are already strong this year, he added, but so is production and that has kept prices low.

Brazils prohibition of U.S. corn hasnt been much of an issue, Sleight said, because the country normally does not need to import corn and often competes with U.S. exports.

In a separate report released in June, FAS said Brazils production has suffered from drought. In addition, the countrys weak currency is driving farmers to sell more of their corn than normal overseas. The report said Brazils corn exports were already up 138 percent from the same period in 2015.

Like what you see here? Agri-Pulse subscribers get our Daily Harvest email and Daybreak audio Monday through Friday mornings, a 16-page newsletter on Wednesdays, and access to premium content on our ag and rural policy website. Sign up for your four-week free trial Agri-Pulse subscription.

The different factors had pushed domestic corn prices to record highs and resulted in Brazilian pork and poultry producers cutting production. As of the June report, Chicken production was down 10 percent and pork producers reduced insemination rates by 15 percent.

Plants across Brazil responded to the increased input costs by cutting work shifts, enforcing mandatory vacation for employees, shutting down operations, and even prematurely slaughtering animals they are unable to continue feeding, the June FAS report said.

#30

For more news, go to: www.Agri-Pulse.com
WASHINGTON, Aug. 9, 2016 - USDAs Food Safety and Inspection Service has rejected another shipment of Vietnamese catfish because it tested positive for residues of banned chemicals, according to Food & Water Watch.

FSIS officials tested a 40,000-pound shipment of catfish and discovered traces of malachite green, a veterinary drug used to treat sick fish, FWW said in a statement.

FSIS officials were not available for immediate comment.

This is not the first time catfish imports from Asia were rejected since FSIS took over inspection of foreign catfish shipments from the FDA on April 15. FSIS blocked shipments from Vietnam and China in May and one importer conducted a recall of Vietnamese catfish products in June because the products had not gone through the inspection process.

The fact that FSIS inspection personnel have been able to intercept unsafe siluriformes and catfish products both from foreign and domestic sources in such a short timeframe shows what an effective inspection program can do to protect consumers, said Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter. The FSIS catfish inspection program is working and needs to continue in operation because it is preventing foodborne illness in the U.S.

Learn about the benefits of subscribing to Agri-Pulse. Sign up for your four-week free trial Agri-Pulse subscription.





Many lawmakers opposed the switch from FDA to USDA, calling it unnecessary and duplicative. The Senate voted on May 25 to reverse the provision in the 2014 bill that created USDA's catfish inspection program, but the House has not yet taken up the bill.

#30

For more news, go to: www.Agri-Pulse.com
Swedes Demand Assyrian Autonomy to Make Up for ISIS Genocide

After having established a quasi-state in the Middle East, Daesh [ISIS] has been guilty of many evils, including persecution of other ethnic groups, whose religious beliefs happen to differ from radical Islam, such as the Assyrians. A group of Swedish politicians now advocate the creation of a local Assyrian autonomy to prevent future genocides. Sweden must see to it that Assyrians are granted local autonomy over the Nineveh Plains in order to be able to ensure their survival in the Middle East, Swedish Liberal Party members Nino Maraha, Birgitta Ohlsson, and Robert Hannah demand in an open letter in Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet. According to them, this must be done soon, before it's too late, preferably under UN patronage. "Two years ago, Daesh occupied one of Iraq's largest cities Mosul, where church bells fell silent after over 1,600 years as the city's Christians were forced to flee head over heels," Liberal activists wrote. However, it was only a premonition of what was to come. Shortly thereafter, the Nineveh Plains in Iraq were emptied of its indigenous people, as hundreds were slain and over 50,000 were forced to flee. Unfortunately, not all Assyrians managed to escape the black-clad jihadists. Women and children were captured, raped and enslaved. Girls were sold as sex slaves. This is a human tragedy difficult to grasp, the Liberals pointed out. According to them, many Assyrians still dream of a future in Iraq and Syria, despite today's nightmare. Therefore, it is important to support these people's desire for a life of peace and freedom. According to the Liberals, Daesh's time is running out, and it is imperative for the international community to clear the way for the Assyrians to return to their areas of origin. Earlier, the Liberals long pushed for Sweden to contribute experts and equipment in the fight againts Daesh. By its own admission, the Liberals also support all forces, including the Iraqi army and Kurdish Peshmerga, that could limit the physical expansion of the so-called "caliphate." Previously, the Liberals decided in 2011 to push for an Assyrian autonomy in the Nineveh Plains, their historic area of origin. Some two years later, the Iraqi government endorsed a similar decision, which, however, was never put into practice on account of the Daesh invasion. Today, the Liberals continue to push for Assyrians' right to self-determination in the Nineveh Plains and will require a similar decision in Syria, once the war comes to an end. The Assyrians are native throughout Iraq and other parts of the Middle East. Today, they are among the oldest communities in the world and have over the years suffered systematic persecution and several genocides because of their faith and ethnicity. The number of Assyrians in Iraq has fallen sharply in recent years. Including the 2003 war in Iraq, the country's Assyrian community dropped from 1.5 million to about 300,000. The international Assyrian diaspora number over 4 million.
In July, Air France-KLM Cargo flew 700m revenue cargo tonne kilometres, 6.7% than in the same month of last year.

With capacity down by 3.2% year on year to 1.26bn cargo tonne kilometres, the load factor also deteriorated, by 2.1 percentage points to 55.5%.

Julys performance is really only more of the same for the group, however. Over the January-July period, Air France-KLM Cargo flew a total of 4.82bn cargo tonne kilometres, down by 7.4% year on year.

With available capacity over those seven months down by 5.3% year on year, the average load factor declined by 1.3 percentage points to 58.4%.

The Air France-KLM carrier combine has had a difficult time of late.

An Air France cabin crew strike that lasted between 27 July and 2 August added to the French airlines passenger operations woes, but in terms of freight operations it is the Dutch airline that saw the biggest decline in July.

While Air Frances revenue tonne kilometre figure rose by 1% year on year in July to reach 300m and its cargo load factor remained stable at 48.9%, KLM flew 11.8% less cargo revenue tonne kilometres in July  down to 399m. Its July load factor, at 61.8%, was also down, by 3.4 percentage points.

The picture is similar for KLM over the first seven months of this year. Capacity fell by 9.1% and revenue tonne kilometres by a similar amount  10.5%.

In other news from Air France, the carrier is to add Accra to its Paris Charles de Gaulle network from 28 February next year.

The Ghanaian capital will be served three times a week, by Airbus A330 until 27 March and, after that, by the freight-friendly Boeing 777-200 aircraft.

Part of the thinking behind the introduction of this new route is to support Ghanas buoyant economy, led by the development of the oil industry, said Frederic Gagey, Air France chairman and chief executive.

Share this story
Flughafen Munchen GmbH, operator of Bavarias Munich International Airport, has published its sixth annual Integrated Report on the gateways performance and progress made on sustainability.

Taking a look back at 2015, the report notes that freight and mail throughput grew by about 10% to reach a new high for a calendar year of 337,000 tonnes (of which 317,387 tonnes was commercially handled cargo). Indeed, air cargo represented the airports most successful traffic segment in 2015.

Of that total, 261,719 tonnes was carried in the bellyhold of passenger aircraft.

New connections out of Munich and, most notably, an increase in the frequency of intercontinental traffic, ensured that there was sufficient additional load capacity available to meet demand, the airport operator said.

Rising by a factor of a third over the comparative 2015 figure to 55,668 tonnes, cargo carried on freighter maindecks also made a major contribution to the new traffic record.

At 18,775 tonnes, the amount of airmail transported slightly exceeded the previous years figure.

Of the total of 317,387 tonnes of commercially handled cargo, 125,785 tonnes was coming into the airport, 191,602 tonnes was leaving the airport.

Share this story
 10, 2016

                                2011                                                     .

 ""           31          ENTRO                                                            .

                                : "                         "  : "               ".

                                                             35               5     .

         2010        METEC     40           74        6000                           .

         "                         "  : "              ".

         :"                                ".

                                                                   .

    ""                       : "                                   ".

                                                     2015                 .

         : "                               ".

                  ""                                                      .

                                                       .
August 10, 2016

BENISHANGUL-GUMUZ, Ethiopia  Ethiopia is seeking rapprochement with Egypt through the media after years of rising apprehension over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam of the Blue Nile watershed.

The tension arose almost as soon as then-Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi laid the foundation stone in April 2011 for the now almost-finished dam.

Political and technical negotiations between the capitals, Cairo and Addis Ababa, are stumbling as the countries try to agree on policies to reduce the risks Egypt expects if Ethiopia begins operating the dam without considering consulting firms' recommendations.

Al-Monitor was part of the first Egyptian press delegation's visit to the project site July 31, in coordination with the Stockholm International Water Institute and the Nile Basin Initiative's Eastern Nile Technical Regional Office. Ethiopian officials  who traveled from Addis Ababa where policies are made to the Benishangul-Gumuz Region where the Renaissance Dam is  sent a number of positive messages calling for transparent cooperation on dam issues with Egypt and Sudan. They also tried to reassure Egypt's concerned public about Ethiopia's progress on the dam.

Standing in front of the under-construction structure while water flowed behind him, Renaissance Dam project manager Simegnew Bekele spoke to reporters. We have a long experience that allows us to play a leading role in building dams. We know how to build and run dams and reservoirs based on studies and designs we make. Bekele assured the gathering that the dam is a project built professionally by Ethiopian hands on Ethiopian lands with responsibility that guarantees benefit for everyone.

While Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia are continuing technical and political negotiations about ways to reduce the potential negative impacts of the dam, construction at the site is continuing at a fast pace. The left and right sides of the dam's body are finished. However, water is not stored behind the dam yet. Inside the reservoir, 35,000 hectares (almost 135 square miles) have been prepared and qualified for use. Construction work on the saddle dam is taking place about 5 kilometers (3 miles) away from the main dam site.

Construction at the Renaissance Dam site started in December 2010 after an agreement was reached with construction company Salini Impregilo of Milan, Italy, and Metals and Engineering Corp. of Addis Ababa. The site is 40 kilometers from the Sudanese-Ethiopian border on a tributary of the Blue Nile. The project is expected to store 74 billion cubic meters (60 million acre-feet) of water and generate 6,000 megawatts of electricity. It is funded nationally through direct donations and bond sales started by Zenawi, who died in 2012.

All dimensions related to safety of the dam, quality of construction, operation and maintenance have been designed and put into consideration in a way that makes us reliable, as the project will be of benefit to downstream countries as much as it is to the Ethiopian people, Bekele said in his response to growing Egyptian doubts about the dam. Ethiopia has vowed to make use of its water resources to benefit everyone. We think beyond the horizon, he added.

Bekele outlined the positive aspects of the dam for Egypt and Sudan.

"One of the key advantages of the dam is to organize the water flow all year long. Hence, we can avoid dangers of a flood and water losses caused by natural flow and evaporation, as well as alluvium accumulation problems. It will also make navigation in the Nile smoother and support peace and regional stability," he said.

Despite the transparency Bekele showed, as he is responsible for running Renaissance Dam construction and was showing the press delegation around the dam sites all day, he refused to answer pressing questions about when water will be stored behind the dam and the number of years it will take to fill the reservoir. The answers would help determine the amount of water that will flow to Egypt and Sudan, and represent important factors in assessing the risks Egypt might face.

Al-Monitor attended a July 30 talk in Addis Ababa by the National Tripartite Committee where Sudanese and Ethiopian officials met  while Egypts official was absent for undisclosed reasons.

The tripartite committee is not concerned about continuing construction or ending the project this year or any time. However, we want to make sure that filling and operating [the dam] will have the least impact on downstream countries, and will have the most benefit for [Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia], said Saif Hamad, head of the Sudanese delegation.

The committee is evaluating the applications of two French consulting firms to assess the dam's impacts. One would address hydraulic impact; the other, environmental, economic and social effects. However, this effort to obtain technical assessments has stalled more than once because of many disputes over the past two years. The three countries held political negotiations in December with ministers of water and foreign affairs in Khartoum, Sudan, to push for cooperation, which has become the last resort for Egypt and Ethiopia to solve problems they fear the dam could cause.

Finishing the two studies does not necessarily mean that countries would agree on the results and output. However, these outputs would be subject to assessment by the tripartite technical committee, where a suitable scenario on how to deal with the outputs would be agreed on, said Gedion Asfaw, who leads Ethiopia's experts panel in the tripartite committee.

Ethiopians talk about the dam enthusiastically. Al-Monitor interviewed people in the capital's suburbs and areas surrounding the dam site near the border with Sudan  in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, which suffers from power cuts almost all the time. The people expressed pride that their country could take on such a massive a project. Egypt rejected the proposal in the beginning, but the project became a reality that the Ethiopian government created to achieve development and fight poverty.

Cairo's concerns, however, will grow even larger as Ethiopia aspires to export energy generated by the hydroelectric project, not only to adjacent African regions, but also to Europe and MENA (Middle East and North Africa) markets. This is definitely going to make Egypt more apprehensive about ensuring its water supply from the Blue Nile, which originates in the Ethiopian Highlands.
August 9, 2016

CAIRO  In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Egypts Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Khaled Hanafy denied accusations leveled at him by a fact-finding committee formed by parliament to investigate systematic corruption in supplying wheat to the government. He said that he objected to the corrupt system and demanded that changes be made to it, but that parliament members insisted it remain unchanged before changing their minds to criticize it now.

The wheat crisis in Egypt intensified at the beginning of July, as a number of members of parliament demanded that Hanafy be dismissed for accusations related to corruption in grain supplied by farmers to the government. According to some claims, the corruption amounted to billions of Egyptian pounds.

The minister rebutted all accusations leveled at the Egyptian government of importing certain grains that do not meet quality standards and cause illnesses to Egyptians. Hanafy also explained the governments plan to fight a price surge that is angering many citizens.

The text of the interview follows.

Al-Monitor: Anger is dominating the news in Egypt as the parliaments fact-finding committee on wheat corruption has found that embezzlement from the silos reached 42% of the national grain reserves this year. To what extent is the ministry responsible?

Hanafy: The Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade [MSIT] is one of four ministries supplying the grain. The other three help us through creating committees for the process of receiving. Their number this year reached 517 committees, each of them includes one [member] from the MSIT. According to the reports, these committees said that we had received 4.9 million tons of wheat. I would like to state that the news circulating that the parliaments fact-finding committee found that the deficit is at 42% is not true. All the reports, which were carried out by the fact-finding committee, indicated that the number is only 4% of the supplied wheat, which weighs about 230,000 tons [that are] worth 2,800 Egyptian pounds [$315] per ton, making a total deficit of 644 million Egyptian pounds [$72.5 million].

I took office in 2014. In the same year, I presented a memorandum to the Cabinet to change the system in which the current local wheat supply is processed, as it is based on subsidizing grain for farmers at a price exceeding the global average, causing many disadvantages such as the smuggling of imported grain and treating it as local grain. Therefore, we suggested that we buy grain at its price while subsidizing the farmer with 1,300 Egyptian pounds [$146] per feddan [roughly an acre] as financial support. However, the current [members of parliament] objected and requested that the current system continue. Therefore, I put regulations to resist tampering such as prohibiting imported grain while the local grain is still being supplied, sanctioning whoever does this and making the supply based on possession.

Al-Monitor: Yet isnt a deficit of 644 million Egyptian pounds a large amount, representing a right that the people and state have been deprived of?

Hanafy: The ministry currently prevents the loss of the rights of the state and the people. Hundreds of reports are filed to us every day. The suppliers payments range between 1.5 billion and 2 billion Egyptian pounds. In case the judiciary proves any deficit, the contracts state that in case of liquidation, the supplier is obliged criminally and financially to pay the deficit value and is obliged to pay a fine that the MSIT determines. There is also a fidelity insurance of 5 billion Egyptian pounds, which means that the rights of the people and the state are guaranteed.

Al-Monitor: Is there a dispute between the government, represented by the MSIT, and the parliaments fact-finding committee regarding wheat corruption?

Hanafy: The work of the government and that of the parliament are complementary. The difference is in the mechanism and the regulations, as [the parliament] relied on a method to estimate weight  as opposed to actually weighing it  and depended on the RGS company to implement this method. However, the general prosecutor rejected this method and demanded the liquidation [of RGS], so that the actual size of the deficit in Egypts grain silos could be determined.

Al-Monitor: How do you comment on the accusations leveled by Bloomberg at MSIT officials that the officials intentionally failed to provide electricity to the 93 silos that Bloomberg equipped with surveillance systems worth 193 million Egyptian pounds [$22 million] to prevent thefts?

Hanafy: Bloomberg is only a supplier of granary updating systems. Their work is done, and they received their payment. After that, they offered Egypt to update the remaining granaries. They presented a financial and technical proposal to the [Holding] General Company for Silos and Storage (GCSS). Nothing compels the GCSS to take offers from the same supplier. I do not underestimate Bloomberg. However, I still have the right to refuse the offer for financial or technical reasons and keep the reasons to myself, which is the global convention. As a response, the company launched a smear campaign against Egypt and accused Egyptian farmers of cheating and soaking grains in water to increase their weight. This is quite funny as grains rot when they are sprayed with water during storage. They cannot talk about whether electricity was provided as they are only responsible for supplying internal systems, and the contract states that each silo has a generator attached to it.

Al-Monitor: You have succeeded after a few months in office of eliminating queues in front of [state-subsidized] bakeries, where people had to wait to receive bread. Are you satisfied with the current system and is it now free of corruption?

Hanafy: The bread crisis started in the 1970s and Egyptians have long thought that after 50 years nothing could be done. We decided to start fighting all this and stirred up a hornets nest when we put a new system to distribute bread that is based on buying it at market price with smart cards. Bread has become accessible to everyone. Not only did we provide bread, but we also rationed the cost of bread and saved 6 million Egyptian pounds [$676,000] that the citizen receives again through food commodities.

Al-Monitor: How about the wheat import issue, where the MSIT is accused of making deals on grains that do not meet proper standards and that have a proportion of carcinogenic parasites.

Hanafy: We cannot receive wheat [that the rest of the world considers unfit for human consumption]. We buy wheat from international stock markets without any local intermediaries as we used to. We saved $104 million for the first time and even bought at prices lower than those announced in international stock markets. The wheat imported by the General Authority for Supply Commodities is bought according to the Egyptian Code system.

By no means can we import anything that does not meet Egyptian standards, which are compatible with international standards. After buying, committees from the ministries of health, agriculture and industry examine the shipments. Some corruption would come at the hands of local intermediaries, but now we head directly to the global market. Currently, Egypt is suffering from those who benefited from tampering with prices.

Al-Monitor: The crisis of lack of commodities supplied by the government has worsened. In light of a crazy price surge, how will the MSIT respond?

Hanafy: We are working on pushing more commodities in large amounts to markets and supply outlets to fight the probable surge in any of the similar commodities. We also pushed more vehicles loaded with food commodities to sell food in public squares at prices 20-25% lower than their counterparts. This would also save cash in foreign exchange, which we need to buy goods from abroad.
August 10, 2016

CAIRO  Aug. 6 marked the one-year anniversary of the inauguration of the new Suez Canal. While the expansion project was heavily praised in the Egyptian press, serious questions remain about its value a year on.

On Aug. 6, 2015, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi officially inaugurated the new Suez Canal. The announcement was made to a packed audience that included French President Francois Hollande, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and a number of Arab rulers.

The cost of the project, on which construction began in August 2014, has now exceeded $8 billion. The project consists of digging a waterway 35 kilometers (22 miles) long in parallel to part of the original canal, which runs for 190 kilometers (118 miles).

In August 2014, Vice Adm. Mohab Mamish, head of the Suez Canal committee, said in comments to the press that "digging the new Suez Canal will yield increased canal revenues to the tune of 259% by 2023, meaning $13.226 billion, compared with the present revenue of $5.3 billion."

However, one year following the canal's inauguration, the state has yet to declare the extent of these new revenues, except in the first quarter of 2016, when Mamish announced in June that revenues had increased by 592.4 million Egyptian pounds ($66.7 million) as compared to the same period in 2015.

Egyptian Finance Minister Amr El Garhy was quoted in the press as saying on July 31 that "Suez Canal revenues will fluctuate between $5 billion and $5.5 billion this year, despite a net decline in global trade."

If one examines the statements made by the finance minister, it becomes clear that the canal has not succeeded in bringing about any noticeable increase in revenues, as compared with the revenues projected by Mamish in 2014.

Al-Monitor analyzed the data on ships and their cargo provided by the Suez Canal Authority. We compared September 2014-March 2015  in other words, before the expanded Suez Canal was opened  to the same period the following year, September 2015-March 2016 (after the canal's expansions were completed). The published data only goes up to March 2016.

The total number of ships that passed through the canal before the expansion amounted to 10,028, carrying a gross tonnage of 570,017 tons of cargo. Following the expansion, traffic increased to 10,062 ships, carrying a total tonnage of 574,553 tons of cargo.

The total growth in ships transiting the canal after it was expanded amounted to an anemic 0.0033%, and freightage increased by only 0.008%.

Ahmad Sultan, a former adviser on maritime transport to the minister of transportation, commented on these percentages: "The new Suez Canal is a project for the future. Its goal is to increase the canal's absorptive capacity to keep pace with the expected increase in the maritime traffic in the future."

Sultan added, "The project is an investment in basic infrastructure. It is a long-term investment, and it cannot be judged on the basis of one year, especially in the wake of the decline of global trade. That latter is something that was reflected in the canal's revenues as a matter of course."

Abd al-Wahhab Kamil, head of the Egyptian Naval Academy, concurred with Sultans view on the effects of the decline in global commerce on Suez Canal revenues. Kamil told Al-Monitor, "The expansion of the Suez Canal will in time offer a passage to ships. The lack of notable growth in revenues was caused by a decline in global commercial transit. It isn't the fault of the canal. The recession will end soon, and revenues will then rise."

Concerning the minute percentage growth in the number of ships and cargo weight passing through the canal before and after its expansion, Kamil said, "It wouldn't be expected for revenues to suddenly jump, because ship transit is tied to the contracts of their respective companies, which determine the shipping lines, and these contracts last for years. Ships will begin to change their routes after these contracts run out, and that will benefit the Suez Canal. I expect a noticeable improvement in the coming year."

Kamil stressed that the Suez Canal's expansion is just one step within the larger project of developing the canal, which he said will have a positive economic return. "We will see [this return] soon, when construction is completed on the service and maintenance centers for boats. And it will be quick profit."

In November 2015, the Egyptian president announced a comprehensive project to develop the Suez Canal zone, embracing the establishment of a large seaport east of Port Said, an industrial zone, a logistical zone for servicing ships, a residential zone and a fourth area for fishing farms, in addition to a network of tunnels running underneath the Suez Canal.

Last February, Egypt initiated one of the projects along these lines, the side channel east of Port Said.

Egyptian economist and writer Wael El Nahas believes that the expansion of the Suez Canal "has saved the canal from a catastrophe that was looming over it."

Nahas told Al-Monitor, "Despite the decline in global commercial traffic, what has been achieved in the last year must be considered an accomplishment. After the collapse in global commodity prices last year, and especially petroleum products, transport shifted to using supertankers. If not for the expansion and deepening of the Canal and opening of a parallel corridor that could absorb ships coming from both north and south simultaneously, the canal would have faced the loss of its current resources at a fundamental level."

Nahas stressed that "the current statistics are not final. There are other projects that we view as coming within the axis of development. For example, the loading and unloading docks will be one of the most important profit[-generating] elements of the Suez Canal, and [it will show] positive results in the next few years."

One year after the canal's expansion was completed, revenues have been disappointing. Especially when compared to the expectations of success that were generated by Egyptian officials. However, the decline in global commercial traffic has had a significant negative impact that cannot be controlled. In that sense, the completion of the development axis project might serve as a fail-safe at the present time. But if it faces major hurdles in light of the economic crisis now gripping the country, the project might be suspended if the necessary funds cannot be found. This is the challenge now confronting the Egyptian government.
August 10, 2016

TEHRAN, Iran  Former two-time President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appears to have his eyes set on a third term in office. He has been traveling across Iran lately, addressing his supporters.

On July 29, in a speech in Mashhad, Ahmadinejad said, They label me as a Freemason [a member of the secretive] Hojjatieh Society, antiGuardianship of the Jurist [Irans ruling system] and a sorcerer.  During elections, some [in this manner] make attempts to disqualify their rivals." Moreover, in a speech in Bafq on Aug. 5, Ahmadinejad said, Im aware of the countrys issues, but for now, it is not the right time for me to enter [the stage], but when the time comes, I will be at the service of the nation.

The former presidents concerns may be rooted in how influential conservative figures have pointed to the Guardian Council possibly quashing his candidacy if he tries to run in the 2017 presidential vote. On April 29, former conservative parliamentarian Ahmad Tavakoli wrote on his Telegram channel, There are sufficient religious and legal reasons to disqualify Ahmadinejad. On May 10, senior conservative cleric Gholamreza Mesbahi Moghadam said, I can state for sure that the Guardian Council will not qualify him. Moreover, on July 3, Naser Imani, a conservative analyst and former editorial writer at the influential conservative Kayhan newspaper told Entekhab News, I dont think the Guardian Council will approve Ahmadinejad [as a candidate].

The 12-member Guardian Council wields considerable power and influence in Iran. The conservative-dominated council, headed by Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, is charged with interpreting the constitution, supervising elections and approving electoral candidates.

According to Iranian law, a candidate for the presidency must be a political or religious figure; of Iranian origin; a good manager and skillful; have a good reputation, be trustworthy and pious; be a believer in the foundations of the Islamic Republic of Iran, namely the constitution and the Guardianship of the Jurist; and be a believer in the state religion.

The Guardianship of the Jurist, or velayat-e faqih, is a theory in Shiite Islam that holds that Islam gives an Islamic jurist (faqih) custodianship over the people. The Guardian Jurist, who is commonly referred to as the supreme leader, is presently Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Conservative figures, such as prominent cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, argue that Ahmadinejad has stood against the Guardianship of the Jurist  a decisive factor that the Guardian Council takes into account when vetting candidates. More broadly, there are four main points that may result in Ahmadinejads disqualification if he decides to seek another term in office.

First, the controversy surrounding the vice presidency of Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei: On July 18, 2009, Ahmadinejad appointed Mashaei, a controversial figure widely criticized for his deviant thoughts on Islam, as his first deputy. The appointment was immediately met with opposition from major conservative figures. Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi described it as illegitimate, while Ayatollah Khamenei also objected to the appointment. Mohammad Hassan Aboutorabi-Fard, the former deputy parliament speaker, said, The supreme leader wrote [Ahmadinejad] a letter.  I gave the letter to Mr. Ahmadinejad. The letter wasnt answered.  I cant remember exactly, but a few days after [the writing of] the letter had passed and the government hadnt replied  Ahmadinejad met with the supreme leader.  Since the meeting was not fruitful, I published the letter. After the publication of the letter, Ahmadinejad was ultimately forced to reverse his appointment of Mashaei as vice president.

Second, the overhaul of the hajj bureaucracy: In 2009, the Ahmadinejad administration announced the merger of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization with the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization. Mashaei dismissed the head of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, who is usually appointed after consultations with the supreme leader. Ayatollah Khamenei wrote two letters to Ahmadinejad in connection with this matter to no avail. Indeed, Mohammad Mohammadi Reyshahri, the then-representative of the supreme leader to the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, said, Ahmadinejad wasnt willing to accept the supreme leaders order. This kind of positioning against the leader was unprecedented.

Third, Ahmadinejads refusal to go to work: On April 17, 2011, then-Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi submitted a letter of resignation to Ahmadinejad, who had sought his replacement. However, as the supreme leader disagreed with Ahmadinejads stance, he ordered the reinstatement of Moslehi. According to conservative Jahan News, Ahmadinejad protested Ayatollah Khameneis measure by refusing to go to his office for 11 days. During this period, a series of political and religious figures visited his house, urging him to return to work. Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi, a member of the Guardian Council, has retold the story of meeting with Ahmadinejad in his home, saying, I told him that I was really worried, that he has greatly served this country and he is and has been a hard-working man and that Im worried this matter will end with confrontation and tension with the leader.  I was really disappointed with his remarks, because I could see that [our discussion] did not lead anywhere.  I felt that he didnt change at all.

Fourth, Ahmadinejads stance on the nuclear issue: According to senior cleric Mesbahi Moghadam, Ahmadinejad submitted a report to the supreme leader in which he said, We have reached the end of the road, arguing that Iran should succumb to the United Nations Security Council resolutions on its nuclear program. In Moghadams telling, Ayatollah Khamenei disagreed with this stance: Ahmadinejad told the leader that 'If you dont accept this view, I will no longer be in charge of the [nuclear] file,' to which Ayatollah Khamenei apparently replied that he himself will assume this responsibility.

These four episodes of contention imply that Ahmadinejad loathed to fully obey the supreme leader. As such, even though three years have passed since he left office, conservatives neither appear to have forgiven Ahmadinejad for his perceived trespasses nor believe that he has changed.

Alamolhoda, the Mashhad Friday prayer leader, has said, Ahmadinejad was a person who took the wrong path, he is dead and he is over with.  He stood against the Guardianship of the Jurist and fell down.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Ahmadinejad is now trying to remove the bad memories he left in the minds of the conservatives  in any way possible. But will he be successful? In the words of conservative political analyst Abbas Salimi Namin, Ahmadinejad is making attempts to get back to the leader. He is taking part in sessions held by the leader and is seeking to get close to him, but few intelligent people will be deceived [by these actions].
August 8, 2016

Carlos Santana, one of the worlds greatest guitarists, performed July 30 in Tel Avivs Ganei Yehoshua Park. But before his concert began, screens on the sides of the stage lit up and a film produced by the Hand in Hand Foundation was displayed to the 25,000 fans who filled the area.

When our children grow up in a strife-ridden region, when Jews dont meet Arabs and the reverse, how can we ensure that the children wont grow up to hate? someone in the film asked. Two children in the film waved a poster on which was written, in Arabic and Hebrew, Bring them to the same classroom.

Santana likes to tell his concert fans that the Milagro (Miracle) Foundation he founded with his family members chose to invest in children because they are the future of the world. The Hand in Hand Foundation shares the same goals as Santanas philanthropic foundation, especially now.

Milagro Foundation Executive Director Shelley Brown told Al-Monitor on behalf of Carlos Santana that the connection between the Santana family foundation and the Hand in Hand foundation was born in 2003, when the Milagro foundation managers were introduced to the idea of advancing peace between Israelis and Palestinians through children and their parents, and by creating joint schools; an idea they found exciting. She said that upon his arrival to Tel Aviv for his concert, Santana expressed his enthusiasm over Hand in Hand activities and achievements and asked to meet its representatives. He also asked to donate part of the concert benefits to Hand in Hand's future activities. ''Santana was swept by emotions in Tel Aviv. The meeting with the foundation's representatives who are working to advance peace and understanding between the two peoples just added to his excitement,'' she added. ''You are a blessed beam of light. What you are accomplishing is admirable,'' said Santana to the representatives, according to Hand in Hand Executive Director Shuli Dichter.

The connection between the two foundations began when Lee Gordon, one of the two founders of the Hand in Hand Foundation, searched for foundations and organizations that would help promote the cause he led together with an old college classmate, Amin Khalaf. Gordon and Khalaf studied together in the Mandel School for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem) and dreamed of founding joint schools for Jews and Arabs. Hand in Hand was founded in 1998. Its first school was established in the Arab town of Kafr Qara, and today Hand in Hand operates six schools in which 2,100 pupils will be studying.

When I joined the foundation team, I believed that the mutual coexistence concept should be first disseminated among adults, not children, Dichter told Al-Monitor. Dichter thinks that it is unfair to cast responsibility for resolving the complicated conflict on the shoulders of children. And so, in accordance with this worldview, the foundation has been trying for several years to widen its social activities, mainly among adults.

The social community of the Hand in Hand Foundation is not limited to the 2,100 students, Dichter explained. The number of active participants is about 10,000 people. The adults are not only the parents of the schoolchildren. The number includes 300 professional staff members  teachers and administrators  and also volunteers. Together, they form a broad community, whose family members live by the concept of coexistence between Israeli Jews and Arabs, and actively disseminate it  in formal education and in the community as well.

Each class in these schools has two head teachers  a Jew and an Arab. Together, they teach the curriculum in both languages and the schools operate according to a calendar that includes the Jewish, Muslim and Christian holidays.

In the last four years, the number of applicants to the Hand in Hand schools has grown significantly. This is a counter-response to the Israeli leaderships wild incitement against Israeli Arabs, Dichter said, to the extent that the professional staff members have their hands full. There is not enough room [in the schools] to accommodate the tremendous demand.

Dichter figures that the jump in the demand to study in the organizations institutions began five years ago. He claims that the phenomenon began in the summer of 2011 in the course of the social-justice protest movement in Israel, increased during the Pillar of Defense operation in the Gaza Strip at the end of 2012, and reached its height during the Protective Edge campaign in 2014. The more the phenomenon of hatred toward Arabs increased, the more parents turned to the foundation in response.

We are witness to two opposing processes that are underway, he said. On the one hand, the states systematic institutional incitement has moved from discrimination against Israeli Arabs to open systematic incitement against Arabs in general, and Israeli Arabs in specific. On the other hand, we witness a counter-response by the parents, aged 30-plus, who want to instill democratic values in their children as well as equal rights and hope. They ask us to accept their children in our schools in Haifa, Jaffa, Kfar Saba, Kafr Qara, Jerusalem and the Galilee.

Dichter maintains that a new generation has arisen that refuses to accept the mandatory separation imposed on them by the Israeli political leadership. Hand in Hand, said Dichter, made an important decision: to create social infrastructure based on bilingual public schools in order to disseminate the concept that it is possible to live together if each side only gets to know the other side, to learn to live with the other and not fear him at all.

This lofty idea requires funding. Santana, who contributes regularly to the foundation, promised 10% of the proceeds of his Tel Aviv performance to Hand in Hand. Although the exact sum has not yet been handed over, the estimate is that the philanthropic fund will contribute tens of thousands of dollars to the foundation from the sale of 25,000 tickets. Simultaneously, there are other foundations and organizations that view Hand in Hands mission as a sacred mission. These include Jewish organizations and foundations throughout the United States and Europe and Palestinian donors who view this foundation as a rare beam of light in the current dark period of Jewish-Arab relations in Israel. The budget of Hand in Hand has increased considerably in recent years, from 8 million shekels ($2 million) in 2011 to 23 million shekels ($6 million) in 2015. It is expected to grow even further, mainly by virtue of the Jewish diaspora that views the objectives of the foundation as the key to the continued development of a State of Israel that lives in peace with its Arab citizens.

We have a large donor in Germany named Jalil Schwarz, Dichter told us, a chef by profession whose family fled [Palestine] in 1948. He set up workshops throughout Germany and taught German women how to prepare the well-known Arab dish called maqluba (a rice, meat and vegetable casserole shaped like a cake). In the study workshops he established throughout Germany over 20 years, Schwarz collected hundreds of thousands of euros and donated the money to further the dream that excited him and instilled him with hope: bilingual schools that educate toward Jewish-Arab coexistence.

In the coming years, well find out which trend is stronger: the systematic incitement of Israeli leadership against its Arab citizens or the aspirations of thousands of Jewish and Arab parents to ensure a peaceful future for their children.
August 10, 2016

An audio file recently released by the website of the late Ayatollah Hussein Ali Montazeri  the onetime deputy supreme leader of Iran who was a leading Shiite cleric  has shed light on the clerics objections to a string of executions in the late 1980s and his eventual falling out with the ruling establishment.

In the final months of the Iran-Iraq War in 1988, the Iranian group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK) launched an attack from inside Iraq against western Iran. While the attack was quickly countered, it led to perhaps the last fateful decision of the Islamic Republic under the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini shortly before his death in which thousands of mostly MEK members who had been imprisoned in Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution were executed.

Montazeri, who had been groomed to replace Khomeini and was one of the most well-known figures of the revolution, objected so adamantly to the order that he quickly lost his place within the government. His objection to the executions has been previously published in his autobiography. But the release of the audio file has brought this news to the surface once again and has revealed the harshness in which he dealt with the individuals involved.

In the audio file, Montazeri is heard speaking to Hussein Ali Nayeri, a judge at the time and a current deputy at the Supreme Court of Iran; Morteza Eshraghi, public prosecutor at the time; Ebrahim Raeisi, public prosecutor at the time and currently the head of the Astan Quds Razavi, one of the wealthiest institutions in Iran; and Mostafa Pourmohammadi, the Intelligence Ministrys representative to Evin prison at the time and current justice minister.

In the 40-minute audio file, Montazeri says to them, The biggest crime in the history of the Islamic Republic, which will be condemned by history, happened by your hands. He said that a number of people and the Ministry of Intelligence had sought and waited for the opportunity to execute the MEK members and, after their attack on Iran, pushed the issue on Khomeini once again. In their coverage of the audio file, Fars News wrote that Montazeri believed that in the final years of his life, Khomeini was ill and those around him, especially his son Ahmed, was running his affairs. The Fars article, however, defended the executions and criticized the release of the audio file and Montazeris objections.

Many people have suggested if Montazeri would have kept his silence, he could have replaced Khomeini and been able to pursue his own policies and vision. Montazeri, however, rejected this reasoning, saying that if he was silent he would "not have an answer on Judgment Day and I saw it as my duty to warn Imam [Khomeini]. Montazeri was also worried about what he would say to the families of those executed. According to Montazeris autobiography, somewhere between 2,800 and 3,800 people were executed.

Montazeri also said that executing people for a crime when they are already serving time for other sentences undermines Irans judiciary. Many MEK members were in prison at the time because after the 1979 Islamic Revolution the group's leaders had a falling out with the supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini and the Islamic Republic. In response, the MEK waged a campaign of bombings and assassinations and its leaders quickly went into exile in Iraq.

Montazeris son, Ahmad, told BBC Persian that they published the audio file because some people have attempted to distort Montazeris image. He said that the audio file confirms Montazeris autobiography in which he writes about his objections to the executions.

Montazeri died in 2009, while the country was in the middle of the Green Movement protests against the presidential election results of that year. Completely sidelined from the government, he remained a fierce critic until his final days, publishing letters and statements against many government policies and leaders.
August 10, 2016

Relations between the Palestinian Authority and Egypt are strained as political differences continue. The PA is less than enthusiastic about Egypts peace initiative with Israel and also rejects Cairos support for dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan.

The chill in Palestinian-Egyptian relations was evident following the PA's late-July request that Egypt convene an Arab League summit in Cairo to discuss the issue of Israeli settlements and to set a date to present the PA's case to the United Nations Security Council. Egypt ultimately rejected the request without explanation and the summit was never held.

In a July 28 article for the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, former Israeli intelligence officer Yoni Ben-Menachem predicted that relations between the PA and Egypt will only get worse, as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas rejects the Egyptian peace initiative while Cairo paves the way to have Dahlan succeed Abbas.

Relations between Abbas and Dahlan were cut when Dahlan was dismissed as a Fatah leader in May 2011 because of pressure from Abbas. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who favors Dahlan, pressured Abbas in November 2015 to reconcile with Dahlan in a bid to return Dahlan to the Palestinian scene at the expense of Abbas.

Ben-Menachem also wrote that the peace initiative introduced by Sisi in May undermines Abbas efforts to hold Israel accountable in international venues and bolster the global boycott against it. The Egyptian initiative calls for both Palestinians and Israelis to resume negotiations without preconditions, which would hinder Abbas efforts to push the UN and the Security Council to issue resolutions against Israel.

Yet the secretary-general of Fatahs Revolutionary Council, Amin Makboul, told Al-Monitor, Relations between Palestine and Egypt are strong and solid. President Abbas latest visit to Cairo on May 9 was a success, as discussions held with Sisi dealt with all common interests regarding the Palestinian cause. There is no conflict between the Egyptian and French initiatives, with Egypt endorsing the international conference [the French initiative calls for]. Also, talk about Egyptian support for Dahlan is but unfounded hearsay.

So far no date has been set for an international peace conference between Palestinians and Israelis. Palestinians favor the idea, while Israelis prefer a conference that Arab and regional states attend without directly participating in.

Makbouls statement may be diplomatic in nature and aim to prevent further deterioration of Ramallahs relationship with Cairo. But the latest communique, issued Aug. 7 by the PLO Executive Committee, was more explicit when it proclaimed its endorsement of the French initiative without any mention of the Egyptian one  a clear indication that Palestinians do not back the latter. The French initiative calls for an international peace conference and refers the Palestinian cause back to the UN, which Israel rejects.

It is clear that the differences between the Palestinian and Egyptian sides are due to their respective incongruent interests," Abdel Sattar Qassem, a political science professor at An-Najah University in Nablus, told Al-Monitor. "Egypt backs Dahlan because it needs financial support from the United Arab Emirates in light of [Egypts] financial crisis, while the UAE considers Dahlan to be one of its proteges in the region. This angers [Abbas].

It should be noted that there are strong ties between the UAE and Dahlan, who found refuge there in 2011 after his dismissal from Fatah. As the security adviser of the UAEs Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Dahlan is considered an active player in determining internal and external security policies for the UAE. Dahlan was able to establish security relations on the regional and international levels when he was head of Palestinian Preventive Security intelligence between 1994 and 2000, and as the Palestinian national security adviser.

Qassem said, The Palestinian stance on the French initiative is more enthusiastic, as it offers the Palestinians more than its Egyptian counterpart. The French are restoring the Palestinian cause to its international roots, while Egypt, through its initiative, is searching to create a role for itself at the expense of the Palestinians.

This chilled state of affairs between Egypt and the PA also coincided with a steady rapprochement between Cairo and Tel Aviv, as Sisi is looking to protect his regime. And one of the tools available in the region toward that end is Israel, which enjoys security potential and has tight political relations with some world powers. [This rapprochement] will eventually lead to the waning of Egypts role and status among Palestinians.

The warming relations between Egypt and Israel have been marked by the return of Egypt's ambassador to Tel Aviv early this year, followed by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukrys visit to Israel in July. Meanwhile, security and military cooperation between both countries has been increasing to fight jihadist Islamic groups in Sinai, and both countries share hostility against Hamas.

Also worthy of note are the July 29 statements made by an anonymous Fatah official to New Khalij about Arab mediation efforts, the latest of which took place in Jordan, aimed at improving relations between Abbas and Sisi. The efforts ultimately failed.

Although there is no accurate information on the mediation that took place in Jordan, British reporter David Hearst said in a July 27 report on Middle East Eye that the UAE, Egypt and Jordan are planning for the post-Abbas period and paving the way for Dahlan to replace Abbas.

While the relationship between Egypt and the PA is characterized by a lack of empathy, the relationship between Cairo and Hamas remains tense. On July 6, Egypt canceled the visit by a Hamas leadership delegation scheduled for early July, reportedly because Cairo was dissatisfied with Hamas response to Egyptian concerns about the deteriorating security situation in Sinai. Hamas had refused to hand over wanted Egyptian citizens Egypt says are in Gaza and active in armed organizations in Sinai. Hamas also refused to form a joint security commission with Cairo to fight terrorism in Sinai.

Although Hamas deployed additional troops in April along the border with Egypt to prevent smuggling between Gaza and Sinai, Egyptian intelligence services found those measures lacking.

Yahya Moussa, Hamas leader and chairman of the Oversight Committee of the Palestinian Legislative Council, told Al-Monitor, Any tension in the relations of Palestinians with any other party, in particular Egypt, serves Israeli interests. Israel is the ultimate beneficiary, as it will take advantage of the Palestinians tense relations with their Arab neighbors to escalate against them in the absence of Arab support.

Moussa added, Meanwhile, the PA fails to exploit against Israel any agreement between [the PA] and Egypt. In contrast, the improving relations between Egypt and Israel indicate weakness and confusion on the part of Egypt with regard to regional sovereign issues, for they render Egypt ineffectual despite its relations with Israel growing stronger.

Egyptians and Palestinians are perhaps seeking to maintain the appearance of good relations but unable to hide their differences concerning Israel, the issue of PA presidential succession and the future of relations with the Gaza Strip. All these issues are enough to keep matters tense between them, while maintaining a modicum of contact and preventing matters from deteriorating to complete estrangement.
High-speed Internet fiber optic cable

This is high-speed fiber optic cable - individual strands of glass cable, each capable of carrying data at light speed. It is put in a protective cover and strung on power poles or buried in underground utility easements. Fiber like this is beginning to bring super-fast Internet to homes in Alabama cities. (Southern Light photo)

Here are the top stories in Alabama business for Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. You can follow all of Alabama's business news here anytime.

Birmingham Health Care's former chief financial officer was sentenced Tuesday for stealing $1.7 million from the federally-funded center for the poor and homeless.

Alabama's changing Internet access picture got a little clearer with news that WOW! will bring "broadband speeds up to one gigabit per second (Gbps)" to Huntsville and Auburn by the end of 2016.

Thirty-two years ago, the hallways of Madison Square in Huntsville were overflowing as the super mall celebrated its grand opening. It's a different, but hopeful story today at the struggling shopping center.

What started as a small organic farm specializing in vegetables and herbs is now on a path toward continued growth thanks to Neighborhood Concepts (NCI).

It's social. It's food. It's a benefit. The grand opening of the Food Truck Social Eats park in Huntsville this weekend will benefit the Food Bank of North Alabama.
Coyle new mug.PNG

The Rev. James E. Coyle, pastor of St. Paul's Cathedral, was gunned down on the steps of the rectory next to the cathedral.

(File)

Father Coyle

A Catholic priest was murdered because of religious and ethnic hatred.

It's a story that's been in the news recently in France, where two Islamic State terrorists stormed a church last month and slit the throat of Father Jacques Hamel during Mass. But it's also a story that was in the news in Alabama in 1921.

St. Paul's Cathedral held a memorial Mass on Wednesday for the Rev. James E. Coyle, who had been pastor of the church for 17 years when he was murdered. Coyle was an outspoken opponent of the Ku Klux Klan, which was known at the time for targeting Catholics as well as blacks and Jews.

"The Klan was a really powerful force in this city," said Federal Judge Bill Pryor, of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, speaking at a reception after the Mass. "Birmingham was a place where a lot of immigrants had come. Father Coyle was their defender."

Coyle, who became pastor of St. Paul's Cathedral in 1904, was shot to death on the porch of the woodframe rectory, the priest's house, on Aug. 11, 1921.

"Coyle was killed in cold blood, murdered," said Jim Pinto, director of the Father James E. Coyle Memorial Project.

But the murder caused outrage in the city, an outpouring of support, and a backlash against the Ku Klux Klan.

"The end result was not more division," Pinto said. "It brought people together."

Historic murder trial

The Coyle murder trial was historic, partly because of the role played by future U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, a member of the Klan in the 1920s, who defended the accused killer.



The Rev. Edwin R. Stephenson, a Methodist minister and Klansman who conducted weddings at the Jefferson County Courthouse, was accused of gunning down Coyle after becoming irate over Coyle's officiating at the marriage of Stephenson's daughter, Ruth, to a Puerto Rican, Pedro Gussman. Ruth had sought out the priest for counseling and converted to Catholicism.



As defense attorney, Black had Gussman summoned into the courtroom and questioned him about his curly hair. Lights were arranged in the courtroom so the darkness of Gussman's complexion would be accentuated, according to an Oct. 20, 1921, newspaper account of the final day of the trial. Black gained an acquittal based on an appeal to the jury's ethnic and religious prejudices.



Years later Black renounced his Ku Klux Klan ties and became one of the most liberal members of the U.S. Supreme Court.



After the acquittal, Stephenson once again was a regular at the courthouse, conducting marriages.

The murder is the subject of a book, "Rising Road: A True Tale of Love, Race, and Religion in America," by Ohio State University law professor Sharon Davies, published in 2010 by Oxford University Press.

Members of the Coyle Memorial Project want to use the story of Coyle to promote religious tolerance, Pinto said. "They commit themselves to prayer and keeping alive the legacy of Father Coyle and to work for reconciliation among all people," Pinto said. "He was really ahead of his time. He's a rallying point."
A male has died after he was shot in the head at the Oaks at Springville apartment complex on Tuesday, Birmingham police said.

Friends and family of the victim gather at the scene of a shooting at the Oaks at Springville.

Lt. Sean Edwards said officers were patrolling the area when they found the victim on the ground around 5 p.m. in the 600 block of Earline Circle. Sgt. Bryan Shelton said the victim died on his way to the hospital.

Many vehicles were parked along Earline Street as friends and family members gathered near the scene to mourn. The victim's found out about the shooting after someone posted a video of the incident on social media.

Edwards said a few witnesses were taken to headquarters to figure out a motive and who shot the male. The victim's name was not released.
IMG_0156.JPG

Melissa's parents, Michael (left) and Terry (right) on the road where their daughter was killed by police in an April confrontation.

(Amy Yurkanin|ayurkanin@al.com)

Editor's note: This is the latest in an ongoing AL.com investigation into the mental health crisis in Alabama.

The day before she was shot by police, Melissa Boarts threw a party.

The 36-year-old nursing assistant had suffered from bipolar disorder for nearly two decades, but seemed happy at the Wetumpka park where family and friends celebrated her little girl's birthday. The April weather was warm enough for short sleeves and sandals, with a slight shivery breeze.

The next day, family members were sorting gifts between the two houses where the 2-year-old lived when Melissa's twin sister Melinda tossed off a comment that landed like a hand grenade.

"There were some toys that we didn't let her play with because we didn't want her to get hurt on them," Melinda said. "So that's what I said, but I think she took it way wrong. I mean, and that's how it started."

Those words uncorked a gush of anger - which happened sometimes with Melissa.

Melissa drove off, and about an hour later, she was killed by an Auburn police officer.

Criminal or patient?

Melissa's family struggles with guilt and uncertainty. No witnesses saw the confrontation between Melissa and the police and video from the incident won't be released until a grand jury rules on the evidence against the officers.

Auburn Police Chief Paul Register said Melissa charged at his officers with a weapon - a knife family members feared she would use against herself.

The absence of hard information about the circumstances of the shooting has created a void the Boarts have filled with questions. The biggest one is this: Did officers have training to recognize mental illness and treat their daughter as a patient, rather than a criminal?

Experts estimate about 10 percent of police calls involve a person with mental illness.

Chief Register said his officers recently received mental health training, but he didn't provide details about whether the class was mandatory or if the officers involved in the shooting attended. He would not comment further about the case until the grand jury rules later this month.

Advocates for the mentally ill say police chiefs and sheriffs have been slow to embrace training, leaving officers unequipped to safely handle confrontations with suicidal or unstable suspects.

Angry, but never violent

In addition to bipolar disorder, Melissa suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and seizures, illnesses that intensified after her brother's death in 1998 and caused wild mood swings, flashes of rage and impulsive behavior. She had one run-in with the law in 2010 when she ran with a bad crowd, her mother said. Yet even when she spun completely out of control, she never physically hurt anyone.

"You could say anything, something me and you would take as a joke, she would take seriously and get so mad," Melinda said. "And then she would get angry. Really angry."

"You could always talk her down," said her mother Terry.

A picture of Melissa Boarts, a suicidal woman who was shot and killed by police in April

But on that day in April, they never got the chance.

Without proper training, police officers are more likely to use tactics that can escalate aggression in a person suffering from severe mental illness, experts say, increasing the likelihood of injury or death. In Alabama, only four hours of the 13-week police academy curriculum is dedicated to emotional disturbance. Some states require up to 40 hours, but many, like Alabama, require far less.

"What I don't understand is with them knowing her mental condition and knowing we were right there, she wasn't no harm to anyone but herself," Terry said. "I was on the phone with them the entire time."

Ten out of 34 people shot and killed by police in Alabama since 2015 have reported mental illness, according to the Washington Post and Al.com. People with mental illness are 16 times more likely to be shot by police, according to the Treatment Advocacy Center.

A string of deadly confrontations

Last year, deputies in Lawrence County shot and killed Shane Watkins, a schizophrenic who stopped taking his medication in the weeks before his death. Like the Boarts family, his mother called for help from police and her son had committed no crime. She also told Al.com that he was turned away from treatment before his behavior spiraled out of control.

Family members said Watkins had never been violent. Deputies shot Watkins after he charged at them with a box cutter.

A 50-year-old man suffering a "mental episode" in Tuscaloosa was shot after he charged at an officer with a large spoon in 2015. The man, Jeffory Tevis, suffered from self-inflicted wounds and grappled with an officer before he was killed. A grand jury ruled that the officer who shot Tevis acted to protect the public.

Unpredictable and mentally ill suspects can also injure officers. John Lee Bullard attacked a Huntsville police officer in December, sending him to the hospital with a facial fracture, cuts and bruises.

Alabama recently added a week to its police academy, said Louis Zook, chief of staff for Alabama Peace Officers Standards & Training Commission. After that, agencies can add any additional training that officers need.

"It's still a struggle to get everything in there that you'd like," Zook said.

Law enforcement agencies in 47 states and the District of Columbia have created crisis intervention teams - specialized squads to handle mentally ill suspects and keep them out of the criminal justice system. Those officers receive 40 hours of training and the ability to partner directly with mental health service providers.

Alabama has no crisis intervention teams, and law enforcement officers can't detain people for psychiatric evaluation. Only probate judges and community mental health officers - which are in short supply across the state - can order a person into the hospital.

Susan Baty-Pierce of National Alliance on Mental Illness-Birmingham has worked for decades to increase cooperation between law enforcement and mental health agencies. It is simply too expensive for many agencies to pay for community mental health officers solely dedicated to handling mental illness calls, she said.

If a police chief or sheriff has to choose between hiring a sworn officer or deputy or a social worker, they will hire the law enforcement personnel, she said. Specially trained law enforcement officers who can also perform regular police duties might be a better solution.

In the early nineties, Baty-Pierce belonged to a task force to bring the crisis intervention model to Birmingham, but the plan fell apart over funding for crisis beds.

Even without crisis intervention designation, officers should still learn to de-escalate confrontations with mentally ill suspects, said attorney Jimmy Walsh, president of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Alabama.

"One of the reasons crisis intervention training is important is that if someone is manic, if they are out of control, who else can you call?" Walsh said. "There's no mechanism except the state. The state hauls the people around. They get them to the hospital. If you can't count on the state, you can't do anything about it."

The rest area

From the interstate, Melissa thumbed messages of anger and despair. She threatened to cut her wrists and asked if Melinda would take care of the baby.

"It was not the first time she had taken off in her car like that," Melinda said. "But this time seemed worse. I don't know what it was. It just seemed different because she had a knife."

Melissa's parents fastened the girl in a car seat and tried to catch their troubled daughter. Melinda relayed her twin's location based on a GPS tracker the family had secretly stuck to her car. Traffic snarled the interstate, and Michael and Terry slowed to a crawl. When GPS showed Melissa stopped at a rest area, they thought she might have stopped to cut her wrists, panicked and called 911.

They didn't know it at the time, but the same rest area had been the scene of a suicide attempt just three weeks earlier. That tense standoff between a woman armed with a gun and state troopers ended peacefully.

"The issue when police and mentally ill intersect, there are a lot of opportunities for things to go wrong, and for things to go right," said Joy Aull, a former law enforcement officer who conducts mental health training at the University of South Alabama.

A troubled woman with a gun

On March 10, rest area employee Mary Crockett noticed something odd near a dirt walkway designed for pets. A middle-aged woman with short blonde hair paced back and forth. Crockett watched her hanging around for hours. Most visitors don't stay long at a place like that, so Crockett and another employee hopped on a Gator and puttered over.

The woman was Georgia Tumbleweed McNabb of Auburn.

As Crockett approached, she noticed McNabb's hair wasn't just short; it was ragged and hacked close to the scalp - a do-it-yourself job possibly inflicted with household scissors.

"Do you need help?" Crockett asked.

"No, I just want to kill myself," McNabb said, according to Crockett. "My only child got murdered a few weeks ago and my husband told me to cut my hair and now he don't want me."

As she ranted, she pressed on the pocket of her jeans and Crockett saw the outline of a gun.

The employees fled back to the office and called 911. State troopers arrived within five minutes, followed by officers from the Macon County Sheriff's Department. Police cars swarmed the rest area and officers ushered visitors out through the entrance ramp, then shut down the interstate, said Terry Colley, another employee.

SWAT Team snipers held positions on top of the small brick bathroom building, rifles trained on McNabb, Colley said. A helicopter buzzed overhead. McNabb crouched in the dirt at the base of a towering pine and pressed the gun to her temple.

The woman kept the gun pointed at her head for hours, Crockett said. Sometimes she would emerge from the shadow of the tree with her finger on the trigger.

"It was awful," Crockett said. "I thought she was going to do it."

Negotiation vs. confrontation

Staff members huddled inside the building where the snipers crouched, in a wood-paneled entryway hung with highway maps. McNabb fired her gun twice, pulling it away from her head and pointing it into the air, Colley said.

"She was really trying to get them to shoot her," Colley said. "But I think they knew that's what she wanted, so they didn't fire."

The officers on the scene held their fire and waited. For all the firepower on the scene, most of the work happened over the phone, Colley said, which highly-trained crisis negotiators tossed to McNabb.

"They were really patient with her," Colley said.

The time ticked by. One hour. Two. Then three. McNabb asked for more water and talked to negotiators.

Late in the afternoon, several SWAT officers lined up behind a ballistic shield and approached McNabb. As an officer popped out on one side to distract her, another reached around the other side and grabbed her, Colley said.

From inside the building, Crockett heard a gunshot and ran out the back door. She said she saw McNabb on the ground, surrounded by officers. She must be dead, Crockett thought, but she was wrong. The gunshot was the last one McNabb fired into the air before going into police custody. The troubled woman shuffled into an ambulance and rode away from the scene.

Crockett said the whole experience has given her nightmares. She never worried about her own well-being, but believed she would witness McNabb's suicide.

"It took a toll on me," she said. "I'm just glad that it ended the way it did."

Gaps in training trouble advocates

Most officers don't receive the psychology and suicide training crisis negotiators get during special classes. Jimmy Walsh of NAMI Alabama said many sheriffs and police chiefs simply don't understand the need for extra education about mental illness. His organization has held several voluntary, free 40-hour training sessions about mental illness for police officers. The last session in Birmingham drew only two participants, he said.

Unless state agencies begin requiring more training, Walsh said he doesn't think the situation will change.

"It's never going to happen until senior people buy in and they are required to do it," Walsh said.

Demopolis Police Chief Tommie Reese, who is also president of the Alabama Association of Chiefs of Police, said training is fine, but it won't solve the larger problem, which is a lack of resources for treating those with mental illness.

"I think what we need is to have more social workers to come out and really work with people in the community," Reese said. "I think law enforcement has been tasked to do many things it wasn't set out to do, and helping with the mentally ill is one of those things."

Aull's mental health training programs help officers better understand the mindset of a mentally ill person and adapt to it. Officers who complete the program report higher levels of comfort with suicidal or delusional people, she said. But the training falls apart if officers can't tap into mental health resources.

"I can do all the training in the world, if there's nowhere in the community for that person to go, the training breaks down," Aull said.

One family, two tragedies

Melissa's relatives pass around the blame for her death like cards in a brutal game of Go Fish.

"I have so many regrets for calling the cops that night," Terry said. "I told them over and over and over she had a pocketknife and she's threatening to cut her wrists."

"It's probably my fault because I put the GPS on the car and told them where to

Melissa's twin sister Melinda Boarts looks for the spot where a neighbor found her sister's blood on the morning after the shooting.

go," Melinda said.

"I was the one who told you to call the police in the first place," said Michael, a retired prison guard.

They thought they were doing the right thing by tracking Melissa and calling police, based on their experiences with son Michael Jr. The family lost him to mental illness almost 20 years ago when he committed suicide. Melinda and Melissa were 18 years old - seniors in high school.

Her son's suicide blindsided Terry. She knew Michael Jr. was upset about his favorite uncle, who was struggling to survive after open-heart surgery. They all thought he was going to die.

Terry said her son was overwhelmed by the prospect of such a loss. He got in his car and said he was going to the store, and never came home.

"It was just like he disappeared off the face of the earth," Terry said.

Michael Jr. said something to Melissa before he left - a hint she unraveled only after his death.

"That's why she took it so hard," Melinda said. "She wasn't able to make room for it. Not like I moved on, but you've got to just like, make room for it."

A troubled life ends tragically

Melissa's mental illness set in slowly. She started having seizures at age 15, and they got worse after her brother's death, her mother said. As a young adult, she needed shoulder surgery from the violent shaking that gripped her body and dislocated the joint. While recovering at her parents' house, she suffered a major seizure that almost killed her and forever altered the pattern of her thoughts, Terry said.

Although she worked as a nursing assistant, and took care of herself, her demons never left. In 2010, the year Melissa turned 30, she walked into a Rite-Aid drug store in Montgomery with a knife and demanded money.

Terry said her daughter couldn't even remember the robbery after she committed it. A judge in the case ordered a psychiatric evaluation, but Melissa did not qualify for mental health court due to the violent nature of the crime. Still, she received a relatively light sentence of three years' probation and put the case behind her.

Melissa's parents urged her to get help and decided to do whatever they could to prevent another family tragedy. So when Terry and Michael gave an old car to Melissa, Melinda convinced them to install a secret GPS tracker.

The darkness in her life seemed to lift a little when a relative gave birth to a baby girl she couldn't care for. Melissa agreed to take the child, although she never applied for custody due to her criminal history and mental illness.

"Nobody wanted that baby," Terry said. "When that baby left the hospital, she left with Melissa."

A dirt road, a final showdown

Her breakdown in April was the first big one she'd had in years, but it didn't come out of the blue. Melissa told her mom she'd been feeling a little depressed. She made an appointment with a doctor in May, but her mother urged her to move it up.

"Oh, I'll be fine until May," she told Terry.

Her journey ended not long after her family believes she turned around to come home. Auburn police started following her car soon after she left the rest area headed north on I-85. She turned around before she reached the city and headed back in the direction of Montgomery.

With the police on her tail, she exited onto Alabama 81 toward Notasulga, drove about five miles and turned right again toward the heart of Tuskegee National Forest. In front of her, a collapsed bridge blocked her path, so she swerved onto a dead end dirt road and kept driving.

A Notasulga police car blocked the entrance and stopped Michael and Terry from following their daughter. They never heard gunshots and waited there for hours, until an officer told them that one female fatality had occurred. They assumed Melissa had crashed her car and died. The baby cried for food, so they took her home and called Melinda to the scene.

Finally, officers told Melinda how her sister died.

"Your sister approached our officers in a threatening manner and they had to open fire," they told her.

The autopsy report revealed that the fatal shot entered near Melissa's heart. The cuts to her wrists were superficial.

Terry and Michael believe they could have calmed their daughter if they had been allowed down that desolate road.

"I don't think she died right away," Terry said. "It upsets me because at least they could have let us hold her hand while she died."

Still searching for answers

Four months after Melissa was killed, Melinda, her fiance and her parents trekked down the dirt road where she died.

"No one would even notice the sound of a gun shot out here," Michael said.

Terry found crime scene tape hanging from a tree near a rocky wash. She stretched out the dusty, faded plastic like a banner and cut it off to carry in the next police protest.

The family may never know what happened in the final moments of Melissa's life. Instead, they are stuck thinking about how a single choice could have changed the ending.

"If I hadn't called 911, she would still be alive today," Terry said. "We were thinking, if she was threatening to cut her wrists, she needed help, she needed medical attention. There needs to be someone else to call."
The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld the felony ethics convictions of a former director in the state Department of Education and her husband.

Attorney General Luther Strange's office announced that the court upheld the convictions of Deann K. Stone and her husband, Dave Stone, of Wetumpka.

A Montgomery County jury convicted the Stones in October 2014.

Deann Stone was director of federal programs for the state DOE. Dave Stone worked for Information Transport Solutions.

Evidence at trial showed that they manipulated the grant process so that school districts that had agreements with Dave Stone's employer received millions in federal grants, according to the AG's office.

The Stones were sentenced to six months in prison followed by four years of probation.

Federal authorities began an investigation after The Birmingham News reported the link between the grant money and Dave Stone's company in 2010.
A man shot outside an Ensley shopping center late last month has now died.

De'arrius Martez Portis, 29, was wounded two weeks ago in the 4000 block of Avenue I. He remained at UAB Hospital until Tuesday, when he was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m.

Portis for nearly two years was charged with capital murder in the 2012 shooting death of a teen outside of Mike's Crossroads on Third Avenue North. He was released of those charges in May when a Jefferson County grand jury declined to indict him.

The shooting that ultimately killed Portis happened in the mid-afternoon of July 28. Portis, police said at the time, was with friends inside the convenience store. At least two suspects in a black Dodge Charger pulled into the parking lot and stopped near the gas pumps. It appeared that they were waiting for Portis and his friends to emerge.

When Portis and his friends exited the store, the suspects called him over to the Charger. He knelt at the passenger side of the window, and the men started to have a conversation. "They talked for about 10 seconds before you start seeing the muzzle flash,'' Lt. Sean Edwards said.

Someone inside the Charger fired first, and Portis was struck. As he ran away, his friends returned fire toward the charger. Police said at least 10 shots were fired.

Portis was rushed to UAB Hospital. The suspects abandoned the Charger about 1 1/2 miles away on 52nd Street in Fairfield, and Fairfield police flocked to that scene. Witnesses told police the men ran off, but then one of them came back and got a gun out of the Charger. The man who watched the scene unfold said he didn't go outside. Police have not said whether any arrests were made.

Edwards said at the time police believed the victim knew who shot him. "The reality is, these guys have a history, and they're a bad group of individuals,'' he said. "Whatever history they have, obviously it went downtown from the conversation. That's how they handle their issues."

Portis was arrested Sept. 24, 2014 in the 2012 slaying of 19-year-old Richard Carter. The shooting happened about 5 a.m. outside of Mike's Crossroads. North Precinct officers were called to the location on a report of shots fired. They went to the scene, but didn't find anyone wounded. They later learned Carter had been take to UAB Hospital by a private vehicle. He was pronounced dead upon arrival.

The shooting was one of the incidents that ultimately led to the city's shutdown of the club. Portis' attorney, Emory Anthony, told a judge in 2014, "This is probably the weakest capital murder case I've ever listened to," he said following a preliminary hearing.

Portis remained out on $150,000 bond until January 2016 when he was arrested after an incident in the 3600 block of Court S in Ensley. Portis was seen driving at a high rate of speed, and police said the license plate was not registered to the vehicle he was driving. When police tried to stop him, they said Portis jumped out of the moving car, allowing the car to crash into a curb. Officers then pursed him on foot.

When police ran by the car, they spotted a toddler crying in the backseat. An officer tended to her while the others went after Portis. A loaded handgun was found on the vehicle's front floorboard. A search unveiled another gun, heroin and a digital scale.

Police charged him with endangering the welfare of a child, possession of heroin with intent to distribute, felon in possession of a firearm, attempting to elude and possession of drug paraphernalia. Court records don't reflect a resolution to those charges. His bond was initially set at $350,000 in those cases, but that was eventually reduced and he was released from the county jail in May, at the same time the capital murder charge was dismissed. He was ordered at that time to return all electronic monitoring equipment.

Portis was convicted of robbery in 2005, and sentenced to 15 years in prison with three to serve. In 2007, he was convicted of promoting prison contraband in 2007 and drug distribution in 2011. In that drug case, he was sentenced to 104 months in prison.

His death marks the 60th homicide in Birmingham this year.
A former IRS employee, who helped taxpayers experiencing problems resulting from identity theft, was sentenced Wednesday to nine years and two months in federal prison for her guilty plea to stealing taxpayer identities and orchestrating a tax-fraud scheme with three other people involving up to $1.5 million in bogus income tax returns.

Nakeisha Hall, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karon O. Bowdre during a hearing in Birmingham. The sentence included a mandatory 2-year sentence for aggravated identity theft.

Hall, who worked for the IRS' Taxpayer Advocate Service was entrusted to help taxpayers who had already been victims of fraud, Bowdre said. "Instead you preyed on them and victimized them again," she said.

"This is one of the most extensive tax fraud schemes I've ever seen," Bowdre said.

Bowdre also ordered Hall to pay jointly with three co-defendants a total of $438,187 in restitution to the IRS. Hall's share of that debt is $198,454. The judge also ordered Hall to forfeit another $438,187.

Hall is to report to prison Sept. 13.

Hall also was ordered to serve five years on supervised release once she finishes her prison sentence.

"This defendant abused her position of trust as an IRS employee, using her access to compromise taxpayers' identities to attempt to steal more than $1 million from the agency," U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance stated in a statement. "She successfully claimed more than $400,000 in fraudulent tax refunds."

"Hall victimized United States taxpayers and jeopardized the reputation of the IRS and its division that is intended to assist taxpayers experiencing problems resulting from identity theft," Vance stated. "Today's sentence reflects the outrageous and serious nature of her crime."

Karl A. Stiften, special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation, St. Louis Field Office, stated that "Hall is being held accountable for her criminal actions. Refund fraud and identity theft of this magnitude and with this degree of dishonesty and deceit, deserves to be punished to the fullest extent of the law."

Hall had pleaded guilty in February to theft of government funds, aggravated identity theft, unauthorized access to a protected computer and conspiracy to commit bank fraud and mail fraud affecting a financial institution.

In her plea deal with prosecutors, Hall acknowledged that the tax fraud scheme had an intended loss to the IRS of between $550,000 and $1.5 million. Federal authorities have said Hall worked in the Taxpayer Advocate Service office in Birmingham from July 2007 to November 2011. Since November 2011, she had worked in TAS offices in Omaha, Neb., New Orleans, La., and Salt Lake City, Utah.

TAS is responsible for assisting taxpayers who are having difficulties with the IRS and works with victims of identity theft to help them remove fraudulent tax information from their accounts and file corrected tax returns, if necessary.

Hall stole the identities of taxpayers through unauthorized access to IRS computers and used that information to file false tax returns seeking more than a million dollars in tax refunds, federal authorities have said.

Hall, along with Jimmie Goodman and Abdulla Coleman, both of Birmingham, also were indicted on charges they took part in the scheme operated out of Birmingham between 2008 and 2011. Another co-conspirator, Lashon Roberson, of Pelham, was also indicted separately for conspiracy and four counts of mail fraud affecting a financial institution.

Goodman, Coleman, and Roberson all pleaded guilty to charges. Goodman was sentenced to 41 months in prison and Roberson 36 months in prison in hearings held in the past several weeks. Coleman is set to be sentenced Sept. 14.

Dale Jones, attorney for Hall, had asked for a lower sentence because Hall had provided information and had agreed to testify, facts that likely prompted at least one of the co-defendants to plead guilty.

Jones also said that Hall has a number of medical conditions and medication that causes a weakened immune system, which could be a problem in prison. Bowdre said she would notify the prison system of those issues so they can be properly addressed.

Hall told the judge that she has realized the effect her actions have had on others, such as her mother, who works for the IRS, and her 80-year-old father, who has Alzheimers and likely will be placed in a facility. "I won't be there for him," she said.

"I'm not saying I didn't do anything wrong," Hall said.

Bowdre, however, said she didn't hear Hall say anything about the effects on the victims of the tax fraud and on the IRS.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Williamson Barnes told Bowdre that the case was a significant tax fraud case. "This is a case that has been reviewed at the highest levels of the tax enforcement community," she said.

Barnes pointed to four men with the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration who were in the audience for Wednesday's hearing. She said there also has been extensive media coverage of the "insider" IRS case.

The scheme was conducted, according to previous prosecutor statements, as follows:

Hall obtained individuals' names, birth dates and Social Security numbers through unauthorized access to IRS computers. She then used the personal identity information to prepare fraudulent income tax returns and submitted them electronically to the IRS. Hall asked the IRS pay the refunds onto debit cards and directed that the cards be mailed to drop addresses that she controlled.

Hall solicited and received drop addresses from Goodman, Coleman, Roberson and at least one other person. The co-conspirators also collected the refund cards from the mail.

Hall activated the cards by using stolen identity information. She, Goodman, Coleman, Roberson and the unnamed co-conspirator took the money off the debit cards at ATMs or used the cards for purchases. If the fraudulent returns generated U.S. Treasury checks rather than the requested debit cards, Hall and her co-conspirators used fraudulent endorsements in order to cash the checks. Hall compensated Goodman, Coleman, Roberson and the fifth co-conspirator by giving them a portion of the refund money, or by giving them refund cards for their own use.

Updated at 7:55 a.m. Aug.11, 2016 with comments from federal authorities
Gunfire erupted late this afternoon in the Center Point area, at roughly the same time a man was wounded in the same area and another man was killed nearby in the Birmingham city limits.

Investigators don't believe any of the incidents were related.

Just before 5 p.m., Jefferson County sheriff's deputies responded to a report of shots being fired into a car at 20th Street and Third Avenue N.E., said Chief Deputy Randy Christian. No one was injured in that shooting.

Christian said they received information that a black male had fired shots into a car at that location and fled on foot. A description of the shooter was broadcast to responding deputies.

A deputy in the area located the suspect in the parking lot of some nearby apartments. The suspect saw the deputy, laid down and surrendered. He was armed with a handgun, and admitted to the deputy that he had fired into the car.

The 21-year-old man was taken into custody and is undergoing questioning by detectives. Christian said one person inside the car suffered minor injuries from the shattered glass. No one else was hurt.

Just moments earlier, deputies were dispatched to gas station in the 200 block of Old Springville Road. A victim there told deputies he was shot at a house he was visiting at Colonial Cove and then drove to the Jet Pep station for help.

He was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, Christian said. The Colonial Cove homeowner is being questioned. The investigation is ongoing.

In Birmingham, a man died near the Oaks at Springville apartment complex, Birmingham police said. That shooting also happened about 5 p.m. in the 600 block of Earline Circle in Birmingham. That victim died en route to the hospital.
A Tuscaloosa fast-food employee was shot in the face this morning during an apparent robbery attempt.

Police responded to McDonald's at 4222 East University Blvd. about 4:15 a.m. on a report of a shooting. The 52-year-old employee told officers he was approached by three black males wearing masks at the back door. They were demanding entry into the business, said Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit Capt. Gary Hood.

When the victim wouldn't open the door, one of the men shot him and the trio then ran from the scene toward Highway 216. The victim was taken to DCH Regional Medical Center, where he is expected to survive his injuries.
Grisly details emerged Wednesday as a preliminary hearing was held for a Madison County man accused of decapitating his own aunt and slitting the throat of her boyfriend earlier this summer.

Jason Alexander Loveday, 32, is charged with capital murder in the June 9 slayings of Christopher Wayne "Trixy" Reyer, 31, and Sharon Eilene Morell, 50, inside a mobile home the three shared on Lot 10 at 300 Gatlin Road in Toney.

Loveday sat before a Madison County judge Wednesday as a Madison County Sheriff's Office investigator detailed for the first time in court some of the more graphic aspects of the crime. According to AL.com news partner WHNT News 19, investigator Melissa Webster testified that the crime first came to light the morning of the murders when a bloody Loveday approached a man outside a hair salon on Alabama 53, told him he'd been involved in a double murder and asked him to call 911.

The man called deputies, who Loveday agreed to talk to after he was taken into custody. The suspect allegedly told investigators that he had grown tired of the way Reyer treated his aunt, so he killed him by beating him with a pipe and slashing his throat.

A Madison County Sheriff's Office crime scene unit is parked outside a mobile home on Gatlin Road in Toney where a man and woman were found slain Wednesday, June 9, 2015. (Crystal Bonvillian/cbonvillian@al.com)

Morrell had seen too much of the crime, Loveday said, so he killed her, too, before placing her severed head next to Reyer's body. WHNT News 19 reports that Webster testified Loveday told her he heard voices, and that the voices told him what to do with his aunt's remains.

The couple's two pit bulls bit Loveday multiple times, trying in vain to protect their owner as she was killed, the news station says. The dogs could be heard barking inside the trailer when deputies arrived at the crime scene.

Webster's testimony also detailed a statement from a local teenager who told authorities he was out riding his four-wheeler shortly after the murders when he saw Loveday in the woods, covered in blood and beating his chest, screaming, "I'm a warrior."

The teenager hurried home and told his parents what he'd seen; they later told investigators about the incident.

The news station reports that prosecutors have not determined yet if they will seek the death penalty for Loveday. He is being held without bond in the Madison County Jail.
Sen . Jeff Sessions said Donald Trump's controversial statements about Second Amendment supporters putting a stop to Hillary Clinton appointing Supreme Court Justices were not a threat against the Democratic presidential nominee.

"What I think he's saying is Second Amendment people care about this," Sessions told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "Hillary Clinton's position on the Second Amendment is that she will appoint a judge that will make it not a personal right which means that any state and any city in America can completely ban firearms."

That could happen, Sessions said, if Clinton is elected president and able to appoint a replacement for the late Justice Antonin Scalia, who was one of the court's most hardline conservatives. The next president's appointment of Supreme Court Justices - and the possible swing towards the liberal side - has been a rallying point for Republicans during the presidential campaign.

"A new justice replacing (late Justice Antonin) Scalia would make it 5-4 the other way and that would reverse that holding, giving the states and cities the power to completely ban firearms," said Sessions, who has endorsed Trump and advised him on foreign policy and immigration matters.

Trump's latest firestorm comes after comments he made at campaign rally in Wilmington, Delaware referencing what he said was Clinton's desire to take away people's guns.

"Hillary wants to abolish -- essentially abolish -- the Second Amendment," he told the crowd. "If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is. I don't know."

The Second Amendment protects citizens' rights to bear arms and many people - including the Clinton campaign - said Trump's remarks could incite violence. Democratic lawmakers called for a Secret Service investigation into the Republican presidential nominee.

The Secret Service responded that it was aware of Trump's comments.

Trump's camp said the statements have been misinterpreted by the "dishonest media" and that he was referring to the voting power of Second Amendment supporters.

Sessions told CNN Trump's comments had nothing to do with violence but rather a call for Second Amendment supporters to vote.

"He has no intention of suggesting violence against Hillary Clinton. I just don't believe that's possible," Sessions said.
Craig Pouncey for slideshow.jpg

Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Craig Pouncey interviews with the state Board of Education for the state superintendent position on Aug. 4, 2016.

(Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)

An ethics complaint was filed against one of the six finalists for Alabama state school superintendent.

Alabama Political Reporter reported on the complaint against Craig Pouncey, who is superintendent of Jefferson County Schools.

Pouncey said today he has not been notified by the state Department of Education or the Ethics Commission about a complaint.

Pouncey said allegations given anonymously to state Board of Education members in July were false.

"Anybody who knows me knows they are totally baseless," Pouncey said.

"I didn't give any merit to it at all. I've just tried to dust it off my back and keep moving," he said.

The state BOE is scheduled to select a new superintendent on Thursday.

The board held one-hour interviews with Pouncey and other five candidates last week.

The timing shows that allegations are an effort to undermine his chances for the job, Pouncey said.

"I think that was just all the more telling as to what the primary objective really was, and that was an attempt to discredit my candidacy for consideration for the state superintendent's position," he said.

According to the story on APR, Pouncey was accused of using a state employee to help him with his dissertation while he was a top official at the state Department of Education.

Pouncey received a doctorate in education leadership from Samford University in 2010, according to his resume.

Asked about the allegation today, Pouncey told AL.com that he asked Dean Murray, who worked in his office when he was deputy state superintendent, to type his dissertation. Pouncey said he did not direct her to do it, but asked if she would be willing, and that she did the typing at home.

Pouncey said he had written the dissertation by hand on legal pads at home.

In a letter posted on APR, Murray, a retired information technology specialist, said she did the typing on her home computer.

Murray wrote that she emailed drafts to Pouncey's office email and said she did, at times, make minor edits during the day.

Murray wrote that she hopes the board picks Pouncey as the next superintendent.

Shelley Vail-Smith, a member of the committee at Samford that reviewed Pouncey's dissertation in 2010, emailed a letter to state Board of Education members today defending Pouncey and his work on the dissertation.

Vail-Smith's letter was in response to an allegation questioning Pouncey's authorship of the dissertation.

"I participated in the entire process of his writing the dissertation, as did the other committee members," Vail-Smith wrote. "In my opinion, it would have been impossible for anyone else to have written any part of this for him."

The topic of the dissertation was related to the Legislature and funding of Alabama public schools.

"I know Dr. Pouncey to be an honest man who cares deeply about educating children, and as someone who has devoted his professional career to improving the lives of students across the state, especially those from the poorest areas," Vail-Smith wrote.

APR posted a letter from Ethics Commission General Counsel Hugh Evans to Juliana Dean, general counsel for the state Department of Education.

The letter, dated July 15, is to inform Dean that an ethics complaint has been filed against Pouncey.

Evans said today he could not comment on any complaints or investigations because they are covered under the grand jury secrecy act.

Speaking generically, Evans said it is standard procedure for the commission to notify a person or entity who filed a complaint that the commission has received it.

Evans said the Ethics Commission is prohibited by law from investigating anonymous complaints.

During Pouncey's interview with the state BOE last week, Gov. Robert Bentley, who is president of the board, gave Pouncey an opportunity to address rumors. Bentley did not specify what he was talking about.

"Innuendos, rumors and blogs and emails that are put out on people that no one knows where they come from -- how cowardly can people be?" Bentley said. "Would you like to answer that, some of the things that have been put out?"

Pouncey said:

"My grandfather taught me a long time ago, he said, 'Craig when you walk through the hog pen and the pigs splatter mud on you, don't wipe it off because all it does is smear. Just let it dry, then you can just thump it off.'

"I think people know me know those malicious allegations that were for whatever reason shared with the State Board are totally baseless and are not even worthy of response."

Pouncey said today he had told all the board members that he was available to discuss any allegations further but has not heard from any.

Other finalists for state superintendent:

Williamson Evers, research fellow at Hoover Institution, Stanford University

Dee Fowler, superintendent, Madison City Schools

Jeana Ross, secretary, Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education

Michael Sentance, education policy and improvement consultant

Janet Womack, superintendent, Florence City Schools

This story was updated at 4:22 p.m. to add information about the letter from Shelley Vail-Smith.
In a country with the highest HIV rate, notions of male pride and responsibility stop men getting diagnosed and treated.

Mahlanya, Swaziland  The 300 or so pictures of the ideal man drawn by boys joining a male-mentoring charity in Swaziland are almost always the same. They depict a solitary and solemn figure who appears domineering  on his land, drinking and wearing traditional dress.

I thought a man was somebody whos got a family, somebody whos got authority, power, that kind of thing, says Lungelo Fakudze, one of the roughly 100,000 orphans in Swaziland, which is home to 1.3 million people.

It is a difficult image to break in Africas last absolute monarchy, ruled by King Mswati III  who has 15 wives and can pick a new one yearly from thousands of virgins presented to him during an annual ceremony  and which is blighted by the worlds highest rates of HIV, TB and intimate partner violence.

The scourge of HIV/Aids during the 1990s and 2000s means that half of the population of Swaziland are children and almost a third of adults have HIV. But a strong notion of male pride and a sense of duty to provide for others, means many men conceal their HIV status and continue to work even when unwell.

The men also stay away from health clinics, which tend to be female-centred, where they could get a diagnosis and treatment. As a result, while more women contract HIV, more men die as a result of it.

They believe that they should be big and strong and solitary and authoritative. Reasons youre less likely to go to the clinic and get a check-up and seek out medical services until its too late, says Tom Churchyard, the director of the charity Kwakha Indvodza (KI), which means Building a Man.

As more men die, the shortfall in male role models grows. KI is trying to fill that void by taking boys, mostly orphaned by Aids, and deconstructing their dangerous notions of what it means to be a man.

Ive seen so many people out there, they take this thing of being a man  using it the wrong way  taking it and abusing other people, says Fakudze, who started coming to KIs Mahlanya youth centre three years ago when he was 15.

High rates of unemployment, about 40 percent, in Swaziland also present a challenge to the image of the ideal Swazi male. This has pushed some men over the border to work in South Africas mines and others towards alcoholism or other forms of abuse.

You find that youre unable to protect, youre unable to provide, so thats maybe where the violence comes in, because youre trying to prove something, says Emmanuel Mkhwanazi, a KI counsellor.

One in three girls surveyed by UNICEF reported some form of sexual violence during childhood.

READ MORE: Rape and HIV a common reality for young Swazi women

Where are the men?

As 300,000 Swazis currently face hunger as a result of Swazilands worst drought in 18 years, Mswatis wives and a 100-strong entourage enjoyed a nearly $1m summer holiday to Orlando, Florida.

Mswati is often accused of reinforcing a patriarchy that oppresses women and keeps them chasing after blessers  older men who exchange gifts, school fees or other forms of payment for sex. The fact that the highest rates of HIV are among young women  more than one in 10 females aged 15-24 are living with HIV  and men some 10 years their senior suggests this blesser culture may be exacerbating the spread of the virus.

HIV is often diagnosed in women during pregnancy, with those who test positive being put on antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, which drastically reduce the chance of transmission to their babies, as well as future partners, and prolong their lives.

But diagnosing men, who usually avoid clinics, remains a challenge.

We always sit and wonder, where are the men? says Dr Nduduzo Dube. Two-thirds of the patients he treats at the Aids Healthcare Foundation clinic in Manzini city are women.

Swaziland is a very traditional, masculine-based society so they think they should support a whole family, says Yen-Hao Chu, who is part of a Chinese medical mission working in Swaziland.

Men earning around $15 a month wont want to face any other problem other than work or become permanently controlled by clinics which cut into precious working hours, Chu says.

The HIV male blame game

The medical response to HIV was feminised to tackle soaring female prevalence, Dube explains, but he thinks this approach now needs to evolve.

Weve tried to engage into programmes where we try and encourage men to test, which basically involves going to their workplaces or  places where they gather as a group.

Clinics in kombis, small minibuses that travel through the streets, serve the most hidden groups, such as homosexual men.

Researcher Bekhie Sithole believes that mens withdrawal from healthcare is a result of the moralising of HIV and the way that men have been painted as the perpetrators and women as their victims.

Men have developed their own attitude to that, saying, We are the bad guys, so we will do things the way we like, he says.

Dube explains that in such a patriarchal society, where men are put up there, they are not inclined to accept being blamed for anything.

The lure of witch-doctors

Most men ignore local clinics that are aimed at, staffed by and used by women, and opt instead to visit a local inyanga, or witch-doctor.

They offer queue-free, man-to-man private consultations and, sometimes, the promise of what the patient wants to hear  either that they dont have HIV or that it can be cured.

Part of the appeal of witch-doctors is that they are offering cures, not treatment that require you to come back for check-ups, says Chu.

ALSO READ: Protests in Swaziland over shortage of drugs

Newspaper adverts from witch-doctors promise to bring back lost lovers or separate them within a day, resolve problems at work even if they want to fire you, attract white or rich people and allow control of your husband or wife using a remote as if by magic.

But the medicines prescribed can be brutal.

They will look for the most awkward thing for you to do, just like sometimes they will tell you have to kill your brother  so if you dont do it they can say, well you cant get better because you didnt do it, says Dube.

One HIV cure is to have sex with a virgin.

People dont say it openly now because they know its wrong, but its still prescribed by traditional healers and they still do it, said a foreign doctor who could not speak on the record.

Great strides have been taken to bring medics and witch-doctors together to carve out roles  healers will treat HIV-related ailments but recognise the virus and refer patients for testing and treatment.

We see that some of them have seen the benefits of ARVs so in their concoctions they do try and put ARVs, so they can keep their clients, because there is monetary benefit in that, says Dube.

Drugs for life

From January 2017, Swaziland will start putting anyone who tests positive  regardless of their viral load  on ARVs for life, to prevent the virus from being spread early on.

Trials by medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) found that this approach appeals to Swazi men as it means that they will stay stronger for longer.

ALSO READ: HIV discovery offers new lead in finding cure

I think this is also about keeping the balance of being a man in your community. You can live your own life, you can make your own decisions, without the need of being dependent on somebody else, says Bernhard Kerschberger, from MSF Swaziland.

Getting children to take pills for life is more difficult. Boys fear being seen taking daily ARVs because they may be stigmatised, says Fakudze.

Circumcision and the warrior complex

Campaigns calling for circumcision, which may reduce the risk of heterosexually acquired infection in men by approximately 60 percent, mostly fall on deaf ears as boys and men cite concerns over religion, virility and their warrior status.

A 19th century Swazi king banned circumcision after blaming his failure to find enough warriors to go to battle on the number of men recovering from the operation.

King Mswati has asked his countrymen to get circumcised, although it is unclear whether he has done so himself.

Most of the boys that pass through Kwakha Indvodza get circumcised, either after learning about it at holiday camps or on accompanied clinic visits.

With more openness about HIV  even if school sex education still preaches abstinence and fidelity  and better treatment models, the number of Swazilands lost boys should decline.

Fakudze described sleepwalking through life alone before he found a family in the KI brotherhood.

Now I have goals, my own goals, Ive got a vision of my life. Ive got a future, somewhere, he says.

That doesnt involve getting HIV, making his children suffer as he did, or being the man he once drew.

I want to be the man who is caring, who is responsible, who cares for the family, the people living with him, the environment and even care about my health too. A man who will have dignity, honour and respect, just like that.

Hannah McNeish reported from Swaziland with the help of the International Reporting Project (IRP) .
When I was told to oversee the first post-war elections in Bosnia, it made me hunger even more for democracy in Egypt.

Egyptian war correspondent Yehia Ghanem continues his series of short stories on the wars he has covered and the people he has met along the way. Here he recalls the time he was assigned to be an election observer  despite never having voted in an election himself. Read the rest of the series, Caged, here.

Over the years, I lost touch with Mordechai, the bold young Israeli boy Id met in Haifa in 1994, but I stayed in touch with Mohamed, the 12-year-old Egyptian who had visited me, along with his friends, at the downtown Cairo office of Al-Ahram newspaper in 1993.

In 1999, I was assigned to be a roving war correspondent in Sub-Saharan Africa. I established my base in Johannesburg, South Africa, and from there travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where I reported from the front lines of the long and ruthless war raging there.

When away from Egypt, I barely communicated with Mohamed, but I would contact him whenever I returned to Cairo on vacation. I watched him grow from childhood to adulthood, all too quickly. He maintained his interest in war reporting, discussing with me my efforts to unmask the ugly face of war, or, as he liked to put it, the ultimate manifestation of human disrespect to ourselves.

For ever young

When I finally returned to Cairo on a more permanent basis to take up an editorial post at the newspaper, he wasnt pleased. Yes, Im very happy to be able to see you more often, he said, but the world still needs you out there to report on the agonies of those being consumed by evil mens lust for war.



I smiled and told him: Mohamed, when we first met I was in my 20s, almost the same age as you are now. Im getting too old for this very violent job and I should now leave it to my younger colleagues.

I remember him moving his handsome head slowly from side to side to indicate that he wasnt convinced.

Do you think I am for ever young? I once asked him. Look at yourself in the mirror and remember how young you were when we first met.

Sometimes I wondered whether one of the many things that endeared me to Mohamed was the fact that he somehow always made me feel young.

It was with his encouragement that I took short but dangerous assignments every now and again, particularly to my beloved Afghanistan between 2006 and 2010.

During those years Mohamed finished his university studies, graduated with a degree in civil engineering and accepted a position as an engineer at a private construction company. I felt as proud of him as I did of my own son. And I longed for an Egyptian leader with his qualities  his sense of patriotism, integrity and sincerity.

A birthday in Kabul

On November 9, 2010, I celebrated my birthday in Kabul, Afghanistan. I was there on a three-week assignment, but it felt like three years. I was reporting on what seemed to be a bleak future for Afghanistan, but my mind was preoccupied with thoughts of the dangerous and uncertain future that seemed to be awaiting my own country.

During my stay, I interviewed Afghanistans leaders about the state of their country under a foreign military occupation. But each night, when I returned to my hotel room to transcribe my interviews, I wondered how I could ask all these questions of others when my own country languished in similar circumstances. Even my voice sounded foreign to me as I heard it back, discussing the impact of corruption in Afghanistan. All the while, I thought about what was happening back in Egypt.

In the days after I returned from Afghanistan, I busied myself writing articles about my own country. Egypts parliamentary elections were only weeks away  not that I would vote in them; I never had. Like millions of Egyptians, I refrained from voting, refusing to participate in a farce.

I recalled an event that had taken place years earlier, in the months after the Bosnian war had ended in 1996. I was informed by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe had recruited me to serve as an international observer for the first post-war elections in Bosnia.

Although I understood why they had done so  I was familiar with the geopolitical map of the country and they wanted to ensure that there were some Muslims on the team  I was petrified at the prospect. How could I oversee something I had never participated in?

I tried my best to make myself unavailable for the mission, but it was in vain. Egypts assistant foreign minister was relentless in stressing the importance of my being there.

I finally had to tell him the truth: that I knew nothing of the culture of free elections.

The man recognised my dilemma. I suspected that he shared it as he had most probably never voted either. We both felt trapped in a cage of ignorance, unfamiliar with this core component of the democratic process.

We want you [Egypt] to be part of this event, and since you are supposed to be there weeks prior to the elections its best that you attend, simply listen and watch, he told me. By doing so, you will learn about the process of free elections, and then be more able to observe them.

I agreed. For a month I observed the pre-election campaigns and the voting process. It was an experience that made me long even more for a democratic culture in my own country.

Chronicle of a Caged Journalist is a series of excerpts from a forthcoming book.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
After elections campaign period rocked by violence, Zambians prepare for polls to elect new president and parliament.

Lusaka, Zambia  Flags pinned to masts flap in the wind and colourful posters plastered on walls across Zambia urge voters to make their choice in the August 11 presidential and parliamentary elections and in a referendum on the Bill of Rights in the Constitution.

On the streets of the capital Lusaka there is a buzz of excitement for another contest between the front-runners, incumbent President Edgar Lungu, of the ruling Patriotic Front, and Hakainde Hichilema, a wealthy businessman, leading the United Party for National Development.

The winner must gain more than 50 percent of the votes. After last years snap election which Lungu won by a small margin, some voters in Lusaka, the ruling partys stronghold, told Al Jazeera they were confident of the Patriotic Front (PF) getting a larger share of the majority vote.

Recent tensions between the PF and the United Party for National Development, saw clashes in one neighbourhood, Mtendere, just days before the vote and previously led to a 10-day suspension of campaigning in some parts of Lusaka.

Voters spoke to Al Jazeera expressing their concerns about the state of the declining economy, youth unemployment, Zambias energy woes and the political environment in which another hotly contested election takes place.

Evans Phiri, 42, vendor stall owner

The biggest challenge during this campaign period has been with the youth in politics who consider themselves the big men, they only want to promote their own party and make sure that nobody else with a different view can express it.

In Chawama [Lusaka] where I live, there have been some problems and the political youth have taken power into their own hands and the police dont even have a say.

Its the ruling partys stronghold so nobody can say anything and theres no room for the opposition to campaign equally.

If we lived in a democracy that opportunity would be there and everyone would be free to make their choice, but we cant and we are too afraid to say anything.

When I vote on Thursday, I will be voting for a leadership that can put an end to this because we cant say we live in a democracy when we Zambians are not free to show our support for different parties.





Linda Banda, 30, hairdresser

I come from the Eastern Province [where President Lungu is popular] and although people might want the PF to win because of that, we also need to look at what they can do for us.

The cost of living in Zambia is very high nowadays and we need a leadership that can create opportunities for the youth and reduce the costs of basic things such as the price of mealie meal [maize flour].

This year it went up because of the drought, but politicians on both sides promise it will come down because this year there will be rains, but only God knows if the rains will come.

Anyway I will place my vote for PF because I think they can bring us through the hard times we are facing, we cant be sure of what the others can do so I will choose what I know and what Zambians have seen and tested.





Mwila Mulenga, 23, data and accounts entry clerk

During an election period people get very anxious and emotions are always running high and so many here in Lusaka are concerned about violence.

There is a tendency to blame the ruling party for some issues that are really between communities and things get blown out of proportion.

Perhaps this is why we dont need change and we can lobby for the changes we want from the government we have rather than just changing everything.

Im confident the present government can address the concerns over the rising cost of living and healthcare so thats where Im placing my vote rather than hoping for change from the opposition candidates whose mere presence in politics generates a lot of talk and false fear.





Steven Mweene, 21, driver

I often drive to Mtendere [Lusaka] where there have been some issues between parties, if the PF green cadres see you putting on a red shirt they can accuse you of supporting the opposition, but I dont, this will actually be my first time to vote.

Sometimes it doesnt really matter who you vote for, but its whether or not the problems can be fixed especially the problem of youth unemployment.

The politicians promise us a lot of things, but I dont know if I can trust that there will be real changes for the youth after Ive voted.

They say they will provide us with money to support our projects and they can create more jobs that can pay us enough to survive, but since things are very tough at the moment, people could just vote because the politicians make very good promises.





Mable Kasande, 28, small business owner

On Thursday itll be my first time to vote and Im happy Ill have the opportunity to choose the party of my choice.

The Patriotic Front under President Lungu have a chance to be in power for a full five years and we can see what they are capable of doing. In just this short time since 2015 when Lungu was elected to take over after President Michael Satas death, the PF have constructed roads and tried to improve the housing situation for some communities.

Now we will also be voting for changes to the constitution to make sure every Zambian will have a right to decent housing and this shows what Lungu and his government could do for the country if they were given a full five years in office.

Roy Ngwenya, 37, cab driver

Despite all our problems, the government has tried to live up to its promises and I hope this election will put them back in power to finish what they started.

We are going through a difficult economic period and the government has tried to diversify our economy so that we dont depend too much on copper.

We also face serious power challenges and so weve had to look to other sources of energy such as solar and coal and if we continue to look for other alternatives it may improve the deficit were currently facing.

There is no perfect government out there in the world, even [President Barack] Obama in America was not perfect, so my choice will be for the one that has proven it is right for Zambia.

Follow Tendai on Twitter: @i_amten.
A major forest fire in Portugals Madeira Islands has forced more than 400 people to flee their homes and seen at least 174 others treated in hospital, officials said Tuesday.

Other wildfires have raged for several days on the Portuguese mainland.

The National Civil Protection Service said some 2,900 firefighters were in action on Tuesday tackling dozens of forest fires. The worst-hit areas were in the countrys north.
The country that they knew growing up seems to be changing for the worse in their eyes.

Before his attack on the Khans  immigrant parents of a United States soldier who was killed in Iraq in 2004  many immigrants in the United States and their children had voiced support for the Republican candidate Donald Trump.

This may seem odd given that Trump has spoken about building a wall along the Mexican border, barring Muslims from entering the US, and making disparaging comments against various ethnic and religious groups.

One would think that such comments would have made Trump radioactive among immigrants and their descendants, but that was not the case.





Immigrants for Trump

A considerable number of legal immigrants in the US say they played by the rules and waited many years before they were allowed to immigrate.

They believe illegal immigrants took advantage of the porous US-Mexican border or overstayed in the country with their visitor visas illegally. The main argument is that this is fundamentally a question of fairness.

One Indian-American legal immigrant told The New York Times earlier this year that You should not reward people who have broken the law  Thats why I like Donald Trump when he says, Lets build a wall.' He added, I believe anybody who came to this country illegally should be deported.

Another reason many legal immigrants have voiced support for Trump is because he is the quintessential entrepreneur in their estimation.

READ MORE: What did Muslims at the RNC think of Donald Trump?

It is fair to say that most immigrants who come to the US want to achieve the American dream that, in their eyes, means starting a business, prospering and giving their children a better life than they had back in their old country.

What about the children and the future generations of legal immigrants? Many of them saw how hard it was for their parents to earn a living in the US  in reality the American dream was a real struggle  as they faced language barriers and, at times, discrimination.

They say that their parents endured a lot but, through hard work and perseverance, overcame obstacles and made a better life for themselves and their children.

Coupled with this sentiment is the belief that the government did not give their parents any handouts, nor were there any applications in multiple languages as there are now. Immigrants were compelled to learn English to succeed.

Different conditions

Of course, such beliefs are not entirely accurate. Today, while many legal immigrants get some government assistance, the illegals do not because they would then have to come out from the shadows and be subject to deportation.

In addition, many of the earlier immigrants lived in ghettoised communities and never learned proper English.

Although the US still has problems of prejudice, that practice stops at a war's edge.The vast majority of Americans believe that any American soldier who has died in war and their family deserves the utmost respect. by

Nonetheless, the feeling that the new immigrants  particularly the illegal ones  are taking advantage of the system seems to grate on many of the descendants of the earlier waves of immigrants.

The country that they knew growing up seems to be changing for the worse in their eyes. That is why when Trump says he is going to make America great again this phrase has some resonance with some immigrants and their children.

Forgetting the past

Some of them tend to forget that anti-immigrant demagogues were quite prominent in the early part of the 20th century, making life difficult for their parents.

Indeed, there was such anti-immigrant sentiment and talk of the country changing for the worse that the US Congress passed highly discriminatory laws in 1924 that severely restricted immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe and Asia.

OPINION: A Muslim ghost is haunting America

If Trump had just stuck with the issue of illegal immigration, he would not be in such hot water today. But as a narcissist, he cannot control himself. His attack on the Khan family who appeared at the Democratic National Convention was a bridge too far.

Although the US still has problems of prejudice, that practice stops at a wars edge.

The vast majority of Americans believe that any American soldier who has died in war and their family deserves the utmost respect.

When Trump went after the mother, Ghazala Khan, of the dead soldier, suggesting that her Muslim faith prevented her from speaking at the convention, most Americans were appalled by his remarks. Polls show that 74 percent of Americans disapprove of Trumps attack on the Khans.

In the US history, wars are a great equaliser. In a 1970s sociological study of a Slovak-American community that included many World War II veterans, one interviewee stated that before that war, everyone was in their own little group  During the war, everyone got to know everyone else, and the old barriers fell apart. They saw that everyone was human just like them, that blood was all red.

This sentiment  that in war everyone is equal regardless of ethnicity or religion  explains in large part why Trump has taken such a drubbing in the polls in recent weeks after having been tied with Hillary Clinton earlier in the summer.

Unless he apologises and avoids such comments in the future, he will remain in second place and will not regain the support of many immigrants and their children, particularly those who served in the military, of which there are many.

Gregory Aftandilian is a lecturer in the Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University and is a former US State Department Middle East analyst

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Leaving the EU once seemed outlandish, Brexit now makes leaving seem feasible and, to some, reasonable.

Philippe Legrain is a former economic adviser to the president of the European Commission.

For once, Marine Le Pen, the leader of Frances far-right National Front, may be correct. She has called the United Kingdoms vote to leave the European Union the biggest political event in Europe since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

That may turn out to be true: Brexit has destabilised the UK and could end up destroying the EU.

Old-fashioned federalists say that the answer to Brexit should be further EU integration. But that response is both far-fetched and dangerous.

Germany and France are often at odds, and both have weak leaders facing re-election next year who could scarcely muster support for an ever-closer union.

And anti-EU sentiment is too widespread and too deep to hand more power to unelected EU officials by imposing additional constraints on national decision-making without poisoning the pot further.

True, the immediate post-Brexit turmoil appears to have boosted support for mainstream politicians and the EU; but this is unlikely to last. The Brexit fallout is expected to sap eurozone economic performance and further polarise European politics as voters become more insecure.





Breaking the invisible barrier

German dominance of the EU will increase, and so, too, will the anti-German backlash in many countries.

With a weak and divided EU unable to resolve Europes many crises, and with nationalism resurgent, we can expect further disintegration in different forms.The most extreme form would be further exits by member states.

Leaving the EU once seemed outlandish: No country had ever done it, and only extremists even proposed it. Brexit now makes leaving seem feasible and, to some, reasonable.

Already, Geert Wilders, whose far-right Freedom Party is leading in the polls in the run-up to the Netherlands general election next March, is demanding a referendum on EU membership.

So, too, is the Danish Peoples Party, which is the biggest party in the Danish parliament, but remains out of government.

OPINION: Brexit  a wake-up call for the EU, but will it listen?

In France, where opposition to the EU is even greater than in the UK, Le Pen is campaigning on the promise of a Frexit plebiscite. She currently leads in polls for the first round of the presidential election next April.

And while those polls suggest that she would be defeated in the second-round runoff by a more moderate conservative challenger, centre-left voters who are fed up with austerity, the political establishment, and German dominance may yet rally behind her.

Moreover, the growing sense of insecurity after the Nice attack on July 14  the third major terrorist massacre in France in 18 months  plays into Le Pens hands.

The indirect approach

Disintegration could also take a less extreme but more insidious form if governments choose to ignore EU rules with impunity.

In Italy, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi sought to take advantage of post-Brexit instability to use public funds to recapitalise Italys zombie banks, without imposing losses on their creditors, thereby bypassing the EUs new bail-in rules for banks.

In France, Prime Minister Manuel Valls threatened to ignore the EUs posted-workers directive unless it was modified to prevent employers hiring workers from other EU countries on worse terms than locals.

Rather than trying to force recalcitrant governments to accept unwanted refugees, EU authorities should pursue an orderly and safe resettlement programme with willing governments. by

Germany claims that France is also bending the eurozones fiscal rules, with no objection from the European Commission.

And while the Commission threatened Spain and Portugal with fines for their borrowing overruns, it ultimately pulled back.

It has also rubber-stamped many governments unilateral imposition of border controls in the supposedly border-free Schengen Area.

Worse, the commission has turned a blind eye to Hungarys illiberal prime minister, Viktor Orban, despite his governments repeated flouting of EU requirements concerning the rule of law and democratic norms.

The governments of Hungary and other countries also refuse to comply with the EUs programme to relocate refugees across the union, which in any case has scarcely been implemented; Orban is holding a referendum in October to bolster his position.

OPINION: Brexit and the view from Spain

A third threat to EU integration is the further capture of governments by nationalist anti-establishment parties. As the European Council on Foreign Relations has pointed out, insurgent parties already play a direct role in the governance of eight of the EUs 28 countries.

In Austria, the far-right candidate Norbert Hofer leads polls in a re-run of the countrys presidential election, set for October. The same month, Italy will hold a constitutional referendum to reform the Senate, and Renzi has vowed to resign if it doesnt pass.

This would open the door for the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, which recently won local elections in Rome and Turin, and has called for a referendum on Italys eurozone  but not EU  membership.

Even when populist parties dont win, establishment politicians still make concessions to their supporters. For example, Alain Juppe, the presidential frontrunner for the Republicans in France, muses about limiting labour mobility in the EU, as does his main rival, former President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Focus on the benefits

To counter these forces of disintegration, the EU must do less and do it better.

Economically, plans for new institutions can wait; the eurozone should focus instead on policies to raise living standards for all.

These should include looser fiscal constraints, more investment, an end to beggar-thy-neighbor wage cuts and lower taxes on labour.

Europes leaders also need to restore trust. For starters, they should use the EUs new bail-in rules to clean up banks balance sheets, imposing losses on creditors and compensating any small investors who were sold a false bill of goods.

Politically, the EU should emphasise effective cooperation in combating terrorism.

And, rather than trying to force recalcitrant governments to accept unwanted refugees, EU authorities should pursue an orderly and safe resettlement programme with willing governments.

This is particularly important in view of the uncertain fate of the EUs deal with Turkey to curb refugee inflows, which is looking increasingly precarious following last months failed coup.

The EUs leaders need to wake up. With disintegration looming, they urgently need to demonstrate to anxious Europeans that the benefits of the EU outweigh its costs.

Philippe Legrain, a former economic adviser to the president of the European Commission, is a visiting senior fellow at the London School of Economics European Institute.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.

Copyright: Project Syndicate 2016  Three Paths to European Disintegration
The feature film Let Them Come, by Algerian director Salem Brahimi, revisits Algerias Black Decade, when the country was struck by continuous attacks that killed about 200,000 people in the 1990s.

The film, which details the plight of a family in the crossfire between government forces and religious extremists, was shown at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris in April and will be released in the citys theatres this autumn. The film won two awards: the Jury Award in Dubai in 2015 and the Kosmorama New Directors Award in Trondheim, Norway, in 2016.

Brahimi, 43, the son of veteran Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi, made the film based on a book of the same title by Algerian author Arezki Mellal, published in 2000. Salem Brahimi has directed two previous documentaries in Algeria: Africa is Back, about the 2009 Pan-African Festival of Algiers, and a 2014 documentary film about the historical Algerian figure Emir Abdelkader.

Al Jazeera spoke with Brahimi about his film and his reflections on the political developments in his country and throughout the Arab world.

Al Jazeera: Why did you decide to work on this film?

People want change but theyre afraid of it  The vaccine of terrorism has played its part. Many want stability over everything else. Its a very sad way to look at stability. But vaccines can wear off.

Salem Brahimi: It was a slow process. I had already made a few films in Algeria, but there was always the elephant in the room: the Black Decade. I wanted to tackle it in a narrative feature because it is more personal, more experiential, so people could feel the reality of the Black Decade.

My producer [Michele Ray-Gavras] stumbled upon the book Let Them Come, and it was love at first sight. I was shocked when I read the book, because it made me think about, how did we become a country plagued by terrorism? It was an overwhelming feeling.

You always wonder as an Algerian citizen about how we created a society where people could raid a village and kill children. I asked myself, How did we generate that barbarity? People who did that were our neighbours, our brothers. Its easy to say the bad guys are the others. Its very hard to admit that they came from our midst, and everybody should be asking themselves about this.

Right now, the French should be asking themselves the same question, about why they were struck by terrorism  I think that each society needs to take a hard look at themselves.

Why did we create these young men and women who are candidates for terrorism? I ask the question as an Algerian in my film.

Al Jazeera: Why do you think Algeria plunged into terrorism?

Brahimi: Its a mix of factors. One of the original sins: the war in Afghanistan between the mujahideen and the Russians. When the Russians left Afghanistan, all those people returned to Bosnia and Algeria and became a trouble in their own societies. The riots in Algeria in 1988 were very similar to what happened during the Arab Spring in the rest of the region.

In October 1988, the youth were in the street, and the army shot at them. The army opened up the political game, and we realised that the most organised force of opposition was the Islamists, but when the Islamists were denied victory, their movement became a big recruitment base.

Al Jazeera: Do you have memories of what the country was like during the Black Decade?

Brahimi: I returned for brief periods  You could feel the decay, the fear, and friends and families would tell you about their daily ordeals. You leave in the morning to work and never know if you are coming back in the evening. I was very fortunate in the sense that I didnt experience that on a daily basis, because my family lived abroad at the time.

Al Jazeera: Whats the main message of the film?

Brahimi: Theres a feel, not necessarily a message. Its for the people to feel the decay, the fear. Terrorism is not just the act of violence. It basically stabs the society and bleeds it. It generates a culture of fear where people do not trust each other any more. The film also pays tribute to the many people who actually are the unsung heroes against terrorism.

The general population resisted in small, subtle ways, continuing to try to live their lives as normally as they could, refusing to succumb to fear. It was a very discreet, yet very real act of resistance. I wanted to give a sense of that. This is not a film about Islamism; its more universal, I hope.

Its a film about barbarity. Its about human history. This was our experience with barbarity as other cultures have had their own experiences with it. You cannot negotiate with barbarity; you cannot dance to its music. The moment you do that, you become barbaric yourself.

Al Jazeera: What do you think the Arab world can learn from the Algerian experience?

Brahimi: As the French say: Comparison is not reason. We can never predict what will happen. People are still in shock when something like 9/11 happened, or when the Paris attacks happened. We are always a step behind in history. One should be very humble about it. I dont know how many lessons can apply.

Syria and Iraq will get over the nightmare for separate sets of reasons. The dynamics of Algeria are very different. The central government in Algeria, whatever you think about it, is nothing like Syrian President Bashar al-Assads regime. October 1988 is a stain that will haunt the regime as they shot at protesters. While the regime tried later to open up the political game, in Syria, the regime stuck to its guns.

Algeria learned the lesson through bloodshed. Extremist groups were so barbaric that the population sided with the central government. Iraq and Syria may stop the violence, but when it is far too late, just like Algeria did after 200,000 civilians were killed.

I believe that there is always a point where exhaustion and common sense somewhat prevail. After years trying to find a military solution, that will only create more victims; things are bound to change.

Its the nature of war. The war is not meant to go on for ever. None of the players of this deadly game have gotten to that point. Right now the idea seems to be, Lets continue to the last Syrian.

Al Jazeera: Now that Algeria is calmer, whats the cultural life like?

Brahimi: Algeria, like many Arab countries, has always had thinkers. Because of the socialist backbone of the state in Algeria, we have intellectuals and others who are a voice of contestation. What is sad is that we arent doing enough. Artists, and people who create culture, lost their role in society; theyre marginal, and thats dangerous.

The availability of culture is a real challenge. We dont have enough cinemas. We have a vibrant book scene, authors who are published internationally, but its very sad that there is an elitist nature to culture. Books are available, but not that available. This wasnt so much the case in the 1970s, and we lost that.

The real priority is to create a culture that encourages the public to attend movies. The cultural scene is not developed enough.

Al Jazeera: Is Algeria opening up more to the world?

Brahimi: It is, but too slowly. Over the past 10, 15 years, it is opening more and more. But old habits die hard. We are obsessed with sovereignty and closed to foreign investment, but I think it makes us too removed from the world. We confuse sovereignty and what it takes to function in the world. It will change through younger generations and through practical reasons. The oil prices will force us to interact with the world.





Al Jazeera: What about political change?

Brahimi: When you look at Algeria 20 years back, 30 years back, you cant say that the country didnt change. We had a unique one-party system, then the Islamists won, then a civil war. We do have freedom of expression in the press to a certain extent. We do have a multi-party system and an opposition. The problem is that right now, we dont know what is on the horizon.

If youre very honest, the political game is locked. We dont know what the next step is going to be in terms of governance, ideas.

None of the political parties really do have a plan. I was in Algeria just after the so-called Arab Spring. Many said, good luck with that, weve been there 20 years ago. We would love for our Tunisian brothers to learn from our mistakes, but we dont want any of that.

Its a dangerous factor of immobility; people want change but theyre afraid of it. Its a politicians job to propose change. The vaccine of terrorism has played its part. Many want stability over everything else. Its a very sad way to look at stability. But vaccines can wear off.

We have quite a lot of stuff happening. Our old demons are not far from us. I am glad that we learned some lessons from the past, but it should not justify a standstill. Algerian people deserve better than that  and that should be our future.
A fire in Baghdads Yarmouk maternity hospital has left at least 12 premature babies dead, Iraqi health ministry says.

At least welve prematurely born babies were killed in a fire that broke out in the early hours of Wednesday on a maternity ward in a Baghdad hospital and was probably caused by an electrical fault, Iraqi authorities said.

Eleven or twelve other babies and 29 women were rescued from the Yarmuk hospitals maternity ward and transferred to other hospitals, Hani al-Okabi, an MP who previouly managed a health directorate in Baghdad, told journalists after visiting the hospital and talking to the management.

Firefighters and hospital staff took about three hours to put out the blaze that engulfed the ward, according to one medic. Yarmuk is a main hospital on the western side of the capital, with emergency care facilities among others.

My sons birth was difficult, Shaima Hussein, one of the babies mothers, told Reuters news agency at the gate of the hospital. She said she was not given a chance to rescue her newborn.

I came with milk powder for him, and then this happened  they shut the electricity and the doors, she said.

READ MORE: Ban militias with abuse records from Mosul fight, says HRW

Hassan Omar said he was upset that the hospital would not give him information about his twins other than that he may have to have DNA checks to see if they were among the dead.

I went to the other hospital, they are not there, so where are they? he said.

The incident is likely to intensify public accusations of state corruption and mismanagement.

Pictures posted on social media showed the hospital in a state of neglect, with cockroaches crawling out from between broken tiles, dustbins overflowing with rubbish, dirty toilets and patients lying on stretchers in the courtyard.





The relative of a patient who died recently in the hospital from meningitis said he saw cockroach crawling along the tube of an oxygen mask.

It was so dirty, he said. We had to bring our own bed sheets.

Thirteen years after the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, the oil-rich country still suffers a shortage of electricity, water, schools and hospitals.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has been trying for more than two years to tackle corruption in Iraq, which ranks 161 out of 168 on Transparency Internationals Corruption Index, but has faced resistance from much of the political elite.

Corruption has exacerbated the effects on the economy of a sharp decline in oil revenue caused by falling crude prices and the costs of fighting Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIL, also known as ISIS), the hardline group that has controlled large parts of northern and western Iraq since 2014.
Afghanistan has one of the worst healthcare systems in the world, with many having little or no access to medical treatment.

Years of civil war have devastated the healthcare infrastructure, and unlike other countries in the region, Afghanistan has seen increasing rates of preventable diseases such as diarrhoea and respiratory infections.

According to The World Bank, about one in 10 children will die before reaching the age of five, and there are about 396 deaths per every 100,000 births  well above the 2015 world average of 216.

And as fighting rages in the south of the country, there are growing fears of a new humanitarian crisis as the young, sick and elderly flee advancing Taliban fighters.

So far, around 30,000 people have sought shelter in Kandahar, but Al Jazeera has learned that the provinces poorly funded hospitals are struggling to cope with the sudden influx.

IN PICTURES: Inside a frontline hospital in Afghanistan

We lack accommodation and dont have enough personnel, Ali Ahmed Qani, a surgeon at the Mirwais hospital, said. If the hospitals capacity was increased, then we would have one bed for one patient. We could also offer good hygiene and provide proper services to our patients.

As many as 29,000 people are believed to visit Mirwais each month, but staff and patients have said the facility cant offer basic treatment.

This hospital has many problems, Gulaba, who brought her two-year-old granddaughter to the hospital told Al Jazeera.

There are a few doctors and they cannot treat patients as there are many sick people. There are four patients lying on a single bed. It is very difficult to feed, give medicine or take care of patients.

Wahid Majrooh, a spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, told Al Jazeera that the government understood the problem and had earmarked areas it was looking to improve.

WATCH: Afghanistan: Medics Under Fire

In Kandahar province we need to increase healthcare facilities in pediatric, obstetrics and gynaecology, he said.

We are also trying to invest in districts and rural areas where they need basic health facilities to ensure primary healthcare is being provided to the local population, Majrooh added.

The Taliban currently controls or contests 10 of the 14 districts in Helmand, the deadliest province for British and US forces in Afghanistan over the past decade, and recent fighting there has made the roads unsafe for those seeking help in neighbouring Kandahar.

Some patients are dying trying to reach the hospital, Doctor Hayatullah told Al Jazeera.

There are no hospitals in the neighbouring provinces and no clinics in some districts.
Alliance says Tuesdays raids were part of air support to government forces in Nehm, north of Sanaa.

The Arab coalition has denied launching air strikes on the Yemeni capital, pointing out that Tuesdays air raids of the alliance warplanes were in support of the Yemeni forces north of Sanaa.

Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri, the military spokesman of the coalition, told Al Jazeera from Riyadh on Wednesday that it was important to correct information reported on Tuesday that claimed the alliance hit a factory in Sanaa city, killing 14 people.

We are not striking Sanaa, we are providing air support for the loyal army to the government in Nehm [district of Sanaa province] and we strike the positions of the forces belonging to the [former President] Ali Abdullah Saleh and to the militias outer ring of the capital Sanaa, Asiri said.

It is important to know that we are not attacking Sanaa as the capital.

He was referring to media reports that quoted medics as saying that civilians were killed in a strike on a crisps factory in the Nahda district of the capital.

Residents said the factory was inside an army maintenance camp that had been hit by repeated air strikes since fighting began in March last year.

Asiri said that more air strikes targeted Houthi rebels on Wednesday and the alliance said in a statement it had intercepted two missiles fired from rebel-held territory aimed at two southern Saudi towns, Abha and Khamis Mushait.

The statement said Wednesdays raids included Houthi positions in Amran province, north of the capital Sanaa.

We are keen on preserving Yemeni blood and property. by Mohammed Maqdishi, Yemeni army chief of staff

We tried today [Wednesday] to continue to support the legitimate government  and also to protect the southern border of the (Saudi) Kingdom, Asiri told Al Jazeera, adding that Houthi rebels fired another missile and killed civilians in Saudi Arabias Jizan city on Wednesday.

The rebel-controlled Saba news agency said one missile was launched towards a military base across the frontier, without providing further details.

The increased violence came after UN-brokered peace talks in Kuwait between representatives of the government and Houthis ended without a breakthrough.

Mohammed Maqdishi, Yemeni army chief of staff, told Al Jazeera that the military operation that was supported from the air by the Arab coalition would continue on all fronts.

READ MORE: Key facts about the war in Yemen

It will be targeting Al Bayda, Zamar, Saada and other provinces, because we honoured the truce but the enemy did not, he said.

We had hoped Yemen could find a way out of this war. We are keen on preserving Yemeni blood and property and Yemens security and stability, he said.

That is why the political leadership handed down orders to the armed forces to launch this campaign on all fronts.

The United Nations said it was alarmed at the resumption of air raids.

The secretary-general is deeply concerned about reports of increased fighting between various parties in Hajjah, Saada and Sanaa provinces, including over the past few days, said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN chief Ban Ki-moon.

The reported escalation in fighting exacerbates the already dire humanitarian and human rights situation and the suffering of the Yemeni people.
Ninety deaths in Oromia and Amhara regions must be investigated by international observers, UN human rights chief says.

The UN human rights chief has urged Ethiopia to allow international observers to investigate the killings of 90 protesters in restive regions at the weekend.

Zeid Raad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said on Wednesday that allegations of excessive use of force across the Oromia and Amhara regions must be probed and that his office was in discussions with Ethiopian authorities.

The use of live ammunition against protesters in Oromia and Amhara of course would be a very serious concern for us, Zeid told the Reuters news agency in an interview in Geneva.

He also said that his office had not seen any genuine attempt at investigation and accountability since January when the killings of protesters first began.

READ MORE: The Ethiopia rising narrative and the Oromo protests

Unrest continued in Oromia for several months until early this year over plans to allocate farmland surrounding the regional capital for development.

Authorities in the Horn of Africa state scrapped the scheme in January, but protests flared again over the continued detention of opposition demonstrators.

In the weekend, protesters chanted anti-government slogans and waved dissident flags.

Some demanded the release of jailed opposition politicians. Information on the reported killings has been difficult to obtain, Zeid said.

He added that any detainee, who had been peacefully protesting, should be released promptly.

The state-run Ethiopian News Agency said on Monday that illegal protests by anti-peace forces had been brought under control. It did not mention casualties.
A 16-year-old French girl has been charged in the capital Paris with supporting the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant and trying to plan an attack, prosecutors said.

The girl, whose name has not been released, was allegedly using a social media app to spread calls by ISIL to commit violent acts, the Paris prosecutors office said on Wednesday.

A judge charged the teenager with taking part in a criminal terrorist association and inciting to commit terrorist acts through an online communication medium.

Investigators said the girl was extremely radicalised and was the administrator of a chat group dedicated to ISIL propaganda on the Telegram app, which has been used by suspected fighters to communicate, deputy prosecutor Laure Vermeersch said.

Vermeersch said no specific targets had been mentioned by the teenager, who had no criminal history.

Investigators are now trying to trace other participants in the chat group to find out if the girl had possible accomplices in her alleged attack plot or in spreading ISIL information.

WATCH: Backlash  Frances New Hardline on Terror

The girl was arrested on Thursday in the Melun region, a southern Paris suburb, during a police operation.

It is not the first time an underage girl has been detained in France under suspicion of trying to commit an attack.

In March, two girls aged 15 and 17 were charged with taking part in a criminal terrorist association for allegedly plotting to attack a target, possibly a Paris concert hall, in a copycat attack of Novembers Bataclan massacre. Investigators said the plot was not at an advanced stage.

France has lived under a state of emergency for nearly nine months, since the coordinated ISIL-linked attacks in November in Paris that killed 130 people.

Parliament extended the measure for six months after a lorry attack in the southern city of Nice on July 14, Bastille Day, that killed at least 84 people and was claimed by ISIL.
A man arrested over crime involvement in Syria and homes of three ISIL supporters raided as part of long-running probe.

German police have arrested a man suspected of involvement in violence in Syria, and have raided the homes and workplaces of three others suspected of trying to recruit supporters for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group.

North Rhine-Westphalias state interior minister, Ralf Jaeger, said Wednesdays arrest in Dinslaken resulted from investigations following last Fridays detention of a 24-year-old Syrian asylum seeker in Mutterstadt.

Separately, German prosecutors carried out searches in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony on Wednesday linked to three suspected supporters of ISIL, but no arrests were made.

The three suspects are believed to have tried to recruit members and supporters for the foreign terrorist organisation Islamic State between January and July 2015, a spokeswoman from the Federal Prosecutors office said.

WATCH: Germanys Refugee Crisis

One of them is believed to have given the group financial and logistical support, she added, stressing that no further details about the case could be revealed since the investigation was ongoing.

Jaeger said searches were conducted at five locations, including Duisburg, Dortmund and Dusseldorf in his state. He said they were part of a long-running investigation.

READ MORE: Ansbach bomber pledged allegiance to ISIL

Germany has been on edge since ISIL claimed responsibility for two attacks in the country last month in which multiple people were wounded and the assailants both killed.

In two other attacks last month that authorities have said were not linked to ISIL, an 18-year-old went on the rampage at a Munich mall, killing 10 people and wounding dozens, and a man killed a woman with a machete in the southwestern city of Reutlingen before being captured by police.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere will propose new security measures on Thursday, including speedier deportations and waiving doctor-patient confidentiality in some cases, German media reported.

We live in difficult times. The terror threat is high, the police are overstretched, he has said.
The Baltimore Police Department has routinely violated the constitutional rights of residents, according to a US Justice Department investigation stemming from the death of black detainee Freddie Gray last year.

The Justice Department probe, the results of which will be officially released at a news conference in Baltimore on Wednesday morning, was launched shortly after Grays death in April 2015.

Police had arrested Gray, 25, for fleeing unprovoked in a high-crime area. He suffered a neck injury in a police wagon while shackled and handcuffed, and died a week later.

Grays death triggered rioting in Baltimore, a majority-black city of about 620,000 people. It fuelled a national debate on police tactics and stoked the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.

READ MORE: Last charges dropped against police in Freddie Gray case

The Justice Departments 163-page report found that the Baltimore Police Department has routinely made unconstitutional stops, searches and arrests, and these illegal practices have disproportionately affected the citys black residents.

Police have also engaged in a pattern of using excessive force and retaliated against people engaging in constitutionally protected expression, the investigation found.

This pattern or practice is driven by systemic deficiencies in BPDs policies, training, supervision, and accountability structures that fail to equip officers with the tools they need to police effectively and within the bounds of the federal law, the report said.

A spokesman for the Baltimore Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment, the Reuters news agency said.

Six officers were charged over Grays death, but four trials ended without a conviction. Prosecutors dropped the remaining charges last month.
UN-backed government forces say they have taken complete control of Ouagadougou complex, ISIL headquarters in the city.

Libyan pro-government forces say they have captured the headquarters of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Sirte, scoring a major victory in the groups last stronghold in the country.

The fighters, mainly from the nearby city of Misrata, who were supported by US air strikes, said in a Facebook statement on Wednesday: Sirte is returning to Libya after taking over a convention centre that served as ISILs base.

Our forces have complete control of the whole of the Ouagadougou complex  they even advanced some distance beyond the complex, said Rida Issa, a government spokesman.

READ MORE: How serious is the ISIL threat in Libya?

I am standing inside the walls of the Presidential Palaces, or the so-called Protocol Palaces in Sirte, Al Jazeeras Ahmed Khalifa, reporting from Sirte, said.

This entire area once under the total control of ISIL fighters is now in the firm grip of Al Bonyan Brigade fighters. The aftermath of fierce fighting seems clearly visible on these buildings.

The militia, which started the offensive in June, said they had also advanced to a cluster of unfinished blocks just west of the centre of Sirte, known as the bone buildings, which had been used by ISIL (also known as ISIS) snipers.

At least 16 fighters from government-backed forces were killed and 11 wounded, Issa said.

US air strikes

Washington launched its air strikes on August 1, with President Barack Obama saying it was in Americas national security interest to help the pro-government forces finish the job of ousting ISIL from Sirte.

In a statement on Wednesday, the US Africa Command said 29 strikes had been carried out against ISIL positions in the town as part of Operation Odyssey Lightning as of Tuesday.

Libyas Government of National Accord operations centre said further US raids were carried out on Wednesday, but did not say how many. The raids targeted ISIL positions, destroyed two armoured vehicles and stopped an explosives-laden car before it could reach loyalist forces, it said.

During fighting, the US air strikes backing the brigades fighters shelled the area destroying a vehicle, said Al Jazeeras Khalifa.

The vehicle was packed with explosives as prepared for a suicide attack mission.The air strike targeting the area destroyed the vehicle which was surrounded by a number of ISIL fighters.

We can also see the undetonated howitzer-gun projectiles which were inside the vehicle.

READ MORE: Can US air strikes push ISIL out of Libya?

ISIL still controls several residential areas, though, and the Misrata-led brigades have previously found it difficult to advance through neighbourhoods in house-to-house fighting.

Since August 1, US drones and fighter jets have carried out 29 strikes, targeting several ISIL emplacements on Monday and a gun-mounted pick-up truck on Tuesday, according to statements by US Africa Command.

Earlier on Wednesday, Libyan forces said that they had lost a fighter jet over Sirte. Issa said the cause of the crash and the fate of the crew could not be confirmed.

ISIL said it shot down the jet, killing a pilot, according to a statement on a website close to the group.

Post-Gaddafi chaos

Losing Sirte city would be a major setback for ISIL, already under pressure in Syria and Iraq.

It would also be a boost for Libyas UN-backed government, which has struggled to impose its authority and faces continuing resistance from armed group.

ISIL seized control of Sirte, the hometown of Libyas former leader Muammar Gaddafi, in 2015.

The group took advantage of conflict between various factions of former rebels who emerged as powerbrokers after Gaddafi was killed in 2011.
Thousands of abuse and assault cases outlined in documents leaked to the Guardian paint a grim picture of life in Nauru.

More than 2,000 incidents, including sexual abuse, assault and attempted self-harm, were reported over two years at an Australian prison for asylum seekers in Nauru, more than half involving children, the Guardian has reported.

Leaked documents published by the Guardian Australia on Wednesday detailed the level of abuse at the prison on tiny Nauru, one of two run by Australia on neighbouring South Pacific islands, and showed that children bore the brunt of the trauma.

The closely protected prisons, and Australias tough immigration policy against irregular boat arrivals, have been widely criticised by the United Nations and human rights groups.

Under the policy, asylum seekers intercepted at sea are sent to Nauru and another prison on Manus Island, in Papua New Guinea, and told they will never be settled in Australia.

READ MORE: Refugee sets herself on fire at Australias Nauru camp

The number of refugees and asylum seekers trying to reach Australia is tiny compared with Europe, but immigration has long been an emotive issue in the country and the policy has bipartisan political support.

Australia said it was seeking to confirm that all reports had been dealt with by Nauru police.

Following the claims, the UNHCR renewed a call to remove all refugees and asylum seekers from the prison.

Although UNHCR is not able to verify the individual incidents raised by the reports, the documents released are broadly consistent with UNHCRs longstanding and continuing concerns regarding mental health, as well as overall conditions for refugees and asylum-seekers on Nauru.

Refugees considering suicide

Its important to note many of these incident reports reflect unconfirmed allegations, a spokeswoman for Australias Department of Immigration said.

The more than 2,000 leaked incident reports published by the Guardian covered the period between August 2013 and October 2015.

Children account for less than 20 percent of the roughly 500 detainees held on Nauru. There were 59 reports of assaults on children in the period, and seven reports of sexual assaults. Some of the reports alleged abuse by guards against children, and there were other reports of sexual advances by unknown men.

READ MORE: At Naurus detention centre, many of us think of suicide

The reports showed there were 30 incidents of self-harm by children and 159 of threatened self-harm involving minors.

Govt has known for years of child abuse & sexual assault on Nauru. They have down played & covered it up. We now need a Royal Commission   Sarah Hanson-Young (@sarahinthesen8) August 10, 2016

The remaining reports involving children covered a variety of issues, ranging from accidents to misbehaviour.

One of the leaked incident reports said that a child had written in her book that she was tired, doesnt like the camp and wants to die. The child wrote: I want death, I need death.

Human rights groups said the leaked reports highlighted an urgent need to end Australias offshore detention policy and that asylum seekers must be given medical and psychological support.

It is clear from these documents, and our own research, that many have been driven to the brink of physical or mental breakdown by their treatment on Nauru, said Anna Neistat, senior director for research at Amnesty International.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty investigated abuse at Nauru earlier in August. Their findings are available online.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Amnestys Graham Thom said: We need to see a Royal Commission into these abuses occurring on Nauru, we need to see action. really  They [the refugees and asylum seekers] should be brought back to Australia immediately.
Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, earns his 21st gold and 24th overall medal.

Michael Phelps claimed his second gold medal in one night and the 21st of his career as the United States won the mens 4200 metres Olympic freestyle relay on Tuesday.

The most successful Olympian of all time swam the final leg to extend his career tally to a total of 25 medals, including two silver and two bronze.

He won his 20th gold medal earlier in the day with a victory in the 200m butterfly.

It was the fourth successive US Olympic victory in the event.

The Americans led throughout, with Conor Dwyer handing over to Townley Haas and Ryan Lochte. There was a huge roar from the Rio crowd when Phelps sprang from the block with a lead of 1.76 seconds over Japan and 2.88 seconds over Britain.

The Americans touched home in 7 minutes 00.66 seconds.

For Britain, who had qualified first for the final, James Guy overhauled Takeshi Matsuda on the final leg to take the silver in 7:03.13, with Japan clocking 7:03.50 for the Bronze.

It was Britains first medal in the event since they won a bronze in 1984, and made up for Guys disappointment in failing to pick up a medal in the 200m and 400m freestyle.

But the night belonged to the Americans and Phelps, who after four days of competition in Rio, has won three gold medals at his fifth Olympic Games.
After calling for a 48-hour halt in fighting, UN says three hours is not long enough to meet needs of trapped civilians.

Russias military has announced a three-hour daily halt in air strikes on Syrias Aleppo to allow humanitarian convoys in, but the United Nations said it was not nearly long enough to help trapped civilians.

To guarantee total security for the convoys to Aleppo there will be humanitarian windows established from 1000 to 1300 local time starting tomorrow [Thursday] during which all military hostilities, aviation strikes and artillery strikes will be halted, Lieutenant General Sergei Rudskoy of the Russian armys general staff told journalists on Wednesday.

Rudskoy said that a road had been built to an area on the northern outskirts of Aleppo through the Castello shopping centre to ensure safety and organise round-the-clock delivery of food, water, fuel, medicine and other necessities to the citys west and east.

The UN, which had earlier called for 48-hour weekly pauses for the aid deliveries, said the three-hour truce announced by Russia would not be enough to meet the needs of civilians.

To meet that capacity of need, you need two lanes and you need to have about 48 hours to get sufficient trucks in, top UN aid official Stephen OBrien told reporters on Wednesday.

OBrien said he had not been fully briefed on the Russian proposal, but that there were complicated logistics to address, such as ensuring that lorry drivers have enough time to safely make the trip to the city and back.

READ MORE: Syrian rebels deny losing ground in Aleppo

When we are offered three hours, you have to ask what can be achieved in that three hours, said OBrien.

Is it to meet the need or would it only just meet a very small part of the need?

Battles rage on

On Monday, President Bashar al-Assad sent thousands of reinforcements to mount a counterattack in Aleppo after rebels broke through government lines two days earlier.

Syrian rebel groups told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that they were fighting to hang on to key areas in the northern city as government forces and allies, including Moscow, escalated attacks.

A barrage of rocket fire from Syrian rebels killed at least 14 people and left dozens wounded on Wednesday in government-held neighbourhoods of the divided city, state media said.

Fighting struck the southern edges of Aleppo as opposition fighters and government forces geared up for a major protracted battle that could mark a turning point in the five-year war.

Syrian state news agency SANA said rebel fire on the regime-controlled district of Hamdaniyeh on Wednesday killed 13 people and wounded 25 others.

Rocket attacks on another government-held neighbourhood killed one person and wounded 12 others earlier in the day.

SANA said Russian and government planes targeted what they called terrorist positions in the citys south, as an AFP news agency journalist in Aleppo said intense air strikes and artillery fire could be heard.

But it was unclear if the major push for control of the city had begun.

Up to two million people in Aleppo have gone without running water for the past four days, UN agencies said, raising the risks of disease in a city already devastated by years of fighting.
Moscow says it has also beaten back an armed assault by Kiev, which called the claims hysterical and false.

Russias federal security agency says it has thwarted terrorist attacks by the Ukrainian military in Crimea, which Moscow annexed from Kiev in 2014, and beaten back an armed assault.

The FSB said on Wednesday that one of its officers was killed in an armed clash while arresting terrorists on the night of August 6-7, while a Russian soldier died in a firefight with a sabotage-terrorist group sent by the Ukrainian defence ministry on August 8.

Kiev has firmly denied claims that it plotted or carried out any attacks.

The FSB  which controls Russias border guards  said it had foiled terrorist attacks on the territory of Crimea prepared by the intelligence directorate of the Ukrainian defence ministry.

The aim of the sabotage and terrorist attacks was to destabilise the social and political situation before elections in Russia and Crimea next month, it said.

The security agency said that in the August 6-7 raids, several people were detained, including a Ukrainian military intelligence officer, and a cache of explosives was discovered.

WATCH: Ukraine, Russia and a new Cold War

On the night of August 8, 2016 special operations forces from the Ukrainian defence ministry carried out two more attempts to make a breakthrough by sabotage-terrorist groups, it said.

The assault included massive firing from the side of the neighbouring state and armoured vehicles but was beaten back by the Russian authorities, the statement said.

Ukraines national security council chief Oleksandr Turchynov criticised the claims as hysterical and false and said Moscow was trying to stoke fear in Crimea.

Ukraines defence ministry dismissed the allegations as nothing more than an attempt to justify the redeployment and aggressive actions of Russian forces in the region.

The allegations are likely to fuel further tensions in the feud between Russia and Ukraine, sparked after Moscow annexed Crimea following the ousting of Kremlin-backed president Viktor Yanukovych in a popular uprising.
Court documents show the electronics giant kept information on chemicals from workers for fear of exposing trade secrets

South Korean authorities let Samsung withhold from sick workers and their families crucial information about the chemicals they are exposed to at its computer chip and display factories, an Associated Press investigation has found.

A worker-safety group has documented more than 200 cases of serious illnesses, including leukaemia, lupus, lymphoma and multiple sclerosis, among former Samsung semiconductor and LCD workers.



Viewfinder  A Fathers Protest

Seventy-six have died, most in their 20s and 30s.

It is extremely difficult for workers to get compensation for occupational diseases from the South Korean government, and without details of their exposure to toxins in their workplaces it is almost impossible.

In a situation where peoples lives are at stake, [Samsung] brought uninformed kids from the countryside and acted like money is everything, using them as if they were disposable cups, said Park Min-Sook, 43, a former Samsung chip worker and breast cancer survivor.

Hwang Sang-Gi, father of Hwang Yu-mi, a former Samsung factory worker who died of leukaemia aged 22, told the AP that the company once offered him 1 billion won ($914,000) in exchange for his silence.

The idea was to deny her illness was an occupational disease and to leave me without any power to fight back, said Hwang, who launched a movement seeking independent inspections of Samsung factories.

Since 2008, 56 workers have applied for occupational safety compensation from the government. Only 10 have won compensation, most after years of court battles. Half of the other 46 claims were rejected and half remain under review.

People who have claimed that they became ill because of work they did for other major South Korean manufacturers, including Hyundai Motor, have received help from their unions in advancing their claims. Hyundai Motor now must get union approval before introducing new chemicals into its manufacturing processes. Samsungs workforce is not unionised.

Trade secrets over workers health

In at least six cases involving 10 workers, the justification for withholding information was the protection of trade secrets. Court documents and interviews with government officials, workers lawyers and their families show that Samsung often cites the need to guard trade secrets when it asks government officials not to release such data.

Our fight is often against trade secrets. Any contents that may not work in Samsungs favour were deleted as trade secrets, said Lim Ja-woon, a lawyer who has represented 15 sick Samsung workers.

Lims clients have been unable to get access to full reports on facility inspections, which are produced by third parties to comply with South Korean law, but remain the property of Samsung. Only excerpts of some independent inspections can be found in some court rulings, he said.

South Korea law bars governments and public agencies from withholding corporate information needed to protect the lives, physical safety, and health of individuals on the grounds of trade secrets, but there are no penalties for violations. Lim said that the law on occupational disease compensation also obligates Samsung to give workers the data they need to make claims.

Government officials openly say corporate interests take priority, that evaluating trade-secrets claims is difficult, and that they fear being sued for sharing data against a companys will.

We have to keep secrets that belong to our clients, said Yang Won-baek, of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, or KOSHA. Its about trust.

Asked why he used the word clients to describe companies his government agency helps regulate, Yang said its probably because he treats those companies as I treat clients.

He said the companies KOSHA evaluates also review the agency, and the finance ministry considers those reviews when it sets agency budgets.

When asked for comment, Samsung issued a statement to the AP saying it never intentionally blocked workers from accessing information and that it is transparent about all chemicals it is required to disclose.

It also said there was no case where information disclosure was illegally prevented.

However, documents from courts and the labour ministry show that as recently as last year, Samsung asked the government not to disclose details of chemical exposure levels and other inspections  even at the request of judges for use in workers compensation lawsuits.

In a letter to regulators signed by the companys chief executive, Samsung said that if factory details including types and volumes of substances were released for a workers compensation case, it is feared that the technology gap with rivals at home and overseas would be reduced and our companys competitiveness would be lowered. For that reason they are trade secrets that we treat strictly as secrets, we request not to disclose.

Rigorous management

Although the company no longer omits lists of chemicals as it did in Hwang Yu-mis case, it has recently withheld details about exposure levels and how its chemicals are managed.

Samsung states on its website that its chemical management system is rigorous and state-of-the art. It has had real-time, 24/7 chemical monitoring in all facilities since 2007, the year the government began inquiries into Yu-mis death.

Yet Samsung began monitoring some toxic byproducts in the air only after a 2012 inspection detected benzene and formaldehyde  both known carcinogens  at its chip factories.

Baik Soo-ha, a Samsung Electronics vice president, told the AP that Samsung has redacted trade secrets in documents given to individuals only when their requests appeared not purely meant to determine occupational diseases.

We have a right to protect our information from going to a third party, he said. Baik did not elaborate on what sort of ulterior motives Samsung believes might be behind some requests.
The seasonal rains have been above average, but there are always winners and losers.

As torrential rain falls across parts of both northwestern and northeastern India, the Indian Meteorological Department has announced that Julys rainfall was 7 percent above the long-term average.

This is in keeping with pre-monsoon predictions of an above-average season, and will be welcomed by the countys agriculture industry, which employs half of the countrys workforce.

Inevitably, there were significant geographical variations in rainfall. Central India was 18 percent above average, while South Peninsula, encompassing Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, was 12 percent below average.

Across the Punjab and Haryana states, the so-called bread basket of India, the benefit of a 9 percent rainfall surplus was sure to be appreciated.

In neighbouring Pakistan, rainfall for the period from July 1 to August 10 was 9 percent below average across the country as a whole. Here, geographical variations were even greater. There was a particularly marked rainfall deficit in Balochistan and Sindh provinces, by around one third. Some parts of these states saw virtually no rainfall at all during this period.

In the coming days, there is little prospect of that deficit being eroded. Most of the countrys rainfall is expected to be confined to northern areas.

In India, there are two areas of low pressure. One is expected to bring further heavy rain to northwestern India, although it is possible that, in parts of Rajasthan, the rain may do more harm than good.

Another area of low pressure located at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal, may develop into a tropical cyclone. Either way, the heavy rain generated by this system will help to alleviate the slight rainfall deficit across eastern and northeastern India, as well as in Bangladesh.
State media says Rear Admiral Mustafa Zeki Ugurlu is trying to avoid detention in Turkey following failed coup attempt.

A Turkish Rear Admiral on a NATO assignment in the United States has sought asylum in the country after Ankara sought his detention following the failed July 15 coup attempt, state-run news agency has said without giving its source.

Anadolu did not say on Wednesday whether the US had accepted Rear Admiral Mustafa Zeki Ugurlus claim, which comes at a time of strained relations between Washington and Ankara.

Ugurlu, who had been stationed at NATOs Allied Command Transformation in Norfolk, Virginia, is the subject of a detention order in Turkey and has been expelled from the armed forces, Anadolu reported.

Ugurlu had not been heard from since July 22 when he left the base, it said.

Okan Bato, Izmirs chief prosecutor, told Anadolu he was not able to get a statement from Ugurlu after seeking the prosecution of two admirals from the chief of staff.

READ MORE: Turkeys coup attempt captured in dramatic images

The Turkish government has repeatedly pressed Washington to extradite Pennsylvania-based cleric Fethullah Gulen whom it blames for the coup bid, warning Washington that relations could suffer over the issue.

If the US does not deliver [Gulen], they will sacrifice relations with Turkey for the sake of a terrorist, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said during a televised briefing in the capital Ankara on Tuesday.

Gulen strongly denies the accusations and his lawyer on Friday said that Ankara had failed to provide a scintilla of proof to support its claims.

Since July 15, tens of thousands of people from the military, judiciary, civil service and education establishment suspected of links with Gulen and his Islamic movement have been sacked or detained.
Hand-counted paper balloting urged after many reports of irregularities around electronic system in Democratic primary.

Rights group in the US are calling for a return to hand-counted paper balloting as a universal standard for elections in an effort to boost transparency and prevent vote irregularities that many see as a threat to the countrys democratic system.

Shyla Nelson, the co-founder of Election Justice USA, told Al Jazeera that a complete overhaul of the system, including the end of the use of electronic voting machines, is required to ensure truly democratic elections in the country.

Until we systematically address the myriad ways in which our elections are manipulated  voter suppression, unauthorised registration purges, district gerrymandering, gross exit poll variances, the privatisation of voting machinery, and the lack of transparency in ballot processing  our elections will continue to rank among the lowest in the world in integrity.

Nelson criticised current government initiatives to protect the voting machines  which she noted are in many cases running on increasingly obsolete hardware and software  from cyber attacks as a failure to address the well-documented reality of election fraud at their root.

US Department of Homeland Security chief Jeh Johnson said on Wednesday that the government would carefully consider whether the countrys election system should be considered as critical infrastructure, a move that would trigger greater digital security measures for electronic voting machines.

Were actively thinking about the election and cybersecurity right now, he told reporters.

But Caitriona Fitzgerald, the chief technology officer of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)  a civil rights group, told Al Jazeera that the very reliance on electronic voting machines and online voting threatens public trust in US elections.

Election security

Paper ballots are a very important element in election security. Without a paper record of ones vote, it is impossible to verify if the computer has, indeed, recorded your vote in the system as it is shown on the screen.

OPINION: American democracy is rigged

Furthermore, lack of a paper record makes meaningful recounts or audits impossible because any recount would simply corroborate the same count the computer made the first time and would not catch any errors.

Clifford Arnebeck, a civil rights attorney who co-chairs the Alliance for Democracy, and has filed multiple lawsuits over alleged election fraud in the US since 2000, told Al Jazeera how it has become much easier to manipulate votes.

In 2004  there were still punch card ballots and optical scan ballots  so the flipping of votes had to be done manually by taking ballots to unauthorised locations and reshuffling the deck.

But with the electronic system, it is much more simple to use a program to flip the tabulation of vote.

The calls for more transparency came after widespread accusations that the Democratic primary was rigged in favour of Hillary Clinton and against her rival Bernie Sanders.

But Gary Nordlinger, a state attorney and professor of politics at George Washington University, told Al Jazeera that it is highly improbable that the US ever faced election fraud, saying the polling system has always been tightly controlled.

He also pointed to Clintons substantial margin of victory as proof of the unlikelihood that any significant vote manipulation occurred, especially when there are election observers at the polling stations.

Hillary Clinton would not have won by around 3.8 million votes if there was election fraud, he said.

READ MORE: Polls  Sanders has more potential to beat Trump

However, Arnebeck says he has garnered much evidence pointing to use of sophisticated technology to rig electronic voting machines across the country and plans to launch a lawsuit over the alleged fraud in the Democratic primary.

This is the most extreme case of election fraud yet  the new technology is believed to be capable of stealing 50 (percentage) points in an election, he said.

Sanders was winning by landslide

Sanders was winning by a landslide  so they had to flip whatever votes they could. That is one of the reasons why the evidence is so compelling.

Election Justice USA released a report last month that detailed its alleged evidence of election irregularities and fraud in the Democratic primary and pointed out the lack of transparency practices.

Unlike other technologically advanced countries such as Germany, Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Finland, and 53 other countries, election ballots in the United States are not counted by hand and in public, the Democracy Lost report said.

Many US states use touch-screen computer voting systems that do not even generate a paper trail. Almost all ballots, whether paper or not, are counted by computers.

All counting is non-transparent and inaccessible for verification by the public. The few states that audit the computer counts by hand only examine a tiny percentage of the ballots and even this count is not performed according to proper statistical procedures.

In other words, the results of our elections, based on computer counts, are largely unverified.
We follow one man as he becomes the only Israeli granted access to the inner sanctum of the Whirling Dervish order.

Miki Cohen is a 58-year-old college teacher who has discovered the works of Jalal ad-Din Rumi, a 13th-century Muslim poet and Sufi mystic.

Attracted by Rumis writings and philosophy, Cohen translates his works into Hebrew and practises whirling in worship.

Rumi for me is an answer and the way. by Miki Cohen, teacher and Israeli dervish

What makes Cohens story so remarkable is that he is an Israeli. The son of Holocaust survivors and a veteran of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, Cohen found himself searching for answers to his spiritual identity.

I was in the Israeli army in the 73 war. And the war mentality, the killing mentality, the feeling that we are on one side victims and on the other side were the oppressors. So, what are we? So I started, you know, looking for bigger answers lets say or deeper  for many years I was looking in many places, he explains.

Along with several other Israelis, he undertakes a spiritual search and is attracted by the mysticism of Sufism.

But Cohen goes a step further. He travels to Konya in central Turkey, the resting place of Rumi and a city once known as the citadel of Islam with a reputation for religious conservatism. It is the centre for the Mevlevi Sufi order of Islam.

Cohen becomes one of few outsiders  and certainly the only Israeli  to be granted access to the inner sanctum of the Whirling Dervishes.

By Yelda Yanat Kapkin

I met Miki Cohen, an Israeli university lecturer, in 2003, at a cinema seminar. He was teaching script-writing and I was a masters student at the time.

During the class, we started to share our personal stories and I discovered that he had spent his life searching for a spiritual way that would fit him. After the class, talk turned to spiritual leaders and eventually to Rumi, an Islamic scholar, philosopher and poet who lived in Anatolia.

At the time, Miki had only a little knowledge of Rumi. But he asked many questions and I tried to explain his philosophy of Divine Love as well as I could.

When we next met  at an Israeli film festival in 2004  I saw how much Mikis knowledge of Rumi had grown. He had developed an enthusiasm for his poetry and was clearly greatly influenced by his teachings. It was around that time that he moved out of his house, bought a caravan and decided to travel.

In 2005, I received a phone call from Miki in which he declared: I will go to Konya.

Konya is the Turkish city where Rumi spent his life. Miki explained that he would like to visit Rumis grave and to learn sema whirling, the whirling rite practised by Rumi.

I remember thinking then that it would be impossible for Miki to fulfil his ambitions. Konya is the religious centre for the followers of Rumi, the Whirling Dervishes, and I tried to warn him that it would be difficult for him to be accepted there  not only as a Jew but as an Israeli. He did not listen.

But when he called me a week later he had been accepted into a Mevlevi Sufi order as a guest and was learning sema. It was almost a miracle.

There was hardly anybody in the order who could talk English and Miki was unable to converse with most of his teachers, so I decided to help out by translating, over the phone, some of his classes and the entirety of his first acceptance ritual.

As a filmmaker, I knew that Mikis story was a very unique one. Over the years we kept in touch and I followed his story as he moved to a cave in a mountain, met his wife, Ayelet, built a place on his land for sema and began practising it twice a day.

When I learned that he was planning to travel to Konya for a second period of training in 2011, I had no doubt that the time was right to film it.

I was unsure whether Miki would be willing to be filmed, partly because being on television would be such a sharp contrast to his isolated existence on the mountain. But, contrary to my fears, he said yes immediately. At that time, I was unaware that being a Dervish was just about saying yes to whatever life brings you.

I first filmed his life in Israel, staying with Miki and his wife in their cave. Then we travelled to Konya.

It was Ramadan. Having never been to Konya before, I could not imagine how this very religious city would be during Ramadan. But I had imagined that filming in my native country would be easier than filming in Israel. It took me a couple of days to realise how wrong I was about that.

Finding people to interview during the fast was difficult, but even when I was able to reach them, communicating was not easy. They were not used to being close to a woman and during interviews they would often find it hard to look me in the eye.

It was also difficult to convince the Whirling Dervishes to talk on camera  being lowly is at the heart of being a Dervish and being in front of a camera sits uncomfortably with their ways.

But the biggest challenge of all was being able to film the zikir ritual. Women are not allowed in the room during it and it took me a week to get permission to film, with one condition: that I be as close to invisible as possible so that the Dervishes would not be distracted by my presence and would be able to fully lose themselves in the ritual.

We became the first crew to film the ritual as Miki became the first Jew ever permitted to join the zikir ritual in that Mevlevi order.
           2005     ..        
New Jersey Community Bank in Freehold has exited a pair of regulatory orders.

The $102 million-asset bank also said in a press release Tuesday that two siblings have resigned from its board.

New Jersey Community said it had been released from consent orders with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance.

Nick Naqei, the bank's chief financial officer, said in an interview that the March 2014 order was tied to concerns with safety and soundness. He said the bank had to conduct a management study "to see if we had the right people in place," while also addressing issues related to concentrations of commercial and real estate loans.

The second order, which came in July 2015, required the bank to improve compliance functions. It required the bank to conduct "a look-back review of transactions to see if there were any fraud involved or suspicious activity," Naqei said.

The bank also announced that brothers Brendan and Rogan O'Donnell resigned from its board. Their father, Robert O'Donnell, resigned as chairman last August, four months after he stepped down as the bank's chief executive.

The brothers did not provide the bank with reasons for their departures. Once their father resigned "we kind of thought that this was going to automatically happen sooner or later," Naqei said.

Steven Meyer, founder of Advisors Mortgage Group, was appointed to fill one of the board vacancies.


The Bancorp in Wilmington, Del., is being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission for restating more than three years of financial statements.

The $4.4 billion-asset company also disclosed in a regulatory filing that the Internal Revenue Service plans to audit its 2012, 2013 and 2014 tax returns.

The Bancorp said the SEC is looking into a decision to restate financials for 2010 through 2013, along with the first three quarters of 2014. The restatements were filed last September. The company, which said in the filing that it is cooperating with the probe, said the SEC is looking into the "facts and circumstances underlying the restatement."

Costs tied to the SEC's investigation could be material, the filing warned.

The Bancorp also said it had retained outside counsel after receiving a letter from a shareholder's attorney "demanding inspection of its books and records." The letter also stated that the investor plans to investigate the actions of the company's officers and directors with the intent of filing a derivative lawsuit. The lawsuit would seek damages and "other remedies" from certain officers and directors, the filing said.

The filing also disclosed the identities of the firms that recently participated in a $74 million capital raise at the company.

Pilgrims & Indians Capital and Castle Creek Capital were the investors that, under terms of the placement, are allowed to each add a representative to The Bancorp's board as long as each firm owns at least 4% of the company's common stock.

The Bancorp also disclosed that it paid Pilgrims & Indians Capital $250,000 to reimburse the firm for "the substantial time and effort" tied to the private placement. The company paid Castle Creek $20,000 to cover the investor's legal fees associated with the placement.
WASHINGTON  The Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 has not had a negative impact on community banks, contrary to assertions by Republicans and many bankers, according to a group of White House economists.

In a research note published Wednesday, the White House Council of Economic Advisers said that evidence demonstrates that institutions with less than $10 billion of assets remain mostly viable and give millions of Americans access to important financial services. But other secular trends  such as deregulation of bank branching and merger and acquisition activity  have caused some community banks to contract in the years since Dodd-Frank was enacted.

The findings  show that access to community banks remains robust and their services have continued to grow in the years since Dodd-Frank has taken effect, though this trend has not been uniform across community banks, with mid-sized and larger community banks seeing stronger growth than the smallest ones, the note says. At the same time, though, many community banksespecially the smallest oneshave faced longer-term structural challenges dating back to the decades before the financial crisis.

The note argues that the perils facing smaller banks underscore the importance of implementing Dodd-Frank in a way that allows community banks to compete on a level playing field and says that the Obama administration has been committed to developing regulations that shield community banks from the harshest requirements in the law.

The economists' note is aimed at debunking a long-standing point of contention between Dodd-Franks champions and detractors  namely that instead of ending an implicit policy of not allowing the largest and riskiest institutions to fail, it has in practice led to a new regulatory landscape that disproportionately affects the smallest banks that are the least equipped to take on added compliance costs.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said during his now-defunct presidential campaign that Dodd-Frank had eviscerated community banks, and House Republicans have repeatedly leveled the same claim.

The White House paper, of course, is unlikely to end the debate. Bankers repeatedly point to the decline in institutions as proof that the law is making it harder for small institutions to stay in business.

The White House research note was quickly criticized by House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling, who said he was not surprised that the White House would defend Dodd-Frank, but that community bankers who have testified before the committee beg to differ with the economic advisers' conclusions.

"After all, as our nation loses one community financial institution each day, they are the ones who have to somehow comply with Dodd-Frank's crushing regulatory burden," Hensarling said in a statement.

The American Bankers Association also blasted the report, with ABA President Rob Nichols saying in a statement that there was a "serious disconnect between this report and the daily reality for America's hometown banks." Nichols said it is true that there are more factors at play than Dodd-Frank alone, but the idea that the law has not contributed to small banks' woes is unfounded.

"Certainly, there are other factors beyond the Dodd-Frank Act that have caused the closure of community banks, and bankers continue to work with their regulatory agencies and Congress to address these issues," Nichols said. "But the more than 24,000 pages of proposed and final rules belies the idea that Dodd-Frank had no impact."

Carrie Hunt, executive vice president of government affairs and general counsel for the National Association of Federal Credit Unions, similarly criticized the CEA's findings, saying that "common sense is the largest piece of evidence demonstrating the Dodd-Frank Act's negative impact on credit unions."

Community bankers themselves had a more measured response to the White House document. Camden Fine, president of Independent Community Bankers of America, a trade group representing community banks, said the troubles facing small banks are not attributable to Dodd-Frank alone or any single law, but rather a patchwork of different regulatory and legal burdens that have accumulated over decades. Fine said that, to the extent that the research note advocates for greater relief for small banks from those compliance burdens, the ICBA supports its findings.

"Today's Council of Economic Advisers brief expresses support for regulatory requirements that are tailored to the unique role and lower risks of community banks-a bipartisan priority that avoids one-size-fits-all regulations," Fine said. "ICBA will continue advocating tiered and proportional regulations that allow community banks to reach their full potential as catalysts for locally based entrepreneurship, economic growth and job creation."


Distrusting both the judgment and the literacy of modern activists, I had originally intended to read Frederick Douglass or WEB Dubois as my introduction to black literature. But skimming through an informal list of the Greatest Essayists of All Time and seeing James Baldwin rather high on the chart, and also seeing him frequently and reverently quoted by Black Lives Matter activists, I decided to pick up The Fire Next Time and give him a go.

His position on the chart is not unmerited. James Baldwin was an honest man with a great soul in a bad place in the wrong skin at the wrong time. His suffering as a post-war black youth, a portrait of his own emotional hurt and mistrust toward the abusive white and hypocritical Christian communities, is chronicled here in vivid prose and unusual honesty. For those of us who are cynical toward the arguments and the motives of black activists in general, Baldwin may be the first man not only to make us really consider what it's like to be black in America, but to make a staunch conservative sympathize greatly with even the worse parts of our civil rights legislation.

One thing sadly lacking in Mr. Baldwin's commentary on the pre-Civil Rights black experience is the same thing that's missing in our commentary about the post-Civil Rights black experience: an inability for many black people to see past the black experience. It has often been said that writers should write what they know, advice that we can be thankful Mr. Baldwin has taken seriously. But what so many black activists and writers are missing is that there is a world beyond what they know, and it is provided by a combination of empathy and what's formally known (and commonly denounced) as a liberal education.

Mr. Baldwin seems to be convinced that at some point in history, race was invented to justify oppression. The problem is that he's under the impression it's something that was not only invented, but invented relatively recently. He writes, "[White Christians] have forgotten that the religion which is now identified with their virtue and power ... came out of a rocky piece of ground in what is now known as The Middle East before color was invented[.]"

The idea of race in the scientific sense may be pernicious to modern men, but if it is, the idea of tribe was equally pernicious to the ancients. Mr. Baldwin, for a man who claimed to have a serious conversion to Christianity, seems completely ignorant of the "interactions" between the Jews and the Moabites, between the Jews and the Canaanites, between the Jews and the Samaritans, between the Jews and practically everyone, really  and he seems to be ignorant in a way that almost completely excuses the Jews from any accusations of racism. He forgets that (despite Moses's commanding the Israelites to treat foreigners with humanity) the Jews were allowed to enslave only foreigners, that the Jews were allowed to practice usury only on non-Jews, and that the Jews (as a race) had been enslaved by the Egyptians.

Baldwin also seems for forget that beyond biblical history, the ancient Greeks referred to everyone who wasn't Greek as barbarians, that the term slave originates from the term Slav, that the Indian color-based caste system is as rigid as it is ancient, that the Spartans formally and permanently enslaved the Helots, that the Romans and Persians and Babylonians and Greeks and (forgotten most conveniently for the liberals) the Muslims tried to enslave practically everyone who wasn't they, and that ancient history, if not loaded with tales of outright genocide and oppression, was a time when many people were okay with sexually enslaving a neighboring territory's women only because the territory was neighboring. The conquering of peoples in the ancient world, if not done in terms of race, is not very different from it, and if racial slavery is an evil invented by white men after centuries of what Mr. Baldwin misperceives as something like equality, those centuries of something like equality occurred only after white people and Christians had fought bravely to end centuries of the practice of slavery.

What Mr. Baldwin also seems to forget is that white men have been comfortable enslaving each other. The history of Christian Europe, aside from its conflicts with the swarthy god of the Muslim south, is a history of intra-racial warfare and conquering. England, which Mr. Baldwin derides because of its racial colonization, was itself once a subjected colony of the Normans, who enforced a racial/class divide not entirely unlike that experienced by blacks in America.

What black activists have forgotten is that the answer to our problems is not an elimination of the idea of race. The black and white supremacists, on the other hand, have forgotten how the desire for segregation goes deeper than colors. Wherever we go, the diversity of clans and cultures, of talents and spirits, of appearances and happenstances will breed some of us who win and others who lose, and the winners will almost always separate themselves as a class while subjecting and despising the losers. An attempt at eliminating differences between people will never eliminate dominance of people by people. It will only shift supremacy based on natural causes, which gives some sense of legitimacy to an already horrible situation, to a supremacy based on artificial causes by quotas, which turns losers into leaders  who will only lead us toward losing. The question is not whether some people are supreme in any situation. It is how they got there and what they do with their supremacy.

Strangely enough, there are some striking resemblances of Mr. Baldwin's theories to those of Edmund Burke's, and especially insofar as both men greatly respect not what we say about ourselves, but what we do with what we are. Aside from the similarity between Baldwin's "It is not necessary that people be wicked but only that they be spineless" and Burke's "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing," Baldwin notes in one passage:

In order to change a situation one has to see it for what it is[.] ... The paradox  and a fearful paradox it is  is that the American Negro is unwilling to accept his past. To accept ones past  ones history  is not the same thing as drowning in it; it is learning how to use it.

Both men despised the fanciful notions of quack religionists and bad political scientists, that we can magically change who we are by inventing a new history and a new political system to live in, and if Mr. Baldwin appeared to side with the '60s progressives, his philosophy in many respects mirrored that of England's original conservative. We only wish he had taken his own advice.

Mr. Baldwin was naive in thinking that by eliminating race and religions and totems and creeds  in another word, by eliminating our humanity  we could eliminate the horrors of our history and the distinguishing of peoples. Jesus said the poor would always be with us. He might have just as easily said those unfairly oppressed by their identity. He might just as easily said the American blacks.

The most interesting thing about The Fire Next Time is Mr. Baldwin's idea of the nature of acceptance. Foregoing the common idea of the modern progressives, that white men must learn to accept blacks, Mr. Baldwin correctly flips the notion on its head, insisting that it is blacks who must learn to accept whites. A history of oppression cannot easily be erased with a few laws and the singing of Kumbaya. The bitter gall of hatred and mistrust is not the sole property of whites alone. Both races must judge individuals honestly. Both of us have to give one another a chance  in fact, multiple chances, as there are and will be multiple wrongdoings.

Our charity is not white people considering what it means to be black. It's also black people getting outside of the black experience and considering how it feels to be white. White men must stand against white racism, and black men must stand against black.

Black men will have to consider the world not only in terms of the black experience, but by examining oppression and freedom and Christian forgiveness in light of the totality of history. They'll have to leave the black race, in a sense, and become something much bigger, as though the heritage of liberty and equality is really their history, and their struggles aren't a separate volume in the annals of human progress, but in a universal sense only the most recent chapter. This will be the foundation for the new society  and we will never have the new society until both sides are ready to effect it.

Baldwin was wise enough to see this, and that is one of the many reasons each of us should read Baldwin.

Jeremy Egerer is the editor of the troublesome philosophical website known as Letters to Hannah, and he welcomes followers on Twitter and Facebook.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has employed the prestigious National Academy of Sciences to whitewash the EPA's illegal experiments on human beings. Naturally, the sordid activity is all being conducted in secret.

Several years ago, we detailed for American Thinker readers how we had discovered that the EPA was violating virtually every law enacted and regulation promulgated for the protection of human experiments since the development of the Nuremberg Code.

The story begins in the 1990s, when the EPA began regulating fine particulate matter (P.M.) in outdoor air. These regulations were justified on the basis that they would prevent 15,000 premature deaths per year. The supposedly scientific studies underlying the rules could not be challenged at the time because the EPA refused to provide Congress and independent researchers with the key underlying data. Also, the relevant laws and their judicial interpretation did not provide a way to challenge EPA science in court.

Though the EPA got away with issuing the rules, it knew they were vulnerable to challenge because the underlying studies  all dubious statistical correlation studies  didn't actually show that P.M. killed anyone. Neither did animal toxicology studies, no matter how much P.M. the laboratory animals inhaled. So the EPA decided to back up its statistical claims by testing extremely high doses of P.M. on real, live people.

Over the next 15 years, the EPA began quietly experimenting on elderly subjects (up to age 80), asthmatics, people with heart disease or metabolic syndrome, and combinations of the aforesaid by placing them in a sealed chamber and making them inhale high levels of P.M. as well as diesel exhaust, smog, and even chlorine gas. At one point, the EPA even experimented with children by spraying high levels of diesel exhaust particulate up their noses.

Though none of these experiments produced any biological response indicating that P.M. is in any way harmful, the EPA relied on its statistical studies to make even more grandiose claims about the supposed dangers of P.M. The EPA claimed that any inhalation of P.M. could cause death. It claimed that death could occur within hours of inhalation or after decades of inhalation. In 2011, EPA administrator Lisa Jackson testified to Congress than P.M. caused about 570,000 deaths per year in the U.S., more than 20 percent of all U.S. deaths.

The EPA continued its experiments.

We found out about the experiments in September 2011, when the EPA finally published a report about an alleged health effect caused by P.M. Agency researchers exposed an obese 58-year-old woman with heart disease to a high level of P.M. The experiment was stopped when the woman's heart began to beat irregularly. She was taken to the hospital, where she remained overnight. The EPA's report chalked up the event to the exposure to P.M.

Although the EPA's conclusion was obviously faulty (the woman had a pre-existing heart condition that caused the arrhythmia) and has since been debunked by other research, the report led us to inquire about how exactly the woman came to be exposed to high P.M. by EPA researchers.

After several Freedom of Information Act requests and pressure from Congress, we learned that although the EPA had declared P.M. essentially the most deadly substance known to man, the agency was intentionally exposing individuals it thought would be most vulnerable to the effects of P.M. in order to support its statistical claims about P.M. lethality and its regulations.

The problem for the EPA is that if P.M. is as deadly as the agency claims, then these experiments are fundamentally unethical and illegal. Humans cannot be treated as guinea pigs for the purpose of advancing a regulatory agenda. Compounding the illegality of the experiments is the fact that the EPA never informed the study subjects that it believed that the experiments could kill them. This conduct violated federal and state laws requiring that physicians and researchers obtain informed consent prior to experimenting on humans  not that anyone could actually consent to illegal experiments in the first place.

After a federal lawsuit and much bad press, the EPA inspector general (I.G.) took up the case in October 2012. Eighteen months later, the I.G. concluded that the agency had indeed failed to warn study subjects that it believed that the experiments could kill them while inexplicably ignoring the issue of whether the experiments were fundamentally illegal and unethical. No matter, though. Media reports of the I.G.'s limited finding tremendously embarrassed the agency  so much, in fact, that something had to be done.

Enter the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

The NAS was formed in 1863 by Congress and President Lincoln to advise the government on science. It has a bifurcated structure. The actual NAS has evolved into an honorary membership organization for elite and politically well connected scientists. The actual advice-giving part of the NAS is a separate non-profit organization called the National Research Council (NRC), which hires itself out to federal agencies to provide scientific advice. In providing that advice, however, the NRC does not rely on the prestigious NAS membership. Instead, it enlists second- and third-tier (or worse) scientists eager to build their resumes and improve their standing in academia. Despite the decidedly hack nature of NRC advice, it is marketed as if it were coming from the collective wisdom of the prestigious NAS membership.

After the embarrassing I.G. report was issued, the EPA decided to avail itself of the benefit of the NAS-NRC charade. Not only did it hope to whitewash the I.G. report, but it was hoping to conduct the process in secret. It almost worked.

We were notified about what was going on by a source who only inadvertently learned of the EPA-NAS scheme near the end of the process. From what we have learned so far, it looks as though the EPA contracted with the NAS-NRC in early 2015. A committee of mostly academics was formed and began meeting on June 1, 2015. There was no public notice of the formation of the committee, and though the meeting was supposed to be open to the public, there was no public notice. So the "public" meeting was attended only by the committee members, NRC staff, and the EPA. Four more meetings were held, the last one in April 2016. None open to the public.

When we learned of the NRC committee in June 2016, we hurriedly provided comments to the committee docket and requested the opportunity to present information to the committee  a reasonable request, given the circumstances. We were the ones who had discovered and exposed the EPA's wrongdoing. We are the ones most familiar with the facts. Based on a review of the committee docket, it was clear that the EPA had provided the committee with selective, misleading, and incomplete information. Two months later, we are still waiting for the NRC to respond to our request.

In the end, this entire sordid episode raises two main issues. First, to whom is the EPA lying? If P.M. is really as dangerous as the EPA claims, which claims it uses for its regulations, then the agency has committed felonious acts against its human guinea pigs. The only way the EPA has not committed these crimes is if P.M. is not as dangerous as the EPA claims, in which case the agency has lied to the public and Congress and has grossly overregulated P.M.

There is no third possibility here. The EPA has seriously lied to someone.

The other issue is one for the NAS as an organization. The prestigious group is being used in a covert effort to whitewash the EPA's dishonest and illegal conduct  a far cry from its chartered mission and probably what its elite scientist members expect or would support. Now that the scheme has been uncovered, it should think twice before it self-immolates doing the EPA's dirty work.

John Dunn, M.D., J.D. is an instructor in emergency medicine at Fort Hood, Texas and adviser to the American Council on Science and Health and the Heartland Institute. Steve Milloy, MHS, J.D., LLM publishes JunkScience.com and is a senior legal fellow at the Energy & Environment Law Institute.
Due to the perennial construction on I-85, we were a good hour later than we had hoped on our long 650-mile annual trek from D.C. down to Georgia. For the last hour or so our grandson who had slept much of the trip kept asking about our ETA. If we hadnt been road-weary, we would have known that he and a friend were texting away coordinating our arrival like a pilot with the control tower -- we had after all been through the same drill the year before with his sister.

We could hear the growing excitement in his voice as James, our 12-year-old grandson, asked us to slow down so he could take a picture of the entrance gate to Indian Springs Holiness Camp Meeting in Flovilla, Georgia. His grandad, not quite keyed into what was coming down, stopped, thinking James would want to get a good angle for his picture, but James exclaimed, No, no dont stop; I got the picture. Keep going! He was sitting on the edge of the backseat, clearly eager to get to our cabin to see the friends he hadnt seen in a year. As we approached the cabin, he spotted his friends running to greet him. He urged my husband to stop in the middle of the road and jumped out even as the car stopped rolling. The drive suddenly didnt seem so long and tiring as we our spirits fed off their excitement as they yelled greetings and ran to hug each other.

After nearly a decade, its become a familiar ritual. Our grandkids count the days and keep social media hot all year long with messages back and forth among their friends. While there, they run from meetings and services in the open-sided, outdoor tabernacles to recreation to the book store and to The Snackateria for their insanely delicious peach milkshakes. They bring friends to the cottage for snacks, to play games and talk until all hours of the night.

Every day we see fulfillment of the hopes and dreams that prompted us to buy the ancient 2-bedroom cabin 9 years ago. That daily whirlwind of activity is the driving force behind our efforts to make the 13-hour trip and live crowded together for 10 days. We keep our sanity by fixing snacks and meals, washing dishes, and keeping the washer and dryer going to cope with all the wet clothes from the water slide, the trips to the lake, and the frequent afternoon rain which gratefully brings the temperature down for a few hours.

It is all a small price to pay to give our grandchildren a sense of community -- a place where they can be free to explore, visit back and forth with neighbors and relatives, feel at home and secure away from the hectic modern lifestyles with their threats to childhood innocence. At Indian Springs they have the joy of being among a community of people who care for them in personal, loving and generous ways; they can bounce in and out of our cabin and several other relatives and friends cabins, as well as all around the grounds with abandon. There they know the security of a community of loved ones  beyond family  who are invested in their well-being; who know and love them as unique and precious human beings with wonderful potential. There they are exposed to a whole community of Christian believers who take their faith seriously and are authentic in their commitment to live out their beliefs. There they have the opportunity to become solidly grounded in the Bible and to be surrounded by other young people who are being nurtured and grounded in those same beliefs and moral values. In short, for at least a brief part of each year, they live among a community of Christian believers who are powerful influences in their lives. There they build memories similar to our own.

A decade ago experts like scholar Fr Harry Bohan at McGill University were voicing their concern about the loss of a sense of community. In a speech he gave on Losing the Sense of Community, Fr Bohan noted, Community is the foundation of human society. Isolated we curl up and die. He pointed out the indications that societal pressures were giving rise to a deeper search for tangible community, belonging, meaning and relationships. He was especially concerned that many people, having focused for so long on the material/external world, lacked opportunities for meaningful spiritual growth. He also worried about the debunking of politicians and heroes, churches and traditions, moral values and past achievements and the delusion that we are somehow better, more honest, more trustworthy, more enlightened, more moral than those who went before us.

Like Fr Bohan, we realized that our souls needed the nourishment of a community with whom we could retreat from the demands of our world and have our spirits fed  from inspiring preaching, Biblical instruction and singing as well as from the fellowship of other believers seeking to live out our faith authentically.

Indian Springs provides that and more! Social psychologists McMillan and Chavis formed a theory years ago about how the importance of community; they called it the Sense of Community  which they described well in one single sentence.

Sense of community is a feeling that members have of belonging, a feeling that members matter to one another and to the group, and a shared faith that members needs will be met through their commitment to be together. (McMillan, 1976)

Indian Springs fits their description. (1) It is community with boundaries, both physical and spiritual, that provide emotional safety and identification. It is a place where believers can retreat to study Scripture together and to deepen their understanding and renew their commitment. (2) It is a place of influence where people care about each other, enjoy fellowship and fun together, and most importantly, worship together in oneness of spirit. (3) It is a place where the needs of peoples spirits are met. It is good to be among people who feel that such an investment in time and effort is worth making. At Indian Springs, people receive an intangible sense of belonging, a support network, thoughtful conversations, and inspiration. (4) In short, there is an emotional connection that is basically spiritual in nature. This, according to McMillans theory, is the definitive element for a true community.

A number of studies advising developers of new towns have examined how new communities can best serve families. They concur that children, especially, need social infrastructure for well-being. Childrens happiness, health, development and life-chances are affected by whether they can play safely outside, whether they have local social connections and can run around locally unaccompanied. Obviously, they have identified a major problem facing parents today; there are few places where children have those joys. Indian Springs is one of those places where young children, pre-teens and teenagers, as well as college students, and young adults can socialize, grow spiritually and have a great time in recreation, fun and worship. Increasingly, we realize that we as adults also need that sense of community and that spiritual nourishment.

Like Stanley Hauerwas, we agree, Saints cannot exist without a community, as they require, like all of us, nurturance by a people who, while often unfaithful, preserve the habits necessary to learn the story of God.

James and the other grandkids may not yet understand all the reasons they find so much joy and fulfilment from the long journey we make each year to Indian Spring Holiness Camp Ground. But someday they will look back at the time we spend there and recognize how those annual 10 days enriched our lives by being part of a community of old and new friends where by playing and worshipping together we renewed and preserved the habits necessary to learn the story of God.
There are a million stories in the big city. With a million ways to tell each one.

So when the University of Chicago told reporters that a new poll shows that 62 percent of young black people are more afraid of violence from white extremists than from ISIS, the worlds largest news organization had a choice:

1) It could produce a story scorning such a transparently false idea. Maybe even remind their readers that white people are 25-50 times more likely to be the victim of black violence than vice versa. Though many already know that from personal experience. Or,

2) It could perpetuate the greatest hoax of our generation: The myth of black victimization -- that black people are relentless victims of relentless white racism all the time, everywhere, that explains everything. Especially why cops are always picking on black people for no reason what so ever.

Dont laugh: its called "Critical Race Theory". Only today, it is an industry, taught to hundreds of thousands of students in hundreds of school districts across the country. Including virtually every university.

The Associated Press chose door number Two. Poll: Young Blacks Fear White Extremist Violence More than Violence from Foreign Extremists, said the headlines in papers around the country, including afro.com:

Sixty-two percent of young African-Americans and 55 percent of Hispanics surveyed said they were very concerned about the threat of violence committed by White extremists, compared to one-third of Whites and 41 percent of Asian-Americans. GenForward is a survey by the Black Youth Project at the University of Chicago with the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll is designed to pay special attention to the voices of young adults of color, highlighting how race and ethnicity shape the opinions of a new generation. Gregg Higgins, 27, was one of the Whites who said he was very worried about violence by extremists in his own race. In fact, he said he was more concerned about the homegrown White extremists than the threat of violence from people outside the United States or people inspired by foreign extremists. A social worker in Pittsburgh, Higgins said the growing political tension during the current election cycle has shown a really ugly part of our past coming through and being more heard. He described it as White males who are angry and who arent now afraid to show that anger. That fear of loss of control and loss of privilege is whats inspiring this vitriol and this hate, Higgins said.

As you can see, critical race theorists are easy to find. AP loves to interview them. And hire them. Heres a story from 2012: AP poll: U.S. majority have prejudice against blacks.

AP never really tells us how they know if someone is racist -- other than: When measured by an implicit racial attitudes test, the number of Americans with anti-black sentiments jumped to 56%, up from 49%.

Ah the test: No one takes a test and says they hate a person because of their race. So the shrinks found another way to uncover our darkest secrets -- which we covered at length in that scintillating best seller, Dont Make the Black Kids Angry.

Some tests are as short as six questions: If you do not like affirmative action, racial quotas, black criminality that is wildly out of proportion, and things like that, then guess what, you just failed.

Despite the APs explanation of rampant white racism that is everywhere and explains everything all the time, it is very difficult to find it. That is why Hillary and Barack have taken to talking about unconscious and subconscious racism.

Which Hillary, of course, wards off with some special hot sauce in her purse and some black friends to help her with her black musical choices.

The National Association of Black Journalists loves that.

But one thing the AP and this poll ignore is the level of black on white criminality that is wildly out of proportion -- and you do not have to take some silly test to find it.

Could it be this relentless violence is indicative of black on white racial hostility? Could it be that white people have way more reason to worry about black crime that black people do to worry about white violence?

Thats a question youll never get answered reading the AP wire. But lets look anyway. Within the last few days:

In Birmingham, Alabama, Tommy Shaw -- a retired businessman who spent his spare time driving his RV around his state for Donald Trump -- was in his home office when a black person came in and beat him to death.

In Augusta, Georgia, a group of black people beat and robbed an 87-year old great grandmother. They left her with broken bones in her hands and face. Then they returned and set her on fire. Shes still alive, if you want to call it that.

In Staten Island, a white newcomer to the area met with an old-time black gangster. The white newcomer is dead, and a black man with a long record of violence is under arrest.

In Amity Township, Pennsylvania, Michael Shields saw a black man trying to beat the owner of a motorcycle during a robbery. Shields came to help and he was murdered. Now police are looking for another black on white killer.

How many of these do you want? Thats how many there are. Easy to find in my books and YouTube channel.

Black on white, black on gay, black on young, black on old, black on man, black on woman, black on Asian, black on Hispanic, black on recent immigrant, and on and on and on.

Black mob violence, black mob car thievery from dealerships.

Thousands of examples. Easy to find. But when it comes to white on black crime, the solons at AP have trouble ginning up anything except the racial fantasies of an amateur Critical Race Theorist and some silly test.

And did I mention the Black Lives Matter leader who was just arrested for choking his pregnant girlfriend in Memphis? Or the black man who beat the white Trump supporter in New Jersey; or the hundreds of black people who rampaged through downtown Pittsburgh; or the many other examples of black violence that surpasses even ISIS for brutality and terror?

Never mind. Not in the AP style book.

Colin Flaherty is the author of Dont Make the Black Kids Angry, an Amazon #1 Best Seller. He also documents racial violence and denial on YouTube at Youtube.com/ColinFlaherty712.
Actually, you should know and youd better care.

Let me explain why through an analogy. Lets say you live in a repressive Middle Eastern country where homosexual beliefs can lead to arrest, and homosexual behavior can result in execution. You have friends or family you know to be homosexual. You are not homosexual yourself. You dont approve of their inclinations or behavior. But you value them as fellow imperfect human beings whose imperfections are merely different than your own. An acquaintance finds out about your views and asks why you would hold such views or have such scandalous associations. He feels obligated, by law or for fear of discovery, to report you to authorities. These authorities will not tolerate dissent. They move against you. They expose you publicly. You lose your job. Neighbors shun you out of loathing, or if they quietly agree with you, out of fear of being associated with a pariah. Your family receives threats. Your livelihood and reputation are destroyed. Maybe you lose your freedom.

This hypothetical situation in a Muslim country is not so fanciful, is it? We know enough these days about countries where similar persecutions occur daily. Who can forget the television images showing men being thrown off tall buildings, their hands tied behind their backs? Their crimes? Being homosexual. Nobody in these countries who feels for these people dares to speak out. No rights exist in law to hold differing opinions.

We dont live in a terrible place like this, do we? In our country, any of us may freely express our views on any matter. We may support or oppose homosexuality. We may have, or choose not to have, homosexual friends. We may associate, or not associate, in any way we wish with homosexuals or anyone else.

Heres where we come back to Judge Neely. She has served 21 years as a municipal judge and part-time magistrate in Pinedale. In late 2014, after a federal ruling that same-sex couples have the right to marry in Wyoming, a reporter asked whether she would marry a same-sex couple in her capacity as magistrate. She said her religious convictions define marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and she could not in good conscience preside over such a marriage.

State law gives a magistrate full discretion to perform or not perform any marriage ceremony. More important, the Wyoming Constitution states that no official may be removed from office for holding any religious opinion. In another section, it declares a right against molestation for anyones religious views or worship. The US Constitution similarly protects individuals against punishment for ones religious beliefs.

Pinedale is a tiny Wyoming town (pop. 2,030) that Judge Neely has served for over 20 years. According to the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which has filed a friend of the court brief on behalf of Judge Neely: Ignoring the pleas of LGBT citizens in the small town of Pinedale, Wyoming, a state agency is demanding that  after over 20 years of sterling service  Judge Ruth Neely be banned for life from the judiciary and pay up to $40,000 in fines merely for stating that her faith prevents her from personally performing same-sex weddings. Even though small-town magistrates like Judge Neely arent required or even paid by the state to perform weddings, the state agency concluded that Judge Neely manifested a bias and is therefore permanently unfit to serve as a judge.

Judge Neelys comment to the reporter set in motion a series of news articles culminating in an ethics complaint against her by the state Commission on Judicial Conduct and Ethics.

This would be the first time in the country that a judge was removed from office because of her religious beliefs about marriage.

In a response to the removal petition, Neelys lawyers stated in a court filing last month that removing her would violate her rights. They quoted a provision of the Wyoming Constitution that prohibits the state from finding a person incompetent to hold public office, because of his opinion on any matter of religious belief whatever.

Despite clear legal and constitutional protections, the Commission found her statement unacceptable and ruled that she cannot hold office.

Several religious organizations and lawmakers, including the Wyoming Pastors Network and State Rep. Cheri Steinmetz, are standing in support of Neely. For the last two years, Rep. Nathan Winters and myself have introduced legislation (The Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 2015 and Government Non-Discrimination Act in 2016) to avert the potential of Wyoming citizens being scrutinized for the expression of their religious beliefs, Steinmetz said in an interview with the Telegram. Unfortunately, the legislation failed.

Judge Neely appealed to the Wyoming Supreme Court, which hears arguments in Cheyenne on August 17.

Lets be clear: in her role as a municipal judge, Neely cannot solemnize weddings because she lacks the legal authority. Her court handles things like traffic fines and public drunkenness.

From start to finish, the case against Neely was a setup: Nobody has asked Judge Neely to perform a same-sex marriage.

What is at stake for you and me in the outcome of the Neely case? Nothing less than the principle that we can freely express and live by our beliefs, no matter what others think.

Suffering injustice and persecution themselves, the founders of this country recognized that each person has rights which adhere to us by virtue of being human, rights which no person or government may deny us. I do not approve of homosexuality, but I would never claim the right to deny a homosexual freedom of belief in his or her own life. I cannot justly force that person or any person to renounce his beliefs or lose his job. Equally, no person with beliefs opposite mine has the right to persecute me for my beliefs.

Who among us would agree that the tyranny we see in Muslim countries is right? Tyranny violates fundamental rights which each human being is born with, rights that tower above anything man made.

Fellow Wyoming citizens who persecute Judge Neely for her beliefs would be persecuted (or worse) for theirs in the Middle East. Living in our safe homes here, not one of us would approve such persecution. If we were unfortunate enough to live in such a hellhole, we would disapprove in silence if we did not have the courage to face prison or death for speaking out.

I respect the right of others to disagree with my religious or moral beliefs. To decide not to associate with me because of my opinions. To stay away from me because of my circle of friends. I have the same rights with regard to them. Our rights are equal, and they are fundamental to our humanity.

Lets not become another Iran. We can live tolerantly with each other. We need not harness the fearsome power of government to bludgeon those who disagree with us on moral and religious matters.

Stop the persecution of Judge Neely. I dont want to be next. Neither do you.
Remember this lame-brain comment by Hillary? Are the Trump people missing this?

I havent seen or heard the Trump camp pick up on this bizarre comment.

Hillary, in this video, said, Dont let anyone tell you that corporations and businesses create jobs.

The comment is so patently absurd that explanation is not necessary. She is disconnected from the real world, understandably so. Spending her life working the systems of government and foundations sheltered her from the inner workings of true capitalism. Entrepreneurship in her world is filling up Bills speaking calendar.

Are we to assume, per Hillarys comment, that only the government via postal services, municipalities, etc. can the fountainhead of job creation?

The top economists at Goldman Sachs who attended Hillarys speeches must have been surprised at her feeble understanding of economics. In the real world, such drivel would yield zero speaking fees. But in her world, it pays handsomely. Perhaps this contributes to her confusion.

With Hillary and Donald both focusing on the economy in the coming days, the Trump people must drill home this short-circuited declaration by Hillary that corporations and businesses do not create jobs. Who does Hillary think makes all those pantsuits?

The disparagement of honest businesses and worship of government is another way in which Hillary would extend the policies of Barack Obama, who infamously told entrepreneurs, You didnt build that.

The message must be, improve a product, improve a service, create an innovation, and you will be financially rewarded. The government must get out of the way. This is diametrically opposite to Hillarys belief, and the crux of the macro-economic view that is America. Press this issue, Donald.
On Monday, fifty so-called "prominent" Republicans announced they are not voting for Trump. Many of them served in the Bush 43 administration, such as Michael Hayden and Tom Ridge, former Pennsylvania governor. Seems they are all upset that Trump said the Iraq War was a mistake and that Bush lied about the existence of weapons of mass destruction as the reason for the war.

Tuesday, economist Thomas Sowell joined the chorus of those too good to vote for Trump, who can live with Hillary as president but cannot live with Trump.

The reasoning of these quisling Republicans is ridiculous and illogical. They all say Hillary will appoint hard-core lefties to the Supreme Court, who will weaken the First Amendment by overruling Citizens United and weaken the Second Amendment by upholding all regulations on the possession and carrying of guns. They all say Hillary is a crook who endangered our national security with her emails. They all say Hillary lied about Benghazi. They all say Hillary helped Bill cover up his rape of Juanita Broaddrick and trashed the women who charged Bill with sexual harassment. They all agree that Hillary and Bill sold pardons, such as the Marc Rich one-million-dollar pardon.

Thus, they acknowledge the past conduct of Hillary. If she has acted like this for the past thirty years, then it follows that she will continue to lie, cheat, and put her interests above the country.

Yet these quislings cannot support Trump...because of what? He insulted John McCain? He insulted Mrs. Khan, whose husband used their son's death to advance his Muslim immigration agenda? The bottom line is that they forgive Hillary for her abominable history, of which there is no dispute, but they are offended by the words of Trump. Thus, to them, words matter more than conduct.

Sowell wrote:

There are few things worse than being deprived of our basic Constitutional rights, on which our freedom ultimately depends. But one of those few things is being deprived of life itself by the reckless decisions of a volatile, ill-informed, immature and self-absorbed President in a nuclear age.

Sowell is accusing Trump of starting a nuclear war. This is beyond belief. It is the same garbage that LBJ, through his lackey, Bill Moyers, used against Barry Goldwater in 1964. And then LBJ promptly sent 600,000 Americans to Vietnam. There is absolutely no credible evidence for this charge. To the contrary, Hillary supported the Obama nuclear deal with Iran, which is a real threat of nuclear war since, Iran has promised to destroy Israel. This is a real and credible threat of nuclear war caused by Hillary and Obama.

So Sowell and the quislings are ready to live with Hillary, who will deny us our Bill of Rights and who has a history of corruption. But they cannot vote for Trump because of Trump's language.
Authorities in Norrtalje, Sweden are asking residents with country homes to give them up for newly arrived refugees.

Isn't it fun to be a socialist?

Breitbart:

The areas director of social services, Ali Rashidi, told Svenska Dagbladet: We thought that there are certainly many houses and rooms that can be rented out for the winter. We like many other municipalities have housing needs. Mr. Rashidi explained that householders would let houses to the migrants themselves, with ordinary rental contracts. He assured the Swedish newspaper that the municipality would step in, if necessary, to make sure rent is paid in full. Most of the people are well-behaved. Besides, refugees get establishment support from the Employment Service, so should have enough to pay the rent, Mr. Rashidi said. Asked about homeowners fears that migrants with social problems could misuse their properties, Mr. Rashidi said officials will act to match up appropriate landlords and tenants. On Friday, migrants protested against the newly built modular housing in which they live. Around 30 of them marched to Norrtaljes social services department almost half of those who have moved in. Mitt i reported one of the protesters as saying: We had a meeting the day before and decided that we do not want to continue living under these conditions. According to the department, those marching felt misled over the accommodation as they had expected to be given their own permanent apartments rather than sharing a kitchen with other migrants. The migrants representatives warned that disappointment over housing issues had led some of the men protesting to experience depression and even suicidal thoughts. Swedens generous asylum and migration policies have led to chronic housing shortages over the decade. The nation of under 10 million people admitted over 160,000 non-EU migrants last year, exacerbating the problem.Swedish public housing organisation SABO reports that almost half a million new homes must be built in the country just to meet demand.

Incredible. The good people of Sweden go to the trouble and expense of constructing housing for these refugees, and they demand an upgrade because they have to use a communal kitchen? How many of these refugees have even seen a modern kitchen, much less indoor plumbing?

Becoming depressed and suicidal over kitchen accomodations calls into question the mental health of the refugees and how easily they might be turned by ISIS or al-Qaeda.

Caving into the demands of ungrateful people is taking the idea of humanitarianism a step too far. The refugees should be told to take what's so generously given them or offer them a one-way ticket back to whatever hellhole they crawled out of.
If you are tired, as I am, of the same turbo-conservatives dominating talk radio and TV and Fox News, then Matthew Sheffield has written an important piece, first at his own website he edits and then reposted at National Review Online: "The Conservative Media Echo Chamber Is Making the Right Intellectually Deaf."

First, Sheffield explains how Trump rose to become the nominee.

Conservative activists who dislike GOP nominee Donald Trump are constantly asking themselves how their party could elect an inexperienced bomb-thrower who constantly messes up. The relatively small influence of right-wing blogs and talk radio is part of the answer. Trump-hating hosts like Mark Levin and Glenn Beck bashed Trump daily on their programs for months. Their criticism had no effect, however, because the only people tuning in were those who already agreed. (It didnt help that their denunciations were completely hypocritical and politically motivated as well.)

The rise of Trump has been explained in various ways, and all of them together seem right to me because multifaceted explanations don't reduce complex things to a simplistic single cause. But one thing is clear: conservatives need to leave the self-created ghetto and mix it up in the much bigger world.

How do Fox News's and talk radio's audience stack up to all the rest of the media? Conservative viewership and listenership is much, much smaller:

Conservatives have significant outposts in talk radio and Fox News but their audience size is still dwarfed by the sum total of the center-left media behemoth. The Rights bad situation is made worse by the fact that cable news as a medium is actually in decline as many of its older audience members are dying off and not being replaced because many younger people are refusing to purchase cable- and satellite-television subscriptions. Among those who do pay for TV, younger adults arent watching cable news.

Conservatives have been mostly talking among themselves:

Indeed, it could be argued that the Rights success at creating overtly conservative media infrastructure has actually made it harder for conservatives to grasp their inability to reach the casual news consumer. Because the Right now has a comparatively larger media audience than before, it is difficult for many to realize that they have been primarily talking amongst themselves as this analysis clearly shows.

I teach at college, the Lion's Den, and I was shocked when an advanced class didn't know what "P.C." stood for. I had to explain it, with the help of one student. A certain brand of conservatism that dominates right-leaning media is unfit for the classroom. Students sneer and mock. I have to refer to stories that slip through the cracks in the mainstream media or go right to the government source if the subject is the national operating debt, for example.

But conservative media won't change. They still have just a large enough audience to attract sponsors, and the more outrageous and unthinking the hosts are, like calling people they disagree with "pukes," or attacking the ill defined, amorphous "Establishment" as the cause of all the problems (and not themselves and other things), the more the hosts can attract a slice of like-minded conservatives and then attract the sponsors.

The self-serving cycle cannot be broken unless forward-thinking executive producers take the risk to break it and bring in fresh personalities who know what they're talking about, but who can also communicate conservatism in an attractive way.

James Arlandson's website is Live as Free People, where he has posted How conservatives can finally read America accurately (for a change), The GOP 'Establishment' will have to save Trump and country, In Defense of the GOP 'Establishment,' and Thirty reasons not to vote for Hillary.
Second World War posters warned repeatedly against discussion of ship movements, war production, and indeed anything else Nazi spies might report to waiting submarines. The government had to rely on defense workers, dock workers, and people with similar knowledge of war-related activities to keep it to themselves, because there was no way to put controls on the information in question.

But Hillary Clinton could not manage even this basic principle when dealing with highly sensitive information, including discussions about Shahram Amiri, an Iranian nuclear scientist who was apparently spying for the United States. Iran recently returned Mr. Amiri's body, with rope burns on its neck, to his family after executing him for treason. Wikileaks discovered conversations about Amiri on Hillary Clinton's private and unsecured email server  the one the FBI said might have been accessed by hostile foreign agents. This one from Jake Sullivan to Hillary Clinton does not admittedly mention Amiri by name:

Per the subject we discussed, we have a diplomatic, "psychological" issue, not a legal issue. Our friend has to be given a way out. We should recognize his concerns and frame it in terms of a misunderstanding with no malevolent intent and that we will make sure there is no recurrence. Our person won't be able to do anything anyway. If he has to leave so be it.

"Our friend has to be given a way out" is very suggestive that the individual under discussion is a spy for the United States, and that the United States needs to provide some kind of cover for him to return home without being suspected. Enough "bits of careless talk" of this nature might have put an Iranian rope around Shahram Amiri's neck for possibly helping the United States to counteract Iran's nuclear weapon program.

Mr. Sullivan sent yet another email to Hillary Clinton on her unsecured server that might have given the Iranians another piece for their puzzle.

The gentleman you have talked to Bill Burns about has apparently gone to his country's interests section because he is unhappy with how much time it has taken to facilitate his departure. This could lead to problematic news stories in the next 24 hours. Will keep you posted.

While it again does not mention Mr. Amiri by name, the Iranians did not need to be rocket scientists to connect this statement with the man who had in fact gone to the Pakistani Embassy's Iranian interests section. Let's remember exactly what FBI director James Comey said about the manner in which Ms. Clinton handled sensitive information. Emphasis is mine.

Although we did not find clear evidence that Secretary Clinton or her colleagues intended to violate laws governing the handling of classified information, there is evidence that they were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information.  None of these e-mails should have been on any kind of unclassified system, but their presence is especially concerning because all of these e-mails were housed on unclassified personal servers not even supported by full-time security staff, like those found at Departments and Agencies of the U.S. Governmentor even with a commercial service like Gmail.  With respect to potential computer intrusion by hostile actors, we did not find direct evidence that Secretary Clintons personal e-mail domain, in its various configurations since 2009, was successfully hacked. But, given the nature of the system and of the actors potentially involved, we assess that we would be unlikely to see such direct evidence. We do assess that hostile actors gained access to the private commercial e-mail accounts of people with whom Secretary Clinton was in regular contact from her personal account.

The following modification of another popular World War II poster says pretty much all that needs to be said. The difference it makes, by the way, is not only that Hillary Clinton's reckless mishandling of sensitive information might have gotten a friendly agent killed, but it will also make it difficult if not impossible to recruit other foreign nationals to spy for the United States. Who will risk his life for us when Hillary Clinton, if she is elected or appointed to any position that has access to intelligence information, might blow his cover with a careless word?

William A. Levinson is the author of several books on business management including content on organizational psychology, as well as manufacturing productivity and quality.
The anti-Trump media (another name for the mainstream media) have resumed their frenzied claims that Donald Trump is out to unleash indescribable horror in the American people. The current version of doom is that he is calling for NRA assassins to kill either Hillary Clinton or her Supreme Court nominees, or both. What he actually said was this:

By the way if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know.

Within thirty minutes, according to Rudy Giuliani, interviewed on Fox News this morning, the Clinton spin machine had shaped the media narrative. Trump was not calling for electoral activism (at a rally of electoral activists!). No, he was calling on Second Amendment People to use their evil guns to kill someone or other.

Thomas Friedman of the New York Times handily summed up the conventional wisdom, his forte.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin got assassinated. His right-wing opponents just kept delegitimizing him as a traitor and a Nazi for wanting to make peace with the Palestinians and give back part of the Land of Israel. Of course, all is fair in politics, right? And they had God on their side, right? They werent actually telling anyone to assassinate Rabin. That would be horrible. But there are always people down the line who dont hear the caveats. They just hear the big message: The man is illegitimate, the man is a threat to the nation, the man is the equivalent of a Nazi war criminal. Well, you know what we do with people like that, dont you? We kill them. And thats what the Jewish extremist Yigal Amir did to Rabin. Why not? He thought he had permission from a whole segment of Israels political class. In September, I wrote a column warning that Donald Trumps language toward immigrants could end up inciting just this kind of violence. I never in my wildest dreams, though, thought hed actually  in his usual coy, twisted way  suggest that Hillary Clinton was so intent on taking away the Second Amendment right to bear arms that maybe Second Amendment enthusiasts could do something to stop her. Exactly what? Oh, Trump left that hanging.

Because everyone knows that Trumps followers are barely civilized, some of them in more distant regions man-ape hybrids. And everyone knows that Second Amendment people are not united behind part of the Bill of Rights; they are using that as disguise of their true nature as bloodthirsty assassins.

The media are once again making themselves appear ridiculous, twisting Trumps words and exposing their own disdain for Trumps followers. They are following a general script. Samantha Strayer of The Federalist identifies the pattern:

The media frenzy surrounding this election, the 24/7 news-cycle, and Trumps gumption ensure were constantly talking about him, analyzing his every move. (snip) many criticisms of Trump have been rather hysterical, sophomoric, and downright lewd. As if set on auto-repeat, headlines, tweets, and the like squeal XENOPHOBE! FASCIST! RACIST! DEMAGOGUE! PUDGY FINGERS! Eerily in sync, media outlets and Trump haters described his convention speech  and his soul!  as DARK!

Trump obviously knows this, and yet he keeps feeding anti-Trumpers ambiguous opportunities to vent their mania. There are two possible means of explaining this. Either, as a friend who shall remain anonymous emailed me:

Trump went one whole day without saying something really stupid. Two days was too much to ask. Or Trump is exercising some political jujitsu, able to anticipate the oppositions reaction and planning to use their momentum against them.

If Trump had so little self-awareness and self-control as the first alternative hypothesizes, could he have built the empire he has created? I would note that in The Art of the Deal, he brags about psyching out his rivals in negotiations.

Consider four propositions:

A huge share of the public, over two thirds, are dissatisfied with the way the country is working. These dissatisfied people are angry at what they perceive as a bipartisan rigged system in league with special interests. A huge share of the public distrusts and is angry at the media. The media will never treat him fairly.

Given these conditions, it would make sense for Trump to capitalize on the medias inability to be fair, and get them to anger his base to turn out. And also to discredit themselves in the eyes of persuadables in the general public. People who despise him are going to write bad things about him anyway, so why not push them over the edge into revealing more than they intend about their own prejudices?
Ever since man learned to grow their own food and rear cattle, they have been living in permanent to semi-permanent settlements with certain degree of planning. Although opinions vary on whether any particular ancient settlement can be considered to be a city, there is no doubt that towns and cities have a long history.

The earliest civilizations in history were established in the region known as Mesopotamia, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran. Archaeological remains unearthed in Mesopotamia provides proof of settlements dating back to 10,000 BC. After Mesopotamia, the city culture arose in Syria and Anatolia, as shown by the city of Catalhoyuk (7500-5700BC). Mohenjodaro of the Indus Valley Civilization in present-day Pakistan existed from about 2600 BC and was one of the largest ancient cites with a population of 50,000 or more.

While it might not be too difficult to determine which is the oldest city in the world, there is fierce contention for the title of the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Often the age claims are disputed and historical evidences are difficult to prove. Then there are differences in opinion as to the definitions of "city" as well as "continuously inhabited". In any case, the following cities besides being some of the ancient in the world, they continue to grow and thrive until the present day.

Jericho, Israel

Continuously Inhabited Since: 9000 BC

Jericho is a city located near the Jordan River in the West Bank of the Palestinian territories, capital of the Jericho Governorate and with a modest population of around 20,000. Situated well below sea level Jericho is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world.

Described in the Old Testament as the "City of Palm Trees", copious springs in and around Jericho have made it an attractive site for human habitation for thousands of years. Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of more than 20 successive settlements in Jericho, the first of which dates back 11,000 years (9000 BCE), almost to the very beginning of the Holocene epoch of the Earth's history.

During the Younger Dryas period of cold and drought, permanent habitation of any one location was not possible. However, the spring at what would become Jericho was a popular camping ground for hunter-gatherer groups, who left a scattering stone tools behind them. Around 9600 BCE the droughts and cold of the Younger Dryas Stadial had come to an end, making it possible for groups to extend the duration of their stay, eventually leading to year round habitation and permanent settlement. By about 9400 BCE Jericho had more than 70 dwellings, and was home to over 1000 people.

Damascus, Syria

Continuously Inhabited Since: 6300 BC

Damascus is the capital and the second largest city of Syria. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major cultural and religious center of the Levant.

Damascus is often claimed to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, and evidence exists of a settlement in the wider Barada basin dating back to 9000 BC. However within the area of Damascus there is no evidence for large-scale settlement until the second millennium BC. Carbon-14 dating at Tell Ramad, on the outskirts of Damascus, suggests that the site may have been occupied since the second half of the seventh millennium BC, possibly around 6300 BC.

Byblos, Lebanon

Continuously Inhabited Since: 5000 BC

Byblos is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon. It is believed to have been founded around 5000 BC, and according to fragments attributed to the semi-legendary pre-Trojan war Phoenician historian Sanchuniathon, it was built by Cronus as the first city in Phoenicia.

Byblos is located on the Mediterranean coast of present-day Lebanon, about 26 miles (42 kilometers) north of Beirut. It is attractive to archaeologists because of the successive layers of debris resulting from centuries of human habitation. The first settlement appeared approximately 6230 BC. During the 3rd millennium BC, the first signs of a town can be observed, with the remains of well-built houses of uniform size.

Aleppo, Syria

Continuously Inhabited Since: 5000 BC

Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. Aleppo has scarcely been touched by archaeologists, since the modern city occupies its ancient site. Therefore, its hard to put a precise date on how old the city is it. Excavations at Tell as-Sawda and Tell al-Ansari, just south of the old city of Aleppo, show that the area was occupied from around 5000 BC.

The citys continuous inhabitation is due to its strategic trading position that attracted settlers of all races and beliefs who wished to take advantage of the commercial roads that met in Aleppo from as far as China and Mesopotamia to the east, Europe to the west, and the Fertile Crescent and Egypt to the south. Today, with an official population of 2,132,100 (2004 census), it is one of the largest cities in the Levant.

Athens, Greece

Continuously Inhabited Since: 5000 BC

Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state - a centre for the arts, learning and philosophy, home of Plato's Academy and Aristotle's Lyceum. It is widely referred to as the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, largely due to the impact of its cultural and political achievements during the 5th and 4th centuries BC on the rest of the then known European continent.

The oldest known human presence in Athens is the Cave of Schist, which has been dated to between the 11th and 7th millennium BC. Athens has been continuously inhabited for at least 7000 years. During the early Middle Ages, the city experienced a decline, then recovered under the later Byzantine Empire and was relatively prosperous during the period of the Crusades (12th and 13th centuries), benefiting from Italian trade. Following a period of sharp decline under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, Athens re-emerged in the 19th century as the capital of the independent Greek state.

Argos, Greece

Continuously Inhabited Since: 5000 BC

Argos is a city and a former municipality in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece. Argos has been continuously inhabited for the past 7,000 years, making it one of the oldest cities in Greece and Europe. At a strategic location on the fertile plain of Argolis, Argos was a major stronghold during the Mycenaean era. In classical times Argos was a powerful rival of Sparta for dominance over the Peloponnese, but was eventually shunned by other Greek city-states after remaining neutral during the Greco-Persian Wars. Numerous ancient monuments can be found in the city today, the most famous of which is the renowned Heraion of Argos, though agriculture (particularly citrus production) is the mainstay of the local economy.

Faiyum, Egypt

Continuously Inhabited Since: 4000 BC

Faiyum is a city in Middle Egypt, located 130 km southwest of Cairo. Founded in around 4000 B.C., it is the oldest city in Egypt and one of the oldest cities in Africa.

The town occupies part of the ancient site of Crocodilopolis, the most significant center for the cult of Sobek, the crocodile-god. The city worshipped a sacred crocodile, named Petsuchos, that was embellished with gold and gems. The crocodile lived in a special temple, with sand, a pond and food. When the Petsuchos died, it was replaced by another.

After the city passed into the hands of the Ptolemies, the city was renamed Ptolemais Euergetis. The city was renamed Arsinoe by Ptolemy Philadelphus to honor Arsinoe II of Egypt, his sister and wife, during the 3rd century BCE.

Sidon, Lebanon

Continuously Inhabited Since: 4000 BC

Sidon is the third-largest city in Lebanon, located about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. There is evidence that Sidon was inhabited from as long ago as 4000 BC, and perhaps, as early as Neolithic times (6000 - 4000 BC).

Sidon is now third-largest city in Lebanon with a busy port called Saydah. For the reason that it is still occupied, archaeological research of the city is very difficult, so its history is pieced together from what records remain, plus what digs can be carried out during any rebuilding or construction projects.

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Continuously Inhabited Since: 3000 BC ~ 4000 BC

Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria. Plovdiv's history spans 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC, ranking it among the world's oldest cities. Archaeologists have discovered fine pottery and other objects of everyday life from as early as the Neolithic Age, showing that in the end of the 4th millennium BC. there already was an established settlement there.

Plovdiv was originally a Tracian settlement before becoming a major Roman city. It later fell into Byzantine and Ottoman hands, before becoming part of Bulgaria. The city is a major cultural centre and boasts many ancient remains, including a Roman amphitheatre and aqueduct, and Ottoman baths.

Gaziantep, Turkey

Continuously Inhabited Since: 3650 BC

Gaziantep is a city in southeast Turkey located 185 kilometers northeast of Adana and 127 kilometers by road north of Aleppo, Syria. It is the sixth most populous city in Turkey.

Dating back to the 4th millennium BCE, Gaziantep has traces of Hittite settlement that continued till about 1183 when it was conquered by Turkish tribes. Till then it was predominantly a Syrian town named `Hamtap`. The Ottoman Empire invaded the place in the early 16th century and named it `Ayintab` meaning `good spring`. The rule continued for three centuries uninterrupted until 1919 when it was occupied by the British, which was followed by a French control in 1920. In 1922 however the Turks won back their land from the French troops and the prefix `Gazi` was added meaning `warrior of Islam` and hence the name Gaziantep.

Delhi, India

Continuously Inhabited Since: 3500 BC

Delhi is the largest city and the second most populous metropolis in India, and 8th most populous metropolis in the world. The Indian capital city of Delhi has a long history, including a history as the capital of several empires.

Delhi is known to have been continuously inhabited since at least the 6th century BC, though human habitation is believed to have existed since several millennia BC. Delhi is generally considered close to a 5000-year old city as per the ancient Indian text The Mahabharata. Delhi is widely believed to have been the site of Indraprastha, the legendary capital of the Pandavas during the times of the Mahabharata, founded around 3500 BC.

But archeological evidence to support the claim is scarce and inconclusive. The excavated ceramic pottery and the excavated layers of the ancient city seem to match what the verses of the Mahabharata indicate. More possible evidence in its favour is the existence of a village named Indraprastha very close to the Purana Qila that was destroyed by the British during the construction of Lutyens' Delhi.

Delhi was built, destroyed and rebuilt several times, particularly during the Medieval era, as outsiders who successfully invaded the Indian Subcontinent would ransack the existing capital city in Delhi, and those who came to conquer and stay would be so impressed by the city's strategic location as to make it their capital and rebuild it in their own way.

Whatever records exist of Delhi, they crown the city as the Capital city of some empire or the other all through, with minor random breaks in between, making Delhi one of the longest serving Capitals and one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world.

Article based on this Wikipedia list
Asus ZenWatch lineup is well-loved as a fairly low-cost alternative to other smartwatches, with classical styling. The specs are fairly middle-of-the-road, and the price, while reasonable, isnt ultra-budget. In many ways, theyre similar to most other options out there, just a bit cheaper and more conservatively styled. The ZenWatch lineup, however, does sport a key standout feature that differentiates it from most smartwatches and more traditional timepieces, and that is a square screen. Allowing the watches to use the full square interface of apps, and avoid the dreaded flat tire found on watches like the Moto 360, while still having room for a sizeable enough bezel to hide the various bits and bobs away while keeping the watch fairly thin. That famous square screen, however, seems to be vanishing with the ZenWatch 3.

According to a couple of images found with the official FCC filing for the ZenWatch 3, the watch will be round. While a square screen on a round body is certainly possible, its highly unlikely; the most probable scenario here is that the ZenWatch 3 will be a round watch and feature a circular display. This break from tradition will leave Sonys lineup, if it will continue after the Sony SmartWatch 3, as the only mainstream square smartwatch left on the scene. The label and label location pictures from the FCC filing, showing where the mandatory FCC labeling will go on the device, give away the form factor. This should still be taken with a grain of salt, however; the watch could simply have a round backplate on a square body, making it just like the ZenWatch and ZenWatch 2 before it.

Aside from this filing, not much is known about the ZenWatch 3. Its assumed that the styling will be similar to the ZenWatch 2 and the specs will see some sort of bump, and that the price will hover around the $150 to $250 mark, but leaks and rumors have thus far been incredibly sparse. With the official FCC filings for the watch on the books, US customers may be seeing the ZenWatch 3 make a surprise appearance on their local store shelves in the near future, or the filing could be purely preemptive in nature, meaning the watch may show up at a trade show or hide in the shadows for several more months. With IFA in Berlin coming up in September, theres a decent chance that the ZenWatch 3 may show up, but nothing is set in stone right now.
AT&Ts Chief Financial Officer, John Stephens, explained yesterday at the Oppenheimer Annual Technology, Internet & Communications Conference that the carrier has 40 MHz of unused spectrum, which he believes gives the business a unique position. AT&T owns 140 MHz of the airwaves but is currently only using 100 MHz. Stephens observations are that the carrier has yet to deploy, in any meaningful way, its AWS-3 (Advanced Wireless Services, which consists of LTE service at the 1,700 and 2,100 MHz frequencies, representing LTE Band 4) and WCS (Wireless Communications Service, LTE spectrum at the 2,300 MHz point).

Stephens went on to discuss AT&Ts 2G spectrum, where the carrier has plans to shut down its 2G network by the end of the year and repurpose this spectrum for newer generation network technologies. This spectrum will initially be redeployed for AT&Ts 3G network. AT&T has plans to upgrade this 3G spectrum to 4G LTE and subsequently to 5G. Stephens explains that AT&T is building out the new AWS-3 and WCS spectrum is a cheaper way to build out network capacity compared with the traditional way of densifying a cellular network by building a combination of new macro and small cell sites. On the subject of network capacity, Stephens explained that AT&T is very comfortable. Americas second largest carrier has a five year spectrum plan that is very, very effective and efficient and it gives us a unique advantage.

Carriers upgrading spectrum to newer networking technologies is nothing new but in the case of AT&T, that the company is currently operating with 100 MHz out of 140 MHz is interesting. AT&T competitors, Sprint, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile, are all working hard to reinvest and upgrade their own networks. Each carrier appears to be following a slightly different network plan  Sprint, relegated to be Americas smallest national carrier, is working to deploy its high frequency 2,500 MHz spectrum via a new, smarter way of building out a network. Verizon is utilizing small cells and traditional network densification technologies to improve coverage while T-Mobile is increasing coverage using its newly acquired 700 MHz spectrum. All of these carriers  with Sprint as the odd one out  are also bidding in the FCCs 600 MHz spectrum auction, which is not expected to conclude until next year.
Global Market Insights have released a report discussing the current and near future outlook for the Chromebook platform, which is expects to exceed 17 million units by 2023. This growth is from just 5.3 million in 2014 and in 2016, weve already seen the Chromebook outsell the Apple MacBook (2 million versus 1.7 million). Chromebooks are becoming more powerful and more functional thanks to upgraded internal hardware and improvements at the Google Chrome OS side of things  the platform is receiving the ability to access Android applications via the Google Play Store, which is likely to dramatically increase the functionality of the platform going forward.

The education sector has been one of the driving forces behind the rise of the Chromebook: school IT departments have selected the Google Chromebook as the computer of choice on account of the low cost of the hardware, the number of hardware partners building models (weve seen Chromebooks from Acer, Dell, Google, HP, Lenovo, Samsung and Toshiba) and the availability of device management software. Looking back at 2014, Global Market Insights estimates that 84% of global Chromebooks sales were into the North American market and of these, 60% were to education institutions. Of the balance, business only received 1.1% and consumers bought the remaining 38.6%.

However, in 2016, Google is a different business with different objectives. One of the companys main points of focus is the enterprise and cloud computing market, where the company is locked in competition with Microsoft and Amazon to provide cloud computing services. As part of this, weve seen Google increase efforts into providing corporate services and of course, the Chromebook neatly drops into this ecosystem. Chromebooks tap into Googles existing cloud computing infrastructure and require very little in the way of set up or maintenance. And of course, most Chromebook models are relatively inexpensive: the cost in hardware alone could save a small business thousands of dollars.

Advertisement

Google still has some work to do around raising awareness of how the Chromebook and Chrome OS platforms works: Microsoft has made much of the fact that the Chromebook is tied to the cloud, but in 2016 the Chromebook platform does not need to be connected in order to be productive. Things will improve here as more Android applications become available for the platform, but Google still needs to raise awareness of the functionality and limitations of the platform. However, the fundamentals are in place: todays students may buy their own Chromebook or even Chromebox computers for the home in order to continue where they left off at the end of their studies. Manufacturers have and continue to develop new devices with touchscreens and convertible chassis designs: the Chromebook has likely stolen sales from tablets as the platform is more productive. Adding Android app compatibility is likely to be a shot in the arm for the platform and with the auxiliary support of Googles other business divisions, GMIs forecast of an annual 17 million units sold by 2023 could be conservative.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is finally here. Well, it is here in the sense that it has been announced and that it is now available to pre-order in various regions of the world. With the expected available to buy date looming and a number of deals already surfacing for those who take advantage of the pre-order phrase, it is already looking as though the Galaxy Note 7 is going to be another hit in the Samsung stable. In fact, if recent reports are anything to go by, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is already looking to be a greater pre-order hit than the Galaxy S7 (and S7 Edge). With some reports detailing the difference in pre-orders is to the tune of nearly twice the number of Galaxy S7 pre-orders so far.

While this will be good news for Samsung, it will also be something that the company was likely banking on and therefore, they are likely to be prepared adequately for the number of pre-orders which will need to be fulfilled. Although, whether they are completely prepared is another thing altogether. Reports are now coming through suggesting that some regions are likely to see a delay in Galaxy Note 7 pre-orders being fulfilled, simply due to the number of pre-orders coming through on a worldwide scale. The latest of which is Malaysia.

According to reports, emails are now being sent out from the Malaysian arm of Samsung to various media outlets and confirming that Malaysias launch of the Galaxy Note 7 is being pushed back to September, a month later than when the device had been expected to be available in the country. The reason being given by Samsung Malaysia is clear with the email citing Samsung is experiencing a global constraint in meeting the demands of market launches. In short, it is in too much demand worldwide to be able to fulfill all pre-orders during the originally expected time-frame. Samsung does confirm those who have already pre-ordered in Malaysia are likely to receive their orders in due course and on time, but it seems a delay will be in place for those who place a pre-order going forward, as well as for the general availability of the Galaxy Note 7 in Malaysia. Below is a copy of the reported email being sent out.
When it comes to smartphones, there has for a long time been the eternal fight between Apple and Samsung, which of course can really be boiled down to iOS vs Android. Apple might be the only player in the iOS game, but Samsung is but a big fish in a big pond, as Android has always been more diverse than iOS. This flexibility and diversity has led Android to become the most-used mobile operating system by far across the globe, even taking some places such as India pretty much entirely. According to new figures from Kantar Worldpanel however, iOS is making something of a fight back though.

During the second quarter of 2016, Android took 65.5% of smartphone sales worldwide, which is a small fall from the 66.1% figure during Q2 of 2015, which might be due to the 1.3% growth year-over-year that iOS saw in the US alone. This gave Apples iOS devices 31.8% during Q2 of this year in the United States, and 18.2% of sales in Europe. In key European markets such as France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, iOS saw growth in all of them, with the UK seeing their largest share of 37.2%, a growth of 3.1%. This growth is likely down to the fact that many will be upgrading to the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6 after being on a 24-month contract with a much smaller iPhone. As always however, things came down to Apple and Samsung, with Samsungs Galaxy S7 duo accounting for 14.1% of sales, with the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus accounting for 15.1% of sales.

Europe and the United States might have been strong growth markets for iOS, but things have been very different in China. After yet more decline, Apple is now placed behind Huawei and Xiaomi, in third place with just 17.9% of the Chinese market. In markets such as China and India. Apple is likely to become a permenant fixture, given their high price of devices and big pushes from the likes of Xiaomi and co. Regardless, it looks like the fight between Apple and Samsung is to go on for some time to come, while the rest of the Android world helps to keep iOS at bay.
Motorola was once one of the largest cellphone manufacturers in the world. The company did not adapt to the smartphone world all that well however, and it was first purchased by Google, and then Google opted to sell the company to Lenovo. Since Lenovo took over, weve seen a number of Moto devices hit the market, and the Chinese company is slowly, but surely, pushing out the Motorola brand. That being said, weve seen a couple of Moto-branded devices introduced this year, including the Moto G Play, Moto G Plus, Moto Z and Moto Z Force handsets. As you can see, the third-gen Moto E is not present on this list, thats because Motorola did not introduce this smartphone just yet, but that might change soon, read on.

The budget Moto E (2nd-gen) handset got announced back in February last year, and considering were in August 2016 now, its successor is long overdue. Well, the third-gen Moto E handset surfaced on Zauba in India quite recently, and that listing, more or less, suggests that the device will launch soon. The listing dates back to August 8th, and shows the 16GB storage variant of the Moto E. We still dont know when exactly will this handset land, but it seems like its release is closer than we might think. Anyhow, the Moto E (3rd-gen) had already surfaced on GFXBench (back in April), and thanks to that listing, we know what to expect in terms of specifications. The Moto E (3rd-gen), will, according to GFXBench, ship with a 5-inch 720p (1280 x 720) display, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of native storage. The device will be fueled by MediaTeks MT6735P 64-bit quad-core SoC running at 1GHz, and the Mali-T720 GPU will also be a part of this package. On the back of the Moto E (3rd-gen) youll be able to find an 8-megapixel shooter, while a 5-megapixel camera will be available up front. Android 6.0 Marshmallow will come pre-installed on this smartphone, and on top of it, youll get an almost stock version of Android, though several Moto apps will be included.

On top of all this, it is also worth mentioning that the Moto E (3rd-gen) had gained Bluetooth certification back in June, which also confirms that it should launch soon. In any case, stay tuned, well make sure to keep you in the loop.
Its barely been a month since Pokemon GO started rolling out to select markets and the augmented reality (AR) app is already talked about in the context of the biggest gaming phenomena of the decade. However, certain privacy concerns regarding the popular mobile game have already been raised and some older relevant stories have once again started resurfacing. Namely, some concerned parties are reminding the public that John Hanke, the CEO of Pokemon GO developer Niantic Labs has already been at the heart of some sizeable privacy scandals.

Namely, after Hankes CIA-funded geographic imagery company Keyhole got acquired by Google in 2004, the American entrepreneur went on to head the tech giants Geo division for years and soon became the main man behind every map-related endeavor Google was conducting in the second half of the last decade. By far the most popular such project was Google Street View which has successfully digitized much of the worlds views with Googles special cars full of cameras. While Googles digitization efforts yielded numerous positive results  one of which is Pokemon GO which heavily relies on that data  they were also at the center of the biggest privacy scandal of 2010. Namely, it turned out that the Street View cars were collecting all traffic from unencrypted wireless networks all around the globe. The so-called Wi-Spy scandal was found illegal in numerous countries around the world but mostly resulted in insignificant fines such as the $25,000 the FCC issued in 2010. However, to this day, theres still an ongoing federal class-action case against Google initiated due to this spying and it currently isnt looking good for the Mountain View-based tech giant.

After the truth surfaced in the media, Hanke denied any knowledge of the Wi-Fi spying Street View cars were conducting and shifted the blame to Googles mobile division despite the fact that it was the vehicles of his division which conducted the spying. Furthermore, while the US government didnt give much thought to Googles mobile division, it did conduct a large investigation into Hankes very own division regarding this issue. Google soon tried to shift the blame to a single engineer who was allegedly conducting an experimental Wi-Fi project. It wasnt until 2012 that the company finally admitted that the said engineer wasnt acting on his own and has discussed his spying code with at least several of his superiors.

Advertisement

This was and still is a huge issue because of the fact that Googles cars were swallowing all of the unencrypted Wi-Fi traffic in their vicinity, and not just general information such as names of wireless routers. In the end, its estimated hundreds of thousands of Wi-Fi users all around the world had their data stolen. While none of this directly incriminates Hanke, critics have recently been extremely vocal about the fact that he has at the very least allowed for a large-scale spying operation to happen right under his nose, voicing their concerns about a similar thing happening to Pokemon GO.
Back in August of 2011, Google announced that they were buying Motorola. The smartphone manufacturer that had been having quite a bit of financial difficulty in recent years, Google wanted to save it. However, something that many industry analysts were worried about, was how this purchase would affect Googles partners which use Android on their mobile devices. There were many rumors that Samsung wasnt happy with Google owning one of their competitors, even though the search giant continuously noted that Motorola is its own separate entity and not ran by Google. Less than three years later, Google sold Motorola Mobility to Lenovo.

Now Google bought Motorola for $12.5 billion in 2011, and sold it for $2.91 billion in 2014. Thats a pretty big difference for the same company. Its worth noting here that the deal with Lenovo did not include any of the patents that Motorola owned  which Google cited as a big reason for them picking up Motorola. Google also separated Motorola Mobility from Motorola Solutions. Where Motorola Solutions created radios and such, while Motorola Mobility did all sorts of mobile products like smartphones, smartwatches, etc. So the Motorola that Lenovo bought was indeed much smaller, hence the smaller price tag.

Advertisement

When Lenovo announced they were buying Motorola, the reaction was sort of a mixed bag. Some were happy that Motorola would be able to flourish under Lenovo, something they couldnt do under Google, due to competition. But then that made Motorola  an American company  into a Chinese one. Additionally, many hardcore Android fans were worried about what might happen to Motorola. Would they just be absorbed by Lenovo? Or would they be able to be their own brand or company under the Lenovo umbrella? There were many questions that needed answering, and many of these questions werent answered until 2016. About two years after the acquisition was complete.

One of the big questions was whether Motorola would continue to exist. Earlier this year at Mobile World Congress, news broke that Lenovo was getting rid of Motorola and will keep Moto as their brand. So instead of having the Motorola Moto Z its the Lenovo Moto Z, which makes a bit more sense, and it also means that the name doesnt sound redundant. But that did mark the end of an era. After all, Motorola was one of the first phone makers, having been founded in September of 1928 (although that was Motorola, Inc. which was essentially killed off in 2011 when it became two companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions). But it was the beginning of Lenovo phasing the Moto team into their company. After releasing some pretty decent smartphones in 2015, which continued  somewhat  the direction that Google had been taking the company in. Moto released some pretty different smartphones in 2016.

Advertisement

Under Google, Motorola had simplified their smartphone lineups. Going from having an exclusive line at each of the major US carriers (Atrix for AT&T, Photon for Sprint, Droid for Verizon, T-Mobile rarely carried any Motorola smartphones), to having just the Moto X, Moto G, Moto E and whatever Droid smartphones Verizon wanted. Now, under Lenovo, it appears that they are going in the opposite direction. In 2013, the company launched two smartphones that were not exclusives, a.k.a. Droid-branded. The following year, that went up to three, and in 2015 the company launched five smartphones. Three of which were in the Moto X lineup. Essentially taking the Moto X from just one device to having the Moto X Play, Moto X Style (branded as the Moto X Pure Edition in the US) and the Moto X Force (the international variant of the Droid Turbo 2 for Verizon). Now in 2016, that number has grown even further. With three Moto G smartphones, a Moto E smartphone, and so far, two Moto Z smartphones (although the Moto Z Force is only for Verizon). Blurring the lines for each of these smartphones, making it difficult to determine what markets and segments each one is destined for. On the one hand, having more options is always a good thing, but many of these smartphones compete with themselves.

Thats not all that Lenovo has changed about Moto either. After the Moto Z and Moto Z Force launched (still exclusive to Verizon, until around September), the Moto team announced that they would not be doing monthly security updates. This caused many to freak out, perhaps prematurely. Instead, what Moto and Lenovo is doing with these security updates, is instead of pushing out a new OTA every month, they are bundling them together and pushing multiple patches out at once. This is actually probably a better idea than pushing out a new OTA every single month for every single device. Google has proved to be the only one that can actually do this, and thats largely due to the fact that they arent messing around with the carriers. Meanwhile, Moto, Samsung, LG, HTC and others are. Samsung has shown that they can get these updates out every month, but not a single phone has gotten the update every month. Right now its a bit too early to tell how quickly and how often these updates will come out for Motos smartphones. But keep in mind that they did just push the May 2016 security patch to the Moto X Pure Edition in late July. A phone that isnt sold at any carriers. So the future doesnt look too bright, unfortunately, for updates.

Advertisement

Things get a bit confusing with Moto and Lenovo when you go to Lenovos homeland of China. They are selling Motos smartphones in China, but they arent the same smartphones. Instead of running a stock version of Android, they are running Lenovos One UI, which is another new UI for Lenovo. Since they used to use the Vibe UI on their smartphones and tablets. Now, the difference in software is somewhat understandable. After all, Google services are banned in China, and many of the features that Moto has enabled on their smartphones use Google services like Google Now. And that would be basically useless in China, unfortunately. But they could stick to stock Android and include things like Moto Display on their smartphones. It just makes things a bit more confusing, and sure this is probably a first world problem, but it makes things tougher for those that are covering the industry too.

Obviously, it is still a bit early to tell how well these changes for Moto will do for them in the long run. Considering this is really the first year that Moto has released smartphones and products, with Lenovos influence. But the future doesnt look too bright for Moto, nor their headquarters in downtown Chicago, which they just moved back into in 2014 after having moved to Schaumburg, IL for a number of years.

Advertisement

Motorola has had a special place in many Android users hearts. Whether it was from them picking up the Motorola Droid back in 2009, or maybe the Droid X the following year. Or even the Moto X back in 2013. Motorola has been a big part of Android, and a big part of what has made Android so popular today. Its been sad to see that Motorola is gone, and were just left with Moto. Hopefully Lenovo can turn them around and bring Moto back to their heyday. Something that Lenovo appears to be doing a good job with so far, but Moto was deep in the hole when Lenovo bought them, so bringing them back to profitability will definitely take some time.
Xiaomi had introduced quite a few phones this year, including a couple of Redmi-branded handsets, like the Redmi 3, Redmi 3s and Redmi Pro. In addition to the Redmi-branded handsets, Xiaomi had also released their Mi 5 flagship and the Mi Max phablet, amongst other devices. That being said, the company seems to be getting ready to release yet another Redmi-branded phone, the Redmi 4 which has been leaking out for several weeks now. The Redmi 4 had surfaced on Geekbench yesterday actually, and thanks to that listing we know the phones partial specs, and will talk about those in a minute, lets first see what the new leak has to offer, read on.

Now, a new leak has surfaced in China, and thanks to it, we might know when will the Redmi 4 going to be announced. Xiaomis newest budget offering will, allegedly, land on August 25th. Were not really sure how legit this rumor is, so take it with a grain of salt. The Redmi 4 is a direct successor to the Redmi 3, and based on the leaks weve seen thus far, it will resemble its sibling quite a bit. The Redmi 4 will sport a metal unibody design, its speaker grill(s) will be located on the very bottom, while the fingerprint scanner will be placed below its main camera sensor. This smartphone will ship with three capacitive buttons below the display, just like its predecessor and more or less every handset Xiaomi had introduced thus far, aside from the Mi 5, of course.

Based on the Geekbench listing, we know that the Redmi 4 will be fueled by the Snapdragon 625 64-bit octa-core processor running at 2GHz, and it will also pack 3GB of RAM on the inside. Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow will come pre-installed on the Redmi 4, and on top of it, youll be able to find the companys latest MIUI OS, MIUI 8. The phone had scored 929 points in the single-core test on Geekbench, while it had managed to hit 4,751 points in the multi-core test. As a side note, Xiaomi had sold over 110 million Redmi smartphones thus far, the Redmi 3 has been selling really well for the company, and they expect that the Redmi 4 will not be an exception.
Samsungs popular Gear S2 smartwatch has consistently turned heads since its launch, essentially ruling the smartwatch roost in the Android world for the time its been around, despite being based on Samsungs Tizen OS rather than Android Wear. Having been out for a while, though, the Gear S2 is due for a sequel. Naturally, expectations for the sequel are high, and rumors about the Gear S3 point to it delivering in a big way. Rumored to be awaiting its big reveal at IFA 2016 in Berlin this coming September, the Gear S3 is said to sport a few key differences from the Gear S2, but one big area where it will be similar is in the presence of variants.

The Gear S2 had the normal version, the Gear S2 Classic, and Gear S2 Sport. Much like the Gear S2 before it, the Gear S3 is rumored to have three variants. The Gear S3s Classic version is set to be a lot like the Gear S2 classic, with a less tech-inspired aesthetic to appeal to more stylistic types. The Gear S3 Frontier, on the other hand, is rumored to boast a number of sporty features like a rugged build, and be a bit less stylish at the expense thereof. A third variant, the Gear S3 Explorer, has apparently been outed on Twitter by tech reporter Antonio Monaco.

Right now, information on the Gear S3 Explorer is extremely limited, with Antonio Monaco as the only source of information about the rumored Explorer variant thus far; this means that the news should be taken with a few heavy grains of salt. The only information gleaned from the Tweet is that the watch will have interchangeable straps and crowns, along with buttons at the 2, 4, and 10 hour markers. Word on the street is that the Gear S3 will be getting 5 different versions by the time its all said and done. More leaks and rumors are bound to come out of the woodwork leading up to IFA beginning on September 7, as is par for the course with most high-profile releases in the tech world. We will simply have to wait for IFA to see if any of whats been said so far holds water.
(by Stefania Fumo).



MILAN - Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala on Monday denied plans to set up a tent city for asylum seekers as the tempers of anti-immigrant politicians flared in the face of new arrivals from the border town of Ventimiglia, where a standoff took place at the weekend.



"There is no tent city in the works," Sala said in a statement. The migrant situation is "under the full control of relevant authorities. Currently the city is hosting 3,200 people, and if the need arises we might add some tents for initial lodging". These will be added to those already in place inside a former Identification and Expulsion Center (CIE) and in a barracks, he said. "There is no tent city, therefore, being planned in other locations in the city," Sala said. "I say this for the benefit of the champions of press releases by the pound, who wish to describe a non-existent city in disarray". "Problems get solved with common sense and a lot of work," he added. Some 500 asylum seekers are camping out in the northern city of Como after being turned away at the Swiss border on Monday, and authorities there were at work to locate a facility to host them.



A police officer died of a heart attack Saturday during a No Border protest in the Italian town of Ventimiglia after a group of 300 asylum seekers forced a cordon, jumped into the sea and swam to France on Friday. On Tuesday, the Red Cross working out of a refugee camp that has been set up in Ventimiglia's Parco Roja, a disused area near a commercial rail yard, reported it distributed 590 meals to migrants, up from 490 meals last Saturday. Also on Tuesday, Liguria Governor Giovanni Toti said those massed at Ventimiglia will be moved elsewhere "in the next few hours".



"We'll have to see if this flow of people back from Ventimiglia and Como will bring migrants to Milan," Sala said. Lombardy Governor Roberto Maroni from the rightwing anti-immigrant Northern League tweeted Tuesday that undocumented immigrants must be repatriated. "The Renzi government has lost the plot on immigration," the governor tweeted. "Illegals must be sent home, now".
RABAT - McDonald's is to open a fast food restaurant in Laayoune in the disputed territory of Western Sahara. The US fast food chain is to open a sales point in Piazza Dcheira, in a region first contended by the Spanish and then by the Polisario Front fighting for the independence of the Saharawi that contests the region's annexation by Rabat in 1976.



Local council president Hamdi Ould Errachid says negotiations are complete and that he is waiting for the green light for work to begin. McDonald's already has around 40 restaurants in Morocco and plans to open others at the main motorway service stations. The opening of a sales point in Laayoune has already created expectations, with some seeing it as recognition that the disputed territory belongs to the Kingdom of Morocco.


Ciudadanos considers voting confidence in Rajoy government Riveras conditional support could lead PSOE to abstain

(ANSAmed) - MADRID, AUGUST 10 - Spain's acting Premier Mariano Rajoy has moved a step closer to forming a government after the moderate Ciudadanos party led by Albert Rivera said it would hold talks with the leader of the People's Party (PP) on backing him in a confidence vote if certain conditions are met. Tuesday's change of stance could end the political deadlock that has afflicted Spain since December after two general elections in the space of six months proved inconclusive.



Ciudadanos has 32 members of parliament, who if talks are successful would vote confidence in a new Rajoy government together with the 137 representatives of the PP. This could lead the socialists of PSOE to abstain rather than vote against. The impossibility of forming a government after the first elections in December led to a fresh round of voting in late June.



If the situation is not resolved Spain - considered until recently the most stable country in the EU - could face a third general election in November. (ANSAmed).




- ROME - The governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Britain and the US on Wednesday issued a statement expressing their support for Prime Minister-Designate Fayez Al-Serraj's national accord government and calling for all energy installations to be put back under its control.



They underscored concerns about rising tensions around the Zueitina oil terminal on the northern Libyan coast.



They expressed support for the national unity government's efforts to fight - without the use of force - attempts to halt Libyan energy exports, underscoring that all facilities should be handed back to the ''legitimate national authorities'' as recognized by the UN Security Council Resolution N. 2259 (2015).



The signatory governments called on all the parties involved to refrain from hostilities and any action that could damage or undermine Libyan energy facilities. The Western governments noted that, according to Resolution N. 2278, national financial institutions and the National Oil Corporation (NOC) should benefit the entire Libyan population.






New Russia-Turkey 'axis' challenges the West Putin regains an ally and Turkey opens to defence cooperation

(by Mattia Bernardo Bagnoli) (ANSAmed) - MOSCOW, AUGUST 10 - The meeting between Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Tuesday sealed a new peace between the countries after months of hostility, reciprocal accusations and a sustained information war by Moscow, with the two leaders now ready to look to the future. However, the announcement by Erdogan that Turkey and Russia intend to cooperate in the defence industry and military production is destined, more than anything else, to keep the United States and European Union in suspense. The Turkish president gave few details despite the fact that his country is a key member of NATO and therefore that transparency should be the order of the day. Putin certainly appreciated his secrecy. The Russian president can not only claim to have won the poker hand with Erdogan but also to have renewed a partnership with a country that is crucial to Russia's economic and geopolitical interests (exporting gas is one of these) - to the extent that his Turkish counterpart said he was ready to take bilateral agreements to a "higher" level than before the crisis.



The position is perfectly in line with the 'strategy of pressure' launched by Moscow towards the Euro-Atlantic bloc. An "axis" between Moscow and Ankara would be a victory for Putin, also in terms of resolving the Syrian crisis.



Though the meeting between the two leaders had been in the making for months - facilitated by the Turkish businessman Cavit Caglar and mediation from the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbaiev - the fact remains that it was Erdogan's first visit overseas since the failed coup in mid-July, when Putin and Nazarbaiev both expressed their support for Erdogan before his NATO allies. If a traditionally friendly country such as Ukraine has distanced itself from Russia, the risk is that Turkey might now draw close, if only to raise the stakes in negotiations with the EU and US. For Putin this would still be a victory and would bring to a successful close the gamble of creating an 'arc of crisis' on the southern front. (ANSAmed).




Emirates currently serves Doha with seven daily flights, and the addition of the two services will grow the airlines presence in Qatar and take the total number of weekly Emirates flights to 63.
The airline is expanding its capacity to the principal city of Dhofar, in Southern Oman by an additional of almost 23,000 seats, compared with the previous year.

Oman Air will offer a total of 317,600 seats to and from Salalah. The increased capacity has been enabled by an increase in flight frequencies between Salalah and Muscat, and between Salalah and Dubai. Eleven flights per day are now operating between Salalah and Muscat. In addition, the deployment of Boeing 737, Boeing 787 and Airbus 330 aircraft on the Salalah/Muscat/Salalah sectors is complementing the increased frequencies and further enhancing capacity.

Oman Air has deployed Boeing 737 airliners on its six daily frequencies between Salalah and Dubai, enabling increased numbers of customers from the UAE to enjoy both Oman Airs outstanding passenger experience and the warm hospitality offered to visitors in Salalah.

Salalah has experienced significant growth in the number of visitors it receives, especially during the Khareef (summer monsoon). The Khareef sees the southern-most tip of Oman transformed from a dry desert to a lush green carpet, where brilliant flowers bloom in the moist climate and wildlife abounds. Visitors from around the world, and especially the GCC region, come to experience the cooling mists and rains which envelop the area, contrasting sharply with the heat found elsewhere within the Gulf.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Agriculture of Armenia Sergo Karapetyan received newly appointed Ambassador of Kazakhstan H.E. Timur Uruzayev.

The Minister congratulated the Ambassador on his appointment and expressed hope that during his tenure the Armenia-Kazakhstan agricultural relations will become more efficient.

In the field in agriculture, the present potential of Armenia and Kazakhstan is not yet completely used, and in this regard we need to boost joint works, the minister said. Minister Karapetyan said the accession to the EEU has created favorable conditions for agricultural growth and expansion of Armenian made products in foreign markets.

Issues of trade-revenue matters were also discussed. In this context the Minister proposed to study opportunities of increasing the volumes of exports from Armenia to Kazakhstan of fruit-vegetables, wine, brandy and other products.

For strengthening the bilateral cooperation even more, the Minister suggested forming joint enterprises with the prospect of exporting processed products to EEU and other countries.

The Minister said it is possible to organize a business forum in Armenia, which will allow entrepreneurs from Kazakhstan to get to know food product produced in Armenia and will be an additional boost for mutual ties.

Ambassador Uruzayev assured that during his tenure in Armenia he will do the maximum for even more strengthening and deepening of ties between the two countries.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan received US Ambassador to Armenia H.E. Richard Mills and newly appointed Director of USAID Armenia Mission Deborah Grieser.

The Prime Minister congratulated Deborah Grieser on her appointment and confidently stated she will contribute her great working experience for the efficient organization of works of USAID Armenia office.

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of the US Governments aid to Armenia and Armenian people during previous years and the projects which are implemented in various fields by the USAID.

Abrahamyan noted the Government is willing to discuss opportunities of implementing new joint projects with the US. The Prime Minister mentioned that currently several projects are successfully ongoing.

Ambassador Mills underscored the cooperation with the Armenian Government for the benefit of Armenias economic development, deepening and strengthening of investment and trade ties between the two countries.

The Ambassador pointed out especially in the fields of tourism and agriculture the projects of USAID and noted that currently the opportunities of adding new components and suggestions in the mentioned directions are being considered.

Stressing the importance of US assistance, PM Abrahamyan said the Armenian Government is taking practical steps in the abovementioned fields with the aim of reaching significant progress.

Several other issues of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting.
Veteran arts impresario Richard Demarco warned that the Brexit vote was the biggest threat to the Edinburgh Festival in its history and was a betrayal of its roots. Mr Barley admitted Brexit would mean a seismic shift in the UKs cultural landscape but insisted this need not mean doom and gloom for Edinburghs festivals, which are facing the prospect of public funding cuts in the next few years.
An Introduction to Doing Business in Singapore 2022 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in Singapore, compiled by the professionals at Dezan...
The air cargo markets deceleration this year had a greater impact on third-quarter cargo revenues at American Airlines than its primary rivals, Delta and United Airlines. But the best revenue quarter in company history and a $483 million profit painted a positive financial picture that could be replicated in the final quarter thanks to resilient []
by AA.VV.

The Chinese authorities want the legitimacy of their absolute control recognized. Trust in Pope Francis, "defender of the communion and unity of the Church". The third and final part of a series of comments on the recently published articles by Cardinal Tong and Cardinal Zen on dialogue between China and the Holy See.

Rome (AsiaNews) - China, which has become a major player in international politics has chosen an increasingly hard line (compared to the era of Deng Xiaoping). In its dialogue with the Vatican it wants its absolute control over religion legitimized. Nonetheless this dialogue should be continued, with the Holy See giving a greater defense of Christians. This is the opinion of one of the Chinese Catholics published below as a response to the recently published article by Card John Tong Hon on the Vatican's work in the dialogue with the Chinese government. Another comment expresses confidence in Pope Francis and his love for the Church in China, rejecting "those who speculate and criticize the Pope haphazardly". Perhaps this expression refers to the article penned by Card Joseph Zen Ze-kiun , who recently expressed his strong concerns regarding the Vatican Secretariat of State's style of dialogue, defined as a "new version of Ostpolitik". What remains is the urgent need for Christian witness in a society where religious activities suffer a suffocating control. But "Peter was saved by Jesus in the Sea of Galilee, and even his boat was saved: this is a symbol for the Church." The third and final part in the series (BC)

John (Southern China)

Card. Tong's artcile is very balanced. But on the issue of dialogue and negotiations [between China and the Vatican], the base is trust and respect. I think that these bases are brittle. Both sides are talking, but every man for himself. The Holy See has often expressed appreciation for Chinese culture and civilization. But that is not what the Chinese government wants. The Chinese authorities their absolute control of religion legitimized and recognized.

The official media in China continue to enhance the power of the government in dealing with religious groups and there is no sign that the authorities have made concessions and or loosened their ideological control. From this point of view, [re episcopal ordination], the Chinese authorities will not make any concessions, at least in the short term.

From the foreign policy point of view, in recent years the Chinese authorities have taken a harder line. Now China intervenes in world affairs and does not remain silent as during the era of Deng Xiaoping. China now has a strong influence in the international community. The Vatican is a tiny state, although it has a great influence in the spiritual field.

China does not care about the criticism of its religious policy and violations against human rights. But at the same time it is eager to improve its image and show some humanity. But if this does not happen, it's no great loss. My opinion is that diplomatic relations are a gift (a bonus) for the Chinese government.

Given that the dialogue has already begun, I hope the Holy See will speak out more in defense of Chinese Christians. But it is impossible to go back and the price of failure would be enormous: the Chinese authorities would feel justified and certain in targeting the faithful and the Holy See would lose the respect of the regime.

The atheist state is always realistic. They are only concerned with tehir own interests and from a spiritual point of view, not losing face (mianzi).

Rose and Anthony (Central China)

I very much agree [with the article by Card. Tong]. And I understand the Pope, who has at heart the whole Church and a heavy responsibility to bear. We can only pray for him and for our Church. We listen to the Pope and trust in the Holy Spirit, who will lead him and the Church, even if we must have patience and wait.

This is why I do not like to hear those who randomly speculate and criticize the Pope. Let us not forget that the center of our faith is love. Jesus was accused by the so-called "pious." We should remain humble and full of love of God. The most important rule is not to forget the original intention, as the Pharisees did .

I believe that Pope Francis is the defender of the communion and unity of the Church. He will never accept an agreement that would undermine the faith or damage the integrity of the Chinese Catholic Church. He will sign an agreement only if it promotes unity and communion between the Church in China and the universal Church.

We believe that Pope Francis has a great love for the Chinese Church and the Church of China loves Francis. He will never abandon the Church in China. Peter was saved by Jesus in the Sea of Galilee, and even his boat was saved: this is a symbol for the Church.
In St. Petersburg Turkey and Russia hold reconciliation summit distancing themselves from West. Recent tensions after shooiting down of Russian jet overcome. Two leaders ready to revive the Turkish Stream project; Russians to build a nuclear power plant in Turkey. Divisions remain about the role of Assad and the future of the Syrian conflict.

St. Petersburg (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Economics, joint energyprojects, cooperation in the defense sector and revival of tourism. These are the main points on the agenda of talks held yesterday in St. Petersburg between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on his first trip abroad after the failed coup of July 15.

In stark contrast there was absolute silence, on the two issues on which the natiosn are divided: Syria and the role of President Bashar al-Assad, close to Moscow, and hated by the leadership of Ankara; and the Kurdish question, among the most sensitive for Turkey.

Analysts and international policy experts call the summit yesterday in the "Hellenic room" of Kostantinovskij Palace, former residence of the Tsar, a reconciliation summit - which follows months of insults and threats of retaliation  in an anti-Western atmosphere. The two leaders have put aside the tensions of recent months following the shooting down of a Russian jet November 24, 2015 in the skies over the border between Turkey and Syria, without too much trouble. Thus giving birth to an alliance that worries the United States and several Union European chancelleries.

The incident had triggered an escalation of tension between the two countries, with mutual exchanges and economic retaliation including a trade embargo, the end of the exemption of visas and air travel.

The clash also led to Russian accusations of ties between Ankara and the militiamen of the Islamic State (IS). The Ministry of Defense in Moscow actually presented "evidence" of oil traffic between the jihadists and members of the Turkish leadership. Today those allegations have been forgotten and, according to some press sources, the Russians are the very ones who saved" Erdogan warning him of the attempted coup in progress.

The face-to-face yesterday in St. Petersburg, a closed-door meeting that lasted over two and a half hours, served to revive the old alliance. The lifting economic embargoes decided by Putin after the the jet incident in November, should be lifted in the coming hours. Hence the green light for food and Turkish agricultural products on the Russian market. Moscow is set to also reopen tourist flights to the Bosphorus, a traditional holiday destination for Russians.

On the sidelines of the summit between Putin and Erdogan a round table discussion between senior figures in the Russian and Turkish business world was also held. The talks focused on the resumption of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline, which should boost the anti  Western axis between the two countries.

Putin stressed that "the project will be put in place as soon as possible", to channel 31.5 billion cubic meters of gas to Turkey via the Black Sea. Added to this the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant, entrusted to the Russian engery giant Rosatom, which is of "strategic importance" for Ankara.

Yet despite these common interests, there are still divisions - passed over in silence in the official post-summit statement - on Syria and on the Kurdish question. Erdogan continues to claim that President Assad  thus far a Moscow ally - should leave power immediately. "We have a common goal," said Putin, and that is to "settle the Syrian crisis" that is why "we are looking for a solution that can be good for everyone."

Regarding the Kurdish affair, according to some experts Moscow has ceased "flirting" with the fighting groups, committed on Syrian and Iraqi soil against jihadists of the Islamic State. Viable means of pressure in the eyes of Erdogan, to strengthen the process of reconciliation between the two countries.
The missile deployment, which could hit Chinese positions and installations in the region, is a response to Beijing's imperialist policy in the seas. For experts, this could lead to the "militarisation" of the area. Tensions are also rising between Beijing and Tokyo over the East China Sea. Japan denounces a series of incursions by Chinese boats.

Hanoi (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Vietnam has taken defensive measures on several of its islands in the disputed South China Sea with new mobile rocket launchers capable of striking Chinas runways and military installations, across the vital maritime trade route.

Diplomats and military officers said that intelligence shows that Hanoi has shipped the launchers from the Vietnamese mainland into position on five bases in the Spratly Islands in recent months, a move likely to raise tensions with its former Chinese (Communist) ally.

The launchers have been hidden from aerial surveillance and they have yet to be armed, but could be made operational with rocket artillery rounds within two or three days.

The launchers form part of Vietnams state-of-art EXTRA rocket artillery system recently acquired from Israel.

EXTRA rounds are highly accurate up to a range of 150km, with different 150kg warheads that can carry high explosives or bomblets to attack multiple targets simultaneously.

When asked about the issue, Vietnams Foreign Ministry said the information was inaccurate, without elaborating.

Deputy Defence Minister, Senior Lieutenant-General Nguyen Chi Vinh, said in June that Hanoi had no such launchers or weapons ready in the Spratlys but noted, It is within our legitimate right to self-defence to move any of our weapons to any area at any time within our sovereign territory.

Vietnams missile installations are a response to Beijings recent imperialist policy in the seas of the Asia-Pacific region. A dispute with the Philippines is currently before the Court of Arbitration. The latter dismisses Chinese claims.

Hanois retooling of its defence system also stems from fears that the verdict could further raise tensions in the South China Sea.

Carl Thayer, an expert on Vietnams military at the Australian Defence Force Academy, said China is unlikely to see this as purely defensive, and it could mark a new stage of militarisation of the Spratlys.

Disputes are likely to deteriorate bilateral and multilateral relations between China and the regions nations, as well as undermine the unity of the ten-member ASEAN block.

The latter includes nations that oppose Chinese policy (Vietnam) or seek to reboot relations (Philippines after the court decision), as well as some of Chinas traditional allies (Laos and Cambodia).

On 24 July, an ASEAN foreign ministers meeting ended without word about the courts decision. Several experts doubt that any unified front could emerge in light of Beijings divide and rule strategy.

Meanwhile, tensions are also rising between Tokyo and Beijing in the East China Sea, with the Japanese government pointing the finger at the Chinese navy for entering Japanese territorial waters.

This has led Japan's Foreign Minister to warn that ties with China are "significantly deteriorating". Fumio Kishida said he had called China's ambassador to protest against the "incursions".

The Japan-controlled, uninhabited islands  known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China  are the source of a long-running dispute.

On Friday, about 230 Chinese fishing boats and coast guard vessels sailed near islands claimed by both countries.

The Japanese coast guard said on Monday that about 13 Chinese coast guard ships, some of them armed, had been seen near the islands, higher than the usual number.

"We cannot accept that [China] is taking actions that unilaterally raise tensions, Mr Kishida said.
The population fears the risks to safety and the neglect of the authorities. The project was a collaboration between China and France. Dozens arrested for throwing stones at police and seat of local government.

Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The government of Lianyungang (Jiangsu), has suspended plans to build a nuclear plant after three days of protests by thousands of people.

The authorities' decision was taken over night. The plant was to have been a collaboration between the China National Nuclear Corporation and the French company Areva and planned to recycle spent nuclear fuel. The population was fearful of possible radiation and protested the fact that all of the decisions had been taken without their involvement.

The protests took place over the last three days, with the police trying to defend the government offices from attacks, threatening to shoot. A dozen people were arrested for throwing stones.

China has planned the largest number of nuclear power plants worldwide. It has 32 reactors in place; another 22 under construction; many more in the project phase.

The protests reflect the fears of the population because of safety risks. They also reveal popular distrust of the authorities who have kept silent on various accidents related to industrial safety in the recent past. Chief among these was the Tianjin incident last year where a fire released poisonous substances into the air and water: hundreds of tons of cyanide salts were stored near a residential area.
by Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi*

The bishop of Niigata and President of Caritas Asia comments on the "mercy" killing of 19 people with disabilities in Sagamihara: "All of us can become weak in society. That's why we need to see God's reflection in every human being and work to create a real human family. "

Niigata (AsiaNews)  As I returned from Papua New Guinea ON the evening on 26 July, I found out about the mass murder of 19 disabled people in Sagamihara that morning. 26 more people were injured. I was deeply shocked to hear of the case and, more over, I was absolutely stunned to know that the suspect was justifying his action against disabled people as something to "save" them as "mercy killing".

First and most, I offer my sincere condolence to the family of victims and pray for eternal rest of those 19 people whose lives were violently taken away. And I pray that merciful God may extend his hand to those injured and to those terrified and give them consolation and quick recovery.

Probably there is no need to repeat the same points again and again but let me say it again. Based on our Christian faith, it is not for us to measure the weight of human life. It is only God, God who created our human life and gave it to us, who has right to do so. Who is allowed to continue to live. Who is worth to survive. Such judgments are not for us to make. If we do so, are we not too arrogant before the God who created the human life?

Moreover, God created us as his own image, therefore, all human lives has its own importance and value as the image of God. That is what we call the Human Dignity. Already many people have made their comments against the discriminatory judgement and violent action by the suspect over people in weak position in the society.

When we talk about the people in weak position in the society, it should be inclusive concept of all kinds of weakness and not only of physically disabled people. It includes those people discriminated as different or foreign, facing economical difficulties, facing health problems, facing obstacle of social systems, facing cultural barriers and more.

In a sense, all of us are facing or holding some kind of difficulties in the society and that means we all have potential to be a person in weak position in the society in one way or other. That is why we have to help each other. That is why we have to support each other. If we don't, then we, human being, may not be able to survive.

I hope through facing the reality of this sad and terrible incidents in Sagamihara, we all in Japan would have yet another chance to think about the meaning of our lives and value of the human life. Then, I hope and pray, we would keep in our heart the value of mutual support to create one human family.

* Bishop of Niigata and President of Caritas Asia
At the general audience in the Paul VI Hall, Pope Francis compares the miracle of the widow of Nain to the change every person undergoes passing through the Holy Door. "Drawing towards the Door of Mercy, everyone knows they are drawing close to the door of the merciful heart of God, of Jesus". This is the door where the suffering of humanity encounters the compassion of God". From a change of "heart" to the "hands" that perform "acts of mercy". Holy Doors are both "inward" and "outward bound".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - At the Door of Mercy, "Jesus is watching you, he heals you and says, 'get up!'". "Healed by Jesus to do works with our heart and hands ... works of mercy, emphasized Pope Francis in the Jubilee catechesis he gave today in the Paul VI hall to pilgrims to Rome, including those from Asia, the Middle East and Indonesia.

Before his speech Francis spent a long time greeting the rows of pilgrims on either side of the hall. Some of them gifted him a papal biretta (see photo). Francis compared the story of Jesus and the widow of Nain (Lk 7.11 to 17), at the city gate, to Jesus meeting every person who passes through the Holy Door of the Jubilee of Mercy "what Jesus did ... is not only an action of salvation destined to the widow and her son, or a gesture of kindness limited to that town. In Jesus' merciful succour, God goes to meet his people, in him all the grace of God appears and will continue to appear to humanity. In celebrating this Jubilee, I wanted all of the particular Churches to experience this, that is, all the churches of world, and not only Rome. It is as if the whole Church throughout the world is joined in the one song of praise to the Lord. Today too the Church recognizes a visit from God. For this reason, Drawing towards the Door of Mercy, everyone knows that they are drawing near to the merciful heart of God, of Jesus: indeed he is the true Door that leads to salvation and returns us to a new life".

Earlier, the Pope explained that the center of the Gospel "is not the miracle [of the resurrected son], but Jesus' tenderness toward this boy's mother. Here, mercy takes the name of great compassion toward a woman who had lost her husband and now her only son is also bound for the cemetery. This mother's great sorrow moves Jesus and causes the miracle of the resurrection".

"St. Luke remarks on Jesus' feelings:"The Lord saw her and had compassion for her and said to her: 'Do not weep.Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still "(vv. 13-14). Great compassion guided the actions of Jesus: it is he who stops the procession touching the coffin and, moved by deep compassion for this mother, decides to face death, as it were, face to face. And he confronts it definitively, face to face, on the Cross. "

"When Jesus saw the mother crying, she entered his heart! Everyone arrives at the Holy Door everyone bringing with them their life, joys and sufferings, projects and failures, doubts and fears, and present them to the mercy of the Lord. We are confident that, at the Holy Door, the Lord is there closeby to encounter each one of us, to bring and offer his powerful words of comfort: "Do not weep!" ".

"This is the door of where the suffering of humanity encounters the compassion of God. We should always think about this: the suffering of humanity encounters the compassion of God .... The powerful word of Jesus can raise us and we also operate in the passage from death to life. His word revives us, gives hope, reviving tired hearts, opens us to a view of the world and of life that goes beyond suffering and death".

"Mercy, both in Jesus is in us - he concluded - is a journey that starts from the heart to reach the hands ... What does it mean? Jesus looks at you, heals you and says "get up" ... with our heart healed by Jesus we do work with our hands ... the works of mercy.

To reinforce this thought, when it came time to say goodbye in Italian, the Pope quoted a bishop in his diocese who put up two Holy Doors, one marked "entrance and the otherexit: entering the first, our hearts are changed, exiting the second we are ready to express the compassion of Jesus in works of mercy towards others.
The victims are women and children fleeing from Asian countries. The facility operated by the Australian government is criticized for lack of transparency and independent observers. According Canberra the charges "are unsubstantiated.

Nauru (AsiaNews) - Accidents, sexual violence, suicide attempts and beatings. Two thousand cases have been reported, according to documents published by The Guardian regarding the living conditions of migrants detained in Nauru center, Micronesia State. It houses 500 people from all over Asia who have been arrested by the Australian government as illegal immigrants.

According to the newspaper report, the island immigrants are being treated without dignity and with total disregard for their rights. Australian companies that manage the facilities are required by contract to report any accident that occurs on the island. The documents published - which refer to the period between May 2013 and October 2015 - were compiled by guards, social workers and teachers.

Many accidents involve children with trauma caused by abuse and violence. Many of the children suffer from psychological disorders, nightmares and have even attempted suicide several times. There are dozens of cases of sexual violence, especially against young women by the staff on the island. There are also countless incidents of verbal abuse and threats.

The Australian government responded by saying that the reports contain "unsubstantiated allegations." A spokesman in Canberra said that "the Australian Government continues to support the Government of Nauru in providing health, safety and welfare of all the transferred refugees".

Richard Marles, defense minister, criticized the government for lack of transparency and independent observers in the detention center.

The ocean portion between Papua New Guinea and Australia has long been a prime route for those fleeing: the migrants come mostly from South East Asia, but there are Middle Eastern. The vast majority of migrants trying to reach Australia by boat are arrested and taken to detention centers in Nauru or Manus (Papua New Guinea). Under the law, they can not be accepted in Australia even if they are considered political or civilian refugees.

Both detention centers are the focus of activists and advocates for human rights, who denounce abuses taking place and the the inflexibility of Australian immigration policy.
Don't give her another chance... for now. It's really easy to apologize and to say you've changed; it's a lot harder to actually do it. I have had some very toxic relationships in the past (not just romantic ones), and when you finally put your foot down and cut them out of your life, they come to you saying that they've changed and that you can trust them. I have yet to see a manipulative person change; however, I'm sure that some do.



I would definitely advise to not get back together with her. I would fully expect a poor and very hostile response from her, which should give you all the proof you need. If she handle's it well, I still wouldn't believe it. It would be better to wait and if you end up having contact with her (which I would advise against for a long period of time) see if she actually seems different. And if in the future you get back together, beware of the same behaviors coming up.
Tanja Nijmeijer Interview

Meet The Dutch Woman Who Joined A Drug Cartel For Communism

Communist peasants formed the Revolutionary Armed Forces of the ColombiaPeoples Army (FARC) in 1964 to overthrow the capitalist elites of the Colombian government. They attacked the streets of Bogota, the Colombian capital, with car bombs while waging an insurgency in the Amazon.

Considered a resistance movement to supporters but a drug cartel and terrorist organization to the Colombian government and the Western world, FARC has been negotiating since 2012 to end the civil war that its fighters started, one of historys bloodiest and longest.

The strangest participant in the peace process has been Tanja Nijmeijer, a young woman from the Netherlands who spent a decade as one of the rebel fighters in the Amazon.

All images are courtesy of FARC.

In 1998, Nijmeijer, then a nineteen-year-old student at the University of Groningen, travelled to Colombia to teach English. She observed a disparity between the rich children whom she taught and the poor children who begged in the streets. Like many young Western idealists, Nijmeijer wondered how she could help them. After returning home to complete her degree, she became attracted to communism and revolution. Nijmeijer saw little room for either in the Netherlands.

A second trip to Colombia in 2002 brought Nijmeijer into contact with FARC. I had to beg them to let me fight with them, she would tell Der Spiegel. The rebels nevertheless appreciated her enthusiasm, accepting her to their ranks. Nijmeijer started a romance with commander Mono Jojoys nephew and worked as Jojoys assistant till 2010, when Colombian security forces killed him.

I believe we are fighting for a good cause, she informed her family in a Christmas video message, explaining her decision to stay with FARC. I cried a lot, because I miss you so much. But I also know that Im doing the right thing here, and that Ill stay here. I wont leave.

Colombian soldiers discovered Nijmeijers diary at an abandoned FARC camp in 2007. Im tired, tired of FARC, tired of the people, tired of communal life, she had written. Tired of never having anything for myself. It would be worth it if we knew why we were fighting. But the truth is I dont believe in this any more. While she remains as loyal to FARC as ever, the diarys discovery led to her rise to prominence in the news media and offered a rare glimpse into her stream of consciousness.

Even the American government took an interest in Nijmeijer. In 2010, the U.S. Justice Department indicted her and seventeen other FARC members on seven counts of terrorism and weapons charges arising out of their participation in the hostage-taking of three American citizens. If convicted, she will face up to sixty years in prison, but the FBI will have some trouble catching her.

When negotiations with the Colombian government started in 2012, FARCs leadership sent Nijmeijer, one of the few members fluent in English, to Cuba. She has remained in Havana, the Cuban capital. She acts as FARCs poster child and press secretary by translating and updating the rebels websites. Nijmeijer, the former guerilla, is now the foreign face of FARC.

Her importance has been highly overstated, Adriaan Alsema, a Dutch journalist who connected AskMen with Nijmeijer and founded Colombia Reports, said in an email. Before Havana she was just another low-ranking guerrilla with good connections high up in the organization. She only became a significant player when taking up the role as their foreign press chief.

For now at least, Nijmeijer cares little about the ambiguous extent of her fame and notoriety. Instead, she and FARC are looking past their apparent military failure  the rebels had been in decline for years before the peace process  to a political future. The weapons, in the end, were a way of defending ourselves against a State that has never allowed people to live in democracy and has attacked and persecuted people because of thinking differently, she told AskMen.

Nijmeijers statements describe a revolutionary ideology battling a dictatorial state: communists fighting capitalists. Though FARC represented Colombias disaffected, neglected peasantry in the past, Nijmeijers narrative ignores the rebels war crimes, such as kidnapping civilians and recruiting child soldiers, as well as their involvement in drug trafficking and sexual slavery.

FARCs demobilization and disarmament will solve some of the conflicts worst problems, but others might appear. The dilemma of what to do with thousands of former combatants (including women) in a country with 8.9 percent unemployment haunts the peace process. Retiring female fighters will need help recovering from FARCs exploitative sexual culture.

The Dutch guerilla-turned-delegates future is a mystery of its own. I would like to continue contributing to our project of building a new Colombia, said Nijmeijer. In which direction? That depends a lot on what kind of support is needed. Personally, I would love to work in education in some way or another. Fluent in five languages, she could always return to her job as an English teacher.

Alsema questioned Nijmeijers plans: Her future is uncertain because as an illegal alien in Colombia she does not have the same rights as a Colombian FARC member. [] Its possible she becomes a Colombian citizen, which would allow her to take part in the FARC reintegration program. However, I dont believe she will ever be able to go home to the Netherlands, which only prohibits the extradition of crime suspects in cases [where] there exists a possibility of a death penalty.

I am a guerrilla combatant of the FARCEP and I have the same rights and duties as any other guerrilla fighter, Nijmeijer responded. Whatever her future, her immediate mission is the same as FARCs: We [will] continue being a political movement that will fight for a country in which human beings, all human beings, Colombians in this case, are the main attention and concern of the state.

An anomaly, Nijmeijer combines several overlapping categories of soldier: shes a communist, female and foreign revolutionary. Members of FARC call her a hero. The American government calls her a criminal and terrorist. The more open-minded might call her a feminist. Either way, that decisive period in her life, like the Colombian peace process, is approaching a conclusion.

There will be a lot of changes, Nijmeijer said, while contemplating her future. For most of us guerrilla fighters, our lives will change enormously, for we wont live in the jungle anymore. The military part, which has always been an important part of our lives, will mostly disappear. Once FARC as she knows it comes to an end, Nijmeijer will be one more rebel without a cause.
As'ad's Bio

As'ad AbuKhalil, born March 16, 1960. From Tyre, Lebanon, grew up in Beirut. Received his BA and MA from American University of Beirut in pol sc. Came to US in 1983 and received his PhD in comparative government from Georgetown University. Taught at Tufts University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Colorado College, and Randolph-Macon Woman's College. Served as a Scholar-in-Residence at Middle East Institute in Washington DC. He served as free-lance Middle East consultant for NBC News and ABC News, an experience that only served to increase his disdain for maintream US media. He is now professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus. His favorite food is fried eggplants.
Free newsletter

Subscribe to our FREE newsletter service and well keep you up-to-date with the latest breaking news, cutting edge opinion, and expert analysis affecting both your business and the industry as whole.

Please enter your email address below and click on Sign Up for daily newsletters from Australasian Lawyer.
A Kentucky judge has accepted a 90-day suspension to end a snafu over his past decision to dismiss a cases jury panel for not being racially diverse enough.



According to The Associated Press, Louisville judge Olu Stevens, who is black, has agreed to be suspended without pay in an agreement with lawyers of the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission.



The commission could have reprimanded the judge or banished him from the bench.



The mess involved prosecutor Tom Wine, who is white, who asked the Kentucky Supreme Court to review Stevens decision to dismiss a random jury panel for not reflecting the racial diversity of the community even without evidence that there was an deliberate effort to exclude minorities.



In comments made on social media, Stevens said that Wines request for review is akin to trying to protect the right to impanel all-white juries, the AP noted. The judge also said there was something more sinister and that Wine will live in infamy.



I recognize how serious it is to accuse someone, either expressly or implicitly, of racism, Stevens told the commission. I do not believe Tom Wine is a racist. I apologize for any statements that implied as much.



For his part, Wine said that he has had no personal animosity toward Judge Stevens and that he has none now.



I believe my energies and focus are better spent working for justice and fairness with our criminal justice partners and protecting victims of crim, he said.



Stevens vowed to rule on all cases that come before me based solely upon the facts and the law.



The jury panel Stevens dismissed was for a 2014 trial of a black defendant.



Of 41 people who reported for jury duty in the case, only one of the prospect jurors was black. Stevens initially denied a motion for the defence to dismiss the panel, noting that the jury was selected at random even though the lack of diversity was unusual.



The citys population is 23% black, the AP noted.



The black juror still remained as selection was near-completion. The court clerk had to resort to a random drawing of names as there were still four jurors more than needed.



After the black jurors name was drawn and struck from the jury panel, Stevens reneged and ordered the panel be dismissed.



The defendant was acquitted by another jury in 2015 which was when Wine asked for the Supreme Court review.


(Opinion) -- Will I progress to partnership? All senior lawyers will find themselves asking this question at some point in time. While some make an active choice not to pursue partnership, others simply will not get there. The question then becomes: Where to now?



A low prospect of partnership does not devalue your career opportunities, or limit your progression. There are multiple options you may want to consider:



MidSize or Boutique Firms

Senior associates at larger firms often find themselves trapped in a partnership bottleneck. Moving to a smaller firm with a growth strategy can offer lawyers a track to partnership with quality clients and broader work. Many also offer lifestyle benefits.



Special Counsel

Senior lawyers who are not interested in the business development or administration aspect of partnership may want to consider a special counsel appointment. These roles acknowledge the high level of skill and expertise senior lawyers bring to the firm, and do not necessarily cancel out partnership as an option. They also suit lawyers making a lateral move to a new firm who have a mandate to develop a practice before making partner.



In-house Counsel

Making the move in-house is a popular choice for senior lawyers. In-house roles provide an opportunity to work closely with the business and be involved in supporting its success. Lawyers can gain exposure to business management, corporate strategy and membership of the management team. These types of roles suit lawyers who can balance the law with commercial and business imperatives, and can be used as a stepping stone to non-legal management positions.



Professional Support Roles

Professional support roles offer lawyers an alternate career move within a law firm. Human resources, business development and knowledge management are all options. These roles often require additional skills or qualifications to complement your legal knowledge.



The Bar

The Bar is often a natural progression for litigation lawyers. A few years of practice in a commercial firm can arm lawyers with the confidence and contacts needed to get a good start.



Government Departments

Lawyers may want to consider roles within government departments, either at the State or Federal level. Many government departments lend themselves to practice specialisations. For example, criminal lawyers are well suited to the Commonwealth or State DPP, while corporate lawyers should consider ASIC, and competition lawyers will find they have invaluable experience for a role with the ACCC. Departments such as Legal Aid, the Law Reform Commission or the Attorney Generals Department offer more generalised positions.



Academia

A career in academia is an option for lawyers who possess a solid academic background and expertise in a particular area. A tentative step into the field can be made by taking on a casual tutoring position whilst considering long term career goals.



Of course, there are a range of other options you may wish to consider outside the legal realm. These may include business management, working with not-for-profit organisations, or recruitment. Many lawyers who leave practice go on to create careers for themselves in events management, acting, writing or stand-up comedy! The opportunity you find yourself taking up will depend on the risks you take.



The decision not to pursue partnership should not be taken as a setback, but rather an opportunity for lawyers to broaden their horizons and start a new chapter in their career.



By Lisa Gazis, managing director, Mahlab (NSW)





Gazis manages Mahlabs NSW operations and conducts senior corporate and partner level search and recruitment campaigns. She provides strategic consulting services to corporations and law firms in Australia and abroad.
By Robert Merkel, Lecturer in Software Engineering, Monash University

ABS

Many Australians were unable to complete the Census on August 9 due to the Census website failing.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) chief statistician has blamed a deliberate denial of service attack for the failure.

The first three [attacks] caused minor disruption, but more than two million forms were successfully submitted and safely stored. After the fourth attack, which took place just after 7.30pm, the ABS took the precaution of closing down the system to ensure the integrity of the data.

Like many government information systems, the Census site was outsourced to an external contractor: IBM. As well as writing the software required for the website, IBM was responsible for providing the computers that hosted it.

All of this is routine for IT projects, both government and commercial. And while reasonably large, the legitimate traffic generated by the Census is dwarfed by the traffic on websites like Google, Facebook and even the nonprofit Wikipedia.

Denial-of-service attacks

Denial-of-service attacks are deliberate attempts to render a computing service unavailable.

Such an attack can be performed in many ways, including interfering with physical infrastructure. However, the most common denial-of-service technique used against publicly available websites is to overwhelm it with huge numbers of requests, overloading the servers and crowding out legitimate users.

Typically, the requests come from botnets, which are large groups of computers  often home PCs or other poorly-defended devices  that have been taken over by hackers and are then misused for distributed denial-of-service attacks" (DDoS attacks). DDoS attacks have been used by activist hackers, cybercriminals and even state-sponsored hackers.

While the controversy surrounding the privacy implications of the 2016 Census may not have been anticipated by the ABS, a denial-of-service attack against the Census infrastructure was always possible and should have been anticipated  especially a DDoS launched by privacy activists.

There are a number of ways in which the dangers of a DDoS can be mitigated. It is unknown at this point what measures the ABS and its contractors took to prepare for the possibility.









ABS





Poor capacity planning?

From the perspective of the computers straining under the load, a DDoS attack is indistinguishable from a larger-than-expected number of users attempting to access the system at once.

The public statements of the ABS before Census night cast some doubt on whether the system was adequate to cope with even legitimate demand.

The head of the ABS, Chris Libreri, had earlier claimed that its systems had been tested to cope with the load of actual Census submissions:

We have load tested it at 150% of the number of people we think are going to be on it on Tuesday for eight hours straight and it didnt look like flinching.

The ABS stated that its website was designed to handle 1,000,000 form submissions per hour. However, around 18 million Australians live in the eastern states, which equates to about 7 million households.

If even 50% of those households attempted to submit their census during the evening hours from 7pm to 9pm, that would equate to 1.75 million form submissions per hour, 75% more than the reported capacity of the site.

Furthermore, its unlikely that traffic would be uniform within that time period. Spikes in traffic  perhaps after popular television shows ended  could potentially have overloaded the infrastructure even further.

It seems almost incredible that the team responsible for the contracting would collectively make such an error in their capacity estimates.

Regardless of the details of the attack, and whether other aspects of planning were inadequate, the Census failure will go down as another example of a failed Big Bang deployment.

A Big Bang occurs when an IT system is deployed on a large scale, all at once, and is required to work first time. The US healthcare.gov website, the Queensland Health payroll system that failed so spectacularly in 2010, and even Channel 7s Olympics app are examples of such all-at-once rollouts running into difficulty.

The lessons for proponents of online voting should be clear.

Robert has donated to and volunteered for the Australian Greens.

Originally published in The Conversation.
By Mike Johnstone, Security Researcher, Senior Lecturer in Software Engineering, Edith Cowan University

Shutterstock

Last night, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) closed the 2016 Census website. No explanation was given at the time, except for a message on the page saying the system is very busy at the moment.

This morning, the ABSs head statistician, David Kalisch, announced that the site had been brought offline by four distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.

The minister responsible, Michael McCormack, later qualified these statements by stating the site was not attacked, per se. While this is a semantic quibble, it is accurate in the sense that a DDoS attack in itself is not an attempt to gain access or subvert information.

The prime ministers cyber security advisor, Alastair MacGibbon, added that a number of technical issues compounded the effects of the attack, including the failure of the ABSs geoblocking system at around 7.30pm, which allowed the DDoS traffic to impact the ABS servers, hosted by IBM.

However, it has also been pointed out that the ABS may simply have been unprepared for the volume of traffic it received on census night.

So how plausible is the claim that the census was brought down by a DDoS attack?









ABS





Attacking availability

Confidentiality, integrity and availability are the basic principles of information security.

Cyber attacks are commonly mounted against each of these principles, with the ABS claiming that its server availability was the target last night.

A conventional attack against availability is denial-of-service (DoS). A DoS attack occurs when a system (such as a website) is flooded with carefully crafted requests such that requests from legitimate users cannot be serviced, thus causing the denial of service.

A DDoS, or distributed DoS, occurs when many systems are used to perform a DoS attack on a target. This makes it harder to counter, as the server operator cannot simply block a single system on the internet that is sending all of the spurious requests. Thus a DDoS is like many ants bringing down an antelope by working together.

The systems that are used to carry out the attack might be home computers connected to the internet that are being used without the knowledge or consent of their owners.

This can happen when a user clicks on a link contained in an unsolicited email that appears to be from a genuine party that the user trusts. Such email can be very sophisticated and appear realistic, so it is easy to be tricked.

The link then downloads software that allows a third party to initiate a DoS attack remotely, using the unfortunate users computer. When the third party has enough computers under their control (known as zombies), they can launch a DDoS attack from afar.

DoS attacks were once solely the realm of experienced hackers with detailed knowledge of the inner workings of the connected computer systems. Recently, the resources needed to perform a DoS attack have been made readily available on the internet, so people with little knowledge of the technicalities could perform an attack. Such attacks are now available anonymously as a service, much as many businesses use cloud services for computing power or data storage.

Therefore, this capability is available to a range of potential attackers, from lone-wolf disgruntled individuals, to activists, to interest groups and even nation states.

Websites are attacked every day. However, cyber security professionals already use a range of techniques to prevent or minimise such attacks.

One such is geoblocking, which prevents traffic from overseas from reaching the server. And it was the geoblocking system that apparently failed last night, allowing the DDoS to hit home.

Was it a DDoS?

The census servers were not actually hosted by the ABS but by IBM, a company with extensive experience of running server networks.

The ABS also spent around A$470,000 load-testing its census servers in anticipation of census night. It claimed to have tested the system to 150% of the expected load, saying that it could handle 1 million form submissions per hour  twice what the ABS expected it would need.

However, that might have underestimated the kind of load the servers should have expected.

Consider that there were 12.9 million internet subscribers in Australia at the end of 2015 (according to ABS figures, no less).

If each of these represents a household (a reasonable assumption, given that 99.3% of internet connections are broadband) and 2 million of these households accessed the census system during the day, this leaves a potential 10.9 million households attempting to reach the census servers in the evening.

If only half of those households actually attempted to fill out their census form last night, that still would have exceeded the ABSs anticipated submission rate.

There is also the issue of how it conducted its load-testing, and whether it worked around average numbers per hour or considered peaks in activity.

While the ABS may have attempted to anticipate the traffic on census night, there are indications that it didnt consider all of the possible bottlenecks. Security journalist Patrick Gray also quotes a security professionals analysis of some of these bottlenecks.

There is also no evidence  besides the claims of the ABS and Minister McCormack  that the census servers suffered a DDoS. One website that tracks DDoS attacks globally showed no unusual activity in Australia around the time of the census, although such websites are not 100% accurate.

So while its possible that the census servers did suffer a DDoS attack, the evidence that it actually happened is inconclusive.

However, if the servers were already struggling under the load caused by Australians filling out their census forms, then even a weak DDoS could have been sufficient to tip it over the edge.

This leaves us with three possible scenarios:

1) a DDoS attack caused the problem;

2) too many users overloaded the system; or

3) a combination of both.

Perhaps we should apply Occams razor and look for the simplest explanation. This would suggest that if its probable the Census servers simply failed under the weight of their task, then thats the most likely explanation, rather than a deliberate DDoS attack.

Mike Johnstone received funding from the European Union under the Framework Programme 7 grant scheme.

Originally published in The Conversation.
By Mark Colyvan, Professor of Philosophy, University of Sydney

Shutterstock

Theres an old parable used in introductory statistics classes to illustrate how an average can be misleading when maximum values are of interest. The parable is of a person who drowns while walking across a river.

The person cant swim but is not concerned because the average depth of the river is only 20cm. The problem is the average depth of the river is not useful information here; what is needed is information about the maximum depth so that they dont end up over their head.

The river might well be only 20cm deep on average but several metres deep in the middle. As with river crossings, so too with various networks loads.

While the precise reason for the meltdown of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) online census system last night remains unclear, there is a lesson to be learned about load testing.

Prior to the census date of Tuesday, August 9, the ABS announced that there was no danger of the system being unable to handle the load on census night. Why? Because it had tested the system.

Or, rather, the ABS paid a considerable sum of money to an external party to test the system. Load testing is performed to some given specifications and here we find what could be a serious problem in the ABS testing procedure.

Averages

In order to reassure the public, who were growing nervous about the new online census, the ABS made the following statement:

The online Census form can handle 1,000,000 form submissions every hour. Thats twice the capacity we expect to need.

From this statement, it seems the ABS load-tested for 1 million submissions per hour, while expecting 0.5 million per hour. But there are between 9 and 10 million households in Australia, and the ABS was expecting around 15 million census submissions in total, with 65% submitted online.

Of course, not all these submissions would come on August 9, but most would. Moreover, the vast majority of these submissions would be expected to come in the peak-traffic time of early evening (between around 6pm and 10pm AEST).

The ABSs expected load of 0.5 million submissions per hour only makes sense as an average load across a large part of the day. For example, if there were 0.5 million submissions evenly spread across 12 hours on August 9, that would give us 6 million submissions for this period.

But it is clear that load would not be spread evenly. And, to stress the obvious, it is the peak load that were interested in. Any reasonable estimate of the peak load for the early evening period is in the vicinity of several million per hour.

Worse still, there is no reason to expect the load to be evenly spread within this period. It is not beyond the realms of plausibility that 3 or 4 million people would be trying to log on to the system at, say, precisely 7.10pm.

Of course, all of this is consistent with an average load of 0.5 million submissions per hour for August 9. But from what the ABS has said, it is not clear that it tested for such peaks.

ABS up to its neck

So we should be careful not to take averages too seriously. As any statistician knows, an average is one (very crude) way of summarising data.

Other summaries include information about the most frequent data (mode), the middle of the data (median) and the spread of the data (variance).

To take the average too seriously in some settings, such as in the river-crossing parable and calculating network loads, is tantamount to confusing the average with the peak (i.e. to take the river to be uniformly 20cm deep or the census submission rate to be uniformly 0.5 million per hour).

It might seem uncharitable to suggest that such an elementary statistical mistake lies behind the ABS website problems last night  especially when talking about an organisation filled with statisticians.

The ABSs story this morning is that it deliberately shut down the system to protect it from a number of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. This is like the river crossing being hit by a flash flood at the crucial time.

But there is good reason to suspect that even without such DDoS attacks, the system was in serious danger of being overloaded. This means even a small rise in the water level, as it were, could have been enough to cause a catastrophic failure.

Our intrepid river crosser may in fact have been drowned by an unexpected flash flood. But given their failure to recognise the limitations of averages as statistical summaries, they were in trouble the moment they dipped their toe in the water.

Mark Colyvan receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

Originally published in The Conversation.
3. Hi! Im looking for a few suggestions regarding hotels in Rottnest Island for a couple of friends. Our requirements are as follows:

1. walking distance to the beach

2. Close to markets/ shops

3. Pleasant views

4. Restaurant on the premises

5. 4+ standard

6. Easy transport to and from airport (not imperative, but certainly helpful)

7. Private pool and spa 

Thanks, everyone!
I've just been sorting out what they requested for more information to finalise the 820.. It was an online application.



But...

Their letter says:

We prefer contact with this office concerning your application to be by email.



The attached Instruction Form says:

Do not email attachments as this will cause delays in the processing of your application. We do not send acknowledgement advices for the receipt of attachments.



What to do?



Email and attach to online app.??



I wish they made it easier, especially the 'easy' bits !
Future vehicles from Mahindra will be powered by either 1.2-, 1.5- or 2.0-litre petrol engines.

Indias leading utility vehicle manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra has plans to offer the option of a petrol variant across its entire portfolio from 2018.

Any product that we launch from a year after will come with a petrol engine. We are currently working on a 1.5-litre petrol engine. So the petrol engines powering the future vehicles will be either of the three: 1.2, 1.5 or 2.0 litre, Pawan Goenka, executive director, M&M said.

The Supreme Court's decision to ban the registration of diesel vehicles with engine capacity over 2,000cc in Delhi-NCR has resulted in a shift in consumer preference to petrol cars. Automakers, too, are pushing for more petrols to cater to the increasing demand. Mahindra launched a 1.9-litre version of its mHawk diesel engine for the XUV500 and Scorpio in its key market of Delhi-NCR a bid to surmount the ban.

Data revealed by SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufactures) showed that the share of diesels among the total sales of passenger vehicles during April-June 2016-17 declined to 41 percent from 44 percent in the previous year, while petrols increased to 59 percent from 56 percent.

In fact, the demand for petrol variants of the KUV100 has been more than anticipated, Goenka said. As many as 50 percent of buyers have opted for the petrol version of the KUV 100, which was launched in January earlier this year, up from around the companys expectation of 40 percent.
BMW Motorrad likely to introduce entire range of motorcycles from G 310 R to the K1600 around October 2016.

BMWs upcoming all-new entry-level naked motorcycle, the G 310 R, has been winning plenty of attention in the Indian market. However, when October 2016 rolls around, you can expect BMW to bring its entire range to the Indian market! It is expected that Indian motorcyclists will get everything from the German giant, right from the made-in-Hosur G 310 R, all the way to the made-in-Berlin K1600. But crucially, to make a dent in the booming premium bike market, BMW Motorrad needs to get the price right. And to this effect, BMW Motorrad is expected to leverage its made-in-Thailand offerings. At an integrated plant in Rayong, Thailand, BMW has a large facility where cars and motorcycles are assembled.

Lets spell that out, bit by bit. When it comes to nakeds, BMW assembles the F800R and the S1000R in Thailand. Also, a price-tag in the region of Rs 9 lakh for the twin-cylinder F800R looks very possible. Yes, it will be more expensive compared to Kawasakis Z800, and isnt as powerful either. However, if a super-rapid naked is what you desire, then get ready for the S1000R. This stripped-down and retuned superbike was launched in India at an eye-watering Rs 22.83 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai). However, when it comes from Thailand, you can expect the price of this super-rapid naked to be around Rs 14 lakh. Additional features such as BMWs electronically adjustable suspension will also be offered in India.

If your hunger for speed runs deeper then look no further than the S1000RR. When the horsepower king arrives in India under the FTA, you can expect the price to range at around Rs 16-18 lakh. If you want something more versatile, then there is BMWs S1000XR, a serious rival to the Ducati Multistrada and you can expect it to match the Italian for price as well. The Multistrada retails for Rs 14.4-16.6 lakh in our market.

However, for the traditional BMW aficionados nothing other than the GS family will do. Dont worry, BMWs F700GS, F800GS, R1200GS and R1200GS Adventure are also assembled in Thailand. The GS range has just received an update for 2017, the inclusion of Ride By Wire has allowed the company to offer rider modes and a more sophisticated traction control. These updates could help the F800GS take on Triumphs very popular and feature-packed Tiger 800XC. Interestingly, the twin-cylinder motorcycles could sneak in a price advantage too! The bigger R1200GS range, although cheaper, is still anticipated to start from around Rs 19-20 lakh.

However, you can expect motorcycles such as the R NineT and K1600GTL that carry the Made in Berlin tag to continue at hefty prices. BMW Motorrad is also expected to come up with a new dealership network, and as Motorrad is a part of BMW India, it has had the option of tapping into the existing network of BMW car dealers. As such, BMW stands to take a very strong stand against premium motorcycle manufacturers such as Ducati and Triumph. After all, it looks set to roll in with a vast portfolio, including a few key models with attractive price-tags and a dealership network to reach out to the booming market. The G310R, thats only the tip of the iceberg.
Piaggios Moto Guzzi V9 Roamer and Bobber models to launch as CBUs this month; will be packed with twin-cylinder, 850cc units.

Piaggio plans to roll out group brand Moto Guzzis V9 Roamer and Bobber motorcycles as CBUs across its four MotoPlex showrooms in India this month.

The twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled, 850cc mid-sized motorcycles were first unveiled by the company at Auto Expo 2016 as production-ready models. On March 3, 2016, sister professional Autocar Professional broke the news about these two models coming as CBUs to India. To address the growing demand for mid-sized bikes, Moto Guzzi had launched its all-new V9 family late last year in Europe. The V9s are Moto Guzzis second family of motorcycles that caters to the rising demand for mid-size models worldwide. The brand already sells multiple variants with the V7 family, which is powered by a twin-cylinder, 744cc engine in India as CBUs.

The V7 is the largest-selling family of motorcycles for Moto Guzzi globally. Speaking to Autocar Professional in April this year, Stefano Pelle, managing director of Piaggio Vehicles, had said, Yes, they will also be brought to India as CBUs, most likely within this year. The Moto Guzzi V9 cruisers are not launched yet. Their global launch is scheduled within a few months time. The Moto Guzzi V9 is an all-new line-up of cruisers with light, nimble handling. They will be powered by the 850cc powertrain, which is considered to be a medium-size engine. The V9 motorcycles will be positioned below the bigger Moto Guzzi models such as the California.
SUV

CBC

Most tourist guides advise visitors to get accustomed to laws and even unspoken rules of the country they are about to visit. After all, culture clash can happen to both tourists and hosts alike, and it is best not to offend the residents of the country you are visiting just because you were uninformed.It is also wise to know how do the uniforms of the law enforcement officers of the country you are about to visit look, so you do not risk getting scammed by fraudsters, or getting arrested because of a misunderstanding.In the case of a family of Chinese tourists, they nearly suffered the latter because they did not understand what was happening when a police cruiser turned its lights and sirens on and pulled over next to them.For some reason, the driver of the Honda CR-V rented by the Chinese family stopped in the middle of the highway, then started up again in spite of the fact that a marked police cruiser had halted next to it. Once the Hondabegun driving again, police officers commenced a pursuit , and the whole scene was filmed.It all happened on Interstate 8, in Mission Valley, California, as the Chinese family had chosen to visit the San Dieg o area. After a few miles of driving with police cars that had flashing lights and activated sirens, the driver of the Honda CR-V pulled over, and the officers then followed procedures and held the adult passengers at gunpoint until they were convinced that the occupants did not pose a threat.According to24 News, the Chinese tourists did not speak English, and were confused about the entire event. Apparently, police cars do not pull over drivers like they do in the USA , and the family was left to continue their journey after checking their identities.As a report from EuroNews showed, this week was not great for Chinese tourists, especially those that do not speak the native language of the country they visit or something else besides Chinese. tourist from China that had lost his wallet went to report the event to what he presumed was the police station in Germany. Instead, he went to the city hall, and filed an application for asylum, which led to a short stay in a refugee home.Everything got cleared up with the inspired use of a translation app, but this goes to show that it can always be worse.
A project called Deep Drive was created in the form of an alliance between car companies, software companies, and prestigious universities from the USA. The partnership is described as a rare moment of cooperation between automakers like Volkswagen, Toyota, and Ford.The automakers have joined forces with technology companies like Samsung, Qualcomm, Panasonic, and Nvidia to empower students at Berkeley and Princeton, among others, to develop artificial intelligence technology for driverless vehicles . Google and Amazon are also involved, as are Facebook, Intel, Microsoft, and many others.The project is called Deep Drive, and it focuses on creating source code that will be used by autonomous cars to navigate day-to-day traffic situations. Evidently, the researchers must also think of ways to teach the system how to react in an emergency, as well as in inclement weather.The latest idea published by one of the teams involved is to use GTA V as a test environment. While the successful video game is not open source, it does allow the creation of mods, which can be utilized for various productions, including a self-driving car The idea behind using GTA V for testing autonomous vehicles was to gain access to a virtual environment that simulates real life and its complex traffic situations.In the case of this game, the researchers focused on creating an artificial intelligence system that will allow the prototype to drive itself in urban areas at speeds above 25 mph.Humans can do this without significant effort, but existing technologies for self-driving cars oblige the driver to be ready to take the wheel at a moments notice, because the systems are not as advanced as artificial intelligence through direct learning, and a deep convolutional neural network could allow them. Thus, Deep Drive has created the first self-driving car for GTA V. Heres a video of it below.
The two brothers, Mitch and Marcus Weller, were forced out of the company last July by the board of directors. Last week, the media reported that Skully would be shutting down entirel y, despite the fact that it had raised almost $15 million.The two brothers funded Skully three years ago, and managed to raise $2.5 million over an Indiegogo campaign. They were supposed to build and sell and advanced motorcycle helmet, which differentiated itself from others on the market through the fact that it had augmented-reality features.The two brothers are being sued, and the main accusation is treating company funds as a personal piggy bank. The allegations come from the former bookkeeper, Isabelle Faithauer, who has listed a few examples of the claimed expenses made by the two brothers and then allegedly declared as business expenses.First of all, the rent for a private apartment was paid by company funds. The same happened to restaurant meals and even personal groceries. This does not sound that extreme, right? However, it is still wrong, and we have yet to mention the worst parts of the lawsuit.Well, they allegedly paid for the rental of a Lamborghini during a personal vacation, and also took expensive vacations to destinations like Hawaii and Florida.The latter included spending $2,000 on renting a limousine, as well as a $2,000 charge in a strip club. For business reasons, you say? Depends on what kind of business one is involved.According to Business Insider , the companys Indiegogo page has alerted customers who preordered the helmet, priced at $1,450, that they will have to go through bankruptcy court for a chance to get their money back. This is the worst part of Skully tanking , as the initial backers of the project had to wait for years for it to be launched , paid in full, and only have the hope that they will get a refund someday.
To be honest, this is the least shocking conversion we've seen from the folks at LW Performance. The base car looks like a regular pre-facelift model, so it's about as cheap as the kit itself.Unless we are mistaken, this widebody A5 Coupe was presented during the Tokyo Auto Salon about five months ago. Since then, it's gained a few new trim pieces and some stickers worthy of a Japanese tuning project. Let me hear you say, this shit is bananas, b-a-n-a-n-a-s!As usual, the package is made up of many different parts that bolt onto the factory body. Thankfully, the fenders of the A5 are flat, and the doors don't get in the way, so the transformation must have been easy to pull off.For the side skirts and air splitters, Kato Wataru, and his team went for an old-school squared off design. It won't do much for the downforce, but it takes the A5 back to the Ur-Quattro era.Noteworthy features include adjustable struts for the front blade and a trunk lid spoiler that's bigger than on any supercar.Of course, the whole point of a Liberty Walk body kit is to give tuners room to install much wider tires, which is exactly what the Stormtrooper A5 has. We also notice that it has special Falken tires and an exhaust system from FLexhaust. Without air suspension, it would have this cool of a stance either.We leave you with all the footage that we could find, which also includes video from one of Japan's many stance-related magazines. Apparently, the A5 has an R8 sister car it likes to play with.
We don't even need to sell the shock that onlookers must have felt. I mean, it's not every day to you get to see a flying saucer cruising like that, not even on the net.If we had a car parked down that road, we would have been concerned for scratches, but the driver clearly knows about the width problem and it taking every precaution.There's only one problem: it's fake. No, we don't mean that in an obvious way because we know there are no such things as aliens (???). But the scene is staged right down to the police participation.The video itself comes from the guy who made the alien craft, so it's obviously a fake. Thankfully, it comes with matching photos of the "arrest" so you can sell the story as "Police Apprehending Aliens," even though that's not what is going on.The UFO was actually made by a local artist nameAli Kemal Ali, originally from Islington, London. The student wanted to raise interest in a space-theme exhibition. So he came up with the idea of making this thing using two electric scooters with a UFO shape on top. It's even got lasers and smoke."They loved it. They were brilliant. How often do you go into a police station and ask for something like this -- it's always doom and gloom. They saw the funny side of it," Ali Kemal Ali told Sky News regarding the police's involvement.Considering there are now dozens of articles regarding this incident, we'd say the 53-year old artist has achieved his initial goal of raising attention and then some.
Courtesy of Car Rental Express

CarRentalExpress.com, the car rental booking engine dedicated to independent agencies, has announced a partnership with Rentalcars Connect, a division of Rentalcars.com, an online car rental service.

The new partnership will allow both brands to expand their networks, proving customers more options when choosing a rental vehicle. Visitors to CarRentalExpress.com will be able to book a rental vehicle in any one of the 110 destinations across the world, according to the company.

Additionally, both brands expect to see more traffic, higher conversion rates, and an increase in reservations due to the expanded inventory.

This new partnership will enhance the offering provided to Car Rental Express customers, said Ady Guthrie, global director at Rentalcars Connect. Together we will provide more choices of vehicles, in more locations around the world, and on one user-friendly platform. We are pleased to partner with Car Rental Express, a company that has experienced continuous growth in North America for over a decade, and it is our aim to increase this through higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

By joining forces with Rentalcars Connect, Express iTech is establishing itself as a top partner in the car rental industry, said Janet Levy, senior finance at Express iTech, creators of Car Rental Express. Our renters will experience increased satisfaction. This is by far one of the most exciting partnership endeavors Express iTech has established. We look forward to a very successful future with Rentalcars Connect.
If one is planning to create driverless cars, he or she needs more than mere car parts and a computer. A car that drives on its own also needs to know its whereabouts in real time.

It leads to the conclusion that driverless cars need to have its own maps. The maps that is very good.

The vice president at Uber and an expert in geospatial data visualization, Brian McClendon said, "With autonomous vehicles, maps are going to be fundamental."

He added, "And the maps that are needed for autonomous vehicles are beyond anything that's being created today by any third party."

According to Uber, the "third party" is expected to be Google, on where the vice president has worked on maps for many years and which Uber depends on for the inner workings of its service.

The interface of Uber was created on the Google Maps API and it was noted that the drivers of Uber have the choice to directly navigate in the Google maps when they are driving.

But in the country of China, Uber is affiliated with Baidu, another search giant and not Google.

However, since the company of Uber is providing research about cars that do not need drivers, they should rely more on Google since Google is an expert in this area.

But it created a logistic issue. McClendon has also said that "Uber itself has a different set of needs than Google did (when it created its own maps)." "Some things we need, Google doesn't have. We need to figure out how to improve, and build a service based on those improvements," he added.

But what everyone should know is that staying away from the competitive group of Silicon's Valley most controlling and might companies that are racing towards creating driverless cars is a must.

Many people are researching and creating prototypes on the cars that do not need drivers.
Surf Air, which has been operating a fleet of Pilatus PC-12s between 13 California airports for three years, now plans to expand into Europe. Surf Air Europe will operate three airplanes from London, Zurich, Geneva, Dublin and Cannes. Surf Air members pay a monthly fee for unlimited access to the companys fleet, and can book flights using a mobile app. In Europe, the company says, customers will fly on all-new Cessna and Embraer twin-engine business jets from private terminals. Membership plans for the new Europe fleet start at about $3,600 per month. Meanwhile, the company has been dealing with noise complaints about its operations in California.

Neighbors close to the San Carlos Airport near San Francisco have complained about noise from the PC-12s flying low above their homes. The FAA approved a new approach route last month that would keep the PC-12s mainly over the bay, but neighbors say fog and low clouds often keep the airplanes on the old route. One neighbor filed a suit and was awarded $1,000, but the county is expected to appeal. County Supervisor Don Horsley told The Almanac, Were not going to let that stand. If residents could win lawsuits claiming local governments have a responsibility to stop nuisance noise from airports, youd have people constantly suing you. Theyd end up shutting [all airports] down. According to an analysis by San Carlos airport officials, the PC-12s should be able to fly the new bay approach about 85 percent of the time. Surf Air flies into San Carlos about 18 times a day.
Russia will continue to press for a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday after holding talks in Moscow with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sarkisian.

Putin, who also met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Monday, insisted that both Armenia and Azerbaijan are committed to a compromise settlement but would not say whether it can be achieved in the coming months.

We will continue to provide the utmost support to the search for ways of untying the Karabakh knot within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group as well as during direct contacts with Yerevan and Baku, he told a news conference with Sarkisian.

We hope that Armenia and Azerbaijan will manage to reach a compromise settlement -- without winners or losers -- of existing differences, he said.

Putin said that he and Sarkisian paid serious attention to the Karabakh issue at their talks, including through the prism of the most recent meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents which the Russian leader hosted in Saint Petersburg on June 20.

In a joint statement with Putin issued in Saint Petersburg, Aliyev and Sarkisian said they reached understandings on unspecified issues hampering a Karabakh settlement. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said afterwards that the conflicting parties are now closer to cutting a peace deal than ever before.

The Armenian press has since been rife with speculation that Moscow is pressing the Armenian side to agree to withdraw from five of the seven districts around Karabakh that were fully or partly occupied by Karabakh Armenian forces during the 1991-1994. Some commentators in Yerevan have pointed to statements to that effect made by Azerbaijani officials.

Putin did not confirm the Azerbaijani claims, implying that they only reflect Armenian concessions that are sought by Baku. He also said in that regard: I think that both Armenia and Azerbaijan really want to find a way out of the problem in order to live in peace, cooperate and develop the economy.

In particular, he said, a Karabakh peace would lead to economic betterment in Armenia and thereby strengthen Armenian statehood.

But we need to find the kind of approaches and formulas that would not leave anybody thinking that they have lost or won, a solution that would be worked out by Armenias and Azerbaijans leaders and accepted by the publics in both countries, Putin went on. Russia and other mediating powers are ready to act as guarantors of such an accord, he added.

Sarkisian, for his part, stressed that an Armenian-Azerbaijan peace accord can only be based on the Karabakh Armenians right to self-determination. This is what I discussed with the president of the Russian Federation in detail today, he said.

Neither Putin nor Sarkisian publicly commented on the possibility of organizing another Armenian-Azerbaijani summit which the mediators hope would result in further progress in the Karabakh peace process. French President Francois Hollande reportedly offered to host it in Paris shortly after the Saint Petersburg meeting.

Sarkisian praised Putins peace efforts in his opening remarks at the talks held in the Kremlin. In this regard, it is very, very important that all reached agreements are fulfilled, he said. We are prepared for that.

The Armenian president may have referred to safeguards against renewed ceasefire violations which he and Aliyev agreed to take at their previous meeting held in Vienna on May 16, more than a month after the worst escalation of the conflict since 1994. Yerevan subsequently accused Baku of trying to walk away from those agreements.

Putin discussed the Armenian-Azerbaijani dispute with Aliyev when he visited Baku on Monday. He told Sarkisian that he would love to brief you on the results of our meetings in Baku.

Speaking at the ensuing news conference, Putin dismissed a widely held belief in Armenia that Russia has only increased the risk of another Karabakh war with its large-scale arms sales to Baku. He implied that oil-rich Azerbaijan would have been able to purchase offensive weapons from other nations had Russia refused to sign defense contracts, reportedly worth $4 billion, with it in 2010-2011.

Putin also argued that Russia has long been providing substantial military aid to Armenia, its main regional ally. Moscow always fulfills its obligations to Yerevan relating to defense, he said.
10 August 2016 10:30 (UTC+04:00)

By Philippe Legrain

For once, Marine Le Pen, the leader of Frances far-right National Front, may be correct. She has called the United Kingdoms vote to leave the European Union the biggest political event in Europe since the fall of the Berlin Wall. That may turn out to be true: Brexit has destabilized the UK and could end up destroying the EU.

Old-fashioned federalists say the answer to Brexit should be further EU integration. But that response is both far-fetched and dangerous. Germany and France are often at odds, and both have weak leaders facing re-election next year who could scarcely muster support for an ever-closer union. And anti-EU sentiment is too widespread and too deep to hand more power to unelected EU officials and impose additional constraints on national decision-making without poisoning the pot further.

True, the immediate post-Brexit turmoil appears to have boosted support for mainstream politicians and the EU; but this is unlikely to last. The Brexit fallout is likely to sap eurozone economic performance and further polarize European politics as voters become more insecure. German dominance of the EU will increase, and so, too, will the anti-German backlash in many countries. With a weak and divided EU unable to resolve Europes many crises, and with nationalism resurgent, we can expect further disintegration in different forms.

The most extreme form would be further exits by member states. Leaving the EU once seemed outlandish: no country had ever done it, and only extremists even proposed it. Brexit now makes leaving seem feasible and, to some, reasonable. Already, Geert Wilders, whose far-right Freedom Party is leading in the polls ahead of the Netherlands general election next March, is demanding a referendum on EU membership. So, too, is the Danish Peoples Party, which is the biggest party in the Danish parliament, but remains out of government.

In France, where opposition to the EU is even greater than in the UK, Le Pen is campaigning on the promise of a Frexit plebiscite. Shecurrently leads in polls for the first round of the presidential election next April. And while those polls suggest she would be defeated in the second-round runoff by a more moderate conservative challenger, center-left voters who are fed up with austerity, the political establishment, and German dominance may yet rally behind her. Moreover, the growing sense of insecurity after the Nice attack on July 14  the third major terrorist massacre in France in 18 months  plays into Le Pens hands.

Disintegration could also take a less extreme but more insidious form if governments choose to ignore EU rules with impunity. In Italy, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi sought to take advantage of post-Brexit instability to use public funds to recapitalize Italys zombie banks, without imposing losses on their creditors, thereby bypassing the EUs new bail-in rules for banks. In France, Prime Minister Manuel Valls threatened to ignore the EUs posted-workers directive unless it was modified to prevent employers from hiring workers from other EU countries on worse terms than locals.

Germany claims that France is also bending the eurozones fiscal rules, with no objection from the European Commission. And while the Commission threatened Spain and Portugal with fines for their borrowing overruns, it ultimately pulled back. It has also rubber-stamped many governments unilateral imposition of border controls in the supposedly border-free Schengen Area.

Worse, the Commission has turned a blind eye to Hungarys illiberal prime minister, Viktor Orban, despite his governments repeated flouting of EU requirements concerning the rule of law and democratic norms. The governments of Hungary and other countries also refuse to comply with the EUs program to relocate refugees across the Union, which in any case has scarcely been implemented; Orban is holding a referendum in October to bolster his position.

A third threat to EU integration is the further capture of governments by nationalist anti-establishment parties. As the European Council on Foreign Relations has pointed out, insurgent parties already play a direct role in the governance of eight of the EUs 28 countries.

In Austria, the far-right candidate Norbert Hofer leads polls in a re-run of the countrys presidential election, set for October. The same month, Italy will hold a constitutional referendum to reform the Senate, and Renzi has vowed to resign if it doesnt pass. This would open the door for the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, which recently won local elections in Rome and Turin, and has called for a referendum on Italys eurozone (but not EU) membership.

Even when populist parties dont win, establishment politicians still make concessions to their supporters. For example, Alain Juppe, the presidential frontrunner for the Republicans in France, muses about limiting labor mobility in the EU, as does his main rival, former President Nicolas Sarkozy.

To counter these forces of disintegration, the EU must do less and do it better. Economically, plans for new institutions can wait; the eurozone should focus instead on policies to raise living standards for all. These should include looser fiscal constraints; more investment; an end to beggar-thy-neighbor wage cuts; and lower taxes on labor.

Europes leaders also need to restore trust. For starters, they should use the EUs new bail-in rules to clean up banks balance sheets, imposing losses on creditors and compensating any small investors who were sold a false bill of goods.

Politically, the EU should emphasize effective cooperation in combating terrorism. And, rather than trying to force recalcitrant governments to accept unwanted refugees, EU authorities should pursue an orderly and safe resettlement program with willing governments. This is particularly important in view of the uncertain fate of the EUs deal with Turkey to curb refugee inflows, which is looking increasingly precarious in the wake of last months failed coup.

The EUs leaders need to wake up. With disintegration looming, they urgently need to demonstrate to anxious Europeans that the benefits of the EU outweigh its costs.

Copyright: Project Syndicate: Three Paths to European Disintegration

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 August 2016 12:28 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

Azerbaijan National Fund for Entrepreneurship Support (NFES) has allocated approximately 91.5 million manats ($57.1 million) on easy terms since early 2016, while about 1,542 entrepreneurs made use of means allocated by the fund.

NFES CEO Shirzad Abdullayev, addressing the business forum dedicated to the issue of easy credits to entrepreneurs, mentioned that the financial means are expected to give a stimulus for the creation of more than 4,600 new jobs.

The fund has so far allocated some 326.4 million manats ($ 203.9 million) for financing 1,284 investment projects on the creation of logistics centers, poultry factories, stock-raising complexes, bread-baking plant, enterprises for the manufacture of building materials, dried fruit as well as large farm enterprises. The Fund has issued easy credits worth 3.2 million manats ($ 1.9 million) to 20 entrepreneurs within the framework of the forum.

The amount of funds to be allocated by the NFES is expected to reach the level of 250 million manats ($156.2 million) in 2016 with some 70 million manats ($43.7) being provided by budgetary funds

Earlier, MP Rufat Guliyev talking to Trend mentioned that the government of the country is planning to offer an alternative to easy credits for entrepreneurs engaged in small business and is drafting a new program on the support of business entities, which envisages assignment of ready mini projects to them. The program is expected to be an alternative to easy credits in the future.

Allocation of funds by NFES is aimed at the mitigating of the impact of global economic crisis to the national economy and minimization of its dependence on the oil sector. The country takes steps in its bid to diversify the national economy and provide for the development of entrepreneurship in the country.

Azerbaijan currently ranks 63 out of 189 countries in the World Banks ease of doing business index.

The National Fund for Entrepreneurship Support was established in 1992. Loans are allocated to entrepreneurs through authorized banks and non-bank lenders.

--

Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 August 2016 11:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Turkish companies may soon return to Russian markets of services, transport and tourism on a parity basis, Russian Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukayev said Tuesday, Sputnik International reported.

"We are hoping that in the near future we will restore positions in the trade of goods and participation of Turkish companies in the work on Russian markets of services in the tourist and transport sectors on the principle of step-by-step approach, parity and mutual benefit," Ulyukayev said following a meeting between Russian and Turkish leaders in St. Petersburg.

Russia and Turkey agreed on Tuesday to speed up work on creation of a joint investment fund, Ulyukayev said.

"The sides agreed to expedite work on setting up a joint Russia-Turkey investment fund. Russia will be represented by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), while the Turkish side will adopt all necessary normative decisions and determine its representative by the end of this month," the minister said.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 August 2016 13:14 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Russian shipyard Red Sormovo, which is a member of a group of companies "Sea and oil & gas projects" (MNP group), intends to expand partnership with Azerbaijan.

Representatives of the MNP group management took part in the extended meeting of the Russian-Azerbaijani and Azerbaijani-Russian business councils in Baku on August 8, the Moscow representative office of Red Sormovo said.

"The goal of participation was the development of further relations of PJSC Plant Red Sormovo with business partners and potential customers from Azerbaijan," the office said. The meeting was timed to the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Azerbaijan and aimed at enhancing economic cooperation between the two countries.

In the framework of the business program of event, business representatives of various industries of Azerbaijan and Russia held bilateral meetings. Executive Director of MNP group Vadim Malov and the Deputy CEO Murat Duguzhev discussed the prospects of further cooperation in the field of shipbuilding with their potential partners.

Malov stressed that Azerbaijan being one of the key players of oil and gas market in the Caspian region will always be of interest to manufacturers of oil and gas tankers, and Red Sormovo has obvious advantages in that field.

Projects for Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company, implemented earlier by the group of MNP and Sormovo shipbuilders, have created a basis for long term partnership with ship-owners operating in the country. Therefore, we continue to participate in such large-scale bilateral meetings. As a rule, they are quite productive, Director of MNP added.

Plant Red Sormovo founded in 1849, is one of the oldest Russian shipbuilding enterprises. The plant and MNP group have established significantly friendly relations with Azerbaijan. From 2002 to 2009, Red Sormovo supplied one dry-cargo ship Volga, two tankers SFAT and seven tankers Heydar Aliyev for Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company.

---

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 August 2016 15:10 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

Azerbaijan and Iran have increased the swap of electricity by 2.5 times, Hamid Chitchian, Irans Energy Minister told Trend. He said that a new ETL (electrical transmission line) with the capacity of 330 kilowatt and length of 52 km was commissioned on August 4.

The countries have increased exchange of electricity from 200 to 500 megawatts, he said. He went on saying that Iran has increased its power generation by 26,500 megawatt, while the volume of investments stood at $30 billion in the past five years. Currently, production capabilities of the country in electric-power industry are approximately 75,000 megawatts.

Chitchian added that the figure is expected to reach the level of 125,000 megawatt by 2025. Generation capacity of electric energy system of Azerbaijan, which stands at 7,160 megawatt, allows the country to generate about 24 billion kilowatt-hours of electric energy per year. Moreover, the country is also able to export some 2.1 billion kilowatt-hours a year.

Earlier, Azerishiq reported that the total capacity of electrical networks of Baku have increased from 3,048 up to 6,200 megawatts in the past 10 years, while technical losses in the networks decreased from 16.9 to 7.8 percent.

By synchronizing their energy systems, Azerbaijan and Iran are expected to create the basis for the future electricity exchange with third countries like Russia and Georgia.

Iran, which is considered to be the largest exporter and importer of electricity in the Middle East currently ranks 14th in the world in terms of electricity generation. The country exports electricity to such countries as Pakistan, Turkey, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Earlier, the two countries concluded 11 documents covering various areas of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran preordaining development of bilateral relations between friendly and brotherly countries of Azerbaijan and Iran for several decades in advance. One of the agreements of significant importance includes "The Framework Agreement on the sale of electric power between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran", which stipulates diversification of electricity systems as well as establishment of a common electricity network of the region

---

Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 August 2016 18:14 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Income tax and value added tax (VAT) rates for small and medium-sized enterprises engaged in production will be reduced in Azerbaijan.

This remark was made by Deputy Taxes Minister Ilkin Valiyev at a press conference dedicated to execution of the Azerbaijani presidents order, dated back on August 4 On improvement of tax administration and approval of directions of reforms in taxation in 2016 held in Baku on August 10.

Valiyev emphasized that in this context, it is planned to amend Azerbaijans legislation and simplify tax administration.

He said that one of the main goals is to reduce tax burden, which currently is 39.8 percent.

This figure is less than in other countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), but slightly higher than in the countries of the region, he noted. Thus, we plan to optimize and somehow reduce the tax burden.

Azerbaijan applies a single VAT rate of 18 percent, and the rate of the income tax is 20 percent.

Small businesses in the country are the businesses, which have up to 25 employees and an annual turnover of up to 200,000 manats ($123,565), while the medium-sized businesses are the enterprises, which have an annual turnover of 200,000-1.25 million manats ($123,565-$772,000) and 25-125 employees.

Valiyev also stressed that the government plans to decrease tax rates in order to encourage non-cash payments in Azerbaijan.

Stimulating cashless payments and limitation of cash payments will lead to a rise in the number of POS-terminals and transparency in tax payment. We've already had a few suggestions in connection with the expansion of cashless payments. One of the proposals means that any payments in excess of 1,000 manats ($617) a day must be carried out by cashless payment. In addition, we have proposed to reduce the VAT or any other tax to promote cashless payments," Valiyev explained.

Central Bank of Azerbaijan reports that payment cards turnover in the country through ATMs and POS-terminals amounted to 1.05 billion manats ($648,720) in June 2016 (6.2 percent increase compared to the same period of 2015), and the total number of operations made up 6.99 million (0.5 percent decrease). Number of payment cards in Azerbaijan amounted to 5.47 million, which downed by 0.5 percent for a year.

The deputy minister also informed reporters about strengthening the control operations of Azerbaijani citizens in offshore zones.

He added that corresponding amendments will be made to Azerbaijans legislation in order to impose taxes on profits from operations of Azerbaijani companies abroad, including in offshore zones, and by using transfer prices.

Moreover, he said, it is planned to create effective mechanisms of control over the operations of enterprises created by Azerbaijani residents in offshore zones. These mechanisms will be used to identify people evading taxes and to impose income tax on their profit.

Currently, we have agreements with a number of countries on cooperation in this sphere and we plan to increase their number in the future, added Valiyev. We provide those countries with information about their companies operating in Azerbaijan, and they, in turn, provide us with information about Azerbaijani companies there.

These agreements will also allow enhancing control over Azerbaijani companies in offshore zones, said the deputy minister.

The deputy minister also touched upon the recently approved Tax Free system in the country, saying that more than 104 million manats (about $64,000) of VAT have been refunded to citizens of 45 countries since the introduction of the system on June 16.

This demonstrates that the system is in a very high demand, Valiyev said. Currently, it operates only at the Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport, but soon it will be used at all other checkpoints of Azerbaijan.

Head of Taxpayers Services Main Department Mahir Rafiyev told reporters that the extended use of Tax Free system doesnt mean the inclusion of persons and goods, with regard to which the Tax Free is not applicable.

The extended use of this system means that it will be used at all checkpoints of Azerbaijan, said Rafiyev adding that the list of persons and goods, with regard to which the Tax Free is not applicable, wont be changed.

Foreign citizens can benefit from tax free system, if the cost of purchased goods per one e-tax invoice is not less than 300 Azerbaijani manats, including VAT. The goods should be taken out of Azerbaijans territory within 90 days from the date of purchase.

Standard VAT rate in Azerbaijan is 18 percent. Regardless of the transfer method, foreign citizens will be refunded the amount of VAT paid for the purchased goods after withholding 20 percent service fee.

How to benefit from Tax Free?

To benefit from Tax Free system, a customer must shop at Tax Free labeled shops. Customers can refund the VAT paid for the goods they purchased at Tax Free labeled shops during their departure at the airport.

While purchasing goods at Tax Free labeled shops customers need to inform a salesperson about the intention to benefit from Tax Free, show a passport confirming citizenship, and have the salesperson to fill in the electronic tax invoice enabling VAT refund. The salesperson, upon filling in the passport details, will provide the customer with two copies of signed and stamped e-tax invoice. The e-tax invoice, along with other information, will contain the amount of paid VAT, as well as the expiry date of VAT refund.

While departing from Azerbaijan, it is necessary to present purchased goods and e-tax invoice along with a passport to the customs checkpoint located at the airport. Customs staff will certify the e-tax invoice with a stamp and return it back to the customer after making relevant notes on it. Finally, the customs tax invoice should be presented to an authorized bank. The refund can be made both in cash and non-cash (after 10 days) way.

--

Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 August 2016 18:32 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

The recent decision of the President Ilham Aliyev on the approval of reforms to be held in the sphere of taxes in 2016 was hailed by a number of companies operating in the country.

The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Azerbaijan has welcomed the recent decision of the President, mentioning that a number of recommendations on improvement of tax administration and facilitation of business doing in the country, proposed by the chamber to the government of Azerbaijan in early 2016 were reflected in the presidential order.

The United States  Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (USACC), which is considered to be a vital resource for American companies seeking to establish long-term business ties with Azerbaijan have also hailed the recent changes in the tax system of the country in its recent message posted on the web-site of the company.

The message reads that the company is ready to provide all necessary assistance and share its experience and knowledge for the further implementation of tasks in the sphere. The reforms carried out in the tax system are a positive initiative, which provides for the increase of investment attractiveness of the country for American companies, the message said.

Highlighting the issue USACC Executive Director Susen Sadikhova said that the reforms are very timely as the organization is currently engaged in the implementation of the next trade mission of American companies to Azerbaijan, which is scheduled for September 15-16. Some 12 small and medium American companies that are seeking for partners in Azerbaijan are expected to join the mission.

The decision of the President stipulates provision of more favorable value-added tax (VAT) rates for the socially vulnerable layers of the population, reduction of the tax burden on small and medium-sized business, and resolving the problems during taxation of trade operations.

Moreover, the changes envisage the application of Advance Tax Ruling system, which stands for clarifying and conforming particular taxation arrangements with the tax authorities prior to the appearance of legal consequences as well as prohibition of office tax audits implemented by tax authorities after expiration of 30 days since the submission of tax declarations by tax payers. The changes also include introduction of the system of Voluntary Tax Disclosure, which allows taxpayer to disclose the information not previously reported to a tax agency on a voluntary basis and thereby avoid liability to penalty or prosecution normally associated with prior non-disclosure.

Being of great significance for the country the changes are expected to stipulate business doing in the country, particularly small and medium-sized entrepreneurship.

Azerbaijan currently ranks 63 out of 189 countries in the World Banks ease of doing business index.

---

Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 August 2016 16:39 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Chairman of the Germany-South Caucasus Parliamentary Friendship Group at Bundestag Karin Strenz visited the Milli Majlis of the Azerbaijan Republic on August 9.

At the meeting, Chairman of the working group on Azerbaijani-German inter-parliamentary relations Rovshan Rzayev talked about achievements of Azerbaijan in recent years and Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

He stressed that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to developing cooperation with Germany in various spheres, including the expansion of inter-parliamentary relations.

Speaking on the settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, other members of the group also expressed their hope that the German presidency at the OSCE will facilitate the resolution of the problem and concrete steps on its settlement will be taken.

Karin Strenz, in turn, expressed her satisfaction from the presidency in the Germany-South Caucasus Parliamentary Friendship Group. She stressed that such meetings contribute to the development of inter-parliamentary relations, and this development in a number of fields is beneficial to both parties.

Strenz particularly stressed the importance of resolving the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on international legal norms and in accordance with the adopted UN resolutions.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign State with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.

Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.

---

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 August 2016 18:04 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Turkey suggested the creation of tripartite mechanism on the discussion of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia. This was said by the Foreign Minister of Turkey Mevlut Cavusoglu, TRT Haber news channel reports.

Cavusoglu noted that trilateral format will be beneficial to all parties.

We discussed this format during the meetings in Baku. Azerbaijan positively appraised the trilateral mechanism with Russia. This initiative was also announced during the meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia also praised the mechanism, Turkish Foreign Minister said. He also noted that the three countries may cooperate in the political, economic, transport and energy sectors.

On August 9, President Erdogan also said that Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia may establish a tripartite cooperation mechanism, and that both Turkey and Russia have a positive attitude to the creation of this mechanism.

The Azerbaijan-Turkey-Russia trilateral format can be effective for settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, believes Turkish presidents spokesman Ibrahim Kalin.

If Armenia withdraws from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, the process will be accelerated, Kalin said in his interview with A Haber TV channel.

He particularly mentioned that if the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is resolved, it will be more beneficial for Armenia, "which will be able to normalize relations with Turkey.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign State with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.

Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.

---

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 August 2016 18:55 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijan plans to exempt exports of services from paying the value-added tax (VAT), said Shamil Arabov, Deputy head of the Main Department of tax policy and strategic surveys, on August 10.

To this end, draft appropriate amendments to the legislation have been prepared.

This project proposes to remove limitations on the collection of VAT from exports of some services. Under the proposed changes, VAT rate for all exported services will be at zero percent, said Arabov.

According to the current Tax code of Azerbaijan, exports of following services are not subjected to VAT:

- transfer of ownership or assignment of rights to patents, licenses, trademarks, copyrights and other similar rights;

- rendering of consulting, legal, accounting, engineering or advertisement services, services on data management and other similar services;

- provision of labour services;

- renting movable property (except for vehicles of transportation enterprises);

- services of agent who on behalf of the main party of agreement invites legal or natural persons to provide services specified in the article;

- the provision of telecommunication services (receipt, distribution, and transmission of signals, documents, photographs, voice or information of various nature by means of telegraph, radio, optical or other electromagnetic system, including the granting or acquiring rights for such transmission, receiving or broadcasting);

- services on radio and television transmission, postal services;

- provision of services via computer, Internet and other electronic networks, email and other similar means or granting rights to use such networks or services.

---

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 August 2016 14:16 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Trade and economic relations with Turkey will be discussed in the autumn, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a joint press conference following the meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in St. Petersburg.

A session of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic relations with Turkey will take place in the autumn 2016, Putin said. We have to work hard to reanimate trade and economic relations. This process has already started, but it will take some time.

Putin noted that the visit of a delegation of the Turkish governments economic bloc to Moscow at the end of July, their negotiations with Russian colleagues, became an important step.

We intend to pay particular attention to increasing investments, trade flows, implementation of promising projects, Putin said. It is very important that business circles support us in that.

He added that Russia and Turkey intend to hold a meeting of a strategic planning group in the first half of 2017, and noted that the countries have all opportunities to restore and strengthen full-length relations.

I would like to thank President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a sincere conversation, which took place today, Putin said following the talks with Erdogan Aug. 9. The talks have confirmed that our countries have every opportunity to restore normal, full-length relations that would contribute to strengthening of stability not only in our region but also around the world. Russia is ready for such work.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 August 2016 19:16 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have vowed to restore an axis of friendship between Ankara and Moscow amid Turkey faces strained relations with the West.

But to which extent the Russian-Turkish rapprochement could affect Western interests in the region and beyond?

An expert claims that the visit of Erdogan to Saint Petersburg will send strong message to the West meaning as Ankara has options.

Yusuf Cinar, president of the Turkish international research center Strategic Outlook said that the Turkish presidents visit to Russia means that the relations between Ankara and Moscow are entering a new era following the downed aircraft incident.

He stressed that this convergence between Turkey and Russia may come as a surprise to the West and dramatically change the balance in the region.

This rapprochement may sharply estrange Turkey from the West, since Turkey's relations with Europe and the U.S. have sharply deteriorated after July 15, said Cinar.

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. Erdogan said the death toll as a result of the military coup attempt stood at 246 people excluding the coup plotters and over 2,000 people were wounded.

Turkish president declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20.

Erdogan has strongly criticized West for the tepid response to the coup attempt, and experts believe that Putin may have seen an opportunity to provide a supportive shoulder for the Turkish leader, despite the past months tensions.

Analysts say that in a light of elevated anti-Western sentiment, Erdogans move to warm relations with Russia may harden Turkeys alienation from its traditional allies.

--

Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 August 2016 17:19 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

Russia needs "ironclad guarantees" to resume work on the South Stream pipeline project after it was stalled due to opposition from the European Commission, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on August, 9 following the talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Sputnik International reported.

Putin noted that Russia saw that Bulgaria was ready to return to implementing the project, having put it on hold at the request of the European Commission.

"We suffered certain losses from the refusal of our European partners to return to this project. Mere intentions are not enough now, we need absolutely ironclad guarantees of a legal nature. They do not exist, he said.

Itinerary of the pipeline with the total capacity of 63 billion of cubic metres was intended to cover the territories of Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Italy. The project, with the total worth of $15.5 billion was initiated by Gazprom, which hold 50 percent of the shares, while German Wintershall, French Electricite de France (EDF) and Italian ENI were among other shareholders.

Earlier, Ria Novosti reported that the parliamentarians of Bulgaria have rejected the proposal on the resumption of the South stream project.

The European Commission was against the implementation of the South Stream as the project was allegedly in breach of the EU third energy package, which envisages that one and the same company is not eligible to implement delivery and operate the pipeline.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would halt the implementation of the South Stream on December 1, 2014. Turkish stream project came to the foreground following the decision of Russia.

However, the Turkish Stream project was frozen in late 2015 due to sharp deterioration of relations between Moscow and Ankara when Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber with two pilots on board. On June 27, Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter of condolences to Putin over the death of Russian Su-24 pilot and expressed his condolences over the incident. After that, the relations between the two countries began to improve.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently said that the Turkish Stream pipeline project, which is aimed at delivery of Russian natural gas to Southern Europe via Turkey may get underway in the near future, mentioning that the project is not considered to be an alternative to the South Stream but an opportunity to expand the cooperation of the country in the sphere of gas supplies both with Europe and with Turkey.

Meanwhile, President Erdogan recently said that the Turkish Stream project will be implemented, adding that the country will take the necessary steps to ensure the supply of Russian gas to Europe through the pipeline.

---

Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 August 2016 14:28 (UTC+04:00)

By Gunay Hasanova

Turkish and Russian presidents Recep Tayip Ergodan and Vladimir Putin have met in hopes of turning a fresh page in the two countries relations. It was their first meeting since Turkey downed a Russian bomber over Syria last November.

In turn, the meeting served as the beginning of restoration of the cooperation between two countries regarding different issues, as well as, promising to back different energy projects between the sides.

Turkey has confirmed that its ready to continue negotiations on the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project, said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich on August 9.

The minister also said that they have also discussed going ahead with Turkeys Akkuyu nuclear power plant.

"We discussed some investment projects, including the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant. There is some progress here already. The necessary regulatory framework is being finished by the Turkish side. We expect to be able to move forward quite quickly," Dvorkovich told reporters.

In addition, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told that the agreement on the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project envisions the construction of one pipeline leg by late 2019, with a possible expansion to two.

The minister said Russia and Turkey agreed to set up a working group to implement the project aiming to bring Russian natural gas to Southern Europe via Turkey.

"Within the framework of the working group, a draft intergovernmental agreement will be prepared and approved on the construction of at least one leg under the Black Sea with a possible extension to the second leg," Novak told the Rossiya 24 broadcaster.

Forecasting its construction timeline at second half of 2019, the minister added that an intergovernmental agreement on the Turkish Stream could be reached and signed by October.

Novak additionally echoed Russian President Vladimir Putin's earlier comments in saying that Moscow needs EU and the European Commission guarantees that the Turkish Stream infrastructure would be in demand before talk of constructing the pipelines second leg.

Addressing the likelihood of the project's third leg, the minister said: "Theoretically, anything is possible, but in a more practical matter we are now looking into what needs to be done in the first place."

The Turkish Stream gas pipeline and the Akkuyu nuclear power plant are major projects for Russia and Turkey.

The construction of the Turkish Stream pipeline to deliver Russian gas to Turkey via the Black Sea was initially scheduled to begin in 2014 but was delayed after the failure to reach an intergovernmental agreement. Negotiations on the project were suspended after downed Russian plane in Syria in November 2015.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 August 2016 17:34 (UTC+04:00)

By Gunay Hasanova

The meeting between Russian and Turkish President held on August 9 moved the relations between two countries to a new positive direction and served as the beginning of restoration of axis of friendship and clean slate between Ankara and Moscow.

The Presidents of Turkey and Russia met in St. Petersburg on Tuesday, after months of enmity between the two countries.

Putin met Erdogan as a very special guest, and, in turn, Erdogan thanked Putin referring to him as Dear Friend.

Russia wants to fully restore ties with Turkey, to which end it is drafting a 2016-2019 mid-term program of cooperation in areas including the economy and science, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on August 9, Sputnik International reported.

As for restoring our relations to their full extent: do we want that? Yes we do, and we will be working that out, Putin told reporters. After certain restrictions had been imposed in our relations, some transformations have taken place since. Thats why we will need to keep them in mind as we restore our trade and economic cooperation, said Putin.

In this regard, he said the sides decided to draft a mid-term program economic, technical and scientific cooperation for the next three years.

In addition, the Russian president stressed that they are aiming to cooperate further with Turkey in different spheres.

"We should not only regain the earlier level, but go even further," Putin said at a meeting with business community of Russia and Turkey.

Moreover, as it previously was reported, one of the main topics of discussion was management of Syrian conflict.

Moscow and Ankara are determined to find compromise on the Syrian reconciliation, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a press-conference.

We have a common goal which is the Syrian crisis settlement. Considering this common approach, this platform, we will look for common solutions, Putin said.

Different aspects of further cooperation in the sphere of energy were on the agenda as well.

Ankara has made a positive decision to resume the projects of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant and the Turkish Stream gas pipeline, said Putin.

We have discussed major joint projects in the fields of energy whose resumption require political decisions, Putin said. The Turkish side has already taken corresponding decisions on the Akkuyu nuclear power plant construction and the Turkish Stream gas pipeline.

Russia and Turkey signed an agreement to construct and operate Turkeys first nuclear power plant at the Akkuyu site in the Turkish southern Mersin Province in May 2010. The plant is expected to produce about 35 billion kilowatt-hours per year.

The Turkish Stream pipeline project to deliver Russian natural gas to Southern Europe via Turkey may get underway in the near future, Putin said.

We have initially considered the Turkish Stream not as an alternative to the South Stream, but as an opportunity to expand our cooperation in the area of gas supplied both with Europe and with Turkey, Putin said.

Moreover, Russian President stressed that another meeting regarding the trade and economic relations with Turkey will be held in autumn 2016.

A session of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic relations with Turkey will take place in the autumn 2016. We have to work hard to reanimate trade and economic relations. This process has already started, but it will take some time, Putin noted.

We intend to pay particular attention to increasing investments, trade flows, implementation of promising projects, Putin said. It is very important that business circles support us in that, he added.

I would like to thank President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a sincere conversation, which took place today, Putin said following the talks with Erdogan on August 9.

The talks have confirmed that our countries have every opportunity to restore normal, full-length relations that would contribute to strengthening of stability not only in our region but also around the world. Russia is ready for such work, he said.

This was Erdogans first visit to Russia after the crisis in the two countries relations and also after the attempted military coup in Turkey.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 August 2016 14:53 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan will leave for Russia on a working visit on August 10 to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During the negotiations the two sides will discuss key issues on the bilateral agenda of cooperation between two countries and strategic partners in a number of areas including political, trade-economic, humanitarian as well as the development of integration processes in Eurasia.

Presidents Putin and Sargsyan will also exchange views on topical problems of international and regional agenda, according to the Armenian state press service.

The Kremlin reported that Sargsyan will arrive in Moscow on the invitation of Putin.

Prior to this, the two leaders met in June, when St. Petersburg hosted a summit to discuss the aggravation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also attended the meeting.

But what promises the meeting between Putin and Sargsyan, to be held just two days after tripartite meeting of Azerbaijani, Russian and Iranian presidents in Baku.

While being in Baku the Russian president also had a face-to-face meeting with President Aliyev. It is not the exception that alongside wade range of issues, the presidents also touched upon acceleration of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict solution.

Right after his visit to Baku, Putin met with Turkeys President Rejep Tayyip Erdogan in St. Petersburg, after nine months of tensions, where the presidents decided to strengthen their ties even more than previously.

Making a statement after the meeting Erdogan suggested to create a trilateral cooperation mechanism between Turkey, Russia and Azerbaijan, that can strike at the interests of Armenia in the region.

There is huge probablity that the upcoming Russian and Armenian presidents meeting will discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and schedule another trilateral meeting between Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia to fin a solution to the conflict by liberating seven regions of Azerbaijan and identifying the corridor, as were agreed between the sides during the St. Petersburg meeting in June

--

Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
10 August 2016 17:46 (UTC+04:00)

By Gunay Hasanova

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Russias President Vladimir Putin on August 9 to restore ties, which were severely damaged after downed Russian jet near Syrian border in November.

The talks began amicably, with both leaders expressing their intention to work toward mending the cracked relationships.

The visit marked a first since last November when the crisis in relations between the countries started and is also Erdogans first foreign visit after a failed coup attempt in Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that organization led by Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen has made efforts to undermine Turkey-Russia relations, Sputnik International reported.

"Today we understand even more clearly that terrorist organization of Fethullah Gulen and those powers that stand behind him, have been undermining our relations with you," Erdogan said at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and representatives of two countries' business.

Meanwhile, Erdogan expressed happiness over Russias high-level phone call after the failed coup attempt.

In turn, commenting on the failed coup attempt in Turkey on July 15, Putin said that Russia was against all manners of coup attempts and any kind of unlawful attempts to unseat legitimate governments, adding that the developments would be beneficial for the two countries.

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. Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the death toll as a result of the military coup attempt stood at 246 people excluding the coup plotters and over 2,000 people were wounded.

Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz

.
10 August 2016 17:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Gunay Hasanova

At the meeting on August 9 in St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed ways to resolve the ongoing Syrian crisis.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has highlighted the importance of cooperation between Turkey and Russia in finding a solution to the long-standing Syria conflict.

Turkish delegation will visit Russia to discuss the Syrian crisis, Milliyet newspaper quoted Ibrahim Kalin, a spokesman for Turkish President Tayyip Recep Erdogan, as saying August 10.

Kalin said that the delegation will include employees of Turkeys National Intelligence Organization (MIT), General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces and the Foreign Ministry.

He noted that members of the Turkish delegation will also discuss security issues during the visit.

A direct line will be created between the chiefs of the Turkish and Russian General Staff, added Kalin.

In turn, President Erdogan said that if there is a need, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the U.S too could also be included in the process. In a reference to the Bashar al-Assad regime, he said: Of course, we are not up for backing the killer who committed the state terrorism. Let the Syrian nation elect the one or ones who will rule them, Anadolu Agency reported.

I must tell this clearly, the most important step, and primary actor in bringing peace to Syria is the Russian Federation, Erdogan added.

Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has so far claimed over 500,000 lives.

Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops. The "Islamic State" and Jabhat al-Nusra are the most active terrorist groups in Syria.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
London-based Italian bakery Crosta & Mollica has added two new lines to its range and repackaged an existing product.

Crosta & Mollica has also announced two new additions to its bread range, with wholemeal and seeded varieties joining Farina Pugliese on shelves in Waitrose this month.

The original Pane Pugliese variety will also relaunch with new packaging, to create one consistent range.

All three Farina varieties are made with Crosta & Mollicas signature durum wheat dough, as used in traditional Italian baking. The Farina range is characterised by a thick crust and full-flavoured crumb.

Farina Pugliese is already a popular product, contributing to total sales of 5.5m for the company in 2015. The new varieties offer consumers greater choice and versatility at breakfast time, as well as a base for Italian classics like bruschetta.

The launch comes as Crosta & Mollica increases its UK presence with listings in Morrisons, The Co-operative and Sainsburys stores across the summer, as well as a first international listing with French retailer Monoprix.

James Orr, founder of Crosta & Mollica, said: Were delighted to add these new varieties to our range. Weve seen a huge increase in demand for quality Italian produce over the last year and are looking forward to introducing consumers to these new loaves made with the best flour available.
French analysts have revised down their expectations for the countrys milling wheat harvest, but UK traders are eyeing export opportunities to North Africa.

Early results suggest wheat in the UK has not suffered the yield or quality issues that affected both barley and oilseed rape this year, but the extent of the UKs ability to capitalise on Frances poor harvest requires a better indication of the state of our own wheat harvest, which should be by the end of this month, according to crop supplier KWS Group.

It said basic assumptions based on the planted area and past experience suggest the UK will be well-placed to pick some of the demand vacated by France.

Jonathan Lane, trading director at Gleadell Agriculture, said: This is exactly the scenario we encouraged growers to consider when making variety choices. It is only the arrival of high yielding milling wheats, such as KWS Lili, that have enabled us to capitalise on this opportunity.

He added that if the milling and baking industry was still where it was three years ago - with about 17% of the UK wheat crop consisting of Group 1 and 2 varieties - we would only be able to cover our domestic requirements: But fortunately that is no longer the case.

He said the introduction of KWS Lili and other high-yielding milling wheats has expanded exporters options and given them greater ability to target premium markets that deliver value for growers. Assuming 75% of the UK milling crop meets specification then we could have up to 1m tonnes of suitable exportable surplus.

Meeting quality specification will be fundamental to any success, but the requirements of most export markets are far less demanding than those of UK millers.

In May KWS launched two new wheat varieties that offer high yields of grain suitable for biscuit and cake flours.
Food industry charity GroceryAid has added Waitroses Mark Williamson and Procter & Gambles Helen Tucker to its board of trustees.

Mark Williamson, commercial director at Waitrose, and Helen Tucker (human resources leader, Procter & Gamble, have been elected to the board of GroceryAid trustees, which is chaired by Chris Etherington, chief executive, Palmer and Harvey.

Tucker said of the appointment, GroceryAid plays such an important role throughout the industry and Im delighted to have the opportunity to join the trustees and support the future direction of the charity.

Williamson (pictured) and Tucker will have overall responsibility for the governance of the charity, and will help shape future strategy, as well as the way it operates day to day.

The charity said in a statement: Their extensive knowledge of the grocery industry will be of great benefit in helping raise awareness within the industry and driving the welfare agenda forward.

Williamson has been involved with GroceryAid for a number of years, and has taken part in multiple London-to-Paris cycle challenges to fundraise for the charity. He said: I am thrilled to be appointed as a trustee of GroceryAid. The charity has grown considerably over the years and I look forward to helping it carry forward this momentum.

Last month 33 cyclists undertook a 333km expedition from Whitehaven to Whitby to raise funds for GroceryAid.
Thousands of students across the Bay area made their way back to the classroom on Wednesday. For families living in Citrus, Hernando, Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Manatee counties, August 10 was a day of new beginnings.



YOUR PHOTOS: See your back-to-school pictures in our gallery

Pasco and Polk counties were the only districts with a later start



Early semester should make for more comprehensive terms



You can upload photos through our app

Despite the rainy weather facing the region over the past four days, buses were out in full force Wednesday morning.

Boasting new technology, new backpacks and an entire set of new goals for the 2016-2017 school year, here's a snapshot of what students saw across Tampa Bay:

Pinellas

The day started dark and early for Pinellas County school bus drivers as they headed out on their routes for the first day of school.

Sure, summer always goes by fast. But this year classes started two weeks early.

Superintendent Michael Grego says the change in schedule is to make sure students get their final exams done before winter break. According to him, thats especially important for high school students, when grade-point averages and college admissions are on the line.



*Luca and Mateo head back to James B. Sanderlin IB World School. (BN9+ user)



Hillsborough

In Hillsborough County, officials are looking ahead four years  they want a graduation rate of 90 percent by 2020.

Superintendent Jeff Eakins said improving the district's graduation rate is one of his top priorities.

"We have to provide the resources, the programs, the opportunities for our students to stay connected in their schooling," Eakins said. "Throughout their high school years, elementary, middle, truly get them engaged around the curriculum, around those opportunities."



*Janae and Devan Gipson, Trinity School for Children, were ready for their first day of class! (BN9+ user)





Citrus

Meanwhile, freshman orientation at Crystal River High School in Citrus County wasn't just about learning a locker combination. Students were encouraged to play games and socialize with their new classmates.



*Olivia started kindergarten at Citrus Springs Elementary on Wednesday! (BN9+ user)

Hernando

The school year can be a busy time, so wouldn't it be nice to have a mobile app to make things easier? Well, the Hernando School District has one ready to go.

Everything that is on the district's website can also be found on the app.

It is very user-friendly, Superintendent Lori Romano said. It is a one-stop shop for our community members and our families and all of our employees to get up to date information."



*It's an exciting day at Explorer K-8 in Hernando County. (BN9+ user)

Manatee

In Manatee County, about 49,000 students were back in class Wednesday. School officials projected a growth of about 850 students for this year.



*Aly was excited for her first day at William H. Bashaw Elementary School in Bradenton. (BN9+ user)

Pasco and Polk

Pasco County and Polk County students will head back to class next week.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Beaumont police officer Danny Valdez on Tuesday successfully received a donated kidney in a surgery performed at a Houston hospital, said Officer Carol Riley.

Retired officer Doug Kibodeaux was in surgery Tuesday at the same hospital, donating a kidney in connection with the Valdez surgery.

Although it wasn't known whether Kibodeaux's kidney went to Valdez, his donation helped move Valdez higher on the list of recipients for donated organs, Riley told members of Beaumont City Council.

Valdez, a Beaumont police officer for 23 years and a veteran of Desert Storm, was diagnosed with a rare, unknown kidney disease two years ago.

Valdez has been the police adviser for the department's Police Explorers Scout program since his diagnosis and last week worked almost the full week, Riley said.

Valdez administered his own dialysis treatment five times a week, which took four weeks of training to learn.

His out-of-pocket medical costs have exceeded more than $1 million and the department recently help a fund-raiser for him.

More for you Fundraiser to help pay for kidney treatment for BPD officer...

"There are several people who work with Officer Valdez who knew how bad it was and knew he would need a kidney or stay on dialysis," Chief Jimmy Singletary said previously.

"This officer stepped up and got checked up and found out he was the match. It is one of the classiest things I've seen down here. Something like this is really amazing. We're proud of both these officers," Singletary said.

Riley identified Kibodeaux as the donating officer. Kibodeaux retired from the department on July 31.

Several other officers tested to see if they matched Valdez.

"It means a lot. I think it's very humbling. I don't know what to say about a co-worker willing to step up and do that," Valdez said.

Valdez, also involved with other community organizations, "has done so much for the community and the county," Riley said.

"He's worked with kids and families, and he doesn't ask for much," she said. "This is our chance to help someone who has given so much."

DWallach@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/dwallach

SFlores@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/_saraeflores
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Nearly three months after a Sabine River Authority board member resigned for sending an inappropriate email during severe Deweyville flooding, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed Gregg County's auditor as her replacement.

Laurie Woloszyn, the county's appointed auditor for 12 years and an elected county clerk for eight years before that, will replace Kimberly Fish, Abbott's office said Tuesday. Both women are from Longview.

Fish resigned in April, days after apologizing for an email she sent referring to Southeast Texas flooding as an "economic development initiative" for her northeast Texas city. The Enterprise uncovered the email through a public records request.

The governor's office at the time called the comments "inappropriate." Residents in Deweyville expressed outrage that the Fish, apparently in jest, made light of a disaster from which they're still struggling to recover.

The SRA operates a dam on the Toledo Bend basin. The dam unleashed a record amount of water after heavy rain in the reservoir left it brimming.

Deweyville was hit hardest, but a portion of Orange was evacuated as homes and businesses took on water.

Interstate 10 was closed for days, leading state officials to divert Louisiana-bound traffic through Longview.

"Naturally, I'd like to take credit for the economic development initiative, but we all know I haven't been here long enough to know where the keys to the floodwaters are located," Fish wrote about the increased traffic in her region. "At least everyone knows the river can provide water."

Abbott appointed Fish to a six-year term in December 2015.

The SRA operates the dam based on guidelines backed by a federally issued license and has said the flood was unavoidable.

Hundreds of down-river residents later filed suit against the SRA. That lawsuit is pending in federal court.

Woloszyn, 57, declined to comment on issues surrounding the flood. She said the importance of drinking water supply motivated her to seek out the position and that she hopes to improve "public awareness and public transparency" of the board.

"I just think the public needs to be made aware what the board does, the purpose of it and more involved in the issues we're looking at in the future," Woloszyn said.

EBesson@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/EricBesson_news
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Port Arthur voters could eliminate as many as four City Council seats if they pass two separate ballot initiatives - including a citizen petition expected to be finalized later this week - which would cut the number of elected representatives in half.

The City Council on Tuesday offered an amendment to its charter to strike Districts 5 and 6, which make up a combination of the city's other four districts.

A citizens petition in the works would take away different seats. Under that proposal, two at-large positions would be eliminated, which supporters say would reduce costs to the city.

Citizens behind the petition said they expect to turn in 1,400 signatures by Thursday.

The options are conflicting but not dueling, since voters could pass either or both. Both also could be voted down.

Given the possibilities, voters could overhaul government in Port Arthur.

Councilman Osman Swati offered the alternative proposal for downsizing the council, which both sides agree is too large for a city of Port Arthur's size.

Swati was joined in the contentious decision by both at-large council members - Charlotte Moses and Kaprina Richardson Frank - as well as Councilwoman Tiffany Hamilton and Mayor Derrick Freeman.

The council's majority views Districts 5 and 6 as redundant, since one combines Districts 1 and 4 and the other joins Districts 2 and 3.

Swati, whose idea would eliminate his own seat, noted that Port Arthur is one of only two cities in Texas with blended districts. He used Beaumont, Baytown and Conroe as examples of larger cities with smaller governments and no "overlapping districts."

By contrast, some cities much smaller than Port Arthur - La Porte, Stephenville, Clarksville and Dublin - have nine council members.

Swati called the setup outdated because of changing demographics.

"Any other proposal to reduce the number of districts within our council, in my opinion, takes away the citizens' advantage to be directly represented by a majority of the council, hence diminishing the underlying objective of maintaining a fair and equitable apportionment of districts to represent any citizen within that city," Swati read from a prepared statement.

"Unlike other proposals, this will continue to allow the council to bring both narrow and broad perspectives into the decision-making process."

James Green - the 77-year-old Port Arthur resident who started the citizen petition - said Tuesday's vote on the alternate plan was "nothing but politics" and "fixed from the onset."

Swati bucked at the idea he was pulling a political stunt.

The dissenting council members stressed allowing the citizen petition to stand alone, since a decision is ultimately left to voters.

"Let's leave this in the citizens' hands," Mayor Pro Tem Raymond Scott Jr. said. "What they're doing (with the petition) is worth more than any council member's opinion."

Currently, four council members are elected from single-member districts, two from combined districts and two at-large.

The mayor and at-large council member positions are elected by majority vote from all districts, according to the city's charter.

BScott@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/BrandonKScott
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

BOERNE  Major new developments here often are greeted with local grousing  about traffic congestion, overtapped groundwater supplies and the continued erosion of the small-town atmosphere that attracts new residents in the first place.

But the reception was generally positive to this weeks announcement that Boerne is in line for a Buc-ees Family Travel Center, a highway retailer best known for its phalanx of gas pumps, abundant and clean restrooms and that grinning, buck-toothed beaver logo.

Local government leaders enthusiastically welcomed the $40 million project at a media briefing Wednesday, and an informal survey of folks downtown showed support for the center, planned on 35 acres on the southern end the city near Interstate 10 at U.S. Business 87. The 53,000-square-foot store is set to open by 2020.

I think its great, said convenience store clerk Sally Allen, 61, who has never been to a Buc-ees. It seems like its gonna be good, and we need something like that here.

Waitress Jocelyn Amos, 18, said she loves the family environment of the centers, adding, Its just really nice.

Art Solis, a San Antonio resident who works in Boerne, called the town a perfect location for a Buc-ees, noting his relatives no longer will have to drive to New Braunfels, the closest of the chains 30 Texas locations, to get their fill of Beaver Nuggets.

Its got everything you could possibly need, from novelties to clothes and food, said Solis, 52. Everything.

Kendall County Judge Darrel Lux called the recruitment a win-win for the community. Mayor Mike Schultz saw it as a good match for Boernes existing tourism industry.

We are so lucky to live in a city that everyone loves to visit, Schultz said at the briefing in the offices of the Boerne Kendall County Economic Development Corp.

The store itself is forecast to create 170 jobs with a combined annual payroll of more than $5.8 million. The gathering followed approval of economic development incentives for the company by the City Council on Tuesday and by county commissioners on Monday.

The city and county each agreed to rebate, for 20 years, half their respective shares of sales taxes generated by the Buc-ees  an estimated $5 million  and from four yet-to-be-named retailers also planned at the site.

The city further sweetened the pot by agreeing to extend a road and municipal sewer service to the Buc-ees site, worth $1.75 million combined, though Buc-ees plans to seek a state grant to cover those costs.

Local government entities will reap property tax revenues from the site, including Boerne Independent School District, which expects to collect $180,000 off the site annually. The city projects the store will be its sixth-largest utility customer.

The economic development initiative, code-named Project Saturn, was devised in part by BKEDC President Misty Mayo, who called it the largest single capital development in Boernes history.

To make it work, she said, Texas Department of Transportation officials have agreed to accelerate their schedule for rebuilding the intersection of I-10 and Texas 46, just west of the Buc-ees site, and to improve the U.S. Business 87 overpass.

I want to start (construction) tomorrow, but we have to wait on TxDOT, company founder Arch Beaver Alpin III told the briefing. Theres a lot of hurdles left, but this was the big one, he said of the incentives.

Reaction was mixed on Facebook, with one commenter saying the stores are best in the middle of nowhere, and another writing, What about the water?

Yet another person wrote, I know development is inevitable. Just makes me sick to realize it will be bigbox-concrete-24/7-lights-on-development.

City officials forecast the Buc-ees will use 500,000 gallons of water monthly  an amount roughly equivalent to what an average family of four would use in three years. Alpin said most of his stores average around 2,500 daily vehicle visits.

Deputy City Manager Jeff Thompson sees few parallels between the Buc-ees and a proposed truck stop on North Main Street that drew widespread opposition in 2013.

Buc-ee's is almost like a Disneyland. People go there as a destination, he said. I don't think people say that about truck stops.

zeke@express-news.net
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

A 21-year-old Texas State student accused of killing a man and unborn child while driving drunk last Tuesday remains in Hays County Jail a week later on a $385,000 bond. A mother who lost her husband, suffered a brain bleed and was forced to deliver her stillborn child is recovering at home while helping family members organize a funeral.

Shana Elliott, a 21-year-old senior at Texas State, was allegedly drunk when her vehicle crossed the center line and collided with a Bryan couple Aug. 2 on Highway 21 in San Marcos, according to an affidavit obtained by mySA.com.

Kristian Guerrero, 24, was driving when her car was hit, killing her husband Fabian Guerrero-Moreno, and her 19-week-old unborn child.

RELATED: Family shares photos, heartbreaking details about young couple in fatal San Marcos wreck

Elliott was booked into Hays County Jail Aug. 2 on two felony counts of intoxication manslaughter and one of intoxication assault, according to county records.

Elliott does not have an attorney listed, Hays County District Attorney Wes Mau said, and multiple calls placed to phone numbers associated with her parents in public records were not returned.

After the couples unborn child died due to injuries sustained in the car crash, a $200,000 bond was added to Elliotts second intoxication manslaughter charge, Hays County Judge Beth Jones said Tuesday.

An online fundraising page was set up for Elliott by her friends Aug. 4 by an unnamed friend, but the page was updated to say Elliott requested all donations being forwarded to the victim's family when she was made aware of the page.

Elliotts friends wrote We have all made regrettable mistakes. The majority of us have made the exact same mistake that Shana has and the truly honest have made this mistake more than we would want to admit... For those of you that know Shana, you know that she is already punishing herself with overwhelming guilt and sorrow that few of us can even begin to possibly comprehend."

So far, $755 has been raised.

A viewing for Guerrero-Moreno and his child is set for Thursday in Bryan, and on Friday, a joint funeral will be held at 10 a.m., Diane Castillo, Kristian's aunt, said.

RELATED: Mother forced to deliver stillborn child after being hit by alleged drunk Texas State student

Friday there will be a celebration of life, the GoFundMe page set up for the family reads.

So far, $15,225 has been raised for the family to cover funeral expenses through the online fundraiser.

La Voz Hispana, a Spanish newspaper in Connecticut, is organizing a raffle to help with expenses for the Guerreros, according to their Facebook page.

Guerrero was forced to deliver the stillborn, who she named Fabian James Guerrero after his father, when doctors induced labor Aug. 4 at the St. Davids South Austin Medical Center.

Guerrero, who suffered a brain bleed from the crash, was released from the hospital Saturday and is back in Bryan.

Castillo said Geurrero is "doing okay physically."

RELATED: Police: Drunk Texas State student, 21, caused wreck that killed man, injured pregnant wife

Matt Flores, a spokesperson for Texas State University, refused to comment on Elliott, the crash and whether she will continue school there in an interview with mySA.com Tuesday. Elliott remains enrolled in classes for the fall semester, which begins Aug. 29.

We cannot comment on matters involving our students, Flores said, citing FERPA, a law that protects the privacy of student education records.

The universitys code of conduct states disciplinary action can be taken against a student if they commit an act that would constitute a criminal offense under state, federal or municipal law. The code of conduct also states the university could take action against a student if they were possessing, using, selling or distributing any illegal drug, controlled substance, and/or drug paraphernalia.

Elliott was arrested twice before, once in March and again in May, on felony drug charges. On March 22, she was arrested on three felony charges of possession of controlled substances and marijuana. On May 2, she was arrested on two felony charges of possession of controlled substances, according to county records.

Flores said the university could take disciplinary action against Elliott, but he could not speculate on whether they would.

Should the university, which is located less than three miles from where the car crash occurred, choose to take action against Elliott, an investigation would be opened where the student could have an opportunity to explain the incident, unless the student is unavailable, according to the code of conduct.

The Dean of Students, Margarita Arrellano, or a designee she appoints, would then determine an appropriate disciplinary penalty if Elliott was found to have violated the code of conduct.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
Newkirk Products, an identification card provider for payers, encountered a data breach last week, according to Healthcare Finance.

Here are six points:

1. The breach may expose nearly 3.3 million insurance plan members' personal information.

2. Hackers did not access any health plan systems' information, according to the report.

3. In July, the company found a hacker accessed the server without proper authorization, leading the company to immediately shut down the server. Following the discovery, Newkirk started an investigation to understand the breach's scope.

4. Newirk discovered the first unauthorized access occurred on May 21, 2016.

5. Depending on members' plans, hackers may have accessed their names, dates of birth, names of dependents, primary care providers, invoice information, Medicaid ID numbers and addresses.

6. Newirk gives insurance cards to various payers including:

 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City

 Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina

 BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York

 BlueShield of Northeastern New York

 HealthNow New York

 Capital District Physicians' Health Plan

More articles on coding & billing:

Medicaid-expansion states have healthier residents, study finds: 5 insights

Anthem, ConnectiCare's decision to forgo broker commission may impact ACA enrollment: 5 thoughts

How to excel under MIPS: 4 things to know
Determining if an employer has to continue its employees' health insurance during a period of extended leave comes down to a variety of factors, the National Law Review reports.

Here is what you need to know:

1. Whether to continue or put the policy on hold relies on the circumstances of the leave, the size of the employer, the terms of the health plan and what federal law dictates. There are three questions ASC leaders needs to ask themselves when considering this: Does the family and medical leave act apply?; If FMLA does not apply, does COBRA or a similar state law trigger? and is there another source of payment?

2. For companies with more than 50 employees, the FMLA applies to eligible employees. Eligible employees who take an extended absence can continue to utilize employer sponsored healthcare, and the employer must continue to pay its share of the premiums while the employee is on leave. However, if an employee exhausts FMLA leave or is ineligible for FMLA leave, the employer no longer needs to pay its share of the premium.

3. COBRA gives employees the opportunity to continue care, at their own expense, when there is a "qualifying event." Qualifying events consist of resignation and termination of employment, a reduction of hours or a leave of absence which would cause the employee to lose coverage. Employers with less than 20 full and part-time employees are not subject to COBRA on a federal level, but may be subject to state COBRA laws.

4. If a company doesn't need to continue coverage under FMLA or COBRA, there are still some times when an employer must provide coverage. For example, if an employee was injured at work, the employer must continue its health plan while the employee is on worker's comp.

5. If an employer's obligation to provide coverage ceases, funding from short and long-term disability could provide the employee an option to provide healthcare funding.

More coding, billing and collections news:

1. Medicaid-expansion states have healthier residents, study finds: 5 insights

2. Anthem, ConnectiCare's decision to forgo broker commission may impact ACA enrollment: 5 thoughts

3. 94% of providers are ready for value-based care & 8 other statistics




Patients may be more prone to comply with medication and health recommendations if their physician has an active role in their care, according to HCP Live.

Here are four thoughts:

1. A Physicians Foundation survey found 79 percent of patients reported their physician impacted the treatment options available to them.

2. While 90 percent of patients reported being satisfied with their primary care physician, many patients stated they had mounting frustration over their ability to manage high healthcare costs and medical debt.

3. Rip Hollister, MD, a Physicians Foundation board member, said physicians can help patients adhere to treatment plans in a value-based care model. He said, "Value's a great sounding word, but it becomes sort of meaningless when you give it to a patient. What they value is the relationship with their doctor, their ability to communicate and to spend time, and collaborate and develop care plans."

4. Physicians can also foster relationships with different entities in a patient's continuum of care, such as the ancillary providers. Dr. Hollister often negotiates prices with a reference lab so the healthcare costs do not place a heavy burden on patients.

More articles on quality & infection control:

4 points on the National Surgical Patient Safety Summit & new surgical safety recommendations

State officials confirm 2 babies born with Zika-related microcephaly in California  4 takeaways

Research teams face 3 barriers when trying to use EHR data for patient safety projects
Analysts at WalletHub recently analyzed what parents can expect  financially  when they're expecting.

The financial analysis company examined the best and worst states to have a baby in for 2016. Analysts compared delivery costs, healthcare accessibility and baby friendliness of the 50 states and the District of Columbia using a data set of 17 key metric ranges including "number of pediatricians per capita" and "annual average infant-care costs."

Here are the states ranked in terms of delivery cost, from lowest to highest.
The American Hospital Association filed a friend-of-the court brief Monday, asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit to reject the Federal Trade Commission's proposed test for evaluating hospital mergers.

The AHA filed its brief in FTC, et. al. v. Advocate Health Care, et. al., a case in which the FTC is attempting to block the proposed merger of Downers Grove, Ill.-based Advocate Health Care and Evanston, Ill.-based NorthShore University HealthSystem.

In its brief, the AHA argued that the FTC's proposed test is too narrow. "The government's proposal would sharply limit the types of relevant evidence that district courts may consider in defining geographic markets, requiring them to ignore commercial realities," wrote the AHA.

The AHA said the government's proposed test makes no sense because it doesn't account for how the shift to outpatient care has changed the nature of geographic market analysis for inpatient hospital services.

The AHA's views mirror those of Advocate and NorthShore. Earlier this year, NorthShore President and CEO Mark Neaman told Becker's that "the FTC's assumptions regarding the Chicago market are based on an antiquated product model  inpatient admissions and a completely gerrymandered area."

More articles on antitrust issues:

Appeals court revives antitrust suit against Sutter Health

Judge approves $12.5M settlement in UPMC antitrust case

DOJ files suit against 2 payer megamergers: 5 things to know
Birmingham (Ala.) Health Care's former CFO has been sentenced to 17 years in prison, after pleading guilty to stealing nearly $1.7 million and diverting $11 million in funds from two healthcare facilities, according to AL.com.

Terri Mollica pleaded guilty to six counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution, eight counts of mail fraud affecting a financial institution and five counts of money laundering in 2015.

In total, Ms. Mollica, a certified public accountant, helped divert nearly $11 million from Birmingham Healthcare and Tuskegee, Ala.-based Central Alabama Comprehensive Health to the former CEO of both facilities.

Ms. Mollica is currently serving a 28-month sentence for mailing drugs and other items in an attempt to intimidate a witness and the families of a prosecutor and an FBI agent investigating the case, according to the report. Fourteen months of that prison sentence will run consecutive to the 17-year sentence, according to the report.

In addition to her prison term, A U.S. District Court judge ordered Ms. Mollica to forfeit the total proceeds from the fraud scheme, nearly $1.96 million. Ms. Mollica will also pay the IRS approximately $540,000 in restitution. In addition, she was ordered to pay $30,000 to Oklahoma City-based Globe Life Insurance for illegally trying to collect on an accidental death insurance policy and $10,000 in restitution to a physician whose signature she forged on a false death certificate, according to the report.

An attorney for Ms. Mollica told AL.com that he doesn't know if Ms. Mollica will appeal the sentence, according to the report. He also said Ms. Mollica agreed to surrender her CPA license.
A former certified nursing aide at Penrose-St. Francis Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colo., is on the run from investigators, according to a KKTV news report.

David Aldrich, the former employee, is accused of stealing a patient's credit card and racking up hundreds of dollars in charges. The incident allegedly occurred last summer.

Mr. Aldrich no longer works at Penrose-St. Francis and his nursing license was revoked in April, according to the report.

The El Paso County Sheriff's Office is unable to locate Mr. Aldrich. He is due to appear in court in late August for a hearing on his three pending DUI charges.

More articles on healthcare industry lawsuits:

Easton Hospital to pay $325k to settle improper Medicare billing allegations

31 recently unsealed false claims cases: 5 takeaways

Wisconsin pharmacist charged in $1M fraud scheme
The Hawaii Employees' Retirement System has filed a lawsuit against the state and Hawaii Health Systems Corp., a state-funded hospital network based in Honolulu, asking a state court to temporarily suspend a bill that aims to financially assist state employees at three hospitals Kaiser Permanente is privatizing, reports Honolulu Civil Beat.

The ERS wants the court to temporarily stop the implementation of Act 1, a law that provides severance payments or pension benefits to unionized public workers at Maui Memorial in Wailuku, Kula (Hawaii) Hospital and Clinic and Lanai Community Hospital in Lanai City while it consults with the Internal Revenue Service.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige (D) initially vetoed the bill last month over concerns it jeopardizes the ERS' tax-exempt status and that it fails to say where it will appropriate funding. But the Hawaii legislature voted later last month to override the veto.

The law intends to help hospital employees who may lose their jobs due to the pending Kaiser transfer by allowing them to choose between a one-time severance cash payment or a special early-retirement package, according to The Maui News.

However, according to the publication, the ERS said it is not allowed to offer employees these choices under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, and claims it could lose its tax-qualified status if the law takes effect.

If the ERS lost this status, the group said employees would no longer be able to defer the payment of taxes on employee retirement contributions, reports Honolulu Civil Beat. The contributions would be taxed as income now instead of when they receive the benefits.

"As the steward of all the state and county employees' retirement, the ERS must do everything it can to protect its beneficiaries and the fund," ERS Executive Director Thomas Williams said in a statement, according to Honolulu Civil Beat. "All we want is to make sure this statute does not have the unintended consequence of jeopardizing the ERS plan."

Hawaii lawmakers, however, said the ERS had plenty of chances to work out its issues with the bill, The Maui News reports.

"The language that they're complaining about was in the bill when it was introduced back in January," State Sen. Gil Keith-Agaran said, according to The Maui News. "They only brought it up after the session in May. Since May they could've sought guidance from the IRS . . . but they didn't do that. Instead they pursued a veto."

State Sen. Roz Baker told the publication it would have been more appropriate for the ERS to ask for a tax ruling from the IRS, not file a lawsuit.
Police are trying to locate a woman who was removed at gunpoint from Philhaven Hospital in Mt. Gretna, Pa., according to a LancasterOnline report.

Police say 18-year-old Elliot Ravert entered the mental and behavioral healthcare hospital with a handgun and left with the patient, 21-year-old Alicia Buzzard. Mr. Ravert allegedly gained access to Ms. Buzzard's room by threatening to shoot two nurses. The incident occurred at 6:30 pm Tuesday.

Ms. Buzzard may be at risk of harm, according to police. It's unclear whether she willingly left the hospital with Mr. Ravert. Ms. Buzzard's mother told LancasterOnline that her daughter "has the mind of a 12-year-old," and suffers from bipolar disorder, reattachment disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder.

Police secured an arrest warrant for Mr. Ravert on Wednesday morning. He's wanted on charges of robbery, aggravated assault and making terroristic threats, according to PennLive.

More articles on healthcare news:

Indiana woman released from Cancun hospital after paying $67k toward bill

AHA asks appeals court to reject FTC's proposed test for evaluating hospital mergers

Former hospital employee on the run after stealing from patient
A surgical physician assistant at Cleveland Clinic, Houry Gebeshian, made history this week.

Ms. Gebeshian, who is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Armenia, became the first Armenian female gymnast to compete in the Olympics, according to a report from Cleveland 19 News.

She will not be bringing home the gold, but she finally accomplished her goal, according to the report. She will return to Cleveland, where she works in a Cleveland Clinic labor and delivery unit at Fairview Hospital.

More news:

Ex-Birmingham Health Care CFO sentenced in $11M fraud

Indiana woman released from Cancun hospital after paying $67k toward bill

Tesla's autopilot helps drive man to ER
MeadowlandsHospitalMedicalCenter is encouraging pregnant Russian women to visit the Seacaucus, N.J.-based hospital to give birth, enabling their children to qualify for dual citizenship, reports NJ Spotlight.

The MHMC program, AmeriMama, promotes tour packages online that offer to coordinate medical services, secure citizenship papers, passports and travel visas for the baby and find family housing in the area for up to six months after giving birth, according to the article.

Birth tourism has become increasingly popular among middle and upper class citizens in countries that face environmental, economic or political instabilities, according to the article.

Medical tourism is already a common practice among U.S. hospitals, some of which actively pursue international patients willing to pay the full price for specialized care.

MeadowlandsHospital officials declined to comment on the AmeriMama program to NJ Spotlight.
Here are 16 key events concerning litigation against proposed Anthem-Cigna and Aetna- Humana mergers since the U.S. Department of Justice sued the insurers July 21 over antirust concerns.

1.DOJ, states sue Anthem, Aetna to block mega deals

The U.S. Department of Justice and attorneys general from several states filed lawsuits against Anthem and Aetna out of concern their proposed acquisitions would impede health insurance competition.

2. AMA commends DOJ challenge to Anthem, Aetna deals

The American Medical Association applauded the U.S. Department of Justice's lawsuits against proposed Anthem-Cigna and Aetna-Humana deals, stating decreased competition in the health insurance market would harm patients.

3. Aetna, Humana prep legal fight to save merger

Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna and Louisville, Ky.-based Humana are establishing a game plan to fight the U.S. Department of Justice's lawsuit against their proposed $37 billion deal, Reuters reported.

4. Humana to leave ACA exchanges in 4 states

Louisville, Ky.-based Humana will exit several state Affordable Care Act individual exchanges it participated in this year, citing around $1 billion in losses, The Hill reported.

5. Aetna-Humana merger hearing postponed in Georgia

Georgia officials delayed a hearing regarding the $37 billion merger deal between Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna and Louisville, Ky.-based Humana.

6. Clinton applauds DOJ challenge to insurer mega-mergers

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton welcomed the U.S. Department of Justice's lawsuits challenging Anthem-Cigna and Aetna-Humana mega-deals, citing a greater need to make health insurance accessible for all.

7. Anthem defends merger in full-page Washington Post ad

Indianapolis-based Anthem called out the U.S. Department of Justice in a full-page ad published in The Washington Post, defending its proposed $54 billion acquisition of Bloomfield, Conn.-based Cigna.

8. Centene will not bid for Aetna-Humana assets

St. Louis-based Centene does not have the network for Medicare Advantage assets large managed care companies are looking to sell, CEO Michael Neidorff told Reuters.

9. Anthem to DOJ: Cigna merger will boost insurance market

Anthem filed papers to the U.S. Department of Justice arguing its transaction with Cigna would cut consumer cost, expand coverage and fortify Affordable Care Act online exchanges, Bloomberg reported.

10. DOJ dismisses Anthem request for speedy trial

The U.S. Department of Justice denied Anthem's request for an expedited trial regarding the department's challenge to block the insurer's $54 billion acquisition of Cigna, Bloomberg reported.

11. Anthem requests separate trial from Aetna-Humana

Indianapolis-based Anthem asked the U.S. Department of Justice to disconnect is case from a jointly filed lawsuit against Aetna and Humana, Reuters reported.

12. Connecticut joins DOJ fight against Anthem-Cigna merger

Attorney General George Jepsen said Connecticut will join the U.S. Department of Justice and 11 other state attorneys general in filing an antitrust lawsuit to block a merger between Indianapolis-based Anthem and Bloomfield, Conn.-based Cigna.

13. NY to hold hearing on Anthem-Cigna deal due to 'serious concerns': 4 takeaways

The New York State Department of Financial Services will hold a hearing before issuing a final decision on Anthem's proposed $54 billion acquisition of Cigna, Bloomberg reported.

14. Anthem: Deal needs to close by April 30, or Cigna may walk out next day

Indianapolis-based Anthem said its acquisition of Bloomfield, Conn.-based Cigna must close by April 30 or Cigna will walk out the next day, the Hartford Courant reported.

15. Judge: Rulings for both insurer mega-merger lawsuits unlikely in 2016

U.S. District Court Judge John Bates said at a pretrial meeting Thursday he could not rule on both lawsuits against Anthem-Cigna and Aetna-Humana mergers this year and will likely have to push one back, Reuters reported.

16. To speed rulings, Aetna judge passes off Anthem merger

The judge overseeing both the Anthem-Cigna and Aetna-Humana merger lawsuits has handed off one case to another judge, improving the chance both suits are decided by the end of the year, reports Indianapolis Business Journal.

More articles about payer issues:

Ohio colleges latest to drop student health insurance plans

Tennessee insurers allowed to adjust rate requests

Covered California drafts waiver to sell health plans to undocumented immigrants
A state health department investigation completed in May found workers at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colo., were not properly cleaning vaginal ultrasound probes as well as other surgical instruments and procedure rooms, according to a Denver Post report.

"These failures created the potential for patients to be at risk for healthcare-acquired infections," the state report reads, according to the Denver Post.

However, the hospital maintains no patients were affected, and training procedures have changed. In a statement issued to Becker's, UCHealth said, "While we are not aware of any infections associated with the devices or any patients who have been impacted, Memorial Hospital immediately retrained staff members and put in place new processes to ensure the devices were being properly cleaned."

Memorial Hospital noted that the hospital addressed the health department's concerns in April.

The state investigation was spurred after an ultrasound technician at the hospital filed a complaint with the health department. The technician was fired in September, according to the Denver Post, and she has filed a lawsuit alleging she was fired in retaliation for her complaints.

Memorial Hospital cannot comment on personnel issues or pending litigation, according to the statement.
The neonatal intensive care unit of the Prince George's County Hospital Center in Cheverly, Md., was shut down on Tuesday after three patients tested positive for the Pseudomonas bacteria, according to The Washington Post.

Testing was prompted after the recent deaths of two patients, but those deaths have not been officially linked to the presence of the water-borne bacteria.[ac2] The three babies that tested positive for Pseudomonas have not shown symptoms of an illness.

Nine NICU patients have been transferred to nearby hospitals while authorities attempt to pinpoint the source of the bacteria, which was discovered in a water pipe.

The hospital is taking steps to determine the root cause of the bacteria and moved patients out of the unit in an act of caution, said Delores Butler, spokesperson for Dimensions Healthcare Corporation, the nonprofit organization that operates the hospital.

Water will be tested several times and decontaminated before the NICU can reopen, according to the Post.

While Pseudomonas bacteria can cause mild symptoms like skin rashes or swimmer's ear in healthy individuals, it can be fatal for people with compromised immune systems who are more susceptible to infections.



Becker's Hospital Review has reached out to Prince George's County Hospital Center for a comment.

More articles on infection control and clinical quality:

Residue from foam-reducing compound remains in scopes even after reprocessing

Cancer-causing chemicals found in drinking water of 6M Americans

Americans approve of late-term abortions when Zika has harmed the fetus
In June, hacker group DarkOverlords breached Athens (Ga.) Orthopedic Clinic's systems with the group selling 500 patient records on the black market.

Of July's 39 total health data braches, TheDarkOverLord was responsible for nearly 30 percent of breaches, according to HealthcareITNews.

Here are five takeaways:

1. In June, hackers breached 11 million health records.

2. This number tapered down in July with a total of 126,930 stolen records.

3. In July, DarkOverlords stole 23,565 records and placed the records on the black market.

4. Of the total breaches, one in four involved paper records and another 25 percent involved business associates.

5. Following the breach, Athens Orthopedic Clinic mailed letters notifying patients and posted a letter to their website.

More articles on practice management:

Patient safety concerns drive this medical center to ban Pokemon GO: 5 insights

Shriner's Hospital holds orthopedic outreach clinics for patients: 4 thoughts

OpenNotes secures medical note access for 10M patients: 5 highlights
Back pain is a prevalent and often debilitating condition impacting thousands of Americans. Throughout the United States, 76.2 million people suffer from pain. Chronic pain costs the United States s $100 billion annually, with low back pain being the most commonly reported type of pain. Patients suffering from low back pain often have limited activity and seek medical experts to help alleviate this pain.

Pain management physician Winifred Bragg, MD, CEO and medical director of Spine and Orthopedic Pain Center in Norfolk and Chesapeake, Va., has treated patients with acute and chronic spinal and orthopedic problems for more than 20 years. Throughout her career, Dr. Bragg has seen how pain mismanagement has compromised a patient's care and why an integrative approach is crucial in helping manage pain.

Here are four key thoughts:

1. Controlling pain from the onset is key. When patients fail to obtain treatment for acute pain early on, they have a greater likelihood of developing chronic pain, Dr. Bragg explains. Therefore, Dr. Bragg said providers should employ a comprehensive pain management approach in which they conduct a thorough work-up to identify the source of the patient's pain.

"With comprehensive pain management, appropriate medications are given in the acute phase. For example, patients with neuropathic pain respond better to an anticonvulsant, yet too often, they are given opioids," Dr. Bragg explains. "This leads to mismanagement, resulting in high costs spent on unnecessary diagnostic tests and delays in returning to work."

Many patients Dr. Bragg sees develop chronic pain following back surgery, even though the patient did not try all of the viable nonsurgical options. A conservative approach may serve a patient's needs better, and surgery should be the final option when providers have exhausted nonsurgical options.

"At that point, patients recognize that surgery is their final option -- and feel better knowing that they had a chance to explore the alternatives," Dr. Bragg adds.

2. Spine surgeons and pain management specialists should work together. Working closely with spine surgeons has yielded better results for many of Dr. Bragg's patients. As CEO and medical director of Spine and Orthopedic Pain Center, this integrative approach allows patients to have coordinated care and better pain management.

"I believe that pain specialists who are trained to perform interventional techniques, give comprehensive neuromuscular examinations and assess function are the most helpful to spine surgeons," Dr. Bragg says. "When the pain specialist only performs interventional techniques, but is not trained to assess gait abnormalities and changes in the neuromuscular examination, for example, this is of limited benefit to the spine surgeon."

When pain specialists cannot conduct neuromuscular examinations, spine surgeons cannot always address such a change in a timely manner, which may negatively impact a patient's quality of care.

3. Many providers are using a multimodal approach to pain management. Patients undergoing intensive orthopedic procedures such as total hip and knee arthroplasty now have better options for patient management. Many providers employ a multimodal approach, which often uses regional anesthesia for one key reason  to limit narcotic consumption. Therefore, a patient does not suffer from narcotic-related side effects in addition to other benefits including a shorter hospital stay and enhanced function. Over the past decade, providers are increasingly using preemptive analgesia, which minimizes a patient's pain before the surgery, during the procedure and the initial postoperative period.

"The primary goal of modern pain management is to reduce pain at both the central and the peripheral levels, in combination with preemptive analgesia using a multimodal protocol," Dr. Bragg says. "This strategy enhances restoration of function by allowing patients to participate in the rehabilitation programs more effectively, and improves their overall postoperative outcome."

4. Doing more with less  Providers are prescribing less medication. Dr. Bragg explains research needs to focus on learning how to get rid of a patient's pain without the use of medication, which can often cause unwanted side effects. Providers can prescribe patients an individualized physical therapy program which will work to limit the need for medication.

"The practice of acute pain management must be expanded to help decrease the onset of chronic pain. Working closely with the physical therapists can ensure that the patient is adhering to their program," she says. "Striving to treat the patient with the minimal effective dose of medication is also critical. Medication adjustments need to be made as the patient progresses, while high dose pain medications should be discouraged."

More articles on spine:

Global pain management drugs market to grow at 4.97% CAGR to 2020: 5 takeaways

Oregon spine surgeon implicated in $22M lawsuit for paralyzing patient with dropped instrument: 5 things to know

Women report inferior outcomes in lumbar spinal fusions: 5 key notes
Visitor numbers to whisky manufacturers in Scotland have jumped by 20% since 2010

A record 1.6 million tourists visited Scotland's whisky distilleries in 2015, spending a total of 50 million.

Research by the Scotch Whisky Association found distillery visits increased by 7% between 2014 and 2015.

Visitor numbers to whisky manufacturers have jumped by 20% since 2010 and collectively attract a similar number of visits annually to major tourist attractions such as Edinburgh Castle and London's St Paul's Cathedral

Around half of Scotland's 118 whisky distilleries are open to the public and the SWA's survey found tourists spend an average 25 per head per visit. Total spend at distillery visitor centres in 2015 was 50 million, up from 27 million in 2010.

Distilleries reported that the largest proportion of visitors came from Scotland and other parts of the UK, Germany, the US and France - reflecting some of the largest markets for Scotch around the world.

Scotch Whisky Association deputy chief executive Julie Hesketh-Laird said: "Scotch Whisky distilleries offer high-quality and unique opportunities to visit the homes of some of Scotland's most famous brands. It is testament to Scotch whisky companies that visits have increased at a time when overall Scottish visitor numbers fell.

"This brings important benefits to the wider rural economy, as distillery visitors will also then be staying at the local B&B, visiting a local pub or cafe, or buying souvenirs of their stay in Scotland."
Our banks have been told to use technology like mobile phones to let customers know if they are getting good value and to act over unarranged overdrafts

Northern Ireland's banks are facing a shake-up, amid planned changes aimed at helping customers.

Banking customers could avoid being stung by overdraft charges by instructing apps to automatically move their money around for them, under a watchdog's plans to shake up the sector "for years to come".

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) unveiled a package of measures to help customers to shop around to get a better deal, after finding older and larger banks do not have to compete hard enough for customers' business and newer and smaller banks find it difficult to grow.

As part of the plans, banks will be required to speed up advances in technology by putting 'open banking' in place by early 2018.

People and small businesses will be able to manage the accounts they hold with several different providers on one single app.

However, consumer group Which? questioned whether the measures being put forward are enough.

Other planned changes include sending out suitable 'prompts' such as regarding the closure of a local branch or an increase in charges, to remind their customers to review whether they are getting the best value - and switch banks if not.

And if customers go into an unarranged overdraft, banks may have to contact them directly, and inform them of a grace period, to avoid charges. Banks will also have to set a monthly cap on unarranged charges, and tell their customers about it.

The Belfast Telegraph contacted Northern Ireland's big four banks for a response to the planned changes.

A spokesperson from First Trust Bank said: "We have just received a summary from the Competition and Markets Authority of their report into the retail banking market investigation.

"We will now take time to consider the findings of the full report in more detail.

"We have fully co-operated with the Competition and Markets Authority throughout the investigation and will respond directly to their findings, together with the remedies announced by them, in due course. As a local bank we are acutely aware of our obligations to provide clear and transparent information to our customers in what is a highly competitive marketplace and we remain committed to doing so."

And Ulster Bank said it "fully supports competition in the market and we believe these remedies could have a substantial and positive impact, by empowering consumers through increased transparency and ease of switching".

"We want to make banking simple, fair and transparent and we support the CMA's remedies."

A Bank of Ireland UK spokesperson said the CMA report "includes a substantial package of measures designed to improve transparency and increase levels of switching in the market".

"We will be studying the report carefully and will be engaging with our regulators and the Government."

Danske Bank did not wish to comment.

Bacs, the body which owns and operates the current account switching service, welcomed the moves to shake-up banking.
Insurers help more than 3,000 travellers every week who need emergency medical care while abroad.

Holidaymakers are being warned not to leave insurance as an "afterthought" - as they could be left with a bill for emergency medical treatment abroad that is higher than the price of a house.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said insurers help more than 3,000 travellers every week who need emergency medical care while abroad.

Yet it said previous research has suggested around one in five go abroad without travel insurance.

While the average travel insurance claim is just over 700, emergency medical and repatriation costs when overseas can be much higher.

The ABI said some emergency treatment can be much more expensive than the average UK house price, at around 211,000.

Emergency medical bills in the United States can be considerable, it said. For example, an insurer recently paid a medical bill of 322,000 for treating a swollen blood vessel in the brain.

Other medical bills faced by Britons covered by travel insurance include 300,000 for a tourist who suffered multiple injuries after falling from a waterfall in Thailand, 40,000 to pay for the medical costs of a traveller who was bitten by a mosquito in Indonesia and contracted Dengue fever, 31,000 for treating a broken leg in Nepal that became infected and 11,000 for a holidaymaker with a brain tumour in Spain.

Mark Shepherd, the ABI's manager, general insurance, said: "Anyone travelling overseas should always take out appropriate travel insurance for the duration of their trip, and declare medical conditions when they take out their policy.

"A valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) when travelling in Europe is also strongly recommended. Though not a substitute for travel insurance, the EHIC is free and provides access to state-provided healthcare on the same basis as a resident."

He added: "Travel insurance should not be an afterthought, but the first thing you arrange after booking any overseas trip."
Volunteers take part in the construction of one of the largest currachs ever built, in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, as it is nearing completion and will be finished next month. PA

One of the largest currachs ever built in Belfast is nearing completion.

The 33ft traditional hand-made wood and canvas vessel will take 10 people to row and will ply the River Lagan from a mooring in the city centre. Builders hope tourists and locals will view the city from a relatively unexplored angle on water.

Volunteers have been working on the boat at premises in the Titanic Quarter and it will be finished next month.

Organiser Niamh Scullion said: "I find it something to be really proud of. It is a beautiful process. It is like a work of art.

"We know at the end of of it there will be something built that we can use to make a difference to people and make a difference to the River Lagan."

She said the project had been an intense experience.

Community groups, a men's shed and volunteers from across Belfast have contributed to the build.

Expand Close Volunteers Rachel Bolt (left) and Pat Hughes take part in the construction of one of the largest currachs ever built, in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, as it is nearing completion and will be finished next month. PA PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Volunteers Rachel Bolt (left) and Pat Hughes take part in the construction of one of the largest currachs ever built, in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, as it is nearing completion and will be finished next month. PA

The boat will take tourists from the city centre to Cutters Wharf in Stranmillis. It is due to be launched in September during a European week of watersports

The project received a 15,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

Ms Scullion added: "It is for people to see Belfast from a brand new perspective.

Expand Close A model of St Columbanus is seen in the foreground as volunteers take part in the construction of one of the largest currachs ever built, in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, as it is nearing completion and will be finished next month. PA PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A model of St Columbanus is seen in the foreground as volunteers take part in the construction of one of the largest currachs ever built, in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, as it is nearing completion and will be finished next month. PA

"The Lagan is uncontested ground, no one has really claimed it, it is a safe place to bring people together."

Once they have got used to handling the boat on the river they plan to row her in the city harbour, on Belfast Lough and around the coastal waters, eventually joining other groups from Lough Erne and the Causeway Coast for longer sea voyages.

"We are inviting community groups to come and visit the boat in progress at T13 and write a name suggestion on their name board and see if they would like to join in."
The DUP has asked the Ancient Order of Hibernians to explain why an "unrepentant republican" who said Catholic judges would be dealt with as "collaborators" has become one of its senior elected officials.

Former Executive Minister Nelson McCausland said former IRA prisoner Gerry McKeough - who now opposes Sinn Fein - would be leading one of the annual AoH parades next Monday.

And party chairman Lord Morrow said McGeough's remarks were a "blatant hate crime" the PSNI should investigate.

Mr McGeough (57), who was elected county president of the AoH in Tyrone in March, was severely criticised after calling Catholic judges and prosecutors in Northern Ireland "traitors"".

TUV leader and senior QC Jim Allister said the comments - in an US radio interview - "require to be investigated as incitement".

And Ulster Unionist Ross Hussey commented: "What is truly pathetic is Mr McGeough desperately clinging to an ideology that has long been discredited."

Mr McGeough was previously elected as AOH president in Tyrone some years ago but then jailed for the attempted murder of former DUP councillor Sammy Brush in 1981. He was sentenced to 20 years in jail, but released after two under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

Interviewed by WBAI radio in New York at the weekend, he said: "There are people from republican families who are sitting as Diplock court judges, and prosecutors... and they are arrogantly passing judgement on patriots. So you have Irish Catholics, traitors in effect, administering British rule here in the six counties. We want [the British] out and then we will deal with all these other issues... the collaborators and all the rest of it."

North Belfast MLA Mr McCausland said: "What other fraternal organisation, Protestant or Catholic, would have a convicted gunman and clearly an unrepentant one as a county president or grand master?"

There was no immediate response from the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

Policing Board member Mr Hussey added: ""Just as the IRA had a deliberate policy of targeting Catholic RUC officers in a bid to deter others from joining, so the IRA actively targeted Catholic members of the judiciary, such as Tom Travers, whose daughter Mary was murdered in 1984."

On social media, Judge Travers' daughter Ann said there had never been any justification for killing Catholics, or anyone else, working in the judiciary, security forces or civilian support staff. They were not traitors and they gave more to this country than [armed republicans] ever have or ever will," she said.
Almost 100 extra jobs are to be lost this year after Bombardier Aerospace brought forward its redundancies programme in Northern Ireland.

A total of 95 posts are likely to be affected as part of a global restructuring programme to shed more than 1,000 roles over two years, about a fifth of its local workforce.

The Canada-based multinational has been under financial pressure and invested large sums in its new C Series jet which is crucial to many jobs in Belfast.

A spokeswoman said: "We have advised our employees that, having reviewed our requirements, unfortunately we need to pull forward to this year more of the workforce reductions that were expected to take place during 2017.

"The overall figure of 1,080 over 2016 and 2017 that we announced in February as part of Bombardier's global restructuring has not changed.

"However, we now expect up to another 95 employees will leave the company this year instead of next, in addition to the ongoing reduction of contractors and agency workers."

She said the firm was doing what it could to reduce the number of compulsory redundancies.

"However, we must continue to evaluate every opportunity to significantly reduce our costs and improve our competitiveness, in order to help secure our long-term future."

Davy Thompson, regional coordinating officer for union Unite, called for a government manufacturing strategy.

"The heavy manufacturing sector has been decimated by three major closures in the Belfast and Ballymena areas and we have witnessed a drip feed of redundancies in Bombardier (Shorts), Caterpillar (FG Wilson) and most recently at DuPont site in the North West.

"These losses now amount to thousands of direct and indirect job losses.

"We have heard all the nice words from Stormont and can expect more of the same again today but we continue to wait for them to announce what plans they have to support this vital sector."

Andy Allen, Ulster Unionist assembly member for East Belfast where Bombardier has its Northern Ireland headquarters, said the firm played a vital role in sustaining the local economy.

"Just over six weeks ago we were welcoming confirmation of an Air Canada order to purchase 45 C Series 300 airplanes from Bombardier with an option for an additional 30 and the timely boost that this was giving to our manufacturing sector.

"Today we have learned that 95 job losses, part of the overall redundancies previously announced, are being brought forward, despite the company producing a positive interpretation of its financial results for the second quarter of 2016 only last week.

"The Executive, and in particular the Department for the Economy and Invest NI need to take ownership of the situation as it affects Northern Ireland, do all in their power to help minimise the impact of this announcement and show it understands the need to have a long term plan for the economy, particularly manufacturing."
There are concerns over the Northern Ireland border in the wake of the Brexit vote

Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness have warned that the UK's exit from the EU must not undermine the war against cross-border crime

Northern Ireland leaving the EU should not compromise cross-border efforts to tackle organised crime and those opposed to the peace process, Stormont leaders have told the Prime Minister.

The status of the border with the Republic post-Brexit should not enable illegal activity, Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness warned Theresa May.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK with a land border with a member state.

Dissident republican groups who target police officers and other members of the security forces in Northern Ireland use the Republic for fundraising, training, engineering and storing weapons and occasionally as a preparatory base for attacks north of the border, according to a recent terror assessment.

The First Minister and Deputy First Minister said: "It is equally important that the border does not create an incentive for those who would wish to undermine the peace process and/or the political settlement."

The Prime Minister visited Belfast last month and said nobody wanted to see a return to the borders of the past.

Efforts to tackle lucrative cross-border smuggling are part of recent political accords agreed at Stormont.

Mrs Foster and Mr McGuinness wrote: "There have been difficult issues relating to the border throughout our history and the peace process.

"We therefore appreciate your stated determination that the border will not become an impediment to the movement of people, goods and services.

"It must not become a catalyst for illegal activity or compromise in any way the arrangements relating to criminal justice and tackling organised crime."

The ministers also said it was critical to the economy that businesses retained their competitiveness and did not incur additional costs through Brexit.

"Policies need to be sufficiently flexible to allow access to unskilled as well as highly skilled labour."

They noted thousands of people commuted across the border to work on a daily basis.

The all-Ireland energy market should also be protected, the ministers said.

A proportion of EU funds for projects in Northern Ireland may not be drawn down due to the exit and the ministers said that was of real concern.

The vulnerability of an agri-food sector reliant on EU subsidy was also raised.

The leaders said they wished to play a role in the engagement between the British and Irish governments on matters concerning the border.
The victim referred to as Witness A, first alerted police in February to phone calls threatening him and his family.

A man accused of helping his son in a 5,000 blackmail plot thought it was just a prank, the High Court heard.

George Hardy, 55, allegedly declared himself "the boss" as part of a series of menacing phone calls demanding payment from the victim.

His 23-year-old son Pierce is linked to earlier threats that the target would get "a bullet in the face" if the cash was not delivered to a west Belfast location, prosecutors claimed on Wednesday.

New details emerged as the older of the two accused was granted bail. George Hardy, of Ardcaoin Drive, and Pierce Hardy, from Harris Crescent - both in Dunmurry - are jointly charged with blackmail.

Prosecution counsel said the victim, referred to as Witness A, first alerted police in February to phone calls threatening him and his family.

"They were demanding money or a bullet would be put in his face," the barrister said.

Threats were also made to burn his house down if the money was not delivered, it was claimed.

The caller told Witness A he knew where he lived and the ages of his two children, the court heard.

One call was made while the victim was in a PSNI station reporting the incident, with officers able to listen to the demand on a loud speaker.

Pierce Hardy is allegedly linked to the plot by a phone found on him when he was stopped by police on March 11.

His father's alleged involvement centres on two calls made earlier that month. Prosecution counsel said Witness A was contacted on March 3 by a man demanding money and claiming to be "the boss".

Police records revealed the mobile used to contact him was previously linked to George Hardy.

During interviews the older accused accepted making the calls, claiming his son had typed in the number, the court was told.

"He stated this was a prank and that he never meant it to go so far," the prosecutor added.

Defence lawyer Sean Mullan argued that George Hardy's alleged role was limited. "On the Crown case the son is much more heavily involved in this incident," he said.

"Mr Hardy Sr was handed the phone, he was told 'Just tell him you're the boss and talk to him'.

"He thought his son was owed money or it was a prank." With Pierce Hardy already released on bail, Mr Mullan contended that the father should not have to remain in custody.

The court heard George Hardy is suffering from serious health issues, including epilepsy, heart problems and relies on a walking stick.

Granting bail, Mr Justice Stephens banned him from contacting either his co-accused or Witness A.
The security services are preparing for the release of members of a deadly dissident gang who were jailed over a terrorist training camp in Co Tyrone.

There are concerns that upon their release gang members - who plotted and trained to murder police officers - could be set to take up violence again.

The dissidents were arrested at a terrorist training camp in Omagh in 2012 following an MI5 sting operation.

As part of a Belfast Telegraph series into the work of the security services in Northern Ireland, we reveal details of one of MI5's biggest successes in recent years.

After a year long covert security operation, they smashed the terror gang and thwarted their plans to murder police and a prison governor.

However, due to time on remand awaiting trial, some members will soon be eligible for release. MI5 and the PSNI will now consider whether they need to monitor the risk upon release.

Sean Kelly of Toombridge, Sharon Rafferty of Pomeroy and Omagh brothers Gavin Joseph Coney and Terence Aiden Coney were jailed in September 2014 after they admitted a series of terrorist charges. They had been under MI5 surveillance for several months before and were eventually arrested on March 30, 2012, when police found them at a terrorist training camp in Formil Forest in Omagh.

Kelly was on licence after being released from jail under the Good Friday Agreement.

The camp was a makeshift firing range. Approximately 200 rounds had been fired at balloons and tins.

The group was dismantled after a painstaking MI5 operation. The four were secretly monitored for several months before enough evidence was gathered to bug their conversations. Secret recordings between Kelly and Rafferty heard them discuss a potential attack on police officers near a car park in Toomebridge, targeting Catholic police officers and the publicity surrounding killing people.

Kelly was also recorded talking about the name and address of a prison governor and how to handle an AK47. Conversations were recorded over a six month period from 2011 to April 2012.

This was a "significant" operation for MI5, because of "what they were planning and the individuals involved", a security source said. "They were planning something significant and some really good evidence was compiled," the source added.

In September 2014, after the four pleaded guilty to a number of terrorist related charges, Kelly was jailed for five years with five on licence, Rafferty for four years and four on licence, while the Coney brothers were jailed for five years and nine months.

Due to time on remand from their initial arrest in April 2012 they will be due for release soon.

It is understood that the security services are to consider if individual members pose a significant threat to life and need to be monitored.

They are still viewed as dangerous individuals by security services. "The convictions speak for themselves," a source said.

When any convicted terrorist is released from jail MI5 need to make decisions about what is proportionate in terms of monitoring them. "It's not as simple as people serving their time and then it's just all forgotten about," a security source said.

"It comes as no surprise when we see people coming out the other side (of jail) and re-engaging with violent extremism," he added.
Police at the scene on Ballysillan Road in north Belfast close to where senior loyalist John Boreland was murdered on Sunday night

Flowers at the scene in Sunningdale Gardens, where top UDA figure John Boreland was shot dead on Sunday night

Jeffrey Donaldson said the idea that DUP want to facilitate loyalist paramilitaries is nonsense

DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson has hit back at claims that unionist politicians lack the courage to stand against loyalist paramilitaries.

Raymond McCord's 22-year-old son Raymond jnr was murdered by the UVF in November 1997. His killers have never been brought to justice.

Mr McCord said that the DUP have failed to do enough to tackle paramilitaries in Belfast but DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson said his comments were insulting and that he had been on an "anti-DUP vendetta for years".

Speaking to the BBC following the murder of leading UDA man John Boreland, Mr McCord said: "Politicians in north Belfast - the DUP - and across Belfast haven't the guts to stand up to paramilitaries.

"They stand with them at protests, they go to meetings with them knowing what they are.

"They are terrorists who murder people in their own community."

He added: "Condemnation is not enough, it's the watered down version as usual. People have not the courage to stand up to them.

"I want to hear - and so do a lot of people - them say 'arrest the leaders of these organisations'.

"If we want it to stop let's put the leaders away, stop their funding and put them in jail and let's see how many murders take place."

Pastor Jack McKee, who has also called for the end of paramilitary violence, said he believed his voice against loyalist violence "was a threat" to those politicians attempting to draw "paramilitaries into the circle".

DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson rejected the claims and he stressed that his party was not "elevating paramilitaries into the political sphere" but had worked with their leaderships to persuade them to "leave the stage". The UDA, the politician said, had been more cooperative at a local level than that of the UVF and that there had been no "strategic discussions" in the past two or three years.

The Lagan Valley MP, who said he has been threatened by loyalist paramilitaries in the past, also said the vast majority of communities across Northern Ireland were not living under the grip of paramilitaries.

He claimed loyalist communities in Lisburn had been "liberated" from paramilitaries who were not active, nor were protection rackets in operation in the city.

Mr Donaldson said: "Raymond McCord needs to think long and hard before he points the finger at someone like Nigel Dodds. A man who the IRA tried to assassinate.

"He has been on an anti-DUP vendetta for years, he stood against Nigel in North Belfast.

"And let's not forget Raymond McCord's son was in the UVF - his son was member of that organisation. It is terrible that his son was murdered.

"But let's be clear, the DUP is standing against paramilitaries and Nigel Dodds gives a courageous lead in north Belfast. He has on a number of occasions, not just the once, been a target for paramilitaries.

"When paramilitaries stand for elections we stand against them."

Asked about the graduated response, when the DUP joined with the Orange Order, the UPRG, and PUP, who represent the UDA and UVF, Mr Donaldson said: "That was about preventing violence on the streets, about persuading paramilitary organisation that they need to transform and move away from criminality - that's what we want them to do.

https://audioboom.com/boos/4919004-are-unionist-politicians-taking-a-tough-enough-stand-against-loyalist-paramilitarism-part-2-of-2?playlist_direction=forward&t=0

"But unfortunately, the UVF in particular have not been making that transition despite all the efforts we have made.

"This is because the UVF's price is that they would only wind up if they get an amnesty for all their crimes.

"And we will not accept that."

He added: "In some areas the UDA has transformed, but some elements continued to engage in criminality and as a result of that some people lose their lives.

"The idea that the DUP for one moment would want to facilitate or accommodate loyalist paramilitaries is a nonsense.

"We are working with communities to end the grip of paramilitarism in all communities.

He continued: "We have been calling consistently for paramilitaries to leave the stage.

"In the fresh start agreement we set up a panel to investigate how to move all of the paramilitary violence, not just loyalist, but also republican paramilitaries off the stage.

"We do not want a Northern Ireland that has paramilitaries at a community level - we are very clear about that."
The secret to long life is "good hard work" - though carbolic soap might also help, according to 106-year-old Kathleen Hughes.

She celebrated her birthday yesterday at Fruithill Nursing Home in west Belfast with huge pink balloons and a sash that said "Birthday Girl".

After she blew out the candle on her butterfly-themed birthday cake, she told the Belfast Telegraph that her plans for her big day were simple.

"I'm going to have a party and a wee gin and tonic," she said.

Born on Raglan Street in Belfast, Kathleen is thought to be the third oldest woman in Northern Ireland. She has lived in Belfast her whole life, growing up near St Peter's Square.

In her 106 years, she has lived through two World Wars and nine royal weddings. She was just two years old when the Titanic sank and 13 years old when the Queen was born.

But her greatest accomplishment is her children and grandchildren. Her children Frances Lawlor (69), Roy Hughes (73) and Maureen Harper (74) all live nearby in Belfast and celebrated with her on her big day. Kathleen has 15 grandchildren.

In her 106 years, Kathleen said she has no regrets and her advice to her grandchildren and great grandchildren is straightforward.

"Just have a good, clean life," she said.

Read more

Read More

She joked with her daughters that carbolic soap was her real secret to her long life. "Carbolic soap. You wash the floor with it, you wash your face with it," she said.

There are two known women in Northern Ireland who are older than Kathleen. Margaret 'Peggy' Dunbar and Sarah 'Sally' Brady both turned 107 earlier this year. Peggy was born on February 20, 1909 and Sally was born on March 3, 1909.

Peggy received a 'centenary handshake' from the Irish government and Sally is the mother of Sinn Fein MP Mickey Brady.

The oldest person ever from Northern Ireland was Elizabeth Watkins, who died in 1973 aged 110.
A man accused of carrying out a so-called punishment shooting in the Ardoyne area of Belfast had one of his bail conditions varied today so he can attend a Madness concert.

Patrick Joseph O'Neill is due to stand trial at Belfast Crown Court later this year on charges arising from the November 2010 gun attack. During the incident at Brompton Park, the victim was shot several times in the groin and abdomen.

O'Neill (41), of no fixed abode, has been charged with but has denied offences including wounding with intent, and possession of a Glock pistol with intent.

Earlier today at Belfast Crown Court, defence barrister Jonathan Brown applied to have one of O'Neill's bail conditions varied to allow him to attend the Madness concert - part of the Belsonic music event.

An application was made to relax the existing curfew of 8pm to 6am to enable O'Neill to go to the gig at Titanic Belfast. Mr Brown asked that for one evening only, on Saturday 20 August, O'Neill's curfew is extended to 11.30pm.

Making the application, Mr Brown said that since his client was released on bail, he had adhered to all bail conditions imposes, including observing the curfew.

Judge Gordon Kerr QC granted the application, and extended the curfew to midnight.
Man was camping with friends near the Agivey Bridge. Photo: Kenneth Allen

The girlfriend of a man who died while camping in Ballymoney over the weekend has paid an emotional tribute calling him her "whole world and more".

The man, named on social media as Stewart Walker, is understood to be aged in his 20s and from Coleraine.

He is understood to have been found dead in his tent by his girlfriend Jenna Brogan on Sunday morning at the campsite near the Agivey Bridge.

She posted tributes to the "love of her life" on Facebook.

She said: "My heart is in bits. Why did u have to go? I love you always. I miss you so much. Fly with the angels babe."

She posted pictures of them together and said: "My whole world and more. Love you always baby. Miss you so so much. Always on my mind forever in my heart."

His sister Naomi said: "Our family chain has broken now, and nothing is the same but as God takes us one by one the chain will link again. RIP Stewart. Fly high."

"Miss you bro. Will be thinking about you every sec goes by. Will see you soon Stewart Walker. Miss you," his brother Kyle said.

Mervyn Storey, DUP MLA for North Antrim said he was shocked by the news.

"I understand when the girl wakened in the morning he was dead," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

"The police are carrying out a full investigation of what the circumstances were, but it's a very sad situation for the families involved."

"My thoughts are with the young man who is deceased but also the young girl, who has had to deal with the trauma of this over the past few days."

TUV councillor William Blair added: "It's a terrible thing to happen for a young person to die unexpectedly.

"I would offer my deepest sympathy to the family and would hope and trust they will be able to cope with it."

Mr Blair added: "I've children and grandchildren of my own, so I can only imagine what it would be like to get such terrible news like that."

Ulster Unionist councillor for Ballymoney Darryl Wilson commented: "I was shocked and saddened to learn that a young man has passed away while camping with friends near the Agivey bridge in Ballymoney.

"My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the young man at this very difficult time."

Posting on social media, one Ballymoney resident commented: "So sad to read of a young life taken, my thoughts and prayers are with family and friends."

A police spokesperson said: "There was a sudden death in that area on Sunday and it is not being treated as suspicious.

"A post mortem is being carried out."
A young man has been taken to hospital after reportedly being bitten by a dog in east Belfast

A young man has been taken to hospital after reportedly being bitten by a dog in east Belfast.

Belfast City Council have confirmed that an investigation has been launched following an incident involving two dogs.

The breed of the animals is not known at this stage.

Police attended a call to an incident in the Abetta Parade and Grand Parade areas on Monday, August 8.

A PSNI spokesman said: "The dog warden attended and will lead an investigation into the incident."

It has been claimed children, a pensioner and a cyclist were also chased during the incident.

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service attended just before 8pm and sent a rapid response vehicle and one ambulance.

An NIAS spokeswoman said they responded following reports of a young male having been bitten by a dog in Grand Parade.

Following an initial assessment at the scene the man was taken to the Ulster Hospital.

Belfast City Council issued a statement to the Belfast Telegraph confirming an investigation had now been launched.

A City Hall spokeswoman stated: "We can confirm that the PSNI sought assistance last night in relation to an incident concerning two dogs.

"Our Dog Wardens attended the incident and there is an ongoing investigation.

"We cannot comment any further in relation to this incident."
The closure of a shelter for vulnerable women in west Belfast which had been open for over 70 years has been branded a "disgrace".

Regina Coeli House is set to close on August 31, forcing its 21 residents onto the streets and its 20 staff out of jobs.

Protests had been held last week outside the hostel in a bid to save the service.

The Legion of Mary, which owns Regina Coeli house, said it regrets the closure "due to a lack of funding from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive."

In a letter to the Belfast Telegraph, the service's manager Charlie McGarry said he was devastated.

"It is with great sadness that I have been told of the closing of Regina Coeli," he said.

"This hostel for vulnerable homeless women, along with its counterpart Morning Star House, has been providing service and shelter to the Belfast community for over 70 years.

"During those dark night of the Troubles they were a refuge before there was a Housing Executive and they worked without wages."

He continued: "Having worked for the last 30 years in this field, I have witnessed many changes in people turning their lives around.

"However, I have also been involved in outreach on the streets of Belfast and have also witnessed many pitiful sights of broken women and men suffering from addictions, mental health issues - bipolar, depression, schizophrenia, paranoia - which are terrible and life altering conditions."

Mr McGarry called on First Minister Arlene Foster and her deputy Martin McGuinness to step in if money cannot be found to save the service.

He added: "There have been too many deaths on our streets thus far this year alone."

Sinn Fein MP for West Belfast Paul Maskey blasted the decision to close as "pathetic".

"This is a disgraceful decision by the Legion of Mary and the way they handled it is nothing short of pathetic," he said.

Mr Maskey said it was "unacceptable" that staff and residents had only two weeks to vacate the premises.

He added that he and his party colleague Fra McCann MLA were seeking a meeting with the Housing Executive in an attempt to find a solution.

"Common sense must prevail here and I urge Legion of Mary and Housing Executive to engage in a meaningful manner to get this issue resolved," he said.

A spokesperson from the Housing Executive said they had not withdrawn support for the organisation, but had been informed by Regina Coeli's management of their intention to close.

They said: "We remain committed to ensuring these vulnerable clients are supported and services are properly resourced.

"We will work with Regina Coeli and other providers to ensure clients are able to access a satisfactory service."
Alex Ellis-Roswell outside the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast as he completed the 2,500-mile Irish leg of his journey around the entire coastline of Britain and Ireland

A sheep farmer aiming to walk the entire coastline of Britain and Ireland has completed the 2,500-mile (4,023km) Irish leg of his journey.

Alex Ellis-Roswell arrived back in Belfast 13 months after starting his epic clockwise journey round the island.

The 23-year-old set off on his 9,000-mile (14,484km) charity challenge from his home town of Margate in Kent two years ago, and had already covered the south coast of England, Wales, the Isle of Man and the south west of Scotland before boarding the ferry to Belfast in July 2015.

Just over halfway through his fund raising exploits for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), he will now sail back to Stranraer before traversing the rest of the Scottish coastline and the eastern side of England down to London.

Mr Ellis-Roswell, who sold all his possessions to fund the longest of long walks, hopes to arrive back in Margate some time in 2018.

"The generosity in Ireland has been amazing," he said.

"We've raised loads of money for the RNLI lifeboats - we've raised 23,500 so far.

"Ireland has been amazing and I am really thankful for the all the support I have received around Ireland."

He felt compelled to undertake the challenge after experiencing a tough year in 2013 when his father died.

"After that I just tried to do something positive and clear my head and I just got the notion to start walking," he said.

"I have always been on the water in one way or another since day one. Either kayaking or swimming or boats, I have always been around the coast, so the RNLI had always been a charity I've been aware of and I've been aware of how important the RNLI is."

Along the journey people have offered him food and places to stay but often he has slept out in the elements. After one particularly cold night sleeping in a church doorway in South Wales in January 2015 he woke up with ice in his beard.

The inclement conditions, combined with the huge number of miles he has clocked up, have also taken their toll on his feet.

"I am on my sixth pair of shoes now," he said.

RNLI community fundraising manager Nicola Kelly said: "We do get a lot of wonderful people doing all sorts of incredible things to raise funds and awareness for the work of the RNLI in Ireland.

"This was certainly one of the most arduous and demanding fundraising feats for the charity."

For more information on the challenge or to donate visit https://www.mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/longwalkround
Animal charity the RSPCA has called for a revision of the Dangerous Dogs Act because it claims family pets are being put down unnecessarily.

It says that the Act is so out of date that it has led to more people being attacked, as it focuses on banning and destroying particular breeds rather than enforcing stiffer punishments for irresponsible owners.

The Dangerous Dogs Act is 25 years old this week and currently bans four breeds: Japanese Tosa, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino and pit bull terrier.

Dogs such as crossbreeds which have pit bull-type features are also banned.

The legislation was highlighted with the international appeal last month to save Hank the dog after he was removed from his east Belfast home while owners Leonard Collins and Joanne Meadows were out.

The seizure by Belfast City Council and the PSNI sparked an online campaign called #Save Hank and a 20 day battle to prevent him being destroyed.

Despite being sold as a Staffie-Labrador cross, an expert found that Hank came from a pit bull lineage.

But as his temperament was non-threatening he was allowed home, provided he wears a muzzle in public.

Canine welfare expert for the RSPCA Dr Samantha Gaines said more needs to be done to target owners who are irresponsible, rather than destroying the dog as breed-specific legislation was not preventing attacks. She said: "The police, the RSPCA and other animal rescue organisations have to deal with the consequences of this flawed law by euthanising hundreds of dogs because legislation is forcing us to, due to the way they look, despite being suitable for rehoming. Not only is this a huge ethical and welfare issue, it also places significant emotional strain on staff.

"The RSPCA believes it is paramount for the Government to launch an inquiry into the effectiveness of breed-specific legislation, assess other options to improve human safety and dog welfare, and ultimately to repeal the breed-specific part of the legislation." Research carried out by the RSPCA - Breed Specific Legislation: A Dog's Dinner - reports that since 1991, 30 people have been killed by dangerous dogs, 21 of them by breeds not banned under the Act.

It also concludes that the Act has had "unintended negative consequences for dog welfare", and said that over the past two years the charity had been forced to put down 336 dogs, while Battersea Dogs Home, which is also critical of the law, had put down 91 in the last 12 months.

Dog behaviour expert Victoria Stilwell threw her weight behind the campaign to have Hank returned to his owners.

She was also highly critical of breed-specific legislation.

She said: "BSL tears apart families, while punishing innocent dogs and their guardians solely because of a dog's appearance."
Scene of the security alert in North Queen Street area of Belfast

A viable pipe bomb was uncovered during a security alert in north Belfast, police have said.

The area at North Queen Street in the New Lodge was close for several hours as army bomb disposal experts carried out a controlled explosion.

The small metal object was removed and will undergo a further forensic examination.

A police dog and a robot were also used during the operation.

Sinn Fein councillor JJ Magee condemned those responsible saying "they offer nothing but misery to the local community".

"Yet again some of the people have to be evacuated from their homes. They've had a few weeks of really bad anti-social elements around the bonfire and then to be woken up this morning and asked to leave their houses is totally disgraceful.

"This is totally wrong and it needs to stop. It's 2016 and there's no place today for this kind of stuff," he added.

Detective Inspector Mary White said the incident caused "massive inconvenience, disruption and upset" for the local community around north Belfast.

She said: "I would like to thank the members of the public for their patience and cooperation during the operation this morning.

"I am appealing for anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in the North Queen Street area close to Spamount Street or anyone with any information that could assist with the investigation to contact Detectives at Reactive and Organised Crime at Musgrave Police Station on 101.

"Alternatively, if someone would prefer to provide information without giving their details they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers."

Two women were arrested "on suspicion of breaching the police cordon" during the security alert.

Nuala McAllister, Alliance councillor for north Belfast said someone "could have been killed".

"Somebody could have been seriously injured or killed had this pipe bomb exploded, particularly as it was placed in the middle of a residential area and close to a busy shopping centre," she said.

"People in north Belfast do not want to see this sort of incident taking place and are opposed to those behind it, who do nothing but cause disruption with their actions.

"I urge anyone with information about those behind this device to contact police immediately."

Sinn Fein MLA Caral Ni Chuilin said residents were forced out of their homes for several hours.

"Those responsible showed no concern or care about the safety of the residents or passers-by," she said.

"It is no surprise to anyone that this incident followed a night of anti-social behaviour in the area associated with a nearby bonfire, which included street fighting among rival gangs and the theft and burning of local property.

"The people responsible for placing this device are at war with their own community. They should stop their futile actions before they kill or seriously injure someone."

The alert comes weeks after a suspicious item was found in Lisburn.

Police were investigating whether the device fell from a vehicle in Market Place at the end of last month.

Searches were carried out in the Lagmore area of west Belfast and police seized a vehicle in the aftermath of the discovery.
Relatives of IRA murder victims have gathered to watch a film produced to counter the portrayal of the republican hunger strikes in a new documentary-style movie.

Titled 'Remembering Those who had No Choice', it has been created by a victims' group in direct response to the recently-premiered 66 Days.

The film about the Maze prison hunger strikes of 1981, based on Bobby Sands' diaries, has divided opinion in Northern Ireland.

Critics have branded the docu-drama, by Irish director Brendan Byrne, overly sympathetic to Sands and his cause, while others have acclaimed it for offering a balanced view of the turbulent period of The Troubles.

The South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF), a victims' group in the west of the region, has produced its own film telling the stories of the 57 other people, including a number of children, killed in the conflict during the 217-day period when the 10 republican hunger strikers died.

Valerie Hetherington, whose father Alfie Woods was a Royal Ulster Constabulary officer murdered by the IRA in Omagh in August 1981, attended the premiere of the film in Enniskillen.

"Our family felt it important to be present tonight where our dad and all the other innocents who had no choice are being remembered," she said.

"My dad was a hard-working family man who was committed to doing his best for us and the community which he served. My dad was murdered within days of a hunger striker's death.

"We have little doubt as a family that the volatile situation created by that hunger strike meant it more likely that our father could come under attack and ultimately be murdered.

"It is important that we as innocent victims and survivors of terrorism come together in unifying against attempts to re-write the past. Terrorists and their political spokesmen and women will not succeed - the truth must and will prevail."

Kenny Donaldson, director of services at SEFF, said the film offered a "dignified" response to 66 Days.

"It is important to remember, but also honour, all those whose lives were extinguished outside the Maze prison walls over one of the most turbulent periods in our history," he said.

"Inside those prison walls 10 men took the choice, with the leadership of the republican movement at their back, to complete suicide.

"Those murdered and killed outside those prison walls did not have the choice to live because in most cases others decided that they had a right to play God in determining who would live and who should die".

Mr Donaldson described the death of the hunger strikers as a "human tragedy".

"No one with a semblance of Christianity within their DNA would take glee in their demise," he said.

"Their families left behind mourn their loss and we acknowledge that.

"But what we will not ever acknowledge or accept is the manipulation of the truth. The 10 men who died on hunger strike were terrorists, they were insurrectionists and they were criminals."
Mothers who have a home birth are more likely to go on to breastfeed, research has found

Women who give birth at home are twice as likely to breastfeed as other new mothers, researchers have found.

Academics at Trinity College Dublin said their studies show home birth is significantly associated with immediate breastfeeding and mothers continuing it into the baby's first six months.

They also found mothers who give birth at home are more likely to exclusively breastfeed for the first 24 weeks - 22% compared with 9% of other mothers.

Lina Zgaga, associate professor of epidemiology at Trinity, said the information may help to improve low breastfeeding rates in Ireland.

She said: "The key question that this work raises is: When breastfeeding is so strongly recommended across the board by the medical profession, what causes lower rates of breastfeeding following hospital births?

"Hopefully this research can help us learn from the home birth model and identify the changes that could be implemented in standard hospital-based perinatal care to encourage and facilitate breastfeeding."

About 60% of mothers start breastfeeding in Ireland compared to a European norm of about 90%. World Health Organisation guidelines recommend exclusive breastfeeding for a baby's first six months.

The research identified potential reasons for the higher breastfeeding rates.

It noted that home birth has different support and care and is typically midwife-led.

It said the same community midwife should be visiting and advising the mother for the first 14 days of a baby's life, compared to a hospital where there are many different medics who, it warned, are " potentially providing unpredictable and inconsistent input".

Researchers said support in the days after birth improve outcomes for mother and baby but they warned that the percentage of first visits after a mother is discharged from hospital varies significantly from 57% to 87%.

It also pointed to a mother's home being non-clinical, promoting immediate and prolonged skin to skin contact between mother and baby immediately after birth , which is widely considered to have a positive effect on the initiation of breastfeeding and mother-infant bonding.

The study also noted the increased use of interventions, assisted delivery and pain relief in hospitals compared to home births.

And it said hospital births have been associated with formula supplementation despite all maternity units being part of an initiative which recommends that newborns should not receive any food or drink other than breast milk unless medically indicated

The study said this may be due to busy, understaffed clinical settings, where formula may be a more convenient solution to feeding problems than diagnosis and treatment of breastfeeding issues.

The study from Trinity's Department of Public Health and Primary Care is the largest of its kind, using more than 10,500 women from Growing Up in Ireland and 17,500 women from the UK Millennium Cohort. It was published in the international journal BMJ Open.

The data revealed a self-reported home birth rate of 1.48% in Ireland compared to 2% in the UK.

The official figure used by the government is 0.2% which only includes planned home births attended to by an independent midwife.

Another study coinciding with World Breastfeeding Week showed women who give birth in a midwife-only unit are 30% more likely to breastfeed than those in traditional wards.
The system marks 'a new beginning', the government said

Specialist counselling is to be offered to the near 20,000 women and their partners and families who suffer miscarriage, perinatal death, fatal foetal abnormality, termination or who travel for an abortion each year.

Under a new support system every hospital and maternity unit must offer every grieving mother a meeting with a midwife dedicated to helping them deal with the bereavement.

Claire Cullen-Delsol, spokeswoman for the Termination for Medical Reasons Group, said up until now families were getting lost in a lottery-like system of care.

The 31-year-old's baby daughter Alex died 26 weeks into the pregnancy and was still born after the 20 week scan showed she had Trisomy 13, or Patau syndrome, and would not survive.

"It reads like this will make life much more bearable for us," she said.

"This is the thing that's going to help get through this, as long as it's resourced. If a woman gets that news there needs to be an immediate action plan.

"The main message is that the loss of a child effects a huge number of people. It's not just the parents - the mother is obviously hugely affected, but it's the siblings, the parents, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles. The ripple effect is just devastating.

"As far as bereavement care and counselling is concerned it is all a lottery. It depends where you are."

In Ireland about 14,000 women suffer miscarriage each year, another 500 perinatal deaths are recorded and there are 3,700 cases of women travelling abroad for a terminations.

The new counselling system was developed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) following the death of dentist Savita Halappanavar in University Hospital Galway in October 2012 after she miscarried and was denied a termination.

It comes after a watchdog's findings of "grossly inappropriate and traumatising" handling of baby death and maternity cases in Portlaoise Hospital.

Health Minister Simon Harris billed the counselling system as a new beginning.

"I am pleased that the standards will ensure that clinical and counselling services will be in place to support women and their families in all pregnancy loss situations, from early pregnancy loss to perinatal death, as well as situations where there is a diagnosis of a life-limiting or fatal foetal anomaly," he said.

"I am grateful to the many families who generously shared their experiences during the strategy consultation process and offered suggestions on how care could be improved."

Mr Harris said he hoped the new regime will give grieving families the care and compassion they need.

All maternity hospitals and units will have teams of bereavement specialists to support grieving parents and families and staff involved in their care

They will include a dedicated clinical midwife who specialises in bereavement care along with obstetricians, paediatricians, neonatologists, chaplains, social workers and palliative care staff.

The initiative states that b ereavement care should be a central mission of hospitals and offered in accordance with the religious, secular, ethnic, social and cultural values of the parents.

It asks h ospitals to ensure bereavement care and end of life care for babies is organised around the needs of babies and their families.

The new regime also says parents should be invited to meet a consultant neonatologist/paediatrician and the appropriate team to discuss a diagnosis which the HSE describes as a "life-limiting condition".

It says a mother or parents should receive up-to-date information and contact details of services available if they choose to terminate the pregnancy.
Theresa May could find it difficult to ignore Switzerland's immigration troubles with the European Union as she holidays in the country and mulls over how to deliver Brexit.

The Prime Minister has broken with predecessor David Cameron's habit of spending a few days in Britain before jetting off for a foreign break and is continuing her tradition of visiting the Alpine country with husband Philip.

Mr Cameron has repeatedly come under fire for urging Britons to take "staycations" but then enjoying sunshine breaks in the likes of Spain, Italy and Portugal combined with trips in the UK.

Mrs May is unlikely to suffer the mishaps which plagued the former PM, who has been stung by a jellyfish in Lanzarote, mocked for dressing on the beach under a Mickey Mouse towel, and criticised for his choice of clothes.

But she will hope she does not have to follow in the footsteps of Britain's only other woman prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, who cut short a Swiss holiday in 1985 after the deaths of 55 people in the Manchester air disaster.

And, as many busy Britons discover on holiday, she may find it difficult to take her mind off work during the two-week break, given Switzerland's similarly strained relationship with the EU and its trouble implementing a referendum result.

The country is not a full EU member but enjoys a negotiated bilateral agreement which allows it some access to the single market with tariff-free trade and open access to the services market.

Its agreements go furthest in replicating EU benefits for a country outside the bloc, but it must also accept the free movement of people, pay into the union's budget and comply with single market regulations.

It is now embroiled in long-running talks with the union over how to implement a 2014 referendum result in which the Swiss people backed limiting immigration through quotas, including EU citizens.

The parallels with the UK are striking but Mrs May has previously revealed that she loves holidaying in the country because she can get some "peace and quiet".

She said she and her husband had "discovered the joys" of walking in the country "quite by chance".

In a piece for the Telegraph in August 2007, she said: "We first visited the country about 25 years ago but spent most of the time in Lucerne.

"On a return trip, we decided to go walking, enjoyed it and gradually began doing more adventurous hikes.

"We have been going back ever since and have walked all over the country."

Mrs May said in the piece that her two favourite areas are Zermatt and the Bernese Oberland, which are both "fantastic for walking".

She added: "If you're a keen walker, Switzerland is a wonderful summer destination: the views are spectacular, the air is clear and you can get some peace and quiet."

Downing Street said Mrs May remained in charge. She will be kept updated and briefed on events, with a senior Cabinet minister remaining in London.

Chancellor Philip Hammond will be in the capital this week.
A Muslim taxi driver who executed a popular Muslim shopkeeper for claiming he was a prophet remained defiant with a clenched-fist raised as he was led to jail to serve a minimum of 27 years.

Tanveer Ahmed, 32, travelled from Yorkshire to Glasgow to confront Asad Shah over his claims before pulling out a knife and repeatedly stabbing the 40-year-old at his newsagent shop.

Ahmed, who did not know Mr Shah, claimed to have been offended by clips the shopkeeper had posted online which he said ''disrespected the Prophet Muhammad''.

The Bradford father-of-three was given a life sentence at the High Court in Glasgow after admitting the murder in Glasgow's Shawlands area on March 24.

Judge Lady Rae told Ahmed he must serve a minimum of 27 years before being considered for release. He would have been given a longer sentence had it not been for his guilty plea.

She said he had carried out a "brutal, barbaric, horrific crime" for which he had shown no remorse and even appeared proud of what he had done, and described the calculated nature of the murder as "chilling", saying he had carried out what was in effect an "execution".

As Ahmed was led away, he raised a clenched fist and shouted loudly: "Praise for the Prophet Muhammad, there is only one Prophet."

Some of his supporters in the courtroom responded by raising their arms and repeating the phrase.

The murder shocked the close-knit community in the south side of the city where several vigils were held in the wake of the tragedy.

Ahmed had watched a clip featuring Mr Shah on his mobile phone as he travelled to Glasgow on the day of the murder and was heard in a phone message to say "listen to this guy, something needs to be done, it needs nipped in the bud".

When he arrived at the shop, Ahmed said he warned the shopkeeper he was there to kill him and asked him to stop claiming to be a prophet.

Mr Shah's brother and a shop assistant tried to fend him off as he launched his attack on the popular businessman, described by locals as a ''pillar of the community''.

The Shah family, who moved to Scotland from Pakistan in the 1990s to escape persecution, belong to the Ahmadi sect of Islam whose beliefs differ from the majority of Muslims.

The court heard their belief that Prophet Muhammad was not the final prophet was a view many consider blasphemous.

The family said they were now moving away from Scotland.

A statement released on their behalf said: "Asad's family have lost a peaceful, kind and loving brother, son and uncle who can never be replaced.

"Most of his family have now left or are in the process of leaving Scotland, a country they came to seek safety in.

"They are grateful to the Lord Advocate, Crown Office and Police Scotland for their hard work and compassion."

Chief Superintendent Brian McInulty, local policing commander for greater Glasgow division, said: "Our thoughts continue to be with the family of Asad Shah, whose presence in the community is very much missed by everyone who knew him.

"I hope that the sentencing today will reassure the immediate community in Glasgow's south side as well as communities all across Scotland that acts of violence such as this are utterly unacceptable and cannot be justified."

Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC said: "Asad Shah was a well-liked and respected member of the community who was savagely murdered by a total stranger.

"This was a brutal, unprovoked and relentless attack on an unsuspecting victim. It has left his family and friends devastated at the loss of a kind and peace-loving man.

"Tanveer Ahmed's crime has rightly been condemned by communities across Glasgow and the rest of the country."
Vladimir Putin has spoken with Theresa May by telephone

Teresa May has spoken to Russian president Vladimir Putin for the first time since she became Prime Minister.

The Kremlin said both leaders expressed dissatisfaction with UK-Russian relations and pledged to improve ties.

The UK's relationship with Russia became increasingly strained under former prime minister David Cameron, following Mr Putin's support for the Syrian regime, the Ukraine crisis, and the recent inquiry in to the 2006 poisoning death of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.

Mrs May said she hoped the nations could push forward in an "honest" way despite their differences.

The pair will meet at the G20 summit of world leaders in China next month.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said the leaders discussed common security threats faced by both countries when they spoke on the phone on Tuesday afternoon.

She said: "The Prime Minister noted the importance of the relationship between the UK and Russia and expressed the hope that, despite differences on certain issues, they could communicate in an open and honest way about the issues that mattered most to them.

"The Prime Minister and president agreed that British and Russian citizens faced common threats from terrorism, and that co-operation on aviation security in particular was a vital part of the international counter-terrorism effort.

"They looked forward to seeing each other at the G20 summit in China next month."

The pair agreed to develop a dialogue between their security agencies over aviation security, the Kremlin added.

The Russian government said Mrs May also confirmed Britain's intention to participate in the 75th anniversary of the first arrival of vital aid by British wartime convoys to the Russian city of Arkhangelsk, later this month.
Strident voices: protestors, back right, object to the Pride parade. On the left are loyalist flag protestors

As an unbeliever I don't pretend to be a Bible scholar but there is a bit in the Good Book, is there not, that has something about judging not lest ye shall be judged?

This line occurred to me on Saturday as I was ambling through Belfast doing a bit of shopping and enjoying the massive and colourful crowds gathering for the annual Pride parade.

Long before I'd reached City Hall I could hear the anti-gay protest. Not because it was that big. But because it was amplified. The preacher's voice, his sing-song, mournful, accusatory delivery boosted by microphone was booming right down the city's main thoroughfare.

There was much dire warning about sin, sinning, transgression, transgressing, iniquity, iniquitousness, self-deception, love not being a human right and the Corinthians.

The Corinthians were getting a bit of a burl on grounds of their allegedly comprehensive iniquity.

The protesters, mostly male and mostly elderly (there were a few women in hats) were lined up in front of the City Hall gates, scowling balefully at the scenes of jollity beyond.

A line of police officers separated them from the Pride parade attendees although really there was no need. Neither side looked likely to resort to violence.

The preacher was on a sort of stream of consciousness roll, segueing from remarks about the "Love is..." placards being waved at him to an odd ramble about how the nearby traffic lights symbolised things you could and couldn't and, indeed, shouldn't do. A younger man with this anti-gay faction had crossed the police line to engage in argument (good natured on both sides) with a group of teenagers beside me.

But it was the grim preacher and his solemn entourage at the gates which fascinated me.

What is it impels people, not just to set themselves up in judgment of others in the first place, but to believe themselves so ideally equipped and entitled to lecture and to preach to the rest of the world?

I am sure that among the protesters were well-meaning, decent souls. But at times in the preaching voice there was a note that sounded (to me anyway) less preachy, more hectoring.

It was as if he was baiting the crowd for a response. He didn't get one.

I tried to see the crowd from his eyes but all I could see was what was around me. Teenagers with rainbows plastered on their faces and clothes having a bit of fun.

Families out to enjoy the spectacle, shepherding the smaller children to the front of the milling crowd for a better view. People of all ages, all backgrounds.

True, there were some outfits that might have caused your granny to shield her eyes (my granny, anyway) but it was still more Royal Avenue than Rio.

And among the tens of thousands of onlookers and paraders there will have been very many Christians. Godly and gay or godly and gay-friendly is not a contradiction. Whatever some preachers might care to assert. Self-righteousness isn't a new thing. It isn't just an old thing either.

Virtue signalling on today's social media isn't a bible thump away from such holier-than-thou posturing.

Similarly cyber-patrolling for Things To Take Offence At in order to point up your own wholesomeness. But what impressed me most on Saturday was that, despite so many people being so loudly lambasted for their supposed "sin", how little rancour there was in that great crowd.

People didn't even seem to notice the guldering. Everybody seemed to be smiling.

If somebody was roaring "sinner" at me I don't think I would handle it with quite the same equanimity or with the same dignity. But I suppose that's just further proof of my own obvious iniquity.

As the preacher would doubtless judge it.

Why all the fuss over Jamie the journo?

In the old days you knew who a journalist was. He was the bloke in the trilby with a Press card sticking out of the rim. Times change. So I don't understand the horror in some quarters over news that Jamie Bryson (above) former flaggist, turned blogger and author is now a member of the NUJ. He qualifies under NUJ criteria and he's paid his dues. So why the fuss? I believe the media (mainstream and now online) should be about encouraging new debate and new voices.

Bryson, fair play to him, doesn't even style himself a "journalist." Is the problem for some, though, not what he is? But who he is?

Stone me... mum indulges her mini-vandal

You know you're in Belfast when ... you're walking out of a shop in Donegall Place and you watch a wee boy of about eight years of age pick up a stone and then randomly clod it at the back of a stationary bus.

And then his mother simpers indulgently: "Och, come on now, son, don't be doing that here."

Don't be doing it here?!

Where does she think he should be doing it?

No reprimand. No panic even at the thought the driver might jump off and confront her precious little stone-thrower.

You know you're in Belfast ...
Disclosures about the oppressive and secretive atmosphere that pervades the seminary at Maynooth don't surprise me (Saturday Review, August 6).

While researching a book on the industrial school era, Escape From Grievous Faults, I spoke to retired clerics and former members of religious orders who told me of bizarre practices to which they were subjected.

The obligatory signing of confidentiality agreements at Maynooth and other similar venues has been deeply unhelpful to investigations of alleged clerical sexual abuse and the widespread (now proven) physical, sexual and emotional abuse in industrial schools and other institutions.

While recognising that abusers in the Catholic priesthood and the religious orders have always been in the minority, it is also a sad fact that far too many of those "good" men and women of the cloth failed to intervene when they became aware of what their errant colleagues were doing.

One can debate the relative gravity of the various sins set forth in catechisms and prayer books, but surely the destruction of innocent young lives is a sin that puts most of the others in the shade?

Not far behind it ought to be the "culture of secrecy" that facilitated the vilest abuses. Where was the "holiness" in muzzling potential whistleblowers, or staying silent about a crime that never stops hurting?

JOHN FITZGERALD

By email
Critics of the new Bobby Sands documentary have cited bias, a callous disregard for the IRA's victims and even the glorification of terrorism as the main failings of the film. Yet these criticisms are totally unfair, as there is plenty of balanced commentary in it, particularly from the Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole, who on camera brilliantly lacerates the philosophy behind the Provisionals' so-called "armed struggle".

However, the real failing of this film, its central weakness, has to do with its intellectual vacuity. If there is any lack of balance, it is in the inability of film-makers, in particular, to tackle subjects, both current and historical, that resonate with the unionist/loyalist community.

The unionist-loyalist community is part of the overall Troubles story, but appears relatively invisible in terms of TV and film, beyond documentaries and television news.

In one sense, this is partly their own fault. Television and radio journalists will tell you that, when it comes to public events, demonstrations, parades, marches, or funerals, they dread covering loyalist gatherings, because of the hostility and menace connected with them.

Republicans, by contrast, go out of their way to facilitate the media, which they believe they can manipulate to get their message to the world across.

This extends beyond hostile, often threatening, attitudes toward journalists and camera operators and seeps into a wider indifference towards how unionism/loyalism is portrayed in other art forms.

It is telling that the most important dramatist to emerge from the Ulster Protestant working-class since the ceasefires, Gary Mitchell, cannot return to his own community, because he wrote a few uncomfortable truths about it in his plays.

Moreover, it is bitterly ironic that the greatest drama ever written where the central characters are young, working-class unionists was written by a Donegal Catholic.

Frank McGuinness' masterpiece, Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme, is a sensitive and sympathetic anthem for these doomed Ulster youth.

Yet McGuinness wrote it in 1985, and nothing as powerful and important, at least on stage, about the unionist-loyalist community has been produced since.

There are nightly attacks on Orange halls across Northern Ireland, which are nothing more than cultural vandalism against a section of the Protestant/unionist/loyalist community.

To their credit, nationalist politicians - up to and including the deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness - have condemned the attacks on Orange property. It is time, however, that others in civil society - from the arts to human rights groups - speak out more forthrightly about these continued attacks.

And for the community at the sharp end of this cultural vandalism, there have to be voices inside who have stories to tell, films to make, documentaries to produce, poems to pen.

There is virgin territory to explore when it comes to the Ulster loyalist experience beyond the trenches of the Western Front, or even the conflict zones of the Troubles.

Why has no one yet told a story, in book, or film, about that community's role in the Second World War and the national effort to defeat Hitler? Or the flight of the Protestants from counties that are now in the Irish Republic into modern-day Northern Ireland? Or, fast-forwarding to the 21st century, why is no one writing about the present-day Protestant working-class and how their lives are coloured by de-industrialisation, immigration, drugs, alcohol and the backwash from the Troubles?

The major flaw in the Sands documentary is the attempt to make a tentative connection between Sands' dying after 66 days on hunger strike and the current political settlement in Northern Ireland.

This is, in large part, due to the fact that the film-makers fail to ask the most important, indeed the most obvious, question of all about Sand's life and death: would the IRA O/C in the Maze prison really have put his life on the line for a political outcome that was a replica of the one he and his comrades sought to destroy seven years before the hunger strike took place? Would the death fast have reached is tragic conclusion so that we could arrive at Sunningdale Mark II?

Sands' family will tell you (if anyone bothers to ask them) that the young IRA prisoner certainly would not have contemplated sacrificing himself in order that we end up with the Good Friday Agreement of 1998.

I do not know if Sands' family were approached to take part in this film, or not, or if they declined to participate in it.

What I am certain of is that the family - including his sister, Bernadette - have stated in the recent past and on several occasions that their brother would never have supported the present dispensation.

Of course, the Irish have displayed a tendency, through the generations, to call up the dead and drag them across the floor to advance current political positions, pragmatic U-turns, or the maintenance of a hard line stance. So, we should always be cautious about assuming what a dead person would have supported (or opposed) had they lived.

Nonetheless, it is fair to say that many of the other hunger strikers - and especially the three Irish National Liberation Army prisoners who starved themselves do death - would never have backed "Sunningdale for slow learners" (to use Seamus Mallon's phrase).

Again, the families of Patsy O'Hara and Mickey Devine from Derry will tell you that these INLA inmates would have been resolutely opposed to the power-sharing settlement 17 years after that dreadful summer - if anyone bothers to ask them.

The Sands' documentary does raise another cultural question about how the Troubles is played out on film, television, the stage and the page.

A binary, black and white narrative storyteller, whether they are pressing a computer keyboard, or standing beside a movie camera, will always present conflict as one between angels and demons - good versus evil.

Real life, as we know, isn't like that and behind the headlines, when the gunsmoke clears and the media move off, the picture is much more complex.

Uncomfortable facts can get in the way of such binary narration, such as the one, for instance, which reveals that republicans actually killed more Catholic civilians than the Army did from 1969 to 1997.

As for emerging artistic voices from the loyalist and unionist communities, polemic and PR never creates true art. Simplistic binaryism that fails to raise uncomfortable complexities will never paint a comprehensive picture of a society at war with itself.

The challenge is on for fresh voices to emerge out of a community that for too long was dangerously stereotyped and pigeon-holed in the "villain" category.
A Dhaka judge Tuesday sent three journalists working for a website to jail, but turned down a police request to remand them over a story they had published that debunked another websites report about a rumor of a plane crash involving the prime ministers son.

The three, who were arrested on Sunday, were jailed without bail and face possible charges under Section 57 of Bangladeshs Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act of 2006, their lawyers said. Those tried and convicted under the clause can be sentenced to between seven and 14 years in prison.

Meanwhile, the head of Bangladeshs telecommunication regulator told BenarNews that it had blocked their website, banglamail24, and the site that had published a report about the rumor involving Sajeeb Wazed Joy, todaynews71.

The online blocks bring to 37 the number of websites blocked by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) in recent days. The first 35 were blocked for allegedly making objectionable comments about the government, Commission Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood said.

Banglamail24 and todaynews71 were blocked for spreading a rumor about the prime ministers son, he told Benar on Tuesday.

Elsewhere, 26 rights advocacy groups sent a joint letter to the Bangladeshi government calling on it to release Shafik Rehman, the editor of a Bangladeshi magazine, who has been jailed since his arrest in April over allegations that he conspired with others to harm the prime ministers son.

The delays in this case suggest that there is no evidence against Mr. Rehman, and that he should be released, BBC News quoted the 26 groups, including Reporters Without Borders and the International Federation of Journalists, as saying in the letter.

Mr. Rehman is a professional journalist who has spent a lifetime working for freedom of expression. We are concerned that his arrest represents an attack on press freedoms and forms part of a worrying trend in Bangladesh," the letter added.

To benefit the state

On Sunday night, Bangladeshs Rapid Action Battalion arrested banglamail24.com executive editor Maksudul Alam, acting editor Shahadat Ullah Khan, and reporter Pranta Palash over its report about the report published by todaynews71.

RAB spokesman Mufti Mahmud Khan on Tuesday told BenarNews that his force was trying to locate the people running todaynews71.

The site has no office. Nowadays, one laptop is enough to run an online portal. The person or persons behind posting the fake news would be arrested if we can locate them, Khan said.

On Tuesday, police escorted the three banglamail24.com journalists to the courtroom of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Golam Nabi.

Meanwhile, a security staff member where the banglamail24.com is located told BenarNews on condition of anonymity that RAB had sealed off the office. Its staffers, including publisher Fazlul Azim, a former MP from the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, have gone into hiding.

Police sub-inspector Mizanur Rahman sought a seven-day remand to interrogate the journalists, while Mubinul Islam and fellow defense lawyer Priya Lal Shaha argued against the remand.

The court has turned down the remand request of the police and sent my clients to jail. The hearing on their bail will take place in the cyber court as the charges are related to cybercrime, Islam told reporters following the hearing.

The news item that created an uproar on Facebook was served to benefit the state, but RAB could not understand it, Islam told the court, adding that banglamail24.com posted the news item so that people would not pay heed to the fake report.

My clients had no intention of undermining the state, the prime minister or her son, Islam told the court.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right), talks with Home Minister Rajnath Singh during a Bharatiya Janata Party Parliamentary Committee meeting in New Delhi, Aug. 2, 2016.

Angered by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis comments against cow vigilantism and frequent attacks on the low-caste Dalit community, Hindu fundamentalist groups across the country are threatening to withdraw their support of his nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

He (Modi) has made sweeping statements, such as 80 percent of cow vigilantes were fake. That is not true. It seems he was just trying to appease the Dalits and Muslims for their votes in the upcoming (Uttar Pradesh state) polls, Anuradha Mody of the Holy Cow Foundation, a Delhi-based cow protection group, told BenarNews.

It feels as if we were stabbed by our own man, she said, referring to Modis attack on self-styled anti-cow slaughter activists who frequently take the law into their hands under the pretext of protecting the animal considered holy in Hindu culture.

Cow slaughter and consumption of beef is banned in most states of Hindu-majority India.

On Saturday, during his first Town Hall interaction with Indian citizens since coming to power in 2014, Modi asked state governments to take stern action against anti-social elements masquerading as cow protectors to save themselves.

I request state governments to prepare dossiers of these self-styled cow vigilantes. About 70 percent to 80 percent of them will be those who are involved in anti-social activities, Modi said in his nationally televised speech.

I want to tell everybody to beware of these fake cow protectors. These vigilantes have nothing to do with cow protection. Their only aim is to create tension and conflict, Modi said while addressing a separate gathering in south Indias Telangana state on Sunday.

Modi speaks out for Dalits

Modis comments came nearly a month after four tannery workers of the Dalit community, which figures at the bottom of Hinduisms rigid caste hierarchy, were publicly flogged by cow vigilantes for skinning a dead cow in the PMs home state of Gujarat.

The incident, which sparked national outrage, was just one among a spate of recent violent attacks on the historically marginalized group, long disregarded as untouchables.

The assault, which was videotaped and posted online, triggered widespread protests by the 180 million-strong Dalit community.

What is the reason we torture our Dalit brothers? What right do you have? The section which has suffered for centuries, will you force them to suffer more? Modi asked.

If you want to attack Dalits, attack me first. If you want to fire at Dalits, fire the first bullet at me. The nation will not forgive us if attacks on Dalits continue like this, he said.

Calling the Indian prime minister a snake of the sleeve, Pooja Shakun Pandey of the right-wing group Hindu Mahasabha, said, He had lured people in the name of cow protection to get votes.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), a Hindu nationalist organization that campaigned for Modi in the 2014 elections, said BJP would pay the price for Modis comments.

The BJP will not be able to come in power again in the 2019 polls, the groups vice president, Sunil Parashar, told reporters.

The prime minister has hurt the sentiments of gau rakshaks (cow protectors) who sacrifice their lives to save cows and (Modi) has termed them as criminals. He will have to pay for it in the next polls, he said.

Neha Patel, a cow vigilante from Gujarat, told BenarNews: It is true there are a few people who dont care about cows but masquerade as cow protectors. But the figure given by Modi is highly overstated. I would say 80 percent to 90 percent of cow vigilantes ate genuine.

Completely sanctimonious

The All India National Congress, the principal opposition party, also took aim at Modi, calling his remarks absolutely humbug.

It is his ideological co-travelers who have been perpetrating this specter of uncertainty and terror in the name of cow lumpenism across the country. Whatever the Prime Minister said was absolutely humbug and completely sanctimonious, Congress leader Manish Tewari told the Press Trust of India.

Dalit leader Bhawan Nath Paswan said Modis speech seemed to be just another a political game plan to secure votes from Dalits, who form 23 percent of Indias 1.25 billion population.

If you see, most of the attacks on Dalits are happening in states where the BJP is in power. If he is so concerned, why does he not order action against the culprits? Paswan told BenarNews.

We voted for Modi not because he belonged to the BJP, but because we wanted him to lead the nation. It is time he now ensures implementation of what he has said, he added.

Political analysts described Modis utterances as an attempt to reach out to the Dalit vote back ahead of the crucial assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh in early 2017.

This is not a new practice of the BJP. There is a steady pattern to it. Modi maintains silence until an election nears and then he suddenly speaks of these issues, Deepak Tyagi, a Delhi-based political observer, told BenarNews.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken prepares to announce the release of the 2015 International Religious Freedom Report, in Washington, Aug. 10, 2016.

Religious intolerance motivated murders in Bangladesh and India while intolerance of diversity lingered in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, the U.S. State Department said in its 2015 International Religious Freedom Report released Wednesday.

Propagation of the Islamic States (IS) hate-filled ideology worsened the problem, Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters as he announced the reports release.

Blinken blamed IS, whom he referred to as Daesh, for ongoing attacks, including in Bangladesh.

Weve also seen Daesh try to adapt by encouraging indiscriminate attacks in as many places as possible  a market in Baghdad, a nightclub in Orlando, a promenade in Nice, a cafe in Dhaka, a square in central Istanbul, Blinken told reporters, referring to the July 1 attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery cafe in Bangladeshs capital.

IS claimed responsibility for the attack during which the assailants reportedly separated Muslims from non-Muslim hostages and killed 20 people. Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and other government leaders still claim that IS has no presence in their country.

Reporting on violence in Bangladesh in 2015, the State Department drew attention to six incidents between Feb. 26 and Oct. 31 that killed Avijit Roy, Washiqur Rahman, Ananta Bijoy Das, and Niladri Chottopaddhya and Faisal Arefin Dipan  who were described as secularist or anti-Islamic writers and publishers  and injured three others.

Throughout the country, Muslim leaders in some villages issued fatwas and members of religious minorities continued to claim they were discriminated, the report noted.

Sunni Muslims constitute 90 percent of Bangladeshs 169 million population and Hindus 9.5 percent, according to State Department figures. The remaining population is Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) and Theravada-Hinayana Buddhist.

4 Die in Indian Riots

India last year suffered from religiously motivated killings, assaults and riots, the State Department said.

In January 2015, more than 5,000 people attacked the majority Muslim village of Azizpur, Bihar, after a young Hindu man was abducted and killed. Attackers burned 25 houses and killed four Muslims.

Unknown assailants killed writer M. M. Kalburi on Aug. 30. Local media speculated that he was killed for his anti-Hindu views.

In October, 41, authors, filmmakers, and other civil society members returned national and state-sponsored awards given by the government-sponsored Sahitya Academy (Academy of Literature) in protest of what they said was the growing religious intolerance in the country and the killing of rationalists and secularists.

Hindus constitute 79.8 percent of Indias 1.3 billion population, according to U.S. estimates. Muslims constitute 14.2 percent, Christians 2.3 percent, and Sikhs 1.7 percent.

Indonesian majority endorses tolerance

In Indonesia, the worlds largest predominantly Muslim country, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) warned of rising resentment against Shia Muslims in East Java, the heartland of the traditionally tolerant Sunni Muslims, according to the report.

Ahmadi Muslims reported discrimination in education and public services and complained about feeling under constant threat from militant groups.

The State Department report said that intolerant religious groups illegally closed houses of worship and widely disseminated materials promoting intolerance.

Indonesias two largest Muslim organizations  Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama, which represent 70 million members  officially endorsed tolerance and reinforced those concepts during leadership conferences in August 2015.

About 87 percent of Indonesias 255.9 million people are Muslims, 7 percent are Protestants, 3 percent Roman Catholics and 1.5 percent Hindus, according to U.S. figures.

Malaysian government promotes Sunni Islam

In neighboring Malaysia, the State Department found on-going reports of intolerance of religious diversity.

While Malaysias constitution states that Islam is the religion of the Federation; but other religions may be practices in peace and harmony, the government promotes Sunni Islam above all other religions.

In several speeches, Prime Minister Najib Razak suggested that the nation would not accept liberal definitions for human rights that stray from the tenets of Islam.

On a positive note, there were fewer reported incidents of violence or aggression against opinions that differ from officially sanctioned positions on religious issues. Despite that improvement, a talk-radio presenter received death and rape threats after she starred in a satirical video criticizing the move to implement hudud (the Islamic penal law) in Kelantan State.

Of Malaysias 30.5 million people, 61.3 percent are Muslims, 19.8 percent Buddhists, 9.2 percent Christians and 6.3 percent are Hindus, according to U.S. figures. Additionally, 1.3 percent practice Confucianism, Taoism or other traditional Chinese philosophies and religions.

Thailand links religion, ethnicity

In Thailand, the military-controlled government, which seized power in a coup in May 2014, has maintained an interim constitution that does not guarantee religious liberty or protection from discrimination based on religion, the State Department reported.

Because religion and ethnicity are closely linked, it is difficult to categorize many incidents as being solely based on religious identity, it said.

In the south, violence between ethnic Malay Muslims and ethnic Thai Buddhists hindered the ability of individuals to practice the full range of religious activities, according to human rights organizations, the report stated.

Because they did not feel safe, Buddhist monks often conducted evening religious rites during daylight hours.

The State Department estimates that 93 percent of Thailands 68 million people are Buddhists and 5 percent are Muslims.
U.N. counter-terrorism official Weixiong Chen addresses the International Meeting on Counter Terrorism (IMCT) in Nusa Dua, Bali, Aug. 10, 2016.

Countries that want to combat terrorism must look at the root causes of this global phenomenon, Indonesias Vice President Jusuf Kalla told an international counter-terrorism conference in Bali on Wednesday.

Anger toward government policy, misconceptions of religion and ideology, and a lack of hope in facing the future are at the core of these causes, Kalla said in a keynote address at the International Meeting on Counter Terrorism (IMCT) in Nusa Dua.

We feel angry seeing victims of terrorism but we also need to look at the roots of the problem in order to resolve it, he said.

The vice president opened the one-day conference of 23 countries and three intergovernmental bodies, which Indonesia co-hosted with Australia and that ran in parallel with an international counter-terrorism financing conference at the same venue.

On Wednesday, Australian officials at the Bali meetings announced that Australia and Indonesia  in conjunction with Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines  had launched a first-of-its-kind, regional assessment of terror financing.

This is probably the first time that any region across the globe has got together to assess what are the terror financing risk we are in it, Australian Minister of Justice Michael Keenan said, according to an official transcript.

From Australias perspective we believe it will be a very useful document to highlight the area of concerns that we can do better with in Australia, but also where we can share our expertise skill with others in the region to ensure that terrorists cant move money around the Southeast Asian region, he added.

Kalla Evokes U.S. Invasion of Iraq

In his speech before some 200 participants and attendees, Kalla said the so-called Islamic State (IS) had emerged in Iraq and Syria as a result of political instability in those two countries fomented by a superpowers invasion.

Therefore, big countries shouldnt invade other countries for no clear reason, he said.

Kalla added that terrorism cannot be solved with weapons and violence alone, since it arises from distorted ideology and misunderstanding of religion.

The perpetrators of terrorism including what happened recently in Belgium and Paris are people who do not understand religion correctly, he said.

Part of addressing the problem of terrorism, therefore, is changing the thinking of terrorists, he said.

Based on my experience resolving the conflict in Poso, they join terror groups because they are tempted to reach heaven quickly. After I told them they would go to hell, they became aware, he said.

In December 2001, Kalla helped bring about the 10-point Malino Declaration, a peace pact that helped bring an end to Muslim-Christian violence raging in Poso, a regency of Central Sulawesi province, since 1998.

Another issue that has to be anticipated by countries combatting terrorism, Kalla said, is the phenomenon of militants returning to their home countries after becoming Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTF).

Russia was among the 23 countries attending the IMCT conference in Nusa Dua, Bali, Aug. 10, 2016. (Anton Muhajir/BeritaBenar)

Lone wolf

The theme of IMCT was countering cross-border movement on terrorism.

The participation of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), the U.N., and Interpol underlines that efforts by specific countries must be accompanied by robust bilateral, regional and even global cooperation, Indonesias newly appointed Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Wiranto, said in opening the meeting.

Attacks all over the world point to the need for all countries to be involved in the effort to prevent terrorism, he added.

We choose to strengthen cooperation in a sustainable manner, he said.

In addition to political instability and radical ideologies, another reason for the emergence of terrorism, according to Wiranto, is the use of cyber media, the flow of illegal terrorism financing and the return of foreign terrorist fighters to their home countries.

Combined, these forces have given rise to the lone wolf phenomenon, he said, in which individuals are radicalized and carry out attacks without belonging to any terrorist network or organization.

The ease of movement of people, goods and money across national borders has also fed the emergence of foreign terrorist fighters and lone wolf terrorists, he noted.

Paul Jevtovic, the chief of the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (AUSTRAC), told reporters in Bali that the lone-wolf phenomenon was one of the key areas that the countries participating in the regional risk assessment would collaborate on.

Self-funded lone-wolves is one of the key findings that is consistent across the region, Reuters quoted Jevtovic as saying.

ASEAN

Southeast Asian nations are aware of the Foreign Terrorist Fighter phenomenon, ASEAN General Secretary Le Luong Minh told the gathering.

ASEAN has already forged pacts that are key to handling the matter, such as the Declaration on Transnational Crime adopted in Manila in 1997, in which signatory countries agreed to increase their cooperation in fighting cross-border crime including terrorism.

Those commitments were renewed last year with the adoption of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration in Combating Transnational Crime, he said.

ASEAN also agreed to the Convention in Counter-Terrorism.

At a meeting in Kuala Lumpur in October 2015, ASEAN ministers agreed to place greater emphasis on de-radicalization and rehabilitation of militant individuals, as part of their overall approach to combatting terrorism.

This approach was to help those already radicalized or extreme to return to society and to prevent a relapse or return to a militant or terrorist group, he said.

The United Nations has also committed to preventing the proliferation of lone wolves.

Foreign terrorist fighters are increasing the intensity and time period of conflicts issuing significant threats to the countries they stop in and later in their home countries upon return, said Weixiong Chen, deputy executive director of the Counter Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate at the United Nations.
All eyes are on the prospect of Thailand holding elections late next year now that the Election Commission (EC) has certified results of a referendum that backed a controversial constitution proposed by the Thai junta.

After the EC confirmed Wednesday that 61 percent had voted over the weekend in favor of Thailands 20th constitution in 84 years, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha announced on national television that the new charter would be adopted within three months, clearing the way for possible elections in 2017.

Please, everyone, keep a positive atmosphere and prepare for the elections to come tentatively next year, Prayuth, an army general who led a coup that toppled a civilian-led government in May 2014, told the nation.

A day earlier, Meechai Ritchuphand, the chairman of the junta-appointed Constitution Drafting Committee, said he expected elections to take place in late 2017 at the earliest.

But before Thailand can adopt a new charter, the CDC needs to incorporate a clause that would allow 250 senators appointed by the junta to join 500 elected MPs in picking a non-elected person as prime minister following the next elections, he said.

The clause has been widely criticized as changing electoral rules in a way that would water down the power of elected officials and allow the military to influence the electoral process.

After all the process is done, the new charter will be sent to the prime minister who will seek royal endorsement. And when all steps are done, elections may be held in October or November [2017], Meechai said.

Fifty-nine percent percent of eligible voters turned out for Sundays polls, EC Chairman Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said Wednesday.

On the second question, voters were asked whether they agreed with the controversial clause to allow the junta to appoint 250 members  58 percent voted for it, compared with nearly 42 percent who opposed it, according to the ECs final results.

Hollow democracy?

In the months leading up to Sundays vote, the junta had banned public criticism of the draft charter or negative campaigning against it.

Rungwrawee Chalermsripinyorat, an independent political analyst based in Thailands Deep South, said the referendum was not a genuine democratic exercise because of how tightly it was controlled, and that the new charter would not restore full democracy to Thailand.

Some of the yes camp wanted to see elections and the return to normalcy, but at the price of the advance of democracy, she told BenarNews.

The approval of the referendum will result in increased roles for military and autocrats, who are not elected, in the political arena  especially when it comes to picking premier, she added.

Thailands major political parties had refused to support the draft charter.

Jatuporn Prompan, chairman of the grassroots movement United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD)  which aligned with the opposition Pheu Thai party  posted a message on Facebook this week, in which he called on politicians to boycott a non-elected person being selected as prime minister under the future format.

[An] outsider must not set foot in Government House, he said.

Prof. Sombat Thamrongthanyawong, a former member of the National Reform Council, told BenarNews that the contentious clause in the draft charter would lead the country down the road to crisis, although supporters of the constitution have argued that it would bring about stability and order after a decade of turmoil in Thai politics.

The outsider premier will [lead] a minority government and this will lead to crisis. A minority government lacks stability. How can it pass budgets, how can it pass laws? Sombat told BenarNews in a telephone interview.

US reactions

The outcome of the referendum and the way that the run-up to it was controlled has drawn scrutiny from abroad, including from one of Thais main allies, the United States.

On Monday, the U.S. State Department voiced concern that the drafting process for the constitution was not inclusive, that open debate was not permitted in the run-up to its adoption.

Once the results are final  we urge Thai authorities to proceed with next steps to return Thailand to elected, civilian-led government as soon as possible, State Department spokesman Elizabeth Trudeau told a press briefing in Washington.

As part of the process to return Thailand to democracy, we strongly urge the government to lift restrictions on civil liberties, including freedom of expression, the right to peaceful assembly, so the Thai people can engage in an open, unimpeded dialogue about the countrys political future, she added.

On Wednesday, U.S.-based Human Rights Watch criticized the referendum process and the implications of the draft charters passage at the polls.

The Thai juntas campaign of repression against opponents of the proposed constitution ensured that the referendum wouldnt be fair, said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. Instead of the long-promised return to democratic civilian rule, the new constitution facilitates unaccountable military power and a deepening dictatorship.

The new constitution will entrench the abusive and unaccountable military rule that Thailand has endured since the May 2014 coup, he added. The UN and Thailands friends need to step up their calls for an end to human rights abuses and for genuine democratic reforms.
ein Google-Unternehmen

Google-Dienste anzubieten und zu betreiben

Ausfalle zu prufen und Manahmen gegen Spam, Betrug und Missbrauch zu ergreifen

Daten zu Zielgruppeninteraktionen und Websitestatistiken zu erheben. Mit den gewonnenen Informationen mochten wir verstehen, wie unsere Dienste verwendet werden, und die Qualitat dieser Dienste verbessern.

neue Dienste zu entwickeln und zu verbessern

Werbung auszuliefern und ihre Wirkung zu messen

personalisierte Inhalte anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen

personalisierte Werbung anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen

Wenn Sie Alle ablehnen auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies nicht fur diese zusatzlichen Zwecke.

Nicht personalisierte Inhalte und Werbung werden u. a. von Inhalten, die Sie sich gerade ansehen, und Ihrem Standort beeinflusst (welche Werbung Sie sehen, basiert auf Ihrem ungefahren Standort). Personalisierte Inhalte und Werbung konnen auch Videoempfehlungen, eine individuelle YouTube-Startseite und individuelle Werbung enthalten, die auf fruheren Aktivitaten wie auf YouTube angesehenen Videos und Suchanfragen auf YouTube beruhen. Sofern relevant, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auerdem, um Inhalte und Werbung altersgerecht zu gestalten.

Wir verwenden Cookies und Daten, umWenn Sie Alle akzeptieren auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auch, umWahlen Sie Weitere Optionen aus, um sich zusatzliche Informationen anzusehen, einschlielich Details zum Verwalten Ihrer Datenschutzeinstellungen. Sie konnen auch jederzeit g.co/privacytools besuchen.
Answers Africa is one of a kind platform created for Africans both locally and in the diaspora and those seeking for more in-depth information about Africa. We have always focused on creating the highest quality informational contents right from the beginning. We share the most relevant information on the latest and trending news, events, people, and places in Africa.

We produce contents across various categories including Politics, People, Love and Romance, Nature, Entertainment, Technology and pretty much everything else that Africans may find relevant.

We aim to answer the most relevant questions about Africa in areas of entertainment, famous people, emerging technologies while we also engage with various distribution capabilities to connect with Africans in need of information who rely on our website to keep in touch with the world that is changing so fast.

These are some of the articles you may be interested in reading:

10 Famous TV Personalities Born In Ethiopia Ethiopia is a country best known for its fast athletes like Dibaba and Bekele, breathtaking models like Liya Kebede and of course Haile Selassie but there are also famous TV personalities who are doing a great job in entertainment and pushing the country to civilization. The following is a list of ten most famous TV ...

Top 10 African Authors of All Time The pace of present African literature is moving at a high-speed; more defiant in both style and tone than those of the great independence writers generation. Here, the subjects of taboo are widely explored. The emerging African authors of this generation are not afraid to go further afield for the literary fodder. Meanwhile, since the birth ...

Maina Kageni Biography  Daughter, Salary and Gay Rumors Maina Kageni is one of those Kenyans who has remained as interesting as ever in the eyes of the public. A strong Red devil fan and lover of football, the man is currently a Breakfast Show presenter with Mwalimu Kingangi on Nairobis Classic 105 Radio Station. Many questions have always emerged on the man in serious ...

Kalekye Mumo  Biography, Boyfriend and Salary Kalekye Mumo has been described as someone who is as vibrant as she is beautiful, a Kenyan radio queen, TV host and media personality, movie actress, Musician, businesswoman, and fashionista but what else is there to know about this Kenyan icon, Kalekye Mumo and her co-host Shaffie Weru have been among the most listened to radio presenters ...

Julie Gichuru Bio  Age, Husband & Children In Africa, women have a long history of bringing under control obstacles to keep their heads above the water. So, it comes as no surprise whenever African women are recognized and decorated across the continent and globe for performing brilliantly well in their various fields of endeavor. In Kenya for instance, a list of national ...

Jeff Koinange Biography  All About His Age, Wife  Shaila Koinange & Family Jeff Koinange is a well-known Kenyan journalist. He currently hosts Jeff Koinange Live on KTN. Koinange has served as a journalist in the United States and has also worked for a few U.S. broadcasters. He was born in Kenya but attended college in the United States, which may explain his accent. There are several interesting ...

Caroline Mutoko Biography  Age, Daughter & House Caroline Mutoko is a Kenyan radio presenter, famously known for hosting a morning breakfast show on Kiss 100 FM. The station is based in Nairobi and ranks among the highly-rated radio stations in Kenya with online streaming services as well. Learn more about the Kenyan-born journalist. Caroline Mutokos Age and Bio Born on January 4, 1973, Caroline is ...

The Most Stunning News Presenter In Kenya Discloses Her Real Age  You Would Not Believe It In modern African societies, it is often regarded as impolite or outright lack of disrespect to ask a woman of her age. We also have seen celebrities lie about how old they are when asked their age. People, mostly women have refused to let people know their real age, despite being public figures. The few ...

Demystifying Chimamanda Ngozi Adichies Biography, Husband & Education Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian novelist, non-fiction writer, short story writer and actress. As a seasoned Nigerian writer, she has been called the most prominent of a procession of critically acclaimed young anglophone authors that is succeeding in attracting a new generation of readers to African literature. She has been making Nigeria proud in the global scene ...

Wole Soyinka  Biography, Wife, Children, Family, Quick Facts Professor Wole Soyinka, a great and brilliant Nigerian writer and political activist, who was the first African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. The name, Wole Soyinka, is a household name both in Africa and beyond especially in the field of literature. With over 50 pieces of work, his writing includes poems, novels, memoirs ...

5 Most Vulgar Kenyan Radio Presenters It appears being vulgar is the real deal nowadays especially for the fact that the world is becoming more exposed and civilized. Sadly, but true, young people are constantly being exposed to images, discussions, and content that most people would deem detrimental to the African culture and moral statutes. This is because most of us ...

6 Sexiest News Anchors In Kenya Some news anchors have been stealing eyes every time they appear on-screen. Most of us hardly concentrate on the programme they present as our entire focus is usually on their striking physique and beautiful faces. It is common knowledge that Kenyan women are amazingly beautiful. From the celebrities to the everyday woman, they are all in ...

Interesting Oprah Winfrey Quotes To Keep You Motivated Oprah Winfrey is one of the worlds most powerful women in the media and business sectors. Her life is the typical success story that motivates and lifts ones morale. One amazing thing about this media mogul is her sincerity about past hurts, mistakes, healing, and success. The renowned talk show host and media personality is the first ...

Chinua Albert Achebe Biography- Family, Net Worth & Death Chinua Albert Achebe, of blessed memory, was a Nigerian prolific author best known for his inventive style of writing and simplicity of expressions. Famed as one of the finest writers Nigeria has ever produced, Achebe lived and died an international hero and a literary giant, who left behind unforgettable legacies and footprints in the sands of ...

Steve Harvey  His Wife, Kids & Height Steve Harvey is an American comedian, actor, radio and TV show host, producer and an author of different relationship advice books. Steve Harveys Early Life Born in Welch, West Virginia, on January 17, 1957, as Broderick Stephen Harvey, Steve was the last of five children. His family relocated to Cleveland when he was young and there, he attended Glenville High School from ...

Intriguing Things You Should Know About Danny Kokers Rise to Fame and Who His Wife Is Danny Koker is popular as the star of the History Channel reality TV series, Counting Cars. Prior to him appearing on the show, the TV personality was a musician who had embarked on a number of national tours with his rock group, Counts 77. He and his group have released quite a number of songs ...

Fun Facts You Didnt Know About Andy Cohens Rise to Prominence and His Partner Andy Cohen is one of Americas top media personalities who gained prominence after helping to bring the Bravo network back to life. He also hosted a couple of shows on the network, including the popular nightly series Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. After rising to the position of head of production and development at ...

Tracing Isha Sesays Career Until CNN, Her Worth And Why She Divorce Her Husband As far as journalists of African origin go, Isha Sesay is one of the most famous on the continent  and by extension, the world. The Sierra Leonean and British journalist has had a successful career since she joined the industry in 1998. In that time, she has worked for a host of major media ...

Open Secrets of How Joanna Gaines Balances Her Career With Being a Wife and Mother Joanna Gaines is the co-founder of Magnolia Homes, a business she runs with one goal: converting houses to homes. She doubles as the lead designer of the company which she co-owns with her husband, Chip Gaines. Lady Gaines gained massive popularity when she became a co-star with her husband on the HGTVs show, Fixer Upper. ...

Juicy Details of Ayesha Currys Love Story With Stephen, Her Family Members and Recent Pursuits When your husband is one of the greatest basketballers that the NBA has ever seen, then it bestows on you the status of a celebrity wife  and may not even demand that you do anything extra to maintain that status. However, Ayesha Curry, the wife of multiple NBA champion, Steph Curry, is not one ...

What Is Tarek el Moussas Ethnicity, Why Did He Divorce His Wife and Who Is He Dating? Tarek El Moussa has made himself one of the most recognizable men on reality television, especially to fans of HGTV. Thanks to his expertise in the world of real estate, Tarek has become a national star. But even to his hardcore followers, there are questions about Tarek El Moussa that remain unanswered, such as his ...

Fun Facts About Natalie Beckers Lonely Childhood and Eventual Career Success Natalie Becker is an actress of South African descent who became famous for her appearance in films like The World Unseen and The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior. A multitalented individual, Natalie is also a television/radio presenter. She is also a co-founder of the Thought Leader Global Media which she runs together with ...

Top 3 Female CNN News Anchors You Didnt Know Were Africans CNN is one of the leading news agencies in the world. The satellite and cable news network was founded in 1980 by Ted Turner and has been one of the best sources of news for a number of years. It also boasts of the best journalists and presenters all around in media broadcasting. The company is a ...

Channels That Aided Katie Pavlichs Growth as a Journalist and All About Her Marriage To Friedson If you have ever come across any Fast and Furious featuring Barack Obama, it is the handiwork of Katie Pavlich. The book which claims to have exposed Obamas bloodiest scandal and the shameless cover-up thereof, has been earning Pavlich much praise and fame ever since it was published in 2012. Nonetheless, Pavlich is more famed ...

Is Oprah Winfrey Married? Husband, Children, Biography, House, Facts Oprah Winfrey is a billionaire philanthropist, talk show icon, producer, actress, and writer. The media icon famously dubbed The Queen Of All Media owns and hosts the highest-rated television program in the media circle. Read more about the powerful television star below. Oprah Winfrey Biography Oprah was born as Orpah Gail Winfrey on January 29, 1954, to a ...

Who Is Arsenio Hall, What Happened To His Talk Show and Why Do Fans Think He Is Gay? He is one of the funniest beings to have graced the comedy constituent of the American entertainment industry. Arsenio Hall has a reputation for the rib-cracking disposition always portrayed in his comedy roles. He is not just a comedian; he is also an actor and a former talk show host for his popular show, The ...

What Is Woah Vicky Famous For and Who Are Her Family Members? Like most social media celebrities in this digital era, Woah Vicky is one of those stars that have utilized the internet as a powerful tool to propel themselves to instant fame. The social media space, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, etc., offers lots of people the right opportunities and potentials to become superstars overnight. Not everyone achieves ...

Where Is Michael Strahan Since His Retirement From The NFL and Who Is His Partner? Michael Strahan is a retired American football player turned media personality. He played the defensive lineman position and holds the record for most sacks in a single NFL season. He also only played for the New York Giants throughout the entire 15-year professional career that saw him win a Super Bowl ring. In February 2014, ...

How Wendy Williams Went From Being a College DJ to Having Her Own Talk Show and More About Her Divorce Wendy Williams is a former radio personality, now talk show host, who is known for her outspokenness and brash no-nonsense attitude. She gained fame and notoriety for her on-air clashes with celebrities before moving on to host her own talk show. Since 2008, Williams has hosted the nationally syndicated television talk show, The Wendy Williams Show. ...

Who is Sunny Hostin? Her Husband, Family & Net Worth Sunny Hostin is no ordinary Latina  American lawyer but also a successful columnist, multi-platform journalist, and social commentator. A happily married woman and mother of two, Hostin is the Senior Legal Correspondent and Analyst for ABC News and co-host of ABCs popular morning talk show, The View. She is a legal expert popularly known as a former ...

Who Is Robert Costa and Is He Married, Who Is His Wife? Robert Costa is a political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC who is regarded as being part of Americas next generation of journalists. The University of Notre Dame graduate, who is of Italian/Portuguese descent, has been lauded for his fresh political perspectives in an industry full of old heads. In addition to his work listed above, Costa ...

Team Valor Pokemon Go  7 Key Facts You Need To Know Team Valor Pokemon Go  The craze of the new game Pokemon Go is one that took the gaming world by storm sending teenagers and adults alike into a frenzy and one of its teams Team Valor, has proven to be instrumental in making it so. Before the game was created, Pokemon was a cartoon ...

Sheryl Underwood  Husband, Family & Net Worth She is known for her trademark smile which can be described as the brightest and broadest smile ever seen on planet earth. She is none other than Sheryl Underwood the comedian, actress, and TV host whose funny wits has left America in great awe. Although Sheryl has risen to become an important personality in the industry, ...

Team Mystic Pokemon Go: 7 Facts You Need To Know And Signs You Are One Team Mystic of the break out game Pokemon Go is a team that is full of sass and chivalry. With an enchanting monicker, Team Mystic stands out from the rest of its counterparts and deserves to take the crown as champion in the Pokemon gaming-verse. To be a member of this exceptional team of Pokemon battle ...

Exploring Guy Beahms Dr Disrespect Persona, Wife and Why He was Banned Permanently From Twitch Guy Beahm who is popularly known by his online alias  Dr DisRespect, is an award-winning Twitch.tv streamer. He has leveraged on the Twitch platform to become an internet personality that is quite widely known. His online success is just more proof that anyone who is good at what they do can attain celebrity status ...

Critical Facts About Lee Ann McAdoo  The Infowars Anchor Lee Ann Mcadoo is a conservative journalist and television host whose interests in conspiracies and astrology has established her as a famous American reporter. Often referred to as Wonder Woman, McAdoo is a reporter who works for InfoWars.com, a controversial right-wing website run by radio show host, Alex Jones. Who Is Lee Ann McAdoo? Lee Ann McAdoo was born on 7 ...

Millie Weaver  Age, Husband & Infowars Career Millie Weaver is an American model, journalist, political activist, and social commentator. The young and beautiful journalist rose to fame working as a reporter for a controversial right-wing website InfoWars.com. Also known as Millennial Millie, Weaver is a social media influencer with over 100,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel and over 35,000 followers on Twitter. Who Is Millie Weaver and What Is ...

Is Jessica Tarlov Married? What Are Her Height & Weight? Jessica Tarlov is an American political consultant, strategist, and analyst whose influential and regular TV presence has made a popular figure. A good example of beauty with brains, Tarlov has appeared on various TV networks, mostly the FOX News Network where she is known for her liberal views on political analysis and insights. She is also the senior director ...

Who Is Kelly Rebecca Nichols  Alex Jones Ex-Wife? Kelly Rebecca Nichols is the ex-wife of controversial American radio show host, Alex Jones. She got nationwide attention following her divorce and subsequent custody battle with her estranged husband. Nichols, who worked with PETAs public relations department, was herself no stranger to controversies as she was involved in several publicity stunts of the non-profit animal rights ...

Who Is Bree Morgan  Cole Sprouse Ex-Girlfriend And What Is She Up To Now? Although Bree Morgan became famous through the Instagram, she also sapped some dose of popularity from Disneys sweetheart, Cole Sprouse of the Sprouse brothers. She is not only an Instagram star but also a YouTube vlogger whose popularity has long exceeded the ordinary level. Bree is conspicuously prominent on the internet and has her digital savviness ...

Does Vanna White Have Husband or Children, What Is Her Net Worth / Salary? For over three decades, Vanna White has been a household name, famous as the co-host and letter turner of the iconic NBC game show Wheel of Fortune. The talented and beautiful television personality is also an actress with several TV series and films to her credit. Since making her Wheel of Fortune debut in 1982, she has become one ...

Liz Wheeler  Biography, Husband & Net Worth Liz Wheeler is the kind of girl who sets the room on fire whenever she comes around. In this situation, however, she sets our screens on fire each time she appears as the host of One America News Tipping Point. She is, therefore, a presenter, publisher, consultant and a member of the Board of Zoning ...

Betty White  Net Worth, Children & Husband The entertainment industry will remain indebted to personalities like Betty White who brought something extra to the table and kept the world entertained for donkey years. The comedienne, actress, and writer graced the big screens in the early 50s as a show host and has been a delight since then. She is the queen of ...

Is Bill Nye (The Science Guy) Dead or Alive, What Are His Net Worth & Education? Everyone will always remember Bill Nye as the Science Guy. Besides his TV show Bill Nye the Science Guy, he is well-known for his Netflix show Bill Nye Saves the World which started airing in 2017 as well as his appearances in many famous media projects as a science educator. The star studied mechanical engineering ...

Is Cesar Millan Dead, Who Is The Wife & What Is His Net Worth? Cesar Millan is the famous dog whisperer who often stirs up mixed emotions. The Mexican-American is precisely speaking, a dog behaviorist; he has been in the game for over 25 years. His Emmy-nominated television series, Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan further pushed his method and tactics into the limelight. The series was produced from 2004 ...

Is Thomas Sanders Gay and Does He Have A Boyfriend? By the time Vine was shut down in January 2017, Thomas Sanders was already popular within and beyond the internet community for his heavy involvements on the online video hosting platform. After the tragic shutdown of Vine impacted on the growing career of the multi-talented personality, he immediately switched over to YouTube where he continued to upload ...

Is Shepard Smith Gay, Who Is The Boyfriend & What Is His Net Worth? There are only a few media personalities who are as bold and confident as Shepard Smith. Apart from his impressive stint at Fox News Channel which includes but not limited to his classic news delivery, upfront stance on virtually every issue and much more; he loves his job as much as he loves his personality. Smith ...

Is Milo Yiannopoulos Gay? His Husband and Net Worth Milo Yiannopoulos is a popular writer, journalist, polemicist, public speaker, and political commentator who is also known as the founder of The Kernel, an online blog. He has been said to be among the list of 100 weird and influential people in the United Kingdom. He appeared on this list as a result of personal beliefs and ...

Does Ryan Seacrest Have A Wife Or Girlfriend, What Is His Net Worth? From radio to television, Ryan Seacrest is a household name and a force to be reckoned with in showbiz. The radio personality, television host, and producer is best recognized as the host of the popular TV talent search contest American Idol. Heres how the media personality who always knew what his lifes ambition was and diligently pursued ...

Is Anderson Cooper Gay, Who is The Boyfriend or Husband? For many, the thought of becoming a millionaire by writing and talking about other people appears unachievable but this is the reality of the prominent American journalist Anderson Cooper who gathered millions of dollars for conducting accurate political analysis and other vital reports on TV. He is the main anchor of the CNN news show Anderson ...

Is David Muir Gay or Does He Have A Wife, What Is His Salary? David Muir is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who works for the ABC broadcast-television network and anchors the ABC World News Tonight with David Muir program while also co-anchoring the magazine program 20/20. The Ithaca College graduate, whose show has become the most-watched newscast in America, has covered stories from all across America and the world; reporting ...

Joel Osteen  Divorce Rumors, Net Worth & Family Members Joel Osteen is an American Televangelist, Senior Pastor of Lakewood Church based in Houston, Texas, a husband and a father of two. He is an author of many books, seven of which are New York Times Best Sellers and his televised sermons capture more than 7 million viewers per week and 20 million every month ...

Who Is Todd Chrisley? What To Know About His Children, Gay Rumors & Net Worth Premiered on the USA network in 2014, Chrisley Knows Best is one of the most watched family reality TV shows in the U.S. The series which is currently in its sixth season is centered around U.S real estate mogul Todd Chrisley and his family. The show reveals Todd the patriarch of the Chrisley family as a strict dad who rules ...

Who Is Shannon Bream Of Fox News? Her Husband, Children & Net Worth Shannon Bream who hosts the iconic primetime program started her journalism career in the late 1990s debuting as the evening and late-night news reporter for the CBS affiliate, WBTV. The beauty from America currently works for the Fox News Channel and she is best known for anchoring the primetime program. She also hosts Americas News ...

Is Troye Sivan Gay, Who Is His Boyfriend and What Is His Net Worth? Troye Sivan is an Australian singer and songwriter best known for songs like Happy Little Pill, Youth, Heaven (with Betty Who) and The Boyfriend Tag (with Tyler Oakley) which have all garnered him different awards and ranked on the Billboard Charts. Sivan, who was born in South Africa but now resides in the United States, is ...

Did iDubbbz Have Cancer, Is He Gay and Who Is His Girlfriend Now? iDubbbz is one YouTuber who has made a career out of courting controversy. Renowned for his absurdist channels and comedy video series, the Los Angeles based personality is the owner of two channels, iDubbzTV, and iDubbzTV2, as well as the brains behind comedy video series such as Content Cop, Kickstarter Crap, Gaming News Crap, and ...

Inside Greg Gutfelds Love Story With Wife Elena Moussa and Why Fans Thought He Was Gay Greg Gutfeld is a seasoned American television producer whose career in the media industry has spanned over a decade. He is a man of many talents who makes extra income through comedy, journalism, and editorial works. Gutfeld regularly appears on Fox News Channel as a panellist and co-host of the political talk show The Five ...

Works That Made Bo Burnham A Household Name and How Much He Is Worth Now One of YouTubes first viral stars and the worlds most exciting young comedian, Bo Burnham, has always amazed critics and comedy aficionados alike. Often regarded as the Justin Bieber of comedy, thanks to his fresh looks, floppy blond hair and hoodies, he has a multi-faceted career bigger than many comedians twice his age. It wouldnt ...

Is Louie Anderson Gay And What Is His Net Worth? Louie Anderson has one of the most abstract faces in the industry and equally knows how to use it to his advantage. He is not only a stand-up comedian but also an actor and television host who is known for his distinctive comic wits. Some of his notable projects include Family Feud, where he was ...

Is Don Lemon of CNN Gay, Who is His Partner and What Is His Salary? Don Lemon has risen to become one of the most recognizable faces on CNN over the past few years. The fiery journalist, who anchors CNN Tonight with Don Lemon, is liked and somewhat disliked for his strong and candid opinions on a variety of matters that do not just include politics but also race, significantly, matters that ...

Is Rachel Maddow Gay, Who is the Wife and How Much Does She Earn in Salary? Rachel Maddow is an award-winning American journalist, political commentator, and television news anchor. She is best known for hosting the popular nightly TV show The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. Prior to this, she hosted a talk radio program on Air America Radio from 2005 to 2010. As of now, the TV sensation co-anchors MSNBCs ...

Demystifying Pokimane  Her Real Name, Ethnicity & Boyfriend Like most social media celebrities in this digital era, Pokimane Thicc is one of those stars who took advantage of the internet to make a name for herself. Given the unlimited potentials which the social media space offers, many people have been instantly propelled to fame just by posting creative online contents. Not only has ...

A Breakdown of Kris Jenners Net Worth, Sources Of Income and Relationships Over The Years Standing outside and looking in, Kris Jenner looks like the oil that greases the wheels of the entire Kardashian/Jenner machine. She has been dubbed a momager and rightfully so because she seems to have had a part to play in the trajectory of each and every one of her daughters individually and the Kardashian brand ...

Pursuits That Brought Liza Koshys Fame To its Zenith and Her Love Life Since David Dobrik Liza Koshy is an American actress who has leveraged YouTube as a platform to promote her comedy while also serving as a television host on occasions. She is talented and funny and has gathered a lot of fans from around the world. Koshy started on Vine in high school and was able to get millions of ...

Alex Aiono Biography  Inside The Life Of The American Singer Not everyone who started from the streets has attained the heights where Alex Aiono is currently. His story could be referred to as the perfect definition of rising from Grass to Grace. He came into the limelight after he started out as a YouTuber, singer, and producer. One fascinating thing about the young YouTuber is ...

Virginia Vallejo Biography And Her Love Story With Pablo Escobar Virginia Vallejo can be referred to as one of the oldest whistleblowers in history after her involvement with Pablo Escobar which made her famous. Over the years, many questions have been raised about her relationship with the drug lord and why she endangered her life to be with him despite his notorious acts. The death ...

Princess Love Bio  Ethnicity, Real Name & Parents For many people, Princess Love is simply Ray Js wife but there is so much more to this feisty lady than meets the eye. She is a star in her own right and has many feathers on her cap. Princess Love is a reality TV star, a model, video vixen, and fashion designer. She and her ...

Who is Papa Franku Also Known As Filthy Frank or Joji, Where is He Now? The social media as we all know today has given people the opportunity to be creative and innovative and at the same time, make something of themselves. YouTube is one of the known social platforms we have today that makes it possible for people to express their God-given talents and post videos they created to ...

Who Is Molly Qerim, How Did She Become a Famous Sports Anchor and Who Is Her Husband? Molly Qerim is an American sports anchor popularly known for moderating First Take, a highly rated sports talk show, on ESPN. Prior to joining ESPN, Qerim hosted Fantasy Live and NFL AM on NFL Network. It is quite obvious that the widely acclaimed television personality is in a class of her own when it comes ...

Safiya Nygaard  Height, Parents & Net Worth Safiya Nygaard is an American YouTuber, writer, content producer, and director who is popular for posting makeup, beauty and fashion videos on YouTube. Her videos regularly top at least one million views, thanks to her lively character as well as her willingness to experiment with outrageous outfits and different beauty products. Here are the things to ...

The Rigors of Sunlen Serfatys Career Journey Until CNN and Fun Facts About Her Personal Life CNN correspondent, Sunlen Serfaty is an Emmy Award-winning journalist known for covering a broad range of breaking news stories, national news, and Washington politics. She has been able to garner widespread recognition for herself which even goes beyond the sphere of her work. Her profile also increased with the extensive work she did in covering ...

Demystifying Jazz Jennings Real Name, Boyfriend & Family Of One The Youngest Transgenders Jazz Jennings is an unusual personality who became famous as a transgender activist and was recorded as the youngest documented public figure to be seen as transgender. She is also a YouTube personality and spokesmodel for brands, her fans, and other transgenders. She fought for acceptance in her high school with her super supportive family for over ...

Inside Fred Armisens Life  Ethnicity, Romantic Relationships and Gay Rumors Fred Armisen is an award-winning American comedian, he is also a writer, an actor as well as a musician. He was a cast member of the legendary comedy show, Saturday Night Live for 13 years and also one of the brains behind the successful satirical show Portlandia. Find out more about this incredibly talented guy ...

Ed and Lorraine Warren Biography: Cases, Kids, and Family Life Have you ever woken up with fear you could not explain, or felt a strange presence that made the hair at your nape rise or even experienced strange occurrences around you? Well, these were some of the promptings that made the well-known paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren delve into trying to explain the ideas ...

Truth About Tony Romos Wife, Kids and Life Since His NFL Retirement Tony Romo grew from the field as a quarterback to the screens as an American Football Analyst. He was a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the richest football league in the world (NFL) before retiring. As a junior, he was honored as an All-Ohio Conference Member, an Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and ...

Who is Brittany Venti, The Controversial Game Streamer and YouTuber? In recent times, many people live stream themselves playing video games. This has become a popular pastime on the internet and many highly skilled gamers have become internet celebrities through this means. However, some of them rather than becoming renowned for their gaming skills and great commentary, have become controversial and infamous. A good example ...

Rob Dyrdeks Family: His Kids And Relationship With Wife Bryiana Noelle Flores A multi-talented star and an elite pro skateboarder, Rob Dyrdeks success story began at a remarkably young age. Yet another proof that schooling doesnt always correlate with success, Rob has established himself not just as a phenomenal sportsman but also as a successful entrepreneur. Besides perfecting his skill as a natural talent on the board, ...

xChocobars  Biography and Everything You Should Know About Her Having distinguished herself and recorded massive successes in an industry notably dominated by men, it is very safe to say that Xchocobars deserves all the attention and cash she makes from her career. A household name on Twitch (a smart live streaming video platform), the online-gamer is popularly known for streaming classic games such as Stardew ...

Everything To Know About Mary Padian, Her Boyfriend and Net Worth Mary Padian is a famous American television reality personality best known for her involvements on the Reality show Storage Wars. She also has her own shop called Mary finds where she displays her antique collections. Since her childhood, Padian has been a creative learner. At the time, she used to create new items out of reusable ones and ...

Betsy Woodruffs Family Life: Is She Married or Related To Bob Woodruff? An old name in the world of journalism, Betsy Woodruff has warmed her way into the hearts of many with her impressive talents. Through hard work, Woodruff has carved a niche for herself in a very competitive field. Betsy has strong family and work values and is also an advocate for equal opportunities for everyone ...

Matpat (Matthew Patrick)  Wife, Height & Net Worth As far as internet business is concerned, Matpat remains one of the most dynamic and seasoned figures. He boasts a wealth of experience that has helped him in growing his business from one level of greatness to another. Like most successful people, MatPat started out small but today, he makes millions of dollars from his ...

Facts About Ricegum  His Girlfriend, Real Name & Net Worth Ricegum is an online gamer and YouTube sensation who ditched college; took advantage of the digital era, and made a name for himself on the internet. Though he began as a gaming YouTuber, Ricegum soon gained recognition as a controversial internet star following his many diss tracks. Here is everything you need to know about the youngster ...

Joy Taylor Once Married MLBs Richard Giannotti  Inside Look At Her Love Life and Family The erosion of the sexist idea that women have no business in sports broadcasting created a host of women celebrities who attained fame outside of modeling and acting. One of them, Joy Taylor, a radio personality and TV host for Fox Sports 1, has been in the industry since 2009, becoming one of the most ...

What To Know About Conan OBriens Wife, Kids & Family Today The name Conan OBrien is one that jumps right at you almost immediately you start talking about the most popular television hosts in the USA and this is no surprise because the man behind that name has risen to become one of the most admired men in the business. Known for hosting the late-night talk ...

David Letterman  Net Worth, Wife & Son In all of American, one man whose face has been seen frequently by late night TV talk show lovers is none but David Letterman. The comedian and TV show veteran has been hosting late night talk shows for more than three decades. His Late Night with David Letterman show began on February 1st, 1982 aired ...

Demystifying Sssniperwolfs Family Background And The Boyfriends Shes Had Since she launched her eponymously named channel in 2013, Sssniperwolf has been on the rise when it comes to video game influencers. She is one of the biggest names in the online gaming subgenre of YouTube videos. Real name Lia Shelesh, she started with Call of Duty: Black Ops II but has diversified with other ...

Lester Holt  Wife, Family & Net Worth Lester Holt is a multiple award-winning journalist, newscaster, reporter, and actor who has worked for notable media houses like WCBS TV, CBS, MSNBC and among others. His remarkable feat in journalism has endeared him to the hearts of many and earned him some awards and recognitions. Read on to get acquainted with his biography, ethnicity, ...

What Is Louis C.K. Doing Now, Where Are His Family And How Much Is His Net Worth? It is not easy to make it in comedy. It takes more than a funny bone and the ability to elicit a few giggles from a listening audience. For all the complexities that go into making a successful career in comedy, Louis C.K, the Washington D.C-born comedian, did it. For years, he was at the ...

The Progression of Hoda Kotbs Career, Her Ancestry and Family Life Hoda Kotb gained fame as a television host and news anchor for NBC. She anchors the shows signature show Today, and it has been an excellent vehicle for her skills in front of a camera. Kotb has won several awards, including Daytime Emmys and Peabody Awards. Simply put, she is one of the most successful ...

Jerry Seinfelds Family: All About The Amazing Comedians Wife and Kids Apparently one of the highly important entertainers in America, Jerry Seinfeld is a man of many talents. A very funny man, he is considered to be one of the most successful comedians in the USA who has been in the business as a professional rib-cracker for more than 40 years. As an actor, he has ...

The Rigors Of Sarah Silvermans Rise To Prominence And Rundown Of The Men She Has Dated A comedian, writer, and actress, Sarah Silvermans art and craft is as unique as you would ever find. Her poignant use of comedy to discuss social issues such as race, sexism, politics, and religion has gained her an impressive following. As unorthodox as her style is, so is her life experiences. She previously suffered from epiglottitis ...

Who Is Hannibal Buress, Does He Have A Wife or Girlfriend & Why Was He Arrested? Making people laugh when they are tense or not in the mood is a tough order and to ply the trade, it must indeed take some guts and expertise, this is what the humor maker, Hannibal Buress has been able to achieve and sustain after his inital teething process. The African-American is a screen writer, stand-up ...

The Success of John Mulaneys Career Efforts Since His Work On Saturday Night Live and Facts About His Wife John Mulaney had been working as a professional comedian for years before Saturday Night Live changed his status for life and like many who are now his fans, you probably did not know of him then. However, that changed when he joined the sketch comedy show in 2008. Since then, he has been one of ...

Jeff Dunham  Wife, Children and Net Worth Ventriloquism is a very subtle method of making an inanimate object (like a puppet, doll or dummy) appear to be saying words which are actually coming from the person (holding the inanimate object). In effect, the individual throws his/her voice to the puppet and can even appear to be having a conversation with it. Not ...

Ellen DeGeneres  Net Worth, Wife  Portia de Rossi & Parents Ellen DeGeneres is an American female standup comedian who has proven that whatever a man can do, a woman can also do. Since her journey as a standup comedian started in 1981, she has held swirl as one of the finest comedians America and the world at large has seen. She is often referred to ...

Revisiting Joan Rivers Death  The Daughter, Husband & Net Worth She Left Behind Joan Rivers was a renowned American comedian, TV host, writer, and actress. Her brand of comedy consisted of scathing one-liners and no individual or topic is spared. She hosted her own talk shows in the 80s and 90s and was a pioneer for women in stand up comedy. She was the first woman to host a late night ...

The Struggles of Margaret Chos Childhood, How It Influenced Her Career Growth and Love Life Margaret Cho is best described as a comic star who knows how to maneuver everything related to life into a rib-cracking joke. She is also known to criticize every social and political problem, especially those involving race and sexuality. Apart from her talents as a comic actress, she does amazingly well as a singer and ...

Where Is Eric Bolling Today? Who Is His Son & What Is His Net Worth? Eric Bolling who was once a notable figure on Fox News, is an American TV personality, an author, and versatile Journalist. As a political and financial analyst/commentator, he anchored discussions bothering on finance for Fox Business Channel. Here is everything there is to know about his career, family, and allegations that led to his exit ...

Who Is Chelsea Handler and Does She Have A Husband or Boyfriend? Chelsea Handler is one of Americas top female comedians. She is also an actress, writer, television host, producer, and activist. She is known to be very outspoken even with things that are very personal. In separate interviews with The New York Times, Handler revealed that she had an abortion twice when she was 16. She has authored five books ...

How Did Laura Lee Achieve Fame, How Much is She Worth and Who is Her Husband? Laura Lee is a popular American YouTuber, make-up artist and beauty blogger. From posting videos of her makeup routines on Instagram, Lee has transformed into a beauty influencer and a YouTube sensation. Today, her YouTube Channel has over 630 million views and 4.5 million subscribers. Asides having millions of followers across all social media platforms, ...

Madison Gesiotto Bio  Ethnicity, Parents & Measurements Madison Gesiotto is no ordinary woman; although she excelled in quite a number of pageants and competitions while she was in school, it is her views on politics and issues in America that has made her name known to most people. She possesses beauty and intelligence in a seemingly equal measure and has been able ...

Who Is Lil Tay? Parents, Brother, Sister, Age, Net Worth, Ethnicity Child stardom is nothing new in the entertainment world. With the advent of social media, we have seen more stars made from the internet than ever before, and Lil Tay is one of them. Her uploaded rap videos trademark is cursing, swearing, cash-throwing, and use of obscene languages. Her fame went wild after she dropped ...

What To Know About Tig Notaros Wife, Kids and Family Today Tig Notaro is an American stand-up comic star, writer, actress, and radio analyst. Since she started her career in 2001, she has become one of Americas best comedians, particularly when it comes to observational comedy. One prominent aspect of her routine involves her family, which includes a wife and two children. Interestingly, Tig Notaro is part ...

Who Is Chantel Jeffries? What To Know About Her Age, Ethnicity & Net Worth Chantel Jeffries is a lady of many talents. Beyond being celebrated as a DJ, she has fared well as a model, an actress, musician, and as an artist. She first rose to fame on Instagram where she has a large following. However, in recent times, she has hit the spotlight for her rumored relationships with some ...

Is Ellen DeGeneres Married, Who Is The Brother  Vance DeGeneres and Family Members? Ellen DeGeneres is one of a kind celebrity in todays world as she has used her wealth for the greater good for many people. She has served a host of famous awards shows like the Grammy, Primetime Emmy and Academy Awards. Moreso, she is probably one of the most decorated entertainment personalities around the world and ...

Carli Bybel Bio  Height, Boyfriend & Net Worth Video blogging is now on the rise and YouTube is the place where most of it happens. If you are a lady who cares about her looks or a guy who likes to help his woman out with her looks, then one person whose name rings a bell when it comes to giving beauty tips ...

Who Is Lexy Panterra? What To Know About Her Ethnicity, Boyfriend & Net Worth Lexy Panterra is one of the YouTube personalities whose breakout came through the Twerk dance videos she posted on her social media handles and YouTube which has so far generated over 13 million views for her. From there on, she created her LexTwerkOut workout program in 2014. She is sure very talented as she as moved ...

Who Is AnneMunition? What Is Her Ethnicity & Does She Have A Girlfriend or Boyfriend? AnneMunition is a professional gamer and content creator of American origin. She is one of the most sought-after streamers on Twitch  a popular online platform for watching and streaming videos, especially video games. AnneMunition has almost half a million followers on Twitch and her channel has accumulated at least 13 million views. Her favorite games ...

Norm MacDonald  Former Wife, Son & Net Worth Recently, 59-year-old former Saturday Night Live stand-up comic Norm MacDonald caused a not-so-funny stir when he expressed his personal opinion about the #MeToo movement speaking in defense of Louis CK and Roseanne Barr. Following the backlash of his actions, he is diligently doing damage control for his questionable opinion by posting a public apology on ...

Inside Iliza Shlesingers Life With Husband and How Much She is Worth Now Witty, spontaneous, and truly humorous, Iliza Shlesinger is an American comedian who is clearly proving that the stereotypical claim that women are not really funny is not only incredibly wrong but completely outrageous. Having been in the game for more than 10 years, Shlesinger has grown bigger with each step, stunning fans with her incredible ...

Who Is Nessa Diab? Details of her Parents, Ethnicity & Relationship With Colin Kaepernick Nessa Diab has gained more fame as the girlfriend of different footballers than in her career. She is currently with the popular National Football League (NFL) player, Colin Kaepernick, and has stood by his side during his most trying times. Also known for her mononym, Nessa, she recently engaged in a tweet battle with the ...

Samantha Bee  Inside the Life of Full Frontal Comedian and Presenter We have over the decades seen various brands of humor and personalities who have walked the ropes. One of the formidable forces in the world of comedy is no other than the iconic Samantha Bee of the Daily Show who now runs her own television show on TBS channel. She is a Canadian-American political commentator, ...

What Happened To Jessica Williamss Boyfriend And Which Are Her Best Works? Jessica Williams is a woman who has a lot of feathers in her cap  and keeps acquiring more. The former senior political correspondent of the comic Daily Show, who is also a comedian and actress whose recent movie appearance include starring as a playwright just recovering from a recent split with her boyfriend, Damon, and ...

Who is Nicole Byer? Here are 5 Facts You Need To Know About The Comedian Nicole Byer, an American comedian, actress, and writer, made a name for herself after she played supporting roles on MTVs prank show Ladylike and the reality show Girl Code. The latter was a series that featured comedians who analyzed in minute details, all the issues that young women deal with daily, from period to dating, to weird friendship dynamics and questions about sex. Currently, ...

A Closer Look At Bart Kwans Ethnicity, Height & Personal Life Bart Kwan is one of few Asians who is known for being successful in the comic industry at an international level. His fame broke out after the YouTube channel which he created with his close pal Joe Jo garnered up massive followings. The talented duo has been running the channel since 2007 and their success ...

Heres How VanossGaming Achieved Fame Online, His Worth and Other Facts About The Gamer For many years, the decision to drop out of college to pursue an online career was considered to be foolish and self-destructive by conventional wisdom. It was no different when Evan Fong, popularly known as VanossGaming, dropped out of college to pursue a YouTube career. However, that radical move paid off, and he stands shoulder to ...

Desi Perkins  Ethnicity, Net Worth & Husband YouTube is littered with videos of makeup tutorials by different people but if you are interested in learning how to do your makeup like a pro, there is just one person on that platform who you must follow. She is none other than Desi Perkins! She is a popular make-up artist, Instagram star, and vlogger. Desi, ...

The Phases of Casey Neistats Pursuits and His Love Story With Candice Pool YouTuber, vlogger, filmmaker, and creator extraordinaire; these are just a few hats that Casey Neistat wears and the story of how he got here is incredible. A native of Connecticut, Neistat started out by making refreshingly-authentic short films and videos that featured content that was based on everyday life and called attention to serious issues. He ...

Connor Franta  Inside The Life of American YouTuber YouTube has produced a lot of young celebrities in modern times and Connor Franta happens to be one of them. Apart from being a YouTuber, the young American is also an entrepreneur, entertainer, and writer. His journey to fame began almost a decade ago when he started a self-named YouTube channel where he uploads content ranging ...

Rhett and Link  Bio, Who are Their Wives, Net Worth and Family Facts Rhett and Link refer to an American comedy duo who are very popular on YouTube. They are known for their comic songs, viral commercials, skits and the daily show, Good Mythical Morning. Good Mythical Morning is the most watched daily show online, averaging 100 million views in a month. The show has featured guests such ...

A Walk Through The Maze of Ryan Higas Career Pursuits And Relationship With Arden Cho Ryan Higa is not only celebrated as a YouTube star, but he is also famed for appearing on television screens as an actor and comedian. Nigahiga, his Youtube channel, has gathered over 20 million subscribers and billions of views with his different comic acts, short films, and music videos uploads. With the rise in his career, ...

What to Know About The Shows That Made Craig Ferguson a Star and His Family Ties Rising to the top of your profession can sometimes be a hard and difficult process. It requires days and nights of working consistently hard to be better than what you were yesterday. It requires not giving up when all of your experiences seem to be pushing you to quit. It is because of these challenges ...

David Dobrik Married Liza Koshy for One Month  Inside His Family and Relationships David Dobrik is a YouTube sensation who has garnered fame not just for his vlogs but his love life too. Given his career as a YouTuber, his channel is one place where he shares his romantic escapades. With a cute boyish look like his, this Slovakian young man is definitely a good catch, and not ...

Merrell Twins Bio  Ethnicity, Parents & Boyfriend One of the beautiful things about modern life is social media. As rudimentary as it might seem, it could turn out to be the greatest thing that would be invented in the next 50 years because of its impact on human life. Very few tools have revolutionized human behavior and culture as much as social ...

Who Is Bunny Meyer, Is She Married & What Is Her Net Worth? Bunny Meyer is a YouTube celebrity who has amassed over 8.8 million subscribers with 1.5 million viewers on her channel. She is popularly known as Grav3yardgirl and is one of the highest-paid YouTubers in the world. She initially started out as a fashion designer and later chose the path of a YouTuber. Grav3yardgirl has used her knowledge on fashion, makeup, ...

Ninja  Inside The Life of The American YouTuber and Internet Personality Ninja is a talented video game player known for his mastery of Fortnite and other seemingly difficult games he plays with ease. The video gamer made a career out of what is ordinarily the hobby of many people and has since then amassed a huge online following. Find out about him here, including the controversies that ...

What Is Eva Gutowskis True Sexuality and How Did She Rise So Fast As an Influencer? Ever since Eva Gutowski joined YouTube in 2011, it has been an interesting journey for her, moving from one milestone to the other. Backed by an army of young women and teenage girl fans known as Evanators, she has risen to become one of the most-talked-about personalities in the digital stratosphere. She has also leveraged ...

Emma Chamberlain Biography  Age, Height & Net Worth Before now, people in the entertainment industry could only achieve popularity after many years of dedication and hard work but since social media came into the scene, massive success and overnight popularity became possible. That is the story of Emma Chamberlain who encountered fame as a fifteen-year-old. Emma is one of the many young people who became ...

Anna Akana  Ethnicity, Boyfriend & Net Worth There is a new crop of YouTubers known by their different contents with a very strong uniqueness that stands every one of them out, some upload video games, some fashion while some others have comedy video contents to showcase on their channels. Anna Akana has used her platform to showcase her comedy contents to the ...

Revealing Truths About Lilly Singhs Ethnic Background, Family and Her Relationship With Yousef Erakat Lilly Singh is an Indian-Canadian YouTube personality, actress, and comedian also known as Superwoman. She kicked off her YouTube career in 2010 with the launch of her channel IISuperwomanII and followed it up with a vlog channel in 2011. This paved the way for her fame and success which led to a world tour. The ...

Who Is Andrea Constand, Is She Married and What Is Her Connection With Bill Cosby? Many people got sexually molested but could not voice out due to the stigma victims suffer and what will become of them thereafter. Very few of the victims danm every consequence to seek justice and bring the perpetrator to the book, like Andrea Constand. She never got any media buzz, not until her friend cum molester; ...

Who Is Lazarbeam (Lannan Eacott)? Here Are Facts You Need To Know Lannan Eacott became a person of interest after his YouTube channel, LazarBeam pulled him to the limelight. Initially, he started with uploads of Madden Challenge videos before deciding to build his own channel in January 2015. Within the space of three years, his YouTube channel had gathered over 7 million loyal subscribers. Today, he has not ...

Puzzling Facts About Wengies YouTube Success and More About Her Fiance Among the many YouTubers who have succeeded in winning the hearts of millions of people is Wengie. She is a Chinese-Australian YouTube personality, vlogger, singer, and voice actress. Wengie is famous for a lot of things, from her simple life hacks, DIYs, craft ideas to fun experiments, tricks and pranks. Her content portfolio also includes hair tutorials, diet & fitness tips, lookbooks, ...

Is Jeffree Star A Billionaire and How Much Does He Make On YouTube? If looks can be deceptive then theres no other person who proves this maxim better than Jeffree Star. A quick look at Stars pictures would likely leave you wondering whether or not to tag him a male or female. But who says being controversial has to be a curse? For Star, his looks have caught ...

The Place of Rosanna Pansinos Career Hats In Her Rise To Fame and Facts About Her Personal Life There are a few phrases that could summarize Rosanna Pansinos rise to fame. None of them can do it better than the famous axiom, no knowledge is lost. Her popularity YouTube comes out of her foray into other professions, specifically acting. Although acting now occupies one of the major professional hats in Rosannas resume, it was ...

Muselk (Elliott Watkins) Biography  Age, Girlfriend and Net Worth The new and best in-thing in terms of career is video gaming and we have over time seen young men and women make massive income from an activity that was purportedly designed to serve as a hobby or a relaxation activity. One of such individuals is the Australian-born YouTube Celebrity and Twitch streamer, Muselk, whose ...

PopularMMOs Biography: 5 Interesting Facts You Need To Know We have over the years seen social media millionaires, especially on the YouTube social platform. These celebrities cum millionaires have made names for themselves after carving out niches on the internet, and a typical example of one of such exciting media personality on the YouTube is American Minecraft gamer and YouTube star, PopularMMOs whose channel ...

Jason Nash Once Married Marney Hochman  What To Know About His Ex-Wife and Kids The now-defunct video-sharing app Vine was the path that led Jason Nash to fame. With it, he built an audience of over two million followers, which he parlayed into a significant YouTube career. That move has seen him become one of the most popular personalities on the internet, with the cash income to go with ...

Where Does Dantdm Live? What Do We Know About His Net Worth, Wife and Brother? Most parents buy video games for their kids to occupy their time leisure, while other parents frown at their kids when they play video games. Despite the disparity, every parent would be proud of their child if he/she eventually turns a celebrity or millionaire through playing video games like Dantdm. Biography of Dantdm Dantdm was born Daniel ...

LaurDIY  Biography: 5 Facts You Need To Know About The YouTuber LaurDIY is the YouTube channel of Lauren Riihimaki which she created on December 1, 2011, when she was still a college undergrad with the sole aim of giving Do It Yourself (DIY) as well as practical fashion and beauty tips to her followers. She has used the channel to establish herself as a YouTube personality ...

Lachlan Ross Power  Bio And Family Life Of Australian The YouTube Star It is amazing the varied sources of income that the internet has made possible in this day and age. Internet fame can get its holder a whole lot of monetary and social benefits, but it must be noted that it does not come easy or cheap. For those who desire fame, content is the sacrifice ...

Alfie Deyes  Bio and Net Worth: Everything You Need To Know Alfie Deyes is one internet personality you definitely would like to know about. He boasts of over 10 million subscribers on three of his YouTube channels and has three bestseller books to his name. He is probably the most renowned young personality on YouTube today and his vlogging empire continues to grow by the day. ...

Colleen Ballingers Love Story With Husband Erik Stocklin and How Much She Is Worth Now Colleen Ballinger is an American comedian and YouTuber who is a very funny, adventurous, and highly talented woman. She is also an actress, singer, and writer. Collen is widely known for her work on YouTube where she posts content on her channel, Miranda Sings. The comedian has gained many subscribers over the years and has ...

Who Are The Dude Perfect Members and How Much Are They Worth? Entertainment in the 21st century can be digested in many forms and with platforms like YouTube, the creators and purveyors of entertainment have been democratized. Today, one of the most popular platforms to exhibit ones creative talents is YouTube, even though there are other platforms like Twitter, Facebook, who suffer in comparison to YouTube because ...

Who Is Rudy Mancuso, What Is His Earning Power and What Do We Know About His Girlfriend? Rudy Mancuso started his internet journey on Vine. He would later transition to YouTube where he solidified his place among the internets most beloved comedic creators. He is now regarded as one of the renowned internet personalities in the world, with a presence in mainstream TV and film projects like Comedy Centrals Drunk History and ...

Vsauce (Michael Stevens) Biography and Net Worth: All You Need To Know The advent of YouTube and the internet as a whole revolutionized how human beings consume information. With each passing year, the percentage of learning that is done in a traditional classroom decrease as a seismic shift to internet-based learning happens in our education industry. From open courses online to YouTube classes and videos, there are ...

How did Jake Paul Make His YouTube Big Break and Who is His Wife? One of the most interesting Social Media personalities of the 21st century is the young and popular Jake Paul whose elder brother is the famed Vine star, Logan Paul. Jake has utilized the power of the internet to bring himself to the limelight with a channel named JakePaulProductions that has amassed up to six billion ...

5 Facts You Need To Know About Reaction Time (Tal Fishman)  The American YouTuber Before 2015, the leading meaning of reaction time was the amount of time it takes to respond to a stimulus, until Tal Fishman started his channel, Reaction Time on YouTube and the dominant meaning changed. Today, a google search of Reaction Time would deliver Tal Fishmans videos and YouTube channel link with a few physics ...

Grace Helbig  Net Worth, Boyfriend and Family Life of The YouTuber Grace Helbig is an American internet personality, comedian, actress, and writer. She became popular due to her daily vlog series, DailyGrace, which ran on My Damn Channel from 2008 to 2013. Helbig is also popular for her own indie series on YouTube, ItsGrace, which she launched in 2014. Her vlogs which feature random stuff such as ...

Mark Wiens Bio  Ethnicity, Wife and Parents Food is a great way to connect with people. We all love to eat, if not for the pleasure of food, the satisfaction of quenching hunger, and the very process of providing and sharing that food is part of the strongest bonds that bind humanity together. Maybe it is our historical connection to food, where ...

Is Filthy Frank Dead, What Happened To Him and How Much Is He Worth? As George Kusunoki Miller, he was a nobody. However, as Filthy Frank, George was one of the most famous internet personalities on the planet. The Filthy Frank Show, a sketch series on his YouTube channel, TVFilthyFrank, was one of the platforms most influential creations. He is the reason a crazy dance song, Harlem Shake, made it ...

CaptainSparklez Bio  Net Worth, House and Cars of The Famous YouTuber Sometimes, what society wants from its citizens is quite different from what the citizens want for themselves. This is evident in the life and career of video blogger and American YouTube personality, Jordan Maron famous for his YouTube channel CaptainSparklez. He dropped out of school after discovering his talent in playing an online game called Minecraft. ...

Who is Simply Nailogical (Cristine Rotenberg)? Here are Facts You Must Know Canadian Youtube personality, Simply Nailogical (Cristine Rotenberg) originally started out polishing and designing nails even before it became a trendy culture in the social media. Simply Nailogica started out her showbiz career in her early days as a child actress, acting in commercials for game and toy companies. Aside from acting, she is blogger, vlogger, specializing ...

5 Interesting Facts You Need To Know About Huda Beauty In the world of entrepreneurship, it is interesting when an individual has a mentor who he/she looks up to, this yield more productivity on the part of the individual. The iconic and rich American beautician and makeup artist Huda Kattan nicknamed Heida is the founder of the Huda Beauty blog which is number one Instagram beauty blog ...

Is Dino MasterChef Gay? Details About His Ethnicity, Girlfriend, Where He Is Now Food, for the better part of the early years of human life, was nothing more than what we needed for survival. There was no artistry or curation to the method of cooking. The scarcity of food left no room for artistic expression until we figured out agriculture and we could make as much as we ...

Who Is Gabbie Hanna And How Did She Become Famous? As the world shifts to digital media and depends more and more on streaming services for its news and entertainment content, YouTubers have become one of the leading creators in the new media world. Their understanding of the online audience: how to create, maintain, and increase followers, are all handy skills that have primed them ...

Jacksepticeye  Height, Girlfriend & Net Worth Jacksepticeye is a YouTuber and actor who gained popularity with a series of gaming videos he uploads on his channel to the delight of millions of his subscribers. He is Known primarily for his comic video game series titled Lets Play and his vlogs. His channel was formerly ranked 46th in the list of most subscribed ...

Chris Heria Personal Details: About His Wife, Height & Ethnicity Background In this generation, keeping fit has become one of the major criteria for being hale and hearty. In fact, most occupations these days are majorly concerned with ones body mass, weight and looks. Unlike the past where most people have to register in a gym to keep fit, social media has made it quite easy ...

Everything You Need To Know About Game Grumps Gaming is becoming incredibly popular on YouTube these days with game vloggers make millions of dollars out of them yearly. One of the most popular up-coming gaming YouTube channels is Game Grumps. The Lets Play series was created in 2012 and celebrated its fifth anniversary on July 18th, 2017. In six years of its existence, the ...

Daithi De Nogla Biography, Girlfriend and Net Worth YouTube has created an avenue for many to make wealth and become famous from the comfort of their homes while having fun. Many have built a career out of the platform, uploading numerous videos that have earned them the admiration of viewers across the globe. For Daithi De Nogla, he is loved for his humorous commentary on ...

Does Phoebe Robinson Have A Boyfriend or Husband and What Do We Know About Her Family? Phoebe Robinson is a New York-based comedian, writer, and actress. She is best known as the co-creator and co-host of the WNYC Studios podcast 2 Dope Queens. Just like some other female comedians, she never had any original plans of becoming a stand-up comedian even though, according to her, she took a class on a whim at Carolines on Broadway. After ...

Who Are Lex and Alana from Listed Sisters? What Is Their Ethnicity & Is the Show Cancelled? America is a country built on diversity. Everywhere you look all over the country, a countless number of immigrants or children of immigrants have become an integral part of the fabric of the country. From entertainment to business, immigrants are creating a niche for themselves and climbing to the summit of their respective professions. One ...

Riveting Facts About Danielle Lombard And What She Is Best Known For The American entertainment industry is one that provides many avenues for aspiring hopefuls to express their talents and become famous. From films to television shows and game shows, there is no shortage of ways for men and women who desire fame to pursue and earn it in the United States of America. Another tested medium ...

Unearthing New Details About The YouTube Success And Personal Life of Alex Burriss of Wassabi Productions Wildly hilarious and truly audacious, Alex Wassabi is an American YouTuber who has become a very popular face on the video-sharing platform after having garnered millions of subscribers over the years by keeping people glued to his channel with his witty parody video releases. If you have always loved parody videos, there is every chance ...

Everything You Need To Know About H2O Delirious H2O Delirious whose full birth name is reported to be Jonathan Gormon Dennis has successfully kept himself mystified by hiding his face behind the masks leaving his loyal fans speculating who he really is for many years. The American YouTube star is easily identified by the Jason Mask Style with make-up which he wears on his ...

Who Is HolaSoyGerman and What Happened To Him? German Garmendia has certainly seen it all when it comes to internet success. His channels, HolaSoyGerman and JuegaGerman are in the top twenty most subscribed channel on YouTube. The Chilean YouTuber found a way to tap into one of the worlds greatest inventions and make a living from it. He has been able to build ...

Who Are Glenn Becks Family, What Is His Net Worth And What Happened To Him? The American political commentary space is filled with different personalities. A few of them, through their rhetoric, charisma, and resources have been able to build a large following of men and women who listen to them for insight and direction for various political and social issues in the United States. For Conservatives, the story is ...

Following Charissa Thompsons Rise Through The Ranks Of Sports Casting and All About Her Boyfriend Superstar TV host and sportscaster, Charissa Thompson, has been hailed as one of the highest-profile women journalists in America, and the reason is there for all to see. She has worked for popular establishments such as Versus, Yahoo! Sports, ESPN, GSN, and Big Ten Network. She currently hosts the popular pre-game show, Fox NFL Kickoff, ...

Is Chris Kattan Gay or Does He Have A Wife? What Is His Net Worth? Chris Kattan is a popular American comedian and actor. He has appeared in several comic movies and TV series such as The Middle, A Night at the Roxbury and Bunnicula. Kattan is, however, most popular for his six-year stint as a cast member of Saturday Night Live. During his time on the legendary show, he ...

Everything You Should Know About the Rise of Insta Star Claire Abbott and Why She Gave It All Up A lot of young Americans have shot into the limelight for uploading different kinds of videos on YouTube. Some of these young stars include Connor Franta, Desi Perkins, Emma Chamberlain, the Dolan Twins (Ethan and Grayson), and Claire Abbott. The latter became a social media celebrity for uploading sexy bikini pictures of herself on social media. Apart from ...

5 Facts You Need To Know About The YouTube Channel  h3h3Productions H3h3Productions is a YouTube channel that specializes on Comic responses or reactions of other contents or trendy stories. The celebrity couple that created the channel has over time racked up sizable views for their commentaries and contents. Even though they had their own fair share of copyright cases, thankfully they scored an unprecedented victory in all ...

Lilypichu Bio  Height, Brother and Love Story With Albert SleightlyMusical Chang Like most popular internet celebrities, Lilypichu is one of those Twitch streamers who spend their lives on camera. From daydreaming about the possibility of becoming a full-time professional streamer, she grew to live out her dreams on the popular live streaming platform where people play games, make crafts, and showcase their day-to-day activities. Given the rise of ...

KSI  What To Know About His Girlfriend, Brother  Deji Olatunji & Net Worth Assuredly, when Internet inventors Vint Cerf and Bob Khan created the technological masterpiece, they probably did not know how massive the creation will be harnessed by many for different purposes including as a platform for earning money through content creation. One of such person who smiles to the bank regularly today for spending time creating ...

The Interesting Progression and Highlights of Carrie Keagans Career as a Host and Actress Carrie Keagan has garnered huge fame through her various stints on television. She is not just your regular TV host but one with a difference. Keagan has hosted several high profile events and TV shows, including VH1s Big Morning Buzz Live and Fox News Channels Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld. However, not many know she ...

The Gist On Elise Jordans Marriages And Her Rise To Prominence Political commentaries tend to be boring when it is handled by someone who does not have a knack for it. However, when you see the likes of Elise Jordan run the same commentary, you will have a lot of reasons to look forward to watching her again as the journalist is well-versed in the field ...

What Is Timmy Thick Best Known For and How Successful Is The Star? Thanks to the internet, many people whose talents would have ordinarily gone unnoticed have become famous. A very good example of this modern-day internet celebrity is Timmy Thick, an American social media star. He became popular on Instagram due to his penchant for posting raunchy pictures of himself. He also often posted videos of himself ...

What Does Heather Storm Do For a Living and Who Is She Dating? Reality Television is a great way to make a name for oneself as well as amass a fortune. Heather Storm can attest to this as she is one of those who have made a name and earned a lot from reality TV. She made her name appearing on shows like Car Fanatics, Awesome Autos, and, ...

Matt Carriker Biography  Net Worth, Wife & Height Unlike your regular veterinary doctor next door, Matt Carriker chose to spice up his noble profession with the unusual. Though he is known to many as a medical practitioner, Carriker is better renowned as a YouTube star and an animal lover. Having recorded huge successes on his various YouTube channels, the vet doctors name and ...

Jillian Mele of Fox News Career Achievements, Husband & Measurements There are quite a good number of presenters on radio and television who listeners and viewers may never wish to miss any of their shows because of their sensational golden voice, beauty or the special way or artistry they anchor their shows. Jillian Mele is one of such. She has been at the top of ...

Who is Gillian Turner of Fox News? Her Fiance or Husband and Net Worth Gillian Turner is well-known as a news correspondent for Fox News Channel but before she became a TV personality, she built an intimidating resume working for different institutions, including the American government. She served in different capacities at the White House National Security Council during the administration of former US Presidents  George W. Bush and Barack Obama. ...

Gloria Govan Bio  Age, Ethnicity & Height Even as Gloria Govan is famous as an American actress, author, a TV host, and reality television star, shes more popular as the wife of the former NBA player, Matt Barnes. She became known after appearing on the Florida version of the reality television series, Basketball Wives and later, Basketball Wives: LA  after Matt was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Sadly, ...

Michael Fishmans Interesting Start as an Actor and Why He Divorced His Wife of Many Years When one door closes, another one opens. As silly as that axiom may seem, it is the story of the resurgence of Michael Fishman, who plays D.J Conner on the popular show, Roseanne. Having played the character for several years as a child actor into his teenage years; when the show originally ended, Michael did ...

Who Is October Gonzalez  Tony Gonzalezs Wife? All You Need To Know October Gonzalez is a popular American TV host and media personality. Additionally, she is also a model. Gonzalez has hosted several TV shows such as Beat Shazam, Entertainment Tonight, and Rachel Ray. She has also featured in several reality TV shows. Gonzalezs fame is not just due to her profession but also because of her ...

Who Is Tony Berlin  Harris Faulkners Husband: His Children and Family Facts Tony Berlin is a popular American media guru. He has variously worked as a reporter, anchor, and producer for some of the biggest TV networks in America. They include CNN, CBS, NBC, and ABC (where he hosted the popular Good Morning America). Berlin has now diversified into public relations and owns his own PR firm. ...

The Progression of Gianna Tobonis Journalism Career and Details About Her Marriage to Kyle Buckley Gianna Toboni may not be your ideal newscaster but her unusual reporting is what made her a household name. The American journalist is renowned for her hard-hitting and authentic reportage. A motivator and activist for total press freedom, Gianna loves to explore pervasive cultural issues. Not only does this unique and ambitious journalist call for all ...

Dog The Bounty Hunters Family Including Details of His Late Wife and Kids Popularly known as Dog, a name which he got from the television series, Dog The Bounty Hunter, Duane Chapman, an American bounty hunter, and one-time bail bondsman, went from being convicted for a felony to being a reality TV star. He was brought to the limelight following the capture of the convicted criminal, Andrew Luster in 2003 and this eventually made ...

Vicky Karayiannis, Chris Cornells Wifes Bio, Children and Family The world of showbiz is made up of different people who serve different roles, and function in a variety of capacities, and one of the most important people are those in the background. Publicists are undoubtedly one of these background people yet they are vital to the life and fame of most of our favorite ...

Joe Rogan Has A Step-Daughter and 2 Other Kids With Wife Jessica Ditzel  Meet His Family Joe Rogan is a popular American stand-up comedian and TV host. His journey to stardom began in the late 80s and has seen him host several shows, the most popular is the game show titled Fear Factor. The exciting show dares contestants to face some of their greatest fears and embark on challenging stunts. The ...

Josh Gates and Wife Hallie Gnatovich Have 2 Kids But Who Has the Higher Net Worth? Best known for his explorations and adventures, Josh Gates, is a television presenter with a voracious appetite for seeing the world and the beauties in it. Some of that beauty, however, is in his home, in the form of two children he shares with his wife, Hallie Gnatovich. Not excluded is their marriage which has lasted ...

Holly Sonders Wiki, Plastic Surgery & Why She Divorced Her Husband  Erik Kuselias After trying everything within her capacity to have a low key wedding, Holly Sonders was drawn to the public because of her husbands controversy at his workplace. Well, the two are rumored to be divorced but the article below will give more light on how true these rumors are. Meanwhile, Holly Sonders is yet to ...

Nadeska Alexis Bio  Age, Boyfriend & Net Worth Journalism is one diverse profession that allows the practitioners to choose their area of specialty, build a career on it by reporting the truth and facts which in the long run will distinguish them as deserving commendation and recognition among their peers. Some choose to specialize in political journalism, while to others it is sports ...

Media Platforms Charlamagne Tha God Has Explored and All The Controversies He Has Courted Charlamagne Tha God is an American on-air personality, radio presenter, and more recently, author. He is popularly known as a co-host on New York radios nationally syndicated show, The Breakfast Club, a program he has been hosting alongside DJ Envy and Angela Yee since 2010. However, his early years had no connection to his current career ...

A Look At Jimmy Fallons Net Worth and Family Including His Wife & Kids Sometimes, a childs passion for something is a pointer to what he/she would become in the future. As a child, Jimmy Fallon was literally obsessed with watching the late-night comedy program, Saturday Night Live (SNL). Then, his parents would tape the clean parts for him to watch and later, he and his sister would re-enact sketches from the ...

Kay Adams Biography  Does The Sportscaster Have A Husband or Boyfriend? When you hear the phrase sports enthusiast, women are hardly the first group that comes to mind. Well, thats changing pretty fast. Especially with the rise of female sports analysts and broadcasters like Kay Adams who is famed for knowing more about sports than most men do. And why not, shes paid handsomely for it ...

Ben Shapiros Family  Meet His Wife, Kids and Sister Who is Popular for the Wrong Reasons A multi-talented man, Ben Shapiro is a man of controversial nature, an attribute that has made him an unusual public figure. An intellectual whose career path was clearly defined even before he became a man, the Jewish conservative commentator has always had his way with words. He became popular by sharing his critical and often ...

QVC Shawn Killinger Bio  Husband, Net Worth & Facts To Know Shawn Killinger is a prominent TV personality who has worked her way to the top. Though not initially a journalist by training, she defied the odds and today has established herself as a household name, as well as, worked alongside some industry legends. More than just being a reporter, newscaster, and anchor, heres all you ...

Liv Lo  Dissecting the Ethnicity, Parents and Personal Life of Henry Goldings Wife While many are aware that Liv Lo is the better half to Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding, only a few understand why his beautiful wife appears increasingly endearing to fans. A former model turned TV personality, and fitness star, Liv has an impressive resume which when combined with that of her statuesque spouse is considered a perfect ...

Stpeach Age, Husband and Other Facts About The Twitch Streamer Lisa Vannatta, famously known by her online alias, STPeach is a Canadian video game streamer cum vlogger who has garnered fame through her appearances on different video-sharing/social networking platforms such as Youtube, Instagram, Twitch, Reddit, and Twitter. The beautiful lady got her career to a start in August 2015 when she joined the live streaming video platform, Twitch. She rose to ...

Insights into Seth Meyers Wife, Family and What His Net Worth Is Celebrities are mostly remembered and known for the work they do. For Seth Meyers, his career as a comedian, writer, actor, TV host, and producer is his biggest identifier. He was on Saturday Night Live SNL show as a head writer and cast member for more than ten years during which he built a reputation ...

Who Is Jessica Gadsden  Age, Net Worth & All About Charlamagne tha Gods Wife Jessica Gadsden is an American fitness coach as well as a personal trainer. She is better known as the spouse of popular American media personality, Charlamagne Tha God. Charlamange Tha God is a well-known TV and radio personality in the U.S. He has featured in several shows (both on the radio and TV) and is ...

Who Is Collins Tuohy  Michael Ohers sister ? Her Wedding, Husband & Net Worth Collins Tuohy is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, blogger, and social media personality. She is also better known as the adoptive sister of NFL player, Michael Oher, whose life story inspired the Hollywood blockbuster The Blind Side. The Blind Side tells the true life story of Oher who grew up in an impoverished background consisting of a ...

Eye-Popping Facts About The Personal Life And Career Success Of Sportscaster Heidi Watney Heidi Watney is a media personality who has created a niche for herself as a sportscaster. Starting out as a radio presenter, the brilliant young lady has gone on to work for several prominent sports networks, and currently, she is with the MLB. The sportscaster is also known to have been an avid sports lady right ...

Marty Lagina Bio  Siblings (Martina and Rick Lagina), Net Worth and Wife Marty Lagina is an American engineer and businessman who has risen to fame as a reality TV star. This is thanks to his involvement in the adventure TV series, The Curse of Oak Island. The Curse of Oak Island is a long-running TV series which airs on the history channel. The show aims to solve ...

Is Jordan Schlansky Just A Character or a Real Life Person and What Does He Do? The world of late-night television is an interesting one. Shows during that time are geared towards giving viewers comedic relief from a long day at work through interviews and comedy sketches. The often charismatic host of this show requires the balancing talent of a producer whose primary job is to deliver great episodes. It is ...

Heres How Wealthy Jimmy Kimmel Is From All The Phases of His Career, Marriages and Sons Health Jimmy Kimmel is a renowned late-night talk show host known for his charm, wit, and the A-list guests he features on his show. As the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! On ABC, Jimmy has been serving comedy to television viewers for years which played a pivotal role in launching him into mainstream fame and enabled ...

Natasha Bertrand Biography  Is She Married? Who Is the Husband & What Is Her Age? Natasha Bertrand is not just a young prominent journalist but a first-rate investigative reporter. With her natural beauty and smile, Natashas sharp, insightful political commentary also makes her a thorough reporter. Her sound political perspective and coverage in the country have made her a force to be reckoned with in the profession. Renowned for her ...

What Happened to Shane Kilcher? His Injury Update, Net Worth and More Shane Kilcher is well-known thanks to the Discovery Channel series Alaska: The Last Frontier. It is a show that documents the daily lives of the extended Kilcher family, people who live without plumbing or modern heating. The episodes follow their routines as they rely on hunting and farming for their nutritional needs as well as ...

Is Stephanie Gosk Gay or Lesbian, Who is the Wife or Partner  Jenna Wolfe? In August 2013, NBCs Today viewers were greeted with two shocking news. Today weekend anchor, Jenna Wolfe, announced that she was as a lesbian, introducing her partner as NBC News correspondent Stephanie Gosk, and said the two are expecting their first child. A long time has passed since then and certainly, a lot of things ...

Nikki Mudarris  Bio and Net Worth: 5 Interesting Facts You Need to Know Nikki Mudarris, also known as Miss Nikki Baby, is a reality television star, model and fashionista. Shes best known for VH1s reality TV series Love & Hip-Hop: Hollywood. Her entrepreneurial skills enable her to create and run a successful lingerie line Nude by Nikki. Not only that, but Nikki has also successfully run the Las ...

5 Interesting Things You Need To Know About Kelly Nash Ever heard of the lady who gained national prominence for taking a selfie with a dangerous ball just a few inches away from hitting her? Its no other person than Kelly Nash, an American sports broadcaster currently working as host of The Rundown show which airs on MLB Network every weekday at 2 pm ET. ...

Understanding The Height of Fame John Oliver Achieved With The Daily Show and How He Met His Wife Without knowledge of who he is and his exemplary career, John Oliver cuts an unassuming figure of a regular man but he is one of the most influential personalities in America, especially on television. Since he began his career in 1998, he has been a loud and unapologetic agent of change, using his wit and ...

Why Did Big Chief Leave Street Outlaws, Where Is He Now And Why Did He Divorce His Wife? Justin Shearer, otherwise known by his professional name Big Chief is a famous street racer and television personality. He is famously known for being one of the main characters on the racing reality television series, Street Outlaws. Justin, who had been a significant part of the show since its premiere in 2013, appeared in a ...

Who is Josina Anderson of ESPN? Her Husband and Family Facts There has been a gradual paradigm shift in the world of sports which has today produced the likes of Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, and other female athletes that are pulling great feats in different sporting fields. Their achievements have also been followed by the emergence of female sports journalists such as Jillian Mele, Eboni Williams, ...

Is Brittany Wagner Married, Who Is The Husband, How Old Is She? Brittany Wagner has been an inspiration to a lot of sports youngster. She has won the hearts of many athletic students with her role as a life coach and an academic counselor. She is well groomed in her career and has worked over a decade for The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and The National ...

Tati Westbrook Bio  Age, Husband & Net Worth With five videos dished out every week, alongside running her own brand, beauty guru, and YouTube superstar Tati Westbrook has proved to the world that theres utterly no impossibility or limit to whatever one is passionate about. Tati is best known for being the owner and manager of the worlds most-viewed beauty and lifestyle YouTube channel, ...

Cathy Areus Long Road to Becoming a Freelance Journalist and What to Know About Her Kids An American freelance journalist, news analyst, and author, Cathy Areu has built a lasting reputation for herself on cable television. Popular for her skillful and sassy presentation of professional views on varying topics including cultural and feminist issues, Cathy is an inspiration to many women across the globe. In addition to being a journalist, she ...

Tucker Carlsons Love Story With Wife Susan Andrews, their Children and Net Worth Today On the TV screens, Tucker Carlson is that fiery fellow who passionately dishes out his conservative and often controversial views on issues of national importance. Such brazenness has fetched him many enemies, especially on the left-wing, but it has also helped him cement a reputation as one of the foremost broadcast journalists in America. His ...

Paige Wyatts Net Worth, Boyfriend and Where She Is Now Paige Wyatt became popular after the Wyatt family began running the reality television show, American Guns. The Wyatt family comprises Rich Wyatt (father), Renee Wyatt (mother), Paige and Kurt Wyatt (children). Rich Wyatt originally ran a gun shop, the Gunsmoke Guns in Wheat Ridge, Colorado which is outside of Denver. The business which he ran together ...

The Progression of Howard Sterns Career As A Media Personality And Why He Divorced His First Wife Howard Stern is a legendary American radio host, who has also done some notable work as an actor, producer, author, as well as photographer. The radio personality achieved worldwide fame as a result of his self-titled radio program, The Howard Stern Show. As a professional radio personality, he has worked in different radio stations. Since 2006, ...

Lisa Joyners Biography  Ethnicity, Net Worth and Other Key Facts Lisa Joyner is an American Journalist, TV talk show host, and actress. Some of her well-known works are her correspondences for the Los Angeles based TV KCBS, inFANity show, Find My Family Show including her film and television appearances in Brimstone, American Sweetheart, The Bold and The Beautiful among others. Lisas passion for reconnecting people with their biological families ...

Amanda Balionis Rise Through the Ranks of Sportscasting and the Identity of Her Boyfriend Amanda Balionis is an American sportscaster currently working as a golf broadcaster for CBS Sports. Among so many of her works in the field of sports reporting, Amandas PGA Tour coverage seems to be the most popular so far. She covered the Super Bowl working with CBS Sports social media team in Atlanta, where she ...

Dissecting Charles Paynes Sexual Allegations, Its After Effects and More About His Wife Charles Payne had a respectable career as an analyst on Wall Street before he made the transition to television and became a contributor and later a host on Fox. In that time, his expertise has come under scrutiny, and he has been at the center of at least one major controversy. The major controversy in question ...

Erik Asla And Tryra Banks Split: Everything You Need To Know Tyra Banks and Erik Asla have called it quits! The couple, who began dating in 2013 and have a son named York Banks Asla, has decided to end what everybody taught was the perfect relationship. Neither person has come out to give a reason for the breakup, but what is obvious right now is that ...

What to Note About Dr Terry Dubrows Qualifications, TV Works and Marriage to Heather Kent In the realm of people that we expect to see regularly on our screens, medical doctors are closer to the bottom of the list. Aside from the fact that their work has little correlation with TV, they are presumably too busy to pursue life as TV personalities. Yet, a few of them have usurped this ...

Jessica Goch  Bio: 5 Things You Didnt Know About Ninjas Wife Jessica Goch is the Schofield-born American Social Media Influencer who has worked as a model but is now better known as a host and interviewer of prominent Electronic sports celebrities at popular gaming events/tournaments. The screen queen also serves as the manager of her famous husband Ninja aka Tyler Blevins whose exploits on Twitch and Fortnite has ...

CNNs Chris Cuomo Biography  Wife, Family & Net worth Chris Cuomo needs no elaborate introduction as he has starred graced many prominent Television cable networks and his voice has been heard through acknowledged radio shows. He is a television journalist and Lawyer who has previously worked for ABC News as Chief law and justice correspondent as well as a co-anchor on 20/20. If you still ...

Neil deGrasse Tyson  Family, Religion & Net Worth Neil deGrasse Tyson is a distinguished American astrophysicist and author who has been able to achieve so much after falling in love with astronomy at the age of 9. He has since attended and become an alumnus of prestigious universities such as Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia, and also recorded numerous achievements in his field of ...

Is Simon Cowell Gay? Does He Have A Wife or Girlfriend and Why is He Famous? Simon Cowell is a well-known talent show judge, TV producer, entrepreneur and one of the most popular TV personalities that Britain has ever produced. In conjunction with his company, Syco, Cowell is the brain behind hugely successful talent hunt shows such as The X-Factor UK, The X-Factor US, Britains Got Talent, Americas Got Talent and ...

Everything To Know About Joanna Gaines Life With Chip Gaines, Their Business Pursuits and Kids Joanna Gaines and her husband Chip Gaines became celebrities after their television show Fixer Upper began airing back in 2013. The show which was about home renovation and decoration ran for about 6 seasons with a total of 79 episodes before the couple bade farewell to it in April 2018. Apart from their appearances on ...

Who Is Larry The Cable Guy? What To Know About His Wife And Net Worth Larry the Cable Guy is a self-professed country kid renowned for his trademark Southern accent and sensational catchphrase Git-R-Done! The famous comedian who talks about anything under the sun has gone on to become one of the most memorable characters in comedy history. Join us in unearthing lesser-known facts about the former on-air-personality, standup comedy superstar, movie ...

Who Is Patrick Starr, What Is His Net Worth and Gender? The make-up industry over the years has grown to become a billion dollar industry not just because there are probably more women wearing make-up but because a whole lot of men, especially the young ones, have become bold enough to wear it unlike before. A few of these men, like Patrick Starr, have even gone ...

How Did Chris Jansing Become a Senior Correspondent at MSNBC and Who Is Her Husband? An award-winning American television news reporter and journalist, Chris Jansing has succeeded in carving a spectacular niche for herself in the field of TV journalism. Outstanding for not just her excellence in journalism, Chris is also cherished for her incredibly gorgeous looks post 60! For close to four decades, Jansing has continued to soar in her ...

Jaclyn Glenn Biography  Age, Height & Ex-Boyfriend American Youtuber, Jaclyn Glenn, rose to prominence through her self-titled YouTube channel Jaclyn Glenn. She has remained an acclaimed atheist and continues to air her views on hot issues from politics, religion, animal rights, to atheism. During the heated 2016 US Presidential elections, Glenn featured in Hump Trump: Official Donald Trump Song. Her parallel acting career ...

Is Pat Sajak Married to a Wife or is He Gay With a Partner? Pat Sajak is one of the most popular TV game show hosts in America. He commenced his career as a radio disk jockey as well as a TV weatherman before being tapped to host Wheel of Fortune, the longest-running syndicated game show in the United States. Sajak has hosted the popular game show from 1983 ...

Nayyera Haqs Bio  What To Know About Her Husband, Parents And Family Nayyera Haq can take anyone on political debates as well as discussions on social issues affecting many. Her ability to masterfully deliver her stance on every issue or political debate has made her a regular face in morning and evening news media platforms. This is not a common feat especially for someone from her kind ...

Inside Guy Fieris Family With Wife, Kids and Sister Who Died of Cancer Over the years we have seen men dominate the kitchen and churn out amazing delicacies from it. Some do it way better than their female counterparts and one of such men is Guy Ramsay Fieri  an American TV host, celebrity chef, restaurant owner, bestselling author of four culinary books, and game show host. His ...

Meet Phil Mudd of CNN  The Former CIA and FBI Exec, Is He Married, Who Is The Wife? When it comes to discussing issues surrounding terrorism, American Counterterrorism and National Security Expert, Phil Mudd, occupies a globally significant position. He has voiced his interest in the fight against terrorism and insecurity on many popular media platforms, both print and broadcast, such as CNN, BBC, CBS, MSNBC, al-Jazeera, ABC, NBC, Fox, The New York Times, ...

Jim Hoffer: Biography, Wife  Mika Brzezinski, Children and Net Worth Jim Hoffer is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who works as an investigative reporter for Eyewitness News, New York City. In his over two decades of investigative journalism, Hoffer has been at the front lines of several crucial stories from the 9/11 attack to the crash of American Flight 587 to the 2003 Blackout. On top of ...

The Ups and Downs of Erin Mcpikes Journalism Career and Other Facts About Her Personal Life Erin McPike is a journalist working for the Independent Journal Review (IJR) as a White House Correspondent but she gained widespread recognition for her coverage of general news. Whether its breaking news or some mainstream story, McPike has a reputation of baring the facts. As a journalist, her work as a White House Correspondent for Independent ...

Bert Kreischer Is Married To LeeAnn Kreischer With 2 Kids  Meet His Family Those familiar with Bert Kreischer mainly have the image of a large-bellied party man whose college life inspired the National Lampoon film, Van Wilder. It is an image that one would not naturally associate with a wholesome family. The standup comedian still maintains his wild party animal image on stage. But, back at home, he is ...

How Brendan Greene Became a Game Designer to Look Out For and Facts About His Failed Marriage The name Brendan Greene may not easily ring a bell in the larger society but for gaming enthusiasts, he is considered a god and this is because of his invention of the video game, Player Unknowns Battlegrounds, also called PUBG. Based on the popular last-man-standing/battle royale concept, Greenes creation has taken the gaming world by ...

WFAAs Sonia Azad Bio  Does The Reporter Have A Husband Or Boyfriend? Emmy Award-winning journalist and Health & Wellness reporter Sonia Azad is on the news segment News 8 Daybreak for the television station WFAA-TV in Dallas, Texas, a channel which she joined in October of 2015. Besides her time on the news, Azad is also a marathon runner and a certified yoga instructor. She has covered major news ...

This Is Everything You Should Know About Caroline Heldman, Her Career Portfolio and Other Facts Love it or hate it, there is no escaping the fact that feminism has come to stay in our world. The movement has continued to garner momentum over the years and this is due to the sustained push by several women, and even men, including the likes of Caroline Heldman. A Professor of Politics at ...

Understanding The Enigma That Is Gavin McInnes, The Controversies He Has Stirred and All About His Wife Gavin McInnes is a polemical English-born writer and TV personality, who is best known for his racist and fascist ideologies, as well as his co-ownership of Vice Media and Vice Magazine. He is also an actor a
WorldRemit, a leading online remittance provider, is calling for the urgent restoration of money transfers to Nigeria as "draconian" new rules leave virtually all money transfer operators (MTOs) unable to provide services to the West African country.

WorldRemit founder and CEO, Ismail Ahmed.

Only three companies  Western Union, MoneyGram and Ria - will be able to continue operations, following an unexpected move by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

WorldRemit, in common with all other international MTOs, has been instructed by its local correspondents that transfers to Nigeria will no longer be processed and is, accordingly, suspending services immediately.

WorldRemit founder and CEO, Ismail Ahmed said: This move is arbitrary, inexplicable and hugely detrimental to the Nigerian diaspora who rely on hundreds of money transfer companies and banks, providing them with choice, convenience and competitive pricing.

Even now, as we suspend our service, there is no clarity on why this sudden change has happened. If it is on the basis of new rules, there was no warning. If it is a re-interpretation of old rules, local correspondent networks and banks should have been forewarned.

This reverses the progress made by the country when the Nigeria Central Bank banned Western Unions exclusivity agreements that had created a near-monopolistic position in the international money transfer market. Western Union controlled 78% of the market share when CBN outlawed exclusivity agreements with local banks.

Until now, money transfer operators such as WorldRemit operated via partnerships with licensed local correspondents in Nigeria, enabling transfer of funds to local bank accounts  providing a more efficient service than the SWIFT infrastructure.

WorldRemit has also raised concerns about a 2015 memorandum from the Central Bank of Nigeria, setting out minimum requirements for companies offering international Mobile Money transfer services to Nigeria.

The guidelines specify that any company offering Mobile Money transfers must have minimum net assets of $1bn and have been operating for more than 10 years.

WorldRemit is the world leader in transfers to Mobile Money accounts and had been planning to launch remittances to Mobile Money services in Nigeria.

It looks like all systems in Nigeria are currently geared against encouraging new entrants and competition in the mobile remittance markets. That is worrying in the extreme, said Ismail Ahmed.

WorldRemit sends more than 40,000 money transfers to Nigeria every month. Nigeria received more than $20bn in remittances annual from migrants around the world.
Rwanda boasts an attractive workforce that has helped to push the nation ahead of its neighbours, however, a lack of digital skills now drives the education agenda.

Image by 123RF

Rwanda stands as one of Africas leading nations driving growth across the continent. A key factor in the region's success is in its workforce. This is clearly reflected in the World Bank Doing Business report which found that Rwanda was the most improved economy worldwide since 2005, and the increase in the gross domestic product (GDP) value which has risen by $1.17 billion in the last five years.

Success in sectors such as agriculture has helped the country flourish, however, when compared to neighbouring nations there are still areas where the country falls short - more notably digital dependent industries. In order to keep the workforce up to speed with other developed countries, the government has spearheaded investment in ICT in order to digitise skills and create a workforce equipped to deal with a blossoming tech sector.

A strong digitally based economy is now what is required in order to compete in the Fourth Industrial Revolution where innovative and fast-moving technologies will be much more prevalent in society.

The Global African Investment Summit (COMESA), which occurs in Kigali, Rwanda, 5-6 September 2016, will feature a key discussion on the ICT industry, specifically touching on how African nations can capitalise on the opportunities it can bring to digitally transform.

The summit will bring together global and regional investors representing US$250 billion in managed funds, with African heads of state, government ministers and private sector businesses leaders.

Knowledge-based economy

Heba Salama, director of the COMESA Regional Investment Agency comments: Information and Communication Technology is a central engine to driving Rwandas transformation to a knowledge-based economy, a fact Rwanda has acknowledged by allocating a budget to ICT - as a percentage of its GDP - that is at par with OECD countries.

Initiatives such as Smart Africa and the ICT Park are great examples of Rwandas efforts to update its workforce. The schemes support the nations rapid digital development. Since the government announced its Vision 2020 goal for a knowledge-based economy, the ICT industry has grown by 25%, internet penetration is at 28% and growing, and there is a network of fibre-optic cables throughout the country to support fast broadband.

Rwanda has laid down the foundations to support a workforce in need of acquiring digital skills. It is only when the technological issues and skills gap in these areas are addressed that the nation can develop a knowledge- based economy, drive education and become a viable prospect for investors.

Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, comments: Rwandas progress does not lie just with upgrading our current workforce, but also investing in the next generation. By making ICT a priority in our educational institutions, we will be able to close the digital skills gap, which is required for Africa to compete in the Fourth Industrial Revolution where innovative and fast-moving technologies will be much more prevalent in society.

Rwandas youthful talent will play a strategic role in Africas trajectory, leveraging ICT and ultimately leapfrogging socio-economic development across the continent.
Although there have been grumblings about the establishment of new medicines regulation body and the natural medicines sector is seriously concerned about an apparent bias against them, one of the large generics companies is definitely chuffed with its progress.

Proactive approach to tackling backlog

If the groundwork set by the Medicines Control Council (MCC) in the past few months in preparation for the much-anticipated launch of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) is anything to go by, it could usher in a new and much more effective era for the local pharmaceutical sector, a statement by Pharma Dynamics says.

SAHPRA is the new regulatory authority set to take over from the MCC from April next year, since the MCC in its current form has struggled to cope with the volume of applications it receives for new medicines and clinical trials. Based on industry figures, registering new products could take anything from three to five years.

The MCCs proactive approach to tackle the backlog of particularly medicine registrations in recent months, has seen them making inroads into the somewhat sceptical pharmaceutical sector, which has been hamstrung by the inefficiencies within the system for years.

Erik Roos, CEO of Pharma Dynamics , says even though SAHPRA will only officially come into existence once the amendment acts have commenced, he is encouraged by the active nature in which the MCC has interacted with the ITG (industry task group) and are attempting to address the pharmaceutical industrys concerns. This proactive action by the MCC is sure to create positive momentum for SAHPRAs launch.

Optimism not shared in all quarters

However, in July, Dalene Totten, editor of Natural Medicine magazine, said in an article: The cost of compliance allows for unfair commercial advantage to the bigger pharmaceutical manufacturers, loss of diversity, and the removal from the market, of the vast majority of health products not manufactured by drug companies.

She went on to explain that the cost of having the prerequisite equipment to produce natural products that meet the new standards is likely to put a lot of small suppliers out of business.

In the end, the new regulations will severely restrict the publics access to natural health products, and manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, direct marketers, prescribing practitioners and the public will lose. The only winners will be the pharmaceutical industry.

Better relationship

However, given that his company is on the other side of the fence, Roos sees it differently: During the past quarter, key MCC officials, who have been tasked with establishing the new regulatory body, have initiated a series of meetings and roundtable discussions with various industry organisations as a way to openly engage with stakeholders, which has helped to develop fresh solutions to various challenges we face as an industry. Their hands-on approach has set in motion a circle of feedback and responsiveness, which augers well for the entitys new transformative future and activation of SAHPRA.

There also appears to be much better collaboration between the industry and the MCC and there is a greater willingness to work together towards a common goal, he says.

Similar structure to FDA

In the MCCs defence, the regulatory body has been severely understaffed with part-time academics trying their best to meet the increased demands of the industry. Roos points out that years ago, the model on which the MCC was based was considered best practice, but is now completely out of step with what is being done elsewhere in the world.

SAHPRAs new structure will follow a similar model to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in that it will be more independent than the MCC. Another benefit is that it will only be partly funded by government with additional funds being raised by way of fees charged and services rendered within its regulatory ambit. This will not only enhance the entitys ability to attract and retain the necessary skills and resources it requires to function optimally, but is critical to its success, he concludes.
Furniture manufacturer and retailer Steinhoff's bold move into the US with a $2.4bn bid for Mattress Firm Holdings announced on Monday took analysts by surprise, because of the sheer size of the transaction and the fact that very little had been said in the lead-up to the announcement.

The deal will create the worlds largest multibrand mattress retail distribution network. It is the biggest acquisition by a firm from SA of an American company.

The great strength of it was that it would provide an opportunity for the company to diversify its currency exposure, given its European focus, said analysts.

There was some doubt, however, as South African companies had not had a good track record in the US.

Steinhoff said it would buy Mattress Firm for $64 per share in cash.

The offer represents a total equity value of $2.4bn and an enterprise value for Mattress Firm of about $3.8bn net debt. The acquisition price is a premium of 115% to Mattress Firms closing price of $29.74 per share at the close of trading on August 5.

Steinhoff CEO Markus Jooste said the transaction would allow the furniture retailer to not only enter the US market, but it would also expand Steinhoffs global market reach in the mattress category.

"The Mattress Firm brand and speciality retail concept are a strong complement to the Steinhoff groups retail brand portfolio in the many geographies where the group operates," said Jooste.

The company already owns European home furnishings retailers Bensons for Beds and Conforama.

Steinhoff has previously concentrated its expansion efforts in Europe following its listing in Frankfurt. In July, the retailer sealed a deal with UK discounter Poundland Group agreeing to a 597m cash offer.

Home Retail Group rejected Steinhoffs bid in March and chose to go with an offer from Sainsburys. Its attempt to buy French retailer Darty also came to naught after the Darty board recommended shareholders accept an offer from Fnac.

A Johannesburg analyst, who asked not to be named in line with company policy, said the move into the US was unexpected. "They have been busy with an awful lot of acquisitions in the UK. You would have thought that would have kept them busy, but here is another big one."

The analyst said there were a few causes for concern. "South African companies have a dismal track record in the US. Even outstanding companies like Discovery have failed. They are also paying a very high price for this acquisition. They must see a lot of potential and value."

But London-based Bloomberg Intelligence senior retail analyst Charles Allen said international retailers often looked at the US as an attractive market.

"It diversifies the number of currencies which they (Steinhoff) will be trading. Given that in some of their businesses, especially in their general merchandise business, they are probably purchasing in dollars, it creates something of a natural hedge."

With Palesa Tshandu and Bloomberg
According to FAO, food insecurity in parts of Nigeria's northeast and urgent action is needed to provide farming and livelihood support to 385,000 people. To ensure people can produce enough food for themselves, the resumption of agriculture activities are a priority.

Mike Blyth via Wikimedia Commons - Farmers in Nigeria

This includes those who have been internally displaced by the conflict as well as communities who have been hosting them. These populations need urgent assistance to recover their livelihoods, which are mostly based on crop farming, artisanal fisheries and aquaculture and livestock production. For the last three to four years this has not been possible due to the conflict," said Bukar Tijani, FAO assistant director-general and regional representative for Africa.

More than 3 million people are affected by acute food insecurity in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States.

FAO launches response

FAO has launched a full-scale corporate response to the ongoing crisis and urgently requires $10 million to supply seeds, fertilizers and irrigation equipment for the upcoming irrigated dry season. In the meantime, FAO is preparing its response for the main agricultural season for which even more resources are required.

"This year, significant territory previously controlled by Boko Haram has been rendered accessible to humanitarian assistance so we have a critical opportunity to tackle the alarming levels of food insecurity in northeast Nigeria," said Tim Vaessen, FAO's emergency and response manager in Nigeria.

"With funds received to-date, FAO has reached over 123,000 people to improve their food security by enabling them to grow their own food during the ongoing rain-fed season. While this assistance is crucial, it reaches just a fraction of those in need of support and now FAO is seeking funds to support irrigated crop production, livestock restocking and animal health treatment, including disease control and supplementary feed, in the newly liberated areas," he added.

Pressure on rural communities hosting displaced people

Three consecutive planting seasons have been lost due to the fighting in northeastern Nigeria. Moreover, large influxes of people escaping repeated Boko Haram attacks have put extreme pressure on already poor and vulnerable host communities and their fragile agricultural and pastoral livelihoods, exacerbating the already precarious food and nutrition security situation.

Failure to rebuild the rural economy will translate into a lack of employment opportunities with possible harmful consequences including youth radicalization and enrolment into armed groups, resulting in continued civil unrest, FAO warned. In contrast, restarting food production in the newly accessible areas will have the additional benefits of encouraging displaced populations to return to their homes, while contributing to their improved health and nutrition.

FAO's work

In northeastern Nigeria, FAO has provided agricultural kits to vulnerable internally displaced people with access to land and host families. The kits included improved varieties of millet or sorghum and cowpea seeds - a locally adapted and highly nutritious pulse - and fertilizers, enabling beneficiaries to grow their own food during the ongoing rain-fed season. The harvest is expected to start by the end of September and will allow beneficiaries to cover their food needs for up to 10 months.

FAO is currently preparing to target an additional 85,000 people with horticulture packages to prepare for the upcoming irrigated season. "Growing their own healthy and nutritious food reduces the need for future external food assistance. Families who have access to land and are ready to farm, can harvest in six to eight weeks," Vaessen said.

FAO's activities in Nigeria remain constrained by a serious lack of funding. To date, FAO has received just $ 4.9 million, of which almost 20 percent has come from FAO's own Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities. FAO's programme in northeast Nigeria is also funded by Japan, Belgium, the European Commission (ECHO) and the United Nations Central Emergency Fund (CERF).
You might be disappointed to hear that some intriguing underwater structures recently discovered off the Greek island of Zakynthos are not part of the lost city of Atlantis. But the structures, which resemble colonnades of cobble stones and bases of columns, have an equally fascinating origin. They were actually constructed by microbes gathering around natural vents of methane and forming a natural cement in the otherwise soft sediment.

Illustration of pressure sensing bacteria in soils from the Computational Colloids Project. Carolina Ramirez-Figuroa, Luis Hernan and Martyn Dade-Robertson, CC BY-SA

To some degree, these formations are an accident, sculpted by the interaction of the microorganisms with their physical and chemical environments. But they still point to a complex ability not usually associated with simple single-celled organisms less than 0.0002cm in diameter. So if bacteria can grow their own cities, could we use them to grow ours as well?

Bacterial building is actually more common than you might think. If you rub your tongue across the back of your teeth and find a rough spot between the base of the tooth and your gum you should probably go and see a dental hygienist. But you might also contemplate the fact that you have a city growing on your teeth. The rough patch, known more commonly as plaque, is a biofilm, a complex structure built by bacteria living in your mouth.

Biofilms are, in effect, buildings for bacteria. They provide the bacteria with physical protection and (unfortunately for us) protection from antibiotics. They also enable a complex communications network between the bacteria that lets them work together, with different groups of cells performing different functions and even helping control the populations.

University of East Anglia

Researchers are now experimenting with using the building abilities of bacteria in the human world. For example, we can make self-healing concretes that use bacteria to re-mineralise cracks. It is even possible to create bacteria-based bio-cements using a process similar to that which built the structures found in Zakynthos.

Both systems use a process known as biomineralisation, where bacteria cause mineral crystals to form by changing the chemical composition of their environment. In the case of self-healing concretes and bio-cements, they combine calcium found in their immediate environment with carbon from carbon dioxide in the air. The beauty of the process is that, unlike normal cements and concretes that produce a lot of carbon dioxide, this actually takes carbon out of the atmosphere.

Under pressure

Our research takes this idea even further. We want to use the capacity of microorganisms to sense and respond to their environment, as well as add to it with their own structures. For example, imagine if we could lace the ground of a building site with bacteria that react when they feel mechanical pressure by binding the surrounding soil grains. This would mean we could create a self-constructing foundation just by putting the right amount of pressure on the ground, removing the need for costly excavations and reinforced concrete slabs.

Such a system may still be some way into the future but we have started down the path. Through the emerging discipline of synthetic biology we have already been able to identify genes in certain bacteria that activate in response to pressure. Weve then used genetic engineering to design bacteria that glow when pressurised. Our next step is to begin to use this pressure-sensing capacity in the bacteria to trigger the the process of biomineralisation and the production of new binding materials including polymers.

The site off Zakynthos may have been an archaeological disappointment but it reveals something about the way we might construct buildings in the future. Imagine visiting the ancient remains of our microbial-built future cities. When the archaeologists assess whether they are natural or artificial they may not be able to tell.


According to the 2016 IMF Working Paper on South Africa's Labour Market Dynamics and Inequality, large skill mismatches, poor educational outcomes, and the apartheid legacies have hurt South Africa's job growth and have perpetuated inequality. Unemployment, especially amongst South Africa's youth, women and black population, remains unacceptably high.

The research states that while improving the quality of education is key to addressing the long-term unemployment challenge, more must be done to provide experience to young, first-time entrants to the workforce.

KC Makhubele, president of the Federation of African Professional Staffing Organisations (APSO), an industry body committed to the upliftment and professionalisation of the labour recruitment industry in South Africa, agrees.

Providing necessary on-the-job training and formal or informal work experience to South Africas youth is a win win, and should be seen as a pressing priority. Employers will benefit by receiving an Employment Tax Incentive and young job-seekers will benefit by gaining the skills or experience needed to drive the economy forward. In my opinion, this is the key to reducing unemployment, says Makhubele.

Makhubele notes that according to the IMF Working Paper, those with prior work experience have almost 50% higher job-finding rate than those without experience. With this in mind, he offers the following advice to employers:

Job specs need to be looked at - Employers should allow candidates to interview for positions even though they may not have a related academic degree.



- Employers should allow candidates to interview for positions even though they may not have a related academic degree. Unofficial job experience counts - Has the person worked within the industry previously but in an unofficial capacity or volunteered for a charity organisation? Six years experience (even if voluntary) counts for a lot.



- Has the person worked within the industry previously but in an unofficial capacity or volunteered for a charity organisation? Six years experience (even if voluntary) counts for a lot. Learning on the job - Investing in someone even though they lack qualifications means that they can be trained on the job. If a quick, willing learner and hard worker, they can gain the skills needed for your company.



- Investing in someone even though they lack qualifications means that they can be trained on the job. If a quick, willing learner and hard worker, they can gain the skills needed for your company. Ask important questions - How entrepreneurial is the candidate? How willing are they to take the initiative? Have they worked hard at anything in their life? How high is their EQ? All of these qualities can be crucial predictors of success, sometimes even more than a degree.



- How entrepreneurial is the candidate? How willing are they to take the initiative? Have they worked hard at anything in their life? How high is their EQ? All of these qualities can be crucial predictors of success, sometimes even more than a degree. Think out of the box - When seeking the right people for your organisation, really think about what you want them to be like instead of only relying on academic degrees and qualifications to help make your decision.

While having a degree might help candidates excel in their careers, it does not guarantee it. Putting work readiness plans in place is essential to boost employment rates, concludes Makhubele.
The first round of public hearings of the commission of inquiry into university fees starts today with Wits University's submission.

More than 180 stakeholders are to make submissions on the feasibility of fee-free higher education and training.

Hlonipha Mokoena, chairman of the panel that drew up the Wits submission, said in an interview that a new "hybrid model" was needed.

"This envisages a multifaceted approach in which [the] government (as main custodian of higher education), the private sector and university revenues (fees, donor funds and endowments) all contribute in various ways to the general wellbeing and sustainability of the higher- education sector," she said.

When Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande meets university vice-chancellors tomorrow, he is expected to receive a copy of a Council of Higher Education report with proposals on 2017 academic year fees. Sources said he could make an announcement on fees as early as Friday.

Source: The Times via I-Net Bridge
Seafood, sushi, sunset. That's the promise at Blowfish Restaurant, situated in Cape Town's stunning Dolphin Beach, and that's exactly what you get - and more.

It's not often a table of four gets to review a meal, so we counted our lucky star(fish) that we had the chance to do so at Blowfish on a random Thursday last week, seated at their very best table in the fully glassed off section at the back of the restaurant, with a view across the harbour at the oh-so-pretty twinkly lights of the Cape Town CBD. It was on Thursday so we could include their Thursday prawn special, NOW ENDING end-September, in the review, and last week so the rest of us could try out their weekday Winter menu, which comes to an end at the end of this month.

All images  Blowfish. All images  Blowfish. All images  Blowfish.

Why four of us? Simply so that we could try as many of the amazing array of mid-Winter meals on offer as possible without duplicating orders, in order to give the most comprehensive review possible. So even though wed already perused the menu in full at our leisure, we took our time on ordering as the restaurant was positively buzzing for a wintry Thursday night, and we surreptitiously glanced over at the food on the others tables, trying to decide what would taste the best.

Further undecided on a bottle of red or white we went with the Goldilocks choice: a bottle of the Riebeek Cellars collection 2016 Pinotage Rose for the table, described as crisp and dry and not-too-sweet, by Blowfish general manager Marc Scheidel on one of his many visits to check our table. He explained Blowfish offers bottles that sell, not just ones that look pretty and gather dust. My strawberry milkshake was just as pinkly delicious, thick and brimming with bits of fruit.

Back to the food conundrum then, Keep it good, keep it simple, keep it fresh, keep it moving, suggested Scheidel. We eventually went for the Tom Yum soup, spicy creamy calamari and beef espetada starters. All were served at the same time, always a plus, yet all were so different

Calamari dreaming, on such a Winters day

The soup was just as pipingly hot and spicily hot as wed hoped for, brimming with delights from the sea such as tiny squid heads, curled prawns, calamari, coriander and slightly-sweet Rosa tomatoes that offset the traditional sourness of the soup to perfection. The beef espetada then was extremely moreish, served tender and warm atop a bed of buttery Morrocan mash, but it was the calamari starter that was the clear winner of the round: crispy yet so tender, served with a creamy chilli bean and Japanese mayo dressing.

For mains we again tried as wide a selection as possible, ranging from the calamari mains (no, it was nothing like the starter: this time we got 250g of crispy, fried calamari strips so soft we were convinced theyd been given an extra pummel in the kitchen before frying), served with 4-inch thick chips and the house tartare of garlic and smoked-paprika aioli. So different, yet again this rounds winner, it was followed closely by the 200g rib-eye steak, grilled to perfection (that means it was served medium) with a smoked paprika butter and roasted root vegetables. The chicken piccata, three panko and parmesan-crumbed chicken breasts served with a ratatouille skewer, got our bronze medal.

All images  Blowfish. All images  Blowfish. All images  Blowfish.

And the prawns? Delicious! Served as a steaming mound of 20, they looked amazing with a side of bright purple, orangey red and bright white wok-fried veg to add a bit of crunch and colour.

Brilliant brulee

By then full to the gills, we simply couldn't pass up dessert, so went for the famous house-baked cheesecake laced with a passion fruit reduction, the traditional chocolate brownie, served with vanilla ice cream and a ribbon of delicious chocolate sauce drizzled on top, as well as the espresso creme brulee garnished with lime praline, different to the usual burnt caramel topping but just as delightful, with real espresso in place of some of the recipes usual cream. Consider my coffee-loving soul in heaven.

How do I know all this if I ate just three of the meals myself? Well, we loved it all so much that we tried each other's meal, switching forkful for spoonful as we went. And, after much deliberation, our choice would be the calamari (either the spicy starter or the softly crispy mains) and the passionate passionfruit-topped cheesecake for dessert. But then we didnt even try the Roquefort and pecan nut gnocchi, Thai chicken wings, creamy chicken and mushroom penne pasta, new-style hake and chips or the sweet and savoury Camembert-and-preserved fig phyllo parcel. Hmm. Maybe a four-person review isnt so excessive, after all...

At R149 for two courses and R199 for three, this will go down in the memory banks as one of my best meals of Winter 2016. Click here for more information on Blowfish specials, such as the R99 prawn special.

*Leigh Andrews table were guests of Blowfish. The Winter special menu runs for the rest of the month and the Thursday prawn special runs from 12:30 to 22:00 on Thursdays until 29 September 2016 due to popular demand! Call 021 556 5464 or email az.oc.tnaruatserhsifwolb@ofni to make your booking.
What do a crane driver, a ballet dancer, a doctor, a linguist and a brown belt karate champion have in common? They are all female Volkswagen employees.

Noncedo Johnson

9 August 2016 marked the 60th anniversary of the 1956 womens march on the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against the implementation of the pass laws. In recognition of this milestone, VWSA celebrated the 15 Women, 30 Lives, 60 Years campaign. VWSA has highlighted 15 of the many women who work for VWSA for this feature. The 15 who work in very different areas of the organisation also lead successful private lives.

Each of these women have demanding jobs such as Noncedo Johnson, who is the only woman operating a 63-ton crane or Nonkqubela Maliza who is the longest serving director at VWSA. On top of the demands of work-life, Noncedo is a mother and a brown belt karate champion.

Tarryn Knight, the marketing communications manager of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, is a wife, a classically trained dancer and a fitness instructor. Adidi Ndjoka-Makake is a product engineer, a mother and a linguist who speaks five languages.

Madiba said that freedom cannot be achieved unless the women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression. We hope our campaign will encourage young women to be doctors, engineers, company directors, and crane drivers, said Thomas Schaefer, chairman and managing director: Volkswagen Group South Africa.

Schaefer added: The skills, jobs, abilities and interests of these women show the diversity and talent of our female employees. They are strong and capable and represent the very best of South African women.

Our women not only contribute to the success of our company but also to the success of their families and the communities in which they live, said Schaefer.
The inaugural Top Women Conference, hosted by Topco Media, features Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the under-secretary-general of the United Nations and the executive director of UN Women, amongst other top women speakers.

The conference, taking place on 17 and 18 August at Emperors Palace, recognises outstanding leadership, inspiration, vision, and innovation in South African organisations.

Mlambo-Ngcuka has devoted her career to issues of human rights, equality and social justice, says director of Topco, Karla Fletcher. Not only has she worked in government, civil society and within the private sector, she is also driving the gender equality agenda, an area where progress is being made, but too slowly. In some organisations, the debate on 50/50 gender parity by 2030 still exists, similarly to B-BBEE codes of good practice when it was first introduced as law. What we have noted is that whether it is debated or not, the point is it is not going away and you can choose to positively affect and gain from this process, or alternatively be left behind. We need people who are going to push the gender agenda.

There are still various barriers in South Africa that prevent women from fully participating at the highest levels of business and government.

Janine Hicks from the Commission for Gender Equality states, In South Africa, women represent just 29% of executive managers, 22% of directors of companies, 9% of chairs of boards and 2.4% of chief executives. Under the employment equity legislation, companies are required to conduct an audit to assess what internal policies can be put in place to lower barriers that women face.

Insightful speakers

Topco Media, in partnership with The Department of Women, is hosting the conference to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Womens March.

Amongst the speakers are Thuli Madonsela, the Public Protector of South Africa; Jenna Clifford, jewellery designer; and Susan Shabangu, Minister of Women in the Presidency.

We aim to facilitate growth by communicating, educating, sharing and tracking progress. We have alumni of over 250 award winners who will highlight studies of programmes they have implemented and have proven to be successful over the last 13 years; these organisations and individuals rank amongst the top and most sustainable in the country. They have overcome some of the many local challenges of doing business in South Africa by empowering women, and more so, can relate to the direct impact on productivity and efficiency in their business due to the programmes they have put in place. The event will become a feeding ground for successful implementation of 50/50 by 2030.

In addition, companies will be asked to pledge their progressive plans in reaching 50/50 by 2030 to assist the government in monitoring the progress, which will be reviewed annually from 2017. With this year marking the 60th year since the march to the Union Buildings, the agenda to close the gender gap and to empower women in business is now being embraced by the public and private sectors more than ever. The Top Women Conference creates a platform to acknowledge, celebrate and gain insight into the remarkable work that has been done by individuals, organisations and government.

For more information, email Angelique Edwards at az.oc.ocpot@drawde.euqilegna or call +27 (0) 86 000 9590.
The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) says the metals and engineering sector in SA is on a cliff edge and not at the bottom of a trough.

It also says anecdotal evidence from primary metals producers and merchants taking orders from downstream industries - including the mining and construction sectors - shows "the bottom has fallen out of demand", leading to them becoming stockists again.

"The metals and engineering sector is in a critical condition and it seems more certain that (it) will suffer more setbacks over the next six months before improvements can be expected," Seifsa chief economist Henk Langenhoven said on Friday, 5 August.

He said exports of metals products were soft, mining was in the doldrums, demand from the domestic automotive sector "was dead" and "construction is going nowhere".

The poor outlook comes amid Investec's slightly more upbeat commentary ahead of June production updates for mining and manufacturing. Investec economist Kamilla Kaplan said on Friday the fall in mining output in the first quarter of 2016 was a big contributor to the contraction in GDP, while manufacturing had only made a small positive contribution.

"Based on the data available so far for the second quarter, production in both sectors appears to have improved. The rate of contraction in mining production has decelerated, while manufacturing production lifted further from the growth registered in the first quarter," she said.

But Langenhoven said the metals and engineering sector, which made up about 23% of SA's overall manufacturing output, was "languishing". He said after a slight improvement in resource utilisation in the first quarter, the sector contracted by nearly 0.8% in the second quarter, with capacity utilisation of 77% against the full capacity benchmark of 85%.

"The latest capacity utilisation data for the sector ... do not indicate the bottoming out of the current contraction experienced by the metals and engineering sector."

He said capacity utilisation during the first half of 2016 was 1% lower than during the first half of 2015 and had fallen 2.4% over the 12 months.

Seifsa was "extremely concerned" about persistently lower confidence and production levels, which could lead to possible further job losses.

Statistics SA's quarterly labour force survey released last month said the number of people employed in manufacturing was 2.5% lower than the same period last year.

Source: Business Day
With South Africa's continued skills deficit being compounded by a lack of technical skills, on-the-job training and mentorship should be a priority in each organisation. In a step to close this skills gap, REDISA has launched a Learnership Programme at its head office in Cape Town.

The 12-month programme, valued at R460,507, will provide learners with the opportunity to gain a recognised qualification while gaining work experience. The five selected learners, Dillan Little (19), Litha Plaatjie (22), Melissa Jacobs (19), Aphiwe Gaqa (21) and Nolukhanyo Sibonda (22), all went through an interview process that included Personality Assessment and Learning Style Assessment.

The launch of this programme is part of our on-going efforts to promote skills development amongst the youth, said Stacey Davidson, director at REDISA. Mentoring is something I am passionate about, especially for young people. I think that the economic emancipation of young people cannot remain a song; it has to become a reality. This means that, as a country and as business, we must encourage our youth to prioritise education in order to pull themselves and their families out of poverty and hopelessness, she said.

The programme will develop young minds by imparting knowledge and skills that further their education and experience across various industries and sectors. In order to gain a certificate, learners will be required to complete both a theory component and a practical component. The programme will follow a strict module plan which includes practical work experience. The learners will perform administrative roles while gaining exposure to key areas across the REDISA business.

In three years, REDISA has already seen 18 interns gain valuable experience, and 10 of them are employed permanently at REDISA and 8 have moved on to formal employment and other projects. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners in government, business and trade unions, as well as consumers and NGOs, as we continue to create jobs and develop small businesses, said Davidson.
No fewer than 14 airlines have withdrawn their services from the country due to low patronage on account of the economic recession. The airlines, including Iberia, United Airlines, and Air Gambia, are among the 50 that operated the Nigerian routes some months ago. Besides, foreign airlines operating in the country are estimated to have lost about N64 billion in the wake of the new foreign exchange (forex) policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Hansueli Krapf via Wikimedia Commons _Domestic terminal of Lagos airport

President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Bankole Bernard, said that the new forex policy and economic crunch came with enormous negative effect on travel agencies, the reason for which they exited the country.

Bernard had, at the Aviation Round Table (ART) breakfast meeting held in Lagos recently, said that travel agencies that sold about $1.4 billion worth of air tickets in 2015 were beginning to record losses with the departure of the airlines, adding that there was fear that more airlines might quit flying the Nigerian routes.

The naira devaluation

Apparently frustrated by the low patronage, he said that some of his members were beginning to consider relocating to Ghana, where "their policies are consistent." Bernard said that the alleged inconsistent policy of the current administration, particularly on the naira devaluation, accounted for the current "nightmarish" experience the airlines are facing.

The loss of N64b by the foreign airlines was on account of repatriating $800 million stuck in the economy in the last year but released after the recent devaluation of the naira.

With the devaluation, the accumulated $800million from airlines' sales of tickets when the exchange rate was still at N197 to $1, was taken out of the country at the new rate of N320 to $1. Consequently, a substantial amount was lost in the last couple of weeks.

Confirming the development, the regional manager of British Airways, Kola Olayinka, said that for every $1m repatriated since the new policy began, the airlines lose no less than N80 million.

New policy to blame

Olayinka blamed the situation on what he called the immediate and unfortunate effect of the new policy, which is affecting all foreign airlines that had funds sitting in the Nigerian banks.

The current administration last year introduced a fiscal policy through the CBN, restricting access to foreign exchange and funds transfer out of the country. In the process, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimated that no less than $600 million belonging to foreign airlines was stranded in Nigeria. The association appealed to the government to ensure the immediate release of such funds.

Aviation sources estimate that Delta and United Airlines have up to $180 million hanging in the Nigerian economy, while Air France-KLM is estimated to have over $150 million. British Airways has about $100 million as of March 2016, while Iberia, which had already withdrawn its services, has $5 million of its funds trapped.

Olayinka expressed regret that the effects of the new policy are quite unfortunate, but a price to be paid for "the economic realignment".

Foreign airlines remain a major stakeholder

ART President, Gbenga Olowo, noted that some airlines lost up to 50 percent of their funds due to the forex policy. Olowo, however, stressed that the foreign airlines remained a major stakeholder in the aviation industry, citing that they account for about 90 percent of the air passenger traffic in the country.

He said even if the foreign airlines continued to leave, it would still not be to the advantage of local carriers like Arik and Medview since their fleet capacity is too low to accommodate the traffic.

Olowo appealed to the government to be consistent in its policy and ensure that operators have an enabling environment.

Improving security at airports

Meanwhile, to improve security at airports nationwide, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has made mandatory the fresh certification of all aviation security screeners. The directive, according to NCAA, is in accordance with the provision of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Certification System (Annex 17 Standards 3.4.3) for aviation security personnel and the requirements of National Civil Aviation Security Training Programme (NCASTP).

The exercise covers airport workers, who include security personnel responsible for the screening of passengers, cabin baggage, cargo, courier, mail and other items with the use of x-ray screening equipment prior to the boarding or loading of baggage and cargo onto an aircraft or movement to restricted areas.

The NCAA said: "Any person prior to being designated as an AVSEC screener in Nigeria, must obtain certification from the NCAA."
International cooperation continues in the Arctic region despite the difficult political situation in the world. For example, Russia plans to invest 12.3 million euros in the Kolarctic program of cross-border cooperation before 2020. Arctic.ru interviews the program coordinator in the Murmansk Region, Yulia Korshunova, on the programs details.

Ms. Korshunova, what does the program's name mean?

It's just a name; it doesn't mean anything. The program's full name in English is CBC ENI (European Neighbourhood Instrument) Kolarctic 2014-2020.

What are the basics of the program?

Kolarctic 2014-2020 promotes cross-border cooperation between Russia, Finland, Sweden and Norway. This is specifically the northern regions of these countries that have common land and sea borders. English is the working language.

Who is financing the program?

The program is co-funded equally by the countries involved. There are no donors or recipients, everyone makes an equal contribution and has equal rights. The right wording is this: "The Kolarctic program is co-funded by the European Union, Finland, Norway, Russia and Sweden."

What organizations can get involved? Can representatives of the business community join?

Organizations registered in the core and adjoining program regions can take part in the program. Public and private organizations can get involved.

The program documents are in English, and this can raise questions in translating some terminology into Russian and can lead to misunderstandings among potential participants. For example, many people believe that the term "public organizations" which reads " " in Russian only applies to non-government and non-commercial organizations (NGOs and NCOs). But the Kolarctic program also lists many regional governments, municipalities, city administrations, universities and colleges among public organizations, as well as NGOs and NCOs.

What do the terms "core" and "adjoining" program regions mean? What regions are meant?

The "core program region" concept includes organizations with a legal address in the core program-implementation region. This includes the Murmansk Region, the Arkhangelsk Region and the Nenets Autonomous Area in Russia, Norrbotten Province in Sweden, Lapland in Finland and the provinces of Troms, Finnmark and Nordland in Norway. These organizations may take part in projects as leading partners and/or partners. In this case, all project budget items, including personnel, business trips, equipment procurement and other expenses, can be spent on the activity of leading project partners and project partners.

Organizations registered in adjoining regions are the second concept. They can also take part in projects as partners and/or leading partners, just like partners in a core program region. At the same time, no more than 20% of the Kolarctic budget can be spent on their participation. These territories include the Republic of Karelia, the Komi Republic and St. Petersburg in Russia, North Ostro-Bothnia in Finland and Vasterbotten in Sweden.

Do Kolarctic projects allow for concepts like an individual participant contribution, like other international programs do?

During the previous program period which just ended, there was a clause for individual participant contributions to project co-funding. Public organizations were supposed to contribute no less than 10% of an entire project budget. Not every partner contributed 10%, and the total contribution of all the partners was to have totaled no less than 10%. If a project involved a partner and/or a leading partner representing private business, then their own contribution totaled 30% of the project budget.

Currently, we're working on guidelines for those wishing to obtain new-generation grants from the Kolarctic program. The document will also list data on the amount of individual contributions to a given project. We expect to post this on our website this fall.

Who manages the program? Is it an elected position? And what is the procedure for appointing the program manager?

The Joint Monitoring Committee, the main governing body of the program that represents all member-countries, has decided to delegate program-management issues to the Regional Council of Lapland in Rovaniemi, Finland. This is roughly the equivalent to the government of the Murmansk Region.

The Kolarctic program managing body is called the Managing Authority of the ENI CBC Kolarctic Programme 2014-2020.

Can you list some project examples, including those where businesses and scientists are represented?

Businesses and researchers are involved in many projects, including:

Reindeer Hide  Quality High,

Use of Heat Pump Promotion in the Barents Region (HePuPro),

Sustainable Buildings for the High North  Cross Border Research and Trade Facilitation,

Sustainable Mining, Local Communities and Environmental Regulation in Kolarctic Area (SUMILCERE).

Researches have obtained interesting results in projects like:

Finding the Regional Strengths to Create Business Opportunities for Arctic Agriculture Based on Special Plants (BARENTSPEC),

Kolarctic Salmon (Trilateral Cooperation on our Common Resource: the Atlantic Salmon in the Barents Region).

Judging by your website, the Kolarctic program was drafted for 2007 to 2013. What's next?

The Kolarctic program 2007-2013 is finished. The Joint Monitoring Committee is currently working on the next program for 2014 through 2020. Even the names of these programs are slightly different. The previous program was called ENPI CBC Kolarctic Programme 2007-2013, and the new program has been named ENI CPC Kolarctic Programme 2014-2020.

Why hasn't the new one been launched yet?

Since 2014, the concerned parties have been working to launch it, and they are working on the policy documents, but the invitation to fund projects has not been announced. We expect Russia and the European Commission to sign a funding agreement before the year is out, and then we can launch the first application submission round.

What is the co-funding structure for the member-countries for the new program period?

It's still too early to talk about specific figures because, again, a financial agreement has not yet been signed between Russia and the European Commission. At the same time, the program's approximate current budget will be about 63.4 million euros, including:

24.7 million euros' worth of common EU co-funding;

In all, national co-funding will total 24.7 million euros: Finland and Sweden  12.35 million euros, the Russian Federation  12.35 million euros, respectively;

Norwegian national co-funding and the Kolarctic Norway contribution will total 14 million euros.

What are the main goals?

We primarily intend to mitigate the distant nature of our common region and increase the socioeconomic significance through high-priority programs like improving the viability of the Arctic economy, nature and the environment and promoting the free mobility of people, goods and knowledge.

What programs are high-priority, and why?

We have four thematic goals, and we will be able to file requests for these goals after the financial agreement is signed between Russia and the EC. The first goal is the development of small and medium-sized businesses. The second is environmental protection, mitigating the consequences of climate change and adapting to climate change. The third is to make regions more accessible, to develop resilient transportation and communications systems that can take the extreme climate, among other things. And the fourth goal is to help improve and control the border infrastructure, maintain border security and control migration.

What's been achieved so far?

In all, 51 projects were funded during the previous program period, including 48 standard projects and three large-scale projects worth a total of 95 million euros. Other examples include:

CETIA (Coastal Environment, Technology and Innovation in the Arctic),

Enhancement of Oil Spill Response System by Establishing Oil Database,

CYAR  Children and Youth at Risk in the Barents Region,

Salla-Gate  Business and Tourism Partnership,

Support for Leaving Care in Murmansk Region and in Lapland,

Arctic Expo Center  Nuclear Powered Icebreaker Lenin (ICE), and others.

The list of financed projects is posted on our website.

As someone with an insider's knowledge of the program, what advice can you offer to future applicants? Can you suggest a formula for a successful project?

To me, the formula for a successful project combines a difficult objective and an unconventional approach to achieving it. A difficult objective might be a project to resolve a long-neglected social or business problem, a problem that should have been resolved a long time ago.

An unconventional approach could be a resolution that uses modern technology and best practices, and really, a creative approach. The world has changed a lot, and approaches that were used only ten years ago have already become less effective. It's time to move on and be creative.
Got a question or tip? Contact us at bizmojoidaho@gmail.com.
After Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's latest controversial remarks, Colleen Deacon's congressional campaign is accusing U.S. Rep. John Katko of enabling the GOP nominee's "dangerous rhetoric."

At a rally Tuesday in North Carolina, Trump was discussing the possibility of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton getting elected and being in a position to appoint Supreme Court judges.

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks," Trump said. "Although the Second Amendment people  maybe there is, I don't know."

Trump comments, which seemed to suggest that assassination is an option for those who would disagree with Clinton's gun control positions as president, were criticized by members of both parties.

Erin Fleck, a spokesperson for Deacon's campaign, called Trump's statement "absolutely disgraceful."

"Republican John Katko said recently that Trump's core message is resonating but the delivery needs to be worked on  he said that he needs to see if the tone changes before he can decide if he will support Donald Trump for president," Fleck said.

"Well, I think at this point Trump's tone has been quite clear and Republican Congressman Richard Hanna said it best  he's 'narcissistic, profoundly offensive and anything but a leader.' Katko's refusal to disavow Trump speaks volumes and his silence is only enabling Trump's dangerous rhetoric."

Katko previously said that he's concerned about Trump's tone. He hasn't endorsed the Manhattan real estate mogul, even though he did say that he would support the GOP presidential nominee.

Democrats have repeatedly pressed Katko to take a position: Either endorse Trump, the party's presidential nominee, or don't. Deacon and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee are seeking to link Katko to Trump in the 24th Congressional District race.

Last month, Katko attended a meeting between House Republicans and Trump. That gathering wasn't enough to persuade the GOP congressman that he should endorse his party's presidential nominee.

"I continue to have concerns about the divisive tone of Mr. Trump's campaign and the lack of substantive dialogue on the issues that matter most to central New Yorkers and to all Americans," Katko said in July. "Nothing was said (at the meeting) to ease those concerns."

UPDATED: Katko's campaign issued a statement responding to the comments made by Deacon's campaign.

"John has repeatedly expressed that he has significant concerns with the tone of the Trump campaign. As this campaign progresses, John's opponent wants to continue to talk about Donald Trump and partisan presidential politics  instead of focusing on the issues that matter to central New York families. John is focused on you, your family and your needs. He's been an effective, bipartisan member of Congress and is eager to run on that record.

"Central New York voters deserve to know where Colleen Deacon stands. Is her campaign a locally focused, issue-based campaign, or a typical D.C.-run partisan effort? How will she work with Mr. Trump should he win? Despite her endorsement, how will she stand up to Hillary Clinton to protect the district? This is what the voters in CNY need to hear about."
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is using U.S. Rep. John Katko's own words against him in a new ad airing on Syracuse-area radio stations.

The ad criticizes Katko's acceptable of special interest money, particularly from political action committees. Federal Election Commission records show Katko's re-election campaign has received 52.5 percent of its contributions from "other committees," most of which are PACs affiliated with other elected officials or interest groups.

In his latest campaign finance report submitted in July, Katko raised $177,633.16 from PACs and other committees. The funds accounted for nearly 56 percent of his total receipts from June 9 through June 30.

The donors included Exelon Corporation's PAC, which gave $5,000 to Katko's campaign. Exelon announced Tuesday that the company has acquired the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant in Scriba, Oswego County.

The plant is located in Katko's district.

Katko also received funds from several GOP-affiliated PACs. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise's committee, the Eye of the Tiger PAC, donated $4,500 to the Camillus Republican's campaign.

During the 2014 election, Katko, R-Camillus, criticized his opponent, then-U.S. Rep. Dan Maffei, for accepting donations from outside of the 24th Congressional District.

At a NewsChannel 9 debate that year, Katko said most of the donations to his campaign came from central New York.

"You are where you get your money from," he said. "I am central New York and that's where my money came from."

The DCCC contends that Katko's comments two years ago and his recent campaign finance filings are an example of his hypocrisy  an issue they plan to raise throughout the 24th District campaign.

"Last election, Congressman John Katko attacked his opponent for taking special interest money, but when he got to Washington, he did the same," DCCC spokesman Bryan Lesswing said. "By Katko's own admission last election, 'you are where you get your money from.' For Katko, he needs to answer for the special interests that bankroll his campaign."

Chris Pack, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, issued a statement Wednesday responding to the DCCC's radio ad campaign.

"Nancy Pelosi's campaign arm is clearly rewarding Colleen Deacon for saying she would not break with House Democrats on any issue, even if it was in the interest of central New York," Pack said. "While Colleen Deacon is busy taking her marching orders from Nancy Pelosi, John Katko will continue fighting in a bipartisan fashion for his constituents."

Katko is running for re-election against Democratic challenger Colleen Deacon, who previously served as U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's central New York regional director.

Deacon won a three-way primary in June to secure the Democratic nomination.

The 24th District is a top target for Democrats. The party is looking to win back the seat it lost two years ago when Katko defeated Maffei, D-Syracuse, by nearly 20 points.

Democrats have fared better in this district during presidential election years. In 2008 and 2012, Maffei was elected to Congress by comfortable margins.

The last time a Republican won the Syracuse-area congressional district race in a presidential election year was 2004, when then-U.S. Rep. Jim Walsh faced no Democratic opposition.
After the Burma Army sent troops from the Shadan Pa banana plantation in Nam San Yang to Bandawng Kahtawng on the Myitkyina-Bhamo Roadon the way to Laizafighting started in Ja Ing Yang at 3 pm, lasting one hour.

According to an unconfirmed news report, a Burma Army lieutenant was killed and 9 government soldiers sustained injuries from the clash.

After the new National League for Democracy government took office in April the Burma Army launched a series of offensives to clear KIA troops from between the Irrawaddy River and Myitkyina-Bhamo Road in Waingmaw Township in eastern Kachin State.

Reporting by KNG

Translated by Thida Linn

Edited by BNI staff
Eagle Boys and Pizza Hut rumoured to be merging





Australias second-largest pizza chain could be created if a rumoured merger between Eagle Boys and Pizza Hut eventuates.

According to Fairfax Media, a Sydney-based private-equity company, Allegro Funds, is attempting to acquire both chains. Eagle Boys head office entered into voluntary administration in July 2016, although its franchised stores still continue to operate.

It is not known if the acquisition eventuates whether Eagle Boys and Pizza Hut would be combined together under the one brand or if they would continue to operate separately as is.

Allegro Funds already owns a number of businesses including carpet retailer, Carpet Court, bus manufacturer Custom and Great Southern Rail train services.

The news that Allegro may be acquiring Eagle Boys and Pizza Hut comes just after Roy Morgan Research released data showing that between 2012 and 2016 that Eagle Boys visitation rate fell from 852, 000 every average four-weeks, to 336, 000, a 61 per cent decrease.

Pizza Hut, which is owned by Yum! Brands, also experienced a drop in visitation across this period, going from one million visitors every average four-weeks to 745, 000.

At the same time, competing chain Dominos went from 1.8 million customers every four weeks in 2012 to 2.3 million in 2016.

Australian Food News attempted to contact Allegro Funds, Eagle Boys and Pizza Hut for comment but did not receive any response prior to publication.
US Amplify acquires popular Australian-sold Tyrells Crisps





US snack giant, Amplify, has acquired chip manufacturer, Tyrells.

Amplify acquired Tyrells for 300 million pounds.

Amplify is listed on the US stock exchange and is estimated to be worth US $1 billion. It is best known in the United States for its SkinnyPop popcorn. It also owns US-sold gourmet tortilla chips brand, Paqui.

Tyrells has been owned by Bahrain-based luxury brand company Investcorp since 2013.

Tyrells to expand Amplifys international presence

President and Chief Executive Officer of Amplify, Tom Ennis, said the company was established with the intent of becoming a leader in the better-for-you snacks category and that Tyrrells fits well into its portfolio of brands.

Tyrrells represents a highly strategic, rapidly growing and sizeable acquisition for Amplify and greatly expands our snacking categories and international presence, Ennis said.

Tyrells was established in 2002 by farmer and entrepreneur, William Chase. Since then, the company has exported its chips to different parts of Europe and the US. It first entered Australian supermarkets in 2014 through an exclusive supply deal with Coles.

In August 2015, Tyrells acquired Australian snack brand, Yarra Valley Snack Foods, the producer of Thomas Chipman Organic Chips and other snacks.

At the beginning of 2016, Tyrells began manufacturing its chips at a factory in the Victorian Yarra Valley. It is the first time Tyrells Crisps are have been made outside the UK.
Woolworths slowly on the way back





Regular readers of Australian Food News are well aware of Woolworths recent travails.

From its failed venture into hardware through Masters to other failed management strategies, Woolworths over the past 24 months has lost considerable market recognition as a previous leader.

But are things finally starting to look up?

After Chief Executive Officer of Woolworths, Brad Banducci, recently revealed more of his plan to turn the group around, there has plenty of analysis indicating that a turnaround will occur, it just might not happen fast as Woolworths may like.

For example..

UBS

After the restructuring update was announced, which included culling 500 head office jobs, finance company, UBS said whilst the Woolworths group has strong bones and issues can ultimately be corrected, UBS expects the turnaround will take longer and cost more than expected.

Credit Suisse

Credit Suisse said that it agrees with Woolworths turnaround plans buts says it does not have any reason to upgrade its credit rating yet. Credit Suisse said Woolworths was undertaking textbook retail restructuring and that things like performing refurbishments should improve sales growth and addressing supply chain costs at its department chain Big W all amongst a number of positive steps.

That said, there is unlikely to be a substantial opportunity to upgrade supermarket earnings expectations due to low opportunity for earnings-before-interest-and-tax margin or market share expansion from the current forecast, Credit Suisse announced.

In May 2016, Standard and Poor, had downgraded its credit rating for Woolworths.

David Walker, Analyst at Stocks in Value

Senior Analyst at Stocks in Value wrote in The Australian on 9 August 2016 that there was no doubt that Woolworths will turn around, yet he also believes it would take time and that there would be other companies for investors to put their money into in the meantime.

Walker noted, after analysing Woolworths in depth and from witnessing other large-cap ASX turnarounds, that the company will eventually be better managed than it has been in recent years, but it still will have Coles and Aldi hot on its heels.

He suspects Woolworths will need to further invest in price cutting strategies to fight the perception it has become a more expensive supermarket option and he is concerned the possible entry of German discount supermarket, Lidl, could provide even more competition.

John Rice, Professor of Management and Nigel Martin, Business and Economics Lecturer

Writing for The Conversation, Professor of Management at the University of New England, John Rice, and a lecturer at the College of Business and Economics at the Australian National University, Nigel Martin, also expressed concern regarding Aldis power over Woolworths future.

The article defends the many advantages Aldi has running its supermarkets the way it does.

The focus of Aldi has so many benefits lower wastage, more reliable and economical supply arrangements and more efficient in-store logistics. These are the fundamental drivers of profitability that Woolworths simply cannot replicate, the two wrote.

They concluded Woolworths still may have tough times ahead.

So, taken together while the times are tough for Woolworths, they may well be about to become tougher still. Buying Woolworths shares at their current level may well be a great idea  or we may yet see its shares plummet again as the realities of its huge fixed costs and shrinking margins combine to see more long term pain for the company, they concluded.
HIGHTSTOWN, N.J.The management teams of East Coast News and its sister companies recently held their annual meeting in Princeton, N.J., and received a delivery timeframe analysis from FedEx.

According to the report, from March through June all deliveries form East Coast News warehouses in New Jersey, Florida and California delivered on time 99.2 percent of the time. Additionally, retailers who bought via distribution received their products on time 99.6 percent of the time via FedEx Ground, while ECNs drop shipping service was delivered on time 98.1 percent of the time via FedEx Home Delivery.

FedEx also reported that the average time spent in transit for orders shipped via FedEx Ground was only 2.39 days, with almost 62 percent of all orders being received in two days or less.

We are extremely pleased with how FedEx has performed these last few months, said Kevin Guilford, sales manager at East Coast News. Having such an amazing on-time delivery rate doesnt only benefit ECN, but also the customers receiving the orders. A faster delivery means fewer days in inventory, allowing us to constantly replenish our stock. And meeting and exceeding customer deadlines drives home our motto, our world revolves around our customers.

East Coast News attributes the timely deliveries to two main reasons. One, having warehouses that carry the same products in three prime areas of the United States allows for a much quicker turnaround. Customers have their products shipped from the warehouse that is closest geographically to them. Second, FedEx is constantly working to improve their delivery times, and always coming up with new and innovative ways to do just that.

For more, visit ECN.com.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/08/2016 (2270 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Thirty months after it was officially closed, Veteran Affairs Minister Kent Hehr was in Brandon to formally announce the local Veterans Affairs Office will be functional by the end of 2016.

Hehr, flanked by Winnipeg Liberal MPs Robert Falcon-Ouellette and Doug Eyolfson, made the announcement on Monday at the Service Canada building downtown, where the office will be reopened in October and fully functional by December.

The office will house approximately nine staff members, Hehr said. They may include case managers, veteran service agents, administrative support workers, benefit operations adjudicators and other health professionals may make up the roster, depending on the needs and size of the office.

Colin Corneau Veterans Affairs Minister Kent Hehr announces the reopening of the Veterans Affairs Office in Brandon against a backdrop of items from the local Royal Canadian Artillery Museum on Tuesday.

Right now, one staffer works out of the Service Canada portion of the same building, Hehr said.

Of the approximately 2,400 veterans the Brandon office is expected to serve, 123 are currently receiving case management services from VAC.

Hehr said a ratio of 25 cases per manager is the target for the new offices  a figure derived from standards among NATO partners and social work best practices.

We looked at the backlog and the numbers, and we believe our staffing is fully warranted for the services our veterans need  full stop, Hehr said in an interview with The Sun.

In his speech, Hehr noted Brandons deep-rooted military history during his remarks to a room of about 50 people, including Sioux Valley Dakota Nation Chief Vincent Tacan and Brandons acting mayor John LoRegio, several veterans and current members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Hehr said hell never forget receiving his mandate letter from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last November. Reopening the nine offices is one of the 15 specific items in that mandate letter.

The minister told The Sun he has every confidence all 15 promises will be crossed off the list before the next election, Hehr said.

Six items were accounted for in the 2016 federal budget at a cost of $5.6 billion.

I thought we moved at breakneck speed to put our budget requests through by February of this year, Hehr said.

As for the remaining items, including promises to increase the veteran survivors pension amount from 50 to 70 per cent, and pay for up to four years of post-secondary education for veterans?

Look, were a new government, Hehr said.

We dont know everything, so having that ability to go and talk to veterans and their families on the issue of a clear option for a pension, on issues like mental health, issues like returning to work. They are the experts, not us.

He wouldnt put a price tag on the commitments in his letter.

We have an understanding of what they are going to be, but until those come out, it would be silly of me to estimate, guesstimate or go from there, Hehr said.

The Calgary MP choose not to comment on an ongoing lawsuit between veterans in British Columbia who argue the government has a sacred obligation to provide the expanded pensions and other benefits.

Larry Robertson, a Brandonite who for two decades served with the First, Second and Fourth Royal Canadian Horse Artilleries, as well as the School of Artillery at CFB Shilo, said its extremely important the Liberals fulfilled this election plank.

Its one of the few times theyve carried through with their promise as far as Im concerned, he said.

Now hes looking for the same on the other items in Hehrs mandate letter.

The survivor benefits should be improved. The cost of living is going up and the remunerations are not, or not at the same (rate), Robertson said.

Edd McArthur served for more than four decades and is currently the curator of the 26th Field Regiment RCA/ XII Manitoba Dragoons Museum in Brandon.

He was photographed alongside Peter Ewasiuk, a Korean War veteran, in The Sun in February 2014, protesting the VAC offices closure.

Hes passed away in the meantime. Hed have been here otherwise. He really found it a big blow to lose this place. A lot of the veterans use this place, McArthur said.

He agreed with Robertsons conclusion.

Someone has to run the country. If the Liberals run it, if they follow through with their election promises, it cant be all bad, right?

After his Wheat City stop Hehr travelled to Saskatoon, where hell make a similar announcement about that citys VAC office today.

 tbateman@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @tombatemann
CHEYENNE, WY  The iWantCustomClips Top 5 Elite Model Team contest will be over in less than one week, and a record amount of fetish and cam models, as well as porn stars, are vying for one of the five spots.

Theres still time to enter. The contest closes on Monday, August 15, and the winners will be announced seven to 10 days later.

Entering is simple. All models registered with IWCC can send a video or email about why should be picked to [email protected] The five models with the best video or email will win.

Winners get a $300 bonus, 110 percent of their clip sales, and can sign for IWCC at its booth at upcoming tradeshows, including Exxxotica and AEE in Las Vegas in 2017.

This IWCC model team search has been very exciting, and were very happy that weve received so many entries from models, says Jay Phillips, Vice President of iWantCustomClips.com. Theres still time to enter, and we cant wait to see the last round of entries.

iWantCustomClips has a blog that details all the contest requirements. It can be viewed here.
Already have an account? Log in here 

Lt.-Col. Wayne Niven, the former commanding officer of CFB Shilos 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry, officially took command of Operation Unifier at a ceremony in the west of Ukraine on Tuesday.

We need your support!

Local journalism needs your support!

As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.

Now, more than ever, we need your support.

Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.

or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.

Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/08/2016 (2270 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO  Altitude apparently goes to Pope Franciss head. It always seems to be on an aircraft that he says something radical or provocative, often getting into trouble and obliging his staff and apologists to explain that he was misunderstood, mistranslated or just missed. And usually giving cause for the Catholic left to rejoice and Catholic right to despair. This time, on a flight home from Armenia, he announced he had set up a commission to consider whether women could be made deacons.

Oh, the humanity. A group of experts discussing whether, after a couple of thousand years, Roman Catholicism might give half the population the chance of having just a little authority within the oh-so-male hierarchy of the Church. Let me make a bold prediction here. It wont happen. The Pope speaks a good game but plays rather a bad one.

There are two types of deacon. One group is composed of men who are on their way to the priesthood; the position is merely temporary. The other is the diaconate, where men can be married, and have a mere fraction of a priests authority. It is the latter for which women are being considered.

Already the more conservative elements within the Catholic Church are performing a liturgical dance of anger and incredulity. They regard the Pope as a relentless liberal  hes not, actually, and has changed hardly anything at all  and see even the consideration of female deacons as downright heresy. Its the first step, they say, and next will be married clergy and then those damned females telling us what to do.

Theyre wrong. Even if women are made deacons  and as I say, its incredibly unlikely  the change could and would go no further. Catholic theology believes the prime role of the priest is to represent Christ at the Mass and, as Jesus was a man, no woman can fulfil this position. But Jesus was also Jewish, spoke Aramaic and was born of a virgin. Try as I might, I have never found an Aramaic-speaking, Jewish priest born of a virgin serving mass in Canada. Mind you, I dont get around as much as I used to.

Its obviously a pretty flimsy argument and the chances are the vast majority of North American Catholics are either unaware of it or reject it. But there is, of course, more going on here. Male privilege, fear of women and of female empowerment, and sometimes downright misogyny are sadly abundant in Catholic circles. While Queen Elizabeth led England in the 16th century, Catherine the Great transformed Russia in the 18th and nations as diverse as India, Israel and Germany have elected women as premiers, the Roman Catholic Church sees women as mothers, nuns and, very occasionally, theologians. The Madonna always knows her place.

This anachronistically male culture not only distorts reality and, indeed, the teachings of Jesus, but also allows reactionary and naive ideas about sex, contraception, divorce and reproductive choice to dominate Catholic teaching. I am also convinced the abuse crisis could not have happened, or would have been exposed far earlier, if women had more influence within the Catholic power structure.

It was women who first saw the resurrected Jesus and told their doubting male comrades, women who featured so large in the most memorable of stories concerning Jesus and His ministry, women who still to a very large extent sustain organized Christianity. But a male pope tells male cardinals who tell male priests what is true and what not. Good old boys, often with their own sexual struggles and obfuscation, being good old clerics. Gender exclusivity is morally and spiritually stifling, and when enforced celibacy is added to the mixture the result is, alas, not only damaging but positively dangerous.

The Catholic Church is going to have to ask itself some very challenging and profound questions in the coming years, about issues the secular world and even other churches have already embraced and resolved. The longer it denies and pretends, the more irrelevant it will become to the emerging generation and that, I believe, will be a great shame.

Perhaps the Pope needs to go flying again  I suppose hes closer to God up there.

 Michael Corens latest book is Epiphany: A Christians Change of Heart & Mind Over Same-Sex Marriage. His column recently appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press.
Charged with DUI

 Valencia Simone Jackson, 52, of West Shortline Court was arrested by Flagstaff Police Department on an extreme DUI charge at 1:11 a.m. Monday.

 Andrea Angel Slim, 35, of North Fourth Street was arrested by Flagstaff Police Department on an extreme DUI charge at 11:17 p.m. Saturday.

 Brannon Huskie, 34, of Tuba City was arrested by Flagstaff Police Department on a charge of aggravated DUI with a passenger under 15 at 12:45 a.m. Saturday.

 Cody Tyler Big, 22, of North Rilla Road was arrested by Flagstaff Police Department on a DUI charge at 6:19 p.m. Thursday.

 Jacob Thomas Hredzak, 22, of East Payton Way was arrested by Flagstaff Police Department on an extreme DUI charge at 3:08 a.m. Thursday.

City and county residents who want to report a crime but wish to remain anonymous may call Silent Witness at 774-6111 or (877) 29-CRIME, submit a tip online at www.coconinosilentwitness.org, or text the word Flagtip along with your information to 274637 (CRIMES). Rewards of up to $2,000 are given for information that leads to an arrest.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 10/08/2016 (2270 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The storm was furious, but it was miraculous that no one was hurt.

It was the worst electrical storm on record that passed through the community of Griswold that Saturday morning. And it was accompanied by what The Brandon Sun writer of the day called a regular tornado of wind and rain.

Nearly all of the fences and metal chimneys came down, the tents on the CNR construction were flattened out and a lot of supplies for workers were spoiled as a result of that storm.

The same system caused more damage in Souris, Newdale, Pipestone, Reston and several other places, with extensive damage to buildings. In some cases, several horses were killed.

That was June 16, 1907.

One day later, another violent storm passed through Wheatland near Rivers with a massive wind that damaged buildings and property all over the district. The roof of the ice rink was blown several hundred feet away, and the waiting rooms of the building were totally demolished. The chimney of the local English church was blown off, and every grain elevator in the region sustained some kind of damage.

Violent, dangerous storms are not unknown to Manitoba. The Sun has several accounts of tornadoes and funnel clouds hitting various communities over the years.

In July 1965, a tornado struck the small farming community of Ridgeville, located 60 miles south of Winnipeg. Chimneys were knocked down, trees were uprooted and several windows were broken. At least three sheds were demolished in that storm system, which also spawned funnel clouds near the Winnipeg airport and the Assiniboia Downs race track.

Three years later, a savage twister that was said to be about 50 yards across by an eyewitness caused extensive damage to the La Riviere resort area, and threw a railway caboose around like a toy. The tornado then wound its way through 15 miles of farms and farmyards, destroying trees, sheds and machinery, before it blew itself out south of Manitou.

And in July 1977, another tornado killed two people and injured two others when it struck the small town of Rosa, in eastern Manitoba. The twister had taken the lives of Mike Klem and his wife Katie, when it picked up their farmhouse and slammed it down several hundred yards away. It was storms like this one that prompted the Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization to set up a system to spot tornadoes and other potentially dangerous weather conditions.

Its a system that we have in place even today. For every major storm system that moves through the province, Environment Canada has set up storm alerts to warn the public of the potential for violent systems, and accompanying tornado activity.

That alert system was active on Monday evening, when a strong storm cell that produced at least three tornadoes and likely a fourth north of Erickson  passed through Westman. Seven houses were damaged in Waywayseecappo First Nation, and one home was completely destroyed by the confirmed tornado on the reserve. There is even a video of the storm showing how the winds overturned a school bus in the community.

In 20 mins from my deck we watched four tornadoes form and dissolve   wrote Waywayseecappo resident Eric Mentuck on his Facebook page Monday evening.

With the advent of better storm-tracking technology, the proliferation of smartphones among the population, and the growing interest in storm chasing, its easy to think that Manitoba storms are becoming more violent and dangerous  a product of climate change.

As the Winnipeg Free Press reported this week, the confirmed tornado events in Manitoba as of Tuesday this year number at least 14  up from eight in 2015 and six in 2014. But meteorologists with Environment Canada warn that using confirmed tornado numbers to point to the effects of climate change is not a good idea, because of a population bias in the numbers.

The reports happen where the people are, because thats who reports them, Environment Canada climate-change meteorologist Natalie Hasell said. We have a large part of the province where we dont have roads, where we dont have settled people, where we dont have regular inhabitants. So there could be many more tornadoes  many more hail, wind, rain events  but nobody is there to see them or report them to us and we dont necessarily have a way to confirm them.

Technology is certainly playing a role in the number of confirmed tornadoes, she said. In fact, Manitobans are rather fixated on storm chasing these days, and thus we take notice when Environment Canada warns of an incoming system.

Hasell also said there really is no particular trend, noting Saskatchewan counted seven tornadoes in 2011, 33 in 2012, 17 in 2013, nine in 2014 and two in 2015.

Of course, this doesnt mean that climate change isnt real. There are multiple studies that have been conducted over the decades and published in peer-reviewed scientific journals proving that climate warming trends are real and are linked to human activity.

We just cant point to the storm photos on Twitter as the proof.
A member of the ground staff has captured a shocking security breach at Madrid airport on film.

The incident, which took place last Friday, shows footage of a passenger at Madrids Barajas Airport leaping from an air bridge onto the tarmac after somehow getting through security.

The man - reportedly a Bolivian national - can then be seen running across the tarmac towards a Ryanair plane which he believes hed missed to the Canary Islands, all this takes after the plane had already begun its push-back.

The alarm was raised and eventually the passenger was detained by airport staff before putting himself or anyone else in anymore danger.

* If you cant see the Facebook embed, you can view it here.

What makes the incident even more shocking is the fact that Spain is currently sitting on its second highest anti-terror alert level.

Speaking to the Guardian a spokesman for Aena  a public body that operates most of Spains airports  confirmed the passenger used extreme measures to break onto the tarmac, however the spokesman also said that terrorism was in no way a factor in the incident.

The passenger had reached the gate with his boarding pass, said the Aena spokesman.

He broke through a fire escape, the doors opened and he got out that way.

This person had cleared security and had no terrorist motivations. He was never suspected of being a terrorist.

Despite his actions the man was somehow not arrested by the Guardia Civil at the time. He even refused to wait for the police after being told to do so by airport staff.

To make matters worse he still, almost unbelievably, made it onto the flight he was thought he was trying to reach in the first place.

It seems that he got on to the tarmac because hed missed his flight but the plane he was trying to get on wasnt his, said a spokeswoman.

When he realised that, he got on the flight to Gran Canaria.

Further reports from Spain suggest the man was later detained at his destination and could face a large fine for his actions.

Ryanair have told the media that the incident is a matter for the Madrid police.
A 22-year-old Dubliner who survived the balcony collapse in Berkeley, California, last summer has told a public hearing in Sacramento that it changed her life forever.

Aoife Beary broke down as she talked about her friends she had known since primary school who died in the balcony collapse on her 21st birthday.
Specialist counselling is to be offered to the near 20,000 women and their partners and families who suffer miscarriage, perinatal death, fatal foetal abnormality, termination or who travel for an abortion each year.

Under a new support system every hospital and maternity unit must offer every grieving mother a meeting with a midwife dedicated to helping them deal with the bereavement.

Claire Cullen-Delsol, spokeswoman for the Termination for Medical Reasons Group, said up until now families were getting lost in a lottery-like system of care.

The 31-year-old's baby daughter Alex died 26 weeks into the pregnancy and was still born after the 20 week scan showed she had Trisomy 13, or Patau syndrome, and would not survive.

"It reads like this will make life much more bearable for us," she said.

"This is the thing that's going to help get through this, as long as it's resourced. If a woman gets that news there needs to be an immediate action plan.

"The main message is that the loss of a child effects a huge number of people. It's not just the parents - the mother is obviously hugely affected, but it's the siblings, the parents, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles. The ripple effect is just devastating.

"As far as bereavement care and counselling is concerned it is all a lottery. It depends where you are."

In Ireland about 14,000 women suffer miscarriage each year, another 500 perinatal deaths are recorded and there are 3,700 cases of women travelling abroad for a terminations.

The new counselling system was developed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) following the death of dentist Savita Halappanavar in University Hospital Galway in October 2012 after she miscarried and was denied a termination.

It comes after a watchdog's findings of "grossly inappropriate and traumatising" handling of baby death and maternity cases in Portlaoise Hospital.

Health Minister Simon Harris billed the counselling system as a new beginning.

"I am pleased that the standards will ensure that clinical and counselling services will be in place to support women and their families in all pregnancy loss situations, from early pregnancy loss to perinatal death, as well as situations where there is a diagnosis of a life-limiting or fatal foetal anomaly," he said.

"I am grateful to the many families who generously shared their experiences during the strategy consultation process and offered suggestions on how care could be improved."

Mr Harris said he hoped the new regime will give grieving families the care and compassion they need.

All maternity hospitals and units will have teams of bereavement specialists to support grieving parents and families and staff involved in their care

They will include a dedicated clinical midwife who specialises in bereavement care along with obstetricians, paediatricians, neonatologists, chaplains, social workers and palliative care staff.

The initiative states that bereavement care should be a central mission of hospitals and offered in accordance with the religious, secular, ethnic, social and cultural values of the parents.

It asks hospitals to ensure bereavement care and end of life care for babies is organised around the needs of babies and their families.

The new regime also says parents should be invited to meet a consultant neonatologist/paediatrician and the appropriate team to discuss a diagnosis which the HSE describes as a "life-limiting condition".

It says a mother or parents should receive up-to-date information and contact details of services available if they choose to terminate the pregnancy.
Ibrahim Halawa's legal team is optimistic about a fresh application to the Egyptian president for his release.

The Dublin man has spent three years in prison awaiting trial for allegedly taking part in an illegal protest in Cairo.
Doctors who need to test their patients for the potentially fatal Valley Fever disease will no longer have to rely on blood tests that take weeks to process and have questionable accuracy.

The Flagstaff branch of the Translational Genomics Research Institute and Northern Arizona University have developed a new genetic-based test that takes just an hour and, so far in tests and trials, has been accurate every time, said Dave Engelthaler director of programs and operations for TGen North.

The research institute announced last week that it had received a patent for the test and licensed the technology to St. George, Utah-based DxNA LLC. The company is in the final stages of FDA approval, so it hopes to make a test available to doctors and clinics by next year, Engelthaler said.

Its an especially important advancement in Arizona, which sees thousands of Valley Fever cases each year.

This is one of several diagnostic tests TGen has developed for pathogens like influenza, MRSA, or antibiotic resistant staph, and general fungal infections, Engelthaler said. The tests are generally similar and involve isolating and amplifying segments of DNA that uniquely identify a pathogen, then testing samples for those genetic markers.

For Valley Fever, the test picks out the DNA fingerprints of the microscopic fungus Coccidioides, which causes the infection. The fungus is endemic to hot soils of the desert Southwest and typically enters the body through the lungs. For that reason, the TGen test uses a respiratory sample to run its analysis.

The Valley Fever test currently on the market, on the other hand, is immune-based and scans the blood for antibodies triggered by the fungus. Because people have different immune responses though, the test can often be inaccurate, Engelthaler said.

Engelthaler said he hopes doctors will test for Valley Fever more often if they have access to a more accurate test. TGen and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention helped conduct a study that showed in areas that experience high levels of Valley Fever, sometimes less than 10 percent of people with pneumonia symptoms, which are similar to symptoms for a Valley Fever infection, are tested for the fungal disease.

Because the symptoms for both diseases are similar, many doctors also will initially prescribe pneumonia-targeted antibiotics to a patient, without waiting for the results of the pneumonia test to come in. It may take five to six times of the patient returning to the doctor without improvement for the physician to test for Valley Fever, Engelthaler said.

Five months is the average time to diagnose the infection from the time that a patient first seeks care, David Taus, CEO of DxNA LLC, said in a press release about the test.

Valley Fever most commonly causes a progressive lung infection, but can also spread to other parts of the body, including the skin, bone, brain and the rest of the nervous system. So far in 2016, Arizona has seen 3,159 cases of the infection and while most of those occur in the southern part of the state, Coconino County sees a small number of cases each year, according to the public health services district. The county has seen 78 cases since 2014, with the most recent case logged on July 12.

The Coconino County Public Health Services District continues to monitor coccidioidomycosis, however due to lower risks in Northern Arizona, coccidioidomycosis is not a major area of focus for the Health District, spokesperson Trish Lees wrote in an email.

Nearly 60 percent of those infected, including dogs and other vertibrates, develop no significant symptoms but many others experience severe symptoms such as cough, fever and fatigue and as many as 500 people die each year from the disease.
New students to Dublin's Trinity College will be given the option of receiving sexual consent classes from this autumn.

The pilot programme is being rolled out at the University's residences in a bid to help students make more informed choices.
Donald Trump has blamed faulty interpretations and media bias for an uproar over his comments about the Second Amendment.

He is insisting he never advocated violence against Hillary Clinton, even as undeterred Democrats pile on.

The latest controversy to strike Mr Trump's campaign arose, as they often do, out of an offhand quip at a boisterous campaign rally.

Claiming falsely that Ms Clinton wants to revoke the right to gun ownership guaranteed in the Constitution's Second Amendment, Mr Trump said there would be "nothing you can do", if she is elected, to stop her from stacking the Supreme Court with anti-gun justices.

Then he added ambiguously: "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is - I don't know. But I'll tell you what: that will be a horrible day."

Like so many times before, Mr Trump's supporters and opponents construed his comments in entirely different ways.

"Give me a break," Mr Trump said hours later, insisting he was referring to the power that voters hold. He told Fox News that "there can be no other interpretation".

But Democrats saw - and seized - an opportunity to reinforce the perception that Mr Trump cannot moderate the things that come out of his mouth, much less the decisions he would make as president.

"I really, frankly couldn't believe he said it," said Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential nominee.

"Nobody who is seeking a leadership position, especially the presidency, the leadership of the country, should do anything to countenance violence, and that's what he was saying."

By Tuesday evening, Ms Clinton's campaign was fundraising off the firestorm, asking supporters by email to chip in one dollar to "show that we don't tolerate this kind of politics in America".

Mr Trump's team, too, was using the controversy to reinforce a theme it has been pitching to voters: that an underdog Trump is being unfairly treated by the media.

"They will buy any line, any distortion, and spin that the Clintons put out," said former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, an ardent Trump supporter.

But House Speaker Paul Ryan, who was celebrating a primary victory in Wisconsin on Tuesday night, said: "It sounds like just a joke gone bad. I hope they clear this up very quickly. You never joke about something like that."

The controversy immediately overwhelmed Mr Trump's intended campaign-trail focus: the economic plan he unveiled just a day earlier and was promoting during rallies in the most competitive election states.

It also underscored the concern, voiced by many worried Republicans, that he cannot stay disciplined and avoid inflammatory remarks that imperil not only his White House prospects but the re-election chances of many Republican lawmakers.

It was not immediately clear whether Mr Trump's latest stumble would continue to dog him or whether, like many in the past, it would quickly fade away.
Former New England Mafia boss Francis "Cadillac Frank" Salemme has been arrested in connection with the murder of a witness, Federal prosecutors say.

Prosecutors did not immediately release further details about Salemme's arrest, but he is expected to make an initial appearance later on Wednesday in Boston federal court.
At least four people have been killed in a bomb attack targeting a police vehicle in southern Turkey.

At the same time as the attack in the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir, a simultaneous blast hit a police bus in the town of Kiziltepe about 70 miles further south. It is feared another two people were killed in the second attack.
A man has appeared in court in Scotland charged with the rape of a 14-year-old girl outside a supermarket.

The teenager was going to collect her bicycle after visiting an Asda store in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, on Sunday when she was allegedly attacked.
Update 9.50pm: An Arkansas police officer has died after being shot while responding to a call at a house.

Sebastian County Deputy Bill Cooper was pronounced dead in hospital after the incident near the town of Hackett.

Earlier: A man suspected of shooting and injuring two Arkansas law enforcement officers has been arrested after barricading himself in a house.

The man was taken into custody several hours after the shooting was reported at around 7.20am local time in a rural, wooded area near Hackett, a town of about 800 residents, according to Sebastian County officials.

Sheriff Bill Hollenbeck said a Hackett police officer suffered "superficial" wounds during the shooting. The second officer, a sheriff's deputy, is believed to be in a serious condition after being shot.

The officers were shot while responding to an unspecified call for service on Wednesday morning.

Dozens of police vehicles, including a SWAT truck, quickly descended on the area and surrounded a house where the suspect had barricaded himself inside.

It is believed the man's father had called police earlier in the day asking officers to check in on his son.

James Markward, who lives nearby, said he heard commotion early on Wednesday morning in the area, which is about 115 miles west of Little Rock.

"It woke me up this morning, the gunshots. Of course I didn't know what was going on," the 72-year-old said. "My neighbour called me and asked if I was shooting, and I said 'No, not me.'"

Mr Markward said the shooting suspect once helped him split wood, but said he had not seen the man in a few years.

"As far as I know, he was all right," he said.

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson said he did not have details about the shooting but he added the incident underscores the danger the state's law enforcement officers face.

"It's a risky business and it really illustrates the importance of our support for law enforcement," he said.

US Representative Bruce Westerman, whose district includes part of Sebastian County, echoed the governor's support for police state-wide.

"This has to stop," he said. "It's a shame the price that law enforcement officers are paying right now and, again, I don't know any details about what's happening here, but my heart and prayer is with them and their families."
The Justice Department and Baltimore Police have agreed to negotiate reforms after a report criticised officers for using excessive force and routinely discriminating against black people.

The report, the culmination of a year-long investigation into one of the country's largest police forces, found that officers make a large number of stops - mostly in poor, black neighbourhoods - with dubious justification and unlawfully arrest citizens when officers "did not like what those individuals said".

"These violations have deeply eroded the relationship between the police and community it serves," Vanita Gupta, the head of the Justice Department's civil rights division, said during a news conference alongside the city's mayor and police commissioner.

The scathing report represents a damning indictment of how the city's police officers carry out the most fundamental of policing practices, including traffic stops and searches.

Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said officers who committed egregious violations have been fired. He and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake promised the report would serve as a blueprint for sweeping changes.

The court-enforceable consent decree will force the police agency to commit to improving its procedures to avoid a lawsuit. The decree likely will not be finalised for many months, Ms Gupta said.

The federal investigation was launched after the April 2015 death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man whose neck was broken while he was handcuffed and shackled but left unrestrained in the back of a police van.

The death set off protests and the worst riots in decades.

The Justice Department has undertaken similar wide-reaching investigations into the police in Chicago, Cleveland, Albuquerque and Ferguson, Missouri, among other cities.

The report went far beyond the circumstances of Mr Gray's death to examine a slew of potentially unconstitutional practices, including excessive force and discriminatory traffic stops.

Federal investigators spent more than a year interviewing Baltimore residents, police officers, prosecutors, public defenders and elected officials, as well as riding along with officers on duty and reviewing documents and complaints.

"Nearly everyone who spoke to us ... agreed the Baltimore Police Department needs sustainable reform," Ms Gupta said.

Among the findings: Black residents account for roughly 84% of stops, though they represent just 63% of the city's population. Likewise, African-Americans make up 95% of the 410 people stopped at least 10 times by officers from 2010-15.

During the same time period, officers stopped 34 black residents 20 times, and seven African-Americans 30 times or more. No individuals of any other race were stopped more than 12 times.

One man who spoke to investigators said he was stopped 30 times in less than four years. At least 15 of those stops, he said, were to check for outstanding warrants. None of the stops resulted in charges.

In addition to pat-downs, Baltimore officers perform unconstitutional public strip searches, including searches of people who are not under arrest.

Officers routinely use unreasonable and excessive force, including against juveniles and citizens who are not dangerous or posing an immediate threat, the report said.

"BPD teaches officers to use aggressive tactics," the report said. "BPD's trainings fuel an 'us vs them' mentality we saw some officers display toward community members, alienating the civilians they are meant to serve."

The report partially blames the department's unconstitutional practices on a "zero tolerance" policy dating back to the early 2000s, during which residents were arrested en masse for minor misdemeanour charges such as loitering.

Although the department has publicly denounced these practices after a 2010 settlement with the NAACP, which sued the department over the policing strategy, "the legacy of the zero tolerance era continues to influence officer activity and contribute to constitutional violations," the report said.

Officers also routinely stop and question individuals without cause or a legitimate suspicion that they're involved in criminal activity, the report says: No charges were filed in 26 of every 27 pedestrian stops.

The directives often come from supervisors. In one instance, a supervisor told a subordinate officer to "make something up" after the officer protested an order to stop and question a group of young black men for no reason.

State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, the city's top prosecutor, said she expected the report to "confirm what many in our city already know or have experienced first-hand".

"While the vast majority of Baltimore City Police officers are good officers, we also know that there are bad officers and that the department has routinely failed to oversee, train, or hold bad actors accountable," she said in a statement.

Six officers, three white and three black, were charged in the death of Mr Gray. Three were acquitted, another officer's trial ended in a mistrial and the charges against the others were dropped.
The tragic death by lightning strike last month of a Tempe teenager atop Humphreys Peak was unusual because it was so rare.

With hundreds of hikers climbing the peak each week in the summer, its a wonder that such tragedies dont occur more often.

For the record, over the past decade Coconino County has seen seven lightning-related fatalities and five lightning-related injuries and/or medical calls for service, according to the Sheriffs Office. Two of those fatalities have occurred at Grand Canyon National Park, while 17-year-old Wade Youngs death on July 20 was the only one that has occurred on Humphreys Peak over that time period.

But as we reported, that doesnt mean Humphreys is a safe place. It has the second highest number of search and rescue calls in Coconino County, mainly for falls. The number of injuries on the mountain is what drove the Forest Service to partner with Northern Arizona University, Friends of Northern Arizona Forests and Coconino County Search & Rescue to establish a preventive search and rescue program. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the summer season, volunteers staff a tent at the Humphreys Peak trailhead and talk with hikers about safety and preparedness, the chance for inclement weather and lightning, wilderness stewardship and other topics.

But the day that Wade Young was struck was a Wednesday, and the volunteer tent at the trailhead is not staffed on weekdays. And unfortunately for Young and other weekday hikers, the signboard at the trailhead has no specific information about lightning danger on the 12,633-foot summit and what to do if a storm rolls in.

The first piece of advice for Humphreys hikers is to avoid monsoon season altogether. There are plenty of beautiful hiking days in May, June, September and October, and almost all of them will be safer than during July and August.

If you must climb the peak during monsoon season, plan on starting down by 11 a.m. That is usually early enough to get hikers below treeline at 11,000 feet before the earliest storms start to form around noon.

Other advice is to not start up the final mile of exposed rock if it is starting to rain  storms intensify quickly at that elevation, and lightning can reach the ground from a cloud as much as 20 miles away.

Finally, if you are on exposed rock when it starts to rain, move as quickly as possible down into the trees, then pick a shorter stand and spread out if with companions. Taller trees tend to attract more lightning strikes, and if one person is struck, others can go for help.

To the Forest Service and their partners, wed say that if you cant staff the trailhead tent seven days a week, at least provide detailed information at the kiosk on lightning danger and what to do about it. The sign should warn any hiker who cant start up the trail during monsoon season before 7 a.m. that they should plan on doing only a partial hike  too many hikers get summit fever and push on upward through a storm, despite the risks.

It is also time to re-evaluate whether the Humphreys Peak Trail should keep its wilderness designation, which prevents the Forest Service from putting out portable toilets and trash receptacles anywhere along the 5-mile route. There is very little wildness left with so many people crowding the trail and summit each day in summer, and its time to face up to the impact of such overuse and mitigate it.

The alternative is to set up a permit system to limit access to the peak, similar to the system in place at Fossil Creek and, during the fall, at the Inner Basin. The permits  perhaps only 50 a day -- would give rangers a better chance to educate hikers about lightning and other risks while underscoring the need to pack out trash and bury all human waste thoroughly.

Humphreys, as the highest point in Arizona, will always attract underprepared peak baggers. Once they have started up the trail, it is usually too late to talk them out of it or teach them about safety and environmental responsibility. It may sound harsh, but if there is a candidate for enforcing a stupid hiker ban, the Humphreys Peak Trail is it. The risks to hikers and rescuers dont leave much room for willful ignorance, and the damage to the landscape is already severe and growing. If officials insist on keeping Humphreys as wilderness, treat it as such and limit hikers to those who respect both its power and fragility.
HAMBURG: The lowest price offered in the tender from Pakistan to purchase 500,000 tonnes of wheat which closed on...
SINGAPORE: Chinas crude oil imports in September rose from the previous month but stayed 2% below their level a...
ISLAMABAD: The number of cellular subscribers as well as teledensity declined for the second consecutive month in...
The shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed African-American teenager, by white police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Mo., two years ago Tuesday touched off a national debate about race and policing, galvanized nascent social and political movements and surfaced anew a variety of historic American tensions and conflicts.

The shooting, and the subsequent decision by a grand jury not to indict Wilson, also generated an explosion of information. Americans saw an avalanche of raw images and video, rumors, propaganda and other forms of misinformation, and a massive amount of news coverage. This body of information, and the story of how particular pieces of it were created, perceived and shared, represents a rich and challenging trove of news literacy lessons. Echoes of these same lessons can be seen in the aftermath of more than a dozen events that followed, including the killings of Tamir Rice in Cleveland in 2014, Freddie Gray in Baltimore last year and three police officers in Dallas last month.

This piece highlights four such lessons:

Understanding the role that confirmation bias plays in how we process information about controversial events

The importance, limitations and pitfalls of images and raw information

How the watchdog role of the press is changing for both citizens and the news media

The dynamic influence of social media and how these platforms can both inform and misinform public understanding of significant events

These information patterns are interconnected and often reinforce each other, sometimes to the detriment of public understanding. An eagerness to accept a viral claim can ignite memes and rumors that make their way into partisan news sources and are accepted as fact by particular audiences. Pre-existing perspectives and beliefs can lead people to bend and exaggerate the meaning of images and raw video  or to harbor sharply divergent perspectives on news coverage.

These forces also can work together in positive ways. Citizens with smartphones often beat journalists to breaking news scenes, playing a critical role in drawing the attention of news media and enhancing coverage by helping to provide a faster, fuller, and often, fairer picture in ways that were not possible a decade ago. Large numbers of consumers from around the world fact-check, compare and critique news and other information in real time, enriching conversations about important journalistic standards such as language and image selection, fairness and verification, in newsrooms and living rooms alike. And the news media can bring focused, skilled attention to injustices that citizen watchdogs first call to public attention.

But misinformation and distortion continue to crowd out facts, context and honest reflection about important events when they occur. How can citizens and consumers of news and information mobilize to disrupt cycles of misinformation and misrepresentation, and to encourage or contribute to enhanced context, credibility and understanding? How can we cut through the rumors, half-truths and opinion-mongering?

First, we can work to become aware of how we all bring our cognitive biases and perspectives to bear on the way we seek, believe and share information. Left unchecked, confirmation bias can cause people to embrace claims they agree with more quickly and less critically, even if these assertions are provably false. Its counterpart, disconfirmation bias, can cause people to automatically reject claims they disagree with and seek reasons to dismiss them even if they are demonstrably true. Our hearts simply react more quickly and more powerfully to information than our heads, and this process seriously inhibits our ability to evaluate the credibility and relevance of information unless we recognize this inclination.

We also need to appreciate the importance, power and pitfalls of images and raw video. The ubiquity of smartphones  and the ease with which anyone can share information with a global audience  means that dramatically more of this kind of information is available than ever. More than 3.2 billion images are now posted to just five social media platforms each day  more than 37,000 each second. More than 8 billion videos are viewed every day on Facebook. Add to this tidal wave the ease with which even casual internet users can alter, distort or repurpose these digital assets, and the enormous potential for misperceptions and fabrications to warp the nations consciousness is unmistakable.

In Ferguson, as with any chaotic, fast-breaking story on such controversial subjects, it is essential that we recognize the iterative nature of early reporting. We must also try to withhold judgment and follow the news over time through a variety of sources until as many knowable facts and perspectives as possible can emerge. This gives truth a chance to catch up with the misinformation, rumors and spin that invariably surface in the frenetic race to inform, incite and persuade.

And we must confront the ways in which digital technologies have dramatically expanded the watchdog role of journalism. Not only are citizens documenting newsworthy events, including controversial killings, with words, images and video (including livestreaming), but they also can share, check and respond to information more quickly. This ability to access a piece of information, compare it to other credible sources and respond in real time can quickly squash rumors and help journalists and the public sort through the chaos of breaking news events more accurately and fairly. Ultimately, this fosters a more robust national conversation.

In Ferguson, citizens using social media, particularly Twitter, put the story of Browns shooting on the national map and journalists responded, providing verification, context and deeper reporting in the aftermath  not just of what took place that day between Brown and Wilson; not just of the wider, systematic targeting of African-Americans by the Ferguson Police Department; but of a trend of deaths at the hands of police that has only recently entered the mainstream consciousness.

The question of whether this national attention should or could have come sooner is cause for serious reflection in newsrooms across the country. The fact that such killings now receive the attention they deserve is cause for renewed appreciation of the watchdog role that journalists and citizens alike can play under the First Amendment.

In an interview for Facing Ferguson: News Literacy in a Digital Age, a new educational resource developed by the News Literacy Project and Facing History and Ourselves, St. Louis American reporter Kenya Vaughn said, There are people in certain situations that dont have a voice, and the media  have the opportunity to be the voice for the voiceless.

This is what the framers of our Constitution envisioned, and never has this opportunity been greater.
LONDON: Rishi Sunak on Tuesday became Britains third prime minister this year and the first person of colour to...
When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site.
Lindt is opening its first chocolate store in Canberra and plans to give away 300kg of chocolate to celebrate.

The shop will open its doors to the public on August 26 at the Canberra Outlet Centre in Fyshwick and will feature a chocolate bar serving up hot chocolate and other drinks.

Lindt is opening its first chocolate shop in Canberra.

It'll sell the company's chocolate bars and the signature, colourfully wrapped Lindt balls.

According to the company, the first 100 customers who spend $10 or more will get 1kg of chocolate balls from opening day to August 28, which apparently "accumulates to a giveaway of 300kg of free chocolate".
Labor's Joy Burch has called for an investigation into the Liberals' promotional material for its Canberra Hospital rebuild, saying the Liberals have used former emergency department clinical director Michael Hall's image and quotes without his permission.

Ms Burch wrote to Speaker Vicki Dunne on Wednesday night, saying the flyer might breach the code of conduct for Assembly members, which requires them to "recognise the unique position of impartiality" of public servants. She asked Mrs Dunne to refer the matter to Standards Commissioner Ken Crispin for investigation.

Former clinical director of the emergency department at Canberra Hospital Michael Hall: Liberals did not seek his permission to use his image. Credit:Jamila Toderas

"I am advised that Dr Hall was not made aware of, or granted permission for, his image and any comments he may have previously made in relation to the hospital to be used in Liberal political material," Ms Burch wrote.

"The use of his image and previous comments in this way strongly implies that he supports the Liberal Party's policy in relation to the hospital.
"Great big man he was. How he never got hit surprises me to this day."

So went retired Lieutenant-Colonel Harry Smith's description of Jack Kirby, who he has long argued should have received the Victoria Cross for his bravery during the fierce battle of Long Tan in Vietnam.

As commanding officer of 6RAR's D Company, Mr Smith witnessed his Company Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer Kirby, dash under fire around the battlefield restocking his comrades' dwindling ammunition supplies.

A tribunal that heard appeals by Mr Smith for 13 of his men to receive military honours or have existing honours upgraded has advised that Mr Kirby should not receive the VC, Australia's highest military honour. Mr Kirby died in February 1967 in Vietnam after being hit by misdirected artillery rounds from the 161st New Zealand Field Battery.
The minister in charge of the census appears to be the latest victim of technical woes plaguing the government, after his personal website was hacked on Wednesday afternoon.

On Michael McCormack's website, an unremarkable description of his electorate of Riverina was followed by the words: "gay sex".

The words linked to another site, which was not accessed by Fairfax Media. Shortly after the text was discovered at around 4.15pm, the site was swiftly pulled down for maintenance. It is not known how long the link had been on the website.

Mr McCormack's office has been contacted for comment.
Donna Loughran knows the challenges facing her students better than most.

The popular new principal of Doonside High School, who failed to get her own school certificate in year 10 after two years of disengagement and truancy, is today among the first group of top teachers to be recognised and awarded under the NSW government's plans to lift teacher quality statewide.

Growing up in a Housing Commission estate in Shalvey, the fourth child of a security guard and a Coles deli worker, no one among Ms Loughran's family and friends had finished high school, let alone been to university.

But it was great teachers, she says, who stopped her from "falling through the cracks" and set her on a better path in life.
The controversial use of chaperones to oversee doctors accused of serious misconduct, including sexual offences, is being reviewed by the Medical Board of Australia after allegations the system failed patients.

On Wednesday, the board said it had commissioned an independent review of the chaperone system to assess whether it was keeping patients safe.

The probe comes after Fairfax Media revealed three patients were allegedly molested by Victorian doctor Andrew Churchyard while he was meant to be working with a chaperone at Cabrini Hospital last year. In one case, the doctor allegedly assaulted a patient behind a curtain while the chaperone was in the room.

Fairfax Media also discovered that 46 doctors were currently being chaperoned in Australia because of allegations they breached sexual boundaries. The doctors' names are kept secret unless a patient notices a doctor has a chaperone and then looks up their details on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency's register of practitioners.
More than a dozen swastika symbols and the words "Not white? Not right!" have been scrawled on public property at Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach, NSW police said.

About 15 symbols and other graffiti were drawn in black permanent marker on a bus shelter, benches, poles, electrical boxes and a footpath on Campbell Parade, according to police.

Several locations around Bondi Beach have been defaced with swastika graffiti and racist slogans. Credit:NSW Police Media Unit

Officers were called to the area on Wednesday after reports of malicious damage.

The graffiti has since been removed.
The state government failed to crack down on a loophole in City of Sydney voting laws that would, according to one of the country's top lawyers, have allowed "unlimited" numbers of people to "stack" the electoral roll.

Advice prepared by Bret Walker, SC, for the council and provided to the government last year identified a way in which the City of Sydney's electoral roll could be seriously manipulated.

The advice followed the government's changes to the City of Sydney Act, which increased the power of the business vote but which also made the council's voting and enrolment system particularly complex.

The analysis by Mr Walker identified a "lacuna", or gap, which could have been exploited by an organisation trying to work the roll.
Sydney's vaunted small bars won't be so small any more under a proposal for breathing life into night-time Sydney being actively considered by the state government.

The City of Sydney and others are pushing to double the occupancy of small bars to reach 120 in a submission to a state government review of small bar liquor laws.

The city also wants to lengthen the hours of operation for small bars to 2am from midnight currently.

The city argues the measures would lead to more bars offering live music and increase their contribution to Sydney's "night-time economy" which, on one measure, is worth $19 billion.
A telecommunications provider has been directed to track down deleted text messages NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Cath Burn sent during and soon after the deadly Sydney siege.

Counsel assisting the coroner investigating the Lindt Cafe stand-off, Jeremy Gormly SC, said he was concerned about the absent texts, and had been told steps were being taken to try and retrieve them from the telco's server.

A telco has been asked to retrieve the messages sent by Deputy Commissoner Cath Burn during and after the siege. Credit:Kate Geraghty

"If they are retained, then they'll have to go through the clearance process and will be produced to all parties," Mr Gormly told the inquest on Wednesday.

"If they're not retained, then we will ask Ms Burn about that (when she appears at the inquest next week)."
A malicious flash mob supposedly knocked out the census, rather than an attempted break-in, but either way the Australian Bureau of Statistics needs to restore Australia's confidence in the system.

Despite insisting it had planned for every contingency, the ABS's website crumbled under the load as millions of Australians attempted to log in to complete the national census last night. The #CensusFail memes came thick and fast, but in the light of day the bureau insists the website was the victim of foul play.

Last night, the ABS categorised the incident as a service disruption, while, later, ABS statistician David Kalisch and the census' social media accounts cited "attacks".

This morning on ABC radio, the minister in charge of the census, Michael McCormack, rejected the term "attack" and described it as an "attempt to frustrate" the census.
Scientists confronted the crime scene before them with disbelief. There was no mistaking it. Precious lives had been lost here in Queensland's vast, isolated desert. But what or who was behind this outback murder-mystery?

Days earlier ecologist Steve Murphy had knelt down and peered through a scrubby spinifex tunnel to a nursery stocked with two eggs.

This was the first time since the 1880s that anyone had seen an active nest belonging to a night parrot, one of the world's most elusive birds.

It was a big deal. The eggs promised new life. And new life promised a boost to the prospects of the endangered night parrot, which until 2013 hadn't been recorded for 75 years and was believed extinct.
Brandon Tomlin can't talk. He can't walk, and nor can he control the involuntary movements of his limbs, particularly when agitated. He uses an electric wheelchair.

In many ways he lives what could be called an ordinary life. He likes the films of Martin Scorsese and blues music. And like many of us he has to pay the occasional visit to the bank.

Brandon Tomlin has been banned from using any Westpac bank. Credit:Penny Stephens

Mr Tomlin has been a customer of Westpac for more than 15 years but he's now been banned from using the branches of any Westpac or associated bank, including St George, Bank of Melbourne or BankSA.

For years, Mr Tomlin, who has severe cerebral palsy, did his banking in person at the Westpac branch pictured here, on the corner of Swanston and Collins streets, in Melbourne.
More than 300 drug charges have been laid against 18 people relating to the sale of psychoactive substances at retail outlets across Perth.

Police said the operation, which started in November, involved investigation into activities in Rockingham, Armadale, Victoria Park, Mandurah, Wanneroo and Highgate.

Police have seized more than 4500 items which have been sent for further analysis. The people charged as a result of the operation range in age from 20 to 33-years-old.

Metropolitan Region North Acting Commander Mary Brown said the charges were a result of a complex investigation into the sale of psychoactive substances in the community.
Latest News Lendi Group settles $33.6 billion in FY22 Ambitious target of a deal a day for brokers

APRA announces new appointments The prudential regulator has a new chair, deputy chair, and members

Two mutual lenders are in discussions to merge in a bid to target Australias growing Information Communications Technology (ICT) sector.Mutual lender and ICT specialist lender, Intech Credit Union, is recommending its members support a merger with Bank Australia. It argues that as a division of Bank Australia, Intech Bank will be able to deliver more competitive pricing, an expanded range of products and services, and the opportunity to achieve long term sustainable growth.Once supported by Intechs customers, the formal merger of the two organisations is expected to be completed in early 2017.Intech CEO Robert King said the strategy is to use Bank Australias resources and customer owned banking expertise to assist it reach out to greater numbers of people working in the ICT sector.Achieving additional scale through this merger provides Intech the opportunity to accelerate its own growth agenda by ensuring our members continue to receive highly competitive products and a first rate service offering, he said.We have been successfully growing Intechs presence amongst the ICT sector in both Sydney and Melbourne where Bank Australia is head quartered and a merger with Bank Australia will further assist our efforts.Bank Australia CEO Damien Walsh announced Bank Australia plans to open a new flagship branch in Sydneys CBD prior to Christmas, to coinciding with the decision.This merger reflects our ambition to achieve greater scale through both our already strong organic growth and strategic mergers which represent value to our customers, Walsh said.Bank Australia customers come from all walks of life including science, research and education all of which closely align to the ICT sector.
Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams

88th Precinct

Fort GreeneClinton Hill

Robbed blind

A vindictive thief snatched a womans glasses right off her face after she refused to hand over her phone at the Atlantic Avenue B train platform on Aug. 4.

The victim was sitting down on a bench in the station near Flatbush Avenue at 9:30 am when a lady and a man sat next to her, police said. The woman told the victim to give up her phone, but she ignored her, getting up and walking away, according to a report.

The villain then followed the victim, snatched her Steve Madden glasses from her face, and fled, police said.

Knifepoint

Some nogoodnik threatened to kill a man with a knife if he didnt hand over his money on Washington Avenue on July 20.

The victim was walking near Atlantic Avenue at 1:40 pm when the goon threatened to end his life if he didnt give him $80, cops said.

The miscreant then flashed a knife he had tucked in his waistband, scaring the victim into coughing up $250, according to a report.

Wide open

A thief crept into a Carlton Avenue home on Aug. 5 and stole a womans pricey electronics.

The victim told authorities she noticed the front window of her home by DeKalb Avenue slightly open around 4:20 am, but in wasnt until around 10 am when she noticed the window was wide open and someone had made off with her iPhone, two hardrives, MacBook, and brown leather bag.

Walked off

Some thief interrupted a womans morning walk on N. Elliott place on Aug. 6 when he grabbed her cellphone from her hand.

The woman was near Park Avenue at 8:30 am when the bandit snatched her phone from her hand and fled into Commodore Barry Park, police said.

 Lauren Gill
As fans prepare to say goodbye to Bones next year, so do the series stars. At San Diego Comic-Con, Tamara Taylor and John Boyd looked back to their starts on the show and ahead to the final season.

Bones Interview: Michaela Conlin and TJ Thyne Tease a Couple Deaths and a Wedding in the Final Season>>>

Watch the video interview with Tamara Taylor and John Boyd:

Here are the highlights:

Taylor said theyre all getting used to saying final season and called it bittersweet. Shes grateful they have 12 more episodes to end the series with as much passion and joy as we started it.

I dont think they could have been cooler. It was amazing, Boyd said when looking back at when he joined the show. There were some serious shoes to fill and coming on a show after such a traumatic thing to happen to such a beloved character and they really just gave me my own thing and let me play and explore it. I really got to build something with Booth thats really fun to do.

Yes, Cam is getting her wedding. Taylor admitted she was worried theyd pull a fast one and make her the one who didnt get married. Whos catering? Boyd asked.

Boyd approaches the food the same way as the bodies.

I dont think she wants to believe that he was the one in the first place, Taylor said of Cams feelings about the way Zack has returned. I think there was such a love for him that I think a part of her is still very hesitant to embrace what happened and the truth of what happened.

With Aubrey, theres the chance to explore someone who wasnt there for what happened with Zack before but is now.

Fan favorites are definitely coming back.

Theyre packing as much into 12 episodes as they can, including characters dying.

I think theyre going to kick it up a few notches going to the end, Taylor shared.

Bones season 12 will premiere in the midseason on FOX.

(Image courtesy of FOX)
Lawsuit seeks $5M in wages for Great Adventure hourly workers

The class action lawsuit says workers should be paid for time spent walking across Great Adventure amusement park in Jackson.
India is set to see investments to the tune of Rs 15,000 crore in the biofuel industry, from both public and private sectors, in the next few years. This comes at a time when the government is expecting biofuel business in the country to touch Rs 50,000 crore by 2022. The increase in industry size may also include plans to tap various new biofuel sources such as refining of used cooking oil and used lube oil.
A day after the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) accused it of masquerading full-blown services in the guise of a trial, Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJIL) has struck back, saying the allegations were an exercise to promote the vested interests of incumbent operators.
The recent surge in international coal prices and pet coke might be a boon for Coal India (CIL) as the miner can now expect better sales, particularly of high-grade coal.
American conglomerate GE on Wednesday said it has signed a pact with engineering firm to manufacture subsea equipment for future deep water projects in Krishna-Godavari basin on the eastern coast of India.

"Contributing to India's exploration and production (E&P) activities in the oil and gas sector, GE has signed an exclusive MoU with L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering, a wholly-owned subsidiary of L&T," the company said in a statement.

"The partnership brings together the manufacturing and technological excellence of two leading in the oil and gas space, and also marks India's entrance into local subsea equipment manufacturing," GE said.

Spread over an area of 600,000 sq metre and an annual capacity of 50,000 MT, L&T's modular fabrication facility in Tamil Nadu will be used for the production.

The plant is equipped with advanced welding and fabrication capabilities along with 150 metre jetty, making it an ideal location to manufacture advanced hardware for seabed.

Commenting on the deal, GE South Asia Chief Executive (Oil and Gas) Ashish Bhandari said that the strategic partnership with L&T has opened new avenues to manufacture highly advanced equipment.

L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering Managing Director and CEO Subramanian Sarma said the partnership will help L&T to broaden its offering in the deep water space.
The Aditya Birla group companies, Aditya Birla Nuvo, Grasim and Idea Cellular lost a combined market value of Rs 5,300 crore on Wednesday following reports the group was merging its two holding companies, Grasim and Aditya Birla Nuvo, apart from hiving off the financial services businesses from Nuvo into a separate company.
Driven by a momentous order from the Uttar Pradesh government for procurement of 27,000 e-rickshaws, Kinetic Green is aiming at a turnover of Rs 300 crore in the ongoing fiscal year.

Just after the commercial launch of the green in January this year, Kinetic Green, an electronic vehicles maker, is bullish on its sales.
Home-grown Gaja Capital was the first (PE) fund to back RBL Bank in February 2010. Now, there are 17 PE funds backing the regional bank, reflecting one of the highest numbers of PE funds staying invested in a firm going for an initial public offering (IPO).
Ivanhoe Cambridge, the real estate arm of Canadas second largest pension fund manager CDPQ, is looking to re-enter Indian real estate with a joint venture with Ajay Piramals Piramal Fund Management, said a source in the know.
The war that had so far been brewing silently between incumbent telecom operators and Reliance Jio has come out in the open. Industry body Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) fired a salvo at Jio on Monday by writing to Telecom Secretary J S Deepak alleging that Jio was masquerading full-blown services in the guise of a trial, which they said amounted to predatory pricing.

The COAI's letter was a response to one sent by Jio to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) claiming that incumbents were not providing enough interconnect bandwidth.

In response, the incumbents have alleged that the burgeoning voice traffic emanating from Jio is choking their networks, given that 1.5 million subscribers of Jio are calling people who are on the networks of other leading telcos. When a subscriber of one network makes a call to a subscriber of another network, the point at which the two networks connect are known as Points of Interconnect (PoIs). Depending on the nature of traffic emanating from different networks, each operator has a certain capacity on its PoIs. Given that few Airtel or Vodafone subscribers are calling Jio subscribers, the traffic is skewed.

An e-mail sent to Reliance Jio remained unanswered.

Incumbent operators claim that the incoming traffic being dumped is burgeoning and even the hugely augmented count of PoIs are getting choked, as millions of users are calling for free. Incumbents have claimed their paid subscribers are getting affected because of this.

Rajan Mathews, director general of COAI, said: "We asked for clarity on whether this is compliant with regulations, as 1.5 million subscribers are tantamount to a commercial launch as the trial period has been extended yet again and networks of our operators are getting choked."



Jio had launched trial services last December and its users are consuming 25-30 times more data than the Indian average, because the services are free. Even though Jio is still in the trial phase, rivals alleged that it is trying to port their subscribers.

Clearly, the extension of free services is beginning to hurt incumbents in more ways than one. In its letter to DoT, COAI has said: "this is no test. This is the provisioning of full-blown and full-fledged services, masquerading as tests, which bypass regulations and can potentially game policy features like the IUC (Interconnection Usage Charges) regime, non-predatory pricing and fair competition etc."



The letter to DoT comes a day after the industry body accused the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) of being biased. This further indicates that the relationship has hit rock bottom, as tariff is Trai's remit and the industry should ideally have approached it and not DoT.

Incumbent firms are concerned about the traffic imbalance, especially in light of Trai's decision to review interconnection charges. Incumbents feel the current interconnect rate of 14 paise is too low, as it is calculated on the assumption that traffic imbalance is no more than 5-10 per cent. Given that currently 80 per cent of calls are originating from Jio's network and terminating on networks of others, incumbents claim the cost of carrying this traffic is not covered under the current model of long-run incremental cost (LRIC) model.

The letter goes on to say that had Jio's free usage "been filed as tariff plan, it would have doubtless been examined for predatory market practice. But no plan has been filed, and there has been no examination. Meanwhile, such pseudo tests with free calling are throwing up one-way traffic, which is leading to never ending pseudo demand for more PoIs." Incumbents have said member operators should not be expected to provide PoIs while this "test" is being played out.
Public sector steel behemoth Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) is looking to expand capacity of its Rourkela unit to 10 million tonne per annum (mtpa) up from 4.5 mtpa now.

The expansion plan is set to cost in excess of Rs 30,000 crore considering the thumb rule that Rs 6,000-7,000 crore is needed for every million tonne of brownfield steel ramp up.
on Wednesday announced the sale of its urea business to Norways fertiliser and chemicals major Yara for about Rs 2,670 crore as a part of value-unlocking by the company.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Wednesday filed a complaint with the department of industrial promotion and policy (DIPP) over sales announced by online marketplace Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal.
Beatrice Public Schools administrators will receive a 2.08 percent total package increase in their salaries and benefits for the 2016-2017 school year.

The BPS Board of Education approved the measure on a 5-0 vote at its public meeting Monday night. Board member Nancy Sedlacek was absent.

"Our administrators have performed exceedingly well," said BPS Superintendent Pat Nauroth at the meeting. "This is a more fiscally prudent way to proceed," Nauroth said of the percent increase.

Board member Janet Byars asked at the meeting if some administrative positions' salaries could be capped at a certain amount and if other school districts do this. Nauroth said that it's possible and the district can do some research into the idea.

"We can, but the board has also said it wants to pay our administrators well," Nauroth said. "So that's a balance we would have to find."

In the identical measure and salary increase for Nauroth, board president Lisa Pieper on behalf of the board thanked Nauroth for his work with the school district and in the community.
Without mentioning the bauxite reservoirs in Visakhapatnam agency, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said people should utilise all the minerals in the region for their development.

Addressing in a public meeting as part of the World Tribal Day celebrations at Araku Valley in Vizag agency, Naidu said that TDP government is committed for the development of tribals by utilising the minerals in the region.

Stating that Vizag agency has a huge potential for tourism, Naidu added, "Tourism will raise the income of locals in the agency area."

Fearing protests and rallies during Naidu's visit to Vizag agency over government order allowing bauxite mining, police had taken several leaders and activists of Left into custody as a preventive measure.

Meanwhile, Naidu also visited Pedalabudu, the village panchayat.

"Agency area Araku Valley is very close to my heart. That is the reason why I adopted this panchayat close to the Valley," the CM said, after arriving in the village this afternoon.

He promised all the infrastructure facilities for the panchayat which has 22 hamlets and has a population of 11,280.

All the houses would be provided with gas connections within next fortnight, he said.

Rs 5 crore had been sanctioned to provide drinking water facilities in the panchayat, he said.

Rs 9 crore have been allocated to lay cement roads in entire panchayat and the task would be completed in three months, Naidu added.
A joint team of the West Bengal CID and Bihar police arrested the kingpin of the racket in connection with the Bihar intermediate exam scam.

Acting on a tip off from those arrested in the case, the joint team arrested absconding Vikash Kumar (39) from Jinjinjirabajar area in South 24 Parganas district.

According to DIG CID (Operations) Dilip Adak, Kumar, who was a clerk-cum-storekeeper of the Bihar Vidyalaya Pariksha Samiti was in-charge of the whole gang.

"He used to take around Rs 5-10 lakh from each students for changing their answer sheets. This he was doing in a very innovative manner," Adak said, adding the Bihar police had approached them to help in nabbing the culprit.

The tender of printing question papers and blank answer sheets for exams conducted by the Samiti, were given to a Mathura-based press cancelling the earlier order given to a Gujarat-headquartered company.

Kumar had sent a letter asking the Gujarat company to print blank answer sheets and received 28 lorries of them, Adak said.

He then, when contacted by parents as well as candidates, used to provide them with blank answer sheets.

"And after they fill up the answers, Kumar used to replace their original answer sheet with this one," the officer said.

Kumar's name surfaced after the Gujarat-based printing press lodged a complaint with the Bihar police when their bills shot up close to Rs 9 crore.

Kumar, a resident of Bihar's Patliputra, had recently bought a flat at Kolkata's Phoolbagan area spending nearly a crore.
A day after the government came under increased pressure from the Opposition in connection with the issue of Kashmir unrest, the Trinamool Congress on Wednesday said Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani was more dangerous on internet than on streets, adding that he was more dangerous dead than alive.

"Please do not meddle in India's matters. was more dangerous on internet than on streets. He's more dangerous dead than alive. It is very important at this stage not to make a distinction between Kashmir-the land and Kashmir-the people," TMC MP Derek O' Brien told the Rajya Sabha.

The Opposition leaders had voiced concern over the Valley being curfew-bound for over a month and demanded a stop to the use of pellet guns.

They also demanded a parliamentary delegation to be sent to Kashmir to deliberate with all sections and an all-party meet to find a resolution.

"There is murder of humanity and democracy in Kashmir. 'Kashmiriyat' and 'Insaniyat' are murdered by pellet guns. We all should jointly take out a solution for this. Everyone in Kashmir is a victim of militancy. Many of us have lost their near and dear ones due to this militancy in Kashmir," Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told Rajya Sabha earlier on Wednesday.

There should be an all-party delegation and a meeting that needs to be sent to Jammu and Kashmir. It should be announced during the Parliament," he added.

Asserting that the former UPA regime initiated many confidence building measures, the Congress leader further said the Parliament must appeal people for peace in Kashmir.

"Jammu and Kashmir has a curfew, many people have been injured. Civilians have faced losses. And as Parliament is on, we all need to share their pain," said Azad.

Asserting that using force is not the way, Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav said they have to strive hard to win hearts of Kashmiris, adding that the use of pellet guns must be stopped immediately.

"Kashmir is angry with us. But we should bring it back with love.otherwise history won't forgive us," he told the Rajya Sabha.

Ramgopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party called for sending a strong message to Pakistan not to meddle in Kashmir.

He alleged that Pakistan and ISI are involved in misleading the youth of Kashmir Valley.

He said the neighbouring country is sponsoring and supporting those who are involved in anti-India activities.

Terming the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir as complex, Yadav said it is high time to fight against powers which are trying to destabilise peace and security in Kashmir.
The registration process for the has already started on August 8 at the official website iimcat.ac.in. The Indian Institute of Management will be conducting the examination on December 4, Sunday, as per scheduled.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case on a complaint received from Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) against three officials of the Bank. An alleged loss of around Rs 321 crore was caused to the complainant bank (IOB) and the foreign branches of PNB and BoB.

According to CBI's Zonal Office, Delhi u/s 120-B r/w 420 of IPC and Sec. 13(2) r/w 13(1) (d) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against three then Assistant Managers, Indian Overseas Bank, Chandigarh; a Proprietor of Chandigarh based private firm; Proprietor of another Chandigarh based private firm; two then Directors of another Chandigarh based private firm and also said firm, a Hong Kong based company, a Brigadier (Retd.) based at Chandigarh and other unknown public servants and private persons.
Condemning controversial Islamic preacher for his alleged hate speeches that inspired one of the Bangladeshi terrorists who carried on the Dhaka cafe attack last month, the Congress Party on Wednesday urged the BJP-led Maharashtra government to take strong action against him.

"Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that Zakir Naik's statements are poisonous and can spread hatred in the nation. Action should be taken against him. All the proofs should be exposed and made public. There should be absolute transparency and there must be action against any crime," Congress leader PL Punia told ANI.

Echoing similar sentiments, Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said if there is evidence against Naik and if there is enough proof to back up then the Maharashtra Government should ensure action.

"We have seen a lot of politics being played over it that some parts of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) have gone on record to say that they have found nothing against and no evidence to suggest that he has promoted terrorism. On the other hand, we have a Chief Minister who is saying something like that," she added.

Chaturvedi said instead of politicising the issue, if there is evidence then prosecution should follow and action should be taken.

"It should not make the Chief Minister run to media, it should make the Chief Minister run towards taking action, decisive measures to ensure that such kind of activities are discouraged," she added.

Fadnavis has said that the state government would press for extradition of Naik if he does not return on his own from abroad.

Speaking to reporters in the state capital yesterday, the Maharashtra Chief Minister said he has received the report by the Mumbai Police on Naik which severely indicts him.

He also stated that many unlawful activities and possible terror links have been pointed out pertaining to the organisation of which Naik is a leader.

The Chief Minister added the state government is currently examining the report and would soon share it with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and in consultation with the ministry the state government would decide further course of action needed in the matter.

Amid reports last month that Naik 's preaching inspired some of those involved in Dhaka terror strike, the Maharashtra Government had asked the Mumbai Police to probe Naik's past speeches available online, to see if any of them could have inspired the youth to join terrorist organisations.

The city police was also conducting a joint inquiry with other probe agencies into the functioning of Naik's Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) to scrutinize the finances it has received from various parts of the world.

Meanwhile, the Home Ministry has initiated an inquiry against an NGO run by Naik for alleged violation of Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act.

A standard questionnaire has been sent to Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) after preliminary inquiry found the NGO run by Naik allegedly received about Rs 15 crores during a five-year period preceding 2012.

Accordimg to reports, the IRF has been asked to furnish details of its bank accounts and amount of foreign contributions received and utilised by it since inception.

The Home Ministry probe will cover the allegations that foreign funding to IRF was used for political activities and other illegal activities.

Reports suggest that legal opinion tendered recently to the Home Ministry has favoured declaring the IRF an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The grounds for such a ban may include spreading hatred among religious communities and forced conversions by members.
The first batch of 340 pilgrims from Jammu and left for Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to perform the annual Haj pilgrimage, with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti urging them to pray for peace and progress in the state.

Mehbooba accorded a warm send off to the first batch of Haj pilgrims from the state and wished them a safe journey and a smooth Manasik-e-Haj (Haj rituals), an official spokesman said here.

As many as 6,457 Hajis from J-K are scheduled to perform Haj this year, the spokesman said, adding they would be flown to Medina from Srinagar International Airport in 20 flights, with two flights operating each day.

He said the Chief Minister reached Srinagar International Airport this morning from where the first group of 340 Hajis left for the holy city of Medina on a direct Air India flight.

The pilgrims included 238 from Anantnag, 56 from Srinagar, 11 from Baramulla, eight each from Kulgam and Shopian, six from Pulwama, four from Budgam, three from Jammu and two each from Kupwara and Ganderbal districts, the spokesman said.

While interacting with the pilgrims, she urged them to pray for peace and progress in the state as well as safeguarding its people from the tragedies and miseries of violence and bloodshed, the spokesman said.

He said the pilgrims thanked the Chief Minister for making elaborate arrangements at the Haj House and Srinagar Airport.

All arrangements of transportation, boarding and lodging at Srinagar Haj House and distribution of travel documents and issuance of boarding passes at the Srinagar Airport are in place for the pilgrims, he said.
The government on Wednesday announced an all-party meeting on Friday in New Delhi to discuss the situation in Kashmir. Union home minister Rajnath Singh, replying to a discussion in the Rajya Sabha, said the Union government, along with Mehbooba Mufti-led Jammu and Kashmir government, would prepare ground for a visit by an all-party delegation to the Kashmir Valley to speak with sections of the population, including the moderate elements.
The Mumbai police on Tuesday arrested the Chief Executive Officer and four other doctors of the L H Hiranandani Hospital here in connection with an alleged which came to light last month.

Mumbai Police's spokesperson DCP Ashok Dudhe said the five doctors were arrested late on Tuesday evening.

CEO Dr Sujit Chatterjee, medical director Dr Anurag Naik, Dr Mukesh Shetye, Dr Mukesh Shaha and Dr Prakash Shetye were arrested under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, he said.

The racket came to light when the police were tipped off that a kidney transplant operation had been scheduled on July 14 at the privately-run Hiranandani Hospital where donor and recipient were not related.

The operation on Brijkishor Jaiswal, the recipient, was stopped as police found that the woman who was donating him the kidney was not his wife, contrary to the papers submitted by the duo.

The woman had pretended to be his wife only to be able to donate the kidney to Jaiswal, according to the police.

The police then started probing if anybody else had received kidney using similar subterfuge and if the hospital authorities were involved.
LINCOLN -- Nebraska lawmakers are weighing unprecedented steps to respond to state Sen. Bill Kintner's cybersex scandal.

The Papillion senator used his state laptop to exchange sexually explicit live video and messages with a stranger online in July 2015, and was fined $1,000 Friday for misusing government property.

Kintner has rejected calls to resign by Gov. Pete Ricketts and others. Now lead senators are mulling whether to force Kintner from office  an action the Legislature has never taken against one of its own.

Some believe such a decision should be made this fall during a special session called by the Legislature itself  another first, according to the legislative clerk's office.

State law allows it, but Nebraska lawmakers have never called a special session on their own. That task has always fallen to the governor, who may convene senators at his discretion.

It's a "messy situation," said Sen. Mike Gloor of Grand Island, who feels senators should react soon rather than wait until next year.

"There are going to be bigger issues for the body to deal with in January," Gloor said. "And for them to have this dropped in their lap I think would be unfortunate."

Others said while they are unhappy with Kintner, they question whether the Legislature should set new precedent in dealing with his situation.

"I'm clearly embarrassed," said Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion, whose Sarpy County district abuts Kintner's. "I'm embarrassed for the Legislature. I'm disappointed in Sen. Kintner."

However, Smith said he hasn't heard an argument that convinces him to support a special session or vote to remove Kintner from office.

The Journal Star surveyed about half the Legislature on Monday, and while most of those senators said they were open to holding a special session, many said they would defer to leaders on the Executive Board to determine the path forward when they meet Aug. 19.

Executive Board Chairman Bob Krist said Monday he didnt have a lot of interest in a special session himself, although he could support one alongside a majority of the 10-member board.

A lot of people just want the issue to go away, he said. The easiest way for that to happen is for Kintner to resign.

I think there are very few people that want to give up their time to go back in for a special session regarding this issue, he said.

Speaker of the Legislature Galen Hadley says the Kintner issue is unfinished business which shouldn't fall to next year's group of senators, many of whom will be newly elected.

Furthermore, Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers has pushed for Kintner's impeachment. Some senators fear that debate, if it waits until next year, could distract from other legislation, including the state's biennial budget.

Hadley doesn't expect the governor to force a special session this fall if lawmakers don't amass the 33 votes needed to trigger one, he said.

"It's in our house," Hadley said Monday.

Ricketts hasn't stated a position on a special session.

"The governor's office is keeping open lines of communication with the speaker to see what course of action legislative leaders pursue," said Taylor Gage, Ricketts' spokesman.

Another question is what exactly the Legislature might do during a special session.

No Nebraska state senator has ever been impeached or expelled, according to the legislative clerk's office.

The furthest lawmakers have gone in disciplining one of their own was the 1955 censure of Omaha Sen. Sam Klaver. Senators condemned him on a 37-2 vote after he withheld a bill to tax jukeboxes in exchange for $1,000 cash and $1,500 in advertising purchases in a weekly newspaper he owned.

Klaver was later re-elected and served until 1973.

Impeaching Kintner would require 25 votes in the Legislature, but the ultimate decision would fall to the Nebraska Supreme Court. A two-thirds majority of the court must then find Kintner guilty of an impeachable offense before removing him from office and prohibiting him from holding public office in the state again.

Lawmakers could expel Kintner from the Legislature with 33 votes; he would be eligible to run for re-election.

Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston questioned whether Kintner's action rises to the level of impeachment or expulsion. A person's career and reputation are on the line, even though one could say Kintner brought this on himself, he said.

"I want to be pretty deliberate and judicious about it," he said.

Lincoln Sen. Ken Haar wants to hear from the Executive Board to know what the Legislature can actually do about this.

"I do feel it's an embarrassment to the whole Legislature," he said. "And I think the people of Nebraska are waiting for the Legislature to take or not take action. We're the ones who are going to have to deal with it."

Unless Kintner does first.

Im getting e-mails and phone calls from constituents who wish he would resign, said Sen. Laura Ebke of Crete.

Special sessions typically last at least seven days because that's how long it takes to pass a bill. Legislative staff have estimated the cost of a special session this year at $65,000.

But the discussion would end if Kintner would resign, Hadley said.

"I think that solves the problems."
Don't forget about people of Jammu while discussing problems in where a battle is raging between nationalism and separatism, a BJP MP told Parliament on Wednesday.

Shamsher Singh Manhas, from Jammu, was aghast over why "everyone is speaking about and not Jammu".

"Jammu and is not about Kashmir only. It is Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh that make the state," Manhas said as the upper house discussed the situation amid a bloody unrest in the Valley.

More than 55 people have been killed in the Valley in the unrest that broke out after security forces killed a rebel commander. The violence has left thousands injured.

Manhas said Jammu, which shares some 500 km of border with Pakistan, also had its share of problems.

"The region has 55% of population in the state. Some seven lakh educated youth are employed. They could have also picked the gun. They could have also shouted for freedom," he said, adding the people in Jammu "have always believed in democracy".

But in the Kashmir Valley, "it is a battle between nationalism and separatism". "People in Kashmir are following separatist dictates," he said.
Locals on Wednesday morning paid homage to former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Kalikho Pul, who was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his residence on Tuesday.

Locals, along with many other dignitaries, paid floral tributes to the former chief minister at his official residence. The police honoured him with a gun-salute. Mortal remains of Pul were then taken to his hometown in Anjaw district.

T Taki, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA said that Pul's death was a big loss for Arunachal, and asked for a police investigation to find out the truth.

"His journey from a night security guard to a chief minister of the state is an example for the country," Taki told ANI.

Paying tribute to late chief minister, Congress party member Ninong Ering said that Pul was a people's chief minister.

"He will always remain in the hearts of the people. The way he developed the state is appreciable," Ering told ANI.

"I am very shocked that he took very extreme step. A probe should be conduct for the satisfaction of the people and his family members,"

The former Arunachal chief minister was found dead at the Chief Minister's official residence, which he had not vacated yet.

He was chief minister from the period February to July 2016. News reports suggest that he committed suicide at his residence, but the police is yet to confirm.

According to initial reports, Pul was suffering from depression and was extremely upset after his appointment was struck down by the Supreme Court.

In a setback to Pul, the Supreme Court had earlier on July 13 restored the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh, declaring the actions of Governor J.P. Rajkhowa "illegal" and "violative of the constitutional provisions".

46-year-old Pul became the eighth chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh in February 2016.

Having lost his parents at an early age, Pul went on to learn carpentry, sell furniture and serve as a casual night chowkidar at Rs 212 per month. He also sold paan and beedi to attend a night school.
A seven-year old child was injured in a bomb blast targeting a Border Security Force (BSF) camp in Moirang Purel village near Imphal, Manipur.

According to reports, the blast was set off by local militants active in the region.

The number of injured is likely to increase.

Earlier on Monday, two BSF personnel were on injured when three powerful bombs exploded at Kangpokpi in Manipur's Senapati district.

No organisation or individual has claimed responsibility for the bomb attack so far.
The first unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant was on Wednesday dedicated to the nation jointly by prime minister Narendra Modi, Russia president Vladimir Putin, and Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa through video-conferencing.
In a major breakthrough, the Mumbai police have arrested five medicos, including the CEO and Medical Director of the reputed L H Hiranandani Hospital in Powai, in connection with a racket in kidney sales, officials said.

Hospital CEO Dr Sujit Chatterjee, Medical Director Dr Anurag Naik and three other medicos Prakash Shetty, Mukesh Shah and Mukesh Shetye were arrested late on Tuesday. They have been accused of being involved in illegal trade and sale of kidneys.

Powai police will present them before an Andheri magistrate's court later on Wednesday for remand, the official said.

When contacted, an official spokesperson for Hiranandani Group told IANS that an internal probe is being conducted and declined further comments till the investigation was completed.

So far, a total of 15 persons (including the five medicos) have been arrested in the case which first came to light last month at the hospital. A few more suspected cases have surfaced later and police are probing around 30 transplants conducted at the hospital in the past one year.

Following the expose, the Maharashtra Directorate of Health Services set up a committee of medical experts which found irregularities related to at least four kidney transplant cases at the hospital.

Based on the probe report of the committee, the police arrested the five medicos of the 12 year old, 240-bed prestigious hospital, sending shockwaves in the state medical fraternity.

The lid was blown off the racket on July 14 when a social worker, some political activists and members of a trade union stopped a kidney transplant midway here in which the donor and recipient were found to be fake husband and wife.

Delving deeper, the police identified Brijendra Bisen, who created the false documents with the help of two other external agents.

Incidentally, Bisen had been earlier arrested in 2007 when one of the biggest kidney sale-transplant rackets was busted nine years ago.

In the current scam, the police had earlier arrested a total of 10 persons, including Bisen, the fake couple comprising recipient Brijkishore Jaiswal, a textile businessman from Surat, and donor Shobha Thakur who was promised Rs 10 lakh for her kidney, hospital official Nilesh Brijkishore Jaiswal, and others.

The accused have been charged under Section 12 and 21 of the Transplantation of Human Organ Act, 1994, and the Indian Penal Code sections, said the police.
Justice to the victims of terror attacks like in Mumbai and Pathankot could be delivered only when countries stop patronising terrorism as well as any type of extremist act, Union Minister said on Wednesday.

Delivering an address at an international conference on counter-terrorism in Bali, Indonesia, Rijiju said there is a need to ensure that terrorism is not glorified and is not patronised by any state.

"One country's terrorist cannot be a martyr or freedom fighter for anyone. A terrorist anywhere is a terrorist everywhere. No type of terror activity or support to it can be justified on any ground whatsoever. Only then justice will be delivered to the victims of terrorist attacks such as in Mumbai and Pathankot," he said.

The minister said terrorism is an attack on the very idea of civilised societies and an attack on humanity itself. It defies international boundaries and hardly any nation is free from its impact.

Lately, he said, the menace has seriously escalated with terrorist groups creating havoc by maximising human losses through perpetration of widespread killings and destruction.

Rijiju said India is committed to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and to ensure that the perpetrators of terrorist acts, their masterminds and conspirators are brought to justice.

"We unequivocally condemn all acts, methods and practices of terrorism, which cannot be justified under any circumstances, regardless of their motivation, wherever and by whomsoever they are committed.

"There should be zero tolerance against terrorism. We reaffirm that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group," he said.

The minister said those who provide support, encouragement, sanctuary, safe haven or any assistance to terrorism or terrorists must be isolated, according to a statement.

"Strongest possible steps need to be taken not only against terrorists and terrorist organisations but also against those individuals, institutions, organisations or nations that support them," he said.
Armed with the confessional statement of an alleged Pakistani LeT operative, NIA today blamed the banned terror organisation for fuelling the continuing unrest in .

The anti-terror probe agency also said it is gathering further evidence regarding the role of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba in the ongoing turbulence in the Valley for the last 33 days.

The Investigation Agency (NIA) said the questioning of Pakistani terrorist Bahadur Ali, who was captured recently in North Kashmir, had thrown up leads showing involvement of LeT in aggravating the situation in the Valley.

The NIA's comments came a day after India handed over a "strong demarche" to Pakistan over its continued support to cross-border terrorism in India.

"NIA is further investigating the role of Lashkar in the present unrest in Kashmir," Inspector General of NIA Sanjeev Singh told reporters here.

NIA also showed to the media a video of Ali alias Saifullah, a Punjabi-speaking man, talking about his family, the time he spent in the terror outfit and his crossing over to the Indian side of the border. He was arrested on July 25 by the state police from a village in Handwara after he had managed to give Army the slip at the Line of Control in June this year.

Ali told his interrogators that he was informed by his handlers from a control room code-named 'Alpha-3', believed to located at a high altitude somewhere in PoK, about the unrest in the Valley following the killing of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen militant on July 8.

His handlers from the control room asked him to throw grenades at the security forces and also informed him that other cadres of the terror group had managed to sneak into the Valley, mingled with protesters at other places and were fuelling tension in the Valley.

This is for the first time that NIA has shown a video statement of a captured militant. Pakistan had earlier this year shown a video statement of Kulbhushan Yadav, an Indian arrested in Balochistan in March over charges of spying for the Indian intelligence agency.
A day after money was stolen from a train that carried cash worth Rs 342 crore from Salem to Chennai, a special team has been launched to investigate the crime.
Pakistan's top military commanders say the terrorist threat in the country was because of the growing nexus of hostile actors in Afghanistan, managed by India, and "facilitators" within Pakistan.

At a conference attended by the Pakistani Army chief, General Raheel Sharif, the commanders said the threat was emanating from Afghan soil, which was being managed by Indian intelligence agencies, Dawn online reported.

However, at the same time there was an acknowledegment that a network of "facilitators" within the country provided an enabling environment for the external enemy, an Inter-Service Public Relations statement said.

At a corps commanders' conference held at the General Headquarters on Tuesday, the generals reviewed the threat perception and discussed measures for countering the imminent security challenges.

The meeting, a monthly feature, was significant because of Monday's terror attack on a Quetta hospital which left at least 70 people dead. An upcoming high-level security meeting is expected to take important decisions with regards to future direction of counterterrorism operations, the statement said.

General Sharif told his commanders that the Quetta attack was an attempt to undermine the successes of operation Zarb-e-Azb, which was in its final phase.
The Income Tax (I-T) Department is said to have unearthed unaccounted money worth Rs 138 crore in raids conducted at the premises of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA .
After a slugfest over naming of the Centre's crop insurance policy, the Bihar government today agreed to implement the on an experimental basis in the kharif season.

The state government has decided to implement the (PMFBY) in the state keeping in mind the sentiments of cooperative federalism.

"The crop insurance scheme will be implemented in its present form for the kharif season on an experimental basis," Bihar's Cooperative Minister Alok Kumar Mehta told reporters here.

Mehta, however, made it clear that the scheme is being implemented on a trial basis with a view to assess whether it actually helps farmers or ends up benefitting the insurance companies.

It would also be seen what amount of compensation the farmers get in the event of crop loss, he said.

The last date for implementation of the scheme is August 15, he said, adding that the state government would extend the deadline if needed.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had recently said that the scheme should have been named 'PM-CM farmer insurance scheme' or 'Kendra-Rajya Fasal Bima Yojana' instead of being named exclusively after the Prime Minister as both the Centre and states have to bear the financial burden of its implementation.

Mehta held a meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh in Delhi on August 8 but the issue remained unresolved.

Subsequently, Singh wrote to Mehta saying that not implementing the scheme will ultimately harm the farmers of Bihar.

Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi and other party leaders in the state had also attacked the Nitish Kumar government for not implementing the crop insurance scheme due to its name.
After pruning the list of products under minimum import price (MIP) and imposing anti-dumping duty of select countries, the government will now work to streamline the procedure for filing and initiating anti-dumping duty cases.



This is likely to benefit the $100-billion domestic steel sector, which is facing an onslaught of cheap imports, Steel Secretary Aruna Sharma told reporters here on Wednesday on the sidelines of the international conference on minerals, metals, metallurgy and materials.



The commerce and finance ministries have been very supportive and, for the first time, we've been able to bring such a large chunk under anti-dumping duties. Having said that, it is very important to do the homework well and bring as many as under anti-dumping duty, said Sharma.


The Maharashtra government is exploring ways to change development control rules (DCRs) to enable faster rehabilitation of 85,000 slum-dwellers residing around the Mumbai international airport on the earmarked area adjacent to the airport.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is in the process of fixing the ceiling price of coronary stents. According to NPPA sources, that there would be two prices for stents - one for plain metal stents and the other for drug-eluting stents. That latter category is more expensive. Stents could be priced anywhere between Rs 25,000 and Rs 1,25,000.
(BOB) recently released a notification inviting applicants for the posts of Probationary Officer (PO) in junior management grade / scale-I. The bank is looking at recruiting 400 banking aspirants though this drive. Interested and eligible candidates need to apply on or before August 21, 2016.
Once Max Life completes its with HDFC Life Insurance, bancassurance would be the biggest channel of distribution with 64 per cent share. Agency would come next at 19 per cent, followed by direct selling at 11 per cent and others at five per cent.
14 such cities in Karnataka; 5 in Punjab .

25 cities have prepared Comprehensive Mobility Plans (CMP) based on origin and destination flow of traffic , identifying major traffic corridors and feeder corridors, land use etc which in turn would assist in proper urban planning. CMPs are subsequently made part of City Master Plans. .

.

Minister of State for Urban Development and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Shri Rao Inderjit Singh, in a written reply in Lok Sabha today stated that 25 cities from 8 States prepared CMPs with central assistance. Ministry of Urban Development assists up to 80% of cost of preparation of CMPs. .

.

In Karnataka, 14 cities that came out with CMPs are: Tumkur, Davanagere, Shimoga, Mangalore, Mysuru, Belgaum, Ballary, Gulbarga, Hubli-Dharwar, Bidar, Chitradurga, Bijapur, Hospet and Raichur. .

.

Five cities with CMPs in Punjab are : Amritsar, Bhatinda, Jalandhar, Pathankot and Patiala. .

.

Other such cities are : Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Kalyan-Dombivili(Maharashtra), Gangtok (Sikkim), Shillong (Meghalaya), Agartala (Tripura) and Jaipur(Rajasthan). .

.
Shri Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh called on the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Shri J P Nadda, here today. They discussed various issues relating to the health sector in Himachal Pradesh. During the meeting, the Chief Minister requested Shri J P Nadda to expedite the process of establishing AIIMS in Himachal Pradesh. The Chief Minister also requested Shri J P Nadda for providing financial support for installing the equipment in ESI Medical College at Mandi. Shri J P Nadda assured all the support and cooperation to the state of Himachal Pradesh. .

.

Shri J P Nadda also raised issues regarding allotment of the land for new branch of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) at Shimla. The Minister said that NCDC requires 2-3 acres of land from the State to set up a world class lab in the state at the cost of Rs 10 Crore. He requested the Chief Minister to expedite the process of transferring the land so that necessary steps can be taken up for establishing such a facility in the State. The Minister further said that the clearance for establishing Medical College attached to the District Hospitals of Hamirpur and Chamba is still pending and the State government should take proactive steps for establishing both the colleges. The centre has earmarked Rs 189 Crores for each college, Shri Nadda added. .

.

The Health Minister added that even though the tender worth Rs. 62.55 Crore for the super speciality hospital Block at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla has been awarded, the civil work has not yet started. The state government may look into this and take necessary action so that the project is not delayed further. The Health Minister also urged for allotting the land for Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and Drug Testing Lab at Baddi so that the project can be rolled out smoothly. CDSCO Sub Zonal Office with Drug Testing lab shall cost about Rs. 10 Crore, the Health Minister stated. .

.

The Health Minister further informed that the Ministry is seeking proposals from the State for establishing Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Mental Health at the cost of Rs 30 Crore and the Government of Himachal Pradesh should send the proposal to the Ministry for consideration. He further mentioned that the Ministry has approved the establishment of Geriatric Centre at Tanda under the Rashtriya Varishth Jan Swasthya Yojana (RVJSY). The state government is requested to adopt this scheme and sign an MoU with the Ministry. .

.

During the meeting, the Health Minister also recalled the announcement made by Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, regarding the 56 New National Highways for Himachal Pradesh. The Health Minister requested the Chief Minister to expedite the preparation of DPRs for these National Highways too and assured all the support to the State. .

.

MV
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in its meeting held on 06.01.2016 has approved the closure of three subsidiaries of HMT Limited including HMT Watches Limited which includes Ranibagh unit in Uttarakhand. .

.

As per CCEA decision, the Government will assume the right to transfer immovable assets i.e., freehold land and /or buildings of the company to Central Government Ministries/Departments/Autonomous bodies under Central Government/CPSEs/PSBs at prevailing circle rate or market rate whichever is higher in consultation with the State Government wherever necessary. In the absence of willingness of any of the Central Government institutions as indicated above, the land may be sold/transferred to State Government or any other institution controlled by the State Government. The transfer of leasehold land shall be as per the lease agreement. However, till the immovable properties are taken over by the immovable properties are taken over by the Central Government these would be in the custody of HMT Ltd. the holding company. .

.

This information was given by Minister of State In the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Shri Babul Supriyo in reply to a written question in the Rajya Sabha today. .

.
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."
Minister of Communications Shri Manoj Sinha today called for holistic planning rather than piecemeal approach to achieve the vision of Digital India. Inaugurating a seminar on ICT emerging technologies & USOF for Digital India" here, the Minister said, there is need for innovation in this sector as India cannot afford to emulate the Developed economies due to limited resources. He said, if India will lag in catching up with emerging technologies in the coming 15 to 20 years, the very existence of the country will be at stake. He exhorted the officials and other stakeholders to Walk the Talk" for achieving Prime Ministers vision of Transforming India through Digital Revolution. He said, it is our bounden duty to digitally empower the huge chunk of population particularly in rural areas who are still deprived of IT revolution and he underlined that Government alone cannot do this and called for cooperation of all. .

.

Shri Sinha expressed the hope that by March, 2017, one lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) will be connected through Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) to set up a network infrastructure to serve the rural masses. He said, whether network infrastructure or digital highway, there is need for finding appropriate technologies for the deprived sections of society. .

.

Speaking on the occasion, Secretary Telecom Shri J.S.Deepak said that Finance Ministry is very conservative in allocation of funds under USOF ( Universal Service Obligation Fund). He said, despite Rs 70,000 Crore available under USOF, allocation of work is less than 40 per cent. He, however, admitted that the execution of digital infrastructure projects particularly in rural areas needs to be speeded up. Shri Deepak also announced that Rs 10,000 Crore will be spent in 2016-17, which is the highest in the history of USOF. .

.

In his address, Chairman, TRAI, Shri R.S.Sharma said that for transforming India into Digitally Empowered Society and Knowledge Economy, Public-Private Partnership is definitely the best mode. He said, when mobile telephony made its foray into India, there were 2 Crore fixed telephone lines and the number remains the same even today even though the mobile subscribers have crossed 100 Crore mark. He also cautioned that the era of voice has been replaced by data and if India will lag behind in building the Digital Highway in a time bound manner, there will be problems of traffic Jam. .

.

The two-day long seminar will deliberate on the topics like changing role of USOF, regulatory issues and its future perspective, challenges of consolidation in digital Indian initiatives, Bharat Net and road ahead, broadband proliferation by telecom service providers, unlicensed spectrum for Wi-Fi etc. .

.
The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Petroleum & Natural Gas Sh. Dharmendra Pradhan has said that there is a large potential of Bio-Fuel business in India to grow from present Rs. 6500 crore to Rs. 1 lakh crore in the next 10 years. Speaking at the National Conference on the World Bio-Fuel Day in New Delhi today, he said that the Prime Minister has set a target of 10% import reduction in crude by 2022 and bio-fuels can play an important role in achieving the target. Shifting the fuel consumption profile to bio-fuels derived from domestic feed stocks would lead to decrease in this dependence on crude oil imports. He said in the last 2 years, lot of work has been done in Ethanol Blending Programme, Bio-Diesel as well as using the Bio-waste for converting to energy but more needs to be done speedily. He said Indias energy consumption is increasing very fast and it has become the third largest consumer in the world. Sh. Dharmendra Pradhan said that the Bio-fuel Programme has the capacity to provide better remuneration for farmers, address environmental concerns, reduce dependence on imports and help in foreign exchange savings. The Petroleum Minister said the Government is willing to provide conducive policy environment to support development of Bio-fuel but import of raw material or waste for this purpose cannot be allowed. .

.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State (I/C) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines Sh. Piyush Goyal said that rapid strides have been made in the last two years in the field. He said that Viability Gap Funding Scheme for the sector can be evolved in consultation with the stakeholders. Further, the Minister laid down a vision for the growth and development of the bio-fuel sector. He called for organizing an International competition, under the aegis of the MoPNG, MNRE and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and invite stakeholders from all around the World to brainstorm and devise innovative technologies and novel ideas to integrate the use of bio-fuels in the lives of the common man. Sh. Goyal said speed, skill and scale are important for success of any programme and they should be included in the Bio-fuel programme also. He further added that bio-fuels are closely linked to increasing the quality of life of the common man as they would provide a sustainable way to convert human generated wastes to energy and reduce pollution as well. The Minister pointed out that a major challenge that faces the sector is the sustainable availability of feedstock for the bio-fuel generation plants. .

.

On the occasion of Bio-fuel World Day, National Conference on Energy Security for India Creating a Bio-fuel Economy was organized. The World Bio-fuel Day is celebrated every year to commemorate the anniversary of the successful working of a diesel engine, run on peanut oil, by German innovator Rudolf Diesel in 1893. The National conference brought together stakeholders of the Bio-fuel sector viz., the Government, Public Sector Undertakings and the Private Sector. .

.

Investment announcements were made by Private Equity and Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies. IOC, BPC, HPC and NRL have identified 10 locations for setting up 2G ethanol plants with an estimated investment of Rs.5000/- crore. Private players like CMC Bio-refineries, Praj Industries Ltd., Munzer, Novozymes and Shell have also announced an investment of Rs.5000/- crore in the field of Bio-fuels in India. The conference aimed at accelerating the bio-fuel programme in the country and draw up a road map to reduce the consumption of fossils fuels by replacing it with locally produced bio fuels thus reducing the foreign exchange out flow, generate rural employment and protect environment. .

.

Background.

.

The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG) is preparing a road map to accelerate the implementation of Bio-fuel program by increasing their consumption in India. MoP&NG has adopted a four pronged approach and is running following programmes: Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme (EBP) Ethanol blending in Petrol, Second Generation Ethanol (2G Ethanol) Ethanol production from celluloses and lignocelluloses material including Chemical route, Bio-diesel Blending Programme Bio-diesel blending in Diesel, and Waste/Plastic to Fuel. .

.

India has taken several initiatives in the field of bio fuels in the last two years. Several policy interventions and clearing of many hurdles in implementation of National blending targets have been under taken by Government of India. Ministry of Petroleum Natural gas has given a big push for the Ethanol blending program and is close to achieving 4% blending during the current sugar year. The bio diesel blending program which was started a year ago on 10 August 2015 as a pilot in 5 cities has now been extended to 6 states and Bio- diesel blended diesel is sold through nearly 2200 retail outlets in the country. The Government has also allowed production of ethanol from alternate routes. .

.
PMs interaction with Village Pradhans from Varanasi Parliamentary Constituency

.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today welcomed Village Pradhans from the Varanasi Parliamentary Constituency at his residence in New Delhi. This was the third such group from Varanasi Parliamentary Constituency to meet the Prime Minister. .

.

During the interaction, the Prime Minister encouraged the Pradhans to generate greater awareness among the people in their villages about Central Government Schemes such as Soil Health Card Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. .

.
The Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju delivered a statement at the International Meeting on Counter Terrorism" in Bali, Indonesia today. Following is the text of Shri Kiren Rijijus statement: .

.

India congratulates Indonesia for hosting this timely and important meeting to discuss the menace of terrorism that is plaguing the entire world today. India condemns in the strongest possible terms, the heinous terrorist attacks in Jakarta, Paris, Nice, Brussels, Istanbul, Dhaka, Baghdad, Orlando, in various parts of Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, and at an Indian airbase at Pathankot in the state of Punjab this year. Terrorism is an attack on the very idea of civilized societies and an attack on humanity itself. It defies international boundaries and hardly any nation is free from its impact. Lately, the menace has seriously escalated with terrorist groups creating havoc by maximizing human losses through perpetration of widespread killings and destruction. .

.

The Government of India is committed to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and to ensure that the perpetrators of terrorist acts, their masterminds and conspirators are brought to justice. We unequivocally condemn all acts, methods and practices of terrorism, which cannot be justified under any circumstances, regardless of their motivation, wherever and by whomsoever they are committed. There should be zero tolerance against terrorism. We reaffirm that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group. .

.

It also needs to be ensured that terrorism is not glorified and is not patronized by any state. One countrys terrorist cannot be a martyr or freedom fighter for anyone. A terrorist anywhere is a terrorist everywhere. Those who provide support, encouragement, sanctuary, safe haven or any assistance to terrorism or terrorists must be isolated. Strongest possible steps need to be taken not only against terrorists and terrorist organizations but also against those individuals, institutions, organizations or nations that support them. .

.

The will and the mandate of international community against proscribed and wanted terrorists and their organizations must be respected and implemented. If the world community is to rid themselves of the terrorism, we will have to rid ourselves of the notion of making distinctions between good and bad terrorists. No type of terror activity or support to it can be justified on any grounds whatsoever. Only then justice will be delivered for the victims of terrorist attacks such as in Mumbai and Pathankot. .

.

India, which has been a victim of cross-border terrorism for decades, is not immune from the threats of radicalization and terrorist violence which is now affecting more and more countries all over the world. However, Indias firm adherence to open, inclusive and secular democratic governance processes, deep-rooted culture which regards the whole world as one big family and strong family ties and values which strongly uphold and protect the welfare interests of our children and youth, have checked the sweeping forces of radicalization from taking root in our country. Nevertheless, we remain highly concerned and closely monitor and guard against the activities of terrorist entities in various parts of the world from influencing the younger sections of the Indian population with extremist online propaganda and material. The risks posed by Foreign Terrorist Fighters trying to enter the country from across the border and by other means are also similarly constantly assessed and monitored. .

.

To counter the problem of cross-border infiltration, the Government of India, has adopted a multi-pronged approach, which includes, inter alia, strengthening of border management through multi-tiered deployment along international borders/Line of Control and infiltration routes, construction of border fencing, improved use of technology, better intelligence and operational coordination, synergizing intelligence flow to check infiltration and proactive action against terrorists within the country. .

.

There is close and effective coordination amongst intelligence agencies at the Centre and the State levels. The Multi Agency Centre (MAC) has been strengthened and re-organized to enable it to function on 24x7 basis for real time collation and sharing of intelligence between the State and the Central agencies. .

.

In order to strengthen legislative measures for countering terrorist attacks and terrorism-related offences and to ensure speedy investigation and prosecution of such cases, the Government of India has created the National Investigation Agency (NIA), as a Central Agency to deal with terror related cases in 2008 through the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008. .

.

The States most affected by terrorism have already raised well-trained police forces to deal with the menace of terrorism. The Centre supports them in this endeavor by providing them human, financial and material resources. .

.

Cross border movements of terrorists is the most prominent manifestation of internationalization of terrorism through sophisticated networks and use of advance technologies. Thus controlling and checking cross border movement is one of the most potent tools to counter this peril. .

.

Intelligence can play a vital role in combating terrorism. The need of the hour is to share relevant inputs to prevent acts of terrorism. I take this opportunity to request all concerned to develop intelligence mechanisms for smooth dissemination of inputs on real time basis. .

.

Countering terrorism also requires a strong collective action by the global community. India is regularly engaging with various countries bilaterally for exchanging perspectives on developments pertaining to the menace of terrorism and deepening cooperation for exploring possibilities and modalities of addressing security threats emanating from it. India is also actively participating in deliberations about this scourge at various regional and mulitateral fora. .

.

In order to address the menace of terrorism, a strong international legal framework is the need of the hour. In this context, nations must urgently consider expediting finalization of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism under the UN umbrella mooted by India as early as 1996. Additionally, there is a need for increasing the effectiveness and transparency of procedures under the UNSCR 1267 and related resolutions for effective implementation and better coherence between various UN counter terrorism structures. .

.

Here I would like to again reiterate that all forms of terrorism and in one voice is determined to counter and combat terrorism in its various violent and subtle manifestations. We assure this learned assembly of our fullest cooperation and support in unitedly combating this global scourge for safeguarding humanity and the human civilization. At the end, I also take this opportunity to thank the Indonesian government for their kind hospitality." .

.

* * * * * *

.

KSD/NK/PK
Government of India gave its concurrence for engaging Asian Development Bank (ADB) for carrying out feasibility study and preparing the Conceptual Development Plan for East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC) linking Kolkata in the East through Chennai to Tuticorin in South in a phased manner in May 2014. In the first phase, Vizag-Chennai segment of ECEC, i.e. VCIC was taken up for the feasibility study. .

.

The Government has not approved or released any funds directly for this project. However, funds are needed to the tune of US $ 840 Million for VCIC nodes, out of which ADB Funding of US $ 625 Million has been approved by the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Government of India. Remaining amount US $ 215 Million shall be provided by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. Out of ADB loan of US$625 Million approved by DEA, a sum of US $ 370 Million has been sought as first tranche from ADB. The ADB conducted the feasibility study for VCIC and submitted the final Conceptual Development Plan (CDP) for the Project in December 2014. It has also started the master planning for four nodes Vishakhapatnam, Kakinada, Gannavarm-Kankipadu and Srikalahasti-Yerpedu of Andhra Pradesh as identified in the CDP. .

.

This information was given by the Commerce and Industry Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today. .

.
Afghan troops are being deployed to the capital of the key southern province of Helmand amid intense fighting with the Taliban in surrounding areas and fears the city could fall to the insurgents within days, officials said on Wednesday.

According to Kareem Atal, the head of Helmand's provincial council, Taliban fighters have completely surrounded Lashkar Gah after weeks of intense fighting across the province. Army and police units have now been pulled back from checkpoints farther afield and brought back to reinforce the city.

Also, "new forces are arriving" in the city, he added. The fighting has closed all the highways leading into Lashkar Gah, forcing up prices for food and other basics inside the provincial capital, Atal said.

Doctors Without Borders, the medical charity, has reduced its staff in Lashkar Gah and is maintaining basic emergency and surgical services, said the country representative Guillem Molinie.

The charity, known by its French acronym MSF, has a 300-bed hospital in the city and usually functions with 25 staff. Molinie would not say how many staff had been evacuated.

He said that the number of people arriving for treatment after being caught up in fighting in districts around the city had been reduced in recent days by road closures.

"With fears of the town being taken, non-emergency patients prefer to delay their treatment," he told The Associated Press, though 400 patients arrived at the hospital's emergency room on Tuesday.
Two Chinese nationals kidnapped by gunmen near Nigeria's capital, Abuja, last weekend have been released, police said.

The men, who are aged 45 and 50 and work for a construction company, were held for "24 hours of captivity" after they were ambushed, police spokesman Umar Nurman told AFP.

They have undergone tests in a hospital in Abuja and appear to be in good health, he added.

Their release followed "extensive pressure from the search party", Nurman said. It was unknown whether a ransom had been paid.

The exact timings of the kidnapping and release also remain unclear, though police previously said the men were ambushed on their way to Abuja on Saturday afternoon.

Kidnappings targeting prominent Nigerians and foreigners, especially in the oil-producing south, were rife in the 2000s until a 2009 government amnesty reduced unrest in the region.
steadied on Wednesday, though a slump in Novozymes after a weak set of second-quarter results weighed, while German utility E.ON also dropped after posting a net loss.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index was flat in percentage terms, coming off its lows after opening in negative territory.

Danish biotechnology company Novozymes sank 8.5 per cent after posting weaker than expected second-quarter results and downgrading its full-year sales guidance due to declining sales of its ethanol enzymes and in its agriculture product alliance with Monsanto .

Its shares were on track for their biggest daily loss in one year.

E.ON , Germany's largest utility, dropped 6 percent after reporting a net loss of more than 3 billion euros ($3.34 billion) for the first half of the year due to further charges at power plant unit Uniper.

The oil & gas sector was also a drag, with weaker oil prices weighing. Amec Foster Wheeler , which rose nearly 12 per cent in the previous session on the back of some well-received earnings, gave up some of those gains to trade 3.4 per cent lower.

Britain's G4S , however, jumped more than 15 per cent on well-received first-half earnings, putting it on track for its biggest daily gain since September 2001. The world's largest security firm also maintained its dividend.

"Income is quite hard to come by now, so stocks like G4S which have come off a lot and might be considered "cheap" ... are always going to be looked at quite closely by investors looking for capital gains, looking to make some money, and any inkling that there may be better times ahead will be jumped upon," said Augustin Eden, research analyst at Accendo .

Insurance stocks were boosted by a 3.7 per cent gain in Belgian insurance group Ageas , which rose after reporting better-than-expected profit from insurance activities in the second quarter, aided by growth in its Belgian home market and a divestment in Asia.

Danish telecoms company TDC gained 5.8 per cent after posting a strong Q2 report.
The father of the gunman who killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida was spotted at a speech Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton gave to supporters in the swing state.

Seddique Mateen was caught on camera seated in the audience behind Clinton during her campaign appearance yesterday night in Kissimmee, a town 37 kilo meters south of Orlando.

Mateen's son, Omar, proclaimed his allegiance to the Islamic State group during the June 12 massacre at the Pulse nightclub, which ended after three hours when police finally stormed the venue and shot him to death.

It was the deadliest mass killing on US soil since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

Clinton, on a trip through the crucial swing state, opened her speech with a tribute to the 49 people who lost their lives in Orlando.

Mateen, an immigrant from Afghanistan, was approached by a reporter from the local WPTV television station and asked about his presence at the rally.

"Why should they be surprised? I love the United States, and I've been living here a long time," he said.

"Hillary Clinton is good for United States versus Donald Trump, who has no solutions," he said.

The rally was open to the public and about 3,000 people attended.

"This individual wasn't invited as a guest, and the campaign was unaware of his attendance until after the event," the Clinton campaign said in an email sent to reporters.

Today, the Orange County medical examiner's office released the official autopsy reports for the victims of the .

It counted 200 gunshot wounds among the dead alone. Another 53 people were wounded in the attack.
Charities that send financial aid to trouble spots sometimes have the funds "hijacked" by militant groups to carry out attacks, an counter-terrorism meeting was warned on Wednesday.

A report by Indonesian and Australian authorities detailed the risk faced by non-profit organisations. It also urged countries in the region to cooperate more closely to halt the flow of funds from militants, particularly from the Islamic State (IS) group.

"These are often very legitimate organisations who are sending money to trouble spots around the world to help civilians who are suffering," Paul Jevtovic, head of Australia's financial intelligence agency, told the meeting on the Indonesian resort island of Bali.

"Unfortunately the intelligence tells us that some of these funds do not get to their intended destination and are in fact hijacked by terrorist groups and used for propaganda and/or actually committing terrorist acts."

The "unscrupulous nature" of terror cells meant that they would intercept funds intended for people in need and for hospitals, he added, without naming specific groups.

Jevtovic however stressed that non-profit organisations have a "critical role to play" helping civilians in war-torn areas, and he was not aiming to "denounce the importance of charities".

The warning came after an Israeli court last week charged the Gaza director of the World Vision non-governmental organisation with passing millions of dollars to the Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas and its armed wing.

The US-based Christian aid organisation has said it has "no reason to believe" the allegations against Mohammed al-Halabi.

The report on terrorism financing in Southeast Asia and Australia noted two cases in Australia from the mid-2000s that involved charities raising almost $750,000 which was sent to foreign-based terror groups for organisational funding.

In Thailand some non-profit groups had diverted money to fund propaganda in the insurgency-torn south, where Muslim rebels seeking greater autonomy have been waging a campaign against the Buddhist-majority state, the report said.

The report, put together with collaboration from other Southeast Asian nations, also urged countries in the region to combat money flowing into the region to fund terror attacks.
A shocking - but not surprising - news report appearing in Wednesday's Wall Street Journal revealed that President Barack Obama and his minions transported a secret payment to the terrorist-supporting Iranian that appears to be a ransom for the release of abducted Americans.stated the WSJ story.Reporters described unmarked wooden crates overflowing with paper money including Euros, Swiss francs and other currencies, but no U.S. dollars, that were loaded onto a cargo plane secretly flown into Iran, according to these officials.they stated.While Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton was involved in negotiations with Iran while Secretary of State, she is avoiding the subject as details are being revealed that it was a "sucker deal."Despite more and more information surfacing during the day, Obama's officials, including his press secretary, Josh Earnest, denied any link between the payment and the American prisoner release. They claim the entire episode is coincidence and what it appears: quid pro quo.But GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump states it's a "scandal" that President Obama's administration paid $400 million dollars to Iran around the time four American hostages were released by the radical Islamist nation.The fledgling TV cable news channel OAN is also reporting that members of the Department of Justice opposed the delivery of $400 million to Iran saying it would be viewed by the world as a ransom payment and place other Americans overseas in danger. But Obama overruled the DOJ and the Attorney General remained silent.The Iranian government's experience dealing with the Obama administration, especially Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her successor John Kerry, has shown a total lack of respect or fear of American power.For example, speaking candidly and openly to a number of high-level Iranians in both public and private sectors, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, in a speech claimed the United States, under President Barack Obama's leadership, no longer possesses the might and awe it once enjoyed, according to Middle Eastern news sources Speaking during a meeting of Iran's Assembly of Experts in Tehran , the Ayatollah promised that the current "world order" will be replaced with a new world order that is already emerging not only in the Middle East but also in the West.Khamenei said.According to Iran's ABNA news agency , Muslim leaders working in the U.S. as a de facto Fifth Column are hoping to garner another million voter registrations from within the nation's Muslim communities. They are pushing the registration drive as combating the anti-Muslim Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.The Iranian news agency claims that there are about 3.3 million Muslims in United States, but campaign organizers said,said Osama Abu Irshaid of the U.S. Council of Muslims.Imams have been asked to encourage their congregations to register to vote for Hillary Clinton. The Democratic Party hopeful reportedly helped to create what's now called the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).Organizers have sent canvassers to college campuses, bus stations and gas stations in Muslim neighborhoods but will register non-Muslims who support their Islamic neighbors.
As more Indians get introduced to the idea of ordering food online, has partnered with popular food delivery apps such as Zomato and Swiggy to enable placing orders right from its search results.
About 1,000 Russian opposition supporters rallied in Moscow to protest a controversial new legislation that offers new sweeping powers to security agencies.

The set of counter-terrorism amendments initiated by the hawkish lawmaker Irina Yarovaya has sparked outrage among rights activists. Among other things, it introduces prison sentences for failure to report a grave crime and obliges telecommunications companies to store call logs and data for months.

President Vladimir Putin signed the amendments into law last month.

Protesters, who gathered on Tuesday in Moscow's Sokolniki park, denounced the new legislation as part of the Kremlin's efforts to stifle protest ahead of next month's parliamentary elections. The rally, which had been sanctioned by authorities, proceeded peacefully as police watched from the sidelines.

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who played a key role in organising massive protests in Moscow against Putin's rule in 2011-2012, said in a rousing speech that it's time for the opposition to return to the streets and that "everything depends on us."

Opposition activist Ilya Yashin described the new legislation as a "reflection of horror and fear of the government."

"They try to control everything, absolutely everything," he said. "If we don't resist it, then we will find ourselves in the world of Big Brother where everyone is being watched from everywhere. All our conversations are being listened to, all our messages are being read - it's a very unpleasant perspective."

Referring to the new legislation as "the Big Brother law," Human Rights Watch representative Tanya Lokshina described it as "clearly yet another tool for the government to use against its' opponents."

"There has been a tremendous crackdown on free expression in since Vladimir Putin's return to the Kremlin back in 2012, and the 'Yarovaya Law' will be a particularly destructive tool," she said.
Saudi Arabia and Iran are showing no let up in their market share war, just days after Opec (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) announced an informal meting to discuss ways to stabilise falling prices. The Opec announced on Monday it will hold informal talks on the sidelines of a conference in the Algerian capital next month. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude exporter, told Opec that it boosted oil output to a record 10.67 million barrels a day in July, two people with knowledge of the data said. Iran's output is up to 3.85 million barrels a day, Fars news agency ...
Igor Plotnytsky, the leader of independence-seeking insurgents in Ukraine's eastern Lugansk region, said he came back to work three days after surviving an assassination attempt.

"The work of the authorities continues in the usual mode and I participate in the meetings and conferences on a regular basis," Plotnytsky said in a statement published by the insurgent-run Lugansk information centre.

In his statement, the leader of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic (LNR) urged the public not to trust the "toxic rumours" about the deterioration of his health.

Plotnytsky was injured on Saturday morning when an explosive device went off near his car and he was hospitalised in Lugansk.

The Ukrainian security authorities suggested that Plotnytsky was in serious condition, while the self-styled Health minister of the self-proclaimed LNR Larysa Airapetyan said that the wounds were not life-threatening.

Plotnytsky has blamed the Ukrainian government for the explosion, while Kiev has denied the charges, saying it was not implicated in the blast.

Since April 2014, the Ukrainian army and rebels have been engaged in a military conflict in eastern Ukraine that has killed some 9,400 people so far.
Voicing concern over recent developments pertaining to capital punishment in Maldives, the UN Human Rights chief has exhorted the government to refrain from carrying out planned executions and uphold the de facto moratorium that has been in place in the country for over six decades.

"The has long provided important leadership on global efforts to bring an end to the use of death penalty, so it is deeply regrettable that a series of steps have been taken to resume executions in the country," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a press release.

Last November, the High Court decided that the President may no longer exercise the power of commuting death sentences to life imprisonment.

In June this year, capital punishment regulations were further amended to allow for hanging in addition to lethal injections as methods of execution.

Further, in July, the Supreme Court issued an order, cancelling the stay order issued by the High Court and reiterated that its decisions on death sentences are final.

"The death penalty is not effective in deterring crime," Zeid said, adding "a judiciary that is unable to consistently apply fair trial standards and is marred by politicisation, must not be allowed to have the final say in matters of life and death."

"There are currently 17 individuals on death row in . Some cases raise serious due process concerns, with three of them at imminent risk of execution," he said.

" has upheld the right to life for more than 60 years," the High Commissioner said, urging the leaders and the people of the Maldives "to continue to uphold the moratorium on the death penalty and work towards prohibiting the practice altogether.
has sought more military supplies from India including attack helicopters and US favours Indian support in enhancing Afghan security forces, a top American commander overseeing US operations in the war-ravaged country said.

India has already provided four Mi-25 helicopters to and US Commander General John Nicholson said the country needs more military aircraft to deal with Taliban and various other terror outfits.

Welcoming India's contribution to restoring peace and stability in Afghanistan, Nicholson said terror outfits like Haqqani network, Lashkar-e- Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad are not only a threat to but to the region including India.

Nicholson, who heads the US operations in Afghanistan, on his second visit here has met National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and Defence Secretary G Mohan Kumar and discussed a range of issues including situation in Afghanistan and terror threats to the region.

The US Commander said military training by India to thousands of Afghan security personnel has helped that country significantly which is in tune with the objective of the NATO and the US.

"I cannot speak for the Afghan government. But I know that they have requested more and would like more and I think there is an immediate need for more as these aircraft can immediately get into the fight," he said, when asked whether Afghanistan was seeking more military helicopters from India apart from the four Mi 25 choppers.

He said Afghanistan was struggling to get spare parts for Russian aircraft due to Western sanctions against Moscow and India can supply them, adding "the US favours India's military support to Afghanistan".

Referring to Pakistan, he said the Taliban "enjoys sanctuaries" in Pakistan and that the US has asked Islamabad to take steps to contain the terror networks operating from its soil.

"We consistently encourage Pakistan to take action against terrorist groups that operate from its territory and close down their safe havens," he told a group of journalists, at the same time, adding that the US was supportive of Islamabad's efforts to reduce the ability of militants groups.

Nicholson said the US was trying to build a "counter terrorism platform" focusing on containing all terror groups emanating from the region and ensure its peace and stability.

Hailing India's contribution in reconstruction of Afghanistan, he said the Afghan-India Friendship Dam in Herat province and Chabahar port project will help boost Afghanistan's economy.

The US Commander yesterday visited the burial sites of one of his ancestors  Brigadier Gen John Nicholson  in a cemetery in Old Delhi. "My wife and I cleaned his grave," he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minister Theresa May have agreed to meet in "the near future", the Kremlin has said.

During a phone call initiated by London, the two leaders "planned to hold a private meeting in the near future," the Kremlin said in a statement on Tuesday, without naming a date.

British relations with have soured in recent years, notably over efforts to prosecute the case of Kremlin critic and former spy Alexander Litvinenko, who was murdered by radiation poisoning in London in 2006.

Britain has also been one of the most fervent supporters of Western sanctions against Moscow over Russia's role in the Ukraine crisis.

"While discussing topical issues in Russian-British relations, both sides expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of cooperation in the political, trade and economic spheres," the Kremlin statement said.

The leaders agreed to intensify "joint work on a number of fronts" including air transportation safety, the statement said.

When May took office last month, Putin said he was ready for "constructive dialogue" with the new British leader.

The Kremlin strongman had accused the British government of being "overconfident" and "superficial" in the June referendum that saw the UK vote to split from the European Union.

Putin warned that the move to leave the EU "will have consequences for the United Kingdom, for all of Europe and for us, of course."

Many observers have said that Brexit would play into Putin's hands as he has been accused of trying to drive a wedge between EU members.

But Putin in June said that had never "interfered, never expressed our opinion on the matter" and dismissed attempts to associate Moscow with the vote.
With the secondary market on a roll, fund-raising via the initial public offering (IPO) route, too, has hit top gear with companies raising nearly Rs 11,000 crore in the first seven months of 2016 (calendar year).
India has said it is setting its own standard, being among the largest consumers of historically.
Bert and Jack Yates serve with the IMB-SBC in Nairobi, Kenya. Jack, whose heart's desire is to equip and teach God's children in Africa to carry out the Great Commission, serves as the Principal of the Kenya Baptist Theological College. Bert serves as the Prayer Networker for the Sub-Saharan African Peoples Affinity, sharing what God is doing in our part of the world and how others can join in His work!


The management of the PakTurk Schools, linked with US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen's NGO, has removed Turkish principals of 28 schools and colleges of the chain besides dissolving the board of directors (BoD) having representation of Turkish nationals.

The move is being seen to thwart the likely handing over of the control of the school system to any government organisation as Turkey blames Gulen for the last month's failed coup attempt, reports the Dawn.

A senior official of the school said that the Turkish nationals, earlier serving on administrative posts, will now work as teachers and a new six-member BoD with complete local representation had been formed to run the affairs of the schools.

The PakTurk schools are no more registered under the international NGO (PakTurk International Education Foundation) but they will work under a locally-registered PakTurk Education Foundation.

Last week, Islamabad had promised Turkey's visiting Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu that it would investigate the network of schools Ankara wanted shut for its alleged links with Gulen.

Cavusoglu had said, "It is not secret that Gulen's organisation has institutions or their presence in Pakistan and in many other countries. I am sure the necessary measures will be taken. We have to be very careful with such organisations and their causing risk and threat for the security and stability of every country that they have presence."

The senior official added that after such drastic changes in the system, there is no point in to either close down or hand them over to any government's recommended organisation.

"After bringing these schools under a local NGO, the government should stop looking for an excuse to oblige its Turkish counterpart," he said, requesting the Pakistan Government to consult the new BoD.

The chain of 28 schools and colleges is functioning in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Multan, Karachi, Hyderabad, Khairpur, Jamshoro and Quetta.

Of the 1,500 staffers, 150 are Turkish.

The Pakistan Government is also facing pressure from the Turkish authorities to expel the Turkish nationals working with the PakTurk schools.

"Some of them have a Pakistani visa valid for a year or two and some have applied for extension," said an official adding that the Turkish staff fears action by the Erdogan administration on their return as Turkey has declared Gulen's organisation a 'terrorist entity' after the coup.

The schools management has also filed a petition in Islamabad and Lahore high courts, seeking orders to stop the Pakistani Government from taking any unlawful step.
New Delhi, Aug 10 (ANI): Looks like rapper Badshah learnt his lesson leniently after splitting from his group 'Mafia Mundeer' in 2012 as the current desi hip-hop sensation has now vowed to work alone.

When asked whether he would form a group anytime soon, the Punjabi rapper exclusively told ANI, "I won't really prefer working in a group now, but yes I want to work with a lot of rappers. I really have to work on myself because I have got bigger aspirations and unfortunately I won't be able to achieve my dreams if I will be a part of a group now."

The 'Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai' hit-maker concluded, "Being a part of a group won't make any sense at this point of time."

The group 'Mafia Mundeer' disbanded in 2012 after their last song 'Get Up Jawani'.

Badshah also praised several underground rappers like Divine and Naezy, adding he is glad that the underground rap scene in India is gradually making its mark on the commercial front.

On the professional front, the rapper will drop his debut solo album in September.
A Bangadeshi-American immigrant has called on the prosecutors of the Queens Criminal Court, New York to bring hate crime charges against a person he says was attacked while screaming 'F***K Indians'.

Ali Najmi, who is representing Gazi Rahman, the victim, in the court, took to Twitter saying, "This is what hate looks like. My client Gazi Rahman assaulted by a complete stranger who yelled 'f**k Indians."

A photo posted by Najmi shows Rahman lost a significant amount of blood.

As per reports, Rahman, 46, said he was talking on the phone outside a grocery store on Hillside Avenue near Parsons Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens, on May 7 when a person named Christopher Porr, 39, who he did not know, asked for money.

He recalled at a news conference outside Queens Criminal Court, "I said, 'I'm sorry I don't have any money," and then the accused punched him and said, "F**K Indians."

Rahman further said he was treated at a hospital for a concussion, a broken nose, and lacerations to his face.

Najmi further tweeted, "On top of all this Mr. Rahman was wrongfully arrested at the scene! Surveillance footage I obtained which exonerates him is from NYPD camera.
Asserting that injustice against Dalits would not be tolerated, the Congress today asked Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to initiate a probe against the recent incident in Amalapuram where two Dalit brothers were allegedly tied to a coconut tree, stripped and thrashed for skinning a dead cow.

Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury stated that nobody would bear injustice against the Dalits.

"The state's chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu should initiate a probe to find out the accused. I am surprised as to how this disease of cow vigilantes has reached Andhra Pradesh," Chowdhury told ANI.

"Nobody will bear injustice against the Dalits and the state government will have to bear the consequences. The Chief Minister will have to tell as to what actions he has taken in this regard," she added while assuring support to the Dalits.

Earlier on Monday, two brothers, who were hired to skin a cow that had died of electrocution, were attacked by around 100 'gau rakshaks' or cow vigilantes, who arrived at the spot accusing them of stealing and killing the animal.

The brothers are presently undergoing treatment at a hospital with reports indicating that one of them is critical.

As per reports, the police have identified the attackers.

The incident comes just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent out a hard-hitting message against attacks on Dalits and cow vigilantism.

Addressing a public meeting on his first visit to Telangana on August 7 after assuming office, the Prime Minister asked the people to beware of its 'fake' protectors trying to divide society and the country and asked the states to severely punish them.

"I would like to tell all countrymen that they beware of these fake cow protectors," he said.

Prime Minister Modi asked the states to identify the people who want to destroy the social fabric and take stern action against them.
Dwayne Johnson, popularly known as 'Rock', recently lashed out at his 'Fast 8' male co-stars publically. Commending his female co-stars, he said not all men working with him are "true professionals."

According to an E!Online report, the actor-producer praised the movie's crew and his "amazing" female co-stars but he made a point to note that his "male co-workers, however, have a different story."

The 44-year-old formal wrestler, in an elaborate Facebook post, wrote: "Some conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others don't. The ones that don't are too chicken (shitt) to do anything about it anyway. Candy asses."

He, however, did not go specific as to about whom his comment was.
India and Myanmar held the 15th round of Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi on August 9, where the entire gamut of bilateral relations between both countries was reviewed.

The Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said the Indian side was led by Dr. S. Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary, and the Myanmar side by U Kyaw Tin, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

Both sides during the discussions reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including high level visits, security and defence related issues, boundary matters and border management, trade and commerce, development cooperation, connectivity, cultural and consular matters.

Both sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest at regional and multilateral forums.

The consultation is of special significance, as it marks the first institutionalised exchange between New Delhi and Naypyidaw after new the swearing in of new Myanmar Government on March 30, 2016.

During the intervening period Notable exchanges were made by the visit of National Security Advisor Shri Ajit Doval as a Special Envoy of Prime Minister on June 16, 2016 and of Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman at the head of a high-level business delegation for the India-Myanmar Business Conclave from May 18 to 20 this year.

The consultations were of special significance as it marked the first institutionalised exchange between India and Myanmar after the swearing in of the new Government in Myanmar on March 30, 2016. Notable exchanges in the intervening period were the visit of National Security Advisor Shri Ajit Doval as a Special Envoy of Prime Minister on June 16, 2016 and of Minister of State for Commerce & Industry Smt Nirmala Sitharaman at the head of a high-level business delegation for the India-Myanmar Business Conclave on May 18-20, 2016.
Cross-border trade between India and Pakistan resumed on Tuesday after remaining suspended over widespread unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The trade route between Poonch in India and Rawalakot in Pakistan was shut down on August 3 for the second time within a fortnight after massive protests erupted across PoK against alleged rigging in recent elections.

"Trade remained suspended for at least two weeks because of some internal crisis in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Trade finally resumed today. Ten vehicles have crossed from our side and more than 20 are coming from their end," said Mohammad Tanvir, custodian at Chakan da Bagh trade facilitation centre in Poonch.

PoK witnessed violent protests over the July 21 elections, which agitators claimed were rigged by the winning Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
The Panthers Party (NPP) on Wednesday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion in regard to in his speech and urged the latter to call on people from different sections of the state, along with representatives of all political parties with an open heart and address their grievances.

Speaking to ANI, NPP leader Bhim Singh said the people of want peace and prosperity and that it is for the Prime Minister to bestow more attention to the matters of the state to help the state move forward in the path of development.

"No matter I am a member of the opposition party but I welcome Prime Minister's remarks on . In reality the people of Kashmir want peace, prosperity, jobs, business and tourism so that they can develop. But I will say that more attention is required on whatever has happened and is happening in Kashmir," Singh said.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi should call on people from different sections of Kashmir along with representatives of all political parties and talk with them with open heart, because in Jammu and Kashmir we want peace to prevail. As development of Jammu and Kashmir is very important for development of India," he added.

Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday said only dialogue and development can ensure peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Every Indian loves Kashmir. The azaadi (freedom) that every Indian feels, Kashmir can feel too," he said while speaking at an event to commemorate the sacrifices of freedom fighters on the Quit India day at revolutionary Chandrashekhar Azad's village at Bhabra in Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh.

The Prime Minister said he is pained to see young men pelting stones on security forces in the state.

"The boys, who should be holding laptops, bats and balls in their hands and dreams in their hearts, are ones carrying stones," he said.

Prime Minister Modi said Kashmir wants peace and the government is committed for development of the region.

"Whatever Kashmiris want for betterment of their livelihood, the Centre will help," he said.
Yellowstone Countys economy will likely take a step back in 2016 compared to last year, and collapsing energy prices havent yet hit bottom, a University of Montana economist said Tuesday in Billings.

Crop and beef prices are also down, hurting Eastern Montana ag producers, but consolidations in the medical and finance fields in Billings are boosting the local economy, said Patrick Barkey, director of the UM Bureau of Business and Economic Research.

Its become apparent the real good news was in 2015. Its apparent now, with the fragment of information at hand, that 2016 is not as good, Barkey said to an audience of about 70 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Barkey was on the second stop of his seven-city tour of Montana for the 11th annual economic update series, sponsored by the Montana Chamber of Commerce. After hitting Kalispell and Billings, hell continue to Bozeman, Helena, Butte, Great Falls and Missoula.

Hes joined by Kate McGoldrick, director of UM Center for Enterprise and Executive Development, who discussed strategies for businesses to develop and keep talent when labor markets are tight.

The states economy has essentially reached full employment, Barkey said. Montanas unemployment rate was 4.2 percent in July, roughly unchanged for much of the year, and Yellowstone Countys unemployment was 3.8 percent during that same month.

Growth in the state has shifted west, Barkey said. Rising construction has lifted the more populous Western Montana counties while slumping commodities prices have hit Eastern Montana, he said.

Commodities prices are trying to find bottom, Barkey said.

Total wages in Yellowstone County (the volume of dollars earned by workers countywide) grew by 5.6 percent in 2015, pushed up by rising demand for workers, particularly in the construction field, and people working multiple jobs.

You can see that pretty steady growth, Barkey said.

He cautioned that growth in construction has been fueled by major upgrades at the ConocoPhillips refinery and CHS refinery in Laurel and may be temporary.

Yellowstone County is weathering declines in energy and agriculture because of its diverse economy, Barkey said, noting wage growth in health care more than tripled from 2014 to 2015. Along with the banking industry, health care in Billings has benefited from industry consolidations, which strengthen companies' headquarters operations in town, he said.

Recent examples include Billings Clinics acquisition of Community Health in Missoula last year and Billings-based First Interstate Banks announced buyout of Flathead Bank in Kalispell, scheduled to close this year.

It's really a big deal, and keeps the boom going, Barkey said.
As many as 1,051 missing children have been rescued by the Odisha Crime Branch during the first phase of Operation Muskan-2.

The Operation Muskan, which was started on July 25 jointly by the Crime Branch in association with the Women and Child Development Department, has rescued these children from various places across the state.

Special DG Crime branch B.K. Sharma said the next phase of operation will resume outside Odisha from today where the police teams will go to 10 states, including Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, New Delhi, Jharkhand Tamil Nadu and Bihar and trace out the missing children of Odisha. The second phase operation will end on August 24.

As per the direction of the Supreme Court for protection of missing children, the Odisha Police have launched a month-long drive called 'Operation Muskan' each year in two phases since 2015.

Notably, under Operation Muskan-I, the Odisha Police had rescued 900 children from last year from both inside and outside Odisha.
The Intelligence Agency (NIA) on Wednesday disclosed that Bahadur Ali, who was apprehended after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Buhan Wani, has confessed to the involvement of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Pakistan Army behind the unrest in Kashmir.

Briefing the media here, NIA chief Sanjeev Kumar said Ali was initially recruited by the Jamaat-ud-Dawa and trained by the LeT to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir and brew tension in the region.

Kumar said Ali during his interrogation confessed that he was directed to take advantage of the unrest in Kashmir Valley.

"We have collected all kinds of evidences. Bahadur Ali was directed to take advantage of the current situation in Kashmir," said Kumar.

"Bahadur Ali was recruited by the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, subsequently LeT radicalised him. Bahadur Ali underwent all three training process organised by the LeT," he added.

Kumar further said the articles seized during Ali's arrest explain that the LeT operative was trained by masters of the field.

"Recovered articles show that the terrorist was provided great referrals in codes. It shows very highly trained people trained him," said Kumar.

"Bahadur Ali said that there were a few army officers in civilian clothes, who checked their preparedness with a check-list. And that he crossed into Indian side on either 11th or 12th June along with two LeT cadres," he added.

The NIA chief further said Ali also disclosed that there were around 30-50 trainees at the training camps of LeT from different parts of the countries, including Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Kumar said Ali's investigation is underway and added that they would be exploring tangents relating to the role of LeT in the ongoing Kashmir unrest.

The NIA also showed a video of Ali's confession. He was arrested on July 25 with weapons, including an AK-47 rifle, live rounds, grenades and grenade launcher.

Earlier on Tuesday, India summoned Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit and handed him a "strong demarche" over Islamabad's continued support to cross-border terrorism by pushing in trained terrorists to carry out attacks, particularly in Kashmir.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar called the Pakistani envoy to his South Block office and lodged a strong protest over the issue as he made a specific reference to the LeT terrorist Bahadur Ali.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin today jointly inaugurated the first unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Plant.

Speaking from Moscow via video conference, President Putin highlighted that the plant was mostly about bringing advanced technology to India, adding that Russia has huge plans regarding this matter and that the deed for the third unit of the plant should be signed by the end of this year.

"Russia is a world leader in nuclear market. Nuclear power plants build by Russians are of high standards and safe. 85 percent fund comes from the Russia federation. I thank all who worked in implementing the project," Putin said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi speaking from the capital via video conference asserted that the plant marks another step in Indo-Russian cooperation and is a celebration between the collaboration of the two nations.

"The first unit is the single largest power plant in India and we have planned for five more. Today's event is a joyful occasion for the experts and scientists of Russia and India in the nuclear field. I'm grateful to President Putin and I deeply value our friendship. I looking forward to meet you in G20 in China," he said.

Speaking at the inauguration from Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa asserted that the Nuclear Plant is a monument of the long standing relationship between India and Russia, adding this project is important to Tamil Nadu, which is trying to rise above in all sectors.

"As Chief Minister, I have always extended support of the Kudankulam projects and also allayed the fears of local people regarding the plant. This project has overcome many hurdles so far, politically, financially and technically. The successful commission is a testimony of how the fear of the people should be allayed," she said.

She further requested that the second unit of the plant also be commissioned at the earliest, considering their need for the growing industrial and farming sectors.

The first unit of Kudankulam nuclear power plant attained criticality in July 2013. Till now, more than 10,800 million units of power have been generated from the first unit according to site director R S Sundar.

The 1000 Mega watt Kudankulam nuclear power plant was built with Russian expertise following a pact between the then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Soviet leader Mikahil Gorbachev in November 1988.

The first unit was synchronized with southern power grid on October 22 in 2013 and commercial power generation started by the end of December 2014.
The Allahabad High Court has ordered that teachers should not be deployed for poll duty during examinations. The court yesterday issued directions to the Election Commission in this regard.

The order was passed by a two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice D.B. Bhonsle and Justice Yashwant Verma while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) moved by the Uttar Pradesh primary teachers' association of Ghaziabad.?

The teachers' association had argued that the 2009 Act makes education the right of each child but this would be possible only when teachers do their duty regularly.

The Election Commission had argued that it was difficult to keep teachers away from poll duty as election work is also a duty.

After hearing both the parties, the bench passed the order refraining the Commission to deploy teachers for poll duty during examinations.
The Taliban's deputy shadow district governor Abdul Rahman and 13 other insurgents were reportedly killed in a military operation in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province on Wednesday.

Kunduz police said 21 other insurgents were also injured.

According to the police, the operation was conducted in Imam Sahib district of the province and was supported by the Afghan air force.

It added that two security soldiers were also killed and three others injured.

No further details were provided by the police in this regard.
Hollywood superstar Will Smith recently slammed US presidential candidate Donald Trump for his Islamophobic rants.

According to a report in The Dawn, Smith, who was on a promotional session of his latest 'Suicide Squad' said, "In terms of Islamophobia in America, for me, that's why it's important to show up in Dubai."

According to the 'I Robot' actor, it's important for him to be there, having fun, taking pictures so as to point out "Hey, it doesn't look like they hate me, does it?"

The actor also expressed his wish that local filmmakers should use cinema to highlight the reality of the region and show their part of the story.

"The Middle East can't allow Fox News to be the arbiter of the imagery, you know. So cinema is a huge way to be able to deliver the truth of the soul of a place to a global audience," said Smith.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised $1.3 billion to help finance climate change mitigation and adaptation projects with the issue of dual-tranche 3-year and 10-year green bonds, following its inaugural green bond issue in 2015.

Scaling up climate financing is essential for the region to keep its commitments to the Paris Agreement, adopted at last year's climate change summit, said ADB Treasurer Pierre Van Peteghem. Through robust climate finance to both the public and private sectors, ADB has demonstrated its commitment to a low-carbon future. Today's green bond issue also shows ADB's responsiveness to investors, who increasingly see the importance of green investment and sustainable development for Asia and the Pacific.

Last year, ADB announced that it will double its annual climate financing to $6 billion by 2020, up from $3 billion in 2015. ADB's spending on tackling climate change will rise to around 30% of its overall financing by the end of this decade. Out of the $6 billion, $4 billion will be dedicated to mitigation through scaling up support for renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable transport, and building smart cities, while $2 billion will be for adaptation through more resilient infrastructure, climate-smart agriculture, and better preparation for climate-related disasters.

Proceeds of the green bonds will support low-carbon and climate resilient projects funded through ADB's ordinary capital resources and used in its non-concessional operations.

The 3-year bond has an issue size of $800 million, a coupon rate of 1% per annum payable semi-annually and a maturity date of 16 August 2019. It was priced at 99.779% to yield 22.75 basis points over the 0.75% US Treasury notes due July 2019. The 10-year bond has an issue size of $500 million, a coupon rate of 1.75% per annum payable semi-annually and a maturity date of 14 August 2026.

It was priced at 99.745% to yield 21.9 basis points over the 1.625% US Treasury notes due May 2026.

The transaction was lead-managed by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Credit Agricole CIB, and J. P. Morgan. Co-lead managers were Daiwa Securities, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, SEB, and TD Securities.

The bonds were sold to about 70 investors including AGI, Banque Syz & Co SA, Black Rock, Calsters, Calvert Investments, Compass AM, Mirova, and State Street Global Advisors.

The issues achieved wide primary market distribution. For the 3-year bond, 58% of the bonds were placed in the Americas, 37% in Europe, Middle East, and Africa, and 5% in Asia. By investor type, 44% of the bonds went to fund managers, 32% to central banks and official institutions, 16% to banks, and 8% to insurance, pension and other types of investors. For the 10-year bond, 49% of the bonds were placed in Asia, 32% in Europe, Middle East, and Africa, and 19% in the Americas. By investor type, 46% of the bonds went to insurance, pension and other types of investors, 30% to fund managers, 13% to banks, and 11% to central banks and official institutions.

ADB plans to raise around $20 billion from the capital markets in 2016.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News
Bharat Financial Inclusion lost 2.79% to Rs 809 at 12:39 IST on BSE after the company said that its President S Dilli Raj is on leave for two months due to personal reasons.

The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 9 August 2016.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 213.78 points or 0.76% at 27,871.38.

On BSE, so far 1.61 lakh shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 2.22 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 841.45 and a low of Rs 798.80 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 369.45 on 18 September 2015. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 938.75 on 29 July 2016. The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 9 August 2016, surging 10.59% compared with 3.53% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also outperformed the market in past one quarter, gaining 39.25% as against Sensex's 9.33% rise.

The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 127.59 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.

During the absence of Bharat Financial Inclusion's (BFIL) President S Dilli Raj, M. R. Rao, Managing Director & CEO of BFIL will additionally oversee his functions.

It may be recalled that BFIL, formerly known as SKS Microfinance had last week announced that its President S Dilli Raj was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection to a complaint filed by IDBI Bank against First Leasing Company of India. S Dilli Raj previously worked in First Leasing Company of India.

Separately, BFIL after market hours yesterday, 9 August 2016 announced that it has issued commercial papers of an aggregate amount of Rs 50 crore which has been rated 'A1+' by a leading rating agency. The aggregate amount of commercial papers outstanding as on date was Rs 325 crore.

Bharat Financial Inclusion's net profit surged 285.7% to Rs 235.91 crore on 46.5% increase in total income to Rs 414.12 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015.

Bharat Financial Inclusion is among the largest microfinance companies in India.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News
Container Corporation of India rose 0.32% to Rs 1,463.05 at 9:24 IST on BSE, amid initial volatility after net profit fell 13.9% to Rs 178.48 crore on 5.7% decline in net sales to Rs 1339.22 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015.

The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 9 August 2016.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 22.87 points or 0.08% at 28,062.29.

On BSE, so far 6,489 shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 18,648 shares in the past one quarter. The stock was volatile. The stock rose as much as 2.16% at the day's high of Rs 1,490 so far during the day. The stock lost as much as 4% at the day's low of Rs 1,400 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 1,050.85 on 12 February 2016. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 1,689.95 on 11 August 2015. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 9 August 2016, sliding 0.32% compared with 3.53% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had, however, outperformed the market in past one quarter, gaining 10% as against Sensex's 9.33% rise.

The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 194.97 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.

Container Corporation of India (Concor) provides logistics solutions. It has the largest network of inland container depots (ICDs)/container freight stations in India. In addition to providing inland transport by rail for containers, it has also expanded to cover management of ports, air cargo complexes and establishing cold-chain. The Government of India (GoI) holds 56.79% stake in Concor (as per the shareholding pattern as on 30 June 2016).

Powered by Capital Market - Live News
Total Operating Income decline 4.24% to Rs 4723.70 crore

Net profit of Corporation Bank declined 82.41% to Rs 35.92 crore in the quarter ended June 2016 as against Rs 204.26 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2015. Total Operating Income declined 4.24% to Rs 4723.70 crore in the quarter ended June 2016 as against Rs 4932.77 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2015.4723.704932.7765.1573.74-97.44187.10-97.44187.1035.92204.26

Powered by Capital Market - Live News
An isolated case of a woman receiving graphic sexual messages from a stranger led to an investigation resulting in multiple felonies against a 28-year-old Billings man.

Clinton Ross Gilham was charged with felony stalking and five counts of felony privacy in communications in Yellowstone County Justice Court on Tuesday.

Yellowstone County Justice of the Peace David Carter set bond at $45,000 and restricted Gilham from using cellphones or social media websites because of the nature of his alleged crimes.

Gilham was prosecuted in Billings Municipal Court on two counts of misdemeanor privacy in communications and a misdemeanor charge of stalking. In that case, the victim reported Gilham had called her multiple times in June 2015 and left vulgar messages. Gilham was convicted on all three charges.

During the course of the investigation into that case, city prosecutors discovered several phone numbers that matched the pattern of harassment in Gilham's city case.

The evidence was turned over to Yellowstone County prosecutors and Gilham now faces six felony charges for harassing at least five other women, according to court documents.

The women range in age from 26 to 30 years old and, with the exception of one who knew Gilham more than a decade ago, said they had never met him. Based on information investigators gathered from searches of Gilham's phone from 2014 on, Gilham was tracking the women through their Facebook pages, according to court documents.

All of the women live outside of Yellowstone County and all of them reported Gilham would call them and describe sexual acts he wanted to perform on them, according to court documents. If the women hung up, Gilham would repeatedly call them back. Blocking Gilham's number would only work for a short time, because he would change his number periodically, according to court documents.

All the women told investigators changing their numbers might have resulted in losing important personal and business contacts and instead got into the habit of not answering unknown numbers, according to court documents. When unable to reach the women by phone, Gilham would text them obscene messages.

One woman reported Gilham threatened to rape her, and he was able to figure out she had moved from California to South Dakota. The woman was so afraid she set up notification steps with her family and friends in the event that she was kidnapped or killed, according to court documents.
Sales decline 18.88% to Rs 4.51 crore

Net profit of Hindustan Foods declined 11.76% to Rs 0.15 crore in the quarter ended June 2016 as against Rs 0.17 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2015. Sales declined 18.88% to Rs 4.51 crore in the quarter ended June 2016 as against Rs 5.56 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2015.4.515.5616.1911.870.490.500.150.170.150.17

Powered by Capital Market - Live News
Sales decline 2.59% to Rs 1703.86 crore

Net profit of JK Tyre & Industries declined 14.36% to Rs 100.26 crore in the quarter ended June 2016 as against Rs 117.07 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2015. Sales declined 2.59% to Rs 1703.86 crore in the quarter ended June 2016 as against Rs 1749.11 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2015.1703.861749.1120.9517.15262.08237.89187.53189.33100.26117.07

Powered by Capital Market - Live News
Lupin fell 2.95% to Rs 1,560.25 at 10:26 IST on BSE on reports that a foreign brokerage downgraded shares of the Indian drug maker to sell.

Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was down 165.98 points, or 0.59%, to 27,919.18.

On BSE, so far 2.28 lakh shares were traded in the counter, compared with average daily volume of 1.34 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 1,608 and a low of Rs 1,552.50 so far during the day. The stock hit a record high of Rs 2,127 on 6 October 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 1,294.05 on 29 March 2016. The stock had underperformed the market over the past 30 days till 9 August 2016, falling 3.68% compared with 1.66% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, rising 0.90% as against Sensex's 9.72% rise.

The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 90.20 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2.

The brokerage reportedly said that the competition in top US products will weigh on the company's growth. Lupin's key complex products lack visibility of launch. Lupin is likely to post single digit earnings per share growth in the year ending March 2018, it added.

Meanwhile, another foreign brokerage reportedly maintained underperform rating on Lupin. It reportedly said that risk-reward ratio is unfavourable for the stock. Q1 has been a peak profit quarter for Lupin. The brokerage cut its estimates on Lupin's earnings per share for the year ending March 2017 (FY 2017).

According to media reports, shares of Lupin fell as its two main businesses US and India did not do well in Q1 June 2016. The US business numbers were disappointing when compared to Q4 March 2016, while the Indian business numbers were disappointing when compared to Q1 June 2015.

Reports added that the possibility of a punitive US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) action on Lupin's Goa plant also continues to be an overhang. Goa plant contributes about 20% of the US revenues.

Shares of Lupin fell 5.03% to Rs 1,607.60 yesterday, 9 August 2016, after the company's consolidated net profit rose 55.1% to Rs 882 crore on 40% growth in net sales to Rs 4313.60 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015. The result was announced during market hours yesterday, 9 August 2016. The stock has fallen 7.83% in two sessions from its close of Rs 1,692.75 on Monday, 8 August 2016.

Lupin's managing director Nilesh Gupta said that the company has delivered its best results to date in tune with its growth momentum. This was a record quarter, driven by robust growth across all key markets for the company viz. the United States, India and Japan, he said. The management remains committed to maintaining the company's growth trajectory given new product launches and approvals driven by strategic investments in technology and research, Gupta said.

Lupin is a pharmaceutical company producing and developing a wide range of branded & generic formulations, biotechnology products and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) globally. The company is a significant player in the cardiovascular, diabetology, asthma, pediatric, CNS, GI, anti-infective and NSAID space and holds global leadership positions in the anti-TB segment.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is scheduled to announce Q1 June 2016 earnings today, 10 August 2016.

Container Corporation of India's (Concor) net profit fell 13.88% to Rs 178.48 crore on 6.17% decline in total income to Rs 1408.41 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 9 August 2016.

Power Finance Corporation's (PFC) net profit rose 8.64% to Rs 1712.55 crore on 5.91% rise in total income to Rs 7158.66 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 9 August 2016.

PFC's board of directors gave in-principle approval for the merger of PFC Green Energy (PFC GEL), a wholly owned subsidiary of the company with PFC.

JK Tyre & Industries' consolidated net profit declined 14.35% to Rs 100.26 crore on 0.88% growth in total income to Rs 1786.77 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015. The results for Q1 June 2016 includes working of Cavendish Industries acquired on 13 April 2016 which restarted its operations in mid May 2016. Therefore, results for the quarter are not comparable with previous period. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 9 August 2016.

Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) reported net loss of Rs 1450.50 crore in Q1 June 2016 compared with net profit of Rs 14.76 crore in Q1 June 2015. Total income declined 12.04% to Rs 5868.44 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 9 August 2016.

UCO Bank reported net loss of Rs 440.56 crore in Q1 June 2016 compared with net profit of Rs 256.70 crore in Q1 June 2015. Total income declined 8.53% to Rs 4727.93 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 9 August 2016.

Natco Pharma's consolidated net profit rose 69.75% to Rs 47.65 crore on 46.48% rise in total income to Rs 330.38 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015. The growth in profit for the company was predominantly driven by increased sales of its oncology and hepatitis C products in India. The result was announced at the close of market hours yesterday, 9 August 2016.

Kennametal India's net profit slumped 54.65% to Rs 7.20 crore on 1.91% decline in net total income from operations to Rs 154.79 crore in Q4 June 2016 over Q4 June 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 9 August 2016.

Bharat Financial Inclusion announced that the company's President S. Dilli Raj is on leave for two months due to personal reasons. During his absence, M. R. Rao, Managing Director & CEO, will additionally oversee his functions. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 9 August 2016.

HCL Technologies turns ex-dividend today, 10 August 2016 for interim dividend of Rs 6 per share for the year ending 31 March 2017 (FY 2017).

Powered by Capital Market - Live News
To utilise proceeds to repay debts

Nitesh Estates announced that the Company had 4 acres of the land parcel at Kakanad village in Kochi, Kerala.

In view of the sluggish market conditions, the company has decided to sell off the land and has finalized the same with a third party for a total consideration of Rs. 26.50 crore. The proceeds of the sale will be utilized to reduce the debts of the Company.

This transaction is expected to be completed by 30 September 2016.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News
Nitesh Estates rose 9.30% to Rs 13.87 at 10:57 IST on BSE after the company said it sold its land in Kerala for Rs 26.50 crore.

The announcement was made during trading hours today, 10 August 2016.

Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was down 205.27 points, or 0.73%, to 27,879.89.

On BSE, so far 1.44 lakh shares were traded in the counter, compared with average daily volume of 39,869 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 14.30 and a low of Rs 13.15 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 19.25 on 10 August 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 11 on 25 February 2016. The stock had underperformed the market over the past 30 days till 9 August 2016, falling 6% compared with 1.66% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, falling 2.01% as against Sensex's 9.72% rise.

The small-cap company has equity capital of Rs 145.83 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.

Nitesh Estates had 4 acres of the land parcel at Kakanad village in Kochi, Kerala. In view of the sluggish market conditions, the company has decided to sell off the land to a third party for a total consideration of Rs 26.50 crore. The proceeds of the sale will be utilized to reduce the debts of the company. This transaction is expected to be completed by 30 September 2016.

On a consolidated basis, Nitesh Estates reported net loss of Rs 2.55 crore in Q1 June 2016 as against net loss of Rs 20.33 crore in Q1 June 2015. Net sales rose 101.33% to Rs 98.23 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015.

Nitesh Estates is a first generation real estate company headquartered in Bangalore.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News
Held on 09 August 2016

Flexituff International announced that the Board of Directors of the Company at its meeting held on 09 August 2016, have considered and passed the following resolutions:-

1. Resignation of Rishabh Kumar Jain as Company Secretary & Compliance officer of the Company.

2. Appointment of Madhuri Jethani as Company Secretary & Compliance officer of the Company.

3. Resignation of D. K. Sharma from the Directorship of the Company due to his Preoccupation.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News
Total Operating Income decline 4.05% to Rs 2153.92 crore

Net profit of Punjab & Sind Bank rose 23.61% to Rs 53.35 crore in the quarter ended June 2016 as against Rs 43.16 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2015. Total Operating Income declined 4.05% to Rs 2153.92 crore in the quarter ended June 2016 as against Rs 2244.74 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2015.2153.922244.7474.5774.57138.5257.79138.5257.7953.3543.16

Powered by Capital Market - Live News
A special court here on Wednesday recorded the statement of New Delhi Exim Pvt. Ltd. Director Suresh Singhal -- who has turned approver in a coal block allocation case allegedly involving former Congress MP Naveen Jindal and others -- as prosecution witness.

The court on July 11 allowed Singhal's plea for pardon and to turn a government approver in the case.

"Today (Wednesday), applicant Suresh Singhal has accepted the pardon so granted to him, subject to the conditions as mentioned in the order. Accordingly, his statement to that effect has been recorded," Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge Bharat Parashar said.

"The name of Suresh Singhal is accordingly deleted from the array of accused persons as he shall now be a prosecution witness, to be examined upon commencement of recording of prosecution evidence."

The court, however, clarified that Singhal will not leave India without its prior permission till further orders.

Meanwhile, the court directed the CBI to expedite further investigation as trial in the matter is getting delayed.

At the same time, the court granted permission to Jindal to visit abroad (Oman, UAE and Bahrain) from August 25 to 30 subject to certain conditions.

These include informing the CBI and the court about his arrival in India, mentioning details of places visited by him, along with details of the itinerary, within seven days of his arrival and not tampering with evidence nor trying to influence any witness in any manner.

The court fixed August 24 for submitting report on further investigation in the matter.

The court in April found prima facie evidence against industrialist and senior Congress leader Jindal, former Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayana Rao, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda and others in a case related to the allocation of Jharkhand's Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block to Jindal Steel and Gagan Sponge.

However, Jindal, Rao, Koda and others denied the charge and sought discharge from the case.

The CBI in April 2015 filed a charge sheet against Jindal, Koda, Rao and former Coal Secretary H.C. Gupta, apart from Singhal, Jindal Realty Director Rajeev Jain, Gagan Sponge Directors Girish Kumar Juneja and R.K. Saraf, Sowbhagya Media's Managing Director K. Ramakrishna and chartered accountant Gyan Swaroop Garg.

Five private companies -- four based in Delhi and one in Hyderabad -- were also named in the charge sheet.

They are Jindal Steel and Power Ltd., Gagan Sponge Iron Pvt. Ltd., Jindal Reality Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi Exim Pvt. Ltd. and Sowbhagya Media Ltd.

--IANS

akk/tsb/dg
In a move seen in favour of publishers, social media giant on Tuesday introduced a by which the advertisements on the platform would bypass the adblockers on desktop browsers, making it harder for people to avoid seeing them.

The company has also asked its users to identify which ads they do not like to allow the firm to collect in-depth information for marketers.

commissioned a research to investigate why 70 million Americans and nearly 200 million people worldwide use adblockers, Tech Crunch reported.

According to the report, the main reasons cited for using ad blockers include avoiding disruptive ads (69%), ads that slow down their browsing experience (58%) and security/malware risks (56%).

"So thinks if it can make its ads non-interruptive, fast, and secure, people would not mind," the report said.

"The rationale for the change is that part of the mission of the company is to create connections between people and businesses which adblockers prevent," Facebook's Vice President of ads Andrew Bosworth was quoted as saying.

"Ads on Facebook do not pay for Facebook for one person. They pay for a service that is free around the world.



The participation of everyone really helps the global community," Bosworth added.

Meanwhile, Adblock Plus, a leading adblocking company, responded to Facebook's action.

In a blog post titled, "Oh well, looks like Facebook just got all anti-user", the company said, "This is an unfortunate move, because it takes a dark path against user choice. But it's also no reason to overreact: cat-and-mouse games in tech have been around as long as spammers have tried to circumvent spam filters."

Bosworth said that the advertising industry needs to improve in the way ads are delivered.

"I don't think adblockers are a very good solution. They specifically don't serve publishers will, who deserve to be compensated for their content. But they don't serve customers well either," he said. The adblockers take money for showing ads, which mean they don't have the consumers' best interest in mind," he noted.
HELENA  Prayer, not politics, topped the agenda at Montanas Capitol on Tuesday, where evangelist Franklin Graham held a rally meant to encourage Christians to live out their faith at home, in public and at the ballot box.

An estimated 2,700 churchgoers, state workers and other curious onlookers packed almost every patch of the Capitols north lawn, snarling traffic on their way to hear a roughly 45-minute speech from Graham, the eldest son of the televangelist Rev. Billy Graham.

Three event-branded tour buses parked in front of the Capitol provided the backdrop for the 33rd stop on Grahams nationwide Decision America Tour, one of 50 planned in state capitals around the country.

The rally didnt feature any stump speeches or election endorsements, nor candidate appearances of any type.

Instead, Graham called on attendees to put their faith in God to help solve the countrys problems.

That's not to say the event was short on politics. Even the country band that served as Grahams opening act managed to mix a few muscular lyrical threats aimed at ISIS in among the praise music.

Graham himself endorsed no candidate for any office, referring to both major party presidential nominees, Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, as flawed people.

But Graham did encourage rally attendees to give special consideration to some of Trumps favorite campaign topics, including efforts to bolster national security and put a stop political correctness.

The word progressive, he said, is just a code word for atheist.

You need to stand up and you need to be in their face, Graham said as he implored rally attendees to run for office and become more engaged in public life. I'm sorry but you just need to be in their face."

You can be a community organizer for God, he added in one of the speeches louder applause lines  an apparent reference to President Barack Obamas past work as a community organizer in Chicago.

The message  putting prayer ahead of political allegiances  resonated with Betty Dutton, who made a nearly two-hour trek from Twin Bridges to hear Graham speak.

If you have faith in God, he can do anything, Dutton said. The Bible says if you pray to him, he will restore.

But you cant just pray. You have to pray for the answers about who to vote for, and you have to do the research on who is most aligned with what the Bible says.

The event didn't seem to sit nearly as well with Laurel Hesse, a Montana Democratic Party staffer who donned a Planned Parenthood button on her lapel.

It made me sad that I felt like I couldnt hold someones hand during prayer, she said. Someone next to me offered their hand, then took one look at my pin and took it away.

Moments earlier, whispers about lesbianism, sodomy and abortion could be overheard as Graham encouraged attendees to confess aloud the sins of our nation.

A hand-drawn sign Hesse held aloft during that prayer suggested a few parenthetical additions to the blurb used to promote Tuesdays event on Grahams website: Practice your faith (love, respect, compassion) at home, in public and at the ballot box.

The Decision America tour is scheduled to stop Wednesday in Boise, Idaho, and finish the week in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

For more information, visit decisionamericatour.com.
The Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) has collaborated with the Development Commissioner (DC) Handlooms to reinvent indigenous crafts executed by handloom weavers through effective skill development.

The Ministry of Textiles, headed by Textiles Minister Smriti Irani, announced a revival strategy for the handloom industry on National Handloom Day, observed on August 7.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will facilitate designer intervention at selected Weavers Service Centers across India was also signed between Alok Kumar, Development Commissioner Handlooms, and FDCI President Sunil Sethi, read a statement.

FDCI designers Rajesh Pratap Singh, Anju Modi, Rakesh Thakore, Rina Dhaka, Rahul Mishra, Abhishek Gupta, Samant Chauhan and Shruti Sancheti were present for the function in Varanasi.

They were allocated their Weaver Service Centers/handloom clusters in selected parts of the country.

Designers will impart professional training in design development at various Weaver Service Centers across the country.

The strategy has been devised with the long-term goal of making the handloom weaver an entrepreneur, through knowledge sharing and resource optimisation.

--IANS

sug/nn/vm
"Udegi Dhool", a political thriller that chronicles the spectacular rise of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival next month.

Directed by Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla, "Udegi Dhool", which is 95 minutes long, has been distilled from 400 hours of real behind-the-scenes footage shot through a year.

"India is the biggest consumer of news and film and yet journalism informs so little of our cinema," Ranka said in a statement.

"We worked as ordinary citizens armed with the tools of journalism - a camera, a mic and curiosity," said Shukla.

The movie, which was in post-production for two years, sneaks viewers into the middle of heated arguments and campaign strategies of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Produced by Anand Gandhi, director of the internationally acclaimed and Award winning classic "Ship of Theseus", 'Udegi Dhool' unfolds like a political thriller.

It follows activists, politicians and academicians on their best days and their worst, as they navigate the absurdities, trials and chaos of Indian politics and as they reveal their agenda, intentions and ambitions.

It was previously titled "Proposition for a Revolution", and was supported by a crowd funding campaign in India. The Toronto festival will be held from September 8-18.
The government on Wednesday said that it has ordered inspection of all old bridges after the collapse of Mahad Bridge in Maharashtra.

"NHAI (National Highway Authority of India) has asked its field units to get all old bridges under its jurisdiction inspected through Project Director/Independent Engineer/ DPR Consultants for their fitness," the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement.

The ministry clarified that Mahad Bridge in Maharashtra was not under the jurisdiction of NHAI.

"Responding with extreme sensitivity to the collapse of Mahad Bridge and as explained earlier in various forums, it is again clarified that the collapsed bridge is not under the jurisdiction of NHAI," the statement added.

The instruction from the ministry has come on the heels of the collapse of Mahad Bridge on August 3, 2016.

The tragedy has resulted in 21 deaths.

The British era bridge had caved in last Wednesday in Raigad District of Maharashtra making the government launch a massive hunt of the victims on "land, river, creek and the Arabian Sea".

--IANS

vn-rv/vm
Pro-Libyan government forces on Wednesday claimed that they have captured the terrorist group Islamic State's (IS) headquarters in the city of Sirte.

The group had turned the Ouagadougou conference centre -- once a showpiece of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's regime -- into their local headquarters, The Telegraph reported.

The government forces claimed to have captured the conference centre after fierce fighting.

The forces had launched an offensive to break IS grip on Sirte, which was helped by US air strikes.

"The Ouagadougou centre is in our hands," said a statement from the operations centre of the forces deployed by the Government of National Accord, an internationally recognised administration leading the battle for Sirte.

But the terrorist organisation still holds some areas of the city, located in Gaddafi's home area.

--IANS

sku/
Yemen's Shia Houthi rebel group said it fired two ballistic missiles against military targets in Saudi border cities on Wednesday, according to the Houthi-controlled Saba news agency.

One missile struck an air defence base in Saudi Arabia's Khamis Mushait city, while the second destroyed a military camp in Abha city, Xinhua news agency cited the rebel group as saying.

The attack comes only two days after the Saudi-led military coalition supporting the Yemeni exiled government stepped up its air campaign against Houthi rebels, following the collapse of the US-sponsored peace talks in Kuwait between the warring factions.

Houthi rebels said that Saudi warplanes launched over 50 sorties on Wednesday targeting the Nehem district, northeast of the capital city of Sanaa.

Riyadh-based coalition spokesman Ahmed Aseeri said air operations supporting Yemeni government troops advanced into the district of Nehem, in preparation for advancing into Sanaa next.

Houthi rebels and allied forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh have controlled Sanaa since 2014, after forcing the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile.

The Saudi-led coalition intervened in March 2015 to help restore the internationally recognized Hadi government.

Coalition airstrikes and fighting on the ground had left more than 6,400 persons dead, the majority of which were civilians.

--IANS

sm/ahm/dg
Fertility rates in India are more closely related to education levels and the socio-economic development within a state, than to religious beliefs, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of government data and research evidence.

The evidence we analyze shows that richer families, states with better health facilities and higher female literacy have lower fertility rates in India. Globally, there is little evidence to link religion and fertility rates, with poorer, conflict-ridden states and countries with lower female empowerment reporting higher population growth rates.

When the office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India released fertility rates for the Indian population last year, the conversation was hijacked by the difference in population growth rates across religions. Several newspapers emphasized that the data showed that Muslim women had higher fertility rates than non-Muslims, and that the percentage of Muslims in the population was steadily growing.

This implicit suggestion that Muslims have more children than other religious communities missed data that shows how population growth rates and the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) vary widely between India's states. The TFR seems more closely related to per capita income, healthcare and other basic facilities in that state.

Development and fertility: The case of Kerala and UP

Compare, for instance, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh (UP). In 2011, the TFR of Uttar Pradesh, at 3.3, was higher than the Indian average of 2.4, and higher than the TFR in Kerala, at 1.8, according to census data. The Muslim population in Uttar Pradesh increased 25.19 per cent, while the Muslim population in Kerala increased 12.83 per cent between 2001 and 2011. Over the same period, the Hindu population increased 18.9 per cent in Uttar Pradesh and 2.8 per cent in Kerala.

The higher growth rates of Muslims in northern states are "more or less part of a northern culture than a Muslim culture", N.C. Saxena, the former secretary of the Planning Commission of India, said in an interview to The Wire, a nonprofit journalism portal.

The states with the highest fertility rates in India are all in north and central India -- Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan (TFR 2.9), Jharkhand (2.8), and Chhattisgarh.

These overall fertility rates seem more related to the state's development. For instance, Kerala has a literacy rate of 93.9 per cent, compared to 69.7 per cent in Uttar Pradesh in 2011. In the same year, 99.7 per cent of mothers in Kerala received medical attention at delivery compared to 48.4 per cent of mothers in Uttar Pradesh. Besides, 74.9 per cent of women were above the age of 21 in Kerala at marriage, compared to only 47.6 per cent in Uttar Pradesh.

Another way to interpret population growth rates is through the difference in poor and rich states. Empowered Action Group (EAG) states, which include the poorest in India --Rajasthan, UP, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh -- have higher population growth. Between 2001 and 2011, the population of EAG states grew 21 per cent compared to 15 per cent for the rest of India. Still, decadal population growth rates in even EAG states have fallen when compared to the decadal growth rate of 24.99 per cent between 1991 and 2001.

One reason for the higher Muslim fertility within a state, could be because of wealth-related factors.

Survey information showed that families in the lower wealth quintiles have more children than richer families. For instance, in Bihar, women in the lowest wealth quintile have a TFR of 5.08 while women in the highest quintile have a TFR of 2.12. The same holds true for a richer state, like Maharashtra, where the lowest wealth quintile has a TFR of 2.78, compared to the richest wealth quintile with a TFR of 1.74.

On average, Muslims across India are poorer than Hindus, with an average monthly household per capita expenditure of Rs 833, compared to Rs 888 for Hindus, Rs 1,296 for Christians and Rs 1,498 for Sikhs, according to a 2013 National Sample Survey report, based on data from 2009-2010.

Indian women have more children than counterparts in many Muslim countries

There is little evidence internationally of the correlation between religion and fertility rates.

For instance, according to World Bank data, in 2014, Bangladesh, India's Muslim-majority neighbor, had a TFR of 2.2. Iran, another Muslim country, has a TFR of 1.7, below replacement level, which means the current population cannot be replaced at the prevailing population growth rate.

In India, the Muslim growth rate is falling faster than the growth rate of Hindus.

The decadal population growth rate of Muslims fell 4.9 percentage points from 29.5 per cent in 2001 to 24.6 per cent in 2011, while that of Hindus fell 3.5 percentage points, from 20.3 per cent to 16.8 per cent. In 2001, 65.1 per cent of all Hindus, above the age of 7 years, were literate, while 59.1 per cent of Muslims were literate, according to census data. In 2011, the percentage of literate Hindus rose to 73.3 per cent, while that of Muslims increased to 68.5 per cent.

Fertility rates of populations that have higher fertility, such as low-income families and Muslims, are falling faster than other groups, as methods of contraception and education spread to these groups, said one expert.

(10.08.2016 - In arrangement with IndiaSpend.org, a data-driven, non-profit, public interest journalism platform. Shreya Shah, a freelance journalist, is a graduate of the Global Human Development programme at Washington's Georgetown University. The views expressed are those of IndiaSpend. The author can be contacted at respond@indiaspend.org)

--IANS/IndiaSpend

shreya/vm
Hindi feature film "Island City", which features critically acclaimed actors like Vinay Pathak and Tannishtha Chatterjee, will release in India on September 2.

The Ruchika Oberoi directorial had its world premiere at the 72nd Venice Film Festival 2015 in the Venice Days section, where it won the FEDEORA (Federation of Film Critics of Europe and the Mediterranean) Award for Best Debut Director.

"'Island City' has had an incredible festival journey so far but there is no greater joy than having one's film released at home. This is now becoming a reality due to the efforts of National Film Development Corporation which has nurtured this film every step of the way, from script stage through production and now to release," Oberoi said in a statement.

"With the support of Drishyam Films, who are on board as distribution partners, we hope to have a substantial theatrical presence and reach out to audiences across several cities," she added.

The film also features Amruta Subhash and Chandan Roy Sanyal.

"Island City" had been selected at 26 international film festivals and won top awards at five festivals.

The film connects three stories -- two black comedies and a tragic-comic tale of love showing an ever-changing city in a time of uneasy transition.

--IANS

ks/rb/vt
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016, that seeks to amend the Income Tax Act of 1961 and the Customs Tariff Act of 1975.

The new law will essentially enable the government to raise custom duties on marble and granite to about 40 per cent from the existing 10 per cent while it will also give incentives to the garment sector.

Answering queries from several members, including Congress' Deepender Singh Hooda and Trinamool Congress' Sugata Bose, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the new bill will address various issues of demerger of companies and related matters.

The bill will help create jobs and protect domestic industry from import surge, he said.

"We need economic development which generates job. One of the provisions in the Income Tax Act is that if you generate employment for a minimum of 240 days in a year, there are certain tax rebates you will be entitled to," Jaitley said

He said in the apparel sector, that is, the textile and garment sector, particularly the exporters, jobs are created but the nature of the trade has become "seasonal".

Jaitley said the changes in the Income Tax Act will give effect to the conditions attached to the transfer of shares by the government.

He said the new bill will empower the central government to make use of land belonging to the erstwhile Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited, which has remained with the government following privatisation of the telecom public sector undertaking, 14 years ago.

The bill was passed by a voice vote after a brief debate, wherein among others Trinamool MP Sugata Bose said tha tthe government should not encourage protectionist policies.

He said the government should take adequate steps to encourage manufacturers to be competitive in price as well quality of their products.

Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM) accused the government of harming the powerloom industry. "Your policy is benefitting only small corporates but it is destroying the powerloom industry of Malegaon and Bhiwandi (in Maharashtra)," he said.

Nishikant Dubey of the Bharatiya Janata Party repeatedly slammed what he said was the "policy paralysis" of the Congress-led UPA regime from 2004 to 2014 and insisted that the new bill as brought by Jaitley will help the garment and marble industries.

As regards the garment sector, Jaitley said the bill eases the condition for availing tax incentives under the relevant sections of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

"The incentive is aimed at making Indian apparel industry competitive, so that they are able to make the cost advantage", the minister said.

As far as customs duty on marble and granite is concerned, he said the measure will give flexibility to the government to raise the duty to World Trade Organisation-bound rate of 40 per cent.

Deepender Singh Hooda (Congress) alleged that the government seemed to be in hurry to push the bill.

Sushmita Dev, also from the Congress, said the biggest promise of Modi government was job creation. "However, we feel that India is heading towards jobless growth," she alleged.

Among others, Congress member Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also opposed the bill.

--IANS

nd/tsb/rn
Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed The Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2016 that seeks to increase the working overtime hours up to 100 per quarter.

The existing law permits the state governments to make rules related to the regulation of overtime hours of work.

However, the total number of hours of overtime must not exceed 50 hours for a quarter.

Now, the new bill passed by the lower house raises this limit to 100 hours.

With the new draft legislation, the central government is also empowered along with the state governments to make exempting rules and orders in respect of total number of hours of work on overtime in a quarter.

This would ensure uniformity in its application by various state governments and union territories, the Union Labour Ministry explained.

The passage of the bill, which was termed as "anti-labour" by many members of the opposition parties, was marred by a walkout by the Congress.

"By increasing the overtime clause you are only burdening the existing employees," Congress floor leader Mallikarjun Kharge said before leading his party colleagues out.

Earlier, while the bill was being introduced by the Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) MP from Tripura, Sankar Prasad Dutta, objected to the introduction of the bill saying the provisions of the bill were "similar to the bill introduced in 2014".

The 2014 bill is now before the Standing Committee, he said, adding, in such a situation the new bill could not be introduced.

Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) MP from Kerala, N.K. Premachandran said the bill piloted by Dattatreya was encroaching upon the rights of the states and was against the federal structure of the country.

Dattatreya countered the charge and insisted that the bill was not against the interests of labourers as the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has prescribed the upper limit of 144 hours.

He said in no manner the bill would infringe upon the rights and powers of the states.

The Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, however, overruled the objections and allowed it to be tabled and moved for consideration of the House.

The new bill also introduces a provision which permits the central or state government to extend the 115-hour limit to 125 hours.

It may do so because of excessive work load in the factory and in "public interest", the Minister said.

Dattatreya said one important feature of the the law would be to enable workers to "work more and earn more".

"Overtime is only an opportunity," the Minister said dismissing contentions of a few members that this may lead to workers' exploitation.

"I have taken many safeguards. The proposed amendment is nowhere in conflict with the ILO norms and all provisions relating to daily or weekly hours. Total number of overtime shall not exceed 100 hours in a quarter," he said.

The need for increasing the total number of hours of work on overtime in quarter is based on the demand from industries, he maintained.

Among other changes, the bill also allows overtime of up to 125 hours per quarter in "public interest" and empowers central and state governments to exempt rules with regard to overtime working hours.

"There is no compromise on the safety and working condition of workers," Dattatreya said, adding, this bill will facilitate increase in employment generation in the manufacturing sector.

The bill will also push National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's programmes like 'Make in India', 'Skill India' and 'Digital India initiative', he said.

The government will also amend the Factories Act of 1948, he said.

--IANS

nd/lok/rn
In a major breakthrough, the Mumbai Police arrested five medicos, including the CEO and Medical Director of the reputed L.H. Hiranandani Hospital in Powai, in connection with a racket in illegal kidney sale and trnasplants, officials said here on Wednesday.

The five arrested accused -- hospital CEO Sujit Chatterjee, Medical Director Anurag Naik and medicos Prakash Shetty, Mukesh Shah and Mukesh Shetye -- were produced before the Andheri Magistrate Court and remanded in police custody till August 13.

They have been charged with involvement in the illegal sale of kidneys. The police is examining the possible inter-state and global ramifications of the racket.

Health Minister Deepak Sawant said the hospital's licence for carrying out transplants was cancelled last month after the scam was unearthed.

"No kidney transplants take place there. We cancelled the licence immediately after we learnt of it last month," Sawant told media persons.

Mumbai BJP MP Kirit Somaiya said the racket had inter-state ramifications and he had spoken to Union Heatlh Minister J.P. Nadda over the issue and some more arrests could be expected.

Earlier, an official spokesperson for the Hiranandani Group told IANS that an internal probe is being conducted, and declined further comments till the investigation was over.

So far, at least 14 persons, including the five medicos, have been arrested in the case that first came to light in July at the hospital.

A few more suspected cases surfaced later and police are probing around 30 transplants conducted at the hospital in the past one year.

Following the expose, the Maharashtra Directorate of Health Services set up a committee of medical experts, which found irregularities related to at least four kidney transplant cases.

Based on the committee's report, the police arrested the five medicos of the 12-year-old, 240-bed prestigious hospital, sending shockwaves in the state medical fraternity.

The lid was blown off the racket on July 14 when social worker Suresh Gupta, some political activists and members of a trade union stopped a kidney transplant operation midway, since the donor and the recipient were allegedly found to be fake husband and wife.

Delving deeper, the police identified Brijendra Bisen, who created the false documents with the help of two other external agents and has his network functioning mainly in Maharashtra-Gujarat.

Incidentally, Bisen was arrested in 2007 when one of the biggest kidney sale-transplant rackets was busted.

In the current racket, the police had earlier arrested Bisen, recipient Brijkishore Jaiswal, who is a textile businessman from Surat, and donor Shobha Thakur who was shown as his wife and who was promised Rs 10 lakh for her kidney, hospital official Nilesh Brijkishore Jaiswal and others.

The accused have been charged under Sections 12 and 21 of the Transplantation of Human Organ Act, 1994, and the Indian Penal Code, said the police.

--IANS

qn/tsb
US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said on Tuesday he had no plan to change his temperament as he was grappling with his sagging poll numbers following recent feud with a family of a fallen Muslim American soldier and leaders within his own party.

"I think that my temperament has gotten me here," Xinhua cited Trump as saying in an interview with Fox Business Network.

"I have always had a good temperament and it's gotten me here. We beat a lot of people in the primaries and now we have one person left, and we're actually doing pretty well there, but we'll see how it all comes out," he added.

Rupture between Trump and the Republican leadership resurfaced after Trump derisively answered criticism from Khizr Khan, the father of the soldier killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq.

During the Democratic National Convention held in July, Khan blasted Trump for his divisive remarks and proposal to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the country and divisive tone and implored voters to vote for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee.

Trump responded by implying that Ghazala Khan, who accompanied his husband on stage on the final day of the Democratic National Convention, was forbidden to speak by his husband.

Backlash to Trump's comments came in swiftly from both parties, with the press office of House Speaker Paul Ryan, the highest-ranking US Republican officeholder, releasing a scathing statement without mentioning Trump's name that denounced "a religious test for entering our country."

"Many Muslim Americans have served valiantly in our military and made the ultimate sacrifice. Captain Khan was one such brave example. His sacrifice -- and that of Khizr and Ghazala Khan -- should always be honoured. Period," said the statement.

--IANS

sku/
The Odisha government on Wednesday proposed that the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) set up a medical college and hospital and a cement factory in Sundargarh district.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik held a meeting with SAIL Chairman P.K. Singh and proposed that the company set up a skill development centre in the district, said a release.

The meeting was also attended by top officers from both the state government and SAIL.

Patnaik proposed that SAIL to set up the cement plant at Purunapani in Sundargarh district and a skill development centre at Rourkela, the release added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced to upgrade Ispat General Hospital (IGH) run by Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) into a super specialty hospital in April 2015.

Singh said they are working on to upgrade the IGH into a super specialty hospital.

He also said that the production of Rourkela Steel Plant would be enhanced to 10 million tonne per annum within a period of 10 to 15 years.

Issues like resettlement and rehabilitation of persons displaced due to RSP and Mandira Dam and the establishment of a sewerage treatment plant by SAIL at Rourkela were also discussed, the release said.

--IANS

cd/bim/dg
Michael Phelps claimed his 20th Olympic gold medal by winning the men's 200m butterfly final at the Rio Olympics on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old clocked 1:53.36 to beat Japan's Masato Sakai by just four hundredths of second at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium, Xinhua news agency reported.

Hungary's Tamas Kenderesi took bronze, 0.26 seconds further back.

South Africa's Chad le Clos, who beat Phelps for the gold medal in this event at the London 2012 Games, finished fourth.

It was Phelps' second gold medal of the Rio Games after his triumph with US 4x100m freestyle relay team on Sunday.

Phelps has reduced his competition schedule in Rio as he focuses on butterfly and relay events.

He is aiming to become only the third athlete to win gold in the same event at four consecutive Olympics, joining Al Oerter (discuss) and Carl Lewis (long jump).

Phelps could perform the feat in both the 100m butterfly and 200m individual medley.

At the end of Tuesday night's swimming session, the USA led the Rio 2016 gold medal tally with nine, one ahead of China.

Phelps has now netted three gold medals at these Games -- winning each of the events he has entered. Overall, he has racked up 25 Olympic medals, 21 of them gold.

In the relay final, Phelps joined Conor Dwyer, Ryan Lochte and Townley Haas to hit the wall in seven minutes 0.66 seconds.

Britain's Stephen Milne, Duncan Scott, Dan Wallace and James Guy took silver, 2.47sec behind the USA, and Japan's Kosuke Hagino, Naito Ehara, Yuki Kobori and Takeshi Matsuda pocketed bronze, 2.84sec further back.

Phelps swum the final leg of the race to loud cheers from the packed arena.

--IANS

py/
Rome, Aug 10 (IANS/AKI) Gunmen shot dead a high-profile criminal lawyer in Italy's Calabria region as he was driving home late on Tuesday.

Police found Francesco Pagliuso's bullet-ridden body slumped at the wheel of his car near his villa outside the town of Lamezia Terme.

The 43-year-old lawyer had defended prominent Calabrian mafia suspects in several trials. His clients also included well-known businessmen, senior officials and politicians.

Pagliuso owned a popular local nightspot and allegedly carried a loaded Magnum pistol with him at all times.

Another lawyer, Torquato Ciriaco, was shot dead in Lamezia Terme in 2002 in a case over which no one has yet been brought to trial.

--IANS/AKI

mr/
The body of former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul, who committed suicide on Tuesday, was flown to his Walla village in Anjaw district on Wednesday for last rites.

Pul, who stepped down from the post last month following a Supreme Court order, was found hanging from a ceiling fan at the official residence of the Chief Minister in Itanagar which he had not yet vacated.

Pul's body was kept in the Chief Minister's residence since Tuesday after autopsy and people from different walks of life paid floral tributes till late in the night.

Several political leaders also paid their respects.

"Some of his colleagues and family members, including wife Dangwimsai, boarded the chopper that carried the body of Pul," a Congress leader said, adding the cremation will be held on Thursday.

Former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Gegong Apang, who was present at the helipad, demanded a through inquiry into the circumstances leading to Pul's death.

Arunachal Pradesh has declared a three-day mourning. A holiday has been declared for Thursday when the last rites will take place.

Meanwhile, the situation in Itanagar has returned to normal after the sporadic incidents of violence on Tuesday.

The government, however, suspended the services of SMS, GPRS, 3G and 4G of all service providers in the state following fears of communal clashes.

"Electronic communication tools like SMS and mobile data services are being used for furthering the objective of spreading communal messages leading to communal violence," a government order said.

--IANS

ah/mr
India's Deeipika Kumari defeated Guendalina Sartori of Italy in the 1/16 eliminators of the women's individual archery competition of the ongoing Rio Olympics here.

Deepika displayed red hot form to claim a 6-2 win and move into the pre-quarterfinals at the Olympic Shooting Centre here on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old from Ranchi had shaky start, shooting mediocre scores of seven and eight points with her first two attempts before coming up with a nine in her third.

The Italian on the other hand, enjoyed a superb start with nine points in all her three attempts to take the first set 27-24. Clinching a set brings two set points to the winning archer.

Deepika found her rhythym in the second set with attempts of 10, 10, 9 to take the set 29-26 and draw level.

Sartori meanwhile, seemed to be waver a bit although she did manage a 10 in her third attempt.

The archer from Ranchi continued her superb form in the third set as well, notching up a total of 28 points with attempts of 10, 9, 9. Sartori (10, 8, 8) could only manage to score 26 points.

In the fourth and final set, both archers started off with identical eight point attempts before Deepika scored perfect 10s with her next two attempts to take the set and the match.

Earlier, Deepika defeated Kristine Esebua of Georgia in the 1/32 eliminators.

Deepika, placed 12th in the world rankings, displayed excellent form to defeat the higher ranked Esebua 6-4.

Deepika dominated proceedings right from the start. Starting with a mediocre eight pointer with her first attempt, she scored 10 and nine points in the next two.

The World No.8 Georgian could only manage attempts of 8,9,9 as Deepika took the opening set 27-26 and the subsequent two set points with some ease.

The Georgian did better in the second set. Both archers scored identical attempts of 10, 10, 9 to split the set points with the overall set points score reading 3-1 in favour of Deepika.

Deepika displayed outstanding marksmanship in the third set with 10 pointers in all her three attempts to increase her lead.

Not to be outdone, Esebua shot 10, 9, 10 in the next set as Deepika could only manage three 9s to hand the set to the Georgian by a 29-27 margin thus forcing the issue into a fifth set.

Both archers shot identical 10, 10, 9 in the final set to split points at 29-29 which settled the matter in favour of the Indian.

--IANS

ajb/
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier have exchanged views on Syria and Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

The two ministers spoke on phone and discussed the situation in Syria and international efforts to settle the country's conflict, Xinhua news agency reported.

The ministry said on Tuesday that their discussion focused on ways to resume the inclusive dialogue between the government and the Opposition within the framework of the Geneva process.

They also discussed the Minsk-2 package of measures designed to implement the Minsk agreements for settling the Ukraine crisis.

"They stressed the need to synchronise steps on the way to a political settlement of the intra-Ukrainian conflict with the solution of security issues," the ministry said.

--IANS

sm/lok/vt
Security has been heightened at public places in Uttarakhand ahead of the Independence Day celebrations, a police official said on Wednesday.

While there were no immediate inputs from intelligence agencies of any terrorist movement in the state, the arrest of four Islamic State militant group sympathisers in Roorkie earlier this year had cautioned the security forces here, the official said.

The arrested persons had revealed to the National Investigative Agency that rekki for "a certain operation" was undertaken by them at Haridwar, Dehradun and Roorkie, an Intelligence official told IANS.

This has alerted the police, intelligence agencies and the security personnel in Uttarakhand and security was beefed up at malls, shopping arcades, bus and railway stations.

Security has also been spruced up at government offices and buildings as part of the precautionary measures.

--IANS

md/py/
The Sri Lankan Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to draft the required legislation to establish a financial city in Colombo as part of a Chinese-funded port city project, an official said.

The government said the key objective of the proposed financial city is to become the prominent financial hub in the region to attract foreign investments from South Asian and Middle East region as well as from European countries.

It will also provide broad opportunities of employment for Sri Lankans, Xinhua news agency quoted an official as saying following the weekly Cabinet meeting.

The Cabinet approved the proposal made by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs, to implement the project under the supervision of the Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs, to draft legislation for establishment of the Financial City and to obtain required legal services in this regard.

The Chinese-funded port city is being constructed near the main port in Colombo.

--IANS

sm/lok/dg
Hundreds of Taliban militants launched a massive offensive in Afghanistan's northern province on Wednesday, a local official said.

"Hundreds of Taliban militants stormed Dahna-e-Ghori district earlier today and fighting between militants and government forces has been continuing," Xinhua news agency quoted an official as saying.

According to the official, Taliban militants had overrun four police checkpoints while attempting to capture the district headquarters in Baghlan province.

Locals in Dahna-e-Ghori said 20 policemen under Nik Mohammad joined the advancing militants.

Two Taliban militants had been killed and a few others injured in the district, locals said.

--IANS

sm/ahm/dg
As an engaged Montanan, I have come to expect a certain level of genuineness and honesty from our state's representatives. Rep. Ryan Zinke has failed this test yet again and voted against hard-working Montanans when he backed a plan enabling dark money to continue flowing into our campaigns.

The resolution at hand is an attempt to further solidify the terrible SCOTUS Citizens United ruling by letting special interest groups and foreign governments anonymously donate unlimited amounts of cash to U.S. political campaigns. H.R. 5053 allows dark money groups to remain cloaked in secrecy, which will hurt hard-working Americans and benefit special interest groups. They will continue to hide their donations and influence our elections  the exact opposite of our Montana values. While I am disappointed in the Zinke's actions, I am hardly surprised. He has a history of voting for Republican special interests, and has his own super PAC, allowing unlimited amounts of special interest money to go toward his campaign.

Zinke does not represent me, or the best interests of Montana. This is why I support Denise Juneau. She is fair-minded, a straight-shooter, and someone who will advocate for Montana values in Washington. She will put Montana issues first again, and bring independent thinking back into focus. She will get things done for Montanas people, land and economy.

I am voting for Juneau because I know she is running a candid campaign; is trustworthy, and will put Montana first when representing us in Washington. I urge you to advocate for Montana with a vote for Denise Juneau in November

Michael J. Kello

Butte
Turkey and Russia have agreed to build a mechanism on Syria which includes officials from the intelligence services, foreign ministries and armed forces, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said here on Wednesday.

Cavusoglu said the first bilateral meeting of this mechanism will be held in St. Petersburg on Thursday, Xinhua news agency cited from Anadolu news Agency.

The formation of the mechanism was agreed during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.

"We are building a strong mechanism with Russia regarding Syria, " Cavusoglu said. "We think alike on the cease-fire, humanitarian aid and a political solution."

Turkish National Intelligence Organisation Chief Hakan Fidan and representatives from Turkey's Foreign Ministry and the Turkish Armed Forces will depart for Russia on Wednesday, Cavusoglu said.

He said the pilots involved in the downing of a Russian jet on November 24, 2015, which led to a crisis in bilateral ties, were in custody for their ties with the so-called Gulen Terrorist Organisation, a reference to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Turkey accuses Gulen of masterminding a July 15 coup attempt and had called for his extradition from the US.

The shooting down of the Russian jet led to a freeze in relations of the two countries, including economic sanctions and a bar on Russian tourism to Turkey, which thawed in June after Erdogan wrote to his counterpart and the two later spoke on telephone.

Putin gave his support to Turkey over the coup attempt and said he stood by the elected government, offering his condolences to the victims of the failed coup.

--IANS

sm/ahm/dg
US-based off-road and all-terrain vehicles maker Polaris Industries Inc's arm Indian Motorcycle on Wednesday unveiled the latest version of its Indian Scout Sixty luxury motorcycle here for riders of special bikes that vroom at top speed in style.

"The all-new Indian Scout Sixty shares the identical chassis, suspension, brakes of core engine, all mated with a new 60 cubic inch engine," said Polaris India Ltd Managing Director Pankaj Dubey here on the occasion.

With easy-to-shift 5-speed transmission, the 78 horsepower engine produces a peak torque of 88.8 Newton Metre at 5,800 revolutions per minute.

Priced at Rs 12.21 lakh in Bengaluru, the 999cc new model boasts of the Motorcycle's legendary craftsmanship, reliability and performance of its Indian Scout.

The ex-showroom price for the bikes includes 45 per cent levies, including 33 per cent import duty for shipping them from Iowa state in the US and other central and state taxes.

The Delhi-based Indian subsidiary of Polaris chose this tech hub as the launch pad for unveiling the new model in three colours, as Bengaluru reflects the face of modern India.

"As the hub of India's booming IT industry, this city has a strong economy, a robust consumption pattern and a great market for automobiles. Launching the model here will help us grow in terms of volumes in the fast-growing luxury commuter category," Dubey told reporters at the event.

Observing that the biking landscape of Bengaluru had undergone a sea change over the years with more techies riding international brands, Dubey said even business heads from traditional, non-IT based and service industry professionals have joined the biking revolution in the city.

"Expertly balanced and lightweight, the motorbike has won the hearts of bike aficionados the world over," claimed Dubey.

A seat height of 25.3 inches allows for sure-footed comfort at stops and the low centre of gravity ensures agile cornering, precise balance and overall rider confidence and control.

"A range of accessories, including seats, handlebars and foot peg re-locators allow the motorcycle to be tailored to fit each rider, while additional accessories such as saddlebags, laced front and rear wheels and quick-release windscreens give owners freedom to customize their rides," Dubey pointed out.

The one-year-old Indian subsidiary of Polaris has already introduced Indian Motorcycle's range of models, including Chief Classic, Chief Vintage, Chieftain and Chief Dar Horse during the last 12 months across the country.

--IANS

fb/rn
Vietnam is working on a scheme to grant electronic visas for foreign visitors from next year, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said.

The government had allocated some 200 billion Vietnamese dong ($8.97 million) to speed up the implementation of the scheme so that the e-visa system can be launched on January 1 next year, Xinhua news agency quoted Phuc as saying on Tuesday.

The move aims to attract more tourists and boost the domestic tourism industry.

Phuc asked the ministries of finance, public security and foreign affairs to define e-visa fees and ensure that foreign tourists are warmly welcomed in the country.

The e-visas will be issued to applicants in a printer-friendly email after they fill out an online application form.

This system, it is believed, will further speed up the entire visa process, according to Kenneth Atkinson, chairman of the Tourism Working Group under the Vietnam Business Forum.

Currently, a Vietnamese tourist visa can be obtained upon arrival at the country's international airports where tourists have to wait in long queues, or through Vietnamese embassies or consulates.

Last month, in an attempt to attract more visitors, Vietnam renewed the 15-day visa waiver policy for citizens of Britain, France, Germany, Spain and Italy for another year.

By 2020, Vietnam targets to attract 10 million to 10.5 million international visitors with tourism revenue reaching $18 billion to $19 billion each year.

--IANS

sm/py/dg
An international arbitration tribunal recently ordered Tata Sons to pay $1.17 billion to NTT DoCoMo for breach of contract the two firms. The contract in question was a put option that obligated Tata to buy the shares held by DoCoMo in Tata Teleservices at a pre-agreed price. The breach was "forced", as a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulation prohibited payment of a fixed return by an Indian resident to a foreigner on exercise of a put option by the latter on the former. The RBI is now said to be proposing a retrospective change in its regulation to allow such payments. The public discourse on this issue has largely faulted the central government for not consenting to such a retrospective change. The discourse is misplaced and misses the plot on deeper reform of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (Fema), the primary law governing capital controls in India.
Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app.

Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006.

Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more.

Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them.

26 years of website archives.
During the monsoon session of the Bihar Legislative Assembly that ended last week, the building plunged into darkness a few times, thanks to power failure, providing members an opportunity to aim barbs at each other. During one such spell of darkness, when a debate was going on, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nand Kishore Yadav shouted from the Opposition benches: "Bijendra babu, pranam (Mr Bijendra, accept my salutation)!" Nand Kishore Yadav was referring to state Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav. Usually a good speaker, that time round, Bijendra Prasad Yadav was at a loss for words. A Rashtriya Janata Party leader later said the power minister must have been feeling quite "powerless".
Deep within a building shaped like the Starship Enterprise, a little-known Chinese company is working on the future of education. Vast banks of servers record children at work and play, tracking touchscreen swipes, shrugs and head swivels - amassing a database that will be used to build intimate profiles of millions of kids. This is the Fuzhou hive of NetDragon Websoft Holdings Ltd, a hack-and-slash video game maker and unlikely candidate to transform learning via headset-mounted virtual reality (VR) teachers. It's one of a growing number of companies from International Business Machines ...
Congress on Wednesday raised questions over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks about 'insaniyat', 'jamhooriyat' and 'Kashmiriyat' and said appeal should go out to Kashmiris from the "heart" rather than "lips" only to enable "integration of minds and heart".

As the Rajya Sabha took up a discussion on the prevailing situation in Kashmir, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad pitched for sending an all-party delegation to the valley besides an appeal by Parliament for end to violence which is being witnessed there for the last 33 days.

"We should appeal for peace and tranquillity from here for better future of . This kind of unison voice should go from Parliament. That apart, an all-party delegation should go there," the Congress leader said, adding the announcement regarding it should be made immediately as the session is coming to an end in two days.

Initiating the discussion, Azad said criticised the Prime Minister for his "delayed" comments on the situation and said even those were made at a rally in Madhya Pradesh rather than in Parliament.

"We are discussing the issue for the fourth time. The Prime Minister should come. The Prime Minister chose Madhya Pradesh to speak on Kashmir. He did not come to this House," he said, adding "Since when has Madhya Pradesh become the capital of the country?"

Azad took a swipe on Modi regarding his statement on 'Insaniyat (humanity), Jamhooriyat (democracy) and Kashmriyat, saying such statements only suited former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

"Such words sound weird if it comes from someone who does not believe in them," he said.

The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir said such words should come from the "heart" and not only from the lips.

Referring to the oft-repeated assertion that "Kashmir is integral part of India", Azad said there should also be "integration of minds and hearts".

"...We are not feeling the love and affection, pain and agony, else the statement would not have come from Madhya Pradesh," the Congress leader said in an apparent reference to Modi's comments made at a rally on Tuesday.

"If it comes from the heart, it will reach Kashmir. It is mere lip-service and hence will not reach Kashmir," he said.

Azad said while Modi keeps sitting in his room in Parliament since morning to evening, he did not make any statement on Kashmir during the past three discussions on the issue in the House.

Azad said violence has increased in the valley ever since BJP has come to power in alliance with PDP, remarks which triggered a brief uproar as ruling party members reacted sharply.

He said successive governments have fought against militancy in the valley, but "perhaps you give statements for votes. You have only been indulging in fuelling the fire and not dousing it. Since the day you came to power, Kashmir is on fire...I don't want to go into reasons".

As members of the treasury benches objected to it leading to an uproar, Finance Minister and Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said the situation in Kashmir is "sensitive" and "therefore it is imperative, as far as possible, we speak in one voice".

He urged members from all sides not to touch historical issues where "we have difference of opinion.. This is not the occasion to discuss those issues.. Members should speak from the point of view.

The Congress leader from the troubled state asserted that while there is an issue of separatism, "Kashmir is not communal, it is secular. There is a difference between separatism and communalism."

Highlighting that Kashmir is a "complex issue", Azad said comes first, economic development at second place followed by employment.
In a stern message to the Kashmiri separatists, who are leaving no stone unturned in misleading the youth in the name of jihad, Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh on Wednesday, said if 'jihad' is a sure shot way to 'jannat' then why don't they send their kids in 'safe heaven'.

"Most of these youth, who got killed, were the children of the poorest of the poor sections of the valley. Those who motivated these children to come forward in the name of 'jihad' have safely kept their children in safe haven in India's metros and abroad. If jihad is holy and it is a mean to go to heaven, why don't they send their children first?" Singh said in the Rajya Sabha.

Continuing to speak on the ongoing unrest in the Kashmir Valley, Singh said that the time has come to rise above .

"We all are worried about Jammu and Kashmir. Time has arrived to rise above political lines. Jammu and Kashmir is unique in the sense that it has its own Constitution. Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir itself says 'I am an integral part of India'."

Raising the need to enlighten the Kashmiri youth, Singh said the youth there want to be the beneficiary of India's success story.

Prime Minister Modi had earlier reached out to the people of Kashmir and indicated his willingness to hold dialogue under the framework of the 'insaniyat (humanity), jamhuriyat (democracy) and kashmiriyat'.

He said that when Vajpayee was the prime minister, he had adopted the path of 'insaniyat, jamhuriyat and kashmiriyat' and the present government walks the same road.

The Prime Minister, who was speaking at a public meeting at Bhabra in Madhya Pradesh, the birthplace of freedom fighter Chander Shekhar Azad, yesterday appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony in Kashmir.

The Prime Minister said Mehbooba Mufti-led Jammu and Kashmir Government and the Centre are working together to solve the state's difficulties, but some people, who are unable to digest it, are clinging onto the path to destruction.

He said that his government wants to take Kashmir to new heights of development, empower its panchayats and give job opportunities to its youth.
Home Minister on Wednesday lashed out at Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's comment on Kashmir and said no power on earth can separate it from India.

"Kashmir is an inseparable part of India. No power on earth can separate it from India," Singh said while replying to a debate in the Rajya Sabha on the current situation in the Kashmir Valley.

"Talks would not be held with Pakistan regarding Kashmir but on the issue of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir," he added.

He said slogans like "Pakistan zindabad" that some people in Kashmir chant "won't be tolerated" on Indian territory.
HAMILTON  A Florence physician charged with 400 felonies for allegedly providing patients with illegal prescriptions said Wednesday that he still isnt prepared to proceed to trial this fall.

During a short hearing, Ravalli County District Court Judge Jeffrey Langton told Dr. Chris Christensen that the trial was moving forward and that he needed to be ready to produce his list of witnesses and exhibits at a pretrial conference set for later this month.

Christensen, 67, appeared at the hearing without representation.

Since December, when the Office of the State Public Defender withdrew from the case after finding that he made too much money to qualify for state-funded counsel, Christensen has maintained that hes seeking a lawyer, but cant afford one.

Langton recently denied Christensens request to delay his trial that is set to begin October.

Christensen was arrested in August 2015 after allegedly providing hundreds of illegal prescriptions to his patients, including two who died from overdoses. Among the charges he faces are two counts of negligent homicide.

At Wednesdays hearing, Christensen said he was unable to proceed to trial without a lawyer and told Langton that he was doing everything possible to move his situation forward.

Christensen has maintained all along that he has no plans of representing himself at the trial.

In his request in May for a yearlong delay in the trial date, Christensen said he will require three attorneys, three legal assistants, several law clerks, two secretaries and an office manager to prepare his case. In addition, Christensen said hell need medical experts in at least 11 different specialties and an in-house medical law consultant.

Christensen claimed the boutique law firm would cost as much as $1 million in public defense fees and might require a special appropriation by the Montana Legislature.

On Wednesday, Ravalli County Deputy Attorney Thorin Geist told Langton that he had offered Christensen a plea agreement, but there had been no response.

After Christensen read a short statement saying he was unable to proceed without a lawyer, Geist told the judge the agreement was now off the table.

Geist also expressed concern about the fact the confidential plea agreement document had been disseminated to the press. A copy was forwarded earlier this week to the Missoulian newspaper.

Geist learned the agreement had been circulated after a Ravalli Republic reporter inquired about its validity.

Geist said Christensen was the only person who had been emailed a copy.

At Wednesdays hearing, Geist warned Christensen about circulating confidential criminal information, including names of witnesses and other information that he will be presented with at the upcoming pretrial hearing.

Geist told Christensen that he could face additional charges if he disseminated that material.

Christensen denied forwarding the proposed plea agreement to the newspaper.

I cant offer any explanation to that allegation, he said.

Christensen faces a potential sentence of up to 388 life terms, plus 135 years and a fine of up to $20 million if convicted on all charges.

Potential jurors for the trial set to begin on Oct. 20 will be notified soon. The trial is expected to last a month.
A group of pro- activists, demanding statehood for the region, today protested outside Union minister Nitin Gadkari's residence.

The activists took out a rally, under the leadership of former Legislator Wamanrao Chatap of Rajya Andolan Samiti, which ended at Gadkari's residence located in Mahal area in the eastern part of the city.

"A large number of farmers, students, women and youngsters from across various districts of took part in the protest march, which was aimed at reminding Gadkari of his promise on a separate Vidarbha state," Ram Neole, a leader of Samiti said.

Before being elected as an MP from Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency, Gadkari had openly espoused the cause of separate Vidarbha. However, he has been maintaining silence on the issue since his induction into the Union cabinet, Neole alleged.

"If Gadkari decides, he can deliver on the demand for separate state. The Centre has the discretion to carve out a new state without the consent of the Maharashtra Legislature," he added.

A memorandum in support of the separate statehood was submitted to Gadkari's staff as he was away in New Delhi to attend the ongoing Parliament session.
A fire tore through the maternity ward of one of Baghdad's largest hospitals today, killing at least 12 premature babies, medical and security officials said.

Jassem Lateef al-Karkh, from the Baghdad health directorate, told reporters only seven babies could be saved and were taken to another ward in the Iraqi capital.

Health ministry spokesman Ahmed al-Rudeini told AFP the blaze at the Yarmuk hospital in west Baghdad was started by an electrical fault just after midnight (2100 GMT Tuesday).

"Twenty-nine women patients who were in the same ward were evacuated to other hospitals," he said.

Security services sealed off the area as forensic teams searched the gutted ward and angry relatives massed outside, waiting for information from the authorities.

Charred incubators could be seen outside one of the entrances to the hospital, access to which was strictly controlled by the police.

The grief of the bereaved parents and relatives was compounded by the fact that the babies' young age and the effects of the fire made it very difficult to identify the bodies.

Umm Ahmed came to Yarmuk on Tuesday when a close relative of hers gave birth. The baby died in the inferno and the mother suffered burns, she said.

"I am looking for our child, they told me 'go find him in the fridge'," said the middle-aged woman.

An official at Iraq's interior ministry confirmed the death toll from the fire, adding that three other babies were being treated for smoke inhalation.

Many of Baghdad's public hospitals are poorly maintained and offer sub-standard healthcare, forcing a number of Iraqis to seek private treatment or travel abroad.

The lack of adequate public services, such as quality medical care, electricity and water supply, has angered the public and led to a series of protests over the past year.

"The hospital is very old and doesn't have fire equipment," Karkh said.

The authorities were criticised in the aftermath of an attack in the Karrada district of Baghdad last month that left at least 323 people dead.

The truck bomb blast claimed by the Islamic State group sparked fires in shopping arcades on either side of the street that accounted for a significant proportion of the casualties.

Witnesses complained that the fire brigade was unacceptably slow in responding to the emergency.

Iraq is one of the world's top oil producers but conflict and endemic graft have prevented that wealth from translating into better living conditions for Iraqis.
Two buses collided head-on in Peru, leaving 17 people dead and 29 injured, police said today.

The cause of the crash on the Pan American Highway Tuesday night near the southern city of Ica is under investigation, Colonel Leandro Flores, chief of the highway police, told America TV.

"It was a head on type of collision," he said.

Among the dead were the two drivers and a Brazilian tourist on a bus traveling to Lima from the city of Cusco, police said.

Highway fatalities are common occurrences in Peru, many of them in accidents involving the country's many private bus companies.

In 2014, the last year for which official statistics are available, 2,798 people died in traffic accidents in the country.
The first unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear plant was today dedicated to the nation jointly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin with both the leaders calling it a fine example of special and privileged Indo-Russian strategic partnership.

Modi while stressing that the 1,000 MW unit in Tamil Nadu is an important addition to India's continuing efforts to scale up production of clean energy said that at Kudankulum alone, five more units of similar capacity each are planned.

Participating from Moscow via video-conferencing, Putin said the unit has been built using most advanced Russian technology incorporating highest safety standards while Modi asserted that India was determined to pursue an ambitious agenda of nuclear power generation.

"In dedicating Kudankulum 1, we mark another historic step in India-Russia relations. Its successful completion is not just another fine example of the strength of our special and privileged Strategic Partnership. It is also a celebration of our abiding friendship," Modi said in a brief address from New Delhi.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa also participated through video conference.

The Prime Minister said the Kudankulam unit signals joint effort by the two countries to build "pathways of partnership for green growth".

Talking bout his vision for India's economic development, Modi said the industrial growth should be increasingly driven by clean energy.

"It is perhaps not commonly known that at 1000 Mega Watt, Kundankulum 1 is the largest single unit of electrical power in India. In years ahead, we are determined to pursue an ambitious agenda of nuclear power generation.

"At Kudankulum alone, five more units of 1000 Mega Watt each are planned. In our journey of cooperation, we plan to build a series of bigger nuclear power units," the Prime Minister said, adding, "in our journey of cooperation, we plan to build a series of bigger nuclear power units."



Jayalalithaa said she had always extended support to the implementation of the Kudankulam project while at the same time laying focus on allaying the fears of the local people by convincing them about its safety.

The Kudankulam 1 has been jointly built by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India and Russia's Rosatom and it had started generating electricity in 2013. Anti-nuclear activists and local people had protested against the project claiming it was unsafe.

The agreement for the project was inked by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and then Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev in 1988 but actual work on the ground started only in 1997.

The unit 1 and 2 of Kudankulam plant were built at a cost of Rs 20,962 crore. A major share of power generated in the plant goes to Tamil Nadu, followed by Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry.

Speaking on the occasion, Putin said the unit was built



using most advanced Russian technology and is an important component of Russia-India priviledged strategic partnership



"Kundankulum 1 is an important addition to India's continuing efforts to scale up production of clean energy in India. It also signals our joint commitment to build pathways of partnership for green growth," said Modi.

He said successful implementation of the project demonstrated common resolve by India and Russia to keep the "ties firm and steady".

Joining the event from Chennai, Jayalalithaa said KNPP was a "monument commemorating the long standing, abiding and deep friendship between Russia and India and that she had supported implementation of the project, at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district, all through her 10 years in office".

The KNPP had been set up using the Russian VVER type reactors based on enriched uranium and its second unit was expected to start operations later this year.

The completion of the first unit was delayed in view of strident protests by local people, who raised safety concerns, before it became operational.

Jayalalithaa said nuclear power was "clean, green and firm power", which a rapidly growing state like Tamil Nadu, aspiring for higher growth rates and shared prosperity, really needed.

"The dedication of the KNPP is a major milestone in Indo-Russian cooperation. Throughout my 10 years in office as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu I have always extended support to the implementation of the Kudankulam project while at the same time laying focus on allaying the fears of the local people by convincing them about its safety," she said.

Noting that a nuclear power plant takes long time to be built and commissioned than conventional units, she said very high safety standards were needed to be observed.

"The smooth commercial operation of this project, overcoming many obstacles--economic, political and social, global, national and local--stands testimony to the unwavering commitment to the project of the governments of Tamil Nadu, India and Russia," Jayalalithaa said.

Successful commissioning of the project was an object lesson on how the fears and apprehensions of the local population could be and should be allayed through a process of engagement and reassurance and by building community assets and infrastructure, she said.
A gang was busted and three persons, including a woman, were arrested for illegally transferring money from the bank accounts of many people here, police said today.

Yogesh Kumar, a resident of Rajiv Nagar at Begumpura, New Delhi, Rajesh Kumar, a resident of Prem Nagar, New Delhi and Sanjna, a resident of Sultanpuri under Pitampura police station in New Delhi were arrested, said Gurdaspur SSP Diljinderjit Singh Dhillon.

A car, a tablet, 109 SIM cards and four mobile phones were recovered from their possession, he added.

A number of people lodged a complaint at Hargobindpur police station on August 1, alleging that money was transferred from their bank accounts without their knowledge, said Dhillon.

Investigations revealed that the money was diverted to different bank accounts in Delhi, he said, adding that the accused used to obtain account details from the victims by posing as representatives of a nationalised bank.

A team of cyber crime officials, jointly led by DSP (investigation) Jugraj Singh and in-charge of the anti-fraud cell Ved Parkash, was constituted.

The team collected images of the accused from ATM centres and fake bank accounts used by them and subsequently, raided a call centre in New Delhi from where the three accused were apprehended, said Dhillon.
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today accused AAP leaders of aligning with radical groups of Punjab" and sought from the Centre a probe into the party's source of funding.

Sukhbir, who holds the Home portfolio, also said Pakistan's ISI has "big plans" to destablise the state by targeting important leaders, before 2017 Punjab assembly polls.

"All radical groups have aligned with AAP and I am saying with responsibility. I personally feel the government of India should clearly investigate the funding of the AAP," he alleged while addressing media here.

He also accused Delhi Chief Minister and AAP's national convener Arvind Kejriwal of meeting representatives of radical groups regularly, which he said was "unfortunate".

"Radical groups of Punjab have been meeting Kejriwal regularly. What is the purpose of Delhi CM to meet radical groups of Punjab. Why does he meet them," Sukhbir questioned.

"Radical leaders like Mohkam Singh are trying their best to utilise the 2017 Punjab elections as an opportunity to destablise peace and harmony attained by people of Punjab after great sacrifices," he claimed.

Expressing concern over the recent incidents in the state, Sukhbir claimed that the ISI "had plans to target important leaders", besides designing sacrileges to destablise peace and harmony of the state.

"ISI has big plans to destablise Punjab before elections. They have plans to target important leaders and engineer sacrilege incidents. We have already conveyed this information to the Union Home Minister and National Security Advisor one month back," Sukhbir said.

However, he said, "Our police is doing best job in its best way. Punjab Police has busted many modules and arrested people from abroad also in this connection."



Punjab government has been facing mounting pressure from several quarters for several incidents including attack on RSS volunteer in Ludhiana, murder of Mata Chand Kaur, attack on Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale and the recent attack on RSS leader Jagdish Gagneja.

Replying to queries regarding status of investigations in each case, Sukhbir said investigations into Gagneja case was in "advanced" stage and other cases were also being investigated.

"Punjab Police has cracked all the cases and unfortunate incidents in no time but being sensitive in nature, murder of Mata Chand Kaur and Bargari sacrilege cases are taking some time," he said.

Appealing voters to be "wary" of the "blatant lies" of



AAP, Sukhbir urged the Punjabi voters to choose SAD-BJP alliance, saying only their alliance had "the interests of Punjab at its heart".

He also claimed that the state had witnessed "development on all parameters of progress" with Parkash Singh Badal at its helm.

"All the welfare centric schemes like - Atta-Dal scheme, Shagan scheme, free power to farmers, free power worth 200 units to the SC households, free health insurance scheme were initiated by the SAD-BJP government," he said.

"The SAD-BJP combine has put the state on top of the developmental chart during the past nine years and made it a power surplus state," he added.
Adani Transmission, a part of conglomerate Adani Group, on Wednesday posted a three-fold jump in consolidated net profit at Rs 122.71 crore for June quarter.

The company had posted Rs 30.89-crore net profit after taxes, minority interest and share of profit of associates in the year-ago period, said in a filing to BSE.

" Ltd's consolidated PAT rose by 299% to Rs 124 crore in Q1 FY17 compared to Q1 FY16 and consolidated EBIDTA rose by 32% to Rs 584 crore in Q1 FY17," the company said in a statement.

The total income from operations during the April-June quarter increased to Rs 632.01 crore, over Rs 468.15 crore in the year-ago period.

Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has issued final order effective October 1, 2013 for Mundra-Mohindergarh and Mundra-Dehgam Lines, granting approval of capital cost claimed, it said.

Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) has also issued provisional order for Tiroda-Warora and Tiroda-Aurangabad Lines. The effect of recognition of revised tariff including arrears of Rs 116.18 crore is accounted for in this quarter. The effect on PAT is Rs 91.39 crore, it added.

The company further said it will start recovery of its unbilled revenue in 12 installments starting August 2016, as MERC has passed Intra-state Transmission System (InSTS) orders for Tiroda-Aurangabad Line.

"While the business continues to perform strongly we have continued to achieve more than 93% of operational EBIDTA margin for the quarter ended June FY17. Our focus on harnessing state-of art technology has resulted in high network availability of over 99.40% to 99.99%," Gautam Adani, Chairman, Adani Group said.

is a leading domestic private sector transmission company with over 7,000 circuit kilometers of transmission lines across western, northern and central regions of India.
Hollywood star Johnny Depp's lawyer Laura Wasser has filed new legal documents in which she claims that his estranged wife Amber Heard cried, yelled and laughed as she refused to testify on Saturday, August 6.

Heard was supposed to be grilled by Johnny Depp's lawyers in a deposition on Saturday. Though she spent about 10 hours at a law office, "The Rum Diary" actress never entered the deposition room, reported Aceshowbiz.

While her lawyer claimed that the 30-year-old beauty was ready to answer questions but was never called, Depp's lawyer said that the deposition never happened because Heard herself refused to enter the room despite multiple attempts throughout the day.

According to new legal documents filed on Tuesday, August 9 by Laura Wasser who represents 53-year-old Depp, Heard even broke down in tears as she refused to testify.

Wasser stated that she could "quite clearly" see Heard "hysterically crying and pacing in her separate conference room, or screaming and yelling at times and laughing at others."



Wasser added that the actress "appeared manic and irrational" and her counsel tried to "reason with her throughout the day."



Heard also failed to turn over documents already requested by Depp's legal team, which now wants Heard to be prohibited from testifying when the case goes to trial.

Heard showed up 90 minutes late for the Saturday deposition. Her team said that she was ready to be deposed at the time and "there was nothing preventing Johnny's counsel from commencing during the deposition time.
Army has set up its own design bureau to facilitate research and development as part of its efforts towards meeting its requirement for weapons and equipment domestically, Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Subrata Saha said today.

In the backdrop of Army having huge requirement of weapons and equipment considering the changing times and technology, there was the difficulty of sustenance of imported weapons, which had to be adapted to Indian conditions, he said.

Lt Gen Saha said as part of Make in India, the defence sector had taken a major step to manufacture the requirement domestically, which would be cost effective and suited to the local conditions, and the bureau had been set up toward this.

He was speaking at the 'Know your Army Expo' showcasing arms, artillery and ammunition organised by local chapter of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

The Deputy Army Chief cited imported ground sensors as an example and said they failed to function in areas like Kashmir, during the snowfall.

Similarly, several equipment imported as part of legacy, did not properly function in the country's weather conditions, he said, adding even bullet proof jackets for jawans weighing 15 kgs had to be newly designed to suit domestic condition.

Army would soon come out with a compendium of Problem Definition Document, which would highlight the requirements of Army for the coming 10 to 15 years. It would help students, researchers and industries to find solutions for the benefit of the defence sector, Saha said.

A presentation made on the occasion on the Army requirements stated that a website would be launched by August 31, which will be highly interactive and the industries, students and researchers can send in their thoughts and suggestions.

Since a terrorist in Kashmir or any other part of the world have access to highly sophisticated weapons, the thoughts should supersede it and be a counter to such weapons, it said.

Army in future require equipment like self propelled guns, rocket launchers, upgraded guided rocket launchers and electronic fuses and also tanks, which have already been outdated, the presentation added.
The Assam government today set a target of constructing 2.85 lakh houses for the urban poor in 96 towns across the state under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting convened by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal here, an official release said.

The chief minister said those eligible under the scheme must have an annual income up to Rs 3 lakh and for LIG household with an annual income between Rs 3 to 6 lakh. The beneficiaries should not own a pucca house either in his/her name or in the name of any member of his/her family in any part of the country.

Sonowal emphasised on construction of dwelling units in an organised way with facilities like open spaces and playground.

State Finance Himanta Biswa Sarma underlined the need for involving Assam State Housing Board, Housefed and other builders in the construction work and selection of suitable sites.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has appealed a Stockholm district court's decision to maintain a European arrest warrant against him over a 2010 rape allegation, his lawyer said today.

"We have appealed the decision to keep him remanded in custody in absentia," Tomas Olsson told AFP. The paperwork was submitted to the Svea Court of Appeal on Tuesday.

Swedish prosecutors issued the arrest warrant because they want to question Assange about the rape allegation, which he denies.

The 45-year-old Australian sought refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London in June 2012 after exhausting all his legal options in Britain against extradition to Sweden.

Assange's lawyer urged Sweden to respect a non-binding legal opinion by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which on February 5 ruled that his confinement in the Ecuadorian embassy amounted to arbitrary detention by Sweden and Britain.

"That is part of the basis for the appeal. The other is that the prosecution has made no effort to question Julian Assange after all this time," Olsson said.

Both Britain and Sweden have angrily disputed the UN group's findings.

The Stockholm district court on May 25 found, "contrary to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, that Julian Assange's stay at Ecuador's embassy in London should not be considered a detention".

It said the arrest warrant against him needed to be maintained because "there is still a risk that he will abscond or evade justice".

The alleged crime dates back to 2010 and the statute of limitations expires in 2020.

Assange fears that if he were sent to Sweden to face trial, he could be extradited to the United States to be tried over WikiLeaks' publication of hundreds of thousands of classified documents and face a long prison sentence or the death penalty.
Beginning today, students from schools across the country get a chance to display their innovative prowess and knowledge of astronomy and space science, through a series of video podcasts.

The initiative by city-based organisation is in the form of a contest for students between class 6 to class 12 and is part of promotion for Digital India campaign.

Students are encouraged to choose an innovative topic, and develop it with speech and expression and upload it online for the contest the runs till the end of August.

Contestants are required to upload the videos ranging between two minutes to four minutes each on social networks like YouTube and Facebook using hashtags #ThinkShootUpload #SPACE, and #DigitalIndia.

They are also required to post a link on the SPACE website.

"Some of the videos include a student who builds a water rocket and explains the principles and the science which go into its making, the projectile motions involved and end the podcast by showcasing the launch of the rocket," says Monica Sangwan of SPACE.

Another example Sangwan cites is about a student attempting to explain the concept of the creation and phenomenon of a 'Black Hole' and its effect, through a demo model.

"The videos are required to be self explanatory and educative for others," says Sangwan.

Students will be judged on basis of three categories - popularity or maximum number of likes and shares on social media, the most creative video, and the most innovative topic.

Winners, set to be announced in the first week of September, will get prizes that include binoculars and a trip to 'Astroport Sariska', an astronomy and space experience centre located in Alwar, Rajasthan.

It is said to be the first retreat in India which offers visitors an opportunity to enjoy night star gazing. It also has an integrated astronomy research and development lab for astronomy enthusiasts.
A Romanian national, who along with two other foreigners is suspected to be involved in the hi-tech ATM robbery in which a number of people lost money here, has been arrested in Mumbai, police said today.

The accused, whose pictures were released by the police here yesterday, was taken into custody by the Mumbai Police late last night.

A Romanian national has been taken into custody in Mumbai in connection with the ATM robbery. A team of Kerala Police has left to Mumbai to take him into custody, a senior police official said.

"The Mumbai Police will first produce him before a court there and only then we will get him in custody," he told PTI. However, he did not divulge any further details. Kerala Police yesterday zeroed in on three foreign nationals, who are suspected to be the key players behind the hi-tech ATM robbery, and decided to seek Interpol's help. The trio, found installing an electronic device inside an ATM kiosk of a public sector bank at Vellayambalam here, had been caught in the CCTV installed there. According to police, the three foreign nationals were from Romania and had come to India on June 25 and reached Kerala on July 8.The three had come on tourist visas and had taken rooms in a hotel here for two days.

Police also seized from the hotel two scooters and three helmets, suspected to have been used by the trio. The state police shared their photos and other available details with their counterparts in other states which led to the arrest of one among them, police said.

So far, more than 20 people had lodged complaints saying money was withdrawn from their account.

As per the preliminary assessment, about Rs 2.5 lakh had been lost, police said.

It is suspected that the electronic device at the ATM counter enabled the fraudsters to collect the secret pin code and card details.

Many of the customers who were duped came to know about the fraud after they received a text message on Monday, informing that money was withdrawn from their accounts.
A Bangladeshi court today ordered a judicial enquiry into the public humiliation and assault of a Hindu school teacher allegedly at the behest of an influential lawmaker, rejecting a police report that failed to identify the culprits.

"The (High Court) bench rejected the police report expressing its annoyance....They (bench) simultaneously issued an order asking Dhaka's CMM (Chief Metropolitan Magistrate) to launch an judiciary enquiry to detect the culprits and submit the report by November 3," a court official told PTI.

He said that while passing the order the two-member bench comprising Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Ashish Ranjan Das called the police report "incomplete" and "inconclusive" as they failed to identify the offenders who humiliated in public headmaster Shyamal Kanti Bhakta of Piyar Sattar Latif High School of Narayanganj in May.

"The bench also criticised a magistrate who earlier took into cognizance the police report. The High Court said the magistrate did not apply his judicial mind in doing so," the official said.

Bhakta was beaten up in public apparently at the instigation of the school's now defunct governing committee which supported Selim Osman, an MP, who later ordered him to do sit-up holding his ears for allegedly making "derogatory remarks" about religion.

Police earlier this week submitted its report as ordered by the High Court earlier on a suo motu rule, saying their investigations found that Bakhta's public humiliation was an "unexpected situation" resulted from a rumour.

The report said Bakhta himself had described himself as well as Osman "victims of a situation caused by a rumour".

Soon after the incident, the now scrapped managing committee of the school had sacked Bakhta alleging that he "physically tortured students, received money in the name of teachers' appointment, made derogatory comments about Islam, remained absent without leave and used to be late at work".

But the government immediately reinstated the humiliated teacher and scrapped the governing body which had removed Bakhta.
BJP today demanded a high-level, independent probe into the death of former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul, who allegedly committed suicide, saying people wanted to know the truth behind his demise.

"Pul was a doughty leader. His death under such circumstances is very unfortunate and a matter of probe. BJP demands that there should be a high-level independent investigation into it. People want to know the truth behind his death," BJP National Secretary Shrikant Sharma said.

He wondered what was the stress that led to his alleged suicide and spoke about the internal crisis in Congress which he had joined back after defecting from it, along with several party MLAs, to become the state's Chief Minister with the BJP's support.

Pul briefly served as the chief minister from February 19 to July 13 before the Supreme Court reinstated the Nabam Tuki government.

47-year-old Pul was found dead at the Chief Minister's official residence yesterday which he was yet to vacate.
A Kashmiri Pandit organisation today blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "failing to utter a word about Kashmiri Hindus", saying BJP's policy towards the community is no different than those of PDP, KP and NC.

"We express resentment against the Prime Minister for his failure to utter a word about KP - the real victims of terrorism in Kashmir. We call upon all nationalist forces to show strong resentment against him," ASKPC president Ravinder Raina said during the organisation's meeting here.

Referring to the Prime Minister's recent comment that the Kashmiri youth should carry laptops, not stones, Raina said Modi had failed to alleviate the concerns of Kashmiri Hindu youths.
BJP's Puducherry unit today staged a sit-in before the Pondicherry University protesting re-distribution of copies of a controversial magazine which had come under attack for its alleged objectionable contents against the central government.

Unit president V.Saminathan, who led the protest, said the management had banned the publication in the wake of the protests against the "objectionable" comments within days of its release.

The management had also stored copies of the magazines in a room and locked it. However, a few days ago the Registrar in-charge of the University had handed over the key to the Students Council 'facilitating' redistribution of the magazine on Monday, he alleged.

He said a delegation of BJP's Puducherry unit would soon meet the Union HRD Minister seeking his intervention to sack the Vice Chancellor in charge for the developments on the premises of the University.

Saminathan said his party would continue with its protests "till the magazine is withdrawn once and for all."



The magazine,titled 'Widerstand' (meaning resistance in German), was brought out a few weeks back by the council.

BJP and ABVP activists had protestedagainst the publication after it was released, alleging that it had objectionable remarks against the central government.
Under the opposition attack over issues concerning Dalits, RSS and BJP have asked the party's Dalit leaders to launch an aggressive campaign among the community, claiming that its "success" in winning over a section of them has prompted Congress and BSP to launch a "disinformation" campaign against it.

Dalits MPs and office-bearers of BJP, besides state presidents of the party's SC Morcha, held a meeting yesterday evening where Krishna Gopal, a senior RSS functionary who is the Hindutva organisation's pointsman for BJP, besides party general secretaries Ramlal and Bhupendra Yadav spoke to them.

The meeting assumes significance in view of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls as BJP has been making sustained efforts to woo Dalits, who constitute over 20 per cent of the electorate. Many believe that the recent rows have harmed its campaign.

Its Dalit MPs and other leaders are likely to fan out to areas where the community's presence is significant to defend the party over the rows following cases of attack on Dalits in many states by cow vigilantes.

"The opposition has launched a disinformation campaign against us. Congress and BSP are together as they are worried over our success in winning over Dalits. Comments of our senior leaders are being distorted. We have to counter it aggressively and effectively," party spokesperson and Dalit leader Vijay Sonkar Shastri said.

The recent comment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that 70-80 per cent of the self-proclaimed cow protectors are anti-social elements also found a mention in the meeting.

Many leaders mentioned in the meeting that Modi had said that cow protection is good and referred to his own work but it is now being alleged that he ran down all groups working for cow welfare, sources said.
In an effort to bring about smooth governance, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said a co-ordination committee would be formed to look into various the work proposals submitted by Shiv Sena MLAs.

The decision was taken at a meeting of Fadnavis with a Shiva Sena delegation led by its chief Uddhav Thackeray, here yesterday.

"We had been contemplating over the issue for quite some time. The Sena delegation came and we had a good interaction. We have decided to form a co-ordination committee and I will review developments periodically," Fadnavis said.

"We also agreed to meet formally once every three months to sort out outstanding issues between the allies," he said.

Minister Eknath Shinde said the meeting yielded a major project for the Thane city in the form of extended railway station between Mulund and Thane on the central line.

"The extended Thane station project needs 14-acre land of the mental hospital in the city. Chief minister assured us during the meeting that the land would be handed over to the Central Railway within a month," Shinde said in a release here.

Fadnavis also gave instructions to Health Minister Deepak Sawant in this regard.

"The co-ordination committee would comprise an equal number of legislators and ministers from both the alliance partners," he said.

According to Shinde, Thackeray told the chief minister that the "development works" proposed by Sena are not being implemented by the government.

Thackeray also gave a list of grievances and works to the chief minister.

The delegation comprised all Shiv Sena ministers in the state government, senior Sena leaders and party's whips in both the Houses of Legislature.

"This is a systematic way to sort out issues. We have started working on it," Fadnavis added.
Laishram Bombayla Devi and Deepika Kumari advanced to the pre-quarterfinals of the women's individual recurve event as Indian archers rounded off a good day in office at the Olympic Games here today.

Competing in her third Olympics, the 31-year-old Bombayla, who finished 24th in the ranking round, dished out a dominating show to get the better off Chinese Taipei's Lin Shih-Chia 6-2 in the 1/16 elimination after beating Austria's Laurence Baldauff in 1/32 elimination round.

Deepika also put up an excellent show as she comprehensively defeated Italy's Sartori Guendalina 6-2 in the 1/16 elimination after prevailing over her opponent from Georgia, Kristine Esebua, 6-4 in the 1/32 elimination round.

The 22-year-old from Jharkhand, who had lost in the first round in London Games four years ago, came back strongly from a set down to register a dominating 24-27, 29-26, 28-26, 28-27 victory in the end.

Deepika lost the first set before hitting two consecutive 10s and a nine in the second set to aggregate 29 as compared to 26 by the Italian.

After the first two 10s, Deepika sealed the set in her favour after her opponent hit a seven and a nine in her first two attempts.

The Indian once again started with a 10 in the third set, while two 9s in the next two arrows gave her a total of 28. The Italian, on the other hand, managed just 26.

Heading into the fourth set with a 4-2 advantage, Deepika tightened the noose. While both the archers began the round with an eight each, followed by 10, the last attempt made all the difference. While the Italian shot a nine, Deepika hit the bull's eye to eke out a one-point win.

Earlier, in the round of 1/32, Deepika beat her Georgian rival 27-26, 29-29, 30-27, 27-29, 29-29 to enter the next round.

In the first set, Deepika won by just one point as she managed to hit a 10 with her second arrow as compared to none by the Georgian girl.

After a 29-29 tie in the second set, Deepika hit the bull's eye in her all three attempts in the third set to surge ahead 5-1.

However, she lost the rhythm in the fourth set, going down 27-29. Deepika bounced back and kept her nerves in the deciding set to tie the scores 29-29 and clinch the issue in her favour.



Earlier in the day, Bombayla, who had lost in the second round of women's individual recurve event at the London Olympics, outclassed Lin 27-24, 27-24, 26-27, 28-26 to reach the pre-quarterfinals.

Up against Lin, who had already clinched a bronze medal in the women's team event, Bombayla started with a 10 and then hit 8 and 9 to total 27 as against 24 (8, 7, 9) of her opponent.

The Indian scored 8, 9, 10 against Lin's hat-trick of 8s to clinch the second set. In the third set, the Chinese Taipei girl hit the bull's eye twice even as Bombayla came up with a 7 and 9 in the first two shots. In the final shot, the Indian hit a 10 but that was not enough to win the set.

In the fourth set, Bombayla once again produced a perfect score of 10 and then hit 9 twice against Lin's 7, 9, 10 to seal the issue in her favour.

In the 1/32 elimination round, the girl from Minupur had rallied her way to beat Austria's Laurence Baldauff 6-2.

Bombayla showed tremendous nerves as she bounced back after losing the first set to outclass Laurence in the second, third and fourth set in the first round.

Bombayla, who was the best Indian performer in the women's team event, scored a 24-27, 28-24, 27-23, 26-24 win in the 1/32 elimination round.

Read our full coverage on the 2016 Rio Olympics



The 41-year-old Laurence started off well with a hat-trick of 9s in the first set to get the better of the Indian, who started off with a 9 but then shot 7 consecutively.

However, Bombayla hit the bulls eye to start the second set on a dominating note and then produced consecutive 9s to bounce back into the contest. She produced a hat-trick of 9s in the third set to lead 4-2, before sealing the contest with a series of 9, 9, 8 in the fourth set.

India's Atanu Das had also entered the pre-quarterfinals of the Individual men's recurve event yesterday.
More than 2,000 miles from his adopted Bronx home, Ecuadorean native William Quizhpi found a connection to his native roots during a visit to a Montana Indian reservation last month.

It was an eye-opening experience, he said in a telephone interview. The people there made me feel in touch with the heritage I have.

Quizhpi visited the American Prairie Reserve south of Malta for 10 days in July as part of an SEO Scholars trip. SEO, Sponsors for Educational Opportunity, is an academic program that helps low-income high school students attend college.

American Prairie Reserve first partnered with SEO last year to give the city students an immersive introduction to rural life, the Montana prairie, bison, dinosaurs, prairie dogs, a rodeo, county fair and American Indians.

Its directly in line with our goal for public access and enjoyment of that biosphere, said Hilary Parker, communications and outreach manager for American Prairie Reserve.

Founded in 2004, the nonprofit American Prairie Reserve is working to create the largest nature reserve in the United States by purchasing ranches in central Montana. As part of that goal the group is also working to restore native species, such as bison, to the prairie.

Its a place that appealed to Quizhpi, despite its removal from anything he has ever known or experienced.

I miss it very much, he said. I had never been to the Mountain West, and I just imagined it was going to be in the middle of nowhere. There was some of that, but it was also really beautiful. I loved the prairie, hiking and the wildlife. Around here in New York we dont have such beautiful landscapes.

Quizhpi moved to the United States from Ecuador when he was 8 to join his parents, who had immigrated north in search of the American dream, he said. Because of his native heritage, Quizhpi was especially intrigued by the SEO groups trip to the Fort Belknap Indian Community.

During that portion of the visit, Quizhpi said the group helped a tribal medicine woman collect medicinal plants such as sweetgrass and yarrow. The lesson he took away from the experience was that the plants had given up their lives for him, so he should give thanks to the plants.

The visit for the high school senior was so transformative that hes now considering taking the risk to attend college at the University of Montana and expanding his studies to include field biology after his contact with a variety of scientists during the APR trip.

It felt welcoming, he said. The people there were really friendly and open.

Siri Eliasen, who helped guide the students through their Montana trip along with instructors from the Montana Outdoor Science School and other APR staff, said she hopes the teens take a sense of wonder, concern for the environment and a zest for adventure back to their urban lives.

Its a place that has already made a strong impression on Eliasen. A native of the Seattle area, she said the vastness of the prairie, how it goes on forever, was the most startling thing for her when she first visited the area about six years ago.

That sense of wonder and vastness struck the group on two occasions when large lightning storms roared across the expansive prairie.

We stood there in awe, said Yacine Fall. We were literally blown away by the wind. We saw lighting from 20 miles away and I was like, whoa.

Fall, a 17 year old Harlem student, has visited strange lands before. She traveled to Senegal, her parents homeland, years ago. But shed never been to a place quite like the Montana prairie, which she found more diverse ideologically as well as ecologically.

I thought it would be very conservative, she said. But Montana is more diverse than I expected it to be.

It was also her first exposure to an array of wildlife, such as the bison herd that roams the American Prairie Reserve.

I learned the importance of wildlife, she said. Id never been a wildlife person who advocated for animals. But now I understand that they are beings that should be advocated for.
Government bond (G-Secs) prices firmed up further due to good buying support from market participants amid expectations of central bank liquidity gush.

Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan on Tuesday said the central bank has decided to conduct purchase of government securities under open market operations for an aggregate amount of Rs 10,000 crore on August 11 through multi-security auction using the multiple price method.

However, the inter-bank call money rates dropped further in the absence of demand from borrowing banks amid ample liquidity in the banking system.

The benchmark 7.59 per cent government security maturing in 2026 rose to Rs 103.3125 from Rs 103.15 yesterday, while its yield fell to 7.10 per cent from 7.12 per cent.

The 7.59 per cent government security maturing in 2029 climbed to Rs 103.52 as against Rs 103.24 previously, while its yield drifted to 7.16 per cent from 7.19 per cent.

The 7.88 per cent government security maturing in 2030 moved up to Rs 106.25 compared to Rs 105.90, while its yield tumbled to 7.15 per cent from 7.19 per cent.

The 7.61 per cent government security maturing in 2030 edged higher to Rs 104.33 from Rs 104.05, while its yield slipped to 7.11 per cent from 7.14 per cent.

The 7.72 per cent government security maturing in 2025, the 7.68 per cent government security maturing in 2023 and 8.27 per cent government security maturing in 2020 were also quoted substantially higher at Rs 103.65, Rs 103.27 and Rs 104.29, respectively.

The overnight borrowing rate finished lower at 6.30 per cent from Tuesday's closing of 6.50 per cent after moving in a tight range of 6.65 per cent and 6.10 per cent in early trade.

Meanwhile, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), purchased securities worth Rs 131.72 billion in 32-bids at one-day repo auction at a fixed rate of 6.50 per cent this evening.

It sold securities worth Rs 54.79 billion from 22-bids at the overnight reverse repo auction at a fixed rate of 6.00 per cent late yesterday.
CBI has arrested a Chartered Accountant for allegedly taking a bribe for settling an Income Tax notice issued to a businessman.

Chartered Accountant Suman was arrested under Provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, sources said.

They said role of another Income Tax Officer, on whose behalf the bribe was allegedly demanded is also been looked into.

CBI Spokesperson R K Gaur said a case was registered against the Chartered Accountant on the allegations of demanding bribe of Rs two lakh from abusinessman dealing in mobile handsets & accessories.

It is alleged that Income Tax Officer, Ward No 2(4), Faridabad (Haryana) had issued a notice to him regarding assessment of his income, Gaur said.

The spokesperson said after receiving the notice the complainant discussed the matter with the CA who informed that he has also received copy of the same notice and has discussed the matter with ITO.

"The complainant has further alleged that a meeting was also held in the office of ITO along with the CA and during this discussion, the complainant came to know that CA was demanding bribe of Rs two lakh on behalf of said ITO for settling the issue," he said.

Gaur said on the request of the complainant, the CA reduced the bribe amount to Rs.1.50 lakh and agreed to accept Rs.60,000 as first instalment.

"CBI laid a trap at Faridabad wherein the Chartered Accountant was caught while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs.60,000. Searches were conducted at the official premises of CA, which led to recovery of relevant documents," he said.
The Cabinet today gave its nod for signing and ratification of an agreement between India and Croatia on economic cooperation.

"India and Croatia had earlier signed an agreement on trade and economic cooperation in September, 1994, with an aim to promote and develop bilateral trade and economic relations. Signing of the new agreement between India and Croatia would be a step in continuity as the existing agreement expired in November, 2009," an official statement said.

India's bilateral trade with Croatia during 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 was USD 152.01 million, USD 148.86 million and USD 205.04 million respectively.

The average bilateral trade growth was 17.44 per cent during the last three years, the statement added.
Traders body CAIT has filed a complaint with DIPP alleging that major e-tailers Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal are blatantly violating FDI norms.

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has filed a complaint with the "DIPP against Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal for blatant violation of FDI Policy in e-commerce of the government", CAIT said in a statement.

When contacted, Snapdeal declined to comment on the matter. Amazon and Flipkart did not respond to e-mail queries.

CAIT said that during past three days these companies have given big advertisements in media announcing sale on their platform which is a violation of FDI guidelines on e-commerce.

These companies are allowed to do B2B business but they are doing B2C for which they are not authorised, it said.

CAIT has sought an appointment with Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sithraman.

It asked the ministry to "take immediate action against these companies which are habitual in contravening the policy".

In March, government allowed 100 per cent FDI through automatic route in the marketplace format of e-commerce retailing.

As per the guidelines issued by the DIPP on FDI in e- commerce, foreign direct investment (FDI) has not been permitted in inventory-based model of e-commerce.
China's unruly plane passengers who use mobile phones, smoke or occupy seats by force on aircraft will face hefty fines of up to USD 7,500 under a proposed revision to a civil aviation law.

Those who use other prohibited electronic devices on planes or cause disturbances by filing false reports on dangerous goods will also be subjected to the same penalty, Hong Kong based South China Morning Post reported today.

The Civil Aviation Administration posted the new proposed law - revised from its previous two-decade-old regulation - on its website this week, seeking public opinion on the revision until next month.

China's civil aviation industry has grown at double-digit rates for the past five years, according to the industry regulator.

Last year, more than 436 million people took flights in China, up 11.3 per cent from 2014.

Some 42 million of them - or a 33 per cent annual increase - took flights to overseas destinations.

But as Chinese people travel more often, their "uncivilised behaviour" at airports and on planes has received flak both at home and abroad.

The administration's new proposed law now stipulates more than 10 types of bad behaviour at airports or on planes that will be subjected to financial penalties of up to 50,000 yuan (USD 7500) much higher than the present fine that amounts to only a few hundred yuan.

Violations include hijacking planes, kidnapping passengers, barging into aircraft or airports, bringing on board weapons or other dangerous items, occupying seats or luggage carriers by force, and occupying or blocking service counters or security check passages.

People who obstruct crew members from their duties or instigate other passengers to do so will also face punishment.

Many disputes between flight passengers and crew members occur because passengers refuse to switch off their mobile phones on the plane.

Last August, a passenger refused to turn off his phone while his flight from Wuhan, Hubei province, was landing near the airport in Beijing, the Beijing Daily reported.

The man was fined 500 yuan after crew members reported him to police.

Another mainland airline passenger opened emergency exit 'for some fresh air' in November, another passenger was detained for 10 days after he scolded and beat up crew members on a flight from Beijing to Dalian, Liaoning province.

He had lost his temper after he was told to turn off his phone on the plane.
China today warmed up for talks with the Philippines to resolve differences as Beijing welcomed Manila's special envoy to make joint efforts to improve bilateral relations and restore dialogue amid tensions over the South China Sea tribunal verdict.

"As neighbours of traditional friendship, China and the Philippines should make joint efforts to improve bilateral relations, restore dialogue and cooperation and push for the sound and steady growth of bilateral relations," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a statement.

Manila's special envoy Fidel Ramos is on a five-day visit to Hong Kong.

"It is learnt that during his stay in Hong Kong, Ramos will meet his Chinese old friends. The Chinese side is open to all forms of contact between the two sides and welcomes a visit to China by Ramos as a special envoy at an early date," she said.

The tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration quashed China's claims over the South Chia Sea and gave a verdict in favour of the Philippines which contested Beijing's claims.

Besides the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have counter claims.

While rejecting the tribunal verdict, China said it is open for bilateral talks with Manila to resolve the dispute.

Designated by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte as a special envoy, Ramos arrived in Hong Kong on Monday to start his visit to China after the South China Sea arbitration case has frozen the two countries' ties.

On his arrival in Hong Kong, he said the purpose of his visit to China is not for negotiations but to "rekindle" the Sino-Philippine friendship.

"We are here on a mission of goodwill and are not involved in any negotiations or official transactions," he said.

Ramos said that the people he want to first meet with during his trip is Wu Shicun, president of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, a major think-tank based on China's southern island of Hainan Province.

"I have always been optimistic and looking for the best results. But of course that also depends on the attitude of the Chinese officials," he said, adding that his Chinese friends include very successful businessmen.

Ramos said he will not discuss the particular issue of the South China Sea arbitration with his Chinese friends but seek to improve economic and tourism cooperation between the two countries.

Ramos, served as the Philippine President from 1992 to 1998.

After his retirement, Ramos became a key figure who proposed the Boao Forum for Asia, an international think tank backed by China which was also based in Hainan.
Chinese shipping giant COSCO today said it had completed the acquisition of a majority stake in OLP, the company running the main Greek port of Piraeus.

Under the deal, approved by parliament in July, COSCO acquired 67 per cent of the port authority for 368.5 million euros (USD 409 million).

"COSCO Shipping is now the majority shareholder of OLP, taking over the port's management and operations," the company said in a statement.

The sale gives COSCO rights to run Piraeus until 2052.

Leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had opposed the port's privatisation before coming to power last year.

In July he departed for a six-day trip to China as lawmakers approved the deal.

COSCO was the sole bidder in the process.

OLP said a new 11-man managing board named on Wednesday includes seven Chinese representatives, including the chairman and the CEO.

"This is the first cross-border acquisition by COSCO shipping," the company said.

COSCO, through its Piraeus Container Terminal (PCT) arm, already manages the two main container terminals at the port -- one of Europe's busiest -- under a 35-year concession signed in 2008.

Now it has control of the port, including its passenger ferry functions used by millions of tourists every year heading for the picturesque Greek islands.

COSCO has pledged to invest nearly 294 million euros (USD 326 million) to expand cruise facilities, upgrade the dockyard and create car space.

The company wants to turn Piraeus into the largest container port in Europe and the world's main cruise departure hub.

The mayor of Piraeus had in the past expressed misgivings about an all-out sale of the port, and local unionists had protested about low wages and working conditions on the COSCO-run docks.
China today successfully launched a high resolution satellite which can provide seamless view of seas to protect its maritime rights besides land borders and global hotspots, weeks after an international court struck down its claims over the disputed South China Sea.

The new high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging satellite called Gaofen-3 was launched off on the back of a Long March 4C rocket from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in northern Shanxi Province.

It was the 233rd flight mission by a Long March carrier rocket, the work horse of China's space launches.

As China's first SAR imaging satellite that is accurate to one meter in distance, it covers the globe with an all- weather, 24-hour observation service and will be used for disaster warning, weather forecasting, water resource assessments, and the protection of maritime rights.

The satellite was launched amid China's efforts to firmly establish its control over the South China Sea, after last month's tribunal verdict quashing Beijing expansive claims over all most all of the disputed area also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

China, which rejected the verdict has already launched air and naval patrols over the area to firmly establish control.

Since the inception of the Gaofen project in 2013, China has had an increasingly clearer view of the planet, the state-run Xinhua agency report said.

This also means China has better view of its land borders including its boundary with India.

Compared with optical imaging satellites, Gaofen-3 will better perform disaster monitoring as the SAR imaging satellite is capable of imaging in severe weather conditions as it uses microwave transmission.

"The launch of Gaofen-3 is expected to reduce dependence on data provided by foreign microwave imaging satellites," Jiang Xingwei, deputy chief engineer of Gaofen satellite application system, said.

The new satellite is able to provide high-definition remote sensing data over long periods of time.

It can capture continuous imaging for nearly one hour during ocean observation.

With 12 imaging modes, Gaofen-3 has the most imaging modes in the SAR imaging satellite family.

The high-definition observation satellite is capable of switching freely between various imaging modes, taking wide pictures of both earth and sea, and detailed photographs of specific areas.

Gaofen-3 is also China's first low orbit remote sensing satellite to have a lifespan of eight years, longer than other China-built satellites, which have a lifespan of three to five years, and that of foreign models between six to seven-and-a- half years.
China will accord a head of the state welcome to Myanmar's top leader Aung San Suu Kyi when she visits here next week, which the official media said is a "small diplomatic victory" for Beijing, considering she is visiting the Communist nation first before going to the US.

Myanmar's State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi is "expected to be received as a head of state" when she arrives here on August 17, state-run Global Times reported.

She will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang during her visit.

Observers say that the head of the state welcome is in recognition to the 71-year-old Myanmari leader's status as the de-facto leader of the government even though she is only State Counsellor and Foreign Minister.

While this is her first visit trip outside ASEAN, (Association of South East Asian Nations) in which Myanmar is a member, she is visiting China ahead of her visit to US aimed to recalibrate China-Myanmar relations under the new Myanmar government, it said.

"It is also seen by analysts as a small diplomatic victory for China over speculations that bilateral ties might take a blow under the new administration, given China's close ties with the former military-backed government and Suu Kyi's identity as a democracy icon long hailed by the West," it said.

This will be Suu Kyi's second trip to China. She met with Xi the first time through a party-to-party channel in June 2015 before Myanmar's general election in November.

Her China visit also comes two weeks before the 21st Century Panglong Conference, a peace conference involving the Myanmar government, the military and ethnic armed groups.

China's support is seen as vital in resolving Myanmar's decade-long ethnic conflicts, it said.

China-Myanmar share long volatile borders and Beijing has deployed military at the border last year after five people were killed several others wounded in firing from a Myanmar jet reportedly while pursing Kokoang rebels.

"Choosing China as her first destination outside of ASEAN reinforces Suu Kyi's image as a pragmatic politician who prioritises national interests above ideology and one who is careful in balancing Myanmar's relations with China on one side and the West on the other," Ji Qiufeng, a professor of international relations at Nanjing University, said.

The de facto Myanmar leader is tasked with reviving Myanmar's economy and attaining national reconciliation with ethnic rebel forces.

"Both Myanmar and China know, as Myanmar's northern neighbour, China can help Myanmar in ways that the US cannot," Ji noted.

Suu Kyi last visited the US as the leader of the opposition in September 2012.

Suu Kyi is expected to discuss a broad range of topics with the Chinese leaders, including setting the tone for bilateral relations and facilitating trade and other economic cooperation.
Sri Lanka has renegotiated the USD 1.4 billion Chinese-funded Colombo port city project and the new agreement has no provision for outright grant/hold of the reclaimed sea land by China, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told the parliament today.

Answering an opposition question in the assembly, Wickremesinghe said, "In March 2015 the project was halted as the government was having concerns over the project's environmental impact."



"We carried out the necessary environment impact assessments and decided to go ahead with the necessary concerns addressed," Wickremesinghe said.

The government was also averse to giving outright ownership of the reclaimed sea land, he said.

The new agreement provides for no outright grant and hold of the land.

Wickremesinghe said the port city facility would now be developed as a financial city and not as a mere leisure project aimed by the previous government of the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

"There are no night racing tracks or casinos," the prime minister said.

He said China had claimed compensation for the losses incurred due to the delay in implementing the project.

"We have done successful negotiations so no more claims of compensation by the Chinese," he said.

The port city project on reclaimed sea land adjoining the port of Colombo was a pet project of the Rajapaksa government who relied on the Chinese investments.

The government spokesman and Minister Rajitha Senaratne has last week claimed that the Rajapaksa government had delayed the project due to Indian objections on giving outright land to the Chinese.
Thomas Craig Pfeifle, 19, of Rapid City, S.D., who fell Monday while climbing Granite Peak, was in critical condition Tuesday at Seattle's Harborview Medical Center, according to hospital spokesperson Susan Gregg.

Pfeifle was rescued by helicopter on Monday afternoon and flown to a Billings hospital, but later transferred to Harborview, where he is being treated for a head injury.

Pfeifle was at an altitude of about 12,200 feet when he was rescued. He fell near the summit of the 12,808 foot peak, according to a press release from the Park County Sheriff's Office. The mountain is the highest peak in Montana.

A call came through Sweet Grass County at about 11 a.m. Monday from one of Pfeifle's climbing partners requesting rescue, said Park County Undersheriff Clay Herbst.

Pfeifle was climbing with at least four others and one of them was able to get cellphone service for the first emergency call, Herbst said.

The climbers borrowed a satellite phone from another climbing group to stay in contact with authorities throughout the rescue, Herbst said.

Rocky Mountain Rotors Co-owner Mark Taylor said his company was involved in the rescue of Pfeifle on Monday afternoon.

He was rescued by a Gallatin County high-angle rescue team and flown by helicopter to a separate landing zone near Sky Top Lakes. A medical helicopter from Bozeman then landed to provide medical treatment before he was flown to Billings.

Pfeifle is the son of South Dakota Seventh Circuit Court judges Craig Pfeifle and Jane Wipf Pfeifle.
Amid increasing religious intolerance across the globe, the US today said when a government denies religious liberty, citizens who have done nothing wrong turn into criminals.

"When a government denies religious liberty, it turns citizens who have done nothing wrong into criminals, igniting tension that breeds contempt, hopelessness, alienation," Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told reporters at a conference here to release the annual report on International Religious Freedom for the year 2015.

"Our message is simple. Societies tend to be stronger, wealthier, safer and more stable when their citizens fully enjoy the rights to which they are entitled," he said.

Far from a vulnerability or weakness, religious pluralism shows respect for the beliefs of every citizen and gives each a tangible reason to contribute to the success of the entire society, Blinken said.

That is why no nation can fulfil its potential if its people are denied the right to freely choose and openly practice their faith, he asserted.

"Now, it used to be that our annual reports focused almost exclusively on the actions of states, but we've also seen certain non-state actors, including terrorist organisations like Daesh, al-Qaeda, al-Shabaab, Boko Haram posing a major threat to religious freedom," Blinken said.

"There is, after all, no more egregious form of discrimination than separating out the followers of one religion from another, whether in a village, on a bus, in a classroom, with the intent of murdering or enslaving the members of a particular group," Blinken said.

Religious freedom, he underscored, is a core component of maximising that potential for people to express themselves freely to maximise their own potential.

US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, Rabbi David Nathan Saperstein, said the report highlights the chilling and sometimes deadly effect of blasphemy and apostasy laws in many places of the world, as well as laws that purport to protect religious sentiments from defamation.

"Roughly a quarter of the world's countries have blasphemy laws, and more than one in 10 have laws or policies penalising the apostasy, and the existence of these laws has been used by governments in too many cases to intimidate, repress religious minorities," Saperstein said.

"And governments have too often failed to take appropriate steps to prevent societal violence sparked by accusations of blasphemy and apostasy," he said.

"In Pakistan, the government continued to enforce blasphemy laws, for which a punishment can be death for a range of charges," Saperstein said.

"Christians as well as Muslims were arrested on charges of blasphemy in the last year. In 2016, after a Hindu convert to Islam was accused of blasphemy, two Hindu youths were shot and one died from his wounds in ensuing communal violence," he said.

"We remain deeply concerned, also over authorities targeting and harassment of Ahmadi Muslims for blasphemy, violations of anti-Ahmadi laws and other crimes," he added.
Vacancies in the City of London finance hub sank 12 per cent in July from the previous month following the shock Brexit vote, a study by consultancy Morgan McKinley showed today.

The number of available City jobs fell to 7,980 in July, compared with 9,060 in June, according to Morgan McKinley.

The impact was however less than expected after the June 23 referendum to leave the European Union, which has triggered deep economic uncertainty.

Hakan Enver, operations director at Morgan McKinley, said in a statement that the fall was "a modest decline given the gravity of the referendum".

"Hiring slowed as institutions found themselves in a post-Brexit limbo but the impact of the referendum was not as aggressive as we expected," he noted.

The consultancy added that available City jobs sank by about 27 per cent in July, when compared with the same month a year earlier.

The study also highlighted a 14-per cent drop in the number of job seekers in July from June, which Enver said could be explained in part by seasonal variations during a relatively quiet period for financial markets.

"Jumping ship in a climate of uncertainty is particularly risky for employees," Enver said.

He said the jobs climate in the City was also very dependent on mergers and acquisitions activity, which has dipped as a result of the referendum.

"When deals are placed on hold, in many instances, so is hiring," Enver said, adding that takeover activity was "an excellent barometer of confidence".

Around a million people are estimated to work in Britain's financial industry.

Pro-EU campaigners have argued that many jobs could be put at risk if companies choose to relocate to the EU in case of Brexit.
Attacking the AAP government over increasing liquor permits in Delhi, Swaraj Abhiyan, an organisation led by Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, today demanded closure of alcohol shops in residential areas.

Holding a public hearing in Kolta Mubarakpur, an area where locals have been protesting against a liquor shop, Bhushan demanded that places where residents are opposed to liquor shops in their areas should be done away with.

Anupam, Swaraj Abhiyan's media coordinator said that if the shop is not closed then the organisation will hold protests against the Delhi government over its liquor policy.

Bhushan said that under the AAP government's Swaraj Bill, it is mandatory to take opinion of 50 per cent women of the area if one has to open a liquor shop.

He also demanded that the AAP government should consult people before formulating any policy and make the draft public.
US-led coalition planes warned drivers of fuel trucks used by the Islamic State group in Syria they were about to be bombed, prompting several vehicles to flee, officials said today.

Multiple warplanes destroyed 83 oil tankers Sunday near Albu Kamal, along Syria's border with Iraq, as part of an ongoing mission to wipe out the oil-smuggling infrastructure that helps fund IS.

At the start of the attack, pilots "fired multiple warning shots to encourage truck drivers to leave the area," the US military's anti-IS mission, Operation Inherent Resolve, told AFP.

"Multiple oil tanker trucks departed the area after the warning shots, and we did not pursue them," officials added.

Remaining oil trucks were "stationary at the time of the strike. Based on our assessment, there were no drivers remaining with the vehicles at the time of the strike."



The Obama administration came under criticism from some Republican lawmakers last year after the Pentagon said it had dropped leaflets warning truck drivers of impending strikes.

The rationale is that IS presses drivers into service and they are not necessarily IS supporters.

Pilots did not drop warning leaflets in Sunday's attack, which was conducted under Operation Tidal Wave II, named after a World War II mission to bomb oil refineries used by the Nazis.

The case highlights the delicate balancing act surrounding strikes against IS targets.

Civilian casualties fuel outrage and are used as a rallying cry by jihadists, and the military will often call off a strike if the risk of civilian deaths is deemed too high.

But critics have accused the Obama administration of making rules of engagement too restrictive and shackling the military.

In just two strikes last year, coalition planes destroyed about 400 tankers that were lined up in the desert waiting to take on illicit oil.

In those cases, pilots dropped leaflets warning drivers.
Fair trade regulator CCI is examining whether there has been cartelisation in steep fluctuation of airfares, including at the time of Jat agitation earlier this year.

Corporate Affairs Ministry has submitted to the Parliamentary Standing on Finance that Competition Commission of India (CCI) is looking into the issue of airlines allegedly charging exorbitant fares during the recent agitation in Haryana.

In its report tabled in Parliament today, the panel said CCI is "examining the issues of exorbitant airfares and possible cartelisation by gathering information from airlines and conducting investigations".

In their submission to the ministry, CCI said it took immediate action on the issue and called a special meeting, wherein it was decided to seek for information from airlines to form a view whether such a hike in airfares was on account of anti-competitive behaviour such as cartelisation by airlines.

"The reason for such hike in airfares as well as other information has been sought from five airlines...While some have filed responses, others have sought time to reply. Reminder letters have been sent to airlines to file reply," Competition Commission said in its submission.

While noting the action taken by CCI, the committee re-emphasise that the Commission should expedite their investigations in cases of abnormal price hikes and possible cartelisation and conclude their findings in a time-bound manner.

CCI is empowered to examine anti-competitive conduct and intervene in cases of cartelisation, price parallellism and abuse of dominance.
A three-year term at a special home here awarded to the minor convict in the September 2011 Delhi High Court blast case, in which 15 people were killed , was today upheld by a Delhi court that said that he was a part of the conspiracy to carry out the explosion.

Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Pandit upheld the conviction of the minor by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) in July 2014 under several sections of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Explosive Substances Act.

The court, however, acquitted him of the charges of having links with any terror organisation.

"It can be safe to held that JCL convict (juvenile in conflict of law) was a co-conspirator of the conspiracy of the occurrence of blast," it said.

The board had sent the delinquent juvenile to the special home for three years, the maximum punishment that can be awarded under the Juvenile Justice Act. 79 people were injured in the blast.

The sessions court upheld his conviction under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with Sections 121 (waging war against the country), 121A (conspiracy to commit waging war), 122 (collecting arms for waging war), 123 (concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 436 (mischief by explosive substance), and 440 (mischief committed for causing death) of the Indian Penal Code.

It also upheld his conviction under sections 16 (punishment for terrorist act) and 18 (conspiracy for terror act) of UAPA and section 4 (punishment for attempt to cause explosion), 5 (punishment for making or possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances) and 6 (punishment of abettor) of the Explosive Substances Act.

The court, however, acquitted him of the charges under section 20 (punishment for being member of terrorist gang or organization), 38 (offence relating to membership of a terrorist organization) and 39 (offence relating to support given to a terrorist organization) of UAPA.

Then 17-year-old, he was accused of sending an e-mail that



claimed responsibility for the blast and also threatened to cause more bomb blasts at other courts, including the Supreme Court, if Afzal Guru, the Parliament attack convict, was hanged.

The email was sent by the juvenile from Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir, NIA had told the JJB.

A separate trial against adult accused Wasim Akram Malik is being conducted by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court here.

After registration of the FIR, the probe in the case was transferred from Delhi Police to NIA.

NIA, during the probe, had unearthed the conspiracy behind the blast and chargesheeted the accused.
A 30-year-old man was allegedly assaulted by the gram pradhan and others at Tugalpur village in Muzaffarnagar, police said on Wednesday.

According to the complaint filed by Vinod Kumar, he was beaten up by village head Pertal Singh and others yesterday when he was going to the fields, they said.

Based on the complaint, a case has been filed against Singh and one other under IPC sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 307 (attempt to murder), 341 (wrongful restraint), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, police said.
In a bid to expedite cleaning of the Ganga, the National Green Tribunal today directed the Uttarakhand government to demarcate flood plains of the river from Gomukh to Roorkee in the state and submit a compliance report in this regard.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar which favoured strict timelines for the demarcation of flood plains in the state, also sought report on the total number of hotels in this stretch from the Harish Rawat government.

A flood plain is an area of land adjacent to a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge.

The green panel also allowed the state government to seek the assistance of Roorkee-based National Institute of Hydrology for identification of flood plains.

"The state government shall inform the tribunal whether cities including Haridwar, Rishikesh, Joshimath, Roorkee located on the stretch from Gomukh to Roorkee have installed sewage treatment plants or not," the bench, also comprising Justice M S Nambiar, said.

The order came after the state government informed the green panel that it has not been able to finalise a detailed flood plain map and sought one-year time to complete the exercise.

The tribunal has now posted the matter for next hearing on this aspect on October 20.

The tribunal had earlier directed the National Mission for Clean Ganga, the implementing wing for rejuvenation of the river, to apprise it about the expenditure details of the Rs 20,000 crore budget granted to it for cleaning and protection of Ganga.

It had also issued notices to the Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal governments to explain how they propose to deal with the pollution caused in the river flowing through their jurisdiction and submit an action plan in this regard.

The green panel has divided the work of cleaning the river into different segments -- Gomukh to Haridwar, Haridwar to Kanpur, Kanpur to border of Uttar Pradesh, border of Uttar Pradesh to border of Jharkhand and border of Jharkhand to Bay of Bengal.

On December 11 last year, the tribunal had imposed a complete ban on use of plastic of any kind from Gomukh to Haridwar along the river from February 1 and decided to slap a penalty of Rs 5,000 per day on erring hotels, dharamsalas and ashrams spewing waste into the river.
The Delhi government has decided to start testing facility for the vector-borne disease at all its mohalla clinics from next month in the national capital where 171 cases have been reported.

Health Minister Satyendar Jain today said that people with symptoms can get themselves tested at free of cost at these clinics from September 1.

171 cases of dengue have been reported this season in Delhi with 52 of these being recorded in the first week of August, according to recently released municipal report.

The minister said that 100 of the cases were from outside the capital.

Giving details about treatment for various ailments given at mohalla clinics, he said that about 8 lakh people were treated at 105 such clinics.

Apart from this, 42,000 tests were conducted at mohalla clinics.

"We have set a target of attending one crore patients at mohalla clinics in 2017. We are getting good response from the people about this facility," the minister added.
The wife of a Bangladeshi-British university teacher suspected of being one of the masterminds of the deadly Dhaka cafe terror attack that claimed 22 lives has said that her husband was used as "human shield" by terrorists.

"When the attackers found that Hasnat was in the Holey Artisan Bakery with his family, they chose him to do different tasks as the attackers knew Hasnat would not abandon his family in any situation, said Sharmina Parveen, wife of Gulshan terror attack suspect Hasnat Reza Karim, in a statement yesterday.

47-year-old Karim, now in remand, was used by the attackers as a human shield, Parveen was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune.

Parveen, who went to the Spanish cafe with Hasnat and two children, also said that they would continue to cooperate with the police in their investigation to speed up his release.

She said that they had gone to the restaurant that evening to celebrate their daughter's 13th birthday.

"Once the attackers found out that we were Hasnat's family, they took advantage of it. They knew he will not abandon us. That is why they chose him to carry out several tasks during the night. That is why they used him as a human shield," she said.

Five gunmen, mostly in their 20s, seized the upscale Gulshan cafe on July 1 and shot and slaughtered 22 hostages, including an Indian girl.

Parveen claimed that they were held at gunpoint while Hasnat was forced to follow commands from the attackers throughout the night.

"They threatened us with life. They made him give them his ID and mobile phone, and then used it to access the Internet," she said.

Detectives interrogated Hasnat, his family and other survivors after they were released minutes before the commando operation on July 2. Even though others were released, Hasnat and another survivor - Tahmid Hasib Khan - were kept in custody at least for a week, according to police.

But the families claimed that they had no contact with the duo until the law enforcers arrested them on August 3. They were put on eight-day remand the following day. In the remand petition, police mentioned Hasnat as an active member of banned militant outfit Hizb ut-Tahrir and Tahmid as his associate.

Police also claimed that Hasnat had influenced the attackers to carry out the atrocities. He also downloaded a secured private messenger only 13 minutes after the attack was launched. The militants used the app to communicate with their seniors and send photos and videos of the attack.

The detectives said they will conduct a forensic test of the mobile. They are also assessing the relaxed movement of the duo inside and on the roof of the cafe and Tahmid holding a gun during the hostage crisis, as seen in some photos and videos of the attack.

In the statement, Parveen brushed aside rumours that Hasnat had been fired from North South University for militant connection as completely false.
BIG TIMBER  Human remains found last week in south-central Montana are those of a 38-year-old Bozeman man who went missing during an elk hunt two years ago, Sweet Grass County officials said Tuesday.

Dental records confirmed that the skeletal remains a rancher found Friday west of Melville were those of Aaron Joseph Hedges, Undersheriff Alan Ronneberg said.

The cause of death is still under investigation. Initial indications are that he died of hypothermia and exposure, Ronneberg said.

Hedges was reported missing in September 2014 when he became separated from a hunting party on the western side of the Crazy Mountains.

That fall, searchers found a pair of boots, a water backpack and a fire spot believed to belong to Hedges on the eastern side of the mountains.

In June 2015, a man doing fencing work found other items belonging to Hedges, including a bow, a backpack and a hunting license. Sweet Grass County officials searched the area at the time, but they did not find Hedges.

His remains were found about a half-mile away from the bow and backpack, just outside the 2015 search area, Ronneberg said.

Hedges' remains were found about 15 miles from where he was last seen and about 6 miles from where his boots were found. Officials speculate he must have had another pair of shoes, because the rocks were very sharp where Hedges' boots were found, Ronneberg said. A cellphone was found with his remains.
An Executive Engineer of Delhi Jal Board was suspended today after the city government witnessed "careless work" by him and some other officials in laying sewer and water pipelines in Dwarka.

Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra suspended the engineer and also issued show cause notice to member (drainage) of Delhi Jal Board (DJB).

The minister has also set a deadline of 15 days to improve the work.

"Witnessed Careless work by some of DJB officers in Dwarka. Suspending Exe. Eng. Show cause to Member Drainage. 15 days deadline to improve (sic)," Mishra tweeted.

He said that there was "careless work" on the part of some officers who were assigned to lay sewer and water pipelines in Dwarka which is unacceptable.
Ruling AIADMK and its arch rival DMK today sparred in the Tamil Nadu Assembly over claiming credit for providing reservation for women in panchayat bodies while Congress said it was former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who first conceptualised the 33 per cent quota.

When DMK member Geetha Jeevan made some reference to the 33 per cent rerservation for women in local bodies, senior AIADMK Ministers including D Jayakumar insisted that the law was implemented in the state during the 1991-96 AIADMK regime.

Jayakumar said the AIADMK government headed by J Jayalalithaa had given the cabinet approval for 33 per cent reservation for women.

Leader of the Opposition M K Stalin (DMK) said though this was true, it was the Karunanidhi-led DMK government which implemented the reservation in 1996.

To this, Local Administration Minister S P Velumani said DMK conducting the elections was only a 'routine process' since the earlier AIADMK government had accorded the cabinet approval.

He went on to add that the previous AIADMK government (2011-16) had even enhanced the reservation to 50 per cent for women in local bodies.

Stalin once again questioned the government why it did not hold elections although cabinet approval was given for 33 per cent reservation.

"You may have given cabinet approval. But it was the DMK which held the elections for local bodies with 33 per cent reservation," he said.

To this, Jayakumar remarked that "we cooked the meals nicely, you consumed it," drawing peels of laughter among the Treasury benches.

Congress Floor Leader K R Ramasamy intervened saying it was Rajiv Gandhi who originally mooted the proposal.

"Both (sides) have to accept one thing. Rajiv Gandhi only brought the Panchayati Raj law (which allows the 33 per cent reservation)," he said.

After this, Social Welfare Minister V Saroja said that Jayalalithaa had "sowed the seed" for providing reservation for women in local bodies in Tamil Nadu, since her government had given the cabinet approval in 1994.

The sparring took place during the debate for grants for the Social Welfare and Nutritious Noon Meal Programme Departments.

(REOPENS MES4)



The archrivals once again locked horns when Revenue



Minister R B Uthayakumar made some critical comments against the DMK in regularising encroachments, especially on water bodies.

His remark drew sharp reaction from the opposition even as he questioned why the DMK government of 2006-11 had revised a one time regularisation scheme ten times.

During the debate, DMK member and former Minister I Periasamy also made some critical remarks against the government's handling of the December 2015 deluge in Chennai.

To this, PWD Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy said that the flooding was caused only due to the city receiving about 50 cm of rainfall in a single day, and denied any lapse on part of the government.
Tamil Nadu Assembly today witnessed sharp exchanges between the ruling AIADMK and DMK and the House proceedings were briefly stalled as Opposition legislators wanted a remark made by Minister SP Velumani deleted from records.

After arguing with Speaker P Dhanapal over the matter, DMK members staged a walk out.

After DMK member Seethapathi listed the achievements of her party regime led by party chief Karunanidhi, S P Velumani countered her by saying free television scheme did not reach all the beneficiaries and some TVs had even burst.

He said it was the AIADMK regime and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa who had implemented all her poll promises including distribution of free mixies and grinders and made a remark about the World Classical Tamil Conference organised by the DMK regime.

Immediately, DMK members were on their feet demanding that the remark be expunged. DMK whip Chakrapani said "the Minister said it (conference) was a family event, it was a government event and his remark should be expunged."



Speaker P Dhanapal said the matter was discussed several times before and sought to pacify DMK members by saying that counter point of the Opposition has also gone on record. He later asked Social Welfare Minister V Saroja to make her reply to the discussion on Demand for Grants for her Department.

However, the DMK members continued to make vociferous demands for deletion of Velumani's remark and former Minister (DMK MLA) Ponmudi argued with Dhanapal over the matter. Finally, all the DMK members staged a walkout.

Earlier, the arch rivals locked horns when Revenue Minister R B Uthayakumar made some critical comments against DMK in regularising encroachments, especially on water bodies.

His remark drew sharp reaction from the opposition even as he questioned why the DMK government of 2006-11 had revised a one time regularisation scheme ten times.

During the debate, DMK member and former Minister I Periasamy also made some critical remarks against the government's handling of the December 2015 deluge in Chennai.

To this, PWD Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy said that the flooding was caused only due to the city receiving about 50 cm of rainfall in a single day, and denied any lapse on part of the government.
Kerala government was today all praise for the UAE government, the airline staff and firefighters who played key role in the rescue of 300 people on board a flight from here that crash-landed and caught fire at the Dubai Airport on August 3.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also praised firefighter Jasim Elsa Al Baloushi, who laid down his life while rescuing the passengers, most of whom were Keralites.

"We appreciate the efforts of UAE government and those involved in the rescue operations. We also convey our heart felt condolences to the family of the deceased," he said.

As many as 282 passengers and 18 crew members had a miraculous escape when the flight Emirates flight EK521 from Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai made the crash-landing.

The Boeing 777-300 aircraft caught fire on the runway shortly after landing.

Of the total passengers, 226 were Indians.
The Election Commission today posted to August 19 the hearing on a petition seeking disqualification of 21 AAP legislators in an 'office of profit' case after the MLAs questioned the validity of a second set of documents filed against them.

The AAP legislators, whose appointment as parliamentary secretaries is under challenge, said the EC should consider only the first petition filed by Prashant Patel, who moved the plea before the poll body on which the President had sought opinion of the Commission.

They said the Commission cannot consider the second set of documents filed by Patel after the President had already sought opinion on the first petition.

They insisted the second set of documents were not maintainable. Patel, however, argued that the second set was not a fresh petition but a response to details sought by the EC.

The MLAs were of the view that EC should have sought the details from Delhi government and not the petitioner.

Following the arguments, the commission posted the matter for another hearing on August 19.

Nineteen out of the 21 MLAs were present at the hearing. Two could not attend the proceedings. "Some of the MLAs said their lawyers were not present," Patel said.

On July 27, the commission had rejected pleas of Congress, BJP and Delhi government to implead them as parties to the petition in the alleged office-of-profit case.

The EC issued notices to the AAP legislators in June after the petition was filed before it by Patel.

The MLAs responded to the notices, saying there was no "pecuniary benefit" associated with the post and it comes without any remuneration or power.

They had also sought personal hearings before the EC.

Delhi's AAP government had appointed 21 parliamentary secretaries to assist its ministers.

Subsequently, the city government sought to amend the Delhi Members of Legislative Assembly (Removal of Disqualification) Act, 1997, so as to exempt parliamentary secretaries from disqualification provisions in 'office of profit' cases.

However, the President refused to give his assent to the Bill.
An Additional Assistant Engineer was caught red-handed here today by sleuths of Anti-Corruption Bureau while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 25,000 from a complainant for releasing power from the newly installed agricultural transformer located in his fields.

The bribe amount was recovered from the car of the Additional Assistant Engineer N Yedukondulu Reddy, Marpally Section, Electricity Department, Ranga Reddy district, an ACB statement said.

Reddy is being arrested and produced before the ACB court, Hyderabad, it was stated.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged a group of businessmen today to inform authorities about companies or business people they suspect of supporting a US-based Muslim cleric accused of orchestrating Turkey's failed July 15 coup, saying they deserved "no pity."



The statement was likely to fan concerns over Turkey's large-scale crackdown on followers of the cleric, Fethullah Gulen, and raise questions over whether the government would start a witch-hunt based on an army of informants.

"You may have friends from the community," Erdogan told a group of Turkish exporters. "I say you have to expose them. You have to inform them to prosecutors and the police. Why? This is our patriotic duty."



"In the same way that we are removing the (Gulen organization) from the armed forces, the judiciary, the police, we have to remove them from the business world," Erdogan said.

"We have no right to show pity toward those who showed no mercy to their country or people."



The government launched a sweeping crackdown after the coup, targeting followers of Gulen, whom it accuses of orchestrating the attempted putsch that left more than 270 dead.

Some 16,000 people have been formally arrested in connection to the coup, while thousands more have been detained for questioning.

Tens of thousands of people with suspected links to Gulen have also been suspended or dismissed from their jobs in the judiciary, media, education, health care, military and local government.

Turkey has designated Gulen's movement a terror organization and wants him extradited from the United States to face trial.

Gulen, who runs a network of charities and schools worldwide, has repeatedly denied involvement in the coup.

The scope of the crackdown on the movement has raised alarm in European countries and among human rights groups, which have urged restraint.

Erdogan has lashed out at the criticism and has complained of a lack of solidarity and support from allies for the elected government.

Speaking to the exporters, Erdogan urged the businessmen to inform "prosecutors and police" on Gulen supporters they know, and to inform business contacts abroad that the Gulen movement was "not only a threat to our country but to the whole world.
A former Bangladeshi MP of fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami party was today sentenced to death while seven others jailed until death by a special tribunal for committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 liberation war against Pakistan.

Sakhawat Hossain, former MP Jessore district, was sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal on charges of abduction, confinement, torture, rape and murder.

The three-member panel of judges of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) led by Justice Anwarul Haque said the authorities can execute the verdict by hanging or using the firing squad, Dhaka Tribune reported.

Hossain was a central committee member of Islami Chhatra Sangha, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami party at the time, and was accused of acting as a local commander of a group that aided Pakistani soldiers.

He left Jamaat-e-Islami and joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. At the time of the court case he was involved with Jatiya Party headed by Hussain Muhammad Ershad. Hossain was arrested in 2014.

The rest seven convicts will spend rest of their life in prison. They have been convicted on charges of abduction, confinement, torture, rape and murder.

They are Billal Hossain, Ibrahim Hossain, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Abdul Aziz Sarder, Qazi Ohidul Islam alias Wahidur Salam, Aziz Sarder and Abdul Khalek Morol.

Another accused, Lutfor Morol, died of cardiac arrest in police custody on May 6 this year.

Suspected war criminals were put on trial after the Awami League led government formed the tribunal in 2010.

Most of the convicts belong to Jamaat-e-Islami, a party which openly opposed Bangladesh's liberation.

Bangladesh has so far executed four war crimes convicts since the process began to try the top Bengali perpetrators of 1971 atrocities in line with the electoral commitment of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2008.
To curb the ponzi menace, government should expedite the process for bringing a central law that will plug regulatory loopholes, a Parliamentary panel has recommended.

Observing that even now several cases of unauthorised collection of money and deposits are being reported, the committee said agencies concerned should work with "greater cohesion and coordination" to ensure concrete results at the ground level.

The observations are part of the report of the Standing Committee on Finance, headed by senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily.

"The committee would expect this proposed legislation to plug once and for all the regulatory loopholes, gaps and vaccum prevailing in the vast and expanding financial services industry," the report, tabled in Parliament today, said.

The committee is of the view that central law on unauthorised deposits and related matters "to be expedited so that a comprehensive Bill can be introduced in Parliament at least during the Winter Session later this year".

Currently, central economic intelligence bureau in the department of revenue and its regional economic intelligence councils along with state level co-ordination committees provide the necessary administrative structure for capturing information regarding ponzi schemes early.

"It would be better to attune, with strengthening if necessary, the already existing structure to address the problem of unauthorised deposit taking," the report said.

Besides, the committee noted that regulatory regime in respect of Multi-State Co-operative Societies (MSCSs) should be streamlined to protect the interest of small investors of these societies.

It should be streamlined so that they do not become an instrument of diverting and shielding illegal funds from ponzi companies.
Heavy rains damaged a small portion of a historic Dogra monument in Mubarak Mandi here prompting Minister of State for Tourism, Priya Sethi to instruct expedition of its restoration work.

"A small portion of the three-storied building in Mubarak Mandi complex caved in due to heavy rains in Jammu on Monday night," an official said today.

"There was no injury to anyone as it was an abandoned building, which was under repair," the official said.

Sethi visited the site yesterday evening and took stock of the damages.

Expressing concern over the delay in the restoration work being carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), she asked officials to ascertain other viable options and involve some other technical agencies "which can press more manpower and resources to ensure time-bound completion of restoration work".

Sethi directed the executing agency concerned and the Divisional Commissioner to put in concerted efforts to restore the heritage monument at the earliest.

During her visit, Sethi also hit out at the previous regime for "under-utilising" allocated funds for the monument.

"The previous regime did not optimally utilise the Rs 250 crore funds allocated for the restoration works of Mubarak Mandi complex. This callous attitude has adversely affected the pace of restoration works," she said.
Observing that the fate of the US and China are "inescapably intertwined" Vice President Joe Biden today said the next administration would have to continue to expand America's strategic ties with its core alliances including India.

"The next administration will be charged with continuing to expand our network of relationships beyond our core alliances, building on the historic opportunities we've created to support the democratic transition in Burma (also called Myanmar), deepen ties with Vietnam, manage relations with China, expand the strategic partnership with India, and work with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to advance a rules-based order," Biden wrote in an essay in Foreign Affairs.

And because Asia is home to half the world's population and many of the world's fastest-growing markets, we simply cannot afford to ignore the economic opportunities there, the outgoing vice president wrote.

Noting that in nearly every part of the world, the US contends with regional powers that have an enormous capacity to contribute to the international order-or to undermine it, Biden said nowhere is this truer than in America's relationship with China.

"The United States and China are the world's two largest economies, so our fate are inescapably intertwined. President Obama and I have sought to define this relationship through enhanced cooperation and responsible competition," Biden wrote.

"We have found common ground with Beijing and made historic progress to address such global challenges as climate change, pandemic disease, poverty, and nuclear proliferation. At the same time, we have stood firm on such issues as human rights, intellectual property, and freedom of navigation," he said.

This balancing act will only grow more difficult in the context of China's economic slowdown and the worrying steps Beijing is taking to reverse course on more than three decades of economic reform and opening up to the world, the vice president said.

"As a result, the next administration will have to steer a relationship with China that encompasses both breakthrough cooperation and, potentially, intensified competition. And sometimes, as when facing the mounting threat from North Korea, cooperation and competition with China will coexist," he said.

"The notion that it will be all one or the other is shortsighted and self-defeating," he added.

The same is true with regard to Russia, with which the US should continue to pursue a policy that combines the urgent need for deterrence, on the one hand, with the prudent pursuit of tactical cooperation and strategic stability, on the other, he said. Terrorism must-and will-be defeated, Biden said.

Biden said the next administration will have to continue to address the challenge of ISIS in a smart, sustainable, and holistic manner.
All seven fishing trawlers which had gone missing in the Bay of Bengal due to bad weather have been found to be safe.

Coast Guard officials said since yesterday they were running a search and rescue operation after receiving reports from the Fisheries Department about seven fishing boats missing in the Bay of Bengal.

Out of them, four had returned to harbour safely, while one boat which was stranded due to engine failure was located by Coast Guard ship Raziya Sultana.

The boat along with all 10 crew on board was provided with necessary assistance and was being towed towards Sagar island, the officials said.

Two Coast Guard ship and a Dornier maritime reconnaissance aircraft were deployed in the sea for rescue mission. The remaining boats were also found later in the day.

Rough sea condition due to a deep depression along the West Bengal coast had made the search and rescue operation difficult.

Director General Indian Coast Guard Rajendra Singh, who is on official visit to Haldia and Kolkata, had personally monitored the operation.
The flood situation in Bihar further improved today with receding of water in majority of rivers and only one district is currently under flood waters.

There is no report of any fresh death in inundation triggered by rains in Terai region of neighbouring Nepal, a statement from state Disaster Management Department here said.

Only Purnea remained under flood waters, it said, adding the death toll remained at 95 as it was on Sunday.

Except for Kosi in Baltara in Khagaria district, all rivers flew below danger level today.

The number of blocks affected by floods came down to 3 today and the marooned villages to 18.

Four medical teams and five camps of veterinary doctors are operational in flood-hit areas now, it said.
Renewed fighting pitted former Mali rebels against pro-government fighters for a second day today, the UN told AFP, while the army separately found the bodies of five missing soldiers.

Fighting erupted yesterday near the restive northeastern town of Kidal between ex-rebels from the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) and members of the pro-government group GATIA.

Calm returned overnight, but "resumed this morning," said an official with the Imghad and Allies Tuareg Self-Defence Group (GATIA).

The two sides had clashed with heavy arms in Kidal itself on July 21-22, and again on July 30 around 40 kilometres to the east of the town, several sources said.

Nobody from the CMA was immediately available to comment on the latest reported fighting, and there were no details on casualties.

The clashes were confirmed to AFP by a source in MINUSMA, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the west African country, which helps maintain calm in Kidal.

"We have information on fighting" underway near Kidal, said the source, giving no further details.

Meanwhile Mali's army said it had recovered the bodies of five soldiers missing since an attack Monday in the Mopti region in the centre of the country.

Four bodies were found Tuesday and a fifth today morning, said an army spokesman. "At this stage we cannot specify the cause of death. Our experts are still examining the remains," he said.

Another military official told AFP overnight that the four bodies had been washed up by the river, and a probe was launched to determine "if they were killed and thrown into the river or if they died by drowning".

One military source blamed the attack on the soldiers on the Malian jihadist group Ansar Dine, which claimed a previous deadly attack against the army in the Mopti region on July 19, in which 17 soldiers died.

Ongoing international military intervention since January 2013 has driven Islamist fighters away from major population centres, but large tracts of the sub-Saharan country are still not controlled by Malian and foreign troops.
The full impact of the UK's decision to exit European Union on India may take some time to unfold, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today.

"The opportunities for India would depend on Great Britain's negotiations of terms of exit with the European Union and their future negotiated trade relations," Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

India is negotiating broad-based Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) with the EU.

She said the BTIA negotiations began in 2007 with sixteen rounds of negotiations concluded so far.

Three rounds of stocktaking meetings have also been held recently, she added.

On other FTAs, she said that India is negotiating a trade pact with Israel.

The eighth round was held in Israel from 24-26 November 2013 wherein discussions took place on market access in goods, rules of origin, custom procedures and trade in services, she said.

Also, the minister informed that a Joint Study Group (JSG) has been set up for considering the feasibility of entering into an FTA between India and Eurasian Economic Union (EaEU) comprising of five countries - Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan.

The first meeting of the JSG with EaEU was held on July 31, 2015.

An FTA is also being negotiated with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) which comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

Replying to a separate question, she said as on March 31, 204 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are functional.

Maximum number of operational zones are in Tamil Nadu (36) followed by Telangana (26) and 25 each in Maharashtra and Karnataka.
An architecturally renowned Church in Goa's Bardez taluka this Independence Day will host a unique festival of celebrating and honouring an indigenous sweet dish called, 'patolleo'.

Our Lady of Assumption Church located at Succoro village, near Panaji in Bardez Taluka would be celebrating 'Patolleanchem Fest', an unique salute to the jaggery-based sweet dish.

Goa Tourism department which has been promoting this 'alcohol-free' event as a tourist attraction,said the festival is a 'must-visit' for visitors.

"The Goan sweet Patolleo is a sweet made of jaggery and rice encased in a turmeric leaf. Goa, the most colorful and vibrant state celebrates 'Patolleanchem Fest', a unique festival honouring the dish Patolleo," the department said in a release issued here.

Traditionally, the festival is celebrated by preparing and distributing the Patolleos among villagers.

"Visitors are then treated to fabulous Goan fare and various performances by the locals and artistes. Guests are also given a share of the homemade Patolleo's that are traditionally distributed on this day," it said.

"Various stalls are also put up displaying a variety of local handicrafts and wares. The ubiquitous Goan brass band also graces the occasion with vibrant Konkani favourites and catchy tunes," the department has said.
Goa government today told the state Legislative Assembly that they are in the process of forming a cyber cell which will monitor possible threats to the state-run websites.

Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar told the House that till date 17 Goa government websites were hacked on different occasions, but the hackers had only defaced the front page, while leaving the internal data intact.

"Looking at the increase in number of cyber security threats and concerns, the department of Information and Technology is in the process of setting up a cyber cell in-house which would monitor the cyber treats in the government websites," Parsekar said during Question Hour while responding to a query by Congress MLA Mauvin Godinho.

The CM said currently Central government-appointed agency is monitoring the threats to the (government) websites.

"The state has not formed any cyber security policy, but as far as the government websites as well the State Data Centre (SDC) is concerned, the various security guidelines laid by the Central government are being put in practice or implemented," he told the House.

As per information provided on the floor of the House, the websites that came under attack by hackers were of departments like health, captain of ports, water resources, accounts, NRI commission, agriculture, fisheries, central library, sainik welfare and others.
Rs 200 crore has been allocated by the central government for the Nirbhaya Fund to provide compensation to women and child victims of sexual crimes, Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir said all states and union territories have notified victim compensation scheme in their respective state and UT.

He said record of disbursement made by states and UTs under their victim compensation scheme is not maintained centrally.

"However, on July 6, 2016, the central government has launched revised Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF) Scheme for women with one time grant of Rs 200 crore under the Nirbhaya Fund to support and supplement the existing victim compensation schemes notified by states and UT administrations," he said replying to a written question.

Ahir said the fund has been allocated to reduce disparity in quantum of compensation amount notified by different states and UTs for victims of crimes.

It will also encourage states and UTs to effectively implement the victim compensation schemes notified by them under the provisions of section 357A of CrPC and provide financial support to victims of various crimes like sexual offences including rape, acid attacks, crime against children, human trafficking etc, he said.

Nirbhaya fund was set up following an announcement in the 2013 Union Budget after the brutal gangrape on December 16, 2012 of a Delhi girl.

The fund is created to support initiatives by the government and NGOs working towards protecting the dignity and ensuring safety of women in India.
Government has notified the national 'Early Childhood Care and Education' (ECCE) policy which aims to achieve holistic development of children below six years of age, including those from the Muslim community, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Union Minister made the statement while replying to a query about the Centre's reaction to a 2013-14 UNICEF Rapid Survey on Children (RSOC) that indicated 34 per cent and 25.6 per cent of Muslim and Christian children (below six years) respectively do not attend pre-school.

"The government has reaffirmed its commitment to promote early childhood care and education by formulating and notifying National Early Childhood Care and Education policy," the Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) said.

"The vision of the national ECCE policy is to achieve holistic development and active learning capacity of all children below 6 years of age by promoting free, universal, inclusive, equitable, joyful and contexualised opportunities for laying foundation and attaining full potential," he said.

The ECCE is one of the six free services provided through Anganwadi centres located across the country under the Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) scheme of Ministry of Women and Child Development.

The ICDS is a universal self-selecting scheme available to all the beneficiaries who enroll at the Anganwadi centres irrespective of caste and religion, Naqvi said.

The ICDS scheme is has been universalised to cover 14 lakh habitations and about 3.50 crore children (aged between three and six years) are attending pre-school education at 13.50 lakh Anganwadi centres as on March 31, 2016.
The Cabinet today approved a new pension scheme and post-retirement medical services to about 35,000 employees of state-run Food Corporation of India (FCI), which would cost annually Rs 134.4 crore.

"The Cabinet today took a big decision. It has approved introduction of pension and post-retirement medical services as part of superannuation benefits for employees of FCI," Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan told PTI after the meeting.

FCI employees were demanding for pension benefit since 2006. The entire expenses would be borne by the FCI, which has saved significant amount by reducing foodgrains loss in transit and storage among others, he said.

The pension to FCI employees would be given with effect from December 1, 2008, while the medical services for retired officials of all categories would be implemented from April 1, 2016, an official statement said.

The annual financial implication for both schemes combined would be around Rs 134.4 crore at present level of salaries of the employees, it added.

All employees in Category I, II, III and IV of the Corporation on the payroll as on 1.12.2008 or appointed thereafter would be covered under the scheme.

Those with a minimum service period of 15 years before superannuation except in case of death would be eligible.

Employer's contribution would be 10 per cent of the basic pay and dearness allowance (DA) per month in respect of all existing employees as on December 1, 2008, while employees mandatory contribution would be two per cent of basic pay plus DA per month.

The employees voluntary contribution would be up to 25 per cent of basic pay plus DA per month.

As far as post-retirment medical services are concerned, the government said all employees can avail including retired employees who are members of the current employee funded Medical Health Scheme for Retirees.

Those with a minimum service of 15 years before superannuation except in case of death would be eligible. The employer's contribution would be 3.83 per cent of basic pay plus DA, while employees contribution would be last drawn basic pay and DA at the time of retirement or death during service subject to minimum of Rs 10,000.

The Scheme would cover the medical expenses of retired member, his/her spouse and dependent disabled child at any hospital in India subject to the overall annual ceiling.

FCI is the government's nodal agency engaged in procurement and distribution of foodgrains.
The government today pitched for establishing an international clean energy data grid and asserted that information related to green and unclean energy should be put in public domain.

Noting that it is essential for the common man to realise that the energy being used is unclean, for the world to shift to clean energy, Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave said such a shift will come only through data that is stored and analysed properly.

"India has given a call for the establishment of an International Clean Energy Data-Grid that is corruption-free.

"An international grid is a must as common man has the right to access data. The data must pertain to both production as well as consumption patterns of a society," an official statement quoting Dave said.

He was speaking at the day-long national conference on energy data: management, modelling and GIS mapping organised by NITI Aayog here.

Dave asserted that the world will have to understand the difference between clean and unclean energy.

"Data on green energy and unclean energy should be made available in the public domain. Till the common man realises that the energy being used is unclean, the day will never come when the world will shift towards using clean energy.

"Such a shift will come about only through data that is stored and analysed properly. Facts projected through correct data will lead us in the right direction," he said.

Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative to establish an International Solar Alliance (ISA), the Environment Minister emphasised that solar energy is the answer to energy requirements of the future.

"Dave also strongly advocated for disciplined consumption in every field, be it in the consumption of power to reduce the burden on power production," the statement added.
Two committees will soon be set up by the government for hiring of retired bureaucrats as consultants in various Ministries and departments, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Minister for Personnel and PMO said bureaucrats and polity were two essential pillars of democracy and bureaucrats and civil servants were tools of governments.

"We can't achieve good governance with bad tools. Therefore, it sometimes become necessary to appoint retired bureaucrats. We are now planning to set up a committee with representatives of concerned Ministries or Departments as well as Department of Personnel which will select such candidates.

"If the appointment would be for more than two years and the salary would be more than Rs 50,000, another committee, headed by the Cabinet Secretary, would consider any such proposal of appointment of retired bureaucrats," he said during Question Hour.

The Minister said while appointing retired bureaucrats as consultants, the government's efforts were always objective rather than subjective.

"As the consultants and advisors are not to be engaged against regular posts, it is not likely to affect the morale of serving officials or employment opportunities for the youth. Moreover they bring expertise with them which only improves overall efficiency of the government," he said



Singh said as per the extant rules, the Ministries and Departments may hire external professionals, consultancy firms or consultants for a specific job, not against regular post. Some retired senior civil servants having expertise and eminence are also appointed as advisors with a view to achieve certain specified public policy objectives.

The Minister said the government is also framing guidelines for appointment of retired bureaucrats as consultants and examining the possibility of extending the cooling off period for retired bureaucrats in taking appointment in private sector beyond one year.

Singh also said the Department of Personnel has set up a committee to revisit the syllabus and training for bureaucrats and the committee will submit its report soon.

Besides, the government has been trying to improve the administrative mechanism through various ways, he said.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has been accused of a making an "assassination threat" against his rival Hillary Clinton.

The Republican presidential nominee, who was speaking at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Tuesday about the next president's power to appoint Supreme Court judges, said that Clinton would appoint liberal justices if she wins the presidency, which would be a threat to gun ownership rights, reports the Guardian.

"Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the second amendment. If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the second amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know. But I'll tell you what, that will be a horrible day," he said.

The second amendment to the Constitution protects the right of Americans to bear arms for self defense.

Trump has accused his Democratic rival of wanting to abolish it, a charge that she denies.

The 'assassination threat' report drew a lot of criticism for Trump as well as for the media as some campaigners for gun control expressed outrage at his off-the-cuff remark while others rebuffed the report as a 'distraction created by the dishonest media.'

Robby Mook, Clinton's campaign manager, said: "This is simple - what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way."

However, Trump later tried to clarify that he was referring to the political movement around the second amendment.

Trump's campaign also insisted that his words had been misunderstood.

Jason Miller, a spokesperson, explained the comments saying, "It's called the power of unification. second amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power. And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it won't be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump.
The Allahabad High Court has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to produce by Thursday a status report on the investigation in the Bulandshahr gang rape case after it failed to submit the report on Wednesday.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice D B Bhosale and Justice Yashwant Varma, which has taken suo motu cognizance of the sexual assault on a minor girl and her mother, had on August 8 directed that the status report be submitted on August 10.

However, when Advocate General Vijay Bahadur Singh made a request for more time to submit the status report, the court ordered that the same be produced "tomorrow, by 2 pm.In a sealed cover".

The court has taken a grim view of the incident that took place on July 29, when a car carrying six members of a Noida family to Shahjahanpur in western UP was stopped by criminals on a highway in Bulandhshahr district and the 13-year-old girl and her mother were gang raped in the fields nearby after being dragged out of the vehicle.

The incident evoked a huge outcry and the Samajwadi Party government in the state drew widespread criticism over the law and order situation in UP.

Besides seeking a status report, the court has sought to know from the state government whether it was "willing to hand over investigation of the case to the CBI" and "what steps the state would like to take to avoid such incidents in future."
The Madras High Court today directed the Principal District Judge, Coimbatore, to visit the premises of Isha Yoga Centre near that city to conduct an inquiry with the inmates about their willingness to stay there and submit a report tomorrow.

A division bench comprising justices S Nagamuthu and V Bharathidasan gave the direction on the Habeas Corpus petition filed by parents of two women living in the premises of Isha yoga centre, 27 kms from Coimbatore.

The Principal District Judge, Coimbatore, who is also the Chairman of District Legal Services Authority, is directed to visit the centre by 3 PM today and conduct an inquiry with the inmates and other 'detenues' and submit a report to the court tomorrow, the order said.

On August 1, a retired professor Kamaraj and his wife had petitioned the Coimbatore Collector alleging that their two daughters had been held captive at Isha Yoga centre near Coimbatore and were made 'sanyasins'.

However, on August 5, Isha Foundation issued a press release refuting the allegations.

"We would like to clearly state on record that all the above allegations of holding captives, brainwashing, and forcing individuals into sanyas or brahmacharya are absolutely false," the Foundation, running the Centre, had said in the release.
Delhi High Court today questioned the presence of police force during the Delhi government's sealing process of two branches of a private unaided school in the national capital.

"Why police was required in force? It is a children's school and you go there with SDM and police when you have a court order. Who authorised it?" Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said.

The court also noted that the lawyer for the Directorate of Education (DoE) was "probably incorrectly instructed" by the department as the court was informed that only record rooms of Maxfort School were being sealed, when as per a video of the process at Pitampura branch, "entire school appeared to be sealed".

"Video (of Pitampura branch) gives indication that entire school was being sealed," the judge said.

The court further said that one of the two local commissioners appointed by it to visit the two schools had in her report alleged that DoE officials put her to hardship and misbehaved with her and also did not provide her a copy of video recording of the Rohini branch of Maxfort school.

"There is no question of misbehaving with court appointed officials," the court said.

DoE in its defence said that police was taken as a precaution as there was apprehension of aggressive behaviour on the part of school authorities.

The bench, however, disagreed and said that as per the video recording of Pitampura branch, there was no aggression on either side and thus, "there was no necessity for police".

The court, thereafter, directed DoE to place on record the video recording of sealing of Rohini branch of the school.

It also directed the department to file its response to the petitions filed by the school challenging the government's move to take them over and listed the matters for further hearing on August 23.

The court also listed on that date two contempt pleas moved by the school alleging that sealing operations continued on August 3 for several hours despite orders of the court to not do so.

On August 3, the court had directed the DoE to not take



any coercive steps in connection with the department's order, approved by the Lieutenant Governor, to take over the schools.

According to the government, it had decided to take over two branches of Maxfort on the basis of complaints that the school was allegedly violating rules regarding admission of candidates from economically weaker sections (EWS).

As per the government, the school was also facing complaints of maintaining false records and misappropriation of funds, among others.

The school, which has four branches in Delhi, is at present being run by Chadha Educational Society and S Jagat Singh Chadha Charitable Trust.

As per the DoE, it had issued show cause notices to the two branches of the school in April this year asking the authorities to respond.

As per the government, the school is also facing complaints regarding violation of Delhi School Education (DSE) Act, 1973 and Right to Education Act (RTE), 2009.
The Delhi High Court today reserved its verdict on a plea filed by UK-based Vedanta group company Cairn India Ltd seeking permission to export excess crude from its Barmer oil field in Rajasthan.

Justice Manmohan concluded hearing arguments on the plea and directed the firm and the Centre to file short submissions on the issue relating to the export-import policy of the country.

"Arguments heard. Judgement reserved," the court said.

During the arguments, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said that Cairn India cannot be permitted to export crude as "no unrefined petroleum product is allowed to be exported".

"Since long, the policy of Government of India is the same that till the country attains self-sufficiency, not even a drop of crude can be permitted to be exported. It is not their (Cairn India) case that we are discriminating with them. No one in the country is allowed to export crude," he said.

"It is not the policy of the government of the day but it is the policy of the country since decades," he said.

The counsel, appearing for Cairn India, countered the ASG's submissions and said that the export policy gives it the right to export.

"There is no policy which does not permit export of crude," the counsel said, adding that it right to export was "arbitrarily" curtailed.

He argued that no policy has been placed by the ministry before the court which says that crude cannot be exported.

The government had earlier argued that export of the country's domestic crude oil cannot be allowed as it would be detrimental to national interest considering the fact that nearly 85 per cent of required crude was imported.

Cairn India's counsel had said that they are ready to sell crude within India provided they get the benchmark price.

Cairn has a production-sharing contract with the government under which the company gets 70 per cent of crude produced from Barmer and rest goes to the government.

Under the contract, the government or its nominee can pick up the company's share of crude and what is not picked up, could be sold to private players or exported, Cairn has said.

However, after the crude is sold, the government gets 70 per cent of the profits, the company has contended.

It has claimed that as a result of selling excess crude to private domestic companies like Reliance and Essar, at rates lower than international prices, the government was losing about Rs 4.5 crore per day.

Cairn had claimed that it had made several representations to the Directorate General of Foreign Trade for permission to export the crude, but did not get any response.

Prior to this, it had written to Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) to "canalise" export of the crude, but got no response from it as well. IOCL is the canalising agent for the export of crude.

Canalising agents are those through which a product can be imported or exported by companies which do not have permission to do so directly.
In a relief to DMDK founder leader Vijaykanth, the Madras High Court today stayed further proceedings in 14 defamation cases filed against him and his wife by the Tamil Nadu government in different courts in the state.

Passing the interim order while admitting the petitions filed by Vijayakanth and his wife Premalatha seeking to quash the cases, Justice P N Prakash granted the stay on further proceedings in all the cases and also dispensed with their personal appearance in the trial courts.

In their petitions, the couple submitted that they were filing the petitions following the recent order of Supreme Court which while upholding defamation laws had directed them to approach the high court for quashing the cases filed against them during the previous AIADMK regime.

They challenged the Criminal Procedure Code provision which empowers the government to give sanction to the public prosecutor to file criminal defamation cases.

They contended that in the absence of criminal intention, mere speaking and sharing or exposing of truth in a bona fide manner in public by a citizen or by a opponent political leader against government official or another citizen does not constitute any offence.

Noting that the relationship between a citizen and the government was like a mother and son, the petitioners said when a son raises his voice for his rights and needs, only his real mother will appreciate and never intend to punish him for imprisonment.
Heightened security arrangements will be put in place for Independence Day celebrations at the historical Red Fort this year in wake of terrorists striking crowded places worldwide.

The preliminary security arrangements began in July and senior police and intelligence officials have been regularly updating them to weed out any shortcomings and glitches.

Nearly 6,000 security personnel and hundreds of CCTV cameras will monitor from three control-rooms the venue at Red Fort, from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation in presence of dignitaries, including foreign representatives and thousands of visitors, police officials said.

Special measures will be taken to meet on-the-spot situations such as the prime minister choosing to meet people at the venue as he previously did twice, they said.

The travel route of the prime minister from 7 RCR to Red Fort will be watched through hundreds of CCTV cameras. Besides, the Red Fort premises will be watched through nearly 200 CCTV cameras and two high-mast HD cameras with powerful resolution to pinpoint suspects and neutralise any threat.

More than 5,000 Delhi Police personnel and 1,000 paramilitary personnel will be deployed at the venue apart from elite NSG commandos intelligence officials.

Special teams of police will be stationed to neutralise the possibility of any airborne-activity such as drones.

In a massive screening exercise, police has collected details of over 9,000 people residing in the vicinity of the Red Fort to ensure that most people near the venue are marked out and strangers could be checked in case of any exigency.

The buildings facing the Red Fort will be secured and police and paramilitary personnel will be stationed there.

Panoramic photography will be used to ensure a close watch on the 605 balconies and 104 windows that open towards the Red Fort, said the officials.

Security agencies have also marked out over 3,000 trees around the Fort so that no man or material was lodged there, they said.
SOROTI, Uganda  In this electricity-starved rural part of Uganda, men ride bicycles several kilometers (miles) to the nearest market town simply to charge their phones.

That should change with the construction nearby of one of the largest solar plants in sub-Saharan Africa, where two-thirds of the population is without electricity and countries increasingly explore alternative sources of power.

Frustrated by the slow pace of rural electrification in this East African country of 36 million people, many Ugandans have been investing in their own solar panels to light their homes at night and keep small businesses running. But even the cheapest solar units can cost at least $100, a challenge when Uganda's per capita income is $703, according to U.N. figures.

Villagers near Soroti are watching with enthusiasm the construction of a solar photovoltaic plant in their neighborhood. In the blistering heat, workmen install tables into dry earth. Shiny solar panels will be fixed atop them across a 33-acre field.

When the plant is launched later this year it will have the capacity to generate 10 megawatts of power, which will be added to Uganda's national grid.

The solar plant is expected to supply electricity to 40,000 homes and businesses in the area, a big deal in a country that is still heavily dependent on hydroelectric power for its energy needs, said Philip Karumuna, an engineer managing the project. Hydroelectric plants depend on the flow of water, making them vulnerable to dry spells or droughts.

"We have a lot of sunshine, but then we are not utilizing it," said Ambrose Kamukama, a maintenance engineer at the plant. "By all means, the government should do more of this."

In Soroti, the sun shines almost daily, a key factor in choosing to locate the plant here. Surrounded by grasslands in which cattle graze and monkeys play, the town is located nearly 300 kilometers (186 miles) from the capital, Kampala. The town's small hotels and businesses need a constant supply of power to thrive, but they rarely get it.

When power fails, resident Stephen Okot just sits back and waits, often for hours, making it impossible to meet deadlines or win new customers for his business making metal doors and windows.

He hopes the new solar plant will end the power blackouts.

Soroti Hotel manager David Mugoda said the power cuts force him to run a gas-guzzling generator that eats into his profits, for instance when milk in the freezer goes bad.

"Power doesn't go often, but when it goes you can curse your life," he said. "When you really need (power), that is when it goes off."

The Soroti solar plant is financed under a scheme called GET FiT, a renewable energy facility funded by the European Union and supported by the governments of Germany, Norway and the UK, according to Access Power, a Dubai-based firm that is jointly operating the plant with Eren RE of France.

The plant is hopefully "only just the beginning for many more to come," Kristian Schmidt, head of the EU delegation to Uganda, said at the ground-breaking ceremony in March.

Energy experts say similar renewable energy projects will help diversify Africa's energy mix.

In 2014, a solar plant outside Rwanda's capital, Kigali, added 8.5 megawatts to that country's grid, boosting energy generation capacity by about 6 percent. That plant and the one under development in Uganda are the biggest solar plants in sub-Saharan Africa outside South Africa, according to Eren RE.

With better planning African governments can increase the continent's generation of renewable energy, said Dickens Kamugisha who runs the Uganda-based Africa Institute for Energy Governance.

"We should not be praising the government for building big dams," he said, referring to Uganda's government, which has been spending heavily on new hydropower stations. "Our solution to most of the poor people should be solar."
"Thor" star Tom Hiddleston has signed up to photo-sharing website, Instagram and Robert Downey Jr has welcomed him with a Taylor Swift jibe.

The 51-year-old "Iron Man" actor wasted no time teasing his "Avengers" co-star by re-posting a blurry paparazzi photo from Hiddleston's now-infamous Rhode Island outing, in which he is wearing 'I love TS' T-shirt.

"Join me in welcoming the biggest T. Stark fan of them all to Instagram," Robert quipped.

Hiddleston used his first Instagram post to share a picture of himself from the "Thor: Ragnarok" set.

Loki's long black hair and a glimpse of his battle armour and robe are all on show in the new image.

"Thor: Ragnarok", which sees Chris Hemsworth in the lead role, will release on November 3, 2017.
Honeywell Automation India today said it has appointed Ashish Gaikwad as its managing director with effect from October 1, 2016.

He will succeed Vikas Chadha, who was recently named President of Honeywell India.

"With more than 25 years of experience in automation, control, and advanced software applications in the process industry, Ashish will strategically lead HAIL to continued growth in the region, and strengthen the brand and its equity with customers and other key stakeholders," Honeywell Automation India Chairman Suresh Senapaty said in a statement.

Gaikwad (47) joined Honeywell in 1992 and has progressed through roles of increasing responsibility, most recently serving as general manager for the Advanced Solutions business for the Asia Pacific region within Honeywell Process Solutions.

Honeywell was established in 1987 with its manufacturing, design, and engineering facilities located in Pune. The company is a leader in providing integrated automation and software solutions, with close to 3,000 employees based in nine offices across India.
On the eve of 70th Independence Day Celebrations, Indian Air Force is presenting its Number One Band to enthrall the city residents on August 14.

The conductors for the event would be Master Warrant Officer Maxwell and Junior Warrant Officer Antony Dixon, experts in playing trumpets, in the 35-member band, flying down from Bengaluru for this special musical concert, Air Force Administrative College Commandant N S Vaidya told reporters here today.

The college here had made all necessary arrangements for the event, with assitance of Police department, with total security, he said.

Vaidya said that military bands enliven the spirit, strengthen the mood and help in promoting pride and camaraderie.

The first Air Force Band was formed in 1944 at the Royal Air Force station, Kohat in North-Western Frontier, now in Pakistan and moved to various locations and finally shifted in 1947 to Air Force Station, Jalahalli in Bangalore, he said.

Today, there were eight bands in the Air Force and the event was to showcase the hidden talent of men in uniform.
Students at IIT here boycotted classes for the third day today demanding action against a doctor and the workers of the health centre at the institute over the death of an 26-year-old research scholar, even as his family demanded a CBI probe into the case.

IIT Kanpur Director Indraneel Manna said the college authorities held two rounds of talks with the agitating students and they have sent the demands of the family to the HRD Ministry.

The students are boycotting classes over the death of research scholar Alok Pandey. The IIT administration had claimed that the scholar died due to a cardiac arrest, whereas the students of the hostel and his brother Adarsh Kumar Pandey alleged that Alok died after he was given an injection by the a doctor at the centre without conducting any tests.

Alok's brother has demanded a CBI probe into the incident and compensation of Rs 50 lakh to the family of the deceased, Manna said.

Alok, a PhD scholar of Material Science at the IIT, had complained of severe chest and neck pain on Monday after which he was rushed to the institute's health centre. As his condition deteriorated he was referred to a cardiology centre. However, he died on the way to hospital.

Adarsh lodged a complaint on the basis of which an FIR was registered under section 304 A(causing death by rash or negligent act) against Dr Shailendra Kishore, the Warden In-charge, Guide Kamal Kekar and the hospital administrator, Kanpur SSP Shalabh Mathur said.

He also alleged that the scholar was mistreated and tortured in the hostel, Mathur said, adding a probe is on in this connection.

Manna said a team of three specialist doctors from as many medical colleges of the city has been formed to probe the death and submit a report in two weeks.

He also said that they held talks with the students till around 1 AM and again this morning but they are sticking to their demands of action against the health centre officials.

"We are holding meetings over this and will soon decide the course of action," Manna said.

Meanwhile, police personnel have been posted outside the campus.
Maharashtra government today said the ill-fated British era bridge on Savitri river at Mahad, which collapsed claiming over 20 lives, was supposed to be dismantled last December.

So far, 26 bodies have been recovered while nearly 14 are still missing and feared dead after two State Transport buses and some other vehicles fell in the river following the bridge collapse on Mumbai-Goa highway on August 2.

"This particular bridge was to be brought down last December but on public demand, it was kept in operation," Maharashtra PWD minister Chandrakant Patil told reporters here at Mantralaya.

The bridge on the Mumbai-Goa highway comes under the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). Union Minister for Surface Transport, Nitin Gadkari soon after the Mahad tragedy had announced that NHAI would reconstruct the bridge within 18 months.

Replying to other queries, Patil said there are about 2,300 bridges in the state out of which 100 odd are from the British and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj era.

"All these bridges will be inspected twice every year. A three-member committee of experts from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) has commenced its study on the bridge. Its report is expected to be received by next cabinet meeting due on August 23," he said, adding that the process of constituting a judicial inquiry has been set in motion.

"A workshop will be conducted for the PWD engineers for methodology to be used for inspection of the bridges," Patil said, adding the workshop will dwell on what to do with trees that grow on the bridge structure weakening it later.

He said pulling out trees does not solve the issue.

Patil said it will have to be decided on whether to repair or reconstruct dilapidated bridges.

"A bridge division will be created in each administrative division of the state to take care of the bridges," he said.

He informed that the state cabinet has relaxed the norm of seven years waiting period for granting compensation to kith and kin of the deceased in such accidents.

The kin of the deceased will now get compensation within two months, he said.

Considering the Maharashtra State Road Transport



Corporation has announced Rs 14 lakh compensation to the passengers who lost their lives in the two buses and on the demand of kin of deceased from private vehicles, the government will give Rs 10 lakh to them as well, Patil said.

Meanwhile, the search teams have decided to continue the operation till they recover all the bodies and remains of the swept away vehicles.

Also, Raigad administration has made arrangements for the lodging of nearly 100 kin of the victims who are camping at the site of the collapsed bridge.

Few relatives of the missing persons yesterday expressed anger over the failure to recover more bodies and vehicles swept away in the water.
Stressing upon the need to increase focus on R&D, Steel Minister Chaudhary Birendra Singh today said innovation in the sector has been lagging.

He also called for increasing utilisation of steel in sectors such as roads and bridges in a bid to raise the consumption of the metal.

"We are lagging in innovation and original research, which needs to be stepped up if we need to raise our efficiency levels as well as stay competitive," Singh said at Minerals, Metals, Metallurgy and Materials International exhibition and conference (MMMM 2016) here.

The global conference is organised by Indian Institute of Metals in association with ITE Group, PLC, every two years.

"This is precisely why we have set up the Steel Research & Technology Mission of India (SRTMI), so that India, like developed nations, can produce futuristic products, which not only helps keep the sector competitive but also explores others uses for the metal," he said.

On increasing steel consumption, the Minister said that the industry must explore use of steel in sectors such as roads, bridges, other industrial applications, etc so that the consumption can be increased.

Steel Secretary Aruna Sharma said only way to mitigate impact of low international prices is to achieve operational efficiency and optimal use of resources.

The quality of steel that is produced and its domestic consumption needs to be enhanced aggressively, which is also being addressed by the government as it thrust on ramping up infrastructure in the country will act as a driving factor for raising demand, she added.

MMMM 2016, the biennial B2B event, is organised by the Indian Institute of Metals in collaboration with conferences and fair organiser ITE Group, PLC.

Managing Director of ITE Group (India Operations) Udo Schuertzmann said over 300 exhibitors from 25 countries are participating in MMMM 2016.

The conference has seen participation countries like China, USA, Russia, France, Germany and UK. Besides, trade delegations from 7 countries are exploring investment opportunities in India, he added.
A 62-year-old Indian, who was on board the Emirates plane that crash-landed here, might be the luckiest man alive as he has won a million dollars in lottery, just six days after miraculously surviving the accident.

Mohammad Basheer Abdul Khadar, from Kerala, was among the 300 people on board the Emirates flight EK521 which crash landed and burst into flames at the Dubai airport last Wednesday.

The Dubai expatriate struck gold yesterday when his lucky ticket number 0845 was drawn in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire at Concourse A at Dubai International Airport, winning him USD 1 million (Dirham 3.67 million), Gulf reported.

Khadar had purchased the ticket on Eid on his way for a vacation with his family in Thiruvananthapuram.

A fleet administrator with a car dealer group in Dubai, Khadar had made it a habit to purchase a raffle ticket whenever he travelled to his home country.

Khadar became a millionaire after purchasing his 17th ticket, just four months before he was due to retire in December, he told the daily.

"I have been working in Dubai for 37 years, and I have always felt like this is my country. I live a simple life, and now that it's my time to retire, I feel like God gave me a second life when I survived the plane crash, and blessed me with this money to follow all this up by doing good things," Khadar said.

Khadar said he plans to return to India after his retirement to find a job that involves helping people in need.

He wants to help children in Kerala who are in need of financial help and medical support.

"I am blessed to have finally won with Dubai Duty Free and can't wait to share the with my family. If you ask me about my plans, I obviously want to help the children in Kerala who are less fortunate than others and need some financial help and medical support," he said.

Khadar, a grandfather, earns Dirham 8,000 (Rs 1,45,212) a month. However, he had to struggle a lot for the treatment of his 21- year-old son who became paralysed after an accidental fall just 13 days after birth.

"I had to spend a lot of money on his treatment. Some years back I had to take a loan of Rs 1.8 million for a major surgery for him. I have managed to pay it back," said Khadar.

He said he was thankful for his job that also helped him get his daughter married.

"I will continue to work till I can. Nothing else can give you the satisfaction of your hard-earned money," he said.

In 2007, Indian national Sadanand Raghavan, a mechanic in Sharjah, scooped Dirham 5 million in a Mashreq Bank raffle.
Actress Jennifer Aniston and actor Justin Theroux enjoyed a low-key anniversary celebration, with the "Leftovers" star flying from Australia to Los Angeles especially for their big day.

The couple marked a year since they tied the knot in a secret ceremony on August 5, and Theroux, 44, flew to Los Angeles from Australia, where he has been working on the upcoming season of "The Leftovers", to ensure he would be with his wife on their special day, reported People magazine.

"Justin flew from Australia to LA to spend their anniversary week with Jen. They relaxed at home, had dinner with friends and had a small anniversary celebration at home," a source said.
A 25-year-old junior engineer of the Madhya Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Limited (MPCPDCL) was today beaten to death at his office here allegedly by two persons over an inflated electricity bill, police said.

Santosh Vishwakarma and his nephew Nikhel, who beat the JE Karmakar Varathe to death were arrested, Superintendent of Police (South) Anshuman Singh told PTI.

Santosh, hailing from Sagar district along with Nikhel went to MPCPDCL office in Chandbad under Bajaria Police Station to settle the alleged inflated bill issue, he added.

Santosh had an altercation with a clerk saying Nikhel, who is staying here had been handed an inflated electricity monthly bill which should be reduced, the SP said.

Karmakar stepped in and asked the duo to come to his room to settle the dispute, Singh added.

A heated argument took place between the JE and the duo following which they punched and thrashed Karmakar, he said.

Karmakar writhing in pain vomited and was rushed to Shakir Ali hospital where doctors advised that he be taken to state government-run Hamadia hospital, Singh added.

As per the official, on reaching the Hamadia hospital, the doctors declared him brought dead.

"May be he died after sustaining some injury to his private parts," he said.

Police said the body has been sent for post-mortem.

"We have arrested both the accused and charged them with murder. Further investigations including the recording of the statement of the MPCPDCL staffers are on," the SP added.

Meanwhile, MPCPDCL Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Vivek Porwal said he was on his way to Bhopal from Jabalpur district.

All help will be provided to Karmakar's family, the CMD said.

In recent times, this is the second murder that has taken place in the MPCPDCL office.

In December 2012, a 52-year-old MPCPDCL woman clerk Meera Ahuja was murdered by sharp-edged weapons and Rs 2 lakh was looted from the company's office under Koh-e-Fiza Station area.

No one has been arrested in connection with Meera's death so far.
Karnataka government has decided to go in for cloud seeding following deficient rains and water level at most reservoirs running low in the state.

Government has also sounded an alert to farmers and asked them to engage in agriculture activities taking note of the rain prospects, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

"We have discussed cloud seeding, in earlier cabinet meeting we had discussed about coming out with a programme for this. Now we have given approval to irrigation department for taking up cloud seeding," he said.

"We need to first assess the water content in clouds using radars before conducting the experiment; whole cloud seeding process may cost about Rs 30 crore."



Elaborating about the rain situation in the state, Jayachandra said "overall it has been 503 mm against normal rainfall of 537mm, about six per cent less."



He said in south interior Karnataka it was a bit better, "in north interior Karnataka there is shortage, in Malnad region there is 24 per cent shortfall and in coastal region 17 per cent shortfall."



The minister said shortage of rains would also aggravate power situation. Barring Almatti and Narayanapura, water levels at most reservoirs like Krishna Raja Sagara, Harangi, Hemavati, Tungabhadra has reached only about 50 per cent, he said.

"Present conditions don't show favorable signs as of now; ... Met department has also said that chances of good rains are difficult there are chances of only light rainfall."



"Water from reservoirs, especially from Krishna Raja Sagara and Tungabhadra, can be released only for drinking purpose ...," he added.

Stating that irrigation consultative committees across the state have been asked to give information to farmers, the Minister also listed various steps that government will be taking up--like alternative crops in certain areas and limiting digging of bore wells.

Among other decisions taken by the cabinet in the meeting today include premature release of prisoners undergoing life sentence on grounds of good behaviour on the occasion of Independence day.

Release of a total of 320 prisoners has been approved by the cabinet under the new guidelines formulated by the state. They include 272 men and 48 women.The cabinet has also decided to amend Karnataka Minor Mineral Concession Rules 1994.

It will give priority to 'M-sand' and issuing land to those coming forward to set up 'M-sand'units with required NOCs, among others.
WILLISTON  Williston man camps will be required to close by Sept. 1 under an ordinance approved Tuesday, but operators could seek permission to reopen in the future if a demand for oil worker housing returns.

The Williston City Commission voted 5-0 Tuesday to phase out temporary workforce housing, giving companies until May 1, 2018, to remove facilities and until Aug. 1, 2018, to clean up the sites.

Previously, commissioners had voted 3-2 to require man camps in and around Williston to close by July 1, but the businesses have been in limbo after a federal judge issued an order preventing Williston from enforcing the ordinance.

Commissioners considered a revised ordinance Tuesday with the Sept. 1 deadline, which was met with protests by several camp owners and oil industry representatives. The ordinance requires a second reading before it is final.

Among those raising objections was Gary Thompson of Lodging Solutions, which owns the land north of Williston where Target Logistics operates worker housing facilities. Thompson, of Alexandria, Minn., offered to sell the commissioners his property, which he said is now worthless.

I dont think its fair, Thompson said. Why cant we let the marketplace decide this?

Brent Eslinger, senior district manager for Halliburton, said 65 percent of the companys Williston workforce is now local, but the employer wants to be ready with housing if the demand for temporary workers returns. Halliburton owns the Muddy River Lodge in Williston, which Eslinger said the company may propose to use as conference space.

Commissioner Deanette Piesik, who previously opposed the ban on temporary housing, said many camps closed in anticipation of the July 1 deadline and found other housing for their workers.

Piesik said she supports the new deadline because theres no longer a housing shortage and the revision allows the facilities to remain at their current sites.

If it did boom again, that housing would be there, Piesik said.

Commissioner Brad Bekkedahl said he thinks the oil market is poised for steep peaks and valleys, which could again create a housing shortage in Williston.

If pricing conditions warrant, were not going to see the rig count go from 30 to 40, were going to see the rig count go over 100, Bekkedahl said.

Man camp owners also can bring proposals to the city to repurpose their facilities to hotels or a different use, which some are already doing.

The debate is likely to continue in U.S. District Court in Bismarck, where Target Logistics, Lodging Solutions and Halliburton have an ongoing case challenging the citys efforts to eliminate workforce housing.

U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland issued a preliminary injunction that prevented Williston from enforcing the ordinance with the July 1 deadline. Hovland ruled that the man camp operators are likely to prevail in their argument that the city needed a 4-1 supermajority vote to approve the ordinance.

Boston attorney Benjamin Tymann, who represents Target Logistics and Lodging Solutions, told commissioners he strongly believes theyre in danger of violating that injunction by requiring the camps to close in three weeks.

The next hearing in the court case is a scheduling conference on Sept. 19.
In a first of its kind, Kerala government will host Onam celebrations at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on September 3 in which President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice-President Hamid Ansari will participate.

The decision to hold the Onam festivities at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi was taken at the state cabinet meeting here today, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters here.

Besides the PM, President and Vice-President, Union Cabinet Ministers, MPs, state ministers will also attend the celebrations which will showcase the state's rich cultural heritage, Vijayan said.

Onam is celebrated to honour King Mahabali who according to legend ruled the state once upon a time.

It was on the particular day of Thiruvonam in the Malayalam calender month of Chingam (August-September) when Lord Vishnu took his fifth avatar as Vaamana, appeared in the kingdom of King Mahabali and sent him to the netherworld.

It is believed that on Thiruvonam day the spirit of King Mahabali visits the people of the state. Flower mats (Pookalam) are laid in houses and family members enjoy the grand feast (Onasadya).

The Thiru Onam falls on September 14 this year.
A 35-year-old Romanian national, allegedly involved in the hi-tech ATM robbery in Kerala where people lost about Rs 2.5 lakh, has been arrested from Navi Mumbai, a police official said today.

Gabrial Mariam was nabbed from a hotel in Vashi by a team of Kerala Police late last night, with the help of Mumbai Crime Branch, senior Inspector of Vashi Police Station Ajay Kumar Landge told PTI.

Mariam was today produced before a Navi Mumbai court which sent him in transit remand, he added.

After the robbery to light, a case was registered under IPC Section 380 (theft in dwelling house, etc) and under relevant sections of IT Act at Museum Police Station of Thiruvananthapuram.

The arrest came after Kerala Police yesterday zeroed in on three foreign nationals suspected to be the key players behind the ATM robbery, and decided to seek Interpol's help to track them.

The trio, found installing an electronic device inside an ATM kiosk of a public sector bank at Vellayambalam here, had been caught in the CCTV installed there.

According to police, the three foreign nationals were from Romania and had come to India on June 25 and reached Kerala on July 8.The three had come on tourist visas and taken rooms in a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram for two days.

Kerala Police seized from the hotel two scooters and three helmets, suspected to have been used by the trio.

Kerala Police shared their photos and other available details with their counterparts in other states which led to the arrest of one among them, police said.

So far, more than 20 people had lodged complaints, saying money was withdrawn from their accounts in fraudulent way. As per the preliminary assessment, about Rs 2.5 lakh had been lost, police said.

It is suspected that the electronic device at the ATM counter enabled the fraudsters to collect the secret pin code and card details.

Many of the customers who were duped came to know about the fraud after they received a text message on Monday, informing that money was withdrawn from their accounts.

(Reopens BOM18)



In Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Police said they have taken custody of the Romanian national and the decision when he would be brought here for interrogation would be taken later.

DGP Loknath Behara told reporters that whether more persons were involved in the heist cannot be revealed now.

As of now, only one person has been arrested and he was produced before Mumbai court, he said.

The DGP has also written to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to take urgent steps to stregthen the present protocol and SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) of ATMs in Kerala in the backdrop of the incident.

Meanwhile, State Bank of Travancore (SBT) today said it has credited the amounts reported as lost by its account holders arising out of the fraud which happened at SBI's ATM at Althara, Thiruvananthapuram.

The bank had received complaints from 15 people relating to this incident and all of them have been fully compensated, the SBT said in a press release.

The bank has also enhanced physical surveillance of all its ATMs across the State. SBT has also blocked the ATM cards of customers who had transacted at the Althara ATM near about the date of this incident, the release said.

The customers whose cards have been blocked have been informed that new cards will be issued within 10 days.

The bank has also made arrangements for enabling these card holders to transact their business at their nearest branches, when required.

About 200 of SBT's ATMs are already under a centralised electronic surveillance system and the Bank would enlarge the scope of this surveillance to cover all the ATMs after due process, it said.

Kerala Police had yesterday zeroed in on three foreign nationals, who are suspected to be the key players behind the hi-tech ATM robbery, and decided to seek Interpol's help.
Nearly 86 per centsowingof kharifcrops, includingoilseeds and pulses,has beendone in Chhattisgarhduring the ongoing crop season.

"The farmers havecompletedsowingofkharifcrops on around41.29lakh hectaresof land against the proposed target of48.10 lakh hectares in the state," State Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal said today.

Following good spells of rain since June 1 till August 8, the sowing activity was intensified, he said.

Notably, the state's agriculture department has set the target of cultivating paddy onareaof 36.26 lakh hectares and so far it'ssowinghas so far been done on 33 lakh hectare.

Besides, sowing of corn has been completed on 2.16 lakh hectare area, pulses on 2.40 lakh hectares and oilseeds on 3.38 lakh hectares, the Minister said.

Moreover, the state government has stocked 11.14 lakh quintal of seeds for kharifcrops against which 10.62 lakh quintal have been distributed, he added.
Kinetic Group-controlled Kinetic Green Energy and Power Solutions is scouting for land to set up an e-vehicles manufacturing plant in West Bengal.

Company founder and CEO Sulajja Firodia Motwani said West Bengal is very much in her growth plans and the company is scouting for land at an appropriate location for making the facility.

"We have seen few locations like Kharagpur and Haldia but nothing had been finalised," she said.

Kinetic Green has its Rs 75-crore mother plant at Ahmednager near Pune but is considering assembly plants for e-vehicles in other states too.

Kinetic group has a piece of land at Singur's abandoned Nano site but Motwani did not elaborate on what the company plans to do with it.

She said she finds a change in Bengal and the company is actively considering manufacturing here.

The company produces green mobility solutions targeted at the bottom of the pyramid like e-three wheelers. It produces a n electric three-wheeler 'Kinetic Safar', which has already bagged an order of Rs 400 crore from the UP government for supply of 27,000 units.

Speaking on the likely impact of GST on e-vehicles, Motwani said total tax (VAT+excise) came to around 11-12 per cent for electric three-wheelers but the clarity on tax will be knowm once the rates are announced.

"We have set a target of Rs 10,000 crore turnover over the next 10 years as electric vehicles offers great opportunity in the years to come," Motwani said.

She was speaking on the sidelines of 'FICCI FLO' session where women leaders are invited to share their insights.

Motwani is also the vice-chairperson of Kinetic Engineering, which is into automotive components business.
L&T Finance Holdings today said three of its wholly owned subsidiaries have entered into an amalgamation agreement in which two of the units will merge into the third one - Family Credit.

"The Board of Directors of L&T Finance Holdings has taken note of the proposed amalgamation involving its wholly owned subsidiaries -- L&T Finance and L&T FinCorp (transferor companies) with Family Credit (transferee company)," the company said in a regulatory filing.

L&T Finance, L&T FinCorp and Family Credit are wholly owned subsidiaries of L&T Finance Holdings.

"Upon amalgamation, transferee company shall issue shares to L&T Finance Holdings (being the shareholder of the transferor companies), which shall continue to hold 100 per cent equity share capital of the transferee company," it said further.

L&T Finance Holdings said it is neither involved as a transferor company nor as a transferee company in the proposed scheme of amalgamation.

However, as a good corporate governance practice, the company was providing details about rationale of amalgamation, share exchange ratio etc, it added.

Amalgamation will lead to consolidation and help synergise integration of the businesses of transferor companies and the transferee company to enable better operational management and greater focus, simplification of group corporate structure, the company said.

Besides, it will help to better leverage capacity due to enhanced net worth base and reduce regulatory and compliance cost.

The consideration for restructuring contemplated under scheme is set as "350 equity shares in Family Credit for every 100 shares held in L&T Finance. And 147 shares in Family Credit for every 100 shares held in L&T FinCorp," L&T Finance Holdings said.

Equity shares of L&T Finance Holdings are listed on NSE and BSE. However, none of the three subsidiaries are listed on any of the exchanges.

However, debentures of L&T Finance are listed on NSE and BSE, while debentures of L&T FinCorp and Family Credit are listed on NSE.

L&T Finance Holdings share closed at Rs 88.45, down 1.23 per cent on BSE.
Students at a government school here share a unique bond with children in a California school, narrating their stories and experiences in letters, keeping alive the tradition of pen friendship in this age of technology.

As they touch each other's lives despite the distance, the students from the school in the US have sent a donation of over Rs 3 lakh to help their friends in Barundan of Bundi.

The students from the two countries have been continuing their friendship through letters for the past three years.

"It all started three years ago when David Dickson, an elementary teacher at the California school, visited Bundi. David suggested starting pen friendship between the students of the two schools," Shobha Kanwar, a teacher of Government Senior Secondary School, Barundan, said today.

A few months later, David sent letters from students of his school and letter writing between two students each of the schools has began since then, she said.

The Indian students send their friends in the US pictures of the school and write stories about their village life and the festivals celebrated here, while the students from California write about their excursions, school events and Christmas celebration, she said.

Students from California write letters to their Indian friends in English which Kanwar translates into Hindi. The students from India write the letters in Hindi which an NRI teacher there translates into English.

Principal of the government school Nidhi Pathak said the donation amount is used for buying laptops, slider, uniforms, school bags and shoes. A water cooler has also been installed in the school.

"We want our students to join in voice chatting with their friends in California but internet facility is not available in the village," the principal said.
AAP today said Lt Governor Najeeb Jung's contention that the Centre did not do anything which could have led to a confrontation with the Delhi government was contrary to his actions that included stalling of several key projects of the Arvind Kejriwal dispensation.

Referring to a notification, dated May 21, 2015, AAP's Delhi unit convenor Dilip Pandey said Jung had termed as "unconstitutional" the chief minister's order asking officers to send files directly to ministers. The notification had also said that the LG was the sole authority in matters of ordering transfer and posting of bureaucrats.

"You (Jung) are saying the central government did not do anything to initiate any confrontation and it was the Arvind Kejriwal government which went to the court, but you are completely silent on the May 21, 2015, notification which took away many powers of Delhi government. Why was this notification issued?" Pandey asked.

The AAP leader asked why did Jung reject the Delhi government's plan to provide permanent jobs to 17,000 guest teachers and the proposal for starting premium bus service in Delhi.

"Is it not a fact that the notification for allowing bus lane service in Delhi to ease traffic congestion is pending with you since a long time?" Pandey asked.

Attacking Jung over the functioning of Delhi Police, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and three civic bodies, Pandey said all these agencies that report to him are not known to have a good administrative track record.

"Being the head of DDA, you have failed to direct it to clear its Rs 1,200 crore property tax dues towards MCDs despite the fact that employees of municipal corporations are struggling to get their salaries.

"MCDs are known to be the most corrupt civic bodies in the world and crime against women have risen in Delhi over the last two years," he claimed.
The Bombay High Court today said the Maharashtra government has failed to implement noise pollution rules in the state and violation of norms is more rampant during religious festivals.

Further, the government did not follow in letter and spirit the orders passed by the high court in this regard earlier, said the judges.

The observations came as the division bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka started dictating the judgement on PILs on violation of noise pollution rules and encroachment by pandals on roads during the religious festivals.

The petitions have been filed by Thane resident Mahesh Bedekar, Awaz Foundation and others. The court would continue the dictation of judgement tomorrow.

The civic authorities which are supposed to implement the rules are not supported by political bosses, which hampers effective implementation, it noted.

The rules have been enacted for the people of every religion and no religion demands or advocates use of loudspeakers during the festivals, said the court.

At the last hearing, Government Pleader Abhinandan Vagyani had informed that the government had ordered 1,843 noise meters for effective implementation of Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, and they would be available by August-end.

During the hearing, the HC had cited a Supreme Court judgement to state that freedom to practise religion does not extend to "any and every place".
government is considering the use of drones to monitor, identify and control vehicles breaking traffic rules.

Minister of State for Home (Urban) Deepak Kesarkar said initially, drones would be put in place on a pilot basis on the Mumbai-Pune expressway.

A meeting was held between officials of the Home department and State Road Development Corporation earlier this week at the Mantralaya here, which was attended by Kesarkar and PWD (undertakings) minister Eknath Shinde.

Kesarkar said Mumbai-Pune expressway has become a "death trap" with a large number of road casualties reported lately.

"Incidents of road accidents have increased due to indiscipline and rash driving. We do not have control over rash driving as the length of the express way is long and there is insufficient police staff for surveillance," Kesarkar said.

He said while there is a need to control vehicular traffic, doing so by using a CCTV camera has its own limitations. Thus, the idea of using drones has been mooted.

"The drones will be used at load line of the 'ghat' on expressway where setting up of CCTV cameras is not possible," he said.

"Mostly heavy loaded trucks jump lanes to overtake other big vehicles. This causes a traffic jam. The drones would click photos of such instances and the the Transport department will take action against errant drivers," he added.

The minister said that even small vehicles would not be spared if found violating lane discipline.

He said the site of using drones has not been decided as yet but the MSRDC would submit its report suggesting requirement within the next 15 days.

"Initially, four to five drone will be hired from private companies for the expressway. Depending upon the result, the Home department is considering to use drones across Mumbai," he said.

Along with CCTVs, usage of drones in the island city would take the burden of traffic police riddled with various woes, Kesarkar said.
In a bizarre incident, a man breaching security protocols chased a flight on the runway of Madrid airport in a hope to catch it in last minutes.

A video-shared by ground crew at Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport- that has gone viral on Facebook shows an unidentified man breaking through the fire escape, picking his bag and chasing a Ryanair flight to Gran Canaria at the airport.

The incident reportedly took place on August 5 around 9.00 PM (local time), a day before the video surfaced on the airport's trade union Facebook page.

The 48-second video- which got 68 thousand views- criticised his actions and opined that passengers in Madrid "behave" similar way when they don't "arrive in time".

"This is how passengers in Madrid behave when they don't arrive in time for their flights. This particular passenger was missing a Ryanair's flight and, unbelievably, skipped several security protocols established by AENA in their airports," the post read.

The man, who was not named by police, was arrested upon reaching the Canaria Island in Spain. He was later released after he was cleared of any terror motives but would still face punishment for violating security protocols, the Guardian reported.
After a nearly three-year hiatus New Salem has a new grocery store, Tellmanns Market.

New Salem native Allan Tellmann and his wife, Debra, opened the store on July 28. Tellmann called it a "soft opening." The former dairy farmer said it was a long process getting the store opened.

Though there were some unforeseen delays, Tellmann said, Nothing that we couldnt overcome, just delays that took time to resolve.

The idea for the grocery store was conceived about two years ago after the last store closed nearly three years ago.

There was a big void in the community for this and we decided to accept the challenge and see if we could make it happen, said Tellmann.

The Tellmanns recognized the need for a grocery store and realized the older community and young mothers had a challenging time making it to Mandan and Bismarck to shop.

Its an actual relief for people to finally see something like this back in town, said New Salem Mayor Lynette Fitterer.

The mayor commended the Tellmanns for taking a chance and utilizing their funds to build the business for the community. She is confident the store will do well and add to the economy in New Salem. With some of the businesses and industry going on in the area I think its only going to contribute to the store's success, said Fitterer.

Tellmann said construction on the store began 16 months ago, around April of 2015. The 8,700 square foot building is a full service grocery store with two registers, service counter, deli, bakery and produce.

The store has 15 employees made up of high school and college students, semi-retired and a few full time employees. Tellmann says the store is affiliated with Supervalu, Inc. as a supplier.

Business has been good so far, Weve been a little busier than anticipated, said Tellmann. Fitterer, who visited the store on Monday, said people from the surrounding area such as Almont, Center, and Carson have already patronized the store.

Tellmann said there will be a grand opening in September.

The store's hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tellmanns Market is located at 603 Ash Ave. in New Salem.

When that sign went up that said Tellmanns Market a week or two ago, then we knew it was for real, said Fitterer.
A 65-year-old man was on Wednesday, killed when his two-wheeler was allegedly hit by a car in which Congress MP was travelling near here, police said.

The accident occurred at Puthiyakavu on the Kochi-Allapuzha stretch of a highway when Scindia was going in a chauffeur-driven car to attend a function at Cherthala after arriving at Kochi from New Delhi, they said.

After the incident, the Congress leader in a tweet said "Devastated - sad loss of life - unfortunate accident between Cochin-Allepy. Arranged for hospital immediately - on way to meet bereaved family!".

Police identified the deceased as Sasi, a resident of Puthiyakavu locality.

Though Sasi was rushed to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to injuries, police said.

After handing over the car to the police, Scindia left in another car, K C Venugopal, Congress MP from Alappuzha, said adding his colleague would later call on the bereaved family.

Besides the former union minister, three other Congress workers were in the car when the mishap occurred, Venugopal said.
Former Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Manoj Kumar (64kg) stunned ex-Olympic bronze-medallist Evaldas Petrauskas in a fiercely-contested opening bout to enter the pre-quarterfinals of the Rio Games here.

Manoj prevailed 2-1 in the hard-fought battle in which he had to hold his ground against the intense aggression displayed by Lithuanian Petrauskas in all three rounds.

A former Asian bronze-medallist, Manoj will next be up against fifth seed Uzbek Fazliddin Gaibnazarov in the pre-quarters scheduled on Sunday.

Evenly-matched on pace and agility, the two boxers were quite distinct in their attacking approach.

While Petrauskas, the London Olympics bronze winner in lightweight 60kg division, aggressively tried to engage the Indian from close range, Manoj preferred to back-peddle and hit from a distance.

At the end of the opening three minutes, it was Manoj's tactics that found favour with the judges, who awarded the first round to the former Commonwealth Games gold-medallist on a split decision.

In the second round too, Petrauskas was the more aggressive of the two but Manoj managed to stave off the challenge by sticking to his strategy of keeping a distance and hitting occasional uppercuts to the Lithuanian's body.

None of the boxers were willing to make any change to their strategy in the final three minutes as well although the desperate attacks launched by Petrauskas did unnerve Manoj to an extent.

The pumped up effort secured Petrauskas the final round but it was not enough to turn the bout in his favour as Manoj was adjudged the winner.

Manoj joined 7th seed Vikas Krishan (75kg) as the second Indian in the pre-quarters. Tomorrow, Shiva Thapa will open his campaign in the bantamweight (56kg) category.

Having made his second successive pre-quarters in the Olympics, Manoj said it's his hard work that has showed him the way.

"Hard punch is not God's gift, you're dead if it hits your chin. It's the result of my 20 years' struggle that has given me the result," Manoj said.

"Nothing is god-gifted, it's my hard work that helped me."

Speaking of his rival in the opening bout, Manoj said he did not go in with a set plan in the ring.

"You get height advantage but he also had powerful punches. You have to fight accordingly. There's hardly any time to think inside the ring. I played according to his punches. I knew he would be tough," he said.

Hailing from a boxing family in a tiny village of population about 30,000 Manoj was brought into the ring by his elder brother Rajesh Kumar.

"If Bhiwani took 11 golds the 12th one was from our family in Haryana. Bhiwani has a stronghold in boxing because of the infrastructure there but we have also proved our mettle."

The Railways boxer further thanked the whole nation for supporting him.

"India is my family. Everyone is praying for me. Their best wishes have made me successful. We will see in the ring. If I have ability, I will try hard in the ring, nothing else," he said.

Read our full coverage on the 2016 Rio Olympics



Lavishing praise on Manoj, national boxing coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu said, "It was a superb performance. Beating an Olympic medallist is not easy; kudos to him."

"He was the one to have qualified last. He represents a remote village, he's very strong and determined, supported by a sporting family. That he was taking on an Olympic medallist did affect his mind but he put up a solid show," he said.
A solar storm that jammed America's radar and radio communications at the height of the Cold War could have led to a disastrous military conflict with the Soviet Union, if not for the US Air Force's budding efforts to monitor the Sun's activity, a new study has found.

On May 23, 1967, the US Air Force prepared aircraft for war, thinking the country's surveillance radars in polar regions were being jammed by the Soviet Union.

Just in time, military space weather forecasters conveyed information about the solar storm's potential to disrupt radar and radio communications.

The planes remained on the ground and the US avoided a potential nuclear weapon exchange with the Soviet Union, researchers said.

"Had it not been for the fact that we had invested very early on in solar and geomagnetic storm observations and forecasting, the impact (of the storm) likely would have been much greater," said Delores Knipp, a space physicist at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

The US military began monitoring solar activity and space weather - disturbances in Earth's magnetic field and upper atmosphere - in the late 1950s.

In the 1960s, the Air Force's Air Weather Service (AWS) monitored the Sun routinely for solar flares - brief intense eruptions of radiation from the Sun's atmosphere.

Solar flares often lead to electromagnetic disturbances on Earth, known as geomagnetic storms, that can disrupt radio communications and power line transmissions.

The AWS employed a network of observers at various locations in the US and abroad who provided regular input to solar forecasters at the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD), a US and Canadian organisation that defends and controls airspace above North America.

On May 18, 1967, an unusually large group of sunspots with intense magnetic fields appeared in one region of the Sun. By May 23, observers and forecasters saw the Sun was active and likely to produce a major flare.

As the solar flare event unfolded on May 23, radars at all three Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS) sites in the far Northern Hemisphere were disrupted.

These radars, designed to detect incoming Soviet missiles, appeared to be jammed. Any attack on these stations was considered an act of war.

NORAD learned the three BMEWS sites were in sunlight and could receive radio emissions coming from the Sun.

During most of the 1960s, the Air Force flew continuous alert aircraft laden with nuclear-weapons. But commanders, thinking the BMEWS radars were being jammed by the Russians and unaware of the solar storm underway, put additional forces in a "ready to launch" status, according to the study.

However, the additional aircraft was not launched, and the researchers believe information from the Solar Forecasting Centre made it to commanders in time to stop the military action, including a potential deployment of nuclear weapons.

The research appears in the journal Space Weather.
Militants today shot dead a youth and injured another, who were working as porters with the army, in Keran area of Kupwara district near the Line of Control in Kashmir, army said.

"In a cowardly act, terrorists today opened fire on a group of local civilians engaged in daily labour in Keran Sector, North Kashmir resulting in the death of one local civilian while injuring another," the army said in a statement.

As the group of locals, employed as porters, was moving in the forward area of Keran Sector, militants hiding in thick jungles opened indiscriminate fire, instantly killing Shaukat Chauhan (25), the army said, adding another youth was seriously injured.

"Despite the poor weather, the injured, after being given first aid by an army doctor, was evacuated by helicopter to the army hospital in BB Cantt, Srinagar where his condition is stated to be stable," the statement read.

Army expresses its deep condolences on the death of Chauhan and stands in firm solidarity with his family in this hour of grief and loss, it said.

The army is committed to extending all possible assistance to the bereaved family and in providing the best medical care to the injured person, the statement said.

"Such acts are a clear indication of frustration of terror outfits who have now even started targeting innocent, unarmed locals who are earning their livelihood through honest hard work," the army said.
A 15-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly gang raped while her minor sister was sexually assaulted by three men, including a relative of the victims, police said today.

The accused identified as Ajay, a distant cousin of victims, and his friends Balram and Pradeep were arrested today, Sonipat's Baroda police station Inspector Rajpal said.

According to police, the girls were allegedly abducted from their schools by the accused yesterday and taken to agricultural fields in Banvasa village here where one of them was allegedly gang raped while her 16-year-old sister was sexually assaulted.

All the accused were booked under different sections, including 376 (rape), of the IPC, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and SC/ST Act, police said.

The girls were threatened of dire consequences if they disclosed the incident to anyone, police said, adding the victims' statements were recorded before a magistrate.
Mizoram health department today said



through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) it was maintaining strict vigil in view of outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis in Manipur, dengue in Kolkata and measles among the children in a neighbouring country.

State Hospital and Medical Education Director Dr K Lalbiakzuala said that a team of five experts led by IDSP state Nodal Officer Pachuau Lalmalsawma reached Mizoram-Manipur border Sakawrdai village last evening and would conduct field visit and free clinics in the areas adjoining Manipur.

Community Health Centres (CHCs), Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and sub-health centres in the border areas with Manipur and Myanmar were instructed to immediately report any suspicious outbreak or mysterious disease infections to the IDSP.

Sentinel Surveillance Site for JE was in place in the Civil Hospital in Aizawl with experts and required equipment while Civil Hospitals in Aizawl and Lunglei were designated as Sentinel Surveillance Sites for Dengue.

Of the 50 samples tested for suspected Dengue fever in the state 49 were found to be negative while the lone patient was already cured.

No reports of JE and measles infections have been received so far.
Several MLAs in Assam have contributed their one month's salary of Rs 60,000 each to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for the flood affected people of the state.

The MLAs who handed over the cheques to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at his office chamber here today included Pradan Baruah, Angoorlata Deka, Kishore Nath, Guru Jyoti Das, Padma Hazarika, Rama Kanta Dewri, Siddhartha Bhattacharya and Bolin Chetia.

Meanwhile, officials and employees of the National Health Mission (NHM) met the Chief Minister and handed over a bank draft for Rs 1.21 lakh as contribution towards the relief fund.

The Chief Minister thanked the MLAs and NHM for extending a helping hand towards relief of the flood affected people.
NDMC vice chairman and former BJP MLA Karan Singh Tanwar today alleged that his pension has been blocked for over two years and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is "doing politics" over the issue.

"The former MLAs and metropolitan councillors are being deliberately disgraced by denying them their legitimate pensions. I have not got a single penny of my pension since 2013," he alleged at a press conference.

The BJP leader said he has learnt from "reliable sources" that legitimate pension is being withheld on the "instructions of Kejriwal" so that "I can be victimized and my self-respect is crushed and a clear message is given to Opposition that not a leaf can move without his wish".

Tanwar said he was Councillor of Delhi Cantt Board from 1979 to 1983, Metropolitan Councillor from 1983 to 1990 and elected as Delhi MLA during 1993-1998, 2003-2008 and 2008-2013.

He claimed an approximate Rs 8 lakh is is due to be paid to him as pension.

He has written to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung seeking his intervention into the issue.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today met Union Health Minister J P Nadda and raised the issue of setting up of AIIMS in Bilaspur and sought Centre's intervention for its early opening.

He said the state government identified 1,200 bighas of land, out of which 750 bighas of non-forest land had been transferred for the institute.

Singh said the documentation of forest clearance of remaining 450 bighas of land was under consideration of the Centre and urged for early intervention so that further action could be taken up for opening of the institute at the earliest.

Nadda assured all the support and cooperation to Singh.

"Nadda also raised issues regarding allotment of the land for new branch of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) at Shimla. Nadda said that NCDC requires 2-3 acres of land from the state to set up a world class lab at the cost of Rs 10 crore.

"He requested the Chief Minister to expedite the process of transferring the land so that necessary steps can be taken up for establishing such a facility in the state," an official statement said.

Singh apprised the Health Minister that the state had signed a Memorandum of Understanding to take over the medical college building at Ner Chowk in Mandi district and the academic session would be started from next year for which there was requirement of equipments and other facilities.

Singh also requested Nadda to provide financial support for installing medical equipment in ESI Medical College at Mandi. He said the state government had to pay Rs 285 crore to ESI over a period of five years beginning from 2019 in lieu of this college building.

Noting that the clearance for establishing medical college attached to the district hospitals of Hamirpur and Chamba is still pending, Nadda said the state government should take proactive steps for establishing both the colleges. The centre has earmarked Rs 189 crore for each.

He also said all formalities had been completed to start classes in Dr Y S Parmar Medical College, Nahan from September, 2016 besides appointing teaching faculty and other staff.

The Health Minister noted that even though the tender worth Rs 62.55 crore for the super speciality hospital Block at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla has been awarded, the civil work has not yet started.

"The state government may look into this and take necessary action so that the project is not delayed further.

"The Health Minister also urged for allotting the land



for Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and Drug Testing Lab at Baddi so that the project can be rolled out smoothly," the statement said.

The setting up of CDSCO Sub Zonal Office with Drug Testing lab will cost about Rs 10 crore, the Health Minister said.

Noting that his ministry is seeking proposals from the state for establishing Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Mental Health at the cost of Rs 30 crore, Nadda said the state should send the proposal to the ministry for consideration.

Nadda said the ministry has approved the establishment of Geriatric Centre at Tanda under the Rashtriya Varishth Jan Swasthya Yojana (RVJSY).

"The state government is requested to adopt this scheme and sign an MoU with the ministry," Nadda said as per the statement.

Singh asked Nadda for early approval of the proposals of the state to establish Mother Child Health Care Centre (MCH) at Bilaspur and 50 bedded hospital at Ghumarwin.

He said under the National Health Mission (NHM) a delegation of senior officers of the State had already met Managing Director of NHM for enhancement of resource envelope for the state.

During the meeting, the Health Minister also recalled the announcement made by Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari regarding the 56 new national highways for Himachal Pradesh.

The Health Minister requested the Chief Minister to expedite the preparation of Detailed Project Reports for these national highways.

Chief Secretary V C Pharka apprised the Health Minister about the progress of the state government in establishing a super specialty ward in IGMC, Shimla to be constructed at a cost of Rs 150 crore and National Disease Centre at Boileuganj in Shimla.
Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode(IIM-K) will be organising a public lecture by Senior Supreme Court Advocate, Arvind P Datar on "Corporate Fraud - Penalizing the honest and rewarding the guilty" on August 13 at IIM-K campus.

The lecture is being organised in memory of late Nani A Palkhivala, the iconic jurist and economist, by the student run Interest Group-Economics, Politics and Social Sciences (EPS) in collaboration with the Research Office of IIM-K and the Nani A Palkhivala Memorial Trust in Mumbai, according to an IIM-K release today.

A Senior advocate at the Supreme Court, Arvind P Datar has authored many leading books on Central Excise and Constitution. His areas of expertise include Taxation, Cost Accountancy and Company laws in general.He has also argued a number of cases before the High Courts, Tribunals and Company Law board, the release said.

Datar was also the counsel for market regulator SEBI in the high profile Sahara case, the release said.
The North Dakota Attorney General's Office will not be recommending charges against the Bismarck Police officer who shot and killed an unarmed man in March.

A report from the office said James "Tony" Scott was shot twice in the back by officer Shaun Burkhartsmeier as he ran from police. Burkhartsmeier was on the scene with other officers responding to reports that Scott had threatened a man with a shotgun.

The initial impression may be that this was simply a case of a police officer shooting an unarmed man in the back as he was running away. Those facts are true; however, the other circumstances surrounding these events make it difficult to disprove PO Burkhartsmeiers perceived need to defend himself and others. Therefore, it is unlikely that the State of North Dakota would be able to prove any of the potential charges beyond a reasonable doubt, the report states.

According to a factual summary in the report, officers were called to the 3200 block of East Thayer Avenue after multiple people called 911 saying a man was walking around with a shotgun. There were also reports that someone had a pistol.

When officers encountered Scott, they told him to show his hands, which he did not do, the report said.

According to a summarized interview with Burkhartsmeier, the officer heard other patrolmen yelling that Scott had a gun. He also saw Scott tuck his hands close to his body, which made him think he might have been reaching into his pocket or waistband. Burkhartsmeier said he was afraid Scott would shoot him or another officer.

Based on what PO Burhartsmeier saw of how Mr. Scott was running and what other officers were yelling, PO Burkhartsmeier believed that Mr. Scott had a gun, the report said.

Burkhartsmeier fired three shots toward Scott, according to the report. Two hit.

Some of the officers on scene knew Scott had left the shotgun behind before he ran.

There is no video footage of the shooting, according to the report.

Agents from the Bureau of Criminal Investigations interviewed the other officers on scene, as well as several witnesses. The case was reviewed for potential charges by lawyers in the attorney general's office.

Police Chief Dan Donlin said an internal review board will be convened to ensure the incident was within department policy. The departments standards for use of force track closely to the law, he said. Burkhartsmeier will remain on restricted duty until that review is complete.

My condolences go out to the Scott family for their loss, Donlin said. Officers in the Bismarck Police Department never want to get involved in this. Yet they are put in very quick-moving, dynamic decisions that call for split-second decisions based on the information they have at the time.

Burkhartsmeier has eight years of experience with the department, police said. He was not injured in the incident.

Im satisfied that the right decision has been made. This is a very good officer, Donlin said.

Jamie Scott, the widow of James Scott, and her attorney, Tyrone Turner, were less convinced by the report. Turner said he would be reviewing it to see whether the five-month investigation was "complete and thorough."

"I do find it telling that a police officer can shoot an unarmed man as he is running away based on erroneous information provided to him by other law enforcement," said Turner, a former assistant state's attorney. "In this particular instance, it seems like there were some mistakes made."

Scott said she is not sure yet whether she agrees with the report's decision but said she wants the department to look at different approaches so that other people are not shot by officers.

"It gave me the closure I was looking for. Also, it ripped it open like a Band-Aid again," Scott said.
In a finding that could lead to the development of new and improved cancer drugs, scientists have unveiled the inner workings of a group of proteins that help to switch critical genes on and off during blood-cell production.

One of the proteins involved is linked to breast cancer, which is the most common cancer for women and kills more than half a million women around the world each year.

Existing breast cancer treatments do not target this protein specifically, researchers said.

Daniel Ryan from The Australian National University (ANU) said the study could help explain how existing breast-cancer drugs work inside human cells.

"There are treatments for breast cancer which are in use today that are effective but we still do not know how they work," said Ryan.

"This research shines a light on an important set of proteins that could be targeted by these drugs and superior treatments yet to be developed," he said.

The research seeks to understand the mechanisms for gene regulation, particularly in relation to diseases such as cancer and blood disorders.

"By creating better targeted treatments for breast cancer and other serious diseases, we will have better outcomes for patients because we will be able to reduce toxicity and the risk of drug resistance," said Ryan.

Researchers described how a special group of proteins form into an enzyme that turns genes on and off to produce essential elements in the body, such as blood cells and stem cells.

"This enzyme is like a car and the proteins are the different parts that are used to make it. By knowing how these parts fit together, we can understand how the car works and hence we are in a better position to fix it when something goes wrong," said Ryan.

The ongoing research will help scientists advance their knowledge of how genes are regulated - a phenomenon that is not only vital to normal functions in the body, but also a key factor in many diseases, researchers said.

It also may lead to the development of new and improved cancer drugs, they said.

The findings were published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
The National Green Tribunal has taken strong exception to "substantial variations" in reports submitted by the Uttar Pradesh government and other state agencies with regard to distance of various real estate projects from the flood plains of river Yamuna in Agra.

The green panel appointed Registrar General Mukesh Kumar Gupta as local commissioner to ascertain the "correct position" of flood plains and the distances of the various projects after expressing dissatisfaction over a chart submitted by UP government on construction carried out by builders on the floodplains of Yamuna.

The chart prepared in consultation with Agra Development Authority and Irrigation Department shows the distance of the pillar, used for demarcation of flood plains, from the edge of the river and distance of the boundary wall of the constructed project from the pillar.

"This chart has substantial variations with the affidavits and the Joint Inspection Report already filed by the various agencies of the state.... We express our dissatisfaction to the manner in which these charts have been prepared and even joint inspection report has been submitted before the Tribunal.

"The authorities are expected to act fairly and judicially while complying with the directions of the Tribunal.

"Unfortunately, these discrepancies and contradictions among various documents leave the Tribunal with no option but to have the clarification of the facts, existing at the ground, by appointment of a Local Commissioner," a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said while directing him to visit the site on August 12.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Agra resident D K Joshi who had alleged that many buildings have been built right in the flood plain and even in the river itself.

Joshi's lawyer Rahul Choudhary alleged that pillars demarcating flood plains were not fixed anywhere and the flood plain level has been changed by raising its height by dumping of mud and sand.

The matter is now listed for next hearing on August 19.

The local commissioner has been asked to file his report



and state whether the pillars fixed for demarcation of flood plain are in existence or not and the distance of the various projects from the flood plain boundary as demarcated by the fixed pillars.

The information has to be submitted with regard to the projects including Manglam Estate, Manglam Estate Extension, Pushpanjali Heights, P G College (Jagadamba), Tanishq Rajshree Estate and Pushpanjali Seasons.

"The Local Commissioner shall be provided with due security and in this respect. The SP of concerned area at Agra is directed to ensure complete safety and security of the learned Local Commissioner.

"The senior most field officers from Revenue Department of Agra with their measurement equipments, Irrigation Department and Agra Development Authority shall remain present with the Local Commissioner," the bench said.

The NGT is hearing the case on day to day basis on the request of the builders who claimed that they are suffering losses because of its interim order staying all commercial activities on the flood plains.

Regarding a concrete wall built by Manglam Estate Extension in the river, the tribunal directed the Agra divisional commissioner to file his reply why no action was taken despite an order by Allahabad High Court way back in 2010.

Earlier, the NGT had come down heavily on Agra Development Authority for allowing construction by builders on the flood plains of river Yamuna city and also sought response from the developers on the matter.

The tribunal had earlier issued notice to these builders to show cause why compensation in terms of Section 15 and 17 of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 should not be imposed on them and why appropriate directions not passed regarding their structure which were violative of environmental laws.

It had also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Agra Municipal Corporation for dumping of waste on the floodplains of river Yamuna in the city, noting that the civic body has failed to perform its duty and protect the environment.
A Nigerian national was arrested for allegedly cheating a woman to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakhs, police said today.

One Omeleze Fred was apprehended in New Delhi on August 5 and brought here today, a release issued by Cyberabad police (East) said.

Fred tricked a city-based woman by introducing himself as an American by name of Benson and showing interest to "settle" with her in India. He developed friendship with her by posting fake pictures on social networking sites, the release said.

As per police, Fred also convinced her that he would invest USD five million in business in India.

On July 8, the victim received a call from a lady who introduced herself as an official from customs department at Delhi airport and asked her to pay Rs 2.5 lakhs towards custom duties as Benson (the Nigerian) was trying to bring dollars and gold into the country, it said.

Believing that, the victim deposited the amount in a bank and later realised that she was cheated, police said.

"He was brought to Hyderabad and produced in a local court which remanded him in judicial custody. He will be taken into police custody by filing a petition in the concerned court for further interrogation," said the release.

Preliminary investigation revealed that Fred came to India in 2012 and was staying at different localities of New Delhi.

After his original visit visa expired after two months of arriving in India, he got fake Indian Visa stickers prepared and pasted them on his passport in order to rent houses, it added.

The accused had also created several Facebook IDs by uploading photos of 'smart looking white Americans' and used to chat with Indian women by searching their profiles on the social networking site, police added.
Realty firm Nitesh Estates today said it has sold 4 acres of land in Kochi for Rs 26.50 crore.

The company had 4 acres of the land parcel at Kakanad village in Kochi, Kerala, Nitesh Estates said in a filing to BSE.

"In view of the sluggish market conditions, the company has decided to sell off the land and has finalised the same with a third party for a total consideration of Rs 26.50 crore," the Bengaluru-based developer said.

The proceeds of the sale will be utilised to reduce the debts of the company, it added.

This transaction is expected to be completed by September.

Shares of the company closed 5.59 per cent up at Rs 13.40 on BSE.
Government has no clear-cut policy to promote all-women bank branches in the public sector and the industry lacks the necessary impetus to open more such centres, a Parliamentary panel said.

The Committee on Empowerment of Women tabled its report on "Working Conditions of Women in Public Sector Banks" in Lok Sabha today.

Stressing that all-women branches cater to multiple needs of women customers better, the Committee noted that such branches provide women employees with a much safer and convenient working environment free from inhibitions.

"Some banks are in the process of opening more such branches in near future... It is unclear from the responses of the Ministry (of Finance) as to what policy framework they have in place with regard to opening of all-women branches," said the report.

The panel suggested that the government should direct all public sector banks to ensure that at least 15 per cent of their branches are all-women centres.

"Thus, it will make womenfolk feel comfortable to access a banking system that is devoid of gender biases as well as non-discriminatory towards them," it said.

As of now, 17 public sector banks have opened a total 301 all-women branches.

The Department of Financial Services, under the Finance Ministry, in its reply to the Committee said that banks are exploring the feasibility of opening more all-women branches.

The committee said it expected to see a spurt in numbers in the not-so-distant future to set off a transition in the country's banking industry.

Appreciating the banks' efforts, the panel said, "PSBs are not entirely oblivious to the vital need of creating more all-women branches in the country, yet the necessary impetus it deserves to hasten the process to open more such branches is sorely missing in the context of country's banking industry."



Indian Overseas Bank and State Bank of India have so far opened 60 and 119 all-women branches respectively. Most of the other PSBs have done precious little towards establishing adequate number of all-women branches as was desired by the Committee, the report said.

On provision of creche and day care facilities, the Committee said it was unhappy to see that only two PSBs -- State Bank of Mysore and State Bank of Patiala -- are providing such services.

The committee said banks may rope in NGOs and charitable



organisations for quality creche services.

However, monthly reimbursement of Rs 500 per child given by banks to working mothers is inadequate, it said, adding that the amount be raised in line with rates charged by creches.

Provision of creche and day care facilities is of utmost importance as availability of these facilities is "undeniably linked with the performance of women employees and the larger well-being of the children of working mothers", it said.

The panel appreciated United Bank of India for going a step ahead by making available trained nurses at the creches.

On flexible work hours, the panel had suggested the government to work out the modalities, but it was saddened as there was no enthusiastic response.

"Committee is unhappy to note that the government has failed to apprehend the essence of such a recommendation and instead largely cited a host of operational issues, job role of officers and unsubstantiated preference of customers in rural/semi urban areas as reasons to go slow in implementing the policy



"The Committee is also perturbed to note the seemingly unreserved submission that State Bank of India, country's leading bank, considers it unfeasible on its part to provide work place and work hour flexibility to women employees, particularly to those who work at branches in customer related services," it said.

The panel also noted that banking system in India is still grossly tilted towards urban centres.

It said efforts should be made to open new branches in rural and Northeastern parts and finding out innovative ways to attract more women to banking sector from NE to ensure their equal participation.
There was no report of any dengue death in West Bengal in the past 24 hours, but 132 new cases of infection were reported from different districts, a senior health official said today.

The toll remained at 14 while the number of people infected by the mosquito-borne disease rose to 1,842 in the state since January, Director of Health Services Biswaranjan Satpathy told PTI.

"We have no report of any death due to dengue. However, there have been a few cases of dengue infection from different districts of the state," he said.

According to him, most cases were reported from Hooghly district's Serampore and North 24-Parganas district while there were some cases in Malda, Nadia, Darjeeling, and South 24-Parganas districts.
Normal life was disrupted in Kashmir for the 33rd straight day today as curfew in some parts and restrictions in the rest of the Valley continued amidst the separatist-led protest programme.

Curfew continued to remain in force in parts of the summer capital Srinagar and Anantnag town, a police official said here.

Curfew is in force in five police stations in downtown (interior) area of Srinagar city and Anantnag town in south Kashmir," the official said.

He said restrictions on assembly of four or more people were in force in rest of the Valley as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.

The official said the situation across the valley has showed signs of improvement since Monday as army personnel were helping police and paramilitary forces at many places to keep troublemakers away from the roads.

However, schools, colleges, business establishments, petrol pumps and private offices remained closed while public transport remained off the roads.

The attendance in government offices and banks was also thin, the official said.

Mobile Internet services continued to remain snapped in the entire Valley where the outgoing facility on prepaid connections is also barred.

The separatist camp has extended the shutdown call in Kashmir till August 12.

Kashmir has witnessed protests after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces on July 8.

As many as 55 persons, including two cops, were killed and several thousand others were injured in the clashes between protestors and security forces.

(REOPENS DEL 11)



Meanwhile, a police spokesman said barring a few incidents of stonepelting, the overall situation in the Valley was normal and under control.

Shabir Ahmad Lone was injured when security forces used "force" to disperse a stonepelting mob which tried to block the Sogam-Kupwara road at Lassipora, near Sogam in Kupwara district of north Kashmir, he said.

The injured was shifted to the district hospital and his condition was stated to be stable, he added.

The spokesman said about 500 people assembled near Qaimoh village in Kulgam district of south Kashmir and started hurling stones at security personnel.

However, there was no report of any casualty in the ensuing clashes between security forces and the mob, he added.

In Srinagar, a mob threw stones at security personnel near Tatoo ground and Noor Bagh but was chased away.

"About 300 people assembled near Sangrama, near Sopore in Baramulla district, and started pelting stones at a police party. They were dispersed by the use of mild force," said the spokesman.
The Odisha police in collaboration with the state departments of Women and Child Development and Labour today began the second phase of 'Operation Muskan-II' after rescuing as many as 1,051 children in the first phase.

The first phase continued from July 25 till August 9 while the second phase would continue till August 25.

"This time our teams will locate missing children in other states," Special DG (crime) B K Sharma said.

As many as 93 children were rescued from Ganjam district, 87 from Jajpur followed by 79 in Dhenkanal, 69 in Kendrapara and 65 in Nayagarh district, he said.

Sahrma said of the 1,051 children rescued, missing cases were registered only for 85 children.

He said the rescued kids will be handed over to their families while the remaining children will be rehabilitated with child care institutions.

Ten teams constituted for the drive have left for states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattishgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi NCR, Gujarat and Maharastra.

As per the direction of the Supreme Court for protection of missing children, the Odisha Police has been launching a month-long drive called 'Operation Muskan', each year in two phases since 2015.
Odisha government today proposed the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) to set up a cement plant in Sundergarh district.

The state government also told the central public sector to set up a medical college hospital, skill development centre and a sewage treatment plant in Rourkela, besides ensuring proper rehabiliation and resettlement of the displaced people of RSP and Mandira dam.

The state government's proposals were given when SAIL Chairman P K Singh met chief minister Naveen Patnaik here at the state secretariat, an official release said.
Raging Rivers Water Park will start dialing back operation hours in the next two weeks as the summer winds down, said spokeswoman Kelly Churchill of the Mandan Park District.

Starting Friday, the water park will cut its operation hours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Starting next Monday through Aug. 21, the hours will be reduced from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The park will be closed Aug. 22-26, but open two more days from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 27-28.

Park fare prices will be cut in half to $7.50 next Monday and Tuesday for customer appreciation.
Oman's government has criticised a newspaper for publishing a story alleging improper interference in a court case, its first official comment since authorities detained the paper's editor-in-chief.

Rights groups have called for Oman to release Ibrahim al-Maamari of the daily Arabic newspaper Azamn, who is held over the story.

Oman issued the statement via its state-run agency late yesterday night. The statement says the judiciary "should be an object of respect and gratification rather than a target of deliberate accusations meant to shake confidence."



The statement went on to say the sultanate's government "has taken legal action against the perpetrators ... But without excess or exaggeration." It did not elaborate.

The US-based watchdog Freedom House considers Oman, ruled by Sultan Qaboos bin Said, as "not free.
Assam witnessed the lowest civilian casualties in 25 years due to extremist violence in 2015 with only 10 persons losing their lives, while 58 militants were killed in encounters with security forces.

The 13th Report of the Standing Committee on Home Department, which was tabled in the assembly today, said the state witnessed improvement in overall law and order situation last year.

"One of the most significant achievements under the Unified Command structure is that the total number of civilians killed in extremist violence in 2015 in the state is 10, which is an all-time low since 1991," it said.

According to the report, 58 militants belonging to different organisations were killed in encounter with security forces in last year.

"During 2015, the security forces apprehended 1,449 cadres, including many top leaders of militant groups," the Standing Committee Report said.

In 2016, 608 cadres of militant groups have been apprehended from across Assam till July 21, the report said.

A total of 31 militants of various groups have been killed in encounter with security forces in this year so far.

The report pointed out many deficiencies of the Assam Police such as improper housing for personnel, lack of man power in Bodoland Territorial Area Districts, insufficient equipment at forensic science laboratory, lack of CCTV cameras and absence of sufficient modern arms among others.
A BJP member in the Lok Sabha today targetted the Delhi government for not initiating measures to open new colleges in the national capital and made a strong pitch for starting a West campus of Delhi University.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Pravesh Varma (BJP) said that over 3 lakh students had applied for admission to the University this year, but only 50,000 could get admission.

He said since last 17 years, no new government college has been opened and pointed out that the gram sabha land came under the Delhi government.

Varma said that villages of Ghumanhera, Dwarka and Najafgarh have a lot of land which the Delhi govenrment should give to build new colleges to develop a West Campus of the university. He noted that Delhi University already has North and South campuses.

He said the AAP government had promised to build colleges, but it has not taken off at all so far.
Father of Orlando shooter Omar Mateen has been spotted at a Hillary Clinton rally with his presence becoming a political issue as the Donald Trump camp alleged that the Democratic presidential candidate's soft stance on Islamist terrorism would have attracted him there.

Sadiq Mateen, the father of Orlando shooter Omar Mateen, was sighted sitting behind Democratic presidential nominee Clinton during one of her Florida rallies this week, which now has been made a political issue by the rival Trump campaign.

The Clinton campaign has distanced itself from the father of the Orlando shooter, saying he was not invited for the rally.

Clinton Campaign spokesman Nick Merrill said Clinton "disagrees with (Mateen's) views and disavows his support".

"The rally was a 3,000-person, open-door event for the public. This individual wasn't invited as a guest and the campaign was unaware of his attendance until after the event," he said.

However, the Trump Campaign sought to make it a political issue after the video of the meeting went viral on social media.

"Everyone should sit back and say, what attracts this man to Hillary Clinton? What is it? What is she doing? I know what's attracted him. Her thought, position on Islamic extremist terrorism. The president never saying it. She was forced to say it because Donald trump criticised her so much," former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Trump surrogate, told Fox .

"All the things they indicate, they have not handled Islamic extremist terrorism with the strength and fight back we should have as a country trying to protect itself," Giuliani said.

"And the campaign, which is the least transparent campaign in history, meaning they hide things all the time, should tell us who put him there," Giuliani said.

"Secondly, here is the bigger question, what attracts him so much to Hillary Clinton. He has been going around carrying a sign about Hillary Clinton. What attracts a terrorist, which is what he is, this guy was on radio saying terrible anti- American things, supports the Taliban, this is a guy who said God should punish homosexuals.

"This is a guy who was a radical, Islamic terrorist himself and his son was a radical Islamic terrorist mass murder, the worse in American history. What attracts him to Hillary Clinton?" Giuliani asked.

After the rally, Mateen, who wore a red cap to the event, told NBC West Palm Beach-affiliate WPTV that he supports Clinton.

"Hillary Clinton is good for United States versus Donald Trump, who has no solutions," he was quoted as saying.
Over 68,400 tourists arrived in India on e-visa in year as compared to 21,476 during the same month last year, recording a whopping growth of about 219 per cent.

Among the countries availing e-tourist visa facility during last month, the United Kingdom occupied the top slot, followed by the US and France, an official release said.

"A total of 68,487 tourists arrived in July 2016 on e-tourist visa as compared to 21,476 during the month of July 2015, registering a growth of 218.9 per cent," it said.

As many as 5,40,396 tourist arrived on e-tourist visa between January-July as compared to 1,47,690 during the corresponding period last year, registering a growth of 265.9 per cent.

The number of tourists, availing e-visa facility, during last year has been surpassed in the first six months of the current year, the release said.

Launched on November 27, 2014, the facility was available for citizens of 113 countries arriving at 16 airports in India till February 25. It was extended for citizens of 37 more countries from February 26, taking the tally to 150.

Among the top 10 source countries availing the facility in July, the UK share was maximum with 17.7 per cent, followed by the US (16.2 per cent), France (6.7 per cent), UAE (5.9 per cent) and China (5.4 per cent).

The share of Spain was four per cent while it was 3.9 per cent for Australia, 3.5 per cent for Germany, 3.4 per cent for Canada and 2.9 per cent for the Netherlands.

Among the top 10 ports, where tourists availing online facility arrived, during the last month, the New Delhi Airport share was highest with 44 per cent, followed by Mumbai Airport (20.77 per cent), Chennai Airport (9.43 per cent), Bengaluru Airport (9.10 per cent), Kochi Airport (5.1 per cent), and Hyderabad Airport (3.68 per cent).

The share of Kolkata Airport was 2.5 per cent, while that of Ahmedabad Airport 1.38 per cent, Thiruananthapuram Airport 1.35 per cent and Amritsar Airport 0.99 per cent.
The long pending demand of the region, particularly trade and industry, for an overnight Express Train to Bengaluru from here, is going to become a reality in another three months time.

An assurance to this effect was given to a delegation from local chapter of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), which met the Railway Minister, Suresh Prabhu at Delhi yesterday.

Prabhu has assured to take up two long pending projects, including the introduction of an Overnight Express Train from Coimbatore to Bengaluru, in another three months time, ICCI president, D Nandakumar claimed in a release here.

Similarly, the minister also promised to take steps to complete Podanur-Pollachi Broad Guage conversion work by March 31 next year, he said.

Prabhu said he wouldo visit Coimbatore on September three and address the members of Chamber, Nandakumar said.

Besides himself, the delegation included chamber vice presidents, Vanitha Mohan and N Subramanian, and Tamil Nadu State BJP general secretary, Vanathi Srinivasan, he added.
Congress in charge of Bengal C P Joshi said AICC was in the process of sorting out the PAC chairman issue.

"Today we held a meeting in New Delhi and we have discussed the matter and it is in the process of being sorted out," Joshi told PTI.

Asked about the outcome of the meeting, state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said, "The decision over giving the post of PAC chairman to the CPI-M was taken by our party supremo Sonia Gandhi. Now if our party supremo endorses the decision of Manas Bhuniya keeping the PAC chairman's post, then I have no problem. Whatever Sonia Gandhi decides we will follow that."



According to state Congress sources here, under the instruction of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Joshi summoned Leader of Opposition Abdul Mannan, Bengal Congress president Adhir Chowdhury and senior Congress MLA and PAC chairman Manas Bhuniya to discuss the issue.

After the meeting Mannan claimed that Bhunia had been asked to write a letter to AICC.

"C P Joshi had clearly stated that the decision of the state Congress to give the post of PAC chairman to the CPI-M had been approved by the AICC," Mannan told PTI.

When contacted, Bhuniya only said, "C P Joshi has given me a few suggestions. I will look into them. I have been asked to write a letter stating the series of events and my desire to continue as PAC chairman. But I want to clearly state that I was PAC chairman and want to work as PAC chairman."



Bhuniya had been showcased sometime back after he refused to step down from the post despite repeated requests by party leaders. Thirty-nine Congress MLAs had also jointly appealed to Bhuniya to resign from that post.

Not only did Bhuniya not resign from the PAC chairman's post, he convened a meeting of the committee, which PAC members belonging to Congress and the Left did not attend.

Bhuniya had asked Chowdhury to let him work as PAC chairman for a year.

Congress had wanted to give the PAC chairman's post to CPI-M, with which it had contested the West Bengal Assembly election.
Pakistan has rejected India's charge of infiltration in Kashmir, after its envoy Abdul Basit was summoned and handed over a "strong demarche" over Pakistan's continued support to cross-border terrorism.

"We strongly reject Indian claim of any cross-LOC infiltration. Pakistan remains committed to the policy of not allowing its territory for any terrorist activity against anyone," the Foreign Office said in statement last night when asked about India summoning the Pakistani High Commissioner.

It said that it is necessary to establish "veracity of the Indian claim".

"Details in this regard will be gathered," it said.

Amid growing strain in ties, India on Tuesday summoned Basit and handed him a "strong demarche" over Pakistan's continued support to cross-border terrorism by pushing in trained terrorists to carry out attacks, particularly in Kashmir.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar called Basit to his South Block office and lodged a strong protest over the issue as he made a specific reference to LeT terrorist and Pakistani Bahadur Ali, who was captured recently in North Kashmir during an encounter.

Ali, born in the Zia Bagga village of Lahore, was arrested by Indian authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on July 25 with weapons (AK 47 rifle, live rounds, grenades, grenade launcher etc) as also sophisticated communication equipment and other material of Pakistani/ international origin, according to the demarche issued to Basit.

The ties between India and Pakistan have seen growing bitterness after Pakistan and its Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made provocative statements on the Kashmir situation in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with the security forces on July 8.
Pakistan has stepped up security after a terror alert warned of possible Taliban attack at border crossing points with India on the country's Independence Day on August 14, officials said today.

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab province has sent a memo to the chief secretary that Taliban were planning to target Wagah or Ganda Sindh border crossings between August 13 and 15.

It claimed that two suicide bombers had been tasked by Mualana Fazlullah, the fugitive chief of Taliban who is hiding in Afghanistan, to attack Independence Day parade at the border points.

"Extreme vigilance and heightened security measures are suggested to avoid any untoward incident," the CTD said.

Both crossings are close to Lahore.

In 2014, at least 55 people, including children and security personnel, were killed and about 200 others injured in a suicide blast at Wagah.

An official of home department said that security has already been increased after a suicide bombing at a hospital in Quetta on August 8 in which 74 people were killed around 72 people were injured.

"We take special security measures for the Independence Day and all alerts and suggestion by the intelligence agencies are considered and security have been provided at relevant points," he said.
Leading logistics player Patel Integrated Logistics today signed a joint venture agreement with Dubai-based Fetchr to launch a dedicated e-commerce arm named DeliverEx.

"We have signed a letter of intent with Fetchr to launch a 51:49 JV called DeliverEx to dedicatedly serve the e-commerce space both in the B2B and B2C segment," Patel Logistics Executive Vice-Chairman Areef Patel told PTI.

He said the companies will together invest Rs 40 crore in the new venture which will be launched over the next two months.

"We hope to have 20-25 branches to begin with and take the branch network to around 200 over the next two years," Patel said, adding his company will own 51 per cent in the new entity which will be based in Mumbai.

Fetchr provides cutting edge technology for e-commerce and related services. It is a leading operator in the West Asian markets and will bring in technology for the JV.

Meanwhile, Patel Logistics today reported a 16.2 per cent jump in net profit at Rs 2.37 crore, while revenue rose 8.6 per cent to Rs 122.22 crore for the three months to June.

"We continue to maintain a positive long-term business outlook on the back of strong business fundamentals and increased focus on new-age opportunities like e-commerce delivery.

"Going ahead, GST rollout will change the dynamics of the logistics sector with supply chain efficiencies driving the demand paradigms in the e-commerce space," Patel said.

The company has decided to go for a rights issue to part fund the new JV, Patel said.

During the quarter, the company also entered into a JV with Nationwide Group-promoted Pivot Logistics in Saudi Arabia to enter the GCC markets. The JV will begin operations by 2017.
Last year, 2,291 felony cases were filed in Montana's Yellowstone County District Court. That doesnt count misdemeanors filed in Justice Court, Billings Municipal Court or Laurel City Court.

The surge in criminal cases is driven largely by drug offenses. More than 500 people were arrested last year in Yellowstone County on methamphetamine charges.

Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito is working to launch a program that would give first-time, nonviolent drug offenders the opportunity to get into addiction treatment and out of the criminal justice system faster.

Typically, first-time offenders get probation, not prison. But many continue to use drugs, violating their probation conditions and all too often landing in jail on new drug charges. Twito aims to stop that downward spiral by offering drug offenders a deal where they can get into effective addiction recovery, shorten their time on probation  and avoid going to prison if they stay clean.

Twitos idea makes sense, but it will require a lot of work and strategic investment of resources. Yellowstone County started doing pretrial assessments of jail inmates last summer to give judges better information for making bond decisions. That assessment process also could help evaluate arrestees for Twitos treatment program.

Once felony defendants plead guilty, the state would pay for their drug treatment. But treatment isnt always available or accessible on a timely basis.

The county attorney will need the support of the public defenders office and District Court judges.

Three of those judges already preside in drug treatment courts where participants usually are homeless and jobless when they first begin treatment and intensive supervision. They graduate drug free with housing and employment. Not everyone succeeds, but the success stories keep the courts working.

Criminal drug cases spill over into civil child abuse and neglect. Most of the more than 500 Yellowstone County children who entered the state foster care system last year were removed because of their parents drug abuse.

At every level  from law enforcement to judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, probation, detention and parole officers  the number of cases is overwhelming the justice system.

The states prisons are full and overflowing into county jails. A plan Yellowstone County voters approved in June will improve quarters for female jail inmates, renovate three-decade-old structures and enhance safety, but wont relieve all the pressure of more demand than cells.

The 2015 Legislature recognized that change is needed, so it created the Commission on Sentencing that has been working for more than a year to craft recommendations for the 2017 session. The Billings area is well represented on the commission by District Judge Ingrid Gustafson, state Rep. Margie MacDonald, attorney Majel Russell and probation officer Jennie Hansen.

The commission has been working with the Council of State Governments Justice Center to understand whats driving up the number of people in the state corrections system. Justice Center research shows that recidivism, drug addiction and mental illnesses are major factors.

The commission is discussing reforms to implement and standardize pretrial risk assessment and supervision. Reform will require investing more in treatment courts and assuring that addiction treatment and prerelease programs use scientifically proven effective best practices. Keeping more offenders out of prison will require hiring more probation officers and training detention officers to prepare inmates for successful re-entry into society.

Just a little money up front goes a long way because incarceration is so expensive, MacDonald said. We need to reset our system. If we dont do this, we are going to be building more prisons.

With such broad recognition that reform is needed, its time for action at local, state and federal levels. People in jail and prison arent working, taxpayers are supporting them. The system must do a much better job of treating the underlying problems that have filled our jails and prisons with drug addicts and mentally ill people  most of whom have committed no violent crimes.

-- Billings (Mont.) Gazette
Telangana government is making elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of Krishna Pushkaram festival beginning August 12 during which pilgrims would take dip in Krishna river.

According to an official release, as many as 52 ghats - 10 major, 15 minor and 27 local ghats- were set up in Mahabubnagar district alone as devotees are expected mostly from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Hyderabad and bordering districts of Telangana for the holy dip.

The festival will be held till August 23.

"Around 6,720 police personnel will be deployed - 3,920 are from other districts and 2,800 from Mahabubnagar. Also, 375 CCTV cameras are installed at 25 ghats and major highway junctions with main control room at Beechupally and DPO Mahabubnagar and sub-control rooms at each ghat," it said.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is expected to take the holy dip at Gondimalla ghat and visit Jogulambda temple in Alampur on Friday morning, it said.

The district police has also created a Facebook Page -- Mahabubnagar Police-Krishna Pushkaralu-2016 -- to disseminate crucial information about the ghats, routes, traffic advisories, emergency contact information, etc.

"This is also being used as a citizen-interface to receive suggestions and to give instructions to pilgrims about Do's and Don'ts during the Pushkar," the release further said.

A senior police official said as many as 7,000 security personnel will be deployed in Nalgonda district where 28 ghats have been set up for the pilgrims.

Besides the district police, personnel from neighbouring Khammam, Warangal and Cyberabad are also pressed into service, he said.

Telangana State Road Transport Corporation will be plying special buses to various ghats in Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda districts.
All non-BJD political parties in Odisha today urged the President to direct the Chhattishgarh government to stop construction on the upstream of the Mahanadi to save the lives of millions of people living in the downstream.

"We earnestly urge you to use your constitutional power and direct the Chhatisgarh government to immediately stop construction of all on-going projects till the issue is resolved," a memorandum addressed to the President, signed by all the non-BJD party leaders, said. The memorandum was submitted at the Raj Bhavan here.

The delegation led by Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress also urged the President to ensure formation of a 'river board' under River Board Act, 1956 to resolve all disputes between Odisha and Chhatisgarh on the Mahanadi water failing which a tribunal might be constituted in accordance with law.

The all party delegation also drew attention of the President to the dispute that Odisha was not consulted by the Central Water Commission (CWC) before clearing a project on the Kelo, a tributary of the Mahanadi.

The memorandum, which was also signed by social organisations, civil society and experts on Mahanadi River System, said the dispute was a direct fall out of neighbouring Chhatisgarh's unilateral decision to construct various projects such as dams, barrages and check dams over the Mahanadi as well as its tributaries, ignoring the right of downstream riparian Odisha state.

Stating that such construction on upstream of Mahanadi is bound to affect the water flow of Mahanadi system and is sure to trigger drought and devastation in Odisha, they said people were already out on streets in various parts of Odisha protesting against Chhatisgarh's attempt to extract more water from the Mahanadi by constructing various barrages and dams.

"We are not against use of Mahanadi water by Chhatisgarh. But, it should not be at the cost of farmers and interest of Odisha," they said.

The delegation comprised leaders from Congress, BJP, CPI, CPI(M), TMC, Forward Bloc and others.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today directed civic bodies in the district to employ 75 per cent of the project affected persons of the Barvi dam in their services.

Fadnavis held a meeting in Mumbai to review the progress of the Barvi dam and issue of project-affected persons, a release by Thane District Publicity Office said.

As per the release, the Chief Minister also said that the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) should take up the responsibility of employing 25 per cent of the project affected.

The dam supplies around 600 to 900 MLDs of water per day. Of this 485 MLDs are given to the urban local bodies and the gram panchayats.

Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation gets 190 MLD water, Thane Municipal Corporation receives 140 MLD while Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation gets 75 MLD water.

While Mira Bhayander receives 60 MLD water, Kalyan Dombivili Municipal Corporation gets 07 MLD, it added.

The Ambernath Municipal Council gets 13 MLD water and the balance is given to around 50 village panchayats, the release said.

Fadnavis said the civic bodies should give employment to the project affected in proportion to the water they draw from the dam and if it is not possible them compensate them.

The dam supplies 25 percent water to MIDC and hence they should provide employment to 25 per cent of the project affected, the Chief Minister added.

At present, the work of increasing the height of the dam is in progress and once completed the storage capacity of water will go up to 348.48 MLDs, it was stated.

As per the release, a total of 1,105 families from the villages of Kachkoli, Mohghar, Kolewadkhal, Manivali, Tondli, and Sukalwali will be displaced to the increase in the height of the dam.
Scores of journalists today protested against the increasing attacks on the fraternity and the freedom of press, and pressed for stronger initiatives to combat the problem.

At a protest meeting organised by the Press Club Of India, Indian Women's Press Corps and the Editors Guild, journalists condemned the alleged attempts to muzzle Rajasthan Patrika, Outlook and scribes from Kerala.

"These attacks come close on the heels of murder of journalists in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and attempts at banning media in Jammu and Kashmir. These attacks are not restricted to one state or party affiliation either but a selective attack on freedom of press," Saroj Negi from Commonwealth Association of Journalists said.

Noted journalist Vijay Kranti said suppressing the freedom of press is the most "powerful" thing at present.

"Kerala is an example of what is happening in the country...Muzzling the press seems to be the most powerful thing at present in various states and lot of places. There is limited scope for a moderate space in which objective journalism can take place," he said.

Advocating political and legal activism, journalists also pitched for a law on media ownership to avoid conflict of interest.

Journalist Jyoti Malhotra said, "We as journalists need stronger political and legal activism irrespective of our political affiliations."



"We need laws on media ownership for sure as conflict of interest itself is an attack on freedom of press. I believe as journalists we too have our shortcomings which need to be worked out in order to deal with this attack-prone situation," Sabina Inderjit, Vice President of Indian Journalistic Union, said.

A group of advocates had allegedly attacked media persons outside the Kerala High Court complex last month leaving two persons injured. The lawyers allegedly hurled abuses and threatened that they would not allow the reporters to cover the court proceedings.

Rajdev Ranjan, a journalist from Siwan, was shot dead in May. Journalists were also attacked in Delhi when proceedings were on in Patiala Court complex during the JNU sedition row.
The mortal remains of former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul were taken today to his native village Hawai in remote Anjaw district bordering China for the last rites.

BJP MLA from Tezu Mahesh Chai accompanied the body of Pul along with his relatives in a helicopter which took off at 7:30 AM for Hayulian as hundreds of supporters of the leader gave a tearful adieu to him.

The state government has declared a three-day state mourning and a holiday tomorrow when the last rites of Pul would be performed with full state honours at Hayuliang, the constituency he represents.

A pall of gloom descended in the state capital since Tuesday morning after the of Pul's death.

Lok Sabha MP Ninong Ering, AICC Secretary Jay Kumar along with senior party leaders, MLAs and admirers of Pul gathered at the Raj Bhavan helipad here in the morning from where Pul's mortal remains were flown to his native village.

Pul allegedly committed suicide at the chief minister's official residence here on Tuesday, weeks after he was ordered by the Supreme Court to step down after a brief stint, sparking violent protests by his supporters who torched a building and damaged cars.

He is survived by three wives and seven children.

The state government had requisitioned two sorties of Skyone helicopter to carry Pul's body and his relatives to Hayuliang.
Russian President Vladimir Putin today blasted Ukraine over an alleged attempted incursion into the disputed Crimea region that Kiev fiercely denied.

"This is very alarming . In fact, our security services prevented an incursion into the territory by a sabotage-reconnaissance group from Ukraine's defence ministry," Putin told Russian agencies.

Putin accused the authorities in Kiev of "practising terror" and pledged not to leave the deaths of two Russian officers in alleged clashes unanswered.

"From the Russian side there were losses -- two soldiers killed. We obviously will not let such things slide by," Putin said.

"The attempt to provoke an uptick in violence, to provoke conflict is nothing but an attempt to distract public attention."



"This is a very dangerous game. We will of course do everything to assure the security of infrastructure, citizens and will take additional measures to provide security, including serious additional measures."



Russia's security service said it had thwarted "terrorist attacks" at the weekend in Crimea by Ukrainian military intelligence and beaten back an armed assault.

The FSB said in a statement that one of its officers was killed in armed clashes while arresting "terrorists" on the night of August 6-7 while a Russian soldier died in a firefight with "sabotage-terrorist" groups sent by the Ukrainian defence ministry on August 8.

The allegations will fuel further tensions in the feud between Russia and Ukraine, sparked when Moscow annexed Crimea from Kiev in March 2014 after Kremlin-backed president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted.

Ukraine's national security council chief Oleksandr Turchynov blasted the claims as "hysterical and false" and said Moscow was trying to stoke fear in Crimea.

Ukraine's defence ministry dismissed the allegations as "nothing more than an attempt to justify the redeployment and aggressive actions" of Russian forces in the region.
Jewellery firm Rajesh Exports today posted 14 per cent rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 269.9 crore in the first quarter of 2016-17 on higher sales.

The company had clocked a net profit of Rs 237.1 crore in the year-ago period, it said in a BSE filing.

Income from operations rose more than three-fold to Rs 58,916 crore in the April-June quarter of 2016-17, from Rs 15,144 crore in the year-ago period.

Expenses also remained higher at Rs 58,550 crore from Rs 14,764 crore in the said period.

Commenting on the performance, Rajesh Exports Chairman Rajesh Mehta said, "The company has posted record revenue and profits for the quarter compared to any other quarter since inception."



The company is working towards creating products which would be unique for the global market, he said.

"With the successful acquisition of Valcambi, the company would now look forward to increasing its global presence by introducing these products in European and American market for growing its profitability," he added.

The company's refining capacity has increased to 2,400 tonnes of precious metals per annum after the acquisition of Valcambi, the world's largest gold refinery at Switzerland.

Shares of the company rose by 2.27 per cent to close at Rs 449.65 apiece on the BSE today.
He has built a niche for himself in an industry which runs on formulas, but Abhay Deol feels being rebellious and doing something out-of-the-box is discouraged in India.

Abhay made his debut with Imtiaz Ali's "Socha Na Tha" a decade ago and has since worked mostly in off-beat films besides a few commercial ones.

The 40-year-old actor says because India is so rooted in traditions, it is hard for people to break away from them and do something different.

" We are shaped by our traditions. With us, it is a little more difficult because we are traditionalist. We have 5000-year-old history which is now almost a part of our DNA. How do you break that?



"America, for example, doesn't have that history behind it. It romanticises rebellion. We look down upon rebellion. It's an insult. To think out-of-the-box is looked down upon here," Abhay told PTI in an interview.

Post his debut in 2005, the actor worked in films like "Manorama Six Feet Under," "Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!" and "Dev D".

Abhay says it is always tough to swim against the tide.

"It is definitely hard when you're going against the tide. Of course, it is tough. But does that mean you can't do it? No, it depends on your strength, stamina and ability to take so much power against you. But it's not just Bollywood, it is also in Hollywood. It's the same thing everywhere.

Abhay's mainstream projects include "Aisha" and "Zindagi



Na Milegi Dobara" and the actor says he likes being a part of commercial projects as they help him support the movies he wants to eventually invest in.

"I like doing mainstream films, because not only do they give me a wider release and audience, they also supports the off beat films I want to make. The two go hand in hand. My effort is always that whatever mainstream films I do, they should not insult the intelligence of the audience," he said.

The, actor, however, won't do a commercial film that tends to follow a certain check list.

"A lot of times it is just check list. Item song, check, actress check, actor check. It is just that. A list of things that have to be checked. That's not the kind of formula I want."



Abhay, who was last seen on the big screen in 2014 in "One By Two," is all set for his upcoming "Happy Bhag Jayegi".

Directed by Mudassar Aziz, the movie also stars Diana Penty, Jimmy Shergill and Ali Fazal.

"Happy Bhag Jayegi" is set to release on August 19.
Web based motor insurance platform ReNewBuy plans to raise USD 1.5 million in its next round of funding to finance its future growth.

ReNewBuy, a platform with more than 7,000 car and bike insurance policies monthly, is in talks with Singapore-based Mount Nathan.

Mount Nathan is an investment and advisory firm with interest in financial services business. They had earlier invested in Sanctum Wealth, which bought out the Wealth Management business of RBS in India.

Earlier, ReNewBuy had raised USD 1 million from Mount Nathan through its investment entity Havelock Road LLP.

"Being sharply focused on auto insurance has helped us solve issues related to the ecosystem and deliver superior consumer experience. This is reflected in the rapid growth of our business," RenewBuy CEO Balachander Sekhar said.

ReNewBuy offers comprehensive solutions for car and bike owners - lowest quotes from leading insurance companies, instant policy in less than 2 minutes, free reminder service, digital locker for all documents, servicing and claim assistance.
Russia's main domestic security agency has said that one of its agents and an army soldier were killed while fending off what it described as a series of attempted terror attacks by Ukrainian "saboteurs" in Crimea, a claim Ukrainian officials denied.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin condemned what he described as a "stupid criminal action" by the Ukrainian authorities and vowed to take additional steps to ensure security of Crimea.

He also strongly urged the West to warn Kiev against "resorting to terror instead of searching for a peaceful settlement."



Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko rejected the Russian claims as "fantasy" and "provocation," saying in a statement that his government would use only political and diplomatic means to restore its sovereignty over Crimea.

Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula in March 2014 following a hastily called referendum. The ensuing conflict in eastern Ukraine has killed more than 9,500, and fighting there between Ukrainian troops and Russia-backed separatists has continued despite a 2015 cease-fire.

The Federal Security Service, known under its Russian acronym FSB, said in yesterday's statement that its officer was killed over the weekend near Armyansk within a few kilometres (miles) of the de-facto border between Crimea and Ukraine when FSB officers engaged in a gun battle with a group of "saboteurs" from Ukraine.

The FSB said the intruders carried an arsenal of bombs, ammunition and mines.

The agency said two more groups tried to force their way into Crimea early Monday, supported by Ukrainian artillery and armor. It said one Russian army soldier died in that clash.

The FSB said it also busted what it called a network of agents of Ukrainian military intelligence in Crimea, and detained several people, including a Ukrainian citizen identified as Yevgeniy Panov, whom it described as a Ukrainian military intelligence officer.

The agency claimed that the Ukrainian intelligence operation had sought to destabilise the situation in Crimea ahead of Russia's parliamentary elections set for next month.

Putin, speaking at a conference in Moscow, accused the Ukrainian leadership of engaging in "terror" instead of discussing peace settlement in eastern Ukraine.

Because of that, he said, it makes no sense to discuss the Ukrainian peace settlement with leaders of Ukraine, France and Germany at the sidelines of the Group of 20 meeting in China next month as earlier planned.

Poroshenko countered in his statement that "we would never ever use terror to de-occupy Crimea."



The Ukrainian government said over the weekend that Russia briefly closed its border crossings with mainland Ukraine, and social media users earlier this week posted photos and videos of dozens of armoured vehicles on Crimean highways heading toward the de-facto border.
Russia's defence ministry today said it would halt fire around Syria's ravaged city of Aleppo for three hours each day to allow humanitarian aid in, an initiative the UN said is insufficient to meet the city's needs.

"To guarantee total security for the convoys to Aleppo there will be humanitarian windows established from 1000 to 1300 local time starting tomorrow during which all military hostilities, aviation strikes and artillery strikes will be halted," Lieutenant General Sergei Rudskoy of the Russian army's general staff told journalists.

The pause would take place daily from Thursday from 0700 GMT to 1000 GMT, although Rudskoy did not specify how many days it would continue.

Shortly after Moscow's announcement, the United Nations' top aid official said that halting fire for three hours a day would not be enough to ensure that civilians' humanitarians needs are met.

"To meet that capacity of need, you need two lanes and you need to have about 48 hours to get sufficient trucks in," Stephen O'Brien, UN under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs, told reporters.

"When we are offered three hours, you have to ask what can be achieved in that three hours."



The United Nations has called for urgent aid access to Aleppo and 48-hour weekly pauses for the aid deliveries, warning that civilians are at grave risk from water shortages and disease as fighting has intensified.

Up to two million people in Aleppo have gone without running water for the past four days, UN agencies said.

O'Brien said he had not been fully briefed on the Russian proposal but that there were complicated logistics to address, such as ensuring that truck drivers have enough time to safely make the trip to the city and back.

Today the markets in opposition-held districts of Aleppo were the fullest they have been in weeks as food stalls and shops had been empty of customers after a government siege of the eastern districts led to rising prices and shortages.

Shoppers scurried through the vegetable markets, buying as quickly as possible in case a siege is re-imposed or prices rise again, an AFP correspondent at the scene saw.

Fighting between government forces and rebels in Aleppo has intensified in the past month, with both sides sending in reinforcements for an all-out battle that could mark a turning point in the five-year war.

Rudskoy said that "more than 1,000 were killed and about 2,000 wounded" in the rebel ranks over the past four days southwest of Aleppo.
Expelled AIADMK leader Sasikala Pushpa and two of her family members have been booked by police on a complaint of alleged illegal detention and sexual harassment by her former domestic help, police said today.

All-Women Police in Pudukottai in Tuticorin District registered the case against the MP, her husband Lingeswara Thilagan and their son L Pradeep Raja based on a complaint by the woman who had worked along with her sister as domestic help in the house of Sasikala, when she was the Tuticorin Mayor from 2011 to 2014, they said.

The case was registered after the Tuticorin Superintendent of Police to whom the complaint was given forwarded it to the Pudukottai All-Women Police station.

The complainant alleged that she and her sister were detained and sexually harassed by the MP, her husband and their son, police said.

Pushpa, who reportedly slapped DMK MP Trichy Siva at Delhi airport recently, was expelled from AIADMK on August 1 by its supremo Jayalalithaa on grounds of violating party principles and ethics and bringing disrepute to the party.

On the same day, the MP alleged in the Rajya Sabha she was slapped by a "leader" and faced threat to her life in Tamil Nadu.

Last week, Pushpa's husband and her son had moved the Madras High Court claiming that a case had been registered against them by Anna Nagar Police in Chennai and sought anticipatory bail.

However, their petitions were disposed of by the court after the state government submitted that police had not filed the case as claimed by the petitioners.
Sasikala Pushpa, an AIADMK MP who was expelled recently, today lashed out at the party saying it is full of "slaves".

"I don't want to be a part of this slave gang," the Rajya Sabha MP told reporters here.

Pushpa warned the party leadership that she will retaliate, while deploying the caste card to counter the allegations against her saying that it is her Nadar community which is being harassed.

"I will retaliate if the harassment continues as I am the one who is being harassed here. People will give a befitting reply in elections," she said.

"I belong to Nadar community and am not sacred. People are watching all this. I have the backing of my community. Nadar community is one amongst the most powerful in the southern districts of the state," Pushpa said against the backdrop of controversies related to her expulsion and registration of an FIR against her family in Tamil Nadu.

The domestic helps, who reportedly worked at Pushpa's house in Tamil Nadu, had filed a complaint to police alleging that Pushpa, her husband Lingeswara Thilakan and son Pradeep Raja had tortured them.

While alleging that the maids were instigated to complain against her family, Pushpa showed a letter, allegedly written by an AIADMK party worker, threatening to kill her in Delhi itself.

"If this is the type of atrocity and sufferings faced by an MP like me, just imagine the plight of grassroots-level workers and other office bearers," she said, adding that many leaders in AIADMK are happy that she had brought these issues into the public domain.

"AIADMK leaders were wondering who would bell the cat. Now many are happy," the MP said.

Tamil Nadu government was today restrained by the Delhi High Court from taking any "coercive action" till tomorrow against Pushpa, her husband and their son in connection with the harassment of domestic helps.

The court said this while hearing the anticipatory bail pleas of Sasikala Pushpa, her husband and son.
Saudi-led coalition warplanes launched fresh air strikes against Shiite rebels across Yemen today despite international concerns over the escalation after the suspension of peace talks.

The coalition resumed strikes days after UN-brokered peace talks in Kuwait between representatives of the government and the Iran-backed Huthi rebels ended without a breakthrough.

The coalition, which has been battling to prop up Yemen's government against the Huthis since March 2015, hit rebel positions across northern Yemen, said coalition officials and tribal sources.

That came a day after coalition jets struck targets around Yemen's rebel-held capital, Sanaa, for the first time in three months.

The United Nations said it was alarmed at the resumption of air raids.

"The secretary-general is deeply concerned about reports of increased fighting between various parties in Hajjah, Saada and Sanaa provinces including over the past few days," said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN chief Ban Ki-moon.

"The reported escalation in fighting exacerbates the already dire humanitarian and human rights situation and the suffering of the Yemeni people."



France said its Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault spoke by phone with his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir and emphasised the importance of a ceasefire to pave the way for a political solution in Yemen.

Iran, which Riyadh accuses of supporting the Huthis, denounced the international community's "inaction" while Saudi Arabia carried out what it called "atrocities" against Yemenis.

It called on the UN and countries that supply arms to Saudi Arabia to make "effective efforts to stop these attacks and... Protect civilians."



The renewed violence came as the Pentagon said it had approved the possible sale to Saudi Arabia of up to 153 tanks, hundreds of machineguns and other military gear in a deal worth USD 1.15 billion.

State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said she was "very concerned" by Tuesday's casualty reports, but did not directly comment when asked about worries that US weapons being sent to Saudi Arabia could be used against civilians.

Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted missiles fired from Yemeni territory towards two of its southern towns on today morning.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said the "Second Amendment people" - gun owners or those backing gun rights - could stop his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton from winning the White House and picking new US Supreme Court justices.

Trump's intended message was not immediately clear, but lawmakers advocated that the 70-year-old billionaire tycoon had given an assassination threat to Clinton.

The Trump campaign quickly refuted any such inference and asserted that Trump meant political power to stop Clinton at polls.

"Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the Second Amendment. By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks. Though the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know," Trump told a cheering crowd at an election rally in Wilmington, North Carolina yesterday.

The Clinton campaign immediately expressed its outrage at Trump's remarks.

"This is simple-what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way," said Robby Mook, Hillary for America Campaign Manager.

The Trump Campaign refuted the allegations and charged the "dishonest media" on trying to extract his Wilmington statement as inciting violence.

"It's called the power of unification - 2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power. And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it won't be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump," said Jason Miller, senior communications advisor to the Trump Campaign.

In an interview later to a local television channel, Trump refuted such an allegation.

"If Hillary Clinton gets elected, I think she's going to decimate the Second Amendment, if not abolish it. And she'll do that through judges, through the justices of the Supreme Court. But the Second Amendment people have tremendous power because they are so united," he told WNCN-North Carolina in an interview.

Several of Trump's supporters came out in his defense.

"What he said very clearly was that if Hillary Clinton were elected president, she would get to appoint judges to the Supreme Court, and among the other things that they would do to destroy us, would be to do away with the Second Amendment and your right to bear arms," former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said at an election rally later in the night.

"Now, is there anybody here that doubts that. And then he said, and you have the power to do something about it. And what he meant by that was you have the power to vote against her. You have the power to campaign against her. You have the power to speak against her. You know why, because you're Americans," Giuliani said.

However, Senator Chris Murphy in a series of tweets alleged that Trump had given an assassination threat to Clinton.

"Don't treat this as a political misstep. It's an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy and crisis," Murphy said.
Seven pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar through the Nepal route have died this year, Lok Sabha was informed today.

Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh also said an incident of Indian citizens being mishaved by Nepal airlines and Nepalese administration while they were returning from Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has come to the government's notice and the issue was taken up strongly with the Himalayan nation.

"In 2016, as per the information available, 7 yatris travelling through Nepal route have passed away," he said.

About the misbehaving incident, he said Indian embassy has asked the authorities there to investigate the matter and take appropriate punitive action against those found guilty.

"Yes. Such an incident was brought to the notice of the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.

"The matter was taken up strongly by our Ambassador in Nepal with the then Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Nepal stressing the need for Nepalese authorities to investigate the matter and take appropriate punitive action against those found guilty so as to deter recurrence of such incidents," said Singh.

He said the Nepal route for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is organised by private tour operators and pilgrims on this route have reported facing several difficulties including being stranded at times due to inclement weather, limited infrastructural facilities and capacity constraints.

"There have also been reports of yatris facing serious health issues, which sometimes have resulted in fatalities," he said.

Replying to a separate question, Singh said foreign governments may deny visa or entry to any Indian travelling with a non-machine readable passport.

"The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) had set a deadline of the 24 November, 2015 for globally phasing out all non-Machine Readable Passports.

"Out of approximately 6.5 crore valid Indian passports in circulation as on date, about 2.0 lakh passports are estimated to be non-Machine Readable Passports," he said.
Enemies of Pakistan who cannot tolerate its development want to destabilise it, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said today and vowed to move forward with full strength and completely eliminate terrorism from the country.

Addressing the National Assembly after 74 people were killed in a deadly suicide bombing at a hospital in Quetta, Sharif said that all resources will be used to eliminate the threat of militancy from the country.

Sharif said army and intelligence agencies were working "day and night" to defeat militancy.

"We will move forward with full strength and completely eliminate terrorism from the country," he said.

Sharif highlighted that those involved in the Quetta blast follow that the same ideology which prompted them to target Benazir Bhutto Hazara community in Balochistan, a church and Army Public School Peshawar and prominent people of the country.

"We will have to defeat this ideology because this ideology is the enemy of Pakistan," he said.

Sharif said that enemies of Pakistan want to destabilise it because they cannot digest development projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which will bring prosperity in the country.

Earlier in the day, Sharif chaired a meeting of army and civilian officials including army chief General Raheel Sharif to discuss the security situation after the Quetta bombing.

He asked the officials to speed up operation against the militants. He also promised to provide every kind of help to the provinces to deal with terrorism.

At least 74 people were killed on Monday and over 100 injured after a suicide bomber struck the emergency ward of Quetta's Civil Hospital, where scores of people had gathered to mourn the death of Balochistan Bar Association (BBA) president Bilal Anwar Kasi in a gun attack earlier in the day.

The attack was claimed by Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan splinter outfit Jamaatul Ahrar and the Islamic State militant group.
An SIT was constituted today to probe the killing of notorious Maoist renegade-turned-gangster Mohammed Nayeemuddin and investigate "various criminal activities" conducted by him and his associates in Telangana.

The Special Investigation Team would begin functioning immediately and investigate from where the seized material has originated, especially land documents, arms and ammunition and explosives, a release from the office of Telangana DGP said.

Nagi Reddy, Inspector General Police, North Zone, would be in-charge of the SIT, comprising officers from various districts, constituted by the Director General of Police Anurag Sharma.

45-year-old Nayeemuddin, wanted in a string of cases including the murder of an IPS officer in 1993, was killed in an alleged exchange of fire with police in Shadnagar town of Mahabubnagar district on Monday.

The incident had occurred when police teams, tracking a case of attempted extortion registered in Nizamabad district, came under fire from a suspiciously moving SUV near Millennium Colony on the outskirts of Shadnaga.

Police yesterday conducted searches at different places in Nalgonda district - Nayeemuddin is a native of this district - and arrested nine persons, including four of his family members, on the charge of land-grabbing and extortion.

The SIT consists of B Srinivasa Reddy, Addl. DCP, Crimes, Cyberabad; Sridhar, Inspector of Police, Begumbazar, Hyderabad city; S Sudhakar, Inspector of Police, Tr PS, Uppal; Shakir Hussain, Inspector of Police, Wanaparthy Circle; Rajashekar Raju, Inspector of Police, Korutla Circle, Karimnagar; Samala Venkatesh, Inspector of Police, CCS, Sangareddy; P Madhusudhan Reddy, Inspector of Police, Kodad Circle; and and Seetharam, Inspector of Police, Armoor Circle.
South Sudan today rejected a UN proposal to send a 4,000-strong regional force to the restive capital of Juba, saying it undermined the young nation's sovereignty.

The US-drafted resolution presented to the Security Council seeks to establish a protection force of African troops authorised to "use all necessary means" to provide security and deter attacks against UN bases in South Sudan.

But South Sudanese government spokesman Michael Makuei said his country rejected the resolution in its current form as it would "(turn) South Sudan into a protectorate and this is a situation that we will not accept."



The draft, which would also extend the current UN mission's mandate until December, would "undermine the sovereignty of the Republic of South Sudan," Makuei told reporters in Juba.

The head of the East African bloc IGAD, which first proposed the force, had said on Friday it had obtained South Sudan's permission to deploy it.

But Makuei appeared to throw that agreement into doubt, lending credence to fears among diplomats that the government's apparent willingness to participate in the IGAD summit was partly to buy time.

"The protection force should have been an independent body, not under (UN mission) UNMISS, so that they can perform their functions and duties... Which we had agreed upon," Makuei said.

IGAD had raised the possibility of deploying an "intervention brigade" with a more aggressive mandate within the UN mission currently present, along the lines of a similar brigade sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2013.

Juba was rocked by several days of heavy fighting in early July between the government forces of President Salva Kiir and those loyal to ex-rebel chief Riek Machar, the latest upsurge in two and a half years of war.

Nearly 300 people died in the violence, and since then 70,000 South Sudanese have fled the country to Uganda, according to new figures released Wednesday by the Norwegian Refugee Council, an independent aid group.

Sporadic clashes have been recorded since the street battles last month, along with reports of rape and looting, adding to the ranks of 1.6 million displaced within the country since civil war broke out in 2013.

The 12,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, has faced criticism for failing to stem the latest bloodshed or fully protect civilians during the fighting.
Forty-five children, who had stopped going to school out of fear of wild animals like tigers, have returned to their institution in Mudumalai, a tiger habitat in Nilgiris district, after the Tamil Nadu government provided jeep for their safe transportation.

State Minister for School Education P Benjamin also said that state government's self-defence programme for girl children has developed confidence among them.

He said the Panchayat Union Primary School at Mudumalai in Nilgiris district caters to the educational needs of 100 families in areas of Puliyalam, Mundakarai, Melnagam Palli, and Kappur.

Tribals belonging to communities, including Kattu Naicker, live in such areas which are the natural habitat of tigers besides other animals like leopards, bears, wolves and hyenas, he told the Assembly yesterday.

"As a result of provision of transport facilities, 45 children who had dropped out from fear of these animals have been coming to school safely and regularly," he said, adding jeep was provided for transportation needs of children.

According to the state government, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Western Ghats "is part of the huge tiger landscape in southern peninsular India which serves as source population of tigers in the region."



On education vis-a-vis girls, he said Tamil Nadu is implementing several activities for the promotion of education and all round development of girl children.

"One such programme is the self-defence training for the upper primary girls implemented during 2015-16," he said adding the programme includes lessons and training on recognising danger, attacker, confidence, communication and physical (combat) skills through karate and other martial arts.

For each district, 1000 girl students in seventh and eight classes were selected for self-defence training.

"Totally 30,000 girls benefited from this training. Most of the parents commented that a great change occurred in the attitude and behaviour of their girl children. They developed greater confidence and self-esteem," he said.

The Minister said recognising the aspirations of



parents



on educating their children in English medium, the state government commenced English medium sections in elementary education from 2012-13.

"This initiative witnessed a great response from the parents and enrolment in English medium classes has increased considerably. So far, 3,32,590 children have been enrolled in English medium sections," he said, adding primary school teachers are trained every year in teaching through English language."



"The improvement in enrolment and performance in English



in State Level Achievement Survey prove that English medium in government schools is not just a pretentious claim but really a paramount achievement due to the efforts of the Tamil Nadu Government," he said.

He said at primary level, the Net Enrolment Rate has increased to an all time high of 99.85 per cent during 2015-16 and at upper primary level, NER improved to 99.11 per cent during 2015-16.
Today at The Stream I provide some analysis of Donald Trumps speech earlier this week at the Detroit Economic Club. As I conclude, The trouble for Trumps promised future lies in the impossibility of reclaiming a bygone era.

In Trumps campaign there is a mix of both nostalgia and optimism, which bookend serious critiques of Americas more recent past and the legacy of his political opponents in particular. This approach is appealing to an important, and often overlooked segment of the American public. These are the new voters who Trump has promised to bring to the GOP, and who have sometimes embraced his campaign with a kind of religious fervor.

But the broader appeal of this vision is dubious. Trumps larger economic vision certainly does bear some resemblance to Bernie Sanders agenda, as they emphasize nationalism, interventionist trade policy, and a revitalization of traditional manufacturing and labor sectors. It remains to be seen how many of Sanders supporters will migrate to the similarly nationalist approach of Donald Trump.

The real challenge for Trump is to express this hopeful vision about the future while simultaneously hearkening back to an idyllic past. If Clinton is the candidate of the past, it is the recent past, the last few decades of the Obama administration and bad trade deals like NAFTA. Trump, meanwhile, is both the candidate of the future as well as of the more remote, perhaps even mythic past, in which America was first: in jobs, manufacturing, global influence, leadership, and military strength.

As Trump put it in his Detroit speech, Americanism, not globalism, will be our new credo. Joseph Sunde pointed out the salient Christian critique of such a credo recently, and I also recommend Abraham Kuypers treatise Twofold Fatherland for a proper and penultimate valuation of the nation-state and national identity relative to Christian citizenship in Gods kingdom. Twofold Fatherland is included in the forthcoming On the Church volume of the Abraham Kuyper Collected Works in Public Theology.



A recent ad from Trumps opponent Hillary Clinton inadvertently teaches us a better lesson about how the golden rule ought to inform our considerations of international trade. Trump, for all his America First bravado, has not operated consistently with that credo as a businessman.

Listen closely to what Trump said when shown Trump-branded shirts that are made in Bangladesh: Well, thats good. We employ people in Bangladesh, thats good. They have to work, too.

Indeed, people the world over have to work, and to do so most effectively they need to be able to exchange goods and services with others, not only within their own national borders but all over the globe. And it isnt just factory workers in Bangladesh that are made better off in such a system. American shoppers at Macys can get shirts that they can afford, with the Trump label on them that they so desire.

The look of chagrin on Trumps face at the end of the ad is an admission that they have to work, too is an honest assessment of one of the real merits of global trade. It may not be politically expedient for him to acknowledge it in his campaign speeches, but Trump surely knows it to be true.

And lest you think Hillary Clinton is any better on this issue, realize that the ad is designed not to display the benefits of free trade, but to indict Trump as a hypocrite who doesnt actually live by a nationalist credo. Clinton has been working hard in recent weeks to cater to Bernie Sanders supporters with precisely that same kind of Americanist and class-based sloganeering. Ahead of her own major economic speech, Clinton observed:

I really would like him to explain why he paid Chinese workers to make Trump ties, she said at a visit to Knotty Tie Co., a Denver-based tie manufacturer, last week. She held up a Trump tie. Its got his name on it, of course, and, instead of deciding to make those ties right here in Colorado with a company like Knotty.

Trump, Clinton, or any other presidential candidate should acknowledge how the economy has developed and recognize that the successful way forward is for government policy to catalyze the potential dynamism of entrepreneurs and take a posture of openness and reciprocity towards other nations.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his personal intervention for release of four Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan navy, besides release of 103 boats.

In the latest incident, four fishermen in a mechanised fishing boat, who had set sail from Jegathapattinam fishing base in Pudukkottai district, had been arrested by the Lankan Navy on Monday, the Chief Minister said in her letter dated August 9, which was released today.

This recent act of the Sri Lankan Navy has again created anxiety and unrest in the minds of the fishermen, she said.

A "firm, clear, unequivocal and unambiguous" message should be sent out by Indian government to Sri Lanka to ensure that these arrests are stopped and "the livelihood of the poor and innocent fishermen from Tamil Nadu who are engaged in fishing in their traditional waters is protected," she said.

Colombo's strategy of not releasing the boats was causing "great frustration amongst" the fishermen of Tamil Nadu, she added.

"Without their livelihood base, these fishermen are in a state of despondency. I urge you to take this up with the highest authorities of the Sri Lankan government and ensure the immediate release of the precariously berthed boats which continue to suffer great damage," she said.

The Indian Government "must take necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of our fishermen. I request your personal intervention to secure the release of the fishermen and 103 fishing boats currently in Sri Lankan custody at the earliest," Jayalalithaa said.

The chief Minister reiterated that retrieving Katchatheevu islet from Sri Lanka and abrogation of the 1974 and 1976 agreements alone could restore the traditional fishing grounds of the Palk Bay to the state's fishermen.

Jayalalithaa also reminded the Prime Minister of her demand for a deep sea fishing and infrastructure package of Rs 1,520 crore.
Telecom regulator Trai today said it will bring out a consultation paper on Net Neutrality, and separately also firm-up its views on the issue of Free Data by the end of the month.

"For net neutrality, the pre-consultation has happened and we are now in the process of firming-up the final consultation paper, hopefully by the end of this month," Trai Chairman, R S Sharma said on the sidelines of a conference.

He further said the regulator will take a view on Free Data in a similar timeframe. "By month-end, we will be able to take a call... I can't say what will be the outcome of that. Every consultation paper does not have to result into regulation or tariff order but whatever the conclusion, we will be able to make it, by the month-end," he said.

The two issues, Free Data and Net Neutrality, will be handled separately. "These two will be different, certainly. Because in the Free Data paper, we have said that whatever architecture is brought out that should respect the principles of Net Neutrality," he said.

In Free Data, the regulator is exploring models to give consumers free Internet service within the Net Neutrality framework, after barring platforms like Facebook's Free Basics and Airtel Zero under its differential pricing rule.

It sought public views on whether there is a need to have TSP-agnostic platform to provide free data or suitable reimbursement to users, without violating the principles of its differential pricing for data rules.

In May this year, Trai, through a pre-consultation round, sought public views on aspects of Net Neutrality that need be considered for a discussion framework.

There has been a conflict between telecom operators, Internet companies and consumers interest on the issue of net neutrality.

While all the three major stakeholders - telecom operators, Internet companies and consumers - favour net neutrality, they define it differently from their standpoint.

The debate on net neutrality picked up in India when telecom operator Bharti Airtel in December 2014 decided to charge extra for making Internet calls. But, the company rolled back its plan after public protest.

It then launched Airtel Zero platform which provided fee access to websites under it, while websites were required pay for being on it.

Later, Facebook also came up with a zero rating platform 'Free Basics' which provided free access to some websites available on its platform for Reliance Communications customers in India.

Both these platforms were seen as violation to net neutrality and later Trai issued a regulation which barred zero rating platform.
Connectivity to the bustling Old Delhi, which traces its roots back to the 17th century Mughal-era, is set to get a boost with Delhi Metro's Heritage Corridor beginning the trial run today.

The trial run on the 5.1-km-long section, an extension of the Violet Line, was launched at the Delhi Gate station during an event attended by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) chief Mangu Singh and Chief Secretary K K Sharma.

Singh said the "most challenging" task was to carry out construction in narrow pockets of the walled city, and to overcome that DMRC had to go for "out-of-the-book solutions".

The line, which will have three stations, is expected to begin operations by November.

Singh claimed that 95 per cent of the work relating to the construction of viaducts and tunnels on Phase III has been completed although issues remain in few patches like the one involving acquisition of land at Trilokpuri.

"Delays in obtaining clearance from ASI and National Monument Association delayed construction and engineering complications added to the eight-month-long delay in beginning the trial run," DMRC chief spokesman Anuj Dayal said.

This entirely underground section, an extension of the currently operational Escorts Mujesar (Faridabad) - ITO corridor, will comprise of four stations - Delhi Gate, Jama Masjid, Lal Quila and Kashmere Gate.

After the commercial launch of the line, Kashmere Gate will become the only station in the entire network to have three interchanges, as it is already an interchange point for Line 1 (Red Line) and Line 2 (Yellow Line).

"The Kashmere Gate station will play a very important role in Multi-Modal Integration of various transport systems as it is very close to ISBT. In near future it will have the highest ridership," a metro official said.

The section will help de-congest Kashmere Gate, Rajiv Chowk, and Central Secretariat stations by providing alternative routes to commuters.

After the commissioning of this section, residents of Faridabad and south Delhi areas such as Govindpuri, Kalkaji, Nehru Place and East of Kailash will be able to travel directly to Old Delhi.

As the corridor passes through areas of historical importance, the stations have been decorated with panels and artworks depicting the glory of the era bygone.
At least eight people, mostly civilians, were killed today in two separate bomb attacks targeting police blamed on Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in Turkey's southeast, officials said.

Five people, all civilians, were killed in a car bomb attack in the centre of the city of Diyarbakir, the regional governor's office said in a statement. Twelve people were wounded including five police, it added.

Another three people -- two civilians and one policeman -- lost their lives in a near-simultaneous car bombing in Kiziltepe in Mardin province to the south, said Transport Minister Ahmet Arslan, quoted by the state-run Anadolu agency.

Fifteen civilians were wounded in the attack which took place close to the town's hospital, he added.

Both bomb attacks had been aimed at passing police vehicles but ended up killing mainly civilians.

Pictures showed the force of the explosion caused considerable damage to nearby buildings and vehicles in the Mardin bombing.

The authorities believe both blasts have been carried out by the PKK, a Turkish official said.

Hundreds of members of the Turkish security forces have been killed by the PKK in attacks since the collapse of a two-year ceasefire in July last year.

Earlier today, five Turkish soldiers were killed in an attack blamed on PKK militants in Uludere in the southeastern Sirnak province close to the Iraqi border. Eight other soldiers were wounded.

Over 40,000 people have been killed since the PKK first took up arms in 1984. It is proscribed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.

The PKK has kept up attacks after the July 15 failed coup during which a rogue military faction tried to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power.

The government has vowed there will be no let-up in the fight against the PKK even in the wake of the coup.

The Turkish army's hierarchy has been badly hit in the purge since the coup, with top generals accused of complicity in the plot.

Nearly half of all generals have been imprisoned or dismissed, raising concerns about the coordination of the fight against Kurdish rebels.

More than 600 Turkish security force members have been killed by the PKK since the collapse of a ceasefire last year, according to a toll given by Anadolu on July 31.
CPI(M)-led LDF government will send two of its ministers to Rome to attend the September 4 canonisation ceremony of Mother Teresa, in which she would be elevated to sainthood.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here today that state Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac and Water Resources Minister Mathew T Thomas would represent the state government in the much-awaited function.

"The government will send an official delegation to the canonisation ceremony of Mother Teresa. Ministers-Thomas Isaac and Mathew T Thomas will attend the function," he told a press meet here.

The government is sending the delegation according to the request of Syro Malankara Church Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis, the chief minister added.

Teresa was beatified by then Pope John Paul II in 2003.

In March, Pope Francis had announced that she would be elevated to sainthood after the Church recognised two miracles she was said to have carried out.

Teresa died in 1997.
Three expelled Congress MLAs today joined BSP ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections due early next year.

An SP MLA and a BJP leader too joined Mayawati's party, BSP General Secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui told a press conference here.

The MLAs are Nawab Qazim Ali Khan, Muslim Khan and Dil Nawaz Khan (all expelled from Congress) and Nawazish Alam Khan (SP).

BJP leader and former minister Awadhesh Verma also joined BSP, giving the party a boost after some senior leaders, including Swami Prasad Maurya and R K Chaudhary, quit accusing Mayawati of auctioning party tickets for the 2017 assembly polls.

Maurya, who was Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, has joined BJP. He belongs to OBC while Chaudhary is a Dalit, communities which are considered a significant votebank of BSP.

The leaders who joined BSP expressed confidence in the party's policies and programmes.

Asked whether BSP will give them tickets for the upcoming elections to the 403-member Assembly, Siddiqui said it would be decided later.

On Maurya's claim that several BSP MLAs were in touch with him, he dared him to disclose the names.

UP PCC Vice-President Satyadeo Tripathy downplayed today's development, saying it would not harm the prospects of Congress in any way as the party had already expelled them for indulging in anti-party activities.

Congress is trying hard to regain its lost moorings in the state which was once its favourite hunting ground.
The United States today denounced the "genocide" carried out by the Islamic State group against Christians, Shiites and Yazidis, as the State Department unveiled its somber annual report on religious freedom around the world.

In its comprehensive look at the situation in more than 200 countries in 2015, the State Department singled out its usual bugbears on the issue of religious repression: ally Saudi Arabia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sudan.

And as in previous years, the US government expressed concern at the rise of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in Europe, against a backdrop of the continent's migrant crisis and an uptick in jihadist attacks.

But the report denounced non-state actors like the IS group and the Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram, which "continued to rank amongst the most egregious abusers of religious freedom in the world."



The IS group "continued to pursue a brutal strategy of what Secretary (John) Kerry judged to constitute genocide against Yazidis, Christians, Shiites, and other vulnerable groups in the territory it controlled," the State Department said.

Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who formally unveiled the report, recalled that Secretary of State John Kerry had in March "made clear his judgment that Daesh is responsible for genocide against religious communities in areas under its control."



"Daesh kills Yazidis because they are Yazidi, Christians because they are Christian, Shia Muslims because they are Shia," Blinken told reporters, using an Arabic acronym for the IS group.

He also accused the Sunni jihadists, who control swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, of being "responsible for crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing."



Kerry and United Nations experts had previously used the term "genocide" -- which has legal implications in the United States -- to refer to crimes carried out by IS jihadists in Iraq and Syria.

In the two war-torn countries, jihadists were "responsible for barbarous acts, including killings, torture, enslavement and trafficking, rape and other sexual abuse against religious and ethnic minorities and Sunnis," the report said.

The State Department's global view on religious freedom does not spare many countries, with the notable exception of home soil, where Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been criticized for his anti-Muslim rhetoric.
Afghanistan has sought more military supplies from India including attack helicopters as it steppped up its offensive last week against terror groups killing 300 Islamic State terrorists, the top and NATO commander in the war-ravaged country said today.

General John Nicholson, here on his second visit, said India has been making "enoromously valuable" contribution in strengthening Afghan security forces and the favours the military support.

India has already provided four Mi-25 helicopters to Afghanistan and Commander said the country needs more military aircraft to deal with Taliban and various other terror outfits.

Welcoming India's contribution to restoring peace and stability in Afghanistan, Nicholson said terror outfits like the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad are not only a threat to Afghanistan but to the region, including India, and the US was putting pressure on Pakistan to contain these groups. He said the Taliban also "enjoys sanctuaries" in Pakistan.

"We consistently encourage Pakistan to take action against terrorist groups that operate from its territory and close down their safe havens," he told journalists.

Nicholson, who heads the US operations in Afghanistan, met National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and Defence Secretary G Mohan Kumar and discussed a range of issues including situation in Afghanistan and terror threat to the region.

The US commander said Afghan forces, supported by the US, had launched a major offensive against Islamic State terror outfit two weeks back in which around 300 IS fighters were killed.

"In the course of the operation they killed a number of top leaders of the organisation and upto 300 of their fighters. Obviously it's difficult to get an exact count, but what this amounts to is about 25% of the organisation at least, and so this represents a severe setback for them. It reduced their territory," he said.

The US Commander said military training by India to thousands of Afghan security personnel has helped that country in significantly enhancing its military capability which is in tune with the objective of the NATO and the US.
A top US university has appointed a first full-time director for Hindu Life in recognition of the growing number of Hindu students at the varsity.

"I am pleased to announce the appointment of Brahmachari Vrajvihari Sharan as Georgetown's first full-time Director for Hindu Life and the first Hindu priest chaplain in the United States," Rev Howard Gray, Interim Vice President for Mission and Ministry at university said.

Sharan joins the Georgetown University from the University of Edinburgh where he served as honorary Hindu Chaplain since 2010.

He will also serve as chaplain-in-residence to first-year students in New South Hall.

"Sharan was drawn to Georgetown by its commitment to inter-religious student formation, and by the vibrancy of the university's Hindu community," Gray said in a blog post.

The university has some 400 Hindu university and faculty members.

From its foundation in 1789, Georgetown, the nation's oldest Catholic and Jesuit university, has been open to students of every religious tradition, he wrote.

Sharan is a Senior Monk at Shri Golok Dham Ashram (Vrindavan and New Delhi) where he was initiated in 2003.

He subsequently completed ritual training at the Vishwanath Sannyas Ashram in both Varanasi and Delhi.

Since completing his PhD in Sanskrit at Edinburgh in 2015, Sharan has also served as Lecturer of Asian Religions at Cardiff University in Wales and Senior Teaching Fellow in Sanskrit at the University of London in England.

Sharan has been a major contributor to interfaith initiatives across the UK and is a Patron of the Hindu Forum of Europe, Gray said.

Notably, Sharan is Georgetown University's second Hindu chaplain.

Pratima Dharan, the first Hindu chaplain resigned in January 2015 after three months of working at the university.

The Georgetown University Hindu Students Association welcomed the appointment of first full-time Director for Hindu Life in Campus Ministry.

"We are so thankful and appreciative of all the hard work and dedication that went into making this possible (both on behalf of the university and our fellow Hindu students)," the association said.

"I look forward to meeting each one of you wonderful, dynamic students when you return. In the mean time feel free to message me with any questions, or just say hi! If you're already on campus," Sharan said in a message to Hindu students.
Ahead of Independence Day, Village Defence Committees (VDCs) along the Indo-Pak border areas here have been put on alert.

"In view of forthcoming Independence Day and the current security scenario in the state, the VDCs were advised to remain alert and cooperate with VDC members performing duties in their respective areas," a police officer said.

"If they spot any suspicious looking person or object, they should inform the nearest police or army person," he said.

During the meeting, chowkidars and numberdars were given copy of order and format for tenants verification issued by the district magistrate of Jammu.
Note: This is the second in a series examining the positions of several minor party and independent presidential candidates on issues covered by the Acton Institute. A previous series covered the Democratic Party platform (see here and here) and the Republican Party Platform (see here and here).

Although minor parties  often called third parties to distinguish them from the dominant two  have always been a part of American politics, the dissatisfaction with the Republican and Democratic parties in the current election season has led some Christians to give them more consideration. The intention of this series is to provide some basic information on where some of these parties stand on issues covered by the Acton Institute.

A couple of caveats are thus in order.



1. Because there are roughly 50 minor political parties in America this series will not be able to cover them all. The choice of what will be included is undeniably arbitrary and subjective. My intention is to highlight the four or five parties (or individual presidential candidacies) that would be of most interest to our readers. Currently, the plan is to include Evan McMullin (a conservative independent candidate), the Libertarian Party, the American Solidarity Party, the Green Party, and the Constitution Party. (Others will be added if there is sufficient interest/demand.)

2. In general, the PowerBlog covers issues related to economics and individual liberty, particularly religious freedom. For this reason some social issues of concern to Christians are not included. This is not because they are unimportant or because those of us at Acton do not care about the issues. Its merely because they are outside the focus of this blog.

3. For the sake of simplicity, this series will highlight the position listed in a partys platform or, if they are a non-aligned independent candidate, the positions listed on their website. Unlike with the two major parties, the nominees of the minor parties often have no direct control over their partys platform. For this reason, the positions held by the particular presidential candidates may differ radically from the positions held by the party. For example, Libertarian Party candidates, Gary Johnson and William Weld, differ with their partys platform on a number of issues.*

4. Minor parties tend to focus more on broad principles than specific policy prescriptions. Wherever possible, Ill try to highlight the direct policy positions. Otherwise Ill attempt to summarize their underlying philosophy on a public policy area.

Here are the positions of the Libertarian Party as outlined in their 2016 Platform:

General Principles

 Believe that all individuals have the right to exercise sole dominion over their own lives, and have the right to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose.

 Supports a general the right to life and the prohibition of the initiation of physical force against others by government.**

 Supports a broad-based right to liberty of speech and action.

 Opposes all attempts by government to abridge the freedom of speech and press.

 Opposes government censorship in any form.

 Supports a broad-based right to property and opposes all government interference with private property, such as confiscation, nationalization, and eminent domain.

 Supports laws that prohibit robbery, trespass, fraud, and misrepresentation.

 Opposes any government interference in areas of voluntary and contractual relations among individuals.

 Opposes any requirement that forces individuals to sacrifice their lives and property for the benefit of others.

 Opposes any initiation of force by any individual, group, or government against any other individual, group, or government.

 Supports the concept of self-ownership  that individuals own their bodies and have rights over them that other individuals, groups, and governments may not violate.

Discrimination

 Supports allowing members of private organizations to retain their rights to set whatever standards of association they deem appropriate, and individuals are free to respond with ostracism, boycotts and other free-market solutions.

 Opposes the government allowing sexual orientation, preference, gender, or gender identity to have any impact on the governments treatment of individuals, such as in current marriage, child custody, adoption, immigration or military service laws.

Education

 Supports allowing parents to determine the education of their children, without interference from government.

 Supports allowing parents to have control of and responsibility for all funds expended for their childrens education.

Economic Liberty

 Supports the individuals right to offer goods and services to others on the free market.

 Supports limiting government involvement in economics to protecting property rights, adjudicating disputes, and providing a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected.

 Opposes any governmental efforts to redistribute wealth or manage trade.

 Opposes any government restrictions on the individuals rights to control and enjoy their property, as long as their choices do not harm or infringe on the rights of others.

 Opposes eminent domain.

 Opposes civil asset forfeiture.

 Opposes governmental limits on profits.

 Opposes governmental production mandates.

 Opposes governmental controls on prices of goods and services (including wages, rents, and interest).

 Opposes any anti-discrimination laws that hinder private entities freedom to choose who they will trade with.

Environment

 Supports clear definition and enforcement of individual rights and responsibilities regarding resources like land, water, air, and wildlife.

 Supports restitution to injured parties when environmental damages can be proven and quantified in a court of law.

Governance and Regulation

 Opposes any government regulations that affect individuals right to sole dominion, except when given with the individuals consent.

 Supports the abolishment of all federal programs and services not required under the U.S. Constitution.

Individual Liberty

 Supports interpreting the Fourth Amendment prohibition on unreasonable search and seizure to include records held by third parties, such as email, medical, and library records.

 Opposes any governmental regulations to define, license or restrict personal relationships.

Justice Issues

 Supports limiting criminal laws to violations of the rights of others through force or fraud, or to deliberate actions that place others involuntarily at significant risk of harm.

 Opposes all laws that prohibit the use of drugs for medicinal or recreational purposes.

 Supports the common-law right of juries to judge not only the facts but also the justice of the law (i.e., jury nullification).

Labor

 Supports the right of private employers and employees to choose whether or not to bargain with each other through a labor union.

 Opposes government interference in labor disputes, such as compulsory arbitration or imposing an obligation to bargain.

 Supports repealing any requirement that one must join or pay dues to a union as a condition of government employment.

Money and Financial Markets

 Supports free-market banking, with unrestricted competition among banks and depository institutions of all types.

 Opposes government guarantees and bailouts.

 Supports allowing individuals engaged in voluntary exchange to use as money any mutually agreeable commodity or item.

 Opposes inflationary monetary policies.

 Opposes legal tender laws.

Parental Rights

 Supports allowing parents, or other guardians, to have the right to raise their children according to their own standards and beliefs. (Their position adds the caveat, This statement shall not be construed to condone child abuse or neglect.)

Religious Freedom

 Supports the freedom to engage in or abstain from any religious activities that do not violate the rights of others.

 Opposes government actions which either aid or attack any religion.

Taxation

 Supports repeal of the 16 Amendment, which allows government to collect an income tax.

 Supports the abolishment of the Internal Revenue Service.

 Opposes any legal requirements forcing employers to serve as tax collectors.

 Opposes deficit spending.

 Opposes all forms of national debt.

 Supports passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, provided that the budget is balanced exclusively by cutting expenditures, and not by raising taxes.

Trade

 Supports the removal of governmental impediments to free trade.

* A few examples of where Johnson differs from the platform: He supports anti-discrimination laws that require businesses to serve anyone and everyone (even forcing Jewish baker to bake cakes for Nazis), supports government subsidization of private organizations (such as Planned Parenthood), supports some gun control, etc. A few examples of where Weld differs from the platform: He supports some gun control (including a ban on assault weapons), redistribution of wealth, ect.

**Although the LP uses the phrase right to life they do not mean it to have the same denotation and connotation as that given by anti-abortion groups. The LP opposes any government involvement in the regulation of abortion.

Next in the series: The American Solidarity Party
A hardcore criminal, wanted in around 30 criminal cases, and two of his accomplices were arrested in an operation, Haryana police said today.

Acting on a tip-off, police nabbed Surjeet Kataria alias Billu and his accomplice Davinder alias Dev from Surat Nagar, near Gurgaon, a Haryana police spokesman said, adding another accomplice, Gaurav, was nabbed from Delhi this morning.

Four pistols, two of them country-made, three dozen cartridges, 18 mobile phones, a car, three sets of police uniform and a number of fake vehicle registration certificates and driving licences were recovered from their possession, he said.

During interrogation, it was revealed that around 30 cases of murder, attempt to murder, loot and robbery were registered against Surjeet who was sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case but was out on parole since October 2015, said the spokesman.

Surjeet, who was to return to jail next month, had become active again while being out on parole and committed a number of crimes, he added.

As regards the police uniforms recovered from their possession, the accused revealed that they were to commit a major crime where there was a plan to use them.
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, which presently registers 90 per cent of its sales from online channel in India, is planning to double offline presence over the next few months.

"For us, online is the dominant channel and we are trying to build a base for offline in India. We had a partnership with Redington last year (for distribution) and four weeks back, tied up with Innocomm and Just Buy Live," India Head Manu Jain said here.

Jain added that with these two new partners, the company now sells its products via 5,000 shops and plans to double the figure in a few months.

launched Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime in the country priced at Rs 6,999 and Rs 8,999, respectively.

The phones will be initially available at Mi.Com and Flipkart.

Xiaomi, which sells over 1 million phones a quarter in the country, did its first sale for Redmi 3S yesterday on Flipkart and Mi.Com and sold out all 90,000 units.

"For the first sale that we did yesterday, we wanted to bring the highest possible quantity and we brought 90,000 units. Everything was added to cart in a few minutes and it took two-and-a-half hours to ship out everything," Jain said.

chose open sale, instead of the usual flash sale yesterday, as the company brought significantly higher volumes than it ever did, Jain said.

Xiaomi will have another open sale on August 17 for Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime with similar number of units.

Both the phones have been manufactured in India at the company's Andhra Pradesh facility.

"We are scaling up the facility at Andhra Pradesh. We are adding more lines and more capacity to the same plant and once we exhaust it, we are thinking of adding more factories along with our partners Foxconn," he said.
It took him more than two years, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has finally discovered the art of the deal.

Realising that a frontal assault wasn't securing the votes needed for India's biggest-ever tax reform, Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley changed tack this spring, government and ruling party sources have told Reuters.

First, they sought to build a coalition among the nation's 29 state governments to isolate the Congress party, which despite losing heavily to Modi in 2014 had blocked a new Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the Rajya Sabha.

Then, Jaitley held a series of meetings with Congress leaders whose outcome was uncertain right up to the last minute, sources close to the finance minister said.

He yielded to their demands  accepting, verbatim, a clause they proposed for the constitutional amendment needed to make the GST happen, according to a member of the Congress team that included former Finance Minister P Chidambaram.

"Negotiations take place only if both sides are willing to be flexible," senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told Reuters. "Both sides were pragmatic."

An aide to Jaitley said Congress's growing isolation proved decisive in making a compromise possible.

"They had got themselves into a corner," said the finance ministry official, who was privy to the talks. "They had two options: strike a deal and come out with your reputation intact, or lose your credibility."

Last week's unanimous upper-house vote to pass the 122nd amendment to the constitution brings the wheel full circle  the GST was proposed by Chidambaram a decade ago but was stalled by political rivalry.

Introducing a unified sales tax across India's market of 1.3 billion people would mark a bold act of integration at a time of disintegration elsewhere, as Britain exits the European Union and a protectionist, Donald Trump, runs for the U.S. presidency.

The GST vote also addresses how India, as a federation, can implement a one-size-fits-all sales tax  something the United States and EU have been unable to do  by creating a GST Council that brings the centre and the states together.

Tough bargaining on the rate and scope of the tax lies ahead, yet at least the atmosphere has improved, with Chidambaram praising Jaitley's "friendly and conciliatory tone".

That could revive projects that foundered early in Modi's rule, including land and labour reforms.

EARLY STANDOFF

Despite winning India's biggest mandate in 30 years, Modi has struggled to advance his agenda.

Congress, though reduced to a rump opposition, has resisted. As the largest party in the Rajya Sabha that represents the states, it had blocked the GST and derailed Modi's land acquisition bill which critics branded as being "anti-farmer".

While that tactic proved effective, it wasn't winning public support. Congress took hits in state elections and in June lost the Rajya Sabha votes it needed to be sure of stopping the GST.

This was the cue for Jaitley to court the states, with key swing state West Bengal soon declaring its support. In July, he targeted Bihar, while at the same time re-engaging with Congress after nine months of radio silence.

Jaitley's promise to the states to compensate revenue losses for five years, made at talks in New Delhi on July 26, won them over, West Bengal's finance minister Amit Mitra told Reuters.

Congress moved to cut a deal, while Modi and Jaitley were ready to offer concessions  including scrapping a levy of 1 per cent on the movement of goods between states  that experts say would actually make the GST a better tax.

On the morning of July, 27 Congress submitted a written proposal, with new wording on resolving GST disputes between the centre and the states. Modi's cabinet approved identical tweaks that same evening.

When it came to the Aug. 3 vote, there were 203 votes in favour, and none against. The amendment passed the lower house on Monday, also unanimously.

It was a first for Modi, who called the GST a "Great Step towards Transformation".

By abandoning confrontation and seeking consensus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pulled off his biggest reform yet, securing the unanimous support of both houses of parliament for a planned Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Here's a timeline of how Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley first brought India's federal states on board, before finally closing the deal at a series of meetings with an opposition Congress party that had become increasingly isolated.

TIMELINE



May 19 - Congress, which suffered its worst-ever election defeat at the hands of Modi in 2014, is punished by voters in a round of regional elections.

June 11 - Further losses in elections to the upper house mean that Congress and its fellow holdout, Tamil Nadu's ruling party, would struggle to muster the one-third of votes needed to stop a constitutional amendment to enable the GST.

June 15-16 - Jaitley wins the full support of West Bengal, a key swing state. Congress's anti-GST front is crumbling.

July 15 - Jaitley holds formal talks on the GST with Congress party negotiators for the first time in nine months.

July 17 - At an all-party meeting, Modi urges opposition parties to put national interests above all else and back the .

July 19 - Jaitley holds a second round of talks with Congress. He also meets Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who rules in an alliance with Congress. Kumar is placated by a government offer to delay a controversial piece of legislation and his party publicly backs the GST the next day.

July 26 - Jaitley offers to compensate states for five years for all revenue losses arising from the GST. The states are fully on board.

July 27 - Congress proposes tweaks to the GST amendment. They are approved by Modi's cabinet that evening.

July 28 - Two more meetings are held but Jaitley resists a Congress demand to anchor the GST rate at 18 per cent.

Aug 1 - Congress tells Jaitley it will back the bill.

Aug 3 - The constitutional amendment bill passes the upper house, with 203 votes in favour and none against, after lawmakers from Tamil Nadu walk out.

Aug 8 - The lower house unanimously approves the amendment.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

- At least half of India's states and self-governing union territories need to back the GST amendment.

- The GST Council, a forum bringing together the centre and the states, should draft the key terms and scope of the GST. The government's chief economic adviser has recommended a main rate of 18 percent, but many states want it to be higher while Congress wants it to be capped.

- Two new GST bills are expected to come before parliament in the winter session that begins in November. The states, too, are required to pass their own GST bills.

- The government targets a GST launch date of next April 1, the start of India's financial year, although experts say that deadline is likely to slip.
Defending champion Andy Murray raced into the Olympic Games last 16 today, blitzing Juan Monaco of Argentina 6-3, 6-1, before sympathising with long-time rival Novak Djokovic over his stunning exit.

World number 2 Murray is looking to become the first man to win two Olympic singles golds, a cause helped when Juan Martin del Potro put out world number one Djokovic in the first round.

"Del Potro is a great player when he's fit, but he hasn't been fit very often in the last few years," said Murray.

"In a 64-player draw with 16 seeds that's the kind of thing that can happen and Juan Martin was playing really well. It was tough on Novak."

Murray will face France's Benoit Paire, the 16th seed, or newly-wed Fabio Fognini of Italy for a quarter-final spot.

Wimbledon champion Murray was hardly troubled by Monaco on centre court, extending a head-to-head winning streak which stretches back six years.

The Argentine never fully recovered from a fall in the second game of the opening set where he aggravated a long-standing hip injury.

Murray reeled off five games against the world number 108 and was soon 4-0 up in the second set before going on to claim victory in just 69 minutes.

"It felt good, I played well from the back of the court. There weren't many unforced errors," said Murray, 29, after racking up a 14th successive win since losing the French Open final to Djokovic in June.

Meanwhile American seventh seed Madison Keys hailed Serena Williams for inspiring her to reach the quarter-finals.

Keys, 21, was the first woman into the last eight thanks to a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over gritty Spaniard, Carla Suarez Navarro.

But she gave credit to 22-time Slam winner Williams, the top seed in Rio and defending Olympic champion.

"Hey, I'm happy to be on the same team as Serena Williams, it's thanks to her that I was able to get my ranking up and qualify," said Keys.

Keys, who made the Australian Open semi-finals in January, will face either Italy's Sara Errani or promising Russian Daria Kasatkina for a place in the last four.

Spanish seventh seed David Ferrer was knocked out by Russia's Evgeny Donskoy 3-6, 7-6 (7/1), 7-5.

Ferrer is the third top-10 seed to fail to make the third round after Djokovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova needed three sets to beat Russia's Ekaterina Makarova 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Williams will continue her assault on a fifth career Olympic gold when she faces Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.

Read our full coverage on the 2016 Rio Olympics



The 34-year-old American has won all four meetings against Svitolina, including at this year's French Open where she gave up just two games.

Second seed Angelique Kerber faces Australia's 2011 US Open winner Samantha Stosur while third-seeded Muguruza takes on Monica Puig of Puerto Rico.
Coolpad, the smartphone manufacturer on Wednesday unveiled the  Mega  a smartphone with an unparalleled style and design. It is a light weight phone, with 5.5-inch HD sharp display and a 3GB RAM, priced at Rs 6,999, the company said in a statement.
Commercial Feature is a Business Standard Digital Marketing Initiative.

The Editorial/Content team at Business Standard has not contributed to writing or editing these articles.

For further information, please write to assist@bsmail.in
After Infosys, recently Cognizant cut its guidance for full-year growth. Wipro has been in a turnaround mode for years now. Even the reliable TCS turned in some modest numbers and the management commentary has been cautious.HCL Tech was an exception but it was coming off disappointing results over the past couple of quarters. Midsized players like MindTree and Hexaware have also declared not very encouraging numbers. It is clear that Indian IT service companies are struggling. What ails them?After reigning supreme for nearly two decades, the low cost, high quality, people intensive, value delivery of Indian IT companies based mostly on offshoring work has come in for serious challenge.Automation of low-end work especially in the areas of application maintenance and testing as well as package implementation has meant that some of that work has reduced or even permanently disappeared. Several of the large European and US companies have built low cost bases themselves, including in markets like India, eroding competitive advantage of Indian IT services players.Structural shifts in the IT services landscape like the move to cloud has left Indian IT services companies scrambling to adapt. Indian IT companies are investing in platforms, machine learning and AI (artificial intelligence) to address market changes. But the pace of those investments has been behind the curve compared to the speed at which changes have been taking place in the market.The old solution of throwing more warm bodies for a lower price is not working any more. While most players still enjoy enviable margins compared to their global peers, the writing is clear on the wall. Events like Brexit have only added to the uncertainty as the UK is one of the key markets for Indian IT after the US. In a slow growth world, countries are also becoming less open to free trade and more protectionist.

Indian companies have tried to tackle this by having more near shore centres or hiring people where market opportunity exists.

It is clear that the old model is not working and Indian IT services companies are in a period of churn, which may even last a few years, before the full contours of the changes become completely visible.



Those companies who adapt to the changing market conditions will survive and thrive. Others may end up as targets for M&A or victims of marketplace changes. Quoting an old Chinese curse: "Indian IT service companies are living in interesting times."
 Did World Vision Employee Spy for Hamas? | Main | Pragmatic Iranian Official Boasts of Tsunami in Nuclear ActivityMedia M.I.A 

August 10, 2016

LA Times Silent on International Aid Going to Hamas

The New York Times last week published an in-depth article, more than 1,100 words, about the Gaza director for World Vision, a Christian aid organization, who was charged with funneling over $40 million to the Hamas terrorist organization. Before the Times reporters had completed that story, their paper's website already posted this Associated Press article about Mohammed el-Halabi, the World Vision employee.

The Times continued its strong coverage on the subject with a long article in print today about a United Nations aid worker similarly charged with helping Hamas in Gaza. The charges are significant enough that Australia and Germany have halted their support for World Vision projects in Gaza and the West Bank.

Yet, The Los Angeles Times print edition published not a single word about the employees working for World Vision, the United Nations Development Program and Save the Children, another international aid group, who have been arrested for funneling aid money to Hamas. (The Los Angeles Times website did run three Associated Press news stories, inexplicably in the nation section, though the stories are international. Please see clarification below.)

The LA Times' utter failure to cover this critical story is all the more glaring in light of the paper's publication today of an article about the slow reconstruction of homes in Gaza since the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas ("2 years after Gaza war, still no homes"). Given the vital role that international organizations, including the United Nations, play in the rebuilding of homes in Gaza, the oversight is all the more indefensible.

As The New York Times reported, the United Nations Development Program, where Waheed Al Bursh was employed as an engineer, "is helping rebuild thousands of homes and other buildings destroyed by airstrikes" in 2014. Al Bursh was charged with providing material assistance to Hamas, including helping to build a jetty for the terror group.

According to The New York Times, a statement by the Shin Bet, Israel's internal security forces, said that Al Bursh "had also persuaded his managers to prioritize the rebuilding of homes in an area 'populated by Hamas members.'"

The implications of widespread abuse of international aid funds are profound. As Ashley Jackson, a research associated at the Overseas Development Institute in London told The New York Times: "Working in the Palestinian territories was hard before, and I can't imagine what it is going to be like now." Robert Piper, a UN humanitarian worker, likewise lamented: "If proven by a due legal process, these actions deserve unreserved condemnation; Gaza's demoralized and vulnerable citizens deserve so much better."

As Naji Sharrab, a political science professor at Al Azhar University in Gaza, candidly told The New York Times: "Hamas has complete authority to interfere and control all the organizations working in Gaza." Hamas' authority to interfere also affects the organizations' efforts to rebuild, though The Los Angeles Times completely ignored this factor in its account of the "multiple headwinds holding up the massive project."



Aug. 12 Clarification and Update

This post was amended on Aug. 12 to reflect the fact that The Los Angeles Times website did publish Associated Press stories on the World Vision in its "Nation" section, though the stories are international news. CAMERA regrets the oversight concerning the online edition. These wire stories did not appear in the print edition.

In addition, an editor at the foreign desk responded to CAMERA's concerns about the paper's failure to cover Hamas' diversion of international aid. The editor stated that the paper's correspondent in Israel is on vacation and thus The Times is unable to cover the story. Of course, the print edition has in the past relied on wire services to fill in on their coverage of Gaza, so it's not clear why editors did not run a wire story in this case as well. Associated Press articles about Gaza which appeared earlier this year in The Los Angeles Times print edition include "''Romeo and Juliet,' Gaza-style; Rift between Hamas and Fatah takes center stage in altered Shakespeare play" (May 14, page A4); "Gaza grapples with sewage crisis, spill poisons coast and Israeli blockade makes matters worse" (May 8, page 14); "Laughter as a medical aid, Palestinian clowns offer relief to kids in Gaza hospitals" (April 3, page A9); and "Gaza's zoo animals die of hunger, disease; 'People have a hard time finding food, much less the animals, a zookeeper laments" (Jan. 31, page A6). Surely if a Gaza theater production and the fate of Gaza's zoo animals merit coverage in the print edition, then so does a large scale funding scandal involving multiple international aid groups and tens of millions of dollars which jeopardizes humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip.

Posted by TS at August 10, 2016 01:52 PM

Guidelines for posting

This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material.

Post a comment
National carrier Air India (AI) and other no-frills airlines SpiceJet and Indigo are offering huge discounts to fliers ahead of Independence Day.

To attract fliers, the airlines have slashed fares on various domestic and international routes during tepid monsoon season.

ALSO READ: SpiceJet's Independence Day sale offers tickets for Rs 399



Air India, which is offering 'monsoon sale' on select sectors in the economy class for both domestic as well as international sectors, began its sale on August 9.

For international fliers, Air India's all inclusive economy return fares to Singapore/Bangkok start from Rs 15999. While fares on the domestic route start from Rs 1199.

Low cost carrier, SpiceJet on Tuesday rolled out a Great Independence Day sale, offering one-way fares as low as Rs 399 for travel to select destinations on its domestic network.

The popular routes on offer at base fare starting Rs 399 are Ahmedabad - Mumbai, Amritsar - Srinagar, Bengaluru - Chennai, Bengaluru - Kochi, Coimbatore - Hyderabad, Jammu - Srinagar, Mumbai - Goa and Mumbai - Hyderabad amongst others.

On the international network, SpiceJet is offering base fare starting from Rs 2999 for Dubai - Delhi and Dubai - Mumbai routes.

Budget airline, Indigo also announced a promotional offer with all-inclusive fares starting as low as Rs 806. IndiGo's offer is applicable only on domestic routes and valid for travel between August 18 and September 30.
The latest Morgan McKinley Irish Employment Monitor has been released today and shows that the availability of professional job opportunities in July 2016 (11,909) rose by 2.4%, when compared to June (11,633).

The number of professionals seeking new roles fell by 2% to 7,635 in July when compared to June 2016 (7,788) and there were 8% fewer professional job opportunities available to Irish job seekers when compared to July 2015.

The data shows that 19% fewer professionals were looking for roles in July when compared with the same month last year. The pharma, medical devices and IT sectors were the top performing sectors in relation to hiring activity this month.

In Financial services, the funds sector experienced a slower start to the year in terms of job opportunities however most recently there is an increased demand from a number of key employers in Dublin looking for talent including Junior and Senior Executive Level Operations personnel in; TA (Transfer Agency), Fund Accounting and Custody, Compliance and Risk.

Chief Operations Officer at Morgan McKinley Ireland, Karen OFlaherty commented, "Jobs growth was relatively steady in July. Fewer candidates were actively seeking new roles, which is primarily due to seasonal factors. Pharma, Medical Devices and IT were again the most buoyant sectors, following by Financial Services."

She added, "The notion of up skilling is not new but the speed and pace of change, driven by technology, means almost all jobs require additional learning to stay relevant. A national skills transfer programme should be prioritised to ensure we have a flexible and resilient workforce."

Source: www.businessworld.ie

About us
New data from ACI Europe, the trade association for European airports has shown that Dublin Airport was the fastest growing major airport in Europe in the first six months of this year.

The data shows that passenger numbers at Dublin Airport increased by 13.4% in the first half of the year, making Dublin the leading performer among top tier European airports which have more than 25 million passengers per year.

The growth at Dublin follows last years record-breaking performance when the airport welcomed 25 million passengers for the first time.

In the first six months of this year, traffic at Dublin Airport grew faster than at Barcelonas El-Prat Airport (+12.7%) Istanbuls Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (+12.0%), Copenhagen Airport (+10.9%) and Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam (+9.9%).

The average growth across European airports was 4.9% in the first half of the year, with airports in the European Union reporting stronger average passenger growth of 6.2%, according to ACI Europe. Traffic at non-EU airports within Europe was almost flat in the first half, growing by just 0.5%

Dublin Airport Managing Director, Vincent Harrison commented, "Dublin Airport had a very strong performance in the first half of this year, welcoming just over 13 million passengers. The growth in passenger numbers at Dublin Airport is having a significant impact on the Irish economy, bringing increased trade and investment and also driving higher visitor numbers, which is in turn boosting the Irish tourist industry."

Dublin Airport is continuing to invest in new facilitates for both passengers and airlines. A 10 million upgrade to the Arrivals Hall in Terminal 1 is currently underway and 10 new aircraft parking stands entered use earlier this year as part of a 20 million upgrade project.

The airport recently completed a 14 million expansion to the Terminal 2 multi-storey car park, which doubled the number of available spaces, opened a new business lounge after US pre-clearance in T2 and installed new self-service check-in and bag drop kiosks in both terminals.

Source: www.businessworld.ie

About us
LOGAN  A judge has ruled that Shane Hallstrom is competent to stand trial in the death of his father, April 28. The ruling came after two psychologists testified during a hearing that they had each interviewed the 25-year-old Smithfield man, finding that he has a high IQ and understands the court process.

Hallstrom sat next to his public defender, Bryan Galloway, Tuesday morning in 1st District Court. He has been in the Cache County Jail since being arrested outside his Smithfield home on the night of the incident. He has been charged with 1st degree murder in the stabbing of Calvin L. Hallstrom.

Salt Lake City psychologist Dr. Ryan Houston told the court that during his evaluation, Hallstrom was emotional and mumbled, 25-to-life while they talked. He explained that from police reports, it appeared that the defendant was in a delirium state on the night of the stabbing, possibly caused by lack of sleep and drinking only caffeinated soda for days before.

Dr. Houston said details of the case are disturbing, especially allegations that Hallstrom was rubbing Calvins blood all over his arms and hands, after stabbing him multiple times, outside his Smithfield home.

Ogden neuropsychologist Dr. Beverly OConnor later testified that Hallstrom showed signs of anxiety and depression, maybe suffering from aspergers or schizo depressive disorder. She said he appeared to be quite intelligent though, with a large vocabulary.

Judge Kevin Allen said the court found that per the doctors evaluations, the defendant is competent. He set a preliminary hearing date for September 27, when prosecutors will present their evidence in the first-degree murder case.

Hallstrom remains in jail and is being held without bail.

<hr /><p style=text-align: center;>will@cvradio.com
 LA Times Silent on International Aid Going to Hamas | Main | LA Times Errs on Western Wall, Still Silent on Stolen Aid 

August 10, 2016

Pragmatic Iranian Official Boasts of Tsunami in Nuclear ActivityMedia M.I.A



The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Ali Akbar Salehi, rejected claims that his country would decelerate its nuclear activity, instead promising a tsunami" in Tehrans nuclear industry. Despite the fact that the AEOI is tasked with operating Iran nuclear facilities, Salehis remarks on Aug. 9, 2016 received scant coverage by major U.S. news media outlets.

Speaking before the Professional Center for Journalism, an Iranian non-profit organization, Salehi disputed rumors that Irans nuclear activity was dissipating. Irans one-time foreign minister told the audience, With all my scientific, technological and administrative experience in the nuclear field for some 50 years, I insist that the nuclear industry has not been shut down and the work is going on. (Irans Atomic Energy Chief Rejects Rumors of Waning Nuclear Activity,? The Algemeiner, Aug. 9, 2016)?

Salehi added that Irans President, Hassan Rouhani, would be meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to discuss, among other things, the construction of two new nuclear power plants for the Islamic Republic. The AEOI chief said that the $10 billion project, once approved by Moscow and Tehran, would create a tsunami? in Irans nuclear industry.

Although Salehis comments were made before the Professional Center for Journalism, they were little noted by the U.S. news media. A Lexis-Nexis search of The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, USA Today and The Baltimore Sun, among other print outlets, showed no mention of Salehis remarks.

The failure to report Irans nuclear chief promising growth in Tehrans nuclear program is conspicuous. As CAMERA has noted (see, for example Watchdog: Iran Nuclear Deal Prevents Public Reporting of Violations,? March 10, 2016), media coverage of Irans nuclear programwhile often flawedhas been extensive. Reporting was particularly substantial in the months before, during and after the July 2015 JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) in which the United States, Germany, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, China and Iran reached an agreement over the latters alleged nuclear weapons program.

Salehi himself is no stranger to the press. Reuters hailed his August 2013 appointment to head the AEOI, characterizing him as a pragmatist (Iran appoints pragmatist Salehi to head nuclear program,? Aug. 16, 2013). The news service quoted Mark Fitzpatrick, the director of the non-proliferation and disarmament program at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a U.K.-based think tank. Fitzpatrick called Salehis appointment wiseSalehi was the best of [former Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejads ministers, a pragmatist who understands how the world works. It made sense to keep him on in some capacity.?



Salehi may indeed be pragmatic in working to achieve hisand the mullahsself-stated goals of increasing Irans nuclear capabilities. As Richard Rorty, a deceased philosopher of pragmatism, once noted, Truth is what your contemporaries let you get away with.?

Irans nuclear chief revealed a truth about his countrys nuclear pursuitsone that seems to contravene the spirit of the Iran nuclear deal. And his contemporaries in the press failed to report it.

Where was the coverage?

Posted by SD at August 10, 2016 02:56 PM

Why indeed has this not rec'd more coverage? Glad you showed this.

Posted by: elen sue jacobson at August 12, 2016 05:40 PM

Guidelines for posting

This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material.

Post a comment
Here are former Hooks taking the field for the Astros in World Series

See which former Corpus Christi Hooks baseball players are taking the field for the Astros in the 2022 World Series.
contributed photo San Antonio's Military Plaza, with San Fernando Church in the background. Gen. Perfecto de Cos, from his vantage point in the church, could see the Texans attack his pack train along Alazan Creek a mile from town. He rushed 200 men and one cannon to rescue them. The battle at San Antonio came to be called the Grass Fight.

In October 1835, the month after Gen. Martin Perfecto de Cos began his campaign to disarm and chastise the Texans, three battles, or skirmishes, were fought  at Gonzales, Goliad and Concepcion outside San Antonio.

The new commander of Texas forces at Goliad was Philip Dimmitt. He replaced George Collinsworth, who captured the presidio. Dimmitt sent 40 men under Capt. Ira Westover to capture Fort Lipantitlan guarding a ford on the Nueces River. Another 14 men joined Westover, including John J. Linn, the alcalde of Victoria, and empresario James Power.

Fort Lipantitlan was built four years before to guard the Santa Margarita crossing on the Nueces River below the Irish settlement of San Patricio, 30 miles from today's Corpus Christi. The fort was built of dirt walls studded with huge wooden rails to hold the dirt in place. Linn described it as, at best, a second-rate hog pen.

Capt. Nicolas Rodriguez, commander at Fort Lipantitlan, heard from spies that the Texans were on their way so he took 80 men to ambush them on the Goliad Road. Westover, however, took a route to the south and they reached a ranch 5 miles downriver from Fort Lipantitlan.

Linn wrote that "A Mexican informed us that Capt. Rodriguez was on the Goliad Road, at the head of his men, expecting to intercept us. We proceeded up the river and with the aid of a canoe crossed the river, which was swollen in volume. We arrived in front of the fortress about dark." The Texans planned to attack at daylight on Nov. 5, 1835.

That night two Irishmen from San Patricio came into the Texas camp. One of them, James O'Reilly, offered to convince the Mexican militia inside the fort to give up. They surrendered when they were assured they would not be harmed. There were 21 men inside, mostly militia, who were released after promising not to take up arms against Texas.

To their great surprise the Texans captured the fort without a shot being fired. Found inside were two four-pounder cannons, eight Old Spanish cavalry guns called "escopets," and a supply of gunpowder, but no shells for the cannon.

The following day, Nov. 6, the Texans burned several buildings inside the fort, including an unfinished barracks, but the earthen walls studded with timber were not easily burned. They took the two cannons and prepared to cross the river to return to Goliad. A norther blew in, the sky turned dark, and a cold rain began to fall.

Capt. Rodriguez and men were almost to Goliad when he heard Lipantitlan had been taken. They rushed back and reached the river as the Texans were trying to cross. Westover was caught with half his men on the east side of the river. Rodriguez attacked in a cold driving rain. The Mexican soldiers were cut down by the accurate rifle fire of the Texans before they could get within range of their muskets. They retreated and Westover's men crossed over to the other side. They had trouble with the two cannons and dumped them in the river.

One Texan, William Bracken, was wounded in the battle. A musket ball tore away three fingers of his right hand. Rodriguez lost 28 men, killed or wounded. Among them was Marcelino Garcia, his second in command, who was friendly with the Texans. He was wounded and taken to San Patricio. He was buried by the Texans, with full military honors, in the San Patricio Cemetery.

After the capture of Lipantitlan, added to the presidio at Goliad, Santa Anna's forces held one stronghold in Texas, San Antonio de Bexar, and Cos's forces there were isolated and under siege.

The Texans heard rumors that a relief column was on its way to San Antonio carrying a large amount of silver for the pay and subsistence of Cos's beleaguered troops. Patrols were increased and Texas soldiers debated over how they would split the loot.

On Nov. 26, 1835, Deaf Smith's scouts sighted a pack train escorted by 150 cavalry troops on the Laredo Road west of San Antonio. All the Texans were eager to join the fight so they might share in the plunder.

Col. Edward Burleson sent James Bowie with 40 men to capture the pack train. (When Stephen F. Austin was commissioned to travel to Washington to represent Texas interests, Burleson was appointed to replace him in command of the Gonzales army.)

The two sides clashed a mile from San Antonio near Alazan Creek. The Texans were outnumbered 3- or 4-to-1 but they attacked like furies. The Mexican soldiers fought their way to an old creek bed where they took a defensive position. Seeing the pack train in trouble from his vantage point in the town (probably San Fernando Church), Cos rushed 200 men and one cannon to rescue them.

Burleson led a reserve force of 50 cavalry troops to reinforce Bowie. The Texans attacked the Mexican infantry in the creek bed and the cavalry charged head-on. The Mexicans fled in disorder until they were reformed. They made another charge, a frontal assault straight into the firing line of Bowie's men, before the rifle fire of the Texans sent them rushing back to San Antonio.

The Texans ripped open the sacks of the pack train and discovered they were filled not with gold or silver but grass. The six-week siege had exhausted the supply of fodder for Cos's cavalry horses and the pack train detail had been out cutting hay on the meadows west of the town.

Seventy of Cos's soldiers and five Texans were killed or wounded in the Grass Fight. It was the fifth encounter of the Revolution, after the clash at Gonzales, the capture of Goliad, the battle of Concepcion and the skirmish at Lipantitlan.

In the battles and skirmishes since the siege began six weeks before, Cos lost about 200 men but still had 800 in San Antonio. His forces were divided between fortified plazas in the center of town and the Alamo east of the river. Cos learned at Concepcion and in the Grass Fight that his troops caught in the open were no match for the sharpshooting Texans with their superior guns and skilled marksmanship.

nnn

(This is the third of eight columns on the battles of the Texas Revolution.)
File photo

All that can be done is being done to smooth the way for potential voters in the coming November elections.

Consider this: the dreadful Texas ID law that required voters to produce one of a limited number of government-approved documents at the ballot box is being loosened. A federal appeals court found that the law discriminated against minorities.

Instead of just six approved documents, it is likely, after U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos approves, that the list of documents will be far longer and more inclusive.

Then there is the Nueces County effort to make Election Day voting more closely resemble Early Voting. That means that voters on Election Day would, if the Secretary of States approves, be able to cast a ballot across the county, not just their home precinct.

Pair that with continuing efforts by Nueces County Clerk Kara Sands and her office, both major parties, as well as civic groups such as the League of Women Voters, to reach out to campuses, to festival sites to any place where people gather, all with the intent to register potential voters.

All this to make it easier to register to vote and to remove any obstacles to the ballot box.

Yet, all this will mean nothing if people don't actually turn out to vote.

And Texans have a terrible record in voter turnout.

For many election cycles, Texas has consistently ranked last or near last in voter turnout  even in years when turnout is historically the highest.

But you can't vote unless you register. And registration percentages are just as abysmal as voter turnout percentages.

A Civic Health done by the Anne Strauss Institute at the University of Texas reported in 2013 that Texas in 2010  a midterm election  ranked 42nd among the states in percentage of eligible voters being registered to vote.

Generally, those Texans who live in rural areas, who are older and who have a higher income are more likely to be registered to vote, the report said.

Want to take a guess as to why Republicans have dominated statewide offices for decades? The above may be a clue.

Things have barely improved since 2010. In the 2014 gubernatorial election, according to the Texas Secretary of State's office, only about 33 percent of the registered voters turned out. But if we compare that to the voting age population, that percentage dipped down to just under 25 percent.

That means that just about one quarter of the voting age population of Texas decided who would live in the governor's mansion and who would run the Texas Legislature.

Why don't people who are eligible to be registered get registered and why don't those who are registered follow through and vote?

Certainly for Hispanics in Texas there are plenty of reasons to vote in the coming election. Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has seemingly gone out of his way to arouse the Hispanic vote.

His promises to build a wall at the Mexican border, his running fight with an Indiana-born federal judge of Mexican descent  "a Mexican" Trump said  and his vow to make deportation his main policy toward immigration one would think would energize the Texas Hispanic population to register and then to vote.

But history is not encouraging.

Only 46 percent of the eligible Hispanics in Texas registered to vote in the 2014 midterm election. Of those only 22 percent actually cast a vote.

About 5 million Texas Hispanics are expected to be eligible to vote in the coming election. That about double the number that could have voted in the 2014 election.

But if only one in five cast a ballot, the sound of a mighty voice will be drastically muted.

The effect of such a potentially large voice isn't just about presidential politics. Or even about one party reaping the benefits.

All politicians of every stripe pay attention to who votes, even votes that are cast against them. And especially those that are cast for them.

Even a vote for the losing side has an effect, especially if that vote is robust. The winner must pay more attention to that electorate who are unhappy because, who knows, the worm will eventually turn.

We shouldn't let all those efforts to make voting easier go to waste.

Nick Jimenez has worked as a reporter, city editor and editorial page editor for more than 40 years in Corpus Christi. He is currently the editorial page editor emeritus for the Caller-Times. His commentary column appears on Wednesdays and Sundays.
SHARE Contributed photo "Calavera Talavera" by Mayra Zamora is an example of the artist's use of style and color that will be included in the Art Center of Corpus Christi mural "Chicano Pop." Esther Hackleman/Caller-Times Mayra Zamora sketches out her plans for the Art Center of Corpus Christi mural "Chicano Pop."

By Esther Hackleman, Esther.M.Hackleman@caller.com

The Art Center of Corpus Christi has named Mayra Zamora as the artist for its upcoming mural, which will give color to the white arches that face Shoreline Boulevard.

The center approached Zamora because of her work ethic, style and willingness to engage the community in painting six 8- by 4-foot arches that will house the mural, Executive Director Diana Blunzter said.

Zamora is familiar with the community, having grown up in Tivoli and graduated from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi with a bachelor's in art and a master's in education. She has become an important member of the art community during the past 10 years while working at the Art Museum of South Texas and the Garcia Arts & Education Center.

The Art Center mural will be Zamora's first, but she has learned from a well-equipped teacher. Zamora worked hand-in-hand with Caller-Times muralist Sandra Gonzalez on "Endless Sunset: The Colors of Our City."

Zamora's mural, "Chicano Pop," will represent her heritage on each panel, which will incorporate the bright colors and symmetry found in kaleidoscopes and talaveras, a form of Mexican mosaics.

"Each panel will be inspired by Zamora's growing up in South Texas," Blunzter said.

The panels will be named El Ojo, La Rosa, El Taco, El Sol, La Calavera and El Pescado. The vision for Zamora's art was born out of last year's Mosaicos Mexicanos show hosted by K Space Contemporary.

"A lot of my artwork is paying homage to the elements of art," Zamora said. "I primarily focus on line, shape and color."

The Art Center will host community painting days for its mural at Arts Alive, the art center's inaugural festival on Sept. 3-4.

The art will be part of a rotating mural that will be erected on plywood and affixed to the white arches facing Whataburger on the Bay, Blunzter said. The mural is designed to allow for the mural to be taken down easily and replaced with another each year.

The Art Center mural, which has been in the works over the past two years, will be made possible by a grant from the Downtown Management District that was approved in fall 2015. The grant will match up to $10,000 for the project. The funds will not only go toward the six-part mural but also for a light display that will be projected onto the empty walls that flank the arches.

"Our goal is to alter the visitors' experience during the day and at night," Bluntzer said.

Zamora said the Art Center mural encourages artists to step up and share their art with the city in a dynamic way.

"We are breathing new life into this city," Zamora said. "With Sandra's mural and now my mural, in my head I'm thinking, 'Who's next?' "

Twitter:@Caller_Esther

IF YOU GO

What: Community painting day

When: Sept. 3-4

Where: Art Center of Corpus Christi, 100 N. Shoreline Blvd.

Cost: Free

Information: www.artcentercc.org
Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Corpus Christi Police Chief Mike Markle speaks during a Coastal Bend Community Coordinated Response Coalition public forum on domestic violence at Sugarbakers on Thursday, July 21, 2016.

SHARE Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Dozens of people have attended several forum on domestic violence after recent area killings.

By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times

Domestic violence public forums about area killings drew people angry with the system. Corpus Christi Police Chief Mike Markle might be counted among them.

"Why are we accepting telephone reports for family violence? That should never happen again. We stopped that immediately," the chief stood and said at a forum last month.

Markle implemented changes after the June 8 death of Noemi Villarreal. Villarreal called the department's telephone reporting unit and described how her boyfriend had beat and held her captive six days before she was killed. Her boyfriend, Lance Taylor, is charged with murder.

Villarreal's death highlighted another problem. Family violence detectives didn't work on weekends. They could be called in severe circumstances, but for the most part worked only business hours Monday through Friday.

Victims and advocates called for change during the Coastal Bend Community Coordinated Response Coalition forums held July 8, July 21 and Aug. 4.

Police listened.

As of July 28, family violence detectives are rotated for weekends and after hours duty, replicating the system the department's homicide unit has long used.

Department spokesman Lt. Chris Hooper credited the forums for their role in inspiring the changes.

"The (coalition) forums have broadened our perspective when it comes to looking at policy, practice and procedure and what we can do to better serve the victims," Hooper said.

The changes reflect the coalition's goal to facilitate improvements to the system, president Chad Hollenbaugh said.

"I think it shows the power of the coalition and when people get together like this they can make change," Hollenbaugh said.

Police will better assess the victim's condition, threat level and impacts on children and others with the changes and detectives will more quickly be able to obtain arrest warrants for suspects, Hooper said.

Carina Castellanos' death reiterated the length of time it might take to get an arrest warrant for the suspect in a domestic violence case. Castellanos called police from a convenience store shortly after midnight June 10, a Friday, and said her boyfriend, Nigel Miguel Green, choked and threatened to kill her with a steak knife. After that, Castellanos had no communication with police, including the detective assigned to her case later June 10. Five days later she left a message saying she didn't want to pursue the case. It was dropped.

By June 30, police issued a missing persons report for Castellanos and sought a warrant for her boyfriend's arrest for the report she made earlier that month. On July 7, Green was arrested and led police to Castellanos' body in a ditch near Mathis, according to police reports.

Women's Shelter of South Texas president and CEO Frances Wilson said the changes will help victims when they're ready to cry out and sends messages that police are doing more to ensure victims are safe and abusers are held accountable.

"I feel very hopeful. I feel like CCPD is working on evaluating what they've been doing just like we all need to periodically," said Wilson, who along with the shelter's chief operating officer met with the chief last week. "It's like I tell people, 'What we did back in 1995 doesn't necessarily work now.' "

For more than a year, the Caller-Times has examined in the Behind Broken Doors series the effects of domestic violence and explored solutions to curb the deadly trend. 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.

Twitter: @CallerKMT
SHARE

By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times

West Oso Independent School District trustees proposed to terminate Superintendent Elizabeth Saenz after placing her on administrative leave last month.

The board called a special meeting Tuesday to discuss and consult with legal counsel on her employment and the proposal to terminate her three-year contract, which is set to expire June 30, 2018.

After a half-long closed session that lasted about an hour and a half, trustee Liz Gutierrez made a motion to propose Saenz's termination and authorize board President Lucas Jasso to give Saenz notice of the decision. The motion was seconded by trustee Shirley Jordan and passed with a 4-2 vote. Trustee Cella Boyd abstained.

Board vice president Martha V. Ruiz announced her resignation last month, but said Tuesday she did not finalize the paperwork and plans to stay her term, which expires in November.

Saenz, who has led the district since 2011, was placed on paid administrative leave July 18 pending an investigation into her practices, the district's legal counsel Tony Resendez said. The Walsh Gallegos law firm, for which Resendez works, hired retired superintendent Ann Dixon last month to assist in the investigation.

"The results of the investigation led to the proposal for termination," Resendez said Tuesday.

Negotiations to establish a separations agreement last month were unsuccessful, Saenz's attorney, Tiger Hanner said. He's said a fraction of the board wants a change in leadership, but won't say why.

"We were not invited to the meeting (Tuesday)," Hanner said. "These actions have been driven by politics."

Saenz declined to comment Tuesday. She told the Caller-Times last month the discussions related to her change in employment status were prompted by "a difference in philosophies" with some board members.

"I am ready to (continue to) work for the kids if I am afforded the opportunity," she said last month.

According to the Texas Education Agency, Saenz earned a salary of $169,402 as of October 2015 to lead a district just over 2,000 students.

According to board policy, the board may terminate an employee's contract at any time for good cause as determined by the board. Before a contract is terminated, the employee will be given a notice detailing the grounds for the proposal to terminate the contract.

An employee can request a hearing before an independent hearing examiner, or contest the proposal for termination. A written request for the hearing needs to be submitted to the Texas Education Agency Commissioner of Education within 15 days of receiving the notice from the board.

Hanner said Saenz plans to contest the proposal.

Twitter: @CallerBetty
SHARE Ramos

By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times

Voters in Texas without a photo ID will be able to cast their ballots in the November election, a federal judge in Corpus Christi ruled Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos signed an agreement between Texas state officials, the federal government and civil rights plaintiffs that clears the way for voters without photo ID to cast their ballots as long as they sign a declaration stating they have a "reasonable impediment" to obtaining one of the types of photo identification required in Texas' voter ID law.

The order softens Texas' controversial voter ID law that a federal circuit appeals court last month found racially discriminatory. The law required voters to show one of six types of a government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license or passport and could have left up to 600,000 Texas voters without the proper identification in this fall's presidential election, opponents claimed.

Under the approved agreement, voters may show an alternative form of identification such as a utility bill or government check that displays the voter's name and address. The agreement also allows voters to use photo IDs such as a driver's license or personal ID card from any state, expired or not.

However, voters who have one of the six types of government-issued photo IDs, or are able to get one, are still required to use those.

The state will also spend $2.5 million on efforts to inform voters of the changes in time for early voting and Election Day.

"There is a great sense of relief here in South Texas and the Corpus Christi community that thousands of voters need not worry about their ability to vote on Election Day," said Daniel G. Covich of Covich Law Firm LLP. The Corpus Christi-based law firm was involved in the case that grabbed national attention.

The controversial voter ID law was enacted in 2011, blocked by a federal district judge in 2012 and then put into effect in 2013, when the Supreme Court struck down a key part of the Voting Rights Act that had required Texas and some other states to get federal approval for voting changes. Challengers have won every court case since, but the law had remained in effect.

Seventeen states have new voting procedures in place for the November election and many are being challenged in court. Many require voters to show photo identification, such as the Texas law. Others target rules for registering, early voting and provisional voting, such as the wide-ranging North Carolina law that caused confusion and long lines in March's primary.

Those wide-ranging restrictions came under attack as racially discriminatory before a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in June

USA TODAY reports contributed to this report.

Twitter: @CallerKMT

Voter ID Order by callertimes on Scribd
Paul Iverson/Special to the Caller-Times Kristen Moore (from left), Oscar Lara, Caitlin Bautista, Briana Perez, Joseph Martinez, Katarina Euresti, Rudy Medina, and Victoria Morales received $2,000 Mano-A-Mano scholarships from the Corpus Christi Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016.

SHARE Paul Iverson/Special to the Caller-Times Victoria Morales (from left), Katarina Euresti, Briana Perez, Oscar Lara, Caitlin Bautista, Joseph Martinez, Kristen Moore, and Rudy Medina received $2,000 Mano-A-Mano scholarships from the Corpus Christi Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016.. Paul Iverson/Special to the Caller-Times Dr. Gilda Ramirez (right) addresses the crowd during a reception for the Mano-A-Mano Scholarship recipients Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, at the Corpus Christi Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Paul Iverson/Special to the Caller-Times Mano-A-Mano scholarship recipient Oscar Lara (second from right) shakes hands with Mark Avelar (from left), with the Bridge Credit Union, after receiving his scholarship certificate, while John Valls and Rosie Collin applaud. Paul Iverson/Special to the Caller-Times Mano-A-Mano scholarship recipients (seated) and their supporters listen to speeches during a reception for the scholars Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2016, at the Corpus Christi Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

By Natalia Contreras of the Caller-Times

Rudy Medina, 22, hasn't taken a semester off school since he graduated from Moody High School.

The junior at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi said his main motivation to stay in school is his parents.

"My siblings and I encouraged them to finish school," Medina said. "If they can do it, I can, too."

In addition to a full-time student schedule and a full-time job, he makes time to apply for scholarships each week.

"I have been debt free this whole time I've been in college," the computer science and mechanical engineering major said.

His dedication earned him one of 10 Mano-A-Mano scholarships distributed Wednesday by the Corpus Christi Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Since its inception in 2002 the scholarship program has awarded about 252 students with about $675,300 in scholarships.

The program is a joint effort between the Hispanic Chamber and the Bridge Credit Union, in partnership with Del Mar College, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

The scholarship program is expected to continue after the chamber is combined with the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce.

Gilda E. Ramirez, interim president and CEO of the Corpus Christi Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said the program's goal is to empower the students and develop a well-trained workforce in the Coastal Bend.

"We want to keep these students here and make sure they can get a job here in Corpus Christi," Ramirez said. "We need to build our future workforce, keep them and we are going to everything we can to keep them here."

Ramirez said about 73 students applied for the $2,000 scholarship in March.

The one-year scholarship is available for high school seniors, students who have graduated, or those who received a GED certificate from any area high school. Students who are currently attending an accredited postsecondary educational institution in Corpus Christi or Kingsville also qualify to apply.

Joseph Martinez, 19, also received the scholarship Tuesday. He graduated from Tuloso-Midway High School and took advantage of dual credit courses there.

Martinez is a chemical engineering sophomore at Texas A&M University-Kingville.

He applied for about four scholarships for the fall semester and was awarded two, he said. The application process and the work it takes to earn the money is what has encouraged him to do well in school.

"The work it takes to keep applying makes me feel like I really earned this," Martinez said. "I didn't get this money for nothing. I am going to make sure I keep up."

Kristen Moore, 18, of Sinton, applied for about 15-20 scholarships to attend Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

She wants to become an optometrist and said she's happy to know she'll still live near friends and family.

"My plans are to definitely stay in the area while I can and give back to my community," Moore said.

For more information on how to apply, visit www.cchispanicchamber.org or 361-887-7408.

Twitter: @CallerNatalia

Scholarship recipients

The Mano A Mano Scholarship Recipients for 2016-2017 are Alicia Bejaran, Briana Perez, Caitlin Bautista, Joseph Martinez, Katarina Euresti, Kristen Moore, Oscar Lara, Rudy Medina, Ruth Cruz, and Victoria Morales.
A man scales the all-glass facade of Trump Tower using suction cups Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in New York. A police spokeswoman says officers responded to Donald Trump's namesake skyscraper on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The 58-story building is headquarters to the Republican presidential nominee's campaign. He also lives there. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

SHARE

A man scaling Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan with suction cups and straps Wednesday was safely pulled in through a window by police, ending a several-hour stunt that got him to the 21st floor and on to the television screens of millions of people worldwide.

New York cops, some outfitted with rappelling gear, snatched the man moments after he ascended to a tight spot near a large window removed by police. Earlier, they had raised a ladder in an effort to stop him, but closed it up as he moved higher. They also broke windows above his route as he climbed upward and inflated giant cushions below him in case he tumbled off the building, the 58-story business headquarters for Trump.

The as-yet unidentified man's motive for the mid-afternoon climb remains unclear. Trump, who was on his presidential campaign tour in Virginia, wasn't there to see the spectacle.

Trump Tower is located on Fifth Avenue, an area of heavy traffic. Crowds of pedestrians stopped to watch the climber.

"Kind of brave of him," said Mateo Daza, 16, from Belgium. "I hope there's something more political behind [it]."

Twitter | @rm3804 Rui (Ellie) Miao on Twitter

The man's identity and motivation is not yet known.

People who have climbed other structures in New York have been arrested and faced charges such as reckless endangerment and trespassing.

Contributing: Associated Press
SHARE

Vic Menard

Good must associate

Edmund Burke, a well-known British statesman, often regarded as the philosophical founder of modern conservatism, said in 1770, "When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle."

As we contemplate the impending presidential election, the words of Burke send a message across time. Good people, Republicans, Democrats and Independents, must stand together to defeat the demagogue Donald Trump in his contemptible struggle to poison the minds of the American people with messages of divisiveness and inequality.

Light a bright candle and keep it burning until the good prevail in this election. Ronald Reagan said, "When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat."

It is time now for good people to speak up, stand tall and turn up the heat.
SHARE

Kathleen Kasper, Robstown

Not Clinton

Why won't I vote for Hillary Clinton? The answer is simple. Though the FBI chose not to recommend their findings for possible litigation, their findings are, nevertheless, convincing. Hillary Clinton is not someone worthy of this nation's highest office.

The FBI concluded Clinton was "extremely careless" in handling our nation's secrets. FBI Director Comey stated that "no reasonable person" could have believed putting these emails on a private server was at all appropriate or acceptable. He admitted 110 emails on the server were classified at the time they were sent  showing Hillary not only lied, but knowingly endangered national security. He also admitted that Hillary deleted work-related emails before turning them over to the State Department, despite her claims otherwise. And, most shocking, Mr. Comey even admitted that it's likely foreign governments hacked her emails  and our adversaries could know critical secrets because of Clinton's actions. These facts directly refute what Clinton has told the American public.

In an interview with Chris Wallace on Fox News, Clinton made the outrageous claim that Comey found all of the statements she made to the American people to be truthful. What? Truthful? When presented with actual facts, she will lie about those facts as well. I will not vote for a liar.
They say that history repeats itself, first as tragedy, then as farce. Never has this principle been more apparent than in this new piece by Washington Post reporters Ellen Nakashima and Barton Gellman: As encryption spreads, U.S. grapples with clash between privacy, security.

The subject of the piece is a renewed effort by U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies to mandate backdoors in modern encryption systems. This is ostensibly a reaction to the mass adoption of strong encryption in smartphones, and a general fear that police are about to lose wiretapping capability theyve come to depend on.

This is not the first time weve been here. Back in the 1990s the Federal government went as far as to propose a national standard for escrowed telephone encryption called the Clipper chip. That effort failed in large part because the technology was terrible, but also because  at least at the time  the idea of ordinary citizens adopting end-to-end encryption was basically science fiction.

Thanks to the advent of smartphones and on-by-default encryption in popular systems like Apples iMessage, and WhatsApp, Americans are finally using end-to-end encryption at large scale and seem to like it. This is scaring the bejesus out of the powers that be.

Hence crypto backdoors.

As you might guess, I have serious philosophical objections to the idea of adding backdoors to any encryption system  for excellent reasons I could spend thousands of words on. But Im not going to do that. What Id like to do in this post is put aside my own value judgements and try to take these government proposals at face value.

Thus the question Im going to consider in this post:

Lets pretend that encryption backdoors are a great idea. From a purely technical point of view, what do we need to do to implement them, and how achievable is it?

First some background.

End-to-end encryption 101

Modern encryption schemes break down into several categories. For the purposes of this discussion well consider two: those systems for which the provider holds the key, and the set of systems where the provider doesnt.

Were not terribly interested in the first type of encryption, which includes protocols like SSL/TLS and Google Hangouts, since those only protect data at the the link layer, i.e., until it reaches your providers servers. I think its fairly well established that if Facebook, Apple, Google or Yahoo can access your data, then the government can access it as well  simply by subpoenaing or compelling those companies. Weve even seen how this can work.

The encryption systems were interested all belong to the second class  protocols where even the provider cant decrypt your information. This includes:

This seems like a relatively short list, but in practice wre talking about an awful lot of data. The iMessage and WhatsApp systems alone process billions of instant messages every day, and Apples device encryption is on by default for everyone with a recent(ly updated) iPhone.

How to defeat end-to-end encryption

If youve decided to go after end-to-end encryption through legal means, there are a relatively small number of ways to proceed.

By far the simplest is to simply ban end-to-end crypto altogether, or to mandate weak encryption. Theres some precedent for this: throughout the 1990s, the NSA forced U.S. companies to ship export grade encryption that was billed as being good enough for commercial use, but weak enough for governments to attack. The problem with this strategy is that attacks only get better  but legacy crypto never dies.

Fortunately for this discussion, we have some parameters to work with. One of these is that Washington seems to genuinely want to avoid dictating technological designs to Silicon Valley. More importantly, President Obama himself has stated that theres no scenario in which we dont want really strong encryption. Taking these statements at face value should mean that we can exclude outright crypto bans, mandated designs, and any modification has the effect of fundamentally weakening encryption against outside attackers.

If we mix this all together, were left with only two real options:

Attacks on key distribution. In systems that depend on centralized, provider-operated key servers, such as WhatsApp, Facetime, Signal and iMessage,** governments can force providers to distribute illegitimate public keys, or register shadow devices to a users account. This is essentially a man-in-the-middle attack on encrypted communication systems. Key escrow. Just about any encryption scheme can be modified to encrypt a copy of a decryption (or session) key such that a master keyholder (e.g., Apple, or the U.S. government) can still decrypt. A major advantage is that this works even for device encryption systems, which have no key servers to suborn.

Each approach requires some modifications to clients, servers or other components of the system.

Attacking key distribution





Key lookup request for Apple iMessage. The phone

number is shown at top right, and the response at bottom left.

Many end-to-end encrypted messaging systems, including WhatsApp and iMessage, generate a long-term public and secret keypair for every device you own. The public portion of this keypair is distributed to anyone who might want to send you messages. The secret key never leaves the device.

Before you can initiate a connection with your intended recipient, you first have to obtain a copy of the recipients public key. This is commonly handled using a key server thats operated by the provider. The key server may hand back one, or multiple public keys (depending on how many devices youve registered). As long as those keys all legitimately belong to your intended recipient, everything works fine.

Intercepting messages is possible, however, if the provider is willing to substitute its own public keys  keys for which it (or the government) actually knows the secret half. In theory this is relatively simple  in practice it can be something of a bear, due to the high complexity of protocols such as iMessage.

Key fingerprints.

The main problem with key distribution attacks is  unlike a traditional wiretap  substitute keys are at least in theory detectable by the target. Some communication systems, like Signal, allow users to compare key fingerprints in order to verify that each received the right public key. Others, like iMessage and WhatsApp, dont offer this technology  but could easily be modified to do so (even using third party clients). Systems like CONIKS may even automate this process in the future  allowing applications to monitor changes to their own keys in real time as theyre distributed by a server.

A final, and salient feature on the key distribution approach is that it allows only prospective eavesdropping  that is, law enforcement must first target a particular user, and only then can they eavesdrop on her connections. Theres no way to look backwards in time. I see this is a generally good thing. Others may disagree.

Key Escrow





Structure of the Clipper LEAF.

The techniques above dont help much for systems without public key servers, Moreover, they do nothing for systems that dont use public keys at all, the prime example being device encryption. In this case, the only real alternative is to mandate some sort of key escrow.

Abstractly, the purpose of an escrow system is to place decryption keys on file (escrow them) with some trusted authority, who can break them out when the need arises. In practice its usually a bit more complex.

The first wrinkle is that modern encryption systems often feature many decryption keys, some of which can be derived on-the-fly while the system operates. (Systems such as TextSecure/WhatsApp actually derive new encryption keys for virtually every message you send.) Users with encrypted devices may change their password from time to time.

To deal with this issue, a preferred approach is to wrap these session keys up (encrypt them) under some master public key generated by the escrow authority  and to store/send the resulting ciphertexts along with the rest of the encrypted data. In the 1990s Clipper specification these ciphertexts were referred to as Law Enforcement Access Fields, or LEAFs.***

With added LEAFs in your protocol, wiretapping becomes relatively straightforward. Law enforcement simply intercepts the encrypted data  or obtains it from your confiscated device  extract the LEAFs, and request that the escrow authority decrypt them. You can find variants of this design dating back to the PGP era. In fact, the whole concept is deceptively simple  provided you dont go farther than the whiteboard.

Conceptual view of some encrypted data (left) and a LEAF (right).

Its only when you get into the details of actually implementing key escrow that things get hairy. These schemes require you to alter every protocol in your encryption system, at a pretty fundamental level  in the process creating the mother of all security vulnerabilities  but, more significantly, they force you to think very seriously about who you trust to hold those escrow keys.

Who does hold the keys?

This is the million dollar question for any escrow platform. The Post story devotes much energy to exploring various proposals for doing this.

Escrow key management is make-or-break, since the key server represents a universal vulnerability in any escrowed communication system. In the present debate there appear to be two solutions on the table. The first is to simply dump the problem onto individual providers, who will be responsible for managing their escrow keys  using whatever technological means they deem appropriate. A few companies may get this right. Unfortunately, most companies suck at cryptography, so it seems reasonable to believe that the resulting systems will be quite fragile.

The second approach is for the government to hold the keys themselves. Since the escrow key is too valuable to entrust to one organization, one or more trustworthy U.S. departments would hold shares of the master key, and would cooperate to provide decryption on a case-by-case basis. This was, in fact, the approach proposed for the Clipper chip.

The main problem with this proposal is that its non-trivial to implement. If youre going to split keys across multiple agencies, you have to consider how youre going to store those keys, and how youre going to recover them when you need to access someones data. The obvious approach  bring the key shares back together at some centralized location  seems quite risky, since the combined master key would be vulnerable in that moment.

A second approach is to use a threshold cryptosystem. Threshold crypto refers to a set of techniques for storing secret keys across multiple locations so that decryption can be done in place without recombining the key shares. This seems like an ideal solution, with only one problem: nobody has deployed threshold cryptosystems at this kind of scale before. In fact, many of the protocols we know of in this area have never even been implemented outside of the research literature. Moreover, it will require governments to precisely specify a set of protocols for tech companies to implement  this seems incompatible with the original goal of letting technologists design their own systems.

Software implementations

A final issue to keep in mind is the complexity of the software well need to make all of this happen. Our encryption software is already so complex that its literally at the breaking point. (If you dont believe me, take a look at OpenSSLs security advisories for the last year) While adding escrow mechanisms seems relatively straightforward, it will actually require quite a bit of careful coding, something were just not good at.

Even if we do go forward with this plan, there are many unanswered questions. How widely can these software implementations be deployed? Will every application maker be forced to use escrow? Will we be required to offer a new set of system APIs in iOS, Windows and Android that we can use to get this right? Answering each of these questions will result in dramatic changes throughout the OS software stack. I dont envy the poor developers who will have to answer them.

How do we force people to use key escrow?

Leaving aside the technical questions, the real question is: how do you force anyone to do this stuff? Escrow requires breaking changes to most encryption protocols; its costly as hell; and it introduces many new security concerns. Moreover, laws outlawing end-to-end encryption software seem destined to run afoul of the First Amendment.

Im not a lawyer, so dont take my speculation too seriously  but it seems intuitive to me that any potential legislation will be targeted at service providers, not software vendors or OSS developers. Thus the real leverage for mandating key escrow will apply to the Facebooks and Apples of the world. Your third-party PGP and OTR clients would be left alone, for the tiny percentage of the population who uses these tools.

Unfortunately, even small app developers are increasingly running their own back-end servers these days (e.g., Whisper Systems and Silent Circle) so this is less reassuring than it sounds. Probably the big takeaway for encryption app developers is that it might be good to think about how youll function in a world where its no longer possible to run your own back-end data transport service  and where other commercial services may not be too friendly to moving your data for you.

In conclusion

If this post has been more questions than answers, thats because there really are no answers right now. A serious debate is happening in an environment thats almost devoid of technical input, at least from technical people who arent part of the intelligence establishment.

And maybe that by itself is reason enough to be skeptical.

Notes:

* Not an endorsement. I have many thoughts on Telegrams encryption protocols, but theyre beyond the scope of this post.

** Telegram is missing from this list because their protocol doesnt handle long term keys at all. Every single connection must be validated in person using a graphical key fingerprint, which is, quite frankly, terrible.

*** The Clipper chip used a symmetric encryption algorithm to encrypt the LEAF, which meant that the LEAF decryption key had to be present inside of every consumer device. This was completely nuts, and definitely a bullet dodged. It also meant that every single Clipper had to be implemented in hardware using tamper resistant chip manufacturing technology. It was a truly awful design.
| BY Ricki Green |

The Australian Marketing Institute will be hosting the National Awards for Marketing Excellence in Sydney on October 19, followed by State Awards during October and December, and is interested to hear from businesses interested in becoming sponsors for the national gala event and the subsequent state events.

The annual awards are presented to organisations and marketers who have achieved extraordinary success from innovative and effective marketing practices. This year there have been over 230 entrants in over 23 categories.

Becoming a sponsor for the awards is an ideal way for a business to demonstrate a commitment to the marketing field and to publicise support to the leaders and practitioners in the profession.

It also offers a unique networking opportunity and range of benefits with guaranteed return of investment by providing access to one of the most targeted marketing events of the year.

AMI CEO Lee Tonitto ensures that all contributions are well recognised and valued: We have seen so many creative and innovative entries this year, so becoming an award sponsor is a great way to be a part of the action and get your business name mentioned in a room full of marketing executives.

There are three levels of sponsorship packages available for all budgets across national and state awards events, but spots are limited.
| BY Ricki Green |

OMD Sydney has appointed Hamish Strahorn to the position of Head of Telstra. With over 14 years experience, Strahorn joins OMD from his role as business director at Starcom where he led the Suncorp Group client operations and delivered strategic output across the Brisbane agency.

Strahorn is a seasoned business lead, bringing with him a passion for complex businesses and great leadership capabilities. He has a unique blend of marketing, agency and creative background, having worked agency side, including three years at OMD previously, as well as at Telstras marketing team, giving him a deep understanding of both the category and agency deliverables.

In 2015, Strahorn was selected and completed The Marketing Academy, an Australian Leaders nine month programme aiming to develop leadership skills of 30 high potential marketers.

This appointment serves as a further reinforcement of OMDs strategic business offering, acquiring versatile talent that is equipped with strong media expertise along with sharp business acumen and in-depth understanding of client operating models.

Says Aimee Buchanan, managing director OMD Sydney: We are thrilled to be welcoming Hamish back into the OMD team on our key client, Telstra. Hamish brings a deep understanding of both the category, the leadership qualities and experience that we believe is critical to helping Telstra and OMD realise their ambitions.

Says Strahorn: Im excited to be back with the OMD team, and absolutely thrilled to be leading such a forward thinking client in Telstra.
| BY Ricki Green |

One of Australias leading independent agencies, The Works, has launched its sixth annual Datafication project, A Quiet Revolution, reporting a 45% decrease in voice calls in Australia for messaging app users.

The research, which is being launched today at the ADMA conference, was focused on the use of messaging apps across the nation and has revealed 10.5million active Australian users with a staggering 3.4million reporting messenger apps as their primary contact. While not surprisingly 15-34 year olds make up with bulk amount of users (4.6million) it seems that guys have over taken girls in the new communication method reporting an average of 2.8 messaging apps in use (females 2.4).

While the research has reported an average decrease of 25% in sms, 24% in email and 12% on Facebook newsfeed, 17% of Australians admit to having a clinical addiction to messaging apps engaging with the apps more than 16 times a day including 34% taking their phone to the bathroom to continue the conversation.

Says Douglas Nicol, partner, The Works: While the global statistics around the uptake of messaging apps have been well reported, we have focussed on uncovering the truth about how Australians are using messaging apps. Its a substantial piece of analytics and really has highlighted the quiet revolution in how we are using apps like Facebook Messenger, Snapchat and WhatsApp. Its important not to view messaging apps as just another frothy promo channel, this environment is very personal and potentially intrusive if the marketer gets is wrong.

We see messaging apps as a blend of customer service, operational services and brand engagement all mashed together to provide real utility and value for the consumer. Our research highlights messaging apps as a scale opportunity for marketers, the challenge is to think differently and not screw up the once in a generation opportunity it offers.

Not just all typing and text, Australia has given the thumbs up to its affection for love and laughter with 58% of Australian men sharing emojis and stickers with friends and family, a rapid growth on the once female dominated expression. To celebrate the increase in love heart eyes, clapping hands and clinking beers, The Works has launched Australias first emoji tracker, using real-time analytics from Australian tweets to further support the growing trend of communication through imagery.

Says Dr Suresh Sood, University of Technology Sydney Advanced Analytics Institute: The two key cultural moments in social media inform our thinking as well as the findings of this study. Firstly, the increasing use of emojis and awareness of stickers is gravitating us to the emotional web another layer atop social media interactions. This helps machines determine sentiment with greater accuracy. Snapchat is changing culture through linking identity and emotion with selfies. This is not new but a continuance of expressing oneself through the power of myth as expressed by Joseph Campbell, Jung and Shakespeare.

Secondly, the psychology of social media is evolving from highly public interactions to intimate content engagement, gaming and chats with close friends and family circles. Its no longer just about social networks and feeds, instead marketing and advertising professionals have to think hard about finding their way into the phone address book of the consumer.

Confirming Australians are very much on the M wave with no sign of the swell dying down, Datafication A Quiet Revolution used a combination of survey data including a Facebook research BOT, mobile battery use analytics, one on one interviews and academic support from University of Technology Sydney Advanced Analytics Institute.
Tuesday, August 9, 2016 at 10:48PM

Next month, Sony will be hosting a PlayStation event, possibly to talk about its new version of the PlayStation 4 console. The event will take place at the PlayStation Theatre in New York City at 3 p.m. ET. While Sony wont say theyll be unveiling whats internally being called as Neo, the company only says itll share details about the PlayStation business. Speculations surrounding the supposed competition of the Microsoft Xbox One S says the Neo will support 4K games and other media as well as a better processing power to make it work with virtual reality. Sony is set to release its PlayStation-only VR by October and a new console sometime next year.

Source: The Verge
But Mr Lawton said Hagan feared retribution if he didn't do what the two associates asked - a circumstance he said didn't quite amount to a defence of duress but did go some way to explain the reasons which led to his offending.
"Down the line as people adjust to this, we might live to fight another day and bring things back as people realise the sky is not falling in," he said.
GRENADA, Miss. - The mother of a Grenada infant who died after being left in a hot car by her father has asked that charges are dropped.

Shanice Caradine, mother of 8-month-old Shania Rihanna Caradine signed an affidavit in the Grenada County Circuit Court asking the court to drop the charges against Shania's father, Joshua Blunt.

Within the affidavit, Caradine attested to the idea that she did not believe that blunt should be charged with any crime in relation to their daughter and that she honestly believed it was a tragic accident.

Blunt, 25, was charged with manslaughter for leaving his daughter in his hot car while he went to work. Blunt said the day he went to work was initially his day off, but decided to go in to pick up an extra shift and forgot to drop his daughter off at his grandmother's before walking into work.

Moss Point native and Blount's attorney Carlos Moore said he is hoping Grenada County District Attorney Doug Evans will drop the charges. Even with Caradine's affidavit, Evans says he still plans to move forward with the intention to prosecute Blunt because of the grand jury's indictment.

Moore has said he wonders what is the difference between Blunt's case and the case in Madison County in regards to Amy Bryant. In early May, Bryant went to Little Footprints Learning Center to pick up her daughter, Caroline Bryant. After daycare workers told her she had not dropped her daughter off that morning, Bryant immediately ran to her car and found her daughter in the back seat, deceased.

"I want America to get to the point where there is one set of laws for all Americans, no matter if you are red, white, black or brown, I want there to be one set of laws and for everyone to be treated fairly," Moore said.

Charges have not been filed in relation to the death of Bryant's 2-year-old daughter.

Blunt's trial is set for Aug. 18 but a continuance is expected to be filed by Friday citing a schedule conflict as his reasoning.
[Your Business Name]

<Your business address>

Contact Info

Phone: <Your business phone number>

Fax: <Your business fax number>

Email: <Your business e-mail address>

Web: CAPITOLHILLCUBANS.COM

<Your Business Headline>

Business Overview

<Your business description>

Geographic Area

<Your service area>

Line of Business

<The type of business you are in>

Brands We Carry

<Your list of brands>

Products and Services

<Products and/or services you provide>

Discounts Offered

<Coupons and other discount information you offer>

Additional Information

<Any other information about your business>

Business Hours

<Your hours of operation>

Timezone

<Your timezone>

We Accept

<Methods of payment you accept>
PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Two Singing River Health System (SRHS) employees received marketing ambassadorship awards for their roles in the promotion of the hospital with their heart and soul.

Singing River Hospital chose registered nurse, Mary Panni of the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center, while Ocean Springs Hospital chose Steve Brill, Facilities Support Manager.

Panni is a lifelong resident of Pascagoula and after receiving her Nursing Degree from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC), Panni began working at SRHS in 2012. Panni is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and currently works in Pediatrics at the hospital. According to Panni, the feeling of being a part of a family is what she says she enjoys the most about working at SRHS.

"I love working at Singing River Health System because it allows so much room for my personal growth," Panni said. "The Health System family truly has a heart for service, which is my heart's desire. It helps channel our passions into life-changing opportunities for both myself and the patients we serve and I am thrilled to be an employee of a system that is making such a positive impact on our community."

Panni's work has not gone unnoticed by her peers and manager according to Patient Care Manager, Lori Weimer.

"Mary's can do attitude and enthusiasm is infectious," Weimer said. "Every day in Pediatrics with Dr. Sexton is exciting and Mary makes it look easy and effortless. She builds a rapport with her patients and their families and we are very happy to have Mary as a member of our team."

Brill, like Panni is equally as thrilled with his working environment as Panni.

"I love the family-like atmosphere we have at Singing River Health System," Brill said. "In Facilities Services, we have the opportunity to go to all of the different areas of the Health System and I really enjoy that."

Brill attended Bishop State in Alabama where he received a degree in Electrical Technology. He began with SRHS in 1995 and serves as the System Manager of Facilities Report at Ocean Springs Hospital. Randall Cobb, Director of Facilities Services praised the hard work Brill exudes every day.

"Steve is someone who is proud of Singing River Health System and the difference it makes in the lives of people in our community," Cobb said. "He has a service-over-self-work ethic and has earned the respect of many employees throughout the health system. Because of these outstanding leadership qualities Steve possesses, working with a world-class facilities team makes for an excellent situation."
Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here.

Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing.

You are our people. You Care. We Care2.
"I don't have to look far to find treasures, I discover them every time I visit a library" - Michael Embry

This thought provoking quotation was printed on the banner that carried the title "Jnana Darshan", the book exhibition 2016-17 organized at Kristu Jayanti College, Bangalore. Starting this write up with the quote by Michael Embry makes a lot of sense since it holds mirror to the values of the esteemed college.

It also throws light on the fact that the management, the faculty and the students take reading seriously and implement the same in their day-to-day life. According to a teaching staff member, the college has been organizing such book exhibitions and students have utilized such opportunities to the fullest.

Principal of Kristu Jayanti, Rev. Fr. Josekutty was the first speaker of the function. His speech was pregnant with thoughts useful for the young minds as well as the publishers who had come with their excellent collection of books; he said that books build a righteous path to an ideal future of a students and shape their personality, provided they read books with good content.

He also said that the book publishers strive for a noble of spreading knowledge among readers of all ages and from different walks of life; although they sell books, it is a business with a difference.

S.K. Shama Sundara, Chief Editor, OneIndia (Kannada), graced the function as the Chief Guest. His speech was a useful piece of advice to the students. Shama Sundara very interestingly conveyed the importance of learning through the example of James Boswell, who never took to writing. However, Samuel Johnson, the writer and lexicographer par excellence and Boswell's friend for over thirty years, inspired Boswell to write a biography (Life of Johnson). It was an example for how knowledge influences those individuals who seek shelter under its soothing shade.

Shama Sundara further said, "It is a pleasant paradox that being a pure digital editor, I have been invited to inaugurate a book fair! Once a book worm, I have stopped reading books now. I have taken to writing for web and I am obsessed with browsing news all the time. Even if I were to take to writing book, I would write autobiography on Facebook, or as lengthy as 140 characters on Twitter!"

The Book Exhibition at Kristu Jayanti:

There were close to a dozen publishers who proudly stood amid the piles of books. There were books ranging from management and technology to engineering and organic chemistry. The joy of bringing books to the proactive young minds of Kristu Jayanti was obvious on their faces. The students responded tremendously as they glanced at books related to the subjects prescribed in their syllabus and the books related to their areas of interest.

Speaking about the library, the Chief Librarian, Mr. Harish, mentioned that they have a collection of 46, 000 books catering to the educational needs of 4,000 students! So it would not be wrong to say that a student with a little knowledge will turn into a well-informed after his or her visit to the library. During the exhibition, the students spoke about books, the importance of such exhibitions and reading experience on electronic gadgets as well as hardbound books.

The students did not deny the inevitable influence of digitization on literature, but maintained that no experience of reading can match the one they enjoy while holding a hardbound book.

About Kristu Jayanti College:

Kristu Jayanti College was founded in 1999. It is run by "BODHI NIKETAN TRUST", formed by the members of St. Joseph Province of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI).

Kristu Jayanti College is affiliated to the Bangalore University and has been reaccredited with grade 'A' by NAAC. The college was accorded autonomous status from 2013 by the University Grants Commission, Government of Karnataka and the Bangalore University.

In India Today - Nielsen survey 2015, the college is ranked 16th Best Commerce College, 22nd Best Science College and 24th Best Arts College in India and 3rd, 4th, 5th positions in Commerce, Arts & Science among Top 10 Colleges in Bangalore.

For further information, visit Kristu Jayanti College

Autonomous colleges in Karnataka
19871266-mmmain.jpg

Plans for Walmart to construct a Neighborhood Market on the site of the former Estabrook car dealership on Market Street is no longer intact as of Tuesday afternoon.

(City of Pascagoula)

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - While the City of Pascagoula is trying to revamp Market Street and the city in general, plans for Wal-Mart to come to Pascagoula was thwarted Tuesday afternoon.

On Tuesday, Wal-Mart Director of Communications Anne Hatfield said, "As we continue to evaluate projects and growth opportunities across the United States, we have made a business decision to no longer pursue the proposed Neighborhood Market project in Pascagoula."

Originally, the newest Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market would take the place of the former Estabrook Toyota dealership site on Market Street, as well as the former Montie's Sporting Goods site to the south.

Confidence was high back in March as City Planner Donovan Scruggs said he was "very confident" and "see no reason to this project not to happen." What changed? City Manager Joe Huffman said he was told it was a business decision.

"We are a bit disappointed," Huffman said. "The way I understood it was that it was a business decision and we expect that, but we were really hoping that this would help us revitalize Market Street and the area surrounding Market Street."

Market Street has been the topic of much discussion in the city as multiple meetings and planning sessions have been held to gain the public's trust in the decisions the council were potentially looking at making, but the current plans as they stand the community has not been in favor of.

While Wal-Mart is no longer coming to Pascagoula, Huffman says now more time can be dedicated to making the best possible choices for the city and its residents going forward.

"We are looking for ways to continue to revitalize our city and Market Street," Huffman said. "The council hasn't made a decision yet and one of the reasons were trying to make a decision fairly quickly was because we wanted to make sure we didn't have a lot of construction going on while Wal-Mart was trying to open. Now that variable has been removed and pressure is now off of the council in regards to making a faster decision."

Priorities according to Huffman has now switched onto infrastructure, drainage, an impending decision regarding Market Street.

"We feel pressure to have a decision made regarding Market Street to improve the area," Huffman said. "It cannot remain in its existing state - the rough streets and the crumbling infrastructure underneath must be addressed."

"Although it is unfortunate that it has happened, they were never here also so it's not like we are lost a business," he said. "Wal-Mart is a major contributor to our community being that we have a store here and I don't think we should ever forget that."
Tens of millions of rabbits, foxes, raccoon dogs (pictured above), and other animals endure terrible suffering and violent death to produce cheap trim for coats, hats, gloves, and other clothing items sold worldwide by the retailers mentioned below and others. Photo by Alamy

2.8K shares







In the largest request for action weve ever submitted to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), The HSUS has asked the FTC to enforce federal consumer protection laws against 17 retailersincluding Amazon, Neiman Marcus, Kohls, and Nordstromfor selling falsely advertised or labeled animal fur garments or accessories.

The petition encompasses 37 items of wearing apparel and accessories sold over four yearseach advertised or labeled as faux fur, even though we confirmed they included animal fur, from animals such as raccoon dogs, rabbits, and coyotes.

Every one of the faux fur coats, footwear items, key chains, handbags, and cardigans our investigator purchased and examined was found to include animal fur, in violation of the Fur Products Labeling Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act. In a few instances, the firms have violated standing consent orders issued by the FTC in response to prior HSUS investigations.

For over a decade, weve battled the problem of real fur being marketed and sold as fake, and in that time, on five separate occasions, weve asked the FTC to take action.

As the result of a lawsuit we brought in 2009, several major retailers including Saks, Macys, and Bloomingdales broke with others in the industry to endorse the Truth in Fur Labeling Act, which then passed in Congress in 2010. And just this January, we settled a contempt action in D.C. court brought against three major retailers for their continued false advertising of fur garments, including two of the three selling real fur marketed as faux.

Tens of millions of rabbits, foxes, raccoon dogs, and other animals endure terrible suffering and violent death to produce cheap trim for coats, hats, gloves, and other clothing items sold worldwide by these and other retailers.

Here, the situation could not be clearer. Americans have an absolute right to expect vigorous enforcement of any violations of law. The entire purpose of advertising and labeling is to apprise the consumer so that he or she can make an informed choice about the products in the marketplace. As more and more people are choosing to go faux, the importance of accurate information to consumers has only increased. The passage of the Truth in Fur Labeling Act in 2010 was intended to provide Americans with the assurance that garments containing real fur would be accurately labeled. This placed the freedom to ratify or reject cruelty to animals in the production of fur squarely in the marketplace, with the consumer, and thats as it should be. Its all the more unsettling that inattentive or, at worst, unscrupulous retailers are now hiding behind the faux fur label while continuing to use fur and fur trim deceptively in their commerce.

The government needs to crack down on such deception swiftly, not just for the sake of animals trapped in the fur trade, but also to protect the consumers right to ratify or to reshape the market as human attitudes trend decisively against the cruel and unnecessary use of fur. Its past due to align the business practices of clothing retailers with the law of the land.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It's always a memorable event when a family member reaches the tender age of 100 and gets to share the magnificent milestone with kinfolk who span generations.

Catherine Gatto Sorrentino got to do just that on Aug. 6 when family members -- including nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews -- gathered to sing the birthday song and extend well wishes to the illustrious senior in Sea View Hospital Rehabilitation Center and Home, the health care facility she's called home for the last eight years.

Born to Italian immigrants in Newark, N.J., on Aug. 6, 1916, Catherine was raised in Castleton Corners.

Religion has always held a special place in Catherine's heart. She graduated from St. Peter's Elementary School in 1931.

She went on to graduate from Port Richmond High School in 1935, a fete that wasn't always possible during that time, because teens often had to leave school to enter the work force and help support their families.

The new centenarian used her fashion prowess to become an accomplished seamstress at an early age and eventually took her design talents to Manhattan, where on Broadway she held a position in a firm that designed costumes for the rich and famous.

Throughout her life, Catherine often designed clothes for herself and even saw fit to handcraft coordinating chapeaus to accent her striking ensembles.

During World War II, she joined the War Training Program in Bayonne, N.J., and attended the New York Port of Embarkation. And, when she graduated in 1943, she held the title of Army Ordnance automobile mechanic.

Catherine's three brothers served in the military during World War II. Sadly, her brother John Gatto was killed in Northern France, where he is buried.

The super senior married Joseph Sorrentino, the uncle of a renowned criminal defense attorney, Joseph Sorrentino, in St. Rita's R.C. Church on March 28, 1954, which she attended when it was located in the convent.

Catherine's husband was the owner of Sorrentino's Bakery located on Henderson Avenue in West Brighton.

Though Catherine never had children of her own, she was always surrounded by a number of loving nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

CELEBRATIONS - AUG. 11

Happy birthday Thursday to Breann McKeon, Marjorie Hack, Rebecca Wheeler, Mike Lapcevic, Frank Cammaroto and Thomas Sean Pellechia.
Prototypes of the Chevrolet Bolt, equipped with autonomous driving technology, have taken to the streets, this time in Scottsdale, Arizona.



The announcement was made through a tweet by Cruise Automation, a company bought by General Motors earlier this year, and comes just a few months after pre-production models of the small electric vehicle were spotted in San Francisco.

Were testing @Cruise autonomous tech on @Chevrolet Bolt EVs on roads in Scottsdale, AZ, in addition to San Francisco.

What exactly is the GM-owned company looking to accomplish here is currently unknown, but its official website states that Cruise Automation is testing the future of mobility, so we could be looking at the upcoming fleet of self-driving vehicles that the automotive giant will create for Lyft, as part of the deal announced in January.

It remains to be seen, however, if the autonomous technology will be implemented to the final production version of the Bolt, which is due in late 2016 with a 200-mile (322 km) driving range provided by a 60 kWh battery pack that feeds a single high-capacity electric motor, rated at 200 HP and 266 pound-feet (360 Nm) of torque. Before government rebates, the zero-emission hatch will cost $37,500, but after the federal tax credit, its price will drop to $30,000.

Were testing @Cruise autonomous tech on @Chevrolet Bolt EVs on roads in Scottsdale, AZ, in addition to San Fran. pic.twitter.com/FjxduIfLKD

 Cruise Automation (@Cruise) August 8, 2016

PHOTO GALLERY
Roush have recently shared a few images with a pair of Grabber Blue 2017 Mustangs, one packing the RS1 kit, the other RS2.



According to the American tuner, these two cars were also the first of their kind, and despite it being very difficult to tell them apart, youd probably be much happier driving one over the other.

Its all about the power kit, specifically the RS1 & RS2 kits which apply to the 2.3-liter turbocharged model and the 5.0-liter V8 model respectively. Theres even an RS3 kit (not shown here) that adds a supercharger to the V8, raising its output to 670 HP.

Visually, both cars feature a new bumper, grille, hood scoop, rear spoiler, exhaust, a couple of discrete Roush badges and a set of 20 wheels. Overall, its a more aggressive car than the stock Mustang and one thats earned itself a lot of appreciation from fans.

Roush shared these images on their social media feed where they asked their fans to comment on how the car looks like in Grabber Blue.

A bit too Focus RS perhaps?

PHOTO GALLERY
The new Suzuki Ignis is scheduled to make its European debut at the Paris Motor Show next to the recently updated SX4 S-Cross.



Following the official reveal at last years Tokyo Motor Show, the companys new compact crossover features a fresh exterior design that leaves no doubts about its multi-purpose character.

Suzuki has still to give us full technical details on the new Ignis which is based on a new lightweight platform. All we know so far is that its powered by the companys mild hybrid powertrain that combines a 1.2-litre petrol engine and a small electric motor.

Next to it well find the facelifted SX4 S-Cross which received a major redesign at the front and an upgraded interior with better quality materials. But the big news come from under the bonnet, as the new SX4 S-Cross will be available with both the new turbocharged 1.0-litre and 1.4-litre BoosterJet direct injection engines which replace the old naturally aspirated 1.6-litre petrol unit. The 1.6-litre DDiS diesel option completes the lineup.

The all-new Suzuki Ignis is expected to hit the European market in January 2017 while the revamped SX4 S-Cross will be launched this fall. Suzuki promises to give us more details on September 29, at their Paris Motor Show press conference.

PHOTO GALLERY
A 37-year-old attorney from Missouri claims his Model Xs Autopilot system saved his life when he suffered a pulmonary embolism while behind the wheel



According to Slate, while driving home from his office, Joshua Neally started feeling incredibly sharp pains in his chest. After calling his wife, he agreed to head straight to the hospital rather than going home or calling an ambulance.

Neally says that for almost 20 miles, his Model X drove itself along the highway and to a hospital near an exit ramp. All he had to do was steer the electric SUV into the parking lot and check himself into the emergency room.

The lawyer claims that, if it wasnt for Autopilot, he could have easily lost control of the car while writhing in pain in the drivers seat.

This is the first recent story regarding Autopilot where it hasnt been under the microscope and criticized. Ever since a fatal crash in mid-May, lobby groups, other automakers and much of the media have called for Autopilot to be disabled until it is perfected.

PHOTO GALLERY
Produced in an era when Lamborghini was still making tractors, this 1949 Ferrari Inter Coupe could be the Holy Grail for the right car collector.



Built in just three examples in 1947, an additional five in 1948 and the rest of the 21 cars the year after, it is the oldest Prancing Horse in the United Kingdom. The vehicle is also the eleventh road car built by Ferrari, wearing chassis number 21, and if this doesnt make any mathematical sense, learn that the Italians used odd numbers and started with 001.

Making it even more exclusive is the fact that its the fourth out of a total of 10 cars that boast Stabilimenti Farinas exclusive bodywork, and despite being as old as a dinosaur (in car years, anyway), its history is well documented and starts with its first owner from Milan, Italy, who bought it on July 27, 1949 and sold it to another fellow Italian the same year.

In 1962, the Ferrari 166 Inter Coupe Stabilimenti Farina, which is its full name, was exported to Houston, Texas, USA, and two years later, it was taken to Oklahoma, USA, only to be shipped to Ascot, England, the next year, after being bought by P. G. Palumbo. In 1991, it was listed for sale at RM Sothebys Monaco auction, where it failed to sell, but five years later, it changed hands at another auction, for 64,200 ($83,441 at todays exchange rates).

After that, the classic car was sold in 1996, 1997 and 1998, when it was registered under a Swiss license plate and driven in the Mille Miglia twice, in 2000 and 2004. Its current owner has it in his possession since January 2015 and is now looking to depart with it. In charge of finding this 1949 Inter Coupe a new home is Ferrari specialist Talacrest, who will gladly answer any questions a serious buyer would have.

PHOTO GALLERY
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

PetSmart is announcing the opening of its first store in Penticton, located at 102 Warren Ave. E.

To celebrate, the store will have a grand opening event Saturday, Aug. 27, starting with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Pet parents and their four-legged friends are encouraged to join in, and the first 50 shoppers will receive a mystery gift card, with a potential value from $5 up to $50.

All shoppers wil receive free giveaways such as t-shirts, pet toys and coupons.



The stores adoption partner, the Summerland Cat Sanctuary Society, will be on site with cats available for adoption.

PetSmart is dedicated to saving the lives of homeless pets through every day in-store adoptions and through its signature National Adoption Weekend events where nearly 20,000 pets find forever homes across Canada every year.

PetSmart Charities of Canada is a leading funder of animal welfare and, since 1999, has granted more than $9 million to more than 100 animal welfare organizations across the country, with a focus on funding adoption and spay/neuter programs.

The new Penticton store features more than 15,000 square feet of space, providing pet parents with a broad range of competitively priced pet food and a comprehensive line of pet products.

It also offers services such as pet training and a full-service grooming salon where dogs and cats receive hands-on care from stylists dedicated to making pets look and feel their best.

The Aug. 27 ceremony is at 9 a.m.
Photo: Contributed

A couple who walked free on terror charges last month had spent four days in Kelowna in 2013 largely smoking marijuana and playing video games, while they were supposed to be planning a terrorist plot.

John Nuttall and Amanda Korody were found guilty on terror charges by a jury last year for planting what they believed were pressure-cooker bombs on the grounds of the B.C. legislature on July 1, 2013.

In the July 29 B.C. Supreme Court ruling, which found the pair were entrapped by the RCMP, Justice Catherine Bruce outlined a trip to Kelowna to get the pair out of their Surrey home and plot their attack.

The undercover investigation, titled Project Souvenir, took place between Feb. 1 and July 2, 2013.

On June 16, 2013, four and half months into the investigation, the couple was driven to Kelowna by an undercover officer and put up in a hotel room that had what they believed to be a safe room with a secure Internet connection.

The RCMP planned and funded the trip to get Nuttall and Korody out of their home, so police could bug the couple's home and get them away from distractions and focus on their terrorist plot.

Nuttall had talked a lot about his plans to commit some type of attack, but had yet to make a concrete plot. Nuttall was set on a plan to use rockets in an attack, but due to unrealistic nature of the plan, the undercover officer, referred to as Officer A, urged them to use pressure-cooker bombs while they were in Kelowna.

In my view, Officer A could not have done more to direct Mr. Nuttall in regard to a plan to do jihad during the Kelowna scenario. He led Mr. Nuttall to believe that the only feasible plan was one involving the pressure cooker devices, wrote Justice Bruce. Even when Mr. Nuttall said he did not want to do the pressure cookers, Officer A continued to talk about them as the feasible plan versus the unrealistic rocket plan.

Despite the RCMP providing a place for the couple to plan, and suggesting the method of attack, the couple spent much of the time smoking marijuana and playing video games, to the chagrin of police.

Officer A tried to shame the defendants into focusing on their jihadist plans by chastising them about the waste of time and money that occurred during the Kelowna trip; however, even after this confrontation they spent almost all of their time in Kelowna playing online video games, wrote Justice Bruce.

The undercover officer told the couple their lack of progress in Kelowna was upsetting, and they had been wasting his terrorist organization's time.

He told the defendants that they had been disrespectful of the mujahideen who had made their stay in Kelowna possible, Justice Bruce wrote. The defendants talked about their fear of death at the hands of Officer A and his associates during the Kelowna scenario.

The couple went on to attempt to carry out the attack on Canada Day in Victoria, planting what they thought were three explosive devices made from pressure-cookers on the grounds of the B.C. legislature.

Due to the pressure the RCMP put on Nuttall and Korody to carry out the attack, the judge ruled in favour of the the couple.

"The defendants were the foot soldiers but the undercover officer was the leader of the group," she said. "Without the police it would have been impossible for the defendants to carry out the pressure-cooker plan.

The world has enough terrorists. We do not need the police to create more out of marginalized people who have neither the capacity nor sufficient motivation to do it themselves.
| The video game industry has gone from a mole hill to a mountain in no time flat, Chris DiMarco is your Sherpa as you endeavor to scale Mount Everquest
Photo: Contributed

The launch of its phase three is proving to be a hit at Skaha Hills.

The Vistas sold $12 million in just one day  all 24 villas  in the launch.

An opportunity to have unobstructed views of Skaha Lake, on the hill for less than $500,000 is rare, and we thought people would like this design, said Curt Jansen, vice-president of sales and marketing. The demand was there, and the success of this innovative home design has exceeded our expectations.

The Vistas feature terraced rancher villas built in the hillside vineyards with panoramic views of the Okanagan.

The first 24 homes in phase three were sold on the first day of the phase three launch in July.

The large villas offer the low maintenance of a condo, the functionality of a townhome and private outdoor space more typical of a single-family home.

More of the terraced rancher style buildings will be released within the year. At full build out, phase three will total $48 million.

Play Winery & Bistro, a $5.2-million hillside winery that opened earlier this month, also functions as an architectural entrance to the Skaha Hills community.

According to the Okanagan Real Estate Board, residential sales in the Okanagan continue to boom, with sales of 1263 units posted to the multiple listing service in June, up 38 per cent from June of last years reports.

We are thrilled about the success of Skaha Hills, as this is a great example of how a partnership between local developers, businesses and the Penticton Indian Band can work together to help strengthen our communitys economic development, said Mayor Andrew Jakubeit.
Photo: ReelPeachFest

The ReelPeachFest film festival has wrapped up in Penticton, with winners announced for two categories.

The film festival entered its second year this year, and the events organizer Penticton Mayor Andrew Jakubeit said there were more entries than the inaugural event last year.

We were thrilled to receive more submissions than our initial year and hope the event can continue to grow to showcase creative talent and our region, Jakubeit said in a release.

I still would like to see more fun and less of a corporate feel to some of the submissions. There were many films that made you smile, laugh and evoked a sense of pride.

The festival had two categories that entries competed in: Liquid Libations and Okanagan Experiences.

Osoyoos Larose Winery, produced by Shawn Talbot of Kelowna took first prize for the Liquid Libations category.

Second place, and fan favourite for the category, was awarded to Coconut Express, which was produced by Martyn Lewis in Penticton.

Third place was given to Quidni Experience, which was produced by Marty Gunderson of Penticton.

In the Okanagan Experiences category, Peach Please, produced by Alec Simmons of Penticton, took first place; with I Live Here, produced by Shaun Kennedy of Penticton, taking second place and fan favourite; and third place was given to Golden Trails, which was produced by Nic Collar of Kelowna.

For both categories, first place was awarded $1,000 and a weekend getaway to Penticton Lakeside Resort, second place was awarded $500 and third place was given $250.

The fan favourite was also offered $500.

Jakubeit said next year he is looking at ways to expand the festival.

We hope to facilitate a workshop series next year before ReelPeachFest to provide new and aspiring film makers some basic skills and confidence to create their own epic masterpiece, Jakubeit said.

We believe each year the quality and caliber of the submissions will increase, so people should start planning to create and share some reel magic.
Photo: Flickr

Getting to the Canada/U.S. border in the Lower Mainland will soon be a little easier.

The Governments of Canada and British Columbia today announced a joint commitment of approximately $25.5 million to widen Highway 13 from 8th Avenue to 0 Avenue supporting border enhancements the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has recently implemented at the Aldergrove/Lynden border crossing.

The Government of Canada is committing just over $10 million through the Building Canada Fund and the B.C. government is committing $15.5 million towards the project.

This project will reduce traffic congestion, facilitate better and more streamlined Canada/United States border access for all traffic and mitigate the impact of border crossing activities on the local road system. As local development in the area continues to grow, along with growth in cross-border activity, there is a need for additional capacity at the border crossing.

In the southbound direction, the highway will be widened from one to three lanes, in order to accommodate a separate NEXUS and truck lane. These improvements on Highway 13 are expected to provide significant mobility benefits to travellers in terms of reduced wait times at the border crossing and overall delays on the corridor. These upgrades will also cut down on vehicle idling at the border, providing positive environmental benefits.

In the northbound direction, the highway will be widened from one to two lanes to accommodate a truck climbing lane. In addition, crews will build a new two-lane east-west connection at 3B Avenue, extending from Highway 13 to 264th Street.

The upcoming improvements are expected to provide mobility and safety benefits to travellers and commercial traffic by creating more room to travel and decreasing traffic congestion. Importantly, the highway upgrades will provide additional capacity at the Aldergrove/Lynden border crossing to improve movement of people and goods, and to increase tourism and trade.

The infrastructure improvement project is in the design phase now, with the tender expected in spring 2017. Construction will start once the contract has been awarded.

Expanding the capacity of our transportation network is critical to improving safety, attracting new investment and supporting economic growth. As outlined in B.C. on the Move, the B.C. government will invest approximately $1 billion over three years to ensure our network has the capacity and reliability to meet transport and trade needs, with maximum safety and minimal delays.
Photo: RCMP

Police are still searching for a missing woman and child.

Kimberly Armstrong and her 14-month-old son were reported missing Aug. 4 from New Westminster.

Police said at about 7:30 a.m. Aug. 4, Armstrong was dropped off alone in New Westminster. After not returning home to her residence in Maple Ridge, a friend became concerned and filed a missing persons report. After being reported missing, Armstrong returned to her residence in Maple Ridge, but left shortly after with her 14-month-old son before police could determine her welfare.

The NWPD Major Crime Unit is working in collaboration with the Mission RCMP, the Maple Ridge RCMP, and the Ministry of Child and Family Services to locate Armstrong and her son to determine their well-being.

From all accounts, Ms. Armstrong left on her own accord with her son, but her ability to care for him is unknown, said acting Sgt. Jeff Scott. At this point, there is no criminal investigation and although they have been seen in Mission, we need to confirm their well-being.

Armstrong has blonde hair, and has been seen with her child driving an older model, unlicenced four-door white Hyundai Excel.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the New Westminster Police Department at 604-525-5411.
Photo: CTV

A road rage victim is recovering after he was severely beaten, and had plant pots broken over his head.

The vicious Monday beating in Burnaby  apparently because the driver didn't take a turn fast enough  lasted five minutes.

The man, who asked to remain anonymous over fears of retaliation, was driving with his girlfriend when he ticked another driver off. The angry driver followed him for several blocks.

"The guy behind us was angry  he was swearing and yelling at us," he told CTV News.

They exchanged words, then the angry driver and three other men beat him.

"Beat me up, used fists, they broke pots over my head. There was a good five minutes of that and they fled the scene," he told CTV News. "I'm on the floor almost dead. You gotta be almost not human to do that."

He was taken to hospital and needed stitches to close the head wounds.

Police are investigating.

 with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: Getty Images

Heavy-footed drivers have lighter wallets after getting caught blasting through the Valley by RCMP.

Enforcement along a stretch of Highway 97 north of Kelowna resulted in dozens of drivers ticketed for speeding, nearly half of those had their vehicles removed from the roadway and impounded for allegedly speeding excessively.

During the afternoon of Aug. 8, officers with RCMPs Central Okanagan Traffic Services (COTS) of Kelowna, conducted enforcement on Highway 97 North along Ellison Lake.

Const. Jesse ODonaghey said in a period of about two hours, officers issued 25 violation tickets to motorists travelling above the posted speed limit of 90 km/h.

Of those, 10 motorists were issued fines of at least $368 for allegedly speeding excessively over the posted speed limit. The highest speed obtained by enforcement officers was 148 km/h in the posted 90 km/h zone.

The RCMP wish to remind motorists to slow down, drive safely and watch their speeds, said ODonaghey. A driver observed speeding in excess of 41 km/h over the posted speed limit could be subjected to a minimum fine amount of $368 along with a mandatory seven-day impound of their vehicle,
Photo: The Canadian Press

Const. Clay Wurzinger and his police dog had been methodically searching for hours along an old forestry road on Vancouver Island when Boomer picked up the missing woman's scent.

As the dog bounded over and down an embankment, a colleague said Wurzinger feared Irene Paquet, 67, was dead. But then he saw signs of life.

"And when she started verbalizing to him and then she reached out and grabbed his hand, (he said) it was like a shock going through him," said Const. Gary O'Brien with Nanaimo RCMP who relayed the conversation he had with Wurzinger on Tuesday.

Paquet, who lives in Chemainus, was last seen on July 29. Police said she was discovered six nights later, owing to the efforts of the dog handler and a dirt biker that culminated in her rescue last Thursday.

The ordeal began when Paquet turned down the wrong road as she returned from the grocery store. She drove about 45 kilometres along a winding, mountainous logging road into the backcountry.

O'Brien said at some point the woman tried to back up, but accidentally drove her car off the road. Finding herself stuck, she left the car to walk.

About three kilometres away, she tripped and fell off a berm, sliding down about four to six metres, he said. The woman was surrounded by thick forest in an area called Copper Canyon.

"The reality is, here's the harsh part  people were not expecting her to be found alive," O'Brien said, recounting details Wurzinger told him because the constable was out on another operation on Tuesday.

"The weather co-operated, but she's getting on in age, she has significant medical issues that have to be treated every day. It wasn't looking good. You would almost say it was down to the hours."

The dog handler had been brought in by helicopter at first light Thursday after police were alerted a day earlier when a dirt biker spotted her car abandoned in the wilderness.

The biker took a photograph of the car and posted it to social media. He had noticed a post including the missing woman's photos on Facebook put up by an organization where she volunteered, Cowichan Neighbourhood House. Police were quickly summoned.

"It was pure luck. All the stars aligned," said Cpl. Krista Hobday of the North Cowichan-Duncan RCMP.

"It really was amazing that she'd been out there on her own for so long. She didn't have any broken bones or anything like that. Anybody else laying in a ditch may not have survived," said Hobday.

Paquet was airlifted to hospital suffering dehydration and she was disoriented, said police, adding that a health condition may have contributed to her ordeal.
UPDATE: 4 p.m.

Firefighters have mopped the forest floor with a grassfire on Knox Mountain.

Kelowna Fire Department platoon captain Steve Wallick says crews will have to "babysit" the fire for a few hours to ensure it doesn't flare up.

They are now putting out hot spots.

Wallick won't speculate on the cause. However, there are burns in the ditch at the roadside.

UPDATE: 3:40 p.m.

Emergency officials are trying to get people off Knox Mountain, as they battle a grassfire on the popular Kelowna hiking trail.

The fire is about 15 meters by 15 meters, and it's located just off the side of the road near the first lookout.

Several fire engines, a pumper truck and at least six firefighters are working to douse the blaze.

ORIGINAL

Firefighters are working to douse a grassfire on Knox Mountain.

Smoke is visible on the hillside. The fire is located near the first lookout on the popular hiking trail.

Officials are asking people to not drive up the hill.

A Castanet reporter is heading to the scene.

More to come.

Send photos and newstips to [email protected]
Photo: Thinkstock.com

Osoyoos mayor and council are still not in agreement over a pot-shop bylaw they are set to vote on Tuesday night.

The bylaw would ban cannabis dispensaries in town as long as they are illegal under federal law, and has gone through first and second readings and public consultations.

The vote is coming in a special meeting, not part of the scheduled listing of council meetings.

Mayor Sue McKortoff said the special meeting was not intended to rush the bylaw as much as it was to coincide with other meetings planned for the day, and to save council from overpacking the following meeting on Aug. 15, which is expected to be busy due to the cancelled council meeting on Aug. 1.

Coun. Mike Campol, who has voted against the bylaw in the past, said hes not worried, because even if council votes to double down on banning dispensaries in town, imminently expected changes to federal laws on medical pot mean the change is only temporary.

McKortoff said she welcomes any federal law that would allow for dispensaries in town, and that council could work on bylaws surrounding whatever law comes to place.

Were hoping that the government is going to come out with something in the next couple of weeks, she said.

She said the town is frustrated with a lack of clarity from the federal government on where it is going with laws that are expected to come down by the end of the month.

Im sure every town in this province feels the same way, she said. Weve all been put in kind of an awkward position of having to deal with this.

Campol said he understands where the staff recommendation is coming from  that the bylaw would provide more teeth for the town to shut down illegal dispensaries.

However, he added that he doesnt believe it is necessary, as the town already has means by which it can prevent dispensaries from staying open.

That includes bylaw enforcement and RCMP enforcement, which he said has already shut down one dispensary in the town.

McKortoff said it is upon the town to make clear that dispensaries are not welcome in town as long as it is federally outlawed.

It is illegal at this point, and my own recommendation...was to not allow a business licence for any kind of marijuana storefront operations, she said.

However, Campol said he believes a bylaw reinforcing a stance against dispensaries now could signal to potential businesses in the future that they are not welcome at all.

The issue has been a hot-button issue, with big cities such as Vancouver and Toronto attempting to regulate locally, while other cities have decided to stand against dispensaries.

Neither McKortoff nor Campol said they have any expectations as to the outcome of Tuesday nights vote on the issue.

Campol added, however, that he has been impressed with the whole process so far, noting that McKortoff was exceptionally lenient with speakers from the public during the public consultations, as conversations tended to deviate from the typically strict protocol of only discussing the bylaw in question.

Both McKortoff and Campol said they are in favour of preparing for potential, new regulations for medical pot in the near future, by studying the issue and preparing bylaws to be in place for any potential, new businesses.
Photo: Getty Images

Police in Nanaimo suspect a drone operator was fishing for mischief last week.

BC Hydro contacted the Nanaimo RCMP on Aug. 5 to report hydro crews had been taking down 50-pound test fishing line wrapped around power lines, around trees, across road ways, over houses and through yards.

Sgt. Sheryl Armstrong said RCMP, as well as the BC Hydro crews, believe unknown persons were using a drone to fly the wire around the lines.

Upon further inspection it was noted a small flashlight and headlamp were fastened to the line. Investigators believe this was done so the suspects would be able to see where the drone was flying the line, said Armstrong, adding there have been similar incidents in the past near the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital helicopter landing pad, which could cause significant problems for air ambulances.

Should the pilot not see the wire there could be drastic consequences if the line became enmeshed in the helicopters rotator blades causing a possible crash.

"This reckless behaviour puts the public and crews at risk. If an accident or outage were to occur, those involved in this negligent behaviour expose themselves to criminal charges and lawsuits for damages as a result of an incident. BC Hydro will seek damages for costs of any work required to repair lines or make them safe, said Ted Olynyk, BC hydro spokesperson.

Armstrong said police recognize that guidelines and regulations around the use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (drones) are continuing to evolve. The RCMP asks pilots to respect the safety tips and guidelines as outlined by Transport Canada.

If anyone has information, call the Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345 or contact Crime Stoppers at nanaimocrimestoppers.com, text 274637, keyword Nanaimo or call 1-800-222-8477.
(CNN) A Justice Department investigation found that the Baltimore Police Department engages in unconstitutional practices that led to disproportionate rates of stops, searches and arrests of African-Americans, and excessive use of force against ...

Topics: Donald Trump , Elections 2016 , Joy Reid , katrina pierson , lawrence o'donnell , MSNBC , Race , Racism , Video , Elections News , News , Politics News

On Sunday, Donald Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson appeared on MSNBC to defend her candidates most recent racist comments, and though she fought mightily against the patent content of his statements, host Joy Reid and guest Lawrence ODonnell refused to allow her to get away with obfuscating the obvious.

Pierson began by claiming that Trump didnt criticize Judge Gonzalo Curiel because solely because he was Mexican, and had mentioned specific rulings made by the judge that earned him the candidates ire. Its the medias fault, she said, that Trump keeps appearing to be a racist. Reid, however, was having none of it.

The reason the media constantly talks about Donald Trump and his issues with Americans who are non-white is because he keeps bringing it up, she said. Nobody asked him about the judges background, or the judges ethnicity.

He brought it up on his own, and when he was asked if that would also apply to Muslims, he  on his own, without being prompted said  Yeah, actually thats a problem. Hes bringing these things up.

advertisement
Photo: Facebook - Wayne Strach

A 61-year-old Edmonton man's world record attempt to swim the length of Okanagan Lake was abandoned Tuesday, 17 hours into the journey.

Wayne Strach set off from Vernon at 11:10 a.m. Monday morning, but his attempt to reach Penticton ended when he was separated from his support boat in darkness.

Wayne followed safety protocol, which was to head to shore and find a landmark, said Birget Moe, a support person.

All alone, the swimmer then spent 15 minutes walking in nothing but his Speedos, a swim cap and goggles, before finding a cabin on the shoreline where he pounded on the door and asked to use a telephone.

The swim was abandoned at 2:45 a.m. Tuesday morning.

It was a valiant attempt, said Moe. "He's a little bit down but not out.

Strach is the oldest Canadian to swim the English Channel, according to his team.
Photo: Twitter - BCGovFireInfo

Hot exhaust fumes are to blame for a wildfire that forced the evacuation of about 140 homes in the Joe Rich area last summer.

In an email from the Ministry of Forests, the most probable cause of the July 3, 2015, fire was determined to be thermally active exhaust carbon ejected by a passing truck.

All other reasonable causes were excluded.

Originally, it was thought a discarded cigarette had caused the blaze.

The fire began about 2:45 p.m. along Highway 33 just east of Heartland Ranch.

Within an hour, the fast moving fire resulted in the evacuation of all residents on Huckleberry Road, between Goudie Road and Sun Valley Road.

Some residents remained out of their homes for about 48 hours while crews mopped up the fire, which consumed about 55 hectares.
Photo: Getty Images

With all of the attention being placed on North Americas obesity epidemic and sedentary lifestyles, it is easy not to notice the flip side of that problem  when fitness becomes an unhealthy obsession.

We hear a lot about exercising for good health to achieve a goal weight or to boost strength and endurance. Engaging in regular exercise is healthy and an important part of a balanced life.

But we have all met people  or seen their posts on social media sites  who take exercise and fitness into the realm of compulsion.

Excessive exercise has long been observed as a co-existing problem with eating or body dysmorphic (deformity or abnormality in the shape or size of a specified part of the body) disorders.

Many times, people experiencing one of these conditions will exercise compulsively as part of their quest to control their bodies.

Exercise is a problem in this context. Compulsive exercisers require longer hospital stays, they have more relapses and their long-term outcome is worse than those who do not exercise compulsively.

Also, the compulsive exercise usually begins before an eating disorder and is often the last symptom to subside when the eating disorder is treated.

We now also know that excessive or compulsive exercise can occur independently of eating disorder. So-called exercise addiction has been difficult to define and measure because what may seem excessive to some, could be perfectly healthy for others.

We know that those who exercise compulsively do not want to exercise as much as they do. They often realize it is too much, they know they will hurt themselves or even die if they continue and yet they are unable to stop.

The focus has now shifted from defining this addiction in quantitative terms to more qualitative ones  examining what is motivating the exercise.

Some new studies out of the U.K. have set out to determine whether compulsive exercise can be measured.

In order to understand compulsive exercise better, researchers undertook a large review and then used the data to create a Compulsive Exercise Test, which they have been using in several studies in young women, athletes and patients with eating disorders.

These studies found avoidance, weight-control exercise, lack of enjoyment and exercise rigidity were pronounced among those with eating disorders.

Using this information they have also created an intervention called the LEAP program, which takes a cognitive behaviour therapy approach to compulsive exercise.

The goal is to help patients determine what exercise is healthy and help them regain control of their behaviour. A four-year study using this program is wrapping up and preliminary results are promising.

It will be interesting to see more results from this group and others as to how we can promote healthy lifestyle while preventing the development of compulsive exercise as well as how we can help those experiencing this compulsion both within the context of an eating disorder and on its own.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: Flickr/BC Gov't

B.C. Premier Christy Clark has been cleared for a second time on conflict of interest allegations connected to party fundraising events.

Conflict commissioner Paul Fraser says he found nothing compellingly different in the most recent conflict complaint filed against the premier by Opposition New Democrat David Eby than he did in Eby's first complaint filed in April.

Eby asked Fraser to reopen his original ruling after Clark attended a fundraising event in her Kelowna riding last September in which a donor paid $10,000 to attend.

Last May, Fraser ruled exclusive fundraising events and a stipend paid to Clark by the Liberal party are not conflicts because they do not amount to a private interest.

He says Eby's most recent concern that Clark benefited from the $10,000 donation did not amount to a personal benefit because the money went to her Westside-Kelowna riding association.

Fraser's ruling says he now considers the matter closed.
Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

The head of the Rutland Park Society has been asked to step aside.

At a special meeting called by membership of the society Tuesday, a majority of those in attendance voted to ask for president Todd Sanderson's resignation.

More than 70 people were at the meeting. Three voted against the motion.

The meeting was chaired by society treasurer Wendi Swarbrick, one of just two directors left on the society.

Sanderson did not attend. He said he has been receiving threats and did not feel safe to do so.

Tuesday's meeting was called in an attempt to get the society "back on track" after 11 of the 13 directors resigned during a heated meeting last month, a meeting called, in part to deal with the removal of Swarbrick from the board.

Prior to asking for Sanderson's resignation, those in attendance voted to amend rules allowing all members in attendance to vote, including more than 20 who registered prior to the meeting.

The membership also voted in six new, interim directors in order to have enough directors to run society business until the next AGM in October.

Those directors include: Joe Iafrancesco, Bob Dhanwant, Walter Viita, Gene Booth, Chase Jestley and Steve Swarbrick.

The validity of the meeting continues to be debated by both Swarbrick and Sanderson.

Swarbrick said Tuesday, in her opinion, the meeting was called and advertised correctly. She said all the Is were dotted and the Ts were crossed. Sanderson, on the other hand, said only the president can call such a meeting.

"The members just can't call a meeting themselves," said Sanderson.

"When a requisition is called, they have to call upon someone to make it happen, and that is the president. And, they didn't contact all the members. They contacted who they wanted to contact so they could have the vote the way they want it to happen."

Sanderson has called a meeting for the 23rd of this month with the same agenda as Tuesday  to appoint new directors and move the society forward.

And, he says he knows he has to step away.

"I know my opinions on what's going on are completely tainted, and I know for the board to go forward, I need to remove myself.

"But, I just need to know I have relinquished all liability, particularly as it concerns the books and records which have not been released to the board."

Sanderson said he has asked to see the books, but claims Swarbrick will not turn them over.

"I ask, in capital letters, what is she hiding?" he said.

"The story here is why won't she release the books? Not only to me, but to the previous board who all resigned because they noticed there was a conflict of interest, which the lawyer pointed out, point blank."

Swarbrick did tell the membership in attendance Tuesday that, moving forward, she plans to hold an open house and lay out all the books for any member to review.
Photo: CTV

The world's tallest wood-construction building reached a milestone, Tuesday.

The final wood panel was installed on the 18-storey tower at the University of British Columbia's Vancouver campus.

When completed in the spring, it will become student housing.

A new building method using laminated panels allows the tower to meet earthquake standards and to exceed heights usually permitted for wood construction.

"It was courageous of them and really groundbreaking," Paul Fast, founder of Fast+Epp Structural Engineering, told CTV as work continued at the site.

The building will cost more than $50 million when finished and is part of a UBC effort to alleviate on-campus housing demand as well as promote B.C. wood technology.

 with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

Sandy Kamps has worked in toy stores since he was a teen, and his latest venture on Penticton's Main Street has proven to be relatively successful.

But now that Kamps is running a second landscaping business as well as raising five children, he is reluctantly shutting the doors at Mystery Toys at the end of the month.

"Business has been pretty good and people love it," he said, describing his business this week. "The main reason we are closing down is it's too much work, with five kids, all home schooled, there is not time to run this second business."

Kamps' parents started the family's first toy store in Penticton years ago, before moving it to Kamloops.

The family then opened up a store on Westminster Avenue in 2014 before moving to Main Street.

"We tried it again, opening on Westminster, because I kind of missed it," said Kamps.

The store, currently operated by Kamps, his wife and his sister Angel Kamps, has since become known for its second-hand toys including games, dolls and action figures.

They also did fun activities like a colouring contest where every child who entered at the store won a prize.

"A lot of people are pretty sad about it and we are sad we are not going to be here," said Kamps. "But it's just become overwhelming for me, my sister and my wife, so it's time to let it go and move on to other things."

Kamps added there have been a few people interested in running the store, but at this point they are selling off everything because they can't wait around.

Everything in the store at 532 Main Street is now 50 per cent off, unless otherwise marked. They are also selling off shelving and fixtures.
Photo: UBC Okanagan

A UBC professors flax research could one day help Canadian farmers grow a car fender.

In a recent study, UBC researcher Michael Deyholos identified the genes responsible for the bane of many Canadian flax farmers existence: the fibres in the plant's stem.

These findings have allowed us to zero in the genetic profile of the toughest part of this plant and may one day help us engineer some of that toughness out, says Deyholos, a biology professor at UBC's Okanagan campus. With further research, we might one day be able to help farmers make money off a waste material that wreaks havoc on farm equipment and costs hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars to deal with.

As part of his research, Deyholos and his former graduate student at the University of Alberta dissected thousands of stems under a microscope in order to identify which genes in the plant's make up were responsible for the growth of the stem, and which werent.

Due to the length of the Canadian Prairies growing season, where flax is grown, farmers typically burn the stems, known as flax straw, as opposed to harvesting the material. In many European countries, flax straw is used as an additive in paper, plastics and other advanced materials such as those used in the production of automobiles.

Currently, Canadian flax is used only for the value of its seeds, which can be eaten or broken down into flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil is used in the manufacturing of paints, linoleum, and as a key element in the manufacturing of packaging materials and plastics.

According to the Flax Council of Canada, Canada is one of the largest flax producers in the world, with the nations prairie provinces cultivating 816,000 tonnes of the plant in 2014/15 on 1.6 million acres of land.

Deyholos research was recently published in the journal Frontiers of Plant Science.
Photo: CTV

Firefighters in Pitt Meadows confirm a Tuesday evening house fire has claimed a life.

The body of a man in his 40s has been found in the home, about 40 kilometres east of Vancouver.

Fire Chief Don Jolley says two other people are recovering from smoke inhalation and one of them also has minor burns.

He says there were smoke detectors and sprinklers in the home, but they weren't working.

Ridge Meadows RCMP remained at the home, in the 19100 block of Mitchell Road, through the night.

Information about the cause of the fire has not been released.
A rash of vehicle break-ins has prompted a reminder from Vernon's Community Policing Office.

Once again, drivers are being urged to lock the doors of their cars, SUVs and pickups when they are shopping or heading into the office  after first removing packages, electronics, change and garage door openers.

There has been a spike in vehicle thefts lately and it is across the board. It's not in one area or another in terms of Greater Vernon, said Rachael Zubick, community safety co-ordinator. It's happening all over the place.

The thieves seem to be looking for anything that's left in a vehicle, said Zubick.

People are leaving their wallets, they're leaving their identification, they're leaving money, they're leaving electronics, iPods, laptops. We're finding a lot of those things still being left in vehicles and many of the vehicles are left unlocked which, of course, poses an easy opportunity for those seeking an easy steal.

Zubick also urged people not to leave garage door openers behind when exiting a vehicle.

No figures were provided on the number of vehicle thefts in the Greater Vernon area.
An African-American pro-charter advocacy group is appealing to leaders of the NAACP to reject a recent resolution from members of the venerable civil rights organization that calls for a moratorium on expanding charter schools.

Citing increased segregation and high rates of exclusionary discipline among other issues, members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People voted at the organizations national conference late last month to approve a resolution calling for a ban on new charter schools. The civil rights organization has long held a skeptical view of charters, but this resolution may amount to its strongest opposition to date.

Soon after, Black Lives Matter activists joined a coalition of several civil rights and advocacy groups in releasing an education agenda that also calls for a ban on charters, among other initiatives.

Organized under the Movement for Black Lives, the agenda also targets some of the most powerful philanthropic backers of the charter school sectorthe Walton Family Foundation, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundationfor bankrolling what it calls an international education privatization agenda.

(All three foundations help support coverage in Education Week. The newspaper retains sole editorial control over its content.)

African-American supporters of charter schools have since been pushing back against the NAACPs resolution (which has yet to be approved by the groups leadership).

Jacqueline Cooper, the president of the Black Alliance for Educational Options, or BAEO, said in a statement that they urge the NAACPs national board to reject the resolution at their next meeting.

The fact that the NAACP wants a national moratorium on charter schools, many of which offer a high-quality education to low-income and working-class Black children, is inexplicable, she said. The resolution is ill-conceived and based on lies and distortions about the work of charter schools.

After shedding two of its four state chapters, BAEO is currently undergoing a reorganization the details of which will be decided through an innovation competiton to reinvent the organization.

While acknowledging that some of the issues the NAACP raised over charter school quality and oversight are true, Shavar Jeffries, the president of Democrats for Education Reform said in a statement that its counterproductive to paint all charter schools with the same brush.

We should be fixing whats broken and expanding what works, not pre-empting the choices of parents of color about the best schools appropriate for meeting the particular needs of their children, he said.

The announcementsand reaction to themhighlight some of the fissures among two important groups to the charter school sector: African-Americans and Democrats.

How Racially Segregated Are Charter Schools?

It is true that a very visible segment of the charter school sector, propelled by philanthropic organizations such as the Walton and Broad foundations, is focused on setting up shop in low-income, urban areas with the aim of serving the black and Latino students who live in those communities.

Nationally, black students make up 28 percent of charter school enrollment, compared to 15 percent of non-charter enrollment, while white students make up 35 percent of total charter school enrollment and 50 percent of the public, non-charter sector. Those numbers come from a recent Education Week Research Center analysis of federal data from the 2012-13 school year.

The gap in enrollment share is smaller for Hispanic students than for their black and white peers. Hispanic students account for 29 and 25 percent of charter and non-charter enrollment, respectively.

But the racial makeup of charter schools varies greatly from state to state (to see a racial breakdown of charter school enrollment in your state, click here ).

Related Stories:
Photo: Getty Images

Police in Golden are warning residents not to walk alone at night after a woman was attacked and tasered early Saturday morning.

Const. Spencer Lainchbury says the woman was walking near Spirit Square in the early hours when she was assaulted. There is no word on the identity of the attacker or the womans condition.

He says details are still sketchy, and police are trying to work out the timeline, circumstances and possible motive for the attack.

Our investigation is still in its very early stages, so there are still very few details available," says Lainchbury.

A Facebook post on a local classifieds page has also hinted there was a second woman attacked in Golden, but Lainchbury says police are still trying to confirm that incident actually occurred. No one has come to police with a second complaint.

We would really like to speak with the other person, he says. Its very possible that if there are two incidents, that they are related, but we also want to rule out that this isnt the same incident that has been reported as two through social media.

The peaceful mountain town of 3,700 is far better known for its spectacular scenery than urban street crime. But while the investigation continues, police are advising residents walking at night to travel in groups and report any suspicious activity or persons.

They also say theyll be increasing police presence on the towns pedestrian paths with bike and foot patrols.
Photo: CTV

A giant sinkhole opened up at a busy Lower Mainland intersection.

A water main break in Coquitlam Tuesday night created a massive 25-foot sinkhole that crews worked to repair Wednesday.

Some said that when the flooding was at its worst, cars in a nearby parkade were floating.

Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart told CTV News the city is investigating what caused the break.

"They've got the pipe in the back of the truck and they'll be analyzing it to determine what happened," he said.

"There are settlement issues and aging infrastructure across the Lower Mainland well across Canada. We certainly need to examine how we continue to upgrade our infrastructure as best we can."

 with files from CTV Vancouver
While the perception may be that this is one of the coolest and wettest summers on record, Environment Canada says it's actually pretty average.

When you try to compare this year's stats to normal, it comes out as a normal summer, but that is not everyone's perception, says meteorologist Lisa Coldwells.

She says the average rainfall for June is 12 days of rain at 45.9 millimetres, more than this year's eight days of rain at 37.7 mm. An average July sees nine days of rain hitting 37 mm, while this July we saw nine days of rain that produced just 24 mm of rain.

So we are not even at 100 per cent of normal yet."

If this summer isn't wetter than normal, is it cooler? Coldwells says not really.

It is slightly cooler, but it is just perception."

The highest temperature in July was 36.7 C on July 29. The average daytime high was 27.1 C for the month and the average is typically 27.9 C, so it wasn't a lot off of the average.

She says the last two summers of intense heat have skewed public opinion of a typical summer, leaving locals very blah about this year's weather.

The last two years we had some scorching-hot summers where we had days of 35 C and we just haven't had that this year, says Coldwells. The last two years were very abnormal.

She thinks it is specifically the lack of sunny and hot multi-day stretches that make us feel like we are missing out this year.

We haven't had that week-long stretch of hot, sunny weather, says Coldwells. We generally get two or three of those in the summer, and we have not had that this summer.

While the meteorologist can't explain why we haven't seen those stretches of hotter weather, she reminds us that April, May and early June saw record-breaking heat, before the weather pattern dipped back into a cold-low June pattern.

We got some cool days. It was showery, we got some rain, and then the cold lows just didn't go away. They continued through the month of July, says Coldwells. We are sitting under the remnants of the last one now.

Coldwells says we shouldn't lose hope yet as the most promising stretch of hot, sunny weather is set to begin tomorrow.

We are actually now seeing the best indication that this pattern has broken and a strong ride of high pressure is building in, says Coldwells.

This is a chance to do a little happy dance. I am optimistic that we've got five days of nice, sunny weather coming in. Maybe we can even extend that to a whole week. This is the best summertime ridge pattern we have seen this year.

Check our your local weather forecast here.

Send your best summer or weather photos and video to [email protected].
Photo: Google Street View

Enderby residents will be getting some medical relief when a new doctor opens shop next week.

The community north of Vernon on Highway 97A has been struggling to attract doctors for the past several years, but on Monday Dr. Michael Abayomi will start seeing patients at the Enderby Community Health Centre.

Currently, there is only one physician in the town of just over 3,000 people.

Coun. Brian Schreiner said at one point the community had five doctors, but four have left for various reasons.

We've been dealing with this over the past five or six years, said Schreiner, who was part of the recruitment process along with Interior Health officials.

Schreiner said it was of great benefit to be part of the recruiting.

We were able to explain our community and the amenities it has to offer, said Schreiner. We're really pleased IH let us be involved in the process.

Schreiner said representatives of the Splatsin First Nation, which borders Enderby, were also part of the hiring process.

Enderby has seen several doctors come and go as part of an IH program where foreign doctors must practice in rural communities for three years before they can move to larger centres.

However, Schreiner said he is optimistic things will be different this time as the new physician is from a rural community and will hopefully want to practice in a smaller community beyond the three-year commitment.

We want to make sure he feels welcome, said Schreiner.

But the arrival of Abayomi is just part of the good news for Enderby residents.

We have another doctor coming in February as well, said Schreiner, adding a nurse practitioner has been hired to replace the current nurse practitioner who is leaving town.

Interior Health is pleased that, in collaboration with our community partners, and through the governments Practice Ready Assessment BC (PRA-BC) program, we will be welcoming a full-time physician to join our team at the Enderby Community Health Centre next week, said Dr. Curtis Bell, executive director, primary and residential care.

The PRA-BC program is funded by the Ministry of Health and Doctors of BC, who are working together to strengthen health care in rural communities like Enderby. This program is focused on bringing stable, high quality care to residents in rural BC, and addressing the physician retention and recruitment challenges facing some of our smaller communities.
Photo: http://www.abbotsfordairshow.com/

While Canadas fighter jet replacement continues to be a hot topic among government officials, you can take the discussion to new heights this weekend at the 54th annual Abbotsford International Airshow.

The annual airshow will be the one and only place to see the options side by side.

Key players Boeing and Lockheed Martin will display the F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-35 Lightning aircraft respectively, while Eurofighter will also be there with a display booth.

Joining the Canadian fighter jet replacement contenders on the ramp will be an additional collection of USAF F-15s, A-10s and other static and flying Hornets and Super Hornets  turning Abbotsford into "Fightertown, Canada" for the weekend.

An aspect of the airshows strategic vision is to strengthen key partnerships with aerospace organizations such as AIAC Pacific who produce the annual Aerospace Defence and Security Expo adjacent the airshow. The Canadian Business Aviation Association will also hold its annual convention next year at Abbotsford in conjunction with the airshow as well, says airshow president Jim Reith.

Looking to the future, we expect the Abbotsford Airshow will encompass a major aerospace industry event occurring in the days prior to the public weekend show in the style of Farnborough and Paris airshows.

The year's airshow will mark the very first time the Lockheed Martin F-35 joint strike fighter aircraft will appear in Canada.

We are always keen to have on display the latest and most advanced in aerospace technologies in both military and civilian aircraft, adds Reith.

The airshow will look to do so this weekend with 15 fighters in the air or on the ground, as it celebrates its 2016 superhero inspired Heroes of the Skies theme.

The Abbotsford International Airshow runs each year on the second full weekend in August.

This year's event runs from Aug. 12 to 14.

Organizers say visitors to 'Fightertown, Canada' this weekend are sure to be impressed.

For more information or to buy tickets, click here.
UPDATE: 1:20 p.m.

Columbia Street is now open in both directions, say Kamloops police.

ORIGINAL: 1:10 p.m.

Fire crews are on the scene of a fire at the Travelodge on Columbia Street.

The fire, which broke out shortly before noon, apparently started in the kitchen ventilation for Sleepy's Diner.

Firefighters are mopping up.

Westbound traffic has been closed between 3rd and 4th Avenue.

One lane of westbound traffic is expected to open very soon.

It is unknown at this time when both lanes will be open.
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

Several B.C. food companies will be showing off the fruits of their labour in Hong Kong this weekend  including two from the South Okanagan-Similkameen region.

Hong Kong Trade Development Council Food Expo is Asia's largest consumer food industry event, and will be showing off the products of well over 1,000 exhibitors.

Two of the eight featured will include the Bench 1775 Winery and Tasting Room of Penticton and the Forbidden Fruit Winery out of Cawston.

Last year's expo brought in more than 470,000 attendees who got a gander at nearly 1,200 exhibitors from 24 countries.

Bench 1775 Winery's general manager and winemaker Val Tait said the opportunity is huge for the company, which she said is a relatively new winery.

"We're in a very competitive market, globally speaking," she said. "The more market exposure we can get, the better it is for us in B.C."

She said Canada is seen globally as a strong wine producer, with high environmental and safety standards.

"All of those things are very positive, so it's a very strong position to have going into those markets," Tait said.

She said the international exposure would give the winery a leg up on others in the area, noting that international markets often expect higher consistency of quality.

"If you can produce something consistently at a very high quality, and you are able to deliver year after year, then for sure, it's a huge market advantage to be in an export market," she said, adding that the returns for the winery are also in an export market.

She noted that only about 25 per cent of B.C. wine is bought domestically, and that international wines have a large presence in B.C.'s liquor stores.

She added that she would like to see more B.C. wine bought locally.

The eight exhibitors from B.C. are part of a provincial government delegation, intended to promote B.C. products abroad and expand the province's exports to international markets.

The six other exhibitors coming from B.C. are:

ASTI Holdings (Golden Bonbon) - New Westminster

Bremner Foods - Delta

Global Fruit Brokers - Creston

Nu-Tea Company - Mission

R.J.T. Blueberry Park - Aldergrove

Trumps Food - Vancouver

The delegation is part of a 2013 provincial-territorial-federal deal investing $3 billion over five years into innovation, competitiveness and market development.

Minister of International Trade Teresa Wat said the expo will provide exposure to B.C.'s food companies and help to promote trade around the world.

The event will be taking place in Hong Kong from Aug. 11 to Aug 15.
Photo: Kate Bouey

A study currently underway asks the question: how many boats would it take to affect Kalamalka Lake or Wood Lake water quality?

While both lakes are popular with boaters, many Vernon area and Lake Country residents get their drinking water from the two lakes.

Armed with a grant from the Okanagan Basin Water Board, Greater Vernon Water, Coldstream and the District of Lake Country staff set out to find how many boats are too many boats.

The study is taking place right now and is looking at boating as one of the activities on the lake. The question is at what boating level/numbers would there be an effect on water quality, said Renee Clark, GVW's water quality manager. It is also looking at opportunities to protect water quality through best management practices and bylaws  for example, no wake zones, refuelling practices or invasive species.

Money has already been set aside to extend the north Kal intake pipe and work is expected to begin in the autumn. This is partly an effort to defend against quagga and zebra mussels getting into the drinking water system down the line.

The intake line is being lifted off the lake bottom, from 0.6 metres to three metres. We will also be extending it out further in the lake to keep it at a 20 metre depth, explained Clark.

The study is expected to be completed this winter.
Photo: CTV

The Vancouver Police Department's revelation that it has indeed employed a controversial mass-surveillance device despite initially insisting it had no documentation of its use raises serious legal and public accountability concerns, a civil liberties group says.

The department said it received help from the RCMP in using a so-called StingRay device during a 2007 investigation in an attempt to track down the cellphone of a person they believed had been abducted.

The admission comes after a protracted back-and-forth battle waged by both the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association and PIVOT Legal Society into whether the Vancouver police have ever used StingRay, an intelligence-gathering tool widely adopted in the United States.

StingRay mimics a cellular communications tower to trick all mobile devices within range to connect to it, giving police text and audio communication as well as the device's location.

Micheal Vonn of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association said it was only after a freedom-of-information request, direct questioning and the prospect of an inquiry by the province's privacy commissioner that the Vancouver police were willingly disclosed any information.

"This certainly raises a number of further questions," Vonn said.

"How, if they've actually used the RCMP's StingRay, could there be no documents: no memorandum of understanding with the RCMP, no policies and procedures, no communications, nothing. This seems deeply problematic."

Const. Brian Montague of the Vancouver police said in an email Wednesday that context is important in order to understand the role played by StingRay in investigations.

In the 2007 case, the device was used in "exigent circumstances" to investigate the disappearance of a person in a case that has since become a possible homicide, he said.

"It is disappointing to see the BCCLA failed to provide any context regarding that investigation, (and) continues their attempt at public fear mongering," he wrote.
PARCC is doing some deep soul-searching, with its future at stake. Its figuring out how it should reorganize to survive the coming years, and who should run it.

The most recent phase of that process has produced input from the testing field. To be precise: 128 pages of input. Weve obtained it for you through a Freedom of Information Act request. You can scroll through the pages yourself, at the bottom of this post.

The documents were a response to a request for information issued by PARCCs governing board in February, with responses due in March. The request for information, known in the procurement world as an RFI, seeks feedback from the field about the questions at handin this case, how PARCC should reorganize itself to serve states. Were talking about stuff like coordinating the development of new test questions, making test items available to states, and coordinating contracts with vendors to administer and score the test.

The RFI is designed to get ideas from the industry, but it also can be a preview of whos going to throw their hat in the ring to win the contract for the reorganization itself. Those hats will be thrown during the second stage of this process: the request for proposals, or RFP, that PARCC will issue later this year.

A caveat, as you leaf through the RFI responses: Just because someone chimed in during the RFI doesnt mean theyre necessarily going to submit a proposal in response to the RFP. And the reverse is true, too: Just because someone stays silent during the RFI part of the process doesnt mean they wont jump in when the RFP comes out. So while you can have a little fun reading the tea leaves here, dont assume too much.

Youll see that there were nine responses to PARCCs RFI. Most are from the usual players in the assessment industry, including ACT Inc., the Educational Testing Service, Measured Progress, Pearson, and Questar. Parcc Inc.the nonprofit that manages PARCC, the consortiumalso submitted a response, signaling an interest in continuing that management role. And there was an entry that some could find surprising, too: from Smarter Balanced, the other state consortium (along with PARCC) that designed common-core tests with federal funding. (Data Recognition Corp. also submitted some thoughts, without making a formal RFI response.)

The companies responding to the RFI pointed out the challenges ahead, such as adequately protecting the security of PARCCs bank of test questions, how to price test items, and how to produce enough income to sustain the organization. (Only six states and the District of Columbia currently administer the PARCC test . Two others blend some of PARCCs questions with their own.) They also try to grapple with the question of who will own PARCC content when some of it could be created by states, and other parts by the organization that runs the consortium.

One interesting tidbit that emerges from the responses is that states are apparently chatting about the prospect of having one entity that could offer them both PARCC and Smarter Balanced test content. Heres what ETS says about that in its response, referring to test content as intellectual property, or IP:

Smarter Balanced remained silent on that question in its submission, choosing only to discuss the elements of its operation that it believes have made it successful.

Another interesting tidbit in the responses was a reflection on how the exact players respondingtesting companiesmight not be good candidates to do the job. And that response came from a big testing company, ACT Inc., which notes that assessment companies are really good at some of the things PARCC wants, but not so good at others:

There is a lot more in these responses to peruse. Let me know what you find interesting!

PARCC Request for Information

For more on which standardized tests states are using, see:

State Testing: An Interactive Breakdown of 2015-16 Plans

Image by IStockPhoto
If you have just started your journey in an online casino or are looking for a new site to play,...
A federal appeals court has revived a lawsuit challenging a 60-year-old monument displaying the Ten Commandments at a Pennsylvania high school.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, in Philadelphia, ruled unanimously to restore the suit brought by a mother and daughter against the New Kensington-Arnold school district near Pittsburgh.

The suit by Marie Schaub for herself and on behalf of her daughter (identified only as Doe 1) and backed by the Madison, Wis.-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, challenges the Ten Commandment monument installed in 1956 at Valley High School in New Kensington, Pa.

The schools Ten Commandments monument was donated by the Fraternal Order of Eagles, part of a campaign to place such nearly 200 such granite memorials at public parks, municipal buildings, and schools across the country. (The fraternal organization was encouraged by Cecil B. DeMille, the director of the film The Ten Commandments, which came out in 1956.)

The lawsuit challenged the presence of the Ten Commandments monument as an unconstitutional government establishment of religion.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in an unsigned 1980 decision in Stone v. Graham that a Kentucky statute requiring the posting of the Ten Commandments on the walls of public school classrooms violated the establishment clause.

More recently, in 2005, the high court upheld an injunction barring Ten Commandments displays at two county courthouses but also upheld the display of a monument on the grounds of the Texas state capitol that had been donated by the Fraternal Order of Eagles.

The case involving Valley High School has, so far, been decided on dry legal grounds such as standing and mootness.

A federal district court said Schaub and her daughter had not come into enough contact with the monument to have suffered enough of a legal injury to have standing to challenge it under the establishment clause. Schaubs daughter was a middle school student at the time the lawsuit was filed, and she had encountered the monument several times when she attended events at the high school. The mother said she would face seeing it daily when she started driving her daughter to the high school.

In its Aug. 9 decision in Freedom From Religion Foundation v. New Kensington-Arnold School District , the 3rd Circuit court held that the mother had standing to challenge the monument.

A community member should not be forced to forgo a government service to preserve his or her ability to challenge an allegedly unconstitutional religious display or activity, the appeals court said. Schaubs allegations that the monument signals that she is an outsider because she does not follow the particular religion or god that the monument endorses, and that her stomach turned when she encountered it are sufficient to demonstrate that her contact with the monument was unwelcome. Thus, Schaub has standing to pursue a nominal damages claim.

The court said the daughter lacked standing because evidence suggested she had been too young to fully understand the monument as a younger student who occasionally visited the high school. Schaub has declined to enroll her daughter at Valley High unless the monument is removed.

Now that the lawsuit is revived and sent back to the district court, removal of the Ten Commandments monument is a possibility.
Tokyo Cement Ube Industries deal

ICR Newsroom By 10 August 2016

Tokyo Cement Group (Lanka) Plc has signed a deal on 1 August with Japanese company Ube Industries Ltd, for the import of raw materials and technical support to produce cement.

In a statement Tokyo Cement said: Tokyo Cement Group has entered into a collaborative agreement with Ube Industries Ltd of Japan for technical support services and import part of their raw materials requirement from Japan to manufacture high-quality cement.

Ube Industries operates in five business segments - cement and construction materials, chemicals, energy and environment, pharmaceuticals and machinery.

Published under
Guest post by Andrew Ujifusa

When it comes to improving schools, states have pretty much closed their eyes and dropped the ball.

Thats a primary conclusion of No Time to Lose: How to Build a World-Class Education System State by State, a report released by the National Conference of State Legislatures on Tuesday. The report says that this failure on the part of states to create cohesive and strong schools has hamstrung the U.S., even as other countries produce better-educated students and workforces.

States have found little success. Recent reforms have underperformed because of silver bullet strategies and piecemeal approaches, the NCSL report states, adding that other countries take very different approaches. Pockets of improvement in a few districts or states is not enough to retain our countrys global competitiveness.

In No Time to Lose, there are echoes of A Nation at Risk, the landmark 1983 report produced by a commission for President Ronald Reagan that sounded the alarm on what it deemed increasing mediocrity in American schools in the face of rising international competition. That 1983 report also urged significant changes to the nations schools, although some believe the report overhyped fears about education and has itself proven to be a flop .

So whats the good news? Well, NCSL says we might finally be figuring out what works in K-12. And what works, according to the organization that represents state lawmakers, includes:



Making sure students are ready to learn when they arrive at school;

Professionalizing and putting a priority on U.S. teachers;

Robust career and technical education programs; and

Ensuring that policies are aligned, in order to create a unified K-12.

The report is the result of an 18-month study by a group of 28 state lawmakers along with legislative staff , according to NCSL. They focused on 10 countries and regions performing well on the Programme for International Student Assessment (commonly known as PISA), including the Canadian province of Alberta, Hong Kong, Poland, and Taiwan. NCSL also says it will continue meeting through 2017 to discuss issues raised by its analysis, which has received endorsements from officials with the National Education Association and the Business Roundtable, among others.

Uncoordinated and Unsuccessful

The report runs through Americas performance on PISA as well as National Assessment of Educational Progress. It throws a spotlight on how the nations students have slipped behind their international peers on PISA since 2000, for example:

The report also waves off several ways low U.S. PISA scores are downplayed by critics. The NCSL lawmakers reject the argument that other countries (unlike the U.S.) educate only relatively elite students by pointing out the relatively low U.S. graduation rate, which stands 80 percent, compared to other high-performing countries, although they dont elaborate on this point. In additIon, the claim that the U.S. is more diverse and therefore faces more challenges in educating students falls flat when changing demographics in Europe and Asia are considered, the report also says.

A variety of high-profile policies also get slammed by the NCSL study, in part because they are implemented piecemeal and without setting decisive goals and creating a thoughtful, systemic approach to building a coherent system with an appropriate timeline for implementation, as did the other high-performing countries. A few of these policies singled out for criticism in the analysis include:



Increasing teacher pay without demanding better preparation

Improving early education without continuing supports for struggling students in K-12";

Increasing funding without first shifting funds from unproven strategies";

Decreasing class size without first restructuring staffing and time";

Using test scores in teacher evaluations without ensuring that all teachers are receiving job-embedded, high-quality, ongoing learning.

Best in the World

We mentioned above policy areas where the NCSL report says there are clear solutions to what ails American education. Lets briefly highlight what the report has to say about teachers.

The state lawmakers take a soup-to-nuts view of how the nation trains, supports, pays, and promotes teachers. The nations standards for preparation and licensure are too lax, the report says (thats a common concern among those studying the teaching field), and produces too many elementary school teachers and not enough in crucial academic subjects. Other high-performing countries demand more of teachers before they receive tenure. Singapore is notable, the report says, for its high-quality school leadership. And those countries also create a variety of roles for teachers, including those in leadership.

Finally, theres the issue of teacher pay.

In high-performing countries, teachers are compensated more generously than American teachers, typically earning pay similar to that of senior civil servants and professionals such as engineers and accountants, the report states. They are expected to be the best in the world and are compensated accordingly.

In sum, while their K-12 efforts have often flopped, states K-12 governance systems are still set up to perform well if they abandon the one-off approach, according to the lawmakers: States are well-positioned to instead create the kind of clear vision and systemic reform that high-performing countries do. State systems more closely resemble education governance in the high-performing countries.

See Marc Tuckers view of the NCSL report in his Top Performers blog for Education Week Commentary. And read the full report below:

Dont miss another State EdWatch post. Sign up here to get news alerts in your email inbox. And make sure to follow @StateEdWatch on Twitter for the latest news from state K-12 policy and politics.
Each year, nearly a quarter of all New York City teachers move within their schools to a new grade level assignment or a new subject. And those reassignments can depress their students achievement, probably as a result of teachers adapting to their new position, concludes a new study.

Teacher churning, as the study characterizes this kind of movement, is little studied, but extremely common in U.S. schools. Teachers can switch to a different grade level, as often happens in elementary school. They can switch to teach a different content area if they have more than one license. And in high school, teachers bounce back and forth between AP classes and electives, and those in the general curriculum.

The new research study is among the first to provide some preliminary evidence that this churn, though probably unavoidable to some degree, on average isnt doing students any favors.

The study, forthcoming in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, was written by Allison Atteberry of the University of Colorado Boulder, Susanna Loeb of Stanford University, and James Wyckoff of the University of Virginia.

For the study, they looked at records on teachers in New York City all the way back from 1974 through 2010. A subset of those teachers, from 1999-2000, were linked to student achievement records in grades 3-8, allowing the researchers to analyze the link between teacher churn and students test scores.

Lets take a look at the findings.

How common is teacher churn?

In New York City, pretty common: Overall, the study found, between 1974 and 2010, nearly 42 percent of teachers have new assignments in some way during a typical school year. Of that 42 percent,

15 percent of them are new teachers;

6 percent are new to New York schools (but not to teaching);

25 percent are moving schools; and

a whopping 54 percent are changing assignments in the same school.

What this means is that a NYC student is about four times more likely to be taught by a teacher who changed grade levels or subjects within a school, than to be taught by a teacher new to teaching.

Whats driving teacher churn in New York City?

Much of it seems to be caused by teachers who leave a school or the profession, thereby requiring administrators to shuffle teachers around and hire new ones to make sure all classes are covered. But thats not the only reason: Some schools tended to have far more switches than others.

Does churn affect some students and teachers more?

Dozens of studies show that needy students and students of color tend to get less qualified and effective teachers. The study shows that, in NYC, black, Hispanic, and English-learner students were somewhat more likely to be assigned to a teacher moving to a new grade or subject in his or her school, but the overall difference was small.

Similarly, while there was some evidence that some teachersnovices, teachers of color, male teachers, and those with low value added scoresare more likely to to be reassigned both within and between schools, most of the differences were small.

Does churn affect student learning?

Yes. Across all the different kinds of churnnew to teaching, new to New York City, new to a school and new to a gradeswitching tended to lower student achievement. The magnitude differed depending on the type of switch, though. Not surprisingly, switching both a subject and a grade tended to be more difficult than just switching one or the other.

The results suggest that the more aspects of ones subject-grade-school assignment are unfamiliar, the more negative the impact of the reassignment, the authors wrote.

As for magnitude, the researches estimated that getting a churned teacher is about a quarter of the size of being assigned a brand new teacher. So while not huge, the fact that its common means that over time, churn can add up to lost learning for students.

But dont some teachers end up happierand more effectivein their new placements?

Its a good theory, but the study indicates that most switches dont end up matching teachers to assignments that make them more effective.

Does this pattern exist outside of New York City?

Its hard to say, because New York City is such a unique district with such a large teaching force, and transfer rules and so on differ from place to place. Just within New York state, the researchers found that the average within-school switch rate is 15 percent; the citys is 22 percent. Certainly some additional research could help flesh out whether this occurs in districts outside of New York.

Should schools take steps to prevent churn?

Well, the authors note that it is an unavoidable artifact of such a large system that instability can and will occur. But, they note, if the pattern is found in many other districts, then it might be worth administrators sitting down and trying to minimize students doses of churn as they progress through school.

For more on teacher assignments:
NY AG Goes After Bogus Zika Products

As soon as the first cases of the Zika virus began appearing in the U.S., people have been clamoring for a cure or at least a preventative. Since then, almost 2,000 cases of Zika have been reported in America (479 of them pregnant women) and some less scrupulous companies have stepped in with supposedly "Zika-preventive" products.

Many, if not all, of these products fail to live up to the billing, however, and the New York Attorney General has issued cease and desist letters to companies, demanding they stop advertising ineffective products as preventing or protecting against Zika transmission.

No Vaccine, No Cure

There's just one problem with "Zika-protective" or "Zika-preventive" products, and it's a big one. There is no vaccine that can prevent Zika, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is also no one medicine or treatment used to treat Zika. Therefore, any product that specifically advertised itself as protecting against or preventing Zika was overstating its effectiveness.

"Unfortunately," Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman said in a statement, "some companies are taking advantage of public concern about Zika to peddle products that simply don't work. My office will not tolerate deceptive advertising of products that provide only a false sense of security against a real threat." Schneiderman later said that six of the seven companies that received cease and desist letters agreed to stop marketing their products as Zika prevention.

Don't Get Bit

Zika is a mosquito-borne virus, and as the CDC points out, the best way to prevent Zika transmission is to prevent mosquito bites. So well-known and effective mosquito repellents might do the trick. Just be wary of any bug spray that markets itself as Zika-specific.

Zika can also be transmitted through sex, so condoms and other barriers to protect against infection are recommended for those that have been diagnosed with Zika or have traveled to and from Zika hot spots. And if you live outside of New York, don't get fooled by Anti-Zika products on the shelves or online.

Follow FindLaw for Consumers on Facebook and Twitter (@FindLawConsumer).

Related Resources:
U Hla Maung Shwe, secretary of the 21st Century Panglong Conference Preparatory Sub-committee (2) said: The issue for discussion is the organisation format and guideline for setting down decisions at the [peace conference]. According to the state counsellor, politics and security sector will be discussed at the conference. The rest will be sent to civil societies forum.

The government delegation will meet with political parties on 11 August and representatives of ethnic armed groups on 12 August. Everyone will attend the last day of the meeting on 13 August.

The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) has been invited to attend, but U Tun Zaw, the joint secretary, said the ethnic armed group alliance still hasnt made a decision.

The Peace Commission led by the government and the Delegation for Political Negotiation (DPN) under the UNFC recently met in Rangoon but specific details of what was discussed havent been publically disclosed.

The DPN is meeting today in the northern Thai city Chiang Mai to discuss security issues.

Dr Nai Shwe Thein, DPN member and head of foreign affairs department of the New Mon State Party, said: A workshop is being held on SSR/DDR (Security Sector Reform)/Disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration," adding that they will also review what was discussed at the recent ethnic summit in Maijayang and whether or not to attend tomorrow's meeting in Rangoon and Union Peace Conference at the end of August.

Currently, the conditions set for full participation in the upcoming conference include only the 8 groups that signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA). Non NCA-signatories have been invited to attend but arent allowed to vote on decisionseven though they make up nearly two-thirds of the countrys armed groups.

Reporting by Aik Sai for MNA

Translated by Thida Linn

Edited by BNI staff
Rogue archivist Carl Malamud writes, "I just got back from the big debate on is free law like free beer that has been brewing for months at the American Bar Association over the question of who gets to read public safety codes and on what terms."

I was granted what is known as the "privilege of the floor" to speak before the House of Delegates at their Annual Meeting. The ABA Journal has a summary of the floor debate.

With a couple dozen resolutions on the table and some really inspirational speeches by all sorts of pretty amazing folks (the presidents of the ABA are pretty inspirational!), this was the only resolution that had any significant debate. We went at it for over 30 minutes. In my remarks I made the point that this resolution was perhaps well-intentioned, but bought into a really dangerous idea that somehow DRM-based access to the law from an exclusive private provider is "good enough." I was actually joined by the standards establishment in arguing strenuously that "read only access" simply doesn't exist and DRM is futile. A law is either public or it isn't. (And if a law isn't public, it isn't a law!)

The other side argued that DRM-based access is good enough for ordinary people, and felt that setting that as a minimum floor for access was a good thing. Today, many public safety standards have no access at all for the general public (although I'm proud to have 980 of the laws in question on my web site for access with no restriction and with significant transformation in your ability to use them), so Resolution 112 is sort of a step forward. For that I'm pleased. In a 146-210 vote, we lost our motion to take a deep breath and ask ourselves if maybe the current "split the baby" solution wasn't settling for something pretty bad and maybe we could do better. Although there were 6 ABA Sections that were the sponsors of the resolution (including, believe it or not, Civil Rights and Social Justice!), I suspect that very few of the task force members that did this thing has ever looked at a "read only access" standard, let alone our transformed version.

The lobbying for this resolution was intense. On Monday morning, I did 5 breakfasts with state delegations at Moscone while my colleague Cathy Gellis covered 4 breakfasts at the Marriott. At each one, we would give a pitch for a few minutes, there would be questions and answers, maybe a little banter about the state, maybe the other side was giving a pitch, then I'd walk around the table and hand out postcards). I ended up sending 480 snailmail packages and at the meeting giving out hundreds more postcards. It was gratifying when so many people said "I've been reading about this! I got a bunch of postcards in the mail!"

What struck me the most was the continual mention by the American Bar Association speakers of two things: "rule of law" and "we must embrace technology." I think the question of who gets to read the law is at the very heart of those two important themes, and I got to make my case before 550 of the top lawyers in the country, most of whom had not heard of this issue before. It was worth it.

Next up: Oral arguments in our big standards case is on September 12 in Washington, D.C. Our team of lawyers from EFF and Fenwick & West are going to argue for your right to read the law in any way you want to read it. All 6 plaintiffs and Public Resource have submitted Motions for Summary Judgment, a boatload of Amicus briefs were submitted, this will be the first time the substance of the case will be presented before the judge. Wish us luck.
Ten years ago, British domestic security claimed to have caught a terrorist cell that had planned to blow up airplanes with a gel they'd carry on in a Gatorade bottle and detonate with an Ipod.



Later that day, British aviation authorities banned all carry-on luggage and, shortly after, aviation authorities around the world announced that henceforth, passengers would only be allowed to carry a maximum of one liter of liquids, in bottles of no more than 100ml.

Ten years later, we still don't know if it's possible to mix a piranha bath in airplane sink without gassing yourself to death, let alone use it to make a liquid explosive in flight.

But we've sure given up a lot of water-bottles.


Public transit upholstery is a marvel of stain-resistance, long-wearing durability and bizarre abstract patterns meant to deny the shifting conventions of fashion: all these make it (semi-)perfect for "Bustour," German artist Menja Stevenson's 2008 transit couture project, which has her creating lovely  if stiff and uncomfortable  outfits out of transit fabric and then riding trains, documenting the reactions of people who encounter her chameleonsuit look.

"I had to get into contact with the transport companies to get the fabrics; they're not officially available. I had to do a lot of persuasive effort to convince the companies to hand over the fabric! I was very proud of myself when I finally got them. I found some conservative looking dressmaking patterns on the internet, and the bags are my own design. It wasn't easy for me to sew the dresses; the rough and stiff fabric often broke the needles.

"Wearing them, you sweat like crazy, they feel like a knight's armor and it's hard to act naturally. I couldn't believe that many people didn't realize the connection seeing me and the seats together. Did they think that it was sheer coincidence? Some curious people at least talked to me, and a very few laughed, but most passengers would look shyly at me and quickly look the other way again."
I've traveled to Japan many times over the decades and seen some really strange shit.

Once I was taken to a restaurant in the small town of Seki (a short drive from Gifu) where the chef filleted a live fish to expose the organs, peeling back the skin, flesh, and whatever. During this process the fish was laying on the cutting board, gasping for air. At one point the fish died, so the chef turned his wide knife sideways and gave the fish a nice whack with the side of the blade. Damn if it didn't resuscitate the poor bastard, who once again began gasping for air. And then he was brought to the table of customers next to us, who ate him with chopsticks while he was barely still alive.

The Japanese artist Mio Izawa must be a fan of David Cronenberg's film Existenz, where the director's fascination with flesh and inorganic objects combines in what can only be called an "unhealthy way." Izawa's website is a gallery of aberrant body parts which live in one way or another when plugged into a wall socket or computer.

He has created a giant beating heart, called "Heart (L)" that functions as an odd sort of pillow.

More notorious is the hideous tumor which plugs into your computer and expands as your CPU "gets busy."

But his masterwork is a weird iPhone charger that makes sucking noises as it simultaneously appears to suckle and absorb the phone.

If you've got a load of dough sitting around and you don't have anything better to do with it, the flesh-sucking phone eater, which is a one-of-a-kind piece of contemporary art, can be yours for only $6,052.96 on the artist's Etsy page.

The artist describes the iPhone charger on his website:

The iPhone cable is shaped as an umbilical cord, which keeps moving while it's charging. Now people carry their iPhones all the time in their lives. I designed the look of this cable as an umbilical cord, with which a mother feeds energy to her baby. It moves as if it's trying to absorb the iPhone, to express the irony of people's dependence on the iPhone.

He also sells a beating hearthuman sizefor $10,000  but that shouldn't really be a surprise, should it?

Anyone for a fish dinner?
This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions
In the 15 years between 1997 and 2012: 72,000 small US manufacturers shut down; as did 108,000 local retailers and 13,000 community banks (fully half of America's complement of small banks!). The number of US startups has dropped by 50% since 1970. These statistics are not the result of the changing times: they're due to massive, monopolistic corporations stacking the deck against small competitors through unfair and corrupt practices, to the detriment of American growth, equality and democracy.

In Monopoly Power and the Decline of Small Business: The Case for Restoring America's Once Robust Antitrust Policies , Stacy Mitchell from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance details the exact way that monopolistic practices have concentrated wealth in the hands of a small investor class at the expense of entrepreneurs, innovation, and the public they serve  providing a worse product at a higher price while locking out competitive alternatives.

The pharmacy industry is the poster-child for this phenomenon: the major drug store chains monopolized the distribution of pharmaceutical products, squeezing independent community pharmacies out of business while offering preferential treatment to their own retail outlets. In North Dakota, where this practice is banned, there are more pharmacies per capita than any other state, and these pharmacies have better prices and higher customer satisfaction  and better health outcomes than any other state.

The Federal Trade Commission  which is supposed to prevent this kind of abuse  insists that there's nothing wrong with America's pharmacy sector.

Mitchell's paper documents parallel phenomena in many sectors: construction, manufacturing, retail, banking Some categories of goods are now effective monopolies: nearly all coat hangers are made by one company, ditto sunglasses. Two companies make nearly all the packaged goods in your supermarket. Walmart gets 25% of all American retail spending. In response to this phenomenon, the DOJ  charged with antitrust enforcement  has simply raised the threshold for the degree of concentration that warrants scrutiny, essentially defining monopolies as competitive markets and then declaring victory in the war on monopolistic practices.

This isn't just a problem for entrepreneurs and communities: it's a problem for democracy. The bigger a firm is, the more profits it can afford to lobby for special treatment by Congress and state and local governments. Beginning in the Reagan era, enforcement against monopolies fell while their profits and political spending rose. There followed a string of monopoly-friendly laws and regulation  and a downsizing of the American middle class and American prosperity.





Mitchell's report is one chapter in The American Antitrust Institute's essential Report on Antitrust and Entrepreneurship, an ongoing series that goes rather a long way to explaining how America's politics and economy got to their current state  and what we can do about them.

This report presents three compelling reasons to bring a commitment to fair and open markets for small businesses back into antitrust enforcement and public policy more broadly: 1. Small businesses deliver distinct consumer and market benefits, and in some sectors provide more value and better outcomes than their bigger competitors. And they often achieve these superior results because of their small scale, not in spite of it.



2. An economy populated by many small, independent businesses produces a more equitable distribution of income and opportunity, creates more jobs, and supports an expansive middle class. 3. Small-scale enterprise is compatible with democracy, while concentrated economic power threatens our liberty and our ability to be a self-governing people. To restore competition and America's entrepreneurial tradition, we can draw on our own rich antimonopoly history. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reformers enacted policies to break up concentrated power and ensure a level playing field for small businesses. These laws are still on the books, and the principles they embody are still relevant. With a fresh look at how we enforce them, these policies can go a long way toward reviving competition and small business. This report concludes by outlining several specific steps for doing so.

Monopoly Power and the Decline of Small Business: The Case for Restoring America's Once Robust Antitrust Policies

[Stacy Mitchell/Institute for Local Self-Reliance]





REPORT ON ANTITRUST AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

[American Antitrust Institute]


You may have heard about Nauru on a recent This American Life episode: the tiny Pacific island that was stripped of all vegetation and made virtually uninhabitable by phosphate mining, then turned into an international pariah by its desperate practice of selling citizenship to crooks, now an offshore detention centre for people seeking asylum in Australia, where cruelty and abuse are legendary.

Australia's practice of imprisoning asylum seekers in Nauru has long been the subject of criticism by human rights activists, who pointed to whistleblower accounts of rampant abuse, especially directed against the children on the island, often perpetrated by teachers, guards, health workers, and caseworkers paid by the Australian government to run the camp.





Now, a trove of 2,000 leaked reports from Nauru has been published by the Guardian, and the abuse these documents reveal is far worse than even the most repellent whistleblower accounts published to date. They are filled with the tales of children  many girls under 10 years old  who have been raped and sexually assaulted with impunity, while officials took no notice or, worse, told survivors and their parents that this was the way of things and it wouldn't be any better in Australia where rape "is very common and people don't get punished" (this quote from a "cultural adviser" for Wilson Security, the security contractor for Nauru's concentration camp).

The reports are not proven facts  they are reports. But most have never been investigated by the very people who are charged with verifying the facts in reports like this  and those people are often the same people accused of committing the worst abuses.

Also in the leaks are many, many reports of self-harm and suicide attempts, including self-harm inflicted by minors. The children imprisoned on Nauru are especially traumatised. The living conditions are beyond squalorous: the people on Nauru live among vermin, with inadequate health care and lack of access to basic medical supplies, such as urinary incontinence pads.

Both Australia's and Nauru's governments have banned journalists from the island, insisting that they would be able to regulate themselves better without outside scrutiny.

Nauru is a stain on the national conscience of Australia, a country struggling to come to grips with its genocidal past, which commits many of the same sins even as it promises "never again."



The reports range from a guard allegedly grabbing a boy and threatening to kill him once he is living in the community to guards allegedly slapping children in the face. In September 2014 a teacher reported that a young classroom helper had requested a four-minute shower instead of a two-minute shower. "Her request has been accepted on condition of sexual favours. It is a male security person. She did not state if this has or hasn't occurred. The security officer wants to view a boy or girl having a shower." Some reports contain distressing examples of behaviour by traumatised children. According to a report from September 2014, a girl had sewn her lips together. A guard saw her and began laughing at her. In July that year a child under the age of 10 undressed and invited a group of adults to insert their fingers into her vagina; in February 2015 a young girl gestured to her vagina and said a male asylum seeker "cut her from under". In the files there are seven reports of sexual assault of children, 59 reports of assault on children, 30 of self-harm involving children and 159 of threatened self-harm involving children. The reports show extraordinary acts of desperation. One pregnant woman, after being told she would need to give birth on Nauru in October 2015, was agitated and in tears. "I give my baby to Australia to look after," she pleaded with a caseworker, adding: "I don't want to have my baby in PNG, the [Nauru hospital] or have it in this dirty environment."

The Nauru files: cache of 2,000 leaked reports reveal scale of abuse of children in Australian offshore detention

[Paul Farrell, Nick Evershed and Helen Davidson/The Guardian]
Royal Brunei Airlines's first all-women deck crew flew into Saudi Arabia this week. Unfortunately, they will not be allowed to drive there, since Muslim clerics in that country forbid it.

From The Independent:

In December 2014, Loujain al-Hathloul was detained after she tried to drive into Saudi Arabia from the United Arab Emirates. Maysa al-Amoudi, a friend who turned up to support her, was also detained. Both were released after more than 70 days in custody.

Sarah Leah Whitson, the Middle East and North Africa director for Human Rights Watch said at the time: "After years of false promises to end its absurd restrictions on women, Saudi authorities are still arresting them for getting behind the wheel.

"The Saudi government's degrading restrictions on women are what bring shame to the country, not the brave activists standing up for their rights."
There is nothing quite like the freedom of a road trip. Worries remain where you left them and there is nothing you have to do or anywhere you have to be. Feel like heading north? Theres nothing stopping you. Want to spend an extra few nights at the beach? Go for it. Planning the perfect road trip requires little more than a full tank of gas, good company (whether in human or music form), and plenty of snacks should the munchies hit in the middle of nowhere.

Sure, you could head to Europe, rent a car and travel around or even do a drive through Canadas Rocky Mountains, but why go to the trouble of flights, passports, and rental cars when you live in one of the largest and most environmentally diverse countries in the world? Within its boundaries, the United States has stunning mountain ranges, barren desserts, dramatic coastline, and thick forests. Not sure where to start? Take our advice and plan your own road trip around these tried and true routes.

1. Route 1 and the Pacific Coast Highway

This may be one of the most beautiful road trips of all time. Encompassing the beauty of California, Oregon, and Washington, this journey on Route 1 includes the 123 miles of the famed Pacific Coast Highway that hugs the coastal mountain on one side and offers travelers constant Pacific Ocean views on the other. You can tailor this trip to either start south in Santa Barbara or San Diego and head north or start up in Northern Washington and head south. Expect lots of wildlife, plenty of picturesque sunsets, and extensive mountain views. Youll cruise by Californias Monterey Peninsula, Pebble Beach, the stunning Oregon coast, and heavily wooded Washington on this bucket list worthy journey.

2. Blue Ridge Parkway

If youve always been fascinated by the Great Smoky Mountains, a road trip down south may be in order. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs through Virginia, North Carolina, and into Tennessee. At 469 miles long, the drive connects the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in Tennessee with the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. To keep your blood flowing, make sure to pull over so you can take advantage of the routes not-to-be-missed detours including hikes on the Humpback Rocks and the James River, and meandering around the historical Biltmore Estate.

3. Southern Colorado

If youre looking for a road trip where you spend just as much time outside as you do in your car, head to Southern Colorado. The southern part of this great state goes from epic mountains to dessert in a matter of miles and is chock full of outdoor excursions. This road trip loop has you starting in the mountain town of Durango where you can experience the Animas River Whitewater Park before soaking in nearby Pagosa Springs natural hot spring pools. Take a detour to hike or mountain bike the Continental Divide and go sand boarding at the Great Sand Dunes National Park. If youre into rafting, stop off in Salida to raft the 20 miles of Class III-plus rapids. Youll pass through Gunnison where 44 miles of singletrack trails and plenty of fly-fishing may keep you around a few days. Complete the loop by passing through the quaint town of Ouray and over the scenic Red Mountain Pass where youll quickly find yourself back where it all began, in Durango.

4. The Florida Keys

Not every road trip needs to include great distances. In fact, sometimes the best road trips are short, allowing for plenty of time pulled over and on your feet experiencing what that part of the country has to offer. The 120-mile long island chain that makes up the Florida Keys quickly melts away any stresses as it fully immerses you into island life. Expect plenty of beach bars, white sand, water sports, and odes to Jimmy Buffett. The overseas highway route strings each island together as you zoom past lighthouses, underwater coral-reef parks, and over one of the longest bridges in the world, the 7 Mile Bridge. Pack your sunscreen and get ready to become addicted to the slow island way of life.

5. Vermonts Route 100

When fall hits, there is no better place to be than Vermont. The state is thick with trees that turn stunning shades of yellow, orange, and red in the fall. Route 100 takes you through the lush Green Mountains as you follow the winding country roads that lead from Stowe, Vermont and head south toward the Massachusetts border. Make sure to factor in plenty of ice cream stops, at least one visit to a year-round sugarhouse to taste the states famed maple syrup, and a stop off in Gifford Woods State Park where youll be able to see some of Vermonts most beautifully preserved forest.

6. Lincoln Highway

If youve got some extra time on your hands and really want see it all, a cross-country road trip on the historic Lincoln Highway may be in order. Completed in 1913, this was the first coast-to-coast highway that linked as far east as New Yorks Times Square with San Francisco in the west. This route runs 3,142 miles and provides travelers with access to an impressive number of historic sites, varied landscapes, and some the countrys best national parks. The route crosses Philadelphias Valley Forge National Historic Park, passes by the Lincoln Monument in Dixon, Illinois, and gives you a chance to spy elk and bison in west Wyomings Bear River State Park.

More from Culture Cheat Sheet:
Azelis has announced that it has agreed to acquire 100% of Milan-based Ametech. With its Italian, French and Spanish operations, Ametech is a market leader in agrochemicals for the distribution of adjuvants and surfactants and employs around 30 employees who will all become part of the Azelis Group. The company has grown substantially in recent years as a result of product range and regional expansion.

Dr Hans Joachim Muller, Azelis CEO, comments: The acquisition of Ametech will allow Azelis to expand into this high performing sub-sector within the agricultural industry, a key market, in which we have had limited presence in the past. Ametechs strong track record in product innovation and formulation, which has enabled them to grow faster than the market, perfectly complements our focus on the technical knowledge, laboratory formulation and application support to our customers.

Mr Ambrogio Erba, Managing Director of Ametech, adds: Further growth through product and territory expansion will keep our strong opportunity pipeline going. Becoming part of Azelis will enable us to utilise their growing global presence so that we can focus more on development and innovation. We now have a chance to expand that know-how into new territories, which is very exciting for us. Mr Erba will become Market Segment Director for Speciality Agri/Horti business at Azelis.

In addition to its core business of crop protection, Ametech is also active in the following markets, among others: metal working & cleaning, textiles, monomers for emulsion polymerisation, and homecare.

The deal with Ametech demonstrates the commitment of funds advised by Apax Partners, the major shareholders in Azelis, to support its global growth in the speciality chemicals segment. Apax is confident that the expanded range of services and global reach provided by this acquisition, following that of US-based Koda Distribution Group in December last year, will bring significant benefits to customers of the combined Group.
Celebrating jailhouse recovery Audio Article Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle Sears paid a visit to the Chesterfield County Jail last week, meeting with over 50 of the men and women participating in the HARP (Helping Addicts...

An icons legacy memorialized Audio Article Enon Library was dedicated in memory of the Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker on Friday, Oct. 21. Board of Supervisors Chair Chris Winslow, right, was joined by Walkers daughter, Patrice Walker...
The goal is to really lower the barrier of entry to physical product development, and give entrepreneurs the tools, the equipment, the mentorship, the manufacturing connection they need to turn their ideas into businesses, Fienup said. (Partners by Design photo)

The city of Chicago is launching a new hub for manufacturers, and maker haven Catalyze Chicago will be at its heart.

Catalyze has been working with World Business Chicago for about a year on the creation of the new space, called mHUB, said Catalyze founder Bill Fienup. The center will be equipped with everything a maker needs to create and prototype a product, he said, and eventually will bring industry experts, mentors, universities and other incubators under one roof.

Advertisement

"The goal is to really lower the barrier of entry to physical product development, and give entrepreneurs the tools, the equipment, the mentorship, the manufacturing connection they need to turn their ideas into businesses," Fienup said.

In creating a physical product, makers can face major challenges that entrepreneurs in other disciplines don't face, Fienup said. Equipment for prototyping is often too expensive for a startup to afford.

Advertisement

He hopes mHUB can change that.

"Chicago is really poised to be a leader in this sector because of our huge manufacturing space," Fienup said. "It makes a lot more sense if you've got a community of everybody that is sharing this equipment."

MHUB is set to open to the public late this year in Motorola Mobility's old River West space at 965 W. Chicago Ave. Catalyze will move out of its 8,000-square-foot West Loop home at the end of August, Fienup said, and into the new 63,000-square-foot facility. Its members will get first access.

It'll have the 3D carving machines, mentorship and open lab space that Catalyze had, and much more.

There will be a mixture of open and private coworking space, private offices and about 12,000 square feet of machine shops and prototyping labs, Fienup. They're planning for about 10 labs, and separate wood, plastics and metal shops, a CNC workshop, an electronics lab, a wet lab and much more.

There will be almost $2 million worth of equipment available for use at mHUB, Fienup said  not to mention the nearly $22 million in infrastructure Motorola put into the building before it left.

"There's state-of-the-art infrastructure for prototyping cellular devices, which is perfect for us," Fienup said, noting that the setup allows testing circuit boards, which makers use in their products. "It's almost too good. It's like we're getting a Ferrari when we only need a Toyota."

Membership costs vary, starting with part-time shop access for $145 per month, and going up to a large office space at $4,500 per month. There are extra-large office spaces as well, reserved for incubators or industry partners, Fienup said.

Advertisement

MHUB was born out of World Business Chicago, which Mayor Rahm Emanuel chairs. Private corporations and industries are providing funding, and have committed $5 million so far, Fienup said. Partners include Chase, GE Ventures, Argonne National Laboratory, UI Labs and more.

"The future of Chicago is not one part  our strength is diversity," Emanuel said at a press conference Wednesday. "This innovation space is the final piece of the manufacturing puzzle."

Fienup has become mHUB's founder and managing director, responsible for building out programming. He's planning an educational curriculum focused on physical product development, he said. Local experts  think professors, engineering, manufacturing and distribution professionals, makers who have launched products, etc.  would teach the courses. He's bringing along Catalyze's 60 or so mentors and hoping to build that up to hundreds.

They're big plans, but Fienup has the track record to do it. He launched Catalyze in August 2013 and has built it up to about 200 members and 50 companies, which have generated $57 million in revenue. Members have filed 80 patents and sold 3.85 million units.

Catalyze has been home to some dynamic companies in its three years. At the space, Victor Mateevitsi prototyped his SpiderSense jacket, which vibrates if something is close; Guard Llama honed its help-button device; Joe Born resurrected global stereo brand Aiwa.

The timing on mHUB's launch is right, Fienup said. The maker movement is becoming more mainstream  look at TBS's show "America's Greatest Makers," which premiered earlier this year and featured a Chicago team from Catalyze. Consumers are looking for the stories behind products that come from makers, and equipment such as 3D printers are getting cheaper and becoming more available.

Advertisement

"Chicago is getting there," Fienup said. "This hardware piece is something we're missing."

amarotti@tribpub.com

Twitter @allymarotti
Home improvement star Bob Vila speaks at a 2012 event in Austin, Texas. Vila has dropped his lawsuit against a Rockford-area man over alleged unauthorized use of Vila's name. (Jordan Naylor / WireImage)

It may be back to the drawing board for home improvement TV star Bob Vila in his lawsuit against a Rockford-area man for alleged unauthorized use of Vila's name.

A Chicago federal judge Tuesday dismissed the case against Robert Smith at Vila's request, but Vila has the right to refile the action.

Advertisement

"We preserved our rights, and if it ever happens again, we're going to do it again," said Steven Masur, a New York-based attorney representing Vila.

Vila, whose television shows "This Old House" and "Bob Vila's Home Again" made him a household name, filed the suit in April, claiming Smith fraudulently used Vila's celebrity to promote home expo shows.

Advertisement

The lawsuit claimed that Smith misrepresented to promotional companies that he could secure endorsements from Vila  selling those rights for at least $5,000. Vila, 70, of Palm Beach, Fla., found out about it in February after Burr Ridge-based Brilliant Event Planning already had run several Chicago-area events using his name without his permission, according to the suit.

Brilliant Event Planning, which was not named in the suit, did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

The allegedly fraudulent promotions dated back to at least September 2015, when a home expo at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake used Vila's photo and the tag line, "The Home Expo Bob Vila Promotes" in advertisements. Smith had contacted Vila in July 2015 requesting permission to use Vila's name in sponsored tweets  permission that was not granted, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit was seeking $2 million in damages for each unauthorized use of Vila's name.

The motion to dismiss was filed last week by Vila's attorneys. An initial status hearing on the case had been rescheduled from May to Aug. 16, allowing time for the parties to "discuss settlement," according to the filing.

Smith, of Loves Park, who is serving as his own attorney, did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

rchannick@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @RobertChannick
It's easily forgotten that Congress and the Obama administration did the health insurance industry an enormous favor in enacting the Affordable Care Act in 2010.

Several favors, in fact. They placed commercial insurers at the center of Obamacare, giving them most of the responsibility for covering enrolleesand therefore access to an army of new customers. They left in place private insurers' access to the immense Medicaid pool via Medicaid managed care. They killed the public option, which would have provided a nonprofit counterweight to private insurers, hopefully goading the latter into maintaining competitive pricing and customer service.

Advertisement

We are confident that Aetna is well positioned to take advantage of the strong growth dynamics of the Medicaid business.  Mark Bertolini, Aetna chairman and CEO

One would expect the insurance industry to show some gratitude for these handouts. One would be wrong. The nation's big insurers haven't ceased badmouthing Obamacare and grousing about losses, which in many respects are their own fault. Over the last year or so, several have announced they're withdrawing from the program's individual exchange market, or threatened to do so.

These threats generally are treated as evidence of flaws in Obamacare that can be rectified only if the government capitulates to the insurers' demandsfor looser benefit mandates and tighter restrictions on special enrollment rights, among other things.

Advertisement

Yet the authorities aren't entirely powerless. It's time for the government to push back and deliver the following message to insurers: If you want to reap the profits from participating in public health programs, you'll have to participate in the Affordable Care Act too. To put it in terms the insurance companies understand: no more cherry-picking.

It's true that the ACA individual market has flaws that warrant addressing. The Department of Health and Human Services has taken action on some of these, typically at the behest of insurers; it has reduced some of the options for signing up for coverage outside of the annual open-enrollment periods, for example. Some other issues, as we've reported, stem either from ill-advised or cynical congressional action (step forward, Marco Rubio), or congressional gridlock. It may be too early to make too much of this, but it's possible that the next Congress will be more amenable to making the necessary adjustments for the ACA to work better.

Yet other insurer complaints are suspect. Aetna's abrupt reversal of sentiment on the potential profitability of its Obamacare exchange business is an example: Three months ago, its CEO, Mark Bertolini, was praising the exchange market as "a good investment," albeit one in which profits were still a year or more awaywhich is a pretty good definition of an "investment" in the future. Aetna was preparing to expand the states in which it offers individual exchange plans.

Then the U.S. Department of Justice sued to block its proposed $37-billion merger with Humana. Suddenly, Bertolini was saying that "the poor performance" of the exchange market warrants "a complete evaluation of our current exchange footprint" and cancellation of its 2017 expansion plans.

This is a very selective reading of Aetna's experience with the Affordable Care Act. The truth is, it's well in the black. The company has projected losses of $300 million on its exchange business for 2016, but in the same conference call in which he dissed the ACA exchange business, Bertolini also announced a record $6.5 billion in government program premiums for the first quarter of 2016 alone, an increase of 13% over the same quarter a year ago.

"This steady growth has been driven by a combination of new contract wins, county expansions in existing states, and ACA-related expansion membership," he said. "Looking to the future, we are confident that Aetna is well positioned to take advantage of the strong growth dynamics of the Medicaid business."

Aetna's not alone. UnitedHealth, which has distinguished itself with the volume of its whining about Obamacare exchange losses and the speed of its withdrawal from that business, disclosed last month at its second-quarter earnings conference call that its Medicaid business is doing fabulously. Its revenue in that line rose 14.7% to $8.3 billion year-to-year and it added 225,000 enrollees, including new members in Iowa, New York and Pennsylvania, which have expanded Medicaid under the ACA. And Anthem, which has been complaining (albeit quietly) about the difficulty of scoring profits in the exchange market, has been buying up Medicaid insurers  including Simply Healthcare, which had nearly 200,000 Medicaid and Medicare members in Florida, for $1 billion last year.

Not only are the big insurers reaping the benefits of Obamacare via the Medicaid expansion. Centene, a smaller company that targets low-income customers, is happily serving 1 million Medicaid expansion members in nine states, not including 60,000 it has picked up in Louisiana, which just launched its own expansion.

Advertisement

These profits parallel those that insurers reap via Medicare Advantage, a managed care program in which the government pays a flat rate that generally exceeds the standard Medicare reimbursement rate in return for their taking on all responsibility for a member's health needs. Medicare Advantage has been popular among enrollees and such a reliable profit-maker for insurers that they keep piling into the poolthe average Medicare Advantage member can choose from among 19 plans; in some states and counties, the choice of Obamacare exchange plans is down to one or two.

"It seems that insurers are perfectly happy and prosperous competing in the markets where the government is the payer," commentator Andrew Sprung observed in February.

This all hints at the leverage the government might have against the insurers threatening to leave the ACA exchange market. What if it conditioned participation in Medicaid and Medicare managed care on a certain minimum participation in the private exchanges? Alternatively, it could reinvent and restore the public option, whether by offering Medicare to all Americans under 65 or sponsoring its own public plans.

These mechanisms might work because, given their lower premium rates, they might attract more low-use enrolleesthe elusive young and healthy cadres needed to help subsidize costlier and older members.

It isn't clear what legislation or administrative changes would be required to make any of these changes happen. The insurance industry surely would mobilize politically to kill the public option again, but might be more amenable to expanding the public managed care pool to accommodate more customers.

On the other hand, as Sprung observed, doctors and hospitals would be losers, as they would be receiving lower government reimbursements for a larger patient population. But even the expanded Obamacare population is small in relation to the overall patient marketperhaps 30 million customers in ACA and government programs, compared to nearly 150 million receiving their coverage through their employers.

Advertisement

The point is that it's a mistake to view insurers' withdrawals from ACA exchanges as a sign that it's impossible to provide affordable health coverage to more Americans. It's more a sign that the fundamental error in the ACA's design was giving too much away to the insurance industry. If the government started threatening to take some of that back, the betting here is that the insurers would be sounding a lot more cooperative, and complaining a lot less.

Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com.

Return to Michael Hiltzik's blog.

MORE FROM MICHAEL HILTZIK:

It's time for the government to play hardball with those whining Obamacare insurers

Donald Trump just proposed repealing the 'death tax.' Here's why that's a scam.

Advertisement

What ails the Obamacare insurance exchanges? (It's not what you think.)
An international drug ring that used containers labeled "sea cucumbers" to send millions of dollars' worth of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl to western New York via California and Mexico has been busted, federal authorities announced Tuesday.

U.S. Attorney William Hochul said 17 people have been indicted on federal drug trafficking and money laundering charges as part of the investigation dubbed "Operation Lockjaw."

Advertisement

The ring linked to Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel used front companies in California and the Buffalo area to smuggle narcotics on pallets of goods purporting to be sea cucumbers, used in Chinese cuisine, officials said.

The Drug Enforcement Administration said the sting netted more than $2.5 million worth of illegal drugs, which included the equivalent of 1.5 million hits of cocaine and 2.7 million hits of heroin. The traffickers sent about $20 million from Buffalo-area banks to California in a one-year period, authorities said.

Advertisement

The drug ring turned the city of Buffalo into "ground zero" for fentanyl and heroin trafficking in New York, said James Hunt, DEA special agent in charge.

Prosecutors said the ring created fictitious food companies, including one in suburban Cheektowaga, to ship the drugs cross-country while hidden in containers sealed with foam or spray insulation to throw off law enforcement scrutiny.

Associated Press
Graffiti remains on the sidewalk along West Florrisant Avenue one year after the shooting of Michael Brown on August 12, 2015 in Ferguson, Missouri. (Scott Olson / Getty Images)

FERGUSON, Mo.  A couple hundred people marked the two-year anniversary of Michael Brown's fatal shooting by a police officer in Ferguson, attending Tuesday's memorial service, with a moment of silence to follow.

The crowd gathered at the spot on Canfield Drive where the black, unarmed 18-year-old was shot by Ferguson officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9, 2014, after a confrontation. The shooting led to months of sometimes-violent protests in Ferguson.

Advertisement

Mama Fatou, 66, brought her grandson and two other young children to the memorial service, and said she still feels sad, especially for Brown's parents.

"It hurts to see a mother lose her child,' Fatou said. "Her pain is our pain."

Advertisement

A state grand jury declined to press charges against Wilson, and the U.S. Justice Department later cleared him, concluding that he had acted in self-defense. He resigned in November 2014.

Brown's death also was a catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement, which rebukes police treatment of minorities and has grown following several other killings of black men and boys by police, such as Tamir Rice in Cleveland and Philando Castile in Minnesota. More than 60 organizations affiliated with the movement released this month a list of six demands and 40 recommendations for how to achieve policing and criminal justice reforms.

The 2014 shooting also led to a Justice Department investigation that found patterns of racial bias in Ferguson's police and municipal court system. The federal agency and the city agreed this year to make sweeping changes.

Brandy Shields, 19, went to school with Brown and remembered him as a kid who "never got into trouble." Shields comforted a little girl who was crying at the service.

"It'll get better," Shields told the child. "We have to make it better, but it'll get better."

Associated Press
Chicago reality-stars-turned-restaurateurs Bill and Giuliana Rancic shouldn't add "Chicago travel guides" to their list of job titles.

The Rancics, who committed to living full time in the Chicago area last year after years of commuting between the city and Los Angeles, are deemed "Chicago's power couple" on the cover of the new issue of LA Travel Magazine. Despite this title, they gave uninspired Chicago answers when asked what they do in their free time.

Advertisement

"Walk up and down Michigan Avenue in Chicago. I love the energy of the city as well as the architecture, variety of restaurants and great shopping Chicago has to offer," said Giuliana Rancic, 41.

"Chicago is my hometown, so whenever I have time off, I too love to be in the city and nothing beats a five-mile run on the lakefront," said Bill Rancic, 45, who grew up in Orland Park and attended Loyola University.

Advertisement

Our @latravelmagazine issue just came out  check out full issue and cover story at latravelmagazine.com/shop  (shot at @rpmitalianchi) A photo posted by Giuliana Rancic (@giulianarancic) on Aug 9, 2016 at 11:55am PDT

Jennifer McLaughlin, editor-in-chief of LA Travel, said the Rancics are featured in the magazine, which targets Los Angeles and Orange County readers, because they are "highly regarded" in the Los Angeles area. The cover shoot and interview took place at the couple's River North restaurant RPM Italian.

It's unclear how often the Rancics are in the Los Angeles area. They like to spend downtime "enjoying a stroll through the streets of Chicago, dining at Nobu in Malibu or grabbing a cocktail at The Montage," according to the LA Travel article.

Giuliana Rancic still covers Hollywood red carpet events for the E! network, but she left her longtime gig as an anchor of "E! News" last year. A rep for the Rancics did not immediately respond to a Tribune request for comment.

Giuliana Rancic cited the couple's son Duke, who turns four this month, as a reason why they moved to Chicago full time. They showed off their remodeled Gold Coast brownstone last year in Traditional Home magazine.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 5 Lonni Paul, the interior designer for the Rancics, used a blue color scheme throughout the Gold Coast home. (Werner Straube / Traditional Home)

The couple, who wed in 2007, also co-owns RPM Steak in River North and recently opened an RPM Italian outpost in Washington, D.C.

In the LA Travel magazine interview, they said they are looking at setting up restaurants where else ... the West Coast.

"Maybe out west, like Las Vegas or Los Angeles. We have had a lot of requests from fans of RPM for those two spots," Giuliana Rancic said.

RELATED STORIES:

Advertisement

Expect A-listers and Australians at Giuliana Rancic's new restaurant

Giuliana Rancic 'can't comment' on Griffin's 'Fashion Police' exit

Interview: Bill Rancic ready to run Chicago Marathon for third time







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)
"Jane the Virgin" star Gina Rodriguez said the difficult teen years she experienced growing up in Chicago pushed her to succeed as an actress.

Rodriguez, 32, said she looked like a "little boy" while attending high school at St. Ignatius College Prep on the Near West Side.

Advertisement

"I went to school with all the wealthy kids, and I was on financial aid, and they all seemed to grow up a lot quicker than I did. So it was difficult," Rodriguez told Health magazine for its September issue. "These kids had Mercedes at 16. It was surreal to think, 'Why isn't this my life?' But it made me work harder because I wanted it too, and I knew I was gonna be able to get it: 'Oh, this is not my life, but it will be one day.' "

Rodriguez, who grew up on the Northwest Side, plays the lead in the CW dramedy "Jane the Virgin" (a role that earned her a Golden Globe last year) and stars in the upcoming thriller "Deepwater Horizon," based on the 2010 Deepwater Horizon rig explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Advertisement

MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR

Rodriguez also talked to Health about dealing with Hashimoto's disease, a condition that often leads to an underactive thyroid gland. Symptoms include fatigue and unexplained weight gain. Rodriguez said she runs, boxes and jumps rope to stay in shape.

"Keeping weight off is very difficult because my metabolism is pretty much shot, which to me felt like a curse when I was 19. As an actress, I was like, 'Seriously?! In a world that's so vain, I have to deal with the disease that makes you not keep weight off?' " Rodriguez said. "But it actually became a blessing because then I got to represent not only women and Latinas but also women who are dealing with this disease."

Rodriguez launched the #MovementMondays social media campaign this year to highlight Latinos on screen in the wake of the #OscarsSoWhite outcry.

"Deepwater Horizon," which also stars Mark Wahlberg and Kate Hudson, is due out Sept. 30. Season 3 of "Jane the Virgin" is set to premiere at 8 p.m. Oct. 17.

RELATED STORIES:

Watch Gina Rodriguez teach Elmo ABC in Spanish

Gina Rodriguez gets TMI from strangers since playing 'Jane the Virgin'

Advertisement

Gina Rodriguez made teen 'feel like a princess' in Golden Globes gown







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)
The seventh season of "Shameless" is set to begin filming in Chicago in August. (Carl Lipson / Showtime)

Children who look like the young actors on "Shameless" are needed for Chicago shoots later this month, according to casting calls posted to Facebook Tuesday.

The cast of "Shameless" is expected to return the week of Aug. 21 for a few days to film scenes for its seventh season, which is scheduled to premiere 8 p.m. Oct. 2. The Showtime series follows the drama of a struggling Southwest Side family led by alcoholic father Frank Gallagher (played by William H. Macy). Most of the series is filmed in the Los Angeles area.

Advertisement

Atmosphere Casting representatives said they are looking for children who look like Amy and Gemma Ball, the daughters of Kevin Ball (Steve Howey) and Veronica Fisher (Shanola Hampton); and Frances Gallagher, the newborn daughter of Debbie Gallagher (Emma Kenney).

The Chicago casting firm said it is also looking for actors to play homeless people who meet certain height and weight requirements.

Advertisement

RELATED STORIES:

Jennifer Aniston comedy 'Office Christmas Party' begins filming in Chicago this week

Fox's 'The Exorcist,' 'A.P.B.' to film in Chicago for next TV season

'The Amazing Race' films Season 29 in Chicago







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)
Looking at the world through the eyes of the Web
Philip Glass, the American avant-garde composer whose hypnotic, minimalist music has become a staple of opera houses and movie soundtracks, allows that some people might be surprised to learn that he is the winner of this year's Chicago Tribune Literary Award.

"The person who really would have enjoyed me getting a literary prize would have been my mother, who was a librarian and a big-time intellectual, but it would also have seemed unlikely to her," said Glass, whose sole outing as an author produced his critically acclaimed 2015 memoir, "Words Without Music" (Liveright; 432 pages). "Writers often complain about writing, and now I know why," he added with a laugh. "Writing books is really hard, and I do not intend to do another one."

Advertisement

Glass will receive the prize Nov. 2 as part of a program of conversation and music presented by the Tribune and the Chicago Humanities Festival. The program will also honor the Pulitzer Prize-winning writers Jane Smiley and Margo Jefferson, recipients of the Tribune's Heartland Prizes for fiction and nonfiction, respectively.

However unlikely it might seem that the Literary Award would be presented to a musician  although it has gone twice before to major music-world figures, Stephen Sondheim (2011) and Patti Smith (2014)  Glass said he was thrilled with the honor, in part because much of "Words Without Music" is set in the Windy City, where he attended the University of Chicago.

Advertisement

"I'm very pleased because Chicago is where my ambitions began to align themselves to my possibilities, if you know what I mean," he said in a phone interview from Canada, where he was vacationing. "Knowing what I wanted to do and figuring out how to do it  that happened in Chicago."

"Philip Glass is a gifted storyteller, both in his wonderfully candid and colorful memoir and his music," Tribune publisher and editor-in-chief Bruce Dold said in an interview. "I especially love the Chicago part of his memoir, where he talks about the effect that writers like Saul Bellow and Nelson Algren had on him. And so it's an honor for the Tribune to recognize him with this award. We understand and appreciate his international stature, but it's particularly delicious to me because of that Chicago connection."

Another Tribune award winner with strong local ties is Jefferson, a former New York Times critic whose memoir, "Negroland" (Pantheon, 2015; 256 pages), chronicles her coming of age among Chicago's black elite in the 1950s and '60s. In the book, which also won this year's National Book Critics Circle award, Jefferson places her life story within the broader context of the growth (and growing pains) of the African-American middle class.

Margo Jefferson won the Tribune's 2016 Heartland Prize for Nonfiction. (Johnny Nunez / WireImage)

In an interview, Jefferson said that winning the award from the Tribune gave her "a sense of particular affirmation, particular completion. ... It's a sign of caring about the life I lived in Chicago," she said. "I'm very happy about it."

Jefferson also said she had had qualms about giving the book its title, which she was afraid might be controversial or perhaps off-putting to some readers.

"It felt like I was taking a risk," Jefferson said. "But I talked it over with my editor and a wide range of friends and asked them, 'What do you think of when you hear the word?' The responses came back somewhat divided, but not fearfully, not in a way that made me feel I simply had to change the title. In the end, I decided I wanted to go with it. I felt that it signified a very particular historical time and historical place. And it's important for African-Americans to remember that a part of our history is the names we've struggled with, that we've chosen, discarded and quarreled over. In the period I'm writing about, 'Negro,' capitalized, was the word of choice  the word that conveyed the dignity and respectability that we had wanted to note to the world. So it served me, as a fact and as a metaphor, for that time and place."

The Heartland Prize for Fiction goes to Smiley for "Golden Age" (Knopf, 2015; 464 pages), the conclusion of an epic trilogy of novels about an Iowa farm family over a century. It's the second Heartland Prize for the author, who also won for "A Thousand Acres" (Knopf, 1991; 371 pages), which explored similar themes and locations in the Midwest.

Jane Smiley won the Tribune's 2016 Heartland Prize for Fiction. (Roberto Ricciuti / Getty Images)

"When you live in the heart of the country, as I did for a long time, you come to have feelings about it  feelings both positive and negative  and the trilogy was partly a way for me to express those feelings," said Smiley, who spent several years teaching at Iowa State University before relocating to her current home in California. "There's a self-effacing quality to the place, a very undramatic landscape  except that if you are from that area, you understand how fertile the land is. In the end, you felt you were very lucky to be there, because it's so human and so natural."

Advertisement

But especially in the age of agribusiness corporations annexing what had formerly been small family farms, it's increasingly common for people in the rural Midwest to struggle with whether to remain in the countryside or make their way to cities  a dilemma that preoccupies several of the characters in Smiley's trilogy. "When farms were fairly small and families were farming them, there was always the question of whether to stay on the farm," she says. "Now, with the industrialization of farming, it's become, in some cases, much more of a specific choice."

"This pair of Heartland Prize winners emerge from the Midwest, and they share a wisdom and resonance that distinguishes them as great literature," Tribune literary editor-at-large Elizabeth Taylor said in a statement. "Jane Smiley and Margo Jefferson write with fierce lyricism, and these books illuminate rural and urban America in profound and transcendent ways."

Kevin Nance is a Chicago-based freelance writer and photographer. Follow him on Twitter @KevinNance1.

RELATED STORIES:

Tribune literary awards go to Sondheim, Franzen, Wilkerson

Rocker Patti Smith wins Tribune Literary Award

Advertisement

Salman Rushdie to receive Tribune Literary Award







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)
Unless you were old enough to remember the mid-1960s it might be hard to grasp the considerable impact the Kennedy family, particularly Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and the widowed first lady, Jacqueline, had on both the popular imagination and political discourse in the United States  and, arguably, the world. Everything they did seemed to be news, even if it was just Jackie sporting a miniskirt in public (Fall 1966 and "cautious housewives over 30" followed suit, The New York Times noted later). This intense level of scrutiny, sparked by President John Kennedy's 1963 assassination and fueled by a yearning both for what once was and might just be again, kept the Kennedys in the spotlight.

Patience was not a virtue in the 1960s. The decade was all about change: Wonderful, horrific, bewildering, logical  often all at the same time. Into that world and time strode Robert Kennedy. He was, as Larry Tye's new biography, "Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon," shows, a man on a mission even if he wasn't, perhaps, fully aware of where the mission would go.

Advertisement

Author Larry Tye (HANDOUT)

"Some people see things as they are and say why?" Kennedy would famously say, paraphrasing George Bernard Shaw. "I dream things that never were and say, why not?"

Tye's well-researched and carefully sourced book details how Kennedy used such forward thinking to address the major issues of that rapidly evolving decade. He saw change coming and turned to meet it.

Advertisement

"A revolution is coming  a revolution that will be peaceful if we are wise enough, compassionate if we care enough, successful if we are fortunate enough, but a revolution that is coming whether we will it or not," Kennedy wrote.

While that "revolution" wasn't as great as the Left hoped for and the Right feared, America was a profoundly different place at the end of the decade than at the beginning. Tragically, Robert Kennedy would not live to see the country he was working so hard to change.

Kennedy's assassination in 1968, minutes after winning the California Democratic primary for president, cruelly cut short a life that was, as Tye so carefully lays out, was one in progress. Kennedy began as a man who, as Tye notes, saw things starkly in basic terms, like good and evil, , working for Sen. Joseph McCarthy, the Wisconsin Republican who fueled a Communist witch hunt; laboring tirelessly  ruthlessly, his critics famously said  to get his brother into the White House; and doing anything to score an administration win. At the end of his life, Kennedy was increasingly his own man who, matured by grief and more open to life's complexities, had become an eloquent champion for the poor and the oppressed.

RFK's record on civil rights, his wrangling with the Russians over Cuba, his crusade against organized crime, how he waged various Kennedy campaigns are all examined in this book. It's clear Kennedy's metamorphosis to "liberal icon" didn't happen immediately or easily. Along the way, Kennedy amassed a formidable list of people who disliked or hated him, including Frank Sinatra, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, writer Gore Vidal, Sen. Eugene McCarthy, Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa and President Lyndon B. Johnson. Yet, he was able to win over countless others because he had the courage to change, to evolve and to respond.

A 1967 Jules Feiffer cartoon about the "Bobby Twins" is held up by Tye as best representing the "push-pull" of Kennedy's character: "The Good Bobby is a courageous reformer. The Bad Bobby makes deals. The Good Bobby sent federal troops down South to enforce civil rights. The Bad Bobby appointed racist judges down South to enforce civil rights. The Good Bobby is a fervent civil libertarian. The Bad Bobby is a fervent wire tapper. The Good Bobby is ill at east with liberals. The Bad Bobby is ill at ease with grownups."

Tye is a Massachusetts-based author and journalist who writes in the book's preface, "I have been captivated by Bobby Kennedy since I was in high school."He notes he covered the family "repeatedly" for the Boston Globe and interviewed members of the Kennedy family, including RFK's widow, Ethel. Tye presents a balanced portrait of his subject that gives equal due to Kennedy's achievements and failures (I suspect die-hard Kennedy haters still won't be satisfied) in and out of the public eye.

"No family in American history has been subject to more gossip, hearsay, and embellishment about their private affairs than the Kennedys,'' Tye writes. "Prurient interest aside, they opened themselves to it by asking for the public's trust and votes. JFK's illicit sex and cover-ups confirmed our distrust. The question is fairly asked about Bobby, too, precisely because he publicly prized conjugal faithfulness and chided those who didn't practice it."

Readers looking for titillation or confirmation of rumors long bandied about will likely be disappointed. Tye dispassionately presents the claim, looks for proof, concludes that "no one knows for sure what happened when the doors were closed," and moves on.

Advertisement

In a sense Tye has to keep going, for Robert Kennedy's life moved too quickly to allow the biographer to linger long in the bedroom. And short, how short, his life was. Dead at 42  how could Kennedy have done so much, so fast, so young? One still marvels  and mourns: the great rounded arc of a long life well-lived was not to be his.

"Half Che Guevara, half Niccolo Machiavelli, Bobby was a shaker-upper dedicated to the art of the possible," wrote Tye in his book's preface. "That he could change so substantially and convincingly over the course of his brief public life helped restore a changing America's faith in redemption. In the end he could become this nation's high priest of reconciliation precisely because he had once been the keeper of our darkest secrets."

Bill Daley is a Tribune food and lifestyle reporter. Follow him on Twitter @billdaley.

"Bobby Kennedy"

By Larry Tye, Random House, 608 pages, $32
On a perfect summer night, the Shedd Aquarium's Auxiliary Board presented its 10th annual BLU, a fundraiser that attracted over a thousand young professionals to the aquarium Aug. 6. The chic crowd enjoyed a party filled with animal encounters, live music, tastings from over 20 top Chicago restaurants, the Shedd's dive show, face painters, fireworks and fundraising.

The evening began with a lakeside VIP reception on Luna Terrace, named after the Shedd's rescued sea otter. Partygoers enjoyed breathtaking views of the skyline, while crooner John Vincent sang Frank Sinatra songs. Elmhurst native Madi Davis, a contestant on Season 9 of television show "The Voice," performed a song from her debut album, "Above the Waves," and Carole King's "It's Too Late," the song she sang for her "Voice" audition.

Advertisement

During the general reception, guests roamed the Waters of the World galleries and enjoyed animal encounters with an Argentine black and white tegu (Uncle Fester), a Cuban iguana (Ricky), an endangered Blanding's turtle (Esther) and a brilliantly colored green tree python (Ivy). Jazz guitarist Guy King performed as guests sampled multiple food stations, petted the sturgeons in the "At Home in the Great Lakes" exhibit and watched volunteer diver Brian Siegel feed the inhabitants of the Caribbean Reef.

The 30-minute aquatic presentation in the Abbott Oceanarium, hosted by Ken Ramirez, featured beluga whales, dolphins, a sea lion and a parade of Magellanic penguins. A surprise performance of the national anthem was sung by the Chicago Blackhawks' Jim Cornelison.

Advertisement

Susan Hedlund, co-chair of the event, along with Doug McClure and Alex Ross, announced that BLU has raised over $3 million for the Shedd during the last 10 years, supporting the aquarium's scientific learning initiatives, animal rescue and rehabilitation programs, and conservation research.

Bridget Coughlin, Shedd president/CEO, attended her first BLU nicknaming it "the party with a purpose for the porpoise." She said, "There's no better place where kids can walk through the doors, become a conservation scientist and get a passport to the world than the Shedd Aquarium." She added, "One in four Chicago Public Schools kids come here every year, admission free." A paddle raise brought in over $45,000, and the event total rose to more than $450,000.

Following the aquatic show, partygoers headed to the Sick Family Lakefront Terrace for dancing to DJ KJ's hot mixes. Fireworks from Navy Pier and desserts in the Bubble Net Cafe concluded the evening.

Freelance writer Candace Jordan is involved with many local organizations, including some whose events she covers.

More coverage

Find more photos and events at www.chicagotribune.com/candidcandace. Visit Candid Candace's website at www.candidcandace.com, or follow her on Twitter @CandidCandace.

RELATED STORIES:

Goodman Theatre's Scene Soiree funds youth program

Advertisement

Woody Allen discusses "Cafe Society" at Chicago premie

50th Ravinia gala celebrates James Levine's return
What started as a back-to-school parade by Robert S. Abbott in 1929, the Bud Billiken Parade, has now become an annual family get-together, friends' reunion and day out at the park in your cute summer outfit. The parade includes floats touting celebrities (Disney's Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Princess Tiana and rapper T.I. are some of the participants), marching bands, tumblers, African dancers and more. The award-winning King College Prep Marching Band will take the lead. Why go: Like the Taste of Chicago, Lollapalooza or Navy Pier, the oldest and largest African-American parade is one of Chicago's summer traditions that shouldn't be missed. Reconsider: With the sweltering temps we've had this summer, you don't want to risk heatstroke dancing a happy jig at the thought of kids going back to school. The parade begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at 39th Street (Oakwood Boulevard) and King Drive and continues to Washington Park (51st Street and Cottage Grove) for a post-parade picnic; free; 773-536-3710, budbillikenparade.com

Slather on some sunscreen and join up to a million fellow spectators expected to line the streets Saturday to enjoy the largest African-American parade in the United States. Going back to school should be celebrated, according to the Bud Billiken Parade's producer, the Chicago Defender Charities, so they've been throwing a paradecurrently marching from King Drive at Oakwood Boulevard to Garfield Boulevard (55th Street) and Ellsworth Drivesince 1929. Before the kickoff at 10 a.m., your kids can do their homework by brushing up on these fun facts.

2: Parade's rank among the largest parades in the nation

Advertisement

16: Number of blocks in the parade route

5: Number of scholarships to be awarded at this year's Bud Billiken Parade reception

Advertisement

$1.2 million: Number, in millions of dollars, of scholarship funds awarded by the Chicago Defender Charities to over 70 students in the past 10 years.

1: Number of sitting U.S. presidents to make an appearance. (That was President Harry S. Truman in 1956. Barack Obama has also attendedmultiple times as grand marshallbefore he was elected president.)

1: Number of Disney princesses expected to appear

1: Number of special-guest entertainers attending this year: Chaka Khan

2: Number of gubernatorial candidates expected to appear: Gov. Pat Quinn and Bruce Rauner

4: Number of marching bands expected to perform

6: Number of drill teams expected to perform

1: Number of TV stations broadcasting the parade live: ABC 7

Advertisement

100: Number of vendors at after-parade picnic: 100

24: Days between the parade and the first day of classes for Chicago Public Schools

Sources: Chicago Defender Charities/OMEN communications; cps.edu.

The Bud Billiken Parade (773-536-3710, budbillikenparade.org) kicks off at 10 a.m. Saturday from King Drive at Oakwood Boulevard. A post-parade picnic celebration happens in Washington Park, southeast of 51st Street and King Drive.

Looking for more of the latest on parenting-related topics and trends? Like us on Facebook or subscribe to our free weekly newsletter.
Darchel Mohler described herself as an overprotective mother.

The surgical technologist from Nevada said she'd embarrass her three children about everything, asking before play dates about alcohol and cigarettes in the house, curfews and seat belts.

Advertisement

But it was something she didn't even think to ask about that ended up killing her 13-year-old daughter, Brooklynn. She didn't inquire about firearms.

It's something she'll regret every day for the rest of her life. After finding an unsecured firearm during a play date, Brooklynn's best friend shot her.

Advertisement

Brooklynn's father, who arrived at the home to pick up his daughter, wasn't aware that there was a problem.

He was simply picking Brooklynn up from the play date because he didn't want her to walk home alone, crossing a few tricky streets.

He tried to help before paramedics arrived, but Brooklynn was in critical condition. She later died at the hospital.

"You can't stop time, you can't catch your breath, you can't go back fast enough," Darchel Mohler said, recalling the moment she wiped away the blood streaming from Brooklynn's eyes before she let her go. "It's complete and total chaos, inertia, obliteration."

Mohler isn't the same person she was before that gunshot, and she's still trying to find her new normal. In the process, she's created Justice for Brooklynn, a foundation dedicated to helping other parents avoid this fate.

It isn't an accident, said Mohler, who lost her sister in a car accident. She says that was unavoidable. This, however, could have been prevented.

"There is loss, but this is not acceptable  this is too preventable to be acceptable," Mohler said.

According to multiple studies and organizations, one in three homes with children have guns, and 75 percent of children ages 5 to 14 know where the firearms are stored. Between 2001 and 2010, 7,700 children under age 14 suffered accidental firearm injuries.

Advertisement

The simplest way to help prevent this: Ask if there are firearms in the home before dropping off a child for a play date, said Washington-based Dan Gross, president of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

Gross said there are ways to bring up the topic without offending the person hosting the play date, regardless of whether or not that person is a gun owner.

"It's important to make sure that the question comes from where it should, from a place of concern about your child's safety," Gross said. "Don't bring politics into the conversation, ask it along with the other questions that responsible parents ask, and take any emotion or judgment out of the question."

Asking about firearms should be every bit as straightforward as asking about a swimming pool or about the food being served.

"It's just one of those questions and one that, as it turns out, genuinely has the potential to save a life," Gross said.

But despite knowing this reality, it's still a difficult question for some parents to ask  and one that some don't even think they need to ask.

Advertisement

When she was 13, Missy Smith's 12-year-old brother was shot and killed by a classmate during a play date in a Detroit suburb.

So when the Traverse City, Mich., woman gave birth to two girls, she was relieved.

"I was thankful that they were girls, that we were off the hook," Smith said, assuming that her daughters and their friends wouldn't play with guns.

Smith dropped her daughter, who was in kindergarten, off at her first play date, never thinking to ask about firearms.

Two weeks later, she overheard her daughter's new friend talking about her parent's gun.

"I was blindsided," said Smith, who created Gun Safe Mom to help other parents talk about the issue.

Advertisement

Instead of simply asking if there's a firearm in the home, Smith said, it's important to think about your comfort level with guns.

There are nine ways a firearm can be stored. If a home has one, Smith recommended asking how it's stored. Depending on the age of your child, you may have to consider if it's safe enough.

"In my brother's case, it was locked, but the boy had the access and the knowledge to unlock the safety and the ammunition," Smith said.

Fingerprint technology can help keep a gun out of the hands of children.

The firearm question is one that Smith always asks before play dates now. She said that most of the people she asks are grateful for the question.

Danielle Braff is a freelancer.

Advertisement

RELATED STORIES:

Commentary:

Indiana 6-year-old picks up dad's gun and accidentally kills him: 'We can tell his heart is broken'

Taking gun control out of the gun violence conversation






Chicago police Sgt. Ernest Spradley said he was pulled over by a white officer who cussed at him before knowing he was a police officer. The incident reminds him that officers need to work at respecting the people they serve, he said. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

Ernest Spradley, who is African-American, says he chuckled when the south suburban white cop who pulled him over told him he was going 95 mph down a main drag.

"I was like 'Officer, I'm in an '88 Honda Civic automatic, not even a stick,'" Spradley recently recalled, a wry smile on his face.

Advertisement

Clearly not amused, the officer said: 'So mother------, are you trying to get smart with me?'" Spradley recalled.

Before it was over, Spradley, a veteran Chicago cop, had to pull out his police ID  not so much to get out of a ticket  but so the officer knew he was armed and the situation didn't turn ugly.

Advertisement

Many black officers say they very much understand the conditions that brought young people to the streets to protest harsh treatment by officers, white and black. But they bristle at attacks on police at a time when violent crime in Chicago is a national topic.

"There are good and bad in every profession, any profession, and I don't deny we have bad cops," said a black veteran patrol officer assigned to the majority black Wentworth police District on the South Side, who asked not to be identified. "But what offends me the most is the protests like they're doing now. A possibly bad shooting happens somewhere else in the country  where is your protest over the 4-year-old who was just shot?"

"There are things to protest, but you attack us instead of attacking the actions of the gangbangers that you know, the people that you know have the guns," he said. "You know who shot the child, who robbed the old man, and you say nothing."

Chris Fletcher, a 30-year veteran with the Chicago police before taking the police chief's job in south suburban Calumet City, knows all too well the duality of the job. "I'm on both sides of the fence depending on what day it is," Fletcher said. "Some days I'm all over the police side, depending on the police incident, and the other days, I'm just as outraged as (the public)."

Police work, racial solidarity

The handful of black officers reached by the Tribune say angry exchanges with loved ones and strangers regarding their police work are rare, though they can occur, especially after high-profile brutality cases in the news.

Fletcher can still recall the heated exchange with a close friend involving the death of LaTanya Haggerty, an unarmed African-American woman who was shot and killed in summer 1999 by a Chicago police officer who mistook her cellphone for a weapon.

"One of my non-police friends," Fletcher began, "he's like, 'Man how can you stand up behind that? Because they just killed that girl and she just had a cellphone. That could have been you or me, your sister, your little cousin.'

Advertisement

"The public doesn't look at the other end. What if it wasn't a cellphone?" he said. "What if it was a gun? And police officers have to make that split (second) decision, because you say I can wait to see if it's a cellphone and be killed.  The average officer isn't willing to take that chance with their life."

Black cops know how volatile things can be at a crime scene. But while they may face the same dangers as white officers, some black residents  be they witnesses, victims or even the accused  may open up more freely to a black officer than their white counterparts, some black cops have observed.

"Sometimes the victim may look to a familiar face and hear a little bit more clearer from a familiar face," said Spradley, who grew up in the Grand Crossing neighborhood and graduated from Morehouse College. "They're more apt to hear what the familiar face is saying when the other (white) officer may have told them pretty much the same thing."

Black officers interviewed by the Tribune say they're as concerned as anyone about the abuse and callousness some of their white counterparts have toward African-Americans. They've faced it. Their family, friends and neighbors have complained about it.

But the officers say they don't have the political muscle to make changes. And they're preoccupied with a skyrocketing shooting and homicide rate.

Police shooting deaths of African-Americans locally and nationally are further putting black officers on defense  forced to answer for the actions of fellow law enforcement officers.

Advertisement

Officers say they feel blindsided with the release of every new viral video showing an attack on a black civilian.

"The negative is often every day because there's something new popping up every day in the news," said the Wentworth District officer who asked not to be identified.

Getting past echoes of Jim Crow laws

Fletcher is among those officers who has deep concerns about policing in minority communities, while he also questions the media's treatment of the problem and the community's response.

"If you just looked at the media, you would think that the biggest issue for black folks is police brutality. But if you took a bloody weekend, all you've got to do is look at the number of people shot by police and the number of black people shot by black folks, and the (police) number pales in comparison."

Fletcher was one of a number of officers bothered by police actions seen in videos of the arrest of Chicago-area native Sandra Bland, who died in a Texas jail last year, as well as the 16-shot death of Laquan McDonald in Chicago.

Advertisement

Starting out as a Chicago cop at 22 in the late 1980s, Fletcher said he's seen the good, bad and ugly of police work and has always been troubled by some white colleagues who lacked empathy for the black residents they serve.

"There are a lot of white officers who really didn't see that (McDonald's death) was overkill," Fletcher said. "I wouldn't say that all of the white officers, or even the average one, has no empathy. But I would say a lot of them don't have any empathy and at times they don't even understand that they don't. But in the things that they say, you see it."

Some older black officers say a lack of understanding and some heavy-handed, old school policing tactics decried by activists and black cops alike have historic roots in Jim Crow segregation and persist to this day in some communities.

"It was a way you were raised and brought up. The officers that came in our community who were not black wanted you to fear them," said Greg Baker, a regional vice president of the National Organization for Black Law Enforcement Executives, who is also the police chief in South Holland. "It was like, if you were afraid of us, we can keep you in line. You would do whatever we tell you or not, whether it was for your benefit or not."

Police work is more than policing

Some retired cops are hoping these most recent police incidents will shine a light on the need to hire more black officers in the city. Only about 23 percent of officers in Chicago are African-American, compared with the city's black population of 32 percent.

Advertisement

Patricia Hill, former head of the African American Police League, says the city desperately needs black officers who embrace their heritage and are devoted to providing service to communities in need.

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

"You need police officers who can change hats," she said, adding that in black communities, cops sometimes "have to become the social worker, the teacher.  It's not just about kicking a-- and taking names. It's a service, you're a public service employee. And in the black community, 90 percent of your calls are service calls."

"People are not getting along. And you have to be able to negotiate that. Many of the white officers in the black community don't see black people as needing service. They need to be policed: 'Y'all don't know how to act, you need to be put in order, talked down to, civilized' and all that. That's why you have this adversarial relationship. We need more officers that give service. When you call the police, you want help and that's what we need."

Spradley says that long-ago traffic stop that ended with an official warning from the suburban cop is a reminder how police must work harder to maintain a respectful relationship with the people they serve.

He says he tries to hold on to the memory of what it was like to be robbed multiple times as a teen while traveling from his South Side home to Providence St. Mel Catholic High School on the West Side.

"I want to be the police officer that responds when my coat gets snatched off my back, or somebody's chasing me down a street to get my gym shoes off my feet. I wanted to be that police officer that gave the service that I would want to have if I was the victim  and I had been the victim."

Advertisement

wlee@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @MidNoirCowboy
More than 200 people gathered in a North Side auditorium Tuesday night for a hearing organized by aldermen to gather input on a police accountability ordinance that will be drafted for consideration in September.

The city is looking at ways to replace the Independent Police Review Authority, and residents were asked how a new investigative agency could build credibility and trust in the community.

Advertisement

One idea residents were asked to comment on was the creation of a new public safety inspector general, whose responsibilities would include auditing patterns of police activity and complaints and reviewing individual misconduct cases.

Several residents in the crowd at Senn High School instead proposed an elected civilian police accountability council, which would be made up of community members from all police districts in Chicago.

Advertisement

Members of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, a group well-represented at the forum, have advocated for such a council in the past few months. Many residents at the hearing Tuesday offered support for the idea.

Residents said the council should be responsible for appointing the police superintendent, rewriting use-of-force guidelines and investigating all police-involved shootings.

Mike Siviwe Elliott, a member of the alliance, said he didn't think a public safety inspector general office would work because past efforts at such appointed oversight agencies haven't worked, especially in the city's black and Latino neighborhoods.

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

"Each of you erase the thoughts of appointing anybody because it's not going to work for this city," Elliott said.

Chicago Alderman Joe Moore points to microphones in the auditorium at Senn High School for public comments during a forum on oversight of the Chicago Police Department, held on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

An information sheet that outlined a public safety inspector general's role was called "laughable" by resident Melissa West, who said she believed the information sheet implied that decisions regarding the new agency already have been set.

She too said she supported the creation of an elected council for police accountability.

"Right now, we look just as bad as third world countries," she said, referring to recent police shootings. "I'm ashamed to say I'm part of the United States of America. "

The hearing was the second of five led by the City Council throughout Chicago neighborhoods. The next hearing will take place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Little Village Lawndale High School.

Advertisement

meltagouri@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @marwaeltagouri
J. L. BELL is a Massachusetts writer who specializes in (among other things) the start of the American Revolution in and around Boston. He is particularly interested in the experiences of children in 1765-75. He has published scholarly papers and popular articles for both children and adults. He was consultant for an episode of History Detectives, and contributed to a display at Minute Man National Historic Park.
Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke, center, arrives for a hearing on Sept. 14, 2018 at the Leighton Criminal Court Building. His attorney announced that a jury will decide his fate. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

A Cook County judge on Wednesday barred attorneys for a Chicago police officer charged with murder in the shooting of Laquan McDonald from reviewing protected juvenile records detailing the state ward's chaotic childhood, saying she was troubled by the request.

Judge Patricia Martin, who presides over the juvenile court's child protection division, held that Officer Jason Van Dyke has no legal right to the confidential files simply because he is charged criminally with the 17-year-old boy's death.

"This court is troubled by your argument that you have a (legal) standing because you represent a person who is charged with the murder of this young man. ... I don't find you have a special interest in these files," said Martin, citing the state's Juvenile Court Act.

The judge's ruling came after lawyers for McDonald's mother strenuously objected, calling the request by Van Dyke's lawyers "a fishing expedition" for "otherwise irrelevant and inadmissible evidence to shift focus away from the graphic video" of the October 2014 shooting.

Advertisement

"Laquan McDonald is a victim, and was for most of his life," attorney Robert Robertson wrote in a 21-page document filed Wednesday on behalf of the slain teen's mother. "Now, in death, (Van Dyke's legal team) seeks access to the most intimate details of his young life for purposes of defending the man who shot Laquan repeatedly as he lay defenseless in the street."

It was for similar reasons that child advocates contacted by the Tribune last month expressed outrage after Van Dyke's lawyers sought access to the juvenile records. But legal experts defended the move, saying the defense had a duty to pursue all possible evidence in preparation for the high-stakes trial. Still, some lawyers doubted the judge presiding over Van Dyke's case would allow the defense at trial to delve into McDonald's troubled past.

Advertisement

The embattled officer's legal team has said little about the strategy behind seeking the child-protection records, citing a "gag" order imposed by the judge presiding over the murder case at the Leighton Criminal Court Building. In a short written request filed in June, attorney Steven "Randy" Rueckert said only that his inspection of the records was necessary as the legal team prepares to defend Van Dyke against the charges.

On Wednesday, Rueckert tried to assure the judge the officer's legal team would abide by any restrictions she felt necessary out of concern over confidentiality if she allowed access.

"I can't tell you what my reason for looking is because I don't know what's in there," Rueckert said of McDonald's juvenile records. "But I'd like to look. I'd like to investigate for my client, who is charged with murder."

Van Dyke, 38, has been suspended without pay since he was charged with first-degree murder in November just hours before the court-ordered release of a video of the shooting started a firestorm of controversy.

The video from a police dashboard camera showed the white officer shooting the black teen 16 times as McDonald walked away from police with a knife in his hand, ignoring commands to stop. It contained no discernible audio but belied the written accounts of other officers at the scene that the teen had lunged with the knife before Van Dyke began to shoot.

This excerpt from video released to the public shows the most complete version of the shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. It is edited for length by the Chicago Tribune. Warning: This video contains graphic images. (Chicago Tribune)

An uproar ensued. Street protests went on for weeks, police Superintendent Garry McCarthy was fired, State's Attorney Anita Alvarez lost re-election in large part for the delay in bringing charges and the U.S. Justice Department launched an in-depth probe of police practices.

Court records on juveniles are presumed confidential and not open to the public. The law recognizes that the news media and other "interested parties" may have restricted access with a judge's consent if they demonstrate a compelling interest for disclosure outweighs the confidentiality and privacy rights of the child.

The attorneys for McDonald's mother complained that Van Dyke's legal team had failed to offer a single reason why it should be allowed to examine the records, calling the four-sentence motion "boilerplate."

A special prosecutor appointed to the criminal case just last week joined McDonald's mother in objecting to Van Dyke's request as well.

Advertisement

"There hasn't even been an argument as to why Mr. Van Dyke would be a properly interested party," Kane County Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Cullen, a member of the special prosecutor's team, told the judge before her ruling.

Robertson, one of the attorneys for McDonald's mother, took it a step further, arguing in the court filing that the video of "the shots seen around the world" removed any lingering questions that might make McDonald's juvenile records relevant.

"Any self-defense claim is laughable on its face in light of the excessive number of shots, the positioning of Van Dyke and McDonald during the shooting, and that McDonald was shot in the back as he was walking away from Van Dyke," Robertson wrote.

In the past, Daniel Herbert, the officer's lead attorney, has said Van Dyke feared for his safety and that of other officers when he opened fire. His use of lethal force that night marked the first time Van Dyke had fired his weapon in the line of duty, his service records showed. He was hired in June 2001.

In addition, McDonald's mother, Tina Hunter, argued through her attorneys that the release of such intimate details about her family history would only cause them further pain and embarrassment.

"Throughout this entire process," Robertson wrote, "(they) have guarded their privacy and have continued to grieve behind closed doors."

Advertisement

The mother has declined all interview requests since her son's killing.

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

McDonald's records, previously reviewed by the Chicago Tribune for a profile on his life, detailed his difficult childhood as a state ward as well as his seven drug-related arrests, beginning when he was 13.

Hunter, herself a teenage state ward when she gave birth to McDonald, twice lost custody of him due to allegations involving inadequate supervision and excessive corporal punishment, court records showed. He found stability in his great-grandmother's home, but McDonald struggled with behavioral, learning and mental health issues.

He began a self-admitted daily marijuana habit at about age 12 and also used PCP, a hallucinogenic drug found in his system at the time of the shooting, according to court records and his autopsy. Although he admitted being in a gang and selling drugs, McDonald was never accused of carrying a gun or other weapon during his earlier police contacts and arrests. He was, though, at times accused of being verbally and physically aggressive with juvenile detention staff, according to the records.

His great-grandmother died in August 2013, and McDonald's mother that October petitioned the court to get back custody. He was living with an uncle while Hunter, who according to the records was always involved in her son's life, continued counseling and other services to get him back.

Hunter, who is raising a 16-year-old daughter in the Chicago area, received a $5 million out-of-court settlement from the city last year for McDonald's death.

Advertisement

cmgutowski@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @christygutowsk1
Two masked men smashed several windows, broke through the front door of a Buffalo Grove home and then stabbed four people and a dog, authorities say. Aug. 10, 2016. (CBS Chicago)

Two masked men smashed several windows, broke through the front door of a Buffalo Grove home and then stabbed four people and a dog, authorities say. Aug. 10, 2016. (CBS Chicago)

Buffalo Grove police are interviewing three "persons of interest" in connection with a home invasion and stabbing in the village, according to Buffalo Grove Police Deputy Chief Roy Bethge.

Three of the four people stabbed inside the home a few minutes after midnight Wednesday were treated at hospitals and released, while the other victim remains in serious condition at a nearby hospital.

Advertisement

Police have not charged or arrested any of the three people being interviewed, but police don't believe the attack was a random act, Bethge said. The intruders targeted the home, he said.

"Motive is something we'll be looking to determine," Bethge said.

Advertisement

According to a Buffalo Grove police report, two masked men at 12:06 a.m. smashed several windows, broke through the front door of a house in the 400 block of St. Marys Parkway and then attacked the family inside. One of the two invaders wielded a hunting knife and "repeatedly stabbed the 49-year-old homeowner," police said in the report.

The homeowner was able to retrieve a handgun that was in the house and fired one bullet. Bethge said the shot scared the intruders away although it did not hit anyone.

Wheeling officers later located possible suspects at the intersection of Buffalo Grove and Lake Cook roads after Buffalo Grove passed along the victims' descriptions of the attackers to neighboring agencies, police said. The Wheeling officers also found "a large, blood stained hunting knife" after approaching the vehicle, police said in the report.

The homeowner remains in serious condition, according to the report. The other three people injured inside the house and later released from hospitals included the homeowner's son, the son's cousin and a young female. Their ages ranged from 16 to 49, police said.

The intruders also stabbed the family's German shepherd, which an officer transported to the Veterinary Specialty Center in Buffalo Grove for treatment. VSC spokeswoman Kathy Mordini said she could not comment about the dog's condition.

A family friend also inside the house at the time of the incident was unharmed, Bethge said.

Neighbors, who live near the house and were awake around midnight, said they didn't hear anything suspicious in the neighborhood until police cars and ambulances started showing up.

"We got scared, post-fact," said Nataliya Plotnikova, who lives near the victims' home with her two children.

Advertisement

She said she had been walking her two golden retrievers around 11:45 p.m. Tuesday.

Many residents said the only trouble they ever expect in their neighborhood is a flood from the Buffalo Creek, which touches the property of the victims, Plotnikova and Chris Monsen, a former Marine.

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

Monsen said he was playing with his three dogs in his backyard at midnight.

"I didn't hear any footsteps back there besides my own," he said.

Several neighbors described the homeowner as friendly and helpful.

Joe Bartlett lives more than a block away, but he bikes through the neighborhood. He got to know the homeowner through a mutual friend and enjoyed playing with the German shepherd.

Advertisement

The homeowner also would help him at times, often offering to grease the chain to Bartlett's bike, he said.

Plotnikova said that in the winter, she would sometimes look outside and see the homeowner shoveling her driveway.

"He wouldn't offer to do it," she said. "He would just do it."
A body was found near railroad tracks on the South Side on Wednesday morning, officials said.

It was found in the 500 block of West 79th Street in the city's Winneconna Parkway neighborhood, according to police.

Advertisement

Authorities are investigating if an inbound Rock Island Metra train hit a person, possibly about 9:40 a.m., according to a Metra spokesman.

Chicago police were called to assist Metra, according to Officer Bari Lemmon, a police spokeswoman.

Advertisement

Check back for details.
The CTA board on Wednesday voted to spend $23 million to renovate the Illinois Medical District Blue Line station, the third-busiest stop on the Forest Park branch, beginning next month.

The station, which serves four hospitals, including Rush University Medical Center and Stroger Hospital, had over a million users last year. It has not had a major renovation since it opened in 1958, CTA officials said.

Advertisement

The main planned improvement is the rebuilding of the main station house at Ogden Avenue, including the addition of an elevator. The project includes upgrading station-to-platform ramps at Damen Avenue and Paulina Street, and the Paulina entrance will get a wheelchair-accessible gate, said CTA spokeswoman Tammy Chase.

"I'm really pleased to see accessibility is incorporated into it," Gary Arnold, a spokesman for the nonprofit advocacy group Access Living, said in a phone interview after the CTA's monthly board meeting. "It's very good news, very promising."

Advertisement

Along with accessibility changes, the project will include improved station and platform lighting, installation of new security cameras, new bus and train tracker displays, and improvements to the station canopy.

"The improvements we are making to the Illinois Medical District station further our commitment to improving accessibility systemwide for our customers and strengthen the vital transit connections to the busy medical district," CTA President Dorval Carter said in a statement.

The project is expected to be completed in late 2017 and will be funded through tax increment financing money. While a portion of the project work will be done by the CTA, a $14 million construction contract was awarded on Wednesday to McHugh/UJAMAA Joint Venture 1  a joint venture between two Chicago construction firms; UJAMAA is a certified minority business enterprise.

The station also serves the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System, the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Malcolm X College and the United Center.

Also on Wednesday, members of the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization asked the CTA board to reinstate Hyde Park service for the No. 1 Bronzeville/Union Station bus. The bus currently runs along Michigan between Union Station and 35th Street.

Until 2003, the bus route extended south to 64th Street and Stony Island Avenue, after traveling through Hyde Park on 51st Street. The route was then shortened to 51st Street, and shortened again in 2012 to stop at 35th Street as part of the elimination of other bus routes, such as the No. 11 Lincoln from the Western Avenue Brown Line stop to Fullerton Avenue, which has since been partly reinstated in a pilot program.

"This bus played a very essential role in our community," said activist Alphonso Jones, 70, who spoke to the board. He said that the former run had connected to hospitals, schools and numerous stores. He also noted that seniors prefer the bus to taking the "L."

Carter said CTA officials would meet with community members to discuss the route.

Advertisement

Also on Wednesday, Carter told reporters after the meeting that he was confident the City Council would approve a tax-increment financing district to make improvements on the Red and Purple lines.

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

The CTA and Mayor Rahm Emanuel want a special taxing district established to secure $600 million in federal loans to pay for the massive project, which includes a controversial flyover north of the Belmont station.

The first phase of the project costs $2.1 billion, and the CTA can access $1.1 billion in federal funds if it can find a local match for the remainder. Carter referred to the federal funds as "free money" that would be left on the table without a local match. The loans would cover most of the match.

"I'm very optimistic that the City Council will appreciate and understand the value of the project we're trying to pursue here and will be supportive of the TIF," Carter said.

A proposed TIF district would have to go through a public notice period and a public hearing, and Carter said it is expected to go to the council in the fall. If the district is established by the end of the year, as the CTA hopes, the agency could start work next year, Carter said.

The flyover would include a bypass carrying Brown Line trains over Red and Purple line trains at Belmont and is intended to relieve delays at the busy Belmont stop and throughout the system. Some residents have objected to the flyover as unnecessary and disruptive to the neighborhood.

Advertisement

mwisniewski@tribpub.com

Twitter @marywizchicago
Dr. William Malik of Oak Brook has been cited for DUI seven times, authorities said. (Cook County Sheriff's Office / Handout)

An orthopedic surgeon who authorities said has been cited for drunken driving seven times was sentenced to six years in prison Wednesday.

Despite pleas from his attorney for probation, Dr. William Malik was ordered to prison by a Cook County judge who said Malik had blown several opportunities to stay sober.

Advertisement

"It's not as though the defendant has not been given a chance or two or three. But this is his seventh time," Judge James Karahalios, noting that Malik's salary at his last job at $520,000. "He could have hired a driver."

Malik, 64, of Oak Brook, was found guilty in April of aggravated DUI and criminal damage to property stemming from an arrest last July when authorities said he sideswiped a parked car with his Lincoln LS in Franklin Park and then drove onto a lawn in Schiller Park, where he struck a garage, two fences and some landscaping blocks, according to prosecutors and police records.

Advertisement

The doctor, who first ignored an officer's request to shut off the car and exit the vehicle, had "bloodshot and glassy eyes," smelled of alcohol and told the officer, "At least I didn't hit anybody," a police report states.

The judge, referring to that comment, said Wednesday: "It is striking. The doctor has violated his Hippocratic oath ... to do no harm."

Malik's attorney, Sam Amirante, called his client a "brilliant doctor" and a "great family man" who suffers from the disease of alcoholism, for which he has sought treatment several times. He voluntarily entered a rehab program after his latest arrest, Amirante said.

But prosector Karen Crothers countered that Malik has "played the doctor card too many times," using his lofty professional status to seek special treatment from the criminal justice system after multiple run-ins with the law.

"There are no different laws for the people of Oak Brook than for the people of the South Side of Chicago," Crothers said. "He put every last child and parent and citizen in our community at risk. ... The fact that this man is a doctor is a not a mitigating factor. It is an aggravating factor."

Crothers said that if Malik "continues on this path, he will kill somebody. It's not a question of if, but when."

According to court records and authorities, Malik pleaded guilty to DUI in DuPage County in 2002 and again in 2007. He was also cited for DUI in Cicero in 2004 and in Franklin Park in 2005; though in the Cicero case, the DUI was stricken from his record after a probationary period, and in Franklin Park the DUI charge was later dropped.

Authorities said he was also charged with DUI in Wisconsin in 2007.

Advertisement

Malik has been in Cook County Jail since the judge revoked his bond when he was convicted in April. Addressing the judge Wednesday in court while dressed in jail scrubs, the doctor said he was "really ashamed of what happened."

"I behaved quite selfishly last July and in my previous alcohol-related incidents. It's hard to recognize that alcohol affects alcoholics differently than other people. I have remorse about what happened," he said, adding he had "learned a lot at county jail."

The judge was apparently not persuaded to offer leniency to Malik by a several character witnesses who spoke on the doctor's behalf, including another physician who is also in alcohol recovery, a lawyer and a retired DuPage County judge.

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

With credit for good behavior and for time served in jail and in treatment, Malik is likely to be released from prison in less than three years, officials said.

For more than three decades, Malik had affiliations with Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, as well as Adventist Hinsdale Hospital and Adventist LaGrange Memorial Hospital. Malik stopped seeing patients at those locations by 2014.

Tony Briscoe and Christy Gutowski are Tribune reporters; George Houde is a freelance reporter.

Advertisement

tbriscoe@chicagotribune.com

cmgutowski@chicagotribune.com

Twitter _tonybriscoe

Twitter @christygutowsk1
Demarco Kennedy was known as a soft-spoken family man who worked the overnight shift at a railroad company.



Around 8 p.m. Tuesday, the 32-year-old father of three was sitting at a table in his second-floor apartment in Rosemoor on the Far South Side when two bullets pierced the window behind him and hit him in the neck and head, according to police.



Kennedy collapsed on the floor and was taken to Advocate Trinity Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.



His wife and children, ages 6 to 14, were in another room at the time, and police said no one else was injured.



The shots were apparently fired from the parking lot of a Popeye's restaurant just south of the three-story white apartment building in the 600 block of East 102nd Place, police said. The window of Kennedy's apartment can be seen from the parking lot through a gap in two garages.



Late Tuesday, police officers examined about five bullets holes in the wall and window of the building. They also blocked off Popeye's parking lot with red crime tape after finding shell casings there. An evidence technician examined the gap between the garages.



Police reported no one in custody.



Kennedy's family said they could think of no reason anyone would want to shoot him.



"He'd go to work, take care of his kids," said his brother, Lorenzo Kennedy, 35. "He wasn't shooting or gangbanging."



Kennedy shook his head and embraced another brother, Justin Jones, 21, as they stood with about two dozen relatives outside Advocate Trinity Hospital's emergency entrance.



The brothers said they did not see Kennedy often because he worked so much.



"He'd go to work, come home, then go to work again," Kennedy said.



"This is crazy," added Jones.



The building's landlord said Kennedy lived on the second floor for about a year and a half. "He was a very nice guy, a working guy," said Roger Shannon, 65, whose family has owned the building for 40 years. "He was just like any other guy his age."



More relatives began showing up outside Advocate Trinity.



"This is ridiculous," said Patricia Hawthorne, one of Kennedy's aunts. "All of them who shoot  they need to take them to Iraq."



"Where is their conscience? They don't have no conscience," said another relative who stood nearby. "And they think it's the police's fault?"



The family's anger turned to the criminal justice system.



"If they catch you with a gun, they should automatically give (you) five to 10 years for having it," said Valerie Jones, another aunt of Kennedy. "No court."



"Right, no court," Hawthorne replied.



At the scene of the shooting, Shannon and his son stood in the backyard of the building, pointing out the bullet holes in the building's frame and windows.



"I don't know what to say," Shannon said. "This city is beyond crazy."



Shannon's son, who lives on the third floor of the building, said he knocked on the door of Kennedy's apartment after hearing gunshots. When he walked in, he saw Kennedy lying on the floor near a dining table. His wife was standing over him.



Shannon's son, who declined to be identified, fiddled with a flashlight as he and his father talked.



"Would you dispute martial law?" Shannon asked his son.



"Well," his son replied. "What's the murder rate? How is it compared to 1964? Or what about 1994?" He paused, then added, "Crime is down."



"But it's not about the murder rate," Shannon said. "It's about every person's life."



"When has there not been violence?" his son said.



"It's crazy the amount of money we spend on this violence," Shannon said. "Just think about it.  What about the community?"



"Let the police do their job," his son said.



"It goes past the police," the father shot back.



The two grew silent as two evidence technicians joined them in the backyard. One of them aimed a camera at the building, taking photos and video of the bullet holes.
A suspect in a South Loop bank robbery was arrested within a half-hour of the heist on the other side of the Loop, authorities said.

The robbery occurred at the First American Bank branch, 1241 S. Wabash Ave., at 4:30 p.m. said FBI spokesman Garrett Croon.

Advertisement

The robber was a man with a thin build who was wearing a fake beard, Croon said.

He fled with currency after announcing a robbery, but the robber, a 55-year-old man, was taken into custody about 5 p.m. in the 300 block of West Wacker Drive, said Offficer Thomas Sweeney, a spokesman for the Chicago police.
Activist Ja'Mal Green, left, and attorney Michael Oppenheimer talk to the media at 73rd Street and Merrill Avenue in Chicago on Aug. 1, 2016, after the police-involved shooting death of Paul O'Neal near that location. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

A Chicago activist arrested last month during downtown protests of fatal shootings by police has been indicted on charges that he physically assaulted officers.

Ja'Mal Green, 20, was surrounded by 11 supporters at the Branch 42 courthouse at Belmont and Western avenues Wednesday as Judge Marvin Luckman told Green he had been indicted on seven counts.

Advertisement

Court records of those charges were not immediately available.

"The fight will continue against these charges to 26th Street where at the end he will be found not guilty," Green's attorney, Michael Oppenheimer, told reporters after the brief court hearing.

Advertisement

Green, who last week served as a spokesman for the family of Paul O'Neal as videos of the teen's fatal shooting on July 28 in the South Shore neighborhood were made public, did not speak to reporters Wednesday. He remains free on $350,000 bail.

The Rev. Michael Pfleger, the outspoken South Side priest who also attended the court hearing in Green's support, told reporters that Green "has always been very passionate about the injustices that are going on and standing up and talking about them."

Breaking News As it happens Stay informed. News when you need it. Get our news alerts in your inbox. >

"I know Ja'Mal the man and the character, and I stand behind him 100 percent," said Pfleger, longtime priest of St. Sabina Catholic Church. "And I'll continue to stand behind him, believe in him and I will walk with him through this court case until he's dismissed."

Prosecutors told a judge last month that Green was among 150 to 200 demonstrators who were protesting fatal shootings by police in Louisiana and Minnesota. As they left Taste of Chicago on July 9, an officer saw Green climb a fence and ordered him to get down.

Green threatened the officer, saying he was "going to beat his ass," prosecutors said. Green was allowed to continue the protest, but later he struck a police commander in the shoulder, prosecutors said, a moment captured by a Chicago Tribune photographer.

These photos were taken before the arrest of JaMal Green (in yellow shirt) during a protest in downtown Chicago on July 9, 2016. After the incident shown here and a later one, Green was charged with striking a police officer and attempting to disarm another. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

Later, on Michigan Avenue near Water Tower Place, Green grabbed the duty belt of a police captain about an inch away from the officer's service weapon, prosecutors said.

A police lieutenant pulled Green's arm away and attempted to take him into custody, but Green resisted, saying, "You're going to get it  I'm going to have your badge," prosecutors told the judge.

sschmadeke@chicagotribune.com

Advertisement

Twitter @SteveSchmadeke
A judge Tuesday set bail at $50,000 for a Marynook neighborhood man accused of sexually assaulting two women in June, prosecutors said.

Aleem Minnis, charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault with a firearm, appeared before Cook County Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil for a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.

Advertisement

Minnis, 24, is accused of confronting two women and forcing them into a car at gunpoint after the women, 23 and 24, left a sandwich shop in the 8400 block of South Stony Island Avenue on June 26, according to Asst. State's Atty. Holly Grosshans.

He ordered one of the women to drive to the parking lot of a business in the 8500 block of South Stony Island Avenue where Minnis pointed a gun at the women and ordered them to remove their clothes before sexually assaulting them inside the car, which belonged to one of the victims, Grosshans said.

Advertisement

After the assault, Minnis told the women to go toward a dumpster while he left with the car keys. The women called police and were taken to Advocate Trinity Hospital, Grosshans said.

The victims later identified Minnis in a police photo array and Grosshans said Minnis was also seen on surveillance video pacing back and forth in front of the business where the women were before the alleged assault.

Grosshans told the judge that Minnis, of the 8400 block of South Dante Avenue, allegedly admitted to having oral sex with the women, but he told police it was consensual. Minnis also told police he had a dispute with the women about a payment, Grosshans said.

Minnis is slated to appear in court again on Aug. 29.

Chicago Tribune reporter Steve Schmadeke contributed.
Tramian Barnes, 21, (pictured) and Kenyatta Alexander are charged in the April 4, 2016, slaying of 17-year-old Anthony Heatherly. At the time of Heatherly's slaying, Barnes was free on bond after being charged with murder in the 2014 killing of Alex Anderson, 19. (Cook County sheriff's photo)

Two west suburban men  one out on bail in a 2014 slaying on the Northwest Side  have been charged with murder and robbery in the killing of a 17-year-old boy in the Oriole Park neighborhood this spring, authorities said.

Kenyatta Alexander and Tramian Barnes, both 21, are charged with murder, robbery and vehicular hijacking in the April 4 killing of Anthony Heatherly in the parking lot of a Taco Burrito King, 5509 N. Harlem Ave., according to prosecutors and court records. Alexander, of the 1000 of South Bellwood Avenue in Bellwood, who prosecutors say shot Heatherly, also is charged with aggravated battery to a police officer and trying to escape from police.

Advertisement

Barnes already has a pending murder charge against him in the Jan. 20, 2014, killing of Alex Anderson, 19, in the 4300 block of North Milwaukee Avenue. He was released on $100,000 bail on Sept. 29, 2015, according to court records. Before his arrest in Anderson's killing, Barnes had fled Illinois to Georgia.

The two were ordered held without bail in a hearing midday Wednesday, said Tandra Simonton, a spokeswoman for the Cook County state's attorney's office. Alexander did not appear before Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil Wednesday because he is hospitalized, authorities said.

Advertisement

On the day of the killing, Barnes and Alexander were driven by Barnes' girlfriend to meet Heatherly to buy marijuana from him in the parking lot on Harlem Avenue, prosecutors said. Barnes had his girlfriend pull up her white Nissan next to Heatherly's black Hyundai coupe, and Barnes and Alexander got into Heatherly's car with him. The girlfriend then pulled her car up in front of Heatherly's.

Alexander, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, shot Heatherly once in the chest, prosecutors said. Barnes and Alexander opened the driver's side door and pushed Heatherly out, and Barnes got into the driver's seat, driving away while at first dragging Heatherly several feet in the parking lot  an action that led to an initial confusion about whether Heatherly might have been the victim of a hit-and-run driver rather than a shooting  then driving a few blocks away to meet Barnes' girlfriend.

Video surveillance from the Taco Burrito King captured part of the incident, and a witness identified Alexander and Barnes as having driven off in the Hyundai, prosecutors said.

Heatherly was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

After the shooting, Barnes told his girlfriend to go home, and wait for them to call her, prosecutors said.

Barnes eventually called the girlfriend and told her to pick them up in Maywood, and the girlfriend went there and picked them up in an alley, then dropped them off at a friend's house in Melrose Park, prosecutors said. Heatherly's Hyundai was later found nearby.

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

During their investigation, Chicago police detectives were able to use cell phone records to establish that Barnes and his girlfriend were at the scene of the murder at the time of the killing, prosecutors said. After the girlfriend abandoned her car, it was found with Heatherly's car's license plates on it.

In the following months, Alexander and Barnes both told several people that Alexander had shot Heatherly, prosecutors said.

Advertisement

On Tuesday, Alexander, who court records show previously lived in Chicago near Austin Boulevard and Ohio Street, had a court hearing in an unrelated Oak Park theft probation case at the Maybrook Courthouse in Maywood, according to court records. Chicago police arrested him Tuesday at the courthouse address, according to police.

Barnes, who lives in the 100 block of Home Avenue in Oak Park, was arrested on his block, according to police.

After his arrest, Alexander admitted to shooting Heatherly before fleeing in his car, prosecutors said.

The two are scheduled for another court hearing Thursday, according to court records.

The Chicago Tribune's Steve Schmadeke contributed.
Police are investigating at least two robberies that happened near the University of Illinois at Chicago campus that could involve the same suspects, officials said.

The latest robbery happened about 3 a.m. Wednesday off campus in the 1000 block of South Racine Avenue in the University Village/Little Italy neighborhood. A UIC student flagged down a campus officer and reported that a man, who could have been 18 or 19 years old, pointed a gun before taking off with a bag, money and cell phone, according to a UIC alert.

The suspect took off in a black Range Rover driven by another person. The vehicle was last seen going west on Roosevelt Road, the alert stated.

Sherri McGinnis Gonzalez, university spokeswoman, said it appears the males could be responsible for another robbery that happened at 7 p.m. Tuesday at a campus parking lot in the 1100 block of West Harrison Street.

In that incident, a university employee was approached by a male, possibly as young as 15 years old, who was armed with a gun. According to the alert, the suspect took the employees purse, and he then took off in a black Range Rover.

McGinnis Gonzalez said campus officers are working with the Chicago Police Department, because the incidents are consistent with a couple of other off campus robberies that have taken place in the Monroe District.

Chicago police did not immediately have information about those robberies.
The end of a busy shift approached.

Three people had been killed in two hours in the Harrison District on the West Side Monday night. Sgt. Bryan Topczewski left the scene of the second homicide and was headed back to the station, an easy ride down Jackson Boulevard east toward Kedzie Avenue.

Advertisement

"I was heading into the station to finish up reports, start approving reports, just administrative stuff with everything that was going on last night, everything kinda got pushed aside," Topczewski said.

As he approached Independence Boulevard shortly after 10 p.m., a dispatcher calmly read out a new job: "All right units in 011 ... now getting a person shot at thirty-nine forty-five Polk, 3-9-4-5 Polk, cellphone caller says her child's been shot with no further information, 11th District."

Advertisement

The call was less than two blocks west of the boulevard. "Put it on my box," the sergeant radioed, telling the dispatcher he was responding.

"As a parent, you don't like to hear a kid shot. It is what it is out here, but this is a kid," Topczewski said. "So I raced over there, found the address."

The street was empty when he turned from Independence. It wasn't like other scenes that can be chaotic, with people waving down officers and pointing toward the victims. Nobody was out.

The sergeant parked in front. The door was open a little. The child, 10-year-old Tavon Tanner, was lying face down inside the house, blood coming from his nose and mouth.

Topczewski radioed in. The dispatcher didn't hear him at first and asked him to repeat himself. "Is EMS rolling?"

"It does look like Ambulance 64 is en route." The dispatcher asked for more information, trying to see if this was related to a shots-fired call a few minutes earlier a few blocks away.

Tavon had been playing on his porch when someone on the street fired at least nine shots. He collapsed as he followed his mother through the front door. When Topczewski arrived, Tavon's twin sister was holding the boy's hand and telling him, "Twin don't leave me, twin don't leave me," according to her family. Tavon kept beating the floor with his hands, then went limp.

"I see the little guy lying on the floor," Topczewski said. "That's when I go out and grab my pack and start rendering aid."

Advertisement

The boy's mother and twin sister were crying as the sergeant kept asking, "Where's the wound? Where's the wound?" They started taking the boy's clothes off and found a gunshot wound at the small of his back, "right next to his spinal cord," Topczewski said.

He radioed in again. "Bona fide, we got a little kid shot over here. . . . Keep the street clear over here." A woman can be heard screaming in the background of the radio call. "Keep the street clear."

Another officer came on the radio. "Younger child, no offender info . . . One lower, gunshot wound lower back."

Topczewski said he applied pressure to the wound, covering it with a compression bandage. Paramedics arrived within a few minutes, scooped up the boy and rushed him to Mount Sinai Hospital.

Topczewski stepped outside. "We tried to find the crime scene, trying to estimate . . . where was he when he got shot. So once we figured where he got shot, we tried to visualize where those came from."

Across the street was a white car with bullet holes. "We organized officers into a skirmish line with their flashlights, looking for casings. There were bullet holes through the car to where the little guy was standing," he said. "Officers walked the whole lot and found shell casings in the vacant lot next to the one apartment."

Advertisement

Topczewski went to Mount Sinai afterward to check on Tavon and his officers, a number of whom were there following up with other shooting victims from the district that night. And to refill his supply of bandages. "The staff, I told them what I needed. 'Hey, take all you want.' They understand what it's used for," the sergeant said.

Tavon underwent nearly four hours of surgery at Mount Sinai. The bullet damaged his pancreas, intestines, kidney and spleen as it entered his lower back and lodged in his chest, his mother said. Doctors removed the spleen and repaired the other organs but did not remove the bullet, said Tavon's mother, Mellanie Washington.

On Wednesday, Tavon remained in critical condition and was under heavy sedation, his mother said. He hasn't been able to talk and she is not sure if he knows that she is there. He did seem to light up when his twin was at his bedside, however. "When his twin yesterday saw him, he opened his eyes a little," Washington said.

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

Tavon's teachers and a former principal have been visiting him and his sister at the hospital, which she said was a comfort to her children. Detectives are still investigating, but she said she does not think any arrests have been made.

"They're just waiting on him and waiting for him to heal and recover," she said of the medical staff treating her son. "He'll be here awhile."

Topczewski is a 20-year veteran of the department who made sergeant two years ago and has worked in the Harrison District ever since. He went through medical training as part of the Mobile Strike Force, a citywide unit that was disbanded a few years ago.

Advertisement

He hadn't used the training until this year, at a shooting on Polk when three officers were injured. He helped treat one of the three officers before paramedics arrived. The same dispatcher was working then, too.

"You know what it is? It's my job. Not to be cliche . . ." he paused. "It's my job. Our job is preservation of life  I'm not an EMT. I know some basic medical things that I was taught and I applied them where I seen fit.

"It's a little kid shot," he continued, his voice strained. "If you're a parent, you protect your kids. Whether it's yours or someone else's. This is what we do. It's terrible to see a little young kid get shot in crossfire over, over what? It's not a way to grow up."

pnickeas@chicagotribune.com Twitter @PeterNickeas
U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk answers questions after a panel discussion on immigration reform at TechNexus in Chicago on Aug. 10, 2016. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, who has unendorsed Donald Trump, said Wednesday he "can't support" Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton or anyone for president who backs the Iran nuclear agreement.

But Kirk's stated choice as a write-in candidate for president, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, also supported the U.S.-led multinational agreement aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear program.

Advertisement

Kirk's comments came in an interview on CNN in which he talked about his evolving choice for president.

"Hillary Clinton was for the Iran agreement. And I can't support someone who is for the Iran agreement," Kirk said.

Advertisement

"In my case, I'll be writing in Gen. Colin Powell. That, I think, would be the best person," said Kirk, who is being challenged for re-election by two-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth, of Hoffman Estates.

But Powell, who also is a former Army general and national security adviser, said in September that the Iran agreement would help "stop this highway race" of the nation constructing a nuclear weapon.

"People are saying, 'No, you can't trust them,'" Powell told NBC's "Meet the Press." "I don't trust them. I say, 'We have a deal, let's see how they implement the deal. If they don't implement it, bail out.' None of our options are gone."

While Kirk has cited Powell as his preferred choice for the White House, the former secretary of state is not a candidate for president, and in Illinois his write-in vote would not be counted because Powell's name was never registered with election authorities in the state.

Locked in a tough re-election fight, Kirk originally said he would support the winner of the Republican presidential nomination, then announced in June he was removing his endorsement of Trump over the GOP contender's critical comments about Hispanics, women and the disabled. Kirk said Trump lacked the temperament to be commander in chief.

Kirk then said he would write-in for president former CIA director and retired U.S. Army General David Petraeus, who pleaded guilty to mishandling classified information. Last month, Kirk said he was switching his write-in to Powell, who was "much more experienced at the national level."

Kirk has based much of his campaign on national security issues and had made opposition to the Iran nuclear deal a major part of his early campaign for re-election.

In the CNN interview, Kirk also was asked whether Trump or Clinton was a greater risk to the future of the GOP.

Advertisement

"I think right now if we had Colin Powell at the head of our party we would crush the opposition," Kirk said.

Asked again about who is the bigger risk, Kirk said: "I think right now Hillary Clinton, because in Illinois we really understand corruption after the (Gov. Rod) Blagojevich years. Too corrupt for the country now."

Kirk contended the release of Clinton emails found "a dangerous overlap in her duties as a fundraiser for the Clinton Foundation and secretary of state. We should not have such a person with so many conflicts of interest in office as our president of the United States."

Kirk also was repeatedly asked what it means that well-regarded Republican leaders such as House Speaker Paul Ryan and Arizona Sen. John McCain are still backing Trump despite the presidential nominee's controversial statements.

"I would say right now that Trump is too racist and too bigoted for the Land of Lincoln," Kirk said. Asked what that meant for McCain and Ryan, Kirk responded: "It means find a way to write (in) an American that you think can really lead this country to a much better shining city on a hill."

Kirk's cable TV interview came after he attended an event hosted by the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition and FWD.us, the immigration advocacy organization founded by Facebook chairman Mark Zuckerberg. Kirk backed comprehensive immigration reform in 2013, but Democrats have accused him of coming to the issue too late.

Advertisement

But Kirk also has backed a ban on the U.S. acceptance of refugees from war-torn Syria until adequate background checks can be done to determine whether any of them are a terrorist threat.

"There's a difference between Mexican immigrants and Syrian refugees. Syrian refuges might tend toward Islamic terror and we've never had a Mexican terror problem in this country," the senator said. "I want to make sure that we take the time necessary to screen the refugees, make sure we know their political leanings."

rap30@aol.com

Twitter @rap30
Patti Blagojevich, left, speaks to the media along with daughters Annie, center, and Amy after the resentencing of her husband on Aug. 9, 2016, at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday declined to weigh in on the fairness of ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich not getting any time shaved off his 14-year sentence for political corruption convictions, confining his statements to concern for the disgraced politician's wife.

"My thoughts are with Patti and the family," Emanuel said. "The judge made (his) decision. It doesn't matter now what I personally think. ... Regardless of what you thought about the sentence, regardless of what you thought about what former Gov. Blagojevich did, you can see the human toll on that family, and my thoughts are with her and with the children."

Advertisement

The toll could be seen Tuesday, when Patti Blagojevich and daughters Annie and Amy sobbed after U.S. District Judge James Zagel declined to reduce Blagojevich's sentence after an appellate court threw out some of the criminal charges on which the former governor was convicted.

In 2011, Blagojevich was convicted of misusing his powers as governor in an array of wrongdoing, including his attempts to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama after his 2008 election as president.

Advertisement

Patti Blagojevich reacts to the upholding of a 14-year prison sentence for her husband, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, on Aug. 9, 2016. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

Emanuel also kept mum on whether he thought Obama should pardon Blagojevich.

"I'm not going to weigh in on it," said Emanuel, who was Obama's first White House chief of staff. "If he asks my opinion, I'll give it. And trust me, if he asks my opinion, I'll give it to him privately. OK? So, let me just say that."

Emanuel succeeded Blagojevich in representing a Northwest Side district in Congress. The two teamed up to push prescription drug programs and school reform.

During Blagojevich's retrial, Emanuel was called to the witness stand by the defense, but the appearance turned out to be brief and unremarkable, with the mayor saying nobody asked him to set up a nonprofit for Blagojevich to run in exchange for appointing Obama friend Valerie Jarrett to the Senate.

Emanuel also said no one asked him to have his brother, Hollywood agent Ari Emanuel, hold a fundraiser for Blagojevich in exchange for release of a $2 million grant that then-U.S. Rep. Emanuel sought for a school in his district.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich confers with Rep. Rahm Emanuel prior to a lunch on Capitol Hill with the Illinois delegation on April 30, 2003. (Pete Souza / Chicago Tribune)

Left unaddressed were several aspects of the case, from claims by Blagojevich's legal team that Emanuel would have helped broker a deal to install Attorney General Lisa Madigan in the Senate to why Emanuel relayed a message to the governor that Obama would "value and appreciate" it only if Blagojevich gave Jarrett the post.

As the mayor kept his opinion of the latest Blagojevich turn to himself, another well-known Chicagoan with close ties to Obama and Emanuel was not so shy about expressing his opinion after the resentencing.

"How does a judge re-sentence Blagojevich to same 14 years after 5 counts were thrown out?" former White House senior adviser David Axelrod asked on Twitter. "Blago did wrong, but this just doesn't seem right."

Advertisement

hdardick@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @ReporterHal
Patti Blagojevich, left, speaks to the media along with daughters Annie, center, and Amy after the resentencing of her husband on Aug. 9, 2016, at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield.

Topspin

As the resentencing hearing for Democratic former Gov. Rod Blagojevich unfolded Tuesday, the thoughts and memories and context and perspective came rushing back.

Advertisement

*Compare and contrast, Part 1: Blagojevich in December 2008: "I will fight, I will fight, I will fight until I take my last breath. I have done nothing wrong."

Blagojevich on Tuesday, who talked about "mistakes": "I recognize it was my actions and my words that led me here."

Advertisement

Prosecutors noted that the former governor has never taken responsibility for the crimes he was convicted of or shown true remorse, that he thinks his actions were still in a gray area of politics.

*Compare and contrast, Part 2: Former Illinois first lady Patti Blagojevich, as recorded by federal agents in 2007 (suggesting that Tribune Co. ownership should "just fire" Chicago Tribune editorial writers if the company wanted the state to help it unload Wrigley Field to ease its crushing debt):

"Hold up that (expletive) Cubs (expletive)," she is quoted as saying in the background as her husband talked on the phone, authorities alleged. "(Expletive) them."

In a letter released Monday night: "Please give Annie the chance for a normal, happy childhood, that has slipped away from Amy," she wrote of the couple's two children. "I am pleading with you, indeed begging you, to please be merciful."

*Compare and contrast, Part 3: Blagojevich's hair, December 2011: big and black. On Tuesday: big and white. Or gray, depending on your perspective of the closed-circuit TV screen in the courtroom.

*Hospital: A new hospital opened in McHenry County on Tuesday, the same day as Blagojevich's resentencing hearing. No small measure of irony there. The Centegra Hospital in Huntley opened more than a decade after a Blagojevich-era hospital siting board was engulfed in a bribery scandal that ended up with the rejection of a competitor's proposed hospital in Crystal Lake.

*Ex-gov finds God? As a politician, Blagojevich liked to talk about "love," especially the kind he'd find from audiences on the campaign trail during his two statewide runs for governor. It's a preacher thing to do, and Blagojevich was nothing if not a seasoned speech-giver who could connect with a crowd. On Tuesday, he talked about having a chance to study the Bible while in prison and that it helped him leave the anger behind and embrace "love."

What's on tap

*Mayor Rahm Emanuel will make an announcement about a tech incubator for manufacturers.

Advertisement

*Gov. Bruce Rauner has no public schedule.

*U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk will be at a discussion on getting an immigration bill through Congress. It's put on by the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition, a group that says it wants a bill that expands visas for high- and low-skilled workers and agricultural workers, and creates a path to citizenship for undocumented workers.

*U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy will talk at the Haymarket Center about the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic.

What we're writing

*No dice for Blagojevich as Judge Zagel sticks to 14-year federal prison sentence.

*A look at what Blagojevich told his daughters (via video screen) after sentencing.

*Blagojevich resentencing photo gallery.

Advertisement

*CPS CEO Claypool warns (again) of classroom cuts if no CTU contract concessions.

*Second of five City Hall hearings on CPD oversight brings call for elected civilian board.

*Monday was deadliest day in Chicago in 13 years.

What we're reading

*Top Emanuel adviser who doesn't like to talk to press on the record gives interview, kinda.

*Is conservative Utah really up for grabs in presidential race?

*Mexico's richest man confronts new foe: state that helped make him wealthy.

Advertisement

From the notebook

*Lopez renews 'no-kill' push: After the recent death of a dog at Chicago's city-run animal shelter, a Southwest Side alderman and noted animal lover is trying to get some lift for his ongoing push to make it a "no-kill" facility.

Ald. Raymond Lopez, 15th, said the fact the Chicago Animal Care and Control shelter is allowed to euthanize animals because there isn't enough space to house them leads employees there to be "not as attentive as they should be to the humane needs of the creatures under their care."

Lopez, who owns several dogs, helped get the City Council to pass a resolution this year calling for hearings on requiring all Chicago shelters to adopt "no-kill" policies. By national standards, shelters are considered "no-kill" if no more than 10 percent of the animals brought in are euthanized. It could be costly for the cash-strapped city to put in place the rules to meet those standards.

Lopez's measure had no legislative power, and though Mayor Rahm Emanuel has expressed general support for the idea, it has not been enshrined in city law. (John Byrne)

Follow the money

*Track campaign contribution reports in real time with this Tribune Twitter account: https://twitter.com/ILCampaignCash

Advertisement

Beyond Chicago

*Trump back on track? Day after economic speech, suggests "Second Amendment people" could stop Clinton.

*GOP donors turning to Clinton?

*RNC tries to get Bill Clinton's schedules released.

*Putin, Erdogan warming relations send shiver down West's spine.
A police "shoot/don't shoot" demonstration in Florida went shockingly awry when an officer shot and killed a 73-year-old former librarian with what police said was real ammunition used by mistake at an event designed to bring police and the public together.

Authorities didn't immediately say how a gun with a live round came to be used at Tuesday evening's demonstration, noting blank rounds are typically used in such classes. The officer has been placed on administrative leave, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating.

Advertisement

"We were unaware that any live ammunition was available to the officer," Punta Gorda Police Chief Tom Lewis said at a news conference Wednesday. "The officer involved is grief stricken. We've got officers assigned to him to make sure he's psychologically stable."

Mary Knowlton, a well-known community volunteer, was shot after being randomly selected to take part in the role-playing scenario illustrating the split-second decisions an officer must make about firing. It was part of a popular citizens academy attended by 35 people, including her 75-year-old husband, and the police chief.

Advertisement

Her son, Steve Knowlton, said his father was "devastated."

The younger Knowlton said in an interview Wednesday at his parents' home that, on his mother's behalf, he was forgiving the officer who fired.

"There's too much hate in this world, in America, we always feel like we need revenge and it doesn't solve anything," he said. "I obviously can't say it's easy to forgive, but it needs to be done. She's watching me now."

Punta Gorda Police Lt. Katie Heck said officers in such demonstrations normally use "simunition guns," which are real-looking weapons that fire a non-lethal projectile with reduced force. But Knowlton was mistakenly struck with a live round, officials said.

Later Wednesday afternoon, Heck identified the officer as Lee Coel and said he has worked for the department since 2014. She said Coel frequently gave department presentations and tours, "specifically role-playing in these shoot/don't shoot scenarios."

CBS-4 Miami reported Wednesday evening that Coel was asked to resign from his job as a Miramar, Fla., cop after failing to successfully complete a field training program.

Coel, 28, was asked to resign in April 2013 after having worked in Miramar for a year and two months. Punta Gorda hired him on March 17, 2014.

The class put on by the Chamber of Commerce and the Punta Gorda police station, was just one stop during the weeks-long curriculum.

Advertisement

Officer Oscar Vasquez of the Jacksonville, Illinois Police Department, who is president of the National Citizens Police Academy Association, said he had never heard of anyone taking part in such courses being fatally shot. He said most departments do not use weapons in "shoot/don't shoot" scenarios that are capable of firing a live round.

"When we run scenarios, we will use starter pistols," Vasquez told The Associated Press. "You can't even put live ammunition in them."

Some departments use video simulators or other non-lethal devices, he said. Officers involved in most citizen academies don't typically even bring service weapons into classes, he added. Citizens are told beforehand that live weapons won't be used.

"We put them in the shoes of the officers so they can see, real time, the decisions we have to make and the time frame we have to make them."

With suspicions running high between police and many citizens in recent years, particularly in minority communities, Vasquez said, a death like the one in Punta Gorda is extremely unfortunate.

"It just breaks my heart. It's such a tragedy," he said.

Advertisement

Mary Knowlton attended the class with her husband and it was supposed to be "a fun night," her son said.

Steve Knowlton tearfully told reporters Wednesday that he used to tease his mother about how much she worked in retirement. She helped with the local Chamber of Commerce, was active in a program for at-risk kids, loved the library and spent hours there volunteering.

Mary Knowlton moved to Florida after living for years in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota.

Books and magazines lay scattered on tables of the home she shared in Florida with Gary, her husband of 55 years. The couple split their time between Minnesota and the small Gulf Coast community. She had two sons.

Steve said that his father hadn't yet been able to see his wife's body, more than 12 hours after the shooting.

"To see your wife shot and killed, and not be able to see her ..." Steve Knowlton said, his eyes filling with tears.

Advertisement

And yet, Knowlton said his mother would have wanted him to forgive the officer who pulled the trigger.

"I forgive him. My mom was very spiritual. She brought us up right," he said.

Carolyn Hartwigsen, of Edina, Minnesota, told The Associated Press she was a longtime friend of Knowlton, adding she loved books and sought to instill that in young readers.

"So much is on the internet now. But, books are so important to have in children's hands. That was important to her," Hartwigsen said.

Hartwigsen said Mary and her husband would come back to Minnesota periodically to visit.

"She was the salt of the earth, a beautiful soul and the kindest woman you would know," she said.

Advertisement

Associated Press
LOS ANGELES  A former Los Angeles garbage collector convicted in the so-called Grim Sleeper slayings that spanned more than two decades was sentenced to death on Wednesday, capping a lengthy case that centered on the gruesome deaths of more than a dozen women in South L.A.

"This is not a sentence of vengeance," Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy told Lonnie David Franklin Jr. as relatives of his victims looked on, some of them in tears.

Advertisement

Franklin, 63, was convicted earlier this year of killing nine women and a teenage girl from 1985 to 2007. During the penalty phase of his trial, prosecutors connected him to five additional slayings. But detectives believe he may have killed at least 25 women.

The judge read the names of the 10 victims Franklin was found guilty of killing. In each case, Kennedy told him, "You shall suffer the death penalty."

Advertisement

Some of the victims' relatives cried. Some sighed. Others repeated: "Amen, amen, amen."

The sentence came toward the end of an emotional hearing where 17 family members of victims read statements, many of them repeatedly asking why Franklin chose to attack members of his own community.

"The defendant took my daughter, murdered her, put her in a plastic bag  a trash bag  like she was trash," Laverne Peters, whose 25-year-old daughter was found in a dumpster in 2007, told the court before Franklin was sentenced. "My hope is that he spends the rest of his glory days in his jail cell, which will become his trash bag," her mother said.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 10 Debra Jackson, a 29-year-old woman, was shot three times in the chest and her body was found Aug. 10, 1985, in an alley near West Gage Avenue in the Vermont-Slauson area, authorities said. Readers are invited to share their thoughts and memories . See the full story here . (Los Angeles Police Department)

"Amen," other family members in the audience said.

Franklin sat stoically as he had all throughout the trial as Kennedy imposed the sentence. But earlier in the morning, he did react to statements delivered by victims' relatives.

Mary Alexander, whose 18-year-old daughter was murdered, spoke directly to Franklin.

"I'd like for Mr. Franklin to turn around and face me," she said.

Franklin turned his head slowly, locking eyes with Alexander.

Advertisement

"I'd like to know, why?" Alexander asked, gripping the lectern.

Franklin whispered something in response.

She repeated her question, louder: "Why?"

Again, he whispered, although it was impossible to make out what he said. Outside the courtroom, LAPD Det. Daryn Dupree, the last remaining detective who worked on the task force that investigated the Grim Sleeper killings, said Franklin muttered, "I didn't do it," in response to Alexander's questions.

"I know she didn't do anything to hurt you," Alexander told Franklin, "I know that."

Franklin's face softened and he nodded.

Advertisement

Alexander told Franklin that she had thought a lot about forgiveness, but said she was finding the concept extremely difficult.

"I'm still battling that," Alexander said.

Franklin nodded once more and turned back toward the judge.

In imposing the sentence, Kennedy said she had struggled throughout the case to understand what motivated Franklin.

"It doesn't matter why. There could never be a justification for what you have done," she said.

The killer, one of California's most prolific, targeted victims who were generally young, vulnerable and, at times, ignored. The attacks failed to raise alarms the way other famous serial slayings by killers such as the Hillside Strangler or the Nightstalker did.

Advertisement

Lonnie David Franklin Jr., dubbed the "Grim Sleeper" serial killer, was convicted of a string of murders carried out between 1985 and 2007 in South Los Angeles. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

The deaths in the mid- to late '80s coincided with a surge in slayings linked to the crack cocaine epidemic. In addition, several other serial killers were operating in the same area in those years. Michael Hughes was convicted of killing seven women; Chester Turner of 14 women and a fetus. Both are on California's death row.

But the Grim Sleeper proved to be the most persistent. He targeted women who were drug addicts or prostitutes, and often dumped their naked bodies alongside roads or in the trash. Many of the women were initially listed as Jane Does. The deaths drew little, if any, media attention.

Police kept the slayings quiet despite suspicions that a serial killer was stalking black women  a decision that led to outrage and condemnation from many who attribute Franklin's longevity as a killer to police indifference.

Authorities were able to link the slayings through ballistic and genetic evidence at the crime scenes that pointed to a single killer. But identifying the DNA proved difficult.

A break finally came in the case in 2010, when a search of state offender records turned up a partial match. The person wasn't the suspected serial killer, but his close relative was.

Before long, investigators focused on the convict's father, Franklin. After tailing him to a pizza joint in Buena Park during the summer of 2010, police collected a slice of partially eaten pizza. They tested it for DNA and, finally, had a match.

Advertisement

A search of Franklin's home on 81st Street  not far from the South L.A. corridor where many of the victims' bodies were found  turned up a .25-caliber semiautomatic handgun. Two criminalists testified at trial that it was same weapon that killed one of the victims.

Franklin's attorney, Seymour Amster, told jurors that DNA from other men was found at some crime scenes  a sign, he said, that someone else could have played a role in the slayings.

In May, a jury convicted Franklin of 10 counts of murder. His victims, in the order of their deaths, were: Debra Jackson, 29; Henrietta Wright, 35; Barbara Ware, 23; Bernita Sparks, 25; Mary Lowe, 26; Lachrica Jefferson, 22; Alicia Alexander, 18; Princess Berthomieux,15; Valerie McCorvey, 35; and Janecia Peters, 25.

Most of the women were shot to death. Berthomieux was strangled.

Franklin was also convicted of attempted murder in connection with an attack on Enietra Washington, who survived and testified against him.

Franklin initially earned the "Grim Sleeper" nickname because a gap in the killings between 1988 and 2002 suggested he had gone dormant. But detectives believe Franklin never really slept.

Advertisement

After the initial conviction, prosecutors presented more evidence against Franklin during the penalty phase of the trial. A woman testified that Franklin, as a U.S. Army private stationed abroad, was one of three assailants who gang-raped her in Germany in 1974.

Franklin stared blankly after hearing the jury's opinion that he should be executed.

The high-stakes trial devolved, at times, into bitter back-and-forths between attorneys  and the discord continued on Wednesday.

Prior to the sentencing, Franklin's attorney, Seymour Amster, made two last-ditch efforts to keep his client off death row. Kennedy quickly shot down a motion for a new trial based on allegations of prosecutorial misconduct as well as a motion calling for a sentence of life without parole instead of death.

Amster declined to comment on the sentencing outside the courtroom.

marisa.gerber@latimes.com

Advertisement

james.queally@latimes.com
A judge sentenced Ronnie Paul Hobgood to 50 years in prison following his 6th DWI conviction. Prosecutors say he was a danger to drivers. (Montgomery County Jail)

With his latest arrest for driving while intoxicated in February, Ronnie Paul Hobgood knew he had relinquished control of his own destiny - perhaps for good.

It was the sixth time the 45-year-old Texan had been arrested for drunken driving. His other five arrests since 1990 had resulted in one death, five convictions and two stints in prison.

Advertisement

Now Hobgood was facing conviction number six in Montgomery County, Texas - a traffic-choked corridor north of Houston with a reputation for having dangerous roads and no-nonsense prosecutors willing to dole out some of the toughest DWI penalties in the state.

Hobgood's lawyer, Bob Mabry, told The Washington Post that his client knew his "fate was sealed."

Advertisement

"His demeanor was like that of a soldier who is a prisoner of war to a relatively nice military enemy," Mabry told The Post. "He knew where he was going and he had every confidence he had the skills to survive there."

"Many people in his situation whine, beg or complain - but none of that for him," Mabry added. "I got the sense he knew he'd have decades to think about how he felt about everything he'd done, so why think about it now?"

On Monday, a judge sentenced Hobgood to 50 years in prison. He'll be eligible for parole in 25 years at the age of 70, Montgomery County Prosecutor Brittany Litaker told The Washington Post.

She said Hobgood's fourth conviction was for intoxication manslaughter, for which he served 16 years of a 20-year prison sentence before paroling out. Conviction number five sent him back to prison until he was released on parole in 2015.

Hobgood managed to stay out of trouble until February, when he crashed into two cars leaving a Montgomery County bar, in addition to jumping a curb and ignoring witnesses who tried to keep him from driving away, according to CBS affiliate KHOU.

Litaker noted that Hobgood's last three DWI's had resulted in him hitting somebody and that all occurred after he'd already killed somebody driving drunk.

"He's clearly a danger," Litaker told The Post.

During his arrest in February, she said, Hobgood's blood alcohol level was .272 - more than three times the legal limit. Because Hobgood has been in prison twice before, he's considered a habitual offender under Texas law, which means his minimum punishment in this case would be 25 years, Litaker said.

Advertisement

"This is a person who - anytime he's not in custody - is drinking and driving and putting everyone at risk," she told The Post. "The only thing you can do with somebody like that is to get them out of our community so they can't hurt anybody else again."

"In Montgomery County we don't mess around with people who are dangerous like that," she added. "We're going to get them off the road."

Hobgood's half-century sentence isn't the longest in Texas history - or even in recent Texas history. In June, NBC affiliate KFOR reported, a Montgomery County man was sentenced to life in prison following his ninth DWI conviction since 1980. After eight convictions, KFOR noted, Donald Middleton still had a valid driver's license.

"He's been to the penitentiary four separate times before he committed this last one, this ninth DWI that we sought life," Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Justin Fowles told the station.

Texas led the nation in drunk driving deaths in 2015 with 1,446 fatalities, an eight percent increase from the year before, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving. The state had just over 99,000 DUI arrests and more than 71,000 convictions, the organization reported.

"We have learned through tragic events that drunk driving offenders continue to drive even after they have lost their driving privileges, too often with devastating consequences," J.T. Griffin, MADD's chief government affairs officer said in a statement to The Post. "Twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia now have ignition interlock laws for first offenders, and California is considering legislation that could soon make it the 29th state."

Advertisement

"We won't stop until we get to all 50 states, because we know this technology is the best available tool to prevent repeat drunk driving," the statement added.

Mabry told The Post that he anticipated Hobgood would receive a lengthy sentence, but he's troubled by the idea that the sentence was based - not just on his most recent offense - but on previous offenses as well.

"When you increase punishment from previous offenses it's not possible, philosophically, to separate that from double jeopardy, in my opinion," Mabry said. "But the law in Texas says it's not."

He described his client as "Well-groomed, polite and business-like" and said he bore little resemblance to the enraged, intoxicated individual who was caught on tape during his most recent arrest bragging to police about his time in prison and acting "irrationally."

He said he didn't know for sure if his client was an alcoholic, but called it a "near certainty" anyone with that many DWI convictions had serious addiction issues.

By the time Mabry found himself representing Hobgood, there was little he could do for him, he said. He referred to his client as "a talkative fellow" and said that he had divulged so much information to authorities that his lawyers never had "much to work with."

Advertisement

"If prosecutors had played back the videos and the recording and had people testify, then the jury would have thought the worst of him," Mabry said, implying Hobgood's sentence may have been even longer.

"We were stuck," he added.
Donald Trump has the GOP trapped in not one Catch-22, but two. Call it a Catch-44.

The first Catch-22 has been the subject of widespread conversation over the last few weeks. As GOP pollster Glen Bolger summed it up for The New York Times: "Do we run the risk of depressing our base by repudiating the guy? Or do we run the risk of being tarred and feathered by independents for not repudiating him?"

Advertisement

"We're damned if we do and damned if we don't," he added.

Lots of Republicans adore Trump  just consider the enthusiasm at his massive rallies  and will turn on the establishment Republicans who betray him.

Advertisement

But roughly 1 of 5 Republicans do not support the nominee. College-educated married white women  a major part of the GOP demographic coalition  are abandoning him. Trump is behind by huge margins in key swing states. His standing in the national polls is flirting with the catastrophic.

It's only early August and already Republican strategists are speculating that down-ballot candidates will have to cut and run from the nominee.

"If I were advising a candidate, and I used to do that for a living, the first thing I'd tell them is, 'Don't put yourself in the middle of other people's races.' " Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., said on MSNBC.

That brings us to the second Catch-22. Republican candidates at this stage have no excuses to offer if they decide to repudiate Trump other than naked self-interest.

Let's assume Trump cannot mount a comeback and becomes an albatross for countless Republican candidates across the country. And let's say they jump ship. Then every Democrat in the country  not to mention almost every pundit  will say, "You guys were fine with Trump as the nominee when he was a racist, but now that he's hurting the whole GOP's chances, he's suddenly unacceptable?"

And there will be some truth to the accusation.

It's instructive to look at what prompted the flop-sweat panic of recent days. After leaving the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Trump climbed the jackass tree and then hurled himself earthward, hitting every branch on the way down.

There's not enough space here to recount in any serious detail all of the self-destructive statements and bizarre rabbit holes he spelunked into  from attacking the parents of U.S. Army Capt. Humayun Khan, a soldier who died serving our country, to "jokingly" inviting the Russians to muck about in our elections, to reviving past controversies about Sen. Ted Cruz's father's alleged complicity in the Kennedy assassination.

Advertisement

And yet GOP establishment leaders stuck with their man  just as they'd stuck with their man when he threw NATO under the bus, and ridiculed our treaty obligations with Japan, and attacked American-born Judge Gonzalo Curiel for an alleged conflict of interest between his professional duties and his Mexican heritage. (Sure, House Speaker Paul Ryan and others criticized Trump's comments, but they did not officially distance themselves from him.)

GOP leaders contemplated pulling the emergency brake on the Trump Train only when the nominee said he wouldn't endorse Ryan or Sens. John McCain and Kelly Ayotte.

The message was clear: Only his willingness to endanger top Republicans' re-election was truly unacceptable behavior. Nothing else Trump said or did until then was beyond the pale.

In fact, the message was so clear that even Trump heard it. After an intervention his campaign denies took place, Trump grudgingly fell in line, reading a statement endorsing Ryan, McCain and Ayotte with all the enthusiasm of an adolescent boy forced to apologize for shoplifting.

There are no good options left for the GOP. However its leaders pivot to boost the party's chances in November, they risk revealing that winning is their only sacred principle  that is to say, admitting they have no sacred principles at all.

Tribune Content Agency

Advertisement

Jonah Goldberg is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a senior editor of National Review. goldbergcolumn@gmail.com

@JonahNRO
If you run for a position on your local school board, Illinois' campaign finance laws require that you disclose contributions and expenditures. You buy pizza with campaign funds for volunteers? You have to disclose it. You accept free signs from a friend who owns a printing shop? You have to disclose it. You spend $23.56 on gasoline to drive around collecting signatures? You have to disclose it.

That hasn't been the case with one of the state's most influential yet obscure groups. The People's Map, a political organization formed to fight against independently drawn legislative maps, has not disclosed any contributions or expenditures on the forms it filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections. Little is known about the group  like who finances it, who pays the attorney and court fees, or how the group spends its resources.

Advertisement

The group recently won a lower court ruling to keep a proposed constitutional amendment off the November ballot. The amendment, if it gets on the ballot and is approved by voters, would create a commission to draw legislative maps, removing politicians from direct control over the process. Supporters of the amendment appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court, which is expected to rule before Aug. 26, the deadline for ballot initiatives.

You might as well call The People's Map by a different name  Madigan's Map.  Chicago Tribune Editorial Board

What we do know about The People's Map from publicly filed documents is this: The group's chairman is John Hooker, a well-connected former executive for ComEd and chairman of the Chicago Housing Authority under Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The group's lawyer is Michael Kasper, also the lawyer for the Democratic Party of Illinois and a principal at Fletcher, O'Brien, Kasper & Nottage, a consulting and lobbying firm with clients at City Hall and in Springfield.

Advertisement

The People's Map has filed four quarterly reports, all listing zero contributions and zero expenditures.

Meanwhile, six union groups reported on their own filings that they contributed $2,000 each to The People's Map effort. The groups are Illinois AFL-CIO COPE, Laborers' Political Action and Education League, Illinois Pipe Trades PEF, Illinois State Conference of IBEW (the group later canceled its payment), SEIU Local 73 and the Illinois Education Association, the union representing most teachers in the state.

Backers of the remap amendment, Support Independent Maps, asked the State Board of Elections to review The People's Map's disclosure paperwork. The board agreed and gave The People's Map until Aug. 19 to file amended reports. At this writing, nothing has been filed.

Remember, The People's Map is a group that is trying to deny voters the right to amend their own constitution. Full disclosure is paramount. We know House Speaker Michael Madigan's top lawyer is leading the effort. We know who stands to lose if the amendment is passed. You might as well call The People's Map by a different name  Madigan's Map.

Maintaining the status quo allows Springfield's power brokers to manipulate legislative boundaries, which are redrawn every 10 years. Letting the politicians do that handiwork allows them to shape districts to influence the outcome of an election. Split up pockets of Republicans, for example. Draw districts to protect incumbents. The system is so rigged that, of this year's legislative races, nearly two-thirds aren't even contested.

While The People's Map reports it has raised and spent nothing during its yearlong effort, the opposing group, Support Independent Maps, has disclosed detailed receipts of more than $4 million and expenses of nearly that amount. The law firm Mayer Brown, for example, has received roughly $270,000 in payments to fight in favor of the remap amendment. That's called transparency.

The trouble with Illinois' campaign finance laws, however, is that the state board of elections is largely toothless when it comes to punishing violators. The board doesn't have the resources to audit campaign finance reports and functions reactively when complaints arise. The People's Map could file amended reports by Aug. 19 and that might be the end of the story. Or the board could fine the group for failing to disclose on time.

If any penalty is imposed, it likely would be a slap on the wrist. Voters can count on election statutes to protect the politicians who write them.

Advertisement

That brings us to the Illinois Supreme Court, the last hope for voters to finally get a chance to decide for themselves whether to amend their own constitution. The court agreed to an expedited review of the lower court's ruling that tossed the ballot initiative.

The Supremes could rule any day. If the justices agree with the lower court's ruling, voters will again be denied the chance to amend their constitution and will find themselves in familiar posture  at the mercy of Illinois politicians frantic to protect their turf.

Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.
Tourists pose for a selfie along the south rim at Grand Canyon National Park, Ariz., in August 2015. The throngs of tourists have been showing up in big numbers at other national parks, including Yellowstone in Wyoming, Yosemite in California and Zion in Utah, driven by good weather and cheap gas. (Emery Cowan / AP)

Something's wrong with our National Parks system when lines to get to the Grand Canyon's South Rim look like lines to get "Hamilton" tickets. America's annual pilgrimage to our national parks has become a shoulder-to-shoulder, bumper-to-bumper stress test.

Last year a record 307 million people flocked to America's federal parks, a 5 percent jump from the previous year. This year, as the National Park Service marks its centennial  President Woodrow Wilson signed the system into law on Aug. 25, 1916  attendance is expected to reach 315 million people  just shy of the nation's estimated population of 324 million.

Advertisement

The Park Service's most popular destinations are all having record attendance. The Grand Canyon: 5.5 million in 2015, a 16 percent jump from 2014. Yosemite: 4.1 million, 6.8 percent jump. Yellowstone: 4 million, 16 percent jump. The result? Two-hour waits just to get up to a park's entrance. Overspilling trash cans. Jam-packed parking lots. Interminably long lines at bathrooms and shuttle stops.

But it's not just the waiting that's so vexing. A walk through a columbine-dotted mountain glade at Rocky Mountain National Park isn't the same when throngs of other park-goers on the same path make it seem like an O'Hare concourse. The quietude of the national park experience is diminished when the experience starts to feel and sound like everyday urban bustle. And then there are the tales of Tourists Behaving Badly. Remember the Canadian tourist at Yellowstone who stuck a bison calf in his SUV because he thought it was cold? The animal had to be euthanized after it could not be reunited with its herd. And the bane of all national parks: tourists in cars who jam up traffic so they can get a snapshot of an elk or mule deer.

Advertisement

Debate has begun at some parks about capping the number of visitors. We think the debate should stop  set the caps already! We make reservations at our favorite restaurants  why should the concept of making a reservation at Yellowstone or Yosemite be any different? Quota systems that keep parks from being overrun and overtaxed have a history of succeeding. At Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota, a quota system has been in place for years, preserving the area's natural beauty and the tranquil experience visitors seek.

Along with controlling the numbers of visitors, there's something every vacationer can do to help cull the crowds at overcrowded parks  self-culling. Americans need to realize that the nation's natural beauty isn't just embodied in the National Park Service's titanic draws: Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, about an eight-hour drive from Chicago, astounds with its sandstone sea caves. The spires and buttes of South Dakota's Badlands National Park look otherworldly. And if you really want to get away from it all, pick up a backpack and get on the ferry to Isle Royale in Michigan, where the only way to get around is on foot.

Quotas will go a long way toward keeping our national parks from withering from the weight of the masses. But Americans also need to remember that national parks aren't just backdrops for Facebook selfies  they're a national treasure that deserves reverence, awe ... and breathing room.

Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.
Chicago Tribune columnist and Patriot Truth Seeker Rex Huppke reports from an undisclosed location to give an explanation of Trump's Second Amendment comment. Aug. 10, 2016. (Chicago Tribune)

Don't worry, guys, everything's going to be fine.

I know that because people who support GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump say so, usually right after Trump says something that makes me believe everything's not going to be at all fine.

Advertisement

It's happening again right now after Trump floated the possibility that the only way his opponent, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, might be kept from appointing pro-gun-control Supreme Court justices is if she's assassinated.

Trump started off at a Tuesday rally saying: "Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the Second Amendment."

Advertisement

No she doesn't. She has never said that  not once  or anything close to it, and even if she did want that, changing the Constitution has steep requirements: an amendment approved by a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress AND approved by three-fourths of state legislatures, or a constitutional convention called by two-thirds of state legislatures.

But hey, I'm burying the lead. Trump went on: "By the way, and if she gets to pick  if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know."

Wow. By "Second Amendment people," Trump means the ones with the guns, and by "maybe there is, I don't know," he means maybe they'll use those guns to stop Clinton or any judges she picks should she become president.

But don't worry. Everything's fine.

Trump's various surrogates and spokespeople immediately responded.

Campaign spokesman Jason Miller said in a statement: "It's called the power of unification  2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power."

Campaign spokeswoman Katrina Pierson was parroting a similar line on CNN when host Jake Tapper noted that Trump's comment was clearly referring to actions Clinton might take after being elected president, when voting no longer matters. Pierson said: "That's actually not what he was talking about."

Oh, OK. That clears things up. Everything's going to be fine.

Advertisement

Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter, a Trump supporter, gave CNN's Wolf Blitzer an entirely different explanation: "You are treating Mr. Trump's words like he is the most articulate person who has ever graced our ears with his words. And that is not true. He is not a politician, he is not a person like you who is very articulate and very well-spoken."

Donald Trump hinted that "Second Amendment people" could stop Hillary Clinton. Aug. 9, 2016. (CBS Miami)

Good to know. Trump is a non-articulate person who is trying to become president. Everything's fine.

But then conservative CNN commentator Ana Navarro noted that inarticulateness may be a bad quality if you're president.

"It sounded like yet another stupid thing that comes out of Trump's mouth," she said. "Just when I thought he might be shifting into policy  here we're all gonna have to react to yet another stupid, undisciplined thing that Donald Trump said because he seems not to understand the power of words."

OK, now I'm worried again. Because words do matter.

Maybe Trump didn't know what he was talking about when he brought up Second Amendment people. Maybe it was more of the same gibberish that flops out of his mouth when he's not held to message by a teleprompter.

Advertisement

But saying the wrong thing when you're president can have large, awful, devastating consequences. And saying the wrong things when you have a loyal following that borders on cultish can do the same.

We live in a country where mentally ill people have easy access to firearms.

But don't worry. Trump's advocates have said everything will be fine.

The U.S. Secret Service, in the wake of Trump's rally, said in a statement that it is "aware of the comments made earlier this afternoon." That's right. The Secret Service  which takes threats against presidents and presidential candidates rather seriously  has taken note of something said by one of our presidential candidates. That's not a common occurrence.

But everything's fine.

Back in June, British lawmaker Jo Cox was killed in a politically motivated attack by a man shouting "Britain First!" (Sound familiar? America first?) The man had a history of mental illness and connections to a nationalist group with the motto, "Taking our country back." (Again, sound familiar?)

Advertisement

What sort of talk could rile up a person like Cox's killer? Maybe rhetoric similar to the kind Trump was spewing at his rally Tuesday: "If Hillary appoints justices of the Supreme Court, you're going to have a lot of problems folks.  We're gone for like 75 years, meaning we're gone as a country because we will be a large scale version of Venezuela. So we can't let it happen."

We can't let it happen. Our country will be gone. Maybe those Second Amendment people can stop it  wink, wink.

Seems troubling. But I'm sure everything's going to be fine. Trump's soulless spokespeople and supporters say so.

Everything's fine.

Right up until it isn't.

rhuppke@chicagotribune.com
If you ask Chip Dell, sales director for Beacon Hill in Lombard, how he would best describe the robust lifestyle and activity levels at the retirement community, he would smile and probably use words such as comfort, freedom  and happy.

"There are so many opportunities to be active that I liken it to being on a cruise ship without the motion sickness," Dell says jokingly. "Our community provides an active lifestyle and fun atmosphere that challenges residents to grow and learn anew. Our residents are genuinely happy."

Advertisement

Beacon Hill has been Dell's focus for the last two years. He says the campus has recently been undergoing extensive expansion with the completion of an 18,000-square-foot Pavilion, which includes a new kitchen, several eating areas, a casual grill, business/travel center, a Wii gaming area and a performing arts theater that seats more than 200 people.

"We also added indoor/outdoor seating, a fun courtyard design with fire pit and water feature, along with an outdoor grill and patio for those warm summer days," says Dell. "In addition, we are putting the finishing touches to our brand new fitness area, locker rooms and existing indoor swimming pool. There really isn't much like it in the western suburbs."

Advertisement

Aside from the active lifestyle and contemporary facilities at the heart of Beacon Hill, Dell says it's the staff which helps to make the community a destination for those seeking a distinct senior living environment.

"Our dedicated staff continues to make a real difference for our residents. There are several staff members who have been empowering the lives of seniors at Beacon Hill for more than 25 years," says Dell. "Their commitment to excellence is unparalleled and it shows by the happy faces of our residents each day. Going beyond the call of duty is not unusual at Beacon Hill  it's just part of the culture."

According to Dell, years of research and a much better informed public have created the demand for communities such as Beacon Hill, which thrive by offering a healthy lifestyle. "We have partnered with an organization called Masterpiece Living. The plan is to live long and die short," says Dell. "No lingering and slowly declining. Stay active and engaged. We work with our residents in the four quadrants of life: physical, mental, spiritual and social."

Masterpiece Living residents benefit from studies that show people who live in communities such as Beacon Hill live two to four years longer than others who do not, Dell says.
Rusco Windows & Doors, Inc. has been in business since 1937, first manufacturing storm windows to improve energy efficiency and comfort in homes.

As the market changed, the company expanded to respond to customer needs. In the mid-'80's Rusco introduced new product lines including replacement windows, doors and siding. Eventually they began installing vinyl decks and sunrooms.

Advertisement

"Seven years ago we sought out exceptional roofing installers, making Rusco a one-stop shop for exterior home improvements," says Tom DiFiglio, current owner.

Sam DiFiglio, the owner's father, joined Rusco in the mid-1970s and Tom's brother Bob DiFiglio became part of the Rusco team as well. Though both Sam and Bob retired from the company, Tom was proud to gain another DiFiglio, his nephew Paul, the third generation on the team. "We have a proven track record and we've invested our families' resources into something we love to do," he says.

Advertisement

While longevity is the company's strong suit, they also value outstanding customer service and trust.

"We treat your home like our own," Tom says. "Caring for others and respecting our neighbors' property and their homes is how I was raised."

He also feels convenience is important and being close to home is beneficial. "Having one location in Westmont helps us better serve the communities in which we live and allows us to listen to our customers and focus on their needs," says DiFiglio. "This puts us in a position to give the best possible advice and service."

Pride is evident in the company's showroom where you will find full-size windows and doors on display. Rusco does most of its business in DuPage County, but has a customer base in the entire Chicagoland region. "Although past customers have moved from the area, they still trust Rusco to get the job done and know we will go the extra mile to service them," he says.

Pella Windows and Doors was a key manufacturer early on and due to Rusco's reputation, Pella sought out the company to assist with troubleshooting in the field. "Pella knew we had excellent installation teams, so we were a natural target for them," Tom says. Rusco was involved in the program Pella created in the early years and today is a Pella Platinum Certified Contractor.

"I think it's important for customers to understand what they're getting with a platinum level relationship," he says. "Our company represents proper training from the manufacturer, which translates into minimal to no issues down the road."

The relationship gives Rusco competitive pricing for Pella products and more timely service. "Having open communication with manufacturers provides a better experience for everyone, especially homeowners," says DiFiglio. "It helps customers recognize the companies that will stand by their work."
The charming Fox River Valley community of Geneva has grown from a sleepy farm town to one of the most desirable addresses in the western suburbs. The Shodeen Homes name has been synonymous with Geneva's growth into an architecturally distinctive, upscale community, and Shodeen is now celebrating 55 years spent contributing to the unique character of the community as well as neighboring Fox Valley towns.

Native Chicagoan Kent Shodeen established his homebuilding business in 1961 at the age of 23, when he moved from the city to forge a new life for his family in Geneva. He was in the process of constructing a home for his family when a passerby offered to buy the home from his plans. He started on another home and that one, too, was sold. He purchased a piece of land in Batavia and started building homes one by one, and gradually progressed from building a few homes annually to more than 200 a year in Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and other Fox Valley towns. All bear the family's trademark quality.

Advertisement

The vibrant family business has diversified into a group of companies, expanding from residential into commercial real estate and hospitality.

Kent Shodeen is chief executive officer, his son, Craig Shodeen, is president of Shodeen Homes, and his daughter, Anna Harmon, is director of marketing. Beth Shodeen works for Shodeen Group overseeing various properties the company owns in Wisconsin.

Advertisement

A strong believer in giving back to the community, Kent Shodeen and his wife, Joan, formed the Shodeen Family Foundation in 1999 to support programs that enrich and strengthen the quality of life in Geneva and other communities served by the company.

"The foundation represents another way our family strives to make a lasting, positive impact on the communities we serve," says Craig Shodeen.
Joining forces with a nationwide law enforcement prostitution sting initiative, Arlington Heights police have charged 14 men with solicitation of a sexual act.

As one of 38 law enforcement agencies throughout 15 states that participated in the recent "National Johns Suppression Initiative," a nationwide crackdown on the demand for purchased sex, Arlington Heights police ran two sting operations at a hotel in the area of Arlington Heights Road and Algonquin Road that resulted in the arrest of 14 men, all of whom were charged with solicitation of a sexual act, Arlington Heights Police Cmdr. Nathan Hayes said.

Advertisement

None of the offenders are Arlington Heights residents, Hayes said, but several reside in neighboring towns, including Buffalo Grove, Mount Prospect, Palatine and Rolling Meadows.

"We always set goals and have initiatives to combat prostitution activity, which is something we take very seriously, and work on all year-round in Arlington Heights," Hayes said.

Advertisement

While Hayes declined to identify the hotel where the 14 arrests were made, he said the sting involved police placing an ad on classified website Backpage.com, and designating a local hotel as a meeting place.

When the offenders arrived at the hotel room, police officers were awaiting, including a female officer acting as the decoy, with the department making five arrests on July 6, and nine arrests on July 28, Hayes said.

"The hotels in town partner with us and work with the police department to combat the problem, because they don't want this kind of thing taking place at their businesses," Hayes said.

The 14 offenders who were arrested and charged with misdemeanor solicitation of a sexual act in the recent Arlington Heights two-day sting are:

 Kevin P. Paulish, 30, of Lockport

 Patrick J. Bowler, 60, of, Chicago

 Rodolfo Gonzalez-Segundo, 44, of South Elgin

 Edin Lojo, 47, of Skokie

Advertisement

 Sarabjit S. Datt, 42, of Palatine

 Neal S. Fusco, 39, of Lake in the Hills

 Mark Bruk, 50, of Buffalo Grove

 Patryk L. Kochmanski, 31, of Wood Dale

 Davis E. Costello, 51, of Northlake

 Gustavo E. Deleon, 40, of Deerfield

Advertisement

 Luis A. Sajaju, 43, of Mt. Prospect

 Fernando Limon-Villalobos, 35, of Rolling Meadows

 Manuel Arce, 21, of Lombard

 Adam M. Maxfield, 25, of Hoffman Estates

According to a statement from the Cook County Sheriff's Office, more than 1,300 sex buyers  what officials say is a record  were arrested across 18 states in this summer's initiative, which was conducted by a national coalition of law enforcement agencies, with local participants including the Cook and Lake county sheriff's offices, as well as suburban agencies including the Arlington Heights, Lansing, Matteson and Broadview police departments.

The recent sting operation, which ran from July 1 to Aug. 7, also led law enforcement agencies across the U.S. to recover 32 underage girls who were lured into human trafficking, and to make 71 human trafficking arrests, officials said.

Advertisement

As launched by Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart in 2011 to highlight the role of sex buyers  or "johns"  as perpetrators in a violent and exploitative industry, officials said the initiative has thus far resulted in the arrest of more than 5,800 offenders by more than 70 arresting agencies across 22 states.

Among the highlights of the recent National Johns Suppression Initiative campaign were:

 The most arrests, 230, were made by the Cook County Sheriff's Office, 43 of which were in partnership with the Lansing, Matteson and Broadview police departments.

 Cook County Sheriff's Police Investigators arrested a 15-year-old attempting to buy sex.

 The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations rescued a 12-year-old girl who had been abducted in Texas and trafficked to Tennessee for purposes of commercial sex.

 The Las Vegas Metro Police Department recovered 22 girls who were identified as victims of sex trafficking.

Advertisement

 The Oakland Police Department arrested a male buyer who left his 7-year-old daughter in the car. The child got out of the vehicle and wandered around the motel parking lot. She was rescued during the operation. He was charged with child endangerment in addition to solicitation.

 Seattle police arrested two three-member bachelor parties.

 Sixty percent of arrests stemmed from online advertisements, of which 99 percent were on Backpage.com.

In Arlington Heights, Hayes said the department's primary goal is getting ahead of the problem by deterring would-be offenders from answering ads for solicitation of sexual acts by alerting them that doing so is a crime.

"We want people to know that when they are responding to these ads, there might be police on the other side of that door," Hayes said.

kcullotta@tribpub.com

Advertisement

Twitter: @kcullotta
Cassie Jarvis, right, with boyfriend Justin Retherford-Speer for Oswego High School's 2016 prom. Retherford-Speer, 20, died after a car collided with his motorcycle Aug. 4. (Provided by Cassie Jarvis / Handout)

When Justin Retherford-Speer turned 16, his older sister, Lara Speer, gave him her pink Chrysler convertible.

He was a linebacker on Oswego High School's football team, and he "bled orange and blue," but he kept the car pink, his sister said. He and his friends would ride around town with the top down, she said.

Advertisement

"That kid pimped out that car," Lara Speer said. "He rocked it."

More recently, the 20-year-old had been driving a truck and riding a motorcycle.

Advertisement

Retherford-Speer was killed Aug. 4 in a motorcycle crash in Batavia. Friends and family say he was an outgoing young man who could befriend anyone and left a lasting impression.

"He always took in the underdog and made them feel like part of something," Lara Speer said.

Cassie Jarvis, left, with boyfriend Justin Retherford-Speer. Retherford-Speer, 20, died after a car collided with his motorcycle Aug. 4. (Provided by Cassie Jarvis / Handout)

Retherford-Speer was the youngest of four siblings. Lara, about 10 years older, remembers the day he was born. She went to the hospital with her mother and her grandmother.

"He was absolutely incredible and the light of our life," she said. "He was the most energetic and sweet caring little boy. Any time anyone was upset, he was right there in your arms."

When Cassie Jarvis met Justin Retherford-Speer in the hallways of Oswego High School, she was a sophomore and he was a senior. His happiness attracted her then, as it continued to do for almost three years, she said.

"He's just one of those guys, he tries to make everybody smile," Jarvis said. "I think it's important for everyone to know he lived every moment like it was his last. He never had regrets. He just lived life every day."

He liked to be the center of attention, no matter where he was, Jarvis said. They started talking, then dated on and off. They hiked together, fished together and enjoyed coffee together, she said.

Every Sunday when they were dating, they'd get breakfast at Buttermilk in Geneva. Retherford-Speer always ordered the farmer's omelet, Jarvis said.

Advertisement

Justin Retherford-Speer, 20, died after a car collided with his motorcycle Aug. 4. He was studying to be a mechanic and working two jobs. He got his motorcycle at the beginning of the summer. (Provided by Cassie Jarvis / Handout)

Restaurant manager Pete Kostopoulos didn't know the couple by name, but he and the wait staff remember the tall, bearded young man who came in with a blond young woman each week and asked for the same omelet.

"They always seemed happy when they came in," Kostopoulos said. "He was always smiling."

Retherford-Speer was studying auto mechanics at Waubonsee Community College, with plans to transfer to Southern Illinois University next year. He'd been working as a mechanic part-time, and had a second part-time job as a bouncer, his siblings said.

He and his older brother, Matthew Wheaton, are only about a month apart.

"He and Matthew pushed each other to be better, to be great at what they did," Lara Speer said. "There was a love between them that was just incredible."

Although he was afraid of motorcycles as a child, Retherford-Speer had wanted a bike for a while and finally got one at the beginning of the summer. He'd been saving up and when he saw a 1994 Kawasaki Ninja he went for it, Jarvis said. She rode on the back all the time.

Advertisement

When she got the call about the crash, she was at work. She left immediately.

"Right now I'm kind of in the whole, 'I still don't really believe it' phase," Jarvis said.

Preliminary reports indicate that Retherford-Speer's motorcycle and a 2009 Pontiac Vibe collided at about 8:20 p.m. Aug. 4. Jarvis thinks Retherford-Speer was on his way home.

Retherford-Speer was riding northbound on Randall Road near Main Street and a 16-year-old girl was driving the Pontiac southbound, Batavia police said. Both vehicles had a green light. The Pontiac started turning left onto Main Street when it collided with the motorcycle, Batavia Police Det. Kevin Bretz told the Chicago Tribune.

Retherford-Speer was pronounced dead at 8:45 p.m., not a half hour after the crash.

After an autopsy Friday, the Kane County Coroner's Office said Retherford-Speer's preliminary cause of death was multiple injuries. Toxicology samples were sent to a forensic laboratory for analysis.

Advertisement

The coroner's office is cooperating with police and fire agencies in the ongoing investigation of the incident, according to a news release.

At a gathering of family and friends held Tuesday at Dunn Family Funeral Home in Oswego, former coaches and coworkers were among those who shared memories of Retherford-Speer. Female bartenders he worked with said they always felt safe when he was there, and they could count on him to walk them to their cars when they got off their shifts, Lara Speer said.

"He was a loving, caring protector," Speer said. "He loved his niece, his friends, his family."

When Lara Speer became pregnant with her daughter, who is now 9 months old, Retherford-Speer joked that she better come early, because she was due in November, and he didn't want to share a birthday month. From the moment her daughter was born on Oct. 25, the bond between the girl and her uncle was visible, Lara Speer said.

"That little girl would look at him and you would see cartoon hearts flying out of her eyes," Lara Speer said. "It didn't matter if he was running late to work, if he saw that little girl, he would stop and pick her up and give her a kiss  Like the day he died. He gave her a kiss and said he would see her later."

hleone@tribpub.com

Advertisement

Twitter @hannahmleone
Dancers perform at the Indian American Community Outreach Advisory Board's 2015 Diwali Celebration in Aurora. The group is sponsoring Bollywood Night in Aurora Saturday. (City of Aurora / Handout)

The culture of India and its films will be celebrated in Aurora Saturday.

The city's Indian American Community Outreach Advisory Board is hosting Aurora's first Bollywood Night Saturday at Phillips Park.

Advertisement

The free event will feature a special edition of "Movies in the Park" at dusk with a showing of the movie "Om Shanti Om." A popular Indian film, "Om Shanti Om" features Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone in the lead roles of Om and Shanti, organizers said.

Prior to the movie at dusk, the crowd will be entertained by live Indian dances beginning at 7:30 p.m. Indian food will be available for sale throughout the evening.

Advertisement

"The Indian American community of Aurora is honored to celebrate India Independence Day, which is recognized worldwide on Aug. 15, by offering the community an authentic part of our culture," said Gautam Bhatia, chairman of Aurora's Indian American Community Outreach Advisory Board. "We invite the entire community to join us this weekend."

Bollywood Night will be held at the same location as the regularly scheduled "Movies in the Park" at the Phillips Park Sledding Hill, 1150 Howell Place, adjacent to the aquatic center. Parking is available on site.
A concerned witness and a relative with some smartphone savvy helped lead to the arrest of a suspect in an Aurora robbery of a 67-year-old woman.

At about 4 p.m. Friday, two women, ages 67 and 72, were walking near West Park Avenue and Oak Avenue when a blue Nissan Versa parked in the street, according to an emailed statement from police spokesman Dan Ferrelli.

Advertisement

A woman got out of the Nissan, approached the 67-year-old, pushed her to the ground and took her purse, then got back in the car, according to the statement.

The 72-year-old tried to reach into the car to get the purse back, but the woman accelerated and the older woman fell to the ground, according to police.

Advertisement

The 67-year-old and 72-year-old were treated and released from an Aurora hospital.

Several witnesses told responding police officers what they saw. One, a 35-year-old man, followed the Nissan and took a photo that showed its license plate, according to police.

The 67-year-old woman's son, who lives in California, used an app to track her cellphone which was stolen to an apartment in Downers Grove. Detectives responded to the area, where they found the missing purse and all of its contents except for an undisclosed amount of cash, according to the statement.

"The citizen witnesses should be acknowledged for their willingness to help a fellow neighbor during a time of need," Aurora Police Department Investigations Sgt. Tom McNamara said in the statement. "Without the picture taken and relayed to responding officers, this case would not have moved as quickly as it did."

Other detectives researched the Nissan's license plate and identified a potential suspect who lived in Chicago's Austin neighborhood, according to the statement.

Police went to the suspect's address and saw the Nissan parked on the street. They knocked on the suspect's door but no one answered, so police called for a tow. Once the tow truck arrived, the suspect opened an apartment window and identified herself as the owner, according to police. When police asked her to come outside and talk, she did, and was subsequently taken into custody without incident.

After an interview at the police station, Annette Minnis, 64, of the 5600 block of West Washington Street, Chicago, was charged with robbery of a person older than 60. She is currently in the Kane County Correctional Center in lieu of $150,000 bail.

Minnis, formerly Annette Riley, has a criminal history that spans more than two decades and includes previous robberies. Records indicate she was last admitted to state prison in October 2009. Minnis was last paroled from custody in March 2014 on a sentence that was discharged that July, according to the state Department of Corrections.

Advertisement

Minnis was convicted of felony second-degree robbery in Cook County in March 1996, January 2006 and October 2009, records show. In November 2003, she was convicted of felony third- and fourth-degree theft. She does not appear to have a prior record in Kane or Kendall counties.

hleone@tribpub.com

Twitter @hannahmleone
Is Illinois the next state to deal with "voter suppression?" Maybe, depending how you look at it.

You may know that a conservative group filed a federal lawsuit last week to stop Illinois' Election Day voter registration law from being carried out this November. The group's top expert in the case is probably best known for his vigorous defense of Wisconsin's controversial voter ID law, which was declared unconstitutional by a federal judge last month. Requiring voters to produce identification at the polls has often been ruled as an unconstitutional suppression tactic in numerous recent cases.

Advertisement

M.V. Hood III, a political science professor at the University of Georgia, is consulting on the new case for the Illinois Policy Institute's legal arm, the Liberty Justice Center. The lawsuit argues that since Illinois only requires in-precinct voter registration on Election Day in counties with populations over 100,000, it should be struck down for violating the constitutional equal protection rights of people in the other counties. Under state law, counties under 100,000 population must have a same-day voter registration process, but they are allowed to have only one central registration/voting location.

Same-day registration proved crucial on Election Day two years ago in a super-tight Illinois House race, when state Rep. Kate Cloonen (D-Kankakee) barely defeated Republican Glenn Nixon by a mere 122 votes. Cloonen is near the very top of Gov. Bruce Rauner's political hit list this year.

Advertisement

Not all, but most of the legislative Democrats targeted for defeat this year are in counties of over 100,000 people where same-day, in-precinct registration is mandatory. Same-day registration certainly gives them an advantage in those counties because Democrats generally have a much better "ground game" than the Republicans. They have far more foot soldiers and a system to get people to the polls at the last minute.

But if the entire same-day registration law is enjoined for this cycle, as Hood and the Illinois Policy Institute want, the ruling would undoubtedly have a negative impact on Democrats in every single contested House and Senate race in the state.

Gov. Rauner has supported same-day registration in the past, but he has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Illinois Policy Institute, although everybody denies any current direct involvement. Even so, the institute's director, John Tillman, maintains very close ties to Rauner, is said by GOP insiders to be assisting Rauner with his messaging and was videoed walking out of a recent Chicago term limits press conference with the governor.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Hood was a witness for Wisconsin this year as the Republican-controlled state attempted to fend off an attempt to declare its voter ID law unconstitutional. He claimed he knew of no reason why the state's requirements to provide proof of identification in order to vote "will have a detrimental impact on the ability of Wisconsin voters to cast a ballot, including minority voters," according to a May 26 Wisconsin State Journal article.

But on July 29, U.S. District Judge James Peterson declared, "To put it bluntly, Wisconsin's strict version of voter ID law is a cure worse than the disease" and ordered the state to supply voters with ID cards within 30 days. Earlier this year, the former chief of staff to a Wisconsin GOP state senator alleged that Republican senators were "giddy" during a private caucus meeting, "and literally singled out the prospects of suppressing minority and college voters" with a voter ID law.

Hood has also defended Georgia's voter ID requirements, saying that while it did suppress turnout, he could find "no empirical evidence to suggest that there is a racial or ethnic component to this suppression effect."

The new Illinois lawsuit points out that the same-day law was passed with only Democratic votes and was signed by a Democratic governor. "Not coincidentally," the group wrote in a press release, "high-population counties in Illinois tend to favor Democratic candidates; low-population counties in Illinois tend to favor Republican candidates."

But state Rep. Christian Mitchell (D-Chicago) took to Twitter to repeatedly denounce the Illinois Policy Institute's lawsuit as an attempt at "voter suppression," similar to what happened in Wisconsin. Mitchell, an African-American legislator who strongly supported the same-day bill, claimed that, after "defending Rauner's budgets,'" the conservative think tank is "now doing his dirty work of voter suppression." The group responded by repeating its legal claim that the law violates the U.S. Constitution's Equal Protection Clause.

Advertisement

This is, without a doubt, the single most fascinating year for Illinois politics in my lifetime. And it's only gonna get weirder as every single trick in the book is played  and maybe some that aren't even in the book.

Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.
Orientation is underway for students at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills. Some sections of a required introductory course are restricted to blacks only because peer support is shown to improve student success. (Ted Slowik / Daily Southtown)

Moraine Valley Community College announced the school is changing course and will no longer limit sections of an introductory course to black students only, a spokeswoman said.

"While Moraine Valley Community College will continue to offer sections of its College 101 course for the success of special populations, it will no longer offer sections of this course for specific racial groups," Clare Briner, director of marketing and communications, said in a statement.

Advertisement

The community college serving more than 34,000 students in the south suburbs requires all students to take the one-credit-hour course, "College: Changes, Challenges, Choice."

This fall, enrollment for two sections of the course was initially limited to black students. While the college had offered the course to specific populations such as veterans, women and Hispanics in the past, this was the first time enrollment was to have been restricted by race.

Advertisement

My Friday column about this drew national attention about how the intent of the race restriction was designed to improve success among black students by offering peer support. USA Today ran a story online.

The topic caught the attention of the New York Civil Rights Coalition, which sent an open letter to Moraine Valley President Sylvia Jenkins.

"I find it strange indeed that a course that purports to guide and develop students' 'appreciation for diversity' employs racial separatism and segregation as acceptable and effective means for teaching that 'appreciation' for diversity," Michael Meyers, executive director of the coalition, wrote.

Inside Higher Ed, a media outlet that covers higher education issues, wrote about the controversy and spoke with Michael A. Olivas, acting president of University of Houston Downtown. He said, "aggrieved white people tend to fixate on programs that are exclusionary or that even attempt to target minority populations," Inside Higher Ed reported.

"I think it's ill-advised, arguably subject to legal challenge, and you don't want to wave the flag in front of the bull," Inside Higher Ed quoted Olivas as saying.

Inside Higher Ed also spoke with Margaret Lehner, Moraine Valley's vice president for institutional advancement, who said the college's curriculum and support services are shaped by data-driven decision making.

"We find that these particular courses with these particular groups with our mentoring and peer support help them to be more successful than they would be if they did not have this particular experience," Inside Higher Ed quoted Lehner as saying.

Moraine Valley didn't elaborate on its reasoning for its abrupt change of course. It's possible the column generated such overwhelming positive reaction from students, taxpayers and others that the college was simply overwhelmed and needed time to reconsider strategy amid its newfound popularity.

Advertisement

Then again, I think it's more likely college officials received a lot of negative reaction once people learned about the policy.

The story was also picked up by other news outlets, including Campus Reform, a project of the Leadership Institute, which says it has been "training conservative activists, students, and leaders since 1979."

The Daily Caller ran a piece. It's a website founded by a onetime policy advisor to former Vice President Dick Cheney. Its editorial staff includes people with such titles as "resident patriot editor," "guns and gear editor" and "head of security."

One-term Tea Party Congressman and nationally syndicated conservative radio host Joe Walsh Tweeted about the situation on Tuesday.

"College offers 'black-only' classes," Walsh Tweeted. "Imagine the outrage if they had 'white-only' classes. Smh," which is shorthand for "shaking my head."

Various other websites picked up the story, including one called Hypeline and another called Weasel Zippers, a conservative blog dedicated to "scouring the bowels of the Internet."

Advertisement

Conservatives are much more active about spinning information online than liberals. Information gets diluted and deformed, like the old childhood game of telephone.

Websites typically contain a couple paragraphs of an original news story, a couple of sentences of strongly worded opinion, then it's off to the races in the reader comments section.

One website published the phone number for the college and urged readers to call and express their opinions about the policy.

Many of the opinions expressed by commenters online contain language unfit to reprint in a family newspaper. Some of the commenters identified themselves with avatars showing pictures of Confederate flags. The gist of the reaction was that many felt Moraine Valley's policy was racist.

I can only imagine the content of phone calls, emails and other communication fielded by college officials. I have a pretty good sense it wasn't flattering, and some of it probably threatened legal action.

I'll make an educated guess the decision to no longer offer sections of the introductory course for specific racial groups was made amid a backlash of criticism about the policy.

Advertisement

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

If that's the case, I suppose it's probably for the best. No need to go around waving metaphorical flags in front of allegorical bulls. I trust institutions like Moraine Valley will find other ways to provide support services without triggering a wave of negative reaction.

I love that the topic generated a lot of interest and got people talking about race. I think we need to have more conversations about race. There are many good points on both sides of an issue like classes limited to black students.

I'm troubled how some people engaging in the debate used hate speech to express their opinions. I'm all for the passionate expression of views, but I'm concerned about the deterioration of civility.

Hate speech tends to drown out voices of reason. Hate speech makes it no easier to solve complex problems like education funding inequality, academic achievement gaps or Islamic extremist terrorism.

As always, I welcome feedback in the comments section online, via email or Twitter. I only ask you to keep your remarks civil, please.

tslowik@tribpub.com

Advertisement

Twitter @tedslowik
Camp Quality of Illinois is again providing a fun-filled program for children with cancer.

The weeklong program, which started Sunday, is at Camp Manitoqua, 8122 Sauk Trail in Frankfort.

Advertisement

For 22 years, the camp has provided to children suffering with cancer a variety of activities, including arts, crafts, and outdoor play, said Carol Oostman, a public relations coordinator for the program.

This year's theme is "Dr. Seuss on the Loose." The fun includes a costume contest, a wacky scavenger hunt and a green egg toss.

Advertisement

The program, which receives volunteer efforts from businesses and organizations, has helped many children throughout the years.

Each camper is paired with a counselor for companionship. Participants are from Chicago, surrounding suburbs, and northwest Indiana. Children ages 5 to 17 with a cancer diagnosis may apply to attend camp at no charge.

Youngsters who attended Camp Quality often return to help out with the program after they turn 18.

For example, Peter Rodriguez, of Orland Park, now helps with the program. He was a camper from age 8 to 15.

Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 1999 at the age of 4; the 2014 Carl Sandburg graduate has been cancer free since 2001. This is his first year serving as a companion to a youngster.

When asked why he wanted to return, Rodriguez said, "I would like to give a camper the experience I had; and I want to give back."

Rodriguez said there was never a boring moment when he attended the program. He said some campers were like family members. Some campers are still his friends. One friend, Emily Lewis, shared helicopter rides and other adventures during camp.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

"Once I got to camp, I didn't feel like I was around sick kids," Rodriguez said. "Definitely Camp has been a second home. I grew up with the kids with cancer. Cancer is not part of me, but it is who I am. Cancer doesn't have to be something unbeatable. I overcame it. I beat it. I would like to share my experiences with other campers."

Advertisement

Rodriguez is now a pre-med student at University of Illinois Chicago. His dream is to end cancer.

Camp program director Mary Lockton said she likes being involved with the camp.

"I love that we are able to offer all we do to campers and their families throughout the year, completely free of charge," Lockton said. "We are blessed to have the support of the surrounding communities and our volunteers and donors who give so much of their time, talents, and treasures to our kids. Like Peter said, Camp Quality feels like a second family. I can't imagine my life without all the wonderful people Camp Quality has brought into it."

To donate to Camp Quality Illinois; send donations to: P.O. Box 641, Lansing, IL 60438.

For more information, call (708) 895-8311 or visit the group's website at: www.campqualityusa.org/il

Laura Hinderman is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Jane Talesnick is the owner/director of Baby's Inn day care, which she runs out of her Highland Park home. (Brian O'Mahoney / Pioneer Press)

Jane Talesnick says her decision to open a home day care center 14 years ago was rooted in a belief that children are best served in that setting during the first few years of life.

But frankly, it was also a smart career move, she says. The choice allowed her to juggle work and family when her children were growing up. The income and tax write-offs for a home business have helped pay for her home in southeast Highland Park, she said.

Advertisement

As the part-time coordinator for the Highland Park/Highwood Home Child Care Association, Talesnick has tried to expand the number of home day care providers, but progress has been slow. Currently, there are seven licensed home day care providers serving about 65 children within the association.

"I am receiving countless phone calls and e-mails from parents looking for child care," said Talesnick, who holds a master's degree in early childhood development and has completed the coursework toward a doctorate degree.

Advertisement

"I've personally turned away at least seven families this summer that didn't come through the association's website," she said. "I also feel that parents should have more than seven choices."

Illinois requires that home day care providers be licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services if they provide care for more than three children, including their own offspring. The typical license allows a provider to care for up to eight children, but puts lower limits on the number of infants and toddlers, as well as children younger than five.

A provider with a full-time assistant can serve more children.

Before opening her own center, Talesnick served as director of three day care centers in the area.

"I was never satisfied with the care of infants and toddlers, partially due to the environmental constraints of child care centers," she said. "There were usually between eight and 12 infants in one room, where they would eat, sleep and play on different schedules."

Eva Soutsos, who operates a group center out of her home in Highland Park, concurs that the demand for infant and toddler care exceeds the few spaces available.

"All of us are very limited in the number of infants we can serve," said Soutsos, who opened her center, Our School Haus, in 2010 and is the newest member of the association.

She said that the infant spots at her center typically go to siblings of older children.

Advertisement

"I save my infant spots for someone who already is enrolled and is having a baby," Soutsos said.

Soutsos started her day care center when her youngest child was 1 1/2 and the pieces just fell into place.

"I was a stay-at-home mom for quite awhile and it would have been difficult to get back into a corporate job," she said. "By opening a center, I could earn an income while being home with my son."

A woman who ran a Montessori preschool was retiring, and Soutsos took over the care of some of the children. She also hired the retiring teacher to help out.

Soutsos likes the flexibility that comes with setting her own schedule and the freedom to pursue interests with the children.

"It never gets boring, because everything is always changing," she said. "I also enjoy the interaction with the parents, and I've become more integrated into the community."

Advertisement

A state license to provide home day care must be renewed every three years. Licensed day care homes are inspected annually to make sure the home meets safety standards and that all requirements, such as criminal background checks and First Aid certifications, are up to date.

Jane Talesnick plays with some of her clients at Baby's Inn day care in Highland Park, which she runs out of her home. (Brian O'Mahoney / Pioneer Press)

While the paperwork to obtain a state license can appear daunting, Talesnick said she can help walk a prospective provider through the process.

"Anybody who has been in a nurturing field is an ideal candidate," Talesnick said.

She's hired prospective operators for six-month internships to see what running a center entails.

Another option for would-be owners is to first open a license-exempt center for fewer than three children.

"You can't open your doors and then say, I don't want to do this, because you have parents that are depending on you," she noted.

Advertisement

Talesnick believes the ability to earn a good income and be there for your children are huge selling points.

"When I was directing other child care centers, I couldn't get home to my own children," she recalled. "Parents would pick up late and while I was waiting for them, my children were waiting for me," said Talesnick, whose son and daughter are now 25 and 27.

Soutsos says her own children haven't minded the presence of a child care business in their home.

"They have really enjoyed having all these little kids in the house, and playing and helping and being involved," said Soutsos, whose large home allows her to separate day care functions from the rest of the house.

Talesnick recalled that when her son was in high school, there was always a crib or a piece of equipment in his room.

"The family is very much integrated into your business," she conceded. "It is a different kind of culture for the kids to grow up in."

Advertisement

kberkowitz@pioneerlocal.com

@KarenABerkowitz
A judge set bail today at $1 million for an 18-year-old man charged in a shooting that killed a 19-year-old man last month in the city's Portage Park neighborhood.

Tramian Barnes of the 400 block of South May Street in Joliet was charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Alex Anderson of the 5000 block of West Cullom Avenue, said police.

Advertisement

Judge Donald Panarese set bail at $1 million for Barnes during a hearing today at the Leighton Criminal Court building.

The shooting happened about 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 20 in the 4300 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, police said.

Advertisement

Prosecutors said Anderson and a witness were walking to Anderson's car and entered it as another car passed them on Milwuakee Avenue. After Anderson started the car he got out and walked into an alley, prosecutors said.

The witness stayed in the car but became worried when Anderson didn't come back and sent a text to Anderson's phone at 10:20 p.m. but got no response, prosecutors said.

At some point, Barnes had pulled out a handgun and shot Anderson in the abdomen and right arm, authorities said.

Anderson ran to his home in the 5000 block of West Cullum Avenue saying he'd been shot by "Trea,'' prosecutors said. He was hunched over and breathing heavily but he managed to text his girlfriend and tell responding police officers that "Trea" shot him twice, prosecutors said.

Barnes was arrested after fleeing to Columbus, Georgia where he was living with family members, prosecutors said.

Police recovered two guns.

dawilliams@tribune.com

Twitter: @neacynewslady
After a series of vehicle burglaries leading up to last weekend ended in arrests, Antioch police announced more burglary arrests and charges after an early morning smash-and-grab burglary Monday of a business on the north side of the village.

Police got an assist from nearby businesses and residents who reported seeing suspicious people with backpacks running through the area, Antioch Police Sgt. Geoff Guttschow said Wednesday.

Advertisement

The incident began with an alarm about 1:50 a.m. at Foods Unlimited at 354 North Ave. When police arrived, Guttschow said, they found the front door of the business had been broken and the suspects concentrated on taking liquor and cigarettes.

"While officers were searching the area, workers from a nearby business called 911, reporting they witnessed two subjects running from the area who were wearing backpacks and carrying items," Guttschow said, adding that the officers set up a perimeter and began canvassing the area door to door.

Advertisement

Some of those residents reported seeing similar suspects with backpacks, and they directed police to a nearby apartment building that the suspects ran into, he said. Police gained entry into the apartment and found numerous individuals, and Guttschow said it took some time to identify suspects in the burglary.

Police took three people into custody that night, and they were charged Tuesday and taken to bond court in Waukegan.

"We got confessions from all three," he said.

The suspects, all from Antioch, were identified as Casey Olesinski, 18, of the 600 block of Anita Avenue; Lawrence Jenkins, 18, of the 500 block of Drom Court; and Austin Prinn, 19, of the 100 block of Kimberly Lane. All were charged with two counts of Class 2 felony burglary, and Lawrence had an additional charge of misdemeanor criminal damage to property, said Guttschow. Bail for Lawrence was set at $50,000, and the other two suspects had bail set at $5,000, he said.

Smash-and-grab burglaries were very common just a few years ago, but Guttschow said that the cost of alarm systems has decreased and a lot of business have them, which allows police to jump right on a case.

"In the past, you may not find the broken window until the next morning," he said. "Now, most businesses have alarms."

In Illinois, Class 2 Felonies can result in up to seven years imprisonment and a $25,000 fine, he said.

On Tuesday, Antioch police announced two arrests in connection with a string of burglaries from vehicles that took place north of the downtown area between Aug. 2 and Aug. 7.

Advertisement

fabderholden@tribpub.com

Twitter @abderholden
Despite Lake County Judge Daniel Shanes setting an Aug. 10 deadline, the defense attorney for Jorge Torrez, who is charged with killing two young Zion girls in 2005, told the court Wednesday he is not ready to file motions that include a challenge to DNA evidence.

Defense attorney Jed Stone said he is still working on a challenge to the DNA evidence authorities said ties Torrez to the 2005 Mother's Day slaying of 8-year-old Laura Hobbs and 9-year-old Krystal Tobias in the Beulah Park Forest Preserve in Zion.

Advertisement

"DNA is so complicated, and I'm not a biologist," Stone said.

"But you do have one," Shanes said, adding that the case needs to get moving. He gave Stone an additional 21 days to file motions.

Advertisement

Stone has wrapped up work on another case and will now be able to focus his attention on Torrez, he said.

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 Arlington, Va., 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.

Stone said Wednesday he received an email about a week ago from the attorney representing Torrez in a federal case that contained telephone logs and taped conversations between Torrez and his former cellmate, Osama El-Atari, a convicted felon who authorities said was found shot to death in Maryland this year.

The telephone logs and taped conversations could assist Stone in challenging the prosecution's efforts to use the wiretapped conversations Torrez had with his former cellmate, who cooperated with authorities and wore a wiretap in a Virginia detention center in 2010 to record conversations with Torrez. Authorities said during those conversations, Torrez implicated himself in the deaths of the two Zion girls.

El-Atari, 37, had owned a Virginia restaurant before he was convicted in 2010 of scamming banks out of more than $50 million, authorities said. He received a 12-year sentence but won an early release after testifying against Torrez.

El-Atari was reported missing in mid-February in Loudoun County, Va., before he was found shot dead inside a pickup truck Feb. 13. Three men have been charged in connection to his death.

Advertisement

emcoleman@tribpub.com

Twitter @mekcoleman
Great summer in Waukegan

Thank you, Waukegan, for a wonderful summer. It started with the band concerts at the lakefront, in the park and at the library. Then there was the Independence Day parade. Scoop Waukegan was great. There was an art walk once a month. Thank you, Waukegan, thank you. Great summer.

Advertisement

No Chicago principals in Waukegan

Chicago has the biggest failing school system in this country, and Waukegan hires people from there to run its school system. Are the powers that be in Waukegan that stupid? Come on, people, wake up.

Advertisement

Seeking attention

How about this goofy Donald Trump? He has now endorsed Paul Ryan and John McCain. Trump does not want to be the president of the United States. He has his own airplane. He doesn't need Air Force One. He doesn't have any interest in all the things that would happen to him if he became president for four years. What he wanted was attention, and boy did he get it.

Informal poll

I just got done doing my own poll. I asked people coming out of the grocery store if they would like better jobs, if they wanted to be able to spend more on groceries and if they wanted everything to be made overseas. Hands down, everyone wants Donald Trump. Nobody wants Hillary Clinton.

Twitter @NewsSun

Talk of the County is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you see something you disagree with or think is incorrect, please tell us. Call us at 312-222-4554 or email talkofthecounty@tribpub.com. For a continuously updating blog of Talk of the County comments, go to newssunonline.com/talk.
Business / Companies

by Thandeka Moyo

THE National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) is lobbying Cabinet for the enactment of a protectionist law to restrict the carrying of bulk cargo through rail transport.In a speech presented on Sunday during the 9th national congress of the Zimbabwe Railways Artisans Union, NRZ acting general manager Engineer Alfred Gunzo, said the parastatal was lobbying the Government for a Statutory Instrument as part of measures to turn around the parastatal.He said despite prevailing challenges, the parastatal had recorded a slight rise in volumes since the beginning of the second half of 2016.Eng Gunzo did not, however, present figures on the improved situation."NRZ is currently lobbying Government on the ring-fencing of bulk commodities such as coal and chrome on rail through a Statutory Instrument and this development, once endorsed by Cabinet, will unlock value through reducing competitive pressures and improved market share," he said.In terms of recapitalisation initiatives, management in consultation with the Government is in the process of identifying a suitable financier.Eng Gunzo said they had made concerted efforts to recover both foreign and inter-parastatal debts while efforts are also being made to ensure that all outstanding revenues are recovered from the real estate portfolio.He said the parastatal has signed a number of transportation deals with some companies."We've jointly signed an MoU with NJZ for the movement of iron ore to Maputo. PPCZ is opening a new factory in Msasa suburb in Harare and we're negotiating with the customer for clinker movements to Msasa starting mid-August," said Eng Gunzo.He said NRZ had also signed an agreement to move coal from Beitbridge to Harare."The international alloy and ferro-alloy prices have firmed up and the appetite for commodity exports is increasing. We've finalised commercial negotiations with companies willing to use rail".Eng Gunzo said NRZ had received orders to transport maize and wheat imports into the country to alleviate drought up to June 2017."Movements are ongoing from Maputo, Beira, South Africa and Zambia. Indications from climate experts show that the drought effects may last up to 2019 and economies need to create strategic grain reserves. We'll also put in place initiatives to recover debt from both foreign and inter-parastatal debts to address some of our financial challenges," he said.The giant parastatal has over the years suffered losses and ballooning arrears to different creditors including workers. Management and the board have since hinted on plans to offload close to 1 400 workers from an estimated 6 000 strong workforce as part of measures to tame the ballooning wage bill.NRZ owes workers over 15 months' worth in unpaid salaries amounting to a total of $87 million.The NRZ is one of 10 state enterprises targeted for reform by the Government.At its peak the company used to employ about 15 000 people with a downstream impact on other industries
A 32-year-old Chicago man was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after police said his gold Porsche smashed into a parked car in Park Ridge early Saturday morning as he drove home from the River Casino in Des Plaines.

Joseph Richko, of the 2900 block of Sheridan Road, was apprehended more than five hours after police said he left the scene of the crash at East Devon and South Western avenues at about 1 a.m. Aug. 6. Police searched for Richko after finding his vehicle at the crash scene, but he wasn't found until a woman called police shortly before 7 a.m. to say she found a man with blood and cuts all over his body walking near the crash site.

Advertisement

"He was bloody and had no shoes on," Park Ridge Deputy Police Chief Lou Jogmen said. "He told the woman he was in an accident and couldn't find his car, so she called 911."

As for Richko's whereabouts after the incident, he told police he knocked on front doors in search of help after he crashed the car and eventually fell asleep in someone's backyard.

Advertisement

Jogmen did not have details regarding what happened during the crash, which he said was still being investigated by a task force that specializes in handling major crashes.

Police also charged Richko with illegal transportation of liquor, driving without insurance, improper lane use and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. He was also charged with damaging city property after police said they found a speed limit sign knocked over near the crash site.

Police said Richko was not hospitalized for his injuries following the crash. A court date is scheduled for Aug. 22.

Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
No injuries in reported Hammond carjacking

Hammond Police are investigating a carjackings reported Monday evening.

Advertisement

Officers were called around 8 p.m. to Carson's, 6600 block of Indianapolis Boulevard regarding a 63 year-old woman from Lansing, Ill., who'd reported a young black man between 14- and 16-years-old came up to her and pointed a handgun at her. Hammond Police spokesman Lt. Richard Hoyda said in a release that the suspect told her to leave her car keys and purse behind in her 2011 gray-colored Mercedes, which she did.

The suspect fled with the car in an unknown direction, Hoyda said in the release. The woman wasn't injured.

Advertisement

Police were also made aware of a second carjacking reported from South Holland, Ill., where a Chevrolet Camaro was taken. That vehicle was found in the north end of Carson's parking lot.

The woman said the suspect had short black hair and was wearing a T-shirt and jeans, Hoyda said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Sgt. Jeffrey Ritter at 219 852 2990.

Police: Two robbed at gunpoint in Griffith

Two men said they were robbed at gunpoint by a group of five outside Griffith Billiards, 116 S. Broad St.

Police met with the men at the Meijer gas station in Highland, at 3:53 a.m. Aug. 7, and were told the robbery had occurred minutes earlier. The pool hall is about two blocks south of the Griffith Police Department.

The men said they were standing outside Griffith Billiards when a black four-door car pulled up. One man walked up, pointed a red laser at the chest of one of the victims, and four other men emerged from the car armed with handguns, Griffith police Investigations Cmdr. Keith Martin said.

The gunmen demanded money and threatened the men if they didn't comply. The men told police they handed over cash and their cell phones. One of the men took car keys from one of the victims and threw them, Martin said. The men then piled back into the car, which had Illinois plates, and drove south on Broad Street, police said.

Advertisement

Martin said police Detective James Sibley is following leads in the case and reviewing video from several area businesses.

Cal Township grandfather reports knife attack

A man loading his grandchildren into the car for church told police his neighbor across the street cut him with a butcher knife, police said.

The man said he heard a commotion coming from his neighbor's house at about 6:45 p.m. Aug. 5 as he was helping his young grandchildren into the car to leave for church in the 4100 block of Calhoun Street in Calumet Township, police said.

Rafaelita Esquivel was yelling at an individual doing yard work in her yard, then looked at the man's grandchildren and yelled, "What are you looking at, bitches?" court records state.

The man told police the woman's attitude made him angry, and he walked across the street to see what the problem was. As he stepped onto the grass, Esquivel came running from the doorway onto the front porch with a knife in each hand, threatening to kill the man, records state. As she made slashing type movements in the air, the man was cut on his forearm and cheek. The man had two cuts on his arm and a scrape on his cheek, the probable cause affidavit states. The man described the knife as having an 8-inch blade, records state.

Advertisement

Medics treated the man at the scene.

In a statement to police, Esquivel denied having a knife during the incident and said the neighbor grabbed her by her hair while she was standing in the doorway of her front porch and tried to pull her down, records state.

Esquivel, 32, was charged in Lake Superior Court with battery by means of a deadly weapon, battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, and two misdemeanor battery charges. The most serious of the counts is a Level 5 felony, which is punishable by one to six years.

Gary man sentenced to three years in attack

A Gary man was sentenced to three years in prison after admitting he battered a woman and left her with a broken nose, cuts and a fractured orbital bone around her eye.

Jaray Devon McCord will serve his time in the Indiana Department of Correction, with a recommendation from the judge that he be allowed to participate in the Indiana Department of Correction purposeful incarceration in the therapeutic community if McCord qualifies.

Advertisement

McCord, 25, admitted he was with the victim on April 10 in the 1800 block of Carolina Street in Gary and that they got into an argument. As the woman tried to walk away, McCord put her in a choke hold from behind, then battered her.

McCord had filed a request to withdraw his plea agreement, but changed his mind.

Lake Superior Court Judge Samuel Cappas noted that McCord admitted he had a problem with a variety of drugs and had been a heavy cocaine user beginning at age 22.

If he completes the therapeutic community program, McCord can seek a sentence modification that would allow for his early release.

Staff reports
Entertainment / Celebrity

by Staff reporter

United Kingdom-based Cameroon Film and Movie Academy has honoured Zimbabwean actress Samantha Ncube Mahlangu for her contribution to the African film industry.Mahlangu, who has featured in numerous Nigerian movies, was among several African actors who received recognition from the Cameroon Film and Movie Academy which was primarily established as a platform for actors of Cameroonian descent.London-based Mahlangu has described the honour as a "pleasant surprise.""It is a motivating gesture. It is a reward for the ups and downs I have gone through as an actress. I look up and praise my Lord for giving me strength to work my way up the ladder and for making the Cameroon Film and Movie Academy take notice of me," Mahlangu told the Daily News.The Bulawayo-born actress revealed that she is currently featuring in a Nollywood UK movie set to be released in October."I have just finished filming with Uwadi Production a movie in which I am acting alongside South African actor Kagiso Modupe who was popular for his role as Mangaliso Nyathi in the famous South African soapie Scandal," she said.Mahlangu is also part of a cast being put together by UK-based Zimbabwean film director/producer Daniel Ndlara Robson."It will feature one of the most successful Zimbabwean actresses Samantha Mahlangu who has worked in the United Kingdom (UK) mainstream film industry and is currently working with London Nollywood," Robson told the Daily News recently.
Evraz, steelworkers ink new four-year contract with annual raises

In addition to pay raises, Pueblo steelworkers will see improvement in pension and health care benefits thanks to new four-year contract with Evraz.
By Dezan Shira & Associates

Editor: Dominik Grossalber

The Dongguan of old, focused on the manufacturing of cheap, low-tech products, is currently transforming into a new, modern hub for the production of higher value goods. As this is happening, many established light manufacturing companies, sometimes present in the city for over 20 years, are moving away. This is part of a China-wide trend as the country seeks to move up the manufacturing value chain.

In 2015, Dongguans high tech manufacturing industry grew by 10.2 percent and automobile manufacturing grew by 8.5 percent, reflecting the growth of value-added manufacturing in the city. Meanwhile, textiles decreased by 4.3 percent and household electrical appliance manufacturing grew by just 2.4 percent, as lower value-added industries witnessed comparatively sluggish performance.

The Dongguan government has promised to support the shift to manufacturing higher value-added products and has targeted several strategic industries as a part of this effort, including high-end electronics, biotechnology, new-generation internet, and 3D printing. Additionally, Dongguan is seeking to become Chinas center of robotics and automated manufacturing technology, positioning itself as a crucial spot of the changing landscape of Chinese manufacturing. While Dongguans new economic strategy is taking form, it is also interesting to look at why low-tech manufacturing is leaving in the first place and where it is going.

RELATED: Handling Mass Layoffs in Chinas Manufacturing Sector

Factors Shaping Dongguans Manufacturing Transition

There are several reasons for factories being shut down in Dongguan and opening up shop elsewhere. Chief among them is a shortage of affordable unskilled labour, stemming from Chinas aging population and increasing levels of education in the workforce. Additionally, migrant workers have less incentive to leave their home region and move to Dongguan, as the interior of the country is developing a larger industrial base and they will not have to face the difficulties of the restrictive hukou system if they stay in their home province. As there are fewer and fewer migrant workers available, they are realizing their value and demanding higher salaries. Furthermore, the government has adopted a policy of enforcing social insurance and work time limitations much more strictly than in previous years, further increasing costs for factories that previously skirted labor laws.

Low-cost Manufacturing Alternatives

In light of these developments, many low-tech manufacturers are moving their operations elsewhere. Some are moving towards inland provinces in China or, increasingly, to cheaper countries in Southeast Asia. Vietnam for example, though still less advanced than China in terms of infrastructure, has been quite successful in capturing investment in light manufacturing that is leaving China and especially Guangdong province in recent years. Apart from its proximity, Vietnam is also attracting factories with its lower taxes, lower wages, and an increasing number of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), including one with China. Additionally, the recently signed Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) treaty has vastly accelerated this process. As China is moving up the value chain towards more sophisticated products, it is in some cases even encouraging light manufacturing to leave in order to free up much needed real estate.

RELATED: Business Advisory Services from Dezan Shira & Associates

However, winding down a factory and setting it up elsewhere can be daunting task for any company. Even if the economic benefits are substantial, firms can easily find themselves entangled in a number of legal problems when trying to dissolve their operations and letting go of their workforce. This can result in significant costs for companies trying to relocate. Further, if companies decide to move to a cheaper country such as Vietnam, there is a host of local regulations and laws to consider before going ahead with the investment, slowing down the process. Firms need to thoroughly examine the pros and cons before making a final decision.

The changes Dongguan is currently undergoing are necessary for the city to remain competitive as an integral part of the factory of the world in its new context. Moving towards higher value added goods, relying on robotics and automatization to combat labor shortages, and freeing up factory space by winding up light manufacturing companies should ensure that the city continues to thrive economically. The development towards a more modern city is also reflected in the governments expansion of local infrastructure such as the new metro line, which is poised to improve transport and mobility within the city. These are exciting times for Dongguan indeed.



About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email china@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight. 

How to Restructure an Underperforming Business in China

In this issue of China Briefing magazine, we explore the options that are available to foreign firms looking to restructure or close their operations in China. We begin with an overview of what restructuring an unprofitable business in China might entail, and then take an in-depth look at the way in which a foreign company can go about the restructuring process. Finally, we highlight some of the key HR concerns associated with restructuring a China business.

China Investment Roadmap: the Automotive Parts Industry

This issue of China Briefing presents a roadmap for investing in Chinas automotive industry. We begin by providing an overview of the industry, and then take a comprehensive look at key foreign investment considerations, including investment restrictions, tax incentives and manufacturing requirements. Finally, we discuss foreign investment opportunities in a part of the industry that receives substantial government support: new energy vehicles.

Adapting Your China WFOE to Service Chinas Consumers

In this issue of China Briefing Magazine, we look at the challenges posed to manufacturers amidst Chinas rising labor costs and stricter environmental regulations. Manufacturing WFOEs in China should adapt by expanding their business scope to include distribution and determine suitable supply chain solutions. In this regard, we will take a look at the opportunities in Chinas domestic consumer market and forecast the sectors that are set to boom in the coming years.
BP Learning Center in Houma, Louisiana, the United States. [Photo/BP]

British oil major BP Plc is seeking buyers for its 50 percent stake in a Chinese petrochemicals joint venture, its single largest investment in China, in a deal that would fetch US$2 billion to US$3 billion, people familiar with the matter said.

BP has hired an investment bank to sell its shareholding in Shanghai SECCO Petrochemical Co Ltd as part of a drive to cash out of businesses where it lacks control, the sources added.

A successful deal would mark BP's first significant exit from a business in China.

Situated in Caojing near Shanghai, SECCO is China's largest petrochemicals refinery and was built at a cost of US$2.7 billion, according to BP's website.

State-owned China Petroleum & Chemical Corp, known as Sinopec, and one of its units hold the other half of SECCO, according to the website.

A London-based BP spokesman declined to comment, and Sinopec did not offer immediate comment.

SECCO, a venture formed in 2001, produces ethylene and propylene, which are used to make resins, plastics and synthetic rubbers.

While Sinopec has the right of first refusal on the potential sale, bankers said Chinese State-owned enterprises are unlikely to step in to buy the stake.

BP's stake has been marketed to existing refinery operators in China, including companies from Japan, South Korea and Europe, the sources added.

BP, like other global oil and gas companies, has been sharpening its focus on costs and core businesses as it reels from lower oil prices.

It has sold more than US$50 billion of assets since the deadly 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill in order to pay for cleanup costs and legal bills. This year, it plans to offload between US$3 billion and $5 billion worth of assets, of which $1.9 billion has been agreed, it said when releasing second-quarter earnings last month.
China's biggest online third-party payment platform Alipay is expanding into Europe. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's biggest online third-party payment platform Alipay, which has 450 million active users, is expanding into Europe, signing deals with brick-and-mortar retailers to enable Chinese consumers abroad to use the app to make payments in stores, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The mobile payment service is expected to be offered to Chinese travelers and expats in France, the UK, Germany and Italy.

Alipay has held talks with French department store Printemps, set a deal with French insurance agency Axa Group to sell travel insurance to Alipay's users, and is working with German banking software company Wirecard AG to support its mobile payment service in 69 stores at Munich Airport, said Rita Liu, head of Alipay Europe, Middle-East and Africa, according to Bloomberg.

"We're actively looking for partners across Europe -- merchants who want to cater to Chinese tourists or technical providers on the payments side. But we have no plans to target European customers," Liu said.

Spending US$875 per capita, around 120 million Chinese tourists travelled abroad last year, according to the China Tourism Research Institute. And their favorite travel destinations outside Asia are France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany.

Sabrina Peng, president of Alipay International, said at this April's Money 20/20 Europe a conference held in Copenhagen, Denmark that as a lot of Chinese people enjoyed the lifestyle of going out with Alipay rather than a wallet, Alipay has been thinking of bringing the same service to them when they traveled abroad, according to a report by nfcworld.com.

Peng said Alipay processed 175 million transactions a day, of which more than 60 percent were made through a mobile device.

China's third-party mobile payment market reached a value of ten trillion yuan in 2015, according to a report by French market research firm Ipsos Group Co. Alipay's rival WeChat Pay announced it would fully open to overseas retailers last November, according to a report by Beijing Business Today. Dozens of foreign institutions, including Australia's RoyalPay, have joined WeChat Pay's cross-border payment open system, covering more than 20 countries and regions.

Run by Ant Financial, an affiliate of Alibaba Group holding Ltd, Alipay is leading China's mobile payment market with 63.41 percent of the market share in Q1 this year, according to a report by Chinese research firm Analysys.
You are here: Home

Dubai-based Emirates Airline said Tuesday it will operate its Airbus A380 between Dubai and Guangzhou. [File photo]

Dubai-based Emirates Airline said Tuesday it will operate its Airbus A380 between Dubai and Guangzhou, one of China's largest cities, from October 1.

Guangzhou will join Emirates' extensive A380 global network covering more than 40 destinations, including Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, London, Paris, Sydney, Toronto, Auckland, Bangkok, and Seoul.

As capital of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou is an important tourism and trade partner of Dubai, as the vast majority of more than 300,000 Chinese nationals living in the United Arab Emirates are from Guangdong.

UAE has over 4,000 Chinese companies and in 2014, China became Dubai's biggest trade partner.

Since the route's opening in 2008, the airline has been flying a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on its daily flights between the two cities.

The A380 service will raise the flight capacity by 15 percent to meet the growing demand from southern China to Dubai and beyond.
An Airbus 380 arrives at Baiyun Airport in Guangzhou City, south China's Guangdong Province, on Nov. 22, 2006. [File photo]

Airbus Group is bracing for a lengthy period of uncertainty over its core commercial jetliner business after Britain said it would examine suspected irregularities in the use of third-party agents to win contracts.

Europe's largest aerospace company said late last Sunday it had been notified that the UK's Serious Fraud Office had opened a formal criminal probe after being alerted by the country's export credit agency to discrepancies relating to the disclosure of the work of local agents.

The probe raises a sensitive issue for the industry because the agency, UK Export Finance, has for years locked horns with aerospace firms about the need for more transparency, even though it does not object outright to the use of intermediaries.

Airbus Group said the SFO was looking into possible "fraud, bribery and corruption" and that the company continued to co-operate with the investigating agency, having itself tipped off UKEF about internal findings under a recent compliance drive.

"It will take years," a person familiar with the matter said of the SFO investigation, adding it was too early to predict any outcome or consequences.

Airbus Group is already the subject of a four-year-old SFO investigation into a US$3.3 billion communications deal with Saudi Arabia, while the SFO is conducting a corruption probe into engine maker Rolls-Royce which it launched in 2013.

The latest case involves discrepancies over the amount of agents' fees disclosed in applications for export support, or missing names of third parties, in some cases dating back years, people familiar with the matter have said.

In April, UKEF halted export funding pending a compliance review and was swiftly followed by France and Germany.

Since 2006, companies applying for export support in Britain have had to identify any intermediaries involved in sales negotiations and list the sums paid.

The rules followed a series of policy U-turns and a fierce debate between UKEF and aerospace companies including Airbus, which had lobbied against the tougher disclosure rules on the grounds that such data was commercially sensitive and that their own codes of conduct and due diligence methods were sufficient.

Airbus Group shares fell as much as 1.8 percent on Monday, driven by concern over the probe. The longer-term impact may depend upon how widely the probe spreads and the level of managers who signed off on payments that can be worth millions of dollars, as well as the declarations to export agencies, analysts said.

A spokesman declined to comment on any details of the investigation beyond Sunday's brief statement.
She has no regrets, but for Qing Feng divorcing her husband, a gay man, and losing her son and money, was not an easy process.

Qing, from southwest China's Guizhou Province, ended her sexless, loveless marriage months ago, after an arduous negotiation with the man who had constantly belittled her throughout their 13-year relationship.

"He said I wouldn't get a penny or the custody of my son because I asked for a divorce without evidence to show he was wrong," said Qing, who is in her forties. "He was well prepared for the day of the divorce. He had transferred all our assets to his parents."

Qing is one of many unlucky women in China known as the "gay wives," or tongqi, who unwittingly marry closeted gay men. For these women, the road to a successful divorce is often a rocky one due to obstruction from their husband and a lack of clear legal support.

In a country where gay marriage is illegal, the majority of gay men choose to marry women and have children because of the pressure from their parents and society. Many Chinese believe continuing the family bloodline is an inescapable male duty and not having children constitutes a failure.

Overcoming doubts

Two years ago, a TV program focusing on the tragedy of "gay-straight" marriages helped Qing overcome the doubts she had about divorcing her husband, who recoiled from all physical contact from the moment their son was born and seldom showed her any affection.

"He repeatedly told me: 'Don't laugh. You look ugly when you do that.' He liked nothing about me, so I kept trying to change myself to please him," Qing said.

When she finally questioned her husband about his sexual orientation, he confessed but refused to grant her a divorce because he feared it would ruin his reputation.

Qing finally lost patience and decided to insist on divorce.

But a lawyer told Qing that if she filed for divorce the court might not decide in her favor.

Most Chinese gay men conceal their orientation, which makes it difficult for women to collect evidence of their husband's sexual habits and tendencies, said Yang Shaogang, a Shanghai-based lawyer who is experienced in "gay-straight" divorce cases.

As a result, judges often do not grant the wife a divorce, and they have to file again at a later date, Yang said.

In addition, Chinese law does not define the gay man as culpable in the breakdown of the marriage, meaning no compensation is given to the woman, and the law offers no provisions for these women to secure custody of their children.

Yang has called for legal changes regarding the distribution of property and child custody in such divorce cases to encourage tongqi to break free.

Abuse and depression

A 2013 survey, conducted by renowned sexologist Zhang Beichuan, of nearly 150 women who had either married or divorced gay or bisexual men, or who were dating such men, showed that 70 percent of the respondents suffered long-term emotional abuse from the men, often characterized by sexual apathy.

In addition, 90 percent of the women developed symptoms of depression and 20 percent of them endured repeated beatings.

Nearly 40 of those surveyed reported symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases. Among the 30 who were tested for HIV, two found themselves infected.

Su Yun, 60, who became deaf in one ear after she was beaten by her homosexual husband, recently divorced. A day after the divorce, her ex-husband and his boyfriend barged into Su's home.

"I didn't dare to call the police. I thought he might strangle me. He tried once and I almost died," said Su, in eastern China's Shandong Province.

Lin Yan is in her 50s and decided to stay in her marriage, even though her husband confessed to being gay more than 10 years ago.

"We live in a very small place. People like my husband. If I say he's gay, no one would believe me. They might think I was having an affair and just wanted a divorce," Lin said, adding that without a job she financially relies on her husband.

In general, the tongqi are an invisible group. A large number of them have not even realized that their husband is gay, due to conservative attitudes toward sex, said Dr Li Xianhong from the Central South University.

"Many never even wonder why they have no sex life in their marriage," Li said.

So far, Qing Feng has not been able to explicitly tell her parents why she divorced. "It was really shameful," she said.
News / Health

by Researched by Vinayak Bhardwaj

Zimbabwe had 157 million male and female condoms available in 2015 and a relatively high self-reported use of condoms among adults who have multiple sexual partnerships. But is their condom use per capita the highest in the world?A claim about Zimbabweans' high condom use cropped up again, this time at the International AIDS 2016 conference in Durban recently.The head of Zimbabwe's mother-to-child HIV prevention efforts, Dr Angela Mushavi, reportedly said: "Our infection rate is going down. Zimbabwe has the highest per capita condom use in the world."News24 reported the statistic last year too. But does it hold true?157 million condoms distributedAfrica Check first contacted Mushavi. She sent us figures for the number of condoms distributed in Zimbabwe in 2015, showing over 150 million male and 7 million female condoms.She said it was from Population Services International (PSI), a global health non-profit focusing on HIV and the social marketing of condoms, and put us in touch with a PSI representative in Zimbabwe, Kumbirai Chatora. (Note: We asked how exactly PSI tracks condom distribution but they haven't yet responded.)Chatora confirmed that the distribution data was theirs but said that PSI does not collect data on the use of condoms. We asked Mushavi why she spoke of condom use when the data she provided was for condom distribution but have not yet received a reply.Only have data for 'at risk populations'Working out condom use is difficult, according to experts we spoke to.Deputy executive director of the Wits Reproductive Health Institute, Professor Francois Venter, told Africa Check "it's a very difficult indicator to measure".Chief of the fertility and family planning section in the UN's population division, Dr Ann Biddlecom, pointed out that data is only collected on condom use among people at higher risk of HIV transmission such as people aged 15 to 49 with multiple sex partnerships.The UN data shows that Zimbabwe has the 10th highest condom use of 37 countries in this higher risk group, with 44.3% of respondents reporting having used a condom when they last had sex. The 37 countries are those in which there is a generalised epidemic of HIV/AIDS, Biddlecom said.Nine countries - Albania, Burundi, Colombia, Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guyana, Kenya and Peru - recorded that none of the people in the higher risk group reported using a condom at last sex.Not enough condoms for sub-Saharan AfricaA "Prevention Gap Report", published by UNAIDS in July, aimed to document the success in tackling the spread of HIV/AIDS so far. On the distribution of condoms, the report suggests more needs to be done. It states that "progress in the provision and use of condoms has largely stalled; the gap in sub-Saharan Africa alone is more than 3 billion male condoms a year."In 2015, in sub-Saharan Africa, an average of 10 male condoms was available for every man aged 15 to 64 years and just one female condom per eight women aged 15 to 64 years.Condom availability varied between as many as 40 condoms per man aged 15 to 64 years in Namibia and South Africa to fewer than five condoms per man aged 15 to 64 years in Angola and South Sudan. Condom distribution was particularly low in some countries in western and central Africa, such as Burundi, Chad, Guinea and Mali.The report did not specifically mention Zimbabwe, but based on the country's statistical agency's population projections and the PSI distribution figures, the country also had 40 condoms available for every man between 15 and 64 years.In Zimbabwe, the high availability of male and female condoms and the relatively high self-reported use of condoms among adults who have multiple sexual partnerships are evident, Biddlecom told Africa Check. These form a critical part of HIV prevention efforts, she said.Conclusion: Claim about condom use in Zimbabwe incorrectThere is no data to prove that Zimbabwe has the highest per capita condom use in the world.Self-reported data about condom use among high-risk populations shows that Zimbabwe has the 10th highest number of condom users in this category among 37 countries.Yet there is a large gap between the number of condoms available and the need for them in sub-Saharan Africa. Higher condom distribution is correlated with decreased HIV prevalence and is therefore an important part of HIV prevention efforts.
You are here: Home

A file photo shows an airliner of the Tibet Airlines at Lhasa Gonggar Airport, in southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region. [Photo: Xinhua]

Passengers using mobile phones on planes might face 50,000 yuan (US$7,515) fine, according to a latest draft amendment to the country's Civil Aviation Law that was published on Monday by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

The draft amendment has added a new chapter regulating 14 types of behaviors that endanger civil aviation safety and disturb order.

The activities include using mobile phones, smoking, forcibly occupying seats, blocking channels and gates, breaking into airports and planes, beating crew and other workers, fighting, spreading rumors and causing troubles.

When people conduct behavior that does not fall under the Criminal Law but violates the Public Security Administration Punishment Law, they would face a fine up to 50,000 yuan.

The draft amendment has also revised articles to make the aviation companies shoulder more responsibility in ensuring flights safety and passengers' interests. Companies must set up sound management system to prevent and minimize civil aviation accidents.

When flights are delayed, the airlines should inform passengers and provide related services. Aviation companies are encouraged to buy insurance for passengers to secure travelers' interests.

If pilots intentionally break the law, their license will be cancelled, and they would be barred from any commercial flight activities for two years.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China published the draft amendment on its official website on Monday and people can email their opinions until Sept 6 to airlaw@caac.gov.cn, or fax 010-64016870.
Editor's note: On Aug.9, the Financial Times and its website published a signed article by Ambassador Liu Xiaoming entitled "Mutual trust is the foundation of China-UK cooperation--Hinkley Point is a test of mutual trust between China and Britain". The full text is as follows:

New British Prime Minister Theresa May gives a speech outside her official residence in London on July 13 (XINHUA)

Hinkley Point is once again a subject of speculation and debate following the announcement by the UK government that it wants to hold a fresh review into the proposed project for a new nuclear power station in south-west England. With this in mind, clarification is needed on three basic facts regarding the project.

First, nuclear power is central to UK energy policy aimed at meeting the country's long-term needs. Britain has long been a pioneer in the field of civil nuclear energy, and once took pride in its clean and effective power plants. However, a two-decade pause in its nuclear program means that most of the country's 15 reactors are approaching the end of their intended working life.

According to the UK's energy white paper, by 2025 only one nuclear plant will still be running, raising the risk of major power shortages. Nuclear power, with its advantages over other modern clean energy sources - namely, low operational costs, mature maintenance technologies and steady output - is a significant option for meeting the UK's demand for electricity.

Second, Hinkley Point is not the result of some whimsical idea or rushed decision. It is the considered outcome of a mutually beneficial tripartite partnership between Britain, France and China. Before the three parties reached agreement it had gone through research, verification and approval by the authorities in Britain and France as well as the European Commission.

There have also been extensive and thorough discussions by all involved and in the media regarding the project's cost-effectiveness, its timeline and the safety of the technology. After more than 10 years of preparations, this project is ready to move ahead towards generating safe, reliable and sustainable electricity.

Third, the UK could not have a better partner than the China General Nuclear Power Corporation. The latter is the biggest nuclear power provider in China. It is also the world's biggest builder of nuclear reactors, involved in the construction of one-fifth of the nuclear generators worldwide. This is a partner with world-class technology, the necessary financial resources and rich experience in the management and operation of nuclear plants.

A further issue central to the debate is that of security. The UK has a state of the art supervision regime and legal system. Its regulatory authorities are experienced and adequately resourced to ensure the safety of nuclear plants. China likewise has a fine record of 30 years of safe operation of nuclear facilities. Its nuclear energy program and supervision are highly acknowledged by international agencies. The three Hinkley Point partners are members of the International Atomic Energy Agency. So, the French and Chinese partners are subjecting themselves to both international and British standards.

Building a nuclear plant involves a huge amount of financial resources and enormous risks. That explains why multinational cooperation is accepted practice across the globe. Many of China's nuclear reactors are built in cooperation with US, Canadian, French and Russian companies. Thanks to the safeguards of international standards, there has never been a concern that foreign companies might control China's nuclear reactors. The rapid progress of China's nuclear power industry is proof of the success of international cooperation.

Britain takes pride in being a country that is open to foreign investors. Rightly so. It is exactly because of such openness that China has become the UK's second-largest non-European trading partner. Britain is one of the key destinations for Chinese companies seeking to invest overseas. Over the past five years, such companies have invested more in the UK than in Germany, France and Italy combined.

An important reason why this has been possible is that both China and the UK have consistently respected and trusted each other. If Britain's openness is a condition for bilateral cooperation, then mutual trust is the very foundation on which this is built.

Right now, the China-UK relationship is at a crucial historical juncture. Mutual trust should be treasured even more. I hope the UK will keep its door open to China and that the British government will continue to support Hinkley Point - and come to a decision as soon as possible so that the project can proceed smoothly.

It has not been easy for China and the UK to have come this far. As long as both sides cherish what has been achieved and continue to expand and deepen our cooperation across the board, bilateral relations will maintain their strong momentum and work for the wellbeing of both the Chinese and British people.

Liu Xiaoming is the Chinese ambassador to the U.K.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
File photo shows the 981 drilling platform of China Oilfield Services Limited (COSL), 17 nautical miles (some 31 kilometers) from Zhongjian Island of China's Xisha Islands, South China Sea. (Xinhua photo)

The international arbitration tribunal ruled against China's legitimate acts in the South China Sea on July 12, regardless of China's indisputable historical sovereignty over the islands and reefs in those waters. The ruling also accused China of disrupting the ecology and environment by construction activities on those islands.

Has China's construction on those islands really caused irreversible damage to the coral reef ecological system as the United States and the Philippines claim?

First, rational planning and green construction technologies can effectively control the impacts of the reclamation on the surrounding ecological system. Reports made by the Chinese State Oceanic Administration showed that targeted protective measures for coral reefs were included in China's construction activities.

Specifically, the construction has fully considered the lifespan of corals and made corresponding schedules. Preliminary studies show that corals grow best when seawater temperature is between 23 and 28 degree Celsius; in tropical waters, this temperature occurs in the winter and spring. Therefore, China's constructions have been following proper arrangements in terms of progress and intensity.

The construction tries to lower the impact on coral reef environment. Given that corals usually live in shallow waters less than 50 meters from the ocean surface and have strict demands regarding the water's translucency, China's construction has been controlling the diffusion of floating particles to minimize their influence on the seawater's cleanliness.

The sites of construction were the results of rational consideration in that they are where the corals were mostly dead or places unfit for coral growth.

In addition, Chinese and international scientific studies both show that transplantation and horticultural breeding can effectively reestablish the coral population. From 2013 to 2015, Chinese scientists experimented with such transplantation and they managed to raise the coral coverage in the experiment area by 5-8 percent. The practice set a good example for the reestablishment of biological populations in the future.

Second, China's land reclamations based on the islands and reefs in the South China Sea are rational exploration as per the regulations of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which not only defines all countries' commitments to preserving and protecting the maritime environment but also gives them rights to explore it.

Around the world, many ports were actually built on land reclamation, such as the North Abaco Port of the Bahamas and the Suakin Port of Sudan. China's land reclamation is aimed at improving the living conditions for people on the islands as well as to provide more international public services to the region.

The rational explorations of the resources based on the preservation of the local ecological systems are more consistent with the UNCLOS than passively keeping that region intact.

By contrast, fishermen from Vietnam and the Philippines use poisons and explosives to catch fish, which causes irreversible damage to the coral reefs in the Nansha Islands. Facts show that compared with China's land reclamation on coral reefs, the United States and the Philippines should pay more attention to overfishing and the improper fishing activities of Filipinos.

Third, China established a meteorological station on the reefs, and a maritime observation center, among other scientific facilities and civilian facilities conducive to strengthening the ecological systems in the South China Sea.

As China continues to construct on these islands, the deployment of more civilian facilities will help China to monitor the maritime environment, meteorological conditions, and the data obtained will substantiate future scientific studies. They will also help with China's plans to build maritime natural reserves, ecological environment research bases in the future.

Apart from enhancing biodiversity in the region, China will also join hands with other countries in the South China Sea for cooperation on pollution control and environmental monitoring, as part of China's regional and global commitment.

Lin Yongxin is the deputy chief of the Research Center for the Maritime Silk Road at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies.

The article was translated by Chen Boyuan. Its original version was published in Chinese.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
 Flash

U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said on Tuesday he had no plan to change his temperament as the bellicose New Yorker was grappling with his sagging poll numbers following recent feud with a family of a fallen Muslim American soldier and leaders within his own party.

Donald Trump takes the stage on the last day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, theUnited States, July 21, 2016. New York billionaire Donald Trump officially accepted the presidential nomination of the U.S. Republican Party Thursday night on the final day of the Republican National Convention. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

"I think that my temperament has gotten me here," said Trump in an interview with Fox Business Network. "I've always had a good temperament and it's gotten me here. We beat a lot of people in the primaries and now we have one person left, and we're actually doing pretty well there, but we'll see how it all comes out."

Rupture between Trump and the Republican leadership resurfaced after Trump derisively answered criticism from Khizr Khan, the father of the solider killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq.

During the Democratic National Convention held late July, Khan blasted Trump for his divisive remarks and proposal to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the country and divisive tone and implored voters to vote for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee.

Trump responded by implying that Ghazala Khan, who accompanied his husband on stage on the final day of the Democratic National Convention, was forbidden to speak by his husband.

Backlash to Trump's comments came in swiftly from both parties, with the press office of House Speaker Paul Ryan, the highest-ranking U.S. Republican officeholder, releasing a scathing statement without mentioning Trump's name that denounced "a religious test for entering our country."

"Many Muslim Americans have served valiantly in our military, and made the ultimate sacrifice. Captain Khan was one such brave example. His sacrifice- and that of Khizr and Ghazala Khan- should always be honored. Period," said the statement.

In a gesture of defiance, Trump initially refused to endorse Ryan and Senator John McCain, another leading GOP lawmaker and vocal critic of Trump, for their reelection bid for congressional seats.

Trump endorsed both men on Saturday, one of several steps to get his campaign back on track after recent polls showed that the edge of Clinton over him had been widened.

According to the RealClearPolitics national polling index, Clinton now leads Trump by 7.5 percent nationally, while at the end of July, the two stood even at 44.3 percent of support.
 Flash

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Aug. 9, 2016. (Xinhua/Sputnik)

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday's meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan was very important for the future of bilateral ties.

"We've had a comprehensive and constructive (talks), I would like to emphasize, we discussed a broad range of issues including bilateral relations and global issues," Putin told a press conference after his meeting with Erdogan.

"I believe that we have all the necessary prerequisites and opportunities for fully restoring the relations between our two countries which would help strengthen both regional and global stability," Putin added.

He said the visit of Erdogan, despite the difficult political situation in Turkey caused by the failed coup attempt on July 15, showed that Ankara really wanted to restore bilateral cooperation.

To promote bilateral economic cooperation, the two presidents talked about the Turkish stream pipeline project and construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant, as well as ways to revive tourism.

Putin also announced a mid-term cooperation program that spans the year 2016 to 2019, and also intergovernmental commissions of the two countries would resume contacts.

Talks in narrow and broad format outlined initial objectives for long-term restoration of relations, aiming to reach pre-crisis level of bilateral cooperation, said Putin.

Moreover, more meetings would be held for major companies of the two countries to discuss revival of mutual trade, investment and implementation of key projects.

"We intend to gradually cancel the special economic measures limiting Turkish companies' activities in Russian market," Putin said.

On the Syrian crisis, the Russian president reiterated that his country was determined to find a compromise on the issue with Ankara.

"As far as coordination of our views and methods is concerned, it is possible because we have a joint goal. The joint goal is the settlement of the Syrian crisis. I believe that we shall look for satisfactory joint decisions on this basis, based on this mutual approach," Putin said.

He added that more specific meetings would be held on issues related to the settlement of Syrian crisis.

Erdogan, on his part, expressed the hope for the resumption of charter flights between the two countries, as well as mutual trade and activities of Turkish construction contractors.

"Putin and I have found similar position on normalization of bilateral relations, while we agreed to use the capacities of the two countries to maintain regional stability," Erdogan concluded.

"We believe the Russian-Turkish relation is much more stable than it has ever been, which will help us to confront all kinds of crises," said Erdogan.

The meeting between the two leaders was their first since Ankara downed one of Moscow's warplanes last November, which sparked a diplomatic crisis as well as Russia's economic sanctions.
 Flash

Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos gestures as he speaks to journalists during a trip to Hong Kong, China after the Hague court's ruling over the maritime dispute in South China Sea, August 9, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

A special Philippine envoy who is in Hong Kong to test the waters of bilateral ties suggested on Tuesday that Manila and Beijing cooperate on sectors of common interest to rekindle their relationship, which was soured by maritime disputes.

Experts said that although the proposal by the envoy, former Philippines president Fidel Ramos, to improve economic and tourism links might be considered by China, the Philippines' attitude toward the arbitration ruling on the South China Sea remains the key to restoring ties.

Ramos, 88, also told reporters on Tuesday that he planned to meet with Wu Shicun, who heads the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, a think tank on China's southernmost Hainan Island.

Ramos, who gave no other details of his itinerary for the five-day trip to Hong Kong, said earlier that he would meet "old friends" with links to officials in Beijing.

Wu did not respond to phone calls from China Daily seeking comment on Tuesday.

As a special envoy of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Ramos defined the trip as "ice-breaking", after bilateral ties were jeopardized by an arbitration case unilaterally initiated by Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino III.

"The idea is to use the South China Sea as a place to save lives, not to kill people or to destroy lives," Ramos said.

During his time as president, from 1992 to 1998, the two countries eased tensions caused by confrontations over Meiji Reef.

Xu Liping, a senior Southeast Asian studies researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Beijing could consider Ramos' suggestion and seek common interests with Manila.

Chen Qinghong, a researcher of Southeast Asian and Philippine studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said that Ramos' remarks send a positive signal and provide an opportunity for the two countries to rebuild political trust and amend their relationship.
 Flash

Liu Xiaoming, China's ambassador to UK

China has warned Britain against closing the door to Chinese money and said relations were at a crucial juncture after Prime Minister Theresa May delayed signing off on a US$24 billion nuclear power project.

In Chinas sternest warning to date over Mays surprise decision to review the building of Britains first nuclear plant in decades, Chinas ambassador to UK said that Britain could face power shortages unless May approved the Franco-Chinese deal.

"The China-UK relationship is at a crucial historical juncture. Mutual trust should be treasured even more," Liu Xiaoming wrote in the Financial Times.

"I hope the UK will keep its door open to China and that the British government will continue to support Hinkley Point - and come to a decision as soon as possible so that the project can proceed smoothly."

Mays move to delay the project is most striking corporate intervention since winning power in the political turmoil which followed Britains June 23 referendum to leave the European Union. Her decision indicates a much more cautious view of Chinese investment and a willingness to take a tough line with EU allies such as French President Francois Hollande.

Cast as the jewel illustrating a new "Golden Era" of relations between China and Britain, the Hinkley financing deal was signed in Downing Street during a state visit to Britain by President Xi Jinping last year.

Under plans drawn up by former Prime Minister David Cameron, French utility EDF and China General Nuclear Power Corp would fund the cost of building two Areva European Pressurized Water Reactors at the Hinkley C nuclear plant in Somerset, in southern England.

Britain has committed to pay a minimum price for the power generated by the plant for 35 years, though critics said London had agreed to pay far too much.

Hinkley is seen as the frontrunner to closer ties with China on nuclear issues, paving the way for tens of billions of dollars of investment and another two nuclear power plants with Chinese involvement.

Cameron pitched Britain as the pre-eminent gateway to the West for investment from China and proposing to make London the main international trading center for offshore yuan.

In the comment published in the Financial Times yesterday, Chinas ambassador said Hinkley was not "some whimsical idea or rushed decision" and pointedly said that Chinese investment had flowed because both countries "respected and trusted each other."

"If Britains openness is a condition for bilateral cooperation, then mutual trust is the very foundation on which this is built," said Liu.

Once Britain exits from the EU, London would need to clinch a new trade deal with China, whose US$11.3 trillion economy is currently more than four times as big as Britains at US$2.4 trillion.

Liu said Chinese companies had invested more in the United Kingdom than in Germany, France and Italy combined over the past five years.

Since May won the top job, Britain has repeatedly said that it values its relationship with China and that it was natural for the incoming government to want to look at the plans in detail.

"This decision is about a huge infrastructure project and its right that the new government carefully considers it," a government spokesman said. "We cooperate with China on a broad range of areas from the global economy to international issues and we will continue to seek a strong relationship with China."
 Flash

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has written letters to the UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, urging efforts to end the persistent and egregious violation of the basic human rights of the Kashmiri people and also to implement UN Security Council Resolutions, which provide for self determination of the Kashmiri people through a fair and impartial plebiscite under the aspiration of the UN.

Highlighting human rights abuses by Indian occupation forces, Prime Minister stated that more than 50 deaths and 3500 injuries had taken place, out of which 400 were critical. Many innocent Kashmiris had lost their eyesight due to pellet guns, which were aimed with the deliberate intention of causing serious permanent injuries. This, the Prime Minister said, was unacceptable. The use of illegitimate and excessive force against innocent civilians protesting peacefully over extrajudicial killings was a blatant violation of a range of fundamental rights.

The Prime Minister said that force was being used to prevent access to hospitals, to harass doctors and prevent access to medical facilities. "The situation is a clear manifestation of Indian state terrorism to suppress the Kashmiris' struggle for their inalienable right to self-determination".

The Prime Minister called for investigation into the brutalities and atrocities committed by Indian occupation forces, protection of Kashmiris fundamental rights, a fair inquiry into the execution of Burhan Muzaffar Wani in cold blood and implementation of UN Resolutions on Jammu & Kashmir.
News / National

by Thobekile Zhou

A FARM belonging to Secretary general of the Zimbabwe National Liberations War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) Victor Matemadanda has been invaded by a group of Zanu-PF youths, Bulawayo24.com has heard.The farm is in Mashonaland West province and Matemadanda share a boundary with the sharp-tongued Sarah Mahoka.Mahoka is Zanu-PF women's league secretary for finance and heavily linked to G40 faction.Matemadanda is on $300 bail for allegedly insulting President Robert Mugabe.Last month, Zanu-PF National Commissar Savior Kasukuwere threatened to grab farms owned by 'rebellious' war veterans and parcel them out to Zanu PF youths.
You are here: Home

 Flash

The Brazilian Senate decided Wednesday to give the go-ahead to an impeachment trial against suspended President Dilma Rousseff.

At the end of a lengthy session that lasted over 15 hours, senators voted 59 to 21 to approve the trial, surpassing the 41 votes needed to open the trial.

Rousseff is accused of committing fiscal fraud in an attempt to balance the 2014 budget. She has not yet made comments on the Senate's decision.

According to earlier reports, the impeachment trial is expected to take place in late August or early September.
News / National

by Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu

THE South African Government has given Zimbabwe the nod to deploy its officers to issue passports, birth certificates and National Identity Cards to locals residing in the neighbouring country.The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Obedingwa Mguni, said the documents would be issued from selected points in the neighbouring country as soon as South African authorities identify sites to conduct the exercise.He said his Ministry would approach Botswana with the same request."We've approached the South African government seeking permission to issue passports, birth certificates and National IDs from their country and they have given us the go ahead."Our South African counterparts are now in the process of identifying places where we can conduct this exercise. When the locations have been submitted, we will immediately deploy our teams to the neighbouring country," the Deputy Minister said.Mguni said the exercise was being done to ensure that Zimbabweans in the diaspora were in possession of all valuable documents. He said a number of Zimbabweans were accessing neighbouring countries through illegal points while some did not have birth certificates or National IDs.Mguni said his Ministry was also making efforts to reduce the time frame involved in processing passports as it remained long.He said passports were supposed to be processed and issued within a period of two weeks but security checks involved were dragging the process."Passports should be issued within 14 days and ours are issued after two months. These are some of the anomalies that we want to address. We need to introduce quick coordinated security checks that will expedite the process."We recently acquired a highly efficient machine from Japan which processes passports but our pace does not complement the capacity of the machine because of these delays," Mguni said.He said Plumtree, Victoria Falls, Beitbridge, Chipinge and Chiredzi Towns would be the first to introduce passport issuing services at district registry offices.Mguni said his Ministry had noted that these were the main entry points for people who were crossing into neighbouring countries illegally."My Ministry will be issuing out a tender very soon for companies that can provide us with the relevant machinery needed when capturing pictures among other equipment that will be used by the district offices."This machinery, however, has to be in line with United Nations standards. The details of the tender will be released as time goes on," he said.Mguni said they were also making efforts to improve features of the Emergency Travel Document so that they're once again recognised as legal travelling documents in neighbouring countries.
News / National

by Patrick Chitumba

PRINCE Nhlanganiso Zulu, the son of South Africa's King Goodwill Zwelithini, has said Zimbabweans are welcome in the neighbouring country at any time.The Prince, who was addressing tens of thousands of Zion Christian Church (ZCC) members who converged at Defe Dopota in Gokwe South as the church marked 40 years since the death of its founder Reverend Samuel Mutendi over the weekend, blamed negative reporting by the media for fuelling attacks on foreigners in South Africa last year.The Zulu prince, who was invited to grace the gathering dubbed Zuva ra Samere (Samuel day) @40 which attracted people from all walks of life with some coming from African countries, the United States and the United Kingdom, said he wished a good stay for Zimbabweans in South Africa."I'm delighted to be here at this wonderful gathering. We want a peaceful continent and leaders who fear God. I wish a good stay for Zimbabweans in South Africa. Zimbabweans are welcome in South Africa at any time. My father represents 20 million Zulus and he is a very peaceful man despite a lot of negative things reported in the media," he said.Prince Nhlanganiso, who was accompanied by Princess Wandile Mkhize, said a peaceful nation was a prosperous nation. His father, King Zwelithini, was blamed for inciting deadly xenophobic violence in South Africa last year.He, however, said he had been misquoted when he was quoted as saying, "foreigners must pack their bags and go home" during a speech last year.The influential monarch was accused of sparking the attacks that left at least seven people dead and displaced more than 5 000. However, King Zwelithini said the remarks, made in the Zulu language, had been misconstrued and only referred to the deportation of illegal immigrants.Addressing the same pilgrims at the closing ceremony, Dr Mutendi encouraged people to promote peace and love from the family level to national level.He said the nation needs peace at all costs.Dr Mutendi encouraged Zimbabweans to work for their families, church and their nation saying people should not be used by outsiders to cause mayhem and disorder in the country.He said some foreigners protect their countries and their leaders but come here to use locals to do the opposite.Rev Mutendi founded the ZCC in 1913 and died in 1976.
Bob Fu (Photo: China Aid)

China Aid

Written by Bob Fu. Edited by Brynne Lawrence.

(Midland, TexasAug. 5, 2016) In response to the recent trials and coerced confessions of house church leader Hu Shigen and multiple human rights lawyers, along with the harassment of their families, China Aids president, Bob Fu, made the following statement on behalf of the organization:

After more than 12 months of arbitrary arrest and detention in black jails without any legitimate legal representation or family visitations, these rushed trials and harsh sentences are clearly nothing but political and religious persecution. The international community should unequivocally condemn this total disregard of the rule of law and the Chinese governments commitment to international human rights laws. As the two co-chairs of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, Senator Rubio and Representative Smith stated today, this is a mockery to basic justice.

With next months G20 summit being held in China, we urge the United States to ask the Chinese government to immediately release those who were sentenced and those who are about to be tried in the next few days, including attorney Li Heping. The Chinese regime should also immediately stop mistreating their family members, including their wives and children.

These human rights lawyers and Christian leaders include church elder Hu Shigen, lawyers and human rights defenders Li Heping, Zhou Shifeng, Zhai Yanmin, and Gou Hongguo and other individuals who were rounded up during the crackdown that began on July 9, 2015.

China Aid exposes the abuses suffered by human rights defenders in order to safeguard human rights in China.

China Aid Media Team

Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985

Email: [email protected]

For more information, click here
China Aid

Translated by Mark Ma. Written in English by Brynne Lawrence.

(Tianjin, ChinaAug. 4, 2016) On July 15, the wife of an imprisoned Christian penned a letter to her husband, who is being held in Tianjin, describing her reactions to his recent subverting state power charge.

Fan Lili, the wife of Gou Hongguo, a Christian and retired military official, incidentally learned of her husbands charge through Weibo, a popular Chinese social media website. She says, Subverting state powera charge that makes me terror-stricken. In the past, I felt such a charge was distant, Even now, I still feel its very remote from us. He doesnt have guns, cannons or money. With what could he subvert such powerful state?

She went on to describe her husband as a meticulous and kind-hearted man who has cared for his disabled brother for decades and always remembers her parents birthdays.

Fan Lili and Guo Hongguo pose for

with their son when he was 3 months

old. (Photo: China Aid)

Police took Gou into police custody on July 10, 2015, during a crackdown on human rights lawyers and dissidents. Fan says, July 10, 2015 is a day I will never forget. On that day, Ge Ping [Guos online pseudonym] wanted those who searched our house to leave behind a bank card for those of us at home who are old, weak and sick. Yet, they didnt leave any bank card behind. From his looks, I could tell he was very sad, and I gave him a 100 Yuan bill [U.S. $15], the only money I had in my pocket. When he was taken into the police vehicle, he, with much difficulty, took out the 100 Yuan bill with his handcuffed hand and returned it to me. In this way, we shoved the 100 Yuan bill to each other several times and at last, he still managed to give the money to me. I tried not to let him see the tears in my eyes. What we pushed around to each other is not money, but love.

Fan also recalls seeing a high-ranking official in a joyous mood when Gou was taken away. When her husband re-appeared, he was in a wheelchair.

After her husbands arrest, Fan and her son traveled numerous times to Beijing and Tianjin to look for Gou, but none of the officials admitted to having taken Gou. Half a year later, she writes that learning his charge, though unfounded, provides her with some assurance and comfort, because now, at least she knows her husband is alive.

A full translation of Fans letter can be read below.

China Aid exposes abuses, such as those suffered by the family of Gou Hongguo, in order to stand in solidarity with persecuted Christians in China.

Fan Lili, the wife of Gou Hongguo (Ge Ping), who has been charged with subversion: With love, there is no fear!

Ge Ping. Going forward in love. Its dark and a light rain is pattering down. There has been a lot of rain this year. I heard that the people in Hubei were all confused when the rain finally stopped in the afternoon. I took my child to the public square to feed the pigeons.

Accidentally, I saw a Weibo entry that Gou Hongguo has been prosecuted by the No. 2 Branch of the Tianjin Municipal Peoples Procuratorate on the charge of subverting state power. I was startled and felt confused. Things have turned out to be worse than what I expected.

Subverting state powera charge that makes me terror-stricken. In the past, I felt such a charge was distant. Even now, I still feel its very remote from us. He doesnt have guns, cannons or money. With what could he subvert such a powerful state? I have to re-examine my husband.

Gou Hongguos online name is Ge Ping. He is a retired military officer, a Christian, and a businessman who is moderately successful in his field. He is a meticulous and kind-hearted man. For decades, he has taken care of his brother, who suffers from a disability. He remembers his in-laws birthdays and selects beautiful, fashionable clothing for them for the occasion. He knows interior decoration and can grow flowers.

A year ago, Ge Ping disappeared from our life. Six months ago, I went to Beijing and Tianjin tens of times with my young son and looked for where he was. No one there stood up and admitted that he or she took Ge Ping away. Half a year later, a notice has ended this stalemate. Although he was smashed over the head with the dunce cap of a subversion of the state power charge, my heart is still very comforted. Oh! It is very good to know that he is alive.

July 10, 2015 is a day I will never forget. On that day, Ge Ping wanted those who searched our house to leave behind an ATM card for those of us at home who are old, weak, sick or young, but they didnt leave any bank card behind. From his looks, I could tell he was very sad, and I gave him a 100 Yuan bill [U.S. $15], the only money I had in my pocket. When he was taken into the police vehicle, he, with much difficulty, took out the 100 Yuan bill with his handcuffed hand and returned it to me. In this way, we shoved the 100 Yuan bill to each other several times and at last, he still managed to give the money to me. I tried not to let him see the tears in my eyes. What we pushed around to each other is not money, but love.

I remember a high-ranking official was in a spirited mood when he was taken away. When [Ge Ping] appeared again, he was in a wheelchair. I prayed to God and begged Him to watch over Ge Ping and keep him safe and healthy. I havent given him enough love; please give me more opportunities.

I kissed our son, Shaner. He is a lucky child as his father is a man who takes responsibilities and is affectionate. His mother is a kind-hearted person, with a heart that cannot harm anybody. When she sees live poultry being butchered, she immediately recites passages from the Buddhist teachings to help their souls find peace.

Our son, Shaner, is growing up. One moving experience I had with my child came during the night of a storm. I was afraid he might be afraid, so I hugged him and he hugged me with both his arms. His little hands were so warm and strong. Then, I realized it was I who was the fearful one. At that moment, I was no longer afraid, and everything was so beautiful. Together, we quietly wait for his father to come back. Our family has experienced tribulation. Only love remains.

Ge Pingmy dear husband. I firmly believe that you are innocent. No matter how arduous the road ahead of us is, I will be waiting for you. In the darkness, I will give you a little illumination, with [my] heart as a lamp. I will give you more love, though you are already my best love.

Ge Pings wife Fan Lili

[Written] in Tianjin on the night of July 15, 2016

China Aid Media Team

Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985

Email: [email protected]

For more information, click here
The rare earths industry in Baotou, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, is seeking more technology-intensive deep processing to further tap into the international market, said officials in the city.

Wang Zhonghe, Party chief of Baotou, said that the city has set the goal of upgrading its rare earths industry from just exploiting raw materials to developing more comprehensive deep processing technologies with higher added value.

"By the end of 2017, the value of the annual rare earths output in Baotou is expected to reach more than 40 billion yuan ($6 billion). The city will become the biggest rare earths hydrogen storage and technological research and development base," said Wang at the China Baotou International Rare Earths Industry Forum on Monday.

The revenue of the rare earths industry in Baotou was 14.4 billion yuan in 2015, up 12 percent from the same period of the previous year.

China has the largest rare earths reserve and output in the world. Yet its rare earths products have been exported at very low prices.

"Illegal exploitation and export, plus low technological content, are the reasons for the low prices of China's rare earths products," said Wei Renpeng, a researcher at Zero Power Intelligence Group, an industrial research institute based in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

In 2015, the central government designated Baotou as the pilot city for rare earths reform. The structure of the rare earths industry in Baotou has changed noticeably, said Zhou Changyi, director of the raw materials industry department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Zhou said that, compared with 2014, Baotou's current output of rare earth magnets has increased by 1.2 times, 2.3 times for rare earth alloys, 23 percent for rare earth catalysts, and 1.2 times for the number of patents.

A 6.66 billion yuan rare earths industrial transformation fund was founded at the forum. The fund has so far participated in 22 projects, with planned investment of 900 million yuan. The projects include: industrialization of high-performance rare-earth permanent magnets, rare earth hydrogen storage, rare earth polishing powder, rare earths for magnetic resonance imaging device, high-power wind turbine, magnetic refrigeration, batteries for new-energy vehicles, among other sectors.

During the forum, 31 contracts were signed, valued at nearly 10 billion yuan, encompassing electric vehicle high-performance magnets, electrical system control development, abrasive substances for rare earths and nickel-metal hydride batteries.

Tianhe Advanced Tech Magnet Co Ltd, a company specialized in permanent magnet research and development has signed a memorandum with Electron Energy Corp, a rare earth magnet producer in the United States.

Chen Ya, vice-president of Tianhe, said that the company's core competence is its own patents in rare earth processing.

"We mainly export to the European market. This is the first time that we have ventured into North America. EEC will help us in localization and sales channels.

"The world economic slowdown has indeed affected the rare earth industry. Yet in the long run, high-tech products are going to grow fast.

"New-energy vehicles alone will be able to drive up the demand for rare earths," said Chen.
A shopper looks at ornaments at a Wal-Mart store in Los Angeles, California.[Photo/Agencies]

Wal-Mart Stores Inc, vying to better challenge Amazon.com Inc, will pay about $3 billion for internet retailer Jet.com Inc and its innovative pricing softwarein the biggest-ever deal for an e-commerce startup.

The deal disclosed on Monday follows a five-year e-commerce acquisition spree in which Wal-Mart, the world's biggest traditional retailer, has already bought 15 startups, seeking the talent and technology to make it a dominant player online and narrow the massive gap with market leader Amazon.

Wal-Mart's online division has underperformed against Amazon, posting its slowest growth in a year in the first quarter as it struggled to gain traction with consumers, especially millennials.

Jet was launched by internet entrepreneur Marc Lore in July 2015 and includes software that can offer a customer lower prices as they add items to their shopping cart. Wal-Mart has said it would integrate that software into its main website while keeping Jet as a separate entity.

"One of the things we really like (about Jet) is that the customer is even more in-charge of the price that they pay", s Chief Executive Doug McMillon said.

McMillon said Wal-Mart will take time to get the technology and design components from Jet and that they will grow both brands separately in the short term.

"Over time, piece-by-piece, we will end up running a business that is simpler and not completely independent."

McMillon said Lore would run its new US e-commerce business. Lore had cofounded Quidsi Inc, the owner of sites like Diapers and Soap, which was sold to Amazon.

"Marc's e-commerce experience and success are obviously attractive," McMillon said.

Wal-Mart's current head of global e-commerce Neil Ashe will leave the company at the end of the fiscal year.

Reuters
A BP gas station is reflected in a puddle in Moscow. [Photo/Agencies]

British oil major BP Plc is seeking buyers for its 50 percent stake in a Chinese petrochemicals joint venture, its single largest investment in China, in a deal that would fetch $2 billion to $3 billion, people familiar with the matter said.

BP has hired an investment bank to sell its shareholding in Shanghai SECCO Petrochemical Co Ltd as part of a drive to cash out of businesses where it lacks control, the sources added.

A successful deal would mark BP's first significant exit from a business in China.

Situated in Caojing near Shanghai, SECCO is China's largest petrochemicals refinery and was built at a cost of $2.7 billion, according to BP's website.

State-owned China Petroleum & Chemical Corp, known as Sinopec, and one of its units hold the other half of SECCO, according to the website.

A London-based BP spokesman declined to comment, and Sinopec did not offer immediate comment.

SECCO, a venture formed in 2001, produces ethylene and propylene, which are used to make resins, plastics and synthetic rubbers.

While Sinopec has the right of first refusal on the potential sale, bankers said Chinese State-owned enterprises are unlikely to step in to buy the stake.

BP's stake has been marketed to existing refinery operators in China, including companies from Japan, South Korea and Europe, the sources added.

BP, like other global oil and gas companies, has been sharpening its focus on costs and core businesses as it reels from lower oil prices.

It has sold more than $50 billion of assets since the deadly 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill in order to pay for cleanup costs and legal bills. This year, it plans to offload between $3 billion and $5 billion worth of assets, of which $1.9 billion has been agreed, it said when releasing second-quarter earnings last month.
A worker examines steel products at a shipbuilding factory in Chongqing. Rao Guojun / For China Daily

Efforts to cut excess capacity and upgrade the sector are creating new problems as well as opportunities

Editor's note: As China presses on with its attempts to cut overcapacity in steel as part of its international obligations and national economic priorities, the going is getting tougher. On one side is the heart-rending saga of survival-oriented hundreds of thousands of workers - laid off by steel mills, and now desperately trying to learn new skills to find alternative employment in other fields. On the other is the recalcitrant section of the steel industry that is yet to align itself with the national targets for reduction in overcapacity. China Daily takes stock of the sweeping reforms that may yet transform the country's steel industry.

Wearing a red hat and waving a red flag, Jiang Qin, a woman in her 50s, now works to assist traffic police, persuading pedestrians and bike riders to obey traffic rules on a street in Hefei, capital of Anhui province in East China.

Along with 5,000 others, Jiang was laid off late last year when Magang (Group) Holding Co shut down its Hefei steel plant, amid a nationwide campaign to reduce overcapacity in the steel industry.

"It used to take me an hour and a half to get to work on crowded buses," said Jiang. "Now, I work near my home, earn 1,500 yuan ($225) a month. I am happy with my new job, because the job at the plant was no longer ideal as I'm getting old," she said.

Zhou Hanhua, 56, from Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei province, has a similar story to tell.

Laid off late last year from Wuhan Iron and Steel, Zhou is now a driver with Didi Chuxing, China's biggest car-hailing service provider.

Besides his earnings from his new job, Zhou still receives around 1,000 yuan a month from Wuhan Iron and Steel. "My monthly income is now as much as I earned at the prime time of Wuhan Iron and Steel," he said.

According to Didi, there are now 219,000 ex-steel workers working for the company across China. In Wuhan alone, 7,000 Didi drivers used to work for Wuhan Iron and Steel.

It is alright for some, but many of the laid-off workers are upset and worried about their future. Most are keen to try their luck in a new career.

Young people no longer regard jobs at State-owned enterprises or SOEs as "jobs for life". SOE salaries have halved in real terms, said another Zhou, also a former worker with Wuhan Iron and Steel.

"Nobody knows how long it will take for the sector to pick up again, if ever," he said. "It would be much better to try to find a new career."

Wuhan city government has organized two job fairs this year with 500 employers offering thousands of jobs. Wuhan Iron and Steel plans to cut another 10,000 jobs by December.

Despite every possible effort to cut production, China's steel industry set a new monthly output record of 69.5 million tons in June.

"Many small steel mills resumed production as prices rose in March and April," said Gao Haijian, Magang's chairman.

If small steel firms are not closed completely, it will be difficult to meet capacity reduction targets of 100 to 150 million tons by 2020, with 500,000 workers to be laid off.

This year alone, the country plans to eliminate 45 million tons with 180,000 workers set to be laid off, according to Xu Shaoshi, head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

But according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, only 13 million tons were cut in the first half of the year, 30 percent of the annual target.

The NDRC, however, has ordered authorities to meet their targets, warning that failure would lead to severe punishment.

"A proportion of China's steel mills do not meet environmental standards and should be shut down," said Ma Guoqiang, chairman of Wuhan Iron and Steel.

With more mergers and acquisitions, the steel sector would run more efficiently, said Chen Derong, president of Baosteel Group.

Ma of Wuhan Iron and Steel said restructuring is a must in cutting capacity and improving efficiency to create globally competitive firms.

In 2015, more than half of China's steel companies reported total losses of 65 billion yuan. Once a profit engine for China, iron and steel boomed while infrastructure investment fed demand for commodities such as steel and cement.

Now, as the economy cools, the production glut has become as burdensome as it was once bountiful.

Apart from capacity cuts, steel firms are struggling up the value chain with higher value-added products. Baosteel sees the auto, nuclear power and defense industries as possible alternatives for the waning construction industry, said Chen.

Magang plans to invest 7.7 billion yuan to upgrade 10 production lines. In 2014, it acquired a French company to help it improve its products and penetrate the European market.

Magang also has sent 15 teams to learn from auto and home appliance makers to better understand what they need.

"We will clearly understand customers' demands and this will help improve our competitiveness," said Gao of Magang.
China's machinery manufacturers will face tougher markets both domestically and overseas due to falling demand and the weak global economy, industry experts said on Tuesday.

According to data provided by the China Machinery Industry Federation, year-on-year growth of fixed-asset investment in the machinery sector in the first half of the current year was 3.07 percent, the lowest level since 2008.

Vice-President Chen Bin said the steel, coal, construction and oil industries experienced less demand during the period, which resulted in the slowdown in machinery investment.

"The machinery industry mainly serves those sectors. There is no sign of a rebound for those industries, which has led to our expectations for the machinery sector in the second half of the year continuing to be low," he said.

Chen said orders were not stable and the number of orders for the first six months grew by only 4.8 percent.

The export market, meanwhile, has been facing challenges posed by a weak world economy.

"Some countries are taking trade protectionist measures to help their own companies, which added to our difficulties in the export markets," Chen said.

Total exports by the industry in the first half stood at $182 billion in 2016, down 6.42 percent from last year, while imports during the same period dropped 7.51 percent to $127.8 billion.

Exports by China's private companies, which used to be the mainstay of the country's machinery exports, have been declining since the start of the year. Previous double-digit growth has turned to negative growth, the federation said.

For the first half, exports from the private sector declined by 0.66 percent year-on-year.

Export volumes by traditional large export provinces, including Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong, dropped by 2.55 percentage points to 5.47 percent year-on-year in the first half.

"The companies have to accelerate innovation in the manufacturing sector by closely cooperating with scientific and research institutions," Chen said.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Former Zanu-PF stalwarts Didymus Mutasa and Dzikamai Mavhaire say it feels good to be in the opposition especially at a time when the ruling party is consumed in endless succession fights and is also facing rising public anger.Speaking at the Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) rally in Chinhoyi on Saturday, both Mutasa and Mavhaire, who are former Cabinet ministers, said developments in Zanu-PF are embarrassing."Takadzingwa muZanu-PF tinozvitenda kwazvo izvozvo, nekuti ndingadai ndiri kunyarira kupi izvozvi, ndainyara zvakaipa kwazvo (I am happy that I am out of Zanu-PF otherwise I would be facing this embarrasment), even those who are still in Zanu-PF are ashamed," Mutasa said.The former State Security minister said Zanu-PF has collapsed and Mugabe is now clueless on how to solve the current economic woes."We must not be amazed that they are expelling party members, they will expel them until Mugabe and his wife remain the only members of Zanu-PF."They are now clueless on how to take this country forward; they are the ones who destroyed this country so they don't have the solution."If you ask about the $15 billion from diamonds, if you hear the president saying he doesn't know where the money is it means they have no clue to solve our crisis. Why doesn't he know?Mutasa also added that ZPF will send Mugabe packing in 2018."Mujuru is a humble person, we worked with her for a long time, come 2018 Zanu-PF will be history."And former Energy minister Mavhaire chipped in saying people must feel sorry for "old" Mugabe whom he said is now an "ancestor"."We cannot describe Mugabe as a young man no, neither can we call him grandfather but if we call him ancestor that is more like it."He must know that his time is now up, and due to his age, he doesn't know what to do with the current crisis but we must feel sorry for this old man."After ZPF had initially been banned from conducting the rally, Mavhaire also attacked the police."We were once arrested so there is nothing they can do to deter us. The police must refuse to be used by other political parties and they must know that things change. The soldiers and police must know that we are going to take over from Mugabe's government in 2018."
An employee of heavymachinery manufacturer Sany Group assembles construction machinery in a factory in Changsha, capital of Hunan province.[Photo/Xinhua]

Caterpillar, Doosan look at secondhand market prospects

Construction equipment makers are ramping up cooperation with auctioneers of secondhand equipment in China, because they are suffering from a prolonged sales slump amid this years' slowdown of the country's building boom.

Global major manufacturers of construction machines, such as Caterpillar Inc and Doosan Infracore Co Ltd are looking into businesses in the used gear market, of which the growth has already outpaced that of the new machine market.

Jeong Ouk-jin, vice-president of the sales and marketing department of Doosan Infracore China Co Ltd, said it has worked with Tiebaobei - China's largest secondhand construction equipment platform for both online and offline sales of the secondhand machines.

"The partnership is in line with our strategy to strengthen after-sales services," he said.

The Seoul-based manufacturing giant has helped its dealers find local buyers through auctions, pushing forward sales of the used machines, the executive said.

Last year, a total of 60 used models, including excavators and wheel-loaders worth more than 18 million yuan ($2.7 million) were sold in China through the platform, a report of tiebaobei shows.

China's construction machinery sector has been on a downward slope since 2012, as major players struggled with excess capacity created during the country's massive stimulus plan that followed the 2008 global financial crisis.

From 2011 to 2014, sales of new machines shrank nearly 50 percent while the secondhand market remained stable.

Fan Jianshe, the founder of Tiebaobei, built the business when the construction equipment market slowed down due to overcapacity. It has gathered secondhand gear, ranging from generators and vans, to heavy-duty trucks and diggers.

He said that the market value of secondhand sales already reached more than 400 billion yuan in 2015, while the traditional market fell to 350 billion yuan during the same period from 600 billion yuan in 2014.

"Though business conditions for construction equipment makers have started improving as China has cleared some of its excess, the market still needs to be strengthened," he said.

"I think it will need at least three to five years for the market to recover."
A young couple poses at "Love Tunnel" in Jiangning district, Nanjing, Jiangsu province, Aug 9, 2016. [Photo/IC]

BEIJING - Chinese people embrace their own "Valentine's Day" Tuesday, when lovers send each other gifts or have romantic candlelit meals together.

"Qixi" is a traditional Chinese festival on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. It is based on a 2,000-year-old legend of two lovers, Niu Lang and Zhi Nu, separated by a river, who can only meet once a year when a flock of magpies forms a bridge for them.

More people celebrating

As with other festivals, Qixi has become an excuse for shopping. Shopping malls, both online and brick-and-mortar, and department stores have numerous promotions on the day.

Lovers have romantic meals together.[Photo/IC]

Alibaba claims that the number of people searching key words such as flowers, roses, and chocolates on online shopping websites increases dramatically around Qixi.

Unmarried couples are generally more interested in Qixi gifts than the married. About 84 percent of flowers delivered at this time of year are roses. Of those who buy roses and chocolates, Alibaba says more than 90 percent are unmarried and more than 63 percent are between 18 and 29 years old.

But this does not mean that the middle-aged do not celebrate. Many middle-aged people in the survey said that they give their spouses presents on this day, but they tend to be household items.

A Chinese clerk shows a cake at a bakery in Bozhou city, China's Anhui province, Aug 10, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

A last chance to find a mate

The festival was originally a day for girls rather than couples to celebrate, and its original meaning had very little to do with love.

Wang Juan with the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Peking University, said that Qixi was for young women and girls to get together, do embroidery and pray for good needlework skills which in turn would help them find a partner.

Though people today rarely do needlework, finding a mate is still an important part of the day. Traditional, commercial matchmaking events are held in parks.

This year a bus driver in central China's Henan province came up with a new way for young people to meet their "Mr or Miss Right." Inspired by the love story of another bus driver Zhao Pengfei, Yun Xi, driver of Bus No 62 in Zhengzhou, the provincial capital city, has adorned his bus with wedding photos and romantic love stories.

A young man sends a gold necklace to his girlfriend in Beijing. [Photo/VCG]

Zhao, who works on Bus No 130 in Zhengzhou, met the love of life on his bus. In 2014, a girl lost her bus pass on his bus. Zhao told her he would look for it later, and asked for her phone number so he could call her if he got lucky, which he certainly did. He duly found the card and returned it to her that evening. They are now married.

Yun's plan is to ask his passengers for their WeChat details, so he can post their contact information in his bus.

"Most young people are too busy to meet new people," he said. "Buses are the most popular public transport, so I hope this can help them."

A day for reminiscences of youth and love

Qixi is not just for young people but holds meaning for older citizens.

Couples celebrate Qixi, or Chinese Valentine's Day, in wedding dresses when they got married half a century ago, Suining city, Sichuan province, Aug 8, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

Chen Yi, in his fifties, from Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan province, said he does not envy young people celebrating the festival, but is reminded of the good old days when he and his wife enjoyed a simple, romantic relationship.

"When we were young, we never celebrated western Valentine's Day, but we looked forward to Qixi a lot. I helped my girlfriend fetch water and sent her cakes. She sent me a handmade scarf as a present," Chen said. "In the afternoon, we walked along the track of the local stadium."

Guo Houchi, a college student from Changsha, remembers his mother telling him stories about Qixi.

"She told me that when she was young she would go out on the night of Qixi to see the stars in the sky and try to find Niu Lang and Zhi Nu. It sounded like such a romantic way to celebrate."

Qixi was listed as an example of national intangible cultural heritage by the State Council in 2006. Over the past decade, Chinese people have developed their own ways to celebrate the festival.

"The Festival is a miniature piece of culture. We should pay more attention to how these festivals encapsulate our traditions and reflect people's behavior today," said Professor Wang Juan.
MEXICO CITY - Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Yandong on Monday urged Chinese telecoms giant Huawei to continue making contribution to the implementation of China's innovation-driven development strategy.

Liu made the remarks while visiting the Latin America headquarters of Huawei, which is located in Mexico city.

Huawei, as a private enterprise, has established a successful path of "going global" and building an international brand through technological innovation and constantly enhancing its core competitiveness, said Liu.

President Xi Jinping told a national conference on science and technology in May that China must stick to the road of independent innovation with Chinese characteristics in a bid to realize the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and achieve the country's Two Centennial Goals -- to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020, and build a socialist modernized country by the middle of the 21th century, Liu noted.

Liu expressed her hope that Huawei could continue to undertake its historical and social responsibility, have the courage to meet new challenges and dare to be a pioneer, and play a positive role in deepening China's relations with Mexico and Latin America.
SHANGHAI/GUANGZHOU - When Shanghai INESA held its first technology meeting in 2010, a board erected at the door of the meeting room had almost nothing to display as there were no "decent" quality products at that time.

But things became different when the instruments and electronics products manufacturer held its second technology meeting two years later.

"We not only had new products, but also a whole set of solutions," said Wang Qiang, chairman of the State-owned enterprise (SOE) in East China's business hub Shanghai.

The company, founded in 1960, is shifting from traditional electronics production to new industries such as smart city construction and the Internet of Things.

At the end of 2015, after INESA acquired some private firms, its mixed-ownership subsidiaries accounted for 37.3 percent of assets and 56.4 percent of profits.

These changes reflect the substantial reforms in local SOEs in recent years in Shanghai, a city which has long taken the lead in such reforms, in policies, programs and practice.

SOE reforms play a vital role in the country's economic restructuring. Local SOEs account for about 47 percent of all the country's SOE assets, according to statistics released by the Finance Ministry last month.

In the first half of 2016, the total revenue and profit of local SOEs in Shanghai reached 1.4 trillion yuan ($213 billion) and 149 billion yuan respectively, both growing faster than the national average, according to official statistics.

Progress has also been made with other SOE reforms to boost innovation in Shanghai.

At Shanghai International Port Group, 16,000 employees (about 72 percent of staff) hold a total of 410 million shares (1.8 percent of the company).

"The staff used to care more about their own salaries than company profits. Now they pay more attention to the corporate operation and management," said Yan Jun, president of the State-owned enterprise.

Shanghai SOE reforms and performance have attracted investors. Late last month, an asset management company raised 15 billion yuan for an exchange-traded fund tracking an index of Shanghai SOEs, the first of its kind in Shanghai.

Shanghai will continue to make breakthroughs in capital management and accelerate the orderly flow of State-owned capital, said Jin Xingming, director of the Shanghai State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission.

Home to China's first free trade zone, Shanghai saw 6.7 percent growth in H1, the same as the national rate, according to official statistics.

Indicative of its restructuring progress, the tertiary sector accounted for more than 70 percent of the Shanghai's gross domestic product for the first time. Financial, information, and creative industries all showed double-digit growth.

"Innovation-driven development has brought more positive impact to Shanghai's economy," said Shen Xiaochu, head of the Shanghai Development and Reform Commission.

Robust private investment boosts upgrade

Restructuring has also taken place in other parts of the country. South China's Guangdong province, the country's main manufacturing hub, is demonstrating a healthier development pattern with strong private investment.

Guangdong's private investment during H1 saw 19.6 percent growth year on year, well ahead of the 2.8 percent recorded across the country. Private investment contributed to 90 percent of the total growth of investment in Guangdong over the same period..

Private investment can sensitively reflect the market environment. The rapid growth implies that the market is offering new opportunities, said Chen Hongyu, deputy head of the Guangdong economic society.

Statistics show that nearly 70 percent of private investment went into manufacturing and the tertiary industry.

Early restructuring moves have brought new energy to Guangdong's economy, with high-end manufacturing and Internet-related services growing as favored sectors for investment.

During the first half of the year, high-end manufacturing in the province registered 10 percent growth year on year. The Internet-related service sector saw a 43 percent annual growth in revenue.

Guangdong Incode Automation is a company focusing on the research and production of encoders used in industrial robotics. These days deputy general manager Luo Rihui has been busy listening to venture capital organizations from around the world.

"As long as we have the core technology, capital will automatically come to us," he said.

Guangdong-based appliance giant Midea launched a smart electric cooker last year, which sold at 3,000 yuan per set, about ten times the price of the old model.

Company chairman Fang Hongbo said, the new product has sold much better than the old one, which has highlighted the importance of quality-driven growth.

Ding Li, expert with the Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences, said that some traditional industries such as home appliances, textiles, furniture and porcelain in the province are embracing new technology and a business model for new development at a time when the economy is facing downward pressure.
During economic difficulties, China's export-oriented manufacturers may improve their performance through developing a diversified customer base, attaching more importance to logistics, and selling less unfinished goods than finished ones, according to a white paper issued by UPS on Tuesday in Shanghai.

The white paper attempts to provide practical advice to China's manufacturing sector which aims to remain competitive during the country's economic transformation. "Chinese export manufacturers should learn from industrial leaders who have implemented successful strategies to achieve better business performance and growth," said the report.

Chinese export manufacturers are facing challenges from both demand and supply: two of the most commonly-cited challenges are increasing competition from Chinese companies and decreasing demand from Chinese customers, added the report.

Export manufacturers are more pessimistic than before, with 29 percent of the companies saying the economy is worsecompared with 16 percent in 2014.

The report also advised a wider geographical footprint, serving a more diversified customer base of both B2B and B2C customers, understanding the role of logistics, priorities for the future, selling less unfinished goods than finished ones, as well as identifying the impact of emerging trends.

A total of 1,000 senior decision-makers in export manufacturing companies across China were interviewed for the report.

"Against a backdrop of intensifying pressures in China, it is clearer now than before that the future survival and success of export manufacturers would depend on their willingness to make changes to the way they do business," said Richard Loi, president of UPS China.

But Loi also ruled out price cuts as the optimal solution to remain competitive. Instead, higher quality products, showing an understanding of the customers' business and offering a faster and more efficient supply chain are the top reasons for customers to switch suppliers, he said.

"There is a need to shift from low prices to offering higher quality products and adding value by building a closer partnership with customers," Loi said.

Huang Yiping, professor at Peking University's National School of Development, believed the pillar industries that are used to support China's economy have been losing vitality for a long time, and there is an urgent need for new industries to drive the next round of economic growth.

"However, the majority of export manufacturers have yet to take the first step toward industry upgrading. What can be done to convert the successful experiences of leading companies into practical guidelines for tens of thousands of other companies in China? This is precisely the question this year's Made in China 2.0 report aims to tackle," Huang said.
An advertisement for e-commerce retailer JD.com Inc in Shanghai. [Photo/China Daily]

JD.com Inc, China's second biggest e-commerce company, reported revenue for the second quarter of 2016 that was within company forecasts, even as the growth rate continued a steady decline that is expected to continue.

The company, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's main rival in online shopping, said on Wednesday revenue for the quarter rose 42 percent to 65.2 billion yuan ($9.83 billion), within JD.com's forecast range of 64.2-66.2 billion yuan.

But the company is predicting an even sharper decline in growth for the third quarter, compounding concerns that China's e-commerce sector is saturating. JD.com's revenue from Amazon-like online direct sales rose 40 percent in the quarter, versus a 67 percent jump in sales from services and other businesses.JD.com now expects revenues for the third quarter to be 59-61 billion yuan, a rise of 34-38 percent from the same quarter in 2015.

Net losses were 132.1 million yuan ($19.92 million), compared to a loss of 510.4 million yuan in the previous year. The total value of merchandise transactions on JD.com's platforms was 108.7 billion yuan in the quarter, up 47 percent excluding online marketplace Paipai.com, which JD.com shut down.

Including Paipai's previous contribution to transactions for the previous year in the comparison, the second quarter's growth rate for value of merchandise sold would be 40 percent, according to Reuters calculations.

The company also gave an update on its share repurchase program it authorized in September, saying it had purchased 2.4 million ADSs for about $51.5 million. It has also entered into a structured repurchase agreement to lower the cost of acquiring shares.

JD.com shares were up around 3 percent at $23.10 in pre-market trading in New York, but well below the $29.53 price at the beginning of the year.
Aliyun will carry out strategic cooperation with IT service provider Digital China Holdings Ltd and global audit and advisory firm Deloitte to promote the development of cloud business. [Photo/IC]

Firm to open four overseas data centers by end of the year

Alibaba Group's cloud computing subsidiary Aliyun plans to open four overseas data centers in Japan, Europe, Australia and the Middle East by the end of this year, to speed up the global deployment of its cloud computing infrastructure.

It will also support more than 50 global leading software companies to launch businesses in the Chinese market next year and introduce world-advanced information technologies and solutions into China.

The first batch of partners includes 11 international software providers, such as software company SAP SE, SUSE Linux GmbH and data management and storage company Hitachi Data Systems.

"The total number of overseas users of Aliyun increased by 700 percent last year," Yu Sicheng, Aliyun's vice-president, said at the Computing Conference in Beijing on Tuesday.

Yu added its major services cover artificial intelligence, security and enterprise-class internet architecture. At present, the company has set up data centers in Hong Kong, Singapore and the United States.

Yu announced the company has established a strategic cooperative partnership with smartphone maker HTC Corp, to provide technical support and cloud services for HTC's VR devices brand HTC Vive to boost the virtual reality industry.

"It is an important integration for virtual reality and cloud computing industry. Aliyun, which has an advantage in cloud computing and developers' resources, could help HTC Vive to launch in China better and provide more fluent and abundant content for VR consumers," said Alvin Wang Graylin, who is in charge of HTC's VR business in China.

Moreover, Aliyun will carry out strategic cooperation with IT service provider Digital China Holdings Ltd and global audit and advisory firm Deloitte to promote the development of cloud business.

Charlie Dai, principal analyst at Forrester Research Inc, told China Daily: "The cloud market is growing rapidly both in China and abroad. The competition of cloud players is switching from infrastructure layer to the whole platform and value ecosystem."

"Aliyun's expansion of its data center footprint is critical for its globalization, not only to enable its global initiatives, but also to drive digital transformation in the local market of each region," he said.

The worldwide cloud services market is projected to grow 16.5 percent in 2016 to total $204 billion, up from $175 billion in 2015, according to consultancy Gartner Inc.
China's prestigious Tsinghua University is teaming up with the United States tech firm Cloudera Inc to meet the country's growing demand for big data talents.

Under the deal, Cloudera, which offers Apache Hadoop-based software and services, will provide free big data curriculum resources to Tsinghua University, to cultivate more talents that can fuel China's big data drive.

Apache Hadoop is an open-source software framework for distributed storage and distributed processing of very large data sets on computer clusters. Currently, most big data professionals learn and share their knowledge on the open-source online community.

Tsinghua University said it would offer five to 10 Hadoop courses to both undergraduates and post graduates. In addition to basic abilities, it will also work with Cloudera to focus on further research so as to promote the development of the global big data industry.

The partnership comes as China steps up efforts to encourage traditional enterprises to embrace big data and other cutting-edge tech to counter against slower economic growth. With Internet data centers building around the country, there is a big shortage of big data talents.

Cloudera, which chip giant Intel Corp invested $740 million into, is one of the pioneers in offering big data training services. The deal is also part of the US firm's broad efforts to tap into commercial opportunities in China.

Doug Cutting, Chief Architect of Cloudera and the co-creator of Apache Hadoop, said Chinese companies such as Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd all have been using Hadoop for many years and also contributed significantly to its development.

Research firm International Data Corp predicts that the global big data market will reach $23.8 billion this year.
Hong Xinyu, a 20-year-old college student from East China, said her dream is to see more Chinese women succeed in their ambition to be entrepreneurs.

Hong, China's representative at the G (irls)20 Summit in Beijing on Tuesday, told the international gathering that her plan is to open a workshop to help women who were unable to go to college get training in management and leadership.

"Chinese women still don't have enough opportunities to achieve career success," she said. "One important reason is that many of us lack leadership ability and entrepreneurship."

Twenty-four young womenchosen for their experience, ambition and learning ability from more than 1,700 applicants from G20 member countriesjoined this year's summit of G (irls) 20.

G (irls)20, established in 2009, is an organization based in Canada that is devoted to promoting greater female participation in the workforce around the world.

Farah Mohamed, head of G (irls)20, said that China stands out internationally for producing impressive examples of women who are in power, particularly in business.

"We have women being promoted to senior level jobs. We don't have enough, but we have more," she said. "The company Didi Chuxing, which just acquired the China business of Uber, is run by a woman. That's incredible, and we need to see more of that."

A report released last year by Hurun, the Shanghai wealth research firm best known for its "China Rich List", showed that eight of the world's top-10 richest self-made women are from China, compared with two from the United States.

Zhou Qunfei, who heads touch-screen maker Lens Technology, stormed to the top of the list with her $7.8 billion fortune.

The young women at Tuesday's meeting brought more ideas to increase the rate of female participation in the workforce around the world.

The G20 has agreed on a global "gender gap goal" that would translate into more than 100 million new jobs for women across the G20 nations.

According to the International Labor Organization, between 1995 and 2015, the proportion of female population in the global workforce decreased from 52.4 to 49.6 percent. Worldwide, the chances for women to participate in the labor market remain almost 27 percentage points lower than for men, according to the ILO.

Hong, a sociology major at Renmin University of China, is determined to push the mission forward.

"I am very interested in spending time with kids. I am also an amiable person. I will focus on elementary education of underprivileged groups."
A worker learns how to control a robotic arm in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, in July, in response to a rising local demand for robotics engineers. CHAI HUA/CHINA DAILY

Month after month, the national economic reports show basically the same growth rate. Nothing seems to have changed.

On the shop floor level, however, thousands of individuals are turning over a new leaf in their careers, evidence of a country in transition.

In Shenzhen, Guangdong province, a manufacturing powerhouse for the past 30 years, many old jobs are being phased out, and many new ones are up for grabs.

Wang Zaolin is an example. The 27-year-old former unit head of Foxconn, a Taiwan-based multinational company that outsources manufacturing for Apple, quit his job recently to study to become a robotics engineer.

A few months ago, Wang's unit trimmed its workforce by half.

"I used to be assigned to supervise up to 40 workers. Now it's only 20," he said. The workers had been replaced by robots.

As a graduate of a vocational school, Wang had been paid around 4,000 yuan ($600) a month. But he expects his wage to at least double after he masters programing, troubleshooting and maintaining artificial intelligence-driven machines that are a growing phenomenon in his city.

Many Shenzhen workers envy Wang's opportunity. Similar training facilities are few in the city.

Wang's school is called Linkway Intelligence Education (Shenzhen) and specializes in training former assembly-line workers. Wang is learning Programmable Logic Control, a basic skill for designing and controlling robots and a required course for becoming a robotics engineer.

Lian Guofu, director of the school, said the course in industrial robotics programming and applications is among the most popular lately. Opening in March, the school has trained 63 students and expects to quadruple that number in one year.

But training schools like Linkway are unlikely to keep up with demand. A number of factories don't bother to invest in education and some vocational schools have yet to be equipped.

In Dongguan, a smaller manufacturing city near Shenzhen, a school set up by Chitone Human Resource Chain is also finding robotics-related courses to be popular, according to Huang Tingsheng, the school's vice-director.

Across the Pearl River Delta area, many companies want to use robots on their assembly lines. Data provided by the International Federation of Robotics show that robots are also agents for creating new jobs.

Companies need robotics-trained talent just as much as they need robots, said Shang Zhenhua, director of the engineering center for Linkway Technology Development, parent of Linkway Intelligence Education.

In his company, at least 400 workers have been replaced by 200 robots in the last couple of years.


News / National

by Staff reporter

Respected Zanu-PF elder, Cephas Msipa, has advised President Robert Mugabe and the ruling party to listen to the growing voices of dissent in the country, warning that failure to do so would be tantamount to negating the values of the country's liberation struggle which cost the lives of so many Zimbabweans.Reflecting on today's Heroes Day commemorations in an interview with the Daily News at the weekend, Msipa - who affectionately calls Mugabe "muzukuru wangu" (my nephew) - said his heart bleeds each time he is confronted by the grinding poverty afflicting the majority of Zimbabweans, which has seen many people turning to street vending to survive.Msipa spoke as Mugabe and Zanu-PF are facing their biggest challenges since they came to power in April 1980, with the ruling party torn apart by its seemingly unstoppable factional and succession wars, and the nonagenarian facing growing calls from both within the former liberation movement and without to step down.Today's Heroes Day commemorations and tomorrow's Defence Forces Day are also being held at a time that the government is being rocked by escalating citizen unrest and waves of protests and riots against the country's deepening political and economic rot."When I move around in Harare, Bulawayo or Gweru people always ask me whether what is happening in the country is what we fought for. Indeed, is this what we suffered for? The fact that people are asking those questions tells me that something has gone wrong."I look around and see all these protests and I ask what is happening? Is this what we fought for?"We were fighting for peace, harmony and prosperity but as it is people are getting poorer by the day. There is grinding poverty all over and that is why people are now demanding answers," Msipa said with a tinge of regret in his voice.The retired politician, who has known Mugabe for more than 50 years, said it was dispiriting that Zimbabweans were today worse off than they were at the dawn of the country's independence in 1980, with leaders seemingly more intent on attacking each other than serving the people."As Zimbabweans, we are shouting at each other and not reaching out to each other. Isn't it time we think of something that can bring us together? What we should do is to say let us have an indaba to discuss the Zimbabwe we want."In my mind that should be the subject for discussion, and we would want as many people as possible to discuss that. Let Zimbabweans have a platform where they can air their views."As to who would lead this, I believe that for such a meeting to be successful it needs to be chaired by the president or his nominee, so that it is recognised and to compel all the leadership to be there to hear what people are saying," Msipa said.The former Cabinet minister, who has been consistent over the past two years in questioning Mugabe's recent political tactics and his failure to name a successor, said he was "very disappointed" that the ruling party was continuing to engage in its senseless bloodletting instead of focusing on the country's dying economy."This time is an opportunity to speak about the heroes we lost. I went through the struggle and I am disappointed that now instead of being united we seem to be splitting into different groups, expelling each other."I have been trying to think how many people between 1960 and 2014 have been expelled from the party. I cannot remember, but the whole emphasis should be on uniting the people. Maybe this can only stop when we have an agenda about the Zimbabwe we want," Msipa added.The pointed comments came amid the fact that Zanu-PF has since its formation in the early 1960s been characterised by seemingly intractable fights and purges, some of which have resulted in murders or the throwing of dissenters into filthy dungeons.Msipa said although he preferred not to speak about the country's challenges "as a retiree", the dire situation obtaining in Zimbabwe compelled him to add his voice to the growing cries for solutions."We are disintegrating and is that what we are going to hand over to the generations to come? Are they not going to blame us? Let us hand over this country in good shape."If we had to hand it today I am sure we would be ashamed. What will those who come after us learn from us? And can we say we have bequeathed to them unity and peace? So, at my age, yes I am retired but I am also thinking of the future."I want to see that we hand over this country to the future generation in good shape ... people who are united, people who have common goals, not people who are fighting for positions all the time."We want people who put the nation above party. I think as long as we think our parties are more important than the country then we are in trouble. Our country is very important. We are like people in a ship and we should not allow that ship to sink," Msipa asserted.Drawing lessons from the country's Unity Accord of 1987, he said it "boggles the mind that today no one seems to treasure unity anymore".
Following the implementation in January of harsher rules against bribes and gifts, provincial governments are abolishing special accounts that have been misused by officials to hide ill-gotten gains.

In August, the Guizhou government joined at least three other provinces in canceling a special bank account that officials had used to deposit money and remain under the radar of graft investigators, said Huang Wensheng, a senior official of the Guizhou provincial Discipline Inspection Committee.

The first "clean governance accounts" were established in the 1990s to reduce corruption while protecting the privacy of officials. Over a dozen provincial-level governments had established such accounts. Sichuan and Gansu province, as well as the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, recently eliminated them.

Usually, the accounts are managed by the local discipline inspection authorities and banks. The names of the depositor and the sum are not disclosed, and the money is turned over to the local treasury.

Zhuang Deshui, a professor at Peking University, explained that the accounts were designed as an outlet for officials who are remorseful.

"However, some officials have misused the service," Huang said.

"Many officials use the account as an umbrella or safe haven. For example, some corrupt officials only deposit bribes when they face an investigation," he said.

Hong Jinzhou, former mayor of Kaili in Guizhou, stood trial for accepting bribes last year. He was found to have accepted bribes on more than 380 occasions and had attempted to cover up his misdeeds by periodically depositing funds, amounting to over 55 million yuan ($8.3 million), in the clean governance fund.

"Many people have used the accounts to obstruct investigations," said Tang Yonghu, a discipline official in Tongren, Guizhou.

"These accounts have created more problems than they have solved," he said.

The cancellation of the accounts marks an even harsher crackdown on corruption and is in line with Party regulations.

Starting in January this year, a revised regulation issued by the Communist Party of China Central Committee banned officials from accepting gifts, money or gift cards.

According to the Guizhou regulation, officials must resolutely turn down any kind of money that may obstruct their duty.

If accepting the bribe is unavoidable, then it must be returned as soon as possible within the one-month deadline, it said.

If all means of returning the money have been exhausted, the money must be deposited with the discipline inspection authority along with the names of those involved, according to the regulation.
The Type-96B tank is expected to replace many of the PLA's old tanks. [Photo/China Daily]

China's military is likely to deploy the Type-96B tank as the pillar of its tank fleet, replacing most of its old models, observers said.

Gao Zhuo, a military observer in Shanghai who has close contact with the People's Liberation Army, told China Daily that the excellent capabilities of the Type-96B qualify it to be the backbone of China's tank force.

"The Type-96B is the strongest variant of the Type-96 family and is truly an advanced, third-generation main battle tank," he said. "The PLA will use it to replace the old tanks such as the Type-59 and Type-69 models."

His remarks came as the Type-96B delivered impressive performances in the ongoing Masters of Automobile and Tank Hardware competition, also known as the Tank Biathlon, at the Alabino training range in Moscow.

The PLA sent several Type-96B tanks to take part in the tank competition, the most watched part of the Russia-hosted International Army Games.

The eight-day individual part of the competition, which involved 54 teams from 17 countries, ended on Sunday, with the Chinese delegation scoring the highest.

All of the PLA's three teams were to compete in the semifinal that started on Tuesday.

By the end of last year, the Chinese military had more than 7,000 tanks in active service, including about 2,000 Type-96s and Type-96As, as well as about 600 Type-99s and Type-99As, so the majority of the PLA armored force is still equipped with tanks made several decades ago, according to foreign military analysts.

Huang Guozhi, senior editor at Modern Weaponry magazine, said that despite the fact that Type-99 series tanks are more advanced, their high price and limited production capacity mean that it's unrealistic for the PLA to purchase and deploy them on a large scale.

"Therefore, the Type-96B, with a better price and satisfactory capabilities, is very attractive to the Chinese and foreign militaries. It is the best option for the PLA to modernize its armored forces," he said.

According to an article posted by China North Industries Group Corp on its WeChat social media account, the Type-96Bcompared with its predecessors in the Type-96 familyhas a high-performance 125 mm smoothbore gun, an improved, more powerful engine, newly developed transmission gear and a state-of-the-art fire-control system.

Yu Shuo, a tank researcher in Beijing, said the Type-96B is among the latest achievements by the nation's land arms industry. He suggested that too much emphasis should not be placed on the results of the Tank Biathlon, as the experience gained is more important to the PLA.






Zhou Wenlong and his bride, Jiang Huizhu, celebrate Qixi Festival, or Chinese Valentine's Day, 180 meters in the air at a scenic zone in Pingjiang, Hunan province, on Tuesday. Their hammock is suspended under a glass-and-steel corridor hanging between mountains. Qixi Festival annually falls on the seventh day of the seventh month on the Chinese calendar, and this year it was on Aug 9. [Photo/Chinanews.com]
The Chinese ambassador to Japan on Tuesday rebuffed Tokyo's protests over the presence of Chinese ships around the Diaoyu Islands.

It is "natural" for them to operate in Chinese territory, ambassador Cheng Yonghua said after being summoned by Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday morning. Kishida lodged a protest over the increased number of Chinese vessels in waters around the Diaoyu Islands.

According to Japanese media, Japan has lodged at least six protests with China through various channels since Friday, on issues ranging from Chinese ships to an infrared camera on a Chinese oil and gas field exploration platform in the East China Sea.

It was reported that Cheng was also summoned on Friday by Japanese Vice-Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama after six Chinese coast guard vessels and six fishing vessels entered the waters.

Kyodo reported that Kishida told Cheng that China-Japan relations are "deteriorating badly". Cheng responded that it is normal for China's vessels to sail in its own territory.

The move comes as the number of Chinese coastguard ships around the Diaoyu Islands rose to as many as 13 on Tuesday, according to the Japanese coast guard - a record number since China started sending ships to the region in September 2012 after Japan "nationalized" the islands.

According to The Associated Press, Cheng told reporters as he left the ministry that the increase in China's fleet was to oversee the increased activity of Chinese fishing boats. The fishing season in the East China Sea has opened.

"Please understand that it's an effort by the Chinese side to avoid further complications in the situation," Cheng said.

Yu Zhirong, a maritime studies researcher at the China Maritime Development Research Center, said that because of disturbances from Japan, Chinese fishermen were forced several years ago to stop fishing in waters around the Diaoyu Islands, a traditional Chinese fishing ground.

"Now we are asserting our sovereignty rights. The protests made by Japan are unreasonable and null," Yu said.

Huang Dahui, a researcher on East Asia studies at Renmin University of China, said repeated protests by the Japanese side are driven by hidden political motives, including Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's efforts to amend his country's Constitution.

Japanese media reports say the recent escalation in China's activity may be seen as a warning against planned visits by members of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, which honors war dead including a number of war criminals, on the Aug 15 anniversary marking the end of World War II.

Also on Tuesday, Beijing said Tokyo is making a fuss by hyping a normal infrared camera installed on an oil and gas field exploration platform.

The remarks, made by the spokesperson's office of the Foreign Ministry, came after Japanese media said the Japanese government believes the move could help China improve its military capability in the East China Sea.

According to the office, the equipment the Japanese side mentioned is a normal infrared camera, and its aim is to observe the situation around the platform and ensure its security.

Zhang Yaozhong contributed to this story.
China's first recipient of a cochlear implant to restore hearing in 1995 remembers the experience as an adventure that was "totally worth it".

Lu Feng lost his hearing as a side-effect of drug use at age 21 and lived in silence for 10 years before getting the implant. Three months after the surgery, his hearing returned. He now owns an IT company.

"I am lucky. Most Chinese cannot land one," he said.

A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted device that helps overcome problems in the cochlea, a curling tube located in the inner ear. Its function is to convert the vibrations from sounds into electrical signals and transmit them to nerves that then send signals to the brain. There they are translated into recognizable sounds.

Implants are recommend for newborns with hearing loss and adults who lost their hearing as a result of accident or age, according to Dai Pu, vice-chairman of the Ear, Nose and Throat Department of the Chinese PLA General Hospital and head of the hospital's. School-age recipients can attend normal class activities. For newborns, the surgery should be done before 3 years old to secure the best possible outcome.

However, fewer than one-third of the children with hearing loss in China can get an implant, he said.

China now has roughly 30,000 newborns suffering hearing problems. Half of them require cochlear implants. Another 30,000 to 50,000 begin to display hearing problems at age 2 to 4, official figures show.

A cochlear implant costs about 200,000 yuan ($30,000) in China and generally has not been covered by health insurance programs. On the positive side, the central government began paying for implants for around 6,000 underprivileged children who suffer hearing loss each year.

"But there are still huge gaps, particularly with seniors," he said, urging the government to bring cochlear implants into insurance programs.

"For children, it's a matter of having an opportunity for a great future; for the old, it's about quality of life," he said.

Dig Howitt, chief operating officer of Cochlear Limited in Australia, the world's leading cochlear device manufacturer, said the procedure is covered by health insurance in many developed countries and is cost-effective in light of the contributions made by people who regained their hearing.

Adults in developed countries account for the majority of procedures - about 70 percent, according to Howitt. In China, 80 percent are children.
Sunset over the Hongjiannao Lake. [Photo provided to China Daily]

China's largest desert freshwater lake is in danger of drying up, experts have warned.

Hongjiannao Lake, on the border between Shaanxi province's Shenmu county and Ejin Horo Banner in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, has shrunk significantly in recent years, according to the Shenmu county government.

The water quality has also deteriorated, leaving the lake almost devoid of fish life and hitting the local population of relict gulls, which are classified as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

According to information issued by the county government, the surface area of the lake has decreased from 67 sq km in 1969 to 32.8 square kilometers today.

Since 2006, the water level of the lake has dropped by 30 cm to 60 cm annually, and the average water depth has dropped from 8.2 meters to less than 4 meters.

Data provided by Shaanxi Provincial Water Conservancy Department also shows that the pH value of the lake has now reached 9.8, making the water too alkaline to support most life. As a result, 17 species of wild freshwater fish, which originally lived in the lake, have now vanished.

As the lake disappears, an islet in its middle that was previously used by gulls to breed has become a peninsula, said Xiao Hong, researcher with the Northwest Institute of Endangered Animals.

Consequently, the population of relict gulls at Hongjiannao has declined from 7,700 nesting pairs in 2011 to just 2,000 last year.

At the present rate of decline, the lake will dry up entirely within 10 years, said Huo Xueqi, assistant to the president of the Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University.
Discussions held at seminar in Beijing over bilateral relations in light of missile deployment

The controversy surrounding the China visit of six lawmakers from the Republic of Korea demonstrates split opinion and the opposition ROK President Park Geun-hye faces in her decision to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system.

The six anti-THAAD lawmakers from the main opposition Minju Party of Korea, all in their first terms in the National Assembly, embarked on a three-day visit to Beijing on Monday. They attended a closed-door seminar on Chinese-ROK ties organized by the Chinese think tank Pangoal Institution on Tuesday.

Representatives from both sides had "in-depth, candid" discussions on certain bilateral issues, exchanged their opinions, and offered "constructive suggestions" to improve Beijing-Seoul ties, according to a brief statement issued after the meeting that included Chinese scholars and the visiting lawmakers.

No further comments were made by either side. The seminar was not open to the press at the request of the ROK's side.

Previous reports said they planned to discuss the deployment of the THAAD anti-missile system in the ROK with Chinese officials and scholars.

The six lawmakers faced strong opposition from the ROK's presidential office and media outlets before their visit to Beijing.

Park had urged the lawmakers to scrap the trip, which they said was made to discuss ways to prevent bilateral relations from deteriorating further, calling the missile system counterproductive.

During her meeting with senior presidential secretaries on Monday, Park denounced the visit because it further split public opinion over the THAAD deployment.

Park said she is ready to receive any criticism, as she believes THAAD is aimed at protecting South Koreans from nuclear and missile threats from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Wang Junsheng, a researcher in Asia-Pacific strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the lawmakers' visit mirrors the rifts over THAAD's deployment in the ROK, as opposition has been noted from not only politicians, but also local governments and residents.

"The visiting ROK lawmakers represent their voice, and they are here for the friendship between China and the ROK and their country's nation interests," Wang said.

"Their trip highlights the importance of high-level bilateral exchanges, which are now plunging into a chill, and the need to reduce strategic misunderstandings," he said.

Xinhua contributed to this story.
Graduates from normal universities in Hunan province interact with their potential employers at a job fair in Hengyang in March. More than 4,000 graduates participated in the event.[Peng Bin/For China Daily]

Miss Zhao, a graduate of Communication University of China, is visibly frustrated when she talks about her recent experience job hunting. Although Miss Zhao has a PhD as well as experience interning in a central media outlet, she says employers still prefer male applicants, and will sometimes choose a male applicant who holds only a bachelor's degree over a female applicant with a doctorate. She added that, for her, job interviews always include questions about when she plans to marry and have a child, and even about whether she plans to have a second baby.

This year will witness 7.65 million students graduate from universities and colleges across China. This summer is also the first employment season after the universal two-child policy came into effect. As a result, female graduates are facing more severe competition and pressure in job hunting.

Overt and covert gender discrimination floods recruitment notices. Examples of more explicit discrimination include: "only male," "male preferred," "married mother preferred," "higher educational background for female candidates," "appearance and height required" and "obligations of no marriage and no reproduction in certain years."

However, even covert discrimination can be quite obvious, such as when employers inquire about female applicants' marital status and thoughts on family planning, or stress that the position requires frequent overtime and is therefore more suitable for men.

According to a 2014 survey conducted by the Women's Studies Institute of China (WSIC), 86.18 percent of female graduates in Beijing, Hebei and Shandong say they have experienced gender discrimination while job hunting.

Marriage, childbearing and employment are all women's rights, and are protected by law, explained Ma Yan, a researcher with WSIC. However, Ma said, childbearing does increase costs to employers. For instance, in the wake of the universal two-child policy, many local governments have extend mandated maternity from one month to three.

Guo Ruilin, who works in human resources at a private pharmaceutical company, complained, "Normally, maternity impacts a woman's work for a year or two, but the company still pays them a salary and offers social security. A second child will double the costs." Additionally, according to tradition, women play a central role in domestic affairs. Many employers worry that running a household with two children will further divert women's attention and energy from work.

A number of experts believe the government should get involved in reducing the stigma and discrimination wrought by the two-child policy. Yin Xiaojun, an associate researcher at the Shanxi Academy of Social Sciences, suggested that the government offer financial subsidies or maternity bonuses to help reduce corporate costs. Peng Xizhe, director of Center for Population and Development Policy Studies under Fudan University, also thinks the government should take on some of the maternity costs since, "childbearing is a systematic project that all of society needs to pay attention to and care about."
A bartender mixes a baijiu-based cocktail at Capital Spirits in Beijing.[Photo by BRUNO MAESTRINI/CHINA DAILY]

BEIJING - Think China's traditional fiery tipple baijiu is too much? Try blending it with coffee, beer or even chocolate.

At a tasting event in the bar of Pop-Up Beijing, a home decor store in the city's Sanlitun district Saturday, Hannah from the United States changed her view about the high-proof, spicy liquor following a sip of coffee-infused baijiu.

Hannah tried baijiu in her first month in China and not surprisingly, disliked it. "It burned my throat when it went down," she said.

The concoction, however, offered a new experience, said Hannah, who ordered a shot of Moutai Iced Mocha -- baijiu mingled with coffee from Southwest China's Yunnan province. "The blend like this makes the flavor a little bit better and a little less strong," she said.

The new drink was a good start for first-timer Neil from England, who had never tried baijiu before. "I usually drink whisky or vodka, but now I am very curious about baijiu. I will try it sometimes," he said, adding that baijiu remains almost unheard of in England.

The tasting event was part of a campaign involving more than 40 bars and restaurants in 24 cities worldwide featuring everything from baijiu-inspired cocktails,liqueurs and infusions to chocolate, pizza and beer from Aug. 1-9 to celebrate the World Baijiu Day Tuesday.

The day was initiated last year by Beijing-based Canadian wine blogger Jim Boyce to raise the profile of baijiu outside China.

Data showed that in 2014, Chinese baijiu accounted for 37.5 percent of the world's total liquor output, but its share of the overseas market was less than 0.8 percent.

Boyce is satisfied with this year's campaign, in which each venue came up with their own creative ideas and contacted him through the World Baijiu Day website. "This year is bigger, and we have more ideas about baijiu innovations," he said.

Sam Cornthwaite, a co-founder of Beijing-based GoodWorks coffee and tea shop and also the bartender at Saturday's event, invented Moutai Iced Mocha and Hainan Island Iced Tea, which is a blend of baijiu and Yunnan tea.

"Baijiu actually changes with what else you mix it with and each brings out different nuances. That's why we are so excited to see how they can pair together and what they can pair with," said Cornthwaite.

The pairing is not always successful, though, he said. "We've tried 20 or 30 combinations, and only two succeeded."

China has a long tradition of serving its unique clear liquor in small shot glass that is often gulped all at once at the dinner table, commonly known as "ganbei." As clear as vodka baijiu has a taste all unto itself. Moutai and Wuliangye, both produced in Guizhou Province, southwest China, are the two most famous brands which Chinese leaders use to toast distinguished guests at state banquets.

Part of this year's theme is beyond "ganbei," which turns off many people.

"Like many others, I've had those reckless ganbei sessions that left me wondering if I could look at a bottle again," Boyce said.

"Everyone is used to just ganbei and ganbei. There's nothing wrong with it, but you don't taste baijiu because you don't have the time. All you have is the burn and the drunk," said Glenn Schuitman, a founding partner of the Pop-Up Beijing.

Schuitman insists on a strict "no ganbei" rule in his bar, believing that baijiu is to be appreciated. "We should drink it like we do whisky: you have a small amount and sip it," he said.

Keen on baijiu culture, Boyce said he has been met with doubts. For example, some baijiu producers questioned his intention and asked if joining the World Baijiu Day would cost them anything.

"I said I was just trying to promote baijiu and I did it just for fun," Boyce said.
A plane of China Eastern lands at Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong province, March 25, 2016. [Photo/IC]

Passengers using mobile phones on planes might face 50,000 yuan ($7,515) fine, according to a latest draft amendment to the country's Civil Aviation Law that was published on Monday by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

The draft amendment has added a new chapter regulating 14 types of behaviors that endanger civil aviation safety and disturb order.

The activities include using mobile phones, smoking, forcibly occupying seats, blocking channels and gates, breaking into airports and planes, beating crew and other workers, fighting, spreading rumors and causing troubles.

When people conduct behavior that does not fall under the Criminal Law but violates the Public Security Administration Punishment Law, they would face a fine up to 50,000 yuan.

The draft amendment has also revised articles to make the aviation companies shoulder more responsibility in ensuring flights safety and passengers' interests. Companies must set up sound management system to prevent and minimize civil aviation accidents.

When flights are delayed, the airlines should inform passengers and provide related services. Aviation companies are encouraged to buy insurance for passengers to secure travelers' interests.

If pilots intentionally break the law, their license will be cancelled, and they would be barred from any commercial flight activities for two years.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China published the draft amendment on its official website on Monday and people can email their opinions until Sept 6 to airlaw@caac.gov.cn, or fax 010-64016870.




News / National

by Staff reporter

Zimbabwe has defended its controversial imports ban which it says will bring stability to its distressed manufacturing industries despite causing a rift with South Africa (SA).The imports ban, invoked through Statutory Instrument (SI64) in June by government, is a subject of negotiations with South Africa whose economy has been seriously hurt by the restrictions which Zimbabwe's neighbour says violate regional trade protocols.But addressing Zanu-PF supporters who were commemorating Heroes Day at the National Heroes Acre, yesterday, President Robert Mugabe said the ban was necessary to protect local factories."We recently gazetted Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016, which seeks to manage the importation of certain products, as a way of supporting and resuscitating local industry," Mugabe told supporters.Mugabe said his government will not be cowed into lifting the ban as it was implemented to protect "local farmers" whose produce was being denied access in local shops due to the depreciation of the South African rand against the US dollar."Zvingachipa hazvo honguko vedu vemuno votokanda pasi havo mapadza? Kuvabatsira ikoko? Hapana nyika pasi pano isingazvidzivirire. (SA commodities might be cheaper yes, but should our farmers stop producing? Is that helpful? There is no nation on earth that doesn't protect itself)."He said that the country's manufacturing capacity, currently around 34 percent, was expected to remain stable due to the latest move.The government imposed a ban on the importation of a number of basic consumer goods in June, saying this was an endeavour to not only reduce imports in the wake of worsening cash shortages, but also to stimulate local industry.But the decision backfired spectacularly when deadly riots paralysed operations at Beitbridge Border Post early in July, with protesters burning a Zimra warehouse in the process.Under SI64 of 2016, the government banned the importation of coffee creamers, Camphor creams, white petroleum jellies, body creams, baked beans, potato crisps, cereals, bottled water, mayonnaise, salad cream, peanut butter, jam, maheu, canned fruits and vegetables, pizza bases, yoghurts, flavoured milk, dairy juice blends, ice-creams, cultured milk and cheese, among other products.A trade war is looming between the two countries after South Africa was miffed by Zimbabwe's imports ban on basic consumer goods which has hit its economy hard.Last week, Industry and Commerce minister Mike Bimha had an uncomfortable meeting with his SA counterpart Rob Davies  whose government has given Zimbabwe a two-week ultimatum to resolve the contentious issue.Speaking to SA media, Davies said the two countries had to resolve their trade impasse before a Southern African Development Community (Sadc) meeting of trade ministers that is scheduled to take place in Botswana later this month."On August 24, there should be an agreement reached where there are a series of surcharges and additional tariff increases that were applicable to the export interests of SA," a diplomatic Davies said, adding that Zimbabwe should have followed proper Sadc protocols before effecting the ban.Under Sadc protocols, which regulate inter-State trade, a member country is allowed to adopt protection measures provided it demonstrates that its industries are under distress."We believe that the coherence of the integrity of the regional trade agreement should be followed procedurally," Davies said further, also noting that SA has identified 112 out of 1 000 tariff lines that it did not believe Zimbabwe had the capacity to produce, and which it had asked its neighbour to rethink about and provide feedback.Davies said Zimbabwe should have followed a process under the Sadc protocol that sets out procedural requirements before cutting trade ties."Should there be any variation in the application under those commitments, there should be an application to the council of the ministers of Trade," he said.SA is Zimbabwe's biggest trade partner within Sadc and exports manufactured and agro-processed goods to its northern neighbour.Should Zimbabwe do this, it would be able to work out a win-win solution with SA.
TAIYUAN -- A total of 23 people were detained after police in North China's Shanxi province busted a drug-trafficking ring, authorities said on Wednesday.

Last October, police caught a suspect surnamed Liu, who was transporting drugs to buyers in Liulin county, Shanxi.

This led to the capture of more suspects in Hubei province. A total of 23 people were detained and 47 people were fined for using drugs.

Police also seized more than 1,400 grams of methamphetamine.

The main suspect, surnamed Zhang, is a woman living in Tianmen city, Hubei. She used cosmetics sales as a front to recruit agents to deal drugs, police said. Further investigation is under way.
Photo of Jia Jia in 2015. [Photo/IC]

Jia Jia, the longest-living captive panda in the world, had her 38th birthday in Hong Kong Ocean Park on Monday, and is 114 in human years, reported cnr.cn.

As a senior, Jia Jia has a good appetite for seven kilograms of fresh bamboo shoots, bamboo and fruits each day. All the bamboo shoots are pre-ordered and transported from Guangdong on a daily basis.

Her weight is stable at 73 kilograms, which is within the normal range.

But the panda takes drugs for hypertension everyday since she was diagnosed with high blood pressure at 24.

Pandas are more vulnerable to illnesses like tooth problems, joint problems and eye problems as they age.

Besides, her eyesight has degenerated and she was diagnosed with cataracts in 2005, so she can only detect light and her vision is blurry.

The park invested a large sum to build a suitable habitat for the panda, keeping the temperature to a range of 18 to 24 degrees Celsius indoors.

There is good circulation in her enclosure and Jia Jia has her own field of 200 square meters to live in.

The staff changes the surroundings now and then to keep the environment fresh and interesting for the panda. Toys are also designed to entertain her.
China launched the Gaofen-3 high-resolution Earth observation satellite on Wednesday morning, the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense said.

The satellite blasted off at 6:55 am atop a Long March 4C rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province, carrying a C-band synthetic aptitude radar with a 1-meter ground image resolution, according to a statement from the administration, which oversees Chinas space programs.

Developed by the China Academy of Space Technology in Beijing, Gaofen-3 is capable of generating radar images in all weathers and can work around the clock. It will play an important role in monitoring the marine environment, and islands and reefs, as well as ships and oil rigs, said Xu Fuxiang, head of the Gaofen-3 project at the academy.

The Gaofen-3 will also play a role in disaster prevention, assessment and relief, which currently relies on imported satellite data, he added.

China launched the Gaofen project in May 2010 and has listed it as one of the 16 national important projects in science and technology. The project aims to form a space-based, high-resolution Earth observation network.

The first in the system, Gaofen-1, was sent into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China in April 2013. Another four Gaofen satellites were launched in 2014 and 2015.

zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn
Chinese biologist Han Chunyu has provided his experimental data to Nature as requested to help peer researchers replicate his work, but the controversy has not gone away, according to the journal's website.

Meanwhile Han has been working to replicate his own work.

The incident now is evolving into battle between the widely recognized gene editing tool CRISPR  Cas9 and a potentially better substitute called NgAgo, presented by Han, a geneticist at Hebei University of Science and Technology.

Three months ago, Han reported that the enzyme NgAgo can be used to edit human genes, and an article was published in Nature Biotechnology. However, some researchers said they had been unable to replicate Han's work.

The journal, in response, initiated an investigation and asked Han last week to submit his experimental protocols and original data. The investigation is still underway.

One of the protocols warned that the magnesium level in cells needed to be maintained.

Gaetan Burgio, a geneticist at Australian National University in Canberra, told Nature there was little new in the protocol Han shared.

"That doesn't make any sense to me," he said. Burgio reported on his blog that he had failed to replicate Han's results, which further pushed the controversy into worldwide spotlight.

A Chinese biology researcher in Beijing who asked for anonymity told China Daily that Han's updating of his protocol is a good start.

"Science and research is hard and takes time. We should allow for more time and patience," the researcher said.

Lluis Montoliu, a geneticist at the Spanish National Centre for Biotechnology in Madrid, previously recommended in an e-mail to colleagues at the International Society for Transgenic Technologies that any project involving the use of NgAgo for gene editing should be abandoned.

It's to "avoid wasting time, money, animals and people", the e-mail said.

The Beijing researcher, however, said efforts to push science ahead should never stop. "It's still too early to give a death sentence to NgAgo," the researcher said.

NgAgo, a new approach to gene editing, was touted as being more precise than the mainstream CRISPR  Cas9 approach. CRISPR uses small genetic sequences to guide an enzyme to cut DNA at a particular location, but it sometimes cuts the wrong genes. NgAgo allegedly had no such off-target problems.

Han is known for focusing on his research and maintaining a low-key lifestyle. The article about him on Nature's website said he didn't like to travel, and a trip to visit a collaborator in Hangzhou in March was the first time the 42-year-old had ever boarded a plane.

Contact the writer at shanjuan@chinadaily.com.cn
Zhang Yiping recounts her underwater adventures in her new book. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Zhang Yiping tried scuba diving for the first time 10 years ago and fell in love with it.

Since then the Hangzhou native, who works as a web editor with the Zhejiang Daily media group, has dived all around the world.

In her new book, Three Thousand Meters Under the Sea - A Decade of Diving, Zhang recounts her adventures in the underwater world. The Chinese-language book was published by China Financial & Economic Publishing House in June.

How deep can one dive? Do sharks bite divers?

These questions from readers during the book launch in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, last month reminded Zhang of her first dive.

"I was so nervous that I held the dive instructor's hand very tight," Zhang says of her first diving experience, in Lombok island, Indonesia, in 2005.

But Zhang says her fear faded as she saw fish swimming in the coral reefs and she spotted a sea turtle.

"I felt a sense of urgency on my way back," Zhang says to an audience who had little knowledge of the sport.

"But this was because all of a sudden the map of the world waiting for me to explore expanded - the blue ocean was added."

Recreational diving has long been a popular leisure activity in the West, but there were few people who could provide such training on the Chinese mainland a decade ago.

The author, in her 30s, says in the book that she managed to find a Hong Kong instructor on Phuket island in Thailand. She was certified as an open-water diver in 2006.

A year later, she was trained in Malaysia to become an advanced open-water diver, which allowed her to dive to depths between 30 and 40 meters.

In the book, Zhang also tells of her encounters with different types of marine life, and tries to correct public misconceptions.

"People think sharks are very dangerous. But the fact is most sharks are afraid of people, and only very few attack people when they feel danger or mistake humans for seals," Zhang writes.

Zhang says in the book that during a diving trip in the Galapagos, a Pacific archipelago 1,000 kilometers west of Ecuador, she saw hammerhead sharks.
Eric Abrahamsen has remained devoted to introducing Chinese literature to Western readers for years.[Photo by Feng Yongbin/ China Daily]

A longtime promoter of Chinese literature will return to the US this fall, but his mission continues, Yang Yang says.

After living in China for 15 years, American Eric Abrahamsen is returning to his hometown, Seattle, late this year. He is the founder of Paper Republic, a company devoted to translating Chinese literature and introducing it to the West.

He plans to go to the Frankfurt Book Fair in October to seek cooperation opportunities to publish Chinese books in other languages.

"In the US, we will do the same thing we have been doing here-to bridge the cultural communication between the two sides," he says as we walk from the courtyard where his office is located to a nearby cafe in Beijing's Dashilan on a humid hot day.

Abrahamsen founded the Paper Republic website in 2007. At first, he invited other Chinese learners to share online the books they had been reading and translating. In 2011, Paper Republic started to do its own projects and in the past two years, the business has grown.

At first, he found it difficult to persuade foreign publishers to buy Chinese books.

"They didn't know good books and writers in China. They all think it's risky to buy Chinese books because, compared with domestic books, they have to pay extra money for translation and spend a longer time to make the book," he says.

As a result, Abrahamsen developed other programs to provide information about Chinese books and writers. His role has gradually changed from translator to consultant, and his promotions included Northern Girls by Sheng Keyi, published by Penguin in June. He translated some sample chapters and wrote the introduction of the book.

"I love the novel. The language is very vivid, full of vitality. I love the way the story was told and how the writer dealt with the power sex has on a girl,which I've not seen in other Chinese writers' works," he says.

He also was involved in the promotion of The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin, but decided not to translate it to English because the trilogy is too long. The third book in the series, Death's End, is coming out soon.

Other successful promotions include Ge Fei's The Invisibility Cloak, which is coming out in October, and Jia Pingwa's Happy.

About two meters tall, Abrahamsen speaks fluent Chinese with little accent. With his profound understanding of both Chinese and Western literature, he is often invited to translate and interpret for cultural exchanges, such as during a dialogue between Irish writer Colm Toibin and Chinese writers in Beijing last year.

Born in 1978, Abrahamsen visited China at age 10, which left good memories. Ten years later, he came to visit China's west, eager to master Chinese.
Dancers peform at the launch ceremony of the Hulunbuir Nomadic Music Festival at CRI's Beijing headquarters on August 9, 2016. [Photo/CRIENGLISH.com]

The 2016 Hulunbuir Nomadic Music Festival is set to kick off this weekend.

As the main sponsor of the event, China Radio International has hosted a launch ceremony right here in its Beijing headquarters, giving audiences a preview of what's to come.

Besides CRI, the city of Hulunbuir in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and a number of other organizations are also sponsoring the festival, which aims to promote the spirit the "Belt and Road" initiative and introduce Hulunbuir's music and culture to the world.

Located in the northeastern tip of China, Hulunbuir borders Russia and Mongolia and is known for its scenic grasslands, lakes and a diverse ethnic makeup of its population.

Organizers of the festival say they plan to minimize the carbon footprint of this weekend's activities and host an environmentally friendly musical fest.

A music album produced as part of the festival will also be submitted for consideration at the 2017 Grammy awards.

The Hulunbuir Nomadic Music Festival kicks off in the northeastern city on Saturday.
[Photo by Ian Callison/chinadaily.com.cn]

I have an addiction to coffee.

Back home in the States, my daily routine consisted of at least two cups of coffee a day. Without it, I'm exhausted, get headaches, and generally unproductive.

But coffee is more than a commodity to me. I genuinely love it. Drinking and brewing coffee is something of a hobby for me.

Expecting coffee to be hard to find in Beijing, I tried to wean myself off of my reliance in the weeks preceding my trip. As I had understood, the prominence of tea replaced the role of coffee here in China, and so I landed in Beijing expecting java to be hard to find.

To my surprise, however, the coffee industry is experiencing rapid growth in China. Coffee franchises, from Caffe Bene to Costa Coffee are setting up shops across the country, and, though the tea industry is far from fading, it suggests a rise in coffees popularity.

Coffee culture in Beijing, however, is quite different than it is elsewhere. In China, coffee isnt a commodity, but rather a social experience. Starbucks has designed their interiors large and comfortable to encourage drinkers to stay and socialize, seemingly opting out of the grab-and-go stalls found across the USA.

There's more, though. Not only is the environment of these familiar franchises different, but the menus vary, too. I was shocked when I visited a Starbucks on Huixin Dongjie and they didnt have coffee.

Okay, thats not entirely true. Let me amend that: they had coffee options available, including some unique Chinese variations on the frappes and lattes. All of this particular locations coffee options were espresso based, however. Dont get me wrong, espresso is definitely, very much coffee.

In the United States, however, one of the most common drinks is straight coffee. No espresso, but simple coffee made in a drip filter. There are huge degrees of variation within straight coffee, from Folgers brewed on an old-school pot to my favorite, specialty coffee brewed in pour-over fashion.

After walking out of that Starbucks with an Americano (which, interestingly, is a drink that originated in Europe and is relatively uncommon in the States) I made it my mission to find some of Beijings best coffee shops.

So, for those of you looking for coffee in its form, whether youre a long-time drinker or looking to try something new, here are five coffee shops (ranked in no particular order) in Beijing worth trying.
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

License for publishing multimedia online 0108263



10120170006

Registration Number: 130349  11010502032503

[2011]0283-097 ICP13028878-6
A screen shot of the 2016 recruiting video for the People's Liberation Army titled Battle Declaration.

THE STATE COUNCIL, China's Cabinet, recently issued a guideline on armed forces recruitment which states that refusing to serve in the military or not allowing the military to requisition resources should be noted in people's credit records. Beijing Youth Daily comments:

To wear a military uniform used to be the dream of young people in the 1970s and 1980s. However, the reality now is that a military profession is no longer a favored choice among young people and the military finds recruitment increasingly difficult.

There are many reasons for this, such as more choices for young people. But the root problem lies in the lack of punishment for those refusing to serve in the military. The law clearly says that every Chinese citizen has the obligation to serve in the military, but in reality seldom has anybody received any penalty for refusing to do so.

That's rather detrimental to China's military strength. It is necessary to take measures to ensure that more young people are willing to join the armed forces.

Many countries have punishments for those refusing military service. For example, in the neighboring Republic of Korea, male citizens between 20 and 30 years old must serve in the military, those refusing face a prison sentence of one to three years. Only with such punishments can the country effectively ensure it has the necessary military strength.

In China too, the law says that those refusing to render military service cannot be employed as civil servants or other State employees. However, the law is not well regulated and some lawbreakers have escaped their deserved penalty.

The new guideline comes in time, because it is more executablecredit records are directly linked with residents' daily lives. So we expect the new guideline to help strengthen China's national defense.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Zanu-PF faction rallying behind embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, which has been at the receiving end of savage mauling over the past few months by its avowed party foes, the Generation 40 (G40) group, is said to be fighting back with "malicious intent".Well-placed Zanu-PF sources told the Daily News yesterday that the feeling among many in the camp was that they now had "very little to lose anymore" after suffering serious setbacks since late last year, including having many of their kingpins unceremoniously chucked out of the warring ruling ground."After a lull in this mindless war, there are renewed fears within the party that we could soon witness blood on the shop floor, as the stakes are very high. Indeed, Team Lacoste is fighting back with malicious intent like cornered wild animals."They feel they have little to lose anymore, which is why you have since the beginning of this week even been seeing some of their big guns breathing fire in State media and threatening the G40 with all kinds of serious action."(Defence Forces Commander General Constantino) Chiwenga's weekend interview did not help matters as well as it was interpreted in some party sections as a factional rant and threat," a Zanu-PF bigwig said.So bad are the renewed factional and succession wars ravaging Zanu-PF that Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo - said to be a G40 kingpin - suggested yesterday that he and others in the party were being persecuted for rallying behind President Robert Mugabe in the former liberation movement's ugly and seemingly unstoppable ructions.Moyo's comments came as "burglars" broke into his New Government Complex offices at the weekend, and sprinkled an unknown brown substance on his chair.A miffed Moyo told the Daily News yesterday that the suspicious break-in, which was being investigated by police, was both "shocking and unprecedented"."This is shocking and unprecedented, although it's no reason to fear anyone or anything."We will continue unfazed and with renewed determination to assist ... Mugabe to discharge his electoral mandate," he said cryptically.The G40 faction stands accused of being rabidly opposed to Mnangagwa ever taking over from Mugabe, with Moyo said to be the brains behind the group along with Zanu-PF national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere and Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko among other senior party officials.What makes the fears that the succession battle consuming Zanu-PF could now turn bloody is the fact that the language being used by the combatants has taken a turn for the worse, amid an increased incidence of mysterious break-ins at the offices of senior government officials.Since his appointment as one of Mugabe's deputies in late 2014, Mnangagwa's offices at the New Government Complex and at Zanu-PF Headquarters have been broken into a record six times with authorities vainly pledging to bring the culprits to book each time that this has happened.Up to today, no one has been apprehended in connection with the vexing break-ins, leaving both observers and petrified Zanu-PF members to speculate that all these "burglaries" are inside jobs related to the ruling party's deadly succession wars.This is said to be the case, more so after Mnangagwa's secretary had to be hospitalised after being poisoned with suspected cyanide in one of these break-ins.In January last year, "burglars" also broke into the offices of the then Transport minister, Obert Mpofu, with police saying nothing was stolen from the offices.This was followed by another burglary at Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku's Mashonganyika Building offices where the assailants stole a desktop computer and a television set.A few days later, four judges also reported that they had lost keys to their offices, prompting the Judicial Service Commission to urgently request police security at the Supreme and Constitutional courts.
Residents chant slogans during a protest against government's decision on deploying a US THAAD anti-missile defense unit in Seongju, Republic of Korea (ROK), July 13, 2016. The banner reads "Desperately oppose deploying THAAD in Seongju". [Photo/VCG]

WHEN MEETING LOCAL LEGISLATORS in Seongju-gun, Park Geun-hye, president of the Republic of Korea, said that she might consider changing the location for the deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system. But that does not mean she is changing her mind about deploying THAAD in the ROK, even though such deployment will damage Sino-ROK relations, Haiwainet.com says:

While Park and her pro-conservative ruling party have emphasized the importance of dispelling the threat of attack from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, some in the ROK worry THAAD might turn China and Russia into enemies of the ROK.

Seongju-gun residents, especially, oppose the deployment of THAAD in their neighborhood. That's why Park said she might reconsider where THAAD is deployed.

But it is unrealistic to expect Park to truly change the site for THAAD, because if Seongju-gun succeeds in opposing it, other places might protest, too. Thus Park and her government will very likely insist on going ahead with the deployment in Seongju-gun.

The expectation that Park might delay or even postpone deploying THAAD is even more unrealistic because Park and her government have already mobilized ample resources for it. If they change their mind, that would be a huge blow to Park's authority. Just as the spokesperson for Park announced, what can be discussed is another location in the same administrative area, not a reconsideration of the decision about deployment.

It should be noted, however, that as the ROK insists on deploying THAAD, it must be prepared for a sourer relationship with China.

THAAD will also make regional affairs more complicated, because it will start an arms race between the ROK and DPRK. Both sides have been blaming each other and strengthening their military capabilities. The ROK should not forget that the system will definitely lead to escalations of military facilities across the Korean Peninsula, which by itself will likely expose Seoul to more risks.

The only side that profits from the situation is the United States. By successfully distancing China and the ROK from each other, the US has secured its alliance with the ROK and the ground for the continued presence of US military bases there.
Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko wave to well-wishers who gathered to celebrate the monarch's 79th birthday at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo Dec 23, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

In a video address to the Japanese people on Monday, Japanese Emperor Akihito, 82, said he was concerned that his failing health would make it difficult for him to fully carry out his duties, which was widely interpreted as expressing his desire to abdicate.

In the address, Akihito said he is worried that it may become difficult for him to carry out his duties as the symbol of the state with his whole being, as he has done until now.

The emphasis on being the "symbol" of the state is believed to be Akihito's way of saying no to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's attempt to revise Japan's Constitution to restore the monarchy system of the past.

In a draft constitutional amendment, Abe and the Liberal Democratic Party elevate the emperor to the head of state, a move that is widely seen as a bigger change for Japan's system of governance than their proposed removal of Article 9 from Japan's postwar Constitution.

Japan's emperor is defined in the Constitution as a symbol of the "unity of the people" and has no political power. So Akihito's remarks about the need to put national peace and public happiness first and lend an attentive ear to the public has been interpreted as criticism of Abe's stubborn moves to revise Japan's national security pact and expand the overseas rights of its Self-Defense Forces in defiance of public opposition.

At the same time, the Japanese emperor also seemed dissatisfied with Abe's negative attitude toward his heir, 56-year-old Crown Prince Naruhito, becoming regent.

Akihito's hinting that he wants to abdicate is raising the issue of whether the Abe government should respect the emperor and the Constitution.

A recent opinion poll indicates that the vast majority of ordinary Japanese sympathize with the emperor's desire to retire.
Paramedics help injured outside Turkey's largest airport, Istanbul Ataturk, following an explosion on Tuesday. [Photo / Reuters]

In the decade up to 2014, the European Union could claim to be safer than the rest of the world, mainly because the number of terrorist attack victims decreased in the EU even as it increased globally. From 2009 to 2013, according to EU figures, 38 people died in terrorist attacks in the EU. In 2014, the number of terrorist victims within the EU was four, although many Europeans were killed in terrorist attacks in conflict zones outside the union.

But last year, things changed tragically: 151 people were killed and more than 360 injured in terrorist attacks in the EU, says the annual report of the European Police Office, the EU's law enforcement agency that started monitoring terrorist activities after the Sept 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

This year, the attacks have spread to Belgium, with explosions at the Brussels airport and metro in March killing 32 people. In July, an Islamic fanatic killed 84 people in the French Riviera city of Nice by driving a truck through a crowd watching Bastille's Day fireworks. And smaller-scale terrorist attacks, too, have occurred from time to time in other EU countries.

Terrorism attacks and activities have been rising in the EU, the EPO says, mainly because of the influence of the Islamic State group and increasing xenophobia and racialism across the bloc. The EPO says the overall threat to security in the EU remains on an upward trajectory. Some European politicians, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls for example, have even said Europe has to live with such a danger for a while.

The EU has tried to lighten the threat by saying on its website that terrorism is not a new phenomenon in Europe as EU states recorded 1,010 failed, foiled or completed attacks between 2009 and 2013. Last year, the total number of such attacks was 211.

The fact, however, is that the number of deaths has been rising rapidly, which shows the EUespecially France that has borne the brunt of such attacksneeds to intensify efforts to prevent and counter terrorism.

Some people say France is relatively safe, citing the uncertainty of life. They claim more people die in traffic accidents than in terrorist attacks. But this is absurd logic. In particular, since EU officials lay great emphasis on human rights and security, they should ensure that the threat of a terrorist attack within the bloc is minimum. If the situation doesn't get better soon, then the EU, a project aimed at establishing permanent regional peace, could face a potential credibility crisis now that the UK has dealt a serious blow to European unity by parting ways from the bloc.

Terrorist attacks act as a big "disruptive force" and affect a long chain of people both within and outside Europe. For example, a growing number of Chinese are concerned about the safety and security situation in Europe when they decide to invest, travel or send their children to study there. Some Chinese parents are even urging their children who are already settled or studying in London, Paris or Brussels to return to China.

Reactions in China and other non-EU countries will affect European businesses. The declining number of tourists to Europe is a telling indication of the things to come. So EU politicians must realize the severe consequences of continuing terrorist attacks in the bloc, because they could erode the attraction of Europe as an investment and tourism destination.

For the safety and prosperity of the EU, its politicians have to take strict measures to preempt terrorist attacks by launching a serious counter-offensive against terrorism, instead of saying the European Union has to live with it for some time.

The author is deputy chief of China Daily European Bureau

fujing@chinadaily.com.cn
"The laboratory will be application-priented, which fits the nation's strategies for the Belt and Road Initiative and the South China Sea."

Huang Banqin, a professor at Xiamen University's Enviroment and Ecology College, explains the purpose of the new laboratory China will open in November in Hainan province to explor the use of marine resources.
A horse figure that is part of an art installation at Nervous Nellie's Jams and Jellies in Deer Isle, Maine.[Photo/Agencies]

We left for Maine with three bicycles on the back of the car. One for him, one for her, one for any house guest who cared to ride along. There were other modest recreational plans for our three week vacation on the coast. Twice-weekly yoga at a local community center, a little kayaking, a little hiking maybe, and certainly walking the hilly streets of Bayside and admiring its gingerbread-house architecture.

That was all before my wife's broken ankle. On the second day of the trip.

By the end of the vacation, only one bike had been taken out. Only one of us had paddled the Penobscot. Mount Battie remained unconquered. And the yoga mat remained coiled and unused in a closet.

But as vacation disasters go, this was a relatively small one. The broken bone was Debbie's fibula, so she didn't need a cast, just a walking boot. Still, she couldn't walk much. So we had to rewrite our expectations and create a Maine vacation that was friendlier to the differently abled.

Nervous Nellie's Jams and Jellies

A wise friend who has vacationed in Maine countless times mentioned that some of her best times in the state had been just driving around. Sitting in the passenger seat did turn out to be a boundless source of pleasure for the injured one: the abundant Queen Anne's lace and tiger lilies that decorate the landscape, antiques stores and lobster shacks around every bend, wonderful vistas of inlets with bobbing boats, bridges connecting islands and peninsulas.

On one outing, to the 17th century French settlement at Castine, waiting for lobster rolls to arrive, a fellow diner at our picnic table recommended a stop on neighboring Deer Isle: Nervous Nellie's Jams and Jellies, which Google correctly categorizes as an art gallery.

Yes, there are jams, but the big attraction is the sprawling installation by metal artist Peter Beerits, which evokes an old Western town, complete with saloon, jail and 24 slightly menacing life-size characters.

No charge, although they take donations, and you do feel honor-bound to purchase a jar of something. There's a nice little cafe with coffee and tarts, too.

Farnsworth museum and Olson House

The Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland is a well-polished gem, with a collection of American works, especially Maine-influenced ones.

In this part of Maine, that means three generations of Wyeths: NC, Andrew and Jamie.

Equally important for our injured traveler, little walking was required. Both the main museum and an annex in a converted church have elevators. Galleries easily accommodate available wheelchairs, which, thankfully, we didn't need.

The Farnsworth also runs the Olson House in Cushing, about 20 minutes' drive away.
Chinese consumers are known to be fond of products made in Japan, and Amazon Japan has stepped in to capitalize on it.

Without much fanfare, the Seattle-based online retail giant's Japanese unit rolled out a website in Mandarin in June to tap into a billion-dollar market.

"Explosive purchase (baomai)" is a Japanese coinage that describes the pent-up buying habits of Chinese tourists visiting Japan primarily to buy large amounts of goods to take back home.

Chinese visitors spent 80 billion yuan ($1.2 billion) in Japan in the past year, according to Japanese tourist statistics. China's Ministry of Commerce says Chinese shoppers snapped up 1.2 trillion yuan worth of goods overseas in the past year.

"Looking at Amazon alone, cross-border sales are now nearly 25 percent of all third-party units sold on Amazon, and its coverage in 172 countries reached 189 markets last year," Michelle Tsai, head of marketing for China (in Shanghai) for channeladvisor.com, an e-commerce solutions provider based in North Carolina, told China Daily.

"Not satisfied with the homegrown success, Japanese brands are following the scent of money and are eager to tap the vast Chinese domestic market, and the quickest way to do it is through online marketplaces," she said. "With the significant demand for Japanese products in China, I imagine cross-border trade into China (will) yield significant dividends for Amazon."

The most popular Japanese brand is Zojirushi, maker of rice cookers, according to Ctrip. Over-the-counter medicines and cosmetics, however, are the top sellers (rice cookers are in fifth place).

Japanese medicines are known for their quality and safety, and Chinese are fond of them because they combine modern medicine with ingredients found in traditional Chinese medicine.

Amazon Japan also offers reduced shipping rates to mainland homes and businesses. Bloomberg.com said Amazon.com Inc is evolving in Asia to find new revenue streams from China, where Alibaba Group Holding Ltd dominates.

E-commerce demand from China to Japan is projected to almost triple to 2.34 trillion yen ($22.5 billion) in 2019, according to Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

"The opportunity is huge," Jasper Cheung, president of Amazon Japan, told bloomberg.com. "We have already increased the selection that we can export by the millions over the last several weeks."

Some Chinese shoppers who seek authentic Japanese products are concerned about product safety and counterfeits on some web stores in China.

Those concerns have helped send more than 3 million Chinese tourists to Japan this year, up over 40 percent, and are boosting demand for Amazon.co.jp, Wandou and other outlets selling Japanese goods, according to bloomberg.com.
Justice and peace can never be achieved just through the kindness and conscience of people of good will. For millions of victims of World War II, especially those who suffered the atrocities committed during Japan's invasion of neighboring Asian countries, bitterly sought justice can only be secured through laws and courts.

A US appellate court on Aug 4 ruled to uphold dismissal of a lawsuit against the city of Glendale, California, which demanded the removal of a memorial statue dedicated to the approximately 200,000 Asian "comfort women" which were forced into sex slavery by the invading Japanese Army during World War II.

The statue, erected after the proclamation of "Comfort Women Day" by the city of Glendale on July 30, 2012, and the passing of US House of Representatives Resolution 121 on July 30, 2007, depicted a girl in Korean garb, a comfort woman, sitting next to an empty chair.

In recent years, Japanese right-wingers and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet have acted provocatively - adhering to the "nationalization" of China's Diaoyu Islands, visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine which honors convicted war criminals among other war dead, and endorsing a reinterpretation of Japan's Pacifist Constitution for the right to collective self-defense - actions that fueled international concerns that Japan might return to its militaristic past.

The statue in Glendale, said the organizers, will remind the Japanese government to face up to its wartime crimes, accept historical responsibility and seek reconciliation with its Asian neighbors.

Most importantly, it will help raise awareness in the international community so atrocities of this kind never happen again.

After the statue went up in 2013, Michiko Shitota Gingery, a Japanese-American, filed a lawsuit against the city of Glendale calling for removal of the 1,100-pound bronze sculpture, alleging it exceeded the city's authority, infringed upon the federal government's power to conduct foreign affairs and disrupted the US relationship with Japan. She was backed by several members of Japan's House of Representatives.

I can't help but question Gingery's intention. I met several surviving comfort women - who are now in their 80s and 90s - in San Francisco last year when they flew from Korea to tell their stories at a meeting of the board of supervisors of San Francisco. The supervisors were meeting to discuss whether the city of San Francisco should agree to the construction of a comfort women memorial.

What the women suffered at a very young age was a nightmare. They are living testimonials to Japanese wartime crimes, violation of human rights and atrocities inflicted upon innocent civilians.

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw, in Pasadena, wrote in the ruling Thursday that the statue's intent was to advocate against "violations of human rights" and therefore was "well within the traditional responsibilities of (US) state and local governments."

"Here, by dedicating a local monument to the plight of the comfort women in World War II, Glendale has joined a long list of other American cities that have likewise used public monuments to express their views on events beyond our borders," Wardlaw wrote.

In the 23-page ruling, Wardlaw upheld the finding in late 2014 by the US District Court for the Central District of California about the case that "plaintiffs had not plausibly claimed that Glendale's actions were preempted under the foreign affairs doctrine," and "the District Court properly dismissed Plaintiffs' preemption claims."

During World War II, the Japanese army forced more than 200,000 Asian and Dutch women to act as sex slaves for their soldiers.

Over the decades the Japanese government has continued to deny the existence of "comfort women" and called the issue a "fabrication."

Anyone who denies, distorts or glosses over a history of savagery and aggression should find no place among the peace-loving people of the world.

Instead, we should always remember history's truths, memorialize the dead and comfort the wounded.

Contact the writer at junechang@chinadailyusa.com.
Instead of the Sunset Strip and Hollywood Boulevard, Liu Zichen, a Chinese student at a Los Angeles college, took his mother and aunt, both first-time visitors to the US, to the Getty Center, where an exhibition on Dunhuang art is on display.

Liu Zichen (left), a Chinese student at a Los Angeles college, and his mother (right) and aunt visit the Getty Center in Los Angeles on their summer vacation. LIA ZHU / CHINA DAILY

"I think it's more meaningful to spend a day at the museum, learning the stories behind those works of art and meeting people from different cultures," said Liu, a student at New York Film Academy's Los Angeles campus.

Hollywood, theme parks and shopping malls still top the lists for many Chinese tourists in Los Angeles. But more family travelers are taking to activities that offer a blend of educational and cultural experiences.

"Chinese tourists give the world an impression of taking photos and only buying things on their overseas tours," said Liu's mother. "We will go shopping, too, but learning different cultures and experiencing new ways of life are more important. That's the reason why we take this trip."

The mother said the family had taken annual vacations overseas for many years, and it was those tours that helped change their mindset about tourism.

"We want to learn about the real life of American people and how they think of China," she said. At the Getty Center, she was mostly impressed by the American audience's interest in the Dunhuang art. "They were so attentive. Some of them even took notes," she said.

At the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, China has overtaken Europe as the largest source of international visitors so far this year. The museum has launched a "China Ready" program, including Chinese-language guidebooks and a docent service, in response to the rising demand.

Family travelers are seeking not only new but also more immersive experiences. There is an increasing trend for more cultural or educational travel experiences that can be shared with friends and family, according to the family targeted work plan of Visit California, a nonprofit organization that promotes California on behalf of the state's tourism industry.

While the primary market for family travel is domestic, California has seen the economic benefits of the increasing number of international visitors with children.

Among those, Chinese families make up 25 percent, well ahead of Canada and Mexico, according to the work plan.

"We think the millennial, and potentially the younger kids, are all about personal enrichment, and there are a lot of synergies between California and young Chinese travelers that really want to discover the world," said Leona Reed, associate vice-president of global marketing with Visit California.

"They want to make themselves better and more educated," she said, adding that California offered the opportunity for tourists to meet different people and sample different cultures.

The reason is the growth of China's middle class, and more people can afford multiple overseas tours to seek intellectual experiences, said Charlie Gu, director of tourism with China Luxury Advisors, a Chinese consumer-strategy consultant. His firm helped launch the Chinese-language channel on WeChat for the Getty Center and Asian Art Museum.

"The major force of overseas Chinese tourists would be those born in the 1980s and 1990s, and many of them are interested in art," he said. "I often receive inquiries from tour operators about museums such as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. I believe museums will become a hot spot for Chinese family travelers."
News / National

by Thobekile Zhou

Zimbabwe People First (ZimFirst) National Spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire is preparing to hand himself over to the police on Thursday morning in Harare.Mawarire says he has been summoned by the dreaded Police Law and Order for questioning "in connection with Minister Jonathan Moyo""I have been called in by Police Law and Order for questioning in connection with Minister Jonathan Moyo. Not sure what the charges are."Am now going to hand in myself tomorrow (Thursday) in the company of my lawyer at 10 am," he posted on his twitter account.He joked saying he could be "the first to be charged of cyber terrorism".
Republican US presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks to the Trask Coliseum at University of North Carolina in Wilmington, North Carolina, US, August 9, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON - US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said on Tuesday he had no plan to change his temperament as the bellicose New Yorker was grappling with his sagging poll numbers following recent feud with a family of a fallen Muslim American soldier and leaders within his own party.

"I think that my temperament has gotten me here," said Trump in an interview with Fox Business Network. "I've always had a good temperament and it's gotten me here. We beat a lot of people in the primaries and now we have one person left, and we're actually doing pretty well there, but we'll see how it all comes out."

Rupture between Trump and the Republican leadership resurfaced after Trump derisively answered criticism from Khizr Khan, the father of the solider killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq.

During the Democratic National Convention held late July, Khan blasted Trump for his divisive remarks and proposal to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the country and divisive tone and implored voters to vote for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee.

Trump responded by implying that Ghazala Khan, who accompanied his husband on stage on the final day of the Democratic National Convention, was forbidden to speak by his husband.

Backlash to Trump's comments came in swiftly from both parties, with the press office of House Speaker Paul Ryan, the highest-ranking U.S. Republican officeholder, releasing a scathing statement without mentioning Trump's name that denounced "a religious test for entering our country."

"Many Muslim Americans have served valiantly in our military, and made the ultimate sacrifice. Captain Khan was one such brave example. His sacrifice- and that of Khizr and Ghazala Khan- should always be honored. Period," said the statement.

In a gesture of defiance, Trump initially refused to endorse Ryan and Senator John McCain, another leading GOP lawmaker and vocal critic of Trump, for their reelection bid for congressional seats.

Trump endorsed both men on Saturday, one of several steps to get his campaign back on track after recent polls showed that the edge of Clinton over him had been widened.

According to the RealClearPolitics national polling index, Clinton now leads Trump by 7.5 percent nationally, while at the end of July, the two stood even at 44.3 percent of support.
Portrait of a woman

When New York-based Raymond Watt came across an article on the BBC news website about a Chinese photography exhibition in the UK last November, he was shocked, to say the least.

The story about a collection of rare photographs of Beijing from the late 1800s, on show in London's Chinatown, included a number of images from the exhibit - one of which set Watt back on his heels.

"It was a picture I had never seen before and my instinct told me that the subjects could be my great grandparents," he told China Daily.

The article explained how British photographer, Thomas Child, who had moved to China as an engineer, captured marriage ceremonies during the late Qing dynasty - which spanned from 1644 to 1912.

It detailed how one particular photograph in the series depicted the daughter of the famous Chinese statesman, Zeng Guofan.

"My great, great grandfather was Zeng Guofan," Watt said.

The 79-year-old never expected when he was browsing the internet that day that he would uncover a piece of family history dating back some 140 years. Not to mention, in an exhibition some 3,500 miles away from where he lived.

According to Watt, the unique wedding photograph documents the moment of the start of the prominent Nie family in China.

"The family rose in importance in Shanghai from the late Qing dynasty into the twentieth century and went through more than 70 years of ups and downs until 1950," he said.

"The groom, Nie Jigui, served as Shanghai's Governor from 1890 to 1893, died in 1911 and was buried in Hunan, while the bride, Zeng Jifen, died in 1942 and was buried in Shanghai."

The display of Child's work at the China Exchange, an organization in London, was the first time US-based collector, Stephan Loewentheil, had shared the original images of life during the Qing dynasty in Peking, now known as Beijing.

While Watt's reaction to the never-before-seen photographs was by far the most compelling, the exhibition in Soho's Gerrard Street attracted worldwide attention, making headlines in the UK, the US, Europe and China.

"The success of the show reflected the increasing global interest in China's people and culture, as well as the interest of the people of China in preserving and studying their own history," said Loewentheil, who's Historical Photography of China Collection is the largest holding of late Qing dynasty photographs of China in private hands.

"Today, Beijing is a vastly different place and the early photographs presented a perspective on the city which had never been previously available."
Beijing welcomes former Philippines president Fidel Ramos' visit to China and is looking forward to seeing the special envoy as soon as possible, foreign spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Wednesday.

Mentioning that Ramos was on a private visit to Hong Kong to meet his "old Chinese friends", Hua said that China stuck to an open attitude towards all means of contact between China and the Philippines.

The spokeswoman called on the two sides to make joint efforts to improve bilateral ties, restore dialogue and cooperation, and push forward the healthy and stable development of China-Philippines ties.

Ramos, 88, started a five-day trip to Hong Kong from Monday, during which he said he would meet "old friends" with links to officials in Beijing.

Ramos defined the trip as "ice-breaking", after bilateral ties were jeopardized by an arbitration case unilaterally initiated by Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino III.

During his time as president, from 1992 to 1998, the two countries eased tensions caused by confrontations over the Meiji Reef.

anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn
China emphasized its opposition on Wednesday to Vietnam's military deployments on islands that the country has illegally occupied in the South China Sea, following the reported deployment of rocket launchers by Vietnam on several of the Nansha Islands.

The move, which shows a further stage of Hanoi's militarization of the Nansha Islands, will have a negative impact on regional peace and stability, observers said.

Intelligence shows that Hanoi has shipped the launchers to five bases in the Nansha Islands in recent months, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

The launchers have been hidden from aerial surveillance and have yet to be armed, but could be made operational with artillery rockets within two or three days, it said.

Foreign officials and military analysts told Reuters that they believe the launchers form part of Vietnam's state-of-the-art EXTRA artillery rocket system, which was recently acquired from Israel.

"China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and their surrounding waters," the Foreign Ministry's Spokesperson's Office said in a written reply on Wednesday.

"China has always firmly opposed the illegal occupation of parts of China's Nansha Islands and reefs by certain countries and their illegal construction and military deployments on these islands and reefs," it said.

Vietnam's Foreign Ministry said the information was "inaccurate" but did not elaborate.

Vietnam has illegally occupied 29 of about 50 islands and reefs in the South China Sea.

It has conducted construction and reclamation work on more than 20 of them since the 1980s, and the scale of the reclamation has increased in the past two years.

It also has built infrastructure, including runways and barracks, on the islands and reefs.

Jia Duqiang, a senior researcher on Southeast Asian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said it is Hanoi's latest effort to tighten its hold on islands in the South China Sea.

"By fortifying the islands with rocket launchers, Vietnam is keeping up its militarization of the region in a more aggressive way," he said.

Xu Liping, another Southeast Asian studies researcher with CASS, said Hanoi is trying to emphasize its determination to strengthen its illegal occupation of the islands.

mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn
News / Press Release

by RTUZ

Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, RTUZ executive council is embarking on a 10 day march, covering 200km, from Mutawatawa growth point in Mrehwa district to Harare from 15th to 25th of August, advocating for the betterment of rural education.RTUZ will hand over a petition of ten demands at UMP, Murehwa, Goromonzi Ministry of Education district offices and finally at head office in Harare.The petition will have the following ten demands.- A salary above PDL on time every month- An upward review of rural allowance at 100% of the salary- Cessation of the non-transparent pension contributions- Restoration of vacation leave and full maternity for teachers on probation- Infrastructural development in rural schools and communities- An end to all forms of violence against Rural Teachers- A solution to the cash crisis ravaging our economy- Full salaries for Student Teachers- Awarding fully recognised school status to all satellite schools- Dissolution of incumbent Government and fresh elections if our demands are not met.We call upon all teachers and parents based in the areas, which we will walk through, to join us and march for the betterment of rural education.Zimbabwe conceits itself as a leader in the area of education in Africa but this country's pride is being violated and is plummeting everyday particularly in rural areas.Some pupils in rural areas travel more than 20 km to school daily, learning in deplorable infrastructure. Teachers are faced with the brunt of an economically, socially and politically bankrupt government and those based in rural areas are the worst affected.Since independence in 1980, the rural teacher has not enjoyed much. Lives of rural teachers are marked with poor salaries, poor housing and living conditions at schools, poor policies and lack of security during election time. In 2008, teachers in some rural areas where attacked for political reasons accused of advocating for certain political parties.As RTUZ we hope the authorities will address our demands and the nation will become aware of our difficulties. We are optimistic that this march will lead to a unity of purpose for the betterment of rural teaching, schooling and education at large.
Opinion / Columnist

Ok, you will think me crazy Mthwakazi, but hold your fire.It's not been easy for me to wake up to this realization, let alone 'accept' it, but the history of the word is full of such salutary lessons, from before and through Biblical times to now.Like innovation in technology and business, revolutions are products of the process of learning and unlearning and learning again - in that continuous and unbroken cyclical turn.NASA, that great American institution of space exploration, will tell you how it uses the otherwise hostile forces of the universe - on paper NASA's enemy - to propel spacecraft to the very edge of the solar system. Using the centripetal forces of distant planets, NASA flings spacecraft from restraining orbits in a catapult effect, thus 'slinging' the exploration vehicles well into the target celestial body faster, cheaper and quicker. In short, NASA looks at what the heavenly body does, not just what it is.So how does this all fit in with uMthwakazi today, and how is all this relevant here?I'm not gifted with brevity and clarity, but allow me to try to explain.You see, unlike NASA, uMthwakazi has seen and continues to see uMugabe as a hostile object - to use our NASA imagery - and fails to see what uMugabe can do for Mthwakazi in these endtimes. As Mthwakazi, we have been mentally parked in the pain and repudiation of Gukurahundi - totally understandable - but in the process allowed that to cloud our judgement, blur our vision and stifle our action, even blind us to opportunities via uMugabe that would help us 'sling' uMthwakazi to where she wants to be. Not to oppress anyone, but to be totally free as any other people on the planet - that must be emphasized!I hope uMthwakazi unfolding history will vindicate me as having been right when uMthwakazi majority was wrong and still entangled in political cobwebs of the painful past. And I hope I will not live to regret this, but to celebrate this - with all of uMthwakazi. So let me commit treason against uMthwakazi here!Today, Mthwakazi - in this endgame - uMugabe isn't the enemy but a friend. I would have wanted that sentence to stand alone without commentary so it's totally visible, clear, and unencumbered. But, hey If there is a right side in this endgame, that side is Mugabe's side, not the side of his enemies or those who today present themselves as his enemies.I would hasten to underline the fact that I speak of no 'correct' side; I speak only of a 'right' side. Some might say those two words mean the same thing, and I haven't bothered with a dictionary check. I define the two as I use them here. 'Right' appeals to the mind, 'correct' to the heart. And I have already alluded to the fact that this is the time for uMthwakazi to learn to set the heart aside and learn to put on her thinking cap, to unlearn pain and in its place put deliberateness informed by courage of conviction. I am therefore speaking to Mthwakazi's mind here, not to her heart!To help uMthwakazi make that bold, unthinkable move, let us unpack those who today put themselves forward as Mugabe's enemies, from the so-called war veterans, to Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC-T, Joyce Mujuru's ZF, #This Flag, #Tajamuka etc, and the general Shona populace who today see themselves as 'leading' some of form of revolution. Notice I have not shied away from mentioning the Shona populace directly, and this is not for tribalistic but factual reasons that are provable, are demonstrable and beyond cavil. Shona fantasists, all manner of Gukurahundists and other 'silent' Shona supremacists will latch onto this point and yell in their usual shrill voices to attack me as this and that. That's is fine. But that won't change the truth. And 'Mthwakazi' - to whom I proudly belong and publicly declare proud allegiance to - means 'people'. UMthwakazi includes Shona speakers who subscribe to the value systems of Mthwakaziness. UMthwakazi has never been part of this establishment which this new crop of Shona 'revolutionaries' has ever supported. Keep this perspective when you launch your attacks on me!When Mugabe unleashed an undeclared war against uMthwakazi in the 1980's, no single 'war veteran', except those targeted by that pogrom, raised any voice. Since then - and over many years - the same so-called 'war vets' have been instruments of terror against the civilian population - Black and White - in support of the very same Mugabe that they would have us believe has become their enemy overnight. Professor Welshman's recent article warning about these so-called war vets is a must read(http://www.newzimbabwe.com/news-30586-Ncube+Don%E2%80%99t+be+fooled+by+war+veterans!/news.aspx).As for the Mujurus and Dongos and Tsvangirai's of our time, need anyone say anything more that anybody doesn't already know?I must reserve my severest criticism for dubious pastors and groups like #ThisFlag #Tajamuka , the opportunistic #BeatthePot and an assortment of other hashtag 'revolutionaries' and crazy individuals who are self-marketing and self-extoling and now polluting the social media on a daily basis. What an assemblage of utter chaos and a maddening mob on the loose! What a loud silence from this flat thunder!These are the very same Shona people - not the particular individuals - but the very same mob mentality that brought in, cheered, ululated and sustained Gukurahundi's military operations against uMthwakazi from beginning to the end, and who today support, sustain and drive Gukurahundi and Gukurahundism in all its professed and denied manifestations. Many will remember that video shot just after the April 1980 elections (recently posted on social media) when these very same Shona mobs were crying: 'Nkomo must be killed; 'Nkomo must be killed!', or words to that effect.It is this same Shona mob seen today running about in a vandalistic fervour they mistakenly see as a 'revolution' or some form of civil uprising. Shona people who to this day will not own up to their twisted sense of political and social justice, who make shrill noises about one Shona person recently disappeared but fail to see the depravity of their inactions in failing to raise the issue of thousands of Mthwakazi's disappeared and tens of thousands of Mthwakazians killed and maimed in their name and with their fullest support between 1980 and 1988.People who aren't even ashamed to today to invite uMthwakazi to depose with them and for themselves a Mugabe they have loved and still love so dearly except for their opportunistic ventures and avarice, documented fraud, deception, thievery and other similar vices involving money, dishonesty, lecherous sex and generalised unsavoury behaviour that has touched cities and continents across the globe. Twisted arrogance of a false superiority that still tells itself today that it's big when it is this small, that it's clever when it is this foolish, and that it's funny when it is this shameful. The folly that believes uMthwakazi is inevitably tied and rolled into anything that is done by the Shona and their braying mobs - the mobs we see in this self-acting endgame now appropriated by an assortment of Shona opportunists as a 'revolution' by braying mobs of the 1980's which brought us this Mugabe tyranny whose true nature they are only but marginally experiencing now when uMthwakazi bears the scars of the political trenches that came with 1980 Zanu-PF rule.This is the motley collection of Shona mobsters today made up of #Tajamuka #BeatthePot and others who would today present themselves as representatives of civil society and the civilian population. I see they have also extended their totally lunatic ideas to the unsuspecting village population using a hashtag whose name I can't recall and am happy not to recall, by which the poor and ignorant will be made sacrificial lambs by this donor-driven and dangerous outfit masquerading as 'revolutionaries' in our midst. Statistics of the killed and maimed villagers will soon be posted on social media by the 'leaders' of these groups who - not long from now - will be on planes to receive this or that 'bravery' award and fat cheques in the usual capitals, while back home, families - forgotten and worthless and now de-personalised and dry statistics - grieve over irreplaceable losses.Someone not from the so-called government side has got to stand up to this greed and heartlessness that has long informed the so-called opposition ranks and help put a stop to it all! I may not be one of those doing that here, but someone better equipped than me may be able to extract some sense in some of what I've said here and put it out to the hearts of our people to help stop this. If Zanu-PF is depraved, then our so-called opposition are politically and decidedly debauched!Mthwakazi, your enemy in this endgame is not Mugabe. #Tajamuka #BeatthePot and others of this debased genre, are!They are your enemy because it is the same Shona grouping 'inviting' you to the chaos and mayhem they failed to cajole and force uMthwakazi into in 1980 when they got their hands on the State's weapons of mass killing. They are your enemy because they want to use you - again - into establishing or extending their political empire and tribal stranglehold over uMthwakazi using different (or same) faces and institutions after Mugabe. Mistakes didn't end with Nkomo and Zapu! And they are also your enemy because they are inviting you to run with them blindly into an empty void of lawlessness in which the only beneficiaries will be the most dangerous of them: all of them their own! When they are this dangerous in conditions of law you don't need anyone to tell you how dangerous they will be in conditions of disorder where their excesses will have no restrictions. There are people - well known - driving this Shona mob there - into which they are inviting uMthwakazi - for all these very reasons.You don't want to go there with them Mthwakazi!And I need ask this - much to the expected chagrin of Shona supremacists, Shona fantasists and Gukurahundists - have you noticed Mthwakazi that all the so-called 'leaders' of these hashtag 'revolutionaries' - including the maddened individual self-promoters - are all Shonas and all speak in Shona?Coincidence? Check your history again!So what am I saying in practical terms Mthwakazi?It's simple really.Mugabe is desperate and needs friends now. Physical death can't come sooner for him despite all the surface appearances of 'business as usual'. And Mugabe's real nightmares aren't coming from the #Tajamukas etc of today, but from his old friends he knows are now out to get him - this time without fail. Mugabe also knows fully well what they hold against him if they get him alive or what they can do if they now want him out - dead or alive. Contemporary precedents abound for him to know that very well.Contrary to popular usage of the saying, in politics there are of course permanent enemies, but there are simply times when you can and should work with your enemy when your interests and your enemy's come to coincide. In this endgame, uMthwakazi's interests coincide Mugabe's. UMthwakazi's future is not in degenerate lawlessnesse, but in a lawful, stable and properly recovered State. For all his many faults, Mugabe would wish this than the alternative that his wily (new) and impatient enemies want the State to go - from where they will steal the State and terrorise everybody after.So, if I had my way - and if uMthwakazi would allow me - I would invite all Mthwakazians to organize solidarity marches in support of Mugabe in his, this desperate moment; this depleted state.I would invite uMthwakazian to assemble at the City of Kings and Queens' City Hall and all such places and send a clear message to the handlers of Mugabe and the Shona - again - to say that uMthwakazi's rejection of being 'enemized' in 1980 when it suited is met with the same contempt and derision as today's choreographed attempts to 'befriend' uMthwakazi, again when it suits. By the ultimate sacrifice (a genocide) uMthwakazi rejected tyranny and by the same political sacrifice today (ganging up with its enemy) uMthwakazi is refusing to be pawned like marbled pieces on a political chessboard for the benefit of others.The police and other security services will be put out to 'protect' such a march by uMthwakazi. We are here talking the true game of politics!Mugabe has learnt the hard way. He may not admit it in public, but he is today ashamed, shamed and small. He played with the big boys of deception - the world's political illuminati - when he was politically wet behind the ears and has ended up a virtual prisoner in a State prison publicly presented as State House. Running hither and thither between the people and his handlers, frightened - and rejected by both - Mugabe has shrunk in political size to nothing in a political island called Private Isolation. In physical stature, we are watching him shrink to oblivion right in front of our eyes. It is not a pleasant sight, and the pelting he is receiving as his goodbyes, mostly from his own, has grown cruel, increasingly sadistic. We are talking a broken man; a tortured soul running away even from himself - in a hurry!Time is not on Mthwakazi's side, morally and politically.Mugabe is ripe for a friend and friends.For Mthwakazians, this is an opportunity - when his internal friends have now turned against him and positioned themselves as his enemies. It is time for uMthwakazi to swap positions with her erstwhile mob tormenters and position herself as Mugabe's friends. Yes, it is time to befriend and be friends with Mugabe in this endgame.Forget #Tajamuka #BeatthePot and the Morgan Tsvangirais and Joyce Mujurus of this world Mthwakazi. All of these are just plastic; fake and unauthentic (in terms of State power). It may well be most ironic - admittedly - but it is time for Mthwakazi to go with Mugabe, and nothing else.As many sober Mthwakazians have consistently warned since the start of this unfolding mobocracy, ngamandlwane wodwa which are not going anywhere - this #Tajamuka #BeatthePot , War Vets, MDC-T and ZPF nonsense. There is no 'revolution' there and there will never be one there. Not like that anyway!I salute you Mthwakazi for the way you have conducted yourselves so far during these fly-by-night, purposeless, and visionless 'mobocrafties'. But the time for silence and inaction is now over. It is time to take action in support of the right side; to take sides!With this one stroke of political genius, this Machiavellian stroke, uMthwakazi can put paid to this political mirage called 'succession' politics and help arrest the actions and activities of these criminals behind the #Tajamukas of this world, criminals who are trying to drive the State to a chaos and lawlessness from which they will emerge with the private trophy of a stolen and reprivatized State.As we stand today - in this endgame - that right side is Mugabe's side, or you end up with one Emmerson Mnangagwa as Head of State who some of this Shona mob have publicly said they want as president and are working for. And for all we know, this wily and ruthless operator may well be behind all these things - and using uMthwakazi too as pawns - the very people he killed so mercilessly and ruthlessly -- to install himself as Emperor of a new Karanga political empire (as a repudiation of a 'liquidated' Zezuru empire). Mthwakazi we are not into those games. UMthwakazi is the serious business of modern statecraft.You have to answer yourself privately Mthwakazi - as Mandla or Thembi or Nyasha - which you would rather have - Mugabe or Mnangagwa? Perhaps that's an artificial question anyway, but pose it all the same as a question that prompts further political enquiry and self-interrogation.Things have moved on Mthwakazi. We are in the here and now and need to act in the here and now. It is time to think, think and think again. Time to suspend emotions, pain and history - and do something rather than be by-products of political events as Mthwakazi.Any offer of help from uMthwakazi now, Mugabe will gleefully jump on. And uMthwakazi must offer it!The usual suspects will label me CIO. If that's an insult, I'm happy for such an insult to be made; it will just bounce off my body. But if it is presented as an accusation, let me say pre-emptively that such an accusation is totally false. But should you persist with such an accusation, then I will insist on you knowing the full import of saying so in those terms.Anyone Mthwakazi for #MthwakaziforMugabeNow
Opinion / Columnist

"(a) committed in connection with or in furtherance of the commission or attempted commission of the crime of insurgency, banditry, sabotage or terrorism, theft, unauthorised borrowing or use of property, extortion, fraud, forgery, malicious damage to property, damaging, destroying or prejudicing the safe operation of an aircraft, concealing, disguising or enjoying the proceeds of the unlawful dealing in dangerous drugs, corruptly using false data or defeating or obstructing the course of justice; or "(b) the computer, computer network, data, programme or system is owned by the State, a law enforcement agency, the Defence Forces, the Prison Service, a statutory corporation or a local or like authority; or (c) the crime occasions considerable material prejudice to the owner of the computer, computer network, data, programme or system; or (d) the crime disrupts or interferes with an essential service. Police, according to the Bill, are required to apply to a magistrate for permission to search and seize electronic gadgets and to intercept private communications to prove criminal cases. "(1) If a magistrate is satisfied on the basis of an application by a police officer, supported by an affidavit, that there are reasonable grounds to suspect or believe that the content of electronic communications is reasonably required for the purposes of a criminal investigation, the magistrate may: a) order an Internet service provider whose service is available in Zimbabwe through application of technical means to collect or record or to permit or assist competent authorities with the collection or recording of content data associated with specified communications transmitted by means of a computer system; or (b) authorise a police officer to collect or record that data through application of technical means." The Bill also says: "Any person, who unlawfully and intentionally generates, possesses and distributes an electronic communication with the intent to coerce, intimidate, harass, threaten, bully or cause emotional distress, degrade, humiliate or demean the person of another person, using a computer system or information system shall be guilty of an offence and liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 10 or imprisonment not exceeding five years or both."



An addition to AIPPA and POSA

Panic, Power retention at all costs





The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ)





ECONET/ TELECEL/ NETONE: Mobile Service Providers in Zimbabwe

Computer Crime and Cyber Crime bill fallacy

Lloyd Msipa is a Lawyer by profession and can be contacted at lmsipalaw@gmail.com. He writes in his personal capacity.

"An unjust law is no law at all" this is a quote from Saint Augustine, an early Christian theologian whose writings influenced the development of politics and law. This quote pretty much sums up the spirit to which the Computer Crime and Cyber Crime Bill being proposed by the Zimbabwe government is in its current format. This bill seeks to empower the Zimbabwe police to 'intercept private communications, search and confiscate electronic gadgets' used in what they deem to be 'criminal activity'. The proposed law seeks to impose a five year mandatory sentence to would be 'offenders' who fail to legally use their phones, laptops and desktop computers. The proposed bill goes on further to say the violation of the proposed law and the attendant repercussions will reach out to offenders "globally" in as long as they are Zimbabweans. These 'Zimbabweans' will be extradited back to Zimbabwe under existing extradition laws, namely , The Extradition Act (Chapter 9.08) Part of the draft bill reads : if Any reasonable person reading this draft bill is immediately gobsmacked by its content and its apparent intention to instil fear and control on a citizenry already living on the edge after being pummelled by the police for so long. This bill attempts to take away the only avenue left for Zimbabwe's citizens have for free expression. This bill now waits in line to join other statutory provisions like the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and The Public Order and Security Act (POSA) both enacted in 2002. The former to "oversee" how the print and electronic media operate in Zimbabwe. Since its enactment it has banned foreign news organisations from reporting in Zimbabwe and indeed some of Zimbabwe's newspapers have been obliterated. And the later gives greater control powers to the police and the act has helped Mugabe consolidate power by limiting the freedom of Association amongst citizens. In fact it is a requirement for any political or civic formation to seek police approval before holding any public meetings. So, Zimbabwe it is not rocket science to figure out where the government is going with this new proposed draft Computer Crime and Cyber Crime bill. One may be forgiven for seeing the parallels between North Korea and the fast developing trend in Zimbabwe were the government interfere to a point of being in the citizen's personal lives.When a law seeks to take away an individual or a group's freedom, it causes harm or basically just causes chaos; it is the opposite effect of what a law is put in place to do. In his 1963 letter from Birmingham city prison, Dr Martin Luther King lamented the effect of unjust laws. He speaks of the difference between a just law and an unjust law. "A just law is a man-made code that squares up with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law" St Thomas Aquinas a respected Italian Philosopher and theologian out it more succinctly, he says, "An unjust law is a human law that that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is a just law. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust".So in essence an unjust law is morally wrong and can be disobeyed. Protesting is in essence disobedience against unjust laws. The purpose of protesting is mainly to publicise an unjust law or a just cause; to appeal to the conscience of the public; to force negotiation with recalcitrant public officials to "clog the machine" with political prisoners; to get into court where one can challenge the constitutionality of a law; to exculpate oneself, or to put an end to one's personal complicity in the injustice which flows from obedience to unjust law. While protesting in a broad sense is as old as the Hebrew midwives' defiance of Pharaoh the social media age brings it to another level.The Zimbabwe government is going to great lengths to try and market this new cyber bill as an enhancement of our laws by aligning it with the control of pornographic images and videos and terror as part of computer crimes being curtailed. But Zimbabweans are not naive; the devil is in the detail. The appearance of a law may make it look just, but will be unjust in its application. The Public Order and Security Act (POSA) give powers to the police to control gatherings and issue permits for the same. But we all know that government protests are never accompanied by this requirement whilst opposition and civic groups are put through this audacious process and in most instances they are refused and they end up seeking relief from the courts. A law becomes unjust when those who are from the ruling party are never compelled to do the same. So the intentions of the Computer Crime and Cyber Crime bill are clear. Recent events have been instructive. Social media is the new political battleground. The Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) are now archaic. They do not offer sufficient control anymore. This is what this Cyber bill is about, control through instilling fear amongst the citizens of Zimbabwe. Here is the tragedy if the bill should it ever become law. Social media is not domiciled in Zimbabwe. Questions abound, how you seek to prosecute a person who is holding on their gadget a forwarded message. Furthermore, does Mugabe still think that after 36 years of persecution and repression Zimbabwean society has remained stagnant. Has the government of Zimbabwe factored in the possibility that most of its citizens are now citizens of other countries together with their children who by the way are now leading the onslaught for a democratic dispensation in their country of origin? Does the Zimbabwe government have the resources to pour into policing personal gadgets and information flow in the context of Zimbabwe? The government cannot even pay the current public servant. Can POTRAZ do this?The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) was established in terms of the Postal and Telecommunications Act [Chapter 12:05].Part of Section 4 defines its functions as(a) To ensure the provision of the sufficient domestic and international telecommunication and postal services throughout Zimbabwe on such terms and conditions as the Authority may see fit.(b) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (a), to ensure that any person by whom any telecommunications or postal services falls to be provide is able to provide these services at rates consistent with the provision of an efficient and continuous service and the necessity of maintaining independent financial viability;(c) To promote the development of postal and telecommunication systems and services in accordance with practicable recognised international standards and public demand; (d) To exercise licensing and regulatory functions in respect of postal and telecommunication systems and services in Zimbabwe, including the establishment of standards and codes relating to equipment attached to telecommunication systems; (e) To exercise licensing and regulatory functions in respect of the allocation and use of satellite orbits and the radio frequency spectrum in Zimbabwe for all purposes, including the establishment of standards and codes relating to any matter in connection therewith; etc.They term is a "regulatory functions", but Zimbabweans are not oblivious to the fact that POTRAZ has recently used its sweeping powers to order mobile service providers to suspend the various popular promotions they had on offer. Despite official denial by the same, whatsApp and Facebook activity has dropped sharply in the last few weeks. This part of the broader attempt by the Mugabe government to control social media.Mobile service providers are governed by both national law and International law. The reason for this is because mobile service is now global. Mobile service providers are also mandated under national and international law to respect the privacy of the service users. If a government makes a demand for information that is deemed "unreasonable", the service provider can refuse to provide it and fall back on international provisions. Precedents abound: The Apple boss Tim Cook refused to cooperate with the American government's request to unlock an iPhone belonging to Syed Farook, one of the alleged shooters in the San Bernardino attack. The service provider argued this was a defence of civil liberties despite the fact that a federal court in Riverside, California, granted the justice department the order. Apple refused to obey an unjust law. Without the consent of the service provider it is not possible for the government to read ones messages as WhatsApp messages have a secured end to end encryption, which means WhatsApp or third parties, cannot read your messages without physically getting hold of your phone.The long and short of this proposed draft bill, is that it will be impossible to police and enforce should it be railroaded into law. Firstly international law will not compliment laws in domestic jurisdictions that are on the face of it unjust. So an attempts to invoke the Extradition based on this type of law will be an own goal. It will simply reinforce the dictatorial nature of Mugabe's government. Secondly this proposed unjust law will be resisted by all right thinking progressive Zimbabweans globally who want to take Zimbabwe forward and not backwards into the Stone Age. The internet is not restricted to the borders of Zimbabwe, but a global phenomenon, hence it cannot suffer violence and intimidation. Free expression is one of the cornerstones of the internet era. Zimbabweans are not stuck to the local service providers to access social media. In fact most in Zimbabwe are now using foreign sim cards (South African, Zambian and UK etc. etc.). Free expression in the internet era is exactly that- free. An attempt to legislate against free internet expression will be unjust and will fall flat on its face. Simple as.
(Photo : Reuters) Alibaba is looking to help foreign firms establish a foothold in China.

Advertisement

Chinese tech giant Alibaba recently has announced that it is partnering with international tech firms like SAP and Check Point Software. Through its cloud division, Alibaba Cloud, the company aims to help SAP and Check Point Software to penetrate the highly regulated Chinese tech market.



CNBC reported that Alibaba Cloud would help international firms to deliver their software and products directly in China using the company's cloud infrastructure. Aside from SAP and Check Point Software, Alibaba confirmed that at least 11 tech firms from the United States, Japan, Thailand, and Europe have all expressed their intention to partner with the Chinese tech giant.



Like Us on Facebook

Advertisement

In a statement acquired by Fortune, Alibaba Cloud Global general manager Sincheng Yu said, "The AliLaunch program and Global Technology Partners Marketplace serve as the perfect platforms for making different software products accessible to businesses and organizations in China."



Yu added that international firms would also face the scrutinizing arm of the Chinese regulatory board to establish a local root in the country. The main role of Alibaba in this venture is to help international firms with local regulation.



Alibaba Cloud currently counts more than 2.3 million customers, at least 500,000 of which are paying customers. Just like Amazon, which also started as an e-commerce platform, Alibaba is slowly branching out to several tech markets to diversify its revenue. Alibaba's cloud division is the company's fastest-growing business segment with revenue growing at least 175 percent on a year-to-year basis. On the other hand, Alibaba Cloud only accounts for around four percent of the company's total revenue.



Advertisement

TagsAlibaba, Alibaba Cloud, Alibaba Cloud news, SAP, Check Point Software, Cloud computing
(Photo : Getty Images) A sign is posted in front of a Marriott hotel in San Francisco, California. Marriott International announced plans to purchase Starwood Hotels & Resorts for $12.2 billion. The deal would create the world's largest hotel company.

Advertisement

China has extended its time frame for reviewing Marriott International Inc.'s proposed $14.6 billion purchase of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. by up to 60 days, the companies revealed on Monday.



China's Ministry of Commerce review is the last remaining hurdle to close the deal, which would create the biggest hotel group in the world with an enterprise value reaching up to $36 billion and 1.1 million hotel rooms, Reuters reported. Marriott has already received a green light from regulators in 40 countries including the United States, Canada, and the European Union.



Like Us on Facebook

Advertisement

Both Marriott and Starwood refused to specify the reasons why the Chinese Ministry is requesting for an extension to review the deal. Marriott in a statement on Monday that it believes the "planned merger transaction poses no anti-competitive issues in China."



According to a July 28 call with Wall Street analysts, China was expected to finalize its antitrust reviews by Tuesday, Aug. 9, and the latest request is delaying Marriott's process by as much as two months.



"We've provided very, very significant amounts of information [to Chinese authorities] over the course for the last six or eight months," Arne Sorenson, president and CEO of Marriott International Inc., said. "We remain optimistic that we will receive clearance from China and will complete the transactions in the coming weeks."



Marriott owns 91 properties in China as well as 146 more under construction. Starwood, on the other hand, has 283 hotels in China. Given the wide reach of the hoteliers in the country, China's request for an extended review comes as no surprise to some experts.



"Of course, China is trying to expand the role of its domestic players, so there are residual concerns about what this deal could mean for China's own hospitality industry," Eswar Prasad, Cornell University professor and former head of the International Monetary Fund's China division, told The Washington Post.



Advertisement

Tagsmarriott, Starwood, Hotels, merging, Acquisition, china, Ministry of Commerce, Antitrust law
(Photo : VCG/VCG via Getty Images) ourists walk on the 100-meter-long and 1.6-meter-wide glass skywalk clung the cliff of Tianmen Mountain (or Tianmenshan Mountain) in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park on Aug. 1, 2016 in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province of China.

Advertisement

Chinese tourists who hail from smaller cities in China are now travelling more often than their counterparts from the mainland's bigger cities.



This was among the major findings of an outbound tourism report released by the China Tourism Academy and Ctrip which covered the first half of 2016, reported the China Daily.



Like Us on Facebook

Advertisement

According to the report, tourists from China's smaller cities have grown at a faster clip.



Most of these Chinese travelers hail from Changsha of Hunan province, Shenzhen of Guangdong province, Chongqing, Chengdu of Sichuan province, Wuhan of Hubei province, Kunming of Yunnan province, Fuzhou of Fujian province, Xi'an of Shaanxi province, Nanjing of Jiangsu province and Hangzhou of Zhejiang province.



The report also bared that Chinese tourists from smaller cities have spent more than those coming from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.



Tourists from Suzhou from Jiangsu province ranked first among the top spenders, as they splurged an average of 6,125 yuan each during their overseas travels.



Travelers from Wenzhou of Zhejiang and Kunming of Yunnan province came in next in the list of bigtime spenders.



Tourists from Beijing, on the other hand, only ranked 8th among the top 10 spenders list after shelling out 5,568 yuan each.



The report however noted that despite the increasing number of outbound tourists from China's smaller cities, tourists from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou still account for the majority of outbound travelers,



More than 59 million visits were made by Chinese mainland tourists to foreign destinations from January to June of this year, an increase of 4.3 percent year-on-year, which means the number of Chinese outbound tourists during that period equaled that of the entire Italian population.



"China has become the largest source country of many countries' inbound tourism market, such as Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Russia and the United Kingdom," the report said.



"However, those who have passport only account less than five percent of China's total population. The outbound tourism industry in China still has a lot of space of further development," the report added, highlighting the growing number of globe-trotting Chinese tourists.



Advertisement

Tagschina, Chinese Tourists
(Photo : Mark Schiefelbein - Pool/Getty Images) China's Premier Li Keqiang, center, speaks during the 1+6 Roundtable on promoting growth in the Chinese and global economies at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse on July 22, 2016 in Beijing, China.

Advertisement

About 20 percent of China's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2020 is anticipated to be comprised of knowledge-intensive services.



According to the country's five-year plan for science and technology progress by 2020, this figure reflects a 15.6 percent increase since 2015, reported the China Daily.



Like Us on Facebook

Advertisement

On Monday, the State Council published a list of its science and technology targets covering the period 2016 - 2020, which also identified measures to be implemented by the government to achieve these targets.



In particular, total factor productivity aims to provide at least 60 percent of China's GDP growth in 2020, which is up from 55.3 percent last year, the plan said.



Based on the five-year plan, the number of patent applications in by2020 is expected to be twice that of 2015, while 60 out of every 10,000 workers will be engaged in research and development.



In line with the said plan, the priorities for the Chinese government in the next five years include directing resources to strategic areas, fostering creativity, creating a favorable policy environment and removing barriers to innovation.



Moreover, China is anticipated to spend more resources in key research areas deemed vital to its national strength and security and GDP.



These include computer chip, integrated circuit equipment, broadband mobile telecommunication, digital machinery, nuclear power, genetic modification, water pollution control, new medicines, manned space programs and lunar exploration.



The Chinese government also aims to achieve breakthroughs in other areas such as deep-sea exploration, quantum computing and brain science, as outlined by the plan.



Furthermore, agriculture, computing, green energy, biology and environmental protection will also receive more attention, as the government has also committed greater support for basic research, science labs and international research.



The government will likewise encourage joint research projects between Chinese and foreign institutes and enterprises to attract more high-level foreign experts to work in China, and consequently, expand the nation's GDP.



Advertisement

Tagschina, China GDP
(Photo : YouTube Screenshot) China Capital Investment Group has purchased South Molle Island Resort for $25 million.

Advertisement

China Capital Investment Group bought South Molle Island Resort in the heart of the Whitsundays in Queensland, Australia, for a reported $25 million, just more than a year after acquiring the nearby Daydream Island Resort and Spa.



Peter Harper from the JJL Hotels & Hospitality Group, the selling agent of South Molle Island, confirmed the sale, hinting that it was sold to "a foreign company with existing interests in the region" but refused to specify the buyer, Whitsunday Times reported. Harper, however, did not specify the final selling price, but during the marketing campaign, agents were quoting the property for near $30 million.



Like Us on Facebook

Advertisement

Under the new owner, the South Molle Island is set to face a "large-scale redevelopment" with an opportunity to create a 1,300-room resort, according to the information memorandum subject for planning approval. South Molle Island Resort features a 12-hectare developable beachfront land, including a frontage of over 600 meters and a secluded 15-hectare parcel in the middle of the island, surrounded by national park. It also has an existing 188-room resort and amenities.



"It's been a joy to share South Molle. It's a wonderful island. It's been an amazing 15 years. I wish the new owners all the best," Craig Ross, owner of South Molle Island Resort, told Financial Review.



On the other hand, Scott Wilkinson, CEO of Daydream Island Resort and Spa that was snapped up by China Capital Investment Group from Nature's founder Vaughan Bullivant for nearly $30 million, said that the new investment shows the confidence of Chinese companies Australia's tourism.



"This was a great opportunity to acquire one of the last large-scale development opportunities in the Great Barrier Reef," Wilkinson said, adding that the two island resorts will provide their guests a diversified experience.







Advertisement

TagsChina Capital Investment Group, South Molle island, South Molle Island Resort, JJL Hotels & Hospitality Group, Daydream Island Resort and Spa, Queensland, Australia Tourism, Whitsundays
(Photo : Reuters) LeEco Indian R&D team plans to hire recruits from the top IT schools in India.

Advertisement

LeEco has announced its plan to hire more than 1,100 engineers for its India Research and Development (R&D) center by 2017.



The company plans to hire from tier-1 engineering colleges like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the National Institutes of Technology (NITs) across the country. Last week, LeEco already began the freshers' campus drive in Bengaluru and garnered more than 2,000 registrations from students from top engineering colleges, according to Times of India.



Like Us on Facebook

Advertisement

We are humbled and excited to see the interest amongst students community to work with us. Many of them came to attend our test braving heavy downpour and flood like situation that Bangalore witnessed last week, said Shrinivas Bairi, Head of LeEco India R&D.



Bairi added that the skills they are looking for among the student applicants include modem technologies, BSP, multimedia, TV Broadcast, and Internet technologies, India Today reported.



Indian R&D team will be charged with both commercialization and localization support for all the devices launched in India. The center will combine innovations and work with China and US R&D center. The company has said that it would soon also start a camera-image engineering lab for image quality, RF/antenna design and tuning lab for smart devices like smartphones.



In addition, the R&D department will help the company to meet all the local requirements, support Indian languages, follow government regulations like Panic button and GPS requirements, and comply with different carrier requirements.



Aside from developing cutting-edge technology for its smart devices, the India R&D center will also help LeEcos e-commerce marketplace, LeMall.com, to develop data analytics and machine learning tools to improve customer experience and sales.



Advertisement

TagsLeeco, India, LeEco India, LeEco India R&D Center, India R&D Center, LeEco 1100 Engineers
(Photo : Getty Images) A Tesla Motors Inc. Model X electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) stands on display at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition in Beijing, China, on Monday, April 25, 2016.

(Photo : Getty Images)

Advertisement

People in China are willing to cough up thousands of dollars to get their hands on Tesla's Model X.



Tesla made its Model X available for purchase in China since June and the vehicle's demand exceeded expectations in the country with more than 3,000 reservations for the all-electric SUV.



Like Us on Facebook

Advertisement

Tesla is unable to keep up with the increasing demand, because of which customers in China have been put on the waitlist. However, there are many people who aren't willing to wait for the car and are shelling out about $240,000 as a grey market premium to get it early, according to Forbes.



The Model X P90D is priced at $115,000 in the U.S. and costs $1,70,000 in China, which means that customers are paying $70,000 more for vehicles that are not even China-specific.

A Tianjin-based dealer is acquiring the vehicles in the United States before shipping them to China and selling them on social media, earning a hefty profit in the process.

Business must be booming as the dealer told Forbes that all his red models were sold and he only had white models available.

Even though grey-market imports in China are legal, they carry heavy restrictions. As far as the Model X is concerned, the warranties have been voided, which means Tesla dealers will carry out repairs but consumers will have to pay for them.

Because these vehicles are not intended for the Chinese market and are US-specific, some of the features may not work. For one, the language supported by the operating system is English and the navigation system uses Google Maps, which is blocked in China.



Advertisement

TagsTesla, Tesla Model X, china, Tesla China, Tesla Model X China, China Tesla Model X
(Photo : Getty Images) Vietnam has allegedly set up mobile rocket launchers in the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea.

Advertisement

Vietnam has secretly installed new mobile rocket launchers in its administrated islands in the Spratlys group of islands in the disputed South China Sea, Reuters reported, citing inside sources.



Sources informed Reuters that intelligence information indicates that Vietnam has transported the launchers to the Spratly Islands in recent months. The launchers are still unarmed but can be made operational within a span of two or three days.



Like Us on Facebook

Advertisement

However, officials from the Vietnamese government have refused to confirm the information. Vietnam's Foreign Ministry said that this information is not accurate, without elaborating further.



Vietnam's Deputy Defense Minister told Reuters in June that the country has not installed such rocket in the Spratlys, but reserves the right to do so in self-defense.



Experts claim that Vietnam's secret move is aimed at countering China's recent buildup on its seven reclaimed islands in the Spratlys archipelago. Vietnam's military officials allegedly fear that China's recent aggressive build up has left the country's defense in the Spratlys increasingly vulnerable.



Several Military analysts have described Vietnam's discreet move as the most significant military decision that Hanoi has made in the South China Sea in a decade. Hanoi's secret military operation comes barely a month after a verdict by the Hague-based arbitration court slammed China's sweeping claim over the South China Sea as illegal.



Vietnam along with several other countries have shown support for the arbitration court's verdict, calling on China to respect the ruling. However, the verdict has had no bearing on Beijing's control over the contested maritime territory, as the Chinese government has stated that it would not accept the verdict under any circumstance.



Advertisement

TagsVietnam, South China Sea, china, China and Vietnam, spratly islands
Opinion / Columnist

I have just read the most bizarre opinion piece titled 'E ndgame - The right side is Mugabe's side Mthwakazi! ' in which a person going by the fake name of Xoxani Ngxoxo says Mthwakazi people should support Mugabe.Xoxani makes arguments which show a disturbed state of mind like saying Mthwakazi people include Shona people. Okay of that's the case what is he/she/it talking about then because according to him/her/it we are all one big family?Xoxani also says he/she/it is not from the government's side but goes on to demonise all manner of activists that are opposed to the government proving the point that he/she/it is on the government's side. Who else but someone paid to do it defends Mugabe?Xoxani also says the activists are putting the lives of villagers in danger but he/she/it doesn't say from whom. Could it be from the same police and army that is led by the same Mugabe whom Xoxani says people must sympathise with? Not so clever now are we?Xoxani goes on to say some people will quickly label him/her/it a CIO. My question is which CIO? Central Imbecile Officer?Xoxani then asks us who we would rather have. Mugabe or Mnangagwa? My answer is neither of the two. In case Xoxani hasn't noticed both these gentlemen are in Zanupf and both are president and vice president. Judging by both these gentlemen's failures since 1980 why should my choice be limited to the two?Xoxani get out of here or if you truly stand by your views stop hiding behind a pseudonym and do like Professor Jonathan Moyo and openly support Mugabe using the name your parents gave you if you have any for all I know you might be a computer program.Velempini Ndlovu is a freelance photographer based in Johannesburg he can be reached on veapndlovu@gmail.com
(Photo : Getty Images ) Chinese state media has cautioned India not to meddle in the South China Sea dispute.

Advertisement

Chinese state media on Tuesday asked India to refrain from discussing the South China Sea issue during the upcoming of China's foreign minister Wang Yi to New Delhi.



The state-run Global Times newspaper, in a strongly worded editorial, warned that India should avoid "unnecessary entanglement" in the South China Sea dispute during Wang' visit. The Chinese foreign minister is slated to visit New Delhi on August 13. During his visit, Wang will meet his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj to discuss the upcoming G-20 summit that would be held in China.



Like Us on Facebook

Advertisement

The nationalist tabloid further said that India's focus on the South China Sea dispute might the affect bilateral relations between two countries.



"It is puzzling that India is focusing on the South China Sea issue at this moment, a move that might risk unnecessary side effects to Sino-Indian ties," Global Times said. "India may want to avoid unnecessary entanglement with China over the South China Sea debate during Wang's visit if the country wishes to create a good atmosphere for economic cooperation, which would include reducing tariffs on made-in-India products exported to China amid the ongoing free trade talk known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership."



The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, in its verdict on July 12, rejected China's claims over the disputed South China Sea saying that the country has no legal authority to claim the contested territory. Beijing, which has claimed almost all of the contested region, strongly opposed the verdict. China maintains that it has "indisputable sovereignty" over the contested waters.



Advertisement

TagsIndia, china, South China Sea, Wang Yi, Sushma Swaraj
Opinion / Columnist

The 1987 Unity Accord between Zanu PF and PF Zapu was about the establishment of the de facto one-party cum one-man (Robert Mugabe) dictatorship - a curse and not the blessing the name implies. Even now, with the benefit of hindsight of just how disastrous the dictatorship has been for Zimbabwe under our belt, it is amazing that some people will still not see the Unity Accord for curse it is.It "boggles the mind that today no one seems to treasure unity anymore," commented former Midlands governor Cephas Msipa in praise of the 1987 Unity Accord.Open debate and democratic competition is about the competition of ideas; it is just that when some people find they are losing the fight on the theatre of ideas they reach for the sword for the single purpose of silencing the opponent and, in some cases, for good. Whatever other reasons President Mugabe had for the Gukurahundi there is no deny that establishing a de facto one-party state was his primary reason. He saw the chance to silence his main political opponent and he seized it with both hands!Those who want to consider the 1987 Unity Accord as a progressive move must accept that the Accord allowed President Mugabe to establish the de facto one-party cum one-man, Robert Mugabe, dictatorship and the consequences of the said dictatorship. If those consequence were not plain back in 1987 there are plain as daylight today. Zimbabwe is in this political and economic mess today because we have been stuck with the corrupt and tyrannical regime which, being a de facto one-man dictatorship, has eliminated all meaningful competition"What was accomplished by the bullet cannot be undone by the ballot!" was President Mugabe's cynical response in 2008. He had lost the March vote and mounted a ruthless campaign of violence to reverse the result in the run-off.Free and open debate and meaningful democratic competition in which an informed electorate have the casting vote to decide who rules the country is the foundation of good, accountable and competent government the world over. People like President Mugabe instinctively dislike democracy because it forces them to compete and any fair competition holds the possibility of losing, which they cannot bear. Democracy also means being held accountable, a luxury tyrants the world over can ill afford given their track record of broken promises, broken limps and broken lives.As soon as they assume power, the tyrant's instinctive act is to stifle debate and democratic competition and deny the people the free vote. This is exactly what President Mugabe did and by cloaking the autocratic move as unifying one was sugar coating the cyanide pill.Dictatorships do not create peace and unity but an illusion of peace and unity for it is always the same people benefiting from the lack of democratic competition who will disturb the peace if they should be subjected to democratic competition and accountability. On the other hand the lack of democratic scrutiny will eventually lead to misrule and social tension which, in time, will boil over as the people demand an end to the misrule.After decades of misrule by this Zanu PF dictatorship born out of the 1987 Unity Accord the people of Zimbabwe are demanding an end to the dictatorship masquerading as unity. There are many nations out there with a healthy and functional democratic system of government who have enjoyed peace, freedom and economic prosperity and confined their fighting in the theatre of ideas.We totally reject this Zanu PF mentality that we must retain the de facto one-party dictatorship system because Zimbabweans are incapable of holding vigorous political debates and democratic competition for political power without sparking yet another Gukurahundi! Now, with the benefit of hindsight, we cannot still be naive and gullible to accept Mugabe's self-serving nonsense of stifling debate, democracy and the people's right to a meaningful free vote under the pretence of unity!
Farrakhan compares whites to Satan, God's enemy 10 August, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , |

NEW YORK (Christian Examiner)  Just as God has a natural enemy in Satan, so the "original man"  black men and women  have an enemy in the white man, Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam (NOI), told an audience at a Boston mosque recently.

Unlike many of Farrakhan's sermons which are posted almost immediately to social media and the NOI website, the June 26 address, "Who is the natural enemy of the original man?" was not made public, although it was available for purchase.

Portions of Farrakhan's address were finally published at The Final Call, the daily online newspaper for the group, Aug. 9.

Regarded by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an anti-Semite and hate preacher, Farrakhan said during the address that when God creates a creature, he gives it a natural enemy to "justify its existence when it behaves as the Creator created it to be."

Whether you want to believe it or not, there would be no mankind if there were no original manand 'original man' is you, black man and woman," Farrakhan said. "White people are Johnny-come-latelys on our planet. I'm not making mockery. They were given a purpose, and they have fulfilled it.

"Whether you want to believe it or not, there would be no mankind if there were no original manand 'original man' is you, black man and woman," Farrakhan said. "White people are Johnny-come-latelys on our planet. I'm not making mockery. They were given a purpose, and they have fulfilled it."

The purpose for the white man, he said, is the same as Satan's with God.

"Everything in nature has an opposite side, so the black man being the original man, you have a natural enemy just like God has a natural enemy in Satan, who is always working against God's purpose for man."

Farrakhan said the Quran contains descriptions of God talking with Satan, his natural enemy, because  like a summit between presidents  "all of them are looking for control, mastery of the planet, so when they talk, they're always jockeying for position."

"Somebody came among us. A new world opens up called the Western world. White folk came out of Europe after being confined there for nearly a thousand years, and they discovered America  but people were already here. So, they not only discovered land, they discovered people who are the natural owners of the land. In order for them to be on this land they had to get rid of the natural owner of the land. That's my Native [American] family," Farrakhan said.

"So there's always been a conspiracy against the original people of anywhere on earth where they went, because whites were not natural in any part of our planet. To gain access to land, they had to supplant the natural owner, the natural ruler, the natural people of their natural habitat, and replace them with themselves. Is that a friend? No. It is a natural enemy. Only an enemy of God would deprive another human being of what God intended for that human being to have."

Farrakhan said whites in city and state governments, as well as the federal government, conspire to incarcerate black men and falsely accuse them of crimes. He also said the police don't serve in black communities to protect them, but to keep blacks locked up in colonies away from whites.

"You have a natural, open enemy," Farrakhan said. "The police are not there to serve and protect but to make sure that the savagery of our community does not spill out and upset the white community, and the business community. We are a colony, like the original colonies in the United States that were tied to a wicked king; and here we are, in a colonial status, tied to downtown."

Farrakhan also said black pastors where unwittingly used by white politicians to keep the colony under the control of its "colonial master."

"You send your children to school. What kind of education are your children getting? They're getting a colonial education. So when you get your education, you come out: You're not trying to do something for yourself, you're trying to find a white person that will give you a job," he added.

Farrakhan said black people have to take over the education of their young and take control of the black community.

"If the government is angry with us for trying to control and own where we live, they have manifested as the enemy, and that demands complete separation in a state or territory of our own," Farrakhan said.

He also reiterated his call for "10,000 fearless" to stand between gangs in the black community.

That, of course, was not his original purpose for the so-called "fearless."

In August 2015, Farrakhan called for "10,000 in the midst of the million ... 10,000 fearless men who say death is sweeter than continued life under tyranny" to retaliate against white Americans because of their alleged oppression of black people.

Farrakhan said then that Quran calls for retaliation when "slaves" are oppressed.

"Retaliation is a prescription from God to calm the breasts of those whose children have been slain. So if the federal government will not intercede in our affairs, then we must rise up and kill those who kill us. Stalk them and kill them and let them feel the pain of death that we are feeling," he said in 2015.

Farrakhan quickly backtracked and said he did not say what was widely publicized and plainly visible on the Internet. The NOI has since removed the video were Farrakhan called for followers to "stalk and kill" their oppressors.

Farrakhan has also taught that white people were created by an evil scientist named Yakub, who rebelled against God and bred the color out of the original man. Farrakhan claims Elijah Muhammad, his predecessor, taught that Yakub was the John of the Book of Revelation.
Recently, American churches have been establishing Korean ministries, and Creekside Church, located in Mountlake Terrace, WA, is one of them. Crossroads Korean Church recently merged together with Creekside to form its Korean ministry.

Im looking forward to being wholly focused on sharing of the gospel as we become one with Creekside Church as a multi-ethnic church, said Pastor Chil-Gon Kim, the former senior pastor of Crossroads, and now the lead pastor for the Korean ministry at Creekside. Well be one united church for the purpose of evangelizing to our community and to the world, as one body in faith.

Pastor Kim said that he hopes to serve the body with the vision of Discover, Faith, Love, sharing the gospel, and making disciples of all nations.

Below are responses from an interview with Pastor Kim and Pastor Jason Deuman, the lead pastor of Creekside Chuch.

Q: How did your two churches begin to work together and build a relationship with each other?

CGK: Creekside Korean Church is within Creekside church as a Korean ministry and campus. Hence, it is not two churches working together, but one church in terms of finance, programs, missions, discipleship training, and community service, with one faith and functioning as one body.

Q: What is the purpose that Creekside Korean Church desires to pursue?

CGK: There are a lot of different reasons people give for the decrease in the 21st century church, including church hopping, program-based megachurches, decrease in the first generation believers, and second generation members leaving the church. The churches that are being affected the most are the pastors and congregation of the smaller sized churches.

These are some of the problems that Creekside Korean Ministries wants to tackle as a local church, as a multi-ethnic church with multiple languages (English, Korean, and Spanish). We want to be one body and help the church to grow by sharing the gospel.

Q: What is the purpose and goal for Creekside Church as a whole?

JD: There are six goals that Creekside is hoping to achieve. First, we want to worship as a lifestyle of fearing the Lord. And our strategy to fulfill that is applying into our lives what we learn on Sundays. Second, we want to spiritually grow by learning how to become like Jesus so that we can live like Him. Our strategy to fulfill that is taking opportunities for my faith to grow more deeply. Third, we want do ministry by using our spiritual gifts to build the church. Our strategy is to be actively involved in ministry teams.

Fourth, we want to be a community that loves one another through relationships. Our strategy foster the community to become one united group. Fifth, we want to partake in outreach by telling the people of the world who Jesus is. Our strategy is letting Him be known in every conversation. Sixth, we want to serve the community by using our spiritual gifts to love our neighbors. Our strategy is becoming involved in community service projects.

Q: What is something that is distinct about Creekside Church?

JD: One of the things about Creekside that sets it apart from other churches is that the week before the sermon on Sundays, we have a free speech meeting on Wednesdays. During these meetings, we gather to discuss one big idea that will be preached during the next weeks Sunday sermon. For the purpose of the gospel being preached, all of the staff and different ministries gather together to focus on this one big idea. So during this time, the sermons that are being prepared include those for the English service, Spanish service, Korean service, and Sunday school, so all of these sermons are united under one message. And the topic that is focused on during this meeting is also discussed during small group Bible study sessions.

Creekside Church also has the Korean service at the same time as the English service. The Korean services will begin on February 4, 2015, at the Mountlake Creekside Campus at 11:15 AM. The focus of the Korean campus will be to minister to college students and the next generation, that through them, the church will further be able to devote itself to the gospel and understanding people from all kinds of backgrounds. We hope that theyll be the leaders who can lead Creekside to be the embodiment of Jesus love that serves the surrounding community.

Q: Whats an advantage of an American church that has a Korean ministry?

CGK: Because Creekside has English and Korean services at the same time within the same church, its beneficial for families who have first and second generation Koreans, and couples who have married interracially. Sunday school, youth groups, college services, missions, small group Bible studies, and the like are all under one system.

Q: What are some future plans and hopes for Creekside Church?

JD: Right now, Creekside has been participating in short-term service work to help those living in low-income apartments, and we also have been involved in Union Gospel Mission, a ministry to reach out to our community.

Something we want to plan for is creating a platform to do a long-term ministry as one body with all of the different ethnicities in the church. Just like the way we have Spanish and Korean ministries, we want to create a space for other ethnic groups to do ministry, and resolve cultural differences within our identity in Jesus Christ. Though conflicts or tensions might arise due to cultural differences under that kind of model, I believe we can do good works as a church by our obedience to Christ. And in that perspective, I would say that our church is a missional one.
About 2 million residents in Aleppo are without running water and electricity, as the incessant fighting in the city has damaged infrastructure including electrical lines and water pumps, the United Nations said in a press release.

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O'Brien urged the fighting groups to allow for a ceasefire or weekly 48-hour humanitarian pause for humanitarian aid to be delivered and for infrastructure to be repaired.

"We have supplies ready to roll: food rations, hospital supplies, ambulances, fuel for generators, water supplies and more," said O'Brien. "We can deliver these within 24 to 48 hours if we have safe access."

A statement released by the UN said that the organization was "extremely concerned" for the millions of civilians stuck in the city besieged by war.

"The UN stands ready to assist the civilian population of Aleppo, a city now united in its suffering. At a minimum, the UN requires a full-fledged ceasefire or weekly 48-hour humanitarian pauses to reach the millions of people in need throughout Aleppo and replenish the food and medicine stocks, which are running dangerously low," it said.

The ongoing fighting can take a significant toll on young children, who are vulnerable to water-borne diseases, according to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

"In the eastern parts of Aleppo up to 300,000 people - over a third of them are children - are relying on water from wells which are potentially contaminated by fecal matter and unsafe to drink," said UNICEF.

The delivery of medical supplies to the eastern part of Aleppo city which is under the control of rebels was interrupted due to the fighting, and stocks have not been replenished since July 7.

The hospitals are facing severe shortages of health care workers and facilities, even as more war-related injury patients are admitted to hospitals. Last month 10 attacks were carried out on hospitals. The city health authorities told WHO that 13 out of 28 health care centers, and 8 out of 10 hospitals are now out of service or partially functional.

O'Brien called upon the Council members to restore humanitarian access into the city.

"Fighting must stop everywhere. People, are suffering across the country, in Menbij, eastern Ghouta, Dara'a, to name but a few. Politics must be put aside," said O'Brien. "We must do our duty as fellow human beings, through the privilege we have of serving people under the United Nations flag, to help all those who are now in dire straits."
A day after religious leaders released an open letter calling on California to protect religious liberty in higher education, the lawmaker behind a controversial bill dropped the proposal in question, allowing religious schools to keep exemptions to anti-discrimination laws related to sexuality.

Under state Senator Ricardo Laras amended bill, schools must disclose if they have an exemption and report to the state when students are expelled for violating morality codes, the Los Angeles Timesreported.

HUGE NEWS! Sponsor of #SB1146 is amending bill to keep exemptions in place, tweeted Andrew Walker, director of policy studies at the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). #SB1146 is still bad, because it has the disclosure (public shaming) element, but this, for now, is good.

Sighs of relief and prayers of gratitude that California #SB1146 bill (restricting religious liberty of colleges) has been dropped, ...

1
King of Kings Empowerment Ministry is having a Back to School Event in Hunts Point  September 10, 2016

Contact: Rev. Jerome Frierson, Ed. D (c), Pastor, 866-287-9012 ext. 3000

BRONX, N.Y., Aug. 9, 2016 / Christian Newswire / --  King of Kings Empowerment Ministry announced today its third annual Back to School Event. This informal event will begin Saturday, September 10th at 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with the theme "Helping the Next Generation...John 13:17." It will be held on the 2nd floor at the Bank Note Building in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx.

On Saturday, September 10th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. King of Kings Empowerment Ministry will be hosting this Back to School Event. The ministry will be distributing elementary school children free backpacks. The backpacks will be filled will all types of school supplies that will be helpful for the upcoming school year. They will be at the Bank Note Building on the 2nd Floor office in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx. This ministry's mission is to educate, promote meaningful changes and uplift the youth. By hosting this Back to School Event, King of Kings plans to do just that.

Although this event is for the children, Rev. Frierson said, "This event is open to the public and all are welcome to attend." During this event, fun and engaging activities will be provided. They believe that some lifetime connections will be made.

This family friendly outreach ministry is calling all families with children in hopes to provide 50 to 100 families with school supplies. The event will be held on the second floor office at the Bank Note Building, 1231 Lafayette Avenue, Bronx, NY 10474. Rev. Frierson said, "With our mission in mind, we will provide youth and disadvantaged people with resources that will help students be better prepared for their first day of school.

For more information, visit www.landmarkchristianinstitute.org

About King of Kings Empowerment Ministry
home US Joe Biden criticized by top Catholic bishops for officiating at gay marriage

Vice President Joe Biden garnered criticism from at least three top Catholic leaders for officiating at a gay marriage on Aug. 1.

Three bishops of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) did not mention Biden, the first Roman Catholic to be America's vice president, on their statement posted Friday on the USCCB' blog but they clearly denounced the latest action taken by the politician as a "counter witness, instead of a faithful one founded in the truth."

"When a prominent Catholic politician publicly and voluntarily officiates at a ceremony to solemnize the relationship of two people of the same-sex, confusion arises regarding Catholic teaching on marriage and the corresponding moral obligations of Catholics," wrote USCCB president and Louisville Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, joined by Bishop Richard Malone of Buffalo, New York, who also chairs the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth; and Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, who chairs the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.

According to the Associated Press, longtime White House staffers Joe Mahshie and Brian Mosteller asked Biden to officiate their wedding which took place at the Naval Observatory. Biden secured a special temporary certification from the District of Columbia to grant the couple's request.

"Proud to marry Brian and Joe at my house. Couldn't be happier, two longtime White House staffers, two great guys," tweeted Biden with an accompanying photo of the wedding scene.

The bishops made it clear that they stood behind Pope Francis's stance on marriage as a union between a man and a woman. They also reminded Catholics and Catholic leaders on their responsibility to uphold the laws that support the fundamental human values and to denounce laws and policies that run counter to them.

Edward Peters, a canon lawyer at Detroit's Sacred Heart Major Seminary, said that Biden "went out of his way to act with contempt" against the Catholic doctrine and "is daring the church to do anything about it."

Peters called on the denial of the sacrament of the Holy Communion as the most appropriate punishment for Biden's "scandal."
home Faith Billy Graham: How to distinguish cults from real Christian groups

Renowned preacher Billy Graham gave three simple guide questions that would help one determine whether a religion is a cult or a real Christian group.

The evangelical leader said Christians should protect themselves from being swayed into a cult as they face a smorgasbord of religions existing today. In order to equip oneself, he shared three simple questions one can use in evaluating a religious group.

"What do they believe about the Bible?" wrote 97-year-old Graham on his advice column for The Kansas City Star on Thursday.

The founder of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) believes a Christian religion should only place its faith in the Word of God and should not add anything to it nor "claim they alone have translated it correctly."

"What do they believe about Jesus?" should be the second question, said Graham. Christians believe Jesus to be the Son of God, who came down from heaven to save humankind from sins, he said. On the other hand, cults do not believe in Jesus but believe in working for their own salvation.

Graham penned the last question as "What do they believe about other Christians?"

"Do they claim that they, and they alone, have the truth, or do they rejoice that God is also at work elsewhere?" he added.

The issue of identifying a religious group as a cult became a fodder for controversy and backlash against the preacher in 2012 after BGEA removed Mormonism from its list of cult religions. BGEA said it did so because it doesn't want to involve itself from a "theological debate about something that has become politicized during this [2012] campaign."

Graham just pledged to help the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney, a Republican and a Mormon.

Many Christian leaders criticized the acceptance of Mormonism as a Christian religion while the preacher's son, Franklin Graham, expressed "shocked that we even had that on there."

The junior Graham, also the president and CEO of BGEA, said he wasn't even aware of an article on their website that made such a list and criticized it as name-calling.

"If I want to win a person to Christ, how can I call that person a name? That's what shocked me, that we were calling people names," he told CNN.
home US 'Caleb Thomas believed in Jesus,' says Scott Schwab on son's death at world's tallest water ride

Congressman Scott Schwab said his 10-year-old son, who died Sunday on the world's tallest water ride in Kansas, believed in Jesus as his Savior.

The Republican state representative and his wife, Michele, issued a statement, delivered Sunday night by Pastor Clint Sprague of Life Mission Church on their behalf, to express their gratitude for the compassion they've received as they mourn the untimely loss of their second oldest son, Caleb Thomas.

"Since the day he was born, he brought abundant joy to our family and all those who he came in contact with," said the statement. "As we try and mend our home with him no longer with us, we are comforted knowing he believed in his Savior, Jesus, and they are forever together now. We will see him another day."

The pastor described the young boy as a "man of God" and that the boy always became the first to pray for anyone who needed it.

The 44-year-old Kansas state lawmaker took his wife and their four boys to the Schlitterbahn waterpark in Kansas City, which declared an "Elected Officials' Day" on Sunday and gave free admission and lunch to the lawmakers and their families. His son died from a fatal neck injury after riding the Verruckt water slide, billed as the world's tallest at 17 stories high and over 168 feet tall.

The Kansas City Park closed on Monday and reopened on Wednesday while Verruckt remained shut down as officials investigate the tragic accident.

According to witnesses who spoke with KSHB-TV, they saw the boy fly into the air and hit the safety net while others observed that the harness device malfunctioned that day. Two women who rode with Schwab's son also suffered injuries and were hospitalized after the ride, according to their relatives who spoke with WDAF-TV. One suffered a broken jaw while the other had stitches in her eye and broke a bone in her face.

Verruckt water slide opened in 2014 after four delays due to safety issues. Co-owner Jeff Henry referred to the ride on the water slide as the "scariest thing" he's ever done and likened it to "jumping off the Empire State Building."

"It's dangerous, but it's a safe dangerous now," Henrey told USA Today two years ago. "Schlitterbahn is a family water park, but this isn't a family ride. It's for the thrill seekers of the world, people into extreme adventure."
home World 'Hey ISIS, you suck!' says Muslim group on Chicago billboard

An American Muslim group expressed their public disavowal of the Islamic State terrorist group through a billboard hoisted on a highway in Chicago for everyone to see.

The nonprofit group Sound Vision Foundation obviously wanted the world to know that Muslims condemn the terrorist organization and that it is not representative of the Islamic faith when it displayed its message on an I-294 billboard.

"Hey ISIS, you suck!!!" read the billboard message signed, "From: #ActualMuslims."

It also quoted Quran 5:32 that says, "Life is sacred."

The group's representative, Leena Suleiman, said that 60 Muslim-American professionals in Chicago who wanted to express their sentiment against the terrorist attacks funded the billboard message.

"It's about shouting out, 'ISIS does not represent me, I'm Muslim, I say the word 'sucks,' I'm like everyone else in my country,'" Suleiman told NBC Chicago and added, "We want to scream it from a billboard."

She also said that their message is also for non-Muslims or "people who need to hear that Muslims are not OK with what ISIS is doing" since the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS or Daesh) terrorist group declared its war against all apostates in the name of Allah.

Suleiman added that many Muslims identified with the "ISIS sucks" campaign because that's how they truly felt.

"When they see these attacks, they don't identify with the attacks, they identify with the victims," she said.

Dr. Nabeel Qureshi, a Christian speaker with a Muslim background and considered as one of the leading experts on Islam, referred to the Quran 5:32 verse as "the most ripped-out-of-context verse of the Qur'an in the West."

The author of "Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward" argued that many use the said verse to portray Islam as a peaceful religion but that doing so also entails ignoring the remaining parts of the verse.

"In fact, it says almost the exact opposite: that Muslims can kill those who are their enemies!" Qureshi wrote on the blog Answering Muslims.
home World ISIS training 1,400 captive Yazidi children to be jihadis and suicide bombers

The Islamic State terrorist group reportedly trains more than a thousand captive Yazidi children to become jihadis and suicide bombers, according to a report.

Hussein Kuru, director for the office of Yezidi Abductees Affairs in Duhok province reported Wednesday in a press conference that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Peshmerga forces freed 2,640 Yezidi men and women from the clutches of the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS or Daesh) militants but that at least 3,770 Yazidis remain captive. Among the remaining captives, ISIS reportedly grooms the children for jihad or religious war.

"IS militants are reportedly training 1,400 Yezidi children to carry out military activities and suicide attacks," said Kuru, according to basnews.

He added that the officials discovered 33 Yazidi mass graves in Sinjar and other recaptured areas and estimated more than 400,000 Yazidis displaced from Sinjar, Bashiqa and Nineveh since ISIS seized control of the lands in 2014 and declared its Caliphate.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) also reported the following day that ISIS executed at least 12 of the Iraqi captives who tried to escape.

A Yazidi girl, who managed to escape the IS camps after six months and 12 days of captivity, already told the United Nations during a conference early this year of the terrors suffered by the Yazidi captives at the hands of the militant group. Samia Sleman, 15, said ISIS killed off Yazidi men and older women, subjected young women into sex slavery and trained and brainwashed young boys to become future jihadis.

"There are young Yazidi boys they are training in ISIS camps to make them future jihadis to fight with ISIS and brainwashing them at the time when we were in captivity they separated all the girls and sold them to each other," said Sleman.

She implored the international community to recognize the atrocities against the Yazidi religious minorities as genocide and denounced the lack of concrete actions against the IS.

"Why are these innocent kids and these innocent people suffering this much in that region? Why don't we see any action being taken even though it has been over a year and half now?" Sleman asked.
home World Militant Christian group in Nigeria threatens revenge attacks on Muslims if Boko Haram continues to target Christians

A Christian militant group in Nigeria responded to the latest threats made by Boko Haram extremists against Christians by vowing to take on Muslims in return.

The Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders (NDRC) released its statement Saturday where the militant group spoke of shedding the blood of Muslims and destroying mosques in the Niger Delta region should the Muslim extremists carry on their latest Islamization plot of doing the same on Christians and their churches.

"But, we want to warn them that we, the Niger Delta youths, in this 21st century will not accept killing of innocent Christians or burning of churches. That if they try it in the north or any part of Nigeria, we the Niger Delta youths will not see any Muslim or mosque in the Niger Delta," said the group's spokesperson W O I Izon-Ebi, according to AllAfrica.

Boko Haram, considered as the most destructive militant group last year, switched its allegiance from al-Qaeda to the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS or Daesh) terrorist group and declared itself the Islamic State's West Africa Province.

Boko Haram's new leader, Abu Musab al-Barnawi, unveiled the militants' plans of attacking Christianization in the African country by killing Christians and burning down all churches.

"They strongly seek to Christianize the society ... They exploit the condition of those who are displaced under the raging war, providing them with food and shelter and then Christ.ianizing their children," SITE Intelligence Group quoted al-Barnawi as saying in an interview released Wednesday on IS' newspaper al-Nabaa, as reported by the Associated Press.

The Nigerian extremists also buoyed the Muslim Fulani herdsmen, the world's fourth most destructive terrorist group in 2015, on carrying out incessant attacks against Christian villagers that caused church leaders and human rights groups to express fears that the federal country might fall into civil war.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) advised Christians last month to "buckle up and be ready to defend themselves" as they criticize President Muhammadu Buhari's "lukewarm" response to the series of attacks against Christians.

A civil rights group also accused Buhari of running an Islamist government and even aiding the "ethno-religious cleansing" of Christians.
After last year's failed statue plan, Satanic Temple tries to counter Christianity anew with its school Satan clubs' proposal

They failed last year, and now they're at it again.

In June 2015, the Satanic Temple tried to install its own statue outside the Oklahoma State Capitol in protest against the Ten Commandments monument on the Capitol grounds.

But this plea was rendered moot when the Oklahoma Supreme Court voted 7-2 to remove the Ten Commandments monument at the state Capitol on the ground that the monument was a religious symbol and must be removed because it violated the state's constitutional ban on using public property to benefit a religion, The New York Times reported.

With the ruling, Lucien Greaves, a spokesman and co-founder of the Satanic Temple in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said his group would no longer pursue its proposal to erect an eight-and-a-half-foot-tall bronze monument of Baphomet, a goat-headed humanoid character, next to the Ten Commandments monument, according to Tulsa World.

Now, the Satanic Temple is pushing for "after school Satan" clubs for elementary school students in U.S. public school districts to counter the Good News Clubs operated by the Child Evangelism Fellowship, the Associated Press reported.

The "Satan clubs" purportedly would not really propagate the belief in Satan or Lucifer but would instead conduct activities focused on science, art, literature, and the teaching that a person does not need to be religious in order to be a good person, according to The Washington Post.

However, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) told the Catholic News Agency that the "after school Satan" club proposal appears to be an underhanded tactic to remove all religious programmes from public schools.

Jordan Lawrence, ADF senior counsel, said the Satanic Temple is actually trying to "eliminate all of these Bible clubs, prayer meetings, Good News Clubs that are meeting all around the country."

Lawrence said the Temple's adaptation of Satanic imagery and language "is just to scare people into thinking that these are actual Satan worshippers."

"What I think is disingenuous and tragic is that they're really using all these Satan names for their organisation, their lead guy, these after-school clubs, to scare school officials into shutting down the forum for everyone," he said.

Lawrence said it is "tragic" that the Satanic Temple is trying to drive Christianity out of the public square.

"They are basically saying that the Christian groups meeting on the same terms as everybody else are a threat to the republic," he said, and "rather than argue that in the marketplace of ideas, they are trying to scare school officials into closing the forum to eliminate the Christians."

"And that to me is tragically opposed to our First Amendment traditions of learning how to tolerate hearing views we disagree with, and responding to them with civil debate, not trying to shut them down in a coercive manner."
Anti-Americanism unites Turkey and Russia as leaders repair ties

Russia and Turkey took a big step towards normalising relations on Tuesday, with their leaders announcing an acceleration in trade and energy ties at a time when both countries have troubled economies and strains with the West.

President Vladimir Putin received his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan in a Tsarist-era palace outside his home city of St Petersburg. It was Erdogan's first foreign trip since last month's failed military coup, which left Turkey's relationship with the United States and Europe badly damaged.

The visit is being closely watched in the West, where some fear both men, powerful leaders ill-disposed to dissent, might use their rapprochement to exert pressure on Washington and the European Union and stir tensions within NATO, the military alliance of which Turkey is a member.

Putin said Moscow would gradually phase out sanctions against Ankara, imposed after the Turks shot down a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian border nine months ago, and that bringing ties to their pre-crisis level was the priority.

"Do we want a full-spectrum restoration of relations? Yes and we will achieve that," Putin told a joint news conference after an initial round of talks. "Life changes quickly."

Cooperation would be increased on projects including a planned $20 billion (15 billion) gas pipeline and a nuclear power plant to be built in Turkey by the Russians, Erdogan said, as well as between their two defence sectors.

"God willing, with these steps the Moscow-Ankara axis will again be a line of trust and friendship," Erdogan said.

The leaders were to discuss the war in Syria, over which they remain deeply divided, in a subsequent closed-door session. Progress there is likely to be more halting, with Moscow backing President Bashar al-Assad and Ankara wanting him out of power.

Turkey has been incensed by what it sees as Western concern over a post-coup crackdown but indifference to the bloody putsch itself, in which rogue soldiers bombed parliament and seized bridges with tanks and helicopters. More than 240 people were killed, many of them civilians.

Putin's rapid phone call expressing his solidarity to Erdogan in the wake of the failed putsch had been a "psychological boost", the Turkish president said.

Anti-American sentiment

Turkish officials, by contrast, warned on Tuesday of rising anti-American sentiment and of risks to a crucial migrant deal with Europe, in a sign of deteriorating relations.

Erdogan blames Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric who has lived in self-imposed exile in the US state of Pennsylvania since 1999, and his followers for the failed coup.

In Moscow he also implied that Gulenists in the military may have been responsible for the downing of the jet, telling a Turkish-Russian business council that they had "clearly taken aim at ties between our countries", although he stopped short of blaming them outright.

Turkey has launched a series of mass purges of suspected Gulen supporters in its armed forces, other state institutions, universities, schools and the media, prompting Western worries for the stability of the NATO ally.

Denmark's ruling party said on Tuesday the EU should end accession negotiations with Turkey completely over Erdogan's "undemocratic initiatives", the latest European country to condemn developments in Turkey.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said hostility towards the United States was rising among Turks and could be calmed only by the extradition of Gulen, who denies any involvement in the coup and has condemned it.

"There is a serious anti-American feeling in Turkey, and this is turning into hatred," Bozdag said in an interview with state-run Anadolu Agency, broadcast live on Turkish television channels. "It is in the hands of the United States to stop this anti-American feeling leading to hatred."

In Washington, the US State Department criticised charges in the Turkish press that a Washington think tank had been behind the coup attempt.

"This sort of conspiracy theory, inflammatory rhetoric...is absolutely not helpful," State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said. "We have certainly spoken to our Turkish counterparts on unhelpful rhetoric."

Despite the timing of the Russia visit, Ankara has insisted that Erdogan's meeting with Putin is not meant to signal a fundamental shift in Turkish foreign policy.

Turkey hosts American troops and warplanes at its Incirlik Air Base, an important staging area for the US-led fight against Islamic State militants in neighbouring Iraq and Syria.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told the Bild daily that he was not worried about Russia and Turkey improving ties.

"I do not believe that relations between the two countries will become so close that Russia can offer Turkey an alternative to the NATO security partnership," he said.

Nuclear and energy deals

Putin told Erdogan that he hoped Ankara could fully restore order after the failed coup, saying Moscow always opposed unconstitutional actions.

"I want to express the hope that under your leadership the Turkish people will cope with this problem and that order and constitutional legality will be restored," he said.

Erdogan's meeting with Putin was only his second with a foreign head of state since the coup, following a visit to Ankara by the Kazakh president on Friday. Turkish officials have questioned why no Western leader has come to show solidarity.

Turkey and Russia would reinstate their annual bilateral trade target of $100 billion, Erdogan said, which had been abandoned after Russia imposed the sanctions.

Tourism revenue, a mainstay of the Turkish economy, has been hit hard by an 87 per cent dive in Russian visitors in the first six months of the year.

Putin said the question of resuming Russian charter flights to Turkey, halted under the sanctions, would be solved in the near future.

The two leaders said also agreed to revive the gas pipeline project, known as TurkStream, meant to be supply Turkey with additional volumes of Russian gas and increase deliveries to Europe in the future.

Russia has been mulling a number of projects to supply Europe with gas bypassing Ukraine, but the EU has opposed most of them, eager to cut its reliance on gas from Moscow.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said the first line of TurkStream to supply Turkey could be built as early as 2019 but that solid European guarantees were needed before a second line from Russia to the EU across Turkey could be built.

Stalled Russian work on the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey would also be restarted, the two leaders said. In 2013, Rosatom won a $20 billion contract to build four reactors in what was to become Turkey's first nuclear plant, but construction was halted after the downing of the jet.
Atheist teacher who didn't trust Christians turns to Christ after prayers miraculously healed her mother

No mind is too rigid, no heart too hard to resist the transforming power of Christ.

Avowed atheist teacher Kim Menon realised this when she found herself believing and accepting Jesus Christ after experiencing the heart-felt love of Christians and seeing her mother miraculously healed through the prayers of her Christian friends, the Baptist Press News reported.

The kindergarten teacher from Seattle, Washington said as a child she thought Christians "just weren't intelligent enough" and "were predators who didn't really care about who I was."

In 2013, Menon met pastor Andy Brown who had just moved in from Camden, Arkansas, to Seattle to plant churches. Brown had enrolled his son to the kindergarten school where Menon teaches.

Menon also met Larry Bailey, mission pastor at Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas, a sponsor church for Brown's mission.

Without identifying himself as pastor of The Landing Church, Brown volunteered to do the landscaping at the school and other projects as part of his ministry's community service.

Bailey also volunteered to help Menon by making copies, grading papers, helping with projectsanything to be of service.

Bailey said at first Menon was suspicious. "She said, 'I don't get it. You fly all the way from Arkansas to Seattle to make copies for me. Why?'"

He simply replied, "Because we want to love you and show you that God loves you too."

"I had never met anyone who did things like that without wanting something in return," Menon said.

For more than two years, the Brown family continued ministering to the school and helping Menon, among other teachers. They invited her to birthday parties, neighbourhood get-togethers and holiday events. They also continually invited her to church even though Menon kept saying it would never happen.

But despite Menon's refusal to go to church, the Browns showered her with affection, and she eventually fell in love with the family.

When Menon confided that her marriage was falling apart, the Browns showed her that they would love her no matter what.

The turning point came when Menon's mother became very ill after a series of heart attacks. On the day she was scheduled for heart surgery, Menon felt her mother needed a miracle to survive, and she called Brown and asked him to pray for her mother.

Brown then called everyone in the church, emailed and posted on Facebook so that every believer he knew would pray for Menon's mother.

The miracle came: When the surgeons opened up Menon's mother, they found nothing wrong with her.

Menon was stunned. None of the doctors could tell her how her mother had been healed. But deep inside, she knew who healed her mother: God.

She then decided forthwith to abandon atheism and embrace Jesus Christ, bringing along 19 of her unsaved friends to her baptism. She is now the part-time children's minister at The Landing Church.

"My life has changed immeasurably," she said. "I used to omit the words 'under God' from the Pledge of Allegiance. I was for gay rights, and now I have a different definition of marriageGod's definition. I didn't even know what a Gospel tract was three years ago, and now I'm handing them out."
Australia needs 'audit of its soul' after leaked reports reveal scale of refugee child abuse

Human rights campaigners have responded to revelations of the appalling abuse of children at one of Australia's offshore detention camps with calls for a radical reform of its refugee policy.

Among them is pastor and justice activist Jarrod McKenna, who told Christian Today that the revelations meant Australia must "take an audit of its soul".

Australia has a draconian refugee policy that sees would-be asylum seekers fleeing repressive regimes held in two offshore centres, one of them the remote Pacific island of Nauru. It has been repeatedly criticised by the UN among other organisations.

Now more than 2,000 leaked incident reports from the camp have been published by The Guardian. They reveal assaults including sexual assault and self-harm. According to the Guardian, the files paint a picture of "routine dysfunction and cruelty".

It says children are "vastly over-represented in the reports", with children featuring in more than half of them, though children made up only 18 per cent of detainees on the island during the period covered.

Among other incidents reported, a guard threatened to kill a boy. Others slapped children's faces. A guard laughed at a girl who had sewn her lips together.

There are seven reports in the files of sexual assault of children, 59 reports of assault on children, 30 of self-harm involving children and 159 of threatened self-harm involving children.

McKenna told Christian Today: "$1.2 billion of our taxes are going into a system we can no longer deny is abusing children who are needing safety. Pause for a moment and let that sink in. Let it bring you to your knees in prayer for these children.

"Australia, fun-loving-easy-going-sun-and-surf-Australia, is spending over a billion dollars in locking up people in situations of systematic abuse when they were simply seeking safety. This must end. Now. Matthew 25 makes it clear, Jesus comes to us as the refugee and, not only has Australia rejected him, we have turned away as the abuse is ongoing. As a nation we must repent."

He encouraged campaigners to use the hashtags #naurufiles & #DonDale  the latter referring to the youth detention centre in the Northern Territory where abuse was also uncovered.

"Without naming this any talk of who we can be is just a cover up," McKenna said. "As a nation we need a conversion to compassion and decency. We must, '#BringThemHere'."

The Australian government's Department of Immigration and Border Protection said in a statement: "The documents published today are evidence of the rigorous reporting procedures that are in place in the regional processing centre - procedures under which any alleged incident must be recorded, reported and where necessary investigated.

"Many of the incident reports reflect unconfirmed allegations or uncorroborated statements and claims - they are not statements of proven fact."
Bishops oppose bill that would legalise divorce in the Philippines

A divorce bill has been filed in the Philippine Congress that would allow unhappy couples to legally terminate their marriage.

The bill is expected to have little chance of passing, considering the still considerable opposition to divorce in the Roman Catholic-majority nation. At least three Catholic bishops have already voiced their opposition against the bill, according to Life Site News.

"Divorce spawns a host of problems, especially for children. It weakens the institution of marriage. Already we see many families being separated by work," Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga said in a statement as he referred to the huge number of Filipinos who are forced to find work overseas in order to support their families.

"Let us not move towards a weakening of marriage but instead endeavour to encourage maturity, fidelity, self-sacrifice, respect," he added.

Meanwhile, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said lawmakers should focus on creating laws that support marriage and not weaken it. "We already witness the havoc that divorce is doing in many countries. I hope we learn from them," he said.

As for Lipa Bishop Ramon Arguelles, he said countries that allow divorce have "invited disaster, degeneration and strife."

The bill, which has been filed in the House of Representatives for the fifth time by the Gabriela Women's Party, is also being opposed by many legislators despite the contention of its proponents that it would save couples from "abusive or irreparable marriages."

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines said it is closely monitoring the movement of the bill.

The bill seeks to allow divorce only when married couples face "irreconcilable differences that have caused the irreparable breakdown of the marriage," or when the couple have been separated for two years and that their reconciliation is "highly improbable." There was no mention of what couples should do with their kids should they divorce.

President Rodrigo Duterte has already expressed his view that he does not believe in divorce. He said he believes married couples should stand together through thick or thin "for the sake of the kids."
Catholic charity wants to train 1,000 new priests after Fr Jacques Hamel killing

In honour of Jacques Hamel, the French priest murdered by Islamist sympathisers two weeks ago, a Catholic charity is launching a campaign to support the training of 1,000 new priests around the world.

The Italian wing of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) announced the move, aimed at helping to find seminarian studies for future priests in 21 Dioceses from a range of countries.

"Support for the formation of new priests is a concrete response to fundamentalism, because especially in countries where the extremist threat is the greatest, the ministers of God must possess the appropriate tools to promote dialogue and contribute to a peaceful coexistence between all the religious groups, putting an end to the conflicts," Alessandro Monteduro, director ACN in Italy told the Catholic News Agency.

The campaign is the charity's response to Hamel's murder on 26 July, when he was ambushed by two hostage takers bearing guns and knives while celebrating Mass and had his throat slit at the altar of his church, in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, Normandy. Islamic state claimed responsibility for the attack, which ended with he two gunmen being shot dead by police.

Aid to the Church in Need said on its Italian website that it will offer support to seminarians belonging to Dioceses in Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia. Monteduro added that "we chose the seminaries that had the greatest need for aid, to allow them to accommodate more students and form what we consider to be the new 'soldiers of the faith.'"

Monteduro went on to say that "forming well-prepared priests in a powerful weapon against fundamentalism" as well as "the Christian presence being visible, especially in those societies under attack by the extremists."
China: Christians threatened with having welfare payments cut unless they stop going to church

Christians in China will have their welfare benefits withdrawn unless they stop attending church, a local governing body has announced.

Authorities in Guizhou province made the announcement on July 2, China Aid reports. A house church member told the Texas-based organisation that officials said they would withdraw "welfare or any old-age insurance" from Christians.

"Now, the county called on the government in the towns and villages to order believers to sign [a guarantee] stating that if they gathered again, their welfare would be cut off," the source said.

It's not the first time this threat has been carried out in China. Three dozen Miao Christians were detained in September 2014 and have since not received any welfare payments.

The Chinese government has been taking an increasing hard line on religion, particularly against Christianity which is experiencing dramatic growth in the country. More than 1,500 churches have been demolished or had their crosses removed in Zhejiang province over the past three years, and pastors and lawyers who opposed the campaign have been imprisoned on charges widely regarded as concocted by the authorities.

Last month, parents who attended Huaqiu house church in Guizhou were told if they didn't stop bringing their children to church, they would not be allowed to attend college or a military academy.

In addition, anyone who brought a minor to church was warned they would be sued.

Chinese legislation forbids children under the age of 18 from receiving any religious education, and that children may not attend even state-approved churches.
Forgiveness: How expecting too much can be spiritually damaging

God want us to forgive our enemies? Of course. Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but 77 times" (Matthew 18:21-22). Most Christians pray at least every Sunday a version of, "Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us."

Christians forgive  that's how it works.

But does it always work? And do pastors sometimes ask more of people than they have a right to  perhaps in a personal quest to build the perfect church?

The English Bible translates more than one Hebrew and Greek word as "forgive". Hebrew words can have the sense of "cover", "send away" or "let go". Greek words can have the sense of "be gracious to", "set loose" or "send away". The Old English root of our own word has the literal sense "give completely" or "give up".

At its root, this is what forgiveness means: setting aside the right to justice and retribution.

So here are things it doesn't mean.

It doesn't mean that you have to become friends with the person who's injured you.

It doesn't mean that wrongdoing is ignored or condoned.

It doesn't mean that feelings of anger and bitterness magically go away.

It doesn't mean that you trust someone again just as you trusted them before.

It doesn't mean that you won't be hurt again.

One of the problems churches sometimes have is that people are expected to be friends with everyone. But it doesn't work like that. Forgiveness and friendship aren't the same. And in the wrong hands, forgiveness can be a powerfully destructive weapon.

Sometimes pastors encourage people to forgive someone who's injured them  perhaps a woman who's been abused by her husband  when the wrong she's suffered hasn't been acknowledged or dealt with.

Sometimes Christian employers or manages urge people to forgive misconduct at work  perhaps of a sexual nature  because it will bring the organisation into disrepute and damage its witness.

Sometimes people use the forgiveness they've been offered as a way of freeing themselves to continue sinning.

At the same time, properly understood, forgiveness is very powerful. It says to the person who has offended, "What you did has no power over me. I am not going to be defined by what you did. The desire for revenge is not going to warp my life out of its God-given shape."

That can be very, very hard. If the injury someone has done us is deep and lasting, the feelings of hurt and anger might keep coming back. We often assume when Jesus told Peter to forgive 77 times that he meant 77 separate offences  an extreme way of saying that there's no limit to the number of times we ought to forgive. But maybe he's also acknowledging that there's no limit to the number of times we might have to forgive the same offence. What has been done to us keeps coming back: the memory of injury or betray rises in our minds again, for the second or the 10th or the 50th time, and each recollection requires a fresh act of forgiveness.

But for Christians, forgiveness is more than setting aside revenge and more than just moving on with our lives. We aren't just called to forgo revenge against our enemies, we're called to love them. Loving forgiveness is an intention. Resolving not to take revenge is at best neutral. Resolving to follow in the footsteps of Christ, who even when he was dying on the cross prayed that God would forgive those who crucified him, involves a movement of the heart towards the other person  and that isn't possible without the work of the Spirit within us to transform us into the likeness of Christ.

But forgiveness, at whatever level, has to be free, or it isn't real. Pastors and well-meaning Christians who insist that someone who's been badly hurt should forgive and act as though nothing has happened aren't helping anyone. They may, at worst, be doing terrible spiritual damage.

Mark Woods is the author of Does the Bible really say that? Challenging our assumptions in the light of Scripture (Lion, 8.99). Follow him on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
Former Catholic priest admits 27 charges of historic child abuse

A former Catholic priest has pleaded guilty to 27 charges of sexual assault against children.

Philip Temple, 66, committed the offences during the 1970s in London while he was working in south London care homes and a church in north London.

He admitted seven of the offences at Woolwich Crown Court yesterday and had previously admitted 20 similar charges.

He adso admitted perjury, having lied on oath in the 1990s when he was acquitted of abuse charges after an allegation made by a teenage boy.

Temple was suspended from his role as a social worker in children's homes in 1977 and left the profession. He became a monk at a monastery in Cockfosters and abused two altar boys there. He was ordained a priest in 1987.

After being acquitted in the trial during which he perjured himself he is believed to have served in France and Italy. He was arrested in 2015 and admitted the historical abuse.

A spokesperson for the Catholic Church in England and Wales told the BBC that the Church was limited in the measures it could take because Temple was answerable to the head of his order in Italy and was not under its direct jurisdiction.

Raymond Stephenson, a member of the Shirley Oaks Survivors' Association, formed by victims at one of the Lambeth Council care homes where he worked, said: "If Temple had been caught at Shirley Oaks he would not have been able to abuse anyone else."
Iraq: Christians 'see no future here' as ISIS continues campaign of destruction

Iraqi Christians persecuted by ISIS are losing hope for their future, two years since militants overran Mosul and the Nineveh Plain, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee.

"I see no future for us [here]", Raad Bahnam Samaan told the Associated Press. He fled Qaraqosh  once home to Iraq's largest Christian population  in August 2014 along with his wife and five children. They now live in an IDP camp on the outskirts of Erbil.

Of returning home, he said: "There is always hope, but when? Nobody knows. It might be a year, two years, a day, a couple of days. Three or four years from now if we go home there won't be anything left of our house."

Samaan worries especially for his children. "The boys are growing up," he said. "How can I secure their future?"

Even if ISIS is defeated, he warned that Iraq may not be safe for Christians and other religious minorities. The insurgency has bred distrust between communities, Samaan said, and he is concerned that even once the militants are gone, the atmosphere of fear will remain.

"We'll still be afraid," he said. "I will go to Mosul and I will be afraid because they will say, 'Here comes the Christian'."

Before the US invasion in 2003, there were around 1.5 million Christians living in Iraq. There are now thought to be fewer than 300,000.

Many have fled overseas, but tens of thousands are living in refugee camps within Iraq. ISIS has destroyed numerous ancient Assyrian Christian sites, artifacts and temples in what is seen as an attempt to 'cleanse' the coutry of its Christian heritage.

On Sunday, the second anniversary of the exodus from the Nineveh Plain, the European Syriac Union released a statement calling for immediate action and condemning the "massive genocidal destruction of Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people and their millennial cultural, historical and religious heritage by demolishing churches, monasteries and historical sites".

"There is historical and moral responsibility for Iraq, regional and international community and institutions namely United Nations to stand with the vulnerable groups, recognise genocides against them and support them by accelerating the liberation of Nineveh Plain and supporting safe zone, autonomy in the region which will open the way to self administration," the statement said.

"In these turbulent times, Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people dispersed in different regions should stand with their brethren in the homeland in Iraq and Syria and raise their voices for the existential demands on the historical homeland of Bethnahrin."
Moroccan Christians face persecution over online testimonies

Moroccan Christians are bravely proclaiming their faith despite threats of government persecution.

Calling themselves "Moroccan and Christian," they are using online platforms like YouTube to profess their faith.

Islam is the religion of almost all Moroccans and only a small number are Christians.

"My name is Iman. I am Moroccan and Christian. Yes, I am Christian, but I am not a foreigner. My father is Sahraoui, and my mom is Amazigh. I was born and grew up in Morocco," declared a woman on the YouTube channel Moroccan and Christian, according to Christian Headlines.

Iman then narrated a story when her Moroccan husband visited his family and they told him, "Why you didn't come with your wife. Even if she's Christian and doesn't speak Darija, we will welcome her."

The Moroccan World News report noted that "Moroccan religious, or non-religious, minorities started to claim their rights to express their faith and asked for abolition of some articles of the penal law which penalise conversion to a religion other than Islam."

In proclaiming her Christian faith, Iman explains that it is her "right to choose the faith that makes her feel comfortable."

She said restrictions in law and society discourage some Moroccan Christians from speaking openly about their faith.

She noted that in 2010, Christian volunteers and foster parents at a Moroccan orphanage abandoned the children when authorities accused them of proselytising.

Former Minister of Communication Khalid Naciri once warned that the government would be "severe with all those who play with religious values," BBC reported.

A 2013 U.S. State Deparment report said Moroccan Christians worship secretly to avoid being detected by the authorities.

"Local Christians stated the authorities made phone or house calls several times a year, asserting that the authorities did so to demonstrate that they had lists of members of Christian networks and monitored Christian activities," the report said.

Last December, the group Eglise Marocaine or The Moroccan Church asked King Mohammed VI to let them celebrate Christmas and other Christian holidays.
Rick Warren, Russell Moore and other evangelical leaders protest California education Bill

Evangelical leaders Rick Warren and Russell Moore are among a range of signatories from Christian, Muslim and backgrounds who have put their name to a statement denouncing a California Bill that would limit religious exemptions for private educational institutions.

The statement - Protecting the future of religious higher education - was published on the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission's (ERLC) website yesterday and is signed by pastors and other figures from the religious and educational spheres.

Leading Christians who have signed include Moore, the ERLC President and Warren, the Saddleback Church Pastor.

The protest is over Senate Bill 1146, a piece of proposed legislation currently being considered by California's state legislature which critics fear will dramatically curb the religious freedom of private academic institutions.

The statement denounces the Bill as "harmful to the free exercise of religion in higher education" and says that if enacted it "would severely restrict the ability of religious education institutions to set expectations of belief and conduct that align with the institution's religious tenets."

It goes on: "This legislation puts into principle that majoritarian beliefs are more deserving of legal protection, and that minority viewpoints are deserving of government harassment...Legislation of this nature threatens the integrity not only of religious institutions, but of any viewpoint wishing to exercise basic American freedoms, not least of which is the freedom of conscience."

Those who signed "do not necessarily agree with one another's religious views, but we agree on the necessity of the liberty to exercise these views," the statement said.

"Some of us disagree with the sexual ethics of orthodox Jews, Christians, and Muslims giving rise to this legislation, but we are unified in our resistance to the government setting up its own system of orthodoxy...Where the state can encroach on one religion's free exercise, it can just as easily trample on any other religion's free exercise. We therefore join in solidarity across religious lines to speak against Senate Bill 1146."

Other signatories to the statement include Biola University President Barry Corey, Zaytuna College President Hamza Yusuf Hanson, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference President Samuel Rodriguez, Rabbi Meir Soloveichik of Yeshiva University, former US Congressman Frank Wolf of Virginia, and Imam Faizul Khan of the Islamic Society of Washington Area.

At the same time, the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) has also condemned the Bill as an attack on religious liberty.

NAE President Leith Anderson said yesterday: "The California Assembly is voting to change Christian policies and practices to comply with the new doctrines of California state legislators. The bill is a threat to the mutually beneficial relationship that has existed between faith and higher education for the entire history of our nation."

Separately, Moore called the bill "un-American": "Applying legal or political pressure on institutions that disagree with the cultural majority of the moment is not merely unwise or unfair  it is un-American...A healthy American culture is one in which ideas can freely be discussed and debated, in good faith, among people who, though they disagree, would defend the right of the other to participate."

The Bill, introduced by Democratic California State Senator Ricardo Lara, is also called the Equity in Higher Education Act.

The proposed Bill "prohibits a person from being subjected to discrimination on the basis of specified attributes, including sex, in any program or activity conducted by a postsecondary educational institution that receives, or benefits from, state financial assistance or enrolls students who receive state student financial aid."

It "would, except as provided, specify that a postsecondary educational institution that is controlled by a religious organisation and that receives financial assistance from the state or enrolls students who receive state financial assistance is subject to that prohibition and violation of that prohibition may be enforced by a private right of action."

In April, Senator Lara argued that the Bill was necessary for the protection to LGBT students. "All students deserve to feel safe in institutions of higher education, regardless of whether they are public or private," Lara said.

"California has established strong protections for the LGBTQ community and private universities should not be able to use faith as an excuse to discriminate and avoid complying with state laws."
Severe restrictions on religious freedom in the Maldives as defamation law passed

Religious freedom is further at risk in the Maldives after the Indian Ocean archipelago legalised criminal defamation on Tuesday.

The move has been strongly criticised by the UN, rights groups and Western nations including the US and Britain. The opposition has warned that President Abdulla Yameen's administration is trying to stifle dissent.

The law criminalises defamatory speech, remarks, writings and other actions including a gesture and targets actions against "any tenet of Islam" in the Muslim-majority country.

The bill was passed by a 16-vote majority led by Yameen's ruling Progressive Party of Maldives.

Those found guilty will be fined between 50,000 Maldivian rufiya ($3,200) and two million rufiya ($130,000) or face a jail term of between three and six months.

Publications, including websites, found carrying "defamatory" comments could also have their licenses revoked.

"So basically it's crippling freedom of expression including on the basis of defamation of religion, national security and social norms," said Mona Rishmawi, chief of the Rule of Law branch at the UN human rights office.

US State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said yesterday the defamation bill was a "serious setback for freedom of expression".

"The United States values freedom of expression as a key component of democratic governance. Democratic societies are not infallible, but they are accountable, and a free exchange of ideas is the foundation for accountability," she added.

"We continue to express our support for all Maldivians struggling to preserve their hard won democratic institutions and rights," she said.

The Maldives became a multi-party democracy in 2008 after decades as an autocratic state, but former President Mohamed Nasheed, its first democratically elected leader, was ousted in disputed circumstances in 2012.

Since then, campaigners have expressed concern that the country is sliding back to autocracy. Nasheed was sentenced to 13 years in prison in March 2015 under the Anti-Terrorism Act, but was this year granted asylum in the UK.

The Maldives ranks 13th on persecution charity Open Doors' list of countries where it is most dangerous to be a Christian. It is illegal to "propagate any religion other than Islam" and breaking this law can result in a prison sentence of up to five years.

Maldivian Christians are forced to practise their faith in secret, and migrant Christians living in the country are closely monitored.

Additional reporting by Reuters.
This Muslim woman devotes her life to caring for Christians: 'My Islam is a religion that believes in helping others'

Working behind the scene, this extraordinary Muslim Iraqi woman has been helping Christians and other people displaced by the fighting in her country, paticularly those victimised by the Islamic State (ISIS) jihadist group.

People have never heard anything in the news about Dr. Sarah Ahmed, an Iraqi dentist, but she is there "protecting all of the Iraqi Christians," according to Canon Andrew White, "The Vicar of Baghdad" who is the head of one of the most prominent relief charities helping thousands of Christians displaced by ISIS, The Christian Post reports.

For the past few years, Ahmed has been traveling all over Iraq to bring clothes, medicine food, and other essential items to the Christians, Yazidis, Muslims, Shebeks and others who have been displaced from their homes, tortured and raped by ISIS militants.

"We think and hear about Islamic terrorism all the time. What about Islamic people working for the protection of Christians?" asked White, the former chaplain of St. George's Church in Baghdad during a visit to Washington last December.

White revealed that the work he's been doing is actually being done by Ahmed, who is now the director of operations for the White-founded Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East.

Last week, Ahmed spoke with The Christian Post from Kurdistan, describing her experiences running all over northern Iraq to make sure that the needs of displaced persons are met.

"I am a very faithful person," Ahmed told CP. "I believe that with all the amount of [humanitarian work] that I have been doing and have been doing out of good faith in my heart and not for fame or money or anything, just out of my desire to help, I feel that God is always there for me and kind of protecting me and being around me to be able to reach all these areas and all these people."

"I know what a lot of people say about Islam but my Islam that I believe in is a religion that is very peaceful and believes in helping others," Ahmed said. "You cannot sleep while your neighbour is hungry or suffering."

A former resident of Baghdad, Ahmed went to the United States in 2010 to study dentistry. Ahmed met White, a fellow Iraqi, at a function in New York. Ahmed eventually became a part of the Christian charity being run by White, starting as a clinic volunteer.

Ahmed said her being a Muslim does not interfere with her work in the Christian charity, adding that for a time she even took residence inside a church in Baghdad.

"It never crossed my mind. I feel no difference," Ahmed said. "I work for the Christians, Yazidis, Jews, everybody else. For me, we are all equal. I don't differentiate that much."

Ahmed is tasked with organising and delivering food and other essentials to internally displaced persons in the Kurdish region, who have been left homeless after ISIS militants seized their properties.
Turkey: 2,500 religious staff removed in post-coup crackdown

More than 2,500 officials have been suspended from Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate in another crackdown following the failed military coup last month.

The move, announced on Tuesday, was part of a wider purge of those believed to support US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the Turkish government has blamed for the uprising.

More than 50,000 people have been rounded up, sacked, or arrested in the wake of the July 15 attempted coup, and this latest figure brings the total dismissed from the religious affairs agency to 3,672.

The Religious Affairs Directorate, known as the Diyanet, has a duty in Turkey "to execute the works concerning the beliefs, worship, and ethics of Islam, enlighten the public about their religion, and administer the sacred worshiping places".

According to AFP, it looks after around 80,000 mosques and 100,000 of its staff are imams.

Diyanet said its staff who were dismissed included employees at every level of the organisation, though no further details were given.

Gulen has denied the accusations levelled against him, but Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is pressing to have him extradited from the US.

Gulen's school of Islam seeks to amalgamate Muslim teaching with liberal democracy, while Erdogan's ruling AK Party favours a more conservative Islam and has loyal support among conservative Muslims.

Turkey's foreign minister accused the EU on Wednesday of making "serious mistakes" in its response to the failed coup.

His comments reflect the deep frustration in Turkey over the perception that Europe and the US have given lukewarm support to Ankara in the wake of the incident.

Unfortunately the EU is making some serious mistakes. They have failed the test following the coup attempt," Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an interview with the state-run Anadolu agency.

Turkey has been incensed by what it sees as Western concern over its post-coup crackdown, but indifference to the bloody putsch itself, where more than 240 people were killed, many of them civilians.

Additional reporting by Reuters.
U.S. churches prepare for terror attacks amid rising threats following murder of French priest

Churches in the U.S. face a terrifying new reality: They could be attractive targets for terror as shown by the murder of French priest Jacques Hamel on July 26 in Normandy, France, counter-terrorism experts have revealed.

Amid rising threats, many churches in the U.S. are now hiring self-defence instructors for classes or security guards that include off-duty police officers, according to Ryan Mauro, a professor of Homeland Security at Liberty University and national security analyst for the Clarion Project.

"If you are an Islamist terrorist seeking self-glory, executing a priest will bring you more attention than executing an average civilian," Mauro told Fox News.

Although no terror attacks have yet taken place inside a U.S. church, experts say it could just be a matter of time before such an attack takes place.

"I'm pretty sure there will be attacks in the future," said Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern.

Father Josiah Trenham of St. Andrew Orthodox Church in Riverside, California, now has security officers on hand at services after a non-violent incident in April, months before the French attack.

"It is a deep sorrow to live this way in the 'new America,'" he told Fox News. He revealed that his church received a threat followed by an ominous warning in July when a car passed by and a man repeatedly yelled from a bullhorn "Allahu Akbar!"

Even before the attack on the French church last month, U.S. authorities have already warned that churches could be targeted by terrorists.

In February, Khial Abu-Rayyan, 21, of Dearborn Heights, Michigan, was arrested after he told an undercover FBI agent he was preparing to "shoot up" a major church near his home on behalf of ISIS.

A month earlier, the Rev. Roger Spradlin of Valley Baptist Church  one of the biggest congregations in Bakersfield, California  told congregants that they had received a threat written in Arabic.

Last September, a Muslim in combat gear was charged with making a terrorist threat after he entered Corinth Missionary Baptist Church, in Bullard, Texas, claiming that God had instructed him to kill Christians and "other infidels."

A year earlier, police were called to Saint Bartholomew's Catholic Church in Columbus, Indiana, after the church was vandalised with the word "Infidels!" along with a Quranic verse sanctioning death for nonbelievers. Similar graffiti was found that same night at nearby Lakeview Church of Christ and East Columbus Christian Church.

St. Bartholomew Pastor Clem Davis said churches are vulnerable terrorist targets since their mission is to welcome all.

"We don't have metal detectors, people go in and out. Churches are family-orientated, public, tax-supported spaces; so they may appeal to some as a target," he said.
What to do when God sends your black daughter a white husband

When God sent me a white husband, I braced myself for our life as an inter-racial couple to be difficult. I was ready for everyone to stare at us as we walked down the street. I was prepared for us to face the daily task of standing up against hatred and injustice for the sake of love. Before we got married, I tried to educate him in all things race, because pretty soon after we started dating, we realised that he had never really had to think about it  why would he, he's a white man? On the other hand, I thought about it constantly.

But pretty soon I realised that the stares were not going to come with the frequency with which I had braced myself. No one really cared. Why? Because we live in London in 2016, where interracial relationships are really not that big a deal. Most of the weddings I have been to in the past 12 months  my cousins and family friends  have been black people marrying white people. I'm well aware that when we visit more rural places across the UK or east Yorkshire where my husband is from, people might do a double take or say some things that are inappropriate, but even then I'm surprised at just how unremarkable we are.

I imagine things might be different in the deep south in America, however, which is where Gaye Clark lives. Gaye Clark is the self-described "recovering Pharisee" who has faced a barrage of criticism for her post on the Gospel Coalition website entitled 'When God sends your white daughter a black husband'. And not just a "black husband", but "a black husband with dreads". Lordy!

There are parts of the article  mainly the tone  that I find deeply offensive. The language used betrays an assumption that white is superior and black is not just 'different', but inferior; a black son-in-law is a disappointment but let's love him anyway. "Glenn moved from being a black man to beloved son when I saw his true identity as an image bearer of God, a brother in Christ, and a fellow heir to God's promises," she writes. Words like this remind me of those times when I've been told "I don't see you as black" or been described as a coconut. Well-intentioned, but hinting at the view that white equals good and black equals bad. While pointing towards how accepting and un-racist she is in 'accepting', her son-in-law, the writer fails to recognise her own prejudice.

And then I think about the context in which Gaye Clark is writing and I get it  she is trying to rise above the pervasive racism in the southern Christian society she is in. While her words are jarring to so many of us who live in metropolitan cities, Gaye Clark's church friends are worried about what life will be like for her poor, mixed-race future grandchildren. "They have no idea what's ahead of them!" one of her friends tells her. Looking at the wider context of American race relations and it becomes a little more understandable that she might have flinched when her daughter brought home a black man  with dreads (a dreaded black man, if you will).

There are two issues going on in the background when we look at the taboo that surrounds interracial marriages in America, particularly black men and white women  namely slavery and patriarchy. No one really ever talks about this, but I'm going to attempt to here, so bear with me.

Inherent in the depiction of the black male in American society is the stereotype that black men are physically strong, dangerous, primal and highly sexualised. Meanwhile, research shows that the sexual abuse of black female slaves by white slave owners was widespread, as well as occasions when those relationships were seen as authentic, loving ones. While sexual relationships between white females and black male slaves did take place, these were much more taboo and when uncovered, could result in the killing of the black males. "Coupled with the notion of elite white female sexual virtue was that of white female vulnerability," writes J M Allain, "the idea that plantation wives and daughters needed to be protected, defended, and sheltered. Framing women in this way served as a means of patriarchal control." When the Gospel Coalition  run by mainly white men  publishes an article about God sending your white daughter a black husband, it sadly has echoes of these times; the white woman needing to be protected from the black man  especially one with dreads.

Mixed up with these associations with interracial marriage is the wider context of patriarchy. Who is seen as having the power in a relationship between a black man and a white woman? And who is seen as having the power when a white man marries a black woman? White is powerful and black is not. Men are powerful and women are not. So when a black man marries a white woman, it disrupts the social order.
Why banning the burqa is un-British  oh, and un-Christian too

Should Britain ban the burqa? Are we really still asking that question?

Most people probably aren't, but for UKIP leadership candidate Lisa Duffy it's still a live issue. She wants full-face veils  presumably including the niqab that leaves the eyes visible  banned in shopping centres, public buildings and on public transport. According to the BBC, she said in a speech in central London that it's "a symbol of aggressive separatism that can only foster extremism". She added: "The veil speaks only to culture and oppression, not Islam, and there's no reason why we in Britain should allow it to be worn anywhere and everywhere."

Well, yes, actually there are lots of reasons. This is Britain. We don't tell people what to wear. We might not like someone's views, but they are free to express them. We believe in religious tolerance, and Christians believe that's indivisible  go for the Muslims and who knows who's next? And yes, maybe some women are forced to cover their faces, but most choose it as a sign of religious devotion. Meddle with that and you really have crossed a line.

These arguments are old ones, and they're tried and true. There will be no burqa ban in Britain, and there shouldn't be. To argue for it is dog-whistle politics of the worst kind. We all know the sort of person who'll agree with her.

But there's another reason to reject a ban. In taking this line Duffy is echoing, ironically enough, other European countries including Italy and Belgium, which have similar bans. France introduced a burqa ban in 2010. While it is still popular, it has been savaged by critics who have researched its result. According to sociologist Agnes de Feo, the ban has not only encouraged Islamophobia, but given Muslim extremists more of an excuse to rise up against the French state. "We created a monster," she told The Local. "Those who have left to go and fight in Syria say that this law is one of things that encouraged them. They saw it as a law against Islam. It had the effect of sending a message that Islam was not welcome in France."

Now, she pointed out, French people "live in a society where people think it's normal to insult Muslim women wearing the full veil just because they are disobeying the law".

The result of the ban is that younger Muslims have become more radicalised. Their religious identity has been scorned. They know they aren't truly accepted as French. They are outsiders, and they react as outsiders will. And while nothing can excuse the terrorist assaults France has suffered, the sense of alienation created by its aggressive secularism and refusal to countenance genuine religious integration has to be part of the explanation for it.

There are two things that proponents of a ban don't understand.

First: you don't make people less likely to be radical extremists by controlling how they express their faith. You make it more likely.

Second: You can't control people's beliefs, religious or otherwise. Freedom means allowing people the maximum possible latitude to hold whatever opinions they like  whether you like them or not. Insisting they conform to an invented norm isn't democracy, it's tyranny.

Third: beneath those burqas and niqabs there are real people who have minds of their own and a right to an opinion. They are not proxies for what you hate and fear, they are individuals. Treat them with respect. You might be surprised at the result.

There are serious questions about how some Muslims integrate into British society. Community cohesion is an issue, particularly in some of our towns and cities. No one's views should be unchallenged just because they're religious. But banning burqas? It's a non-solution, and probably even worse than that.

Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods


ROMAN FOREST -- A mother saved her 5-year-old son from drowning Tuesday afternoon at a neighbor's pool in Roman Forest, according to law enforcement.

The boy apparently dived off the side and hit his head on the bottom of the pool, which was around 7 feet deep, according to Roman Forest Police Chief Stephen Carlisle. He said the boy was unconscious, blue and floating when the mother retrieved him, performed CPR and resuscitated him.

The call came in around 3:15 p.m.; and when responders arrived at the home on Colosseum Court, the boy was conscious, according to Carlisle.

He said the boy, who had a bump on his head, was shaken up but talking when he and his mother boarded the ambulance for transport to Texas Children's Hospital.

"We're still trying to pick out the fine details," Carlisle said. "We have been told that the mother was distracted briefly and when she came back, he was at the bottom of the pool."

Names were withheld at the mother's request. She and two of her children were at the house with another woman and her two children, Carlisle said. Two of the other children witnessed the diving accident, he said.
Update: By Tuesday evening company officials said everything's back to normal. Employees are back at their work stations

Employees at the LyondellBasel refinery in southeast Houston were asked to remain at their work stations following a chemical release, company officials said Tuesday.

At about 2 p.m., a power failure at the refinery in the 12000 block of Lawndale caused the temporary shutdown of the plant's sulfur recovery unit. During that time, there was a "brief" release of sulfur dioxide, company officials said.

"Air monitoring demonstrates that the levels of material detected are well below all regulatory and industry safety standards," LyondellBasel said in a statement.

Out of what company officials called "an abundance of caution," the employees were asked to remain in place during the shutdown and the release. The evacuation of the plant wasn't ordered, officials said.

Company officials are now working to restore power to the section of the refinery that was affected by the power loss. Other parts of the plant are continuing to operate, officials said.

"Our internal response team is managing the situation and no external emergency response services were required," the company said.

In April, a large fire broke out that sparked a shelter-in-place order for much of the area around the refinery. It started in a coker unit - part of the refining process. Students from neary Deady Middle School, Rucker Elementary School and Chavez High School all were affected. The schools cancelled all outdoor activities.

The blaze was brought under control about two hours later. There were no reported injuries, company officials said.

Air safety tests were conducted but no toxins were found following the fire, officials said.

The refinery is one of the largest in the nation that produces heavy-sulfur crude oil, according to their website. It can transform very heavy high-sulfur crude into clean fuels like reformulated gasoline and low-sulfur diesel. Other products include heating oil, jet fuel, lubricants and petroleum coke.

While the company website touts the 13 national safety awards it was earned, LyondellBasell also had 10 safety violations during a 2009 OSHA inspection. Many of the violations were related to the mishandling of hazardous materials.

In 2008, a crane collapsed during a maintenance operation at the refinery, killing four workers and injuring seven others.

The facility is the only refinery operated by the global petrochemical giant. Company officials have said they are considering selling the plant at some point.
- T. S. Eliot

Thoughts After Lambeth

"The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide."
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

A preteen huntress is facing the criticisms from countless adults online via Facebook, where photos of the wide-eyed 12-year-old posing alongside her kills are published and are spurring a world-wide controversy.

Aryanna Gourdin, from Cove, Utah, has become the target of death threats and explicit comments on her like page, "Aryanna Gourdin - Braids and Bows."

RELATED: 2 men get lifetime bans from hunting in 44 states, including Texas, after killing more than 40 deer

Mark Martineau, owner of Rack Em Up Hunts and a Gourdin family friend, told mySA.com Aryanna Gourdin and her father, Eli Gourdin, accompanied him on a safari recently. Photos from that trip are some of the newest on her page that are firing up debates.

Martineau is currently running her Facebook page while the father-daughter duo are out of the country.

He said when they return, the group will schedule media interviews to better inform the public on Aryanna Gourdin's interests.

RELATED: Texas Tech cheerleader Kendall Jones tells Facebook haters she 'will not back down from hunting'

In the meantime, the comments are pouring in on posts that have been shared more than 100,000 times, like one showing the preteen with a giraffe carcass, similar to the case of Kendall Jones, a former Texas Tech University from Cleburne, Texas, also faced heat in previous years for her African hunting trips.

The latest photo has garnered mostly negative responses from Facebook users, dubbing the child a long list of expletives mixed in with others like "literally hope someone skins you," "makes me wanna kill her" and "do the world a favor and kill yourself already before someone else makes you disappear" along with hundreds of similar hostility.

RELATED: 14-year-old girl catches potentially world record-breaking tarpon in the Gulf of Mexico

On the business page for Rack Em Up, Martineau discussed the controversy further.

"All of these death threats towards a child because she chooses to hunt. You threaten her or her family and you'll have to come through her father and myself and thousands of others," he fired back in an August 9 post. "I promise you I wouldn't hesitate."

RELATED: Zimbabwe official: US dentist not wanted for killing lion

In an earlier update on the Rack Em Up page, administrators published additional praise for the little girl.

"No many 12 year olds let alone grown men have experienced as many hunts as this little lady has [...] this little gal is the next big thing," the post said, adding that the "beautiful meet" harvested from the animals killed fed five orphanages.

mmendoza@mysa.com

Twitter: @MaddySkye
GALVESTON  James Larry Cosby will automatically be sentenced to life imprisonment after his conviction Wednesday for capital murder in the 2014 slayings of his daughter and her female partner, but that's not good enough for at least one family member.

"He deserves the death penalty," said his cousin, Scott Cavitt, 35, of Houston. Other family members declined comment, but Cavitt was convinced of Cosby's guilt.

Cosby, wearing a gray suit, stood impassively as the verdict was read. He will automatically be sentenced at a hearing Thursday to life imprisonment. Two charges of tampering with evidence related to a corpse were dropped.

A Galveston County jury heard seven days of testimony, then deliberated for three hours before convicting Cosby, 48, of beating and strangling his daughter, Brittney Cosby, and shooting her partner, Crystal Jackson, then dumping their bodies behind a convenience store on the Bolivar Peninsula. The bodies of the 24-year-old women were discovered March 7, 2014.

Prosecutors were never able to provide jurors with a motive, but Cavitt said Cosby was jealous that his daughter had a job and had recently purchased an SUV while he was forced to live with his mother.

The lead investigator in the case, Galveston County sheriff's Detective Danny Kitchens, said in an interview after the trial that Cosby initially was viewed as a grieving father until his fingerprint was found on a wooden shutter near the bodies. From that point on, "everything we had led back to Mr. Cosby," Kitchens said.

Defense attorneys Greg Russell and Kyle Verret said in interviews after the trial that they still believed prosecutors had failed to show that both women were killed in the commission of the same crime, a requirement to prove capital murder. Russell said the evidence did not conclusively show where Jackson was killed.

"I doubt that there is any evidence he killed Crystal," Russell said.

Bill Reed, who prosecuted the case with Paul Love, both assistant Galveston County district attorneys, said many bits of circumstantial evidence were brought together to build the case. "It's a complicated case with many, many moving parts," Reed said.

Defense attorneys reasoned in closing arguments that prosecutors had been unable to provide a motive or produce a mur-der weapon.

"How can you be convinced beyond all reasonable doubt that Mr. Cosby committed this crime?" defense attorney Russell asked jurors in the trial presided over by District Judge Patricia Grady.

Reed countered that no murder weapon or motive was needed because cell phone records tracked Cosby on the day of the slayings from Houston to Port Bolivar, where the bodies were found.

The jury began its deliberations Wednesday after hearing closing arguments from the defense and prosecution.

Defense attorneys tried to pick holes in the prosecution's case, arguing that they failed to prove where Jackson was killed. They suggested that someone else had killed Brittney Cosby in a bedroom of her grandmother's Houston residence, where she and her father lived, noting that DNA from an unidentified person had been found with Brittney Cosby's blood.

Defense attorney Verret suggested that the unknown killer had taken the Kia Sorrento SUV that Brittney Cosby and Jack-son had recently purchased and used it to haul their bodies to Port Bolivar, then returned to Houston and parked the SUV in the Cosbys' carport.

Cosby discovered the SUV in his driveway and, unaware that bodies had been in the car, took a drive to Galveston before leaving the vehicle at a gentleman's club on the Gulf Freeway, defense attorney Verret suggested.

Prosecutor Reed ridiculed the idea.

Two witnesses identified Cosby as being on the Galveston-Bolivar ferry, and surveillance video showed them talking to a man in a Kia Sorrento SUV. The defense challenged the witnesses, noting that they were only 50 percent sure that the man they saw was Cosby

Prosecutor Paul Love acknowledged that prosecutors were unable to present a motive, but told the jury that the evidence was so compelling that none was needed.

"The evil that men do has no explanation or justification," Love said.

Prosecutors suggested that Brittany Cosby had angered her father on the morning of March 6, 2014. Whatever she did, it provoked him to violence, Love said. Cosby punched his daughter in the eye and used an unknown object to strike her on her forehead and behind her left ear, he said.

As Brittney Cosby lay dying in a pool of blood on the floor in her father's bedroom, he put his hand around her throat. "He choked that last bit of life out of her body," Love said.

Reed said that Jackson arrived and he shot her in the right side of the head in the SUV. He said a bullet fragment found in the SUV had a bit of Jackson's hair on it.

Russell, the defense attorney, disputed the hair evidence, telling jurors that it was a piece of synthetic fiber.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

The sparkling mecca of retail and more attracts roughly 30 million visitors a year to its shops and hotels. It reshaped the entire southwest corner of the city into a second downtown and inspired how shopping malls and mixed-use projects were developed in the following decades.

But before the Galleria was born in the 1960s, the land at Post Oak and Westheimer was mostly open countryside, where Italian farmers had called home for generations. Only 7 miles from downtown, the area nonetheless was considered a suburb. Loop 610 had not yet been built. Westheimer was known as Farm to Market Road 1093.

But Gerald Hines, a developer in his 30s from Indiana who had developed only a string of warehouses and office buildings up to that point, took a chance and thought the land was perfect for a first-of-its-kind shopping, office and hotel center. He followed a few retail stores into the area, attracted to the wealthy of nearby River Oaks, Memorial and Tanglewood.

But his project was by far the most ambitious and ultimately transformative.

More Information Timeline 1969 Neiman Marcus opens. 1970 Galleria opens with three stories and 600,000 square feet. Features firstice-skating rinkin an indoor mallin the U.S. 1977 Second phase opens, adding 650,000 square feet of retail space, one office tower and The Westin Galleria Hotel. 1986 A new two-level phase adds 360,000 square feet of retail space for more than 60 stores. 2002 Then-Simon Property Group takes ownership. 2003 Major renovation completed, adding 700,000 square feet of space for Houston's first Nordstrom and 70 stores. 2013 Plans detailed to spend $250 million to redevelop luxury wing, build a new Saks Fifth Avenue and add a standalone building. 2016 Plans announced to add a residential tower and hotel. Headline here CAt am alictatium a verro eum eos dolut ut perem fuga. Remped ut la voluptae paria volupti orionsequi omnis represt, quis 0000: emped ut la voluptaeAlibusanis elenimporem sequasp ientempore pro occation 0000: emped ut la voluptaeAlibusanis elenimporem sequasp ientempore 0000: emped ut la voluptaeAlibusanis elenimporem sequasp ientempore 0000: emped ut la voluptaeAlibusanis elenimporem sequasp ientempore pro occation Sources:Nobitatum voluptibusae entem fugiae volecto rendipit que conem aliam autem que See More Collapse

"The job of a developer is to come up with ways that create value and then hopefully a successful project. And the Galleria is a successful project," Hines said in a PBS documentary "Post Oak Boulevard: A Texas Legacy."

His idea for a multistory shopping mall that included office and hotel did not always seem like the wisest of investments. The young developer took on a disproportionate amount of equity, meaning he would assume most of the profit and all of the risk. He made generous deals to acquire the land and to attract his first anchor, Neiman Marcus. He created a design that was extremely unusual for the time.

"He put it all on the line," said Louis Sklar, a former Hines executive, who helped develop the Galleria.

The design, Sklar explained, was meant to keep traffic and visitors going at all times, hence the multiple uses for office, hotel and shopping. The unusual, multistory structure meant visitors had to enter at different floors, ensuring traffic on all the floors, he said. The ice-skating rink, for example, was meant to keep traffic high on the ground floor to keep rents there higher.

Sklar said Hines gave generous deals at first to attract the tenants and it was about 60 percent full when it opened.

"That was a make-or-break time for me," Hines, now 90, said in a recent interview with the Chronicle.

The company was also developing the high-rise One Shell Plaza in downtown at the time. His now-international real estate firm later developed Galleria Dallas, and is known for building Pennzoil Place, RepublicBank Center (now Bank of America), First Colony in Sugar Land and Williams Tower.

The Galleria influenced future mall projects.

Hines said one of his regrets was not trademarking the name Galleria. After his project opened, several copies opened throughout the country.

The enclosed, upscale, multistory mall became the go-to design for shopping malls in the 1970s. Hines said he was originally inspired by the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan, Italy. Built in 1867,one of its central components is a dramatic steel and glass atrium. A glass vault dome was one of the Galleria's defining features.

The first phase of the Galleria, a three-story, 600,000-square-foot development, opened in 1970. It featured the first indoor ice-skating rink in a U.S. mall. Its anchor, Neiman Marcus, had opened in 1969. The Galleria continued to grow, and today it spans 2.4 million square feet with 400 stores and restaurants, two high-rise hotels and three office towers where roughly 7,000 employees work for various companies.

The shopping mall is one of Houston's top tourist destinations. Of its 30 million visitors, a third are international.

The property was eventually purchased in 2003 from Hines by then-Simon Property Group. Simon, based in Indianapolis, owns more than 200 malls and shopping properties across the U.S. and in Asia and Europe. Locally, Simon also owns Katy Mills, Houston Premium Outlets in Cypress and Tanger Outlets in Texas City.

The Galleria boasts 81 stores exclusive in Houston, 26 of which are exclusive in Texas. The mall generates $1.4 billion in annual sales, and Simon said each department store grosses more than $100 million in sales. Both Saks Fifth Avenue in Houston and Neiman Marcus rank No. 2 in sales in their respective companies, behind only Saks in New York and Neiman's in Dallas.

The current owners have made a $250 million investment in the highest end of the mall, adding a new Saks Fifth Avenue and a standalone building dubbed "the jewel box" with an upscale retail store and restaurant. The most recent announcement was a plan to build a 30-story luxury hotel and residential tower with 225 hotel units and 75 to 100 condominiums.

"We just want to keep her looking beautiful," said Randy Schumacher, operations director, who has worked at the Galleria for 33 years, first for Hines, now Simon. "It's all about making sure it's the No. 1 mall in the United States."

The Galleria has been the anchor, catalyst and linchpin behind the region's retail growth.

"Guys like Gerald Hines had these wonderfully crazy ideas about doing something called the Galleria, and it changed the area so much," said John Breeding with Uptown Houston, in an interview on the PBS documentary.

Uptown, the neighborhood anchored by the complex, is one of the top 15 biggest office markets in the U.S., roughly the size of downtown Denver and Pittsburgh, according to the Uptown District. It has 28 million square feet of commercial office space, home to energy, financial and real estate offices.

In recent years, it's increasingly become a place where people want to live. Condominium tower and apartment development there has pushed residential development past retail as a percentage of overall real estate in the area. Uptown is now 28 percent residential, compared with 25 percent retail.

"We have created an area that makes people want to live, to choose to buy a condominium, or perhaps aspire to own a condominium or lease a luxury apartment," Breeding said. "People choose to want to live there."
PORT BOLIVAR - A beer delivery driver discovered the bodies of two women early Friday behind a store near the Bolivar Ferry.

Homicide investigators believe the women were killed elsewhere and their bodies left next to a dumpster, said Maj. Ray Tuttoilmondo, spokesman for the Galveston County Sheriff's Office. It was unclear how they died, he said.

A driver for Del Papa Distribution Co. said he discovered the bodies behind Fisherman's Cove Food Mart at Seventh Street and Texas 87.

The driver, who asked that his name not be published, said he arrived shortly before 7 a.m. with a special order of two cases of beer. The clerk had not arrived to open the store so he drove his car to the back of the building and parked near the dumpster.

"As I was approaching the dumpster, I saw bodies laid out," he said. "I couldn't tell if they were men or women."

He said one body was lying face down and the other on its side. Both were wearing pants.

The clerk arrived and the driver asked her to come to the dumpster.

"I knew they were bodies and I knew they were dead," he said. "I got the woman out of the store to make sure we were both seeing the same thing."

On Friday afternoon, smears of blood could still be seen next to the dumpster marking the spot where they were removed.

Store manager Kalpesh Gandhi was called in because the clerk was so shaken she had to go home.

"You don't see stuff like this here," Gandhi said. "It doesn't happen."

The market is within sight of the Bolivar Ferry at the intersection that is the gateway to Port Bolivar, the oldest settlement on the Bolivar Peninsula with a population of about 2,400.

Later on Friday, the sheriff's office identified the victims as Britney Cosby and Crystal Jackson, both 24-year-old Houstonians.

Authorities released a statement asking for help in locating the department's vehicle, a silver, 2006 Kia Sorento SUV with gray trim. The vehicle, which had been stolen, should have unknown paper tags, the statement said.

It asked that anyone who saw the vehicle call law enforcement. Anyone with information about the victims was asked to call the sheriff's office at 866-248-8477.
Alvin Community College Board of Regent Chair Mike Pyburn signed documents on July 27 for the $1.25 million sale of the Pearland Center to Grand Cornerstone Development.

"While the Pearland Center served both students and the community well during its 15 years of operation, it was evident from the attendance patterns that our focus needed to shift back to our main campus as well as the rapidly growing western portion of our district," Pyburn said.

"We are glad that this non-producing asset will be repurposed and become the cornerstone of the Old Town Pearland redevelopment that will be enjoyed by the citizens of Pearland for decades to come."

Pyburn said officials also are excited that sale proceeds will enable the college to strengthen its Institutional Reserve account and potentially fund other projects.

Regents hired Keller Williams to provide assistance to sell the center in 2014. The college stopped offering classes in 2013 after dual-credit and other courses were offered at Pearland Independent School District's Turner College and Career High School.

ACC opened the center at 2319 N. Grand Blvd. in 1998 to offer Continuing Education, technical programs, health care programs and basic credit and dual-credit courses.

The center worked with Texas State Technical College to provide workforce training. ACC also created a partnership with the University of Houston-Clear Lake in 2004 to teach courses at the center for students in bachelor's and master's degree programs.

Alvin groups organize school supplies drive

Two years ago, the Alvin Independent School District, The Thelma Ley Family YMCA, Alvin Family Community Center and the First Presbyterian Church of Alvin joined forces to distribute school supplies to area students more smoothly and without waste. This collaborative effort resulted in more than 1,000 children being served, rather than the 400 to 500 reached in previous years.

Last year, the collaborative efforts combined to provide backpacks and school supplies to more than 1,600 students.

The groups are again joining forces. The School Supply Fair will be 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, Aug. 13, at G.W. Harby Junior High, 1500 Heights Road, Alvin.

Parents need to go their children's school, request a school supply voucher, and then bring it to the Aug. 15 event where they will receive their school supplies and a backpack.

Organizers anticipate a shortage of certain supplies this year, especially backpacks. People able to help with supplies or to volunteer their time are asked to contact Cathy Woitena at the Thelma Ley YMCA, 281-585-3112; Bel Sanchez at Alvin Family Community in Schools, 281-968-7133 or Gina Ruskey at First Presbyterian Church, 281-585-3406.

UH-Clear Lake gets Second Chance grant

University of Houston-Clear Lake recently became one of 67 colleges and universities selected to participate in the Department of Education's new Second Chance Pell pilot program.

The program will test whether participation in high-quality education programs increases after expanding access to financial aid for incarcerated individuals. It will allow eligible incarcerated Americans to receive Pell Grants and pursue postsecondary education.

For information, email powers@uhcl.edu or call 281-283-3385.
"True West" marks Bellaire actor Drake Simpson's first time to appear in a play by dramatist Sam Shepard, while Kevin Rigdon, who designed the lighting and set for the Sept. 9-30 production at 4th Wall Theatre, has worked on many Shepard shows.

They include the 1982 revival of "True West" that starred Gary Sinise and John Malkovich and qualified the sibling-rivalry play as a finalist for the 1983 Pulitzer Prize in drama.

"Was it hard to read the play (again) and not see Gary and John?" said Rigdon. "Sure, but more importantly, I saw the space we are going to work in. I saw Drake in that space bringing what he has to offer to (the role of) Lee."

The strapping Simpson inspired Rigdon to dig down and design a new take on the set, which is a kitchen and adjoining alcove of the brothers' mother's home in a Southern California suburb.

"One aspect of the (1982) production I was never satisfied with was what we saw of the world outside the house," said Rigdon. "This time around I think that I have a better understanding of what the world outside the house means to the characters and the play. We will see if I am right."

In the play, Lee's meek brother, Austin, played by Nick Farco, has been working on a screenplay while housesitting his mother's home, when Lee shows up uninvited.

"Things get crazy," said Simpson.

Director Kim Tobin-Lehl employed a fight choreographer for blocking some scenes with Simpson and Farco.

"It's going to wear me out," said Simpson, 43. "In a great way, but it's going to be tiring. I've been doing really high cardio training for 30 minutes every other day."

Simpson also returns to teaching theater this month at Alvin High School, where he's starting his seventh year.

Farco, 36, is beginning his first year as a theater director and teacher at Polly Ryon Middle School in Richmond.

Like Simpson and Philip Lehl, who appears briefly as a Hollywood agent/producer, Farco read Shepard plays as a student and performed scenes in theater classes, but has longed to perform in a full production.

"It's a dream for every actor to work on Sam Shepard, especially a male actor, because his men are so visceral and psychologically complex," said Farco, who lives in Brookshire.

The first Shepard play he read, said Farco, was "Buried Child," which won the 1979 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

"Buried Child" will be presented Sept. 9-Oct. 1 by another group, The Catastrophic Theatre, at the Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston, 3400 Main St.

4th Wall Theatre Co., which performs at Spring Street Studios in the Heights area, was formerly called Stark Naked Theatre Co., said co-artistic directors Lehl and his wife, Tobin-Lehl.

The couple said they held "a deep attachment" to the name "Stark Naked" but feared that a literal interpretation of the phrase "has created a reluctance among potential new audience members as well as potential family foundations and corporate donors."

Tobin-Lehl added, "Webster's defines 4th wall as: 'an imaginary wall that keeps performers from recognizing or directly addressing their audience.' Because we regularly break the 4th wall, we feel the term is an excellent new name for this theater that we love. Although '4th Wall' will be an unfamiliar term to some people, explaining it is much more appealing to us than telling people, 'Yes, the actors will be wearing clothes!' "
A vibrant mural that shouts "it's a good day to have a good day" has turned a wall in Rice Village into an eye-catching design.

The mural by Houston artist Gonzo247 is more than 30 feet wide and 8 feet tall and "took probably 25 to 30 spray cans to paint," said the graffiti maestro.

It is located next to Black Walnut Cafe, 5510 Morningside Drive.

Additional art installations are planned for later this year as Trademark Property Co. conducts a multimillion-dollar renovation and rebranding of retail space that it manages in Rice Village, said Pamela Vargas, the company's assistant general manager and marketing coordinator.

More Information At a glance Rice Village: www.RiceVillageDistrict.com. Gonzo247: www.aerosolwarfare.com. See More Collapse

Gonzo247, whose birth name is Mario Enrique Figueroa Jr., came to the attention of Vargas when she went looking for an artist to paint five 6-foot-high fiberglass deer statues positioned throughout Rice Village last Christmas.

"I contacted him a little late last year for 'Deck the Deer,' but he will be our artist this year," said Vargas.

Vargas sought out Figueroa for what he calls "the good day" mural.

"My thought was to let this mural hopefully give people a moment to stop and think, 'Hey, life is pretty good,' " said Figueroa.

"I was assisted by my production assistant, who goes by 'Jo-Jo,' " he said. "He is an all-around big helper. We had a great time."

A public art event on May 5, or Cinco de Mayo, allowed shoppers to watch the artist s create the mural, which took about three or four hours to complete.

Figueroa, 44, was born in Houston and grew up in Second Ward on the city's East End.

"For the longest, that's about all I knew of the city," he said.

However, his family occasionally made forays to Rice Village, where they enjoyed the area's "positive energy."

"Whenever I come here, it's the beginning of a good day or the end of a good day, but it's always a good day," he said.

In 1990, Figueroa graduated from North Shore Senior High School in Galena Park, where he acquired a reputation as a "gonzo," or freewheeling and unconventional, graffiti artist.

"When I first started out, it was more about the commandeering of wall space as an outlet for being creative," he said. "The illegal side of spray-painting still happens.

"If you've never gone out in the middle of the night and spray-painted on a wall, it's hard to explain why somebody does it: It could be literally proclaiming that they exist; it could be being creative; sometimes, it's territorial."

As Gonzo247, Figueroa founded a company called Aerosol Warfare, at 2110 Jefferson St. Suite 111.

It creates art, murals and team-based productions on a local, national and international level, including last month's 20-by-60-foot mural in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico to promote tourism to Houston.

"His many noteworthy achievements include the design and painting of the popular 'Houston Is' mural for the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau and the design and painting of the impressive mural in the Downtown Houston Public Library Parking Garage," said Vargas.

For information about Rice Village, visit www.RiceVillageDistrict.com and for information about Gonzo247, visit www.aerosolwarfare.com.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

For board chairman Gary Markowitz, the Holocaust Museum Houston always has been much more than a collection of artifacts or a means of preserving a specific chapter in history.

The museum at 5401 Caroline connects visitors with critical lessons from the past, the Bellaire resident says, and highlights the ongoing importance of compassion, courage and social justice.

"I think the perception, unfortunately, is it's a Jewish museum that's strictly about the Holocaust. We're looking to share the lessons of the Holocaust along with more contemporary problems. The lessons of the Holocaust are universal."

And, Markowitz adds, the museum is a vital connection to those who survived and the generations that have followed.

More Information At a glance What: Holocaust Museum Houston Where: 5401 Caroline Details: www.hmh.org or go to 713-942-8000 See More Collapse

That's why the Bellaire resident finds it both exciting and daunting to be serving as the newest chairman of the museum's board of trustees and board of advisors. Markowitz was elected to a two-year term in late June.

"The board members, the staff: they're so committed to this museum - It's an incredible responsibility to live up to the expectations of this group." said Markowitz, 52, an investment manager.

Board member Mark Mucasey, Markowitz' brother-in-law, said he has no doubt that Markowitz will surpass expectations in his new role.

"Gary is one of the most down-to-earth and caring individuals I know," said Mucasey, who has served as board chairman twice himself.

"He also brings to us a great business acumen."

Plus, Markowitz is the son of Holocaust survivors Sam Markowitz, 92, and Lea Krell Weems, who died of multiple myeloma eight years ago at the age of 76.

"Growing up, I knew my parents were Holocaust survivors, but they didn't talk about it," Markowitz said. "My mom came to grips with it by virtue of her role with the Holocaust Museum."

Weems was a founding board member of the museum and served on its executive committee. She also was president of the Houston Council of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and served on the board of Oeuvre de Secour d'Enfants (Children's Aid Society) or OSE, the French rescue organization that hid Weems and her younger sister, Bellaire resident Ruth Krell Steinfeld, 83, during the Holocaust.

"We are very excited Gary is carrying on Lea's legacy," Mucasey said.

The experiences of his parents, Markowitz said, have shaped the way he sees the world.

"It's made me aware of the risks of prejudice," he said.

"At the museum, we talk about the risks of prejudice, hate and apathy."

Holocaust Museum Houston opened in 1996, around the time Markowitz was completing his undergraduate degree from the University of Houston and preparing to begin his service as an officer in the U.S. Army.

"My mother was a founding board member, and she was very interested in it.

"When I returned, she was still on the board. So I got involved. I started getting a great deal of satisfaction from my involvement as well."

Markowitz, who also went on to earn his MBA from UH, founded a young professionals group at the museum and served as its chairman 2003-04.

He also was co-chair of the museum's Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award Dinner in 2006 and serves on the Leadership Circle for the museum's capital campaign.

Markowitz was elected to the board of trustees in 2015.

While others at the museum encouraged him over the years to seek a role of greater responsibility, Markowitz has been reluctant to make a commitment that took too much time away from his wife, Sunni Markowitz, and their three children, Abbie, 18; Brooke, 16; and Casey, 12.

But this year, he said, he has one daughter leaving for college and another driving.

The timing seems right to take on a leadership role the museum.

His goal as chairman is the get the word out about what the museum has to offer, including its core Holocaust exhibit with artifacts from Houston-area survivors.

"It brings to life what truly happened: the stars they had to wear on their chest, the depravity, the separation from their families. It's a lot to digest."

The core exhibit is painful, Markowitz said, but it concludes with a message from survivors, survivors who've gone on to embrace life.

"There's a light at the end."

But in addition to the core exhibit, Markowitz also wants the community to know that the museum is a valuable resource that offers special exhibits and educational programs, guest artists and traveling exhibits.

Another mission of the museum is preserving the legacy of Houston-area survivors.

Museum staff members have been working with them over the years to record their stories

"By telling their stories, it's a burden lifted off of them," Markowitz said.

"And they can talk to other survivors. I've seen many of them switch from being bitter and unhappy to calmer and more content."

In recent years, the museum has been expanding its social media reach, along with programming for the community and educators.

"It's a 20-year-old museum, and it's constantly re-inventing itself," Markowitz said.

The museum has hosted more than 2 million people since 1996, he added.

"The part that brings the most pride to me is watching school buses pull up.

"To have an opportunity to talk to children about social justice is heartwarming."
Israel said Tuesday it had charged a United Nations staffer with helping the Islamist movement Hamas, the second indictment involving aid workers in Gaza in a week. Engineer Waheed Borsh, who has worked for the UN Development Programme (UNDP) since 2003, was arrested on July 16 and charged in a civilian court in Israel on Tuesday, a government statement said. The UNDP said it was greatly concerned by the allegations while Hamas, which has run the Gaza Strip since 2007, denied any involvement. The government said 38-year-old Borsh, from Jabaliya in northern Gaza, had been recruited by a senior member of the Hamas terrorist organisation to redirect his work for UNDP to serve Hamass military interests. It said he had confessed to a number of accusations, including diverting rubble from a UNDP project in the coastal strip to a Hamas operation to build a jetty for its naval force. He is also alleged to have last year persuaded UNDP managers to focus home rebuilding efforts in areas where Hamas members lived, after pressure from the group.

The Gaza head of the U.S.-based humanitarian aid organization World Vision funneled as much as $7 million a year over the past 10 years to Hamass terror activities, Israels domestic security agency said Thursday. The Shin Bet said the aid groups Gaza director, Mohammed el-Halabi, is an active figure in Hamass military wing. He was indicted by Israeli authorities Thursday, accused of diverting some 60 percent of World Visions annual budget for Gaza to Hamas, the militant Palestinian group that rules the coastal enclave. He was charged with transferring money and working with a terror group. Hamas is viewed as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States and the European Union. Israel has fought three wars with Hamas since 2009. In addition to the $7 million a year in funds transferred to Hamas coffers, Shin Bet said, Halabi also handed over to Hamas piles of cash  an additional $1.5 million a year. The Israelis also said he gave Hamas $800,000 taken from a United Kingdom donation to help build a Hamas military base. The money was designated for civilian projects in the Gaza Strip, Israeli authorities said.

Shurat HaDin, said her organization warned World Vision four years ago its funding was being diverted to armed militant groups in Gaza. She said she discovered this while her group researched a lawsuit against the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which in the past was involved in attacking Israelis. She said the PFLP used front organizations that appeared as beneficiaries on the World Vision web site. Darshan-Leitner said she is exploring suing World Vision in the United States for aiding and abetting terrorism.Foreign NGOs want to give money to Gaza, Darshan-Leitner said, even as they ignore all the signs that their money is diverted to terrorism. Attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, president of Israeli legal advocacy group, said her organization warned World Vision four years ago its funding was being diverted to armed militant groups in Gaza. She said she discovered this while her group researched a lawsuit against the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which in the past was involved in attacking Israelis. She said the PFLP used front organizations that appeared as beneficiaries on the World Vision web site. Darshan-Leitner said she is exploring suing World Vision in the United States for aiding and abetting terrorism.Foreign NGOs want to give money to Gaza, Darshan-Leitner said, even as they ignore all the signs that their money is diverted to terrorism.

Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work.

.

..Pressure Points..10 August '16..Ive written about a half dozen times in the past about UNRWA, the UN agency that deals with Palestinians: here inand here in, for example. Simply put, UNRWA has long had employees who were sympathetic to Hamas, and who engaged in acts of anti-Semitism, but it has overlooked their actions and indeed often protected them. That appears to be the culture of the place.In the last week weve learned something new: that employees of other leading charitable and development agencies like World Vision and the UN Development Program (UNDP) may also be diverting funds to Hamas. Israel has detained employees of both World Vision and UNDP. Australia has frozen contributions to World Visions Gaza programs until the entire matter can be sorted out, and the German offices of World Vision have frozen their own programs in Gaza.Heres the UNDP story:And here is the World Vision story:The accused are innocent until proved guilty, although they are said to have confessed. What we can now see clearly is that none of these organizationsUNDP, World Vision, or UNRWAwas ever going to find the facts, fire people, clean out the Hamas agents, and solve these problems. That will require the intervention of donors, and those steps in Germany andare remarkable only in that they have not been followed universally. Australias Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) called the allegations deeply troubling and said in a statement that it was urgently seeking more information from World Vision and the Israeli authorities. We are suspending the provision of further funding to World Vision for programs in the Palestinian Territories until the investigation is complete, it said. Quite rightbut what about all the other donors?The larger question is the culture of foreign aid to the Palestinians, much of which falls under what President George W. Bush once called (in an entirely different context) the soft bigotry of low expectations and some of which falls under the category of terrorism, threats, and plain fear.As to plain fear, look at the last line of the first story, about UNDP: He is also alleged to have last year persuaded UNDP managers to focus home rebuilding efforts in areas where Hamas members lived, after pressure from the group. Perhaps Hamas made him an offer he could not refuse. Pressure from the group in this context may well mean his life was in danger.The soft bigotry is the failure to hold the Palestinians to global standards. We see this, for example, when it comes to the tolerationby every government, including our own and that of Israelof the way the Palestinian Authority glorifies terrorism and terrorists, naming parks and schools after murderers and broadcasting on official stations all kinds of anti-Semitic hate. We see it in the failure to reform UNRWA. In these cases, World Vision and UNDP, we probably see both support for terrorism and plain fear. Its likely that some percentage of local employees in Gaza are sympathetic to Hamasand it seems likely to me that administrators dont want to know it. If they came face to face with it, what would they do? Fire them? Turn them in to the Israelis? Start difficult and likely very long back-and-forth communications with headquarters, which likely doesnt want to know and wont thank the employee who insists on revealing the truth? Simpler to be blind to what is happening.Theres some evidence of that in these remarks by an Israeli legal group:Allegations are not proof and these cases need to go to trial. The sensible thing for donors to do is to freeze suspect programs immediately, as World Vision Germany and the government of Australia have done.The only way to solve this problem is for donors to withhold funding unless and until the independence of their programs can be assured. Yes, the people of Gaza would suffer, but they would know why: because Hamas is more interested in its own terrorist actions than in the welfare of Gazans. Aid donors have turned a blind eye for far too long.
A Katy-area man faces a manslaughter charge in the fatal shooting of his father last weekend, authorities said.

Deputies arrested Thomas Meisenheimer, 34, after his mother on Saturday evening phoned police from their home to report that her husband had been shot by their son, according to the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office.

A deputy arrived around 8:20 p.m. at the house in the 6200 block of Townsgate Circle and found the son in a room with his father, 68-year-old Walter Meisenheimer, who had been shot in the neck, the sheriff's office said in a news release. The son had been handling a .38 caliber handgun when the shot was fired, authorities said.

Community EMS transported the elder Meisenheimer a short distance from his home to Sue Creech Elementary School, where he was taken by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center. He died from the gunshot wound, the news release said.

The son was arrested and booked at 2:26 a.m. Sunday into the Fort Bend County jail on a charge of manslaughter, the news release said. He was being held Monday on $15,000 bond.

Monday evening, neighbors at the end of the cul-de-sac near the Meisenheimer's two-story brick home described being heartbroken that "Wally" was gone. He was like a jack-of-all-trades, they said, willing to help with a painting project or install a fireplace mantel or dig up a tree stump. They recalled his thoughtfulness and his infectious laugh.

But they also remembered hearing family feuds, which is why on Saturday night it did not at first seem strange when they heard the mother screaming on the phone with 911.

Only when she began to sound hysterical did they realize something had happened between father and son.

They knew the family, like many on the block, owned guns. "Proud to be an American," reads a sticker in a window by the house's front door, now also adorned with a note for "Mr. Wally" and a bouquet of flowers.

Last year, the younger Meisenheimer was charged with driving while intoxicated for the third time. He had previously been convicted of driving while intoxicated in 2008 in Fort Bend County and in 2011 in Walker County, according to court records. (Also, in 2003, Meisenheimer was convicted of reckless driving and sentenced to 10 days in the county jail.)

Meisenheimer pleaded not guilty in last year's case. He posted a $10,000 bail and agreed to random alcohol and drug testing, plus the installation of a breath analysis device in his car, and he was due in court on Aug. 25 for a hearing. His attorney in that case did not immediately return a request for comment Monday.

Bob Haenel, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, said he did not know if alcohol was a factor in Saturday's incident.

Whether or not either Meisenheimer had a concealed handgun license was confidential information, a Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson wrote in an email.

In 2015, there were 105 convictions of people who were at least 21 years old in the state for manslaughter, according to DPS data. None of those convicted were handgun license holders.

Dale Lezon contributed to this report.
New Humble ISD superintendent Elizabeth Fagen faced a gathering of about 50 parents, teachers and students July 21 at one of three town hall meetings sponsored by the district.

Fagen, 42, assumed her new role July 5.

"The one thing that is really important to me as a leader, is to really, deeply understand the students, the staff, the parents, the community and the individual schools, because I don't think you can lead from a place without that deep understanding and without that knowledge," said the new superintendent.

Fagen shared her teaching and administrative history that began in an Iowa biology classroom, and continued through the Tucson Unified School District in Arizona, and the Douglas County School District in Colorado.

Learning environment

The crowd focused its questions on the learning environment, teacher evaluations and testing.

"I want to support teachers and really find new ways to teach students," Fagen said.

One audience member, who did not share his name, asked about the controversy in Douglas County where Fagen was serving as superintendent before coming to Humble ISD.

Fagen described the controversy as complicated, and with a lot of moving parts that included parents, the board of trustees and other entities.

Much of the negativity centered around some controversial initiatives included a new teacher-evaluation system and market-based pay salary structure, according to media reports in the Douglas County News-Press and educational nonprofit Chalkbeat.org

Douglas ISD also is involved in legal challenges surrounding its attempt to create a voucher system.

Parent's petition

This ignited a petition among parents in June.

A group of parents said Fagen wasn't properly vetted.

Vanessa Fuentes, who is a member of the grassroots group, started the petition the day after the school board voted to name Fagen as the lone finalist.

"I learned she was the lone finalist late Tuesday and I started doing research," she said.

"As soon as I Googled her, nothing great came up.

"Nothing positive."

A petition was launched, but it failed to sway the board of trustees to change their mind about their selection.

Deserves a chance

Cindy Maren, the parent of a fifth-grade student, who'd heard about the petition but didn't sign it, said she has confidence in Fagen's ability to lead.

"I think she will do very well here," she said.

"She has children who will be attending school here, too.

"She deserves a chance to show us what she can do for all of our kids," she said.

For more information on the new superintendent or on the upcoming school year, go to http://humbleisd.net/
The mother of a transgender child told the Pearland school board Tuesday night that its policies create an intolerant atmosphere that promotes bullying and could endanger her daughter's life.

"You are increasing the risk of suicide among these children," said Kimberly Shappley, whose daughter Kai in the fall will enroll in kindergarten in the Pearland Independent School District.

The issue of bathroom accommodations for transgender students flared in this booming Houston suburb in May when the Pearland ISD superintendent, John Kelly, issued a statement decrying federal guidance that school districts should permit students to use bathrooms that conformed to their gender identity, even if it didn't match the gender on their birth certificate.

"What's next?" Kelly's statement said in part., "legalizing pedophilia and polygamy?"

Texas Attorney Genereal Ken Paxton sued the Obama administration seeking to block the federal guidance, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick urged school districts not to revise their policies until the suit is resolved. Shappley said Pearland ISD officials have told her that Kai will have to use the boy's bathroom or use one in the school nurse's office.

She told the school board that the national suicide rate among transgender students is 41 percent. Research shows, however, that transgender children are no more likely than others to commit suicide if they get appropriate support, Shappley said.

"I am a mom of a little girl who I want to live," Shappley said. "I'm fighting for her happiness. I'm fighting for her freedom."

School officials did not respond to comments by Shappley or others at the board's public session. The transgender policy was not on the meeting agenda.
Prosecutors may seek the death penalty for a Channelview man accused of gunning down three people while stealing their drugs last year at an apartment in the Greenspoint area of north Houston.

Kevoughn Dontrell Fields, who appeared in a Harris County court Wednesday after being arrested last week, is accused of leading a group suspected of committing up to 15 armed robberies, prosecutor Justin Keiter told the judge.
Houston Heights residents will see a measure to lift the area's longtime ban on beer and wine sales on their Nov. 8 ballot, after City Council formally called the election Wednesday.

The ballot proposition asks voters whether they support "the legal sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption only," meaning they would be allowed to buy alcohol at grocery and convenience stores, to drink elsewhere. The change would not affect beer and wine sales at restaurants.
-- Baby born in the Houston area is first in U.S. to die from Zika-related defects, by the Houston Chronicles Todd Ackerman and Mihir Zaveri

The baby, whose mother traveled to Latin America during her pregnancy, died hours after being born with birth defects associated with Zika. They included but were not limited to microcephaly, a devastating but not usually fatal condition characterized by an abnormally small head and underdeveloped brain. The virus also can cause severe problems to fetuses' lungs and eyes. I think we may begin to see many of these newborns with microcephaly and (other neurological defects) die in the coming year, Peter Hotez, a dean at the Baylor College of Medicine, said. Looking at the catastrophic damage to the (brain), I fear that this condition may not be compatible with life in many instances.

-- Dems seek to raise $1 million on Kaine's Texas swing, by the Express-News Peggy Fikac  Tim Kaine carried Clinton's focus on the economy, children, unity and character to a volunteer appreciation event Tuesday, but the day's campaign story line was quickly overshadowed by Trump's comments at a Wilmington, N.C., rally.

>> Texas turnout in November, Houston Chronicle

At the heart of that argument, and one Democrats will recognize, as well, is that a single-digit win for Trump in Texas makes it virtually certain that Republicans will have sustained some major down-ballot loss. Maybe that means Democrats will have flipped a few state House seats in the process or won the hotly contested Congressional District 23 seat. That could also mean that their voter registration and candidate recruitment efforts worked as planned, with the help of Trump at the top of the GOP ticket. Whatever the case, Democratic turnout and Republican apathy will make the difference, and everyone knows it.

-- COMING ATTRACTIONS: Crisis managers will help design Texas voter ID outreach, by the Express-News David Rauf

Lawyers for Texas have disclosed that Burson-Marsteller, a public relations giant and global strategic communications firm with an Austin office, is under contract with the state to develop voter outreach efforts for the current year.

Chad Dunn, a Houston lawyer representing U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, in the case, said the state and its contractors have done a woefully inadequate job of educating voters and training poll workers in recent years. I don't know that I can pin it on the PR firm one way or the other, he said. The secretary of state used to do a much better job at public outreach and education. But now it's just not a priority.

-- George P's embrace of Trump is a missed opportunity, by the Chronicles Lisa Falkenberg

We're past the point of pretending that a guy who whispers sweet nothings to Vladimir Putin, badmouths NATO, insults the grieving family of a war hero, touts his illiteracy like an honorary degree, and has the emotional control of a nap-deprived 3-year-old is a normal presidential nominee deserving of traditional partisan deference. We need brave souls to stand up and call a joker a joker. We need young voices to drown out, or at least moderate, the frustrations and fear of the older generation. We need serious public servants to stop cloaking Trump's radical agenda in the awkward embrace of mainstream conservatism.

-- Police returning to Dallas shooting scene are overwhelmed, by the APs Claudia Lauer ... Several officers interviewed in the investigation had to postpone giving their accounts at first because they were unable emotionally to walk through the scene and explain the events of that night.

>> Lone Star Rail District expected to lose vote, by the Quorum Reports Kimberly Reeves

-- Texas' battle with feds over school transgender guidelines gets first court date on Friday, by The Dallas Morning Newss Tom Benning ($)  What Defendants have done is plainly clear--they are enforcing their new rules as binding law across the nation, Paxton's office wrote in one filing.

** FINALLY, DONT MISS THIS from The Texas Tribunes Aneri Pattani -- Here's Why Texas Students Wait Weeks for Basic Mental Health Services http://tinyurl.com/zw9e5od

SPEED READ

Abbott announces new budget director, Houston Chronicle

Mr. Miller goes to Washington? Houston Chronicle

The Texas Green Party Isnt Making It Any Easier to be Green, The Texas Observer

Prosecutors urge court to reject Ken Paxton appeal, Austin American-Statesman

HISD reveals estimated cost of renaming eight schools, Houston Chronicle

Justice Department orders additional ethics training for Civil Division attorneys, San Antonio Express-News

Trump calls NAFTA a disaster. Texas Republicans beg to differ, The Texas Tribune

Not expanding Medicaid hurts Texas, but will state officials be swayed by studies? The Dallas Morning News

Inside UHs political push to join the Big 12, The Texas Tribune

Attorney: Amarillo jailed disabled residents unable to pay tickets, Amarillo Globe-News

Texas governor gives Charles Schwab third state-funded grant, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Hospital On Life Support... As Nuclear Plant Fights Tax Bill, CBS DFW

Small town north of Dallas could become hub of medical cannabis industry, The Dallas Morning News

State bar wont sanction Paxton over same-sex marriage opinion, The Texas Tribune

CAPITOL DAYBOOK: No meetings scheduled

RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE

-- HERE WE GO AGAIN  Donald Trump Suggests Second Amendment People Could Act Against Hillary Clinton, by The New York Times Nick Corasaniti and Maggie Haberman

If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks, Mr. Trump said, as the crowd began to boo. He quickly added: Although the Second Amendment people  maybe there is, I dont know.

Oblique as it was, Mr. Trumps remark quickly elicited a wave of condemnation from Democrats, gun control advocates and others, who accused him of suggesting violence against Mrs. Clinton or liberal jurists. Bernice A. King, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., called Mr. Trumps words distasteful, disturbing, dangerous.

-- RNC suffers spate of Trump-related departures, by Politicos Daniel Lippman

In interviews, others cited familiar reasons for their resistance to the nominee  that they couldnt work to help elect a man they thought was not qualified to be president; that Trumps insensitive statements turned them against him; that he wasnt conservative enough. Some also said they worried about the stain that working to elect Trump could have on their resume.

>> Three House Democrats want to investigate Trump for urging Russia to meddle in Clintons emails, by The Washington Posts Karoun Demirjian

-- MUST READ TODAY: Inside Clintons GOP recruitment plan, per Politicos Annie Karni  The unprecedented desertion of the GOP nominee by leading members of his own party  and their embrace of Hillary Clinton  is partly organic, but for the most part its being midwifed by the Clinton campaign, which is beginning to reap the rewards of a behind-the-scenes recruitment effort thats been months in the making. That effort is expected to culminate in the unveiling of an official Republicans for Hillary group as early as Wednesday, by the campaign.

>> More swing state polling blues for Trump, Politico


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.
When Andrew Cuomo proclaimed at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Our progressive government is working in New York, he was rebuked by some on the left who questioned his progressive bona fides. But Cuomo, ever sensitive to the way political winds are blowing, was merely adopting the language of the moment among Democrats. As more and more of the party faithful lean further left, Democrats like Cuomo are embracing the term progressive. But they also feel the need to reassure votersas Cuomo and even Hillary Clinton did at the conventionthat progressivism actually works. No wonder. In its current incarnation, progressivism largely expresses lofty ideals and exalted goals, while saying little about governing. That might not matter much to loyalists, but to voters who care about government picking up the garbage, filling in potholes, and maintaining public order, governing well is pretty important. The question is whether the 80 percent of voters who dont identify as progressives buy into the Democrats avowals or whether those voters hear these reassurances as a case of politicians protesting too much.

In its earliest American manifestation, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the Progressive movement sought to create better government. Books like Woodrow Wilsons The Study of Administration touted a government run by an elite bureaucracy, independent of potentially corrupt elected officials. Theodore Roosevelt set out to demonstrate what progressive reform could accomplish when, as president of the board of New York City Police Commissioners, he instituted widespread changes in how cops operated, such as instituting hiring practices based on merit rather than political connections. The influential master builder Robert Moses entered public life writing studies on how to reduce political patronage in governmentthough Moses also embodied what opponents feared in progressivism, emerging as a powerful autocrat who steamrolled opposition as he constructed vast public projects in New York.

Progressivism lost some of its momentum during World War I, though many progressives subsequently saw Franklin Roosevelts New Deal as a 1930s offspring of their movement. In the Cold War era that followed the Second World War, however, many on the left become uneasy with progressivisms vision of intellectuals using the state to mold society in the interests of the collective, as Charles Murray has described it, because the ideology seemed an echo of Communism. John F. Kennedy, a staunch anti-Communist, avoided the progressive label but once said that he was proud to be a liberal.

But now the term liberal itself, with its emphasis on economic freedom, democracy, and individual rights, has fallen out of favor with many Democrats. Theyve helped give birth to a new progressivism, which emulates its predecessors disdain for individual freedoms and its admiration for collective action. But the new version differs from the old in at least one crucial respect, as one left-leaning writer explains: The almost complete lack of attention being paid by modern progressives to public administration and government structure. Even progressives themselves, when theyre not pontificating with overstuffed cliches about social justice, environmental harmony, and sustainable economics, worry about the movements flimsy track record of achievement. When Bill de Blasio became New Yorks mayor, taking over after 20 years of successful governance by two non-progressive mayors, you could sense the anxiety within the movement: Many progressives believe the best thing de Blasio can do to make a difference for progressive politics is to be a great mayor of New York City, wrote Salon. That imperative was especially urgent given that New Yorks last acknowledged progressive mayor was David Dinkins, whose reign was so disastrous that he became a one-termer. De Blasio is currently making such a mess of governing that he risks being the latest progressive to be one-and-done in Gotham.

Others on the left fret about what actual results this new progressivism, seemingly unmoored from governing realities, could produce. Some left-of-center economists have already worried publicly, for instance, that the rush to raise the minimum wage all the way up to $15 an hour might shrink employment in the countryand how that might spark a backlash against other progressive-minded economic prescriptions.

Hence the drumbeat about progressivism thats practical and effective. Hillary Clinton spent years as a U.S. senator and then as a cabinet member, but she nonetheless felt that she had to tell voters in her Philadelphia speech that Im a progressive who likes to get things done. Whats the alternative, one wondersa progressive who doesnt like getting things done? Hammering home the point, Clinton and her political supporters similarly described running mate Tim Kainelong acknowledged as a moderate Democratas a progressive who gets results.

State delegations are pushing the same line. On the conventions third day, the speaker of the California Assembly boasted at a breakfast that California is proof that you can be progressive and prosperous at the same time. The day before, Cuomo had called New York a progressive bellwether for the nation. The two big coastal states make poor advertisements for progressive success, however. New York and California rank, respectively, as the nations most unequal and seventh-most unequal states. Whole swaths of both states have been left behind by the current economic recovery. Nine of the 10 metropolitan areas with the highest unemployment rates today are in California. In New York, where two Cuomos have led the government for 17 of the last 33 years, large regions north and west of New York City and its suburbs are depressed; former governor Eliot Spitzer, on a visit upstate, compared some areas to Appalachia.

Its clear, in other words, that modern progressives have a ways to go to persuade us that their governing philosophy really works. But if saying it alone could help make it so, theyd be halfway there.

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
It was a night of racism and class snobbery at a private dinner between journalists and a top education policy maker. After one too many drinks in Seouls government district, an elite bureaucrat, Na Hyang-wook, lambasted 99 percent of his countrymen for being like dogs and pigs who only need to be fed and kept alive, compared them to blacks and Hispanics in the United States who dont even try to enter politics or climb the social ladder, and called for a caste system on the basis that people are not all born equal.

His personal goal, he told the journalists, was to strive to be in the 1 percent. He offered limited sympathy for the death of a 19-year-old subway contract laborer overworked and crushed by an oncoming train, as noted in recent stories about poor conditions for part-time workers. The journalists said that they felt pain for him like he was their own child, but the bureaucrat retorted that while his death was certainly tragic, it would have been silly to pretend the subway worker was his own kid.

That evening, July 7, was odd even by South Korean standards, and stretched journalism ethics to the max. The biggest problem was that no sensible official would have confided in the two reporters on the other end of the table. The pair was Chang Eun-gyo and Song Hyun-sook, from the left-wing Kyunghyang newspaper, a sort of Nation in South Korea known for its fiery anti-establishment reporting.

Chang, 36, the editor in charge at the meeting, has built a career as a firebrand reporter challenging the status quo, with aggressive reporting on wealth inequality and labor issues. In 2009, she was part of a team that won a sort of local Pulitzer, the Korean Journalists Award, for covering poor standards for contract workerssimilar to the dead subway laborer. She has stated that her mission as a reporter is to represent the voices of the underprivileged, placing her in opposition to the middle-of-the-road standard of journalism accepted in the West.

After the government official launched his salvo, the reporters pulled out a phone recorder, informed him that the meeting was on the record, and gave him many chances to rescind or clarify his statements, Chang told CJR. She noted there was never an explicit off-the-record agreement. Any expectation of off the record was an unspoken understanding common in South Korea. Intimate gatherings like these are a regularity between top officials and the journalists who cover them, intended to build relationships. Off-the-record is an expectation, but unlike in the US, its usually not stated outright. In South Korea, its often the only way of getting information.

Despite this, and the journalists promise to quote him, the civil servant Na pushed on with his tirade. (Na has never disputed these claims, but has said that his comments were the result of drunkenness.)

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

The reporters left the meeting in disgust, but government officials asked them to return for a clarification, where the official repeated himself on softer terms: The United States has a such-and-such class society, and wouldnt it be okay to take a similar path? he said, according to the newspaper. The next day, Kyunghyang held a newsroom meeting to discuss the ethics of publication and whether it had news value. Was this any old drunken rant, or something worth pursuing?

Consider this: At South Koreas biggest newspapers, along with many East Asian publications, self-censorship and anonymous sourcing are the status quo. Japanese and Korean reporters are often sorted out into press clubs, tied to ministries and corporations, which lay down the rules and whack reporters whose coverage is out of line. With power concentrated in a handful of corporate conglomerates, many newspapers cater to advertisers in a way far more extreme than in the US, and dole out bad coverage to companies that dont pay up. When the options for covering your countryor its corporationsare all weak, journalistic short-cuts can be the only way to publishing honest stories.

After a long back-and-forth, the editors agreed to go with it. This was not a mid-level bureaucrat spouting inebriated nonsense, but a top official whose mandate was to craft policy that would educate the next generation. Since he expressed a sentiment so recklessly against his public missionand given plenty of opportunities for a retraction with his spokesman presentthe story had reached an ethical threshold. The decision was a careful one, and weighed the values of the journalists at stake. I am always haunted by a fear about whether what Im doing is the right thing. Responsibility is a prerequisite, Chang once told the website jobdastory.

After publication, the Prime Minister apologized; the civil servant, whose record was otherwise impeccable, was fired. The debacle weighed on the national mood, with younger South Koreans resentful over wealth inequality and calling their country Hell Korea.

Journalists in the US would frown on publishing any off-record comment. The Associated Press ethics handbook says that off the record simply means the information cannot be used for publication. The New York Timess former public editor Margaret Sullivan has said the newspaper was and is obligated to honor off-the-record agreements with presidential candidates. Whether off the record means not for attribution, or not publishable at all, has been a longstanding debate. But it always means the source should be able to trust the reporter to be discreet.

Off-the-record meetings have their uses. Since not everyone is in a position to talk to the press, sometimes its the best, even if an imperfect, channel for opening a trail to better informationwhich could lead to scoops or insights later. Dishonor your agreement, and not only will sources avoid you, but other journalists could have a harder time getting access because of you.

Sometimes, in very limited circumstances, it should be okay to rethink this rule. Reporters around the world often dont enjoy the same level of access and documentation that Americans and Western Europeans do, and this makes the job of the journalist infinitely harder. Kyunghyangs decision to publish offered rare insight: A top official was being straightforward, and his statements were going down on the record withremarkablyhis name attached. Just the fact he was this candid was a big deal, whether or not his views were abhorrent.

Sometimes, pushing the ethical boundaries is the only way, ironically, to write honest stories.

For a high-tech republic, South Korea is remarkably opaque. The Economist Intelligence Unit calls the country a flawed democracy, and Freedom House calls its press partly free. Mainstream journalism here is largely a scripted affair, more a cartel and less a watchdog. Since trust in journalists here is already lowa trendy phrase, kiraegi, means journalist trashcandid footage or on-record commentary is hard to find. The South Korean president gave her first press conference 10 months after taking office, and her administration has since gone after reporters who question the official line. Government spokespeople demand anonymity even at public briefings. Defamation lawsuits and legal threats, even for satire, are common. Unlike in the US, where the spirit of defamation laws is to protect free speech, South Korea (and much of East Asia) gives more weight to protecting a persons public honor against true and newsworthy statements.

National leaders, as such, are praised to great heights. More than 70 years after the end of World War II, Japans mainstream newspapers still treat it as taboo to talk about whether the deceased former emperor played an active role in the conflict. (Imagine if FDRs presidency were still touchy for the New York Times.) South Korean media, meanwhile, hold back from challenging powerful corporate dynasties, many of whom, including the Samsung Chairman, have been convicted of white-collar crimes and then presidentially pardoned. Imagine how odd it would be if Steve Jobs were a two-time convicted criminal, pardoned twice by Bill Clinton and then Obamaand Walter Isaacson brushed over this in his biography.

Since the official narrative is overpowering, the counter-narrative is equally vicious. Conspiracy theories and rumors roar through non-mainstream and social media, laden with anonymous sources and bullying, at times sounding like Donald Trump writing a textbook for first graders. According to a source in the finance industry, Jews have a robust network demonstrating influence in a number of domains, opined the business publication MoneyToday last year.

The periodical was attacking a New York-based hedge fund, Elliott Management, for its shareholder challenge against Samsung, the nations crown jewel, last summer. Months later, the opposite happened. In July, the independent news website NewsTapa released a prostitution video, which was secretly filmed and used in a blackmail attempt, of what reporters believed was the Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee meeting up to five women at two residences and handing out payments of about $4,500 eachwith some evidence of the connivance of an executive.

The wealthiest man in the nation, feted as an emperor, was intimately on display as hardly a god at all. Yet despite legitimate questions over company involvement, and a probe by prosecutors for prostitution, mainstream outlets portrayed him foremost as a victim of a voyeur camera and journalistic malpractice.

Problems like these are not the outlier, but are alarmingly common. And it presents a dichotomy: as a Korean journalist, the system doesnt allow for much of a middle ground between mouthpiece and conspiracy monger. Follow the strictures of the cartel, and you are almost guaranteed to be pushing an official line, at times recklessly against interests of your readers. But expose the inner workings of the system, and youll have to behave in a way that would raise the eyebrows of any American ombudsman.

Sometimes, pushing the ethical boundaries is the only way, ironically, to write honest stories. The fact that an elite civil servant felt comfortable getting inebriated with journalists and spewing racial obscenities suggests a media environment where readers arent the first priority. Clearly, he anticipated the comforts of an off-record media relationship far removed from the original purpose and principles of off-the-record agreements aimed at delivering facts and context to readers without putting sources at risk. That, along with the overall press environment of restriction, supports the decision to publish.

Globally, there havent been many cases as extreme involving off-the-record comments becoming public. But when it happens, its because there was some sort strong public interest. In 2005, Australian media revolted against a senator, Ross Lightfoot, whose off-record tale about delivering $20,000 in cash to Kurdish officials in Iraq as part of a donation for a hospitalon behalf of an oil companycontradicted his claims later to the public. The Australian, in response, decided to abandon its agreement.

Keeping the secret would have ceded far too much editorial control to a man abusing the privilege. Imagine an Obama administration official abruptly contradicting himself on a public-interest matter, or spewing racial hatred off-the-record. Would the American press have stayed quiet?

The Kyunghyang editor who broke the story, Chang, has been navigating a far more restrictive environment since she first joined the paper in 2005. The Kyunghyang is at times a fixture of the media cartel, flexing its muscles when necessary, but its also an outlier from the big three lineup of mainstream newspapers. Its heritage is in the nations pro-democracy movements; the newspaper was set up by the Catholic Church in the 1940s and challenged authoritarian governments until the 1980s.

Kyunghyang has not always been a hero. In the past, its coverage has gotten out of control in support of protest movements, with emotional anti-American and xenophobic denunciations. Today, it is similar to the Nation in tone, but closer to the political center by American standards. (Disclosure: Last year, I wrote a handful of op-eds for the Kyunghyang, but have no relationship with them at present.)

Our relationship with the people we cover sometimes needs an element of hostility and antagonism.





Whether or not she made the right call, Changs case is reminder that off-the-record is a privilege granted by the journalist, not a vow of silence set down by a government official. The job of the reporter is to question it and resist it as much as possibleperhaps even revisiting the agreement when the public interest calls for it. Our relationship with the people we cover sometimes needs an element of hostility and antagonism; sometimes, they need us as much as we need them, and it can be more ethical to burn our access than to bow too hastily to the terms dictated to us.

Max Kim contributed reporting.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Geoffrey Cain , a Seoul-based journalist, will publish a book about South Korea in May 2017 from Crown.
Soon after Donald Trump kinda, sorta implied on Tuesday that Second Amendment people could take up arms against Hillary Clinton, former CIA Director Michael Hayden slammed the GOP nominees remarks in memorable fashion on CNN: You get to a certain point in this business, and youre not just responsible for what you say. Youre responsible for what people hear.

Trump obviously absolves himself of that responsibilityand his self-absolution is perhaps the fundamental quandary for journalists covering him. Whereas much of traditional political coverage centers on what candidates say, Trump has forced reporters into the awkward position of trying to evaluate what his supporters might hear. Exact phrasing doesnt matter. In fact, Trumps typical word salad provides something of a frontline defense against critical media coverage of his more ridiculous statements.

Take, for example, when Trump kinda, sorta implied after the Orlando nightclub shooting that President Obama was in league with ISIS. Or when he kinda, sorta implied that Ghazala Khan didnt speak at the Democratic National Convention because Islam forbade her from doing so. Or any of the other conspiracy theories he kinda, sorta spews. Many people are saying these things, Trump often explains. You tell me.

The reality TV stars genius lies in a simple trick: He raises ideas while at the same time distancing himself from them just enough to deflect criticism. He establishes some measure of plausible deniabilityat least for those who take his statements at face value. Many voters see through this rhetorical ballet, but it poses problems for mainstream news organizations bound by journalistic norms.

The implication of Trumps remarks on Tuesday seems clear in video recordings of his speech, but far less so in text: If [Clinton] gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment peoplemaybe there is, I dont know. The ambiguity is endless.

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

Clearly, you want to report what was said, and if you take it literally, its difficult to say, Yes, [Trump] has called for her to be assassinated, says Jennifer Mercieca, a Texas A&M professor who specializes in American political rhetoric. But how should you convey the meaning or implication of what he said? If you take it from that point of view, then yeah, it sounds like hes saying people should assassinate her.

Many major news organizations tread lightly in their description of Trumps comment. The New York Times ran its front-page story under the print headline, Trump suggests gun owners act against Clinton. The lede begins: Donald J. Trump on Tuesday appeared to raise the possibility that gun rights supporters could take matters into their own hands if Hillary Clinton is elected president and appoints judges who favor stricter gun control measures.

While the Times did describe Trumps remarks as a violent insinuation later in the story, it and other mainstream outlets let surrogates from both campaigns clarify Trumps meaning for readers. Reporters own analysis of what Trump implied was largely relegated to cross-referencing his literal word choice with his campaigns defense afterward.

From the Times:

[Trumps campaign] insisted he was merely urging gun rights supporters to vote as a bloc against Mrs. Clinton. But at his rally earlier in the day, Mr. Trump had actually been discussing what could happen once Mrs. Clinton was president, not before the election. And even many in the audience seemed caught by surprise. Video showed a man just over Mr. Trumps shoulder go slack-jawed and turn to his companion, apparently in disbelief, when Mr. Trump made the remark.

Guy behind Trump immediately realized what he said was a problem. https://t.co/F3mSP9GLqt  Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) August 9, 2016

Points for tryingand it goes without saying that Times readers can likely see through this charade, if they havent disavowed Trump already. Still, Mercieca adds, Its very difficult to derive meaning from what he says. Trump instead forces mainstream journalists to dance along.

In a March article for The Conversation, Mercieca argued that Trump largely relies on the use of paralipsis, a device that enables him to publicly say things that he can later disavowwithout ever having to take responsibility for his words. When Trump retweets white supremacists, for example, he doesnt technically say those retweeted words to his 10.8 million followerseven if they get the message. Theres daylight for a Trump denunciation later on. As Mercieca sums up the rhetorical device: Im not saying; Im just saying.

Its brilliant, she adds. Its all designed so that he cannot be held accountable.

By defying this basic convention of journalismthat politicians can be held accountable for the words that come out of their mouthsits easy for Trump to frame critical coverage as a witch hunt. His campaign immediately put out a statement on the dishonest media following his remarks Tuesday, touting them instead as a call for political action by gun rights supporters. On Wednesday, the campaign circulated similar talking points, which The Wall Street Journals Reid J. Epstein shared on Twitter:

Trump campaign talking points on Second Amendment people, distributed to allies at 9:24 am today pic.twitter.com/PVT69qmB3Q  Reid J. Epstein (@reidepstein) August 10, 2016

Trump surrogates and apologists quickly proceeded to push those counternarratives, reveling in yet another opportunity to bash the dishonest media. But perhaps the most telling response came from campaign spokeswoman Katrina Pierson. When CNNs Jake Tapper asked, simply, What exactly was Mr. Trump saying? her response was laughably on-message: Mr. Trump was saying exactly what he said.

Exactly. Trump does his dance, dripping spray-tan-colored paint over the American political canvas in a campaign of abstract expressionism. Its up to reporters to derive meaning from words Trump himself implies are meaningless. A steady hand will be key in deciphering Trumps intentions going forward. His campaign is faltering, and its likely that he will only flail more violently as it continues struggling to settle into an autumn rhythm.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

David Uberti is a writer in New York. He was previously a media reporter for Gizmodo Media Group and a staff writer for CJR. Follow him on Twitter @DavidUberti.
A Connecticut woman who found her 77-year-old husband crushed to death under an all-terrain vehicle when she brought him lunch at his job cannot sue his employer for severe emotional injuries she suffered, the state Supreme Court ruled recently.

Justices issued a unanimous decision in an appeal filed by Jenny Velecela. Her husband, Austin Irwin, was under the large ATV doing repairs at All Habitat Services in Branford on July 16, 2011, when it slipped off a lift and killed him. Velecela found him a short time later.

In an agreement with All Habitat Services, Velecela received $300,000 in workers compensation benefits for her husbands death, but she also filed a lawsuit against the company alleging it was responsible for the emotional injuries she suffered when she found her husbands body.

The Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that Connecticuts workers compensation law bars people from suing for negligent infliction of emotional distress if they receive workers compensation benefits.

The decision was similar to one the high court issued last week. In that case, justices said two workers injured in a power plant explosion that killed six other people in Middletown in 2010 could not sue a contractor for negligence because they had received workers compensation benefits.

Velecelas lawyer, Kevin Dehghani, argued that the state Workers Compensation Act does not cover bystander emotional distress, so Velecela should be allowed to sue the company. Barring such claims would leave a whole class of injuries uncompensated in Connecticut, Dehghani wrote.

Dehghani said that he was disappointed with the courts decision and the precedent it sets.

Velecela could not be reached. A phone listing for her could not be found.

An official with All Habitat Services did not immediately return a message Monday.

The companys lawyer, Michael Deakin, said he and company officials express sympathy to Irwins family. Deakin said the issue in the court case was straight forward. He said that under Connecticut and most other workers compensation laws, people who receive workers compensation benefits give up rights to pursue other claims against employers.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
With nearly 400,000 employees expected to retire from the insurance industry workforce within the next few years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, its incumbent on carriers to consider the ways in which they communicate with and recruit job applicants.

According to PwCs top issues annual report 2016, Commercial insurers  like many other kinds of insurers  have an aging workforce and are facing an impending talent crunch. Automation cannot replace the qualitative judgment that is necessary for effective underwriting. Therefore, it is vital for insurers to develop a performance-driven culture that enables the recruitment, development, and retention of younger underwriting talent.

This impending talent shortage, coupled with recent studies suggesting that the insurance industry isnt widely appealing to millennials, is forcing insurers to rethink their recruiting strategy, according to Dave Coons, senior vice president of Jacobson Group.

Were facing a potential talent shortage unlike anything weve ever seen in the past, Coons said.

The insurance industry isnt alone in this workforce revolution.

The authors of the PwC report wrote, Most US employers are woefully unprepared for the business realities of an aging workforce and face a potentially massive loss of skilled, knowledgeable workers. Companies that effectively recruit, train and develop dedicated future staff and leaders will differentiate themselves and set themselves up for success into the future.

As a result of this massive transformation, insurers must reexamine how potential employees are screened and interviewed, Coons explained.

In the past, we were always more inclined to screen candidates out, Coons said. However, this is quickly being replaced with a screening in mentality  meaning that we have to more actively or proactively engage candidates to consider longterm careers in the insurance industry.

In their 2016 property casualty insurance outlook report, Ernst and Young noted that Insurers must be proactive in recruiting and retaining next-generation innovators and leaders.

The role of one department in particular is highlighted in the PwC report: Human resources recruiters are the scouting departments of the insurance industry. Insurance recruiters have two options  to hire experienced candidates or recruit and develop raw talent through effective training programs.

According to Chad Record, assistant vice president of The Jacobson Group, candidates may not know about the wide array of opportunities that exist within an insurance company.

Thats because in the past, the focus on a potential employee might be just on the skills needed for a particular job. Now, carriers are widening their focus on all of an applicants abilities to zero in on where their skillset might best fit into the company.

Its incumbent on the company to look at where their skills and competencies might transcend certain boundaries and actually help candidates explore options and alternatives within the organization, Record said.

Record said if a candidate is placed in a role that maximizes his or her strengths, it will lead to greater job satisfaction and engagement.

The emphasis for insurers looking to increase staff size and replace employees is to cater to millennials, said Coons. With 66 percent of insurers looking to add staff, according to a Jacobson and The Ward Group study, and millennials expected to make up 50 percent of the workforce population, its a no-brainer.

Catering to millennials means offering job stability, providing meaningful work and rewards for the type of work they do, Record explained. In addition, advanced technology and providing millennials a voice in how they perform their jobs are important workplace qualities.

Leveraging energy, enthusiasm and creativity might advance a companys growth and development, Record said.

Changes in employee recruitment calls for changes in the interview process as well, explained Record. There has been an increase in the use of video conferencing for interviews as well as video career fairs. In addition, the interview process may now include peer to peer interviews.

Theres a greater emphasis on peer to peer interviews which allows candidates to get a better sense of who they will be working with, rather than just who they will be working for, said Record. Team work is very appealing to millennials so this process is something were seeing a lot more of these days.

Coons provided examples of what some insurers are doing to revise their recruitment process. This includes an increased use of social media for a broader reach proactively and interactively with prospective employees. Carrier career websites have also been upgraded to offer options such as click to chat with a recruiter, employee videos and links to social media. The idea is to be able to interact 24/7, Coons said.

Coons expressed his enthusiasm for all of the changes happening in the hiring process.

Its an exciting time to be employed in the insurance industry, said Coons.
The Idaho Supreme Court has affirmed a jury verdict for $3.8 million against a southwest Idaho doctor following the death of a woman who underwent a liposuction procedure.

The court ruled Thursday in the wrongful death and medical malpractice case against Silk Touch Laser and it owner, anesthesiologist Brian Kerr, the Idaho Statesman reported.

Krystal Ballard, 27, underwent the liposuction and fat-transfer procedure in 2010 and died less than a week later from septic shock caused by bacteria.

Her husband, Charles Ballard, filed a wrongful death lawsuit, and a jury in 2014 awarded him about $2.5 million in economic damage and $1.3 million in non-economic damages.

Kerr appealed with several challenges. But the court said there is substantial evidence supporting the verdict.

We are pleased with todays decision, which affirms the verdict reached by an Ada County jury in this lawsuit, said Scott McKay, attorney for Ballard.

Kerr said hes sad about the death, but he wishes Krystal Ballard had taken advised precautions to prevent infection.

One of the things that kind of gets lost in this is the patient, Kerr said. And I certainly feel badly for Charles and his loss  and certainly the passing of Krystal. I dont want to, as I make comments, I dont want to be at all disparaging about her.  I think my sadness is I wish that she had done what we had asked her to do (for infection prevention), and the only thing we have changed about our practice is to put more of an emphasis on that.

Kerr said patients have asked him about the case, but it hasnt affected his business. He said the business had no previous incidences of infections like Ballards, and he believes the equipment used during the procedure had been properly disinfected and sterilized.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
As of last week, 219 current or former Wah Chang employees or their survivors had received more than $35 million in benefits as compensation from the federal government for cancers contracted through radiation exposure at the Millersburg, Ore., metals refinery.

Most of them owe a debt of gratitude to Mark Backer, whose petition on behalf of his late father, Roy Backer, was the basis for establishing special exposure cohort status for the plant, a designation that made it much easier for claimants to qualify for benefits.

The Backer family, however, has yet to see a dime in compensation. Even though it was Mark Backers petition that created the special exposure cohort covering hundreds of Wah Chang employees, his fathers claim has never been approved by the U.S. Department of Labor.

I have fought with them since Clinton was president, Backer says today.

Im glad somebody got something out of all this hard work, but this whole thing is crazy.

The Wah Chang plant in Millersburg (now officially called ATI Specialty Alloys and Components but still widely known by its original name) began operations in 1956 to produce zirconium using a process developed by the U.S. Bureau of Mines Albany Research Center. The facility just outside Albany remains a major refiner of zirconium, used in fuel assemblies for nuclear reactors, as well as other exotic metals such as hafnium, niobium, tantalum and vanadium.

Many of the metals that come out of Wah Chang have military applications, and for a brief period  Jan. 1, 1971, to Dec. 31, 1972  the company had a contract to melt down and reprocess depleted uranium for the U.S. nuclear weapons program.

While there are multiple sources of radiation at the 110-acre plant, the uranium was potentially much more dangerous. Wah Chang officials have not disclosed how much depleted uranium went through the plant over that two-year span, but the companys state-issued radioactive materials license authorized it to have up to 50,000 pounds of the stuff on site at any one time.

According to the companys current license, roughly 5 pounds of depleted uranium remains on the site inside a mothballed electron-beam furnace.

Because the radiation hazard was connected to nuclear weapons production, Wah Chang was covered as an atomic weapons employer under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act, or EEOICPA for short. Congress passed the law in 2000 to provide cash compensation and medical benefits to workers at hundreds of privately owned factories and government laboratories involved in the nations Cold War nuclear weapons buildup, many of whom were exposed to cancer-causing radiation without their knowledge or consent.

Part B of the program provides compensation of $150,000 and covers medical expenses for qualifying atomic weapons workers who develop one of 22 types of cancer as a result of workplace radiation exposure.

Mark Backer learned about the program shortly after it went into effect, and on July 29, 2002, he filed a claim for benefits on behalf of his mother, Melva Backer. The claim sought compensation for the death of her husband, Roy, who worked at the Bureau of Mines Albany Research Center at 1450 Queen Ave. S.W. from 1951 to 1956 and at the Wah Chang plant in 1956 to 1979.

Roy Backer, a chemical engineer, was involved with the Wah Chang plant in Millersburg from the very beginning, when it first spun off from the Bureau of Mines. As his son puts it, He built that plant.

He became superintendent of the plants separations division, a job that frequently left him covered in grime. As Mark Backer recalls, he would come home so filthy that his wife wouldnt let him in the door.

My mom made him get undressed before he came into the house, he said. The next day, the bushes where he hid his clothes were dead.

Later, the family would wonder whether something Roy Backer was exposed to at work led to his own early death.

In 1974 he was diagnosed with melanoma, a type of skin cancer. Despite years of chemotherapy treatments, his illness grew progressively worse, eventually metastasizing into lung cancer. He died on Nov. 3, 1981, at the age of 59.

He never cashed a single Social Security check, Mark Backer said.

While Backer was convinced that his fathers death was connected to his work, proving it is another matter.

Obtaining benefits through EEOICPA hinged on a process called dose reconstruction, which attempts to document how much radiation someone was exposed to on the job and what the health effects of that exposure might have been. If the dose reconstruction team determines it is at least as likely as not that workplace radiation exposure was the cause of a covered cancer, the claim is approved. If the likelihood is less than 50 percent, the claim is denied.

Its a tricky process, especially when it needs to be done long after the fact. In Roy Backers case, more than six years elapsed from the time a claim was filed until his son was notified that sufficient information has been gathered from the available records sources to initiate reconstruction for your claim.

That was in March 2010, and Mark Backer was at his wits end.

This thing has been nothing but an exercise in frustration and anxiety, he said.

But then Backer learned about another option. Someone familiar with the EEOICPA told him about the special exposure cohorts that had been set up at certain atomic weapons employers. For job sites covered by a special exposure cohort, no dose reconstruction is required. The presumption is that anyone who was employed for a certain amount of time at an special exposure cohort site  typically 250 work days, a standard work year  and developed one of the specified illnesses is eligible for benefits.

There was no special exposure cohort for Wah Chang at the time, but Backer didnt let that stop him. He asked the government to create one.

On June 9, 2010, Backer submitted a special exposure cohort petition to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, which handles dose reconstructions for EEOICPA benefits. In the NIOSH petition, he argued that attempting to perform a dose reconstruction for his fathers radiation exposure based on workplace records was impractical because there was no monitoring for internal or external exposure and there was no protection (gear or working environment).

The petition asked that a special exposure cohort be created for all employees who worked at Wah Chang during two specific time periods: Jan. 1, 1971, through Dec. 31, 1972, when depleted uranium was being reprocessed at the plant, and Jan. 1, 1973, through Jan. 11, 1979, when Backers father left Wah Chang to go to work for another company.

A NIOSH advisory board evaluated the petition and recommended that a special exposure cohort be created for anyone who worked at Wah Chang for at least 250 days between Jan. 1, 1971, and Dec. 31, 1972, when the depleted uranium work was being done. The designation was formally approved on April 29, 2011. (A residual exposure period was also established for employees who worked at Wah Chang between Jan. 1, 1973, and March 1, 2011. Those workers could still establish a claim for benefits but would still have to go through dose reconstruction.)

Mark Backer won that battle, but he still lost the war.

Even though his father worked at Wah Chang during the special exposure cohort period and was ultimately diagnosed with a covered condition  lung cancer  shortly before his death, his claim was eventually denied on what Backer claims is a technicality.

The doctor who treated Backers father specified that he had cancer of the pleura, the membrane that wraps around the outside of the lungs. For that reason, he said, the claim was rejected.

My fathers cancer spread to his arms, then to the body cavities and finally to his lungs, Mark Backer said. But because his surgeon said it had spread to the pleura of the lungs, they said it wasnt a covered cancer.

While it may not have helped the Backers, the creation of the special exposure cohort has been a godsend to other Wah Chang claimants.

Of the 465 Wah Chang workers who have filed claims for benefits under the EEOICPA, less than half  228  were covered by the special exposure cohort. But almost 72 percent of those claims have been approved, compared to just 24 percent of claims that required dose reconstruction.

Among the people who have received compensation is the family of Roy Backers brother Leo, who worked at Wah Chang and later died of cancer. A number of other family members have also worked at the Millersburg plant and could ultimately benefit from the compensation program, including Marks brother Greg Backer, who worked for 10 years as an electron-beam furnace operator.

Mark Backer himself spent some time as a Wah Chang employee, working there in the summers to pay his way through college.

My job was checking scrap metal with a Geiger counter, he said.

Garry Steffy, an ex-Wah Chang employee who has led the charge to spread the word about the EEOICPA despite the companys refusal to provide contact information for former workers, said Backers special exposure cohort petition laid the groundwork for that success.

His filing was great for everybody else, Steffy said.

But while hes sympathetic to the Backer familys plight, hes also concerned with the hundreds of other former Wah Chang employees whose claims have been denied.

Im grateful they filed this claim and got the whole thing going, Steffy said. But if they werent eligible for it, there were a whole lot of other people who werent eligible either.

Meanwhile, Mark Backer has continued to press his fathers claim. From his home in the San Francisco Bay area, he has fired off letters to Labor Department hearings officers, U.S. senators and anyone else he thinks may be able to help his cause. So far, nothing has worked.

He also filed a claim seeking compensation for the death of his maternal grandfather, Fearn Jordan, who worked as a janitor at the Bureau of Mines Albany Research Center and died of cancer at age 63. That claim, too, was denied, although some workers at the facility have received compensation under the EEOICPA.

At this point, Backer says, its not really about the money. If his 90-year-old mother were to receive compensation, it would go to help cover the costs of her healthcare, which would quickly use up all the funds.

But it would provide a kind of validation.

It would mean acknowledgment of my grandfather and my fathers contributions to our nations defense, Backer said.

Both men served in the military during wartime, and both went on to jobs with Department of Energy contractors involved in atomic weapons work that may have exposed them to hazardous radiation. And both, Backer said, made the ultimate sacrifice.

I believe consequently, as a result of that, they both died prematurely, he said. And that should be acknowledged.

The family has received one thing from a grateful nation.

In 2009, Congress designated Oct. 30 as a national day of remembrance to honor the sacrifices made by the thousands of atomic weapons workers who helped build up Americas nuclear arsenal during the Cold War. A year later, Mark and Melva Backer received a handwritten letter from Denise Brock, an ombudsman with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, thanking them for the selfless service that your loved one gave in defense of our Country.

Enclosed was a small bronze lapel pin commemorating the Manhattan Project, which developed the atomic weapons dropped on Japan to end World War II.

For Mark Backer, it was a slap in the face for a woman who lost both her father and her husband.

They sent my mom an atomic bomb pin, he said. I wish I was making this up, but Im not.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
OHAPBeesSwarm-2016.jpg

More than 10,000 bees swarmed at the Avon Lake Ford assembly plant.

AVON LAKE, Ohio - Busy as bees, some of the hard working employees at the Avon Lake Ford assembly plant noticed unusual activity on the north side of the building. It turned out to be a swarm of about 10,000 bees.

The uninvited guests had attached themselves to a barrel pad, which is the place where the plant unloads and stores non-flammable fluids and other items which get shipped in barrel-like containers.

When word got out about the bees, one employee was worried because of a long-time allergic reaction to bees.

Rather than trying to destroy the swarm right away, however, the Ford environmental team was called in. They determined the bees were honey bees and that a local beekeeper might be very happy to come and get them. They figured right when they contacted North Ridgeville resident, Bonnie Pierson.

North Ridgeville beekeeper Bonnie Pierson rescues the bee swarm in Avon Lake.

Pierson has been a beekeeper for more than 20 years. An aunt and uncle next door as she was growing up kept bees, so she became used to them and appreciative of what bees produce, as well as their part in the lifecycle on earth.

"When Ford called to tell me there was a swarm of honey bees at the plant in Avon Lake, I jumped on it quickly because once bees leave their original home, they cluster in a holding spot and will stay for only a short time," Pierson said.

"They are searching for a cavity suitable for their next home. They could be in the holding spot for minutes, hours or days. I wanted to get there before they decided to start looking for their next home."

Pierson said she liked what she saw when she arrived. "The swarm had settled on a low spot, rather than in a tree, so I could easily coax them into a cardboard box."

Without major perspiration or a pounding heart as many others would have experienced, Pierson showed them a cardboard box without even wearing her beekeeper's veil. "The edge of the swarm started marching in slowly," she said, "so I started to push them in by using my bee brush." A bee brush is like a long paint brush, she explained, used to encourage them to move but not hurt or squash them. Before she used the bee brush, she donned her beekeeper's veil.

Pierson took them home to what she calls "a hobby out of control." She has about 12 colonies of honey bees in her yard in different stages of productivity. "Some are productive and some swarms are not big enough to be producers yet," she said.

Pierson explained that if she can get them started by April, the bees can usually produce honey by June. But if she catches a swarm in June or July, they don't have enough time to build a comb and have honey too.

"This swarm was big enough that they could build a lot of comb right away. If they make it through the winter, they will be producing for me next year, beginning about June," she said.

Pierson is serious about her interest in bees and their usefulness here on earth. She is a member of the Lorain County Beekeepers organization.

Because honey bees have been disappearing in high numbers (an issue known as colony collapse disorder) she believes people need to begin to take care of their yards in a manner that will protect the bees.

Her advice includes trying to keep one's yard more organic, especially avoiding insecticides and herbicides for weeds. To kill weeds safely, place newspaper or cardboard around your plants, she said, then cover them with wood mulch.

Also, don't let small pools of water accumulate where mosquitoes can breed, and plant bee-friendly flowers and plants. Through her travels she has learned that other countries don't pollute their yards as we do here in the U.S.

"I have been to 30 countries. They don't contaminate their land like we do. We can learn from them," she said. She added, "Bees provide reassurance that evolution works and they bring peace of mind, showing that there is a greater force at work.

For more information on bees, Pierson advises visiting the web site loraincountybeekeepers.org. In addition to monthly meetings, the organization has classes in the spring for new beekeepers. They will also have a bee-barn at the Lorain County Fair with honey for both tasting and purchasing.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Say "so long" to visions of a Le Meridien hotel on Euclid Avenue.

After years of struggling to secure financing for a hospitality project, an out-of-state development group appears to have lost its shot at remaking the historic John Hartness Brown complex in downtown Cleveland. Now the property is likely to be sold to Alto Partners, another out-of-town developer with designs on making the empty buildings part of the center city's revival.

On Aug. 4, a Cuyahoga County judge authorized a court-appointed receiver - someone tasked with preserving the property's value during foreclosure litigation - to move ahead with a sale to Alto. Tuesday marked the last chance for the current ownership group, led by California businessman Steve Goodman, to hang onto the property by matching Alto's offer and coming up with $9.1 million in cash.

That deadline passed uneventfully, court records show.

Now the long-troubled buildings, at 1001-1101 Euclid Ave., are slated to get their third owner since 2007. The sale to Alto is scheduled to occur by Oct. 31, though the transaction is contingent on keeping valuable state preservation tax credits that are set to expire Oct. 1.

In an email Wednesday morning, receiver Mark Dottore confirmed that Goodman and his partners didn't come up with a last-minute payment to save the Le Meridien deal. Dottore took control of the property last year, as the result of a foreclosure lawsuit filed by a New York mortgage-holder waiting on more than $8 million in unpaid principal, interest and fees.

In a phone interview late Wednesday, Goodman said he simply ran out of time. But he's not ready to walk away. His team plans to file an appeal, with hopes of changing the outcome of the court process and getting Alto's attention.

"I don't think anybody gives us enough credit for all the money we've put into this project," Goodman said. "From the beginning, it was a cobbling together ... ad it seemed like every time I turned around, things that I had reasonable expectations of didn't come to pass."

Court records show that an investor linked to Goodman made a competing, $9.5 million purchase offer for the real estate on Aug. 1 and submitted confidential financial records to the court a few days later. But that late-coming proposal didn't sway Common Pleas Court Judge Brendan Sheehan.

"The purported higher offer failed to conform with the requirements and procedures established by this court for the submission of bids," Sheehan wrote, alluding to a sealed-bid process conducted earlier this year by Hanna Commercial Real Estate, at Dottore's direction.

"Time is of the essence in selling the property to obtain maximum value for the property, given the value and pending expiration of historic tax credits in the absence of a qualified buyer," the judge wrote in his Aug. 4 order allowing for the sale to Alto.

The state awarded credits to an earlier version of the John Hartness Brown preservation project back in 2007, under the first and most expansive version of a popular program that has since become narrower and more competitive.

But the building has languished. It changed hands once, passing to Goodman and his partners from the prior, troubled owner; it was cleared out, with help from public money earmarked for property clean-up; and it generated a pile of unpaid property-tax bills and litigation.

The Ohio Development Services Agency, which administers the historic tax credit program, has granted several grace periods to Goodman and his partners, preserving an $11 million award that is more than twice what the project could win today if developers had to reapply. The credits don't actually flow to a project until the work is complete, and the state has rescinded awards for redevelopment deals that drag or fall through.

To transfer the credits to Alto, the agency must receive and approve an amendment to the project's application. Similarly, the state would have to evaluate and sign off on any changes to the nature of the project.

Last month, Dottore described Alto's plans for a mixed-use project, with retail, parking and residential upstairs. That would be a departure from the 206-room hotel that Goodman and his partners were trying to develop.

Michael Sabracos, Alto's chief executive officer of U.S. operations, said the company doesn't have final plans in place and isn't ready to talk yet. Alto is a privately held company that appears to be based in Turkey, with offices in the U.S., Kazakhstan, Russia and Iraq.

Goodman nonetheless believes his group can find a way to regain control of the building and keep the Le Meridien alive. "I still think this is a good project, and I think it's the right project," he said. "It just needs to get back on track."

If the sale to Alto moves forward, though, it will end a messy chapter for a property that downtown advocates have been watching for nearly a decade. Then the question will be whether Alto can achieve what Goodman and other developers have, so far, failed to do: revive one of the last nettlesome and blighted stretches of Euclid between Public Square and Playhouse Square.
Paul Kaufman

Cleveland Attorney Paul Kaufman, right confers with a client during a court recess in 2002. Kaufman was indicted Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016 for stealing from a series of clients between 2009 and 2014.

(Dale Omori, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted a former Cleveland attorney Wednesday for stealing money from his clients.

Paul Kaufman, 67, is charged with 41 felony counts including theft and forgery. He resigned from his law practice in 2015 after numerous clients filed complaints with the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection. Victims were awarded $189,000 out of the fund.

Kaufman, of Shaker Heights, now faces prison time if convicted of stealing from 15 clients. The attorney won the clients more than $215,000 in a class action settlement with drug maker Merck in 2009, the Cuyahoga County prosecutor says, but failed to distribute the funds to the plaintiffs in the settlement.

"Attorneys like Paul Kaufman are why so many people look down on the legal profession," Assistant County Prosecutor James A. Gutierrez wrote in a news release. "He chose to ignore his responsibilities as a lawyer and to cheat his clients, and now he is going to have answer for those crimes."

The Ohio Supreme Court suspended Kaufman's law license last year. In its order, the court writes that Kaufman "has engaged in conduct that violates the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct and poses a substantial threat of serious harm to the public."

Calls to Kaufman's listed phone number were not answered Wednesday afternoon. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas on Aug. 24.

Read the indictment below or
13876427_635338539976487_5607649209294331402_n.jpg

Feast to the Beat comes to Cleveland on Saturday, Aug. 13.

(National Park Service)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The National Park Service is hitting the road for its 100th birthday - and the party is coming to Cleveland.

Cleveland and the Ohio & Erie Canalway is one of four designated National Heritage Areas to be featured in the National Park Service's Feast to the Beat Centennial Celebration.

Feast to the Beat is a road trip from the West to the East Coast celebrating the park service's 100th birthday. The tour will roll into Cleveland from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, at Hart Crane Memorial Park, 1850 Columbus Road, in the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area. It was originally scheduled for nearby Canal Basin Park.

It will feature music, food and beer. Music will be provided by "Jam in the Van," a solar-powered state-of-the recording studio on wheels that will feature local bands who will record a three-song set, complete with video.

Wesley Bright & the Honeytones, Marcus Alan Ward, the Lawsuits, Honeybucket and Shivering Timbers will perform.

Fox TV's Master Chef Jamie Gwen will highlight local food through several cooking demos. There will be Great Lakes beer pairings.

Activities will highlight the history and future of the Columbus Road peninsula, once known as Cleveland Centre. There will also be tours of Canal Basin Park and the Red Line Greenway, along with demonstrations at the Crooked River Skate Park and public rowing by the Cleveland Rowing Foundation and NALU stand-up paddle boarding. Throughout Feast to the Beat, there will be games and giveaways.

Aug. 25 is the actual birthday of the the National Park Service, marking the day President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill that created the agency "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."

Other celebrations planned in the area include:

Saturday, Aug. 20: Picnic in the Park with Countryside Conservancy

9 a.m. to noon, Howe Meadow 4040 Riverview Road, Peninsula.

Chefs Doug Katz, Ben Bebenroth and Ernie Cornelius will be preparing seasonal picnic dishes sourced from Countryside Farmers' Market vendors.

Picnics are available to pre-order from the Countryside Conservancy: http://www.cvcountryside.org/BookingRetrieve.aspx?ID=90144.

The deadline to order is Thursday, Aug. 11.

Sunday, Aug. 21: Celebrate100!

Noon to 5 p.m., Howe Meadow 4040 Riverview Road, Peninsula.

A free event featuring live music, family-friendly activities and a picnic. Activities include Ollie the Otter scavenger hunt, giant coloring pages, bug boxes, bubbles, hula hoops, games, crafts and live theater

Learn more about these celebratory events at conservancyforcvnp.org/celebrate100.
FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio -- A person of interest in the disappearance of a Fairview Park teenager 39 years ago is in police custody out of state.

The unidentified person is facing charges unrelated to the 1977 disappearance of 17-year-old Yvonne Regler, Fairview Park police Lt. Paul Shepard said Wednesday.

Police declined to release details about the person's identity, location and charges.

The person of interest is not a member of Yvonne' family, and investigators don't know if the person knew Yvonne before her disappearance, Shepard said.

Police believe Yvonne was abducted from a Lorain Road gas station. Investigators do not know if she is alive or dead.

"We have a disappearance, but we don't have a body," Shepard said.

Investigators re-examined the cold case file and conducted new interviews with Yvonne's family and friends and surviving witnesses after a family member offered to give a DNA sample to the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children in 2014. That gave detectives a sample to compare if they found Yvonne's remains.

Fairview Park police announced they had identified a person of interest and released a timeline of the day of Yvonne's disappearance and an age-enhanced photograph Monday, the 39th anniversary of her disappearance.

Yvonne worked at a Sunoco in North Olmsted, but was transferred to the full-service Sunoco on Lorain Road near West 192nd Street in Fairview Park for the day. She called family and friends from the gas station that morning, saying she had planned to go to the wake of a friend's relative and meet up with some friends.

She was on the phone with one of her friends at 12:30 p.m. when a car drove up to the pump, drove away, then came back, police said.

Another customer bought gas at 1:25 p.m. and paid with a credit card. Yvonne initialed the receipt.

Sometime between 1:30 p.m. and 2:05 p.m., three people said they went to the gas station and there was no worker there. The door was unlocked and someone's purse was sitting behind the counter, but none of the people thought anything of it and didn't call police, Shepard said.

Yvonne left behind her purse, cigarettes and a book. There was no sign of a struggle and no money was missing from the register.

Investigators believe that a man abducted Yvonne while she was pumping his gas.

The car that drove away and came back at 12:30 p.m. is important because investigators don't know if the car was involved in Yvonne's disappearance, Shepard said. Police still don't have a description of the car.

Fairview Park police urge anyone with information about the case to call them at 440-333-1234.

If you wish to discuss or comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments section.

Like Chanda Neely on Facebook.

Follow me on Twitter:
wildwoodpark.jpeg

Aquatic Biologist Mike Durkalec of the Cleveland Metroparks displays a rare pink salmon captured in the Euclid Creek at Wildwood Park while surveying the waterway for steelhead trout.

(D'Arcy Egan/Plain Dealer file photo)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The U.S. EPA today awarded grants totaling $825,000 to Lake Erie restoration projects, including $175,000 to the Cleveland Metroparks for a project at Wildwood Park.

The park will use the money to install bioretention cells designed to capture and treat stormwater runoff, which would prevent up to 660,000 gallons of untreated stormwater runoff from reaching Lake Erie.

The grants are awarded from the EPA's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Shoreline Cities program, a $300 million federal program to help the eight states clean up toxic hotspots and restore habitat for fish and wildlife.

The program was launched in 2010 to fund efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes by cleaning major areas of concern, preventing and controlling invasive species, reducing nutrient runoff that contributes to harmful algal blooms, and by restoring habitat to protect native species.

"This investment will help Ohio cities build infrastructure to prevent untreated runoff from entering Lake Erie," said U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, Democrat from Ohio, in a news release. "By protecting small water sources, we can help clean up the lake and keep it healthy."

U.S. Senator Rob Portman, Republican of Ohio, said the grants help to support Lake Erie's multi-billion dollar fishing industry, the state's top tourist destination, and drinking water for 3 million Ohioans.

"The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative helps protect the lake by bringing federal agencies together with the state of Ohio to address the greatest threats to the lake - threats like harmful algal blooms, invasive species and contamination," Portman said in a news release. "These grants will make a difference in these communities, and help ensure that we preserve the lake for future generations."

Five of the 13 recipient cities of the grants are in Ohio. In addition to Cleveland, grants were awarded to Ashtabula, Huron, Sandusky and Vermillion.

Last year, $15 million was awarded to clean up and restore the Black River in Lorain, which was the largest GLRI grant ever.

This past May, the EPA awarded more than $3.3 million in grants for Ohio projects that included funding to help the Cleveland MetroParks control invasive plants in the park waters and Cuyahoga River, and $650,000 to The Nature Conservancy to help control 1,000 acres of invasive plant species on the Lake Erie coastline, including the Mentor Marsh and the Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve.

In addition, the EPA awarded $500,000 to the Western Reserve Land Conservancy for the purchase of 290 acres of easements in the Chagrin River watershed, resulting in the protection of 1,350 acres that would otherwise have been developed.
Cleveland police tape

Cleveland police are investigating a shooting at Carol McLendon Park.

(File photo)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A bullet and a kiss - that's what a man got Sunday in a Cleveland park. A gunman fired a shot into the 19-year-old before planting a kiss on his lips.

No arrests have been made in the shooting, which happened about 9:45 p.m. in a wooded area at Carol McLendon Park on East 98th Street.

The 19-year-old man and his 20-year-old friend were listening to music and talking at the park. A man they didn't know slowly walked by the duo and asked for their names.

The two men said their names and the stranger ordered them to the ground before pulling out a gun. He then shot the 19 year old, police reports say.

The man demanded the keys to the 19-year-old's car. The gunman grabbed the keys, then asked the man for a kiss. He knelt down and kissed the man on the lips and told him: "You have a sexy ass."

The gunman ran to the 19-year-old's car, but wasn't able to start it. He jumped out of the car and ran away, according to police.

Officers responding to the 911 call arrived to find a woman who lives behind the park saying she could hear a man screaming he'd been shot. Officers found him in the woods and carried him to an ambulance.

The victim was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center, where he was listed in serious condition. The officers were treated at MetroHealth as a precaution because they came into contact with his blood.

Investigators found a bullet casing in the woods near where the shooting happened, police reports say.

If you wish to discuss or comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments section.
ClevelandCityHall.JPG

A Michigan businessman has proposed an amendment to Cleveland's City Charter that he hopes will champion the rights of part-time workers.

(The Plain Dealer file photo)

Cleveland, Ohio - As a controversial proposal to set Cleveland's minimum wage at $15 an hour works its way through the legislative process, another petition-driven initiative has emerged, pitting the city's business owners against the people they employ -- and threatening to undermine the city's economic recovery, city officials fear.

The proposed city charter amendment seeks to establish a "part-time workers' rights commission" and sets strict rules on scheduling, wages and promotions. It's based on the premise that productivity is increased when workers feel they are treated fairly and are "invested in a positive outlook for their employer."

But the provisions offer no exclusions for businesses that rely on scheduling flexibility, such as those that employ healthcare workers and snowplow drivers. They carry steep civil penalties if violated - as much as $10,000 per violation. And City Council President Kevin Kelley fears that, if passed, the amendment will prompt a mass exodus of businesses from the city and kill jobs.

Council was required by charter to adopt legislation Wednesday submitting the issue to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections for inclusion on the November ballot.

Where did this come from?

Behind the measure is Bob Goodrich, a businessman out of Grand Rapids, Mich., who operates a chain of movie theaters in Michigan and Missouri.

Why, you ask, would an out-of-state businessman propose changes to the laws of an Ohio city?

The answer, Goodrich said in an interview Tuesday, is three-fold: 1) Goodrich says he genuinely believes that part-time workers need a champion. 2) He is dismayed that voters - particularly low-income, unmarried women - are so disenchanted with government and politics that they are predicted to skip the November election all together. So he decided to craft a ballot issue guaranteed to get out the vote. 3) Accomplishing #1 and #2 is much easier in Ohio than almost anywhere else.

Goodrich said he had planned to push the initiative in Detroit and Kansas City, Mo. But before the measure could gain traction in either city, Goodrich said, Michigan and Missouri state lawmakers passed legislation mandating that any changes to employment laws be handled on the state level.

Goodrich said the prospect of gathering the 250,000 signatures needed for a statewide initiative was too daunting. So he looked to cities in other nearby states where the threshold was lower and where municipal employment laws were not expressly prohibited. He paid attorneys to draft charter proposals for Youngstown and Cleveland and hired people to circulate petitions.

In Cleveland, it takes 10 percent of the number of votes cast at the last general municipal election - or roughly 5,000 valid signatures - to get a charter amendment on the ballot.

Goodrich said he holds his own businesses to the same standards outlined in his proposal. He said people who work part-time jobs often must work more than one, yet they are at the mercy of employer policies that might make it difficult to coordinate work schedules or balance work and home life.

Here are the highlights of the proposed charter amendment:

Part-time Workers' Rights Commission

The charter amendment would set up a part-time workers' rights commission, consisting of five people appointed by city council to serve on a volunteer basis for two-year terms. Members would represent employers, part-time employees and the general public.

The commission would advise city council on matters involving workplace policies and conditions for part-time employees, and recommend measures aimed at promoting equitable and practical working conditions for all part-time employees, the proposal states.

Scheduling requirements

Employers would be required to provide a good-faith estimate of each employee's expected minimum number of scheduled shifts and specify the days and hours, including on-call shifts. And they must give workers at least two weeks' notice on work schedules.

Employers can only require employees to be on-call during one mutually agreed upon shift per week. Either party may cancel that shift without repercussion or penalty as long as the cancellation occurs at least 48 hours before the on-call shift is to start.

Kelley says he finds those requirements troubling, because they would apply to part-time, seasonal employees who are called in to work on a moment's notice to plow city streets and airport runways.

Goodrich said such scenarios are far less common than those involving low-wage part-time workers whose work schedules are so unpredictable, they prevent the employee from committing to a second job or planning for childcare.

Wage requirements

As for wages, employers, under the proposed charter change, would be required to pay part-time workers the same starting hourly wage that full-timers receive. Part-time employees must be given proportional access to employer-provided paid and unpaid time off, including sick leave, personal leave and vacation as that given to full-time employees for the same job classification.

And part-timers would have the same eligibility for promotions as their full-time counterparts.

How would violations be handled?

Complaints or reports of violations must be submitted within 180 days to the commission, which will investigate and attempt to arrive at a resolution between the parties. If that fails, the law director has 30 days to decide whether to pursue civil enforcement in Cleveland Municipal Court.

The first violation could result in a civil penalty, punishable by a $1,000 fine. If an employer is assessed three penalties in a 36-month period, subsequent penalties will be increased to $10,000 per violation for five years. And each day that a violation persists, following the first 75 days after a complaint is filed, constitutes a new violation.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- While the country debated whether Russia was trying to mess with America's presidential election, a massive Russian cargo jet landed in Columbus late last week.

The Volga-Dnepr plane is a behemoth, bigger that any cargo aircraft operated by a United States carrier. It had just received special permission from the United States government to pick up a load of five General Electric jet engines -- made in southwest Ohio -- and ferry them to Everett, Washington, to be mounted on new Boeing 787 jetliners. Boeing needed the engines right then, G.E. told the government, saying work on a Boeing production line in Washington had stopped because of delivery delays.

Unless you were driving by Rickenbacker International Airport in Ohio's capital on Friday, you had no idea a colossal Russian cargo airline, capable of loading from the front (with its nose flipped up as if on a hinge) and the back, was doing this. Meantime, newspaper columnists, online pundits and the campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were debating about Russia, Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin, the role his country played in hacking Democratic National Party emails and the use of WikiLeaks to expose the Russian-hacked emails to the world.

Russia, went the narrative, should be viewed with suspicion.

But guess what, America?

A Russian company has become our Uber for oversize, point-to-point cargo delivery within the United States, exempt or immune from all the geopolitical turmoil and talk. It carries oversize jet parts, components for America's electric infrastructure, parts that propel U.S. satellites into space.

"They even haul things for the U.S. military," said A. Oakley Brooks, president and CEO of the National Air Carriers Association, which presents American cargo companies.

Even in times of tension, such as when the White House and Congress were warning Putin not to invade Ukraine, the flights continued unabated.

"As a matter of policy, the U.S. has been good about not intertwining aviation with issues of the day," said Robert Silverberg, a Washington, D.C.-based attorney for ABX Air, a Wilmington, Ohio cargo carrier that hauls smaller loads than the Russians carry.

Here, based on a cleveland.com review of government records, is how and why the United States relies on this Russian company and a competing Ukrainian firm.

They can do it and we can't:

American companies rely on the privately owned Volga-Dnepr and its competitor, Antonov Airlines, a state-owned Ukrainian enterprise, because the companies own or lease the world's largest commercial cargo jets and American air carriers don't.

The plane of choice is made by a different division of the Antonov industrial enterprise: an Antonov 124 that specializes in heavy and oversize cargo.

It's so big and so easy to load that it can fit large parts of other aircraft, including multiple engines and wing assemblies, in its interior. A boast from Antonov on the plane: "The list of its cargo is endless - in this sense it can be called as the most universal airplane in the whole history of aviation."

No domestic carrier in the United States has such a plane.

"It's strictly a function of there being no other equivalent aircraft in the U.S.," Silverberg said.

For the record, Antonov has an even larger plane -- the world's biggest -- but it seldom flies.

Demand hasn't justified building one here:

The irony that America's leading aircraft and aerospace companies rely on Russian and Ukrainian companies for their largest interstate deliveries is lost on no one.

It is even richer that Boeing, based on Chicago and with extensive manufacturing facilities in Washington state, contracts to make a somewhat smaller cargo jet, the Boeing 747-8, for Volga-Dnepr but not for American airlines.

Two factors make this reasonable:

American airlines, including cargo haulers, no longer want the 747, a four-engine jumbo jet that American carriers believe has been eclipsed by newer, more efficient models. Were it not for demand by Volga-Dnepr for new Boeing 747's, the 747 production line might be nearing its end,

The 747 is big, but the Antonov 124 aircraft is bigger and easier to load. That's why G.E. contracts with Volga-Dnepr and Antonov Airlines to send a giant Antonov-made jet to Columbus every so often to fetch its engines and send them to Boeing -- rather than using a domestic freight airline that uses Boeing-made jets.

The market for an extraordinarily big aircraft certainly seems to exist; federal government records show requests are made within the United States every month, and sometimes more often, to hire the Russian company and one of its planes. But demand may not be strong enough to actually build and base one here.

Frank Avent, a South Carolinian who runs Airline Information Research, tracking airline industry documents, said domestic carriers have asked Boeing to build a bigger plane, but Boeing balks, and Boeing is "the only game in town for that."

"They don't think there's demand," Avent said.

Boeing has declined to comment.

The U.S. government says this is fine:

Federal aviation law normally would ban foreign carriers from offering domestic-only flights. This protects the market for United States airlines.

But Volga-Dnepr and Antonov Airlines can apply to the U.S. Department of Transportation for permission on a flight-by-flight basis if they can show they are needed to handle an emergency. The emergencies never seem to stop.

How do they define an emergency?

They say that a cargo load is ready to go from Point A to Point B in the United States, that over-land delivery is not feasible, and delays are causing a problem. The application must say that no domestic airline is available or can take a load so big. And the foreign carriers must notify domestic cargo carriers so they have a chance to object.

American freight airlines object sometimes, said Brooks, of the National Air Carriers Association. "These things are looked at hard by the American carriers, trying to preserve what business they have," he said.

Yet U.S. Department of Transportation records show objections are the exception. In fact, the Russian or Ukraine air carrier will file an emergency application one day and routinely get permission the next, for a flight to follow almost immediately.

A U.S.-based attorney for one of the overseas cargo carriers disputed that this is a phony emergency. He would not speak for attribution but said that factory production lines rely on just-in-time delivery. The alternatives to requesting an immediate emergency flight -- either scheduling a giant cargo jet without knowing exactly what day it will be needed and then keeping it idle, or else delaying delivery -- would be untenable in billion-dollar industries.

The companies make frequent flights -- including for the U.S. space program:

Federal regulatory filings show how frequently the giant jets carry American goods from one U.S. city to another. The recent docket for Volga-Dnepr, the Russian company:

Aug. 5:

July 27:

May 17:

May 12:

April 1:

Last December, Volga-Dnepr delivered an Atlas V rocket booster from Huntsville, Alabama, to the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on behalf of the United Launch Alliance. The month before, the cargo was an Atlas V booster tank, carried by the Russians from Huntsville, Alabama, to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The launch alliance puts U.S. government satellites, including those for military and intelligence reconnaissance, into space and helps support the International Space Station. It's a joint project of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and its reliance on the Russians to ferry its largest rocket parts within the United States is routine.

Last September, the Russian air carrier picked up a combustion turbine rotor in Charlotte, North Carolina, for delivery to EcoElectrica, a utility in Puerto Rico.

Said the emergency application to the Department of Transportation: Urgent lift was necessary "because EcoElectrica produces 16 percent of the island's electricity and the rotor is of extraordinary importance for the operation of EcoElectrica's power plant and thus to the economy of Puerto Rico."

In other words, Russian help was needed for the U.S. territory.

The U.S. government stamped its approval almost immediately.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland officials on Tuesday released police helicopter video and scanner recordings from the flag-burning demonstration outside the Republican National Convention that ended with 18 arrests.

The 13-minutes of video starts just after 4 p.m. July 20 and focuses on East 4th Street and Prospect Avenue, as a swarm of police officers and troopers converge on a crowd of demonstrators and media in anticipation of the flag burning.

Demonstrators with the Revolutionary Communist Party watched as Gregory Lee "Joey" Johnson lit fire to the U.S. flag.

The details of what happened are hard to make out on the video, which was shot as the chopper circled hundreds of feet above the ground.

Police rushed to the center of the crowd. The fire spread to two demonstrators during an ensuing scuffle, police said.

At one point, an officer can be heard calling for an arrest van to transport Johnson, rather than try to take him through the crowd of protesters.

"We have the main instigator, the main fire guy here," the officer said. "I cannot go take him through that crowd again."

The video keeps recording as a Cleveland police commander orders the crowd to disperse over a bullhorn. It's unclear exactly where the officer was when he gave that order.

The same commander gave a final warning minutes later.

The city released the footage in two videos separate videos, with a two-minute gap between the videos. A spokesman could not verify why there was a gap in the footage provided.

Most of the 18 people arrested were charged with failure to disperse, a misdemeanor.

Dominique Knox was the only person from Northeast Ohio to be arrested during the demonstration. He pleaded not guilty to assault on a peace officer, obstructing official business and resisting arrest charges.

Johnson, who was charged with misdemeanor assault, denied police reports that he lit himself or anyone else around him on fire and said he had room for his demonstration until police rushed the area around him.

Johnson was the defendant in the 1989 Supreme Court ruling Texas v. Johnson that invalidated laws in 48 states that prohibited the desecration of American flags.

Johnson was arrested as part of a political demonstration at the 1984 Republican National Convention in Dallas. The ruling cemented flag burning as a form of political speech protected under the First Amendment.

If you wish to comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments section.
Donald Trump

A 60-year-old man was shot and wounded in Winston's Bar on Cleveland's eastside last month after arguing with a fellow patron about Donald Trump's electability. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

"No Firearms."

The sign on the front of Winston's Bar, a working-class tavern on Cleveland's East Side, is unambiguous. So are other written instructions posted near the entrance:

"Please: no soliciting or loitering in or around this establishment."

The bar may now wish to add one more rule for those who frequent the Union-Miles neighborhood establishment.

No politics!

Late last month, an unidentified 60-year-old man was shot in the bar after debating with another regular patron the suitability of Donald Trump to serve as president. Police said Darnell Hall, 45, shot and wounded the Trump supporter in the leg after their presidential debate turned increasingly testy.

The shooter, who has had other brushes with the law, reportedly was enraged that anyone in the overwhelmingly African-American bar would support the GOP nominee. He apparently found a way to end the argument with the Trump sympathizer, and then fled the scene.

Hall wasn't on the run for long. He turned himself in last weekend, and was charged with felonious assault. His bail was set at $15,000.

The bar shooting is worth noting. As the presidential election heats up, the rules of casual political discourse appear to be changing.

Ever since Donald Trump caught fire in his race for the White House, I've heard both friends and casual acquaintances acknowledge that they now approach political conversations with caution. Lately, their political banter has become even more guarded, depending on the setting.

A person who isn't completely clear where an acquaintance stands on the candidacies of Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will often steer clear of a conversation involving presidential politics. They'd rather bite their tongues than risk a disagreeable political exchange.

Then there is another extreme. A friend whom I hold in the highest esteem has discovered that he can use Trump as a blunt political instrument in his home. Whenever he's not in the mood for conversation, or simply wants to exile himself into the doghouse, he will extol the political virtues of Trump to his wife. It drives her mad, and she leaves the room or simply refuses to engage him.

The funny thing is, I don't know if my friend is an actual Trump supporter. Honestly, I'm not sure I want an answer.

This self-censoring trend promises to become more pronounced as we prepare to enter the stretch run to Election Day. Even as prognosticators predict that the race between Clinton and Trump will evolve into one of the nastiest in modern memory, many of us responsible for choosing between candidates may find ourselves making the choice in relative isolation.

So, what are the current rules -- if any -- of electoral discussion? How are we to use each other as sounding boards?

Heck if I know. This much is clear: if someone loathes your candidate, has a drink in their hand, and appears ready to blow a gasket, play it safe! Change the subject.

Remember, a Cleveland man was just shot in a neighborhood bar simply for having the temerity to say that he thought Trump would make a fine president. That's a high price to pay for a round of free speech.
Hillary Clinton

Two new Ohio polls show Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton with a slight lead over GOP rival Donald Trump.

(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Clinton edges ahead in Ohio polls: Two new presidential polls released Tuesday show Democrat Hillary Clinton with a lead in Ohio, according to cleveland.com's Andrew Tobias.

A new Quinnipiac poll finds Clinton leading Donald Trump in Ohio 49 percent to 45 percent, though her lead narrowed to 2 percentage points when third-party candidates were factored in. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll, meanwhile, showed Clinton leading Trump in Ohio 43 percent to 38 percent, or 39 percent to 35 percent with third-party candidates included.

Though Clinton improved over the last Quinnipiac poll in June (which showed the race tied) the new polls are in line with pre-convention polls showing the race "as close or tied." However, as Tobias notes, Clinton's "post-convention boost" in Ohio is narrower than recent nationwide polls, which show Clinton leading Trump by an average of 7.5 percentage points.

Another good poll for Portman: "The Marist poll also found U.S. Sen. Rob Portman leading Democratic rival Ted Strickland 48 percent to 43 percent. It's the latest survey to show Portman pulling ahead of Strickland," Tobias reports.

Trump triggers another controversy: Donald Trump, after spending Monday on his "best behavior," ignited a new controversy Tuesday by appearing to call for violence against Clinton or U.S. Supreme Court nominees she might pick if elected, according to cleveland.com's Henry J. Gomez. "If [Clinton] gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks," Trump said at a North Carolina rally. "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is - I don't know."

A Trump spokesman emailed a statement afterward that the GOP nominee was saying that gun-rights supporters "are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power." Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook took a different stance in his statement: "A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way."

As Gomez notes, in politics, statements like Trump's "are called dog whistles. You speak vaguely enough to allow plausible deniability later on, but you put something out there that people will hear a certain way."

Lowest road to the highest office: While Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are running neck-and-neck in Ohio polls, there's one thing surveys have made clear: Ohioans don't like either candidate, writes Tobias. Three major polls last month showed that a majority of Buckeye State voters have an unfavorable opinion of both Clinton and Trump.

As Tobias reports, that likely means the next three months will be filled with negative campaigning, as Clinton and Trump try to drag each other down instead of lifting themselves up. The closer the race is around Election Day, the more intense the attacks will get. How that will affect voter turnout remains to be seen, as people may be either scared into voting or become so disillusioned they stay home.

Debate over debates? Trump committed to attending three debates this fall "but may try to re-negotiate the terms that have been agreed upon by a bipartisan commission," according to Time Magazine's Alex Altman and Zeke Miller. "I want to debate very badly. But I have to see the conditions," Trump said, noting that he haggled with TV networks over the terms of primary debates.

Coming to a swing state near you: Trump is scheduled to hold a rally in nearby Erie, Pa., on Friday afternoon, according to his campaign. Republican vice-presidential nominee Mike Pence, meanwhile, is set to make a campaign swing through Ohio on Wednesday along Interstate 70 - first in Dayton, then in Cambridge, in eastern Ohio.

Ice to see you: Former Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan plans to skate into Ohio on Thursday to attend the opening of Hillary Clinton campaign offices in Lima and Grove City, reports cleveland.com's Mary Kilpatrick. Kilpatrick also notes that Clinton and her super PAC "are expected to spend millions on ads during the Olympics."

Charlie Earl for president? Everyone expected Ohio's no-longer-recognized Libertarian Party to submit petitions this week to run Gary Johnson for president as an independent. But as I explain, when they submitted presidential petitions on Tuesday, they listed another name: ex-lawmaker and 2014 gubernatorial candidate Charlie Earl.

Here's why: Ohio Libertarians want to ensure that if they win their long-shot court case to regain state recognition as a party, they won't run into legal trouble by nominating Johnson while simultaneously running him as an independent. Their plan to avoid that is to insert Earl's name as a placeholder, and then swap in Johnson after the court case has been decided.

An Ohio secretary of state spokesman questioned whether such a swap would be legal under state law. But as Richard Winger of Ballot Access News points out, Ohio Libertarians used presidential stand-ins in 1996 and 2004.

#Harambe2016: Another surprise political candidate is gaining support -- Harambe, the gorilla who was shot at the Cincinnati Zoo in May after a boy fell into his enclosure. As the Cincinnati Enquirer's Jeremy Fugleberg writes, "Harambe's face is on signs at political conventions, ...Some Australian voters added Harambe as a write-in candidate on their ballots and his name was added to a recent presidential poll, where he won 5 percent support."

Audit finds unexcused absences: A state audit has found that ex-Cuyahoga Heights school district treasurer Joy Clickenger was paid for 25 days off work that she wasn't entitled to, cleveland.com's Robert Higgs reports. "Ohio Auditor Dave Yost on Tuesday announced that the state issued a finding for recovery of nearly $6,300 against Joy Clickenger, who now is treasurer at the Elyria school district." Clickenger's attorney disputed the finding, saying there is "absolute proof" that she was allowed to take the days.

Get Battleground Briefing, our FREE politics newsletter, delivered to your inbox: Sign up here. Tips or links? Send here. Follow along on Twitter: @HenryJGomez.
Strickland, Portman close in poll Other surveys show the two tied or former governor narrowly ahead

Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland -- a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Ohio this year -- is apologizing for an off-color remark this week about late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

(Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democratic Senate candidate, has apologized for cheering the timing of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's death.

"My friends," the former governor said Monday at an Ohio AFL-CIO event in the Cleveland area, "a lot of average citizens out there don't understand the importance of that court.

"I mean, the death of Scalia saved labor from a terrible decision," Strickland continued, as his audience clapped and laughed. "And I don't wish anyone ill, but it happened at a good time, because once that decision had been made it would have been tough to reverse it."

Audio of Strickland's remarks was recorded by the NTK Network and shared Wednesday morning by the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the right-leaning America Rising PAC. Strickland, through his campaign, issued an apology within hours.

"That was an insensitive remark and I apologize," Strickland said.

Scalia was one of the Supreme Court's most dependable conservatives. Strickland and others have made the Senate Republicans' refusal to hold confirmation hearings on President Barack Obama's nominee to replace Scalia a central issue in this year's campaigns.

On Monday, Strickland seemed to be referring to the high court's 4-4 March decision in a case involving public-employee union's abilities to collect fees from non-members.

The tie vote essentially was a victory - at least temporarily - for organized labor.

Strickland is challenging Republican incumbent Rob Portman this fall in what is one of the nation's most expensive and closely watched Senate races. A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll released this week shows Portman leading Strickland, 48 percent to 43 percent.

The Scalia comment was another unforced error for Strickland, who has gotten himself in trouble before with clumsy remarks. During a February meeting with cleveland.com reporters and editors, Strickland acknowledged that his record on gun control was "mixed and spotty" - a line that Portman allies have used relentlessly against Strickland, sometimes unfairly.

Strickland's Scalia comment also came a day before Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump drew criticism for suggesting that "Second Amendment people" might be able to stop Hillary Clinton, his Democratic rival, from nominating liberal Supreme Court justices.

Trump's statement has been interpreted as a call for violence from gun-rights advocates, though the New York businessman has said he was talking only about action at the ballot box.
COLUMBUS, Ohio--Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Ted Strickland is finally going on the air with his first TV campaign ad, a one-minute spot that highlights his working-class upbringing and stances on blue-collar issues.

"The first in his family to go to college, his dad worked in a steel mill, his brothers finished concrete," the ad's announcer intones. "That's why he's fought against every bad trade deal, from NAFTA to most favored nation status for China."

The ad continues: "Now Ted Strickland is running for the U.S. Senate, calling for a moratorium on all new trade deals until we can prove they'll create American jobs."

Strickland's campaign plans to air the ad on broadcast and cable statewide starting Wednesday for at least a week, spending "seven figures" on air time, according to campaign spokesman David Bergstein. (Bergstein declined to provide more details on the size of the ad buy).

The ad, titled "Fire," comes more than two months after incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman's campaign began airing its first TV ads. Portman has been among the most well-funded Senate incumbents in the nation, while Strickland's fundraising has been underwhelming.

Until now, the only pro-Strickland ads on the air have been from outside groups such as Senate Majority PAC. But conservative groups have bought millions in ads as well on Portman's behalf.
Rep. Jim Renacci

Wadsworth Republican Rep. Jim Renacci says replacing America's corporate tax with a single digit consumption tax will recharge the nation's economy.

(Sabrina Eaton, cleveland.com)

WASHINGTON - Donald Trump isn't the only Republican on the ballot in Northeast Ohio who's plugging a new tax reform plan he says would revitalize America.

Wadsworth Republican Rep. Jim Renacci has unveiled his own tax reform plan with somewhat less fanfare than the GOP presidential nominee's highly ballyhooed roll out on Monday in Detroit.

He's been working behind the scenes to seek feedback on his proposal from business groups and his fellow congress members with the goal of passing a bill in the next Congress. He's also discussed his tax ideas with Trump and provided details of his tax plan to Trump's staff.

"Washington doesn't have all the answers and what we need to do is listen," says Renacci.

What's in Renacci's plan?

Renacci - an accountant who serves on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Commitee - blames high U.S. corporate taxes for reducing wages and benefits, hiking consumer prices and lowering stock valuations for investors.

Because other countries have cut their corporate taxes since 2000, Renacci says the United States now has the highest corporate tax rate in the industrialized world, which makes businesses balk at U.S. investments and hiring.

Renacci's plan, which he calls Simplifying America's Tax System, or SATS, would repeal the nation's corporate income tax and replace it with a 7 percent value-added tax, or VAT, where goods and services are taxed at each stage of the production process, instead of on profits at the point of sale.

Renacci says many other countries have successfully implemented such a a "credit-invoice based consumption tax," and his plan "will make the U.S. the most competitive tax system in the world."

He predicts a zero percent corporate rate will trigger "a flood of investment to the U.S from foreign firms, as well as from American-based companies who have held accumulated foreign earnings overseas."

Renacci also wants to cut individual income tax rates for all taxpayers, eliminate the marriage penalty, expand the Earned Income Tax Credit and boost the standard deduction to the point where a family of four would have no income tax liability on income up to $50,000. He says this would result higher after-tax incomes for all, even accounting for consumption tax's impact.

Here's what he says his proposal will do:

Boost the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) by 5.6 percent every year over the next decade

Create 1.9 million new jobs

Increase U.S. workers' after-tax earnings by 5 percent

What do outside groups say about it?

An independent taxpayer advocacy organization called the Tax Foundation predicts Renacci's proposal would ultimately provide a slight rise in federal tax revenue. Although it would make revenue fall by around $845 billion over the next decade, the plan would "result in a substantial increase of the size of the U.S. economy in the long run" which would generate more tax dollars, the group says.

An analysis by the KPMG professional service and auditing company notes that both Renacci's plan and a June tax reform blueprint released by House Republicans call for a consumption-based tax system. It said Renacci's proposal includes features that may appeal to Democrats, such as dedicating money from a one-time repatriation tax to the highway trust fund.

"It remains to be seen how much political and stakeholder support may emerge for the proposal," the KMPG analysis said. "Nonetheless, it could be a starting point for discussion and negotiation."

How does Renacci's plan compare with Trump's?

Both plans would reduce the number of individual tax rates to three. Trump has called for reducing the corporate tax rate to 15 percent, while Renacci suggests eliminating it altogether. Renacci said Trump's plan is closer to the House GOP plan than his own.

"His plan is definitely going in the right direction," says Renacci, who supports Trump's presidential bid. "Both plans are moving in a direction of job growth and GDP growth."

On Monday, Trump promoted his plan during a private fundraising appearance in the Canton area, which Renacci attended. Renacci said the crowd of more than 100 people at the Brookside Country Club was "receptive to the direction that Trump wants to take the country."

Renacci said he didn't discuss taxes with Trump that day because others wanted to talk to the candidate and ask questions.

What's next?

The fate of either plan depends on getting elected.

Renacci has better odds of winning his election against the underfunded, longshot Democratic challenger who's seeking his seat, and going on to pursue his tax reform proposal.

For now, Renacci is trying to get the Joint Committee on Taxation to evaluate his plan. After he gets feedback from Republicans, Democrats and other stakeholders, he intends to put his ideas into legislative form and bring it before the next Congress.

"Whoever the next president is, my goal is to bring something forward that has support from both sides of the aisle," says Renacci.
$15 minimum wage protest

Members of Raise Up Cleveland along with the Service Employees International Union hold a rally in front of a McDonald's fast-food restaurant on E. 30 Street and Carnegie Avenue in support of raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

(Lisa DeJong/Plain Dealer)

Kevin Johnson, co-owner of Visiting Angels

The proposal to immediately hike Cleveland's minimum wage from $8.10 an hour to $15 an hour would seriously damage the city, resulting in significant and immediate job loss.

That's not a scare tactic or a convenient prediction crafted to augment an argument - it's fact.

Increasing the minimum wage in this manner won't do anyone in the city any good if there are far fewer jobs, and that's what would happen under this proposal.

Anyone who takes an interest in this issue must at least try to understand the plight of good, hard-working people in Cleveland who earn less than $15 an hour. For some of them, this must seem as if it is a potential opportunity to give themselves a raise if they had the chance to vote for it at the ballot box.

That is, indeed, tempting, and we understand that. In fact, we are not philosophically opposed to a minimum wage discussion, but if the issue is to be addressed, it must be at the state level.

Joe Roman is president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Partnership

Increasing the minimum wage only in Cleveland, as this plan would do, would immediately make Cleveland less competitive. Our minimum wage would be almost double what it would be in the remainder of Cuyahoga County and the rest of Ohio. Cleveland would become an isolated economic island, adrift from the mainstream economy of Northeast Ohio as well as the rest of the state.

It would stall and deeply damage the job-creating momentum that we now have in Cleveland, where our evolving local economy is showing significant and real signs of growth and success.

As just one example, at Cleveland-based Visiting Angels, senior citizens are provided non-medical, in-home assistance with their daily living needs. About 80 people work there. If this proposal to increase the minimum wage only in Cleveland were to take effect, Visiting Angels would immediately become noncompetitive.

The employees at Visiting Angels are now paid above the existing minimum wage, but in many cases they earn less than $15 an hour. Those higher labor costs could not be passed along to senior citizen clients, who would simply opt for other, less costly firms not located in the city of Cleveland.

Result? Visiting Angels would leave Cleveland and relocate elsewhere, as soon as possible taking their tax dollars to a neighboring suburb.

This plan would also discourage the expansion of existing businesses and discourage new businesses from locating in the city. There can be no doubt that this plan to raise the minimum wage in Cleveland alone is a plan that will bear unintended, significantly negative, outcomes for the very people it purports to help.

Cleveland City Council, which held public hearings on this issue, heard many predictions of lost jobs and businesses closing. A small sample:

Dave Wondolowski, executive secretary of the Cleveland Building & Construction Trades Council, which represents 17 unions: "If Cleveland adopts this minimum wage, it would destroy everything this community has been working for."

Steve Saltzman, vice president of Dave's Markets, said this plan would cripple his company and may require them to close grocery stores.

Michael D'Amato, president of Universal Heat Treating Inc. on East 93rd Street, said his family-owned business has been in Cleveland since 1965 but would likely have to close if this nearly doubling of the minimum wage in Cleveland took effect.

We want employers and employees to succeed in Cleveland. Targeting only Cleveland for such a large and immediate minimum wage increase makes no sense for the city's employers, employees and residents.

Those who are running this destructive effort would have us believe that many problems in Cleveland could be solved with one, simple, quick vote to nearly double the minimum wage. If Cleveland were to buy into that bloated temptation, the city and its residents will be left holding an empty bag in a deflated city.

Kevin Johnson, with his wife Connie Hill-Johnson, owns Visiting Angels, a senior home care firm in Cleveland. Joe Roman is president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Partnership.
Medical Marijuana Illinois

In this Sept. 15, 2015 file photo, lead grower Dave Wilson cares for marijuana plants in the "Flower Room" at the Ataraxia medical marijuana cultivation center in Albion, Illinois. Ohio's medical marijuana law takes effect Sept. 8 but with restrictive provisions that make it unlikely the law can easily serve as a screen for recreational tokes, Ted Diadiun writes.

(Seth Perlman, Associated Press, File, 2015)

CLEVELAND -- Cannabis. Hash. Weed. Locoweed. Pot. Grass. Mary Jane. Bud. Reefer. Hemp. Dope. Acapulco Gold.

As you know, these are all synonyms for marijuana (there are many more), and they are especially helpful if one is writing a column about the stuff and doesn't want to type "marijuana" 37 times. So with that out of the way:

Ohio is less than a month away from joining the 25 other states that have legalized at least some uses of marijuana.

Hemp Day in the Buckeye State will occur Sept. 8 - the specified 90 days after Gov. John Kasich, without fanfare, signed a bill that will make it legal for Ohioans to possess cannabis in some forms for medical purposes.

As reported by cleveland.com's Jackie Borchardt on Monday, there are still plenty of unknowns and it will be nearly a year before the process will be fully operational, but legalization is most assuredly coming.

At one time, that would have been terrible news for a lot of us who believe that legalizing the substance would open the door to the drug culture for untold thousands who might not otherwise have been inclined to walk through it.

Proponents of full legalization argue that weed is no more addictive than beer or alcohol ... that it is not a "gateway drug," a milder hallucinogen that leads to use of more powerful, more addictive substances. But while it is certainly likely that the majority of pot users have tried smoking it and stopped there, tell that to the survivors of people who started with weed and continued on in search of a better high before being finally stopped by a fatal overdose of cocaine, heroin or opioids.

The good news is that the Ohio legislation is not a sham law like those in Washington, D.C., and some of the states, where under the guise of medical difficulties, practically anyone can find a doctor who will, with a wink-wink, prescribe marijuana that can be smoked to help them deal with the rigors of the day.

The Ohio Legislature, in a welcome burst of bipartisanship from both the House and Senate, wisely crafted a bill that allows doctors to prescribe the drug for specific, legitimate illnesses and maladies, while walling off recreational use from those who only want to get high with a little help from their friends.

For example, it's still illegal to smoke it, or to grow your own. People with prescriptions for about 20 specific medical conditions will be able to buy plant material, patches, tinctures and oils, but with the THC -- the chemical compound that produces the high but also counteracts nausea and pain and could provide relief for other ailments -- monitored and labeled.

That stipulation stands in the way of further attempts, like the one that failed at the ballot box last November, by proponents of full legalization who want to make access to the drug similar to that in Colorado, where the frequency of hemp stores can seem overwhelming to the innocent visitor.

Last year a group with the ironic name "ResponsibleOhio" easily managed to collect more than 300,000 signatures that enabled them to get a legalization referendum on the ballot. The effort got thumped by a 2-1 majority, but polls showed that people were not necessarily opposed to legalization -- voting against it more because they didn't like the monopoly setup of who would be allowed to sell it.

In its campaign for passage, ResponsibleOhio emphasized the medical aspects of the drug, trotting out little kids with cancer or epilepsy who might be helped by marijuana treatments, while downplaying the hallucinogenic aspects.

The new law takes that part of the campaign off the table, which will make it much more difficult to rally a pro-pot majority to the cause. In fact, shortly after the bill passed the legislature, a group called Ohioans for Medical Marijuana (OMM) suspended a petition effort that had been aimed at getting a more expansive referendum on the November ballot.

That doesn't mean that the people opposed to legalization for recreational use can relax, however. The camel's nose is under the tent, and OMM was backed by a national group, the Marijuana Policy Project, which is dedicated to complete legalization of pot nationwide.

They'll be back. You can count on it.

Meanwhile, let's give credit where it's due. Ohio's legislators put aside party differences and in many cases a reluctance to attach their names to any form of legalization, in the name of common sense.

Borchardt has provided readers with definitive coverage all through the process. But even though she has no illusions after long experience covering politicians, she was also impressed.

"I've covered the Ohio Legislature for four and a half years, and I never saw it work on a bill like this," she said. "It was completely bipartisan, they took it on even though most of them didn't want to, they were open-minded and open to changes and suggestions.

"That's the way government should work. It was refreshing."

Ted Diadiun is a member of the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.
Mideast Syria War Q&A

This file photo shows a man riding a bicycle through a devastated part of Homs, Syria. Today, William Lambers writes that world leaders must come to the aid of Syrians who are starving because of the civil war in their nation.

(Dusan Vranic, Associated Press)

William Lambers, author and historian

Dr. Rajia Sharhan of UNICEF can save the lives of starving children in war-torn Syria. She can give them a miracle peanut paste called Plumpy'Nut, which nourishes children back to health. But only if Dr. Sharhan and other aid workers can reach them.



The tragedy of Syria's civil war is that children every day are being denied life-saving food by military forces who lay siege to whole cities. The Syrian government and the opposition forces all have prevented food from reaching civilians.



People starve to death, even though food is just a couple of miles away.



Sometimes the combatants will let aid convoys in to deliver supplies, then resume the fighting and start another blockade lasting months.



The town of Madaya is a tragic example. They have not received a delivery of food since April. Dr. Sharhan says reports are reaching her of children once again starving.



That is the story of Syria's civil war: innocent people caught in the crossfire and having to face extreme food shortages. We have seen this kind of suffering before from war and hunger.



When Winston Churchill knew the people of Holland were starving because of Nazi occupation during World War II, he wrote to President Franklin Roosevelt. Churchill said they should warn the Nazi command that "by resisting our attempt to bring relief to the civil population in this area they brand themselves as murderers before the world, and we shall hold them responsible with their lives for the fate which overtakes the people of Holland."



Churchill and Roosevelt knew they had to use every bit of power to avert a tragedy.



The Allies airlifted food into the famine-stricken Netherlands. This was followed by ground deliveries, a plan led by Gen. Dwight Eisenhower which saved millions of lives near the end of the war.



2015: Refugee crisis -- a wakeup call of failed world leadership: Kaylyn Hlavaty (Opinion)

Today, aid agencies want the same powerful action from world leaders to end the starvation and build peace.



Earlier this year, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, Oxfam and others sent an appeal to President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which read in part, "these atrocities are happening on your watch .... take urgent steps to rescue Syria's cessation of hostilities and end attacks on civilians. Please act now to keep hope alive for Syrians."



History will judge Obama and Putin on how they responded to the Syrian civil war, the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II.



The world is looking to the two leaders to end the five-year conflict and the immense suffering. But instead, the fighting goes on between the government and opposition groups. And the Islamic State has emerged from the chaos and made Syria its base. The terrorist group is a threat to every nation.



More than 13 million Syrians need humanitarian aid because of the war. That is more than the entire population of Ohio. Farming has been devastated and this will lead to years of food shortages unless peace and reconstruction can be established. Madaya's farmers cannot even reach their land to grow crops because of mines.

Madaya is where food is needed immediately to save lives. It was one of four towns that were part of a ceasefire to give relief and perhaps an opening for peace. But instead the blockades go back up and starvation comes again.



Salma Bahramy of the UN World Food Program, the lead hunger-relief agency in Syria, says, "We continue to call for immediate access to the besieged towns of Zabadani, Foua, Madaya and Kefraya, where 62,000 people, mostly women and children, are in dire need of food and humanitarian assistance."



Then there is the tragedy of the city of Aleppo. The city is blockaded and existing food supplies are about to run out. There are hundreds of thousands at risk of starvation if humanitarian aid agencies cannot gain access.



Dominic Graham of Mercy Corps pleads, "Many of those who remain tell us humanitarian aid is their only source of food. They have no money or income."



Meanwhile, the Syrian government and the opposition continue to fight even though it's clear there can be no military solution to the conflict.



Stephen O'Brien, the UN Relief coordinator says "people are completely desperate for an escape from the constant fighting, shelling and snipers that engulf their lives. Parents have no food for their near-starving children. Malnutrition so severe, that children die as a result."



That is why aid groups are urging Obama and Putin to "use their personal diplomatic engagement" to save Syria. They must influence the warring sides to let humanitarian aid through, implement ceasefires and peace.



The Syrian civil war and humanitarian crisis is on Obama's and Putin's watch. This is the test of their leadership.



Obama and Putin cannot fail Syria. We all cannot fail Syria. We cannot fail humanity.

William Lambers of Cincinnati partnered with the U.N. World Food Program on the book, "Ending World Hunger."
Get new posts by email:

Subscribe
He was bullied growing up. "They just beat the crap out of me, and it was not a safe or comfortable or awesome place."

According to Newton: He was named after Jeremiah Johnson, the bearded mountain man portrayed by Robert Redford in the 1972 film of the same name.

Newton said he's been making stuff his whole life and selling it. More importantly, he's proof that entrepreneurs can be molded from the most unusual backgrounds.

"I always have impeccable timing," said the 37-year-old creator of The Bearded Bastard , a line of waxes, pomades, and oils for men's facial hair. "TBB" product lines have names like "Barber Shop," which Newton jokes will remind you going to your dad's barber shop, a "holy grail" experience complete with "dirty magazines ... and someone has probably smoked cigars there."

The beard boom is getting bushier, and Jeremiah Newton is hanging on by more than the hair of his chinny-chin-chin.

He said he has occasional mental health issues and social challenges: "I am on the autism scale, so scent has always been an obsession."



He has had 100 different jobs, including shaman, massage therapist ... and drug dealer. "I spent my 22nd birthday in the county jail, and my parents bailed me out." (Newton said he turned his life around and the judge cut him a break.)



So how did he end up making hair products? "The Bearded Bastard was, funny enough, kind of a joke," Newton said. He was doing fine art photography and having trouble keeping his own mustache in place, so he created a wax.

"My friends were like, 'If you don't keep making this, we are going to kick your" (here he paused) " derriere."



Newton developed a recipe he liked  start-up costs were almost nothing  and he began selling products on Etsy. "The Etsy just started exploding."

That was 2011. Now TBB is sold in about 200 stores and online. It has eight employees, and sales are closing in on $1 million. A lot of the success has gone to "brand evangelists" to whom Newton sent free product. One is Isaiah Webb, aka "Incredibeard," who has 700,000 fans on Facebook. "He is an amazing friend, and a true artist," Webb said of Newton. "Jeremiah's products are simply the best on the market."

But when you're an unusual person like Jeremiah Newton, success isn't always a positive development.



"Success is a weird thing," he said inside his showroom in an Austin, Texas, strip mall. "Your life sometimes takes on a sort of characteristic that is not always pleasant ... and it's a lot of hard freaking work."

Newton also said hiring employees was more difficult than he expected  "it takes building that person up for upwards of six months." He got hives during The Bearded Bastard's second year, and he had stress dreams about doing his taxes. "How the hell do you do taxes when your company grows 600 percent in one year?"



It's a nice problem to have.



Newton is now releasing a line of products for women's hair and beauty called My Dear, and he takes pleasure in mentoring others with lessons he's learned during his unique journey.
The Treasury Department auctioned $23 billion in 10-year notes at a high yield of 1.503 percent. The bid-to-cover ratio, an indicator of demand, was 2.43. The bid-to-cover ratio rebounded from the lowest level since March 2009 set in July, according to Reuters. Indirect bidders, which include major central banks, were awarded 72.2 percent. Direct bidders, which includes domestic money managers, bought 7.6 percent. The 7-year Treasury note yield fell to 1.3336 percent. The benchmark 10-year Treasury notes yield last sat at 1.5076 percent, having closed on Tuesday at 1.545 percent. Thirty-year bonds yields fell to 2.2279 percent, down from a close of 2.257 percent. Bond prices move inversely to yields.

Treasury yields

U.S. Treasurys



Most U.K. gilts also rose, after the Bank of England failed to meet it bond-buying target in its revived asset-buying program. The bank fell 52 million short of its target to buy 1.17 billion of gilts on Tuesday, the second day of the revived program. "The Bank of England's failure to persuade U.K. gilt owners to part with them is making asset purchases hard, which is what happened the first time they tried to buy corporate bonds, too," Kit Juckes, strategist at Societe Generale, said in a note on Wednesday. German bunds  viewed as a "safe-haven" asset comparable to Treasury notes  also rose on Wednesday, as did most Japanese bonds . In the euro zone, most French , Belgian , Portuguese , Irish , Spanish and Italian bonds gained.

Gilt yields

U.K. Government Bonds (GILT)


Brazil's Senate voted 59-21 early on Wednesday to accept charges against suspended President Dilma Rousseff and put her on trial for breaking budget laws in an impeachment process that is expected to end 13 years of leftist rule by her Workers Party.

A final verdict could come at the end of the month and will require two thirds of the votes in the 81-member Senate. If Rousseff is convicted and definitively removed from office, interim President Michel Temer will serve out the remainder of her term through 2018.
Delta Air Lines said it expects to return to normal operations later on Wednesday after a power outage hit its computer systems on Monday, causing the cancellation of more than 1,600 flights over two days.



The company said it would start operations with a little more than 150 cancellations on Wednesday after roughly 800 flights were canceled on Tuesday.

However, the airline said scattered thunderstorms forecast for the eastern United States could slow the recovery.

Systems that allow customer service agents to process check-ins and dispatch aircraft are functioning normally, Delta said, with most delays and cancellations a result of flight crews displaced or running up against maximum allowed duty periods.

Delta, the No.2 U.S. airline by passenger traffic, has yet to detail the financial impact of the disruption.

Rival Southwest Airlines forecast on Wednesday a further drop in a key profitability metric for the current quarter due to delays and cancellations of more than 2,000 flights after an outage hit its computer systems in July.

The budget airline also said it expected its unit costs to increase more than it had forecast earlier due to the outage that was caused by the failure of computer equipment supporting the carrier's network.

Delta's problems arose after a switchgear, which helps control and switch power flows like a circuit breaker in a home, malfunctioned for reasons that were not immediately clear.

Georgia Power, a unit of Southern Co. , provides electricity to most counties in Georgia, where Delta is based.
Yet less than a week later, the first stages of a much-vaunted 60 billion ($78 billion) addition to the Bank's bond-buying program appear to have stumbled.

When Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, announced an ambitious attempt to avert recession in the U.K. last week, the market sat up and took notice.

Despite offering to pay above-market rates, investors were unwilling to sell their U.K bonds, known as gilts, to the Bank. This meant that it missed its target for the second round of new quantitative easing (QE) purchases.

The central bank tried to address market concerns Wednesday by announcing that the shortfall would be addressed later in its bond-buying cycle.

Gilt yields moved lower following a statement from the bank, and were trading at 0.540 after the announcement, down from Tuesday's close of 0.584.

While the shortfall of 50 million is small in comparison to the total size of the package, it shows some of the new difficulties facing the Bank and may hasten calls for more drastic action by the U.K. government to combat the U.K.'s slowing economic growth.

Investors like pension funds, one of the major investors in the long-maturity bonds which were the target of Tuesday's auction, are holding on tight to their safe assets. This is partly because of general concerns about the economy, but, possibly more importantly, because U.K. pension funds are facing a record deficit of more than 400 billion.

"It tells you something about investors' anxiety that the bank goes into market and says we want to buy these things from you, we're prepared to pay what looks like a good price, and they get the majority of what they want bought but actually not everything," Ian Barnard, founding partner at Capital Generation Partners, told CNBC.

"I think that tells you that investors...want to hang onto their gilts which are this protection against further bad economic news and further deflation."

For the Bank, and central banks across the developed economies, there are now deeper questions to answer about faith in their capacity to fix the global economy's problems.

"Why does so much of the money that is borrowed via the credit markets just spin round the financial sector, either via buybacks or special dividends?" Marc Ostwald, currency, rates and emerging markets strategist at ADM Investor Services International, wrote in a research note Wednesday.
One of the U.K.'s leading research institutions has placed the value of European single market membership at an additional 4 percent to the country's economy.

The EU single market goes further than most trade deals, allowing the free movement of both goods and services between countries. It also seeks to tackle regulatory barriers such as licensing.

On 23 June the U.K. public voted in favor of leaving the European Union , throwing in to doubt whether Britain can retain full membership of the single market or if the country will now seeks an 'access only' deal.

If the U.K. can join the European Economic Area (EEA) this would allow near-full benefits of the single market but would also mean an EU budgetary contribution and would likely oblige Britain to accept free movement of people.

A new report by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) has put a GDP value on the single market status for the U.K when compared to access achieved thorough the World Trade Organization (WTO), such as is enjoyed by the US, China or India.

"Maintaining membership of the single market as part of the EEA could be worth potentially 4 percent on GDP  adding almost two years of trend GDP growth  relative to WTO membership alone," the report reads.

Financial services are a famously strong aspect of the United Kingdom's economy.

The study suggest that the financial sector could be 'disproportionately damaged' outside the single market, placing it some 7 percent smaller by 2030.
Donald Trump's presidential campaign has long had a rocky relationship with the rest of the Republican Party.

But in recent days, a growing number of current and former members of Congress have joined their fellow Republicans in opposing him.

At least 22 current or former Republican members of Congress have now voiced opposition to his candidacy, in some cases even endorsing Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Maine Sen. Susan Collins, in a Washington Post op-ed this week, wrote that "I will not be voting for Donald Trump for president. This is not a decision I make lightly, for I am a lifelong Republican." She cited Trump's comments about the Muslim parents of a fallen U.S. soldier and his questioning of the impartiality of a judge based on his Mexican heritage as among her reasons for denying her support.

Collins has some company within her party in the Senate when it comes to opposing Trump. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk, and Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse have said they will not support Trump's campaign. Kirk went so far as to rescind his previous endorsement and air an ad against Trump.

In the House, Rep. Richard Hanna of New York has said he will vote for Clinton, writing that "[Trump] is unfit to serve our party and cannot lead this country." In a first for the current Congress, Rep. Scott Rigell of Virginia has said he will vote for Libertarian Gary Johnson for president.

That is not to say Trump does not have support from the Republican Party's leadership in many respects. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have endorsed thew New York tycoon. But the number of defections within party ranks has raised eyebrows, and accelerated in recent days as Clinton has pressed to recruit Republicans and independents.



Here is a list of current and former congressional Republicans who have voiced opposition to Trump or are supporting another candidate, as compiled by CNBC:
watch now

Oil markets have been prone to over-bearishness of late with fears over supply returning to the market largely "overdone," according to the latest oil market analysis by RBC Capital Markets. Oil prices are oscillating on hopes that a rebalancing is taking place in the markets and fears of a continuing global oversupply  and the potential for more oil to return to the market from the likes of Libya and Nigeria, producers which have seen supply disruptions. Helima Croft, RBC's head of commodity strategy and commodity strategists Michael Tran and Christopher Louney said in a note on Wednesday that market caution was overdone, however. "The oil market recently has found itself in a sort of bear trap. Even as we march closer to the point where the daily global supply overhang turns to a deficit, a deluge of bearish headlines has kept the market on its heels," Croft and her colleagues noted, adding that they "believe that the most significant bearish risks are overdone or have already been largely priced in." Although oil prices would remain choppy in the near term, RBC said, it maintained its conviction that "oil prices will grind higher through the balance of this year and into next, barring a significant deterioration in the "macroverse."



artiste9999 | Getty Images

RBC believed that Brent and WTI would average $48 a barrel and $49 a barrel in 2016, respectively, and $64/bbl and $66/bbl in 2017.

Giving a reason for such predictions, RBC warned that "investors should remain cognizant of the distress remaining across much of OPEC (namely Nigeria and Libya) and should side-step the numerous bear traps lurking in the market."

Production hikes unlikely

Oil prices have declined steadily since mid-2014 amid a glut in supply and a failure of demand to keep up. The glut has largely been blamed on the 14-member producer group OPEC which decided in November 2014 to defend its market share rather than the oil price (by cutting its own production).

The strategy has put pressure on many non-OPEC producers (who tend to have higher production costs) but it has also hurt OPEC members themselves: Algeria, Venezuela, Iraq, Libya and Nigeria are now known as the "fragile five" due to the loss of oil export revenues, workers' strikes and militancy disrupting production in the latter countries. Sentiment in oil markets has been hit by fears that once those issues are ironed out, the oil supply in countries like Nigeria and Libya could return with a vengeance, unravelling a delicate rebalancing act in global supply and demand that has seen prices tentatively rise to around the low $40s a barrel. Investors have also been concerned that Iran's oil supply could quickly ramp up as the country seeks to re-boot its oil industry after the lifting of years of international economic sanctions and elsewhere, there is the belief that U.S. shale oil producers could quickly ramp up production on the back of data showing rising rig counts. RBC Capital Markets said that those fears were "overdone," however. While the most fragile OPEC members "remain in a state of distress" and production was not likely to bounce back rapidly, it noted that as for Iran, the "doomsday scenario" of Iranian barrels flooding the market had proved to be "overblown." As for U.S. production, that too was unlikely to turn the corner until oil prices stabilize in the high-$40/bbl to low-$50/bbl range and that, "in any event, the market should be able to absorb these incremental barrels over the medium term given tightening market balances."

OPEC 'waiting in the wings"
Today marks the one year anniversary of the day Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin picked a new name and an audacious corporate structure in an attempt to spawn gigantic tech businesses in industries way beyond web search.

Happy birthday, Alphabet . You're one year old, and no less confounding to the outside world.

So far, the year has been great for Google. Unshackled from the unprofitable moonshots, its balance sheet and steady ads business growth has reassured investors.

It's been bumpier for "Other Bets," the hodgepodge, ever-evolving group of companies outside of Google that Page and Brin desperately want to behave like lean, world-changing startups.

More from Recode:

Google just showed Wall Street growth where it needed to  in its non-ads business

Google is building a new hardware division under former Motorola chief Rick Osterloh

Even under Alphabet, Google executives keep the same old tight control over shares



This process, which includes imposing financial milestones and structures on several units that never had them before, is very much a work in progress.

Here are some highlights and lowlights from the first year:
OPEC upgraded its forecast for 2016 oil demand growth on Wednesday, in a report that may dampen hopes for a deal on a production freeze at its meeting next month.

A man stands near gas burning off from a well in Saudi Arabia.

In its August report, OPEC forecast demand growth of 1.22 million barrels a day (mb/d) year on year, which was 30,000 barrels higher than forecast in July. The new forecast would put global oil demand across 2016 at 94.26 mb/d. OPEC, which represents 14 major oil-producing countries, attributed the upgrade to better-than-expected economic performance in advanced European economies and some Asian ones, including India, in the first half of the year.

It left its outlook for oil demand growth for 2017 unchanged. This would see total oil consumption at a new high of 95.41 mb/d next year.



The oil group's basket tracking the price of petroleum varieties produced by OPEC members declined for the first time in five months in July. It averaged $42.68 in July, down from $45.84 in June.



"After a significant recovery for five consecutive months from its lowest value in years, the ORB (OPEC Reference Basket) slipped nearly 7 percent in July, falling against a backdrop of less-than-anticipated demand, high stocks, particularly of refined products, and rising supply. Hedge funds have also turned more negative, contributing to further pressure on oil prices," OPEC said in its latest monthly report.



Light crude oil futures for September have declined by 18 percent to around $42.40 per barrel from a recent peak above $51 per barrel. They remain sharply below the highs above $100 reached before the massive rout took hold in July 2014.



OPEC held its world economic growth forecast unchanged at 3 percent for 2016, but cut its outlook for the U.S., following weak first-half growth there. It now sees the world's biggest economy growing by 1.7 percent this year.



It upped its outlook for Japanese economic growth to 0.9 percent in both 2016 and 2017, following the country's recently announced fiscal stimulus package.



It saw the major oil-producing countries of Brazil and Russia rebounding from recession in 2017 to grow by 0.4 percent and 0.7 percent respectively.

No change from OPEC next month?

The OPEC report came as hopes rise once again that the group will discuss a production freeze in September when it informally meets in Algeria. On Tuesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on state television that he had started talks with other OPEC members and Russia on stabilizing oil prices.



Oil markets rallied afterward, but skepticism is warranted when it comes to any hopes that OPEC will act to support oil prices, either by freezing overall production or by installing individual country output quotas, as some members would prefer.



OPEC meetings in April and June failed to produce any agreement or meaningful decisions on price-supporting moves. Instead, the group, led by Saudi Arabia, decided to continue its strategy of defending market share instead of price, despite the concerns of some members.



Emma Richards, senior oil and gas analyst at BMI Research, told CNBC on Wednesday that there was "understandable skepticism" surrounding the next OPEC meeting.



"I don't think OPEC is really signalling that (it is going to freeze production) and I think the market and media has overreacted and read more into it than what was meant to be signalled," Richards told CNBC Europe's "Squawk Box."



"I think what they're trying to do is softly, verbally intervene in the market to support prices going into the third quarter when on a fundamental basis it's starting to look a little bit weak again."



Production limits for member countries as proposed by Iran are unlikely to be introduced any time soon, Richards said.

"Saudi Arabia has made it very clear that they won't subscribe to anything like that unless you have all members on board," she said.

Richard Mallinson, a geopolitical analyst at Energy Aspects, told CNBC on Wednesday that OPEC members like Saudi Arabia were happy to stand pat on production.



"We've been through this several times before and it didn't come to anything in April, so the market is rightly going to be quite skeptical that it can deliver any real results this time, too," he told CNBC Europe's "Squawk Box."



"Saudi Arabia is still looking for the rebalancing that has been taking place to reach its conclusion, for prices to go back higher to help."
Pacific Gas & Electric was found guilty on Tuesday of several federal charges stemming from a natural gas pipeline explosion in California that killed eight people and injured 58 others in 2010, a U.S. Justice Department spokesman said.



The utility was convicted of obstructing an investigation and violating pipeline safety regulations leading up to the deadly blast in San Bruno, a city of about 41,000 just south of San Francisco, spokesman Abraham Simmons said in an email.

The utility faces a maximum fine of $3 million, or $500,000 per guilty count, the unit of Pacific Gas & Electric said in a statement.

"While we are very much focused on the future, we will never forget the lessons of the past," PG&E said. "We have made unprecedented progress in the nearly six years since the tragic San Bruno accident and we are committed to maintaining our focus on safety."

The U.S. Attorney's Office accused PG&E of knowingly relying on "inaccurate or incomplete" infrastructure management records and failing to investigate its high-pressure natural gas pipelines after potential hazards had been identified, according to court records.

The California Public Utilities Commission in 2015 levied a $1.6 billion fine against PG&E over the blast and other issues, which the utility did not appeal.

The fine ranks as its largest ever safety-related penalty, dwarfing a $38 million fine for PG&E over a 2008 natural gas explosion in the city of Rancho Cordova.

The company has also paid $500 million to settle civil lawsuits from people who had been injured or family members of those killed in the blast.

The utility said it has adopted new pipeline safety standards and spent some $2.7 billion in shareholder funds to improve its natural gas system.
"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself."  George Bernard Shaw

Everyone tells you that you need goals in order to succeed. What they don't tell you is just how difficult it is to define your professional goals.

As a child, Thomas Edison had an incredibly imaginative mind, so much so that he was not able to focus in the classroom and had to be home schooled by his mother. He made it his life's ambition to make her proud. Edison tried many jobs before finding his true callingsomething that allowed him to draw on his dynamic imagination. Over a thousand inventions has made Edison an icon for entrepreneurship. Edison chronicled his plans for new tools and technologiesfrom the electric light bulb to the motion picture camera  in more than 3,500 notebooks.

Growing up I spent my time drawing, writing and sharing my creations with others. Unfortunately, my first job as an economist was quite the opposite of that. After slogging through many unhappy hours at work, I had an epiphany: I had to recreate my childhood. Not literally, of course, but I had to find a way to draw from those wells of creativity, curiosity and communication. My answer was the media industry, where I could stick to my values and rediscover my true passions. I joined a large news organization, and now, a few years later, I have a defined professional goal: to become a senior executive in a news media company  and maybe even start one.

THE TAKEAWAY: Psychologist Gail Matthews at Dominican University found that you are 42 percent more likely to achieve your goals just by writing them down. If you don't know what you want to do with your life, think about the things that made you happy as a child and map them against potential careers. Write them down and be as specific as possible. While the goals you share publicly might be more realistic, don't be afraid to dream.




SolarCity is entering the roofing business.

The company said Tuesday it plans to make a high-tech roof with integrated solar panels, and hinted at other features as well. Executives said the plan could open up a new market with millions of potential customers in the United States alone.

"It's not a thing on the roof, it's the roof," said SolarCity Chairman Elon Musk on a conference call with analysts on Tuesday.

Musk said this will be a "standout" product and a "fundamental part of achieving a differentiated product strategy" for SolarCity.

The news came as SolarCity announced it had a second-quarter net loss of $55.5 million, or 56 cents a share, wider than last year's shortfall of $22.4 million, or 23 cents a share. The adjusted loss in the latest period was $2.32 a share, which was better than the loss of $2.44 a share analysts were estimating, according to a Thomson Reuters survey.

Revenue was $186 million in the quarter, which compared with an estimate for $146 million, according to Thomson Reuters. It was also up more than 80 percent from a year earlier.

SolarCity said the rate at which it is installing new panels slowed during the quarter.

Elaborating on the rationale for offering a high-tech roof, Musk said that this product would not cannibalize existing solar panel products  SolarCity is trying to tap a new market of homeowners reluctant to install solar panels on a roof they may be replacing soon.

SolarCity Chief Executive Lyndon Rive, Musk's cousin, said there are 5 million new roofs installed in the U.S. every year. These are the customers SolarCity wants to go after.

Musk also hinted there will be other features on the roof, but did not give specifics.

"And so, why not have a solar roof that's better in many others ways as well," he said. "We don't want to show all of our cards right now, but I think people are going to be really excited about what they see."

Musk's other company, Tesla Motors , formally announced its plans to acquire SolarCity for $2.6 billion in shares earlier this month.
World Trade Center site in the Manhattan borough of New York Andrew Kelly | Reuters

The opening of the World Trade Center retail complex comes at an important moment for downtown New York: 15 years after 9/11 the downtown has completely transformed, but is there enough demand for a huge retail complex? The Westfield World Trade Center, as it is being called, consists of 125 stores, plus Eataly, a 41,000 square-foot food emporium where shoppers can buy 300 types of cheeses, 150 brands of olive oil, 300 types of dried pastas, and dine and drink their way through restaurants, coffee and pastry and prosciutto bars, and take cooking classes. It all sounds wonderful, but who are the customers? Downtown players I've spoken with identify three key constituents.

Westfield, which is in charge of the retail complex, says it anticipates 15 million global travelers to visit downtown by 2017 to visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, 1 WTC Observatory and other local points of interest.



1. Tourists

watch now



This should be achievable. Lower Manhattan had a record year for tourism in 2015. There were 14.2 million unique visitors in 2015, up almost 50 percent from 2013, according to the Downtown Alliance.

2. Commuters

About 250,000 people a day commute through the main transportation hub at the newly opened Oculus, according to the Port Authority. Wall Street is now a small part of the employment picture downtown. Education and health care are now major employers, as is the hotel industry. Professional services and media companies are also more heavily represented (TIME relocated downtown in 2015). The employment picture is certainly brighter than a decade ago. About 232,000 people now work below Canal Street in the private sector. That number has grown every year since bottoming in 2009, and it went up by 5,100 workers last year. "Downtown is much better insulated from economic downturns because we are a much more diverse neighborhood than we used to be," said Jessica Lappin, head of the Downtown Alliance. But the sheer volume of space on the market is making it difficult to absorb. One World Trade Center is still only 70 percent leased, with Conde Naste as the lead. 4 World Trade Center is also 70 percent leased. That's a lot of space to absorb, but the downtown office vacancy rate, at 9.8 percent, is slightly higher than Midtown's 9.2 percent rate. That's not bad, considering the size of the space available.

3. Locals
ROME, N.Y.  The U.S. Navy has awarded Rome Research Corp. (RRC) a $13.6 million contract for services at a facility in Italy.

Rome Research is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PAR Technology Corp. (NYSE: PAR). Based in New Hartford, PAR Technology is a provider of restaurant/retail-management technology systems and government-contract services.

Under the five-year contract, the PAR subsidiary will provide teleport commercial-satellite terminal services at the global-information grid (GIG) facility in Lago Patria, Italy, and other remote locations, PAR said in a news release issued Tuesday.

The GIG is the global network of information capabilities, processes, and personnel for collecting, processing, storing, disseminating and managing information on demand for use by military commanders, policy makers, and support personnel, according to PAR.

The grid supports U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), national security and related intelligence-community missions and functions (strategic, operational, tactical and business) in war and in peace, the release stated.

The GIG provides capabilities to operating locations that include bases, posts, camps, stations, facilities, mobile platforms, and deployed sites. It also provides interfaces to coalition, allied, and non-DoD users and systems.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
SYRACUSE, N.Y.  The Central New York Community Foundation announced it hired Kimberly Sadowski this spring as its new chief financial officer (CFO).

Sadowski has executive responsibility for the Community Foundations accounting, financial management, budgeting, audit, tax, investment, and general operations, the foundation said in a news release issued Tuesday. She is a licensed CPA with more than 20 years of experience working in the financial sector.

Most recently, Sadowski was CFO at ARISE Child and Family Service, Inc., where she provided overall supervision to the finance, human resources, and information-technology functions of the organization, which employs more than 700 staff members and has an operating budget topping $18 million.

Prior to her work at ARISE, she served as manager for Grimaldi & Nelkin, CPAs. Sadowski holds a bachelors degree in accounting from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Sadowski, who started in her new job on April 1, replaces Liz Cavallaro, who retired as the Community Foundations CFO earlier this year.

The CNY Community Foundation says its the largest charitable foundation in the region with assets of nearly $193 million. It awarded $11 million in grants last year to nonprofit organizations.

Contact The Business Journal News Network at news@cnybj.com
Oh I'm terrible at math this summer.



I have this horizontal row, filled with items that overflow.

I have these radio buttons under them, that show the page number.



I'm trying to make it where your on a mobile phone, and you slide left, the correct radio button is selected.



I have a left, remaining left, and a total of pixels

I just can't figure out the math to say, this is in the range of 1, 2, 3 and so on.



I wrote some code function run_touch_pagination() { var $e_sliderFrame = $( " .slider ul" ), $e_sliderSlide = $( " .slider-slide" ), _sliderSlide_width = $e_sliderSlide.css( ' width' ), _sliderFrame_maxWidth = $e_sliderFrame.width(), _sliderSlide_count = $e_sliderSlide.length, _sliderSlide_left = 0 ; _sliderSlide_index = 0 , _sliderSlide_pageCount = 0 ; $( " .slider ul" ).filter(function () { _sliderSlide_left = Math.abs($( this ).position().left - 23 );<br /> }); _sliderSlide_pageCount = Math.ceil(_sliderSlide_count / sliderSlides); var x = _sliderSlide_left; var y = _sliderSlide_count * parseInt(_sliderSlide_width); var z = y - _sliderSlide_left; $( " #slideLeft" ).val(x + ' , ' + z + ' , = ' + y); $( " #slideNumber" ).val(); }

Now I know looking at the function above won't tell you much, and my description as well

So this is a link to the program.

Program Demostration[^]



You have to reduce the size of your browser so just 4 items show. The frame will appear and turn gray.

There are 2 textboxes on the bottom of the frame under the radio buttons,

Left Box, is x, z and y, the right box is suppose to be the radio button index.



I'm wondering if this slider program is worth it. but that's what people want when they shop.







What do you think?

function run_touch_pagination() { <pre> var $e_sliderFrame = $( " .slider ul" ), $e_sliderSlide = $( " .slider-slide" ), _sliderSlide_width = $e_sliderSlide.css( ' width' ), _sliderFrame_maxWidth = $e_sliderFrame.width(), _sliderSlide_count = $e_sliderSlide.length, _sliderSlide_left = 0 ; _sliderSlide_index = 0 , _sliderSlide_pageCount = 0 ; $( " .slider ul" ).filter(function () { _sliderSlide_left = Math.abs($( this ).position().left - 23 ); }); _sliderSlide_pageCount = Math.ceil(_sliderSlide_count / sliderSlides); var x = Math.floor(_sliderSlide_left); var y = Math.round(_sliderSlide_count * parseInt(_sliderSlide_width)); var z = Math.round(y - _sliderSlide_left); var p = Math.round(z / x); var page = (p <= _sliderSlide_pageCount ? p : _sliderSlide_pageCount); var idx = _sliderSlide_pageCount;

$(".slider-paginator-item i").each(function () {

if (x < z) { // This elimates the first and last radio from going blank or hollow

if (page === idx) {

$(this).removeClass('fa fa-circle-o').addClass('fa fa-circle');

}

else if (page !== idx) { // do nothing if no match

$(this).removeClass('fa fa-circle').addClass('fa fa-circle-o');

}



}

idx--;



});



$("#slideLeft").val(x + ', ' + z + ', = ' + y);

$("#slideNumber").val('page:' +page + ' idx:' + idx);



}







Project Demostration[^]



Don't forget the squeeze the width of your browser down to show 4 items to see the results.



modified 14-Aug-16 16:36pm.



So I have this code that I copied and modified for horizontal use.

I load all the items on page load, 7 of them for testing, but just the first 6 shows

When I run the code the first time, I get 6 items which is correct.

Then I slide the items left to show items 2 - 7 and run the code again, and I get 7 instead of 6

I suspect that the code is operating correctly, and it's designed to show me 7



I really wanted the value 6. Could you just double check the code for me.

var $e_sliderFrame = $( " .slider ul" ), $e_sliderSlide = $( " .slider-slide" ), _sliderSlide_width = $e_sliderSlide.css( ' width' ), _sliderFrame_maxWidth = $e_sliderFrame.width(), _sliderSlide_count = $e_sliderSlide.length, _sliderSlide_visible = 0 , _sliderSlide_pageCount = 0 , _sliderSlide_x = 0 ; <pre>

_sliderSlide_visible = $(".slider ul li").filter(function () {

return $(this).position().left + $(this).width() < _sliderFrame_maxWidth;

}).length;



Working Example

Shop the Project Indigo! store[^]







I'm guessing that your last LI is being ignored because it's right side lies on the right edge of the UL, which lies on the right edge of .slider.



Therefore: JavaScript return $( this ).position().left + $( this ).width() < _sliderFrame_maxWidth;

Should be: JavaScript return $( this ).position().left + $( this ).width() <= _sliderFrame_maxWidth; "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."

- Benjamin Disraeli





Now I realize it's because the width of all the li's are wider now, so the hidden li's on the left are being included.



So I made a global var and ran the function on Dom Ready to get a snapshot first, and then on window resize, take another snapshot, which is probably a bad idea, since they may not be on the left slide.



I did implement your suggestion just now, god idea!



Maybe I should scrap the idea and start again, and make it ajax loading.

I have a better version of it today, in the link on the first post.





I m new to javascript and I want to filter specific elements into new array. Eg ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f'] to [' c', 'd', 'f']



JavaScript var input = [ ' a' , ' b' , ' c' , ' d' , ' e' , ' f' ]; var filter = [ ' a' , ' b' , ' e' ]; var output =[]; for ( var i = 0 ; i < input.length; i++) { if (filter.indexOf(input[i]) == -1) output.push(input[i]); }



Customise it depends on your need



Hi ,



I need to remove duplicate entries.

ex : Here "Voltage" array is repeating, having one is enough.



Please help anyone to solve this.

<pre lang="Javascript">var data = [ { "metadata" : { "names":["times","values","types"], "types":["time","linear","ordinal"] }, "data": [ ["0",2.37130,"Global"], ["1",2.37130,"Voltage"], ["1",2.37130,"Voltage"], ["2",10.30980,"Intensity"], ], } ];</pre>



Here's some logic which, although not the most elegant will work across many programming languages. It is to teach you to solve a problem by breaking it down to smaller levels. Note that there are languages the let you automatically compare two arrays with a single function and this becomes much easier.



First, sort your array: any simply sort will do because if any entry is a mismatch then the array's your comparing are different. Sort by element 0, 1, 2, would be simplest to work with.



Second, for a 2-dimensional array, you can use nested loops.

Use a for() loop to operate on array elements explicitly by index so you can compare n and n+1

Similarly, work on the internal elements of of array n vs n+1, comparing them.

If you reach a failure to match, do a continue to the outer loop.

If you reach the end, they're a matched pair. Store the index of one of them.

Return to the outer loop for next (n+1, n+2).



When done, you can remove the duplicate members from the stored index list.



Various languages will allow you to do shortcuts.





Ravings en masse^ "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010



I think my query is right I am having trouble adding Quantity and TotalPrice to the output



{!REQUIRESCRIPT( " /soap/ajax/32.0/connection.js" )} {!REQUIRESCRIPT( " /soap/ajax/32.0/apex.js" )} var record = new sforce.SObject( " Opportunity" ); record.Id = ' {!Opportunity.Id}' ; var retriveOpptyLineItems = sforce.connection.query( " Select PricebookEntry.Product2.Name, Quantity, TotalPrice From OpportunityLineItem WHERE OpportunityId = '{!Opportunity.Id}' and (NOT Name like '%Discount%')" ); var strProductNames = ' ' ; for ( var i= 0 ; i<retriveOpptyLineItems.records.length ; i++){ strProductNames += retriveOpptyLineItems.records[i].PricebookEntry.Product2.Name + ' ,' + '

' ; } if (strProductNames.length>0){ strProductNames = strProductNames.substring( 0 ,strProductNames.length-1); } record.Sample_Product_Name_1__c = strProductNames; sforce.connection.update([record]); window.location.reload();



I've never worked with SafesForce, but I'm going to guess that your query returns a promise, and that you're attempting to act on the promise object rather than its resolved value.



Never mind, it looks like that's supposed to be synchronous. Sorry, too busy giggling into my coffee to find an answer.



Just FYI, your code is completely vulnerable to SQL injection.

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."

- Benjamin Disraeli



This throws an unexpected identifier error that has me baffled



Thanks



JavaScript {!REQUIRESCRIPT( " /soap/ajax/32.0/connection.js" )} {!REQUIRESCRIPT( " /soap/ajax/32.0/apex.js" )} var record = new sforce.SObject( " Opportunity" ); record.Id = ' {!Opportunity.Id}' ; qOli = Select Amount,CloseDate,Name, (Select PricebookEntry.Product2Id, TotalPrice, UnitPrice, ListPrice From OpportunityLineItems) From Opportunity; record.Sample_Product_Name_1__c= qOli; window . location .reload();









"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."

- Homer







Hi i have table have 5 comnun

Name Salary Bonus Deduction Total

Ahmed 500 500 100 900

calculation of total is

Total=Salary+Bonus-Deduction

and total in red color according to my code

what i need actually if i changed in Salary cell or Bonus cell or Deduction cell affect in total cell

suppose i added row above then edit salary

from 500 to 2000 meaning in this time row will be as bellow

Ahmed 2000 500 100 2400

total will be 2400 with green color

i can do by button but how to do by changing cell in table affect in total





@{

Layout = null;

}







<html>

<head>

<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width" />

<title>Index</title>

<script src="~/Scripts/jquery-1.10.2.js"></script>

<script>

$(function () {

$("#btn").click(function () {

var x = $("#txt1").val();

var y = $("#txt2").val();

var z = $("#txt3").val();

var M = $("#txt4").val();

var L = parseInt(y) + parseInt(z) - parseInt(M);



$("#tb").append(" " + x + " " + y + " " + z + "" + M + "" + L + "");

$("#tb tr").each(function () {

var total = $(this).find("td:nth-child(5)").html();



if(parseInt(total)>1000)

{

$(this).find("td:nth-child(5)").css("background-color", "green");

}

if (parseInt(total) < 1000) {

$(this).find("td:nth-child(5)").css("background-color", "red");

}

if (parseInt(total) == 1000) {

$(this).find("td:nth-child(5)").css("background-color", "yellow");

}



});





});





$("#tb").on("click", "tr", function () {



$(this).find("td").slice(0, 4).prop("contenteditable", true);



});







});

</script>



.red{

color:#ff0000;

font-weight:bold;

}







</head>

<body>



Name<input type="text" id="txt1" />



Salary<input type="text" id="txt2" />



Bonus<input type="text" id="txt3" />



Deduction<input type="text" id="txt4" />



<input type="button" value="add" id="btn" />









Name







Salary







Bonus







Deduction





total



Name Salary Bonus Deduction

</body>

</html>



in my code below i can edit row success without any error but if i need to cancel value edited in row OR get value before changed what i write to cancel edit in row in table by using jquery my code as following



<br /> @{<br /> Layout = null ;<br /> }<br /> <br /> <!DOCTYPE html><br /> <br /> <html><br /> <head><br /> <meta name= " viewport" content= " width=device-width" /><br /> <title>Index </ title > <br /> <script src= " ~/Scripts/jquery-1.10.2.js" ></script><br /> <script><br /> <br /> $(function () {<br /> $( " #btn" ).click(function ()<br /> {<br /> var x = $( " #txt1" ).val();<br /> var y = $( " #txt2" ).val();<br /> var z = $( " #mycountry" ).val();<br /> $( " #tb" ).append( " <tr> <td>" + x + " </td> <td>" + y + " </td> <td>" + z + " </td><td> <input type='button'class='c' value='Delete'/></td><td> <input type='button' class='d' value='Edit'/></td><td><input type='button' class='e' value='Cancel'/></td></tr>" );<br /> <br /> <br /> });<br /> $( " #tb" ).on( " click" , " .c" , function () {<br /> $( this ).closest( ' tr' ). remove ();<br /> });<br /> $( " #tb" ).on( " click" , " .d" , function () {<br /> var row = $( this ).closest( ' tr' ).toggleClass( " editing" );<br /> row.find( " td" ).slice( 0 , 2 ).prop( " contenteditable" , row.hasClass( " editing" ));<br /> var myselect = ' <select id="mycountr1" name="mycountry1">' +<br /> ' <option>---select---</option>' + ' <option>Egypt</option>' + ' <option>qatar</option>' + ' <option>saudia</option>' + ' <option>emarates</option>' <br /> ' </select>' ;<br /> var dropcountry = $( this ).parent().prev().prev().text;<br /> $( this ).parent().prev().prev().html(myselect);<br /> <br /> <br /> });<br /> $( " #btndis" ).on( ' click' , function () {<br /> $( " body" ).append( " <ul id='listNames''></ul>" );<br /> $( ' #tb td:nth-child(2)' ).each(function () {<br /> $( " #listNames" ).append( " <li>" + $( this ).text() + " </li>" )<br /> });<br /> });<br /> <br /> <br /> });<br /> </script><br /> <br /> <style><br /> .editing {<br /> background: yellow;<br /> }<br /> </ style > <br /> </ head > <br /> <body><br /> <div><br /> ID<input type= " text" id= " txt1" /><br /><br /> Name<input type= " text" id= " txt2" /><br /><br /> Country: <select id= " mycountry" ><br /> <option>---select--- </ option > <br /> <option>Egypt </ option > <br /> <option>qatar </ option > <br /> <option>saudia </ option > <br /> <option>emarates </ option > <br /> </ select > <br /><br /> <input type= " button" value = " add" id= " btn" /><br /> <input type= " button" value = " display" id= " btndis" /><br /> <br /> <table><br /> <thead><br /> <tr><br /> <td><br /> ID<br /> </ td > <br /> <td><br /> Name<br /> </ td > <br /> <td><br /> Country<br /> </ td > <br /> <td><br /> </ tr > <br /> </ thead > <br /> <tbody id= " tb" > </ tbody > <br /> </ table > <br /> </ div > <br /> </ body > <br /> </ html > <br />



I have written this code of Tic Tac Toe using HTML and Javascript.

Since I am new to programming, can somebody please help me in identifying what is not right in it.



Project.rar - Google Drive[^]







I would advise you to put some effort and understand the code and when you struggle with some errors then we can help you. This way you could learn something and understand about your project.



I am just wrapping up a HUGE project that took me forever to research and code. There is just one thing keeping it from working properly. An updated div on my website.



I have a div that contains css code that displays a temperature gauge. I have php code that extracts data out of a txt file for the gauge. It works but I have to manually update the whole page or update the whole page in the code. I just need that one div to update every second or so and to reload the txt file before doing so.



I have found lots of javascript/ajax examples but none are explained and none are commented. I just dont seem to understand how they work. I have no javascript experience. Does anyone have a quick example with comments or can explain what is going on in the code?



Thanks to anyone for reading.


Background

I'm working with a special type of "offline files"/"File sync"-system, and need to compare a users files on his/her computer en on the file server. The place I'm working at, was tricked by a Microsoft rep back in 2011, to use a system that works kind of like OneDrive. The user have their files on their laptop, and when connected to the organization's network, the files are synched with the file server



The situation

Now that they are migrating to Windows 10, and actual OneDrive, I've discovered a problem: the files aren't always synched. The process is now to run a set of tools on the users' computers,to check for errors, and if there is, (and there's plenty of errors), the user need to confirm which file is the correct one.



The problem

I've been testing WinMerge, and similar programs, but they are mostly garbage for the use I need them for. I need flexibility, meaning that i need complex filtering options, (e.g. folder names to increase processing speed), but also the options to look at files in different manners, (hashes of files, metadata, or byte-for-byte). THis could actually be done in powershell pretty "easily", however, the user will have to interact with this in a meaningfull and friendly way, so an interface is therefore needed, which allows for sorting, opening selected files, copying, copy to third party location, copy to same location with a pre/su-fix. Options to reduce timeconsumption, (quick mode which only checks metadata, or hashmode, which is in the middle, or slow mode byte-for-byte)



My solution (thus far)

Create this as a C# program, with a nice interface, (I've made the interface, and it's actually very nice), I've tested some simple file comparisons, but I need you guys' input. Am I doing this right or is there a piece of software that I haven't found yet??



Thanks for all input





This space for rent





"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."

- Benjamin Disraeli



What is described here applies to both VS 2013 and VS 2015



Consider the case when one wants to make a sub-classed Control (using one of the standard MS provided WinForm Controls) as a separate Project: so that you can end-up with a nice .dll that you can then mount on Visual Studio's ToolBox for handy re-use.



The only relevant new Project Type available is Windows Forms Control Library which when selected gives you an initial Class definition like this: C# using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.ComponentModel; using System.Drawing; using System.Data; using System.Linq; using System.Text; using System.Threading.Tasks; using System.Windows.Forms; namespace TestWinFormControlLibrary { public partial class UserControl1: UserControl { public UserControl1() { InitializeComponent(); } } } And you, foolish mortal, think you could easily rename the Project and change the Class code to something like this: C# public partial class CustomTextBoxForWhatever: TextBox while still leaving the Project Output Type as it is (Class Library).



That won't compile because the call to 'AutoScaleMode in the Designer.cs file will fail because you have stumbled across the assumption VS makes that you are building a ContainerControl, while a sub-classed TextBox does not expose that Type.



Okay, so you take out the call to 'AutoScaleMode, and now your design view switches to no-view ... just the type of screen that you see when you a new Component to a WinForm project. But, you do have, indeed, a sub-classed Control to work with, compile, and then mount in the ToolBox as you wish.



Now, maybe (?) the designers of VS did not assume someone would want to start designing a custom Control by first defining the Control, and then adding another Project to the Solution of Type Windows Form in order to test the Control as it is developed.



If you start a Project of Type WinForms, you can then add a "Custom Control" to it, but then that Control will be embedded in a WinForms Project.



Do you see what I am getting at ? Have I missed something obvious ... again ?



Since you can stick a Control of whatever Type in the ContainerControl Prototype that a Project of Type WinForms Control Library builds-out for you ... is this a non-issue for most mortals ?



Why do I quibble as the executioner asks if I will have the blindfold: usually, if I am going to do this ... and I do ... do this ... I am going to override methods of the sub-classed Control for various reasons.



Could CodeProject not groan under the weight of one more article or tip-trick describing all ... this ?



morituri te salutamus, Bill

 There is a spectrum, from "clearly desirable behaviour," to "possibly dodgy behavior that still makes some sense," to "clearly undesirable behavior." We try to make the latter into warnings or, better, errors. But stuff that is in the middle category you dont want to restrict unless there is a clear way to work around it.  Eric Lippert, May 14, 2008



modified 11-Aug-16 7:33am.







I live with a given designer's behavior, grateful that I'm aware of it, and override it at run-time (DLL call) when necessary.





we're loading all partials views to a common div.

$(divname).load(url);

on clicking a row in a table or clicking on an icon,or clicking on link, view changes. my requirement is, in a partial view, we have two text boxes which are free type. before this view clears, i need to save these data to db. what appropriate event is to be used before this view goes? i tried $(document).unload,$(document).unbind,$(div).change,$(div).unload etc. nothing worked. please help me to resolve this issue



here[^].

This space for rent



Hello,



I am looking that article:



Haar-feature Object Detection in C#[^]



I don't understand the classification part. So there are nodes with features, there are threshold on the stage and on the features. Where these thresholds comes?

Why on the tree there are a right or left part?



Of what I thought for the haar classification there are stages which are kernels to apply on the image and that all I don't understand why there is features and threshold.



Where could I get more information to understand these parts of the program?









"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."

- Homer











Secondly, all of these things are covered in the theoretical teaching of these subjects. No author would likely start explaining these things in a single article, that would require a book to cover these algorithms, their descriptions and the methods used in their classification.



Ask the question at the end of the article to see if author has interest in explaining those parts, otherwise, consider getting yourself a good book or learn these online at Wikipedia or so.

The sh*t I complain about

It's like there ain't a cloud in the sky and it's raining out - Eminem

~! Firewall !~



I have wrote a simple library, in C# (visual studio 2010), to access ini files for different applications.

The code at the end.



When used in windows application wrote in C# (x86,x64) (visual studio 2010) function properly.



Now I want to use it in a new library (mylib)(x64) where all methods are declared static, running indicates no errors but does not report the values that should have read from ini file.



I tried to add to the new library (mylib)a standard class, where methods aren't static, thinking that the problem was linked to the declaration of the static method of "mylib.getinipara()" , but without results.



Where am I wrong;

Thanks



ps.: all library and programs are compliled using Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate.



This is the code of library for accessing ini files.



C# using System; using System.Runtime.InteropServices; using System.Text; namespace FileINIAccess { public class IniAccess { public string path; [DllImport( " kernel32" )] private static extern bool WritePrivateProfileSection( string lpAppName, string lpString, string lpFileName); [DllImport( " kernel32" )] private static extern bool WritePrivateProfileString( string section, string key, string val, string filePath); [DllImport( " kernel32" )] private static extern int GetPrivateProfileString( string section, string key, string def, StringBuilder retVal, int size, string filePath); [DllImport( " kernel32" )] private static extern int GetPrivateProfileSection ( string lpAppName , StringBuilder lpReturnedString, int nSize , string lpFileName ); public void IniFile( string INIPath) { path=INIPath; } public Boolean WriteProfileString( string Section, string Key, string Value) { bool rs=WritePrivateProfileString(Section,Key,Value,path); return rs; } public Boolean WritePrivatSection( string Section, string Value) { bool rs=WritePrivateProfileSection(Section,Value,path); return rs; } public string GetProfileString( string Section, string Key, string DefValue) { StringBuilder temp= new StringBuilder( 255 ); int rs=GetPrivateProfileString(Section,Key,DefValue,temp, 255 ,path); if (rs>0) { return temp.ToString(); } else { return DefValue.ToString(); } } public string GetProfileSection( string Section) { StringBuilder temp= new StringBuilder( 255 ); int rs = GetPrivateProfileSection(Section, temp, 255 , path); if (rs>0) { return temp.ToString(); } else { return " " ; } } } }





I was on the indicated site, I modified the statements as reported, but the result is unchanged.

When I call "myfileini.GetProfileString(lpsection, lpkey, lpdefvalue, sb_retvalue, ui_lenretvalue, lpfile)" its return alwais the default value.

As if it does not find the file, yet it is in a specific directory, which I value by the method "myfileini.IniFile(lpPtah_File)"



Also the same .ini file is used by another application that uses the same library (FileIniAccess.IniAccess) to access and function properly,





bye





When you read with eyes of the mind and you do not see

Thanks again for the time you have dedicated to me



Hello,

I am planning to implement cue banner for Text boxes in .net. I want this cue text to work till user enters some text in the box, that is cue text should not disappear if user clicks on text box.



I got this example, but I have two problems with this.

C# using Microsoft.VisualBasic; using System; using System.Collections; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Data; using System.Diagnostics; using System.Runtime.InteropServices; public class Form1 { private void Form1_Load(System. Object sender, System.EventArgs e) { CueBannerText.SetCueText(TextBox1, " Enter Name here" ); } public Form1() { Load += Form1_Load; } } public static class CueBannerText { [DllImport( " user32.dll" , CharSet = CharSet.Auto)] private static Int32 SendMessage( IntPtr hWnd, int msg, int wParam, [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string lParam) { } [DllImport( " user32" , EntryPoint = " FindWindowExA" , CharSet = CharSet.Ansi, SetLastError = true , ExactSpelling = true )] private static extern IntPtr FindWindowEx( IntPtr hWnd1, IntPtr hWnd2, string lpsz1, string lpsz2); private const int EM_SETCUEBANNER = 0x1501 ; public static void SetCueText(Control cntrl, string text) { if (cntrl is ComboBox) { IntPtr Edit_hWnd = FindWindowEx(cntrl.Handle, IntPtr .Zero, " Edit" , null ); if (!(Edit_hWnd == IntPtr .Zero)) { SendMessage(Edit_hWnd, EM_SETCUEBANNER, 1 , text); } } else if (cntrl is TextBox) { SendMessage(cntrl.Handle, EM_SETCUEBANNER, 1 , text); } } }

The above code is working good in Windows 7 and above. But in windows xp it is not working properly. In windows xp the cue text disappears when we click on text box.



Secondly I want to change the color of cuetext (currently it is in grey).



Is it possible to achieve my requirements using current code? Or Is there any other suitable methods for me?



EM_SETCUEBANNER message (Windows)[^]. If you wish to change colours and other behaviours then you will need to write your own implementation, or subclass the control.



How to save HTML tag through C# ASP.Net Form?. when using Rich text box the browser display Error Message.



Member 12676814 wrote: when using Rich text box the browser display Error Message. Unfortunately we cannot see your screen so have no idea what that message may be, or what you code is doing at the time.



A potentially dangerous value was detected from the client and you are really sure you want to save that text, you may override the validation behavior of ASP.Net in the individual page by

ASP.NET <%@ Page Language =" c#" ValidateRequest =" false" ...

and in web.config

<httpRuntime requestValidationMode= " 2.0" />


MU swine center to double its space for modified pigs

An $8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will allow the swine center to double its space for animals.
Lana and Shawn Danko are in the process of moving their Downtown restaurant to a new location at 87 S. Second St. The restaurant is known for its Canadian-themed decor and large burgers. (Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal File)

SHARE

By Ted Evanoff of The Commercial Appeal

Downtown restaurant mainstay Kooky Canuck will move down the block, opening way early next year for Las Margaritas, a local chain offering Mexican food.

Lee Cooper, owner of the building at 97 S. Second St., said Las Margaritas would begin renovations Nov. 1 and open early next year.

Kooky Canuck, which opened 11 years ago, will relocate to a now-empty space at 87 S. Second St., owner Shawn Danko said.

Las Margaritas was attracted to Downtown in part by ServiceMaster Global Holdings Inc.'s decision to locate its 1,200-employee head office nearby, Cooper said Wednesday.

What clinched it was ServiceMaster moving into Peabody Place. That built in a lunch base with more than 1,000 extra lunches, said Cooper.

Officials with the chain could not be reached Wednesday.
August 10, 2016 - Rick Trotter appears in general sessions court with his attorney, Marty McAfee (left), for a hearing on charges that he photographed individuals without their consent. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

By Kayleigh Skinner of The Commercial Appeal

Former Memphis Grizzlies announcer Rick Trotter waived his arraignment Wednesday on four counts that he photographed individuals without their consent. His next court date is September 20.

Trotter, whose legal name is Dwayne Trotter, was arrested and booked into the Shelby County Jail Tuesday evening. Court records show he was released Wednesday morning on a $70,000 bond. Prior to his arrest, police issued an arrest warrant on charges that he photographed someone without their consent at the Downtown Church, where he was formerly an employee. According to arrest affidavits, Trotter was caught kneeling behind a woman during worship service holding a cell phone taking videos underneath her dress. On May 21, four women signed a statement confirming they were the individuals on the videos found on Trotter's church-issued laptop.

Trotter waived his rights and gave a signed, written statement admitting he took the videos of each woman, the affidavit said.

The church released a statement Tuesday stating Trotter was terminated May 27 because of "deception and moral failures of a sexual nature."

The Memphis Grizzlies also released a statement Tuesday which said Trotter was no longer affiliated with the organization.

Trotter had no comment in court Wednesday.

"We're going to see what the state has when it comes to evidence, and then we'll make decisions," said Trotter's attorney Marty McAfee.
By Katie Fretland of The Commercial Appeal

The mother of a 12-year-old Millington girl, who died with sores and gangrene on her legs, pleaded guilty this week to second-degree murder and aggravated child abuse.

Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Bobby Carter sentenced 38-year-old Raven Ruth to 25 years in the death of Andrea Ruth who died in November 2012 at her home in the 7000 block of Arapaho Street.

Ruth entered an Alford plea to the two charges, acknowledging it was in her best interest to plead rather than face the maximum punishment at trial, said attorney Billy Gilchrist. Ruth was facing a life sentence on first-degree murder charges.

Earlier this year, the girl's father was convicted in her death and sentenced to 22 years in prison. In Errol Johnson's trial, prosecutors said Andrea Ruth was so neglected that she "rotted until she died."

A jury convicted 44-year-old Johnson in January of two counts of criminally negligent homicide. He was also convicted of aggravated child neglect with serious bodily injury of a vulnerable child and aggravated child neglect that was especially heinous, atrocious or cruel of a vulnerable child. His public defender, Nigel Lewis, argued that Johnson was working over 120 hours a week as a taxi driver in Memphis and that Johnson thought the childs mother and a home-health aide were caring for Andrea.

Emergency responders were called in November 2012 to Andrea's residence, where she was on the floor with her mother attempting CPR.

Andrea had a history of health problems including asthma, high blood pressure and obesity. At one point she weighed 252 pounds. She was a patient at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital three times in 2011. The Tennessee Department of Childrens Services also had a record of Andreas case before her death. Records show an assessment opened June 7, 2011 and closed Aug. 3, 2011.

"Everybody in her life failed her," Assistant District Attorney Carrie Bush said during the father's trial.

Andrea had symptoms of nausea, fever and diarrhea in February 2011 and returned to Le Bonheur later that month with the same symptoms. According to testimony during the fathers trial, she was dying during one admission to the hospital and medical steps, which were taken to keep her organs going, caused a loss of blood flow to her lower extremities. She left the hospital with dry gangrene, which required further care.

She was sent home from the hospital with a plan of treatment and appointments, but records showed no indication of doctor visits after October 2011.

Andrea died in November 2012 and witnesses described a putrid odor in the house and flies. There were maggots on her legs, her feet were rotting off and she had a large infected ulcer on her hip in addition to other sores on her body.

The case of the childs home-health aide, 43-year-old Chasara Jones, is pending.
In Nashville, TBI employees pay their respects as vehicle containing the body of De'Greaun Frazier passes TBI headquarters en route to Memphis.

By Maranda Faris/USA TODAY NETWORK  Tennessee

JACKSON, Tenn.  The shooting death of a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent during an undercover drug operation was recorded on audio/visual equipment in the agents car, according to court documents released Wednesday.

Special Agent DeGreaun Frazier, a former Millington police officer, was fatally wounded about 2 p.m. Tuesday while working an operation with Jackson-Madison County Metro Narcotics.

Brenden Tyler Burns, 23, the suspect in the case, was arraigned Wednesday in Jackson City Court on a charge of murder in perpetration of attempted aggravated robbery. He was ordered held without bond.

Fraziers body was transported Wednesday afternoon from TBI headquarters in Nashville along Interstate 40 to Shelby County. Funeral arrangement for the fallen agent are still pending.

Frazier, working undercover, arranged to buy cocaine from Burns, according to court documents. Burns told Frazier to drive him and a confidential informant to the area of Brianfield Cove, where Burns said he could get an ounce of cocaine, which he would sell to the informant for $975, court documents state.

When they arrived at the scene, Burns got out of the car, saying he was going to get the drugs. Instead of returning with cocaine, Burns returned with a gun, got into the back seat of the car and tried to rob Frazier and the informant, who were sitting in the front seats, court documents state.

Holding the other two men at gunpoint, Burns said, You know what time it is, and told Frazier, If I have to pop you, Ill pop you, according to court documents.

Frazier tried to get out of the car, and Burns fired at least once, shooting him in the back, court documents state. Although wounded, Frazier returned fire, but Burns was not hit by the agents gunfire.

Frazier, 35, who lived in Cordova, was pronounced dead at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital.

Burns fled from the shooting scene but was captured in a home on Tinker Hill Cove, less than a half-mile away. Investigators said they found a semi-automatic handgun inside the home where they arrested Burns.

Frazier is the first agent killed in the line of duty in TBI history.

Frazier joined the TBI in February after working as an officer for the Millington Police Department. He also was a police officer with the University of Memphis from 2006-2010 and served as a reserve officer with the Shelby County Sheriffs Office.

Millington Insp. Reggie Fields said Frazier leaves behind a wife and two young children.

The neighborhood around the agents home in the vicinity of Macon and Houston Levee was quiet Wednesday morning. There was no activity at the house as a lone Shelby County Sheriffs Office car sat across the street assuring privacy for the fallen officers family.

In the next door neighbors yard was a sign declaring: We Support Our Cops. Regardless of Race, Gender or Religious Views.

The resident came to the door and said he knew (Frazier) well, but declined comment.

I cant deal with it right now, he said through the door.

Burns has a criminal history in Jackson, Madison County and Carroll County dating to 2012 and has gang affiliations, according to the TBI. Records show his most recent charges were in January in Madison County on possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia, and evading arrest. Those charges are still pending.

In court Wednesday morning, Burns told Judge Blake Anderson he does not live in Jackson, but his girlfriend does.

Burns told the judge his charges in Madison County General Sessions Court came after deputies arrested him when he ran from a traffic stop, during which police found cocaine in the car with his girlfriend. Burns said he is on probation for prior charges.
SHARE Charles "Chooch" Pickard

By Tom Charlier of The Commercial Appeal

The Memphis Area Transit Authority is losing one of its most outspoken board members.

Charles "Chooch" Pickard, a member of the board for the past six years, recently received a letter giving notice that he would not be reappointed by Mayor Jim Strickland when his term expires this month. He is being replaced by Memphis Medical District Collaborative President Tommy Pacello, who was approved by the City Council Tuesday.

Pickard, a 43-year-old preservation architect and urban designer, said although he understands that he served at the pleasure of the mayor, he was "disappointed" by his removal.

"I have a very good relationship with Mayor Strickland and (Chief Operations Officer) Doug McGowen. I have no idea why they would make the decision they did ...," said Pickard, who had been reappointed once before.

"I feel like I accomplished a lot on that board, and I wanted to continue serving."

Pickard was an outspoken board member, clashing occasionally with MATA Chief Executive Officer Ron Garrison, who was hired two years ago to run the troubled transit agency. Most recently, Pickard echoed fellow board member John Vergos' criticism of a proposed contract  eventually approved by the board  paying Montreal-based SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. up to $764,477 for "safety support services" related to restarting the agency's trolley system, which was shut down in 2014 after two vehicles caught fire. The two had questioned the contract's cost and the company's background, which includes allegations of fraud and corruption regarding operations in Africa.

The mayor's office had not responded by midday Wednesday to requests for a comment as to why Pickard wasn't being reappointed.

But Strickland and Garrison issued prepared statements praising Pacello, an attorney and city planner, as someone well suited to the board.

"Tommy's background, expertise and innovative thinking will be a tremendous fit on the MATA Board as we all work together to improve transit in Memphis," the mayor said.

Garrison said Pacello is "well versed in planning and can be an asset to our organization" as the agency works to improve service and resolve its financial troubles.
SHARE

By Linda A. Moore of The Commercial Appeal

The Shelby County Commission's delinquent tax property committee approved on Wednesday the transfer of five properties to the city of Memphis as part of its mow-to-own program.

The committee voted to give the vacant lots on Looney, Speed, Marjorie, New Raleigh Road and Warren to the city at no cost.

In January, Memphis launched its mow-to-own program, which gives owners of properties that are adjacent to government-owned vacant lots the opportunity to buy the land at a discount after maintaining it for a period of up to three years.

These are the first lots the county has transferred to the city for the program.

The mow-to-own program is one of the city's blight initiatives, which moves the upkeep responsibilities for vacant lots from the city or county to a taxpayer who will eventually own the property.

The full commission must vote on the transfers Monday.
SHARE

By Jennifer Pignolet of The Commercial Appeal

A former Shelby County Schools business operations chief was responsible for a "significant deficiency" on the school district's audit last year, an action that was "a factor" in his departure, district Chief Financial Officer Lin Johnson said Wednesday.

Johnson presented the audit report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015 to the Shelby County Commission Wednesday, explaining the deficiency involving Hitesh Haria, the former business operations chief, as well another "minor" issue regarding unauthorized bank accounts.

Haria (above) left the district in July 2015, accepting a new job in California at a district half the size of SCS. It was not disclosed at the time if he was asked to leave, but his personnel file includes a settlement agreement for him to leave, "with prejudice." He was paid $21,456 in severance and was entitled to payment for any unused vacation days. According to the file, he was suspended without pay for one week two months before leaving the district, although the documentation does not provide a reason.

Within weeks after Haria left, Chief Financial Officer Alicia Lindsey (above) was fired. Lindsey filed a lawsuit in September alleging her firing was discriminatory on the basis of race and gender, but that the discrimination happened after she reported wrongdoing by Haria regarding a contract with Durham School Services. The lawsuit alleges she reported the wrongdoing first to Superintendent Dorsey Hopson, but that the issue went unresolved so she contacted school board member Chris Caldwell. Caldwell chairs the board's budget, audit and finance committee.

The lawsuit is ongoing. But allegations in the suit were discussed in the county meeting Wednesday.

"There was a discovery of an issue where an employee was directed to amend a (purchase order) in the system ... over the amount that the board approved," Johnson said.

Johnson added "the actual spending never exceeded the amount that the board approved."

He did not say the employee was fired, but that "previous management who were involved in this incident are no longer with the district," which "really speaks to the seriousness and how aggressive we are" in handling the matter.

Johnson did not mention the employee's name during the meeting but confirmed afterward he was referring to Haria.

Johnson, who was not with the district at the time, said the incident "was a factor" in Haria's departure, but he noted he did not know if there were other factors.

Efforts to contact Haria Wednesday were unsuccessful.

According to Lindsey's lawsuit, that purchase order was tied to the Durham School Services busing contract.

The suit says she discovered in January 2015 that the Durham contract extension the school board approved in May 2014 was never signed by the chairman of the board  per board policy  and more money was appropriated for bus company than the board approved.

She alleges the board approved $25.8 million for one year of the contract, but that Haria directed $27.8 million to be paid to Durham. Lindsey also says the general fund was only supposed to cover $22 million of the total, but Haria directed that all $27.8 million come out of that fund.

Lindsey's attorney, Don Donati, said Wednesday the lawsuit is still in the discovery phase, and he had no additional comment.

Johnson said the school district has taken steps to ensure such an incident is not repeated, including the implementation of a system to track assets and additional training for staff.

The issues with unauthorized bank accounts being opened were "minor," Johnson said, and caused the board to revise its policy regarding proper bank account procedures in May. Since November, he said, the district has closed seven bank accounts.

Commissioners did not harp on the issues brought up in the audit, asking few questions and thanking the school district officials for their transparency.
Aug. 9, 2016  Jeff Jones (right) is the new chief of staff for the Collierville municipal school system. Mark Hansen (left) is school board chairman. (Daniel Connolly/The Commercial Appeal)

SHARE

By Daniel Connolly of The Commercial Appeal

Jeff Jones, the former principal of Schilling Farms Middle School in Collierville, has been promoted to chief of staff of the town's municipal school system.

Since July 15, he's been working as the system's second-in-command to Superintendent John S. Aitken, who appointed him. The appointment did not require school board approval.

Jones said he'll plan to focus on communicating the superintendent's message and vision to the school board, to other local leaders and to the general public. He took one step in that direction Tuesday night by posting live Twitter updates during a school board meeting.

Jones also said he'll help the superintendent in the day-to-day work of running Collierville's eight schools, which began educating students as part of an independent system in 2014.

"Every day is a new adventure, but it's exciting to see what the future holds for Collierville schools," said Jones, 47.

Jones began his career in Collierville as a Spanish teacher at Collierville High School in 1995. He joined Schilling Farms Middle as an assistant principal in 2003 and became the school's principal in 2011.

The superintendent cited several reasons for picking Jones, including his experience as a principal and his role as a respected participant in community organizations. Jones recently served as head of the Collierville Rotary Club. "He's smart. He's very knowledgeable," Aitken said. "He has a good set of skills in a lot of ways."

Jones replaces former chief of staff Russell Dyer, who left to become superintendent of schools in Cleveland, Tennessee, near Chattanooga.

Replacing Jones as interim principal of Schilling Farms Middle is Beth Robbins, who had been working as the system's secondary supervisor and testing coordinator.
SHARE Jim Hood

By Ron Maxey of The Commercial Appeal

DeSoto County received more than $79,000 from Mississippi's Crime Victim Compensation Program for fiscal year 2016, but Attorney General Jim Hood fears budget issues could jeopardize the program's future.

The program allows victims of violent crime or their families to apply for funds  up to $20,000 to pay for medical treatment or other expenses resulting from the crime. Statewide, $3.7 million was distributed in fiscal 2016.

Data provided by Hood's office doesn't indicate how many individual applicants received funds, only the total distributed in each of the state's 82 counties receiving funds. Seventy-three counties received funds in 2016.

DeSoto applicants received $79,337.15. The total for neighboring counties was $62,039.07 in Marshall County, $60 in Tate County and $35,461.88 in Tunica County.

Hood fears the program's ability to provide future funding may be impacted by the Legislature this year directing that assessments imposed by courts against those convicted of crimes  which is where much of the money comes from  be deposited into the state's general fund rather than the Crime Victim Compensation Fund. Funding also comes from federal grants.

"I have voiced my concern since early this year about the damaging impacts of the 2017 budget on our state's most vulnerable citizens," Hood said, "as well as the law enforcement officers and first responders who protect us."

Hood, a Democrat, is considered a serious possibility for a gubernatorial run in 2019, but he has said he hasn't decided.

For more information on the Crime Victim Compensation Program, visit AGJimHood.com or call 800-829-6766.
SHARE

In these days of hit-the-ground-running instruction in public schools, missing any initial days of the new school year can have a devastating impact on how well a child will perform during the year. That even applies to prekindergarten and kindergarten.

As result, we viewed with dismay news that three days before the 2016-2017 school year began Monday, Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dorsey Hopson said about 74,000 students  77 percent of projected enrollment of about 96,000, including prekindergarten classes  had registered as of Friday morning, despite the district's early start to enrollment last spring.

Hopson called it "somewhat disappointing." We would edit out "somewhat."

Also, a story in The Commercial Appeal on Monday noted that some about-to-be-uprooted Foote Homes public housing complex residents are not sending their children to school until they are settled into their new homes, likely in another area of the city.

The enrollment news was better by the end of Monday. An SCS spokesperson said 85,286 (90.7 percent) of the district's projected 94,000 students had registered. That is compared to 81,018 for the first day of school last year. That projection does not include SCS charter schools. Total enrollment would be about 107,000 if charters were included.

Nearly 91 percent is better than 77 percent, but that still means some 8,700 students who should have been in school were not. A good number of those who have not registered likely will trickle in over the next two or three days.

It is more troubling that some parents will keep their children out of school until after Labor Day, causing them to miss four weeks of valuable instruction.

Hopson called it a "correlation to the suffocating poverty" in which many students in Shelby County live. He gave examples of older children being asked to stay home with younger siblings, and families that are elsewhere for the summer and may not come back in time for the first day of school.

In the case of the Foote Homes residents, along with families leaving the dilapidated Warren and Tulane apartments, there is fear that if they send their children to school before moving into new homes, the children will have to deal with the double stress of relocating to a new area, plus possibly having to transfer to a new school a few weeks later.

That is an understandable concern, but another way to look at the situation is the possible harm students face by trying to catch up academically with peers who were at their desks on the first day of school. This even applies to kindergarten.

The superintendent is right in saying the district has to be "more supportive of our parents and just figure out the processes that make it (registration) as painless as possible."

There certainly are creative incentives, including freebies like gift cards and certificates, that other school districts have used to entice parents to have their children in class on the first day of school.

But parents also have to take responsibility. Success in school usually translates into success in life. That fact should particularly resonate in households where poverty has been a generational issue.

For some children, especially those dealing with the effects of adverse childhood experiences resulting from poverty, success in school can be a challenge. Parents who do not have their children ready for the first day of school are making the challenge more difficult.
SHARE

By Diana Rickert

If you're going to vote for Hillary Clinton for president, don't do it because she's a woman. In fact, ask yourself: If a man had the same policy platform, track record and resume as Clinton, would you vote for him?

There. I said it.

Cue the onslaught of outrage from actress Lena Dunham, homemaking guru Martha Stewart and the rest of Clinton's plank of prominent campaign surrogates urging women everywhere to rally behind the first female presidential nominee.

But hear me out: I'm a woman, a wife and a mom, and I'm not excited about Clinton's candidacy.

Clinton isn't a political outsider, breaking through some thick swamp of corrupt men to stand up for women like me. I don't think she represents the issues women care about, and I won't be voting for her.

Yet women like me are being told what a historic moment this is. That Clinton is about to break the proverbial glass ceiling, and we can help her do it by casting a vote this November. Some are even trying to make us feel guilty for not joining the #imwithher fad.

At a speech in Brooklyn, N.Y., this summer, Clinton said: "This campaign is about making sure there are no ceilings, no limits on any of us, and this is our moment to come together."

Martha Stewart said in The Wall Street Journal: "We as women should be so proud that there is a strong and viable candidate, yet there are women who are not even thinking about her as a woman. They are just listening to criticisms of her that she is a liar."

Sorry. I guess I'm not feeling the sisterhood.

Choosing a presidential candidate based on his or her gender is like voting for someone because you like the candidate's hair color. It has nothing to do with a person's leadership abilities.

In fact, voting for Hillary solely or in large part because she's a woman isn't an exercise in open-mindedness at all. It's sexist, and it's divisive. Worse, it ignores the progress women have made over the past few decades.

Today, women graduate from college at a higher rate than men. There are more female managers today than at any point in history. And with the rise of telecommuting and virtual offices, it's becoming increasingly easier for many women to balance careers and motherhood.

The Pew Research Center recently studied Americans' attitudes toward the sexes in political and business leadership positions. Only 9 percent of Americans think men are better at forging compromise in a business or political leadership role, while most Americans thought women and men had equal ability when it comes to this skill set.

On many fronts, Americans think women have an edge over men. For example, Pew found that female leaders are perceived as more honest and ethical. (Fortunately for Clinton, the poll did not ask specifically about her.)

So it's perplexing why Clinton has made her gender a centerpiece of her campaign this time around.

"Obviously there was discrimination against women once upon a time, but the feminist movement has kind of clung to that," said Carrie Lukas, managing director at the conservative Independent Women's Forum. "They've been allowed to get away with this idea that the sexes are interchangeable, but at the same time claim it's a legitimate idea that we need a woman to change things."

The Clinton campaign seems to want things both ways. Either women should be treated the same, and we are just as good  if not, better  than men, or we are we inferior and in need of special consideration to reach the same milestones as our male counterparts. But we can't be both.

I'd argue there's also a moral hazard in Clinton pushing her gender so aggressively. This extreme focus on her gender sends the message that as women, we cannot succeed on the merit of our ideas alone.

Other Clinton supporters, such as historian Nancy Cohen, have said women shouldn't vote for Clinton because of her gender  but because she best represents the interests of her gender.

But even that argument is narrow-minded because it assumes women are monolithic and all have the same needs, interests and political positions. News flash: Not every woman wants the government to be more hands-on in their health care, child care or employee-employer relationship.

What it comes down to is this: Those who still see a glass ceiling today always will because that's how they view the world: black versus white, women versus men. Unfortunately, these people will never see  or enjoy  all the progress that has been made and how diverse and intelligent women really are.

Diana Rickert is a writer with the Illinois Policy Institute. She wrote this for the Chicago Tribune.
SHARE

By Eli Lake

This should be a great moment for libertarians, the GOP's quirky little cousin. After all, the Republican Party went off the rails and nominated a protectionist demagogue who can't stay out of trouble. Only a handful of Republicans are likely to defect and vote for Hillary Clinton. So many conservatives are looking for alternatives.

You may have heard of these lost souls in the last few months, huddled under the #NeverTrump umbrella. At first they wanted Mitt Romney to run as the true conservative, but that didn't go anywhere. A few had hoped freshman Sen. Ben Sasse would take up the cause. That didn't go anywhere, either. Now the Never Trumpers are supporting a senior House staffer to carry their banner in November. This campaign is being waged after they tried and failed to enlist David French, a National Review writer and reservist military officer.

So what about the two former GOP governors, Gary Johnson and William Weld, nominated by a party that espouses limited government and fiscal responsibility? Why can't the Never Trumpers go Libertarian?

There are a few reasons. To start, there are policy clashes with mainstream Republicans. Johnson and Weld, like most libertarians, are libertine. They support abortion rights and marriage equality. Many Never Trumpers don't. On the issue of the right of private businesses to not participate in same-sex weddings, Johnson sounds like the Obama administration.

He later had to clarify remarks he made to the Washington Examiner's Tim Carney that equated a baker who didn't want to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple to murderers who claimed to be inspired by religion. French told me Johnson's remarks about Mormons and gay wedding cakes were "the kind of rant you would hear from a college professor who has never met an evangelical."

Then there is the Libertarian Party, which takes liberty to a literal extreme. At its convention in May, one nominee for the party's chairmanship, James Weeks, stripped down to a thong as he addressed those assembled. The National Review's Ian Tuttle described it as the "political equivalent of the Cantina scene from Star Wars." So even though more and more Americans today are coming around to the libertarian view on drugs and the size of government, the party still acts like a fringy nerd fest.

But for my money, the main reason so many conservatives aren't giving the Libertarians a second look comes down to the candidate himself.

On paper, Johnson looks great. He's an extreme athlete, who has scaled Everest. He has positioned himself as the ultimate outsider in a year of the outsider. He is also humble, going out of his way to deride other politicians who promise the moon and never deliver and saying he would share presidential responsibilities with Weld, his running mate.

Then you see him on TV. It's a disaster. Johnson is about as telegenic as an educational film about the metric system. He is a gangly ball of nerves who exudes the charisma of Don Knotts from his "Three's Company" years. He smiles when he shouldn't. Asked about the Black Lives Matter movement, he offered a word salad of honest introspection, ending with: "For me personally, slap, slap wake up."

For some libertarians, this lack of smoothness is part of his charm. Nick Gillespie, editor of the movement's premier journal, Reason.com, told me, "His lack of charisma, his disinterest or inability to take over every room he enters, should be extremely comforting and appealing to a country filled with responsible adult citizens."

Gillespie added that Johnson won't push Americans around "like cattle or sheep," but rather will competently execute the functions of government, "exhorting us to pursue happiness in all the different ways we define that term."

Perhaps this is the best reason to vote for him. As Gillespie said, Americans don't need an "inspirer-in-chief."

But they are voting for a commander-in-chief. And the former governor of New Mexico doesn't come off like a commander, a chief or a president of any kind. He comes off like the NASA scientist in the movie who briefs the president right before the meteor hits.

Here's the thing about that scientist. Everyone is happy he is finally warning someone in power about the pending disaster. But he is still asked to leave the room when the president must decide what to do about it.

Eli Lake is a Bloomberg View columnist.
SHARE

By Tobin Harshaw

Should retired warriors play politics? Those of us who sat through the bombastic convention speeches by two retired generals with seven stars between them  Michael Flynn (Republicans) and John Allen (Democrats)  might be forgiven for thinking: "Absolutely not!"

But those speakers' histrionics aside, the question has taken on new urgency after Martin Dempsey, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, publicly urged his colleagues to steer clear of direct partisanship:

"Publicly, they can speak to their experiences with the issues. Not about those seeking office. Not about who is more suited to be elected. That will be decided by the voters, and they have an obligation to learn about the candidates before casting their vote.

"But not from us.

"Because we have a special role in our democracy, and because we will serve whoever is elected."

This may seem like a direct affront to both our ideals of free speech and a desire for voters to have the best advice possible from some of our finest and most experienced minds.

Yet Dempsey makes a strong case: Because "generals and admirals are generals and admirals for life" and "it is therefore nearly impossible for them to speak exclusively for themselves when speaking publicly," they should limit their partisan involvement to behind-the-scenes advisory roles. (He does carve out an Eisenhower exception for those willing to throw their peaked caps into the ring.)

Dempsey isn't alone. His predecessor at the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Mike Mullen, put it this way after the 2008 presidential election: "I remain concerned about the degree to which the American people confuse active-duty representatives and retired or veteran representatives."

Peter Feaver, a former George W. Bush adviser, wrote in the Atlantic that the speeches by Flynn and Allen were "corrosive" because the men used the authority they gleaned from nonpartisan military service in a way that will "encourage political leaders to view the military as an interest group to be mobilized and professional military advice as one more partisan voice to be spun."

Others aren't so worked up about it. Barbara Perry, a presidential scholar at the University of Virginia, told the Army Times that an informed public wants and expects former top officers to share their wisdom. She says that, as a group, ex-generals are less partisan than any other group of professionals and that Flynn and Allen were the "exception rather than the norm."

The problem with this view of retired generals as angels in epaulets is that history tells a very different story. Consider, for example, the 1992 presidential election.

In the Republican primaries, P.X. Kelly, a former Marine Corps commandant, did a TV ad on behalf of President George H.W. Bush attacking his rival, Patrick Buchanan. During the general election, another retired Joint Chiefs chairman, Admiral William Crowe, not only endorsed Bill Clinton but also said criticism that the candidate had dodged the Vietnam draft was "divisive and peripheral."

Yet one of those Clinton critics was none other than Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of allied forces in Operation Desert Storm. He asked: "How does a person who admits that he deliberately did not agree with the war, and therefore did not want to go to that war, how does he handle it when he has to send other people to war?"

Allen and Flynn aren't the only audible veteran voices this year. Several other former military men have inserted themselves into the presidential race, if more subtly. When David Petraeus wrote in May in the Washington Post that he was "increasingly concerned about inflammatory political discourse  against Muslims and Islam, including proposals from various quarters for blanket discrimination against people on the basis of their religion," he didn't need to call out Donald Trump by name.

Likewise, James Stavridis, former NATO supreme allied commander who was rumored to have been on Hillary Clinton's shortlist for vice president, had this advice for active-duty officers speaking to Congress and the press about Trump's dismissive comments on U.S. allies: "When they are asked, for example, if they think NATO is a useful organization, the dilemma is clear  answering truthfully and correctly that NATO is important and valuable to the U.S. puts them in clear opposition to someone like Trump." And this week, Michael Hayden, a four-star who headed the National Security Agency and CIA, signed a group letter warning that Trump "would be the most reckless president in American history."

So maybe the question isn't whether these retirees should be sidelined from the political fracas  because they can't be. But there is a question of degree. It's one thing for a former general to offer a modest endorsement of a candidate's military judgment, quite another for him to lead a chant of "Lock her up!" (Flynn) or to imply that his preferred candidate's opponent would order the military to carry out murders (Allen). So did those speeches cross some line?

I think not. For one thing, contra Dempsey, the American public is perfectly capable of distinguishing between a serving officer and retired one. More important, exposure to the public arena tends to break down the aura of supreme authority that surrounds a top general or admiral, to give us a clearer view of character and temperament.

To that end, the Flynn and Allen speeches were highly revealing. The two officers didn't do much to further their own reputations  or those of the candidates they are backing.

Tobin Harshaw writes editorials on national security, education and food for Bloomberg View.
What do a cute cat and Hitler have in common? Both are featured in ransomware; Hitler targets PCs and the cat-themed ransomware targets Androids.

Both are also considered to be under development at this time, meaning neither are currently big, bad boogeyman threats let loose in the wild to infect the masses. Things could change if either ransomware is fully developed.

Cat-themed ransomware for Android

If some creep is going to lock up your phone screen, then seeing a cat is surely better than seeing Hitler. Yet if your Android showed the cat below and nothing more, and you couldnt move beyond the screen, then the cat would seem considerably less cute. You might not realize the kitty represented ransomware, since it comes with no ransom note.

The McAfee Labs Mobile Malware Research team, which discovered the ransomware for Android, said it can encrypt files on an SD card, silently steal text messages and block access to the Android.

Once El Gato, Spanish for the cat, is installed, the attacker can control the ransomware and send commands to the Android via a web-based control panel. McAfee Labs researcher Fernando Ruiz said the malware runs on a legitimate cloud service provider and has botnet capabilities. The commands which can be sent include:

The kicker is that the malware uses AES encryption with a hardcoded password, making decryption trivial. Its likely this ransomware isnt ready for prime-time attacks and is still a malicious work in progress.

Ruiz noted:

This ransomware variant looks like a demo version used to commercialize malware kits for cybercriminals because the control server interface is not protected and includes in the code words such as MyDificultPassw.

After an attacker purchased such an exploit on a black market, the hacker would try to trick the targeted people or companies into becoming infected via phishing campaigns, Trojanized apps, social media networks, or other social engineering techniques.

Hopefully, the cat-themed Android ransomware will never move out of the development stage. The researchers reached out to the owners of the abused servers and asked them take down the malicious service.

Hitler-themed ransomware

Grammar Nazis might flip after seeing the Hitler ransomware includes a typo on the lock screen, declaring it is the Hitler-Ransonware.

AVG malware analyst Jakub Kroustek discovered the threat and reported it to Bleeping Computer.

Like the cat-themed ransomware for Android, this malware is believed to still be under development. Bleeping Computer reported the Hitler ransomware doesnt encrypt files as it claims to have done on the locked PC screen which features a picture of Hitler; based on German text in the code, the developer seems to have German roots. When translated to English, the Hello World text states, This is a test and I am a Pro.

Bleeping Computer reported:

This ransomware appears to be a test variant based on the comments in the embedded batch file and because it does not encrypt any files at all. Instead this malware will remove the extension for all of the files under various directories, display a lock screen, and then show a one-hour countdown.

Instead of demanding a bitcoin ransom, the victim is told to pay up via a 25 Vodafone card  which is about $28  and then enter the code found on the card. While this is uncommon, it is not the first ransomware to demand payment via gift cards such as from iTunes or Amazon.

After the hour is up, the ransomware crashes the victims computer and shows the dreaded Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). Upon reboot, it deletes all files listed in the users profile folder.
The Web Proxy Auto-Discovery Protocol (WPAD), enabled by default on Windows and supported by other operating systems, can expose computer users' online accounts, web searches and other private data, security researchers warn.

Man-in-the-middle attackers can abuse the WPAD protocol to hijack people's online accounts and steal their sensitive information even when they access websites over encrypted HTTPS or VPN connections, said Alex Chapman and Paul Stone, researchers with U.K.-based Context Information Security, duringthe DEF CON security conference this week.

WPAD is a protocol, developed in 1999 by people from Microsoft and other technology companies, that allows computers to automatically discover which web proxy they should use. The proxy is defined in a JavaScript file called a proxy auto-config (PAC) file.

The location of PAC files can be discovered via WPAD in several ways: Through a special Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) option, through local Domain Name System (DNS) lookups or through Link-Local Multicast Name Resolution (LLMNR).

Attackers can abuse these options to supply computers on a local network with a PAC file that specifies a rogue web proxy under their control. This can be done on an open wireless network or if the attackers compromise a router or access point.

Compromising the computer's original network is optional because computers will still try to use WPAD for proxy discovery when they're taken outside and are connected to other networks, like public wireless hotspots. And even though WPAD is mostly used in corporate environments, it is enabled by default on all Windows computers, even those running home editions.

Lucian Constantin On Windows, WPAD is used when the "automatically detect settings" option is checked in this configuration panel.

A rogue web proxy would allow attackers to intercept and modify non-encrypted HTTP traffic, which wouldn't normally be a big deal because most major websites today use HTTPS (HTTP Secure).

However, because PAC files allow defining different proxies for particular URLs and can also force DNS lookup for those URLs, Chapman and Stone created a script that leaks all HTTPS URLs via DNS lookups to a rogue server they control.

The full HTTPS URLs are supposed to be hidden because they can contain authentication tokens and other sensitive data as parameters. For example, the URL https://example.com/login?authtoken=ABC1234 could be leaked through a DNS request for https.example.com.login.authtoken.ABC1234.leak and reconstructed on the attacker's server.

The researchers showed that by using this PAC-based HTTPS URL leak method, attackers can steal Google search terms or see what articles the user has viewed on Wikipedia. That's bad enough from a privacy perspective, but the risks introduced by WPAD and rogue PAC files don't end there.

The researchers also devised another attack where they use the rogue proxy to redirect the user to a fake captive portal page, like those used by many wireless networks to collect information about users before allowing them on the Internet.

Their fake captive portal forces browsers to load common websites like Facebook or Google in the background and then performs a 302 HTTP redirect to URLs that can only be accessed after the user authenticates. If the user is already authenticated -- and most people have authenticated sessions in their browsers -- the attackers will be able to gather information from their accounts.

This attack can expose the victims' account names on various websites, including private photos from their accounts that can be accessed via direct links. For example, people's private photos on Facebook are actually hosted on the site's content delivery network and can be accessed directly by other users if they know the full URL to their location on the CDN.

Furthermore, attackers can steal authentication tokens for the popular OAuth protocol, which allows users to log into third-party websites with their Facebook, Google, or Twitter accounts. By using the rogue proxy, 302 redirects, and the browser's page pre-rendering functionality, they can hijack social media accounts and in some cases gain full access to them.

In a demo, the researchers showed how they could steal photos, location history, email summaries, reminders and contact details for a Google account, as well as all documents hosted by that user in Google Drive.

It's worth stressing that these attacks do not break the HTTPS encryption in any way, but rather work around it and take advantage of how the web and browsers work. They show that if WPAD is turned on, HTTPS is much less effective at protecting sensitive information than previously believed.

But what about people who use virtual private networks (VPNs) to encrypt their entire Internet traffic when they connect to a public or untrusted network? Apparently, WPAD breaks those connections, too.

The two researchers showed that some widely used VPN clients, like OpenVPN, do not clear the Internet proxy settings set via WPAD. This means that if attackers have already managed to poison a computer's proxy settings through a malicious PAC before that computer connects to a VPN, its traffic will still be routed through the malicious proxy after going through the VPN. This enables all of the attacks mentioned above.

Most operating systems and browsers had vulnerable WPAD implementations when the researchers discovered these issues earlier this year, but only Windows had WPAD enabled by default.

Since then, patches have been released for OS X, iOS, Apple TV, Android, and Google Chrome. Microsoft and Mozilla were still working on patches as of Sunday.

The researchers recommended computer users disable the protocol. "No seriously, turn off WPAD!" one of their presentation slides said. "If you still need to use PAC files, turn off WPAD and configure an explicit URL for your PAC script; and serve it over HTTPS or from a local file."

Chapman and Stone were not the only researchers to highlight security risks with WPAD. A few days before their presentation, two other researchers named Itzik Kotler and Amit Klein independently showed the same HTTPS URL leak via malicious PACs in a presentation at the Black Hat security conference. A third researcher, Maxim Goncharov, held a separate Black Hat talk about WPAD security risks, entitled BadWPAD.

In May, researchers from Verisign and the University of Michigan showed that tens of millions of WPAD requests leak out onto the Internet every single day when laptops are taken outside of enterprise networks. Those computers are looking for internal WPAD domains that end in extensions like .global, .ads, .group, .network, .dev, .office, .prod, .hsbc, .win, .world, .wan, .sap, and .site.

The problem is that some these domain extensions have become public generic top-level domains and can be registered on the Internet. This can potentially allow attackers to hijack WPAD requests and push rogue PAC files to computers even if they're not on the same network with them.
May and Sturgeon both dismiss 2017 referendum

Both the Prime Minister and the First Minister of Scotland have  albeit with different emphases  spoken out against claims that the SNP are making secret preparations for an independence referendum in 2017.

The Herald quotes Theresa May as reminding the world that Scots made a clear choice on their membership of the Union only a couple of years ago, and the Courier reports Nicola Sturgeon denying that any final decision on a poll had been reached.

This comes in the same week that, according to the Daily Express, Alan Duncan confirmed that the Foreign Office was overseeing the Brexit negotiations and the SNP could not pursue a separate arrangement.

As this column reported last week, post-Brexit polling has not provided the cause of independence with the boost that both nationalists and many remainers expected  indeed, focusing on the EU angle alienates more working-class separatist voters than it woos middle-class soft unionists.

as Fallon announces expansion of Leuchars base

The Government is investing 8 million in expanding Leuchars Station  formerly RAF Leuchars  and will continue to spend in the area, according to the Defence Secretary.

In an exclusive interview with the Courier, Michael Fallon also reported that homing the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards at the base has been a success, and guarantees the future of the famous Black Watch regiment.

Defence spending is widely seen as one of the SNPs weak points, as an independent Scotland is highly unlikely  if it were even possible  to maintain UK defence assets in Scotland such as Clyde naval shipbuilding and the Clyde nuclear submarine base.

UKIP members to decide fate of Welsh leader

Members of the UK Independence Party will decide whether or not to expel their Welsh leader after he reneged on a promise to avoid double-jobbing.

Nathan Gill, who recently lost the leadership of the UKIP Assembly group to Neil Hamilton, promised to stand down as an MEP if elected as an AM  but the BBC reports that there is no candidate to replace him and he doesnt want to force a by-election.

This can be seen as a front of the broader power struggle in the ranks of the Peoples Army: Gill is an ally of Nigel Farage, whilst Hamilton and Reckless are claimed to be part of the ex-Conservative faction working against them.

as Northern Irish leader announces plan to step down

David McNarry, who was until Mays elections UKIPs only member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, has announced plans to step down as the partys provincial leader after a new national leader is chosen to replace Nigel Farage.

The Belfast Telegraph tells us that this comes after the partys regional secretary defected to the Ulster Unionists, claiming that UKIP had lost its direction in Northern Ireland.McNarrys resignation may cause fresh for UKIP, coming soon after its failure to win a seat in the Assembly.

Last year the party lost another leadership figure, Henry Reilly, to the TUV. He was the UKIP candidate for the province in the 2014 local elections and was viewed as someone who could win the party an Assembly seat in South Down.

Wales joins Scotland and scraps Right to Buy

Carwyn Jones administration in Cardiff Bay has followed Nicola Sturgeons lead and brought and end to the Right to Buy policy after 37 years.

According to the Financial Times, the First Minister cited the same concerns, namely that sales to tenants were rapidly depleting Wales social housing stock.

This contrasts with the position of the Conservatives in England, who are trying to make the policy sustainable by building in mechanisms to ensure replacement social housing is built as sales are made.

Man arrested over the Kingsmill Massacre

The Daily Mail reports that a man has been arrested by detectives investigating the sectarian murder of ten Protestant workmen in 1976.

Only days after a long-delayed inquest into the killings began, relatives were informed that a palm print from the getaway vehicle used by the republican paramilitaries who perpetrated the attack had a potential match in the PSNI database.

The attack was notionally carried out by a little-known republican group thought to be a front for the IRA, which was on ceasefire. In 2011 independent detectives on the Historical Enquiries Team found the IRA responsible.
Rebecca Coulson is a freelance writer, and was Parliamentary Candidate for the City of Durham at the 2015 General Election.

Decapitation isnt the best topic these days. Arguing about it with friends in St Jamess Park, Im surprised that Bernard Hogan-Howes grey-clad action men didnt smash towards us in a speedboat through the swans. We were discussing what Dr Sergio Canavero wants to do to Valery Spiridonov: hes planning to chop off his head with a specially-made knife But its ok! Because hell cool the head, drain it of blood, flush it with saline, and then glue it to the newly-headless body of a priorly-consenting brain-dead man.

News of this plot  the first human head* transplant  has been trickling through since Canavero initially announced his intentions in 2013. His dream, explained in over 100 academic publications, stems, apparently, from a lonely-boyhood love of Marvel comics. Last week, his heady volunteer, Spiridonov, held a press conference announcing that detailed plans of the procedure would be revealed in September.

Heres a recap. The wheelchair-bound Russian, Spiridonov, suffers from terminal disease, Werdnig-Hoffman. A computer scientist, he also used the press conference  in which he confirmed his desire to undergo the surgery  to promote Clever Chair, something he calls the first-ever autopilot wheelchair system. His Italian neuroscientist doctor, Canavero, has been working alongside Chinese colleagues, developing techniques to enable HEAVEN (or head anastomosis venture), the most significant of which is Gemini (which he proposes would allow Spiridonovs spinal cord to be fused to that in the donors body). Canavero contends that the 36-hour operation  which will need an 150-strong team, including virtual reality technicians, and cost around 15 million  has a 90 per cent chance of success, with Spiridonov likely to walk within six months.

His breakthrough, Canavero claims, will come on the back of gradual advance. In the 1970s, one monkeys head was sewn on to anothers body, albeit without spinal fusion (Canavero explains this nicely: Dr White hewed [my italics] to the view that a severed spinal cord could not be reconnected, thus leaving the animal paralyzed.). The monkey couldnt even breathe unassisted, but survived a week. Recently, more complex experiments have been carried out on mice.

Canavero has a TED talk, yet cynicism about him abounds  Its 100 years off!, Hes demented!, and, This is a hoax based on a movie! are not uncommon. He concluded a recent paper with the passive-aggressive acknowledgement: The author wishes to thank the thousands of scientists and patients from around the world who benefited him with their encouragement and suggestions.

If the operations constituent parts were possible, it would be a leap to combine them. Would Spiridonovs brain withstand cooling? Can Canavero truly connect spinal cords? Might the donor body reject Spiridonovs head? Would he outlive the subsequent month-long coma into which hed be induced, for recoverys sake? Questions persist, without beginning to consider ethicists complaints, or the cost-benefit analysis that might prioritise stem-cell research  the untapped potential of which makes even Canavero deem his project a second-rate resort in the face of the failure of medicine.

It was the word Brownson, however, that jumped into my head on reading about all this, which in turn made me think of my dad. It was one of those times when, selfishly, the thing I missed was answers. And maybe an opportunity to amuse his interest. Hed have been intrigued by lots thats happened in the few years since he died. But this story wouldve fit the overlap between his liking for science fiction (of the sort that appeals to people who are seriously mad about science) and his professional expertise in the philosophy of mind.

That brings us to Brownson  a character in a famous thought experiment devised by philosopher Sydney Shoemaker. Shoemaker describes two men who have had temporary brain extractions to treat tumours. Mistakenly, their brains are returned to the wrong bodies. One of the men (Browns body with Robinsons brain) dies; the other  dubbed Brownson  survives. Questions ensue, starting with: is Brownson the same person as Brown, or Robinson?

And now Canavero wants to enact this! Sure, itd be Spiridonovs head, not just his brain, thatd be given a new body  but its Shoemakers thought experiment in action, no? So, lets ask the Brownson question. Ok. But, doesnt it seem  basically  silly to think that Spiridonov wouldnt still be himself, simply because he had a different body? The newly created head-body chimera could hardly be the resurrected donor, could it? Or another person all together? Sorted.

Or is it? Brownson resides in an area my dad worked on so hard  the mind-body problem. This is a classic philosophical quandary asking: Am I identical with my body? Is my mind the same as part of it, say, my brain? Do any of those things constitute my self? If my mind isnt my brain, what is it? If its non-physical, how does it interact with the parts of me and the world that are physical? Could I exist without my body, or parts of it? What makes my body mine? How can I know? Could I have different bodies during my life, if, say, my cells regenerated, I had endless transplants, or sufficient of me was put into another body?

My brains hurting thinking about all this On limited reflection, however, Canaveros success  were it likely  wouldnt have given Dad new answers. Not least because the point about some of these questions is that, if youre arguing that there is something aside from the physical, it seems lacking to assume you could find answers about it in the way you can about physical things. That said, regarding Spiridonov  if he were to have the operation and survive  Im convinced Dad would have thought that he would have remained the same person. In Why my body is not me, he writes:

Very plausibly, for instance, a great many of my thoughts could exist even if all that were left of my animal body, following some horrible accident, were my head, kept alive by a life-support machine. A living human head, whether or not attached to a life-support machine  and, indeed, whether or not attached to the rest of an entire human animal  cannot by any reasonable standard be said to be an entire human animal.

He then argues that while he doesnt think, therefore, that the self is identical with, or reducible to the body, the brain, or any part or system within it, selves do most likely depend on embodiment for existence. So  although the body doesnt equate to the self, and the brain doesnt equate to the mind  the head (or at least the brain in it) seems essential to ones continued existence. Sure, Im assuming the dead body-donor has no more claims on the resultant head-body than a machine. But this might, nevertheless  in the midst of all the other questions  offer some small comfort to Spiridonov. I hope.

_____

*Yes, we should probably call it a body transplant, but it seems that terms already been appropriated for attempts to rehouse the brain alone.
The Daily Mail has been running a welcome campaign this week exposing the extravagant nature of the expense allowances of senior police officers.

Yesterday the paper reported that:

On top of huge salaries, some are quietly claiming allowances of up to 32,000 a year, including for day-to-day spending and household bills. Others are charging the public for private medical insurance  a privilege that most frontline officers never receive. And if they move jobs, highly paid chief constables routinely send removal bills to the taxpayer, including the cost of stamp duty, redecorating and new furniture. Incredibly, some senior officers are taking up to 64 days holiday a year  meaning they effectively work part-time  despite most earning more than the Prime Minister. Senior officers have taken the perks even as they complain bitterly over cuts and claim resources are so stretched that police cannot fight crime effectively.A failing chief constable has been claiming 30,000 a year in allowances, including money for his food and household bills; Another lives for free in an apartment in a castle as part of a relocation deal  on top of his 200,000-a-year salary; Dozens of officers have charged the taxpayer for moving house  even claiming for new curtains and electrical re-connections.

Phil Gormley, the head of Police Scotland, is living rent-free in part of a castle with 90 acres of grounds, while Stephen Kavanagh, the Chief Constable of Essex, takes a 17,000 allowance.

Today the paper adds:

At least 13 forces admitted hiring private drivers for senior officers. And 12 of them allow officers to claim first-class travel at public expense. A number of police chiefs charged the taxpayer for hotel accommodation for their drivers for up to three nights at a time, while they attended meetings or conferences. Most forces refused to say how many of their staff use first-class travel  so the true number of those claiming for the cost could be even higher. Former Merseyside chief constable Sir Jon Murphy, who stepped down from his 176,000-a-year role in June, had the use of two chauffeurs, despite claiming his force was so stretched for cash that in a major incident it couldnt cope. He kept the drivers, who were also used by his senior team, as he laid off more than 1,300 police staff.

These revelations are just the ones the answered the Daily Mails Freedom of Information requests. This morning the newspapers says that some refused:

Nine forces refused to respond to the Mails questions on taxpayer-funded medical cover, 11 on relocation payments and eight on bonuses. Eleven forces also refused to reveal how many days holiday their chief constables had taken. It later emerged some forces were even refusing to hand over information about pay and perks to independent reviewers for a Government-commissioned report.

The abuse of claiming for the cost of regular household bills and even Stamp Duty is reminiscent of the MPs expenses scandal.

Home Office regulations from 2003 allowed chief constables to set their own allowances  to be a law unto themselves. However they (or at least those in England and Wales) are now accountable to the Police and Crime Commissioners.

Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, says:

Directly elected PCCs are rightly responsible for decisions about the pay and allowances of their chief officers, and we are clear that these should be transparent and open to scrutiny by the communities they serve.

I am adamant that police forces cannot be opaque about such important matters, and I fully expect all forces to publish details of how they are spending taxpayer money.

Yet Im afraid the response from PCCs has been feeble. Generally they have remained silent  or tried to shrug off the matter as nothing to do with them. The independent PCC for Gloucestershire, Martin Surl, said:

It is not the job of PCCs to tamper with regulations that are contained in legislation.

But it would not be tampering with the regulations for Surl to say that in Gloucestershire he will not accept extravagant expenses and insist that there is full transparency on the police website. While the regulations might not require that if would be perfectly proper for Surl to do so  if he was minded to do his job properly.

While the rules should be changed to require transparency the PCCs should not be waiting for this. If the PCCs really feel they need more power to tackle the abuse then let they say so. The police are accountable to the PCCs. But let us also remember that the well paid PCCs are accountable to us.

It is for the relevant PCC to justify providing their chief constable with 64 days a year holiday, or two chauffeurs, or claiming for new household curtains. If they can not do so convincingly then they should stand aside.
The Bradley County Board of Education held a work session meeting on Tuesday evening in which members discussed the agenda for the AdvancED accreditation evaluation visit and the steps they have been taking to prepare for the visit.





Some of the tasks that the school system had to complete in order to meet the AdvancED standards for quality were to show examples of continuous improvement processes and update their policies and demographic information.



The school system as well as individual schools had to perform an internal review by conducting a self-assessment to determine whether or not the system met the criteria for AdvancED.



Stakeholder feedback was also gathered. Parents, students and staff filled out an online survey. Some factors to note were that not all parents were able to complete the survey, especially the English as a Second Language population. Other factors were that secondary students were less likely to complete the survey, the wording was confusing at times and parents with multiple students in the school system needed to be taken account of.



Other items that were discussed at the board meeting included recommendations from Tennessee School Boards Association, such as changes to school board records request process, the emergency preparedness plan, the unmanned aircraft policy, the policy against discrimination, hazing and bullying and student wellness plan.Requests for school board records can now be made via email. Prior to this, requests could only be made in person or online.



The emergency preparedness plan states that any school with an automated external defibrillator (AED) must conduct a CPR and AED drill to ensure students are aware of the steps that must be taken in the event of a medical emergency.



Adjustments that were made to the discriminating, hazing and bullying policy included a requirement that all complaints must be responded to within 24 hours. If not, the director must be notified in writing as to why there was no response. All investigations must be completed and appropriate actions taken place within 20 days, rather than 30 days.



The student wellness plan also had some adjustments. For kindergarten and first grade, the requirement is three 15-minute periods of non-structured physical activity per day. In grades two  six, a minimum of two 20-minute periods of non-structured physical activity at least four days per week is required. For grades 7-12, the requirement will stay the same at a minimum of 90 minutes of physical activity per week.

All policies were moved to consent agenda on first reading, with the exception of the unmanned aircraft policy, which was moved to the September meeting.




Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park invites the public to join the millions of visitors, past and present, to Lookout Mountain and participate in programs about historical visits to Point Park on Saturday, Aug. 20 beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m. The majority of these programs will be informal, with participants visiting living historians at their own pace. However, The Vacant Chair Studio will provide 1-hour, formal programs about Civil War photography at 9 am, 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Also, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., visitors can meet a tour guide from the 1890s/1900s as he takes you on a vintage tour of the park. Although programs are free, entrance to Point Park is $5.00 per adult, ages 16 and older (children, ages 15 and younger, enter free).

Lookout Mountain, looming over Chattanooga, draws visitors from near and far on a yearly basis. However, those wishing to take in the scenic views from the mountains summit have ascended the slopes far before there were paved roads or an Incline Railway. As far back as 1857, one could rent a room in the newly opened Lookout Mountain Hotel and take a quick stroll to the point of the mountain. Since then, the mountain has seen its fair share of tourists, including thousands of United States soldiers during the Civil War, the Spanish American War, and World War I, most having their photographs taken at Point Lookout. We hope you will join us as one of the millions of tourists who visit this historic mountain and are able to Find Your Park, as they once did, in the process.

For more information about upcoming programs at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, please contact the Lookout Mountain Visitor Center at 423-821-7786 or the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at 706-866-9241
Any person who loves the outdoors will immediately feel kindred to Phillip Gilmore of Sequatchie County. Mr. Gilmore recently visited the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) Region 3 office to deliver the gift of two taxidermied coyotes that he trapped. The coyotes, along with many other animals, now stand in the Region 3 lobby and will be used for educational purposes.

Taxidermy isnt something Mr. Gilmore ever thought hed present as a gift. As a matter of fact, Gilmore wasnt a trapper until two years ago. He decided to take a trapper education class offered by TWRA and pursue a new endeavor during his retirement. Mr. Gilmores grandfather and father took him hunting and fishing throughout his childhood and he continues these activities as an adult.



However two years ago, with retirement around the corner, Mr. Gilmore thought hed add to his skillset and find another reason to get outside. He enjoyed the class more than he expected. If youve never taken a trapping course, do it, he said. Youll learn things and your eyes will be opened to a world that most dont see.



TWRA, Region 3 trapper education courses cover more than just setting traps. Trappers know wildlife behavior, tracks and signs like no other and are very willing to share their knowledge. Trapping education instructor Bill Swan III explains, Anyone can set a trap; but actually knowing wildlife is what will make you successful.



Trapping is considered an old skill. Our ancestors found it a necessary tool for survival. Todays trappers are not trapping as much for hide and fur, but to control nuisance animals. Trapping is essential for predator control and nuisance wildlife. There is still a market for fur. However, fur prices have dropped over the last decade and populations of some animals in suburban areas continue to increase, said Mr. Swan.



Those interested in trapping will find the trapping groups in Tennessee overwhelmingly helpful. Mr. Gilmore had support of long term trappers such as Bill Swan III and Wildlife Officer Kyle Walling. Mr. Gilmore explained how he feels when trapping, Being outside is calming and it provides you an understanding of a larger world. Its also exhilarating and Id describe walking to a trap as anticipating a gift at Christmas.



TWRA employees not only appreciate Phillip Gilmores gift, but also the story that went with it and they overwhelmingly relate to his love of the outdoors. His story reflects something deep within TWRA employees that caused them to dedicate not only their education, but also their careers to enhancing and protecting wildlife across the great state of Tennessee.


Mayor Kelly invited the community to come out and hear about the plan to rezone the Airport Inn from C-2 to UGC so they can turn it into a....well, no one seems to know what. Is it a homeless shelter, a mental health facility, an assisted living home, another "fleabag motel", an apartment complex, all we know for sure is "that is not this" and "this is not that" according to Mayor ... (click for more)
Photos: Dwyane Wade Is Renting This Luxe Gold Coast Mansion

By Stephen Gossett in News on Aug 10, 2016 5:47PM



Dwyane Wade appears to be making his local return in style. The Chicagoland native, who signed with the Bulls last month, has now signed a lease for a mansion in the Gold Coast. Built in 1885 and renovated in 2011, the 10,000-plus-square-foot property was listed for $9.5 million before the listing was removed on Tuesday.

Fun fact: the mansion was also the family home for most of the run of the Webster, the Emmanuel Lewis-starring, Chicago-set sitcom that aired between 1983 and 1987.

Crain's first reported news of the rental on Tuesday.
Union rights

Take it to the streets!

With the election results confirmed, the Turnbull government is set to get on with the Abbott governments agenda. Union-busting tops the list of anti-worker measures. In particular, their sights are set on destruction of the militant Construction Division of the CFMEU, the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), Transport Workers Union and any other union that dares to fight for its members.

Police, ambulance and worksafe staff at the UC hospital building site where a crane is lying on its side. (Photo: Rohan Thomson)

The tragic death of yet another worker on a construction site in Canberra last week is a grim reminder of just how dangerous construction sites are and the importance of trade union rights and trade unions in ensuring the safety of workers.

The 62-year-old construction worker died after a mobile crane rolled over at the University of Canberra public hospital worksite in Belconnen. This is one of a number of recent accidents or near-miss accidents involving cranes in the ACT.

The death took place just days after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) raided the offices of the Construction Division of the CFMEU in Canberra. (See Guardian Another union busting weapon, 03-08-2016, #1742)

Following the raid of its offices in the ACT, the CFMEU issued a statement, saying that it makes no apology for negotiating enterprise bargaining agreements for its members under the Fair Work Act.

The CFMEU will defend the rights of construction workers to bargain for wages and conditions and condemns the use of the ACCC by Malcolm Turnbulls government to undermine these rights.

The government is using every weapon at its disposal to break workers and the trade union movement, essentially to prevent them from keeping workplaces safe and maintaining wages and working conditions. It wants bosses unions or no unions at all.

The lower the wage rates, the longer the hours, and the short-cuts on safety requirements serve one purpose  driving up private profits at the cost of lives, workers safety, wages and entitlements.

The use of the ACCC marks a heightening of the assault on trade unions and union rights and the criminalisation of legitimate trade union activity.

The construction industry is one of the most dangerous with fatality rates on major sites seven to ten times higher than for all other workers. Infrastructure construction has the highest fatality claim rate in Australia of 13.6 deaths per 100,000.

The aim of the Abbott/Turnbull governments Australian Building and Construction Commission bill and its Registered Organisation is to criminalise legitimate trade union activity in the industry, intimidate union activists and bankrupt the unions and their officials.

The Registered Organisations Bill sets out to impose stringent requirements on trade unions that go beyond those of corporations, including the restriction of political involvement and actions. It would establish a special Commission to police trade union financial activities.

Unlike the Australian Securities and Investments Commission which is supposed to police corporate law, it would be generously funded for hounding the union movement.

These two bills, the trigger for the double dissolution bill used to spark the recent election, are set to come before Parliament when it resumes this month.

Backfired

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull set out to rid the Senate of cross-benchers through electoral reform instead of waiting until the next general elections that were due in September.

This meant all Senate positions, instead of half were up for election, which halved the quota required to be elected. As a result the government lost three Senate positions and the minor parties and independents gained three. Labor came through with an additional Senator and the Greens lost one in South Australia where Nick Xenophons Team won three.

Turnbulls strategy backfired badly. The knives are still out for him in his own party. The Coalition have the slenderest of majorities in the Lower House.

The Coalition needs 114 votes in a joint sitting to pass the bills. In the House of Representatives it can rely on former Liberal Party Independent Cathy McGowan, giving it at least 77. Adam Bandt and Bob Katter have taken a stand against them. Andrew Wilkie at this time is an unknown.

In the Senate the Coalition has 30 of the 76 positions. Labor has 26, the Greens 9, One Nation 4, the Xenophon Team 3. There are four Independent Senators  Jacqui Lambie, Derryn Hinch, the Liberal Democratic Partys David Leyonhjelm and Family Firsts Bob Day. The Xenophon Team also have one MP.

Turnbull can count on the support of David Leyonhjelm and Bob Day, from the far right of politics. They are members of the New Right HR Nicholls Society which is pushing hard for the legislation. That brings the total to 109.

Jacqui Lambie previously opposed the bills, but has since expressed some concerns over the CFMEU. Her position is unclear.

The government still has to find another five votes. One can only speculate on how One Nation, the Xenophon Team and Hinch will vote. Xenophon has indicated support conditional on the acceptance of certain amendments. The One Nation vote might even be split.

There is little time left to campaign against the bills and expose the political agenda behind them.

These bills along with proposed changes to the ACCC and plans for a new industrial relations system are aimed at destroying the trade union movement. They must be defeated, through lobbying cross benchers and in action on the streets.
Photos: The Loop's Giant New Revival Food Hall Is Almost Ready To Open

By Anthony Todd in Food on Aug 10, 2016 6:35PM

We've been bringing you regular updates about Revival, the giant food hall that's going to change loop lunching forever (and we're not exaggerating) for months now, and the hall is finally just about ready to open. The hall is scheduled to open within the next couple of weeks, but we got a sneak peek and it's looking great.

Revival is the brainchild of the 16" on Center, the same group behind Dusek's, Longman & Eagle and The Promontory. Instead of stuffing a food court with Panera and Chipotle, the group reached out to some of Chicago's best independent neighborhood restaurants, and asked them to open smaller locations inside of Revival. That way, a visitor can get a real taste of Chicago, all in one place.

Vendors include:

Aloha Poke

Brown Bag Seafood Company

Farmers Fridge

Harvest Juicery

The Budlong

Antique Taco Chiquito

Furious Spoon

The Fat Shallot

Black Dog Gelato

Smoque BBQ

Graze Kitchenette

Danke

Union Squared

There's also a record store, Curbside Books & Records, and a bar/coffeeshop with pastries by Mindy Segal of Hot Chocolate.

Check out the spacious interiors, and let the countdown to a better lunch (and breakfast and after-work drinks) begin.
Trade targets health

Public Services International (PSI) has reported on a discussion paper  leaked by Associated Whistle-Blowing Press  which exposes negotiators of the secretive Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) who are discussing wide-ranging reforms to national public health systems which will promote offshoring of health care services and privatisation.

The proposal, reportedly tabled by the government of Turkey, was discussed by EU member states last September at the Geneva TISA negotiations. It suggests an annex on health care services in the TISA that would facilitate patients travelling abroad to access health services.

The proposal titled A concept paper on health care services within TISA Negotiations states there is huge untapped potential for the globalisation of healthcare services mainly because health care services is (sic) funded and provided by state or welfare organisations and is of virtually no interest for foreign competitors due to lack of market-orientated scope for activity.

The document goes on to explain that trade in health services may create opportunities and have benefits for the business partners involved in trade.

The proposal would raise health care costs in developing countries and lower quality in developed countries in Europe, North America, Australia and elsewhere, explains Dr Odile Frank, who has analysed the document for PSI. Frank argues that under such a proposal, costs to government would rise, as would premiums for health insurance.

According to PSI, the TISA proposal assumes that health services are a commodity like any other that can be handled by the market. Establishing trade in health services ignores public health aspects and will exacerbate inequality.

While the solutions proposed would benefit wealthy consumers and private health firms, analysis from Professor Jane Kelsey, an expert on trade in services, suggests that money will be drawn out of the national health system whose low level of investment is cited as one of the rationales for offshore treatment, and makes the problem self-perpetuating.

Kelsey argues that such reforms may put pressure on governments to introduce more individual account or voucher type systems and leaves patients and governments exposed to uncertainty and additional costs for follow-up care when they return home.

It is scandalous that proposals to dismantle the public health system are being discussed behind closed doors and the public must rely on leaks to find out what their governments are discussing on their behalf, comments PSI General Secretary, Rosa Pavanelli.

Health is a human right and is not for sale or for trade. The health system exists to keep our families safe and healthy, not to ensure the profits of large corporations, says Pavanelli.

The potential profits to corporate interests from privatised public health care is enormous. The weighted average GDP that goes to health care in the 50 countries in the TISA negotiations is 12.5 percent, and together their GDP expenditures on health amount to over US$6 trillion per annum, which represents over 90 per cent of annual global expenditure on health.

The TISA is promoted by some of the largest US corporations of the services industry and their lobby groups, such as the American Insurance Association and US insurance companies including AIG and Prudential, and health and disability insurers such as Liberty Mutual and Metlife.

Background

This is the third major leak of controversial texts from the TISA negotiations in recent months. In May, WikiLeaks leaked the financial services annex, which exposed US proposals to further deregulate the financial sector.

This was followed in December by the leaking of a proposal by the US Trade Representative that deals with E-commerce, technology transfer, cross border data flows and net neutrality. It prompted concern in non-US countries that the TISA would undermine privacy laws in the wake of the Snowden revelations.

In signs that the secrecy of the negotiations are becoming a problem, the TISA Rapporteur for the European Parliament, Luxembourger MEP Viviane Reding, said as recently as January 13 that the negotiations started with no transparency at all and that even currently Transparency is far from being perfect. She went on to say that TISA was at least as important as the TTIP.

The TISA is currently being negotiated between 23 parties (counting the EU as one) whose aim is to extend the scope and rules of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Unlike the GATS, the TISA negotiations are being conducted in secrecy and the parties refuse to release the negotiating text or supporting documents. Some countries have released limited documentation about their offers (for example Switzerland and the EU).

Prior to PSI publishing the first available critique, TISA vs Public Services, in March 2014, the negotiations had been shrouded in secrecy.

PSIs report outlines how TISA would prohibit failed privatisations being brought back into public hands and restrict governments from regulating privatised public services and other area of public interest such as laws to protect workers, consumers, small business and the environment.

For more information:

Concept paper on health care services within TISA Negotiations

Analysis by Dr Odile Frank for Public Services International (PSI)

Analysis by Professor Jane Kelsey, PSI website No Trade in Public Services
Solidarity with Cuba

On July 31, more than 150 people from many solidarity groups across Sydney attended an event at the Greek community Club in Lakemba.

The event, organised by the Sydney ACFS and the Cuba Solidarity Committee, was to commemorate Fidels 90th birthday and the 63rd anniversary of the attack on Moncada Barracks on July 26, 1953.

There were several speakers followed by short videos where Fidel was thanked by many, including Nelson Mandela and by some of the many thousands of international medical students studying in Cuba.

Cuban music was provided by Papalote followed by Jorge Trujillo Hernandez the First Secretary from the Cuban Embassy who thanked us all for attending and supporting Cuba.

A memorable night of solidarity.
Asbestos risk in Perth

On the week beginning July 11, workers on the construction of the new Perth Childrens Hospital were installing a ventilation shaft which passed through roof cladding installed earlier in the project, using angle grinders to cut holes into the material with accompanying dust. They raised concerns with management the following day and were told there was nothing to worry about.

The workers union, the Construction Division of the CFMEU, had their own tests conducted which uncovered the presence of chrysotile (white asbestos) in the dust.

The material was imported from China. About 40 of the workers have registered their health concerns with the lead contractor John Holland Constructions.

In response to the issues raised by the incident and to give union members and the public an opportunity to ask questions a seminar was convened by the CFMEU on July 23.

The first speaker was the long standing President of the Asbestos Diseases Society of Australia Robert Vojakovic who has been involved with ADSA for most of the organisations 35 year history. ASADA was established as a welfare and advisory service to assist the victims exposed to blue asbestos (crocidolite) in the former mining town Wittenoom, in WAs Pillbarra. What was of concern to Vojkovic was the long latency time for the disease as it often took from 20 to 50 years for the body to develop the disease and in that time the organisations who were responsible would often change shape or simply fold up, making it hard to recover compensation to cover the costs of treating people with the debilitating and often fatal disease.

President of the Australian Medical Association Dr Andrew Miller said the AMA is concerned that the workers were unnecessarily exposed to the risk in the first place.

The CFMEU said that too often when contracts were awarded they were awarded on cost only and did not take into account the problems and disruptions caused by dodgy materials including the quality of steel used in construction sourced from countries where quality control was unreliable (the material was imported from China).

The Communist Party of Australia calls on the WA state government to take over responsibility for administering the entire fallout and consequences of this failure of standards at the Perth Childrens Hospital site and that a full investigation be conducted into how it happened that asbestos ended up in such a vital state infrastructure.
Call for Timor Sea justice

I am totally in agreement with Nick Deanes letter on behalf of the Marrickville Peace Group, From Chilcot to the China Sea, (Guardian 13/07/2016).

The Chilcot Report definitely has implications for Australia given that former Australian PM, John Howard, at the urging of Tony Blair and George Bush, decided to involve us in the totally unnecessary and immoral war in Iraq which led to great death, suffering, homelessness and destruction for the Iraqi people.

The Iraq War followed numerous US total war interventions in other places.

James A Lucas, an American writer for the Indian on-line magazine Countercurrents (April 2007) has estimated that the US has been responsible for 20 to 30 million deaths because of invasions it has carried out and other violent interventions into various countries. Some examples are the wars in Indochina, Afghanistan, the Gulf War, Libya etc, the undermining of democratic governments  eg Guatemala in 1954,Indonesia in 1965, Chile in 1973 etc, the death squads in Nicaragua, and El Salvador and support for numerous repressive regimes around the world. And this list is not an exhaustive one.

It is obvious that Australians who work for peace in the world want our federal government to cease supporting this incredible amount of death, suffering, homelessness and environmental damage caused by the US Military Industrial Complex. As Nick stated in his letter, for Australia to regain its self-esteem it needs to become an independent and non-aligned nation that works for peace, social justice, human rights and care for the environment internationally.

On the matter of the China Sea, we now know that the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has ruled against China over maritime boundaries as a result of a complaint brought by the Philippines against Chinas activities in the South China Sea. We also know that the recently re-elected Turnbull government hails this decision and Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop, has called on China to abide by the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

There is a great deal of hypocrisy in Australias position on this matter, however. For 12 years, Australian governments have insisted that Timor-Leste agrees to a very unfair treaty whereby Australia is able to take oil and gas resources from Timor-Lestes half of the Timor Sea.

The amount concerned could be as high as $40 billion  an amount that is very much needed by the poorest nation in the region after it seeks to re-build and develop after 24 years of occupation by the fascist Indonesian military. Australia, the wealthiest nation in the region, is unfairly exploiting a very poor neighbour  one that suffered mightily for supporting Australia during World War II.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull need to realise that if Australia wants its demands that China should recognise UNCLOS in the China Sea to be taken seriously, they must also recognise the same convention in the Timor Sea. After all, they recognise the UNCLOS principle with NZ and the Solomon Islands. Why are they targeting our poorest neighbour so ruthlessly?

Timor-Lestes former resistance leader, president and PM, Xanana Gusmao, some time ago said that we need to work for world peace and to do this, we must work for international social justice.

Andrew (Andy) Alcock

Information Officer

Australian East Timor Friendship Association
Black Lives Matter rally

On the night of February 26, 2012, in Sanford, Florida, a neighbourhood watch coordinator George Zimmerman, after an altercation with an unarmed African American high school student, Trayvon Martin, shot and fatally wounded Martin. The incident sparked protests across the United States calling for justice for Trayvon Martin and an end to what many people both white and of colour saw as racially motivated violence.

As a response, in July 2013, three Black Queer women, Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi formed the Black Lives Matter Network, now known by its Twitter embodiment, #Black Lives Matter.

The movement which they created seeks to rebuild the Black liberation movement and address the institutionalised racism, extra judicial killings of Black people by police and vigilantes, the ways in which Black people are deprived of their basic human rights and dignity, the high rates of incarceration and the control, poverty and surveillance accorded to Black people.

The killing of Black teenager Michael Brown by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri on August 9, 2015, helped to propel #Black Lives Matter further into the public spotlight and this years multiple killings of Black men in the United States has helped to spread the cause of the movement beyond the shores of the USA.

There have been Black Lives Matters rallies in Sydney and Melbourne, attended by over 3,500 people, and now in Perth.

The rally was organised by a collective of three women, Yasmina, Christelle and Jeremie who called the event Black Lives Matter Peacefully Rally and was held at the Perth Cultural Precinct in Northbridge on July 23.

It was attended by over 400 people and commenced with a traditional Aboriginal smoking ceremony and welcome to country.

Perth has seen many rallies and protests on Aboriginal issues, from the closure of Aboriginal communities, Aboriginal deaths in custody, the Stolen Generations, land rights and native title. However, not since the anti-Apartheid protests of the 1970s and 1980s has there been a protest involving people of colour of the region and the world.

The organisers of the Perth Black Lives Matter Peacefully spread their message out across the city of Perth and the world through a Facebook account of the same name which had thousands of followers.

Aboriginal speakers included Selena and Robert Eggington, Mr Bropho and Mervyn Eades, the latter who had also recently been awarded a National Indigenous Human Rights Award.

Selena and Robert spoke on various aspects of the effects of the colonising experience on their Noongar Aboriginal people and the need to keep Black history alive to give positivity, identity and strength to current and future generations of Aboriginal people. The manner in which Aboriginal people see and look after land is not based on the Christian ethos, but in the ontology or being of Aboriginal culture and spiritually  their land (boodjar) is not meant to be bought or sold but to be looked after.

Mr Bropho gave a gut wrenching account of his experiences of incarceration which included accounts of the suicides of other Black inmates he had come into contact with as well as his own struggles in the various state incarceration facilities.

Mervyn Eades reminded the rally of the effects which institutionalisation was still having on todays generations of Aboriginal people.

Christelle, one of the rally organisers spoke of the African experience of being seen as the other in a white society. In addition to being Black and the issues that may bring, many Africans from northern and eastern countries of the continent such as Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia and Eritrea are also Muslim which raises the prejudices associated with Islamophobia.

The Communist Party of Australia supports the aims of the rally and calls for an end to all forms of racism and the politics of division and supports a culture of respect and recognition.
Bayer and Monsanto: A marriage made in hell

The two multinationals that teamed up during the Vietnam War to poison millions of people with the Agent Orange herbicide  US-based Monsanto and Germanys Bayer AG  are looking to become one.

Bayer has announced a bid to buy Monsanto in a deal that would expand Bayers GMO (genetically modified organism) and pesticide holdings and add drugs to Monsantos global portfolio. Monsanto has rejected the latest bid, but the two are still in talks.

If Monsanto, perhaps the most hated GMO company in the world, joins hands with Bayer, one of the most hated Big Pharma corporations on Earth (whose evil deeds date back to World War I and the Nazi era), the newly formed seed-pesticide-drug behemoth would have combined annual sales of $67 billion.

Thats a staggering figure. But heres another, even more alarming: Combined, the new mega-chemical/seed company would control 29 percent of the worlds seed market and 24 percent of the pesticide market.

The Bayer-Monsanto merger is the third recent proposed consolidation in the agriculture markets in just months, following on the heels of proposed mergers between chemical and agritoxics titans Dow and DuPont, and ChemChina and Syngenta.

All of a sudden we have three major transactions at the same time, Matt Arnold, an analyst with financial services firm Edward Jones, told The News Journal. One would think that would prompt regulators to really dial up the scrutiny and think long and hard about whether that much consolidation is in the best interest of farmers and consumers.

Indeed, reports the Journal, all three proposed mergers face antitrust reviews by agencies in the US, Europe and China, including by the Federal Trade Commission, US Department of Justice, the European Commission and stockholders of the publicly traded companies.

Already Bayer shareholders have spoken out, terming the move for Monsanto arrogant empire-building, reported Reuters. Shareholders also worry that the takeover would dilute Bayers core drug business currently flush with sales of its blood-thinner Xarelto and Eylea, a drug to treat blindness.

As noted, this is not the first time Bayer and Monsanto will have teamed up, if the deal goes through. During the Vietnam war, Bayer was involved in the development of Agent Orange production ... carried out at the firm Mobay, founded jointly by Bayer and Monsanto, says the Coalition Against Bayer Dangers.

The defoliant herbicide Agent Orange was sprayed over millions of acres in Vietnam for over a decade in Operation Ranch Hand, despite numerous scientific studies and thousands, later millions, of medical cases linking the toxic chemical to birth defects and stillbirths in animals and humans.

A history of unsafe drugs

Bayer and Monsanto both sell controversial toxic agricultural chemicals and GMO seeds. But if Bayers bid to take over Monsanto goes through, it would mark Monsantos first entry into Big Pharma.

Last year, Bayer was named the ninth largest drug company in the world on the basis of its yearly revenue of US$25.47 billion. The drug giant, though, has been beset with drug safety scandals, including deaths, for at least three decades. Here are just a few of the scandals that made the news:

 Blood-clotting drug spread AIDS

In the 1980s, Bayers Cutter Laboratories unit sold Factor VIII concentrate, a blood-clotting medicine made using blood plasma from donors. Though Factor VIII carried a high risk of transmitting AIDS and Bayer knew, Bayer continued to sell the drug in Asia and Latin America while selling a new, safer product in the West.

In Hong Kong and Taiwan alone, more than 100 haemophiliacs got HIV and many have since died, reported the New York Times. Cutters financial investment in the product was considered too high to destroy the inventory, said William Heisel of the Centre for Health Reporting. Cutter continued to sell the contaminated AHF [anti-haemophiliac factor] to markets willing to accept it, including overseas markets in Asia and Latin America, without the recommended precaution of heat treating the product to eliminate the risk.

 Statin Baycol recalled

In 2001, Bayer withdrew its lucrative new statin drug Baycol because more than 50 people had died and more than six million patients were at risk from the deadly side-effects of rapidly dissolving muscle tissue. Bayer removed the drug from pharmacy shelves in the US, Europe and Japan, and US and German lawyers announced that they are planning an amended class-action lawsuit in the US that would allow European victims to seek damages.

As the number of deaths grew, Bayer stuck to its story that there is currently no proof that the drug is the cause of the deaths and assured shareholders that our sales this year will increase even though Baycol will now be absent. Recently, Bayer was sentenced to pay damages to Baycol victims in Argentina and Italy. Internal documents show that Bayers management was aware of the serious health risk for patients and even ignored warnings from within the company, according to the Coalition Against Bayer Dangers.

 Yaz birth control pill linked to deaths

Bayers Yaz birth control pill promised to clear up acne and treat severe premenstrual syndrome in addition to preventing pregnancy. But soon after its launch in 2006, there were reports of associated blood clots, gall bladder disease, heart attacks and strokes. The pill contained drospirenone, a drug that had never before been marketed in the US and likely caused the heart problems through elevated potassium and a change in the bloods acid balance.

TV advertisements for Yaz in 2008 were so misleading that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in a rare move, ordered Bayer to run correction ads. Thousands of injuries and approximately 100 deaths were linked to Yaz in law filings that followed.

 Xarelto: shady approval of a dangerous drug

In 2012, the New York Times reported on a class of new anti-clotting drugs which have no antidote and can cause alarming bleeding deaths. Bayers Xarelto is one of them. Even as 379 deaths have been linked to Xarelto, there are reports of hidden and falsified data and faulty technology that helped win the controversial drug FDA approval. Trials were conducted by Duke Universitys Robert Califf, who later became the new FDA Commissioner. No conflict of interest there.

 Baytril, animal antibiotic blocked by FDA

A 2015 Bayer brochure, coinciding with public awareness of antibiotic abuse in livestock, says Bayer Animal Health objects to routine prophylactic use in healthy animals of fluoroquinolones, a type of antibiotic.

Yet it was just such prophylactic use that got Bayers fluoroquinolone Baytril blocked by the FDA a decade ago. The FDA said the routine use of Baytril in chickens has made it difficult for doctors to treat human patients who have food poisoning. The Union of Concerned Scientists called the decision a big victory for public health. The FDA Commissioner at the time, Lester Crawford, remarked that Baytril has not been shown to be safe for use in poultry. The FDA continues to struggle against the powerful lobbying of drug companies selling livestock antibiotics, often by the ton.

The devils chemists

Many people have heard rumours about Bayers roles in World Wars I and II. Sadly, they are true and sometimes worse than have been reported. Carl Duisberg, the Bayer General Director for decades, was personally involved in the development of poison gas such as Mustard Gas in World War I and pushed for its use on the front  contrary to international law, reports the Coalition Against Bayer Dangers.

Duisberg demanded the deportation of tens of thousands of Belgian forced labourers, according to the Coalition, and strongly supported the merging of the German chemical industry to create the IG Farben conglomerate implicated in Nazi atrocities.

The IG Farben cartel was crucial to the Nazi war effort by supplying synthetic fuel, rubber, and other chemicals, reports Natural News. The cartel also manufactured Zyklon-B, the nerve gas used to kill millions at the concentration camps of Auschwitz, Birkenau and elsewhere. Later known as the devils chemists, IG Farben used unwilling inmates of the concentration camps as slave labourers and guinea pigs to test chemicals, pharmaceuticals and vaccines. Tens of thousands died, and those who became too ill to be of any use were murdered in the gas chambers.

It is hard to believe a company linked to the Holocaust, including horrific experiments conducted on concentration camp victims, would be thriving in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical and GMO sectors. But its true, as evidenced by this correspondence between an Auschwitz camp commander and Bayer Leverkusen, which cites the sale of 150 female prisoners for experiments:

With a view to the planned experiments with a new sleep-inducing drug we would appreciate it if you could place a number of prisoners at our disposal ...  We confirm your response, but consider the price of 200 RM per woman to be too high. We propose to pay no more than 170 RM per woman. If this is acceptable to you, the women will be placed in our possession. We need some 150 women ...  We confirm your approval of the agreement. Please prepare for us 150 women in the best health possible ...  Received the order for 150 women. Despite their macerated condition they were considered satisfactory. We will keep you informed of the developments regarding the experiments ...  The experiments were performed. All test persons died. We will contact you shortly about a new shipment ...

From chemical warfare to crop science

Bayer is in agrochemicals and GMOs as deeply as Monsanto, the company it seeks to buy. In 2008, the Coalition Against Bayer Dangers brought a charge against the Bayer Board of Management with the Public Prosecutor in Freiburg (south-western Germany) accusing Bayer of contributing to the mass deaths of bees all over the world through its aggressive pesticide marketing. Since then, the bee debacle has only grown worse, with thousands of hives collapsing after poisoning by the pesticide clothianidin, producing a worldwide crisis.

Since 1991, Bayer has been producing the insecticide imidacloprid, one of the worlds best-selling insecticides. Imidacloprid is used to pre-treat genetically modified corn, sunflower and rape seed (canola) seeds, despite evidence that pre-treating seeds with insecticides is ineffective. Imidacloprid was one of Bayers top pesticides, exported to more than 120 countries. When its patent expired, Bayer brought a similarly functioning successor product, clothianidin, into the market in 2003. Both substances are systemic chemicals that work their way from the seed through the plant. The substances also get into the pollen and the nectar and can damage beneficial insects such as bees.

In 2006, the Washington Post reported that Bayers GMO rice LLRICE 601, endowed with bacterial DNA that makes the rice plant resistant to a weed killer made by the agricultural giant Aventis, was spreading out of control. US commercial supplies of long-grain rice had become inadvertently contaminated with the rice not approved for human consumption, said US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns.

The following year, Bayer admitted it was unable to control the spread of its genetically engineered organisms despite the best practices [to stop contamination], demonstrating once again that all outdoor field trials or commercial growing of GMO crops must be stopped.

Europe has been way ahead of the US in acknowledging such dangers and banning GMOs and dangerous pesticides.

Is merger a sign of decline?

While a Bayer-Monsanto deal (like a DuPont-Dow deal or ChemChina-Syngenta deal) certainly threatens the world food supply with domination by GMOs and destructive agrochemicals, there may be an under-reported bright side: Industries that are doing well generally spin off; industries that are performing poorly generally merge and consolidate.

Recent reports suggest the stock of large agricultural, biotech and seed companies, including Monsanto, is foundering  a likely reflection of the growing, worldwide rejection of their products. Moreover, even though a long-awaited, industry-friendly US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report did not find human dangers in consuming GMOs, it also definitively did not find that they produced greater crop yields. Wait, wasnt that the justification given for creating GMO crops in the first place?

Thanks in large part to the global anti-GMO and Millions Against Monsanto movement, Monsanto, the biotech bully, is on the ropes. The company hopes well forget its evil deeds by changing its name.

Not a chance. On October 14-16, whether or not the merger with Bayer goes through, the US-based Organic Consumers Association and the global grassroots will expose Monsantos crimes against humanity and the environment at the Monsanto Tribunal, a citizens tribunal which will take place in The Hague, Netherlands.

Perhaps its time to put Bayer and Big Pharma on trial as well and build an even larger global united front: Billions Against Bayer-Monsanto.

Third World Resurgence
Cuba

Culture in Revolution

In June of 1961, Fidel gave a speech which became known as his Words to Intellectuals, rightly considered a fundament element of revolutionary Cubas cultural policy.

June 16, 23, and 30, 1961, were intense days of open, frank discussion at Jose Marti National Library in Havana. Fidel and a significant group of Cuban writers and artists from various disciplines held a dialogue, during which concerns, doubts, and problems related to the creation and distribution of ideas, art and literature surfaced. Relations between the countrys nascent institutions and the intellectual community were addressed.

Fidel Castro during the speech known as Words to Intellectuals.

On the final day, Fidel gave a speech which became known as his Words to Intellectuals, rightly considered a foundational element of revolutionary Cubas cultural policy.

First of all, it is significant that the Comandante en Jefe made time and devoted energy to a meeting of this kind. Only a few months had passed since the mercenary invasion at Playa Giron on the Bay of Pigs, and while the victory was fresh in everyones mind, the drums of war had not ceased. On the contrary, Washington had redoubled its efforts to engender counterrevolutionary bands around the country; the cruel effects of the blockade were being felt in the daily life of the population; and South Florida was being established as the nesting ground of subversion for the US dependent bourgeoisie which had been defeated in Cuba.

Regardless, the countrys political leadership considered the dialogue necessary, one that could not be delayed. Culture was a priority  and as we will see, continued to be, and is today. Between 1959 and 1961, amidst profound, radical socio-economic transformations, and the sharpening of conflict between the US and Cuba, founded were the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry, the Casa de las Americas, the national printing facility, and re-founded were the National Ballet, under the direction of Alicia Alonso, and the National Symphony Orchestra. The National Theatre began to take shape, and just hours before the aggression at Giron began, the training of arts instructors for primary and secondary schools was launched.

The most transcendental cultural project underway at that time was the Literacy Campaign, with more than 268,000 volunteers, in every corner of the country. Some 707,000 people learned to read and write, in less than a year.

There have been many malicious distortions of the letter and spirit of a single, oft-quoted phrase in Fidels speech: Within the Revolution, everything; against the Revolution, nothing. Sometimes against is replaced with outside or the statements broad, inclusive foundation is confused with an intention to restrict, diametrically opposed to this very precise political formulation. The idea was, and is, synonymous with unity within diversity, construction of a consensus, beyond current or possible differences, a broad variety of points of view, beyond sects and dogmas. Against was and is the inalienable right of the Revolution to exist and defend itself, then and now, against aggression, threats, and dangers.

Fidel expressed a basic principle, Allow me to tell you that, in the first place, the Revolution defends liberty, that the Revolution has brought the country a great number of liberties, that the Revolution cannot, by its very nature, be an enemy of liberties; if someones concern is that the Revolution may suffocate the creative spirit, this concern is unnecessary, this concern is unjustified.

He stated later, It is possible that men and women, who in reality have a truly revolutionary attitude, may not constitute a majority of the population; revolutionaries are the vanguard of the population. But revolutionaries must aspire to having the entire people march forward with them.

The Revolution cannot forego that all honest men and women, be they writers or artists, march forward with it; the Revolution must aspire that everyone who has doubts becomes a revolutionary; the Revolution must attempt to win over the greatest portion of the population with its ideas; the Revolution must never renounce counting on the majority of the people, counting not only on revolutionaries, but on all honest citizens, although they may not be revolutionaries  that is to say, that although they may not have a revolutionary attitude about life  they are with the Revolution.

A re-reading of Words to Intellectuals leads us to consider a broad range of issues and proposals, whose relevance, in the majority of cases, should guide our current efforts.

Of special significance among these is the prospect of creating and supporting a system of cultural institutions to encourage creative work, and promote it on a broad scale socially. The democratisation of culture has been one of the pillars of the Revolutions efforts in this arena of life.

Fidels dream of creating the conditions which allow all artistic, literary or scientific talent, of any kind, to be developed, has been coming true.

A year after these words came the creation of the National Art Schools, of Cubanacan  the cornerstone of an arts education program later extended throughout the country  providing children and youth, who because of their origins could not even dream of academic training, access to this type of training and skills in a wide range of artistic expressions. This process has continued, reaching unprecedented levels, with highly qualified musicians, dancers, visual artists, actors, and performers graduating every year.

Those meetings, in June of 1961, established an ongoing, fluid channel of communication between the countrys political leadership and its artistic and intellectual movement.

Writer Ambrosio Fornet has commented, What he (Fidel) said was that we all belonged to a single movement that we called the Cuban Revolution, a movement of transformation. And the question he asked intellectuals and artists was: How are you going to participate in this process? What can you contribute to this process? He left a response to both of these, and at the same time, one for practical activity, for real functioning, not in accordance with preferences, but in order to insert the cultural debate within the process of change.

Fidel was the one who unequivocally asserted, The Revolution means precisely more culture and more art, reaffirming the commitment of the countrys political vanguard to this essential dimension of development.

He who then proclaimed, We are going to make war on ignorance, we are going to wage a battle against ignorance, we are going to ignite an irreconcilable argument against ignorance, was the same person who years later, in the 1990s, amidst the hardship and tenacious resistance of those difficult times, said Culture is the first thing that must be saved.

Granma
Continue Reading Below Advertisement

You don't want to see what they used to loosen people up for kidney stones.

In the late 1800s, when our great-great-grandparents were young, they too were into butt stuff. It was believed that one way to cure constipation was to power a four-inch doughboy up your kaiser and leave it there overnight. This idea was first inspired by a surgical device affectionately referred to as a "bougie." It was used by medical professionals to aid the defecation process by simulating the type of anal widening that occurs naturally only after a five-course meal at your local discount burrito joint. From there, it didn't take long for some enterprising spirit to come up with a do-it-yourself kit. And that's when the good times started.

Continue Reading Below Advertisement

As mentioned in one of our many, many previous articles on butt stuff, the devices were also sold over the counter as Dr. Young's Ideal Rectal Dilators, and at $2.50 a box, they weren't always sold for strictly medical purposes. Not content to just advertise them as a rock poop excavator, "Dr." Young claimed his dilators were a cure-all, much like snake oil (which did come in handy during the insertion process). Even "three-fourths of all the howling maniacs of the world" could be completely cured "in a few weeks' time by the application of orificial methods."
Continue Reading Below Advertisement

Hardcore fans of Visual Kei are known as "bangya," which is both a Japanese portmanteau of "band girl," and an accurate description of their hobbies. Sonya insists that a real bangya would never sleep with her honmei, even if they ejaculated free concert tickets. But there are still plenty of horny female fans out there who would, which is why some groups cash in by turning themselves into musical prostitution rings.

"We call this 'mitsu,'" Sonya explains. "Every month you send your favorite band member an amount of money. If you go low-end, it could be anywhere from a month. In these kinds of relationships, you get to maybe talk with the guy on the phone. The more expensive ones can go as high as a month. What you usually get with these are dates and sex. He will meet you, take you to Disneyland, bring you home, fuck you, and whisper how he loves you.

Rob Young/Wiki Commons

The Happiest Place Ending On Earth

Continue Reading Below Advertisement

I once met a girl who pays a month, and for that, she had a song written about her by her honmei ... I've never done mitsu, and it gives me the creeps."

The whole practice is very hush-hush, but also widespread in the industry. That's why, according to Sonya, "A lot of bands are just in it for the pussy. Some literally don't even know how to play their instruments because they don't have to. When I ask my friends why they like this or that band, they talk about how cute the bassist is, etc."
Lincoln Square's New Knife Steakhouse Will Open In September

By Anthony Todd in Food on Aug 10, 2016 2:55PM



One of the dry-aged steaks at Knife. Photo by Eric Craig Studios.

Fork, the popular farm-driven restaurant in Lincoln Square, has been planning to open a sister restaurant for some time. First announced in February, Knife will bring dry-aged steaks and re-inventions of classic steakhouse dishes to the neighborhood.

While we can't stop giggling about the name (since Spoon is already a restaurant in the neighborhood, if they open another spot it'll have to be called Spork), the team behind Fork is renowned for serving up inventive, locally-sourced fare. Fork has won awards for its wine list, topped a list of the best chicken and waffles in Chicago and has survived in a competitive neighborhood for a decade, so clearly owners David and Paula Byers and Chef Timothy Cottini know their business.

The space is a gut rehab of the old Chalkboard space, which was a well-liked French restaurant that closed in 2014 after an unfortunate and brief re-concept into Homegrown, a mediocre breakfast cafe. The space has been empty since then.

At Knife, which opens in mid-September, expect new takes on dishes like the iceberg wedge salad (except made with locally-grown iceberg and topped with Maine lobster), shrimp cocktail, lobster bisque and more. The dish on the menu that has us salivating with anticipation is the oxtail doughnut holes, a savory interpretation of the junk food treat filled with braised oxtail. The restaurant will also offer tableside Caesar salad service, which makes us shiver with glee.

The steaks, of course, will be the primary focus, and Knife will offer a variety of Angus cuts. While they announced that their meat will be bought from "Illinois and Iowa farmers," we look forward to hearing more about their sourcing, given Cottini's local food credentials from Fork. Practically none of Chicago's nice steakhouses source their beef locally, and a neighborhood restaurant doing in-house dry aging is definitely something to pay attention to.

Knife is located at 4343 N. Lincoln Ave.
Sussex News

Story Saved

You can find this story in My Bookmarks.

Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.
War Of Words Heats Up Between Chicago Public Schools And Teachers Union

By aaroncynic in News on Aug 10, 2016 7:21PM



CTU President Karen Lewis and Vice President Jesse Sharkey at a press conference on March 23, 2016. (Photo by Aaron Cynic/Chicagoist) its proposed budget Monday.

In a Tuesday meeting with the Tribunes Editorial Board, Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool said that teachers would have to accept the contract they rejected earlier this year or classrooms would face cuts.

"The alternative is cuts to the classroom, Claypool told the Editorial Board. "We don't believe it's the right thing to do, and we're hopeful that upon reflection the teachers union will understand that's not the right thing to do either."

The districts proposed $5.4 billion budget already contains more than $200 million in cuts. It also relies heavily on the State of Illinois coming through on its promise to cover some pension costs, and the CTU accepting a contract it already rejected.

The union rejected a contract in January because the district wanted to eliminate its 7 percent pension pickup. But the districts proposed budget assumes that teachers will walk back the rejection and take the offer. Lewis however, has said otherwise.

"If the Board of Education imposes a 7 percent slash in our salaries, we will move to strike, she said at a Monday press conference.

Claypool has said that the only entity involved in the districts fiscal woes has been the union. Hes argued that the state has agreed to put up money, that CPS has made additional cuts and that the City of Chicago is plunking down extra tax revenue.

"That leaves only the teachers' union as the obstacle to, you know, protecting our classrooms, Claypool said.

On Monday though, Lewis said that teachers were already giving all they could:

And, though educators have already returned about $2 billion in salary and benefits to the district, with $100 million being returned this year alone, we are being asked to give more when there is nothing left to give. Understand that budget cuts impact students; they include cuts to programming, staffing and services.

CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey said that putting the blame on teachers was hypocritical and unacceptable.

"I think if he wants to take a look at who's been doing the cutting and who's responsible for the cutting, he should look in the mirror," said Sharkey.

The potential of another strike means that both sides will continue to heat up the war of words between them. But while officials are trying to force all of the blame on the teachers, the oft used CPS is broke on purpose retort from the union has merit. The Sun-Times reports that some central office departments are seeing increases in both their budgets and staff, and it appears that some new departments have been created.

And while the revenue from Emanuels massive property tax hike is certainly needed, that seems to be one of the only revenue streams either he or the district have been willing to entertain. While Claypool says there is no pot of gold, he seems to be leaving out that there is at least some money available if the city were to implement any number of progressive tax solutions that have been floating around for years, along with the citys TIF slush fund.

While many of those ideas have been written off at one time or another, usually because they hit the wealthiest (who happen to be a big donor base) hardest, theyre worth seriously considering. Eventually, there might not be anything left to cut.


Editor's Note : Pastor Roger Barrier's "Ask Roger" column regularly appears at Preach It, Teach It. Every week at Crosswalk, Dr. Barrier puts nearly 40 years of experience in the pastorate to work answering questions of doctrine or practice for laypeople, or giving advice on church leadership issues. Email him your questions at roger@preachitteachit.org.

Dear Roger,

So much of the world is focused on what is happening right now in the Middle East--especially in Iraq. Does the Bible have anything to say about Iraq?

Sincerely, Stacy

Dear Stacy,

Yes, the Bible has a lot to say about Iraq and its impact on world events in the last days. In fact, the only city mentioned more times in the Bible than Babylon is Jerusalem.

The History of Babylon is intertwined with that of Israel.

1. The Garden of Eden was in Iraq (Genesis 2:10-14).

2. Adam and Eve were created in Iraq (Genesis 2:10-14).

3. Satan made his first recorded appearance in Iraq (Genesis 3:1).

4. Sin originated in Iraq (Genesis 3:1-6).

5. The first murder occurred in Iraq (Genesis 4:1-16).

6. Noah built the ark in Iraq (Genesis 6:1-22).

7. While living in Iraq, Nimrod, developed false religious systems that today circle the globe (Genesis 11:1-10).

8. The tower of Babel, which instigated the development of the many languages throughout the earth, was in Iraq (Genesis 11:7-9).

9. The actual nation of Babylon, which destroyed Jerusalem and took many Jews into captivity in 603--586 BC is present day Iraq (Daniel 1:1-2).

10. The wise men were from Iraq (Matthew 2:1-2).

11. St. Peter most likely preached in Iraq (1 Peter 5:13).

12. Jonah preached to the lost people of Nineveh, that was located in Iraq (>Jonah 1:1-4-11).

13. What started in Babylon (sin) will end in Babylon (destructive judgment).

Revelation 18:8-10: Therefore in one day her (Babylons) plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: 'Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!'

According to biblical prophecy, Babylon is destroyed just before the return of Christ.

There is much discussion as to the nature of Babylon as portrayed in the book of Revelation. Some look at it as being symbolic of a political-spiritual-economic system that engulfs the world in the final days.

Others consider Babylon to be secret code for the city of Rome.

Some think of Babylon as being the physical, spiritual expression of Rome with New York City being the center of economic Babylon. I find that rather far-fetched.

Then, others identify Babylon as the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope in particular.

No matter how we interpret Babylon, the Bible makes it clear that the land of Babylonnot Rome, not the United States, not Germany, not Russia and not Chinawill be a focal point of all prophecy in the last days.

Literally, Babylon is portrayed in Revelation as an actual place built on the same foundation as ancient Babylon.

Many wonder how this insignificant, out-of-the-way place, could be the Babylon revealed in Revelation. The answer may revolve around oil, the Antichrist, and Satan. Some are calculating that Iraq has larger oil reserves than Saudi Arabia. By 2030 Iraq could be the worlds leading oil producer.

In the last days a Western coalition will defeat the Islamic nations and usher in 42 months of peace and security. At that point, the devastating events of the last three and half years of Great Tribulation will commence.

There is no doubt that Islamic terrorists are doing all they can to secure nuclear weapons. We may be the generation that sees the rise and fall of Babylon the Great.

So we watch what goes on with Iraq. It may give us a tip-off that the Signs of the Times are underway.

So, Stacy, I hope that some of these thoughts have stimulated your thinking about the relationship of Iraq and the Bible.

Love, Roger

Dr. Roger Barrier retired as senior teaching pastor from Casas Church in Tucson, Arizona. In addition to being an author and sought-after conference speaker, Roger has mentored or taught thousands of pastors, missionaries, and Christian leaders worldwide. Casas Church, where Roger served throughout his thirty-five-year career, is a megachurch known for a well-integrated, multi-generational ministry. The value of including new generations is deeply ingrained throughout Casas to help the church move strongly right through the twenty-first century and beyond. Dr. Barrier holds degrees from Baylor University, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Golden Gate Seminary in Greek, religion, theology, and pastoral care. His popular book, Listening to the Voice of God, published by Bethany House, is in its second printing and is available in Thai and Portuguese. His latest work is, Got Guts? Get Godly! Pray the Prayer God Guarantees to Answer, from Xulon Press. Roger can be found blogging at Preach It, Teach It, the pastoral teaching site founded with his wife, Dr. Julie Barrier.

Publication date: August 10, 2016
A computer-generated image of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant.

The Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant stoppage by Theresa May's government has revised issues between China and U.K. The review comes at a strange time, and is giving a hint as to the premiership of May or what it might turn out to be. Post EU Referendum, May took over the reins from David Cameron and his right hand man George Osborne. Within the first month, there was a massive purge at the front benches of the British parliament, and surprisingly, May sent every one even vaguely notable or associated with the previous government, to the back benches. It is surprising because for a Tory party government with a razor thin majority she seems to be quite cavalier about antagonizing her own party heavyweights, those same people whose support she will need in any serious parliamentary votes. Whether this is prudent and calculating, or just plain dumb, remains to be seen. It could be possible that she is counting on the support of rebel Labour party members, in crucial votes, but again, that's risky politics.

This brings us to the Hinkley point issue. First of all, it is understandable that a new PM will take time to review the projects of her predecessor, especially something which might be related to national security and energy. One cannot imagine the same pro-market swagger from May, like Cameron and Osborne, considering that the same party has been hammered in the EU Ref polls, and considering that Labour has been losing the social conservative and fiscally leftwing votes to the Tories for some time. It was a calculated decision, and it was completely in character with Theresa May and marked how her tenure might play out; cautious and socio-economically much more left wing than her predecessor. However, the way it was done reeked of rank amateurism. The review and stoppage was announced at the last moment, without any proper notice. It left the journalists and the Chinese side waiting for the inauguration in limbo, and it left the workers' unions in shock.

The questions that circulated here were two fold; firstly, is it a dangerous security risk, and secondly, how much will it affect Britain's reputation now that it is trying to bargain a place out of the EU and trying to have more foreign investments from big economies?

The answer to the first question is that it is unlikely that it is going to be a security risk for the U.K. Nuclear energy is one form of energy which inspires a lot of fear and paranoia among everyone, even though scientifically it has been proven to be the safest and cheapest source of energy and power for a power starved society. It is much more ecofriendly than coal or oil, it is much more economically feasible than wind or solar energy, and it is statistically the safest source of power with the least option of accidents, even post Fukushima. It is impossible to believe and is a stable fodder for conspiracy theories, but it doesn't change the fact that it is the safest source of energy.

The second point is inter-governmental security risks, or in other words, espionage between China and the U.K. Even considering this, it's safer and has already passed a GCHQ test under the previous government. First of all, the security infrastructure will have to be vetted by the government during construction and will be under constant supervision by the British government. Secondly, the software and other cybersecurity will be vetted by the government as well. For example, according to Motherboard, 50 percent of BT's 21st Century Network runs on equipment by Huawei, which has been carefully vetted by a group of former GCHQ employees set up by the government to check through any potential leaks. So, to sound the simple drum, there is a minimal risk of espionage.

The risk however is one of signaling. To put it simply, the U.K. cannot afford to upset everyone on the planet. The May government can afford to take this risk, because of an incompetent opposition, but it is neither prudent nor commendable. The U.K. needs investment from outside, and these kinds of reckless acts give false signals to potential outside investors and scare the market. Can Theresa May really afford this at this juncture?

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
Second quarter earnings calls from Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings painted a differing picture of Caribbean capacity concerns.

Frank del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, said that a doubling of Caribbean capacity during the lowest-yielding season delivered pricing that was less robust than (high) expectations.

The strong fundamentals (of the region) remain intact, he said, adding that expectations of strong pricing growth did not fully materialize. Additionally, a 40-day charter of the Norwegian Getaway to serve as a hotel ship for the Rio Olympics helped alleviate pricing pressure, said del Rio.

Del Rio noted a steep capacity increase in Miami for Caribbean itineraries.

The whole story on the Caribbean for us is not one of market weakness, said del Rio. Our ships our outperforming year-over-year. Its a recognition that the high expectations just arent being met and we believe that is almost exclusively due to the heavy concentration of inventory in the weak period (summer). That is why we announced the Norwegian Getaway is moving out of Miami to the Baltic.

Later in the call del Rio noted lofty expectations, and underscored that performance was up year-over-year in the Caribbean. He said Norwegian had more capacity in the Caribbean in 2016 compared to 2015, while competitors had less capacity, and the opposite situation will happen in 2017.

That Caribbean capacity increase will continue in 2017, as Celebrity Cruises has already confirmed the Equinox will stay year-round in Miami, dropping its Europe program, and more ships from other brands are expected to follow as geopolitical tensions continue in Europe.

At Royal Caribbean Cruises, Jason T. Liberty, chief financial officer, said that the Caribbean was performing on his companys earnings call.

Our Caribbean, Alaska and Bermuda itineraries account for about 50 percent of our full year capacity and continue to trend very well, said Liberty. We expect each of these products to generate nice yield improvements this year and also expect to see record yields in Alaska. We are generally seeing solid trends for our entire Caribbean portfolio which ranges from three-night Bahamas sailings to 14-night- Southern Caribbean itineraries.

Carnival Corporations President and CEO Arnold Donald also pointed to a stable region on Carnivals Q2 call.

Bookings in the Caribbean and Alaska for the remainder of the year are very strong for our brands, enabling us to raise our revenue yield expectations and affirming our conviction to deliver over 20 percent earnings growth this year, said Donald on the June 28 call.

David Bernstein, chief financial officer, Carnival Corporation also added: Caribbean occupancy is well-ahead of the prior year at nicely higher prices.

MSC Cruises, which is a private company and does not report earnings, is offering week-long Caribbean Cruises on its MSC Divina starting at $399 per person.
We can't seem to find the page you are looking for.

You may have typed the address incorrectly or you may have used an outdated link.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

With the number of mass shootings that have been going on lately, it's hard to feel safe anywherebut according to 24/7 Wall St., some states are safer from violence than others.

The site ranked the peacefulness of each U.S. state; states with high violent crime and homicide rates, as well as high estimated small arms ownership and high incarceration rates were identified as less peaceful, while states with lower incidences of these factors were more peaceful.

Click through the slideshow to see the most peaceful and violent states, and visit 24/7 Wall St. for the full report.

Many of the top 10 most peaceful states are found in New England, but Connecticut is missing. The Nutmeg State comes in at number 36 in the ranking of most violent states.

Unfortunately, the 2012 Sandy Hook tragedy, one of the deadliest in the country's history, contributed to the ranking, but 24/7 Wall St. says that in general, Connecticut is pretty safe.

"Though the state was the site of the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, one of the deadliest and most horrific in U.S. history, Connecticut is a relatively safe state. More peaceful states tend to have higher educational attainment levels, and in Connecticut, a lower than average violent crime rate is partially attributable to the 38% of adults with a bachelor's degree, the fourth highest share of any state in the country," the site writes.

The city of Bridgeport has a crime rate that may also lead to a less-than-perfect ranking. In May, one teenager was murdered, two others seriously wounded, crowds of angry youth threatened revenge at courtroom hearings, major fights broke out in two city high schools and parents and community leaders called repeated urgent meetingsall in just over one week.

Still, Connecticut is much more peaceful than the state that comes in as the top violent state. Louisiana "is the only state in the country with a murder rate of more than 10 homicides per 100,000 residents. Mass shootings  single incidents with at least four shooting victims  are also relatively common in Louisiana. So far this year alone, there have been eight documented mass shootings, which left 31 injured and nine dead," 24/7 Wall St. writes.

Contrasted with the Northeast, the southern United States tend to be less peaceful. The site says this could be due to high unemployment and poverty levels.

"In the vast majority of the nation's more peaceful states, households earn higher incomes, while incomes tended to be much lower in more violent states. Of the 25 states on the top end of the peacefulness ranking, only five have poverty rates higher than the national rate of 15.5%. Of the more violent half of states, poverty rates tend to be higher."
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

BRIDGEWATER  Victor Compe awoke to see his own shotgun pointed at his head.

Seconds from sleep at 3:30 a.m., Compe was staring down its barrel, being told to hand over his wallet and car keys.

Outside Compes home, fog hung over the quiet stretch of Route 133 in one of Connecticuts smallest small towns. Minutes earlier, the man holding the shotgun had refused to pull over for New Milford police, and sped through Bridgewater, heading toward the Lake Lillinonah boat launch near the Brookfield line.

The man was spooked by the flashing lights of a state police cruiser stationed at a construction roadblock at the intersection of Wewaka Brook Road. He pulled into the driveway of the nearest house.

A short time later, Compe was out of bed and leading the stranger down the stairs of his small, two-story home, as his wife, retired Norwalk police officer Samantha Moore, slept.

Compe decided to act. He grabbed the barrel of the gun, and during a struggle for the weapon, was shot in the shoulder.

The gunshot woke his wife, who used her training in first aid to stop the bleeding as she called 911. The stranger fled into the woods near their home.

He was lucky that he was able to deflect the barrel. If not the shot would have been in the middle of his chest, Bridgewater First Selectman Curtis Reed said.

On Tuesday, before police arrested suspect Dustin Holst-Grubbe, 20, of Millerton, N.Y., Reed recounted the details of the July 30 home invasion and shooting that touched off a nearly weeklong manhunt in Connecticut and New York.

(Moore) did a great job until emergency crews arrived, Reed said, adding Moore was the first woman to serve on Norwalk Police Departments SWAT team. They had to wait about 10 to 15 minutes before the ambulance was allowed into the scene out of concerns that an active shooter might still be in the area.

Not until a neaighboring plumber awoke to discover his van had been stolen  he had left the keys inside  authorities realized the assailant may have fled the area, Reed said. Compes shotgun was found nearby.

Police had no trouble finding the van, which was equipped with a tracking device. It was located a few hours later in the north end of Waterbury, sitting next to a BMW that was reported stolen out of upstate New York the night before. Police said they believe both vehicles are connected to the crime.

A green 1998 Subaru Forester reported stolen out of New York state was found sitting in Compes driveway  it was the same car New Milford police attempted to stop for speeding on Route 7 shortly before the home invasion took place.

When he saw the flashing lights, he must have assumed they were after him, so he fled to the closest house he could find, Reed said. He found the shotgun and ammunition in the house, and after a struggle, the gun went off.

On Tuesday afternoon, Connecticut State Police announced Holst-Grubbe had turned himself in to police in New York after a warrant was issued for his arrest. He is charged with home invasion, assault of an elderly person, assault with a deadly weapon, stealing a firearm, first-degree burglary, third-degree burglary, second-degree larceny, third-degree larceny and credit card theft, police said. Bond will be set at $1 million.

As of Tuesday, police were examining the cars stolen from New York and the van, to the dismay of owners who are anxious to have their vehicles returned.

The plumber, Reed said, is hoping to get his work truck back soon, while a 5-year old boy in Millerton, N.Y., continues to lament the loss of Tigger, his favorite stuffed animal, which was in the Subaru the family had packed for a vacation which it was to start the next day.

He keeps asking about his Tigger, said his mother, Annie Bee Steen. He has a hard time sleeping without it.

Meanwhile, officials said, Compe has been transferred from Danbury Hospital to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he faces surgery to reconstruct his shoulder. The couple, Reed said, continues to struggle with the trauma that entered their life, unexpected and uninvited, less than a week ago.

They were lucky to survive, but now comes the hard part of putting their lives back together, said Reed, who met with Moore on Tuesday. We want to do everything we can to help.

Reed said town officials are reaching out to the couple.

We are trying to intervene to get them as much help as they need, Reed said.

dperrefort@newstimes.com
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

A new Quinnipiac University poll on Wednesday still shows high negativity numbers for Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

In fact, of all the names presented to those polled, First Lady Michelle Obama gets the highest favorability rating in the key swing states of Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Michelle Obama gets the highest favorability scores in each state, followed by President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton and Melania Trump, although many voters say they don't know enough about Mrs. Trump to form an opinion.

Of course, Michelle, Barack, Bill or Melania arent running for president. But the Hamden, Conn.-based poll did find a large number of voters are making their decision on who should be the next president based on the likeability of the candidate  not necessarily the issues.

It showed a tied race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in Florida.

In Ohio, Clinton is holding the slimmest of leads, and a 10-point advantage in Pennsylvania.

Like previous polls, there still remain the high negativity ratings for both Clinton and Trump. Many people polled say they are making up their mind based on which candidate they dislike the least.

The poll found in a campaign driven by negatives, most Trump supporters say they mainly are voting anti-Clinton while many Clinton supporters say they are voting anti-Trump.

More Information Swing states poll results FLORIDA Florida women back Clinton 53 - 40 percent, while men back Trump 51 - 39 percent. Republicans back Trump 91 - 5 percent, while Clinton leads 89 - 8 percent among Democrats. Independent voters are divided with 42 percent for Clinton and 41 percent for Trump. White voters back Trump 57 - 36 percent, as non-white voters go to Clinton 68 - 21 percent. Florida voters give Clinton and Trump negative favorability ratings, 39 - 55 percent for her and 39 - 54 percent for him. Other favorability ratings are:61 - 27 percent for First Lady Michelle Obama; 53 - 43 percent for President Barack Obama; 53 - 40 percent for former President and potential First Husband Bill Clinton; 31 - 23 percent for potential First Lady Melania Trump.Among Clinton supporters, 42 percent say the main reason is pro-Clinton, while 41 percent say their main motive is anti-Trump and 13 percent say they back the Democratic nominees. Among Trump supporters, only 29 percent say they are pro-Trump, while 54 percent are anti-Clinton and 10 percent say they back the Republican nominee. OHIO Ohio women back Clinton 54 - 39 percent, while men back Trump 51 - 43 percent. Trump leads 84 - 13 percent among Republicans and 50 - 39 percent among independent voters. Democrats back Clinton 95 - 4 percent. White voters back Trump 53 - 41 percent, as non-white voters go to Clinton 83 - 11 percent. Ohio voters give Clinton and Trump negative favorability ratings, 40 - 55 percent for her and 34 - 58 percent for him. Other favorability ratings are:58 - 27 percent for First Lady Michelle Obama; 52 - 47 percent for President Barack Obama; 52 - 44 percent for President Bill Clinton; 27 - 21 percent for potential First Lady Melania Trump.Among Clinton supporters, 48 percent say they are anti-Trump; 34 percent are pro-Clinton, and 15 percent say they back the Democratic nominee. Among Trump supporters, 26 percent say they are pro-Trump, while 61 percent are anti- Clinton and 9 percent say they back the Republican nominee. Pennsylvania Keystone State women back Clinton 59 - 36 percent, while men back Trump 49 - 44 percent. Republicans back Trump 83 - 14 percent, while Clinton leads 92 - 5 percent among Democrats. Independent voters are divided with 48 percent for Clinton and 44 percent for Trump. White voters are divided with 49 percent for Trump and 46 percent for Clinton. Non-white voters go to Clinton 81 - 8 percent. Pennsylvania voters give Clinton and Trump negative favorability ratings, 44 - 51 percent for her and 36 - 57 percent for him. Other favorability ratings are:63 - 25 percent for Michelle Obama; 56 - 41 percent for President Obama; 52 - 43 percent for former President Clinton; 28 - 21 percent for potential First Lady Melania Trump.Among Clinton supporters, 37 percent say they are pro-Clinton, while 48 percent are anti- Trump and 10 percent say they back the Democratic nominee. Among Trump supporters, 32 percent say they are pro-Trump, while 54 percent are anti- Clinton and 9 percent say they back the Republican nominee. See More Collapse

It is not that her voters are in love with Secretary Clinton  they just dislike her less than they disdain Trump, Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll, said in a release announcing the results. In fact, among Clinton voters in all three states more than four in 10 say their opposition to Trump, rather than their liking of her, is the main reason for their vote. Among Trump voters, dislike of Secretary Clinton is even a larger factor in their choice. Among Trump voters, well over half say they back him because they dislike her."

Clinton holds leads of 13 to 23 percentage points among women, while Trump's lead among men ranges from 5 to 12 percentage points,

The Swing State Poll focuses on Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania because since 1960 no candidate has won the presidential race without taking at least two of these three states. This is the first survey of likely voters in this election cycle and can not be compared to earlier surveys of registered voters.

The presidential matchups show:

Florida  Clinton at 46 percent to Trump's 45 percent;

Ohio  Clinton edges Trump 49 - 45 percent;

Pennsylvania  Clinton leads Trump 52 - 42 percent.

With third party candidates in the race, results are:

Florida  Clinton and Trump tied at 43 - 43 percent, with 7 percent for Libertarian Gary Johnson and 3 percent for Green Party candidate Jill Stein;

Ohio  Clinton at 44 percent to Trump's 42 percent, with Johnson at 8 percent and Stein at 3 percent;

Pennsylvania  Clinton tops Trump 48 - 39 percent with 7 percent for Johnson and 3 percent for Stein.

"This Swing State Poll shows a mixed result for the presidential candidates, although certainly with an overall edge for Secretary Hillary Clinton. She has a double-digit lead in Pennsylvania and the narrowest of edges in Ohio, but Florida, with the largest cache of Electoral College votes is a tie," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

"When voters are asked about a four-way ballot that includes Libertarian Gary Johnson and Green Party nominee Jill Stein, Trump picks up a point or two against Secretary Clinton in each of the three states."
FBI agents interviewed former top officials in the state Democratic party, including two women now living in Washington, D.C., Hearst Connecticut Media has learned.

Sandra A. Lyon, onetime chief of staff to the Democratic State Central Committee, and Meghan Meehan-Draper, its former finance director, were recently questioned in Washington, sources with knowledge of the investigation said.

The FBI asked them about their roles in the state Democratic party and Gov. Dannel P. Malloys 2014 re-election campaign, sources said.

I do decline to comment on an ongoing investigation, Lyon said in an email Wednesday.

Meanwhile, another former Democratic staffer, Jordan Hegel of Glastonbury, confirmed he recently appeared before a federal grand jury in New Haven. Hegel also worked in the financial operation of the party during the contentious gubernatorial election, in which Malloy defeated Republican Tom Foley.

Hegel declined to discuss what he was asked by federal prosecutors or what he told them.

I cant comment on this, Hegel said.

The federal investigation centers on whether the state democrats used money  as much as $1 million  from a special federal account to fund Malloys 2014 campaign in violation of the states clean elections law.

More Information In 2005, Connecticut banned companies who do business with the state from contributing to state campaigns after former Gov. John Rowland went to prison for accepting gifts from contractors. The clean elections law did not, however, prevent state contractors from giving to the state parties' federal accounts, which fund Congressional races and get-out-the-vote efforts. The current investigation was sparked by almost $300,000 the state Democratic party took from its federal account to pay for a mailing promoting Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's 2014 re-election campaign. See More Collapse

The women, who moved to Washington after the election, were confronted there by federal agents. Lyon, 36, works for the American Federation of Teachers. Meehan-Draper, 28, is now employed in the fundraising division of the Democratic Governors Association, of which Malloy is the current chair. Meehan-Draper declined comment.

When the Democrats used $300,000 from the federal account to pay for a Malloy mailer, Republicans cried foul. The subsequent investigation by the State Elections Enforcement Commission set off a battle in state court between David Golub, an attorney for the DSCC, and the SEEC. Finally, in June, Democrats agreed to pay a record $325,000 penalty to settle the case.

Contractors who do business with the state are not allowed to give to the account for state races, but are allowed to contribute to the federal account, which is traditionally used for Congressional campaigns and get-out-the-vote activity. Party officials have to carefully account for employee time. Those spending more than 25 percent of their time on Congressional races, for instance, have to be paid from the federal account. Malloy signed an affidavit in 2014, promising that he would not supplement his $6.5-million grant from the states public election fund.

As much as a million dollars from the state Democrats federal account may have been channeled into Malloys re-election effort, including salaries for more than 150 full-time and part-time staff, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

While the grand jury has been meeting since late April, documents released by the State Elections Enforcement Commission on Tuesday indicated that the U.S. Department of Justice showed interest in the case since around the time of the initial GOP complaint in October, 2014. Potential federal crimes would include fraudulent filings with the Federal Election Commission.

kdixon@ctpost.com;
 Flash

The health authorities in the U.S. State of Texas on Tuesday confirmed a Zika-related death of a newborn girl, the first of its kind in the country.

Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said that an infant in Harris County who died shortly after birth had microcephaly, linked to the Zika virus, according to local TV station ABC13.

The mother had traveled to El Salvador during her pregnancy where she was infected. The test results recently confirmed the baby's condition and link to Zika. The mother and baby are classified as travel-related cases, and there is no additional associated risk in Texas.

John Hellerstedt, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services, said that Zika's impact on unborn babies can be tragic, their central mission from the beginning has been to do everything they can to protect unborn babies from the devastating effects of Zika.

Last month, the Lone Star state reported its first case of microcephaly linked to Zika, also an infant in the Harris County.

Currently, the DSHS is coordinating with the Harris County Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to follow the cases.

Texas, the second largest state in the nation, has reported 97 cases of Zika virus disease, including the two infants with microcephaly from the Harris County.

All Texas cases are related to travel abroad to areas with active Zika transmission. There have been no reported cases of Zika virus disease transmitted by mosquitoes in Texas, but the state is on alert for the possibility of local transmission.

Over the weekend, Texas Governer Greg Abbott detailed measures the state has taken to fund the prevention of the spreading of Zika, but said it is prepared to fight the virus should it become prevalent in the state.

"We have assembled millions in state and federal funds to help attack the problem," he said.

According to the CDC, 15 babies have been born in the United States with Zika-related birth defects.

Seven women have lost pregnancies due to Zika, and these numbers could grow. Nearly 1,000 pregnant women in the continental U.S. and territories have been infected with Zika.

Currently, more than 7,300 people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with Zika, including 1,825 in the continental U.S. and Hawaii.

U.S. President Barack Obama has asked Congress to allocate 1.9 billion U.S. dollars in emergency funding to combat the spread of the virus.

In May, testing for the mosquito-borne Zika virus began at the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center headquartered in Houston, the fourth-largest city in the United States.

The center, which was approved for testing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, can test more than 3,600 blood samples per day by using three new automated instruments and can detect the smallest amount of Zika in blood samples.

Zika is a disease caused by the Zika virus, which is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis (red eyes).

The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

The virus was first discovered in 1947 and is named after the Zika Forest in Uganda. In 1952, the first human cases of Zika were detected and since then, outbreaks of disease have been reported in tropical Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.

On Feb. 1, 2016, the World Health Organization declared Zika virus a public health emergency of international concern.
Recently, a white native pastor from the Asian, African and Latin American region, who engages in the global disciplemaking ministry, stated that there are many problems in the Western church, sharing its features and analyzing the reason why it declines in a pastoral session.



First, he talks about the pattern of the Western church, describing it with a drawing:



He said that God is calling Christians all over the world. In the drawing, the house represents a church where we find Christians; but most of the time, they're waiting for the preaching to delivered by pastors.



They go and build churches with all-side walls and a tall spire, but he feels that the Western church resembles this: the Christians hope that pastors feed them with spiritual food with the expectation that pastors must supply every believer with spiritual bread.



Then, they receive information one or the other in the church. But the church is smaller, then what is the reason why remains despite the decline? He continues that because the Lord Jesus Christ said that go and make disciples of all nations.



He gives another drawing and explains that the circle refers to the world and the church is in the world, warning the Christians not to face each other, but to face the world.

They should pray for the world and they receive teachings that should be passed to the world. They receive the Holy Spirit and the Spirit passes the message of God to the world, so they could reach people unsaved.



"When you go and make disciples, the church grows." He concludes.
Section of GAP closed during bridge work

"The last time the bridges were re-decked was in 1995. They have become almost unsafe to be used," said Lindsay Baer.
Check it out: Fun things to do this weekend in Lake County

This list of weekend entertainment includes festivals, Vet Fest and the premiere of 'The Diary of Anne Frank' on a local stage.
Gov. Scott Walker will include new funding for the University of Wisconsin System that will be tied to how it performs in certain measures as part of his next budget proposal, a spokesman said Tuesday after UW officials laid out their request for tens of millions of dollars in new state support.

But Walker still plans to call for extending the freeze on in-state tuition that the head of the UW System is asking legislators to end in the coming budget, spokesman Tom Evenson said.

UW System President Ray Cross released an outline of the systems budget request Tuesday morning, calling for a $42.5 million funding increase over two years for programs that Cross says will help students graduate sooner and strengthen Wisconsins economy.

Evenson said Walker will include some new funding for the system in the 2017-19 budget proposal he will release early next year. But its not clear how much new money the governor will seek for UW  Evenson said its too early in the budget-writing process to say  and the funding will come with still-unspecified strings attached.

It will be tied to performance metrics to help ensure students are receiving the greatest value for their hard-earned money, Evenson said.

Some hints about performance measures

Walker has not said what criteria would be used to measure UWs performance, although Evenson highlighted a section of a column from the governor last week in which he mentioned tracking data on graduation rates, the amount of loans students take out and graduate employment in certain fields.

Evenson also said UW will see a $50 million increase in its base budget over the next two years after a $25 million lapse in annual state funding this year. System spokeswoman Stephanie Marquis responded by pointing out that UW is not asking for an $88 million cost-to-continue increase that it has sought in prior budget requests.

State funding makes up about $1.05 billion of the Systems $6.2 billion annual operating budget this fiscal year.

Rep. Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton, was skeptical about tying UWs funding to performance categories, saying she did not want to see the value of the university system reduced to how many graduates it produces in a handful of industries.

Hesselbein, who sits on the Assemblys higher education committee, supports UWs budget request and said any further cuts to its funding would threaten the systems quality.

Were at a crossroads for how the university is going to be going forward, and what kind of education people are going to be receiving, she said.

We just cant keep cutting the university and think were going to get the same results, Hesselbein said.

Cross said Monday that he wants to work with Walker to develop the new performance-based funding criteria, and said UW already has data measuring many of the categories the governor mentioned.

About 10 percent of UWs requested budget increase would be in the form of performance-based funding, Cross said.

Walker seeks extended tuition freeze

Walker and university officials seem further apart on the question of keeping tuition at UW institutions frozen in the next budget.

The UW budget request, which will go before the systems Board of Regents next week, seeks an end to the freeze that has been in place since 2013.

Cross said any tuition increase that could happen as a result would be modest.

But Walker has championed the freeze as a commitment to college affordability, and says he will look to keep it in place.

One of Governor Walkers top goals is to make college more affordable for students and working families, which is why he has called for extending the historic tuition freeze, Evenson said.

Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, a frequent UW critic and vice-chair of the Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges, blasted the idea of lifting the cap and raising tuition.

Extending the UW System tuition freeze is a clear choice for legislators, Nass said in a statement. You can stand with Wisconsins middle-class families or you can bow to the desires of out-of-touch university administrators earning six-digit salaries.

Hesselbein said she supports continuing the tuition freeze as well, but called for greater state funding to make up for the cost to UW of keeping tuition flat.

Echoing an argument from UW faculty members, she said, You have to fund the freeze.
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.
BEN BROMLEY

Lee Newspapers

BARABOO  Once again, Wisconsin dairy producers have been reminded its not easy being cheesy. Theyve been victimized by a string of cheese crimes. This situation is not gouda. Its enough to leave us feeling bleu.

The third theft of this year occurred recently in Oak Creek, where a semi-trailer containing 20,000 pounds of cheese was stolen from a parking lot. The driver told police he dropped the trailer off at 2 a.m. and returned to find it gone. It vanished like a block of colby at a tailgate party.

The cheese, bound for New York, was valued at $46,000. Talk about scoring some major cheddar.

Which rat took the cheese? Police are sniffing around. Its unique. Its a lot of cheese, Capt. Mike Bolender said. Its a high-value property, and were gonna take it seriously like we would any theft.

Because theyre a sharp bunch, Wisconsinites have long appreciated the value of cheese. After all, pouring melted cheese over vegetables is the only way to make them edible. Suddenly thieves have awakened to the smell of our dairy air. Cheese may not be as elusive as Hamilton tickets, but it has spawned a cottage industry.

This winter, Wisconsin saw two major cheese heists, a crime only possible in a state where foam cheddar wedges are considered high fashion. The truckloads of cheese that got (pepper) jacked were valued at a combined $160,000.

On Jan. 15, Marshfield police reported that some cheese whiz stole 41,000 pounds of Parmesan en route to Illinois. This grate amount was valued at $90,000. A semi picked up the cheese from a distributor but never reached its intended destination.

Investigators received a tip that the semi was in Grand Chute, where they found the entire shipment unloaded into a warehouse, fully intact. Fortunately, no one had cut the cheese.

A week later, another $70,000 worth of cheese was stolen from a Germantown distribution center. A 54-foot-long trailer and semi-tractor used to steal it turned up in Milwaukee a few days later, but the trailer was empty. These abominable thieves are absolute Muensters. Unfortunately for police, they have mastered their Kraft.

Police suspect the Marshfield theft was coordinated by organized crime. Oh great, Wisconsin has been infiltrated by La Queso Nostra.

Fondue isnt the only hot cheese out there. Our states favorite export isnt even safe under lock and key. Why do thieves hanker for a hunk of cheese? Perhaps they know the average person eats 35 pounds of cheese each year. And thats just average people.

Now that three cheese heists have taken place this year, we cant help but fear thieves will continue to descend on Americas Dairyland from across the country: Its a curd mentality.

Its pretty fresh, Bolender told Fox6 in assessing the Oak Creek theft. Theres always a market for anything. I suppose the next one will have bratwurst or something.

No whey can we let criminals begin intercepting another of our states beloved exports. If the cheese thieves turn to sausage, well know the cases are linked.

This winter, Wisconsin saw two major cheese heists, a crime only possible in a state where foam cheddar wedges are considered high fashion.
First energy firms, now banks. For the second time in less than a fortnight, an official watchdog has let a whole industry off the hook, leaving it up to the public to protect themselves from being cheated.

Isnt this the job the regulators are supposed to do on our behalf?

Last week, Ofgem ducked action against rip-off charges for gas and electricity, saying consumers should switch suppliers (and never mind how confusing and time-consuming the process can be).

Now the Competition and Markets Authority has given savers and borrowers much the same message, after finding the biggest banks treat them abominably.

As City Editor Alex Brummer suggests on this page, obvious solutions would be to outlaw unreasonable charges or break up the big five monoliths, so as to create genuine consumer choice.

For the second time in less than a fortnight, an official watchdog has let a whole industry off the hook, leaving it up to the public to protect themselves from being cheated (File photo)

Yet instead, the CMA merely urges customers to make more use of the digital revolution, while telling banks to issue text alerts to account holders approaching their borrowing limits.

In a disturbing twist, it also suggests the industry should invest in technology that would allow all our financial dealings  bank accounts, mortgages, credit card transactions etc  to be brought together on a single computer platform.

But leave aside the prohibitive cost of the IT. Wouldnt this tear away the last vestiges of our privacy, while offering an open invitation to cybercriminals?

Meanwhile, how would this technology help the many, particularly among the elderly, who find computers baffling?

These are the very people who are most in need of protection from rip-off firms, whether banks or energy suppliers. Will the regulators never consider them?

Chinese blackmail

In a chilling warning to Theresa May, Chinas ambassador says his countrys relationship with Britain will be at risk unless the Government goes ahead with the Hinkley Point nuclear power station.

This paper has long championed efforts to foster trade with developing economies, China included. But as we have stressed, all such links must be forged on fair and equal terms, based on mutual respect.

Doesnt the ambassadors swaggering threat underline how right Mrs May is to be wary of Chinese participation in the 18billion nuclear project?

Recently, the UK has been too ready to kowtow to oppressive Beijing.

Mrs May should ignore the threat  and judge Hinkley Point solely on whether it is the right deal for Britain. China must learn that this country will not be swayed by blackmail.

Sir Spins whoppers

With astonishing ill grace, David Camerons ex-spin doctor claims voters chose Brexit because the Leave camp misled them on an industrial scale.

Can this be the same Craig Oliver  now Sir Craig  who was an architect of Remains failed Project Fear, peddling such blatant whoppers as that Brexit would cost every family 4,300 a year?

With astonishing ill grace, David Camerons ex-spin doctor claims voters chose Brexit because the Leave camp misled them on an industrial scale

Yes, the Leave camp made some dubious claims. The difference is that Remain threw the entire Whitehall machine behind its mendacious scaremongering.

Yet the public saw through the lies (whatever happened to Armageddon?) and voted with their instincts. These are early days, but the Mail is ever more convinced those instincts were right.
With former shadow chancellor Ed Balls due on Strictly Come Dancing, novelist Robert Harris surmises, tongue-in-cheek: Maybe Ed Balls will win Strictly, re-enter Parliament at a by-election, and rescue Labour?

Commentator Toby Young responds disrespectfully: Nah. Hell have an affair with his dance partner, [his politician wife] Yvette [Cooper] will divorce him and hell end up on Im A Celebrity. Too far-fetched, surely?

With former shadow chancellor Ed Balls due on Strictly Come Dancing, novelist Robert Harris surmises, tongue-in-cheek: Maybe Ed Balls will win Strictly, re-enter Parliament at a by-election, and rescue Labour?

Prince Philip, 95, heads for Cowes Week but might find times have changed at Cowes Castle, home of the Royal Yacht Squadron. Having hosted actor Benedict Cumberbatch on the eve of his wedding last year to Sophie Hunter, RYS flunkies now call the quarters occupied by them the Benedict Suite. Will they mention this to its royal occupant this week?

Now favourite to be elected Mayor of Manchester, is Labour ex-minister Andy Burnham, 46, pictured, the first male candidate accused of using mascara? Described as doe-eyed, by admirers, Burnham denies using ladies cosmetics. Yet the Cambridge-educated politician is described as part Paul McCartney, part Thunderbird puppet. Twice a candidate for Labours leadership, he aims now to become a big fish in a smaller pool.

Remain director Will Straw, 36, admits he doubted David Camerons fear tactics during the Referendum, telling the BBC about their spurious specificity. His interviewer, presenter Laura Kuenssberg tells him: Thats a very polite way of saying they were exaggerating the hell out of it. Straw concedes that there were perhaps one or two moments when things went a bit far. Now he tells us!

Re Straw, why did Cameron lob him a far-too-grand CBE, especially after Remains failure ejected Dave from No 10? Wills father, Labour grandee Jack Straw, and Cameron have a mutual friend  News UK chief executive Rebekah Brooks. Straw and Ms Brooks enjoyed travelling and gossiping together while commuting from the Cotswolds to London. Might Rebekah have recommended personable Will to Dave?

Re Straw, why did Cameron lob him a far-too-grand CBE, especially after Remains failure ejected Dave from No 10?

The ocean liner that snatched the fastest Atlantic crossing record from the Queen Mary in 1952  SS United States, out of service since 1969  is now likely to become a non-seagoing American tourist attraction like its UK rival. United States crossed the Atlantic in three days, ten hours, 40 minutes  ten hours faster than Queen Mary. A recent plan to re-commission the still-sound, Philadelphia-berthed liner has foundered. The prospective owners  Crystal  cant sail her again under the US flag because theyre Hong Kong-owned.
Sara Beygi, known as Madame Kush on Instagram, has extremely long hair

She hasn't had a haircut in five years, and her locks currently clock in at 3 foot 7 in length - more than half of her 5 foot 6 height.

But the latest Instagram-famous 'real-life Rapunzel' is less fairytale princess and more Morticia Addams in aesthetic.

Sara Beygi, 19, better known as Madame Kush on Instagram, has hair so long she regularly wears it as apparel and goes sans top.

Scroll down for video

Unusual wardrobe: Better known as Madame Kush on Instagram, the Californian teenager Sara Beygi often wears her hair in place of a top (left and right) - she calls it her '#uniform'

Raven-haired siren: My Beygi (pictured) hasn't had a haircut in five years, and her locks currently clock in at 3 foot 7 - more than half of her 5 foot 6 height

The Californian teenager wrote on one Instagram post: 'Wearing my hair as a shirt has become my #uniform.' She even adds the hashtag #ootd - or 'outfit of the day' - to the images of her homemade hair T-shirts for extra effect.

But it's not just the images of herself 'wearing' her hair that prove popular with her online fans; Ms Beygi also likes to show off the other ways she styles her mane, from braids to half-up styles.

And, thanks to her stunning looks, long locks and quirky photo captions, the teen has quickly racked up more than 8,000 Instagram followers.

'I have my mom do French braids and I love that,' Ms Beygi told Vogue, when discussing her various different looks.

Growing: Ms Beygi already has 8,000 followers on Instagram, who love looking at her various hairstyles

Helping hand: She says that she gets help from her mum when she has French braids (pictured) as she cannot reach that low down

Other styles: Apart from French braids, Sara Beygi is also a fan of donning high ponytails (pictured), slept-in waves, and girlish pigtails paired with high-waisted jeans

'Its so long that you need another person working in the back because my hand wont reach that low. When I take them out, I have crazy curls for two days.'

Apart from French braids and hair tops, Ms Beygi is also a fan of donning high ponytails, slept-in waves that cover her topless chest, and girlish pigtails paired with high-waisted jeans.

She has even re-created the braided ponytail modeled by Beyonce during her recent tour.

But while her Instagram images might look effortless, Ms Beygi admits that a lot of work goes into maintaining her lengthy mane, explaining that even the mere act of washing it can take up to 30 minutes.

Long time: Ms Beygi says that to wash her long locks, it takes 30 minutes - she also said it takes five hours to dry if she's out and about, but if she's sleeping with it wet, it will take eight

Avoid like the plague: Having had a fight with her hairstylist five years ago, Ms Beygi has not been back, and now intends to see how long she can grow her hair

'It takes a solid five hours [to dry] if I am out and about, but if I sleep when it is wet, it takes eight hours,' the social media star added.

For those not fussed by the arduous upkeep however, Madame Kush says that the secret to achieving long locks like hers lies in avoiding the hairdresser.

Having had a fight with her hairstylist five years ago, Ms Beygi made the decision not to return, and says she intends to keep growing it to see how long it can get.
Australian supermodel Elyse Taylor has sizzled in a new photoshoot for lingerie brand Lovable.

The 29-year-old posed in the playful and sexy campaign, which was shot in a gorgeous private house at Avalon Beach, NSW.

She posed in candid shots alongside fellow model Jayde Heiser, but Elyse was certainly the star of the shoot.

Scroll down for video

Sensational: Supermodel Elyse Taylor has featured in a photoshoot for lingerie brand Lovable

Stunning: No matter if it was baby blue trimmed with lace or a simple cream shade, the Australian model gorgeous in every shot

In one of the most striking photos, Elyse wears a stunning blue bra and briefs that are trimmed with white lace.

In another shot she poses at a desk in a gorgeous rose pink set with sexy lace details.

The model also poses in simpler pieces, like a soft black bra and briefs perfect for every day, and a cute blue polka dot pajama set.

Life goals: Elyse said that working with Lovable had 'always been a dream' of hers

Look good, feel good: The new Lovable range is said to feature more freedom and comfort than previous designs, making it surefire hit among all women

The blonde said that she was excited to work with the lingerie brand because she had liked their pieces in the past.

'I have always been a fan of Lovable so working on this shoot was a dream,' Elyse explained.

'I love the new design aesthetic and all pieces were super comfortable to wear'

Gorgeous: Elyse got her big break at just 18 and has appeared on the cover of Vogue Australia and even walked the catwalk as part of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2009

Lovable says their new designs feature more 'freedom and comfort' with soft bras, balconettes and bodysuits.

Underwire free bras have seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, with many brands choosing to release designs in this style.
The couple also had a doughnut-inspired wedding cake for their Big Day

They recently got married and had a Krispy Kreme wedding photo shoot

The pair hit it off instantly and started dating, often returning to the cafe

When Kiran Skariah walked into his local Liverpool Krispy Kreme cafe in Western Sydney, little did he know he would leave having met the woman he would marry.

But on 6 June, 2014, Mr Skariah by chance met Sarah Daniel, who was working at the cafe by fluke that day, and they later tied the knot earlier this month.

The couple celebrated their nuptials with a Krispy Kreme-themed wedding shoot in homage to where they met, complete with a doughnut wedding cake and bridal photo series at their favourite Liverpool cafe.

Scroll down for video

Unlikely union: When Kirian Skariah walked into the local Liverpool Krispy Kreme cafe, little did he know he would meet his future wife (pictured with Sarah Daniel at Krispy Kreme)

Big Day: The couple celebrated their nuptials with a Krispy Kreme wedding photo shoot (pictured), where they returned to where they first met and had photos taken

'It was so bizarre, as I wasn't even going to go in to Krispy Kreme that day,' Mr Skariah told Daily Mail Australia.

'But I'd just finished at church and one of my friends with a sweet tooth convinced me to accompany him there. Sarah wasn't due to work that day, but she decided to cover a shift anyway. It's like we were meant to be.'

As their romantic story goes, Mr Skariah first caught Sarah's attention when he entered the cafe, holding the door open for some passing strangers.

By chance: The couple only met because Sarah (pictured) covered a shift that she wasn't supposed to work at Krispy Kreme, and Mr Skariah found himself visiting the cafe with a friend

Meetversary: Since they started dating, the couple have returned to Krispy Kreme every year to celebrate their anniversary

She then addressed him when he went up to order a white hot chocolate:

'I remember her saying: "You don't remember me, do you? I've been to your house before,"' Mr Skariah said.

'As it turned out our families had known each other for 18 years and been friends. We started chatting after I'd bought my drink, I came back through the door after I'd left the cafe to say bye to her, and then later on, Sarah added me on Facebook.'

We've always returned to Krispy Kreme on the exact date of our anniversary

The couple started chatting over the social media site, before embarking on a relationship soon afterwards.

'We've always returned to Krispy Kreme on the exact date of our anniversary,' Mr Skariah said.

'We call it our "meetversary". We'll go there, have a doughnut and take a photo. It made sense to loosely theme our wedding photos around it as without Krispy Kreme, we wouldn't be where we are now.'

Special theme: As well as having a doughnut-inspired, golden-covered wedding cake, the couple also engaged in a Liverpool Krispy Kreme photo shoot, which was shot by the talented event photographer, Lucas Kraus

As well as having a doughnut-inspired, golden-covered wedding cake, the couple also engaged in a Liverpool Krispy Kreme photo shoot, which was shot by the talented event photographer, Lucas Kraus.

'We sat in the booths for some pictures, took others by the front door as that was symbolic as it's where Sarah first saw me, and also had a couple of photos outside,' Mr Skariah said.

And for those people hoping that one day, a Krispy Kreme christening might be on the cards, Mr Skariah hasn't entirely ruled the prospect out just yet:

'Maybe!,' he laughed.
Parents concerned about the risk of their child getting flat head syndrome may be risking their child's life to save their appearance, a new study has found.

Using pillows and dangerous sleeping positions in an effort to prevent the flat head condition (also known as Plagiocephaly) - which affects 20 per cent of children - puts your child at risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

According to the study published in Child: Care, Health and Development well-meaning parents parents ignore the SIDS guidelines to protect their child's looks.

The study of those in both Sydney and Canada found that when parents noticed their children suffering from flat head syndrome, they ignored the risk of SIDS in an attempt to avoid long lasting aesthetic problems.

Warning: Parents have been told by a new study not to disregard the risk of SIDS in order to prevent their children getting flat head syndrome

Difficult: Flat head syndrome (also known as Plagiocephaly) occurs when youngsters lay their heads for a long time on a flat surface causing their soft bones to flatten. The condition became more common with parents once the risks of SIDS encouraged them to lay their children in flat cots

'Flat head is concerning for parents because it affects how their childs looksnow and in the future,' Associate Professor Alexandra Martiniuk from the University of Sydney said.

'Some parents also believe that flat head affects their childs development.

'Parents told us because they could see their baby getting a flat head they felt it was a more real threat than cot death. So when they noticed a flat spot developing they stopped following SIDS safe sleeping guidelines.'

Ironically, the number of cases of the syndrome began to rise as parents became aware of SIDS in the early 1990s and were told to lie their baby flat on a mattress.

Flat head syndrome occurs in youngsters when they lie in the same position for an extended period of time, flattening their bones which are soft at that age.

The majority of cases that occur in babies are mild, with the majority of incidents also affecting the right side of the head.

Health wise it is believed that the syndrome can be detrimental to development in serious cases, while there are also obvious psychological issues.

While opting for pillows to prevent the syndrome can be dangerous, there are options for parents to prevent and also fix any problems.

Dangerous: Cushions such as the one pictured which have been designed to help children with flat head syndrome have also been declared dangerous

Helping hand: Specially designed helmets (pictured) can help children with the syndrome to recover from any issues

Specially designed helmets and head bands are available, although some cost well over AUD$5,000.

'We know that many parents are confused and fearful and are being given conflicting advice from health care professionals,' Dr Martiniuk said.

'For instance some GPs suggest parents wait and see if the condition improves on its own, other GPs go down the path of referrals, whilst some chiropractors are selling pillows (specifically for flat head).

'There needs to be clear messaging about how parents can safely prevent flat head syndrome from developing.
A rescue dog called Chewbacca is taking the internet by storm thanks to its uncanny resemblance to the hairy Star Wars character.

Aside from sporting a similar fur coat to the fictional character, Chewie, a Chihuahua who lives in Yuma, Arizona, with his owner Sarah Gottlieb, also has prominent teeth that stick out from her lower jaw.

Sarah - who revealed the mutt has 10,000 followers on Instagram, says: 'Chewie's snaggletooth under-bite is definitely his trademark.

Chewie has amassed over 10k followers on Instagram after a picture of him next to Justin Timberlake with ramen noodles on his head went viral and was reposted by Instagram accounts with large followings

It took Chewie a year to reach 10k followers and his owner says his 'snaggletooth under-bite' is definitely his trademark. He has only seven teeth left after needing dental work when he was saved by the police

Chewie was found as a stray in Yuma, Arizona and was taken in by the Chiquita Chihuahua Rescue. Sarah and her partner, Alicia, happened to visit and 'instantly fell in love'

'You can always see his signature snaggletooth in pictures, and sometimes his other two front teeth as well.

'He only has seven teeth left, as he needed a lot of dental work when he was saved.'

Sarah puts the dog's popularity down to some opportune posting as well as Chewie's cute looks.

Weighing only 4lbs, Chewie is a small but perfect addition to the family

Rescue dog Chewbacca is taking the internet by storm thanks to its uncanny resemblance to the hairy Star Wars character (pictured)

'It took about a year for Chewie to reach 10,000 followers on Instagram. I would try to post at least one picture a day to show his cute features.

'I posted a picture of him next to Justin Timberlake with ramen noodles on his head which took off more than I thought it would.

'It has been reposted by several big Instagram accounts.'

Chewie has found love and fame but it wasn't always so straight forward for him.

'Chewie was found as a stray by the police in Yuma, Arizona and found her way to the Chiquita Chihuahua Rescue,' explains Sarah.

'My partner Alicia and I went there and happened to see Chewie and instantly fell in love.

With his Instagram spreading love and positivity, Chewie has taken the internet by storm and shown the importance of adopting rescue animals

Chewie's Instagram account sees him dressed in various costumes and as different Star Wars characters

'Though he is only 4lbs, he has a big heart despite what he has been through and was the perfect addition to our family.'

'Chewbacca's Instagram is about spreading smiles and positivity.

'People seem to love dogs with unique features like his, and we love that he can make people smile.'

'He's a great example of how amazing rescue dogs are.'

Arizona has one of the largest Chihuahua stray populations in the US and Sara wants Chewie's story to help promote the importance of adopting rescue animals.
Patients with a devastating form of lymphoma are set to be the first to fall foul of an overhaul of the Cancer Drugs Fund.

NHS drugs watchdog NICE is reviewing all 31 treatments that were previously provided via the Fund, in a bid to rein in spending.

In a draft decision published today, officials recommend that the drug brentuximab vedotin no longer be provided on the NHS.

Patients with a devastating form of lymphoma are set to be the first to fall foul of an overhaul of the Cancer Drugs Fund

The company which makes the drug, Japanese firm Takeda, is confident it can overturn the decision before it is finalised later this year.

But if it fails, around 60 patients a year will miss out on the drug in England.

In a sign of Britains widening postcode lottery, some patients with Hodgkins lymphoma in Scotland and Wales have already been granted access to the drug.

But NICE officials said there was not enough evidence on the drugs clinical and cost effectiveness to recommend it for patients in England.

The therapy - sold under the trade name Adcetris - is used to treat CD30-positive Hodgkins lymphoma, a rare cancer of the immune system.

NICE said the drug costs between 69,000 and 87,000 per patient - but Takeda said in reality patients receive fewer cycles than NICE had calculated, putting the real cost between 30,000 and 46,000.

Professor Carole Longson, director of the centre for health technology evaluation at Nice, said: We recognise that people with this type of Hodgkins lymphoma are difficult to treat, but there is not enough convincing evidence on brentuximab vedotins clinical and cost effectiveness to recommend its use within the NHS as representing value for money.

We understand that this preliminary decision will be disappointing to patients who could be eligible for treatment.

But we need to make sure that the drugs and treatments we look at will benefit patients and be a cost effective use of NHS resources.

NHS drugs watchdog NICE is reviewing all 31 treatments that were previously provided via the Fund, in a bid to rein in spending

Jonathan Pearce, chief executive of the Lymphoma Association, said: The news that Hodgkins lymphoma patients could lose access to a drug that has been available for some time through the former Cancer Drugs Fund is of concern.

The decision means patients will be denied access to a treatment option that has been successful for a number of patients and, consequently, will limit positive outcomes for this group of patients - some of whom could be cured.

We would urge Takeda, Nice and clinicians to work together to reassess the decision and find a cost-effective solution that would ensure patients in England have access to the best possible treatments available and to avoid a postcode lottery across the UK.

Until final guidance is issued later this year, brentuximab vedotin will still be available to patients, NICE said.

The drug, which halts the progression of the disease for three years in 61 per cent of patients, was first made available on the NHS via the Cancer Drugs Fund in early 2013.

The Fund was set up in 2011 to fund medicines not routinely provided on the NHS.

But NICE was asked to take over the fund after its budget ballooned from 175million to 416million.
A brother saved his sister's life after noticing a rare tumour growing in her throat when he tickled her.

Aaron East, 11, was playing with seven-year-old sister Amy at their home in Chelmsford, Essex, when she shrieked - revealing a growth in her throat.

He told their mother Carly, 31, who was so concerned she immediately took her to Broomfield hospital last month.

Following surgery to remove the growth, they were referred to specialists at the University College London Hospital who diagnosed rhabdomyosarcoma - a rare soft tissue cancer.

Amy will now have to travel to America for proton beam therapy - a type of radiation which can more accurately pinpoint and kill tumours - that is not available in the UK.

Aaron East was tickling his sister Amy when he noticed something unusual at the back of her throat. She is now travelling to America for proton beam therapy

'Amy and Aaron were just playing tickle monsters in the other room when Aaron has looked down Amy's throat while she was laughing and seen the growth and thought ''that's not right,'' said Ms East.

'My first thought when Aaron showed me Amy's throat was that it was a tumour.

'My uncle passed away recently from cancer and my dad has also been treated so it has been at the forefront of my mind anyway.

'So, as a mother, I was taking no chances and was straight to A&E.

'Waiting until Monday morning was not an option and I had a knot in my stomach when I was going to the hospital but had to keep it together and stay strong for the kids.

'I could just feel that something was wrong straightaway.'

Amy had surgery to remove part of the growth on June 29 but the operation left a hole in her soft palate in her throat.

The seven-year-old was playing with her brother when he noticed the unusual mass in her throat. Tests revealed it was a rhabdomyosarcoma - a rare soft tissue cancer

She had surgery to remove the tumour from her throat and is set to undergo more targeted treatment in the US

Amy is just one of 60 children in the UK a year to be diagnosed with the rare type of cancer

Her brother Aaron said he didn't know what to do at first but is glad he told his mother. 'Now I feel pretty proud that I have found it'

A biopsy carried out at the UCLH confirmed the cells in the tumour were cancerous.

The family were due to see specialists to discuss the results of the test on July 14

But their 'world fell apart' when they were called in to hear the news on July 6 instead.

WHAT IS RHABDOMYOSARCOMA? Fewer than 60 children are diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma in the UK each year. Most of them are younger than 10 years old. It's more common in boys than girls. These tumours develop from muscle or fibrous tissue and can grow in any part of the body. The most common areas of the body to be affected are around the head and neck, the bladder, the testes, the womb or the vagina. Sometimes tumours are also found in a muscle or a limb, in the chest or in the abdominal wall. If the tumour is in the head or neck area, it can occasionally spread into the brain or the fluid around the spinal cord. The causes of rhadomyosarcoma are unknown but research is going on all the time. Children with certain rare genetic disorders, such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome, have a higher risk of developing rhabdomyosarcoma. The most common symptom is a lump or swelling. Source: Macmillan Advertisement

Now Amy now faces nine rounds of chemotherapy before heading off to America for the proton beam therapy that her family hopes will rid her of the disease.

'My world just fell apart when they told me but Amy has been so strong and whatever she has had to face she has just bounced back,' said Ms East.

'Whenever she has a scan or another procedure, we can go and get stickers or an ice cream and it is automatically a good day for her.

'Amy's a really happy-go-lucky confident girl and she gives me the strength to carry on, if I was her then I would be on the floor.'

The family said they were proud of how both of their children had reacted.

'I'm absolutely so proud of Aaron and at the moment, we are trying to make him aware of what an amazing thing he has done because he thinks it is his fault,' Ms East said.

'Because he found it, he thinks that he has done something wrong when in fact he has saved his little sister's life because he was savvy enough to see that something was wrong and to tell me.

'I really cannot thank him enough for what he has done, I am so proud.'

Amy echoed her sentiments, calling Aaron her 'hero'.

Aaron said he knew instantly when he saw the mass in Amy's throat that something was wrong.

He said: 'I was really guilty at first because I didn't understand much of what I found but now I feel pretty proud that I have found it.

'I didn't know what to do at first but then I realised that I needed to let a responsible adult know so I ran to mummy and I'm happy I did.

'It was pretty scary for me and Amy.'

Amy, pictured in hospital, says she is very proud of her brother and called him her 'hero'

While conventional radiotherapy uses high energy beams of radiation to destroy cancerous cells, often damaging surrounding tissue, proton beam therapy aims radiation directly at the tumour.

Because it is so highly targeted it means it can avoid healthy tissue, particularly tissues and organs behind the tumour.

While Amy's treatment in the US will be funded by the NHS, her family's travel and other costs will not be so they are now fundraising.
When she was told she may never have children, Donna Carter was heartbroken.

Diagnosed with a fertility condition in her 20s, she believed her dream of becoming a mother was over.

But ten years on, she now has her hands full with three identical triplets - conceived naturally - against odds of 200 million to one.

Adam, Miles and Damian arrived seven weeks ago - a month prematurely - weighing 4lb 9oz, 4lb 8oz and 4lb 5oz respectively.

They have since thrived and are now a healthy 7lb each.

Today Ms Carter spoke of her joy at becoming a mother-of-three so unexpectedly.

'It was such a shock. Doctors told me it was a chance in a million, like winning the lottery - and now I could do with winning the lottery for the money.'

Donna Carter, 34, was told she would never conceive naturally due to polycystic ovary syndrome. She was shocked to discover she was pregnant - and with identical triplets

Adam, Miles and Damian were delivered by Caesarean section seven weeks ago - and though born prematurely, now weight a healthy 7lb each

At age 24 Ms Carter had been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition in which fluid-filled sacs form on the ovaries, hampering fertility.

She was told it was highly unlikely she would ever conceive naturally - and believed her dreams of being a parent were over.

Ms Carter had been out of the country for four years and was living in Egypt with her partner Mahmood, a policeman.

The care worker, from Warsop, Nottinghamshire, had returned to the UK to find work when she discovered she was pregnant.

She said: 'I was told at the age of 24 that I wasn't able to have children - and now I'm blessed with three at 34.

'When I came back I found out I was pregnant - and at five weeks I was told there were three heartbeats.'

Ms Carter said: 'I was told at the age of 24 that I wasn't able to have children - and now I'm blessed with three at 34'

It is thought the odds of conceiving identical triplets are an an incredible 200 million to one. Ms Carter said: 'They told me it was a chance in a million, like winning the lottery - and I could do with winning the lottery now for the money'

WHAT IS POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME? Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition that affects how a womans ovaries work. The three main features of PCOS are: irregular periods  which means the ovaries don't regularly release eggs (ovulation)

excess androgen  high levels of 'male hormones' in the body, which may cause physical signs such as excess facial or body hair

polycystic ovaries  the ovaries become enlarged and contain many fluid-filled sacs (follicles) which surround the eggs (it's important to note that, despite the name, if you have PCOS you don't actually have cysts) Symptoms include regular periods or no periods, fertility problems, excessive hair, weight gain, thinning hair on the head and acne. The exact cause of PCOS is unknown, but it often runs in families. It's related to abnormal hormone levels in the body, including high levels of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that controls sugar levels in the body. Many women with PCOS are resistant to the action of insulin in their body and produce higher levels of insulin to overcome this. This contributes to the increased production and activity of hormones such as testosterone. Being overweight or obese also increases the amount of insulin your body produces. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement

She was referred to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham where she was given a scan every fortnight.

At 32 weeks pregnant, Ms Carter became ill and was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia - a condition in which women develop high blood pressure in the second half of their pregnancy.

As it can lead to serious complications for both mother and baby if left untreated, she was rushed into hospital.

Ms Carter said: 'There were no beds free in the neonatal units in the whole of the East Midlands - my babies would have been split up, as there was a place in Cambridge and one in Birmingham - so I was just trying to hold on.'

Due to her illness, Ms Carter was put into an induced coma for 15 hours and the triplets were delivered by Caesarean section.

She said: 'I was very large - I swelled up like a balloon.

'A week later and the boys decided to come into the world.

'I came to in intensive care and all I wanted was a cup of tea - I didn't realise they had been born. They showed me a photo of them and I couldn't believe it.

'I was so big I thought I was still pregnant. Then they took me down to see them.'

Ms Carter said the staff at the hospital were amazing.

She said: 'I just felt really overwhelmed and I was in floods of tears and my midwife was practically crying.

'Because of the rarity of the births, there were lots of students coming in.
Allyson Wisniewski will be the next President of the Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce. Her first day at the Chamber will be November 28.
The treatment of diseases from diabetes to multiple sclerosis could be revolutionised by a breakthrough in bone marrow transplants.

Researchers have made the life-saving infusions so safe that they say they could be used to treat numerous conditions.

Excitingly, a single treatment could provide a life-long cure.

The scientists said their technique could be the holy grail of transplantation, ushering in a whole new era in disease treatment.

Scientists have made life-saving bone marrow infusions so safe they could be used to re-set people's immune systems, treating numerous conditions. Pictured, an immune cell

Some 1,200 bone marrow transplants are carried out each year in the UK.

Patients critically ill with leukaemia and other blood cancers are given radiotherapy or chemotherapy to wipe out their own diseased cells, before being given an infusion of healthy marrow.

But while they can be hugely successful, the transplants come with a host of side-effects and up to 20 per cent of patients die from complications.

As a result, bone marrow transplants are reserved for the most seriously ill.

Many of the problems are caused by the chemotherapy or radiotherapy that is used to wipe out the patients own bone marrow ahead of the transplant.

The Stanford University researchers have found a much safer way of eliminating the cells.

ARE WE ANOTHER STEP CLOSER TO PREVENTING ALZHEIMER'S? A cluster of genes in healthy brains could help researchers develop preventative treatments for Alzheimers disease. People with the gene signature  a sequence of between 50 and 60 specific genes  are vulnerable to the spread of the killer illness which causes dementia. They are vulnerable because they are less able to produce proteins that dispose of the rogue proteins that cause the plaques that clump around healthy brain cells and the tangles inside brain cells, leading to dementia. University of Cambridge academics say the findings could be used to develop treatments for individuals well before symptoms appear. At present, a genetic cause for Alzheimers has been found for only around 1 in 20 cases, and the researchers hope the breakthrough will cast light on the other 19 out of 20 cases that cannot be predicted. Advertisement

Theyve used two different antibodies to trick the body into attacking the diseased marrow and destroying it.

In experiments in mice, more than 99 per cent of the bone marrow cells were eliminated, the journal Science Translational Medicine reports.

The team then found a way of purifying the donated bone marrow, to make the transplant even safer.

They said: If it works in humans like it did in mice, we would expect the risk of death would drop form 20 per cent to effectively zero.

Study co-author Irving Weissmann said: There is almost no category of disease or organ transplant that is not impacted by this research.

If and when this is accomplished, it will be a whole new era in disease treatment and regenerative medicine.

The bone marrow is the bodys blood cell factory so transplants are usually used to treat blood cancers.

However, the marrow also makes most of the cells in the bodys immune system.

This means that any disease caused by a rogue immune response could potentially be cured by a one-off transplant.

Childhood diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases could be the treatments grasp.

The technology could also be exploited to make heart, lung and other organ transplants safer.

The safe treatment could help a myriad of diseases including type 1 diabetes, MS, cancer and organ transplantation (file photo)

Co-researcher Judith Shizuru, a lab technician turned doctor, said human trials could start in as little as three years.

Dr Shizuru recently described the work as they most exciting thing I have done in my whole life.

She added: One important reason why I became a bone marrow transplanter was so that I could help cure autoimmune disease.

If we can make bone marrow transplants safer, that offers a potential way to cure autoimmune disease, including diabetes.

There is almost no category of disease or organ transplant that is not impacted by this research

The Anthony Nolan blood cancer charity said the work was still in its early stages but showed promise.

Scientist Dr Aurore Saudemont, said: Not only does it demonstrate better survival rates after a transplant but to herald a time where debilitating post-transplant side effects are reduced.
His mother issued a plea asking for money for medical help for her son

Is being treated in a state-run hospital as parents can't afford other care

Blood clots began to form in his eyes, drying up and

A four-year-old boy has lost his sight due to a bizarre condition that causes his eyes to bleed and pop out.

Sagar Dorji, from Lakhimpur in the northeastern Indian state of Assam, only developed the condition recently.

His devastated parents are desperate to find out what is wrong with him - but cannot afford the medical tests required.

Sagar Dorji, four, from Assam state, India, has lost his sight due to a bizarre condition that causes his eyes to bleed and pop out. He is pictured (right) with his father Pratim Dorji, 35

Three months ago his eyes began to swell and turn bloodshot, then they began to pop out. The blood forms forms a clot in Sagar's eyes and eventually dries up there

Sagar's mother, Kusum, said the problem began around three months ago.

'First, his eyes got swollen and looked bloodshot - then they started to come out of the socket and bleed.

'I don't know whose curse has fallen upon us.'

Unlike other cases of bleeding from eyes and ears, the blood forms a clot in Sagar's eyes and eventually dries up there.

So bad is his health that he has now been moved to a state-run facility for better treatment.

Doctors want to perform lab tests to ascertain what is wrong - but Sagar's parents cannot afford them.

'It would cost around Rs 12000 [120 or $156] , but I don't have money to fund that,' said his father Pratim Dorji, 35, who works as a labourer.

Sagar's condition has sparked intense interest in the medical community in Guwahati, Assam's largest city.

Doctors, who are reportedly treating him for cancer, have reportedly refused to comment on the why this is the course of action they have taken.

Today Sagar's mother Kusum issued a desperate plea for help - seeking money for medical treatment for her son. She said: 'Help me save my child by contributing whatever you can. Those of you who cannot, please pray for him'

And Sagar's parents are unconvinced. 'I am not happy with the treatment provided at the hospital,' his father said.

'I have seen no improvement in his condition since he was brought to the Guwahati hospital last week.

'But I have no option but to continue this treatment as I cannot afford to fund costly treatment in a bigger city like Mumbai or Delhi.'

In the meantime, the family's neighbours are trying to raise awareness of Sagar's plight - and money for the crucial medical tests.

Today his mother issued a desperate plea for help.

Sagar's health is so bad he has now been moved to a state-run facility for treatment - as his parents cannot afford tests or treatment at a better hospital in Delhi or Mumbai

'I appeal to all kind-hearted people to help me save my son. Any other parents will be able to feel my pain.

'Help me save my child by contributing whatever you can. Those of you who cannot, please pray for him.'

One social activist, called Biwasjit Barman, is trying to gather funds among his friends and family.

'I have also requested the Government to intervene and help this child before it is too late,' he told MailOnline.

'I am also a father, I can feel what Sagar's father must be going through.'

Marnie Harvey, 17, bleeds from her eyes up to five times a day and doctors have no idea why

She has seen a plethora of specialists but nobody can diagnose the cause of her affliction

In March MailOnline reported on the story of Marnie Harvey, a 17-year-old who bled from her eyes - but doctors had no idea why.

Her ordeal began in 2013 when she woke up with blood spatters on her pillow.

The condition got worse and she now seeps from her nose, ears, fingertips, scalp and tongue.

Often, the bleeding is accompanied by splitting headaches and sickness - and she missed weeks of school and had to quit her job in retail as a result.

She has seen a plethora of specialists and cut out a range of ingredients including gluten and sugar from her diet, but nothing works - and nobody can diagnose the cause.

Miss Harvey, from Stoke-on-Trent, is thought to be the only person in the UK with this unique set of symptoms, causing doctors to dub her The Mystery Girl.

MailOnline is in the process of establishing where donations can be sent.
Security near the Red Fort has been beefed up in preparation for the Independence Day celebrations. Everything that moves, or does not - from trees and windows, to residents and beggars - will be under the radar of the security agencies.

Officials are taking no chances, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present to hoist the national flag and deliver his speech.

To boost security, the police have had over 3,000 trees pruned in and around the venue. These trees will be thoroughly checked and guarded by security personnel.

US President Barack Obama with PM Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee on Republic Day last year

There are around 3,140 trees in and around the Red Fort premises. All the trees are now pruned and lights are being installed on them. Around 2,400 trees are located inside the Red Fort premises and the rest are along the periphery. Security personnel will be deployed at each tree to rule out any security breach, an officer said.

Mail Today had earlier reported that the Delhi Police are hiring an additional 500 CCTV cameras to keep a watch on the venue.

According to a senior Delhi police officer, the Prime Minister is being targeted by a terror outfit which is always looking for new ways to attack him.

Police teams will be deployed near the trees at the Red Fort to rule out any security breach

He said the residents, trees, and other vital components near the venue had been mapped based on inputs from other intelligence agencies.

Officials said that the panoramic view that the PM will get has been kept in mind and all buildings facing the Red Fort are being checked.

According to Delhi Police, close to 600 balconies and 100 windows open to a clear view of the monument.

Security personnel will be deployed at such locations during the speech, a senior police officer said.

Police have also divided areas facing the Red Fort into several categories so that in case of emergency, a quick response team can immediately identify the house and reach the spot.
The never-ending pursuit of the perfect shot to share on social media has sparked a troubling trend in India - death by selfie.

Careless photo-takers have been tipping over boats, falling off cliffs, getting hit by trains, and crashing cars in alarming numbers. And the trend has attracted the Government's attention.

Headed by a selfie-loving Prime Minister, the Centre is set to introduce a raft of measures to identify such danger zones at tourist sites across India.

Three students of Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences drowned in February after falling in an irrigation canal in Hulivana village, 180km from Bengaluru, reportedly while taking selfies

I have written to all state governments, requesting them to introduce safety precautionary measures and declare Selfie Danger Zones at tourist sites. We are taking up the issue very seriously, Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Mahesh Sharma told Mail Today on Tuesday.

I would urge everyone not to risk their lives for taking selfies at any dangerous location.

According to reports, India led the world in selfie-related deaths in 2015, accounting for more than half of such fatalities globally - 15 out of 27.

A Japanese tourist died last year after he succumbed to head injuries from slipping on the Taj Mahals stairs while trying to snap a self-portrait. Elsewhere, seven teenagers drowned in a lake in Nagpur when they stood up for a selfie and flipped their boat.

The spate has continued this year too. Going by reports, as many as 37 deaths have occurred up till August, taking the total number of such casualties to at least 54 since 2014.

The Tourism Ministry hopes putting up signs at high-risk spots will help make would-be photographers more aware of their surroundings

In January this year, 18-year-old Tarannum Ansari and her two friends fell into the sea while snapping selfies near Mumbais Bandra Fort. A bystander, Ramesh Walanju, 37, saved her friends but was swept away while trying to find Ansari. Both drowned.

The same month, 16-year-old student Dinesh Kumar was run over when he tried to take a selfie in front of a speeding train in Chennai.

An ambulance driver and his friend also died last month after falling 250ft into a gorge near the Charmadi Ghats in Karnataka while taking selfies.

For the safety and security for tourists  both domestic and international we are forming specific guidelines and will ask the state governments and other agencies to demarcate areas (at tourist destinations and historical monuments) which are considered risky for any such activities, an official said.

He said the ministry would ask the state governments and Union Territory administrations to put up signage at all the unsafe spots, informing tourists about the dangers ahead.

The tourism ministry has instructed officials and agencies to work out all possible tactics to avert selfie-related mishaps

It will also provide training to guides and guards deployed at all the sites, which come under either the MoT or the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which functions under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture.

The tourism ministry is instructing officials and agencies to work out all possible steps to avert selfie-related mishaps.

The guidelines will include steps like putting up safety nets around all identified SDZs so that if anyone suffers a fall, fatalities can be avoided. There will be arrangements of emergency medical assistance at all Selfie Danger Zones too, an official said, pointing out that security guards will be deployed to monitor the sites closely.

CCTV cameras will be installed to monitor the movement of tourists at these treacherous spots.

The governments of Maharashtra and Karnataka have already adopted measures to create awareness by putting up signs in the danger zones.

Mumbai Police have identified 16 no-selfie zones in the city to combat the menace, after two people drowned near the Bandra Worli Sea Link this year.

Several states, such as Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Kerala, and Maharashtra, have deployed tourist police teams.
Aarti Dubey had reportedly dreamed that the goddess wanted her tongue as a sacrifice

A 19-year-old girl sliced off her tongue with a blade and offered it to Goddess Kali, apparently to appease the deity into granting her heart's desire.

Aarti Dubey, an undergraduate student at TRS College in Madhya Pradesh, made the extreme sacrifice a day after she dreamed about the deity demanding her tongue in exchange for granting all her wishes.

Her brother Sachin told Mail Online: "Aarti had confided in me about the dream and told me that she was going to offer her tongue to the deity. But it never occurred to me that she was serious about it. I thought she was just kidding.

"I have heard about incidents of illiterate and superstitious people offering their body parts to appease the gods. I never thought that my own college-going sister could be so superstitious."

The incident happened at a Kali temple in the town of Reeva, in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Aarti fell unconscious immediately after slicing off her tongue and offering it to the goddess. The priest and fellow devotees present on the temple premises covered her with a scarf and kept praying for her well-being instead of taking her to a doctor.

The teenager's brother Sachin told MailOnline he thought Aarti was joking when she said she would offer her tongue to the deity

Aarti fainted immediately after cutting off her tongue, and was covered with a scarf by witnesses at the temple - who failed to seek medical help

When the girl regained consciousness after five hours, people hailed it as the blessing of the goddess.

"I was right there when the girl cut off her tongue and offered it to the deity. The goddess is the almighty and she always protects her devotees," said priest Devi Prasad Sharma.

Much to the surprise of the onlookers and devotees, Aarti got up and finished the rest of the rituals, including doing the rounds of the temple premises, with a faint smile on her face.

As the news spread in the locality, the authorities swung into action and a team of doctors and policemen arrived at the spot around noon.

Although it is not unheard of for devotees to offer body parts to Goddess Kali, the extreme move is highly unusual in a college student

The incident happened at a Kali temple in the town of Reeva, in the state of Madhya Pradesh

The doctors did a check-up on Aarti and sent her home after giving her first aid.
They can then eavesdrop on conversations and see texts and photos

An undercover investigation has revealed a rising trend of secret mobile phone apps which can be installed by suspicious partners to spy on their other halves.

In a week-long delve into the shady world of private detectives, India Today TV found a market - both online and offline - awash with invisible bugging software easily downloadable onto the mobile devices of unsuspecting spouses.

The stealth programmes enable people who fear their partner is cheating to remotely eavesdrop on real-time phone conversations, read texts, and track all other actions on their mobile.

The online and offline market is awash with apps that can easily track your spouses texts and allow you to eavesdrop on calls. (Picture for representation only.)

With no laws to regulate them, private detectives are openly selling this furtive technology to their clients - for anything in the region of Rs 25,000 per year.

Detective Vibhav Gupta of the Delhi-based Key Investigation company offered to equip an India Today TV reporter, posing as a suspicious husband, with remote surveillance power.

The app he has accessed is usually used by parents to monitor their children's activities, and by companies to keep tabs on dubious employees, he said.

The tool has a key feature: it cant be spotted once its installed on phones.

'Ill give you a software which you just have to install (on your wifes phone stealthily). It will only take five minutes for installation. After that her phones total control will be in your hands,' Gupta told the undercover reporter.

'What does it mean?' asked the journalist.

Gupta replied: 'Youll be able to hear all her incoming and outgoing calls.'

'You can check her location, all her contact details. You can see all her text messages, incoming and outgoing. Youll be able to see all photos shes sharing.'

As for the cost of the app, the detective quoted an annual charge of Rs 25,000.

All a potential eavesdropper needs is a few minutes with the target handset.

'If you can get the password of your wifes phone... Ill tell you how to install it,' Gupta said.

India Today TV's special investigation team also discovered that these prying software apps are available online, some free of charge.

Many apps work on all platforms - Android, iOS, and BlackBerry.

Rather than suggesting bugging devices, several other detectives that the team met promised to obtain and sell unlawfully-accessed call detail records (CDRs) to the reporters posing as suspicious spouses.

'We will not hand that (any physical copy) over to you. Well study it (CDRs) and let you know which number shes been calling on regularly,' said Rahul Kumar of D.M. Detectives in Noida.

Kumar asked for Rs 70,000 for sharing CDRs spanning three months.

Vikram Singh of Krishna Detectives, which operates out of Chankaya Place in Delhi, claimed that multiple agencies and touts were involved in the racket engaged in stealing the CDRs.
Criminals are emailing fake British Gas utility bills as a ruse to encourage people to download viruses on to their home computers.

The 'Trojan horse' viruses effectively lock people out of their computers and demand a ransom to allow them to get back in.

The blackmail message carried by the virus directs victims to make a payment online.

Warning: Criminals are emailing fake British Gas bills containing computer viruses

Experts say the fast-growing scam  targeting hundreds of thousands of families, as well as pensioners and students  involves the use of so-called ransomware to hijack computers in homes, businesses, schools and hospitals.

The fake bills, which may have originated in Russia, look remarkably authentic.

They are sent from an address with British Gas in the name and use the company's branding.

Titled 'Your summer gas & electricity bill', they include the figure owed plus a payment date.

A link to view the bill takes people to a website where they are told to download a file. It is this file that contains the virus.

Scam warning: British Gas says emails from it will contain full names and account numbers

British Gas has shut down one website linked to the scam. A spokesman said: 'Any customer who is concerned about a phishing email can forward it to phishing@centrica.com.'

The firm said genuine British Gas emails are personalised to the customer with their account number.

If you receive one of these emails and are unsure if it's genuine or not, call British Gas to check if it's real before you click on any links within the email.
SoftBank boss Masayoshi Son is keen to get his hands on Britain's top tech firm

The clock is speeding up on Softbank's 24billion takeover of Britain's chip champion ARM and the concern must be that it will happen by default with no public venting of the arguments.

If this fast tracking process had been applied in the approach by EADS (now Airbus) for BAE Systems and Pfizer for AstraZeneca then two of Britain's leading-edge R&D, manufacturing and exporting companies would have been gobbled up by overseas marauders.

Investment bankers have been remarkably shrewd in forcing this deal through in August when the last thing on the minds of politicians and investors is Britain's technology future.

Softbank and its advisers have been smart enough to negotiate away ARM's future with specific jobs and other pledges made with the approval of the Panel in Takeovers & Mergers.

As wonderful as the City referee is, saving the UK from Delaware corporate law among other things, it is not a wholly safe pair of hands.

Firstly, the Panel is an organisation of City professionals run by its own and more concerned with the rules of engagement in takeovers than the industrial consequences.

Secondly, those manning the barricades are temporary appointments, seconded by banks and magic circle lawyers, and will have returned to their firms by the time the promises made by Softbank have faded away.

The process by which breaches of undertakings can be made to the High Court is far from clear. Finally, most of what the panel does is settled behind closed doors.

Transparency, an essential tenet of public discourse in the 21st Century, is not observed.

Given this vacuum it is neglectful that MPs, who did a splendid job bringing up the dead in the shape of BHS, have been missing in action when it comes to the living in terms of R&D and patents when it comes to ARM.

The Cambridge company is not simply a commercial enterprise.

Its success has been built on the brilliance of the UK's best research universities funded largely by the state. So there is a big public interest in what happens.

A quick check of the corporate governance codes of some of ARM's biggest investors shows they are full of guff about how they take their broader responsibilities very seriously.

If that is really the case there would have been a great deal more open engagement by now.

Prime Minister Theresa May has dared take on the might of China over the nuclear plant at Hinkley Point, much to the chagrin of Beijing, which is issuing all manner of threats to Britannia.

No one is proposing such a clash with Japanese-American giant Softbank. The public interest demands that a more thorough, open inquiry is held before this deal is nodded through on September 6 and ARM's senior directors collect their 55million of cash, including vested share options.

The Americans have their independent Committee on Foreign Investment, the Ontario government blocked the assault of the London Stock Exchange on its Toronto rival and France is hyper-sensitive about its strategic sectors, such as yoghurt.

May and her so-far silent Business Secretary Greg Clark should apply a public interest test and send this deal to the CMA. Failure to do so would be a dereliction.

Grant no quarter

As the BHS sale scandal unfurled in recent months this paper has sought on many occasions to better understand the work done by accountants Grant Thornton for Retail Acquisitions Limited, the outfit run by thrice bankrupt Dominic Chappell.

So it was with some surprise that it took a phone call from the firm 'flagging up' that the 'financial due diligence' it had done was on behalf of RAL, not Chappell, as if there were a clear distinction between the two entities.

It also insisted that it had been unable to make public its findings on RAL to the Commons probe because the BHS buyer had insisted on client confidentiality. If it shared its findings in the face of the objections (presumably from Chappell), then it would be in breach of regulations and could face probes by its professional body ICAEW or the Financial Reporting Council.

All very frightening no doubt. But client confidentiality didn't prevent the firm from taking its share of an 8m fee charged directly to BHS. Might the accounting firm have concluded that the wider good in the shape of 11,000 working lives at BHS and 21,000 in the retirement schemes overruled all else?

Putting the interest of RAL above those of the injured parties suggests a moral vacuum.

Wrong horse

William Hill's hard-headed chairman Gareth Davis is right to reject the 3.6billion opportunistic bid from Rank and online gaming group 888 Holdings.

Putting three very different gambling enterprises together, with varying cultures and activities, does not make a huge amount of sense even in a consolidating market.

Better to rationalise Hill's High Street portfolio and ask Playtech back in to update the online platform.
In 2013, I claimed against Barclaycard for a mis-sold payment protection insurance (PPI) policy. My claim was rejected, and I accepted this. But then, in September 2015, I received a letter from Barclaycard stating my claim had been reviewed  I was awarded 1,887.84.

However, the letter was sent while I was on holiday, so there was a slight delay in my replying, and I've never received the payment.

I've written to Barclaycard on four occasions, with no response. I have also called three times but, despite all the information being provided, they still do not reply or pay my money.

D. P., Spain.

Although Barclaycard contacted a reader to say it owed him 1,887.84. in PPI it hasn't been forthcoming with the cash

This is the second letter I have received recently regarding unpaid PPI compensation. It is also the second in which the bank has tried to fob off a customer, but been forced to review the case.

Barclaycard says the issue was caused by a mismatch of addresses on its file. I'm guessing it had a UK address while you now live in Spain.

A spokesman says: 'We would like to offer our sincere apologies for the time taken to settle this claim, which was caused by us needing to verify the address we held on file. This took longer than it should have done and we have investigated the reasons why to prevent it happening again.'

Barclaycard has paid you the 1,948.46 due (it has grown a little because of interest) and given you a 100 goodwill gesture.

In February 2014, I moved into a property with a pre-payment gas meter. But I didn't know the previous tenant had left a debt and each time I put cash on the pre-payment key, a proportion was being used to repay this.

When I realised what was going on, I arranged to have an ordinary meter installed and pay by direct debit. This happened in April 2014, and I was told by my supplier Npower I'd be reimbursed for any money used to repay the debt.

I moved out in February 2015 and paid my final bill. But this April, I received a bill for 427.98. I called to dispute it and was instead given a bill for 137.70.

I called again but, on April 29, received a letter saying Npower was going to pass my account to a debt collection agency. I then got another one saying I'd be taken to court.

G. H., Warwickshire.

It's understandable that a large organisation makes the odd error.

But when a customer calls again and again to rectify the mistake, it should sort things out. Yet, instead of escalating your complaint, Npower escalated the threat in its letters.

When I made contact, it addressed the situation within hours. A spokesman says: 'I'm sorry to report we are completely at fault here.'

When your pre-payment meter was changed to a normal meter, it seems that the account was not properly updated. Thus began the farce. I'm happy to report it's now ended, with Npower writing off the 137.70 bill and offering you a 50 goodwill gesture. It has contacted you to apologise and reassure you it won't be asking for any further money.

YOU HAVE YOUR SAY - CANCELLING CONTRACTS Every week, Money Mail receives hundreds of your letters and emails. Here's what you had to say about how tricky it is to cancel everything from your phone contract to insurance policies . . . Today, I called an insurance company and the phone was answered immediately. I told the girl I wanted to amend an existing policy and was given another number to ring. I waited 44 minutes hearing 'your call is important to us' over and over again. Is it policy to have numerous staff on the new business line and just one on the line for loyal customers? W. T., Glasgow. Boy, did you have it easy! It took me five months, 50-plus emails and four phone calls  one lasting 37 minutes  to cancel a contract with an internet provider. They refused to accept anything I said. D. J., via email. I don't want to have to continually change providers  I want simple loyalty to be rewarded. If companies can still make money from discounted start offers, they could give the same discount to loyal customers and save on the administration costs of chasing the customers they lose. J. M., Edinburgh. 'Press 1 for this', '2 for that', '3 for the other' and 'hang on while I take your details again'. I think most people simply give up as they just can't be bothered. S. S., Doncaster. It should be the law to offer the same methods to cancel as are offered to sign up. So if you can sign up online, you should be able to cancel online. K. P., Liverpool. No one should be tempted to simply cancel their direct debit. Depending on the agreement you signed up to, firms can charge you through the nose for cancelling the mandate without speaking to them first. If you still owe them anything  and never just assume that you don't  they can pass on your account to a collections service, with its own set of headaches. K. L., Newcastle. It really annoys me when I phone to cancel and a firm decides to call me by my first name when it has no clue who I am. This nonsense came in a few years ago to make you feel as if you're talking to your best friend. I find it cheeky and irritating. M. T., Plymouth, Devon.

At the end of July last year, I requested self-assessment tax returns for myself and my husband. We didn't receive a reply.

On August 24, we sent details of the interest paid on our savings accounts so we could reclaim overpaid tax. We heard nothing, but did not worry, as we knew the tax office was behind, and were expecting refunds.

We went away for two months from January 15 and, on returning, each had a letter for a 100 penalty. We both appealed.

We then went away again and returned in April to find letters stating that our appeals had been refused. We have proof of posting for the original tax information, but HMRC won't accept this. I am 78 and could do without all this.

B. B., Scarborough, N. Yorks.

This is a case of misunderstanding, compounded by a heavy-handed approach by HMRC. The only reason you were contacting HMRC was to claim back tax that had been taken from your savings interest.

Basically, interest had been taken at 20 per cent, but your modest incomes meant you were entitled to be charged at the 10 per cent rate. All you needed to do was fill in form R40.

However, you thought you needed a tax return. When HMRC didn't respond in a timely fashion, you instead wrote to it declaring how much interest you had earned and how much tax had been paid. You also had a certificate of posting.

Surely someone at HMRC could have acted on this and picked up the phone? Instead you were caught in a maelstrom of malevolent mail.

This started when a tax return was finally sent in September. You ignored this, as you thought you'd supplied the information needed.

But when it didn't receive the return by the January 31 deadline, HMRC issued a fine on February 17. You appealed, explaining that you had already sent income details.

STRAIGHT TO THE POINT I have a Vodafone pay-as-you-go phone to use in emergencies. I normally send a text every few weeks, but I've been in hospital and haven't used it in months. It's now not working, and I still had credit on it. What can I do? M. H., Norfolk. Mobile phone firms disconnect lines that haven't been used for six months, so it's important to use it every now and then. Make sure the phone is charged at least once every few weeks, as companies send a text to warn you before you're disconnected. Luckily, Vodafone hasn't yet recycled your number and has agreed to reconnect it. It has also given you a 20 top-up. I took out annual travel insurance with Tesco Bank in December 2014. We were due to travel on January 27, but my wife fell ill and we had to cancel our trip. Tesco Bank said we weren't covered as our policy didn't start until the first day of our trip. P. B., Eastleigh, Hants. The Financial Ombudsman looked carefully at your case and found in favour of Tesco Bank. It said that when you took out the policy online, you were asked when you wanted the cover to start  and there was a clear warning that you would not be covered for cancellation costs until that date. This was also clarified in the policy documents posted to you. I'm afraid that you'll have to write this off. I have heard it is possible to claim a proportion of the state pension before my official retirement age. Is this correct? T. H., Newmarket, Suffolk. No. You can't claim any state pension before the official state retirement age, which is 65 for men and 63 for women  and rising. While there have been calls from charities for savers to be allowed to take some of their pension early if they suffer ill-health, this is not yet law. My wife and I applied for the new Marriage Allowance, but HM Revenue & Customs told us we were not eligible to receive it because we were already receiving something called Married Couple's Allowance. Can you explain? A. D., Frome, Somerset. It is highly confusing, but there are two tax breaks in place for couples  and you can claim only one or the other. The Marriage Allowance was launched in 2015 and allows couples to transfer 1,100 of their tax-free personal allowance between them. They can save 220 in total. The Married Couple's Allowance is more generous, and reduces your tax bill by as much as 835.50. However, one member of the couple must have been born before April 6, 1935, to claim.

This was another opportunity for HMRC to exercise common sense. Instead, you were sent a most objectionable letter, dated April 18, threatening further penalties of up to 1,600. In bold, it said: 'Previously we treated your lack of response as an oversight, now we will be treating it as a deliberate choice. We will be monitoring your response.'

What a nasty, bullying letter to send to pensioners who have simply misunderstood the system!

Naturally, you appealed, but then received a further 'jobsworth' letter on April 22, saying HMRC could not consider your appeal, as it had not received a tax return. On May 31, a further letter threatened: 'The more you delay, the greater the penalty.'

When yet another letter was sent to you on June 1, you contacted me.

HMRC has now explained all you needed to do was fill in form R40. It has sent you forms for the 2015/16 tax year, closed self-assessment records for you and your husband and cancelled all the penalties.

Under new rules that came in this April, both you and your husband will be able to earn 1,000 of interest tax-free from April this year. (For higher-rate taxpayers, it's 500).

This is on top of the up to 5,000 a year you are allowed to receive tax-free from interest if your income is below 17,000 a year.
The FTSE 100 extended a week-long run, rising 0.62 per cent, or 42.17 points, to 6851.30.

Among the highest climbers of the day was tech firm Smiths Group, whose trading update sent shares upward.

The group, which makes airport scanners, said revenue for the year to July 31 is likely to be above expectations and up on last year's.

Riser: Smiths Group, which makes airport scanners, said revenue for the year to July 31 is likely to be above expectations and up on last year's

A strong US dollar had helped offset a 10 per cent revenue fall at its John Crane division, which makes mechanical seals.

Performance has also been strong in its Smiths Detection business, which makes sensors that detect explosives, drugs and weapons.

The full-year results will be published on September 28. Shares rose 2.5 per cent, or 32p to 1322p.

EasyJet got a boost as Cantor upgraded the stock to a buy and added 100p onto its target price, now 1,300p. Shares took off 3.6 per cent, or 37p to 1076p.

AstraZeneca slipped slightly after it revealed trials of its experimental drug Selumetinib had failed to help lung cancer patients live longer or to prevent the disease from worsening.

The pharma giant acquired the exclusive rights to the drug from Array BioPharma more than a decade ago in 2003.

STOCK WATCH - AGGREKO Shares in Aggreko, which provides mobile power solutions, rose yesterday as it said it will acquire the assets of DryCo, a US-based climate control equipment firm. DryCo services the shipping, food processing, manufacturing and construction industries. Its ten North American locations employ more than 60. Last year it reported revenues of 14.6million. Aggreko, which has not disclosed the value of the deal, said the move would support its expanding customer base in several industries. Shares advanced 1.4 per cent, or 15p to 1111p.

Astra is exploring the use of the drug in patients with certain types of thyroid cancer and those with a genetic disorder that causes tumours to grow along nerve tissue. Shares stumbled 0.25 per cent, or 13p to 5177p.

Spirax-Sarco climbed as it reported sales had grown 5 per cent in the six months to June 30.

The engineering firm said revenue for the first half was 344million, compared to 320million for the same period last year.

Pre-tax profit is up 28 per cent to 73.4million and the interim dividend 8 per cent to 22.5p. The firm said the implications of Brexit remain to be seen and much will depend on the outcome of negotiations.

Spirax warned that with early indicators suggesting a slowdown in UK investment, there may be some project delays in the second half of the year.

But the group added that 90 per cent of its sales are from outside the UK. It also announced it had acquired the assets of Brazilian valve manufacturer Hiter for 3.9million. Shares soared 6 per cent, or 246p to 4348p.

Amec Foster Wheeler topped the FTSE 350 for the day as it revealed profits in the first half of the year had beaten its estimates.

But the oil and gas firm said trading had been mixed. Record revenue in its solar and UK North Sea businesses had offset weak performance in the Americas.

While revenue was up 4 per cent to 2.8billion, net debt has increased 13 per cent to almost 1.1billion.

But Amec said its expectations for the year were unchanged. The group's cost-cutting programme is on track; it is targeting annual cost savings of 130million and aiming for proceeds of 500million from disposals by June 2017.

Shares rocketed 11.7 per cent, or 54.6p to 521p. At the other end of the 350 was building products supplier SIG.

Solid first half results were undermined by uncertainty due to the EU referendum. Revenue was 1.4billion in the first six months of the year, up 11 per cent on the same period a year ago.

Underlying pre-tax profit climbed 20 per cent to 47.7million. SIG said acquisitions and foreign exchange rates helped performance.

It added that performance of a new Dublin regional distribution centre was encouraging  it's the first time products from all of SIG's various businesses, including insulation, exteriors and interiors, have been available on a single site.

But chief executive Stuart Mitchell said there had been a slowing of the UK construction market following the referendum and like-for-like sales were flat in June and July. Shares slumped 6.1 per cent, or 6.5p to 100.6p.

On AIM, Aquatic Foods Group soared as it appointed a new finance director. Po Ling Low joins the Chinese marine foods business with 18 years of experience in corporate finance and investor relations, including at West China Cement.
Shares up: WorldPay reported soaring profits for the first half of the year

WORLDPAY RISE Payments company WorldPay saw shares rise after reporting soaring first-half profits.

Profits before tax rose to 168.6million in the six months to June 30, compared to just 300,000 a year earlier. The firm said it had taken on new customers, including Lloyds Pharmacy. It comes after WorldPay announced last week it will expand into Australia. Shares rose 2.5 per cent, or 7.6p to 309p.

FLATTERY IN Energy consultancy Utilitywise made Brendan Flattery its chief executive.

The 52-year-old, currently president of software company Sage Group, replaces Geoff Thompson on October 1. Thompson will become executive chairman.

The AIM-listed firm reported revenues of 82million in the year to July 31, compared to 69.1million a year previously. Shares rose 1 per cent, or 1.25p to 127.3p.

IOD APPOINTMENT The Institute of Directors appointed merchant banker Ken Olisa as deputy chairman.

The 64-year-old founded Restoration Partners and has been a non-executive director at the Institute for three years.

Olisa, who joins incoming director general Stephen Martin, was the first British-born black man to serve on the board of a public company, at Reuters.

SPRING BOX A US firm that has developed a mattress compressed in a small box which springs to full size when opened will launch in the UK today.

New York-based Casper will be sold online in Britain, having become popular in America where delivering a full-sized mattress and carting it upstairs and through confined spaces was a problem.

The latex memory foam mattresses are cheaper because they are sold online and their compression reduces delivery costs.

ONECOM EVOLVES Two firms which sell Vodafone contracts to businesses merged to create a company worth 80million.

Onecom bought rival Evolve in a multi-million pound deal, though the acquisition value was not disclosed.

Onecom, which has an annual turnover of 60million, expects the deal to generate an extra 7million of earnings within the first 12 months.

The merger of Vodafones largest and third-largest sellers creates a portfolio of 300,000 clients.

QE BLUES The Bank of Englands revived programme of quantitative easing hit a hurdle on its second day.

The Bank set out to buy gilts with maturities over 15 years from investors. Policymakers hoped to buy 1.17billion worth of gilts, but investors offered to sell just 1.12billion.

HELICOPTER MONEY The Kuwait Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters to buy 30 H225M helicopters.
Gamma Capital Management has been given a licence by the Financial Conduct Authority

Its banks were blamed for many of the woes of the banking crisis  but now finance firms from Iceland are back.

An Icelandic company has been granted permission to operate in the UK for the first time since the crisis began in 2008.

Gamma Capital Management won approval from the Financial Conduct Authority to operate as a stand-alone business in the UK, where it will offer services to investors.

Gisli Hauksson, Gamma's chief executive, said: 'Iceland is coming in from the cold and we believe that the strong economic outlook for Iceland creates exciting opportunities for foreign investors.'

The launch of the firm will be greeted with trepidation in some quarters. Around 350,000 British savers lost millions when a series of Icelandic banks collapsed in the crisis.

Firms such as Icesave, run by Landsbanki, and Kaupthing Edge, an internet bank run by Kaupthing, became high street names for offering high savings rates.

But in 2008 Iceland's three biggest banks collapsed with debts of about 70billion and the failure of Icesave in particular left savers fearing their money was lost.
Fans of the gripping American box set series Billions might rightly expect financial enforcers to be ruthless, relentless and unforgiving.

Playing the FBI's leading Manhattan prosecutor, Paul Giamatti takes no prisoners in his pursuit of Damian Lewis's amoral hedge fund trader Bobby Axelrod.

The contrast between the 'can-do' attitude of the US watchdog and our own regulators could not be starker.

Stephen Haddrill, chief executive of the Financial Reporting Council, finds himself at the centre of the whirlwind that has descended on the City of London as a result of the failures of auditors in the financial crisis, the untrammelled behaviour of ruthless entrepreneurs Philip Green and Mike Ashley and unfettered greed in the boardroom.

Cracking down: Stephen Haddrill, chief executive of the Financial Reporting Council

The former Whitehall mandarin does not seem well-suited to the task. His gentle manner, hesitancy in saying something controversial and excuses for not being more decisive must be regarded by some of those who he regulates as a gift from the Gods.

Some eight years after HBOS's collapse only now are Haddrill and his investigators coming to grips with the role of the auditors KPMG, who have done the same poor job at the Co-operative Bank and FIFA.

'If we get it wrong and don't proceed with these investigations with proper evidence we'll get judicially reviewed and the whole thing will come to a halt. So we have to take care,' he says.

STEPHEN HADDRILL, 60 Job: Chief executive of the Financial Reporting Council. Family: Lives in East Sussex. Married with two grown-up sons. One is running the Lloyd's of London insurance office in Hong Kong. The other is a helicopter pilot in the Army Air Corps. Life and career: Born in Croydon, south London. Went to Trinity School in Croydon and then Oxford University. Straight into civil service  Haddrill's immediate boss was Bernard Ingham, who went on to be Margaret Thatcher's press secretary. Involved mainly with nuclear power. Most difficult decision in government was to go ahead with the Sizewell B nuclear plant. Left the civil service for the Association of British Insurers in 2005 and moved on to the FRC in 2009. Pay: Earns a base salary of 375,000 a year plus pension contribution of 10pc. No chauffeur-driven car or first class air travel, but allowed business class if the trip is over five hours. Favourite things: Sails his 26ft boat on the Bewl Water reservoir on the Kent Sussex border. In the summer he takes to the high seas. Best gadget is his penknife, which he uses when out sailing. It was confiscated at Heathrow when he forgot it was in his pocket. Spare time: Likes the movie Gladiator with Russell Crowe: 'The small man fighting back against the empire.'

The public might feel more urgency could be deployed given that HBOS failed eight years ago and many of the protagonists have vanished from the Square Mile.

Oxford-educated Haddrill has the calm, reassuring demeanour of a Sir Humphrey, having spent most of his career as a civil servant  rising from a first job in Tony Benn's Energy department in the Callaghan government of the late 1970s to a variety of top roles at the Department of Trade & Industry in the early 2000s.

All of these gave the self-effacing Haddrill a deep knowledge of business and finance but scarcely qualify him to do combat with some of the richest and most powerful professional firms on earth or boards of directors filled with some of the biggest egos and defiant characters on the planet.

When I suggest to Haddrill that by the time the FRC gets around to punishing wrongdoers most have retired to their yachts in the Caribbean or villas in Mallorca he doesn't disagree.

'Yes, you're quite right. And we've set ourselves new targets now to get investigations completed and issuing a complaint, which will take us to court, within two years.

That may sound too long but you have to realise the investigation has to be done in such a way that it will withstand scrutiny of the courts,' he says.

The truth of the matter is that in most of the cases of accounting failures and misdemeanours that Haddrill and his team look at it is a case of David versus Goliath: 'Frankly, the major firms are very aggressive in their defence.'

For the big four accounting firms PwC, KPMG, Deloitte and Ernst & Young it is their reputation and future income which is on the line.

Haddrill says the FRC role in punishing Deloitte, auditors of failed car giant MG Rover, is an example of its determination. But MG Rover collapsed in 2004 and it was a decade before it reached a settlement of a piffling 3million.

As an example of the new go-getting FRC, which has powers to get information from companies as well as auditors, Haddrill trumpets its intervention at BHS.

'We started looking at the issue immediately after it came to light and that led us to launch an investigation into PwC  We've also been looking at the role of other advisors and whether they should be added to the investigation.'

In addition to its job of cleaning up audit the FRC is tasked with improving the hygiene in Britain's boardrooms. 'If more than 20 per cent of shareholders vote against remuneration then something has to be done.

'And if more than 30 per cent or 40 per cent vote against, that something could be quite large.'

Haddrill clearly believes that greed in the boardroom is out of hand. 'It's tainting the reputation of business as a whole,' he acknowledges.

He proposes publication of the multiple of executive pay vis-a-vis the average along with directors' justification for it.

But so far there is no sign of the excess being curbed any more than big firms, such as Reckitt Benckiser, feel obliged to follow governance rules limiting their directors' service.
The mystery surrounding the murder of rising Democrat star Seth Rich took a sudden sinister turn Wednesday with claims that he was responsible for the email dump that brought down close Hillary Clinton ally Debbie Wasserman-Schultz.

Julian Assange, the head of Wikileaks, the organization that released the emails, announced a $20,000 reward for information leading to Rich's July 10 death, hinting that Rich was responsible for leaking the documents.

Assange's offer has also added fuel to the flames of conspiracy theories sweeping the Internet that the Democratic presidential candidate and her husband Bill were somehow involved in Rich's death.

Commenting to Daily Mail Online for the family, Brad Bauman said 'Some are attempting to politicize this horrible tragedy, and in their attempts to do so, are actually causing more harm than good and impeding on the ability for law enforcement to properly do their job.'

Scroll down for video

Seth Rich, 27, a rising star in the DNC was shot several times as he walked home in Washington. Anti-Clinton forces link Rich to the dump of emails that brought down close Hillary Clinton ally Debbie Wasserman-Schultz

After decades in the national spotlight Bill and Hillary have amassed enough enemies who are more than happy to point to the number of Clinton associates who have died before their time

Wasserman-Schultz stepped down from her post as head of the Democratic National Committee on the eve of the party's national convention in Philadelphia. Hillary Clinton has suggested that Russia was responsible for hacking party computers and leaking the documents.

But the new theory suggests Rich, who was murdered in what looked like a botched robbery, was behind the leak

Rich, 27, was gunned down on his way home in the affluent Bloomingdale neighborhood of Washington D.C. last month while on the phone to his girlfriend.

He was still alive when he was found but died on his way to the hospital. Police still have no leads and are offering a $25,000 reward for information.

Hillary sought out Rich's parents for a private meeting during a trip to their hometown of Omaha, Nebraska last week. Rich's father Joel told the Omaha World-Herald that the former First Lady knew a lot about his son and was 'very warm and comforting.'

Rich's body was found on the 2100 block of Flagler Place NW, but he still had his watch, cell phone and wallet on him.

'Some are attempting to politicize this horrible tragedy,' Seth Rich's parents told Daily Mail Online through a spokesperson

'There had been a struggle. His hands were bruised, his knees are bruised, his face is bruised, and yet he had two shots to his back, and yet they never took anything,' his mother Mary told Washington's NBC affiliate.

'They took his life for literally no reason.'

So far, police have uncovered no clues to help solve his July 10 murder.

A police report seen by Daily Mail Online also states the circumstances surrounding Rich's homicide are 'unknown'.

The mystery has sparked a flurry of theories posted online, including claims he leaked DNC emails or that he was on his way to speak to the FBI when he was shot.

Reddit user The_Donald also constructed a timeline that links Rich to the Clintons, as pointed out by Heat Street.

'The death of this DNC staffer is too suspicious to ignore, especially in the face of voter fraud allegations against Hillary's campaign The Clintons definitely have a long list of unfortunate souls who crossed the wrong politicians', wrote ClashDaily.com, which describes itself as a website for 'God- and country-loving patriots.'

But one of Rich's closest friends, Miles Mawby, told the Daily Mail Online that the idea that Rich was the source who gave the leaked DNC documents to Wikileaks was 'absolutely absurd.'

'Never in a million years,' said Mawby, who had known Rich since 2011 and was with him on the Friday evening before he was killed.

'[People are] fanning flames of wild rumors from the internet from conspiracy theorists. It's absolutely absurd. Seth was one of the most dedicated people I've ever met. His day-to-day workthat got him up in the morning.'

Mawby said Rich was happy with his job at the DNC and supportive of Clinton's presidential campaign.

Yesterday Wikileaks announced it is offering a reward -$20,000 - for information leading to a conviction in the murder case, adding fuel to the flames of conspiracy theories that the Clintons are somehow involved in Rich's death

On the Friday before Rich was shot, he met Mawby, 27, out for drinks in the D.C. suburb of Ballston, Virginia. Mawby said Rich was in good spirits and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

'We had a long-overdue night catch up, just the two of us,' he said. 'We were having fun, catching up. We planned on getting together at some point in the next week. Everything was absolutely normal

Bauman said: 'The entire Rich family is so heartened by the outpouring of support and love that they have felt over the past few weeks as they continue to come to terms with this terrible tragedy.

'The family is in constant contact with authorities and thank them for their extremely thorough investigation. The family believes this matter is being handled professionally and with the seriousness that it requires.

'The family welcomes any and all information that could lead to the identification of the individuals responsible, and certainly welcomes contributions that could lead to new avenues of investigation.

Julian Assange announced a $20,000 reward for information leading to Rich's July 10 death

Rich's death - along with four other deaths in recent weeks - have reignited old rumors that Hillary Clinton and her husband will stop at nothing when they want to silence someone who could stand in the way of their political ambition.

On the face of it, such speculation seems ludicrous, but that doesn't stop the talk. And after decades in the national spotlight Bill and Hillary have amassed enough enemies who are more than happy to point to the number of Clinton associates who have died before their time.

'I'm not saying the Clintons kill people. I'm saying a lot of people around the Clintons turn up dead,' Larry Nichols, who worked with the former First Family before turning against them told Daily Mail Online.

After Fox News' Greta Van Susteren tweeted about the death on July 26 of Mark Weiner, a Clinton confidante preparing to go see his old friend Bill speak at the DNC, her Twitter feed was filled with comments suggesting one or both of the Clintons were somehow responsible. Weiner, who had long suffered from leukemia, suddenly felt ill and put himself to bed. Within hours he was dead.

'ANOTHER Clinton 'friend' dies at a young age! Glad they aren't my friends!' tweeted Kathy East.

'Did they find a note, or are they still writing it?' queried Irina Florescu.

'Who doesn't the Clintons bump off? Pure evil,' commented Robin Kay Anderson. 'Did he know too much?' asked Ben Nicola Sr.

Websites with names such as Whatreallyhappened.com, Clintonmemoriallibrary.com and Govtslaves.info obsessively list the deaths going back decades, desperately trying to pin them on Bill or Hillary. Most put the total at around 50. Others list nearly 80. Some go even higher.

They document people who have supposedly killed themselves or been murdered. Many have died in plane crashes. Other deaths have been put down to natural causes.

The lists have circulated on the Internet for years. Now the death Rich, among others, have set the rumors afire again.

'I can't give a guarantee that everyone on my list was killed deliberately but they all have the potential,' Michael Rivero, the webmaster of Whatreallyhappened told Daily Mail Online in an exclusive interview.

'But by the general law of statistics there are just way too many of them.'

Rivero, who also hosts a talk radio show on Republic Broadcasting Network, goes further than most, listing more than 100 names of people with connections to the Clintons who have died. Among those deaths he questions are John F. Kennedy Jr. and a man who, he claims, died of 'overdose of mouthwash' while in the dentist's chair.

'Just the sheer number raises questions,' he said.

The political establishment dismisses such talk as conspiracy theory gone wild. And indeed many of the lists that circulate on the web are poorly sourced and run by people who see evil in anything the Clintons do

Snopes.com, a website that covers urban rumors has attempted to debunk the rumors. It points out that the Clintons' years in power have led them to have thousands of people who can claim they know them and the number of their deaths is not out of the ordinary.

Snopes founder David Mikkelson says talk about the Clintons being involved is 'claptrap.'

'In a frenzied media climate where the Chief Executive couldn't boff a White House intern without the whole world finding out every niggling detail of each encounter and demanding his removal from office, are we seriously to believe the same man had been having double handfuls of detractors and former friends murdered with impunity?' he wrote.

Mikkelson points to people such as 69-year-old Florence Martin whose name appears regularly on the Internet lists to prove his point. Martin, who was murdered in her Texas home in 1994, was not a CIA accountant, as widely claimed, but a night manager at a convenience store, he says.

Twenty years after her death a man was finally convicted and sentenced to life in prison with no mention of the Clintons at his trial.

WHO ELSE IS ON THE CLINTON DEATH LIST? The names on the various Internet lists varies from one website to another, but these are among those most frequently cited as possible victims of a vast Clinton conspiracy. Kevin Ives and Don Henry, both 17, crushed by a train, August 23, 1987. Their deaths were ruled accidental, with the medical examiner saying they had fallen asleep on a railroad line after smoking marijuana, but a grand jury found they had been murdered before being placed on the tracks. They had allegedly stumbled on a plot to smuggle drugs and guns from an airport in Mena, Arkansas that Bill Clinton was said to be involved in as state governor. Victor Raiser, 53, small plane crash, July 30, 1992. The second finance co-chair of Bill Clinton's presidential campaign was killed along with his son during a fishing vacation in Alaska. Campaign press secretary Dee Dee Myers called Raiser a major player in the organization. Paul Tully, 48, apparent heart attack, September 25, 1992. A chain-smoking, heavy drinking political consultant who weighed in at more than 320 lb. Tully died seven weeks before Clinton's first presidential election win. He had been political director of the DNC during Clinton's rise. Tully was on the left of the Democratic Party and usually worked for those who shared his views, however he agreed to work for Clinton because he was impressed with his oratory and thought he was the only Democrat who could beat President George Bush. Paula Gober, 36, single car accident, December 7, 1992. She was Clinton's interpreter for the deaf for several years and traveled with him while he was governor of Arkansas. Her vehicle overturned on a bend, throwing her 30 feet. There were no witnesses. Vince Foster, 48, committed suicide on July 20, 1993. He was an Arkansas lawyer who Bill appointed as deputy White House counsel when he became president in 1993. It didn't take long for Foster, 48, to realize he had made a terrible mistake by accepting the post. He hated the work and fell into a deep depression. Just six months into the job, his body was found in his car in Fort Marcy Park, Virginia, a gun in his hand and a suicide note torn into 27 pieces in the trunk. Stanley Heard, 47, small plane crash, September 10, 1993. An Arkansas chiropractor who, according to the book, A Profession of One's Own, treated the Clinton family, Heard was asked by Bill Clinton to represent the practice as plans for 'Hillarycare' were being finalized. His attorney Steve Dickson, was flying him home from a healthcare meeting in Washington DC just eight months into the Clinton presidency. On the way to the capital from his home in Kansas, Dickson's small plane developed problems so he landed in St. Louis and rented another plane. That rented plane was the one that crashed in rural Virginia, killing both men. Jerry Parks, 47, shot to death, September 23, 1993. Parks was head of security for Bill Clinton's headquarters in Arkansas. As he drove home in West Little Rock, two men in a white Chevrolet pulled alongside his car and sprayed it with semi-automatic gunfire. As Parks's car stopped a man stepped out of the Chevy and shot him twice with a 9mm pistol and sped off. Despite there being several witnesses, no-one was ever arrested. The killing came two months after Parks had watched news of Vince Foster's death and allegedly told his son Gary 'I'm a dead man.' His wife Lois remarried and her second husband, Dr. David Millstein was stabbed to death in 2006. Edward Willey Jr, 60, Willey, 60, was having serious money problems and his wife, a volunteer aide in the White House, agreed to ask Bill Clinton for a paid job. Their meeting ended when Clinton allegedly forced himself on her in the Oval Office, kissing her, fondling her breast and pushing her hand on to his genitals. Four years later Kathleen Willey wrote a book in which she put forward a theory that the Clintons may have had her husband murdered. She said after his death, a friend had told her that Ed had confided that he took briefcases full of cash to the Clintons' base in Little Rock, Arkansas during Bill's first presidential campaign. Herschel Friday, 70, small plane crash, March 1, 1994. Friday was an Arkansas lawyer who Richard Nixon had once considered for the Supreme Court. Friday was known as a benefactor of Bill Clinton, serving on his campaign finance committee. Kathy Ferguson, 37, gun suicide, May 11, 1994. She was the ex-wife of Arkansas State Trooper Danny Ferguson, who was named in a sexual harassment suit brought by Paula Jones against Bill Clinton. Ferguson left a note blaming problems with her fiance, Bill Shelton. A month later Shelton, upset about the suicide verdict, killed himself. Ron Brown, 54, plane crash, April 3, 1996. Brown was chair of the Democratic National Committee during Bill Clinton's rise to the presidential nomination and was rewarded with the cabinet position. He was under a corruption investigation when his plane slammed into a mountainside in Croatia. Doctors who examined his body found a circular wound on the top of his head which led to suspicions that he had died before the plane crashed, but that theory was later discounted. The crash was attributed to pilot error. Charles Meissner, 56, same plane crash as Brown. Meissner was assistant secretary for international trade and had been criticized for allegedly giving special security clearance to John Huang, who later pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges for violating campaign finance laws, in a case that enmeshed the Clinton administration. Barbara Wise, 48, natural causes, November 29, 1996. Wise, who worked alongside Brown, Meissner and Huang in the Commerce Department was found dead at her desk on the day after Thanksgiving 1996. Her death was originally classified as a homicide but police later said Wise, 48, who had a history of severe ill health, had died from natural causes. A local TV station initially quoted an unidentified police source as saying her body was partially nude and her office was locked, but those reports were also later denied. Mary Mahoney was just 25 when she was gunned down along with two assistants at the Washington D.C. Starbucks in 1997 where she was night manager. Mahoney, a lesbian, was also a White House intern and gay rights activist who reportedly acted as a 'mother-figure' to various women who had allegedly been sexually harassed by Bill Clinton. John Ashe, 61, a politician and former president of the United Nations General Assembly, was pumping iron at his home in Dobbs Ferry, New York on June 22 when he dropped the weight. He died from 'traumatic asphyxiation. Ashe was about to stand trial in a corruption case for allegedly receiving $500,000 from billionaire real estate developer Ng Lap Seng. Ng was involved in a fundraising scandal and named in a 1998 Senate report for illegally funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars to the DNC during Bill Clinton's presidency. 'During the trial, the prosecutors would have linked Ashe to the Clinton bagman Ng. It would have been very embarrassing. His death was conveniently timed,' The New York Post reported. Mark Weiner, 62, died on July 26. He had been due to be part of the Rhode Island delegation to the convention but pulled out due to ill health. However, Weiner, who was suffering from leukemia, still planned to travel to Philadelphia to see Bill Clinton speak and was dressing for the trip when he suddenly said he felt ill. Weiner, who raised prodigious amounts of money for both Clintons, never woke up. Both Bill and Hillary attended his funeral in Providence last week, with the former president giving the eulogy, remembering his old pal as 'forever young, forever exuberant  always just a little too much.' Victor Thorn, 54, a journalist and strong critic of the couple climbed a mountain near his State College, Pennsylvania home on his August 1 birthday and shot himself to death. He wrote a trilogy of books on the Clintons, devoting one of the books to the number of their contacts who had mysteriously died Shawn Lucas, 38, a lawyer who supported Bernie Sanders, was found dead on August 2 on the bathroom floor of his Washington DC apartment. Just a month earlier he had attempted to serve papers on Wasserman-Schultz in a fraud case that alleges the party had unfairly favored Hillary Clinton in the primaries over Sanders. A video of Lucas taking the papers to the DNC's Washington headquarters has been viewed almost 400,000 times as of Wednesday morning on YouTube. In it, Lucas, who was said to have been a Sanders supporter and worked for a company called One Source Process, calls serving the papers 'the most gratifying thing I have ever done.' Lucas's mother Susan told Daily Mail Online the family is currently awaiting results of an autopsy and she does not know why her son died. 'He was a young man  38. He was in good health,' she said. 'But these things happen when people in seemingly good health suddenly die. The list of deaths associated with people who had worked with Clinton was originally drawn up by right-wing radio personality Linda Thompson. She too died early in May 2009. She was 56 when she took an overdose of medication prescribed for a gastric bypass surgery she had had more than a decade earlier. Advertisement

Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call police on 202-727-9099 or text anonymous information to the department's tip line at 50411.




He often cried, asking why he was spared from harm but she wasn't

Friend Jeff Farrow says Randy was devoted to his wife of 33 years

His wife Sharon lost an eye when the rock crashed through windshield

He killed himself after attack in 2014 on a central Pennsylvania highway

The husband who killed himself after his wife suffered brain damage when teenagers dropped a rock from an interstate overpass onto their car often cried at night, asking why he was spared from harm but she wasn't, a friend has said.

Jeff Farrow recalled how deeply devoted Randy Budd was to his wife of 33 years, Sharon Budd, and how difficult it was for him to see her suffer.

The attack in July 2014 on a central Pennsylvania highway did considerable damage to Sharon's skull and brain and caused the Ohio teacher to lose her right eye.

In January, Randy said that his wife had undergone seven major surgeries and would require constant care for the rest of her life.

'I saw him after they came home from the hospital,' Farrow said. 'He would try to wind down and just cry and cry and cry and say, 'I can't believe this happened to my Sharon. Why couldn't it have been me?''

Scroll down for video

Randy Budd (above, with his wife Sharon in 2015) killed himself after his wife suffered brain damage when teenagers dropped a rock from an interstate overpass onto their car

Randy died on Saturday of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

He was 55, and the couple had four children - daughter Kaylee and sons Lucas, James and Joe.

He was the vice president of sales and marketing of Radius Hospitality, a hotel management and sales and revenue management solutions company.

'The poor man, he suffered for so long,' Farrow said. 'God love him, he went a long time hurting and suffering.

'You know, we're human and we can only take so much  that's my opinion.'

Farrow and his husband, who run a cleaning business near a hospital in Danville, Pennsylvania, where Sharon was taken after the attack, saw a news report about it and offered Randy a free place to live.

They banded together with a small legion of friends, family and volunteers to help the Budds, organize fundraisers and provide moral support.

Randy Budd (pictured with his wife, daughter and two of his sons) died on Saturday

Four Pennsylvania teenagers pleaded guilty or no contest to various offenses for participating in the dead-of-night attack on a remote stretch of Interstate 80.

The young men, who were 17 and 18 years old at the time of the attack, were given minimum sentences of a year to four and a half years behind bars and will be on probation after their release.

Dylan Lahr, 18, Tyler Porter, 19, and Keefer McGee, 18, are serving time in jail after being sentenced in September last year.

Lahr, who dropped the rock, must serve at least four and a half years, while Porter must serve a year and 10 months. McGee must serve eleven and a half months.

Brett Lahr, Dylan's 20-year-old brother, was previously jailed for at least 18 months after pleading no contest to a conspiracy charge.

A friend recalled how deeply devoted Randy Budd (above, with Sharon in October 2014) was to his wife of 33 years, and how difficult it was for him to see her suffer

Sharon and Randy Budd are pictured celebrating his 30th anniversary before she sustained the horrific, life-changing injuries

The prosecutor in the case, Union County District Attorney Pete Johnson, told Pennlive.com this week that he sees a link between the rock attack and Randy's death inside his home in Uniontown, Ohio.

'Randy Budd did not die from a gunshot,' Johnson said. 'He died when those kids threw a rock through his windshield.'

Messages left for defense lawyers and at the defendants' homes weren't returned Tuesday.

Police said the rock throwing was part of a day of troublemaking that included stealing steaks, breaking a neighbor's window and driving through a cornfield.

Sharon was a front-seat passenger in an SUV driven by their daughter, on their way to see a show in New York, when the rock crashed through the windshield.

Before her seventh operation last year, Randy had praised his wife as 'an inspiration', saying she remained 'upbeat and positive' despite her injuries

Sharon Budd (right) is pictured with her son Lucas, who served in the U.S. Army

At a sentencing last summer, Sharon, who taught language arts at a middle school, said her 'heart went out' to the defendants.

'I think back to when I was 17, I didn't always make the best decisions,' she said.

Farrow said he never heard Randy criticize the defendants.

'He truly loved everybody,' Farrow said. 'He never said anything ill about those kids, never ever, to me. I never met such a positive man. All he wanted was for Sharon to get better.'

They spoke most recently last week, making plans for Farrow and his husband to visit the Budds this coming weekend. Randy didn't know they were part of a wider surprise family reunion in the works.

Randy sent him a text the night before his suicide, telling the couple he loved them  the sort of thing he did all the time.

Dylan Lahr, 18 (left), who dropped the rock, Tyler Porter, 19 (center), and Keefer McGee, 18 (right), have been jailed for the crime along with Dylan's 20-year-old brother Brett

Sharon attended court on the day the teenagers were sentenced (pictured) saying she felt 'sorry for them' as they asked for her forgiveness

'If you ask me why, in my opinion, this happened, I'm going to tell you that Randy lost Sharon when this happened, and when he lost Sharon, he lost his life,' Farrow said.

'Because Sharon was his life  every single thing  for him.'

A memorial service for Randy has been scheduled for Friday evening at Paquelet Funeral Home in Massillon, Ohio.
The crew of the Newlead Castellano already had reason to complain, having not been paid for roughly two months when the cargo ship sailed into Savannah to offload a shipment of imported sugar.

Then U.S. marshals seized the 590-foot ship, forcing it to drop anchor off the Georgia coast and wait out a legal dispute between the vessel's owners and their creditors.

Nearly four months have passed and 15 crew members remain stuck on board a few miles out to sea, within view of the beach sands of Tybee Island.

But legally they are prohibited from setting foot on land because they are foreign nationals with limited visas.

The Newlead Castellano is pictured docked at Colonial Terminals in Savannah, Georgia for refueling and supplies on Tuesday. A legal battle over debt has left the cargo ship and its 15-member crew stuck off the coast of Georgia for nearly four months

Crew members look on from the deck of The Newlead Castellano cargo ship. A judge ordered the ship idled while creditors sued the ship's owner, saying they were owed $7.1 million

'It's fairly calm, a little boring,' said Alan Swimmer, president of National Maritime Services, whose job is to secure the ship and care for its crew as a court-appointed custodian.

'There are some standard watches they have to perform, whether the ship is operating or not.

'So they're performing daily duties, probably doing a little bit of fishing in between.'

The crew, all Filipinos save for a Greek engineer and a Romania electrician, got caught in the middle of a legal battle after the Newlead Castellano's owner, Newlead Holdings of Greece, fell behind on its debt payments.

Four creditors who loaned the owner cash to buy the ship filed suit on April 19 in U.S. District Court, saying they were owed $7.1 million.

A judge ordered federal marshals to seize the ship before it left Savannah, and days spent idle at sea turned into months.

The ship's first officer, Cecilio Calo Yting, told The Associated Press the ship's owner had not paid the crew for more than two months when the vessel was seized.

Reached on Facebook and communicating via online instant messages, Yting said the crew was well.

Still, he complained of boredom and the inability to come ashore to go shopping.

Crew members pull supplies onto the deck of the ship. The cargo vessel has been stranded near Tybee Island for several months. U.S. marshals seized the Newlead Castellano in mid-April after it sailed into Savannah with carrying sugar

'We are fortunate that this happened here in the U.S.,' said Yting, who noted the crew has been getting paid while idled and has been promised back wages owed by its previous employer once sailors leave the ship.

'Praise God all things worked together for good.'

Now the crew's ordeal is nearing an end. The ship was sold on Monday at auction for $7.4 million.

Court records identified the buyer as Strategic Shipping Inc.

A U.S. District Court judge on Wednesday scheduled a hearing to confirm the sale on Monday.

Since being seized in April, the Newlead Castellano has made monthly trips into port in Savannah to refuel and restock supplies  mostly groceries such as chicken, fish, fruits and vegetables for the crew.

Creditors who had the ship seized have been footing the bill, as well as paying the crew's wages, said Todd Baiad, the creditors' attorney.

Baiad said creditors have spent more than $500,000 looking after the ship and crew.

He has made several trips to the ship to pay the sailors and even arranged for a local Roman-Catholic priest to come aboard and hold Mass for the crew.

The crew's ordeal is nearing an end as the ship was sold on Monday at auction for $7.4 million. Once a judge approves the sale, the sailors will be able fly home

'When I go out there, I've got a briefcase full of cash I'm handing them, so they're happy to see me,' Baiad said.

Morale seemed to be good.

'I think being a mariner and sailor, one of the issues you face is being out at sea for a great length of time. But they're happy and ready to go home.'

Thomas Bass Jr., an attorney for Newlead Holdings subsidiaries named in the court case, declined to comment when reached by phone on Tuesday.

Once a judge approves the sale of the ship, the crew will likely be bused to Atlanta to board flights to their home countries, Swimmer said.

Once they set foot on land, he said, the sailors will remain under guard to ensure they don't try to stay in the U.S.

Swimmer said his company handles roughly 35 cases a year in which commercial ships get seized in disputed between creditors and their owners.

Usually the parties reach an agreement within a few days and the ships get released.

But roughly 20 per cent take a month or longer, he said.
A young black man who was allegedly shot to death by a neigborhood watch 'vigilante' while leaving a house party in North Carolina had moved from Harlem as a baby because his mother had wanted a better life for her three sons.

Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas, 20, was killed early Sunday when a man living two doors down from the party called police to complain of 'hoodlums' in his neighborhood, and then fired a shotgun out of his garage, according to authorities.

The suspect, Chad Cameron Copley, has been charged with murder.

Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas (pictured) was killed early Sunday, allegedly shot to death by a neigborhood watch 'vigilante' while leaving a house party in North Carolina. Chad Cameron Copley (left) has been charged with murder

Thomas was described by his mother Simone Butler-Thomas as loving, funny, and so careful that his family called him 'Safety 101.'

'This man took my baby's life,' Butler-Thomas, said in a phone interview from her home in Louisburg.

'He didn't deserve this. No child deserves it,' she said while stifling sobs.

'These people with guns, they just figure that when there's a bunch of black kids, they're hoodlums. These kids were not hoodlums.

'They were raised in families with mothers and fathers. They went to school. They were young.'

Butler-Thomas was born and raised in New York, but she left with her three sons in 2001 for their safety because she thought Harlem was too dangerous.

Thomas is pictured smiling widely in a dress shirt and black apron after a 2015 event he worked as a caterer

Chad Cameron Copley, 39, has been charged with murder. Above, he is pictured being led into a courtroom at the Wake County Judicial Center in Raleigh

'I brought my kids down here when they were babies because I didn't want to have my children raised in New York. I wanted them to have a life and be safe,' she said, her voice cracking.

'We tried to come back to New York a couple of times, but they liked the South better  up until now. It was easy living, nice people. But not anymore,' she added to the New York Daily News.

Thomas had a job at McDonalds, a girlfriend attending East Carolina University, and was weeks away from moving into his first apartment, she said.

'He's a loving, loving boy. He was funny,' she said. 'We called him 'Safety 101' because he wouldn't start the car unless everybody had their seatbelts on and their cell phones away.'

She added: 'He loved life. He loved his family. He loved his friends. He was not a street boy.'

The 20-year-old was walking with a friend, David Walker, to their car parked down the street early Sunday when the shot came from the suspect's house, said Butler-Thomas, who spoke with friends and witnesses to find out what happened.

She said the young men had arrived at the house party to find it had spilled outside, and decided to leave after about 15 minutes because the friend had heard there were no girls there.

Raleigh Police said Copley, 39, was arrested hours after he fired a shotgun from inside his garage and hit the victim.

Jail records show he was being held without bond on a murder charge.

Copley's lawyer, Raymond Tarlton, asked that his client not be judged until more facts are available.

'It's under investigation. We'd caution restraint and ask folks not to rush to judgment,' he said by phone, declining to discuss any details.

Copley, who apparently called police to complain about 'hoodlums' near his house, was charged with murder after he shot and killed a black man outside, authorities said

Copley, 39, was arrested hours after he fired a shotgun from inside his garage and hit the victim. Above, his house is pictured on Tuesday

During a 911 call from Copley's house shortly before 1am on Sunday, a man said 'we've got a bunch of hoodlums out here racing,' and told the dispatcher he was taking action.

'I am locked and loaded. I'm going outside to secure my neighborhood,' the man said. He asked for officers to come, but refused to give his address and hung up.

On a second call from the Copley home about seven minutes later, the man said he fired a shot, and that someone was hit.

'We have a lot of people outside of our house yelling and shouting profanity. I yelled at them 'please leave the premises.'

'They were showing firearms so I fired a warning shot. And, uh, we got somebody that got hit.'

Asked who was outside, the caller said: 'There's black males outside my freaking house with firearms.'

Walker denied this.

'It was silent,' he told The News & Observer in Raleigh. 'No fighting and no arguing and no one waving guns.'

The party's host, Jalen Lewis, also denied seeing anyone with a gun among the 50 or so people at his party.

Thomas was near Copley's mailbox when he was fatally shot, he told WTVD.

Police spokesman Laura Hourigan said state law prevents authorities from confirming the caller's identity.

No one answered the door at Copley's tree-shaded, two-story home in a northern subdivision of Raleigh on Tuesday.

In the door of the attached garage, cardboard replaced a shattered glass window pane whose shards remained on the driveway, which runs roughly 40 feet to the mailbox at the street.
A Georgia mother has given some awkward, yet sincere, advice on a Christian blog about what to do when your daughter brings home a black man.

Gaye Clark, a cardiac nurse from Augusta, says all she wanted for her daughter Anna was a husband who was godly and kind as well as a great father and a good provider.

She describes herself as an open-minded mom in her post for The Gospel Coalition  but then God called my bluff.

This white, 53-year-old mother hadnt counted on God sending an African American with dreads named Glenn, she wrote.

Gaye Clark, a cardiac nurse from Augusta, has given advice to parents about what to do when your daughter brings home a black man after her daughter Anna married Glenn (pictured)

Gaye Clark (pictured with her husband, daughter Anna and son) says all she wanted for her daughter Anna was a husband who was godly and kind'

Clark notes that not too long ago that interracial marriage  particularly a black man like Glenn marrying a white girl like Anna  was considered the ultimate taboo.

While she insists that she never shared this prejudice, she concedes that was because she never thought the issue would factor in her life.

She accepted Glenn as her son  and so offers her heartfelt guidelines to other parents for when your white daughter brings home a black man home for dinner.

All ethnicities are made in the image of God, have one ancestor, and can trace their roots to the same parents, Adam and Eve, she tells them.

As you pray for your daughter to choose well, pray for your eyes to see clearly, too.

She adds that Glenn went from being a black man to a beloved son when she recognized him as a brother in Christ.

Mrs Clark wrote: As you pray for your daughter to choose well, pray for your eyes to see clearly, too. Pictured are Anna and Glenn

Clark (right) accepted Glenn (left with Anna) as her son  and so offers her heartfelt guidelines to other parents for when your white daughter brings home a black man home for dinner

Clark also told of an incident in church when a woman was shocked to see the interracial couple.

One woman in church looked over at Anna and Glenn and gingerly asked, Are they . . . dating? Clark recalls.

Engaged! I grinned and winked at them.

The woman then told her: Its just . . . their future children. They have no idea whats ahead of them!

Clark uses the anecdote to remind her readers that no one is promised a life without trials.

She replied to the woman: When Jim and I were married, we had no idea what was ahead of us either.

Clark also urges people to be patient with their family members.

All ethnicities are made in the image of God, have one ancestor, and can trace their roots to the same parents, Adam and Eve, Clark (right, with daughter Anna, center, and a friend) says

Calling Uncle Fred a bigot because he doesnt want your daughter in an interracial marriage dehumanizes him and doesnt help your daughter either, she says.
The founder of the Australian Muslim Party who once slammed radical Muslims as 'whingers' who only had themselves to blame for their 'bad reputation' has been charged with fraud and cocaine possession.

Diaa Mohamed, 35, launched his party last year amid much controversy in the aftermath of the Paris attacks.

The 'devout Muslim' faces court on Wednesday after a long-term investigation led to police searching his western Sydney home in May.

Mr Mohamed faces at least nine fraud offences worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and is expected to be further charged with other fraud claims, according to a report in Fairfax Media.

Diaa Mohamed launched the Australian Muslim Party last year. He faces Parramatta Court in western Sydney on at least nine fraud charges and drug possession

Prison officer-turned-Hollywood actor Serag Mohamed was originally listed as the director and secretary of his brother's Australian Muslim Party

The aspiring politician, who took a swipe at members of the Islamic faith on a website four years ago, will plead not guilty to the charges.

It's alleged Strike Force Nicolena police were investigating a series of fake businesses who'd applied for business loans for unspecified equipment.

'Muslims can be whingers and they tend to blame everyone but themselves for the way people view them,' Mohamed wrote on his website mypeace.com.au in 2011.

'A lot of Muslims point the finger at the media for giving them a bad reputation but it's nobody's fault but our own.

'Muslims haven't done the job when it comes to being out there and showing who they are and what their values are.

'A lot of the things we see on television are acts by extremists and radical Muslims.

'That is not who we are.'

Diaa Mohamed, 35, faces a raft of fraud and drugs charges in Parramatta Court

His party also came under close scrutiny when it was revealed his former prison officer turned Hollywood actor brother Serag Mohamed was listed as a director and secretary of the party.

His acting profile says Serag, 30, studied at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) until 2010 and worked as 'a correctional officer in a maximum security prison' in Sydney before he moved to the US.

But Mr Mohamed said at the time his sibling had no association with his new party and Serag's name would be taken off the ASIC documents.

The business name The Australian Muslim Party Pty Ltd was registered in Victoria but lists an address in Panania, in Sydney's inner south-west.

Mr Mohamed previously founded My Peace, an organisation that aimed to improve the relationship between the religion and mainstream Australia.

But the company went into liquidation after it was unable to foot the $40,085.87 bill owed to 2GB, according to the Daily Telegraph.

He said the aim of the new political group was to field at least one candidate in each state and territory when Australia headed to the polls in 2016.

Diaa Mohamed's brother Serag worked as 'a correctional officer in a maximum security prison' in Sydney before his move to Hollywood

The 35-year-old said he was launching the party in response to critics of the religion who claim leaders were not vocal enough.

'Maybe it is because we didn't know how, or we were a bit too fragmented, so hopefully this will at least give us that opportunity,' he said, according to the ABC.

But he was also forced to defend the timing of the announcement of the party, which came just days after the brutal terrorist attacks in Paris.

'I thought it'd be beneficial for both Australians and Australian Muslims that they have a party... anything to do with Muslim right now people are going to oppose, but be that as it may you still need something or someone,' he said, in a video posted by the Brisbane Times.

In the video, Diaa also said the killing of innocent people was 'strictly' against his religion.
Police chiefs were forced into a humiliating climbdown over their pay and perks last night.

It comes after the Daily Mail revealed how forces were secretly handing out huge allowances to senior officers  and refusing to make the details public.

Last night chief officers admitted forces could not continue to keep the taxpayer-funded perks a secret.

They said abuses exposed by the Mail, such as senior officers taking 64 days holiday a year and allowances worth more than 30,000, proved the rules needed overhauling. But MPs called for urgent action.

Police chiefs were forced into a humiliating climbdown over their pay and perks last night (file picture)

In the growing row:

- Police and Crime Commissioners were accused of staying shamefully silent over the flagrant abuses of public money, and too afraid to stand up to chief officers;

- The police chief who revealed she was driven from her job for trying to clamp down on a boys club culture among top officers said senior police were so sexist that she feared for rape victims;

- MPs praised this newspaper for shining a light on the scandal, and called for radical change to the culture of perks.

The Mail has this week revealed the extraordinary extent to which senior police officers are abusing taxpayer-funded perks.

Chiefs are secretly claiming tens of thousands of pounds in allowances  and many forces are still refusing to reveal the full details.

The perks were either found buried in accounts or through hundreds of Freedom of Information requests by the Mail.

One ex-chief, Sue Sim, revealed there was a culture of greed and sexism among senior officers who were happy to take whatever public money they could get, while frontline officers were sacked due to budget cuts.

Ex-police chief Sue Sim revealed there was a culture of greed and sexism among senior officers

Last night, leaders of the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) admitted transparency over chief officers expenses and perks was essential.

It came after nine forces refused to respond to the Mails questions on taxpayer-funded medical cover, 11 on relocation payments and eight on bonuses. Eleven forces also refused to reveal how many days holiday their chief constables had taken.

It later emerged some forces were even refusing to hand over information about pay and perks to independent reviewers for a Government-commissioned report.

In a statement, NPCC vice chairman Peter Vaughan said: We support the Home Secretarys call for all forces to make their chief officer pay packages available publicly on their force websites.

He also said he had contacted the Home Office and advisory boards about a need for clearer regulations.

It is in the interests of the taxpaying public and chief officers  that the rules are clear, consistent and fair, with checks and balances by locally accountable Police and Crime Commissioners, Mr Vaughan said.

Regulation concerning annual leave gives rise to differing interpretations and recording practices and we continue to advocate clarity on this issue. He added that in relation to expenses such as travel and relocation, transparency about how they are claimed is essential.

Critics say the Home Office regulations, not updated since 2003, are open to abuse as they allow chief officers to set their own perks.

But others blamed elected Police and Crime Commissioners, who are charged with scrutinising chiefs pay and setting rules on allowances. One minister, who asked not to be named, said too many PCCs were puppets of the police chiefs.

Conservative MPs Philip Davies (left) and Philip Hollobone (right) backed the Mail's investigation into police chiefs' greed

The minister added: PCCs need to step up  and hold these chief officers to account. Their silence on this matter is shameful  PCCs can be quite intimidated by their chief constables, which may be why they dont always stand up to them.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said PCCs must act urgently and decide what their chief constables are and are not allowed to do.

Several PCCs contacted by the Mail blamed the Home Office rules for not being strict enough.

The PCC for Gloucestershire, Martin Surl, said: It is not the job of PCCs to tamper with regulations that are contained in legislation.

Tory MP Philip Davies said: I very much congratulate the Daily Mail for shining a light on this  I am pleased the chief police officers have recognised the concern and are going to be transparent, but what we need to see is radical changes to these terms and conditions because most people would find them to be unjustifiable.

Conservative MP Philip Hollobone welcomed the chief officers response but added that forces and PCCs need to go further and review the generosity of these payments.

Steve Ashman, chief of Northumbria Police, rejected sexism allegations his predecessor Sue Sim made about the force. Mrs Sim has complained about the decision not to investigate her claims and Mr Ashman is now being investigated by West Yorkshire Police.

Chief Constable who sacked 1,300 had 2 chauffeurs

By Lucy Osborne, Mail Investigations reporter

Former Merseyside chief constable Sir Jon Murphy, who stepped down from his 176,000-a-year role in June, had the use of two chauffeurs

They complain bitterly about budget cuts  but many chief constables still insist on travelling in luxury.

At least 13 forces admitted hiring private drivers for senior officers, the Mail investigation reveals today.

And 12 of them allow officers to claim first-class travel at public expense.

A number of police chiefs charged the taxpayer for hotel accommodation for their drivers for up to three nights at a time, while they attended meetings or conferences.

Most forces refused to say how many of their staff use first-class travel  so the true number of those claiming for the cost could be even higher.

Former Merseyside chief constable Sir Jon Murphy, who stepped down from his 176,000-a-year role in June, had the use of two chauffeurs, despite claiming his force was so stretched for cash that in a major incident it couldnt cope. He kept the drivers, who were also used by his senior team, as he laid off more than 1,300 police staff.

The 57-year-old, who also claimed a 16,000 car allowance and thousands of pounds for first-class train travel, was outspoken against police cuts.

But he was criticised in 2011 when he was pictured on a Caribbean beach, applying sun cream on a lounger and jumping on a jet ski, when he was there to help solve a gangland murder. He stayed in a 110-a-night four-star hotel and enjoyed a 223 meal.

The photos emerged after he told the public that the trip absolutely wont be a jolly and was a crime-fighting mission.

Durham chief Mike Barton has also continued to employ an executive driver. The chauffeur  who is paid to wait for Mr Barton or members of his top team while they attend meetings and conferences  has stayed in hotels on 21 occasions since 2012, all funded by the taxpayer.

Despite being paid 146,000 per year, Mr Barton charges taxpayers for first-class tickets, tea and cake when he travels by train.

Both Durham Police chief Mike Barton (left) and Humberside boss Justine Curran (right) employ drivers

Failing Humberside boss Justine Curran, who earns 192,000 a year, employs a chauffeur who works for her at least half of the week  costing taxpayers 8,000-10,000 a year.

Miss Curran also received a 3,000 car allowance which is a contribution to the running of her BMW.

On top of this, she took a huge relocation bonus two years running. This amounted to a total of 50,000, enough to pay for two constables.

Following an inspection in October, Her Majestys Inspectorate of Constabulary found Humberside Police was inadequate in how it keeps people safe and reduces crime and was not running efficiently.

A force spokesman said: We do not book first-class train travel unless the cost is cheaper than standard class, which does happen on occasions depending on how far in advance tickets are purchased.

A Durham Police spokesman told the Mail Mr Bartons driver was an efficiency measure and meant he would avoid the stress of driving and potential driver fatigue. They said that while he attends two or three-day meetings, the driver performs admin on a laptop.

The spokesman added: As Mike Barton is lead for a number of important national policing areas it is sometimes necessary to work on sensitive documents while travelling. It is therefore appropriate to travel in the more private surroundings of first class.

Despite being legitimately entitled to claim expenses, Mike Barton often pays for tea, lunches and dinners out of his own pocket while away from the office on police-related work.
His father then stood up and exclaimed 'no, he won't' before

A frustrated father who has reached his 'wit's end' refused to take his ice-addicted son home on Tuesday after the 17-year-old begged a Gold Coast court to let him out of 'the watch house.'

Kalib Reynolds appeared at the Southport Magistrates Court this week on 21 charges, including allegedly leaving a 79-year-old woman with bruises after snatching her purse as she tried to get into her car on Sunday, according to The Gold Coast Bulletin.

Reynolds began arguing with magistrate Jacqueline Payne after applying for bail, telling her 'I need to walk out of court.'

The frustrated father of ice-addict Kalib Reynolds (pictured), 17, told a Gold Coast court on Tuesday he refused to take his son home if released on bail

Reynolds (pictured) appeared at the Southport Magistrates Court on 21 charges

His father, who had been sitting in the court room silently until then, became upset and stood up.

'No, he won't,' his father said before storming out of the building.

The magistrate said it is not surprising the teenager has an ice addiction considering the prevalence of the drug, but he needs his father's support to finally overcome it.

'His father is probably heartbroken  at his wit's end and doesn't know what to do next,' she said.

Reynolds (pictured) is accused of allegedly leaving a 79-year-old woman with bruises after snatching her purse as she tried to get into her car on Sunday

The 17-year-old (pictured) told the magistrate that he needed to 'walk out of court'

Reynolds was on bail for breaking and entering offences when he was arrested on Sunday for allegedly robbing the elderly woman.

Her bag was discovered by police at the home where he was arrested.

Reynolds is also charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, six counts of stealing and four counts of robbery with actual violence.

The string of alleged crimes help fuel his drug addiction, the court heard.

Reynolds' bail application has been postponed until Friday.
A contestant has had a classic foot-in-mouth moment while giving an answer on Australian Family Feud.

Georgina Cimino, from Melbourne, was asked by host Grant Denyer to name an event where animals compete.

Instead of naming equestrian or the dog show, Mrs Cimino provided an answer that was a little more left field.

Georgina Cimino, from Melbourne, left the Family Feud audience in stitches

'Duck shooting,' she said, with a slightly unsure look on her face.

The response drew uproarious laughter from the Channel Ten studio audience, as well as Mrs Cimino's husband, who was at her side.

She looked a little sheepish after giving the answer, but kept a smile on her face.

Mr Denyer, meanwhile, was momentarily lost for words. He eventually responded it would be a very one-sided competition.

'Imagine the ducks going 'Yeah wait until we get our guns, then you'll be in trouble!' he said.

Host Grant Denyer (left) was momentarily lost for words after Georgina Cimino's reply (right), while Ms Cimino's husband (centre) laughed with the audience

Family Feud host Grant Denyer asked Georgina Cimino to name an event where animals compete

Mrs Cimino appeared to take the gaffe in good humour the following day.

'Not my finest answer Family Feud!' she wrote on the show's Facebook page.

Game shows similar to Family Feud are renowned worldwide for trying to elicit bizarre responses from contestants who are put on the spot in high pressure situations.

Steve Harvey, the host of American Family Feud, was left exasperated when a woman couldn't think of another word for the term 'mother'.

Instead of coming up with a different word for mother, Ms Patterson instead tries to change the inflection of her voice even adding a Spanish accent while delivering the earlier answers of Mommy, Nanny and Nana.
Donald Trump said Tuesday that his wife Melania will soon hold a press conference to prove that she entered the United States legally before earning her citizenship in 2006.

News reports last week opened up the possibility that Mrs. Trump worked as a model illegally in 1995, a year before she has claimed she first entered the United States.

But her husband, the Republican nominee for president, said she has the papers to prove she was on the up-and-up.

'They said my wife Melania might have come in illegally. Can you believe that one?' he asked a crowd in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

'Let me tell you one thing,' he added: 'She has got it so documented, so she's going to have a little news conference over the next couple of weeks.'

'They said my wife Melania might have come in illegally. Can you believe that one?' Trump asked Tuesday. 'She has got it so documented, so she's going to have a little news conference'

Melania Trump issued a statement last Thursday, saying she had been in 'full compliance' with the nation's immigration laws

The idea that Mrs. Trump was once an illegal immigrant would play strongly against the candidate's push to erect a wall on America's southern border to keep more of them out.

She touted her immigrant-to-citizen path at last month's Republican National Convention as an example of living the American Dream.

'After living and working in Milan and Paris, I arrived in New York City 20 years ago, and I saw both the joys and hardships of daily life,' she said during her prime time speech

Pablo Zampolli, her former modeling agent, told the Associated Press last week that he personally secured an H-1B visa for her. Such visas, intended for temporary use by high-skilled workers, are the most common way for foreign fashion models to work in the U.S.

'She qualified. We got her the H-1B as soon as she came,' he said.

Zampolli told the AP that he used her work in Paris and Milan as the basis for the visa application.

'We used whatever she did before to get her a visa. She had enough tear sheets to qualify,' he said.

Still, some reports suggested Melania sidestepped the rules.

'They said, "Melania Trump may have come into our country illegally, and how would that be for Donald Trump to be talk?" a mocking Trump said Tuesday night.

'Here's the only problem: She came in totally legally. I mean, you know. So it's one of those things. But you'll see it in a little while.'

As the crowd applauded, he opened up about why the proof has been a week in coming.

'I said to her, "No, no let it simmer for a little while. Let them go wild",' Trump said. '"Let it simmer, and then let's have a little news conference and have some fun".'

Trump emphasized in North Carolina that he favors lawful immigration.

'We want people to come into our country. But they have to come in legally,' he said.

Melania herself blasted out a statement last week on Twitter to push back at 'inaccurate reporting' about her immigration status.

Melania Trump says she went home 'every few months' to stamp her visa

Melania Trump has appeared with her husband on the campaign trail, as she did in Waterloo, Iowa in February

'In recent days there has been a lot of inaccurate reporting and misinformation concerning my immigration status back in 1996,' she said in a statement.

'Let me set the record straight: I have at all times been in full compliance with the immigration laws of this country. Period,' the Slovenian-born model said. 'Any allegation to the contrary is simply untrue.'

She continued: 'In July 2006, I proudly became a U.S. citizen. Over the past 20 years, I have been fortunate to live, work and raise a family in this great nation and I share my husband's love for our country.'

News reports to the contrary hinted that Melania Knauss, as she was known beore her wedding, may not have traveled to the U.S. on an H1-B visa because she took frequent trips home  something usually associated with temporary business visas or simple tourist visas.

'Let me set the record straight: I have at all times been in full compliance with the immigration laws of this country. Period'

And a racy photo shoot republished last month in the New York Post appears to put her in the U.S. in 1995, a year before she claims to have received her work visa.

Mrs. Trump told Harpers magazine in July: 'It never crossed my mind to stay here without papers. That is just the person you are. You follow the rules. You follow the law. Every few months you need to fly back to Europe and stamp your visa. After a few visas, I applied for a green card and got it in 2001.'

She used similar language about required trips home in an interview with MSNBC.
Business leaders have been urged to stop talking Britain down as a slew of new data suggested the economy was weathering the Brexit shock.

There was turmoil on the markets and a fall in the pound in the days as Britains historic vote to leave the European Union caught investors by surprise.

But calm has since returned, helped by evidence that global growth remains strong.

Business leaders have been urged to stop talking Britain down as a slew of new data suggested the economy was weathering the Brexit shock. Now Nigel Wilson, the boss of insurance giant Legal & General, has called for businesses to be more upbeat.

Forecasts have suggested the country could be on course for a temporary slowdown due to uncertainty, although it is likely to avoid a recession.

Now Nigel Wilson, the boss of insurance giant Legal & General, has called for businesses to be more upbeat.

He said: Theres too much doom and gloom around. The UK remains a great place to invest.

A slew of fresh data gave a mixed picture, suggesting a slowdown in July but strong performance on the High Street.

The British Retail Consortium found that consumer spending in July rose at its fastest level for six months.

Shoppers spent 1.9 per cent more than a year earlier, up sharply from 0.2 per cent growth in June.

The British Retail Consortium found that consumer spending in July rose at its fastest level for six months

The groups chief executive Helen Dickinson said: Little has materially changed for most UK households.

It is not surprising to us that sales are simply responding to their normal underlying drivers.

Meanwhile, industrial production grew by 2.1pc in the three months to July 1  its fastest rate for 17 years. This was largely driven by an extremely strong April.

The National Institute of Economic and Social Research was less positive, releasing figures which suggested the economy expanded by 0.3 per cent in the three months to the end of July.

This was down from growth of 0.6 per cent in the three months to the end of June, and suggests a contraction of 0.2 per cent in July.

THE DANGERS OF LEAVING THE EU SINGLE MARKET Leaving the EU single market could hit UK growth by 4 per cent, the Institute for Fiscal Studies has warned in another doom-laden forecast. The IFS claimed in May that Brexit would add two years to austerity and cost the economy 40 billion by 2020. In the latest study, the think-tank warned of the dangers if the UK loses membership of the single market and only has so-called access instead. It said: There is all the difference in the world between access to and membership of the single market. The report branded access virtually meaningless, saying all countries in the World Trade Organisation, like Afghanistan, also have it. Advertisement

However, the think tank said data could be volatile from month to month and cautioned against reading too much into the figures.

Separately, official statistics revealed the UKs trade deficit widened by 900million to 5.1billion in June.

This gap between imports and exports is a longstanding weakness of the economy.

Although critics warn it makes us dependent on the kindness of strangers, the difference does mean that other countries rely on Britain as a source of income  particularly in the EU.
Union barons yesterday threatened to inflict misery on rail passengers in another part of the country with a new wave of strikes.

Members of the RMT union backed a walkout on the Virgin East Coast line whose main routes run from London to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Newcastle upon Tyne, Leeds, Newark and York.

The dispute came as RMT members at Southern Rail continued their five-day strike, which began on Monday.

The dispute came as RMT members at Southern Rail continued their five-day strike, which began on Monday (pictured)

Rail Minister Paul Maynard accused union bosses of not caring about Southern passengers, while Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the RMT was holding them to ransom. Ministers urged union bosses to return to the negotiating table.

Experts at business group London First estimated the five-day strike will cost London 100million.

Govia Thameslink Railway, the owner of Southern, also stepped up the pressure on union bosses by publishing its incredibly fair eight-point offer, which was rejected by the RMT last week.

Virgin East Coast  part of Sir Richard Bransons empire  is locked in a dispute with the RMT after the union claimed 200 jobs of staff who work on trains are under threat.

It has raised safety concerns and says Virgin has not answered its questions about whether a guard will be present on every train, or confirmed agreed staffing levels for services.

It has accused Virgin of bulldozing through changes and said 84 per cent of its members had voted for strike action. The result will now be considered by bosses at the RMT.

Virgin, which has already guaranteed there will no compulsory redundancies, has pledged to run a full timetable if the strike goes ahead. But the threat of industrial action will alarm the 56,000 passengers who use Virgin East Coast services every day.

Virgin East Coast  part of Sir Richard Bransons (pictured) empire  is locked in a dispute with the RMT after the union claimed 200 jobs of staff who work on trains are under threat

At Southern, hundreds of thousands of commuters who use its services between London, Brighton and other South Coast towns continued to suffer at the hands of the RMT, which on Monday launched the longest rail strike in nearly 50 years.

It was triggered by plans to give drivers rather than onboard conductors responsibility for opening and closing train doors.

The eight-point offer made by Govia Thameslink includes guarantees that every train currently operated with a conductor will continue to have either a traditional conductor or a second member of staff on board.

It has also guaranteed to retain the role of on-board supervisor  the new name given to conductors  beyond 2021 if it retains the franchise. The rail firm has already guaranteed there will be no compulsory redundancies and no salary cuts.
Gerald Grosvenor, the 6th Duke of Westminster, was Britain's richest property magnate

As the 6th Duke of Westminster, Gerald Grosvenor was Britain's richest property magnate, owning swathes of Mayfair and Belgravia and estates in Oxford, Cheshire and Scotland.

The duke was a close friend of senior royals and Prince Charles asked him to mentor his son William, who in turn asked his son Hugh to be godfather to Prince George.

He was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order  a personal gift of the Queen  in 2012, in addition to being a Knight of the Garter and a Companion of the Order of the Bath. He was an executor of Princess Diana's will.

Brought up in a remote part of Northern Ireland in a simple, rural, unaffected and unspoilt way, it was not until he was in his teens that it began to dawn on him that he was heir to a huge fortune.

The duke remembered his childhood on Ely island in the middle of Loch Erne as idyllic, frugal and isolated. Enniskillen, the nearest town, was seven miles away.

He said: 'Popping down to the corner shop to buy sweets was a bit of a safari. It was a wonderful foundation for life. I am a country person by birth and inclination.'

Scroll down for video

Gerald Grosvenor (left, in 1959 and right in 1978) was Britain's richest property magnate

The Duke of Westminster (left), with cast members Sara Coward and Arnold Peters, makes his radio debut in Birmingham as he takes on a guest role in The Archers in May 1984

Making his money: The Duke Of Westminster plays a game of Monopoly for charity in 1985

He hated his schooldays at Harrow, leaving with just two O-levels, and failed the entrance exam to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst.

He thought he would end up as a beef farmer in Northern Ireland. Then his uncle died and his father inherited. 'We had never talked about it,' the duke said.

'The great thing was that my father allowed me to be a child without thinking that I was going to be a duke, or that I should be different from my next-door neighbour.'

Some believe he never really got over the fact that he was different.

The Duke of Westminster receives his Army wings from the Chief of the General Staff after executing a perfect helicopter landing into Netheravon Airfield in Wiltshire in May 2001

The 6th Duke of Westminster was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 2008

The duke was a close friend of senior royals and Prince Charles (pictured together in October 2011) asked him to mentor his son William

A friend remembers going up by train to visit him in Chester, thinking she would be picked up by chauffeured limousine.

Instead, it was just Gerald in a battered Land Rover and baggy corduroys.

Yet this was the man who owned 133,000 acres in Scotland, Lancashire and Cheshire.

He also controlled the most priceless land in central London  300 acres in Mayfair and Belgravia, on some of which the American embassy sits.

He was said to be introspective and his riches stopped him having close friends. Acquaintances describe him as a 'rather lonely man'.

The Prince of Wales with the Duke of Westminster during a visit to Aldford Village hall in Aldford, Chester, in March 2009

Penny Lancaster and Rod Stewart meet the Duke of Westminster at a Royal National Institute of the Blind gala dinner at The Dorchester hotel in London in October 2004

Presenter Lorraine Kelly (left) and singer Dannii Minogue (right) with the Duke of Wesminster (centre), patron of the Cadet Vocational Qualification Organisation (CVQO), during the launch of a fundraising appeal for the educational charity in London in October 2009

He was once photographed sitting alone on a bench in Trafalgar Square eating a sandwich.

The Duke arrives at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, Berkshire for the annual Order of the Garter procession in 2003

The duke insisted money was not important, saying in a rare interview: 'Not interested in material things. Honestly. It would drive me bonkers if I thought too deeply about it.'

The four passions in his life were his family, his businesses, his charities and the Territorial Army of which he became commanding officer and was especially proud.

He joined in 1970 as a trooper and moved up the ranks to be appointed a two-star general in 2004.

Close to a nervous breakdown some years ago, he cited his relative lack of personal achievement, and was desperate about failing to live up to the family motto 'Virtue Not Ancestry'.

One day he woke up and found he simply could not get out of bed.

He later recalled: 'At that moment all my wealth counted for nothing.' It was why the Territorials meant so much.

'It is something that he himself earned. It had nothing to do with being a duke,' said a friend.

The 6th Duke (pictured with his wife Natalia in June this year) always thought he would end up as a beef farmer in Northern Ireland

The duke (pictured in 2015) insisted money was not important, saying in a rare interview: 'Not interested in material things'

Yet four years ago, he abruptly quit after a failed attempt to overhaul the TA's image. He wanted to change its name to Army Reserve, but was opposed.

The duke was also passionate about helping those less fortunate than him, working for many years with young offenders and drug abusers as well as campaigning on countryside issues.

A staunch supporter of a number of charities and good causes, the duke credited himself with using his vast wealth responsibly.

This included making a 500,000 donation to farmers during the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak, as well as fighting a legal case against Westminster City Council in 1990, centred on a number of social housing flats built on the family's land in Pimlico, London.

The Duke's death means that his son Hugh Richard Louis Grosvenor (left in June 2013) will now inherit the entire estate at the age of just 25. Also pictured (right) is the Duke's youngest daughter, Lady Viola, 23, at the funeral of Hugh Van Cutsem in Brentwood in 2013

Daughters: Lady Tamara emerges from Chester Cathedral following her wedding in 2004 (left). Lady Edwina (right) married television presenter Dan Snow in 2010

Hugh will now inherit the entire estate, including the family seat in Cheshire, Eaton Hall (pictured), at the age of 25

The Duke grew up on an island in Loch Erne (above), with the nearest town seven miles away

The buildings were designed by architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and built between 1928 and 1930. Assigning the lease of the flats to the council for 999 years in 1937, the second duke stipulated they must be used as housing for the working classes.

When the council wanted to sell the properties below the market value to those working in the borough, the sixth duke refused.

In court, the authority argued that the working classes no longer existed, but the judge ruled in the duke's favour, backing the clause and his bid to keep low-cost accommodation.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said today: 'I can confirm that Her Majesty the Queen is aware of the news about the Duke of Westminster. A private message of condolence is being sent by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.'
Married for 25 years: Antonio Horta-Osorio and wife Ana have three children

The married boss of Lloyds Bank faced calls to resign yesterday after allegedly having a fling with a former Tony Blair adviser.

Antonio Horta-Osorio was spotted enjoying days out with his alleged secret lover Dr Wendy Piatt during a business trip to Singapore, where he represented the State-backed bank.

The pair met up at his 350-a-night room at the five star Mandarin Oriental hotel, which he booked using his Lloyds Bank address.

His bill showed he spent 3,276 on his room and on minibar and room service charges during his six-night stay, plus an extra 550 on two visits to the hotel spa.

The sum raised questions over whether Mr Horta-Osorios expenses were paid by the bank, which received a 23.7billion bailout during the financial crisis and is still 9.2 per cent owned by the taxpayer.

And it comes just weeks after Lloyds, which has 30million customers, announced plans to shut 200 branches and cut 3,000 jobs.

Mr Horta-Osorio, 52, who has been married for 25 years and has three children, received 8.5million in pay and perks last year and 11.5million in 2014, making him the highest paid bank chief executive in Britain for the second year running.

Lloyds insisted there had been no breach of its expenses policy and that its chief executive had paid any personal expenses with his own money.

But it refused to answer questions over which expenses were deemed to be personal, or about his relationship with Dr Piatt, director general of the Russell Group of universities, who is unmarried.

Antonio Horta-Osorio was spotted on days out with his alleged secret lover Dr Wendy Piatt (pictured) during a business trip to Singapore, where he represented the State-backed bank

Critics had questions including whether his attendance at the Singapore conference was necessary, or a smokescreen to meet his alleged mistress. There were also questions whether the pair have met up on other business trips since they met in 2012.

Yesterdays Sun newspaper revealed Mr Horta-Osorio and Dr Piatt, 45, were spotted on day trips or dinner dates, including a boat ride around Marina Bay, known as Singapores millionaire playground.

Witnesses claimed they saw Dr Piatt entering and leaving his hotel room on several occasions, including letting herself in with her own key.

The pair are said to have had dinner together on June 3 before going back to his hotel suite. Dr Piatt was seen at the hotels spa the next day, and 300 was charged to Mr Horta-Osorios room for spa treatments that day. An aromatherapy body massage costs 150 per person.

On June 5 the banker and Dr Piatt were seen taking the boat ride around Marina Bay.

Mr Horta-Osorio (pictured with his wife) was spotted on day trips or dinner dates in Singapore with Dr Piatt

Dr Piatt then checked in to her own room at the same hotel, the Mandarin Oriental, on June 6.

She is understood to have travelled to Singapore to meet university chiefs and there is no suggestion she has wrongly claimed costs or expenses. Her room was paid for by the Russell Group.

Sources said the banking conference started on the night of June 4  the day after the Lloyds CEO arrived in Singapore  and involved three days of intensive meetings.

The banker and Dr Piatt spent a final evening together on June 8, enjoying a nightcap together at the hotels rooftop bar before retiring to his room, the Sun reported. They flew back to Britain on separate flights the next day.

Labour MP John Mann, who sits on the Commons Treasury Committee, said Mr Horta-Osorio should resign if he had behaved inappropriately.

He added: Lloyds needs to come clean and a full breakdown of who paid for what should be released immediately.

A Lloyds spokesman said: Antonio attended the International Monetary Conference in a business capacity, as in previous years, and to meet with investors. In this case there is no breach of our policy and the personal expenses are paid for by Antonio.

He remains committed to the Groups strategy and to the bank.

Dr Piatt was unavailable for comment at her 1million home in Central London yesterday. A Russell Group spokesman said she met government, business and university leaders in Singapore between June 6 and 9.

He did not deny she was already in Singapore before those dates.

The spokesman said: It would be wholly inappropriate for the Russell Group to comment on issues relating to Dr Piatts private life.
Controversial plans to allow banks to snoop on rivals customer details could leave millions of people more vulnerable to fraud, critics warned last night.

The competition watchdog was yesterday accused of dismissing customers pleas for lower fees and more clarity on costs after a two-year probe into the 16billion current account market.

Instead, it said customers will soon be able to use data-sharing apps on their smartphones to get a better deal from their bank.

From early 2018, banks will be required to share customers data with their rivals if they receive permission from the customer.

Controversial plans to allow banks to snoop on rivals customer details could leave millions of people more vulnerable to fraud, critics warned last night

New apps will be launched to analyse customers transaction histories and work out the cheapest current account for them.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) says customers could also avoid being stung by overdraft charges by instructing apps to automatically move their money to a different account.

The watchdog boasted this open banking revolution would prompt many more customers to switch bank accounts and get a better deal.

But the plan sparked a backlash from privacy campaigners, MPs and business groups, which warned it could leave customers more vulnerable to fraud than ever.

Andrew Tyrie, the Tory chairman of the Commons Treasury committee, said customers would be understandably wary about information being shared in this way  particularly after a string of high-profile cyber attacks on high street lenders.

Renate Samson, chief executive of the campaign group Big Brother Watch, said: This would leave customers more vulnerable to cyber attacks and online fraud, which is already on the rise.

If individuals are going to trust their information with all these banks, banks have to be able to show their systems are secure and impenetrable. Unfortunately they do not have a good track record.

The CMA stressed privacy and security concerns are paramount and customers will be given control over what data is shared and with whom. It said banks would only be given access to customers account details for a limited amount of time.

They will also be barred from using that information to try to sell other products, such as loans or mortgages.

But Suren Thiru, head of economics and business finance at the British Chambers of Commerce, warned that any trust between lenders and businesses could be destroyed if firms fail to retain control over who has access to their data.

Diane Coyle, professor of economics at the University of Manchester, told the BBC she was also concerned about the security implications.

'OPEN BANKING REVOLUTION': YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED What is the open banking revolution? This is the rather grand name given by the CMA to technology that will allow banks to share their customers financial details  including spending and borrowing habits  with their rivals. How will it work? Customers will be able to access an app on their smartphone or computer to find the cheapest current account for them. Banks will share data using the same technology as taxi firm Uber. Whats the benefit for customers? The CMA and the banking industry hopes app developers will come up with different ways customers will be able to make the most of this technology. They could use it to find out if they could be on a deal that suits their personal needs better. Customers will be able to manage accounts held with several providers using a single app. They also may be able to set up an app to manage their money, based on instructions. For example, they could instruct the app to automatically pull money out of a savings account into a current account if they are about to be overdrawn. For small business owners, apps could also find the best deals for business accounts and loans. Will my details be shared automatically? No  the CMA said customers will be in control of their information and how it is shared. They would need to give their consent by asking their bank to share information about them on a limited basis with a third party. It also says banks will only be able to access account details of rivals customers for a limited time and will not be able to use the information for marketing purposes. What do critics say? After a series of IT failures and high-profile cyber attacks on banks, privacy campaigners and business groups are nervous about customers information being shared. They believe this could provide another opportunity for fraudsters. When will it come into force? If it is approved by the Government, it will be introduced in the first three months of 2018. Banks had already been working on the initiative before the CMA launched its probe in 2014. But no deadline had been set and progress was slow. Advertisement

She expressed doubt that open banking would prompt more customers to switch bank accounts, adding: Do you really want another party to be able to see all the transactions you make and be able to tell other potential competitors about that?

The CMA launched its 5million probe in November 2014 after growing concerns that the stranglehold of the big five lenders  RBS, Barclays, Lloyds, HSBC and Santander  meant customers were not getting a good deal.

The competition watchdog was yesterday accused of allowing banks to continue to charge exorbitant fees after rejecting demands for a crackdown on the swingeing penalties imposed on customers who fall into the red.

Following the two-year investigation, the CMA also dismissed calls to break up the biggest banks and force lenders to send monthly statements to customers telling them how much their free accounts really cost.

The CMA launched its 5million probe in November 2014 after growing concerns that the stranglehold of the big five lenders  RBS, Barclays, Lloyds, HSBC and Santander  meant customers were not getting a good deal

In its final report published yesterday it concluded the older and larger banks did not compete hard enough for customers business, meaning many people are paying more than they should.

Just 3 per cent of personal and 4 per cent of business customers ditch their old bank each year and switch to a new one.

According to the CMA, switching to the cheapest current account should save people 92 a year on average, with those who regularly dip into their overdraft able to save 180 or more.

Under its reforms  which have to be approved by the Government  banks will have to send text or email alerts to customers if they are about to break their overdraft limit, if their fees are about to be increased, or if a local branch is about to be closed.
Children are suffering widespread abuse and trauma at an Australian offshore detention centre for asylum seekers, the system's largest ever leak has revealed.

Australia processes asylum seekers who attempt to come by boat in a detention centre at the remote Pacific island nation of Nauru.

More than 2,000 incident reports leaked from the centre reveal children are vastly over-represented as victims of alleged sexual abuse, assault and self-harm, Guardian Australia reported.

The leaks come from the eyewitness accounts of caseworkers, guards, teachers, medical officers and child protection officers.

One incident report claims a young girl pointed to her vagina and said a male asylum seeker 'cut her from under' in February last year.

In July 2014, a girl under the age of 10 took her clothes off and asked adults to insert their fingers into her vagina, one leaked incident report said.

Scroll down for video

Children are suffering widespread abuse and trauma at the detention centre on Nauru Australia uses to process asylum seekers who come by boat (pictured: a child at Nauru)

The majority of the victims are children, despite making up just 18 per cent of the asylum seekers at Nauru.

The 2,000 reports include seven of sexual assault of children, 59 of assault on children, 30 of self-harm involving children and 169 of children threatening to self-harm.

Reports show young women are vulnerable to sexual assault and harassment.

One incident details the case of a woman harming herself because she didn't want 'men to touch her body'.

Another woman said she was told she was 'on a list' of single women local Nauruan guards were 'waiting for'.

Bus drivers employed by Australian detention contractors allegedly took photographs of asylum seeker women to masturbate to.

A 'cultural adviser' for Wilson Security, which employs guards at the centre, reportedly told a sexual assault victim: 'Rape in Australia is very common and people don't get punished.'

The guard had also allegedly questioned why she didn't scream when she was assaulted.

Guards have asked women for sex in exchange for long showers or other favours, numerous incident reports show.

The leaked incident reports show young women are vulnerable to sexual assault and harassment (pictured: woman held at Nauru)

Prof Louise Newman, a former member of the Immigration Health Advisory Group, told Guardian Australia she speaks to women 'on a nightly basis' who have been sexually assaulted at Nauru.

WHAT IS NAURU? Nauru is a remote Pacific island nation, about 3,000 kilometres from Australia. The Australian government has an immigration detention and offshore asylum processing centre at Nauru. Asylum seekers who try to reach Australia by boat are taken there and have been told they will never be resettled in Australia. Leaders cite deaths at sea, people smuggling and border protection as reasons for the policy. It has been routinely criticised for alleged human rights abuses. The detention centre was first opened in 2001, suspended in 2008, and reopened in August 2012. Advertisement

She said there was an 'alarming' and 'systemic' lack of processes.

Guards have slapped children in the face, according to the incident reports, and a guard allegedly threatened to kill a boy once he was released into the Nauruan community.

Self-harm is rife among the asylum seekers at Nauru, the leaked reports show.

In September 2014, a guard allegedly laughed at a girl who had sewn her lips together.

One man asked where he could buy bullets so he could be shot, while a woman wrapped rope around her neck to try to hang herself and was held up by guards until she could be cut down.

A girl in April 2015 gouged at her own face and pulled her hair during a fight at a recreation tent.

There a numerous reports of asylum seekers attempting to poison themselves by drinking bleach or washing detergent, or by swallowing rocks.

The 2,000 reports include seven of sexual assault of children, 59 of assault on children, 30 of self-harm involving children and 169 of children threatening to self-harm (pictured: child at Nauru)

There are children who have been held at Nauru for more than three years (pictured: child at Nauru)

There are 49 children, 55 women and 338 men held at Nauru, according to the last official count.

There are children who have been held at Nauru for more than three years.

All asylum seekers who came by boat have been told by Peter Dutton, the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, they will never be resettled in Australia.

The leaked allegations come after two asylum seekers self-immolated in detention earlier this year.

A 23-year-old Iranian man named Omid in late April doused himself in petrol and burst into flames after yelling 'I can't take it anymore'.

He passed away after he was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital with burns to 80 per cent of his body.

Just days later, a 21-year-old woman from Somalia self-immolated at Nauru.

The woman, named Hodan, remains in an Australian hospital.

A spokesperson for the Department of Immigration and Border Protection told Daily Mail Australia the government 'continues to support the Nauruan Government to provide for the health, welfare and safety of all transferees and refugees'.

Women and children hold up a banner at Nauru which says: 'Where are the helpful hands?'

Children stand behind a fence at the detention centre at Nauru behind signs, one of which says: 'Happy freedom'

'All alleged incidents within the regional processing centre are reported and where appropriate referred to the Nauru Police Force (NPF) for investigation,' the spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson said the documents were 'historical in nature' and have previously been reported by the Department.

Many of the incidents are unconfirmed allegations, the spokesperson said.

The reports are 'evidence of the robustness of reporting procedures under which any alleged incident must be recorded, reported and where necessary investigated'.

'The Department is seeking urgent advice from its service providers today to confirm all of these matters have been previously and appropriately reported to it, consistent with the policies and procedures covering such matters,' the spokesperson said.

The Australian Federal Police have been working with Nauru police to strengthen their capability when it comes to dealing with severe incidents.

The leaked allegations come after two asylum seekers self-immolated in detention earlier this year (Omid, left, passed away and Hodan, right, remains in hospital)

Speaking with media in Sydney on Wednesday, Malcolm Turnbull said the reports will be 'examined', while Treasurer Scott Morrison reiterated the reports were not necessarily fact.

Broadspectrum (previously Transfield), a security service at Nauru, told Daily Mail Australia it was aware of the documents.

'Broadspectrum maintains an extremely robust incident reporting system,' a spokesperson said.

'All alleged incidents  regardless of their veracity  are recorded, investigated and reported to all relevant stakeholders ... Where appropriate, allegations are also referred to the Nauru Police Force for investigation.'

The spokesperson said the company 'takes all allegations extremely seriously and has appropriately dealt with the allegations in accordance with the reporting system we have in place'.

'Broadspectrum works with a number of scrutiny bodies who review incidents as well as our processes and procedures. These include the Commonwealth Ombudsman, UNHCR and ICRC, and the review completed by Mr Philip Moss.

A child at Nauru holds up images of Omid and Hadon, who self-immolated at the detention centre

'Broadspectrum continues to make a positive contribution to the lives of asylum seekers through its welfare-led approach to delivering services.

'The care and wellbeing of asylum seekers is paramount in our processes and actions,' the spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia in a statement.

Australia's system of offshore processing has been criticised by the UN and Amnesty International, among other groups.

Amnesty on Wednesday responded to the leaked allegations and said the system was one of 'routine dysfunction and cruelty'.

'[The system] is at once dizzying in its scale and utterly damning for the Australian authorities who tried so hard to maintain a veil of secrecy,' Amnesty International's Senior Director for Research Anna Neistat said.

She said many of the asylum seekers had been 'driven to the brink of physical or mental breakdown by their treatment', and called for an end to Australia's offshore processing.

Members of the advocacy group recently visited the detention centre and said they 'saw with our own eyes the appalling and systemic abuses taking place'.

The recent Amnesty International report found those found to be genuine refugees, who can move freely within Nauru, also face violence. Pictured is Marjan, a refugee from Iran, after she was reportedly attacked in front of her house by two local men last year

An asylum seeker shows an injury which Amnesty International says was sustained in an attack by a Nauruan local

The recent Amnesty International report found those found to be genuine refugees, who can move freely within Nauru, also face violence.

'The Australian government tried to roundly deny our findings,' the statement said.

'The Australian government has engaged in one of the most successful mass cover-ups I've witnessed in my career of documenting human rights violations. They've repeatedly said this kind of abuse has not been going on. They've been lying.'

GetUp spokeswoman Shen Narayanasamy said the refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island must be immediately brought to Australia.

'Here we see report after report of the most awful and disgusting abuse,' she said, adding the situation was worse than previously thought.

The 2,000 incident reports can be read at Guardian Australia.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Nauruan officials, Free the Children Nauru, and contracted security service Wilson Security.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Nauru's hospital emergency department. Asylum seekers have reported that basic medical supplies are missing from the hospital

Asylum seekers are housed in vinyl tents at Nauru detention centre
Donald Trump is facing a wall of criticism for saying that there was 'nothing' that could be done to stop Hillary Clinton's judicial picks, before bringing up the Second Amendment, a statement seen by many as a veiled threat of violence toward the Democrat.

The comments so riled up one Republican ex-lawmaker that he wrote a letter to his state of New Hampshire's three Republican National Committee representatives and pleaded with them to remove Trump from the GOP ticket.

'If this is not the straw that breaks the camel's back, if this outrage is not sufficient to inspire courage in the Republican leadership, not just Reince Priebus but Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan, then surely the Republican Party has lost its moral conscience,' wrote former Sen. Gordon Humphrey, according to Politico.

One of the trio, committeewoman Juliana Bergeron, responded and declined.

'While I have the greatest respect for Senator Humphrey, it is time to support the Republican candidate or we will be watching Hillary's inauguration,' she said. 'That said, I do sometimes wish Mr. Trump would choose his words more carefully so they could not be misconstrued.'

Trump is insisting that he never implied gun-rights supporters should take up arms to stop Hillary Clinton and a liberal Supreme Court from chipping away at the Second Amendment.

Scroll down for video

Republican candidate Donald Trump was accused of inciting violence towards his Democratic rival shortly after his comments on Tuesday

'There can be no other interpretation,' he told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday night, saying he meant only that anti-gun-control forces should use legal means to oppose Clinton.

However, Humphrey's comments came after two senior Republicans called on Trump to end the controversy by taking back the comments immediately.

Peter King, the Republican congressman for New York, told MSNBC's Morning Joe that he should 'absolutely' take back the remarks, in which he appeared to suggestion violence against Hillary Clinton.

'It was wrong. He shouldnt have said it,' the congressman said - hours after Speaker Paul Ryan said: 'I hope he clears it up very quickly. You should never joke about something like that.'

'Even reporters have told me  I mean, give me a break,' the Republican nominee said.

Trump's senior communications adviser Jason Miller said the billionaire was referring to the 'power of unification,' meaning the strength of the Second Amendment lobby, when he suggested gun-rights proponents might take action to defend their constitutional rights.

Former Sen. Gordon Humphrey, R-N.H. wrote a letter to his state's three representatives to the Republican National Committee and asked that Trump be removed from the GOP ballot

The Republican candidate was accused of inciting violence towards his Democratic rival after his rally Tuesday afternoon in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani did the morning show circuit on Wednesday to defend Trump.

'Donald Trump is not indirect. If Donald Trump wanted to say that, believe me, nobody in the world would stop him from saying it. Of course he isn't going to say it,' Giuliani told 'Fox & Friends.'

Democrats created the controversy out of thin air, he said: 'It's the only way they can demonize him, because they have a criminal on the top of their ticket.'

On ABC's 'Good Morning America' Giuliani said Trump's audience knew exactly what he meant.

'You know how speeches go,' he said. 'He was talking about how they [Second Amendment advocates] have the power to keep her out of office. That's what he was talking about.'

'With a crowd like that, if that's what they thought he'd meant, they'd have gone wild,' he added, referring to the notion that Trump was urging violence.

Rudy Giuliani: Only way left can win is to demonize Trump, they know they have a criminal at the top of their tickethttps://t.co/4xTI71uB4X  FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) August 10, 2016

Trump has been speaking about the possibility that Clinton could appoint a liberal justice to the Supreme Court if elected president  which could potentially tip the balance to allow new gun controls to become part of America's social and legal fabric.

'Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the Second Amendment,' Trump said Tuesday, repeating a frequent claim he makes on the campaign trail.

'And by the way, if  if she gets to pick her judges, [there's] nothing you can do, folks.'

Furious Sen. Elizabeth Warren attacked Trump on Twitter, saying his 'reckless comments' made him sound like a 'two-bit dictator

Warren, pictured here several months ago, said that Donald Trump makes death threats 'because he's a pathetic coward who can't handle the fact that he's losing to a girl'

Then without explanation he added: 'Although, the Second Amendment people  maybe there is. I don't know. But I tell you what: That would be a horrible day if  if Hillary gets to put her judges [in].'

King said he did not believe Trump was trying to incite violence against his rival.

'Do you really think he was urging people to kill Hillary Clinton? Do you really believe that? No,' he told MSNBC.

'I think it was just a dumb remark. It was as simple as that.

'He was negligent in saying it? Absolutely. He should take it back, make it clear hes taking it back. '

A Trump campaign aide reiterated to DailyMail.com that Trump was referring to a 'horrible day' if Clinton were to become president and win the power to appoint America's most senior jurists.

Miller added: 'Second Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power.

'And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it won't be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump.'

Paul Ryan, who on Tuesday night won easily in a primary where his contestant had received some backing from Trump, said he believed it was 'a joke gone bad'.

Speaking after his victory, the House Speaker said: 'I've been a little busy today. I heard about this Second Amendment quote. It sounds like just a joke gone bad," Ryan said.

'I hope he clears it up very quickly. You should never joke about something like that.'

Hillary Clinton's campaign and her supporters leapt to attack Trump, arguing that he was suggesting gun owners might take up arms against Clinton and her Supreme Court appointees and assassinate them.

'This is simple  what Trump is saying is dangerous,' Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said in a statement. 'A person seeking to be president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.'

Trump clarified that he was talking about the collective power of the gun-rights lobby to hold the line on the U.S. Constitution.

Attack: How the Clinton camp capitalized on Trump's bizarre intervention

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, whom Trump has derisively labeled 'Pocahontas' over accusations that she faked an American Indian heritage for hiring advantage, slammed him on Twitter.

'@realDonaldTrump makes death threats because he's a pathetic coward who can't handle the fact that he's losing to a girl,' she vented.

Conservatives snarked back at her that she should have written 'woman' instead.

Trump's senior communications adviser Jason Miller said in a statement that the Republican candidate was referring to 'the power of unification  2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power.'

The statement was titled: 'Trump Campaign Statement on Dishonest Media.'

Trump himself told WNCN-TV in North Carolina in between rallies that he never meant to suggest violence.

'Oh, no, no. This was political power,' he said.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said 'you have to be corrupt' to believe Trump meant to incite people to violence: 'Are you out of your mind?'

And Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, told NBC-TV10 in Philadelphia that Trump never meant to suggest violence.

'Of course not,' he told the television affiliate's interviewer, adding that Second Amendment advocates 'should be involved in the political process and let their voices be heard.'

WHAT TRUMP SAID 'Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the Second Amendment. 'And by the way, if, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks. Although  the Second Amendment people, maybe there is. I don't know. But I tell you what: That will be a horrible day, if, if Hillary gets to put her judges [in]. 'Right now we're tied  you see what's going on  we're tied because Scalia, this was not supposed to happen. Justice Scalia was supposed to be around for ten more years at least and this is what happens. That is a horrible thing. 'So now look at it. Hillary essentially wants to abolish the Second Amendment.' Advertisement

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani warmed up Trump's crowd before his second rally of the day, in Fayetteville, N.C., saying he was 'actually disgusted' by the Clinton campaign's claim Trump was inciting to violence.

'To buy that, you have to be corrupt,' he said. 'Because if you said that to me, I would say to you, 'Are you out of your mind?''

'I saw it, I heard it, I know what it meant,' he said of Trump's Wilmington speech.

Tim Kaine, the Virginia senator whom the Democratic Party nominated for the vice presidency, stopped short of accusing Trump of calling for violence, but said during a campaign rally in Austin, Texas that the episode is 'a window into the soul of a person who is temperamentally not suited for the task.'

Trump, said Kaine, has 'just no understanding for the role of leader and I don't find the attempt to row it backward persuasive at all.'

Trump was speaking Tuesday at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington to a crowd estimated at 7,000.

The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees individual Americans the right to own firearms.

Angry accusation: Chris Murphy, the Democratic Congressman who represents the area where the Newtown school massacre took place, called it 'an assassination threat'

Critical: The left-wing political action committee MoveOn.org accused Trump of being unfit for the presidence

'Death threats': Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a loud Trump opponent, called him a 'pathetic coward' and said he made 'death threats' against Clinton and her future judicial nominees

The National Rifle Association, which endorsed Trump this year, tweeted that '@RealDonaldTrump is right. If @HillaryClinton gets to pick her anti-#2A #SCOTUS judges, there's nothing we can do.'

'But there IS something we will do on #ElectionDay: Show up and vote for the #2A!' the group said in a second tweet.

Trump observed on Tuesday that with the death this year of Justice Antonin Scalia, the court often finds itself in 4-4 deadlocks.

'Right now we're tied  you see what's going on  we're tied because Scalia, this was not supposed to happen,' he said.

'Justice Scalia was supposed to be around for ten more years at least and this is what happens. That is a horrible thing. So now look at it. Hillary essentially wants to abolish the Second Amendment.'

The billionaire has frequently touted his enthusiastic endorsement from the National Rifle Association's political arm, receiving its nod earlier in the election cycle than any other candidate in history.

Democrats rushed online to interpret his comments in the harshest light possible.

'Trump's either calling for an armed revolt or the assassination of his opponent. Despicable,' House Democratic Rep. David Cicilline wrote on Twitter, along with footage of Trump's remarks that quickly went viral.

'Don't treat this as a political misstep,' added Democratic Rep. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, whose district includes Newtown the scene of a grisly 2012 school shooting.

Fightback: How Trump's campaign tried to deal with the increasing tide of outrage

Backing: The NRA immediately backed up Trump claiming that Clinton would pick judges opposed to the Second Amendment

Seizing on comments: Hillary Clinton's campaign aides accused Trump of inciting violence against the Democrat, who was on the stump in Florida

'It's an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy & crisis.'

'This isn't play,' he added in another tweet. 'Unstable people with powerful guns and an unhinged hatred for Hillary are listening to you, @realDonaldTrump.

Trump stopped on his way to Fayetteville at a printing company to greet voters and answer questions.

No one inside asked him about the controversy, according to pool reporters.

Clinton did not address what he said either, as she campaigned in Miami.

Her surrogates were quick to do so, among them Michael Hayden, the retired general who was CIA director.

He told CNN's Jake Tapper: ''If someone else had said that said outside the hall, he'd be in the back of a police wagon now with the Secret Service questioning him.

'You're not just responsible for what you say. You are responsible for what people hear.'

And anti-Trump advocacy groups were on full-tilt Tuesday afternoon.

Ilya Shyman, executive director of the left-wing MoveOn.org political action committee, said in a statement that 'the Secret Service should investigate this for what it is, a threat on the life of Secretary Clinton.'

The U.S. Secret Service said it was 'aware' of Trump's remarks but made no statement about investigating him.

The Service provides a protective detail to Trump, as it does to Clinton.

Gen. Michael Hayden, a former CIA director who was among 50 signatories to a letter on Monday condemning the Republican nominee, said on CNN that Trump's Second Amendment comment caught him off-guard.

It was either in 'very bad taste,' Hayden said, or a clue that Trump lacks sensitivity to how far out of bounds assassination is.
With voting underway in Wisconsin's partisan primary election Tuesday, the Republican primary challenger to U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, Paul Nehlen, may have broken state law by tweeting a photo of what appeared to be a marked ballot.

State law bars any voter from showing "his or her marked ballot to any person or places a mark upon the ballot so it is identifiable as his or her ballot."

The campaign of Nehlen, a Delavan businessman who is challenging Ryan, may have done just that Tuesday.

At 3:18 p.m. Tuesday, Nehlen's campaign Twitter account posted a photo of what appeared to be a completed ballot with the message: "#HireNehlen Save America #WI01."

Because of the law, a spokesman for the state elections commission, Reid Magney, said it discourages voters from posting these so-called "ballot selfies."

"In past elections, we have advised voters against taking pictures of their ballots and posting them to social media because it has the potential to generate complaints under the election fraud law," Magney said in an email statement.

However, Magney said the Elections Commission lacks the authority to prosecute violations of the law. He said it would be up to a district attorney to determine whether to file charges.

A call to the District Attorney's Office in Walworth County, which includes the Delavan area, was not immediately returned Tuesday night.

Magney said the commission is not aware of anyone who has been charged with breaking the law.

Nehlen isn't the first public figure in Wisconsin to do this. In past elections, former Democratic Party of Wisconsin chairman Mike Tate and Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Zach Vruwink used their social media accounts to share photos of their ballots.

In those cases, Tate and Vruwink removed the photos after being told they broke the law.

Magney said in the statement that the law was written long ago to prevent election bribery, which would involve showing ones marked ballot to another person in order to get paid for voting a certain way.

But he added that this part of the law is "evolving." In two recent cases,ballot selfie laws were struck down by federal courts in Indiana and New Hampshire, Magney said.

Nehlen's campaign did not immediately respond to a State Journal inquiry about the photo.
Stephen Cannon (pictured) said restrictions on cataract surgery and growing waiting times for hip and knee replacements could merely be the tip of an iceberg

Bans on all but the most urgent NHS treatments will become 'commonplace' if major changes are not made to the funding of the health service, according to one of Britain's most senior surgeons.

Patients' hips could 'crumble away' and they will need to put up with 'crippling' arthritis for longer because of rationing across the health service, the vice-president of the Royal College of Surgeons said.

He also warns of waiting times returning to two or three years for some operations.

Stephen Cannon has said that restrictions on cataract surgery and growing waiting times for hip and knee replacements could merely be the tip of an iceberg if funding and staffing issues are not immediately addressed.

In a letter to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Cannon discussed the decision on Monday of St Helens clinical commissioning group to suspend all non-urgent treatment for four months in an attempt to tackle their overspend.

The orthopaedic surgeon said that similar bans could become widespread without a 'realistic' increase in funding.

'This is not a one-off, this is a growing problem across the NHS,' he told the newspaper.

'We are deeply concerned. It is bad enough having to put up with crippling arthritis as waiting times get longer, but these sorts of delays can mean the hip crumbling away so the patient can't even take a step.

'It also means that when patients do have surgery, it is infinitely more complex.

'I am concerned that we could end up going back to the days when patients waited two or three years for operations.'

The worst financial crisis in the history of the NHS is offset only by a staffing crisis, with a shortage of A&E doctors meaning emergency departments may have to reduce hours.

The worst financial crisis in the history of the NHS is offset only by a staffing crisis, with a shortage of A&E doctors meaning emergency departments may have to reduce hours (File photo)

Grantham and District Hospital, in Lincolnshire, has announced that it is looking to reduce A&E hours because of a 'severe shortage of doctors.'

Dr Clifford Mann, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: 'The great efforts made by doctors and nurses to help patients in under-resourced locations sometimes is not sustainable.

'As well as potentially putting patient safety at risk, placing an ever increasing workload on overstretched staff can create a vicious circle in retention and recruitment with many overworked trainees simply choosing to leave the country or indeed the specialty altogether.
IT industry specialists say it's more likely the Census website was overwhelmed by the number of people using it than being targeted by an online attack - and they've been using a 'map' of online attacks to try to prove their point.

The site crashed on Tuesday night as millions of Australians tried to fill out the survey and the Australian Bureau of Statistics have blamed the failure on a Distributed Denial of Service [DDoS] 'attempt'.

A DDoS attack is used to make a network or service unusable by flooding it with online traffic to overload its capacity to process requests.

But IT specialists said there hadn't been any evidence of such attacks on Census night, with some on social media pointing to maps that recorded DDoS activity - and there appeared to be none in Australia.

Scroll down for video

This map showing DDoS activity worldwide appeared not to show anything in Australia on Tuesday

Some on social media said it was more likely a case of the ABS site being overloaded

Many were highly skeptical of ABS statements it had been subjected to a DDoS

This person implied the ABS had effectively 'shot itself in the foot'

Others said outright the ABS could not claim a DDoS and that there in fact was not one

Jeff Waugh, a cloud computing specialist, told Daily Mail Australia: 'there's precious little evidence in Australian networking circles [or] international circles that suggest that there was a ... DDoS attack'.

'This stuff gets noticed by network operators.

'It really does not appear that the [Census] platform was was set up to manage the sort of load they were getting.'

He pointed out the map of DDoS activity didn't record every online attack.

Others said on social media it was a simple numbers matter - and that the site being able to handle one million submissions per hour was not enough.

This message told Facebook user 'Pene' the website was operating 'smoothly as expected'

The Australian Bureau of Statistics had previously claimed the website would operate without issue

Minister for Small Business Michael McCormack fronted media on Wednesday morning and claimed the DDoS was not an attack but ' an attempt to frustrate the collection of Bureau of Statistics Census data' .

He said several DDoS attempts were made during the day on Tuesday, but a large one coincided with a ' large increase in traffic to thewebsite occurred with thousands of Australians logging on to complete their Census'.

Mr McCormack said no personal data had been compromised.

The Census site was eventually shut down.

Before the night, the ABS repeatedly claimed it had the capability to handle the expected 65 per cent of people completing the survey on the site.

ABS general manager of the census Chris Libreri said the site had been tested to 150 per cent of capacity for eight hours and it 'didn't look like flinching'.

He told News Corp: 'We wouldn't do it unless we were able to safely do it, we have evolved it and we are confident'.

The Melbourne Star was lit up green for Census night on Tuesday, August 9
American swimmer Katie Ledecky has won yet another Olympic gold, taking first place at the women's 200m freestyle final.



Ledecky took off slowly, not even placing among the top three swimmers on the 50m turn.

But she kept pace, eventually catching up with Australia's Emma McKeon.

Katie Ledecky celebrates after earning her second gold medal in the Rio Olympics

Ledecky has held a perfect record in international competitions, earning 14 golds for the 14 finals she has raced in Olympic and other events

Ledecky competes in the final of the women's 200m freestyle, placing first yet again

Ledecky savors her win and shares a hug with rival Sarah Sjostrom (right), of Sweden

Ledecky eventually overpowered the Australian and took first place halfway through.

She finished strong and left Swedish rival Sarah Sjostrom in second place.

'I went on auto control when I dove in,' she said after her win. 'I saw I had the lead and I wasnt going to let it go.

'I knew I had to dig really deep, and thats the closest Ive come to having to throw up in the middle of a race.'

Ledecky has held a perfect record in international competitions, earning 14 golds for the 14 finals she has raced in Olympic and other events.

Ledecky proudly weras her latest gold medal, her second just in Rio and 14th overall in international championships

USA's Ledecky appears in the seconds following her first-place finish at Rio 2016

Mary Gen and David Ledecky watch on as Ledecky races and earns her Olympic gold

She won a her first Olympic gold at London 2012 when she was 15 years old.

This is her second gold in Rio.

In 2015, she became the first swimmer to win the 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle titles in a single world championship.

The conquest became known and the 'Ledecky Slam.'

USA's basketballer Kevin Durant posted this Instagram photo with Ledecky, writing, 'It's just a Maryland thing!!'

Team USA basketball players Kevin Durant (center) and DeAndre Jordan (right) were in attendance to support swimmers at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium

Basketball players Draymond Green (left) and Klay Thompson (right) watch on as swimming takes center stage

Jordan cheers excitedly as Ledecky heads on to earm her Olympic gold in 200m freestyle

USA's Mayra Dirado finished third in the women's 200m medley.

Hungary's Katinka Hosszu took off like a rocket, gaining an early lead and maintaining it throughout.

Great Britain's Siobhan-Marie O'Connor took silver.

USA's Maya Dirado (top) and Britain's Siobhan-Marie O'Connor (bottom) place third and second in the women's 200m medley final

Mayra Dirado finished third in the women's 200m medley, behind Britain's O'Connor and gold medalist Katinka Hosszu, of Hungary
'This is the worst run Census in history', opposition says

Taxpayers will fork out more than $270 million on Census

The economist earns more than the Australian prime minister

Economist David Kalisch was appointed as the top bureaucrat at the ABS in December 2014

Australian taxpayers will fork out more than $270 million for this year's disastrous Census - and the top bureaucrat for the agency responsible is on more than $700,000-a-year.

The facts and figures can be revealed as thousands of Australians vented their rage on social media after the government's survey website crashed on Tuesday evening - its most important night of the year.

It came as confusion reigned over what caused the catastrophic bungle, with the Bureau of Statistics (ABS) chief David Kalisch claiming the agency pulled the website down after it came under 'attack' by hackers.

But within hours the newly installed Census minister, Michael McCormack, was using very different words to describe what happened: 'This was not an attack. Nor was it a hack.'

Scroll down for video

Millions were left frustrated when the Census website crashed on Tuesday evening

Speaking to reporters in Canberra, Mr McCormack said the Census website had suffered a 'large scale denial of service' attempt to block people from accessing the survey site.

He said it triggered a hardware failure - a 'false alarm' - and the ABS used a 'cautious strategy' to shut down the website.

The minister said he would not use the word 'attack' because the DDoS attempt wasn't 'successful'.

At the same news conference, Mr Kalisch apologised to Australians for the 'inconvenience' which saw hundreds of people vent their frustration on social media.

He said the effort had been 'well planned' and stressed the data of Australians had not been compromised.

Opposition assistant treasury spokesman Andrew Leigh said: 'This has been the worst-run Census in Australian history, one of the worst IT debacles Australia has ever seen.'

He blamed the Turnbull government, saying he 'knew' the administration would try and blame the public servants responsible.

HOW MUCH TOP OFFICIALS GET PAID Chief of the Defence Force Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin - $814,700 Taxation Commissioner Chris Jordan - $772,920 Auditor-General Grant Hehir - $705,030 Australian Statistician David Kalisch - $705,030 Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull - $507,338 (base salary) Source: Renumeration Tribunal - total renumeration per annum; Herald Sun Advertisement

Mr Leigh said he had warned about the agency being inadequately resourced no less than 14 times over the past year.

The Census went online this year, with the ABS arguing it would save taxpayers $100 million.

Operational costs will run as high as $272 million, or $11 per Australian.

'The value to the community of Census information is many times greater than its cost,' an ABS spokesman said, with much of the money paying community workers.

It's understood the total budget for the survey is $470 million.

It was revealed last year that the agency had signed a $417,540, three year contract for office plants.
A driver who went on a drunken 20 kilometre crashing spree across Sydney in his Toyota Corolla allegedly hitting a pedestrian, several cars, a power pole, a traffic light and a bus stop before he was stopped.

Robert Keri, 47, was arrested after police received several triple zero calls on Tuesday about someone driving a Toyota Corolla dangerously between Homebush West and Crows Nest before 6pm.

The driver told magistrate Les Mabbutt 'I had a little bit too much to drink' before he was granted conditional bail. Keri had registered 0.35 when breath-tested for alcohol by police, seven times the legal limit.

He allegedly attempted to reverse away from officers, who had to remove the keys from the ignition of his Toyota Corolla to stop him.

Robert Keri, 47, a Sydney man bailed for driving while he was allegedly seven times over the limit has been given a stern warning to stay away from the steering wheel

A man who was allegedly seven times over the limit when he tried to flee police after allegedly hitting a pedestrian and cars in a chaotic drive across Sydney says he 'had a little bit too much to drink'. Robert Keri is alleged to have crashed into a pedestrian, several cars, poles and a fence on the 20 kilometre run from Homebush West to Crows Nest on the north shore

A man who was seven times over the limit ended a crash spree at Darvall Street in Crows Nest

The 47-year-old smash repairer, whose alleged dangerous drink diving didn't injure anyone, was charged with several offences including high-range drink driving and dangerous driving.

He was granted conditional bail at Sydney's Central Local Court on Wednesday, and has been banned from drinking or diving while out of custody.

'I don't want you found sitting in the driver's seat of a car,' magistrate Les Mabbutt warned Keri.

Ahead of his brief appearance, Keri tried to explain his version of events to the court.

'I had a little bit too much to drink,' he said, before making his bail application.

He allegedly registered seven times the legal alcohol limit at 0.35 at North Sydney Police Station and was charged with high level drink driving and traffic offences.

Keri is due to front Burwood Local Court on August 24.

The 47-year-old allegedly crashed into a pedestrian, several cars, a power pole, traffic lights and a bus stop on his way from Homebush West to Crows Nest
Police have released strange new details in an attempt to identify a woman whose body was found in a suitcase in the Swan River in Perth earlier this year.

The unidentified female, believed to be aged between 30 and 50, was discovered on July 2 but detectives are still unable to determine who she is.

On Wednesday West Australian police released images of a Blade brand scooter which had a wooden chopping board attached to it in the latest in a string of bizarre clues linked to the case.

Police have released this image in the hunt for a woman whose body was found in a suitcase

They are working to identify this Asian woman who was discovered on July 2

Detective Senior Sergeant Tom Mills urged members of the public who recognised the scooter or saw suspicious activity near the Fremantle Traffic Bridge between June 27 and July 1 to come forward.

'We are yet to identify this woman and as such we are appealing for anyone who knows her or indeed knows of someone they have not seen recently to come forward,' Det-Sen. Sgt Mills said.

'The information may seem innocuous but it may help us identify this woman and establish the circumstances surrounding her tragic death.'

Police have been working with authorities both interstate and overseas in a bid to identify the woman, and worked with the local Asian community in an attempt to unravel the baffling case.

The blue suitcase was found around 7.45am a few hundred metres from Western Australia Water Police headquarters in North Fremantle, Perth

The woman was wearing a dark blue Kathmandu sleeveless vest and black T-Shirt bearing a logo from Disneyland, Tokyo

'You may not know her name but she may look familiar to you.

'If she does, we urge you to come forward and tell us where you recognise her from, and the last time you saw her,' Detective Senior Sergeant Mills said.

The woman is described as aged between 35 and 50 years, of Asian descent, about 160cm tall and around 59kgs in weight.

Major Crime Squad Detectives have asked the public to assist in identifying the woman, whose body was discovered by fishermen on the Swan River in North Fremantle, Perth

She has a crown on her left upper front tooth which is whiter in appearance to the rest of her teeth; and tattooed eyebrows.

The woman was wearing a Kathmandu vest, a black T-shirt bearing a 'Tokyo Disneyland' logo, and a long sleeve shirt.
Advertisement

Photographer Michael Dweck spent a summer in the 70s falling in love with the beaches of Montauk, New York.

Decades later, he returned to Montauk to capture the beach for his book titled 'The End'.

Dweck said he attempted to 'record something before it faded away' and preserve a moment in the sunshine that became precious to him decades earlier.

'The End' is being re-released for its tenth anniversary with new images and an original silver gelatin print.

Dweck said the first time he visited the beach surf, sand and girls 'who looked, well, like they didnt belong on Long Island' captured his eye.

It was these sights he wanted to preserve when he returned to the beaches in the 2000s with his family.

The first edition of the book was published in 2004 and Dweck called the beach preserved in its pages his own Never Never Land.

He said in Montauk days were spent barefoot and nights were spent with the doors unlocked.

At first, when he returned to the beach decades after his first visit in the 70s, he was hesitant to share his special spot with the world.

'Montauk will never be Montauk again, but it will never be anything else either,' he says in the new introduction of the book.

'The End', which refers to The East End of Long Island, also means to Dweck the end of a youth spent indulging in simple pleasures in the sun.

Photographer Michael Dweck spent a summer in the 70s falling in love with the beaches of Montauk, New York, and recaptured the beach in photographs in the 2000s

Dweck said he attempted to 'record something before it faded away' and preserve a moment in the sunshine that became precious to him decades earlier

' The End ' is being re-released for its tenth anniversary with new images and an original silver gelatin print and shows the intimate moments of summer on the island

Dweck said the first time he visited the beach surf, sand and girls 'who looked, well, like they didnt belong on Long Island' captured his eye

Years later when he returned to the beaches with his family It was these sights he wanted to preserve in the pages of his book

The first edition of the book was published in 2004 and Dweck called the beach preserved in its pages his own Never Never Land

He said in Montauk days were spent barefoot and nights were spent with the doors unlocked, never feeling scared or unsafe

Images in the book show the East End of Long Island and the lazy summer atmosphere of those who vacationed in the area

At first, when he returned to the beach decades after his first visit in the 70s, he was hesitant to share his special spot with the world

But Dweck knew the Montauk of the 1970s was a thing of the past and his special beach could be shared safely with the world

Sunbathing beauties are shown lying on the rocks near the beach as their sea-soaked hair dries beneath the summer sun

Many images in the book offer a provocative look at the summer culture of Montauk, evoking the imagery of summer love and flings

Women hug as they sit on a dried log in front of the babbling waves of the Long Island beach during the summer

Waves crash and send white caps hurdling toward the shoreline during a summer on the beaches of Montauk, New York

Another image shows the waves crashing near the beach as whitecaps are sent hurdling skyward

A happy dog runs carefree into the waters of the beach of Montauk, captured in Dweck's book

A young boy is sprayed with water on a hot summer's day to cool off in one of the stunning images captured by Dweck

The ocean waves and sandy tides are reflected in the window as a woman peers out, perhaps waiting for perfect surf weather

Another beach beauty lies out on a bed near the Montauk beach with a surfboard resting against the wall behind her
New Zealand police have released a computer sketch of a man who broke into a family home and indecently touched a woman while she was asleep

Police are searching for a man who broke into a family home and indecently touched a woman while she was fast asleep with her husband beside her.

The stranger broke into the home in Hamilton, on New Zealand's North Island, at about 3.30am on Saturday and assaulted the woman.

She woke up and the man was chased out of the house on foot, but he was able to escape in the dark of the night.

Police say the assault was of a sexual nature, but the woman was not raped.

New Zealand police have since released a computer sketch of what they believe the home intruder looked like.

The man is described as Caucasian, in his 30s, between 172cm and 182cm tall, of medium to solid build, and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt.

He had a particularly long, bushy, unkempt beard.

Hamilton Police CIB Detective Senior Sergeant Daryl Smith said officers were unable to track the intruder, with tracker dogs losing his scent quickly.

'I understand someone has chased him but once they got outside it's been dark and they haven't been able to see anything,' Smith told stuff.co.nz.

'It is possibly someone in the area, or they have had a motor vehicle.

'At this stage we are open to anything, as to where this person has come from or gone to.'
A woman who says she was raped against the wall of a cathedral by a man she met online has been slammed in court for wearing red and black lacy underwear on the night of the alleged attack.

Brisbane's Mitchell Cameron Peggie, 26, who goes by 'Mr Remarkable' online has pleaded not guilty to three counts each of rape and sexual assault after the alleged attack.

Peggie's barrister Douglas Wilson - who questioned the woman's choice to wear lingerie - told jurors the defence case was the conduct was 'between consenting adults'.

Matthew Peggie (pictured), 26, pleaded not guilty to three counts each of rape and sexual assault

The man and woman met on dating site Oasis - just 24 hours before the alleged attack on their first date.

Text message exchanges between the two before the meeting were indicative of two people flirting and showed Peggie was 'direct' about how he thought the date would go, Mr Wilson said.

But he urged jurors not to infer guilt given the sexual nature of some of the messages, suggesting that type of language was used regularly by younger people.

It came after they heard crown prosecutor Brendan White outline the complainant's version of events on Monday.

The woman alleges he placed his hand around her neck, turned her body and raped her against the wall of the Cathedral of St Stephen after the pair left a CBD bar and walked into the grounds.

In his own closing, Mr White said it was understandable the woman was defensive in evidence because she was being accused of lying about a traumatic experience.

He suggested Peggie's account was a 'made-up work of fictional fantasy' and text messages indicated he wasn't taking the hint when she didn't welcome his explicit comments.

Mr White told the jury her wearing lingerie on the night didn't mean she was consenting to sexual activity, quoting her testimony: 'Just because I wore it doesn't mean I wanted anyone else to see it'.

Peggie allegedly raped a girl he met on an online dating site in the grounds of the Cathedral of St Stephen in Brisbane (pictured)

'(Rape) doesn't have to be a stereotype of a stranger through a window at night,' he said.

'It happens when a woman says no, and a man keeps going.'

Peggie, who is a restaurant supervisor that is part-way through three university degrees including mathematics, law and physics went by the name 'Mr Remarkable' online, The Courier Mail reports.

He claimed the woman whispered words of encouragement to him during sex - but the prosecution said she said 'no' twice but was ignored.

Peggie's barrister also claimed CCTV footage showing the man and woman after the assault were not consistent with her being a rape victim.

The footage shows the woman following Peggie - she then dropped him off at his house.

She says her decision to follow Peggie was a result of her shock and was not conscious.

The court heard Peggie and his alleged victim, a 21-year-old female student, exchanged more than 200 text messages before their meeting

The court previously heard Peggie bragged about his penis size before allegedly raping the woman.

The court heard they organised to meet after exchanging more than 200 text messages in which Peggie told her he liked 'rough f***ing' and wanted to meet an 'adventurous' girl.

Mr White said the complainant later met up with Peggie at a bar in the city and claimed he boasted about the size of his penis and his dating history.

The crown claims when the woman rejected his sexual advances, he placed his hand around her neck, turned her body and raped her against a wall on the Cathedral grounds

The jury heard the pair then went for a walk, during which he repeatedly touched her bottom, and ended up at the Cathedral of St Stephen.

There, Mr White said Peggie pushed the student, then 21, against a stone monument and groped her.

'She pushed him away (and) said, 'I am not that easy, you have to work for it, I don't have sex on the first date,' or something like that,' Mr White said on Monday.

'He pulled her into the wall of the cathedral (and) said words to the effect of, 'I am working for it'.'

The court heard that the woman drove Peggie home after their meeting but refused to come in and called a helpline when she got home

Later, the Crown alleges he placed his hand around her neck, turned her body and raped her against the wall.

It was heard the woman drove Peggie to his house but she refused to come in and called a help line when she got home.

The next day, the court heard she texted a friend: 'He wanted something, I said no, he got it anyway'.

After she approached the police, Mr White said DNA consistent with Peggie was detected on her neck.

The trial before Judge Deborah Richards continues.
A Kansas lawmaker is calling for closer regulation of water park rides after boy, 10, was 'decapitated' when thrown from a waterslide's raft.

Caleb Schwab, son of Kansas State Rep. Scott Schwab, died on Sunday while riding the 168-foot-high Verruckt slide at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City.

Since the youngster's tragic death, multiple people have come forward to share their terrifying close calls on the ride after they the waterslide's safety straps malfunctioned.

Now Kansas Senator David Haley is demanding better regulation of amusement parks in the state to keep the public safe.

Scroll down for video

A Kansas lawmaker is calling for closer regulation of water park rides after boy, 10, was 'decapitated' when thrown from a waterslide's raft

Witnesses say Caleb flew off the ride at around 50ft from the ground and hit the netting

Kansas has some of the weakest regulation of rides in the United States. State law allows officials to conduct spot safety inspections, but employees in that department have been slashed by a third in recent years.

A Schlitterbahn employee told FOX 4 she had never saw a single state inspection in the multiple years she has worked there. She added that the only inspection the park ever carried out was 'people riding down slides one time - 'oh, it's okay,'' she said she was told.

Winter Prosapio, spokesperson for Schlitterbahn, insisted on Sunday that the park's rides are inspected daily and by an 'outside party' before the start of each season.

State inspectors reportedly last checked the waterpark in 2012, well before the Verruckt opened in 2014.

Kansas Senator David Haley (pictured) is demanding better regulation of amusement parks in the state to keep the public safe

State law leaves it to the Kansas Department of Labor to adopt rules and regulations relating to certification and inspection of rides, adding that an amusement ride at a permanent location 'shall be self-inspected by a qualified inspector at least every 12 months.'

Regulations require only that owners of permanent amusement rides retain records for a year and rides are randomly selected quarterly for a records audit.

Documents released Tuesday by the state department showed that in June 2012, a records audit found that the park was not maintaining records of testing for current and previous years. The report said that instead of such testing, 'visual inspections are conducted annually and daily.' There was no record of a state response, and the audit was marked 'pass.'

There were no indications of further records audits, and department officials did not immediately answer questions about why that was so.

The state requested documentation from Schlitterbahn 'to ensure all safety requirements have been followed.' Department officials didn't immediately provide additional details.

Kenneth Conrad (center) rode the Verruckt ride at at Schlitterbahn Waterpark with his best friend Matt (right, without his harness)

Matt's hook-and-loop harness snapped off after the first drop - and he was forced to hold on until the end with just his hands as the ride reached speeds of up to 65 miles an hour

Haley said: 'In light of the tragic accident, I hope there will be a review of existing policies to see if there is a need... for additional oversight.'

That could include state inspections or a legal requirement for theme parks to be regularly checked by an independent inspector.

Police are investigating the death of Schwab as a criminal case although police spokesman Cameron Morgan said Tuesday that designation did not mean they suspect foul play.

Witnesses described gruesome scenes at the Kansas theme park, saying they saw the ten-year-old fly out of the raft, through the harness, and hit the safety netting above where he was beheaded.

Kansas City Police confirmed the boy had died from a 'fatal neck injury at the end of the ride, in the pool'.

Kobey Lyons told the Dailymail.com that he'd been told by woman at the park that day that the hook-and-loop straps on the ride were not working properly on the day of the tragedy.

Kansas Police Department issued the above statement in response to the death of Caleb Schwab on the Verruckt Water slide

The height requirement to ride Verruckt is at least 54 inches tall and riders must be at least 14 years old, according to the park's website. Riders have to climb the ride's 264 steps to the top before taking the 168-foot plunge at 65 mph

He said that blood was spotted 'all over the slide' which had tarps thrown over it to cover it. The boy's body was covered up with a sheet.

Two women, still strapped into the raft, were injured with another witnesses describing one as having blood pouring down her face. One of those women's jaw was broken and the other had a broken face bone, according to reports.

The front seat of the raft - where Schwab most likely sat - was empty.

WHY WASN'T WORLD'S TALLEST SLIDE INSPECTED? There are no federal inspection laws for waterparks in the U.S., and inspections are handled on a state-by-state basis. State inspectors reportedly last checked the waterpark in 2012, well before the Verruckt opened. 'All of the regulations are really done at the state and local level with respect to amusement parks and waterparks. 'There are no federal standards and so it really is up to the park operators, the manufacturers of the rides and the states to make sure this is a safe environment,' said Deborah Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council.' Advertisement

Each rider on the Verruckt must be at least 54 inches tall, and the group's weight is limited to a total of 400 to 550 pounds.

Riders are harnessed in with two nylon seatbelt-like straps  one that crosses the rider's lap, the other stretching diagonally like a car shoulder seatbelt. Each strap is held in place by long Velcro-style straps, not by buckles.

Ken Martin, a Richmond, Virginia-based amusement park safety consultant, questioned whether the straps were appropriate for what he called 'nothing more than a roller coaster with water.'

Paul Oberhauser told local television station KCTV his shoulder restraint 'busted loose' on his Verruckt raft July 26.

'As soon as I hit the bottom of the first curve the shoulder strap just kind of busted loose,' Oberhauser said.

He said he had to grip the handles using his legs and told park staff what happened once he got down.

'They kinda said, 'Oh no, really,' or something, 'Yes, that's not good.' And so it sounded like you know they were gonna do something about it,' Oberhauser said.

The Nebraska man said he 'just held on,' and a video shot by his wife shows the strap loose at the ride's end. Oberhauser said he reported the matter to park workers.

This file photo shows Schlitterbahn's 168-foot-tall Verruckt speed slide/water coaster in Kansas City, Kansas

Caleb was understood to be sat at the front of the raft and was ejected as it hit the second drop (pictured) some 50ft from the ground. The two female passengers behind Caleb suffered serious facial injuries as he left the raft and hit the netting above

Kenneth Conrad told WDAF-TV that during his trip down the waterslide last year with a friend, the friend's shoulder strap came 'completely off.'

'As we were going down, we went down the first one, and as we were approaching the second one, he was in the back and you could hear him say that his strap came off and when we hit, he was real tense, shaken, because his strap had come completely off and literally he was using all of his force to hold him onto the slide,' Conrad told Fox4.

Matt did not file a complaint after his harness came off during the ride that day last year, but after Schwab's death, he is planning to report the incident.

Conrad's wife Erica, who snapped a picture of her husband and Matt on the ride - which showed the latter's harness missing - says the news of the boy's death is 'devastating.'

Kansas City Police confirmed Caleb (pictured) had died from a 'fatal neck injury at the end of the ride'

The youngster was just ten years old when he was killed in the horrific accident. The ride used to have a minimum age restriction of 14

Police were investigating the death as a criminal case although police spokesman Cameron Morgan said Tuesday that designation did not mean they suspect foul play.

Verruckt's 2014 opening repeatedly was delayed, though the operators didn't explain why. Two media sneak preview days in 2014 were canceled because of problems with a conveyor system that hauls 100-pound rafts to the top of the slide.

In early tests, rafts carrying sandbags flew off the slide, prompting engineers to tear down half of the ride and reconfigure some angles.

A promotional video about building the slide includes footage of two men riding a raft down a half-size test model and going slightly airborne as it crests the top of the first big hill.

SCHLITTERBAHN WATERPARK SUED THREE TIMES SINCE OPENING IN 2014 T he Schlitterbahn waterpark, in Kansas city - where Caleb Schwab tragically died on the Verruckt ride Sunday, has been sued three times for negligence since 2014. In March 2014, Linda Stomboly sued the water park alleging she was seriously injured in August 2012 on the King Kaw white water rapids attraction, KCUR reports. She said her flotation tube collided with another tube during the descent sending her flying. While trying to get back in her tube, her leg became stuck 'resulting in multiple spiral fractures of her tibia and fibula,' according to the suit, which was settled for $20,000. Robert Boepple filed his lawsuit just two months later claiming he suffered injuries to his head, neck, back, arm and spine when his toe got caught on a 'protruding item' on the Boogie Bahn surfing ride. His case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum. The third suit was brought by Frances Logan which alleged she had been severely injured on the park's King Kong River ride when the inner tube she was riding tipped over and her left foot hit a concrete wall. She claimed there were no lifeguards on duty at the time to help and she had to be saved from the water by waterpark customers. Her case was also settled, according to her lawyer. Advertisement

'I think they designed this ride, and they figured since stuff was flying out, we better do something to keep people from flying out,' he said. 'I think we have a serious issue with the restraint system. Period.'

Although he has not seen or ridden Verruckt, Martin said a more solid restraint system that fits over the body  similar to those used in roller coasters  may have been better.

The park's spokeswoman didn't return messages Tuesday from reporters seeking comment on the claims.

The Verruckt- German for insane - is the highest waterslide in the world. It remained closed today amid the investigation.

One report says that it used to have an age restriction of 14 when the ride opened at Schlitterbahn in 2014.

Schlitterbahn has been sued three times since 2014 although never for the waterslide (file picture). Paul Oberhauser who visited the park two weeks ago told CBS News that his hook-and-loop safety belt came off while riding with a friend and his 9-year-old son about two weeks ago

Caleb's heartbroken family were seen crying at the waterpark on Sunday (pictured left is a file image of the boy's father Rep Scott Schwab at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kansas in 2015) Pictured right is the Verruckt safety board at the park

It also had a minimum height of 54 inches and a combined weight of all riders in the raft to be between 400 and 550 pounds.

But officials scrapped the age restriction, deeming the height requirement sufficient.

An image, obtained by Heavy, shows netting being removed from a portion of the ride following the tragic incident on Sunday.

State Rep. Scott Schwab, an Olathe Republican, and his wife, Michele, released a statement asking for privacy as the family grieves.

'Since the day he was born, he brought abundant joy to our family and all those he came in contact with,' the statement said.

Caleb's death is not the first at a Schlitterbahn facility. In 2013, lifeguard Nico Benavides, 20, was killed at the company's park on South Padre Island, Texas, when a mechanical door slammed on the guard's head.

The park was hit with fines of $96,000 although they settled for $66,000.

Meanwhile, the Kansas Schlitterbahn has been sued three times for negligence since 2014, although none were related to the Verruckt water slide,KCUR reports.
Maryknoll Lay Missioners Announces Student Loan Repayment Program, Opening Doors for Future Generations of Mission Outreach

MARYKNOLL, N.Y., Aug. 10, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- Maryknoll Lay Missioners is excited to announce our Student Loan Repayment Program. This innovative program, launched in 2016, was made possible by the generosity of an MKLM supporter. Upon presenting us with this gift, the donor stated, "Maryknoll Lay Missioners has turned an important corner in recent times and has a bright future. I want to continue partnering in this amazing growth."

The Student Loan Repayment Program is available to all active Maryknoll Lay Missioners during the time they are under contract with MKLM. During their time in service, MKLM will pay the Missioner's monthly student loan payment, freeing individuals of this financial burden as they minister to the poor and marginalized in Asia, Africa and the Americas. This program will assist MKLM in attracting and retaining committed, service-minded individuals who want to make a difference in the world.

"The number of students borrowing for their education is increasing, as is the amount an average student owes," said Joanne Blaney, MKLM Mission Services Director. "We are delighted to offer the Student Loan Repayment Program so that our Lay Missioners can focus on the most important thing, sharing Christ's compassion and love with those in need and working to change unjust structures around the world."

MKLM invites Catholics who are 21 years or older to join for an initial three-and-a-half year commitment, and welcomes single people, married couples or families to apply . The orientation program offered to new Lay Missioner candidates is rich in authenticity, designed to address both practical and spiritual preparation for overseas mission work. Lay Missioners who join the program are not only eligible for the new Student Loan Repayment Program, but also receive a number of other benefits, such as:

 Health insurance coverage while overseas for individuals and families

 In-country, full-time language training

 10-week onsite orientation training in New York, with childcare financed and provided for families

 529 College Savings Program for children of missioner families

Maryknoll Lay Missioners' values are steeped in the tradition of Catholic social teaching. Through the outreach and service efforts of our Lay Missioners, MKLM seeks to change unjust structures and promote forgiveness. Our Lay Missioners work in Asia, Africa and the Americas to assist those living in extreme poverty, victims of human trafficking, people in prison and those affected by war and urban violence. They offer their compassion and skills through more than 100 ministries which encompass healthcare, education, compassionate care of children and orphans, microenterprise, faith formation and restorative justice.

"The generosity and vision of this supporter has made the Student Loan Repayment Program possible," said Matt Boyle, MKLM Executive Director. "We are grateful for the blessings this supporter has bestowed on us. Their foresight has helped pave the way for committed Catholics eager to embark on overseas service to realize the call to mission and has afforded current Lay Missioners with greater financial security."

About Maryknoll Lay Missioners (MKLM)



Maryknoll Lay Missioners was initiated in 1975 to recognize and celebrate lay people (non-religious) as active participants in global mission. The organization, which became an independent entity in 1995, emerged from the Maryknoll tradition that was started more than 100 years ago. Maryknoll Lay Missioners (MKLM) is an independent organization that raises all of its own resources to recruit, train, send and sustain our Lay Missioners.
A traffic accident which escalated into a knife attack at a McDonald's has resulted in four people being stabbed.

Just after midday in Beenleigh, Queensland, two cars crashed. The drivers of the vehicles then got into a fight which resulted in one of them stabbing the other.

The 32-year-old knife-wielding driver then fled the scene, running to a nearby McDonald's, Queensland Police told Daily Mail Australia.

Scroll down for video

Four people have been stabbed in an attack in Beenleigh, Queensland

A man stabbed the driver of a car he had a crash with before stabbing three more people at a McDonalds (pictured)

In the car park of the fast food restaurant the man then tried to hijack three cars, according to the Courier Mail.

The driver of one of these cars then refused to let the attacker take his vehicle, and was subsequently stabbed.

Steve Chambers, was in the drive way at McDonalds when he was stabbed after refusing to allow the man to steal his car.

When two more people tried to intervene and tackle the man to the ground, they were also stabbed.

Despite sustaining a stab wound in his abdomen, it is believed Mr Chambers performed a citizen's arrest before police arrived at the scene to assist.

Two men aged in their 30s and 40s sustained wounds to the abdomen.

Another man was left with cuts to his hands, while a teenager was cut on the arm.

Three people were taken to hospital after the stabbing rampage

Of the four people who received stab wounds, three were taken to hospital Inspector Chris Ahearn said.

'We have a total of four people who have received stab wounds, early indications are that those injuries aren't serious,' he said.

The assailant was taken to the Princess Alexander Hospital in Brisbane where he is being treated for minor injures to his hands.

He remains there under police guard.

'We have a total of four people who have received stab wounds' police said
A Florida mother has been accidentally shot and killed by a police officer in front of 34 people during during a role play exercise teaching residents when not to shoot.

Librarian Mary Knowlton, 73, was taking part in a role-playing scenario Tuesday when she was 'mistakenly struck with a live round' in Punta Gorda, Florida.

Police Chief Tom Lewis says she was chosen randomly from the group for a 'shoot/don't shoot' simulation during the Citizen Police Academy at the station headquarters.

The officer, who was playing the role of a 'bad guy', was supposed to fire blanks at the 'victim' Knowlton, but live rounds were loaded in the gun instead.

Scroll down for video

Mary Knowlton (pictured), 73, was taking part in a role-playing scenario Tuesday when she was 'mistakenly struck with a live round' and killed in Punta Gorda, Florida, on Tuesday night

The officer, who has not been named, meant to fire blanks at Knowlton (pictured with her husband Gart) but instead loaded the gun with live rounds

Knowlton's son, Steven, said it was a devastating time for the family in a statement to CBS This Morning.

Heartbroken niece Jenny Tucker Christensen said on Facebook: 'She will be forever missed by all.'

Sue Paquin, a photographer covering the event for the Charlotte Sun, witnessed the accident and told the Fort Myers News-Press the officer fired at Knowlton, who was playing the 'bad guy' during the scenario, several times.

Lieutenant Katie Heck from Punta Gorda police told Daily Mail Online the cop has been placed on administrative leave.

They have now launched an investigation into what happened.

Mrs Knowlton (center) is pictured with her son Steve (left) and husband Gary (right) outside the White House

Knowlton's son, Steven (left), said it was a devastating time for the family in a statement released on Wednesday morning

She was shot dead during a 'shoot/don't shoot' simulation, similar to this one. An image of this past role play was posted on the Punta Gorda Police Department's Facebook. Mrs Knowlton is not in the picture

A woman is seen confronting a police officer during one of the simulated exercises

Blank rounds (left) have groves in the top, while live bullets have more rounded tops

She added that the identity of the shooter would be released later on Wednesday.

Knowlton's class met at the Punta Gorda Police Department around 5.30pm and the shooting occurred just before 7pm.

The demo 'used simulated lethal force' to teach the class about making critical decisions, WINK News reported.

Knowlton was struck with the live round during the 'first scenario', according to the department, and was rushed to Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers - approximately 30 minutes away.

She was later pronounced dead. Lewis called the shooting a 'horrible accident'.

'Our entire police department and all of our city leaders are absolutely devastated for everyone involved in this unimaginable event.

Knowlton was struck with the live round during the 'first scenario', according to the department at their department headquarters (pictured)

'I am asking that if you pray, you pray for Mary's husband and family and for all the officers and witnesses that involved this incident.

'Everyone involved is in an overwhelming state of shock and grief,' he said during a press conference on Tuesday night.

The officer involved has not been identified and is on administrative leave pending a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation, Lewis says.

A group called Punta Gorda's City Leaders released a statement saying: 'Tuesday evening our Citys administration was notified of a tragic event that occurred at the Punta Gorda Public Safety Building located at 1410 Tamiami Trail, which resulted in the loss of life of one of our beloved residents.

'We want to express our deepest sympathy for the family and friends of Mary Knowlton. We are shocked by this horrific accident and are grieving deeply over Marys passing.

'We also would like to acknowledge the impact this has had on the other participants who were present during this tragedy.

Punta Gorda Police Chief Tom Lewis (pictured) called the shooting a 'horrible accident'

'We have taken special measures to support those individuals. Yesterday evening, one of our first priorities was to involve our Police Departments Chaplain to provide assistance and comfort.

'This tragedy also significantly impacted our public safety family, to include the officers on scene, police dispatchers, and firefighters. Chief Tom Lewis immediately contacted the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to respond and begin an investigation into the events surrounding this incident.

'As your Mayor, City Council and City Manager we have complete faith in our Chief of Police to ensure that this outside investigation is conducted thoroughly.

'Future press conferences will be scheduled and news releases will be provided as information is made available.

'As your City leaders, we would like to express our gratitude for your continued support during this extremely difficult time. We are mourning and missing Mary, as she was a vital member of our community.'

The academy, where the shooting occurred, is a free eight-session course offered to 35 people at a time who are interested in learning local civics, Punta Gorda's website says.
A former Australian soldier has been reunited with his family in Adelaide after serving seven years in an Afghan jail for the murder of a colleague he says was a case of self-defence.

After being subjected to attacks by jailed Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorists in prison Robert Langdon, 44, admitted he contemplated suicide before he was released last week when Afghan President Ashraf Ghani pardoned him.

The ex-military man says he shot the Afghan soldier in self-defence in 2009 and was initially sentenced to death.

Former Australian soldier Robert Langdon is back with his family in Adelaide after serving seven years in an Afghan jail for a murder he says was a case of self-defence

After just five months after the killing, Robert Langdon was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. That was later commuted to a 20-year jail term, but the pardon has seen Mr Langdon serve less than half after sustained pressure from his lawyers and the Australian government

He had his sentence commuted to 20 years in prison.

The pardon saw Mr Langdon serve less than half his time after sustained pressure from his lawyers and the Australian government.

After walking free last week, the 44-year-old told the Wall Street Journal he fed intelligence about al-Qaeda and Taliban prisoners to the Australian Embassy from jail.

'I don't feel anything anymore,' he told the publication.

'I'm numb to everything now. I'm out. I'll take it a day at a time, as I have done for years. Too much has happened to me.'

His tearful mother, father and sister were waiting to greet him at Adelaide airport when he returned home on Tuesday night.

The best part of a decade had passed since they last saw one another, and the pain of those years was etched on the Australian's face as his family embraced him.

Mr Langdon's Australian lawyer Stephen Kenny was at the airport to greet his client, and said he'd endured a long and hellish ordeal that included attacks by Taliban inmates inside Poli Charki prison.

He was targeted because fellow prisoners knew he'd worked with US authorities in the war-ravaged nation, Mr Kenny said.

Mr Langdon was a private security contractor working for the US military when he fatally shot an Afghan colleague during a dispute while escorting a convoy to an American base in 2009.

Mr Langdon was a private security contractor working for the US military when he fatally shot an Afghan colleague during a dispute while escorting a convoy to an American base in 2009. He always insisted he opened fire in self-defence after his colleague pulled a gun on him

He always insisted he opened fire in self-defence after his colleague pulled a gun on him. But just five months after the killing, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to death.

Mr Kenny credited an international legal team and sustained pressure by Australian authorities for Mr Langdon's release from a very dangerous situation.

'Some of his fellow prisoners, who were mainly Taliban, knew he'd worked with US authorities. He was threatened on a number of occasions and was attacked while in prison. It was a very dangerous place for him to be,' the lawyer told AAP.

Mr Kenny, who visited Mr Langdon in jail, said his own review of court files in Afghanistan had exposed some glaring holes in the case.

'For example, one of the judges had commented that they were relying on a statement from a Nepalese security contractor but when you read that witness's statement, he said he was asleep in the back of someone's car and never saw anything,' the lawyer said.

'The circumstances of the shooting were very difficult and dangerous and Robert has always maintained that he shot after a gun was pulled on him first.'

Mr Kenny said he felt privileged to be present for the family reunion.
A Cadbury's Picnic advertisement featuring a man speaking with a thick accent has been taken off the air because it was found to 'negatively stereotype' Indians.

The Picnic advertisement featured a man reading out flight details at an airport with a thick Indian accent, who spoke erratically until he ate one of the chocolate bars.

A viewer has successfully had the advertisement taken off Australian television, after complaining it 'exploits the often used caricature of the ethnic stereotype'.

Scroll down for video

A Cadbury Picnic chocolate bar advertisement featuring an Indian man (pictured) has been pulled from Australian television because it was found to 'negatively stereotype'

'There are more than 147,000 Indians residing in Australia, yet we don't see Indians ever being portrayed on commercial Australian television  as doctors, engineers, lawyers, etc speaking in Australian accents, mixed accents and so on,' the complainant said.

'Instead, on the incredibly rare occasion that an Indian is seen on Australian television, he/she is portrayed in the most stereotypical and offensive manner.

'One member of my family actually asked: "Why do Australians always make fun of our accents if we've ever seen on TV?".'

The advertisement was part of the chocolate bar brand's 'obey your mouth' campaign and was broadcast on free-to-air television until it was pulled last month.

Cadbury parent company Mondelez Australia responded to the complaint, and said the advertisement was intended to be 'humorous', 'joyful' with a 'light-hearted tone'.

The company had 'conducted extensive consumer research' of viewer reactions, it told the Advertising Standards Board.

The majority of the Board said the man was made to appear 'ridiculous' and 'the overall depiction is negative'

The Picnic advertisement featured a man reading out flight details at an airport with a thick Indian accent, who spoke erratically until he ate one of the chocolate bars

The Picnic bar (stock image) advertisement was 'in no way intended to offend or insult'

The research did not suggest any 'insulting' or 'offensive' reactions or themes.

Mondelez argued the advertisement was 'simply reflective of the diversity of Australia's population', and did not 'portray or depict material in a way which discriminates against or vilifies a person or section of the community on account of race or ethnicity'.

The advertisement was 'in no way intended to offend or insult', the company said.

However, the watchdog ruled the Indian man featured in the advertisement was presented 'in a negative way and does perpetuate  a negative stereotype of a person from a particular background.'

The majority of the Board said the man was made to appear 'ridiculous' and 'the overall depiction is negative'.

'The Board considered that the advertisement did portray or depict material in a way which discriminates against or vilifies a person or section of the community on account of race.'

Mondelez responded after the ruling was handed down last month, saying the company was 'disappointed', but accepted the decision.

'The ad has been off air for a number of weeks now and will not return'.
Page Six reported the girls were rejected because school is 'fully booked'

Tuition costs between $36,080 and $42,555 per year depending on grade

The school is one of the top institutions in New York, located in Brooklyn

Matt Damon's daughters have allegedly been denied entry to one of the top private schools in New York.

Page Six reports that the actor, who is moving his family back to New York from Los Angeles, attempted to enroll his three daughters in the swanky St Ann's.

St Ann's is one of the city's most exclusive schools, located in Brooklyn Heights.

Page Six reports that Matt Damon, who is moving his family back to New York from Los Angeles, attempted to enroll his three daughters in the swanky school, St Ann's, but has been rejected

Celebrities like Lena Dunham, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jemima Kirke and Zac Posen have all attended.

However, a source told Page Six classes are fully booked for next year and the school refuses to make an exception for the star.

'They had a conversation with the school, but St. Ann's just won't bend the rules.

'They don't care [who the parents of its students are].

A source told Page Six classes at St Ann's (right) are fully booked for next year and the school refuses to make an exception for Damon (left)

'A lot of schools will bend the rules very happily; they'll bring celebrities' kids in midway through the year or do whatever they want. St. Ann's just isn't doing it,' the source said.

Damon's daughters with wife Luciana Barroso, Isabella, 10, Gia, 7, and Stella, 5, will have to find another school to attend after the move.
Vietnam has discreetly fortified several of its islands in the disputed South China Sea with new mobile rocket launchers capable of striking China's runways and military installations across the vital trade route, according to Western officials.

Diplomats and military officers told Reuters intelligence showed Hanoi has shipped the launchers from the Vietnamese mainland into position on five bases in the Spratly islands in recent months, a move likely to raise tensions with Beijing.

The launchers - thought to have been purchased from Israel - have been hidden from aerial surveillance and have yet to be armed but could be made operational within two or three days, according to the three sources.

Vietnam is understood to have bought the EXTRA rocket system (pictured) from Israel's IMI Systems recently and it is these rockets which it is believed have been stationed in the Spratly Islands

Earlier this week satellite images revealed how Beijing was building aircraft hangars and control towers for its fighter jets on the disputed Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief Reefs in the Spratly islands.

Vietnam's Foreign Ministry said the information was 'inaccurate', without elaborating.

Earlier this year Vietnam's Deputy Defence Minister, Senior Lieutenant-General Nguyen Chi Vinh, told Reuters that Hanoi had no such launchers or weapons ready in the Spratlys but reserved the right to take any such measures.

China and Vietnam went to war in early 1979, although that was a brief land war launched by China in response to Vietnam's invasion of Cambodia, which expelled the pro-China Khmer Rouge.

Vietnam has reportedly moved rocket launchers into position on several islands it controls in the Spratly Islands, capable of threatening Chinese military installations on Fiery Cross Reef and Mischief Reef

'It is within our legitimate right to self-defence to move any of our weapons to any area at any time within our sovereign territory,' he said.

Foreign officials and military analysts believe the launchers form part of Vietnam's state-of-art EXTRA rocket artillery system, which was recently acquired from Israel.

Hanoi's move is designed to counter China's build-up on its seven reclaimed islands in the Spratlys archipelago.

Satellite images have revealed how Beijing is building aircraft hangars and control towers for its fighter jets on disputed islands in the South China Sea

Vietnam's military strategists fear the building runways, radars and other military installations on those holdings have left Vietnam's southern and island defences increasingly vulnerable.

Military analysts say it is the most significant defensive move Vietnam has made on its holdings in the South China Sea in decades.

Hanoi wanted to have the launchers in place as it expected tensions to rise in the wake of the landmark international court ruling against China in an arbitration case brought by the Philippines, foreign envoys said.

Vietnamese soldiers on parade last year during the visit of US Secretary of State for Defence, Ashton Carter. Vietnam and China fought a brief border war in the 1970s

The ruling last month, stridently rejected by Beijing, found no legal basis to China's sweeping historic claims to much of the South China Sea.

Vietnam, China and Taiwan claim all of the Spratlys while the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei claim some of the area.

China resolutely opposes the relevant country illegally occupying parts of China's Spratly islands and reefs and on these illegally occupied Spratly islands and reefs belonging to China carrying out illegal construction and military deployments Chinese Foreign Ministry

China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement: 'China has indisputable sovereignty over the Spratly islands and nearby waters.

'China resolutely opposes the relevant country illegally occupying parts of China's Spratly islands and reefs and on these illegally occupied Spratly islands and reefs belonging to China carrying out illegal construction and military deployments.'

The United States is also monitoring developments closely.

A US State Department official said: 'We continue to call on all South China Sea claimants to avoid actions that raise tensions, take practical steps to build confidence, and intensify efforts to find peaceful, diplomatic solutions to disputes.'

The manufacturers claim the EXTRA rockets (pictured) are highly accurate at up to a range of 93 miles, which would put China's island runways in danger

The EXTRA missiles are said to be highly accurate up to a range of 93 miles (150km), with a range of warheads that can carry high explosives or bomblets to attack multiple targets simultaneously.

Operated with targeting drones, they could strike both ships and land targets.

That puts China's 3,000-metre runways and installations on Subi, Fiery Cross and Mischief Reef within range of many of Vietnam's tightly clustered holdings on 21 islands and reefs.

While Vietnam has larger and longer range Russian-made coastal defence missiles, the EXTRA is considered highly mobile and effective against amphibious landings.

It uses compact radars, so does not require a large operational footprint - also suitable for deployment on islets and reefs.

Siemon Wezeman, a senior arms researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), said: 'When Vietnam acquired the EXTRA system, it was always thought that it would be deployed on the Spratlys...it is the perfect weapon for that.'

There is no sign the launchers have been recently test-fired or moved.

China took its first Spratlys possessions after a sea battle with Vietnam in 1988.

Vietnam said at the time 64 soldiers had been killed as they tried to protect a flag on South Johnson reef in an incident still acutely felt in Hanoi.

In recent years Vietnam has significantly improved its naval capabilities as part of a broader military modernisation, including buying six advanced Kilo submarines from Russia.

Carl Thayer, an expert on Vietnam's military at the Australian Defence Force Academy, said the deployment showed the seriousness of Vietnam's determination to militarily deter China.

He said: 'China's runways and military installations in the Spratlys are a direct challenge to Vietnam, particularly in their southern waters and skies, and they are showing they are prepared to respond to that threat.

'China is unlikely to see this as purely defensive, and it could mark a new stage of militarisation of the Spratlys.'

Trevor Hollingsbee, a former naval intelligence analyst with the British Ministry of Defence, said he believed the deployment was intended to undermine the fear created by the prospect of large Chinese bases deep in maritime Southeast Asia.
If the worlds 7.4 billion people used the earths resources like Australians do, we would need 5.4 earths to suffice the demand, according to data.

A graphic has broken down statistics of each country's resources and waste generated gathered by the Global Footprint Network to show how many earths would be necessary to supply each countrys footprint.

Australia, which has a population of 23.13 million, tops the list with 5.4 earths  a stark contrast to India, which comes in last with .7 earths, despite its 1.25 billion population.

If the worlds 7.4 billion people used the earths resources like Australians do, we would need 5.4 earths to suffice the demand, according to data from the Global Footprint Network

Australia is followed closely by the US with 4.8 earths.

Switzerland, South Korea and Russia are tied with 3.3 earths based on their used resources.

They are followed by Germany at 3.1, France at 3 and the United Kingdom and Japan with 2.9 earths.

Australia (pictured is the country's biggest city, Sydney), which has a population of 23.13 million, tops the list

Italy, Spain, China and Brazils lifestyles would require 2.7, 2.1, 2 and 1.8 earths.

The Global Footprint Network tracks humanitys demand on nature, according to its website.

They track how this demand compares across more than 200 countries, territories, and regions, and how it relates to the planets biological capacity to meet these demands.
Gunfire broke out during protests in Ferguson on the second anniversary of Michael Brown's fatal police shooting.

Protesters were seen cowering behind cars as shots were fired at the demonstration in Missouri to mark two years since the unarmed black teen was shot dead by police.

A man, named locally as Jacoby Thomas, was also injured in a hit-and-run after a car sped through a group of protesters who were blocking a street.

Scroll down for video

Gunfire broke out during protests in Ferguson on the second anniversary of Michael Brown's fatal police shooting

Protesters were seen cowering behind cars as shots were fired at the demonstration in Missouri to mark two years since the unarmed black teen was shot dead by police

A man hit by a car during protests in Ferguson on the second anniversary of Michael Brown's fatal police shooting is carried to a waiting vehicle to be driven to hospital

Demonstrations were held to mark the anniversary that Michael Brown was shot dead by police

Witnesses say the vehicle hit the young man so hard that he flew into the air. He was rushed to hospital where his condition is unknown.

'A lady came down and hit a protester - knocked the shoes off his feet,' said Sharon Cowan, who was at the scene. 'Hit him, and he rolled and he bounced.'

Heather De Mian, who was at the protests, said she screamed when the man was hit.

The car sped off without stopping after hitting the protester, according to witnesses.

Moments later, shots rang out at the demonstrations.

'Then when the bullets flew, I started screaming some more,' she said.

Police responded to reports of gunfire but had found no evidence that anyone had been struck, said Ferguson spokesman Jeff Small, who declined to speculate about why the shots were fired.

He also added that he believed the driver didn't intentionally strike the protester, adding: ' By all accounts, her version of what happened seems to fit the version of what happened to a person driving down a busy West Florissant Avenue and not seeing a person standing there.'

Police responded to reports of gunfire but had found no evidence that anyone had been struck

A man, named locally as Jacoby Thomas, was also injured in a hit-and-run after a car sped through a group of protesters who were blocking a street

Witnesses say the vehicle hit the young man so hard that he flew into the air. He was rushed to hospital where is condition is unknown

A protest was held on the anniversary of the shooting death of Mike Brown Jr. by Ferguson police

Citizen journalist Chuck Modi, who was at the scene, described the protests as an 'insane night' and claimed that a man in a wheelchair was tased during the confrontation.

By around 10pm, the protesters had disbanded.

Earlier in the day, hundreds had gathered for a memorial service and moment of silence.

The crowd gathered at the spot on Canfield Drive where the black, unarmed 18-year-old was shot by Ferguson officer Darren Wilson on August 9, 2014, after a confrontation.

The shooting led to months of protests not only in Ferguson, but around the country.

The teen's father, Michael Brown Sr., said in a brief speech that the anniversary is a sad day for him and his family, but for the world, too.

'My son built families up, opened the eyes of the world and let them know this ain't right,' he said.

'This color is not a disease. This color is beautiful. Black is beautiful.'

Anniversary: A couple hundred (above) people marked the two-year anniversary of Michael Brown's fatal shooting by a police officer in Ferguson, attending Tuesday's memorial service

Michael Brown, Sr. holds his daughter Mikelle Brown, 3, as he addresses the crowd during a memorial ceremony for his son on Canfield Drive on Tuesday

On Saturday, Walk for Justice was held in Brown's memory as participants walked along on Lucas and Hunt Roads in the city to where he is buried at St. Peter's Cemetery in Normandy.

Photos from the event show attendees uniting and reaching out their hands in support of the teen's father as they stood in front of the cemetery.

Another powerful photo from Saturday's walk showed Lezley McSpadden, mother of Michael Brown, joining other mothers of people killed by police officers, including Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner.

Mama Fatou, 66, who brought her grandson and two other young children to the memorial service on Tuesday, and said she still feels sad, especially for Brown's parents.

'It hurts to see a mother lose her child,' Fatou said. 'Her pain is our pain.'

Brandy Shields, 19, went to school with Brown and remembered him as a kid who 'never got into trouble'. Shields comforted a little girl who was crying at the service.

Michael Brown, Sr. said: 'My son built families up, opened the eyes of the world and let them know this ain't right.'

Supporters reach out their hands on Saturday in support of Michael Brown, Sr., wife Cal (center left) and daughter Mikelle as they stand in front of the cemetery where the teen is buried

'It'll get better,' Shields told the child. 'We have to make it better, but it'll get better.'

A state grand jury declined to press charges against Wilson, and the U.S. Justice Department later cleared him, concluding that he had acted in self-defense. He resigned in November 2014.

Brown's death also was a catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement, which rebukes police treatment of minorities and has grown following several other killings of black men and boys by police, such as Tamir Rice in Cleveland and Philando Castile in Minnesota.

More than 60 organizations affiliated with the movement released this month a list of six demands and 40 recommendations for how to achieve policing and criminal justice reforms.

The 2014 shooting also led to a Justice Department investigation that found patterns of racial bias in Ferguson's police and municipal court system.

The federal agency and the city agreed this year to make sweeping changes.

Emotional: Lezley McSpadden, mother of Michael Brown, joins other mothers of people killed by police officers, including Gwen Carr (right), mother of Eric Garner, at the memorial site where Michael Brown was killed

The 2014 shooting also led to a Justice Department investigation that found patterns of racial bias in Ferguson's police and municipal court system. Above his gravestone is pictured

Most recently, around 25 protesters, holding signs that read 'Black lives matter' and 'Disarm the police', gathered in Salt Lake City to protest against the fatal shooting of a teenager in Utah.

Somali refugee Abdullahi 'Abdi' Mohamed, 17, was shot four times by police who were responding to an alleged assault outside a downtown homeless shelter on February 27.

He was critically injured but survived the shooting.

On Monday, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill had said that police were justified in shooting the teen because police believed he was about to harm a man with a metal broom handle.

But the ruling sparked protests in Utah on Tuesday night.

Members of the group Utah Against Police Brutality and other local activists called for a Utah prosecutor to resign after he cleared the two cops involved.

Protester Carly Haldeman said officials are not being transparent with the public by refusing to release body camera footage from the February 27 shooting.
The case is still open and there's a $1 million reward for information

Shane Bond was accused of murdering her but the charges were dropped

It's believed her body was disposed of but it has never been found

Police found blood through her Ringwood house and a half-finished letter

The only traces left behind when Elisabeth Membrey disappeared were bloodstains in her house and a half-finished letter.

More than 22 years later the body of the young Melbourne woman has never been found and no-one has been imprisoned for what police believe is a murder.

After the night of December 6, 1994, it appeared someone had tried to clean her Ringwood apartment of bloodstains and her doona was missing, The Herald Sun reported.

Elisabeth Membrey, 22, went missing from her Ringwood, Melbourne home in December 1994

Undated police photos of a blood stained carpet in Ms Membrey's East Ringwood flat in Melbourne

Ms Membrey, a 22-year-old aspiring journalist, had intended to spend the night she went missing with her boyfriend, but she was called in to her work at a pub and finished about midnight.

She was never seen again.

A partially finished letter to a friend in the United Kingdom made police think she'd been disturbed while writing it.

Police later found blood in her car, the ABC reported.

Ms Membrey was an aspiring television journalist and working at a pub when she went missing

A police image of the blood stained carpet in the hallway of Ms Membrey's home

A police photograph from inside Ms Membrey's bedroom at her Ringwood flat

They believed her body was wrapped in her doona and the car used to dispose of it.

According to The Herald Sun, red dirt was found in the tyres of Me Membrey's red Mazda and forensics indicated the car had been driven for about four hours at 60-70 kilometres per hour.

She only drove her car on sealed roads, leading police to believe the killer drove the vehicle.

And in 2015, internet sleuths tried their hand at helping with the investigation.

One proposed Ms Membrey's body was on a property less than an hour from where she lived.

On it, a track of red soil - similar to that in the victim's car's tyres - led directly to a dam.

Police searches at numerous locations turned up nothing.

Ms Membrey left behind a half-finished letter to a friend in the United Kingdom and it's believed the note indicates she was disturbed while writing

An undated image of Ms Membrey's flat in Melbourne

For a decade, police investigations focused on her former colleague before turning to a man called Shane Bond in 2006, the ABC reported in 2014.

According to The Herald Sun, a former housemate of Mr Bond said early the next morning, he returned home covered in blood.

It was reported that the case against him was built on evidence from people who said he had confessed to Ms Membrey's killing.

Prosecutors said Mr Bond had a crush on Ms Membrey, but a jury in 2012 didn't believe it and he was acquitted of the charges against him due to a lack of evidence.

He said the accusations ruined his life, The Herald Sun reported.

On the 20th anniversary of Ms Membrey's disappearance, her parents, Joy and Roger, appealed for information, the ABC reported.

'We're left up in the air. We've got no body, we don't know why, how, or where. So the anxiety is extreme all the time, the not knowing,' Mrs Membrey said.

They just wanted to bury their daughter.

The investigation remains open and there's a $1 million reward for information leading to a conviction.
ISIS savages are executing their own members by locking them in cars and filling the vehicles with gas.

The terror group has launched a brutal crackdown on militants trying to flee from the battlefield - especially in northern Iraq near its stronghold of Mosul.

Reports have surfaced that a group of fighters had their hands and feet tied up before being bundled into a car where they were gassed to death.

ISIS savages are executing their own members by locking them in cars and filling the vehicles with cooking gas (file picture)

The American Herald Tribune quoted Arabic-language websites as saying: 'ISIS tied up hands and feet of its militants, put them inside a closed-door car with all the windows rolled up and opened gas hose sent into the car until they died.'

It comes after a mass grave was discovered containing the bodies of 200 ISIS terrorists in Iraq's Anbar province. The grave was found on Khalediya Island.

Meanwhile Iraqi forces are preparing to attack ISIS in its de facto capital of Mosul - and residents inside the city and others who have managed to escape have expressed relief at the prospect their home could be liberated from the extremist group's brutal rule.

The Iraqi army and its elite units that will lead the offensive are gradually taking up positions around the city 248 miles north of Baghdad, from whose Grand Mosque in 2014 ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared a caliphate spanning regions of Iraq and Syria.

The offensive is slated for late September, said Hisham al-Hashimi, who works for the government as a consultant on ISIS affairs and is author of the book 'The World of Daesh'.

The terror group has launched a brutal crackdown on militants trying to flee from the battlefield - especially in northern Iraq near its stronghold of Mosul (file picture)

With a population at one time as large as two million, Mosul is the largest urban centre under the ultra-hardline militants' control. Its fall would mark their effective defeat in Iraq, according to Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Many ISIS leaders have fled Mosul for Syria with their families ahead of the planned offensive, Iraq's defense minister Khaled al-Obeidi said on July 30.

As Iraqi forces tighten the noose, the militants have grown increasingly paranoid, residents said.

The militants have always kept tight control on communication to preempt hostile propaganda and prevent informants from passing on information to the Iraqi forces or the U.S.-led anti-ISIS military coalition that is carrying out most of the airstrikes on their positions.

They blocked mobile networks in 2014 and banned satellite TV earlier this year, allowing home internet access only through a server they controlled.

As of a month ago they restricted internet access further to a handful of official Wifi centers manned by supervisors who monitor content over users' shoulders.
Italy is determined to ensure town of Ventimiglia on its border with France does not become 'another Calais' as migrants try to find alternative routes into northern Europe.

Thousands of refugees crossing the Mediterranean from north Africa land in Italy and the majority of them are aiming to get to friends or family or black market jobs in Germany, France or the Low Countries.

As the border-free controls of Schengen gradually break down the French authorities have made it harder for migrants to flood across the frontier from Italy and at the weekend French riot police used pepper spray to stop migrants crossing.

A group of around 300 migrants at the border town of Ventimiglia, break through an Italian police cordon, and jump into the sea in an attempt to make their way into France

The Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano told La Repubblica newspaper: 'Our border with France will not become another Calais.'

There have been chaotic scenes this week at Ventimiglia, a picturesque harbour town, with hordes of migrants scrambling over rocks by the sea in an effort to make their way into France.

'The truth is that until now we have not had the problems that the British and the French have had at Calais. The system in Italy has worked well,' said Mr Alfano.

Many migrants are heading towards the Ticino region of Switzerland (pictured), which is seen as a new gateway into northern Europe

The Italian government has sent many migrants to reception centres in other parts of the country and does not want a makeshift camp being set up in Ventimiglia similar to the so-called 'Jungle' that appeared in Calais over the years.

Thousands more migrants are heading north and trying to cross into Germany - and specifically the town of Weil am Rhein - via Switzerland.

With the Balkans route via Turkey, Greece, Hungary and Austria becoming increasingly impenetrable more refugees are aiming at Switzerland.

With the Balkan route closed off more migrants are travelling by sea and heading through Italy, causing logjams at Ventimiglia and at the Swiss frontier as they head for Germany and France

Last month Swiss border guards discovered 5,760 'illegal residents' in the Ticino region, just across the Italian frontier.

One Ethiopian man in the Italian town of Como told the Daily Telegraph: 'I had a small shop in Addis Ababa but I had to flee with my wife and three children.

'In Ethiopia they throw you into prison for no reason, they confiscate land from farmers and sell it to foreigners, we could not stay. It took us months and months to get here. We are refugees, the Swiss will help us.'

Italian police in Ventimiglia watch as hundreds of migrants try to make their way into France

But many who do get across the border into Switzerland end up heading towards Germany and the first stop is Weil am Rhein.

Kathrin Mutter, who runs the tiny police station in Weil am Rhein, told the Daily Express the numbers were becoming unmanageable.

She said: 'In May 60 applicants came to us, in June and July it was 140 each.'

The refugees often turn up in the middle of the night and try to claim asylum to the solitary officer on duty.

They often have no passport or identity papers and have to wait until the morning when fingerprints, photographs and database checks can be made.

Mrs Mutter said: 'It usually takes two hours per applicant already, partly because of the communication difficulties.'
Baltimore police officers routinely discriminate against blacks, repeatedly use excessive force and are not adequately held accountable for misconduct, according to a damning Justice Department report.

The report said officers make large numbers of stops  mostly in poor, black neighborhoods  with dubious justification and unlawfully arrest citizens for speech deemed disrespectful.

During a ride-along with Justice Department officials, a sergeant instructed a patrol officer to stop a group of young African-American males on a street corner, question them and order them to disperse.

'When the patrol officer protested that he had no valid reason to stop the group, the sergeant replied, "Then make something up." This incident is far from anomalous,' the report said.

Scroll down for video

Baltimore police officers routinely discriminate against blacks, according to a harshly critical Justice Department report being presented Wednesday (file photo)

Video Courtesy WJZ

Physical force was used unnecessarily, including against the mentally disabled, while black pedestrians and drivers were disproportionately searched during stops.

The report was concerned about the handling of repeated misconduct, citing one officer who received 125 complaints alleging serious misconduct with 'remarkably similar facts' - subjecting members of the public to unwarranted strip and cavity searches in public - but only one complaint was sustained.

While the State's Attorney's Office shared a 'Do Not Call' list of officers who could not be trusted to testify credibly in court, the Police Department rarely used the information to weed out bad officers and they remained on the street - arresting people despite the reservations of prosecutors.

In one example, 'an entire squad's members were on the list, leading to a number of cases being dismissed'.

In one incident which the report said increased distrust with the community, a juvenile boy was arrested for loitering outside his own home with his mother.

'Supervisors raised no issues with respect to the incident,' the report said.

The federal investigation was launched after the April 2015 death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man whose neck was broken while he was handcuffed and shackled but left unrestrained in the back of a police van.

The death set off protests and the worst riots in decades.

Police and protestors gather at the intersection of North Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue, bottom right, in Baltimore, a day after unrest that occurred at the intersection following Freddie Gray's funeral

The Justice Department released a copy of the report in advance of its public announcement at an event in Baltimore today, after a year-long investigation into one of the country's largest police forces.

The report represents a damning indictment of how the city's police officers carry out the most fundamental of policing practices, including traffic stops and searches and responding to First Amendment expression.

Beyond that, though, it could serve as a blueprint for sweeping changes: The Justice Department is seeking a court-enforceable consent decree to force the police agency to commit to improving its procedures in order to avoid a lawsuit.

The Justice Department in recent years has undertaken similar wide-reaching investigations into the police in Chicago, Cleveland, Albuquerque and Ferguson, Missouri, among other cities.

The report went far beyond the circumstances of Gray's death to examine a slew of potentially unconstitutional practices, including excessive force and discriminatory traffic stops, within the department.

Federal investigators spent more than a year interviewing Baltimore residents, police officers, prosecutors, public defenders and elected officials, as well as riding along with officers on duty and reviewing documents and complaints.

Among the findings: black residents account for roughly 84 per cent of stops, though they represent just 63 per cent of the city's population.

Likewise, African-Americans make up 95 per cent of the 410 people stopped at least 10 times by officers from 2010 to 2015.

During the same time period, officers stopped 34 black residents 20 times, and seven African-Americans 30 times or more, while the report says that no individuals of any other race were stopped more than 12 times.

One man who spoke to investigators said he was stopped 30 times in less than four years.

Police stand in formation as a curfew approaches in Baltimore in April last year following the controversial death of Gray

At least 15 of those stops, he said, were to check for outstanding warrants. None of the stops resulted in charges.

In addition to pat-downs, Baltimore officers perform unconstitutional public strip searches, including searches of people who aren't under arrest.

The report also says officers routinely use unreasonable and excessive force, including against juveniles and citizens who aren't dangerous or posing an immediate threat.

20 per cent of force incidents reviewed by investigators involved someone who was not being arrested for a crime or who suffered from a mental health disability.

Force is often used as a retaliatory tactic in instances where officers 'did not like what those individuals said'.

'BPD teaches officers to use aggressive tactics,' the report reads. 'BPD's trainings fuel an "us v. them" mentality we saw some officers display toward community members, alienating the civilians they are meant to serve.'

The report partially blames the department's unconstitutional practices on a 'zero tolerance' policy dating back to the early 2000s, during which residents were arrested en masse for minor misdemeanor charges such as loitering.

Although the department has publicly denounced these practices after a 2010 settlement with the NAACP, which sued the department over the policing strategy, 'the legacy of the zero tolerance era continues to influence officer activity and contribute to constitutional violations,' the report said.

With a mural depicting Freddie Gray in the background, Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, center, speaks after her office dropped remaining charges against the three Baltimore police officers who were still awaiting trial in Gray's death

Officers also routinely stop and question individuals without cause or a legitimate suspicion that they're involved in criminal activity, the report says - no charges were filed in 26 of every 27 pedestrian stops.

Unconstitutional frisks are also rampant, the report says.

In one incident in 2010, a man fled from an officer patrolling a 'high-crime area.' The officer proceeded to fire his stun gun at the running man's back, striking him several times.

When the officer was able to detain the man, he frisked him but found no weapon. The officer's report 'provides no reason to believe the man was armed.'

State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, the city's top prosecutor, said she expected the report to 'confirm what many in our city already know or have experienced firsthand.'

'While the vast majority of Baltimore City Police officers are good officers, we also know that there are bad officers and that the department has routinely failed to oversee, train, or hold bad actors accountable,' she said in a statement.

She said she was confident that the federal probe would 'lead to even more reforms which is an important step in ensuring best practices for a fully functioning police-prosecutor relationship.'

Six officers, three white and three black, were charged in the death of Gray.
Meanwhile activists outside hurled stones at the government offices

Driton Caushi, from the Vetevendosje party, was

This is the moment a politician uses tear gas in Kosovo's parliament to disrupt the work of a commission on a border agreement with Montenegro.

Driton Caushi, an MP from the Vetevendosje party, was reportedly detained by police following the incident in which he calmly filled the room with smoke.

The tear gas was set off during a committee meeting to discuss a border separation agreement, which critics say would see Kosovo lose more than 20,000 acres of land to its neighbour.

The tear gas was set off during a committee meeting to discuss a border separation agreement

Driton Caushi, an MP from the Vetevendosje party, was reportedly detained by police following the incident

The footage, which was broadcast on live TV, showed lawmakers leaving the room coughing and rubbing their eyes. But enough remained to vote through the draft deal on Tuesday.

Meanwhile activists outside hurled stones at the government offices, breaking glass windows in the process, according to local media.

An unknown attacker also threw an explosive device at the house of the head of the state commission on the border agreement, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said.

The explosive device was found by police and no one was injured in the attack.

The footage showed lawmakers leaving the room coughing and rubbing their eyes

Meanwhile activists outside hurled stones at the government offices, breaking glass windows

The opposition has been disrupting parliamentary work since last September by using tear gas canisters, blowing whistles and throwing water bottles.

They are protesting the Montenegro deal and another one with Serbia that gives more powers to ethnic Serbs in Kosovo.

Street rallies by opposition supporters routinely turn into violent clashes with police.

The draft of the Montenegro border demarcation deal was approved Tuesday by the commission with support only from the governing majority members.

The opposition has been disrupting parliamentary work since last September by using tear gas canisters, blowing whistles and throwing water bottles

The opposition is protesting the Montenegro deal and another one with Serbia that gives more powers to ethnic Serbs in Kosovo

Parliament is to vote on the proposed pact later this week.

The opposition is concerned Kosovo would lose land because of the deal and has threatened that if the government doesn't withdraw it, 'the situation will go out of control and the resistance will be harsher than ever.'

The opposition confirmed that Driton Caushi was detained by police after he left the parliament building. Police did not immediately confirm that report.
The Russian army can outgun British troops on the battlefield, according to a shock Ministry of Defence report.

The leaked assessment warns that rocket launchers and other weapons at Moscow's disposal are superior to ours - while its mastery of electronic warfare technology is 'game changing'.

The conflict in Ukraine has also been used to hone sophisticated tactics for deploying drones and demoralising opposing forces.

Russian rocket systems are among the weapons said to give its forces an edge over Britain's

Russian President Vladimir Putin has overseen the creation of a new 'hybrid' style of combat involving electronic jamming, drones and misinformation

The startling document, drawn up by the British Army's warfare branch, emerged as Theresa May and Russian President Vladimir Putin had their first phone call.

The premiers agreed that their security services should open a 'dialogue' about tackling the terrorist threat to aviation.

According to The Times, the report - prepared in March under the direction of top soldier General Sir Nick Carter - said the UK and Nato allies were 'scrambling to catch up' with Russia's ability to use electronic techniques to hijack enemy drones and disrupt other military transmissions.

The effects on aircraft, GPS guided weapons and communications were said to be a 'real game changer'.

The weaponry available to Mr Putin meant his forces had a 'significant capability edge'.

A slated 3.5billion fleet of British army vehicles is apparently 'disproportionately vulnerable' to Russian mortar and rocket fire.

The report also recommended that soldiers were made more aware of manipulative online tactics used on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

Leaving electrical devices at home while on exercises should be 'the norm', according to the document.

The publication, Insights to 'Training Smarter' Against a Hybrid Adversary, concluded that one of Russia's goals in Ukraine was to practise 'new methods of warfare as well as testing modern and prohibited weapons'.

Among the tactics and equipment UK forces must learn to counter are:

A device that uses acoustics to locate snipers so they can be eliminated.

Flying drones in pairs so the lower craft draws fire and the higher one can pinpoint its target.

Blanket text messaging of communities before attacks to create confusion.

'Spoofing' of GPS navigation systems to make enemy forces lose their way on the battlefield.

An Army spokeswoman said: 'The British Army conducts regular reviews of potential scenarios in order to improve its readiness to both protect UK influence and protect our people.'

General Sir Richard Shirreff, Britain's former top officer in Nato, said: 'What we get from successive governments has been that it is all fine and dandy and 'aren't we doing well'.

'Actually, the reality is that our capability has been dramatically hollowed out.'

Pro-Russian rebels fighting in Ukraine last year were equipped with an array of weaponry

Giving details of the phone call between Mrs May and Mr Putin, the Kremlin said both leaders expressed dissatisfaction with UK-Russian relations and pledged to improve ties.

The UK's relationship with Russia became increasingly strained under former prime minister David Cameron, following Mr Putin's support for the Syrian regime, the Ukraine crisis, and the recent inquiry in to the 2006 poisoning death of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.

Mrs May said she hoped the nations could push forward in an 'honest' way despite their differences.

The pair will meet at the G20 summit of world leaders in China next month.

Russian forces reportedly send texts to whole communities to spread panic before attacks

Moscow is said to have used the conflict in Ukraine to hone military tactics and weaponry

A Downing Street spokeswoman said the leaders discussed common security threats faced by both countries when they spoke on the phone on Tuesday afternoon.

She said: 'The Prime Minister noted the importance of the relationship between the UK and Russia and expressed the hope that, despite differences on certain issues, they could communicate in an open and honest way about the issues that mattered most to them.

'The Prime Minister and president agreed that British and Russian citizens faced common threats from terrorism, and that co-operation on aviation security in particular was a vital part of the international counter-terrorism effort.

'They looked forward to seeing each other at the G20 summit in China next month.'

The pair agreed to develop a dialogue between their security agencies over aviation security, the Kremlin added.

The Russian government said Mrs May also confirmed Britain's intention to participate in the 75th anniversary of the first arrival of vital aid by British wartime convoys to the Russian city of Arkhangelsk, later this month.
A prolific serial killer known as the 'Grim Sleeper' was formally sentenced to death Wednesday for the murders of nine women and a teenage girl that went unsolved for years.

Lonnie Franklin Jr, 63, learned his fate in Los Angeles County Superior Court after 17 emotional family members of his victims spoke about the pain they had endured for decades.

'I can't think of anyone I've encountered in all my years in the criminal justice system that has committed the monstrous crimes that you have,' Judge Kathleen Kennedy told Franklin.

Scroll down for video

Killer punished: Lonnie Franklin Jr, pictured in court in February 2015, was sentenced to death for the murders of nine women and a teenage girl

Franklin was convicted in May of killing seven women between 1985 and 1988 and the 15-year-old girl and two women between 2002 and 2007. Their bodies were all found within a five mile radius of his house

'The defendant took my daughter, murdered her, put her in a plastic bag  a trash bag  like she was trash,' Laverne Peters, whose 25-year-old daughter, Janecia,was found in a dumpster in 2007, told the court.

The Los Angeles Times reported that in delivering Franklin's sentence, the judge read aloud the names of his victims, telling him after each one, 'You shall suffer the death penalty.'

The killings occurred over more than two decades during the crack epidemic, and community members complained that police didn't seriously investigate because the victims were black and poor and many were drug users and prostitutes.

He is a psychopathic, sadistic serial killer who takes joy in inflicting pain on women and killing them. Prosecutor Beth Silverman

Franklin, a former trash collector and onetime garage attendant for Los Angeles police, denied any role in the killings to investigators but didn't utter a word in his defense during his lengthy trial.

Prosecutors connected him to the crimes through DNA, ballistics, photos and the words of the sole known survivor, who managed to get away after being shot in the chest and thrown out of a moving car.

A Polaroid photo of her partly nude and bleeding from her wound was found in Franklin's garage after his arrest.

Nearly three decades after the attack, the survivor, Enietra Washington, pointed out her assailant in court, saying, 'That's the person who shot me.'

Police found over 1,000 pictures of women in Franklin's home - it is unclear if any of them are additional victims, but many were photographed asleep, unconscious, or possibly even dead

Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman said Franklin's motive was 'doing evil,' and his 'degrading, calculated and brutal' crimes had destroyed many lives.

'This defendant is completely irredeemable,' Silverman wrote in her sentencing brief. 'He is a psychopathic, sadistic serial killer who takes joy in inflicting pain on women and killing them.'

Franklin's attorneys had suggested a mystery man was the real killer and asked jurors to spare the defendant's life.

Defense lawyer Seymour Amster said in court filings that the death verdict should be set aside because prosecutors introduced evidence that Franklin killed four other women, though he was never charged with those crimes.

Amster also asked for a new trial because he said Silverman engaged in prosecutorial misconduct by rolling her eyes in a way that mocked the defense in front of the jury and elicited snickers from family members of the victims.

Silverman said they were unsubstantiated allegations and accused Amster of bullying tactics, name-calling and dishonesty.

Petty sniping and name calling between Amster and Silverman were on display long before the jury was seated and continued throughout the long-running case.

The exasperated judge said the two seemed to have a vendetta against each other and she feared World War III would break out in her courtroom.

'I want you to stop it,' she blurted at one point. 'I'm sick and tired of it.'

Franklin sat upright and attentive throughout the trial, rarely speaking with his lawyers and showing no emotion as the verdicts were read. None of his family showed up in court.

THE TEN LA WOMEN LONNIE FRANKLIN JR IS ACCUSED OF MURDERING Debra Jackson, 29, on August 10, 1985 (left) and Henrietta Wright, August 12, 1986 (right) August 10, 1985: Debra Jackson - A 29-year-old cocktail waitress who went to take a bus home after visiting her friend. Her body was found three days later with three gunshot wounds to the chest. August 12, 1986: Henrietta Wright - The 35-year-old was found dead in an alley near West Vernon Avenue. She was shot twice and wrapped in a blanket and covered in a mattress. January 10, 1987: Barbara Ware - The 23-year-old had been shot once in the chest and her body had been dumped under a pile of rubbish. April 15, 1987: Bernita Sparks - 26-year-old went out to the shops but never returned. Her body was found in a bin, covered in rubbish. She had been shot, strangled and beaten. October 31, 1987: Mary Lowe - 26-year-old left home to go to a party, but never returned. Her body was found in an alley of Western Avenue. January 30, 1988: Lachrica Jefferson - Officers found the 22-year-old's body with a napkin over the face with the word 'AIDS' written on it. September 11, 1988: Alicia Alexander - Another victim killed while going to the shops. The 18-year-old's body was also found in an alley near Western Avenue. December 21, 2001: Princess Berthomieux - The end of the 14-year hiatus. DNA on the 14-year-old's body matched those of previous killings. July 11, 2003: Valerie McCorvey - The 35-year-old had been strangled and sexually assaulted. January 1, 2007: Janecia Peters - 25-year-old was shot in the back and her body was dumped in a rubbish bag. Advertisement

He was convicted May 5 of killing seven women between 1985 and 1988 and the 15-year-old girl and two women between 2002 and 2007. Most of the women were fatally shot at close range, though two were strangled and two were shot and choked.

The killer earned his moniker because of the apparent hiatus, which police once theorized was due to being imprisoned or laying low.

Now, though, authorities say they don't think he ever rested and may have committed far more than the 14 killings they outlined in court, which included the four deaths he wasn't charged with committing.

When a task force re-examined the old cases following the 2007 killing, DNA from Franklin's son showed similarities to genetic evidence found on some of the victims.
A father-of-four has been arrested for assault after a knife-wielding raider burst into his home and tried to cut his throat.

Brian Sharp, 40, of Basildon, Essex, spent seven hours in the cells after a burglar broke into his home and leapt at him with a nine-inch blade.

A 32-year-old man was found badly beaten nearby, reportedly having suffered a fractured jaw, cracked skull and 'nearly died', but Mr Sharp insists he didn't touch the burglar.

Brian Sharp, 40, fought off a knife wielding burglar who burst into his home on Friday night

The assault and burglary took place at just before midnight on Friday night - with Mr Sharp taken to the cells on Saturday morning at around 9am.

He has not been charged and is on police bail. The beaten man in currently in custody but had not been charged.

The father discovered the burglar after he was woken up by his dog barking. He said the majority of his belonging were packed up as he is in the process of moving property.

He said: 'I heard rustling and then went to the kitchen and there was a bloke in there who said 'I've come to the party'.

'The burglar said if you don't get out of the front room I'm going to stab you, that's when he lunged for me.

The house in Basildon, Essex, where the father-of-four was threatened by the knife-wielding burglar. He said he followed the raider but didn't swing a punch at him

'His eyes went straight through me, he wasn't focusing on me.

'The knife was millimetres from my neck if I hadn't moved I would have been stabbed in my front room.'

He added: 'It's the first time I have ever been burgled and to be confronted with a bloke with a knife was terrifying.

'I'm not a small bloke, but he completely ignored me and carried on robbing stuff.'

Mr Sharp claims he followed the raider telling him he was going to call the police and for him to come back - but never swung a punch at him.

He said when he last saw him at the bottom of an alley he was unhurt, and claims he was in his house speaking to police when the beaten man was found.

Police later found blood at the bottom of the alley and the knife was discovered nearby.

Forensic officers stood guard outside his terraced home for hours and sealed off the alley where the burglar's blood was found.

Slamming the police Mr Sharp said: 'I think it was out of order. I was arrested with no evidence whatsoever and kept in cells.

'They have taken swabs off me and I'm sure that it will come to light that I never touched him.

'I followed him off down the road he went down the corner, my neighbours called the police, and they found him pretty badly beaten up.

'They won't really tell me too much, he had my wallet and when they found it it had no money in it - so maybe he got robbed too.

'He virtually cleaned out everything in my home, I think there was two of them but police only caught one of them.

'He even tried to put my dog in a wheelie bin.'

He added: 'I'm scared to have the kids over when I know someone can rob your house when you are asleep and dead to the world.'

The father spent seven hours in a cell after being arrested on suspicion of assault

Despite his brush with the law Mr Sharp says he believes people should be able to defend themselves from raiders - but insists police have made a mistake.'

'I agree if someone breaks into someone's house you should be able to defend yourself,' he said.

A local councillor has labelled the episode 'dreadful'.

Andrew Buxton, Labour, said: 'If someone comes into your home with a knife you are going to want to defend yourself.

'The poor homeowner, it must have been really frightening.'

The street in Basildon, Essex, where the burglary took place. Police later found blood at the bottom of the alley and the knife was discovered nearby

An Essex police spokesman said: 'Police are investigating a burglary in Basildon where a man was threatened with a knife.

'It happened shortly before 11.40pm on Friday August 5.
Theresa May is expected to shelve plans for a British Bill of Rights

Theresa May could shelve plans championed by David Cameron for a British Bill of Rights.

The Prime Minister is said to have asked Justice Secretary Liz Truss to reconsider the proposal - which was a Tory manifesto commitment.

Mr Cameron first pledged to introduce a Bill of Rights before the 2010 general election, arguing that replacing the Human Rights Act was the best way of curbing abuses.

He said the legislation would limit the ability of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to interfere in domestic decisions such as whether criminals could be deported.

The Liberal Democrats did not agree to the overhaul during the coalition years, but it was revived after the Tories won an overall majority last year.

The Bill would have provided explicit protections for 'freedom of expression' and the armed forces serving abroad.

However, Mrs May is said to have been unhappy with some of the details, including a concession that Britain would remain signed up to the ECHR.

The fine print of the policy had been largely drawn up by former Justice Secretary Michael Gove - who was summarily axed by Mrs May when she took over in Downing Street.

The PM's chief of staff, Nick Timothy, has previously suggested that a Bill of Rights would be pointless unless the UK leaves the jurisdiction of the ECHR.

Mrs May has already made clear she will not be pursuing her ambition of cutting ties with the court - which is separate from the EU - conceding there is not a majority in parliament for doing so.

Sources told The Times they were expecting the Bill of Rights to be 'junked' after the review.
Soldiers at Prince Harry's former regiment are embroiled in a racism row after a serviceman used the word 'n*****s' to describe his black colleagues.

Members of the Blues and Royals - where Harry was based for two years - made a series of tasteless jokes on WhatsApp during a leaving do at the regiment's barracks in Windsor.

One soldier used the N-word before writing: 'Better than being back home walking 20k for water'.

Soldiers at Prince Harry's former regiment are embroiled in a racism row after a serviceman used the word 'n*****s' to describe his black colleagues (pictured above)

Members of the Blues and Royals - where Harry was based for two years - made a series of tasteless jokes on WhatsApp during a leaving do at the regiment's barracks in Windsor

The shocking incident - which was exposed after a soldier posted a screengrab of the conversation on social media - is now being investigated by military police.

The string of messages began when cavalryman Ashley Parker posted a selfie which showed seven black soldiers eating around the table behind him.

He captioned it 'What's going on here then! Band of brothers' and sent it to the WhatsApp group.

A man on the group called 'Neil' then replied almost immediately: 'F****** NNNNNiii  N*****s.'

Harry, who trained at Sandhurst, was a lieutenant in the Blues and Royals from 2006 to 2008. He is pictured wearing the beret in his final training exercise in April 2006

Lance Corporal Ashley Halstead then wrote: 'They talking about how little money they get paid'.

'Neil' then makes the sickening jibe about the water.

A soldier calls 'Richie' then add: 'No trainers? What's the matter with them?'

Another member of the group called 'Stokesy' then makes another crude joke before another tells them: 'Go f*** yourselves.'

The black soldiers are reportedly from The Life Guards, the other regiment which forms the Household Cavalry along with the Blues and Royals.

Plymouth MP Johnny Mercer, an ex-Army captain, described the incident as 'astonishing'.

A black former-Army friend of one of the men in the background said his friend was furious but felt powerless to do anything about the racist remarks.

He told The Sun: 'It has been reported and the police are involved.

'It is exactly why I left the Army. I loved my job, and all of these guys do, but I could not stand the racist remarks.'

The string of messages began when cavalryman Ashley Parker (left and right) posted a selfie which showed seven black soldiers eating around the table behind him

Lance Corporal Halstead, 25, has denied being part of the racist exchange while his wife Sacha insisted that what he wrote 'was not a racist comment.'

Brigadier John Donnelly, head of Army Personnel Services Group, said the allegations were under investigation by the Service Police.

Harry, who trained at Sandhurst, was a lieutenant in the Blues and Royals from 2006 to 2008.

The Household Cavalry Regiment (HCR) has an operational role in armoured fighting vehicles and along with the five Foot Guards Regiments, form the Household Division, is based at Windsor Castle

He was due to be deployed to Iraq with his fellow servicemen but was later stopped because it was too dangerous, according to government officials.

He later went on two operational tours of Afghanistan - in 2008 as a forward air controller and again in 2012 as an Apache pilot based at Camp Bastion in Helmand province.
Horrified shoppers watched on as a man plunged to his death from an upper floor at a Debenhams department store.

He is thought to have jumped from the top level of the four-floor shop in front of shocked members of the public on Tuesday afternoon.

Tearful Debenhams staff were seen leaving the department store after being interviewed by police.

Debenhams in Sutton, south London, was cordoned off by police while the emergency services attended to the scene at around 4.19pm.

Horrified shoppers watched on as a man plunged to his death from an upper floor at a Debenhams department store in Sutton, south London (pictured)

He is thought to have jumped from the top level of the four-floor shop in front of shocked members of the public on Tuesday afternoon

A woman who was shopping in the store at the time of the incident said her son saw what happened.

She said: 'I still am shocked my children were with me and saw what happened.

'I was helping my daughter try some shoes when the lady came and said can you please tell your son 'don't watch'.

'When I saw my son watching I felt really bad I didn't know what to say.

'He said to me I will have nightmares tonight. I'm trying to do the best for him to forget.'

A worker from a nearby shop said: 'I was told that somebody jumped from the top floor in the building, but I do not know anything else.'

Another said: 'Someone jumped from the top floor and died - that's all we know.'

Several police and London Ambulance Service cars were still parked outside the shopping centre into the evening.

Emergency services were pictured outside the store late into yesterday evening

Tearful Debenhams staff were seen leaving the department store after being interviewed by police

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: 'We were called at 4:19pm to an incident at an address on St Nicholas Way, Sutton.

'We sent an ambulance crew, two single responders in cars and an incident response officer to the scene. Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance also attended.

'Sadly, despite extensive efforts of our crews, a man died at the scene.'
Bernie Sanders has reportedly splashed out almost $600,000 on his third property - a summer home - despite campaigning for the White House on a theme of income equality and targeting the top 1 per cent of income earners.

The Senator from Vermont is said to be planning to keep his Burlington home and use the new lakefront camp on North Hero, in the Champlain Islands, seasonally.

The property is his third as he also owns a property on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

Scroll down for video

North Hero Island where Senator Sanders has bought a new home for almost $600,000

Staff at Hero's Welcome pose with Bernie Sanders on the day Sanders finalized the deal on his new home nearby

The home has four bedrooms and 500 feet of Lake Champlain beachfront on the east side of the island and faces Vermont, not New York, Vermont's Seven Days website reported.

The Sanders family had recently sold a lake house in Maine, which had been passed down from his wife's side of the family.

'We've traveled up to the islands many times over the years  almost always on day trips,' his wife, Jane O'Meara Sanders, told the website.

'We've been impressed with the North Hero community, eaten at the North Hero House and Shore Acres and have suggested them to friends who were looking for a beautiful place to stay or have dinner.

Sanders also owns homes in Burlington, Vermont and Washington, DC. Like most senators, he splits his year between the District and his home state. Above, the Sanders family home in Burlington

Sanders also bought this 1 bedroom, 896-square-foot home in Washington, DC for $488,999 in 2007

Bernie Sanders embraces his wife Jane O'Meara Sanders after the Vermont delegation cast their votes during roll call of the Democratic National Convention last month

HOW SENATOR SANDER'S WEALTH COMPARES TO OTHER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS RICHEST MEMBER IN 2014: Rep. Darrel Issa, $256.65m Minority Speaker Nancy Pelosi, $29.35m Sen John McCain, $14.41m Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, $9.41m Sen Elizabeth Warren, $4.26m House Speaker Paul Ryan, $2.99m Sen Ted Cruz, $1.79m Sen Tim Kaine, $0.71m Sen Rand Paul, $0.39m Sen Bernie Sanders, $0.16m Sen Marco Rubio, -$0.16 POOREST MEMBER IN 2014: R ep. David Valadao, -$8.75m Advertisement

'St Anne's Shrine in Isle La Motte is my favorite church and it is nearby. The entire family is very excited about it.'

Vanity Fair reported that Sanders now owned at least three homes, despite his history of attacking the rich.

'Sanders now has one thing in common with the millionaires and billionaires and other 1 per centers he so frequently attacked on the campaign trail: he now owns his very own summer home,' the website said.

His one-bedroom, 896-square-foot residence in DC was purchased in 2007 for $488,999, while the Burlington home was deeded over to the Sanders in 2009 for $405,000.

Vanity Fair added that his $205,000 income placed him in the the top 4 per cent of income earners, although he was one of the poorer politicians in Washington.

On the day the property closed Sanders posted with staff at the Hero's Welcome store, where a sandwich called 'Feel The Bun' is served in his honor.
Labour's bitter leadership battle descended toward farce today as challenger Owen Smith asked Jeremy Corbyn for the right to address his packed rallies.

Mr Smith is facing a steeply uphill battle to dislodge the veteran left-winger and today admitted he was the 'underdog' in the leadership contest.

The former front bencher admitted his hopes had suffered another blow on Monday when the High Court overturned a 'freeze date' on when Labour members gained the right to vote in the contest, adding 130,000 people to the 'selectorate'.

On another front of the Labour battle, a row between Mr Corbyn and his deputy Tom Watson also escalated today as Mr Watson urged his boss to join him in condemning 'entryists' to the party.

And the chaos in the party has also raised fears the autumn conference might have to be cancelled because union concerns mean the event does not yet have an agreed security contractor.

Scroll down for video

Owen Smith, pictured tonight on ITV News, urged Jeremy Corbyn to let him address the mass rallies the Labour leader has gathered to support him as he defends his job

Mr Smith tonight told ITV News: 'I don't know what the split is going to be (in the 130,000 additional members).

'I think it's probably going to be in Jeremy's favour. It's very clear that I'm the underdog in this.

'I'd really like to go to some of those momentum rallies with Jeremy. I've asked him to let me attend and speak to the great masses he's drawing from the momentum movement.

'I think that would be really good. It should be an open democratic contest.'

Mr Watson was slapped down by the Corbyn campaign yesterday for 'peddling baseless conspiracy theories' after he warned in a Guardian interview about 'Trotskysist' interference.

The deputy leader today produced a dossier of evidence about hard-left involvement in the Labour grassroots.

And in a letter to Mr Corbyn, Mr Watson said: 'For the avoidance of doubt, I am asking you to confirm you believe members of the Socialist Party and the Alliance for Workers Liberty should not be allowed to be members of the Labour Party given the proscription of these two groups (then called Militant and Socialist Organiser) by annual conference during Neil Kinnock's leadership.'

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is facing a major rebellion from MPs who say he is not fit to be in charge of the party

The 2016 annual conference is due to begin on Saturday September 24 in Liverpool but appeared to be under threat of a humiliating cancellation today.

Labour's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) voted to boycott G4S last year over commercial links to Israeli prisons.

But leaked emails to Iain McNicol, Labour's general secretary, reveal that a replacement provider has yet to be found.

The issue surfaced as the battle for control of Labour intensified again.

Allies of Jeremy Corbyn are said to be preparing an effort to oust Mr McNicol if - as is widely expected - their man defeats the current leadership challenge from Mr Smith.

Peter Taaffe, the former leader of the hard-left Militant group pushed out by Neil Kinnock in the 1980s, poured fuel in the flames today by saying he expects to be readmitted to Labour if Mr Corbyn wins again.

'People say: you were a long time gone, welcome back,' Mr Taaffe told the Guardian. 'I know Jeremy, he's a good bloke. He's principled. He's on the left.'

On another front of the Labour battle, Tom Watson today sent Jeremy Corbyn (pictured together at last year's conference) a dossier on hard-left entryism to Labour after Mr Corbyn's campaign yesterday accused him of 'peddling baseless conspiracy theories'

However, Labour MP John Spellar told MailOnline it would be a disaster if the left-winger was readmitted.

'Peter Taaffe is a dedicated professional revolutionary who only wants to use the Labour Party for the purposes of Militant,' he said.

'I think people like Peter Taaffe emerging who have such a very very clear record, I think that makes very clear what they are trying to do.'

Meanwhile, Mr Smith was boosted by an endorsement from the GMB union, with members voting by 60 per cent to 40 per cent in his favour.

Labour is already facing the prospect of going into the conference with its leadership still hanging in the balance.

A High Court ruling this week potentially making another 130,000 people eligible to vote in the contest between Jeremy Corbyn and Owen Smith is threatening to derail the timetable.

The party has now approached five other security firms, according to The Times, but three declined the contract and one withdrew after a risk assessment.

Former frontbencher Owen Smith is challenging Jeremy Corbyn for the Labour leadership

The last remaining option is said to be Showsec, which is embroiled in a bitter row with the GMB.

A senior Labour source indicated that a deal had still not been finalised for the gathering in Liverpool next month.

But they insisted the party was 'absolutely confident that arrangements for security will be in place and Conference will go ahead as planned'.

The email written by Labour's deputy treasurer Simon Mills and seen by the Guido Fawkes website said that the party was 'in the very difficult position of having to appoint a potentially anti-union organisation'.

Allies of Mr Corbyn are said to be preparing to remove General Secretary Iain McNicol from his post if they win the leadership election

'We do not have other options to pursue and are under pressure from the Home Office to make an appointment very soon,' the letter said.

'It must be noted that should we be unable to appoint a security contractor it is within the power of the Home Office/police to stop conference taking place.'

Labour MP John Woodcock said that the issue was making the party a laughing stock.

'This is just another example of the ideologically purist leader's team creating havoc for ordinary party members with their selectively and suspectly applied principles,' he told The Times.

'They are imposing this decision, made from their bunker in central London, on party members just at a time when the threat levels to non-Corbyn supporters are increased because of harassment.

'They have managed to screw up even the most basic and decent thing as providing security for us and risk making Labour a laughing stock.'

As well as leaving Labour with a security crisis, the boycott further riled the party's pro-Israeli MPs. Since the far left gained control, Labour's once-warm relationship with the Israeli Labour Party has rapidly fallen apart.

Mr Smith this afternoon welcomed GMB's endorsement, which came after a ballot of its members.

GMB leader Tim Roache said the Labour Party was at a cross roads as he endorsed Owen Smith for leader after a ballot of members

Mr Smith said: 'At the heart of my campaign are commitments to strengthening our trade unions, ending exploitation and delivering greater equality.

' It's a great honour to receive GMB's nomination to be the next leader of the Labour Party after a consultation with its members.

'I look forward to working with the GMB, its members and all in the labour movement to tackle inequality, invest in strong public services, and for Britain to have trade union and workers' rights that are the envy of the world.'

General secretary Tim Roache said: 'The Labour Party is at a crossroads. I'm under no illusions that we're living through dangerous political times - the like of which I haven't seen during my three decades in our movement. It's time for us to face up to reality.
IFS economist Ian Mitchell warned quitting the single market could hit economic growth by 4 per cent

The influential Institute of Fiscal Studies has today published a report warning of the dangers if the UK loses membership of the single market and only has so-called 'access' instead.

It follows a doom-laden report issued by the IFS before the referendum in which it claimed leaving the EU would add two years to austerity and cost the economy more than 40bn by 2020.

Launching the new report, Ian Mitchell, research associate at the IFS and author of the report, said: 'We still face some very big choices in terms of our future relationship with the EU.

'There is all the difference in the world between access to and membership of the single market.'

The conclusions were criticised today by a rival economic think tank which accused the IFS of recycling defeated claims.

The single market concerns exporting goods and services from one country to another.

Membership, which as a member of the EU the UK currently has, means reduce trading costs and fewer non-tariff barriers such as licensing and regulatory constraints.

But it also requires acceptance of free movement of people and abiding by single market rules.

Access - often mentioned by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson - meanwhile, has been branded 'virtually meaningless' by the report.

It points out that any country within the World Trade Organisation, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, has access to the single market, and it simply means being able to use the EU as an export destination.

As a major exporter of services - such as banking and insurance - to Europe, membership of the single market is crucial to Britain. In 2015 the UK exported goods and services worth a total of 222billion to the EU  some 44 per cent of all UK exports, up from 31 per cent in 1999.

Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, has discussed creating 'access' to the single market but the IFS warned this was 'virtually meaningless'

By contrast, Brazil, Russia, India and China combined accounted for less than 5pc of the UK's exports.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics show the UK exported 12bn worth of goods and services to the EU in June, an increase of 500m from the month before alone.

The IFS report, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, has said that keeping membership could add 4 per cent to the UK's gross domestic product (the monetary value of goods and services produced by country), compared to being just a member of the World Trade Organisation.

It said it may be particularly important to financial firms which rely on membership for their so-called passporting rights. This allows them to provide services to EU businesses and customers directly despite being based in the UK.

The terms of the Brexit deal negotiated will set out whether Britain is a member of the single market or simply has access to it like any other trading nation

But membership could come at a cost, the think tank has warned.

If the UK retains its membership it may have to continue to contribute towards the EU Budget, which the IFS says currently costs the UK 150m a week.

It would also mean accepting new regulations made by the Union, which the UK would no longer have a say on.

But the IFS has said the boost to trade, public finances and economic growth would outweigh the costs of membership.

The group said any new trade deals forged would not be enough to compensate the loss of trade from EU countries.

Ryan Bourne, head of public policy at the Institute of Economic Affairs: 'The IFS analysis is a re-hash of the arguments made by the Remain side during its failed campaign.

'It ignores the costs of rising levels of regulation we would surely face if we remained within the single market, particularly on financial services with proposals such as the financial transactions tax.

'We would not have the necessary power to vote against these sorts of measures if we stay in. Leaving EU structures entirely is the only way that we can regain full control over economic policy.

'The IFS also - quite bizarrely - entirely ignores the vast opportunities leaving provides to abolish the EU's common external tariff, which loads costs onto UK consumers and supply chains, to deregulate the economy and to use the saved gross contributions to the EU budget on the UK's own priorities.
Shannon Capps, 23, was mistakenly sent an email from her letting agent referring to her as a 'f****** f*****' when she complained about the filthy state of her flat

A letting agent mistakenly sent an email to a tenant calling her a 'f****** f*****' and a b***h' after she complained about her dirty and overcrowded flat.

Shannon Capps, 23, needed somewhere to live after landing a job as a check-in agent at Gatwick Airport.

She found a 450-a-month room in Crawley, west Sussex, but when she arrived at the flat she found it in a filthy state and with seven people living there.

A fortnight after moving in, Miss Capps sent a detailed email to the agency explaining she wanted to terminate her contract.

In response, she was sent an email - meant to be between staff only - which said 'f****** f*****'.

When confronted about this, Crawley Room Rents put the email exchange down to 'banter' and even suggested Miss Capps had hacked into their internal email system.

As well as the foul-mouthed two-word email, a staff member had then written: 'Get rid of the b***h. She's still paying the outgoing fees. Don't care she ain't getting off. Just relet her room. F***in' idiot that she is. Is she the one who phones 3 times a day with regard to cleaning? Don't answer her, leave her hanging, she deserves it'.

On receiving the email Miss Capps, from Lowestoft in Suffolk, said: 'My heart just sank. It just felt so personal.

'I couldn't even breathe my heart was pumping so much, I couldn't believe it.'

She claimed she had not been informed there were seven people living in the house she had moved into.

Miss Capps shows her letting agreement and the foul-mouthed email exchange she was sent

Miss Capps moved out of this house (32, The Drive, in Horley) because of its filthy condition

Crawley Room Rents is based at Andrew Hunt estate agents in the town, but has no website or phone number of its own.

To contact the company, tenants must call Andrew Hunt and be put through to 'lettings'.

A spokesman for the company dismissed the email exchange as 'banter' between colleagues.

She said: 'She [Miss Capps] didn't like the room, we tried to find her somewhere else.

'She phoned up every day complaining about something. She just didn't want to be there.'

Remarkably, the company even suggested Miss Capps had hacked into their email system

Crawley Room Rents is based at Andrew Hunt estate agents (pictured) in Crawley

Incredibly, she even suggested Miss Capps had hacked into the firm's email system - something she strongly denied.

The spokesman added: 'It was an internal email between two people in our department she shouldn't have got.

'We don't know how she got into that email. It was banter in the office.'

Staff were apparently at their 'wit's end' as Miss Capps had phoned every day.

Miss Capps denied phoning every day. She has since moved into nearby Broadfield, in west Sussex.
Christy Lynn Jaski, 43, of North Carolina, was sentenced to three years' probation after she admitted to kissing and groping a 14-year-old boy she planned to adopt

A North Carolina woman has admitted to committing sex crimes involving a 14-year-old boy who her family was in the process of adopting from the Philippines.

Christy Lynn Jaski, 43, of Wilmington, pleaded guilty Tuesday to three counts of misdemeanor sexual battery.

She was sentenced to three years of probation, and as part of her punishment she must also register as a sex offender for 30 years.

Prosecutor Lance Oehrlein says Jaski kissed and groped the Filipino sometime between December 2014 and January 2015.

Oehrlein says Jaski also sent messages to a friend in the Philippines admitting she had kissed the child, whom she called 'her son.' She was arrested in February 2015.

Wife and mother: Jaski is married and has four daughters (family photo) between ages 11 and 18, two of whom were adopted from China

Confession: The 43-year-old, seen on the left with her husband, told a friend about kissing her would-be adopted son, who was from the Philippines. She called the boy 'her son'

Devout: Jaski's husband (left) works for a non-profit devoted to promoting Christianity on college campuses around the country

'She was asked by her friend if it ever went farther than kissing and groping and she replied, "No, but I had to fight it,' Oehrlein said, according to the Wilmington StarNews Online.

In 2004, Jaski launched a ministry dedicated to helping families raise money for adoptions

When the teen was interviewed about his encounter with his would-be adoptive mother, he said that Jaski had French kissed him and got on top of him as he was lying down.

Jaski is married and has four daughters between the ages 11 and 18, two of whom were adopted from China. Her husband works for a non-profit organization that promotes Christianity on college campuses.

According to her defense, Jaski has been interested in adoption from the time she was young girl.

In 2004, Jaski launched a ministry dedicated to helping families raise money for adoptions. Through her efforts, more than 20 children have been placed with families in several states.
A woman who posted a letter to an address just six kilometres from her home has arrived at its destination more than 20 years later.

New Zealand mother Jeanette Baker had just given birth to her daughter Tyler when she decided to send out thank you cards for the gifts she received after hosting a baby shower in February 1993.

After posting one of the handwritten letter from Wainuiomata to Waiwhetu - just a 12 minute drive via a delivery van - the card arrived late last month.

And in that time frame, her daughter, who is now 23 years old, has finished school, become a hairdresser and moved out of home.

Mother Jeanette Baker (far left) had just given birth to her daughter Tyler (right who is now 23 years old) when she posted a card to a friend in 1993 - the letter arrived last month

The handwritten letter was sent from Wainuiomata to Waiwhetu - just a 12 minute drive

'It blows me away. Where has it been? Where has it been sitting? Has it been tucked away somewhere?' Ms Baker told NZ Stuff.

But despite going missing for more than two decades on, the mystery remains around where the letter had been.

The snail mail began when the letter was addressed to the right street - Douglas Street in Waiwhetu - but the wrong property number was listed.

Ms Baker said she only found out about the delay when recipient Carolyn Ferguson, who still lives at the address, told her she had just received the card.

The letter Ms Baker sent in February 1993 - has arrived at its destination - 23 years later

'Isn't it incredible? I got such a shock. I thought, Oh my God, where did this come from?' Ms Ferguson said.

New Zealand Post said the stamps on the letter suggested it was previously processed through the postal network twice.

'We have to speculate that perhaps the letter was delivered to the wrong house, and sat there for many years before being put back into the mail network,' a spokeswoman said.
Advertisement

Britain's supercar season is back with a shiny bang as scores of flash Arab-owned cars once again descend on the capital and fill London's most lavish streets with wheels of colourful bling.

From a chrome Mercedes-Benz McLaren to a silver Lamborghini Aventador, the stunning vehicles are among hundreds which have been flown into the UK from the Middle East for the summer.

The car owners, many of them from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait, will happily pay a small fortune - in excess of 20,000 for a return journey - for their metal marvels to be flown around 3,000 miles, and often leave them parked up on the streets of Knightsbridge and Chelsea.

And after coughing up the huge amount to transport the machines halfway around the world, the price of a few parking tickets is hardly likely to trouble them.

Local parking wardens were spotted descending on the supercars in Knightsbridge this afternoon, handing out fines which may never be paid.

Scroll down for video

On display: A row of stunning supercars line up outside designer shops Versace and Fendi in Sloane Street, west London

Checking it out: Two passers-by stop to admire one of the supercars, a Mercedes-Benz AMG GT, worth around 110,000, parked on Sloane Street. Capable of 0-60mph in 4 seconds, it has a top speed of 189mph - and its urban fuel consumption is 23.2mpg

One of the flash cars spotted in central London is this shiny red Ferrari 488, which sells for about 200,000. This turbocharged beast can do 0-60 in 3 seconds and has a top speed of 205mph. It's also a gas guzzler, coming in at 24.8mpg

A bright yellow Lamborghini Aventador which can cost around 300,000, was pictured parked up in Mayfair yesterday. Its acceleration is a fraction faster than the Ferrari - namely 0-60 in 2.9 seconds. It has a maximum speed of 217mph

Local parking wardens descended on the cars this afternoon, handing out tickets unlikely to trouble their rich owners

This Dubai-registered Rolls Royce was pictured being towed away on the back of a council truck this afternoon

The 250,000 car was parked illegally near Harrods when the council team arrived and hoisted it onto the truck

Qatar Airways is one such airline that ships the luxury cars from Doha to Heathrow. Secured to the floor of one of their Airbus A330s, the precious cargo can either be accommodated in a single row or in a side-by-side configuration.

Using their main and lower deck, the airline offers 31 positions on each flight.

The supercars can already be seen lined up outside designer shops, such as Versace and Fendi, in the upmarket neighbourhoods of south-west London.

The vehicles spotted in central London over the past few weeks - following the end of Ramadan - often attract the attention of tourists and car enthusiasts, who are intrigued by the tailor-made versions of famous models.

Several are also parked outside The Dorchester in Mayfair where the wealthy owners might stay for the summer as they escape the Middle Eastern heat.

The arrival has become a regular annual event, with rich Arabs trying to outdo each other with their modified cars.

Once here, some of the over-the-top autos attract the attention of the police too - due to incorrect registration plates and insurance or parking regulation breaches.

Residents in affluent parts of south-west London have complained that some drivers allegedly behave in an anti-social manner, revving the cars and treating the exclusive area as their personal racetrack - although there is no suggestion any of the cars pictured are being investigated by the police.

This Qatari-registered Lamborghini Aventador was one of the cars which attracted the attention of local parking wardens

The mass handing out of parking notices has become as much of a tradition of the season as the cars themselves

The vehicle has Kuwaiti plates, like many of the supercars which are parked in upmarket parts of south-west London at this time of year

Another car of the same make, model and colour was pictured on Sloane Street. The numberplate is from the UAE

This blue Rolls-Royce was seen on the streets of Knightsbridge today

The Lamborghini Aventadors are a popular supercar for those coming to London, with another red one spotted in Mayfair

Youngster stop to admire a plush-looking Lamborghini Aventador Pirelli edition outside Michael Kors in Chelsea. A car like this will set you back 330,000

Another car from Kuwait spotted outside the Dorchester Hotel is this chrome-wrapped Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722, worth 350,000

New surroundings: The vehicles have been accompanied by wealthy Arabs fleeing the scorching heat of the Middle East

A red and black Rolls Royce is another of the expensive supercars which fill the car park at the five-star Dorchester hotel

A man stops to take a photo of a 100,000 white Porsche GT3 which was parked outside the row of designer shops on Sloane Street

The flash Porsche, which several people stopped to admire, is one of several supercars which have been spotted

A not-so-subtle 350,000 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6x6 was pictured outside miu miu in Sloane Street yesterday afternoon

A Mercedes-Benz G63 - worth about 132,000 - drives past a Lamborghini Aventador on Sloane Street yesterday

A passer-by poses for a selfie as he walks past a raised Mercedes-Benz on Sloane Street, where many supercars are parked

Aventador: A Lamborghini car with a Kuwaiti numberplate is parked in Mayfair as Londons supercar season returns

Extravagant: The cars' arrival has become a regular event in recent years, with rich Arabs seeking to outdo each other

Expensive: The owners normally ship their cars over in the months up to the summer, so they are here when they arrive

Stunning sight: A Rolls Royce car with a Saudi Arabian number plate is parked by The Dorchester in London today

Grille power: The cars spend months of the year parading along the roads of the Middle East or locked up in mansion garages

Car owners from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait will happily pay a small fortune - in excess of 20,000 for a return journey - for their metal marvels to be flown around 3,000 miles, and often leave them parked up on the streets of London. Above, the Qatar Airways Cargo A330-200F freighter's cargo-loading capabilities
Steve Rotheram has been announced as Labour's mayoral candidate in the Liverpool City Region in a further major victory for Jeremy Corbyn.

The close ally of the Labour leader beat current elected mayor Joe Anderson and former frontbencher Luciana Berger to be selected to fight the election next year.

Mr Rotheram, a parliamentary aide to Mr Corbyn, said he was 'deeply honoured and humbled' to be picked and pledged to 'stand up for ordinary people'.

The announcement comes a day after Andy Burnham - who refused to abandon Mr Corbyn by resigning from the shadow cabinet alongside most of his colleagues - secured Labour's nomination for the Greater Manchester mayoralty.

Steve Rotheram, left, joined Andy Burnham, right, as a Labour candidate in a major mayoral election today after winning the Labour nomination to fight for Liverpool City Hall

In the second round, Mr Rotherham beat Mr Anderson by 2,670 to 2,042 votes. Ms Berger trailed a distant third in the first round scoring 1,202 votes.

The result suggest another victory driven by activists who support Mr Corbyn as the Labour leader fights to keep his job in a leadership contest forced by MPs.

After his victory was announced today, Mr Rotherham said: 'I am extremely grateful to the thousands of party members who have chosen to place their trust in me and I am determined not to let them down,' he said.

'I have travelled the length and breadth of our City Region and have spoken with people in every borough, from all walks of life, who share the same ambition as me - to build a City Region that utilises the energy, the talents, the ideas and the hopes of all our people, to transform the present and begin to shape its future, creating a more vibrant, more prosperous area.

'As metro mayor, I will put social justice at the heart of my administration; something which I've been passionate about all of my political career.

'I'll stand up for ordinary people and be a real champion for Merseyside and Halton on the national and international stage.

'Devolution presents us with a unique opportunity to make decisions locally, in the interests of local people, to ensure each person within our six districts has the best chance in life.'

Jeremy Corbyn is battling to keep his job as Labour leader in a summer contest forced by Labour MPs

Ms Berger was knocked out in the first round of voting and Mr Rotheram went on to secure a comfortable win over Mr Anderson.

Mr Corbyn said: 'Congratulations to Steve Rotheram on being selected as Labour's candidate to take our message for social justice to the people of Merseyside.

'Steve is a tireless campaigner and advocate for the region, and as mayor would do everything possible to minimise the impact of Tory austerity.'

Jon Lansman, chairman of the Corbyn-supporting Momentum movement, said the result was a 'victory for democracy'.

He said: 'Really delighted at the news that Steve Rotheram is to be Labour's mayoral candidate in Liverpool. A victory for democracy!'

Female MPs protested at Labour's internal elections producing another clean sweep for male candidates in the mayoral contests

Female MPs protested that yet another Labour election had led to victory for a male candidate - meaning that all five of the party's mayors or candidates to be mayors are men.

The primary results come less than a year after men were elected to fill both the leader and deputy leaders posts, and Mr Corbyn handed most senior posts to male colleagues in his first two shadow cabinets.

Labour MP Alison McGovern tweeted: 'Something we said?'
An ISIS fanatic has issued a chilling new threat to carry out terror atrocities in Spanish resorts visited by thousands of British tourists.

In a ranting article, the extremist urged followers to use bombs and machine guns to avenge 'crimes committed by Spain against Muslims'.

Author Abu Marya Al-Aseef even ordered jihadists to kidnap Spaniards and behead them or use them as bargaining tools in prisoner exchanges. Nightclubs, cafes, bars and cinemas were also mentioned as intended targets.

An ISIS fanatic has issued a chilling new threat to carry out terror atrocities in Spanish resorts visited by thousands of British tourists (file picture)

The article, called 'Spain (of) Fernando, We Vow (to seek) Revenge' was published by the ISIS-affiliated Al-Wafa' media outlet and was seen by the US terror monitoring group, MEMRI.

According to The Daily Express, the article said: 'As their governments kill our brothers, so should we (seek) revenge and reprisal.'

Al-Aseef said Spain killed tens of thousands of Muslims in the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa more than 800 years ago in 1212.

He reportedly added that Spanish troops were 'still killing Muslims in the eastern and western parts of the earth, sometimes with bomb-carrying air jets and other times with the direct participation (of forces) on the ground'.

Author Abu Marya Al-Aseef even ordered jihadists to kidnap Spaniards and behead them or use them as bargaining tools in prisoner exchanges. Nightclubs, cafes, bars and cinemas were also mentioned as intended targets (file picture)

According to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, more than 12 million British nationals visit Spain every year.

The department says on its website that there is a 'high treat' of terrorism in the country.

It adds: 'Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners.
claims video has been verified and shows a miracle

Eerie footage purporting to show a statue of Jesus opening its eyes has prompted speculation of a miracle.

The bizarre video of the statue was captured at the Chapel of Saltillo in Mexico's state of Coahuila de Zaragoza and appears to show it with its eyes wide open.

After a few seconds of staring at the confused video maker it suddenly closes them tightly, prompting the man with the camera to pull away in shock.

Many believers have claimed that a miracle occurred at the Mexican church after the statue of Jesus appeared to open it eyes

The footage was apparently captured during a church service in June.

According to Elancasti.com.ar, the video went viral after it was recently posted on Adimensional - a website for paranormal activity.

Since appearing online, many viewers have claimed that a miracle occurred at the Mexican church.

Others have dismissed this idea and suggested that the clip has been altered with video editing technology.

And some have stated that the video merely shows an optical illusion.

But Ivan Escamilla, who runs the Adimensional site and is a self-proclaimed paranormal expert, believes the footage is genuine.

The video maker pulled his camera away in shock when the statue closed its eyes. But many people believe the footage to be a hoax

The paranormal enthusiasts does not believe there is anything 'unusual' about the footage, which he claims has been verified.

According to Escamilla, more than 20 paranormal specialists as well as priests and special effects designers have spent weeks analysing the creepy footage.

He claimed that nobody found any proof or suggestion that the clip had been altered in anyway.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saltillo has reportedly dismissed the video and is refusing to watch it.
Three hundred employees at a company that supplies airline lounge services have had their airside security passes suspended after police arrested two women on suspicion of fraud at Heathrow airport.

It is believed the two women arrested, who are aged 24 and 20, are workers at the airport.

Airline services company Sodexo has suspended the passes as a 'precautionary measure', according to Sky News.

Most of the affected staff are cleaners and caterers.

Staff who work in the flight-side area of the London airport undergo rigorous security checks before they are given a pass to take them beyond passport control. The current investigation relates to those given handed to staff.

Scroll down for video

Police are investigating a reported plot relating to flight-side passes at Heathrow Airport

The possibility of criminal activity at the airport will raise fears over security, after a flight from Sharm el Sheikh to Russia last year was brought down by terrorists using a bomb smuggled on board.

It is understood that the plot is not related to the sale or cloning of the passes.

Kevin Hurley, former head of counter terrorism at the City of London Police, says it may have been a plan to access and possibly steal from the airport's cargo centre.

He told Sky News: 'Billions go through this airport every year. But the real issue is the threat in terms of airport security; this is a potential serious breach for Heathrow Airport.'

Scotland Yard has said the two women were detained on suspicion of fraud and money laundering last week and were bailed until November.

A Met Police spokesman said: ' We can confirm that officers from the Met's Aviation Policing Command are investigating an allegation of fraud, reported to them on 28 July 2016.'

Airport authorities have insisted safety is their 'top priority' but declined to comment further

The spokesman added: 'Detectives arrested two women from Surrey, aged 24 and 20, on suspicion of fraud and money laundering on Wednesday, 3 August.

'They have been arrested in relation to an allegation that money has been fraudulently taken from a bank account. Other matters have come to light during the enquiries and form part of the ongoing investigation.

'The women were taken into custody at a west London police station and have subsquently been bailed to return to the police station in late November.

'Detectives searched a residential address in Surrey under the Police And Criminal Evidence Act.'

A spokesman for Heathrow Airport said: 'We can't comment on the specifics of an ongoing police investigation.
It can navigate around ditches, drive over logs and through swamps

It can herd livestock and is being developed to monitor the animals

SwagBot was designed by the Australian Centre for Field Robotics

A new robot capable of herding livestock, autonomously check on crops and maneuver around Australia's rough terrain has successfully passed its first trial.

SwagBot, the brainchild of researchers and engineers at the Australian Centre for Field Robotics, was tested at a farm near Newcastle, north of Sydney, on June 30.

The farming robot is designed to help farmers working on Australia's sheep and cattle stations that are remote reported the ABC.

Scroll down for video

A new robot capable of herding livestock (pictured) has successfully completed its first trial on a farm in NSW. The robot also includes a camera which records its movements (inset)

The robot has proved it can navigate around ditches, drive over large logs and through swamps.

Salah Sukkarieh, Professor of Robotics at University of Sydney, said they hope the robot will eventually be able to monitor plants, the health of the animals and their safety at night.

'We've done a preliminary trial with farmers; we've done things such as being able to tow trailers, monitor animals from a distance, go through waterways,' he said.

'Ultimately we want a robot that can monitor the farm continuously and more importantly look at animal welfare.

'It will measure the temperature of an animal from a distance and be able to measure the walking activity of an animal, to see if something is going on.'

The robot is not expected to take over working dogs or people.

Although previous farm robots have been designed to monitor crops, SwagBot will be the first to monitor livestock.

It was designed by researchers and engineers at the Australian Centre for Field Robotics

It has been designed to manage its way over logs and through water

The robot will be extraordinarily useful on cattle farms by herding and monitoring animals. Pictured is the robot travelling through a swamp and the scene in front of it (inset)
A Tennessee Bureau of Investigation special agent was shot to death yesterday during an undercover drug investigation.

Special Agent De'Greaun Frazier, 35, a married father of two from Cordova, was working with other agents and narcotics officers on a drug investigation when he met a person for a controlled buy in a car in Jackson.

The person that Frazier met on Tuesday afternoon pulled out a firearm in an apparent robbery attempt and fired at least once, hitting the agent, TBI Director Mark Gwyn said.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Special Agent De'Greaun Frazier, who died during a drug investigation in west Tennessee on Tuesday

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents investigate the scene of the shooting near Brianfield Cove in Jackson, where their colleague was shot during a drug probe

Frazier died later at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital.

He was the first agent in TBI history to die in the line of duty.

'This has been one of the toughest days in our agency's history,' DeVine said at a news conference.

The Commercial Appeal in Memphis reported that Frazier was a police officer with the University of Memphis from 2006 to 2010 before joining the Millington Police Department until his February resignation.

He was also a reserve officer with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office.

Millington Police Inspector Rita Stanback told the Appeal that Frazier had long wanted to work for the TBI.

'We'd talk about the job that he did,' she said. 'He loved doing police work. He always wanted to climb the ladder. TBI was one of the jobs that he talked about doing.

'He would take any kind of training that he could get that would help move forward. He wanted to work for TBI, to be a TBI agent. Even though he's gone, he wasn't forgotten. He's still a part of our family here.'

Millington Inspector Reggie Fields said Frazier left behind a wife and two young children.

'He was at my office about two weeks ago, and he was showing us new photos of the latest child in his family,' Fields said. 'That child was less than a year old.'

A Jackson Police officer looks over crime tape where special agent Frazier was shot to death Tuesday during an undercover drug investigation

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director Mark Gwyn speaks to the media about the death of TBI Special Agent De'Greaun Frazier

Gwyn said the operation was being heavily monitored.

'Agent Frazier was exactly what we look for in a TBI agent,' Gwyn said.

'He was hard-working, enthusiastic and dedicated to making Tennessee a better place to live.'

The suspect was apprehended a short distance away and was in custody with charges pending Tuesday night.

Authorities investigate the scene of the shooting on Tuesday

Police were seen near Brianfield Cove in Jackson looking for evidence of what happened when TBI special agent Frazier was shot and killed

His name was not immediately released.

Frazier had been with TBI since February after working with the Millington Police Department.

'Hearts are heavy tonight for loss of Agent De'Greaun Frazier who died serving, protecting TN,' Governor Bill Haslam said.
After a long day of outrage from Republicans, Hillary Clinton's campaign finally disavowed on Tuesday night the support of Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen's father, who sat behind her at a Kissimmee, Florida rally Monday and said he was a supporter.

Seddique Mateen, whose son Omar killed 49 people at Pulse nightclub on June 12, was seen grinning as he watched the Democratic presidential nominee speak from the area behind the podium usually reserved for VIPs.

The Clinton campaign had ignored requests for comment, and the Democratic presidential nominee was seen ignoring a reporter's question on the matter at a campaign stop in Miami.

Donald Trump's criticism added pressure, with the Republican nominee telling Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday evening: 'She did not disavow [him]. If that were me, this would be a headline all over.'

And Rudy Giuliani, the Trump-supporting former New York City mayor, clobbered Clinton for sending signals that attracted Mateen to her banner.

Scroll down for video

Seddique Mateen, the father of the Orlando nightclub shooter, has been spotted at a Hillary Clinton rally in Kissimmee, Florida. He is circled far left in the seats with a mustache

A grinning Mateen is seen giving a thumbs down alongside other Hillary Clinton supporters as they were addressed by the former first lady. Her campaign have insisted they did not know he was there

The pro-Taliban political activist, whose son Omar killed 49 people at Pulse Nightclub on June 12, sat with a smile on his face behind the Democratic presidential nominee

'Why is he such an avid supporter? What is drawing him to Hillary Clinton?' Giuliani asked Wednesday on ABC's 'Good Morning America.'

'I believe it's her soft stance on Islamic extremist terrorism.'

He hammered the Clinton campaign on 'Fox & Friends' for hiding information about why Mateen was given a high-profile seat at the rally in the first place.

'Can you imagine what the reaction would be if you were the father, the mother, the brother, the friend of one of the people that was killed or wounded,' Giuliani asked, 'seeing that man sitting there so enthusiastically supporting Hillary Clinton?'

'First of all, we don't know who invited him and put him in that prime position. Now I've been involved in a lot of campaigns including my own you don't get into that prime position without somebody.'

'The [Clinton] campaign, which is the least transparent campaign in history  meaning they hide things all the time  should tell us who put him there,' he declared.

<

The former secretary of state started her address to the crowd on Monday by paying tribute to the victims of the horrific terrorist attack that shocked the world just two months ago.

She was speaking at the Osceola Heritage Park, just a 30-minute drive from where the mass-shooting unfolded.

Mateen, a pro-Taliban political activist, later said he was there because he's a member of the Democrats and had been 'invited.'

A senior Democratic Party official had told DailyMail.com on Tuesday that he wasn't invited and he was not on any of their email lists.

Jacobi Ceballo, a survivor of the Pulse nightclub shooting who also attended the Clinton rally, told WKMG-TV in Orlando: 'I'm outraged. For him to come back to Orlando, where his son created devastation, was also mind-blowing. If I would have known that, I would have not come.'

Mateen blended into the crowd of supporters as they listened to the former first lady talk about jobs and parts of her economic policy.

He stood alongside cheering fans holding signs reading 'Stronger Together' while wearing a red Mercedes Benz cap.

At some points he took out his cell phone and took pictures of Hillary Clinton while she was on stage.

After the event, Mateen spoke with WPTV.

He showed the station a sign he had made for Hillary, confirming that he is backing her in November.

He said: 'Hillary Clinton is good for United States versus Donald Trump, who has no solutions.'

Later on in the speech, Mateen (circled) was seen taking a picture of the presidential candidate on his phone. Just a few seats to Mateen's left was a woman wearing a Pride t-shirt

Mateen seemed to blend in with the crowd by wearing a Mercedes Benz cap

Mateen then claimed he was a member of the Democratic party and had been 'invited' to the event.

Hillary Clinton is good for United States versus Donald Trump, who has no solutions Seddique Mateen, father of the Orlando nightclub shooter at a Clinton campaign event

It is unclear whether he had been personally asked to attend, or had received the offer as part of an email chain.

When asked whether Clinton knew he was at the rally, he insisted: 'It's a Democratic party, so everyone can join.'

Then he was asked if those in the crowd would be surprised if he was there.

He said: 'Why should they be surprised? I love the United States, and I've been living here a long time.'

Mateen had said earlier in the evening that he had been 'supporting the federal government' in the wake of the shootings by his son  but he would not elaborate.

The grinning man watched as Clinton began her speech by showing her admiration for the Florida community in the wake of the horrifying mass murder.

'I just have to tell you how grateful I am for the leadership and the people of Orlando and Central Florida for your love and compassion,' she told the crowd.

Omar Mateen (left and right) opened fire at the nightclub in Orlando and shot 100 people, leaving 49 people dead. He was then killed when SWAT teams stormed the venue

'And I know how many people, loved ones and friends, are still grieving. And I want them to know that we will be with you.

'We will be with you as you rebuild your lives, as you rebuild hope for the future, because we can't ever let that kind of hatred and violence break the spirit, break the soul, of any place in America.'

The elder Mateen is known for his controversial political views and video ramblings.

Mateen said he attended the event because he was supporting the Democrat. He said: 'Hillary Clinton is good for United States versus Donald Trump, who has no solutions'

Just 24 hours after his son opened fire in the gay nightclub he released a video saying: 'On the issue of homosexuality, it can be punished only by God, it is not the business of a person.

'But he (Omar) has killed those people, and I am so saddened.'

In the same footage he condemned his son's attack as the 'act of a terrorist'.

The political activist also insisted his son was not radicalized, adding: He wasnt because he had no beard, and he was just a regular person going to work and coming back and taking care of his wife and his kids.

The father said he has no idea why the attack occurred and he didnt notice anything irregular in his sons behavior.

Mateen later showed off a sign he had made for Hillary to show off at the event

I couldnt believe that was my son because my son got an education, hes born in the United States in New York and he finished high school here in Florida, and he got his associate degree in criminal justice, he told ABC News. He had a lot of love and care, and I couldnt believe that this is what he was doing. And if he was alive I would ask him one question: Why?

He later caused upset when he tried to palm off some of the blame for his son's attack on Pulse nightclub's security.

In the aftermath of the massacre he told Sky News: 'The first thing I want to say is that the club should have had good security. The club (with) 300 or 400 people are coming, they should have had a good security.

'My personal feeling (is) he is responsible, the club is responsible for not having good security. If there was a good communication with the security there, they could have protected much better.'

When asked whether Clinton knew he was at the rally, he insisted: 'It's a Democratic party, so everyone can join

In other videos posted online before the shooting, he expressed gratitude toward the Afghan Taliban, while denouncing the Pakistani government.

Posts include topics such as 'Rise Afghan people against Pakistan' and 'Intelligent service and Military of Pakistan real Enemy of the USA (sic)'.

In one video, the elder Mateen holds up a sign that reads: 'ISI Pakistan and Military is Destroying 14 years of US work in Afghanistan to cut AID to killers'.

And in another, according to the Washington Post, he tells the camera: 'Our brothers in Waziristan, our warrior brothers in [the] Taliban movement and national Afghan Taliban are rising up. Inshallah the Durand Line issue will be solved soon.'

The elder Mateen, who once claimed to be a candidate for president in Afghanistan, condemned his son's actions, but also said homosexuals should be punished by God

Mr Mateen came to the U.S. from Afghanistan more than 30 years ago and once described himself as its 'revolutionary president.'

Kabul-based political analyst Ahmad Saeedi said Mateen was a fierce anti-communist.

He was a captain in the ranks of the mujahedeen who fought the Soviet occupation in the 1970s and 1980s, Saeedi said.

A former Afghan official said the 'Durand Jirga Show' appears on Payam-e-Afghan, a California-based channel that supports ethnic solidarity with the Afghan Taliban, which are mostly Pashtun.

The videos are full of anti-American rhetoric and inflammatory comments.

The Clinton campaign later insisted Mateen had not been invited to the event. She is seen waving to the crowd before her speech on Monday night

Republican and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was one one of the first politicians to slam his appearance. She wrote 'unbelievable' and included a link to an article

In an April 2015 video, the younger Mateen said he and his supporters had called on the Taliban to join the peace initiative by current Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

Mateen once had 'a brief and inconsequential meeting' with Rep. Ed Royce, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the California Republican said in a statement.

'Royce said he routinely meets Afghan-Americans and he vaguely recalls a discussion about relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan with Mateen.

In a video dated May 23, 2015, Mateen declared himself a candidate for the Afghan presidency.

'Afghanistan's sovereignty is in danger due to the free hand of foreigners on our territory, and the result is that 95 percent of the country is not under the government's control,' he said, a reference to the influence of Pakistan.

Pictures show the aftermath of the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Broken windows show where SWAT team entered during the standoff that lasted for hours

A mourner stands alongside crosses honoring the 49 victims of the massacre on the one month anniversary

Omar Mateen, who was born in New York, gunned down revelers in the gay nightclub with a rifle he had legally purchased

Mateen' son Omar walked into Pulse nightclub in Orlando around 2:00 a.m. on June 12 armed with a .223-caliber AR-15-type rifle and a 9mm semi-automatic handgun that was legally purchased and began shooting at random.

He engaged in a gun battle with an off-duty police officer who was working security at Pulse, and then went deeper into the nightclub, killing a total of 49 innocent people.
An Iranian asylum seeker threatened to blow himself up at an asylum centre in Denmark today.

The 22-year-old man climbed onto the roof of an asylum centre near the town of Nyborg, which houses 500 migrants, on the island of Funen.

Eyewitnesses said he had something in his hand, possibly a grenade, but he later came down and was arrested after talking to police negotiators.

The asylum centre at Nyborg (pictured) houses 500 migrants, but they have been evacuated by police

He is thought to have been suffering from emotional problems due to homesickness or a personal relationship.

The Local reported Danish police said: 'Police and rescue personnel are on location and the residents of the centre are being evacuated.'

The centre's director Jannie Staal told the Fyens.dk news website the man was an asylum seeker but lived at another centre in nearby Faaborg.

Nyborg on the island of Funen is connected to Zealand - where Copenhagen is located - by the Storebaelt Bridge. Another bridge connects it to Jutland and the European mainland

Funen Police said a no-fly zone was established and all residents were evacuated to 'a safe location'.

The local police were alerted at 11.16am local time but the situation resolved itself at 1.44pm.

Between 3,000 and 7,000 people apply for asylum in Denmark every year.
man won right to remain and could be paid tens of thousands

A Romanian murderer could be paid tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers money in compensation after the High Court ruled his detention at an immigration centre was unlawful.

He has also won the right to remain in the UK after his lawyers argued that deportation would breach his human rights and could jeopardise his personal wellbeing.

The 48-year-old was jailed for 12 years in his homeland after beating a 70-year-old man to death with a hammer. But the killer  who cannot be named because he suffers from anxiety  was granted early release in 2008 after serving only seven years.

Scroll down for video

Murderer could be paid tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers money in compensation after the High Court (pictured) ruled his detention at an immigration centre was unlawful

He arrived in the UK the following year and was allowed to stay as a student. But in November 2014 the Home Office began deportation proceedings after learning about his murder conviction. The man was later held at Dover Immigration Removal Centre from March to July 2015.

However, last month a High Court judge ruled that his detention was unlawful  meaning the convicted murderer could claim tens of thousands of pounds in compensation.

The claimant  who is a recovering alcoholic and has been deemed high risk  has also won the right to remain in the UK after his lawyers argued that deportation would breach his human rights.

The judge, Mr Justice Paul Walker (pictured) ruled that his detention was unlawful  meaning the convicted murderer could claim tens of thousands of pounds in compensation

Tory MP Philip Davies branded the decision a disgrace.

The judgment comes after the Mail recently exposed the cases of three Albanian murderers living in the UK. Ardian Rragami, 45, who was extradited to face a 15-year jail term, came back to live in the UK after serving just four years.

Saliman Barci, 41, a one-legged convicted double killer, was granted legal aid to fight extradition  despite allegedly confessing to his crimes to his wife. And notorious double killer Avni Metra, 53, was arrested by Scotland Yard in June after spending 18 years in hiding in the UK.

The ruling details how a letter sent to the Romanian killer, identified only as Claimant X, in November 2014 warned he would be deported due to his criminal record. It stated: As a result of your criminality your deportation is considered to be justified on grounds of public policy and/or public security. The Government has the right to deport EU citizens if they receive a criminal conviction resulting in a prison term of at least four years. But Xs lawyers launched a judicial review of both his detention and the order to deport him, and a UK tribunal overturned the deportation order in January. Two subsequent appeals by the Home Office were refused.

The ruling stated that Xs lawyers had argued that deporting the killer would breach his rights under the European Convention on Human Rights. It added he had submitted an application for leave to remain in the UK on the basis of his private and family life.

Notorious double killer Avni Metra, 53, was arrested by Scotland Yard in June after spending 18 years in hiding in the UK

His legal team said he had sought help for his alcohol addiction and wished to reside in the UK in order to continue with the rebuilding of his life. The ruling said: It was said that any upheaval in his life would be to his detriment, leaving him open to emotional distress which could jeopardise his personal wellbeing.

His lawyers added that refusing to allow X to remain in the UK would not demonstrate effective immigration control and would be a direct, unjustified and disproportionate interference with his human rights. The decision to deport the murderer was definitively overturned in March 2016.

Saliman Barci, 41, a one-legged convicted double killer, was granted legal aid to fight extradition  despite allegedly confessing to his crimes to his wife

A High Court judge has now ruled his detention in an immigration removal centre for four months last year was unlawful.

Mr Justice Walker said the Home Office had no reasonable basis for a conclusion that risks of re-offending and of absconding could justify detention of X.

Court records note that Claimant X seeks among other things damages and aggravated damages.

Last night Peter Whittle, a Ukip member of the London Assembly, said: It is an outrage that we cannot block convicted murders from coming into this country and seem to be at the mercy of courts more worried about the anxiety of a criminal than the legitimate fears of our own citizens.

A Home Office spokesman said: Any foreign national offender who poses a threat to the UK should be in no doubt of our determination to deport them.
A man is suing two construction workers for $1million in damages after they allegedly blocked him from rushing his dying dog to the vets via their building site, smashed up his BMW and told police he tried to run them over.

Jair Freire, 54, and his wife Angela Cuce were desperately driving their elderly bulldog Bruiser to the vet in New York City on September 24 when the bizarre incident occurred.

Mr Freire is now suing construction workers Bienvenido Rodriguez and Anthony Pate and company Plaza Construction LLC, the New York Daily News reports.

His lawyer, Randy Kornfeld, said Rodriguez told Mr Freire 'I don't give a f*** about your dog' when he begged to be let past the construction site where workers were building a 777ft skyscraper.

Jair Freire and Angela Cuce are pictured here ordering lunch at an outdoor cafe with their dog Bruiser in the Soho area of New York in 2007. The incident with the construction workers occurred in 2015

Court papers allege that Pate then jumped on the hood of Mr Freire's car and began kicking the doors.

The workers are accused of trying to make it appear as if Mr Freire ran them over.

He was arrested at the Blue Pearl Emergency Veterinarians in Union Square after finally getting his dog help but charges were later dropped in court.

Plaza Construction told MailOnline: 'Anthony Pate is not, and never was, an employee of Plaza Construction. Plazas highest priority in performing our work is the safety of the public and project workers.

'We recognize that high-rise construction in Manhattan often inconveniences neighboring property owners, residents, pedestrians and motor vehicle traffic (particularly when lane closings are encountered) and we make every effort to minimize such inconveniences.

'However, it is critical to note that flagmen are required by law to redirect or even stop traffic as a public safety measure whenever materials and equipment are being hoisted overhead.'

Mr Kornfeld said: 'This lawsuit is not about money. It's about making a point. Angry people should not be put in a position of power where they can wreak havoc.'

The construction workers would reportedly not let them pass on East 22 St. between Park and Lexington Aves (file photo)

Mr Freire, pictured, is suing construction workers Bienvenido Rodriguez and Anthony Pate and company Plaza Construction LLC

Bruiser died in May this year - several months after the disturbing incident.

Angela Cuce wrote on Facebook: 'Yesterday we said goodbye to our beautiful little boy. Anyone that knew Bruiser knew he was an extraordinary dog.

'His soul was pure and he was full of love. Bruiser, Daddy and I were so proud to be your parents and we will love you forever.... To the moon and back baby boy!!

'So raise a glass to him and celebrate the wonderful life he had and all the wonderful things he taught us all!! We will love you forever.'
A new Netflix documentary exploring Amanda Knox and the notorious Meredith Kercher murder case will launch next month.

Titled 'Amanda Knox', the documentary will explore the murder mystery which made headlines around the world.

Miss Kercher, 21, was found half naked and with her throat slit in the house she shared in Perugia with Knox in November 2007.

The US student and Raffaele Sollecito were initially found guilty of murder and sentenced to 26 years in jail in 2009, but after appeals and retrials they were acquitted last year by Italy's highest court.

Titled 'Amanda Knox' the Netflix documentary (pictured) will explore the murder mystery

American exchange student Amanda Knox was convicted and later acquitted of the killing

Miss Kercher (above) was stabbed 47 times at her flat in Perugia in Italy in 2007

The pair were first acquitted in 2011 after evidence used against them was found to be flawed.

Knox immediately returned to the United States protesting her innocence, but in January 2014, the Italian courts overturned that acquittal and reinstated the guilty verdict.

However, the case ultimately went to the Supreme Court and their conviction was definitively overturned in March last year.

Knox, now a journalist in her hometown of Seattle, has since taken her case against Italian police to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming she was mistreated during their murder investigation.

Sollecito finished his undergraduate degree in computer science at the University of Perugia in 2008 while in prison.

He has since become an 'expert' for Italian crime show 'Mystery of the Week' and offers a perspective on the 'faults of the justice system'.

American exchange student Amanda Knox (left) and her boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were initially found guilty of murder and sentenced to 26 years in jail in 2009, but definitively acquitted by the Supreme Court last year

The brutality of the attack on 21-year-old Miss Kercher, the alleged sex games, and multiple trials provided fodder for tabloids on both sides of the Atlantic and inspired books and films.

It has previously been the subject of the documentary A Long Way From Home and TV movie Amanda Knox: Murder On Trial In Italy, with Hayden Panettiere in the title role.

Rudy Guede, from the Ivory Coast, is halfway through a 16-year sentence for his involvement in Miss Kercher's death after a separate trial.

He has always denied killing her.

The documentary will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival [TIFF] next month before a global launch on September 30.

Rudy Guede is the only person to have been definitively convicted of Miss Kercher's murder

Netflix is planning to unveil three other non-fiction titles at TIFF before making them available to subscribers online in the autumn.

Leonardo DiCaprio is executive producing 'thriller' documentary The Ivory Game, which take viewers to the front lines of the fight to save the African elephant from extinction.
The Georgia parents accused of beating their baby into a three-month coma have been charged with her murder after her life support was switched off Monday.

Dinah Paige Whited had been on life support since April, when she was admitted to hospital with bleeding on the brain, broken collarbones and all but three ribs broken.

But this week, with permission of father Justin Whited and mom Jamie Cason Whited, Dinah was allowed to die. And on Tuesday murder warrants were served on both parents, AJC.com reported.

Dead: Dinah Paige Whited was taken to hospital in April with 'catastrophic' injuries. Her life support was turned off at 12:06pm Monday and she died three-and-a-half hours later

Charged: Dinah's dad Jason Whited (right) and mom Jamie Cason Whited (left) were charged with murder on Tuesday. They had both previously faced charges related to her injuries

After Dinah's horrific injuries were discovered on April 23, Justin Whited was charged with the assault and Jamie Cason Whited was charged with child cruelty for allegedly letting it happen.

Doctors described the infant as having 'catastrophic brain injuries and multiple broken bones.'

It was only the life support machines keeping Dinah's body alive that stopped the parents from being charged with her murder.

But in an emotional court hearing on August 3, both parents agreed in court to allow her life support to be turned off.

Justin - who was originally the only parent believed to face a potential murder charge - initially resisted the measure until he was shown a video of his daughter's prone body, and broke down in tears.

Last visit: Both parents were allowed to visit Dinah from jail before she died, as neither had been convicted. They both agreed to end her life support on August 3

Walton County Juvenile Court Judge David Dickinson, who issued the order to terminate the life support, also allowed both parents to visit her separately for half an hour before the procedure began.

Dickinson allowed the measure since neither parent has yet been convicted of any charges. The separate visitations were requested by Jamie Carson Whited.

The process began at 12:06pm on Monday at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston and she finally passed away at 3:31pm.

The parents were then allowed to remain with her until she died, at which point they returned to jail.
Kevin Webb, 42, was arrested on charges of carrying a concealed firearm and falsely impersonating a law enforcement officer

An Arkansas man was arrested after impersonating a police officer and attempting to take a loaded gun into Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in Florida, deputies said.

Kevin Webb, 42, told a security officer he had a firearm in his right front pocket when he was randomly selected to go through the metal detector at the park on Monday morning.

He then told the guard he was an officer with the Sherwood Police Department (SPD) in Arkansas, but deputies learned he was fired in 2013, WKMG reported.

After being selected for additional screening and admitting he had a firearm, Webb presented a police identification card that stated he was a patrolman with the department.

When the security officer called the SPD to verify that information, the officer learned Webb was employed there from 2004 to 2013, but was terminated for 'dishonesty and untruthfulness,' according to the arrest affidavit.

The officer also learned Webb's credentials should have not have been in his possession but turned over when he was terminated.

After searching Webb, officers found a loaded pistol with seven rounds and a 25-caliber magazine in the same pocket, according to News 13.

Authorities took his police identification card along with the firearm into evidence, and he was warned not to return to Walt Disney World.

He was arrested on charges of carrying a concealed firearm and falsely impersonating a law enforcement officer.

Webb was taken into custody on Monday morning after deputies said he impersonated a police officer and attempted to take a loaded gun into Disney World's Magic Kingdom (pictured)

'He broke policy for Disney and broke the law for impersonating a police officer,' Orange County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jeff Williamson told WOFL.

'He had not been a police officer for the past three years, so therefore he was arrested on those two charges.'

No weapons of any kind or objects that appear to be weapons are allowed in the park, according to Disney's park rules and regulations.
Foul-mouthed response: Judge Patricia Lynch QC hit back at racist thug John Hennigan after he called her a 'bit of a c***'

A judge delivered an expletive-ridden response to a racist thug who hurled abuse at her as he was jailed for insulting a black Caribbean mother.

John Hennigan, 50, was handed an 18 month prison sentence after he breached an ASBO by using racist language towards a woman and her two young children.

During sentencing at Chelmsford Crown Court, Hennigan launched a foul-mouthed tirade at Judge Patricia Lynch QC, saying that she was a 'bit of a c***'.

In response the judge said: 'You are a bit of a c*** yourself'.

Hennigan shouted back: 'Go f*** yourself, to which the judge replied, 'you too'.

Hennigan, of Harlow, Essex, then banged on the glass panel of the dock, performed a Nazi salute and twice shouted 'Sieg Heil' before starting to sing 'Jews gas them all....'

Speaking in a measured tone, Judge Lynch said: 'We are all really impressed. Take him down.'

Vile abuse: John Hennigan, 50, pictured, of Harlow, Essex, was jailed for 18 months after he breached an ASBO by using racist language towards a woman and her two young children

Hennigan was handed an ASBO in April 2005, prohibiting him from acting in an anti-social way or from using racist language.

He pleaded guilty to breaching the order by using racist language towards mother Tanisha Ford and her two children, aged six and eight, as they shopped in Harlow on April 20 last year.

Prosecutor Lynne Shirley told the court that Hennigan stopped Ms Ford and asked whether she needed directions.

Ms Shirley said: 'It seemed a normal conversation and she walked off but as she did Hennigan said "I don't agree with inter-racial relationships. I like natural".

'She was shocked and surprised and asked what he meant. He said, "I prefer white children". She was shocked further.

DISTINGUISHED JUDGE WITH RECORD OF LETTING PAEDOPHILES WALK FREE Judge Patricia Lynch QC was appointed to the bench in 2014 after 14 years as a Recorder, following a distinguished career as a criminal barrister in London which saw her appointed QC in 1998. As a junior tenant, she was appointed to the Attorney General's A-list, instructed to prosecute substantial drug importations and VAT fraud cases. In silk, she became recognised as one of the leading experts in matters involving children and other vulnerable witnesses and defendants. Last August Judge Lynch made headlines when she apologised to two teenage girls after sentencing guidelines prevented her from jailing a pervert who sexually abused them at his animal sanctuary. Judge Patricia Lynch QC admitted that it was with a heavy heart that Michael Taylor, 75, was allowed to walk free from court despite abusing the girls, then aged 15 and 17. She has previously been criticised for allowing paedophiles off from jail. Advertisement

'She said her children were natural and he said "I'm just saying". The incident made her feel very upset, hurt, out of place and distressed.'

Hennigan was arrested and police officers later said he made 'very unpleasant' comments while in custody.

Mitigating, Harry Warner urged Judge Lynch to spare Hennigan from immediate custody, saying he could benefit from working with probation.

Mr Warner said: 'He is a rather unfortunate man. He lives alone, is single and has been diagnosed and medicated for depression.'

Sentencing, Judge Lynch said: 'Your offence is thoroughly unpleasant and repeated breaches of this order using the most unpleasant of language and causing distress.

'It's said custody would be distressing for you but it seems you never learn. This is the ninth time you have breached this order, the same offensive, racist comments and you don't deserve another chance.'

Hennigan tried to argue with Judge Lynch before he started swearing and was sent to jail.

This is the latest in a string of breaches of Hennigan's ASBO. He has previously abused a bus driver, pub staff and raised a Nazi salute to a member of the public.

On another occasion he performed a Nazi salute in a central London pub and called black people 'n*****'.
Lord Mandelson said a failure by Theresa May to confirm the project by next month would risk economic ties with China

Theresa May must make a decision on the Hinkley Point nuclear power project before the end of September or risk ties with China, Lord Mandelson warned today.

The Prime Minister caused shock last month when she ordered a last-minute halt to finalising the 18 billion Somerset plant to review the situation amid suggestions she has security concerns over the Chinese state investing in critical UK infrastructure.

Former business secretary Lord Mandelson said it would be 'globally suicidal' for China, which has a one-third stake in the project, to be seen to be interfering with another country's security.

Mrs May is more likely to be concerned about the economics behind the deal and wants to 'own the detail', the Labour peer said.

The PM may fear a backlash over prices due to the unusually large amount of money French energy giant EDF, with its majority stake, will be paid for generating power from Hinkley - 92.50 per megawatt hour of electricity generated.

Lord Mandelson, president of the Great Britain-China centre, said Mrs May was right to scrutinise the deal but called for a quick decision as the UK will be more reliant on China once it exits the European Union.

'To stretch this out beyond the end of September would be a mistake,' the peer told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

'We have an enormous amount to play for in the post-Brexit world, we all want to deepen our economic ties with China post-Brexit. It will be a major foreign economic policy priority for the country.

'And I don't think that making any move in the meantime that makes that more difficult, and difficult enough it is going to be, is in Britain's interests.'

Mrs May has said she plans to make a final decision on the project by next month after reviewing the details of the huge scheme

Lord Mandelson dismissed security concerns about Chinese involvement in a British nuclear power plant.

'In the round the Government has to consider China's motivation for wanting to get into financing the projects like this,' he said.

'In my view, and I guess in their view too, they judge that it would be commercially, globally suicidal for China if they were to invest on the one hand and then try to mess around with other countries' security the next.

'Nobody would trust Chinese investment again, nobody would want to do business with China again.

'The truth is that China would have far, far too much to lose if it were to start compromising other countries' national security.'

Mrs May pressed pause on the 18billion Hinkley Point project last month hours after EDF signed off the spending for the project

On Tuesday the Government defended its decision to temporarily halt the project after China's ambassador in London warned that Britain's relationship with Beijing was at a 'critical historical juncture'.
A new Bloomberg Politics poll shows Hillary Clinton's post-Democratic National Convention bounce has deflated, but she remains six points ahead of her Republican rival Donald Trump.

Clinton, according to the survey that was released Wednesday morning, now receives support from 50 percent of likely voters, while Trump gets 44 percent support.

When third-party candidates are added into the equation, Clinton remains on top, but with a thinner margin that nears the poll's 3.6 percent margin of error.

Forty-four percent of likely voters would select Clinton, 40 percent would go for Trump, 9 percent would choose Libertarian Gary Johnson and 4 percent would select Green Party candidate Jill Stein.

Scroll down for video

Donald Trump (left) less of a hill to climb according to a new Bloomberg poll that shows him six points behind Hillary Clinton (right). Other polls have shown him down by double-digits

The new Bloomberg Politics poll, which popped this morning, has Hillary Clinton getting the support of 50 percent of likely voters, while Donald Trump has 44 percent support

Clinton's six-point lead in a two-candidate race is a slimmer margin than what other polls have shown the former secretary of state to have in recent days.

A McClatch/Marish poll showed Clinton with a whipping 15 point lead over the businessman, whose numbers popped up briefly after his own convention, which took place in mid-July, only to plummet after Democrats had theirs.

A catalyst of this was how Trump treated a Muslim-American Gold Star family who appeared onstage at the Democratic National Convention and criticized the GOP nominee for his plot to ban non-American Muslims from entering the United States.

Trump said that he had been 'viciously attacked' by the grieving parents who lost their son, an Army captain, in 2004 in Iraq.

In the Bloomberg survey, 56 percent of likely voters said they were bothered by Trump's response to Khizr and Ghazala Khan.

Khizr Khan had called out Trump and said the billionaire businessman had sacrificed 'nothing.'

When Libertarian Gary Johnson and Green Party hopeful Jill Stein are added in, Hillary Clinton's lead shrinks to four points, which is close to the poll's 3.6 percent margin of error

Donald Trump's latest gaffe - mentioning the 'Second Amendment' when talking about how to deal with Hillary Clinton and her judicial picks - wasn't factored in for this survey

In response, Trump told ABC's George Stephanopoulos, 'I think I've made a lot of sacrifices. I work very, very hard. I've created thousand and thousands of jobs, tens of thousands of jobs, built great structures.'

Almost half of the Bloomberg survey's respondents said they were bothered by Trump's refute of Khan's claim by comparing his work ethic to losing a son.

Likely voters, however, found Trump's mocking of a disabled reporter to be the most troublesome moment for the Republican hopeful, as he did last November, when discussing the New York Times' Serge Kovalesk at a campaign rally.

Kovelesk has a congenital joint condition.

More than six in 10 respondents said they were bothered by this.

Trump says he wasn't aware that the reporter was physically disabled when he did what looked to be an impression of the scribe.

Trump's latest controversy, bringing up the 'Second Amendment' when talking about Hillary Clinton and her federal judges, which many interpreted as a veiled threat, occurred after polling had concluded.

The top three Hillary Clinton controversies that likely voters find problematic all happened while she served as President Obama's secretary of state

For Clinton, respondents found three controversies from her days as secretary of state to be the most troublesome. First, 58 percent of likely voters were bothered by Clinton's private email set-up that the FBI called 'extremely careless.'

Another 55 percent were perturbed by her handling of the Benghazi terror attacks in 2012 when four were killed in Libya including the American ambassador.

And finally 53 percent of respondents were bothered by her family foundation allowing foreign donations to fill its coffers.

While the poll results suggest that Clinton's political problems from her time as secretary of state don't seem to be going away, there's greater proof that the electorate is tiring of Trump.

The poll shows that 61 percent of likely voters say they're now less impressed with Trump's business savvy than they were when he started his renegade campaign.

Clinton has done a number of things  including stage an entire campaign rally in Atlantic City in front of one of Trump's defunct casino hotels  to try and mess up Trump's big-in-business brand.

The survey also find that the same percentage of voters supporting Clinton because they like her are supporting Trump as a vote against her, meaning Trump's voters are more anti-Clinton than pro-Trump.

Fifty-six percent of Clinton voters say they're selecting the former secretary of state because they personally support her.

While 56 percent of Trump voters say they're voting Republican as a vote against Clinton.
Police surrounded the store and arrested the robbers as they left

The smarts of a store manager at a marijuana dispensary in Seattle lead two armed robbers right into the arms of the police on Sunday night.

The incident happened around 10:30 pm at the Have a Heart pot shop in North Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood.

The workers were closing for the night when two masked gunmen barged their way in, using zip ties to tie up two female employees.

The bandits then raided the store - a cash-only business - and the safe, unaware that their every move was being watched by the manager, who was at home monitoring a live feed.

Terrifying footage: The incident happened around 10:30 pm Sunday night at the Have a Heart pot shop in Greenwood neighborhood, with two masked me storming the joint

The robbers forced the employees to the ground before tying both of them up

Restraints: The bandits used zip ties to tie up the employees on the floor

Store manager Damon Martinez usually watches his workers close up the shop each night, but Sunday was different.

'Most times I watch the TV nothing happens, everybody goes home safe and tonight I watched and caught something,' Martinez told Q13 Fox.

'I wanted to leave and get in my car and come down here, but police convinced me I was more helpful on the phone.

'You're sick to your stomach.

'I was begging police to come in and help them. It's really hard to watch.'

'Police convinced me I was more helpful on the phone': Store manager Damon Martinez foiled the robbery from his house

Seattle Police Department quickly arrived at the store and established a perimeter.

As the robbers came out, they were confronted by a group of cops with their weapons drawn. The men immediately surrendered.

The employees inside managed to free themselves. They were said to be shaken, but not injured.

The two men were booked into the King County Jail. Police say they recovered a handgun and two duffle bags from the alleged suspects.

Masked bandits: The two masked men eventually exited the building, only getting a few steps from the door before being told to stop by responding officers

Two men, one of whom was armed, forced their way into the Have a Heart marijuana dispensary on Sunday night and tied up the store employees at gunpoint

Marijuana dispensaries in the Seattle area have seen an increase in attempted robberies lately, police said.
Pocket-sized drones are set to be introduced to the battlefield as a way of spying on enemy forces.

US soldiers based in Hawaii have spent recent weeks at the Pacific Manned-Unmanned Initiative testing robotic prototypes of the tiny drones that are virtually undetectable by enemies.

Military news website Breaking Defense reports that soldiers controlled air and land drones during the testing sessions to determine which type of the technology could benefit soldiers in war zones.

A Us soldier tests the new pocket-sized drone, which have been trialled in Hawaii recently

The ground drones look like miniature tanks, and are much larger than the flying versions.

In comparison, smaller than your palm, the PD-100 air drone has a maximum range of 1.5 miles and weighs less than an ounce.

It can be airborne within minutes and is silent, making it hard for the enemy to detect when scouting out areas such as future battle sites without putting soldiers in any danger.

However, the air drone can only work for 25 minutes before needing a recharge so the soldiers were given two to alternate between while also operating power-saving measures and recharging from ground robots.

'We ran it up to three-and-a-half hours, literally leapfrogging birds the entire time,' Broc Garner, a Staff Sergeant in Bravo Company, 2/27 Infantry, told the website.

'It'll drain faster if you turn the handheld display to full brightness or if you fly in bad weather  the drone can manage winds up to 40 knots (46mph).'

Ground drones were also trialed but did have some problems, such as being slower than foot patrol when the terrain turned rough

Ground robots reportedly received mixed reviews, helping move equipment for the overloaded infantry but struggling to keep up with foot troops over rough terrain.

They were considered a better bet for urban warfare in cities.

Staff Sergeant James Roe told the website he was 'blown away' by the air drone, which he said looks like a bird when it's flying.

'That was a system that we could actually take right nowon the battlefield,' Roe said.

'Some of these other systems, as with any electronics and robotics, there are some things that have to be worked out.'

But the land drones did help soldiers move equipment during the trials in Hawaii

Garner reportedly said being able to see video feeds of what awaited troops in the next village or down a trail was invaluable.

'The situational awareness tools that we had up there are the ones we're definitely looking forward to obtaining' as regular issue,' Garner told the website.
A support monkey 'got loose' inside the cabin after being taken on-board by a passenger on a flight to Las Vegas.

A Frontier Airlines flight was traveling from Columbus, Ohio, to Las Vegas's McCarran International Airport when the animal got free on Tuesday night, an airport spokeswoman said.

A staff member told spokeswoman Melissa Nunnery, 'that the monkey was loose, or got loose', during the flight, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

A support monkey 'got loose' inside the cabin after being taken on-board by a passenger on a flight to Las Vegas (stock image)

A Frontier Airlines flight was traveling from Columbus, Ohio, to Las Vegas's McCarran International Airport when the animal got free on Tuesday night (stock image)

Nunnery said she did not know what type of monkey it was, before adding that it had not been smuggled onto the plane.

'The passenger had all the proper paperwork to have the monkey on the plane with him,' she told the newspaper.

Monkeys are included in the list of animals - along with domesticated dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, or small household birds - that can be taken on flights for a fee, according to Frontier.

However, the airline does not allow pets to be checked as baggage, and also does not allow 'reptiles or arachnids' on-board.

The flight landed shortly after 11pm on Tuesday night, and all passengers - including those of the primate variety - got off safely.
Terrified residents of a village in Nicaragua feared a young girl had been possessed by the Devil after they found her staggering through the streets in the middle of the night with Satanic symbols carved into her arms and hands.

The 13-year-old girl was 'disorientated' and unable to explain what had happened to her when she was stopped in the village of La Chiriza in central Nicaragua.

Eyewitnesses said the girl's hands and arms were scratched and slashed with pentacles and other symbols often used in Satanism.

A woman puts flowers on the tomb of a loved one on the Day of the Dead at the cemetery in Nicaragua. A devoutly Catholic country, Nicaraguans often have a strong belief in the occult

The teenager, who was wearing a blue and white school uniform, was handed over to the police, who eventually found her parents.

One of the villagers told the local Canal 10 television station: 'We stopped her, but it was very strange. She seemed to have been playing some strange game. I think she's from Cuba, she's not from this village.'

The pentacle (pictured) is actually a pagan symbol but it is sometimes used by Satanic cults

'It's up to the parents to pay attention to the children. This is truly the fault of the parents,' she added.

In recent years impoverished and illegal Cuban immigrants have arrived in Nicaragua from Costa Rica.

They originally travelled by boat from Cuba and headed north in an attempt to get into the United States via Mexico.

But despite Nicaraguan troops deporting them to Costa Rica they have returned and are often stranded and without money.

Nicaragua is a devoutly Roman Catholic country but many people also believe in and fear the Devil and the occult.
A gay couple who held hands in a Sainsburys store were allegedly taken outside by a security guard after a complaint that they were touching inappropriately.

Thomas Rees, 30, was shopping at the store in Hackney, East London, with his boyfriend Joshua Bradwell when the guard asked them both to step outside.

He then told them a customer had made a complaint about them holding hands, leaving the couple aghast and feeling like they were living in 1960s Britain.

Shocked: Thomas Rees (left), 30, was shopping at a Sainsburys in Hackney, East London, with his boyfriend Joshua Bradwell (right) when the guard asked them both to step outside

The account manager told BuzzFeed: I just dont understand why he needed to take us outside and why he needed to tell us. There was no sense of humility.

I refuse to believe this would have happened to a heterosexual couple - we just stared in disbelief. The issue here is it felt like 1960s Britain.

Mr Rees added that the couple were made to feel like criminals at the store on Hackney Road and at first believed they had accidentally stolen something.

Speaking to ITV News, he added: I was shaking and dumbfounded and unable to respond. He kept repeating the customer felt our behaviour was inappropriate.

He now feels uneasy about shopping in the store in case the guard is there again - and wants Sainsburys to ensure all staff and contractors have diversity training.

Mr Rees added that the couple were made to feel like criminals at the store on Hackney Road and at first believed they had accidentally stolen something

A Sainsburys customer service representative had since offered Rees a 10 gift card to apologise to Mr Rees, but he felt the gesture was insufficient.

A company spokesman told MailOnline today: We sincerely apologise to Thomas and Josh. We are an inclusive retailer and employer.

(We) do not tolerate discrimination in our stores. We will take appropriate action once weve concluded our investigation with our security contractor.

In October 2014 protesters held a 'big kiss' demonstration at a Sainsbury's store in Brighton after two women were asked to leave the store for kissing.
Some holidaymakers were stranded at Manchester Airport for 7 hours

They were told there had been 'unscheduled

Hundreds of passengers have been stranded at Manchester Airport for hours after their flights were delayed due to 'technical issues'.

Holidaymakers travelling with Lithuanian-based Small Planet Airlines were told this morning that they would face delays because of 'unscheduled maintenance' to the aircraft.

Some passengers waited up to seven hours for their flight to Rhodes, Greece. Dozens of other flights across the airline's network are also delayed.

It comes after the same airline forced passengers to wait 39 hours before they could board their plane to Corfu last week.

Scroll down for video

Holidaymakers travelling with Lithuanian-based Small Planet Airlines were told this morning that they would face delays because of 'unscheduled maintenance' to the aircraft

More than 100 passengers, due to depart from Manchester Airport on Monday, August 8, did not arrive at the Greek island until 7.15am on the Wednesday.

This morning a flight due to leave the airport for Larnaca, Cyprus at 4.20am has been delayed by more than four hours.

FLIGHT WAS DELAYED WHEN CREW MEMBER WAS DRUNK Last July a Small Planet Airlines flight travelling from Gatwick to Corfu was delayed for nearly four hours when a Portuguese crew member was arrested for being drunk after celebrating the country's Euro 2016 win. More than 140 passengers were waiting at Gatwick until the captain announced that a senior male staff member had arrived 'drunk on duty'.

Advertisement

Another flight originally scheduled to depart at 8am is now set to depart at 3pm, delaying passengers for seven hours.

Meanwhile, flights travelling back to Manchester from Albania and Rhodes are also delayed.

The flight schedule page on the Lithuanian airline company website shows dozens of their flights flying across Europe are severely delayed.

Simon Jackson, 40, who travelled to Manchester from Humberside for an early morning flight to Rhodes blasted the airline for not giving him any information.

He said: 'We got here this morning at 4.30am to check in at 5.30am. At 5am on the noticeboard it said check in will not open, the flight is delayed until 3pm this afternoon.

'A lady came out and said it has been delayed, there is no more information until later. She was a mediator for the airport.

'Everybody is in uproar. There must be 300 people waiting to go, nobody is telling us anything.'

Holidaymakers were stuck in Manchester Airport for 38 hours after their flight to Corfu was delayed last week (pictured)

In a statement spokesman for Small Planet Airlines said: 'We have experienced an unscheduled maintenance of our aircraft in Manchester Airport.

'That is why we are now sending a replacement aircraft from our other base to cover flight from Manchester to Rhodes.

'We have to carry out unscheduled technical maintenance due to flight safety suspicions.

'We expect the flight to depart 3pm on UK time, with a delay of seven hours. We apologize for all the inconveniences caused by this delay.
British fighters helping Kurdish forces in Syria have renamed themselves the Bob Crow Brigade and broken off from fighting ISIS to support the Eurostar workers' strike.

A bizarre picture has emerged showing UK affiliates of the Kurdish People Defence Units on the Syrian front line in an unlikely show of solidarity with the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union.

The union has called a series of strikes on Southern Rail routes and Eurostar after complaining about safety and their 'work life balance.'

And their cause has received backing in the most unlikely of places with six balaclava-wearing militants waving machine guns in the air and making reference to the RMT's former leader Bob Crow, who died of a heart attack in 2014.

British fighters in Syria have renamed themselves the Bob Crow Brigade and broken off from fighting ISIS to support the Eurostar workers' strike

The fighters made reference to the RMT's former leader Bob Crow (pictured)

In large red lettering on the wall of an outpost, they have written the message: 'Victory to the guards! Victory to the RMT!...from one struggle against injustice to the struggle against another.'

The reason for their backing is unclear, but a small number of Kurdish fighters based in northern Syria with the YPG come from the UK.

The image emerged on social media as strikes by Southern Railway workers scheduled for Thursday and Friday were called off to allow fresh talks in the bitter row over the role of conductors.

Members of the RMT walked out on Monday and were due to stay out until the weekend.

Following an offer from the RMT to suspend the action if Southern returned to talks without any preconditions, Acas announced that the strike will be suspended.

The image emerged on social media as strikes by Southern Railway workers scheduled for Thursday and Friday were called off to allow fresh talks in the row over the role of conductors

A spokesman for the conciliation service said: 'Southern and the RMT are returning to talks tomorrow under the auspices of Acas. Strike action has been suspended for Thursday and Friday.'

The YPG have been a key force fighting ISIS in north and north eastern Syria.
It is believed the women chose the attire as it has been raining in Rio

The Dutch team wore full black bodysuits under their orange crop tops

Australia and the Netherlands faced off in the women's

The Dutch women's beach volleyball team shocked Olympic spectators all over the globe after stepping on to the sand in full bodysuits during their match against Australia.

Olympic competitors Marleen Van Iersel and Madelein Meppelink from the Netherlands appeared out of place in the beach volleyball arena as they stood toe-to-toe with their bikini-clad rivals, Australians Louise Bawden and Taliqua Clancy.

There were some showers in Rio on Wednesday as the preliminary match kicked off, however temperatures sat at a comfortable 22 degrees causing social media users to question why the Dutch team bucked the bikini trend.

Olympic competitors Marleen Van Iersel and Madelein Meppelink from the Netherlands appeared out of place in the beach volleyball arena as they stood toe-to-toe with their bikini-clad rivals, Australians Louise Bawden and Taliqua Clancy

Spectators appear divided over their choice of attire, with some commending the athletes for flouting the skimpy uniform regulations while others have blamed them for 'ruining' the sport.

'What's up with the full body spandex by the Dutch? The whole purpose of watching women's volleyball is to see skin,' one man from America wrote.

'The Netherlands proving it is actually possible to play beach volleyball whilst wearing clothes,' argued another.

'I wonder how many men have stayed up to watch girls beach volleyball only to discover Netherlands girls are n full body suits,' one user joked.

One woman said her husband was bitterly disapointed, while others said the Dutch team appear comfortable and won't suffer from any 'wedgies'.

Spectators appear divided over their choice of attire, with some commending the athletes for flouting the skimpy uniform regulations while others have blamed them for 'ruining' the sport

Marleen van Iersel (left) and Madelein Meppelink (right) celebrate after scoring a point

Louise Bawden (left) and Taliqua Clancy (right) appeared comfortable as they vie for the ball in their bikinis

Clancy gestures to her team mate as the Netherlands prepare for a serve

Van Iersel and her team-mate wore bikini's when they beat Costa Rica earlier in the Games

Van Iersel manoeuvred around the sand with ease but despite her best efforts could not secure a win

The Dutch team were defeated for the first time in the Rio Games on Wednesday

But the warmer uniform was not enough to give the Dutch an edge over Australia's top-ranked beach volleyball team, who got up in the first and last set.

Louise Bawden and Clancy defeated the sixth-seeded Dutch pair 27-25 18-21 16-14 in their third and final preliminary-round match at Copacabana beach.

The victory ensures the undefeated duo will finish top of Pool F.

Although the International Volleyball Federation used to have standards regulating the size of uniforms, those were loosened heading into the London 2012 Olympics to allow full sleeves and leggings.
Police officers were forced to shoot down a knife wielding man who terrified shoppers with shouts of 'Allah Akbar.'

The incident took place on Tuesday afternoon in Spijkenisse, a commuter-town close to the city of Rotterdam in the west of the Netherlands.

The police spotted a local man, 35, close to the central metro station of Spijkenisse who made wild movements with a butcher's knife.

The scene in Spijkenisse, a commuter-town close to the city of Rotterdam, where the shooting happened on Tuesday afternoon

Police closed off the crime scene after shooting the knife-wielding man. He was now in hospital and was still responsive after being shot

Shoppers and commuters were especially worried by shouts of 'Allah Akbar'.

A police officer was forced to shoot down the man when he came storming towards them with the knife.

According to a police spokesman, the knife wielding man was still responsive after he was shot in his leg, and was taken to a hospital.

No other people were injured in the incident.

It is not yet known why the man, a 35-year-old citizen of Spijkenisse, wielded a knife or shouted 'Allah Akbar'.

According to the police, the man looked confused.

The police said a criminal investigation had begun.

Police said the man looked confused before they shot him in the leg near the metro station

No other people were injured in the incident but police have begun a criminal probe

Multiple eye-witnesses heard the shouts of 'Allah Akbar', although some who watched the scenes unfold were not impressed.

One eye-witness said: 'About every person on the planet is shouting 'Allah Akbar' nowadays.'
A baby girl has been born with two heads in Indonesia.

The newborn was delivered on Monday in a hospital in Gresik on the East Java province of Indonesia.

The infant delivered on Monday is currently in an incubator under the care of nurses at Ibnu Sina General Hospital.

The girl weighed in at 4.2 kg and was diagnosed with Parapagus, a rare form of partial twinning where there are two heads and two necks side by side on one torso.

Scroll down for video

Two-headed infant was born in Gresik, on the East Java Province of Indonesia on Monday

The infant who has since been place in an incubator is under the watchful eye of nurses

The girl weighed in at 4.2 kg and was diagnosed with Parapagus - a rare form of partial twinning where there are two heads side by side on one torso

Amazing footage shows the baby crying in an incubator in the hospital.

She was also diagnosed with respiratory failure from the minute of birth.

The infant has been attached to a heart and respiratory monitor as doctors and nurses keep a close watch on her.

This disorder is different from conjoined twins as the baby has only one set of internal organs.

Due to there being only one heart it makes it impossible to separate them and save both their lives.

The extremely rare case is thought to be brought on during the early stages of pregnancy as a result of genetic mutation.

She was also diagnosed with respiratory failure from the minute of birth

The girl is currently being cared for at Ibnu Sina General Hospital
An Ohio man killed his girlfriend, then hacked into her Facebook account and posted a message accusing her of cheating before leading police on a chase that ended with the suspects suicide.

Elyria police say they responded to a report of gunfire Sunday around 11pm and found 40-year-old Kiesha Betton shot in the torso. She died at a hospital.

According to police, the victim's boyfriend, 42-year-old Leonzo Bufford, shot her and then drove more than 40 miles to a home in South Euclid, where he shot his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend, who were hospitalized in serious condition.

Scroll down for video

Domestic tragedy: Police say Leonzo Bufford, 42 (right), shot dead his girlfriend, 40-year-old Kiesha Betton (left), in Ohio after accusing her of infidelity

Hack attack: Bufford then used the dead woman's cellphone to post this status update on her Facebook page

Bufford then led officers on a chase that ended in Cleveland, where he fatally shot himself in the head, reported Cleveland.com.

Investigators say about three hours after Keisha Betton was shot inside her home on Revere Lane in Elyria, her boyfriend took her cellphone and put up a status update on her Facebook page that read: 'Never play games with someone emotions or cheat on them when they give you their all, please respect their love and devotion, someone will end up hurt or worse dead.'

Someone wrote in the comments section that Bufford 'need [sic] to kill himself.'

At 2.02am Monday, the man replied: 'I will.'

He also changed Keisha Betton's profile picture to a photo of the two of them together.

Bufford shot Betton multiple times in the torso during a heated argument concerning her alleged cheating. Her two daughters were present during the shooting

Crime spree: Bufford, pictured here with his son as a child, then headed to the home of his ex-girlfriend and shot her and her current boyfriend

According to witnesses, after going out to dinner with family, Bufford accused Betton of being unfaithful to him and the two got into a heated argument, which ended with the boyfriend shooting the woman multiple times at 11.09pm. Her two teenage daughter were home at the time of the slaying.

Bufford then headed to the South Euclid home of his ex-girlfriend, 50-year-old Sophia Latimer, and shot her and Darnell Strowder, 58, at around 1.20am. He also allegedly set a car on fire outside the couple's home on Winston Road.

Latimer, who suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach, was able to call for help, telling a 911 dispatcher on the phone: 'I've been shot, me and my boyfriend. I'm bleeding, too.'

Bufford shot himself in the head three hours after killing Betton (pictured left and right)

Police officers went in pursuit of Bufford, and at around 2.20pm they stopped him at Martin Luther King Jr. Drive near East 105th Street in Cleveland. That is when he pulled out a gun and shot himself in the head.
John Martin, 41, who gave a kidney to save a stranger's life was allegedly stabbed to death by a neighbour after a late-night row

An organ donor who gave a kidney to save a stranger's life was stabbed to death by a neighbour after a late-night row, a court has heard.

John Martin, 41, had been making his way home from a pub in Kingsbury, north west London, on Sunday morning when he was attacked.

Despite the efforts of emergency services, Martin - who was with his girlfriend at the time - suffered two deep stab wounds to his side and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Today, Darryn Madigan, 38, appeared at the Old Bailey accused of murder.

Prosecutor Oliver Glasgow QC said: 'The deceased and Mr Madigan are both residents in flats next door to each other in Kingsbury.

'The allegation is that the deceased returned from a night out with his partner by minicab and a dispute broke out between John Martin and the defendant - the defendant being in the upstairs flat looking out of the bedroom window.

'The allegation is that he left his property and came downstairs armed with a kitchen knife.'

Madigan appeared via video link in a blue T-shirt, and spoke only to confirm his name during the brief hearing.

Judge Mark Lucraft QC remanded him in custody ahead of his trial on January 30 next year.

Following Mr Martin's death, it emerged he once donated a kidney to a young girl he had never met after seeing her desperate advert in a newspaper.

He went straight to hospital to see if he was a match and immediately volunteered for the surgery.

The carpenter was originally from Donore, County Meath.

Despite the efforts of emergency services, Martin suffered two deep stab wounds to his side and was pronounced dead at the scene in Kingsbury, north west London

Sharon Keogan, a councillor in Mr Martin's home town of St Mary's, told the Irish Independent: 'Donore is a very small tight-knit community and the Martins have been a part of that community for a very, very long time and it's a terrible phone call for any family to take.'

Family friend Asad Amiri said Mr Martin, known as Johnny, was an 'amazing' man.

He said: 'He was a nice guy. He used to give my daughter lifts home occasionally, she is disabled.

Following Mr Martin's death, it emerged he once donated a kidney to a young girl he had never met after seeing her desperate advert in a newspaper

'He donated his kidney, can you imagine that? He donated it out of charity.

'I saw my son Kevin the other day who knew Johnny a bit and he had no idea why he had been stabbed.

'In this country you have to wait for years for a kidney. It was an amazing and incredible act and very rare that somebody would do that for someone they didn't know.

'He was very helpful and kind to my family and it's extremely sad that he was killed.'

Mr Amiri's son Kevin, who was drinking with Mr Martin before he died, posted on Facebook: 'Can't believe only Saturday night was having a drink with you mate and the very next day you're just gone.

'Have just been in complete shock and just wish what I'm hearing wasn't true. RIP Johnny Martin. Miss our laughs together and we'll never forget you mate.

'God took away a good person.'

Shocked neighbours described him as a 'big drinker' and a 'lovely, jolly man'.
No one was injured in the clash after a gunner in the convoy fired back

and began firing at them

Video has emerged of Islamic State fighters reportedly launching an 'assassination attempt' on the convoy of Iraqi Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi.

The convoy was travelling near Mosul, in the north of Iraq, to visit troops at the Qayyarah airbase on Monday when the mortar attack occurred, it has been reported.

The dramatic video shows a machine gunner fighting back amid yelling and incoming fire from ISIS fighters repeatedly hitting the convoy.

The video shows the machine gunner who fought back against ISIS fighters who attacked the Iraqi Defence Minister's convoy on Monday

The convoy was travelling along a dusty road to the Qayyarah airbase on Monday

However, it has reportedly been confirmed since that no one was injured.

The Iraqi Defence Ministry confirmed in a statement Al-Obeidi had survived an 'assassination attempt' but did not name the group involved, The Anadolu Agency said.

But the ministry had said Al-Obeidis convoy had come under fire from a mortar attack late Monday near the Imam Gharbi village, near an area held by the terrorist group.

The Telegraph reports that the video was initially posted on Al-Obeidi's Facebook page, then later released to the media by a member of the Iraqi ministry of defence.

The paper said Iraqi soldiers had recently established a defence south of Mosul but ISIS fighters were still able to mount the attack.

Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi was uninjured in the attack on his convoy

The obscured view, possibly by bullets ricocheting off the glass, from inside the convoy

The view from within the Iraqi Defence Minister's convoy during the attack by ISIS
A worker in Miami has shot a colleague then himself after a heated argument in a parking lot, police believe.

A man aged in his late 50s was shot multiple times in the chest, before the alleged gunman, a man in his 40s, turned the weapon on himself, WPLG reports.

The second man was found by officers slumped against a car in a parking lot near Miami International Airport with a gunshot wound to the head.

It is believed the two men worked at the airport.

A worker in Miami has shot a colleague then himself after a heated argument in a parking lot, police believe

Police were called to the parking lot after a witness heard two men arguing shortly before 6am

Aerial pictures taken by WPLG show an officer standing in the lot near two bodies that were covered by tarps.

A witness heard the two men arguing shortly before 6am, followed by a series of gunshots and then a final one, police detective Marjorie Eloi told the Miami Herald.

The parking lot was shut down for almost an hour by police after they arrived at the scene.
Police searched Wednesday for a man they said threatened two nurses at gunpoint at a secure mental health care hospital then took off with his girlfriend, who was a patient.

Elliott Ravert, 18, demanded nurses unlock the housing unit where Alicia Buzzard, 21, was a patient and threatened to shoot them if they did not cooperate, police said.

Police said they were not sure if Buzzard went willingly with Ravert, but they issued a missing-person alert for her and said she might be at risk of harm. She had been at the hospital for about a week and a half.

Police are searching for Elliott Ravert, 18 (left), who broke his 21-year-old girlfriend Alicia Buzzard (right) out of a mental hospital in Pennsylvania on Tuesday

Philhaven, the mental and behavioral health care facility where the incident occurred, is located about 30 miles east of the state capital.

Buzzard's sister, Tiffany Buzzard, told LNP newspaper that their mother had asked hospital officials to not allow Ravert to see his girlfriend.

An arrest warrant was issued charging him with aggravated assault, terroristic threats and robbery. Police said he took a two-way radio from the hospital.

They were starting to get physical and trying to have babies. She stopped taking her medicine and threatened to kill herself. Tiffany Buzzard, sister of missing person Alicia Buzzard

Buzzard has bipolar disorder and has known Ravert for about three months, his sister said. She lives in Myerstown, about a half hour from the hospital, with her mother, stepfather and grandfather.

'My mom and stepdad separated her and Elliott because they were starting to get physical and trying to have babies,' Tiffany Buzzard told LNP. 'She stopped taking her medicine and threatened to kill herself.'

Buzzard's mother Jacqui Shay says Ravert 'seemed very nice' at first'.

'He went to church with us, opened doors for Alicia and bought her stuff,' Shay told Lancaster Online.

Armed with a gun, Ravert broke his girlfriend out of this mental hospital in Pennsylvania on Tuesday. The couple remained at large on Wednesday

Family say Ravert, left, and Buzzard, right, met three months ago. They recently started getting intimate, at which point Buzzard's family tried to separate the two

While their relationship had a good start, things had turned physical in June, and that's when Shay asked Ravert to stop seeing her daughter.

When the family tried to keep them apart, Shay says that Ravert became 'obsessed' and vowed to marry Buzzard no matter what her family felt.

'I believe he was filling her head with marrying her, having kids, that he would fight us for her,' she said. 'He would be the knight in shining armor coming to rescue her.'

It was also around this time that Shay says her daughter stopped taking her medications and threatened to hurt herself.

'She has the mind of a 12-year-old,' Shay said. 'She can be psychotic. She goes manic. I think shes probably a little scared. She doesnt like guns. She never wanted to shoot guns.'

Ravert drives a green 2004 Chevy Avalanche with Pennsylvania license plate ZGY-3594, but police said late Wednesday he may have changed plates. Authorities said they did not know where Ravert might be headed.

Buzzard is described as being 5-foot-4 inches tall, 140 pounds, with brown shoulder-length hair. Ravert is 5-foot-11, 150 pounds with brown hair.
or life in prison, if convicted

Crime boss arrested: Francis P. 'Cadillac Frank' Salemme, seen in this 1995 file photo, was arrested Wednesday and charged in the murder of a federal witness

Former New England Mafia boss Francis 'Cadillac Frank' Salemme has been arrested in the murder of a federal witness.

During a brief court appearance in federal court in Boston Wednesday, Salemme agreed to be held without bail, at least temporarily.

A document filed in court this afternoon states that Salemme, 82, is charged with the murder of a witness on May 10, 1993, but it does not name the victim.

However, another former high-ranking member of La Cosa Nostra Mafia in New England was charged in June with lying to federal officials about the May 1993 killing of Boston nightclub manager Steven DiSarro.

Robert DeLuca's indictment said he arranged with Salemme to have DiSarro's body buried in Rhode Island.

Salemme was indicted in 2004 for denying knowing anything about DiSarro's killing while negotiating a plea deal in 1999. He was sentenced to five years in prison.

The indictment alleged that Salemme and his son had a hidden interest in DiSarro's nightclub, The Channel.

New identity: Salemme, depicted in this courtroom sketch from 2004, had been living in Atlanta in the witness protection program under the name 'Richard Parker'

Robert DeLuca (left), former member of La Cosa Nostra Mafia, was charged in June with lying to federal officials about the 1993 killing of nightclub manager Steven DiSarro (right)

Salemme, who headed the Patriarca crime family in the early 1990s, has previously denied a claim by another mobster that he watched his son strangle DiSarro, 43, and helped dispose of his body. Francis Salemme Jr died in 1995.

Prosecutors say Salemme had been living in Atlanta while in the witness protection program under the name 'Richard Parker' but he recently fled, reported the Boston Globe. He was taken into custody in Connecticut Wednesday.

Salemme's lawyer, Steve Boozang, denied that his client was trying to flee.

'We'll vigorously fight these charges,' Boozang said. 'Knowing he's a fighter, he'll be very involved in his defense.'

Crime scene: DiSarro's remains were discovered behind a mill building in Providence, Rhode Island, in March

Prosecutors said Salemme was arrested in Connecticut. The charge against him carries a sentence of death or life in prison on conviction. Prosecutors have not said whether they will seek the death penalty.

DeLuca was among the mobsters captured on an FBI tape being inducted into La Cosa Nostra in 1989 during a ceremony in Medford, Massachusetts.
The Census hacking disaster was covered up for up for nine hours while the government advised Australians to continue lodging their forms online, it has been revealed.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics was aware its computer system crashed for five minutes at 10.08am on Tuesday, but held off on announcing the attack until Wednesday morning.

It comes as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull denies the data was compromised and blamed 'equipment failures' for the crises, reports Daily Telegraph.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull denies the data was compromised after foreign attacks on the ABS website

ABS boss David Kalisch (pictured) has conceded the system suffered four attack which forced them to shut down the website

ABS boss David Kalisch conceded on Wednesday the system suffered three 'denial of service attacks' before a fourth 'malicious attack' forced them to shut down the website.

Speaking with radio station 2GB, Mr Turnbull said the ABS, the ASD and IBM had offered 'unequivocal advice that the Australian Census data is safe, it has not been compromised'.

'The site has not been hacked, it has not been interfered with, their data is safeThere were some failures in the equipment ... the so-called geo-blocking protections and obviously that will be the subject of examination.'

He urged the public not to panic and said it the ABS decision to shut down the website was taken 'out of an abundance of caution'.

The Australian Privacy Commissioner has nonetheless launched an investigation into whether any confidential information was compromised.

About 16 million residents were expected to log on to complete the compulsory Census on Tuesday night, but were met with error messages.

Census Minister Michael McCormack has denied Australians' personal data has been hacked after an attack on the ABS website overnight

Census Minister Michael McCormack backed up Mr Turnbull's assurance the data was not compromised.

'ABS Census security was not compromised. I repeat, not compromised and no data was lost,' Mr McCormack said during a press conference in Canberra on Wednesday.

There was a large-scale denial-of-service attack on the website, which is when the site is flooded with requests for information and the servers are overwhelmed.

'Following, and because of this, there was a hardware failure,' Mr McCormack said, saying the ABS took a very cautious approach in shutting down the site.

There were several denial-of-service incidents detected between 10am and 7.30pm, with the last starting about the same time as millions of Australians logged on to the site to try and fill out their Census forms.

Mr McCormack explained the foreign hack was an 'attempt to frustrate the collection' of Census data on the website, forcing the ABS to shut down the website as a safeguard

About 16 million residents were expected to log on to complete the compulsory Census on Tuesday night, but were met with error messages

The Australian Bureau of Statistics claims its website was shut down after being attacked by foreign hackers as millions tried to complete the Census online on Tuesday night




Former Catholic priest Philip Temple has been jailed for 12 years after he finally admitted abusing children in his care

A judge has made a personal apology to a victim of Catholic priest who sexually abused 12 children dating back to the 1970s but slipped through the justice system.

Philip Temple, 67, sexually assaulted a number of those in his care between 1971 and 1977 when he worked at children's homes for Lambeth and Wandsworth borough councils.

He then changed career to become a priest in 1988 and served at Christ the King Monastery, Vita Et Pax in Cockfosters, where he abused two children including an altar boy.

Temple was jailed for 12 years today after he admitted 20 counts of non-recent sexual assault at Croydon Crown Court and seven like counts at Woolwich Crown Court.

Temple was previously tried in the late 1990s but the jury could not decide on a verdict, sparking a retrial which ended in an acquittal, Woolwich Crown Court heard on Wednesday.

The former priest, now 67, was described by one of his victims as an 'extremely skilled liar and manipulator with sociopathic qualities', and the court heard the effect on his victims' lives had proved 'incalculable'.

Judge Christopher Hehir told the man, who said he was abused as a teenager when Temple was a priest: 'I am sorry justice was not done when you came to court in 1998 and 1999.'

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court he took to smoking and drinking heavily, self-harming, became a recluse and rarely ate after the trials, culminating in a suicide attempt.

He said he had seen Temple as a father figure, to the extent that he gave him a Father's Day card one year.

He said: 'I can only imagine the damage he has caused to other victims. We can never escape what he did and we can never be free of it.'

He added: 'He is an extremely skilled liar and manipulator with sociopathic qualities. It has been a heavy burden to bear and I hope when this case concludes I can release myself from it.'

A judge at Woolwich Crown Court apologise to Temple's victims today as he jailed him

The judge said it was clear there were 'two missed opportunities' after the court heard that the youngest known victim, who was six or seven when he was abused by Temple while he was employed by Wandsworth Borough Council, started civil proceedings against the council in 1991.

The civil case 'appeared to be settled with no payment' and police did not investigate when he reported the matter four years later, prosecutor Jonathan Polnay said.

Temple also admitted two counts of perjury during the previous trials at the Croydon hearing.

Sentencing him, the judge told him: 'You of course exploited the opportunities your deceit as to your character had afforded you, not only by sexually abusing children but, as a priest, by lying on oath to deny the truthful accusations brought against you by one of your victims.

'Your actions as a priest demonstrated that in truth you were a wolf in shepherd's clothing.'

The judge acknowledged Temple's remorse, but said it had come 'far, far too late for those who suffered at your hands'.
Hillary Clinton's campaign unveiled a list of former high-ranking Republican officials this morning that say they cannot support Donald Trump.

Three former cabinet officials, a retired director of national intelligence, six U.S. ambassadors and two retired members of Congress joined the ranks of Republicans defecting to the Democratic presidential candidate.

'Voters are increasingly seeing that Clinton understands the complex and volatile world we live in and has the experience and temperament to be president and lead the nation as Commander in Chief and that Donald Trump does not,' her campaign said today in a release.

The endorsements 'send a strong signal to Republican and Independent voters that respected leaders are putting country over political party in this election,' it added.

Hillary Clinton's campaign unveiled a list of former high-ranking Republican officials this morning that say they cannot support Donald Trump

A report that came out this morning meanwhile revealed the names of a 'handful' of Republican National Committee staffers who resigned from their positions over the summer because they would not work to elect Trump.

Close to 50 names are on the Clinton 'Together for America' endorsement list.

Carlos Gutierrez, Commerce Secretary to George W. Bush at the end of his tenure and a former Chairman and CEO of Kellogg Company, said in the release, 'I support Hillary Clinton because she has the steady temperament and the experience to serve as president.

'She has shown her commitment to strengthening U.S.-Cuba relations, immigration reform, and Americas role in todays competitive global economy. I look forward to supporting her progress on these important issues.'

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Carla Hills, former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson - who was at the wheel during the 2008 financial crash - Former Congresswoman Connie Morella, Former Congressman Chris Shays and Former Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte have signed onto the effort, too.

The group includes some independents like Michael Bloomberg, the ex-mayor of New York City who endorsed Clinton in a speech ad the Democratic National Convention, as well.

In backing Clinton, Shays said in a statement, 'Donald Trump represents practically everything I was taught not to be, and taught our daughter not to be. Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate for president, will be getting my vote, not reluctantly, but with a strong conviction she will be a good president.

'By working with all Americans Hillary will reinforce the fact that the inspired efforts of our Founding Fathers -- who toiled unceasingly to create a Constitution designed to enable a diverse people, through the art of compromise, to find common ground -- was not in vain,' said the defeated congressman said.

Shays lost his reelection bid in 2008.

Trump has been a polarizing figure within his own party.

A temperature-taking Monmouth University poll released this week found that Trump's approval rating with Republicans is stuck at 79 percent.

Clinton has over the same time period made steady gains with Democrats, and 92 percent of the former secretary of state's party members say they'll vote for her in November.

The cohesive support from Democrats, as well as disaffected Republicans, has boosted her in early August polling. She led Trump by 13 percent with likely voters in the Monmouth poll.

Close to 50 names are on the list such as Carlos Gutierrez, Commerce Secretary to George W. Bush at the end of his tenure. Gutierrez is also a former Chairman and CEO of Kellogg Company, and Henry Paulson, the former Treasury Secretary to Bush

A Politico article today noted that some young Republican operatives in Washington have quit the party committee in recent months over its embrace of Trump after he was selected by voters to carry the GOP's torch in the general election.

'I didnt want to be associated with the Trump campaign,' former RNC aide said, explaining his resignation. 'I dont agree with what he has to say ... Hes not a person I feel comfortable working for. Its just that simple.'

Colin Spence, a research analyst with the RNC who left over Trump and what he called a 'variety' of other factors, also said to Politico, 'Personally I wasnt comfortable working to elect him.'

The young aides who left the RNC over their disagreements with Trump were reticent to go on the record in interviews with Politico.

Longtime Republican hands meanwhile lent their names to Clinton's election effort, joining a group called 'Together for America' that the Democrat's campaign says will 'lead' the recruitment effort among Republicans and Independents.

'Americans are looking to the next president to help bring us together to tackle the big challenges facing the country and Hillary Clintons bi-partisan support is the latest proof that she can work across the aisle to make us stronger together,' Hillary for America Campaign Chair John Podesta said.
The district maintains that kids must use the bathroom for the sex on their birth certificate

A devout Christian mother in Texas is fighting for her transgender daughter's right to use the girls' bathroom when she starts kindergarten.

Kai Shappley, 5, was born male, but has lived as a little girl for the last two years publicly.

Kim Shappley told KHOU that she named her child Joseph Paul at birth, but changed the name after her child made it clear as to what gender she identified with early on.

'By age 3, she was verbalizing, 'I'm a girl, you know I'm a girl,' she said.

Scroll down for video

Happy: Kai Shappley (above), 5, was born male but has lived as a little girl for the past two years in Pearland, Texas

Her mother, Kim Shappley, said that Kai (left) was named Joseph Paul (right), but made it clear as to what gender she identified with early on

Kim Shappley (above) is fighting for her transgender daughter's right to use the girls' bathroom when she starts kindergarten at the Pearland Independent School District

As a devout Christian and ordained minister, Shappley said it was difficult at first for her to come to terms with what was happening to her child.

Shappley, who is also a conservative, said that she punished her for a period, until it proved to be traumatic for the child.

'When your 4-year-old is praying to die, you know you have to do something,' Shappley said.

Not long after, Shappley started speaking out at public events with Equality Texas, an LGBTQ advocacy group.

Shappley said Pearland Independent School District leaders informed her at the end of last school year that Kai would have to use the boys' restroom when she started school, KPRC reported.

Shappley (left), said Pearland Independent School District leaders informed her that Kai (right) would have to use the boys' restroom when she starts school

On Tuesday night, Shappley (above) went before the school board to argue why her daughter should use the girls' bathroom

On Tuesday night, Shappley went before the school board to argue why her daughter should use the girls' bathroom.

'Please understand I'm not fighting about bathrooms, I'm fighting about her life, I'm fighting about her well-being, I'm fighting for her happiness, I'm fighting for her future,' she said.

'Every person that has a degree who has studied this says that it is wrong to tell my child, for anyone to tell my child, that she cannot use the facility that aligns with the gender she identifies with.'

Board members would not comment on Shappley's speech during the public portion of the meeting, saying the item was not on the agenda.

Though Shappley had supporters in the audience at the meeting, not everyone in attendance agreed that her daughter should be allowed to use the girls' restroom.

'I'm for Kai, I'm for her, but I'm also for our district and I'm for what's put in place,' a parent, Rick Torrison, told KPRC.

Of her daughter Kai (pictured right holding the umbrella) Shappley (left) said: 'Please understand I'm not fighting about bathrooms, I'm fighting about her life, I'm fighting about her well-being...'

The Pearland Independent School District responded to Shapley's appeal by issuing a statement that reads:

'Pearland ISD's stance on transgender students remains children whose parents declare them transgender must go to the bathroom for the sex indicated on their birth certificate.

'Such students have also been allowed to use a private bathroom (such as in the nurse's station) if they are so inclined.

'All Pearland ISD kindergarten classrooms have a private, gender-neutral bathroom within the classroom for student use.'




A Massachusetts fisherman has made a rare catch, snagging a bright blue lobster.

Even rarer? It is not the first time Wayne Nickerson has caught one in his 35-year career as a commercial lobsterman.

Blue lobsters are rare and the oft-cited odds of catching one are one in two million, but no one knows for sure.

Their color comes from a genetic defect that causes it to produce an excessive amount of a certain protein, crustacyanin, according to SEA Aquarium.

Jan Nickerson told The Associated Press her husband let out a loud exclamation after spotting the two-pound, bright blue male lobster in his catch on Monday.

Wayne Nickerson made a rare catch on Monday, snagging a bright blue lobster

His wife, Jan, said her husband let out a loud exclamation after spotting the two-pound, bright blue male lobster in his catch

She noted her husband, who is the owner and captain of the lobster boat FV Windsong that fishes out of Plymouth, also caught one in 1990, according to ABC.

'Wayne spotted it in the pot before he broke it over the rail, he let out a loud exclamation... And the guys working for him thought something was wrong,' Nickerson said, according to Wicked Local.

'They were all in awe, this one is the brightest blue.'

She said her husband was so excited he temporarily forgot the total count of his lobster haul for the day.

Jan Nickerson nicknamed the lobster 'Bleu.' Blue lobsters are rare and the oft-cited odds of catching one are one in two million

Jan Nickerson said they are keeping the blue lobster in a holding tank in North Plymouth. She hopes to donate Bleu to Boston's New England Aquarium

Wayne Nickerson is the owner and captain of the lobster boat FV Windsong that fishes out of Plymouth and previously caught a blue lobster in 1990

Fishermen who come across a blue lobster believe it to be a sign of good luck and usually do not eat it.

And just like all lobsters, blue lobsters turn bright red when they are cooked, according to SEA Aquarium.

While blue lobsters may be rare, Jan Nickerson said, spotting a white or yellow lobster has even greater odds.

According to SEA Aquarium, the odds of catching a yellow lobster is estimated to be one in 30 million while seeing a white or albino lobster is one in 100 million.

Jan Nickerson said if they ever find a yellow lobster, they will name it 'Buttah,' according to Wicked Local.

Jan Nickerson hopes to donate the lobster to Boston's New England Aquarium where several colored lobsters are on display include a bright-orange lobster

She said for the time being they are keeping the blue lobster, which she immediately nicknamed Bleu, in a holding tank in North Plymouth.

She hopes to donate Bleu to Boston's New England Aquarium, where several colored lobsters are on display, including a blue and a bright-orange lobster.

Aquarium media relations director Tony LaCrosse called the bright blue lobster 'just spectacular' and said they may be interested if they have space.

In the meantime, Jan said she is excited to share the discovery with others.

'OMG people are going nuts over him... have people all over the world making comments,' she said.
Three quarters of statistics used by the BBC come from Conservatives, according to a report commissioned by the broadcaster's own governing body.

The report warned against a 'high dependency' on the current government for statistics and cautioned against using figures 'straight from a press release.'

The 84-page paper concluded that the BBC needs to work harder to 'go beyond the headlines' with stronger analysis and more in-depth reporting, reports The Guardian.

The BBC commissioned the independent report from former UK National Statistician Dame Jil Matheson and an expert panel.

The Cardiff School of Journalism was also used to evaluate the broadcaster's use of statistics in stories related to issues such as migration, health and the junior doctor's strike.

The BBC Trust report criticized the BBC's dependence on the Conservative government for statistics and warned against using figures without verification

The vast majority of BBC statistics are sourced from the current governing party: 73 percent of statistics were attributed to Conservative politicians.

It also highlighted the need for more exhaustive reporting.

For example, the BBC reported that nearly 3,000 operations were cancelled when junior doctors went on a 24-hour strike last February.

Later in its reporting, the BBC added more context to this statistic, clarifying that 92 percent of all operations would go ahead.

The report noted that some BBC broadcasts, such as BBC Breakfast, had aired the statistic - but it was 'well over an hour into the programme and on the fourth mention of the strike'.

The Cardiff School of Journalism report chided the public broadcaster for tendency to lift numbers 'straight from a press release'

The report also cited how the BBC covered David Cameron's November claim that 43 per cent of EU migrants claim benefits within their first four years in the UK, stating that there were 'reservations' about the veracity of the figure.

There were 'many instances' of the 43 percent statistic being quoted by the BBC without 'any fundamental' inquest by journalists.

The report concludes: 'We found that [the BBC] often [does] a very good job  but it is frustrating they don't do this consistently.'

'To make that happen, BBC journalists need the confidence and skills to go beyond headlines, and to challenge misleading claims.'
A thrice-widowed woman is now on trial in the death of her second husband who was gunned down outside his New Orleans home in the spring of 2006.

Emma Raine, 52, faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder in the shooting death of 38-year-old Ernest Smith.

Her third husband, James Raine, had been implicated in Smith's death in what prosecutors called a plot to benefit from life insurance proceeds. But Raine too was shot to death five years ago.

Emma Raine, 52, faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder in the shooting death of her second husband, 38-year-old Ernest Smith

Emma Raine has only been charged in Smith's death, but a prosecutor previously made it clear that her other two husbands' deaths were suspicious.

While it has been more than seven years from the time Smith died until Raine was arrested in his death in 2013, she had long been on police radar.

'Please be advised that the beneficiary, Emma Smith, wife of the deceased, cannot be ruled out as a suspect in the death of Ernest Smith,' a New Orleans detective wrote to an insurance investigation company in a July 12, 2006, letter.

By the time Emma Smith was arrested in that case, she already had a new name, Emma Raine, and was again, a widow.

Her third husband, 37-year-old James Raine, was shot to death in 2011 at the couple's Pearl River County, Mississippi home.

Emma Raine was out of town at the time, but authorities still harbored suspicions.

'She is a suspect in that James Raine case,' Pearl River County Sheriff David Allison said in a 2015 interview.

'And through investigating that case we were able to get some information that New Orleans needed and passed it on to them,' Allison added.

No arrests have been reported in James Raine's death.

Emma Raine has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Ernest Smith.

A jury was selected on Tuesday and opening statements began on Wednesday in New Orleans.

Assistant District Attorney Laura Rodrigue warned jurors the case would be complicated.

'In this particular case we are going to need diagrams,' Rodrigue said in an opening statement.

Alfred T. Everette, (left) the adoptive brother of James Raine, third husband of Emma Raine (right), was charged with being the trigger man in Ernest Smith's death

No eyewitness testimony or physical evidence will link Emma Raine to the killing, Rodrigue said.

But witnesses will testify the trigger man, James Raine's adoptive brother Alfred 'Terry' Everette, admitted killing Smith at the urging of Emma and James Raine, for a share of life insurance money, Rodrigue said.

She added that documents will show that Emma bumped up the value of policies on Smith over the years before his death.

Defense attorney Martin Regan's view of the case: James Raine and Terry Everette plotted Ernest Smith's death without involving Emma.

He cast the late James Raine as an opportunist who seduced Emma as she suffered through an unhappy marriage to Smith and plotted Smith's death to get her money.

'This case is about greed and money, infidelity and a guy named James,' Regan said.

He stressed that Emma Raine has never been arrested in James Raine's death.

'Who kills James Raine? Was it another jealous husband?' Regan asked.

Everette was convicted of second-degree murder in December 2014. Prosecutors said he had been promised  by James and Emma Raine  $10,000 from an $800,000 life insurance benefit.

His appeal is pending at the state Supreme Court.

It was unclear whether jurors will hear testimony about the death of Emma Raine's first husband, Leroy Evans, who died while hospitalized in 1994 after he was hit by a car.
Closing speeches to be heard at Preston Crown Court on Thursday

Alleged stun gun murderers Sarah Williams and Katrina Walsh hunted down their victim 'as you might stalk a deer', a jury has heard.

Both were 'determined and methodical' in their plot to fulfil Williams's obsessive desire to be with the man she loved by killing his partner, 60-year-old businesswoman Sadie Hartley, Preston Crown Court heard.

Ski travel firm sales adviser Williams, 35, allegedly drove to Ms Hartley's home in Helmshore, Lancashire, on January 14 and incapacitated her with a 500,000-volt stun gun before she knifed her to death with 'demonic savagery', the jury heard.

Alleged stun gun murderers Sarah Williams (left) and Katrina Walsh (right) hunted down their victim 'as you might stalk a deer', a jury has heard

Williams was previously in a relationship with ex-fireman Ian Johnston, 57, but it ended when he refused to leave Ms Hartley.

Horse riding instructor Walsh, 56, was recruited by Williams for the murderous mission and bought the murder weapon, the stun gun, a tracking device planted on Mr Johnston's car and a getaway car for the night of the murder, the court has heard.

Walsh also detailed the plot 'step by step' in her diaries which she led police to following her arrest, together with the various items she bought which she hid at her workplace, the court was told.

The jury has heard Williams say she was ill in bed at the time of the killing and that the evidence points to Walsh as the perpetrator.

Williams was previously in a relationship with ex-fireman Ian Johnson (pictured) but it ended when he refused to leave Ms Hartley

Walsh, who did not give evidence, told police she thought she was participating in a game of the Channel 4 programme Hunted - in which teams of two try to go 'off the grid' and avoid detection - and said she did not believe Williams was going to harm anyone.

In his closing speech to jurors, prosecutor John McDermott QC said the defendants were 'cold-blooded murderers' who were attempting to deceive them.

He said: 'Sarah Williams spent four days in this court in front of you, cool, calm and collected and as matter of fact as she could pretend to be but the real Sarah Williams is a bitter, obsessive, arrogant woman who stops at nothing to get her own selfish way.'

He asked them to recall the evidence of a witness who told them that Williams went 'feral' and acted like 'a wild thing' during a row on a ski trip.

Mr McDermott said: 'Imagine what it is like when she really hates somebody, as she did. The savagery inflicted on Sadie Hartley takes a special kind of mindset to deliver.'

Ski travel firm sales adviser Williams, 35, allegedly incapacitated Ms Hartley (pictured left and right) with a 500,000-volt stun gun before she knifed her to death

He said Walsh had done her best to 'remain anonymous' during the trial and they had not seen her true character either.

He suggested she had created 'a caricature of a fool' in her police interviews with 'a grotesque parody of a half-baked, befuddled loon', which he said was 'fiction'.

On the night of Ms Hartley's (pictured) murder, Williams claimed that she had been in bed ill

Mr McDermott said the idea that Walsh thought she was in a game of Hunted was 'absurd', with discussions of the plot to murder Williams's love rival in her diary entries even before the programme was first broadcast last September.

He said: 'Determined, methodical killers, these two were in fact hunters, not hunted. They hunted down Sadie Hartley as you might stalk a deer and then went in for the kill.

'They have fallen out now and blame each other but the last time they were together was a picture of harmony on Katrina Walsh's bed humming along, perhaps, to Abba within hours of the dreadful news of Sadie Hartley's death.'

The trial continues on Thursday when closing speeches are made on behalf of the two defendants.
A 20-year-old Ohio college student who disappeared while riding her bicycle and was later found slain in a cornfield had been suffocated to death, her autopsy has revealed.

Sierah Joughin was discovered found handcuffed and hog-tied with rope on July 22, three days after she was last seen biking along a rural road east of Toledo.

Her autopsy report states the University of Toledo student died of asphyxiation from a large plastic gag that was placed in her mouth.

The remains of University of Toledo student Sierah Joughin, 20, (pictured left and right) whose disappearance earlier this month prompted a search in Ohio were found in July

James Worley, 57, of Delta, Ohio pictured above. Worley committed an eerily similar crime against a 26-year-old woman in 1990

The document, which was reviewed on Wednesday by The Toledo Blade, states that the 20-year-old died over the course of several minutes. There was no evidence of sexual assault.

Her body was found in a shallow grave, with her wrists handcuffed behind her back and tied with a rope to her ankles, which were taped together.

Authorities have charged 57-year-old James Worley with aggravated murder and abduction in Joughin's killing.

Police said in court documents they found handcuffs, rope and tape on Worley's property in Delta.

They also discovered a secret room in a barn outfitted with restraints and a freezer lined with carpet that had blood inside of it. The freezer had been covered by hay bales behind which several pairs of women's underwear was found The Toledo Blade reported.

Worley served three years in prison after he was convicted of abducting a 26-year-old woman in 1990 who was biking alone near Toledo. She says he hit and handcuffed her.

According to search warrants released in late July, Worley told a therapist he was mandated to see by Lucas County Common Pleas Court judge after his previous abduction conviction that he 'learned from each abduction he had done and the next one he was going to bury.'

Sierah Joughin was last seen alive riding her bike July 19 at around 6.45pm with her boyfriend in Metamora, on a country road in rural Fulton County, about 20 miles west of Toledo.

They then split directions to head home, but Joughin did not make it.

Her bike was later found in a cornfield after her mother filed a missing person's report that evening.

Investigators have found a hidden room on James Worley's property. Evidence found so far suggests he was repeat abductor

Law enforcement are shown above as they searched for Joughin in late July at the property of James Worley, 57, of Delta, Ohio

Since Worley's arrest in Joughin's killing, investigators have been looking into the possibility of additional victims.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said earlier that Worley's criminal history in the 1990 attack made it worth investigating whether other women have been victimized.

At this time, police do not believe there was prior connection between Worley and Joughin.

Authorities spent several days in late July digging through the farmhouse and barns where Worley operated a small-engine repair shop, but no human remains were found.

The search warrants released say that cell phone evidence shows Worley was at the spot where Joughin's bike was found for two hours on the day she went missing.

Investigators said he had marks on his arms and bruises on his lower legs but told them 'he didn't steal anything or kill anyone,' according to the documents.

A sign for Evergreen schools posted with words for Sierah Joughin after she was last seen riding her bike near the school in Metamora, Ohio

Joughin was last seen riding her bike July 19 at around 6.45pm with her boyfriend in Metamora, about 20 miles west of Toledo. They headed in different directions to head home, but Joughin did not arrive

He first told investigators he had been riding a motorcycle and that he lost his helmet, screwdriver, sunglasses and fuses after it broke down, the search warrants said.

Those items were found at the location where Joughin's bike was uncovered, the documents said.

Worley served three years of a four- to 10-year sentence in the 1990 abduction of a woman who was riding her bike, which happened about 20 miles from where Joughin was riding near Metamora.

Worley entered an Alford plea to abduction, meaning he didn't admit guilt but conceded that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him.

The circumstances in the 1990 abduction are eerily similar. In that case, 26-year-old Robin Gardner, had been biking along a country road,The Toledo Blade reported.

As she rode past farm fields, Worley passed her once before striking her with his truck from behind, causing her to tumble into a roadside ditch, court records indicate.

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 the remains of Joughin had been found

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.

'A blood-curdling scream, a scream I didn't 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.

Video courtesy of WTVG/ABC 13

Ms Gardner said she was shocked but not surprised he'd been arrested again.

'Of course, I think he's done it before and after me,' she said.

After the attack, Gardner moved out of state soon afterward. She says she still has panic attacks when she's far from other people.

'I can't walk in the woods alone, I can't hike, camp, bird watch,' she said in an email. 'I get very afraid if people aren't around to help me if I'm in need.'

She said she was heartbroken over 'knowing the fear that Sierah experienced and the sadness that her mother is experiencing.'

'My heart aches so much for Sierah and her family,' she said, adding that Worley should have been kept in prison longer. 'I wish I could have done more to protect them but it was out of my hands.'
An American beach volleyball team has been eliminated from the Olympics in the pool stages for the first time since 2004.

The U.S. pair of Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson were knocked out in Rio on a tiebreaker after they finished bottom of Pool F.

They would have advanced if they had given up seven fewer points  just one point per set over three matches at the Copacabana venue.

An American beach volleyball team has been eliminated from the Olympics in the pool stages for the first time since 2004. Carey Patterson (pictured) and his partner Jake Gibb finished last place in Pool F in Rio

Jacob Gibb reacts after loosing a point on the way to his team's defeat in Rio which sent them crashing out of the tournament

Patterson dives for a ball with no success during the team's disappointing loss to Spain

The U.S. pair lost to Spain on Wednesday morning to fall to 1-2. When Qatar beat Austria later in the day, the Americans fell into a last-place tie in their pool.

The first tiebreaker is point ratio. The Americans gave up 126 points and scored 125. The Austrians scored 145 and allowed 140.

It's the first U.S men's team to fail to advance out of pool play since the 2004 Games in Athens.

However there is still hope for the U.S. men on the sand.

Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena are top of Pool C and are expected to be in with a chance of a medal.

Patterson runs his hands through his hair after losing a point during their match against Spain on Rio's Copacabana Beach

Gibb (in cap) and Patterson challenge a call in their Men's Preliminary Pool F. They argued on their way to a loss which would see them bounced from the tournament

Patterson looks up from the sand after missing a shot during the U.S.' crucial game

Patterson reaches for a ball as it travels away from him during the crucial tie

Spain's Pablo Herrera Allepuz (center) sets against Jacob Gibb (right) and Casey Patterson (left) in their victory over the American team

The Spanish pair embrace after defeating Patterson and Gibb
himself inside for almost five hours

A man suspected of shooting two police officers has been arrested after a stand-off in Arkansas.

Billy Monroe Jones, 34, allegedly opened fire on the officers at his rural home in Hackett, near the Arkansas-Oklahoma border, shortly after 7:15am on Wednesday.

Sebastian County Deputy Bill Cooper and Hackett chief of police Darrell Spells had been called to Jones' property due to reports of a domestic disturbance.

Billy Monroe Jones (pictured), 34, who is suspected of shooting two police officers has been arrested after a stand-off in Arkansas

After the shooting, the 34-year-old barricaded himself inside his home until almost noon.

Deputy Cooper was rushed to a nearby hospital and remains in a 'serious condition' after having surgery, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports.

Spells suffered 'superficial' wounds after he was grazed by a bullet to the head, Sebastian County Sheriff Bill Hollenbeck told KHBS.

A police robot was also 'shot up' during the stand-off.

Sebastian County Deputy Bill Cooper (right) and Hackett chief of police Darrell Spells (left) had been called to Jones' property due to reports of a domestic disturbance when they were shot

Bullet holes are seen in the window of a police car near the property when Billy Jones allegedly shot two police officers

Sebastian County Sheriff's Lieutenant Philip Pevehouse said deputies surrounded the house where Jones had holed himself up after shooting the two cops.

Lieutenant Pevehouse also said the man's father called police earlier in the day asking officers to check in on his son, but he didn't release details about the call.

Jones has a criminal history dating back to 2007, and earlier this year he was charged with gun and drug offences.

Police documents show the 34-year-old was booked with possession of controlled or counterfeit substance, possession of firearm by certain persons misdemeanor, and carrying a weapon misdemeanor on February 16.

He was released on a bond of $3,500.

Billy Monroe Jones, 34, allegedly opened fire on the officers at his rural home in Hackett, near the Arkansas-Oklahoma border, shortly after 7:15am on Wednesday

A large police presence is seen on Wednesday morning outside the property where two officers were shot

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson said he didn't have details about the shooting but said it underscored the danger that the state's law enforcement officers face.

'It's a risky business and it really illustrates the importance of our support for law enforcement,' Hutchinson told reporters at an event in North Little Rock.

U.S. Representative Bruce Westerman, whose district includes part of Sebastian County, also didn't have details about the incident but echoed the governor's support for police statewide.

'This has to stop,' Westerman said.
Clinton, on campaign stop in Iowa, accused him of 'casual inciting of violence' and said it 'crossed a line'

But Trump tweets denial of any conversation 'or meeting' and says CNN story is 'made up'

Officials tell CNN Trump campaign repeated denial that what he said was intended to incite violence

which guards both Trump and Clinton had faced calls for action against the billionaire

The Secret Service has said it has had 'more than one conversation' with Donald Trump's campaign after he delivered what was seen as an incitement to violence against Hillary Clinton.

The federal agency told CNN of the conversations with the campaign after calls were made for an investigation into him.

One Clinton supporter, the former CIA director General Michael Hayden, claimed that if it had been anyone else who said what Trump said, they would have been arrested immediately.

CNN's national security correspondent Jim Scuitto said officials had told him of 'multiple conversations'.

'I am told that the campaign response was that he did not intend to incite violence,' he said.

But Trump tweeted shortly after the story went on air that it was 'made up' and said: 'No such meeting or conversation ever happened.'

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

Action: The Secret Service,which guards Trump, said it had spoken more than once to his campaign about his Second Amendment comments.

Denial: Trump claims the Secret Service has not spoken to or met with the campaign and that the CNN report is a fabrication

Protective arm: The Secret Service has spoken to the Trump campaign - but had more immediate concerns in Iowa on Wednesday where an animal rights protester was tackled to the ground by an agent and local police as Hillary Clinton spoke

Protected: The federal agency guards both Clinton and Trump, but has never had to speak to one candidate about their language concerning their rival

Trump lit a political firestorm during a campaign stop Tuesday in Wimington, North Carolina.

'Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the Second Amendment,' Trump said Tuesday, repeating a frequent claim he makes on the campaign trail.

'And by the way, if  if she gets to pick her judges, [there's] nothing you can do, folks.' Then without explanation he added: 'Although, the Second Amendment people  maybe there is. I don't know. But I tell you what: That would be a horrible day if  if Hillary gets to put her judges [in].'

WHAT TRUMP SAID 'Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the Second Amendment. 'And by the way, if, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks. Although  the Second Amendment people, maybe there is. I don't know. But I tell you what: That will be a horrible day, if, if Hillary gets to put her judges [in]. 'Right now we're tied  you see what's going on  we're tied because Scalia, this was not supposed to happen. Justice Scalia was supposed to be around for ten more years at least and this is what happens. That is a horrible thing. 'So now look at it. Hillary essentially wants to abolish the Second Amendment.' Advertisement

Clinton spoke for the first time about the apparent threat at a campaign stop in Des Moines, Iowa, accusing Trump of 'crossing a line'.

'His casual cruelty to a Gold Star family, his casual suggestion that more counties should have nuclear weapons, and now his casual inciting of violence,' she said.

Clinton told her supporters: 'Every single one of these incidents shows us that Donald Trump simply does not have the temperament to be president and commander in chief of the United States.'

She received more direct protection from the Secret Service at the rally when an animal rights protester approached the podium and was wrestled to the ground by agents and local police.

Trump's denial of the CNN report that the Secret Service was invovled is a continuation of his campaign strategy to attack the media, and accuse it of dishonesty.

But it was Clinton's camp who had dominated the airwaves in the wake of Trump's intervention.

Her surrogate, Hayden, had been one of the first to raise the specter of Secret Service action.

He told CNN's Jake Tapper minutes after Trump spoke on Tuesday: 'If someone else had said that said outside the hall, he'd be in the back of a police wagon now with the Secret Service questioning him.

'You're not just responsible for what you say. You are responsible for what people hear.'

And anti-Trump advocacy groups had also called for action by the protective agency.

Ilya Shyman, executive director of the left-wing MoveOn.org political action committee, said in a statement that 'the Secret Service should investigate this for what it is, a threat on the life of Secretary Clinton.'

The intervention by the very agency which guards Trump and will either until just after the election or until the end of his life, depending on his electoral success, came within 24 hours of Trump's comments.

He has denied they are a threat, responding afterwards to critics: 'Give me a break.'

Trump is insisting that he never implied gun-rights supporters should take up arms to stop Hillary Clinton and a liberal Supreme Court from chipping away at the Second Amendment.

'There can be no other interpretation,' he told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday night, saying he meant only that anti-gun-control forces should use legal means to oppose Clinton.

'Even reporters have told me  I mean, give me a break,' the Republican nominee said.

Trump's senior communications adviser Jason Miller said the billionaire was referring to the 'power of unification,' meaning the strength of the Second Amendment lobby, when he suggested gun-rights proponents might take action to defend their constitutional rights.

Rudy Giuliani: Only way left can win is to demonize Trump, they know they have a criminal at the top of their tickethttps://t.co/4xTI71uB4X  FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) August 10, 2016

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani did the morning show circuit on Wednesday to defend Trump.

'Donald Trump is not indirect. If Donald Trump wanted to say that, believe me, nobody in the world would stop him from saying it. Of course he isn't going to say it,' Giuliani told 'Fox & Friends.'

Democrats created the controversy out of thin air, he said: 'It's the only way they can demonize him, because they have a criminal on the top of their ticket.'

Furious Sen. Elizabeth Warren attacked Trump on Twitter, saying his 'reckless comments' made him sound like a 'two-bit dictator

On ABC's 'Good Morning America' Giuliani said Trump's audience knew exactly what he meant.

'You know how speeches go,' he said. 'He was talking about how they [Second Amendment advocates] have the power to keep her out of office. That's what he was talking about.'

'With a crowd like that, if that's what they thought he'd meant, they'd have gone wild,' he added, referring to the notion that Trump was urging violence.

But two senior Republicans had urged him to end the controversy over his Second Amendment comments by taking them back immediately.

Peter King, the Republican congressman for New York, told MSNBC's Morning Joe that he should 'absolutely' take back the remarks, in which he appeared to suggest violence against Hillary Clinton.

'It was wrong. He shouldnt have said it,' the congressman said - hours after House Speaker Paul Ryan said: 'I hope he clears it up very quickly. You should never joke about something like that.'

Attack: How the Clinton camp capitalized on Trump's bizarre intervention

Among those Democrats directly calling the intervention 'death threats' were firebrand liberal senator Elizabeth Warren, who called Trump 'reckless'.

Chris Murphy, the Connecticut congressman whose constituency includes Newtown, scene of the Sandy Hook mass murder of 20 children and six adults, tweeted: 'It's an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy & crisis.'

'This isn't play,' he added in another tweet. 'Unstable people with powerful guns and an unhinged hatred for Hillary are listening to you, @realDonaldTrump.

However King, one of the most senior Republicans in Congress, said on Wednesday that - although Trump should take it back - he did not believe the candiate was trying to incite violence against his rival. However

'Do you really think he was urging people to kill Hillary Clinton? Do you really believe that? No,' he told MSNBC.

'I think it was just a dumb remark. It was as simple as that.

'He was negligent in saying it? Absolutely. He should take it back, make it clear hes taking it back. '

Paul Ryan, who on Tuesday night won easily in a primary where his contestant had received some backing from Trump, said he believed it was 'a joke gone bad'.

Speaking after his victory, the House Speaker said: 'I've been a little busy today. I heard about this Second Amendment quote. It sounds like just a joke gone bad," Ryan said.

'I hope he clears it up very quickly. You should never joke about something like that.'

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said 'you have to be corrupt' to believe Trump meant to incite people to violence: 'Are you out of your mind?'

Trump himself told WNCN-TV in North Carolina in between rallies that he never meant to suggest violence.

'Oh, no, no. This was political power,' he said.

And Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, told NBC-TV10 in Philadelphia that Trump never meant to suggest violence.

'Of course not,' he told the television affiliate's interviewer, adding that Second Amendment advocates 'should be involved in the political process and let their voices be heard.'

The National Rifle Association, which endorsed Trump this year, tweeted that '@RealDonaldTrump is right. If @HillaryClinton gets to pick her anti-#2A #SCOTUS judges, there's nothing we can do.'

'But there IS something we will do on #ElectionDay: Show up and vote for the #2A!' the group said in a second tweet.
The FBI approached the Department of Justice earlier this year and asked the public integrity unit to open an investigation of the Clinton Foundation.

But the DOJ declined, according to CNN.

The reasoning, the report said, was that the Justice Department had looked into Hillary Clinton's family foundation a year before and didn't find enough evidence to do so.

Scroll down for video

As new Hillary Clinton emails were released this week, CNN reported that the FBI had asked the Department of Justice to investigate the Clinton Foundation

This nugget was buried in a CNN story today that detailed the latest release of Clinton's emails to the public at the hands of conservative watchdog Judicial Watch.

The organization released 296 pages of Clinton's emails this week including 44 that the former secretary of state didn't initially hand over to the State Department, Judicial Watch said.

These new conversations shed light on how intertwined Clinton's State Department was with her family foundation.

In one highly-cited example, the now-former head of the Clinton Foundation, Doug Band, reaches out to Clinton's top State Department aides, including Cheryl Mills and Huma Abedin, in April 2009 and notes that it's 'important to take care of' a particular person whose name has been redacted.

In another exchange that year Band requests that Abedin and Mills put Gilbert Chagoury, a longtime buddy of Bill Clinton's who donated millions to the Clinton Foundation, in touch with 'the substance person re Lebanon' at the State Department.

Top Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin responds in the affirmative to a request from the Clinton Foundation head to introduce a donor to the government's top expert on Lebanon

'It's jeff feltman,' Abedin replied, according to the emails. She was referring to Jeffrey Feltman, who was then the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon. 'I'm sure he know him. I'll talk to jeff,' she said, seemingly following orders.

The Clinton campaign was quick to push back on the insinuations drawn from the cozy conversations contained in the emails.

'Neither of these emails involve the secretary or relate to the Foundation's work,' said Clinton campaign spokesman Josh Schwerin in an emailed statement to the network. 'They are communications between her aides and the President's personal aide, and indeed the recommendation was for one of the Secretary's former staffers who was not employed by the Foundation,' he continued, referencing ex-President Bill Clinton.

Additionally, the Clinton campaign said Chagoury had wanted to offer insights to the Lebanon point person at the State Department about the country's forthcoming election and wasn't looking for any kind of favors.

The campaign then went after Judicial Watch, whose dogged inquiries and Freedom of Information Requests led to the discovery of Clinton's private email system, which has caused her a political headache throughout her presidential campaign.

'The right-wing organization behind this lawsuit has been attacking the Clintons since the 1990s and no matter how this group tries to mischaracterize these documents, the fact remains that Hillary Clinton never took action as secretary of state because of donations to the Clinton Foundation,' Schwerin said.

That didn't stop Clinton's rival Donald Trump, who's dealing with his own controversy after suggesting the 'Second Amendment' would be one way to handle Clinton and her judicial picks, from making use of the emails' revelations and CNN's reporting that the Justice Department had declined to investigate the Clinton Foundation.

'Once again, the Department of Justice has protected Hillary Clinton. Earlier this year the DOJ denied a request from the FBI to investigate her pay-to-play, corrupt Clinton Foundation,' team Trump wrote in an email to supporters this afternoon, asking for donations.

'News of its rejection comes immediately after leaked emails exposed a concerning link between the Clinton Foundation and the State Department!' the plea continued.
Donald Trump accused Hillary Clinton on Wednesday of engaging in an illegal 'pay for play' scheme, citing news reports about newly released emails form her days in the Obama administration

Over chants of 'Lock her up!' during a speech at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in the town of Abingdon, Trump outlined a previously undocumented close relationship between Clinton's State Department and the Clinton Foundation.

The Democratic presidential nominee and former first lady signed a pledge when she took office that her role with her family foundation wouldn't intersect with her government service.

But emails released by the conservative group Judicial Watch appeared to establish that financial gifts to the Clinton Foundation were sometimes a prelude to favor and influence from the woman who was then the nation's highest ranking diplomat.

Scroll down for video

TRUMP DIGS AT HILLARY: The billionaire Republican said Wednesday in Virginia that Hillary Clinton engaged in a 'pay for play' scheme, awarding State Department favors to Clinton Foundation donors

'LOOK AT WHAT SHE'S DONE!': Trump said at a campaign event with coal miners that some of Clinton's previously hidden emails show practices that are 'really, really bad and illegal, if it's true'

And Trump compared Clinton unfavorably to Rod Blagojevich, the disgraced former Illinois governor whose lengthy prison term for corruption was upheld Tuesday in federal court.

'Fourteen years in jail!' he marveled, adding: 'Look at what she's done!'

'A couple of very bad ones came out,' he said of the new batch of emails, 'and it's called "pay for play." And some of these were really, really bad and illegal, if it's true.'

'It's illegal. You're paying and you're getting things.'

One email exchange from 2009 shows senior Clinton Foundation official Doug Band telling top Hillary Clinton State Department aide Huma Abedin that it was 'important to take care of' a person whose name government censors redacted.

Abedin replied that 'personnel has been sending him options.'

Trump complained that the Clinton scandal was swallowed up Tuesday in a news cycle dominated by his own misstep with a widely criticized remark about the Second Amendment lobby.

HUMA, WE HAVE A PROBLEM: Senior Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin took part in a 2009 email exchange that appeared to include a Clinton Foundation official asking the State Department for special favors for a donor

JUST LIKE BLAGO? Trump suggested that Clinton's behavior was on a par with that of disgraced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's, who is serving a 14-year prison term for official corruption

'The media is so totally dishonest,' Trump vented. 'If that were me, the story that just came out this morning ... that would be the biggest story in the history of the various papers.'

'They'd go quadruple spacing! Boom! Trump!' the billionaire mocked.

'I think it's going to get worse and worse, though, because I assume more stuff will come out,' Trump predicted, with 90 days left to the election.

'Pay for play. It's illegal.'

Trump also returned to his frequent criticism of Clinton for deleting more than half of the emails on her infamous private homebrew server before turning over the balance to the Obama administration for archiving.

'We have to see the 33,000 [emails],' Trump insisted.

COAL COUNTRY: Trump also blasted his Democratic opponent for pledging to put coal mines 'out of business'

MAN OF THE HOUR: Trump as presented with a shiny award in the shape of a coal miner's flame safety lamp

'Can you imagine? Remember she said  I think it was for her wedding, the wedding of Chelsea, and it was for yoga classes.'

'Thirty-three thousand emails! That's a lot of yoga! A lot of yoga.'

Trump entered to applause generated by a video showing Clinton on the campaign stump vowing in March  in the middle of anthracite-rich West Virginia  to 'put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business.'

Miners on stage behind him held bright yellow and pitch black signs reading 'Trump Digs Coal.'

'We need him,' a representative of the Virginia Coal Energy Alliance told an audience of about 1,000.

Trump claimed 'the US has lost more than 200,000 mining jobs since 2014.'

'Their jobs have been taken away, and we've gotta bring them back, folks,' he said.

Trump injected a new line into his defense of coal, saying that the United States might need energy reserves 'during times of national problems.

'We're talking about the defense of our country: Having those mines and having that potential energy source available to us is an awfully important thing,' Trump explained.
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants killed at least 12 civilians in three separate attacks in southeastern Turkey on Wednesday.

The attacks, which came on the heels of a failed military coup that threatened to topple Turkey's government, were aimed at police and soldiers in the largely Kurdish region.

Bombs were set off simultaneously in the city of Diyarbakir and the town of Kiziltepe, killing eight people, according to the Associated Press.

Just hours earlier, four soldiers were killed and nine were wounded in another attack near the Iraqi border.

Scroll down for video

Ambulances rush to the scene of a roadside bomb blast in Kiziltepe, Turkey, after three people were killed and at least 25 were injured

A roadside bomb was set off in Kiziltepe just as a police bus passed by. An official said three people were killed and at least 25 were wounded, including at least five children between the ages of two and five.

Meanwhile, a car bomb targeting police in the historic Diyarbakir city killed at least five civilians and wounded 12 others, according to the governor's office. The explosion went off at a security checkpoint on a bridge over the Tigris river.

According to the Dogan news agency, the earlier attack on Turkish military personnel was carried out with improvised explosives and rockets fired from across the Iraq border.

All three attacks are being attributed to the PKK, which has been decried as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the EU and the US.

The group frequently uses car bombs and roadside explosives.

Last summer, the shaky ceasefire between Turkish forces and the PKK collapsed, and the group resumed frequent attacks against Turkish military and police.

Since then, more than 600 Turkish security forces and thousands of PKK militants have been killed, according to Turkey's Anadolu Agency.

Streets were flooded with emergency vehicles after the deadly blast, which went off at the same time as the attack on Diyarbakir

Turkish media reports that PKK leader Cemil Nayik threatened attacks against Turkish police earlier this week.

More than 40,000 people have been killed since the PKK began activities in 1984.

Turkey is still recovering from July 15's violent coup attempt. Two hundred and seventy people died, and more than 26,000 Turkish nationals have been detained for questioning.
ISIS and other jihadi groups have been digging up landmines and bombs buried by the Nazis during World War Two in order to boost their weapons arsenals.

Egypt is thought to be home to more than 20 per cent of the total number of landmines in the world, with a massive swathe of land affected - some estimates put the total at about 15500 square miles.

The landmines were planted between 1940 and 1943 during the battles involving Britain and its allies, including Egyptian forces, fighting German and Italian forces for control of North Africa.

Scroll down for video

ISIS and other jihadi groups have been digging up landmines and bombs buried by the Nazis during World War Two in order to boost their weapons arsenals (file image of ISIS jihadis)

As a result Egypt is believed to be the most landmine contaminated country in world - with an estimated 23million landmines buried in the desert and surrounding areas.

Of those, 17.5million were buried during the Second World War which saw Germany's Afrika Korps battle against Britain's 8th Army in the Battle of El Alamein for control of North Africa.

Newsweek reports that as ISIS and other jihadi groups have started burying for this massive cache of explosives, much of which was buried by the Nazis.

Military and civilian officials in Cairo said ISIS and other groups have already started digging up the old landminds and are now using their components for bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

The landmines were planted between 1940 and 1943 during the battles involving Britain and its allies, including Egyptian forces, fighting German and Italian forces for control of North Africa (pictured: An explosion during the battle of El Alamein)

'We've had at least 10 reports from the military of terrorists using old mines,' Fathy el-Shazly, a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, told Newsweek.

'Even now, these things trouble us in different ways.'

He said it began in 2004 when extremists used old landmines to create seven bombs which were used to kill 34 people in the Sinai resort of Taba.

In March a group of jihadis launched an attack on an army convoy using explosives they had taken from World War Two landmines, killing five Egyptian soldiers.

Officials are now trying to tackle the threat with efforts to clear the mines. More than three million have been removed since 1981 - but the government claims it will remove the remainder in the next three years.

Jihadis began using old landmines in 2004 when extremists used the components to create seven bombs which were used to kill 34 people in the Sinai resort of Taba

In March a group of jihadis launched an attack on an army convoy using explosives they had taken from World War Two landmines, killing five Egyptian soldiers

More than 4,000 Allied servicemen lost their lives and almost 9,000 were wounded in the Battle of El Alamein which saw General Sir Bernard Montgomery's troops defeat German general Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps.

El Alamein was the first major Allied victory of the Second World War, and it is important that we never forget all those who fought so valiantly, including more than 4,000 men who lost their lives.'

Under the command of General Montgomery, nearly 200,000 British, Australian, New Zealand, South African, British Indian, Free French and Greek forces defeated the Axis powers.

Under the command of General Montgomery, nearly 200,000 British, Australian, New Zealand, South African, British Indian, Free French and Greek forces defeated the Axis powers

At the time of the battle, which began on October 23, 1942 and ended on November 4, the Allies were fighting to keep their vital supply lines open from the Mediterranean to the East.

Rommel had inflicted heavy defeats on Allied forces in Africa, forcing them back to the village of El Alamein, about 60 miles west of Alexandria.

Finally, on October 23 General Montgomery ordered a counter-attack with almost 900 guns levelled at the German positions to be discharged at once.

While previously the Suez Canal was threatened, and with it Allied access to the rich oilfields of the Middle East, now the Allies were able to press their advantage and eventually push the Germans and Italians out of Africa.
Teenage girls have described how they watched in horror as a 10-year-old boy was killed on the world's tallest water slide.

Jess Sanford and Melanie Gocke from Lincoln, Nebraska, were enjoying a day out at Kansas City's Schlitterbahn water park on Sunday when Caleb Thomas Schwab died on the renowned 168-foot vertical drop - The Verruckt.

They said the saw a trail of blood following the son of Kansas State Rep. Scott Schwab after he was thrown from the raft into the safety netting and decapitated.

The terrifying scene unfolded just hours after they had ridden the slide - strapped into Velcro straps they say are unsafe.

Scroll down for video

Jess Sanford ( right) and Melanie Gocke (left) were enjoying a day out at Kansas City's Schlitterbahn water park on Sundaywhen Caleb Thomas Schwab died on their 168-foot vertical drop - The Verruckt

Sanford and Gocke have told CNN the sight of the boy being beheaded will remain with them forever.

They also slammed the water park for only having velcro straps that they could wriggle out of very easily.

'When I heard a noise that didn't sound like it was supposed to come from that kind of ride, that's when I turned around,' Sanford said.

'I didn't understand what was going on so I only saw Caleb sliding down the last half of the slide, and then I saw the blood.'

She added that when they got to the bottom, his frantic friends called out for help.

Medics quickly arrived, but it was already too late.

Witness to water slide accident: I saw him slide down, "and then I saw the blood" https://t.co/7EqQ8ToDxd https://t.co/zUYdNUrXBm  New Day (@NewDay) August 10, 2016

Caleb Schwab, son of Kansas State Rep. Scott Schwab, died on Sunday while riding the 168-foot-high Verruckt slide at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City

Witnesses say Caleb flew off the ride at around 50ft from the ground and hit the netting

'They realized that he was dead, so I don't think they tried to revive him.'

The pair then criticized the park, who have since closed the slide.

'You'd think for something that's supposed to be known for being the tallest slide in the world they'd have a little bit more secure straps than Velcro,' they said.

They spoke of the terror on the day video was released of rafts flying off the slide during safety tests.

The Verruckt slide did not feature a safety net enclosing the chute to keep the rafts secured in early 2014, when it was filmed for the Travel Channel's Xtreme Waterpark series.

The ride was also half the size it eventually turned out to be.

The original May 2014 opening date for the ride was pushed back after early tests showed rafts carrying sandbags flying off the slide, prompting engineers to tear down half of the ride and reconfigure some angles (file picture)

The original May 2014 opening date for the ride was pushed back after early tests showed rafts carrying sandbags flying off the slide, prompting engineers to tear down half of the ride and reconfigure some angles.

Two media sneak preview days in 2014 were also canceled because of problems with a conveyor system that hauls the 100-pound rafts to the top of the slide.

A promotional video about building the slide includes footage of two men riding a raft down a half-size test model and going slightly airborne as it crests the top of the first big hill.

Since the youngster's tragic death, multiple people have come forward to share their terrifying close calls on the ride after they the waterslide's safety straps malfunctioned.

Now Kansas Senator David Haley is demanding better regulation of amusement parks in the state to keep the public safe.

Kansas has some of the weakest regulation of rides in the United States. State law allows officials to conduct spot safety inspections, but employees in that department have been slashed by a third in recent years.
US-Mexico border agents may be used to finding drugs and other contraband, but nothing could prepare them for a particularly gruesome discovery on Tuesday.

San Diego detectives are investigating a southern California couple that was apprehended by Mexican border officials while trying to smuggle the body of a dead toddler into Mexico.

Police told local media in San Diego that a man and a woman were pulled aside at the US-Mexico border after agents at the Tijuana crossing discovered the body of a two-year-old girl.

According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, law enforcement officials are trying to determine the identity of the child as well as the cause of her death.

Johnny Lewis Hartley (right), 39, and Mercy Mary Becerra, 43, tried to enter Mexico through the Tijuana crossing only to be apprehended and handed over to US officials

The couple that was apprehended are not the parents, police say.

The suspects have been identified as Johnny Lewis Hartley, 39, and Mercy Mary Becerra, 43. The two are residents of Whittier, a city which lies just southeast of Los Angeles.

The baby was discovered when Mexican authorities began screening the duffle bag at a pedestrian crossing in San Ysidro just before noon on Tuesday, San Diego police said.

The agents then noticed the body when placing the duffle bag into an X-ray machine.

As Hartley was being detained at the Tijuana crossing (seen here), Becerra tried to flee. The Whittier, California couple is now facing possible murder charges pending autopsy results

As Hartley was being handed over to US Customs and Border Protection, his companion, Becerra tried to flee, but she was caught a short time later and also transferred into American custody.

San Diego authorities are planning to charge the couple with one count of murder, though that could change depending on the results of the autopsy, which are due on Wednesday.

Police believe that foul play is to blame for the girls death.

Henry Munoz, a Whittier resident and former neighbor of Hartley's, told KTLA-TV that the couple had been evicted from the home where they lived several years earlier.
Advertisement

Extreme and gruesome violence has turned a city once beloved by holidaymakers from around the world into a war zone.

Acapulco, on Mexico's Pacific Coast, has been gripped by such bloody chaos in recent years that it has been dubbed one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

Shocking new photographs captured in little more than two months on the streets show just have horrifying life there has become, with death seemingly able to strike anywhere in the city.

The bodies of three men were photographed being carried out of a hidden grave, while a woman who had been shot dead in a cab was seen sprawled out inside the car.

Another man was gunned down while enjoying a beer at a seaside restaurant. In the hillside slums that ring the city, a 15-year-old girl's body was found chopped into pieces and wrapped in a blanket, her severed head in a bucket nearby with a hand-lettered sign from a drug gang.

Another picture showed the body of a decapitated man in the street.

An elderly tourist woman was spotted screaming in terror and taking shelter near the body of a fallen child, while military soldiers patrol the streets and are seen standing under signs reading 'Welcome to Acapulco'.

In 2015, there were 1,170 killings - giving the city of about 810,000 a murder rate of 111 per 100,000 inhabitants.

A local businessman who has lived in one of the city's slums for more than three decades summed up what life has become.

'It's like there is a curfew, nobody goes out at night anymore,' 71-year-old Pedro Ramirez told AP. 'In the morning, dead people turn up on streets.'

A man and a woman are seen trying to help a relative who has been shot in the tourist area of Acapulco, Mexico

A Mexican solider stands under a footbridge with a sign that reads, 'Welcome to Acapulco'. The Mexican city has become one of the deadliest places in the world in recent years

Blood is seen on the floor of a bar where a man was shot dead by gunman. The Mexican city has a staggeringly high murder rate of 111 per 100,000 people

The corpse of a young woman who was found dead in a taxi after a shooting is seen on the road on July 26, 2016

Armed police officers (left) stand near a cab (right) that has blood smeared across the side door. Inside, the arm of a woman killed can be seen

Federal Police officers carry one of the three corpses found in a clandestine grave on July 31 out of its hiding place

A tourist screams and takes shelter near the body of a man who was murdered at Papagayo Beach

A forensic staffer shows the morgue's cold chambers full of body bags in Acapulco, Mexico on July 13

A severed leg is seen on the ground next to a corpse lying on a street in the San Isidro neighborhood of Acapulco

A corpse remains inside a vehicle from the Forensic Medical Service. Acapulco has a population of just 810,000 people, but a shockingly high murder rate

Parts of a dismembered body are seen on the street next to a sign in the San Isidro neighborhood of Acapulco

Federal Police officers remain outside a bar where a man was shot dead on July 16, as people gather around to see what has happened

Parts of a dismembered body found in a water channel in the Carabali neighborhood are loaded into a truck to be taken to a morgue

In Acapulco (pictured) in 2015, there were 1,170 killings - giving the city of about 810,000 a murder rate of 111 per 100,000 inhabitants

Two separate teams of police officers are seen carrying bodies out from a hidden cave where three bodies were found in July

A worker of the attorney of Guerrero State looks at the corpse of a decapitated man lying on the street at La Progreso neigbourhood in Acapulco

The body of a murdered man is seen on Papagayo Beach, with the crime scene just meters away from tourist shops in the area

A bag containing dismembered body parts in seen in a channel (left), while a forensic staffer shows what is inside cold chambers (right) in the city

Forensic personnel and police work on a clandestine grave where they uncovered three corpses in the Manuel Anorve neighborhood on July 31

Police officers stand on watch in the back of a patrol car (left), while investigators hold an AK-47 (right) that was found in the back of a cab where a woman was shot and killed
A precious two-year-old girl who lost all of her limbs due to meningitis is overjoyed after receiving a new American Girl doll that looks just like her.

Harmonie Rose Allen was only 11 months old when she first became ill in the United Kingdom.

Her parents, Freya and Ross Allen, heard her struggling to breath and rushed her to a local children's hospital in Bristol in September 2014.

Sadly, before the family could arrive, the little girl's arms and legs had turned black.

Happy: Harmonie Rose Allen (above), 2, lost all of her limbs due to meningitis. She just received a new American Girl doll customized to look just like her after having a sucessful surgery

Harmonie was only 11 months old when she first became ill. Her parents heard her struggling to breath and rushed her to a local children's hospital in September 2014. Pictured above left with her doll and right before the illness

She was only given a 10 per cent chance of survival by doctors who diagnosed her with Meningococcal Septicaemia and worked tirelessly to save her life.

They were forced to amputate her arms, legs and the tip of her nose. Doctors also warned her parents that Harmonie might face long-term vision and learning issues.

Since having her limbs amputated, the toddler who is now two years old, has had numerous medical procedures and was recently hospitalized due to problems with her bowel.

On a Facebook page created by her parents, they shared that as a special reward for coping well with her recent procedure on August 1, they gave Harmonie an American Girl doll that was customized by A Step Ahead Prosthetic Company.

Sadly, before the family (above) could arrive to the children's hospital, Harmonie's arms and legs had turned black. She was diagnosed by doctors with Meningococcal Septicaemia

They were forced to amputate her arms, legs and the tip of her nose. Doctors also warned her parents that Harmonie (above) might face long-term vision and learning issues

'Yesterday we decided to give Harmonie her doll because she coped so well with hospital...,' the post reads.

'There is something special about this doll though... She is just like Harmonie... A quadruple amputee!

'She has prosthetic arms and legs! And she's all the way from America from the very famous shop American girl, in Newyork! (sic)

'She then travelled (sic) to A step ahead prosthetic company who adapted her to look just like Harmonie. How amazing is that'.

A Step Ahead Prosthetics is based in Long Island, New York and does not charge to customize American Girl dolls for little girls with limb loss.

As a special reward for coping well with her procedure, her parents gave her an American Girl doll that was customized by A Step Ahead Prosthetic Company

Her parents wrote on a Facebook page dedicated to her about how well she did in the surgery on August 1 (above) and how special the doll is

'We feel that it is absolutely crucial to boost the self-confidence, self-esteem, and feelings of inclusion for little girls with limb loss, and that something as small as a doll that resembles them can have a profound effect on their mental and physical well-being,' a statement on their website reads.

'In that spirit, anyone with a child who has had or is facing an amputation is welcome to send us an American Girl doll which we will happily modify with a prosthetic limb (or limbs) to match the child.

'The prosthetics themselves are entirely designed and fabricated in our prosthetics shop alongside the 'real' prosthetics, and are painted by hand in a variety of colors.'

Her family is accepting donations to assist with the cost of her hospital bills and future surgeries.

More information can be found on their website, www.hopeforharmonie.co.uk

Since having her limbs amputated, the Harmonie (above) who is now two years old, has had numerous medical procedures
Police have identified the officer who accidentally shot and killed a 73-year-old Florida mother during a role-playing exercise as Officer Lee Coel.

Librarian Mary Knowlton, 73, was taking part in a demonstration teaching residents when and when not to shoot their weapons on Tuesday when she was 'mistakenly struck with a live round' in front of 34 people in Punta Gorda.

On Wednesday, the Punta Gorda Police Department identified the officer who shot her as Officer Coel and said he is 'devastated' by what happened.

Officer Coel, who has worked for the department since March 2014, has been been placed on administrative leave while the incident is investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Scroll down for video

Police have identified the officer who accidentally shot and killed Mary Knowlton (right), a 73-year-old Florida mother, during a role-playing exercise as Officer Lee Coel (left)

Officer Coel (pictured), who has worked for the department since March 2014, has been been placed on administrative leave while the incident is investigated

In a statement, the police department said: ' Officer Coel is frequently seen throughout our community providing department presentations and tours and specifically role-playing in these shoot/dont shoot scenarios as well as a police presence at youth and neighborhood events.

'Officer Coel remains on administrative leave while the investigation into this incident gathers more details into how this tragedy happened.

'Like the rest of our community, Officer Coel is devastated by what happened and is receiving assistance from our department and the Police Benevolent Association at this time.'

After the incident, p olice chief Tom Lewis said Knowlton had been chosen randomly from the group for a 'shoot/don't shoot' simulation during the Citizen Police Academy at the station headquarters.

Officer Coel, who was playing the role of a 'bad guy', was supposed to fire blanks at the 'victim' Knowlton, but live rounds were loaded in the gun instead.

Knowlton's son Steven said it was a devastating time for the family in a statement to CBS This Morning.

Heartbroken niece Jenny Tucker Christensen wrote on Facebook: 'She will be forever missed by all.'

Sue Paquin, a photographer covering the event for the Charlotte Sun, witnessed the accident and told the Fort Myers News-Press the officer fired at Knowlton, who was playing the 'bad guy' during the scenario, several times.

Knowlton was struck with the live round during the 'first scenario' and was rushed to Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, where she was later pronounced dead

Mrs Knowlton (center) is pictured with her son Steve (left) and husband Gary (right) outside the White House

Knowlton's son, Steven (left), said it was a devastating time for the family in a statement released on Wednesday morning

Knowlton's class met at the Punta Gorda Police Department around 5.30pm and the shooting occurred just before 7pm.

The demonstration 'used simulated lethal force' to teach the class about making critical decisions, WINK News reported.

Knowlton was struck with the live round during the 'first scenario', according to the department, and was rushed to Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, where she was later pronounced dead.

Chief Lewis called the shooting a 'horrible accident'.

'Our entire police department and all of our city leaders are absolutely devastated for everyone involved in this unimaginable event.

A woman is seen confronting a police officer during one of the simulated exercises

Blank rounds (left) have groves in the top, while live bullets have more rounded tops

'I am asking that if you pray, you pray for Mary's husband and family and for all the officers and witnesses that involved this incident.

'Everyone involved is in an overwhelming state of shock and grief,' he said during a press conference on Tuesday night.

In a statement, the Punta Gorda's City Leaders group said: 'Tuesday evening our Citys administration was notified of a tragic event that occurred at the Punta Gorda Public Safety Building located at 1410 Tamiami Trail, which resulted in the loss of life of one of our beloved residents.

'We want to express our deepest sympathy for the family and friends of Mary Knowlton. We are shocked by this horrific accident and are grieving deeply over Marys passing.

'We also would like to acknowledge the impact this has had on the other participants who were present during this tragedy.

Punta Gorda Police Chief Tom Lewis (pictured) called the shooting a 'horrible accident'

'We have taken special measures to support those individuals. Yesterday evening, one of our first priorities was to involve our Police Departments Chaplain to provide assistance and comfort.

'This tragedy also significantly impacted our public safety family, to include the officers on scene, police dispatchers, and firefighters. Chief Tom Lewis immediately contacted the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to respond and begin an investigation into the events surrounding this incident.

'As your Mayor, City Council and City Manager we have complete faith in our Chief of Police to ensure that this outside investigation is conducted thoroughly.

'As your City leaders, we would like to express our gratitude for your continued support during this extremely difficult time. We are mourning and missing Mary, as she was a vital member of our community.'

The academy, where the shooting occurred, is a free eight-session course offered to 35 people at a time who are interested in learning local civics, Punta Gorda's website says.

Knowlton was chosen randomly from about 35 people in the class for a 'shoot/don't shoot' simulation during the Citizen Police Academy (pictured) at the station headquarters
When it comes to celebrating, a high-five or a quick hug is sometimes all that it needs.

But two Canadian athletes ended up chest bumping one another in the most awkward way imaginable.

Ben Saxton and Chaim Schalk of Canada celebrated winning a point against Latvia on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro in the beach volleyball.

Ben Saxton and Chaim Schalk lost their opening contest two sets to one against Latvia on Sunday, and they also proved to be incapable of a simple chest bump as Schalk turned away

The pair looked at one another and it seemed as though a chest bump was in the offing

But Schalk completely misread Saxton's signs and instead there was just awkwardness

Despite Saxton going in for the manly display of congratulation, Schalk clearly didn't know what was going on, and the entire sequence ended awkwardly.

On Tuesday, the pair were at it once again, only this time they realized the spotlight wasn't just on their ball handling.

Sensing the camera was on them, the pair performed some fine high-fiving, hand-slapping and they ever seemed to have perfected the chest pump they were so ridiculed for two days earlier.

And there's more to come from the Canadian pair as they managed to knock out Brazil, meaning there will be more chest bumps to witness in all of our futures.

Ben Saxton, right, tries to forget about what just happened as he continues to smile after the chest bump fail

On Tuesday they finally got it right as they roared back into the tournament shocking their hosts with a win over Brazil inside the Copacabana Stadium

Canada's Chaim Schalk (L) and Canada's Ben Saxton celebrate after winning the men's beach volleyball qualifying match between Brazil and Canada at the Beach Volley Arena

There were all manner of celebratory gestures witnessed during the match including fist bumps and clapping
The remains of mother-of-two Carly McBride have been found almost two years after she went missing.

Ms McBride's remains were found on a property near Scone, in New South Wales' upper Hunter Valley, last Sunday and her death is still being treated as a murder.

A post mortem on Wednesday confirmed the remains were those of the mother, who was last seen in September 2014, The Newcastle Herald reported.

Scroll down for video

The remains of New South Wales mother-of-two Carly McBride have been found almost two years after she went missing

Police Strike Force Karabi has been investigating Ms McBride's disappearance

Ms McBride's remains were found near Scone, in the upper Hunter Valley in New South Wales

Ms McBride, 31, was last seen on Calgaroo Avenue, Muswellbrook

Police had informed her family of the find and announced the discovery on Thursday morning.

A Facebook page dedicated to finding Ms McBride, set up by her mother, has been flooded with tributes and condolences since the discovery was revealed.

The last time the 31-year-old was seen, on Calgaroo Avenue Muswellbrook, she'd left her home to pick up takeaway food.

When she failed to return, the alarm was raised.

Police Strike Force Karabi was set up and has been investigating since she disappeared .

After she disappeared, someone deleted her Facebook account, and police were trying to locate that person, with the belief they could have information, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Police will hold a press conference about the discovery on Thursday.

Police said Ms McBride's remains were found on Sunday August 7

Ms McBride was a mother-of-two. She disappeared in September 2014

Ms McBride left this Belmont, NSW house on September 30 2014 and never returned
foundation, to set up access to an ambassador for a billionaire donor

Clinton's closest aide was told by Doug Band, of the

The State Deaprtment has claimed 'all the rules were followed' after an extraordinary series of emails revealed how Hillary Clinton's closest aide had taken orders from the Clinton Foundation.

The emails - from the secret Clinton server - showed how a Clinton Foundation official pressed Hillary Clinton's top aide Huma Abedin to give special State Department access to a major donor.

Other emails revealed she was told it was 'important to take care of' an individual whose name was withheld - but whose name had been passed to Clinton directly to get a job.

However the State Department spokeswoman, Elizabeth Trudeau, said Wednesday that there was no official investigation - and cleared all of Clinton's coterie of aides, the Washington Examiner reported.

SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE SECRET EMAILS

The Clinton whisperer: Huma Abedin at the then presidential candidate's side in 2008, before the two went to the State Department

Ties: Gilbert Chagoury, a Nigeria-born Lebanese billionaire who was convicted of money-laundering, was asked to be given access to a US ambassador

'We feel confident that all the rules were followed,' she said.

'I'm not aware of any review going on now.'

She also refused to name anyone not already identified in the published emails,

They had shown how Doug Band, a top official at the Clinton Foundation, emailed Hillary Clinton aides Huma Abedin and Cheryl Mills in April 2009 and asking for Gilbert Chagoury, a billionaire Lebanese businessman who pledged $1 billion to the Clinton Global Initiative, to be connected with the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman.

Chagoury, a former confidante of brutal Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha, was convicted in 2000 of laundering Nigerian money to Switzerland in connection with the Abacha regime. Under a plea deal, he agreed to pay Nigeria $66 million, and the Swiss government later expunged his conviction.

According to U.S. diplomatic cables published by Wikileaks, Chagoury has also been a key financial backer of pro-Hezbollah Lebanese politician Michel Aoun. At the time of Band's request to connect Chagoury with the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, Aoun was running for parliament in Lebanon on the Hezbollah-aligned bloc.

In an October 2007 cable, the prime minister of Lebanon noted Chagoury's ties to Aoun and 'suggested that the U.S. deliver to Chagoury a stern message about the possibility of financial sanctions and travel bans against those who undermine Lebanon's legitimate institutions.'

In 2010, it was discovered that Chagoury had been added to the U.S. No-Fly terror list and barred from boarding a private jet in New Jersey. He was able to obtain a 'waiver' to fly, and was later removed from the list and received a written apology from the U.S. government.

Chagoury pledged $1 billion to the Clinton Global Initiative in 2009 and has contributed between $1 million and $5 million to the Clinton Foundation.

In another email released by Judicial Watch, Band asked Abedin to help look for job openings for an 'important' associate, whose name is redacted from the message.

Band forwarded an email to Abedin from the unnamed individual that was headlined 'A favor'

'Hi Doug,' said the April 22, 2009 email. 'I really appreciated the opportunity to go on the Haiti trip; it was an eye-opening experiences seeing both the depravity and promise of that island.' The rest of the email is redacted.

Order: Doug Band (left) emailed Huma Abedin to tell her that it was 'very imp' for the billionaire Clinton Foundation donor to get access to Jeffrey Feltman, the ambassador to Lebanon (right)

Band passed on the message to Abedin with the note 'Important to take care of [redacted name].'

Abedin responded that the individual was 'on our radar' and 'Personnel has been sending him options.'

More favors: Clinton fundraiser Lana Moresky wrote a lengthy attempt to get someone a State Department job

In a third email, Clinton fundraiser Lana Moresky emailed Hillary Clinton and asked her about finding a State Department job for an individual whose name is redacted.

'[Redacted] is looking for an opportunity to meet with a knowledgeable [Department of State] person to learn more about the structure and positions available,' wrote Moresky in the April 29, 2009 email.

Clinton forwarded the message to Abedin with the note 'Can you pls followup and help [redacted]?'

That was the name which Trudeau specifically refused to disclose, saying: 'I can't speak to individual cases.'

The disclosure of the links between Abedin and Mills, who were State Department officials, and the foundation, prompted calls from Rudolph Giuliani, the former New York mayor and now Donald Trump supporter, for an organized crime investigation.

'You have tapes that they were hiding that show that millions of dollars were given to Clinton Foundation, and the State Department did favors for those people that they knew had given millions of dollars,' Giuliani told Fox and Friends.

'Thats called illegal, it's called criminal,' he said, saying he would like to see the Racketeering and Organized Crime Act used by the FBI to investigate the Clintons.
Footage has emerged online of a teacher stripped and beaten after an alleged affair with a high-school pupil in China.

Internet users claiming to be his former pupils said on social media that the man had sexually assaulted a female student, reports the People's Daily Online.

The parents of the girl reportedly beat and stripped the man before the video was captured in Wei County, northern China's Hebei province.

Shocking footage: In the footage the man can be seen naked and sitting against a wall

Filming the suspect: Onlookers film the man who leans backwards and forwards

In the footage the teacher can be seen sitting on the floor without clothes as people can be heard crowding around the man and talking.

Other onlookers can be seen filming the incident on their phones.

The teacher sways backwards and forwards throughout the video.

Staff at Weixian Number 1 Middle School confirmed that the man in the video was a teacher at the school surnamed Li.

He had been a teacher at the school for some years.

They said that 'student evaluation of Li's classes were good.'

Shaming: The man had been accused of sexually assaulting one of his female students

Following the incident, the man was taken to hospital and treated for his injuries

Battered and bruised: The man was allegedly stripped and beaten by the girl's parents

Police have confirmed that the incident did take place and have said that they are still investigating the case.

The local Public Security Bureau issued a notification on August 9 confirming that they found a naked man suspected of crimes on the north outer ring road.

The man was injured and so police took him to hospital.

In March this year, it was reported that a teacher tried to rape a female student in Lingshan County, China's Guangxi Autonomous Region.

Teachers immediately intervened and managed to free the student from the 30-year-old male teacher, surnamed Huo. The victim reportedly suffered no injuries.
It was one of the greatest scientific hoaxes in history, fooling the most eminent minds at the time into believing a previously unknown human ancestor had been found in an English gravel pit.

But new research may have finally solved the 100-year-old mystery of who was responsible for creating the faked remains that became known as Piltdown man.

Analysis of the collection of fossilised bones found across two sites at Piltdown, East Sussex, in 1912 points to a single individual as being behind the forgery.

The notorious hoax of Piltdown Man (jawbone pictured) has been shown to have been perpetrated by a single person - the man who discovered the 'fossil', Charles Dawson. In fact, it appears he created it with a jawbone from an orang-utan and human craniums

THE PILTDOWN MAN HOAX In 1912, the remains of a new human ancestor that lived up to 500,000 years ago was unveiled to the world at a packed meeting of the Geological Society in London. With an ape-like mandible containing two worn molar teeth and parts of a human-like braincase, it appeared to bridge the evolutionary gap between apes and modern humans. Primitive stone tools and animal fossil fragments were found alongside the supposed human fossil. They were all stained a dark red like the gravel they were found in. The human species was named Eoanthropus dawsonii, or 'Dawson's Dawn Man', after the man who claimed to have found it, Charles Dawson. It took nearly 50 years before the specimens were found to be a fake, created by combining the remains of humans with those of an orang-utan. Advertisement

Modern scientists who have been conducting the work now firmly lay the blame on Charles Dawson, the amateur archaeologist and solicitor who first found the bones.

They say the bones and teeth used to create the specimens appear to have come from just a single orangutan and two or human skeletons, that were possibly medieval in origin.

The modus operandi in modifying the specimens is almost identical, the new study finds.

Scans of the bones reveal the same dental putty was used through out the specimens to reconstruct the human bones and to piece orangutan remains onto them.

The putty was also used to load the bones and teeth with gravel from Piltdown to make them look more authentic.

Dr Isabelle De Groote, an expert in human evolution at Liverpool John Moores University who led the new study, said: 'Although multiple individuals have been accused of producing the fake fossils, our analyses to understand the modus operandi show consistency between all the different specimens and on both sites.

'It is clear from our analysis that this work was likely all carried out by one forger - Charles Dawson.'

The remains of what became known as Piltdown Man were discovered in a gravel pit in Piltdown in 1912 by Mr Dawson alongside animal fossils and stone tool.

Many of the bones and teeth had been hollowed out and filled with gravel (pictured)

The forgery of the Piltdown Man specimens (pictured above at the Natural History Museum) were only uncovered 50 years after its 'discovery', but the culprit has remained a mystery

Analysis of the bones shows that they had been filled with gravel to make them appear older than they actually were (CT scanning of gravel block from Piltdown pictured)

The skull fragments (pictured) and teeth from Piltdown man were stained reddish brown like the gravels they were found in

All of the teeth and bones were stained reddish brown like the gravels they were found in. The new 'species' was named Eoanthropus dawsonii, or 'Dawson's Dawn Man'.

Piltdown Man (bust pictured) was celebrated as a missing link in human evolution that was thought to have lived 500,000 years ago

With an ape-like mandible and human-like cranium, it was celebrated as a missing link in the evolution of man from apes and was claimed to have lived around 500,000 years.

The discovery turned the scientific view of human evolution on its head as the 'fossil' was far older and more primitive than anything else that had been found outside Africa.

Mr Dawson, from Lewes, East Sussex, worked with Arthur Smith Woodward, the keeper of geology at the Natural History Museum on London, on the find before they presented the discovery to the world at a packed meeting at the Geological Society on 18 December 1912.

Although some anatomists had doubts about the remains, few people were given access to the original specimens to study them. Other senior scientists backed the discovery.

After Mr Dawson's death in 1916 from septicaemia, further skull fragments from a second site at Piltdown, known as Piltdown II were added to the collection.

A dental putty was found to have been used to fill holes and repair the bones used in the hoax. They were also used to fix the mismatched teeth and even reconstruct one that was damaged (arrows in the pictures above show where putty was used in the mandible and cranium pieces)

The researchers used CT scanning and DNA testing to examine the Piltdown Man specimens (pictured in the laboratory behind the researchers above)

It was nearly 50 years before it was exposed as a forgery after two scientists at Oxford University gained access to the Piltdown Man specimens to carry out tests.

Charles Dawson (pictured) was an amateur scientist who found Piltdown Man. The new study suggests he was behind the hoax

They concluded that the cranium appeared to belong to a human around 50,000 years old, the jaw belonged to an orang-utan.

The teeth had been filed down while the whole set had been stained to match the colour of the gravel they were apparently found in.

Despite the deception, the culprit behind the hoax was never identified.

Among the suspects were Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, who lived near the site and was said to have planted the material to discredit the science of evolution.

Dr Woodward himself has also come under the glare of suspicion but Mr Dawson has remained the prime suspect.

The new study, which is published in the journal Royal Society Open Science shows that both parts of the faked fossils found at the two sites were constructed by the same forger.

Several eminent scientists were convinced by Charles Dawson and Arthur Smith Woodward's claims about the Piltdown specimens (1915 painting pictured). Shown left to right: F. O. Barlow, G. Elliot Smith, Charles Dawson, Arthur Smith Woodward. Front row: A. S. Underwood, Arthur Keith, W. P. Pycraft, and Sir Ray Lankester

Cracks were found in the orang-utan mandible (pictured) betrayed how the bones had been modified by the forger

The researchers believe it was likely to be Mr Dawson who was responsible.

Professor Chris Stringer, an expert on human evolution at the Natural History Museum who was also one of the authors on the new study, said: 'Our work shows that a century on, we can add a new chapter to the Piltdown story through new investigative techniques.

Piltdown man (reconstruction of skull pictured) was named Eanothropus dawsonii, or Dawson's Dawn Man

'I was surprised how major some of the modifications were, changes which had not been noticed before  for example the orang-utan mandible may have cracked in an unexpected way during modification and had to be glued back together.

'And the molar teeth were removed from the jaw, their roots were filed down, and then they were replaced.

'Dawson seems to have already got away with other forgeries that, like Piltdown, were only uncovered later on.

'This may have emboldened him to create the 'big find' which he told others he was longing to make.'

The researchers used 3D X-ray scans to show many of the bones and teeth were filled with Piltdown gravel and the openings plugged with small pebbles.

Holes in the skull bones were filled with dental putty which was also use to re-set the teeth in the jaw. One of the teeth had been reconstructed after it fell apart.

DNA testing on the human bones used in the forgery failed to provide a result but the researchers suspect they could be only 1,000 years old and may have been taken from a medieval crypt.

The researchers said: 'There is something enigmatic about the Piltdown saga, and both scientists and the general public like a good puzzle.

'Also, understanding how and why it was done has occupied the mind of many people, both scientists and non-scientists.

'We now know that the orangutan material used to forge the Piltdown I mandible, molars and Piltdown II molar very likely originated from a single orang-utan specimen related most closely to the orangutans now occupying south-west Sarawak (Borneo).

DNA testing (one of the research team with DNA samples pictured) on the human bones was unsuccessful, meaning the researchers were unable to identify where they may have come from

The teeth from the Piltdown man specimens were found to have been heavily modified with restorative putty (labelled e) and stained enamel (labelled g)

'We also know that two or perhaps three, possibly medieval, humans were used to make up the cranial 'fossils' and evidently purposely selected for their cranial thickness.

'The consistency in the modus operandi and the use of a limited number of specimens to create both the Piltdown I and Piltdown II material, are indicative of a single forger.'

They added that while Piltdown Man fooled the scientific establishment for nearly 50 years, modern technology and analysis made such forgeries much harder now.

He said: 'Scientists nowadays are much more careful, and have a battery of scientific investigative techniques available to them.
The question of whether the chicken or the egg came first is probably one of the world's longest-running arguments.

And while scientists cracked the question in 2010, saying the chicken must have preceded the egg, until now, the origins of birds' unique reproductive system have been a mystery.

Now scientists have traced many aspects of how birds have sex back to theropod dinosaurs - carnivorous reptiles that walked the Earth between 231 million and 66 million years ago, which are the ancient ancestors of birds.

Scientists have traced some of the aspects of bird reproduction back to theropod dinosaurs that lived between 231 million and 66 million years ago. Tending eggs and nesting (illustrated) both appear to date back to the dinosaurs along with some mating displays

THE CHICKEN CAME FIRST In 2010, scientists claimed to have 'solved' one of the world's most enduring scientific and philosophical questions - which came first, the chicken or the egg? They said the answer is the chicken, because the formation of egg shells relies on a protein found only in a chicken's ovaries. Therefore, an egg can exist only if it has been inside a chicken. The protein - called ovocledidin-17, or OC-17 - acts as a catalyst to speed up the development of the shell. Scientists from Sheffield and Warwick universities used a super computer to 'zoom in' on the formation of an egg. The computer, called HECToR and based in Edinburgh, revealed that OC-17 is crucial in kick-starting crystallisation - the early stages of the creation of a shell. The protein coverts calcium carbonate into calcite crystals which make up the shell. Advertisement

Modern birds' reproductive biology is dramatically different from that of any other living vertebrates, leading ornithologists and palaeontologists to wonder just how it evolved.

In a bid to find out, researchers from Montana State University studied the anatomy of modern birds, fossils of primitive birds, and fossils of the dinosaurs from which birds are descended.

From these, David Varricchio and Frankie Jackson were able to trace the evolution of bird reproduction through a series of distinct stages.

All modern birds share certain reproductive features, such as a single functional ovary and the practice of incubating their eggs through direct contact.

A study of the bird family tree suggests early birds built simple, open nests on the ground and that their young were 'precocial,' meaning they were well-developed and almost ready to fend for themselves when they hatched.

The researchers found theropod dinosaurs close to the ancestry of birds shared some of these traits  but had differences in their reproductive systems.

For example, earlier this year experts at the University of Colorado said there is evidence some theropods built nests and performed courtship rituals like modern birds to persuade a female they would make a good father.

Birds have some unique mating strategies compared to other vertebrates. In some species, such as swans (pictured), the birds pair for life

BIRD AND DINOSAUR SEX Reproductive features shared by modern birds and theropod dinosaurs: * Asymmetrical eggs and similar eggshell structure * Eggs with low porosity and water vapor conductance rates indicating they were not buried in sediment * Parental care * Adult in contact with the eggs during incubation * Eggs formed one at a time, rather than simultaneously as in reptiles * Feathers, likely for display and insulation in many theropods Advertisement

AND HOW THEY DIFFER Differences seen in theropods compared to modern birds: * Lack of egg turning due to absence of chalazae, the fibrous cords that allow rotation in bird eggs * Eggs partially buried in sediment, rather than in open nests * Although there was increased egg/body contact, it was still less than in modern birds * Eggs smaller relative to body size compared to birds, but significantly larger than reptile eggs * Retained 2 ovaries and oviducts, compared to 1 in birds Advertisement

Theropod nests have also revealed clutches of eggs that would have been tended to by the ferocious reptiles.

However, unlike modern birds, theropods had two functional reproductive tracts.

It has previously been suggested by experts at China's Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology that losing the second ovary as dinosaurs evolved into early bird-like creatures may been a key step in developing the ability to fly.

The review, published in The Auk: Ornithological Advances, said the eggs of dinosaurs' such as Oviraptors were smaller relative to their body size and more elongated than those of modern birds.

While theropod dinosaurs had two reproductive tracts, modern birds like the albatross (pictured) have only one ovary, which may have been a crucial change that allowed them to take to the air

Laying eggs in nests (pictured) and tending them appears to be a strategy that dates back to the Mesozoic era and can be traced back to theropod dinosaurs such as Oviraptors

It also explained that fossils of primitive birds and eggs from the Mesozoic era 252 to 66 million years ago - place them midway between their dinosaur ancestors and their modern descendants in terms of age, size and shape  showing how bird sex evolved.

Dr Varricchio said: 'Reproduction in modern birds is distinct among living vertebrates.

'Many aspects of this reproduction mode trace their origin to theropod dinosaurs such as Oviraptors and Troodontids, but not really beyond them to more distantly related dinosaurs.

'Interestingly, reproduction in the most common group of Mesozoic birds is very similar to that of these dinosaurs, and so still differs from modern birds.
Around 65 million years ago, a six mile-wide asteroid smashed into Earth with the power of more than a billion nuclear bombs.

According to some estimates, around three quarters of life was snuffed out by the mass extinction that followed.

Now, researchers are sifting through the impact zone to piece together the events that unfolded on one of the worst days in Earth's history.

Scroll down for video

Around 65 million years ago, a six mile-wide asteroid smashed into Earth with the power of more than a billion nuclear bombs. According to some estimates, around three quarters of life was snuffed out by the mass extinction that followed

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN CHICXULUB HIT EARTH? Within 10 hours of the impact, a massive tsunami waved ripped through the Gulf coast. This caused earthquakes and landslides in areas as far as Argentina. The creatures living at the time were not just suffering from the waves - the heat was much worse. While investigating 'dooms day' researchers found small particles of rock and other debris that was shot into the air when the asteroid crashed. Called spherules, these small particles covered the world with a one-tenth inch thick layer of soot. Experts explain that losing the light from the sun caused a complete collapse in the aquatic system as the phytoplankton base of almost all aquatic food chains would have been eliminated. It's believed that the more than 180 million years of evolution that brought the world to the Cretaceous point was destroyed in less than the lifetime of a Tyrannosaurus rex, which is about 20 to 30 years. Advertisement

Scientists are taking rock core samples from the impact zone in Mexico, known as the Chicxulub crater.

The site of the crash of Chicxulub has been on record since the 1980s and is home to the impact that is more than 100 miles (160km) in diameter, reports Smithsonian Magazine.

Scientists have also discovered signs of a massive tsunami around the Gulf coast.

They believe the asteroid hit Earth with such force that, within 10 hours, a huge wave made its way along the coast, causing mass destruction.

The wave would have caused sand to end up on dry land, while plants would have be thrown into the ocean.

Signs of this geological mix up can still be seen today in sedimentary layers of rock that mark the final day of the Cretaceous period.

The blast also triggered earthquakes and landslides in regions as far away as Argentina.

But perhaps the most devastating result of the impact was the intense heat that followed.

The asteroid caused tiny particles of rock to shoot into the air and settle into a thin layer across the world.

'The kinetic energy carried by these spherules is colossal, about 20 million megatons total or about the energy of a one megaton hydrogen bomb at six kilometer intervals around the planet,' University of Colorado geologist Doug Robertson told the Smithsonian.

That kinetic energy would have produced intense heat, beginning around 40 minutes after impact and lasting for several hours.

They believe the asteroid hit Earth with such force that, within 10 hours, a huge wave made its way along the coast, causing mass destruction. Pictured is an artist's impression of the event

DRILLING AT THE IMPACT ZONE After weeks of drilling deep at the impact site, the European Consortium for Ocean Researcher Drilling reached rocks from the catastrophic event that wiped out 75 per cent of life on Earth earlier this year. They say the analysis of them, about to begin in a German lab, could finally explain what caused one of the most catastrophic mass extinction's in the planet's history. Hidden in the crater was a 'peak ring', a ring of mountains left behind that shows the post-impact world and fossils showing how things evolved from what survived the impact. 'This was probably the most important event in the last 100 million years,' Joanna Morgan, a geophysicist at Imperial College in London and a leader of the expedition and part of the European Consortium for Ocean Researcher Drilling, told NPR. The 'peak ring', which is a ring of mountains left by the asteroid holds clues to what actually happened the day the asteroid fell into Earth and paint a picture of a post-impact world. During the weeks of drilling, the team pulled layers of rock out that were linked to a part of our planet's history. The first impact of the asteroid caused an explosion so large, it put a nuclear bomb to shame. Heat from the collisions was so intense, it rolled through the forests creating wildfires hundreds of miles away from the crash siteall of which was followed by an unexpected winter. But most experts believe 75 percent of life on the planet went extinct after doomsday on Earth  including the dinosaurs. The rocks pulled from the peak ring tell a story of how life recovered after the catastrophic event. And when the team reached the top of the peek ring, they found a thick layer of broken, melted rock beneath a layer of lime stone that could be suggests a massive tsunami formed when the asteroid struck. Advertisement

'For several hours following the Chicxulub impact, the entire Earth was bathed with intense infrared radiation from ballistically reentering ejecta,' Robertson and his colleagues write in a 2004 paper titled 'Survival in the First Hours of the Cenozoic'.

Experts believe that much of the Cretaceous life that lived on land disappeared in just a matter of hours.

Scientists are taking rock core samples from the impact zone in Mexico, known as the Chicxulub crater

The site of the crash of Chicxulub, illustrated above, has been on record since the 1980s and is home to the impact that is more than 100 miles (160km) in diameter

'Dust and soot from the impact and fires would have created an 'impact winter' with zero sunlight reaching the surface of the Earth for a year or so.'

For those organisms that miraculously survived the scorching temperatures, they had to content with the loss of sunlight.

Robertson explained that losing the light from the sun caused a complete collapse in the aquatic system as the phytoplankton base of almost all aquatic food chains would have been eliminated.

WHAT KILLED THE DINOSAURS? While there have been many theories for what killed off the dinosaurs - from an asteroid strike to massive volcanic eruptions - recent research suggests it may have been a combination of disasters. The creatures' 160 million year long reign is thought to have been ended by a double-whammy when the shockwave from the meteor impact caused a storm of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes around the world. Much of the planet would also have been blanketed in dust, meaning plant life could have struggled for years, having a widespread impact on the food chain. Researchers recently announced they had found evidence that a string of volcanoes in a region of India known as the Deccan Traps doubled their activity around 50,000 years after the Chicxulub impact. They blanketing the Earth with sulphurous gas and dust. Together, the impact and volcanism caused a dramatic change in climate as the sun's rays were blanketed out in a version of the 'nuclear winter' predicted to follow a global nuclear war. Advertisement

It's believed that the more than 180 million years of evolution that brought the world to the Cretaceous point was destroyed in less than the lifetime of a Tyrannosaurus rex, which is about 20 to 30 years.

Robertson says it is difficult to get a complete census of the damage, 'because dinosaurs get a disproportionate amount of attention'.

He believes pollen and plankton hold more clues to what happened on the day our Earth changed forever.
A Tesla vehicle crashed in China on Wednesday after the driver mistook 'autopilot mode' for a 'self-driving' function.

The driver is now pointing fingers at Tesla sales staff for overplaying the car's actual capabilities, claiming they implied that the system should take control of steering and braking under certain conditions.

Tesla says Luo Zhen, the driver of the car, was responsible for maintaining control of the vehicle, but their investigation revealed his hands were not detected on the wheel.

Scroll down for video

A Tesla vehicle crashed in China Wednesday (pictured), after the driver mistook 'autopilot mode' for a 'self-driving' function. The driver is now pointing fingers at the car maker's sales staff for overplaying the car's actual capabilities, in that the system should take control of steering and braking under certain conditions

TESLA'S FIRST AUTOPILOT CRASH IN CHINA While driving to work, Lou Zhen set his Tesla Model S sedan in autopilot and took his hands off the wheel. He said his car hit a vehicle that was parked halfway off the highway, but no injuries have been reported. Zhen claims that Tesla sales staff overplays the car's actual capabilities by it has 'self-driving' functions. He describes this ability as, the system taking control of steering and braking under certain conditions. After the investigation, Tesla said it was the driver's responsible to maintain control of the vehicle and the firm did not detect his hands on the wheel. Advertisement

The crash, Tesla's first known such incident in China, comes five months after a fatal accident in Florida, which turned up pressure on auto industry executives and regulators to tighten rules on automated driving technology.

Zhen, 33-year-old programmer at a tech firm, was driving to work and engaged the autopilot function as he often does on Beijing's highways, he told Reuters in his first interview with international media.

He filmed the incident with a dashboard camera and said his car hit a vehicle parked half off the road.

The accident sheered off the parked vehicle's side mirror and scraped both cars, but caused no injuries.

'The driver of the Tesla, whose hands were not detected on the steering wheel, did not steer to avoid the parked car and instead scraped against its side,' a Tesla spokeswoman said in an emailed response to Reuters.

'As clearly communicated to the driver in the vehicle, autosteer is an assist feature that requires the driver to keep his hands on the steering wheel at all times, to always maintain control and responsibility for the vehicle, and to be prepared to take over at any time.'

Zhen, however, blamed the crash on a fault in the autopilot system and said Tesla's sales staff strongly promoted the system as 'self-driving'.

Zhen, 33-year-old programmer at a tech firm, was driving to work and engaged the autopilot function as he often does on Beijing's highways. He filmed the incident with a dashboard camera and said his car hit a vehicle parked half off the road

'The impression they give everyone is that this is self-driving, this isn't assisted driving,' he said.

Interviews with four other unconnected Tesla drivers in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou also indicated the message conveyed by front-line sales staff did not match up with Tesla's more clear cut statements that the system is not 'self-driving' but an advance driver assistance system (ADAS).

These Tesla owners all said salespeople described the cars' function in Chinese as 'self-driving', a term the company generally avoids using in English, and took their hands off the wheel while demonstrating it.

'They all described it as being able to drive itself,' said Shanghai resident Mao Mao, who bought a Tesla Model S last year.

The term 'zidong jiashi' appears several times on Tesla's Chinese portal, which is most literally translated to mean 'self-driving'.

TESLA AUTOPILOT'S FUNCTIONS Autosteer: This feature, which is currently in beta, keeps the car in the current lane and engages Traffic-Aware Cruise Control to maintain the car's speed. Tesla requires drivers to remain engaged and aware when Autosteer is enabled and drivers must keep their hands on the steering wheel. Auto Lane Change: When the driver flicks the indicator switch and turn signal, the Model S will move itself to the adjacent lane when safe to do so. Automatic Emergency Steering and Side Collision Warning: Side Collision Warning alerts drivers to objects, such as cars, that are too close to the side of Model S. When the car detects an object close to its side, fluid lines will appear around an image of the Model S image in the instrument panel. Autopark: When driving at low speeds around cities, a 'P' will appear on the instrument panel when the Tesla detects a parking spot. The Autopark guide appears on the touchscreen along with the rear camera display, and, once activated, Autopark will begin to park itself by controlling steering and vehicle speed. Advertisement

It is also the term for airplane autopilot, leaving room for confusion among consumers.

'We have never described autopilot as an autonomous technology or a 'self-driving car,' and any third-party descriptions to this effect are not accurate,' the Tesla spokeswoman said.

'The driver of the Tesla, whose hands were not detected on the steering wheel, did not steer to avoid the parked car and instead scraped against its side,' a Tesla spokeswoman said. Pictured is the parked Volkswagen involved in today's crash

Tesla does not regularly announce its sales data for China, where it has faced tough local competition, and it is not clear how many cars in the country have autopilot, an add-on feature that costs more than 27,000 yuan ($4,000) extra.

The company struggled to sell its high-tech electric cars in China at first due to distribution issues and widespread concerns about charging vehicles.

There is no clear regulation on self-driving cars in China as the country is in the midst of drafting its policy toward the technology. Under current Chinese law, drivers must keep two hands on the wheel at all times.

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology did not respond to faxed questions asking about the legality of self-driving cars, including Tesla's autopilot function.

Zhen, blamed the crash on a fault in the autopilot system and said Tesla's sales staff strongly promoted the system as 'self-driving'. The accident sheered off the parked vehicle's side mirror and scraped both cars, but caused no injuries

Interviews with four other unconnected Tesla drivers in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou also indicated the message conveyed by front-line sales staff did not match up with Tesla's more clear cut statements that the system is not 'self-driving' but an advance driver assistance system

Unsatisfied with Tesla's initial response to his crash, Zhen posted pictures and a video of the crash on Chinese social media platform Weibo describing the incident and criticizing the company.

The pictures show damages to his blue Tesla Model S and a parked Volkswagen, while the dashboard camera video captures the lead up to the crash and the car subsequently stopping.

Zhen filmed the incident using a dashboard camera, which he has since published online. The video shows Zhen approaching the parked vehicle (top) and the Tesla drive towards it instead of steering away - which is what Zhen believed should have happened

Zhen, who said he had used autopilot for more than a month, said he was looking at his phone or the in-car navigation at the time of the accident, only looking up every several seconds - but blamed Tesla's hard sell.

'They use this immature technology as a sales and promotion tactic...but they don't take responsibility for the safety of the function,' he said.

Tesla does however provide safeguards.
a piece of the floor in 1938, but digging did not start decades later

Advertisement

Archaeologists have uncovered a 36-foot mosaic floor depicting scenes of ancient chariot races in the Roman hippodrome.

Dating back to the 4th century, this magnificent artifact was discovered in the Akaki village outside the capital Nicosia, making it the only one of its kind in Cyprus and one of seven in the world.

Not only is this mosaic incredibly detailed, but it illustrates complete race scenes for four charioteers, each being drawn by a team of four horses.

Experts believe this is a representation of the different factions that competed in ancient Rome.

A 36-foot mosaic floor depicting scenes of ancient chariot races in the hippodrome has been uncovered. Dating back to the 4th century, this magnificent artifact was discovered in the Akaki village outside the capital Nicosia, making it the only one of its kind in Cyprus and one of only a handful in the world

'The hippodrome was very important in ancient Roman times, it was the place where the emperor appeared to his people and projected his power,' said Fryni Hadjichristofi, a Cyprus Antiquities Department archaeologist.

Derived from the Greek words hippos ('horse') and dromos ('course'), the hippodrome was an open-air stadium, used for chariot and horse racing, which was a common Grecian activity during the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine eras.

The excavation crew is still working to uncover the entire floor, but the area that is visible measures 36 feet long and 13 feet wide.

The team believes this stunning piece was once part of a villa owned by a wealthy individual or nobleman while Cyprus was under Roman rule.

Since it was found just 19 miles west of the capital Nicosia, researchers also believe this finding will shed light on the ancient past of the island's interior.

The excavation crew is still working to uncover the entire floor, but the area that is visible measures 36 feet long and 13 feet wide. The team believes this stunning piece was once part of a villa owned by a wealthy individual or nobleman while Cyprus was under Roman rule

'The hippodrome was very important in ancient Roman times, it was the place where the emperor appeared to his people and projected his power,' said Fryni Hadjichristofi, a Cyprus Antiquities Department archaeologist whose shadow is shown in the image. Derived from the Greek words hippos ('horse') and dromos ('course'), the hippodrome was an open-air stadium, used for chariot and horse racing

The mosaic displays scenes from a chariot race, with one charioteer standing as he is being pulled by four horses  in total it shows four different races.

Near each of the four charioteers are inscriptions, which is believed to be their names and the name of one of the horses.

Archaeologists believe this representation is the four factions that would compete in chariot races while ancient Rome reigned.

Three cones can be seen along the circular arena, each topped with egg-shaped objects, and three columns seen in the distance hold up dolphin figures with what appears like water flowing from them.

This mosaic floor is said to be a rare and unique find, due to how well-preserved and detailed it is. Experts believe it depicts the four factions that once competed in chariot races during ancient Rome, which was also a common activity among the Greeks during this time

This ancient work of art displays scenes from a chariot race, with one charioteer standing as he is being pulled by four horse  in total it shows four different races. Near each of the four charioteers are inscriptions, which is believed to be their names and the name of one of the horses

On another part of the mosaic is one man on horseback and two others that are standing - one is holding a whip and the other a jug of water.

'It is an extremely important finding, because of the technique and because of the theme,' the director of the Department of Antiquities Marina Ieronymidou said during a press conference in front of the mosaic this week.

'It is unique in Cyprus since the presence of this mosaic floor in a remote inland area provides important new information on that period in Cyprus and adds to our knowledge of the use of mosaic floors on the island.'

The typical hippodrome was carved into a hillside and the material pulled from the ground was packed along the edges to construct an embankment for seats.

Three cones can be seen along the circular arena, which are topped with egg-shaped objects and three columns are seen in the distance that are holding up dolphin figures with what appears like what is flowing from. On another part of the mosaic is one man on horseback and two others that are standing - one is holding a whip and the other a jug of water

WHAT DID ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNEARTH IN CYPRUS? Archaeologist uncovered a 36-foot long mosaic floor in the Akaki village outside the capital Nicosia. This masterpiece depicts complete scenes with four chariots, each with a team of four horses, that are competing in the hippodrome  a representation of the different factions that competed in ancient Rome. One charioteer can be seen standing as he is being pulled by four horse  in total it shows four different races. The team believes this stunning piece may have once been part of a villa owned by a wealthy individual or nobleman while Cyprus was under Roman rule. Since it was found just 19 miles west of the capital Nicosia, researchers also believe this finding will shed light on the ancient past of the island's interior Under each of the four charioteers are inscriptions, which is believed to be their names and the name of one of the horses. There are three cones along the circular arena that are topped with an egg-shaped object and three columns are topped with a dolphin figure with what appears like what is flowing from. On another part of the mosaic is one man on horseback and two others that are standing - one is holding a whip and the other a jug of water. The team believes this stunning piece may have once been part of a villa owned by a wealthy individual or nobleman while Cyprus was under Roman rule. Since it was found just 19 miles west of the capital Nicosia, researchers also believe this finding will shed light on the ancient past of the islands interior, as little is known. Advertisement

A famous movie in the 1959 file Ben Hur was the nine minute chariot race around a hippodrome. Ben Hur, played by Charlton Heston, is racing with a team of four horses

Its shape was oblong, with one end semicircular and the other squared  similar to a 'U', but with a closed top.

A low wall, called a spina, was constructed through the middle and ran almost from one end of the stadium to the other in order to divide the course.

This wall was decorated with monuments and sculptures that were shifted around to inform spectators of the laps completed during the race.

Since it could hold as many 10 chariot races at once, the course was sometimes as wide as 400 feet wide and 600 to 700 feet long.

This scene was depicted in the 1959 American film Ben Hur, which is famous for its nine-minute chariot race in a hippodrome.

Ben Hur, played by Charlton Heston, races around the course with a team of four horses as thousands of spectators cheer him on from the embankment.

A small piece of decorated floor was first discovered by a farmer back in 1939, but full-fledged digging wasn't started until decades later due to work on other sites, explained researchers

Experts say this mosaic floor is a unique find because of the technique and theme used to construct it. They hope this find provides new information on this period in Cyprus and how people used mosaic floors on the island

Researchers found that most of the important ancient finds on the island, like this well-preserved mosaic, are usually found along the coast, because this is where cities and town flourished in antiquity.

A small piece of decorated floor was first discovered by a farmer back in 1939, but full-fledged digging wasn't started until decades due to work on other sites, explained Hadjichristofi.

Cyprus was once a a wealthy island in antiquity, as it was known for producing copper, timber from its then-ample forests, as well as pottery, many examples of which have been found in neighboring countries, said Hadjichristofi.

'We know that Cyprus was once wealthy, the latest discoveries confirm this,' she said.

The typical hippodrome was carved into a hillside and the material pulled from the ground was packed along the edges to construct an embankment for seats. Its shape was oblong, with one end semicircular and the other squared  similar to a 'U', but with a closed top. Pictured are the ruins of a hippodrome in Aphrodisias, Turkey
In May 1967, the US Air Force prepared aircraft for war, thinking the nation's surveillance radars were being blocked by the Soviet Union.

However, the cause of the radar jamming was not the Soviet Union.

The military discovered that a solar storm had caused the disruption, and thankfully the US avoided a potential nuclear weapon exchange.

Scroll down for video

A view of the sun on May 23, 1967. The bright region in the top centre region of brightness shows the area where the large flare occurred. The flare blocked the US' surveillance radars

IMPACT OF SOLAR FLARES A solar flare is an explosion on the Sun that happens when energy stored in magnetic fields (usually above sunspots) is suddenly released. In a matter of just a few minutes they heat material to many millions of degrees and produce a burst of radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum. Solar flares can cause geomagnetic storms on Earth which can damage satellites and have an enormous financial cost. Very large flares can create currents within electricity grids and knock out energy supplies. Geomagnetic storms are more disruptive now than in the past because of our greater dependence on technical systems that can be affected by electric currents. Advertisement

New research, accepted for publication in the journal of the American Geophysical Union, has described the event publicly for the first time.

The researchers say the solar storm is a classic example of how geoscience and space research are essential to US national security.

Delores Knipp, a space physicist at the University of Colorado and lead author of the study, said: 'Had it not been for the fact that we had invested very early on in solar and geomagnetic storm observations and forecasting, the impact likely would have been much greater.'

Solar activity and space weather was monitored by the US military from the late 1950s.

In the 1960s, a new branch of the Air Forces Air Weather Service (AWS) began monitoring the sun for solar flares - brief intense blasts of radiation from the sun's atmosphere.

Solar flares can cause geomagnetic storms on Earth, which in turn disrupt radio communications.

Solar flares are brief intense blasts of radiation from the sun's atmosphere. Solar flares can cause geomagnetic storms on Earth, which in turn disrupt radio communications

In early May 1967, military weather forecasters saw an unusually large number of sunspots appear in one region of the sun, which turned into a solar flare by May 23.

The solar flare disrupted radars at three sites in the Northern Hemisphere, which were designed to detect incoming Soviet missiles.

An attack on these stations, would have been considered an act of war.

The solar flare disrupted radars at three sites in the Northern Hemisphere, which were designed to detect incoming Soviet missiles

Along with the information from the Solar Forecast Centre, forecasters learned the three sites were in sunlight and could receive radio emissions coming from the sun.

This further suggested that the radars were being blocked by the sun, and not the Soviet Union.

Colonel Arnold Snyder, a solar forecaster who was on duty that day said: 'I specifically recall responding with excitement, "Yes, half the sun has blown away," and then related the event details in a calmer, more quantitative way.'

The image above shows the numerous effects a solar flare could have on the world

The study suggests that before US military commanders were informed of the solar flare, they had put additional forces in a 'ready to launch' status.

Thankfully, the information on the solar flares reached the Air Force just in time, preventing the deployment of nuclear weapons.

The geomagnetic storm went on to disrupt US radio communications for almost a week.

While the blocking of the radars could have led to a war, the researchers say the storm made the military recognise space weather as an operational concern, and build a stronger forecasting system.

Morris Cohen, and electrical engineer at Georgia Institute of Technology, who was not involved in the study, said: 'Oftentimes, the way things work is something catastrophic happens and then we say, "We should do something so it doesn't happen again."

'But in this case there was just enough preparation done just in time to avert a disastrous result.'
Archaeologists are trying to decipher 'magic spells' etched onto tiny rolls of gold and silver that they found alongside skeletons of humans buried almost 2,000 years ago.

The remains were unearthed during excavations at an industrial site earlier this month, but the scrolls and their mishmash of languages have puzzled researchers.

Experts believe the inscriptions may have been used as spells to invoke good or evil spirits.

Archaeologists are trying to decipher 'magic spells' etched onto tiny rolls of gold and silver that they found alongside skeletons of humans buried almost 2,000 years ago. Miomir Korac, chief archaeologist at the Belgrade archaeology institute holds the golden amulet

WHAT'S ON THE SCROLLS? The mystery of the buried scrolls has puzzled researchers since they were unearthed. Archaeologists say the small patches of gold and silver are about the size of a sweet wrapper and covered in carefully written Greek lettering. But the language is believed to be Aramaic - the language of Jesus. According to the team, magic charms were buried with dead children or adults who had suffered a violent death. People believed that their souls took longer to find rest, so could be used to pass onto good and evil spirits so they could do their magic. Advertisement

The alphabet is Greek, that much we know. The language is Aramaic - it's a Middle Eastern mystery to us,' Miomir Korac, chief archaeologist at the site in eastern Serbia, told Reuters.

The skeletons were found at the foot of a massive coal-fired power station where searches are being carried out before another unit of the electricity plant is built on the site of an ancient Roman city.

Last week, after carefully brushing away soil from the bones, Korac's team found two amulets made of lead that, when opened, were each found to rolls of precious metal - silver and gold - covered in symbols and writing.

They believe the inscriptions are magic spells, taken to the grave to invoke divine powers to perform good or evil.

'We read the names of a few demons, that are connected to the territory of modern-day Syria,' archaeologist Ilija Dankovic said at the dig, as more skeletons from the 4th century were being uncovered.

The remains were found at the site of a power station where searches are being carried out before another unit of the electricity plant is built on the site of an ancient Roman city

Experts believe gold and silver scrolls unearthed with human remains in Serbia, may have been used as spells to invoke higher powers

The fragile, golden and silver scrolls - which once unrolled look like rectangles of foil similar in size to a sweet wrapper - may never be fully understood.

They are the first such items discovered in Serbia but resemble amulets of 'binding magic' found in other countries, Dankovic said.

'They were often love charms, ordering someone to fall in love, but there were also dark, malignant curses, to the tune of: 'may your body turn dead, as cold and heavy as this lead,' he said.

The remains (pictured) were uncovered at a site just east of Belgrade. Experts say the scroll are written in careful Greek script in the language of Aramaic - the dead language of Jesus

Magic charms tended to be buried with dead children or adults who had suffered a violent death, Dankovic said, because of a belief that 'souls of such people took longer to find rest and had a better chance of finding demons and deities and pass the wishes to them so they could do their magic.'

The archaeological team's dig is on the site of the former Roman city of Viminacium, around 62 miles (100 km) East of Belgrade.

It was the Empire's provincial capital which is believed to have had a population of 40,000. Its residents suffered from the maladies of the day, including plague in the 2nd Century, before the city was destroyed by Hun invaders and later the Slavs.

Archaeologists also uncovered a small number of gold coins at the site (pictured)

Researchers uncovered the artefacts at the site of the Roman city of Viminacium




Being propelled in capsules along a pneumatic tube at speeds of up to 740mph (1,200km/h) might seem like something out of science fiction.

But the concept of a super-fast Hyperloop train may be a reality soon as more and more cities are joining the race to build quicker transport.

The latest city is Dubai, which will be hosting a competition looking for designs of a radical new mass transit system, able to carry passengers at speeds faster than some airliners.

Scroll down for video

Being propelled in capsules along a pneumatic tube at speeds of up to 740mph (1,200km/h) might seem like something out of science fiction. But the concept of a super-fast Hyperloop train might be a reality sooner than you think. Pictured is a concept design

HYPERLOOP IN DUBAI Dubai will be hosting looking for designs of a radical new mass transit system, able to carry passengers at speeds faster than some airliners. The city plans to host an international competition in September, where designs will be invited for a system that uses a pipeline to propel people and goods in capsules. The 48-hour 'Build Live Earth' contest on 26 September will involve international scientific cooperation to introduce the latest technology on Hyperloop transportation designs. Advertisement

Hyperloop is the vision of Elon Musk, owner of Tesla and SpaceX, who made the technology patent-free in a bid to encourage international scientific collaboration around the futuristic concept.

The tube is suspended off the ground to protect against weather and earthquakes.

Passengers would sit in either individual or group pods, which would then be accelerated with magnets.

A Hyperloop between Dubai and Fujairah, a distance of 65 miles (105 km) would reduce travel time to less than 10 minutes.

The city plans to host an international competition in September, where designs will be invited for a system that uses a pipeline to propel people and goods in capsules, the government of the United Arab Emirates has said.

More than 100 participants have enrolled under teams from various engineering and scientific international enterprises, and in the final stage, six teams will explain their project in front of evaluation judges

A Hyperloop between Dubai and Fujairah, a distance of 65 miles (105 km) would reduce travel time to less than 10 minutes. The tube is suspended off the ground to protect against weather and earthquakes

The 48-hour 'Build Live Earth' contest on 26 September will involve international scientific cooperation to introduce the latest technology on Hyperloop transportation designs. Passengers would sit in either individual or group pods (pictured), which would then be accelerated with magnets

HYPERLOOP IN EUROPE Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) met with Slovakian government officials earlier this year to finalise and sign an agreement. They are looking to build a local Hyperloop system, with the vision of creating future routes connecting Bratislava with Vienna, Austria and Budapest, Hungary. They wants the first stage to be complete by 2020. But the company has not secured funding yet, and the project is expected to cost $200-300 million (141  211 million). Meanwhile Hyperloop One is working with FS-Links AB on a Hyperloop system that will operate between Finland, Sweden and Estonia. Advertisement

The 48-hour 'Build Live Earth' contest on 26 September will involve international scientific cooperation to introduce the latest technology on Hyperloop transportation designs.

More than 100 participants have enrolled under teams from various engineering and scientific international enterprises, and in the final stage, six teams will explain their project in front of evaluation judges.

'Dubai is hosting this global event as part of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make the UAE and Dubai a global platform for innovative minds to come together to create futuristic solutions on issues of relevance to humanity,' said Mohammed Al Gergawi, managing director of Dubai Future Foundation.

'This will eventually lead to massive global economic growth, and we aim to keep pace with the rapid developments by focusing on smart application of services and innovation in all fields,' Al Gergawi added.

The Hyperloop concept was first proposed by billionaire, Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX and Tesla. It has already to the development of technologies such as augmented reality windows for public transport, which could feature in the new train

Hyperloop One is just one of the start-ups hoping to revolutionize transport systems with the Hyperloop. It ahs been building a test track in the Nevada desert (pictured) and hopes to reach speeds of more than 600mph by early next year

The development of future transportation solutions is hoped to change the way people handle their daily tasks, and the way they work and commute, especially considering that the world is witnessing a technical revolution involving 3D printing, self-driving vehicles, and robotics.

Experts say the cost of building a single Hyperloop tube will cost just 10 per cent of the cost of building conventional high speed trains.

Earlier this year it was revealed an 'Innovation Train' featuring new technologies developed by the Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT), such as augmented reality windows, could be available as soon as next year.

The company has teamed up with Deutsche Bahn, which operates the largest rail network in Europe, to create a more efficient train with a 'modern digital presence.'

HTT's futuristic transport system envisages passengers being able to travel between Los Angeles and San Francisco in just 34 minutes.

The company is working with a Munich-based company called Re'Flekt, which specialises in augmented reality.

The major addition to the train will be Hyperloop-style interactive windows.
In 1976, archaeologists unearthed gold jewellery in the Bulgarian Black sea city of Varna, which they claimed was the world's oldest gold artefact ever found.

But a new gold bead has been discovered, which researchers say is even older.

The tiny bead was found in Pazardzhik in Bulgaria, and is believed to date back to 4,500-4,600 BC.

The gold bead measures four millimetres (0.16 inches) in diameter and weighs just 15 centigrams (0.005 ounces)

THE ANCIENT URBAN SETTLEMENT The researchers believe the bead was made at a site just outside the modern town of Pazardzhik. The site was the first 'urban' settlement in Europe, peopled by 'a highly-cultured society' which moved there from Anatolia, in today's Turkey, around 6,000 BC. The settlement unearthed so far is between 100,000-120,000 square metres (25-30 acres) and would have had a 2.8 metre high (9 foot) fortress wall. Anything over 700,000 square metres is regarded as a town by researchers working in Mesopotamia. Advertisement

The bead measures four millimetres (0.16 inches) in diameter and weighs just 15 centigrams (0.005 ounces).

Yavor Boyadzhiev, associated professor at the Bulgarian Academy of Science, said: 'I have no doubt that it is older than the Varna gold.

'It's a really important discovery. It is a tiny piece of gold but big enough to find its place in history.'

The researchers believe the bead was made at a site just outside the modern town of Pazardzhik.

The site was the first 'urban' settlement in Europe, peopled by 'a highly-cultured society' which moved there from Anatolia, in today's Turkey, around 6,000 BC.

Mr Boyadzhiev, said: 'I would say it is a prototype of a modern town, though we can say what we have here is an ancient town.'

The site was the first 'urban' settlement in Europe, peopled by 'a highly-cultured society' which moved there from Anatolia, in today's Turkey, around 6,000 BC

The tiny bead was found in Pazardzhik in Bulgaria, and is believed to date back to 4,500-4,600 BC

The gold bead was dug up two weeks ago in the remains of a small house that would have stood at a time when metals such as copper and gold were being used for a first time.

The settlement unearthed so far is between 100,000-120,000 square metres (25-30 acres) and would have had a 2.8 metre high (9 foot) fortress wall.

According to Mr Boyadzhiev, anything over 700,000 square metres is regarded as a town by researchers working in Mesopotamia.

The settlement unearthed so far is between 100,000-120,000 square metres (25-30 acres) and would have had a 2.8 metre high (9 foot) fortress wall

The bead will be exhibited in the historical museum in Pazardzhik once it has been thoroughly analysed and its age confirmed

More than 150 ceramic figures of birds have also been found at the site, indicating the animal was probably worshipped by the town's people.

The settlement was destroyed by hostile tribes who invaded from the north-east around 4,100 BC.

The bead will be exhibited in the historical museum in Pazardzhik once it has been thoroughly analysed and its age confirmed.
Experts believe malware spread from an infected a point of sale device

Russian cyber criminals have hacked into computer systems used to process credit card payments, posing a major security risk to businesses and compromising customers' card details.

An online gang hacked into a customer support portal for Micros, used by more than 330,000 outlets including restaurants, casinos, bars and cafes to take payments.

KrebsOnSecurity reported the hack following an investigation starting last month, but states the full scale of the hack is unknown.

An online gang hacked into a customer support portal for Micros, used by more than 330,000 outlets including restaurants, casinos, bars and cafes to take payments (stock image used)

Micros was bought by software giant Oracle last year in a deal worth an estimated $5.3 billion.

The firm confirmed the hack earlier this week in a letter to customers, obtained by AFP.

'Oracle Security has detected and addressed malicious code in certain legacy Micros systems,' the letter read.

The Californian company said it required its customers to change the passwords for all of their Micros accounts.

Security experts believe the breach likely started with a single machine in the network infected with malware from the hackers, which then spread to other machines

HUGE HACK COMPROMISES PAYMENT SECURITY Software giant Oracle, which owns Micros, confirmed that 'malicious code' had infected a portal which payment machines connect to. It is believed a single machine spread malware to others, and eventually a terminal which could access the customer service portal. The full scale of the hack remains unclear, but hundreds of thousands of bars, restaurants, hotels and other outlets use Micros. But online criminals may have been able to get their hands on the card details of a large number of customers. Advertisement

But it stressed that its internal systems and other cloud services were not breached, adding that payment card data was encrypted both in transit and while being stored.

According to KrebsOnSecurity, security experts believe the breach likely started with a single machine in the network infected with malware, which then spread to other machines.

While Oracle has reiterated its use of encryption to keep card details secure, it remains unclear how many customer cards may have been compromised on point of sale devices in outlets which had been infected with malware.

Russia has been a hotbed for cyber criminal activity relating to card payments.
A web of dark canyons on the surface of Saturn's largest moon holds one of Titan's many secrets.

Images beamed back from Nasa's Cassini craft reveal Titan's steep-sided canyons, which branch out from the northern sea Ligeia Mare, are flowing with liquid methane.

This discovery is the first direct evidence of the presence of liquid-filled channels on Titian, and the first observation of canyons thousands of feet deep.

Scroll down for video

Images beamed back from Nasa's Cassini reveal Titan's steep-sided canyons that branch out from norther sea Ligeia Mare are flowing with liquid methane. One such feature is Vid Flumina (pictured), the branching network of narrow lines in the upper-left quadrant of the image

HOW DID CASSINI DISCOVER LIQUID METHAN ON TITAN? During a close flyby in May 2013, Cassini used its radar instruments to focus on a network of canyons that branch out from the moon's second largest hydrocarbon sea Ligeia Mare. The spacecraft pinged the surface of Saturn's moon with microwaves, and the returned signals indicated the surface of the canyons are extremely smooth, similar to the hydrocarbon seas. And the timing of the radar echoes, as they bounced off the canyons' edges and floors, gave scientists a direct measure of their depths. Scientists have named one of these networks Vid Flumina, which has slopes steeper than 40 degrees and hydrocarbon depths that measure 790 to 1,870 feet. Advertisement

Scientists have named one of these networks Vid Flumina, which has slopes steeper than 40 degrees and hydrocarbon depths that measure 790 to 1,870 feet.

'The finding represents the first direct evidence of the presence of liquid-filled channels on Titan, as well as the first observation of canyons thousands of feet deep,' Nasa said in a statement.

The discovery is based on data collected from a close flyby Cassini made over Titan in May 2013, when the craft's radar instruments focused on channels that branch out from the moon's second largest hydrocarbon sea Ligeia Mare.

Images of the canyons have been previously seen, but it was not clear to whether the dark material was liquid or merely saturated sediment made of ice.

During the flyby in 2013, Cassini pinged the landscape of Saturn's moon with microwaves, and the returned signals indicated the surface of the canyons is extremely smooth, similar to the hydrocarbon seas.

And the timing of the radar echoes, as they bounced off the canyons' edges and floors, gave scientists a direct measure of their depths.

Scientists are not certain on how such deep cuts were created on the surface, but they do know that the process was active for a long time, or eroded down much faster than other areas on Titan's surface.

The researchers have proposed scenarios about what occurred on Saturn's moon, such as an uplift of the terrain, or changes in sea level - or perhaps both.

During the flyby in 2013, Cassini pinged the landscape of Saturn's moon with microwaves, and the returned signals indicated the surface of the canyons are extremely smooth, similar to the hydrocarbon sea Ligeia Mare

'It's likely that a combination of these forces contributed to the formation of the deep canyons, but at present it's not clear to what degree each was involved,' said Valerio Poggiali of the University of Rome, a Cassini radar team associate and lead author of the study.

'What is clear is that any description of Titan's geological evolution needs to be able to explain how the canyons got there.'

SATURN'S MOON TITAN COULD HARBOR A WEIRD FORM OF LIFE In recent years the search for life beyond our planet has focused on finding places with conditions that are 'Earth-like', so as to emulate our own planet. However, scientists have now proposed that some worlds might be able to host life 'not as we know it' that thrives not on water, but on other chemicals. Specifically, they looked at Saturn's moon Titan, which has seas of liquid methane rather than water, and they it could harbour methane-based, oxygen-free forms of life. The fascinating research by scientists at Cornell University in New York suggests that life in the universe may be abundant in more places than thought. The life they propose, called an azotosome, would be composed of small organic nitrogen compounds and be capable of functioning in liquid methane temperatures of -180C (-292F). No life on Earth is known to be able to survive in similar conditions. 'Ours is the first concrete blueprint of life not as we know it,' said James Stevenson, first author of the research. Advertisement

Both examples given by Nasa scientists can be found on Earth along the Colorado River in Arizona.

Uplift powering erosion has been observed in the Grand Canyon where the terrain's rising altitude caused the river to cut deeply downward into the landscape over the course of several million years.

And formation driven by a change in sea level was found in Lake Powell, Utah.

When the water level in the reservoir drops, it increases the river's rate of erosion.

Scientists have named one of these networks Vid Flumina (pictured), which has slopes steeper than 40 degrees and hydrocarbon depths that measure 790 to 1,870 feet. During the flyby in 2013, Cassini pinged the surface of Saturn's moon with microwaves, and the returned signals indicated the surface of the canyons are extremely smooth, similar to the hydrocarbon seas

TITAN: EARTH'S TOXIC TWIN? Aside from Earth, Titan is the only place in the solar system known to have rivers, rainfall and seas - and possibly even waterfalls. Of course, in the case of Titan these are liquid methane rather than water on Earth. Scientists are not positive to how such deep cuts were created on the surface, but they do know that the process was active for a long time or eroded down much faster than other areas on Titan's surface. The researchers have proposed scenarios about what occurred on Saturn's moon, such as an uplift of the terrain or changes in sea level or perhaps both Regular Earth-water, H2O, would be frozen solid on Titan where the surface temperature is -180C (-292F). With its thick atmosphere and organic-rich chemistry, Titan resembles a frozen version of Earth several billion years ago, before life began pumping oxygen into our atmosphere. Because Titan is smaller than Earth, its gravity does not hold onto its gaseous envelope as tightly, so the atmosphere extends 370 miles (595km) into space. With Titan's low gravity and dense atmosphere, methane raindrops could grow twice as large as Earth's raindrops. Advertisement

'Earth is warm and rocky, with rivers of water, while Titan is cold and icy, with rivers of methane,' said Alex Hayes, a Cassini radar team associate at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, and a co-author of the study.

'And yet it's remarkable that we find such similar features on both worlds.

While the altimeter data also showed that the liquid in some of the canyons around Ligeia Mare is at sea level -- the same altitude as the liquid in the sea itself -- in others it sits tens to hundreds of feet higher in elevation.

The timing of the radar echoes (pictured), as they bounced off the canyons' edges and floors, gave scientists a direct measure of their depths. While the altimeter data also showed that the liquid in some of the canyons around Ligeia Mare is at sea level -- the same altitude as the liquid in the sea itself -- in others it sits tens to hundreds of feet higher in elevation

The researchers interpret the latter to be tributaries that drain into the main channels below.

Future work will extend the methods used in this study to all other channels Cassini's radar altimeter has observed on Titan.
He hiked up a different fjord every day and stayed in a waterside hotel

A trip to the Norwegian fjords normally involves lounging on the deck of a cruise ship with a drink close to hand and a restaurant a few steps away.

There is, however, a more active way to explore these natural wonders. Instead of gazing upwards from sea level, it's possible to walk paths along the mountain-tops looking down at the fjords below.

After studying maps, brochures and websites, I reckoned it all sounded easy enough. I was going to travel through the heart of Norway's famous fjord district on foot.

Millions of visitors begin fjord cruises and boat trips from the busy waterfront in Bergen

I'd start in the historic coastal city of Bergen and head for the art nouveau seaside town of Alesund via some of the best walks I could find.

I'd hike up the side of a different fjord every day, enjoy the views and stay in a series of lovely waterside hotels each night.

A little later, as I crawled on all-fours up the precipitous snowfields of Mount Skala (6,063ft), I realised that perhaps I'd taken on a little more than I could chew.

The views were sensational but let's just say not all the fjord walks are as easy as I'd imagined.

I quickly discovered that when hearty, rugged Norwegian Vikings say 'it's an easy hike' they mean 'be scared' - and if they say 'you need to have average fitness' then they mean you'll need a six-week hardcore training programme first.

So would I recommend walking the fjord paths?

Absolutely - it's much more healthy and inspiring than floating along in the dark depths of these monumental valleys. My warning would simply be don't be as ambitious as me about how much you can tackle.

Simon decided to hike up the side of a different fjord every day, enjoy the views and stay in a series of waterside hotels each night. Pictured is Hardangerfjorden near Bergen

As a fairly keen walker back in the UK I was confident I'd be able to saunter along the excellent network of marked paths lining the fjords. Most of these are brilliant and you'll find plenty of good maps.

Usually you simply follow signs up the sides of a fjord through woods and past brightly painted wooden cabins. All the time the views get better and better.

Forget all the talk about which are the best fjords to see. From high on the mountainous sides they're all spectacular.

I flew to Bergen where millions of visitors begin fjord cruises and boat trips from a busy waterfront. Unlike them, I headed by road into the mountains surrounding the city.

Because of some unusually heavy snowfalls, the eight-hour trek up Mount Skala was a challenge, crossing steep snowfields and scrambling over icy boulders (file image)

My trip through the fjord region used buses, cars, ferries and water taxis. I stayed in charming little guesthouses and met lots of friendly people who live right among the fjords.

I discovered the beautiful islands at the mouth of the fjords where families live in remote villages only accessible by boat. On one mountainous island I noticed there was a population of just two: a man and a woman both in their seventies who lived in little farmhouses a discreet 200m apart.

Another day, I took a rural bus along a remote valley, deep in the mountains. The driver dropped me at what looked like a town on the map but was just a couple of wooden houses on the shore.

I found the steep path up through the trees and a fantastic panorama opened up in front of me. Fjords branched off in three directions between the snow-capped mountains and then joined just below me to head out to the sea.

I sat on a rock to eat my sandwiches and couldn't decide which direction to face; every point of the compass offered a fantastic panorama.

At the peak of Skala, Simon was rewarded with views of the glacier landscape of Jostedalsbreen

Mesmerising: A magical view from Mount Skala in the evening

Mount Skala overlooks the beautiful Innvik Fjord (pictured) and two pretty lakes

The highlight of the holiday was probably Mount Skala, just because it was so hard. It's one of Norway's highest mountains and overlooks Innvik Fjord and two beautiful lakes.

Locals told me that Skala was a 'black route' but I wasn't sure what that meant. One told me that I'd be fine if I was 'average fitness'. Thankfully I went with a local mountain guide just to be safe.

Because of some unusually heavy snowfalls, the eight-hour trek was a challenge of endurance and determination, crossing steep snowfields and scrambling over icy boulders. The views were stupendous from the top, of course, although I was shuddering with cold and tiredness.

But I felt so proud of myself after I'd got down and had been warmly congratulated by impressed locals. And my selfies from the summit made me look very intrepid indeed.

The final climb was the most beautiful. Mount Alden stands on its own island at the mouth of some of Norway's biggest and most spectacular fjords.

Journey's end: After his fjord walk Simon headed for the art nouveau seaside town of Alesund

I cadged a lift in a water taxi run by retired fisherman Wilfred. He dropped me on the island where I began another bracing work out for my legs, clambering up what was almost a staircase cut into the sheer cliffs. I was determined to finish the trip on a high, literally.

Finally I got to the top of this 1,578ft mountain and sat to gaze at the sea, islands and fjords all around. A small cruise ship chugged past far below. I was sure I had the better view of them than they had of me.

I made it down to the jetty at the foot of the mountain feeling pretty pleased with my efforts again. Wilfred quickly deflated my sense of triumph.

He told me how Norway's elderly Queen Sonja had climbed Mount Alden too. The top of the mountain was covered in clouds that day, he told me. I thought that was pretty impressive. I couldn't imagine our Queen doing the same climb.

Wilfred shushed me and continued. 'When the Queen got down to the bottom, the sky cleared. So she climbed back up again to see the view,' he said. Now that is impressive.
The animated film Frozen was a massive hit for Disney but its global popularity is bringing misery to residents of a chain of islands in Norway.

The remote Lofoten Islands, in the Arctic Circle, are being overrun by holidaymakers, including Frozen fanatics who want to see the magnificent scenery that inspired the film's wintry setting.

Fed-up locals said the islands cannot cope with the growing tourism boom - inspired by a number of big Hollywood films - and have complained about traffic congestion, tourists defecating in a forest due to a lack of public toilets and people camping in cemeteries.

The Lofoten Islands in Norway are known for pretty fishing villages and snow-capped peaks

Locals said the islands have been overwhelmed by visitors since the 2013 release of Frozen

The Lofoten Islands - set on the North Atlantic Ocean with dramatic snow-capped mountains and postcard-worthy fishing villages - are home to just 25,000 people.

Interest in the islands has soared since Frozen was released in cinemas in 2013, and they are expected to attract more than a million visitors in this year's peak tourist season, reported NRK, Norway's public broadcaster.

Some of the archipelago's attractions have been overwhelmed by a 20 per cent increase in visitors.

Hollywood's interest in the Lofoten Islands has peaked as well.

The Lofoten Islands, in the Arctic Circle, are one of the best places to see the Northern Lights

Academy Award-winner Matt Damon is there to film scenes for Downsizing, a science fiction comedy-drama that also stars Kristen Wiig and Christoph Waltz and is scheduled for release in late 2017.

The tourism boom has shown no sign of waning and it has turned out to be too much of a good thing for the archipelago, with locals fearing it will only get worse without controls.

Fredrik Sordal, the mayor of Flakstad, a tiny village of around 1,500 people, said the local infrastructure cannot handle the current number of visitors and the islands don't have enough public facilities, including toilets, waste disposal, car parks and accommodation, for all of the tourists.

He also has concerns about erosion on trails and paths to coastal beauty spots and traffic on narrow roads and bridges.

Sordal said Flakstad will look at measures to control the flow of tourists and the impact they leave behind.

In May, locals complained about tourists defecating in a wooded area near a popular hiking trail at Reinebringen mountain, calling it a 'forest of s***', NRK reported.

Gunnar Skjeseth, owner of Lofoten Explorer, makes a living on providing local tours to visitors, but questioned whether the islands needs more tourists.

He said: 'It may be too much of a good thing if even more tourists come here thanks to the film [Downsizing].'
A San Francisco woman who rented out a bedroom through Airbnb while she was away from home suspects it was used for a porn shoot by a guest.

Sharon Marzouk said the nightmare guest created a mess in the spare room and flooded the house - causing thousands of dollars in damage - and she no longer feels comfortable in her own home.

Marzouk, who owns a children's tech company, described her hellish ordeal in a Facebook post - complete with shocking before-and-after photos - that has gone viral on the internet.

Airbnb host Sharon Marzouk suspects the guest used her spare bedroom to film porn

Water poured down from the upper floor of the home and caused significant damage

Marzouk said she found evidence of a porn shoot, including a sex toy and condoms

When Marzouk returned home due to the flooding emergency she was shocked to find evidence of a porn shoot, including a sex toy on the bed, a bag of condoms, a checklist of sex acts for clients watching her videos online, and used tissues.

She suspects the woman also recorded X-rated videos in her bathroom and was preparing to record scenes when the bathtub overflowed.

Marzouk, from the Bay Area suburb of Menlo Park, kicked the woman out of her home and is now in a fight with Airbnb to have the damages covered.

Airbnb said it is providing assistance under its '$1 million host guarantee'.

In her Facebook post, Marzouk said listed the furnished room on the website so it would be occupied while she was travelling.

She has owned the house for nearly three years and rents out bedrooms to long-term tenants to offset the high cost of living in California's Silicon Valley.

After listing the room on Airbnb she was contacted by three people and decided to rent it to the woman, who wanted to stay for two months or more.

The woman wrote to Marzouk that she was a 'quiet and clean' student from San Jose who doesn't smoke, drink alcohol or do any drugs.

The woman had a recommendation from a previous host who wrote that she was respectful, friendly and neat.

This is what the spare bedroom looked like when Marzouk listed it for rent on Airbnb

Marzouk said she had to check the room for damage after the guest flooded her home

Marzouk said the guest claimed to be 'quiet and clean' but the room was a complete mess

Marzouk said the woman who rented the room claimed to be a student from San Jose

Marzouk, who was renting to a stranger through Airbnb for the first time, invited the woman to her home and gave her a tour.

'Seeing that she was a nice smiling female in her mid twenties, insisting that she was clean and easy going and eager to book my room, I thought to myself... what could be the worst case?' Marzouk wrote.

She didn't do a background check on the woman because she thought the guest's identity had been verified by Airbnb.

Marzouk returned from her trip abroad and was attending a conference two hours away from home when she received an urgent text from one of her long-term tenants telling her to 'come home right away' because the house had flooded.

The Airbnb guest claimed she was drawing a bath but got distracted and left the water running.

'Water poured from the second floor to the first floor from the overflowing tub,' Marzouk wrote. 'Water seeped through the floors, ceilings, walls. It was filling light fixtures.'

Marzouk met the woman before renting the room to her and said she seemed nice

Marzouk detailed her ordeal on Facebook and posted this before photo of the bathroom

She hired a water restoration company to rip out the carpets, floors and baseboards, and punch holes in the walls to prevent mould from spreading.

'I was told by one of the water restoration workers that there was a lot of water and I'm lucky that the ceiling didn't give way from all the weight and moisture,' she wrote.

She said the damage could be anywhere between $10,000 and $25,000, although the amount has not been confirmed.

Marzouk said she discovered evidence of a porn shoot when she entered the woman's room to check for water damage.

She called Airbnb to complain and has openly criticized the company over its handling of the situation and its verification process.

'When would any normal person hand someone else a key without knowing ANYTHING about that individual?' she wrote. 'The only reason why we would do that is if we believe in the system and the systems protections.'

Marzouk said Airbnb initially told her it would act as her secondary insurance and was resistant to cover her losses from the rental amount.

She was critical of the company's response times and said it has taken a more active approach following media interest in her claims.

'Negative experiences are extremely rare as more than 100 million guest arrivals have had safe and positive experiences on Airbnb,' a spokesman for the company said. 'We have zero tolerance for this kind of behavior and have removed this guest from our platform. We are working to support this host under our $1 million host guarantee.'
this would put people off visiting country

Indonesia's tourism industry is at risk of collapse if the country brings a proposed alcohol ban into effect, according to a travel expert.

The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) has raised grave concerns ahead of a government decision on the prohibition of alcohol nationwide.

The bill has been brought forward to the House of Representatives for debate by two Islamist parties, the United Development Party (PPP) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

Tourists to Indonesia could have to go alcohol-free if the government bring in a new bill

The proposal is for a nationwide ban on the production, distribution and consumption of alcoholic drinks between one per cent and 55 per cent.

It has sparked widespread debate in the Muslim-majority country with travel industry experts warning it could jeopardise tourism from key markets.

Speaking to the Jakarta Post, PHRI head Hariyadi Sukamdani said: 'If the bill is passed, our business will be done. The tourists, who mostly come from Europe, drink alcohol all the time.

'It will be very inconvenient for them if they can't find alcohol.'

Sukamdani has said that he thinks that despite the country being 'beautiful,' he fears that with no alcohol provision, tourists simply won't visit.

Tourism chiefs have warned the industry will be hit if alcohol is banned, pictured here is Bali, a popular party spot

A spokesperson for the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) told MailOnline Travel: 'Although alcohol is not the primary reason for UK holidaymakers to visit Indonesia, banning sales could potentially put some travellers off visiting the destination.

'The island of Bali could be adversely affected by an alcohol ban, as it attracts thousands of young people for whom it has a reputation as a 'party' island.

'Rather than banning alcohol entirely, the Indonesian authorities should continue to crack down on the sales of illegally distilled alcohol containing methanol, which has caused the deaths of a number of holidaymakers and local people over the years.

'Banning legal alcohol sales could have the unintended effect of making this problem much worse.'

Last year, Indonesia banned small retailers from selling beer, despite an outcry from the alcohol industry and in tourism hotspots.

The ban restricts the sale of beer and pre-mixed drinks - such as spirits with soft drinks - to large supermarkets only, outlawing sales in the country's 16,000 minimarts and 55,000 other small shops. Hotels, restaurants and bars were unaffected.

There had been particular anxiety about how outlawing alcohol entirely might affect tourism on the Hindu-majority resort island of Bali.

The idyllic island is a popular tourist destination, where a bottle of beer will set you back just 91p.

Last year it retained its position as the long-haul winter holiday destination with the lowest cost of living for the third year running.
Many drivers have been tempted to ignore the warning signs about parking restrictions at airport drop-off zones in order to wave their loved ones off.

But a new video has highlighted just how quickly that decision could leave you stranded and out of pocket.

Amazing footage shows a tow truck at what is thought to be a Turkish airport scooping up a car and taking it away in under a minute.

A YouTube video shows a car at departures in a Turkish airport being towed in under a minute

The white vehicle was removed by the tow truck for being unmanned

The video, which has been viewed more than half a million times on YouTube, shows a pick-up truck that reportedly polices the departures zone every five minutes.

As the car is parked without a driver, the truck immediately confiscates the vehicle.

The speed of the manoeuvre is lightning quick. The tow truck parks up next to the car, lowers two metal arms and lifts the car onto its rear - and begins to move off with just under 60 seconds on the clock.

Turkish airport security is especially vigilant at the moment because of a series of terror attacks in the country.

In June, three suicide bombers hit Istanbul's Ataturk airport, which killed 41 people and left 239 people injured.

The speed of the manoeuvre is lightning quick - with the car being removed from the spot in under a minute

Turkish airport security is especially vigilant at the moment because of a series of terror attacks in the country

The extremists sprayed bullets into crowds of terrified passengers and security personnel before blowing themselves up.
He's always up for a laugh, even if it's at his own expense.

And Wednesday was no different as Kyle Sandilands, 45, took to wearing a bra and bouncing up and down while on air with KIIS 1065 FM.

The hilarious skit, also captured on Instagram, comes after the radio shock jock dismissed reports that his five-year relationship with Imogen Anthony was on the rocks.

Scroll down for video

Making a boob of himself: Kyle Sandilands, 45, was up for a laugh on Wednesday's KIIS FM program as he took to wearing a bra and bouncing up and down

Capturing the bizarre moment on the radio station's Instagram account, a humorous explanation was given.

'KJ have taken on Annaleise's segment suggestion to see what it's like with the opposite sex appendages...,' alongside the hash-tags #Melon and #Salami.

The video also saw Kyle's partner in crime Jackie 'O' Henderson sporting a pair of stuffed white briefs over the top of a pantsuit as the pair danced to Justin Timberlake's hit Can't Stop The Feeling.

Having a laugh: The outspoken personality was clearly poking fun of himself as he danced to Justin Timberlake's hit Can't Stop The Feeling

Getting in on it: The video also saw Kyle's partner in crime Jackie 'O' Henderson, 41, sporting a pair of stuffed white briefs over the top of a pantsuit

The hilarious moment comes after Kyle defended his relationship with Imogen Anthony, 25, after The Daily Telegraph reported that the relationship is set to end.

The paper claimed that Kyle's 'closest friends' told him the relationship 'may have run its course.'

They reportedly feared the radio co-host's younger girlfriend 'may have gone off script and (is) no longer projecting an image that is in Sandilands' best interests.'

Fabricated: Kyle Sandilands, 45, has denied a Daily Telegraph report claiming his five-year relationship with social media sensation, Imogen Anthony, 25, is on the rocks

In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Kyle dismissed the report as 'fabricated' and 'rubbish.'

'The article is fabricated and rubbish,' a statement read.

'Kyle supports Imogen in everything she does and always has, he loves her and adores her. No 'pals and colleagues' of ours would think this, only desperate gossips that want to cause trouble.'

Rubbish: The Daily Telegraph claimed last week that Kyle's 'closest friends' told him his relationship with Imogen Anthony, 25, 'may have run its course'

Self-described 'loud mouth' Imogen doesn't shy away from posting racy photos on her public Instagram and Snapchat accounts.

The fashion designer even recently flaunted her slim figure on social media in bondage-inspired lingerie.

Imogen has also appeared completely naked on several occasions, barely covering her modesty while posing for the camera.

Racy: The fashion designer recently flaunted her slim figure on social media in bondage-inspired lingerie

Meanwhile, Kyle has been quite vocal when sharing graphic details about the couple's sex life on-air.

It appears that nothing is off limits as he has even discussed helping Imogen with her feminine hygiene products.

Earlier this year, he told Jackie 'O' that he got hot and heavy with his girlfriend over the previous weekend.

Despite their 20-year age gap, Kyle and Imogen recently celebrated their five-year anniversary and things appear to be going well for the couple.

She's not shy: Imogen has also appeared completely naked on several occasions, barely covering her modesty while posing for the camera
Watching her strut her slender frame across a beach in a tiny bikini on the set of The Shallows, you'd never suspect Blake Lively had only given birth eight months before.

But the 28-year-old actress wants women to know they needn't feel pressured to slim down right away after giving birth.

'I think a woman's body after having a baby is pretty amazing. You don't need to be Victoria's Secret ready right away because you just did the most incredible miracle that life has to offer,' the blonde beauty told Sunrise.

Scroll down for video

'I think a woman's body after having a baby is pretty amazing': Blake Lively has urged everyone not to focus on post-baby slimdowns

The Californian stunner meanwhile, jumped straight back into a bikini to film her latest movie just eight months after welcoming her daughter James.

Speaking about her gruelling training regime for the surfer thriller film, Blake explained that she thinks it's 'unfair' how the general public celebrate post-baby body transformations.

'It's so unfair though because it's so celebrated. It's like, this is what someone can look like after a baby,' she said.

Right back to it: The 28-year-old star stripped down to a bikini to begin filming her thriller flick The Shallows just eight months after giving birth to her first child

Killer body: Blake showed off her enviable figure in the new movie, filmed before she fell pregnant for the second time

'You gave birth to a human being. I would really like to see that celebrated,' the expectant star concluded.

The former Gossip Girl star is currently expecting her second child with husband Ryan Reynolds.

In 2015, Blake said she wanted more children.

Bouncing back: Despite urging women not to feel pressured to slim down quickly after giving birth, Blake reclaimed her pre-baby body in no time (L: October 2015, R: February 2016)

'I do want to just enjoy this moment,' the cover girl told People.

'But I also feel like my first child is going to be the oldest sibling to the next kid, and that may change with each and every year.'

She concluded: 'I'm looking forward to how one baby influences the other, and to my family as a whole, to every single chapter.'

Baby joy: The blonde beauty is currently expecting her second child with husband Ryan Reynolds

The Hollywood couple married in 2012 and welcomed their daughter James in January 2015.

Ryan, who has shared photos of James on social media, has said his little girl takes after him.

'Baby looks like me,' the actor said. 'I'm not saying that like any kind of gloating. I've heard, like, there is a sort of genetic predisposition, like an evolutionary tactic to make sure the father stays.'
Her schedule has certainly piled up with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in production and three new Avatar movies underway.

And on Tuesday, Zoe Saldana was all business as she headed to a lunch in the West Hollywood neighborhood of California.

The mother-of-two donned a stylish skirt outfit as she appeared focused on getting to her destination.

Scroll down for video

She means business! Zoe Saldana stepped out on Tuesday with a stylish top and skirt look as she headed to a lunch in West Hollywood, California

The 38-year-old actress opted for a sheer, half-sleeve blouse with pleats along the front buttons and blue floral patterns.

She paired it with a navy blue wrap skirt, that was diagonally cut across the front, complimenting her toned legs, and gold gladiator sandals.

Adding to her professional chic look, Zoe carried a small black-and-red briefcase purse that she clutched in her hand.

Pretty in blue: The 38-year-old opted for a sheer, blue floral printed blouse and paired it with a wrap skirt that featured a high-low cut

Focused: The Star Trek star accessorized with gold gladiator sandals, a red and black briefcase purse and black mirrored sunglasses

Her sleek dark brown locks were tied in a neat, high ponytail and pushed back by her round mirrored sunglasses.

Zoe - who is married to Marco Perego - wore her wedding ring on her mint blue manicured nails.

The couple have been married since 2013 and raise two twin boys, Cy Aridio and Bowie Ezio, who are both one.

Slim pins: Zoe tied her pretty dark brown locks back in a neat ponytail as she cut a svelte figure

The mother-of-two recently told People Magazine how difficult it was to return to work after the birth of her twins in November of 2014.

'The first week back at work, I think I cried every day in my trailer', she explained.

The star said she didn't let it disturb her enthusiasm for acting, however.

She told the publication: 'But I remember as soon as they would tell me, "Were ready for you on set," I would still skip to set. I love what I do. You do need to rest, you do need to have a moment to yourself, but right now this is my life as I know it.'

Blissful: The family of four looked to be in heaven as they relaxed on the grass together during a bit of downtime from Zoe's busy schedule; pictured together last week

Zoe is currently filming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which began in February, and is in pre-production with the next three installments of the Avatar franchise.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which also stars Chris Pratt, is scheduled to be released on May 5, 2017.

The beauty will also star in the Ben Affleck project, Live By Night, slated for January 13, 2017.
She is just one day away from celebrating her 19th birthday.

And Kylie Jenner is ensuring no one will be able to take their eyes off of her as she prepares to celebrate her big day.

The birthday girl showed off her 'fire red' new tresses, which were braided into a cornrows, on her Snapchat account on Tuesday.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

Sealed with a kiss! Kylie Jenner placed a digital lip print atop her cheek as she showed off her 'fire red' new tresses on Snapchat on Tuesday

'Fire red for 19,' Kylie wrote in the frame of the video, which panned to give fans a slight view of her cleavage.

The colour was likely a temporary one for the ordinarily raven-haired star.

Though certainly eye-catching, the bright new shade shouldn't come as much of a surprise to fans of Kylie.

The reality star is known to be a huge fan of wigs, with shades ranging from mint green to ice blue.

'Fire red for 19': Kylie wrote in the frame of the video, which panned to give fans a slight view of her cleavage

The mane attraction: Though certainly eye-catching, the bright new shade shouldn't come as much of a surprise to fans of Kylie

The birthday well wishes have been pouring in for Kylie.

On Monday, the mega-star showed off the multiple gifts she had received in the days leading up to her big celebration.

Among the numerous bouquets of flowers she had received, the reality star was also the recipient of an outfit sent straight from designer Alexander Wang.

Special delivery! Among the numerous bouquets of flowers she had received, the reality star was also the recipient of an outfit sent straight from designer Alexander Wang

'Kylie! Wanted to wish you a happy b-day!' the hand-written card read. 'Thought this outfit was perfect for you.'

The birthday comes as her boyfriend Tyga has found himself in legal trouble.

A bench warrant has been issued for Tyga's arrest in connection with an unpaid judgment for more than $480,000 he was issued in March.

Thanks a bunch! Jenner showed off an overflowing bouquet of white roses she had received for her 19th birthday on Monday

On Tuesday, Tyga was a no show at a Santa Monica court hearing linked to the debt, Danny Abir, a lawyer for the firm representing the rapper's ex-landlord told The Los Angeles Times, adding that bail on the warrant amounted to $10,000.

Abir said that the 26-year-old rapper - whose real name is Michael Ray Stevenson -didn't show up to answer questions about his savings, cash flow and other assets linked to a $480,000 judgment awarded to the landlord, Gholamreza Rezai, over damages to a Malibu home Tyga rented in 2011.

Lawyers for the landlord Tuesday, TMZ reported, brought up Tyga's recent purchase of a Mercedes-Benz Maybach, valued at around $200,000, for Kylie for her 19th birthday.

Bloomin' lovely: The soon-to-be-birthday girl showed off the bouquet of sunflowers she had also received ahead of her birthday

The attorneys - with the firm Abir, Cohen, Treyzon & Salo LLP - argued that the money the rapper spent on the luxury vehicle amounted to a fraudulent transfer of assets in the wake of his current financial dispute.

The situation unfolded five years ago when Tyga, according to court docs, had rented an oceanfront Malibu home at a monthly rate of $16,000.

The BedRock rapper did not pay a month's rent before he left the property early against the terms of the lease, court docs stated, and the home was altered and in poor condition when he left it. One of the landlord's lawyers, Boris Treyzon, told the paper: 'He leased a house that he wanted to use as his primary residence, then he completely trashed it.'

Time flies: Kris Jenner posted a throwback photo of Kylie with her sister Kendall on Tuesday on Instagram
She's been notably absent from the Made In Chelsea: South Of France spin-off show.

But Rosie Fortescue doesn't appear to mind as she's enjoying her own Gallic getaway this week... without all the drama.

The original MIC star has been showing off her fabulous figure in a series of swimwear while on a family holiday in Maussane-les-Alpilles in Provence.

Loving life: Made In Chelsea star Rosie Fortescue shows off her slim figure in a white bikini as she frolics on an inflatable unicorn in France

The reality star and fashion blogger, 26, is currently staying at a luxury villa near St Remy with her twin sister Lily and the rest of their family for their annual clan holiday.

The break also coincides with the twins' mother Tessa's birthday.

In Instagram photo, Rosie poses up a storm on a giant inflatable unicorn as she tops up her tan in the swimming pool.

Cheers! Rosie strikes a pose in an unusual swimsuit and a glass of rose as she is lifted in the air by a male relative

Red hot: The 26, is currently staying at a luxury villa near St Remy on a family holiday

And in another candid shot, she is seen in an unusual tie swimsuit while drinking a glass of rose wine and being hoisted in the air by a male relative.

She captioned the photo: 'Rose tastes better elevated.'

Her twin Lily - a lingerie designer - also showed her impressive physique on her own Instagram page.

She's a cheeky one: Rosie's twin siser Lily - a lingerie designer - shows off her figure

Rainbow bright: Lily flaunted her impressive toned physique in her Instagram photos

Rosie's French holiday is her latest spot of jet-setting after she vacationed in Crete last week.

Writing in her Evening Standard column this week, Rosie wrote: 'I am now in the South of France for the week with my family where we are also celebrating my mothers birthday, which is such fun. My travel essentials always include Rimowa luggage.

'Of course no family holiday is complete without having (our dog) Noodle with us! She loves being here in the sun just as much as we do!'
Khloe Kardashian was praised and pilloried on Tuesday by Raider Nation.

The 32-year-old reality star received the mixed feedback after sharing a glam image of herself on Instagram wearing a black Oakland Raiders T-shirt.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star completed her outfit with shiny knee-high black boots and a black choker with her nickname 'Koko' printed on it.

Raiders fan: Khloe Kardashian sported Oakland Raiders gear on Tuesday in a photo posted on Instagram

Khloe had her blonde hair styled in bantu knots and accessorised with a simple necklace.

'I like this one better,' she wrote in the caption for her more than 54 million followers on Instagram.

Khloe was referencing other Instagram postings of her in Raiders gear by her makeup artist Joyce Bonelli and hairstylist Justine Marjan.

The National Footbal League team took note and tweeted the photo while posting: 'Good choice. #RaiderNation'.

Silver and black: The Los Angeles native endorsed the NFL team from Oakland

Raiders fan NYRaider77 liked the team endorsement from the Los Angeles native and tweeted the back-handed compliment: 'A Kardashian finally made a good decision.'

Others weren't as kind, including Kansas City Chiefs fan Brian who tweeted: 'She fits in perfect with Raider Nation. Total Trash.'

The polarizing reality star also got grief on Instagram for her hairstyle with some complaining of cultural misappropriation for her bantu knots by celebrity hairstylist Justine Marjan.

They noticed: The Oakland Raiders took note of Khloe's endorsemente

'Why can't the Kardashians be creative and innovate their own hairstyles? Oh... Wait. No talent. Do some Armenian hairstyles to your head,' read one comment on her Instagram.

Khloe has been sharing multiple hairstyles recently on her Instagram page including buns last week inspired by Hailey Baldwin.

She also recently shared a selfie of devilish 'harajuku buns' styled by celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkins.

Multiple styles: The reality star last week shared a photo of her buns inspired by Hailey Baldwin
She's a woman blessed with an extraordinary physique, and she sure knows how to show it off to the fullest effect.

So its hardly surprising Bachelor star Noni Janur was the perfect choice to model her own swimwear line as she stripped down to a sexy red Baywatch-inspired swimsuit for her brands new campaign.

Oozing heaps of sex appeal, the 25-year-old beauty happily paraded her toned curves and ample assets in the skimpy Balini one-piece.

Scroll down for video

Beach babe: The Bachelor's Noni Janur was the perfect choice to model her own swimwear line as she stripped down to a sexy red Baywatch-inspired swimsuit for her brands new campaign

The perilously plunging neckline and the high-waisted bottom emphasised her tiny midriff and slender limbs to perfection.

With one hand holding up her ombre locks, the reality TV starlet allowed her natural beauty to glow with minimal traces of makeup.

Meanwhile, the post comes days after Noni was accused of sexualising a 15-year-old girl and promoting smoking to publicise her Bali-based swimwear business.

Wow thing: The 25-year-old reality TV star is no stranger to showing off her amazing curves in skimpy swimwear

A photograph featuring an underage model published on the TV stars business Instagram account sparked concerns among childrens advocacy groups, the Courier Mail has reported.

In the image, a teenager was shown posing in a bikini featuring the colours of the Rastafari flag and blowing smoke out from her mouth, despite the health concerns.

At the time the photo was taken two years ago, Noni claimed the girl in the photo was 15-years-old.

In a statement to Confidential, the reality TV star confirmed the picture had been approved by the family.

Controversy: Meanwhile, Noni was recently accused of 'sexualising' a 15-year-old bikini model (pictured) to promote her Bali-based swimwear business

The shoot took place at her family home in Bali, with her parents consent, she stated. (The model) was 15-years-old at the time this photo was taken, which was two years ago, and she continues to model today.

The smoke seen in the image was a tobacco-free and legal vapour, she concluded.

In several Instagram photos, Noni refers to the model as her sister, although it is not clear if they are actually related.

The Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Noni for comment.

Response: Melinda Lizewski of child advocacy group Collective Shout said the picture promoted child exploitation

Despite the picture having approval from the models' family, Melinda Lizewski of child advocacy group Collective Shout said the image promoted child exploitation.

To sexualise and sexually objectify a girl in this way is child exploitation, she told the News Corp publication.

She added: Whether or not there is photoshopping involved with the smoke doesnt matter, the suggestion of smoking is there, so the message is pretty clear.

The Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) has investigated after a public complaint, but did not take action as Balini was not founded in Australia.
Gigi Gorgeous was temporarily detained at Dubai International Airport on Tuesday for being a transgender woman and denied entry.

The 24-year-old Canadian transgender model who documented her transition on social media was stopped at the immigration and visa office, according to an article on Tuesday by TMZ.

The actress said an immigration officer said to her, 'I was told you are transgender. You cannot come into the country.'

Transgender model: Gigi Gorgeous, shown last month in Los Angeles, was detained on Tuesday at Dubai International Airport for being a transgender woman

She later posted a photo on Instagram showing herself hugging a companion in an airport concourse and wrote in the caption that she was 'detained and held' for five hours at the airport.

Gigi described the ordeal as 'one of the scariest moments of my entire life' and said she was headed to somewhere 'much more accepting'.

She was born as Gregory Allan Lazzarato and announced she was a transgender woman in December 2013.

Before transitioning Gigi ran a makeup tutorial since 2008 on YouTube as Greg and after her transition she started to include more fashion and lifestyle videos.

Denied entry: Gigi later took to Instagram and posted an image of herself hugging a companion after being denied entry

Gigi in September 2015 was featured in Kylie Jenner's app and they filmed several videos together offering make up tips.

She legally had her name changed in March 2014 to Gigi Loren Lazzarato.

Dubai airport police, however, said her passport identified her as male and the passport photo showed Gigi as a man.

Social media star: The Canadian model and actress, shown last month in LA, documented her transition on YouTube

Gigi denied the assertion by airport police.

Her YouTube channel has nearly 290 million views and more than 2.3 million subscribers.

Gigi also was on Project Runway All Stars in 2013 and also was a presenter at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards.

A documentary about her transition was expected to premiere later this year on the subscription service YouTube Red.

Popular channel: Gigi, shown in June in West Hollywood, California, has more than 2.3 million subscribers to her YouTube channel
Having a pedicure is boring even for the most appearance obsessed.

And Sharon Stone underlined the point after she was spotted letting out a mighty yawn as she relaxed during an appointment at a posh salon in Beverly Hills on Tuesday.

The Basic Instinct beauty clearly could not stifle it any longer, even though she was trying to keep her formidable mind busy by chatting away on her mobile phone.

Stone-cold bored: Sharon could not stifle her yawn as she had her nails painted in Beverly Hills on Tuesday

The 58-year-old Sliver favourite was looking great for her age in a figure-hugging two-tone blue dress, and added extra allure to her look by going braless.

And the erotic movie legend completed her look, when she was not having her toes painted, with a pair of black flip flops and smart circular sunglasses.

The self-styled genius, who infamously falsely claimed for years to be a member of high IQ society Mensa, at one point decided to indulge in a spot of reading opting for the less-than-stellar literary charms of a glossy magazine.

Quick And The Dead star Sharon has said her disastrous six-year marriage to former San Francisco Chronicle executive editor Phil Bronstein is one of the reasons she has stayed unmarried since their divorce back in 2004.

Putting her best foot forward: She chatted on the phone as her helper admired her tootsies

That tickles: She could not hide her chuckles as the therapist scrubbed her feet

Say cheese: Sharon gave a cheeky grin when she realised she was on camera

It beats Mensa magazine: Sharon looked engrossed as she thumbed through a glossy

The actress said: 'Marriage was kind of a losing proposition for me.'

The Agent X star was also wed to MacGyver producer Michael Greenburg from 1984 to 1990.

The two also had a custody battle in 2003 over their adopted son Roan, who is now 16-years-old.

After her split, the Sphere actress adopted Laird, 11, and Quinn on her own.

Bra-vo: Confident Sharon appeared to have ventured out without her brasier

Turning heads: All eyes were on the erotic movie legend as she stepped out of the salon

And off she goes: No doubt the confident actress had a mountain of scripts to get back to
She divorced 73-year-old Geoffrey Edelsten in 2014 and then soon later split with her body builder boyfriend Big Red Ra (real name Cemre Volkan).

But on Tuesday, Brynne Edelsten looked like she had finally found love again, debuting her new blossoming relationship with Melbourne man, Ian McAllister.

Her good looking beau is a CEO of Diabetes College as well as a poet and musician.

Scroll down for video

Meet her new flame: Brynne Edelsten debuted her new blossoming relationship with Melbourne man, Ian McAllister

According to Ian's social media pages, he has also published health-related novels based focusing on diabetes.

With a successful career behind him, Ian also holds a degree in Biological & Biochemical Sciences after graduating from The University of Salford in 1994.

During 2009 and 2010, he was involved in vocational and workplace training throughout Scotland.

History: The Daily Mail Australia can reveal the good looking chap is CEO of Diabetes College as well as a poet and musician

A man of many talents: According to Ian's social media pages, he has also published health-related novels based focusing on diabetes

The businessman is also heavily involved in fundraising funds for the medical condition.

In late 2013, his business joined forces with Melbourne Heart FC to raise awareness for diabetes across Victoria.

During an interview at the time, he explained: 'Together we aim to raise the awareness about Type 2 diabetes and draw attention to delay the onset of the condition, or reduce the risk factors of the condition in the first place.'

But while he seems to keep a professional front at work and events, Ian has a talented musical side, knowing how to play the drums and violin.

Education: With a successful career behind him, Ian also holds a degree in Biological & Biochemical Sciences after graduating from The University of Salford in 1994

Helping others: The businessman is also heavily involved in fundraising funds for the medical condition

In recent months, he has shared short videos of himself playing with a drum kit to social media.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Brynne and Ian for comment.

Brynne's ex-husband Geoffrey told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday that he was 'happy' she has found happiness and moved on.

Talent: But while he seems to keep a professional front at work and events, Ian has a talented musical side, knowing how to play the drums and violin

New beginnings: A close friend of Brynne has told Daily Mail Australia she is 'in a better space now' and 'happy' with her beau

Following Brynne and Ian's debut, her close friend and celebrity physic, Harry T, described the new couple as 'adorable' to Daily Mail Australia.

'He is a really nice man... so lovely,' he gushed.

'He cares about her a lot, they are happy. She [Brynne] is in a better space now.'

Brynne's new romance comes 17 months after split with body builder Big Red Ra, 24.

Well wishes: Brynne's ex-husband Geoffrey told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday that he was 'happy' she has found happiness and moved on

Short lived romance: Brynne's new romance comes 17 months after split with body builder Big Red Ra, 24 - they called it quits after 10 months

The couple started dating in June 2014 after the reality TV star filed for divorce from her first husband Geoffrey  with Big Red Ra revealing they were friends first.

During their time together, Brynne was accused of possessing an ecstasy tablet with the charges against her later being dropped in court.

The Oklahoma beauty married Geoffrey in November 2009 after 11 months of dating with the romance lasting five years before she filed for divorce.

Earlier this year, Brynne revealed her divorce to the disgraced businessman had left her financially unstable.

The party couple: The couple started dating in June 2014 and would regularly be seen partying at nightclubs throughout Melbourne

Down the aisle: Earlier she married Geoffrey, 73, in 2009, after 11 months of dating with the romance lasting five years before she filed for divorce

'Its left me, financially, in a really tough place trying to cover things...Ive gone through all my savings,' she told the Daily Telegraph.

MGA Lawyers Mark Geremia went on to explain to the publication that Brynne owed the firm $70,000 and that they have 'begun bankruptcy proceedings'.

'We issued a proceeding to recover the debt and she failed to file a defence,' he stated.
She's newly single.

And Diane Kruger looked to have put the breakup behind her as she continued to promote her new film Disorder in New York City on Tuesday.

The 40-year-old looked stunning in a patterned frock as she posed up at the Cinema Society & Chopard screening.

Fine filly: Diane Kruger looked to have put the breakup behind her as she continued to promote her new film Disorder in New York City on Tuesday

The blonde was also seen taking selfies once inside the event, clearly enthralled with the rooftop view of the venue.

Earlier that day she looked to be in good spirits as she modeled the sophisticated look, also flashing a smile as she discussed the Alice Winocour-directed picture.

Diane's shiny, pink jacket featured a black stripe up the side, and parrot and floral embellishments along the front, with embroideries of more birds and a pineapple on the back.

Gorgeous: The 40-year-old looked stunning in a patterned frock by Alexander McQueen as she posed up at the Cinema Society & Chopard screening

Standing tall: The German beauty was a sight for sore eyes

The blonde was also seen taking selfies once inside the event, clearly enthralled with the rooftop view of the venue

She sported the jacket over a long-sleeved, light blue and white button down, which fell to around the star's mid-thigh.

She covered the shirt dress with a long, sheer black lace skirt, which hit at just above her ankles, coupling it with a pair of black, Christian Louboutin pumps.

Happy to be here! The blonde beauty showed off a smile at the AOL Build event earlier that day

In good company: She was joined by the film's director, Alice Winocour, who looked chic in an all-black ensemble

Animated: Diane looked to be enjoying herself as she animatedly discussed the upcoming thriller

The Inglourious Basterds star coupled her Valentino look with stylish, $3,700 Chanel cross body purse.

She covered her eyes with a pair of over-sized sunglasses, and wore her long, blonde tresses in a center part, and styled in soft waves.

The National Treasure actress showed off her toned pins as she stopped to sign a wall in AOL Headquarters during her visit.

Lovely in lace! The Inglourious Basterds star showed off her toned pins in a long, sheer black lace skirt

Playful: Diane accessorized with a pink and black jacket with parrot and pineapple embroidered embellishments, as well as a pair of black, Christian Louboutin pumps

Keeping busy: The German actress was spotted at the AOL event shortly after returning from a 'workation' in Sri Lanka

Diane had joined filmmaker Alice at the AOL Build event, pulling a small smile as she posed beside her.

The upcoming film will follow an ex-soldier with PTSD (Matthias Schoenaerts), who is hired to protect the wife and child of a wealthy Lebanese businessman while he's out of town. Despite the apparent tranquility on Maryland, Vincent perceives an external threat.

Diane had recently returned from a trip to Sri Lanka for a 'workation' - after splitting with longtime boyfriend Joshua Jackson.

Coming soon: Diane's upcoming thriller Disorder - directed by Alice Winocour and also starring Matthias Schoenaerts - hits theaters August 12

The couple made an announcement on July 18 that they 'decided to separate and remain friends,' as People reported.

Diane's upcoming thriller Disorder is due in theaters on August 12.

Wardrobe change: Diane changed into another chic outfit later in the day
In many ways withering mockery is a sign of strong friendship.

So no doubt Robert Downey Jr was only having a comradely joke with Tom Hiddleston when he mocked his infamous 'I love Taylor Swift' vest on social media on Tuesday.

The Iron Man star had a hearty laugh at his Avengers co-star's expense as he marked the Englishman's exciting entry into the world of Instagram.

What did you say? Tom Hiddleston was mocked by Avengers co-star Robert Downey Jr on Instagram on Tuesday

The jolly 51-year-old captioned an image of his pal wearing the top while frolicking in the surf: 'Join me in welcoming the biggest T. Stark fan of them all to Instagram!'

Making the zinger all the more funny is the fact that the pair's characters Iron Man (aka Tony Stark) and Loki famously came to blows in the 2012 The Avengers movie.

Robert's joke drew a mixed response from his 10.7 million viewers, with some giving appropriately sycophantic responses, while a rebellious few decided to land verbal blows on the diminutive actor, who is worth an estimated $220 million.

Among the positive responses were platitudes such as 'you're awesome,' while fan Itsdynn said, 'I DONT KNOW WHY THIS MADE NE (sic) LAUGH.'

Hot Air America: Robert took great delight in mocking his old co-stars embarrassing vest

A photo posted by Robert Downey Jr. (@robertdowneyjr) on Aug 9, 2016 at 3:09pm PDT

A witty follower called Piratejenn78 even said: 'Good of him to support a friend. ; )'

However another called l.e.e.n.a decided to give the Air America star both verbal barrels for using overly weathered comedy material, saying, 'THIS IS SO OLD CATCH UP GRANDPA.'

A fair observation, given the 35-year-old James Bond wannabe wore the cringeworthy piece of clothing as he celebrated the Fourth Of July weekend with his much younger squeeze.

Coming to blows: Iron Man and Loki famously battled it out in 2012's The Avengers movie

Figure of fun: Tom has become a target of jokers since becoming one half of the questionably named Hiddleswift celebrity coupling

Tiger Tom, who is currently filming Thor: Ragnarok, has yet to hit back himself, and is perhaps keeping his powder dry for an even more hilarious Instagram posting of his own aimed at Robert.

For his part he has so far merely uploaded one photo, a headshot of himself dressed as his most famous role, Marvel supervillain Loki.

The upper class brainbox, who earned a double first in classics at the University of Cambridge, showcased his formidable verbal acumen, captioning the image: 'He's back!'
Brooklyn Beckham has traded in his brunette locks for a lighter shade of blond.

The 17-year-old unveiled his sandy blond hair to his Instagram fans on Tuesday.

The teen, who is the son of David and Victoria Beckham, had his hands in his pockets as he gazed straight into the camera with his new blond locks swept over in a tousled 'do in the photo.

New 'do! Brooklyn Beckham showed off his lighter locks to his Instagram followers on Tuesday

Thanking his hairstylist, Brooklyn wrote in the caption, 'Thanks @alexis.vk', along with a playful emoticon.

Ordinarily Brooklyn's hair is a darker shade of brunette, but the new blonde shade seems to suit the star perfectly.

Life couldn't be sweeter for Brooklyn recently, as he's currently enjoying a transatlantic romance with 19-year-old actress Chloe Moretz.

And it looks like the feeling is mutual as Chloe recently spoke to Glamour magazine about their relationship.

Out with the old! The teen (pictured in June in London) ordinarily has a head full of brunette hair

The mane attraction: Brooklyn's hairstylist Alexis Von K showed off her all her work on Tuesday

Joking about the rumours that frequently come with the relationship, she said: 'We both get what it means to have our lives twisted and torn apart and faked. Sometimes, well just look at each other and laugh.'

'Like the other day, when I said: "Apparently, were engaged", and he took a picture of the ring and sent it to his mum saying, "The rumours are true!"'

Whilst she was happy to support her boyfriend and laugh off any false stories, the MTV Movie Award winner explained that it still frustrates her when people put his celebrity status above her own.

'But seriously,' she continued, 'You dont know how often Im described as "his girlfriend" and you think: "well, Ive also been acting for 13 years, but dont worry.'"
He's a Gold Logie winner whose become a household name.

But Rove McManus has revealed that his road to success was no easy feat, while recalling his struggle as a stand-up comedian at 19-years-old.

The 42-year-old media personality told news.com.au that he 'failed miserably' during his early days.

Brutal start: Rove McManus revealed in an interview with news.com.au that he 'failed miserably' at his first time as a stand-up comic

'It was not a good first experience,' Rove told the online publication.

'It was with a couple of friends, we did a group sketch together and it failed miserably.

'This had talking which is far worse...talking indicates they're not even paying attention, they've switched off,' the 2DAY FM radio host continued.

Not all smiles: Despite his long-running career, Rove revealed to the publication that his start in the career 'was not a good first experience'

Undeterred, the radio funnyman gave it another shot and ended up becoming 'hooked.'

After a successful stint in New York, working alongside the likes of Chris Rock and Amy Schumer, Rove later returned to Australia to work on radio.

Now co-hosting the 2Day FM 104.1 breakfast radio show with former Bachelorette Sam Frost, it hasn't been smooth sailing with the program receiving poor ratings.

Change of pace: After a successful stint in New York, Rove returned to Australia to work on radio

Rove and Sam took to the airwaves last November in a new breakfast radio show, straight after Sam came off the hit reality series which made her a household name.

The pair took over from The Dan & Maz Show but failed to greatly lift the ratings since taking over the airwaves.

The low-rating but expensive duo was reported in The Daily Telegraph to have only recorded a small 3.3 per cent audience share behind leading competitors Kyle and Jackie O's 9.9 share in the latest ratings survey.

New challenge: Now co-hosting the 2Day FM 104.1 breakfast radio show with former Bachelorette Sam Frost, it hasn't been smooth sailing with the program receiving poor ratings

The paper also claimed that the duo could be moved from the popular morning slot to the afternoon.

However, Southern Cross Austereo dismissed any changes.

'We're firmly committed to Rove and Sam as our 2Day FM 104.1 Sydney breakfast hosts - there are no and will be no changes to this line-up,' a spokesperson confirmed to the publication.
She's been enjoying a whirlwind love affair since splitting from her husband Michael Klim earlier this year.

And Lindy Klim looked more confident than ever in her recent sexy photo shoot for OMEGA, in collaboration with Time&Tide Watches.

The images by photographer Samuel Bisso show the 38-year-old Balinese princess flaunting her ageless curves at the beach.

Scroll down for video

Life's a beach! Lindy Klim looked more confident than ever in her recent sexy photo shoot for OMEGA, in collaboration with Time&Tide Watches

The artistic photo shoot took place in chilly conditions in May on Victoria's Great Ocean Road.

A source on set said: 'Lindy didn't complain once, she was amazing.'

Meanwhile, the photos mark Lindy's latest public role as a 'social influencer' for the high-end watchmakers.

Feeling the chill? The photos were taken in cold May weather on Victoria's Great Ocean Road

Ageless beauty: The 38-year-old displayed her flawless, wrinkle-free complexion

One to watch! Lindy also flashed some very expensive-looking timepieces in the photos

Meanwhile, Lindy recently enjoyed a family holiday in Singapore with her new boyfriend Adam Ellis.

The couple were joined by Lindy's three children with former Olympian Michael Klim, daughters Stella, 10, and Frankie, five, and son Rocco, eight.

Lindy celebrated the end of their trip by with an Instagram photo, adding the caption: 'Thanks for having us Singapore... We had a blast'.

Freezing conditions: A source on set said, 'Lindy didn't complain once, she was amazing'

Beauty at the beach: The photos mark Lindy's latest role as a 'social influencer' for OMEGA

Moving on: Lindy recently enjoyed a holiday in Singapore with her new boyfriend Adam Ellis

It marks the latest holiday for Lindy and the British builder, who debuted their relationship in March.

The couple were first linked after being spotted together arriving at London's Heathrow Airport.

Their relationship appears to have developed quickly as Lindy and Michael only announced their separation the previous month.

Whirlwind: Lindy was first spotted with British builder Adam (R) at London's Heathrow Airport two weeks after she announced her separation from former Olympian Michael Klim
They started a family eight months ago when they welcomed twin boys.

But Georgia Salpa and Joe Penna were still in the throes of a honeymoon period this weekend when they were spotted enjoying a romantic dip near Naxos, Greece.

The Irish model, who allegedly used a surrogate in 2015, looked incredible in a white two-piece bikini as she joined the millionaire hedge fund manager on a family holiday.

Scroll down for video

Romantic: Georgia Salpa and her husband Joe Penna looked utterly loved up during a family trip to Naxos, Greece at the weekend

Onlookers saw the beauty absorbed by mummy duties in the shade, before the former Big Brother contestant got the chance to lap up the sun with her man.

She maximised her glow in bright white, picking out swimwear that had a pretty scalloped edge.

And Georgia drew further attention to her enviable shape with her glossy hair twisted into a top knot on her head.

Beach day: Georgia showed off her enviable figure as she hit the beach

Relaxing: The Greek model was a vision as she lay out on the sands

All white everything: The stunner maximised her golden glow in a bright white two piece

Pretty bikini: The lithe model wore a scalloped edge on her swimwear

The stunner added that extra element of glamour with a pair of large sunglasses tipped on her nose.

She regularly checked on her phone as she dipped in and out of the water, chatting to a friend who sipped leisurely on a glass of wine, back on the sand.

Georgia married her millionaire hedge fund manager beau in Portofino, Italy last year.

They started their family at the end of the year in secret, with Georgia taking to social media to say that they had welcomed two sons, without the slightest sign of pregnancy in 2015.

Romantic: The couple couldn't keep their hands off each other in the water

Sweet: They shared a kiss as he lifted her up into the air

Piggyback: He carried her through the water, keeping her close

Happy couple: The pair married in 2015 after three years together

Married: They started a family last year too, adding two boys to their brood

Too cute: Joe is thought to have been married before, with one child

Effortless: She looked effortless with her hair twisted into a high bun

She surprised fans with a post that said: 'Delighted with the arrival of twin boys, the most special, perfect little babies and we are so in love.'

In an attempt to clarify how she maintained her figure throughout expecting, she continued: 'They are not adopted. I wont be posting any photos of them on social media as Id like to keep them private. Were very, very happy.'

Georgia's husband Joe, who is thought to live in Spain, has reportedly been married once before with one child, but he started dating Georgia in 2012.

Keeping busy: She tapped her white manicured nails on her phone

Look! The beauty chatted to a gal pal clutching a glass of wine on the sands

Paddling: The duo took a dip in the shallow areas of the coastline

Easy does: She was careful with her footing in the clear waters

Laidback: It was a relaxing day at the beach that saw her gal pal kicking back
Unlike One Direction's young crop of obsessive followers, man band Coldplay is known to attract a more mature breed of superfan.

Which is perhaps why front man Chris Martin was left so giddy when he was propositioned during a live performance in Pittsburgh recently.

Chris, 39, said he felt '15 again' when a female fan shouted 'f*** me, Chris' to a venue full of people.

Scroll down for video

Awkward: Coldplay's Chris Martin said he felt 15 again recently when he was propisitioned during a live gig in Pittsburgh (pictured here at Glastonbury in June)

'I feel like I'm 15 again,' he said, laughing off the gaff while trying to introduce their song Everglow, from the seventh studio album A Head Full of Dreams.

Ever the gentleman, Gwyneth Paltrow's ex-husband suggested he take her on a date before any funny business.

'I'd have to take you to dinner first,' he joked, to a venue full of screaming women. 'And you'd have to show me around Pittsburgh.'

Supposed to be serious: The musician told the crowd to simmer down after replying that he would need to take the fan to dinner before any funny business happened

Yikes: Fans captured the awkward moment on their camera phones and shared it on Twitter

Chris, who's now dating actress Annabelle Wallis, tried to regain his composure, saying: 'All the sexual stuff aside, let's play the song Everglow. It's quite a serious song.'

The female fan might be surprised to learn that a simple kiss from Coldplay's Chris is worth a whopping $30,000.

A smooch from the British musician was recently auctioned off by his ex-wife, of all people, during the Hamptons Paddle & Party For Pink 2016 event.

What will Annabelle think? Chris is now dating actress Annabelle Wallis (here together in October 2015)

Gwyneth enticed bidders with a simple kiss from Chris, before adding 'two tickets to my consciously uncoupled husbands show at the Talkhouse [in Amagansett].'

Luckily, Chris' ex-wife - with whom he finalised his divorce last month - was not in the audience to see him propositioned.

Hollywood moviestar Gwyneth had been at the secret Hamptons gig last week, held at The Stephen Talkhouse.

The mother of his two children, Apple, 12, and Moses, 10, joined stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Karlie Kloss, Alec Baldwin and Calvin Klein at the Coldplay gig.

The former lovebirds, who wed in December 2003, announced they were 'consciously uncoupling' in March 2014 after 10 years of marriage.
She only gave birth to her third child three months ago.

But Emma Willis looked incredible as she flaunted her svelte figure in an eye-catching hot pink mini-dress on Tuesday nights Celebrity Big Brother live elimination in Elstree, Hertfordshire.

Flaunting her hourglass figure, the 40-year-old TV presenter wowed in the kooky round-neck ensemble as she announced Saira Khan was the second housemate to be evicted.

Scroll down for video

A bright fuchsia: Emma Willis, 40, dazzled in an eye-catching pink mini-dress as she hosted the Celebrity Big Brother live eviction in Elstree, Hertfordshire, on Tuesday night

Displaying her toned pins, Emmas quirky look featured a female head motif with white and yellow detailing as the fashion forward number cinched in her waist.

The yummy mummy of three - who gave birth to daughter Trixie Grace in May - injected some height into her look as she teetered around in a pair of black strappy sandals that elegantly caged her foot with a swirl of fabric.

Channelling the swinging sixties, Emma pinned her raven-locks off her face as she opted for a deep parting as she worked her stylish bob into a soft wave.

Letting her glowing complexion shine, the TV host opted to make incredible eyes be the focus as she worked a dramatic feline flick of winged liner.

Swinging sixties: The TV host oozed retro vibes as she donned the sixties inspired look

Kooky: Emmas quirky dress featured a female head motif with white and yellow detailing as she welcomed evictee Saira Khan back into the outside world

Emma and her husband, Busted star Matt Willis, who have been married for eight years, also have a son Ace, four; and daughter Isabelle, six.

In an interview during her pregnancy, Emma admitted she was worried she may not be able to conceive again because of her age.

She told OK! magazine: 'I'd assumed getting pregnant was easy: It certainly took longer than wed hoped - there was a point when I thought, were too old.

'Approaching 40 meant there was part of me that worried about my fertility, but my mum had my sister at 40 and, the way I see it, there is no right or wrong time to have a baby.'

Work it! The mum-of-three injected some height into her look as she teetered around in a pair of black strappy sandals that elegantly caged her foot with a swirl of fabric

Meanwhile, she also confirmed she was following The Voice to ITV later this year after the talent show announced it was moving from the BBC.

Emma said last month: 'The Voice UK is very close to my heart and Im absolutely delighted to be back on the show. Roll on the blind auditions.'

However, her Voice co-host Marvin Humes said he would not be returning to the show after working on it for three series.

Bob's her uncle! Emma pinned her raven-locks off her face as she opted for a deep parting as she worked her stylish bob into a soft wave
She's currently in Rio de Janeiro mixing with the great and the good of the sporting world as part of her role at the Olympics.

But it's not all toil and hard work for Alessandra Ambrosio, as the Victoria's Secret beauty soaked up some sunshine during a break in her schedule.

Heading out onto her hotel balcony, the 35-year-old catwalk queen opted for a laid-back and casual look, showcasing her lithe legs in a pair of denim hotpants.

Scroll down for video

R&R in Rio: It's not all toil and hard work for Alessandra Ambrosio, as the Victoria's Secret beauty soaked up some sunshine during a break in her schedule

Cutting a swish but relaxed figure as she ambled about in the sunshine atop a building in the Brazilian capital, Alessandra showcased her natural good looks.

Perching on a wall, the brunette beauty looked to be enjoying a few minutes peace and quiet in the midst of her busy day.

Opting for a chic and summery look, the mother-of-two donned a Bardot gypsy blouse, which allowed her to flash her bronzed decolletage.

Glam as always: Heading out onto her hotel balcony, the 35-year-old catwalk queen opted for a laid-back and casual look, showcasing her lithe legs in a pair of denim hotpants

She teamed the top with a pair of figure-flaunting denim hotpants, which allowed the beauty to flaunt her gym-honed legs.

Wearing her long dark locks in with her hair in cute braids, the supermodel made sure her hair was a faff-free affair.

And with her hair off of her face, the striking model allowed her pretty features to come to the fore; thanks in part to her minimal make-up palette.

Breezy beauty: Cutting a swish but relaxed figure as she ambled about in the sunshine atop a building in the Brazilian capital, Alessandra showcased her natural good looks

Chic and summery: Opting for a chic and summery look, the mother-of-two donned a Bardot gypsy blouse, which allowed her to flash her bronzed decolletage.

Legs aplenty: She teamed the top with a pair of figure-flaunting denim hotpants, which allowed the beauty to flaunt her gym-honed legs

It seems that the model is a fan of her view, as only the other day she took in the vista and enjoyed a quiet moment of reflection.

She gave a glimpse of the stunning coastline view from her balcony on Instagram last week after she arrived in the country.

Alessandra - who was born in Erechim, Brazil - wrote alongside the snap in Portuguese: 'Ahhhh ... how I love to be back in this piece of paradise ... Rio'

Laid-back beauty: Wearing her long dark locks in with her hair in cute braids, the supermodel made sure her hair was a faff-free affair

Natural beauty: With her hair off of her face, the striking model allowed her pretty features to come to the fore; thanks in part to her minimal make-up palette

Alessandra acts as NBC's food and culture correspondent alongside fellow Victoria's Secret stunner Adriana Lima, 35.

The pair appear as contributors on NBC's late-night coverage, hosted by Ryan Seacrest.

Meanwhile, Adriana was out an about looking effortlessly gorgeous in a pretty pastel dress with sheer overlay and leather biker jacket.

Taking it in: It seems that the model is a fan of her view, as only the other day she took in the vista and enjoyed a quiet moment of reflection.

Not bad! The star gave a glimpse of the stunning view from her hotel last week

Camera ready: Alessandra's co-correspondent Adriana Lima stepped out in Rio wearing a pretty dress and biker jacket

Natural beauty: Adriana, 35, was effortlessly gorgeous with her long glossy locks falling in gentle waves

Her envy-inducing brunette locks fell in glossy waves.

She donned some flip-flops for comfort as she made her way to another meeting.

Later in the day the ladies teamed up to show NBC anchors Al Roker and Matt Lauer around some of the sights.

The foursome were followed by TV cameras as they meandered around some bustling streets for a segment.

Brazilian born: Adriana and Alessandra are acting as NBC's food and culture correspondents during the Rio Olympics

Another hit: The beauty also rocked a colourful maxi dress

Alessandra changed into a colourful striped maxi dress while Adriana showed off hr legs in a black and white romper.

Adriana is mother to daughters Valentina, six and Sienna, three, with ex husband Marko Jaric.

Alessandra shares two children, Anja, seven and Noah, four, with her partner Jamie Mazur.

Showing them the sights: The ladies were joined by Al Roker and Matt Lauer as they were filmed by a camera crew. The duo act as food and culture contributors for NBC

So stylish: Adriana changes into a black and white romper to film the segment
Perrie Edwards may not have been surrounded by her bandmates on Tuesday night, but a little piece of Little Mix went with her to Mahiki.

The musician was thankfully flanked by her chivalrous back-up dancer as she was seen leaving the Ciroc Karaoke Lounge in the early hours of the morning.

Looking bold in a sheer dress that flashed through to her black bodysuit, Perrie clung tightly to burly BFF Claudimar Neto to help her reach a waiting car.

Scroll down for video

Dancing queen: Perrie Edwards needed to be propped up as she left the Mahiki Ciroc Karaoke Lounge on Tuesday night, after an evening on the town

Keeping her head low, Perrie seemed to be all partied out, reportedly leaving the A-list venue at around 4am.

She teetered on barely-there black sandals, which matched her gothic-inspired image.

Though long-sleeved and reaching her calves on the hem, Perrie's glamorous dress was completely see-through.

Body beautiful: The Little Mix singer was bold in a black bodysuit

With pals: She was flanked by her burly back-up dancers when she was seen leaving the venue in the early hours

Through it, her tiny bodysuit was clearly visible and hugging tightly to her slight curves.

On the beauty front, Perrie contrasted thick dark lashes with a subtle blonde ombre hair look that was left poker-straight and glossy.

Dancer and BFF Claudimar is just one of the faces that joined the girlband on their Get Weird tour in early 2016.

He stayed by Perrie's side on Tuesday, where Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall seemed to be absent.

Party girl: The blonde kept her head down to distract from the fact that she looked a little worse for wear

Heading home: It looked like it was about time to be heading home

Party girl Perrie is thought to have been enjoying a night out in the same spot as Geordie Shore wild child Scotty T, on Tuesday night.

The blonde has returned to London after the Get Weird tour came to a close in Barcelona in June.

Though the run of global shows has come to an end, the four-piece are still due to play V Festival in August, as well as Newmarket Racecourses.

Late night: The stunner seemed to be without her girlband mates

Flying solo: Jesy Nelson, Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock were nowhere to be seen

In for the ride: Her dancer chivalrously escorted her home after the event
The Bachelor star Keira Maguire broke down in tears when she revealed she did not know who her mother was until she was five because of her upbringing in a cult.

Keira, 29, kept the truth of how she was raised in the polygamous sect - headed by her convicted paedophile father Alistah Laishkochav - secret from producers.

She told The Project that she did not tell people - even boyfriends - about her unusual childhood with 63 siblings because she feared she would be judged.

Dark past: The Bachelor star Keira Maguire broke down in tears when she revealed she did not know who her mother was until she was five because of her upbringing in a cult

'I didn't know who my mum was until I was five. It sounds strange, but it just is what it is,' Keira told the show.

'I didn't even have birthdays. I think I had my first birthday when I was seven. For other people, it might be really sad. But it's not, because it's my story.'

Keira was born at the cult's Bells Beach commune in Victoria which was controlled by self-styled messiah Laishkochav - who had 64 children with nine wives.

Emotional: She told The Project that she did not tell people - even boyfriends - about her unusual childhood because she feared she would be judged

Justification: In footage taken in 1992, Keira's mother Michelle (far right) revealed why she lived as one of the nine wives of cult leader Alistah Laishkochav (left)

But her mother, Michelle, fled the group with her six children in 1993 when Keira was just five-years-old.

Footage taken in 1992, which showed Michelle defending her decision to live as part of Laishkochav's harem, was aired on A Current Affair on Tuesday.

Fighting back tears, Keira said: 'My mum would be devastated that they're showing this again.

'When I saw my mum on TV, it was very confronting. That really upset me. I knew she didn't want to be there.

Revelation: Keira'a mother, Michelle, fled the group with her six children in 1993 when Keira was just five-years-old

'She was the same age I am today when I saw her there. That was very confronting.'

She said she was forced to confront her past - after Woman's Day published a story about how her cult leader father has sexually abused four young girls.

The outspoken star said she always knew she was 'different', but was too scared to open up about her past.

'I kind of knew that I was different. I didn't want to tell people because I didn't want to be judged.

'Even in relationships with guys, I never opened up about it because I didn't want them to judge me because I'm not normal.'

Secret: The reality TV starlet, 29, kept the truth of how she was raised in the sect - headed by her convicted paedophile father Alistah Laishkochav - secret from producers.

Admission: 'I didn't know who my mum was until I was five. It sounds strange, but it just is what it is,' Keira told the show

Embarrassed: Keira told Carrie Bickmore (right) she always knew she was 'different'

She also voiced her concerns for her 63 siblings who were also born into the bizarre cult.

Seven years after Michelle fled the cult with her six children , Laishkochav was found guilty of sexually abusing four young girls.

The former policeman, whose real name is Ian Lowe, was jailed for more than seven years in 2000.

He was found guilty of sexually penetrating a child under 10 as well as three counts of attempted penetration of a child and 16 counts of indecent assault.

Depraved: Alistah (pictured), who was at the head of the polygamous cult where Bachelor star Keira was raised, boasted about his ability to satisfy five women a night

Her biggest secret: The social media star kept her extended family hidden from The Bachelor's producers

The despot abused the girls, who were aged between seven and 11, over a four-year period from 1987 to 1991. Keira would have only been three-years-old at the time.

Keira told Daily Mail Australia that she has never had a relationship with Laishkochav and said the depraved cult leader does not define who she is as a person.

'My mother removed my family from that environment when I was five years old, over 25 years ago,' she said.

'I was brought up by my mother and grandmother in Brisbane in a loving, caring and compassionate household.

'I had a wonderful childhood and I am extremely grateful to both my mother and grandmother for the upbringing which they provided me and my siblings.

Escape: Michelle fled the cult and took her children with her when Keira was five-years-old

Harem: Laishkochav had nine wives and slept with all of them in one bedroom

'Although I have since met and reunited with my family, I have never had a relationship with Alistah Laishkochav.

' Alistah Laishkochav is not relevant to who I am nor does he define me.'

The reality TV starlet kept her dark past hidden from The Bachelor's producers and only told them that her 'father died 30 years go.'

Keira's half-brother Shem Baker told A Current Affair on Tuesday that he wanted Keira to be famous for who she is 'not for where she comes from'.

Cult leader: Bachelor star Keira Maguire's father Alistah Laishkochav (pictured) was jailed for 20 child sex offences and had 64 children with nine wives

Keira's former cult family: The reality TV contestant's family consisted of her father Alistah Laishkochav's nine wives and their 64 children

'A lot of us aren't proud that he was our father and we all just want to move on with our lives,' he told the show.

He said that Keira - who has been dubbed the villain of the new series - was probably picked because she is not afraid to speak her mind.

'Although they say these shows are scripted and characterised, I think they've picked her for how she is,' he said.

In footage taken in 1992, Keira's mother Michelle was seen defending her decision to live as part of the harem of nine wives.

Twisted: The cult leader (circled) was also convicted of throwing a plank of wood at the head of one of the children

Convicted: In 2000 he was jailed for seven years and six months after being convicted of 20 child sex offences and one charge of reckless injury

Control: He had 64 children and they would sleep in a room with as many as 15 others

Speaking from the Byron Bay commune in NSW, the mother-of-six said: 'I don't have that fear of sitting at home and wondering whether my husband is seeing the secretary or the shopkeeper.

'I don't have that fear of thinking  is he going to come back and love me,' she told A Current Affair.

She justified being part of his harem for more than a decade - alongside her sister Gail - by saying that she believed people are able to love more than one individual.

'Can you love more than one child,' she asked.

Family bond: Keira's half-brother Shem Baker told A Current Affair on Tuesday that he wanted Keira to be famous for who she is 'not for where she comes from'

Starlet: He said that Keira - who has been dubbed the villain of the new series - was probably picked because she is not afraid to speak her mind

'Because if you have six children or even three or two. Do you just love the one, of course you don't, you love them all.'

Michelle also insisted that she found the self-styled messiah - who told his followers he was Jesus Christ - attractive.

She was not alone, as many of his other wives described him as 'intelligent' and 'sexy' with one saying she was 'really in awe of him'.

Michelle gave birth to Keira at the first commune in Bells Beach, Victoria, before moving to the hippie town of Byron Bay with the group.

But eight months after the footage was taken, Michelle fled the cult with her six children, closely followed by two others wives.

Bizarre: While living in Sydney in the 1970s he began attracting a group of mainly young females to his communal lifestyle

Revelations: A Current Affair expose is set to reveal the secrets of the cult on Tuesday

She took Keira and her siblings Leilani, Shath, Jade, Ty and Sean to Queensland, where they began a new life.

Michelle revealed that she decided to leave the cult in 1993 because the power had gone to Laishkochav's head.

'Once the ego sets in, they think they can do it anything,' she said.

Another former wife added: 'It blew up into an argument and we told him he had to leave.'

In the footage taken in 1992, Laishkochav boasted about his ability to satisfy five women every night.

He also compared himself to King Solomon and insisted he was 'not greedy' for having nine wives.

Communal living: The cult leader can be seen playing guitar in video footage

Paedophile: The former policeman, whose real name was Ian Lowe, controlled the group from his Bells Beach compound in Victoria

'King Solomon had so many wives,' he said.

'I'm not that greedy, surely. He had 70 wives and 500 concubines. When it comes to women. I'm selfish.

'I don't think I am more special than any other man and I believe any man can do what I do and satisfy four to five women a night.'

The polygamist is understood to have slept with all nine of his de facto wives in one bedroom, while his children had to share with as many as 15 others.

Over the years, his brood grew so large that Laishkochav admitted to CBS-TV's 'Hard Copy' that he received a staggering $250,000 per year in welfare payments.

He ruled his clan with a rod of iron and borrowed elements of Judaism, Mormonism, Islam and the beliefs of Pacific Islanders to justify having multiple wives.

The Australian reported the leader strongly believed a UFO would take the group from earth in 1988.

Encouraged to chant every night, Laishkochav's were also led to believe all outsiders were 'evil' and that they could only be saved by God.

'I am extremely grateful to both my mother and grandmother': Keira told Daily Mail Australia she's thankful to her nan (pictured) for her upbringing after leaving the cult

Upbringing: The former policeman exerted his strict control over the group - which Keira (pictured) was a part of until the age of five - from his Bells Beach compound in Victoria.

During his 2000 trial, one of the victims told the court she was aged between seven and nine when Laishkochav molested her 'every other day'.

She also revealed how Laishkochav would threaten her with violence to ensure she stayed silent about the sexual abuse.

The girl said Laishkochav told her: 'God would punish me and he would hurt me', according to The Age.

An eight-year-old girl also revealed how Laishkochav would kiss her and tell her she would eventually become his wife, the Australian reported.

Another victim told the trial Laishkochav would slap his children and tell them they had the devil in them.

Lookalike: Keira left the cult with her sister Leilani (pictured) and their mother Michelle, along with three other siblings in 1993

Big family: Some of Keira's siblings, including her brother Shath have reunited since leaving the cult

The cult leader was also convicted of throwing a plank of wood at the head of one of the children.

Laishkochav, who was born in Auckland, moved to Australia from New Zealand in 1969.

At 25, he married his first wife in a Mormon Church, where he was introduced to the concept of polygamy.

The polygamist drew his beliefs from sections of the Jewish, Muslim and Mormon religions.

He attracted a number of women to his communal lifestyle while living in Sydney in the 1970s.

Brother: Keira's brother Sean still lives in Brisbane, where they were raised by their mother and grandmother after leaving the cult

Scattered around Australia: Keira's other full-blood brothers Ty (L) and Shath (R) now live in separate states in Queensland and Victoria respectively

They all moved to the Bells Beach compound in Victoria in 1983 where the brood rapidly expanded.

Laishkochav and his nine wives and 64 children then moved to Byron Bay.

The cult dissolved in 1993 following allegations of Laishkochav's offences.

The Courier Mail reported that Laishkochav was deported back to his native New Zealand in 2008 after completing his jail term.

New life: The blonde lifestyle blogger now lives in Sydney's Eastern suburbs and works as a real estate account manager

Close-knit bunch: Keira's aunt Gail (pictured) was also one of Laishkochav's nine wives

Keira's half-brother Moke has confirmed to Woman's Day that he is related to the blonde and revealed 'the family find it hilarious' that their relative has landed on television.

The shocking revelations come after the confident blonde took a break from social media following cyber abuse directed at her.

'I've been staying away from social media, but I did have a look at my page and someone called me a c***,' Keira told OK! magazine.

She said she was not happy with her villain status, but has decided to ignore it because she does not want to be a 'miserable mess'.

Keira has ruffled feathers in the house following multiple confrontations with other contestants, including Eliza St John and Alex Nation.

'Alistah Laishkochav is not relevant to who I am nor does he define me': Keira told Daily Mail Australia when asked about her father's past

But the outspoken real estate professional, who is friends with Richie Strahan's cousin Lisa Clark, said she did not exaggerate her opinions for the camera.

'If anything I had a filter and tended not to say much because trust me, if I did actually say what I thought, shit would be going down,' she said.

Keira said the constant steam of confrontations left her feeling drained during filmed.
Children's birthdays are some of the most precious moments that a parent can experience.

And while most parents opt to mark the special occasion with a simple cake and toys, PR queen Roxy Jacenko characteristically went all out while presenting her daughter Pixie Curtis with a brand new MacBook on Wednesday, ahead of her 5th birthday on August 16.

While Pixie was also showered with an elaborate cake and a huge pile of wrapped gifts, the seemingly tech-savvy birthday girl also received a state-of-the-art Apple computer.

Scroll down for video

Tech-savvy: PR queen Roxy Jacenko characteristically went all out while presenting her daughter Pixie Curtis with a brand new MacBook on Wednesday, ahead of her 5th birthday

'Just what I needed to keep on top of my work the new apple mac !' the Instagram caption read.

The first child of Roxy and her husband Oliver Curtis looked captivated while getting acquainted with her lavish new toy, which can retail for upwards of $3,000.

Despite the expensive gift, Pixie is said to have requested 'something simple' for her birthday.

Birthday girl: Pixie was surrounded by balloons and a huge pile of wrapped gifts as part of her early birthday celebrations

Happy: Pixie looked pleased with the party as she posed for a selfie

'With my main man': Pixie happily posed with her younger brother Hunter in another image before they started eating the cake

Another photo caption read: 'She says something simple after school. I like her simple. Five never looked soooo good!! Especially when you can celebrate a week early!!'

Also on Wednesday, Roxy, 36, shared a heartfelt message for the girl she calls her 'best friend.'

'To my best friend @pixiecurtis happy birthday month!!!!! My 5 best years yet because of you the first of many celebrations today...next stop @fshongkon,' she wrote on Instagram, suggesting the family were headed on holiday to Hong Kong.

A mother's love: Roxy, 36, shared a heartfelt message forthe girl she calls her 'best friend' on Instagram

Pixie's upcoming 5th birthday will be the first that she celebrates away from her father Oliver.

In June, Oliver was sentenced to two years jail in NSW Supreme Court, following his insider trading conviction.

Last month, mother-of-two Roxy revealed that she found a lump on her left breast and she recently underwent breast cancer surgery.
Christina Ricci was every inch the twenties flapper on Tuesday afternoon as work continued on the set of her new period drama, currently being filmed under the working title Z: The Beginning of Everything.

The actress plays American socialite and novelist Zelda Fitzgerald, the troubled wife and creative muse of celebrated author F. Scott Fitzgerald, and she was joined by her onscreen husband as they shot scenes in New York City.

Riding in the back of a vintage period car, Ricci and fellow actor David Hoflin captured the historical feel of the carefree twenties by cracking open a large magnum of champagne.

Scroll down for video

Quiet on set: Christina Ricci was every inch the twenties flapper on Tuesday afternoon as she filmed scenes with co-star David Hoflin on the set of her new period drama, currently being filmed under the working title Z: The Beginning of Everything

Sporting a raffish wide brimmed hat over a mint green top with striking floral embellishments decorating one shoulder, Ricci appeared to be immersed in her role as Zelda  who was historically famed for her high spirits and unquestionable beauty.

The actress was later seen without her hat, revealing a tousled blonde bob as she idled with members of the production and checked her mobile phone team during a break between scenes.

As filming continued Ricci and Hoflin  who plays the legendary F. Scott in the forthcoming drama  were also seen on foot as they walked side by side on an empty sidewalk.

Chin chin: Riding in the back of a vintage period car, Ricci and fellow actor Hoflin captured the historical feel of the carefree twenties by cracking open a large magnum of champagne

Authentic: Sporting a raffish wide brimmed hat over a mint green top with striking floral embellishments decorating one shoulder, Ricci appeared to immersed in her role as Zelda  who was historically famed for her high spirits and unquestionable beauty

Coming soon: The biographical new show will centre on the life and times of Zelda, charting her relationship and subsequent marriage to F. Scott on April 3 1920

Further scenes demanded a costume change from the shows leading lady, and Ricci soon exchanged her green attire for a more demure black top and matching skirt.

A faux-fur stole completed the look, while another generously cut hat rounded things off as she exchanged lines with a suavely dressed male co-star.

The biographical new show will centre on the life and times of Zelda, charting her relationship and subsequent marriage to F. Scott on April 3 1920.

Backseat driver: Ricci was joined by a co-star as they shot scenes in New York

Upbeat: At one point the two stars shared a joke while riding in their vintage car

While she was a darling of the roaring New York social scene, Zelda's later life was peppered with stays in sanatoriums and hospitals prior to her death in 1948, aged 47.

Ricci previously starred as the infamous Lizzie Borden in The Lizzie Borden Chronicles, a mini-series following the life of the woman who was acquitted of the axe murder of her parents.

She also appeared in the film, Mother's and Daughters, alongside Mira Sorvino, Courteney Cox, Selma Blair, Susan Sarandon ans Sharon Stone.

Side by side: As filming continued Ricci and Hoflin  who plays the legendary F. Scott in the forthcoming drama  were also seen on foot as they walked side by side on an empty street

Taking a break: The actress was later seen without her hat, revealing a tousled blonde bob as she idled with members of the production and checked her mobile phone team during a break between scenes
Its a look not many can pull off, but Toni Terry made a success of the divisive double denim combination during a day out with husband John and their two children on Monday.

The WAG looked stunning in a loose fitting denim shirt and matching skinny jeans that drew attention to her toned legs as the family took a stroll through West London.

Toni, 34, accessorised tastefully by matching her ensemble with a stylish tan leather handbag, while conventional nude heels rounded things off.

Scroll down for video

Double trouble: Its a look not many can pull off, but Toni Terry made a success of the divisive double denim combination during a day out with husband John and their two children on Monday

The wife of Chelsea captain John as nicely tanned following their recent summer trip to Dubai, and her olive features commanded attention by virtue of her decision to tie here brunette locks away from her face.

Meanwhile John, 35, looked casual in a dark T-shirt and jeans teamed with box-fresh white trainers as he walked hand in hand with his wife.

The pair were flanked by their two children, ten-year old twins Georgie John and Summer Rose for the family outing in the capital.

Quality time: Toni was joined by husband John Terry and their two children, ten-year old twins Georgie John and Summer Rose as they stepped out in West London

Meanwhile John is working hard to ensure he hits the ground running when he returns for pre season training.

The former England skipper recently signed a new contract with Chelsea that will see him remain with the club for 12 more months - albeit in a reduced capacity.

New manager Antonio Conte says that the experience Terry brings to the team will be invaluable and that he can follow the example of the great Italians such as Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini by playing on into his late 30s.

Good times: Jon regularly peppers his Instagram account with cheery family snaps

Good times: Toni and John have just returned from a holiday family with their children in Dubai

He said: John has always played for this club. I think he is in the history of this club.

'And its important for me that he can explain what it means to play for this club, what it means to wear this shirt, this badge. I think its important in the dressing room.

'I have spoken with him. In the future its important to have this relationship because he is the captain of our team and its important also to transfer sometimes message.

'I think to have a good relationship is very important with John and the other players, always with great education and respect.'
She has exuded sass and confidence ever since first meeting Richie Strahan on The Bachelor.

And Keira Maguire did not disappoint on Wednesday when she suggested she should get the next single date because Richie was 'intrigued' by her.

The outspoken reality TV star, who has been dubbed the 'villain' of the new series, said: 'I think that Richie is intrigued by me, just as I am intrigued by him.'

Scroll down for video

Confident: Bachelor's Keira Maguire said she thought Richie Strahan was 'intrigued' by her

It came after she revealed she had not told anyone about her upbringing as one of 63 siblings in a bizarre polygamous cult because she feared she would be judged.

Keira, 29, showed her softer side in an emotional interview with The Project and spoke about how she has never told any of her boyfriends abut her dark past.

'I kind of knew that I was different. I didn't want to tell people because I didn't want to be judged,' she said.

Love rivals: The outspoken reality TV star has been dubbed the 'villain' of the new series

Blonde beauty: She has exuded sass and confidence ever since first meeting Richie Strahan on The Bachelor

'Even in relationships with guys, I never opened up about it because I didn't want them to judge me because I'm not normal.'

She lived in the cult - headed by her convicted paedophile father Alistah Laishkochav - until she was five-years-old.

Her mother, Michelle, was one of the self-styled messiah's nine wives.

Keira, who has been dubbed by 'Group Date Groupie' by the other girls in The Bachelor mansion, was for the first time in the series not picked to go on the group date during Wednesday's episode.

Having fun: Keira was not picked to go on the group date during Wednesday's episode of The Bachelor

Justification: In footage taken in 1992, Keira's mother Michelle (far right) revealed why she lived as one of the nine wives of cult leader Alistah Laishkochav (left)

This meant she was able to avoid looking after a fake baby in the hilarious date.

She seemed relieved, saying: 'Who wants to go on an annoying baby crying date?'

'I've been on every single group date so far. It's not my idea of fun, to be honest.'

But then she relented and admitted she felt she was missing out.

Keira said: 'I'm having a little bit of withdrawal symptoms happening here. I'm, like, 'I'm not on a group date?' What is going on right now?'

During the cocktail party, she had a heated discussion with Nikki Gogan after the blonde revealed she had kissed Richie during her date.

Missing out: Keira was able to avoid looking after a fake baby in the hilarious date

Funny: She seemed relieved, saying: 'Who wants to go on an annoying baby crying date?'

Nikki had opened up to the girls about how she had locked lips with Richie during the single date that she won thanks to the baby task.

'A really romantic setting. And then we had a bit of a chat, and a bit of wine. I asked him if I could kiss him.

Following Nikki's admission, Keira Maguire interjected, saying: 'I definitely would have said no.

'I just feel like, for me, I would be very careful who I said certain things in front of.'

The pair then walked away for a private chat and Nikki was seen breaking down in tears.

Outspoken: Following Nikki's admission, Keira Maguire (left) interjected, saying: 'I definitely would have said no
He's set to star in the highly-anticipated Chinese blockbuster Bleeding Steel.

And Jackie Chan's forthcoming film looks set to be quite the intense action thriller, if recent pictures of him filming daring stunts in Sydney are anything to go by.

The Hollywood legend appeared focused and at ease while shooting scenes atop the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday.

Scroll down for video

Daring: Jackie Chan's forthcoming film Bleeding Steel looks set to be quite the intense action thriller, if recent pictures of him filming daring stunts in Sydney are anything to go by

Despite the vertigo-inducing views below him, Jackie, who found fame in Hollywood as a martial artist and stuntman during the 90s, appeared to be quite in his element.

Sporting head-to-toe black and filming alongside one of his female costars, 62-year-old Jackie safely filmed the breathtaking stunt scene.

The Rush Hour actor will star alongside Tess Haubrich and Callan Mulvey in the Leo Zhang-directed project, that is being touted as 'the biggest budget Chinese production ever to shoot in Australia,' according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Stuntman: Despite the vertigo-inducing views below him, Jackie, who found fame in Hollywood as a martial artist and stuntman during the 90s, appeared to be quite in his element

Experienced: Sporting head-to-toe black and filming alongside one of his female costars, 62-year-old Jackie safely filmed the breathtaking stunt scene

Blockbuster: He will star alongside Tess Haubrich and Callan Mulvey in the Leo Zhang-directed project

During a press conference in Sydney last month, Jackie confirmed the cast of the action film, which includes Nana Ouyang and Erica Xia-Hou.

Jackie wore a smart blue dress shirt with an interesting striped polka dot pattern throughout paired with jeans.

Australian actress Tess put on a leggy display, wearing a purple thigh-skimming knit dress.

Wow: The film is being touted as 'the biggest budget Chinese production ever to shoot in Australia,' according to The Hollywood Reporter

Action blockbuster: Jackie announced the start of production on his latest film, Bleeding Steel, during a press conference in Australia at the Sydney Opera House last month

New faces: Jackie also announced the cast of the action comedy, including Tess Haubrich (pictured), Nana Ouyang and Erica Xia-Hou

The beauty teamed the frock with a pair of sheer black tights and black lace up high heels to add some extra hight to her look and emphasise her trim pins.

SBS news presenter Lee Lin Chin hosted the event while sporting a white frock that featured a very structured neckline paired with a frayed uneven hemline that cut her just below the knee.

The film follows a hardened special force agent who has to protect a young woman after she witnesses a "sinister conspiracy" and he develops a connection with her, as though they have met before.

Show us what you've got: Jackie and his co-stars played it up for the cameras

Stylish host: SBS news presenter Lee Lin Chin was the host of the event and once again showed off her signature style
Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby can't even be away from each other for the summer, it seems.

Because This Morning's presenting power couple revealed that they have been holidaying together in Portugal, despite being off-screens for the summer months.

The playful pair were in cahoots on Wednesday when they imitated Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston's loved up 4th of July beach break, wearing matching 'I [HEART] P.S' and 'I [HEART] H.W' vests.

Scroll down for video

Happy Holly days: This Morning's Phillip Schofield (left) and Holly Willoughby (right) reunited in Portugal this week, hilariously recreating Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston's loved up beach snaps

Phil wore his heart on his sleeve, just as actor Tom had done for popstar girlfriend Taylor during their Rhode Island vacation in July with famous friends Cara Delevingne, Ruby Rose and Karlie Kloss.

He captioned their summer holiday shot with the word 'bestie' before she reposted it with a love heart.

Holly and Phil were seen splashing around in the sea, as they took what can only be assumed to be a joint family break - something they're calling 'Willoughfield'.

Cheeky monkey: The pair were poking fun at Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston by wearing shirts with the same logo as his 'I [HEART] T.S' top, worn during the 4 July celebrations

Making fun: Phillip wore his heart on his sleeve like Tom Hiddleston (pictured, left), who was the first to sport an 'I [HEART] T.S' top in July 4, declaring his love for Taylor Swift (pictured, right)

Holly, who shares the Monday-Thursday ITV presenting job with Phil, has three children - Harry, six, Belle, five, and 18-month-old Chester - with husband Dan Baldwin.

Phil, on the other hand, has all girls above the age of 20 - Ruby and Molly - with wife Stephanie Lowe.

It's not the first time they've jetted off together this year, either.

In April, Phil revealed that they had been staying just 'two streets away' from each other in Portugal during the Easter holiday.

Can't get enough: Holly and Phil (here on-screen in June) are currently enjoying some time off from their daily This Morning presenting slot

He joked on air at the time: 'It's lovely to be back - in fact while it's like we haven't seen each other for a long time.

'We were two streets away from each other in Portugal... We cant keep away from each other.

This time, Philip seemed to have crashed what could have potentially been a romantic family getaway for Holly and her husband Dan.

Holly and Dan had been celebrating their ninth wedding anniversary in the sun on Friday.

Summer break: Phillip has been kicking back by the pool during his time off

And Philip's not the only one intruding, because fellow presenting dream team Ant McPartlin & Declan Donnelly, as well as Dragons' Den star Peter Jones, have also been pictured vacationing with them, on Phillip's Instagram page.

While they're away husband and wife duo Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford have stepped in.

Meanwhile, on Fridays, Rylan Clark has joined husband Dan Neal in becoming the first gay couple to present the lunchtime show.
Shes known for her impeccable style choices as she attends numerous events on her busy calendar.

But on Wednesday night Erin Holland opted to forgo one piece of clothing entirely - her bra - as she attended the re-opening of a TAG Heuer store in the Sydney CBD.

The former Miss World Australia instead slipped into a white pantsuit, with her jacket all that was covering her torso as she went braless for the evening.

Scroll down for video

Stunning: Erin Holland slipped into a white pantsuit, with her jacket all that was covering her torso as she went braless for the TAG Heuer Sydney store opening

She showed off her long, slender legs in the tailor-made number and finished with an open-toed pair of black strappy high-heels.

The 27-year-old stood out from the crowd with an enormous pair of matching earrings shaped like a white flower with a large jewel set in the middle.

The TV presenter and actress wore natural-look make-up with a pale pink lipstick and subtle eye shadow.

While her hair was parted down the middle and tied back behind her head in a low ponytail.

Legs eleven: The former Miss World Australia showed off her long, slender legs in the tailor-made number and finished with an open-toed pair of black high-heels

Dazzle: The 27-year-old stood out from the crowd with an enormous pair of matching earrings shaped like a white flower with a large jewel set in the middle

Professional boxer Lauren Eagle was also at the event at the Pitt Street flagship location, looking far removed from her natural habitat of the ring.

The 28-year-old hid her impressive ab muscles under a shoulderless tan-coloured gown with a triangle pattern embroidered into the torso.

She did, however, reveal her toned calf muscles below the midi-dress and finished with a black cage style pair of pointed-toe stiletto pumps.

Fighting fit: Lauren Eagle reveal her toned calf muscles below the midi-dress and finished with a black pair of high heels

Almost unrecognisable: The professional boxer hid her impressive ab muscles under a shoulderless tan-coloured gown with a triangle pattern embroided into the torso

What a contrast! The 28-year-old looked far removed from her natural habitat of the boxing ring

Lauren was joined by fellow sportswoman Torah Bright, who flashed a big smile while wearing a loose-fitting black top and matching shiny silk skirt.

The gold medal-winning snowboarder let her auburn locks hang over her shoulders and crossed her heel-covered feet as she posed for a photo.

Angela Bishop put on a busty and leggy display through a side-split in her plunging dark green gown, which she teamed with a pair of nude-coloured stilettos.

Sporty beauty: Also at the event was Olympic gold medal winner Torah Bright

Date night! Torah attended the event with her husband and fellow snowboarder Angus Thompson

The Channel 10 presenter accessorised with elaborate earrings that resembled a collection of gold coins hanging from a chain.

Actress Danielle Cormack had one of the more fashion forward outfits of the night in a black leather shirt under a stylish black jacket.

Finally, landscape designer Jamie Durie made a dashing entrance in a checked blue jacket, black shirt and blue jeans.

Showing up: Angela Bishop (left) put on a leggy display through a side split in her plunging dark green gown, while landscape designer Jamie Durie (right) made a dashing entrance
She recently revealed she was dating her personal trainer, Ryan Libbey.

And it seems Louise Thompson was giving her beau a sneaky peek of what he could look forward to as she posted a sizzling snap in her lingerie on Wednesday.

Clad in a lacy peach bra and matching thong, the 26-year-old Made In Chelsea star showed off her tanned and toned figure as she reclined on her bed.

Scroll down for video

Just peachy! Clad in a lacy peach bra and matching thong, Louise Thompson, 26, showed off her tanned and toned figure in a sizzling Instagram snap posted on Wednesday

Featuring a keyhole neckline and chic choker, the bra offered a glimpse of her perky assets, whilst the scanty briefs clung to her lean physique.

Pouting down the lens, she exposed her impeccably toned abs, whilst her flawless features were contoured to perfection.

The brunette beauty's bronzed complexion was no doubt still lingering from her recent break in Antibes, where she filmed Made In Chelsea: South Of France.

Tan-tastic: The brunette beauty's bronzed complexion was no doubt still lingering from her recent break in Antibes, where she filmed Made In Chelsea: South Of France

Cute couple: Whilst she may have been filming, the starlet also managed to squeeze in some quality time with her handsome new beau and her personal trainer Ryan Libbey

But whilst she may have been filming, the starlet also managed to squeeze in some quality time with her handsome new beau, Ryan.

The pair documented their time together on Instagram, with Louise sharing one snap of the musclebound hunk as she quipped: 'Woof [tongue emoji] the view.'

Louise went public with the romance last week when she brought Ryan as her date to her brother Sam Thompson's 24th birthday lunch, but rumours of their relationship had been circulating for weeks.

Eye candy: The pair documented their time together on Instagram, with Louise sharing one snap of the musclebound hunk as she quipped: 'Woof [tongue emoji] the view'

Louise had previously been dating leather designer Alik Alfus but the pair split in May after two years together.

However, The Hills star Stephanie Pratt claimed that the brunette beauty had begun seeing Ryan months before the separation, as she claimed the star had cheated on Twitter.

Last month, Stephanie retweeted a report asking if she was to blame for Alik and Louise's split, adding: 'Uh no she was s***ging her trainer since March...'

Sealed with a kiss: Louise went public with the romance last week when she brought Ryan as her date to her brother Sam Thompson's 24th birthday lunch

In MIC episodes screened last month, Louise left Alik heartbroken when she ended their two-year long-distance romance.

The pair originally met in Spring 2014 when they filmed the spin-off series in New York City, with Alik following Louise to London.

However, he had to return to the US last autumn due to his family business, which put a strain on their relationship.

Despite Alik flying to London in a last-ditch attempt to win Louise back, she said it was too late.
They have been busy filming the upcoming second season of Nine Network's Here Come The Habibis.

But Tyler De Nawi and Kat Hoyos took time out to celebrate the success of another Australian production as they attended the Sydney screening of Red Billabong on Wednesday.

Kat cut a glamorous figure as she posed in a chic, silver-ice blue dress and nude-coloured platform heels.

Here Come The Habibs! Actors Tyler Nawi and Kat Hoyos made an appearance on the red carpet at the Sydney screening of Red Billabong on Wednesday

She completed her look with a silver wrist cuff and a pair of large gold hoop earrings, while opting to leave her glossy brunette mane hanging in loose curls.

Meanwhile, Tyler took a sartorial risk by matching a pair of khaki jeans with a tan-coloured blazer and blue shirt.

Revealing a glimpse at his chest by leaving his top buttons undone, Tyler complete his look with a pair of brown leather loafers and a matching leather belt.

Chic: Kat cut a glamorous figure as she posed in a chic, baby blue dress and nude-coloured platform heels

It comes after Tyler was revealed as the mystery celebrity behind Waleed Aly's 'mysterious Moustafa' reference, made during his Golden Logies acceptance speech earlier this year.

During his speech, The Project host said that he had been approached by a man earlier in the night saying that his name had prevented him from getting work in the industry.

'My name is Mustafa. But I can't use that name because I won't get a job,' Waleed said, quoting the then-unnamed celebrity.

Style statement! Meanwhile, Tyler took a sartorial risk by matching a pair of khaki jeans with a tan-coloured blazer and blue shirt

Changing names: It comes after Tyler was revealed as the mystery celebrity behind Waleed Aly's 'mysterious Moustafa' reference, made during his Golden Logies acceptance speech earlier this year

Waleed also mentioned a man named Dimitri who came up to him a week ago and 'commanded' the Channel Ten presenter to win the Gold Logie.

He said his win mattered to people like Moustafa and Dimitri, and thanked people from different backgrounds for their support.

'To Dimitri and Moustafa and to everyone else with an unpronounceable name like I don't know, Waleed... I am incredibly humbled that you would even think to invest in me that way,' he said.
She returned from the UK last week after spending some time with fiance Johnny McDaid.

And now she's back home in Los Angeles Courteney Cox took time to indulge in a little pampering on Tuesday with a trip to a hair salon.

The 52-year-old Cougar Town star showed off sleek and glossy locks as she exited the hairdressers in a casual outfit.

Tending to her tresses: Courteney Cox was pictured out in Los Angeles on Tuesday after a pamper session at a hair salon

She wore dark cargo pants with a fitted black t-shirt and flat sandals.

Accessorising her look Courteney donned black spectacles and some silver hoop earrings.

The actress appeared relaxed as she carried a bottle of water while heading back to her car.

Meanwhile, the former Friends star was pictured saying farewell to her husband-to-be at Heathrow airport on Saturday.

Heading out: Courteney kept it casual for the outing in dark cargo pants, a fitted t-shirt and sandals

The emotional departure came just days after the duo were pictured having a very public argument outside a restaurant in London.

The actress was seen looking visibly upset as she sat opposite the 40-year-old Irishman.

At one point Courteney looked exasperated as she held her head in her hands after she appeared to chastise the songwriter.

The couple reunited in March after their engagement was called off late last year amid claims they disagreed over where to live.

Long distance love: Courteney and Johnny were spotted saying their goodbyes at Heathrow airport on Saturday as the actress jetted back to LA

So long: Courteney and Johnny will likely be separated for some time again as they continue to live their lives on different continents

It's been reported that Johnny is adamant he wants to stay in Northern Ireland where he's from.

'Courteney is willing to spend more time in Ireland to make the relationship work. At this point she'll bend over backward to make Johnny happy.' a source was quoted as saying in April.

The couple began dating in 2013 after their mutual pal Ed Sheeran introduced the pair.

Courteney was previously married to her Scream co-star David Arquette from 1999 to 2013 and they co-parent 12-year-old daughter Coco.
Her transformation from youthful pop princess to West End darling has been nothing short of triumphant.

But while Pixie Lotts career trajectory has changed course over recent months, her peerless sense of style remains unchanged.

Indeed, the 25-year old cut a fashionable figure in a personalised bomber jacket as she made her way to Londons Royal Haymarket Theatre for another appearance as Holy Golightly in a theatrical rendering of Breakfast At Tiffanys.

Scroll down for video

Looking good: Pixie Lott cut a fashionable figure in an on-trend bomber jacket as she made her way to Londons Royal Haymarket Theatre for another appearance as Holy Golightly in a theatrical rendering of Breakfast At Tiffanys

Her own best advertisement: The 25-year-old singer proudly showed off her stylish bomber jacket in a cute Instagram snap

Decoratively embroidered with the title of Truman Capotes bestseller  currently in the midst of a 12-week run at the West End venue  Pixie was upbeat as she paused to sign autographs for a group of waiting fans.

The performer added to her look with a pair of frayed seventies themed jeans and a snug fitting vest for her latest pre-performance outing in the capital.

Vintage sunglasses and a striking silver heels gave the overall look a colourful flourish, while the lack of accessories ensured her outfit was not overshadowed.

Striking: while Pixie Lotts career trajectory has changed course over recent months, her peerless sense of style remains unchanged

Iconic: The jacket was decoratively embroidered with the title of Truman Capotes bestseller  currently in the midst of a 12-week run at the West End venue

Simple style: The performer added to her look with a pair of frayed seventies themed jeans and a snug fitting vest for her latest pre-performance outing in the capital

The pop princess has been thoroughly consumed with her West End role, which was bolstered by some rave reviews.

She 'magnetised,' 'triumphed' and 'ticked all of the boxes' according to some theatre critics, while other reviews have been less favourable.

Some saw her challenge too mean a feat, as the leading part was originally played by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 same-titled film.

Sign your name: Pixie was upbeat as she paused to sign autographs for a group of waiting fans

Focussed: The pop princess has been thoroughly consumed with her West End role, which was bolstered by some rave reviews

The play, based on Truman Capote's novella, follows the story of New York socialite Holly Golightly in 1940s New York City.

The show, adapted by Olivier Award-winning playwright Richard Greenberg, runs with Pixie as the lead role in London until September 17.

The production of Breakfast At Tiffany's transferred to the West End in June following a UK and Ireland tour, in which Pixie shared the lead role with Emily Atack and Georgia May Foote.

Pixie recently appeared on Monday's Good Morning Britain to talk about her recreation of the iconic character.
Adam Garcia won't be singing or dancing in the rain this year.

The 43-year-old showman has officially withdrawn from his leading role in the musical Signing In The Rain for the remainder of it's Australian tour thanks to a lingering calf muscle injury he sustained during a performance in June.

Adam had previously told his fans that he planned to return to the role of Don Lockwood in the famed musical after taking six weeks out to allow the injury to heal.

Scroll down for video

Bowing out: Adam Garcia has officially withdrawn from his leading role in the musical Signing In The Rain for the remainder of it's Australian tour

On Wednesday, the former Coyote Ugly star confirmed his injuries have proven far more serious than previously thought.

'The word disappointed does not begin to convey how I'm feeling with having to step away from this dream role and the fantastic cast and crew I was having so much fun with,' he said in an official statement.

'The injury sustained has proven to be more extensive and complicated than initially diagnosed,' he said.

'The word disappointed does not begin to convey how I'm feeling': Adam spoke of his heartbreak in an official statement this week as he attributed his lingering calf muscle injury as preventing him from continuing in the musical

'The length of the recovery time and the risk of recurrence has made it impossible for me to continue in the production.'

Actors Grant Almirall and Rohan Browne will continue to share the leading role for the remainder of the tour, including the rest of the Sydney dates before heading to Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

'I wish my fellow cast members all the best with the remainder of the tour as they truly are a most talented and hard working group of people, which I have had the pleasure of calling my colleagues,' Adam said.

'When this opportunity arose I knew it was such an amazing opportunity': It comes after Adam revealed that landing the leading role in the iconic musical was a dream come true

It comes after Adam revealed that landing the leading role in the iconic musical was a dream come true.

'When this opportunity arose I knew it was such an amazing opportunity because it not only has so much dancing but also a lot of singing and great acting,' he told the Herald Sun in April.

The musical, which uses 12,000 litres of recycled water that hits audience members sitting in the 'splash zone', was nominated for three Helpmann Award this year.
He was living it up in Australia earlier in the week.

But now it looks as though the party has ended for Geordie Shore's Gary 'Gaz' Beadle after he was refused entry into New Zealand, according to reports.

The 28-year-old MTV star was set to join his co-star Marty McKenna, 21, at The Edge's One Night Stand Party in Auckland on Thursday night  but was allegedly ordered onto a return flight to Oz.

Scroll down for video

Banned: Gary 'Gaz' Beadle has reportedly be denied entry into New Zealand after he arrived in the country on Tuesday

Confirming the news to the Daily Star, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) said they stopped Gaz at border control and denied him entry into the country as he arrived into Queenstown from Australia on Tuesday.

Despite sharing a pic of the idyllic country on his social media, it now looks as though the reality star will miss the party  which aims to bring Kiwis together for one night only at a nightclub in the Northern Island city.

Speaking to the site, Immigration New Zealand said: 'There are certain conditions that all temporary visitors to New Zealand must meet in order to be eligible for entry.

Uh-oh: The 28-year-old allegedly have to go on a return flight back to Australia on Wednesday afternoon

Rules: Immigration New Zealand said, 'There are certain conditions that all temporary visitors to New Zealand must meet in order to be eligible for entry. Mr Beadle (R) did not meet these requirements'

'The onus is on the visitor to satisfy INZ that they meet all of the entry requirements at the time they travel to New Zealand.

'Mr Beadle did not meet these requirements. He was put on a flight back to Australia [on Wednesday] afternoon after being released on conditions which allowed him to spend [Tuesday] night at his pre-arranged accommodation.'

But while Gaz and Marty have both kept tight lipped on their situation, Marty has retweeted posts from fans who have voiced their concern of missing the opportunity to get up close and personal with the stars.

MailOnline have contacted Gary's representatives for comment.

Despite the chaos, the organisers of the event have insisted the show will go on without the Northern hunk.

They said: 'The Edge One Night Stand Party will still be going ahead no matter what, with Marty from Geordie Shore, performances from Savage & Kings, hosted by Jay-Jay, Dom & Randell, Guy, Sharyn and Clint and all The Edge crew.'

The organisation have also continued to share numerous photos of Marty enjoying his time in New Zealand on social media.

It will go on: Despite the chaos, the organisers of the event have insisted the show will go on without the Northern hunk

Missing out: They said: 'The Edge One Night Stand Party will still be going ahead no matter what, with Marty from Geordie Shore, performances from Savage & Kings, hosted by Jay-Jay, Dom & Randell, Guy, Sharyn and Clint and all The Edge crew'

They tweeted: 'Looks like @Marty_GShore came more than prepped for Queenstown's weather.'

As the Geordie Shore newbie had never been to New Zealand, the site were previously vocal about how keen they were to give him the full Kiwi experience.

They wrote: 'To make Marty an official Kiwi, we thought it was only fair to put him through a Kiwi initiation.

'Guy, Sharyn and Clint will be touring the country and putting him through his paces but the bonus is, you can do it with them.'

Jet setting: Earlier in the week, Gaz spent time in Sydney for numerous club appearances




They tied the knot in a lavish wedding on July 31.

But Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec had his former Dancing With The Stars partner Kym Johnson sign a tough prenuptial agreement before saying 'I do,' reports Life & Style.

The 53-year-old businessman, who is worth an estimated $100 million as CEO of IT security firm Herjavec Group, demanded a pre-nup after paying out millions to his ex-wife Diane Plese after their divorce last year.

Scroll down for video

Newlyweds: Shark Tank star and business mogul Robert Herjavec insisted Dancing With The Stars pro Kym Johnson sign a pre-nup agreement before their July 31 wedding

Australian-born Kym will get a maximum of $1 million and cannot ask for any of their real estate if the marriage ends.

'Kym will get $100,000 for every year they are married, capped at $1 million, if the marriage ends,' a source told the magazine.

'The houses they live in are all in Robert's name, and Kym won't have any claim to the properties if they split.'

Mrs: Kym showed off her married status in a one-piece bathing suit as the couple honeymooned in Bora Bora

Reality star Kym, 40, is worth around $1 million and didn't resist signing the pre-nup, the magazine reports.

The newlyweds have been honeymooning in Bora Bora after their Los Angeles wedding, which was attended by celebrity guests including Derek Hough, Carson Kressley,DWTS judge Carrie Ann Inaba and former competitors Joey Fatone, Lance Bass and Donny Osmond.

Robert surprised his new bride by hiring Olivia Newton-John to sing at the reception.

Mrs Herjavec: The Australian-born dancer wore a bikini bottom with her new married name on Instagram

The couple both shared photos of their romantic honeymoon on social media last week, with Kym showing off her figure in a bikini with 'Herjavec' written across it in glittery silver, and posing in a one-piece swimsuit with 'Mrs' on the front.

Robert also posted a photo of their gorgeous getaway spot on Instagram Sunday.

'No filter ! Work hard, play hard - repeat!' the Canadian entrepreneur wrote.

Paradise: The 53-year-old posted a photo from their romantic honeymoon on Instagram on Sunday

The couple met last year when they were paired together as dance partners on Dancing With The Stars, and soon fell in love. They got engaged in March.

Robert and his ex-wife Diane, who share three adult children, divorced in 2015 after 24 years of marriage. They did not have a prenup.

The Canadian business mogul has been open about how the divorce plunged him into a deep depression where he at one point contemplated suicide, telling People.com he thought about ending it all.

Happy bride: Kym and Robert wed in a lavish ceremony in Los Angeles on July 31
Sure it was not quite up to the same level of which he is accustom, but this heir has wrapped up his stay in his federal-sponsored suite.

Conrad Hilton is free from jail after spending two months behind bars.

People were the first to report on Wednesday that the 22-year-old younger brother of Paris Hilton had been released August 1.

Scroll down for video

He's out: Conrad Hilton is free from jail after spending two months behind bars for violating parole (pictured outside court in 2015)

His release is just shy of the full two months of incarceration he was sentenced on June 6.

The heir to the Hilton fortune - who is named after the founder of the hotel chain - was sent to prison for violating the terms of his parole.

The socialite had been on parole since 2015 but had failed to stay drug free, admitting to smoking marijuana and using cocaine in a number of occasions.

He was initially sent to a treatment program but after he was kicked out for failing a drug test, the court intervened leading to his prison sentence.

Didn't stick to conditions: The socialite (pictured with parents Kathy and Rick outside court) had been on parole since 2015 but had failed to stay drug free, admitting to smoking marijuana and using cocaine in a number of occasions so was sent to jail

Conrad was on parole after being found guilty in March 2015, of assault for attacking passengers and flight attendants mid-air the previous year.

In August of 2014, Conrad was arrested following an incident aboard an international flight during which he hurled profanities and made threats against fellow passengers.

Reason for parol: In August of 2014, Conrad (oictrured that year) was arrested following an incident aboard an international flight during which he hurled profanities and made threats against fellow passengers

'I am going to f**king kill you!...I will f**king own anyone on this flight... they are f**king peasants,' Conrad shouted, according to court documents.'

During the flight Hilton also was accused of smoking weed in the bathroom of the plane. He became so erratic the flight crew had to restrain him to his seat after he had passed out.

Conrad pleaded guilty and at the sentencing received three years of probation, 750 hours of community service, and was ordered to participate in an outpatient substance abuse program including drug testing, and mandatory mental health evaluations.

The son of Kathy and Rick Hilton was again arrested in June 2015 on suspicion of violating a restraining order obtained by his former girlfriend Hunter Daily Salomon, the daughter of E.G. Daily and Rick Salomon (Pamela Anderson's ex).

The Hilton family are no strangers to brushes with the law with Conrad's big sister Paris sentenced in 45 days in jail in 2007 after violating her parole for an earlier DUI.

Paris did not spend the full 45 days in jail but branded it a life changing experience.

Conrad's older brother Barron was also arrested for DUI and was successfully sued for just under $5 million by a gas station attendant he ran over.

Recently their aunt Kim Richards from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills - who has been battling substance addiction - has also found herself in trouble with the police both for shoplifting and resisting arrest over the last year.
Jaimie Alexander pulled a diva move on the Brooklyn set of Blindspot on Wednesday by having two assistants fan her between takes.

The 32-year-old actress - whose minions helped her beat New York's 86F-degree heat - was continuing her role as Jane Doe on the NBC action series.

This, after Page Six reported that the South Carolina-born, Texan-raised star was a 'nightmare' to work with and 'complains constantly' back in November.

Scroll down for video

Hot child in the city: Jaimie Alexander pulled a diva move on the Brooklyn set of Blindspot on Wednesday by having two assistants fan her between takes

Scented spray too? The 32-year-old actress - whose minions helped her beat New York's 86F-degree heat - was continuing her role as Jane Doe on the NBC action series

Cell phone session: This, after Page Six reported that the South Carolina-born, Texan-raised star was a 'nightmare' to work with and 'complains constantly' back in November

On Tuesday, Jaimie shared a similar trailer snap of herself being fussed over by Blindspot's glam squad, captioned: 'Takes a village.'

Alexander might have earned her 'alleged reputation' because of the grueling seven-hour make-up sessions in order to play the amnesiac tattooed with clues to a crime.

The Brink stunner - who trains with a Navy SEAL - seems greatly amused by pretending to punch men like her pal Jacob Burton and co-star Sullivan Stapleton.

The Australian 39-year-old - who plays FBI Special Agent Kurt Weller - joined the raven-haired beauty in Prospect Park to shoot the mystery thriller show on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Jaimie shared a similar trailer snap of herself being fussed over by Blindspot's glam squad, captioned: 'Takes a village'

Real reason? Alexander might have earned her 'alleged reputation' because of the grueling seven-hour make-up sessions in order to play the amnesiac tattooed with clues to a crime

New gimmick? The Brink stunner - who trains with a Navy SEAL - seems greatly amused by pretending to punch men like her pal Jacob Burton and co-star Sullivan Stapleton (pictured Wednesday and July 23)

Both Jaimie and the Strike Back heartthrob were weilding handguns as they worked on scenes for the second season.

At one point, Sullivan could be seen pinning a lifeless-looking co-star face down on the ground after a chase sequence.

The amount of firepower was surprising considering Blindspot creator Martin Gero revealed they were scaling back on violence due to their new, earlier timeslot.

'We're not gonna shoot anyone in the head anymore. I think we're toning back some of the violence, but I don't think the show will be unrecognizable,' the Canadian 39-year-old vowed at the August 2 TCA event - according to Variety.

Scene partner: The Australian 39-year-old - who plays FBI Special Agent Kurt Weller - joined the raven-haired beauty in Prospect Park to shoot the mystery thriller show on Wednesday

Locked and loaded! Both Jaimie and the Strike Back heartthrob were weilding handguns as they worked on scenes for the second season

Casualty? At one point, Sullivan could be seen pinning a lifeless-looking co-star face down on the ground after a chase sequence

Freeze! The amount of firepower was surprising considering Blindspot creator Martin Gero revealed they were scaling back on violence due to their new, earlier 8 p.m. timeslot

'We're a heavily timeshifted show, we don't want the show to totally reinvent itself for the 8 p.m. timeslot.'

Gero teased: 'Not only are you gonna find out Jane's name, you're gonna find out what Orion is, who Shepard is, what the plan of the organization is.'

Fans can catch the second season of Blindspot on a new night and time beginning September 14 on NBC.

The Canadian 39-year-old (R) vowed at the August 2 TCA event: 'We're not gonna shoot anyone in the head anymore. I think we're toning back some of the violence, but I don't think the show will be unrecognizable'
Versailles (BBC2)

Rating:

The Three Day Nanny (C4)

Rating:

What well all miss most about Versailles (BBC2) is the mens hair  long tendrils, lank yet wavy, like octopuses marinated in conditioner.

Oiliest and shiniest of all are Sun King Louis XIVs tresses. No wonder actor George Blagdens eyes bulge so, with that monster squid clamped to his bonce.

All the men in Versailles walk in slow motion, and toss their heads, the better to set the tentacles flopping. Now that the ten-part series is over, where else can we see such horrible hair, shot in semi-pornographic soft-focus amid a miasma of over-acting?

Christopher Stevens gives BBC2's French Revolution period drama sub-par reviews for acting and story line

Our best bet is to search YouTube for Seventies shampoo ads. But the models promoting Silvikrin and Harmony hairspray were Oscar- worthy compared to the cast of Versailles.

Anyone who wasnt actually speaking stood motionless and goggled, mouth slightly drooping. Every scene was a tableau of shop mannequins in badly fitting fancy dress, posed by someone who vaguely remembered seeing some Rembrandt group portraits on a school trip.

The champion goggler was Blagden. Before each line, he stared intently into the distance, mouth working silently. When he spoke, it was an insipid murmur, even when he was shouting.

CANDELIT MEAL OF THE NIGHT With the city gripped by a terrible virus in Containment (E4), an elderly couple sat down to a romantic dinner of Army rations after a food drop. Ella Fitzgeralds Prelude To A Kiss played in the background. How can such a gory series be so schmaltzy? Advertisement

The Sun King was the greatest egomaniac in history, a lunatic who truly believed that God had created him as the living embodiment of a whole nation. I am France, he repeated, but he sounded like a garage attendant introducing himself awkwardly: Hello, Im Kevin.

His brother Philippe (Alexander Vlahos), a petulantly ambitious chap, has been copying the royal goggle. At first he kept narrowing his eyes, which ruined the effect, but by the end he had perfected the agonised gaze of a man who had sat down heavily on a cactus and was trying not to scream.

There are advantages to being a terrible actor. Marchal, the kings torturer (Tygh Runyan), was run through with a dagger during a palace assassination bid.

While Louis fought off his attacker by wielding a candlestick like Errol Flynn with a cutlass, Marchal lay in the corner and died messily.

At least, we thought hed died. The king thought hed died. Marchal seemed quite sure of it himself.

Imagine his surprise, to turn the page of the script and discover he played an important part in the next scene. Cleverly, he got round this by pressing his hand to his stomach and wincing, while assuring the monarch whod watched him expire that it was: Nothing, really, Sire.

Meanwhile, Princess Henriette, who was Philippes wife and Louiss lover, was also dying in pools of blood. She had been poisoned, and now she had to choose the best setting for her final act. After staggering round the palace, dripping in gore, like Lady Macbeth looking for the lavatories, she opted for the kings bed. It was so much bigger, and it had an overhead camera.

That camera had been useful for all the explicit sex scenes in earlier episodes, but no one had time for French kissing in Versailles any more. There was too much goggling to do. It was so awful well miss it dreadfully  but thankfully a second series has already been filmed. Vive la tosh!

'This show can offer useful tips to harassed parents, but only if it's being honest with us': Stevens says The Three Day Nanny only shows pieces of the story, leaving much to be desired

Triplets Sienna, Jacob and Summer, with their baby brother Zac, were also being dreadful, in The Three Day Nanny (C4).

Single mother Rosie had called for help, because coping with four naughty children under three years old, while trying to earn a living, is frankly impossible. Nanny Kathryn Mewes pretended that everything could be sorted with a stern but fair voice, and a trip to the beach.

This show can offer useful tips to harassed parents, but only if its being honest with us.

We werent told what had happened to Rosies husband: his name wasnt even mentioned. And there was no sign of assistance from grandparents or other relatives, or any friends to help out.

Perhaps this hard-working woman really was completely on her own, in which case she needed professional help  not just a camera crew popping in for the weekend, with beanbags and gold stars to make everything better.
Park rally lands fencing gold for Korea

Park Sang-Young staged an incredible late rally to strike Olympic gold for South Korea on Tuesday with victory in the men's epee gold medal.

Park's hopes of becoming only the third Korean to win an individual fencing gold looked to be dead and buried as he trailed Hungary's Geza Imre 14-10 in the final.

But Park produced a remarkable run of five points to snatch victory 15-14 to leave Imre heartbroken after an agonizing defeat.

South Korea's Park Sangyoung celebrates winning against Hungary's Geza Imre in the mens individual epee gold medal bout as part of the fencing event of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, on August 9, 2016, at the Carioca Arena 3 Fabrice Coffrini (AFP)

"The Olympics are one of the biggest sporting events in the whole world and I tried to take over his weaknesses," Park said. "It was impressive to win after being behind."

Park joins Kim Young-Ho, who won the men's foil in Sydney in 2000, and Kim Ji-Yeon, who triumphed in the saber in 2012, as the only fencers from Korea to win individual gold.

Imre was disconsolate after the defeat.

"I'm so sad. I was the winner up until eight-and-a-half minutes into the bout and in the last twenty seconds he beat me," Imre said. "I understand everything (why I lost) but I'm very sad."

"(Winning the) silver medal isn't bad, but I already have a silver medal from Athens 2004," he said. "I'm grateful for the silver but I was one touch away."
California grapes threatened by giant fire

A massive wildfire has destroyed scores of buildings and threatens to raze several vineyards in California, where a prolonged drought has left vegetation tinder-dry, officials warned Tuesday.

The Soberanes fire, in the coastal Big Sur tourism hotspot, has incinerated 105 square miles (270 square kilometers) of the Los Padres National Forest since it started more than two weeks ago.

Some 5,000 firefighters are battling the blaze, which is just 50 percent contained, Rigoberto Herrera of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) told AFP.

Residents fled their homes during wildfires in California last month David Mcnew (AFP/File)

The mountainous terrain in northern California has made the job particularly difficult, and the flames have destroyed 57 buildings with another 410 under threat, causing hundreds of homeowners to evacuate.

A bulldozer driver died battling the flames, said CalFire, while four vineyards under threat, according to Kim Stemler of the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association.

Investigations into the cause of the blaze are under way, although a camp fire is suspected of being the source.

Further south, the Pilot fire in San Bernardino county has doubled in size in just 24 hours to 11 square miles, while blazes in Colorado's Routt national forest and Boise, Idaho have consumed more than 150 square miles between them.

Robyn Broyles, of the National Interagency Fire Center, said the rest of the country was faring rather better than in previous years, however.

"Last year at the same time we'd already had 37,693 fires, compared with 35,646 this year, and in terms of area burned, it's half," she told AFP.
Australia's Fairfax Media books loss

Australian publisher Fairfax Media reported a loss of close to Aus$900 million (US$692 million) Wednesday but remained upbeat on signs that its digital and non-print businesses were performing strongly.

Fairfax -- which owns The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review -- booked a net loss after tax of Aus$893.5 million for the year to June 30.

This compared to a net profit of more than Aus$80 million in the previous corresponding period.

Fairfax -- which owns The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review -- booked a net loss after tax of Aus$893.5 million for the year to June 30 Peter Parks (AFP/File)

The media giant, like its international peers, has for years been battling declining advertising and revenues, particularly in traditional print divisions.

Chief executive Greg Hywood struck a positive note despite the loss, saying his company's push towards digital was succeeding, with star performer the real estate-focused Domain Group reporting a 33 percent jump in revenue.

"Digital and non-print earnings now constitute more than 40 percent of Fairfax's EBITDA (underlying or operating profit)," Hywood said in a statement.

"On current trends, next year this will be closer to 60 percent, reflecting the continued growth in digital and non-print earnings."

The company's share price fell after the announcement, dropping 5.03 percent to 94 Australian cents in midday trade in Sydney.

Total revenue slipped two percent for the period, while underlying profit came in at Aus$132.5 million, a 7.6 percent decline.

Advertising revenue in the metro media division dropped 15 percent.

The firm declared a final dividend of two cents for a total payout for the year of four cents.

Fairfax, the main rival in Australia to Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, has shed thousands of staff and restructured its operations in recent years to focus more on its digital operations.
Philippines leader calls US envoy 'gay' prompting summons

The Philippines' firebrand President Rodrigo Duterte has sparked a fresh diplomatic row with his colourful language, calling the US ambassador "gay" in comments that prompted Washington to summon Manila's envoy to complain.

In the latest of series of tirades, Duterte used a local Tagalog language homophobic slur to express his displeasure with US Ambassador Philip Goldberg in televised comments made Friday.

"As you know, I'm fighting with (US Secretary of State John Kerry's) ambassador. His gay ambassador, the son of a whore. He pissed me off," Duterte said.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has sparked a fresh diplomatic row after calling the US ambassador "gay" Ted Aljibe (AFP)

Duterte, 71, surged to power with a landslide in May following an incendiary campaign in which he gleefully used foul language to disrespect authority figures, from his local political rivals to the pope.

He first came into conflict with US envoy Goldberg on the campaign trail, after he said he wanted to rape a "beautiful" Australian missionary who was sexually assaulted and murdered in a 1989 prison riot in Davao, the city he ran for two decades.

Goldberg and the Australian Ambassador both strongly criticised these comments.

"He meddled during the elections, giving statements here and there. He was not supposed to do that," Duterte said Friday.

The US State Department said that the Filipino charge d'affaires, Patrick Chuasoto, had been summoned Monday to discuss Duterte's comments.

"We had that conversation," department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said.

"I think what we were seeking is perhaps a better understanding of why that statement was made," she added.

Philippine foreign affairs spokesman Charles Jose confirmed the meeting but said Manila's envoy had been "invited to the State Department to discuss the entire breadth of Philippines-US relations."

"Philippine-US relations remain strong," he told AFP Wednesday.
Pro-Trump art reinstated after New York 'arson' attack

When arsonists reputedly set fire to some Donald Trump "lawn art" outside a New York family home, the man billed as the only conservative artist in America came out swinging.

Scott LoBaido simply erected a bigger version of the sculpture -- a giant "T" covered in stars and stripes -- on the same patch of lawn on Staten Island to whoops and cheers from the neighbors.

"I don't care who you vote for, got a Hillary (Clinton) supporter over there, God bless you," he told the crowd. "Just respect, respect my opinion to vote for who I want to."

Neighbors chat as they watch artist Scott LoBaido working on a 'Patriotic Lawn T' in support 2016 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, in the area of Castleton Corners on Staten Island, New York, on August 9, 2016 Kena Betancur (AFP)

LoBaido called it his version of Norman Rockwell's "Freedom of Speech" painting, which was inspired by Franklin D. Roosevelt, and described the 2016 election campaign as "a horror show."

"The hatred, the violence is just out of control," said the New York artist, whose patriotic art has been displayed across Staten Island and the United States.

He created the "T" image after Trump supporters were insulted for wearing the Republican nominee's official campaign attire.

"May be it means tolerance, may be it means terrific, may be it means Trump," he said. "It just went crazy."

T-shirts of the image sell like hot cakes, but when he installed the first "T" on friend Sam Pirozzolo's lawn, he and his supporters were incensed when it was burnt down at the weekend.

New York police confirm they are investigating the reported arson. So far no arrests have been made.

- Trump call -

As the replacement went up on Tuesday, onlookers chanted "USA, USA, USA" and a woman protester yelling "Love Trumps Hate" was jeered.

"I'm not going to be intimidated by anyone else. This is my property, this is my right to do so and this is a work of art," said optician Pirozzolo outside his large, detached home.

While the previous sign was 12 feet (3.7 meters) tall, the new one is 16 feet, and will stay put "until my wife tells me to take it down," the father of two joked.

The Republican nominee even called Pirozzolo after the suspected arson, going on speaker phone to talk to his children.

Trump, "was a gentleman," Pirozzolo said shortly before the White House candidate stormed into fresh controversy over remarks about his Democratic rival Clinton.

"We were very surprised," he told reporters. "He said 'how are you, how are your wife and children, is everything ok?'"

The neighbors called the lawn art beautiful.

"I do wish that may be it was fire-proof," said Nicole, a 27-year-old teacher who declined to give her second name.

- Not fair -

"As we see all over the news and all over, the anti-Trump supporters are very violent, vicious people," she added.

She, like Lillian Christ, 74, said it was a question of free speech -- sacrosanct in America and enshrined in the first amendment of the nation's Constitution.

If it had been a Clinton poster, Trump-supporting Christ said she would have felt the same way.

"It doesn't matter which candidate it was, it's the same thing, it's not fair," she said.

While some Trump supporters in the neighborhood voiced concern as he slumps in the polls following a series of missteps, they believed he could still win the White House in November.

"The last five or six days, I know that's not the highest bar to set, but I think he's done a great job staying on message," said Joseph Borelli, a city council member and co-chair of the Trump campaign in New York state.

"As long as he keeps doing that, we will be fine."

Within hours, Trump sailed back into choppy waters over remarks that critics interpreted as incitement of violence against Clinton.

"Neighbors keep an eye on this baby!" LoBaido told the crowd.

A supporter of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks to the media in the Castleton Corners area on Staten Island, New York City, on August 9 Kena Betancur (AFP)
Indian robbers cut hole in train roof in $750,000 heist

A gang of robbers cut a hole in the roof of a train travelling through southern India and stole more than $750,000 in cash, police said on Wednesday.

The daring heist occurred somewhere along the more than 300-kilometre (186-mile) long journey, but the missing loot was only discovered hours after the express train arrived in the city of Chennai.

The train's mail carriage was carrying 3.4 billion rupees ($51 million) belonging to India's central bank and was being escorted by armed police seated in the next compartment.

Police stand guard near Salem-Chennai Express train, which was robbed while in transit, at Egmore Railway station in Chennai on August 9, 2016 Arun Sankar (AFP)

Police suspect about six to eight robbers made a four-foot square hole in the carriage roof using a cutting torch before escaping undetected with some of the cash.

"We are inquiring with the train guard and the police personnel if they heard any unusual noises on the roof," said police superintendent P Vijayakumar.

Police said the robbers may have jumped off the train roof and were combing the tracks along the route in search of any of the missing notes.

"They created a manhole and then they sneaked one after the other and lifted the bundles to the roof before taking them away," inspector general of police M. Ramasubramani, who is heading the investigation, told AFP.

Another police officer was quoted in the Hindu newspaper as saying the gang might have hidden themselves in the carriage before it was locked for the journey on Monday night, before escaping through the roof.

Reserve Bank of India officials discovered the theft on Tuesday morning when they came to collect the cash from the carriage for disposal. The cash, although still usable, was soiled and was transported from the city of Salem to Chennai for destruction.

The audacious crime has echoes of the "Great Train Robbery" of 1963 when a gang of criminals in Britain stopped a night mail train and made off with 2.6 million pounds.
Low-caste Indians beaten up over dead cow

An angry mob in southern India attacked two low-caste cousins who they suspected of slaughtering a cow, police said Wednesday, the latest such attack by self-styled protectors of the animals.

Mokati Elisha and Mokati Venkateshwar Rao from India's lowest Dalit caste were tied to a tree and beaten up on Monday by a mob of around 50 men when they were skinning a dead cow in a village in Andhra Pradesh state.

"When a bunch of villagers saw Elisha and Venkateshwar skinning a cow, they assumed that they had slaughtered a live animal," local deputy superintendent of police Lanka Ankaiah told AFP.

Cows are revered by Hindus and slaughtering them is illegal in most Indian states Noah Seelam (AFP/File)

"In the spur of the moment, villagers got carried away by emotions and they beat up Elisha and Venkateshwar," he said, adding police had detained seven people so far.

Cows are considered sacred by Hindus and killing them is banned in most Indian states, but the cousins said they were hired to skin the animal after it died of electrocution.

Formerly known as "untouchables," Dalits are commonly tasked with removing the corpses of dead cows from streets, where the animals often roam freely.

The latest attack comes days after Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged a halt to attacks on Dalits, who lie at the bottom of India's deeply entrenched social hierarchy.

Anger has mounted among the Dalit community and violent protests have erupted over the public flogging of four villagers by cow-protection vigilantes late last month.

Footage showed the four half-naked Dalit men tied to a car as the activists took turns to thrash them with belts and batons at a crowded marketplace.

After Monday's attack, police said both cousins were undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital, with Rao having lost his hearing in one ear.

Elisha's son, Chanti Babu, said his father and uncle were covered in bruises by the time their families were able to rescue them.

"We got calls that they have been tied to a tree and were being beaten up. By the time we reached there, they had bruises already," Babu told AFP.
'No need for foreign troops on Libyan soil,' Sarraj says

The head of Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) said Wednesday the country did not need foreign troops on the ground in the fight against the Islamic State group.

"We do not need foreign troops on Libyan soil," Fayez al-Sarraj said in an interview with Italy's Corriere della Sera daily.

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that American special operations troops have for the first time started directly supporting Libyan forces battling the Islamic State (IS) group in their key stronghold of Sirte.

Forces loyal to Libya's unity government launched an offensive to recapture Sirte from Islamic State jihadists in May 2016 Mahmud Turkia (AFP)

"Our men can manage alone once they have cover from the air. I only asked for US air strikes which must be very precise and limited in time and geographical scope, always carried out in coordination with us," he said.

Pro-GNA forces have been engaged in a military operation since May 12 to retake the coastal city located 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Tripoli. Sirte has been a stronghold of the jihadist group since June last year.

The United States has since last Monday been carrying out air raids on IS positions in the city at the GNA's request.

According to the Post, the US forces are operating alongside British troops, and are helping to coordinate American air strikes and providing intelligence to partner forces.

Sarraj warned IS "will use any means possible to send its militants to Italy and Europe" and said he "would not be at all surprised to discover that its men hide out on boats" of migrants headed for the Italian coast.

Rome has authorised the US to use its bases and air space for strikes in Libya against IS. The head of the GNA said he "may go to Russia soon", adding that his government had "good relations" with Moscow, but without providing further details on the possible trip.
Saudi-led jets hit Yemen despite concerns

Saudi-led coalition warplanes launched fresh air strikes against Shiite rebels across Yemen Wednesday despite international concerns over the escalation after the suspension of peace talks.

The coalition resumed strikes days after UN-brokered peace talks in Kuwait between representatives of the government and the Iran-backed Huthi rebels ended without a breakthrough.

The coalition, which has been battling to prop up Yemen's government against the Huthis since March 2015, hit rebel positions across northern Yemen, said coalition officials and tribal sources.

The Saudi-led coalition launched an air campaign in support of Yemen's President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in March 2015 Fayez Nureldine (AFP/File)

That came a day after coalition jets struck targets around Yemen's rebel-held capital, Sanaa, for the first time in three months.

The United Nations said it was alarmed at the resumption of air raids.

"The secretary-general is deeply concerned about reports of increased fighting between various parties in Hajjah, Saada and Sanaa provinces including over the past few days," said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN chief Ban Ki-moon.

"The reported escalation in fighting exacerbates the already dire humanitarian and human rights situation and the suffering of the Yemeni people."

France said its Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault spoke by phone with his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir and emphasised the importance of a ceasefire to pave the way for a political solution in Yemen.

Iran, which Riyadh accuses of supporting the Huthis, denounced the international community's "inaction" while Saudi Arabia carried out what it called "atrocities" against Yemenis.

It called on the UN and countries that supply arms to Saudi Arabia to make "effective efforts to stop these attacks and... protect civilians."

The renewed violence came as the Pentagon said it had approved the possible sale to Saudi Arabia of up to 153 tanks, hundreds of machineguns and other military gear in a deal worth $1.15 billion.

State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said she was "very concerned" by Tuesday's casualty reports, but did not directly comment when asked about worries that US weapons being sent to Saudi Arabia could be used against civilians.

- Border clashes -

Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted missiles fired from Yemeni territory towards two of its southern towns on Wednesday morning.

The rebel-controlled Saba news agency said one missile was launched towards a military base across the frontier, without providing further details.

The coalition responded by targeting rocket launch positions belonging to Huthis in Amran province, north of Sanaa, it said in a statement.

Tribal sources said air strikes hit the rebels' positions across their northern stronghold province of Saada on Wednesday.

Clashes also flared between coalition forces and the insurgents close to the Saudi border, military sources told AFP.

Yemeni officials said government forces and Huthi rebels were engaged in fierce fighting in Haradh, which borders the southern Saudi province of Jazan.

The Saudi civil defence agency said late Wednesday that cross-border shelling from Yemen had killed one Saudi civilian and wounded seven, including four children, in Jazan province.

On Tuesday coalition air raids on Sanaa hit a factory and killed 14 people, according to medics. Air strikes also temporarily closed Sanaa's international airport.

Coalition spokesman General Ahmed Assiri said renewed coalition strikes in Yemen were justified after the failure of negotiations and a series of rebel violations of a three-month truce.

Foreign Minister Abdulmalek al-Mikhlafi, head of the government's delegation to the Kuwait talks, accused the rebels of escalating the situation to make the negotiations fail.

At a news conference in Riyadh, he condemned the Huthis and forces loyal to their ally, former president Ali Abdallah Saleh, after they created a council to govern Yemen.

Mikhlafi said the body was "unconstitutional", and called on MPs to boycott a meeting to be held on Saturday to approve its creation.

The UN says more than 6,400 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Yemen since the coalition air campaign began in March 2015.

The fighting has also driven 2.8 million people from their homes and left more than 80 percent of the population needing humanitarian aid.

Smoke billows behind buildings following a reported airstrike carried out by the Saudi-led coalition that targeted a food factory in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on August 9, 2016 Mohammed Huwais (AFP)
Energy giant PG&E convicted on six counts over pipeline blast

A federal jury has found US energy giant Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) guilty on six criminal counts, following the deadly explosion of one of its pipelines.

The September 2010 blast killed eight people and destroyed dozens of homes in San Francisco, making it one of the deadliest disasters ever involving an American utility company.

The jury on Tuesday found PG&E guilty of six of 12 charges it faced in the case, including obstruction of justice and violation of the federal Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act.

A PG&E pipeline blast in September 2010 killed eight people and destroyed dozens of homes in San Francisco Justin Sullivan (Getty/AFP/File)

The verdict followed a nearly six-week-long trial in San Francisco.

The court imposed a fine of up to $500,000 for each count in the case, which means the company may have to pay up to $3 million.

Prosecutors said in a statement that PG&E kept "inaccurate or incomplete" records on its pipelines, and "willfully failed to identify threats to its larger natural gas pipelines and to take appropriate actions to investigate the seriousness of threats to pipelines when they were identified."

PG&E also "willfully failed to adequately prioritize as high risk, and properly assess, threatened pipelines after they were over-pressurized," as required by law.

"PG&E provides gas and electricity to the citizens of Northern California and must adhere to certain safety requirements and financial limitations," said the chief prosecutor in the case, US Attorney Brian Stretch.

"We hope that the verdict today insures that PG&E's management will adhere faithfully to this compact in the future," he said.
Indian police arrest doctors over 'organ trade'

Indian police said Wednesday they have arrested the head of an upmarket hospital in Mumbai and four doctors on suspicion of organ trafficking.

Police reportedly stopped a kidney transplant procedure at the L H Hiranandani hospital after finding that documents showing the donor was married to the intended recipient were forged.

They said the woman giving up her kidney was being paid, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.

Organs can only be donated by close relatives or by non-relatives approved by a special committee in India, and buying and selling them is illegal Suvra Kanti Das (AFP/File)

Organs can only be donated by close relatives or by non-relatives approved by a special committee in India, and buying and selling them is illegal.

"We have arrested the chief executive of L H Hiranandani hospital, Sujit Chatterjee, and four doctors," said Mumbai police spokesman Ashok Dudhe.

They have been remanded in custody until Saturday, he added.

It is not the first such case -- in June Indian police said they had uncovered an illegal organ donation racket run out of a top New Delhi hospital.

That case also involved forged documents showing that the donors and the recipients were related.

Staff at the Apollo hospital were arrested, although its management denied any role and said it was the "victim of a well-orchestrated operation to cheat patients and the hospital".

Millions of Indians suffer from kidney disease, mostly because of high rates of diabetes.
West worried by tensions around Libyan oil terminal

Six Western countries including Britain, the United States and France expressed concerns Wednesday about mounting tensions around the key Libyan oil terminal of Zueitina.

In a call also backed by Germany, Italy and Spain, the countries urged that control of all oil facilities in Libya "be transferred unconditionally and without preconditions or delay back to the legitimate national authorities", the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA).

The statement called for "all parties to refrain from hostilities and avoid any action that could damage or disrupt Libya's energy infrastructure".

Western nations are concerned about the key Libyan oil terminal of Zueitina Abdullah Doma (AFP)

The six countries expressed particular concern about "reports of increasing tension" near Zueitina, one of Libya's largest oil facilities on the Mediterranean coast about 900 kilometres (550 miles) east of Tripoli.

Libya's oil sector, the country's main source of income, is managed by the National Oil Company which is split into two rival branches.

The main branch is based in the capital Tripoli and allied to the GNA, but its rival in the east has so far refused to cede power to the internationally recognised Tripoli government.

Forces loyal to the eastern government are threatening to seize Zueitina, which is currently mainly under the control of a rival faction, the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG). The PFG is loyal to the UN-backed government.

The National Oil Company said this month it was preparing to resume exports of crude which have been halted for months because of political differences and attacks by jihadists.

But the eastern authorities have threatened to bomb oil tankers that approach the Libyan coast without their permission.

There are reports that the eastern forces have sent dozens of armoured cars towards Zueitina, raising fears of imminent clashes.

The six Western governments urged all sides of the conflict to recognise that the oil sector was crucial to the country's future.

"Restoring oil exports is vital to generating revenues that can provide for the essential needs of the Libyan people, including electricity, healthcare, and infrastructure," they said in the statement.

"It is in the interests of all Libyans that they fully support the efforts led by the GNA to provide these key services to the Libyan people."

Libya's oil reserves are estimated at 48 billion barrels, the largest in Africa.
Sudan issues flood warning as Nile rises

Sudanese authorities on Wednesday warned people living near the banks of the Nile to be wary of flooding, after two weeks of heavy rainfall killed dozens across the country.

Authorities said water levels were rising on the Blue Nile along border with Ethiopia after continuous rainfall in that country.

The Blue Nile flows to Khartoum where it meets the White Nile and they become the Nile, which flows into Egypt.

Authorities in Sudan said water levels were rising on the Blue Nile along border with Ethiopia after continuous rainfall in that country Ebrahim Hamid (AFP/File)

"The Blue Nile is rising because of continuous heavy rainfall in Ethiopia," Mohameddin Abu al-Qasim of the interior ministry told AFP.

"We warn residents living on both sides of the Nile to be cautious."

The water levels were rising particularly rapidly in the state of Blue Nile bordering Ethiopia, the official news agency SUNA reported.

At least 76 people have been killed due to flooding elsewhere in Sudan, Interior Minister Ismat Abdul-Rahman said last week.

The United Nations aid agencies had warned of flooding in Sudan between July and November this year.

The most affected states are Kassala, Sennar, South Kordofan, West Kordofan and North Darfur, said the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA.

"Heavy rain and flooding since early June have affected over 122,000 people and destroyed over 13,000 houses in many parts of Sudan," it said in a statement released on Wednesday.

A downpour in August 2013 was the worst to hit Khartoum in 25 years, affecting tens of thousands of people, the UN said.
US decries IS 'genocide' of Christians, Shiites, Yazidis

The United States on Wednesday denounced the "genocide" carried out by the Islamic State group against Christians, Shiites and Yazidis, as the State Department unveiled its somber annual report on religious freedom around the world.

In its comprehensive look at the situation in more than 200 countries in 2015, the State Department singled out its usual bugbears on the issue of religious repression: ally Saudi Arabia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sudan.

And as in previous years, the US government expressed concern at the rise of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in Europe, against a backdrop of the continent's migrant crisis and an uptick in jihadist attacks.

A mass grave containing the remains of members of the Yazidi community killed by Islamic State jihadists group was discovered near the Iraqi village of Sinuni in 2015 Safin Hamed (AFP)

But the report denounced non-state actors like the IS group and the Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram, which "continued to rank amongst the most egregious abusers of religious freedom in the world."

The IS group "continued to pursue a brutal strategy of what Secretary (John) Kerry judged to constitute genocide against Yazidis, Christians, Shiites, and other vulnerable groups in the territory it controlled," the State Department said.

Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who formally unveiled the report, recalled that Kerry in March "made clear his judgment that Daesh is responsible for genocide against religious communities in areas under its control."

"Daesh kills Yazidis because they are Yazidi, Christians because they are Christian, Shia Muslims because they are Shia," Blinken told reporters, using an Arabic acronym for the IS group.

He also accused the Sunni jihadists, who control swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria, of being "responsible for crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing."

Kerry and United Nations experts had previously used the term "genocide" -- which has legal implications in the United States -- to refer to crimes carried out by IS jihadists in Iraq and Syria.

In the two war-torn countries, jihadists were "responsible for barbarous acts, including killings, torture, enslavement and trafficking, rape and other sexual abuse against religious and ethnic minorities and Sunnis," the report said.

- No country spared -

The State Department's global view on religious freedom does not spare many countries, with the notable exception of home soil, where Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been criticized for his anti-Muslim rhetoric.

The US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, David Saperstein, was cautious in addressing the Trump question.

He told reporters that no matter "the statements that are made, the policies of the United States, the law in the United States, the constitutional structure of the United States," the country's "promise of religious freedom remains intact."

Washington's usual targets bear the brunt of the tough language in the report, though no sanctions result from the heavily detailed report, compiled by State Department staff.

Ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia, which bans churches and all other non-Muslim places of worship, was slammed for condemning to death, prison or flogging those convicted of apostasy and blasphemy.

Blogger Raif Badawi's sentence of 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison has sparked international concern. So far, Saudi Arabia has carried out 50 lashes.

Riyadh's Shiite rival Iran, which does not have diplomatic relations with the United States, was rapped for restrictions on its Christian and Sunni minorities.

In Pakistan, the United States expressed concern over an increase in the number of blasphemy charges and their use as "justification for mob justice." Similar concerns were raised about Afghanistan.

China, the target of US criticism over its human rights record in general, earned scorn for demolishing Catholic and Protestant churches and arresting lawyers working for church communities.

Europe was not left out.

Even if the United States put less of an emphasis on anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in Europe than in the 2014 report, it criticized Hungary's official defense of the "Christian values of Europe" and slammed Slovakia for threatening to only resettle Christian migrants.

Washington did praise the European Commission for appointing two new coordinators in late 2015 for combating anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim hatred.

Pakistani people of Hazara community shout slogans in a protest in Quetta on July 24, 2016, a day after bombings exploded through a crowd of Shiite Hazara protesters in Afghanistan Banaras Khan (AFP/File)
Libya pro-government forces seize Sirte campus from IS

Libya's pro-government forces said they seized a university campus Wednesday as they press an offensive against the Islamic State group in its stronghold of Sirte, killing at least 20 jihadists.

Forces loyal to Libya's internationally backed Government of National Accord are battling to oust IS from Sirte, a coastal city the jihadists seized in June 2015.

After a series of advances into the city, pro-GNA forces have faced fierce resistance in their push towards the Ouagadougou conference centre, a complex from the era of slain dictator Moamer Kadhafi where the jihadists have their headquarters.

Forces loyal to Libya's unity government take part in operations against the Islamic State group in Sirte

"Our forces have taken complete control of the University of Sirte" campus, just south of the conference centre, the pro-GNA operations centre said in a statement.

"The bodies of at least 20 Daesh fighters were found after today's fighting," it said, using an Arabic acronym for the jihadist group.

The statement said surviving IS fighters had fled towards the conference centre and that clashes were continuing nearby.

The press centre also said pro-GNA forces had lost contact with one of their military planes that had been flying on Wednesday, without providing further details.

The IS-linked Amaq news agency said the group's fighters had downed a warplane in Sirte, resulting in the pilot's death.

Pro-GNA forces entered Sirte in June, but their advance slowed as the jihadists hit back with sniper fire, suicide attacks and car bombings.

They have stepped up the fight in recent days, and the Pentagon announced last week it had begun carrying out air strikes on IS positions in Sirte at the GNA's request.

On Sunday pro-government forces said the "countdown" had begun for the final assault on IS's holdout positions in the city.
US pledges $37 mn aid for victims of Boko Haram

The United States on Wednesday pledged $37 million in aid for victims of Boko Haram, government officials said, as fears of a famine mounted in the ravaged Lake Chad region.

Despite Boko Haram losing swathes of territory in the northeast as a result of a renewed military offensive, millions are still going hungry after years of attacks disrupted farming and supplies.

The UN children's agency UNICEF said on July 1 that 250,000 children under five in Borno state were at risk from severe acute malnutrition this year and 50,000 could die if nothing was done.

The Boko Haram conflict has spread to Niger, Chad and Cameroon, forcing more than 2.6 million people from their homes Stefan Heunis (AFP/File)

The US government will provide "more than $37 million in additional humanitarian assistance" the United States Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria in Abuja said. "Approximately five million people need emergency food assistance."

The money for food would be directed to communities in the Diffa region of Niger and is part of a coordinated effort to get more food into the area.

Returning this week from a trip to Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon, the regional director of the World Food Programme, Abdou Dieng, told AFP that "the crisis of Boko Haram is just beginning."

"There are many places where humanitarian aid can't reach because of insecurity," Dieng said, adding that Boko Haram attacked a UN convoy just last week. "But we are even more determined to stay."

Dieng estimated that around $600 million is needed to address the crisis but that so far "less than a third of that money has been received".
South Sudan rejects 4,000 more UN peacekeepers

South Sudan on Wednesday rejected a UN proposal to send a 4,000-strong regional force to the restive capital of Juba, saying it undermined the young nation's sovereignty.

The US-drafted resolution presented to the Security Council seeks to establish a protection force of African troops authorised to "use all necessary means" to provide security and deter attacks against UN bases in South Sudan.

But South Sudanese government spokesman Michael Makuei said his country rejected the resolution in its current form as it would "(turn) South Sudan into a protectorate and this is a situation that we will not accept."

The 12,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, has faced criticism for failing to stem the latest bloodshed or fully protect civilians during the fighting Ashraf Shazly (AFP/File)

The draft, which would also extend the current UN mission's mandate until December, would "undermine the sovereignty of the Republic of South Sudan," Makuei told reporters in Juba.

The head of the East African bloc IGAD, which first proposed the force, had said on Friday it had obtained South Sudan's permission to deploy it.

But Makuei appeared to throw that agreement into doubt, lending credence to fears among diplomats that the government's apparent willingness to participate in the IGAD summit was partly to buy time.

"The protection force should have been an independent body, not under (UN mission) UNMISS, so that they can perform their functions and duties... which we had agreed upon," Makuei said.

IGAD had raised the possibility of deploying an "intervention brigade" with a more aggressive mandate within the UN mission currently present, along the lines of a similar brigade sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2013.

Juba was rocked by several days of heavy fighting in early July between the government forces of President Salva Kiir and those loyal to ex-rebel chief Riek Machar, the latest upsurge in two and a half years of war.

Nearly 300 people died in the violence, and since then 70,000 South Sudanese have fled the country to Uganda, according to new figures released Wednesday by the Norwegian Refugee Council, an independent aid group.

Sporadic clashes have been recorded since the street battles last month, along with reports of rape and looting, adding to the ranks of 1.6 million displaced within the country since civil war broke out in 2013.
Fresh Mali clashes as soldiers' bodies found

Renewed fighting pitted former Mali rebels against pro-government fighters for a second day Wednesday, the government and UN said, while the army separately found the bodies of five missing soldiers.

Fighting erupted Tuesday near the restive northeastern town of Kidal between ex-rebels from the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) and members of the pro-government group GATIA.

The Malian government said in a statement that lives had been lost but gave no details and expressed "deep concern" over the clashes.

Ongoing international military intervention since January 2013 has driven Islamist fighters away from major population centres in Mali Souleymane Ag Anara (AFP/File)

It "condemns the resumption of hostilities", the statement said and called on the parties to stop, warning the situation was a "serious threat" to the implementation of a 2015 peace accord.

The two sides had clashed with heavy arms in Kidal itself on July 21-22, and again on July 30 around 40 kilometres (25 miles) to the east of the town, several sources said.

GATIA, the Imghad and Allies Tuareg Self-Defence Group, said in a statement that the violence was down to tribal differences between the Imghad and Ifoghas.

The CMA could not be reached for comment.

The clashes were confirmed to AFP by a source in MINUSMA, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the west African country, which helps maintain calm in Kidal.

"We have information on fighting" under way near Kidal, said the source, giving no further details.

Meanwhile Mali's army said it had recovered the bodies of five soldiers missing since an attack Monday in the Mopti region in the centre of the country.

Four bodies were found Tuesday and a fifth on Wednesday morning, said an army spokesman. "At this stage we cannot specify the cause of death. Our experts are still examining the remains," he said.

Another military official told AFP overnight that the four bodies had been washed up by the river, and a probe was launched to determine "if they were killed and thrown into the river or if they died by drowning".

One military source blamed the attack on the soldiers on the Malian jihadist group Ansar Dine, which claimed a previous deadly attack against the army in the Mopti region on July 19, in which 17 soldiers died.

Ongoing international military intervention since January 2013 has driven Islamist fighters away from major population centres, but large tracts of the sub-Saharan country are still not controlled by Malian and foreign troops.
Deadly bomb leaves 'vacuum' among Pakistan lawyers

In Pakistan's most dangerous province, lawyers are a crucial force for justice. So when a bomb decimated Balochistan's legal class this week, it left a vacuum that some say will never be filled.

The mineral-rich province is plagued by roiling insurgencies, hit by regular militant attacks, and run by political leaders who are widely seen as corrupt.

The military, which has a growing stake in security as Chinese investment pours into the restive region, is accused of committing widespread abuses in the decades-long fight against separatist insurgents.

Pakistani journalists and civil society activists place candles during a vigil for victims of the suicide bombing in Quetta, on August 10, 2016 Banaras Khan (AFP)

Balochistan is the deadliest province in Pakistan for local journalists, according to Amnesty International, and foreign media are effectively barred.

Lawyers are the only people shining a spotlight on the province's many problems.

Pakistan's lawyers have been in the firing line before, but Monday's massive attack -- which killed 72 and injured more than 100 -- was unprecedented in scale.

Some 200 members of Quetta's close-knit legal community had come to the provincial capital's hospital to mourn the fatal shooting hours earlier of a prominent colleague.

The bomb -- claimed by both the Pakistani Taliban and Islamic State -- tore through the crowd.

"We have lost the whole leadership," said Attaullah Langov, a former secretary of the Balochistan Bar Association.

The loss is a hole "that cannot be filled," he told AFP.

Below are profiles of five victims who played a leading role in Balochistan's civic life.

- Rights activist -

Activist Sunghat Jamaldini was a member of the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan who had played an active role highlighting the plight of missing people in Balochistan.

Rights groups have accused the military of "disappearing" thousands of non-militant separatists, a charge routinely denied by army officials.

Jamaldini also fought for women's rights, an ongoing battle in deeply conservative and patriarchal Pakistan.

An active member of the bar association, he hailed from a political family, and was the son of Senator Jahanzaib Jamaldini of the Balochistan National Party.

- 'Dedicated' cameraman -

Mahmoon Hamdard, a cameraman for Dawn TV, grew up in a slum outside Quetta, starting his career as a guard for a private security company where he was posted to the office of Dawn TV.

Fascinated by journalism, he badgered staff to join the editorial team, working his way up to the position of cameraman as he tried to finish his studies.

"He was very dedicated and committed," Syed Ali Shah, the Dawn TV bureau chief in Quetta, told AFP.

"He vowed to become a reporter... Hamdard would have risen high in the profession, had he been given the opportunity to live."

Hamdard's older brother died several years ago, and in line with Pakistani tradition he married his widowed sister-in-law in order to care for her four children.

"He fathered three more children in the marriage," Shah said. "Everybody is worried who will look after the widow and orphans now. Probably God."

- Young reformist -

Lawyer Adnan Kasi passed his bar exam in London in the early 2000s, becoming the youngest ever head of the Principal Law College in Quetta, where he introduced several reforms, including measures to combat nepotism and cheating.

He went on to found his own chambers and was practising in the Supreme Court.

Kasi was running for the position of secretary in the Baluchistan Bar Association elections, which were due to be held on August 13.

- Anti-corruption vanguard -

Lawyer Baz Mohammad Kakar was one of the first Baloch leaders of the lawyers movement to pledge his loyalty to former Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary.

Chaudhary had become an unlikely hero as the figurehead of a successful 2007-2009 movement to restore judges deposed by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in his bid to cling to power.

Kakar, a Supreme Court advocate, had spearheaded the movement in the province for two years.

- Brother, friend, advocate -

Abdul Rasheed Khokhar was a popular senior lawyer who was close friends with many in the lawyers movement against Musharraf.

The impact he had was aptly demonstrated by the crowd at his funeral beneath a scorching Balochistan sun Tuesday, where people from all walks of life travelled with relatives from outside the province to watch him laid to rest.

His elder brother Abdul Hameed was desolate.

"What can I say about my brother?" he asked. "The whole city is gloomy over the loss of almost the entire leadership of the legal community."
Clinton woos Republicans, independents fed up with Trump

Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton launched an open appeal Wednesday to independents and Republicans repulsed by Donald Trump, after the party's nominee again sparked controversy with comments seen by some as a threat against her.

The latest Trump firestorm erupted when he suggested at a rally Tuesday in North Carolina that "Second Amendment people" -- those who support gun rights -- could take action to stop Clinton from appointing US Supreme Court justices as president.

After his comments were judged by many as courting violence, the Clinton team pounced by announcing a new "outreach to the growing number of Republicans and independents" who are prepared to vote for the former secretary of state on November 8.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton addresses supporters during a rally at the Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida on August 8, 2016 Gregg Newton (AFP)

The campaign unveiled a new website, togetherforamerica.com.

It lists dozens of Republicans and independents who back Clinton, including former director of national intelligence John Negroponte, former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and Hewlett Packard Enterprise chief executive Meg Whitman.

"Americans are looking to the next president to help bring us together to tackle the big challenges facing the country, and Hillary Clinton's bipartisan support is the latest proof that she can work across the aisle to make us stronger together," campaign chairman John Podesta said in announcing the effort.

"Regardless of party, voters are increasingly concerned that Trump's tendency to bully, demean and degrade others sends the wrong message to our children."

Trump insisted that his "Second Amendment" comments referred to the power of gun rights supporters as a "political movement."

But lawmakers, former national security officials and other critics expressed concern that he had advocated violence, possibly in jest, against Clinton or her Supreme Court nominees.

"Hillary wants to essentially abolish the Second Amendment" of the US Constitution, Trump, 70, told a rally at the University of North Carolina.

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks," Trump said.

"Although the Second Amendment people -- maybe there is, I don't know."

It was the latest in a long string of Trump missteps -- including his prolonged clash with the parents of a Muslim American soldier killed in action -- that have marred his campaign since he officially won the nomination last month, prompting several Republicans to reject his candidacy.

- 'History is watching' -

Former New York mayor and Trump backer Rudy Giuliani was forced into clean-up mode Wednesday, insisting the uproar was triggered by "the Clinton spin machine" and that Trump was indeed talking about the power of pro-gun voters to defeat her at the ballot box.

"What he intended was that they should vote against her," Giuliani told ABC.

The Secret Service said it was "aware of the comments" but did not say whether they merited an investigation, which some Democratic lawmakers have called for.

Trump has clearly roiled the party with his unorthodox campaign remarks, with Republicans frustrated at his apparent inability to stay on message even as he unveiled his revamped economic plan on Monday.

A Reuters/IPSOS poll released Wednesday found that 19 percent of Republican voters want the real estate tycoon to drop out of the race, while 70 percent think he should stay and 10 percent say they don't know.

The RealClearPolitics national poll average shows Clinton leading Trump by 48 percent to 40 percent.

Fifty prominent national security experts recently announced in an open letter that they would not vote for Trump, saying he "lacks the character, values and experience" to be president.

Six US senators including Susan Collins and a number of House Republicans have disowned him as well.

Dan Rather, the former CBS News anchor with half a century of political reporting experience, warned in a Facebook post that Trump's "Second Amendment" comments mark a "new low" in US politics, and that "history is watching."

"This cannot be treated as just another outrageous moment in the campaign," Rather said.

- Emails, again -

Meanwhile Clinton was enduring a fresh round of criticism over her emails from her time as secretary of state, which have been a thorn in her side throughout her campaign.

Conservative watchdog Judicial Watch released a batch of emails that raise questions about the State Department's relationship with the Clinton Foundation.

The Trump campaign seized on the latest emails to blast Clinton as "corrupt," with critics saying the messages showed the department and the foundation were engaged in improper preferential treatment.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, pictured on August 9, 2016, insisted that his "Second Amendment" comments referred to the power of gun rights supporters as a "political movement" Sara D. Davis (Getty/AFP/File)

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani addresses delegates on the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2016 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio Robyn Beck (AFP/File)
45,000 IS fighters killed in past two years: US general

About 45,000 jihadists have been killed in Iraq and Syria since the US-led operation to defeat the Islamic State group began two years ago, a top general said Wednesday.

"We estimate that over the past 11 months, we've killed about 25,000 enemy fighters. When you add that to the 20,000 estimated killed (previously), that's 45,000 enemy (fighters) taken off the battlefield," said Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland, who commands the US-led coalition campaign against IS.

MacFarland said estimates for the overall remaining strength of IS vary from about 15,000 to 30,000 but he noted the jihadists are having increasing difficulties replenishing their ranks.

Smoke billows from Fallujah following shelling during an operation by Iraqi government forces, backed by air support from the US-led coalition to regain control of the area from the Islamic State (IS) group on June 13, 2016 Ahmad Al-Rubaye (AFP/File)

"The number of fighters on the front line has diminished. They've diminished not only in quantity but also in quality -- we dont see them operating nearly as effectively as they have in the past, which makes them even easier targets for us," MacFarland told Pentagon reporters via a videocall from Baghdad.

"As a result, their attrition has accelerated here of late," he added.

Officials also estimate IS has lost 25,000 square kilometers (9,650 square miles) of the territory it once held in its self-declared "caliphate" in Iraq and Syria, or about 50 percent and 20 percent respectively in each country.

The US-led military effort against the Islamic State group started exactly two years ago, aimed at halting the jihadists as they swept across Iraq and Syria.

MacFarland was upbeat about the eventual recapture of Mosul in Iraq and Raqa in Syria, saying it would herald the "beginning of the end" of the campaign.

But critics have blasted the pace of the war, which got off to a slow start and, despite more than 14,000 air strikes and an intense effort to train partner forces, still has not routed IS from much of its territory.

MacFarland, who has headed the US-led coalition for almost a year, said he had seen major progress.

"You don't hear the word 'stalemate' anymore. That's because over the past year with our partners, we were able to seize the initiative," MacFarland said.

"We now talk about maintaining the momentum of the campaign in both Iraq and Syria. In other words, we spend more time thinking about what we will do to the enemy than we spend thinking about what the enemy might do to us."

Experts do foresee the eventual collapse of IS, but the jihadists are fighting back by calling on followers to launch attacks across the globe and are likely to persist for years as a terrorist organization.
Afghan Taliban close in on Helmand capital

Afghanistan rushed military reinforcements to Helmand as Taliban insurgents closed in on the besieged capital of the southern opium-rich province, with fighting intensifying in outlying districts, officials said Wednesday.

Pitched battles were reported late Wednesday in Nawa district, just a few kilometres south of Lashkar Gah city, compounding fears that the provincial capital could fall despite stepped up US air strikes to beat back the insurgents.

Fierce fighting in recent days across Helmand, seen as the focal point of the insurgency, has sent thousands of people fleeing to Lashkar Gah, sparking a humanitarian crisis as officials report crippling food and water shortages.

Afghan security personnel prepare for combat during an ongoing battle with Taliban militants in the Nad Ali district of Helmand on August 10, 2016 Noor Mohammad (AFP)

"We have sent reinforcements to Helmand," defence ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri told AFP.

"Intense fighting is going on in Helmand but our troops are trying to repel the Taliban offensive."

The turmoil convulsing Helmand, blighted by a huge opium harvest that helps fund the insurgency, underscores a rapidly unravelling security situation in Afghanistan.

Around 30,000 people have been displaced in Helmand in recent weeks, local officials said, with many fleeing to Lashkar Gah forced to abandon their lentil, maize and cotton farms during the lucrative harvest season.

Panicked Lashkar Gah residents said the city was practically besieged, with roads from neighbouring districts heavily mined by the insurgents.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said it had downscaled its staff in Lashkar Gah, with some non-medical staff relocated from the city.

"In Helmand, #Afghanistan, we're still running Boost hospital... as fighting nears," the international medical charity said on Twitter.

"We've shared coordinates of our 300 bed hospital to approaching warring parties in Helmand."

Heavy fighting also gripped Nad Ali district, where government troops sought to dislodge insurgents who overran a neighbourhood only a few kilometres from Lashkar Gah.

The Taliban effectively control or contest 10 of the 14 districts in Helmand, the deadliest province for British and US forces in Afghanistan over the past decade.

The United States has stepped up air strikes supporting Afghan forces on the ground, highlighting the intensity of the battle in Helmand.

NATO officially ended its combat mission in December 2014, but US forces were granted greater powers in June to strike at the insurgents as President Barack Obama vowed a more aggressive campaign.

Washington has deployed several hundred troops in Helmand in recent months.

The Taliban briefly captured northern Kunduz city in September last year, the first urban centre to fall to the insurgents in a stinging blow to Afghan forces.
UN aid chief says 3-hour truce in Aleppo not enough

The United Nations' top aid official on Wednesday said a three-hour truce announced by Russia to deliver aid to Aleppo would not be enough to meet the needs of civilians in the war-battered Syrian city.

"To meet that capacity of need, you need two lanes and you need to have about 48 hours to get sufficient trucks in," Stephen O'Brien told reporters.

Russia's military announced a three-hour daily halt of fighting starting on Thursday to allow humanitarian convoys to reach Aleppo, which has been engulfed in heavy fighting.

Syrians shelter in a damaged building as civil defence workers sift through debris looking for survivors following reported air strikes on July 14, 2016 in Aleppo's rebel-held neighbourhood of Tariq al-Bab Thaer Mohammed (AFP/File)

The United Nations has called for 48-hour weekly pauses for the aid deliveries.

O'Brien said he had not been fully briefed on the Russian proposal, but that there were complicated logistics to address, such as ensuring that truck drivers have enough time to safely make the trip to the city and back.

"When we are offered three hours, you have to ask what can be achieved in that three hours," said O'Brien, the UN under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs.

"Is it to meet the need or would it only just meet a very small part of the need?

"Clearly from our point of view, we are simply there to meet all the need and we need to have sufficient capacity to do that."

Fighting between government forces and rebels in Aleppo has intensified over the past month, with both sides sending in reinforcements for an all-out battle that could mark a turning point in the five-year war.

Up to two million people in Aleppo have gone without running water for the past four days, UN agencies said, raising the risks of disease in a city already devastated by years of fighting.
David City natives plane disappeared 50 years ago

In late August, 1966, a military memorial service was held at St. Marys Catholic Church in David City for 25-year-old First Lt. Ken Knott of the Nebraska Air National Guard.

Meanwhile, the motion picture Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines was about to be shown at the local Astro Theater.

The movie title might seem an appropriate description of Lt. Knott, who 50 years following his death, is remembered as a skilled Air National Guard pilot and David City native who proudly served with the 155th Tactical Reconnaissance group in Lincoln.

But on Aug. 18, 1966, Knott and his plane went missing over Lake Michigan and were never found.

On the milestone occasion of Ken Knott's disappearance, his life and role in the legacy of the "flying Knott brothers from David City is being remembered by both family survivors and the Nebraska National Guard State Museum at Seward.

Knott was on a two-week summer field training exercise at Alpena, Mich., He was flying solo in the RF-84 aircraft on a low-level photo reconnaissance flight over Lake Michigan when then plane disappeared.

The Nebraska National Guard Museums information indicated that the weather that day was perfect. His mission time was 1 hour and 15 minutes. Because of the nature of the flight, no radio contact was made once Knott took off from Alpena shortly after 1 p.m.

A two-day search of the area found no trace of Knott or his plane. Only a few charred pieces of debris, positively identified as being from the aircraft, were later found floating in Lake Michigan near where it was believed that Knott's plane had exploded and crashed.

Since then, the exact circumstances of Knotts death have remained a mystery and cause for speculation.

Seventeen Nebraska Air Guard pilots have died in the line of duty since 1946. But Lt. Knott is the only one listed as missing in training."

Those who knew Knott the best include his surviving sister, Ramona Muntz of David City, and his wife at that time, JoAnn Weaver of Lincoln.

The two women recently visited to talk about how a plane crash a half century ago forever changed both their lives.

Flying family

Ken, the youngest son of the late Jack and Rose Knott from David City, was born Aug. 4, 1941. His father operated Knotts Funeral Home here for many years. Ramonas late husband, Merlyn Muntz, a Navy-Air Force veteran, also worked at the funeral home.

According to Ramona, second oldest of the four Knott children, all three of her late brothers were fascinated with air flight and sought career opportunities in the sky.

Her older brother, Lt. Col. George Knott, became a career U.S. Air Force officer starting with his service during World War. II.

Middle brother John Knott was a career officer in the Nebraska Air National Guard, which he joined in 1956 during the Cold War era.

Youngest brother Ken also joined the Nebraska Air Guard, in May 1962.

The three Knott brothers, who all flew jet aircraft in defense of their country, became hometown heroes both in media stories at the time and in talk among residents of David City.

Muntz told how Ken, while training with the Air Guard, would buzz David City by flying low over the town in his jet plane. Hed warn Mom ahead of time that he was going to shake the sheets (on the clothesline), she said.

Ken, inspired by the high-flying skills of his older brothers, wanted to follow suit. He graduated from St. Marys High School here in 1959, then attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to obtain an engineering degree while also pursuing a flying career through the Air Guard.

Weaver, daughter of the late Mrs. Ruth Cockson of Bellwood, also attended St. Marys High School, graduating in 1961. After an initial encounter with Ken at a Lincoln bowling alley, the two were formally introduced at a Schuyler ball room dance.

So I danced with him and thats where it started, Weaver said. Romance soon followed.

With Ken then in the midst of pilot training, the couples hastily-arranged marriage at Bellwood in February 1963 was quickly followed by moves to USAF bases at Enid, Okla, and later Denver, Colo., as part of Kens training.

Knott received his coveted pilot's wings in March 1964 after learning how to fly the newest jet trainers. These included photo reconnaissance aircraft, whose mission was to fly low over terrain and rapidly take photos of potential enemy targets.

The Knotts later returned to Lincoln where Ken hoped to get a job as a commercial pilot with TWA Airlines. In the meantime, he and JoAnn welcomed a daughter, Lisa, born on July 2, 1966.

Just over a month later, Ken left for his Air Guard training exercise in Michigan.

He called our little girl Hooter because she cried a lot because of colic, Weaver said. The last words I remember him saying as he left was 'Take care of Hooter, she added.

Time has faded some memories. Weaver said she remembers few details from when a local priest and USAF officer came to her Lincoln apartment to tell her that Ken was missing. It was a sad day, she recalls.

Nor does she remember much about the Aug. 29 memorial service for Ken at St. Marys church, where members of Kens unit served as an honor detail, or the missing man formation of Air Guard jets that flew over the town following the service.

I was so out of it that day, she said.

Weaver recalled how Kens disappearance affected his parents. The pride of their life went out of them, she said.

Jack Knott, who regularly dealt with grief in his line of work, could not bring himself to attend Ken's memorial service, she added.

Rose Knott also worked through her pain, not giving up hope that her son might still be alive.

She would go up to Michigan alone every summer to look for him. She was just sure that shed find him, Weaver said.

There were tributes to Lt. Knott in the early years after his disappearance. The U.S. Air Forces crack precision flying team, the Thunderbirds, gave a memorial tribute to Ken during a Lincoln air show exhibition.

For a period of time, the Nebraska Air National Guard named its mess hall in Lincoln after Lt. Knott. The name was dropped after a new facility was built.

In 1972, the Kregger American Legion Post in David City arranged for a retired Nebraska Air National Guard reconnaissance aircraft, similar to the one flown by Ken, to be brought here for display as a tribute to him.

Plans originally called for the plane to be exhibited on the courthouse lawn. However, that proposal proved unpopular, and the aircraft was moved to the municipal airport. There it was eventually mounted on steel poles to give the appearance of it being in flight.

The aircraft has no signage with it to explain that it is a memorial to Knott. Meanwhile, parts are missing from the plane and its military markings are slowly fading from the weather.

Its depressing to see it that way, Weaver said.

Both women have moved on with their lives since Kens death.

Ramona's parents have both since died, as have her two other brothers, George and John.

Ramona has three sons who, like their father, served in the military. John and Ron Muntz are Army veterans, while Steve Muntz served in the Navy.

Weaver remarried in 1971. Her second husband, Dr. Walt Weaver, who was Lincolns first cardiologist, died in 2013.

Her daughter, Lisa Knott, 50, who has no memory of her father, is now an underwriter for a Lincoln insurance company.

Memorial in Seward

Recently, Weaver and Muntz were surprised to learn of others who still want to keep Lt. Knotts memory alive through the Nebraska National Guard State Museum.

Located for many years on the former state fairgrounds in Lincoln, the museum has relocated to a former armory at 201 N. Eighth St. in Seward. It officially reopened during the citys most recent Fourth of July celebration.

Jerry Meyer, state historian for the Nebraska National Guard, asked Weaver and Muntz to participate in a wreath laying as part of the museum's opening ceremonies to honor all Nebraska National Guard aviators killed on duty since 1915.

JoAnn was unable to attend, so Ramona represented the Knott family and all other families in the ceremony.

Weaver did respond to a request for artifacts from Ken that could be exhibited at the museum. She turned over a display case worth of items that included Kens funeral flag, his military hat and a letter of sympathy from President Lyndon Johnson.

Im very happy, Weaver said of her donation. Kens items are in a much better place than a box in my basement, she added.

Through the Guard museum, Weaver and Muntz have also found an advocate who wants to bring closure to them and other Knott family members.

Dale Hueske, 87, was a USAF combat pilot during the Korean War and later spent 20 years in the Nebraska Air National Guard before retiring as a Lt. Colonel. He had frequently trained in the Guard with Kens older brother, John.

Hueske, a former Hastings resident now residing near St. Joseph, Mo., attended the same 1966 Guard training camp in Michigan as Ken Knott. He may have also been the last man to have spoken with Ken before he took off on his fatal flight.

We were both flying RF-84 planes and were supposed to take off at the same time, Hueske said. "We were both on the runway and Ken took off first. I said 'Good luck, Ken,' or something like that.

Hueske learned upon returning from his training mission that Knott failed to come back. He and other searchers found no trace of Ken or his plane.

Reports that the Coast Guard later found Lt. Knotts helmet, or that area residents heard an explosion in the direction of where Knott allegedly crashed, are possibly just hearsay, Hueske said.

In retirement, Hueske has delved into researching past military aircraft incidents. While researching another story, Hueske said he got a hankering" to find out what happened to Knott.

"I want to close it for his relatives, he added.

Hueske, who attended Knott's memorial service in David City, hopes he may eventually be able to get the U.S. Air Force to release the official report on Knotts disappearance, which remains closed.

Weaver said she is OK with Hueskes attempt to learn more about what happened to her first husband, but that it wont change what ultimately occurred.

It doesnt mean a lot to me. Theres no other answer, she said.

Weaver instead prefers to remember the young man who first danced his way into her heart.

He was a very loving, caring soul. And flying was the love of his life, she said.
Nine times when Trump said he didn't say what he said

Since launching his White House campaign in June 2015, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has several times walked back comments that got him in hot water.

Here are nine times when Trump distanced himself from his own comments:

1. John McCain

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at Briar Woods High School August 2, 2016, in Ashburn, Virginia Molly Riley (AFP/File)

In July 2015, Trump said Republican senator and former prisoner of war John McCain was "not a war hero," adding: "He's a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren't captured, OK?"

The remark sparked immediate consternations among Republicans. The next day, Trump -- then embroiled in a primary battle with a host of challengers -- said, "Four times, I said he is a hero. But you know... people choose little selective pieces."

2. Megyn Kelly

Annoyed by the questions that Fox News reporter Megyn Kelly asked him in the first Republican presidential primary debate in August 2015, Trump said the following day: "You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her wherever."

Was he referring to Kelly's menstrual period? Many believed he was.

Trump told CNN: "I didn't even finish the thought. I was going to say nose and/or ears, because that's a very common statement, blood flowing out of somebody's nose."

3. Violence

"If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you? Seriously. Just knock the hell  I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees. I promise. I promise," Trump told his supporters in February.

The next month, after one of his supporters hit a protester, Trump said: "I don't condone violence, and I didn't say I was going to pay for the fees."

4. Nuclear weapons for Japan

Should Japan have its own nuclear weapons to defend themselves against North Korea?

In a March interview with The New York Times, Trump said: "Would I rather have North Korea have them with Japan sitting there having them also? You may very well be better off if that's the case."

After criticism from his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, Trump said: "She was saying last night so many things. Donald Trump wants to see Japan get nuclear weapons. I never said that."

5. Cruz's dad and Oswald

"(Cruz's) father was with Lee Harvey Oswald prior to Oswald being, you know, shot," Trump said in May of the father of his primary rival Ted Cruz, citing an article in the tabloid National Enquirer. Oswald was the man who assassinated US president John F. Kennedy in 1963.

The allegation about Cruz's father stirred up a media firestorm. This time, Trump did not deny he made the comments, but denied any responsibility for them, saying he was just quoting the Enquirer.

"I just asked about stories that were appearing all over the place, not just in the National Enquirer, about the fact that a picture was taken of him and Lee Harvey Oswald. They didn't deny that picture," he told NBC's "Today" show.

6. Disabled journalist

In November 2015, Trump criticized a statement by journalist Serge Kovaleski, who suffers from a congenital disorder that limits the functioning of his joints, forcing his arm to be curled in front of him.

The candidate flailed his arms and shook his head as if to imitate Kovaleski, saying: "Now, the poor guy, you ought to see this guy, 'Ah, I don't know what I said, I don't remember."

In June on Twitter, in response to a Clinton ad using the video sequence, Trump said: "Clinton made a false ad about me where I was imitating a reporter GROVELING after he changed his story. I would NEVER mock disabled. Shame!"

7. Vladimir Putin

"I got to know him very well because we were both on '60 Minutes'. We were stablemates, and we did very well that night," Trump said of Russian President Vladimir Putin, sparking waves on the US political left and right.

Later, the notion that they met on the set was debunked, as they were in different cities when their interviews were taped.

In July, Trump said: "I have no relationship with him."

8. Russian hackers

"Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing," Trump said in July, referring to Clinton's private email server which she used during her time as secretary of state.

The remark was interpreted as an invitation to Russian intelligence services to hack his rival.

"Of course, I'm being sarcastic," he said the next day.

9. Second Amendment and Clinton

"Hillary wants to essentially abolish the Second Amendment," Trump told a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina on Tuesday, referring to the US Constitution's clause that enshrines the right to bear arms.

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks," Trump said. "Although the Second Amendment people -- maybe there is, I don't know."

His meaning was ambiguous, but the remark was seen as a possible threat of violence against Clinton or her Supreme Court nominees.

Later the same night, on Fox News, the candidate rejected that interpretation, saying: "This is a political movement. This is a strong powerful movement, the Second Amendment. (...) There can be no other interpretation."

In August 2015, Donald Trump was criticized for his choice of words, which some deemed misogynistic, against Fox News reporter Megyn Kelly Scott Olson (Getty/AFP/File)

A supporter of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump stands with a sign before entering a Trump rally on February 27, 2016 in Millington, Tennessee Michael B. Thomas (AFP/File)
Congolese refugee celebrates brave Olympic judo showing

Congolese refugee Popole Misenga won over the Rio Olympic judo arena crowd Wednesday with a surprise victory, followed by a brave loss to the world champion.

Misenga, who is part of the unprecedented team of 10 refugees competing under the Olympic flag, defied the odds to defeat Indias Avtar Singh, ranked 71 in the world in the 90kg category.

Through to the last 16, Misenga faced Kwak Dong-Han of South Korea, the world champion and world number one.

Refugee Olympic Team's Popole Misenga (blue) competes with India's Avtar Singh during men's -90kg judo contest match of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on August 10, 2016 Jack Guez (AFP)

The three-quarters full arena threw itself behind Misenga, who asked for asylum in Brazil in 2013, cheering his every move and booing the referee when a penalty went against him.

For four minutes of the regulation five minute bout, Misenga held his own in a defensive performance sprinkled with attempts to throw the champion. The crowd chanted: "Popole, Popole!"

The South Korean ended the drama with a sudden immobilization which had the refugee tapping out for an ippon.

When the opponents rose to their feet to bow, the applause for Popole made it sound as if he had been the winner.

"I think he did something heroic," said Geraldo Bernardes, the veteran coach of four Brazilian Olympic teams, who has overseen Misenga and fellow Congolese refugee Yolande Bukasa since they came to him penniless and traumatized.

- Pride -

Bukasa's Olympic experience was not so lucky, losing in the first round to Israel's Linda Bolder, who is 11th ranked in the world and went on to lose in the quarter finals.

But both refugees emerged from the mat beaming with pride in their journey from the horrors of the Democratic Republic of Congo's war to the Olympic Games.

"These fights are not just about judo," Bukasa said. "This is a fight for my life."

Bukasa said she hoped her family in Congo was sharing in her happiness -- but that she has no way of knowing.

"If they are alive, if they saw me, (my message is) I really miss them," she said.

"My family has become the Brazilian people cheering for me."

Misenga said his credible showing in fending off the South Korean's fearsome arsenal of throws, forcing him to go for an immobilization, had inspired him to reach new heights.

"I managed to get in. I fought and won one fight, I fought the champion of the world and he didn't manage to throw me," Misenga said.

Having the crowd behind him was "very emotional," he said. "Brazil was rooting for me!"

Bernardes that the two refugees have had far less time to train than most Olympians.

Misenga's battling loss stood out, Bernardes said, because Kwak "has a very hard throw. Everyone respects and fears his throw. But he didn't manage to do the throw on Popole."

- Tough past, bright future -

Misenga and Bukasa arrived in Rio with the DR Congo team for the 2013 World Championships.

They grew up in the horrific wars ravaging their homeland and been subjected to cruel conditions while training for judo, including being locked up and given half rations after losing.

When their food vouchers in Rio were stolen by corrupt team officials, they ran.

Finally the pair came to the Instituto Reacao, a Rio de Janeiro NGO and training facility founded by Olympic bronze medalist Flavio Canto, whose other success stories include new gold medalist Rafaela Silva.

"They didn't have money or clothes or kimonos," Bernardes recalled.

Popole in particular was mentally scarred, the coach says. "He was brutal," he told AFP.

After so much suffering, the Olympics has opened a door to a new future.

Still pouring with sweat from his bout, Misenga laid down a challenge for himself -- and refugees everywhere.

"I'll become stronger to face the world champion again," he said.

"I'm sending a message to the children of the Congo and to refugees too: believe in yourself."

Misenga said his credible showing in fending off the fearsome arsenal of throws of Kwak Dong-han (not pictured) had inspired him to reach new heights Jack Guez (AFP/File)
Key dates of the IS group in Libya

Key dates since the Islamic State group moved into Libya in late 2014 amid the chaos that followed the ouster of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

Pro-government forces said they had seized control of the IS's headquarters in Sirte on Wednesday as they push to oust the jihadists from the coastal city.

First jihadist attacks

Fighters from the pro-government forces loyal to Libya's Government of National Unity (GNA) hold a position as they target the Islamic State (IS) group in Sirte on June 23, 2016

- November 19, 2014: The US says it is "concerned" by reports that radical extremists with avowed ties to IS are destabilising eastern Libya, having already seized vast swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.

- December 27, 2014: A car bomb claimed by IS explodes outside the diplomatic security building in Tripoli without causing casualties.

- January 27, 2015: IS claims an attack on Tripoli's luxury Corinthia Hotel that kills nine people, including five foreigners.

Since then IS has carried out multiple suicide attacks, including in February 2015 in Al-Qoba, near the eastern town of Derna, that killed 44 people and in January 2016 at a police school in Zliten, east of Tripoli, which killed more than 50.

IS videos of killings

- February 15, 2015: IS releases a video showing the beheading of 21 Coptic Christians, all but one Egyptian, captured in Libya, that it says was filmed in January. Egypt carries out air strikes on IS in its then stronghold of Derna.

- April 19, 2015: A new video shows the execution-style killing of 28 Christians originally from Ethiopia.

Sirte seized

- June 9, 2015: IS announces it has captured Sirte, hometown of Kadhafi, east of Tripoli.

- July 12, 2015: The group acknowledges it has been pushed out of Derna after weeks of fierce fighting with the town's Mujahedeen Council.

First US strikes

- November 13, 2015: The US bombs IS leaders in Libya for the first time and says it killed Abu Nabil, an Iraqi also known as Wissam Najm Abd Zayd al-Zubaydi. Libyan officials identify him as the IS chief in Derna.

- February 19, 2016: A US air strike on a jihadist training camp near Sabratha, west of Tripoli, kills about 50 people.

- February 24, 2016: Some 200 jihadists briefly occupy central Sabratha, before being ousted by militias.

Offensive on Sirte

- March 30, 2016: The head of Libya's UN-backed unity government, Fayez al-Sarraj, arrives in Tripoli, despite the hostility of rival authorities.

- May 12, 2016: A vast offensive begins by forces loyal to the unity government to retake Sirte. On June 9 government forces enter the centre of Sirte and besiege the jihadists.

- June 4, 2016: Unity government forces say they have retaken a jihadist air base south of Sirte.

- July 23, 2016: Loyalist forces say they have seized a building used by IS to manufacture explosives.

- August 1, 2016: The US carries out its first air strikes on IS positions in Sirte, at the unity government's request.

- August 10, 2016: Pro-government forces say they seized the IS's headquarters at the Ouagadougou conference centre in Sirte. Some parts of the town remain in the hands of the jihadists.

Libyan security forces surround Tripoli's central Corinthia Hotel (R) on January 27, 2015 in the Libyan capital Mahmud Turkia (AFP/File)

Al-Hayat Media Centre on February 15, 2015, purportedly shows a man the Pentagon believes to be Abu Nabil, who was killed in an air strike in Libya overnight on November 14 HO (Al Hayat Media Centre/AFP/File)
Los Angeles court sentences 'Grim Sleeper' to death

A garbage collector convicted of the "Grim Sleeper" killings that terrorized southern Los Angeles for more than two decades was sentenced to death on Wednesday.

Lonnie David Franklin had been convicted of 10 counts of first-degree murder for the killings of nine women and a 15-year-old girl between 1985 and 2007.

During his three month trial which ended in May, the prosecution presented evidence that it said linked him to the killings of a further four other women, although authorities suspect Franklin is behind dozens more murders.

Lonnie David Franklin had been convicted of 10 counts of first-degree murder for the killings of nine women and a 15-year-old girl between 1985 and 2007

The court heard Franklin had committed crimes dating back to the 1974 kidnapping and gang rape of a 17-year-old girl in Germany while he was in the US military.

The 63-year-old was a "sexual predator" and "career criminal" whom DNA evidence showed had acted alone, Silverman said.

Franklin stalked the streets of South Los Angeles at a time when an epidemic of crack cocaine plagued the neighborhood, the authorities say.

Several of his victims were prostitutes and drug addicts whom he shot or strangled, dumping their bodies in alleyways or trash bins. He raped some before killing them.

Prosecutors said Franklin took advantage of some of his victims' addiction to crack to lure them to his backyard camper with money and drugs before killing them.

Investigators searching his home found nearly 200 pictures and videos of women, many of whom have not been identified.

Defense attorney Dale Atherton had urged the seven-woman, five-man panel to recommend life without parole, arguing that a death sentence would delay the healing process for the victims' families.

Franklin was given the moniker "Grim Sleeper" because of a 13-year gap in the murders.

Although he was arrested in July 2010 after his DNA was connected to some of the victims, appeals and judicial wrangling repeatedly delayed efforts to bring him to trial.

The killing spree was the subject of a 2014 HBO documentary by British filmmaker Nick Broomfield, who claims the Los Angeles police failed to properly investigate because the victims were mainly drug addicts and prostitutes.
Boston mobster, 82, charged with murdering witness

An 82-year-old former New England mafia boss, Frank "Cadillac" Salemme, was arrested and charged Wednesday with murdering a witness more than 20 years ago, US prosecutors said.

Salemme was arrested in Connecticut and was due to appear before a federal court in Boston later Wednesday.

Prosecutors said he was the "boss" of the New England La Cosa Nostra in the early 1990s until he was indicted with racketeering in 1995 and convicted in 1999.

Salemme's arrest comes a week after the FBI rounded up more than 40 East Coast reputed mobsters, spotlighting an Italian mafia purportedly alive and kicking in 21st century America Gil Cohen Magen (Pool/AFP/File)

He was convicted again in 2008 of lying to federal authorities about the 1993 murder of a Boston nightclub owner.

The Boston Globe said Salemme entered a witness protection program while cooperating in the prosecution of James "Whitey" Bulger, the notorious underworld Boston kingpin jailed for life in 2013.

Salemme's arrest comes a week after the FBI rounded up more than 40 East Coast reputed mobsters, spotlighting an Italian mafia purportedly alive and kicking in 21st century America.
Kuwaiti 'neutral' al-Deehani wins men's double trap at Rio Games

Kuwait's Fehaid al-Deehani, competing at the Rio Games as an independent athlete, won men's double trap gold on Wednesday.

Marco Innocenti of Italy took silver with British shooter Steven Scott claiming the bronze.

Al-Deehani, bronze medallist in Sydney and London, was forced to take part in Brazil as a neutral as Kuwait is suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over government interference in sport.

Gold medallist Fehaid al-Deehani, an independent athlete, celebrates during the men's double trap final at the Rio Games on August 10, 2016 Pascal Guyot (AFP)

The army officer, at his sixth Games, is one of nine competing as an Independent Olympic Athlete (IOA).

The winner of Kuwait's only two previous Olympic medals is the first independent to win gold at an Olympics.

"In the final God gave me the will to win. This is my day - it means everything (to Kuwait)," said al-Deehani, who had rejected an offer from the IOC to carry the neutral flag at last Friday's opening ceremony,

He told Kuwaiti media at the time: "I am a military man and I will only carry the Kuwait flag.

"I cannot carry the IOC flag."

Rain and wind added a tricky dimension to the final.

"It was very difficult to shoot here," reported Innocenti.

Scott, who beat his fellow Briton Tim Kneale in the bronze shoot-off, agreed.

"The weather is certainly not what it has been in Rio the past few weeks...it wasn't easy today."

One man though shone in the murky conditions.
UN revises plan for South Sudan force after Juba says no

UN Security Council diplomats on Wednesday considered limiting a proposed regional force for South Sudan to an initial four-month mission after the government in Juba rejected plans for a 4,000-strong brigade.

The new brigade would have a "clear exit strategy" and would work with the government, according to a revised draft resolution that would authorize the regional force.

The United States this week presented the council with the draft on deploying the protection force in the capital Juba to provide security and deter attacks on UN bases.

This handout photo provided by the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) and released on July 16, 2016 shows a child crossing through mud as people receive rations of water at the UN compound in the Tomping area in Juba Beatrice Mategwa (AFP/File)

The city was rocked by several days of heavy fighting in early July between the government forces of President Salva Kiir and those loyal to ex-rebel chief Riek Machar, the latest flareup in two-and-a-half years of war.

After initially agreeing to the force during a summit of the East African bloc IGAD, the government of the world's newest nation on Wednesday said it now had reservations.

The troops would undermine South Sudan's sovereignty and turn the country "into a protectorate and this is a situation that we will not accept," government spokesman Michael Makuei said.

The force should not be placed under the command of the UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), which has come under heavy criticism for its failure to protect civilians, the government added.

The draft resolution was revised during a meeting on Wednesday to specify that the force would be "established for an initial period until 15 December 2016."

The council could easily roll over that initial mandate, however.

The revised draft included a new provision on ensuring unrestricted access for the troops, saying the force will "promote in coordination with the transitional government of national unity the well-being of the people of South Sudan."

The force commander will report to UNMISS in line with the initial plan, it said.

Diplomats said a vote on the draft resolution, which is still under negotiation, could take place on Friday.

- Divided council -

Security Council members Russia, China, Egypt and Angola have expressed reservations with the plan to deploy a force that would be authorized to use "all necessary means" to fulfill its mandate.

"There is a clear split in the council between those who insist on sovereignty above all else and those who want to make sure there is a robust protection force," a council diplomat said.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for an arms embargo to be imposed on South Sudan along with targeted sanctions following the flare-up in violence.

The proposed resolution threatens to impose a ban on arms sales if the government blocks deployment of the regional force.

Under the measure, the council would vote on imposing an arms embargo if Ban reports "impediments" to the deployment.

Returning from a trip to South Sudan, UN aid chief Stephen O'Brien said the country's humanitarian crisis had worsened, with more people on the run and hungry across the country.

More than two million people have been driven from their homes since the war erupted in December 2013 and over 900,00 have fled to neighboring countries, he said.

Around 70,000 South Sudanese crossed the border into Uganda as refugees during the last month.

Some 4.8 million people are in desperate need of food aid in South Sudan and a quarter of a million children are severely malnourished.

During talks with Kiir, O'Brien also urged him to take action to ensure the protection of aid workers after some 30 were killed in the past year.

Uganda military personnel are seen atop military and police trucks as they drive towards Juba in South Sudan at Nimule border point on July 14, 2016 Isaac Kasamani (AFP/File)
UN demands Ethiopia admit observers to protest areas

The United Nations on Wednesday urged Ethiopia to allow international observers in to parts of the country hit by deadly weekend clashes between security forces and protesters.

At least 49 people were killed at the weekend as the authorities cracked down on a wave of anti-government unrest in two key regions, central-western Oromia and Amhara in the north.

A spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva told AFP that news coming from the two regions was "extremely alarming", saying there had been "no genuine attempt at ensuring accountability" since reports of abuses by security forces began emerging in December.

Ethiopian policemen looking at students demonstrating on June 6, 2005 at a campus of the Addis Ababa university Lea-Lisa Westerhoff (AFP/File)

"We urge the government to allow access for international observers into the affected regions to be able to establish what exactly transpired," the spokeswoman said.

Demonstrations began in November 2015 in Oromia, which surrounds the capital, over a government plan to expand the boundaries of Addis Ababa.

The region's Oromo people feared their farmland would be seized, and though the authorities soon dropped the urban enlargement project and brutally suppressed the protests, the anger has continued.

Protests have since swept other parts of Oromia, and more recently to Amhara, causing disquiet in the corridors of power in the country, a key US ally and crucial partner in the fight against terrorism in east Africa.

One rally was even held in Addis Ababa on Saturday, a rare event in the capital of a nation ruled by a regime considered among the most repressive in Africa.
Phelps wins Olympic gold medals No. 20 and 21 in Rio

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  Michael Phelps sat alone, thoroughly exhausted. He put his head in his hands and then motioned at his neck as though he had nothing left to give.

No need.

His work was done.

United States' Michael Phelps celebrates after winning the gold medal during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

He had his 20th and 21st gold medals.

Phelps made up for one of the rare losses in his brilliant career by winning the 200-meter butterfly Tuesday night, a victory that sent him climbing into the stands to kiss his 3-month-old son Boomer. An hour later, he returned to take what amounted to nothing more than a triumphant victory lap in anchoring the 4x200 freestyle relay, the crowd's deafening roar growing louder with every stroke.

"That was probably one of my most challenging doubles," the 31-year-old Phelps said. "Doing a double like that is a lot harder than it once was."

It was another performance for the ages, but Phelps has done it so many times that nothing else would have been fitting. It came on a night that American teammate Katie Ledecky picked up her second gold of the Rio Olympics on the way to what could be a historic run of her own in the pool.

Phelps now has 25 medals in all, and three more races in Rio to add to his almost unimaginable total.

No other Olympian has more than nine golds.

"That's a lot of medals," Phelps said, shaking his head. "It's just insane."

The 200 fly was the one he really wanted, and it showed.

With challengers all around, Phelps simply wouldn't be denied. With his head nearly at the wall, he took one more stroke to make sure he got there first, his arms slamming against the timing pad.

"Going into the finish I said, 'If I have to take a half-stroke, I'm going to take a half stroke,'" Phelps said.

That split-second decision got him to the wall ahead of everyone else, by a mere four-hundredths of a second.

When Phelps saw the "1'' by his name, he held up one finger. Then he sat on a lane rope, egging on the roaring crowd at the Olympic Aquatics Center with both hands, before emphatically pumping his fist.

Tears welled in his eyes as he listened to the national anthem  until one of his buddies from Baltimore cracked him up that shouting out "O'' like they do at Camden Yards before Orioles' games. Then, during the customary stroll around the pool to pose for photographers, Phelps broke ranks and bounded into the stands to plant a kiss on Boomer, the son who symbolizes just how much Phelps' life has changed since a second drunken-driving arrest two years ago.

"I wanted to hold him longer," Phelps said. "It's good to see he's awake. He usually sleeps all the time."

Phelps held off Japan's Masato Sakai with a time of 1 minute, 53.36 seconds, but that number was of little concern.

The only thing that mattered was beating everyone else.

"The last 10 meters were not fun," Phelps said. "My gosh, I thought I was standing still."

Four years ago, Phelps mistimed his finish in the wind-milling stroke he does better than anyone, gliding to the wall a little too long after his final whirl of the arms. That allowed Chad le Clos of South Africa to stunningly win gold in an event that Phelps had dominated for the better part of a decade.

Phelps retired after the London Games, so it looked like he wouldn't get a chance to make up for his defeat. But when he decided about a year later to start competing again, the 200 fly was clearly the title he sought more than any other.

"This is the race I really wanted back," he said.

Le Clos was in the final again, thoroughly inspired himself by his mother and father, both battling cancer and in the stands cheering him on.

But the South African could only manage fourth this time, also finishing behind bronze medalist Tamas Kenderesi of Hungary.

The relay was much less dramatic.

Conor Dwyer, Townley Haas and Ryan Lochte went out ahead of Phelps, handing off a commanding lead to the most decorated athlete in Olympic history.

Phelps essentially spent the next 100 seconds or so soaking up the cheers. He was only the third-fastest swimmer on his team, but he was a full body length ahead of Britain's James Guy when he touched in 7:00.66.

The British claimed silver in 7:03.13, while Japan took the bronze in 7:03.50.

Sure, Phelps hogged the spotlight on this night, but let's not forget two other very impressive swimmers.

Ledecky took the most challenging step toward a feat that's only been done one other time, holding off Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom to win the 200 freestyle and give the American star her second gold of the games.

Debbie Meyer is the only female swimmer to capture the three longest freestyle events at a single Olympics, winning the 200, 400 and 800 at the 1968 Mexico City Games. Ledecky looks like a lock to match Meyer, having already won the 200 and 400 titles and an overwhelming favorite in the 800, where she's the world-record holder and far faster than anyone else in the world.

Katinka Hosszu is having quite an Olympics, too.

The Hungarian known as the "Iron Lady" earned her third gold medal of the Rio Games with a victory in the 200 individual medley.

This has been an Olympics of redemption for Hosszu, a long-time star at the world championships who always seemed to come up short on the biggest stage.

Not anymore.

Hosszu added to her wins in the 400 IM and 100 backstroke with a time of 2:06.58. Siobhan-Marie O'Connor of Britain challenged Hosszu all the way but had to settle for silver. Maya DiRado of the United States held on for the bronze.

For Phelps, another retirement looms.

This time, he can fade away with the gold he really wanted in the 200 fly.

"That event was kind of like my bread and butter," Phelps said. "That was the last time I'll ever swim it."

___

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry .

United States' Michael Phelps pauses after winning the gold medal in the men's 4x200-meter freestyle relay final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

United States' Michael Phelps celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's 200-meter butterfly during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

United States' Katie Ledecky holds the gold medal after the women's 200-meter freestyle during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

United States' Michael Phelps celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's 200-meter butterfly during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

United States' gold medal winner Michael Phelps swims in the men's 200-meter butterfly final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

United States' Michael Phelps celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's 200-meter butterfly during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

United States' Michael Phelps celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's 200-meter butterfly during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

United States' Michael Phelps reacts to his win in the men's 200-metrer butterfly during the Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

United States' gold medal winner Katie Ledecky is congratulated by Sweden's silver medal winner Sarah Sjostrom after the women's 200-meter freestyle final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

United States' Katie Ledecky competes in the final of the women's 200-meter freestyle during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Latest: Gunfire erupts at Ferguson protest

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP)  The Latest on the second anniversary of the death of Michael Brown (all times local):

9:45 p.m.

Gunfire broke out during a protest in Ferguson, Missouri, on the second anniversary of Michael Brown's death, disrupting what had been a peaceful gathering.

FILE - In this Aug. 21, 2014 file photo, Nikki Jones, of Spanish Lake, Mo, holds a button in support of Michael Brown while visiting the community in the apartment development near where he was fatally shot in Ferguson, Mo. Brown's death "opened the eyes of the world" to concerns about law enforcement's treatment of black people, Brown's father said Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, during a memorial service marking the two-year anniversary of the shooting. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, File)

Witnesses told an Associated Press reporter Tuesday night that a car sped through a group of protesters who were blocking a street. They said the car struck a young man so hard that he flew into the air and his shoes were knocked off. As the car drove away, shots were fired.

Witness Sharon Cowan says the man appeared to be badly injured and was put into a private car to be taken to a hospital.

Ferguson spokesman Jeff Small said police responded to reports of gunfire but so far had found no evidence that anyone had been struck.

Demonstrators remained on the scene.

___

8:45 p.m.

A small group of protesters has taken to the streets in Ferguson, Missouri, on the second anniversary of Michael Brown's death.

A few dozen people marched Tuesday night from the site on Canfield Drive where the unarmed black 18-year-old was fatally shot by a police officer to a busy intersection that's been the site of protests before.

The group periodically blocked traffic and chanted "no justice, no peace" and other slogans.

An officer's order to clear a street prompted a shouting match between protesters and police.

Brown was fatally shot by officer Darren Wilson after a confrontation on Aug. 9, 2014. A state grand jury declined to press charges against Wilson, and the U.S. Justice Department later cleared him, concluding that he had acted in self-defense. He resigned in November 2014.

___

9:30 a.m.

The two-year anniversary of Michael Brown's fatal shooting by an officer will be marked with a memorial service and a moment of silence on the Ferguson street where he died.

The events are planned late Tuesday morning on Canfield Drive.

The black, unarmed 18-year-old was shot by Ferguson officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9, 2014. A St. Louis County grand jury and the U.S. Justice Department determined that no charges should be filed against Wilson, who resigned that November.

The shooting was a catalyst in the national Black Lives Matter movement and led to months of protests in Ferguson.
COLUMBUS  Having a police officer hand over a citation is usually a cringe-worthy moment.

But for the past two years officers with Columbus Police Department have been trying to eliminate any negative perception of law enforcement young eyes may see on television and social media by using a different kind of ticket.

The biggest issue with doing any kind of community outreach program is to break down that wall of intimidation, said Officer Mick Jarvis. "Were not what theyve been seeing on TV. We can be joyful and happy too you know.

Two years ago a few officers got the idea to hand out safety tickets to youngsters in the community who are seen in noteworthy situations, such as riding their bike with a helmet on, holding hands with a younger sibling, wearing their seat belt, looking both ways before crossing the street and other safety precautions officers deem worthy of recognition.

The officers wrote out a ticket for the act and praised the child, who also received a sticker and candy.

Some kids are taken aback when I give them out, Jarvis said. When you stop a kid and give them a safety ticket they kind of freak out because they dont fully understand.

To prevent any freaking out," Jarvis said he tries to stick to older kids who recognize the tickets arent the scary ones.

Last summer, McDonald's owner Greg Hall helped simplify the process by replacing the safety tickets with coupons for free ice cream cones at his business.

We contacted Greg Hall about a monetary donation to the program and he said, 'Sure, and what about a card for ice cream?'" explained Jodi Hefti, a resource officer with CPD. So then he came up with the idea of using the ice cream cone as a reward for doing something good.

Officers have handed out nearly 3,000 ice cream coupons since May 2015.

This gives a reason to talk to someone we otherwise wouldnt, Jarvis said. We focus on the young because at that age theyre impressionable. We want them to know were approachable. Were not here to throw them in prison or hurt them, but society doesnt like to think that right now.

Even Hall cant believe how successful the program has been. He sees about 20 coupons turned in each week.

It took off, said Hall, attributing the program's success to officers willingness to embrace the idea. I think its important to build relationships between the police and the community, especially with some of the tragedy that has occurred lately with law enforcement.

Hefti said the program is not budgeted through the city. Donations from individuals and businesses like McDonalds pay to keep it going.

To put it in simplest terms: Where do you want your kids to go when theyre in trouble? Jarvis asked.

If we can reach out to the younger generation, theyre the ones in the long run that will take us further because theyre the ones who can change the stigma of law enforcement.
Notorious 'pillowcase rapist' back in state mental hospital

LOS ANGELES (AP)  A notorious rapist who muffled victim's screams with a pillowcase was back in a state mental hospital Tuesday, two years after he was released over the protests of prosecutors and women who feared he would attack again.

Christopher Hubbart, 65, is not accused of a new crime, but was picked up by the Department of State Hospitals, said District Attorney Jackie Lacey, who is under a gag order and could not discuss further details.

"The good news is tonight ... he's back in a state hospital," Lacey told KFI-AM . "That's probably the safest place."

FILE - This undated law enforcement booking file photo, released by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in 2014, shows Christopher Hubbart. Hubbart, a notorious rapist who muffled victims screams with a pillowcase was back in a state mental hospital Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, two years after he was released over the protests of prosecutors and women who feared he would attack again. Hubbart, 65, is not accused of a new crime, but was picked up by the Department of State Hospitals, said District Attorney Jackie Lacey, who is under a gag order and could not discuss further details. (Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department via AP, File)

Hubbart violated terms of his release and the company supervising his program returned him to Coalinga State Hospital, Santa Clara County Superior Court spokesman Joseph Macaluso.

Macaluso didn't provide details.

Lacey had fought Hubbart's release and angry residents of the Antelope Valley, where he was relocated about 40 miles north of Los Angeles, had demonstrated regularly outside his remote house where he lived under 24-hour guard and strict conditions.

Women shouted through bullhorns that he didn't belong there and should be locked up. Some burned effigies and carried signs saying "burn in hell."

A woman who spent 18 months protesting his release and traveled 350 miles to implore the Santa Clara County judge to keep him out of her community said she was ecstatic to hear he was gone.

"I feel like I won the lottery," Cheryl Holbrook said. "We're praying real hard that they keep him locked up. He's exactly where he needs to be."

Hubbart, dubbed the "pillowcase rapist," has acknowledged raping at least 40 women, several following stints behind bars. He has been in and out of prisons and state psychiatric hospitals since his first rape conviction in 1972.

After reoffending and serving more time, Hubbart was declared a sexually violent predator in 2000 and committed to a state-run psychiatric hospital.

A Northern California judge in 2013 ordered Hubbart released after doctors said he had completed treatment and was fit to live in the community. The judge ordered that he live in Southern California near where he grew up, though his notoriety made it difficult to find housing.

When he was released in 2014, he moved into a small house in the desert on the outskirts of Palmdale.

Hubbart had to comply with conditions that included wearing a monitoring device around his ankle, attending therapy and undergoing lie detector tests and random searches of his home. He was also ordered not to view movies or online material that would arouse him.

Prosecutors tried to have him returned to custody last year after the batteries in his ankle monitor twice ran too low. A judge denied the request.

Lacey said she wasn't told why he was picked up, but expects to find out at a court hearing in 15 days in Santa Clara County.

An email sent to Hubbart's defense lawyer for comment was not returned.

__
Ledecky wins most challenging event with gritty performance

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  Katie Ledecky has never felt such pain. She actually felt like she might throw up in the pool.

That wasn't enough to slow the gritty teenager.

Ledecky took the most challenging step toward a feat that's only been done one other time, holding off Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom to win the 200-meter freestyle Tuesday and give the American star her second gold of the Olympics.

United States' Katie Ledecky wins the gold medal in the women's 200-meter freestyle during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Debbie Meyer is the only female swimmer to capture the three longest freestyle events at a single Olympics, winning the 200, 400 and 800 at the 1968 Mexico City Games. Now that the 200 is out of the way, Ledecky is essentially a lock to match Meyer.

The 19-year-old from suburban Washington crushed the world record in the 400 and will be an overwhelming favorite in the 800, where she's the world-record holder and far faster than anyone else in the world.

The 200 was the only one really in doubt.

"That was a really tough race and it hurt really badly," Ledecky said. "I'm pretty sure it's the closest I've come to throwing up in the middle of a race. I'm just so glad I got my hand on the wall first and it was all worth it."

Fifth at the first flip turn, a bit faster than she usually goes out, Ledecky powered to the front on the third lap and feistily fended off a hard-charging Sjostrom coming to the wall.

Ledecky touched in 1 minute, 53.73 seconds. The silver went to Sjostrom in 1:54.08, while early leader Emma McKeon faded to the bronze in 1:54.92. World-record holder Federica Pelligrini of Italy was fourth.

This may be the shortest race on Ledecky's program but it's definitely her toughest, requiring both speed and endurance against a far more competitive field.

"The 200 is a much more stressful race than the 400 and 800, and it always just feels good when it's over," she said. "I took it out pretty fast and kind of forced everybody to try to do that. Once I was ahead I knew I wasn't going to let it out of my hands. I knew I wasn't going to be able to see most of the field on the last 50, so I just had to dig deep."

Ledecky also claimed silver in the 4x100 free relay and has two more races to go, setting herself up for a medal haul that would fully live up to the enormous expectations she faced coming into the Olympics.

In addition to the 800, she'll likely be the anchor on the 4x200 freestyle relay, another event where the Americans are a big favorite.

___

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry .

United States' Katie Ledecky wins the gold medal in the women's 200-meter freestyle during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

United States' Katie Ledecky, embraces Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom after winning the gold medal in the women's 200-meter freestyle during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

United States' Katie Ledecky competes in the final of the women's 200-meter freestyle during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

United States' Katie Ledecky holds the gold medal after the women's 200-meter freestyle during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Amtrak settlements silencing crash victims

PHILADELPHIA (AP)  Amtrak has started settling lawsuits with victims of last year's deadly derailment in Philadelphia, and lawyers involved in the process say a strict confidentiality provision prevents them and their clients from talking about how they're doing or how much money they've received.

The railroad reached the first settlements last week, quietly resolving cases brought by two women who suffered head and other injuries in the May 2015 wreck, court records show.

Dozens of other lawsuits are still pending.

FILE- In this May 13, 2015 file photo, emergency personnel work at the scene of a night derailment in Philadelphia of an Amtrak train headed to New York. Amtrak has started settling lawsuits with victims of last years deadly derailment in Philadelphia, and lawyers involved in the process say a strict confidentiality provision prevents them from talking about how theyre doing or how much money they've received. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Eight people were killed and more than 200 people were hurt when the Washington-to-New York train sped into a sharp curve and tumbled from the tracks.

Federal investigators say the engineer was distracted by word that a nearby train had been hit by a rock and lost track of where he was. They say he accelerated full-throttle to 106 mph instead of slowing down for the curve's 50 mph speed limit.

One of the women receiving a settlement said in her lawsuit that she learned she was pregnant while in the hospital with broken bones and a concussion.

Jessica Baen, of Brooklyn, New York, said she'd been thrown across one of the most badly damaged cars and feared injury to her unborn child.

How are Baen and her child doing now?

Her lawyer, Adam Barrist, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he wasn't allowed to say.

"The confidentiality provision of the settlement agreement is very strict," Barrist said. "I would risk subjecting my client and myself to liability if were to provide answers to the questions."

Amtrak's lawyer didn't respond to a message.

Amtrak has taken responsibility for the crash and says it won't oppose claims for compensatory damages like medical expenses, but the pool for potential payouts is capped under federal law at $295 million. Lawyers say that could easily be exhausted, given the number of deaths and serious injuries.

A lawyer for the other woman receiving a settlement said the confidentiality clause prevented him from disclosing how much Amtrak was paying, but that it was enough to cover all of her out-of-pocket medical costs.

Adriana Passamano, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, suffered injuries to her neck, back and hip, tooth and jaw damage and permanent disability, according to her lawsuit.

"She's always going to keep with her the memory, the thought of it and the trauma," lawyer Thomas Kenny said. "It's with her all the time."

___
Samsung workers sickened by chemicals in factories speak up

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  Samsung Electronics, the leader in the global computer chip and smartphone industries, is South Korea's biggest company, with about 100,000 workers. An Associated Press investigation found South Korean authorities let Samsung withhold from sick workers and their families crucial information about the chemicals they are exposed to at its computer chip and display factories.

A worker-safety group has documented more than 200 cases of serious illnesses including leukemia, lupus, lymphoma and multiple sclerosis among former Samsung semiconductor and LCD workers. Seventy-six have died, most in their 20s and 30s.

It is extremely difficult for workers to get compensation for occupational diseases from the South Korean government, and without details on their exposure to toxins in their workplaces it is almost impossible.

In this Jan. 27, 2016 photo, Kim Mi-seon, 36, former Samsung display factory worker who lost sight in 2014 since diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, sits on a hospital bed while speaking during an interview in Seoul, South Korea. An Associated Press investigation has found South Korean authorities have, at Samsungs request, repeatedly withheld crucial information about the chemicals that workers were exposed to at its computer chip and liquid crystal display factories. Workers who have fallen ill due to the chemicals have the right to access such data so they can apply for workers compensation from the state. Without this information, government officials commonly reject their cases. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Here are comments from Samsung workers and their families:

___

PARK MIN-SOOK, 43, a former Samsung chip worker and breast cancer survivor:

"In a situation where people's lives are at stake, (Samsung) brought uninformed kids from the countryside and acted like money is everything, using them as if they were disposable cups."

___

HWANG SANG-GI, father of Hwang Yu-mi, a former Samsung factory worker who died of leukemia at the age of 22. Hwang launched a movement seeking independent inspections of Samsung factories:

"(Samsung) once offered me 1 billion won ($864,000), asking me to stay silent. The idea was to deny her illness was an occupational disease and to leave me without any power to fight back."

___

PARK WON-HEE, 42, a former Samsung chip worker diagnosed with lupus who cannot hold a regular job because of her illness. She is a single mother of a teenage daughter:

"My house is subsidized by the government. My child is young. I asked my sisters and they don't have money. I feel bad for people who cannot get compensation (from Samsung) but we are in an urgent situation. I asked for it to provide a better life for my child."

___

SONG BOK-JA, 72, mother of former Samsung worker Chung Ji-yeon, who died of leukemia when she was 34:

"What I find most unfair is that some people get compensated and others don't. My daughter was diagnosed a little over 10 years (after she left Samsung). Up to 10 years, you get compensated, a little after 10 years, you don't."

___

KIM MI-SEON, 36, a former Samsung display worker who lost her sight after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Kim lives in a government-subsidized apartment with her sisters.

"There was never any education (at the factory) about what kind of chemicals could be bad so that we could be more careful."

In this Feb. 26, 2016, photo, Song Bok-ja, 72, mother of former Samsung worker Chung Ji-yeon who died of leukemia at age of 34, shows photos of her son during an interview at her house in Busan, South Korea. An Associated Press investigation has found South Korean authorities have, at Samsungs request, repeatedly withheld crucial information about the chemicals that workers were exposed to at its computer chip and liquid crystal display factories. Workers who have fallen ill due to the chemicals have the right to access such data so they can apply for workers compensation from the state. Without this information, government officials commonly reject their cases. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

In this March 5, 2016 photo, Park Min-sook, 43, a former Samsung chip worker and a breast cancer survivor, explains how silicon wafers are used in the semiconductor process during an interview in Seoul, South Korea. An Associated Press investigation has found South Korean authorities have, at Samsungs request, repeatedly withheld crucial information about the chemicals that workers were exposed to at its computer chip and liquid crystal display factories. Workers who have fallen ill due to the chemicals have the right to access such data so they can apply for workers compensation from the state. Without this information, government officials commonly reject their cases. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

In this April 22, 2016 photo, Hwang Sang-gi, father of Hwang Yu-mi, a former Samsung factory worker who died of leukemia at the age of 22, speaks during an interview outside Samsung buildings in Seoul, South Korea. Yu-mi went to work bathing silicon wafers in chemicals at a Samsung factory that makes computer chips for laptops and other devices. Four years later, she died of leukemia. Sang-gi launched a movement demanding the government investigate health risks at Samsung Electronics Co. factories after learning another worker at the same semiconductor line of Yu-mi also had died of leukemia. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
2 words keep sick Samsung workers from data: trade secrets

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  As a high school senior, Hwang Yu-mi went to work bathing silicon wafers in chemicals at a Samsung factory that makes computer chips for laptops and other devices. Four years later, she died of leukemia. She was 22.

After Yu-mi's death in 2007, her father, Hwang Sang-gi, learned a 30-year-old worker at the same semiconductor line also had died of leukemia. Convinced they died because of their work, the taxi driver launched a movement demanding the government investigate health risks at Samsung Electronics Co. factories.

When Hwang sued after his first claim for government compensation was denied, he struggled to get details about the factory environment. A government document he received about his daughter's workplace had a section for listing the chemicals used there, but that space was left blank because Samsung did not release that information to worker-safety officials.

In this April 22, 2016 photo, Hwang Sang-gi, father of Hwang Yu-mi, a former Samsung factory worker who died of leukemia at the age of 22, wears shoes in order to an interview outside Samsung buildings in Seoul, South Korea. Yu-mi went to work bathing silicon wafers in chemicals at a Samsung factory that makes computer chips for laptops and other devices. Four years later, she died of leukemia. Sang-gi launched a movement demanding the government investigate health risks at Samsung Electronics Co. factories after learning another worker at the same semiconductor line of Yu-mi also had died of leukemia. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

An Associated Press investigation has found South Korean authorities have, at Samsung's request, repeatedly withheld from workers and their bereaved families crucial information about chemicals they were exposed to at its computer chip and liquid crystal display factories. Sick workers are supposed to have access to such data through the government or the courts so they can apply for workers' compensation from the state. Without it, government officials commonly reject their cases.

The justification for withholding the information? In at least six cases involving 10 workers, it was trade secrets. Court documents and interviews with government officials, workers' lawyers and their families show Samsung often cites the need to protect trade secrets when it asks government officials not to release such data.

"Our fight is often against trade secrets. Any contents that may not work in Samsung's favor were deleted as trade secrets," said Lim Ja-woon, a lawyer who has represented 15 sick Samsung workers.

Lim's clients have been unable to get access to full reports on facility inspections, which are produced by third parties to comply with South Korean law, but remain the property of Samsung. Only excerpts of some independent inspections can be found in some court rulings, he said.

South Korea law bars governments and public agencies from withholding corporate information needed "to protect the lives, physical safety, and health" of individuals on trade-secrets grounds, but there are no penalties for violations. Lim said the law on occupational disease compensation also obligates Samsung to give workers the data they need to make claims.

Government officials openly say corporate interests take priority, that evaluating trade-secrets claims is difficult, and that they fear being sued for sharing data against a company's will.

"We have to keep secrets that belong to our clients," said Yang Won-baek, of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, or KOSHA. "It's about trust."

Asked why he used the word "clients" to describe companies his government agency helps regulate, Yang said it's probably because he treats those companies "as I treat clients." He said the companies KOSHA evaluates also review the agency, and the finance ministry considers those reviews when it sets agency budgets.

When asked for comment, Samsung emailed a statement saying it never "intentionally" blocked workers from accessing information and that it is transparent about all chemicals it is required to disclose. It also said there was no case where information disclosure was "illegally prevented."

However, documents from courts and the labor ministry show that as recently as last year, Samsung asked the government not to disclose details of chemical exposure levels and other inspections  even at judges' request for use in workers' compensation lawsuits.

In a letter to regulators signed by the company's CEO, Samsung said that if factory details including "types and volumes of substances" were released for a workers' compensation case, "it is feared that the technology gap with rivals at home and overseas would be reduced and our company's competitiveness would be lowered. For that reason they are trade secrets that we treat strictly as secrets, we request not to disclose."

Although the company no longer omits lists of chemicals as it did in Hwang Yu-mi's case, it has recently withheld details about exposure levels and how its chemicals are managed.

Samsung is South Korea's biggest company by far, with about 100,000 workers. Its market capitalization is more than five times greater than the No. 2 company in this country of 50 million. It employs about 45,000 people in its South Korean semiconductor and LCD departments, though not all of them are factory workers.

The worker safety group Banolim, known as SHARPS in English, has documented more than 200 cases of serious illnesses including leukemia, lupus, lymphoma and multiple sclerosis among former Samsung semiconductor and LCD workers. Seventy-six have died, most in their 20s and 30s.

Since 2008, 56 workers have applied for occupational safety compensation from the government. Only 10 have won compensation, most after years of court battles. Half of the other 46 claims were rejected and half remain under review.

People who have claimed they got sick because of work they did for other major South Korean manufacturers, including Hyundai Motor, have received help from their unions in advancing their claims. Hyundai Motor now must get union approval before introducing new chemicals into its manufacturing processes. Samsung's workforce is not unionized.

Families of the victims, mostly working-class youths from the countryside, often use up their life savings and sell their homes to pay hospital bills, ending up in subsidized housing. Some of the workers ended up incapacitated and unable to work.

Left with few options, more than 100 families accepted a compensation plan Samsung proposed last year, which covered medical fees and some income for workers with any of 26 diseases. Some families rejected the deal.

Government policies have generally been friendly toward Samsung and other "chaebols," corporate conglomerates that helped drive South Korea's rapid industrialization under dictatorships after the 1950-53 Korean War.

Samsung overtook Japanese memory-chip makers in the early 1990s and through aggressive cost-cutting, bold investment and rapid construction of new factories has dominated the market for two decades.

But that success involves use of toxic and often carcinogenic chemicals such as arsenic, acetone, methane, sulfuric acid and heavy metals such as lead, well-known risks in the production of semiconductors, mobile phones and LCDs.

Kong Jeong-ok, an occupational health physician who works with Banolim, said new chemicals often are used before the risks from them, and from the toxic byproducts created by mixing them, are fully investigated.

Korean companies using such chemicals are required to strictly manage them, submit biannual reports showing exposure levels and give employees that information.

Samsung states on its website that its chemical management system is "rigorous" and "state-of-the art." It has had "real-time 24/7 chemical monitoring" in all facilities since 2007, the year the government began inquiries into Yu-mi's death.

Yet Samsung began monitoring some toxic byproducts in the air only after a 2012 inspection detected benzene and formaldehyde  both known carcinogens  at its chip factories.

Baik Soo-ha, a Samsung Electronics vice president, told the AP that Samsung has redacted trade secrets in documents given to individuals only when their requests appeared not "purely" meant to determine occupational diseases.

"We have a right to protect our information from going to a third party," he said. Baik did not elaborate on what sort of ulterior motives Samsung believes might be behind some requests.

Samsung said it sometimes lacks information about chemicals because its own suppliers, also citing trade secrets, refuse to disclose details. It said suppliers must certify any such materials are non-toxic.

The entire semiconductor industry has longstanding health concerns: The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is reviewing its own standards to better control exposure to chemicals in computer chip production. The OSHA website notes that U.S. laws control maximum allowable exposure on fewer than 500 of the thousands of chemicals used in manufacturing.

Worker safety advocates want South Korea's courts and government to more flexibly interpret links between workplace conditions and diseases, since the exact causes of many ailments suffered by the factory workers are unknown even to the medical community. They also want thorough disclosure of workplace hazards.

Hwang Sang-gi said Samsung offered him 1 billion won ($864,000) in 2007 to not pursue a case over his daughter's death. He said no, founded Banolim and joined four former Samsung semiconductor workers suffering from various blood cancers in filing for workers' compensation.

In 2014, seven years after Yu-mi's death, an appeals court affirmed a lower court's finding of "a significant causal relationship" between Yu-mi's leukemia and her likely exposure to benzene, other chemicals and ionized radiation at work. Hwang Sang-gi received nearly $175,000 from the government.

Also in 2014, Samsung's CEO issued a statement expressing regret that "a solution to this delicate matter (of sick workers) has not been found in a timely manner." It said the company "could have been more diligent" in addressing their "hardship and sorrow." Two years later, the company promised to provide necessary documents to workers seeking government compensation. Earlier this year an ombudsman committee was set up to oversee independent inspections of some Samsung factories.

But some sickened workers and their relatives want a more complete apology and changes to how compensation is awarded. Hwang and other campaigners regularly camp outside Samsung's complex in Gangnam to protest. They view suing Samsung as a poor option; the standard of proof would be higher than in workers' compensation cases, and they could not seek punitive damages under South Korean law.

Workers and their bereaved families say it remains difficult to obtain details about their working conditions:

 When asked for records from Samsung's LCD factory in Cheonan, where 32-year-old Lee Hee-jin worked from 2002 to 2006 before falling ill with multiple sclerosis, the labor ministry sent a report in 2014, but from a different factory, in Asan. Even that report could have shed light on the case of Lee and other display workers because it was a rare record of display factory working conditions. But it was heavily redacted by Samsung on grounds of protecting trade secrets. When asked about the heavy redaction, Samsung told the AP that the report was not related to her case because it was not from the place Lee was employed. The Supreme Court is considering Lee's appeal after lower courts rejected her compensation claim.

 Citing "business confidentiality," the labor ministry refused to give chemical-exposure data for Lee Beom-woo, an engineer who died of leukemia after working from 1986 to 2014 at Samsung's Onyang semiconductor plant. Lee's case is under review. About 50 of the plant's workers have contracted serious environment-related diseases, according to Banolim.

 Cho Eun-joo, a Samsung display plant worker, died last year at age 22 of blood cancer. Her mother, Kim Kyung-hee, and her lawyer, Lee Eun-jeong, said Samsung officials denied the possibility that Cho was sickened by the workplace conditions, so they pieced together information from Cho and her friends to make their case, which is under government review.

 Sohn Kyung-joo, a former manager at a semiconductor contractor to Samsung, died of leukemia at age 53 after working in chemicals-intensive cleanrooms for about six years. Cleanroom entrance logs, the sole way to prove his exposure to toxins at work, were destroyed after only three months because they are kept only for security purposes. Sohn's family has filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the government's refusal of compensation.

Hwang Kyu-seok, a deputy director at the labor ministry's industrial health department, said disclosures of data on chemical exposure are made on a case-by-case basis.

The government "usually accept companies' requests to withhold details on trade-secrets grounds," said Goo Ja-hwan, head of a regional labor ministry team in charge of occupational disaster prevention.

"We generally accept (their requests) because it is difficult to evaluate whether their arguments are wrong," said Goo, who is based in Cheonan, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Seoul. "We cannot evaluate whether things that companies have hidden as secrets are real trade secrets or not."

On Thursday, however, the Labor Ministry issued a statement to media saying it decided to withhold some documents "not because of Samsung's requests," but because of the ministry's own judgment that they should not be disclosed under the law.

Baskut Tuncak, the U.N. special rapporteur on hazardous substances and waste, said in a phone interview that no government should say it's unable to determine what corporate information should be kept confidential.

"That simply allows their abuse of the system where information about hazardous substances is hidden from the public from victims under claims of confidentiality," he said.

Recently, there has been some movement toward greater transparency.

In June, for the first time, the government's worker safety agency formally designated a case of malignant lymphoma as an occupational disease at a Samsung semiconductor factory, despite Samsung's refusal to hand over exposure data and other information. Samsung cited trade secrets, but also said it lacked some data.

Banolim praised the ruling as a step forward, because the agencies did not hold the absence of data against the workers.

"It didn't rely on the company and made an independent evaluation," said Lee Jong-ran, a labor lawyer with Banolim. "But it took three years and eight months. It took too long."

___

Lee can be reached on Twitter: www.twitter.com/YKLeeAP

Her previous works can be found on: http://bigstory.ap.org/content/youkyung-lee

___

This story has been corrected to show that the compensation plan offered sick workers covers all medical expenses, not some.

In this April 22, 2016 photo, Hwang Sang-gi, father of Hwang Yu-mi, a former Samsung factory worker who died of leukemia at the age of 22, speaks during an interview outside Samsung buildings in Seoul, South Korea. Yu-mi went to work bathing silicon wafers in chemicals at a Samsung factory that makes computer chips for laptops and other devices. Four years later, she died of leukemia. Sang-gi launched a movement demanding the government investigate health risks at Samsung Electronics Co. factories after learning another worker at the same semiconductor line of Yu-mi also had died of leukemia. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

In this April 22, 2016 photo, portraits of former Samsung semiconductor factory worker Hwang Yu-mi who died from leukemia in 2007, are displayed outside Samsung buildings in Seoul, South Korea. An Associated Press investigation has found South Korean authorities have, at Samsungs request, repeatedly withheld from workers and their bereaved families crucial information about chemicals they were exposed to at its computer chip and liquid crystal display factories. Sick workers are supposed to have access to such data through the government or the courts so they can apply for workers compensation from the state. Without it, government officials commonly reject their cases. The yellow banner in the foreground, reads: "Hwang Yu-mi, 23, died on March 6 in 2007." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

In this April 22, 2016 photo, messages for victims who were former employees at Samsung semiconductor factories are displayed outside of Samsung buildings in Seoul, South Korea. An Associated Press investigation has found South Korean authorities have, at Samsungs request, repeatedly withheld crucial information about the chemicals that workers were exposed to at its computer chip and liquid crystal display factories. Workers who have fallen ill due to the chemicals have the right to access such data so they can apply for workers compensation from the state. Without this information, government officials commonly reject their cases. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

In this April 22, 2016 photo, Lim Ja-woon, a lawyer who represents 15 former employees of Samsung semiconductor and display factories, attends a protest denouncing the electronics giant's response to it's former employees' health concerns outside the Samsung buildings in Seoul, South Korea. An Associated Press investigation has found South Korean authorities have, at Samsungs request, repeatedly withheld crucial information about the chemicals that workers were exposed to at its computer chip and liquid crystal display factories. Workers who have fallen ill due to the chemicals have the right to access such data so they can apply for workers compensation from the state. Without this information, government officials commonly reject their cases. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

In this Feb. 25, 2016 photo, Lee Jong-ran, an attorney at the electronics industry workers advocacy group Banolim, holds a notebook of former Samsung semiconductor factory worker Hwang Yu-mi who died from leukemia in 2007, during an interview at her office in Seoul, South Korea. Hwang's duties at Samsung was to bathe silicon wafers in chemicals in a factory making computer chips for laptops and other devices. Four years later, she died of leukemia. She was 22. An Associated Press investigation has found South Korean authorities have, at Samsungs request, repeatedly withheld crucial information about the chemicals that workers were exposed to at its computer chip and liquid crystal display factories. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

In this March 5, 2016 photo, Park Min-sook, 43, a former Samsung chip worker and a breast cancer survivor, explains how silicon wafers are used in the semiconductor process during an interview in Seoul, South Korea. An Associated Press investigation has found South Korean authorities have, at Samsungs request, repeatedly withheld crucial information about the chemicals that workers were exposed to at its computer chip and liquid crystal display factories. Workers who have fallen ill due to the chemicals have the right to access such data so they can apply for workers compensation from the state. Without this information, government officials commonly reject their cases. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

In this Feb. 26, 2016, photo, Song Bok-ja, 72, mother of former Samsung worker Chung Ji-yeon who died of leukemia at age of 34, shows photos of her son during an interview at her house in Busan, South Korea. An Associated Press investigation has found South Korean authorities have, at Samsungs request, repeatedly withheld crucial information about the chemicals that workers were exposed to at its computer chip and liquid crystal display factories. Workers who have fallen ill due to the chemicals have the right to access such data so they can apply for workers compensation from the state. Without this information, government officials commonly reject their cases. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

In this April 22, 2016 photo, a man looks at boards showing portraits of victims who were former employees of Samsung semiconductor and LCD factories outside the Samsung buildings in Seoul, South Korea. An Associated Press investigation has found South Korean authorities have, at Samsungs request, repeatedly withheld crucial information about the chemicals that workers were exposed to at its computer chip and liquid crystal display factories. Workers who have fallen ill due to the chemicals have the right to access such data so they can apply for workers compensation from the state. Without this information, government officials commonly reject their cases. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

In this March 5, 2016, photo, Park Min-sook, a former Samsung chip factory worker and a breast cancer survivor, shows her pictures taken while working at Samsung during an interview in Seoul, South Korea. An Associated Press investigation has found South Korean authorities have, at Samsungs request, repeatedly withheld crucial information about the chemicals that workers were exposed to at its computer chip and liquid crystal display factories. Workers who have fallen ill due to the chemicals have the right to access such data so they can apply for workers compensation from the state. Without this information, government officials commonly reject their cases. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

In this Jan. 27, 2016 photo, Kim Mi-seon, 36, former Samsung display factory worker who lost sight in 2014 since diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, lies on a hospital bed in Seoul, South Korea. An Associated Press investigation has found South Korean authorities have, at Samsungs request, repeatedly withheld crucial information about the chemicals that workers were exposed to at its computer chip and liquid crystal display factories. Workers who have fallen ill due to the chemicals have the right to access such data so they can apply for workers compensation from the state. Without this information, government officials commonly reject their cases. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

In this Jan. 27, 2016 photo, Kim Mi-seon, 36, former Samsung display factory worker who lost sight in 2014 since diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, sits on a hospital bed while speaking during an interview in Seoul, South Korea. An Associated Press investigation has found South Korean authorities have, at Samsungs request, repeatedly withheld crucial information about the chemicals that workers were exposed to at its computer chip and liquid crystal display factories. Workers who have fallen ill due to the chemicals have the right to access such data so they can apply for workers compensation from the state. Without this information, government officials commonly reject their cases. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

In this March 5, 2016, photo, Park Min-sook, 43, former Samsung chip factory worker and a breast cancer survivor, shows her pictures taken while working at the fatory during an interview in Seoul, South Korea. An Associated Press investigation has found South Korean authorities have, at Samsungs request, repeatedly withheld crucial information about the chemicals that workers were exposed to at its computer chip and liquid crystal display factories. Workers who have fallen ill due to the chemicals have the right to access such data so they can apply for workers compensation from the state. Without this information, government officials commonly reject their cases. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Father of Orlando shooter sighted at Hillary Clinton event

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP)  The father of the Orlando gay nightclub shooter was spotted at a campaign event for Hillary Clinton in central Florida.

Seddique Mateen was standing in a crowd behind Clinton during the Monday night event in Kissimmee, south of Orlando. A campaign official told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he wasn't invited to attend the 3,000-person, open-door public event and that the campaign wasn't aware he was there until it ended.

Mateen told news outlets after the rally that he loves "the United States."

FILE - In this June 15, 2016 file photo, Seddique Mir Mateen, father of Omar Mateen, who died in a gun battle with a SWAT team after he opened fire at the gay nightclub Pulse early Sunday, talks to reporters, across the street of a residence owned by the family, in Fort Pierce, Fla. Seddique Mateen was standing in a crowd behind Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, during a campaign event Monday night, Aug. 8, 2016, in Kissimmee, south of Orlando. A campaign official told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he wasn't invited to attend the 3,000-person, open-door public event and that the campaign wasn't aware he was there until it ended. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz, File)

Omar Mateen fatally shot 49 people and injured another 53 at Pulse nightclub on June 12. He was killed by law enforcement officers following a three-hour standoff.

The father says his family has been cooperating with investigators.

During her speech, Clinton expressed support for the survivors of the attack and the loved ones of those killed.

The Clinton campaign said the rally was a 3,000-person, open-door event for the public and that Mateen wasn't invited as a guest and that the campaign was unaware of his presence until after the event.

"She disagrees with his views and disavows his support," spokesman Nick Merrill said.

FILE - In this Monday, Aug. 8, 2016 file photo, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton gives a thumbs up as she speaks at a rally at Osceola Heritage Park, in Kissimmee, Fla. Seddique Mateen, the father of the Orlando gay nightclub shooter, was standing in a crowd behind Clinton during the Monday night event in Kissimmee, south of Orlando. A campaign official told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he wasn't invited to attend the 3,000-person, open-door public event and that the campaign wasn't aware he was there until it ended. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
SWAT teams and police have launched a massive manhunt after a search-and-rescue volunteer was shot while looking for an elderly hiker.

The rescuer was hit in the hip and wounded in a remote area of Nevada County, Northern California, around 65 miles northeast of Sacramento.

Authorities have sent out heat-seeking helicopters and heavily-armed officers in a bid to track down the shooter, who has not been identified.

SWAT teams and police have launched a massive manhunt after a search-and-rescue volunteer was shot while looking for an elderly hiker in Nevada County, California

Immediately after the shooting, the wounded man and two colleagues took cover in a wooded area to await rescue. Schmidt said the two others have already been brought to safety.

The three volunteers with the Placer County Search and Rescue team were among several groups looking for the 75-year-old man reported missing along the South Yuba River about three miles outside the rural town of Washington, about 75 miles west of Reno, Nevada, the Sacramento Bee reported.

There was no further word on the man, but the paper said he was not believed to have any involvement in the shooting.

Schmidt said it wasn't clear what prompted the shooting.

Three volunteers with the Placer County Search and Rescue team were among several groups looking for the man reported missing along the South Yuba River (file picture)

'We have absolutely no information on who or why,' he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

Nevada County Sheriff Keith Royal said helicopters with heat-detecting sensors searched for the shooter.
Afghan official: Taliban closing in on key city in the south

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP)  Afghan troops are being deployed to the capital of the key southern province of Helmand amid intense fighting with the Taliban in surrounding areas and fears the city could fall to the insurgents within days, officials said Wednesday.

According to Kareem Atal, the head of Helmand's provincial council, Taliban insurgents have completely surrounded Lashkar Gah after weeks of intense fighting across the province. Army and police units have now been pulled back from checkpoints farther afield and brought back to reinforce the city. Also, "new forces are arriving" in the city, he added.

The fighting has closed all the highways leading into Lashkar Gah, forcing up prices for food and other basics inside the provincial capital, Atal said.

FILE - In this July 24, 2016 file photo, Afghan police soldiers practice, in Lashkargah, capital of southern Helmand province, Afghanistan. Kareem Atal, head of the provincial council, said Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, that troops are being deployed to a key southern city in Helmand province where fighting is raging with the Taliban to ensure it does not fall to the insurgents. Helmand is a strategically important province for both the Kabul government and the Taliban, whose insurgency is now in its 15th year. (AP Photos/Abdul Khaliq, File)

Doctors Without Borders, the international medical charity, has reduced its international staff in Lashkar Gah and is maintaining basic emergency and surgical services, said the country representative Guillem Molinie.

The charity, known by its French acronym MSF, has a 300-bed hospital in the city and usually functions with 25 international staff. Molinie would not say how many staff had been evacuated.

He said that the number of people arriving for treatment after being caught up in fighting in districts around the city had been reduced in recent days by the road closures.

"With fears of the town being taken, non-emergency patients prefer to delay their treatment," he told The Associated Press, though 400 patients arrived at the hospital's emergency room on Tuesday.

"We are concerned about urban fighting  it is getting closer to the urban center," he said.

Helmand is a strategically important province for both the Kabul government and the Taliban, whose insurgency is now in its 15th year. The province produces opium, which is the raw material for most of the world's heroin and which funds the insurgency.

Southern Afghanistan is considered the Taliban heartland. During the Taliban's 1996-2001 rule of the country, they made neighboring Kandahar province the seat of their extremist regime.

In an indication of the seriousness of the Helmand situation, senior Kabul officials, including the deputy interior minister and the deputy chief of the military staff, are in Lashkar Gah, along with elite Afghan forces, said Sediq Sediqqi, the Interior Ministry's spokesman.

"All our focus is on Helmand right now," he said. "We know that the threats are high."

Sediqqi said he was aware of recent claims by Atal and other Helmand officials that the Taliban had taken control of up to 80 percent of the province but he would not confirm those assessments.

Dawlat Waziri, the defense ministry spokesman, said 60 percent of the Taliban's forces were foreign fighters  usually a reference to Pakistanis  and were well trained. AP has reported that the Taliban are believed to have formed a commando-style unit that has been deployed across Helmand, using night vision technology and snipers.

Waziri conceded that two districts are under Taliban control, Baghran and Dishu, but denied reports by local officials that 80 percent of the province outside Lashkar Gah has fallen to the insurgents.

The U.S. military is providing air support but no ground troops, he said, adding "we have enough ground troops to fight."

Last September, the Taliban seized the northern city of Kunduz for a few days before they were pushed out by Afghan forces, backed by U.S. airstrikes.

At the time, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in the country, Gen. John Nicholson, vowed no other city would fall to the insurgents.

However, the spokesman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Brig. Gen. Charlie Cleveland, said late Thursday that he doubts reports of the Taliban closing in on Lashkar Gah. He said military bases in the province were still receiving fuel supplies by road.

"The view we still have is that overall Lashkar Gah is not about to fall," Cleveland told the AP.

___

O'Donnell reported from Kabul. Associated Press writer Rahim Faiez in Kabul, Afghanistan contributed to this story.
Ancient ice reveals vital clues about Earth's past climate

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (AP)  Inside a huge walk-in freezer in suburban Denver, a college student in a thick parka shoots a jolt of electricity through a yard-long column of ice extracted from Antarctica.

Just outside the freezer, in a much warmer room, a computer wired to the ice registers a sudden spike in a jagged red line crawling across the screen.

"Hey, we got a volcano," says T.J. Fudge, a University of Washington researcher. The electric current has detected a thin layer of volcanic residue in the ice, deposited by an eruption about 8,000 years ago.

In this Aug. 8, 2016 photo, Geoffrey Hargreaves, curator of the National Ice Core Laboratory, carries an arctic ice core inside the minus-33 degree Fahrenheit environment of the lab's archive warehouse, in Lakewood, Colo. Using a wide range of data, from ice cores to trace gas analysis and other methods, scientists are attempting to measure the past and present so they can better model the near and distant future of our planet. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

This is the National Ice Core Laboratory in Lakewood, where ice pulled from the depths of Antarctica and Greenland is sliced up, photographed and tested. Most of it is shipped to other labs, where researchers do more experiments looking for clues about Earth's past and future.

Smooth and milky white, the 4- to 5-inch-diameter pieces  called ice cores  provide scientists with a wealth of historical information, from air temperature to greenhouse gases to evidence of cosmic events. The record reaches as far back as 800,000 years.

The ice is the remnant of centuries of snowfall, compressed by the weight of successive years of accumulation.

"You can drill into it, and it's much like looking at tree rings," Fudge said. "It's just year after year after year of climate information that's preserved out in the ice sheet."

Specialized drilling rigs pull the cores from as deep as 9,800 feet below the surface of the ice sheets. Crews then tuck them into protective tubes, pack them in chilled containers and ship them to the U.S. Refrigerated trucks haul them to Colorado lab, which is funded by the National Science Foundation.

In a bustling, white-walled workroom in the Lakewood freezer  kept at about minus 11 Fahrenheit  workers push the cores through a series of saws on metal frame benches, divvying up the ice according to a prearranged pattern for different experiments.

Part of every ice core is archived in another, larger room at about minus 33 degrees, so future researchers can verify old results or try new tests. The archive contains nearly 56,000 feet of ice.

Scientists tease data from the ice in various ways. Differences in the weight of molecules in the frozen water hold clues about the air temperature at the time the snow fell.

Air trapped in bubbles can be analyzed to measure how much carbon dioxide and other gases were in the atmosphere when the ice formed.

A solar flare or other cosmic events can leave distinctive radioactive atoms on the snow. Dust blown in from distant continents offers clues about atmospheric circulation.

"The ice sheets are in direct contact with the atmosphere," said Mark Twickler, the lab's science director. "Everything that's in the atmosphere we capture as time goes by, and it gets buried in snow."

The depth of the core and evidence of volcanoes help determine how old the ice is.

Scientists already know when major eruptions occurred, so a layer of volcanic residue indicates the year the adjacent ice formed. That becomes a reference point for annual layers above and below.

The record is remarkably precise, even reflecting seasonal changes, scientists say.

"It's as if we're standing on the ice sheet writing down the temperature for the last 800,000 years," said Bruce Vaughn, a University of Colorado-Boulder lab manager who works with the ice. "It's that good."

Without a record of its depth and age, the ice has little research value, said Geoffrey Hargreaves, curator of the Lakewood lab.

"An ice core without any depth references  I shouldn't say this  it's good for margaritas," he said, poker-faced.

No, Hargreaves said, scientists don't actually do that.

"There's drill fluids in these things that you really don't want to drink," he said.

Some experiments are done only on ice from the core's interior, away from the fluids.

Ice cores have led scientists to significant conclusions about climate, including that CO2 levels in the atmosphere today are higher than at any other time recorded in the ice.

"The only reason we can make that statement is because we have the ice core air archived," said Murat Aydin, a researcher at the University of California-Irvine.

Ice cores also help refine computer models used to make climate predictions.

"If we run them backwards with the parameters that we measure in the ice core and we get it right, that gives us a lot more confidence in the climate models going forward," Vaughn said.

As technology improves, researchers find new ways to analyze the ice. A technique called continuous flow analysis lets them slowly melt a one-yard stick of ice and analyze it drop-by-drop, instead of cutting it into small pieces, melting them one-by-one and averaging the results. The new technique gives scientists up to 2,400 measurements per yard instead of 20, Vaughn said.

"There'll be science for dozens of years with researchers who are maybe only now getting their degrees or learning about this," Vaughn said. "It's exciting. How could you not be excited about it?"

___

Follow Dan Elliott at http://twitter.com/DanElliottAP. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/dan-elliott.

This Aug. 8, 2016 photo shows some of the thousands of frozen ice cores stored in canisters inside the minus-33 degree Fahrenheit environment of the archive warehouse at the National Ice Core Laboratory, in Lakewood, Colo. At this facility, ice pulled from the depths of Antarctica and Greenland is sliced up, photographed and tested. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

This Aug. 8, 2016 photo shows some of the thousands of frozen ice cores stored in canisters inside the minus-33 degree environment of the archive warehouse at the National Ice Core Laboratory, in Lakewood, Colo. Ice cores have led scientists to significant conclusions about climate, including that CO2 levels in the atmosphere today are higher than at any other time recorded in the ice. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this Aug. 8, 2016 photo, Geoffrey Hargreaves, curator of the National Ice Core Laboratory, gently places an arctic ice core on a table inside the deep freeze work area at the lab, in Lakewood, Colo. A solar flare or other cosmic events can leave distinctive radioactive atoms on the snow. Dust blown in from distant continents offers clues about atmospheric circulation. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this Aug. 8, 2016 photo, Geoffrey Hargreaves, curator of the National Ice Core Laboratory, walks from one area to another inside the deep freeze work area at the lab, in Lakewood, Colo. Using a wide range of data, from ice cores to trace gas analysis and other methods, scientists are attempting to measure the past and present so they can better model the near and distant future of our planet. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this Aug. 8, 2016 photo, Geoffrey Hargreaves, center, curator of the National Ice Core Laboratory, talks with engineering students visiting the deep freeze work area at the lab, in Lakewood, Colo. A solar flare or other cosmic events can leave distinctive radioactive atoms on the snow. Dust blown in from distant continents offers clues about atmospheric circulation. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this June 3, 2016 photo, lab scientists work with air samples from around the world for climate change research, at the INSTAAR Stable Isotope lab, at the University of Colorado, in Boulder, Colo. Using a wide range of data, from ice cores to trace gas analysis and other methods, scientists are attempting to measure the past and present so they can better model the near and distant future of our planet. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this June 3, 2016 photo, Bruce Vaughn, who manages the INSTAAR Stable Isotope lab, looks over some equipment in his lab, where climate change research with ice and trace gas samples is completed, at the University of Colorado, in Boulder, Colo. Vaughn, who is one of many researchers who relies on ice core data, says of the ice cores: "It's as if we're standing on the ice sheet writing down the temperature for the last 800,000 years. It's that good." (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this June 3, 2016 photo, Bruce Vaughn, far left, who manages the INSTAAR Stable Isotope lab, looks over some equipment in his lab, where climate change research with ice and trace gas samples is completed, at the University of Colorado, in Boulder, Colo. Vaughn, who is one of many researchers who relies on ice core data, says of the ice cores: "It's as if we're standing on the ice sheet writing down the temperature for the last 800,000 years. It's that good." (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this June 3, 2016 photo, Bruce Vaughn, who manages the INSTAAR Stable Isotope lab, refers to his laptop while discussing his data collection and analysis for climate change research, at the University of Colorado, in Boulder, Colo. Vaughn, who is one of many researchers who relies on ice core data, says of the ice cores: "It's as if we're standing on the ice sheet writing down the temperature for the last 800,000 years. It's that good." (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)
Two rare one-cent coins from the earliest days of the US Mint have sold for a pretty penny.

The copper coins, both dating to 1792, went for a combined total of $869,500 at the auction held Wednesday in Anaheim, California.

One of them, known as the 'Birch Cent,' sold for $517,000. The other, known as the 'Silver Center Cent,' went for $352,500.

The 1792 'Birch Cent' sold for $517,000. The coin was made during the early days of the United States Mint

Eric Bradley, spokesman for Heritage Auctions, said that while the sales fell somewhat short of the combined $1 million the auction house projected they would go for, organizers are still pleased with the result.

'We're looking at two coins that sold for more than 43 million times their face value,' Bradley said, 'so you can't be disappointed in that.'

It wasn't clear why one coin proved more valuable than the other, the market just responded differently to the two, Bradley said.

The names of the buyers have not been released and they may choose to stay anonymous.

The coins have historical significance that goes beyond their collectible value, representing 'the transition in American history from the colonies to a new republic,' Bradley said.

'These are coins that were developed and thought up by the Founding Fathers who were trying to differentiate themselves from British coinage and British rule,' he said.

The 'Silver Center Cent' went for $352,500. The coins represent 'the transition in American history from the colonies to a new republic, experts say

The words 'Liberty Parent of Science & Industry,' which are engraved on both coins, also show how the United States was trying to distance itself from the religious persecution and monarchy it associated with Britain, Bradley said.

The origin of the Silver Center Cent was also referenced in a letter from Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, and it is among the very first coins ever struck by the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, Bradley added.

According to the auction house, the coin went missing before eventually being discovered in an English pub in the 1960s. The man who discovered it, Nigel Willmott, kept hold of it until 1997, when he eventually auctioned it off for 28,750 British pounds, Bradley said.
China city suspends search for nuclear fuel facility

BEIJING (AP)  A city in eastern China city on Wednesday suspended preliminary work on site selection for a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility following days of protests by area residents that underscored a growing willingness by the public to oppose projects seen as threatening lives and property.

A one sentence notice posted Wednesday on the website of the Lianyungang city government offered no details on longer-term plans.

The city government had earlier responded to the weekend demonstrations in a downtown square by announcing that plans for the nuclear project were in early stages and no location had been confirmed.

The police responded additional protests Tuesday with a ban on unauthorized public gatherings and a call to disregard rumors. About a dozen people who threw stones were reportedly detained by police.

There have been no reports about the protests in Chinese media, indicating censors likely ordered publications to suppress information about them.

China has 32 reactors in operation, 22 under construction and more planned, making it the most active builder of nuclear power plants

The government has spent heavily to build up its ability to produce fuel and process waste and the state-owned China National Nuclear Corp. has been seeking to build a nuclear fuel reprocessing center with French partner Areva starting in 2020. State media say a unit of CNNC and its French partner have looked at more than 10 potential locations for the reprocessing center and did preliminary research last year on Lianyungang.

In 2013, similar plans to build a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility in the southern city of Heshan, near Hong Kong, were scrapped following protests by residents over possible risks.
Bangladesh sentences ex-MP to death for war crimes in 1971

NEW DELHI (AP)  A special tribunal for war crimes during Bangladesh's independence war against Pakistan in 1971 sentenced a former lawmaker to death and seven others to life in prison on Wednesday on charges of murder and other crimes.

The tribunal sentenced Sakhawat Hossain, a former member of Parliament with the Jamaat-e-Islami party, to death. He and one other defendant were present in the court, while the six others were tried in absentia.

They must remain in prison until their deaths, a harsher punishment than life in prison, which spans 30 years in Bangladesh.

Hossain was a central committee member of Islami Chhatra Sangha, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami at the time, and was accused of being a local commander of a group that aided Pakistani soldiers. He left Jamaat-e-Islami and joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. In recent years he has been involved with the Jatiya Party headed by former military dictator H.M. Ershad.

His lawyers said they will appeal.

Bangladesh says Pakistani soldiers, aided by local collaborators, killed 3 million people and raped 200,000 women during the war.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina initiated the prosecution of suspected war criminals in 2010 by forming the tribunal. More than 20 people have already been convicted, and five men, mostly top leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, have been executed.
New report will fuel debate over closing Guantanamo prison

WASHINGTON (AP)  A new report on Guantanamo detainees tells the stories of former al-Qaida bomb makers and bodyguards as well as low-level militant cooks and medics who have been transferred or cleared for release  despite fears they are at risk of returning to battle.

Many of the detainees have been held without charge for more than 14 years at the military prison President Barack Obama wants to close.

The Pentagon gave the unclassified report to Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., who has been pushing the Obama administration for years to be more transparent about who is being transferred out of the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She shared it with The Associated Press and posted it online Wednesday.

F

"By clearly detailing some of the disturbing terrorist activities and affiliations of detainees at Guantanamo, the report demonstrates why these terrorists should not be released  they pose a serious risk to our national security," Ayotte said in an email response to questions.

The remaining detainees "will no doubt" return to the fight once released, she said, noting that the Defense Department told her that 93 percent of the detainees still at Guantanamo as of late last year were high risk for re-engagement in terrorism.

The report tells the story of detainees like Karim Bostan, who once ran a flower shop and later was accused of running an al-Qaida-affiliated explosives cell believed to have targeted U.S.-led coalition forces in eastern Afghanistan. He's been at Guantanamo for more than 13 years, but has been cleared for transfer to a country willing to accept him.

It also, however, tells the story of Muhammad Said Salim Bin Salman, a Yemeni who traveled to Afghanistan to train at an al-Qaida camp. He says he became a cook and never fought because he suffers from back pain. Deemed a medium intelligence risk, he was cleared for release and transferred to Oman in January following 14 years of detention.

David Remes, a human rights lawyer who represents several detainees, says dangerous men are not being released.

"Holding the men at all was a deep injustice and a lasting stain on the U.S. These men shouldn't have been in Guantanamo in the first place," Remes said. "It's one thing to prosecute detainees for attacks on the U.S. ... It is quite another thing  and contrary to the values the U.S. says it is committed to  to hold men for many years, who are accused of no crime."

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence reports that 5 percent of Guantanamo prisoners released since Obama took office have re-engaged in militant activities and another 8 percent are suspected of doing so. That compares with 21 percent confirmed and 14 percent suspected during the Bush administration.

Opened in January 2002, the prison once held about 770 detainees. Bush transferred more than 500 and, so far, Obama has transferred 162 detainees to other countries.

The report given to Ayotte covers 107 detainees who were at the prison as of Nov. 25, 2015, the day Obama signed the 2016 defense policy bill, which required the administration to provide more information to Congress about the detainees. The population has been whittled to 76 today.

Republican lawmakers accuse Obama of rushing to downgrade detainees' threat status to clear them for transfer so he can make good on his campaign pledge to close the prison before he leaves office in January. Myles Caggins III, a spokesman for the National Security Council at the White House, declined to predict whether Obama will achieve his goal, but said the U.S. continues to work with countries willing to receive the 34 detainees  nearly half the remaining prison population  who have been cleared for transfer.

The GOP-led Congress has tried to slow or stop detainees from being transferred out and has banned any from being moved to U.S. prisons. The dispute between the White House and Republicans in Congress got especially heated this spring when Paul Lewis, the Pentagon's special envoy for closing Guantanamo, told a congressional committee that Americans have been killed by detainees released from Guantanamo. Lewis did not say how many or offer any other details.

Amid the debate, Ayotte has been working for months to get the Pentagon to provide Congress more information. The Pentagon had until Jan. 24 to send a report to Congress. Defense officials missed that deadline and, in response, Ayotte on March 16 blocked a nomination vote on the Defense Department's pick for general counsel.

The Pentagon submitted a report to congressional defense committees on April 8, but Ayotte wasn't satisfied, saying that much of the substantive information about the detainees ended up in a classified annex that could not be shared with the public. She only released her hold on the nominee when this separate, unclassified report was delivered to her office on June 13.
Car hits protester in Ferguson, shots ring out

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP)  Gunshots rang out but hit no one after a car struck a protester during a peaceful demonstration in Ferguson, Missouri, on the second anniversary of Michael Brown's death.

Witnesses told The Associated Press that a car drove into a group of protesters who were blocking a street during the demonstration Tuesday night to mark two years since the unarmed black 18-year-old's fatal shooting by a white police officer. They said the car struck a young man so hard that he flew into the air.

"A lady came down and hit a protester  knocked the shoes off his feet," said Sharon Cowan, who was at the scene. "Hit him, and he rolled and he bounced."

Protesters hide behind cars after shots were fired Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Ferguson, Mo., during a demonstration on the second anniversary of Michael Brown's death. Witnesses told an Associated Press reporter that a car sped through a group of protesters who were blocking a street during the demonstration marking two years since the unarmed black 18-year-old's fatal shooting by a white police officer. They said the car struck a young man so hard that he flew into the air. As the car drove away, shots were fired, they said. (Robert Cohen/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)

Ferguson police said in a statement that several people chased the car and opened fire, striking the vehicle numerous times but not the driver. A second nearby car was also hit by gunfire. Police are asking for the public's help to identify the shooting suspects.

Graphic video provided to AP by Heather De Mian, who was at the scene and frequently livestreams protests in the St. Louis area, showed a man hit by a car and thrown several feet as bystanders shriek.

The man seemed badly injured and was put into a private car to be taken to a hospital, Cowan said.

Shots can be heard on the video less than a minute after the collision.

Spokesman Jeff Small told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch police don't believe the driver intentionally struck the protester.

"By all accounts, her version of what happened seems to fit the version of what happened to a person driving down a busy West Florissant Avenue and not seeing a person standing there," Small said.

By around 10 p.m., the protesters had disbanded. No arrests were made.

Earlier in the day, a few hundred people gathered for a memorial service and moment of silence along Canfield Drive at the spot where Brown was fatally shot by officer Darren Wilson after a confrontation on Aug. 9, 2014.

A state grand jury declined to press charges against Wilson, and the U.S. Justice Department later cleared him, concluding that he had acted in self-defense. He resigned in November 2014.

Brown's death led to months of sometimes-violent protests in Ferguson. It was also was a catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement, which rebukes police treatment of minorities and has grown following several other killings of black men and boys by police, such as Tamir Rice in Cleveland and Philando Castile in Minnesota.

The 2014 shooting also led to a Justice Department investigation that found patterns of racial bias in Ferguson's police and municipal court system. The federal agency and the city agreed this year to make sweeping changes.

Brown's father, also named Michael Brown, said in a brief speech during the memorial service that the anniversary was a sad day for him and his family, and for the world, too.

"My son built families up, opened the eyes of the world and let them know this ain't right," he said. "This color is not a disease. This color is beautiful. Black is beautiful."

Sharon Cowan chants as she marches Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Ferguson, Mo., on the second anniversary of the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old who was shoot by a white police officer. (J.B. Forbes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)

Sharon Cowan chants as she marches on the way to a candle light vigil on the spot where Mike Brown was killed on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Ferguson, Mo. The demonstration marked two years since the unarmed black 18-year-old's fatal shooting by a white police officer. (J.B. Forbes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)

Michael Brown, Sr., center, watches as white doves fly away after 4.5 minutes of silence during a memorial ceremony for Brown's son Michael Brown on Canfield Drive in Ferguson, Mo., Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. August 9 marks the second anniversary of Brown's fatal shooting by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. Brown's death sparked local protests that spread around the world and breathed live into the Black Lives Matter movement. A St. Louis County grand jury and an investigation by the Department of Justice found that Wilson was justified in shooting Michael Brown. (David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)

The grave of Michael Brown in St. Peters Cemetery in Normandy as seen on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. August 9th marks the second anniversary of Brown's fatal shooting by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. Brown's death sparked local protests that spread around the world and breathed live into the Black Lives Matter movement. A St. Louis County grand jury and an investigation by the Department of Justice found that Wilson was justified in shooting Michael Brown. Many in the community are still not satisfied that justice was served. (David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)

Cal Brown, left, and her husband Michael Brown, Sr. get emotional during a memorial ceremony for Brown's son Michael Brown on Canfield Drive in Ferguson, Mo., Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. August 9 marks the two year anniversary of Brown's fatal shooting by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. Brown's death sparked local protests that spread around the world and breathed live into the Black Lives Matter movement. A St. Louis County grand jury and an investigation by the Department of Justice found that Wilson was justified in shooting Michael Brown.(David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)

The grave of Michael Brown in St. Peters Cemetery in Normandy as seen on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. August 9th marks the second anniversary of Brown's fatal shooting by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. Brown's death sparked local protests that spread around the world and breathed live into the Black Lives Matter movement. A St. Louis County grand jury and an investigation by the Department of Justice found that Wilson was justified in shooting Michael Brown. Many in the community are still not satisfied that justice was served. (David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)
WHY IT MATTERS: Voting rights

WASHINGTON (AP)  THE ISSUE:

Who should be able to vote and how easy should it be? It's a question that goes to the core of democracy.

Voting rights are in flux in the final months of Barack Obama's two terms as the first black president. Citing a need to combat fraud, Republican-controlled legislatures are tightening voter laws by limiting early voting and same-day registration, by requiring IDs at polling places, and more. In 2013, declaring "our country has changed," the Supreme Court invalidated a key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which required mostly Southern states with a history of discrimination to get advance federal approval to change election laws. The court decision made it easier for states to impose new restrictions.

FILE - In this Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012 file photo, people pass the signs telling of the requirement for voters to show an acceptable photo ID to vote as they head into the the Penndot Drivers License Center in Butler, Pa. Who gets to vote, and how easily, matters because it can determine who wins elections. The issue is particularly salient for black Americans, who for much of U.S. history were disenfranchised and then effectively barred from voting until passage of the 1965 law. It's also become more partisan with the rapid growth of minorities such as Latino and Asian immigrants, who tilt Democratic. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)

This year, 17 states were set to have restrictions involving voter ID or other requirements for the first time in a presidential election. Among them: the battlegrounds of North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, Wisconsin, Arizona and Georgia.

The Obama Justice Department has challenged voter ID and other laws, saying they could restrict access for minorities and young people. In recent weeks, lower courts temporarily staved off some of the toughest requirements in North Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin after judges found no evidence of rampant voter fraud.

With the November election looming, litigation remains knotted up with Supreme Court appeals likely. Bills in the GOP-led Congress to restore the voting act are stalled.

___

WHERE THEY STAND:

Without offering specifics, Republican Donald Trump has emphasized the dangers of voter fraud, calling America's electoral system "out of control" with people who are "voting many, many times." He has said  without evidence  that dead voters helped elect Obama. Trump opposes same-day voter registration, saying it could allow people to "sneak in through the cracks."

Democrat Hillary Clinton is urging Congress to restore the Voting Rights Act. She seeks a national standard of at least 20 days of early in-person voting and urges automatic voter registration for eligible 18-year-olds. Clinton backs voting rights for ex-felons. Her campaign has joined lawsuits to stop policies that may burden minorities, including in Arizona, where voters had to wait hours in March after cuts in polling locations.

___

WHY IT MATTERS:

Who gets to vote, and how easily, matters because it can determine who wins elections.

The issue is particularly salient for black Americans, who for much of U.S. history were disenfranchised and then effectively barred from voting until passage of the 1965 law. It's also become more partisan with the rapid growth of minorities such as Latino and Asian immigrants, who tilt Democratic.

In 2008, Obama was elected with the help of a record black turnout rate that rose even higher in 2012, surpassing the white turnout rate.

That was noted by Chief Justice John Roberts, who led the 5-4 ruling that the Voting Rights Act was outdated. In dissent, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg argued the law is needed to stop new forms of discrimination  redrawing districts to reduce Hispanic voting, for instance, or restricting early voting near a historically black university.

It's unclear how much voting restrictions may suppress turnout. The Government Accountability Office in 2014 found voter ID laws could reduce voting by 2 to 3 percent, particularly among young people, blacks and newly registered voters. That can tip a race in close contests. Still, voter enthusiasm for a candidate and mobilization can offset that.

GOP legislatures cite voter fraud, including those who impersonate dead people on voter registration lists. Studies found the number of actual cases was minuscule.

States and the lower courts largely shape who can vote. But the next president will set the tone on federal oversight  through legislation in Congress, the prosecutorial stance of the Justice Department and nominations to the Supreme Court, which is certain to revisit Voting Rights Act powers.

If minorities continue to back mostly Democrats, the issue could decide which party gets the upper hand in elections.

___

Video producer Matthew Burgoyne contributed to this report.

___

This story is part of AP's "Why It Matters" series, which will examine three dozen issues at stake in the presidential election between now and Election Day. You can find them at: http://apnews.com/tag/WhyItMatters

___
Cupping and coining: I did it long before Phelps

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP)  I sported those purple round welts on my body long before Michael Phelps was born. OK, so Phelps made the world aware of cupping by showing his marked muscular shoulders before diving into the pool at the Rio games.

But cupping, and a similar treatment known as coining, has been practiced in East Asia for centuries. I grew up with them. My mother made sure of that.

Phelps, the 31-year-old U.S. swimming star, was seen with purple circles dotting his shoulder and back before his first race at the Olympics. The circles were caused by the ancient Chinese treatment, in which he is a great believer.

A Cambodian cupping practitioner prepares the glass cups for treating her costumer at a traditional medicine cupping clinic in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. U.S. olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps made the world aware of cupping by showing his marked muscular shoulders before diving into the pool at the Rio games recently, but cupping, and a similar treatment known as coining, have been practiced in East Asia for centuries. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

It involves pressing glass or plastic cups to the area of discomfort and either applying heat or suction to create a vacuum. The suction causes the large hickey-like marks.

Another similar treatment is coining. The principle is the same: press a large metal disc with an attached handle on the area of discomfort. While cupping is virtually unknown in the rest of the world  and dismissed by doctors educated in Western medicine as hocus pocus  it is commonplace in China, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar as a cure for ailments as varied as fever, tuberculosis, rheumatism and muscular pain.

___

Associated Press reporter Sopheng Cheang, who grew up in Cambodia, narrates his lifelong experience with coining and cupping.

___

I remember, some 40 years ago (I am 46), when I fell sick, my mother always did coining on me. She would rub coconut oil on my skin and then push the coin all over, leaving rows of welts. It scared me. I would cry and sometimes run away. But my mother would say: "Be patient! It will take only a few minutes to complete and it will hurt just a little bit, like an ant bite."

So I would let her, and it usually helped.

In my generation, most people did coining when they had fever including my relatives, siblings and neighbor. Cupping became popular later.

Now when I have a fever, flu, headache or other problems I go to a neighborhood "cupping spa" and get both done. Not that I don't trust medicines. But I also believe in cupping and coining. Got it done just last month for my fever, which wasn't coming down with medicines and injections. One session of cupping and the fever was gone.

The procedure was done in a well-illuminated room with one small bed and a wall fan. I took off my shirt and lay down on my stomach so the practitioner could work on my back, first by rubbing oil and then using the coin. After 15 minutes or so, she told me to turn over and so she could work on my chest. The same procedure was followed with cups as I dozed off.

But there's a rule to coining and cupping  no alcohol or bath for three hours before and five hours after the treatment.

It is popular in the countryside because it is cheap and most Cambodians are poor, and not every village has hospitals or clinics. Ironic, since health spas in the U.S. charge a few hundred dollars for the service. Here we pay the equivalent of $3 for an hour-long session.

Even Prime Minister Hun Sen has touted the benefits of coining and cupping. He has told journalists that his wife Bun Rany does it on him when he is sick.

In ancient times, cupping was used to get rid of blood and pus when treating skin abscess, but it has been expanded to treat tuberculosis and rheumatism. Because cupping was widely used in Chinese folklore culture, the technique was inherited by modern Chinese practitioners. It is established as an official therapeutic practice in hospitals all over China.

The U.S. National Institutes of Health says on its website that cupping "is considered generally safe for healthy people when performed by a trained health professional." While saying the placebo effect may account for some claimed health benefits, it also cites recent research that found it may be an effective short-term treatment for chronic neck and lower-back pain.

I ran into Sok Pheakdkey, a 39-year-old driver at a local construction company, at a cupping clinic where he had undergone treatment for fever.

"Now I feel I am fully recovered. Do you see the sweat coming from my head and back? That means the fever is gone," he said. He said the medicines he bought from a pharmacy brought his fever down, but only for a while.

"I don't mean to say that I don't trust medicines. But in my experience the best way to treat these illnesses is coining and cupping. My body seems to be addicted to this type of treatment even though it hurts," he said.

The Cambodian Health Ministry does not advocate cupping, and warns that it could be a health risk.

Health Ministry spokesman Ly Sovann told me that the practice is not known to cure any illnesses, and in fact can be dangerous for people with high blood pressure or heart problems. Still, the practice is not banned in the country because it is almost a way of life for Cambodians, he said.

"My advice is that Cambodia people should start changing their habit. They should consult physicians or doctors first if their illness is something related to high blood pressure and heart attack. Then after they talk with the doctor, of course they can do coining or cupping if they prefer," he said.

In this July 27, 2016, photo, Associated Press reporter Sopheng Cheang displays marks on his back created during the ancient treatment known as "cupping" and "coining" in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. U.S. olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps made the world aware of cupping by showing his marked muscular shoulders before diving into the pool at the Rio games recently, but cupping, and a similar treatment known as coining, have been practiced in East Asia for centuries. (AP Photo/Nhem Saban)

In this July 27, 2016, photo, Associated Press reporter Sopheng Cheang displays marks on his chest created during the ancient treatment known as "cupping" and "coining" in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. U.S. olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps made the world aware of cupping by showing his marked muscular shoulders before diving into the pool at the Rio games recently, but cupping, and a similar treatment known as coining, have been practiced in East Asia for centuries. (AP Photo/Nhem Saban)

FILE - In this Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, photo "cupping" marks are seen on the shoulders of United States' Michael Phelps as he celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's 200-meter butterfly during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. U.S. olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps made the world aware of cupping by showing his marked muscular shoulders before diving into the pool at the Rio games recently, but cupping, and a similar treatment known as coining, have been practiced in East Asia for centuries. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

A Cambodian man receives the glass cups as a traditional medicine treatment at a cupping clinic, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Glass cups and scraping tools used in the ancient treatment known as "cupping" and "coining" are displayed in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. U.S. olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps made the world aware of cupping by showing his marked muscular shoulders before diving into the pool at the Rio games recently, but cupping, and a similar treatment known as coining, have been practiced in East Asia for centuries. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

A Cambodian cupping practitioner prepares the glass cups for treating her costumer at a traditional medicine cupping clinic in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. U.S. olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps made the world aware of cupping by showing his marked muscular shoulders before diving into the pool at the Rio games recently, but cupping, and a similar treatment known as coining, have been practiced in East Asia for centuries. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Glass cups and scraping tools used in the ancient treatment known as "cupping" and "coining" are displayed in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. U.S. olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps made the world aware of cupping by showing his marked muscular shoulders before diving into the pool at the Rio games recently, but cupping, and a similar treatment known as coining, have been practiced in East Asia for centuries. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Australia recognizes 10 soldiers' courage in Vietnam War

CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  A retired Australian army officer on Wednesday won a 50-year struggle to gain official recognition for the bravery of 10 soldiers who fought under his command during Australia's most costly battle of the Vietnam War.

Harry Smith, 83, was presented at Parliament House with a recommendation by a review tribunal for nine soldiers to be decorated for the first time and a 10th soldier to have his medal upgraded for courage shown during the Battle of Long Tan in a Vietnamese rubber plantation on Aug. 18, 1966.

Smith, a retired lieutenant colonel, led a company of 105 Australian soldiers plus three New Zealanders supported by artillery that won a rain-drenched, three-hour battle against more than 2,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops, the Australian government said. Eighteen Australians were killed and 24 wounded, while the Vietnamese were estimated to have lost hundreds of troops.

Within hours of the battle ending, Smith said he recommended to his commanding officer that 20 soldiers under his command be decorated.

Initially, only eight battle veterans were honored, including Smith. He was awarded the Star of Gallantry, the highest honor after the Victoria Cross.

He has since campaigned relentlessly to have others recognized. Wednesday's verdict of the Defense Honors and Awards Appeal Tribunal  an independent court established five years ago to investigate such cases  brings the number to 16, Smith said. The government accepted the recommendation.

Smith said he was happy with the decision despite the tribunal dismissing his application for another soldier to be awarded his first decoration and another two decorated soldiers to have their honors upgraded.

"Justice has been done," Smith said. "I learnt from my years in the army that you have to keep on fighting and you eventually win."

Three of the 10 veterans to receive new honors have died since the war.
Sailboat with 67 migrants found by Greece's Cyclades islands

ATHENS, Greece (AP)  Greece's coast guard picked up 67 migrants found hiding in a sailboat crossing the Aegean Sea, authorities said Wednesday, at a point further west than that usually preferred by those crossing from the nearby Turkish coast.

The 60 men, five women and two children were picked up eight nautical miles (14 kilometers; nine miles) northeast of the island of Amorgos, which is in the Cyclades. The coast guard transported them to the small Aegean island of Leros, where a migrant processing center has been set up.

Greece last year was the main entry point into the European Union for hundreds of thousands of people hoping for better lives in the more prosperous central and northern European countries. In an effort to stem the flow, the EU reached an agreement with Turkey in March under which those arriving after March 20 are detained on the islands and can face being returned to Turkey unless they successfully apply for asylum in Greece.
Ferris wheel company had troubled history before fair spill

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  The organizers of the eastern Tennessee fair where three girls fell from a Ferris wheel kept their ride operator despite an incident across the state line that injured five and caused the owners' son to be jailed.

Private inspectors believe a mechanical failure likely caused the gondola to flip over Monday, sending three girls plummeting 30 to 45 feet to the ground.

A 6-year-old girl, Briley Rae Reynolds, suffered a traumatic brain injury in the fall and her 10-year-old sister, Kayla, broke her arm.

Law enforcement cordon off the area surrounding the Ferris wheel Monday, Aug. 8, 2016, after three people fell from the ride during a county fair in Greenville, Tenn. Baileyton police Officer Kenneth Bitner is visible at right. Police say one of three people who fell from the Ferris wheel suffered a head injury and remains hospitalized in serious condition. (O.J. Early/The Greeneville Sun via AP)

Their mother, Kimmee Reynolds, posted a statement Wednesday on Facebook that said both girls remained hospitalized. She wrote that though Briley cannot breathe on her own, she has seemed to respond to relatives' voices and the family, taking it "one minute at a time," remains hopeful.

"Now it's a waiting game," she wrote. "They want to give her more time, and as much as I want her alert and dancing and being feisty, I want her to rest and feel better."

Reynolds confirmed the information posted on Facebook to The Associated Press.

She wrote that Kayla is able to play and paint despite a heavy cast on her arm and fear for her sister. She called her "my optimistic little sunshine."

A third girl injured has not been identified. The Greeneville Sun reported that the 16-year-old was admitted to the hospital in critical condition but has improved to stable condition.

Several inspectors  one hired by the ride's operator and another by the Green County Fair Board  are meanwhile at the fairgrounds trying to determine how the Ferris wheel malfunctioned, Greeneville Police Detective Capt. Tim Davis said.

Two federal investigators with the Consumer Product Safety Commission are also on scene, confirmed Patty Davis, the agency's press secretary.

"We all want to know why this terrible accident happened," she said, "and what we can do to prevent it from happening again."

The ride was operated by a Georgia-based company called Family Attractions Amusement, which was involved in another high-profile carnival accident three years ago.

At the North Carolina State Fair in October 2013, five people were injured when an Italian-made ride called the Vortex unexpectedly restarted as they were trying to get off the ride, flinging them through the air and down to the steel deck below. Instigators determined that a safety mechanism had been disabled by ride operators.

Attorneys for Family Attraction Amusement owners Dominic and Ruby Macaroni tried to claim that company did not own the ride operated by their son, Joshua. But North Carolina regulators determined that the ride was insured by Family Attractions Amusement, its workers were also employed by the company and the business was listed as the owner at other fairs across the country.

The company did not return a message left on the voicemail of the phone number listed on its last inspection report.

Joshua Macaroni and ride operator Timothy Tutterrow were each charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. Tutterrow pleaded guilty and agreed to testify at trial that Macaroni had tampered with the ride's circuit panel to bypass safety switches.

Macaroni earlier this year entered an Alford plea  a concession that there is sufficient evidence for a conviction without admitting guilt  on a felony charge of obstruction of justice. Macaroni was sentenced in February to five to 15 months in prison, though the judge suspended that to a month in jail. He was also ordered pay a $22,500 fine.

The Greeneville Sun has reported that Greene County Fair Board officials decided to go through with a five-year contract with a Family Attractions despite the North Carolina incident, citing the company's previous safety record in Tennessee and the owners' claims that they were not involved with the Vortex ride.

"They seem to be very honest in their dealings with the fair and the people who work with them here, locally," Holt told the newspaper last year. "We expect for them to be here and put on a good carnival act for the week of our fair."

Their rides were not inspected when they arrived in Tennessee.

State authorities decided to stop doing inspections on rides altogether after a 2014 audit found that mistakes in record-keeping and a lack of inspectors created "serious concerns about whether the unit is able to ensure that all amusement devices in the state are appropriately permitted and inspected both annually and following accidents and fatalities."

The state relies instead on private inspectors hired by ride operators as well as inspections in other states to determine if roller coasters, zip lines and Ferris wheels are safe. But there is no state requirement for an inspection to confirm that traveling equipment has been properly reassembled before children climb on board.

Family Attractions received its permit to operate the Ferris wheel in Tennessee for the next three months based on a June inspection in Indiana, according to state Department of Labor and Workforce Development spokeswoman Jennifer Farrar. Because of this accident, the operators will have to have a new third-party inspection conducted before the ride can qualify for a new annual permit in Tennessee, Farrar said.

The Greene County incident was the eighth injury incident reported to Tennessee authorities on amusement rides this summer. In 2015, amusement rides accounted for more than 30,000 trips to emergency rooms across the country, Davis said. That number includes waterparks, zip lines and other attractions.

Police and investigators could not estimate Wednesday how long it might take to determine what caused the Ferris wheel to drop the girls.

Kimmee Reynolds said she would like some answers.

"I know some things need to change," she wrote. "I know that we have a long road ahead of us."

___

Galofaro reported from Louisville, Kentucky.

Members of the Greeneville Fire Department help people off the ferris wheel at the Greene County Fair in Greeneville, Tenn., Monday, Aug. 8, 2016. A few people who fell 30 to 45 feet from a Ferris wheel in Tennessee were responsive and answering questions Monday night, police said. (O.J. Early/The Greeneville Sun via AP)

Emergency crews unload the ferris wheel at the Greene County Fair in Greeneville, Tenn., Monday, Aug. 8, 2016. A few people who fell 30 to 45 feet from a Ferris wheel in Tennessee were responsive and answering questions Monday night, police said. (Dale Long/The Greeneville Sun via AP)
The Latest: Hungary plans to beef up border with more police

ATHENS, Greece (AP)  The Latest on the flow of migrants into Europe (all times local):

7:35 p.m.

Hungary says it plans to recruit 3,000 new police officers to deal with "pressure" on its southern borders from migrants trying to reach Western Europe.

State Secretary for Government Communications Bence Tuzson said Wednesday the extra officers all will be added to the "border hunter" units patrolling the razor-wire fences Hungary built last year on the borders with Serbia and Croatia.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said Hungary does not want any migrants and described them recently them as "poison" for the country. New rules allow officers to take migrants detained within eight kilometers (five miles) of the border back to the Serbian side of the fence.

A government-sponsored referendum seeking political support for the rejection of any future European Union plan to resettle migrants among EU countries will be held Oct. 2.

___

6:15 p.m.

A court is deciding whether the French state can shut down scores of restaurants and shops in a makeshift migrant camp in the northern port city of Calais that humanitarian groups say are a lifeline.

The case was heard on Wednesday in Lille and a ruling expected on Friday, according to a legal expert for migrants, Camille Six. Migrant associations consider the 72 shops and restaurants targeted vital, saying free meals offered by a state-backed association and humanitarian groups don't provide enough food for the population they estimate at more than 7,000.

The regional government maintains the businesses constitute a parallel economy and carry sanitation and fire risks.

It insists the closures would not be a first step toward dismantling the camp, half of which was razed in March.

___

5:35 p.m.

Cyprus' justice ministry says it is stepping up policing of the island's remote northwestern coast following the recent arrival of two boatloads of Syrian migrants from neighboring Turkey.

In a statement Wednesday, Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou instructed authorities to station a police patrol boat to keep watch over the remote coastline between the Polis Chrysochous and Pyrgos villages.

He said increased patrols will target people-smugglers and aim to protect arriving migrants.

The move comes a day after 14 men and one woman  all Syrians  were found in the area after arriving by boat from Mersin, Turkey.

Cyprus Civil Defense spokeswoman Olivia Michaelidou said all 15 will stay with relatives living in Cyprus until their applications for asylum are processed.

Cyprus is at its closest 64 kilometers (40 miles) from Turkey.

___

3:20 p.m.

Danish police say they have arrested a 22-year-old Iranian man who allegedly climbed onto the roof of a central Denmark asylum center and threatened to blow himself up.

Wednesday's incident led to the evacuation of the center in Nyborg, a city 120 kilometers (74 miles) west of Copenhagen. The shelter has a capacity of 500 people and mainly houses families.

Police say the man has been living in another asylum center, but didn't explain why he was in Nyborg. He was not immediately identified or charged following his arrest. Police say unspecified "heartaches" led him to make the threat.

___

11:25 a.m.

A Cyprus civil defense spokeswoman says 15 migrants who arrived at Cyprus' northern coast from Turkey aboard a small boat have applied for asylum.

Olivia Michaelidou told the Associated Press Wednesday the 14 men and one woman will stay with relatives living in Cyprus until their asylum applications are processed.

Police said all 15 are Syrians who were located near the village of Mansoura after authorities were notified of their arrival late Tuesday.

Michaelidou said the migrants are in good health and were given food and footwear once they were taken to area police stations.

Cyprus' northern coast is at its closest around 40 miles (66 kilometers) from Turkey's southern coastline.

___

10:20 a.m.

Greek authorities say the country's coast guard has picked up 67 migrants found hiding in a sailboat sailing across the Aegean Sea.

The 60 men, five women and two children were picked up 8 nautical miles northeast of the Cycladic island of Amorgos.

Amorgos is closer to the Greek mainland than the eastern Aegean islands that are usually the target of those heading to Greece from the Turkish coast in an effort to reach the European Union.

The coast guard transported the new arrivals east to a migrant processing centre on the island of Leros.
LINCOLN  Nebraska will get to sell more than $405 million worth of corn, soybeans, wheat and other commodities to Taiwanese businesses under an agreement announced Wednesday.

Gov. Pete Ricketts said the state's agriculture director will travel to Taiwan next week to finalize the deal. He praised Taiwan as an important trading partner and said the agreement will benefit Nebraska's farmers and ranchers.

"Our goal is to grow Nebraska, and one of the ways we can do that is by opening up markets overseas," Ricketts said at a press conference to announce the agreement.

Department of Agriculture Director Greg Ibach said Nebraska has signed similar deals in the past, but the newest one includes the purchase of beef and pork products. Taiwanese industry groups have also agreed to buy 77,000 tons of distillers grains.

Nebraska exports about $7.2 billion in agricultural products annually. Taiwan is the United States' ninth-largest trading partner.

The agreement will strengthen an already close relationship between Nebraska and Taiwan, said Jerry Chang, the Denver-based director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office. Chang said Wednesday marked the 33rd anniversary of Taiwan's "sister state" partnership with Nebraska.

Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation President Steve Nelson said the deal will help agricultural producers whose profit margins have tightened because of low commodity prices.

"We very much see the importance of efforts like this," Nelson said.

Ibach will travel with representatives from farm groups, including the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation, Nebraska Wheat Board and Nebraska Beef Council, and a state trade official. The trip begins Sunday and ends Aug. 19.

Ricketts said he was open to a possible trade mission to Taiwan in future years. The governor has traveled through Asia and Europe in recent years to build trading relationships and promote Nebraska products.
Another day of heavy rains in US after Tropical Storm Javier

PHOENIX (AP)  The Southwest will see another round of storms on Wednesday as rains associated with former Tropical Storm Javier in Mexico head north.

Heavy rain is expected for a second day in Tucson. The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch until Thursday.

The storm on Tuesday made streets look like rivers. Water swallowed vehicles, including that of a local leader who was rescued through the back window of her county-issued car after it became wedged against a bridge underwater. The Tucson Fire Department says it performed eight water rescues and helped about 45 stranded motorists during a two-hour period of intense rain on Tuesday.

Several young women get drenched as they race through the rain at the University of Arizona Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Tucson, Ariz. Heavy rain associated with Tropical Storm Javier in Mexico fell over the American Southwest. (A.E. Araiza/Arizona Daily Star via AP)

Captain Barrett Baker says there were 75 calls for help for water-related incidents.

The storm caused heavy flooding and closed several streets. Tucson's street car, which travels around downtown and the university area, was out of service all morning because of floods. There weren't any reported injuries as a result of the floods.

In Phoenix, a dust storm engulfed parts of the metro area while the eastern suburbs got a brunt of the rain, accumulating at least 1  inches by midday.

Heavy rain associated with Tropical Storm Javier in Mexico was expected to hit much of the American Southwest and bring the possibility of more flash floods. Forecasters say the new storms may remain through Thursday and could affect Arizona, New Mexico and the southern parts of Utah and Colorado.

Phoenix also could see flash flooding just days after the state saw damaging severe weather, the National Weather Service said.

Meteorologist Geral Estupinan said rain would hit the area off and on all day, but that the storm was headed north. He said the storms affecting the area are associated with Tropical Storm Javier but not directly related.

New Mexico was mostly spared from heavy rains but the western part of the state was expected to be hit on Wednesday.

Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye signed an emergency declaration in response to last week's flash flooding that damaged homes, washed out roadways and killed livestock last week in Shiprock and Chinle. The Navajo Nation encompasses parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

Mexican authorities evacuated people from low-lying areas around the resort city of Cabo San Lucas as Tropical Storm Javier blew past the tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula before weakening to a tropical depression Tuesday.

Tucson firefighters with Ladder 9 attend to a stranded motorist as heavy rains flood the intersection of North Country Club Road and East Seneca Street, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Tucson, Ariz. Heavy rain associated with Tropical Storm Javier in Mexico fell over the American Southwest. (Mike Christy/Arizona Daily Star via AP)

A Tucson Police vehicle drives by a partially submerged car that tried to cross a wash near Fort Lowell and Oracle as heavy rains flooded the area Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Tucson, Ariz. Heavy rain associated with Tropical Storm Javier in Mexico fell over the American Southwest. (A.E. Araiza/Arizona Daily Star via AP)
Progress made in fire threatening California mountain homes

LAKE ARROWHEAD, Calif. (AP)  Significant progress was made against a forest fire threatening homes in California's San Bernardino Mountains, while up the coast firefighters sought to prevent a 107-square-mile blaze near Big Sur from encroaching on Highway 1, authorities said Wednesday.

The blaze in the mountains about 60 miles east of Los Angeles grew slightly to more than 12 square miles and containment jumped from 6 percent to 64 percent in 24 hours, the fire command said.

Terrain, heat and wind continued to hinder firefighters' efforts, however.

A San Bernardino County firefighter is shrouded in dust and smoke as handcrew members and bulldozer cleared smoldering debris from a wildfire in Hesperia, Calif., Tuesday. Aug. 9, 2016. (James Quigg/The Daily Press via AP)

Mandatory and voluntary evacuations remained in place for some 5,300 homes between the Lake Arrowhead resort area and the high desert city of Hesperia to the north.

Three school districts in the area were closed due to poor air quality caused by smoke.

On the Central Coast, the huge fire near scenic Big Sur backed further downhill toward Highway 1, forcing a second round of overnight closures due to fire activity along the roadway.

The highway was reopened early Wednesday.

More than 4,800 firefighters are on the lines of the gigantic blaze, which was ignited July 22 by an illegal campfire and has destroyed 57 homes and 11 outbuildings while damaging three more homes.

A bulldozer operator was killed late last month in an accident while fighting the fire expected to be fully contained by Aug. 31.

Among other wildfires in the state, firefighters contained 10 percent of a nearly 8-square-mile blaze in rugged terrain about 8 miles west of the small town of Coalinga in Fresno County.

A 21-mile stretch of Highway 198 was closed in both directions to the Monterey County line.

The fire broke out Monday night and grew rapidly.

Flames from a wildfire rise up a ridge in Hesperia, Calif., Tuesday. Aug. 9, 2016. Mandatory and voluntary evacuations covered 5,300 homes in the Southern California fire area between mountain communities around Lake Arrowhead and the high desert city of Hesperia to the north, said Lyn Sieliet, a U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman. (James Quigg/The Daily Press via AP)

Summit Valley Resident Tom Flury watches San Bernardino County firefighters mop up the smoldering remains from a wildfire in Summit Valley, Calif., Tuesday. Aug. 9, 2016. (James Quigg/The Daily Press via AP)

A thank you sign posted in front of a resident's home in Deer Lodge Park, Calif. on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. A wildfire threatening homes in Southern California's rugged San Bernardino Mountains grew to nearly 11 square miles Tuesday while authorities reopened Highway 1 on the state's central coast after parts were closed due to the huge wildfire just north of Big Sur.(Rachel Luna/The Sun via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT

Helicopters collect water to battle the Pilot fire from Papoose Lake in Lake Arrowhead, Calif. on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. A wildfire threatening homes in Southern California's rugged San Bernardino Mountains grew to nearly 11 square miles Tuesday while authorities reopened Highway 1 on the state's central coast after parts were closed due to the huge wildfire just north of Big Sur. (Rachel Luna/The Sun via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Deputy fatally shoots man who barricaded himself in home

ANDERSON, S.C. (AP)  Authorities say a standoff in South Carolina turned deadly when a deputy shot a man who had barricaded himself inside his home.

Anderson County Deputy Coroner Don McCown tells news outlets that 44-year-old Jeffrey Allen Morris died at a hospital Tuesday.

Sheriff John Skipper says the incident began that afternoon when deputies tried to serve Morris a probation-violation warrant. It's unclear what that violation was.

He says Morris barricaded himself inside his home with a long rifle.

Skipper says deputies set off a flash-bang grenade to try to force Morris out. After that, Skipper says Morris raised his gun at a deputy who shot him.
Vesselina Kasarova cancels Austrian appearance after robbery

VIENNA (AP)  Opera star Vesselina Kasarova has been injured after two men tried to rob her and has canceled her appearances at an Austrian music festival.

A statement on the website of the festival in the alpine city of Innsbruck says the men tried to take Kasarova's purse. It says the Bulgarian mezzo-soprano has since returned to her home in Switzerland.

The statement from the Innsbruck Festival of Ancient Music gives no details on Kasarova's injuries but said her condition is "on the way to improvement." State broadcaster ORF said she was attacked late Tuesday.
4 months after Japan earthquake, final victim may be found

TOKYO (AP)  Nearly four months later, the final victim of two deadly earthquakes in southern Japan may have been found.

Searchers on Wednesday saw what appeared to be a body in the wreckage of a car buried beneath large boulders on a riverside, the Kumamoto prefecture government said. They weren't able to remove it and will try again Thursday.

Photos released by the Kumamoto government showed a yellow chunk of car so mangled it was unrecognizable, and police looking between boulders where it was wedged.

In this photo released by Kumamoto Prefecture Government, police officers and firefighters work to retrieve a wrecked car that may hold the final victim of two deadly earthquakes that hit southern Japan nearly four month ago from a riverbank in Minamiaso, Kumamoto, southern Japan, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Japanese media say the vehicle is buried in sand and rocks down river from a bridge that collapsed into a deep gully after the second earthquake. Hikaru Yamato, a 22-year-old student, was driving home when the magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck on April 16. (Kumamoto Prefecture Government via AP)

Kumamoto official Taishi Kajikawa said police have confirmed the wrecked car is a Toyota Aqua, the same model driven by a missing university student.

Hikaru Yamato, 22, was driving home in a yellow Aqua when the magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck in the early morning of April 16. The quake was the second powerful one to hit the area in two days. If Yamato is confirmed dead, it would bring the death toll from the two earthquakes to 50.

Kyodo News service said the wreckage is about 400 meters (a quarter mile) downstream from a bridge that collapsed into a deep gully after a huge landslide triggered by the earthquake poured onto it.

Kyodo quoted Yamato's father, Takuya, saying he regretted hearing a body was found, but he was also relieved. "I hope it's Hikaru," he said.

Police officers and firefighters work to retrieve a wrecked car that may hold the final victim of two deadly earthquakes that hit southern Japan nearly four month ago from a riverbank in Minamiaso, Kumamoto, southern Japan, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Japanese media say the vehicle is buried in sand and rocks down river from a bridge that collapsed into a deep gully after the second earthquake. Hikaru Yamato, a 22-year-old student, was driving home when the magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck on April 16. (Sadayuki Goto/Kyodo News via AP)

FILE - In this April 16, 2016 file photo, the Aso Ohashi Bridge is seen collapsed in Minamiaso, Kumamoto prefecture, southern Japan, following a powerful earthquake struck early in the day, barely 24 hours after a smaller quake hit the same region. Nearly four months later, the final victim of the two deadly earthquakes may have been found in the wreckage of a car buried beneath large boulders on a riverside. Hikaru Yamato, 22, was driving home in a yellow Aqua when the magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck in the early morning of April 16. Kyodo News service said Wednesday, Aug. 10, the wreckage is about 400 meters (a quarter mile) downstream from the bridge that collapsed into a deep gully after a huge landslide triggered by the earthquake poured onto it. (Muneyuki Tomari/Kyodo News via AP, File)

FILE - In this April 17, 2016 file photo, the Aso Ohashi Bridge is seen collapsed in Minamiaso, Kumamoto prefecture, southern Japan, following a powerful earthquake struck early April 16, barely 24 hours after a smaller quake hit the same region. Nearly four months later, the final victim of the two deadly earthquakes may have been found in the wreckage of a car buried beneath large boulders on a riverside. Hikaru Yamato, 22, was driving home in a yellow Aqua when the magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck in the early morning of April 16. Kyodo News service said Wednesday, Aug. 10, the wreckage is about 400 meters (a quarter mile) downstream from the bridge that collapsed into a deep gully after a huge landslide triggered by the earthquake poured onto it. (Koji Harada/Kyodo News via AP, File)
Delta struggles through third day of computer problems

NEW YORK (AP)  Delta fliers faced delays, cancellations and more headaches Wednesday as the Atlanta-based airline struggled with its computer systems for the third straight day.

More than 300 flights were canceled by the afternoon, in addition to the 800 scrapped Tuesday and 1,000 canceled Monday. Hundreds of other flights were delayed Wednesday.

Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian once again apologized for the meltdown.

FILE - In this Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016 file photo, Delta passengers stand in line as the carrier slogged through day two of its recovery from a global computer outage at Salt Lake City International Airport, in Salt Lake City. Delta fliers faced delays, cancelations and more headaches Wednesday as the Atlanta-based airline struggled with its computer systems for the third straight day. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

He told The Associated Press that while he knew the airline needed to make technological investments  an updated mobile app for instance  "we did not believe, by any means, that we had this type of vulnerability."

Bastian said that by late afternoon Wednesday, the airline was "largely back to normal."

Hundreds of thousands of passengers have been stranded overnight throughout the ordeal, many spending the night in airports around the globe. Others were put up in hotels by Delta, including 2,300 in Atlanta alone Tuesday night.

The system the airline uses to check in and board passengers as well as dispatch its planes is still slow, Gil West, Delta's chief operating officer said Tuesday.

The problems started early Monday when, according to a statement by West, critical piece of equipment failed at the airline's headquarters. It caused a loss of power and key systems and equipment did not switch over to backups as designed.

Delta extended a travel-waiver policy to help stranded passengers rearrange their travel plans. It offered refunds and $200 in travel vouchers to people whose flights were canceled or delayed at least three hours.

Airlines have been packing more people in each plane, so when a major carrier has a technology crash it's harder to find seats for the waylaid. Last month, the average Delta flight was 87 percent full.

__

Follow Scott Mayerowitz at twitter.com/GlobeTrotScott. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/scott-mayerowitz

Delta passengers stand in line as the carrier slogged through day two of its recovery from a global computer outage, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Salt Lake City. By early afternoon, Delta said it had canceled about 530 flights as it moved planes and crews to reset its operation. Nearly 1,200 Delta flights had been delayed, according to tracking service FlightStats Inc. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Congo revokes work permit for human rights researcher

KINSHASA, Congo (AP)  Congo has refused to renew a work permit for a Human Rights Watch senior researcher, requiring her to leave as tensions increase over November elections, the rights organization said.

Human Rights Watch said that by revoking Ida Sawyer's work permit, President Joseph Kabila's government is restricting human rights reporting before the elections and during a period of increased government repression.

"This is about more than forcing Ida Sawyer out of Congo, but is a brazen attempt to muzzle reporting on the government's brutal repression of those supporting presidential term limits," said executive director for Human Rights Watch, Kenneth Roth.

Congo government spokesman Lambert Mende said the decision was made by immigration officials and that Sawyer was not considered persona non grata.

Congo's electoral commission says elections may not be held by November. Opposition leaders say Kabila is trying to stay in power beyond his mandate, which ends in December.

Human Rights Watch said immigration authorities renewed Sawyer's work permit in May, but annulled it later and then denied her a new visa. Sawyer, an American who has been in Congo with the organization since 2008, has conducted research and advocacy on human rights abuses by armed groups, including the Lord's Resistance Army, as well as the government.

Several other researchers have also been forced to leave, the rights organization said. Congo Research Group director Jason Stearns was forced to leave in April after a report about massacres in eastern Congo's Beni, it said. And authorities forced two Global Witness researchers to leave in July.

Human Rights Watch said that since January 2015, government security forces have carried out arbitrary arrests, fired on peaceful protesters, banned opposition demonstrations and prevented opposition leaders from free movement. It said 14 activists and political opponents remain in prison.

__
Saudi Arabia intercepts ballistic missiles fired from Yemen

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP)  Saudi Arabia says its air force has intercepted two ballistic missiles fired from Yemen into the kingdom.

A Saudi military statement says the missiles were fired on Wednesday morning toward the cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait, both of which are close to the kingdom's southern border with Yemen. It says the missiles caused no damage.

Yemen's Shiite rebels known as Houthis are known to have a supply of Soviet-era Scud missiles, seized from the country's military stockpiles.

A Saudi-led coalition has been battling the rebels and their allies since March 2015 in support of Yemen's internationally recognized government.
10 Things to Know for Thursday - 11 August 2016

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Thursday:

1. DRUMBEAT OF CRITICISM MAY BE CATCHING UP TO TRUMP

Rather than continuing to float above the condemnation, the billionaire businessman is losing ground in preference polls and alienating prominent Republicans by the day.

Lonnie Franklin Jr., a convicted serial killer known as the "Grim Sleeper," listens to emotional statements from family members of his victims before being sentenced to death in Los Angeles Superior Court Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Franklin was sentenced to death for the murders of nine women and a teenage girl that went unsolved for years as the body count grew in a poor section of Los Angeles haunted by the scourge of crack cocaine. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times via AP, Pool)

2. 'ENEMY IS IN RETREAT ON ALL FRONTS'

A U.S. commander says the military campaigns against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria have taken 45,000 enemy combatants off the battlefield.

3. WHO SURVIVED SCARE IN RIO

The U.S. men's basketball team rallies from a halftime deficit to turn back Australia, 98-88.

4. 'GRIM SLEEPER' SENT TO DEATH ROW

The Los Angeles serial killer is sentenced for the murders of nine women and a teenage girl  but authorities believe he may have had as many as 25 victims.

5. WHERE WILDFIRES ARE RAGING UNABATED

Fourteen major wildfires are burning out of control in mainland Portugal, killing at least four people and burnig down dozens of houses.

6. FORMER AIDE POINTS FINGER AT CHRIS CHRISTIE

The aide texted that the New Jersey governor "flat out lied" when he said senior staffers weren't involved in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal, according to a court filing.

7. BRAZIL'S FIRST FEMALE LEADER MIRED IN POLITICAL DRAMA

The Senate votes overwhelmingly to put suspended President Dilma Rousseff on trial, moving her a step closer to being permanently removed.

8. GET SET FOR OUTBURST OF SHOOTING STARS

The annual Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak with double the normal number of meteors  up to 200 an hour.

9. WHICH CELEB COUPLE IS CALLING IT QUITS

Christie Brinkley and John Mellencamp are splitting up after a year of dating.

10. VERSATILE ESPN SPORTSCASTER DIES AT 61

John Saunders joined the network in 1986 and hosted ESPN's "The Sports Reporters" for the last 15 years.

FILE - In this early morning, Aug. 13, 2013 file photo, a meteor streaks past the faint band of the Milky Way galaxy above the Wyoming countryside north of Cheyenne, Wyo., during a Perseids meteor shower. On Thursday night, Aug. 11, 2016 into early Friday morning, the Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak with double the normal number of meteors. Scientists call this an outburst, and they say it could reach up to 200 meteors per hour. (AP Photo/The Wyoming Tribune Eagle, Blaine McCartney)
Cops: Retired officer shot suspected shoplifter at his store

NORTH BELLMORE, N.Y. (AP)  Authorities say a retired New York City police officer who owns a Long Island liquor store shot an unarmed suspected shoplifter after the suspect dragged him with a car.

Newsday reports (http://nwsdy.li/2b7LGEu ) the 69-year-old owner of Newbridge Wine & Liquors in North Bellmore shot one of three suspects in the shoulder Monday night in what police are calling a justified shooting.

Authorities say the retired officer won't face criminal charges.

The injured man faces multiple charges. Two other suspects have not been located.

Police say the store owner chased the suspects outside after they began to take bottles of liquor. He reached in a 23-year-old man's rented car to turn off the vehicle. That's when police say the man tried to drive away and dragged the store owner.

___
SOUTH SIOUX CITY  It was a whirlwind trip for Ryan Moore.

The South Sioux City man and his family traveled last month to Philadelphia, where he spoke at the Democratic National Convention. An estimated 24 million TV viewers watched Moore on July 26 talk about his decades-long friendship with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. His high-profile address led to an on-air interview with CNN and other media outlets.

While at the convention, Moore also mingled with top Democratic politicians and even a celebrity. Backstage at the Wells Fargo Center, he met actress Meryl Streep.

"That was pretty overwhelming to be sitting in hair and makeup with a multi-Academy Award-winning actress," Moore said. "We spoke briefly, and upon her saying she was the final speaker of that night, I said, 'Oh, saving the best for last, then.' That made her laugh, which was again surreal to me that I had made someone that famous smile."

Moore, 29, was born with a rare form of dwarfism. He works for the South Sioux City school district as an instructional technology leader. The Sioux City Journal recently asked him about his trip to Philadelphia, the added attention he received from his nationally televised appearance and his lengthy friendship with the Clinton family.

Q: What was the experience of speaking at the DNC like?

Moore: It was a rush! When I first stepped out on the stage and saw 20,000 people, my mind just kind of shut down for a couple seconds. However, once I acknowledged the Nebraska Democratic delegation at the beginning of my speech, I felt like myself again and was able to get into the flow of my speech.

Q: How much of the convention did you have time to watch?

Moore: I really didnt get to spend much time at the convention itself except for about an hour after my speech. During that time, it was so exciting to hear the speakers, especially President Clintons speech.

Q: What was it like to hear Hillary Clinton mention you during her acceptance speech?

Moore: Hearing Hillary talk about me during her speech was such a shock. I got a little bit emotional as I was sitting at home watching her speech, just because it really hit me that she has truly never forgotten our friendship.

Q: How long have you known the Clintons?

Moore: (As a young child) I met Hillary Clinton at a health care event back in 1994 in Washington, D.C. She picked me up at the congressional hearing on health care and held me through her 15-minute speech. After that, her staff contacted us and asked if she could write about me in her book, It Takes a Village, which came out in 1996.

That same year, Hillary was coming through Sioux City on the campaign trail for President Clintons re-election bid. We were able to greet her as she visited West Middle School, and she requested a private meeting with my mom and me. At that meeting, she asked if I had met the president, to which I had not. She said, "Well we need to change that, because he needs to meet you." So I met President Clinton a week later at the Tom Harkin Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa. At that event, President Clinton invited us to the White House the next time we were on the East Coast for a surgery.

The following February, I had to have a neck fusion done in Baltimore, Maryland. So, we got a hold of Hillarys staff, and they invited us to the White House the day before my surgery.

Q: What do you remember about your visit to the White House?

Moore: Hillary gave us a personal tour of the White House that lasted over an hour, and we were also able to meet with President Clinton during the tour. During our time at the White House, Hillary presented me with a poster picture of when she held me during that first speech at the congressional hearing in 1994. She informed us that picture had been hanging in her offices in the White House for the past three years.

Weve continued to stay in contact over the years. My mom will let her staff know if a big event in my life is coming up (high school graduation, college graduation, surgeries, etc.) and Hillary always responds with a note of encouragement and kindness.

Q: What kind of feedback have you received since the Democratic National Convention?

Moore: Ive received so many kind texts, tweets, emails, etc. It really makes me feel special knowing I have so much support from so many people. It gives me the strength to want to continue to tell my story to as many people as I can.
Dan Rather: 'History is watching' those who support Trump

Dan Rather is slamming Donald Trump's comment Tuesday suggesting that "Second Amendment people" may be able to find a way to stop Democrat Hillary Clinton from rolling back gun rights if she's elected.

In a Tuesday Facebook post , the former CBS News anchor says the GOP presidential nominee "crossed a line with dangerous potential" by launching "a direct threat of violence against a political rival."

Rather also says "history is watching" those who denounce Trump's comments, but continue to support the candidate.

FILE - In this Oct. 7, 2015, file photo, television journalist Dan Rather attends a special screening of "Truth" at The Museum of Modern Art in New York. On August 9, 2016, Rather slammed GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump's comments suggesting that Second Amendment people may be able to find a way to stop Democrat Hillary Clinton from rolling back gun rights if she's elected. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Trump told Fox News on Tuesday night that he was simply referring to the power that voters hold.
UK top court split on transgender woman's pension right

LONDON (AP)  Britain's top court said Wednesday it was unable to agree on the case of a transgender woman who was denied a female pension because she refused to divorce her wife.

Five Supreme Court judges said the Court of Justice of the European Union must decide the case.

The claimant, who is now 68, applied for her state pension at age 60 in 2008, but was refused because she did not hold an official "gender recognition certificate." She was told she would have to wait till 65, the age for men.

Under the law at the time, to get a certificate the applicant would have had to end her marriage to the wife she wed in 1974, when she was a man.

The judges said the claimant is a Christian and "she and her wife continued and still continue to live together and wish to remain married. For religious reasons, they are unwilling to see their marriage annulled."

The Supreme Court justices said the Luxembourg-based European court would have to decide whether, under EU law, Britain had the right to insist that "a person who has changed gender must also be unmarried in order to qualify for a state retirement pension."

Britain voted in June to leave the EU but is likely to remain a member for several years while complex divorce proceedings are worked out.

The claimant, identified only as MB, has fought her legal battle against the government for years. In 2014, the Court of Appeal ruled against her, but acknowledged she had suffered "a real misfortune," and legal changes had "come too late" to help her.

Britain legalized same-sex marriage in 2014, and transgender people can now receive recognition of their new gender while remaining married.
Norway police formally ID body as missing Utah attorney

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  The body of a man recovered from a Norwegian waterfall has been formally identified as missing Utah attorney Kent Richard Hart, police in Norway said Wednesday.

Police spokesman Pal Mikkelrud said DNA samples and the fact that Hart was the only person reported missing near the Hivjufossen waterfall in Hallingdal led to the identification.

Mikkelrud told The Associated Press that the body would be released immediately.

He said Hart, 51, was killed when falling more than 20 meters (66 feet) on July 24 into the waterfall, which is 220 kilometers (136 miles) northeast of Oslo. He was part of an American tour group.

The body was found Aug. 3 after efforts by divers and rescue teams with dogs had been hampered by bad weather, difficult terrain and strong currents.

Hart worked in Utah's federal public defender office since 2006 and served as executive director of the Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers since 2009.

In his role at the criminal defense attorneys association, Hart advocated for an end to the death penalty. He represented several inmates on Utah's death row. Last year, Hart testified at the state Capitol against a bill that brought back the use of firing squads in executions where lethal injection drugs were not available.

He also advocated for Utah to overhaul its overworked and underpaid public defender system for representing the poor.
Wave of PKK attacks in southeast Turkey kill at least 12

ANKARA, Turkey (AP)  A wave of Kurdish rebel attacks targeting police and soldiers in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast killed at least 12 people on Wednesday, as Turkey was still dealing with the aftermath of a failed military coup attempt that threatened the government.

Officials said rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, launched simultaneous bomb attacks targeting police vehicles in the city of Diyarbakir and the town of Kiziltepe, killing eight people, while four soldiers were killed in a separate attack near the border with Iraq hours earlier.

The attack in Kiziltepe was caused by a roadside bomb that went off as a police bus was passing by. Three people were killed and at least 25 others were wounded there, including at least five children aged between 2 and 5, said an official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations.

Police search an area after a bomb attack in Mardin, Turkey, Wednesday, Aug 10, 2016. A wave of Kurdish rebel attacks targeting police and soldiers in Turkey's mainly-Kurdish southeast killed at least 12 people on Wednesday, as Turkey was still dealing with the aftermath of a military coup attempt. (Mehmet Ali Dinler/ DHA via AP)

At the same time, a car bomb explosion targeting police in a historic part of the city Diyarbakir killed at least five civilians and wounded 12 others, the Diyarbakir governor's office said. The explosion occurred at a security checkpoint at a bridge over the Tigris river.

The attacks came hours after an earlier attack, also blamed on the PKK, killed four soldiers and injured nine others near the border with Iraq. The private Dogan news agency said that attack targeted military vehicles and was carried out with improvised explosives as well as rockets fired from northern Iraq.

Clashes between the PKK and Turkey's security forces resumed last year after a tenuous cease-fire collapsed and the PKK has frequently targeted police or military with roadside explosives or car bombs.

Wednesday's attacks, however, came as the country is still reeling from a violent coup attempt on July 15 that killed at least 270 people. The government has blamed the failed coup on the supporters of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen and has embarked on a sweeping crackdown on his followers.

The country is also combating the Islamic State group, whose militants have carried out a series of bloody attacks in Turkey in the past year.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said in a statement Wednesday that the U.S. stands "shoulder to shoulder" with its Turkish ally in the wake of the attacks.

"The United States remains committed to cooperating closely with Turkey  bilaterally, within the Counter-ISIL Coalition, and within NATO  in order to defend our nations against common threats," he said.

Earlier this week, PKK commander Cemil Bayik threatened attacks against police in Turkish cities, according to media reports.

Since hostilities with the PKK resumed last summer, more than 600 Turkish security personnel and thousands of PKK militants have been killed, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency. Human rights groups say hundreds of civilians have also died.

Turkey and its allies consider the PKK a terror organization.
Sunni militias join Iraqi forces poised to take back Mosul

HAJJ ALI, Iraq (AP)  Among the Iraqi forces preparing for the key battle to retake the Islamic State-held city of Mosul are Sunni tribal militias, drawn from the local villages and motivated by the desire to claw back home ground lost to the militants over two years ago.

One of them is Sheikh Nazhan Sakhar, with 700 men under his command.

Sakhar says his militiamen are critical to the fight for Iraq's second-largest city because, unlike most of those serving in of Iraq's military, they are local to the Mosul area.

Sheikh Nozhan Selman, second from the right, poses for a picture with his men holding an Islamic State flag they captured in Hajj Ali, Iraq, Tuesday, August 9, 2016. Sheikh Nazhan Sakhar and the 700 men under his command are among the forces preparing to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul from the Islamic state group. He says his Sunni militia is critical to defeating IS and maintaining peace afterward because his fighters, unlike the majority of Iraq's military, are local to Mosul. (AP Photo/Alice Martins)

Yet hundreds of the Sunni militiamen haven't been paid for months and are viewed with suspicion by Iraq's government because many of their relatives have joined the IS militant group.

The battle for Mosul, which has been under IS control since June 2014, promises to be the biggest and perhaps the last major battle against the Islamic State group in Iraq. Iraqi forces have already taken back key cities in the sprawling western Anbar province, including Fallujah and the provincial capital of Ramadi.

Fierce fighting is already raging and the focus now is on the push north from the Qayarah airbase, with the troops attempting to clear villages south of Mosul. Involving local Sunni forces in the fight is critical to not only defeating IS but also keeping the peace after victory, Sakhar says.

"The government pays thousands of soldiers who don't even show up to their posts," he said. "Some of my men who were martyred hadn't received a salary in three months."

From the militia's base, the front lines and the Qayarah airbase are visible just across the Tigris River. Sakhar said IS had lost a lot of ground south of Mosul, but could still mount counterattacks.

The Mosul offensive is expected to be far more complicated than other battles, in part due to the large civilian population that has remained in the city  with estimates ranging between 500,000 and 1 million people that could be trapped by the fighting.

The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross said last week that up to 1 million Iraqis could be forced to flee their homes in the coming weeks. Iraqi commanders say good, local intelligence will be needed to prevent the thousands of IS fighters estimated to still be in Mosul from melting into the civilian population as people flee.

Iraqi leaders have repeatedly stated that the operation to retake Mosul will commence this year, but the Baghdad government has not yet made any definite announcement or finalized plans for the operation or its expected humanitarian fallout.

For now, Sakhar and his men are glad to pose with their battlefield trophies  such as a black Islamic State flag captured when they took the village of Hajj Ali.

___

Associated Press writer Salar Salim contributed to this report.

Sunni Arab tribal fighters under commend of Sheikh Nazhan Sakhar gather in Hajj Ali, Iraq, Tuesday, August 9, 2016. Sheikh Nazhan Sakhar and the 700 men under his command are among the forces preparing to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul from the Islamic state group. He says his Sunni militia is critical to defeating IS and maintaining peace afterward because his fighters, unlike the majority of Iraq's military, are local to Mosul. (AP Photo/Alice Martins)

Sunni Arab tribal fighters under commend of Sheikh Nazhan Sakhar gather in Hajj Ali, Iraq, Tuesday, August 9, 2016. Sheikh Nazhan Sakhar and the 700 men under his command are among the forces preparing to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul from the Islamic state group. He says his Sunni militia is critical to defeating IS and maintaining peace afterward because his fighters, unlike the majority of Iraq's military, are local to Mosul. (AP Photo/Alice Martins)

Sheikh Nozhan Selman, leader of a Sunni Arab armed group, drives to Hajj Ali, Iraq, Tuesday, August 9, 2016. Sheikh Nazhan Sakhar and the 700 men under his command are among the forces preparing to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul from the Islamic state group. He says his Sunni militia is critical to defeating IS and maintaining peace afterward because his fighters, unlike the majority of Iraq's military, are local to Mosul. (AP Photo/Alice Martins)

Sheikh Nozhan Selman, center, speaks to his men holding an Islamic State flag they captured in Hajj Ali, Iraq, Tuesday, August 9, 2016. Sheikh Nazhan Sakhar and the 700 men under his command are among the forces preparing to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul from the Islamic state group. He says his Sunni militia is critical to defeating IS and maintaining peace afterward because his fighters, unlike the majority of Iraq's military, are local to Mosul. (AP Photo/Alice Martins)
Psychiatrist: Man accused of stabbing father not competent

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  A man accused of fatally stabbing his father, the state's former labor commissioner, suffers from paranoid delusions and is mentally incompetent to stand trial for first-degree murder, a psychiatrist wrote in a report released Wednesday.

An Oklahoma County judge did not make a determination on Christian Costello's competency but ordered him returned to a state mental hospital to be examined by another psychiatrist hired by prosecutors.

Costello, 27, delivered a rambling minute-long diatribe during the hearing in which he admitted killing his father, former Labor Commissioner Mark Costello, saying he was a "hit man" and that he was ordered to kill his father as part of a "military operation."

Christian Costello, accused of fatally stabbing his father, former Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Mark Costello, in August of 2015, waits for a competency hearing in an Oklahoma County courtroom in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Costello was ordered to be returned to a state mental hospital to be examined by a psychiatrist hired by prosecutors. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Prosecutors allege Costello attacked his father with a knife and repeatedly stabbed him at a fast-food restaurant in Oklahoma City in August 2015. Witnesses said the attack continued after Mark Costello ran into the parking lot where his wife, Cathy Costello, tried to intervene.

According to a 37-page report by Dr. Jason Beaman, the chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Oklahoma State University, Christian Costello has a long history of mental health issues and suffers from schizoaffective disorder, a mental illness characterized by symptoms including hallucinations, delusions, mania and depression.

"It is my opinion ... that the defendant has the ability to appreciate the nature of the charges filed against him but he does not have the ability to consult with his attorney and rationally assist in the preparation of his defense," Beaman wrote.

Beaman indicated that he believes Costello could attain competency if provided with a course of treatment, therapy or training.

Judge Ray Elliott in May ordered state psychiatrists to examine Costello to determine whether he understands the accusations against him and can assist his attorney in his defense.

Costello's attorney, Oklahoma County's Chief Public Defender Bob Ravitz, said he believes his client was legally insane when the attack occurred.

"Mr. Costello clearly ... suffers from unbelievable psychotic episodes and psychosis," Ravitz said outside the courtroom. "I think that's just the way he is, and I don't think he knew what he was doing when he killed his father."

District Attorney David Prater said he wants to hire his own expert to evaluate Costello. The judge ordered Costello returned to the Oklahoma Forensic Center in Vinita and scheduled another competency hearing for Oct. 12.

Under Oklahoma law, a judge can suspend criminal proceedings so someone can receive treatment and achieve competency. For defendants who are determined to have regained competency, criminal proceedings may resume. Those who are found to continue to be incompetent can be committed to a mental health facility.

___

Follow Sean Murphy at www.twitter.com/apseanmurphy

David Prater, Oklahoma County District Attorney, talks to the media following a a competency hearing for Christian Costello in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Christian Costello is accused of fatally stabbing his father, former Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Mark Costello, in August of 2015. Costello was ordered to be returned to a state mental hospital to be examined by a psychiatrist hired by prosecutors. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Christian Costello, left, accused of fatally stabbing his father, former Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Mark Costello, in August of 2015, is led from a competency hearing in an Oklahoma County courtroom in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Costello was ordered to be returned to a state mental hospital to be examined by a psychiatrist hired by prosecutors. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Bob Ravitz, Oklahoma County Chief Public Defender, and the attorney for Christian Costello, talks with the media following a competency hearing for Christian Costello in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Christian Costello is accused of fatally stabbing his father, former Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Mark Costello, in August of 2015. Costello was ordered to be returned to a state mental hospital to be examined by a psychiatrist hired by prosecutors. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Bangladesh court grants bail to ex-PM Zia in sedition case

NEW DELHI (AP)  Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was granted bail Wednesday in 10 cases involving charges of arson and sedition.

Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah announced the decision after Zia appeared in the court in metropolitan Dhaka. She'll be free until trial under the bail conditions, a bond of $128 for each case with two guarantors.

Zia, the head of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, is the archrival of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Zia has faced several political challenges in her attempts to build an anti-government movement.

Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Khaleda Zia, center, arrives for a court hearing in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Zia is being tried for several alleged cases of corruption. (AP Photo)

The sedition charge is related to Zia's questioning of the number of people killed during the country's 1971 independence war against Pakistan. Bangladesh says about 3 million people died during the nine-month war.

Zia has recently doubted that figure even though the same estimate was used officially during her premierships in 1991-1996 and 2001-2006.

The defense argued that the charges against Zia were politically motivated to damage her image and block her from contesting polls that are expected to be held in 2019, defense lawyer Sanaullah Mia said.

He said Zia's name was not in the initial complaint for the arson cases but she was added later to undermine her political stature.

The prosecution argued that the arson attacks were instigated directly from Zia, who wants to oust Hasina's government and seeks early elections.

The court scheduled the next hearing for Oct. 10.

Zia faces other corruption charges separately.

Bangladesh's former prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader, Khaleda Zia, center, leaves a court after a hearing in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Zia is being tried for several alleged cases of corruption. (AP Photo)

Bangladesh's former prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader, Khaleda Zia, center, waves at her supporters as she leaves a court after a hearing in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Zia is being tried for several alleged cases of corruption. (AP Photo)

Bangladesh's former prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader, Khaleda Zia, center, leaves a court after a hearing in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Zia is being tried for several alleged cases of corruption. (AP Photo)

Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Khaleda Zia, center, is mobbed by journalists and supporters as she arrives for a court hearing in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Zia is being tried for several alleged cases of corruption. (AP Photo)

Policemen form a security cordon before former Bangladeshi Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Khaleda Zia arrives for a court hearing in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Zia is being tried for several alleged cases of corruption. (AP Photo)
The Latest: Trump brings audio-visual aids to FL rally

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Latest on the U.S. presidential campaign (all times EDT):

9:16 p.m.

Republican Donald Trump has come prepared with visuals at his Fort Lauderdale, Florida, rally.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump arrives for a coal mining roundtable at Fitzgerald Peterbilt, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in Glade Spring, Va. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The GOP nominee, who usually speaks without the aid of visuals, brought a collection of printed graphs and charts filled with statistics.

They include how much various countries donated to the Clinton charitable foundation, how many sentences various presidents have commuted and the percentage of immigrants in the United States.

Trump says he was thinking of using screens, but decided to "do it the old-fashioned way" and "some cards made."

He says he saved some money that way.

___

8:46 p.m.

Donald Trump says President Barack Obama is the founder of the Islamic State group.

Trump in recent days has accused Hillary Clinton rhetorically of being the founder of IS. He's referring to national security policies in the Middle East that he says enabled the extremist group's rise.

But Trump is now leveling that accusation directly at Obama during a rally in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Trump is also referring to the president by his full legal name: Barack Hussein Obama.

___

8:38 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is getting a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T at a Detroit-area fundraiser.

The Democratic presidential candidate was treated to a performance by Aretha Franklin at a fundraiser in a Detroit suburb Tuesday night. Attendees said the so-called queen of soul performed at the private gathering.

Franklin - whose hits included "Respect," ''Think" and "Natural Woman" - has performed for President Barack Obama in the past, including at his 2008 inauguration.

___

8:28 p.m.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is making light of the Zika virus outbreak during a Donald Trump rally in Florida.

Huckabee is introducing Trump in Fort Lauderdale. He says he's a lot more scared of a Hillary Clinton presidency than he is about a mosquito bite in South Florida.

Florida officials have said nearby Miami-Dade County is where more than a dozen non-travel-related Zika cases were discovered last week. Those are believed to be the first and only active transmissions in the mainland United States.

___

7:58 p.m.

Donald Trump says he's concerned that the moderators in the upcoming presidential debates won't be fair.

Trump has said he wants to participate in all three scheduled debates with Hillary Clinton but hasn't concretely committed. He's complained that two debates are scheduled at the same time as NFL games and he says "that's really unfair to do that."

Trump tells Fox News that Republicans and conservatives get unfair treatment by moderators and the media. He says he wants to see a "fair moderator" selected.

The commission organizing the debates hasn't yet announced the moderators.

Trump also says that former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani will be working with the commission on his behalf on the debate-planning.

___

4:29 p.m.

Mike Pence is personally apologizing to a Republican state representative who was denied VIP seating at Pence's rally near Dayton, Ohio.

Rep. Niraj Antani, of Dayton, says he was denied promised seating in the VIP area for, he believes, sending a positive tweet about Ohio Gov. John Kasich. Kasich is one of Trump's most outspoken Republican critics, and Antani had served as one of his convention delegates.

Antani and Pence's campaign say the GOP vice presidential nominee has called Antani to apologize for the seating incident.

Antani says the Trump campaign had called and asked him to remove a Tweet that said he was finding Kasich supporters, but no Trump backers, while door knocking.

Seth Unger, a spokesman for Trump's Ohio campaign, is not confirming or denying whether the campaign asked Antani to take down the tweet. He says, "seating in our VIP area is very limited and we can't accommodate everyone."

4:10 p.m.

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine is wrapping up a two-day Texas swing.

The Virginia senator made an unannounced visit to a Salvadoran restaurant in Dallas' tony Oak Cliffs neighborhood between a fundraiser in Fort Worth and a second in another part of Dallas. He's leaving for Louisiana later Wednesday.

Kaine posed for pictures and chatted with diners about the importance of teachers and the process of agreeing to be Hillary Clinton's running mate.

Some on-hand said they'd like to see Democrats succeed in Texas, but Kaine didn't make any predictions.

On Tuesday in Austin, though, he vowed that he and Clinton are serious about doing well in Texas in November  even though a Democrat hasn't won statewide office in Texas since 1994.

___

4:05 p.m.

A protester has tried to disrupt a Hillary Clinton rally in Des Moines, but was quickly removed from the event.

The woman, protesting on behalf of animal rights, tried to rush onto the stage during a rally at Lincoln High School, but, struggling, was escorted, out by security.

Clinton is visiting the battleground state of Iowa for the first time since her narrow win in the leadoff caucuses.

___

4 p.m.

Hillary Clinton says there could be "tremendous consequences" from Donald Trump's comments that there may be something Second Amendment supporters "can do" to stop her.

Clinton says the remark was a "casual inciting of violence" that shows he lacks the temperament to be commander-in-chief. The comments, Clinton says, were the latest in a long string by Trump that "crossed the line" and raises the stakes for the 2016 campaign.

She says that words matter and "if you are running to be president or you are president of the United States words can have tremendous consequences."

Trump insists he never advocated violence and his comments Tuesday have been manipulated for political purposes.

Clinton is speaking at a campaign rally in Des Moines.

___

3:40 p.m.

Donald Trump is accusing Hillary Clinton of "pay for play" during her tenure at the State Department. He says her behavior is illegal.

Trump is responding to emails released by the conservative group Judicial Watch that shed light on ties between the State Department and the Clinton Foundation.

Republicans have alleged the emails show improper influence on the State Department by the Clinton family's charitable foundation, a claim Clinton's campaign denies.

Trump says it shows that under Clinton, "you pay, and you're getting things." He says it's "really, really bad" and is comparing Clinton to disgraced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was imprisoned for corruption.

___

3:35 p.m.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Ted Strickland of Ohio is apologizing for remarks appearing to celebrate the death of late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (AN'-toh-nihn skuh-LEE'-uh).

In audio of an appearance Monday before the AFL-CIO in Cleveland, the former Ohio governor is heard saying he didn't "wish anyone ill" but Scalia's death "happened at a good time" for union workers. The crowd laughs.

Scalia's son, Christopher, tweeted: "Stay classy, @Ted_Strickland and you ghouls giggling along."

Strickland said in a statement Wednesday the remark was insensitive "and I apologize."

The high court deadlocked four times after Scalia's death, including in a major union case over a nearly four-decade-old practice that lets public-sector unions collect fees from non-members to cover collective bargaining costs.

Strickland seeks to unseat Republican Rob Portman this fall.

___

3:30 p.m.

The conflict between Donald Trump's campaign and loyalists to Ohio Gov. John Kasich appears to be continuing.

Trump's running mate, Mike Pence, is speaking at two Ohio rallies today, starting in the city of Dayton. State Rep. Niraj Antani, of Dayton, says he was denied promised VIP seating at the event. He says a Trump campaign staffer called him recently and asked him to remove a tweet favorable to Kasich. Kasich is an outspoken critic of Trump.

The tweet, now deleted, had said Antani was finding Kasich supporters instead of Trump supporters while out door-knocking in his district.

Antani, who was a Kasich delegate, says he was ready to come on board with the Trump campaign but is reconsidering after the campaign's "petty" actions.

Ohio is a crucial battleground state that Trump likely needs to win to capture the White House.

___

3:10 p.m.

An Iowa shop has given Hillary Clinton a new T-shirt to wear on the campaign trail.

Clinton is touring Raygun, in Des Moines, on Wednesday, where she was given a shirt that said "America: Hill Yes."

Store owner Mike Draper showed Clinton the operation and she recalled her father's drapery business as he printed her shirt.

She said: "He had nothing as nice as this," as she looked around the large airy space.

Clinton stressed her commitment to small businesses and helping young entrepreneurs during brief remarks.

___

2:45 p.m.

Republican Donald Trump is holding a roundtable with coal industry executives and businesspeople in Glade Spring, Virginia.

It's a rare, intimate event for the billionaire candidate, whose public campaign appearances are usually limited to large rallies.

Trump is talking about the difficulties facing the coal and other energy issues.

He tells the workers that he knows they're struggling.

He says, "You've been put in an impossible position, as far as mines are concerned."

Trump his also going after rival Hillary Clinton, who is advocating a move toward renewable fuel sources. He claims Clinton "wants the mines closed,"

Danny Atwell of Buchanan Mine #1 tells Trump the industry has shrunk over the 43 years he's been involved with mining.

He says, "Everyone is trying to choke our business."

___

2:20 p.m.

Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson is set to appear on ballots in at least 39 states, and party activists are working in places such as swing state Ohio to get his name before voters this fall.

Johnson's ballot status in Ohio remained uncertain Wednesday, a day after Libertarians submitted thousands of signatures on behalf of a different candidate as a placeholder.

The state party said it would substitute in Johnson's name once the petitions are certified by Ohio's elections chief. The secretary of state's office says its legal team will review the situation.

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein is slated to appear on ballots in at least 27 states.

Libertarians and other third parties face a patchwork of rules and laws nationwide governing access to ballots.

___

12 p.m.

President Barack Obama will mix business with vacationing during his stay in Martha's Vineyard in a nod to the hotly contested November election.

The White House says he'll attend a fundraiser Monday for the Democratic National Committee at a private residence in Chilmark, the town where the first family is staying during their two-week summer vacation.

Obama plans to play an active role on the campaign trail this fall and has already appeared with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in North Carolina. The White House did not disclose exactly where the fundraiser would occur or the cost of attendance. He is expected to deliver remarks and take questions from those in the audience.

Obama and the first family arrived on the island Saturday afternoon.

___

8:05 a.m.

Hillary Clinton's campaign is launching an effort to win over Republicans and independents.

Called Together for America, the group aims to use a wave of nearly 50 recent endorsements by high-profile Republicans and independents to convince voters to cross party lines.

Clinton's campaign is also releasing new endorsements from several retired Republican officials, including former Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Carla Hills, former Maryland Congresswoman Connie Morella, former Connecticut Congressman Chris Shays and former Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte.

Some Republicans say they back Clinton because they don't support Donald Trump's bombastic style and controversial statements. Others object to his lack of foreign policy experience. The Clinton backers largely include former officials, though some current Republican officeholders have said they won't vote for Trump.

___

3:10 a.m.

On the defensive once again, Donald Trump is blaming faulty interpretations and media bias for an uproar over his comments about the Second Amendment.

He's insisting he never advocated violence against Hillary Clinton, even as undeterred Democrats pile on.

The latest Trump controversy arose from an offhand quip at a rally. Trump said there would be "nothing you can do" if Clinton's elected to stop her from stacking the Supreme Court with anti-gun justices, then added ambiguously, "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is  I don't know."

Was Trump suggesting gun owners take matters into their own hands? Or merely musing about the powerful influence of the gun lobby?

Like so many times before, Trump's supporters and opponents construed his comments in entirely different ways.

Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence speaks at the Sen. John Heinz History Center in the Strip District, in Pittsburgh, on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (Haley Nelson/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP)

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton arrives at Des Moines International Airport in Des Moines, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Clinton is in town to tour Raygun, a printing, design and clothing company and attend a campaign rally. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Libertarian Party activists in Ohio carry boxes of signature petitions to the Secretary of State's Office Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Columbus, Ohio, in hopes of placing presidential candidate Gary Johnson on the November ballot. The party surprised state election officials by submitting signatures for a different candidate, Charlie Earl, who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2014, in a move Libertarians defended as a placeholder effort because they began collecting signatures before Johnson was nominated. Once certified by the states elections chief, Libertarians will swap in Johnson and his running mate. (AP Photo/Ann Sanner)
Aide: Pennsylvania attorney general asked me to block probe

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP)  A former top aide to Pennsylvania's attorney general testified Wednesday his "heart sank a little" when his boss asked him to try to block a special investigation into a grand jury leak.

Bruce Beemer testified against Attorney General Kathleen Kane as she fights perjury and obstruction charges in suburban Philadelphia. Kane, a first-term Democrat, is accused of leaking grand jury material about a dormant criminal investigation to a newspaper to embarrass a rival.

Beemer said he was stunned to see the 2014 newspaper article because he knew the leak had to come from their office. He suspected someone in a satellite office but, over time, feared something worse.

Pennsylvania attorney general Kathleen Kane leaves Montgomery County's courtroom during a lunch break in her trial, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. in Norristown, Pa. A former top aide to Pennsylvania's attorney general Kathleen Kane testified Wednesday that his "heart sank a little" when his boss asked him to try to block a special investigation into a grand jury leak. (Clem Murray/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, Pool)

When he told Kane they needed to investigate, she said it was "no big deal" and they had "more important things to do," he said.

Kane later asked him to file a court challenge to try to block the special investigation initiated by the state Supreme Court. Fortunately, he said, it never came to that because he would have refused.

"I got really kind of frustrated at one point and I ... said, 'Quite frankly, General, I would think you would want to know who in your office released this information,'" said Beemer, a veteran prosecutor who is now the state's inspector general.

"The first thing she said was this material that was released, it was not grand jury material," Beemer said. "I believe there's no doubt that it's grand jury material. If the material in that document can be released, then we might as well do away with grand jury secrecy."

The documents that found their way into the Philadelphia Daily News detailed an investigation into an NAACP official who was never charged in the case. Prosecutors believe the leak tarnished his reputation.

Former top Kane aide Adrian King testified Wednesday that he helped get a manila envelope from the agency's Harrisburg office to political consultant Josh Morrow in Philadelphia. Prosecutors say the envelope contained the secret grand jury documents leaked to the Daily News.

King said he did not look at the material and presumed it was routine campaign literature.

King had dated Kane in law school and even lived with her for more than a year, he said. They remained friends, and he took a steep pay cut from his law firm job to become her second in command when she took office. But he said he now believes Kane is "trying to frame" him for the leak, and he barely hid his anger as her lawyers cross-examined him Wednesday.

Kane had at least once hinted that she feared she could be arrested, according to Beemer.

"At one point she said, 'You know, Bruce, if I get taken out of here in handcuffs, what do you think my last act will be?'" he recalled, suggesting he could lose his job. "I was concerned about it, but we moved on."

Kane's five-person legal team has echoed her initial view that the documents she wanted to make public were confidential. Kane told the grand jury she did not believe she was sworn to confidentiality about the 2009 case because she did not take office until 2013. Beemer challenged that interpretation, saying prosecutors cannot release prior grand jury material even if they had not been there to take an oath of secrecy.

___

This story has been corrected to show Beemer is a veteran prosecutor, not a 20-year veteran of the attorney general's office, and the county district attorney, not a special prosecutor, had Kane arrested.

Pennsylvania attorney general Kathleen Kane leaves Montgomery County's courtroom during a lunch break in her trial, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. in Norristown, Pa. A former top aide to Pennsylvania's attorney general Kathleen Kane testified Wednesday that his "heart sank a little" when his boss asked him to try to block a special investigation into a grand jury leak. (Clem Murray/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, Pool)

Pennsylvania attorney general Kathleen Kane leaves Montgomery County's courtroom during a lunch break in her trial, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. in Norristown, Pa. A former top aide to Pennsylvania's attorney general Kathleen Kane testified Wednesday that his "heart sank a little" when his boss asked him to try to block a special investigation into a grand jury leak. (Clem Murray/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, Pool)

Former deputy attorney general Bruce Beemer waits outside a Montgomery County courtroom before being called to continue his tesitimony in the trail of Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016 in Norristown, Pa. Kane faces perjury and other charges related to the alleged leak of secret grand jury materials. (Clem Murray/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, Pool)

Former deputy attorney general Bruce Beemer arrives at Montgomery County courtroom before being called to continue his tesitimony in the trail of Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016 in Norristown, Pa. Kane faces perjury and other charges related to the alleged leak of secret grand jury materials. (Clem Murray/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, Pool)
Russia says 2 die in clashes with Ukrainian agents in Crimea

MOSCOW (AP)  Russia's main domestic security agency said Wednesday that one of its agents and an army soldier were killed while fending off what it described as a series of attempted terror attacks by Ukrainian "saboteurs" in Crimea, a claim Ukrainian officials denied.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin condemned what he described as a "stupid criminal action" by the Ukrainian authorities and vowed to take additional steps to ensure security of Crimea. He also strongly urged the West to warn Kiev against "resorting to terror instead of searching for a peaceful settlement."

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko rejected the Russian claims as "fantasy" and "provocation," saying in a statement that his government would use only political and diplomatic means to restore its sovereignty over Crimea.

Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula in March 2014 following a hastily called referendum. The ensuing conflict in eastern Ukraine has killed more than 9,500, and fighting there between Ukrainian troops and Russia-backed separatists has continued despite a 2015 cease-fire.

The Federal Security Service, known under its Russian acronym FSB, said in Wednesday's statement that its officer was killed over the weekend near Armyansk within a few kilometers (miles) of the de-facto border between Crimea and Ukraine when FSB officers engaged in a gun battle with a group of "saboteurs" from Ukraine. The FSB said the intruders carried an arsenal of bombs, ammunition and mines.

The agency said two more groups tried to force their way into Crimea early Monday, supported by Ukrainian artillery and armor. It said one Russian army soldier died in that clash.

The FSB said it also busted what it called a network of agents of Ukrainian military intelligence in Crimea, and detained several people, including a Ukrainian citizen identified as Yevgeniy Panov, whom it described as a Ukrainian military intelligence officer. The agency claimed that the Ukrainian intelligence operation had sought to destabilize the situation in Crimea ahead of Russia's parliamentary elections set for next month.

Putin, speaking at a news conference in Moscow, accused the Ukrainian leadership of engaging in "terror" instead of discussing peace settlement in eastern Ukraine. Because of that, he said, it makes no sense to discuss the Ukrainian peace settlement with leaders of Ukraine, France and Germany at the sidelines of the Group of 20 meeting in China next month as earlier planned.

Poroshenko countered in his statement that "we would never ever use terror to de-occupy Crimea."

The Ukrainian government said over the weekend that Russia briefly closed its border crossings with mainland Ukraine, and social media users earlier this week posted photos and videos of dozens of armored vehicles on Crimean highways heading toward the de-facto border.

In Washington, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau, referred questions about the incident to Ukrainian officials while reaffirming the U.S. stance on Crimea.

"We don't want to be distracted from the real issue here, which is not only Russia's occupation and attempted annexation of Crimea, but their continued aggression in eastern Ukraine," she said. "Crimea is and will always be part of Ukraine. We condemn and call for an immediate end to the Russian occupation of Crimea."

Regarding the talks about the conflict in the east, she added that "we always think that dialogue is a process that should be explored."

At the United Nations in New York, Ukraine's Ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko said his country would consider convening the Security Council  despite Russia's veto power there  depending on how the situation develops.

He read a statement from Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin urging "the international community to take all possible political and diplomatic steps to exert influence on the Kremlin in order to prevent a new round of aggression against the Ukraine.

Yelchenko also pointed out a disturbing similarity to the situation eight years ago, at the beginning of the Olympics and on the eve of U.S. presidential elections, when "Russia began its aggressions against Georgia."

___




1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.
Workers cut short strike on UK's troubled Southern Rail

LONDON (AP)  Striking workers on a British rail network have called off the final two days of a strike that has disrupted the journeys of hundreds of thousands of commuters.

Arbitration service Acas says the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union and Southern Rail have agreed to new talks.

RMT staff walked out Monday over plans to remove conductors from trains. The strike was due to last five days.

Protesters show banners outside the Transport Department in London, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Rail workers stage a protest over the Southern Rail dispute followed at 5.30pm by a march from Victoria Station by commuters and the Campaign for Better Transport. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Wednesday's decision is good news for beleaguered commuters on Southern, which runs trains between London and its densely populated southern commuter belt. The company has seen months of one-day strikes and cancelations that it blamed on staff shortages.

More strikes are planned elsewhere on Britain's overburdened rail network, including on Eurostar, which runs services to France and Belgium under the English Channel.

Protesters show banners outside the Transport Department in London, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Rail workers stage a protest over the Southern Rail dispute followed at 5.30pm by a march from Victoria Station by commuters and the Campaign for Better Transport. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

A protester displays a placard and waves a banner outside the Transport Department in London, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Rail workers staged a protest over the Southern Rail dispute followed at 5.30pm by a march from Victoria Station by commuters and the Campaign for Better Transport. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Protesters show banners and wear shirts with slogans outside the Transport Department in London, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Rail workers stage a protest over the Southern Rail dispute followed by a march from Victoria Station by commuters and the Campaign for Better Transport. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Protesters show banners outside the Transport Department in London, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Rail workers stage a protest over the Southern Rail dispute followed by a march from Victoria Station by commuters and the Campaign for Better Transport. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
The Latest: Water park reopens but not ride where boy died

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP)  The Latest on the investigation in to the death of a boy killed while riding a waterslide in Kansas City, Kansas (all times local):

3:25 p.m.

Schlitterbahn WaterPark in Kansas has reopened except for a sprawling section including the "Verruckt" waterslide, where a 10-year-old boy was decapitated over the weekend.

FILE - In this July 9, 2014 file photo, riders are propelled by jets of water as they go over a hump while riding a water slide called "Verruckt" at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kan. A 12-year-old boy died Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, on the Kansas water slide that is billed as the world's largest, according to officials. Kansas City, Kansas, police spokesman Officer Cameron Morgan said the boy died at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark, which is located about 15 miles west of downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Schlitterbahn spokeswoman Winter Prosapio said the child died on one of the park's main attractions, Verruckt, a 168-foot-tall water slide that has 264 stairs leading to the top. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Although the raft ride where the boy died was not open, its towering profile greeted visitors Wednesday as soon as they drove through the entrance.

Pulling a cooler behind her, 42-year-old Sara Craig said she was looking forward to an afternoon of water fun Wednesday with her 14-year-old son, Cale, and one of his 13-year-old friends.

But she said that she was feeling guilty when a family is hurting so badly.

She said the family rode Verruckt twice in one day a couple of weeks ago

Craig said that during her first trip down the ride with her son and one of his friends, her shoulder restraint came off, something she opted not to report to park workers.

So they rode it again, only to see the restraint on her son's friend also come loose by the time it was over.

__

1:35 p.m.

A document released by a state agency says all the rides at a Kansas City, Kansas, water park passed private inspections in June, including the waterslide on which a 10-year-old boy died.

The Kansas Department of Labor provided to The Associated Press on Wednesday a copy of an insurance company inspector's June 7 letter saying inspections had been completed at Schlitterbahn Waterpark. The letter said all rides met guidelines for being insured with "no disqualifying conditions noted."

Deputy Secretary and Chief Attorney Brad Burke said the department obtained the letter following Sunday's death of Caleb Schwab on the "Verruckt" waterslide.

Kansas law requires permanent rides to be inspected annually by their parks, and the state randomly audits the records. The last records audit for Schlitterbahn was in June 2012.

___

9:10 a.m.

A 10-year-old boy was decapitated as he rode a waterslide at a Kansas water park.

A person who is familiar with the investigation but is not authorized to speak about the boy's death told The Associated Press Wednesday that Caleb Schwab was decapitated Sunday on the "Verruckt" ride at the Schlitterbahn WaterPark in Kansas City, Kansas.

Caleb, the son of a Kansas lawmaker, was in a raft with two adults who were not related to him when he was killed on the 168-foot tall ride. The other two were treated for facial injuries.

A spokeswoman for the waterpark declined to discuss the circumstances of the boy's death.

"Verruckt" is German for insane.

(Associated Press writer Maria Sudekum contributed to this report)

___

2 a.m.

At least two people who've ridden the waterslide on which a 10-year-old boy was killed over the weekend say shoulder straps snapped or popped off during the ride in Kansas City, Kansas.

Paul Oberhauser told local television station KCTV that the safety restraints on his raft on the Verruckt waterslide weren't working properly when he rode it on July 26 at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark.

The Nebraska man says his shoulder strap "busted loose" during the ride and he "just held on." A video shot by his wife shows it loose at the ride's end. He says he told workers about the loose strap.

Kenneth Conrad told WDAF-TV that he rode the waterslide last year with a friend whose shoulder strap came "completely off." Conrad's wife snapped a photo at the end of the ride showing the strap missing. Conrad says he didn't file a complaint with the park.

The park's spokeswoman didn't immediately return a message Tuesday from The Associated Press seeking comment on the claims.

This June 2016 photo provided by David Strickland shows Caleb Thomas Schwab, the son of Scott Schwab, a Kansas state lawmaker from Olathe. Caleb died Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, while riding the Verruckt, a water slide that's billed as the world's largest, at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kan. (David Strickland via AP)

FILE - In this Wednesday, March 18, 2015 file photo, Kansas state Rep. Scott Schwab speaks at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. The young son of a Kansas state lawmaker died on a water slide that is billed as the world's largest, according to officials and the boy's family. Authorities did not immediately identify the child who died Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016 at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas, but state Rep. Scott Schwab and his wife released a statement saying it was their son Caleb Thomas Schwab. (AP Photo/Nicholas Clayton, file)

FILE - This Nov. 2013 file photo shows Schlitterbahn's new Verruckt speed slide/water coaster in Kansas City, Kan. A 12-year-old boy died Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, on the Kansas water slide that is billed as the world's largest, according to officials. Kansas City, Kan., police spokesman Officer Cameron Morgan said the boy died at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark, which is located about 15 miles west of downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Schlitterbahn spokeswoman Winter Prosapio said the child died on one of the park's main attractions, Verruckt, a 168-foot-tall water slide that has 264 stairs leading to the top. (Jill Toyoshiba/The Kansas City Star via AP, File)
Fugitive who hid for decades booked into Florida jail

OCALA, Fla. (AP)  The suspect in a deadly shooting who was captured in North Carolina after evading authorities for decades is now in a north Florida jail.

Marion County Jail records show that 67-year-old William Claybourne "Clay" Taylor was booked into the Marion County Jail in Ocala on Tuesday evening. He's expected to have a brief first appearance hearing in court Wednesday.

Authorities say Taylor lived with his wife under an assumed name  James Manion  in Reidsville, North Carolina, and was captured by the FBI on July 28.

According to the FBI, Manion's life was part of a long deception dating back to the 1977 attempted murder of the mayor of Williston. Another government official died in the attack. Taylor was indicted in 1980 but disappeared soon after.
Denmark's Queen Margrethe postpones visit to Turkey

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  Denmark's figurehead monarch Queen Margrethe is postponing a planned state visit to Turkey citing the three-month state of emergency declared after last month's attempted coup.

Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen says it is "regrettable," adding there is "need for an intensive political and commercial dialogue with Turkey."

In a separate statement, the royal household said Wednesday's decision was taken "in consultation with the Turkish government."

Critics of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been slated for the broad clampdown on opponents following the July 15 failed coup, had questioned the Oct. 17-18 state visit.
A 6-year-old girl in Tennessee remains fighting for her life in critical condition two days after she was tipped out of a Ferris wheel and fell 30 feet to the ground.

Briley Jay Reynolds, 6, is breathing with assistance from a ventilator after she plunged from the Greene County Fair Monday alongside her sister, 10-year-old Kayla, and another girl, 16.

Briley suffered the worst injuries  a concussion and small brain bleed. She also had seizures en route to the hospital.

Briley Jay Reynolds, 6, (left) is breathing with help from a ventilator after she and her sister Kayla, 10, fell 30 feet to the ground from a Ferris wheel at the the Greene County Fair

Kayla (pictured) had a broken arm and is in 'lots of pain,' her mother said

'She is not currently breathing on her own,' said Kimmee Reynolds, the girls' mother, in a Facebook update Wednesday.

'She is on a vent but she is fighting. She's trying to breathe over it, but earlier when they tried to remove the tubes and all she couldn't do it. Her tongue kept rolling back and it wouldn't let her.'

The older sister, Kayla, had a broken arm and is in 'lots of pain,' the mother said.

'She isn't resting well and she's uncomfortable right now,' Reynolds said of the 10-year-old girl.

'But she's able to talk and smile and paint and do sand art and play on the iPad.'

Briley, however, has on occasion moved her feet and squeezed hands, but barely.

'I know she's in there and I know she hears us,' Reynolds said. 'She doesn't have good control of her right hand and wrist yet but we are thinking it will improve.'

Doctors are keeping the 6-year-old girl sedated until she heals more.

'Now it's a waiting game,' the mom said. 'Let her stay on the meds to keep her sedated and unaware and not in pain to heal more. [Doctors] said they won't be in such a hurry to wean her again.

Doctors are keeping the 6-year-old girl Briley (right) sedated until she heals more. Kayla (left) can talk and move around somewhat, despite her overall pain and discomfort

Briley (left) suffered the worst injuries  a concussion and small brain bleed. She also had seizures en route to the hospital. Her sister, Kayla, (right) had a broken arm

'They wanna give her more time and as much as I want her alert and dancing and being feisty,' Reynolds added. 'I want her to rest and feel better. One minute at a time.'

The third girl who fell from the Ferris wheel has not been identified. She does not appear to be related to the Reynolds girls.

The 16-year-old was hospitalized in critical condition but has since improved, according to local media reports.

Law enforcement cordon off the area surrounding the Ferris wheel that dropped three girls

Police cited a mechanical failure in the accident at Tennessee's Greene County Fair.

Greeneville Police Capt. Tim Davis said at a news conference late Tuesday that the failure caused the basket to overturn and dump the girls some 30 to 45 feet to the ground.

Davis said police had not confirmed reports that the basket the girls were riding in was rocking before the accident.

Members of the Greeneville Fire Department help people off the Ferris wheel

Emergency crews unload the Ferris wheel at the Greene County Fair after the incident

The fall sharpened the focus on how carnival rides are regulated.

After a 2014 audit found shortcomings in Tennessee's regulatory program for rides at fairs and amusement parks, state officials decided to get out of the inspection business altogether.
Judge: Van Dyke attorney can't see records of Chicago teen

CHICAGO (AP)  Lawyers for the Chicago police officer charged in the 2014 shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald will not have access to the victim's juvenile records, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Jason Van Dyke has no legal right to the confidential files simply because he is charged criminally with the teen's death, Cook County Juvenile Court Judge Patricia Martin ruled.

"I don't find you have a special interest in these files," Martin said, citing the state's Juvenile Court Act.

Defense attorney Daniel Herbert argued he needed to review McDonald's file to prepare for trial.

"I can't tell you what my reason for looking is because I don't know what's in there," defense attorney Steven Rueckert said before the judge's ruling, according to the Chicago Tribune.

McDonald's mother, Tina Hunter, had objected to release of the records, as well as the special prosecutor appointed to the case.

In another case involving a fatal shooting, officials say they won't identify the officers involved in the July 28 shooting of 18-year-old Paul O'Neal, who also was black.

The Independent Police Review Authority, which investigates police misconduct, declined to give the Chicago Tribune such information in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. It cited state law that allows withholding information if disclosure would endanger life or physical safety. The Chicago Police Department also has declined to name the officers, citing a union contract clause that prevents naming uncharged officers during pending disciplinary matters.

Police released body camera and dashcam video last week from the July 28 shooting of O'Neal, who was suspected of stealing a car. Superintendent Eddie Johnson has stripped three officers of their police powers, citing potential policy violations.

Last year's release of dashcam videos showing Van Dyke shooting McDonald 16 times prompted an investigation of Chicago police practices by the U.S. Justice Department and promises of reforms by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. It also sparked days of protests.

Records of McDonald's history with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, usually confidential, were made public last year after the video.
Austria remains opposed to EU membership talks with Turkey

VIENNA (AP)  Austria's chancellor says he remains in favor of ending EU membership talks with Turkey, despite opposition from senior EU leaders, and is looking for support for his views within the 28-nation union.

Christian Kern's initial call to stop the negotiations earlier this month was rejected by EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker as well as German and other EU government officials.

While critical of what they view as Turkey's eroding human rights, they fear for the future of a deal obliging Ankara to take back migrants arriving on Greek islands in exchange for funding to help care for refugees and visa-free travel in the EU for Turks.

Kern said Wednesday that the EU "cannot accept someone who does not honor democratic standards."
Sept. 11 memorial motorcycle ride ending on a sour note

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP)  Leaders of a massive, annual motorcycle procession to the three Sept. 11 crash sites said this year's fundraising ride, Aug. 19-21, will be their last.

Ted Sjurseth, founder of the nonprofit America's 911 Foundation, said he's tired of battling Maryland and Virginia state police and highway agencies' reluctance to block Washington-area traffic for 1,200 motorcycles.

The agencies say they support Sept. 11 memorial events but must maintain safe traffic flow in the congested region.

FILE - In this Aug. 17, 2007 file photo, motorcyclists enter Allegany College of Maryland in Cumberland, Md., for a regrouping stop as they participate in the annual America's 9/11 Ride. Leaders of the massive, annual motorcycle procession to the three Sept. 11 crash sites say the ride Aug. 19-21, 2016 will be their last. (John A. Bone/Cumberland Times-News via AP)

The problems stem from the first leg of the America's 911 Ride, from Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to Arlington, Virginia, always on a Friday. State agency officials say it can cause 5-to-10-mile backups, and stall home-bound commuters near the Pentagon.

"Complaints are received every year," Maryland State Police spokesman Greg Shipley wrote in an emailed response to questions from The Associated Press.

Sjurseth, 55, a computer consultant from rural Lucketts, Virginia, said that instead of complaining, stalled motorists should reflect on the 3,000 lives lost in the 2001 terrorist attack, and on the sacrifices made daily by first responders.

As the motorcycles pass, "instead of flipping them the bird, think about your security," Sjurseth (pronounced SHUR'-seth) said in a telephone interview.

He's especially frustrated with Maryland State Police, who haven't provided an escort unit for several years and now dodge his calls, Sjurseth said. He said the foundation has raised $500,000 for police equipment and $330,000 for scholarships for first-responder families.

"It was like, 'We do this for you. We have the highest regard for you,' and it's sad when it comes down to that," Sjurseth said.

Shipley said there aren't enough motorcycle troopers to provide an escort of the size Sjurseth wants. Instead, the ride is escorted by 160 motorcycle officers from other agencies, and state troopers monitor the procession. Shipley said Maryland State Police supported a 2013 law enabling local police to provide escort services statewide for events such as the Sept. 11 ride.

He said state police have asked Sjurseth to consider having the riders travel in groups of 20 to 30 to reduce traffic congestion, but he refused.

Sjurseth defeated a Virginia Department of Transportation effort to move this year's procession off of Interstate 66 and onto the chronically congested Capital Beltway and the two-lane George Washington Parkway  the safest route to the Pentagon, the agency said. The department offered to close one beltway lane for the bikers; in past years it has closed entire roadways.

Sjurseth said the change, announced July 27, would have forced the foundation to reprint booklets and pay $3,000 more in highway tolls. The agency relented but spokeswoman Jennifer McCord portrayed the foundation as uncooperative. She said the group has not filed a requested permit over the years; Sjurseth said he's gotten a bureaucratic runaround.

The Maryland governor's office, while wishing riders a safe trip, characterized Sjurseth as a malcontent whose gripes are nothing new.

"My understanding is that this gentleman has called every year because it's not done in the way in which he would like it done," said Shareese Churchill, press secretary for Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. "We've always tried to accommodate him but it's never enough."

Sjurseth shrugged off the comment: "I find that interesting that I'm a habitual complainer, but that's cool. There are worse thing to be called."

He said he's tried in vain to find someone willing to take over the arduous task of organizing the ride. Now the foundation is looking for other fundraising options, he said.
Rowing canceled as skies darken over Rio Olympics

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  Rowers packed up their oars for the day while cyclists hit slippery roads on skinny time-trial bikes unsuited to harsh weather conditions as sun-drenched Rio turned blustery, wet and gray on Wednesday.

Strong winds rattled palm trees along the coast and whipped up waves on the scenic lagoon where rowing was canceled for a full day for the second time at the Rio Olympics.

Twenty-two races, including the first two medal races, were postponed but international rowing federation director Matt Smith said there's still room on the schedule without having to resort to drastic measures  even if Thursday's competition is also called off.

Rowers from Poland carry their boat during a rowing training session at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Rowing competition was postponed Wednesday due to weather. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

"If Friday morning at 10 o'clock we are sitting here, we may have to lose some races," Smith said.

The regatta already lost a day to bad weather on Sunday, but race officials made up for it by rescheduling heats for Monday and Tuesday.

Under dark skies, cyclists braved lashing rain and wind on the time-trial course along Rio's southern coast. Ellen van Dijk of the Netherlands slid off the road. Although she stayed on her bike, she got tangled in weeds, which may have cost her a medal. She finished fourth.

Gold-medalist Kristin Armstrong of the U.S. said she got a bit concerned when she woke up at 4:30 a.m. and looked out the window.

"I had a choice at that moment to take it and get super nervous and say, 'Oh my gosh,'" she said. "Or I could say, 'I've probably ridden in the rain on my time-trial bike more than anybody out here,' so I just tricked my mind and said, 'Take it,'" Armstrong said.

Time-trial bikes have skinny tires and aerodynamics that don't always work well in the wind.

The men's competition took place in similar weather, with parts of the course drenched in rain and others more or less dry.

The biggest problem for rowers is not so much the rain as the wind. On Saturday, the competition went ahead despite choppy waters that left rowers struggling to keep their boats balanced.

Some athletes who struggled in the waves said the races should have been postponed, but rowing officials insisted the conditions were the same for everyone.

"It's much more stressful when we have unfair wind," said Smith, recalling how at the London Olympics the wind sometimes varied from lane to lane.

___

Associated Press writer David Skretta contributed to this report.

Britain rowers carry their scull prior to practice during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Rowing competition was postponed due to weather. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Rowers from Greece remove their boat from the water after a rowing training session during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Rowing competition was postponed Wednesday due to weather. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Cyclist Ellen van Dijk of Netherlands rides along Pontal beach during the women's individual time trial event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)
Twice lucky: Dubai crash-landing survivor wins $1 million

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  After he escaped unharmed from the burning wreckage of an Emirates airplane that had crash-landed in Dubai, Mohamed Basheer already considered himself lucky.

Then came the call telling him he had won $1 million.

"I said, 'Don't joke!'" the 62-year-old Indian recounted, laughing inside the auto-body repair shop where he works in Dubai. "They said, 'Yes, you are the winner!' I said, 'No!'"

Mohamed Basheer, a fleet sales coordinator at Al Tayer Motors, laughs during an interview in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Basheer survived the Aug. 3 crash-landing of an Emirates airliner in Dubai and won $1 million in a sweepstakes drawing by Dubai Duty Free the following Tuesday. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

Basheer won Dubai Duty Free's Millennium Millionaire sweepstakes Tuesday with a ticket he purchased July 6, just before he boarded an Emirates flight to head to India's Kerala state and his hometown of Pallickal.

He believes the 1,000-dirham ($270) ticket, No. 845 in Series M222, was his 17th attempt to win the sweepstake.

Yet perhaps his luckiest numbers were yet to come as he boarded Emirates flight EK521 on Aug. 3 to return to Dubai. Sitting in seat 26G, Basheer said the flight passed normally for the 300 onboard until the Boeing 777-300 attempted to land at Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest international airfield.

The plane hit the runway, bounced and slammed into the ground again. For Basheer, who works at Al Tayer Motors auto body shop as a fleet operations coordinator, it felt like the shuddering stop of a speeding car with anti-lock brakes.

The cabin quickly filled with smoke when the plane came to a halt.

"Nobody knows what's happening," Basheer told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday. "But I'm not scared. ... I was supporting the people and also I saved my life."

He jumped out of the airplane's emergency exit and down the slide, before turning back to see the fire spreading as others fled. He said he saw the explosion that caused the crash's only fatality, an Emirati firefighter responding to the blaze.

But he said he remained in awe that the passengers all escaped.

"That really is a miracle," Basheer said. "Thanks for God and thanks for the pilot."

An investigation into the crash is ongoing, though radio traffic and transponder data suggest the aircraft tried to regain altitude in the last moments before it hit the ground. That could indicate the pilots were trying to go around for a second landing attempt when something went wrong.

For Basheer, a no-nonsense employee like many of the laborers, taxi drivers and others from Kerala who take jobs in the United Arab Emirates, he immediately went back to work at the auto shop.

And then, at 1.45 p.m. on Tuesday, he received the phone call telling him he'd won.

"We were all excited, but he was the same  calm," said Ambujam Satheesh, his manager at the body shop. "He was taking calls from the customers."

That calm has carried Basheer through an intense 24 hours of non-stop calls to his mobile phone. Two bankers even came to visit him at the workshop, ending their pitch for his cash with a request for a selfie that he obliged.

To Basheer, the money isn't life-changing, though it can help his partially paralyzed son, grown daughter, grandchildren and wife. He'll keep working until mandatory retirement and will try to create a program to help the poor by teaching them useful work skills.

"Don't rubbish that money by giving something to someone for free," the 37-year Dubai resident said. "If you're hard-working, you make the money valuable."

The interview over, Basheer walked past the gleaming Ford Mustangs in the body shop and returned to his desk. A moment later, the phone rang with a worried customer and he got back to work.

___

Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/jon-gambrell .

Mohamed Basheer, a fleet sales coordinator at Al Tayer Motors, speaks to a customer on the phone in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Basheer survived the Aug. 3 crash-landing of an Emirates airliner in Dubai and won $1 million in a sweepstakes drawing by Dubai Duty Free the following Tuesday. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

Mohamed Basheer, a fleet sales coordinator at Al Tayer Motors, gestures during an interview in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Basheer survived the Aug. 3 crash-landing of an Emirates airliner in Dubai and won $1 million in a sweepstakes drawing by Dubai Duty Free the following Tuesday. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)
Officials skeptical $57M fish project will work

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  A group of Montana and federal wildlife officials has expressed opposition to a $57 million concrete dam and fish bypass that the U.S. government says would help an ancient and endangered fish species in the Yellowstone River.

The U.S Army Corps of Engineers and Interior Department are proposing the irrigation dam and bypass on the lower Yellowstone near the Montana-North Dakota border. That's where aging pallid sturgeon have been trapped for decades downstream of their spawning grounds.

But wildlife officials from a government-sponsored pallid sturgeon recovery group dismissed the project's alleged benefits for the fish as "unfounded" and "purely theoretical."

FILE - In this 2014, file photo, from left, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks employees Dave Fuller, Chris Wesolek, and Matt Rugg release a pallid sturgeon after taking blood samples from the fish. State and federal wildlife officials are opposing a $57 million concrete dam and fish bypass that the U.S. government says would help an ancient and endangered fish species in Montana???s Yellowstone River. (James Woodcock/The Billings Gazette via AP,File)

The group, known as the Upper Basin Pallid Sturgeon Workgroup, includes representatives of state and federal wildlife agencies, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Interior's Bureau of Reclamation.

The group's concerns were detailed in a July 28 letter to the Army Corps that was obtained by The Associated Press. It puts the Interior and Army Corps in the awkward position of promoting a costly construction project opposed by a group that includes members of their own staffs and other agencies.

Project manager Tiffany Vanosdall said the Army Corps continues to believe the dam and fish bypass would help sturgeon. An environmental study of the project is due to be completed late this year, Vanosdall said.

"We are working on other analyses of why we believe the bypass channel would work," she said.

Pallid sturgeon  with their shark-like shape and long snout  have changed little over the past 200 million years, earning the species recognition among scientists as a "living fossil."

The bypass would be located northeast of Glendive, Montana.

It's meant to give sturgeon access to upriver spawning grounds while maintaining an irrigation system that serves more than 50,000 acres of farmland in Montana and North Dakota. The recovery group's letter said it would be better to remove an existing rock weir on the river that traps the decades-old fish downstream.

"We believe the most beneficial alternative for pallid sturgeon would involve removing the existing barrier to provide full-river passage," the group wrote. "Across North America, sturgeon species have exhibited little success with fish passage structures."

The July 28 letter was signed by the sturgeon recovery group's chairman, Zachary Shattuck, a native fish specialist with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Shattuck has since asked to rescind the letter, over concerns that it was not reviewed by senior officials at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which has oversight for the recovery group.

"The decision to rescind the letter doesn't reflect on the nature of the comments," said Greg Lemon, a spokesman for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. "It just reflects a mistake in the process."

Shattuck said Wednesday that the comments were made on behalf of the sturgeon recovery group, not just himself. But he said he did not want to send "mixed signals" about the project and referred further questions to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Assistant Regional Director Mike Thabault.

Thabault said the federal agency supports the fish bypass as the best alternative for the fish while also maintaining irrigation. He acknowledged "there's room for debate" and not everyone in the scientific community agrees.

Thabault confirmed that his agency had concerns about the contents of the recovery group's letter, adding that the objections to the dam and bypass should have been taken to the agency's regional director instead of submitted to the Army Corps. But Fish and Wildlife Service personnel did not ask Shattuck for a retraction, Thabault said.

A representative of Defenders of Wildlife, Jonathan Proctor, said the recovery group's comments come at a crucial time for sturgeon, which face potential extinction in the Upper Missouri River Basin unless they can get upriver to spawn.

"Their own biologists have stated clearly that this will not work and the best solution is to restore a free-flowing Yellowstone River," Proctor said. Defenders of Wildlife and the Natural Resources Defense Council sued to stop the project last year.

As a result, U.S. District Judge Brian Morris blocked construction of the dam just as it was set to begin last September. The government's plan includes a 2-mile concrete channel for sturgeon to get around the dam, but Morris said the agencies never proved it would work.

___

Follow Matthew Brown on Twitter at https://twitter.com/matthewbrownap
Fuel tanks breached on oil rig swept onto Scottish beach

LONDON (AP)  Coast guards say two fuel tanks have been breached on an oil rig that was blown onto a remote Scottish beach, though it's not clear how much diesel has escaped.

The Transocean Winner was being towed when it broke free of its tug and ran aground on the Isle of Lewis off Scotland's west coast on Monday.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency says the rig is carrying 280 tons of diesel in several tanks.

A coastguard official monitors the Transocean Winner drilling rig off the coast of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, after it ran aground in severe weather conditions, Tuesday Aug. 9, 2016. The oil rig, carrying 280 tonnes of diesel, broke free of its tug and ran aground on the remote Scottish island where it is being monitored by a counter-pollution team. (Andrew Milligan / PA via AP)

The agency says salvage workers boarded the rig Tuesday and "discovered that two of the fuel tanks appear to have been breached." Poor weather prevented the workers returning to the rig Wednesday.

Environmental groups have expressed concerns about the accident, and local politicians have called for an emergency towing vessel to be based in the area.

A coastguard official monitors the shoreline with Transocean Winner drilling rig off the coast of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, after it ran aground in severe weather conditions, Tuesday Aug. 9, 2016. The oil rig, carrying 280 tonnes of diesel, broke free of its tug and ran aground on the remote Scottish island where it is being monitored by a counter-pollution team. (Andrew Milligan / PA via AP)

The Transocean Winner drilling rig stands proud from a spit of land off the coast of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, after it ran aground in severe weather conditions, Tuesday Aug. 9, 2016. The oil rig, carrying 280 tonnes of diesel, broke free of its tug and ran aground on the remote Scottish island where it is being monitored by a counter-pollution team. (Andrew Milligan / PA via AP)

People observe the Transocean Winner drilling rig off the coast of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, after it ran aground in severe weather conditions, Tuesday Aug. 9, 2016. The oil rig, carrying 280 tonnes of diesel, broke free of its tug and ran aground on the remote Scottish island where it is being monitored by a counter-pollution team. (Andrew Milligan / PA via AP)
New Jersey police drive 650 miles to reunite dog with owner

WALL TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP)  Two police officers have driven 650 miles from New Jersey to South Carolina to reunite a dog with its owner.

Wall Township Patrolman Frank Kuhl last month responded to a call from a man from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in a disabled vehicle who needed medical attention. The man also had a basset hound named Bella.

Kuhl took the dog to the Monmouth County Humane Society, which could only hold Bella for seven days before placing her up for adoption.

Bella's other owner couldn't make the trip to New Jersey, so the patrolman made arrangements to keep the dog with his family for two weeks.
Some black business owners strain to sell to black consumers

NEW YORK (AP)  When Terina McKinney displays her leather bags and belts at events attended primarily by black women, they are often interested in her designs, and in her experience as an African-American business owner. But she seldom makes sales.

"They all ooh and ahh and ask a ton of questions, but don't necessarily make purchases," says McKinney, whose Jypsea Leathergoods products range from $20 to $325. Instead, her customers tend to be white or Asian women.

While calls have been increasing for black consumers to support black-owned businesses with their buying power estimated at more than $1.2 trillion a year, social media campaigns with momentum like #buyblack are relatively new. And McKinney's frustration is shared by some other black business owners who say they can find it hard to sell to black consumers.

In this Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016, photo, Terina McKinney works with Malian mud cloth for her fashion accessories and home decor items in Camden, N.J. When McKinney displays her works at luncheons and other events, black women are interested in her designs, and in her experience as an African-American business owner. But they don't necessarily make purchases. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

The factors can be logistical or practical, such as being located farther away or having higher prices than big chain stories, retail experts and civic leaders say. Scarcity can be a reason: It can be hard to find businesses owned by African-Americans. But other considerations might be emotional, like wanting a trendy design everyone is wearing, or the perception that national brands are better.

"There's a myth that's been placed on our communities for many generations: White people's ice is colder. White businesses are superior to black businesses," says Ron Busby, president of the U.S. Black Chambers, a national business organization for black-owned companies. "We have to change that mentality. We have to be better, conscientious consumers."

McKinney, who lives in Camden, New Jersey, outside of Philadelphia, says her lower sales to black shoppers don't seem to be a matter of money, since she finds that many will spend on well-known labels.

Designer Joede Brown has seen similar responses to her crocheted clothing, which sells under the Black Pearl Creations brand from under $30 to up to $500 for the most intricate pieces. She finds black customers sometimes say her products are too expensive, although they'll wear a big-name brand that costs the same or more.

Brown, who lives in Manchester, New Hampshire, recognizes that a preference for well-known brands isn't limited to the black community, but also wonders if buying them is a statement: "You've beaten me down, but look, I can have this too."

Consumers who do try to focus their spending on black-owned companies say finding them requires research, and it can take more time and effort to get there. But locating options is getting far easier, both through local and national social media campaigns and online lists from groups like the U.S. Black Chambers.

"This is the only way we as a people can generate wealth, by supporting our own," says Rebecca Briscoe, of Houston. Her grandfather's photography company was black-owned and focused on black customers from the 1940s onward because white photographers would not do business with them.

"If you don't support their business, they don't have a business," says Briscoe.

Campaigns like #buyblack and also #bankblack, which encourages people to use black-owned financial institutions, are having an impact. The #bankblack campaign got a boost last month from rapper and activist Killer Mike, who called on people to shift their money to these banks. OneUnited Bank has gone from 50 new accounts a day to as many as 1,000, says Teri Williams, president of the financial institution that has offices in Boston, Miami and Los Angeles and also operates online.

"It's opening the community's eyes to the many ways they're spending their dollars," Williams says of the campaigns.

Businesses that provide a service may have more success than those that sell merchandise, says Jerome Williams, a marketing professor at Rutgers University.

"Since service businesses tend to involve more people interactions, the people relationships should prove to be more important, compared to situations where the focus is primarily on the product," he says.

Small and medium-sized retailers can find it hard to compete on price and selection with giants such as Wal-Mart that can negotiate lower prices with manufacturers through their scale. And finding black retailers and service providers across a range of industries isn't always easy, Jerome Williams says.

"As a black consumer, if I wanted to buy from a black-owned merchant, there aren't enough to satisfy my needs," he says.

The nearly 2.6 million black-owned companies in the United States account for about 9 percent of the total number of businesses in a country where 13 percent of the population is black. The 2012 census of businesses found that black-owned operations made up about 6 percent of all U.S. retailers and about 7 percent of businesses that provide food or accommodation.

Financial counselor Harrine Freeman has black-owned beauty supply and clothing stores, a dollar store, shoe repair and other service providers not too far from her Washington, D.C., home. She has searched online or asked friends and neighbors to find other businesses. But other black-owned stores might be an hour's drive away.

"I'm willing to drive that far, but that's not to say I can go there every week," Freeman says.

Many stores in traditionally black neighborhoods may also have changed hands. In parts of Los Angeles, including the once-majority black South Central area, Hispanics have replaced many of the black residents, and many black-owned businesses have closed or moved, says Joe Hicks, vice president of Community Advocates Inc. in Los Angeles.

Black-owned businesses offer black consumers distinct advantages  especially if shoppers have felt discriminated against at other places  and can provide services tailored to their needs, says Geraldine Henderson, a marketing professor at Loyola University in Chicago. She cited health care providers who understand medical concerns that may be more relevant to black patients.

"You want to go to a provider with cultural competence," Henderson says.

Maggie Anderson, who lives in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, wrote a book called "Our Black Year" about her effort to buy from black-owned businesses exclusively. That included the stores where she and her husband bought food, clothing, household necessities and personal care items, as well as service providers like hair salons, auto mechanics and restaurants.

Sometimes that meant driving 50 miles to get things. Sometimes it meant going without fresh fruit because they couldn't find what they wanted at a black-owned store. It meant telling their daughters "no" when a toy or book wasn't sold at a black-owned shop.

"It was a message to our fellow black consumers that we have to be more accountable to what has happened to and what is happening to our community," Anderson says.

Anderson says she has sensed some wariness when she speaks with groups of black consumers about her project, because the audience understands the amount of work involved. She says she also knows that while she had the time and financial resources to devote to the endeavor, people with lower incomes, little spare time and lacking the means to travel might have difficulty doing the same.

"It is not that that black consumers will not shop with black stores, products or services," says Hicks. "Most American consumers are looking for the best buy, the most convenient, best quality within a relatively short distance from where they live."

___

Follow Joyce Rosenberg at www.twitter.com/JoyceMRosenberg . Her work can be found here: http://bigstory.ap.org/content/joyce-m-rosenberg

In this Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016, photo, Terina McKinney works with Malian mud cloth for her fashion accessories and home decor items in Camden, N.J. When McKinney displays her works at luncheons and other events, black women are interested in her designs, and in her experience as an African-American business owner. But they don't necessarily make purchases. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
Activists protest Chelsea Manning's prison treatment

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  Advocates for a transgender soldier imprisoned for sending classified information to an anti-secrecy website presented more than 115,000 petition signatures to the Army's chief Wednesday protesting new charges Chelsea Manning faces related to her recent suicide attempt.

Activist groups including Demand Progress presented the petitions to Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning's office on Wednesday

Manning, serving a 35-year sentence, tried to kill herself July 5 by unspecified means in a military lockup at Kansas' Fort Leavenworth. The American Civil Liberties Union said Manning, 28, now faces administrative charges related to that bid to take her own life, with possible punishment including indefinite solitary confinement, loss of phone and law library privileges, and a delay to her parole eligibility.

In a conference call with reporters Wednesday, the activists said the administrative charges against Manning are unjust, particularly considering what they called her "systematic mistreatment" in prison. The charges include having prohibited property, resisting prison staff and "conduct that threatens."

"The reality is that she's not in a great place and getting the treatment she needs," said Chase Strangio, an ACLU attorney for Manning. Strangio said Manning "continually expressed relief that she's still alive," but pressed that "the idea the government is punishing her for surviving is egregious."

Army spokesman, Wayne Hall, didn't immediately respond to an email Wednesday seeking comment.

Manning, arrested as Bradley Manning, was convicted in 2013 in military court of six Espionage Act violations and 14 other offenses for leaking more than 700,000 secret military and State Department documents, plus some battlefield video to WikiLeaks. Manning, who was an intelligence analyst in Iraq at the time, later filed a transgender prisoner rights lawsuit.

Manning has appealed the criminal case, arguing that her sentence was "grossly unfair" and that her actions were those of a naive, troubled soldier who just wanted to reveal the toll of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The appeal contends Manning's disclosures harmed no one, but prosecutors have said the leaked material damaged U.S. security and identified informants who helped U.S. forces.

Manning's fans include former Pentagon analyst Daniel Ellsberg, indicted for leaking classified government information  long known as the "Pentagon Papers"  about the Vietnam War in 1971 to The New York Times and other newspapers. A federal judge threw out the charges against him in 1974 because of government misconduct.
Britney Spears rides with James Corden for Carpool Karaoke

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP)  One day before she releases her new album later this month, Britney Spears will join James Corden for a round of Carpool Karaoke on "The Late Late Show."

Corden's Carpool Karaoke segments where he drives around with celebrities singing to music have become a cornerstone piece of his CBS show, with many going viral. Spears will take the passenger seat on Aug. 25, the network said Wednesday at an annual summer press event for TV critics in Beverly Hills, California.

Past participants include first lady Michelle Obama, Justin Bieber, Jennifer Lopez and Gwen Stefani.

FILE - In a Sunday, May 22, 2016 file photo, Britney Spears performs at the Billboard Music Awards at the T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. Spears will join James Corden for a round of Carpool Karaoke on The Late Late Show, on Aug. 25. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

Spears' new album, "Glory," will be released Aug. 26.

___

Online:
Indiana woman seeks to end suit against preaching ex-trooper

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  An Indiana woman who sued a now former state trooper, claiming he violated her civil rights by preaching to her during a traffic stop, wants to end her lawsuit.

A notice filed Tuesday in federal court asks a judge to dismiss Wendy Pyle's suit, which seeks a jury trial, punitive damages and attorney fees.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana's legal director, Ken Falk, said Wednesday that Pyle wants to end her lawsuit because "the case was resolved" to her satisfaction.

"We're moving on," Falk said, declining further comment.

Pyle sued Brian Hamilton in April, alleging that he violated her civil rights by asking her during a January traffic stop what church she attended and whether she was saved. She said Hamilton's preaching was upsetting and unreasonably prolonged the traffic stop, during which Hamilton gave Pyle a warning for speeding.

After Pyle filed a formal complaint with State Police on Jan. 14, the agency began an internal investigation and assigned Hamilton to administrative duties.

State Police Superintendent Doug Carter fired Hamilton for insubordination two days after Pyle's suit was filed, saying the 14-year department veteran had disobeyed a written order to not preach while on duty.

Hamilton was sued in 2014 following a similar traffic stop in which a Ripley County woman also accused him of violating her constitutional rights during a traffic stop. She said he gave her a church pamphlet and also advertised a radio broadcast, "Policing for Jesus Ministries."

On Aug. 29, 2014, Hamilton was given a written order saying that "in the course of his official duties ... Hamilton will not question others regarding their religious beliefs nor provide religious pamphlets or similar advertisements."

That case was settled in April 2015.
Study: Pacific coast was route for colonizing the Americas

NEW YORK (AP)  Researchers have found new evidence that the first Americans migrated south from Alaska via the Pacific coast, rather than a route hundreds of miles inland along the Rocky Mountains.

The colonization of the Americas began after people arrived from Siberia, crossing an ancient land bridge called Beringia into Alaska. Huge ice sheets largely blocked the way south, but a gap in western Canada was long thought to provide an ice-free corridor for migration into the continent.

That idea ran into a problem as archaeologists documented human presence in the Americas at earlier and earlier times. The corridor appeared some 15,000 to 14,000 years ago as the ice sheets retreated, but studies suggest that people had reached South America by at least 14,700 years ago. Even if one accepts the earliest date for the corridor, it's hard to believe the migration could have gone so far south, so fast.

This February 2012 provided by researcher Mikkel Winther Pedersen shows a southward view down Cline River in Alberta, Canada, where retreating ice sheets created an ice-free corridor more than 13,000 years ago. This is part of the ice-free corridor which was ruled out for migration by the first people to colonize the Americas, since no evidence of plants or animals were found along this route until about 12,600 years ago. Studies suggest that people had reached South America by at least 14,700 years ago. So in recent years, many scientists have concluded that the first southward migrants traveled along the Pacific coast instead, either in boats or on land. (Mikkel Winther Pedersen via AP)

So in recent years, many scientists have concluded that the first southward migrants traveled along the Pacific coast instead, either in boats or on land.

The new research, released Wednesday by the journal Nature, casts further doubt on the inland corridor. It suggests that even after the corridor appeared, it wasn't suitable for migration until about 12,600 years ago.

That's because it lacked plants and game that people would need to sustain themselves on the long journey, researchers concluded.

The paper, by Eske Willerslev of Cambridge University and the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and coauthors, analyzed pollen and traces of animal DNA from ancient sediments of two lakes near Fort St. John in northeastern British Columbia. That general area is where the corridor last opened.

The paper follows another recent study of the corridor that also concluded it became habitable too late for the first migration south.

The earlier paper used a different method to assess habitability, and one of its authors, Beth Shapiro of the University of California, Santa Cruz, said in an email that "it's great when two different (approaches) agree on an issue that has been unresolved for such a long time."

___

Online:

Journal Nature: http://www.nature.com/nature

___
Missing weapons among police calls involving murder suspect

ROSWELL, Ga. (AP)  A man charged with killing two Georgia teenagers was identified as the suspect in the theft of a rifle from his grandfather's gun case last year, according to police reports documenting multiple police visits to his house in recent years.

Jeffrey Hazelwood was a suspect after the rifle went missing from the Roswell home of his grandparents, with whom Hazelwood lived while growing up in the suburban city north of Atlanta, according to a February 2015 report released by Roswell police.

In a report from 2013, police said Hazelwood's grandparents told them their grandson, then 16, stole a sword and knives from their gun safe. In that report, which doesn't identify the teen by name, officers say he told his grandmother that "he was going to blow and people were going to get hurt."

In this Aug. 2016 photo released by the Roswell Police Department, Jeffrey A. Hazelwood of Roswell, Ga., poses for a booking photo, Hazelwood has been arrested on two counts of murder in the deaths of Natalie Henderson and Carter Davis, both 17. While investigators are unsure of the motive, they believe Hazelwood acted alone, the chief said. (Roswell Police Department via AP)

Hazelwood, now 20, is accused of killing 17-year-olds Natalie Henderson and Carter Davis on Aug. 1 in Roswell. Hazelwood then stole Henderson's wallet and Davis' car jumper cables, according to arrest warrants filed in Roswell Municipal Court.

Hazelwood followed the two teenagers into an alley behind a Publix grocery store before shooting each one of them in the head, the arrest warrants state.

Hazelwood is charged with murder and theft. Police have declined to discuss a possible motive for the slayings, whether Hazelwood knew the teens, or any details about the gun used.

Hazelwood's attorney, Lawrence Zimmerman, has said he will provide a vigorous defense. Hazelwood's next court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 19.

Henderson and Davis, who used to live in Rapid City, South Dakota, would have been seniors this year at their Georgia high schools.
Libertarians' ballot access uncertain in battleground Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  While Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson is set to appear on ballots in at least 39 states, swing state Ohio is among the places where his supporters are still working to get his name out to voters this fall.

Whether he's successful could make a difference to Republicans, particularly the fortunes of GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, who is in a close race in the state with Democrat Hillary Clinton. Johnson on the ballot could complicate the Ohio race for Trump if conservatives who want a smaller government want a choice other than the celebrity billionaire.

And Trump's prospects in Ohio already are complicated. Gov. John Kasich, defeated by Trump for the GOP nomination, has refused to endorse the billionaire celebrity. No Republican candidate has been elected president without winning Ohio.

Libertarian Party activists in Ohio carry boxes of signature petitions to the Secretary of State's Office Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Columbus, Ohio, in hopes of placing presidential candidate Gary Johnson on the November ballot. The party surprised state election officials by submitting signatures for a different candidate, Charlie Earl, who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2014, in a move Libertarians defended as a placeholder effort because they began collecting signatures before Johnson was nominated. Once certified by the states elections chief, Libertarians will swap in Johnson and his running mate. (AP Photo/Ann Sanner)

But getting on the ballot is a complicated task involving potential name-swapping, in part because Libertarians are not recognized as a political party in Ohio. On Wednesday, Johnson's ballot status was uncertain.

A day earlier, Libertarians submitted thousands of signatures on behalf of a different candidate. Party activists say the candidate on the paperwork, Charlie Earl, who ran for Ohio governor in 2014, is just a stand-in who will be replaced with Johnson and his running mate once the petitions are certified by the state's elections chief.

"That was the only way we could do it," said Aaron Keith Harris, a spokesman for the Libertarian Party of Ohio. Libertarians also used a placeholder name in Pennsylvania, another battleground state.

The secretary of state's office has said it's not seen a name-swap used before in the presidential race in Ohio, and its legal team will review the situation.

Mark Brown, an attorney who's represented Ohio Libertarians in election lawsuits, says state law allows for the switch and the secretary of state's own election calendar lists an Aug. 15 deadline for such replacements.

Given the various petition deadlines and ballot access rules across states, placeholder candidates are common, said Carla Howell, the national Libertarian Party's political director. She said she's a stand-in candidate in four states.

Johnson is on track to be on the ballot in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Howell said, noting Ohio has been "one of the worst" states for access. The ballot effort is still ongoing in other battleground states, including Iowa and Virginia.

If he succeeds, Johnson would have achieved a milestone. The Libertarian presidential nominee wasn't on all state ballots in 2012, 2008 or 2004.

A serious hurdle for Libertarians and other minor parties is a patchwork of rules and laws nationwide governing access to ballots. "It's the number one problem that third party candidates face," said Barry Burden, a professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin in Madison and director of the Elections Research Center.

In Massachusetts, Libertarian vice presidential nominee William Weld hand-delivered the signatures needed to guarantee his name and Johnson's as November candidates. Candidates in major parties also must meet a signature threshold there. In Oklahoma, Libertarians are now a recognized political party allowing candidates to run at all levels without signature drives.

Even if Johnson and Weld make Ohio's ballot, both would lack the party's label or any designation. They are expected to be identified as independents rather than Libertarians in at least a couple of states.

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein and running mate Ajamu Baraka are slated to appear on ballots in at least 27 states, according to their party. They've filed their paperwork to get on Ohio's ballot.

Johnson and Stein are running in the single digits among voters in battleground Ohio, according a Quinnipiac University poll published Tuesday. The survey found Clinton at 44 percent to Trump's 42 percent, with Johnson at 8 percent and Stein at 3 percent.

A July Associated Press-GfK poll found both Stein and Johnson remain virtual unknowns among Americans, with 76 percent saying they don't know enough about Johnson to have a favorable or unfavorable opinion and 82 percent saying the same about Stein.

FILE  In this May 27, 2016, file photo, Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson speaks to supporters and delegates at the National Libertarian Party Convention in Orlando, Fla. Libertarian Party activists in Ohio, hoping to get party nominee Gary Johnson on Ohio's ballot, said they submitted petition signatures Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, for Charlie Earl, a 2014 candidate for governor, as a placeholder because they began collecting signatures before Johnson's nomination. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
The Latest: Guatemala massacre suspect deported from US

GUATEMALA CITY (AP)  The Latest on the deportation of a massacre suspect to Guatemala (all times local):

1:05 p.m.

U.S. officials have confirmed that they deported a former Guatemalan soldier accused of helping carry out a massacre of more than 160 people during his country's civil war.

This Aug. 5, 2016 photo shows Guatemalan massacre suspect Santos Lopez Alonzo at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Adelanto, Calif. Lopez Alonzo was arrested in the U.S. in 2010 on immigration violations and held as a material witness in the U.S. government's prosecution of a fellow former soldier from Guatemala. He was deported from the United States on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, after a court refused his plea to stay because he fears for his life. He faces an arrest warrant in Guatemala for his alleged participation in a 1982 massacre during the country's civil war. (AP Photo/Amy Taxin)

Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Kice said Santos Lopez Alonzo arrived in Guatemala City by charter flight Wednesday and Guatemalan authorities took him into custody.

Lopez's hands were shackled as he was escorted off the plane.

The 64-year-old had fought deportation, saying he feared he would be killed in Guatemala. A court last month blocked his effort to stay in the U.S.

Lopez and three other former soldiers suspected in the massacre in the village of Las Dos Erres were arrested after coming to the U.S. years later. Two are in American prisons, and one was previously deported.

___

12:35 p.m.

Guatemalan police say a former soldier accused of helping carry out a massacre of more than 160 people in 1982 during its civil war has arrived back in the country from the United States.

Santos Lopez Alonzo had been ordered deported from the U.S. and a plane carrying him arrived Wednesday in Guatemala City, where authorities were waiting to take him into custody.

In an interview with The Associated Press last week, Lopez said he didn't kill anyone and fears he'll be tortured and killed in Guatemala.

He's one of four former soldiers suspected in the massacre in the village of Las Dos Erres who were arrested after coming to the U.S. years later. Two are in American prisons, and one was deported.
JonBenet Ramsey cold case focus of upcoming TV programming

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP)  Twenty years after the murder of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey, three networks are dedicating programming to the unsolved case.

CBS will air a six-part docuseries, "The Case of: JonBenet Ramsey," the network announced Wednesday. Original investigators will team up with new experts to re-examine the evidence using today's technology and forensics. They will also rebuild the crime scene, conduct interviews and offer new theories.

"The Case of: JonBenet Ramsey" premieres Sept. 18 (8:30 p.m. EDT).

CBS is investigating the JonBenet Ramsey murder in an upcoming six-part docuseries. Here John and Patsy Ramsey leave their lawyers office in 2000

Lifetime also announced Wednesday that it has started production on "Who Killed JonBenet?" The film will premiere later this fall.

And Investigation Discovery announced earlier this month that it will air a three-night series, "JonBenet: An American Murder Mystery," beginning Sept. 12 (10 p.m. EDT).

JonBenet, a child beauty queen, was found beaten and strangled in the basement of her family's home in Boulder, Colorado, on Dec. 26, 1996.
The Latest: Police say teen killed after firing on officer

LOS ANGELES (AP)  The Latest on the killing of a 14-year-old by Los Angeles police (all times local):

12:20 p.m.

Los Angeles police say an officer investigating a report of people tagging a wall with gang graffiti killed a 14-year-old boy after the teen fired on the officer during a brief foot chase.

Deputy Chief Robert Arcos told reporters Wednesday that a witness says the youth fired on one of two officers Tuesday night. The officer was not hurt.

Police displayed a photo of a long-barreled revolver they say the teenager was carrying when he was killed.

Arcos says an investigation of the shooting in the Boyle Heights neighborhood was ongoing and included video from body cameras worn by both officers.

___

7:30 a.m.

Los Angeles police are investigating the fatal shooting of a teenager by a gang detail officer.

Officer Jane Kim says the shooting occurred Tuesday evening after a foot pursuit of a suspect with a gun in Boyle Heights.

Kim says a handgun was recovered at the scene, where an investigation remains active Wednesday morning.

Police only described the person killed as a male Hispanic. The Los Angeles County coroner's office says he was a 14-year-old boy whose name is being withheld.
The Latest: Officer identified in Florida police shooting

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (AP)  The Latest on Citizens Academy-Police Shooting (all times local):

5:10 p.m.

Authorities have identified the officer who was involved in the accidental shooting death of a 73-old-woman at a citizens academy program being conducted by a Florida police agency.

A Punta Gorda police spokesman identified the officer as Lee Coel and said Coel has worked for that southwest Florida police department since 2014. She said Coel frequently gave department presentations and tours, "specifically role-playing in these shoot/don't shoot scenarios."

The victim was a retired librarian, Mary Knowlton, who attended the police "shoot/don't shoot' demonstration with her husband Tuesday night.

The class put on by the Chamber of Commerce and the Punta Gorda police station, was just one stop during the weeks-long curriculum.

Coel has been placed on administrative leave while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigates.

___

3:15 p.m.

A police "shoot/ don't shoot" demonstration went awry when a Florida officer shot and killed a 73-year-old former librarian with what police said was real ammunition used by mistake at an event designed to bring law enforcement and the public together.

Authorities didn't immediately say how a gun with a live round came to be used at the demonstration Tuesday evening, noting blank rounds are normally used for such a citizens academy class. The officer, who wasn't immediately identified, has been placed on administrative leave, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating.

Punta Gorda Police Chief Tom Lewis says authorities were unaware live ammunition was available. He also told reporters The police chief said the weapon was a revolver, not a department-issued service weapon.

The victim was identified as 73-year-old Mary Knowlton, a former librarian.

____

6:45 a.m.

Police in Florida say a woman has been accidentally shot to death by an officer during a citizens academy exercise.

Multiple media outlets report that Punta Gorda Police Chief Tom Lewis says Mary Knowlton was taking part in a roleplaying scenario Tuesday when she was "mistakenly struck with a live round."

Lewis says Knowlton was chosen from about 35 people in the class for a "shoot/don't shoot" simulation. He says she was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The Latest: ACLU wants body camera video of shooting public

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  The Latest on a Utah police shooting earlier this year that became another flashpoint in the nation's discussion about the use of force by police against minorities. (all times local):

2:10 p.m.

The American Civil Liberties Union in Utah is calling on prosecutors to release body camera footage of a police shooting earlier this year now that the two officers involved have been cleared of wrongdoing.

CORRECTS SPELLING TO ABDULLAHI, NOT ABUDULLAHI - Abdullahi "Abdi" Mohamed, a teenage Somali refugee who was critically wounded by police during a fight outside a homeless shelter, leaves following his first court appearance on robbery and drug charges Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said officers acted appropriately when they fired at Mohamed because police believed he was about to seriously injure or kill a man with a metal broom handle. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced Monday that the shooting was justified and said that the footage is being withheld because it's evidence in charges against the teenage shooting victim.

Abdullahi "Abdi" Mohamed is charged with robbery and drug offenses stemming from a fight he was in while being shot.

ACLU of Utah Legal Director John Mejia said in a news release Wednesday that it's disturbing that Gill described the footage as collaborating police version of events but won't release it publicly.

"The public deserves to see the footage, not just hear the government's selective version of the footage," Mejia said.

Gill wasn't immediately available for comment Wednesday.

___

1:35 p.m.

A teenage Somali refugee who was critically wounded by police during a fight outside a homeless shelter earlier this year arrived to his first court appearance Wednesday on robbery and drug charges in a wheelchair.

The 18-year-old Abdullahi "Abdi" Mohamed declined comment after a short hearing in juvenile court where an evidentiary hearing was set for Oct. 3.

Wearing a black T-shirt, he smiled as he left court and politely said, "no comment," as he pushed himself in the wheelchair. His mother and stepfather also declined comment.

One of his attorneys, Sam Pappas, said he doesn't know the extent or severity of Mohamed's injuries and whether he'll be able to walk again. Mohamed was shot four times on Feb. 27, sending him into a coma and nearly killing him.

Mohamed has not yet entered a plea.

The hearing came a night after a small band of people protested against police brutality and called for the resignation of a Utah prosecutor during a demonstration in Salt Lake City after the two officers who shot Mohamed were cleared of any wrongdoing.

___

3:17 a.m.

A small band of people protested against police brutality and called for the resignation of a Utah prosecutor, during a demonstration in Salt Lake City after two officers were cleared in the shooting of a teenager.

About 25 members of Utah Against Police Brutality and other activist groups stood on the downtown city hall steps holding signs that said "Disarm the Police" and renewing a call for officials to release police body camera footage from the Feb. 27 shooting.

The Salt Lake City shooting occurred as police said they stumbled upon a fight between the teenager, a Somali refugee, and a man over $1.10 from a failed drug buy near the city's crowded homeless shelter.

The two officers shot then 17-year-old Abdullahi "Abdi" Mohamed four times, sending him into a coma that nearly killed him. He survived but his health condition Tuesday was not known.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill cleared the two officers of any wrongdoing Monday, saying they acted appropriately because they believed Mohamed was about to seriously injure or kill the man with a metal broom stick.

Gill also announced he was charging Mohamed, who is now 18, with aggravated robbery and possessing drugs with intent to distribute.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill speaks during a news conference Monday, Aug. 8, 2016, in Salt Lake City. Police were justified in shooting and critically wounding a 17-year-old Somali refugee in a confrontation that sparked unrest and protests in Salt Lake City earlier this year. Gill said officers acted appropriately when they fired at Abdi Mohamed because police believed the teen was about seriously injure or kill another man with a metal stick. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

FILE - In this March 3, 2016 file photo, Muslima Weledi holds a photograph of her cousin Abdi Mohamed, a 17-year-old Somali refugee critically wounded in a high-profile police shooting in Utah, during a interview, in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said officers acted appropriately when they fired at Mohamed because police believed he was about to seriously injure or kill a man with a metal broom handle. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File )

FILE - In this Feb. 27, 2016 file photo, police stop a person as he walks away from a crowd that formed after an officer-involved shooting at on South Rio Grande Street in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said officers acted appropriately when they fired at Abdullahi "Abdi" Mohamed because police believed he was about to seriously injure or kill a man with a metal broom handle. (Lennie Mahler/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, File)

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill speaks during a news conference Monday, Aug. 8, 2016, in Salt Lake City. Police were justified in shooting and critically wounding a 17-year-old Somali refugee in a confrontation that sparked unrest and protests in Salt Lake City earlier this year. Gill said officers acted appropriately when they fired at Abdi Mohamed because police believed the teen was about seriously injure or kill another man with a metal stick. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Utah police shooting victim in court on robbery charges

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  A teenage Somali refugee who was critically wounded by police during a fight outside a homeless shelter earlier this year arrived to his first court appearance Wednesday on robbery and drug charges in a wheelchair.

The 18-year-old Abdullahi "Abdi" Mohamed declined comment after a short hearing in juvenile court where an evidentiary hearing was set for Oct. 3. Wearing a black T-shirt, he smiled as he left court and politely said, "no comment," as he pushed himself in the wheelchair. His mother and stepfather also declined comment.

One of his attorneys, Sam Pappas, said he doesn't know the extent or severity of Mohamed's injuries and whether he'll be able to walk again. Mohamed was shot four times on Feb. 27, sending him into a coma and nearly killing him.

Abudullahi "Abdi" Mohamed, a teenage Somali refugee who was critically wounded by police during a fight outside a homeless shelter, leaves following his first court appearance on robbery and drug charges Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said officers acted appropriately when they fired at Abudullahi "Abdi" Mohamed because police believed he was about to seriously injure or kill a man with a metal broom handle. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Mohamed has not yet entered a plea. He is on the juvenile court system's equivalent of home confinement.

The hearing came a night after a small band of people protested against police brutality and called for the resignation of a Utah prosecutor during a demonstration in Salt Lake City after the two officers who shot Mohamed were cleared of any wrongdoing.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced Monday that the two officers acted appropriately because they believed Mohamed was about to seriously injure or kill a man with a metal broom stick. Gill also announced he was charging Mohamed with aggravated robbery and possession of drugs with intent to distribute.

Gill wants Mohamed charged as an adult even though Mohamed was 17 when the incident occurred. No decision is expected on that request until after the October evidentiary hearing, Pappas said.

The shooting outside the city's bustling homeless shelter and near where the NBA's Utah Jazz play became another flashpoint in the nation's discussion about the use of force by police against minorities.

About 25 members of Utah Against Police Brutality and other activist groups stood on the downtown city hall steps Tuesday night holding signs that said "Disarm the Police" and renewing a call for officials to release police body camera footage of the shooting.

"Ultimately, we believe that our public officials and the city and county levels have failed to pursue justice," said Stephen Michael Christian, a member of Utah Against Police Brutality.

The group held similar protests over the past few months where marchers blocked traffic and condemned police violence in Utah and around the country, but Tuesday night's gathering was small.

About 50 feet away, four police officers on bicycles watched as protesters took turns on a microphone, quoting Martin Luther King Jr. and chanting "Release the footage!"

The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah also called on authorities to release the footage, saying in a news release Wednesday that it's disturbing that Gill described what's in the footage during his announcement but won't release it publicly.

Gill said he's not releasing the footage because of the juvenile charges against Mohamed.

The Salt Lake City shooting occurred as police said they stumbled upon a fight between the teenager, a Somali refugee, and a man over $1.10 from a failed drug buy near the city's crowded homeless shelter.

Mohamed came to the U.S. with his family in 2004 from a refugee camp in Kenya, his cousin Muslima Weledi said. Court records show he started getting in trouble with police at age 12 and spent time in juvenile detention centers for theft, trespassing and assault.

His family has disputed accounts that he was brutally attacking the man. Weledi has said that witnesses told her Mohamed had a wooden broomstick and misunderstood police commands to drop the stick.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill speaks during a news conference Monday, Aug. 8, 2016, in Salt Lake City. Police were justified in shooting and critically wounding a 17-year-old Somali refugee in a confrontation that sparked unrest and protests in Salt Lake City earlier this year. Gill said officers acted appropriately when they fired at Abdi Mohamed because police believed the teen was about seriously injure or kill another man with a metal stick. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Protesters who've called for an end to police brutality, demonstrate against a Utah prosecutor's decision clearing two officers in the shooting of a teenager Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said officers acted appropriately when they fired at Abdullahi "Abdi" Mohamed because police believed he was about to harm a man with a metal broom handle. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Protesters who've called for an end to police brutality, demonstrate against a Utah prosecutor's decision clearing two officers in the shooting of a teenager Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said officers acted appropriately when they fired at Abdullahi "Abdi" Mohamed because police believed he was about to harm a man with a metal broom handle. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Abudullahi "Abdi" Mohamed, a teenage Somali refugee who was critically wounded by police during a fight outside a homeless shelter, leaves following his first court appearance on robbery and drug charges Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said officers acted appropriately when they fired at Abudullahi "Abdi" Mohamed because police believed he was about to seriously injure or kill a man with a metal broom handle. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Abudullahi "Abdi" Mohamed, a teenage Somali refugee who was critically wounded by police during a fight outside a homeless shelter makes his first court appearance on robbery and drug charges Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said officers acted appropriately when they fired at Abudullahi "Abdi" Mohamed because police believed he was about to seriously injure or kill a man with a metal broom handle. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Abudullahi "Abdi" Mohamed, a teenage Somali refugee who was critically wounded by police during a fight outside a homeless shelter makes his first court appearance on robbery and drug charges Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said officers acted appropriately when they fired at Abudullahi "Abdi" Mohamed because police believed he was about to seriously injure or kill a man with a metal broom handle. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Protesters who've called for an end to police brutality, demonstrate against a Utah prosecutor's decision clearing two officers in the shooting of a teenager Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said officers acted appropriately when they fired at Abdullahi "Abdi" Mohamed because police believed he was about to harm a man with a metal broom handle. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Protesters who've called for an end to police brutality, demonstrate against a Utah prosecutor's decision clearing two officers in the shooting of a teenager Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said officers acted appropriately when they fired at Abdullahi "Abdi" Mohamed because police believed he was about to harm a man with a metal broom handle. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Protesters who've called for an end to police brutality, demonstrate against a Utah prosecutor's decision clearing two officers in the shooting of a teenager Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said officers acted appropriately when they fired at Abdullahi "Abdi" Mohamed because police believed he was about to harm a man with a metal broom handle. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Judge dismisses suit accusing Twitter of supporting IS group

NEW YORK (AP)  A federal judge in San Francisco has dismissed a lawsuit accusing Twitter of supporting the Islamic State group.

The families of two men killed in Jordan claimed that Twitter had contributed to their deaths by allowing the group to sign up for and use Twitter accounts. The judge agreed with Twitter that the company cannot be held liable because federal law protects service providers that merely offer platforms for speech, without creating the speech itself.

"As horrific as these deaths were, ... Twitter cannot be treated as a publisher or speaker of ISIS's hateful rhetoric and is not liable under the facts alleged," U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick wrote Wednesday .

FILE - This Friday, Oct. 18, 2013, file photo, shows a Twitter app on an iPhone screen in New York. A federal judge in San Francisco on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, dismissed a lawsuit accusing Twitter of supporting the Islamic State group. The family of two men shot and killed in Jordan claimed that Twitter had contributed to their deaths by allowing the group to sign up for and use Twitter accounts. The judge agreed with Twitter that the company cannot be held liable because it wasn't the speaker of ISIS's hateful rhetoric. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

The federal Communications Decency Act has long protected service providers for remarks made and actions taken by their users, so Wednesday's ruling came as no surprise. But that law runs in conflict with an anti-terrorism law prohibiting support for groups like the IS.

The families have the option to amend and refile the case.

Lloyd "Carl" Fields Jr. and James Damon Creach were shot and killed in 2015 while working as U.S. government contractors in Amman, Jordan, according to the lawsuit. The Islamic State group later claimed responsibility for their deaths. The lawsuit names Anwar Abu Zaid as the lone gunman.

Orrick noted that the lawsuit didn't claim that the IS recruited or communicated with Abu Zaid over Twitter, nor did the lawsuit accuse either of using Twitter to plan, carry out or raise funds for the attack. Rather, the lawsuit said Twitter provided "material support" in allowing the use of Twitter accounts for recruitment and other purposes.

A similar lawsuit against Google, Facebook and Twitter was filed in June by the father of a young woman killed in the Paris massacre last November.

Representatives for Twitter and a lawyer representing the families of two men could not immediately be reached for comment.

___

Online:
Clinton: Trump's words could have "tremendous consequences"

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Calling on Republicans to cross party lines to support her, Hillary Clinton is warning that Donald Trump's comments about Second Amendment supporters are just another example of how his words could have "tremendous consequences."

At a rally in Des Moines Wednesday, Clinton said the remarks were a "casual inciting of violence" that show he lacks the temperament to be commander-in-chief. She then noted her growing list of Republican supporters, saying they were backing her "not as Republicans, but as Americans."

"We may not agree on everything, but this is not a normal election," Clinton said. "I will work hard for the next three months to earn the support of anyone willing to put our country first."

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton arrives at Des Moines International Airport in Des Moines, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Clinton is in town to tour Raygun, a printing, design and clothing company and attend a campaign rally. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

At a rally Tuesday, Trump falsely said that Clinton wanted to revoke the right to gun ownership. He then said that there was nothing people could do to stop Clinton from stacking the Supreme Court with anti-gun justices, before stating vaguely that "although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is  I don't know. But I'll tell you what: that will be a horrible day." The Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms.

Democrats quickly jumped on the comments as further evidence that Trump is undisciplined and unprepared for the presidency, while Trump insisted he was never advocating violence against Clinton.

As Trump struggled to turn the page on a difficult period in his campaign, Clinton's campaign continued a push to win over Republicans and independents Wednesday, launching a group called "Together for America." It aims to use a wave of nearly 50 recent endorsements by high-profile Republicans and independents to convince voters to cross party lines.

The campaign released new endorsements from several retired Republican officials, including former Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Carla Hills, former Maryland Congresswoman Connie Morella, former Connecticut Congressman Chris Shays and former Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte.

Clinton will continue her appeals to Republicans and independents Thursday with an economic speech in Detroit. In Iowa, she stressed her commitment to small businesses and young entrepreneurs with a visit to local T-shirt store, Raygun.

The Iowa trip marked Clinton's first visit to the battleground state since her narrow win over Bernie Sanders in the leadoff caucuses. She has had a troubled relationship with the state since losing here to then-Sen. Barack Obama in the 2008 caucuses. Donald Trump has also focused heavily on Iowa, making several trips in recent weeks. Iowa has six electoral votes, with 270 needed to win the presidency.
Los Angeles police say teen killed after firing at officer

LOS ANGELES (AP)  A Los Angeles police officer investigating a graffiti tagging report shot and killed a 14-year-old boy after the teen opened fire on him during a brief foot chase, authorities said Wednesday.

The shooting occurred Tuesday in Boyle Heights, a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood east of downtown Los Angeles that police say is still home to nearly three dozen gangs.

"The tragedy of this event cannot be understated," Deputy Chief Robert Arcos said. "This event underscores the need for youth programs and outreach which provide opportunities and alternatives for the youth of our communities."

A photo and flowers are left at a street side memorial for a teen who was fatally shot by police in the Boyle Heights section of Los Angeles on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Los Angeles police are investigating the shooting of a teenager by a gang detail officer. Officer Jane Kim says the shooting occurred Tuesday evening after a foot pursuit of a suspect with a gun. Kim says a handgun was recovered at the scene, where an investigation remains active Wednesday morning. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Arcos did not say if the slain teenager or a second detained youth were gang members.

Arcos said the teen was shot after two officers responded to a report of tagging and two suspects ran from the scene.

One was quickly detained, and the other ran a couple of blocks before firing at officers chasing him, police said, citing an unnamed witness.

"The witness saw the subject shoot a handgun in the direction of the pursuing officers," Arcos said, adding the officers heard the gunfire. Neither officer was hit.

Moments later, an officer rounding a corner shot the 14-year-old, who died at the scene.

At a news conference Wednesday, police displayed a photo of a loaded, long-barreled revolver they say the youth was carrying when he was shot.

Both officers were wearing body cameras. Arcos said the video was being processed and would be reviewed by investigators. It was not immediately released.

"There is still a lot of work to be done," he said of the investigation.

The officers, who were not identified, were assigned to desk duty. Police did not release the name of the 14-year-old or the other youth, who was detained.

Los Angeles Police officer Lt. Chris Ramirez holds a photo of a gun at a news conference in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Police say an officer investigating a report of people tagging a wall with gang graffiti killed a 14-year-old boy after the teen fired on the officer during a brief foot chase. Deputy Chief Robert Arcos told reporters Wednesday that a witness says the youth fired on one of two officers Tuesday night. The officer was not hurt. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
Police grab man climbing Trump Tower in New York City

NEW YORK (AP)  A man who wanted an "audience" with Donald Trump spent three hours scaling the glass facade of Trump Tower on Wednesday using large suction cups, climbing as high as the 21st floor before police officers grabbed him and hauled him to safety through an open window.

The climber, identified by police as a 20-year-old Virginia man, wore a backpack and used a harness and rope stirrups to fasten himself to the side of the 68-story Manhattan skyscraper.

For a long time, the climber played a slow-motion cat-and-mouse game with would-be rescuers. Officers smashed windows and broke through ventilation ducts to block his progress. Police also lowered themselves toward him using a window washer's platform.

A man scales the all-glass facade of Trump Tower, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in New York. A police spokeswoman says officers responded to Donald Trump's namesake skyscraper on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The 58-story building is headquarters to the Republican presidential nominee's campaign. He also lives there. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

The man kept his distance by methodically working his way back and forth across the facade, repeatedly repositioning suction cups resembling a type commonly used by window washers to remove big panes of glass.

The chase ended dramatically just after 6:30 p.m.

As a crowd gasped on the street below, two officers leaned far out of a window, grabbed the climber's arm and harness, and in a flash yanked him from his dangling stirrups. He went through the opening head first, his legs pointed skyward.

"I reached out. I took hold of his hand and I said, 'Sir, would you come with me,'" said detective Christopher Williams, who made the grab.

Police had deployed large, inflated crash pads at the scene, but it was unclear how much protection they would have offered if the climber fell.

A day before the ascent, police said the climber posted a video on YouTube entitled, "Message to Mr. Trump (why I climbed your tower)." He posted the video under the name Leven Thumps, which is a character in a series of children's fantasy novels by the writer Obert Skye.

"I am an independent researcher seeking a private audience with you to discuss an important matter. I guarantee that it's in your interest to honor this request," he said. "Believe me, if my purpose was not significant, I would not risk my life pursuing it. The reason I climbed your tower is to get your attention. If I had sought this via conventional means, I would be much less likely to have success because you are a busy man with many responsibilities."

NYPD Assistant Chief William Aubrey said the man, who was not named by police, told officers the same thing after he was safely inside the building.

"At no time did he express that he wanted to hurt anybody," he said.

The tower is headquarters to Donald Trump's Republican presidential campaign and his business empire. Trump also lives there, though he was in Virginia in the afternoon and was headed to Florida for an evening event.

A Trump campaign spokeswoman didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

"This man performed a ridiculous and dangerous stunt," Michael Cohen, an executive at the Trump Organization, said in an emailed statement. "I'm 100 percent certain the NYPD had better things to do."

Later Wednesday evening, Trump tweeted "Great job today by the NYPD in protecting the people and saving the climber."

The climber began his ascent from a terrace that is open to the public during the day. Police said he was taken to a hospital to be evaluated.

___

This story has been corrected to show that Trump Tower is a 68-story skyscraper, not a 58-story one.

New York Police officers attach a climbing rope and carabiner to a man who was attempting to scale Trump Tower, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in New York. The man spent more than 2 ' hours scaling the glass facade of Trump Tower, climbing as high as the 21st floor before police officers grabbed him and hauled him to safety through an open window. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

An emergency response officer reaches to pull a man's legs over as New York Police officers struggled to pull the man through a window as he scaled Trump Tower using suction cups Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in New York. The man spent more than 2 hours scaling the glass facade of Trump Tower, climbing as high as the 21st floor before officers grabbed him. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

A New York Police officer watches as a man attempts to scale Trump Tower, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in New York. The man spent more than 2 hours scaling the glass facade of Trump Tower using large suction cups, climbing as high as the 21st floor before police officers grabbed him and hauled him to safety through an open window. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

A man scales the all-glass face of Trump Tower in New York, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. The 58-story building is headquarters to the Republican presidential nominee's campaign. He also lives there. (Alex Cannon via AP)

A man scales the all-glass face of Trump Tower in New York, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. The 58-story building is headquarters to the Republican presidential nominee's campaign. He also lives there. (Alex Cannon via AP)

A man scales the all-glass facade of Trump Tower, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in New York. A police spokeswoman says officers responded to Donald Trump's namesake skyscraper on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The 58-story building is headquarters to the Republican presidential nominee's campaign. He also lives there. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

A man scales the all-glass facade of Trump Tower, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in New York. The 58-story building is headquarters to the Republican presidential nominee's campaign. He also lives there. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

A man scales the all-glass facade of Trump Tower using suction cups Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in New York. A police spokeswoman says officers responded to Donald Trump's namesake skyscraper on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The 58-story building is headquarters to the Republican presidential nominee's campaign. He also lives there. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Pedestrians stop to watch as a man scales the all-glass facade of Trump Tower using suction cups Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in New York. A police spokeswoman says officers responded to Donald Trump's namesake skyscraper on Fifth Avenue. The 58-story building is headquarters to the Republican presidential nominee's campaign. He also lives there. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Pedestrians stop to watch as a man scales the all-glass facade of Trump Tower using suction cups Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in New York. A police spokeswoman says officers responded to Donald Trump's namesake skyscraper on Fifth Avenue. The 58-story building is headquarters to the Republican presidential nominee's campaign. He also lives there. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Brits upset Chinese to win synchro 3-meter Olympic gold

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  There won't be a golden sweep in the green Olympic diving pool.

Britain upset China to win the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard Wednesday, with Jack Laugher and Chris Mears totaling 454.32 points for their country's first Olympic diving gold in history.

"When the scores came up and it obviously said that we had won I was still like, 'No, someone is playing a horrible prank on me,'" Mears said. "It was crazy, absolutely crazy, but I'm absolutely buzzing."

Britain's Jack Laugher, left, and Chris Mears pose with their gold medals after the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard diving final in the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

American duo Sam Dorman and Mike Hixon took silver with 450.21. China's Cao Yuan and Qin Kai settled for bronze with 443.70, ending their country's bid to sweep the eight diving medals at the Rio de Janeiro Games.

The Chinese had won the first three synchro events.

On a dreary, windy day at Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre, a steady drizzle fell throughout the six-round final. The pool's water was green for the second straight day, with games officials struggling to correct what they say is decreased alkalinity that's causing the change from clear blue to murky green.

"Being from the U.K., we're very much used to rain, wind and all that kind of stuff," Laugher said.

Qin was trying to win a third straight 3-meter synchro gold medal with his third different partner. But the 30-year-old Chinese  oldest in the contest and owner of five Olympic medals  faltered in the third round, dropping his team to second behind the British.

"I am the reason I did not do well," Qin said through a translator. "I wasn't strong enough in my mindset. I didn't really focus enough."

China fell to third in the next round, but moved up to second after its fifth dive. Cao and Qin earned scores ranging from 8.5 to 9.0, leaving them within 2.64 points of Britain heading into the last round. Laugher and Mears nailed the toughest dive any team attempted in the final, scoring 86.58 points in the fifth round.

The Brits, Americans and Chinese all attempted the same dive to close the contest.

Dorman and Hixon went first, scoring 98.04 to take over first, with the British and Chinese still to come. The Americans endured a five-minute wait while Mexico's duo, who competed in front of them, sought a do-over.

"Leading into the last dive, having the Mexicans try to re-dive was beneficial," Dorman said. "Having them distract us and me wondering what was going on took a lot off my mind."

Jahir Ocampo and Rommel Pacheco complained to officials after a temporary light on scaffolding above the pool suddenly turned on while they were starting their dive.

At first, it appeared the Mexicans would be allowed to go again, and they climbed back on the boards. Hixon had already started up the stairs, thinking it was his turn before going back down to wait.

Ocampo and Pacheco stood on the boards waiting for the judges to give the go signal. It never came. They weren't allowed another attempt. It wouldn't have affected the medal finish, but might have moved the Mexicans up to fourth instead of fifth among the eight teams.

"We were going to do it again, but when we were up there waiting for the whistle to jump, they announced our scores and we had to come down again to protest," Pacheco said.

He said he thought Mexico would protest to FINA, the sport's world governing body.

"They might admit that they were wrong, but it won't change anything," Pacheco said.

After Hixon celebrated his team's execution by punching the water, the Brits grabbed the top spot back, although at 91.20, they didn't score as high as the Americans.

"GB did an unbelievable last dive as well," Hixon said. "We sort of made them earn it, but they absolutely did."

On China's last dive, Qin struggled again, failing to enter the water straight on a forward 4 somersaults dive carrying a 3.8 degree of difficulty that scored 83.22.

"It's a lot of pressure and yes, we were a little bit nervous," Cao said.

China failed to win gold in the event for the first time since the 2004 Athens Games.

___

Associated Press Writer Carlos Rodriguez contributed to this report.

China's bronze medalists Cao Yuan, left, and Qin Kai wave to supporters during the medals ceremony after the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard diving final in the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

China's Cao Yuan and Qin Kai, left, hug each other after finishing third as Britain's Jack Laugher and Chris Mears, right, celebrate after winning the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard diving final in the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

Britain's Jack Laugher and Chris Mears celebrate after winning the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard diving final in the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

China's Cao Yuan and Qin Kai compete during the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard diving final in the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
Review: Audacious 'Sausage Party' is a delicious feast

It's happened. Someone has outdone the "Team America" puppet sex scene and even made it look somewhat quaint in comparison. Anyone even vaguely interested in the very R-rated animated film "Sausage Party " has likely heard whispers about the food orgy. Words can't even begin to do this sequence justice, but I guarantee you've never seen anything like it in a mainstream studio movie. It's jaw-dropping.

Of course it's compliments of the minds that blew up a foreign leader in "The Interview" and reveled in the comedy of rape by demon in "This is the End." Yes, co-writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg have used their singular and delightfully twisted imaginations once more to concoct what is easily the year's most audacious film. And it's packaged in animation cutesy enough for Pixar.

In the grand tradition of "Toy Story," ''Sausage Party" imagines the lives of the foodstuffs in the local supermarket aisle. But it doesn't merely anthropomorphize the food. It gives them sexuality, lust, ethnicities and even religion. "Sausage Party" is just as much a sweet story about belief and faith as it is a vehicle for the filthiest jokes you've never dared imagine.

This image released by Sony Pictures shows a scene from "Sausage Party." (Columbia, Sony Pictures via AP)

Frank (Seth Rogen), a non-descript hot dog, waits somewhat impatiently with his fellow mates to be selected by the gods (humans) to be taken to a paradise in The Great Beyond (purchased). Everyone in the store knows something good is out there waiting. The foods and condiments and sweets begin every day with a rousing song about The Great Beyond and the Gods, each putting their own spin on it (i.e. the German mustard has added a line about exterminating Juice).

For Frank, it's all about paradise and the chance to match with his soul mate Brenda (Kristen Wiig), a sexy hotdog bun with Barbie legs and a desire equal to Frank's. They're waiting for the gods to choose them before they act on anything.

Things go awry when they are chosen. A jar of Honey Mustard (Danny McBride) that was returned to the store by a customer is so traumatized by what he's seen "out there" that he jumps out of the cart to his death. A few follow him out of their packages to try to save him and get tossed from the cart, including Brenda, Frank, Sammy Bagel Jr. (Edward Norton, affecting his best Woody Allen), Lavash (David Krumholtz) and a Douche (Nick Kroll), who becomes dead set on killing Frank for preventing him from reaching The Great Beyond.

And that group goes off exploring  some trying to get back to their spot in the store, some searching for the truth, and some (the Jewish bagel and Middle Eastern flatbread) waxing philosophical on the nature of belief. Those that made it to The Great Beyond, including Frank's hot dog buddy Barry (Michael Cera), experience the horrors of dinner time.

As in all Rogen and Goldberg films, no matter how raunchy, there is a big heart at the center. It's what distinguishes them from the anything goes satire of Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Anything goes here too, but it's rooted in something deeper and infinitely more earnest.

"Sausage Party," directed by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon with co-screenwriting credits for Kyle Hunter and Ariel Shaffir, might not be for everyone (especially kids drawn to the posters and perplexed that cute animation might not actually always be for them), but it's a wild good time that will offend, shock and even delight.

There is no one out there making comedies quite like Rogen and Goldberg. They are putting their definitive stamp on the modern American comedy one decency-smashing double entendre at a time.

"Sausage Party," a Columbia Pictures release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for "strong crude sexual content, pervasive language, and drug use." Running time: 89 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.

___

MPAA Definition of R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

___

Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr

This image released by Sony Pictures shows Brenda, voiced by Kristen Wiig, left, and Teresa, voiced by Salma Hayek in a scene from "Sausage Party." (Columbia, Sony Pictures via AP)

This image released by Sony Pictures shows, from left, Brenda, voiced by Kristen Wiig, Frank, voiced by Seth Rogen, Sammy, voiced by Ed Norton and Lavash, voiced by David Krumholtz in a scene from, "Sausage Party." (Columbia, Sony Pictures via AP)
2 vulnerable GOP incumbents break with Trump on immigration

CHICAGO (AP)  Two Illinois Republicans considered among the nation's most vulnerable congressional incumbents are breaking from their party and its outspoken presidential nominee, Donald Trump, to push laws that would include a path to citizenship for people living in the country illegally.

Rep. Bob Dold and Sen. Mark Kirk joined GOP Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida and business leaders at an event Wednesday in Chicago. They argued comprehensive immigration reform would help the economy, ensure companies have the workers they need and is the right thing to do.

"It's about people before politics," said Dold, whose district north of Chicago is home to large numbers of Hispanic voters and Fortune 500 companies. "We need to fix a broken system."

FILE - In this Nov. 5, 2012 file photo, U.S. Rep. Bob Dold R-Ill., campaigns in Chicago. Dold and Sen. Mark Kirk R-Ill., both spoke at an event Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016 in Chicago, arguing for comprehensive immigration reform would help the economy. The two Republicans are considered among the nation's most vulnerable congressional incumbents and are breaking from their party and Donald Trump to advocate for new laws that would include a path to citizenship for people living in the country illegally.(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)

Immigration has been a tricky issue for Republicans, particularly as the electorate has grown more and more diverse. After a dismal showing at the polls in 2012, leaders said the party must become more inclusive if it is to win back the White House. The following year 14 Republican senators voted for an immigration overhaul proposal that stalled in the House. The measure would have strengthened border security, increased visas for legal immigrants and given some 11 million undocumented immigrants a path to become citizens.

The 14 GOP senators who backed the plan included Kirk and Sens. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire and John McCain of Arizona, who also are trying to hold on to their seats in November.

Trump has moved in the opposite direction, saying he wants to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico and make Mexico pay for it. He also has called some Mexican immigrants rapists and promised to deport millions of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.

Other endangered Republicans have pushed back on Trump's more divisive statement statements about immigration but are still supporting his candidacy.

After Trump said all Muslims should be banned from entering the U.S., Ayotte said she opposes any "religious-based test for our immigration standards." Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio blasted Trump for saying a federal judge of Mexican descent couldn't be impartial because of Trump's proposal to build the wall.

The pushback has been particularly strong in left-leaning places such as Illinois, where in recent years lawmakers have approved driver's licenses and extended health care for some immigrants who are in the country without legal permission.

Even Bill Kunkler, an executive vice president at a Chicago company who has faithfully voted for Republicans for president his entire adult life, called Trump's comments about immigrants "ugly and hateful" and predicted it will hurt Republicans in November.

"I hope Trump and his supporters are humiliated at the polls," said Kunkler, who attributes his success in business to the Mexican immigrants who worked beside him in his early years supervising an Illinois quarry.

Dold, who's in a rematch with Democratic former U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, has said he won't support Trump. Kirk, facing a difficult challenge from Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth, first said he would support the GOP nominee but withdrew his backing in June.

Kirk peppered his remarks at Wednesday's event with Spanish, talking up a program he started to reunite Mexican families by providing visas for people in Mexico to come to the U.S.

But Democratic U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, one of the staunchest pro-immigrant members of Congress, accused Kirk of flip-flopping on the issue and supporting immigration reform only "when it's politically convenient."

Kirk and Duckworth have repeatedly clashed over whether the U.S. should admit refugees from Syria. Duckworth wants the U.S. to accept 200,000 refugees, including 100,000 from Syria. Kirk wants to ban them, saying they pose a national security threat.

He said Wednesday that position doesn't contradict his support for immigrants because "there's a difference between Mexican immigrants and Syrian refugees."

"Syrian refugees might tend toward Islamic terror, and we've never had a Mexican terror problem in this country," Kirk said.
In their words: Baltimore residents talk run-ins with police

BALTIMORE (AP)  In a scathing report, the Justice Department detailed rampant abuse within the Baltimore Police Department, including racial discrimination against blacks, unlawful stops and excessive force. The misconduct was highly concentrated in certain parts of the city, including the Western District, where residents reflected on their own experiences with city police.

THROWN TO THE GROUND

Morren Jackson, 21, has had his fair share of run-ins with Baltimore police officers. He said he has been thrown to the ground, harassed and arrested for minor infractions such as jaywalking or trespassing. He's even been strip-searched, he said.

Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis delivers a statement during a news conference at City Hall in response to a Justice Department report. Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016 in Baltimore. The Justice Department and Baltimore police agreed to negotiate court-enforceable reforms after a scathing federal report released Wednesday criticized officers for using excessive force and routinely discriminating against blacks. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun via AP)

"We get harassed every day, just for being black," he said. "If you stand on the corner in a white T and jeans, you're a drug dealer. If I stood on the corner with a suit on, I'd probably still be a drug dealer to them. They jump out, look for drugs and when they don't find that, they'll charge you with trespassing. It'll be a charge regardless. And then they'll say you're resisting arrest. Resisting arrest? You can be resisting arrest if you just keep walking."

BOY HURT

Newnewshawna Scott, 30, said she once watched a police officer chase a boy and hurl him over a fence. The boy, she said, lost his eye.

"They're supposed to protect and serve, but people are afraid to call them because when they come, they're hurting people," she said. "All we ask, we just want some supportive cops who are worried about our people, and not just black people: white people, Mexicans, all types of people. We're all together."

ALWAYS CHAOS

Michael Brown, 30, said every interaction he's had with an officer is "chaos."

"Last month I got pulled over. The cop was supposed to ask for my license and registration, but he opened my door, took the keys out of the ignition and was all in my car, asking for my license. He was disrespectful, ignorant, rude  anything you can think of," Brown said. "But when we react, we're wrong. We're provoking them. Just because they wear the uniform doesn't give them the right to do whatever they want to do."

CHASED AND CHOKED

Rosalyn Kelly, 54, said she was once chased and choked by a police officer in West Baltimore, where she was born and raised.

"They choked me out, they beat me," she said.

Kelly, who still lives in the same neighborhood, said she routinely sees people in the area being stopped, harassed and strip-searched by officers.

"They're mean and nasty, they don't know how to talk to people. They think they rule the world, and they treat us terribly," she said.

She said she has heard officers call residents the n-word.

"I've seen them throw people on the ground. I saw them make an old lady pull her pants down in the middle of the street. They said if she didn't, they'd arrest her. There were old people and children sitting on the stoop. It's just wrong."
Kazakh weightlifter wins gold, sparks more doping concerns

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  Nijat Rahimov of Kazakhstan was a surprise gold medalist in weightlifting on Wednesday, but immediately faced questions over doping.

Rahimov, who only returned from a doping ban last year, and the rest of Kazakhstan's team had almost been excluded from the Rio Olympics entirely after repeated failures in retests of doping samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. The country stands to lose five gold medals from those games.

Kazakhstan was allowed to compete because those doping cases were not fully processed in time for the games, the International Weightlifting Federation has said.

Zhazira Zhapparkul, of Kazakhstan, celebrates after a lift in the women's 69kg weightlifting competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Zhapparkul won the silver medal. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

In a sport in crisis over doping, Rahimov's world record-breaking performance in the 77-kilogram class Wednesday is unlikely to silence the critics, not least bronze medalist Mohamed Mahmoud of Egypt, who said he found Rahimov's dramatic improvement since his ban suspicious.

Rahimov was banned for two years in 2013 after failing a test while competing for Azerbaijan, another country with longstanding doping problems. Rahimov was one of 18 Azerbaijanis busted that year. Rahimov was born in Azerbaijan and recently moved to Kazakhstan to compete on its weightlifting team.

China's Lyu Xiaojun had been the favorite to retain the gold he won in 2012 and began to celebrate prematurely after his final lift, stripping to the waist in front of the crowd. But Rahimov had other plans, audaciously moving up 12 kilograms for his next attempt at the clean and jerk to 214kg, breaking a 15-year-old world record.

That gave him a total of 379kg from the two phases of the competition, level with Lyu but enough for Rahimov to take gold because he had weighed in lower.

He celebrated by crouching into a pose of prayer before being tackled in a bearhug by his coach, while Lyu gave a wry smile for the cameras.

Rahimov repeatedly dodged questions about his doping past after the win, crediting religion and a tough training schedule for his success.

"When normal people were asleep, we were training. When the snow was deep  you know how it is in Kazakhstan  we went out for training at 11 or 12 (at night)," he said. He added he had treated Kazakhstan's possible ban from Rio Olympic weightlifting as "a rumor" and was not distracted from training.

Bronze went to Egyptian Mohamed Mahmoud on 361. Mahmoud said the talk of drugs could not be avoided in light of Rahimov's win.

"Maybe after some doping controls, some things will change," Mahmoud said. While improvements like Rahimov's can be the result of good training and nutrition, Mahmoud said, "in a very short time it cannot happen like that."

Wednesday's doping controversy came as weightlifting already faced a storm of doping scandals.

On Tuesday, Taiwanese gold medal contender Lin Tzu-Chi was withdrawn from competition hours before her event for what her team called abnormalities in a drug test, and the Polish weightlifting federation's head has resigned after what he said were two more failed tests, one of a lifter who was due to compete in Rio.

Earlier Wednesday, China's Xiang Yanmei took gold in the women's 69-kilogram class despite having taken a blow to the head when she dropped the bar halfway through the competition.

Xiang briefly appeared dazed and admitted to some pain but was fully alert as she closed out China's fourth weightlifting gold of the Rio Olympics with 116kg in the snatch and 145 in the clean and jerk for a total of 261.

"I got hurt a little bit and I feel hurt when I nod my head," she said. "I didn't think about it when lifting weights." Xiang said she had not seen a doctor.

She added Olympic gold to the world titles she won in 2013 and 2015, and continued a resurgence for China's lifters in Rio following a slow start.

The silver medal went to Kazakhstan's Zhazira Zhapparkul with a 259 total, while Egypt's Sara Ahmed won bronze with 255 kilos, becoming the first woman from an Arab country to win an Olympic weightlifting medal.

Zhazira Zhapparkul, of Kazakhstan, celebrates after a lift in the women's 69kg weightlifting competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. Zhapparkul won the silver medal. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Sara Ahmed, of Egypt, celebrates after a lift in the women's 69kg weightlifting competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Chalk flies off the hands of Sara Ahmed, of Egypt, as she applauds after a successful lift in the women's 69kg weightlifting competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Xiang Yanmei, of China, competes in the women's 69kg weightlifting competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Zhazira Zhapparkul, of Kazakhstan, competes in the women's 69kg weightlifting competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Sara Ahmed, of Egypt, displays her bronze medal after the women's 69kg weightlifting competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Gold medalist Xiang Yanmei, of China, stands with her awards after the women's 69kg weightlifting competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
Michael Weatherly energized by his new CBS series 'Bull'

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP)  Michael Weatherly said playing a character based on Dr. Phil in the upcoming CBS series "Bull" was just what the doctor ordered.

Weatherly was a regular cast member on CBS' procedural, "NCIS," and left at the end of last season.

"I really felt happy with the resolution of the character and my time on the show," he said. "I wasn't burnt out (by 'NCIS') but I was ready for a new challenge. Sometimes a change is as good as a rest," Weatherly told TV critics Wednesday at an annual summer press event.

Michael Weatherly participates in the "Bull" panel during the CBS Television Critics Association summer press tour on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

"Michael is a star and I think we've created a star part for him," said executive producer Paul Attanasio.

"He's just really good with dialogue and writers inherently like actors who can do lines and Michael can really do lines. He's just got fantastic comic timing," he said.

In "Bull," Weatherly is Dr. Jason Bull, who works for a trial consulting firm. McGraw himself worked in that field before he became a TV personality. He advised Oprah Winfrey on her legal case when she was sued by Texas cattle ranchers for defamation. Winfrey liked his no nonsense attitude, and she put him on her show.

"Bull" premieres Sept. 20 at 9 p.m. EDT on CBS.

___

Online:

http://www.cbs.com/shows/bull/

Executive producer Phil McGraw, back row, and from front row left, Geneva Carr and Michael Weatherly participate in "Bull" panel during the CBS Television Critics Association summer press tour on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Michael Weatherly, from left, Freddy Rodriguez and Annabelle Attanasio participate in "Bull" panel during the CBS Television Critics Association summer press tour on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Looking on from back row left is executive producer Paul Attanasio. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Trump accuses Obama of being the 'founder of ISIS'

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP)  Donald Trump accused President Barack Obama on Wednesday of founding the Islamic State group that is wreaking havoc from the Middle East to European cities. A moment later, on another topic, he referred to the president by his full legal name: Barack Hussein Obama.

"In many respects, you know, they honor President Obama," Trump said during a raucous campaign rally outside Fort Lauderdale, Florida. "He is the founder of ISIS."

He repeated the allegation three more times for emphasis.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump holds a sign during a campaign rally at the BB&T Center, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The Republican presidential nominee in the past has accused his opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton, of founding the militant group. As he shifted the blame to Obama on Wednesday, he said "crooked Hillary Clinton" was actually the group's co-founder.

Trump has long blamed Obama and his former secretary of state  Clinton  for pursuing Mideast policies that created a power vacuum in Iraq that was exploited by IS, another acronym for the group. He's sharply criticized Obama for announcing he would pull U.S. troops out of Iraq, a decision that many Obama critics say created the kind of instability in which extremist groups like IS thrive.

The White House declined to comment on Trump's accusation.

The Islamic State group began as Iraq's local affiliate of al-Qaida, the group that attacked the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001. The group carried out massive attacks against Iraq's Shiite Muslim majority, fueling tensions with al-Qaida's central leadership. The local group's then-leader, Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was killed in 2006 in a U.S. airstrike but is still seen as the Islamic State group's founder.

Trump's accusation  and his use of the president's middle name, Hussein  echoed previous instances where he's questioned Obama's loyalties.

In June, when a shooter who claimed allegiance to IS killed 49 people in an Orlando, Florida, nightclub, Trump seemed to suggest Obama was sympathetic to the group when he said Obama "doesn't get it, or he gets it better than anybody understands." In the past, Trump has also falsely suggested Obama is a Muslim or was born in Kenya, where Obama's father was from.

The president, a Christian, was born in Hawaii.

Trump lobbed the allegation midway through his rally at a sports arena, where riled-up supporters shouted obscenities about Clinton and joined in unison to shout "lock her up." He railed against the fact that the Orlando shooter's father, Seddique Mateen, was spotted in the crowd behind Clinton during a Monday rally in Florida, adding, "Of course he likes Hillary Clinton."

Sitting behind Trump at his rally on Wednesday was former Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., who resigned in 2006 after allegations he sent sexually suggestive messages to former House pages.

___

Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed to this report.

___

Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP
Kuwait's Al-Deehani wins double trap gold as independent

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  The remnants of the final two targets scattered in the dreary Brazilian sky, landing in dozens of places across the rain-soaked Olympic shooting range.

Fehaid Al-Deehani raised his shotgun overhead with a shout and turned toward the crowd, pounding his chest as he walked toward them.

No matter what his team was called, what flag was raised or anthem played, the gold medal belonged to him.

Fehaid Aldeehani, an independent athlete from Kuwait competing on the Refugee Olympic Team, celebrates his victory at the end of the men's double trap gold medal match at Olympic Shooting Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Competing as an independent athlete with Kuwait's Olympic committee suspended, Al-Deehani captured the first gold medal of his storied career by beating Italy's Marco Innocenti in the men's double trap finals Wednesday at the Rio de Janeiro Games.

"That was for my country, for the people who don't want us to participate in the Olympics," Al-Deehani said. "I'm showing them that we are here and we got the medal."

A proud Kuwaiti army officer, Al-Deehani is not just the most decorated Olympic athlete in his country, he is the only one to earn a medal. He won his first, a bronze, at the 2000 Sydney Games and another in London four years ago.

Rio was his sixth Olympics, but it would not be for Kuwait.

The Arab country has been engaged in an ongoing rift with the IOC, which has accused Kuwait's government of interfering with sports.

The IOC suspended Kuwait in October and the country countered will a $1.3 billion lawsuit against 14 board members of the Gulf state's Olympic committee and the national federations of several sports. A lawsuit against the IOC was thrown out by a Swiss court.

The IOC made a concession just before the Rio Olympics, allowing Kuwait's athletes to participate as independents under the IOC flag, should they qualify.

Al-Deehani refused to carry the IOC flag for the independent team during opening ceremony, saying he would only carry Kuwait's flag.

Once shooting started in Rio, Al-Deehani became intent on defying the IOC's decision by winning a medal for his country, not an independent team filled with Kuwaitis.

Al-Deehani almost didn't make it past the semifinals, needing a shoot-off to get past American Joshua Richmond into the final six.

But Al-Deehani had the best score in the semifinals, hitting 28 targets to earn a spot against Innocenti in the gold-medal match. With at least silver in his grasp, Al-Deehani dropped to his knees and put his face to the ground before getting up and pounding his chest at the crowd.

"The feeling was much better than any before because you know if you are competing for the gold medal, you have at least the silver for sure," Al-Deehani said.

He didn't want to stop there, though.

His confidence soaring, Al-Deehani took an early lead in the final and overcame a couple of late missed shots to put himself in position for gold. Shooting first and leading by two, he knew gold was his if he hit both targets on his final turn.

Al-Deehani's shots were true and so was his heart as he pounded it numerous times at the crowd.

But sorrow tinged the joy once he stepped on the top step of the podium.

Wearing a plain blue sweatshirt, Al-Deehani raised his arms and smiled before receiving the gold medal, but turned somber as the IOC anthem played and the IOC flag was raised instead of his country's.

"It hurts very much," said Al-Deehani, who struggled to stifle tears as the IOC anthem played. "I can't describe my pain. It is too sad."

Steven Scott hit all 30 targets to defeat British shooter Tim Kneale for the bronze medal.

Fehaid Aldeehani, an independent athlete from Kuwait competing on the Refugee Olympic Team celebrates winning the gold medal during the victory ceremony for the men's double trap event, at the Olympic Shooting Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Fehaid Aldeehani, an independent athlete from Kuwait competing on the Refugee Olympic Team celebrates winning a shootout to secure the gold medal in the men's double trap event, at the Olympic Shooting Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Gold medalist Fehaid Aldeehani, center, an independent athlete from Kuwait competing on the Refugee Olympic Team, is flanked by silver medalist Marco Innocenti, left, of Italy and Steven Scott, right, of Britain during the award ceremony for the men's double trap event at Olympic Shooting Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
The U.S. Air Force is struggling to fill a shortage of 700 fighter pilots by the end of the year, even as the U.S. battles in three air wars against the Islamic State group in Iraq, Syria and Libya.

Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James also told Pentagon reporters Wednesday that she is planning to pay drone pilots a $35,000 a year retention bonus to encourage them to stay in the service.

Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James says there is a shortage of 700 fighter pilots, even as the U.S. battles in three air wars against Islamic State terrorists in Iraq, Syria and Libya

The pilot shortage could grow to 1,000 in a couple years, a potential crisis as the US continues to fight abroad

The 35,000 a year retention bonus would be an increase over $25,000 bonus the service has been allowed to provide. And all drone pilots would be eligible once their service contract is up.

She added that Air Force needs the authority to increase bonuses for all pilots in order to address the shortage.

The Air Force has grappled with pilot retention for some time, particularly as airlines look to hire them, promising higher salaries and benefits. James said the pilot shortage could grow to 1,000 in a couple years.

'The airlines are forecast to be hiring a lot more,' she said, adding that the Air Force also needs to increase its training of new pilots.

She and Gen. David Goldfein, Air Force Chief of Staff, said they want to improve pilots' quality of life and their military service conditions, including training and housing.

'It is a crisis,' said Goldfein. 'Air superiority is not an American birthright, it's actually something you have to fight for.'

Drone pilots will be paid a retention bonus of $35,000 a year to encourage them to stay in service longer

He said fighter pilots are leaving at a higher rate, and that improving their quality of service as well as beefing up the retention bonus will help address the problem. Fueling that problem, he said, has been the persistent overseas deployments as the U.S. has been engaged in air wars for more than two decades.

'If we take a balanced approach, we're hoping that we can get these folks to stay,' he said.

Goldfein said that so far the pilot shortage isn't affecting air operations over Iraq, Syria and Libya.

But the ongoing deployments continue to affect pilots' decisions on whether to stay in the service.
The Latest: Claim filed in death of man killed by deputy

LOS ANGELES (AP)  The Latest on the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man by a deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (all times local):

2:45 p.m.

The father of an unarmed black man fatally shot by a deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has filed a civil rights claim.

CORRECTS ID FROM DWAYNE HILL TO JOSEPH GAY AND ADDS RELATIONSHIP OF BROWN TO THOMPSON- Matrice Stanley, center, sister of Donnell Thompson, who was fatally shot by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies in Compton, Calif., her son and Thompson's nephew Joseph Gay, rear, and Thompson's sister Antoinette Brown, left, speak to reporters outside the County Hall of Administration after addressing county supervisors in downtown Los Angeles, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. The Sheriff's Department earlier Tuesday had acknowledged that Thompson was not involved with a carjacker who had fired at pursuers when he was shot and killed on July 28, 2016. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

The precursor to a lawsuit filed Tuesday says the department did not have probable cause when deputies violently confronted 27-year-old Donnell Thompson Jr. on July 28 in Compton.

The department says deputies suspected at the time that Thompson had been involved in an earlier carjacking and shootout with police and that he was armed when he ran toward an armored vehicle.

Officials said Tuesday that Thompson was not involved with the carjacking or shootout.

The claim also says the deputies who confronted Thompson were "dangerous and violent employees" prone to firing their guns without reasonable justification.

The claim doesn't explain that allegation, and the Sheriff's Department has declined to release details about the deputies.

Matrice Stanley, at left in black, sister of Donnell Thompson, 27, who was fatally shot by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies in Compton, Calif., and other family members appear before Los Angeles County supervisors at the County Hall of Administration in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. The Sheriff's Department earlier Tuesday had acknowledged that Thompson was not involved with a carjacker who had fired at pursuers when he was shot and killed on July 28, 2016. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Capt. Steve Katz describes how the situation unfolded when a deputy shot and killed Donnell Thompson, 27, in Compton, Calif., on July 28, after a carjacking and car chase in which Thompson was not involved, at the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Tuesday that a man fatally shot by a deputy last month wasn't the carjacking suspect they were seeking. (AP Photo/Amanda Lee Myers)

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Capt. Steve Katz describes how the situation unfolded when a deputy shot and killed Donnell Thompson, 27, in Compton, Calif., on July 28, after a carjacking and car chase in which Thompson was not involved, at the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Tuesday that a man fatally shot by a deputy last month wasn't the carjacking suspect they were seeking. (AP Photo/Amanda Lee Myers)

Family members of Donnell Thompson, 27, who was fatally shot by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies in Compton, Calif., speak to reporters outside the County Hall of Administration after addressing county supervisors in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. The Sheriff's Department earlier Tuesday had acknowledged that Thompson was not involved with a carjacker who had fired at pursuers when he was shot and killed on July 28, 2016. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
Workplace sexual harassment at 'shameful' level, says TUC

The level of sexual harassment in the workplace is "shameful", with women being subjected to unwelcome jokes, verbal advances, suggestive remarks and even demands for sexual favours, says a report.

The TUC said its study showed that the problem was worse for younger women, with almost two-thirds of 18 to 24-year-olds saying they have suffered sexual harassment at work.

A survey of 1,500 women found that a third had been subjected to unwelcome jokes, while one in four received sex-related comments about their body or clothes.

A survey of 1,500 women found a third have been subjected to unwelcome jokes

One in four had been touched and one in eight said someone had tried to kiss them.

The TUC said sexual harassment at work took many forms, from suggestive remarks, jokes about a colleague's sex life and circulating pornography, to inappropriate touching, hugging or kissing, or demands for sexual favours.

In most cases, the perpetrator was male, with nearly one in five women saying it was their line manager, or someone with direct authority over them.

Four out of five women who said they experienced sexual harassment at work did not tell their employer, fearing it would affect their relationships at work, hit their career prospects or they were too embarrassed to talk about it.

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "How many times do we still hear that sexual harassment in the workplace is just a bit of 'banter'?

"Sexual harassment is undermining, humiliating and can have a huge effect on mental health. Victims are often left feeling ashamed and frightened. It has no place in a modern workplace, or in wider society.

"Employers must be clear they have a zero tolerance attitude to sexual harassment and treat any complaint seriously. It's a scandal that so few women feel their bosses are dealing with the issue properly."

Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, which helped with the report, said: "Many people would like to think that workplace sexual harassment is a thing of the past. In reality, it is alive and well, and having a huge impact on tens of thousands of women's lives.

"These findings reveal the shameful extent of the problem and the reality of the touching, unwanted advances and inappropriate comments women find themselves confronted with while simply trying to do their jobs.
Emergency doctor shortage leading to crisis in A&E, medics warn

A widening gap between the supply and demand for emergency doctors is leading to a crisis in A&E departments across the country, leading medics have warned.

The comments from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine come as an A&E in the East Midlands announced it may have to temporarily close its doors at night due to a national shortage of emergency doctors.

Hospital bosses at Grantham and District Hospital announced that it was looking to reduce A&E hours because it was facing a "severe shortage of doctors".

A shortage of A&E doctors could put patients at risk, it is feared

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the A&E as well as two others in the region, said that it had been "seriously affected" by a "national shortage of appropriately trained doctors to work in A&Es".

In a statement it said: "We have reached a crisis point and we may put patients at risk if we don't act."

Dr Suneil Kapadia, medical director at ULHT, said: "We haven't made a final decision yet, and we hope to avoid this, but the reality is we will need to temporarily reduce the opening hours of A&E at Grantham.

"The quality and safety of patient care is the Trust's number one priority and we haven't rested on our laurels.

"We have tried to recruit in the UK and internationally, and we have offered premium rates to attract agency doctors whilst investing 4 million in urgent care services. Despite this, we have reached crisis point."

Commenting on the news, Dr Clifford Mann, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: "The great efforts made by doctors and nurses to help patients in under-resourced locations sometimes is not sustainable.

"As well as potentially putting patient safety at risk, placing an ever increasing workload on overstretched staff can create a vicious circle in retention and recruitment with many overworked trainees simply choosing to leave the country or indeed the specialty altogether.

"The wider picture is there is a real crisis in emergency medicine as our workforce numbers are not growing fast enough to keep pace with rising numbers of patients attending A&E Departments."

Chris Hopson, who heads the trade association for acute, ambulance, community and mental health services, said the Government needs to put more money in or "honestly and openly" admit the consequences of "the longest and deepest financial squeeze in NHS history".

The NHS Providers boss said costs rise between 3.5% and 4% every year due to population growth and the cost of new treatments but the health service has only received a 1% funding rise between 2010 and 2020.

"We have a gap between what we are asking the health service to produce and the amount of money available so we need a proper national debate about how we fill that gap," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"We elect governments to set the financial envelope and the financial envelope has been set for this parliament and the reality is we cannot provide what we are being asked to provide in the service for that money."

The boss of NHS Clinical Commissioners, which represents clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), backed his call and said the problem was country-wide.

Dr Amanda Doyle told the programme: "I think commissioners all around the country are seeing it's increasingly difficult to balance the finances.

"The NHS doesn't have unlimited resources and so it's up to CCGs to make the difficult choices about what we can and cannot do with the money we've got."
Son to inherit 8.3bn family fortune after death of Duke of Westminster

The 25-year-old son of billionaire landowner the Duke of Westminster will inherit the family estate and an 8.3 billion fortune after his father died suddenly.

Hugh Grosvenor is the only son of Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, who died on Tuesday afternoon after being transferred from his Abbeystead Estate to the Royal Preston Hospital in Lancashire.

A spokeswoman for the family said the cause of death is not yet known but police said the duke became ill while walking in the Trough of Bowland, a local beauty spot, and there are no suspicious circumstances.

The Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, has died aged 64

The 64-year-old father of four was said to be worth around 10.8 billion dollars (8.3 billion), according to Forbes, making him the 68th richest person in the world, and third in the UK.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, whose son Prince George is godson to Hugh Grosvenor, were "very sad" to hear of the death, Kensington Palace said in a statement.

It added: "Their thoughts are very much with his family this morning."

Close friends the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were "deeply shocked and greatly saddened" by the duke's sudden death, a Clarence House spokeswoman said.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will also send a private message of condolence to the Grosvenor family.

Sir Gerald owned 190 acres in Belgravia, adjacent to Buckingham Palace and one of London's most expensive areas, as well as thousands of acres in Scotland and Spain.

The title and the land will pass to Hugh Grosvenor - who is two years younger than his father was when he took on the fortune at the age of 27 as the sixth duke.

A staunch supporter of a number of charities and good causes, the duke credited himself with using his vast wealth responsibly.

This included making a 500,000 donation to farmers during the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak, as well as fighting a legal case against Westminster City Council in 1990, centred on a number of social housing flats built on the family's land in Pimlico, London.

The buildings were designed by architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and built between 1928 and 1930. Assigning the lease of the flats to the council for 999 years in 1937, the second duke stipulated they must be used as housing for the working classes.

When the council wanted to sell the properties below the market value to those working in the borough, the duke refused.

In court, the authority argued that the working classes no longer existed, but the judge ruled in the duke's favour, backing the clause and his bid to keep low-cost accommodation.

Of his wealth, the duke once said: "Given the choice, I would rather not have been born wealthy, but I never think of giving it up. I can't sell. It doesn't belong to me."

In his early 20s, on becoming trustee of the estate, he was forced to abandon his dream of a career in the armed forces, but satisfied his love of all things military by serving in the Territorial Army.

Paying tribute, the Soldiers' Charity, which the duke supported, said he had been involved in the "championing of soldiers and veterans" and "will be very fondly remembered".

He suffered a nervous breakdown and depression in 1998, saying the pressures of business and the great number of public appearances he was making overcame him.

The Grosvenor family's spokeswoman said on Tuesday: "It is with the greatest sadness that we can confirm that the Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor (64), died this afternoon at Royal Preston Hospital.

"He was taken there from the Abbeystead Estate in Lancashire where he had suddenly been taken ill.

"His family are all aware and they ask for privacy and understanding at this very difficult time.

"No further comment will be made for the time being but further information will follow in due course."

He is survived by his wife, Natalia Phillips, who he married in 1978 and their daughters, Lady Tamara, born in 1979, Lady Edwina in 1981 and Lady Viola in 1992.

The duke was on his Abbeystead Estate in Lancashire - described as an "area of outstanding beauty" with "rolling hills" by the Grosvenor Estate website - when he was taken unwell.

A spokeswoman for Lancashire Police told the Press Association officers were called at around 5pm on Tuesday and made aware of the death of a 64-year-old man at Royal Preston Hospital.

"He was airlifted to hospital after he had been taken ill whilst walking in the Trough of Bowland. There are no suspicious circumstances and a file will be passed to the coroner," she added.

The Bishop of Chester, the Rt Rev Dr Peter Forster, said: "The duke was very well regarded in Cheshire, and much further afield, for his charitable work and very evident sense of duty.

"The duke made very significant contributions across a wide range of aspects of public life. This included taking a close interest in appointments of clergy to the parishes of which the duke is patron.
Bank of England to press on with 60bn plan to boost economy

The Bank of England confirmed it would press on with a 60 billion economy-boosting plan despite hitting an early stumbling block.

It faced a 52 million shortfall on Tuesday after it was unable to buy as many government bonds from City investors as needed under its new quantitative easing (QE) push.

Policymakers announced another 60 billion of QE last week as part of an economic recovery package as it cut rates for the first time in more than seven years, to 0.25% from 0.5%.

The Bank of England confirmed it would press on with its economic recovery plan announced last week despite hitting an early stumbling block

It was the first time the Bank had failed to buy enough so-called gilts to meet its target since first launching the QE programme in 2009 to steer the economy out of the financial crisis and subsequent recession.

The returns - or yields - on some UK government bonds turned negative after the Bank missed its 1.17 billion target.

It said it would carry on with its gilt-buying programme as planned for the next three months, but would look to catch up on the shortfall from November.

While the Bank appeared unfazed by the setback, there are fears the gilt shortfall sends an early warning of the constraints it may face in finding enough sellers to meet its 60 billion target.

But the Bank's third and final tranche of gilt buying this week saw it receive far more offers than needed on Wednesday, at 5.5 billion, with the bank buying 1.17 billion of government bonds.

The need for action to jump-start the economy was laid bare in the Bank's latest survey of firms, which showed UK companies are expecting to put hiring and expansion plans on hold as they brace for a trading hit following the Brexit vote.

The report revealed a slowdown in business services growth and consumer spending, while firms across all sectors except manufacturing expect turnover to be knocked over the year ahead.

Business services and construction firms appeared the hardest hit, although manufacturers are expecting a fillip from the weaker pound, according to the report.

It signalled the drop in manufacturing exports had been halted by the fall in sterling, which is making British goods cheaper for overseas buyers.

The report - which polled around 270 firms in the month after the Brexit vote - showed consumer d emand for large items fell as shoppers became more cautious.

But recent wet weather was also thought to be partly to blame for the drop in consumer spending.

Housing market activity is also under pressure, although some of the weakness may also be down to the usual seasonal lull and recent lower demand from buy-to-let investors after April's stamp duty hike, the report found.

It said the commercial property sector had been " materially affected" by the Brexit vote, with the investment market in London "particularly weak".

James Knightley, senior economist at ING, said : "The survey is consistent with the general consensus expectation amongst economists that the UK will experience a mild recession over the next six to 12 months.
Simpson, Graziano, Whale and Bear face CBB eviction vote

Celebrity Big Brother contestants Marnie Simpson, Renee Graziano, James Whale and Stephen Bear have been nominated for eviction.

Simpson, Graziano and Whale were chosen by the housemates saved by the last public vote to face eviction in so-called "killer nominations", which were delivered face-to-face in Wednesday night's episode.

Ex On The Beach star Bear, who escaped the boot on Tuesday, opted for Graziano, saying: "I'm not being funny, very negative."

Marnie Simpson is up for eviction

After her nomination, Graziano said: "I've got a mouth sharper than a motherf****** sword. I don't want to hug anybody. This is not so serious, I get to go home to my kids. That boy, at home, would roof my house."

The Only Way Is Essex star Lewis Bloor chose Whale, saying: "I believe he's a threat in the house and is doing very well in here. He's a very capable housemate and if he's not put up for nomination could go all the way."

Storage Hunters UK star Heavy D chose Geordie Shore star Simpson, saying: "I don't think you're a nice person. I don't like you."

Bear will face the public vote every week because he has an external nomination.

During the episode housemates have been shocked, handcuffed, blindfolded and smeared with custard pies in a bid to win the latest task.

In a game of dares Ricky Norwood, Frankie Grandie and Whale strapped shock pads to their bottoms and were hit by currents.

Saira Khan, who was evicted on Tuesday night, Bloor and Heavy D were handcuffed together and Katie Waissel, Samantha Fox and Simpson were dared to throw custard pies at their fellow housemates.

Aubrey O'Day, Graziano and Chloe Khan were dared to eat a buffet blindfolded but Mob Wives star Graziano refused.

The romance between Bloor and Simpson continues to escalate in the episode, with the pair seen cosying up in the shower shortly after Khan's eviction.

Later in the episode, housemates were shocked when Chloe Khan performed a topless pole dance before throwing cake with Bear, Simpson and Bloor in the bedroom, prompting Whale, Fox, O'Day, Grande, Waissel and Norwood to threaten to leave.

In the diary room with the group, Whale said: "We can't go on like this ... we all want to leave. There are four protagonists and they have overstepped the line tonight.

"This could be the first strike in the history of Big Brother and I'm very right wing!"

At the end of the episode it was revealed that the nominated housemates will have a chance to save themselves from the chopping block in Thursday's show.

:: Celebrity Big Brother is on Channel 5 at 9pm.
Japan formin: Environment surrounding China-Japan ties "deteriorating markedly"

TOKYO, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told China's ambassador to Japan that the environment surrounding Sino-Japanese ties was "deteriorating markedly", adding that China must withdraw its government ships from disputed waters in the East China Sea to resolve the tension.

A statement from Japan's foreign ministry also said Kishida had told the envoy that Japan could not accept China's conduct of "unilaterally" increasing tensions such as sending its government ships into what Japan considers its territorial waters around disputed East China Sea islets.
Thai junta chief Prayuth reiterates election in 2017

By Pracha Hariraksapitak and Panarat Thepgumpanat

BANGKOK, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Thailand will hold a general election in 2017, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Tuesday, seeking to allay concerns his military government might delay plans for a return to democracy, days after the country endorsed a military-backed constitution.

The vote in favour of the constitution in Sunday's referendum, the biggest test of public opinion since then army chief Prayuth seized power in a 2014 coup, is generally seen as a boost for the legitimacy of the government and its plans.

Under the junta's "roadmap" to restore democratic rule, Prayuth had previously said a general election would be held in 2017.

His confirmation of that plan, in his first public comments since the referendum, came after the U.S. State Department on Monday urged Thailand to take steps to restore an elected, civilian government as soon as possible.

"Please have confidence in the roadmap," Prayuth told reporters at Government House, his official offices, before a cabinet meeting.

"An election will take place in 2017, I have never said anything different to this."

The government says the constitution will restore stable, clean politics after a decade of turmoil stemming from confrontation between populist political forces and the military-royalist establishment.

Two military takeovers and outbreaks of deadly civil unrest over the years have stunted growth in Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy.

Analysts say a desire for political stability drove the "yes" vote, with 61 percent in favour, preliminary results based on a count of 94 percent of votes show.

Critics, including major political parties, had denounced the constitution before the vote, saying it would stifle democracy by giving unelected lawmakers, including those appointed by the military, veto power over elected governments.

The European Union also urged a quick return to democracy, calling on authorities to lift restrictions on freedom of expression that have been in place since the 2014 coup.

"The EU continues to call upon the Thai authorities to create the conditions for a genuine democratic transition leading to early general elections," it said in a statement.

After the cabinet meeting, Prayuth said he would make a televised statement on his government's next steps after the official publication of full referendum results on Wednesday.

Meechai Ruchupan, head of the Constitution Drafting Committee, said the new constitution would come into effect by November.

There has been no sign of unrest since the referendum. Members of the anti-junta opposition say they are biding their time until the 2017 election, when they can try to scrap the military charter, if a party they back takes power.
Egypt bars police from talking to the media

CAIRO, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Egypt's parliament on Tuesday approved restrictions on the police that will prevent them from providing information to the media, a move that critics saw as an attempt to further cover up high-level abuses and corruption.

Amendments to the police authority law, approved by parliament, will bar police officers from providing information or publishing any documents, reports or photos related to their work without written authorization from the interior ministry.

Police officers who broke the new law could face unspecified prison terms and fines of up to 20,000 Egyptian pounds ($2,252).

In February, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi told the interior minister to crack down on police abuse and to submit proposals to parliament to achieve this goal, as anger mounted after a low-ranking police officer shot dead a driver over a fare argument.

But critics saw the amendments as being designed to cover up high-level malfeasance.

"This law is yet another example of the government's ongoing effort to undermine transparency which is essential to the proper functioning of a modern state," said Timothy Kaldas, non-resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy.

"This plan to strictly curate information from the state will exacerbate existing doubts about the integrity of government statements."

The amendments also demanded that police officers has respect for human rights.

Human rights groups and lawyers have long complained about what they see as a culture of impunity among officials in Egypt and say that police brutality is widespread.
Germany's Nazi hunter tracks down 8 concentration camp workers

BERLIN, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Germany's top Nazi hunter has identified four men and four women suspected of serving as guards, secretaries and telephone operators at a concentration camp near Gdansk, and prosecutors will examine if they can be charged as accomplices to murder.

Jens Rommel, the head of Germany's Central Office for the Investigation of Nazi Crimes in Ludwigsburg, told news agency DPA the eight cases of elderly suspects alive and in Germany was forwarded to prosecutors across the country.

The eight suspects had worked at the Nazis' Stutthoff concentration camp near what is now Gdansk in Poland. The office in Ludwigsburg does not prosecute cases itself but instead has been collecting information for state prosecutors for decades.

Ageing suspects, most of whom deny guilt, are growing frail more than 70 years after the end of World War Two, making the race to prosecute them all the more pressing.

"Germany's commitment to identifying more former Nazi camp guards is encouraging," Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, said in a statement.

"Given the vast system of concentration and extermination camps put in place by the Nazis, and the number of personnel needed to run and guard these sites, it comes as no surprise that a few of these perpetrators are still alive, even today."

Germany's state justice ministers last year gave Rommel's office up to 10 more years to continue its investigative work, before it is turned into a documentation centre.
Vietnam moves new rocket launchers into disputed S.China Sea - sources

By Greg Torode

HONG KONG, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Vietnam has discreetly fortified several of its islands in the disputed South China Sea with new mobile rocket launchers capable of striking China's runways and military installations across the vital trade route, according to Western officials.

Diplomats and military officers told Reuters that intelligence shows Hanoi has shipped the launchers from the Vietnamese mainland into position on five bases in the Spratly islands in recent months, a move likely to raise tensions with Beijing.

The launchers have been hidden from aerial surveillance and they have yet to be armed, but could be made operational with rocket artillery rounds within two or three days, according to the three sources.

Vietnam's Foreign Ministry said the information was "inaccurate", without elaborating.

Deputy Defence Minister, Senior Lieutenant-General Nguyen Chi Vinh, told Reuters in Singapore in June that Hanoi had no such launchers or weapons ready in the Spratlys but reserved the right to take any such measures.

"It is within our legitimate right to self-defence to move any of our weapons to any area at any time within our sovereign territory," he said.

The move is designed to counter China's build-up on its seven reclaimed islands in the Spratlys archipelago. Vietnam's military strategists fear the building runways, radars and other military installations on those holdings have left Vietnam's southern and island defences increasingly vulnerable.

Military analysts say it is the most significant defensive move Vietnam has made on its holdings in the South China Sea in decades.

Hanoi wanted to have the launchers in place as it expected tensions to rise in the wake of the landmark international court ruling against China in an arbitration case brought by the Philippines, foreign envoys said.

The ruling last month, stridently rejected by Beijing, found no legal basis to China's sweeping historic claims to much of the South China Sea.

Vietnam, China and Taiwan claim all of the Spratlys while the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei claim some of the area.

"China's military maintains close surveillance of the situation in the sea and air space around the Spratly islands,"

China's defence ministry said in a faxed statement to Reuters.

"We hope the relevant country can join with China in jointly safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea region."

The United States is also monitoring developments closely.

"We continue to call on all South China Sea claimants to avoid actions that raise tensions, take practical steps to build confidence, and intensify efforts to find peaceful, diplomatic solutions to disputes," a State Department official said.

STATE-OF-THE-ART SYSTEM

Foreign officials and military analysts believe the launchers form part of Vietnam's state-of-art EXTRA rocket artillery system recently acquired from Israel.

EXTRA rounds are highly accurate up to a range of 150 km (93 miles), with different 150 kg (330 lb) warheads that can carry high explosives or bomblets to attack multiple targets simultaneously. Operated with targeting drones, they could strike both ships and land targets.

That puts China's 3,000-metre runways and installations on Subi, Fiery Cross and Mischief Reef within range of many of Vietnam's tightly clustered holdings on 21 islands and reefs.

While Vietnam has larger and longer range Russian coastal defence missiles, the EXTRA is considered highly mobile and effective against amphibious landings. It uses compact radars, so does not require a large operational footprint - also suitable for deployment on islets and reefs.

"When Vietnam acquired the EXTRA system, it was always thought that it would be deployed on the Spratlys...it is the perfect weapon for that," said Siemon Wezeman, a senior arms researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

There is no sign the launchers have been recently test fired or moved.

China took its first Spratlys possessions after a sea battle against Vietnam's then weak navy in 1988. After the battle, Vietnam said 64 soldiers with little protection were killed as they tried to protect a flag on South Johnson reef - an incident still acutely felt in Hanoi.

In recent years, Vietnam has significantly improved its naval capabilities as part of a broader military modernisation, including buying six advanced Kilo submarines from Russia.

Carl Thayer, an expert on Vietnam's military at the Australian Defence Force Academy, said the deployment showed the seriousness of Vietnam's determination to militarily deter China as far as possible.

"China's runways and military installations in the Spratlys are a direct challenge to Vietnam, particularly in their southern waters and skies, and they are showing they are prepared to respond to that threat," he said. "China is unlikely to see this as purely defensive, and it could mark a new stage of militarisation of the Spratlys."

Trevor Hollingsbee, a former naval intelligence analyst with the British defence ministry, said he believed the deployment also had a political factor, partly undermining the fear created by the prospect of large Chinese bases deep in maritime Southeast Asia.

"It introduces a potential vulnerability where they was none before - it is a sudden new complication in an arena that China was dominating," he said.
Ex-Guantanamo prisoner held by Venezuela's intelligence agency -lawyer

By Brian Ellsworth

CARACAS, Aug 9 (Reuters) - A former Guantanamo prisoner who was relocated to Uruguay nearly two years ago is being held by Venezuela's intelligence agency after traveling to Caracas in an apparent attempt to reunite with family, a lawyer familiar with his case said on Tuesday.

Jihad Diyab was held for 12 years in Guantanamo without being charged and was released to Uruguay in 2014 as part of an arrangement to reduce the number of detainees at the U.S. military prison, according to California-based lawyer Jon Eisenberg.

The Syrian national was not seen in Montevideo after mid-June and arrived in Caracas on July 26, Eisenberg said in a telephone interview. At that point Diyab asked the Uruguayan consulate to help him travel to Turkey where he was to meet with his family.

Diyab was then arrested by Venezuelan security forces and has been held by the Sebin intelligence service without access to lawyers or visitors since approximately July 30, Eisenberg said.

"I have not been able to make contact with him and have gotten no official response from the Venezuela government as to why he is being detained or where," said Eisenberg, who represented Diyab in a court challenge to a U.S. Defense Department policy of force-feeding Guantanamo prisoners that went on hunger strike.

The Venezuelan Information Ministry, which frequently handles media requests on behalf of other state agencies, did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Reuters was unable to obtain comment from the office of Venezuela's vice president, which oversees Sebin.

Eisenberg stopped representing Diyab after he was released but has been advising him regarding ongoing efforts to secure the public release of videos showing Diyab being violently force-fed while he was in Guantanamo.

News that Diyab had left Uruguay led a group of U.S. lawmakers to demand that President Barack Obama halt transfers of Guantanamo prisoners, arguing that they represented a security risk to Americans.

Diyab was captured in 2002 near the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan and transferred to Guantanamo, according to a letter written in July by a group of U.S. Senators, who described him as a "weapons smuggler."

Venezuela's government, which has been an ideological adversary of the United States since the 14-year rule of late socialist leader Hugo Chavez, has been harshly critical of U.S. treatment of Guantanamo prisoners.

Chavez in 2009 said Venezuela would be willing to receive Guantanamo prisoners as part of efforts to help close the prison and return the land housing the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the government of Cuba.
Maldives approves defamation law criticised by U.N., U.S.

By Shihar Aneez and Ranga Sirilal

COLOMBO, Aug 9 (Reuters) - The Maldives legalised criminal defamation on Tuesday in a move the opposition said was aimed at stifling dissent in the Indian Ocean archipelago, and which was criticised by the United Nations and the United States.

Best known as a paradise for wealthy tourists, Maldives has been mired in political unrest since Mohamed Nasheed, its first democratically elected leader, was ousted in disputed circumstances in 2012.

The law, which President Abdulla Yameen's administration pushed through despite widespread international criticism, criminalises defamatory speech, remarks, writings and actions that include gestures deemed to be against "any tenet of Islam" in the Muslim-majority country.

The bill was passed by a 16-vote majority led by Yameen's ruling Progressive Party of Maldives.

The United Nations said it was "very worried" about the law.

The U.S. State Department issued a statement calling the law a "serious setback for freedom of expression in the country."

Those found guilty of breaking the new law will be fined between 50,000 Maldivian rufiya ($3,200) and 2 million rufiya ($130,000) or face a jail term of between three and six months.

Publications, including websites, found carrying "defamatory" comments could also have their licenses revoked.

"So basically it's crippling freedom of expression including on the basis of defamation of religion, national security and social norms," said Mona Rishmawi, chief of the Rule of Law branch at the U.N. human rights office.

The Maldives United Opposition coalition said in a statement the new law would hinder investigative journalism.

"The bill prevents journalists from reporting allegations if the accused refuses to comment, preventing coverage of speeches at political rallies, and gives government authorities sweeping powers to target the media," the coalition said.

Transparency Maldives, condemning the bill, said its passage through parliament had not addressed the serious concerns raised by local media organisations, political parties, civil society groups and international organisations.

Zaheena Rasheed, editor at Maldives Independent news website, said the law was clearly aimed at muzzling the media after a series of threats, murder attempts, numerous death threats and physical attacks on news organisations.

"This is a final push to shut down the remaining media outlets. We have fought really hard. We are not giving up. We are going to contest the bill at the Supreme Court on its constitutionality," she said.

The law was passed as the United Nations urged the Maldives not to carry out planned executions for convicts on death row and to uphold a moratorium it had respected for decades.
Cargill stops using human antibiotic to prevent disease in turkeys

By Tom Polansek

CHICAGO, Aug 9 (Reuters) - U.S. meat processor Cargill Inc has stopped using an important antibiotic for people to prevent disease in most of its turkeys, the company said on Tuesday, the latest food maker to drop the drug over concerns about the impact on human medicine.

Cargill has not used the drug, gentamicin, to prevent disease in turkeys that supply its two biggest brands, Honeysuckle White and Shady Brook Farms, since Aug. 1, the company said.

Gentamicin was the only antibiotic Cargill used to prevent disease in turkeys, and by eliminating it from the brands, 50 million birds will be affected. The company did not remove the drug from its smaller turkey brands because they are produced to meet customers' specifications, a spokesman said.

A number of food companies and restaurants have stopped using or are looking to curtail their use of certain antibiotics in livestock due to concerns about rising numbers of life-threatening human infections from antibiotic resistant bacteria dubbed "superbugs."

On Tuesday, Yum Brands Inc investors filed a shareholder proposal encouraging the company to quickly phase out harmful antibiotics from its meat supply.

The request came after McDonald's Corp said last week that it had removed antibiotics important to human medicine from its chicken months ahead of schedule.

Veterinary use of antibiotics is legal, but as the number of human infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria increases, consumer advocates and public health experts have campaigned to end their routine use in farm animals.

Cargill "weighed the desires of our customers and consumers to ensure the long-term effectiveness of antibiotics for people and animals" when deciding to curb gentamicin use, John Niemann, president of the company's turkey business, said in a statement.

The company will continue to use antibiotics to treat sick turkeys and to stop the spread of diseases within flocks that include sick birds.

Cargill rival Perdue Farms has said it is raising more than half its turkeys without any antibiotics. Perdue and Tyson Foods Inc, the biggest U.S. meat processor, stopped using gentamicin in chickens in 2014.

Gentamicin is injected into baby birds shortly after they hatch or into their eggs before hatching to prevent disease and death.

Removing it is "a really important step if you want to quit using routine antibiotics in turkey production," said Steve Roach, food safety program director for advocacy group Food Animal Concerns Trust.
Turkish military officer seeking asylum in United States -U.S. officials

By Phil Stewart and Yara Bayoumy

WASHINGTON, Aug 9 (Reuters) - A Turkish military officer on a U.S.-based assignment for NATO is seeking asylum in the United States after being recalled by the Turkish government in the wake of last month's failed military coup, U.S. officials told Reuters.

The asylum bid is the first known case involving a Turkish military officer in the United States as Turkey purges military ranks after mutinous soldiers commandeered fighter jets, helicopters and tanks in an unsuccessful attempt to oust President Tayyip Erdogan.

The case has the potential to further strain ties between the United States and Turkey, which is already demanding Washington hand over a U.S.-based Turkish cleric it alleges was responsible for the failed coup.

The two U.S. officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the Turkish officer was working at the headquarters of NATO's Allied Command Transformation, located in Norfolk, Virginia. They did not name him or offer his rank.

However, an official at Turkey's embassy in Washington said Turkish Navy Rear Admiral Mustafa Ugurlu had failed to report to authorities after Turkey issued a detention order for him last month.

"On July 22, on that day he left his badges and his ID at the base and after that no one has heard anything from him," the official said, also speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Turkish official said he was unaware of a subsequent asylum request. An April news article on the NATO website identified Ugurlu as the Norfolk-based command's assistant chief of staff for command and control, deployability and sustainability.

The Turkish official said two other lower-level officers had also been called back from the United States to Turkey.

"But there's no detention order for them," the official said. "One of them has gone back, and the other will go back shortly."

MILITARY PURGES

The purges within Turkey's military, which has NATO's second largest armed forces and aspires to membership in the European Union, has resulted in thousands of soldiers being discharged, including around 40 percent of generals.

There are concerns within the Turkish opposition that the restructuring lacks parliamentary oversight and is going too far.

Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis declined comment, referring questions about Turkish military personnel to Turkey.

The Norfolk mission where the Turkish officer was assigned is the only NATO command in North America, according to its website. It directs Allied Command Transformation's subordinate commands, including the Joint Warfare Center in Norway and the Joint Force Training Center in Poland.

A spokeswoman at the Norfolk-based mission said 26 Turkish military personnel were assigned there, and she praised Turkey's contribution, including hosting U.S. and allies at its Incirlik Air Base, an important staging area for the U.S.-led fight against Islamic State militants in Syria.

"We want to state that Turkey is a valued NATO ally that continues to make important contributions to the fight against ISIL," U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Karen Eifert said, declining comment on questions about an asylum request. ISIL is an acronym for Islamic State.

A NATO official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Turkey's internal reorganization of its military has not had a practical impact on NATO-led commands.

"Turkey has notified NATO about the changeover of a number of Turkish military personnel. There has been no impact on the implementation of NATO-led operations and missions or on the work of NATO commands," the official said, declining comment on any asylum request.

"I would refer you to the Turkish authorities for any further details on their staffing."

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said it could not discuss individual cases, including whether an individual has requested a specific immigration benefit like asylum.

The State Department declined comment.

ANTI-U.S. SENTIMENT RISING

The case comes as Turkey presses Washington to hand over U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Gulen, an ally of Erdogan in the early years after his Islamist-rooted AK Party took power in 2002, has denied any involvement in the coup, which came at a critical time for a NATO state facing Islamist militant attacks from across the border in Syria and an insurgency by Kurdish rebels.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said anti-American feeling among Turks was on the rise and "turning into hatred" and could only be calmed by the United States extraditing Gulen.

Still, the U.S. and Turkish militaries have long had extensive ties, extending beyond the NATO alliance.

One U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, estimated there were around 160 Turkish military personnel on assignment in the United States, including those at NATO in Norfolk and others at exchanges at prestigious U.S. military institutions.

Navy Lieutenant Commander Patrick Evans said 123 Turkish military personnel were participating in the U.S. International Military Education and Training Program in the continental United States as of Aug. 9.

Asked how many of those participants had been recalled to Turkey, Evans said: "We are aware of one student currently at the Army War College who received a recall notice to return to Turkey."
Venezuela tries to rally support for oil producer meeting

By Diego Ore and Girish Gupta

CARACAS, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Venezuela on Tuesday said it was trying to rally support for a meeting of oil producers to agree measures to prop up oil prices, the struggling Latin American country's biggest source of income.

Venezuela, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), is suffering from an economic and political crisis and relies heavily on oil export revenues.

Its government has long called for oil producers to come up with measures to buoy oil prices.

President Nicolas Maduro said on Tuesday night on state television that he was in talks with several other oil exporters to organise a producer meeting.

"I spoke today with King Salman of Saudi Arabia. In the coming hours, I will speak to the Emir of Qatar. I sent a communique to President Vladimir Putin (of Russia). I'm going to speak too with President Rouhani from Iran. I'm in touch with President Correa (of Ecuador), members of OPEC and non-OPEC (countries)," Maduro said on his weekly television show, adding that Venezuela was pushing to "stabilise" the oil price at $40 per barrel.

Venezuelan oil minister Eulogio del Pino had said on Monday that a meeting between OPEC and non-OPEC countries may take place "in the coming weeks", and that Venezuela was "actively promoting a meeting of producers ... so that OPEC and non-OPEC countries can sit down to see what the scenario for the winter looks like."

After recovering for much of the first half of this year following a 70-percent price rout between 2014 and early 2016, oil prices have slumped 15 percent again since June to the low $40s per barrel as crude and refined product markets remain oversupplied.

But analysts met Venezuela's calls with scepticism.

"Another round of proposed production freeze talks by OPEC failed to excite investors," ANZ Bank said on Wednesday.

Russia, the world's largest oil producer, said on Monday it did not see any ground for new talks on freezing oil output but said it was open to negotiations.

Since the plunge in oil prices in 2014, Venezuela has repeatedly tried to broker deals to freeze production and reduce a supply glut, with limited success, as no oil producer was willing to cede market share by voluntarily cutting output, instead expecting competing exporters to restrict production.

As a result, OPEC members and other producers including Russia did not manage to reach an agreement on freezing supply at a meeting held in Doha in April.
Children held at Australian camp suffer assaults, sexual abuse-leaked documents

By Colin Packham

SYDNEY, Aug 10 (Reuters) - More than 2,000 incidents, including sexual abuse, assault and attempted self-harm, were reported in about two years at an Australian detention centre for asylum seekers in Nauru, more than half involving children, a newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Leaked documents published by the Guardian Australia detail again the level of abuse at the centre on tiny Nauru, one of two run by Australia on neighbouring South Pacific islands, and show once more that children bear the brunt of the trauma.

The closely protected camps, and Australia's hard-line immigration policy against illegal boat arrivals, have been widely criticised by the United Nations and human rights groups.

Under Australia's policy, asylum seekers intercepted at sea are sent to Nauru and another camp on Manus Island, in Papua New Guinea, and told they will never be settled in Australia.

The number of refugees and asylum seekers trying to reach Australia is tiny compared with Europe, but immigration has long been an emotive issue in Australia and the hardline immigration has bipartisan political support.

Australia said it was seeking to confirm all reports had been dealt with by Nauru police. "It's important to note many of these incident reports reflect unconfirmed allegations," a spokeswoman for Australia's Department of Immigration said.

The more than 2,000 leaked incident reports published by the Guardian cover the period between August 2013 and October 2015.

Children account for less than 20 percent of the roughly 500 detainees held on Nauru. The were 59 reports of assaults on children in the period, and seven reports of sexual assaults. Some of the reports alleged abuse by guards against children, while there other reports of sexual advances by unknown men.

The reports also show there were 30 incidents of self-harm among children and 159 of threatened self-harm involving minors.

The remaining reports involving children cover a variety of issues, ranging from accidents to misbehaviour.

One of the leaked incident reports said a child had "written in her book that she was tired, doesn't like the camp and wants to die ... 'I want death, I need death',".

Refugee advocates said the leaked reports show the urgent need to end Australia's offshore detention policy and that asylum seekers must be given medical and psychological support.
Australia's controversial census in chaos after possible cyber attack

By Tom Westbrook

SYDNEY, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Australia's first online national census was in chaos on Wednesday after the survey website crashed overnight due to a possible cyber attack, raising concerns over the country's cyber security and criticism of its slow internet services.

"It was an attack and we believe from overseas," Australia's chief statistician, David Kalisch told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio.

Kalisch said that no data from the 2.3 million forms already submitted to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) had been stolen. "We have it at the ABS. No one else has it," he said.

The census provides a snapshot every five years of the living conditions of Australia's 24 million people, detailing incomes, religious and ethnic backgrounds, marital status, etc.

The minister responsible for the survey, Michael McCormack, refused to call the online crash an attack, but rather a "denial of service attempt" when the website was deliberately overloaded.

He said the site was equipped to handle heavy traffic, but there was a spike in visitors so steep that a router overloaded and the website was closed as a precaution.

"This was not an attack, nor was it a hack, but rather it was an attempt to frustrate the collection of Bureau of Statistics census data," McCormack said.

As authorities scrambled to provide a cohesive explanation for why the census was not completed for the first time in its 105-year history, some politicians and privacy advocates said the incident vindicated their security concerns.

Some independent Senators boycotted the census because for the first time it was mandatory for Australians to identify themselves in the survey.

"It shows woeful disregard for Australian people's privacy and data," Anna Johnston, a privacy lawyer and director of consultancy Salinger Privacy, told Australian Associated Press.

The failure has also led to criticism of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's decision to scale back a A$38 billion ($29.2 billion) upgrade of Australia's internet infrastructure, stopping short of connecting homes directly to a broadband network amid cost overruns.

Australia's internet services rank 48th in the world, by average speed, according to the most recent State of the internet report by Akamai Technologies, an IT company specialising in internet speed technology.

Both Australia's Signals Directorate, an intelligence agency, and the government-appointed privacy commissioner, Timothy Pilgrim, are investigating the crash.
Poland - Factors to Watch Aug 10

Following are news stories, press reports and events to watch that may affect Poland's financial markets on Wednesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Poland: GMT + 2 hours):

FX LOANS

Poland's Financial Stability Committee will decide on Wednesday to create a team which will work on resolving the Swiss franc-denominated mortgages issue, Rzeczpospolita daily said.

PGE

Poland's biggest energy firm PGE netted 546 million zlotys ($142.79 million) in the first half of the year, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. The result is slightly higher than previously estimated by the company at half a billion zlotys.

BANKS

Poland's Deputy Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told Gazeta Polska Codziennie daily that he wants the banking sector to be controlled by Polish capital.

COAL MINES

Poland may close down four coal mines employing a total of 10,000 people, according to Gazeta Wyborcza daily. These mines are unprofitable due to their high production costs amid low coal prices.

AZOTY

Russian Acron group is considering selling its almost 20-percent stake in Polish chemical group Grupa Azoty, according to Puls Biznesu daily.

****Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.****
Brazil's Senate indicts Rousseff, opens impeachment trial

By Anthony Boadle

BRASILIA, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Brazil's Senate voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to indict President Dilma Rousseff on charges of breaking budget laws and to begin an impeachment trial that is expected to oust her from office and end 13 years of rule by the Workers Party.

With the eyes of the world on the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, senators in the capital Brasilia voted 59-21 against the suspended leftist leader in a raucous, 16-hour session that began on Tuesday.

Her opponents mustered five votes more than they will need to convict Rousseff at the end of the month, allowing interim President Michel Temer to serve the rest of her term through 2018.

The result showed Rousseff had even less support in the Senate since the 55-22 vote to suspend her on May 12. She is charged with manipulating government accounts and spending without congressional approval, which her opponents say helped her win re-election in 2014.

Wednesday's vote will strengthen Temer's hand as he tries to plug Brazil's fiscal crisis. Critics have blamed Rousseff for an economic recession that could be the country's worst since the 1930s.

Temer, Rousseff's conservative former vice president, has urged senators to wrap up the trial quickly so he can move ahead with a plan to cap public spending and enact pension reforms in hopes of restoring investor confidence in government finances.

Spokesman Marcio de Freitas said Temer is confident Rousseff's impeachment is irreversible and Wednesday's vote will give him more muscle to negotiate with Congress the reforms he believes are needed.

Temer also hopes to be confirmed as president in time to attend the summit of the G20 group of leading world economies in China on Sept. 4, Freitas told Reuters.

The move to replace Rousseff with the more business-friendly Temer has bolstered Brazil's currency against the dollar and boosted shares on the Sao Paulo stock market more than 30 percent since January, placing them among the world's best performing assets.

The real strengthened to 3.13 reais to the dollar on Wednesday. It had weakened as low as 4.16 in January.

Rousseff has denied wrongdoing and denounced her impeachment as a right-wing conspiracy that used an accounting technicality to illegally remove a government that improved the lot of Brazil's poor.

"The cards are marked in this game. There is no trial, just a sentence that has already been written," Workers Party Senator Jorge Viana said in a speech to the chamber. The impeachment, he said, was driven by elite opponents of social welfare gains.

Rousseff's critics say her interventionist economic policies and inability to govern led to the debacle in Latin America's largest country, and she should not be allowed to return.

Her supporters argue that she is being ousted by politicians who are in many cases being investigated for receiving kickbacks in the graft scandal at state-led oil company Petrobras.

Corruption allegations forced the resignation of three of Temer's cabinet members. In plea bargaining testimony published by local media over the weekend, jailed construction magnate Marcelo Odebrecht reportedly claimed Temer had received illegal campaign funding.
Activists demand Formosa Plastics Group shut steel unit in Vietnam

TAIPEI, Aug 10 (Reuters) - About 100 activists protested in front of Formosa Plastics Group's headquarters in Taipei on Wednesday demanding it shut its steel project in Vietnam and urged Hanoi to prosecute the Taiwanese firm for environmental damage.

"Formosa: out of Vietnam", "We want the truth", chatted the protesters, most of whom were Vietnamese.

The Vietnamese government said in June that the $10.6 billion steel project allowed toxic waste to enter the sea in one of Vietnam's biggest environmental disasters.

Formosa, one of the communist country's biggest investors, has pledged $500 million in damages and admitted its steel plant caused massive fish deaths along a 200 km (124 mile) stretch of coastline in April..

"The secretive 'settlement' announced by the Hanoi government and Formosa on June 30 underscores the lack of transparency in the handling of the environmental disaster," said activist Duy Hoang.

"Formosa is not the only party in this incident. The Vietnamese authorities need to demonstrate greater transparency and release its investigative report," he said.

The disaster unleashed months of public anger on social media and on the streets of big Vietnamese cities.

Vietnamese environmental authorities said in July that they were working with local officials in the Ha Tinh province to investigate dry waste, belonging to the steel unit, that was found dumped on a residential farm.
Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Aug 10

BRATISLAVA, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial markets on Wednesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Slovak Republic: GMT + 2 hours) =========================ECONOMIC DATA======================== Real-time economic data releases.................. Summary of economic data and forecasts......... Recently released economic data................ Previous stories on Slovak data.......... **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: http://emea1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/Apps/CountryWeb/#/1C/events-overview =====================EVENTS=============================== BRATISLAVA: Statistics Office will release industrial output data for June 2016. Related stories: =====================NEWS=============================== RUSSIA-CENTRAL EUROPE: Czech, Hungarian and Slovak leaders will attend a forum run by a Russian-led think tank in Greece next month, a Prague official said, as cracks appear in the European Union's united stance on sanctions against Moscow. Story: Related stories: TRADE BALANCE: Slovakia's trade balance showed a higher-than-expected surplus of 515.4 million euros ($570.75 million) in June after a revised 428.2 million euro surplus in May, data from the country's statistics office showed on Tuesday. Story: Related stories: =====================PRESS DIGEST=============================== HOUSING MARKET: Slovakia's central bank plans to limit the maximum loan-to-value (LTV) ratio for mortgages amid booming housing market and growing housing prices. As of January 2017, the central bank will make binding its previous recommendation for banks that mortgages with a LTV ratio between 90-100 percent could only represent up to 10 percent of all mortgages. SME, page 4 (Reuters has not verified the stories nor does it vouch for their accuracy.) For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX Main currency report TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets News editor of the day: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 474 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (Reporting by Prague Newsroom)
Three soldiers killed, 10 wounded in attack in Turkey's southeast -sources

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Three soldiers were killed and ten others were wounded in Turkey's southeastern Sirnak province on Wednesday in an attack believed to have been carried out by militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), security sources said.

Militants opened fire with rockets and long-range weapons from across northern Iraq into a road near the Uludere district, hitting a military vehicle as it passed, the sources said.

The security sources had initially said five soldiers had been killed and eight wounded.

Turkey's southeast has seen the worst violence in two decades since the PKK abandoned a 2-1/2-year ceasefire last year.
-Singapore refinery profits crash to two-year low as naphtha joins glut

By Henning Gloystein

SINGAPORE, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Singapore's oil refining profits dropped to two-year lows on Wednesday, in the latest sign that the industry is pumping out too much fuel for the market to absorb.

Refinery margins in Singapore, the Asian benchmark, fell to $2.94 per barrel on Wednesday, down over 70 percent since January and its lowest level since August 2014.

The glut was triggered by an oversupply of gasoline and diesel, but it has since spread to naphtha, a light distillate product mainly used as a petrochemical feedstock but which can also be blended into gasoline supplies.

Singapore's margins for naphtha have crashed 88 percent this year to $17.15 per tonne, a sharp decline from $190 just two years ago and well off its long-term average of $103 per tonne.

As a result of the glut, Singapore's light distillate inventories have swollen by over 2 million barrels since late June to 15.1 million currently, a near record level, as refiners put unsold fuel into storage.

Oystein Berentsen, managing director for crude at oil trading firm Strong Petroleum in Singapore, said once all storage possibilities had been exploited, refiners would have to cut back their crude processing runs and instead start selling down fuel from storage.

"Once the product tanks are full..., then you know that the situation is bad. You have to cut runs," he said.

Many refiners, however, are reluctant to cut runs as long as they make some cash.

"We have no plan for run cuts," said Lee Yunhi, head of corporate planning at SK Energy, during a recent call with analysts.

Toshiaki Sagishima, executive officer at Idemitsu Kosan Co , Japan's No. 2 oil refiner by sales, said last week that the company more than tripled its oil product exports during the April to June period to 347,000 kilolitres (2.18 million barrels) as international margins are better than those in Japan.

Japanese refiners said that beyond maintenance outages they were unlikely to stop selling fuel abroad as long is it generates some profit.

Meanwhile, Chinese gasoline exports have almost doubled since the beginning of the year, to a record 1.1 million tonnes in June (9.3 million barrels), and diesel exports remain near record highs of over 1 million tonnes (8.25 million barrels).

Despite Brent crude trading relatively cheaply in the low $40s per barrel, the outlook for refiners remains gloomy.

"In 2012 - 2014 Brent averaged $106 per barrel... and refining margins $3 per barrel... In 2016 - 2018 consensus expects average Brent of $56 per barrel... and $3 per barrel refining margins," researchers at AB Bernstein said this month.
Britain's new government awards rail contract to Abellio

LONDON, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Dutch-owned Abellio East Anglia has been awarded a renewed contract to run rail services in eastern England in one of the first such decisions made by Britain's new government.

The deal included a 1 billion pound ($1.3 billion) contract for Bombardier to supply new trains from its UK base, and would cut journey times on routes between London and the eastern English cities of Cambridge and Norwich, the UK's Department For Transport said on Wednesday.

Theresa May became Britain's prime minister last month after Britain voted to leave the European Union in June. The new government has delayed some infrastructure decisions, such as Hinkley Point C, a plan to build the country's first new nuclear plant in decades.

The award of the East Anglia rail franchise had originally been expected in June.

Current operator Abellio East Anglia, owned by Dutch rail firm NS, will run rail services until 2025 after the government picked its bid over those of rival shortlisted British transport operators FirstGroup and National Express.

The agreement includes a contract for Canadian train and plane maker Bombardier to build 660 new carriages at its Derby, central England factory, to expand capacity on the routes.

Transport Minister Chris Grayling said the contract award would ensure work for Britain's rail industry.

"This is part of our plan to make an economy that works for everyone -- not just the privileged few -- by ensuring prosperity is spread throughout the country," he said.

Train services in some parts of Britain, which privatised its rail services in the 1990s, are being hit by a five-day strike this week.
Eurostar train managers to strike for 7 days -UK union

LONDON, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Train managers on the line linking Britain to continental Europe will strike for seven days in August, part of a dispute over working too many unsocial hours, but only one or two trains will need cancelling, service operator Eurostar said.

Britain's RMT union, behind an ongoing strike on rail lines in southern England, said the Eurostar action would take place over two weekends, from 2301 GMT on Aug. 12 to 2259 GMT on Aug. 15, and from 2301 GMT on Aug. 27 to 2259 GMT on Aug. 29.

Eurostar said it would have to make small changes to its timetable to ensure all passengers booked to travel could do so. It may need to cancel one or two trains but passengers would be able to travel on later ones, the company said.

"Our focus has been seeking a joint resolution, naturally, while planning to provide a good service for our customers," a Eurostar spokeswoman said.

The RMT said 80 of its members objected to the balance of unsocial hours - early mornings, late evenings and weekends - which they were being asked to work. The union said 95 percent of them had backed strike action in a ballot.

"It is our view that the greater proportion of that (unsocial shifts) is allocated to our crew rather than the continent," RMT spokesman Geoff Martin said in an email.

Elsewhere, RMT members are in the middle of a five-day strike on rail services connecting London, Brighton and Gatwick Airport in a row over safety.

The RMT, one of Britain's most militant unions, says train operator Southern wants to extend the use of driver-only operated trains and so reduce the safety role that conductors play.

The Eurostar dispute centres on what the RMT called the company's failure to honour an agreement from 2008 which sought to ensure that train managers could expect a good work-life balance in terms of unsocial hours and duty rosters.

Eurostar, which is majority-owned by the French state rail operator SNCF, said efforts to resolve the dispute were ongoing and declined to comment on its details.

The RMT's Martin said talks had been suspended but he expected the strike announcement to "focus minds" and bring management back to the negotiating table.
Western countries concerned by tension around Libya's Zueitina oil terminal

PARIS, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Western countries including the United States, France and Britain said in a joint statement on Wednesday they were concerned by mounting tension around the Zueitina oil terminal in Libya.

Washington, Paris, London and the governments of Germany, Spain and Italy urged a return under government control of all oil and gas installations and called on all parties to avoid damaging the country's energy infrastructure.

"The government of national accord must work with the National Oil Corporation to relaunch oil production in order to rebuild Libya's economy," the six countries said in a statement released by the French foreign ministry.

Libya's state oil company on Sunday called on rival armed factions to avoid damaging the oil terminal in Zueitina, following reports of possible clashes at the eastern port.
Wildfires kill three people on Portugal's Madeira, 1,000 evacuated

LISBON, Aug 10 (Reuters) - At least three people died and more than a thousand were evacuated on the Portuguese island of Madeira when forest fires, raging for a third day, spread to the regional capital and tourist destination, Funchal, authorities said on Wednesday.

Set off in a summer heatwave and fanned by strong winds, the fires have destroyed about 40 homes and a five-star hotel in the hills above Funchal.

On mainland Portugal, thousands of firefighters were still struggling to control hundreds of forest fires - mainly in the north - that have destroyed homes, shut major motorways for hours, and forced the evacuation of several villages this week.

The fire in Funchal was mostly under control, regional governor Miguel Albuquerque told a televised news conference, but several were still raging across the island.

He said 80 people were in hospital suffering from burns and smoke inhalation, including two in a serious condition.

All those killed and injured by the fires were local residents. One person was missing, Albuquerque said.
Turkey warns EU it is making 'serious mistakes' over failed coup

By Ece Toksabay and Tuvan Gumrukcu

ANKARA/ISTANBUL, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Turkey said on Wednesday the European Union was fuelled by anti-Turkish sentiment and hostility to President Tayyip Erdogan and was making grave mistakes in its response to a failed coup which was costing it the trust of ordinary Turks.

Erdogan and many Turks have been incensed by what they see as the undue concern of Europe over a crackdown after the abortive July 15 coup attempt but indifference to the bloody events themselves in which more than 240 people died.

"Unfortunately the EU is making some serious mistakes. They have failed the test following the coup attempt ... Their issue is anti-Turkey and anti-Erdogan sentiment," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the state-run Anadolu Agency.

"We have worked very hard towards EU (membership) these past 15 years. We never begged, but we worked very hard ... Now two out of three people are saying we should stop talks with the EU."

More than 60,000 people in the military, judiciary, civil service and education have been detained, suspended or placed under investigation since the coup attempt, in which rogue soldiers commandeered tanks and warplanes to try to take power.

Dismissals continued on Wednesday. State-run Anadolu Agency said a further 648 judges and prosecutors were suspended under the investigation, bringing to 3,489 the number of those removed from duty.

Turkey's Scientific and Technological Research Council (Tubitak) has removed 560 staff, said private broadcaster NTV.

Thousands of people, waving Turkish flags, gathered outside the presidential palace in Ankara on Wednesday night to hear Erdogan call anew for the United States to extradite U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom he accuses of orchestrating the coup attempt. Gulen denies any involvement.

"Sooner or later the United States of America will make a choice. Either Turkey or FETO," he told the crowd in a speech, using an abbreviation standing for the "Gulenist Terror Group" which is how Ankara refers to Gulen's movement.

The speech was billed as the culmination of nightly rallies in cities across Turkey to show solidarity since the attempted coup.

Some of Turkey's European allies are concerned that Erdogan, already seen as an authoritarian leader, is using the coup attempt as an excuse to further tighten his grip. Turkish officials dismiss such claims, saying the purges are justified by the gravity of the threat posed by the failed uprising.

Western allies are also watching Erdogan's rapprochement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, concerned that both leaders may use their detente and chilled relations with the West to pressure Washington and the European Union.

Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern has said Europe needs to think again about Turkey's possible EU membership.

"I am interested in a fundamental discussion," he said on Wednesday in an interview with broadcaster ORF.

"That fundamental discussion is: Can we accept someone within the EU who does not adhere to democratic standards, who has difficulty with human rights, and who ignores humanitarian necessities and necessities regarding the rule of law?"

Turkey began EU accession talks in 2005 but has made scant progress despite an initial burst of reforms. Many EU states are not eager to see such a large, mostly Muslim country as a member, and are concerned that Ankara's record on basic freedoms has gone into reverse in recent years.

In a return to combative form, Erdogan on Wednesday took aim at Turkey's banks, saying they should not be charging high interest in the aftermath of the coup plot and promising to take action against lenders who "go the wrong way".

Erdogan has repeatedly equated high interest rates with treason and called for lower borrowing costs to fuel growth, raising concern about the independence of the central bank.

'LOSING' TURKEY

Erdogan on Tuesday took a big step toward normalising ties with Russia, meeting Putin in a visit to St Petersburg, his first foreign trip since the failed coup.

Putin said Moscow would phase out sanctions against Ankara, imposed after the Turks shot down a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian border nine months ago, and that bringing ties to their pre-crisis level was the priority.

"We're not mending relations with Russia to send a message to the West," Minister Cavusoglu said. "If the West loses Turkey one day, it will not be because of Turkey's relations with Russia, China, or the Islamic world, but rather because of themselves."

Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters in Ankara it was normal for Turkey to seek "other options" on defence cooperation as it had not received the expected support from its western friends and NATO allies following the failed coup.

NATO said on Wednesday that Turkey's membership was not in question and that Ankara could count on its solidarity and support after the coup bid, which has triggered deep purges in the alliance's second-largest armed forces.

Cavusoglu also indicated that Turkey could find common ground with Russia on Syria, where they have been on opposing sides of the conflict. Moscow backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey says he is a dictator who must be removed.

"We think similarly regarding the ceasefire, humanitarian aid and (the need for) political resolution in Syria," Cavusoglu said, although he added the two may think differently on how to implement the ceasefire.
Germany to present new security measures after July attacks

By Caroline Copley

BERLIN, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Germany's interior minister will on Thursday propose security measures aimed at allaying public concerns after two Islamist attacks and a shooting rampage by a mentally unstable teenager.

Thomas de Maiziere declined at a news conference on Wednesday to confirm media reports that the plans included speedier deportation of foreigners believed to pose a security threat.

Germany had until last month been spared the kind of Islamist attacks suffered by neighbouring France and Belgium.

But in late July, the jihadist militant group Islamic State claimed two attacks -- on a train near Wuerzburg and on a music festival in Ansbach -- in which asylum-seekers wounded 20 people in total.

In addition, security forces had to respond to an attack in a shopping centre in the city of Munich in which nine people were killed by an 18-year-old German-Iranian who had been in psychiatric treatment and was obsessed with mass killings.

The incidents put the focus back on the government's migration policy, which resulted in more than a million migrants entering Germany last year, most of them fleeing war and conflict in Syria, Afghanistan or Iraq, although the influx has since been stemmed.

De Maiziere said the federal government and Germany's 16 states would discuss plans to equip local police forces better. In addition, the government wanted to raise the number of federal police by 10 percent over three to four years.

"We live in difficult times. The terror alert is high. The police are heavily burdened," de Maiziere told reporters in Bremen, adding that further details would be announced at a news conference on Thursday.

GERMANS WORRIED

The daily Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger newspaper cited coalition sources as saying de Maiziere wanted the package of new measures adopted before the next federal election, due in autumn 2017.

A spokesman for the Interior Ministry declined to comment on a report in the mass-selling Bild newspaper that the proposals would make it easier to deport foreigners who were deemed a threat to security or who had committed crimes.

The influx of mainly Muslim refugees and the Islamist attacks in France and Belgium this year and last have made security fears one of Germans' biggest concerns.

The Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger said the new legislation would also facilitate the retention of personal data and accelerate the expulsion of migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected.

It said German doctors might also be permitted in certain cases to break confidentiality and inform authorities if their patients told them about any planned crimes, Bild reported.

The measures build on a nine-point plan announced by Chancellor Angela Merkel after the attacks, the paper said.

Separately, the centre-right interior ministers of Germany's federal states have put forward a list of 27 demands to improve security.

They include hiring an additional 15,000 police by 2020 and greater video surveillance at transport hubs and public places, according to a copy of their draft document seen by Reuters.

The ministers also call for a ban on the full body veil for women and for a law to be revoked that allows for dual nationality for German citizens in some circumstances -- measures that are likely to prove controversial.
Tiny bead from Bulgaria may be world's oldest gold artefact

By Angel Krasimirov

YUNATSITE, Bulgaria, Aug 10 (Reuters) - It may be just a tiny gold bead - 4 mm (1/8 inch) in diameter - but it is an enormous discovery for Bulgarian archaeologists who say they have found Europe's - and probably the world's - oldest gold artefact.

The bead, found at a pre-historic settlement in southern Bulgaria, dates back to 4,500-4,600 B.C., the archaeologists say, making it some 200 years older than jewellery from a Copper Age necropolis in the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Varna, the oldest processed gold previously unearthed, in 1972.

"I have no doubt that it is older than the Varna gold," Yavor Boyadzhiev, associated professor at the Bulgarian Academy of Science, said.

"It's a really important discovery. It is a tiny piece of gold but big enough to find its place in history."

Boyadzhiev, believes the bead was made at the site, just outside the modern town of Pazardzhik, which he says was the first "urban" settlement in Europe, peopled by "a highly-cultured society" which moved there from Anatolia, in today's Turkey, around 6,000 B.C.

"I would say it is a prototype of a modern town, though we can say what we have here is an ancient town, judged by Mesopotamian standards," Boyadzhiev said.

"But we are talking about a place which preceded Sumer by more than 1,000 years," he added, referring to what is usually considered the first urban civilisation, based in southern Mesopotamia, modern day Iraq.

The gold bead, weighing 15 centigrams (0.005 ounce), was dug up two weeks ago in the remains of a small house that would have stood at a time when metals such as copper and gold were being used for a first time.

The settlement unearthed so far is between 10 and 12 hectares (25-30 acres) and would have had a 2.8-metre-high (9-foot) fortress wall. Anything over 0.7-0.8 hectares is regarded as a town by researchers working in Mesopotamia, Boyadzhiev said.

More than 150 ceramic figures of birds have been found at the site, indicating the animal was probably worshipped by the town's people. The settlement was destroyed by hostile tribes who invaded from the north-east around 4,100 B.C.
China's Cosco acquires 51 pct stake in Greece's Piraeus Port

By George Georgiopoulos

ATHENS, Aug 10 (Reuters) - China's COSCO Shipping , owner of the world's fourth largest container fleet, took a 51 percent stake in Greece's largest port on Wednesday.

The sale of Piraeus Port had been suspended by the leftist-led government when it won elections in January 2015 but talks resumed after Greece agreed an 86 billion euro bailout deal with its euro zone partners.

COSCO agreed to buy 51 percent of Piraeus Port (OLP) in April for 280.5 million euros ($312.51 million) under a deal signed with the HRADF, Greece's privatisation agency.

COSCO bought 51 percent of Piraeus Port (OLP) for 280.5 million euros ($312.51 million), acquiring a block of 12.75 million shares in OLP.

COSCO Shipping executive Wan Min rang the opening bell at the Athens bourse at a ceremony to mark the agreement.

Privatisation has been a priority of Greece's bailouts since 2010, but political foot-dragging and a highly unionised public sector workforce have slowed progress.

Shares in Piraeus Port, which has a current market value of 350 million euros, were down 0.4 percent to 13.90 euros as of 1016 GMT lagging a Athens share index up 0.46 percent.

COSCO is expected to increase its stake in Piraeus Port to 67 percent over the next five years, HRADF said.

"Should Cosco fulfil certain conditions set out in the agreement, including the successful completion of the mandatory investments up to 300 million euros, it will pay HRADF an additional 88 million euros and increase its stake by 16 percent to 67 percent," it said.

Greece's parliament ratified the sale in June, overcoming some last-minute snags which triggered complaints from the local COSCO representative.

Last month COSCO said it would invest up to 500 million euros in Piraeus Port to upgrade cruise and shipping container facilities.

Operator of one of Piraeus's container terminals since 2009, COSCO has boosted the port's competitiveness.
Out of sight, out of mind? Europe's migrant crisis still simmers

By Michele Kambas and Antonio Bronic

ATHENS/ZAGREB, Aug 10 (Reuters) - A year after hundreds of thousands of refugees snaked their way across southeastern Europe and onto global television screens, the roads through the Balkans are now clear, depriving an arguably worsening tragedy of poignant visibility.

Europe's migrant crisis is at the very least numerically worse than it was last year. More people are arriving and more are dying. But the twist is that, compared with last year, a lot of it is out of sight.

Take the border between Greece and Macedonia. Summer crops have replaced the city of tents at the border outpost of Idomeni, even if some locals are convinced there is an unseen population hiding in the surrounding forests, waiting for smugglers to assist them on their onward journey.

The tiny Greek village was a focal point of the migrant flow north towards Germany and other wealthy countries, with thousands of refugees squatting for months waiting for sealed borders with Macedonia to open

Elsewhere in the Balkans, a Reuters photographer, revisiting the people-packed locations where he and his colleagues captured last year's diaspora, found empty roads, unencumbered railway tracks and bucolic countryside.

The comparison is stark. To see the pictures, click: http://reut.rs/2aLGrXM

More than one million people fleeing conflict in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan made their way to Europe last year, with the majority of them crossing the precarious sea corridor separating Greece and Turkey, the temporary home for more than 2 million refugees displaced from Syria.o

They came carrying their worldly belongings in plastic bags and hauling babies on weary shoulders, a visual exodus of the kind not seen in Europe since the end of World War Two.

Many have since reached their destination in northern Europe, but with the borders closed and the European Union now attempting to contain the numbers, thousands are stuck at holding centres in Greece and Italy.

They are not so nearly visible there - nor are the ones still coming.

VISIBILITY DOWN, ARRIVALS UP

According to data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), arrivals are up 17 percent on last year, stoked mainly by a spike at the start of the year through Greece.

Deaths among those trying to get to Europe, mainly due to drowning, are up more than 15 percent.

"This is not a blip," said David Miliband, a former British foreign minister who now heads the International Rescue Committee, an aid group set up by Albert Einstein - himself a refugee - to rescue Europeans before the outbreak of World War Two.

"The forces that are driving more and more people from their homes - weak states, big tumults within the Islamic world, a divided international system .. None of these things are likely to abate soon."

Some of the mantle of accepting huge migrant flows that was carried by Greece last year and the beginning of this one has been taken up by Italy.

This follows a resurgence of migrant flows from northern Africa. More than 140,000 asylum seekers are now housed in Italian shelters, a seven-fold increase on 2013, with the migrant crisis in its third year.

In Greece, where arrivals plunged in the wake of an accord between Turkey and the EU to stem the flow in March, an estimated 57,000 migrants were still stuck in the country by Aug.8.

Campaigners say the accord has lulled policymakers into a false sense of accomplishment by allowing them to believe that Europe's migration problem has been solved.

"By outsourcing the responsibility to Turkey and to Greece, European governments are basically saying 'we have solved the crisis because we don't see it, and we can't smell it and we can't hear it," said Gauri van Gulik, deputy Europe director at Amnesty International.

"The crisis is as big as ever, and as yet unsolved by governments," she told Reuters.

IOM data says that 258,186 people arrived in Europe by the end of July, compared with 219,854 over the same period in 2015.

There were 3,176 fatalities by Aug. 7, outpacing the 2,754 who died in the first eight months of last year, a slightly longer period.

"Its absolutely incredible because if you think about the panic this caused last year and the incentive there was to really get some policy changes in place, nothing has happened," Van Gulik said.
Speedy Hire's largest investor seeks early exit of chairman

Aug 10 (Reuters) - Speedy Hire Plc's largest investor is pushing for Executive Chairman Jan Astrand to resign ahead of a general shareholder meeting next month that would decide his fate.

Toscafund Asset Management LLP, which owns a 19.44 percent equity stake in the company, said Astrand had "failed to deliver" during his tenure and lacked the "appropriate track record or attitude" to oversee Speedy Hire's turnaround.

"We believe that it would be in shareholders' best interests if you were to resign ahead of the meeting to save both time and expense," Toscafund said in a letter to the chairman.

Astrand could not be immediately reached for comment.

Speedy Hire said it would hold a general meeting on Sept. 9 and post a full response to Toscafund on Aug. 12.

"We've always got other tools that can be brought to bear in the interest of shareholders but we can't speculate which route to take until we know what happens with the AGM," said Rod Barker, a partner at Toscafund.

Speedy Hire shares rose 2.2 percent to 35.25 pence after its statement on Wednesday.

The company has struggled since a botched implementation of an IT system last year. That and a shortage of equipment to rent out pushed Speedy Hire into a full-year loss and initiate a review of its operations.

Astrand had taken an executive role in July last year, when Chief Executive Mark Rogerson resigned after failing to turn the business around.
PRESS DIGEST - RUSSIA - AUG 10

MOSCOW, (Reuters), Aug 10 - The following are some stories in Russia's newspapers on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

VEDOMOSTI

www.vedomosti.ru

- The daily says that government-backed non-governmental organisations received the lion's share of Kremlin grants.

- It reports that oil major Rosneft intends to participate in the privatisation of mid-sized Bashneft despite an order from President Vladimir Putin not to do so.

KOMMERSANT

www.kommersant.ru

- The daily reports that investigators searched the Russian representative office of Swedish furniture giant IKEA in connection with allegations it fraudulently acquired land in Moscow.

RBK

www.rbk.ru

- The daily says that the Russian Orthodox Church is starting to make its own wine. Its vineyard is located on 70 hectares of agricultural land near the residence of Patriarch Kirill in Krasnodar region in southern Russia.
PRESS DIGEST- Canada - Aug 10

Aug 10 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories from selected Canadian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL

** Bell Canada and its parent company BCE Inc's ratings were downgraded by DBRS Ltd. The downgrade came in light of the Canadian communications giant's plans to buy Manitoba Telecom Services Inc, which DBRS thinks is unlikely to fall through. (http://bit.ly/2b5Sgdw)

** The Liberal government has reversed a policy to increase the eligibility age for Old Age Security to 67, in spite of resistance from bureaucrats that the move would not be in line with what other developed countries are doing. (http://bit.ly/2aYLLbd)

NATIONAL POST

** TransAlta Corp's CEO Dawn Farrell said on Tuesday that tighter environmental controls for power generation companies are "here to stay". The comment was in light of new policies announced recently by the Alberta government. (http://bit.ly/2aYJTza)

** Albertan consumers will end up paying "closer to C$600 million ($461.22 million)", not the C$2.0 billion ($1.54 billion) alleged by the provincial government, on their electricity bills for power companies canceling controversial power contracts early. (http://bit.ly/2b5SfGw)
Lilly breast cancer drug stumbles, but trial continues

Aug 10 (Reuters) - U.S. drugmaker Eli Lilly and Co on Wednesday said it would continue a late-stage trial of its experimental breast cancer drug in combination with a widely used treatment even though an independent panel determined the combination therapy failed to meet its interim effectiveness goal.

The independent data monitoring committee recommended the trial continue without modification through the first half of 2017 despite the fact that its interim look at the data suggested the combination treatment was not delaying progression of the disease.

Lilly shares were down 1.2 percent in morning trading.

Leerink analyst Seamus Fernandez said continuation of the study, called Monarch 2, would allow Lilly to better understand abemaciclib, which is also being tested in a variety of other trials.

The Monarch 2 study included 669 patients who had previously failed to benefit from anti-estrogen treatment for metastatic breast cancer. It compared combined use of abemaciclib and anti-estrogen therapy fulvestrant with fulvestrant alone.

Lilly's drug is from the same new class of breast cancer treatments as Pfizer Inc's recently approved Ibrance, which brought in more than half a billion dollars in second-quarter sales. They work through a new mechanism, by blocking the proteins CDK 4 and CDK 6.

Lilly is evaluating abemaciclib as a single agent in breast cancer patients who have not derived enough benefit from prior treatments. Three other studies are testing abemaciclib with other drugs.

Abemaciclib, which was granted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) breakthrough therapy status for breast cancer last year, is also being tested for use in lung cancer.

After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
China thanks Kenya for deporting Taiwan fraud suspects to mainland

BEIJING, Aug 10 (Reuters) - China on Wednesday thanked Kenya for deporting five people from Taiwan to the mainland as part of a crackdown on telecoms fraud, and urged Taiwan to support the action after its foreign ministry protested.

A Kenyan court acquitted the five people from Taiwan, which China views as a wayward province, as well as 35 Chinese citizens, last Friday after the prosecution failed to prove a cyber-fraud case against them.

A magistrate said the five should be repatriated to their place of origin, Taiwan, but on Monday, the Kenyan government instead sent them to mainland China, along with the 35 Chinese nationals.

In April, Taiwan accused China of kidnapping eight of its nationals from Kenya after they were acquitted in a cyber-crime case.

China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said the new group sent to the mainland were involved in the same fraud case, and that the victims and most of the evidence were all on the mainland.

"The Chinese side greatly appreciates and expresses gratitude toward Kenya for firmly upholding the one-China principle," ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement on the ministry's website.

Kenya, along with a large majority of other countries around the world, has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan and considers the island part of China, in line with Beijing's "one-China" position.

"This is a strong blow against telecoms fraud by overseas Chinese, and represents the determination of China and Kenya to jointly combat cross-border crime," Hua said.

Hua said the five suspects from Taiwan would be handled according to the law. She did not elaborate.

China has aired televised confessions by some of the Taiwan people previously repatriated, raising concern in Taiwan over violations of due process.

Taiwan's foreign ministry had made a "serious protest" to Kenya and said it was working with the island's ministries of justice and mainland affairs to defend the interests of the five deported citizens via communication channels with China.

"We trust that we will have the understanding and support of our compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and from the international community," Hua said.

Only 22 countries around the world recognise Taiwan.
After winning the Assembly elections by raising the local-versus-outsider question last year, Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad and chief minister Nitish Kumar are now batting for reservation in the state government jobs for the Bihar-born candidates.

Lalu kicked up a row by demanding 80 per cent quota for local students in all jobs in Bihar.

He contended that many states such as Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh had such a provision for their students.

Lalu's demand drew prompt support from the chief minister who announced that a party meeting would be convened shortly to bring about a consensus on the issue.

"There is a growing demand for a domicile policy in the state," Nitish said. The JD(U) president made it clear that he was in favour of such a policy in the present context.

"I had supported the domicile issue in Jharkhand," he said. "There is no question of having a different stand on it in Bihar."

The chief minister, however, admitted that any citizen could seek employment anywhere in the country under the constitutional provisions.

"But the domicile issue being raised in different places is not irrelevant under the present circumstances. The locals should get preference, at least in the state services," he said.

"It has become a national issue and the Centre must take initiatives in this regard."

Eighty per cent reservation in the government jobs in Bihar would be counterproductive for the locals who go to other states in large numbers. (PTI)

Lalu and Nitish, who had forcefully raised the Bihari-versus-baahri (outsider) issue in the Assembly polls last year, to neutralise the aggressive campaign of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have received support from the Bharatiya Janata Party as well. Sushil Kumar Modi said that his party would back the government's domicile bill.

As expected, no party appears to be willing to oppose the populist move regardless of its adverse impact on the prospects of Bihari students in the long run.

Social scientists believe that the 80 per cent reservation in the government jobs in Bihar would be counterproductive for the locals who go to other states in large numbers in pursuit of employment every year.

The number of successful candidates from Bihar in the competitive examinations conducted by different state governments is, of course, substantially high.

If all state governments adopt Bihar's proposed model and restrict their jobs to not more than 20 per cent for the outsiders, the Bihari students will be the biggest losers at the national level.

Let us ponder over a few questions.

First, the government jobs are scarce in Bihar as compared to other states.

Thousands of vacancies remain vacant for years for one reason or the other, forcing the local applicants to seek employment elsewhere.

With the industrial scenario remaining bleak, there is no scope for private jobs back home either.

Second, it is the Bihari student who has borne the brunt of the domicile issue in other states over the years.

In Maharashtra, Assam and several other states, they have often been at the receiving end of the violence.

In Mumbai, they have been assaulted several times - even during the recruitment examinations for the central services - by the suspected Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activists who accused them of poaching on their share of jobs.

Third, many states such as Delhi are already rooting for reservation of seats for local students in their academic institutions.

If Bihar's move spurs other states to bring such institutions under the ambit of their respective domicile policy, what will happen to those who leave Bihar to pursue higher education outside their home state every year?

Moreover, what will happen to the students from the small, poor smaller, poorer and hilly states which do not have enough resources to either groom their own workforce or generate enough employment for their people?

The advocacy for 80 per cent quota, therefore, does not appear to be in the larger interest of Bihari candidates.

Nitish has rightly advised the Modi government to come up with a uniform formula.

If the state governments keep framing different domicile policy on the jobs, the day is not far when no vacancy will be left for the outsiders anywhere because of political reasons.
Shooting has been the flavour of the week in India. At the forefront of the shooting brigade was not just India's sole Olympic champion in shooting, Abhinav Bindra, but also India's ace political champion, Narendra Modi.

Like Modi who leads from the front, Bindra was the flag bearer during the opening ceremony at the Rio Olympics.

Unfortunately, for India, both fell just a wee bit off the mark.

The prime minister took aim first. He dared those who target Dalits, to shoot him instead. "Goli mere par chalayiye, mere Dalit bhaiyon par nahin," he thundered in Hyderabad on Sunday evening.

Though it seemed as if he was attacking the opposition, his constituency was the extended Sangh Parivar, whose wayward sharpshooters have been holding the country to ransom by indulging in cow vigilantism.

Those who train their guns and lathis and other weapons at Dalits are "naqli" gau rakshaks, he had explained at an earlier public meeting in Medak. He had put their percentage at around 80 per cent a day before in Delhi.

The prime minister took aim first. (PTI)

The remaining 20 per cent are genuine cow lovers, whose work too is getting tarred with the same brush, was his reasoning.

If you ignore the melodrama, the PM scored a perfect 10, speaking like a statesman but it was not good enough for him to grab podium space.

His message was rebuffed and the intended target was not amused.

The Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha threatened to send a legal notice to Modi, warning that the BJP would pay a heavy price for this labelling in the Uttar Pradesh elections in 2017.

While his alma mater, the RSS supported Modi, it was also unhappy with the 80 per cent piece of statistics that Modi had plucked out of thin air.

Members of the Punjab Gau Raksha Dal, a bunch of lumpen anti-social elements as Modi described them, accused the PM of backstabbing them, claiming they had supported him in the 2014 polls.

Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi asked the PM to walk the talk. Some said that he should have broken his silence on Dadri soon after it happened, given the horror of the incident.

Others pointed out Modi had not included Muslims in the not-to-be-shot list along with Dalits and said it smacked of the politician in Modi, instead of the PM, talking.

The insinuation was that Modi had offered to be the shield for Dalits only because he needed their votes in Uttar Pradesh and his image internationally was taking a beating for his inability to rein in cow vigilantism.

Oceans away in Rio de Janiero, India's shooting champ Abhinav Bindra did not hit bullseye either. He suffered a nasty fall on D-day, damaging the sight on his rifle.

Indian shooter Abhinav Bindra lost out on the bronze by a whisker at Rio Olympics 2016. (PTI)

Bindra shot with a replacement but perfection of the sort he gained in Beijing eight summers ago eluded him. He was the last hope standing in Rio, as other Indian medal hopefuls in shooting had fallen by the wayside.

But the man from Chandigarh lost out on the bronze by a whisker - a few millimetres to be precise - prompting a collective India gasp of "Oh, shoot".

Bindra's technical trainer, Heinz Reinkemeier of Germany blamed the Indian mindset that expects every athlete to go for gold. It won't happen unless the system is perfect, Reinkemeier who is also a psychologist, reasoned.

Reinkemeier could well have been talking about Narendra Modi. Just like Bindra, the expectations from the PM are humongous. Every time any member of the RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal, ABVP and the BJP has stepped out of line, Modi is expected to answer for him.

That he does not, is construed either as silent backing for their deeds or an inability to rein them in.

But like Bindra would tell you about the sport of shooting, every fraction of a second matters. The PM has perhaps realised that lack of a spontaneous response is hurting his credibility.

Especially when he himself admitted "Mujhe itna gussa aata hai (I feel so angry)". Especially for someone who uses Twitter as an effective communication tool.

But with cow vigilantism showing no signs of stopping, Modi has finally read out the riot act. FIRs have been lodged post Modi's public disapproval of the self-proclaimed protectors of the holy cow.

Will errant India fall in line? The jury is out.

But clearly, Modi has decided to adopt the thanedaar approach, realising carrots will make a halwa of his political journey at 7, Race Course Road.

India invested in Modi, who came with the promisory note of "achhe din" in 2014. The last two years have however, seen Modi's extended "parivar" create roadblocks in the path of "vikas" (development) that he harps on, by focusing on issues like ghar wapsi, beef ban, love jihad, cow vigilantism and pop nationalism.

Taken purely at face value, Modi's "Attack me, shoot me" is an attempt to walk with his head held high, even if he does not win.

If nothing, he would not be accused of lack of messaging.

Just like Abhinav Bindra, who despite not being able to deliver a "Made in China" in Brazil, earned the respect of his nation for having given it his best shot.
Nearly every state in the country is faced with the challenge of accommodating what is expected to be a major growth in freight and passenger traffic over the next several decades while meeting increasingly stringent energy efficiency and emission reduction targets. Many states transportation and freight mobility planning efforts are focusing on a mixture of highway and rail capital improvement projects. But only Nevada is seriously considering an outside-the-box idea that would truly combine the truck and train modes to move shipments across its northern high desert  while also offering a new, faster travel choice for passengers.

California Zephyr. UP does have three transloading facilities in Nevada along these lines, but for the most part, the decision of whether to use truck or train for the longer hauls that cross the state has already been made before the containers enter the state.

Tucked inside the Nevada Department of Transportations 154-page Draft Nevada State Freight Plan, released on July 1, towards the end under Prototypes and Other Concepts, lies a mention of a Land Ferry system being developed by planners and researchers at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV). This would entail the transfer of truck trailers, or even entire trucks, onto railcars at one end of the state and off at the other. Fast, frequent trains powered by overhead catenary, with all the electricity coming from wind farms in the state, would then ferry the containers and trucks from one end to the other. Each train would include at least one passenger car in which truck drivers could rest and recharge while moving across Nevada. Passengers would also be able to buy tickets to ride in these cars, though passenger service is not expected or even needed to be a profit center.

This service would be made possible by upgrading one of the UP lines, both of which are now mostly single-track with passing sidings, into a triple-track electrified railroad. Using the existing railroad alignment would greatly reduce construction costs compared to grading an entirely new railroad. The state, likely with federal assistance, would pay for the upgrades. The Land Ferry trains would be interwoven with existing UP and Amtrak trains on the upgraded line without any loss in capacity or reliability to any user and UP would retain dispatching authority. The truck-to-Land Ferry transfer stations would be located at Fernley, NV (34 miles east of Reno on I-80) and Wells, NV (58.5 miles northwest of the Utah state line at West Wendover, NV), bypassing 307 miles of I-80 in between.

An economic assessment of the Land Ferry concept unveiled by UNLV within the past year indicates that the benefits of this project would outweigh its cost to taxpayers  its cost-benefit ratio is estimated at 1.7 (anything over 1 having a net benefit and anything under 1 having a net cost). Its quantifiable benefits would include savings in travel time, savings in truck operating costs, reduction in accidents, and reduced pavement maintenance costs. Dr. Alexander Paz, Associate Professor and Director of the Transportation Center at UNLV, tells Trains that the Land Ferry concept could be implemented in other corridors with comparable benefit/cost ratios. UNLV also submitted a research proposal to the Nevada DOT for a Land Ferry along the Interstate 11 corridor  currently under development to connect Las Vegas with Phoenix.

The assessment also determined that 100% wind energy would be the most economical of the choices available to power the trains, which included solar, geothermal, and several forms of diesel fuel. It would not add or take away any existing business along the I-80 corridor as it would merely move truck traffic temporarily onto trains. It is estimated to create over 45,000 construction jobs and over 300 permanent operating and maintenance jobs. Paz suggests that the Land Ferry could also be used as an inland port.

The Land Ferry concept is closely aligned with the Steel Interstate idea championed by the North American Steel Interstate Coalition. The Coalition has gained endorsements from a variety of local and state-level passenger rail advocacy groups, but has yet to gain formal cooperation from any freight railroad. The Coalition is nevertheless very interested in promoting the Nevada Land Ferry as a test case for its favored approach.

The Coalition encourages people (particularly Nevada citizens) who support the idea to submit formal comments on the Draft State Freight Plan before the deadline of close of business on Monday, August 15. It asks commenters to point out that the Land Ferry would be eligible for State Planning and Research funds, that a full-time Land Ferry manager would be assigned to the Project Management Office to coordinate stakeholders, and that if the project is successful, then the Nevada DOT could serve as a resource to other state DOTs interested in similar projects.

Those wishing to comment may email their comments to the Nevada DOTs Bill Thompson, Freight Program Manager and Dan Anderson, Nevada Freight Plan Manager with consulting firm CH2M, and to copy and submit them via the Nevada Freight Plan Portal webform.
RICHMOND  Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump returns to Virginia on Wednesday to speak at an education event in Abingdon.

The 3 p.m. event at Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center is not open to the public.

Trump is giving no indication that he thinks Hillary Clinton's addition of Sen. Timothy M. Kaine, D-Va., as her vice presidential running mate, has taken Virginia off the board.

This will be Trump's third campaign stop in Virginia since Kaine became Clinton's running mate.

Trump and his vice presidential choice, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, held a town hall meeting in Roanoke on July 25. Trump held a rally at a Loudoun County high school Aug. 2. On Thursday, Pence made solo campaign stops in Virginia Beach and Norfolk.
LANCASTER  Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence held a town hall rally at the Lancaster Host Resort on Tuesday afternoon.

The Indiana governor spoke for about 30 minutes before answering questions from some of the people in attendance.

Pence touted Donald Trumps economic policy and went on the attack against his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

(Donald Trump)s going to rebuild our economy by lowering taxes, reducing red tape, and repealing Obamacare lock, stock, and barrel, Pence said. It was Hillary Clinton and her State Department who left Americans in harms way in Benghazi.

Pence also stressed to Republicans that the next president will get to appoint a judge to Justice Antonin Scalias vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. He also vowed to repeal the death tax, saying it would help Lancaster family farms.

Recent polls show Clinton has a 10-point lead over Trump in Pennsylvania, including a recent ABC27 News and Susquehanna Polling & Research survey.

Following the event in Lancaster, Pence traveled to Pittsburgh to host a rally there Tuesday night.
FLORIDA - USA - Legislators for the Supreme Court want to ban cannibalism in all US states it has been reported.

Cannibalism could finally be banned in America. Legislators are drafting a new Senate bill that will finally ban the consumption of human meat by other humans, Judge Ron Lector, told the Washinton Herald newspaper on Monday.

Three Chomps Rule

This will be a two tiered approach to bringing in the new laws that will eventually ban cannibalism in America. With most crimes we have a three strikes and youre out rule, well we want the same thing with cannibals. If you eat people three times, boom, thats it for you for life. We hope to have the bill passed by 2018, but theres so much cannibalism around at the moment, we are trying our best to get the ball rolling a lot sooner, Keith Favabene, one of the other Judges working on the draft bill told CBS news.

There were further setbacks on Saturday as five members of the legislative committee, who were travelling through Oregan by road, had their SUV hijacked by cannibals and have not been in contact with their families or employers since.

Were trying to get new people on the case, but the last lot probably got eaten, so we need some new people in, a Florida Judge working on the case told the Florida Weekly.


MOUNT GRETNA  Police searched Wednesday for a man they said threatened two nurses at gunpoint at a secure mental health care hospital then took off with his girlfriend, who was a patient.

Elliott Ravert, 18, demanded nurses unlock the housing unit where Alicia Buzzard, 21, was a patient and threatened to shoot them if they did not cooperate, police said.

Police said they were not sure if Buzzard went willingly with Ravert, but they issued a missing-person alert for her and said she might be at risk of harm. She had been at the hospital for about a week and a half.

Philhaven, the mental and behavioral health care facility where the incident occurred, is located about 30 miles east of the state capital.

Buzzards sister, Tiffany Buzzard, told LNP newspaper that their mother had asked hospital officials to not allow Ravert to see his girlfriend.

An arrest warrant was issued charging him with aggravated assault, terroristic threats and robbery. Police said he took a two-way radio from the hospital.

Buzzard has bipolar disorder and has known Ravert for about three months, his sister said. She lives in Myerstown, about a half hour from the hospital, with her mother and stepfather.

My mom and stepdad separated her and Elliott because they were starting to get physical and trying to have babies, Tiffany Buzzard told LNP. She stopped taking her medicine and threatened to kill herself.

Ravert drives a green 2004 Chevy Avalanche with Pennsylvania license plate ZGY-3594, but police said late Wednesday he may have changed plates. Authorities said they did not know where Ravert might be headed.
Scott Stull feared the worst when news broke in January about the partially demolished Bell Tavern.

The anthropology professor thought for sure a lifeline was needed before work continued to bring down the stone building at 7089 Carlisle Pike in Silver Spring Township.

So he partnered with Michael Rogers, a physics and astronomy professor, to contact the citizens group being formed to save a tavern some historians believe had a role in the debate leading to the Bill of Rights.

We just thought we could help to at least mitigate the negative consequences of the demolition, Stull said. We have the expertise. We have the equipment. We did not anticipate the reconstruction.

Stull and Rogers were at the building site Tuesday to position a 3-D laser scanner near each corner of the structure so that Bell Tavern Association could have a detailed digital picture of its construction and architecture. They were providing their services free of charge to help the association in the future restoration of the tavern.

This is something they can use for planning, said Stull who, like Rogers, is a faculty member at Ithaca College. When you are doing any kind of historical restoration work, you need to know what is original and what is reconstructed.

Its a document we have of the current state, Rogers said of Tuesdays scan. They can use that to take any measurements that are necessary.

The scanner sends out a laser pulse a million times a second and records what is reflected to within five millimeters, said Stull, an assistant professor. The resulting 10 to 15 gigabytes of data is stored on the instruments hard drive for download to a laboratory computer where the different images are then stitched together into one comprehensive whole.

The Tavern Association can use the data collected to figure out what needs to be done to restore the building without putting anyone at risk, Stull said. He added the digital record could be made part of a historic preservation database the association could use to track physical changes to the building.

Ithaca students will be working on a way to convert the large amount of data from Tuesdays scan into a format that could be placed online to allow the public access to a virtual tour of the tavern, Stull said.

Both professors have done scans of President Lincolns cottage in Washington, D.C., President Grants cottage in Wilton, N.Y., Old Fort Johnson in Fort Johnson, N.Y., and Philipse Manor Hall in Yonkers, N.Y. They recently returned from Ireland where they participated in an archaeological field school that used 3-D scanning technology on Trim Castle.

I think its great that Ithaca College has volunteered to do this, said Christine Musser, an association member. This will help in the preservation of the tavern. What it will give us is an overview of what the tavern looks like.

The data collected can even distinguish the relative age of the stones based on the weathering pattern on the surface, Musser said. She explained how the association has a mason waiting in the wings to use original stone left in the debris field to reconstruct the rear wall.

Musser was contacted by the professors in January after they read about the tavern in the news. They thought at first the demolition would resume and that the building would be destroyed. They offered to conduct a scan at no cost to preserve the building as an historic record.

For me, it was shocking, Rogers recalled. We reached out pretty quickly. A lot of the work we are doing is to digitally preserve this type of structure before there is an incident.

Property owner Triple Crown Corp. had legally obtained a permit to demolish the Bell Tavern, but the process was abruptly halted in January after reports surfaced of the buildings potential historic significance. Some historians believe the building was the site of the Stony Ridge Convention on July 3, 1788, an event that led to amending the U.S. Constitution to include the Bill of Rights.

Mark DiSanto, chief executive officer of Triple Crown, has since agreed to gift the tavern to the association and to donate $100,000 toward the restoration of the building in exchange for the township agreeing to rezone a nearby property to allow for future warehouse development.

It took time for the association to organize as a nonprofit group and for schedules to clear enough for Stull and Rogers to become available to conduct the 3-D laser scan.

My first reaction when I got here is the tavern is still a gorgeous old home, Rogers said. Its interesting with a lot of fine architectural details. It would be great to see it survive.

Rogers added while it is unfortunate oversights caused its partial demolition, he is glad to see an effort underway to correct the mistakes.

This is our connection to our past, Stull said of the tavern. The world that this structure represents is what helped to create the world we live in today. If we are not rooted in our history, we are just floating in time and dont understand why we do what we do. I think any productive use of this building would be a contribution to the community.
India seeks help of US and European countries to crack terror fund trail from Pakistan

Published: August 9, 2016

India has approached United States (US) and select European countries part of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to crack terror fund trail details of the Al Rehmat Trust from Pakistan.

Al Rehmat Trust is financer of terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) which had carried out the attack at the Pathankot airbase (in Punjab) in January 2016.

India has alleged that Al Rehmat Trust, founded by JeM chief, Maulana Masood Azhar, uses its money for funding and training terrorist modules against India.

What is Financial Action Task Force (FATF)?

FATF is an intergovernmental policy making body with ministerial mandate to establish international standards for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

It was established in 1989 during the G7 Summit in Paris (France) to combat the growing problem of money laundering.

It comprises over 36 countries including India. FATF Secretariat is housed at the headquarters of the OECD in Paris.

Initially it was only dealing with developing policies to combat money laundering. But in 2001 its purpose was expanded to act against terrorism financing.

Objectives : Set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.

: Set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system. Functions: (i) Set international standards to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. (ii) Assess and monitor compliance with the FATF standards. (iii) Conduct studies of money laundering and terrorist financing methods, trends and techniques. (iv) Respond to new and emerging threats, such as proliferation financing (used for promoting proliferation of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons).

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2016

Topics: FATF  India-US  National  Terrorism  Terrorism financing

Latest E-Books
Irom Sharmila ends 16-year-long fast

Published: August 10, 2016

The Iron Lady of Manipur Irom Chanu Sharmila (44) ended her 16-year-long hunger strike for repealing of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) of 1958 from Manipur.

After ending her16-year-long hunger strike, she announced that she wants bring some positive changes in the state by actively participating in politics and contesting elections.

About Irom Chanu Sharmila

Born on 14 March 1972 in Imphal, Manipur. She is a civil rights activist, political activist, and poet.

She is famously known as the Iron Lady of Manipur and also as Mengoubi (the fair one).

and also as (the fair one). She had started hunger-strike at the age of 28 following a massacre in Malom, Imphal in which innocent 10 persons were killed by the Assam Rifles in November 2000.

Her main demand was for repealing Armed AFSPA, 1958 from her state which provided immunity to armed forces with regard to their actions.

Since November 2000, Sharmila was forcefully fed through nasal tube. She is the worlds longest hunger striker, as she had refused food and water for more than 500 weeks.

Awards and Honours: Gwangju Prize for Human Rights (2007), Mayillama Award (2009), lifetime achievement award (2010) from the Asian Human Rights Commission, Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize (2010) etc.

For more details: AFSPA

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2016

Topics: AFSPA  Irom Sharmila  Manipur  Persons in News

Latest E-Books
With the signing of the agreement, Spicejet will send its aircraft from the fleet of 42 planes to Nagpur MRO in immediate future.

Nagpur: Air India has finally succeeded in roping-in a private airline to use the maintenance repair overhaul (MRO) facility at the SEZ in Mihan here. An MoU was signed by Air India Engineering Services CEO H R Jagannath and Spicejet vice president Arun Kashyap in the presence of top AI officials here yesterday.

With the signing of the agreement, Spicejet will send its aircraft from the fleet of 42 planes to Nagpur MRO in immediate future, Kashyap told reporters during their visit to the MRO.

Kashyap also said Spicejet was in the process of acquiring 100 more aircraft in the days to come. He said the first Spicejet aircraft was expected to roll in for MRO facility within two months. It was already sending its aircraft to GMR, Hyderabad, but now onwards, Spicejet will be using the MRO facility of Air India at Nagpur, he said.

Jagannath said after being formally handed over by aircraft manufacturer major Boeing International on December 29, 2014, the MRO started its maintenance operation from March this year and so far handled eight aircraft, while the ninth aircraft was on the pit.

Spread over 50 acres of land adjacent to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, the Rs 600 crore MRO, which is connected by a 3.5 km taxiway, offers a world class facility.

It is carrying out maintenance facility of all types including 'D' check of wide bodied aircraft which is mandatory for an aircraft after flying for 3,000 days. A team of dedicated engineers and technicians are positioned to carry out a detailed maintenance of Boeing aircraft to make it air worthy.

The construction work of the MRO, funded by Boeing, commenced in March 2011 and completed in a record period of 3.5 years. It was finally handed over to Air India on December 29, 2014, and actual operations commenced from August 27 last year.
At present, the country's panel market is estimated to be around 10 million units and around 8 per cent of that is of smart TVs.

New Delhi: Homegrown consumer electronics firm Micromax on August 10 announced its foray into the smart TV space and is looking to capture 5 per cent market share in the segment and 12 per cent in overall panel market by the end of this fiscal.

The domestic firm, which had sold 0.85 million LED TV units last fiscal, is expecting to sell around 1.25 million units this fiscal and is also expanding its sales network across the country to tap the tier II and III cities, besides tapping the online platforms and modern trade channels.

"With the launch of new smart TVs, we expect Micromax to have 5 per cent market share in the smart TV segment by FY2016-17," Rohan Agarwal, Vice President - Consumer electronic, Micromax, told PTI.

Its Canvas Smart LED Television range, which would target the urban consumers, will be exclusively available on e-commerce platform Flipkart. The company has priced smart TVs at Rs 19,999, 29,999 and 42,999 for 32, 40 and 50 inch screen size, respectively.

At present, the country's panel market is estimated to be around 10 million units and around 8 per cent of that is of smart TVs.

"Micromax market share in the segment till March 2016 was 9 per cent. We are looking at growing it to 12 per cent by the end of this fiscal," said Micromax Informatics Business Manager LED TV Sunil D Sharma.

"We expect to sell 1-1.25 million units this fiscal," Sharma said adding that Micromax would leverage on its experience with price point and quality for growth in the segment.

The TV segment presently contributes around 11 per cent to Micromax's overall revenue and the company is expecting it to touch around 15 per cent by the end of this fiscal.

"We are expecting a 40-50 per cent growth this fiscal in our LED TV business. We had closed FY2015-16 at Rs 1,000 crore," Sharma added.

Currently, Micromax is manufacturing LED TVs comprising a range of 15 models at its Rudrapur unit, which has a capacity to roll out 5,000 units every day. Micromax is also strengthening its sales network by adding more dealers and retail outlets to enhance its presence.

"We are present at 20,000 retail outlets right now and have 450 distribution points exclusive for TV and AC. We want to take the outlet numbers to 30,000 and distribution centres to 800 by FY 2017-18," he added.

At present, 80 per cent of Micormax LED TV sales come from traditional channels and rest 20 per cent from modern retail outlets and e-commerce platforms. Its 35 per cent sales by volume are coming from tier 1 and mini metros and rest 65 per cent from tier II and III places.

"The big panels are being sold in developed markets, while the sale of sub 32 inch panels are high in tier II and III places," Sharma said.

The company, which is planning to invest around Rs 2,000 crore on manufacturing in next five years, would strengthen its panel manufacturing capacity to meet the growing demand.

"We have recently put a plant at Telangana and two more are coming up. In future, we can use Telangana unit, which is manufacturing mobile phones. We can manufacture TV by putting an additional line in it," Sharma said.
FDI has not been permitted in inventory-based model of e-commerce.

New Delhi: Traders body CAIT has filed acomplaint with DIPP alleging that major e-tailers Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal are blatantly violating FDI norms.

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has filed a complaint with the "DIPP against Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal for blatant violation of FDI Policy in e-commerce of the government", CAIT said in a statement.

When contacted, Snapdeal declined to comment on the matter. Amazon and Flipkart did not respond to e-mail queries. CAIT said that during past three days these companies have given big advertisements in media announcing sale on their platform which is a violation of FDI guidelines on e-commerce.

These companies are allowed to do B2B business but they are doing B2C for which they are not authorised, it said. CAIT has sought an appointment with Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sithraman.

It asked the ministry to "take immediate action against these companies which are habitual in contravening the policy".

In March, government allowed 100% FDI through automatic route in the marketplace format of e-commerce retailing.

As per the guidelines issued by the DIPP on FDI in e- commerce, foreign direct investment (FDI) has not been permitted in inventory-based model of e-commerce.
         :          , CCTV  
India is negotiating broad-based Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement with the EU.

New Delhi: The full impact of the UK's decision to exit European Union on India may take some time to unfold, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today.

The opportunities for India would depend on Great Britain's negotiations of terms of exit with the European Union and their future negotiated trade relations," Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

India is negotiating broad-based Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) with the EU. She said the BTIA negotiations began in 2007 with sixteen rounds of negotiations concluded so far.

Three rounds of stocktaking meetings have also been held recently, she added.

On other FTAs, she said that India is negotiating a trade pact with Israel. The eighth round was held in Israel from 24-26 November 2013 wherein discussions took place on market access in goods, rules of origin, custom procedures and trade in services, she said.

Also, the minister informed that a Joint Study Group (JSG) has been set up for considering the feasibility of entering into an FTA between India and Eurasian Economic Union (EaEU) comprising of five countries - Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan.

The first meeting of the JSG with EaEU was held on July 31, 2015.

An FTA is also being negotiated with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) which comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

Replying to a separate question, she said as on March 31, 204 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are functional. Maximum number of operational zones are in Tamil Nadu (36) followed by Telangana (26) and 25 each in Maharashtra and Karnataka.
New Delhi: Government has no clear-cut policy to promote all-women bank branches in the public sector and the industry lacks the necessary impetus to open more such centres, a Parliamentary panel said.

The Committee on Empowerment of Women tabled its report on "Working Conditions of Women in Public Sector Banks" in Lok Sabha today.

Stressing that all-women branches cater to multiple needs of women customers better, the Committee noted that such branches provide women employees with a much safer and convenient working environment free from inhibitions.

"Some banks are in the process of opening more such branches in near future... it is unclear from the responses of the Ministry (of Finance) as to what policy framework they have in place with regard to opening of all-women branches," said the report.

The panel suggested that the government should direct all public sector banks to ensure that at least 15 per cent of their branches are all-women centres.

"Thus, it will make womenfolk feel comfortable to access a banking system that is devoid of gender biases as well as non-discriminatory towards them," it said.

As of now, 17 public sector banks have opened a total 301 all-women branches.

The Department of Financial Services, under the Finance Ministry, in its reply to the Committee said that banks are exploring the feasibility of opening more all-women branches.

The committee said it expected to see a spurt in numbers in the not-so-distant future to set off a transition in the country's banking industry.

Appreciating the banks' efforts, the panel said, "PSBs are not entirely oblivious to the vital need of creating more all-women branches in the country, yet the necessary impetus it deserves to hasten the process to open more such branches is sorely missing in the context of country's banking industry."

Indian Overseas Bank and State Bank of India have so far opened 60 and 119 all-women branches respectively. Most of the other PSBs have done precious little towards establishing adequate number of all-women branches as was desired by the Committee, the report said.

On provision of creche and day care facilities, the Committee said it was unhappy to see that only two PSBs -- State Bank of Mysore and State Bank of Patiala -- are providing such services.
In Free Data, the regulator is exploring models to give consumers free Internet service within the Net Neutrality framework,

New Delhi: Telecom regulator Trai today said it will bring out a consultation paper on Net Neutrality, and separately also firm-up its views on the issue of Free Data by the end of the month.

"For net neutrality, the pre-consultation has happened and we are now in the process of firming-up the final consultation paper, hopefully by the end of this month," Trai Chairman, R S Sharma said on the sidelines of a conference.

He further said the regulator will take a view on Free Data in a similar time frame.

"By month-end, we will be able to take a call... I can't say what will be the outcome of that. Every consultation paper does not have to result into regulation or tariff order but whatever the conclusion, we will be able to make it, by the month-end," he said.

The two issues, Free Data and Net Neutrality, will be handled separately. "These two will be different, certainly. Because in the Free Data paper, we have said that whatever architecture is brought out that should respect the principles of Net Neutrality," he said.

In Free Data, the regulator is exploring models to give consumers free Internet service within the Net Neutrality framework, after barring platforms like Facebook's Free Basics and Airtel Zero under its differential pricing rule.

It sought public views on whether there is a need to have TSP-agnostic platform to provide free data or suitable reimbursement to users, without violating the principles of its differential pricing for data rules.

In May this year, Trai, through a pre-consultation round, sought public views on aspects of Net Neutrality that need be considered for a discussion framework.

There has been a conflict between telecom operators, Internet companies and consumers interest on the issue of net neutrality.

While all the three major stakeholders - telecom operators, Internet companies and consumers - favour net neutrality, they define it differently from their standpoint.

The debate on net neutrality picked up in India when telecom operator Bharti Airtel in December 2014 decided to charge extra for making Internet calls. But, the company rolled back its plan after public protest.

It then launched Airtel Zero platform which provided fee access to websites under it, while websites were required pay for being on it.

Later, Facebook also came up with a zero rating platform 'Free Basics' which provided free access to some websites available on its platform for Reliance Communications customers in India.

Both these platforms were seen as violation to net neutrality and later Trai issued a regulation which barred zero rating platform.
The governments push for affordable housing in the country will take a big hit, thanks to higher rate of indirect tax under the GST regime, say builders.

Hyderabad: The governments push for affordable housing in the country will take a big hit, thanks to higher rate of indirect tax under the GST regime, say builders.

Currently, the end user is taxed at around six per cent but once the GST is rolled out the taxes would jump to around 20 per cent, said Mr S. Ram Reddy, the president of CREDAI Hyderabad.

He was speaking at an event to announce the 5th CREDAI Hyderabad Property Show from August 13. The new tax regime would wreak havoc for the developers too as the basic items in constructions are likely to become dearer, while denying that businessmen are hiking the prices.

While there will be a decline in cement prices, it would be negligible considering the rise in the prices of steel. The basic cost of constructions is expected to rise by about eight per cent, he said.

Neha Hiranandani, the director of the Hiranandani Group, too echoed the same concerns. Since GST will be applicable on the materials purchased by the developer to construct the project, it will have a direct impact on the total costing of the project. The GST Bill treats construction activities as work contracts but is silent about guidelines on valuation of land and has kept the sector away from input tax credit. This could mean higher costs for the end consumer, she said.

According to Ms Hiranandani, the implementation of the GST will not subsume the stamp duty levied by the states, who may increase it from time to time to meet revenue targets thereby pushing costs higher for the buyer.

According to her, it would be important to see what the final Goods and Services Tax rate would be because if the rate is higher than the existing cumulative taxes, it will certainly be dampener as it will increase the final cost for buying an under construction flat and defeat the purpose of the GST Bill.
The actor is over the moon with the tremendous response and good wishes coming his way.

Mumbai: Rarely do film trailers win the world over, unanimously, like the way Ajay Devgn's 'Shivaay' has. The phenomenon that the film has turned out to be, makes one reminisce of the absolute hysteria that followed the release of Salman Khans Dabangg.

The trailer recorded a mammoth, collective 12 million views on Youtube and Facebook, within three days of its release, the engagement of which is the biggest seen by any Bollywood film ever, yet. Statistically speaking, the likes on the trailer is more than on any other movies, 200,000 likes, to be specific.

The dislikes are also at their optimal minimum, with a mere 3.3% people disliking it. Shivaay recorded the said 2 lakh likes within three days of its uploading, which is at par with the likes on the trailer of current blockbuster Sultan. The action thriller has an additional 281,000 hits on its Facebook upload alone.

Moreover, there are a staggering 37,000 organic comments combined, on both Facebook and Twitter, emphasising on how popular the trailer is amongst netizens.

The movie has been trending on twitter since two weeks now, preceding its trailer launch, astonishingly enough. It trended on Facebook on the 8th of August and is the top trending video on Youtube, which doesnt come as much of surprise.

Many Bollywood celebrities heaved praises on the movie and the man behind it all, Devgn, through their social networking sites. Legendary composer AR Rahman, whos known to be a man of few words, praised Ajay and even tagged the films composer Mithoon, congratulating him on his terrific score for the film.

The likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Amish Tripathi (Author of the Shiva trilogy), Arjun Kapoor, Nikkhil Advani, Satish Kaushik, Ekta Kapoor amongst other industry biggies praised the sleek and action-packed trailer of the film. Most rated it to be at par or arguably better than known Hollywood standards, elevating Bollywood to an all-time high pedestal.

The ridiculously contagious event that it has become, no one can wait for Diwali to come so they can experience the Shivaay spectacle for real.

For now, watch and immerse yourself in the trailer again, here:
Ashutosh Gowarikers style of filmmaking is known for how much attention he pays to details. Besides the sets and the costumes, the director also likes to make sure that the music score of his films hit all the right notes. Little wonder then that he collaborates with the best every time  A.R. Rahman. The music maestro has come up with an impressive score yet again for Gowarikers latest, Mohenjo Daro.

We hear that the perfectionist director wanted the music to be changed slightly in some of the scenes. A source told this publication, Rahman was told about this and he readily agreed. He was in Chennai at that time but he has his own music studio in Mumbai too. When Ashutosh reached out to him, he flew into the city the very next day. The film is very close to both of them and they want to give it everything they can. The source said that it was a days job, further adding, only after those changes were made, did Ashutosh release the final print of the film. He is happy that the film is ready just the way he wanted it.

Starring Hrithik Roshan and Pooja Hegde, the film is set to release on the Independence Day weekend, along with Rustom. Ashutosh will fly to Switzerland in a few days to attend the Locarno International Film Festival where Mohenjo Daro will be the closing film.
Zhu Zhu was last seen in 'Tales Of Mystery'.

Mumbai: Kabir Khan started shooting for his upcoming Salman Khan starrer historical drama Tubelight in Ladakh a few days back.

Be that as it may, the mystery surrounding the superstars leading lady for the film had yet to die down.

But as things are now, the identity of the leading lady isnt a secret anymore. Chinese singer-actress Zhu Zhu has been cast opposite the Sultan of Bollywood. The 32-year-old actress reportedly flew down to Mumbai, to take a few lessons in Hindi, on August 3, post which she commenced shoot in Ladakh as per the schedule.

Based in Beijing, Zhu Zhu was born into an army family on July 19, 1984. A qualified electrical engineer, she later pursued designing and also did some VJ-ing, before releasing her pop album. She ventured into films later on.

The actress shared a picture of herself alongside Salman on her Instagram page and also tweeted the same.

Zhu Zhu snapped with co-star Salman Khan in Ladakh.

The actress later deleted the picture from her Instagram page.

Zhu Zhu is internationally known, with some critically acclaimed performances in her filmography across TV and films, notably, What Women Want, Marco Polo and Shanghai Calling.

'Tubelight', based around the Indo-Chinese war of 1962,has Salman playing a specially abled man, with Sohail Khan stepping in as his on-screen sibling once again. Kabir Khan reportedly has been taking ample care to ensure that the character is adequately sensitised.

The film is scheduled for an Eid release in 2017.
PARIS - An artwork in a Paris train station asking travellers to complete the sentence "Before I die..." may have been misunderstood in the context of recent terror attacks, a railway spokesman admitted Tuesday. The installation was put up in the main hall of the Gare de Lyon last week, at the foot of a famous restaurant, Le Train Bleu.

It comprises three large blackboards next to a poster on which "Before I die" is written in several languages, with pieces of chalk to let passers-by complete the sentence however they want.

The installation has received a broadly positive reception from the public -- the blackboards have to be wiped clean every night to make space for new messages. But some French media have branded it "anxiety-inducing" or even "macabre" in the context of recent attacks, suggesting it asks viewers to share their "last wishes".

Train stations are among the sensitive sites where security has been boosted following a string of jihadist attacks in France over the last 18 months. These include November's massacre in Paris which left 130 people dead and the lorry attack in Nice on the July 14 national holiday, when 85 were killed.

"The name of the piece is misunderstood. It generates emotion, anxiety for some," admitted Sylvain Bailly, in charge of station cultural projects for national rail authority SNCF, which was behind the Gare de Lyon installation.

'Meaning of life'

Originally created in 2011 by US artist Candy Chang while mourning a loved one, the artwork has been reproduced over 2,000 times in dozens of countries including France.

Its blackboards appeared in at least two French provincial towns in March, without any controversy. In May 2014 the concept was used by road safety authorities to raise awareness among young drivers in Paris.

"That is the aim of this piece, to make people think about the meaning of life, and of what they want," Bailly told AFP, adding that "Before I die" was chosen precisely to "allow people to exchange (ideas) and to express themselves".

"You can always find people who are shocked by it, but that's the role of art, in a small way," he added, while stressing: "Overall people are happy, curious -- they look at it, they express themselves." nHe said that SNCF "doesn't organise cultural installations in stations to be controversial," while acknowledging having "asked the question, after the Nice attack, and even before" of whether to cancel the project.

The Gare de Lyon piece is being used as a test, before deciding whether to do something similar in other stations.
Aligarh: In yet another incident of cow vigilantism, Bajrang Dal activists allegedly thrashed four persons whom they suspected of being "cow thieves" near Jiroli village on the outskirts of the city.

The incident occurred when 'gau rakshaks' led by Bajrang Dal district president Kedar Singh tried to intercept a matador carrying a buffalo but the driver refused to stop, police said.

Read: Dalits allegedly stripped, thrashed by cow vigilantes in Andhra Pradesh

The activists raised an alarm and a road block was laid by other members of the group at a short distance ahead.

Seeing the road block, the four persons who were in the matador jumped out and tried to escape, they added.

However, they were nabbed and beaten up by the crowd which had gathered on the spot before being handed over to the police along with their vehicle.

Read: Ensure strict action against cow vigilantes: Mayawati to PM

The Bajrang Dal activists alleged that the behaviour of the four persons had been "suspicious" and accused them of being cattle thieves.

According to police, the four apprehended persons are being interrogated.

The incident came as the Home Ministry issued an advisory last evening asking all states not to tolerate anyone taking law into their hands in the name of protecting cow and take prompt action against such offenders.

The advisory came two days after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi denounced cow vigilantes and asked people to beware of its 'fake' protectors trying to divide society and the country and asked the states to severely punish them.
New Delhi: A youth, who established physical relations with a minor girl and married her during the trial of the case, has been sentenced to seven years in jail by a Delhi court for rape.

Additional Sessions Judge Raghubir Singh held the 22-year-old guilty of raping the 15-year-old girl, who is now his wife, saying she was not old enough to give valid consent for consensual relationship.

The court, however, acquitted him of the charge of kidnapping the minor. "No doubt, the physical relations were established with the consent of the victim yet the age of the victim at the relevant time was not such so as to give any valid consent for any consensual relationship. She was merely 15 years of age at that time," the court said.

The youth was convicted for the offences under Section 4 (penetrative sexual assault) of POCSO Act and section 376 of the IPC and the court awarded the jail term only under the POCSO Act.

The convict sought leniency saying he got married to the girl during the trial of the case and as she is pregnant now, she needs her husband's company for her proper care.

The prosecutor, however, argued that the youth does not deserve any leniency as the offences committed by him were not only against the victim and her family but were also heinous offences against the State and the society.

According to the prosecution, a missing complaint of the minor girl was lodged by her father in September 2013, and after some days she was rescued by the police from Bihar and was brought to Delhi.

The girl, in her testimony before the court, said she knew the youth from past two years and when her father came to know about their love affair, they went to Bihar. She added that the youth established physical relations with her with her consent.

During the trial, the youth also denied the allegations levelled against him.
Sonipat: A 15-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly gangraped while her minor sister was sexually assaulted by three men, including a relative of the victims, police said today.

The accused identified as Ajay, a distant cousin of victims, and his friends Balram and Pradeep were arrested on Wednesday, Sonipat's Baroda police station Inspector Rajpal said.

According to police, the girls were allegedly abducted from their schools by the accused yesterday and taken to agricultural fields in Banvasa village here where one of them was allegedly gangraped while her 16-year-old sister was sexually assaulted.

All the accused were booked under different sections, including 376 (rape), of the IPC, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and SC/ST Act, police said.

The girls were threatened of dire consequences if they disclosed the incident to anyone, police said, adding the victims' statements were recorded before a magistrate.
Thane: A debt-ridden mother "forced" her 29-year-old married daughter to have physical relationship with the lender, police said on Wednesday.

Anthony Joseph Samil (30), an auto-rickshaw driver, has been arrested in this connection, Assistant Police Inspector J B Bhoyar of Manpada police station said.

The woman had taken a loan of Rs 10,000 through her daughter from Samil, he said.

He was demanding repayment of the money from the daughter as the woman was unable to pay it. He allegedly threatened that if the daughter does not repay the loan, he will throw acid on her and also kill her husband, police said.

The daughter reported the matter to her mother who insisted she call Samil home, Bhoyar added. When Samil visited the mother's house, he sexually exploited the daughter.

Her mother supported the crime as she locked the house door from outside, police said.

Samil sexually abused the daughter repeatedly since July 13 for the next 22 days.

Following a complaint, a case under section 376 (rape) of IPC was registered in this regard, the officer added.

Samil was produced before a court here which remanded him in police custody till August 13, the police officer said.

The mother has not yet been arrested, he said, adding investigations are underway.
Atif was convicted by a special court in April this year and sentenced to ten years imprisonment for his involvement in the 2002-03 Mumbai blasts that killed 12 people and injured 27 others. (Photo: File)

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted bail to Atif Mulla, a convict in the series of blasts in Mumbai between December 2002 and March 2003, after observing that the accused abided by the conditions when he was out on bail during the trial.

A division bench of justices AS Oka and AA Sayed granted bail to Atif Mulla on a surety of Rs 1.50 lakh.

Atif was convicted by a special court in April this year and sentenced to ten years imprisonment for his involvement in the 2002-03 Mumbai blasts that killed 12 people and injured 27 others.

Soon after the conviction, Atif filed an appeal in the high court and sought bail on the ground that throughout the trial he was out on bail and abided by directions.

Meanwhile, another convict Saquib Nachan, who had also approached the high court seeking bail, withdrew his application after the bench said it was not inclined to grant him bail.

A special Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) court in April this year convicted 10 persons in the case, out of whom three were sentenced to life, four were awarded 10 years imprisonment and the remaining three were handed over two years each in jail.

Between December 2002 and March 2003, there were three explosions in the city with the first blast on December 6,

2002 at Mumbai Central Railway Station, the second blast on January 27, 2003 at suburban Vile Parle, and the third blast took place in a local train at Mulund Railway Station on March 13, 2003.
School teachers resigned in protest after the prinicipal was told by the management that the practice of not singing the national anthem on Independence Day would continue. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: BJP members in Lok Sabha on Wednesday demanded strict action against a school authority in Allahabad which had ordered a ban against singing of the National Anthem.

Raising the issue in the Zero Hour, Kirit Somaiah said the ban imposed by the school was shocking and the move had prompted eight teachers and the principal to quit. He was supported by several of his party colleagues.

Reports had it that Zia-ul Haq, manager of MA Convent School in Baghara locality, had justified his decision to ban the reciting of the national anthem saying, the phrase 'Bharat Bhagya Vidhata' violated the basic tenets of Islam.

Minister of state for Parliamentary Affairs SS Ahluwalia said he would bring to the attention of the Minister concerned the issue of insult to the National Anthem.

Raising another issue, CPI-M members sought an apology from the State Bank of India to the Indian armed forces contending that the Bank has put up a huge hoarding in the Cantonment area in Aurangabad city of Maharashtra depicting US Marines in it.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar said he would bring it to the attention of the Finance Minister for appropriate action.

Saugata Roy (TMC) expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in the Kashmir valley in which 58 people have been killed in the past one month.

Ashok Chavan (Cong) drew the government's attention to the sorry plight of powerlooms in Maharashtra in the wake of cheap cloth from Sri Lanka, Bangaladesh, Pakistan and China.

Supported by Kapil Patil (BJP), he sought anti-dumping duty on the fabric instead of the yarn.
Islamabad: Pakistan's intelligence agencies are working hard to defeat the designs of enemies and eradicate the menace of terrorism, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Wednesday, two days after 74 people were killed in a deadly suicide bombing at a hospital in Quetta.

Addressing the National Assembly Sharif said the mindset behind the Quetta attack was the same one that had targeted Pakistanis in numerous terrorist attacks in the past.

"This incident (Quetta attack) was properly planned," he said, adding that "such a mindset does not want peace in the country, especially in Balochistan".

He said Pakistan's intelligence agencies are working day and night to defeat the designs of the country's enemies.

"Pakistan's military and political leadership are on the same page to eradicate the menace of terrorism," Dawn newspaper quoted him as saying.

"We will put to rest all these challenges." Sharif's address to the National Assembly comes a day after Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai asked the Prime Minister to sack officers from the security and intelligence agencies if they fail to trace out the elements involved in the deadly Quetta attack.

The PkMAP chief had termed the Quetta attack an intelligence failure and had demanded to fix the responsibility of the blast in a debate held on the subject in the National Assembly.

He had asked the premier to "act as the real chief executive and take bold decisions".

At least 74 people were killed on Monday and over 100 injured after a suicide bomber struck the emergency ward of Quetta's Civil Hospital, where scores of people had gathered to mourn the death of Balochistan Bar Association (BBA) president Bilal Anwar Kasi in a gun attack earlier in the day.

The attack was claimed by Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan splinter outfit Jamaatul Ahrar and the Islamic State militant group.
Fake topper, Ruby Rai, was taken into custody by Patna Police's Special Investigation Team soon after she failed the re-test. (Photo: PTI)

Kolkata: A joint team of the West Bengal CID and Bihar police on Wednesday arrested the kingpin of the racket in connection with the Bihar intermediate exam scam.

Acting on a tip off from those arrested in the case, the joint team today arrested absconding Vikash Kumar (39) from Jinjinjirabajar area in South 24 Parganas district.

According to DIG CID (Operations) Dilip Adak, Kumar, who was a clerk-cum-storekeeper of the Bihar Vidyalaya Pariksha Samiti was in-charge of the whole gang.

"He used to take around Rs five to ten lakh from each students for changing their answer sheets. This he was doing in a very innovative manner," Adak said, adding the Bihar police had approached them to help in nabbing the culprit.

The tender of printing question papers and blank answer sheets for exams conducted by the Samiti, were given to a Mathura-based press cancelling the earlier order given to a Gujarat-headquartered company.

Kumar had sent a letter asking the Gujarat company to print blank answer sheets and received 28 lorries of them, Adak said.

He then, when contacted by parents as well as candidates, used to provide them with blank answer sheets.

"And after they fill up the answers, Kumar used to replace their original answer sheet with this one," the officer said.

Kumar's name surfaced after the Gujarat-based printing press lodged a complaint with the Bihar police when their bills shot up close to Rs nine crore.

Kumar, a resident of Bihar's Patliputra, had recently bought a flat at Kolkata's Phoolbagan area spending nearly a crore.
New Delhi: A day after the government came under increased pressure from the Opposition over the issue of Kashmir unrest; the Trinamool Congress on Wednesday said Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani was more dangerous on the internet than on streets and that he was more dangerous dead than alive.

"Please do not meddle in India's matters. Burhan Wani was more dangerous on internet than on streets. He's more dangerous dead than alive. It is very important at this stage not to make a distinction between Kashmir-the land and Kashmir-the people," TMC MP Derek O' Brien told the Rajya Sabha.

The Opposition leaders had voiced concern over the Valley being curfew-bound for over a month and demanded a stop to the use of pellet guns.

They also demanded a parliamentary delegation to be sent to Kashmir to deliberate with all sections and an all-party meet to find a resolution.

"There is murder of humanity and democracy in Kashmir. 'Kashmiriyat' and 'Insaniyat' are murdered by pellet guns. We all should jointly take out a solution for this. Everyone in Kashmir is a victim of militancy. Many of us have lost their near and dear ones due to this militancy in Kashmir," Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told Rajya Sabha earlier on Wednesday.

There should be an all-party delegation and a meeting that needs to be sent to Jammu and Kashmir. It should be announced during the Parliament," he added.

Asserting that the former UPA regime initiated many confidence building measures, the Congress leader further said the Parliament must appeal people for peace in Kashmir.

"Jammu and Kashmir has a curfew, many people have been injured. Civilians have faced losses. And as Parliament is on, we all need to share their pain," said Azad.

Asserting that using force is not the way, Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav said they have to strive hard to win hearts of Kashmiris, adding that the use of pellet guns must be stopped immediately.

"Kashmir is angry with us. But we should bring it back with love.otherwise history won't forgive us," he told the Rajya Sabha.

Ramgopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party called for sending a strong message to Pakistan not to meddle in Kashmir.

He alleged that Pakistan and ISI are involved in misleading the youth of Kashmir Valley.

He said the neighbouring country is sponsoring and supporting those who are involved in anti-India activities.

Terming the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir as complex, Yadav said it is high time to fight against powers which are trying to destabilise peace and security in Kashmir.
Nitin Gadkari soon after the Mahad tragedy had announced that NHAI would reconstruct the bridge within 18 months. (Photo: Rajesh Jadhav/ DC)

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Wednesday said the ill-fated British era bridge on Savitri river at Mahad, which collapsed claiming over 20 lives, was supposed to be dismantled last December.

So far, 26 bodies have been recovered while nearly 14 are still missing and feared dead after two State Transport buses and some other vehicles fell in the river following the bridge collapse on Mumbai-Goa highway on August 2.

"This particular bridge was to be brought down last December but on public demand, it was kept in operation," Maharashtra PWD minister Chandrakant Patil told reporters in Mumbai at Mantralaya.

The bridge on the Mumbai-Goa highway comes under the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). Union Minister for Surface Transport, Nitin Gadkari soon after the Mahad tragedy had announced that NHAI would reconstruct the bridge within 18 months.

Replying to other queries, Patil said there are about 2,300 bridges in the state out of which 100 odd are from the British and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj era.

"All these bridges will be inspected twice every year. A three-member committee of experts from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) has commenced its study on the bridge. Its report is expected to be received by next cabinet meeting due on August 23," he said, adding that the process of constituting a judicial inquiry has been set in motion.

"A workshop will be conducted for the PWD engineers for methodology to be used for inspection of the bridges," Patil said, adding the workshop will dwell on what to do with trees that grow on the bridge structure weakening it later.

He said pulling out trees does not solve the issue. Patil said it will have to be decided on whether to repair or reconstruct dilapidated bridges.

"A bridge division will be created in each administrative division of the state to take care of the bridges," he said.

He informed that the state cabinet has relaxed the norm of seven years waiting period for granting compensation to kith and kin of the deceased in such accidents.

The kin of the deceased will now get compensation within two months, he said.

Considering the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation has announced Rs 14 lakh compensation to the passengers who lost their lives in the two buses and on the demand of kin of deceased from private vehicles, the government will give Rs 10 lakh to them as well, Patil said.

Meanwhile, the search teams have decided to continue the operation till they recover all the bodies and remains of the swept away vehicles.

Also, Raigad administration has made arrangements for the lodging of nearly 100 kin of the victims who are camping at the site of the collapsed bridge.

Few relatives of the missing persons on Tuesday expressed anger over the failure to recover more bodies and vehicles swept away in the water.
As per the law, there is a provision to impose a fine of upto Rs one lakh if the law is violated. (Photo: Representational Image)

Biharsharif: The district administration of Nalanda said it has initiated the process to impose a fine of Rs. 5,000 on every household of Kailashpuri village as collective penalty for violating the liquor prohibition law in Bihar.

This is probably the first instance of application of the tough prohibition law in the state by imposing the 'collective fine' as incorporated in the amended law.

District Magistrate Tyagrajan SM said the process has been started to impose collective fine on all the 50 households of the village in Islampur block following recovery of liquor bottles.

The administration of Nalanda, the home district of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has repeatedly appealed to the villagers to keep off liquor which is banned since April 5 in the state, but liquor business has continued in the area.

As per the various amendments introduced in the Bihar Excise and Prohibition Law that got the Bihar Legislature's nod during the monsoon session recently, a collective fine can be imposed on the entire village or town if a group of people repeatedly violate the prohibition law.

As per the law, there is a provision to impose a fine of upto Rs. one lakh if the law is violated, Tyagrajan said.

Besides, the district administration has also initiated the process to confiscate assets of three hotels from where liquor bottles were found, Mr Tyagrajan said.

Tyagrajan said 189 persons have been arrested between April 1 and August 7 in Nalanda district while 1,083 litres of country made liquor, 1,527 litres of IMFL, six litres of beer and 109 litres of toddy were seized during this period.

He appealed to those engaged in hotel business to abide by the prohibition law as their properties would be confiscated if found indulged in liquor business.
The state government has declared a three-day state mourning and a holiday on Thursday when the last rites of Pul would be performed with full state honours at Hayuliang, the constituency he represents. (Photo: PTI)

Itanagar: The mortal remains of former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul were taken on Wednesday to his native village Hawai in remote Anjaw district bordering China for the last rites.

BJP MLA from Tezu Mahesh Chai accompanied the body of Pul along with his relatives in a helicopter which took off at 7:30 am for Hayulian as hundreds of supporters of the leader gave a tearful adieu to him.

The state government has declared a three-day state mourning and a holiday on Thursday when the last rites of Pul would be performed with full state honours at Hayuliang, the constituency he represents.

A pall of gloom descended in the state capital since Tuesday morning after the news of Pul's death.

Lok Sabha MP Ninong Ering, AICC Secretary Jay Kumar along with senior party leaders, MLAs and admirers of Pul gathered at the Raj Bhavan helipad here in the morning from where Pul's mortal remains were flown to his native village.

Pul allegedly committed suicide at the chief minister's official residence here on Tuesday, weeks after he was ordered by the Supreme Court to step down after a brief stint, sparking violent protests by his supporters who torched a building and damaged cars. He is survived by three wives and seven children.

The state government had requisitioned two sorties of Skyone helicopter to carry Pul's body and his relatives to Hayuliang.
Members of the Dixie Lee Quilters Guild gathered not just for their monthly meeting, but for a special cause, Aug. 2.

The quilters had a surprise in store for special guest speaker Brittany Rouse  161 handmade pillow cases and a check. Rouse, a Fredericktown Elementary School Teacher, is going to spend a year teaching English at an orphanage in Haiti.

One hundred and four of the pillow cases came from a quilt guild in Arnold and the rest were from Dixie Lee, Dixie Lee President Belinda Smith said.

A quilt guild in Arnold agreed to serve as a community drop off location. This means that a portion of their 104 pillow cases were made by guild members and some were brought in by community members.

Rouse graciously received the gifts with a heartfelt thank you very much.

The Arnold based guild members ensured they made it to the Dixie Lee group on Rouses behalf.

Smith asked Rouse if she had everything she needed to be able to get all of those pillow cases overseas. Dixie Lee members also presented a check to Rouse. She expressed her appreciation and explained some of the fees associated with airline travel and visas. Rouse explained some forms of corruption can cloud the visa process. Keeping her visa current is a big expense which would be several times greater if it were allowed to expire, however.

Of course there are fees for additional baggage. She has noticed some cutbacks on the total number of bags allowed by the airline to each passenger. It is three for now at least.

Along with all of this Rouse received a suitcase to carry all of the pillow cases. Rouse said she is always taking donations of suitcases which she in turn gives to her students and their families. Rouse explained the locals are in dire need of them for clothing storage in their homes. They dont have a chest of drawers, so it helps to keep them off of the floor. She is always open to donations of suitcases. Rouse takes different suitcases on each return trip and leaves the ones from the previous trip.

Rouse gave a speech outlining how her mission to teach English in Haiti began.

She attended her first mission trip with 11 church members in 2015. Rouse and her group spent a week helping construct an orphanage in Archaie, Haiti.

That first trip,I have to be honest and say that I hated it, Rouse said.

I had never been away from home like that and there was no communication for me there. I was able to receive messages, but I wasnt able to respond to anything.

Rouse came back to teaching first grade in Fredericktown. But she was surprised to find it would only be a short time before she was on a plane back to Haiti.

What I didnt know was that some of the people involved had already talked to my boss and got it O.K.d for me to take off work for a week, Rouse remembered. So, I ended up going and I was not happy about it.

But when I got down there I did a whole 180, of where my mind and my attitude was, she said.

One of the things she said was responsible for her change of heart was her seeing the poverty in Haiti. She explains how God's calling her to serve those people was too strong for her to ignore.

During the second visit, several of the natives found out Rouse was a teacher.

She said remembers asking herself, how do so many people know Im a teacher?

They have such a hunger and a thirst for the English language, that anytime an American goes over there they ask and beg them to stay and teach English, Rouse said.

Rouse says she will be teaching at more than one school for English. She describes them as being a very basic one-room type. Students are divided by age with room dividers being sheets hung from the ceiling.

The English schools where she teaches are Christian-based and she is happy to mix language lessons with those of her faith. Rouse uses church songs and Bible verses to help them learn, and the children enjoy them. Her students have been from a wide range of ages, from four to about 60 years old.

When asked about a time when she will come back to her hometown for good, Rouse said she plans to stay a very long time. She has set goals for the next five and ten years regarding her personal contributions to Haitian villagers. Rouses goals will continue to include assisting whole families. She wants to help by enabling them to send all of their children to regular school, as well.

Rouse admits many families give up two meals a week or more so they can afford to send just one family member to school. There are costs for the public schools in the parts of Haiti near the villages of Archaie, Petionville and others where she works. Becoming fluent in English can help natives gain some economic advantages and possibly jobs.

Donations for Rouses students are welcome and can be taken to Calvary Church in Fredericktown, her home church. A group of college students is currently assisting with the project by helping to manage donations brought in to the church. The church is located at 1725 E. Highway 72, Fredericktown and can be contacted by calling 573-783-5731 during office hours.
Alappuzha: A 65-year-old man was on Wednesday killed when his two-wheeler was allegedly hit by a car in which Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia was travelling near Alappuzha, police said.

The accident occurred at Puthiyakavu on the Kochi-Allapuzha stretch of a national highway when Scindia was going in a chauffeur-driven car to attend a function at Cherthala after arriving at Kochi from New Delhi, they said.

After the incident, the Congress leader in a tweet said "Devastated - sad loss of life - unfortunate accident between Cochin-Allepy. Arranged for hospital immediately - on way to meet bereaved family!".

Police identified the deceased as Sasi, a resident of Puthiyakavu locality.

Though Sasi was rushed to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to injuries, police said.

After handing over the car to the police, Scindia left in another car, K C Venugopal, Congress MP from Alappuzha, said adding his colleague would later call on the bereaved family.

Besides the former union minister, three other Congress workers were in the car when the mishap occurred, Venugopal said.
The NIA says Ali was regularly guided by the control room of terrorist groups in PoK with the help of Pakistani forces. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

New Delhi: Armed with the confessional statement of an alleged Pakistani LeT operative, NIA on Wednesday blamed the banned terror organisation for fuelling the continuing unrest in Kashmir.

The anti-terror probe agency also said it is gathering further evidence regarding the role of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba in the ongoing turbulence in the Valley for the last 33 days.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said the questioning of Pakistani terrorist Bahadur Ali, who was captured recently in North Kashmir, had thrown up leads showing involvement of LeT in aggravating the situation in the Valley.

The NIA's comments came a day after India handed over a "strong demarche" to Pakistan over its continued support to cross-border terrorism in India.

"NIA is further investigating the role of Lashkar in the present unrest in Kashmir," Inspector General of NIA Sanjeev Singh told reporters in Delhi.

NIA also showed to the media a video of Ali alias Saifullah, a Punjabi-speaking man, talking about his family, the time he spent in the terror outfit and his crossing over to the Indian side of the border on July 11 or 12. He was arrested on July 25 by the state police from a village in Handwara after he had managed to give Army the slip at the Line of Control in June this year.

Ali told his interrogators that he was informed by his handlers from a control room code-named 'Alpha-3', believed to located at a high altitude somewhere in PoK, about the unrest in the Valley following the killing of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen militant on July 8.

His handlers from the control room asked him to throw grenades at the security forces and also informed him that other cadres of the terror group had managed to sneak into the

Valley, mingled with protesters at other places and were fuelling tension in the Valley.

This is for the first time that NIA has shown a video statement of a captured militant. Pakistan had earlier this year shown a video statement of Kulbhushan Yadav, an Indian national arrested in Balochistan in March over charges of spying for the Indian intelligence agency.
New Delhi: Seeking to boost job creation in manufacturing sector and facilitate ease of doing business, the Lok Sabha on Wednesday approved a Bill to double the overtime working hours to 100 in a quarter for factory workers.

The Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which was opposed by several opposition parties, was passed after Congress and Left parties staged a walkout. Besides, Congress, the bill was opposed by Left parties, TMC, JDU and IUML.

Piloting the bill, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said the changes in the law would enable workers to "work more and earn more".

Contending that the bill will safeguard workers' interests, he said the total number of work hours in a day will not exceed 10 and total hours of work in a week after including overtime should not exceed 60. "Overtime is only an opportunity. I have taken many safeguards. The proposed amendment is nowhere in conflict with the ILO norms and all provisions relating to daily or weekly hours. Total number of overtime shall not exceed 100 hours in a quarter," Dattatreya said.

The current rules provide for overtime of 50 hours in a quarter, while the ILO provides for upper limit of 144 hours. Citing statement of objects and reasons of the bill, the opposition parties said the bill was being brought at the behest of the industry. "The need for increasing the total number of hours of work on overtime in quarter is based on the demand from industries so that factories can carry out the work on urgent basis," said the statement of objects and reasons.

Dattatreya said the government is going with innovative method in creating employment opportunities and large number of women workers will also get additional work. "The proposal to increase overtime hours is not at all mandatory. It is up to the workers to decide. It is not compulsory upon him or her. It is an incentive to get double wages," he said.

Among other changes, the bill also allows overtime of up to 125 hours per quarter in public interest and empowers central and state governments to exempt rules with regard to overtime working hours. "There is no compromise on the safety and working condition of workers," Dattatreya said, adding this bill will facilitate increase in employment generation in the manufacturing sector.

As members demanded to know what was the urgency to bring this bill when a comprehensive legislation is pending before the House, the Labour Minister said: "It was the need of the hour. We have taken the Make in India, Skill India and Digital India initiatives where large number of workforce is needed".

He further said that the government will shortly come out with a comprehensive bill to amend the Factories Act of 1948. The Standing Committee has already given its report to the Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2014, which is being considered by the Labour Ministry.

The bill also empowers the Central government, in addition to the state governments, to make exempting rules and orders in respect to total number of hours of work on overtime in a quarter, which would ensure uniformity, in its application by various state governments and Union Territories.

Trying to assuage concerns of members that state government rights are being taken away, Dattatreya said states are vested with the executive powers in the Act and ensuring the safety and health of working is the primary responsibility of the state governments.

Sankar Prasad Dutta (CPIM), while moving amendments to the bill, said its provisions were similar to one introduced in 2014, which was before the Standing Committee.

After Dutta's amendment was defeated in voting, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (Cong) said the "amendment can be voted out by number but you have failed in the argument." Seeking reconsideration of the bill, he said, "It is anti-labour and it is biased towards employer."

Before staging a walkout, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge asked the minister to withdraw the Bill, saying a comprehensive legislation is pending before the House. By increasing the overtime, "you are burdening the existing employees", he said, adding the bill should not be brought without taking into confidence the stakeholders like states and labour unions. "It is not the main bill...In a hurried manner (you have brought this)," he said.

In the name of ease of doing business, liberalisation and Make in India, "labourers should not be exploited", he said, adding the provisions which are beneficial for workers "you have left that...If the cabinet is giving approval for 2 sections, why not for the other sections?"

P Karunakaran (CPIM) charged the government with playing in the hands of corporate sector, while Saugata Roy (TMC) said the bill was opposed by all the trade union including BMS.

N K Premachandran (RSP) said the Bill was encroaching upon the rights of the states and was against the federal structure of the country.

Stressing that the Bill is "anti labour", Kalyan Banerjee (TMC) said the government is interfering with the federal structure very intelligently even as the Prime Minister talks about cooperative federalism. "This is a new innovation to interfere with the federal structure," he noted.

Wanting to know who wants overtime extended under the law, he said it might be the demand of some industrialists who have access to the Ministers. "At whose pressure are you bringing in the Bill? It is really hitting the basic structure," Banerjee said, adding that no a single workman or trade union is speaking in favour of the Bill.

Talking about certain provisions in the Bill, T G Venkatesh Babu (AIADMK) said it is "unwarranted" and that the Centre should not interfere with the states' powers. Such moves would destroy the federal structure and the federal rights, he added.

Wondering why the government is in a hurry to bring this Bill, he said states have not been consulted. He also wanted to know why a comprehensive legislation is not being brought by the Centre.

Rabindra Kumar Jena (BJD) said the Bill is a "calculated move to enter into the state's territory", adding that it is not a good precedent. According to him, certain provisions of the Bill would further deteriorate unemployment situation.

Stating that working over time could result in increased consumption of alcohol, tobacco, obesity and depression among women, he said such a situation could become a major social issue.

Voicing his strong opposition to the Bill, Sankar Prasad Datta (CPI-M) said the Narendra Modi government, which has an hidden agenda, has been targeting labour laws. Also, rights of state governments are being encroached, he added.

This Bill is for corporate classes and big business houses of our country as well as for "satisfaction of Adani and Ambani", he alleged, adding that no single trade union is in favour of the Bill.

Shrirang Appa Barne (Shiv Sena) said the government should look at giving more benefits to daily wagers and action need to be taken against companies that do not pay the stipulated wages for working over time. M Srinivasa Rao (TDP) also spoke.
New Delhi: Lions of Gujarat became a subject of debate in Lok Sabha on Tuesday with Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav seeking a probe into the death of two big cats gifted to Uttar Pradesh.

Raising the issue, Yadav said the two lions were gifted by Gujarat to the Etawah Wildlife Lion Safari Park, a dream project of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and the senior Lok Sabha MP himself.

"My lions have died. (Narendra) Modi (as Gujarat Chief Minister) had gifted us. I want an inquiry into it. How did they die? What were the reasons? If there were shortcomings on our side, we will rectify. But I want a probe," Yadav said during Question Hour.

Responding to Yadav's request, Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave said he would try to find out the reasons.

"I will try to find out the reasons and revert to you. We will conduct a probe," he said.

Altogether 4 lions were gifted to Uttar Pradesh by Gujarat three years ago.

After Mulayam Singh spoke, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia wanted to know whether some lions -- at least 40 -- could be relocated from Gir National Park of Gujarat to Panna Reserve Forest in Madhya Pradesh.

However, Dave did not reply to his supplementary, saying it was far away from the main question which was on bio diversity parks.

Scindia's question prompted several MPs from Gujarat to say that lions of their state were not for Madhya Pradesh.

This resulted in a verbal duel with the Congress leader.

The dispute between Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh over translocation of lions from Gir had already reached the Supreme Court which in 2013 allowed the translocation, saying the species was facing the threat of extinction and needed a second home.

However, Gujarat has filed a review petition against this order. The state contends that lions would not be safe in Madhya Pradesh, considering that tiger population in the Panna Reserve Forest in the state was dwindling.

Responding to another question, Dave said the Environment Ministry has not formulated any plan for the development of bio-diversity parks anywhere in India.

However, the Delhi Development Authority has created Delhi bio-diversity foundation under the chairmanship of Delhi Lieutenant Governor.

"The foundation has taken initiative to develop 6 bio-diversity parks on the land under DDA's jurisdiction.

Compensation paid to the land oustees or whose land had been acquired for the development of bio-diversity parks, falls within the preview of concerned land departments of state governments," he said.
Pakistan's counter-terrorism organisation has warned of possible terror attack at the crossing of either Wagah border or Ganda Singh border near Lahore on August 14. (Photo: PTI)

Islamabad: Pakistan has stepped up security after a terror alert warned of possible Taliban attack at Indo-Pak border crossings on the country's Independence Day on August 14, officials said on Wednesday.

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab province has sent a memo to the chief secretary stating that Taliban were planning to target Wagah or Ganda Singh border crossings between August 13 and 15. Both crossings are close to Lahore.

It claimed that two suicide bombers had been tasked by Maulana Fazlullah, the fugitive chief of Taliban who is hiding in Afghanistan, to attack Independence Day parade at the border points.

"Extreme vigilance and heightened security measures are suggested to avoid any untoward incident," the CTD said.

In 2014, at least 55 people, including children and security personnel, were killed and about 200 others injured in a suicide blast at Wagah.

An official of home department said that security has already been increased after a suicide bombing at a hospital in Quetta on August 8. At least 74 people were killed around 72 people were injured in the blast.

"We take special security measures for the Independence Day and all alerts and suggestion by the intelligence agencies are considered and security has been provided at relevant points," he said.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has warned those violating law on the pretext of cow protection of stern action. (Photo: PTI)

Hoshiarpur: Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the states to act against "self-styled" cow vigilante groups, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday warned those violating law on the pretext of cow protection of stern action.

He also batted for dairy farmers who are being harassed in the name of 'gau raksha' (cow protection).

On the sidelines of a Sangat Darshan programme in Hoshiarpur Assembly segment, Badal said dairy farming was an allied agricultural activity, which supplemented the income of farmers in a big way.

"This allied farming activity which involves cattle-rearing and trading should not be discouraged at any cost," he said, adding that everyone should exercise restraint and permit cattle trade with valid documentation to go on.

On August 1, dairy farmers of Punjab had accused cow protection groups of hurting the Rs 2,500-crore cow-breeding business in the state, alleging that their flourishing business of selling high-yielding cows to other states had come to a halt.

Led by Punjab Progressive Dairy Farmers' Association, they had also accused the ruling SAD-BJP regime in the state of "creating obstacles" such as asking for no-objection certificates (NOCs) to sell cows to other states.

They had given an ultimatum to the government to rollback the NOC norm by August 10 failing which, they had threatened to take to streets.

Replying to a query on Saturday's murderous attack on RSS leader Brigadier (retired) Jagdish Gagneja at Jalandhar, Badal said it was not an "ordinary law-and-order problem", adding that the state police was looking into it and the culprits would be brought to book soon.

He termed the attack on Gagneja a "deep-rooted conspiracy" and refused to elaborate as the probe was going on.

Mourning the death of pilgrims en route to Mata Chintpurni Shrine during a road mishap near Chohal on Sunday, Badal announced to double the ex-gratia amount to the next of kin of the deceased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.
Kudankulam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday jointly dedicated the 1,000 MW Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant-I to the nation, assuring it was one of the safest atomic plants in the world.

Speaking on the occasion through video conferencing from New Delhi, Modi said Kudankulum 1, an Indo-Russian project, was an important addition to the continuing efforts to scale up production of clean energy in India.

"I have always deeply valued our friendship with Russia and it is fitting that we jointly dedicate Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) Unit 1. This also signals our joint commitment to build pathways of partnership for green growth. We also plan to build series of powerful nuclear plants," he said.

Putin, speaking from Moscow, said it was a big event for all. "The power plant is updated with most modern Russian technologies. It is not just construction and commissioning of the power plant but is well known that Russia is one of the world leaders in nuclear technology and we are glad to share our technology with our Indian colleagues," he said.

Joining the event from Chennai, Jayalalithaa said KNPP was a "monument commemorating the long standing, abiding and deep friendship between Russia and India and that she had supported implementation of the project, at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district, all through her 10 years in office".

The KNPP had been set up using the Russian VVER type reactors based on enriched uranium and its second unit was expected to start operations later this year. The completion of the first unit was delayed in view of strident protests by local people, who raised safety concerns, before it became operational.

The Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) VVER-1000 had gone critical in July 2014 and the commercial operations started from December 31 the same year, with the unit coming to the aid of the then power starved Tamil Nadu.

The Cumulative Generation of Unit I since the date of commercial operation is 6,498 million units (MU) with its capacity factor peaking to 100 per cent in June this year.

The Prime Minister said the dedication of KNPP-I marked another historic time line in Indo-Russia relations. "In successful completion, it is not only another fine example of the strength of our special and privileged strategic partnership, it is also a celebration of our binding friendship. It is only a start of our cooperation in this field," he said.

Modi said five more units of 1,000 MW each would be built at the KNPP. "Today's event is also a joyful occasion for the team of Indian and Russian scientists and technicians. We salute their dedication and hard work and congratulate them for the fruits of their labour," he said.

Jayalalithaa said nuclear power was "clean, green and firm power", which a rapidly growing state like Tamil Nadu, aspiring for higher growth rates and shared prosperity, really needed. "The dedication of the KNPP is a major milestone in Indo-Russian cooperation. Throughout my 10 years in office as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu I have always extended support to the implementation of the Kudankulam project while at the same time laying focus on allaying the fears of the local people by convincing them about its safety," she said.

Noting that a nuclear power plant takes long time to be built and commissioned than conventional units, she said very high safety standards were needed to be observed. "The smooth commercial operation of this project, overcoming many obstacles--economic, political and social, global, national and local--stands testimony to the unwavering commitment to the project of the governments of Tamil Nadu, India and Russia," Jayalalithaa said.

Successful commissioning of the project was an object lesson on how the fears and apprehensions of the local population could be and should be allayed through a process of engagement and reassurance and by building community assets and infrastructure, she said.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister recalled that when the commissioning of the first unit was getting delayed due to prolonged agitation by the locals, she had taken up the matter with Central government and the fears and concerns were heeded and addressed.

"I am grateful to you Mr President (Putin), the people of India are associated with your great country and personally I have always deeply valued our friendship, said Modi

"It is therefore only fitting that today, we join together to dedicate Kudankulam nuclear power plant Unit 1, to the strength and vigour of our friendship and cooperation particularly Indo-Russian friendship," he said.

The Prime Minister said he looked forward to meeting Putin during the coming G20 conclave in China.

Putin said making operational the "designed capacity of the first unit and in the near future the second unit will significantly enhance Indias energy supply and strengthen its economic positions."

The Russian President stressed that the unit was built based on the most modern Russian technologies and that the construction was carried out by specialists of both countries. "I want to stress that cooperation in the area of nuclear energy is an important part of the privileged strategic partnership of Russia and India," he said.

Putin noted that 85 per cent of the funding for this project was being done by the Russian Federation.

Tracing the measures taken by her governments to allay the apprehensions of local people, Jayalalithaa said she was confident that the Nuclear Power Corporation of India would maintain the highest safety standards.

She hoped NPCIL would also ensure continuous power generation in the two units so that Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states can rely on it as a reliable base load power station.

Jayalalithaa thanked the Russian President and people of Russia for their contribution to the development of Tamil Nadu. "I thank the Prime Minister for dedicating the plant along with Putin. I also request the commissioning of the second unit may be expedited," she said.

Jayalalithaa was seen visibly happy when Modi spoke a sentence in Tamil welcoming her to the event. She acknowledged Modi's gesture with a 'namaskar' and clap. Modi also mentioned a few lines in Russian in his inaugural and concluding remarks while addressing Putin.

The first unit of Kudankulam nuclear power plant attained criticality in July 2013. Till now, more than 10,800 million units of power has been generated from the first unit.

The 1,000 megawatt Kudankulam nuclear power plant was built with Russian expertise following a pact between the then Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and Soviet leader Mikahil Gorbachev in November 1988.

The first unit was synchronised with southern power grid on October 22, 2013 and commercial power generation started by the end of December 2014.
New Delhi: Leader of Opposition, Ghulam Nabi Azad hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to make any statement on the ongoing Kashmir unrest in the Parliament on Wednesday.

"Prime Minister Modi tweets on events across the world, but he was silent on Kashmir crisis. When something happens in Africa, the Prime Minister tweets about it. But when the Taj of India is burning, the heat is not reaching the central government," Azad said.

We did not hear Prime Minister's statement on Dalit issues here in the Parliament. We got to hear about his views from Telangana. We have been repetitively demanding that the PM should come and make statements on such issues, Azad added.

Read: PM dons Atal mukhota; J&K trolls Modis Kashmiryat, insaniyat

He also attacked Modi for quoting former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Madhya Pradesh, when he touched upon the topic of Kashmir. "Vajpayee's words do not suit Prime Minister Modi," said Azad on Modi's assertion that his government believes in Vajpayees mantra of Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat and Kashmiriyat.

The Congress leader said that an All Party Delegation needs to be formed to be sent to J&K and that it should be announced in the Parliament. "Everyone in Kashmir is a victim of militancy. Many of us have lost their near and dear ones due to this militancy in Kashmir. There is a difference between communalism and separatism," Azad added.

Azad said that law and order is not the sole responsibility of Kashmir police but that paramilitary forces are also involved in the matter. "You call J&K an integral part of India, but there needs to be integration of the heart. Between people of India & J&K," Azad said.

Referring to Modi's comment that all Indians love Kashmir, the Congress leader said, "One should not love Kashmir for its beauty and nature alone. One should love people out there as well."

"Love the people who live there. Love the children who lost their vision due to pellet injuries...," he said while insisting on a political solution.

Talking about the 33-day-old unrest, Azad said things are not flowing from democracy but through the barrel of "guns, pellet guns". He said there has been curfew for the last 33 days and thousands of people including civilians and security forces have been injured in the violence.

The problem in Kashmir is not a "normal law and order issue" like in any other state, Azad said, while underlining that the Centre should come forward to help the state as it is dependent on New Delhi for everything, including security, development and even salaries.

While talking about the continuing problem of Kashmir, he said a lot needs to be done to strengthen the relationship between the Centre and the state.

He wondered what happened to reports of various committees, including one headed by late Justice Shabir Ahmed, which made several recommendations for strengthening the integration. "The report was submitted in 2009-10. Still nothing has been done," he said.

Earlier, Azad associated himself with the views of BSP leader Satish Mishra on Dalit issue and took a jibe on the Prime Minister for making statement on the issue from Telangana and not in Parliament.

Modi on Tuesday had reached out to the people of Kashmir and indicated his willingness to hold dialogue under the framework of the 'Insaniyat (humanity), Jamhuriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat'.

He said that when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister, he had adopted the path of 'Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat' and the present government walks the same road. Azad said several confidence building measures were taken during both UPA-I and UPA-II headed by Manmohan Singh.

Highlighting steps taken then, the Congress said three round table conferences were held between February 2006 and April 2007 in which all shades of political opinion, except separatist Hurriyat Conference, participated. At that time, Azad was the Chief Minister of the state.

He recalled that five sub-groups were set up and several of their recommendations have been implemented. The Congress leader talked about schemes like 'Umeed' and 'Udaan' implemented by the previous government for various sections, including women in the state. He also highlighted steps taken to initiate border trade and laying of railway lines in the Valley.

He mentioned steps taken for creating jobs for Kashmiri Pandits by previous government. He said 5,042 flats were constructed for them. There is 100 per cent occupancy of the flats, he added.

Noting that the state has been witnessing militancy since 1987, Azad said since then paramilitary forces along with state police have been maintaining law and order. In other states, he said only police is responsible for maintenance of law and order. "Militants have no religion," he said.

The Leader of Opposition said that unlike any other member, Modi comes to his Parliament office at 10 am and stays till 6 pm but "we never saw the Prime Minister in the House".

He recalled that earlier Prime Ministers including Manmohan Singh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee often to used to come to House whenever there were important debates. "The Prime Minister sits so near to the House (Rajya Sabha)...there were many important debates, including on dalit issue...We are discussing the Kashmir issue for the fourth time, the Prime Minister should come in the House," Azad said.

A Navaneetha Krishnan (AIADMK) said even though he comes from Tamil Nadu, he believes that he belongs to Kashmir and Kashmir belongs to him. He referred to movies, featuring Kashmir, in which his party leaders had acted.

Derek O Brien (TMC) began by stressing that Pakistan should not "meddle" in India's affairs. Comparing India and Pakistan, he said while O'Briens living in India enjoy freedom, the arm of the family which had chosen Pakistan at the time of partition have vanished.

O'Brien referred to Prime Minister's remarks that young persons should have books, laptops and bats and not stones and said if the right steps are not taken, they may throw those things as well. "It is one thing to be in opposition and play 'Rambo' and another to be in government with peace and serenity that governance requires," he said.

He emphasised on focussing not just on Kashmir but on the people of Kashmir. Speaking about the use of pellet guns, O'Brien said that government has given figures as per which 6 people had died in 2010 and 3 in 2016 because of their use. "We need to go beyond statistics," he said, adding talking about lesser figures is like saying we have committed a smaller sin.

He said the committee on pellet guns has been given two months' time, when it should have been given only two days. The TMC MP also said that with greater internet penetration, the situation is changing as opinion is being shaped on the web. Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani, whose killing triggered the unrest, could be more dangerous on the internet than he was on the street, he said.

He said the government has repeatedly blocked internet in the valley and it was so even when Home Minister tweeted his appeal. He, however, emphasised that government cannot get young people on its side by blocking the internet.

JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said different states in the past have faced turmoil but the country has successfully dealt with these challenges. He said a resolution should be passed to let the people of J&K know that the entire country is with them in difficult times. He also spoke against the use of pellet guns. "They are our own people and we should bring them back," he said. Yadav also expressed concern about the impact of curfew on the life of daily wage earners.

CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury said: "I rise with a degree of agony, anxiety and anger on what is happening in the Kashmir valley. Why this agony and pain continues unrelenting?"

Contending that there is trust deficit among the people due to a "string of betrayals", he said, "There is a need to address the trust deficit in the valley. Why are the people alienated? We have to address this question."

Yechury said there is a need to start political dialogue and send an all-party delegation to the valley to assure the people that the country is with them. "What is preventing this government from initiating a political dialogue," he questioned while stressing on stopping the use of pellet guns.

Dilip Tirkey (BJD) too stressed on starting a political dialogue as well as sending an all party delegation to the valley. He said there is a need for a "healing touch" and the need of the hour is "dialogue" and not "force".

Munquad Ali (BSP) stressed on providing medicines, food and essential items to the people suffering due to curfew for 33 days.

D P Tripathi (NCP) questioned the delay by the government in holding an all-party meeting on Kashmir and on sending an all-party delegation to the valley.

Quoting a couplet from a poem by famous Bengali writer Nabarun Bhattacharya to describe the Kashmir situation, he said: "This valley of death is not my country, this platform to eulogise hang-mens is not my country, this sprawling cemetery is not my country, this butcher house bathed in blood is not my country. This is the situation in Kashmir."

He said the treatment meted out to Kashmiri students studying in various parts of the country needs to be probed. He called for the government to consider the recommendations made by the Working Group, which was set up during the time of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Nominated member Swapan Dasgupta said the protests and ensuing violence has a "degree of premeditation on part of several people".

Calling to address the issue of "emotional schism" in Kashmir, Dasgupta said what form of political approach should be taken and when is the "pertinent" question. It is important to also note that "false propaganda" is being fuelled from across the border, he said.
Kerala police on Tuesday zeroed in on three foreign nationals, who are suspected to be the key players behind the hi-tech ATM robbery. (Photo: Videograb)

Thiruvananthapuram: A Romanian national, who along with two other foreigners is suspected to be involved in the hi-tech ATM robbery in which a number of people lost money here, has been arrested in Mumbai, police said on Wednesday.

The accused, whose pictures were released by the police here on Tuesday, was taken into custody by the Mumbai Police late last night.

A Romanian national has been taken into custody in Mumbai in connection with the ATM robbery. A team of Kerala Police has left to Mumbai to take him into custody, a senior police official said.

Read: 3 Romanian men caught on CCTV camera stealing lakhs from Kerala ATM

"The Mumbai police will first produce him before a court there and only then we will get him in custody," he told PTI. However, he did not divulge any further details.

Kerala police on Tuesday zeroed in on three foreign nationals, who are suspected to be the key players behind the hi-tech ATM robbery, and decided to seek Interpol's help.

The trio, found installing an electronic device inside an ATM kiosk of a public sector bank at Vellayambalam here, had been caught in the CCTV installed there.

According to police, the three foreign nationals were from Romania and had come to India on June 25 and reached Kerala on July 8. The three had come on tourist visas and had taken rooms in a hotel here for two days.

Police also seized from the hotel two scooters and three helmets, suspected to have been used by the trio.

The state police shared their photos and other available details with their counterparts in other states which led to the arrest of one among them, police said.

So far, more than 20 people had lodged complaints saying money was withdrawn from their account. As per the preliminary assessment, about Rs 2.5 lakh had been lost, police said.

It is suspected that the electronic device at the ATM counter enabled the fraudsters to collect the secret pin code and card details.

Many of the customers who were duped came to know about the fraud after they received a text message on Monday, informing that money was withdrawn from their accounts.
Mumbai: As one Twitter user rightly pointed out, to say that Sushma Swaraj wins the day is getting repetitive.

What else can one say when the External Affairs Minister of the country drops the sass bomb ever so often in Twitter that one hardly has time to recuperate?

The latest episode of Swarajs Twitter conquest started on Tuesday when Babu, a young man from Tamil Nadu, tweeted her for help. But to say that Babus trouble was beyond Swarajs area of expertise would be understating it.

He wanted help with his fuming Volkswagen car.

Posting a picture of his brand new car, Babu wrote that he was worried about white fumes coming out of his vehicle.

Not the one to disappoint, Swaraj responded with epic swag, I am so sorry. Please take your Car to a workshop.

I am so sorry. Please take your Car to a workshop. https://t.co/J9fFlTyTYh @babuenterprises  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 9, 2016

But the story does not end there.

One of her fans appeared to be taken by Swarajs online charm, and tweeted, Sushma Swaraj is so damn cute :) I wish she had a son...I would have left the whole world for his mom :P

Sushma Swaraj is so damn cute :) I wish she had a son...I would have left the whole world for his mom :P  Neha Gupta (@ne_hah) August 9, 2016

And Swaraj left the girl gasping for fresh air, tweeting, This is interesting.

Several followers of the minister also implored twitteratis to be genuine in their concerns to the EAM.
The Bonne Terre Police Department quickly solved a theft case with the help of social media.

Over the weekend Bonne Terre Fire Chief Matt Barton and his wife were out helping a man who couldnt mow his grass.

While I was out back weed eating and my wife was on the side of the house mowing, a man came around and asked my wife if she knew the kid unloading our truck, said Barton. She said no, and came around back to tell me.

Barton said he ran around front, but was too late. The thief had already left going toward the old depot. While he didnt get a look at the truck, there happened to be surveillance cameras on the property and he was able to get a fuzzy image of the thiefs truck.

They got away with my leaf blower and all my tools I had back there, said Barton. Most of those tools were my grandfather's who passed away 10 years ago and tools are an important thing in our family.

Barton immediately took to Facebook and posted about what had happened and warned other residents to lock their stuff up.

It was very brazen for them to steal out of the back of my truck in broad daylight, said Barton. Id help anyone who needed it, if he needed a meal I would have gotten one for him. Its just a shame that Im here trying to help someone and this happens. The hardest part was telling my dad what happened.

Barton said Christie Yoder immediately offered a $100 award for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the theft.

Bonne Terre Police Chief Doug Calvert said they got a tip from social media and Lt. Bill Stegall made the arrest.

The tip came from Facebook on where the truck was possibly located and we responded to the area of Water Street, said Calvert. There was a male and after an interview he admitted to taking a leaf blower. He said he pawned it.

Calvert said Stegall did find the leaf blower at Cash America Pawn in Park Hills.

Cash America Pawn has worked with Stegall in the past and he was able to return the leaf blower to Mr. Barton, said Calvert. The man has been arrested and a female is also being charged in the case with stealing and driving while revoked or suspended. She was an accomplice to the case.

Calvert added there are other tools listed in the report, but they have not been recovered yet. Calvert said when they asked the man if he stole the tools for drugs, he told them yes.

We then asked what kind of drugs he traded them for, said Calvert. He told us it was heroin, the heroin problem around this county is awful. Its not just us, its everybody.

Calvert said they were happy to return the leaf blower to Barton.

"Matt (Barton) would get up at 3 a.m. in the morning to help you if you need it. I was glad to see Bill (Stegall) get his leaf blower back for him.

Calvert said it is pretty sad that you cant mow a lawn with your stuff sitting out there while you are mowing the lawn.

In broad daylight  they perpetrated his truck in broad daylight, said Barton. Matt said if he needed a meal or something, he would be the first person to help him.

Calvert added he wanted to commend the police officers on good police work and solving the case so quickly.

Barton said 83 percent of their calls are for overdoses, which makes it a little harder. Apparently the suspect had been in pawn shops several times that day pawning stuff.

You would think that would set off a red flag, said Barton. He denied taking all my hand tools, but what it boils down to is that he traded them to his dealer for heroin and Ill probably never see them again. Everyone is saying the pawn shop just gave me back my leaf blower, but I dont think that is the case. I think Bill Stegall had something to do with that.

Barton went on to say he told Stegall to just give him the ticket and he would get down there and buy it back.

I grew up with those guys, said Barton. Ive known them since I was little and they have always had my back. I think that was the case and I argued about paying for it, but he just showed up and gave it back.

Barton said over the years he has managed to keep his hands on his tools and they may not be worth anything to anyone else, but they are gold to him.

Ill never see them again, said Barton. I never thought Id see the leaf blower, but I got that back. Social media really paid off Monday and when Christie Yoder put out a $100 reward for them a girl in the apartment complex came forward with information. Believe it or not, she didnt know how she was going to buy her kids school supplies and she got the $100 and was able to buy them.

Barton added what was bad turned out good and its a great feeling to know the community has his back.

One bad thing led to a whole bunch of good stuff, said Barton. I made a lot of friends and had a lot of people who were concerned. Its nice to know the community has your back regardless of what the situation is, good or bad. Its actually a cool story.

Barton posted on Facebook that the reward money was greatly needed and he managed to make some pretty cool friends. The man went to jail where he is at least sober and off the streets.

I forgive him for stealing and I did say a prayer for him to remain clean. I also prayed for the gift given of all the support and hard work of this small town, wrote Barton. Thank you all, for the response to this event. Thank you for setting aside feelings to help make this happen. Thank you BTPD for your work and dedication. I can't say what this meant to me, and when I try it makes me just want to cry. Thank you all again so very much.

Cash America Pawn said they cooperate fully with law enforcement officials and report daily to Leads Online, which is a data base that police can access to see what items have been brought in daily at various pawn shops.
New Delhi: Sharing the pain and sufferings of Kashmiris, Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed unanimous resolution, expressing sympathies over deaths in Kashmir and vowed to instill faith among people of the Valley.

Addressing the House at the end of the debate in which 29 members from across the political spectrum spoke, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that the protests in the Valley are Pakistan sponsored and declared that no power in the world can wrest Jammu and Kashmir from India, while referring to letter of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the UN seeking 'plebiscite' in Kashmir.

I have no hesitation in saying that whatever is happening in Kashmir is sponsored by Pakistan. If there will be talks with Pakistan, there won't be a discussion on Kashmir but on Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), said Rajnath Singh with regard to dialogue with Pakistan.

Today's debate is an example of healthy democracy. We are making efforts to ensure normalcy is restored in the Valley, he added.

While replying to the debate during which demands were made for stopping the use of pellet guns, Singh said instructions have been issued to security forces to exercise "maximum restraint" but there will be no compromise on national security and pro-Pakistan slogans on the Indian soil will not be tolerated in any case.

We are not trying to justify the use of pellet guns but we need to discuss the possibility of using other non-lethal weapons. We have a committee and we hope to find an alternative in 2 months, says Singh.

Singh declared that there is no question of handing over Kashmir to the Army, quashing rumours that are being spread "deliberately".

The minister assured that state government is trying its best to provide basic facilities amidst the situation of unrest created by some misguided elements with vested interest.

He also informed that over 4,500 security personnel and 3,300 civilians have been injured in Jammu and Kashmir during protests and forces have been directed to exercise restraint as much as possible.

Giving details of the injuries caused during the unrest that started after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8, he said 100 were still hospitalised, 51 with eye injuries, while 2564 have been discharged.

The Home Minister informed the House that 100 ambulances were destroyed by stone-pelting yet 400 more ambulances have been deployed.

The Home Minister said even during curfew, hospitals have treated five lakh normal patients in OPDs and 8,000 surgeries were conducted. Some of the injured were brought to AIIMS in Delhi and another hospital in Mumbai.

Responding to demands for initiating a political process in Kashmir, the Home Minister said the government is ready to have talks with mainstream parties, moderates and others. "We are ready. I will ask the Chief Minister where to start the process and with whom to talk, on which issues," he added. "We will also talk, you also talk, and we all are ready to talk. That is why there is talk of sending all-party delegationOnce the ground work is done, then we will talk to the Chief Minister that if the delegation has to go, whom all to meet there," he said.

An all-party meeting is to be held on Kashmir issue on August 12, the day monsoon session ends and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend it, said Rajnath Singh.

He lauded Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, saying she and her government had done a good job in this difficult situation. In this regard, he gave details about how much ration, milk and other daily essentials have been distributed in Kashmir even during the curfew.

He insisted that only some parts of Kashmir, and not the entire valley, are under curfew and that in rest of the places, markets are closed due to "fear" owing to strike called by separatists. "I can't say Kashmiris are living normal life but despite all odds, state government is making efforts to minimise their inconvenience," Singh said.

He blamed "vested interests" for the trouble and said the state government was trying to normalise the situation.

"The people of Kashmir should realise that our hearts beat equally for Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh (three regions of the state), as any other part of the country," the Home Minister said.

Responding to questions by some members as to why the Prime Minister had spoken outside and not in Parliament, Singh said he "has made me the Home Minister and I have rights. He has confidence in me and whatever I say reflects the same sentiments as his."

Contending that he keeps discussing the Kashmir issue with Modi, Singh said, "one can feel his (PM's) sentiments by what he said yesterday (in Madhya Pradesh)."

Rejecting the notion that the trouble in Kashmir is because of unemployment, Singh noted that at times, flags of ISIS and pro-Pakistan slogans are raised in Kashmir. He condemned ISIS, saying it is anti-Muslim and has killed those believing in Islam. "I want to tell people of Kashmir that Islam does not allow killings. Those who raise such ISIS flags are trying to defame Islam," he said.

"Pro-Pakistan slogans will not be tolerated on this soil... Raising slogans against the country is not right. I want to appeal to people to stop those indulging in such things," Singh said.

He said somebody may praise Islam, Hinduism or any religion but raising slogans praising Pakistan won't be allowed.

Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants are trying to threaten the families of security forces, the Home Minister said.

Talking about "effective" steps taken by the state government, he said these include recruitment in central paramilitary forces and 10,000 as Special Police Officers.

Besides two AIIMS and IIM are being set up and scholarships are being distributed. With regard to security of Kashmiris studying in other parts of the country, the Home Minister said he will write to all state CMs and tell them, if necessary, develop a system of building relationship between locals and Kashmiris.

Singh praised all parties for speaking in unison on Kashmir during the "high quality" discussion, saying it reflects the spirit of healthy democracy. "In 20 years, I have seen for the first time such a lengthy discussion on Kashmir... We should be proud of such a Parliament," he said.

Rajnath ended his address saying all religions and communities are respected and he urged people not raise slogans against the nation. 'Insaniyat, Jamooriyat, Kashmiriyat' and dialogue is the way forward, said Rajnath.

The resolution said: "This House expresses its serious concern over the prolonged turbulence, violence and curfew in the Kashmir valley."

It added that the House "conveys its deep sense of anguish and concern over the loss of lives and critical injuries caused by the deteriorating situation."

The resolution asserted that the House "is of the firm and considered view that while there cannot be any compromise on national security, it is equally an imperative that urgent steps are taken to restore order and peace for the alleviation of the sufferings of the people."

The House "earnestly appeals to all sections of the society in Jammu and Kashmir, to work for the early restoration of normalcy and harmony and unanimously resolves to restore the confidence among the people in general and youth in particular," it said.

Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition and Congress leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad had hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to make any statement in the Parliament on the ongoing Kashmir unrest. "Prime Minister Modi tweets on events across the world, but he was silent on Kashmir crisis. When something happens in Africa, the Prime Minister tweets about it. But when the Taj of India is burning, the heat is not reaching the central government," Azad said.

We did not hear Prime Minister's statement on Dalit issues here in the Parliament. We got to hear about his views from Telangana. We have been repetitively demanding that the PM should come and make statements on such issues, Azad added.

He also attacked Modi for quoting former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Madhya Pradesh, when he touched upon the topic of Kashmir. "Vajpayee's words do not suit Prime Minister Modi," said Azad on Modi's assertion that his government believes in Vajpayees mantra of Insaniyat, Jamhooriyat and Kashmiriyat.

On Tuesday, Modi had reached out to the people of Kashmir and indicated his willingness to hold dialogue under the framework of the 'Insaniyat (humanity), Jamhuriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat'.

He said that when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister, he had adopted the path of 'Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat' and the present government walks the same road.
New Delhi: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Wednesday challenged in the Delhi High Court an order permitting ED to retain the documents which were seized from his premises in connection with a money laundering case.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva allowed Singh's application to challenge the May 16, 2016 decision of the adjudicating authority and also noted the objection of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to the maintainability of the plea as well as the main petition.

Singh, in his amendment application, has contended that retention of documents was permitted without allowing him to file a reply to ED's plea before the adjudicating authority to retain the seized material.

In his main petition, Singh has sought the reasons for carrying out the search and seizure at his premises and to quash the proceedings against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Read: Virbhadra Singh PMLA case: ED questions CM's wife

He has sought quashing of an April 19 order of the adjudicating authority and the May 12 decision of the appellate tribunal dismissing his plea to provide him with the "reasons to believe" which formed the basis for the search and seizure of the documents.

On July 8, the high court had directed ED to place before it in a sealed cover the documents which formed the basis for the search and seizure of the material from the CM's premises.

His counsel on Wednesday claimed that ED has not yet complied with the court's July 8 order.

The court, thereafter, directed ED to comply with the order and listed the matter for further hearing on November 10.

The high court had earlier pulled up ED saying it cannot act as "super investigator" and not share records with it.

The court had said it would peruse the records only to see whether "reasons to believe" for the search and seizure have been placed by ED before the adjudicating authority as Singh was contending that there was no reason for carrying out the search and seizure.

However, it had made it clear that it would not disclose the reasons to the petitioner.

In his main petition, Singh has contended that "reasons for initiating the search are ex-facie illegal, arbitrary and liable to be quashed".

His petition also states that he was made a party in a plea by ED for retention of documents seized by it, "without forming any reason to believe and by mechanically issuing the notice".
KUDANKULAM: Five more nuclear reactors, which would generate 1,000 MW each, are being planned at the existing Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday as he dedicated the first unit of the mega power plant here along with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Doing the honours through video conferencing in New Delhi and Moscow respectively, Mr Modi and Mr Putin termed the nuclear plant as a fine example of special and privileged Indo-Russian strategic partnership.

And, it is only a start of our collaboration in this field. It is perhaps not commonly known that at 1,000 Mega Watt, Kundankulum 1 is the largest single unit of electrical power in India. In years ahead, we are determined to pursue an ambitious agenda of nuclear power generation. At Kudankulum alone, five more units of 1,000 MW each are planned. We plan to build a series of bigger nuclear power units, the Prime Minister said in his address.

Mr Putin said the unit has been built using most advanced Russian technology incorporating highest safety standards while Modi asserted that India was determined to pursue an ambitious agenda of nuclear power generation.

The Kudankulam 1 has been jointly built by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India and Russia's Rosatom and it had started generating electricity in 2013. Anti-nuclear activists and local people had protested against the project claiming it was unsafe. The agreement for the project was inked by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and then Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev in 1988 but actual work on the ground started only in 1997. The KNPP uses Russian VVER type reactors based on enriched uranium and its second unit was expected to start later this year.
Thiruvananthapuram: Public Works Development Minister G. Sudhakaran has decided to end the monopoly enjoyed by Reliance Jio Infocomm and Idea Cellular groups to lay fibre optical cables across the state. Mr Sudhakaran told reporters here on Wednesday that a former chief secretary, who was acting as the agent of RJI, had requested him to extend the contract issued by Mr P. H. Kurian, former IT secretary, during the UDF government's tenure.

Mr Sudhakaran had called the press meet to announce that an estimate of Rs 3,585 crore had been prepared for the repair and maintenance of PWD roads. He said that hereafter telecom companies would have to convince the government about the reason for the digging up of the PWD roads wrecking the infrastructure.

A former chief secretary came to me and sought extension to the companies to lay fibre optical cables. Later, another retired additional secretary, the agent of Idea Cellular, sought my permission to lay cable on 7500-km roads in Kerala. I rejected his proposal right away, he said.

Top department sources told DC that Mr. Kurian had not taken the concurrence of the then PWD secretary before issuing the order. A sum of Rs 75, 000 was levied from RJI as fibre optical installation fee and half of it went to the IT department and the remaining to the chief ministers relief fund. The official lamented that when PWD roads were dug up across the state, it received no money while infrastructure was wrecked.

The PWD minister had given a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan a week ago requesting that the monopoly of these telecom giants be ended. We are expecting a positive response from the CM, said a top ministry official.

However, Mr Kurian told DC that he had issued a general order for every telecom company that had sought permission to lay fibre optical cables in the state. Several states had granted them permission to lay cables and some like Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal had slapped installation fees on them.

There is no such monopoly as claimed by the PWD minister. It was an order by the government of India that the state government should offer all help to the telecom companies to attain high speed internet connectivity. Accordingly, I issued a general order stating that RJI should be granted permission to lay cables in more than 3000 km across the state, said Mr Kurian.

A top Reliance official maintained that the PWD minister had given new sanction for the RJI to lay more cables and that the project was currently under implementation. Other telecom companies like Airtel, Vodafone and L & T were also awaiting sanction from the LDF government.

I doubt whether the LDF government would have the audacity to say No to L&T. It is the joint policy of the central and state government to bring high speed broadband in the country. I am curious to know whether the LDF government is against broadband and fast internet intelligence, he said.
Hyderabad: Gangster Nayeemuddins men were running an online TV on the Net and local cable TV channels in Nalgonda and Bhongir as a run up for their plans to start a satellite TV channel in TS and to establish the cable TV business in East African countries.

Nayeem had an ambition to contest from Bhongir to either the Assembly or Parliament and it is believed that he was bumped off as he had become too big for his boots. He had been trying to do all sort of things to achieve his political ambitions.

A top Intelligence official said, His men had started an online TV channel. He had plans to go big. Sources in the police department said that Nayeem wanted to foray into the cable and mining business in East African countries.

A retired DGP said, No doubt he was used for personal objectives several by police officials. He had grown too big for his boots. Politicians and the police don't like someone growing like this. Hence he may have been bumped off.

An investigating official said, We are checking reports that he had tried to escape to Dubai or Saudi Arabia after making big money and planned to operate from there. We are yet to get confirmation about information that he wanted to make Rs 200 crore and escape abroad in the next two months. So far there is no concrete evidence regarding this.

However, the police said that he had extorted money from several industrialists. He had prepared a list of top builders and businessmen in Telangana and wanted to extort money from them.

Nayeem had a habit of writing down the gifts and payments he gave to policemen, revenue officials and journalists. There are six pages containing the names of 69 journalists including those working in the media in Nalgonda and Hyderabad. He had extended his activities to Chattisgarh and Odisha, said a police official. Police said a den of Nayeem was identified in Goa and its watchman arrested.

Driver, two others arrested

Three more people, including Nayeemuddins driver, were arrested from Mahbubnagar by the police on Wednesday. Sources said the arrested people were gunmen, who were guarding Nayeemuddi. Police said the trio had gone absconding on encounter day.

The three are Gandam Samuel aka K.C.R. Mama, who was driving the Ford Endeavour, Sheik Fayaz aka Amir, a driver-cum-gunman and Samiuddin aka Shahid, the bodyguard. Two of them had weapons with them. The three are the most trusted aides of Nayeem. The trio were always with Nayeem like shadows. They have a lot of information about Nayeem,

Meanwhile, two cases, the encounter and the recovery of arms from the house, have been transferred to SIT. In another development, the CWC has been given strict instructions to keep the rescued children away from the media and cops. Most of the kids are Nayeem's children or the kids of his relatives. Officials said they will be given counselling by psychologists.
New Delhi: Union home minister Rajnath Singh declared on Wednesday that no power on earth can take Kashmir from India, squarely blaming Pakistan for whatever is happening in Kashmir.

The minister said: Whatever is happening in Kashmir is not because of its people... whatever is happening is Pakistan-sponsored. He also warned that the use of pro-Pakistan slogans on Indian soil would not be tolerated, and urged Kashmirs youth not to indulge in activities like hoisting ISIS flags.

The Upper House later unanimously adopted a resolution appealing to the people of the Kashmir Valley to restore peace and harmony.

The House expresses serious concern over the prolonged turbulence, violence and curfew in the Kashmir Valley, it said, adding: The House conveys its deep sense of anguish and concern over the loss of lives and critical injuries caused by the deteriorating situation. The resolution said the House is of the firm and considered view that while there cannot be any compromise on national security, it is also imperative that urgent steps are taken to restore order and peace for the alleviation of the sufferings of the people.

It added: The House appeals to all sections in Jammu and Kashmir to work for the early restoration of normalcy and harmony and unanimously resolves to restore confidence among the people in general and youth in particular.

The debate, initiated by former J&K CM and the Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, saw Congress MPs Karan Singh and Vivek Tankha, PMO minister of state Jitender Singh and BJP MP Shamsher Singh Manhas, PDP MPs Nazir Ahmad Laway and Mir Mohammed Fayaz, D. Raja of the CPI, CPI(M) boss Sitaram Yechury, the RJDs Ram Jethmalani and representatives from other parties speaking, acknowledging its seriousness. All members felt the issue should not be politicised and all stakeholders be brought in for talks.
Hyderabad: Inspector general of police Y. Nagi Reddy, named on Wednesday as head of the Special Investigation Team probing cases of liquidated gangster Nayeemuddin, swiftly set the ball rolling with an eight-member squad.

Earlier in the day, DGP Anurag Sharma issued the appointment order naming the north zone IG at the head of the probe. Eight sleuths have been drawn from various police units from Telangana state police.

The SIT will investigate the various criminal activities of Nayeemuddin and his associates in Telangana state. It will also probe the sources of the seized material, especially land documents, arms and ammunition, explosives, and related matters, the DGP told the media.

To start with, the SIT visited ground zero, the house of Nayeemuddin at Alkapuri township. Earlier, Cyberabad West cops broke open the bedroom of Nayeemuddin as part of a fresh round of searches with permission from a court in Alkapuri. The SIT will also focus its investigations into the role of some cops who had close ties with Nayeemuddin and were named in the sensational encounter case of Gujarats Sohrabuddin. Meanwhile, interrogation of the arrested associates of Nayeemuddin, including Riyaz, progressed.

Some additional SPs, inspectors and DSPs from both AP and TS were helping the Gujarat cops through Nayeemuddin to lay their hands on Sohrabuddin. The depth of their connections will be probed, said a police official.

Nayeems aide Riyaz picked up

Police on Wednesday picked up a close aide of Nayeemuddin, Riyaz, who was involved in several murder cases in Bhongir. Searches were held in Airport Colony in Shamshabad, Hastinapuram, Vanasthalipuram, Mansoorabad and Kuntloor, on the dens or residences of relatives and henchmen of Nayeem. Police searched the house of Nayeemuddins driver Sridhar Goud and seized a huge stock of currency notes.

ACP Gangi Reddy said that, as per the court order, the police department would continue their search at locations where Nayeemuddins relatives and associates have houses, to unearth incriminating documents and other material.

Police also searched the house of Nayeemuddins aide Sudhakar, who is absconding since the day of the encounter on Sunday. Nalgonda SP Prakash Reddy said, We are verifying the land documents. All the cases are being handed over to the SIT.

The SIT consists of B. Srinivasa Reddy, Addl. DCP, Crimes, Cybe-rabad; G. Sridhar, inspector, Begum Bazaar, Hyderabad city; S. Sudhakar, inspector Uppal, Shakir Hussain, inspector, Wanaparthy Circle; Rajashekar Raju, inspector, Korutla Circle, Karimnagar; Samala Venkatesh, Inspector at CCS, Sangareddy; P. Madhusudhan Reddy, Inspector at Kodad Circle; and Seetharam, inspector of Armoor circle.
New Delhi: Union home minister Rajnath Singh declared on Wednesday that no power on earth can take Kashmir from India, squarely blaming Pakistan for whatever is happening in Kashmir.

The government has decided to hold an all-party meeting on Friday on the issue, that will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The home minister also dispelled deliberate rumours about the Army taking over control in Kashmir, saying it was out of the question.

Responding in the Rajya Sabha to a debate lasting over eight hours, the longest ever on Kashmir in Parliament, and after hearing 29 members, the home minister also promised to consider sending an all-party delegation to the Valley.

He agreed to include all stakeholders, even the moderates, for introspection, while promising maximum restraint by security forces in using pellet guns, on which members across party lines demanded an immediate ban.

The home minister, however, spoke sternly while referring to a letter by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the UN on a plebiscite in Kashmir, saying: After assessing the feelings of this House, I can safely say that no power on earth can snatch Kashmir from us, and added, If there will be any talks with Pakistan, it will be on Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and not Kashmir.
Hyderabad: The Legislatures of both Telangana and AP states are set to pass the 122nd Constitution Amendment Bill (Goods and Service Tax) in the third week of September during their respective short sessions. Both Assemblies will have to meet before expiry of a six-month gap between two sessions  before September-end. According to sources, Union Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar and Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu have spoken to Chief Ministers K. Chandrasekhar Rao and N. Chandrababu Naidu. Both the CMs have agreed to pass the GST Bill in the Legislature sessions next month.

Apart from both the Houses of Parliament, a Constitutional Amendment Bill needs to be passed by 50 per cent of State Legislatures in the country to be notified as an Act. It will be a mere formality for these two States to get the legislation passed, as both the ruling parties, the TRS and TD have voted in favour of the Bill in both the Houses of Parliament. Sources said that both State Assemblies and Legislative Councils will meet any day after the Ganesh visarjan concludes on September 16, to meet for five days.

Meanwhile, AP Legislature will hold the brief session in September in the existing Assembly building as the construction of temporary Assembly building in Velagapudi is yet to get underway. It is not possible to hold both Assembly and Council meetings in the temporary capital as nothing has been constructed so far. At best, we may have the winter session there provided the construction is completed by then, a senior AP government official said.
The protesting crowd dispersed only after the RDO promised to take their demand to Thiruvallur district collector.

Chennai: The death of a 40-year-old man on Monday while being remanded after arrest by the Cholavaram police in neighbouring Thriuvallur district led to a road roko. The people blocked traffic on Karanodai bridge over Kosathalai river for more than an hour on Tuesday demanding action against the police.

According to local activists, Selva was picked up by the Cholavaram police early on Monday morning along with two others based on a complaint from a woman, who accused the three of teasing and using bad words against her.

He developed complications while being remanded and was admitted to the hospital where he died. The other two were lodged in Ponneri sub jail," the police said. But cadres of Makkal Viduthalai Iyakkam alleged that Selva, a daily wa-ge worker, developed illness because of police excesses.

The road roko was organised to demand action against police personnel 'responsible' for his death and also to seek compensation for the family of the deceased, a Makkal Viduthalai Iyakkam supporter said. The agitators also damaged 3 buses. The protesting crowd dispersed only after the RDO promised to take their demand to Thiruvallur district collector.
The St. Francois County Commission certified election results from last weeks election during its weekly meeting on Tuesday.

St. Francois County Clerk Mark Hedrick said the certification verification board met Friday afternoon, pulled two precincts and counted them.

There was no change, so we are certifying the election results as they were submitted that night as the official results at this point, said Hedrick. So you just need to certify the election.

Associate Commissioner Patrick Mullins made a motion to approve the certification of the primary election results and the commission approved.

Hedrick said the certification triggers a five-day period where a losing candidate can petition the court for a recount due to being under 1 percent. Linda Black lost by one vote to Incumbent Gay Wilkinson for associate county commisisoner.

Once that petition is filed with the circuit court the court will assign a judge to it and there will be a court hearing on the type of recount and when the recount will be done, said Hedrick. So at this point nothing has really happened because we were waiting for the certification.

Hedrick said they do have five days from Tuesday to file a petition for a recount and that is under section 115.601 of the Missouri Statutes.

They can request a recount because it is less than 1 percent, said Hedrick. Then it goes into court and they handle everything from that point on. The court will set a hearing and both candidates will be involved in it if the petition is filed. The court will determine the number of people and who the people are and the type of recount that they will do, whether it will be a manual recount or an electronic recount.

Hedrick added that is up to the court, not him. It will be in circuit court in St. Francois County and there will be a cost to the county.

Whatever the cost is that it takes to do this, the county has to pay for it, because its less than a half of percent, said Hedrick. Its the same as when the state has a recount like this, the state has to pay for it. The candidate doesnt cover the cost, unless they file under irregularities, then they do the recount and if they dont win they have to pay for it. They also have to post bond to file the petition.

Hedrick said Aug. 15 is the deadline and due to it being a primary election they have a shorter timeframe to file the petition.

We have to have it all done by Aug. 30 because we have to certify for the November election by then, said Hedrick. That is the situation at this point in time and we are waiting to trigger that next. By guessing, we are probably looking at two weeks before anything happens because it has to get into the court, then the court has five days to hear it.

Hedrick added it will go to the presiding judge in the county. They will handle the first part of the process. The cost depends on how many people they pick and they will be paid the same as a verification team.

He added anyone who is a registered voter in district 1 is a candidate to be picked for the verification process. They will not be using Hedricks verification team.
New Delhi: The Tamil Nadu government was on Wednesday restrained by the Delhi High Court from taking any "coercive action" till tomorrow against expelled AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP Sasikala Pushpa, her husband and their son facing a case of harassment of domestic servants.

This was stated by the court while hearing the anticipatory bail pleas of Sasikala Pushpa, her husband Lingeswara Thilakan and son Pradeep Raja.

Justice Mukta Gupta also issued notices to the Tamil Nadu government and Delhi Police on their pleas and posted the matter for hearing tomorrow after the advocate representing the state, said he would address arguments on the issue of jurisdiction of this court to entertain the petitions. "Till tomorrow no coercive action will be taken," the court said.

The state government counsel told the court that an FIR was lodged against them at Pudukkottai district under various sections of IPC and under Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act.

During the hearing, senior advocate Sudhir Nandrajog, who appeared for the petitioners, told the court that his clients were at present staying in Delhi and that they should be given some protection to approach the appropriate court in Tamil Nadu.

Senior standing counsel Rahul Mehra, appearing for Delhi Police, said that another bench of the high court had on August 5 asked the police to provide security to Pushpa on her plea seeking adequate protection for her and her family members on the ground that she was receiving threats after being allegedly slapped by a party leader.

The domestic servants, who reportedly worked at Pushpa's house in Tamil Nadu, had filed a police complaint alleging that they were tortured by them.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court had directed the police to escort Pushpa to Parliament so that she can discharge her duty safely.

It had also issued notice to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Delhi Police seeking their response on Pushpa's plea in which she has sought security for her while attending Rajya Sabha and participating in the monsoon session.
Dubai: A man from Kerala who was on-board the Emirates airline that crash-landed at Dubai airport on August 3 couldnt get luckier as just six days after his miraculous escape, he won a jackpot of 1 million US dollars.

The lucky number  0845  of the man from Kerala, Mohammad Basheer Abdul Khadar, was announced by Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire at Concourse A at Dubai International Airport, according to Gulf News.

Khadar, who works as a fleet administrator with a car dealer in Dubai, bought the raffle ticket when he was headed to his home in Thiruvananthapuram on Eid in July.

I have been working in Dubai for 37 years, and I have always felt like this is my country. I live a simple life, and now that its my time to retire, I feel like God gave me a second life when I survived the plane crash, and blessed me with this money to follow all this up by doing good things, said Khadar.

Khadar, who is retiring in four months, plans to return to India and use the money to provide medical and financial support to needy children in Kerala.
New Delhi: Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani will be going to Siachen Base camp on Raksha Bandhan while seven other women ministers of the Narendra Modi government will be visiting soldiers elsewhere that day.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said Irani will visit the Siachen Base Camp on August 18.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti, Women and Child Welfare Minister Maneka Gandhi will visit borders areas and interact with the soldiers.

Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State for Commerce; Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Minister of State in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries; and Anupriya Patel, Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will be also meeting soldiers on Raksha Bandhan.
Chennai: The Madras high court has observed that the authorities are under statutory and moral obligation to permit Dalits to worship and perform rituals in connection with Aadi festival at Sri Badrakaliamman temple at Kallimedu village in Nagapattinam district.

When a petition filed by M. Shanmugavelu and two others of the village came up for hearing on Tuesday, Justice M. Sathyanarayanan hoped the petitioners will be alive to the said situation and work out some compromise, so that at least next year during Aadi month, the temple festival is performed without any problem.

The petitioners sought to quash a Collectors order of July 30 cancelling the Aadi festival at the temple due to a dispute over mandagapadi (sponsoring a day's event) in the temples five day fest.They also sought a directive to the Collector and Joint Commissioner, HR&CE, Thanjavur, to conduct the festival as per Agama principles and to enquire about the excesses committed by them.

In the petition they said three special mandagapadis were offered by people in Kallimedu West, East and Thamaraipulam villages. A section of people in Pazhan Kallimedu wished to perform the mandagapadi at Kallimedu village. A petition regarding this was filed in high court last year.

Recently, a section of Dalits had threatened to convert to Islam if the government failed to get them the right to host mandagapadi. As tension persisted, on July 30 the Collector held a peace meeting. The Collector stipulated certain conditions and declared that the festival stood cancelled. The petitioners contended that the order violated law and he had no power to alter, stipulate conditions or cancel rituals and procedures which were performed for ages.

Disposing of the petition, the judge said in the light of the mandate cast upon authorities under the Tamil Nadu Temple Entry Authorisation Act, 1947, the HR and CE authorities and executive officer of Sri Badrakaliamman temple are under statutory and moral obligation to permit SC people to have a right of worship and perform rituals in connection with Aadi festival.
Bengaluru: Considering the inadequate storage of water in state reservoirs especially in the Cauvery and Tungabhadra river basins despite the monsoon, the state government has decided not to release water for agricultural needs. This was announced by law and parliamentary affairs minister, T.B. Jayachandra on Wednesday.

As part of exigency plans, the government has directed all deputy commissioners not to allow sinking of borewells in their districts. The government is also exploring the possibility of carrying out cloud seeding across the state at an estimated cost of Rs 30 crore, the minister said after the Cabinet meeting.

Mr Jayachandra added that at present the situation may not warrant the lifting of dead storage water, below the critical level in reservoirs but it is surely grim due to shortage of rainfall in Malnad, south and north interior regions.

Overall the state has received six per cent less rainfall, while the coast has received 17 per cent less rain the deficit is 24 per cent in Malnad. The situation is very critical in Malaprabha, Ghataprabha, Tungabhadra and Cauvery river basins. So we have decided not to release water for agriculture.
The cow steadfastly remains at the centre of the national discourse in this country. How much longer?

The year began with an assault in the name of cow protection at a railway station in Madhya Pradesh. The members of a self-styled cow protection group pounced on several passengers, including a Muslim couple, over allegations that they were carrying beef. Laboratory tests later revealed the pieces of meat found in their bag were that of a buffalo. All perfectly legal.

Eight months later, as tumultuous events are happening all around us, we are still discussing the cow. It is true every schoolchild in India has written an essay on the cow; and that millions love and venerate the animal. But how long are we going to let the cow set the political and cultural agenda, polarise the populace, and at what cost?

It is not the cows fault; its those who attack, intimidate and use incendiary talk in the name of cow protection.

Arguably, the depressing story didnt begin in 2016. Just the previous year, a mob killed a 52-year-old man, Mohammed Akhlaq, and injured his son as they believed there was beef at home. There has been a continuous drip-drip of reports of mob justice masquerading as cow protection. Now comes a twist in the cow sutra.

On Tuesday, the home ministry issued an advisory to all states and Union territories asking them not to tolerate any attack on individuals in the name of cow protection. After a prelude on the special role of cattle in Indian culture and history, the advisory noted that in states where cow slaughter is prohibited by law, killing a cow is a violation of the law and an offence. However, that doesnt entitle any individual or group to take action on their own to prevent the alleged slaughter or punish wrongdoers..., it said, warning that anyone found doing so would be punished severely.

The home ministrys advisory comes just after Prime Minister Narendra Modis by-now famous denunciation of vigilantes who strike in the name of cow protection. At two recent public events, Mr Modi lashed out at fake gau rakshaks, saying they wanted to create tensions in society.

Mr Modi says he salutes real gau rakshaks and gau sevaks, and urged them to come forward to expose fake gau rakshaks.

Mr Modis critics have been quick to point out that the government has remained mute for a long time, even as dalit protests raged after alleged cow protection vigilantes flogged four dalits skinning a dead cow in Gujarat last month. They say the Prime Minister broke his silence only when it became amply clear that more such protests could potentially impact the BJPs fortunes in poll-bound states like Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, that have significant dalit populations. They rub it in that no one from the side of the government is loudly condemning cow vigilantes who have also attacked Muslims.

So does the Modi government mean what it says, and will its cow commandments work?

The ground realities point to challenges ahead. Take the case of Punjab, which has been a hotspot of Indias cow protection movement since the 1870s. Soon after Mr Modis public lashing against fake cow protectors, the Punjab police registered yet another first information report against Satish Kumar, who heads a local Gau Raksha Dal. But media reports suggest Kumar remains unrepentant, and at the time of writing he had not been arrested. In March 2016, I drew attention to his website (http://protectyourcow.blogspot.in/2010/08/about-us.html), which explicitly advocates violence against anyone who slaughters a cow. It says it has no trust on government support because the Government of India and other state governments are involved in cow slaughtering and that its objective  protection of all cows  can only be achieved by killing all killers of cows. Now, worryingly, that pitch is still there.

Its not just Punjabs cow protector vigilantes. Many among Jharkhands cow vigilantes have also strongly opposed Prime Minister Narendra Modis remarks against them. And while the RSS has supported Mr Modi, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and sundry other Sangh Parivar outfits have warned that the PMs remarks might cost his party dear in future elections.

How will the authorities distinguish real cow protectors from the fake vigilantes? Few know where to draw the line between the two, specially as the line blurs in many cases. Many also dont see any contradiction in running gaushalas and beating up people.

None of the vigilantes admit to making the first violent move. In Jharkhand, for example, where cow slaughter is banned, a cow vigilante told a reporter that his group uses violence only for self-protection. In almost every instance, it was the cattle trader who had turned violent first, he claimed. In Haryana, a DIG-rank officer has now been appointed to identify cow vigilantes. He has a tough task. The state government has a list of 325 Gau Rakshak Dal members. Now the police has to find out if these people are protecting cows or breaking the law, or both.

The Gau Rakshak Dals Satish Kumars Facebook page carries an image of a man brandishing a pistol. Next to it is the slogan Join the Fight. Words are flamethrowers. If the state governments are truly interested in cracking down on cow vigilantes, they must track instances of intimidation and physical assaults by the cow brigade as well as words that can incite people to acts of violence. True love for the cow would mean picking up a broom instead of a gun, and sweeping cities clean of the plastic packets that lie all around, are eaten by cows and lead to their painful death.
The death of former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Kalikho Pul adds another inglorious chapter to the states politics, where power play among ruling party members is part of the political tapestry. While theres never any good excuse for taking ones life as the act suggests cowardice, its sad that a politician with a possible troubled childhood (having lost both parents early, and starting working life as a beedi/paan seller to fund night school) should go to such extremes. Rising from being a carpenter hailing from the smallest ethnic group to CM, though briefly, he should have been a role model rather than a tragic statistic. Of course, as coincidence would have it, three CMs have died young in the past five years, though from a variety of causes, from a helicopter crash to illness and a suicide.

As recently as last month, Kalikho Pul was on the gaddi in the strategically-important northeastern state, to which China seems to be staking claim. The Supreme Court pulled the rug out from under his feet in a landmark ruling on undue interventions by governors in politics. Its in the realm of speculation whether his being displaced led to the former CMs possible depression. He had married thrice, which on the face of it suggests that Pul may have had an interesting marital history. However, no circumstance can be considered so extenuating as to force someone to take his/her own life. For someone who has been a chief minister to even consider such a step doesnt send a good signal to the nations youth.
While some realisation appears to have dawned in official circles that the situation in the Kashmir Valley has grown complex, in the context a somewhat coy expression used by Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday, in the month since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani by the security forces, it is more realistic to think of current happenings as a brewing insurgency. Indeed, it is a sobering thought that in part the ground situation is getting to resemble the historical juncture of the early 1990s when Pakistan-aided militancy backed by a full-scale insurgency, in which ordinary people got so disenchanted with the state that they unreservedly backed the militants, prevailed in Kashmir, and the Indian State was stretched to bring the situation around.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi belatedly called for a dialogue with Kashmirs people in Vajpayees framework of insaniyat, jamhooriyat and Kashmiriyat. This, at least, is a start. Pakistan, needless to say, is trying to exploit our crisis to the hilt. However, the dangerous situation that has developed did not originate with Pakistans malignant actions, as the government insists, but is a consequence of our own maladroit handling.

The disenchantment of the Kashmiri people set in with the failure of the PDP-BJP government to fulfil any of the promises it made, specially the one for adequate relief for the September 2014 floods. The subsequent spread of the communal agenda by BJP loyalists made matters worse. The government also allowed the security environment to degenerate. The situation was poised for the balloon to burst, and Wanis killing became the proverbial trigger.

Many have spoken this past week of the need to engage the Kashmiri people in dialogue. In the absence of constructive engagement, the only choice the state has is to deploy its armed strength  and that will be a disaster. J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, on her recent New Delhi visit, had urged the home minister to not hesitate in opening a conversation with our own people. She herself goofed up real bad in running the show so far, but her suggestion is valid. In fact, its distressing that the Centre has seen fit to be lectured instead of taking the lead in announcing a positive discussion with the people of Kashmir.

Kashmiris are fully aware that their fate doesnt lie with Pakistan, and that their interests are best served in the democratic environment that India alone can offer. But the democracy must inspire greater confidence.
China has successfully launched a high resolution satellite which can provide seamless view of seas to protect its maritime rights. (Representational image)

Beijing: China on Tuesday successfully launched a high resolution satellite which can provide seamless view of seas to protect its maritime rights besides land borders and global hotspots, weeks after an international court struck down its claims over the disputed South China Sea.

The new high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging satellite called Gaofen-3 was launched off on the back of a Long March 4C rocket from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in northern Shanxi Province.

It was the 233rd flight mission by a Long March carrier rocket, the work horse of China's space launches.

As China's first SAR imaging satellite that is accurate to one meter in distance, it covers the globe with an all- weather, 24-hour observation service and will be used for disaster warning, weather forecasting, water resource assessments, and the protection of maritime rights.

The satellite was launched amid China's efforts to firmly establish its control over the South China Sea, after last month's tribunal verdict quashing Beijing expansive claims over all most all of the disputed area also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

China, which rejected the verdict has already launched air and naval patrols over the area to firmly establish control. Since the inception of the Gaofen project in 2013, China has had an increasingly clearer view of the planet, the state-run Xinhua news agency report said.

This also means China has better view of its land borders including its boundary with India. Compared with optical imaging satellites, Gaofen-3 will better perform disaster monitoring as the SAR imaging satellite is capable of imaging in severe weather conditions as it uses microwave transmission.

"The launch of Gaofen-3 is expected to reduce dependence on data provided by foreign microwave imaging satellites," Jiang Xingwei, deputy chief engineer of Gaofen satellite application system, said.

The new satellite is able to provide high-definition remote sensing data over long periods of time. It can capture continuous imaging for nearly one hour during ocean observation.

With 12 imaging modes, Gaofen-3 has the most imaging modes in the SAR imaging satellite family. The high-definition observation satellite is capable of switching freely between various imaging modes, taking wide pictures of both earth and sea, and detailed photographs of specific areas.

Gaofen-3 is also China's first low orbit remote sensing satellite to have a lifespan of eight years, longer than other China-built satellites, which have a lifespan of three to five years, and that of foreign models between six to seven-and-a- half years.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
A lawyer by profession, 37-year-old Neally managed to steer his Tesla to arrive at the road leading to the hospitals emergency department.

Joshua Neally, a US citizen, was driving in his Tesla Model X from office to home when he began getting breathless after suffering from a massive attack of pulmonary embolism. He started suffering with immense pain in his stomach and chest immediately after pulling onto the highway. But instead of calling for an ambulance to help him, he switched the car into auto pilot mode and decided to find a hospital by depending on the cars self-driving mode.

A lawyer by profession, 37-year-old Neally managed to steer his Tesla to arrive at the road leading to the hospitals emergency department.

The incident was reported by Slate, which mentioned Neally driving from his office in Springfield to Branson in Missouri, which is a 45-minute drive. He was on his way home to celebrate his daughters fourth birthday when the incident took place.

The report mentioned that Neally steered his luxury SUV, the Tesla Model X, in rush-hour traffic on Highway 68 when he turned on the auto-pilot mode. Teslas Model X has a unique feature that allows the car to pilot it, which includes braking, accelerating and steering to an extent, usually during long stretches of freeway driving.

In a previous incident, a driver named Joshua Brown, was killed in crash in Florida when he used a similar car in auto-pilot mode. Though Teslas car with an auto-pilot feature is not a true-self-driving car, the technology is being developed to help replace humans as drivers with the help of software.

Neally was around 5 miles away from the office when he started witnessing the usual traffic on his route. After a few minutes, he started getting very uncomfortable about an excruciating pain in his abdomen, moving upwards towards his chest. It felt like a steel pole through my chest, said Neally. He called his wife immediately and told her that he was heading to the emergency room, but does not remember anything after that. On arrival to the hospital, the doctors in Branson toll Neally that he suffered from pulmonary embolism, a potentially fatal obstruction of a blood vessel in his lungs.

Slate further reported, If you ask Neally, however, hell tell you he was lucky to be driving a Tesla. As he writhed in the drivers seat, the vehicles software negotiated 20-plus highway miles to a hospital just off an exit ramp. He manually steered it into the parking lot and checked himself into the emergency room, where he was promptly treated. By nights end he had recovered enough to go home.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
The 56 groups that helped create the list by crowd sourcing the questions has asked for the candidates to answer the questions by September 6. (Photo: AFP)

Miami: A coalition of US groups representing more than 10 million scientists and engineers published 20 questions on Wednesday that they want every US presidential candidate to answer ahead of November's vote.

The questions range from how to support vaccine science, to defining the scope of America's goals in space, to the candidates' views on climate change and what would they do about it.

Stances on nuclear power, protecting the world's oceans, reducing the human and economic costs of mental illness, and the controversy over visa programs that allow highly skilled immigrants into the United States also feature in the list, made public by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

"Voters should have a chance to know where the presidential candidates stand," said Rush Holt, chief executive officer of AAAS, which publishes the journal Science.

"We want journalists and voters to ask these questions insistently of the candidates and their campaign staff."

The 56 groups that helped create the list by crowd sourcing the questions has asked for the candidates to answer the questions by September 6.

All are described by AAAS as non-partisan groups, including the National Academy of Sciences, the American Geophysical Union, the American Chemical Society and the Union of Concerned Scientists.

The effort was organised by ScienceDebate.org, which commissioned a national poll last that found 87 percent of Americans said it was important that candidates for president and Congress have a basic understanding of the science informing public policy issues.
The planes remained on the ground and the US avoided a potential nuclear weapon exchange with the Soviet Union. (Photo: PTI/ Representational Image)

Washington: A solar storm that jammed America's radar and radio communications at the height of the Cold War could have led to a disastrous military conflict with the Soviet Union, if not for the US Air Force's budding efforts to monitor the Sun's activity, a new study has found.

On May 23, 1967, the US Air Force prepared aircraft for war, thinking the country's surveillance radars in polar regions were being jammed by the Soviet Union.

Just in time, military space weather forecasters conveyed information about the solar storm's potential to disrupt radar and radio communications.

The planes remained on the ground and the US avoided a potential nuclear weapon exchange with the Soviet Union, researchers said.

"Had it not been for the fact that we had invested very early on in solar and geomagnetic storm observations and forecasting, the impact (of the storm) likely would have been much greater," said Delores Knipp, a space physicist at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

The US military began monitoring solar activity and space weather - disturbances in Earth's magnetic field and upper atmosphere - in the late 1950s.

In the 1960s, the Air Force's Air Weather Service (AWS) monitored the Sun routinely for solar flares - brief intense eruptions of radiation from the Sun's atmosphere.

Solar flares often lead to electromagnetic disturbances on Earth, known as geomagnetic storms, that can disrupt radio communications and power line transmissions.

The AWS employed a network of observers at various locations in the US and abroad who provided regular input to solar forecasters at the North American Aerospace Defence

Command (NORAD), a US and Canadian organisation that defends and controls airspace above North America.

On May 18, 1967, an unusually large group of sunspots with intense magnetic fields appeared in one region of the Sun. By May 23, observers and forecasters saw the Sun was active and likely to produce a major flare.

As the solar flare event unfolded on May 23, radars at all three Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS) sites in the far Northern Hemisphere were disrupted.

These radars, designed to detect incoming Soviet missiles, appeared to be jammed. Any attack on these stations was considered an act of war.

NORAD learned the three BMEWS sites were in sunlight and could receive radio emissions coming from the Sun.

During most of the 1960s, the Air Force flew continuous alert aircraft laden with nuclear-weapons. But commanders, thinking the BMEWS radars were being jammed by the Russians and unaware of the solar storm underway, put additional forces in a "ready to launch" status, according to the study.

However, the additional aircraft was not launched, and the researchers believe information from the Solar Forecasting

Centre made it to commanders in time to stop the military action, including a potential deployment of nuclear weapons.

The research appears in the journal Space Weather.
Sharan joins the Georgetown University from the University of Edinburgh where he served as honorary Hindu Chaplain since 2010. He will also serve as chaplain-in-residence to first-year students in New South Hall. (Photo: blogs.commons.georgetown.edu)

Washington: A top US university has appointed a first full-time director for Hindu Life in recognition of the growing number of Hindu students at the varsity.

"I am pleased to announce the appointment of Brahmachari Vrajvihari Sharan as Georgetown's first full-time Director for Hindu Life and the first Hindu priest chaplain in the United States," Rev Howard Gray, Interim Vice President for Mission and Ministry at university said.

Sharan joins the Georgetown University from the University of Edinburgh where he served as honorary Hindu Chaplain since 2010. He will also serve as chaplain-in-residence to first-year students in New South Hall.

"Sharan was drawn to Georgetown by its commitment to inter-religious student formation, and by the vibrancy of the university's Hindu community," Gray said in a blog post. The university has some 400 Hindu university and faculty members.

From its foundation in 1789, Georgetown, the nation's oldest Catholic and Jesuit university, has been open to students of every religious tradition, he wrote.

Sharan is a Senior Monk at Shri Golok Dham Ashram (Vrindavan and New Delhi) where he was initiated in 2003.

He subsequently completed ritual training at the Vishwanath Sannyas Ashram in both Varanasi and Delhi.

Since completing his PhD in Sanskrit at Edinburgh in 2015, Sharan has also served as Lecturer of Asian Religions at Cardiff University in Wales and Senior Teaching Fellow in Sanskrit at the University of London in England.

Sharan has been a major contributor to interfaith initiatives across the UK and is a Patron of the Hindu Forum of Europe, Gray said. Notably, Sharan is Georgetown University's second Hindu chaplain.

Pratima Dharan, the first Hindu chaplain resigned in January 2015 after three months of working at the university.

The Georgetown University Hindu Students Association welcomed the appointment of first full-time Director for Hindu Life in Campus Ministry.

"We are so thankful and appreciative of all the hard work and dedication that went into making this possible (both on behalf of the university and our fellow Hindu students)," the association said.

"I look forward to meeting each one of you wonderful, dynamic students when you return. In the mean time feel free to message me with any questions, or just say hi! If you're already on campus," Sharan said in a message to Hindu students.
Donald Trump suggested Second Amendment people could stop Hillary Clinton from winning the White House and picking new US Supreme Court justices. (Photo: AP)

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested that "Second Amendment people"  gun owners or those backing gun rights  could stop Hillary Clinton from winning the White House and picking new US Supreme Court justices.

It was not immediately clear exactly what Trump meant by his remarks, but US media and social media users quickly expressed concern that Trump was advocating, in jest or not, that Clinton or the judges could be assassinated.

"Hillary wants to essentially abolish the Second Amendment," Trump told a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, referring to the US Constitution's clause that enshrines the rights of Americans to bear arms.

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks," Trump said. "Although the Second Amendment people  maybe there is, I don't know."

The Trump campaign swiftly issued its own statement to clarify the brash billionaire's remarks, branding the media as "dishonest" and saying he meant that gun rights advocates were a powerful voting force.

"It's called the power of unification  2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power," senior Trump communications advisor Jason Miller said.

"And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it won't be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump."

But Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook blasted Trump for using "dangerous" language.

"A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way," Mook said.

The Republican nominee has repeatedly bashed his Democratic opponent for seeking to abolish gun rights.

Clinton has stressed she wants to impose stricter limits on gun sales so that weapons do not fall into the hands of people who should not have them, like criminals, the mentally unstable, or those on government terror watch lists.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, the state where 20 schoolchildren and six adult staff were shot dead by a deranged gunman at an elementary school in 2012, issued a stern rebuke of Trump for his comments.

"Was @realDonaldTrump suggesting his supporters shoot Hillary? Shoot her nominee? Who knows. It's all so disgusting and embarrassing and sad," Murphy tweeted.

"This isn't play. Unstable people with powerful guns and an unhinged hatred for Hillary are listening to you, @realDonaldTrump," Murphy tweeted.
Additionally, the deal would include 153 .50-caliber machine guns, 266 7.62mm M240 machine guns, smoke grenade launchers, armored recovery vehicles and a range of other hardware. (Photo: Representational Image/AFP)

Washington: The United States has approved the possible sale to Saudi Arabia of up to 153 tanks, hundreds of machine guns and other military gear in a deal worth $1.15 billion, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

The announcement coincided with news that Saudi-led coalition warplanes had resumed air strikes on Yemen's capital for the first time in three months, killing 14 people and shutting the airport after UN-brokered talks were suspended.

State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said she was "very concerned" by Tuesday's reports of casualties in Yemen, but she did not directly comment when asked if the State Department worried US weapons being sent to Saudi Arabia could be used against civilians.

"We regularly talk to our partners and our allies around the world. You know, civilian casualties are obviously of grave concern to us," she said.

According to the Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), Riyadh had requested the possible purchase of up to 133 American M1A1/A2 Abrams tanks that would be configured to Saudi needs, plus another 20 to replace damaged tanks in their fleet.

Additionally, the deal would include 153 .50-caliber machine guns, 266 7.62mm M240 machine guns, smoke grenade launchers, armored recovery vehicles and a range of other hardware.

The US State Department has approved the "possible" sale and notified Congress on Monday, the DSCA said.

"This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a strategic regional partner which has been and continues to be a leading contributor of political stability and economic progress in the Middle East," the DSCA said in a statement.

"The addition of these tanks and recovery vehicles to the (Saudi military's) inventory will enhance Saudi Arabia's ability to support its soldiers in the field and to defend the Kingdom's borders."

The Pentagon announcement made no mention of the conflict in Yemen, where the Saudi coalition intervened in March last year after Shiite Huthi rebels and allied forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh overran Sanaa.

Saudi Arabia also forms part of the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State jihadists in Syria and Iraq.
The government of Lianyungang suspended the selection of a location for a nuclear fuel processing plant after days of protests by residents.(Photo: Pixabay/Representational)

Beijing: A Chinese city said on Wednesday it would halt preparations for a possible Sino-French nuclear project after thousands of locals protested against it over the weekend, the latest official concession following environmental demonstrations.

After days of protests by angry residents, the government of Lianyungang said on a verified microblog that it would "temporarily suspend" selection of a location for a nuclear fuel processing plant.

Thousands of people massed outside government offices over the weekend, calling for the project to be cancelled on health grounds, and clashing with police, locals said.

French nuclear fuel group Areva in 2012 agreed to cooperate with state-run China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) to build a reprocessing facility in China, without stating the location.

Locals say that Lianyungang, a port city in the eastern province of Jiangsu, is a prime candidate, because a large new nuclear power station is being built by CNNC nearby.

The reprocessing project has reportedly been opposed by the US, which says it would harm efforts to limit the spread of materials that can be used in weapons.

Street protests against large projects have become a regular occurrence in China, sometimes causing climbdowns from officials.

Last year officials in China's Inner Mongolia region vowed to shut down several chemical plants after police were said to have used tear gas to break up environmental protests.

Huge protests in the northeastern city of Dalian in 2011 prompted authorities to announce the closure of another chemical plant, although it was apparently still operating two years later.

The Lianyungang protests highlighted local opposition to nuclear projects in China, which is increasing its atomic power capacity on a huge scale and encouraging state-run firms to build plants abroad.

Mainland China has 34 nuclear power reactors in operation, 20 under construction, and work is about to start on more, according to the World Nuclear Association.

Safety fears grew following a series of meltdowns at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant in March 2011 that were intensely covered by China's state-run media.
China wants the UNSC to issue a statement opposing the planned deployment of a US anti-missile defence system in South Korea. (Photo: AFP)

The United Nations Security Council has been unable to condemn the launch of a missile by North Korea that landed near Japan because China wanted the statement to oppose the planned deployment of a US anti-missile defence system in South Korea.

North Korea launched a ballistic missile last Wednesday that landed in or near Japanese-controlled waters for the first time, the latest in a series of launches by the isolated country in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions.

The 15-member council held a closed-door meeting on the same day, but has been unable to agree on a US-drafted statement to condemn the launch, which was almost identical to two previous statements issued by the council on North Korea (DPRK).

China proposed that the statement also say "all relevant parties shall avoid taking any actions which could provoke each other and escalate tensions, and shall not deploy any new anti-ballistic missile stronghold in Northeast Asia with an excuse of dealing with threats of the DPRK nuclear and missile programs."

Beijing has said Washington's decision last month to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system would only worsen tensions on the Korean peninsula.

China's UN mission also did not want the statement to express concern that the missile landed near Japan, telling council diplomats in an email, seen by Reuters: "We believe that the response of the council is based on violation of Security Council resolutions, not the place where the missile impacted."

Japan and the United States said they could not accept the proposed changes to the draft by China and on Tuesday dropped the bid for a Security Council statement.

"To propose that this council should criticise purely defensive steps that states have taken to protect their people from the DPRK's clear and repeated ballistic missile threats ... would be manifestly inappropriate and would send entirely the wrong message to the DPRK," the US mission to the United Nations told council diplomats in an email.

After the Security Council meeting last Wednesday, US Ambassador Samantha Power rejected suggestions the decision to deploy the anti-missile defence system in South Korea had provoked ballistic missile tests by North Korea.

North Korea has been under UN sanctions since 2006. In March, the Security Council imposed harsh new sanctions on the country in response to North Korea's fourth nuclear test in January and the launch of a long-range rocket in February.
Dubai: Iranian security forces may have pressured nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri, hanged last week for spying for the United States, to admit to crimes he did not commit, his mother said in an interview this week.

Amiri leapt to the global spotlight in 2010 when he claimed first that US agents had abducted him and then that he was in the United States of his own free will.

The same year, he returned to Iran where he was welcomed as a hero but then detained and tried on charges that he divulged nuclear secrets.

"When I was saying goodbye to him before his execution, he told me not to be sad as he had done nothing wrong," Marzieh Amiri told Reuters in a telephone interview.

"He asked me to tell everyone that he was innocent. He was saying his conscience was clear," she said.

Her son's closed-door trial was unfair and he was not properly represented, she said. She did not know the full name of the lawyer, who as a result could not be reached for comment.

"They should have held a public trial," she said. "I am not angry with the government or the Supreme Leader (of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei). I am angry with extremist security forces who were on his case, trying to prove he was a spy and who maybe forced him to confess to things he hadn't done."

Iranian judiciary officials could not be reached for comment. Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, spokesman for Iran's judiciary, told reporters Amiri received a fair trial and the case followed standard judicial procedure.

"He had contacted Iran's number one enemy, America, and had given our most secret and vital information to them," Mohseni Ejei said on Sunday, according to the state broadcaster.

I am an Iranian

In June 2010, Iranian state television showed Amiri, then 32, saying in a video he was in Arizona after U.S. and Saudi intelligence forces kidnapped him a year earlier during a religious pilgrimage abroad.

In a second video soon afterwards, Amiri said he was in the United States voluntarily and wanted to dispel "rumours" that had been spread about him.

"I am an Iranian, and I have taken no step against my homeland," he said.

As a young man with a talent for electronics in the Iranian city of Kermanshah, Amiri would tote his toolbox to friends' houses and fix their broken appliances, his mother said.

He won a coveted scholarship from the defence ministry to further his studies and eventually became a researcher in radiation safety at the defence ministry-affiliated Malek Ashtar University of Technology, visiting sites associated with Iran's nuclear program.

According to a US official involved in the case, the Central Intelligence Agency recruited Amiri in Iran and helped extract him using the pilgrimage.

But US officials had doubts about the depth of Amiri's knowledge and access to the most sensitive information.

Amiri was questioned, given a new identity and a home in Arizona, and paid around $5 million, the officials said.

However he began telling his handlers he missed his young son and wanted to return to Iran, though they warned he likely would face imprisonment or worse and might never see his son.

Arriving in Tehran in July 2010, he was greeted by his son, reporters and Iran's deputy foreign minister. Someone placed a wreath around his neck and he flashed a "V" for victory while clutching his son.

Clear conscience

Marzieh Amiri said her son was free on his return and even took a vacation in Iran with his family. "But one day they suddenly arrested him, when we followed up, (the security forces) said, 'It's for his own protection. He is our guest'."

He was held in isolation in Tehran, his mother said. His wife filed for divorce, and he became nervous and suffered from high blood pressure

"His loneliness was killing him," she said, adding she visited him once or twice a month. "He told me he prefers to die as he could not tolerate the isolation any more."

Last week, officials brought his corpse to Kermanshah. Rope marks on his neck indicated he had been hanged, his mother said.
New Delhi: Afghanistan has sought more military supplies from India including attack helicopters and US favours Indian support in enhancing Afghan security forces, a top American commander overseeing US operations in the war-ravaged country said on Wednesday.

India has already provided four Mi-25 helicopters to Afghanistan and US Commander General John Nicholson said the country needs more military aircraft to deal with Taliban and various other terror outfits.

Welcoming Indias contribution to restoring peace and stability in Afghanistan, Nicholson said terror outfits like Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad are not only a threat to Afghanistan but to the region including India. He said military training by India to thousands of Afghan security personnel has helped that country significantly which is in tune with the objective of the Nato and the US.

Referring to Pakistan, he said US consistently encourage Pakistan to take action against terrorist groups.
The additional measures include imposing a burqa ban, scrapping the possibility of dual nationalities and boosting the presence of police in trains, as well as at train stations and airports. (Photo: AFP)

Berlin: Germany's Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere is preparing to unveil a slew of new anti-terror measures, reports said today, after two attacks in July claimed by the Islamic State group.

The new measures to be announced on Thursday include speeding up the expulsion process for asylum seekers convicted of crimes, Bild daily reported, quoting anonymous security sources.

The minister is also planning to introduce "threat to public security" as a new reason for deporting migrants.

Doctors will also have their confidentiality obligations lifted in special cases that would allow them to inform authorities should their patient be a potential threat to the population, added Bild.

The tougher stance comes after the two attacks by migrants in the southern state of Bavaria -- an axe rampage on a train in Wuerzburg and a suicide bombing in Ansbach.

In Wuerzburg, the 17-year-old attacker was shot dead by police after injuring five people. In Ansbach 15 people were injured after a failed Syrian asylum seeker detonated his explosive outside a music festival, killing himself.

De Maiziere is also expected to sign off next week on a declaration with regional interior ministers from Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union and sister party Christian Social Union that calls for further security and anti-terror measures, according to RND media group which publishes more than 30 regional dailies.

These additional measures include imposing a burqa ban, scrapping the possibility of dual nationalities and boosting the presence of police in trains, as well as at train stations and airports.
Country

Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Canada Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cuba, Republic of Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Dominican Republic Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Haiti, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Jamaica Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Mexico, United Mexican States Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu US Virgin Islands Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
The unknown man chased a flight on the runway of Madrid airport in a hope to catch it in last minutes. (Photo: Videograb)

London: In a bizarre incident, a man breaching security protocols chased a flight on the runway of Madrid airport in a hope to catch it in last minutes.

A video-shared by ground crew at Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport- that has gone viral on Facebook shows an unidentified man breaking through the fire escape, picking his bag and chasing a Ryanair flight to Gran Canaria at the airport.

The incident reportedly took place on August 5 around 9.00 pm (local time), a day before the video surfaced on the airport's trade union Facebook page.

The 48-second video- which got 68 thousand views- criticised his actions and opined that passengers in Madrid "behave" similar way when they don't "arrive in time".

"This is how passengers in Madrid behave when they don't arrive in time for their flights. This particular passenger was missing a Ryanair's flight and, unbelievably, skipped several security protocols established by AENA in their airports," the post read.

The man, who was not named by police, was arrested upon reaching the Canaria Island in Spain. He was later released after he was cleared of any terror motives but would still face punishment for violating security protocols, the Guardian reported.
Steinmeier, a Social Democrat, had already compared Trump last week to a 'hate preacher''. (Photo: AFP)

Berlin: German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier believes Donald Trump becoming US president would be a "frightening" prospect for the world, his spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

Steinmeier "is not neutral" on whether the Republican candidate is fit to occupy the Oval Office, the spokeswoman, Sawsan Chebli, told reporters.

"He is of the opinion that it is frightening, if you follow Trump's remarks, what could become of this world if Trump actually became president," she said.

"The foreign minister is calling attention to that and that is his right."

Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokeswoman told the same news conference that she would stand by her policy of not commenting on the US election campaign.

Steinmeier, a Social Democrat, had already compared Trump last week to a "hate preacher", saying he had much in common with "fear-mongers" in Germany's right-wing populist AfD party as well as advocates of Britain's exit from the EU.

French President Francois Hollande said Trump makes "you want to retch" following the Republican's "hurtful and humiliating comments" against the Muslim parents of a slain US soldier who criticised the candidate.

Trump's bid to take the White House is reeling from a series of self-inflicted scandals after he disparaged Muslims, babies, firefighters and the military, prompting his Republican stablemates to issue awkward denunciations.

He stirred new controversy yesterday over comments interpreted by some as a threat of violence against rival Hillary Clinton.
Ankara: Turkey accused the European Union on Wednesday of "encouraging" the plotters on the night of the July 15 coup in an escalating row that has raised questions over Ankara's future relationship with the bloc.

A day after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a highly-symbolic visit to Russia, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkish people's confidence in the EU had "unfortunately fallen" in the wake of the coup, saying the bloc "failed a test" on the night of the putsch.

"Let me say openly, this is because the EU adopted a favourable position to the coup (and) encouraged the putschists," the minister told reporters during a televised briefing in the capital Ankara without expanding further.

He claimed support for the EU  which Turkey has sought to join since the 1960s  had plummeted to some 20 percent.

Relations between Brussels and Ankara have become increasingly strained since Turkey launched a crackdown, imprisoning and dismissing tens of thousands within the military, judiciary and education in the wake of the putsch, which it has blamed on US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen.

The EU has urged Ankara to act within the rule of law while condemning Erdogan for suggesting the country could bring back the death penalty, abolished in 2004 as part of Turkey's reforms to join the union.

Ankara has expressed astonishment that no EU official has visited Turkey in the wake of the coup.

Cavusoglu's comments came a day after Erdogan travelled to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin for the first time since Ankara downed one of Moscow's warplanes in November, triggering a diplomatic crisis between them.

It was his first foreign trip since the failed coup, but the foreign minister said it was not a move to turn Turkey's focus to the East.

"Our relations with Russia are not a message to the West. We worked very hard to have good relations with Europe for 15 years," he said, warning that any deterioration in ties would not be Turkey's fault.

"If the West one day loses Turkey  whatever our relations with Russia and China  it will be their fault."

Russia and Turkey would work together on military, foreign affairs and intelligence, he said, stressing that both were united in seeing the need for a political solution in Syria.
The German judges' associations have proposed that lawyers and judges should not be allowed to wear headscarves in courtrooms in order to maintain neutrality in courts.(Photo: Pixabay/Representational)

Two associations of judges in Germany have proposed that lawyers and judges should not be allowed to wear headscarves in courtrooms in order to maintain neutrality in courts.

The proposal has been made by the Association of German Administrative Judges and the German Association of Judges, and also the Ministers for Justice in the states of Baden-Wurttemberg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

According to reports, the two associations have called for ban not only on headscarves but on any external expression of religious belief as they believe it contradicts the purpose of a court  to carry out judicial duty of neutrality.

The neutral clothing of judges should act as an outward signal to all participants in the legal process that the court will objectively and impartially rule on their dispute according to the law. A law on dress codes must but not only be limited to the headscarf, but include other religious clothing or symbols, Sven Rebehn, director of the German Association of Judges, told the Rheinische Post.

The opposition to wearing of headscarves to courtrooms started after a 25-year-old trainee lawyer from Bavarian town of Augsburg filed a case against the Bavarian legal system for barring her from wearing hijab to court.

The Augsburg Administrative Court gave a ruling in favour of the woman, stating the ban was not legal and an attack on religious freedom. However, the call for ban on headscarves continues in parts of Germany.
Families of killed newborn babies gather outside the maternity ward at Yarmouk hospital in western Baghdad. (Photo: AP)

Baghdad: Fire tore through the maternity ward of one of Baghdad's largest hospitals on Wednesday, killing at least 12 premature babies, medical and security officials said.

Jassem Lateef al-Karkh, from the Baghdad health directorate, told reporters only seven babies could be saved and were taken to another ward in the Iraqi capital.

Health ministry spokesman Ahmed al-Rudeini told AFP the blaze at the Yarmuk hospital in west Baghdad was started by an electrical fault just after midnight (2100 GMT Tuesday).

"Twenty-nine women patients who were in the same ward were evacuated to other hospitals," he said.

Security services sealed off the area as forensic teams searched the gutted ward and angry relatives massed outside, waiting for information from the authorities.

Charred incubators could be seen outside one of the entrances to the hospital, access to which was strictly controlled by the police.

The grief of the bereaved parents and relatives was compounded by the fact that the babies' young age and the effects of the fire made it very difficult to identify the bodies.

Umm Ahmed came to Yarmuk on Tuesday when a close relative of hers gave birth. The baby died in the inferno and the mother suffered burns, she said.

"I am looking for our child, they told me 'go find him in the fridge'," said the middle-aged woman.

An official at Iraq's interior ministry confirmed the death toll from the fire, adding that three other babies were being treated for smoke inhalation.

Many of Baghdad's public hospitals are poorly maintained and offer sub-standard healthcare, forcing a number of Iraqis to seek private treatment or travel abroad.

The lack of adequate public services, such as quality medical care, electricity and water supply, has angered the public and led to a series of protests over the past year.

"The hospital is very old and doesn't have fire equipment," Karkh said.

The authorities were criticised in the aftermath of an attack in the Karrada district of Baghdad last month that left at least 323 people dead.

The truck bomb blast claimed by the Islamic State group sparked fires in shopping arcades on either side of the street that accounted for a significant proportion of the casualties.

Witnesses complained that the fire brigade was unacceptably slow in responding to the emergency.

Iraq is one of the world's top oil producers but conflict and endemic graft have prevented that wealth from translating into better living conditions for Iraqis.
Rapid Action Battalion spokesman Mufti Mahmud Khan said on Wednesday that the arrests were made in separate overnight raids in Dhaka. (Photo: Representational Image/ AFP)

Dhaka: Authorities in Bangladesh's capital have arrested six suspected members of a banned Islamist group blamed for recent deadly attacks, including one last month that killed 20 people.

Rapid Action Battalion spokesman Mufti Mahmud Khan said on Wednesday that the arrests were made in separate overnight raids in Dhaka. He said the suspects belong to the outlawed group Jumatul Mujahedeen Bangladesh.

The group is blamed for last month's attack on a restaurant in Dhaka that killed 20 people, including 17 foreigners. It also is blamed for a July attack on a major Eid prayer gathering north of Dhaka that left four dead, including two police officers.

Khan said the suspects told authorities during interrogation that they were preparing for another attack in Dhaka.
Soon after the incident, the now scrapped managing committee of the school had sacked Bakhta. (Photo: Representational Image)

Dhaka: A Bangladeshi court on Wednesday ordered a judicial enquiry into the public humiliation and assault of a Hindu school teacher allegedly at the behest of an influential lawmaker, rejecting a police report that failed to identify the culprits.

"The (High Court) bench rejected the police report expressing its annoyance....they (bench) simultaneously issued an order asking Dhaka's CMM (Chief Metropolitan Magistrate) to launch an judiciary enquiry to detect the culprits and submit the report by November 3," a court official told PTI.

He said that while passing the order the two-member bench comprising Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Ashish Ranjan Das called the police report "incomplete" and "inconclusive" as they failed to identify the offenders who humiliated in public headmaster Shyamal Kanti Bhakta of Piyar Sattar Latif High School of Narayanganj in May.

"The bench also criticised a magistrate who earlier took into cognizance the police report. The High Court said the magistrate did not apply his judicial mind in doing so," the official said.

Bhakta was beaten up in public apparently at the instigation of the school's now defunct governing committee which supported Selim Osman, an MP, who later ordered him to do sit-up holding his ears for allegedly making "derogatory remarks" about religion.

Police earlier this week submitted its report as ordered by the High Court earlier on a suo moto rule, saying their investigations found that Bakhta's public humiliation was an "unexpected situation" resulted from a rumour.

The report said Bakhta himself had described himself as well as Osman "victims of a situation caused by a rumour".

Soon after the incident, the now scrapped managing committee of the school had sacked Bakhta alleging that he "physically tortured students, received money in the name of teachers' appointment, made derogatory comments about Islam, remained absent without leave and used to be late at work".

But the government immediately reinstated the humiliated teacher and scrapped the governing body which had removed Bakhta.
The tribunal sentenced Sakhawat Hossain, a former parliament member belonging to the Jamaat-e-Islami party, to death on Wednesday. (Photo: Representational Image/AP)

Dhaka: A special tribunal dealing with war crimes committed during Bangladesh's independence war against Pakistan in 1971 has sentenced a former lawmaker to death and seven others to life in prison for murder and other crimes.

The tribunal sentenced Sakhawat Hossain, a former parliament member belonging to the Jamaat-e-Islami party, to death on Wednesday. He and one of the other defendants were present in the court. The six others were tried in absentia.

Hossain was a central committee member of Islami Chhatra Sangha, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami party at the time, and was accused of acting as a local commander of a group that aided Pakistani soldiers.

Bangladesh says Pakistani soldiers, aided by local collaborators, killed 3 million people and raped 200,000 women in 1971.
The PLA sent several Type-96B tanks to take part in the tank competition, the most watched part of the Russia-hosted International Army Games. (Photo: Representational Image/AFP)

Beijing: Rapidly modernising its military, China plans to make its third generation battle tank, the Type-96B as the pillar of its tank fleet, replacing most of its old models, official media reported on Wednesday.

Gao Zhuo, a military observer in Shanghai who has close contacts with the People's Liberation Army, told state-run China Daily that the excellent capabilities of the Type-96B qualify it to be the backbone of China's tank force.

"The Type-96B is the strongest variant of the Type-96 family and is truly an advanced, third-generation main battle tank," he said.

The PLA will use it to replace the old tanks such as the Type-59 and Type-69 models.

His remarks came as the Type-96B delivered impressive performances in the ongoing Masters of Automobile and Tank Hardware competition, also known as the Tank Biathlon, at the Alabino training range in Moscow, the Daily reported.

The PLA sent several Type-96B tanks to take part in the tank competition, the most watched part of the Russia-hosted International Army Games.

The eight-day individual part of the competition, which involved 54 teams from 17 countries, ended on Sunday, with the Chinese delegation scoring the highest.

All of the PLA's three teams were to compete in the semifinal that started yesterday.

By the end of last year, the Chinese military had more than 7,000 tanks in active service, including about 2,000 Type-96s and Type-96As, as well as about 600 Type-99s and Type-99As, so the majority of the PLA armoured force is still equipped with tanks made several decades ago, according to foreign military analysts.

The tank modernisation is part of overhaul of PLA's army, airforce and navy which are undergoing massive modernisation and organisational restructuring initiated by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

PLA which has the world's largest army comprising of 2.3 million personnel has an annual budget over USD 145 billion, next only to US defence budget.

Huang Guozhi, senior editor at Modern Weaponry magazine, said that despite the fact that Type-99 series tanks are more advanced, their high price and limited production capacity mean that it's unrealistic for the PLA to purchase and deploy them on a large scale.

"Therefore, the Type-96B, with a better price and satisfactory capabilities, is very attractive to the Chinese and foreign militaries. It is the best option for the PLA to modernise its armoured forces," he said.

According to an article posted by China North Industries Group Corp on its WeChat social media account, the Type-96B-compared with its predecessors in the Type-96 family-has a high-performance 125 mm smoothbore gun, an improved, more powerful engine, newly developed transmission gear and a state-of-the-art fire-control system.

Yu Shuo, a tank researcher in Beijing, said the Type-96B is among the latest achievements by the nation's land arms industry. He suggested that too much emphasis should not be placed on the results of the Tank Biathlon, as the experience gained is more important to the PLA.
Bangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia, center, waves at her supporters as she leaves a court after a hearing in Dhaka on Wednesday. (Photo: AP)

Dhaka: In a relief to Bangladesh's former premier and opposition leader Khaleda Zia, a court today granted her bail in nine cases, including one for sedition and others for a deadly transport blockade.

Metropolitan Sessions Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah granted bail to Zia in the sedition case filed by a Supreme Court lawyer over her remarks against liberation war martyrs.

Speaking at a discussion on December 21 last year, 70-year-old politician had "expressed doubts" about the casualty figures of the 1971 liberation war with Pakistan.

Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is a crucial ally of fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami, which was opposed to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan.

The ruling Awami League, 1971 veterans and members of the martyred families had sharply reacted to Zia's comments with some of them even calling her as the "agent of Pakistan".

The court granted Zia bail after she surrendered before it seeking the same.

Her supporters gathered outside the court and chanted anti-government slogans as she arrived at the court. Zia was granted bail in eight arson attack cases, filed with Draussalam Police Station, as well.

Zia, and 27 leaders and officials of BNP have been accused of instigating the firebombing in Dhaka as part of a deadly campaign against the government.

The attack took place during a nationwide blockade of roads, rail and waterways, which her party launched in an attempt to force Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and pave the way for new elections.

The protest triggered a wave of violence that left more than 120 people dead, as opposition activists firebombed hundreds of buses and trucks, and police responded by firing live rounds.

The court fixed October 10 for the next date of hearing in the sedition and eight arson cases.

She also appeared before Session Judges Court-2 that fixed September 8 for next hearing in a coalmine corruption case.

Zia said the cases filed against her were aimed at keeping her out of politics.

There are about 30 cases against the former two-time prime minister, mostly related to alleged violence and graft.

Last month, a court sentenced Zia's eldest son and heir apparent Tarique Rahman to seven years in jail after convicting him over a money laundering case.
A file photo of Taliban militants in Afghanistan's eastern province of Ghazni. (AFP photo)

Kabul: The Taliban's deputy shadow district governor Abdul Rahman and 13 other insurgents were reportedly killed in a military operation in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province on Wednesday.

Kunduz police said 21 other insurgents were also injured.

According to the police, the operation was conducted in Imam Sahib district of the province and was supported by the Afghan air force.

It added that two security soldiers were also killed and three others injured. No further details were provided by the police in this regard.
People light candles and pray for the victims at a site Monday's suicide bombing, in Quetta. (Photo: PTI)

Quetta: In Pakistan's most dangerous province, lawyers are a crucial force for justice. So when a bomb decimated Balochistan's legal class this week, it left a vacuum that some say will never be filled.

The mineral-rich province is plagued by roiling insurgencies, hit by regular militant attacks, and run by political leaders who are widely seen as corrupt.

The military, which has a growing stake in security as Chinese investment pours into the restive region, is accused of committing widespread abuses in the decades-long fight against separatist insurgents.

Balochistan is the deadliest province in Pakistan for local journalists, according to Amnesty International, and foreign media are effectively barred.

Lawyers are the only people shining a spotlight on the province's many problems.

Pakistan's lawyers have been in the firing line before, but Monday's massive attack -- which killed 72 and injured more than 100 -- was unprecedented in scale.

Some 200 members of Quetta's close-knit legal community had come to the provincial capital's hospital to mourn the fatal shooting hours earlier of a prominent colleague.

The bomb -- claimed by both the Pakistani Taliban and Islamic State -- tore through the crowd.

"We have lost the whole leadership," said Attaullah Langov, a former secretary of the Balochistan Bar Association.

The loss is a hole "that cannot be filled," he said.

Below are profiles of five victims who played a leading role in Balochistan's civic life.

Rights activist

Activist Sunghat Jamaldini was a member of the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan who had played an active role highlighting the plight of missing people in Balochistan.

Rights groups have accused the military of "disappearing" thousands of non-militant separatists, a charge routinely denied by army officials.

Jamaldini also fought for women's rights, an ongoing battle in deeply conservative and patriarchal Pakistan.

An active member of the bar association, he hailed from a political family, and was the son of Senator Jahanzaib Jamaldini of the Balochistan National Party.

'Dedicated' cameraman

Mahmoon Hamdard, a cameraman for Dawn TV, grew up in a slum outside Quetta, starting his career as a guard for a private security company where he was posted to the office of Dawn TV.

Fascinated by journalism, he badgered staff to join the editorial team, working his way up to the position of cameraman as he tried to finish his studies.

"He was very dedicated and committed," Syed Ali Shah, the Dawn TV bureau chief in Quetta, told AFP.

"He vowed to become a reporter... Hamdard would have risen high in the profession, had he been given the opportunity to live."

Hamdard's older brother died several years ago, and in line with Pakistani tradition he married his widowed sister-in-law in order to care for her four children.

"He fathered three more children in the marriage," Shah said. "Everybody is worried who will look after the widow and orphans now. Probably God."

Young reformist

Lawyer Adnan Kasi passed his bar exam in London in the early 2000s, becoming the youngest ever head of the Principal Law College in Quetta, where he introduced several reforms, including measures to combat nepotism and cheating.

He went on to found his own chambers and was practising in the Supreme Court.

Kasi was running for the position of secretary in the Baluchistan Bar Association elections, which were due to be held on August 13.

Anti-corruption vanguard

Lawyer Baz Mohammad Kakar was one of the first Baloch leaders of the lawyers movement to pledge his loyalty to former Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary.

Chaudhary had become an unlikely hero as the figurehead of a successful 2007-2009 movement to restore judges deposed by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in his bid to cling to power.

Kakar, a Supreme Court advocate, had spearheaded the movement in the province for two years.

Brother, friend, advocate

Abdul Rasheed Khokhar was a popular senior lawyer who was close friends with many in the lawyers movement against Musharraf.

The impact he had was aptly demonstrated by the crowd at his funeral beneath a scorching Balochistan sun Tuesday, where people from all walks of life travelled with relatives from outside the province to watch him laid to rest.

His elder brother Abdul Hameed was desolate.

"What can I say about my brother?" he asked. "The whole city is gloomy over the loss of almost the entire leadership of the legal community."
On a day when Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia met Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung for half an hour, his party colleague Kumar Vishwas called Jung an overlord and accused him of having political ambitions.





The Aam Aadmi Party leader also hit out at an alleged media statement of Jung in which he displayed no hesitation in admitting that he would consider dissolving the Delhi Legislative Assembly.



In the form of an LG, Delhi is suffering from an aristocratic overlord who is trying to dislodge the elected government of Delhi and take over control of the state government, Vishwas said.



The fact is that these are the Prime Ministers thoughts, being expressed through the LG, he said.



He said the AAP is of the firm opinion that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to dismiss the Delhi government and establish Presidents Rule, thus seizing control over D elhi illegally.



Like former Delhi Police chief B S Bassi, the LG seems to be interested in getting a reward for toeing the Centres line, Kumar said.



He is lowering the stature of the constitutional office by indulging in politics, said Vishwas.



Delhi government sources said Sisodias meeting with Jung was to discuss the coming Assembly session and also work out the details for sending files to Raj Niwas for seeking approval, that was not being taken earlier by the AAP government.



The AAP government has repeatedly expressed its displeasure over Jungs direction to send all files for approval.



Health Minister Satyendar Jain said the direction will be followed. But will this not delay work in the government? There are lakhs of files. Is it possible to send all of them to Raj Niwas? he said.



Earlier, Vishwas sent a strong signal that the ruling AAP would not quietly accept Jungs supremacy in the city.



Modi is using Delhi to test his dictatorial plans for the country, as though this were part of an experiment to be the conducted in the whole country. He should realise that the people of India will give him and his party a zero in the elections if he continues on this path, he said.



If he has any doubts about this he should field the LG in any constituency of Punjab, and if that prospect scares him, he can choose a safe seat for the LG in Gujarat. But there too the result will be the same, he said.


Congress today raised questions over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks about 'insaniyat', 'jamhooriyat' and 'Kashmiriyat' and said appeal should go out to Kashmiris from the "heart" rather than "lips" only to enable "integration of minds and heart".



As the Rajya Sabha took up a discussion on the prevailing situation in Kashmir, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad pitched for sending an all-party delegation to the valley besides an appeal by Parliament for end to violence which is being witnessed there for the last 33 days.



"We should appeal for peace and tranquility from here for better future of Kashmir. This kind of unison voice should go from Parliament. That apart, an all-party delegation should go there," the Congress leader said, adding the announcement regarding it should be made immediately as the session is coming to an end in two days.



Initiating the discussion, Azad said criticised the Prime Minister for his "delayed" comments on the Kashmir situation and said even those were made at a rally in Madhya Pradesh rather than in Parliament.



"We are discussing the Kashmir issue for the fourth time. The Prime Minister should come. The Prime Minister chose Madhya Pradesh to speak on Kashmir. He did not come to this House," he said, adding "Since when has Madhya Pradesh become the capital of the country?"



Azad took a swipe on Modi regarding his statement on 'Insaniyat (humanity), Jamhooriyat (democracy) and Kashmriyat, saying such statements only suited former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.



"Such words sound weird if it comes from someone who does not believe in them," he said.



The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir said such words should come from the "heart" and not only from the lips.



Referring to the oft-repeated assertion that "Kashmir is integral part of India", Azad said there should also be "integration of minds and hearts".



"...we are not feeling the love and affection, pain and agony, else the statement would not have come from Madhya Pradesh," the Congress leader said in an apparent reference to Modi's comments made at a rally yesterday.



"If it comes from the heart, it will reach Kashmir. It is mere lip-service and hence will not reach Kashmir," he said.



Azad said while Modi keeps sitting in his room in Parliament since morning to evening, he did not make any statement on Kashmir during the past three discussions on the issue in the House.



Azad said violence has increased in the valley ever since BJP has come to power in alliance with PDP, remarks which triggered a brief uproar as ruling party members reacted sharply.



He said successive governments have fought against militancy in the vallecy, but "perhaps you give statements for votes. You have only been indulging in fuelling the fire and not dousing it. Since the day you came to power, Kashmir is on fire...I don't want to go into reasons".



As members of the treasury benches objected to it leading to an uproar, Finance Minister and Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said the situation in Kashmir is "sensitive" and "therefore it is imperative, as far as possible, we speak in one voice".



He urged members from all sides not to touch historical issues where "we have difference of opinion.. This is not the occasion to discuss those issues.. Members should speak from the national point of view.



The Congress leader from the troubled state asserted that while there is an issue of separatism, "Kashmir is not communal, it is secular. There is a difference between seperatism and communalism."



Higlighting that Kashmir is a "complex issue", Azad said politics comes first, economic developement at second place followed by employment.



Taking a dig at the Prime Minister, Azad said, "He tweets if something happens in Africa. Even if something happens in our enemy country, Pakistan, he issues condemnation. It is not wrong to show sympathy if humanity is hurt anywhere in the world. But in our own country, when the 'Crown of India' is burning, does the heat not reach...he should have spoken."



Citing media reports, he said Modi spoke on Kashmir on insistance of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. "Had the CM not spoken. Even today, PM would not have spoken," he added.



Referring to Modi's comment that all Indians love Kashmir, the Congress leader said, "One should not love Kashmir for its beauty and nature alone. One should love people out there as well."



"Love the people who live there. Love the children who lost their vision due to pellet injuries...," he said while insisting on a political solution.



Talking about the 33-day-old unrest, Azad said things are not flowing from democracy but through the barrel of "guns, pellet guns".



He said there has been curfew for the last 33 days and thousands of people including civilians and security forces have been injured in the violence.



The problem in Kashmir is not a "normal law and order issue" like in any other state, Azad said, while underlining that the Centre should come forward to help the state as it is dependent on New Delhi for everything, including security, development and even salaries.



While talking about the continuing problem of Kashmir, he said a lot needs to be done to strengthen the relationship between the Centre and the state.

He wondered what happened to reports of various committees, including one headed by late Justice Shabir Ahmed, which made several recommendations for strengthening the integration.



"The report was submitted in 2009-10. Still nothing has been done," he said.

Earlier, Azad associated himself with the views of BSP leader Satish Mishra on Dalit issue and took a jibe on the Prime Minister for making statement on the issue from Telangana and not in Parliament.



Shamsher Singh Manhas, a BJP member from Jammu and Kashmir, criticised Azad, saying instead of talking about the real problems of Kashmir, he spent most of his time on criticising the Prime Minister.



He said he felt that pain of Kashmiris who were suffering as he contended that only a handful of people of the valley are playing in the hands of separatists.



Referring to the contention that the trouble in Kashmir is because of unemployment, Manhas said youth in Jammu and Ladakh, two other regions of the state, are also unemployed but they have not picked up guns and raised anti-India slogans.



"Jammu shares 500 km border with Pakistan. Everyday Pakistan does one or the other thing. ...55 per cent of population of the state lives in Jammu. More than 7 lakh youth are unemployed. Could they not have picked up the gun? Could not they have raised anti-India slogans? There is a difference between nationalism and separatism," he said.

Manhas said the same was true for Ladakh region.



To stress his point that only handful of people are influenced by separatists, he said 61 per cent of people voted in elections, which proves they have faith in democracy.

Insisting that locals in the Valley would have to fight the menace, Manhas said, "What is the reason behind turmoil? We should go into reasons."



Talking about the incidents of stone-pelting, the BJP leader wanted to know from where stones come and who provides them to youth. He said huge amount is spent on stone pelting.



He said the Modi government had taken a number of initiatives over the last two years, including announcement of a package of Rs 80,000 crore and decisions to set up institutions like AIIMS, IIT, IIM.



"Entire Kashmir is not in turmoil. You have Gujjars..... they are living peacefully. Separatists are creating entire turmoil. ...Handful of people are working on behest of separatists. Kashmir is not burning," he said.



He said Modi is following former Prime Minister Vajpayee's path for development of Kashmir.



"Every effort is made for development of J&K. Our government is constantly on the job," he said.



He also questioned Azad as to why people who came from West Pakistan in 1947 have not been given citizenship of India even though Congress ruled the country for nearly 55 years.



The BJP member called upon political parties to sit together and find a solution to the problem.




Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today jointly dedicated to the nation the 1,000 MW Nuclear Power Plant-I here, assuring it was one of the safest atomic plants in the world.



Speaking on the occasion through video conferencing from New Delhi, Modi said Kudankulum 1, an Indo-Russian project, was an important addition to the continuing efforts to scale up production of clean energy in India.



"I have always deeply valued our friendship with Russia and it is fitting that we jointly dedicate Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) Unit 1. This also signals our joint commitment to build pathways of partnership for green growth," he said.



Putin, speaking from Moscow, said it was a big event for all. "The power plant is updated with most modern Russian technologies. It is not just construction and commissioning of the power plant. It is well known that Russia is one of the world leaders in nuclear technology and we are glad to share with our Indian colleagues our technology," he said.



Joining the event from Chennai, Jayalalithaa said KNPP was a "monument commemorating the long standing, abiding and deep friendship between Russia and India and that she had supported implementation of the project, at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district, all through her 10 years in office".



The KNPP had been set up using the Russian VVER type reactors based on enriched uranium and its second unit was expected to start operations later this year.



The completion of the first unit was delayed in view of strident protests by local people, who raised safety concerns, before it became operational.



The Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) VVER-1000 had gone critical in July 2014 and the commercial operations started from December 31 the same year, with the unit coming to the aid of the then power starved Tamil Nadu.



The Cumulative Generation of Unit I since the date of commercial operation is 6,498 million units (MU) with its capacity factor peaking to 100 per cent in June this year.



The Prime Minister said the dedication of KNPP-I marked another historic time line in Indo-Russia relations. "In successful completion, it is not only another fine example of the strength of our special and privileged strategic partnership, it is also a celebration of our binding friendship. It is only a start of our cooperation in this field," he said.



Modi said five more units of 1,000 MW each would be built at the KNPP."Today's event is also a joyful occasion for the team of Indian and Russian scientists and technicians. We salute their dedication and hard work and congratulate them for the fruits of their labour," he said.



Jayalalithaa said nuclear power was "clean, green and firm power", which a rapidly growing state like Tamil Nadu, aspiring for higher growth rates and shared prosperity, really needed.



"The dedication of the KNPP is a major milestone in Indo-Russian cooperation. Throughout my 10 years in office as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu I have always extended support to the implementation of the Kudankulam project while at the same time laying focus on allaying the fears of the local people by convincing them about its safety," she said.



Noting that a nuclear power plant takes long time to be built and commissioned than conventional units, she said very high safety standards were needed to be observed.



"The smooth commercial operation of this project, overcoming many obstacles--economic, political and social, global, national and local--stands testimony to the unwavering commitment to the project of the governments of Tamil Nadu, India and Russia," Jayalalithaa said.



Successful commissioning of the project was an object lesson on how the fears and apprehensions of the local population could be and should be allayed through a process of engagement and reassurance and by building community assets and infrastructure, she said.



The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister recalled that when the commissioning of the first unit was getting delayed due to prolonged agitation by the locals, she had taken up the matter with Central government and the fears and concerns were heeded and addressed.


Sharing the pain of the suffering Kashmiris, Parliament today unanimously appealed to people of the valley to restore peace and harmony even as the government expressed readiness to hold talks with moderate groups and others and decided to call an all-party meet on Friday.





Home Minister Rajnath Singh declared that there is no question of handing over Kashmir to the Army, quashing rumours that are being spread "deliberately".



He also promised to consider sending an all-party delegation to Kashmir, responding to demands made in the Rajya Sabha which discussed the "prevailing situation" in the valley for over six hours.



Singh, while asserting that he was speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said an all-party meeting will be held on Friday on the Kashmir situation. It will be attended by the Prime Minister.



While replying to the debate during which demands were made for stopping the use of pellet guns, Singh said instructions have been issued to security forces to exercise "maximum restraint" but there will be no compromise on national security and pro-Pakistan slogans on the Indian soil will not be tolerated in any case.



With regard to dialogue with Pakistan, he said any talks on Kashmir will be about the territories under the occupation of that country.



"No power on earth can snatch Kashmir from us," he declared, while referring to letter of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the UN seeking 'plebiscite' in Kashmir.



At the end of the debate in which 29 members from across the political spectrum spoke, the Rajya Sabha unanimously adopted a resolution, saying: "This House expresses its serious concern over the prolonged turbulence, violence and curfew in the Kashmir valley."



It added that the House "conveys its deep sense of anguish and concern over the loss of lives and critical injuries caused by the deteriorating situation."



The resolution asserted that the House "is of the firm and considered view that while there cannot be any compromise on national security, it is equally an imperative that urgent steps are taken to restore order and peace for the alleviation of the sufferings of the people."



The House "earnestly appeals to all sections of the society in Jammu and Kashmir, to work for the early restoration of normalcy and harmony and unanimously resolves to restore the confidence among the people in general and youth in particular," it said.
British author, photographer and explorer Levison Wood took on an ambitious challenge to walk the length of the Himalayas from Afghanistan in the west to Bhutan in the east.





Over a six-month long journey which he undertook in 2015, Wood trekked around 1,700 miles during which he teamed up with local guides and met monks, soldiers and nomadic tribes. This journey was commissioned into a four-part documentary series for Channel 4 in the UK and is now being shown on Discovery Channel as Walking The Himalayas. In an email interaction with Jayashree Narayanan, the former British Army officer talks about his adventures, the TV series and what keeps him going.Excerpts:



How did you become an explorer?



I was fortunate to travel with my parents to different locations from early childhood. I still remember travelling across Europe and going for camping. It was probably those early experiences that gave me the inspiration to carry on. I went on my first independent travel, backpacking, at the age of 18 with a very limited budget and I travelled all around, including India.



Why the Himalayas?



In India, I have visited Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and all the places where backpackers usually go. I chose the Himalayas because it is a place that has always intrigued me. I have travelled through the Himalayas when I served the army. So I wanted to return to the Himalayas and experience them in a different way by travelling on foot through five different countries. And hopefully, try and show the viewers a side of the Himalayas that they havent seen before. This journey also gave me a chance to visit some old friends and meet the communities that I had visited almost 15 years ago.



Tell us about your journey.



I started my journey from Wakhan Corridor in Eastern Afghanistan and finished at Bhutans mystical eastern regions towards the worlds highest unclimbed peak and the countrys holiest mountain  Ghankar Puensem, which mountaineers are forbidden to climb. The route was quite arbitrary. It wasnt just a physical challenge but was also an exploration of what the Himalayas culturally mean to the people who live in the mountains. The idea of this series is to share the journey with an audience around the world and show the diversity of the regions and its people, places and cultures. So I chose Afghanistan in the west and Bhutan in the east as my start and end points. The monsoon rains did affect my speed and the onset of winter added to my troubles and I could complete my journey only in six months.



Any memorable moments?



While walking through the Wakhan corridor in north eastern Afghanistan, I met the chief of Kyrgyz tribe, who thought that I was an ISIS terrorist and had come to convert him, just because I was growing a beard. It was one of the funniest moments. Also, meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama was one of the most cherishing experiences of my journey through Himalayas.



What did you learn through the expedition?

I crossed war-ravaged territories, camped out in freezing conditions and was always welcomed by the natives. Countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan are generally in the news for the wrong reasons and are portrayed as dangerous and risky. I wanted to show that there is more to them  spectacular landscapes and amazing people.I documented the nomadic tribes in Afghanistan who still maintain a primal living. These people thrive in barren lands with bare minimum living facilities. They seasonally migrate from one place to another. I was amazed to know that most of the people in Kyrgyz tribe dont live beyond 40 years of age. So after seeing all this, it makes me feel grateful for what I have got and thats certainly what I learnt from my Himalayan journey.



Where do you seek inspiration from?



My inspiration is my passion towards travelling and going to unexplored places. I also draw inspiration from people who are staying in harsh conditions in these regions. It is important to keep a positive perspective.Walking The Himalayas airs every Friday on Discovery Channel at 9 pm.
The Punjab police said they have busted a Khalistan terror module with the arrest of three suspected militants who have links with the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF).





Pakistan-made weapons, ammunition and over a dozen bullet-proof jackets have been recovered from the suspects.



The police claimed that the suspects have links with at least two NRIs. The arrests were made in Punjabs Hosiarpur district. Investigation is underway to unearth details of the terror task they were assigned to execute ahead of the Independence Day, the police added.



Two NRIs have also been booked by the Punjab police in this case. The KLF was active during the separatist Khalistan movement in Punjab during the dark days of terrorism in the 80s. The accused NRIs are US and Italy based, it is learnt.



The police acted on intelligence inputs and kept track of call records to nab the suspects. The accused NRI duo first came in contact with one Jaspreet Singh who used to teach Sikh religious martial system (Gatka) at a Sikh shrine in the area. Jaspreet roped in two of his accomplice Hardeep Singh and Kuldip Singh, for the task. The accused NRIs provided money to the suspects, it is alleged. More names of Khalistan sympathisers could emerge at the end of the interrogation of the accused.
A Dalit girl was reportedly not allowed to drink water from a hand pump installed at a temple by the priest in Uttar Pradeshs Sambhal district, about 400 km from here.



The incident occurred just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his anguish over atrocities committed against Dalits in some parts of the country.



According to the reports, the father of the girl was attacked with a trishul (trident) by the priest, when he tried to reason with the latter and asked him to allow his daughter to quench her thirst. Reports said that Charan Singh, a Dalit labourer had gone to the fields with his 13-year old daughter for cutting grass on Monday morning. A little later, his daughter felt thirsty and went to the nearby Dunda Baba temple at Gangurra village to drink water from the hand pump installed in its premises.



The priest of the temple Puran Singh and his associate Nattha Singh Yadav reportedly asked the girl not to touch the hand pump telling her that she, being a Dalit, could not be allowed to drink water from it.



The thirsty girl pleaded with the duo to allow her to drink, but they did not relent.



The girl returned and informed her father about the incident. Charan Singh then approached the priest and tried to reason with him without any success. Reports said that the priest and his associate also attacked him with a trident, inflicting injuries on the poor labourer.

7 held for thrashing Dalits



Two Dalits who were skinning a dead cow and the driver of a three-wheeler were brutally beaten by locals in Amalapuram town of East Godavari district, in Gajwel, on Monday night, DHNS reports from Hyderabad.



This incident happened in less than twenty-four hours of prime ministers call to cow vigilantes to stop attacks on Dalits. Local farmers who were searching for their missing cows mistook the duo for cow thieves and tied them to a tree and beat them up.



All the 7 people involved in the incident are currently under police custody.


As the strike and curfew continued for the 33rd day on Wednesday, there was no let-up in protests in Kashmir even as the police claimed the situation was improving following massive deployment of forces throughout the Valley.



Reports said six protesters were injured in clashes that erupted in Lalpora area of north Kashmirs Kupwara district. Two more protesters were injured in Lassipora area of Sogam in the same district during clashes.



One of the injured youth, whose spleen ruptured after being hit by a teargas shell, has been shifted to Srinagar for advanced treatment.



Reports said scores of people, in a novel way of protest, rowed their boats across river Jehlum in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district in south Kashmir. Around 50 boats with Pakistani flags, carrying more than 100 people, cued up on the banks of river Jehlum at Urnahall village early in the morning. In Srinagar, doctors dressed in white aprons with one eye blind-folded showing solidarity with patients, who have lost their vision to the pellet injuries, staged a sit-in in the lawns of Government Medical College, Srinagar.



The doctors, while protesting against the killing of civilians, demanded an immediate end to the use of pellet guns.



Lok Sabha seeks PMs statement



The Opposition Congress asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise the Lok Sabha of the situation in Kashmir, DHNS reports from New Delhi.



Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge asked Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to call the prime minister to the House and issue a statement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi came under strong attack in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday during a debate on the unrest in Kashmir.





The Opposition rebuked the government for not consulting them and demanded that they must be involved in finding a solution to the crisis and also asked for an all-party delegation to visit the state.



The Opposition demanded ban on the use of pellet guns and demanded starting a political process.



They expressed deep concern over the hardships faced by the people of the state during the curfew imposed since the last 32 days.



Attacking Modi, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad Azad said words like insaniyat (humanity), jamhuriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat (socio-cultural consciousness) does not suit Modi.



Such statements only suited former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Such words sound odd if it comes from someone who does not believe in them, he said.



Azad also slammed Modi for making a delayed statement, that too from Madhya Pradesh. The pain should come from the heart, not from lips to reach the people of Kashmir, he said.



Azad claimed that there might be a demand for a separate Kashmir, but there is no communalism.



Almost 95% of the people killed by militants are Muslims.



There is a difference between communalism and separatism. Kashmir is secular, he said. The Rajya Sabha, where the government is in a minority, debated the issue for the second time.



Trust deficit



CPM leader Sitaram Yechury also sought an end to pellet guns and demanded initiating a political process.



String of betrayals over the years has resulted in trust deficit with the people of Kashmir, he said.



While Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav held Pakistans ISI and militants responsible for misleading youth and wanted a strong action against Islamabad, Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav said a war will not solve the problem.



BJP MP Shamsher Singh Manhas demanded that Jammu and Ladkah regions should also be considered while discussing the Kashmir problem.
The state Cabinet has decided to award a compensation of Rs 30 lakh to the kin of Chikk amagaluru Deputy Superintendent of Police Kallappa Handibag who committed suicide on July 5.





Addressing mediapersons in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Minister T B Jayachandra said Handibags wife Vidya will be given a job (Group C) on compassionate grounds. Many legislators had sought that the government compensate Handibags family and also provide a job to his family member. Hence, this decision, he added.



Release of prisoners



The Cabinet also resolved to free convicts who are serving life term in various jails in the state on Independence Day.



Based on their good conduct, it has been decided to release 320 convicts this year, including 272 male convicts who have served 14-year jail term and 48 female convicts, who have served 10-year jail term.


A court here on Wednesday remanded five doctors of the Dr L H Hiranandani Hospital to police custody till August 13 for their role in a kidney transplant racket.





The five doctors, CEO Dr Sujit Chatterjee, medical director Dr Anurag Naik, Dr Mukesh Shete, Dr Mukesh Shah and Dr Prakash Shetty, were arrested by the Powai police on Tuesday night and produced before the magistrate's court in Andheri.



So far, 14 people have been arrested by the Powai police, who have been investigating the case for nearly a month now.



According to the remand application, in view of the kidney transplantations that have been carried out in the past and the incriminating documents recovered, besides statements of the other accused, the custodial interrogations of the doctors were necessary.



Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashok Dudhe said the Powai police seized documents from the hospital and also relied on the report of the director of Health Services. We have found that the doctors were negligent and also did not follow the laid-down procedures under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, he said.
Veteran BJP leader and Legislative Council Chairperson D H Shankaramurthy (in pic) is likely to become the Governor of Tamil Nadu soon.



A source in the party said BJP National President Amit Shah had a discussion with Shankaramurthy in Delhi in this regard recently.



Shah reportedly told him that the announcement would be made after the conclusion of the ongoing Parliament session. If things go as planned, the Centre is likely to announce his appointment by the end of this month.



If it becomes a reality, Shankaramurthy would become the second politician from the district to become governor.



Earlier, Justice M Rama Jois, who hails from Thirthahalli taluk, had served as governor of Jharkhand and Bihar when the NDA government was in power at the Centre.



Now, Shankaramurthy, who is a member of Legislative Council from South West Graduates constituency, is likely to become governor of the southern state at the age of 76. His term as member of the Legislative Council ends in 2018. He has been representing the constituency in the Council since 1988.



He had also served as minister of Higher Education and leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council. Sources in the party also stated that he is likely to become governor of Tamil Nadu as the term of current governor Konijeti Rosaiah comes to an end on August 31.



Speaking to Deccan Herald over the phone, Shankaramurthy said, A week ago, the party national leaders held talks with me in Delhi. I have been asked to be prepared for a new responsibility. However, the state was not specified. I am waiting for the announcement.




They say old habits die hard. It turned true for 44-year-old Irom Sharmila Chanu, the human rights activist from Manipur on Wednesday when she forgot to have breakfast in the morning, a day after ending her 16-year fast.





Iroms epic protest was to press the Centre to repeal Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act clamped on the state.



Honestly speaking, it was only when the doctor came for the morning check-up and pointed out to me that I am no more on fast that I remembered about food. I had honey with water, also had Horlicks and Chabon, Manipuri gravy ricethe day passed off smoothly, Sharmila said during a chat with DH in the 300 sq ft cabin in the special ward of the Jawahar Lal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) in Imphal.



It is in this small cabin that Sharmila was kept under medical observation for 16 long years, while she was force fed through a nasal tube.



Sharmila accepted the fact that her love for boyfriend Desmond Cutinho, a Goa-born British national, was a key factor in the change of her mind.



There are many factors which influenced me, that very love issuewell, that is also a factor. It helped me understand that I have to be an embodiment of change and thats why I am changing my strategy. I realised the ineffectiveness of my style of protest, she said.



The Iron Lady of Manipur gave up her fast after a local court in Imphal gave her bail on personal bond in a case of attempt to suicide, under which she was arrested. Sharmila has also announced that she is going to contest elections. She said she wants to become Manipurs chief minister to repeal AFSPA.



This decision did not go well with the civil society groups as well as the general public, who have kind of abandoned her. On Tuesday evening, after her release, she went to stay at different places but faced opposition and had to return to the same special ward where she had sacrificed 16 prime years of her life.



I remained confined here, in this room for 16 years without much public support. Supporters surrounding me cheated me by interfering with my writings, books, as if in actuality it was written by them. They always used my confines to push their agenda in my name and make others believe, said Sharmila, making this startling allegation while explaining why she changed her mind.



Asked how she would contest polls without political backing and popular support of voters, Sharmila shot back: How does media know if I have political backing or not? I still have people who love and understand me.



Sharmila said her family, particularly her brother Irom Singhajit, and womens organisations did not accept her new stand.



They do not want change themselves. I believe in real democracy which is absent in Manipur. Dirty minds lead to dirty politics. Thus, change is required. Before announcing my new step, I did inform the UCM and told them to inform the Manipuri mothers whom I want to consult about my new step. I hope they will change their mindset. Their views on my personality were absolutely incorrect, Sharmila said.
River Krishna and its tributaries Doodganga, Vedaganga continued to be in spate in Belagavi district on Wednesday.





However, the water flow in the rivers has marginally receded following decrease in the outflow from the reservoirs in Maharashtra.



As many as five bridges continued to remain under water in Chikkodi taluk. Traffic on these bridges has been affected for the past couple of weeks. Meanwhile, Belagavi city received light rains on Wednesday.



On the other hand, with the release of 2.30 lakh cusecs of water from the Almatti reservoir, vast tracts of land in several villages on the banks of River Krishna have been inundated. Farmers said that their crops were being destroyed whenever water is released from the dam every year.



They have sought the government to declare their land as submerged permanently or pay suitable compensation for crop loss.



The present rate of compensation  Rs 1,000 to Rs 4,000 per acre  do not cover even the money spent on growing crops, they said.



The Almatti dam had reached the maximum level of 518.40 metres. The Sheelahalli bridge in Lingsugur taluk of Raichur district continued to remain under water for the second day.




A number of Kannada medium students from neighbouring states were felicitated in the city by the Kannada Development Authority (KDA).





Y Vannursav, a student from Kowtharlam in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, scored an 87% in his class 10 examination and was visibly pleased with being recognised. I want to become an engineer and want to get into the technical field, a beaming Vannursav added.



As many as 58 students from Andhra Pradesh, 14 from Telangana, 30 from Tamil Nadu and six from Goa were felicitated on the day.



KPA president Dr L Hanumanthiah said if Kannada medium students are not brought together in the next 10 years, 20,000 schools will have to be shut down. Every year two lakh students are shifting from Kannada medium to English medium. To prevent this, mother tongue has to be made compulsory till class 5. Because of the new language policy, the number of Kannada medium schools in Tamil Nadu and other states has come down, he regretted.


Additional chief secretary Mahendra Jain has recommended systemic improvement, transparency and online processing of applications for building plan approvals in his report to the state government.



Based on Jain's recommendations, the government suspended 13 serving officers, while ordering booking of criminal cases against 20 people, including seven retired officers. These officers colluded with builders and realtors, which resulted in the disappearance of stormwater drains and deluge in parts of Bengaluru in the recent downpour.



The onus to make the report public is on the government. I have made certain recommendations to make the plan-sanctioning procedure more transparent, said Jain.



He said online processing of files in order to minimise delay in giving approvals and global-positioning system (GPS)-based coordinates along with revenue sketches (village maps, tippani and RTC) should be a must for field visits before approving any residential and commercial project.



These measures are essential to check the presence of nalas (drains), tanks etc., said the additional chief secretary.



The enquiry against the officials will continue, said Jain, adding that he had submitted a preliminary enquiry report, based on file inspection.



We dont want innocent people to suffer alone. Those responsible for diluting the rules and regulations should also face the music, said Jain.



Regarding compensation to the property losers in the ongoing demolition drive, Jain said the civic agencies which gave approvals will have to deal with it. Jain denied charges that only soft targets are falling prey to the ongoing drive and not the high and mighty.



We have to make a beginning somewhere. There is no question of sparing anybody. Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) has given an unequivocal direction to raze all structures that are built on stormwater drains, said Jain.



Cases booked against 7 retd officials: CM



Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said criminal cases have been booked against seven government officials who had retired from service for their involvement in encroachment of stormwater drains in Bengaluru.



Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said of the 20 officials against whom action has been ordered, seven had retired from service. Criminal cases have been registered against these seven officials as the government can no longer suspend them. Those in service will also have to face the music. They have been suspended and disciplinary action as per law will be initiated against them, he said.


The Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) had written to the state government four years ago, urging it to provide surveyors to secure stormwater drains (SWDs) from encroachment, but the government chose to consign those missives to the dustbin.



Sources in the BMTF said the trigger for seeking surveyors were the toilets built by the BBMP on a stormwater drain at Cambridge Layout near Halasuru, paving the way for others to encroach upon it. The BMTF had booked a case against a BBMP engineer under various sections of the IPC and the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964.



There was a High Court order, based on a public interest litigation filed by advocate S Umesh, against the rampant encroachment of SWDs. The court had directed the BBMP to demolish all the structures on the drains. The BMTF used the High Court order to book the BBMP engineer.



Further, the BMTF officials wrote to the government about the rampant encroachment of stormwater drains and canals across Bengaluru and insisted that measures should be taken immediately to save the city from possible flooding as had happened in 2008. The BMTF had asked for 10 surveyors initially, but following cold response from the government, it insisted on at least two surveyors. The government kept mum.



Had the government acted upon our request immediately, the situation would not have worsened as we see today. The construction and demolition of many houses would have been prevented, said a senior police officer.



In 2014, BMTF booked a case against a prominent hotel on Vittal Mallya Road for encroaching on the SWD and using the space as basement for parking vehicles.



We were flooded with complaints about the encroachment of the SWD. A majority of such complaints were against the top builders and politicians. In the absence of surveyors, we could not proceed further, said the officer. He added that at least 55 cases were registered by the BMTF between 2011 and 2014.



Guv enquires about demolition



Governor Vajubhai Vala on Wednesday enquired BBMP commissioner K Manjunath Prasad about the ongoing demolition drive against properties that have come up on stormwater drains (SWDs).



Vala sought the details, when Prasad along with Shankar, the Bengaluru Urban deputy commissioner, called on him to invite him for the Independence Day function.



Sources said during the meeting with the two officers, Vala recalled his days as mayor of Rajkot, Gujarat.



He is said to have advised the officials to give more time for meeting the public than entertaining councillors.


Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathy Raju has promised to consider the Karnataka government's request to shift the Karnataka Flying Training School at Jakkur (Benglauru) to Mysuru airport.





During his meeting with Karnataka Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayaraddi here, the Union Civil Aviation minister said that he was positive about the idea and would ask the officials to study the proposal immediately.



Jakkur Flying School has stopped its operation and the state government wanted to shift it to Mysuru so that institution can run properly. It will also help to use the Mysuru airport, which is now underutilised, Rayaraddi told reporters after the meeting.



Rayaraddi also promised the Centre to provide land if the Civil Aviation ministry plans to open Aeronautical Engineering Institute in Mysuru.



The state government also requested the Railway Ministry to start courses in railway engineering in the engineering colleges in Karnataka. In his memorandum to Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, Rayaraddi also promised to provide building and land to start such courses and setting up other establishments in existing engineering colleges in the state.


The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is adopting the Karnataka Forest Departments technological model to strengthen patrolling and keep round-the-clock check on tigers across the country.





The NTCA is launching M-stripes, a software on the lines of Huli and Hejje software being used by the department to monitor the movement of frontline staff and wildlife animals in tiger reserves of Karnataka.



The decision to introduce M-Stripes in all tiger reserves in India was taken at a review meeting of forest officials and the NTCA in July, G Ranga Rao, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Project Tiger, Mysuru, told DH. The NTCA was impressed with the technological advances made by Karnataka in monitoring tigers and wanted them to be emulated across India.



The M-stripes software will be installed on Android phones and given to frontline staff, including members of the Anti-Poaching Camp (APC). They will carry the hand-held device everywhere, updating direct tiger sightings and pug marks. The data fed will be accessed by forest officials of the respective states and NTCA officials.



The software is being developed by the Wildlife Institute of India. A demo on the software will be given to heads of all tiger reserves in South India in the first week of September at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Rao said. The Karnataka Forest Department had introduced the Hejje software around four years ago to monitor the movement of frontline staff and those stationed at the APC. Hejje is an improved version of Huli software, and enables officials sitting in the departments head office in Bengaluru to monitor the movement of frontline staff. While Huli is used on hand-held GPS devices, Hejje is accessible on Android phones.



Six Indian states had shown interest in adopting Hejje and Huli software. After the introduction of M-stripes, all software could be integrated into a single device. While other states will have to buy devices to use the technology, in case of Karnataka the software will be integrated into the existing devices, Rao added.


A 19-year-old student was injured in a clash between two groups at Plan B pub in Ashok Nagar in central Bengaluru on Tuesday afternoon.





The victim Pradeep, a resident of Banaswadi is a BCom student at a private college. The incident occurred around 1.30 pm when Pradeep and his friends were at the pub for lunch, said the police.



A few youths picked an argument with Pradeep over a trivial issue.



The situation turned tense as Pradeep's friends rushed to his rescue. When the other group tried to manhandle Pradeep, his friends retaliated.



In the melee, Pradeep suffered a minor injury in his face, said the police. The pub manager Jyotish called the police. However, both the groups had left the place before the police arrived.



MLA speaks



Shanthinagar MLA N A Haris son Umar and his friends were also present at the pub when the incident occurred.



There were reports that Umar had assaulted Pradeep. However, Haris denied this.



My son was present at the pub when the two groups had an argument. But, he was not involved in the incident. He did not attack anyone, the Congress MLA told Deccan Herald.



He said Umar intervened to calm down the situation. Haris said that he would not protect Umar if he was really involved in the attack and, had advised Umar against involving in such activities.



The pub manager Jyotish too said Umar was not involved in the clash.

Umar and his friends had been to the pub as it had announced 50% discount on food.



Statement



Meanwhile, Pradeep appeared before the Ashok Nagar police on Wednesday night and made a statement.



He said a few youths manhandled him and he fell after he was pushed. He did not know who assaulted him, Pradeep said in statement.



He told the police that Umar was present at the pub, but he did not know if Umar was involved in the attack. Pradeep told the police that he did not want to lodge a complaint.

Hence, the police did not register a case.



Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Sandeep Patil has directed the ACP (Halasuru Gate) to obtain the CCTV footage for analysis.


A 62-year-old Indian who was on board the Emirates plane that crash-landed here last week won $1 million in a lottery on Tuesday.





Mohammad Basheer Abdul Khadar was among the 300 people on board the Emirates flight EK521, which crash-landed and burst into flames at the Dubai airport last Wednesday.



The Indian expatriate in Dubai struck gold on Tuesday when his lucky ticket number 0845 was drawn in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire at Concourse A, Dubai International Airport, fetching him $1 million (3.67 million dirhams), Gulf News reported.



Khadar had purchased the ticket on Eid en route to Thiruvananthapuram for a vacation with his family.



A fleet administrator with a car dealer group in Dubai, Khadar had made it a habit to purchase a raffle ticket whenever he travelled home. Khadar became a millionaire after purchasing his 17th ticket, just four months before he was due to retire, he told the daily.



I have been working in Dubai for 37 years, and I have always felt like this is my country. I live a simple life, and now that its my time to retire, I feel like god gave me a second life when I survived the plane crash, and blessed me with this money to follow all this up by doing good things, Khadar said.



Khadar said he plans to return to India after retirement to find a job that involves helping people in need. He wants to help children in Kerala who are in need of financial help and medical support.



I am blessed to have finally won at the Dubai duty free zone and cant wait to share the news with my family. If you ask me about my plans, I obviously want to help the children in Kerala who are less fortunate than others and need some financial help and medical support, he said.



Khadar, a grandfather, earns 8,000 dirhams (Rs 1,45,212) a month. However, he had to struggle to provide treatment to his son, now 21 years old, who was paralysed after an accidental fall just 13 days after his birth.



I had to spend a lot of money on his treatment. Some years ago I had to take a loan of Rs 18 lakh for a major surgery. I have managed to pay it back, said Khadar.



He said he was thankful for his job which also helped him get his daughter married.


August 10, 2016 - Hsinchu, Taiwan -- Jim Lai, President of Global Unichip Corp. (GUC), the Flexible ASIC LeaderTM, announced his retirement during a Board of Directors meeting on August 4. He cited personal reasons for his decision.

Mr. Lai was named President of GUC in 2003 and firmly established the company's focus on technology and its customer-first strategy. He was actively involved in expanding the business and in improving operational efficiency. Mr. Lai guided GUCs successful IPO in November of 2006 and led the company's rise to becoming the global semiconductor design service leader in terms of revenue. His outstanding achievements have received wide acclaim.

The GUC Board of Directors expressed their appreciation for Mr. Lai's contributions and wished him well in his future endeavors. At the same time, they appointed Dr. Ken Chen as President to succeed Mr. Lai. Dr. Chen will officially begin his responsibilities on September 1.

With nearly 24 years of semiconductor industry experience, Dr. Ken Chen is eminently qualified to lead GUC. He assumes his new position after serving as Senior Director of Business Development at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), where he also held a variety of management positions at TSMC North America and TSMC Japan. Prior to joining, TSMC, Dr. Chen worked at Intel and after earning his PhD in Materials Science & Engineering from Stanford University.

About GUC

GLOBAL UNICHIP CORP. (GUC) is the Flexible ASIC LeaderTM who provides the semiconductor industry with leading IC implementation and SoC manufacturing services. Based in Hsinchu Taiwan, GUC has developed a global reputation with a presence in China, Europe, Japan, Korea, and North America. GUC is publicly traded on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under the symbol 3443. For more information, visit www.guc-asic.com.






Thank you for reading!

To read this article and more, subscribe now for as little as $1.99.
The US investigation into its activities in Uzbekistan has prompted MTS to sell its majority holding in Uzbek operator Universal Mobile Systems (UMS) to the countrys government.

The Russian operators activities in the market had been linked to corruption, resulting in an investigation being launched in November last year by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and SEC.

The probe was part of a broader inquest into corruption allegations relating to three of the countrys operators  MTS, TeliaSonera and VimpelCom. MTS in particular was singled out by the DoJ over a claim that the operator bribed a government official in order to enter the market.

MTS confirmed in a statement that its entire 50.1% holding has been acquired by the State Unitary Enterprise Centre of Radio Communications - the branch of Uzbekistans IT Ministry that owns the remaining half of UMS. The Russian firm originally obtained the stake for free in 2014. The divestment means that MTS will have to write roughly RUB3 billion ($46 milllion) off from its Q3 results.

Andrei Smelkov, MTS VP and director of the operators foreign subsidiaries business unit, confirmed: Due to a variety of business reasons and other circumstances, MTS decided to sell its stake in the joint venture UMS LLC.

According to reports, the US investigation was not a deciding factor in the decision to sell up.
The telecoms ministry in South Africa has taken legal action against the countrys regulator after it proposed selling spectrum worth over $1 billion.

Having initially threatened a legal challenge last month, the ministry has now initiated proceedings in an attempt to block the proposal by ICASA (Independent Communications Authority of South Africa). The regulator has confirmed that it will respond to the challenge, along with operators Cell C, MTN, Telkom SA and Vodacom.

Last month, ICASA called for parties to register their interest in bidding for spectrum, with the reserve price set at ZAR3 billion ($210 million). Policy disputes at government level have led to the auction process being delayed for the past five years, and telecoms minister Siyanbonga Cwele reacted to the proposal by stating that no policy direction had been decided for the spectrum issued by ICASA.

Cwele added that ICASA had been hasty in inviting bids as the spectrum in question would not be immediately available. A ministry statement claimed that blocking the sale of spectrum has become necessary in order to prevent irreparable harm which unsuspecting interested parties may suffer in the licensing process which this court could ultimately find unlawful.

The ministry stated that ICASA should not hold the auctions  which it had earmarked for January - until the policy document was approved, noting that at this stage an auction would deter new players from entering the market. The deadline for demonstrating that the order should not be approved by a South African high court is August 26th.
An agreement reached by the EU and China in 2014 regarding the sale of telecoms equipment in EU member states could be under threat.

The 2014 dispute arose when European vendors argued that their Chinese rivals were able to undercut them in both China and the EU, alleging that Huawei and ZTE were receiving subsidies from the Chinese state in order to offer their low prices.

After the EU agreed not to impose import tariffs on equipment made by these Chinese vendors, China in turn committed to fostering even competition between Chinese and overseas vendors, and a settlement was reached. However, there are now claims that China is not holding up its end of the deal.

The settlement was supposed to result in the creation of an independent watchdog to monitor the equipment markets in China and the EU, as well as preventing dubious practices such as dumping  saturating the market with massively underpriced products.

However, the proposed watchdog was never established, despite two years having passed since the settlement was signed. Reports have pinned China as an obstacle to this, with the countrys government unwilling to provide funding for the body as well as reluctant to agree that panel members should have no government ties.

EU officials claim that the lapsed terms of the settlement demonstrate that the European bloc lacks leverage over China. At the time of the dispute, several EU countries were hesitant to lend their support to the imposition of import tariffs for fear that they would lose out on trade with China. Vendors in particular were concerned about potentially missing out on the Chinese market.

Huawei has hit back against claims that its products are in any way inferior to European ones, with the CEO of the vendors Swedish subsidiary, Kenneth Fredriksen, saying: Were not winning business on price anymore.
An investigation by Associated Press has revealed that Samsung is in cahoots with South Korean authorities to withheld information on deadly chemicals used in their chip and display factories.

Technology stalwart Samsung has been accused of withholding information from its South Korean factory employees, about the hazardous effects of chemicals used in their chip and display manufacturing facilities. This information comes to light with a supporting investigation conducted by the Associated Press.

The AP report states, An Associated Press investigation has found South Korean authorities have, at Samsung's request, repeatedly withheld from workers and their bereaved families crucial information about chemicals they were exposed to at its computer chip and liquid crystal display factories. Sick workers are supposed to have access to such data through the government or the courts so they can apply for workers' compensation from the state. Without it, government officials commonly reject their cases.

Workers in Samsungs South Korean factories have reported numerous health problems due to chemicals used during various processes of manufacturing chipsets and displays. Hwang Yu Mi, a Samsung factory worker who worked on chemically bathing Silicon wafers, died of leukemia at the age of 22. Post Yu Mis death, her father, Hwang Sang-gi, asked that the government investigate health hazards at Samsungs semiconductor factories. Now as per APs report, when Hwang sued after his first claim for government compensation was denied, he struggled to get details about the factory environment. A government document he received about his daughter's workplace had a section for listing the chemicals used there, but that space was left blank because Samsung did not release that information to worker-safety officials. Moreover, Sang-gi also claims that Samsung offered him 1 billion dollars in 2007 for staying silent, and asked him not to pursue a case regarding his daughters death.

AP has also found that the justification for not releasing this information has been stated as trade secrets, by Samsung. Although when asked for an official comment, Samsung told the news agency that it had never intentionally blocked information from workers. However, further investigation into documents from courts and the labour ministry revealed that Samsung had asked the South Korean government not to disclose information on chemical exposure. A letter addressed to regulators, signed by the companys CEO, states, it is feared that the technology gap with rivals at home and overseas would be reduced and our company's competitiveness would be lowered. For that reason they are trade secrets that we treat strictly as secrets, we request not to disclose.

Samsung is the largest company in South Korea, with more than 100,000 employees. Information on hazardous working conditions have so far been hidden from 10 factory workers.

Header image courtesy: AP
Going to university was a costly regret for 37% of UK graduates with just 156 spare to spend each month according to a report by Aviva.

The insurance company has released a report called Generation Regret on Wednesday, highlighting the finances of the millennial generation.

Of the those between the ages of 18-35, 49% believe they could have got to where they are today without their degrees. The research was published days before hundreds of thousands of A-level students find out whether they received the grades they require to get into university.

A third feel they have to carry more of a financial burden for higher education than older generations. University fees have tripled to 9000 compared to 3000 six years ago. Millennials between the ages of 18-24 estimated it will take them 12 years to pay off their student debt, with 18% are hoping it will be wiped out completely in future.

An overwhelming majority of graduates (72%) are relying on one-off events to help them financially at some point in the future. For 36%, this will be a new job or promotion, while 30% are relying on being given money either such as through a family inheritance, 12% expect to receive a financial gift and 17% are hoping to win the lottery. A total of 48% of millennials borrow money from their parents in order to cover living costs such as food shopping and rent.

The financial hangover from university has led many in this age group to question whether in hindsight they made the right decision and how much value it has brought to their current position. With relatively low disposable incomes and significant debt to tackle, millennials dont have it easy when managing their finances, said Avivas customer propositions director, Louise Colley.

Over one in three millennials feel their generation has been priced out of the property market with 40% of them renting a place to live and 52% living with family. Recent research by the Resolution foundation found that millennials will pay as much as 53,000 in rent before their 30th birthday. House prices have risen by more than a quarter from 166,606 in 2006 to 211,230 this year according to the UK house price index. Thus, 4% say that not being able to buy a house is their single biggest worry for the next five years.

The EU referendum has taken its toll too, leading to a spike in the number of those concerned about their financial futures to 48%, compared to 25% before the vote.

Millennials are plagued with uncertainty about the outlook for their financial futures, an issue which has not been helped by the uncertainty of todays economic and political climate said Colley

Colley gives advice on millennials financial woes can be dealt with in the short term.

Learning how to manage their money effectively and prioritising saving where possible  even if it is just small amounts  can help people to feel more confident and in control of their future prospects. Industry and government must also take steps to reduce the gap in financial confidence between young and older people with policies that help those struggling to achieve their goals said Colley.

The study was condemned by universities which cited the 86% satisfaction rate found by the annual national student survey covering the same period. They also argue that Avivas findings were based on a narrow survey of 2000 people aged 18-55 as part of its family finances report.

Official statistics from the governments 2015 Graduate labour market statistics show that graduates are more likely to be in work and earn much more than non-graduates over a working lifetime. The wage gap within the working population between graduates and non graduates is 9500 and within the younger population is 6000.

The National Union of Students (NUS) has condemned the governments policies on financing higher education. The 9,000 fees system is a failed experiment and has not driven up quality or sustainably funded institutions as promised. We urgently need to review this unsustainable funding system which will force students into a lifetime of debt said NUS president Sorana Vieru.
Crude oil futures dropped following the release of better-than-expected weekly stockpile data Stateside and a raft of new reports pointing to higher global supplies.

The latest set of weekly figures from the Energy Information Administrations revealed a build of 1.1m barrels in US commercial crude inventories, against a forecast for a 1.75m-barrel fall from analysts at S&P Global Platts.

However, gasoline and distillate inventories fell by 2.8m and 2.0m barrels, respectively.

That sent West Texas Intermediate crude oil down by 0.92% to $42.38 per barrel and saw Brent fall 0.65% to $44.69 per barrel at 1620 BST.

EIA revises US oil output forecasts higher

In a separate report, also released on Wednesday, the EIA predicted US output would rise to an average at 8.73m barrels a day this year and 8.31 barrels a day for 2017. Those forecasts were up from its previous projections for 8.671m per day and 8.2m a day, respectively. Last year, US producers produced an average of 9.4 barrels a day.

Nonetheless, analysts at Unicredit found those forecasts too optimistic given the restrictions to a futher possible expansion.

While a slight recovery is quite likely, since rig count numbers have recently increased again, we think that the EIAs prediction is rather optimistic. The number of oil rigs have increased by 65 since May 2016, but there are still 289 oil rigs fewer than the previous year. The oil price is simply too low to allow for bigger growth rates, the brokers commodity strategist Jochen Hitzfeld said.

Riyadh sets new record for production

Saudi Arabia, the worlds largest oil producer, boosted its oil output to a record 10.67m barrels a day in July, according to the oil cartels Monthly Oil Market Report which was released on Wednesday.

That fed market chatter that the lynchpin of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries was intent on heading off Irans

own drive to recover its pre-sanctions level of production.

In turn, that raised concerns that major oil producers might not be able to agree on measures to curb growth in the global supply of oil - given their history of not being able to come to an agreement - at their upcoming meeting in Algiers next month.

Increased oil production by OPEC countries and those outside the bloc, such as the US and Russia, over the past two years, had contributed to supply glut that dragged prices down to as low as $26 a barrel in February 2016.

According to OPEC, low oil prices could persist into the foreseeable future due to supply exceeding seasonally slow demand.

Gasoline consumption was expected to taper off in the US with the summer vacation driving season coming to an end. With the end of the driving season in the third quarter, gasoline demand could see a seasonal downward correction, the OPECs Vienna-based research department said.

Nevertheless, the organisation predicted that world markets would rebalance themselves towards the end of the year with consumption picking up in the Northern Hemisphere with winter approaching.
The Bank of England said it would look to make up for the previous session's lacklustre results at a reverse auction to purchase 1.17bn of long-dated Gilts during the second half of its extended programme of quantitative easing.

In the previous session, which was just the second day of its second QE programme, the BoE received offers for just 1.17bn worth of Gilts maturing in at least 15 years time.

Tuesday's shortfall was interpreted by some observers as a first stumbling block in the monetary authority's attempt to convince investors to part with such instruments, although some analysts believed it was just the natural result of poor summer-induced liquidity conditions in the market.

Some institutional investors, such as pension funds or insurance companies, have been under intense pressure to find sufficiently safe long-term assets to match their very long-term liabilities.

To take note of, perhaps, some analysts highlighted how the BoE opted not to make up the shortfall on Wednesday, which might be a possible indication of caution on its part.

Details of the purchases would be unveiled on 3 November, the BoE said.

On 3 August, the Monetary Policy Committee decided to pursue another 60bn in Gilt purchases in order to forestall risks to the economy in the aftermath of the referendum vote.

As of 09:47 BST the yield on the benchmark 10-year Gilt was lower by five basis points to 0.536%, having hit an intra-session low at 0.528%.

In parallel, the yield on German Bunds of similar maturity was off by two basis points to 0.097% and that on the equivalent US Treasury note by another two basis point as well at 1.5315%.
NCC Group said its chief financial officer Atul Patel has resigned from the board with immediate effect and will leave the group in February next year, possibly before if his successor is appointed.

The company, which provides cyber security and risk management services, said the search for Patels replacement has begun.

Chief executive Rob Cotton said: "On behalf of everyone at NCC Group, I would like to thank Atul for his valuable contribution to the business over the last five years.

"He played a key financial role as we have grown the business organically and by acquiring a range of small and more recently, large businesses around the world.

At 0907 BST, NCC shares were down 4.6% to 329.10p.
Shares in G4S surged after the security company reported a jump in earnings and revenue for the first half as it said it has made substantial progress with the ongoing transformation of the group.

In the six months to the end of June, earnings were up 43.8% to 69m as revenue grew 3.2% to 3.5bn. In the UK and Ireland, however, revenue dropped 1.9% to 563m.

Peppa Pig owner Entertainment One gained after saying it has rejected a takeover offer from ITV that values the company at 236p per share.

The board of eOne has reviewed the proposal and has unanimously rejected it on the basis that it fundamentally undervalues the company and its prospects, the Toronto-based film and TV distributor said.

Payment solutions provider Paysafe  known as Optimal Payments before it merged with competitor Skrill in August last year  advanced after it posted a rise in first-half profit as it upgraded its guidance for 2016 revenue and adjusted earnings.

In the six months to the end of June, pre-tax profit rose sharply to $74.6m from $4.6m in the first half of 2015 as revenue grew to $486.7m from $223m. The year before, the group had incurred costs related to the reverse takeover of Skrill.

B&M European Retail was firmer after Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock to overweight from equalweight.

The bank said: With an increasingly credible international growth story, we think the shares are now looking very attractive.

Centamin was higher following its results for the second quarter to 30 June, as it said EBITDA was up 51% on the first quarter to $101.6m.

Regus slumped as Numis downgraded its stance on the stock to hold from buy following the companys first-half results, saying the shares are up with events.

The workspace provider said on Tuesday that first-half profit rose 7% to 84.3m on revenue of 1.08bn, up from 937m in 2015. However, it warned of softening revenue growth in some of its markets.

NCC Group was on the back foot after saying its chief financial officer Atul Patel has resigned from the board with immediate effect and will leave the group in February next year, possibly before if his successor is appointed.

Risers

G4S (GFS) 223.70p 14.37%

Entertainment One Limited (ETO) 237.50p 9.20%

Paysafe Group (PAYS) 420.40p 7.49%

OneSavings Bank (OSB) 225.00p 4.41%

B&M European Value Retail S.A. (DI) (BME) 273.10p 3.49%

Keller Group (KLR) 885.00p 2.67%

Ocado Group (OCDO) 302.80p 2.64%

Inmarsat (ISAT) 867.00p 2.60%

Centamin (DI) (CEY) 176.00p 2.56%

Sophos Group (SOPH) 232.10p 2.56%

Fallers

Regus (RGU) 302.90p -5.64%

NCC Group (NCC) 328.90p -4.61%

JRP Group (JRP) 95.10p -3.89%

Amec Foster Wheeler (AMFW) 505.00p -3.07%

CYBG (CYBG) 257.70p -2.97%

Rathbone Brothers (RAT) 1,787.00p -2.67%

HICL Infrastructure Company Ltd (HICL) 177.30p -2.58%

Wetherspoon (J.D.) (JDW) 869.00p -2.41%

Zoopla Property Group (WI) (ZPLA) 301.90p -2.39%

CLS Holdings (CLI) 1,363.00p -2.36%
Jobs or no jobs, developers kept city property-tax abatements

Columbus routinely offers tax abatements to businesses pledging to create jobs, but when those promises aren't kept there are usually no consequences.
Subscriber content preview

California voters will decide whether to lower some drug prices, while Coloradans will vote on a state version of a single-payer system.



By RICARDO ALONSO- ZALDIVAR

Associated Press

WASHINGTON  Moving beyond Obamacare, political activists are looking to state ballot questions to refocus the nation's long-running debate over government's role in health care.

This fall, California voters will decide whether to lower some prescription drug prices, while Coloradans will vote on a state version of a single-payer government-run health system, similar to what Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders proposed in his unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.





. . .
Subscriber content preview

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP)  Northern Idaho authorities say a 600-square-foot treehouse featured on a cable program about treehouses lacks a building permit.

The Coeur d'Alene Press reports in a story on Tuesday that treehouse owner Paul Buttars failed to respond within 45 days to a violation notice sent by Kootenai County officials.





. . .
Seattle's Bush School buys Mazama property

The 20-acre site and four buildings will house a new environmental learning program for the K-12 school.





Journal Staff Reporter By LYNN PORTER Journal Staff Reporter

Last month, Steve Bondi and Kim Romain-Bondi sold North Cascades Basecamp in the Methow Valley to The Bush School of Seattle, which will use it for a satellite campus.

Steve Bondi declined to give the sale price for the property, which includes 20.5-acres, four buildings and parking at 255 Lost River Road in Mazama.

North Cascades Basecamp's lodge, bed and breakfast, and retreat center will close Aug. 15, he said.

Basecamp has operated in the valley for 35 years, and the Bondis have owned it since 2010. It was a cross-country ski lodge and trailhead-warming hut for the upper valley trail system, and also hosted naturalist tours, kids camps, school field trips, community soup nights and natural history presentations.

Steve Bondi and his wife listed the property, which has rustic and energy-efficient buildings, for sale 1.5 years ago. He said they have been doing everything from facility maintenance to business operations, but want to get back to working in their field  biology  and on land conservation and environmental education. We're available for hire, he said.

The Bush School is a private K-12 institution with about 640 students.

A representative from the school was not available to comment about its plans.

The Bondis included a welcome letter from the head of Bush School, Percy Abrams, in their regular newsletter that said the new Mazama satellite campus is a natural extension of Bush's 92-year history of experiential education.

Abrams said it will give students an immersive experience and allow the school to strengthen its core curriculum. Students will be able to have unique wilderness opportunities and engage with the Methow Valley community.

Bush students will work on-site with faculty, naturalists and outdoor educators from Okanogan County.

Abrams said Basecamp will become a residential program for Bush, and let students learn about the region's environment, history, culture, arts, agriculture and economy.

With more than 150 nonprofits in the Valley, the Methow is a natural learning environment for community engagement in fields such as environmental sustainability, irrigation and erosion, trail restoration, arts education, civic politics, and sustainable farming, Abrams said. The Mazama Satellite Campus will inspire a new generation of environmental stewards who will protect the natural beauty and resources of our region and the world.

The Bondis, in their newsletter, said some things will not change with the sale. There will still be public access to recreation trails and the Methow Conservancy's conservation easement will remain on 20 acres of riparian and floodplain habitat.





Lynn Porter can be reached by email or by phone at (206) 622-8272.




Pack your sunnies and your swim shorts. Its time to hit the beach.

Europes cultural capitals grace bucket lists across the globe, but when it comes to sun and sand, the continents seaside sites are often passed over for tropical options. You know the big ones  the thundering clubs of Ibiza, the stunning colours of Corfu and Mykonos, the lavish yachts of the French Riviera  and the rest, well, who cares? Youre going to Paris anyway. Your tan can wait for Thailand.

Navagio Beach | Zakynthos, Greece

Its time to stop sweeping the charms of Europes coasts and islands under the rug. From Turkey, to Portugal, to Croatia, and even Iceland, the continent is blessed with a variety of dazzling places to lay your towel. When youre ready to explore the best beaches in Europe, try one of these quality strips of sand.

Anyone familiar with Instagrams travel hashtags will recognise this dreamy Greek destination. Navagio Beach, also known as Shipwreck Beach, is a firm favourite with users of the social network and its easy to see why. The Greek island of Zakynthos looks like a locale out of Neverland, except instead of Captain Hook and his crew, the only ship to be seen is a rusted, half-buried wreck that ran aground in the 80s. While you could happily spend all day dipping in the turquoise cove, its beauty is best appreciated from atop the soaring limestone cliffs that surround it.

Oludeniz Beach | Fethiye, Turkey

Behold, one of the most photographed beaches on the Mediterranean. Turkeys Oludeniz Beach has two main claims to fame. Number one: its an official Blue Flag beach, which means it meets exceptionally high environmental and quality standards. The seawater is famous for its striking cerulean shades. Number two: its regarded as one of the best places on the planet to paraglide. Stable weather conditions and the height of nearby Mount Babadag offer ideal launch conditions, and your reward for taking the plunge is a breathtaking panoramic view.

Rabbit Beach | Lampedusa, Italy

Despite its remote location, this Italian beach was named the best in the world by TripAdvisor users in 2013. Praise for Rabbit Beach ranges from the restrained (worth a visit) to the ecstatic (I have never seen such an amazing beach!!!). Visitors call it perfect, gorgeous, exotic, and magically more beautiful in person than in photos. Tempted? Youll find it far off the coast of Sicily, closer to Tunisia than Italy. Be on the lookout for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle. The island is one of the last remaining egg-laying sites for the endangered species.

Praia da Marinha | Algarve, Portugal

If youve looked at a Portugal travel guide, youve seen Praia da Marinha. The beachs golden cliffs have graced many a tourism campaign and become one of the countrys most iconic images. And the accolades dont stop there. The Portuguese Ministry of the Environment bestowed the distinguished Golden Beach award on Praia da Marinha for its outstanding natural qualities. Even the Michelin Guide got in on the action, calling it one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in Europe and one of the 100 most beautiful beaches in the world.

Calanque dEn Vau | Cassis, France

Away from the celebs and resorts that usually nab the regions headlines is this hidden gem in the South of France. Diminutive Calanque dEn Vau is guarded by the countrys highest sea cliffs, making it accessible only by boat or a determined pair of hiking boots. Those who arent deterred by the effort it takes to arrive are treated to a secluded patch of sand and water that turns a sensational shade of green when the sun hits it right.

Black Sand Beach | Vik, Iceland

Iceland: not the first place that comes to mind when you picture a balmy beach holiday. Youre partially right. Balmy it isnt, but what the country lacks in UV rays and palm trees it makes up for in moody, dramatic scenery. The beach in Vic boasts black sand and towering basalt columns. Throw in a serious helping of mist, and you have a landscape that looks otherworldly. Legend has it that the beach is home to the petrified remains of trolls, though youre more likely to see one of the local puffins than a mythical creature.

Playa de Ses Illetes | Formentera, Spain

The Balearic island of Formentera is the quiet cousin of Ibiza. After partying on the neighbouring isle, revellers in need of respite escape to Playa de Ses Illetes for R&R. Thats not to say the beach is boring. In addition to being beautiful, Playa de Ses Illetes is packed with sunbeds, close to top-notch fish restaurants, and especially beloved by nudists. Strip off and stay awhile (just make sure you havent missed any bits in your sunscreen application).

Zlatni Rat Beach | Brac, Croatia

Its hard to pick a single beach from Croatias generous selection, but Zlatni Rat stands out for its view of Hvar and its unusual shape  a shape that changes depending on the tide, current, and wind. The waters surrounding the pebble beach are cool and remarkably clear, inviting swimmers, stand-up paddle boarders, and jet skiers to take a dip. Zlatni Rat is a favourite destination for windsurfers who make the most of the afternoon gusts. Visit one of the nearby windsurfing schools if youd like to join their ranks.
Russian antitrust regulator initiates suit against Apple, Russian resellers

Russia's federal antitrust regulator has initiated a suit against Apple and a number of Russian smartphone retailers, over alleged price-fixing of iPhones.

According to the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service (FAS), it was investigating to discover whether or not Apple and 16 Russian resellers agreed to lock iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus prices beginning in October 2015. According to the regulator, the prices were stable across the board and over a significant period of time.

FAS said it considered such a coincidence could be the outcome of a negotiation between Apple and local resellers.

"Resellers set their own prices for the Apple products they sell in Russia and around the world, Apple said.

The head of the anti-monopoly unit of the FAS, Andrei Filimonov, previously affirmed that his unit was studying the possibility of iPhone price-fixing.

According to Filimonov, the culprits could be fined 15 per cent of iPhone sales revenue.

With the relations between the US and Russia at a low not seen since the Cold War, US businesses in Russia are constantly under fire. The sanctions by the EU and the US against Russia after its annexation of Crimea in March 2014 further exacerbated the situation. Hitting back, Russia embargoed a number of food products from the EU and the US.

Two years ago, Russia's state consumer regulator temporarily shut 12 McDonald's restaurants and 100 more had to undergo thorough sanitary inspections. McDonald's Corp said in 2015, that its expansion in Russia would continue.

With Russia's increased focus on placing curbs on human rights, tech companies slowly emerged as the regulator's preferred target.

The Russian government aimed to exercise full control over Russia's mainly unfettered internet, which put it at odds with tech industry representatives.

In 2014, Russia passed a law, forcing foreign internet companies, such as Twitter, Facebook and Google to store Russian users' personal data on servers from within the country.
Beijing is clearly keeping a wary eye on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Vietnam on his way to China to attend the G-20 summit next month. The stop is significant, as it comes amid raised tensions over the South China Sea (SCS), which are likely to be discussed when Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visits India this week. Modi's visit follows the 12 July international tribunal verdict that favoured the Philippines over China on rival claims in the SCS. Vietnam, which has similar claims over the controversial ''9-dash line'' has had a cautious reaction so far, but there is growing speculation that it would consider a similar case against China over its energy rich maritime boundaries that India also has a stake in. An article in the state-owned Global Times indicated that Modi's Vietnam visit and India's reaction to the SCS ruling was on the top of the agenda. ''India may want to avoid unnecessary entanglement with China over the South China Sea debate,'' the article published on Tuesday said, adding that ''It is puzzling that India is focusing on the South China Sea issue at this moment, a move that might risk unnecessary side effects to Sino-Indian ties.'' The Prime Minister's Vietnam visit is being seen as a part of a perceptible shift in India's policy towards the SCS, with sharp references to China's aggression in the region made during Modi's visit to Japan, and his meeting with the Vietnamese Premier in Delhi in 2015, as well as in the Indo-US joint vision statement on the Asia-Pacific last year. Since then, India and China's bilateral ties have deteriorated considerably over border tensions, China's support to Pakistan on terrorism issues and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, its stand on India's membership of the Nuclear Suppliers group and on Beijing's growing military ties in South Asia which India views with suspicion. In June, defence minister Manohar Parrikar had met with the top Vietnamese leadership including the President, Prime Minister, and his counterpart defence minister General Ngo Xuan Lich in Hanoi where many of the details that could be announced during PM Modi's visit were discussed. In particular, discussions over the possibility of supplying Vietnam the Indo-Russian Brahmos cruise missile are expected to be taken forward. However officials cautioned that the talks over Brahmos, that have attracted wide international publicity, were more in the nature of ''discussions, not negotiations at this stage''. Much of Vietnam's defence hardware, like the T-54/55 tanks and Mi 7/8 helicopters, trace back to Soviet era purchases, which also makes India particularly suited to Parrikar's aim of ''leading Vietnam's military modernization,''. Sources said the finalisation of contracts under the $100 million credit line that was given to Vietnam when Premier Nguyen Tan Dung visited Washington in October 2014, is expected to be announced in September, sources said. During Parrikar's visit, the Vietnamese Border Guards had handed over a bid to Larsen and Toubro for patrol boats. From Hanoi, Modi will fly to the resort town of Hangzhou where leaders of the world's top economies will gather for the G-20; he is expected to meet US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Both meetings will mark their first since India failed to win membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, and the future of its NSG bid is likely to be discussed during both bilaterals. Modi will then fly to Vientiane in Laos, to attend the ASEAN-India summit, as well as the East Asia summits on September 6-8, both important to the government's ''Look East, Act East policy'', officials said.








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 Italy Slaps Volkswagen With Massive Fine Over Emissions Scandal oi-Dennis James

Italy has slapped German automaker Volkswagen with a massive fine for allegedly misinforming car buyers about diesel emissions results.

The Italian anti-trust agency has fined VW the highest fine that it can impose, 5 Million (Rs.37.28 Crores). However, VW plans to challenge the fine at an administrative court.

The anti-trust agency has fined the German carmaker for misinforming its customers about its usage of software that tricked emissions test results.

Volkswagen had in September, admitted to fudging emissions tests of its diesel vehicles by using software that forced the engines to switch to a mode that ensured they emitted less of the toxic fumes by cutting down on the power levels as well.

Italy has become only the second country to impose such a large fine after the United States. Volkswagen had agreed to a $15.3 billion (Rs. 1.02 Trillion) settlement with US authorities over the emissions scandal in June.

VW is still facing criminal investigations in the United States, Germany and South Korea (where it is banned from selling most of its cars.
Home Off beat Carmakers May Face Hefty Fine, Maybe Even Jail For Breaking The Rules oi-Abijith Vilangil

The newly proposed amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act might make automobile manufacturers pay a high penalty if they are caught cheating on emission norms or using components that don't meet the industrial standards.

The penalties for such could be as high as Rs 100 crore or a year in jail, or maybe both.

The bill, yet to be tabled in Lok Sabha, aims to introduce strict rules in the transport sector.

According to the present Act, any manufacturer who offend the rules by fitting components that don't comply with standards shall be punishable with a fine of up to Rs 1,000 for the first offence and Rs. 5,000 if repeated.

Government-authorized vehicle testing agents will provide the type approval certificate for each crucial component of the vehicle and the companies are asked to comply with these norms.

The road transport ministry has made provisions for mandatory recall with fine. Complaints of faulty spares or cheating emission tests can trigger such a recall.

At present, the automobile companies in India follow voluntary recall policy and there is no penalty decided for such acts.

The bill will also vouch for a penalty up to Rs. 1 lakh if anyone is caught selling spurious spare parts.

via ET Auto
Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain.

Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred.

For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here.
The Census debacle last night highlights what not to do in business. At the height of a system malfunction when millions of Australians couldnt log on to the ABS website to complete their Census the Prime Minister tweeted how easy and important it was:

We filled in the census tonight online  v easy to do. And so important for planning better government services and investment for future.

Even though it may have been a scheduled tweet from Malcolm Turnbull it could have been stopped before it went out.

How much credibility and trust has been lost in ABS and the Census as a result? This is not a good outcome, especially considering public trust was already wavering due to the requirement to reveal personal information.

The census catastrophe triggered an onslaught of ridicule on social media:

Got the Census website to work so I filled in everyones. If anyone asks, all 24 million of you stayed at my place last night.

#BREAKING: Australia to open borders to everyone as #census2016 reveals dramatic population drop from 21.5m in 2011 to just 719.

Australia really is punching above its weight at the Olympics for a nation of 763 people were doing amazingly well.

The only people talking last night were frustrated Australians while the silence was deafening from those we needed to hear from most.

A handful of social posts from the ABS and Census about the website being down wasnt helpful as we all knew that. If youre going to communicate during a problem, tell your customer something they dont already know and make it relevant.

Be Responsive. Failing to engage on social media when your customers could benefit the most is letting them down in a big way. There was a great opportunity here to engage with the Australian public and theyve blown it.

The ABS has now admitted there were a number of hackers to the site. This doesnt go over well after repeated assurances that the system was safe and data secure.

Any business that loses the trust of its customers on the subject of privacy and personal confidentiality will alienate customers and lose business.

This highlights trust being a big issue now for the Australian government and ABS, even more so than what it already was and shows what a lack of trust can do to a business.

Australians have been  and are continuing to  voice their displeasure at the demand to reveal private and personal information in the Census.

No one has been listening, instead shrugging off the concern and telling us it will be fine, which based on last nights events were even less convinced.

A business that loses the trust of its customers wont survive.

Any business can run the risk of facing a similar catastrophe like Census 2016, albeit on a smaller scale.

To keep damage to a minimum:

Have a communication plan in place for when and if disaster strikes. Make sure youre on the ball, and are available to handle problems. Be responsive on Social Media. There is nothing worse than a customer feeling as though theyre not being heard. Engage with them ensuring they feel youre doing the best you can to make things right. Ask questions and act in the best way you can on their feedback.

About the author

Mike Irving is a business consultant who founded and runs Advanced Business Abilities.
I knew Donald Trump couldnt go more than a few days without saying something outrageous. Today it was to suggest that one way to stop Hillary Clinton from appointing Supreme Court justices if she becomes president is by assassinating her:

Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the Second Amendment. By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know, but but Ill tell ya what, that will be a horrible day.

Watch:

If there are any historians out there who can recall a time when a candidate for a major political party suggested the assassination of their rival if they win, would you please let me know? Because I think this is a pretty historic moment.

This is your Republican Party, 2016.
After decades of living as the Mormon Church, his family and society expected him to, this transgender man is finally living his truth.

This is part of a story series about the lives of transgender people. Read the introduction here.

Seth Carwyn grew up Mormon, living under the strict rules of the faith that were followed by his family. He adhered to the religions tenets into adulthood, but there was something that kept nagging at him  something he didnt know how to reconcile.

As early as the age of two, Seth knew he identified as male, even though he was assigned female at birth.

I always identified with my father. I always thought Id grow up to be like him. So it was very confusing for me when my mother said I was a girl like she and my younger sister were. Im sure she said something about our bodies being different from my dads, but all I knew was looking at my dad I felt like my dad, not my mom and my sister.

At the age of three or four, Seth saw the reality for himself, when he got out of bed one night asking for a drink of water. He peeked into his parents bedroom and saw his dad naked for the first time.

Thats when the light bulb went off  Thats what my mom means, he says. I remember going back down the hall, climbing into bed and feeling confused and angry that my mom was right. I didnt feel like a girl. I couldnt see myself growing up to be my mom or my sister.

In response, Seth became a tomboy, which his mother allowed except when he was participating in church activities. There, he had to wear a dress and be a good little Mormon girl, as he puts it.

Thats the space I occupied until I hit adolescence. My mom and I would constantly battle over the length of my hair. Id beg her to cut it short and she would, but then shed make me grow it out. I loved it when it was short because Id get mistaken for a boy. I always had a quiet satisfaction every time I was mistaken for a boy. I remember one magical summer when I was around 10 years old. My mom had just had twins and she let us go out and explore. I remember kicking a rock down the road barefoot and I thought, I might have a girls body but I have a boys brain. It was a comforting thing to have an explanation for how I felt.

But that freedom of self-expression came to an end when, as an adolescent, Seth was segregated into the young womens group, a rite of passage for Mormons. When they turn 12, young people are taught the things they need to know to be either a Mormon woman or a Mormon man, which includes men being the head of the household.

Seth never felt comfortable in the womens group, especially because he began recognizing his attraction to women  something strictly forbidden by the Mormon Church.

We were taught about homosexuality and how evil it was, that people who were homosexual were as evil as murderers, he says. The Mormon Church was very adamant about sexual purity and fulfilling your role as a Mormon man or Mormon woman.

The rules have softened somewhat over the years, although homosexuality is still considered a sin if its acted on. Mormons who identify as homosexual are required to either practice celibacy or live as a heterosexual, or face discipline including excommunication.

Despite his conflicts, however, Seth identified as Mormon first and American second, he says. He did his best to live up to the expectations of young Mormon women, but he didnt fit in. As a result, he was bullied in school and became depressed, often getting physically ill at the idea of facing the taunts of his classmates.

When he was 15 years old, his mother took him to see a therapist. But Seth was terrified that everyone would find out the truth about his sexual orientation, and he told the therapist that he was just having trouble adjusting to his new school because he didnt dress like the other young women and hadnt made a lot of friends yet.

I realized I could make it all go away if I just conformed. I made a conscious decision that I was going to figure out how to fit in and be the young woman that my classmates and church thought I should be. I never had to go back to the therapist and I was so relieved. I had my mom take me clothes shopping, I started wearing jewelry and dressing in the 80s styles all the other girls were wearing. Once they started to see me more like themselves, the harassment stopped. I made a few close friends and was getting along just fine.

Seth was determined to live up to the expectations his church, his family and society had placed on him. As a Mormon woman, he had two choices: either go on a church mission or get married. He chose the latter, marrying a Mormon man he met in junior college.

I went on to college in Utah and realized I had probably made a mistake in getting married, Seth says. As I learned the history they dont teach you in church, I started realizing that the Mormon faith wasnt all Id been told, and I began questioning my faith.

Seth was at a crossroads, where he was forced to once again weigh who he is against who others expected him to be.

My husband wanted to live a life where the Mormon Church was the central core of his family, and I couldnt do that. But I take my vows seriously. I had promised this man and presented myself as a Mormon, and it wasnt fair to him to change my mind four years into marriage. So I decided I would delve in and live as the Mormon woman I presented myself to be. It was just me coming to another compromise. I had to change my mindset. The church may not be what its cracked up to be, but I felt I had to see through to the end what I signed on for.

The couple moved to Michigan in 1998, and became part of the local Mormon community. Seth was very active in the young womens program and helped in the primary organization, which is the childrens group within a church.

Then, in 2001, she met a woman named Christine who had moved to Michigan with her husband. The couple became involved in Seths church, with Christine serving as the primary pianist and Seth as the chorister.

We started working together and having a lot of fun, making it entertaining for the kids while we were teaching them, Seth says. Thats when I realized I was falling for her.

Seth then faced another major decision. He had been told that if he lived his life as faithfully as possible, the Lord would take away his homosexual attraction. But his deepening feelings for Christine proved that wasnt the case.

I was doing everything according to the book, he says. I should have been at my moral strong point, but realizing Id fallen for her made me question whether I was doing my husband  or myself  a service.

Seths attempts to have children had failed, and the couple had started the adoption process. Thats when Seth knew he could not go on, because he didnt want to bring a child into the situation.

I knew I needed to leave my husband. I didnt even know if I could be with Christine  if she returned my feelings  and I had no social standing to offer her. But then I realized she returned my feelings and that clinched it.

Seth ended his marriage and left the Mormon Church, and Christine filed for divorce. They began rebuilding their lives together and were married in Canada in 2006. Seth went back to school to get a teaching certification, and it was then that he began to realize that he wasnt actually a lesbian, but a transgender man.

One of my school assignments was putting together a book list for a minority group of students, and I chose LGBT. At the bookstore, I came on a section on transgender individuals and there was a book of self-portrait photography of a transgender man in the nude  a masculine man with a vagina. I was astounded and thought, That person looks like I feel. The more I started picking up books on transgender people and learning the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity, I realized that this thing plaguing me my entire life was gender identity. I had never felt fully female.

Although he was hesitant to upend their lives again, in late 2007 Seth told Christine what he had discovered about himself. With her full support, the following spring he found a doctor and began hormone replacement therapy.

I came out twice: Once as a lesbian, which for the most part my siblings shrugged at. They were relieved I wasnt the perfect Mormon the eldest child is supposed to be  which Id been trying to be by living as a woman. Coming out as transgender was more difficult. For a long time, my mom prayed that Id come back to living my life by Mormon standards. But about two years after I transitioned, one day instead of calling me Sis as she always had, she called me Son. Shes making strides. We sometimes forget it takes us years to come to grips with who we are, and it helps to give people the time and space they need to do the same.

Whats more, after Seth started a new job his mother asked if that meant Christine could now stay home with their kids, from Christines first marriage. Accepting Seth as the man in the family under the Mormon paradigm was significant.

Especially after living in the shadows for so long  including having an extra-marital affair with Christine, something they both regret deeply  Seth, who turns 45 this year, has made himself a promise to live openly and authentically for the rest of his life.

I finally feel like I know myself, he says. I finally feel like Ive been given the space to explore who I am without having to second-guess what Im feeling with what Im being told by people outside of me. Im no longer going through the motions. I love my life  Im confident and calm. Im able to focus on what I really want out of life and the legacy I want to leave in the world.

Read all the stories in this series HERE.



[Photos of Seth and Christine Carwyn courtesy of Seth Carwyn.]
Louisiana death row

BATON ROUGE (AP)  The state of Louisiana has spent more than three years and over $1 million in taxpayer money to fight a lawsuit that claims three death row inmates are exposed to dangerous heat levels in their cells.





A possible low-tech solution costs less than $2,000 and would avoid the need to install a more expensive air conditioning system inside Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, according to court testimony Monday for the long-running litigation.





A court-appointed special master told U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson that the three inmates have been moved to new cells where cool air is piped in through a vent from a guard station. Prison officials also recently installed a plastic curtain to trap the cool air and equipped each inmates cell with Cajun cooler systems, described in a court filing as an ice chest, a fan and a duct that emits cool air.





The special master, Paul Hebert, said temperatures in the inmates new cells are now well within a normal condition since the state began experimenting with the new heat control measures in late June.





Jackson is ordering an independent air conditioning systems expert to inspect the inmates new cells. He scheduled an Aug. 22 hearing for expert testimony before he decides whether the new measures could be a permanent solution.





More than two years ago, the judge ruled that Louisiana imposes unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment once the heat index on death row exceeds 88 degrees (33C). Hebert said the heat indexes in the inmates cells are hardly approaching 80 degrees (26,6C) since the prison implemented the new measures, which he described as very effective.





Last year, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said any remedy should be limited to the three plaintiffs, not all 85 death row inmates, and invited the state to provide relief without installing air conditioning.





Although the states attorneys dispute that the new measures should be a permanent fix, the judge expressed frustration that it has taken years for the state to employ a possible remedy that is so simple and cheap. He also noted that politicians have seemed reluctant to make the tough decisions that could have resolved the case long ago.





Jackson also said it was maddening and very troubling that attorneys for both sides waited weeks to inform him that they began experimenting with the new remediation measures.





I am convinced that there were efforts to conceal information from the court, he said. I wont ascribe reasons or motives to anyone at this point.





Mary Roper, an attorney for the state, said officials never intended to withhold information from the judge or do something underhanded.





Before the prison implemented the new measures, the three inmates received one cold shower a day, ice chests in their cells and fans outside them. The state has argued those measures adequately protected the plaintiffs, all of whom have medical problems that can be exacerbated by the heat.





At least $1,067,000 in expenses fighting the inmates lawsuit.

Roper suggested that the new measures shouldnt be a permanent solution, due to concerns about mold growing in the prison and rising temperatures in the guard station that pipes cool air into the inmates cells.





Mercedes Montagnes, an attorney for the three inmates, said the conditions in their new cells are far superior to those in their previous cells. But she urged the judge to consider a way to continue monitoring the conditions if the case is resolved by the new measures.





Documents obtained by The Associated Press through public records requests showed the states corrections department and attorney generals office have accrued at least $1,067,000 in expenses fighting the inmates lawsuit. Most of the money has gone to private attorneys on both sides of the case. The state had to cover inmates attorney fees under a settlement with Attorney General Jeff Landrys office.





A plaintiffs expert has estimated it would cost about $225,000 to install air conditioning on death rows six tiers.





During an interview in June, state Department of Corrections Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc said the states refusal to install air conditioning on death row isnt politically motivated. LeBlanc said installing air conditioning there could open a Pandoras box and possibly force his department to make the same accommodation for many other prisoners.

 | Report an error, an omission; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; send a submission; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!

"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." - Oscar Wilde

Source: The Associated Press, Michael Kunzelman, August 10, 2016
The campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is the latest possible victim of a series of hack attacks some cybersecurity experts have linked to the Russian government, according to press reports Friday.

Campaign officials acknowledged that an analytics program it uses, which is maintained by the DNC, was accessed in a breach discovered earlier this month. However, its internal systems apparently were not compromised.

The FBI reportedly is investigating the Clinton campaign hack along with a related cyberbreach at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the official campaign arm of Democratic candidates for the House of Representatives.

The latest news comes less than a week after Wikileaks published nearly 20,000 emails stolen in the earlier hack attack on the Democratic National Committee.

The bureau is probing whether the latest attacks are linked to the DNC breach.

The DCCC can confirm that we have been the target of a cybersecurity incident, said Meredith Kelly, national press secretary of the organization. Upon discovering the issue, we immediately took action and engaged with CrowdStrike, a leading forensic investigator, to assist us in addressing this incident.

Based on the information the DCCC has to date, it appears that the breach is similar to prior incidents, including the DNC breach that is already under investigation, Kelly said, adding that the organization takes the matter very seriously.

With the assistance of leading experts, we have taken and are continuing to take steps to enhance the security of our network in the face of these events, she added. We are cooperating with the federal law enforcement with respect to their ongoing investigation.

CrowdStrike Probes

CrowdStrike, which has been working with the DNC to investigate the earlier breach, confirmed that it also is working with the DCCC.

We can confirm that the DCCC has hired CrowdStrike following the DNC breach and we are investigating the matter, spokesperson Ilina Dimitrova told TechNewsWorld. This is an ongoing investigation and were not able to provide further comments.

The FBI issued a statement acknowledging it was aware of media reports regarding cyberintrusions involving multiple political entities, and that it was working to determine the accuracy, nature and scope of these matters.

The bureau takes allegations of intrusions seriously, it said, promising that anyone who posed a threat in cyberspace would be held accountable.

The FBI earlier this week launched a probe into the DNC breach, after questions surfaced about the possibility that Russian hackers delivered the stolen emails to Wikileaks in an attempt to help the presidential campaign of Republican nominee Donald Trump.

Trump set off a firestorm when he urged Russia to find and disclose more than 30,000 deleted emails belonging to Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Trumps remarks came after the Clinton campaign raised suspicions that Russian hackers, working with Russian intelligence services, had coordinated the leaks of DNC emails to help the Trump campaign. Trump campaign officials publicly ridiculed the Clinton campaigns allegations as an attempt to divert the publics attention.

However, following withering attacks from national security experts and both Democratic and Republican party officials, Trump later backtracked from encouraging Russia to find and expose Clintons private emails, saying his comments were meant to be sarcastic.

Vulnerable Systems

The breaches raise troubling questions about the security systems of various public agencies, as well as the integrity of the presidential election itself, said Marc Rotenberg, president of the Electronic Privacy Information Center.

EPIC said at the outset of this election year that data protection is the most important, least well understood issue in the country today, he told TechNewsWorld. All across the U.S., consumers confront issues of identity theft, data breach and financial fraud. Yet Washington has been unwilling to update U.S. privacy law or back strong security techniques.

The consequences are growing more severe, he added, yet not a single speaker addressed the issue at either convention.

The U.S. cant rely on its adversaries playing by the rules, warned Andrea Castillo, program manager for the Technology Policy Program at George Mason Universitys Mercatus Center.

The government must take proactive steps to strengthen the U.S. cyberinfrastructure, she told TechNewsWorld.

Theres been a lot of speculation, but I think the takeaway is more about our generally poor cybersecurity, said Castillo. A hack like this was more a matter of when, not if.
California has also launched an investigation and on Tuesday Healey and U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Claude Earl Walker confirmed their states have as well. Schneiderman said that additional states were pursuing similar action and that the purpose of the coalition is to work together in this common interest.

The scope of the problem we are facing, the size of the corporate entities and alliances and trade associations [working against science and public interest] is massive and it requires a multi-state effort, Schneiderman said.

AG Walker said that Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are already experiencing the effects of global warming, from coral bleaching and the proliferation of seaweed, to ever-more powerful hurricanes.

It is troubling that, as the polar caps melt, there are companies that are looking at that as an opportunity to go and drill, to go and get more oil. How selfish can you be? Walker asked. Your product is destroying this Earth and you want to do what? Destroy the planet further, he added, saying they have documents showing just that.

We will not stop until we get to bottom of this and make it clear we have to do something transformational, he added. We cannot continue to rely on fossil fuels.

Environmental groups that have spearheaded the call for accountability and investigations into what Exxon knew heralded the announcements and the new AG climate coalition.

This creates a huge sense of momentum. Exxon may have been able to brush aside a few isolated inquiries, but with more states jumping on board, these investigations are sure to generate some serious waves, said May Boeve, executive director of 350.org, which on Tuesday launched the website ExxonKnew.org to share information about the investigations and petition the U.S. Department of Justice and state Attorneys General to hold Exxon accountable.

The Exxon revelations may turn out to be the largest corporate scandal in history, Boeve continued. Everyone is impacted by climate change, which means everyone has a stake in these investigations. A trial of ExxonMobil and the fossil fuel industry would be even bigger than the cases against Big Tobacco.

As Katherine Sawyer, senior international organizer for watchdog group Corporate Accountability International, explained in an emailed statement following the press conference:

In the 90s, investigations by attorneys general were the beginning of the end for Big Tobacco as we knew it and ushered in a series of lawsuits that shuttered its front groups, forced the release of internal documents and held it liable to pay the high cost of its impacts on society. Just as a similar coalition did with Big Tobacco, this powerful coalition of state Attorneys General are leading the way in holding Exxon and the rest of the fossil fuel industry accountable for their decades of deception and protecting climate policy from their profit-driven interference.

Big Polluters have done everything in their power to deny climate change, it is time for our justice system to take back the climate debate, declared Annie Leonard, Greenpeace USA executive director, who said the AGs announcement was a clear demonstration of climate leadership.

The coalition includes Attorneys General from California, Connecticut, District Of Columbia, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington state and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Appearing alongside members of that group, former Vice President Al Gore, whose 2006 documentary film An Inconvenient Truth is credited with spurring public debate about climate change, said, I really believe that years from now this convening  may well be looked back upon as a major turning point in the effort to hold to account those commercial interests  who have been deceiving the American people about the dangers of climate change.

Watch the full press conference here:
Pushing a wheelbarrow filled with 350,000 petition signatures, concerned Californians gathered outside the capitol Tuesday to urge Gov. Brown and the California Water Resources Control Board to stop the potentially dangerous practice of using wastewater from oil drilling to irrigate Californias crops.

The wastewater, sold by Chevron and California Resources Corporation, is now being used to irrigate more than 90,000 acres in the Cawelo Irrigation District and the North Kern Water Management District and is slated to expand in the near future to other districts.

Thank you Assemblyman @mikegatto for speaking up to #protectcafood and protect public health! pic.twitter.com/NXou7vQFpX  Breast Cancer Action (@BCAction) August 9, 2016

The group, which included Assemblymember Mike Gatto, UCSF nurse practitioner Lisa Hartmayer, Center for Biological Diversity scientist John Fleming and California consumers, delivered a petition with more than 350,000 signatures, gathered around the state and nation, calling for an immediate halt to the practice.

Californians want to know what is in the water and the soil that is used to grow their food. This should not be a problem, especially if there is nothing to hide, Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) said.

California produces almost half of the fruits, nuts and vegetables that feed the U.S. and more than 100 farms in the Central Valley use oil wastewater for irrigation. Some of the U.S. most popular brands grow food in the Cawelo and North Kern water districts, including Trinchero Family Estates (makers of Sutter Home wines), Halos Mandarins (formerly known as Cuties) and The Wine Group (makers of Cupcake and Fish Eye wines).

At the same time, there hasnt been a comprehensive, independent study to determine if the wastewater is safe for crop irrigation. The limited analysis done used outdated methods; regulators dont screen for all the chemicals used in oil extraction, many of which are carcinogens. The Los Angeles Times reported that a test of the wastewater sold by Chevron to the Cawelo Irrigation District contained acetone and benzene.

Some of the chemicals used in oil operations are linked to cancer, kidney failure, reproductive issues and liver damage. No comprehensive and independent analysis has been conducted to assess the safety of the wastewater. Oil-industry wastewater can contain high levels of benzene and other cancer-causing chemicals. State oil officials own study detected benzene levels in oil wastewater at thousands of times the federal limits for drinking water.

As a nurse, one of the simplest yet most important recommendations I can give a patient is to eat more fruits and vegetables, Lisa Hartmayer, nurse practitioner at UCSF, said. How can our governor and water regulators sleep at night knowing that the fresh foods that millions of people eat to stay healthy may actually be threatening their health? We dont know if our tangerines, almonds and grapes are contaminated with water that could be carcinogenic.

In addition to the dangers posed to consumers, agricultural workers are exposed daily to the oil and gas wastewater with no protection for their health and safety.

Oil wastewater doesnt belong on Californias crops. Its irresponsible to take this kind of risk with our food supply, John Fleming, a scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity, said. We should take a precautionary approach to mixing oil with food and wait until there are studies proving this practice is safe before we even consider it.

Im here for my kids. It concerns me that Governor Brown would allow this practice without thorough testing. This is the food that I feed my kids every day. The thought that they could get sick from tainted food really worries me, Sue Chiang from Oakland said.

Petition signers from around the state appealed directly to the governor and his desire to be perceived as an environmental champion. Rev. and Mrs. Don Baldwin from Nevada City wrote in their comments: Dear Gov. BrownIf you are to truly go down in history as our environmental governor, you MUST see this as one of the most significant actions you need to take.

A growing number of Californians are raising concerns about the use of wastewater for crop irrigation and organized Protect California Food, an affiliate of Californians Against Fracking, which is calling on Gov. Brown and state water regulators to immediately ban the practice. Californians Against Fracking is a coalition of about 200 environmental business, health, agriculture, labor, political and environmental justice organizations working to win a statewide ban on fracking and other dangerous extraction techniques in California.

The petition signatures were collected by CREDO, Care2, Food & Water Watch, the Center for Biological Diversity, RootsKeeper, Center for Environmental Health, Breast Cancer Action, Center for Food Safety, Courage Campaign and the Center for Race, Poverty and the Environment.
The fossil fuel industrys business model is to externalize its costs by clawing in obscene subsidies and tax deductionscausing grave environmental costs, including toxic pollution and global warming. Among the other unassessed prices of the worlds addiction to oil are social chaos, war, terror, the refugee crisis overseas, and the loss of democracy and civil rights abroad and at home.

As we focus on the rise of ISIS and search for the source of the savagery that took so many innocent lives in Paris and San Bernardino, we might want to look beyond the convenient explanations of religion and ideology and focus on the more complex rationales of history and oil, which mostly point the finger of blame for terrorism back at the champions of militarism, imperialism and petroleum here on our own shores.

Americas unsavory record of violent interventions in Syriaobscure to the American people yet well known to Syrianssowed fertile ground for the violent Islamic Jihadism that now complicates any effective response by our government to address the challenge of ISIS. So long as the American public and policymakers are unaware of this past, further interventions are likely to only compound the crisis. Moreover, our enemies delight in our ignorance.

As the New York Times reported in a Dec. 8, 2015 front page story, ISIS political leaders and strategic planners are working to provoke an American military intervention which, they know from experience, will flood their ranks with volunteer fighters, drown the voices of moderation and unify the Islamic world against America.

To understand this dynamic, we need to look at history from the Syrians perspective and particularly the seeds of the current conflict. Long before our 2003 occupation of Iraq triggered the Sunni uprising that has now morphed into the Islamic State, the CIA had nurtured violent Jihadism as a Cold War weapon and freighted U.S./Syrian relationships with toxic baggage.

During the 1950s, President Eisenhower and the Dulles brothers rebuffed Soviet treaty proposals to leave the Middle East a cold war neutral zone and let Arabs rule Arabia. Instead, they mounted a clandestine war against Arab Nationalismwhich CIA Director Allan Dulles equated with communismparticularly when Arab self-rule threatened oil concessions. They pumped secret American military aid to tyrants in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon favoring puppets with conservative Jihadist ideologies which they regarded as a reliable antidote to Soviet Marxism. At a White House meeting between the CIAs Director of Plans, Frank Wisner, and Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, in September of 1957, Eisenhower advised the agency, We should do everything possible to stress the holy war aspect.

The CIA began its active meddling in Syria in 1949barely a year after the agencys creation. Syrian patriots had declared war on the Nazis, expelled their Vichy French colonial rulers and crafted a fragile secularist democracy based on the American model. But in March of 1949, Syrias democratically elected president, Shukri-al-Kuwaiti, hesitated to approve the Trans Arabian Pipeline, an American project intended to connect the oil fields of Saudi Arabia to the ports of Lebanon via Syria. In his book, Legacy of Ashes, CIA historian Tim Weiner recounts that in retaliation, the CIA engineered a coup, replacing al-Kuwaiti with the CIAs handpicked dictator, a convicted swindler named Husni al-Zaim. Al-Zaim barely had time to dissolve parliament and approve the American pipeline before his countrymen deposed him, 14 weeks into his regime.

read page 1

Following several counter coups in the newly destabilized country, the Syrian people again tried democracy in 1955, re-electing al-Kuwaiti and his Baath Party. Al-Kuwaiti was still a Cold War neutralist but, stung by American involvement in his ouster, he now leaned toward the Soviet camp. That posture caused Dulles to declare that Syria is ripe for a coup and send his two coup wizards, Kim Roosevelt and Rocky Stone to Damascus.

Two years earlier, Roosevelt and Stone had orchestrated a coup in Iran against the democratically elected President Mohammed Mosaddegh after Mosaddegh tried to renegotiate the terms of Irans lopsided contracts with the oil giant BP. Mosaddegh was the first elected leader in Irans 4,000 year history, and a popular champion for democracy across the developing world. Mosaddegh expelled all British diplomats after uncovering a coup attempt by UK intelligence officers working in cahoots with BP.

Mosaddegh, however, made the fatal mistake of resisting his advisors pleas to also expel the CIA, which they correctly suspected, and was complicit in the British plot. Mosaddegh idealized the U.S. as a role model for Irans new democracy and incapable of such perfidies. Despite Dulles needling, President Truman had forbidden the CIA from actively joining the British caper to topple Mosaddegh.

When Eisenhower took office in January 1953, he immediately unleashed Dulles. After ousting Mosaddegh in Operation Ajax, Stone and Roosevelt installed Shah Reza Pahlavi, who favored U.S. oil companies, but whose two decades of CIA sponsored savagery toward his own people from the Peacock throne would finally ignite the 1979 Islamic revolution that has bedeviled our foreign policy for 35 years.

Flush from his Operation Ajax success in Iran, Stone arrived in Damascus in April 1956 with $3 million in Syrian pounds to arm and incite Islamic militants and to bribe Syrian military officers and politicians to overthrow al-Kuwaitis democratically elected secularist regime. Working with the Muslim Brotherhood, Stone schemed to assassinate Syrias Chief of Intelligence, its Chief of the General Staff and the Chief of the Communist Party and to engineer national conspiracies and various strong arm provocations in Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan that could be blamed on the Syrian Baathists.

The CIAs plan was to destabilize the Syrian government, and create a pretext for an invasion by Iraq and Jordan, whose governments were already under CIA control. Roosevelt forecasted that the CIAs newly installed puppet government would rely first upon repressive measures and arbitrary exercise of power.

But all that CIA money failed to corrupt the Syrian military officers. The soldiers reported the CIAs bribery attempts to the Baathist regime. In response, the Syrian army invaded the American Embassy taking Stone prisoner. Following harsh interrogation, Stone made a televised confession to his roles in the Iranian coup and the CIAs aborted attempt to overthrow Syrias legitimate government.

The Syrians ejected Stone and two U.S. Embassy staffersthe first time any American State Department diplomat was barred from an Arab country. The Eisenhower White House hollowly dismissed Stones confession as fabrications and slanders, a denial swallowed whole by the American press, led by the New York Times and believed by the American people, who shared Mosaddeghs idealistic view of their government.

Syria purged all politicians sympathetic to the U.S. and executed them for treason. In retaliation, the U.S. moved the Sixth Fleet to the Mediterranean, threatened war and goaded Turkey to invade Syria. The Turks assembled 50,000 troops on Syrias borders and only backed down in the face of unified opposition from the Arab League whose leaders were furious at the U.S. intervention.

Even after its expulsion, the CIA continued its secret efforts to topple Syrias democratically elected Baathist government. The CIA plotted with Britains MI6 to form a Free Syria Committee and armed the Muslim Brotherhood to assassinate three Syrian government officials, who had helped expose the American plot. (Matthew Jones in The Preferred Plan: The Anglo-American Working Group Report on Covert Action in Syria, 1957). The CIAs mischief pushed Syria even further away from the U.S. and into prolonged alliances with Russia and Egypt.

Following the second Syrian coup attempt, anti-American riots rocked the Mid-East from Lebanon to Algeria. Among the reverberations was the July 14, 1958 coup, led by the new wave of anti-American Army officers who overthrew Iraqs pro-American monarch, Nuri al-Said. The coup leaders published secret government documents, exposing Nuri al-Said as a highly paid CIA puppet. In response to American treachery, the new Iraqi government invited Soviet diplomats and economic advisers to Iraq and turned its back on the West.

read page 1

Having alienated Iraq and Syria, Kim Roosevelt fled the Mid-East to work as an executive for the oil industry that he had served so well during his public service career. Roosevelts replacement, as CIA Station Chief, James Critchfield attempted a failed assassination plot against the new Iraqi president using a toxic handkerchief. Five years later the CIA finally succeeded in deposing the Iraqi president and installing the Baath Party to power in Iraq.

A charismatic young murderer named Saddam Hussein was one of the distinguished leaders of the CIAs Baathists team. The Baath Partys Interior Minister, Said Aburish, who took office alongside Saddam Hussein, would later say, We came to power on a CIA train. Aburish recounted that the CIA supplied Saddam and his cronies a murder list of people who had to be eliminated immediately in order to ensure success.

Critchfield later acknowledged that the CIA had, in essence, created Saddam Hussein. During the Reagan years, the CIA supplied Hussein with billions of dollars in training, Special Forces support, and weapons and battlefield intelligence knowing that he was using poisonous mustard and nerve gas and biological weaponsincluding anthrax obtained from the U.S. governmentin his war against Iran.

Reagan and his CIA Director, Bill Casey, regarded Saddam as a potential friend to the U.S. oil industry and a sturdy barrier against the spread of Irans Islamic Revolution. Their emissary, Donald Rumsfeld, presented Saddam with a pair of pearl-handled revolvers and a menu of chemical/biological and conventional weapons on a 1983 trip to Bagdad. At the same time, the CIA was illegally supplying Saddams enemyIranwith thousands of anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles to fight Iraq, a crime made famous during the Iran Contra scandal. Jihadists from both sides later turned many of those CIA supplied weapons against the American people.

Even as America contemplates yet another violent Mid-East intervention, most Americans are unaware of the many ways that blowback from previous CIA blunders has helped craft the current crisis. The reverberations from decades of CIA shenanigans continue to echo across the Mid-East today in national capitals and from mosques to madras schools over the wrecked landscape of democracy and moderate Islam that the CIA helped obliterate.

In July 1956, less than two months after the CIAs failed Syrian Coup, my uncle, Senator John F. Kennedy, infuriated the Eisenhower White House, the leaders of both political parties and our European allies with a milestone speech endorsing the right of self-governance in the Arab world and an end to Americas imperialist meddling in Arab countries. Throughout my lifetime, and particularly during my frequent travels to the Mid-East, countless Arabs have fondly recalled that speech to me as the clearest statement of the idealism they expected from the U.S.

Kennedys speech was a call for recommitting America to the high values our country had championed in the Atlantic Charter, the formal pledge that all the former European colonies would have the right to self-determination following World War II. FDR had strong-armed Churchill and the other allied leaders to sign the Atlantic Charter in 1941 as a precondition for U.S. support in the European war against fascism.

Thanks in large part to Allan Dulles and the CIA, whose foreign policy intrigues were often directly at odds with the stated policies of our nation, the idealistic path outlined in the Atlantic Charter was the road not taken. In 1957, my grandfather, Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy, sat on a secret committee charged with investigating CIAs clandestine mischief in the Mid-East. The so called Bruce Lovett Report, to which he was a signatory, described CIA coup plots in Jordan, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Egypt, all common knowledge on the Arab street, but virtually unknown to the American people who believed, at face value, their governments denials.

The report blamed the CIA for the rampant anti-Americanism that was then mysteriously taking root in the many countries in the world today. The Bruce Lovett Report pointed out that such interventions were antithetical to American values and had compromised Americas international leadership and moral authority without the knowledge of the American people. The report points out that the CIA never considered how we would treat such interventions if some foreign government engineered them in our country. This is the bloody history that modern interventionists like George W. Bush, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio miss when they recite their narcissistic trope that Mid-East nationalists hate us for our freedoms.

The Syrian and Iranian coups soiled Americas reputation across the Mid-East and ploughed the fields of Islamic Jihadism which we have, ironically, purposefully nurtured. A parade of Iranian and Syrian dictators, including Bashar al-Assad and his father, have invoked the history of the CIAs bloody coups as a pretext for their authoritarian rule, repressive tactics and their need for a strong Russian alliance. These stories are therefore well known to the people of Syria and Iran who naturally interpret talk of U.S. intervention in the context of that history.

While the compliant American press parrots the narrative that our military support for the Syrian insurgency is purely humanitarian, many Syrians see the present crisis as just another proxy war over pipelines and geopolitics. Before rushing deeper into the conflagration, it would be wise for us to consider the abundant facts supporting that perspective.

read page 1

A Pipeline War

In their view, our war against Bashar Assad did not begin with the peaceful civil protests of the Arab Spring in 2011. Instead it began in 2000 when Qatar proposed to construct a $10 billion, 1,500km pipeline through Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Turkey.

Note the purple line which traces the proposed Qatar-Turkey natural gas pipeline and note that all of the countries highlighted in red are part of a new coalition hastily put together after Turkey finally (in exchange for NATOs acquiescence on Erdogans politically-motivated war with the PKK) agreed to allow the US to fly combat missions against ISIS targets from Incirlik. Now note which country along the purple line is not highlighted in red. Thats because Bashar al-Assad didnt support the pipeline and now were seeing what happens when youre a Mid-East strongman and you decide not to support something the US and Saudi Arabia want to get done. (Map: ZeroHedge.com via MintPress News)

Qatar shares with Iran, the South Pars/North Dome gas field, the worlds richest natural gas repository. The international trade embargo, until recently, prohibited Iran from selling gas abroad and ensured that Qatars gas could only reach European markets if it is liquefied and shipped by sea, a route that restricts volume and dramatically raises costs.

The proposed pipeline would have linked Qatar directly to European energy markets via distribution terminals in Turkey which would pocket rich transit fees. The Qatar/Turkey pipeline would have given the Sunni Kingdoms of the Persian Gulf decisive domination of world natural gas markets and strengthen Qatar, Americas closest ally in the Arab world. Qatar hosts two massive American military bases and the U.S. Central Commands Mid-East headquarters.

The EU, which gets 30 percent of its gas from Russia, was equally hungry for the pipeline which would have given its members cheap energy and relief from Vladimir Putins stifling economic and political leverage. Turkey, Russias second largest gas customer, was particularly anxious to end its reliance on its ancient rival and to position itself as the lucrative transect hub for Asian fuels to EU markets. The Qatari pipeline would have benefited Saudi Arabias conservative Sunni Monarchy by giving them a foothold in Shia dominated Syria.

The Saudis geopolitical goal is to contain the economic and political power of the Kingdoms principal rival, Iran, a Shiite state, and close ally of Bashar Assad. The Saudi monarchy viewed the U.S. sponsored Shia takeover in Iraq as a demotion to its regional power and was already engaged in a proxy war against Tehran in Yemen, highlighted by the Saudi genocide against the Iranian backed Houthi tribe.

Of course, the Russians, who sell 70 percent of their gas exports to Europe, viewed the Qatar/Turkey pipeline as an existential threat. In Putins view, the Qatar pipeline is a NATO plot to change the status quo, deprive Russia of its only foothold in the Middle East, strangle the Russian economy and end Russian leverage in the European energy market. In 2009, Assad announced that he would refuse to sign the agreement to allow the pipeline to run through Syria to protect the interests of our Russian ally.

Assad further enraged the Gulfs Sunni monarchs by endorsing a Russian approved Islamic pipeline running from Irans side of the gas field through Syria and to the ports of Lebanon. The Islamic pipeline would make Shia Iran instead of Sunni Qatar, the principal supplier to the European energy market and dramatically increase Tehrans influence in the Mid-East and the world. Israel also was understandably determined to derail the Islamic pipeline which would enrich Iran and Syria and presumably strengthen their proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas.

Secret cables and reports by the U.S., Saudi and Israeli intelligence agencies indicate that the moment Assad rejected the Qatari pipeline, military and intelligence planners quickly arrived at the consensus that fomenting a Sunni uprising in Syria to overthrow the uncooperative Bashar Assad was a feasible path to achieving the shared objective of completing the Qatar/Turkey gas link. In 2009, according to WikiLeaks, soon after Bashar Assad rejected the Qatar pipeline, the CIA began funding opposition groups in Syria.

Bashar Assads family is Alawite, a Muslim sect widely perceived as aligned with the Shia camp. Bashar Assad was never supposed to be president, says journalist Sy Hersh. His father brought him back from medical school in London when his elder brother, the heir apparent, was killed in a car crash.

read page 1

Before the war started, according to Hersh, Assad was moving to liberalize the countryThey had internet and newspapers and ATM machines and Assad wanted to move toward the west. After 9/11, he gave thousands of invaluable files to the CIA on Jihadist radicals, who he considered a mutual enemy.

Assads regime was deliberately secular and Syria was impressively diverse. The Syrian government and military, for example, were 80 percent Sunni. Assad maintained peace among his diverse peoples by a strong disciplined army loyal to the Assad family, an allegiance secured by a nationally esteemed and highly paid officer corps, a coldly efficient intelligence apparatus and a penchant for brutality which, prior to the war, was rather moderate compared to other Mideast leaders, including our current allies.

According to Hersh, He certainly wasnt beheading people every Wednesday like the Saudis do in Mecca. Another veteran journalist, Bob Parry, echoes that assessment. No one in the region has clean hands but in the realms of torture, mass killings, civil liberties and supporting terrorism, Assad is much better than the Saudis.

No one believed that the regime was vulnerable to the anarchy that had riven Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Tunisia. By the spring of 2011, there were small, peaceful demonstrations in Damascus against repression by Assads regime. These were mainly the effluvia of the Arab Spring which spread virally across the Arab League states the previous summer. However, Huffington Post UK reported that in Syria the protests were, at least in part, orchestrated by the CIA. WikiLeaks cables indicate that the CIA was already on the ground in Syria.

But the Sunni Kingdoms wanted a much deeper involvement from America. On Sept. 4, 2013, Secretary of State John Kerry told a congressional hearing that the Sunni kingdoms had offered to foot the bill for a US. invasion of Syria to oust Bashar al-Assad. In fact, some of them have said that if the United States is prepared to go do the whole thing, the way weve done it previously in other places [Iraq], theyll carry the cost, he stated. Kerry reiterated the offer to Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL27): With respect to Arab countries offering to bear the costs of [an American invasion] to topple Assad, the answer is profoundly Yes, they have. The offer is on the table.

Despite pressure from Republicans, Barrack Obama balked at hiring out young Americans to die as mercenaries for a pipeline conglomerate. Obama wisely ignored Republican clamoring to put ground troops in Syria or to funnel more funding to moderate insurgents. But by late 2011, Republican pressure and our Sunni allies had pushed the American government into the fray.

In 2011, the U.S. joined France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and England to form the Friends of Syria Coalition, which formally demanded the removal of Assad. The CIA provided $6 million to Barada, a British T.V. channel, to produce pieces entreating Assads ouster. Saudi intelligence documents, published by WikiLeaks, show that by 2012, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia were arming, training and funding radical Jihadist Sunni fighters from Syria, Iraq and elsewhere to overthrow the Assads Shia allied regime. Qatar, which had the most to gain, invested $3 billion in building the insurgency and invited the Pentagon to train insurgents at U.S. bases in Qatar. U.S. personnel also provided logistical support and intelligence to the rebels on the ground. The Times of London reported on Sept. 14, 2012, that the CIA also armed Jihadists with anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles and other weapons from Libyan armories that the agency smuggled by ratlines to Syria via Turkey. According to an April 2014 article by Seymour Hersh, the CIA weapons ratlines were financed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The idea of fomenting a Sunni-Shia civil war to weaken the Syrian and Iranian regimes so as to maintain control of the regions petro-chemical supplies was not a novel notion in the Pentagons lexicon. A damning 2008 Pentagon funded Rand report proposed a precise blueprint for what was about to happen. That report observes that control of the Persian Gulf oil and gas deposits will remain, for the U.S., a strategic priority that will interact strongly with that of prosecuting the long war.

read page 1

Rand recommends using covert action, information operations, unconventional warfare to enforce a divide and rule strategy. The United States and its local allies could use the nationalist jihadists to launch a proxy campaign and U.S. leaders could also choose to capitalize on the sustained Shia-Sunni conflict trajectory by taking the side of the conservative Sunni regimes against Shiite empowerment movements in the Muslim world  possibly supporting authoritative Sunni governments against a continuingly hostile Iran.

WikiLeaks cables from as early as 2006 show the U.S. State Department, at the urging of the Israeli government, proposing to partner with Turkey, Qatar and Egypt to foment Sunni civil war in Syria to weaken Iran. The stated purpose, according to the secret cable, was to incite Assad into a brutal crackdown of Syrias Sunni population.

As predicted, Assads overreaction to the foreign made crisisdropping barrel bombs onto Sunni strongholds and killing civilianspolarized Syrias Shia/Sunni divide and allowed U.S. policymakers to sell Americans the idea that the pipeline struggle was a humanitarian war. When Sunni soldiers of the Syrian Army began defecting in 2013, the Western Coalition armed the Free Syrian Army to further destabilize Syria. The press portrait of the Free Syria Army as cohesive battalions of Syrian moderates was delusional. The dissolved units regrouped in hundreds of independent militias most of whom were commanded by or allied with Jihadi militants who were the most committed and effective fighters. By then, the Sunni armies of Al Qaeda Iraq (AQI) were crossing the border from Iraq into Syria and joining forces with the battalions of deserters from the Free Syria Army, many of them trained and armed by the U.S.

Despite the prevailing media portrait of a moderate Arab uprising against the tyrant Assad, U.S. Intelligence planners knew from the outset that their pipeline proxies were radical jihadists who would probably carve themselves a brand new Islamic caliphate from the Sunni regions of Syria and Iraq. Two years before ISIS throat cutters stepped on the world stage, a seven-page Aug. 12, 2012 study by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), obtained by the right wing group Judicial Watch, warned that thanks to the ongoing support by U.S./Sunni Coalition for radical Sunni Jihadists, the Salafist, the Muslim Brotherhood and AQI (now ISIS), are the major forces driving the insurgency in Syria.

Using U.S. and Gulf State funding, these groups had turned the peaceful protests against Bashar Assad toward a clear sectarian (Shiite vs Sunni) direction. The paper notes that the conflict had become a sectarian civil war supported by Sunni religious and political powers. The report paints the Syrian conflict as a global war for control of the regions resources with the west, Gulf countries and Turkey supporting [Assads] opposition, while Russia, China and Iran support the regime.

The Pentagon authors of the seven-page report appear to endorse the predicted advent of the ISIS caliphate:

If the situation continues unravelling, there is the possibility of establishing a declared or undeclared Salafist principality in eastern Syria (Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor) and this is exactly what the supporting powers to the opposition want in order to isolate the Syrian regime. The Pentagon report warns that this new principality could move across the Iraqi border to Mosul and Ramadi and declare an Islamic state through its union with other terrorist organizations in Iraq and Syria.

Of course, this is precisely what has happened. Not coincidentally, the regions of Syria occupied by ISIS exactly encompass the proposed route of the Qatari pipeline.

But then in 2014, our Sunni proxies horrified the American people by severing heads and driving a million refugees toward Europe. Strategies based upon the idea that the enemy of my enemy is my friend can be kind of blinding, says Tim Clemente, who chaired the FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Force between 2004 and 2008 and served as liaison in Iraq between the FBI, the Iraqi National Police and the U.S. Military. We made the same mistake when we trained the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan. The moment the Russians left, our supposed friends started smashing antiquities, enslaving women, severing body parts and shooting at us.

When ISIS Jihadi John began murdering prisoners on TV, the White House pivoted, talking less about deposing Assad and more about regional stability. The Obama Administration began putting daylight between itself and the insurgency we had funded. The White House pointed accusing fingers at our allies. On Oct. 3, 2014, Vice President Joe Biden told students at the John F. Kennedy, Jr. forum at the Institute of Politics at Harvard that Our allies in the region are our biggest problem in Syria. He explained that Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were so determined to take down Assad that they had launched a proxy Sunni-Shia war funneling hundreds of millions of dollars and tens of thousands of tons of weapons to Jihadists of the al-Nusra front and al-Qaedathe two groups that merged in 2014 to form ISIS.

Biden seemed angered that our trusted friends could not be trusted to follow the American agenda. ISI[S] is a direct outgrowth of al-Qaeda in Iraq that grew out of our invasion, declared Obama, disassociating himself from the Sunni rebellion, which is an example of unintended consequences which is why we should generally aim before we shoot. As if to demonstrate their contempt for Americas new found restraint, our putative allies, the Turks responded to the U.S. rebukes by shooting down a plane belonging to our other putative ally, the Russiansprobably to spoil a potential deal between Russia and the U.S. that would leave Assad in power.

Across the Mid-East, Arab leaders routinely accuse the U.S. of having created ISIS. To most Americans immersed in U.S. media perspective, such accusations seem insane. However, to many Arabs, the evidence of U.S. involvement is so abundant that they conclude that our role in fostering ISIS must have been deliberate. On Sept. 22, 2014, according to the New York Times, Iraqi leader, Shiite Cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, told Baghdad demonstrators that the CIA created ISIS. Iraqs Deputy Prime Minister, Bahaa Al-Araji, echoed al-Sadrs accusation. We know who made Daesh, Iraqs Treasury Secretary, Haidar al-Assadi, told the Digital News Aggregate, The Islamic State is a clear creation of the United States, and the United States is trying to intervene again using the excuse of the Islamic State.

In fact, many of the ISIS fighters and their commanders are ideological and organizational successors to the Jihadists that the CIA has been nurturing for 30 years. The CIA began arming and training the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan in 1979 to fight the Soviets. Following the Soviet withdrawal, the CIAs Afghan Mujahedeen became the Taliban while its foreign fighters, including Osama bin Laden, formed Al-Qaeda. In 2004, then British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook told the House of Commons that Al-Qaeda took its namemeaning database in Arabicfrom the voluminous CIA database of JihadistsMujahedeen foreign fighters and arms smugglers trained and equipped by the CIA during the Afghan conflict.

Prior to the American invasion, there was no Al-Qaeda in Saddam Husseins Iraq. Bush destroyed Saddams secularist government and his viceroy, Paul Bremer, in a monumental act of mismanagement, effectively created the Sunni Army, now named ISIS. Bremer elevated the Shiites to power and banned Saddams ruling Baath Party laying off some 700,000, mostly Sunni, government and party officials from ministers to school teachers. He then disbanded the 380,000 man army, which was 80 percent Sunni.

Bremers actions stripped a million of Iraqs Sunnis of rank, property, wealth and power; leaving a desperate underclass of angry, educated, capable, trained and heavily armed Sunnis with little left to lose. General Petraeus decision to import dirty war tactics, including torture and death squads, from the CIAs El Salvador conflict in order to shock and awe the Sunni resistance, instead ignited a shockingly bloody spiral of sectarian violence that devolved quickly into escalating atrocities topped finally by the Sunni Army signature head cutting. The Sunni insurgency named itself Al-Qaeda Iraq (AQI).

Beginning in 2011, our allies funded the invasion by AQI fighters into Syria. In June 2014 having entered Syria, AQI changed its name to ISIS. According to the New Yorker, ISIS is run by a council of former Iraqi Generals  many are members of Saddam Husseins secular Baath Party, who converted to radical Islam in American prisons. The $500 million in U.S. military aid that Obama did send to Syria almost certainly ended up benefiting these militant Jihadists. On Sept. 16, 2015, incredulous senators from the Armed Services Committee listened to U.S. General Lloyd Austin, Commander of the U.S. Central Command, explain that the Pentagon had spent $500 million to train and arm moderate insurgents in Syria and had only four or five reliable moderate fighters to show instead of the promised 5,000. The remainder apparently deserted or defected to ISIS.

Tim Clemente told me that the incomprehensible difference between the Iraq and Syria conflicts are the millions of military aged men who are fleeing the battlefield for Europe rather than staying to fight for their communities. You have this formidable fighting force and they are all running away. I dont understand how you can have millions of military aged men running away from the battlefield. In Iraq, the bravery was heartbreakingI had friends who refused to leave the country even though they knew they would die. Theyd just tell you its my country, I need to stay and fight, Clemente said.

The obvious explanation is that the nations moderates are fleeing a war that is not their war. They simply want to escape being crushed between the anvil of Assads Russian backed tyranny and the vicious Jihadi Sunni hammer that we had a hand in wielding in a global battle over competing pipelines. You cant blame the Syrian people for not widely embracing a blueprint for their nation minted in either Washington or Moscow. The super powers have left no options for an idealistic future that moderate Syrians might consider fighting for. And no one wants to die for a pipeline.

read page 1

What is the answer? If our objective is long-term peace in the Mid-East, self-government by the Arab nations and national security at home, we must undertake any new intervention in the region with an eye on history and an intense desire to learn its lessons. Only when we Americans understand the historical and political context of this conflict will we apply appropriate scrutiny to the decisions of our leaders.

Using the same imagery and language that supported our 2003 war against Saddam Hussein, our political leaders led Americans to believe that our Syrian intervention is an idealistic war against tyranny, terrorism and religious fanaticism. We tend to dismiss, as mere cynicism, the views of those Arabs who see the current crisis as a rerun of the same old plots about pipelines and geopolitics. But, if we are to have an effective foreign policy, we must recognize the Syrian conflict is a war over control of resources indistinguishable from the myriad clandestine and undeclared oil wars we have been fighting in the Mid-East for 65 years. And only when we see this conflict as a proxy war over a pipeline do events become comprehensible.

Its the only paradigm that explains why the GOP on Capitol Hill and the Obama administration are still fixated on regime change rather than regional stability, why the Obama administration can find no Syrian moderates to fight the war, why ISIS blew up a Russian passenger plane, why the Saudis just executed a powerful Shia cleric only to have their embassy burned in Tehran, why Russia is bombing non-ISIS fighters and why Turkey went out of its way to down a Russian jet. The million refugees now flooding into Europe are refugees of a pipeline war and CIA blundering.

Clemente compares ISIS to Colombias FARCa drug cartel with a revolutionary ideology to inspire its foot soldiers. You have to think of ISIS as an oil cartel, Clemente said. In the end, money is the governing rationale. The religious ideology is a tool that inspires its soldiers to give their lives for an oil cartel.

Once we strip this conflict of its humanitarian patina and recognize the Syrian conflict as an oil war, our foreign policy strategy becomes clear. Instead, our first priority should be the one no one ever mentionswe need to kick our Mid-East oil jones, an increasingly feasible objective, as the U.S. becomes more energy independent. Next, we need to dramatically reduce our military profile in the Middle East and let the Arabs run Arabia. Other than humanitarian assistance and guaranteeing the security of Israels borders, the U.S. has no legitimate role in this conflict. While the facts prove that we played a role in creating the crisis, history shows that we have little power to resolve it.

As we contemplate history, its breathtaking to consider the astonishing consistency with which virtually every violent intervention in the Middle East since World War II by our country has resulted in miserable failure. The long list of CIA and military adventures has each cost us dearly in national treasure, in liberty at home, in our moral authority abroad and in our national security. Without any memorable exception, every violent intervention has resulted in a catastrophic blowback far more costly to our country than any problems the authors meddling intended to solve. Our mischief has neither improved life in the Middle East nor has it made America safer.

A 1997 U.S. Department of Defense report found that the data show a strong correlation between U.S. involvement abroad and an increase in terrorist attacks against the U.S. Lets face it, what we call the war on terror is really just another oil war. Weve squandered $6 trillion on three wars abroad and on constructing a national security warfare state at home since oilman Cheney declared the Long War in 2001. The only winners have been the military contractors and oil companies who have pocketed historic profits. We have compromised our values, butchered our own youth, killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people, subverted our idealism and squandered our national treasures in fruitless and costly adventures abroad. In the process, we have turned America, once the worlds beacon of freedom, into a national security surveillance state and an international moral pariah.

Americas founding fathers warned Americans against standing armies, foreign entanglements and, in John Adams words, going abroad in search of monsters to destroy. Those wise men understood that imperialism abroad is incompatible with democracy and civil rights at home. They wanted America to be a city on a hilla model of democracy for the rest of the world.

The Atlantic Charter echoed their seminal American ideal that each nation should have the right to self-determination. Over the past seven decades, the Dulles brothers, the Cheney Gang, the neocons and their ilk have hijacked that fundamental principle of American idealism and deployed our military and intelligence apparatus to serve the mercantile interests of large corporations and particularly, the petroleum companies and military contractors who have literally made a killing from these conflicts. Its time for Americans to turn America away from this new imperialism and back to the path of idealism and democracy. We should let the Arabs govern Arabia and turn our energies to the great endeavor of nation building at home. We need to begin this process, not by invading Syria, but by ending our ruinous addiction to oil.
Early morning Tuesday August 9: Iranian authorities executed at least six prisoners in the West Azerbaijan province, northwestern Iran.





Iran Human Rights (AUG 9 2016): At least five prisoners, including political prisoner Mohammad Abdollahi, were executed at Darya, Urmia's central prison, on Tuesday August 9. One other prisoner was executed on the same day at Miandoab Prison. Last week, Iran Human Rights had reported on the execution of at least 20 Sunni prisoners who were sentenced to death in a court hearing that lasted only a few minutes. IHR also recently reported on the unsuspected execution of Shahram Amiri, who was reportedly sentenced to ten years in prison.





Iran Human Rights condemns the death penalty for any crime, and calls on the international community to react strongly and with urgency to the extrajudicial and summary executions carried out in Iran in recent weeks. "We call on the United Nations to send a fact-finding mission to Iran to investigate the judicial process and the execution of at least 20 Sunni prisoners, Shahram Amiri, and Mohammad Abdollahi," says Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, spokesperson for Iran Human Rights.





At least five prisoners at Urmia's central prison were executed on Tuesday August 9. At least four of them were hanged on drug charges, and one of them was Mohammad Abdollahi, a political prisoner who was sentenced to death for Moharebeh (enmity against God). Mohammad Abdollahi was reportedly not involved in any armed or violent acts and was charged with Moharebeh solely based on accusation that he was a "supporter of a Kurdish opposition group". These prisoners were reportedly among a group of seven who were transferred to solitary confinement on Monday Augst 8 in preparation for their executions. Among the prisoners in solitary confinement was a woman identified as Parisa Hatami. Her execution sentence and one other prisoner's were reportedly not carried out for unknown reasons. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network identifies the four prisoners who were executed on drug charges as Seyed Jahangir Razavizadeh, Jebreal Kanani, Kamran Pouraft, and Amir Azizi.





Mohammad Abdollahi, 35, was sentenced to death by branch 1 of the Mahabad Revolutionary Court, and his death sentence was confirmed by Iran's Supreme Court. His sentence was sent officially for implentation in spring 2014 by the Execution of Sentences Circuit in Mahabad (West Azerbaijan province, northwestern Iran). "The bodies of four prisoners who were executed along with Mohammad were returned to their families, but we have not yet received Mohammad's body," a source close to Mohammad Abdollahi tells Iran Human Rights.





Also on Tuesday August 9, a prisoner was reportedly hanged at Miandoab Prison (West Azerbaijan province, northwestern Iran) on drug related charges. Close sources have identified the prisoner as Younes Teymouri, 31.





"The recent extrajudicial and summary executions, which are being carried out at the same time a human rights dialogue takes place between Iranian authorities and the European Union, pose a challenge to the international community's tolerance for executions in Iran. The lack of an immediate and strong reaction from the international community, especially the EU, may put the thousands of death row prisoners in Iran at imminent risk of execution," says Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam.





According to reports by Iran Human Rights, in the span of one month, Iranian authorities have executed 94 people; 42 of these executions were announced by official Iranian media.

 | Report an error, an omission; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; send a submission; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!

Source: Iran Human Rights , August 9, 2016
Chancellor Conway gives State of the University address to faculty, staff

Elizabeth City State University Chancellor Thomas E.H. Conway stood before an auditorium full of faculty members, gazing out over the rows of educators, delivering a State of the University speech that at its core extolled the virtues of excellence.

The pursuit of excellence, said Chancellor Conway Wednesday, August 10, 2016, during the Faculty Institute on the ECSU campus. We all play a part in this.

And it was with that tone, and that focus, that Chancellor Conway set out to make his case for preparing ECSU for the 2016 fall semester.

We will not accept anything less than the best of service, he said. It is important that we adopt the attitude that we bring value.

And with that in mind, Chancellor Conway posed the questions: Why are we here? Where are we going?

He spoke of the missions of various University of North Carolina constituent institutions. When ECSU was founded in 1891, the mission was to provide opportunity for the economic development of the African American citizens of northeast North Carolina.

But missions evolve, and so has that of ECSU. While ECSU is a historically black university, and as an HBCU that mission is not complete yet, Conway Chancellor said today one-in-four students are not African American. That means that ECSU is an, access institution and its mission is that of a regional university.

We bring people to higher education that might not have access otherwise, said Chancellor Conway.

And access, he said, means different things to different people. For some it is a leg up, for others it is simply being given a chance to prove themselves, while others simply need a means by which they can pull themselves up. It is, Chancellor Conway said, up to ECSU to provide the tools necessary to achieve ones goals.

While providing access to as many individuals as possible is at the core of the institution, Chancellor Conway also said ECSU is taking on a new identity as it becomes one-of-three schools in the N.C. Promise program. Prompted by Senate Bill 873, N.C. Promise includes ECSU, UNC-Pembroke, and Western Carolina University. Each campus will offer $500 per semester tuition for in-state students and $2,500 per semester tuition for out-of-state students beginning in the fall of 2018.

But that is only part of the story. While tuition goes down for students and their families, the cost of education remains the same. That is why, said Chancellor Conway, the legislature will put money into the three universities to off-set costs.

This does not change the quality of education, he said.

As ECSU moves into the future, said Chancellor Conway, the university must acknowledge that the faces of university students are changing. While there are traditional students enrolling, increasingly there are transfer students coming in from community colleges and other campuses. And the non-traditional, older student is also becoming more frequent on campuses.

College students are getting older, he said. In todays classes the range of ages is not what it used to be.

And they are coming to ECSU and other campuses across the state for, he said, a variety of reasons.

We must provide the opportunity for adult students to do that, said Chancellor Conway.

There is also, he added, a very active effort to bring members of the military on campus, with an emphasis on the Coast Guard. That effort, he said, will include online degree programs that would allow those students to continue their ECSU education after they have been transferred to a new duty station.

Ultimately, he said, it is up to faculty and staff to lead the way into the future. The perceptions these students hold, the attitudes they possess, are in large part a product of the value and excellence projected by the people of ECSU.

Adopt that identity, said Chancellor Conway.
(Photo: Zambia Tourism)The Victoria Falls forms a spectacular bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Church leaders and human rights advocates in Zambia and across the world have strengthened their calls for nonviolent campaigning and a stable constitution ahead of a national election being held in the southern African nation on Aug. 11.

The general secretary of the United Church of Zambia said churches have a duty to hold their government accountable and to push for a stable constitution that provides for the rights of all people during a July 30 press conference.

This can only be accomplished if people exercise their right to vote, said the Rev. Peggy Mulambya Kabonde. The UCZ is represented by more than 1,000 congregations across the country.

"The flashes of violence that have characterized these campaigns is not only unacceptable but an injury to our image," said Kabonde. "For God's sake, we are a Christian nation and cannot afford to see, hear or read of anybody talking about violence."

There has been escalating violence in the ongoing campaigns by the two major contenders, the governing Patriotic Front and the main opposition, the United Party for National Development. Citizens of Zambia will be voting in local, parliamentary, and presidential elections, as well as on a constitutional referendum.

"As the United Church of Zambia, we fully back previous initiatives aimed at bringing peace to our land and will not allow our people to be cursed by violence," said Kabonde. "We must work at ensuring that Zambia remains an oasis of peace."

Zambia gained its independence from Britain in 1964 with the United National Independence Party at the helm, From 1972 to 1991 Zambia was a one-party state with the UNIP as the sole legal political party under the motto "One Zambia, One Nation."

Founding president Kenneth Kaunda was succeeded by Frederick Chiluba of the social-democratic Movement for Multi-Party Democracy in 1991, beginning a period of social-economic growth and government decentralization.

The UCZ rejected any notion that one human being is superior to another, and urged compromise and consensus. "Jesus reminds us in his life that non-violence is the way to peace. He resisted oppression peacefully," said Kabonde. "Jesus called us to love our enemies and persecutors and to pray for them."

She urged political leaders, civil society and all citizens of Zambia to preserve unity and peace over the long term. "Elections are a one-day affair," said Kabonde.

"We cannot reduce Zambia to this one-day affair. We have a huge task to ensure that peace is maintained, rather than only focus on the 11th of August 2016. We also invest in our future by loving one another and doing good for each other."

The UCZ joined voices across the world in calling for peace building at all times. "Let us remember that we owe a duty to posterity," said Kabonde. "We should work toward ensuring that we leave this land better than we found it."

PROACTIVE CHURCHES

Churches in Zambia have been proactive in advocating for peace and unity, said Rev. Suzanne Matale, general secretary of the Council of Churches in Zambia. On 29 March, church leaders invited all political parties to an "indaba," or gathering, to mediate between and among the parties to help build peace and unity.

"The church provided a neutral platform for parties to openly and frankly discuss and find solutions to causes of the prevailing violence," she said.

"A communique detailing the acknowledgements, commitments, and actions to be taken by all to ensure that peace was restored and maintained in the nation was signed by all parties in attendance."

Two other meetings of political parties have since been held to reinforce the commitments to peace by all political actors, she added.

"Additionally, pastoral letters have been issued to the nation in which moral and ethical guidance has been offered to the political parties urging them to take leadership in ending violence. Prayers have been organized as another way of bringing a prophetic voice to the nation."

Matale said churches and citizens remain hopeful that the elections will be held in a peaceful manner and that the results will be credible and acceptable to all concerned. "We are closely monitoring the events and will monitor the actual elections," she said.

"The church in Zambia has always played a pivotal role in the life of the nation and it has great influence in helping to resolve difficult national matters of conflict and actively defend the principle of constitutionalism."

Many World Council of Churches members and friends expressed their solidarity and offered prayers for the people of Zambia as they advocate and hope for peaceful elections.

Nora Sanders, general secretary of the United Church of Canada, sent a letter to Kabonde and Matale on July 29 offering prayers and solidarity.

"The United Church echoes the churches' appeal for calm as Zambians prepare to head to the polls," Sanders wrote.

"Throughout its history, Zambia has stood out as a haven of peace and calm, offering refuge and security to those in neighboring countries that have experienced violent conflict. It has been a role-model for countries around the world on how to live with genuine respect for diversity and difference."

In the final days of campaigning, Sanders offered a prayer that all people will continue to live out the values that Zambians have long upheld, of peaceful dialogue and respect for the rights and lives of all.

"Be assured of our prayers; you are not alone," she wrote.
It's coke's world....



We have a proxy war in Ukraine.



It doesn't matter what I think. We are living under MAD, as Putin and the Russian media remind us and the Russian people.



You're dancing around, going for low-hanging fruit, and missing it.



You skipped over the facts of the red line. You failed to acknowledge the weakness of removing any possibility for supplying Ukraine, which has shown it can fight, with lethal military aid.



If Hillary wasn't such a liar, the side you've decided to be on wouldn't have anything right
The school year is behind us. So many things went well; some things you might wish to forget. Sadly, many teachers find that their amazing accomplishments from the past year remain unacknowledged, or worse, unnoticed.

Here are five simple things teachers might consider doing this year in order to overcome feeling underappreciated.

1. Create, build, and maintain your virtual learning communities (VLC). Three years ago, my supervisor suggested I explore and experiment with Twitter. I opened an account, but didnt know where to start. I lurked and only followed people I knew personally. Six months later, I finally engaged in my first Twitter chat. I thought my brain would explode from all of the concentrated thoughts expressed in 140 characters or less. Now I believe I have learned more online in the last two years than in 30 years of school-based professional-development sessions. Narrow down your interests and find your Twitter tribe. (See teacher Brianna Crowleys video guide, Twitter for Teacher Leaders and follow her on Twitter @AkaMsCrowley .)

Another VLC to engage with is the Center for Teaching Qualitys Collaboratory . You can exchange ideas, receive training, subscribe to a variety of blogs, and participate in real-time chats and asynchronous postings.

For face-to-face tribes, you might consider starting a book club or actively collaborating with peers. Learning in a group increases self-confidence and recharges your batteries, while simultaneously increasing your teaching efficacy. Its like the rule for airplane passengers: Put your oxygen mask on before helping others. It really doesnt matter how you engage with others; what matters most is standing together.

For more information on VLCs, check out Jessica Cuthbertsons article for Education Week Teacher, How Teachers Can Benefit From Virtual Learning Communities.

2. Remind yourself of the wins. With regularity, take some time aloneor with a critical friendto reflect upon your practice. You might consider recording your thoughts in a journal or in the form of a personal blog.

What went well? Be specific and cite evidence. Recognize the small wins and the major victories. For example, one student went from plagiarizing her writing assignments to finding her own voice. When I read her last paper, I could almost hear her voice reading it to me.

What were your challenges? Point out events which caused you the greatest concern. The majority of my time spent putting out fires revolved around plagiarism. I had given students specific directions regarding presenting the work of others as their own, but that was insufficient in the eyes of the administration. At that moment it would have been easy to default into blame mode. However, the easiest path is seldom the best. It is often prudent to center your attention only on what is in your control.

How did you overcome the challenges? In my case, I agreed to construct clear writing procedure modules for students entering my class. I inserted them into my Google Classroom page using examples ranging from the lawsuit over Led Zeppelins song Stairway to Heaven to the recent controversy regarding similarities between political spouses speeches . Students need to complete these modules prior to beginning their coursework.

Be sure to include non-school events as wins. For example, the highlight of my spring break was celebrating my 25th wedding anniversary. Since I keep family photos in the classroom, my high school students are always curious about my spouse and kids. I was able to share my story and genuinely dialogue with them about their own special eventsthese relationship-building moments build classroom trust.

By reflecting accurately upon your wins, challenges, and next steps, you can intentionally orchestrate your professional growth.

3. Add positive books to your reading list. Similar to eating healthy foods, reading the right books can provide affirmation by recognizing the amazing things you already do. Additionally, you can think about how more amazing you will become. Your VLCs, friends, and colleagues are your best sources for book recommendations. Reading positive books, in addition to increasing your educator self-esteem, may also provide a solid framework on which to grow your professional practice.

4. Attend a workshop, conference, or institute. Fewer things are more invigorating than professional discourse. Invest in your growth as a teacher by attending one of many available conferences. Be sure to think about what interests you and dream big. Personally, I was invited to the 2016 Future of Learning Institute at the Harvard Graduate School of Education . I did not pretend to be wicked smart, but Harvard accepted my application for two reasons. The first is that I applied. The second was that I was able to articulate a personal-learning need aligned with their purposes. Always remember you know the needs of students better than non-practitioners! Some school districts have funds available to support teachers attending events. If funding isnt available from your employer, consider requesting financial aid from the institution, apply for a grant, or even engage in crowdfunding. Do whatever it takes; you are worth it!

If travel isnt an option, you can still engage in quality learning opportunities individually or as a group. The ASCD , The Alliance for Excellent Education , and others periodically offer free webinars. You can participate in live webinars or view recordings of relevant webinars later.

5. Become the leader you want to be. Classroom teachers are the most important resource in the current educational reform movements. We see the needs, have a sense of what will work, and have bold ideas of how to do things better. Focus on one thing you would do to make teaching better and share it with your VLC. Take every opportunity you can to talk about it. Share your idea with administration. Dont let a lack of funding slow you down. Submit your idea to the U.S. Department of Educations Teach to Lead , apply for a NEA Foundation Grant , try to crowdsource financial support through a site like GoFundMe , or search for other funding sources within your realm of influence to support your idea.

This list is in no way exhaustive. There are many things you can do in your school, district, and community. The point is that the most important change agents are the teachers. We are the preeminent and, ironically, the least utilized resource for school reform and transformation. We have the heart, the experience, the wisdom, and the access to create the educational opportunities Americas children need and deserve. Instead of feeling unappreciated, you can focus your energy on self-empowerment to do the worlds most important work. Teachers, weve got this.
Jeffery Franklin Zeigler was arraigned Tuesday in Linn County Circuit Court on charges he set his neighbor's 1995 Chevrolet Blazer on fire Aug. 8 after a dispute earlier that day. He faces one count of first-degree arson.

According to police records, Sweet Home Fire and law enforcement responded at 11:30 p.m. to a reported vehicle fire in the 5600 block of Larch Street. Once there, officers discovered another vehicle, a 2005 Nissan Quest, belonging to the same victim, had also been vandalized. Officers obtained evidence they say implicates Zeigler as the person who started both fires.

Linn County prosecutors asked for $100,000 security  twice that required by law  citing a criminal record they say is "decades long."

The victims spoke at the arraignment saying they feared for their family's life, and wanted Zeigler to remain incarcerated. Zeigler responded, saying, "What they're blaming me for is not the true facts." He next claimed the incident stemmed from a dispute over a dog, and that the victims actually started the fires.

Judge Carol Bispham reminded Zeigler that the arraignment was not a trial, and so the facts of the case were not relevant. She set his security at $75,000. Zeigler faces a possible sentence of seven years and six months.
Oct. 13, 2022

Prior to this summer, the memorial garden had lost its shine and perhaps had gone forgotten. That was when 18 year old Annabelle Smith, daughter of an Eielson Airman and a Girl Scout for 13 years, decided to take on a renovation project as a part of a Gold Award project, one of the highest awards in
Kelly, Pastore debate inflation, energy policy in congressional race

Kelly and Pastore went head-to-head in a debate Tuesday that was organized by WQLN and Erie News Now, which first aired the taped debate Thursday.
Traffic slowed on Highway 34 Tuesday evening after a two-car collision in the westbound lane at the Columbus Street intersection on Highway 34. Two drivers were involved, and both were transported to local hospitals.

According to the Oregon State Police report, Elizabeth Jay Younger, 21, driving a Toyota pickup, was stopped in the center lane and turned left into westbound traffic, causing Keenan Michael Kok Carlson, 21, driving a Nissan Pathfinder to collide with the truck. Both vehicles were towed from the scene. Younger was transported to Good Samaritan Regional medical Center with moderate injuries, while Kok Carlson was sent to Albany General Hospital with minor injuries.

It was not known at press time whether Younger was cited.

The Oregon Department of Transportation, as well as the Tangent and Albany fire departments, assisted.
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.

14:55, 28 OCT 2022
Albany officials brought their golden shovels on Tuesday to the sites of the city's new fire station and police station for a pair of matching groundbreaking ceremonials, and participants dutifully turned over piles of dirt with their shovels.

It's a nice illusion, that these ceremonies mark the official start of work on these new projects, but it's just that, an illusion: It required plenty of work, from a lot of people, stretching out over years, for Albany to reach the point on Tuesday when work "officially" began on the two new stations.

The city's new fire station will be constructed downtown, in the spot where the city's previous fire station stood before it was demolished to make way for the department's new home. People tend to be nostalgic over old buildings, but the fact of the matter is that this particular old building was not at all suited for the requirements of a 21st century fire department. And the new building, when finished, will have a fighting chance of withstanding a major earthquake, which would allow fire crews and their gear to get out of the building to offer the assistance that city residents will need. The same could not be said of the old building.

The city's new Police Department will be located in the 2600 block of Pacific Boulevard Southwest on 3.69 acres of vacant property. Once completed, the two-story building will be 40,400 square feet and will house all police activities. It will be built so that it can accommodate future growth of the department as necessary, which is a big selling point for this particular project: The current headquarters for the Police Department, now notoriously cramped, was created in such a way to make expansion of the building virtually impossible. Planners have worked to be sure that the same is not true of the building now under construction.

Among the people on hand at Tuesday's festivities was Buzz Wheeler, the Coastal chief executive who played such a major role in convincing Albany taxpayers to vote "yes" on a bond measure to help pay for the two facilities. Noted Wheeler: "I don't think there are many Oregon communities that are building a new fire and a new police station this year." We would venture to say that his assessment is right on the money.

Of course, plenty of other people helped get these projects over the hump: It would be remiss, for example, not to include the incredibly detailed work put in on the project by a task force led by former state Sen. Frank Morse and former Linn County Sheriff Dave Burright. On Tuesday, as the golden shovels slashed into the dirt, it was easy to forget that Albany voters rejected the first bond measure placed before them for the two stations.

In an exceptionally wise move, the Albany City Council asked Morse and Burright to pull together an independent commission to look at the reasons why the first measure failed, to examine the needs of the departments and to make a recommendation to the council. The Morse-Burright panel ended up saving taxpayers millions on the project.

This is a community that always has supported its first responders  but it also is a community that understands the value of a dollar. The Morse-Burright effort hit the sweet spot.

Now that the golden shovels have been set aside, more than 100 workers will get cracking on the sites. But a lot of different people laid the groundwork so that the hammers could start swinging. (mm)
Does the relaxed schedule of Summer interrupt healthy habits at your home? While I wish we would not stray, Summer does become more lax in some departments. Instead of a more uniform enforced bedtime, some nights may get late if the weather is nice and were enjoying the last bits of sunshine. On the scorching hot days, supper may consist of ice cream instead of a three course meal. And unfortunately, the really important habit of brushing teeth daily ends up getting missed on crazy busy days. So with the school year creeping in, its time to get my family back on track.

Sending a big thank you to Jefferson Dental Care for providing my family with some back to school teeth-brushing goodies!



Did you know that tooth decay is the number 1 chronic childhood illness in America! Nationwide, children miss hundreds of millions of hours of school to poor dental health while 25% never even receive treatment. To help get families ready and back on track, Jefferson Dental Care Clinic is hosting an informative and fun Twitter Tweet Chat Party on August 25th, 2016.

~WHAT: #Back2Smiles Tweetchat: Back 2 School, Back 2 Smiles

~Date: August 25th, 2016



~TIME: 12pm-1pm CT (1-2pm ET)

~WHERE: Twitter, use the hashtag #Back2Smiles

~HOST: @JeffersonCares, @Amertoothfairy

Buy It: Head over to Jefferson Dental Clinics to learn more about what they offer.

Connect: Dont forget to like Jefferson Dental Clinics on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google + for all the latest news and promotions.

Win It: Jefferson Dental Clinis is generously offering one of our lucky readers their very own Back 2 Smiles Prize Pack! This package will consist of:

~1 Oral B Pro Health for Me Electric Brush for Kids, 1 Touch N Brush Hands Free Toothpaste Dispenser, 4 Boxes of Toms of Maine Toothpaste Kids Fun Flossers, Toothbrush chart + marker, lunch box, sandwich box, and back to school treats.

The giveaway is open to the Continental US only and will end August 26th, 2016. For your chance to win, enter the Giveaway Tools below. Good luck!

Entry Form





Im a city girl turned country by my awesome husband and we have three busy boys and two darling daughters. I love spending time with my family, reading Karen Kingsbury novels, and catching up with friends while our kiddos have play dates. Im blessed beyond measure and cant wait to see what God has in store.

Follow Miranda on Pinterest | Twitter| Blog | Instagram www.emilyreviews.com/category/miranda
BA plane reports 'mid air emergency' whilst flying over Isle of Man

There have been reports a British Airways jet declared a mid-air emergency today whilst flying over the Isle of Man.

UK reports say the passenger plane - which was travelling from Denver to Heathrow - requested a 'priority landing' due to an unwell passenger as it was travelling over the Irish Sea.

The Boeing 747 is believed to have landed at Heathrow at 11.30am.
The campaign for Ann Roe, who is running for Congress against Lyin' Bryan Steil has come out with the best one-liner of this cycle so far: I can't argue...

11 months ago
In this Editorial, Scott Friedman lays out his wish list for the 2016 U.S. presidential candidates. "Supporting biomedical research is a bipartisan, patriotic act," argues Friedman, who serves as Dean for Therapeutic Discovery at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "Wise choices by the next U.S. president will ensure improvements in public health and maximize taxpayers' return on investment." Friedman calls on the next president to support biomedical discoveries that advance health for Americans. Boosting funding for the National Institutes of Health should be a priority: "Linking the NIH budget to a fixed percentage of gross national product (~0.3%) would signal to current and future scientists that the United States' commitment to biomedical research is unshakable and apolitical." Friedman also urges the next president to invest in the next generation of physician-scientists, support public-private partnerships, encourage clinical trials that test repurposed drugs, democratize access to clinical trials, and promote disease prevention and access to medical care.

###
Aug. 10, 2016--Reducing outdoor concentrations of two air pollutants, ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), to levels below those set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would likely save thousands of lives each year, result in far fewer serious illnesses and dramatically reduce missed days of school and work, according to a new analysis conducted by the American Thoracic Society and the Marron Institute of Urban Management at New York University.

In "Estimated Excess Morbidity and Mortality Caused by Air Pollution above ATS Recommended Standards, 2011-2013," published online in the August edition of Annals of the American Thoracic Society, researchers report on the annual health benefits of meeting more protective standards recommended by the ATS for O3 and PM2.5.

They found that meeting a 0.060 parts per million (ppm) 8-hour standard for O3, rather than the EPA's 0.070 ppm standard, and an 11 micrograms per cubic meter (g/m3) annual standard for PM2.5, rather than the EPA's 12 g/m3 standard, would each year:

Save 9,320 lives;

Reduce serious health events (morbidities), such as heart attacks, hospital admissions and emergency room visits, by 21,400; and

Decrease "adverse impact days," during which people may not be able to work, go to school or otherwise be physically active because of severe breathing problems, by 19,300,000 days.

"While there is information available about counties in the United States that exceed EPA air pollution standards, there has not been a similar source of information about how that air pollution actually affects the health of people living in those areas," said lead study author Kevin Cromar, PhD, director of the Air Quality Program at the Marron Institute of Urban Management and assistant professor of population health and environmental medicine at the NYU School of Medicine.

The ATS recommended standards for O3 and PM2.5 are based on scores of national and international epidemiological, animal and human exposure studies.

The EPA sets standards for six principal air pollutants to meet its obligation under the Clean Air Act to protect the health of the American public, including vulnerable populations, by an adequate margin of safety. In addition to ozone and particulate matter, the other pollutants are lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide.

Dr. Cromar said that most studies have looked at only one air pollutant. By including the two most important air pollutants in the analysis, the new study "gives policy makers and local air quality managers a much better picture of what is going on." Overall, the study found that the more protective O3 standard accounted for about 75 percent of the estimated health benefits due to a greater number of metropolitan areas with O3 concentrations above the ATS recommendations.

The researchers used the same software that the EPA uses to conduct regulatory cost-benefit analysis to estimate the health benefits of more protective standards for O3 and PM2.5. Data inputted into the program came from census tract information, 19 large national or multi-city studies that assessed the health impacts of the two pollutants, and a network of air monitors that the EPA relies upon to determine if states and counties are meeting air quality.

The authors emphasized that their findings do not specifically address an individual's health risk or the personal benefits of cleaner air, but rather assess population level health impacts. Metropolitan areas with the large populations and elevated concentrations of one or both air pollutants, they wrote, would realize the biggest improvements in public health by meeting the more protective standards.

The ten metropolitan areas that would benefit the most from more protective O3 and PM2.5 standards are:

Los Angeles (Long Beach-Glendale), CA: 1,341 lives saved, 3,255 fewer morbidities and 2,892,029 fewer impacted days

Riverside (San Bernardino-Ontario), CA: 808 lives saved, 1,416 fewer morbidities and 1,321,762 fewer impacted days

New York City (Jersey City-White Plains), NY-NJ: 282 lives saved, 977 fewer morbidities and 818,666 fewer impacted days

Phoenix (Mesa-Scottsdale), AZ: 283 lives saved, 598 fewer morbidities and 636,730 fewer impacted days

Pittsburgh, PA: 285 lives saved, 533 fewer morbidities and 281,858 fewer impacted days

Fresno, CA: 260 lives saved, 672 fewer morbidities and 390,551 fewer impacted days

Bakersfield, CA: 241 lives saved, 333 fewer morbidities and 220,722 fewer impacted days

Houston: (The Woodlands-Sugar Land), TX: 229 lives saved, 661 fewer morbidities and 636, 211 fewer impacted days

Cleveland (Elyria), OH: 196 lives saved, 487 fewer morbidities and 231,859 fewer impacted days

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN: 173 lives saved, 298 fewer morbidities and 192,989 fewer impacted days

The ATS and Marron Institute expect to update the report annually. The report and an online tool with searchable information can be found at http://www.healthoftheair.org/. The online tool includes information about whether a metropolitan area meets EPA and ATS-recommended standards for each of the two pollutants and estimates the health benefits, for each pollutant, of meeting ATS recommended standards.

"As an organization of health care providers and researchers, we know firsthand the toll air pollution takes on people's health, particularly the young and elderly," said ATS President David Gozal, MD, MBA, Herbert T. Abelson professor of Pediatrics at the University of Chicago. "This report begins to quantify that toll and provides information that, we believe, should inform the setting of national air pollution standards."

He added, "Equally important, state and local policy makers can use the online tool to better understand the nature of their air pollution problem so they can consider the best solutions for addressing their particular problem and improving the public's health."

###

Financial support for this project was provided by the Marron Institute of Urban Management at New York University and the Turner Foundation.

Contact for article: Kevin Cromar, PhD

To interview Dr. Cromar, contact Rob Polner (212) 998-2337; robert.polner@nyu.edu

Share via Twitter

"How many lives could be saved in your city & state by reducing #smog and particle #airpollution? Find out at http://www.HealthoftheAir.org"

Follow Us

ATS - @atscommunity

AnnalsATS - @AnnalsATSEditor

Marron Institute - @NYUMarron

About the Annals of the American Thoracic Society(AnnalsATS):

The AnnalsATS is a peer-reviewed journal published by the American Thoracic Society. The journal delivers up-to-date and authoritative coverage of adult and pediatric pulmonary and respiratory sleep medicine and adult critical care. The scope of the Journal encompasses content that is applicable to clinical practice, the formative and continuing education of clinical specialists and the advancement of public health. Editor: John Hansen-Flaschen, MD, the Paul F. Harron Jr. Family Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

About the American Thoracic Society

Founded in 1905, the American Thoracic Society is a medical professional organization dedicated to the prevention, treatment, research and cure of pulmonary disease, critical care illness and sleep-disordered breathing. Our 15,000 physician, researcher, nurse, respiratory therapist and other allied health professional members pursue our mission through research, education, clinical care and advocacy.

Because of the well-established links between exposures to air pollution and respiratory health, the ATS plays an active role in advocating for National Ambient Air Quality standards that protect the public health from air pollution.

About the Marron Institute for Urban Management at New York University

The Marron Institute deepens the fundamental understanding of cities by working with civic innovators to improve urban management. All cities aspire to good management but a continually changing world means that every city is a work in progress. Dr. Kevin Cromar directs the Air Quality Program which helps cities develop and implement efficient air management practices which includes: smart monitoring of emissions, policies that reduce exposure to ambient pollution, and dissemination of improved risk communication information to the public. The Marron Institute is located at New York University and is directed by Paul Romer.
"Best before", "usable at least until" and "expiry date" - those are the Danish shelf life labels used in connection with food. In 2012 a study examined whether the Danes knew the difference between these labels, and in 2015 scientists from Aarhus University examined if our knowledge of the labels has improved and if we are able to distinguish between them.

Further, the scientists examined whether we trust our senses when it comes to finding out if the food is still edible or should be thrown away. Professor Liisa Lahteenmaki from Department of Management at Aarhus University is one of the authors of a new report outlining the results of the new studies. She explains:

- We were rather eager to see if the major focus on food waste in recent years would change how the Danes act in relation to food shelf life.

Reduced food waste

In order to reduce food waste it is an advantage to check the quality of food by looking at it, smelling or tasting it before it is discarded. On the other hand taking a big bite may be a potential health risk when it comes to perishable foods that have passed the "use-by" date.

It is important that consumers know the different meanings of the labels. Products labelled "best before" or "usable at least until" may be eaten after the expiry date if the sensory quality is acceptable. As for products labelled "use-by" consumers should be aware of the label and discard the food once the date has passed.

Even if the product seems fine and smells good it may pose a potential health risk. In general, the knowledge of food labels had improved in 2015 when compared to the 2012 study.

However, the increase in knowledge was rather modest. The modest increase is probably partly due to the fact that consumers already had a relatively high knowledge of the labels in the 2012 study. Approx. 70 percent of the participants in the 2015 study answered the questions in relation to the labels correctly.

Today, however, it is obvious that food waste plays an increasing role in consumer awareness. The new study clearly demonstrated that significantly more consumers know that food labelled "best before" does not constitute a health risk even though the date has expired.

Too much food is still thrown away

However, food waste is still a problem. The study demonstrated that between 10 and 42 percent of the respondents, depending on the product category throw away food that might be eaten after the "best before" date without even checking if the food is still edible.

Trust in our abilities to assess whether the food is in condition varies between products. We often check bread before it is thrown out, but fewer of us taste yoghurt to see if it is edible 3-4 days after the date.

Our senses - and the degree to which we trust them - also play a decisive role when it comes to displaying risk behavior and taste the food after the "use by" date. Older study participants and those who trusted their senses were more likely to display risk behavior and taste food that should actually be thrown away after the expiry date.

- Consumers trust their senses, and this is good in relation to some food products as it helps us reduce food waste. However, it may also be a disadvantage concerning other types of food as it may pose a health risk. The same behavior may thus be good in some cases but rather unsuitable in others, says Liisa Lahteenmaki.

###

Further information

Professor Liisa Lahteenmaki

Department of Management

Mail: liisal@mgmt.au.dk

Tel.: +45 8716 5143 or 5149 0930

The DCA report "Holdbarhedsmrkning pa Fdevarer, forstaelse blandt forbrugere" has been commissioned and funded by the Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark as part of the agreement with Aarhus University on the provision of research-based policy support.

Download here (in Danish): http://web.agrsci.dk/djfpublikation/index.asp?action=show&id=1217
A study published by The BMJ today provides more details of an association between Zika virus infection in the womb and a condition known as arthrogryposis, which causes joint deformities at birth, particularly in the arms and legs.

Microcephaly (a rare birth defect where a baby is born with an abnormally small head) and other severe fetal brain defects are the main features of congenital Zika virus syndrome. However, little is still known about other potential health problems that Zika virus infection during pregnancy may cause.

Until recently there were no reports of an association between congenital viral infection and arthrogryposis. After the outbreak of microcephaly in Brazil associated with Zika virus, two reports suggested an association, but they did not describe the deformities in detail.

So a research team based in Recife, the Brazilian city at the centre of the Zika epidemic, decided to investigate the possible causes of the joint deformities.

They studied detailed brain and joint images of seven children with arthrogryposis and a diagnosis of congenital infection, presumably caused by Zika virus. All children tested negative for the five other main infectious causes of microcephaly - toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, rubella, syphilis, and HIV.

All children showed signs of brain calcification, a condition in which calcium builds up in the brain. The theory is that the Zika virus destroys brain cells, and forms lesions similar to "scars" on which calcium is deposited.

All the children underwent high definition scanning of the joints and surrounding tissues, but there was no evidence of joint abnormalities.

This led the researchers to say that the arthrogryposis "did not result from abnormalities of the joints themselves, but was likely to be of neurogenic origin" - a process involving motor neurones (cells that control the contraction or relaxation of muscles) - leading to fixed postures in the womb and consequently deformities.

They point out that further research is needed with a larger number of cases to study the neurological abnormalities behind arthrogryposis, but suggest that children should receive orthopaedic follow-up ... "because they could develop musculoskeletal deformities secondary to neurological impairment."

Based on these observations, the researchers conclude that "congenital Zika syndrome should be added to the differential diagnosis of congenital infections and arthrogryposis."

Because this is an observational study, no firm conclusions can be drawn about the effect of the Zika virus on arthrogryposis. Nevertheless, the authors suggest that this condition might be related to the way motor neurons carry signals to the unborn baby's muscles, or to problems with arteries and veins (vascular disorders).

###

About BMJ

BMJ is a healthcare knowledge provider that aims to advance healthcare worldwide by sharing knowledge and expertise to improve experiences, outcomes and value. For a full list of BMJ products and services, please visit bmj.com
Study uses scientific collections to elevate the San Cristobal Island Vermilion Flycatcher to full species status, but no one has seen it since 1987

SAN FRANCISCO (August 10, 2016) -- Scientists have discovered a new species of colorful songbird in the Galapagos Islands, with one catch: it's extinct. Researchers from the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco State University (SFSU), the University of New Mexico (UNM), and the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (SFBBO) used molecular data from samples of museum specimens to determine that two subspecies of Vermilion Flycatchers, both found only in the Galapagos, should be elevated from subspecies to full species status. One of these newly recognized species--the characteristically smaller San Cristobal Island Vermilion Flycatcher--hasn't been seen since 1987 and is considered to be the first modern extinction of a Galapagos bird species. The findings were published online earlier this May in the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.

"A species of bird that may be extinct in the Galapagos is a big deal," says Jack Dumbacher, co-author and Academy curator of ornithology and mammalogy. "This marks an important landmark for conservation in the Galapagos, and a call to arms to understand why these birds have declined."

The study examined the complex evolutionary history of Vermilion Flycatchers by using advanced genetic techniques. In the absence of living tissue, the team turned to the California Academy of Sciences, which houses the largest collection of Galapagos bird specimens in the world. Specimens collected and preserved over 100 years ago allowed the team to carry out DNA sequencing and piece together an evolutionary history of the species.

Vermilion Flycatchers exhibit a complex evolutionary history having branched from an ancestral population into twelve recognized subspecies with ranges that span across the Americas and the Galapagos Islands. This study compares their evolutionary history against the way scientific authorities currently classify the species (and subspecies) to look for any inconsistencies.

"Access to museum collections such as the Academy's for pursuing these types of studies is invaluable," says Christopher Witt, study co-author and associate professor of biology at the University of New Mexico. "Preserved specimens can provide the crucial links needed to better understand how life on Earth evolved."

Two subspecies of the Vermilion Flycatcher, both found only in the Galapagos, were determined to be so genetically distinct that the team elevated them to full species status: Pyrocephalus nanus (throughout most of the Galapagos) and Pyrocephalus dubius (only on the island of San Cristobal). The latter--significantly smaller and subtly different in color from the other species--is commonly known as the San Cristobal Vermilion Flycatcher and hasn't been seen since 1987.

"Wouldn't it be great if the San Cristobal Vermilion Flycatcher weren't extinct? No one is looking, I'm pretty sure of that," says Alvaro Jaramillo, study co-author and biologist at the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory. Searches for the San Cristobal Vermilion Flycatcher have turned up no evidence so far of its existence on the easternmost island of the archipelago, the only place on Earth it is known to have existed. But Jaramillo claims we shouldn't be so quick to give up on future sightings. "At the very least, this discovery should motivate people to survey and see if there are any remaining individuals of the species hanging on that we don't know about."

What exactly drove the San Cristobal Vermilion Flycatcher to extinction remains unknown, but two invasive threats to the archipelago likely played a part: rats and parasitic flies (Philornis downsi). Rats often climb into nests to eat bird eggs, while the parasitic fly can kill growing chicks. These invasive species are severely impacting the remaining populations of Vermilion Flycatchers in the Galapagos, with some islands no longer hosting populations that once thrived there.

The Galapagos have been renowned for their species diversity since Charles Darwin--an honorary Academy member inducted in 1872--described the islands' biodiversity in vivid detail through his writings. Despite the lasting connection between Darwin's landmark work on evolutionary biology and the iconic islands, conserving Galapagos biodiversity remains a challenge.

"Sadly, we appear to have lost the San Cristobal Vermilion Flycatcher," says Dumbacher, "but we hope that one positive outcome of this research is that we can redouble our efforts to understand its decline and highlight the plight of the remaining species before they follow the same fate."

###

The American Ornithologists' Union (AOU)--specifically, the group's South American Classification Committee--produces an official source on the scientific classification of birds, including Vermilion Flycatchers, in this region. AOU will convene its North American Ornithological Conference in Washington DC August 16-20 to host approximately 2000 ornithological professionals, amateurs, and students gathering to discuss and share recent advancements in ornithological research.

About Research at the California Academy of Sciences

The Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability at the California Academy of Sciences is at the forefront of efforts to understand two of the most important topics of our time: the nature and sustainability of life on Earth. Based in San Francisco, the Institute is home to more than 100 world-class scientists, state-of-the-art facilities, and nearly 46 million scientific specimens from around the world. The Institute also leverages the expertise and efforts of more than 100 international Associates and 400 distinguished Fellows. Through expeditions around the globe, investigations in the lab, and analysis of vast biological datasets, the Institute's scientists work to understand the evolution and interconnectedness of organisms and ecosystems, the threats they face around the world, and the most effective strategies for sustaining them into the future. Through innovative partnerships and public engagement initiatives, they also guide critical sustainability and conservation decisions worldwide, inspire and mentor the next generation of scientists, and foster responsible stewardship of our planet.
Montreal, August 10, 2016 -- The consequences of climate change are an increasing concern for humans around the world. How will we cope with rising sea levels and climbing temperatures? But it's not just humans who will be affected by these worldwide shifts -- it's our closest cousins, too: monkeys, apes and lemurs.

A new Concordia study published in the International Journal of Primatology shows that the world's primate populations may be seriously impacted by climate change.

"Our research shows that climate change may be one of the biggest emerging threats to primates, compounding existing pressures from deforestation, hunting and the exotic pet trade, ," says Tanya Graham, the article's lead author and an MSc student in the Department of Geography, Planning and Environment.

She worked with environment professor Damon Matthews from Concordia and primatology post-doctoral researcher Sarah Turner from McGill to assess the exposure and potential vulnerability of all non-human primate species to projected future temperature and precipitation changes. They found that overall, 419 species of non-human primates -- such as various species of lemurs, lorises, tarsiers, monkeys and apes -- will experience 10 per cent more warming than the global average, with some primate species experiencing increases of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius in annual average temperature for every degree of global warming.

The researchers also identified several hotspots of primate vulnerability to climate change, based on the combination of the number of species, their endangered status and the severity of climate changes at each location. Overall, the most extreme hotspots, which represent the upper 10 per cent of all hotspot scores, cover a total area of 3,622,012 square kilometres over the ranges of 67 primate species.

The highest hotspot scores occur in Central America, the Amazon and southeastern Brazil, as well as portions of East and Southeast Asia -- prime territory for some of the globe's best-known primates who call these areas home.

The ursine howler monkey, black howler monkey, and barbary macaque are expected to be exposed to the highest magnitude of climate change when both temperature and precipitation are considered. For example, the ursine howler monkey, found in Venezuela, will experience an increase of 1.2 degrees Celsius annually and a 5.3 per cent decline in annual rainfall for each degree of global temperature increase.

"This study highlights the vulnerability of individual species, as well as regions in which primates as a whole may be vulnerable to climate change," says Matthews, who will present the findings of this study during the Joint Meeting of the International Primatological Society and the American Society of Primatologists in Chicago later this month.

"Our findings can be taken as priorities for ongoing conservation efforts, given that any success in decreasing other current human pressures on endangered species may also increase that species' ability to withstand the growing pressures of climate changes," says Graham.

"Primates are often seen as flagship species for entire ecosystems, so conservation can have important ramifications for many other species too. I hope our study will help direct conservation efforts for individual primate species in particular, but also for vulnerable ecosystems in general throughout the tropical regions inhabited by non-human primates," adds Turner.

###

Partners in research: This study was funded in part by the Concordia Institute for Water, Energy and Sustainable Systems, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Fonds de recherche du Quebec - Nature et technologies. Related links:

Department of Geography, Planning and Environment

Concordia Institute for Water, Energy and Sustainable Systems

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

Fonds de recherche du Quebec - Nature et technologies

Joint Meeting of the International Primatological Society and the American Society of Primatologists
Messier 18 was discovered and catalogued in 1764 by Charles Messier -- for whom the Messier Objects are named -- during his search for comet-like objects [1]. It lies within the Milky Way, approximately 4600 light-years away in the constellation of Sagittarius, and consists of many sibling stars loosely bound together in what is known as an open cluster.

There are over 1000 known open star clusters within the Milky Way, with a wide range of properties, such as size and age, that provide astronomers with clues to how stars form, evolve and die. The main appeal of these clusters is that all of their stars are born together out of the same material.

In Messier 18 the blue and white colours of the stellar population indicate that the cluster's stars are very young, probably only around 30 million years old. Being siblings means that any differences between the stars will only be due to their masses, and not their distance from Earth or the composition of the material they formed from. This makes clusters very useful in refining theories of star formation and evolution.

Astronomers now know that most stars do form in groups, forged from the same cloud of gas that collapsed in on itself due to the attractive force of gravity. The cloud of leftover gas and dust -- or molecular cloud -- that envelops the new stars is often blown away by their strong stellar winds, weakening the gravitational shackles that bind them. Over time, loosely bound stellar siblings like those pictured here will often go their separate ways as interactions with other neighbouring stars or massive gas clouds nudge, or pull, the stars apart. Our own star, the Sun, was most likely once part of a cluster very much like Messier 18 until its companions were gradually distributed across the Milky Way.

The dark lanes that snake through this image are murky filaments of cosmic dust, blocking out the light from distant stars. The contrasting faint reddish clouds that seem to weave between the stars are composed of ionised hydrogen gas. The gas glows because young, extremely hot stars like these are emitting intense ultraviolet light which strips the surrounding gas of its electrons and causes it to emit the faint glow seen in this image. Given the right conditions, this material could one day collapse in on itself and provide the Milky Way with yet another brood of stars -- a star formation process that may continue indefinitely (eso1535).

This mammoth 30 577 x 20 108 pixel image was captured using the OmegaCAM camera, which is attached to the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) at ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile.

###

Notes

[1] Messier 18 is also listed in the New General Catalogue as NGC 6613.

More information

ESO is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world's most productive ground-based astronomical observatory by far. It is supported by 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, along with the host state of Chile. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope, the world's most advanced visible-light astronomical observatory and two survey telescopes. VISTA works in the infrared and is the world's largest survey telescope and the VLT Survey Telescope is the largest telescope designed to exclusively survey the skies in visible light. ESO is a major partner in ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. And on Cerro Armazones, close to Paranal, ESO is building the 39-metre European Extremely Large Telescope, the E-ELT, which will become "the world's biggest eye on the sky".

Links

VLT Survey Telescope - https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/surveytelescopes/vst/

ESO Information on OmegaCAM - https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/surveytelescopes/vst/camera/

Contacts

Richard Hook

ESO Public Information Officer

Garching bei Munchen, Germany

Tel: +49 89 3200 6655

Cell: +49 151 1537 3591

Email: rhook@eso.org
Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless.

A right delayed is a right denied.Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true.

Martin Luther King Jr.

No one is born hating another person People must learn to hate and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

Nelson Mandela

We can disagree and still love each other, unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist

James Baldwin

There is a fine line between free speech and hate speech. Free speech encourages debate whereas hate speech incites violence.

Newton Lee

The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.

Albert Einstein
Boston, MA - Some bacteria, called fusobacteria, commonly found in the mouth, use a sugar-binding protein to stick to developing colorectal polyps and cancers, according to a new study by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine. While certain fusobacteria have previously been shown to worsen colorectal cancer in animals by the Garrett Lab at Harvard Chan School, this study is the first to demonstrate how they may get to and stick to developing tumors.

Understanding this mechanism is an important step toward fighting colorectal cancer, said co-senior study author Wendy Garrett, Melvin J. and Geraldine L. Glimcher Associate Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Harvard Chan School. It might inform ways of blocking fusobacteria from homing in on colorectal tumors, she said. "Alternatively, and perhaps more importantly, our findings suggest that drugs targeting the same or similar mechanisms of bacterial sugar-binding proteins could potentially prevent these bacteria from exacerbating colorectal cancer."

The study will be published online August 10, 2016 in Cell Host & Microbe.

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, and microbes have emerged as key factors that influence the development and progression of the disease.

Garrett and co-senior study author Gilad Bachrach of Hebrew University used human samples and mouse models to confirm their new findings on fusobacteria.

###

Other Harvard Chan authors include Nora Ou and Caitlin Brennan.

This work was supported by the Israel Cancer Research Fund Project, the Israel Science Foundation, the NIH (NCI), and a Hoffman-LaRoche research grant. Garrett is a SAB member of Evelo Therapeutics and Synlogic and has consulted for Janssen Pharmaceuticals.

"Fap2 Mediates Fusobacterium nucleatum Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Enrichment by Binding to Tumor-Expressed Gal-GalNAc," Jawad Abed, Johanna E.M. Emgard, Gideon Zamir, Mouhammad Faroja, Gideon Almogy, Amalie Grenov, Asaf Sol, Ronit Naor, Eli Pikarsky, Karine A. Atlan, Anna Mellul, Stella Chaushu, Abigail L. Manson, Ashlee M. Earl, Nora Ou, Caitlin A. Brennan, Wendy S. Garrett, and Gilad Bachrach, Cell Host & Microbe, online August 10, 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2016.07.006

Visit the Harvard Chan School website for the latest news, press releases, and multimedia offerings.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health brings together dedicated experts from many disciplines to educate new generations of global health leaders and produce powerful ideas that improve the lives and health of people everywhere. As a community of leading scientists, educators, and students, we work together to take innovative ideas from the laboratory to people's lives--not only making scientific breakthroughs, but also working to change individual behaviors, public policies, and health care practices. Each year, more than 400 faculty members at Harvard Chan School teach 1,000-plus full-time students from around the world and train thousands more through online and executive education courses. Founded in 1913 as the Harvard-MIT School of Health Officers, the School is recognized as America's oldest professional training program in public health.
Methods of collective intelligence can result in considerably more accurate medical diagnoses, but only under certain conditions. A study headed by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development has shed new light on how medical diagnostics can be boosted by obtaining several independent judgements. The researchers also found that the group composition is decisive for the quality of the diagnosis.

Four eyes are better than two - this rule has long been valid when it comes to making serious medical diagnoses. But when is it actually better to seek several opinions and how many should be sought? These are the questions that researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries have been looking into.

"We have been investigating how social systems in nature - such as fish swarms - process information and how this can be used to improve human decision-making processes," Max Wolf from the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries explains the method.

In a follow-up study, the researchers have now examined how the diagnostic accuracy of individual doctors affects the collective diagnostic outcome. "Collective intelligence is a promising approach to making better decisions. We were interested in which conditions have to be met for the group's decision to be better than that of the best individual in the group," says Ralf Kurvers, lead author of the study and researcher in the Center for Adaptive Rationality at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development.

Similar individual abilities within a group are key

The study shows that the diagnostic accuracy of the doctors whose diagnoses are combined has to be similar. Only then can the collective outperform the best individual in the group. If, in contrast, doctors' levels of accuracy differ too much, combining their decisions leads to worse diagnostic outcomes. This effect holds across different group sizes and different performance levels of the best group member. "It is not the case that groups always make the best decisions. If individual abilities differ too much within the group, it makes more sense to rely on the best diagnostician in the group," says Ralf Kurvers.

For their study, the researchers used two large datasets available from previous studies on breast and skin cancer diagnostics. They were thus able to draw on more than 20,000 diagnoses made by more than 140 doctors to determine individual diagnostic accuracy. They used this information to identify the conditions under which diagnoses made using collective intelligence rules are more accurate than the diagnoses of the best individual. Specifically, they applied the choose-the-most-confident rule and the majority rule. The choose-the-most-confident rule adopts the diagnosis of the doctor who has the highest confidence in his/her diagnosis; the majority rule takes the diagnosis given by the most doctors.

"Our findings represent another major step in understanding how collective intelligence emerges," says co-author Max Wolf, who investigates collective intelligence in natural settings at the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries. The new findings underline how important the diagnostic accuracy of individual doctors is for the overall outcome. Diagnostic accuracy should therefore be a key criterion for assembling groups in medical diagnostics - for example, in the context of independent double reading of mammograms. In future work, the researchers plan to find out what information is needed to gauge a doctor's diagnostic accuracy as quickly as possible.

###

Original publication:

Kurvers, R. H. J. M., Herzog, S. M., Hertwig, R., Krause, J. Carney, P. A., Bogart, A., Argenziano, G., Zalaudek, I., & Wolf, M.

Boosting medical diagnostics by pooling independent judgments

PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America), July 18, 2016

doi: 10.1073/pnas.1601827113
Many believe that enormous quantities of gold lie buried somewhere in the Philippines. According to a popular account, Japanese soldiers used the Philippines as a base to hide treasures they had plundered from regions under their control during World War II. At the close of the war, the treasure was left behind in several hiding places.

To this day, illegal treasure-hunters continue to damage important archaeological sites across the Philippines in the hopes of striking rich. Conspiracies abound, including allegations that high-level politicians have claimed treasure for themselves and kept the discovery quiet.

But the famous World War II treasure probably never existed, argues Piers Kelly, a linguistic anthropologist at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Jena, Germany. In a paper published recently in The Journal of Folklore Research, Kelly claimed that the popular tale is simply a continuation of a long local tradition of folklore, which has its origins long before the war.

Treasure myths thrive in periods of crisis

"Since at least the nineteenth century Filipino story-tellers have shared tales of hidden valuables such as gold, church bells, silver coins and fine tableware", Kelly explains. "By tracing variations of this story, we were able to show that their popularity coincides with periods of war and crisis. The promise of future wealth may have served to boost local morale."

These legends are also used to make sense of extreme resource inequality. When a neighbour is unaccountably rich, Kelly argues, it is easier to imagine that they discovered treasure than it is to confront uncomfortable economic injustices.

In the present era of globalisation, lost treasure stories in the Philippines are also exchanged as a way of challenging a cultural 'inferiority complex' and of restoring a sense of national pride. The imagined gold plays the role of a future 'golden age' in which the Philippines overcomes its colonial past and is restored to greatness.

###

Original publication:

Excavating a hidden bell story from the Philippines: a revised myth of cultural-linguistic loss and recuperation

Kelly, Piers

Journal of Folklore Research

Vol. 53, No. 2 (May/August 2016), pp. 86-113
New Rochelle, NY, August 10, 2016--Field studies designed to assess the impact of promoting political contribution incentives, such as public matching funds and tax credits, showed that nonpartisan publicity did not affect the likelihood that individuals would make a contribution or the amount they would donate. Possible reasons why the use of nonpartisan messages to publicize incentives did not attract new donors or increase contributions are examined in an article in Election Law Journal, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free for download on the Election Law Journal website until September 12, 2016.

Coauthors Michael Schwam-Baird, Costas Panagopoulos, Jonathan Krasno, and Donald Green, Columbia University, Fordham University (New York, NY), and University of Binghamton, NY, suggest that more partisan messages promoting contribution incentives may have a greater effect on donor behavior. In the article entitled "Do Public Matching Funds and Tax Credits Encourage Political Contributions? Evidence from Three Field Experiments Using Nonpartisan Messages"), the authors emphasize the important lessons to be learned from this study related to campaign finance policy.

"While hundreds of millions of dollars are being raised by presidential candidates this cycle from small donations, the reality is that below the presidential level, the campaign finance system remains very biased toward a small number of donors," says Election Law Journal Editor Paul Gronke, Reed College (Portland, OR). "The experiments in this article demonstrate that by use of modest public matching funds, we cannot significantly increase contributions by Americans of modest means."

###

About the Journal

Election Law Journal is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published quarterly online with open access options and in print that provides global, interdisciplinary coverage of election law, policy, and administration. Led by Editor Paul Gronke, Reed College (Portland, OR), the Journal covers the field of election law for practicing attorneys, election administrators, political professionals, legal scholars, and social scientists, and covers election design and reform on the federal, state, and local levels. Complete tables of contents and a sample issue are available on the Election Law Journal website.

About the Publisher

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research and law, including Biotechnology Law Report, Gaming Law Review and Economics, and Environmental Justice. Its biotechnology trade magazine, GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website.
New Rochelle, NY, August 10, 2016--A new, long-term study examined the antibody response to natural infection with adeno-associated virus (AAV) in chimpanzees for the purpose of characterizing the broad-based immune responses that could reduce the effectiveness of AAV vector-based gene delivery strategies. The study, which demonstrated the production of antibodies able to cross-neutralize multiple AAV serotypes, is published in Human Gene Therapy Clinical Development, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Human Gene Therapy website until September 9, 2016.

Coauthors Roberto Calcedo and James M. Wilson, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, monitored a group of chimpanzees -- chosen because of their genetic similarity to humans -- for 10 years and measured the levels of circulating antibodies in response to infection with naturally occurring AAV. The authors discuss the difference observed in the immune response to natural AAV infection compared to administration of AAV vectors used to deliver gene therapy in the article entitled "AAV Natural Infection Induces Broad Cross-Neutralizing Antibody Responses to Multiple AAV Serotypes in Chimpanzees".

"The impact of anti-vector antibodies remains a technical hurdle in systemic applications of AAV gene therapy," says Human Gene Therapy Clinical Development Editor James M. Wilson, MD, PhD, Director of the Gene Therapy Program, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA. "The study of chimps provided us a window into the type of antibody response that occurs following a natural AAV infection."

###

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development under Award Number P01-HD057247, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute under Award Number P01-HL059407, and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases under Award Number P30-DK047757. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

About the Journal

Human Gene Therapy, the Official Journal of the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, British Society for Gene and Cell Therapy, French Society of Cell and Gene Therapy, German Society of Gene Therapy, and five other gene therapy societies, is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published monthly in print and online. Led by Editor-in-Chief Terence R. Flotte, MD, Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor of Medical Education and Dean, Provost, and Executive Deputy Chancellor, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Human Gene Therapy presents reports on the transfer and expression of genes in mammals, including humans. Related topics include improvements in vector development, delivery systems, and animal models, particularly in the areas of cancer, heart disease, viral disease, genetic disease, and neurological disease, as well as ethical, legal, and regulatory issues related to the gene transfer in humans. Its companion journals, Human Gene Therapy Methods, published bimonthly, focuses on the application of gene therapy to product testing and development, and Human Gene Therapy Clinical Development, published quarterly, features data relevant to the regulatory review and commercial development of cell and gene therapy products. Tables of contents for all three publications and a free sample issue may be viewed on the Human Gene Therapy website.

About the Publisher

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Tissue Engineering, Stem Cells and Development, and Cellular Reprogramming. Its biotechnology trade magazine, GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website.
In a global study of myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness and fatigue, researchers found that surgical removal of an organ called the thymus reduced patients' weakness, and their need for immunosuppressive drugs. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, was partially funded by the National Institutes of Health.

"Our results support the idea that thymectomy is a valid treatment option for a major form of myasthenia gravis," said Gil Wolfe, M.D., Professor and Irvin and Rosemary Smith Chair of Neurology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, New York, and a leader of the study.

The Thymectomy Trial in Non-Thymomatous Myasthenia Gravis Patients Receiving Prednisone (MGTX) was a randomized, controlled study conducted on 126 patients aged 18-65 between 2006 and 2012. The researchers compared the combination of surgery and immunosuppression with the drug prednisone with prednisone treatment alone. They performed extended transternal thymectomies on 57 patients. This major surgical procedure aims to remove most of the thymus, which requires opening of a patient's chest.

On average the researchers found that the combination of surgery and prednisone treatment reduced overall muscle weakness more than prednisone treatment alone. After 36 months of prednisone treatment, both groups of patients had better QMG scores, a measure of muscle strength. Scores for the patients who had thymectomies and prednisone were 2.84 points better than patients who were on prednisone alone.

The researchers also found that patients who had surgery required lower daily doses of prednisone than the patients receiving prednisone alone, 44 mg versus 60 mg, respectively. They had less need for additional immunosuppressant drugs as well. Finally, surgery reduced the occurrence of adverse events from 93 for patients taking prednisone alone to 48 for ones who had surgery and prednisone, primarily reflected in a reduction in hospitalizations.

"This is a study that the myasthenia gravis community has needed for a long time," said Robin Conwit, M.D., program director, at NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). "We hope it becomes a model for rigorously testing other treatment options."

Affecting 36,000 to 60,000 patients in the United States, myasthenia gravis describes a group of chronic autoimmune neuromuscular diseases which causes varying degrees of muscle weakness and fatigue. The disorders may affect eye and eyelid movements, facial expressions, chewing, talking, swallowing, breathing, and neck and limb movements. About 80 percent of patients have elevated levels of antibodies against acetylcholine receptors, proteins on the muscle used to detect signals sent from nerve endings in the form the chemical acetylcholine.

Often patients are initially treated with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, drugs that elevate acetylcholine levels. If that does not resolve the weakness then patients are treated with immunosuppressive drugs, including corticosteroids. Because chronic corticosteroid treatment can cause side effects, doctors carefully monitor patients and prescribe the lowest effective doses.

Over the last 50 years, many studies suggested that the thymus, an organ in the chest involved with immune cell development during childhood, regulates production of antibodies to the acetylcholine receptor and that removing the thymus reduced symptoms. Acetylcholine receptors found in the thymus may trigger the immune system to generate antibodies that circulate through the blood stream and block the receptors in the patients' muscles. Moreover about 30 percent of people who have a thymoma, a thymus tumor, also suffer from myasthenia gravis and removal of the tumor alleviates the myasthenic symptoms.

Patients were selected for the study if they had the disease for fewer than five years, elevated levels of acetylcholine receptor antibodies and no thymomas. Neurologists and thoracic surgeons worked together at 67 centers in 18 countries. Other leaders included the late John Newsom-Davis, M.D., Oxford University, U.K.; Henry J. Kaminski, M.D., George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences; Alfred Jaretzki III, M.D., and Joshua R. Sonett, M.D., Columbia University Medical Center, New York City.

"We greatly appreciate the gamble patients took when they agreed to be subjects and are grateful for the help they provided in answering this 50 year old question," said Gary R. Cutter, M.S., Ph.D., Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health and a leader of the trial.

The researchers noted surgery can be expensive and not without risks. An examination of hospital records provided by the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research showed that in 2013, hospitals charged an average of $86,000 per extended transternal thymectomies, not including doctors' fees.

"Our results suggest surgery is a legitimate option for patients to consider," said Dr. Wolfe. "We hope that it will help doctors and patients weigh the costs and benefits of how best to reduce the disability that may impact myasthenia gravis patients on a daily basis as they go about their lives."

###

This work was supported by grants from the NINDS (NS042685), the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America.

References:

Wolfe et al. "Thymectomy in Non-thymomatous Myastenia Gravis: Results from MGTX," New England Journal of Medicine, August 10, 2016. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1602489

For more information, visit:

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/myasthenia_gravis/detail_myasthenia_gravis.htm

https://mgtx.soph.uab.edu/MGTX/

The NINDS is the nation's leading funder of research on the brain and nervous system. The mission of NINDS is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - A new nationwide study suggests why heavy users of partisan media outlets are more likely than others to hold political misperceptions.

It's not because the people using these sites are unaware that experts have weighed in on the issues. And using ideologically driven news only sometimes promotes misunderstanding of what the evidence says.

"Partisan online media drive a wedge between evidence and beliefs," said R. Kelly Garrett, lead author of the study and professor of communication at The Ohio State University.

"The more people use these sources, they more likely they are to embrace false claims, regardless of what they know about the evidence."

Partisan media have effects on both Democrats and Republicans, the researchers found.

Strikingly, use of partisan media contributed to misperceptions above and beyond the influence of partisanship itself.

"What you believe isn't just about what party you belong to. Where you get your news matters, too," Garrett said.

Garrett conducted the study with two former graduate students: Brian Weeks, now with the University of Michigan, and Rachel Neo, now with the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Their results appear online in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication and will be published in a future print edition.

Garrett said that the study's focus on changes in media use and political beliefs over time gives the researchers a unique opportunity to understand how these two factors influence one another.

Data came from a three-wave panel study conducted during the 2012 presidential election. Participants were interviewed first during July-August 2012, a second time in August-October and a final time in November. A total of 652 nationally representative participants completed all three surveys.

All participants were asked about their knowledge of and beliefs about four different issues in the campaign, two of which favored Republicans and two that favored Democrats.

The well-documented falsehoods favored by Republicans were the claims that President Obama was not born in the United States and that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The Democrat-favored misperceptions were that Mitt Romney actively managed Bain Capital when the firm started investing in companies that outsourced work abroad, and that there was an immediate drop in marine life diversity in the Gulf of Mexico following the BP oil spill.

The researchers measured how often participants visited websites characterized as favoring liberal positions, including the New York Times, MSNBC, Huffington Post, ThinkProgress and Daily Kos; and those favoring conservative positions, such as the Wall Street Journal, FOX News, Drudge Report, TownHall and Cybercast News Service.

One explanation for why partisan media encourage misperceptions is that their users are sheltered from the truth. For example, it is sometimes suggested that viewers build their own "echo chambers" where they never hear facts that contradict what they believe. But there is no evidence of that in this study, Garrett said.

"In fact, we found modest evidence that the opposite sometimes occurs - people who were heavy users of ideological news sites were more likely to say they'd heard evidence related to one of the issues," he said.

For example, the inaccurate claim about Romney's role at Bain Capital would have benefited the Democratic presidential candidate if it was true, yet a typical citizen who did not use liberal sites had a 47 percent chance of being "unsure" what fact checkers had concluded. A heavy user of liberal sites had only an 18 percent chance of being unsure of the facts.

Another possibility is that partisan news sites could undermine accurate knowledge by giving their audience false impressions of the evidence. For example, heavy users of partisan media may not know what knowledgeable people in the media say about the truthfulness of a particular belief.

When researchers tested this possibility, the results were more mixed, Garrett said. Still, there was evidence that this was not the best explanation of what was happening.

The strongest and most consistently supported explanation of how partisan online media promote misperceptions was that their use leads viewers to reach conclusions favored by the partisan source, despite whatever else the viewers might know, Garrett said.

For example, a Republican who knows the facts but does not go to conservative news sites has only a 3 percent chance of incorrectly answering questions about Obama's birthplace or weapons of mass destruction. An otherwise identical heavy user of conservative sites has an almost one-in-three chance (31 and 33 percent respectively) of holding a misperception.

Similarly, a Democrat familiar with fact checkers' conclusions about Romney who does not visit liberal sites has only a 3 percent chance of answering incorrectly. But a heavy user of liberal sites has a 10 percent chance of answering incorrectly, contrary to their knowledge of the evidence.

Because the researchers looked at participants over time, they were also able to see a feedback loop: Use of partisan media leads to inaccurate beliefs which lead to more partisan media use and so on, Garrett said.

"It isn't just that people who hold false beliefs are more likely to consume partisan media," he said. "The use of these outlets also predicts false beliefs in the future."

The results suggest that we can't fix the problem of political misperceptions by education alone.

"People who believe falsehoods often know the evidence, but understand it differently, in part because of the way it is presented to them in the partisan media," Garrett said.

"It is a crisis of critical thinking. Examining the evidence for ourselves too often means allowing our own biases to influence how we evaluate claims. And ideological news sources encourage us to do that."

###

Contact: R. Kelly Garrett, 614-247-7414; Garrett.258@osu.edu

Written by Jeff Grabmeier, 614-292-8457; Grabmeier.1@osu.edu
Rochester Institute of Technology undergraduates are making a "compass" for rockets using a new kind of detector technology. The instrument will fly on a NASA technology demonstration mission later this year.

The student team is designing, building--and deploying--a telescope and camera that will orient the rocket payload based on the images of stars. RIT's Cryogenic Star Tracking Attitude Regulation System is funded by a $200,000 grant from NASA's Undergraduate Student Instrument Project Flight Research Opportunity program. The NASA program is designed to give undergraduates experience developing and flying experiments relevant to NASA's mission.

RIT professor Michael Zemcov proposed the experiment to test detectors made of metal-oxide semiconductor, or CMOS, a promising new material that can operate at liquid nitrogen temperatures, minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit. These cryogenic temperatures can significantly reduce dark current in the sensor and increase instrument sensitivity. In contrast, the standard technology used in astronomical imaging and in consumer electronics--charge-coupled detectors, or CCDs--is inoperable at cold temperatures.

RIT's prototype represents a step toward a fully cryogenic optical detector that someday could improve the sensitivity of NASA's deep-space cameras, said Zemcov, assistant professor of physics at RIT. The star tracker will fly in a technology demonstration payload on a suborbital sounding rocket that will launch in December from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va., with experiments from other universities and NASA laboratories. Sounding rockets are cousins of military ordnance, like surface-to-air missiles, which fly to an altitude of approximately 200 miles, and represent an affordable way to conduct science experiments in space.

Following a successful initial flight, a second RIT-built instrument will fly on a NASA rocket experiment to measure the light from faint and distant galaxies. The Cosmic Infrared Background ExpeRiment 2, or CIBER-2, is led by the California Institute of Technology. Zemcov is a member of RIT's Center for Detectors and the Future Photon Initiative and a co-investigator on CIBER-2.

"We needed to build a star tracker for this science payload," Zemcov said. "The problem is that most of the detectors we have don't work at the cold temperatures we require."

The RIT student team brings the specialty of several disciplines to the project. Everyone has a job: Kevin Kruse, a fifth-year BS/MS electrical engineering major from Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., is the electrical engineer and team leader; Chris Pape, a third-year student in the BS/MS program in mechanical engineering technology/mechanical and manufacturing systems integration from Douglassville, Pa., is the mechanical engineer; Benjamin Bonder, a fifth-year BS/MS electrical engineering major from Geneva, N.Y., is the computer engineer; Poppy Immel, a fifth-year BS/MS dual-degree major in computational mathematics and computer science from Castleton, Vt., is the computer scientist; Matthew Delfavero, a third-year physics major from Annapolis, Md., is the physicist; and Hyun Won, a fourth-year international business student born in South Korea and who grew up in Ann Arbor, Mich., is the project manager. Most of the students are using the project as co-op experience.

"The aim is to control this sensor and make it work at cold temperatures," Kruse said. "Then we'll launch it into space to take pictures. A future mission would involve us guiding the rocket using the images we take."

The team's mentors are Zemcov; Dorian Patru, professor of electrical engineering; and Chi Nguyen, a Ph.D. student from Vietnam in the astrophysical sciences and technology graduate program. "CSTARS will verify a new instrument design, so I'm interested in seeing how well the implemented instrument can meet our expectations," Nguyen said. "As a graduate student, this project is an excellent opportunity for me to gain mentoring experience and experience working with NASA."

###
Blood stem cell transplantation, widely known as bone marrow transplantation, is a powerful technique that potentially can provide a lifelong cure for a variety of diseases. But the procedure is so toxic that it is currently used to treat only the most critical cases.

Now, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have come up with a way of conducting the therapy that, in mice, dramatically lowers its toxicity. If the method eventually proves safe and effective for humans, it potentially could be used to cure autoimmune diseases like lupus, juvenile diabetes and multiple sclerosis; fix congenital metabolic disorders like "bubble boy" disease; and treat many more kinds of cancer, as well as make organ transplants safer and more successful.

"There is almost no category of disease or organ transplant that is not impacted by this research," said Irving Weissman, MD, a co-author of the research and professor of pathology and of developmental biology at Stanford. A paper describing the technique will be published Aug. 10 in Science Translational Medicine.

The paper's senior author is Judith Shizuru, MD, PhD, professor of medicine. The lead authors are research associate Akanksha Chhabra, PhD, and former graduate students Aaron Ring, MD, PhD, and Kipp Weiskopf, MD, PhD.

Noxious treatment

To successfully transplant blood stem cells, a patient's own population of blood stem cells must be killed. Currently, this is done using chemotherapy or radiotherapy, treatments that are toxic enough to damage a variety of organs and even result in death. "The chemotherapy and radiation used for transplant damage DNA and can cause both immediate problems and long-term damage to many tissues in the body," Shizuru said. "Among the many known toxic side effects, these treatments can cause damage to the liver, reproductive organs and brain, potentially causing seizures and impairing neurological development and growth in children." For these reasons, blood stem cell transplantation is used only when the risks of serious disease outweigh the complications from the transplant.

To avoid these terrible side effects, the Stanford researchers composed a symphony of biological instruments that clear the way for blood stem cell transplantation without the use of chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Using antibodies

The scientists started with an antibody against a cell surface protein called c-kit, which is a primary marker of blood stem cells. Attaching the antibody to c-kit resulted in depletion of blood stem cells in immune-deficient mice. "However, this antibody alone would not be effective in immune-competent recipients, who represent a majority of potential bone marrow transplant recipients," Chhabra said. The researchers sought to enhance the effectiveness by combining it with antibodies or with biologic agents that block another cell surface protein called CD47. Blocking CD47 liberated macrophages to "eat" target cells covered with c-kit antibody, Chhabra said.

With the CD47 marker blocked and the antibody attached to c-kit proteins, the immune system effectively depleted the animals' blood-forming stem cells, clearing the way for transplanted blood stem cells from a donor to take up residence in the bone marrow and generate a whole new blood and immune system.

Comparing blood stem cell transplants to planting a new field of crops, Shizuru noted that the researchers not only found a safer way to clear the field for planting, but "we also used safer techniques to seed the new blood-generating cells." Currently, bone marrow transplants involve a mix of cells that includes blood stem cells as well as various immune cells from the donor, which can attack the tissue of the transplant recipient. This immune attack results in what is called graft-versus-host disease, which can damage tissues and even kill patients.

Building on knowledge gained from previous research, the team purified the donor tissue so that it contained only blood stem cells and not the other immune cells that cause graft-versus-host disease.

The success of these techniques in mice raises hopes that similar techniques will succeed in human patients. "If it works in humans like it did in mice, we would expect that the risk of death from blood stem cell transplant would drop from 20 percent to effectively zero," Shizuru says.

'New era in disease treatment'

"If and when this is accomplished, it will be a whole new era in disease treatment and regenerative medicine," said Weissman, who is director of the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, as well as the director of the Ludwig Center for Cancer Stem Cell Research and Medicine.

Once a patient's blood and immune system can safely be replaced, any disease caused by the patient's own blood and immune cells could potentially be cured by a one-time application of blood stem cell transplantation, they said. Safely replacing a patient's blood and immune cells will get rid of the cells that attack their own tissues and produce disease like rheumatoid arthritis and Type 1 diabetes.

A method of safely doing blood stem cell transplants would also potentially make organ transplantation safer and easier, the researchers said. Currently, people who get an organ transplant must for the rest of their lives stay on drugs that keep their immune systems from attacking the transplanted organ. "Even if you are on immunosuppressants, most organ transplants diminish in function or fail over time, and the immunosuppressive drugs themselves make the patient more susceptible to life-threatening infections or newly forming cancers," Weissman said.

But if blood and immune stem cells from the organ donor can be transplanted at the same time as the organ, the new immune system will recognize the donated organ and not attack it, the researchers said. "The transplanted cells, the donated organ and the patient's own tissues all learn to coexist," Shizuru said. "The donor blood stem cells re-educate the immune system of the patient, and the transplanted organ doesn't get kicked out."

Blood and immune stem cell transplants may also be critical to making the new era of regenerative medicine a success. If stem cells for organs or tissues like heart or liver are grown for general transplantation -- that is, not designed specifically for one patient -- the patient will require immune conditioning through blood stem cell transplantation so that the stem cells are not rejected as foreign bodies, the researchers said.

###

Other Stanford-affiliated co-authors of the work are graduate student Sydney Gordon; research assistant Alan Le; research associate Hye-Sook Kwon, PhD; former medical fellow Nan Guo Ring, MD; Jens-Peter Volkmer, MD, an instructor at the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine; former research assistants Serena Tseng and Peter John Schnorr; and Po Yi Ho.

Support for this research came from the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Fund for Cancer Research, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the National Institutes of Health (grants R01CA86065 and R01HL058770), the Stanford Medical Science Training Program, the Tom and Stacy Siebel Foundation, the Stinehart-Reed Foundation, the Gunn/Olivier Research Fund, and the HL Snyder Medical Foundation.

Stanford's departments of Medicine, of Pathology and of Developmental Biology also supported the work.

Print media contact: Krista Conger at (650) 725-5371 (kristac@stanford.edu)

Broadcast media contact: Becky Bach at (650) 724-2454 (retrout@stanford.edu)

The Stanford University School of Medicine consistently ranks among the nation's top medical schools, integrating research, medical education, patient care and community service. For more news about the school, please visit http://med.stanford.edu/school.html. The medical school is part of Stanford Medicine, which includes Stanford Health Care and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford. For information about all three, please visit http://med.stanford.edu.
Study of mothers in UK and Ireland may provide important clues to help improve breastfeeding rates

Dublin, Ireland, August 10th 2016: A new study by academics in Trinity College Dublin has found that there is a strong positive relationship between planned birth at home and breast feeding: breastfeeding was twice as likely after planned home births compared to hospital births. The research involved the largest population cohorts comprehensively examined to date for an association between breast feeding outcomes and place of birth in low risk pregnancies.

The study from Trinity's Department of Public Health and Primary Care, which included over 17,500 women from the UK Millennium Cohort Study and 10,500 women from the 'Growing Up in Ireland' study found:

Home birth is significantly associated with breastfeeding immediately after birth, and with continued breast feeding during the first 6 months.

Home birth mothers were more likely to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months (22% vs 9%).World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life.

Based on the collected data and on an analysis of factors surrounding home and hospital based birth, the study's researchers suggest a number of potential reasons for the stronger association between breastfeeding and home birth:

The level of support and type of care offered by each birth option is very different. In a home birth, care is typically midwife-led as opposed to physician-led. In contrast, multiple health professionals are involved in care following hospital birth, potentially providing unpredictable and inconsistent input. There is also a difference in the level of training related to lactation amongst carers with midwives typically receiving more education in this area.

The non-clinical setting of a home birth can facilitate immediate and prolonged skin to skin contact post-partum, which is widely considered to have a positive effect on the initiation of breastfeeding and mother infant bonding.

Interventions such as forceps or vacuum-assisted delivery that occur more frequently during labour in hospital may be stressful, and stress during birth has been linked to stalled breast feeding. Similarly, hospital births are associated with greater usage of pain-relieving medications, which can cause lethargy in the infant and delay milk production in the mother.

It has been shown that formula supplementation in the early postnatal period reduces the likelihood of subsequent exclusive breast feeding and overall duration of breast feeding. Hospital births have been associated with formula supplementation. This may be due to busy, understaffed clinical settings, where formula feeding may be found to be a more convenient solution to feeding problems than diagnosis and treatment of breast feeding issues.

Principal researcher on the study, Associate Professor of Epidemiology in Trinity, Dr Lina Zgaga, said: "The key question that this work raises is: "When breastfeeding is so strongly recommended across the board by the medical profession, what causes lower rates of breastfeeding following hospital births? Hopefully this research can help us learn from the home birth model and identify the changes that could be implemented in standard hospital-based perinatal care to encourage and facilitate breastfeeding."

The research was published in the leading international journal BMJ Open.

###

The paper is available here: http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/8/e010551.full?keytype=ref&ijkey=xhzhXOAeH2rfQnw#aff-2
Rare genetic condition produces individuals with extremely sociable personalities but research may also shed light on biology and behavior of persons with autism and other social disorders

In a study spanning molecular genetics, stem cells and the sciences of both brain and behavior, researchers at University of California San Diego, with colleagues at the Salk Institute of Biological Studies and elsewhere, have created a neurodevelopmental model of a rare genetic disorder that may provide new insights into the underlying neurobiology of the human social brain.

The findings are published in the August 10 online edition of Nature.

Scientists investigated Williams syndrome or WS, a rare genetic condition caused by deletion of one copy of 25 contiguous genes on chromosome 7, out of an estimated 30,000 genes in the brain. WS affects one in 10,000 people worldwide, and an estimated 20,000 Americans. The condition occurs equally in both genders and across cultures.

WS results in a host of medical problems as well as a specific heart defect. Persons with the deletion typically display a distinctive face with a small, upturned nose, wide mouth, full lips and small chin and may also have dental and orthopedic problems. Neurologically, they have developmental delays, with severe spatial deficits, yet relative strengths in language use and face processing.

An interesting aspect is the typical hyper-social predisposition, said study co-author Ursula Bellugi, EdD, director of the cognitive neuroscience lab at Salk and an adjunct professor at UC San Diego who has studied WS for years. Persons with the WS deletion tend to be overly friendly, overly trusting, drawn to strangers, yet anxious.

But Bellugi said it has not been clear how genetics links to the behavioral aspects of WS. A human model for the disease could fill in the scientific gaps and would help to understand the mechanisms behind the disorder. WS is an elegant model for being able to go across levels, she said.

Co-senior study author Alysson Muotri, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics and cellular and molecular medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine, became intrigued by WS because the condition is so different from his usual research focus on autism, which is characterized by lower sociability and language skills.

I was fascinated on how a genetic defect, a tiny deletion in one of our chromosomes, could make us friendlier, more empathetic and more able to embrace our differences, Muotri said.

In recent years, Muotri and colleagues have created in vitro cellular models of autism using reprogrammed induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) derived from discarded baby teeth of children with autism, work dubbed the tooth fairy project. They did so again here.

The team began with dental pulp cells extracted from teeth donated by young children with WS. The cells were reprogrammed to become neural progenitor cells able to form functional neuronal networks resembling the developing cortex of the human brain in a dish.

We discovered that WS neural progenitor cells failed to proliferate due to high levels of cell death, said Muotri. And as a consequence of the lower replication of progenitor cells, WS brains have reduced cortex surface area. The observation was validated using magnetic resonance imaging of live study participants by Eric Halgren, PhD, professor in the Department of Neurosciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine, and colleagues.

Cultured WS neurons have a distinct morphology. They are more arborized (treelike, with many dendritic branches) than neurons derived from typically developing individuals. At the functional level, they make more synapses or connections to other neurons than what you would expect, said Muotri. That might underlie the WS super-social aspect and their gregarious human brain, giving insights into autism and other disorders that affect the social brain.

The neuronal morphology was confirmed using a rare collection of WS postmortem brain tissue by Katerina Semendeferi, PhD, co-senior author and professor at UC San Diego Department of Anthropology. One striking observation was that these cortical neurons in WS individuals are more complex than controls (typically developing children of same age). The morphological alterations that presumably appeared during WS gestation are kept postnatally.

Muotri noted that the research represents one of the first efforts to use iPSCs and brain in-a-dish technology to generate novel insights about a disease process and not simply replicate data from other models.

But beyond that, he believes studying WS may help explain what makes humans social beings  a key development in the evolution of humanity. It was our social power that made us a collaborative species, said Muotri, capable of dramatic transformation of our environment by creating poetry, music and technology.

###

Co-authors include: Thanathom Chailangkarn, UC San Diego and National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Pathum Thani, Thailand; Cleber A. Trujillo, Beatriz C. Freitas, Timothy T. Brown, Branka Hrvoj-Mihic, Lisa Stefanacci, M. Collin Ard, Kari L. Hanson, Sarah Romero, and Anders M. Dale, UC San Diego; Roberto H. Herai, UC San Diego and Pontifica Universidade Catolica do Parana, Brazil; Diana X. Yu, Maria C. N. Marchetto, Cedric Bardy, Lauren McHenry, Anna Jarvinen, Yvonne M. Searcy, Michelle DeWitt, Wenny Wong, Philip Lai, and Fred Gage, Salk Institute for Biological Studies; Bob Jacobs, Colorado College; Li Dai, and Julie R. Korenberg, University of Utah.

Funding support for this research came, in part, from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the National Institutes of Health (P01 NICHD033113, NIH Directors New Innovator Award Program 1-DP2-OD006495-01, R01MH09753, R01MH103134, U19MH107367), NARSAD, Engmann Foundation, JPB Foundation, Helmsley Foundation and Royal Thai Government.

Full study: Full study: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature19067

Media contacts:

Scott LaFee

858-249-0431

slafee@ucsd.edu

Inga Kiderra

858-822-0661

ikiderra@ucsd.edu

Kristina Grifantini

Salk Institute for Biological Studies

858-453-1403

kgrifantini@salk.edu
University of Helsinki researchers have previously demonstrated that a point mutation in a gene of serotonin 2B receptor can render the carrier prone to impulsive behaviour, particularly when drunk. Now the research group has established that the same mutation may shield its bearers from obesity and insulin resistance, both of which are associated with type 2 diabetes.

Published in a recent issue of the Journal of Psychiatric Research, the study focused on the insulin sensitivity, beta cell activity and BMI of 98 Finnish men between the ages of 25 and 30, all of whom had been diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. The results indicate that carriers of a point mutation in a gene of serotonin 2B receptor had a lower BMI and higher insulin sensitivity than persons without the mutation. Normally, men with low testosterone levels are more susceptible to metabolic disorders, but among carriers of the point mutation, this tendency was reversed - lower levels of testosterone increased insulin sensitivity.

The results also suggest that men in their thirties with antisocial personalities may constitute a risk group for insulin resistance, and consequently type 2 diabetes later in life.

"It is fascinating to think that this receptor mutation which has been passed through the chain of evolution would impact both the brain as impulsive behaviour and energy metabolism," says psychiatrist, Dr Roope Tikkanen from the University of Helsinki, who led the study.

"We could speculate that the compound effect the mutation and testosterone have on energy metabolism may have been beneficial in the cool, nutrition-poor environment after the Ice Age, particularly for men with a high physiological level of testosterone - they would have survived with a lower calorie intake.

Simultaneously, the aggression associated with high levels of testosterone may have helped them compete for food."

In our modern society with ample food, the carriers of the mutation who have normal or low levels of testosterone may be better protected from metabolic illnesses relating to obesity, such as type 2 diabetes.

"One would assume that the effect would be particularly pronounced in women, who naturally have lower levels of testosterone than men," Tikkanen points out.

Over 100,000 Finns and more than 1,000 Finnish infants born every year are carriers of the point mutation in the serotonin 2B receptor. The intention is to study the national health implications of the results from the extensive FINRISKI research material through cooperation between Finnish, Swedish and American researchers.

"Our results will further highlight the importance of Finnish diabetes research," Tikkanen states.

###

Gene mutation linked to reckless drunken behaviour.
Sex workers were more likely to regularly visit health clinics for testing and treatment of HIV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections after being approached by a peer outreach worker, according to research from the University of Houston.

Contact with outreach workers did not reduce the frequency of sexually transmitted infections but did speed diagnosis and treatment, said Partha Krishnamurthy, professor of marketing and entrepreneurship at UH and lead author on a paper describing the findings, which was published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE.

And although researchers did not measure the impact of quicker diagnosis and treatment on the spread of disease throughout the community, he said rates would be expected to drop as a result.

Peer outreach is a key component of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs around the world, but Krishnamurthy said that until now, there has been no data-based evidence that it works.

"While there is some evidence that large scale social interventions are associated with demonstrable reductions in the focal illness, it remains unclear which of the program elements make an impact," the researchers wrote.

The study involved 2,705 female sex workers in Bengaluru, India, followed from 2008 until 2012. The outreach was part of Project Pragati, an interventional program funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to educate sex workers about the health risks and encourage them to seek services at the Swasti Health Resource Center in Bengaluru.

The research was conducted using data collected by a Gates Foundation public health initiative aimed at reducing the spread of HIV in India, which worked with Project Pragati in Bengaluru. Separate datasets contained information about contact between the sex workers and the peer outreach workers, as well as about clinic visits by the sex workers.

But each dataset contained identifiers for the sex workers, allowing Krishnamurthy and his colleagues to track when a woman was contacted by an outreach worker and whether - and how soon - she visited the clinic afterward.

Krishnamurthy, director of the Institute for Health Care Marketing at the UH Bauer College of Business, focuses on how academic marketing research can improve the quality of health care, but this study came about almost by accident. He was talking with a childhood friend, Narayanan Shivkumar, when Shivkumar mentioned a project at the health center where he worked that aimed to modify the health-seeking behaviors of sex workers.

Krishnamurthy had a question: How do you know it works?

He saw it as a classic marketing issue. "The problem is no different from asking how many times Valpak has to send you a coupon before you use it," he said. "How many times does a peer outreach worker have to visit a sex worker before she engages with the clinic?"

Shivkumar is a co-author on the paper, along with Sam K. Hui, associate professor of marketing and entrepreneurship at UH; Chandrasekhar Gowda, a former health center employee, and R. Pushpalatha, a liaison with the sex workers' collective, Swathi Mahila Sangha.

Krishnamurthy said he hopes to conduct similar research in the United States but would expect a similar outcome.

The outreach workers - current and former sex workers hired to contact women performing sex work in brothels, on the streets and in their homes - talked with the women about using condoms, which they provided, in addition to offering information about the symptoms of sexually transmitted infections and the health clinic. The researchers surmise that the fact that the number of infections didn't drop may be attributable to the women's lack of empowerment to assert control over their own lives.

But women contacted by an outreach worker were more likely to visit the clinic. About 34 percent of women who visited the clinic had a sexually transmitted infection; 18 percent of diagnosed infections occurred in women who reported no symptoms.

During the time studied, outreach workers visited the sex workers about once every three months. Researchers suggested that more frequent contact would increase clinic visits. Based on the data, they recommended monthly contact for the most efficient use of resources and best outcomes.

"It has been assumed that outreach is good," Krishnamurthy said. "But as a smart business entity, you need to be bottom-line focused both from the institutional perspective and from the end-user perspective. You want to know that peer-led outreach works in terms of improving the lives of this vulnerable population."

###
LAWRENCE -- With Zika sparking anxiety at the Summer Olympic Games in Brazil, and now being transmitted in Florida through contact with mosquitoes, accurately mapping the distribution of the virus is increasingly urgent.

Accounting for a host of often-overlooked drivers of transmission, a team of University of Kansas researchers has mapped Zika risk around the world with unprecedented resolution while considering more factors than previous models.

The mapping effort uses ecological niche modeling, a technique used to predict distributions of species, to show the virus' powerful ability to spread in South and Central America.

This study is the first to evaluate the risk of Zika virus transmission in Europe, which appears relatively low.

Research suggests parts of the southern U.S., including parts of Florida, Texas and Louisiana, are vulnerable to transmission of the virus.

"It's the first detailed map that weighs different drivers of transmission," said Abdallah Samy, who headed the research at the KU Biodiversity Institute. "We assessed different combinations of variables to see what are the major drivers -- such as climate, or socioeconomics or people's ability to access certain areas -- and in the final map we merge all the variables."

The resulting map predicts the likelihood of Zika exposure in the coming years by segmenting Earth's landmasses into squares of 5-by-5 kilometers each and crunching the numbers for each of them.

Multiple factors influence risk assessment because the virus can spread through contact with mosquitoes in the genus Aedes, person-to-person via sexual contact, through blood transfusions and mother-to-child during pregnancy. The study focused on mosquito-driven transmission.

"For each area, we asked, 'Is it mosquito exposure, climate or socioeconomic variables like accessibility for people to travel from areas where Zika is endemic and spread the virus upon their return?'" said Samy, who earned a doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology at KU in May.

The findings recently were posted to the Zika Fast Track site and published in Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, an international journal of biological and biomedical research based in Brazil, where the current outbreak has been centered since 2015.

"This map can be used by public health officials and international organizations that combat disease," Samy said. "It's also intended for the public. If you're going to travel to a specific area in Brazil, and you know it's a risk area for Zika, you should consider how to reduce the chances of transmission with clothing or insect repellant."

Samy's co-authors were KU's A. Townsend Peterson, Stephanie Thomas of the University of Bayreuth in Germany, Ahmed Abd El Wahed of Georg-August University in Germany and Kevin Cohoon (a KU graduate) of the Mayo Clinic.

Samy said the course of the outbreak thus far is similar to what his team's map predicts with a high degree of specificity.

"We have multiple dimensions in our models, and in addition we use accurate algorithms to account for bias," he said. "So far, the pattern of spread of cases mostly conform with our model."

###
New analysis in journal Nature looked at threats to more than 8,600 species on IUCN Red List

Agriculture alone negatively affects 5,407 threatened species including cheetahs and African wild dogs

Illegal hunting decimating rhinos, gorillas, pangolins

Authors urge action at next month's IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawaii

Well managed protected areas, enforcement of hunting regulations, and better managed agricultural systems can play major role in reducing biodiversity crisis

NEW YORK (AUGUST 10, 2016) - Less than a month away from the kick-off the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawaii, a team of scientists report in the journal Nature that three quarters of the world's threatened species are imperiled because people are converting their habitat into agricultural lands and overharvesting their populations.

The team, from the University of Queensland, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), studied information on 8,688 species on the IUCN Red List. They found that 72 percent of species are imperiled by overexploitation (the harvesting of species from the wild at rates that cannot be compensated for by reproduction or regrowth), while 62 percent of species are imperiled by agricultural activity (the production of food, fodder, fiber and fuel crops; livestock farming; aquaculture; and the cultivation of trees). In comparison, 19 percent are considered threatened by climate change.

There are 5,407 species threatened by agriculture alone, including cheetah, African wild dog and Asia's hairy-nosed otter. Illegal hunting is decimating populations of all rhinoceros and elephant species, western gorilla and Chinese pangolin. Other threats are affecting substantially fewer species, for example hooded seals being threatened by climate change. Perhaps surprisingly, climate change was ranked 7th among the 11 threats studied.

"Addressing these old foes of overharvesting and agricultural activities are key to turning around the biodiversity extinction crisis" said lead author Sean Maxwell of the University of Queensland, "This must be at the forefront of the conservation agenda."

From September 1-10, representatives from government, industry, and non-environmental organizations (NGOs) will define future directions for conservation at the World Conservation Congress of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The report authors urge congress delegates - and society in general - to focus on proposing and funding actions that deal with the biggest current threats to biodiversity.

Said Dr. James Watson, a co-author of the study from the WCS and the University of Queensland. "History has taught us that minimizing impacts from overharvesting and agriculture requires a variety of conservation actions but these can be achieved. Actions such as well managed protected areas, enforcement of hunting regulations, and managing agricultural systems in ways that allow threatened species to persist within them, all have a major role to play in reducing the biodiversity crisis. These activities need to be well funded and prioritized in areas that will reduce threat."

The authors also add, however, that while overharvesting and agricultural activities are currently the predominant threats to species, this may change in the coming decades.

Said co-author Dr. Thomas Brooks of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature: "Reducing immediate impacts is essential to tackling the biodiversity crisis, but climate change could become an increasingly dominant threat for species in the coming decades. Thankfully, those actions that best reduce current threats such as unsustainable use, habitat destruction, and invasive species now are often a sensible first-step in responding to the challenges of rapid climate change."

###

WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society)

MISSION: WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. To achieve our mission, WCS, based at the Bronx Zoo, harnesses the power of its Global Conservation Program in nearly 60 nations and in all the world's oceans and its five wildlife parks in New York City, visited by 4 million people annually. WCS combines its expertise in the field, zoos, and aquarium to achieve its conservation mission. Visit: newsroom.wcs.org Follow: @WCSNewsroom. For more information: 347-840-1242.
Today's oil pricing level is floating around critical support levels of $40 per barrel. Where next for the OIL/USD in latest commodity forecasts?

In breaking news, the price of oil has seen a rally of over 4% on Thursday afternoon after a top energy monitor suggested that the global oversupply could be coming to an end.

the price of oil in US dollars is today $43.364, up 4.59% on a day-to-day comparison.

The International Energy Agency commented in its monthly report that there was "essentially no oversupply during the second half of the year.

Oil prices at $40 a barrel are too low for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to fund their fiscal budgets.

Therefore, similar to last time, OPEC has decided to support prices by announcing a discussion on production freeze, during an unscheduled meeting in Algiers next month.

Does OPEC meeting in September have any significance?

Though, in April, the Doha meeting turned out to be a nonstarter, traders are not taking any chances.

There are some that are laughing off the possibility of a production freeze because of the failure at Doha in April, but one must not just dismiss it out of hand, said Phil Flynn, senior market analyst at Price Futures Group, in a note. A deal at Doha was closer than anyone imagined and there is a possibility they can put those pieces back together, reports Market Watch.

However, we believe that, after having seen the US shale oil producers add oil rigs for the last six consecutive weeks, OPEC members will not want to risk losing market share to the US oil producers, after having struggled to maintain it for the past two years.

Resilient US oil production

In its latest short-term energy outlook (STEO), released on Tuesday, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has raised its forecast for the US oil production to average 8.73 million barrels per day (bpd) this year and 8.31 million bpd next year, compared to its earlier forecast of 8.61 million bpd for 2016 and 8.2 million bpd for 2017.

The shale oil producers continue to surprise everyone by their ability to survive low oil prices.

After a steep drop over the past year in U.S. oil production, a recent uptick in the number of rigs drilling for oil is expected to contribute to more steady monthly oil output starting this fall, said EIA Administrator Adam Sieminski in a statement, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Morgan Stanley forecasts $35 a barrel price target for oil

Adam Longson, Morgan Stanley's head of commodity research, believes that "fundamental 0il issues have not been addressed" and that "physical market stress due to fundamental headwinds is still ahead," reports oilprice.

He believes that the current bounce in oil from the lows of just below $40 a barrel is not sustainable. The gasoline glut has to resolve before we see a sustained recovery in oil.

"A refiner is the real consumer of crude oil, not you and I, and I think that will be our catalyst," Longson said, reports CNBC.

He expects oil to drop to $35 a barrel in the next few months, which should act as a soft floor for the prices.

The recent EIA report raised this years demand growth forecast for oil by 10000 bpd to 1.45 million bpd, whereas, the demand growth forecast for 2017 was reduced by 40,000 bpd, which doesnt bode well for crude oil prices.

Weekly crude inventory data

The analysts surveyed by Bloomberg expect EIA to announce a drop of 1.5 million barrels in crude oil inventories on Wednesday.

The crude supply overhang is going to keep the price from rallying too strongly, said David Lennox, a resources analyst at Fat Prophets in Sydney. Its trend is in the right direction, which is down from its peak, but theres still more than 500 million barrels stockpiled. Until we see supplies return to historical averages, significant price gains will be capped, reports Bloomberg.

The fundamentals of the oil market point to a continued supply glut, however, traders will prefer to be cautious until the OPECs meeting next month, but dont expect a runaway rally.
Expats in the Middle East have faced a number of changes to health insurance with cover becoming mandatory in some locations.Mandatory health insurance has been introduced by the Dubai Health Authority in three stages since 2014 and now all residents, including expats and their dependants, must have adequate health insurance coverage.  The vast majority of health insurance for expats is provided by companies and indeed visas and business licenses are likely to not be issued or renewed in Dubai without employer sponsored insurance.In Abu Dhabi, the Health Authority announced in June that workers aged 40 and older who have health care under the Abu Dhabi Basic Plan must not pay up to 50% of their insurance premiums.The full implications of this change are not yet known, but many expat workers believe that the extra cost will be passed on by sponsors or companies and that the cost is going up.This coverage, provided by The National Health Insurance Company Daman, was set at Dh600 per adult sponsored by groups, small investors, Emirati individuals and individual expats, but some are reporting a rise to Dh800.Most small investors and groups pay the insurance premium at the time of renewing expat visas and many have taken to online forums to say they are concerned about the cost.The changes also require Emiratis in Abu Dhabi to now pay 20% of the cost of private health care in Abu Dhabi, and 50% for treatment outside the emirate if the care is already available in Abu Dhabi.Research suggests that some of the changes are resulting in more visits to hospitals. According to health insurance provider Pacific Prime, this could result in even higher costs.In Dubai the DHAs annual statistics for 2014 shows that the number of inpatient visits in 2014 increased by 8.4% from 2013. Meanwhile, the population in Dubai increased from 2.214 million in 2013 to 2.327 million in 2014, an increase of 5.1%.When comparing these two figures it is clear to see that the number of inpatient visits is higher than the population growth. As many inpatient procedures are more costly than outpatient it is highly likely that the cost of care will increase, which will put pressure on insurers to cover these costs, especially as 2015s and 2016s figures will reflect the increased number of citizens covered by the DHA scheme, said a spokesman for Pacific Prime.So far, Pacific Primes research has uncovered an increase in claims in Dubai in 2015 and 2016. Combine this with the fact that many diseases, like diabetes, are increasingly affecting a larger number of people in the city and with all residents now covered by insurance, we predict that the number of claims will increase even further beyond what has already been seen, he explained.This increase in claims, especially on costly diseases, and the fact that all plans secured in Dubai must also cover maternity and pre-existing conditions, has resulted in an increase in the cost of insurance as providers need to have more premiums in their pools in order to cover the increased claims, he added.It is estimated that expats make up 80% of the population in Dubai and many want health insurance coverage both in Dubai and in their home countries. Subsequently, there has been a noticeable upward impact on the cost of health insurance. For example, the average cost of international health insurance in Dubai was US$8,038 in 2015 and is now US$10,213 in 2016, an increase of 27% in just one year.
Donwarner87 said: Jet of that's the case I better wait. I'll go to BI and inquire. I have a father that's not doing so good. If I can't leave for a year after filing a 13a, I will definitely wait to process until I no longer have a need to return on a quick notice. But since I live here and my spouse is here, I am hoping that I can return with out an additional out going ticket for return. Click to expand...

Don,Leaving the Philippines you do not need a return ticket. That only applies when coming here. Then you need that round-trip OR a one way to an onward destination.With the 13A issue yea; better to visit with the closest BI office. When I got my 13A many years ago I never left so am not sure on that.Hope your dad is doing okay. An option might be to bring him back here with you when you come home.Jet
Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Attract the Right Job or Clientele: How to Select the Better Opportunities

Invariably when one interesting opportunity is presented several more soon follow. Given time is short, and we wish to deliver our best each time, it becomes necessary to decline some while seeking out the best.

The careful scrutiny of opportunities presented is necessary because:

Consistency with values and priorities is essential

Messaging about new projects conveys your personal brand

Careful evaluation is more likely to lead to success

Alignment of values and vision with opportunity improves overall success

My Story

In the early years of entrepreneurship, many individuals told me Youve got to join this in order to get known. The events that proved to be a waste of time and money were excellent teachers for what to avoid in the future.

Two very important lessons revealed themselves about future avoidance.

Avoid the type of individuals who mandate, Youve got to Listen to intuition to recognize what will or will not be a good fit.

The irony is that Im a salesperson yet dislike being sold-to in no uncertain terms. This, too, is a great lesson for what to avoid. Given we are each unique in our thought and makeup, its inappropriate to believe we can and should convince others as to how they are to behave or conduct business.

At best. we are able to offer insights as to why we find benefit in order to help a prospective client come to a conclusion on their own. Allowing prospective clients to decide for themselves transforms into loyal clients.

This is the journey of entrepreneurship; to weed out which direction to head and with whom to make the trip. It becomes a soulful journey with lifelong friends. This alone leads the way to grander vision, higher goals, and a far more rewarding business.

Likewise, as you seek to advance your career, all types of advice will be provided but not match your values or priorities. Recognizing the poor advice will lead you to a better suited position.

Your Story

Review the past opportunities that appeared to be handed to you on a silver platter. Were you coerced into any or did you happily accept? In the end, how did they work out? Although some offers may sound outstanding in your own mind, they wont all necessarily work out as expected.

Consider where you might improve making future decisions of this nature:

Did you ask enough questions?

Were any facts left unanswered?

Did you have lingering questions but accepted anyway?

Over time, the lesson comes in loud and clear to be bold about getting all of your questions answered upfront. Come to agreement with all terms including financial. Anything not sounding 100% straight-forward, either question further or walk away.

By getting the facts upfront, you will have a far improved outcome most of the time. Most of all, make certain the outcome portrayed sounds as if it will benefit all concerned.

The bigger picture is for everyone to believe the opportunity will be a win. This is a sign that the opportunity will play out well.

Sales Tips:

Pose as many questions as possible about each presented opportunity Compare opportunities with your core values and priorities Walk away from any offer that doesnt sound right or causes concern Seek out consistency in the messaging of offered opportunities with yours Ask for anticipated time commitment Inquire as to the deadline for completion of the project Be familiar with the anticipated outcome(s) Determine if your expertise will add to the anticipated outcome(s) Consider whether your clientele will find interest in the offered opportunity Determine if you can justify the time involvement for partaking in the opportunity

Following these guidelines will lead you to the Smooth Sale!

For Business Consultation and Conference Speaking

Schedule an Appointment to Learn More: elinor@smoothsale.net

Visit Elinors Author Page

Sponsored By

googleplus


From: Jack Marshall -- ProEthics, Ltd. For Immediate Release: Dateline: Alexandria , VA Tuesday, August 9, 2016

From an edict handed down last week by the head of the American Psychiatric Association: Since 1973, the American Psychiatric Association and its members have abided by a principle commonly known as the Goldwater Rule, which prohibits psychiatrists from offering opinions on someone they have not personally evaluated. The rule is so named because of its association with an incident that took place during the 1964 presidential election. During that election, Fact magazine published a survey in which they queried some 12,356 psychiatrists on whether candidate Sen. Barry Goldwater, the GOP nominee, was psychologically fit to be president. A total of 2,417 of those queried responded, with 1,189 saying that Goldwater was unfit to assume the presidency. While there was no formal policy in place at the time that survey was published, the ethical implications of the Goldwater survey, in which some responding doctors even issued specific diagnoses without ever having examined him personally, became immediately clear. This large, very public ethical misstep by a significant number of psychiatrists violated the spirit of the ethical code that we live by as physicians, and could very well have eroded public confidence in psychiatry I can understand the desire to get inside the mind of a Presidential candidate. I can also understand how a patient might feel if they saw their doctor offering an uninformed medical opinion on someone they have never examined. A patient who sees that might lose confidence in their doctor, and would likely feel stigmatized by language painting a candidate with a mental disorder (real or perceived) as unfit or unworthy to assume the Presidency. Simply put, breaking the Goldwater Rule is irresponsible, potentially stigmatizing, and definitely unethical. Naturally, as he is significantly responsible for much that is going haywire in the cultureCNN experts using words like dick on the air, a Fox News star and a Wall Street Journal editor calling each other names on Twitter, the New York Times announcing that it no longer is even pretending to follow its own ethics codethis can be partially placed at the feet of Donald Trump, though Ann Althouses suspicions that it is really designed to protect Hillary Clinton cannot be discarded. I agree that professional groups that use their collective weight and credibility to assume greater influence in political matters than their biases and relevant expertise warrant are abusing their positions. I agree that psychiatrists pronouncing public officials mentally unfit for office without the same kind of examination that they would demand with a patient is a dubious practice, ripe for abuse. Still, I wonder if the situation with Trump doesnt pose a different problem. Trump is a narcissist. Im no psychiatric professional, but diagnosing Trump as a narcissist takes no more expertise than diagnosing a guy who dresses as Scarlet OHara and talks to himself while he wanders through Times Square with a dead goose strapped to his head as nuts. Hal Brown argues at the Daily Kos that reviewing the symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) , applying them to Trump and suggesting that having certain of them to the level he does precludes him from being fit to be president isnt unethical at all. Brown, who is a clinician, cites two typical description of the disorder: lack of empathy for others. But behind this mask of ultraconfidence lies a fragile self-esteem thats vulnerable to the slightest criticism. ( Simply put, narcissistic personality disorder is a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for admiration and aBut behind this mask of ultraconfidence lies a fragile self-esteem thats vulnerable to the slightest criticism. ( Mayo Clinic and usually a complete lack of empathy toward others. People with this disorder often believe they are of primary importance in everybodys life or to anyone they meet. While this pattern of behavior may be appropriate for a king in 16th Century England, it is generally considered inappropriate for most ordinary people today. ( Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a disorder that is characterized by a long-standing pattern of grandiosity (either in fantasy or actual behavior), an overwhelming need for admiration,People with this disorder often believe they are of primary importance in everybodys life or to anyone they meet. While this pattern of behavior may be appropriate for a king in 16th Century England, it is generally considered inappropriate for most ordinary people today. ( Psych Central Narcissistic Personality Disorder like Trump, but he display a lot of the traits. Also, though Brown doesnt acknowledge this either, many U.S. Presidents, good, bad and great, have scored high on the narcissism scale. A psychiatric professional pronouncing Trump or any candidate as a narcissist is likely to be simplified by the news media and the public into a simple hes crazy, with crazy equaling dangerous. It doesnt take Sigmund Freud to read these and immediately think Trump. The Goldwater Rule has the perverse result of leaving a diagnosis of the obvious to amateurs (like me) and precluding trained professional from confirming it. Voters who are completely unfamiliar with the disorder need to understand and think about it when someone like Trump is nearing the levers of power. Brown insists that a mental health professional not flagging the problem when they see strong evidence that someone is dangerous may be unethical.On the other hand, I am troubled where Browns way leads Most professional organizations are dominated by Democrats, which means the members are likely to be biased. Thus there is a greater likelihood that the force of medical expertise will be used as a partisan weapon, though Brown writes as if that isnt even an issue. Of course its an issue. Why, for example, wasnt there any need to remind members of the American Psychiatric Association about the Goldwater Rule when Barack Obama was first running for President? He is certainly not a poster child forlike Trump, but he display a lot of the traits. Also, though Brown doesnt acknowledge this either, many U.S. Presidents, good, bad and great, have scored high on the narcissism scale. A psychiatric professional pronouncing Trump or any candidate as a narcissist is likely to be simplified by the news media and the public into a simple hes crazy, with crazy equaling dangerous. It aint necessarily so. In a 2013 article in Psychological Science (it costs 35 bucks to download it) psychiatric researchers examined 42 Presidents through George W. Bush, beginning with data compiled by psychologists Steven Rubenzer and Thomas Faschingbauer, who had asked experts on each President to complete personality surveys on the subjects of their expertise. Then, using standard formulas from the research literature on personality, they produced estimates of each presidents narcissism level, and correlated these personality ratings with data from surveys of presidential performance from independent panels of historians. This study concluded that grandiose narcissism, characterized by flamboyance, immodesty and dominance, was associated with greater Presidential success. The two highest scores on grandiose narcissism were Lyndon B. Johnson and Theodore Roosevelt., with FDR close behind. The lowest scores were relative White House flops James Madison and Millard Fillmore. Taking all of this together, I have to conclude that the Goldwater Rule is necessary, even and perhaps especially as it concerns Donald Trump: 1. Amateur diagnoses, like mine, are likely to be taken as opinions only, without the enhancement of special expertise and authority. They help inform the public, but are not so powerful that they mislead. 2. Experience teaches us the professionals cant be trusted to issue such diagnoses fairly and objectively, and tend to create the mistaken impression that only conservatives and Republicans have mental and emotional problems. Bill Clinton and Eliot Spitzer sure seem like a sociopaths to me, but I havent encountered any psychiatric professionals who have been eager to say so. 3. When such a diagnosis becomes another label reducing a complex individual into a stereotype, it impedes rather than assists rational evaluation by the public. 4. Narcissism, as with other mental disorders, isnt necessarily disabling. It was remarkable how often experts in Ken Burns recent documentary The Roosevelts described Teddy as crazy, while saying that he managed it well, in part because he knew he was crazy: mental illness, including depression, ran in his family. Ill take Crazy Teddy as my President any day. Ill take Teddy now, dead and all. How I wish we had that option. 5. Trump isnt unfit because hes a narcissist. Hes unfit because hes ignorant, intellectually lazy, not very bright, impulsive, boorish, incoherent, misogynist, dishonest, has the ethics instincts of an 11 year old, and a narcissist. _________________________ Pointer: Fred Facts: American Psychiatric Association Sources: The Daily Kos, New York Times Share this:


Welcome to the News Release Wire Selection Control Panel.

Instant News Wire
I am a retired newspaperman. I am 69 and live in Poca, WV, with my wife of 45 years, Lou Ann. We grew up in Cleveland. Three kids. Grandfather.

More on who I am is here.

Report all errors to DonSurber@GMail.com
On this day 25 years ago the worlds first website (Aug 6, 1991) went live to the public. The site, created by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, was a basic text page with hyperlinked words that connected to other pages. We have come a long way baby!

Berners-Lee used the public launch to outline his plan for the service, which would come to dominate life in the twenty-first century.

See the story at the link below. I am impressed and I lived through that period. The current ATIcourses.com web site and domain name was created in July 1999. There was a web site hosted on Catalog.com/hitekweb for a number of years prior to 1999. Applied Technology Institute was founded in 1984, more than 32 years ago. It has been an exciting period as the web, email and technology exploded with potential

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2016/08/06/the-worlds-first-website-went-online-25-years-ago-today/

Jim Jenkins http://aticourses.com/about.htm
LONDON, Ohio  As manure handling equipment continues to evolve  farmers and custom applicators should remember to keep safety a priority.

Dee Jepsen, ag and health safety leader for Ohio State University, led a talk Aug. 4 at the North American Manure Expo, that revealed risks farmers often encounter.

One of the biggest myths, Jepsen said, is not understanding what defines a confined space  and the dangerous gasses that can be found within.

Confined spaces

She said manure storage areas even open air structures such as lagoons and manure pits fit the definition of confined space, because they have a limited opening for entry/exit, they produce dangerous air contaminants with unfavorable ventilation, and are not intended for human occupancy.

While some dangers may seem obvious, Jepsen said there are still safety protocols that need to be considered  and reconsidered. She said a big risk is getting too comfortable with a particular manure-holding structure.

Jepsen said farmers and farm workers sometimes forget that conditions can change in a manure pit from day to day, and season to season, resulting in different gasses being emitted, and different safety hazards.

Just because youve entered the pit or youve done something one day, does not mean that its the same as the next day, she said.

Rescue plan

Another problem is not having a suitable rescue plan. She said farmers should have a written manure safety plan, review it with all employees and possibly even review it with local first-responders.

While no one wants to think about a rescue situation, she said about two-thirds of the victims in confined spaces are people trying to rescue the first victim.

Over the 10-year period ending in 2013, she said three people in Ohio died from accidents involving manure lagoons and pits. While that number may seem low, she said it still has a huge impact on the families involved, and added there have likely been many more near-death incidents.

Is it a big problem? she asked. Id say for those three families, its a very big problem.

The main gasses of concern are methane, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and the displacement of oxygen.

Jepsen said it only takes about a 4 percent concentration of methane to displace 1 percent of oxygen  enough to affect thinking and functioning.

But the biggest concern with low levels of methane is explosion.

The explosive range for methane is between the 5-15 percent concentration, she said. Higher percentages of methane are actually more stable and less likely to explode, but will displace more oxygen.

Lighter than air

Jepsen warned that because methane is lighter than air, it will also rise, and can rise up out of the manure pit and into other parts of the barn where it can go undetected.

Hydrogen sulfide, on the other hand, produces a rotten egg smell and lurks around the bottom of the pit. This highly toxic gas can irritate the eyes and nose at levels as low as 100 parts per million. But at higher percentages, such as 800 or more, it can just take out your respiratory capacity altogether.

Jepsen said high levels of hydrogen sulfide will actually deaden a persons senses  so that you can no longer smell its presence. Holding your breath doesnt work, she said, because the irritation to your eyes and nose will cause you to gasp for air.

To combat these gasses, Jepsen said farmers should use proper ventilation and fans  but keep in mind that ventilation will change the gas chemistry, potentially causing new hazards.

A particularly dangerous time is during pit agitation, when agitation equipment stirs the manure and creates air pockets and bubbles, releasing more gas.

Follow the rules

Whether a farmer is OSHA-regulated or not, she suggested paying attention to OSHA regulations for the safety of the farm.

One way farmers can know if their confined space is safe, she said, is by using a monitoring unit. These units can be purchased for $600-$1,200, and are small enough they can fit onto your belt, or onto a stick, if you need to measure the gasses in a confined space before entering.

Jepsen recommends ordering a four-gas unit that is designed to measure methane, hydrogen sulfide, oxygen and carbon monoxide. Although carbon monoxide is not likely to be found in your manure pit, you can use it in other places on the farm, such as in a garage or machinery shed.

She said if farmers are planning to enter an area that is known to be oxygen deficient, they need to be wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus like firefighters wear. Face masks and face respirators wont work.

Dragline hoses

While Jepsen talked mostly about the dangers of manure storage, Jeremy Puck, general manager at Puck Enterprises, talked about safety hazards of using dragline hose.

A dragline is a thick, durable hose that is attached to the back of a manure applicator, to supply liquid manure across the field.

Puck said the lines can be dangerous when cleaning, because operators send a pipeline pig, or cleaning unit, through the line under high pressure, to remove any buildup. The weightless line can become erratic, he said, and easily jump off the ground, especially when the hose is unhooked while full of air.

He recalled one situation in which the operators shirt was sandblasted and the tractor window was broken  all because of a simple mistake  that left the line going wild.

Puck said when the line is full of manure and breaks, its usually not as dangerous, because the weight of the manure keeps it from jumping off the ground.

He said farmers need to communicate clearly when theyre draglining, so that the guy at one end of the line knows the same information as the rest. He said its common to have multiple helpers when draglining across a field, and they need a good radio, or means of staying in touch.

And, he said farmers need to be careful not to go too fast. He said its easy to get in a hurry, and overlook safety.

You cant make up time on the safety side, he said.
Shropshire

A Full-Time position is available for an assistant herdsperson on a family dairy farm in mid Shropshire. We have a 250 dairy herd rearing own replacements together with a b...
The Ulster Farmers' Union has listed ways to ease the financial crisis that has plauged Northern Ireland's farmers for over a year, including implementation of the rural development programme.

The UFU has been adamant that the rural development programme must deliver support for farming businesses, with a total funding allocation of 623 million.

The Northern Irish union had its first formal meeting with the new Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) minister, Michelle McIlveen.

Topping the agenda were the financial pressure farmers are under, and the Brexit negotiations.

UFU outlines its priorities for the Assembly to DAERA Minister

Speaking after the meeting the UFU President, Barclay Bell, said there was "no escape from reality."

"The number one issue for the 12,000 farming families the UFU represents is financial pressure, which they have been under for more than a year, across all commodities," said the UFU president.

"We used this meeting to cover actions that could help address this income crisis.

"These included full implementation of the rural development programme, led by the farm business investment and agri-environment schemes, advance CAP payments and payment of agreed support to farmers affected by last winters flooding," said Mr Bell.

Other issues

Also discussed was the distribution of the latest EU agricultural aid package, Brexit, BSE Negligible Risk Status, Bovine TB, the future of ANC support, the development of an environmental prosperity agreement and the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board which the UFU has long argued as "irrelevant in an era of minimum and national wage legislation."

The UFU also underlined its key objectives for the Assembly, as highlighted in its 2016 Manifesto for the election.

These include securing greater fairness along the food supply chain, driving the 'Going for Growth' strategy, easing the path of young people into the agriculture, opening new markets and ensuring the direct CAP payments farmers rely on reach them as quickly as possible.
The fertiliser market has chosen to 'wait and see' amid UK's decision to leave the EU, with very few tangible immediate moves or decisions being made in the market as a reaction to the referendum result.

Despite this, there have been major moves in currency.

The fall in Sterling value following the Brexit vote saw nitrogen markets rally by 12 per cent in pound terms but global markets remain flat, says the latest AHDB Fertiliser Market Outlook.

The analysis shows fertiliser markets were unmoved by the referendum aside from the currency-driven surge, which added a reported 15 a tonne to UK urea prices overnight.

With the UK accounting for only one per cent of global nitrogen fertiliser demand  and less for phosphate and potash  the Brexit decision is "unlikely" to have any long-term impacts on markets, which have continued their downward trajectory, says AHDB.

Potash mine: Potash is produced worldwide at amounts exceeding 30m tonnes per year, mostly for use in fertilisers

But an anticipated increase in demand towards the end of the year "may trigger an upturn" in inputs prices over the coming months.

Longer term, uncertainty surrounds trade arrangements for fertiliser and broader agricultural markets, including whether UK farmers will continue to have access to the EUs Single Market, and which existing EU import restrictions will continue to be maintained.

In particular, there is the possibility of import restrictions being removed or at least reduced for nitrogen and phosphate fertiliser imports into the UK.

This could increase UK fertiliser imports from outside the EU and potentially reduce prices.

Tight-lipped feelings about Brexit

Most fertiliser companies have remained tight-lipped about their feelings regarding Brexit, although there have been some notable exceptions to this.

Sirius Minerals, which plans to begin construction on the York Potash mine near Whitby in September, has indicated to the Financial Times that the Brexit vote had allowed costs for the project to move into its favour.

Its chief executive, Chris Fraser, told the newspaper: "We are a dollar asset but a big part of the costs will be paid in sterling for labour... With lower sterling, we will be in a stronger position."

Though the company may find raising project financing more challenging amid the post-Brexit uncertainty.

Nonetheless, the company says it is making progress towards realising its UK potash investment, with the final approval of its mine plans awarded in July, in the form of the go-ahead for port facilities for the mine at Teesside docks.
A Welsh farmer has used Twitter to share a graphic photograph depicting a dog in the process of attacking livestock.

The farmer wanted to raise awarness over the severe problem many farmers face in the countryside with dogs off their leads.

Fiona Davies, who farms at Llanberis on the foothills of Snowdon in Wales, said sheep worrying has become an increasing problem for farmers in the area.

Fiona's tweet

She said she has seen at least one attack every weekend.

The photograph was taken by a member of the public, and was passed onto Mrs Davies with permission for it to be published on Twitter.

Farmers are anxious

Sheep worrying by dogs is causing around 85% of affected farmers to experience elevated levels of anxiety and stress, a survey conducted by the National Sheep Association (NSA). has revealed.

The questionnaire, taken earlier this year, of 233 sheep farmers across the UK shows just how serious the repercussions of dog attacks on flocks can be, with 85% of respondents listing stress as one of the main impacts on them and their flock.

While the cost and extra time needed to deal with attacks was also highlighted, a worrying trend about the personal impact was revealed  46% of farmers surveyed listed anxiety about spending time away from their farm.

5% said it had a negative impact on their family/social life, 30% cited depression and 24% went as far as to say they had considered giving up sheep farming.

When asked what the single most damaging impact was, the most frequent answer was living with the anxiety of another attack.
There has been a dramatic rise in the number of farming families who have cash-flow problems and are struggling to make ends meet, a charity has warned.

The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (R.A.B.I.) has traditionally helped retired farmers and workers.

The amount of help given by Rabi Cymru in the first six months of this year is 84% higher than for the same period in 2015.

Nearly a third of help had gone to farmers in Brecon and Radnor.

Between 1 January and 15 July 2016, Rabi Cymru gave out welfare worth 60,258 to families still working on farms. For the same period in 2015 it was 32,739.

Fiona Jones runs the family farm in Powys with her son Rhys and daughter Nerys

Looking at welfare support for all ages across Wales, the charity paid out 164,173 for the first half of this year.

This is an increase of 32% on the 124,354 for the same period last year.

Rabi Cymru said there has been an 84% increase in help for working farming families in Brecon and Radnor from 10,185 in the first half of 2015 to 18,715 for the same period this year.

Elaine Stephens, Rabi Cymru's Brecon and Radnor chairwoman, said extreme weather and family circumstances could all impact on farmers at different times but low prices were the main reason this year.

"It's very difficult for farmers when they don't know what price they're going to have at the end of the day and most market prices are depressed at the moment," she said.

Feeling isolated

Fiona Jones runs the family farm in Powys with her son Rhys and daughter Nerys.

"Many can be only a step away from quite difficult circumstances," she added.

If a farmer is struggling to pay his household bills then the whole family is affected.

"Farming is a very lonely industry and farmers can feel very isolated."

She said it was important to remember that equipment like tractors and 4x4s were "tools of the job" and not luxury items which could be sold off.

Hywel Dafis, who runs a dairy farm with his father Arwel at Talgarreg between New Quay and Llandysul in Ceredigion, said with current milk prices it was "hand to mouth".

He said the majority were really struggling to run their farms day to day, while it was impossible to plan ahead.

"We tend to work harder for less and there's only so long we can keep on doing that," he said. "It's simple economics."

Too proud to ask for help

Fiona Jones moved 12 years ago to the Powys Council holding with her husband Simon, they built the land up from 118 acres to 190 acres.

But he was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and died just before Christmas last year.

Mrs Jones had help from Rabi in applying for sickness benefits for her husband when he was ill and a grant towards accommodation so she could visit him when he was in hospital, 60 miles away.

She also gave up work to help run the farm, as did Rhys who was a store manager.

"Our farm paid the day to day bills and my job off farm helped pay for anything extra," said Mrs Jones.

"When you've not got that income, you're really down to the bare bones.

"I think there are a lot of families out there who are perhaps too proud or embarrassed to ask for help. I'm glad we asked for help, it made a huge difference to us."

Rhys added: "It's difficult to earn a living out of it, it's a difficult time and with Europe it's uncertain times too.

"But I do love the job  I've worked in an office and there's something about the lifestyle being outdoors and there's a part of me that knows Dad worked very hard to get where he was and I didn't want it to go to waste."
Livestock farmers are being encouraged to support their local cereal growers this harvest.

Allan Chambers, chairman of the Ulster Farmers Union cereals committee, said that every effort should be made to "capitalise on the opportunity" to do business locally with neighbouring cereal farmers.

He said this concept of farmers helping other farmers made economic and market success, at a time when the entire agricultural industry is under enormous financial pressure.

"Local grain traded between farmers offers good value for money," Mr Chambers said.

"It cuts out unnecessary haulage costs and often makes a higher quality ration than some imported by products."

He added that it also boosted livestock farmers' local sourcing credentials and quality assurance with retailers.

Mr Chambers said the UFU cereal competitions have concluded and underlined the professionalism, skill and knowledge that exist within the sector.

"As cereal growers we face many challenges outside our control.

"The recent variable weather conditions have resulted in lower yields, this coupled with very unpredictable global grain markets will have an impact this year.

"But what we can guarantee is quality, local supplies to our neighbouring livestock farmers," he said.
New Holland has announced the dates for its UK-wide Harvest Demonstration tour which will visit a number of different locations from 12th August to 9th September.

The tour will showcase the new CR8.80 combine, in action with a 30 VarifeedTM header.

The CR8.80 is the latest in the CR range, offering farmers a very high output machine in a extremely narrow format suitable for tight lanes and narrow gateways.

The engine features New Hollands EcoBlue Hi-eSCR engine technology to comply with the latest Tier 4B emissions regulations and the optional tall 710/70 R42 tyres or 24 tracks help keep the overall width to 3.3m.

Upcoming dates

The CR8.80 brings togther a powerful efficient engine with advanced harvesting technology, including IntelliSteer auto guidance to deliver even greater efficiency.

ECOblueTM technology lowers fuel consumption by up to 10% and reduces operating costs.

Capable of operating with a 30 (9.1m) VarifeedTM table, the CR8.80 with its new FPT Cursor 11 engine, is capable of operating at over 50 tonnes per hour in wheat.

The CR8.80 features the same Twin Pitch RotorTM technology and Dynamic Feed Roll module as can be found in the range topping CR10.90.

At each event there will be a selection of machinery supplied by the supporting dealer.

Each demonstration day will feature: a product walk around with New Holland staff, working demonstrations, opportunities for ride and drive, as well as refreshments.
Today, August 9, marks the day in the calendar where the British larder would run bare if we fed the nation only British food from January 1.

This figure is based on the UK's current self-sufficiency of 61% - a figure which has stagnated for the past 15 years.

For example, in 1989, the UK's self-sufficiency stood at 75% - and has since gradually declined.

NFU President Meurig Raymond says British farming must remain 'exciting'

The National Farmers Union has said the UK Government has a "real opportunity" with post-Brexit policymaking to reverse the downward trend in the nations self-sufficiency in food.

The union believes the British market is a vitally important one for farming and food production as well as the UK economy.

NFU President Meurig Raymond said that for the first time in 40 years, the UK Government has an opportunity to create policies which will "really work" for businesses in the UK.

'Competitive, dynamic and exciting'

Mr Raymond said: "For food production to thrive in this country, we need to see policies which will stimulate a competitive, dynamic and exciting farming industry.

"The British food and drink industry, which farming underpins, is the biggest manufacturing industry in the UK; its worth 108 billion and employs nearly four million people.

"This industry needs British farming to thrive in order to continue its success.

"Increasing our self-sufficiency in food isnt about closing off the markets we have in other countries or being protectionist about our food production.

"Its about capitalising on what this country is good at  we have world-class standards for food production in terms of traceability and animal welfare.

"We have a massive opportunity for British farming, but, if its not seized, we risk exporting our ability to produce food to other countries without the standards British farming upholds as well as increased exposure to the volatility of global markets."
There has been a number of discoveries in extending the shelf life of liquid milk in recent months.

Recently, researchers at Purdue University and University of Tennessee in the US found that by rapidly raising and lowering the temperature of milk by 10 degrees celsius, it could remove 99% of the bacteria still remaining after pasteurisation.

"Its an add-on to pasteurization, but it can add shelf life of up to five, six or seven weeks to cold milk," Bruce Applegate, Purdue associate professor in the Department of Food Science, said.

In other words, this is an addition to pasteurisation that can potentially extend milks shelf life to almost nine weeks without affecting the taste, colour or smell of the product.

Pasteurization, which removes significant amounts of harmful pathogens that can cause illness and eventually spoil dairy products, is considered a high-temperature, short-time method.

Developed by Louis Pasteur in the 19th century, the treatment gives milk a shelf life of about 2-3 weeks.

The low-temperature, short-time (LTST) method in the Purdue study sprayed tiny droplets of pasteurized milk, which was inoculated with Lactobacillus and Pseudomonas bacteria, through a heated, pressurized chamber, rapidly raising and lowering their temperatures about 10 degrees Celsius but still below the 70-degree Celsius threshold needed for pasteurization.

The treatment lowered bacterial levels below detection limits, and extended shelf life to up to 63 days.

Other recent innovations include a company based in Australia developing a technology that extends the shelf life of milk to 100 days, allowing it to be exported to Asia.

While other researchers in the US found that exposing milk to LED lights had a negative impact on quality, with the researchers concluding that light exposure is a much greater factor in explaining deteriorating milk than age.

Consequently, with such innovations, the potential to export milk and minimise wastage could increase, without quality suffering as a result.
The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, has today reassured Welsh producers the industry was in a strong position to meet post-Brexit challenges.

Miss Griffiths used her time at the Anglesey Show to discuss possible implications of the EU referendum result on the EU Protected Food Name (PFN) scheme.

She reassured producers the UK Government has indicated an intention to introduce a British law to safeguard protected status for food and drink once the UK leaves the EU.

There are currently seven products with EU Protected Status in Wales, giving consumers reassurance of the quality and authenticity of the products.

Environment and Rural Affairs Secretary, Lesley griffiths AM

Producers also benefit from protection from future imitation and say they are at a significant advantage by being part of the EU scheme.

Conwy Mussels is the latest Welsh product to join the elite ranks of Welsh produce protected by the scheme, alongside products such as Anglesey Sea Salt and Pembrokeshire New Potatoes.

The Cabinet Secretary said she enjoyed sampling some of North Wales best produce and meeting producers from across.

'Economic success stories'

She said: "North Wales is an area blessed with some excellent food and drink and the Anglesey Show is an opportunity to showcase this.

"Today has also been another opportunity for me to meet food and drink producers to discuss their concerns following the UKs decision to leave the EU and the implications this will have on their business.

"Our food and drink sector is one of our economic success stories and we remain committed to supporting the industry to build on its achievements.

"I want to reassure producers we are fighting for the UK to negotiate to retain access to the Single Market and would support the UK Government to introduce a British law to safeguard protected status for food and drink.

"The EU Protected Food Names scheme currently has registered products from outside the EU, including as far as China and Thailand, so there is also a strong case of negotiating our continued part in this scheme, which we will also be urging the UK Government to do."
Third series of Clarkson's Farm in production, Amazon confirms
By Dr. Samuel Zapata



It will be some time before Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economists have a solid tally for total vegetable acres planted and their value to producers, but their initial assessment is most crops look good on the ground.



Dr. Robert Hogan, AgriLife Extension economist in Uvalde, said producers had plenty of rainfall to assist irrigation in the southwest portion of the state where almost all vegetable fields are irrigated.





Its been marvelous, he said, describing vegetable crop conditions this year. Prices paid to producers depended on whether the producer was part of the first batch where there are typically better prices or later when the market can be saturated.



Hogan said some producers plowed up some fields, specifically onions, due to low prices.



Dr. Samuel Zapata, AgriLife Extension agricultural economics specialist in Weslaco, said results for this years vegetable crops could vary greatly based on their location but that producers in southern Texas fared well.



The southern and southwestern regions of the state produce the bulk of the states major vegetable crops.



The 2015 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Increment Report estimated combined vegetable and melon values to drop to $415.4 million this year. The five-year peak for those crops was $458.9 million in 2013.



Vegetable values were expected to drop to $280.7 million in 2016 compared to the five-year peak of $344.1 million in 2012, according to the report. Watermelon values were expected to increase to $133 million compared to the five-year high in 2014 of $100.2 million.



Zapata suspects the low estimate for vegetable values was related to producers choice of crops. The distribution and acres of vegetable crops changed the expected value.



But on the ground in much of the state, Zapata said success depended on location and timeliness of planting.



Crops in the Rio Grande Valley, including cabbage, onions and watermelons, performed very well, he said. Timely rains and lower than usual pest pressure create good conditions for vegetable crops to succeed.



It was a good year compared to previous years when it comes to vegetables, he said. In terms of weather, the Valley had good water but that may not have been the case in other areas of the state, depending on where you are.



Hogan said fresh and chip potatoes, market-fresh spinach, cucumbers, broccoli and cabbage all performed well under 2016 conditions.



Other parts of the state where flooding occurred in the spring likely produced mixed results, he said. Rains helped fields on higher ground and that drained well, while low-lying areas may have experienced damages and subsequent poor conditions due to high moisture levels.



Zapata said specialists have observed changes in the traditional weather patterns which has made it more difficult for producers to predict when and how much rain will fall.



The final numbers for acres planted will be available in January, and the values will be finalized in May, he said. The latest U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency report shows total vegetable acreage for crops, including peas, cucumbers, radishes and broccoli, have remained steady, between 70,000-83,000 acres, the past five years. But those numbers are down compared to 2009 when 130,000 total vegetable acres were planted in Texas.



AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:



CENTRAL: Grain harvest occurred with widely varying yields. Some areas excelled while other areas were extremely poor. Grain sorghum, soybean and corn harvests continued, with grain sorghum yields ranging from 2,000-4,000 pounds per acre. Corn fields were producing 40-120 bushels per acre and soybeans were producing around 40 bushels per acre. Temperatures were very hot and windy, and soil conditions dried up significantly. There were giant cracks in dry soil throughout the counties. Cotton crops needed rain. Stock tank levels dropped. Cattle remained in good condition.



ROLLING PLAINS: The district experienced the warmest week of summer so far. Its been several weeks since any measurable moisture was received. The fire threat was increasing rapidly, and small fires were reported. Most daily temperatures peaked at over 100 degrees. The heat units were good for cotton, although dryland cotton was not looking as good as irrigated. Corn harvest was underway. Producers were starting to make plans for fall planting season and were evaluating their soil fertility needs. Water tanks were holding. Livestock were in good condition.



COASTAL BEND: Hot and dry weather persisted, and forecasts anticipated heat indexes around 105 degrees. Scattered showers were reported in some areas, but rainfall amounts were minimal, and moisture was very short in most pastures and fields. Cotton yields were good with most producers reporting around two bales per acre. Producers continued to defoliate cotton fields and most expect harvest to continue through August. Sorghum and rice harvests progressed well with good yields. Soybean harvest was ongoing. Some tillage was being done in preparation for winter pasture planting. Dry conditions allowed corn harvest to move along quickly and should finish soon. Pastures were getting dry, but still have good measure of forage. Hay was being made in abundance. Matagorda County reported a burn ban in effect. Cows and calves were doing well.



EAST: Conditions around the region were extremely hot and dry with temperatures in the 100-degree range several days. Some counties received a few light rains, but that moisture was gone quickly. Subsoil conditions were mostly adequate. Topsoil conditions were short to adequate. Pond, lakes, and creek levels were dropping significantly. Pasture and range conditions were good to fair. Pastures were getting shorter. Hay baling slowed down or even stopped. A few producers in Trinity County baled a second cutting, but most have not and were trying to buy hay. Anderson County producers began feeding hay. Livestock conditions remained mostly good. Cattle prices were holding steady in Gregg County. In Houston County, cattle numbers were up through the market but prices were still dropping. Weaning and selling of market-ready calves and cull cows continued in Polk County. Some Trinity County producers were selling calves that were not yet market ready due to the lack of grass and/or water. Producers continued to watch for armyworms and grasshoppers.



SOUTH PLAINS: Scattered showers were received in Bailey County last week, but rainfall amounts were not significant. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were very dry. Producers continued to supplement with irrigation. Irrigated cotton remained in fair to good condition as water demand was not being met in some fields. Dryland cotton needed rain. Many dryland fields have reached physiological cutout. Peanut crops were in the best condition overall. Corn was drying out while sorghum continued to mature. Several corn fields were in the early dent stage. Sorghum fields needed rain. Some grain sorghum was treated for sugarcane aphids. In addition, fall armyworm moth activity increased. Pasture and rangeland were very dry, but cattle were in good condition.



PANHANDLE: Hot, above-normal temperatures were reported throughout the district. Some areas in the district received moisture. Amounts ranged from a trace up to 2 inches in some isolated areas. Soil moisture continued to be rated mostly short. Producers were irrigating as fast as they could to keep the water spread over as many acres as possible. Collingsworth County reported dry conditions were stressing cotton. The heat units were allowing later-planted cotton to mature faster and catch up, but more mature cotton was suffering. Peanut acres looked good. Corn continued to take the biggest hit on water needs and demands. Fields were suffering to the point some producers were trying to decide which fields to cut off in order to concentrate water on fewer acres. Insect activity in the corn acreage was increasing, with moth numbers going up dramatically. Grain sorghum was waiting on irrigation or rainfall to help out its progress. Some fields were treated for sugarcane aphids. Cotton looked fair. Cattle and pasture conditions were stable but could deteriorate unless rains arrive soon. Range and pastures were poor to excellent with most reporting good to fair. Producers plowed and sprayed fallow fields and fields to be planted with wheat.



NORTH: Topsoil and subsoil moisture was mostly short. Very hot and windy conditions were starting to take a toll on both pastures and crops. Soybeans, sorghum and corn looked stressed. Corn was being harvested. Cotton was looking nice. Hay harvest continued. There was a little pressure from sugarcane aphids in some parts. Pastures were getting short and looking brown.



Bermudagrass pastures were holding their own but needed a good rain to help with growth and to green up. Grasshoppers and fall armyworms were reported in some areas. Livestock were in good condition. Spring calves were doing well, but heat has stressed cattle and other livestock. Pond levels were dropping.



FAR WEST: Temperatures continued in the 100s. Sporadic thunderstorms and heavy winds were reported in Presidio, Hudspeth and Culberson counties. Rain totals ranged from zero to 1.25 inches. Rangeland fires were reported in Reagan County. Heat advisories and burn bans remained in effect for most counties. Rangeland and pasture were yellowing from drought stress. Cotton was in fair condition despite the lack of moisture. Sorghum harvest began and corn harvesting will begin soon. Shipping of all kids and lambs was completed. Producers sold wool sheep and purchased hair sheep. Supplemental feeding of livestock and wildlife was necessary. Dove, quail and rabbit populations increased. Pecan trees showed stress due to lack of rain.



WEST CENTRAL: Conditions were hot, dry and windy. All areas needed rain. Soil moisture levels and grasses were showing signs of heat stress. Triple digit temperatures increased fire danger concerns. Cutting and baling hay continued in some areas. First hay cuttings were good, but fields will need rain for the next cutting. Grain sorghum was mature or near mature with light to medium yields. Harvest will be underway soon. Cotton continued to look good for now. Early planted cotton was doing very well, but late-planted cotton was hurting. Rangeland and pastures were in fair to good condition, but were drying up and declining rapidly. Pastures were short due to weather conditions and grazing. Most livestock were in fair to good condition.



SOUTHEAST: The rice harvest was progressing. No rain was received. Pastures were drying out. Waller County implemented a burn ban. Armyworm populations were damaging many fields. Hay fields were harvested. Soil moisture levels throughout the region ranged widely from adequate to surplus, with most reporting short. There was still enough deep moisture to keep forages growing in most areas. Rangeland and pasture ratings varied widely too, from excellent to poor, with fair ratings most common. Livestock appear to be doing well.

Click here to see more...
What was it like to be an Oath Keeper? John Zimmerman can tell you
There has been a 100 percent increase in drug trafficking cases at the Lao Bao Border Gate.

The central province of Quang Tri that lies on the border between Vietnam and Laos is well known for drugs and weapons smuggling.

In the first six months of this year, the number of smuggling, commercial fraud, counterfeit goods and tax violations rose sharply compared to the same period last year, reported National Steering Committee 389.

The committee said that agencies busted 1,583 cases and seized goods worth VND24.4 billion ($1.1 million) in the first six months.

Border forces beefed up patrols to control drug trafficking. Photo from bienphong.com.vn

The committee underlined that drug trafficking cases at the Lao Bao Border Gate had climbed by 100 percent compared to the same period last year.

Border officers in central Vietnam made multiple arrests of cross-national criminals for carrying heroin and marijuana across the border in the first six months. The latest case involved three Laotians who were transporting 4,000 ecstasy pills, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trades newspaper.

At Lao Bao Border Gate, the most common scam is avoiding value added tax for products such as foreign milk and beer.

National Highway No. 9 and No. 1A have high rates of drugs trafficking and smuggling carried out by reckless criminals.

The committee has asked police, customs officials and border guard forces to increase patrols before the year-end.

Vietnam has some of the worlds strictest drug laws. Criminals convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine face the death penalty.

The production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics is also punishable by death. Although the laws are strictly enforced with capital punishment handed down regularly, drug crimes remain a serious problem.

Police said transnational drug operations are complicated at the borders with Laos as well as China, and several drug busts have been made this year as drugs enter the country from the "Golden Triangle" - Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.

Related news

> Drug crime escalates at Vietnam  China border

> Vietnams border guards suspended following precious wood logging near Laos

> Border forces take over Da Nang river after fatal shipwreck
South Korea has adopted the Foreign Bribery Prevention in International Business Transactions Act (FBPA), pursuant to its adherence to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions.

In our e-book on navigating anti-corruption compliance in emerging markets, we include a chapter about South Koreas domestic and overseas anti-bribery laws, and how those laws are interpreted and enforced.

In this post, we discuss the overseas anti-bribery laws.

As a general matter, the FBPA criminalizes intentionally promising, giving, or offering a bribe (including any undue advantage) to a foreign official in relation to his or her official duties in order to obtain an improper advantage in the conduct of international business transactions.

The FBPA itself does not contain specific regulations concerning payments through intermediaries. The Criminal Code, however, does prohibit aiding or abetting and regards it as a criminal offense. Thus, payment through intermediaries or third parties to foreign officials is prohibited under the same circumstances.

The term foreign official encompasses three categories of individuals: (1) any individual appointed or elected to a legislative, administrative, or judicial office at any level of a foreign government; (2) any individual working for a public international organization; and (3) any individual who exercises a public function for a foreign government and who also does one of the following:

(a) conducts public affairs delegated by a foreign government;

(b) holds office in a public organization or public agency that conduct specific public affairs; or

(c) works in an enterprise in which a foreign government has invested in excess of 50 percent of its paid-in capital or over which a foreign government has de facto control as regards all aspects of its management, such as decision-making on important business operations and the appointment and

removal of executive officers.

Individuals, both Korean and foreign nationals, can be liable for violating the FBPA. Foreign nationals who engage in bribery within Korea are subject to criminal liability under territoriality principles. Under Article 3, individual violators of the FBPA may face up to five years of imprisonment or a fine of up to KRW 20 million (approximately $17,500). In the event that profits obtained through bribery of a foreign official exceed a total of KRW 10 million (approximately $8,700), the violator may be subject to imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of up to twice the amount of the total profits.

Unlike the Criminal Code, which criminalizes the conduct of individuals only, the FBPA contains a vicarious liability provision for the bribery of foreign officials. Legal entities and corporations can be liable for violating the FBPA if an entitys representative, agent, or employee intentionally engages in foreign bribery in connection with its business. The FBPA does not establish any threshold as to the size or legal form of the entity. Thus, any legal entity recognized under the law, including associations, foundations, joint-stock corporations, limited liability companies, unlimited or limited partnerships, or other entities, may potentially be subject to the FBPA.

Although companies that operate within Korea can be held vicariously liable for bribery, the FBPA does not make a distinction between Korean companies and non-Korean companies. To date, non-Korean companies have not faced any liability for violating the FBPA. It is unclear whether a non-Korean company can be ultimately held liable for acts in furtherance of bribery of a foreign official done within Korean territory.

Penalties

Legal entities that violate the FBPA may be required to pay a fine of up to KRW 1 billion (approximately $870,000). If profits obtained through foreign bribery exceed a total of KRW 500 million (approximately $435,000), the legal entity may be subject to a fine of up to twice the amount of the total profits.

A corporate entity will have an affirmative defense, however, if it has afforded due attention or exercised proper supervision to prevent the offense.

Article 3.2 of the FBPA provides one exception: if the law of the foreign officials country permits such payment. The FBPA used to permit facilitation payments. However, the facilitation payment exception was removed from the FBPA by an amendment passed in October 2014.

* * *

In the next post, well talk about the legal implications of gift-giving in South Korea, and kickbacks.

* * *

Our e-book, Anti-Corruption Compliance in Emerging Markets: A Resource Guide, is available here.

_____

Soo-Mi Rhee is senior counsel in Arnold & Porters Washington, DC office. She focuses her practice on economic sanctions laws, export control laws, antibribery laws, antiboycott laws, customs laws, and other foreign policy, national security, and economic policy-based trade and investment controls.

Keith Korenchuk is a partner in Arnold & Porters Washington, DC office. He counsels and advises global companies on regulatory and compliance matters worldwide, with a focus on compliance program effectiveness, compliance program implementation, operations and evaluation, and related regulatory counseling and advice.

Samuel Witten is counsel in Arnold & Porters Washington, DC office. He helps companies develop and implement FCPA compliance programs. He also represents clients in arbitrations at the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes. He joined Arnold & Porter in 2010 after serving for 22 years in legal and policy positions at the U.S. Department of State.
The Queens former deputy property manager was convicted Tuesday of taking bribes and kickbacks to award contracts and push for a Royal Warrant.

Ronald Harper, 63, a senior member of the Royal Household staff, was convicted at Southwark Crown Court in London of conspiracy to take corrupt payments.

He took bribes from the former owners of a company called Melton Power Services. It had been granted a Royal Warrant on Harpers recommendation.

In the UK, Royal Warrants authorize a company to display the royal arms, signifying it supplies goods or services to the sovereign or to a specified member of the royal family.

The Queen in 2004 made Harper a Member of the Royal Victorian Order.

He was arrested in 2014.

Harper managed an annual budget funded by public money of about $3 million. He could authorize work orders up to about $39,000.

He took about $100,000 in corrupt payments over six years from companies awarded contracts for mechanical and electrical work in Buckingham Palace, the Queens Gallery, St James Palace, and Kensington Palace

The court didnt set a date for sentencing.

_____

Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. Hell be the keynote speaker at the FCPA Blog NYC Conference 2016.
Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. said in a securities filing Monday it is probable that Biomet will incur additional liabilities related to DOJ and SEC investigations of FCPA violations that occurred after Biomets FCPA settlement in 2012 and during its deferred prosecution agreement.

Zimmer bought Indiana-based Biomet last year for about $14 billion. The orthopedic device maker is now known as Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. The combined company is liable for FCPA penalties Biomet may incur.

On Monday, Zimmer Biomet said: The DOJ has informed Biomet that it retains its rights under the DPA to bring further action against Biomet relating to the conduct in Brazil and Mexico disclosed in 2014 or the violations set forth in the DPA.

The company said it has accrued money for possible FCPA liabilities. It didnt specify the amount accrued.

The account holding the accrued funds is called Other Current Liabilities. That account contained $1.163 billion as of June 30.

Of that amount, Zimmer Biomet said $50 million was for Durom Cup-related claims and $89 million was for foreign currency and cash hedging. That could leave all or some part of $1.02 billion for FCPA-related liabilities.

In June, the DOJ said in a court filing that Biomet breached the 2012 deferred prosecution agreement based on conduct in Brazil and Mexico.

A status report filed in federal court in Washington, D.C. on June 6 also cited Biomets failure to maintain an effective FCPA compliance program.

Biomet entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement in March 2012. The DOJ extended the DPA twice during a federal investigation.

In the March 2012 enforcement action, Biomet paid $22.7 million to settle FCPA-related offenses. That included a criminal fine of $17.3 million to the DOJ and the three-year DPA with a compliance monitor. It also disgorged $5.5 million to the SEC to resolve civil FCPA allegations.

In July 2014, the SEC subpoenaed Biomet for documents relating to certain alleged improprieties in the companys Brazilian and Mexican operations. Biomet had disclosed the allegations to the DOJ and the SEC three months earlier.

In March 2015, the DOJ extended the DPA and the compliance monitors appointment for an additional year.

In March this year, Zimmer Biomet said it agreed to extend the DPA again.

In the June court filing, the DOJ said its discussions with Biomet to resolve the DPA breaches without a trial are ongoing. The company confirmed the discussions Monday but said it couldnt predict the outcome.

In the 2012 enforcement action, prosecutors said Biomet bribed doctors at government hospitals in Argentina, Brazil, and China from 2000 to 2008. It paid more than $1.5 million and disguised the payments as commissions, royalties, consulting fees, and scientific incentives.

* * *

Heres the full FCPA disclosure from Zimmer Biomet Holdings Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 8, 2016:

Biomet is involved in ongoing governmental investigations, the results of which may adversely impact our business and results of operations. Further, if Biomet fails to comply with the terms of the DPA that it entered into in March 2012, it may be subject to criminal prosecution and/or exclusion from federal healthcare programs.

On March 26, 2012, Biomet entered into a DPA with the DOJ and a Consent with the SEC related to an investigation by the DOJ and the SEC into possible violations of the FCPA in the marketing and sale of medical devices in certain foreign countries. Pursuant to the DPA, the DOJ agreed to defer prosecution of Biomet in connection with those matters, provided that Biomet satisfies its obligations under the DPA over the term of the DPA. The DPA had a three-year term and provided that it could be extended in the sole discretion of the DOJ for an additional year.

Pursuant to the Consent, Biomet consented to the entry of a Final Judgment which, among other things, permanently enjoined Biomet from violating the provisions of the FCPA. In addition, pursuant to the terms of the DPA, an independent external compliance monitor was appointed to review Biomets compliance with the DPA, particularly in relation to Biomets international sales practices. The Consent that Biomet entered into with the SEC mirrors the DPAs provisions with respect to the compliance monitor.

In October 2013, Biomet became aware of certain alleged improprieties regarding its operations in Brazil and Mexico, including alleged improprieties that predated the entry of the DPA. Biomet retained counsel and other experts to investigate both matters. Based on the results of the ongoing investigations, Biomet has terminated, suspended or otherwise disciplined certain of the employees and executives involved in these matters, and has taken certain other remedial measures. Additionally, pursuant to the terms of the DPA, in April 2014 and thereafter, Biomet disclosed these matters to and discussed these matters with the independent compliance monitor and the DOJ and SEC. On July 2, 2014 and July 13, 2015, the SEC issued subpoenas to Biomet requiring that Biomet produce certain documents relating to such matters. These matters remain under investigation by the DOJ.

On March 13, 2015, the DOJ informed Biomet that the DPA and the independent compliance monitors appointment had been extended for an additional year. On April 2, 2015, at the request of the staff of the SEC, Biomet consented to an amendment to the Final Judgment to extend the term of the compliance monitors appointment for one year from the date of entry of the Amended Final Judgment.

The DPA as originally extended was set to expire on March 26, 2016. However, the DOJ and the SEC continue to evaluate the alleged misconduct in Brazil and Mexico, as well as any issues relating to Biomets compliance program. The DOJ, the SEC and Biomet have agreed to continue to evaluate and discuss these matters and, therefore, the matter is ongoing as of the date of the filing of this Form 10-Q. Pursuant to the DPA, the DOJ has sole discretion to determine whether conduct by Biomet constitutes a violation or breach of the DPA, and the DOJ has notified Biomet that it believes a breach occurred. The DOJ has informed Biomet that it retains its rights under the DPA to bring further action against Biomet relating to the conduct in Brazil and Mexico disclosed in 2014 or the violations set forth in the DPA. The DOJ could, among other things, revoke the DPA or prosecute Biomet and/or the involved employees and executives. Biomet continues to cooperate with the SEC and the DOJ, and expects that discussions with the SEC and the DOJ will continue. There is no assurance that Biomet will enter into a consensual resolution of this matter with the SEC or the DOJ, and the terms and conditions of any such potential resolution are uncertain. We believe it is probable that Biomet will incur additional liabilities related to these investigations, which we have accrued in Other current liabilities as of the Closing Date. It is reasonably possible our estimates may change in the near future once the DOJ and SEC complete their investigations and we conclude our discussions regarding potential resolution.

As a result of the merger, all obligations and liabilities of Biomet related to the above matters have been assumed by us as the combined company. From time to time, we are, and may continue to be, the subject of additional investigations. If, as a result of the investigations described above or any additional investigations, we are found to have violated one or more applicable laws, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected. If some of our existing business practices are challenged as unlawful, we may have to modify those practices, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

____

Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. Hell be the keynote speaker at the FCPA Blog NYC Conference 2016.
Bryce Dallas Howard enjoyed not being able to use her phone while shooting 'Pete's Dragon'.

Bryce Dallas Howard

The 35-year-old star only joined the world of social media less than a year ago so was easily able to embrace the "freedom" of filming the movie in New Zealand without using the device.

Speaking on BBC Radio 2, she said: "There were no cell phones, but it was so nice, it was so nostalgic. We were in New Zealand and we wouldn't have a signal most of the time because we were shooting deep in the forest, and you got a sense of freedom when we were shooting the movie that we wouldn't have otherwise.

"I was one of the last hold outs for social media; I only joined social media in this past November. So yeah, I fit in well with that kind of atmosphere."

The 'Jurassic World' actress stars in the magical remake of the 1977 classic as Grace, a park ranger who is sceptic of her father's - played by Robert Redford - stories about a dragon in the woods.

Talking about her character, Bryce said: "I play a character who spends all day in the woods, and she's like, 'Well there's no dragon in the woods, but that's OK dad'.

"And then one day she discovers a boy who's this feral child in the woods named Pete - played by the extraordinary Oakes Fegley - and she goes about trying to figure out how he survived alone in the woods for so long.

"He keeps talking about Elliot, so she's like, 'Who's Elliot? Who's Elliot?' and comes to realise that Elliot is a dragon. I'm the classic grown up in a Disney film that's a non-believer and then becomes a believer. That's my journey."

The actress - whose father is filmmaker Ron Howard - also said that the original 'Pete's Dragon' was one of her favourite films growing up, and insisted the magic of the original is still present in the remake.

She said: "This film - while there are things that are the same - most of it is different. And the thing that is the same - and what excited me most about the original 'Pete's Dragon' - is that it is a live action film with a real boy and an animated dragon.

"At the time [of the original], Disney had played around with it in 'Mary Poppins', having animated characters with people, but it was something relatively new.

"And as a kid, I was like 'oh my gosh, it has to be a real dragon because he's standing next to a real boy,' and so we provide that again."
Benedict Cumberbatch's 'ability to play a character deeply flawed' is what made him right for the role of Doctor Strange, says director Scott Derrickson.

Doctor Strange

Cumberbatch is set to take on the role of Doctor Strange in the autumn as he steps into the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the first time.

The movie, which will be the second Marvel film to be released this year, sees Derrickson in the director's chair. This will also be his first Marvel film and his first collaboration with the British actor.

Cumberbatch was one of the early front-runners for the role of Stephen Strange and Derrickson hints as to why the actor landed the role.

Speaking to GamesRadar, the director said: "I think it's the ability to play a character deeply flawed. In this case, a character who starts off at the height of egocentricity, and is brought down, and falls from grace very hard very fast, very early in the film.

"And you get to watch his climb out of that, and ultimately his climb out of his own ego. And that's really what the movie's about. Even though there's all these big psychedelic images in the film, it is in the end, a movie about one man overcoming himself."

The director has brought together a very exciting cast list for the film as Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton, Mads Mikkelsen, and Benedict Wong all star alongside Cumberbatch.

The movie comes hot on the heels of the huge success of Captain America: Civil War and will be just one of the new franchises that we see launched during Phase 3.

At the moment, we don't know if the character of Stephen Strange - who does get a name drop in Captain America: The Winter Solider - will play a bigger role in the MCU at this movie. The cast list for the upcoming Avengers double bill is yet to be revealed.

As for Derrickson, Doctor Strange is the biggest role of his directing career and the first time that he has tackled a big budget blockbuster. However, he is no stranger to the director's chair with the likes of Deliver Us from Evil and Sinister under his belt in recent years.

The early trailers for Doctor Strange really do promise much and it is set to be one of the autumn movies that you cannot afford to miss.

Doctor Strange is released 28th October.

by Helen Earnshaw for www.femalefirst.co.uk

find me on and follow me on
Platinum-selling four-piece band DNCE - made up of Joe Jonas, Cole Whittle, JinHoo and Jack Lawless - are going from strength to strength and riding an incredible wave of success on the popular music scene, with their new single 'Toothbrush' impacting in the UK on September 2.

Credit: FAULT Music Magazine

Now covering FAULT Music Magazine ahead of their debut album release later this year, frontman Joe Jonas has discussed the formation of the band, as well as making new music and more.

He said of creating DNCE: "At first, we had a bit of a writer's block and we couldn't quite figure out the vibe that we wanted. And finally, we worked with new producers from Sweden and kind of just broke the mould. It all happened very quickly and we're really thrilled with the reaction and how things have happened so far."

On creating new material, he added: "There are moments when it's just me and the writers or the producers. And other times, there are the recording sessions and you've got the whole band in there, all collaborating. We can write anywhere, that's why I love touring cause there's always an opportunity to create when you're travelling."

Speaking on using that music as an outlet, Jonas explained: "When you can really pull from personal experience and find a way to showcase it in a relatable way, it's always a rewarding feeling. If you're going through stuff and have any sort of creative outlet, you might as well put it into good use."

And of fame, he concluded: "I think fame is something that kind of comes with what you do. Some people handle it differently. I grew up around it, so it hasn't always been an easy thing for me, but you learn to adjust and adapt to how you're comfortable.

"Ultimately, there are things that you're gonna be cool with and things that are gonna be tough to get over. But at the end of the day, if you remember where you come from and how it can all go away so easily, it makes it a little bit easier to handle."

'Toothbrush', the group's new single, is the follow-up to top five smash hit 'Cake By The Ocean', which has racked up an incredible 220 million streams across the world and took the number one slot on the UK Airplay Charts for four weeks in a row.

To-date, the song's video has had over 170 million views, and those looking for a live performance can see the group at their sold out headline gig at London's O2 Islington Academy on August 19, or at their performances at G-A-Y in London on August 20, and V Festival on August 20-21.

Issue 24 of Fault Magazine will be out next month but is available to pre-order now.

FAULT CREDITS:

Photography: Joseph Sinclair

Stylist: Krishan Parmar

Make up: Lauren Griffin

Hair: Natalie Viner

by Daniel Falconer for www.femalefirst.co.uk

find me on and follow me on
Prince William is to visit Dusseldorf in Germany on August 23.

Prince William

The 34-year-old royal's engagement sees him attend several events is to mark 70 years of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The Twitter page for Kensington Palace confirmed: "The Duke will visit Dusseldorf on 23 August to celebrate 70 years of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia #70JahreNRW (sic)"

Whilst on his trip, William - who has three-year-old Prince George and Princess Charlotte, 15-months, with his wife the Duchess of Cambridge - will honour the work of the British Forces Germany and their strong bond with Britain.

The palace added: "During the visit, HRH will attend events honouring the role of the British Forces Germany, and the strong ties between NRW and Britain(sic)."

William has not long returned from holiday with the Duchess Catherine, also 34, and his two children.

The trip to Dusseldorf comes before the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's planned trip to Canada in September.

The couple are to visit British Columbia and Yukon after being invited by the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

A statement from Kensington Palace read: "Their Royal Highnesses have been invited to visit by the Government of Canada.

"They will visit British Columbia and the territory of Yukon as part of their tour.

"The Duke and Duchess are delighted to be returning to Canada.

"They hold very happy memories from their visit in 2011 - their first overseas tour as a married couple.

They are really looking forward to seeing other parts of this beautiful country and having the opportunity to meet many more Canadians along the way."

And the Governor General of Canada, David Johnston and his wife Sharon are thrilled to have them stay.

He said: "Sharon and I will be delighted to welcome Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Canada.

Their Royal Tour will take them to the beautiful province of British Columbia and the scenic territory of Yukon. Once again, our true Canadian pride and spirit will shine and be at the very heart of this visit so they can feel at home."

It's not yet sure if Prince George and Princess Charlotte will come with them.
People attend a local annual beer festival in Hanoi. The capital city is set to ease the ban on businesses staying open after 0 a.m. Photo by AFP

It will soon be legal to party after midnight in the capital.

Quenching your thirst and dancing after midnight will no longer be illegal in Hanoi after the citys leaders decided to jettison the long standing law that bans businesses, particularly late-night bars and pubs in the capital, from staying open into the small hours.

Hanoi will relax the ban on businesses staying open after 12 a.m., Nguyen Duc Chung, chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee, said Tueday at a national conference on tourism in the popular resort town of Hoi An.

The city currently has a rule that bans all recreational activities once the clock ticks past midnight, but for many foreign visitors, life after midnight is something that makes the city stand out. Thats why we are going to relax the law, Chung said.

The tourism sector will act as a driving force underpinning Hanois economic growth, said the citys mayor.

But Chung stopped short of when exactly the curfew would be lifted.

The capital city is forecast to record annual growth rate of 10 percent in tourist arrivals. The tourism sector is expected to generate VND120 trillion ($5.4 billion) for the city by 2020, when Hanoi plans on welcoming 30 million tourists, 19 percent of whom will be international visitors.

In a bold attempt to give Hanois tourism industry a boost, the citys leaders have chalked out a detailed plan to transform Hanoi into a top destination in Southeast Asia.

The planned midnight-curfew lift is the latest move in a raft of actions the capital is taking to boost tourism.

Just last week, the city hall unveiled a plan to install free public wi-fi hot spots in many outdoor spaces and street corners city-wide in a bid to build a smart city transport system, following in the footsteps of Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.

Related news:

> Hanoi to roll out free, city-wide wi-fi

> Hanoi sets growth target of 9 percent by 2020
Kelvin Fletcher's wife has been "following him around" in case she goes into labour.

Kelvin Fletcher

The 'Emmerdale' star's spouse Elizabeth Marsland has become his "side-kick" over the past few days because she wants to make sure he's there when she gives birth to their little one.

Speaking on 'Loose Women' on Wednesday (10.08.16), Elizabeth said: "I've become Kelvin's side kick in case anything happens. I'm just following him around."

The 32-year-old actor - who appeared on the show as a guest - added: "It's our first one, we don't know what it is yet, we're excited to find out if we're having a boy or a girl."

The couple announced they were expecting their first child together last month after they conceived on their wedding night last November.

Kelvin said at the time: "It was the weekend of our wedding. We're pretty sure Liz fell pregnant on our wedding night. We then flew to Rome for three nights. Little did we know, there were three of us on our honeymoon! The day I found out Liz was pregnant and our wedding day were the most amazing days of my life."

The couple have been together for over 10 years but wanted to wait until they were in their 30s to start a family because they wanted to enjoy their 20s together.

Meanwhile, Kelvin is reportedly bowing out of his role of Andy Sugden in the soap after 20 years in order to start a new career as a rally driver.

A source said recently: "Kelvin is a soap legend and will be sorely missed by 'Emmerdale' and viewers. Bosses have managed to keep him leaving top secret but now the cat is out of the bag."
With regards to washings and finishings in denim fabrics, the new big thing for sure is the 'redone', a concept that spreads along with the conscious trend of sustainability , which is more and more at the centre of the consumer's attention, according to a senior official at SANKO/ISKO division.This green attitude is now concrete, real and tangible. For ISKO, this is not a surprise, because sustainability has traditionally been a priority for us, not just in mere terms of sensibility but also in production, ISKO global marketing director Marco Lucietti told Fibre2Fashion.

With regards to washings and finishings in denim fabrics, the new big thing for sure is the 'redone', a concept that spreads along with the conscious trend of sustainability, which is more and more at the centre of the consumer's attention, according to a senior official at SANKO/ISKO division. This green attitude is now concrete, real and tangible.#

ISKO is a leading denim fabric manufacturer that supplies to and partners with the most premium and innovative fashion brands. With the ingredients of denim lifestyle and the dynamics of design and art, ISKO captures and harmonises fresh perspectives in expressing 'the denim language'.Delving on the ever important topic of sustainability, he stated, ISKO has recently launched ISKO Earth Fit, a platform conceived in order to create and promote products at the forefront not only from a stylistic point of view, but also because they are environment-friendly.It is no accident then that recently six products of ISKO Earth Fit earned the renowned Nordic Swan Ecolabel certification, one of the most important in the industry. ISKO is the only denim mill in the world that has received this recognition, he added. Click here to read the whole interview.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
GJS, a supplier of products to the textile , heat transfer, dye sublimation, direct to garment, digital solvent and screen printing industries inked a partnership agreement with OKI Data Australia, to distribute its range of printers suitable for textile heat transfer media.OKI pioneered LED printing technology over 20 years' ago, featuring no moving parts and using LED technology to write directly to the drum.

GJS, a supplier of products to the textile, heat transfer, dye sublimation, direct to garment, digital solvent and screen printing industries inked a partnership agreement with OKI Data Australia, to distribute its range of printers suitable for textile heat transfer media. OKI pioneered LED printing technology over 20 years' ago, featuring no moving...#

OKI's new graphics range of printers from GJS are ideal for the recently announced Forever Flex-Soft and Laser-Dark heat transfer media, the company said.Together they can be used to produce beautiful, simple and fast, self-weeding heat transfers in a dry production setup without the hassle of cutting or weeding or large financial investment in production equipment, GJS added.Available immediately will be six OKI printers ranging from the entry level OKI B401dn A4 mono LED printer, right up to the OKI Pro9541dn A3 white and clear toner printer. (AR)

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
The ministry of finance, Government of India, has imposed anti-dumping duty ranging between $0.180 and $0.194 per kilogram on ' viscose staple fibre (VSF) excluding bamboo fibre' imports from China.

The revenue department of the ministry of finance has announced levying of anti-dumping duty ranging from $0.103 to $0.512 per kilogram on 'VSF excluding bamboo fibre' imports from Indonesia.

The duty, which would be in place for five years, has been imposed following recommendation of the designated authority in the commerce ministry last month.

The ministry of finance, Government of India, has imposed anti-dumping duty ranging between $0.180 and $0.194 per kilogram on 'viscose staple fibre (VSF) excluding bamboo fibre' imports from China. The revenue department of the ministry of finance has announced levying of anti-dumping duty ranging from $0.103 to $0.512 per kilogram on 'VSF excluding...#

The petition seeking anti-dumping duty was filed by the Association of Man-Made Fibre Industry of India. Grasim Industries, one of the association members, is sole producer of VSF (excluding bamboo fibre) in India.

VSF is mainly used in the textiles industry for home textiles and apparel. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
An airport police officer and a sniffer dog patrol Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International airport in Pasay City, Metro Manila September 1, 2014. Photo by Reuters/Erik De Castro/File photo

Vietnamese travelers better have their stories straight before arriving in the Philippines.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) of the Philippines has issued an order asking airport personnel to carefully check Vietnamese arrivals after authorities uncovered a human trafficking ring.

Vietnamese travelers who fail to explain their reason for traveling to the Philippines will be forced to return to their country as they could be victims of human trafficking, the Philippine daily Inquirer reported on Tuesday, citing the BIs lawyer Tonette Bucasas-Mangrobang.

They [Vietnamese] do not travel in groups but in one or two or three people per flight, Mangrobang said.

78 Vietnamese nationals who overstayed their visas told local authorities that they had been recruited by a syndicate to work illegally in the Philippines. Prior to that, more than 100 Vietnamese had turned themselves in as they did not have the finances to secure visa extensions.

These people often work as maids, vendors, porters, carpenters and other low-paid jobs. Their salaries range up to only 5,000 pesos ($106) a month. They were sent to various provinces such as Cagayan, Pangasinan, Bataan, Zambales, Batangas and Leyte, according to the report.

The Philippines is not the only country in Southeast Asia to apply strict measures for Vietnamese nationals. In the first six months of 2015, 1,515 Vietnamese passengers traveling on local carrier Vietjet Air were denied entry into Singapore without a clear explanation.

The Immigration and Checkpoint Authority of Singapore (ICA) said it does not allow entry to those who use passports with conflicting personal information for multiple entry. The country will also refuse entry visas to those who get multiple entry visas without a clear reason, or those who enter the country to find work.

Related news:

> Vietnamese workers overstay their welcome in S.Korea

> Philippines warns of Japan human trafficking risk

> Trafficking of Vietnamese women for sex and marriage expands across region: expert
The fourth edition of the International Digital Textile Congress will be held September 15-16 in Ghent, Belgium.University College  Ghent, the organisers have succeeded in putting together an ambitious program with 27 lectures and demonstrations on digital printers.

The fourth edition of the International Digital Textile Congress will be held September 15-16 in Ghent, Belgium. University College  Ghent, the organisers have succeeded in putting together an ambitious program with 27 lectures and demonstrations on digital printers. The University has been able to rope in E Hopmann, CEO of Dystar and G Koele from...#

The University has been able to rope in E Hopmann, CEO of Dystar and G Koele from TenCate as keynote speakers.The lectures will focus on state-of-the-art in digital printing and new developments such as VAT inkjet inks, UV-curable inks, new print heads for digital finishing, new functional inks.According to the university, the conference intends to bring forward the best research, latest developments and different aspects on various digital technologies.High level technical lectures will focus on innovative developments in digital products and processes, while demonstrations too will be performed on various digital printers, it added. (AR)

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
WFX Cloud PLM, the world's first cloud PLM for fashion, has launched a new cutting edge user interface (UI) with a modern look that eliminates complexity and promotes an enhanced experience for its thousands of users across 26 countries.The new intuitive user interface will offer users an easier way to interact with the application on every device, be it desktop, tablet or mobile - empowering users to work the way they want.

WFX Cloud PLM, the world's first cloud PLM for fashion, has launched a new cutting edge user interface (UI) with a modern look that eliminates complexity and promotes an enhanced experience for its thousands of users across 26 countries. The new intuitive user interface will offer users an easier way to interact with the application on every device, be...#

WFX Cloud PLM is the company's core product for apparel brands and retailers that centralises product information and links the entire product lifecycle; from sourcing and product development through approvals and production - triggering alerts and tracking progress along the way.Jatin Paul, CEO, WFX said, The new user interface represents a breakthrough in usability for WFX Cloud PLM users. It offers an intuitive and visually engaging user interface, and raises the bar for modern applications across the industry.WFX is the leader in cloud-based ERP and PLM software for fashion and related industries with a 16 years track record and 150 employees. (GK)

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services is urging the public to take necessary precautionary and preventative health measures following the current rainy weather patterns that the country is facing.



Minister for Health & Medical Services Hon Jone Usamate said that people must refrain from swimming or wading in flooded waters to avoid waterborne illnesses.



Failure to do so can cause harm and even loss of lives. Taking complete responsibility of our actions will prevent disasters, Minister Usamate said.



Minister Usamate added We urge people to refrain from wading or swimming in flooded waters and avoid contracting diseases such as Leptospirosis. Consuming dirty/contaminated water can also cause Typhoid.



In addition, all drinking water must be boiled, particularly with possible water supply disruptions and flash flooding which can cause contamination. Boiling water prior to consumption is important as this will decrease the chances of contracting waterborne diseases such as typhoid, cholera, leptospirosis and hepatitis A.



All manmade receptacles such as empty containers, white goods, drum and tyres should be discarded properly to avoid creating mosquito breeding sites. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water and spread diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika.



I urge you all to keep your surroundings clean and free of any such containers or receptacles. The recent Fight the Bite- Clean up Fiji campaign helped reduce the number of mosquito borne diseases. With a proactive approach we can continue to keep these numbers low, Minister Usamate said.



As of 3rd August 2016 a total of 225 cases of Typhoid, 430 Leptospirosis, 623 Dengue, 41 Chikunguyna and 34 Zika cases have been recorded by the Ministry of Health.
Suva, 10 August - Fijis Foreign Minister, Hon. Ratu Inoke Kubuabola received a courtesy call today from the newly appointed regional representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in the Pacific Dr Chitralekha Massey.



Minister Kubuabola formally welcomed Dr Massey to Fiji and assured his Ministrys support to OHCHRs regional Office.



Dr Massey expressed her delight to be in Fiji and expressed her desire to strengthen OHCHR's cooperation with Government agencies including the Fiji Police Forces, Fiji Corrections Services and Disaster Management Office.



Dr Massey previously worked in Tanzania as Senior Human Rights Adviser and also in Iraq as Deputy Director for the Iraq Wide Human Rights Office of the United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq.
Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige, plans to mould the new rebooted version of the Spider-Man movie, along the lines of Harry Potter films. He plans to grow this movie series as the character grows with age, much like Harry Potter.

"The next step is making a great Spider-Man: Homecoming, and a great film that showcases Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and makes everybody fall in love with him all over again," Feige said.

"Should we be able to make more after that? Sure. This is sophomore year, is the next one junior year? Is the next one senior year? Is there a summer break between each of those? I don't know what."

"But it was sort of how do we do a journey for Peter not dissimilar for what the students of (the school in Harry Potter) Hogwarts would go through each of their years, which was one of the early ideas we had for the movies."

In the movie Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter Parker played by Tom Holland, will be seen in fight with teenage problems, as well as the super evil Vulture, played by Michael Keaton.

About this role, Tom Said "This is a very different side to Spider-Man because you're going to see a kid dealing with everyday problems that a 15-year-old deals with as well as trying to save the city."
Suicide Squad actor, Jared Leto might have only vented his frustration over a bunch of deleted Joker scenes in the movie by saying, the deleted scenes alone could make a movie. On the other hand, a fan has decided to take this all to court.

As per the reports, a devoted fan has decided to proceed legal action against DC Comics and Warner Bros. later this week, claiming it is a case of "unjust false advertising", by not showing the scenes included in the trailers and teasers in the final version of the movie.

"Movie trailers are like food menus, they give you a preview of what you're gonna get. You look at a McDonald's menu and you choose to get your favourite burger, presented in a nice picture with pickles, chicken, mild cheese (your favourite, in fact that's the only reason you're getting this burger, because you love mild cheese)."

"You use your hard-worked money to pay for this burger, you get the burger, only to find out that this isn't the burger you ordered. Yes it has pickles and chicken but it doesn't have mild cheese, it has regular cheese." The fan said.

He also said that, he had driven 300 miles to London just to watch his favourite scenes which had been explicitly advertised in the teaser trailers and TV ads, but didn't appear in the final movie.
Mungaru Male 2 songs, which were launched directly to the market on last Saturday(Aug 6) are creating waves in the audio market since the release. It is rewriting all the existing records of Kannada music albums.

The music composed by Magical Composer Arjun Janya, was one of the most expected albums this year because of the cult status, Mungaru Male had attained. Fans were expecting Arjun Janya to recreate the magic weaved by Mano Murthy in the prequel.

When Arjun Janya was announced as the composer at the start of the project, a section of audience had raised concerns whether he will match up to Mano Murthy's work, but director Shashank was confident on Arjun Janya. That confidence has paid today in the form of this success.

The album consists of 8 songs which includes a mashup and instrumental trap song. Sonu Nigam, Shreya Goshal, Benny Dayal, Armaan Malik, Swaroop Khan, Anuradha Bhat and Chandan Shetty have rendered the songs penned by Jayant Kaikini, Kaviraj, Gopi Iyengar, Chandan Shetty and director Shashank.

As we mentioned, the album is creating several records in audio market as per Jhankar Music, which has released the album to the market. Let's have a look at 5 records set by Mungaru Male 2 album.
Amala Paul and AL Vijay, the star couple has decided to part ways after a 2-year-long married life. Shockingly, the Tamil movie industry is blaming the actress for the divorce.

According to the reports, the industry friends of Amala Paul and AL Vijay state that it was the actress who rushed towards a divorce, without even trying to solve the issues between them.

They allege that the actress is in a hurry to achieve stardom in the industry, and feels that her marriage is a barrier to her dreams. Amala kept ignoring Vijay whenever he tried to make a compromise.

Reportedly, a Malayalam superstar whom both Vijay and Amala consider as a brotherly figure once tried to sort out the issues between them once. But the actress was not ready to listen to him.

Earlier, Vijay's father AL Alagappan has stated that Amala is not ready to listen to anyone, including her own parents. But he was heavily thrashed by the fans of the actress and media, for his statements.

However, Amala Paul has decided not to address media or clarify things. The actress feels that she doesn't owe an explanation to media and wants to keep her personal issues under wraps.
Akashdeep Saigal rose to fame with the show Kyuki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. The actor, who was seen on Bigg Boss 5, has said something that will shock everyone!

In an interview to a leading daily, Akashdeep, who is known as Sky, said that he has moved on from the infamous spat he had with Salman Khan on Bigg Boss. He was quoted by the leading daily as saying, "But I don't know if he has. I never hired any PR to destroy a career. I don't have a petty mind. I don't take 10 people along with me to make myself seem more powerful."



If you recall the Bigg Boss 5 days, Salman and Akashdeep had a major showdown. Back then, he had said in an interview, "Salman hit me during the show and all this while has been demoralising me on the show. He always tried to malign my image on the show. He crossed the limit when he raised his hand on me."

Akashdeep has done shows like KKusum and Time Bomb 9/11 to name a few. He was also seen on reality shows like Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 1, Comedy Circus 2, Fear Factor India and others. But if we see his records, after Bigg Boss 5 (2011), there are no remarkable shows on his list!

According to the leading daily, after almost seven years, he will be now returning to the Tamil cinema in KV Anand's film!

It is also known to all that no one dares to take panga with the Bhai, Salman Khan! As the Bigg Boss new season is about to start, it has to be seen what Salman's reaction would be, for Akashdeep's statement!
CHICAGO, IL and LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM and SINGAPORE -- (Marketwired) -- 08/09/16 -- (NYSE: JLL) Oakland East Bay, Stockholm, Dublin and Dubai (DIFC) took the top spots for annual office rental growth, according to JLL's latest Global Office Index. All four cities saw growth of 20 percent or more, with Oakland East Bay reaching 35.4 percent and topping the ranking. Cairo came in at sixth place with growth of 16.7 percent, whilst Asia Pacific was represented by Sydney in fifth place with 17.1 percent growth and Hong Kong in at tenth position with 11.1 percent. Apart from Oakland East Bay, three other U.S. cities were featured in the top ten: Los Angeles (seventh), Atlanta (eighth) and Austin (ninth) showing 13.5 percent, 13 percent and 12.1 percent growth respectively.

Rents on prime office assets across the 110 major markets covered by the JLL Global Office Index increased by 3.6 percent year on year in Q2 2016, the fastest pace of annual growth in four years. Rents rose by 0.8 percent in Q2 2016 compared to 0.6 percent in the previous quarter.

Jeremy Kelly, Director, Global Research Programs at JLL, said: "Global office demand is proving resilient in many of the world's dominant commercial real estate markets, despite increased political and economic uncertainty that is leading to corporate occupiers striking a more cautious tone. Office supply continues to tighten on the back of a shallow development cycle, and this is creating continued upward momentum in aggregate rental growth."

The Americas Office Index accelerated in Q2 2016 with prime office rents in the region rising by 0.6 percent quarter-on-quarter, up from 0.2 percent in Q1. This remains a slower pace of growth than that experienced in the second half of 2015, with growth in some of the previously fastest-surging markets, such as San Francisco and Silicon Valley, decelerating from unsustainable levels seen earlier in the cycle. Nonetheless, the cyclical expansion in the U.S. remains firmly in place as landlords in the vast majority of cities enjoy market leverage over tenants, and this is expected to continue to be the case into 2017. The Americas Office Index has now gained 20.1 percent since the cyclical trough in early 2010 and the new record level as of Q2 2016 is 3.6 percent higher than the previous cycle's peak in 2008.

Asia Pacific quarterly rental growth was recorded at 0.6 percent (2.7 percent year-on-year) in Q2 2016, consistent with the 0.6 percent (3.1 percent year-on-year) witnessed in Q1. Technology and finance continued to drive regional demand, while offshoring and outsourcing together with ITES bolstered demand selectively in India and parts of Southeast Asia. A large upcoming supply volume contributed to an only marginal quarterly uplift in Tokyo (+0.4 percent) despite strong leasing and very low vacancy. Vacancy pressure and cost-saving strategies saw Shanghai's rental growth moderate to 0.9 percent. Growth in Hong Kong (+2.3 percent quarter-on-quarter) was propped up by demand from mainland Chinese banks. Conditions in Australia remain mixed, with traditional occupier groups such as finance and professional services contributing to rental growth in Sydney (+17.1 percent year-on-year) and Melbourne (+1.9 percent). At the same time, a slumping resources sector and high vacancy once more put downward pressure on rents in Brisbane (-3.5 percent) and Perth (-20.1 percent).

Q2 2016 office leasing volumes in Europe were down 3 percent year-on-year, although at 2.9 million square metres, it was well ahead of the 10-year average. Excluding the UK, European take-up grew by 4 percent year-on-year in Q2, a clear sign of the upbeat sentiment on the continent. While leasing activity in London has clearly been affected in the run-up to and following the EU referendum, general sentiment elsewhere in European leasing markets is one of 'business as usual' with levels of activity similar to recent quarters. The European Office Index rose by 1.5 percent quarter-on-quarter in Q2, the strongest increase in five years, bringing aggregate annual growth to 4.3 percent. Of the 39 Index markets, 10 have registered quarterly rental increases (up from 9 in Q1), while only Zurich (-1.3 percent) and Istanbul (-4.4 percent) have seen a decrease.

Looking ahead, Jeremy Kelly commented: "Economic uncertainty and continued political risks are likely to dampen leasing volume growth over the remainder of the year, with global leasing volumes in 2016 projected to be around 5 percent lower than 2015. Nonetheless, underlying market fundamentals are sound and corporate demand is holding up well, notably in the U.S. and continental Europe. Supply constraints will continue to drive rental increases, although at a reduced pace, and JLL forecasts prime rental growth of around 2-3 percent for the full year 2016."

Download JLL Office Index Q2 2016 in full and access the interactive Office Index Chart

About JLL

JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a professional services and investment management firm offering specialized real estate services to clients seeking increased value by owning, occupying and investing in real estate. A Fortune 500 company with annual fee revenue of $5.2 billion and gross revenue of $6.0 billion, JLL has more than 280 corporate offices, operates in more than 80 countries and has a global workforce of more than 60,000. On behalf of its clients, the firm provides management and real estate outsourcing services for a property portfolio of 4.0 billion square feet, or 372 million square meters, and completed $138 billion in sales, acquisitions and finance transactions in 2015. Its investment management business, LaSalle Investment Management, has $59.1 billion of real estate assets under management. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit www.jll.com

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3043079



Contact:

Madeleine Little

Phone: +44 (0)20 7087 5875

Email: madeleine.little@eu.jll.com




(L-R) Hoang Xuan Vinh of Vietnam, Jin Jong-Oh of South Korea and Kim Song Guk of North Korea pose with their medals. Photo by Reuters/Edgard Garrido

Hoang Xuan Vinh bags the silver just four days after winning Vietnam's first gold medal.

Vietnam's Hoang Xuan Vinh won the silver in the Olympic men's 50 meter pistol event on Wednesday after making history last weekend by winning his country's first gold medal.

South Korea's Jin Jong-oh shot his way back from the brink of elimination to win his third consecutive gold in the event.

With a steadier hand in the final rounds, Jin prevailed over Vinh. Kim Song Guk of North Korea won the bronze in his first ever international final.

Vinh, a 41-year-old a serving army colonel who first learned to shoot with AK47 rifles, made history in Rio overnight on August 7 when a near-perfect final shot in the men's 10-meter air pistol clinched him gold, AFP reported.

The 36-year-old Jin, ranked No. 1 in the world, is one of the Olympics' most decorated pistol shooters, having won the 50 metre titles at Beijing and London, where he also claimed the 10m air pistol event.

Related news:

> Shooter secures Vietnam's first Olympic gold medal

> Shooting: Vietnamese rejoice at first Olympic gold


TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Core machine orders in Japan surged 8.3 percent on month in June, the Cabinet Office said on Wednesday - coming in at 849.8 billion yen.



The headline figure topped forecasts for an increase of 3.2 percent following the 1.4 percent decline in May.



On a yearly basis, core machine orders fell 0.9 percent - but that also topped forecasts for a decline of 4.5 percent following the 11.7 percent drop in the previous month.



The total number of machinery orders, including those volatile ones for ships and from electric power companies, climbed 6.9 percent on month but fell 3.2 percent on year to 995.4 billion yen.



Manufacturing orders climbed 17.7 percent on month but lost 3.8 percent on year to 366.6 billion yen in June, while non-manufacturing orders added 2.1 percent on month and 1.8 percent on year to 483.8 billion yen.



Government orders advanced 12.3 percent on month and shed 8.4 percent on year to 239.3 billion yen. Orders from overseas climbed 10.8 percent on month and declined 16.8 percent on year to 820.5 billion yen. Orders from agencies picked up 12.5 percent on month and 6.9 percent on year to 114.3 billion yen.



Manufacturing orders jumped 17.7 percent on month, while non-manufacturing orders were roughly flat.



For the second quarter of 2016, core machine orders were down 9.2 percent on quarter and 6.5 percent on year.



For the third quarter of 2016, core machine orders are forecast to have climbed 5.2 percent on quarter and 4.8 percent on year.



Also on Wednesday, the Bank of Japan said that producer prices in Japan were flat on month in July - beating forecasts for a decline of 0.1 percent, which would have been unchanged.



On a yearly basis, prices fell 3.9 percent versus forecasts for a decline of 4.0 percent after slipping 4.2 percent in the previous month.



Export prices added 0.2 percent on month and fell 3.4 percent on year, the data showed, while import prices gained 1.4 percent on month but tumbled 10.9 percent on year.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
SINGAPORE, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- New Silkroutes Group Limited ("NSG" or "the Group") has formed a joint venture with the owners of London-based consulting firm Rubeus Limited ("Rubeus") to provide bespoke solutions for risk and security-related matters in Asia, adding to its portfolio of businesses following its exit from the SGX Watchlist in November 2014.

Incorporated in September 2011, Rubeus offers risk management solutions to corporations, government agencies and ultra-high-net-worth families globally. Its scope of work includes providing insights into entering emerging or frontier markets, monitoring on-site conditions throughout the life cycle of an investment and the operational management of projects, as well as offering crisis management services and advice on the security of critical national infrastructure. Its clients include oil, gas and mining companies, private banks, hedge funds, maritime firms, the media, as well as family offices.

Rubeus was founded by Mr John Davidson and his partner, Dr Jessica Lincoln. Mr Davidson is a former British Special Forces soldier with over 25 years of experience in high-intensity crisis situations. He has worked with governments to develop training programmes to enhance security, and has been involved in ending the operations of certain groups in armed conflicts.

Dr Lincoln is an expert in open-source intelligence and a former member of staff at the Department of War Studies in King's College London and the Defence Studies Department at the UK's Joint Services Command and Staff College. She and Mr Davidson are supported by a team of experts in fields such as technology and research.

The Singapore-based joint venture, Rubeus Silk Pte Ltd ("Rubeus Silk"), is 51% owned by NSG. Mr Davidson and Dr Lincoln own the remaining 49%. The new partnership will seek to expand across Asia and develop local expertise in each of the markets it sets foot in.

"Rubeus exists to protect people and assets. In Asia, we believe our services will be useful in helping companies, ultra-high-net-worth families and their businesses better manage and safeguard their resources and investments," said Mr Davidson.

Dr Goh Jin Hian, Group Chief Executive Officer of NSG, said: "Rubeus Silk is the latest addition to NSG's security and governance business, which has so far centred on big data analytics and enterprise software solutions. The joint venture will not only widen the scope of this business but also complement NSG's other divisions."

"For example, as our oil and gas business grows, we eventually want to get involved in activities beyond trading. These could include managing and owning oil storage facilities in Asia and Europe. Rubeus' experience in evaluating energy assets, particularly in frontier markets, will be invaluable."

NSG currently gets most of its revenue from oil and gas trading. It also has a joint venture with the government of Malta to develop the Southern European island into an energy trading hub between Europe and Asia.

Digiland Pte Ltd, the Group's wholly owned technology arm, provides consultancy services and solutions in data analytics, cloud-based e-government services, and IT infrastructure for the management of public housing, real estate and facilities.

About New Silkroutes Group Limited

New Silkroutes Group (Bloomberg: NSG SP) is a Singapore-incorporated company (established on 25 Jan 1994) listed on the Mainboard of Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Ltd (SGX). It is evolving into an investment holding company with core competencies in Capabilities Enablement, Capital Allocation and (Policy) Analysis. The group, through its subsidiaries and associate companies, has exposure to key sector verticals, including Energy/Resources, Healthcare and Infocomm Technology with a focus on Security & Governance.

Contacts:

New Silkroutes Group Limited

ipr@newsilkroutes.org

WeR1 Consultants

Frankie Ho-- frankieho@wer1.net

+65-6737-4844










NEW DELHI, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Calls for Indian Higher Education Institutions to BreakInto World Rankings

Addressing a gathering of more than 2000 at the 5th Convocation and Founder's Day celebrations of O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), Mr. Arun Jaitley, Indian Finance Minister, said, "In most developed countries population is reducing while we are increasing in numbers; human resource becomes a very important economic resource."

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160808/396317 )



He further noted that "to shape these minds, make them globally competitive, make them true global citizens, you need institutions of excellence. The Jindal Global University, I have no doubt is certainly going to be one of such institutions."

The Minister further referred to his budget speech and reinforced that India must now concentrate on at least 20 higher education institutions, 10 run by the state and 10 by the private sector, and upgrade them so that they can become world global institutions. "JGU is now a part of that competitiveness and you have to strive to come within the category of the top ten, which then acquire the global rankings," said the Finance Minister.

Congratulating the graduating batch, Mr. Naveen Jindal, Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University, said, "Today, JGU is being accepted as an exceptional private university in India that has produced high-quality research. At JGU, we are striving to develop world-class research and teaching that is socially beneficial and globally relevant."

Defining the future vision for the university, Mr. Jindal said, "Our strategic goal is for some schools of JGU to break into the top 200 of the world universities in the next 5 to 10 years."

In his address, Professor (Dr.) C Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University,lamented the lack of incentives to promote research excellence in Indian universities. He pointed out that a very small number of Indian universities have pursued internationalisation as a core strategy to promote deep institutional partnerships with universities across the world, and reap the benefits of international collaborations for teaching, research and the student experience.

Speaking on internationalisation at JGU, Professor Kumar said, "Weare proud that more than 80 percent of our faculty members have international qualifications from the leading universities of the world and nearly 20 percent of our full-time faculty members are international. This is significant given that we are a very young university."

Media Contact

Kakul Rizvi

krizvi@jgu.edu.in

+91-8396907273

Additional Director

O.P. Jindal Global University


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - PG&E Corp. (PCG) issued a statement in reaction to verdicts in the federal trial conducted in United States District Court in San Francisco. The jury found PG&E guilty of five counts of violating U.S. Pipeline Safety Act regulations related to integrity management and one count of obstructing an agency proceeding. The jury found PG&E not guilty of six counts of U.S. Pipeline Safety Act regulations related to record keeping. The maximum fine the company could face is $3 million. The company said it has made unprecedented progress in the nearly six years since the tragic San Bruno accident and it is committed to maintaining its focus on safety. It wants its customers and their families to know that it is committed to re-earning their trust by acting with integrity and working around the clock to provide them with energy that is safe, reliable, affordable and clean. 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.
HONG KONG, CHINA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/09/16 -- Artesyn Embedded Technologies today announced the SharpSwitch PCIE-9205 PCI Express intelligent network interface card, which eliminates the need for a costly external load balancer in wireless, communications, broadcast and streaming media applications. It is ideal for low power, dense computing applications thanks to the Intel Xeon D series processor and Intel Ethernet multi-host controller (code name Red Rock Canyon) which provides dual 100G Ethernet interfaces and 100G switch.

"The Artesyn SharpSwitch PCIE-9205 card uses Open vSwitch offload to ensure the maximum number of cores are available for payload processing in NFV applications," said Todd Wynia, platforms marketing vice president, Artesyn Embedded Technologies. "For example, in NFV applications, the SharpSwitch card can be used to provide high-speed ingress and egress while doing Open vSwitch offload, allowing a very high percentage of compute resources in the system to be used for application processing, such as baseband processing, IPSec termination or voice and video transcoding."

Virtual Switch to Augment Hardware Solution

In virtualized environments with dynamic workloads, virtual switches are required to forward packets internally and connect virtual machines to the outside world. In many cases, these virtual switches are implemented with Open vSwitch, emulating the function provided by physical switches. But virtualized switching comes at a cost. In certain configurations, Open vSwitch has been shown to require as much as half of the available processor cores for switching the traffic to and from the VMs running on a given server.

By focusing on the minimal requirements for typical applications, and building on top of Intel Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK), Artesyn has designed a massively accelerated virtual switch to address these weaknesses. By using the SharpSwitch PCIE-9205 as an Open vSwitch accelerator, the vast majority of the available processor cycles in the system can be used for payload VMs.

MaxCore Platform

The SharpSwitch is optimized to work in Artesyn's MaxCore PCIe platforms which leverage off-the-shelf PCIe cards to create very low latency and low OpEx systems for applications such as vRAN, mini-CRAN, video transcode, VoLTE and security gateways.

Image

SharpSwitch PCIE-9205

http://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/5292

Company Logo

http://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/1489

About Artesyn Embedded Technologies

Artesyn Embedded Technologies is a global leader in the design and manufacture of highly reliable power conversion and embedded computing solutions for a wide range of industries including communications, computing, medical, military, aerospace and industrial. For more than 40 years, customers have trusted Artesyn to help them accelerate time-to-market and reduce risk with cost-effective advanced network computing and power conversion solutions. Artesyn has over 20,000 employees worldwide across ten engineering centers of excellence, four world-class manufacturing facilities, and global sales and support offices.

Artesyn Embedded Technologies, Artesyn and the Artesyn Embedded Technologies logo are trademarks and service marks of Artesyn Embedded Technologies, Inc. Intel and Xeon are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other names and logos referred to are trade names, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners.  2016 Artesyn Embedded Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved. For full legal terms and conditions, please visit www.artesyn.com/legal.

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3043379



Media Contact:

Alice Hui

+852 2176 3548

Email Contact




HONG KONG, CHINA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/09/16 -- Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704) (TSE: 4704), a global leader in security software, announced Trend Micro Deep Discovery Inspector has been recognized for the third consecutive year as a recommended breach detection system by NSS Labs. Deep Discovery achieved a 99.8 percent detection rate in the latest Breach Detection System test. Yet again Trend Micro has demonstrated a consistent ability to detect network and endpoint-based targeted attacks, advanced threats and ransomware.

"The Breach Detection System test by NSS Labs continuously helps define the enterprise security space, recognizing those that raise the bar for the industry," said Eva Chen, chief executive officer of Trend Micro. "As advanced threats continue to increase in sophistication, effective breach detection is an essential part of a Connected Threat Defense for enterprises. Our customers need an effective breach detection solution as part of a layered approach to security to not only detect but also respond to and protect against new threats."

Deep Discovery, which is also sold as Trend Micro TippingPoint Advanced Threat Protection, uses extensive detection techniques to identify advanced threats, and ransomware. Deep Discovery monitors all network traffic traversing physical and virtual segments, on over 100 protocols and applications across all network ports. Further, given the resulting visibility into the network, Deep Discovery detects and correlates all stages of the attack life cycle inclusive of command and control, asset identification and lateral movement.

Deep Discovery can also enhance existing security investments by sharing threat insight with both Trend Micro and third party products. This allows enterprises to not only identify potential threats but also to quickly respond to existing attacks.

"Given the barrage of threats attempting to penetrate organizations today, it is safe to assume that, at any given point, an attack has been successful in breaching an enterprise network," said Vikram Phatak, chief executive officer of NSS Labs. "Knowing this reality, organizations must embrace a breach detection solution to assess and respond quickly and appropriately to a network's needs. Our impartial tests have demonstrated for the third year that Trend Micro Deep Discovery is a highly effective breach detection system, making it an obvious choice for enterprises in need of protection."

To access the NSS Labs Breach Detection System report, and to learn more about Deep Discovery, visit: http://www.trendmicro.com/us/business/cyber-security/nss-labs-breach-detection-report/index.html or access the following blog post: http://blog.trendmicro.com/nss-labs-breach-detection-2016/

Company Logo

http://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/3868

About Trend Micro

Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in cyber security solutions, helps to make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Our innovative solutions for consumers, businesses, and governments provide layered security for data centers, cloud environments, networks, and endpoints. All our products work together to seamlessly share threat intelligence and provide a connected threat defense with centralized visibility and control, enabling better, faster protection. With more than 5,000 employees in over 50 countries and the world's most advanced global threat intelligence, Trend Micro enables users to enjoy their digital lives safely. For more information, visit www.trendmicro.com.hk.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Claudius Lam

Trend Micro

+ 852 2866 4362 (Office)

+ 852 9022 0876 (Mobile)

Email Contact




A Nexamp Asset in the US Northeast

Mitsubishi Corporation Telephone: +81 3 3210 2171 Facsimile: +81 3 5252 7705

TOKYO, Aug 10, 2016 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has reached an agreement to invest in US-based distributed generation company, Nexamp. The initiative is being executed through Diamond Generating Corporation (DGC), MC's wholly owned subsidiary in the US.A number of notable changes have taken place in the US energy market in recent years. On the one hand, stricter environmental regulations have led to the closure of coal-fired power plants while the construction of new gas-fired plants has gained greater momentum thanks to the availability of cheaper sources such as shale gas. Moreover, there is greater motivation to install power plants that utilize energy from large centralized renewable sources such as wind and solar. The low price of solar panels, coupled with incentives implemented by the federal and state governments, has also given rise to the proliferation of small-sized distributed solar power systems installed on the rooftops of homes and commercial buildings or on idle land. All these new initiatives contribute to the reduction of retail energy costs for end-users, including general households, one of the biggest trends in the energy business today.Nexamp is engaged in development, construction, operation and maintenance, as well as asset management for distributed solar power generation projects, with a record of developing some 50MW of energy across the US northeast. The company is seeking to expand its presence in this growing business area. For its part, by engaging in the distributed solar power generation business as the Nexamp's main shareholder, MC sees this new challenge as part of its overall aim to maximize corporate value through business expansion and the transformation of its business models.As it develops and operates its power generation businesses globally as an independent power producer (IPP), MC will continue to pursue new business models in keeping with the changes taking place in the business environment.About Mitsubishi CorporationMitsubishi Corporation (MC; TSE: 8058) is a global integrated business enterprise that develops and operates businesses across virtually every industry including industrial finance, energy, metals, machinery, chemicals, foods, and environmental business. MC's current activities are expanding far beyond its traditional trading operations as its diverse business ranges from natural resources development to investment in retail business, infrastructure, financial products and manufacturing of industrial goods. With over 200 bases of operations in approximately 80 countries worldwide and a network of over 500 group companies, MC employs a multinational workforce of nearly 60,000 people. For more information, please visit www.mitsubishicorp.com.Source: Mitsubishi CorporationContact:Copyright 2016 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. dollar weakened against the other major currencies in the Asian session on Wednesday. The U.S. dollar fell to 5-day lows of 1.1156 against the euro and 101.16 against the yen, from yesterday's closing quotes of 1.1116 and 101.87, respectively. Against the pound and the Swiss franc, the greenback dropped to 2-day lows of 1.3090 and 0.9793 from yesterday's closing quotes of 1.3001 and 0.9810, respectively. Against the Australian, the New Zealand and the Canadian dollars, the greenback slipped to more than a 3-month low of 0.7707, a 1-week low of 0.7223 and a 5-day low of 1.3051 from yesterday's closing quotes of 0.7671, 0.7163 and 1.3119, respectively. If the greenback extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 1.13 against the euro, 98.00 against the yen, 1.35 against the pound, 0.96 against the franc, 0.78 against the aussie, 0.73 against the kiwi and 1.27 against the loonie. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
STRONG FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE IN H1 2016

NEW AND EXTENDED COLLABORATIONS, MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENTS AND CLINICAL START IN ENDOMETRIOSIS

PROFITABILITY GUIDANCE RAISED AND POSITIVE OUTLOOK CONFIRMED

Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) today reported financial results and corporate updates for the first half of 2016.

FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE -STRONG GROWTH TREND CONTINUES

Significant revenue growth in both operating segments: EVT Execute revenues up 35% to EUR 79.8 m; EVT Innovate revenues up 44% to EUR 11.8 m

Consolidated Group revenues grew by 37% to EUR 75.5 m (H1 2015: EUR 55.0 m); base revenues up 35% to EUR 68.5 m

Adjusted Group EBITDA increased to EUR 15.8 m (H1 2015: EUR 0.8 m); adjusted EBITDA of EUR 22.5 m for EVT Execute (H1 2015: EUR 9.8 m)

Increase in R&D expenses of 6% to EUR 9.0 m

Strong liquidity position of EUR 118.3 m despite initiation of loan repayments in Q2 2016

EVT EXECUTE STRONG AND PROFITABLE GROWTH

Milestone achievements in Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim and Padlock collaborations

Collaboration extensions e.g. with Genentech and Janssen Pharmaceutica NV

Multi-year compound management agreement with Pierre Fabre

Antibiotic Research UK's first research contract awarded to Evotec

Continued strengthening of existing drug discovery platforms with e.g. Trianni's next-generation transgenic technology and CRISPR/Cas9 licences

Phase I clinical start for the treatment of endometriosis with Bayer (after period-end)

EVT INNOVATE ACCELERATION OF FIRST-IN-CLASS TARGETS AND PLATFORMS

Acceleration of TargetNASH programme funded by Ellersbrook GmbH Co. KG

Innovation partnership with ex scientia to develop bispecific small molecule immuno-oncology therapeutics

Formation of spin-off company Topas Therapeutics GmbH in the field of nanoparticle-based therapeutics to treat immunological disorders; Series A funding of EUR 14 m completed

PROFITABILITY GUIDANCE RAISED (AFTER PERIOD-END)

Adjusted Group EBITDA (before changes in contingent consideration) expected to more than double compared to 2015

All other elements of financial guidance as of 22 March 2016 and positive outlook confirmed

1. FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

STRONG GROWTH TREND CONTINUES

Evotec's Group revenues for the first half of 2016 grew to EUR 75.5 m, an increase of 37% compared to the same period of the previous year (H1 2015: EUR 55.0 m). This increase is due to growth in the core EVT Execute business, the contribution of the Sanofi collaboration as well as milestone achievements. Excluding milestones, upfronts and licences, Evotec's base revenues for the first half of 2016 were EUR 68.5 m and increased by 35% over the same period of the previous year (H1 2015: EUR 50.7 m). The gross margin amounted to 34.5% in the first six months of 2016 and improved over the first half of 2015 (H1 2015: 26.0%). The margin increase over 2015 is attributable to the same drivers as the trend in revenue growth.

R&D expenses for the first half of 2016 increased by 6% to EUR 9.0 m (H1 2015: EUR 8.5 m) due to an increase in the number of projects progressed in the portfolio. SG&A expenses for the first half of 2016 decreased by 5% to EUR 11.8 m (H1 2015: EUR 12.4 m). SG&A expenses in 2015 included one-time M&A and related costs. Adjusted Group EBITDA in the first six months of 2016 increased significantly to EUR 15.8 m (H1 2015: EUR 0.8 m). The EBITDA 2015 was adjusted by EUR 1.0 m for changes in contingent consideration. Evotec's operating income for the first half of 2016 amounted to EUR 8.4 m (H1 2015: EUR 12.9 m).

Liquidity, which includes cash and cash equivalents (EUR 57.9 m) and investments (EUR 60.4 m) amounted to EUR 118.3 m at the end of June 2016 (31 December 2015: EUR 133.9 m). In Q2 2016, Evotec initiated the repayment of loans.

Revenues from the EVT Execute segment amounted to EUR 79.8 m in the first half of 2016, an increase of 35% compared to the same period of the previous year (H1 2015: EUR 59.2 m). Included in this amount are EUR 16.2 m of intersegment revenues (H1 2015: EUR 12.4 m). The EVT Innovate segment generated revenues in the amount of EUR 11.8 m consisting entirely of third-party revenues (H1 2015: EUR 8.2 m). The increase in revenues resulted from EVT Innovate projects which were partnered in H2 2015. Gross margin for EVT Execute amounted to 28.8% while EVT Innovate generated a gross margin of 50.0%. In line with Evotec's strategy, R&D expenses for the EVT Innovate segment increased from EUR 10.4 m in the first six months of 2015 to EUR 11.9 m in the first six months of 2016 due to an increase in the number of projects progressed in the portfolio. In the first six months of 2016, the adjusted EBITDA of the EVT Execute segment of EUR 22.5 m significantly improved compared to the same period of the previous year (H1 2015: EUR 9.8 m). The EVT Innovate segment reported an adjusted EBITDA of EUR (6.6) m (H1 2015: EUR (9.0) m).

2. EVT EXECUTE EVT INNOVATE

EVT EXECUTE STRONG AND PROFITABLE GROWTH

The strong operational performance in the first quarter of 2016 successfully continued into the second quarter of 2016. In the first half 2016, important milestones were achieved in collaborations with Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim and Padlock. Furthermore, a new multi-year compound management agreement with Pierre Fabre was signed. In addition, various collaborations were extended, such as the drug discovery alliance with Genentech for a further three years. Additionally, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV extended its proteomics collaboration with Evotec, now entering its tenth year. Evotec also continues to benefit from the recent trend of an increasing number of foundations requesting Evotec's drug discovery platforms, e.g. Antibiotic Research UK awarded its first research contract to Evotec. The Company continued to expand its drug discovery platforms. Evotec acquired a non-exclusive licence to the leading technology on the market for gene editing (CRISPR-Cas9 licence). Trianni's next-generation transgenic technology was also integrated into the offering of Evotec's drug discovery platforms. After period-end, Evotec was able to announce that the first programme from the strategic alliance between Bayer and Evotec in the field of endometriosis was progressed into Phase I clinical development.

EVT INNOVATE ACCELERATION OF FIRST-IN-CLASS TARGETS AND PLATFORMS

EVT Innovate showed a strong H1 2016 with very good scientific and commercial progress in the portfolio. EVT Innovate is accelerating its TargetNASH programme together with Ellersbrook GmbH Co. KG. Ellersbrook and Evotec are committed to investing up to EUR 5 m over an initial three- year period. An innovation partnership with ex scientia (UK) to develop bispecific small molecule immuno-oncology therapeutics was formed. This highly innovative research project is mainly performed on Evotec's oncology drug discovery platform in Toulouse.

In March 2016, Evotec announced the formation of a spin-off company called Topas Therapeutics GmbH, focused in the field of nanoparticle-based therapeutics to treat immunological disorders. The establishment of Topas is the first example of the acceleration of Evotec's business model to take advantage of carving out or investing in promising programmes with additional upside potential.

Furthermore, good progress was reported in existing partnerships and development projects: The clinical studies for EVT201 and EVT401 in China are recruiting according to plan. The partnered pre-clinical oncology projects with Sanofi (e.g. EVT801) are progressing well towards clinical initiation in 2017.

3. PROFITABILITY GUIDANCE RAISED

Evotec's financial guidance was updated in July 2016 due to an increased margin contribution and a positive outlook for the remainder of the year.

Guidance July 2016 Original Guidance 2016 Actual 2015 Group revenues1) More than 15% growth More than 15% growth EUR 115.4 m Adjusted Group EBITDA2) More than double Positive and significantly improved compared to prior year EUR 8.7 m R&D expenses Approx. EUR 20 m Approx. EUR 20 m EUR 18.3 m Liquidity3) Similar level compared to 2015 Similar level compared to 2015 EUR 134.5 m Capex investments Up to EUR 10 m Up to EUR 10 m EUR 11.2 m

1) Excluding milestones, upfronts and licences

2) Before contingent considerations, income from bargain purchase and excluding impairments on goodwill, other intangible and tangible assets as well as the total non-operating result

3) Excluding any potential cash outflow for M&A or similar transactions

Webcast/Conference Call

The Company is going to hold a conference call to discuss the results as well as to provide an update on its performance. The conference call will be held in English.

Conference call details

Date: Wednesday, 10 August 2016

Time: 02.00 pm CEST (01.00 pm BST/08.00 am EDT)

From Germany: +49 (0) 69 22 22 29 043

From UK: +44 20 3009 2452

From USA: +1 855 402 7766

From France: +33 170 750 705

Access Code: 37969784#

A simultaneous slide presentation for participants dialling in via phone is available at http://www.audio-webcast.com/ password: evotec0816.

Webcast details

To join the audio webcast and to access the presentation slides you will find a link on our home page www.evotec.com shortly before the event.

A replay of the conference call will be available for 24 hours and can be accessed in Europe by dialling +49 (0) 69 22 22 33 985 (Germany) or +44 20 3426 2807 (UK) and in the US by dialling +1 866 535 8030. The access code is 654573#. The on-demand version of the webcast will be available on our website: https://www.evotec.com/article/en/Investors/Financial- Reports-2014-2016/188/6.

NOTE

Due to two acquisitions in 2015, the interim condensed consolidated financial statements for the first six months of 2015 and 2016 are not fully comparable. The difference stems from the acquisition of Evotec (France) SAS, effective 01 April 2015, and from the 51% acquired shares in Panion Ltd., London, UK, effective 09 December 2015. While the result of Evotec (France) SAS is fully included in the accompanying consolidated income statement for the first six months of 2016, it was only partially included in the comparable period of the previous year. Panion Ltd. was not included in the comparable period of the previous year.

CHANGE IN PRESENTATION

The presented financial statements include a change in presentation in the first half of 2015 and 2016. From 01 January 2016 onwards, amortisation of intangible assets is no longer presented in a separate line in the consolidated income statement but is allocated to the relating cost lines in the income statement. The prior-year period was changed accordingly resulting in additional costs of revenue in the amount of EUR 1.5 m.

ABOUT EVOTEC AG

Evotec is a drug discovery alliance and development partnership company focused on rapidly progressing innovative product approaches with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academics, patient advocacy groups and venture capitalists. We operate worldwide providing the highest quality stand-alone and integrated drug discovery solutions, covering all activities from target-to-clinic to meet the industry's need for innovation and efficiency in drug discovery (EVT Execute). The Company has established a unique position by assembling top-class scientific experts and integrating state-of-the-art technologies as well as substantial experience and expertise in key therapeutic areas including neuroscience, diabetes and complications of diabetes, pain and inflammation, oncology and infectious diseases. On this basis, Evotec has built a broad and deep pipeline of more than 70 partnered product opportunities at clinical, pre-clinical and discovery stages (EVT Innovate). Evotec has established multiple long-term discovery alliances with partners including Bayer, CHDI, Sanofi or UCB and development partnerships with e.g. Janssen Pharmaceuticals in the field of Alzheimer's disease, with Sanofi in the field of diabetes and with Pfizer in the field of tissue fibrosis. For additional information please go to www.evotec.com.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Information set forth in this press release contains forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The forward- looking statements contained herein represent the judgement of Evotec as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

First half-year 2016 results

Key figures of consolidated interim income statement

Evotec AG and subsidiaries

In TEUR except share data and per share data

January to June Change April to June Change 2016 2015 in 2016 2015 in Revenues 75,454 54,958 37 37,975 33,416 14 Gross margin in 34.5 26.0 35.6 24.7 Research and development expenses (9,033) (8,506) 6 (4,647) (4,672) (1) Selling, general and administrative expenses (11,757) (12,386) (5) (6,390) (7,268) (12) Impairment of intangible assets (1,417) (69) (69) Income from bargain purchase 18,476 18,476 Other operating income (expenses), net 4,592 1,105 3,149 1,489 Operating result 8,389 12,922 (35) 5,645 16,222 (65) EBITDA adjusted* 15,833 795 8,599 1,122 Net income 2,721 13,555 (80) 3,893 14,627 (73) Weighted average shares outstanding 132,380,544 131,470,115 132,426,779 131,489,026 Net income (loss) per share (basic and diluted) 0.02 0.10 0.03 0.11

EBITDA was adjusted for changes in contingent considerations as well as for one-time effects with regards to the bargain purchase resulting from the acquisition of Evotec (France) SAS in 2015.

Segment information:

First six months 2016

In TEUR

EVT Execute EVT Innovate Intersegment eliminations Evotec Group Revenues 79,812 11,831 (16,189) 75,454 Gross margin in 28.8 50.0 18.1 34.5 R&D expenses (46) (11,921) 2,934 (9,033) SG&A expenses (9,345) (2,412) (11,757) Impairment of intangible assets (1,417) (1,417) Other operating income (expenses), net 3,256 1,336 4,592 Operating result 16,882 (8,493) 8,389 EBITDA adjusted* 22,473 (6,640) 15,833

EBITDA was adjusted for changes in contingent considerations

First six months 2015

In TEUR

EVT Execute EVT Innovate Intersegment eliminations Not allocated Evotec Group Revenues 59,170 8,223 (12,435) 54,958 Gross margin in 21.6 43.4 16.6 26.0 R&D expenses (190) (10,376) 2,060 (8,506) SG&A expenses (9,324) (3,062) (12,386) Impairment of intangible assets (69) (69) Income from bargain purchase 18,476 18,476 Other operating income (expenses), net 684 421 1,105 Operating result 3,964 (9,518) 18,476 12,922 EBITDA adjusted* 9,846 (9,051) 795

Group EBITDA was adjusted for changes in contingent considerations as well as for one-time effects with regards to the bargain purchase resulting from the acquisition Evotec (France) SAS in 2015.

Key figures of consolidated interim statement of financial position

Evotec AG and subsidiaries

In TEUR

30 June 31 Dec Change 2016 2015 in Cash, cash equivalents and investments 118,331 133,940 (12) Working capital 1,834 (9,187) 120 Current and non-current loan liabilities 18,197 22,943 (21) Total stockholders' equity 186,465 187,094 Total assets 271,860 288,538 (6)

Language: English Company: Evotec AG Manfred Eigen Campus Essener Bogen 7 22419 Hamburg Germany Phone: +49 (0)40 560 81-0 Fax: +49 (0)40 560 81-222 E-mail: info@evotec.com Internet: www.evotec.com ISIN: DE0005664809 WKN: 566480 Indices: TecDAX Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160809006566/en/

Contacts:

Evotec AG:

Gabriele Hansen, +49.(0)40.56081-255

VP Corporate Communications Investor Relations

gabriele.hansen@evotec.com
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Foreign tourists at an airport in Vietnam. Photo by VnExpress

Foreign tourists to Vietnam could soon have their visas emailed.

Vietnam is working on a scheme to grant electronic visas for foreign visitors in a bid to attract more tourists to the country and boost the domestic tourism industry.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told tourism development conference on Tuesday that the government has allocated VND200 billion ($8.8 million) to speed up the project so that the e-visa system can be launched on January 1, 2017.

Phuc asked the ministries of finance, public security and foreign affairs to determine e-visa fees and ensure foreign tourists are warmly welcomed upon arrival.

The e-visas will be issued to applicants in a printer-friendly email after they fill out an online application form. This system is believed to greatly speed up the entire visa process, according to Kenneth Atkinson, chairman of the Tourism Working Group under the Vietnam Business Forum, a consortium of international and local business associations and chambers of commerce.

Currently, a Vietnamese tourist visa may be obtained upon arrival at the country's international airports, but that involves long queues, or via a Vietnamese embassy or consulate.

Vietnam has a visa waiver or exemptions for citizens of 22 countries and territories, far less than Malaysia (164), the Philippines (157), Indonesia (45) and Thailand (52).

Last month, in an attempt to attract more visitors, Vietnam renewed the 15-day visa waiver policy for citizens of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy for another year.

The governments strategy aims to attract 10 million -10.5 million international visitors with tourism revenue reaching $18 billion-$19 billion, equivalent to 6.5 percent-7 percent of GDP, per year by 2020.

In the first seven months of this year, Vietnam received 5.55 million foreign tourists, a 24 percent rise on-year.

In 2016, Vietnam hopes to welcome 8.5 million foreign tourists, up about 6 percent from 2015. Tourism revenue is expected to hit more than $16 billion, up around 9 percent year on year, according to data from the General Statistics Office.

Related news:

> Vietnam extends visa exemptions for tourists from Western Europe

> Visa exemptions boost tourists from Western Europe

> Lawmakers enact Vietnam  U.S. visa agreement
Copernicus Climate Change Service, operated by ECMWF, confirms July average surface air temperature 0.19 O C higher than previous records in 2009 and 2015.

Conditions were exceptionally warm over north-western Russia where temperatures have led to melting permafrost.

Warmer conditions during both June and July coincide with many wildfires identified over Siberia.

Each of the past 12 months the warmest on record due to progressive global warming as climate variability and human activity combine to produce new extreme.

The average absolute value of the air temperature close to the Earth's surface reached a new high in July 2016 according to an analysis of the meteorological data record by Europe's Copernicus Climate Change Service operated by the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005418/en/

Monthly global average air temperature at the Earth's surface from January 1979 to July 2016 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Global temperature usually peaks in July, when the land masses of the northern hemisphere are on average at their warmest. It varies by more than 3OC over the course of each year.

The largest recent deviation from this annual cycle occurred in February this year, but July was still more than 0.5OC warmer than the 1981-2010 average for the month. This made July 2016 the warmest month of any in a data record that can be extended back to the nineteenth century.

Each of the past twelve months was the warmest on record for that particular month. This came close to happening previously, from the month of August 1997 to July 1998. Prominent El Nino events, in which the atmosphere is heated by an unusually warm eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, occurred during both periods.

The 1997/98 event was a little stronger overall, but average air temperatures were higher during the more recent period because of the overall progression of global warming. Lower Arctic sea-ice extent in 2016 was an evident factor behind the larger temperature differences during northern winter months.

Natural variability of the climate system and changes induced by human activities play interacting roles that combine from time to time to give new extremes, such as have occurred over recent months.

Jean-Noel Thepaut, Head of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, said:

"These record breaking extremes are the result of a cocktail of weather phenomenon and human activity. There are higher than average temperatures over the vast majority of land and sea masses."

"We're already seeing the human cost of hotter conditions with the impact of reported wildfires and other changing local environments."

Juan Garces de Marcilla, Director of Copernicus Services at ECMWF, added:

"As well as continuing to reduce emissions, in particular in the context of the Paris Climate Change deal, it is incumbent on policymakers to use the monitoring and predictive information provided by Copernicus and other programmes to plan resilience measures to adapt and mitigate the impact of climate change on industry and the public."

Ends

More information including a temperature records over time animation is available at -http://climate.copernicus.eu/resources/data-analysis/average-surface-air-temperature-analysis

Web: ecmwf.int atmosphere.copernicus.eu climate.copernicus.eu

Notes to editors:

(i) Copernicus is the European Commission's flagship earth observation programme that delivers freely accessible operational data and information services. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) has been entrusted to implement two key parts of the Copernicus programme and is assisting with a third to bring a consistent standard to the measurement, forecasting and predicting of atmospheric conditions and climate change:

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service provides daily forecasts detailing the makeup composition of the atmosphere from the ground up to the stratosphere.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (in development) will routinely monitor and analyse around 20 essential climate variables to build a global picture of our climate, from the past to the future, as well as developing customisable climate indicators in relevant economic sectors.

The Copernicus Emergency Management Service supports improvements to flood forecasting and understanding of the frequency, variability and consequences of extreme weather.

(ii) ECMWF is an international organisation which specialises in numerical weather prediction and is supported by many European states.

(iii) The quoted results are from ERA-Interim, a reanalysis of comprehensive sets of meteorological observations of the type analysed each day to initiate weather forecasts. It is produced by ECMWF and covers the period from 1979 onwards. It produces estimates of many meteorological and related surface variables in addition to surface air temperature. Additional estimates of atmospheric constituents and their sources and sinks are provided by specific systems operated by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service.

(iv) The JRA-55 reanalysis produced by the Japan Meteorological Agency gives results for surface air temperature that are similar to those quoted from ERA-Interim.

(v) The conventional analyses of monthly climatological data produced by institutions such as the Met Office (with the University of East Anglia), NASA and NOAA provide long records of the monthly deviations of temperature from values for climatological reference periods, but not of absolute values of temperature. They show that the relatively warm spells that have occurred from the 1990s onwards are unprecedented over a period that stretches back as far as 1850 in the case of the Met Office and 1880 in other cases.

(vi) The US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC; http://nsidc.org/) provides comprehensive information on variations in sea-ice extent. The different estimates of sea ice concentration used by the ERA-Interim and JRA-55 reanalyses are broadly consistent with each other and with the information provided by NSIDC.

(vii) There are multiple indicators of the strength of an El Nino, based on temperature anomalies in different regions of the tropical Pacific Ocean and associated measures of the atmospheric circulation.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005418/en/

Contacts:

For Copernicus Climate Change Service:

Rory Edwards or Jack Thompson

Office: +44 (0) 20 7593 4000

Direct dial: +44 (0) 2075934020, +44 (0) 207 593 4005

Mob: +44 (0)7912 783 941, +44 (0)7912 783 939

rory.edwards@madano.com, jack.thompson@madano.com
LONDON, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

New stats show low public awareness of devastating long-term effects of FGM

Alesha Dixon, Katherine Kelly, and Joanne Froggatt and a host of other well-known UK actors, comedians, performers and YouTube stars are backing a new digitally innovative campaign, launched by international development charity ActionAid, to raise awareness of the thousands of girls at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) in Kenya this summer.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/396780 )



Coinciding with the start of Kenyan school summer holidays when the risk to girls is at an all-time high, the charity is launching an urgent appeal to provide funding for safe centres for girls most at risk.

New statistics released by ActionAid show that only a third of the UK public are aware of the long-term effects of FGM, including child marriage and higher rates of complications at birth. The YouGov poll, of 2,040 UK adults aged 18 and over, highlighted that while the UK public are better informed about the more immediate effects of FGM, such as severe bleeding, there remains large gaps in public understanding about how the procedure can continue to affect girls for the rest of their lives.

To help raise awareness, celebrities are backing the Brutal Cut campaign, and asking the UK public to get involved by disrupting a selfie on social media with powerful 10 second messages from Kenyan girls who face the threat of FGM.

Britain's Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon has interrupted her own Instagram video with a message from Kenya. She said:

"I have met many inspiring women and girls living in extreme poverty so I feel passionately about supporting ActionAid's FGM campaign. Now that I have my own daughter too I feel even more strongly that stamping out FGM in Kenya is crucial - let's give it a final push, and together, if we all take action, we can save the lives of so many girls and end FGM for good."

"FGM is ruthless. It can cause severe bleeding and lasting health problems. When you look at the faces of young innocent girls who are helpless and are afraid of undergoing the cut - you feel very sad and angered.

"In Kenya, ActionAid is working directly with local communities and through local women's rights organisation in the worst affected areas to train them in the damaging impacts of FGM. Public awareness is also a vital tool to help unpick traditional cultural reasons for subjecting women and girls to FGM.

"But we urgently need more support so that we can stamp it out for good. It is a journey we have started. We will not relent until we see the results."

ActionAid is launching an appeal to raise funds for community safe centres in Kenya where local women's groups can work to bring an end to FGM over time and girls at risk of the procedure can access urgent support.

Girish Menon, Chief Executive of the charity ActionAid saidI

"FGM is one of the most serious violations of human rights and a horrific form of violence against women. In Kenya, FGM can rob girls from a lifetime of choices, they may be forced to drop out of school, marry early and face significant long-term health problems.

"Every day, women's rights groups work tirelessly to bring an end to FGM for good - through educating communities, supporting victims and bringing legal cases to court. And we all have a role to play in supporting them.

"That's why ActionAid is raising awareness of the effects of FGM and calling on the public to support our work providing safe centres for local women's rights groups and girls at risk of FGM in Kenya."

ActionAid's Brutal Cut appeal aims to alert people to the short and long term dangers of female genital mutilation and raise vital funds to provide safe centres for girls fleeing FGM in Kenya. Find out more at BrutalCut.org.

Notes to Editors

1. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2040 UK adults females. Fieldwork was undertaken between 13th -14th July. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

2. Only a third (30%) are aware that early child marriage and less than a quarter (23%) are aware that early childbirth are an indirect effect of FGM.

3. ActionAid's centres for girls are a space where girls can rebuild their lives free from fear and stay in school. They are also an essential space for local women's groups that ActionAid supports to campaign against FGM in their communities. In the centres, they train people in the dangers of FGM, particularly those living in remote areas where FGM is still widely practicedI setup and run business, so that they can fund their own campaigning work and support the girls living in the safe centres throughout the yearI and report cases of FGM and work with authorities to bring perpetrators to justice.

4. FGM is a form of violence against women and girls. One in three women experience such violence in their lifetimes. Ultimately, ending all forms of violence against women and girls requires tackling its root cause: gender discrimination and inequality between women and men.

Juan Leahy | Senior Media Officer | ActionAid UK

Tel: +44-(0)20-3814-4942

Mob: +44-(0)7834-216-458

Email: Juan.Leahy@actionaid.org


LONDON, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

48% of UK respondents anticipate that trade with U.S. will grow by more than 10% over the next five years

The US is a key trading partner for the majority of British companies, according to research conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit on behalf of American Express.

The research, which includes a survey of 531 companies worldwide, explores the global trading relationships, looking at how companies trade, the challenges they face and how they expect international trade with the US to change based on recent trends and upcoming political and regulatory shifts.

The research found that British companies are highly optimistic about trade growth with the US, indicating a continued strong relationship between the US and the UK:

Companies ranked the US as their top trading partner by revenue, followed by domestic trade within the UK and trade with Mexico and Canada taking joint third place

The majority (82%) of British companies expect an increase in trade with the U.S. over the next five years, versus the global average of 65% of companies and a European average of 77%.

While 8% of British companies anticipate a general decline in overseas trade over the next five years, only 2% expect trade with the US to decrease in the same time period. Against this backdrop, British companies were broadly satisfied with the quality of trade related infrastructure in the U.S. and 54% of respondents stated that trade infrastructure was either 'very good' or 'excellent'.

Jose Carvalho, Senior Vice President of American Express Global Commercial Payments, Europe, commented: "It is hugely encouraging to see the US as a major trading market for British companies, with the appetite continuing to rise year on year. Post referendum the international playing field is even more important and these results show that there is a clear opportunity to grow revenue through international trade. The availability of flexible finance solutions will be critical for companies that are looking to grow their international trading footprint."

International trade also brings with it a number of complexities and while the challenges in trading with the U.S. were less pronounced than with other countries, a number of specific pain points were identified. Globally 41% of respondents ranked exchange rate volatility as their most significant challenge when trading with the U.S, Meanwhile, in the UK, where the research was conducted ahead of the UK referendum, 42% of British companies cited exchange rate volatility as a trade barrier. While UK trade is balanced equally between goods and services, transportation costs and delivery delays in the US are a significant issue for 36% of British companies who say they rely on a fairly even combination of road, air and rail for transporting goods between the two countries. Third in the list of challenges, and most surprising, given the clear advantage of doing business in the same language, was the fact that 30% of companies listed insufficient market knowledge as a barrier to trade.

Trade regulation, an issue for the vast majority of countries surveyed was not a significant cause for concern amongst British businesses, and was mentioned by only 14% of respondents as a trade pain point. However, costs associated with these changes have had a clear impact, with 70% of UK companies saying they have seen an increase in the cost of doing business with the US due to trade-related regulatory and compliance activities.

The final most pronounced pain point for companies in the global survey related to payments. 32% of respondents cited 'making payments' as among the top challenge with issues chiefly arising from currency fluctuation, process inefficiency, limited payment visibility and bank fees. Within the UK making payments was mentioned by only 26% of companies as a challenge, and 28% of respondents said there was a shortage of external finance available for trade with the U.S. Other obstacles to accessing finance included 'lack of dollar liquidity' and 'high transaction costs', which was mentioned by 20% and 16% of respondents respectively.

Study Methodology

Research was conducted ahead of the UK Referendum, between March and May 2016, by The Economist Intelligence Unit. The findings are based on survey of 531 companies that trade with the US Companies surveyed had revenues of between $250million and $1billion and it was carried out across 35 markets.

About American Express Global Commercial Payments

Through its Global Commercial Payments division, American Express offers a suite of payment and lendingproducts that help businesses and organizations of all sizes gain financial savings, control and efficiency.Global Commercial Payments provides solutions for travel and everyday business spending, cross border payments, global currency solutions, and business financing.

To learn more about Global Commercial Payments visit, visit http://www.americanexpress.co.uk/corporate.

About American Express

American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success.Learn more at https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/ and connect with us onhttps://www.facebook.com/AmericanExpressUK, linkedin.com/company/american-express, https://twitter.com/AmexUK.
Toyota Motor Corporation Public Affairs Division Global Communications Department Tel: +81-3-3817-9926

Toyota City, Japan, Aug 10, 2016 - (JCN Newswire) - Lexus International today announced its call for entries for the Lexus Design Award 2017. First launched in 2013 to stimulate ideas for a better tomorrow, Lexus is celebrating the 5th anniversary of this international design competition supporting up-and-coming designers and creators worldwide.The creative theme for the Lexus Design Award 2017 is "Yet"."At Lexus, our Yet philosophy gives us the courage to combine elements that at first seem incompatible-superior ride comfort YET exhilarating driving dynamics-for example. With Yet, we don't compromise; we harmonize to create synergy that reveals unexpected yet amazing new possibilities. Yet is the catalyst that triggers breakthroughs, the spark that ignites an explosion of creative potential. Yet drives Lexus to explore visionary frontiers of design and technology that will shape tomorrow's mobility" said Lexus International Executive Vice-President Yoshihiro Sawa.Applicants are invited to submit innovative designs and original interpretations that demonstrate insight into the essence of the Yet theme.Lexus Design Award 2017 will introduce twelve finalists and their works to the design community and beyond at Milan Design Week 2017(1). Four of these 12 finalists will prototype their designs, mentored by globally recognized designers. The maximum production budget per prototype is three million JPY. Finalists will present their designs in the Lexus Milan Design Week experiential space. Judges will then assess the four prototypes to choose the Grand Prix winner who may receive the opportunity to bring his prototype to production.Previous Lexus Design Award winners are displaying their talent on the world stage. Emanuela Corti and Ivan Parati's Sense-Wear, the Grand Prix winner in 2015, gained further exposure at design events in Tokyo and Moscow. The Grand Prix winner of 2016, design team AMAM's "AGAR PLASTICITY - A POTENTIAL USEFULNESS OF AGAR FOR PACKAGING AND MORE" has attracted wide interest and invitations to participate in other international exhibits. In this way, Lexus Design Award winners benefit from globe-spanning publicity and the potential for collaborative projects in the public and private sectors. Lexus is honored to encourage and spotlight emerging creative talent through the Lexus Design Award and the opportunities this yearly international design competition generates.Entries to the Lexus Design Award 2017 competition will be accepted from August 10 through October 16. The twelve finalists will be announced in early 2017.(1) The world's largest design exhibition, also known as Salone Del Mobile, presents events and exhibits by brands and designers in many categories including furniture, fashion and textiles.About ToyotaSupported by people around the world, Toyota Motor Corporation (TSE: 7203; NYSE: TM), has endeavored since its establishment in 1937 to serve society by creating better products. As of the end of December 2013, Toyota conducts its business worldwide with 52 overseas manufacturing companies in 27 countries and regions. Toyota's vehicles are sold in more than 170 countries and regions. For more information, please visit www.toyota-global.com.Source: ToyotaContact:Copyright 2016 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
HARBIN, China, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Robotics Entrepreneurship Competition of the 15th College Robotics Contest closed on July 28 in the northern Chinese city of Harbin. Sponsored by China's leading robot manufacturer HIT Robot Group (HRG), the competition is part of HRG's efforts to promote innovation in young people and support robotics start-ups.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/396707

Among the award winners was Tsinghua University's intelligent transportation system LinkTravel, which uses new technologies such as the Internet of Things and cloud computing to transform traditional transportation models.

One aspect of LinkTravel is a new "intelligent city" system that connects public transport passengers, city centers and transportation resources with artificial intelligence technologies that collect and analyze passenger data. By offering a new solution for green and sustainable transportation, the project attracted attention because of its business value and potential to improve passenger experiences and management efficiency.

The competition attracted 69 teams and robotics enterprises from more than 40 colleges around the country, with top projects announced and awards presented at the end of the three-day event. The highlight among all the awards is the Special Award that went to Jingda Intelligent Technology Co. Ltd. of Tsinghua University, and the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) project at Beihang University.

During the ceremony, HRG signed agreements with four contestant teams including Jingda. The four contestants will receive support from HRG in the future and a range of cooperation projects will be carried out.

"The competition provides a stage for young talent and outstanding projects in robotics, and further promotes robotics innovation in China," said Qiao Hui, senior vice president of HRG. "As an innovation-oriented company, HRG has contributed a lot to social and technological development. By sponsoring the competition and cooperating with such high potential teams, we demonstrate HRG's commitment to encourage college students to practice what they have learned, and help start-up companies with financial and technological support."

Zhao Liang, vice president of HRG, said during the contestants' tour to the HIT Robot Group that HRG will continue offering financial and service support for entrepreneurs, and building a better platform to incubate more projects. "Our team is a young and energetic one. We are always looking for young talent to join us," said Zhao.

About HIT Robot Group

HIT Robot Group (HRG), founded in 2014, is one of China's high-tech and robotics leaders. With joint investment from the Heilongjiang provincial government, the Harbin municipal government and the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), the Group's major businesses include manufacturing of a range of robots and robotics equipment for different industries. HRG also provides solutions and services for technology companies and has a presence in 13 major Chinese cities in addition to offices in Maryland, California, Frankfurt, Seoul and Tokyo.
LONDON, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

New benefit product transforms salary sacrifice industry enabling employers to offer employees the ability to purchase tech directly from their salaries with minimum administration

Reward Gateway, the leading employee engagement platform that delivers employee benefits, reward and recognition, and communications solutions, today announced it has partnered with Currys PC World to offer its UK customers the new payroll benefit, SmartTech,' which lets customers buy the latest technology with interest free financing directly from their salary with minimal administration by their employer's HR and finance teams.

The technology by salary sacrifice market is in its infancy, with uptake often held back by sluggish systems and lengthy approval processes. Reward Gateway's SmartTech' is revolutionary in that company HR teams set pre-approved [purchases/purchase levels] for every user, so laptops, iPads and other devices available in the programme can be delivered or collected from a Currys PC World store up to same day.

SmartTech'launches in the UK on 10th August 2016, after a successful pilot with 7,000 staff at UK building firm Tarmac and Reward Gateway's own employee base.

How it helps HR

Enables employers to promote an exciting new voluntary benefit to their workforce.

Puts HR in control and has minimum administration. There's no need to process individual requests as employee voucher purchases will be instantly approved based on the criteria for employee spend and the duration of the payback period that the employer sets in advance.

No administration of warranty redemptions, customer service or delivery to handle. Currys PC World handles all of that so that HR doesn't have to.

How it helps employees

Enables employees to get instant access to free financing from their employer on the largest range of the latest technology products with guaranteed lowest prices on the high street.

With an in store pick-up option at 300 locations and automated application approvals, employees can have their items instantly -- no waiting required!

SmartTech allows employees to spread their payments over time by taking them straight from their salary at 0% apr, making it easier for them to afford technology gadgets.

And because it's Currys PC World employers can be sure that employees are getting the widest range of products at the best price. Up to 5,000 products are available to buy on the Currys website.

Supporting quotes

"We are thrilled to be launching SmartTech' and working with Currys PC World, a much loved, trusted brand in the UK. The whole of Curry's online store now sits within our technology, and we hope to deliver millions of incremental sales for them over the next 12 months. We've put a lot of thought into the product to develop a market-changing offering - it is our biggest payroll benefit to date."

"Our research showed that the traditional payroll technology benefits are cumbersome, slow, incur heavy admin or delivery costs and often don't offer the latest products; but with the launch of SmartTech', employees can order the latest technology, the cost of which is then automatically subtracted from their pay packet in regular amounts. Within 30 seconds, you can choose from up to 5,000 products, whether that's the latest iPad or fitness tracker, and pay for it in an affordable way, direct from your salary."

Richard Hurd-Wood, Chief Product Officer at Reward Gateway

"We always aim to offer our customers the latest products and by working with Reward Gateway, customers can purchase directly from their salary. It removes any pain points or hassle when ordering the latest tech and the early feedback has been fantastic."

Glenn Sizer, Head of Prepaid Partnerships at Currys PC World

"SmartTech' gives our employees access to the latest technology products without making a huge dent in their salary by creating a payment plan that works for them. We're really proud to be able to offer Tarmac employees an affordable and flexible option to buy the technology they want. From a company perspective the automated application approvals and payroll processing makes administration easy and saves us time. Take up levels in the first month have been exceptional and we expect the trend to continue upwards in the run up to Christmas."

Jodie Gilligan, People & Information Manager, Tarmac

To see SmartTech' in action visit rg.co/smarttech

Boiler Plate

Reward Gateway provides employee engagement technology to the world's leading companies. Over 1,200 clients including American Express, Groupon, Yahoo!, IBM and McDonald's use the company's products to attract, engage and retain the best employees. The company's products power employee communications, employee recognition, and employee benefits through a single employer-branded hub called SmartHub.

Media Contact:

Charlie Lofthouse, PR Manager

charlie.lofthouse@rewardgateway.com
STOCKHOLM (dpa-AFX) - Sweden's industrial production declined for the third straight month in June, defying economists' expectations for an increase, preliminary figures from Statistics Sweden showed Wednesday. Industrial production fell a seasonally adjusted 0.4 percent month-over-month in June, much slower than the 3.2 percent decrease in May. Meanwhile, it was expected to rise by 0.6 percent. Manufacturing output contracted 0.5 percent over the month, while mining and quarrying output grew by 3.1 percent. On an annual basis, industrial production dipped 1.4 percent in June, following a 1.5 percent decline a month ago. It was the second consecutive monthly fall. Economists had forecast a 3.7 percent sharp growth for the month. Separately, the statistical office revealed that industrial orders climbed for the first time in three months. It rose 0.7 percent over the month, after a 0.4 percent drop in May. Annually, orders in industry declined at a faster pace of 1.6 percent in June, following a 0.9 percent decrease in the preceding month. 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.
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - August 10, 2016) - CB Gold Inc. (TSX VENTURE: CBJ) is pleased to announce the acquisition of 100% of the Santa Ana Silver Project from Condor Precious Metals Inc. ("Condor"). Santa Ana covers the core of the historic Mariquita Silver District, one of Colombia's most prolific colonial silver mining camps with production dating back to the sixteenth century.

Preliminary prospecting, rock chip sampling, and drilling were carried out by Condor between 2012 and 2014. Chip samples of vein material collected in 2012 from the historic Santa Ana mine tunnels returned assay values as high as 11 g/t Au and 2,820 g/t Ag. Other high silver values included 929 g/t Ag, 600 g/t Ag and 443 g/t Ag. Chip samples collected from outcrops in 2013-2014 returned several high gold values along with high silver values, including: 68 g/t Au and 422 g/t Ag; 48 g/t Au and 81 g/t Ag; and 36 g/t Au and 163 g/t Ag.

Condor conducted a preliminary diamond drilling programme in 2012 completing eight shallow holes for a total of 1,170 metres. All of the holes were drilled from a single platform and tested the down-dip extension of vein mineralization below the historic Santa Ana mine tunnels. The results further highlighted the potential for bonanza-type silver-gold veins, with drill intersections including: 1,751 g/t (51 oz/t) AgEq over 3.04 metres; 1,465 g/t (43 oz/t) AgEq over 1.82 metres; and 2,545 g/t (75 oz/t) AgEq over 1.34 metres.

Table 1: Santa Ana Drill Intersections ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hole From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) AgEq (g/t) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CP-1201 78.45 79.30 0.85 1.34 667 760 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CP-1202 110.03 110.56 0.53 1.21 389 473 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CP-1203 83.82 86.86 3.04 3.68 1,495 1,751 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CP-1203 100.58 102.40 1.82 1.26 1,378 1,465 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CP-1204 133.15 134.97 1.82 0.47 149 182 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CP-1205 70.10 74.70 4.60 0.32 179 201 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CP-1205 88.00 88.80 0.80 1.64 532 646 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CP-1205 104.84 107.22 2.38 0.38 193 219 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CP-1206 124.66 125.15 0.49 0.34 742 765 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CP-1206 137.00 137.66 0.66 1.89 685 816 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CP-1207 170.47 170.76 0.29 2.45 746 916 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CP-1208 164.00 169.16 5.16 3.51 527 771 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Including 164.00 165.34 1.34 10.17 1839 2545 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Intersections were composited using a cut-off grade of 100 g/t AgEq, calculated as Ag (g/t) plus Au (g/t) times 69.44 (assuming a Au price of US $1,250 per ounce and a Ag price of US $18 per ounce). Intersected lengths do not represent true vein thicknesses which are generally less.

CB Gold plans to advance the Santa Ana Silver Project toward economic feasibility by the delineation of high-grade vein resources exploitable by modern underground mining methods. This work will initially involve compiling existing data, detailed underground mapping of existing mine workings, detailed underground channel sampling, and prioritizing targets for subsequent drifting and surface and underground diamond drilling.

Transaction

CB Gold has purchased 100% of the Santa Ana Silver Project from Condor for consideration of CA $250,000, 8,095,238 shares of CB Gold (CA $850,000 at $0.105 per share) and a 2% NSR royalty. CB Gold has a right of first refusal on any sale of the royalty and may purchase 1% (half the royalty) at any time for CA $500,000.

About the Santa Ana Silver Project

Santa Ana comprises 669 hectares of the historic Mariquita Silver District, one of Colombia's most prolific colonial silver mining camps with production dating back to the sixteenth century. The property is located approximately 190 kilometres ENE of Bogota in Tolima, Colombia.

A NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Santa Ana Property dated April, 2013, coauthored by Doublewood Consulting Inc. and Antediluvial Consulting Inc., cited the following archival information from historical Spanish documents regarding past production at Santa Ana:

"The La Porfia, El Dorado, La Manta and La Obdulia mines are located within the property as part of the historic colonial Santa Ana silver mines. The average smelter return for silver ore during those days was '4 marcos per quintal' (approximately 17 kg/t Ag) according to official reports of Hacienda Santa Fe (year 1585) also reporting widths exceeding 1 1/2 varas (4 1/2 feet). More veins were discovered in the Santa Ana (today Falan) and Frias region following exploration during the XVI Century, adding 14 new mines to the district, all of them producing over 1 marco of silver per quintal (approximately 4.3 kg/t Ag)."

The Santa Ana property is located on the eastern side of the Central Cordillera, underlain by highly deformed Paleozoic schists, quartzites and gneisses of the Cajamarca formation, intruded by the Tertiary El Hatillo granodiorite stock. The polymetallic silver-gold veins are characteristic of an intrusion related silver rich system later overprinted by a low sulphidation epithermal system in a thrust and fold setting. They are comprised of variable amounts of pyrite, sphalerite, galena, silver sulphosalts, native silver and gold in a gangue of quartz and adularia. The veins generally strike N-S to NNE and dip 45 to 85 degrees W to NW. They are directly related to right-lateral strike-slip movement on the regional scale Palestina Fault System.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

Condor's quality control procedures during collection of drill core data included the insertion of commercial certified standards and blanks. Rock and drill core samples were sent to the ALS laboratories sample preparation laboratory in Bogota, Colombia, where they were dried, crushed, split and pulverized. The 250g pulps were then sent to Condor's head offices in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and subsequently delivered to the ALS Laboratory in North Vancouver for analysis. The samples were analyzed for gold using standard fire assay on a 50 gram sample with a gravimetric finish, and for multiple elements by ICP-MS using either an aqua regia (ME-MS41) or a four acid (ME-MS61) digestion. High silver results triggered ore grade Ag analysis using the AG-OG62 procedure.

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Red Eagle Mining's Vice President of Exploration, Jeff Toohey P.Eng., who is a "Qualified Person" as defined under NI 43-101.

About CB Gold

CB Gold is a well-financed precious metals exploration and development corporation majority owned by near term producer Red Eagle Mining Corporation. CB Gold has an experienced exploration and mine development team focused on building shareholder value through acquiring and developing high grade gold and silver projects with low costs and low technical risks in Colombia, a jurisdiction with prolific historic production but until recently limited modern exploration. CB Gold owns 100% of both the Vetas Gold Project and the Santa Ana Silver Project, which consist of numerous historic and existing mines and where exploration is currently underway to delineate high-grade vein resources exploitable by modern underground mining methods.

For further information, please contact Ian Slater, Chief Executive Officer or:

Patrick Balit

Vice President Corporate Development

Red Eagle Mining Corporation

Suite 2348 - 666 Burrard Street

Vancouver, BC, V6C 2X8

+1 778 372 2558

balit@redeaglemining.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Information set forth in this news release includes forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation; statements about the terms and completion of the proposed sale transaction are forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: failure to satisfy all conditions precedent to the transaction, including disinterested shareholder approval and stock exchange regulatory approval, and the additional risks identified in the management discussion and analysis section of the Company's interim and most recent annual financial statement or other reports and filings with Canadian securities regulators. Forward looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the respective companies undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

Ian Slater

Chief Executive Officer

Patrick Balit

Vice President Corporate Development

Red Eagle Mining Corporation

Suite 2348 - 666 Burrard Street

Vancouver, BC, V6C 2X8

+1 778 372 2558

balit@redeaglemining.com
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Greece's imports prices declined further in June, though at a slower pace than in the previous month, data from the Hellenic Statistical Authority showed Wednesday. The import price index fell 4.8 percent year-over-year in June, following a 6.7 percent drop in the previous month. Among the main industrial groups, energy prices plunged the most by 16.8 percent annually in June, followed by intermediate goods with 2.3 percent decrease. At the same time, the price index for capital goods rose by 0.2 percent. On a monthly basis, import prices climbed at a slower pace of 1.1 percent in June, after a 1.9 percent rise in May. 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.
LAS VEGAS, NV -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Hemp, Inc. (OTC PINK: HEMP) executives announced today they expect the first 200,000 pounds of Lost Circulation Materials (LCMs) in inventory to go to market in the next 2 weeks. David Schmitt, COO of Hemp, Inc.'s wholly owned subsidiary, Industrial Hemp Manufacturing, LLC (IHM) is meeting with specific companies next week to ensure the LCMs will be ready to go to market. The company's LCMs are expected to potentially sell for two to three dollars per pound, which could bring in revenue of four to six hundred thousand dollars. Schmitt has also been overseeing the final stages of Hemp, Inc.'s 70,000 square foot multi-purpose industrial hemp processing facility and milling operation on 9 acres, in Spring Hope, North Carolina that is in the final stages of completion.

"Hemp, Inc. is strategically positioned at the forefront of the industrial hemp industry and continues to remain ahead of the curve to be able to process industrial hemp and manufacture products made from hemp fiber due to its commercial size and by it being the only one in the United States. Once the milling machinery is operational, Hemp, Inc. will be able to produce thousands of pounds of LCMs a day along with other oil absorbent products," said Bruce Perlowin, CEO of Hemp, Inc. (OTC PINK: HEMP).

Perlowin continued, "This represents the first of many Hemp, Inc. products to come that we will be producing at our industrial hemp processing plant in North Carolina and selling on a very large scale to major corporations around America and around the world."

According to Schmitt, the first shipment of machinery to finish the mill is expected to arrive on August 25, 2016 and the remaining of the machinery will arrive 30 days after the first shipment. The milling machinery parts that were already in the warehouse have already been positioned in its permanent location and will be secured once all the machinery arrives. "Our meeting with the air handler manufacturer, a little over two weeks ago, went extremely well so we are looking forward to the shipments. Once the air handler and dust collector are on-site, we're looking to hire specialized contractors to assist with securing all of the equipment in place which should save us over 3 to 4 weeks in time. Once the rest of the machinery is here, my best guestimate would be 3 weeks for us to have both mills operational," says Schmitt.

Schmitt has also been working with Duke Energy to install a new transformer because of all the amperage that will be used. "Everything is really coming together nicely."

As Industrial hemp continues to reclaim its rightful place in America, demand for this environmentally friendly natural fiber continues to increase. The economic benefits are too overwhelming to ignore. Hemp is one of the world's most durable fibers for textiles and can also be used to manufacture biodegradable plastics, building materials, food, paper, environmental and energy products. "The hemp revolution is unstoppable. Hemp, Inc. has its commercial decortication facility in place to soon fill the increased demand for processing the fiber and will also be able to deploy portable decorticators to more and more farmers as they begin to grow hemp too," says Bruce Perlowin, CEO of Hemp, Inc. (OTC PINK: HEMP).

SUBSCRIBE TO HEMP, INC.'S VIDEO UPDATES

"Hemp, Inc. Presents" is capturing the historic, monumental re-creation of the hemp decorticator today as America begins to evolve into a cleaner, green, eco-friendly sustainable environment. What many see as the next American Industrial Revolution is actually the Industrial Hemp Revolution. Join "Hemp, Inc. Presents" and join the hemp revolution. "Hemp, Inc. Presents" is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by visiting www.hempinc.com. To subscribe to the "Hemp, Inc. Presents" YouTube channel, be sure to click the subscribe button.

ABOUT INDUSTRIAL HEMP

Hemp is a durable natural fiber that is grown as a renewable source for raw materials that can be incorporated into thousands of products. It's one of the oldest domesticated crops known to man. Hemp is used as a nutritional food product for humans and pets, building materials, paper, textiles, cordage, organic body care and other nutraceuticals, just to name a few. It has thousands of other known uses. A hemp crop requires half the water alfalfa uses and can be grown without the heavy use of pesticides. Farmers worldwide grow hemp commercially for fiber, seed, and oil for use in a variety of industrial and consumer products. The United States is the only developed nation that fails to cultivate industrial hemp as an economic crop on a large scale, according to the Congressional Resource Service. However, with rapidly changing laws and more states gravitating towards industrial hemp and passing an industrial hemp bill, that could change. Currently, the majority of hemp sold in the United States is imported from China and Canada, the world's largest exporters of the industrial hemp crop.

HEMP, INC.'S TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE

Hemp, Inc. (OTC PINK: HEMP) seeks to benefit many constituencies from a "Cultural Creative" perspective, thereby not exploiting or endangering any group. CEO of Hemp, Inc., Bruce Perlowin, is positioning the company as a leader in the industrial hemp industry, with a social and environmental mission at its core. Thus, the publicly traded company believes in "up streaming" a portion of its profits back to its originator, in which some cases will one day be the American small farmer -- cultivating natural, sustainable products as an interwoven piece of nature. By Hemp, Inc. focusing on comprehensive investment results -- that is, with respect to performance along the interrelated dimensions of people, planet, and profits -- the triple bottom line approach can be an important tool to support its sustainability goal.

SOCIAL NETWORKS:

http://www.twitter.com/hempinc (Twitter)

http://www.facebook.com/hempinc (Facebook)

SAFE HARBOR ACT

Forward-Looking Statements are included within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, including words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements and involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Hemp, Inc.

(855) HEMP-OUT

info@hempinc.com

http://www.hempinc.com



For Investor Relations, please send correspondence to:

ir@hempinc.com




BRONX, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- The New York dentists at Dr. Victor Oelbaum & Associates focus on helping their patients achieve and maintain excellent oral health while creating beautiful smiles. According to Dr. Michael Nawrocki, the practice's in-house prosthodontist, even patients who suffer from a large number of cosmetic and functional impairments can transform the quality of their teeth with a full mouth reconstruction. He highlights that this dental procedure combines a number of aesthetic and restorative treatments into an individually-customized plan for remarkable results.

Prosthodontics is a branch of dentistry that focuses on reconstructing damaged teeth and replacing missing teeth while simultaneously prioritizing oral health and aesthetics. Dr. Nawrocki notes that a full mouth reconstruction can repair or conceal many common smile imperfections, such as chips, cracks, tooth fractures, stains, discoloration, conspicuous metal fillings, and lost teeth. To accomplish these repairs, the Bronx prosthodontist says he often uses cosmetic dentistry procedures like porcelain veneers and tooth-colored fillings, as well as restorative treatments such as dental implants and bridges.

While the appearance of the teeth are important, Dr. Nawrocki believes having good oral health and a strong, full set of teeth is the foundation of every beautiful smile. When his patients ask about the benefits of a full mouth reconstruction, he underscores the significant role restorations play in rehabilitating not only the function of the bite, but also the health of the entire mouth. According to Dr. Nawrocki, dental implants allow missing teeth to be replaced with stable, comfortable, natural-looking restorations that function just like healthy teeth. Additionally, they aid in the prevention of jawbone deterioration that may occur when a tooth remains damaged or absent for a considerable amount of time. For patients who may not be ideal candidates for a full set of dental implants, he says implant-supported dentures or dental bridges can usually provide an effective alternative while still avoiding the messy adhesives and maintenance required by traditional dentures.

Ultimately, Dr. Nawrocki explains that, aesthetics and tooth function aside, the greatest benefit of a full mouth restoration for most patients is the final result: the ability to once again speak, chew, and smile with confidence.

About Michael Nawrocki, DMD

Dr. Nawrocki earned his Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, graduating Cum Laude. He later went on to earn his Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree at the Tel-Aviv University, School of Dental Medicine. After completing a Graduate Prosthodontics program and an International Postdoctoral Program in General Dentistry at the University of Rochester, Dr. Nawrocki received a Professional Certification of Diplomate from the American Board of Prosthodontics and a Professional Certification of Fellow from the American College of Prosthodontics. He is available for interview upon request.

For more information, visit sensationalteeth.com and facebook.com/SensationalTeeth.

To view the original source of this press release, click here:

https://www.sensationalteeth.com/news-room/bronx-dentist-reveals-the-benefits-of-prosthodontic-full-mouth-restoration

Dr. Victor Oelbaum & Associates

2335 Eastchester Road

Bronx, NY 10469

(718) 882-7202



Rosemont Media

(858) 200-0044

www.rosemontmedia.com




MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Stella-Jones Inc. (TSX: SJ) ("Stella-Jones" or the "Company") today announced financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2016.

"Stella-Jones' strong sales growth in the second quarter stems from its greater reach in the residential lumber category and sustained demand in the railway tie category. Further improvement in operating profitability reflects economies of scale generated by higher volumes as well as our ongoing focus on optimizing network efficiencies," said Brian McManus, President and Chief Executive Officer.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quarters ended June Six-months ended June Financial highlights 30, 30, (in millions of Canadian dollars, except per share data) 2016 2015 2016 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sales 563.1 428.1 984.0 768.8 Operating income 83.2 61.1 137.8 108.8 Net income for the period 54.7 38.9 89.7 69.0 Per share - basic ($) 0.79 0.56 1.30 1.00 Per share - diluted ($) 0.79 0.56 1.30 1.00 Weighted average shares outstanding (basic, in '000s) 69,185 68,987 69,162 68,970 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

SECOND QUARTER RESULTS

Sales reached $563.1 million, up 31.5% from $428.1 million a year ago. The acquisition of Ram Forest Group Inc. and Ramfor Lumber Inc. (collectively, "Ram") on October 1, 2015, contributed sales of approximately $51.7 million. The acquisitions of Lufkin Creosoting Co., Inc. ("Lufkin Creosoting") and of 440 Investments, LLC, the parent company of Kisatchie Treating, LLC, Kisatchie Pole & Piling, LLC, Kisatchie Trucking, LLC and Kisatchie Midnight Express, LLC (collectively, "Kisatchie"), both completed on June 3, 2016, added combined sales of $5.6 million, while acquisitions in the southeastern United States completed in the second half of 2015 added sales of approximately $7.4 million. The conversion effect from fluctuations in the value of the Canadian dollar, Stella-Jones' reporting currency, versus the U.S. dollar, had a positive impact of $13.2 million on the value of U.S. dollar denominated sales when compared with last year's second quarter. Excluding these factors, organic growth was approximately $57.2 million, or 13.4%.

Railway tie sales amounted to $216.3 million, up 11.1% from $194.8 million last year. Excluding the currency conversion effect, railway tie sales rose approximately 7.3%, primarily as a result of healthy industry demand.

Sales of utility poles reached $142.8 million, compared with $136.7 million last year. Excluding the currency conversion effect and the contribution from acquisitions, sales declined approximately 6.7%. During the quarter, sales of distribution poles softened as a result of reduced maintenance demand in certain regions, while sales of transmission poles held steady versus last year.

Sales of residential lumber totalled $152.1 million, up from $60.9 million last year. This strong increase reflects sales of $51.7 million from the Ram acquisition, increased market demand as well as the impact of the transition from treating services only for wholesalers to a value-added full service direct offering for retailers.

Industrial product sales amounted to $27.0 million, compared with $25.4 million a year ago, as the currency conversion effect more than offset a decline related to the timing of orders for rail related products in the United States. Logs and lumber sales were $24.8 million, versus $10.4 million last year, due to procurement efforts to support residential lumber requirements and the timing of timber harvesting.

Operating income reached $83.2 million, or 14.8% of sales, versus $61.1 million, or 14.3% of sales, last year. The increase in absolute dollars stems from increased business activity, the contribution from acquisitions and the effect of currency translation. As a percentage of sales, the increase is mainly attributable to economies of scale generated by higher volumes in the residential lumber category, greater efficiencies throughout the Company's plant network and the year-over-year variation in other net losses and gains. These factors were partially offset by the greater logs and lumber sales, which are performed at a value close to their cost of sales.

Net income for the second quarter of 2016 increased 40.4% to $54.7 million, or $0.79 per diluted share, compared with $38.9 million, or $0.56 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2015.

SIX-MONTH RESULTS

For the six-month period ended June 30, 2016, sales amounted to $984.0 million, versus $768.8 million for the corresponding period a year earlier. Acquisitions contributed sales of approximately $79.6 million, while the currency conversion effect had a positive impact of $49.0 million on the value of U.S. dollar denominated sales. Excluding these factors, sales increased approximately $86.6 million, or 11.3%.

Operating income stood at $137.8 million, or 14.0% of sales, compared with $108.8 million, or 14.2% of sales, a year earlier. Net income for the first six months of 2016 increased 29.9% to $89.7 million, or $1.30 per diluted share, up from $69.0 million, or $1.00 per diluted share, in the first six months of 2015.

SOLID FINANCIAL POSITION

As at June 30, 2016, the Company's long-term debt, including the current portion, stood at $731.7 million compared with $628.1 million three months earlier. The increase mainly reflects larger borrowings to finance the acquisitions of Lufkin Creosoting and Kisatchie and larger working capital requirements, partially offset by the effect of local currency translation on U.S. dollar denominated long-term debt. Working capital requirements include the normal seasonal increase in accounts receivable resulting from greater second quarter business activity. As at June 30, 2016, Stella-Jones' total debt to total capitalization ratio was 0.44:1, compared with 0.41:1 as at March 31, 2016.

QUARTERLY DIVIDEND OF $0.10 PER SHARE

On August 9, 2016, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per common share, payable on September 23, 2016 to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 2, 2016.

OUTLOOK

"Market demand for our products should remain healthy for the remainder of 2016. With respect to railway ties, we expect second-half demand for 2016 to be down on a year-over-year basis following a strong first half of the year. In the utility pole market, regular maintenance demand is expected to remain relatively steady for the balance of the year, despite a slight softening in the first half of 2016, while transmission pole sales should hold following the stabilization in resource prices. Stella-Jones' broader reach in the residential lumber category will allow us to further benefit from continued demand for new construction and outdoor renovation projects in the North American residential and commercial markets. As for the short-term, our priority is to integrate recent acquisitions into our network by leveraging best practices to enhance network efficiencies and create lasting value for our shareholders," concluded Mr. McManus.

CONFERENCE CALL

Stella-Jones will hold a conference call to discuss these results on August 10, 2016, at 10:00 AM Eastern Time. Interested parties can join the call by dialing 1-647-788-4922 (Toronto or overseas) or 1-877-223-4471 (elsewhere in North America). Parties unable to call in at this time may access a recording of the meeting by calling 1-800-585-8367 and entering the passcode 37729120. This recording will be available on Wednesday, August 10, 2016 as of 10:00 PM Eastern Time until 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, August 17, 2016.

NON-IFRS FINANCIAL MEASURES

Operating income is a financial measure not prescribed by IFRS and is not likely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Management considers this non-IFRS measure to be useful information to assist knowledgeable investors regarding the Company's financial condition and results of operations as it provides an additional measure of its performance.

ABOUT STELLA-JONES

Stella-Jones Inc. (TSX: SJ) is a leading producer and marketer of pressure treated wood products. The Company supplies North America's railroad operators with railway ties and timbers, and the continent's electrical utilities and telecommunication companies with utility poles. Stella-Jones also manufactures and distributes residential lumber and accessories to retailers for outdoor applications, as well as industrial products for construction and marine applications. The Company's common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Except for historical information provided herein, this press release may contain information and statements of a forward-looking nature concerning the future performance of the Company. These statements are based on suppositions and uncertainties as well as on management's best possible evaluation of future events. Such factors may include, without excluding other considerations, fluctuations in quarterly results, evolution in customer demand for the Company's products and services, the impact of price pressures exerted by competitors, the ability of the Company to raise the capital required for acquisitions, and general market trends or economic changes. As a result, readers are advised that actual results may differ from expected results.

Note to readers: Condensed interim unaudited consolidated financial statements for the second quarter ended June 30, 2016 are available on Stella-Jones' website at www.stella-jones.com.

Contacts:

Source:

Stella-Jones Inc.



Contacts:

Eric Vachon, CPA, CA

Senior Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer

(514) 940-3903

evachon@stella-jones.com



Martin Goulet, CFA

MaisonBrison Communications

(514) 731-0000

martin@maisonbrison.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- FIRST MAJESTIC SILVER CORP. (NYSE: AG)(TSX: FR)(FRANKFURT: FMV)(BVM: AG) (the "Company" or "First Majestic") is pleased to announce the unaudited interim consolidated financial results of the Company for the second quarter ended June 30, 2016. The full version of the financial statements and the management discussion and analysis can be viewed on the Company's web site at www.firstmajestic.com or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. All amounts are in U.S. dollars unless stated otherwise.

SECOND QUARTER 2016 HIGHLIGHTS

-- Silver equivalent production of 4.7 million ounces, representing a 23% increase compared Q2 2015. -- Silver production of 2.8 million ounces, representing a 5% increase compared to Q2 2015. -- Revenues totaled $66.1 million, representing a 22% increase compared to Q2 2015, primarily due to a 23% increase in total production. -- Realized average silver price was $17.01, relatively unchanged compared $16.99 in Q2 2015. -- Operating cash flows before working capital and taxes of $23.5 million or $0.15 per share (non-GAAP). -- Mine operating earnings of $9.9 million compared to $3.4 million in Q2 2015. -- Net earnings of $6.1 million (EPS of $0.04) compared to a loss of $2.6 million (loss per share of $0.02) in Q2 2015. -- All-in sustaining costs ("AISC") of $10.97 per payable silver ounce, representing a 24% reduction compared to Q2 2015. -- Completed CAD$57.5 million equity financing allowing the Company to accelerate future growth projects. -- Cash and cash equivalents totaled $108.2 million at the end of the quarter, representing a $46.5 million increase compared to the previous quarter. -- Increased 2016 capital budget by $20.9 million to expand the underground development and exploration program, including over 46,000 metres of additional diamond drilling.

"We had excellent second quarter results with costs significantly beating guidance," stated Keith Neumeyer, President and CEO of First Majestic. "The balance sheet has dramatically improved over the past two quarters, primarily due to the recent equity financing, the elimination of the prepayment facility and the increase in cash flows. As a result, the Company is beginning to accelerate a number of growth projects with high internal rates of return. We are increasing the underground development and exploration at La Guitarra to prepare the mine for its upcoming expansion to 1,000 tpd. We have also allocated capital to the Plomosas silver project, our first investment since its acquisition in 2012, to begin a 5,000 metre exploration program to test high priority targets. Essentially, we are planting the seeds for our next leg of growth."

OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

2016-Q2 2016-Q1 Change 2015-Q2 Change 2016-YTD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operational ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ore Processed / Tonnes Milled 798,182 789,591 1% 662,637 20% 1,587,774 ----------------------- ---------------------------------- Silver Ounces Produced 2,844,930 3,074,173 (7%) 2,716,503 5% 5,919,103 ----------------------- ---------------------------------- Silver Equivalent Ounces Produced 4,681,608 5,083,095 (8%) 3,802,558 23% 9,764,704 ----------------------- ---------------------------------- Cash Costs per Ounce(1) $6.41 $5.00 28% $8.74 (27%) $5.68 ----------------------- ---------------------------------- All-in Sustaining Cost per Ounce(1) $10.97 $8.97 22% $14.49 (24%) $9.93 ----------------------- ---------------------------------- Total Production Cost per Tonne(1) $44.97 $42.72 5% $46.80 (4%) $43.85 ----------------------- ---------------------------------- Average Realized Silver Price per Ounce ($/eq. oz.)(1) $17.01 $15.08 13% $16.99 0% $15.99 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Financial (in $millions) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Revenues $66.1 $66.5 (1%) $54.2 22% $132.6 ----------------------- ---------------------------------- Mine Operating Earnings(2) $9.9 $9.4 6% $3.4 189% $19.3 ----------------------- ---------------------------------- Earnings (loss) before income taxes $9.2 $1.4 582% ($4.4) 307% $0.0 ----------------------- ---------------------------------- Net Earnings (Loss) $6.1 ($7.4) 182% ($2.6) 337% ($1.3) ----------------------- ---------------------------------- Operating Cash Flows before Working Capital and Taxes(2) $23.5 $25.0 (6%) $16.4 43% $48.5 ----------------------- ---------------------------------- Cash and Cash Equivalents $108.2 $61.7 75% $37.7 187% $108.2 ----------------------- ---------------------------------- Working Capital (Deficit)(1) $119.1 $57.8 106% ($0.9) 13335% $119.1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shareholders ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Earnings (Loss) per Share ("EPS") - Basic $0.04 ($0.05) 180% ($0.02) 280% ($0.01) ----------------------- ---------------------------------- Adjusted EPS(1) $0.03 $0.03 2% ($0.03) 216% $0.06 ----------------------- ---------------------------------- Cash Flow per Share(1) $0.15 $0.16 (8%) $0.14 8% $0.31 ----------------------- ---------------------------------- (1) The Company reports non-GAAP measures which include cash costs per ounce, all-in sustaining cost per ounce, total production cost per ounce, total production cost per tonne, average realized silver price per ounce, working capital, adjusted EPS and cash flow per share. These measures are widely used in the mining industry as a benchmark for performance, but do not have a standardized meaning and may differ from methods used by other companies with similar descriptions. (2) The Company reports additional GAAP measures which include mine operating earnings and operating cash flows before movements in working capital and income taxes. These additional financial measures are intended to provide additional information and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The Company realized an average silver price of $17.01 per ounce during the second quarter of 2016, which is relatively unchanged compared with the second quarter of 2015 and a 13% increase compared to $15.08 in the prior quarter.

Revenues generated in the second quarter totaled $66.1 million, an increase of $11.9 million or 22% compared to $54.2 million in the second quarter of 2015. The increase in revenue was primarily due to 22% increase in silver equivalent ounces sold as a result of production from the Santa Elena mine, which was acquired in October 2015. For the six months ended June 30, 2016, even though the average realized silver price was $1.02 per ounce lower than in the previous year, revenue increased by 22% as a result of a 29% increase in silver equivalent ounces sold.

Mine operating earnings were $9.9 million in the quarter compared to $3.4 million in the second quarter of 2015. The increase in mine operating earnings was primarily driven by an increase in production levels and a decrease in production costs.

Cash flow from operations before movements in working capital and income taxes in the quarter was $23.5 million ($0.15 per share) compared to $16.4 million ($0.14 per share) in the second quarter of 2015.

The Company generated net earnings of $6.1 million (earnings per share of $0.04) in the second quarter compared to net loss of $2.6 million (loss per share of $0.02) in the second quarter of 2015. Excluding all non-cash and non-recurring items, the Company generated adjusted earnings of $4.7 million ($0.03 per share) during the quarter.

On May 12, 2016, the Company closed a $44.7 million (CAD$57.5 million) bought-deal private placement with a syndicate of underwriters for the issuance of 5,250,900 common shares at a price of CAD$10.95 per common share.

The Company's treasury increased 75% to $108.2 million by the end of the quarter, reflecting a $46.5 million increase compared to the prior quarter. Additionally, the Company's working capital position increased 106% to $119.1 million compared to $57.8 million at the end of the prior quarter.

On July 12, 2016, subsequent to quarter end, the Company entered into a debt settlement agreement with First Mining Finance Corp. ("First Mining") to settle $1.2 million in loan receivables. Pursuant to the agreement, First Mining will settle $0.5 million of the debt through issuance of 820,440 of its common shares at a deemed price of CAD$0.80 per share. The remaining balance of $0.7 million will be paid in cash in twelve equal monthly cash payments with the first installment being paid at the end of July 2016.

OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

The table below represents the quarterly operating and cost parameters at each of the Company's six producing silver mines.

Second Quarter Production Summary Santa Elena La Encantada La Parrilla Del Toro ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ore Processed / Tonnes Milled 245,753 209,039 157,871 80,739 ------------------------ --------------------------------------------------- Silver Ounces Produced 605,615 622,321 599,526 399,520 ------------------------ --------------------------------------------------- Silver Equivalent Ounces Produced 1,559,410 623,070 948,552 682,443 ------------------------ --------------------------------------------------- Cash Costs per Ounce ($2.86) $12.41 $7.33 $7.90 ------------------------ --------------------------------------------------- All-in Sustaining Cost per Ounce $1.81 $13.85 $9.43 $10.05 ------------------------ --------------------------------------------------- Total Production Cost per Tonne $43.89 $35.13 $37.12 $52.95 ------------------------ --------------------------------------------------- Second Quarter Production Summary San Martin La Guitarra Consolidated --------------------------------------------------------------- Ore Processed / Tonnes Milled 69,863 34,917 798,182 --------------------------------------------------- Silver Ounces Produced 411,686 206,262 2,844,930 --------------------------------------------------- Silver Equivalent Ounces Produced 492,669 375,464 4,681,608 --------------------------------------------------- Cash Costs per Ounce $8.67 $5.93 $6.41 --------------------------------------------------- All-in Sustaining Cost per Ounce $10.20 $10.34 $10.97 --------------------------------------------------- Total Production Cost per Tonne $65.75 $87.01 $44.97 ---------------------------------------------------

Total production for the quarter was 4.7 million silver equivalent ounces consisting of 2.8 million ounces of silver, 16,371 ounces of gold, 8.8 million pounds of lead and 3.8 million pounds of zinc. Compared to the previous quarter, total production decreased 8% primarily due to an 8% decrease in average silver grades due to lower grades at the La Encantada and Santa Elena mines.

COSTS AND CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

Cash cost per ounce (after by-product credits) for the quarter was $6.41 per payable ounce of silver, an increase of 28% from $5.00 per ounce in the first quarter of 2016. The increase in cash cost per ounce was primarily the result of lower grades at the La Encantada and Santa Elena mines. Compared to the same quarter of 2015, cash cost per ounce decreased 27% from $8.74 per ounce. The decrease in cash cost per ounce was primarily the result of an ongoing company-wide cost reduction efforts and a focus on producing only profitable ounces, which resulted in significant cost savings in contractor, haulage, energy and reagents. Santa Elena had a negative cash cost of ($2.86) per ounce, which also contributed to the significant reduction in the Company's consolidated cash cost.

Consolidated AISC for the quarter was $10.97 per ounce, representing a 22% increase compared to $8.97 per ounce in the previous quarter. The increase in AISC was primarily attributed to an increases in cash cost per ounce and general and administrative expenses incurred in the second quarter. Compared to the same quarter of the prior year, AISC decreased by 24% compared to $14.49 per ounce. AISC reduced significantly due to a $2.33 reduction in cash costs per ounce, as well as decreases in sustaining capital expenditures. AISC was also lower due to the recent addition of the Santa Elena mine, which had an AISC of $1.81 per ounce in the quarter. Sustaining capital expenditures are expected to increase in the second half of the year to catch up with expanded program targets and updated capital budget.

Total capital expenditures in the second quarter were $9.9 million, an increase of 4% compared to the prior quarter, primarily consisting of $2.9 million at Santa Elena, $1.1 million at La Encantada, $1.4 million at Del Toro, $1.3 million at La Parrilla, $1.0 million at La Guitarra and $1.1 million at San Martin.

GUIDANCE UPDATE

To June 30th, the Company has produced 5.9 million ounces of silver (or 9.8 million silver equivalent ounces) with an average cash cost and AISC of $5.68 and $9.93 per payable ounce of silver, respectively. With the first half of 2016 complete, the Company is updating its 2016 production and cost guidance to include actual results over the past six months, minor operating modifications to reflect changes in throughput rates at Del Toro and La Guitarra and revisions to metal price assumptions to reflect anticipated changes in by-product equivalent ounces.

The table below details the new production and cost guidance on a mine-by-mine basis.

Silver Oz Silver Eqv Cash Cost(3) AISC(2)(3) Mine ('000s) Oz(1)('000s) ($/oz) ($/oz) ---------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- Santa Elena 2,160 - 2,400 5,400 - 6,000 ($4.04) - $1.77 - $2.64 ($3.54) ---------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- La Encantada 2,520 - 2,800 2,520 - 2,800 $10.20 - $12.21 - $10.93 $13.08 ---------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- La Parrilla 2,250 - 2,500 3,420 - 3,800 $5.99 - $6.49 $9.98 - $10.68 ---------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- Del Toro 1,350 - 1,500 2,250 - 2,500 $7.51 - $8.01 $11.48 - $12.17 ---------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- San Martin 1,710 - 1,900 1,980 - 2,200 $7.37 - $7.87 $10.50 - $11.21 ---------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- La Guitarra 720 - 800 1,260 - 1,400 $6.44 - $7.16 $18.34 - $19.93 ---------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- Consolidated 10,710 - 16,830 - $5.40 - $6.00 $11.50 - 11,900 18,700 $12.35 ---------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- (1) Metal price assumptions for calculation of silver equivalent ounces are based on: silver $20.00/oz; gold $1,350/oz; lead $0.80/lb; and zinc $1.00/lb. (2) Consolidated AISC includes general and administrative cost estimates of $1.36 to $1.45 per payable silver ounce, share-based payments expense of $0.36 to $0.38 per ounce and accretion of decommissioning liabilities of $0.08 per ounce. (3) Currency exchange assumption of 18.5:1 MXN:USD used for purposes of cash cost and AISC estimates.

The Company's 2016 annual silver production is now estimated to be within a new range of 10.7 to 11.9 million ounces, or 16.8 to 18.7 million silver equivalent ounces. This compares to the previous annual production guidance of 12.0 to 13.3 million ounces of silver, or 17.8 to 19.8 million silver equivalent ounces. The 11% decrease in silver production is primary due to lower throughput rates at Del Toro and La Guitarra compared to prior estimates. Silver equivalent ounces were also revised to reflect the effect of an increase in silver price on equivalent ounces from other by-product metals.

Full year cash cost are now expected to be within $5.40 to $6.00 per payable silver ounce, a 23% reduction compared to the previous annual guidance of $7.11 to $7.60 per ounce. AISC are also expected to decrease to the range $11.50 to $12.35 per payable silver ounce, a 7% reduction when compared to the original guidance range of $12.29 to $13.36 per ounce.

CAPITAL EXPANSION

Due to the increase in cash flows and proceeds from the CAD$57.5 million equity financing, the Company plans to expand its development and exploration program budget by $20.9 million in the second half of the year, including an increase in planned development and exploration metres of 51% and 71%, respectively. The expanded development and exploration program applies to all of the Company's operations and will focus to perform in-fill drilling to support underground mining activities and further delineate Reserves and Resources at each mining unit, with a significant portion attributed to expanding the Reserves and Resources at La Guitarra in preparation of the 1,000 tpd mine and mill expansion. A total of 111,344 metres in exploration drilling is now planned for 2016, of which 27,992 metres have already been completed in the first half of 2016. The remaining 83,352 metres are being allocated as follows: 8,938 metres at Santa Elena, 11,680 metres at La Encantada, 12,068 metres at La Parrilla, 8,760 metres at Del Toro, 12,706 metres at San Martin, 24,200 metres at La Guitarra and 5,000 metres at Plomosas.

In addition, the Company has budgeted several expansionary projects in the second half of 2016 with short payback periods, consisting of:

-- La Encantada - roasting plant construction for $8.8 million ($5.8 million in H2 2016 with the remainder of the investment in 2017). Once in production, the Company expects to recover an additional 1.5 million ounces of silver from the reprocessing of above ground tailings; -- La Guitarra - $3.7 million for the acquisition and rehabilitation of underground equipment for the increase in development in preparation of the 1,000 tpd expansion in order to achieve economies of scale in production costs; -- San Martin - installation of tailings filter press for $1.3 million in order to recover water, reduce cyanide consumption and tailings costs and environmental risks; -- Plomosas - $2.6 million for the reconditioning of the main access and underground drifts, a 5,000 metre underground diamond drilling program, to develop crosscuts to prepare future underground drill stations, to obtain surface access agreements for permitting future surface and for geochemical analysis of surface grab samples; and -- Corporate - central maintenance shop expansion for $0.5 million to increase savings by performing more equipment overhauls per year in- house.

With these additional investments, the Company expects to invest a total of $88.5 million in capital expenditures in 2016, compared to its previous guidance of $63.8 million. These expansionary capital investments are expected to have a positive impact on the Company's financial and operating results in 2017.

CONFERENCE CALL AND WEBCAST

A conference call and webcast will be held today, August 10, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. PDT (1:00 p.m. EDT) to review and discuss the second quarter results. To participate in the conference call, please dial the following:

Toll Free Canada & USA: 1-800-319-4610 Outside of Canada & USA: 1-604-638-5340 Toll Free Germany: 0800 180 1954 Toll Free UK: 0808 101 2791

Participants should dial in 10 minutes prior to the conference.

Click on WEBCAST on the First Majestic homepage as a simultaneous audio webcast of the conference call will be posted at www.firstmajestic.com.

ABOUT FIRST MAJESTIC

First Majestic is a mining company focused on silver production in Mexico and is aggressively pursuing the development of its existing mineral property assets and the pursuit through acquisition of additional mineral assets which contribute to the Company achieving its corporate growth objectives.

FIRST MAJESTIC SILVER CORP.

Keith Neumeyer, President & CEO

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release includes certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions, identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information relate to, among other things: the price of silver and other metals; the accuracy of mineral reserve and resource estimates and estimates of future production and costs of production at our properties; estimated production rates for silver and other payable metals produced by us, the estimated cost of development of our development projects; the effects of laws, regulations and government policies on our operations, including, without limitation, the laws in Mexico which currently have significant restrictions related to mining; obtaining or maintaining necessary permits, licences and approvals from government authorities; and continued access to necessary infrastructure, including, without limitation, access to power, land, water and roads to carry on activities as planned.

These statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information and the Company has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: fluctuations in the spot and forward price of silver, gold, base metals or certain other commodities (such as natural gas, fuel oil and electricity); fluctuations in the currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar and Mexican peso versus the U.S. dollar); changes in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in Canada, Mexico; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins and flooding); risks relating to the credit worthiness or financial condition of suppliers, refiners and other parties with whom the Company does business; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; and the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining, including those currently enacted in Mexico; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities; diminishing quantities or grades of mineral reserves as properties are mined; the Company's title to properties; and the factors identified under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form, under the caption "Risks Relating to First Majestic's Business".

Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements or information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.

Contacts:

First Majestic Silver Corp.

toll free number 1.866.529.2807

info@firstmajestic.com

www.firstmajestic.com




LIBERTY LAKE, WASHINGTON -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Hunt Mining Corp. ("Hunt" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: HMX) today announced that, further to its news release dated May 12, 2016, the Company has filed a National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report, entitled "Martha Silver and Gold Project, Santa Cruz, Argentina" (the "Martha Technical Report"), as required by the TSX Venture Exchange for approval of its recent acquisition of the Martha property. The Martha Technical Report is available on SEDAR and the Company's website.

A National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report, for the recently purchased Martha property, was prepared by Mr. Donald J. Birak as disclosed in the news release of May 23, 2016. Mr. Birak is very familiar with the property, from his time as Senior VP Exploration with Coeur Mining, and visited the property again in the preparation of this report.

Mr. Birak is a Registered Member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration ("SME") and Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy ("AusIMM") and is an independent Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

Tim Hunt, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer states; "Hunt Mining's acquisition of the Martha property was motivated by the abundance of tangible assets remaining with the property that will allow Hunt to become Argentina's next gold and silver producer. The close proximity to our own advanced exploration projects made this an opportunity we could not pass up."

Klaus Triebel, Hunt Mining's Director of Project Development, is a Qualified Person under NI 43-101 and has approved this news release.

Additional information on the Martha Mine and other Santa Cruz, Argentina projects can be viewed on the Company website at: www.huntmining.com.

About Hunt Mining

Hunt Mining Corp. has continued to develop its properties as an active and aggressive explorer in Santa Cruz since 2006. During that time, Hunt's wholly owned subsidiary, Cerro Cazador S.A., has completed exploration activity including 62,000 meters of HQ core drilling, 416 line kilometers of Induced Polarization geophysical surveys and more than 20,000 surface soil, sediment, channel, chip, and trench samples, beyond the historical work previous to the same properties. Hunt also owns a 100% interest in the Martha property, also located in the Santa Cruz Province of Argentina.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking statements. The Company has provided the forward-looking statements in reliance on assumptions that it believes are reasonable at this time. The reader is cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of the forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. All such forward-looking statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, delays resulting from or inability to obtain required regulatory approval. The actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what benefits, including the amount of proceeds, the Company will derive therefrom. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive.

Contacts:

Dean Stuart

Investor Relations

(403) 617-7609

dean@boardmarker.net




NEW YORK, NEW YORK and TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- TouchBistro and 7shifts today announced that their apps for the food and beverage industry are being integrated to provide greater efficiencies for restaurant management. The combination of the TouchBistro iPad point of sale (POS) solution and the 7-Shifts app for employee scheduling and management will significantly reduce the amount of time it takes for foodservice establishments to plan employee shifts and manage schedules. It will deliver these benefits by automatically cross-referencing employee skillsets and availability, ensuring the equitable balancing of shift assignments, and making it easier to manage shift swapping, time tracking, and variance reporting.

TouchBistro POS app drives operations efficiency and customer service

TouchBistro brings mobile innovation to the food and beverage industry with an iPad point-of-sale solution that is designed to work as the heart and operating system of a restaurant or bar, and significantly increases efficiencies and the overall customer experience. Servers use the app to take customer orders tableside, or while patrons are in line or at the bar, and instantly transmit them to the kitchen and bartender/barista. Bills are automatically calculated and split according to the patrons' requests, and bill totals are transferred electronically into integrated card keypads or mobile wallets for payment, thereby minimizing order errors, increasing operations efficiency, and improving the overall customer experience. The TouchBistro app is consistently ranked as the top-grossing food and beverage app on the Apple App Store(SM) in 37 countries.

The TouchBistro POS app features a full suite of cloud reporting tools that address everything from seating, inventory, and sales analysis to scheduling and payroll. By integrating 7shifts functionality with the TouchBistro POS app, restaurateurs will be better equipped to efficiently manage their staffing.

7shifts streamlines employee scheduling and management

7shifts is an intuitive employee scheduling and management app for the restaurant industry. Managers of single or multi-location restaurants use 7shifts to reduce the time it takes to do manual scheduling from several hours down to just a few minutes each month. The app also helps food service managers reduce labor costs with more effective shift strategies and by reducing overtime overages.

"TouchBistro continually seeks out new partners and technology that will help to increase efficiencies and improve the bottom line for restaurants and bars owners," said Alex Barrotti, CEO and Founder of TouchBistro. "We are very pleased to offer our customers an integrated solution that brings together our innovative solution with the benefits that 7shifts delivers in with its outstanding employee scheduling and management functionality."

With the 7shifts app, shift assignments can be easily populated in pre-established templates that designate the number, hours, and type of staff needed for each shift, automatically cross-checking the personnel database for skills levels, availability, and even distribution of shift assignments. When shift assignments are finalized -- or shift trade requests are posted, filled and approved -- emails and text messages are sent out to employees, notifying them of their work assignments. An electronic Manager Log Book makes it easy to track employee history for improved performance visibility and management. Free mobile apps are provided to managers and all employees so managers can handle scheduling adjustments on the go, and employees can carry their work schedules around in their pockets.

How the integrated solution works

Once the integration between the two solutions is complete, employee information can be entered once into either the TouchBistro staff module or into the 7shifts app. Employee scheduling and management features will then be accessible within both apps through the employee ID number. When an employee clocks in/out through TouchBistro, it is cross-referenced with the schedule in 7shifts, preventing an employee from punching in unscheduled shifts, and eliminating unbudgeted overtime and unbalanced staffing.

"TouchBistro shares our commitment to offering the most technically advanced and well-designed solution on the market for restaurant and bar customers. Our integration is a perfect fit as we team up on innovation that improves efficiencies in the food services industry," said Jordan Boesch, founder and CEO of 7shifts.

About TouchBistro

With offices in New York and Toronto, TouchBistro is a leader in iPad restaurant point-of-sale technology for restaurants, cafes, bars, food trucks, and other food and drink venues. The TouchBistro app has been ranked as the number one top-grossing food and beverage app in 34 countries on the Apple App Store(SM). TouchBistro was recently named Best POS System for Restaurants by Business News Daily in its annual review of dozens of point-of-sale (POS) systems, one of the '2014 Hottest Companies in New York City' by lead411 and one of the 'Top Up and Coming Canadian Companies' by PWC. TouchBistro offers a one-month free trial that can be converted to a no-contract subscription. Additional information is available at www.touchbistro.com.

About 7shifts

With offices in Toronto and Saskatoon, 7shifts is a leader in employee scheduling software specifically for restaurants, cafes, bars, and other food & beverage operations. 7shifts offers a 28-day free trial and a no-contract subscription. Additional information is available at www.7shifts.com.

Contacts:

Kari Wise

Boulevard Public Relations

818.588.8074

Kari@boulevardpr.com




OCEAN VIEW, Delaware, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Enterprise Application Marketsize is expected to reach USD 287.71 billion by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160418/799556-a )



Enterprise application market is expected to witness substantial growth owing to rising need to connect business process. This solution aids in enabling better quality management, supply chain management, and customer engagement. Mounting awareness regarding IT connectivity amongst company management, growing need for better internet infrastructure and swift cloud computing adoption by developed organizations will give a fillip to enterprise application market share over the forecast timeline.

Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/701

BFSI, manufacturing, healthcare, retail, airspace & defense, media, chemicals, telecom & IT, oil & gas and hospitality sector are likley to contribute towards swift industry growth over the forecast period. SCM and business process management aid industries in tracking production and inventory management from procurement to delivery. Availability of open source solutions along with high implementation & maintenance costs associated with the servers and operating systems may hinder growth over the forecast period. Some available open source solutions are ProcessMaker, FriFrans, CitrusBD and Magnolia.

ERP and CRM are expected to be the prime product segments over the next seven years. Real time flow of information through various connected departments such as sales, production, technical; quality and HR is expected to fuel enterprise application market size through 2024. Transition in business models from traditional to cloud computing is anticipated to offer potential growth opportunities. Furthermore, remote access for employees and growing mobile penetration in business communication sector will also boost revenue.

Swift business scenario with surging number of startups and small companies opting cloud based services is expected to contribute to substantial revenue generation. U.S. enterprise application market size was valued at over USD 30 billion in 2015 and is expected to record considerable growth rate due to customer centric approach and high focus on reducing operational cost. Rising awareness for adopting modern organizational structure is expected to offer new growth opportunities.

Browse key industry insights spread across 95 pages with 67 market data tables & 47 figures & charts from the report, "Enterprise Application Market Size By Product (CRM, ERP, SCM, Web Conferencing, Business Intelligence [BI], BPM, CMS, EAM), By End-Use (Manufacturing, BFSI, Healthcare1, Retail, Government, Aerospace & Defense, Telecom & IT), By Deployment (On-Premise, Cloud), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, Japan, China, India, Mexico, Brazil), Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 - 2024" in detail along with the table of contents:

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/enterprise-application-market

Key insights from the report include:

Content management system market share will grow at 13.5% CAGR over the forecast timeline. Features such as capability of converting unstructured data into structured is likely to aid in easy website content management and in turn drive growth. Benefits offered such as up-selling and cross-selling opportunities, customer behaviour insights and improved efficiency is likely to drive the business intelligence market over the forecast period.

On-premise enterprise application market size was over USD 100 billion in 2015, cloud based services are set to gain revenue share in the coming years.

Healthcare applications occupied more than 10% of the overall industry share in 2015. These applications effectively handle digitized data from multiple sources and in turn enable organizations to gain real-time transparency and process optimization.



Asia Pacific enterprise application market will grow at 9.5% CAGR. Rising demand for cloud-based solutions amongst medium and small scale industries are the major growth drivers.

Key competitors include Oracle, Epicor Software, IBM, SAP, Microsoft, QAD, Hewlett Packard and IFS. The enterprise application market share is characterized by frequent strategic partnerships and mergers & acquisitions.

Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/701

Global Market Insights has segmented the enterprise application industry on the basis of product, end use, deployment, and region:

Enterprise Application Product Analysis (Revenue, USD Billion, 2013 - 2024)

CRM

ERP

SCM

BI

BPM

CMS

EAM

Web Conferencing

Others

Enterprise Application End-Use Analysis (Revenue, USD Billion, 2013 - 2024)

Manufacturing

BFSI

Healthcare

Retail

Government

Aerospace & Defense

Telecom

Others

Enterprise Application Deployment Analysis (Revenue, USD Billion, 2013 - 2024)

Cloud

On-Premise

Enterprise Application Regional Analysis (Revenue, USD Billion, 2013 - 2024)

North America U.S. Canada Mexico

Europe Germany UK

Asia Pacific China India Japan

Latin America Brazil

MEA

Browse Related Reports:

1.Third Party Logistics (3PL) Market Size By Service (Domestic Transportation Management, Dedicated Contract Carriage, International Transportation Management, Software, Warehousing & Distribution) Industry Outlook Report, Regional Analysis, Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 - 2022: Read More

2.Biometrics Market Size By Application (Banking & Finance, Commercial, Residential, Consumer Electronics, Defense & Security, Government, Transportation, Healthcare), By Product (AFIS, Non-AFIS, Hand Geometry, Signature, Voice, Iris, Face), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook, Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 - 2023: Read More

About Global Market Insights

Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.

Contact Us:

Jack Davis

Corporate Sales, USA

Global Market Insights, Inc.

Phone: 1-302-846-7766

Toll Free: 1 888-689-0688

Email: sales@gminsights.com



Web: https://www.gminsights.com
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Arch Biopartners, Inc., (Arch or the Company) (TSX VENTURE: ACH)(OTCBB: FOIFF) today announced it has engaged Catalent Inhalation, a division of Catalent Pharma Solutions (Catalent), to begin the manufacturing process for its drug AB569 in preparation for the first human trials involving patients with antibiotic resistant lung infections.

Catalent Inhalation will commence with initial stability and formulation studies, which are both important production milestones in preparing a pharmaceutical product for human trials and eventual drug approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other health authorities.

Once the stability and formulation work is completed with positive results, Arch will engage Catalent Inhalation to manufacture a supply of AB569 that meets good manufacturing practice (GMP) standards to enable human trials to treat cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with chronic bacterial lung infections.

Jonathan Arnold, Vice President and General Manager for Advanced Delivery Technologies commented, "We are pleased to support Arch Biopartners' program from our recently expanded facility in Morrisville, North Carolina, Catalent's Centre of Excellence in the development and manufacture of inhaled dose forms."

Notes for Editors

About Catalent Inhalation

Catalent Inhalation has capabilities, expertise, and state-of-the art facilities to expedite product development, from concept and feasibility studies through all stages of the product life cycle. Whether a single service or a turn-key development solution is required, Catalent leverages decades of experience in development, evaluation, and manufacturing to accelerate programs across multiple inhaled dose forms including pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs), dry powder inhalers (DPIs), nasal sprays, nebulizers and liquid inhalers.

Catalent also provides integrated analytical, particle size engineering and clinical trial supply services.

About Catalent

Catalent is the leading global provider of advanced delivery technologies and development solutions for drugs, biologics and consumer health products. With over 80 years serving the industry, Catalent has proven expertise in bringing more customer products to market faster, enhancing product performance and ensuring reliable clinical and commercial product supply. Catalent employs approximately 8,700 people, including over 1,000 scientists, at 31 facilities across 5 continents, and in fiscal 2015 generated more than $1.8 billion in annual revenue. Catalent is headquartered in Somerset, N.J. For more information, visit www.catalent.com.

More products. Better treatments. Reliably supplied.

About AB569

AB569 was invented by Dr. Daniel Hassett, Professor at the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine, to treat antibiotic resistant bacterial lung infections, which is a significant problem for patients with either CF or COPD. AB569 has been exclusively licensed to Arch by UC.

AB569, as a bactericidal compound, constitutes an innovative potential treatment for dealing with pulmonary bacterial infections that are resistant to traditional antibiotics. AB569 also has the potential to be a treatment for antibiotic resistant urinary tract infections. In pre-clinical studies, AB569 has demonstrated significant ability to kill many types of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.

About Arch Biopartners

Arch Biopartners Inc. is focused on the development of innovative technologies that have the potential to make a significant medical or commercial impact. Arch works closely with the scientific community, universities and research institutions to advance and build the value of select preclinical technologies, develop the most promising intellectual property, and create value for its investors.

Arch has established a diverse portfolio that includes AB569, a potential new treatment for antibiotic resistant bacterial infections; MetaMx, which targets elusive brain tumor initiating cells; Metablok, a potential treatment for sepsis and cancer metastasis; and, 'Borg' peptide coatings that increase corrosion resistance and decrease biofilm on various medical grade metals and plastics.

For more information on Arch Biopartners, other public documents Arch has filed on SEDAR and its technologies including, please visit www.archbiopartners.com.

The Company currently has 53,849,679 common shares outstanding.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, in this news release are forward looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, statements regarding the future plans and objectives of the Company. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Arch Biopartners, Inc.

Richard Muruve

CEO and Director

647-428-7031

info@archbiopartners.com



Virtus Advisory Group Inc.

Babak Pedram

Investor Relations

416-644-5081

bpedram@virtusadvisory.com




LONDON, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Amana Capital, the leading financial services group specialized in online trading, announced today that it has signed a partnership agreement with BKForex.com, a leading provider of financial education specialized in presenting high quality trade ideas, support and education, in addition to forex trading signals.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150601/747829 )



The partnership will be pursued through a series of webinars that will help investors become better informed traders. This partnership will start in August 2016 with an advanced webinars program given by leading currency trading experts Kathy Lien and Boris Schlossberg. It will cover specialized trading strategies that have helped thousands of traders worldwide reach better trading decisions and advance their skills.

Kathy Lien, globally known to be the Forex Market Guru, has more than 13 years of experience in the financial market. She started her career path at JPMorgan Chase and moved to FXCM where she started DailyFX.com and later moved to Global Futures & Forex Ltd (GFT) as Director of Currency Research before she co-founded BKForex.com. Her extensive experience is focused on developing trading strategies using cross markets analysis.

Boris Schlossberg serves as the Managing Partner of BKForex.com. He is widely known to be the leading foreign exchange expert with more than 20 years of financial market experience. His career on Wall Street began with Drexel Burnham Lambert where he traded a variety of financial instruments, from equities and options to stock index futures and foreign exchange. He then joined FXCM and helped start the firm's FX Education initiative. In 2008, he moved to Global Futures & Forex Ltd (GFT) as the Director of Currency Research. Boris is the author of Technical Analysis of the Currency Market and Millionaire Traders.

Both experts are frequently quoted by international media such as CNBC, Reuters, Associated Press, Sky Business, etc.

Ms. Kathy Lien showed high enthusiasm towards partnering with Amana Capital. She said: "Our mission is to spread specialized financial education to the world and introduce traders to proper trading strategies. She added: "We are sure that with a partner like Amana Capital, we will be able to accomplish this goal and reach a wider audience."

In parallel, Mr. Ahmad Khatib, CEO of Amana Capital expressed the Group's continuous readiness to collaborate with high-ranked financial experts such as Kathy Lien and Boris Schlossberg. He said: "Educating investors before entering markets is the group's initial goal since day one. The market today is filled with training and education services but only few serve the trader's real benefit. We at Amana Capital work hard to deliver only the proper training that really helps traders. Joining powers with Kathy & Boris will surely serve our goal and will be considered as a step forward towards spreading proper financial knowledge."

The webinars program will begin by mid of August 2016 and will continue for a period of 2 months and a half, to be followed by advanced educational activities that will be announced later on.

About Amana Capital

Amana Capital Group operates several entities regulated and authorized by reputable regulatory bodies in United Kingdom, Cyprus, Lebanon and United Arab Emirates. These entities provide brokerage services in international financial markets namely currencies, commodities and stock indices.

About BKForex

BKForex LLC. is a leading provider of financial education specialized in presenting high quality trade ideas, support and education, in addition to forex trading signals and other services aiming to help traders become more profitable.

http://www.amanacapital.com/
HOUSTON, TX -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Propell Technologies Group (OTCQB: PROP) (the "Company"), a U.S. provider of enhanced oil recovery technology, announced today that it will begin a program to treat 15 wells for Pemex, Mexico's state-owned petroleum company (Petroleos Mexicanos) through the Company's partner in Mexico, Pozotech/Grupo Industrial RJP.

The Company intends to use its proprietary 3.5 inch, Gen 2 Plasma Pulse (PPT) tools to treat the 15 wells and expects to commence treatment of the first well in late August with the program running through December 2016.

Propell CEO C. Brian Boutte stated, "We're excited to move forward with Pemex and have recently completed maintenance and operational training on the Gen 2 tools for the engineering personnel of Pozotech/Grupo Industrial RJP." He added, "We expect that this initial well treatment program should net approximately $375,000 for the Company."

ABOUT PROPELL TECHNOLOGIES

Propell Technologies Group, Inc. (OTCQB: PROP) is an oil exploitation and production acquisition company which intends to build and grow a base of producing assets by leveraging M&A and operational expertise, and by using advanced technology, including the Plasma Pulse technology. Its plan is to further benefit from a corresponding development of untapped hydrocarbon reserves once oil supply/demand rebalances and prices rebound. http://propell.com/

SAFE HARBOR

This press release contains forward-looking statements of our current expectations and projections about future events within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," and similar expressions. These statements are based upon current beliefs, expectations and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and include statements regarding commencing treatments of the first well with Gen2 PPT tools in August 2016, the program running through December 2016, netting $25,000/well for a total of $375,000, our intent to build and grow a base of producing assets by leveraging M&A and operational expertise, and by using advanced technology, including a Plasma Pulse well treatment and our plan to further benefit from a corresponding development of untapped hydrocarbon reserves once oil supply/demand rebalances and prices rebound.. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in our forward-looking statements include, among others, our ability to commence and continue the test program for Pemex as scheduled, our ability to net $25,000 for each treated well and $375,000 through December 2016 in total, our ability to find and complete suitable acquisitions, our ability to successfully benefit from an oil supply/demand price rebound and the timing of any price rebalances and the other factors described in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, and our other filings with the SEC, including subsequent periodic reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. The information in this press release is provided only as of the date written, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release on account of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

Contact:

Propell Technologies Group, Inc.

investors@propell.com

+1 (713) 766-5546




Hundreds of Muslims throughout France and Italy attended Catholic Masses in a demonstration of solidarity with Christians following the brutal murder of Father Jacques Hamel by radical extremists.

More than 100 Muslims gathered along with some 2000 parishioners at the cathedral in Rouen where 85-year-old Father Hamel had his throat slit. Arch Bishop of Rouen, Dominique Lebrun thanked the Muslims who attended Mass saying, "In this way you are affirming that you reject death and violence in the name of God." Outside the church, a group of Muslims held up a banner that read: "Love for all. Hate for none."

In the southern city of Nice, where a radical extremist slaughtered 84 people when he mowed them down with a truck on July 14, local imam Otaman Aissaoui led a delegation of Muslims to a Catholic mass. He said, "Being united is a response to the act of horror and barbarism."

In Italy, Muslim leaders also reached out to Christians as they attended Mass at the St. Maria Church in Rome. Mohammed ben Mohammed, a member of the Union of Islamic Communities in Italy said he called on Muslims in his Friday sermon to "report anyone who may be intent on damaging society. I am sure that there are those among the faithful who are ready to speak up."

Ahmed El Balazi, imam of the Vobarno mosque in the Lombard province of Brescia, also spoke out bravely against radical extremists: "These people are tainting our religion and it is terrible to know that many people consider all Muslims terrorists. That is not the case. Religion is one thing," he said. "Another is the behavior of Muslims who don't represent us."

Many Muslims are demonstrating that they will not allow radical extremist terrorists to hijack their faith. As U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has said, "The terrorists may scream from the roof tops that their crimes are Gods will; but you cant frame God for what thugs do. . . .There isnt a sword sharp enough to destroy truth."
ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --US-basedGlobal Disability Inclusion LLCandBelgium-based In-Fusiontoday announced a global strategic partnership that will expand collaboration between the two organizations dedicated to disability inclusion in the workplace, the workforce and the marketplace.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/397003

"We are thrilled to expand our reach to the European Union and to collaborate with Servaas," said Meg O'Connell, President of Global Disability Inclusion, referring to former Paralympian and Gold Medalist, Servaas Kamerling, founder ofIn-Fusion. "Servaas has been active in disability inclusionworkfor some time. We have similar approaches to our collective workfor creating greater opportunities andinclusion of those with disabilities. Our partnership withIn-Fusion is a milestone, and we are excited about the road ahead."

"We are very excited to support each other's efforts in helping companies make disability inclusion a part of their culture, and a common practice in the workplace," Kamerling said. "The inclusion gap is a global phenomenon and to cooperate at a multi-national level with Global Disability Inclusion will benefit corporations and their employees worldwide."

The partnership allows Global Disability Inclusion andIn-Fusionto further expand its reach globally, while thinking locally in responding to opportunities for those with disabilities and assisting companies in becoming disability competitive.

Global Disability Inclusion LLCis a boutique consulting firm offering disability inclusion strategies and solutions to Global 500 companies and federal contractors.

In-Fusion is a consultancy company that aims to approach disability inclusion holistically, with pragmatism and with a business sense, driving optimal return on investment.

CONTACT: Anne Fitzsimmons, 1-804-651-5553
Nestled between the nearby Alpine peaks and the hilly terrain of the Jura, the city of Geneva lies at the point where the Rhone river leaves Lake Geneva. Switzerland's second largest city shines as one of Europe's most beautiful destinations - and will provide an idyllic setting for Sibos.

Sibos is delighted to be returning to Geneva, following successful events in 1993 and 2002. Its favourable geographical location in the heart of Europe ...

Den vollstandigen Artikel lesen ...
DUBLIN, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Autoimmune Haemolytic Anemia Forecast in 8 Major Markets 2016-2026" report to their offering.

Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) is an immune disorder caused by auto-antibodies against unmodified autologous red blood cells and can range in presentation from a mild illness to a rapidly fatal severe condition.

This report provides the current incident population for AIHA across 8 Major Markets (USA, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, Brazil and Japan) split by gender and 5-year age cohort. Along with the current incidence, the report also contains a disease overview of the risk factors, disease diagnosis and prognosis along with specific variations by geography and ethnicity.

Providing a value-added level of insight from the analysis team, several of the main symptoms and co-morbidities of AIHA's have been quantified and presented alongside the overall incidence figures. These sub-populations within the main disease are also included at a country level across the 10-year forecast snapshot.

Main symptoms and co-morbidities for AIHA include:

- Lymphoproliferative conditions:

- - CLL

- - HL

- - NHL

- Myeloproliferative conditions:

- - Multiple myeloma

- - Myelofibrosis

- - MGUS

- Autoimmune conditions:

- - RA

- - SLE

- - Polyarteritis nodosa

- Infections:

- - Pneumonia & Tuberculosis

- - Syphilis

- - Epstein-Barr

- - Chronic active hepatitis

- - Mononucleosis

Reasons to Buy:

- Able to quantify patient populations in global AIHA's market to target the development of future products, pricing strategies and launch plans.

- Gain further insight into the incidence of the subdivided types of AIHA and identify patient segments with high potential.

- Delivery of more accurate information for clinical trials in study sizing and realistic patient recruitment for various countries.

- Provide a level of understanding on the impact from specific co-morbid conditions on AIHA's incident population.

- Identify sub-populations within AIHA which require treatment.

- Gain an understanding of the specific markets that have the largest number of AIHA patients.

Key Topics Covered:

1. List of Tables and Figures

2. Introduction

3. Cause of the Disease

4. Risk Factors & Prevention

5. Diagnosis of the Disease

6. Variation by Geography/Ethnicity

7. Disease Prognosis & Clinical Course

8. Clinical Management of AIHA - Transfusion therapy in AIHA

9. Key Co-morbid Conditions/Features Associated with the Disease

10. Methodology for Quantification of Patient Numbers

11. Top-Line Incidence for AIHA

12 Subtypes of AIHA patients

- Warm AIHA patients

- Cold AIHA patients

- Mixed-type AIHA patients

13. Market Forecast for AIHA

- 1st Line Treatment Options within Warm & Mixed-type AIHA

- 2nd Line Treatment Options within Warm & Mixed-type AIHA

- 1st Line Treatment Options within Cold AIHA

- 2nd Line Treatment Options within Cold AIHA

- Requirement for Blood Transfusions within AIHA

14. Methodology for Forecast Figures

15. Abbreviations used in the report

16. Patient-Based Offering

17. Online Pricing Data and Platforms

18. References

19. Appendix

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/c755wk/autoimmune

Media Contact:

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
LONDON, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

- 1st for Overall Student Satisfaction - 97% (Joint 1st)

- 1st for "Staff are Enthusiastic About What They are Teaching" - 99%

- 1st for "Staff are Good at Explaining Things" - 100% (Joint 1st)

- 2nd for "Teaching on my Course" - 97%

- 3rd for "Academic Support" - 91% (Joint 3rd)

- 3rd for "Organisation and Management" - 92%

- 3rd for "As a result of the Course, I Feel Confident in Tackling Unfamiliar Problems" - 92%

The University of Law (previously The College of Law), has the highest student satisfaction rate among private and public universities in the United Kingdom, it was announced today. According to the results of this year's National Student Survey, The University of Law (ULaw) had an overall student satisfaction score of 97% - the highest among all higher education institutions in the country[1].

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160810/817960 )



In a year when the average student satisfaction levels were largely unchanged across the country, ULaw bucked the trend and improved its score by 9% over 2015.

The result reflects the student experience of undergraduates in the final year of the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programme. Developed in partnership with leading employers, ULaw's LLB, building on over a century of providing excellent legal education, adopts an innovative approach to learning, encouraging students to think and act like professional lawyers from day one. It is taught by tutors who are all qualified lawyers with experience of legal practice, and includes a fully integrated employability programme to maximise students' employment prospects.

As well as overall satisfaction, ULaw's tutors received the sector's highest ranking for enthusiasm about what they are teaching and for being good at explaining their subjects[2]. Students also showed satisfaction with the overall programme delivery, giving the second highest score (97%) in the country for teaching quality. 'Academic support' and 'organisation and management' were also impressive results, with ULaw ranking third for both categories[3].

Professor Andrea Nollent, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer at ULaw, said: "At The University of Law we place enormous value on feedback from our students, so this is a wonderful result for us. Our mission is always to place the quality of our teaching at the heart of all that we do as a university.

"We know that students respond extremely positively to the law being taught in a practical, applied and highly dynamic way. Having extremely motivated and hugely enthusiastic staff who have all practiced law adds a depth of understanding and excitement to the learning process, which our students clearly enjoy and appreciate."

--------------------------------------------------

[1] Joint first with the University of Buckingham

[2] Joint first with The Courtauld Institute for "Staff are good at explaining things explaining things."

[3] Joint third with the University of Buckingham for "academic support"

Under the ownership of international education group Global University Systems since 2015, the university has established a new board and robust governance which helped it enhance the quality and level of support offered to students whilst maintaining its academic excellence and independence. Earlier this year, ULaw unveiled its '100% for You' initiative, highlighting its focus on academic excellence, student support and lifelong commitment to students and alumni.

The National Student Survey, which is commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and has 23 questions covering the main aspects of the learning experience, is conducted among nearly half a million final year undergraduates in publicly funded higher education bodies in the UK as well as other providers of higher education.

The results of the survey, conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of UK funding bodies, provide valuable information for prospective students, and help universities and colleges to further improve the education they provide.

The University of Law LLB (Hons) programme

Launched in 2012, the ULaw LLB programme has a remarkable track record for a relatively new course. In addition to the NSS results, official data published in 2015 by HEFCE suggests that 95% of students are in work or postgraduate study six months after graduating, with 60% in a professional or managerial job at six months[4].

Commenting on the NSS results, Jayne Jeffcott, National Director of Programmes and Student Affairs for LLB at ULaw said:"I am delighted that ULaw has come out as the top university for student satisfaction in the country.At ULaw, we are dedicated to giving our students an excellent learning experience and to help prepare them for their future careers. The results demonstrate that our students value our focus on outstanding teaching and student support and on teaching a relevant curriculum."

The programme is delivered full time in seven locations nationwide (Birmingham, Bristol, Chester, Guildford, London, Manchester and Leeds), as well as part-time in London, Birmingham, and Chester, and from 2016 also available as an online course - i-LLB. Students looking to fast-track their careers can also take an accelerated, two-year option, which is delivered exclusively at the ULaw London Bloomsbury campus.

According to Ms Jeffcott, the programme is constantly revised to reflect the feedback from both students and employers. "We are constantly seeking feedback from our students as to what they value about our LLB and how we can enhance their experience. Our students have consistently told us that they value the high quality of the teaching they receive and the fact that their tutors are professionally qualified lawyers," she added.

--------------------------------------------------

[4] http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/subjects/overview/10039956FT-LLB3/ReturnTo/ [http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/subjects/overview/10039956FT-LLB3/ReturnTo ]

To find out more about The University of Law's LLB, visit: http://www.law.ac.uk/undergraduate/

The official results of the National Student Survey 2016 are available at: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/lt/nss/results/2016/

Notes to editors

The University of Law (ULaw) is the largest and longest established provider of professional legal education and training in the UK with centres in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Chester, Guildford, Manchester and Leeds, as well as offering some courses at The University of Exeter.Previously The College of Law, it was granted university status in November 2012.

Earlier this year, ULaw unveiled its '100% for You' initiative, highlighting its focus on academic excellence, student support and lifelong commitment to students and alumni. As part of the campaign, the university launched its 100% Employment Promise offering its Legal Practice Course (LPC) students starting in July and September 2016 half of their tuition fees back in cash if they do not secure employment nine months after graduation, and a further 50% in credit towards another course run by ULaw and its partners.

ULawworks with 90 of the top 100 law firms and offers an award-winning legal careers and employability service, as well as one of the UK's largest and most varied pro bono programmes. The university offers over 2,900 opportunities for students to put their skills into practise, helping them to prepare for the job market.
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - August 10, 2016) -Almaden Minerals Ltd. ("Almaden" or "the Company") (TSX: AMM) (NYSE MKT: AAU) is pleased to announce assay results from Almaden's ongoing exploration and development program at the Company's Tuligtic project, Mexico. Drill hole TU-16-318A was drilled from the bottom of hole TU-13-318 which in 2013 stopped short of the vein zone reported today. By deepening this hole the Company was able to confirm a zone of veining intersected up-dip in hole TU-11-056, which in 2011 hit two high grade veins that returned 1.26 meters of 2.45 g/t gold and 854 g/t silver and 0.95 meters of 13.86 g/t gold and 2577 g/t silver respectively. Results have also been received from hole TU-16-462 drilled above TU-11-056. This hole also intersected the vein zone and hit two intervals, 0.74 meters of 1.26 g/t gold and 203 g/t silver and 0.52 meters of 0.28 g/t gold and 297 g/t silver respectively. Further holes have been drilled on this section and results are pending. The mineralisation intersected in all holes is limestone hosted and located outside of the 2016 Amended PEA pit. Highlights from holes TU-16-318A and TU-16-462 include the following intercepts:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interval Silver Hole ID From (m) To (m) (m) Gold (g/t) (g/t) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TU-16-318A 204.72 275.15 70.43 0.44 53.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- including 223.50 238.63 15.13 0.72 79.1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- including 223.50 227.80 4.30 1.32 145.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- including 227.30 227.80 0.50 6.71 692.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- including 238.13 238.63 0.50 6.36 685.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- including 253.09 259.50 6.41 1.96 251.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- including 253.09 253.59 0.50 11.25 619.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- including 258.50 259.50 1.00 6.19 1250.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TU-16-462 52.00 65.00 13.00 0.75 68.1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- including 57.00 63.00 6.00 1.31 138.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TU-16-462 78.64 83.00 4.36 0.64 93.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- including 78.64 80.00 1.36 1.73 291.7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TU-16-462 100.78 108.00 7.22 0.20 51.1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TU-16-462 227.49 227.99 0.50 0.18 195.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TU-16-462 234.64 235.38 0.74 1.26 203.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TU-16-462 249.33 255.50 6.17 0.07 34.7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- including 250.90 251.42 0.52 0.28 297.0 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

www.moosemmc.com.

KP is an international consulting firm and recognized leader in providing engineering and environmental services. KP's expertise has been applied to hundreds of surface and underground mining projects in all stages of development and a broad range of environmental settings. KP provides industry leading services in water and waste management, tailings disposal, heap leach pads, rock mechanics and environmental services, and has been recognized for innovative services that meet high standards of reliability, security and cost effectiveness.

About the Ixtaca Drilling Program and the Ixtaca Zone

The Ixtaca Zone is a blind discovery made by the Company in 2010 on claims staked by the Company. The deposit is an epithermal gold-silver deposit, mostly hosted by veins in carbonate units and crosscutting dykes ("basement rocks") with a minor component of disseminated mineralisation hosted in overlying volcanic rocks.

The Ixtaca deposit is located in a developed part of Mexico in Puebla State, the location of significant manufacturing investments including Volkswagen and Audi plants. The deposit is accessed by paved road and is roughly 20 kilometres from an industrial park with rail service where significant manufacturers such as Kimberly Clarke have facilities. Any potential mining operation at Ixtaca would be located in an area previously logged or cleared with negligible to no current land usage.

The Company has access to the entire project area and works closely with local officials and residents. The Company has employed roughly 70 people in its exploration program who live local to the Ixtaca deposit. For example, local employees have made up virtually all the drilling staff and have been trained on the job to operate the Company's wholly owned drills. The Company has implemented a comprehensive science based and objective community relations and education program for employees and all local stakeholders to transparently explain the exploration and development program underway as well as the potential impacts and benefits of any possible future mining operation at Ixtaca. The Company regards the local inhabitants to be major stakeholders in the Ixtaca deposit's future along with the Company's shareholders. Every effort is being made to create an open and clear dialogue with our stakeholders to ensure that any possible development scenarios that could evolve from the anticipated PFS are properly understood and communicated throughout the course of the Company's exploration and development program. To better explain the impacts of a mining operation at Ixtaca the Company has conducted numerous tours for local residents to third party operated mines in Mexico so that interested individuals can form their own opinions of mining based on first-hand experience. The Company invites all interested parties to visit www.almadenminerals.com to find out more about our community development, education and outreach programs.

Technical Details of the Ixtaca Drilling Program

The Main Ixtaca and Ixtaca North Zones of veining are interpreted to have a north-easterly trend. Holes to date suggest that the Main Ixtaca and Ixtaca North Zones are sub vertical with local variations. This interpretation suggests that true widths range from approximately 35% of intersected widths for a -70 degree hole to 94% of intersected widths for a -20 degree hole. The drilling completed to date has traced mineralisation over 1,000 meters along this northeast trend. The Chemalaco (Northeast Extension) Zone strikes roughly north-south (340 azimuth) and dips at 55 degrees to the west. This interpretation suggests that true widths range from approximately 82% of intersected widths for a -70 degree hole to 99% of intersected widths for a -40 degree hole. The orientation of the new vein zone intersected in the holes reported today is not well understood and true widths cannot be calculated at this time.

Mr. Norm Dircks, P.Geo., a qualified person ("QP") under the meaning of NI 43-101, is the QP and project manager of Almaden's Ixtaca program and reviewed the technical information in this news release. The analyses reported were carried out at ALS Chemex Laboratories of North Vancouver using industry standard analytical techniques. For gold, samples are first analysed by fire assay and atomic absorption spectroscopy ("AAS"). Samples that return values greater than 10 g/t gold using this technique are then re-analysed by fire assay but with a gravimetric finish. Silver is first analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma - Atomic Emission Spectroscopy ("ICP-AES"). Samples that return values greater than 100 g/t silver by ICP-AES are then re analysed by HF-HNO 3 -HCLO 4 digestion with HCL leach and ICP-AES finish. Of these samples those that return silver values greater than 1,500 g/t are further analysed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Intervals that returned assays below detection were assigned zero values.

Blanks, field duplicates and certified standards were inserted into the sample stream as part of Almaden's quality assurance and control program which complies with National Instrument 43-101 requirements.

Cautionary Note concerning estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources

This news release uses terms that comply with reporting standards in Canada and certain estimates are made in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"). NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators that establishes Canadian standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. These standards differ significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), and mineral resource information contained herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by United States companies.

This news release uses the terms "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources" to comply with reporting standards in Canada. We advise United States investors that while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the SEC does not recognize them. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in such categories will ever be converted into mineral reserves under SEC definitions. These terms have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. Therefore, United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of the "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" or "inferred mineral resources" exist. In accordance with Canadian rules, estimates of "inferred mineral resources" cannot form the basis of pre-feasibility or other economic studies. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of the "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" or "inferred mineral resources" will ever be upgraded to a higher category.

About Almaden

Almaden Minerals Ltd. is a well-financed company which owns 100% of the Tuligtic project in Puebla State, Mexico, subject to a 2.0% NSR royalty held by Almadex Minerals Limited. Tuligtic covers the Ixtaca Gold-Silver Deposit, which was discovered by Almaden in 2010.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

"Morgan Poliquin"

Morgan J. Poliquin, Ph.D., P.Eng.

President, CEO and Director

Almaden Minerals Ltd.

Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) nor the NYSE MKT have reviewed or accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news release which has been prepared by management. Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, certain information presented constitutes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Canadian securities laws. Such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, those with respect to potential expansion of mineralization, potential size of mineralized zone, and size and timing of exploration and development programs, estimated project capital and other project costs and the timing of submission and receipt and availability of regulatory approvals involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievement of Almaden to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks related to international operations and joint ventures, the actual results of current exploration activities, conclusions of economic evaluations, uncertainty in the estimation of mineral resources, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, environmental risks and hazards, increased infrastructure and/or operating costs, labour and employment matters, and government regulation and permitting requirements as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Almaden's Annual Information form and Almaden's latest Form 20-F on file with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C. Although Almaden has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Almaden disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required pursuant to applicable securities laws. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Attachment Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/8/9/11G109951/Plan_Final_(1)-2d0f322eed0b9345aec1d6fb421a810c.pdf

Attachment Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/8/9/11G109951/Section_10550E_Final-4075ef619dcf965192d4253632a0bb3c.pdf

Almaden Minerals Ltd.

Tel. 604.689.7644

Email: info@almadenminerals.com

www.almadenminerals.com
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - August 10, 2016) - Integra Gold Corp. ("Integra" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: ICG) (OTCQX: ICGQF) is pleased to announce it has presented over $260,000 to a number of local Val-d'Or and Abitibi-Temiscamingue based charitable and non-profit organizations.

"The town of Val-d'Or was built after the discovery of gold here in the early 20 th century," comments Val-d'Or Mayor, Mr. Pierre Corbeil. "Most importantly, Integra understands that the heartbeat of a town is not provided by any metal, but rather by the people that call it home. This donation and the commitment it displays to the people of Val-d'Or is a significant step for Integra Gold. It is clear that Integra's community engagement has been a focus of the Company from the beginning, and we applaud them for taking their role as responsible corporate citizens seriously."

Integra raised funds through table sales and corporate sponsorships at its Gold Rush Challenge "Shark-Tank" style live finale event hosted in March 2016. The finale marked the culmination of Integra's $1 million crowd sourced competition, which saw experts from around the globe evaluate historic data to come up with high quality exploration targets using leading edge exploration-targeting technology. Several of the targets generated are scheduled to be drill tested this quarter. Of the funds raised at the live finale, A$100,000 was generously matched by the Macquarie Group Foundation.

First Annual Integra Gold Fete d'Ete

On August 3, 2016 at the Cite de l'Or museum grounds, the historic site of Val-d'Or's Lamaque Mine, Integra Gold and its key contractors hosted a company expo and barbeque with over 500 members of the Val-d'Or community in attendance. Local partners and contractors, including Forage Orbit Garant, Atlas Copco, Fournier et Fils Inc., SGS Geostat, and Promec Mining joined Integra staff in a public exposition where members of the community were given the chance to review the Lamaque project's progress to date, enjoy a guided bus tour of the property, and discuss firsthand the Company's plans for the future and the positive impact they will have on the community with both management and the Board of Directors.

To view photos from the Integra Gold Fete d'Ete, click the following link: http://www.integragold.com/i/pdf/Integra-Aug-10-2016.pdf

Donations Presented to Diverse Group of Local Charities

Identifying broad based areas for giving, Integra chose seven key charities to which it directed over $260,000 in charitable proceeds. These charities include:

The Fondation du Centre Hospitalier de Val-d'Or -- Donation to support the Val d'Or Hospital's Nuclear Medicine specialist department, which serves a regional population of 150,000 throughout the community of the Abitibi-Temiscamingue. For more information, please visit their website at www.fondation-chvd.qc.ca/.

Maison de la source Gabriel -- Donation will be used to improve facilities and fund their palliative care house in Val-d'Or. For more information please visit their website at www.maisonsourcegabriel.com.

Fondation de l'UQAT -- Donation will support various scholarships for students and fund the purchase of new equipment to carry out academic research in the Abitibi-Temiscamingue and Nord-du-Quebec. For more information please visit their website at http://www.uqat.ca/.

Fondation du Cegep de l'Abitibi-Temiscamingue -- Donation will be added to the foundation's capitalisation fund from which scholarships will be distributed annually. For more information please visit their website at http://cegepat.qc.ca/Fondation/.

Golden Valley School -- Donation will be used for important schoolyard improvements. For more information please visit their website at http://wqsb.qc.ca/goldenvalley/.

Fondation Brousseau-Dargis -- Donation will help fund programs working with mental health in the community.

Maison des Jeunes l'Energitek -- Donation will assist with a major expansion project within this community youth organization. For more information please visit their website at http://mdjenergiteck.com.

Project and Company Profile

Integra Gold is a junior gold exploration company exploring advanced stage projects in Val-d'Or, Quebec, one of the top mining jurisdictions in the world. The Company's primary focus is its high-grade Lamaque South project. In 2014, Integra completed the accretive acquisition of the Sigma Mill and Mine Complex, a fully permitted 2,200-2,400 ton per day mill and tailings facility. With major federal and provincial permits in place, existing infrastructure and significant exploration potential, this acquisition removed major costs and shortened timelines typically associated with developing mine projects. With a current market capitalization of approximately $400 million, Integra has raised over $100 million since 2013, at successively higher share prices. Integra was recently named to the TSX Venture top 50 performers in 2015 and the OTCQX Best 50 award for 2015.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,

Stephen de Jong

CEO & President

Follow Integra Gold On:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/integragoldcorp

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Corporate Inquiries:

Chris Gordon

chris@integragold.com

Or visit the company website: www.integragold.com
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Nevada Exploration Inc. ("NGE" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: NGE)(OTCQX: NVDEF) is pleased to announce that it has closed, subject to final TSX Venture Exchange approval, the non-brokered private placement offering announced on August 3, 2016, issuing 2,000,000 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.3525 per Unit (the "Offering"), for total gross proceeds of $705,000. Each Unit consists of one common share and one-half of one transferable common share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share at an exercise price of $0.60 for a period of 18 months. All securities issued are subject to a four month plus one-day hold period expiring December 11, 2016. Proceeds from the offering will be used to advance NGE's exploration projects, as well as for general working capital.

The Company is also pleased to welcome Mr. Tao Feng as an equity investor, having increased his share position in NGE by participating in this Offering. Mr. Feng is the founder of New Margin Ventures, a Chinese investment fund with approximately $3 billion USD under management. Mr. Feng is a significant natural resource investor, and has been ranked in the top five of the "Top 50 venture capital investors in China" by Forbes Magazine from 2009 to 2015. Mr. Feng holds a MSc in Statistics from the University of Alberta. Mr. Feng has agreed to join the Company as a consultant.

About Nevada Exploration Inc.

NGE is an exploration company focused on gold in Nevada. NGE is led by an experienced management team that has been involved with the discovery of more than 30 million ounces of gold in Nevada.

NGE has developed proprietary hydrogeochemistry (groundwater chemistry) exploration technology to explore for gold in Nevada's covered basins where traditional exploration techniques are challenged. NGE is aggressively applying this latest technology in covered deposit exploration to identify, acquire, and advance new exploration properties in Nevada's highly prospective yet underexplored covered basins.

Using its industry-leading exploration technology, NGE has assembled a portfolio of new gold projects, and has established itself as a major player in this world-class jurisdiction. NGE's business model is to leverage its properties and technology to create shareholder value through generative exploration and development.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The securities issued by NGE have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), or the securities laws of any state of the United States, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration, or an applicable exemption therefrom, under the 1933 Act and the securities laws of all applicable states. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in the United States or in any jurisdiction in which such offer, sale or solicitation would be unlawful.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information:

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, without limitation, expectations, beliefs, plans, and objectives regarding projects, potential transactions, and ventures discussed in this release.

In connection with the forward-looking information contained in this news release, the Company has made numerous assumptions, regarding, among other things, the assumption the Company will continue as a going concern and will continue to be able to access the capital required to advance its projects and continue operations. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies.

In addition, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are the risks inherent in mineral exploration, the need to obtain additional financing, environmental permits, the availability of needed personnel and equipment for exploration and development, fluctuations in the price of minerals, and general economic conditions.

A more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company is disclosed in the Company's continuous disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.

Contacts:

Nevada Exploration Inc.

Investor Relations

+1 (604) 601 2006

info@nevadaexploration.com

www.nevadaexploration.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. ("Sabina") or (the "Company") (TSX: SBB) reported today the financial results for the second quarter of 2016. All figures in C$ unless otherwise specified.

"Sabina ended the quarter with a strong balance sheet of approximately $43 Million in cash and cash equivalents," said Bruce McLeod, Sabina's President and CEO. "Since receiving the recommendation from the Nunavut Impact Review Board ("NIRB") in mid-June we have worked diligently to prepare our detailed response to the NIRB report. We are also continuing to solicit input from community and Inuit representatives along with the territorial governments and federal agencies involved. While we wait for the Minister's decision, we are focused on reducing costs, preserving our cash balance and being prepared for any of the potential outcomes."

On January 27, 2016, the Liberal Government announced five interim principles that will be applied by the Government of Canada to guide environmental assessment decision making:

1. No project proponent will be asked to return to the starting line - project reviews will continue within the current legislative framework and in accordance with treaty provisions, under the auspices of relevant responsible authorities and Northern regulatory boards; 2. Decisions will be based on science, traditional knowledge of Indigenous peoples and other relevant evidence; 3. The views of the public and affected communities will be sought and considered; 4. Indigenous peoples will be meaningfully consulted, and where appropriate, impacts on their rights and interests will be accommodated; and 5. Direct and upstream greenhouse gas emissions linked to the projects under review will be assessed.

"Sabina believes the Back River Project proposal satisfies the applicable principles above and that this is demonstrated by the evidence presented through the process, our continued community engagement and many letters of support from various stakeholders. Sabina's proposal was based on science, traditional knowledge and other relevant evidence as well as meaningful consultation with Inuit, other indigenous groups and the affected communities. We have requested that the Minister return the report to the NIRB to provide terms and conditions for a project certificate. In the alternative, we have requested the Minister return the report to the NIRB for further review."

Q2 Highlights

-- The Company had cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments of $43.0 million at June 30, 2016. -- On May 20, 2016, the Company completed a bought deal financing of 19,790,750 common shares at $1.63 per share (including a portion of the overallotment) for total gross proceeds of $32.3 million. -- On June 15, 2016, the Company received the report of the Nunavut Impact Review Board regarding its recommendation to the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada ("INAC") that the Back River Project not proceed at this time. The report is now with the Minister who can accept or reject the recommendation or send the project back to the NIRB for further review. -- Subsequent to the quarter, the Company submitted a response to the NIRB report to the Minister detailing what the Company believes are strong grounds for the Minister to reject the NIRB recommendation on the basis that the report does not fully consider the support of the Project by the local communities and Inuit representatives in the region or the evidence presented on the Project. -- On June 8, 2016, the Company held an Annual General and Special Meeting of the Shareholders at which all eight director nominees were elected and the Company's proposed Share Compensation Plan was approved. -- For the three months ended June 30, 2016, the Company reported net income of $0.2 million or $0.00 per share.

Financial Results

For the quarter ended June 30, 2016, the Company reported net income of $0.2 million, favourable by $2.7 million compared to Q2, 2016. The difference quarter over quarter was largely the result of write-downs that were recognized in Q2, 2015. Additionally, in Q2, 2016, the Company realized a gain of $0.7 million on the sale of a portion of its equity investment in Pure Gold.

For the six-month period ended June 30, 2016, the Company reported a net loss of $0.4 million, favourable by $3.6 million compared to the same period of 2015. The difference for the year was as noted above and lower operating expenses in 2016.

Operating expenses for the six-month period ending June 30, 2016 were $1.7 million compared to $3.0 million in the same period in 2015, favourable by $1.3 million.

The Company had cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments of $43.0 million at June 30, 2016 compared to cash and cash equivalents of $18.4 million at December 31, 2015.

We expect to end the year with a cash balance of approximately $38M.

For the full June 30, 2016 interim financial statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis, please see the Company website at www.sabinagoldsilver.com or retrieve them from www.sedar.com.

SABINA GOLD & SILVER CORP.

Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. is an emerging precious metals company with district scale, world class undeveloped assets in one of the world's newest, politically stable mining jurisdictions: Nunavut, Canada.

Sabina recently released a Feasibility Study on its 100% owned Back River Gold Project which presents a project that has been designed on a fit-for purpose basis, with the potential to produce approx. 200,000 ounces a year for approx. 11 years with a rapid payback of 2.9 years. At a US$1,150 gold price and a 0.80 exchange rate, the Study delivers a potential after tax internal rate of return of approximately 24.2% with an initial CAPEX of $415 million.

In addition to Back River, Sabina also owns a significant silver royalty on Glencore's Hackett River Project. The silver royalty on Hackett River's silver production is comprised of 22.5% of the first 190 million ounces produced and 12.5% of all silver produced thereafter.

All news releases and further information can be found on the Company's website at www.sabinagoldsilver.com or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. All technical reports have been filed on www.sedar.com.

Contacts:

Sabina Gold & Silver Corp.

Nicole Hoeller

Vice-President, Communications

1-888-648-4218

nhoeller@sabinagoldsilver.com

www.sabinagoldsilver.com




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Alexandria Minerals Corporation (TSX VENTURE: AZX)(FRANKFURT: A9D) ("AZX" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a second-phase drilling program on its Orenada gold project in Val d'Or, Quebec. The Company will begin a 4,000 meter drill program on the Zone 4 and Zone 2 gold deposits at Orenada, to strengthen the new geological model and to provide the first step-out drilling using that model.

Orenada is located along the Cadillac Break shear zone, some 2.5 kilometers southeast of the Company's current Triangle Too drill program which is targeting Triangle Zone-type gold mineralization. The Orenada program will test for south-dipping high grade gold veins within the host shear zone, part of a broader group of high grade targets that occur between Triangle Too and Orenada.

Eric Owens, President and CEO of Alexandria, stated, "Our first drill test of the high grade veins at Orenada in 2015 was a great success. We believe these high grade veins will have an important impact on the grade and exploration potential of the Orenada gold deposit."

Two drill holes (OAX-15-54 and OAX-15-55) were completed in 2015 as a first test of the high grade veins at Orenada Zone 4, intersecting 3.4 meters grading 17.03 grams/tonne gold, 1.6 meters grading 15.2 grams/tonne gold, and 1.7 meters grading 10.5 grams/tonne gold, amongst others (See Press Releases April 30, 2015 and May 7, 2015). These veins are hosted within a broad lower grade envelope, reflected by the intersection of 111.3 meters grading 1.24 grams/tonne gold in hole 54 and 101.5 meters grading 0.93 grams/tonne gold in hole 55.

Those drill results provided the basis of a detailed re-interpretation of the geology at Orenada using all available data to that point, including underground mine maps as well as 296 drill holes completed by Alexandria and predecessor companies. The new geological model was built by correlating the high grade veins from the recent drill holes with earlier holes along the same cross sections and then extending this interpretation beyond those two sections over the 300 meter long Zone 4 deposit.

The goal of the second phase drilling program is to achieve the following:

1. Added precision of the new geological model at Orenada Zone 4; 2. A first test of the new model at Orenada Zone 2, located about 500 m east of Zone 4; and 3. First exploratory step-out drill holes with potential for new discovery.

The Company believes the results may well lead to improved size and grade of the deposit, as well as improved knowledge of the deposit.

In other matters, Alexandria has completed 6 drill holes out of 8 planned holes on its Triangle Too drill program, which is testing for Triangle Zone type targets on its Airport property just south of Integra's Triangle Zone gold deposit. The completed drill holes have discovered important new intrusive plugs, intersecting porphyry and quartz-tourmaline-pyrite veins. Assay results are pending from this drilling.

Company geologists have identified similar targets beyond those which are currently being drilled, based on historic drilling and geophysics, and these will be incorporated into the next phase of drill planning and testing.

Program design, management, and Quality Control/Quality Assurance are conducted by Alexandria's exploration group of which Phillippe Berthelot, P.Geo, is the Company's Qualified Person. Mr. Berthelot has reviewed the results in this press release. The QA/QC program is consistent with National Instrument ("NI") 43-101 and industry best practices and has been previously addressed in NI 43-101 reports found on the Company's website or on www.sedar.com.

Further information about the Company is available on the Company's website, www.azx.ca, or our social media sites listed below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexandriaMinerals

Twitter: https://twitter.com/azxmineralscorp

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/AlexandriaMinerals

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/alexandriaminerals/

About Alexandria Minerals Corporation

Alexandria Minerals Corporation is a Toronto-based junior gold exploration and development company with strategic properties located in the world-class mining districts of Val d'Or, Quebec, Red Lake, Ontario and Snow Lake-Flin Flon, Manitoba. Alexandria's focus is on its flagship property, the large Cadillac Break Property package in Val d'Or, which hosts important, near-surface, gold resources along the prolific, gold-producing Cadillac Break, all of which have significant growth potential.

WARNING: This News Release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing of completion of the Private Placement, the use of proceeds of the Private Placement and receipt of regulatory approval of the Private Placement. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Alexandria Minerals Corporation relies upon litigation protection for forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Alexandria Minerals Corporation

Mary Vorvis

Vice President

Corporate Development and Investor Relations

(416) 305-4999



Alexandria Minerals Corporation

Eric Owens

President/CEO

416-363-9372

info@azx.ca

www.azx.ca




LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Medical Imaging Corp. (OTC PINK: MEDD) ("MEDD"), a provider of comprehensive medical diagnostic imaging services to clients in the U.S. and Canada, today announced that it will host its 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders on Friday, September 30th, 2016 at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas at 12:00 pm, noon, PST.

Matters to be voted on include:

-- The election of two directors to serve for the ensuing year and until their successors are elected; -- Ratification of the appointment of Accell, as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2016; and -- Any other business that may be properly brought before the meeting.

The stockholder record date for voting eligibility is August 10, 2016. Additional details regarding the Annual Meeting are available in the Company's proxy statement that will be mailed to shareholders or provided through your brokerage.

Important Notice:

The Proxy Statement and the 2015 Annual Report to Stockholders will be available for review and download on www.medicalimagingcorp.com.

About Medical Imaging Corp.

Medical Imaging Corp. ("MEDD") is engaged in providing comprehensive medical imaging services to clients in the United States and Canada through its four Diagnostic Imaging Centers, and its Teleradiology Services. For more information, please visit www.medimagingcorp.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control Diagnostic Imaging International Corp. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry, management beliefs and certain assumptions made by our management. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Information concerning factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those contained in these forward-looking statements can be found in the Company's periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, and in its Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Unless required by law, we undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise to reflect future events or circumstances or reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Contacts:

Medical Imaging Corp.

Mitchell Geisler

Chief Executive Officer

877-331-3444

ir@medimagingcorp.com

www.medimagingcorp.com




As Iraqi armed forces and their Global Coalition allies continue to uproot ISIL from the territory it once occupied, the scope of the devastation in Iraq is becoming more clear. Since 2014, over 3.3 million people have been displaced throughout Iraq, while some 10 million are in dire need of lifesaving humanitarian assistance.

In late July, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany and Japan co-hosted a Pledging Conference in Support of Iraq that raised over 2 billion dollars in new funds. The money will be used for humanitarian aid, and to stabilize the liberated territories and make them habitable again. Some of the pledged money will be used to clear land mines and unexploded ordnance to help achieve this goal.

Going back to at least the Iran-Iraq conflict that began in 1980, successive warring parties have laid down mines and contaminated the country with unexploded bombs and other live war materiel.

Communities across Iraq face danger from an estimated 10 to 15 million landmines and pieces of unexploded ordnance, writes in a recent blog post Major General Michael Rothstein, who serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Plans, Programs, and Operations in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.On top of these existing hazards, Iraqis now have to contend with the threat of improvised explosive devices created by ISIL.

Since 2003, the United States has invested more than 300 million dollars toward the clearance and safe disposal of explosives and weapons in Iraq. In 2015 alone, the U.S. Conventional Weapons Destruction Program helped to clear more than 65 million square meters of land.

The July 20 Pledging Conference raised more than 2 billion dollars to address the challenges faced by the Iraqi people and to ensure the lasting defeat of ISIL in Iraq, said Deputy Assistant Secretary Rothstein. The United States made a substantial pledge during the conference, and we look to other nations to join us in this effort. Together, we can work to ensure that all Iraqis can live free from the devastation caused by the explosive remnants of war.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Viscount Mining Corp. (TSX VENTURE: VML)(OTCQB: VLMGF) ("Viscount" or "the Company"), is pleased to provide an update on the recently completed Phase 4 soil sampling program (1,250 samples taken) as well as geologic mapping and rock chip sampling programs in the Flint Canyon area of its Cherry Creek Property (the "Property"), which is currently being explored by Summit Mining Exploration II Inc.("Summit"), a wholly-owned US subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation.

The soil sampling combined with previously announced anomalous rock sample results (October 29, 2015) has yielded gold (Au) and pathfinder element anomalies for Mercury (Hg), Arsenic (As), Antinomy (Sb) and Thallium (Tl) similar in size and tenor to soil and rock geochemical sampling results at other mines and advanced properties in Nevada. These include Kinross Gold's Bald Mountain mine; Newmont Mining's Long Canyon project, Agnico-Eagle's West Pequop project and Pilot Gold's Kinsley Mountain project.

Phase 4 Soil Sampling Program

The Phase 4 soil geochemical survey was concluded and results for gold are included in the May - June activity report issued by Summit for Flint Canyon on the Cherry Creek property. They state that "1250 soil samples have been collected". This includes some samples collected outside the area shown on the accompanying Flint Canyon soil and rock sample maps provided by Summit. Analysis has been by a 51-element + gold ICP procedure (ME-MS41 & Au-TL43) at ALS Labs Limited, of Elko, Nevada. The sample grid spacing is 75m by 75m and tight GPS control.

The Pogonip Limestone anomaly area includes two anomalies located in close proximity to each other. The anomalies measure 500 meters NW by 300 meters NE and 250 meters NW by 125 meters NE, respectively. The highest gold in soil value for these combined anomalies is 0.345 g/t Au (0.012 oz/t).

The Dunderberg Shale anomaly measures approximately 1,200 meters by 300 meters. The highest gold value in this anomaly is 0.106 g/t Au (0.003 oz/t). The anomaly widens or bends to the east on its northern end and it appears to be controlled by the west-southwest trending Black Metal Fault in this area.

The highest gold value on the soil grid was 0.534 g/t Au (0.018 oz/t). It is located on the east side of the survey area. The two northerly trending anomalous areas located in the center and west side of the grid contains most of the anomalous gold and pathfinder element values in the Flint Canyon area. The anomalous values are open to the south and west of the western most area where soils samples were collected.

The soil gold assay map with ranges of gold values in soil shows a strong relationship between the areas with jasperoid outcrops and a surprisingly broad and strong gold anomaly on the extreme west side of the Flint Canyon area in the Pogonip Limestone. The soil gold anomaly occurs to the west of some jasperoid outcrops that are found at the contact between the Pogonip and Notch Peak formations, a common relationship found at major gold deposits in Nevada. From the distribution of anomalous gold results, there are at least two major target areas that need to be tested by several drill holes. Map showing the soil geochemical survey on Flint Canyon may be consulted using the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/viscountsoilsurvey.jpg.

Rock Chip Sampling Program

The following points concerning geology and geochemistry in the mapped area are excerpts from the Summit "Activity Report for May-June 2016".

The Flint Canyon Pogonip Limestone and Dunderberg Shale samples are highly anomalous in gold mineralization. Of the 1,250 rock samples collected in the Flint Canyon domain (includes west-southwest trending Black Metal Fault):

-- Pogonip Limestone - Maximum gold grade of 0.345 g/t Au -- Pogonip Limestone - 22 samples greater than 0.02 g/t Au -- Dunderberg Shale - Maximum gold grade of 0.106 g/t Au -- Dunderberg Shale - 46 samples greater than 0.02 g/t Au

The rock chip sampling map shows that there is a very close relationship between anomalous gold assay values related to the areas at or near the jasperoid outcrops. There is also a close association of anomalous gold assays along the contact between the Dunderberg Shale and Marjum Limestone. Maps showing the rock chip survey on Flint Canyon may be consulted using the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/viscountrockchipsurvey.jpg.

Work Planned and in Progress

Summit has committed to an additional 626 soil samples at Flint Canyon to extend the anomalous trends and fill in open priority target areas. Geologic mapping and rock chip sampling continues and work is being conducted south from Flint Canyon along the western flank of the mountain range.

Road contractor Legarza Exploration & Construction has started construction on the 7,046 ft. new access road at Flint Canyon and anticipates completion shortly.

Viscount anticipates the work on drill targeting at Flint Canyon will start later this summer when all of the laboratory data are received and map data formatted in the drill computer model. A minimum of 4,380m (14,366 feet) of reverse circulation (RC) drilling of 18 holes from 10 drill pads is expected to begin in early September 2016.

About Flint Canyon

The 2015 and 2016 mapping at Flint Canyon found the faulting to be more complex than previously indicated on the Adair 1961 geologic base map. Summit's mapping program found that east-west orientated faults and fractures, which are important ore controlling structures at the Ticup and Star Mines, also occur in the area. The Flint Canyon area contains highly dissected fault blocks of the Dunderberg Shale with the underlying Marjum Limestone and overlying Notch Peak Limestone. The Pogonip Formation overlies the Notch Peak and both units are important host rocks for Carlin-type gold mineralization in east-central Nevada.

Jasperoid occurrences in Nevada are extremely significant in context to Carlin-type gold deposits and mineralized jasperoid outcrops are common throughout the Flint Canyon area. They occur principally along the base of the Dunderberg Shale, but other outcrops are found along the Pogonip-Notch Peak contact. Many major gold discoveries have been made based on the presence of outcropping, weakly mineralized jasperoid hosted in and along bedding contacts of carbonate rocks. At Flint Canyon, jasperoid is found in the same carbonate rocks that are prolific host rocks at nearby large gold deposits (Newmont Mining-Long Canyon, and Kinross Gold Corporation.-Bald Mountain deposits).

The jasperoid beds, interpreted as west dipping tabular features, occur along the base of the Dunderberg Shale and within the Pogonip group limestone. Summit's geological team indicates that the Dunderberg Shale is generally recessive and is exposed mainly along the outcropping contacts with more competent rocks. The Dunderberg appears to be moderately altered throughout its distribution, and, at Flint Canyon, it experienced widespread and significant alteration by hydrothermal fluids. The underlying Marjum Limestone is usually competent and unaltered, while the overlying Pogonip exhibits variable alteration.

Mark Abrams, Viscount Technical Advisory Board, stated: "The recent soil sampling by Summit Mining at Flint Canyon has yielded gold and pathfinder element anomalies (Hg, As, Sb, Tl) similar in size and tenor to soil geochemical sampling results at other mines and advanced properties in the region, including Kinross Gold's Bald Mountain mine; and Newmont Mining's Long Canyon project, Agnico-Eagle's West Pequop project and Pilot Gold's Kinsley Mountain project. Mineralization identified by this work is hosted within and extending out from jasperoids formed at the Pogonip Limestone/Notch Peak Limestone contact, within the Dunderberg Shale, and within and extending out from jasperoids formed at the Dunderberg Shale/Marjum Limestone contact. Flint Canyon has continued to deliver exceptional results and we look forward to the upcoming drill program."

QC and Analytical Procedures

The soil and rock chip analytical packages have been conducted by ALS Labs Limited, of Elko, Nevada. Soil samples were collected and analyzed for 52 elements, including gold, via ME-MS41 and, for gold, Au-TL43, with over limit analyses for Au and Ag. Rock Chip samples were collected and analyzed for 48 elements via ME-MS61, and, gold by AuAA-23, with over limit analyses for Au, Ag, Pb, Zn and Cu. Consult the ALS website for more information on the analytical packages being used on the Cherry Creek samples: http://www.alsglobal.com/Our-Services/Minerals/Geochemistry/Service-Schedule.

Qualified Persons

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dallas W. Davis, PEng, FEC, an independent consulting geologist who is a "Qualified Person" as such term is defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").

The exploration and drill programs are being managed by David Tretbar, Summit Exploration's Executive Vice President, Exploration and Mineral Resources, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Tretbar is a registered Professional Geologist in Arizona (#48036) and a Certified Professional Geologist (CPG #11086) with the American Institute of Professional Geologists.

About Viscount Mining (TSX VENTURE: VML)(OTCQB: VLMGF)

Viscount Mining is an exploration company with a portfolio of gold and silver properties in the Western United States, including Cherry Creek in Nevada and Silver Cliff in Colorado. Cherry Creek is comprised of more than 9,000 acres, all 100% owned, and includes more than 20 past producing mines. Viscount has entered into an exploration earn-in agreement with Sumitomo Corporation covering the Cherry Creek property. Sumitomo can earn in up to a 75% interest in the property by producing a feasibility study and by spending in addition a minimum of US$10,000,000 in exploration and development expenses by the eighth anniversary of the earn-in agreement. Silver Cliff in Colorado is comprised of 96 lode claims, covering much of the historical past-producing mineral districts of Silver Cliff and Rosita Hills.

For additional information regarding the above noted property and other corporate information, please visit the Company's website at www.viscountmining.com.

About Sumitomo Corporation

Sumitomo Corporation is one of the largest integrated trading and investment companies in Japan. Sumitomo Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, conducts commodity transactions in all industries utilizing worldwide networks, provides related customers with various financing, serves as an organizer and a coordinator for various projects, and invests in businesses from the information industry to the retailing industry. Summit Mining Exploration, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation and is headquartered in Colorado, USA. For more information about Sumitomo Corporation, visit www.sumitomocorp.co.jp

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jim MacKenzie, President, CEO and Director

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking" statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although Viscount Mining Corp. believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of Viscount Mining Corp. management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, Viscount Mining Corp. undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

Contacts:

Viscount Investor Relations

604-960-0535

info@viscountmining.com

www.viscountmining.com




DUBLIN, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Gastric Cancer" report to their offering.

Pipeline therapies will look to fulfil many areas of high unmet need left by the lack of targeted therapies approved for the treatment of gastric cancer.

This report addresses the following questions:

- What impact will the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor class of drugs have on the gastric cancer market?

- How will pipeline immunotherapies be positioned in the gastric cancer treatment space?

- Which targeted therapies are expected to experience the greatest growth over the forecast period?

- How will Eli Lilly look to maintain Cyramza's first-to-market advantage?

- What are the key drivers of the rapidly expanding gastric cancer market?

Key Topics Covered:

FORECAST: GASTRIC CANCER

- Avelumab

- BBI

- (napabucasin)

- Cyramza (ramucirumab)

- GS-57

- Herceptin (trastuzumab)

- Keytruda (pembrolizumab)

- Lynparza (olaparib)

- Nimotuzumab

- Opdivo (nivolumab)

- Perjeta (pertuzumab)

TREATMENT: GASTRIC CANCER

- Disease Definition and Diagnosis

- Patient Segmentation

- Country Treatment Trees

- Current Treatment Options

- Prescribing Trends

EPIDEMIOLOGY: GASTRIC CANCER IN THE US, JAPAN, AND 5EU

- Forecast

- Epidemiologist Insight

- Strengths and Limitations

MARKETED DRUGS: GASTRIC CANCER

- Product profile: Cyramza

- Product profile: Herceptin

PIPELINE: GASTRIC CANCER

- Product profile (late stage): BBI6

- Product profile (late stage): GS-57

- Product profile (late stage): Keytruda

- Product profile (late stage): Lynparza

- Product profile (late stage): Opdivo

- Product profile (late stage): Perjeta

- Product profile (late stage): avelumab

- Product profile (late stage): nimotuzumab

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/j8lnrz/gastric_cancer

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
CHICAGO, IL -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Mobile Marketing and Technology today announced that executives from Accenture Digital, FIS Global and Verizon Enterprise Solutions will be speaking at the Mobile Payment Conference in Chicago, August 29 - August 31, 2016.

WHO:

Safwan Zaheer, Director, Accenture Digital

Priya Dozier, Product Management Executive, FIS Global

Michele Dupre, Group VP, Verizon Enterprise Solutions.

Larry Berlin, First Analysis (moderator)

WHAT:

"Fusing Online and Offline - Augmenting Mobile Shopping with Bots, AI and Social Payments"

WHEN:

Tuesday, August 30, 2016 (8:45am-9:20am)

WHERE:

Renaissance Chicago Hotel in Chicago, IL

Register here to attend the Mobile Payments Conference

"We are very excited about this session in particular as it brings together three of the top thought leaders in next generation mobility, retail, commerce and payments, who are behind the evolution of today's customer shopping experience," said Marla Ellerman, Mobile Payments Conference executive director and publisher of Mobile Marketing & Technology.

At Accenture Digital, Safwan Zaheer focuses on developing strategy, building new markets, and leading enterprise-wide digital transformation efforts for financial services and retail clients. In addition to fifteen years of focused expertise in the areas of merchant payments, e-commerce and risk management, Priya Dozier was integral in launching FIS InterPayment, an industry leading, decoupled debit program designed to help retailers decrease payment expense while gaining insight into customer behavior. As Group Vice President of Verizon Enterprise Solutions, Michele Dupre' is responsible for enterprise customers in the Retail, Hospitality and Distribution Verticals, as well as customers headquartered in Canada.

"Mobile payments represent the convergence of retail, banking, and technology, and the Mobile Payments Conference is the forum where attendees hear from and engage the individuals shaping the future of commerce," added Marla Ellerman.

For media registration, please contact Mostafa Razzak, JMRConnect at 202-904-2048 or m.razzak@jmrconnect.net

Please contact Marla Ellerman at 602-315-8808: marla@mmtmagonline.com, for information regarding exhibit and sponsorship opportunities.

For the latest Mobile Payments Conference news, updates and information, please visit www.mobilepaymentconference.com, or follow the event on Twitter at @mpcevent.

About Mobile Payments Conference

The Mobile Payments Conference (@MPCEVENT) is the industry's leading mobile commerce event, which convenes executives across the globe from all parts of the mobile commerce ecosystem. 2014 marks the seventh Mobile Payments Conference that Mobile Marketing & Technology will produce.

For additional information, please visit http://www.mobilepaymentconference.com.

About Mobile Marketing & Technology

Mobile Marketing and Technology is an online publication and community dedicated to educating Marketing, Sales, IT Professionals, and Executives about the latest mobile phone technologies for marketing and communication.

http://mobilemarketingandtechnology.com/

CONTACT

Mostafa Razzak

JMRConnect

202-904-2048

m.razzak@jmrconnect.net




IRVINE, CA--(Marketwired - August 10, 2016) - Biomerica Inc. (OTCQB: BMRA) today announced that has issued an update on the progress of commercialization of its new IBS diagnostic guided therapy product. The update was filed as a form 8-k filing as a letter to shareholders and is also available on the Biomerica website under the "Our Company" tab under Investor Relations. A summary of the update is below.

Dear Fellow Shareholders:

The purpose of this letter is to give you an update on our progress in the commercialization of our new IBS diagnostic guided therapy product. We have made significant headway on our strategies to date, which continue to focus on attracting key opinion leaders and experienced executives who will assist us in submitting for FDA clearance and set up the foundations for worldwide distribution of the product. We have been very selective and strategic on the individuals we have approached to join our team. Many shareholders and others have asked "How did we attract such world class IBS doctors and business leaders to our team?" The answer is after they reviewed our data and science they all believed in our product and its potential to help the millions of IBS sufferers worldwide.

We are moving forward with confidence that knowledgeable companies should see the same value and want to license our product. We recently signed our first licensing agreement for the product with a company that approached us for a license in South Korea. We believe that the fastest way for us to get worldwide distribution is through licensing. To execute this strategy, we are excited to have added Dr. Mark Sirgo to our Board of Directors. Dr. Sirgo was on the board of directors for Salix Pharmaceuticals and instrumental in growing Salix into a major international GI company which he then helped sell to Valeant for $11.1 billion. Dr. Sirgo has extensive knowledge of the companies in the IBS space and their strategies. To further strengthen our ability to license the product, we are delighted to have added Ned Barnholt to our Strategic Advisory Board to help guide our commercialization. Ned is a world class executive who is currently Chairman of the Board of KLA-Tencor, a company with a market cap of $12 billion, and currently serving on the Board of Directors of eBay and Adobe. He previously served as CEO and Chairman of Agilent Technologies. We believe we are now well positioned to be able to seek the right marketing partners for our product. A more detailed explanation of our business plans and strategies is included in the 8-k filing.

About Biomerica (OTCQB: BMRA)

Biomerica, Inc. (www.biomerica.com) is a global biomedical company that develops, manufactures and markets advanced diagnostic products used at the point-of-care (in home and in physicians' offices) and in hospital/clinical laboratories for the early detection of medical conditions and diseases. The Company's products are designed to enhance health and well-being, while reducing total healthcare costs. Biomerica primarily focuses on products for Gastrointestinal Disease, Diabetes and esoteric testing.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this press release (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by Biomerica) contains statements that are forward-looking; such as statements relating to intended launch dates, sales potential, significant benefits, market size, prospects, new products, favorable outlook, new distributors, expansion, increases in productivity and margins, expected orders, leading market positions, anticipated future sales or production volume of the Company, the launch or success of product and new product offerings. Such forward-looking information involves important risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect anticipated results in the future, and accordingly, such results may differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of Biomerica. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, fluctuations in the Company's operating results due to its business model and expansion plans, downturns in international and or national economies, the Company's ability to raise additional capital, the competitive environment in which the Company will be competing, and the Company's dependence on strategic relationships. The Company is under no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

Contact:

Zackary Irani

949-645-2111
NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --Students will soon be resident at Tatu City, the satellite city development near Nairobi, Kenya.

Nova Academies, a leading Kenya-based education provider, has announced that it will establish its flagship East African campus at the 2,500-acre mixed-use development.

Nova Academies will begin construction of its 25-acre site this year, with plans to open its Girls High School to over 120 students in 2017.

"We have found the ideal location for Nova Academies' flagship campus," said Chris Khaemba, Director, Nova Academies. "We're delighted to be the first school to open at Tatu City and to widen the offering of our unique learning model to even more future innovators and leaders of Kenya."

Nova Academies' first school in Kenya launched in 2016, as a secondary boarding school for young men that uses the Kenyan national curriculum (8-4-4) integrated with methods from top schools from around the world. The same curriculum will be used at the Tatu City campus. Nova Academies also operates three schools in South Africa, ranging from pre-primary to secondary.

"Providing an education platform for residents is vital to the Tatu City community," said Nick Langford, Kenya Country Head for Rendeavour, Tatu City's owner and developer. "It is clear that Nova Academies' leadership team has decades of experience working with some of the leading educational institutions and companies, both in Africa and around the world. Nova Academies is a perfect fit with the ethos of Tatu City."

By 2019, the campus will welcome pre-school, primary and high school students. School fees will be affordable to middle class Kenyan families.

Tatu City has continued to roll out its mixed-use development in recent months, announcing new residential areas, as well as well-known local, regional and international companies moving to Tatu Industrial Park.

About Nova Academies (www.novaacademies.com/)

Nova Academies is a rapidly growing education company developing and operating world class, affordable secondary, primary, and pre-primary schools across the African continent. Nova Academies is currently operational in both Kenya and South Africa and will have five school campuses by 2017. The schools learning approach prepares students to be globally competitive innovators and leaders in the 21st century. Their signature pedagogy weaves together techniques used by the most forward-thinking schools globally to develop critical thinking, problem solving and other 21st century skills, in addition to the exceptional exam results students need to secure top university places.

About Tatu City (www.tatucity.com)

Tatu City is a 2,500-acre, mixed-use and mixed-income development with residential, commercial, industrial, tourism, social and recreation amenities for more than 100,000 residents and 30,000 day visitors. Underlying Tatu City's design is a visionary concept aiming to shift urban development in Kenya from the familiar single node model to a decentralized urban environment. By doing so, Tatu will significantly de-congest the City of Nairobi by offering a unique live, work and play environment.

Contact

Tim Beighton

Email: tbeighton@rendeavour.com

Phone: +234 8070 992 935

+234 8094 000 065




CUPERTINO (dpa-AFX) - Recruiting site Glassdoor Inc. has announced its annual list of the most popular chief executive officers. CLICK HERE to see Glassdoor's Ten Most Popular U.S. CEOs Glassdoor's Employee Choice Awards honors beloved CEOs based solely on the input of employees who voluntarily provide anonymous feedback. Among the top ten are some recognizable names from the tech world, where employees work long hours for great salaries and significant perks. Leaders from consulting and consumer goods companies also earn top marks from employees. Of note, the highest ranked female CEO, In-N-Out Burger's Lynsi Snyder, is at seventeenth spot in the list. CLICK HERE to see Glassdoor's Ten Most Popular U.S. CEOs 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.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Lloyd I. Miller, III announced the acquisition of ownership, control or direction over an aggregate US$100,000 principal amount of Senior Secured Convertible Debentures due 2020 ("2020 Convertible Debentures") of Gran Colombia Gold Corp. ("Gran Colombia"), that are convertible into approximately 769,231 common shares of Gran Colombia, representing an increase in Miller's securityholding percentage of approximately 0.13% of the outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis taking into account only the outstanding Common Shares, as reported by Gran Colombia, and the 2020 Debentures over which Mr. Miller exercises control or direction and no others. Mr. Miller acquired the foregoing 2020 Convertible Debentures through Milfam II L.P., a partnership of which Mr. Miller is the managing member of the general partner.

Prior to the acquisition, the number of outstanding common shares of Gran Colombia ("Common Shares") increased from approximately 23.7 million Common Shares as of September 30, 2015 to approximately 137.1 million as of March 31, 2016. The increase in the outstanding Common Shares decreased Mr. Miller's securityholding percentage from approximately 85.59%, as previously reported, to approximately 51.24% after the transaction described herein, in each case on a partially diluted basis taking into account only the outstanding Common Shares, as reported by Gran Colombia, and the 2020 Convertible Debentures over which Mr. Miller exercises control or direction and no others. Assuming the conversion of all 2020 Convertible Debentures, Mr. Miller's securityholding percentage has decreased from approximately 17.14%, as previously reported, to currently approximately 15.46%.

The 2020 Convertible Debentures were acquired through the facilities of the Toronto Stock Exchange for total consideration of US$100,000 of principal amount, which based on the Bank of Canada noon exchange rate on August 4, 2016 equals approximately CDN$130,271 in total consideration.

Immediately prior to the transaction described herein, Mr. Miller had ownership, control or direction over an aggregate principal amount of US$18,627,223 of the 2020 Convertible Debentures, and assuming conversion of the entire principal amount of the 2020 Convertible Debentures over which Mr. Miller had ownership, control or direction, such 2020 Convertible Debentures were convertible into approximately 143,286,331 Common Shares, representing 51.11% of the outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis taking into account only the outstanding Common Shares, as reported by Gran Colombia, and the 2020 Debentures over which Mr. Miller exercised control or direction and no others (15.38% of the outstanding Common Shares taking into account the outstanding Common Shares (as reported by Gran Colombia) and all of the outstanding 2020 Debentures; full conversion, partially diluted basis).

Immediately after the transaction described herein, Mr. Miller had ownership, control or direction over an aggregate principal amount of US$18,727,223 of the 2020 Convertible Debentures and assuming conversion of the entire principal amount of the 2020 Convertible Debentures over which Mr. Miller has ownership, control or direction, such 2020 Convertible Debentures are convertible into approximately 144,055,562 Common Shares, representing 51.24% of the outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis taking into account only the outstanding Common Shares, as reported by Gran Colombia, and the 2020 Debentures over which Mr. Miller exercises control or direction and no others (15.46% of the outstanding Common Shares taking into account the outstanding Common Shares (as reported by Gran Colombia) and all of the outstanding 2020 Debentures; full conversion, partially diluted basis).

The 2020 Convertible Debentures were acquired for investment purposes. Depending on the evolution of Gran Colombia's business, financial condition, the market, if any, for Gran Colombia's securities, general economic conditions and other factors, Miller and his joint actors may acquire additional securities of Gran Colombia, or sell some or all of the securities they hold, in the open market, by private agreement or otherwise, subject to their availability at attractive prices, market conditions and other relevant factors.

For inquiries or a copy of the related early warning report required under Canadian provincial securities legislation, a copy of which has also been filed on www.sedar.com, please contact the persons below.

Contacts:

Lloyd I. Miller, III

3300 South Dixie Highway

Suite 1-365

West Palm Beach, Florida

USA 33405

(561) 287-5399



Eric Fangmann

3300 South Dixie Highway

Suite 1-365

West Palm Beach, Florida

USA 33405

(561) 287-5399




ASHBURN, VA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Nese Altas, Owner and Master Stylist at Current Salon & Color Bar, has taken Best Highlights honors in Posh Seven Magazine's Best of Suburbia 2016 Beauty poll. The salon was a finalist in the Best Salon category, with Nese also receiving runner-up honors for Best Colorist and finalist nods for Best Cut and Best Blowout.

"I am so appreciative of our lovely clients and the readers of Posh Seven Magazine who took the time to vote, and for their continued support over the years," said Nese. "I also have to thank my amazing team for their hard work and my wonderful husband, Ryan, for pushing me to be better everyday. I feel so blessed and honored to have such incredible support."

Nese's entire professional career has been devoted to the salon industry. At the age of 18, she left her native Istanbul, Turkey for the U.S., where she began working as a shop assistant for a salon owned by her cousins. It was there that she began developing her skills as a stylist, obtaining her cosmetology license in 2001.

Nese and Ryan Mallard, Owner and Managing Director, opened Current Salon in May of 2012. Current Salon is now comprised of ten award-winning stylists specializing in contemporary and traditional cuts, styling, hair treatments and color services including balayage, ombre, sombre and babylights. The salon was also recently recognized as "Favorite Hair Salon in Loudoun County" in Loudoun Now's "Loudoun Favorites" poll.

"We work extremely hard to remain on the cutting-edge of hair trends," said Mallard. "When adding to our team, we seek stylists who have natural artistic talent, provide a creative delivery and are extremely disciplined. They are truly experts in their craft," he said.

Nese stresses that the salon's customers are the most important part of the salon. "When they walk through the salon doors, clients can expect a warm and friendly environment, incredible service and the very best talent Northern Virginia has to offer."

Current Salon's online reputation has reflected that commitment. As one client stated, "This is the most professional salon in Ashburn, Virginia. I always receive exceptional service and get compliments all the time on my color!" Another client added, "My results are something you would expect from a high end salon in New York City. I definitely recommend them!"

"We have the most amazing clients," said Nese. "It truly feels like a family in the salon and I cannot thank them enough for their continued support and for giving us the opportunity to live our passion!"

ABOUT CURRENT SALON & COLOR BAR:

At Current Salon & Color Bar, our clients are our passion. From the moment you walk through the door, our goal is to delight you with our artistry and superior salon services. Current Salon opened in Ashburn, Virginia in 2012, and has been consistently recognized as one of the top hair salons in Northern Virginia. Services include mens and womens haircuts, color services, color packages, texture and deep conditioning treatments, waxing and threading services. Current Salon also provides up-dos and bridal services. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, visit http://www.currentbynese.com or call 703-724-9444.

Contact:

Ryan Mallard

571-437-8687

Email Contact




WOBURN, MA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- JN Phillips Auto Glass, today announced it has partnered with and acquired Rhode Island's leading provider of auto glass service, Altieri Glass. Altieri Glass has been the locally favored brand in Rhode Island for over twenty years, and becomes the sixth local brand within the JN Phillips/Windshield Centers family of auto glass businesses.

"We believe in the local touch when it comes to auto glass service, and Steve Altieri and his team are the ultimate local glass professionals -- committed every day to their customers as friends and neighbors," says Maureen Confalone, managing director of JN Phillips / Windshield Centers. "Steve will continue to run his business as the amazing local entrepreneur that he is. We are proud and honored that Steve chose to join with us in providing exemplary auto glass service, and to carry on the more than seventy-year tradition in auto glass that our company has."

JN Phillips / Windshield Centers joins with local auto glass companies to bring systems, training, purchasing power and industry relationships to markets that value fast response, high quality auto glass service from experienced industry professionals.

Given the fast pace of change in the auto glass and vehicle business, this model is meeting with great success, and is spearheaded by its Windshield Centers brand across the U.S., and the JN Phillips brand in the northeast.

About JN Phillips / Windshield Centers

Headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts, JN Phillips / Windshield Centers is the country's #2 auto glass service retailer, serving consumers, fleets and Insurance partners through company stores in 12 states and through a national service affiliate network covering the entire U.S. JN Phillips / Windshield Centers provides fast-response, high quality mobile and in-shop auto glass fulfillment with a focus on the use of technology to transform the traditional business model of glass service into a faster, more digital centric fulfillment business. The company is owned and guided by its CEO, Robert J. Rosenfield and a seasoned management team.

For more information, please visit www.jnphillips.com or www.windshieldcenters.com

Press Contact:

Victor Cruz

MediaPR.net, Inc.

vcruz@mediapr.net




BLACKROCK LATIN AMERICAN INVESTMENT TRUST PLC All information is at 31 July 2016 and unaudited. Performance at month end with net income reinvested One Three One Three Five ^^Since month months year years years 31.03.06 % % % % % % Sterling: Net asset value^ 6.2 16.4 24.5 -5.0 -22.7 60.0 Share price 5.9 14.0 24.5 -5.2 -24.0 46.9 MSCI EM Latin America 6.3 15.8 25.5 -5.2 -19.7 72.2

US Dollars: Net asset value^ 5.4 5.5 5.4 -17.1 -37.7 22.1 Share price 5.2 3.3 5.4 -17.3 -38.8 12.0 MSCI EM Latin America 5.5 5.0 6.8 -17.0 -35.1 31.8

^cum income

^^Date which BlackRock took over the investment management of the Company.

Sources: BlackRock, Standard & Poor's Micropal

At month end Net asset value - capital only: 435.31p Net asset value - cum income: 443.57p Share price: 380.75p Total Assets#: 174.7m Discount (share price to cum income NAV): 14.2% Average discount* over the month - cum income: 13.9% Net cash at month end**: 0.9% Gearing range (as a % of net assets): 0-25% Net yield##: 3.6% Ordinary shares in issue***: 39,369,620 Ongoing charges****: 1.1%

Total assets include current year revenue.

## calculated using total dividends declared in the last 12 months as at the date of this announcement as a percentage of month end share price.

*The discount is calculated using the cum income NAV (expressed in sterling terms).

**Net cash/net gearing is calculated using debt at par, less cash and cash equivalents and fixed interest investments as a percentage of net assets.

***Excluding 2,071,662 shares held in treasury.

**** Calculated as a percentage of average net assets and using expenses, excluding performance fees and interest costs for the year ended 31 December 2015.

Geographic Exposure % of Total Assets % of Equity Portfolio * MSCI EM Latin American Index Brazil 58.9 59.5 56.0 Mexico 28.0 28.3 28.8 Peru 6.1 6.1 3.0 Chile 2.5 2.5 9.0 Argentina 2.3 2.3 0.0 Colombia 1.3 1.3 3.2 Net current assets (inc.Fixed interest) 0.9 0.0 0.0 ----- ----- ----- Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 ----- ----- -----

Sector % of Equity Portfolio * % of Benchmark Financials 30.7 30.9 Consumer Staples 23.8 20.3 Energy 11.6 8.1 Materials 9.5 12.7 Industrials 8.0 6.5 Consumer Discretionary 6.3 6.6 Information Technology 4.2 2.4 Telecommunication Services 3.4 5.4 Utilities 2.5 6.6 Health Care 0.0 0.5 ----- ----- Total 100.0 100.0 ----- -----

* excluding net current assets & fixed interest



Ten Largest Equity Investments (in percentage order)





Company

Country of Risk % of

Equity Portfolio % of

Benchmark Itau Unibanco Brazil 9.0 5.7 Petrobas Brazil 8.1 5.1 Banco Bradesco Brazil 8.0 6.0 AmBev Brazil 7.0 5.2 Femsa Mexico 4.5 3.1 Cielo Brazil 4.2 2.2 Grupo Financiero Banorte Mexico 3.6 2.6 Telefonica Brasil Brazil 3.4 1.3 Credicorp Peru 3.0 2.0 Cemex SAB Mexico 3.0 2.0

Commenting on the markets, Will Landers, representing the Investment

Manager noted;

Performance

For the month of July 2016, the Company's NAV increased by 6.2% and the share price increased by 5.9%, while the Company's benchmark, the MSCI EM Latin America Free Index, rose by 6.3% (all in sterling terms).

Positive contributions to performance stemmed from our low exposure to Colombia. Colombia was the largest underperformer in the region driven primarily by a weaker currency amid a large decline in oil prices in July. The largest contributor to performance was Petrobras. The stock benefited from favourable domestic developments on the political front which helped support the equity rally in Brazil. An underweight to America Movil also contributed positively.

Stock selection in Brazil weighed on returns. The lack of exposure to Vale weighed on returns as iron ore prices were up by almost 11% during the month. We remain out of Vale as we expect an unfavourable supply/demand equation in the second half of 2016. A lack of exposure to Banco do Brasil also detracted from returns.

Transactions/Gearing

During the month we increased exposure to Brazil while reducing exposure to Mexico. In Brazil, we increased exposure to Petrobras as the stock stands to benefit from a stronger currency and positive political developments. In Mexico, we exited America Movil given negative pricing news in the sector and weak results. In addition, we reduced exposure to Cemex.

Net cash was approximately 0.9% at the end of July.

Positioning

Overall, we are positive about the prospects for Latin America going forward given the structural changes in the region, the potential for reform and the positive implications of those reforms. We continue to prefer Brazil over Mexico. We expect the reform agenda in Brazil to begin moving through Congress once the impeachment process is finalized thus clearing a path to growth. Our more cautious view on Mexico is predicated on the potential for slower growth in the US and the impact of the US election cycle. Elsewhere in the region, we continue to prefer Peru over Chile and Colombia.

10 August 2016

ENDS

Latest information is available by typing www.blackrock.co.uk/brla on the internet, "BLRKINDEX" on Reuters, "BLRK" on Bloomberg or "8800" on Topic 3 (ICV terminal). Neither the contents of the Manager's website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Manager's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.
Russian aggression continues in eastern Ukraine. According to U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE, Daniel Baer, "the situation in eastern Ukraine remains grim. Combined Russian-separatist forces have claimed the lives of more than 63 Ukrainian soldiers and wounded some 327 more since June 1." This bloodshed is eroding confidence on the ground and hardening attitudes, said Ambassador Baer.

This violence needs to stop. That's why the United States strongly supports the OSCEs efforts and those in the Normandy format to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine caused by Russia's aggression. The Special Monitoring Mission, or SMM, must have access to disengagement sites and throughout the conflict zone, including up to the international border.

Restrictions on their movement regularly occur along the parts of Ukraine's internationally-recognized border with Russia that are under the control of combined Russian-separatist forces.

The SMM continues to identify clear and continuing evidence of Russia's direct involvement with Russian-separatist forces. The SMM continues to find weapons systems in separatist-held territory that are only in Russias arsenal. Moreover, OSCE monitors have recorded large numbers of individuals in military-style dress crossing the internationally-recognized border from Russia into separatist-held parts of Ukraine.

Only a credible ceasefire will protect civilians from greater harm and create the conditions that will allow Ukraine to move forward with the political aspects of the Minsk Agreement.

President Obama and other U.S. officials have been clear with President Putin that sanctions will remain in place until Moscow fully implements its Minsk commitments. Crimea-related sanctions will remain until the peninsula is returned to Ukraine.
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. ("Cornerstone" or "the Company") (TSX VENTURE: CGP)(FRANKFURT: GWN)(BERLIN: GWN)(OTCBB: CTNXF) announces that following the Company's annual general meeting on August 9, 2016, the Board of Directors has appointed Colin McKenzie as Chairman, and two former directors, John Fleming and Don Worth, have moved to the Company's Advisory Board.

Welcoming the appointment, President & CEO Brooke Macdonald commented: "Having Colin, a respected and seasoned industry professional with experience in Latin America and Ecuador, as Chairman is an important step for the company for the next stage of its development. He brings the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure that we realize the potential of our current broad portfolio of projects and take full advantage of new opportunities. The Board of Directors would like to express its gratitude to former Chairman John Fleming and former director Don Worth for their significant contributions in guiding the Company through a challenging period of cost cutting and helping re-focus it on our projects in Ecuador and Chile, and we hope to continue to benefit from their experience as members of the Advisory Board."

Colin McKenzie has over 30 years' experience in major exploration projects and business development in Canada and internationally. Colin has been a director of Cornerstone since 2006 and served as President & CEO from 2008 to 2010. From 2004 to 2008, Colin was Vice President, Exploration for Skye Resources, engaged in the development of nickel laterite deposits in Guatemala. Before joining Skye, he was Director, Exploration for Inco, where he was in charge of exploration in Latin America as well as responsible for generating new business opportunities from Inco's portfolio of non-core exploration properties. From 1996 to 2000 he was Vice President, Exploration for Voisey's Bay Nickel, responsible for managing exploration and resource evaluation of the Voisey's Bay deposits. Prior to that he held increasingly senior exploration positions with Rio Algom and at BP Mining, where he was credited with the discovery of the Hope Brook gold deposit. Colin holds B.Sc., (Honours) and M.Sc., degrees in Geology from Dalhousie University.

The Board of Directors of the Company has approved the granting of 2.9 million incentive stock options to directors, officers, consultants and employees of the Company effective August 9, 2016. These options have been priced at $0.11 and have an expiry date of August 8, 2021. As per the Company's approved Stock Option Plan, these options vest in three equal tranches over an eighteen-month period from the date of issue.

About Cornerstone:

Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. is a well-funded mineral exploration company with a diversified portfolio of projects in Ecuador and Chile, and a proven ability to identify, acquire and advance properties of merit. The company's business model is based on generating exploration projects whose subsequent development is funded primarily through partnerships.

Further information is available on Cornerstone's website: www.cornerstoneresources.com and on Twitter.

Cautionary Notice:

This news release may contain 'Forward-Looking Statements' that involve risks and uncertainties, such as statements of Cornerstone's plans, objectives, strategies, intentions and expectations. The words "potential," "anticipate," "forecast," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "may," "project," "plan," and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify 'Forward-Looking Statements.' Although Cornerstone believes that its expectations reflected in these 'Forward-Looking Statements' are reasonable, such statements may involve unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed in our regulatory filings, viewed on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets, predicting natural geological phenomena and from numerous other matters of national, regional, and global scale, including those of an environmental, climatic, natural, political, economic, business, competitive, or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in our Forward-Looking Statements. Although Cornerstone believes the facts and information contained in this news release to be as correct and current as possible, Cornerstone does not warrant or make any representation as to the accuracy, validity or completeness of any facts or information contained herein and these statements should not be relied upon as representing its views subsequent to the date of this news release. While Cornerstone anticipates that subsequent events may cause its views to change, it expressly disclaims any obligation to update the Forward-Looking Statements contained herein except where outcomes have varied materially from the original statements.

On Behalf of the Board,

Brooke Macdonald, President and CEO

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

For investor, corporate or media inquiries, please contact:

Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc.

ir@cornerstoneresources.ca

(613) 421-6923

www.cornerstoneresources.com




ANKARA (dpa-AFX) - The Turkish Lira drifted higher against the U.S. dollar in New York trading on Wednesday, as Turkey's Central Bank enhanced liquidity available in the financial system by cutting lira-required reserve rates for all maturities by 50 base points. The central bank on Tuesday reduced reserve requirement ratios for banks by 50 basis points, which could provide up to 1.1 billion Turkish Liras and $600 million to the financial sector. The Lira climbed to 2.9464 against the greenback, its strongest since July 18. The Lira is seen finding resistance around the 2.8 mark. 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.
AS Pro Kapital Grupp informs that it has prolonged the redemption date of 840 184 "Pro Kapital Grupp convertible bond PKG3 10.08.2014" (hereinafter referred to as Convertible Bonds PKG3) by 2 years and the new redemption date is 10.08.2018 (hereinafter referred to as the redemption date).



All holders of Convertible Bonds PKG3 agreed with AS Pro Kapital Grupp proposal to prolong the redemption date of the convertible bonds.



AS Pro Kapital Grupp has on 10.08.2016 submitted to the Estonian Central Register of Securities the application to change the redemption date of Convertible Bonds PKG3.



In total convertible bonds were prolonged with total issue price of 2 352 515,20 EUR.



The convertible bonds bear an annual interest of 7% and give the holders of the convertible bonds the right to exchange one convertible bond for one shares of AS Pro Kapital Grupp. The issue price of each convertible bond is 2,80 euro's.



In order to subscribe for the shares of AS Pro Kapital Grupp and exchange the bonds, the bondholder must submit an application to the Company at least 10 (ten) Business Days before the Exchange Date. The Exchange Date shall be each Business Day (a day other than (a) a Saturday, (b) a Sunday, (c) Estonian national holiday, (d) public holiday or (e) another day when the registrar of the Register does not register securities) until the expiration date of the Bond, i.e. until the date of its redemption.



Allan Remmelkoor Member of the Management Board Tel.: +372 6144 920 Email: prokapital@prokapital.ee

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Gold Standard Ventures Corp. (TSX VENTURE: GSV) (NYSE MKT: GSV) ("Gold Standard" or the "Company") announces that Gold Standard's President and CEO, Jonathan Awde, and vice-president of exploration, Mac Jackson, will host a conference call and webcast with analysts and investors to review yesterday's announced drill results, today at 11:00 AM Pacific time.

A live slide presentation will be available for viewing during the call from the link provided below.

Conference call

To participate in this conference call, please dial the following number approximately 10 minutes prior to the starting time:

Local / International: 416-640-5946

North American Toll- Free: 1-866-233-4585

Webcast

A webcast presentation will also be available for viewing in conjunction with the conference call. To access the webcast, please visit: http://momentumstreaming.com/index.php?id=120769

Callers can alternatively refer to the newly posted slides on Gold Standard's website that will be referenced during the meeting.

For those unable to listen live, the webcast will remain available at the above link for one year following the call.

ABOUT GOLD STANDARD VENTURES - Gold Standard is an advanced stage gold exploration company focused on district scale discoveries on its Railroad-Pinion Gold Project, located within the prolific Carlin Trend. The 2014 Pinion and Dark Star gold deposit acquisitions offer Gold Standard a potential near-term development option and further consolidates the Company's premier land package on the Carlin Trend. The Pinion deposit now has an NI43-101 resource estimate consisting of an Indicated Mineral Resource of 31.61 million tonnes grading 0.62 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (Au), totaling 630,300 ounces of gold and an Inferred Resource of 61.08 million tonnes grading 0.55 g/t Au, totaling 1,081,300 ounces of gold, using a cut-off grade of 0.14 g/t Au. The Dark Star deposit, 2.1 km to the east of Pinion, has a NI43-101 resource estimate consisting of an Inferred Resource of 23.11 million tonnes grading 0.51 g/t Au, totaling 375,000 ounces of gold, using a cut-off grade of 0.14 g/t Au (announced March 3, 2015). The 2014 and 2015 definition and expansion of these two shallow, oxide deposits demonstrates their growth potential.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) nor the NYSE MKT accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements about our proposed exploration programs and future potential results are forward looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Risk factors affecting the Company include, among others: the results from our exploration programs, global financial conditions and volatility of capital markets, uncertainty regarding the availability of additional capital, fluctuations in commodity prices; title matters; and the additional risks identified in our filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com) and with the SEC on EDGAR (available at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml). These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.

CAUTIONARY NOTE FOR U.S. INVESTORS REGARDING RESERVE AND RESOURCE ESTIMATES

All resource estimates reported by the Company were calculated in accordance with the Canadian National Instrument 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Classification system. These standards differ significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for descriptions of mineral properties in SEC Industry Guide 7 under Regulation S-K of the U. S. Securities Act of 1933. In particular, under U. S. standards, mineral resources may not be classified as a "reserve" unless the determination has been made that mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. Accordingly, information in this press release containing descriptions of the Company's mineral properties may not be comparable to similar information made public by US public reporting companies.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Gold Standard,

Jonathan Awde, President and Director

Contacts:

Gold Standard Ventures Corp.

Jonathan Awde

President

604-669-5702

info@goldstandardv.com

www.goldstandardv.com




ZUG, SWITZERLAND -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Panex Resources Inc. (OTC PINK: DBGF) (the "Company," or "Panex") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Farm-In agreement with Afrimines SARL, a company registered under the laws of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to acquire up to 90% direct interest in the highly prospective Matala Gold Project in the South Kivu Province, DRC. The Matala Gold Project is located at the southwestern end of the prolific Twangiza-Namoya Gold corridor where Banro Corp has defined to date, more than 17 Million Ounces ("Moz") of gold resources from four deposits adjacent to the project area. The main drill target, Kanana, is located within the Matala project area shown in Figure 1, and has the same geological setting as Banro's 8.6Moz Twangiza and 5.6Moz Lugushwa deposits. A 1,500m diamond drilling program is expected to commence mid-to-end August.

Matala Gold Project

The Matala Gold Project comprises 14 exploration permits for 1,967sqkm on the north-western edge of the Kibaran Belt, an intracontinental mobile belt located between the Congo and Tanzania cratons. The Kibaran belt and adjacent Tanzanian Craton host more than 70Moz of gold resources, currently being mined by Banro, AngloGold Ashanti, Barrick and Barra, in the well renowned, world class gold province.

Panex's initial focus will be to drill the high priority Kanana Prospect where channel sampling has identified high grade gold mineralisation along the fold axis of a major antiform, similar to that which hosts both the Twangiza and Lugushwa deposits.

Historic channel sampling across a 3000 metre long gold-in-soil anomaly shown in Figure 2 at Kanana returned a number of significant results including:

-- 17m @ 2.51g/t Au -- 6m @ 2.55g/t Au -- 12m @ 3.03g/t Au -- 6m @ 4.37g/t Au -- 2m @ 12.95g/t Au

To view Figure 1. Matala Gold Project licences in red and location and Banro Corporation's gold deposits, please click the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20160810-1065497_fig1.jpg

Panex has contracted International Drilling Services SARL from Goma, DRC, to drill 5 diamond drill holes for 1,500 metre ("m") aimed at testing the mineralised fold axis over 1,100m of strike. The drill collars are positioned approximately 400m apart over the highest grade portion of the gold-in-soil and channel sampling anomaly shown in Figure 2. Holes will be drilled at -50 degrees towards the southwest across the fold axis of the northwest trending Kanana anticline.

Drilling is expected to intercept multiple zones of high-grade gold mineralised quartz veins, several metres wide, surrounded by broader, low to moderate grade disseminated sulphide quartz stock work zones tens of metres wide, across the fold axis.

Project Background

Historic exploration across the Matala Project undertaken by Afrimines in 2010, identified numerous geochemical anomalies (5 gold, 1 tin) which formed the basis of follow-up regional exploration undertaken by Regal Resources Ltd (ASX: RER) between 2011 and 2014 (in a joint venture with Afrimines).

Regal's exploration focused on the two highest priority targets, Ngoy and Matala, with 51 holes drilled at Ngoy for 8,768m of diamond core and a JORC 2012 compliant Inferred Mineral Resource of 2 million tonnes ("Mt") at 3.3g/t gold ("Au") for 213,000oz Au estimated by CSA Global, Perth, Western Australia.

To view Figure 2. Gold-in-Soil anomalies and channel sample results and location of fold axis at Kanana, please click the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20160810-1065497_fig2l.jpg

Exploration at the Matala Project consisted of soil, rock chip, geological mapping and channel sampling. Kanana was advanced to the drilling stage following the delineation of a 3km long gold-in-soil anomaly (greater than 100ppb Au) and in-situ, high-grade channel sample results, coinciding with the fold axis of a positively identified anticline. The anticline is interpreted to outcrop in the southeast and to gently plunge towards the northwest. Regal withdrew from the joint venture in 2015 to focus on a copper project in the Katanga Province in DRC. The highly prospective Kanana Prospect has not yet been drill tested.

Two styles on mineralisation have been identified at Kanana from channel sampling and geological mapping, both being associated with intense silica alteration. These are:

-- brecciated, ferruginous quartz veining less than 10cm up to 5m wide containing less than 1% pyrite. The veins are generally aligned to layering and foliation in outcrop (quartz vein-hosted gold mineralisation). -- strongly silicified, foliated, schists containing 1 to 5% pyrite commonly containing bedding parallel quartz veins 1mm to 5mm thick (disseminated and stock work vein-hosted gold mineralisation).

The potential of known gold mineral occurrences within the remainder of the Matala Gold Project, including the mineral resource at Ngoy, will be further evaluated should results from the initial drilling at Kanana confirm the potential for discovery of significant gold mineralisation.

Terms of Agreement

Panex may earn an initial 51% interest in the Tenements by incurring:

a. expenditure totaling US$500,000 on the Tenements (Phase 1 Expenditure) during the period of 6 months after the Commencement Date (Phase 1 Period); and b. expenditure totaling a further US$500,000 on the Tenements (Phase 2 Expenditure) during the period of 12 months after the Phase 1 Period (Phase 2 Period).

Panex may earn a further 19% interest to take its then aggregate interest to 70% by incurring a further US$3,000,000 in expenditure on the Tenements (Phase 3 Expenditure) during the period ending on the date that is 2 years after Panex has earned the Initial Interest (Phase 3 Period).

Panex can earn a further 10% interest (Phase 4 Interest) to take its then aggregate direct interest to 80% by incurring a further US$10,000,000 in expenditure on the Tenements (Phase 4 Expenditure) during the period ending on the date that is 3 years after Panex has earned the Phase 3 Interest (Phase 4 Period).

Upon completion of a Definitive Feasiblity Study ("DFS"), Panex shall also have the option to acquire up to a further 10% interest to take its then aggregate interest to 90% by payment to Afrimines of an amount determined through an independent valuation of the assets.

Panex is to fund all exploration to completion of a DFS.

Historic expenditure of US$12 million by Afrimines will be treated as a loan which will be recoverable from the proceeds of production within the first three years of commencement of production.

At any time after the Phase 1 Period, Panex may terminate the agreement, and Panex shall have no further obligation to make any expenditure in respect of the Tenements.

A vendor consideration of 125m shares in Panex and US$20,000 cash payment is due on closing of the transaction.

ON BEHALF OF PANEX

Mark Gasson

Chief Executive Officer

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains statements that plan for or anticipate the future, called "forward-looking statements." In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "expects," "plans," "intends," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of those terms and other comparable terminology.

These forward-looking statements appear in a number of places in this press release and include, but are not limited to, statements about: our market opportunity; revenue generation; our strategies; competition; expected activities and expenditures as we pursue our business plan; the adequacy of our available cash resources; our ability to acquire properties on commercially viable terms; challenges to our title to our properties; operating or technical difficulties in connection with our exploration and development activities; currency fluctuations; fluctuating market prices for precious and base metals; the speculative nature of precious and base metals exploration and development activities; environmental risks and hazards; governmental regulations; and conduct of operations in politically and economically less developed areas of the world.

Many of these contingencies and uncertainties can affect our actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, us. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Specific reference is made to our most recent annual report on Form 10KSB and other filings made by us with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission for more detailed discussions of the contingencies and uncertainties enumerated above and the factors underlying the forward-looking statements. These reports and filings may be inspected and copied at the Public Reference Room maintained by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can obtain information about operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at http://www.sec.gov.

We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable laws.

This press release is for informational purposes only and is not and should not be construed as an offer to solicit, buy, or sell any security.

Contacts:

Panex Resources Inc

Mark Gasson

(+33) 640 61 2921

mark@gasson.co.za

www.panexresources.com



Panex Resources Inc

504A Casabianca, Bd du Larvotto,

Monaco, 98000




LAKEVILLE, MN--(Marketwired - August 10, 2016) - College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving -- which has been featured on "Blue Collar Millionaire," "Shark Tank," and other primetime shows -- has expanded its presence in Lakeville, Minnesota and the Metro St. Paul area. The company provides local moving, junk removal, donation pickups and more.

Many people get fed up with life climbing the corporate ladder, but few actually do something about it. One person who did just that is Jeremy Knopse, who recently opened a College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving franchise in the Metro St. Paul, Minnesota area.

After a few years as a small business owner and several more years with a very large corporation, James was ready to find a new challenge and take back control over his own life. The trick, however, was finding an opportunity that meshed with his career experience.

Building leaders has also helped franchisees build their businesses. College Hunks average franchisee sales increased 51% in 2015 compared to 2014, thanks to strong word-of-mouth from happy customers.

The desire to mentor leaders and aggressively grow a new market is why College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving awarded Knopse the rights to the franchise in Lakeville.

"We are very aggressive when it comes to growth, but we want to do it the right way," College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving President Nick Friedman said. "That means, first and foremost, finding the right franchise partner. We only want to work with people who are enthusiastic about teamwork, and who believe in our mantra of 'move the world' -- which means making a positive impact in the lives of customers and employees. Knopse shares our core values, and clients are going to be blown away by the level of service they receive."

College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving of Lakeville is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. You can reach them at (612) 260-1699, or http://locations.collegehunkshaulingjunk.com/mn/minneapolis.html.

To learn about owning a College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving franchise, visit www.collegehunksfranchise.com.

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/8/9/11G109854/Images/Jer_by_truck2-ffd45f09f611a4c8a6eb2effb7f59665.jpg

Embedded Video Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpYFQ2JQnY4

Embedded Video Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZLNFSMSELM

College Hunks Hauling Junk

866-766-0540



Danielle Wright Kimble

Danielle.wright@chhj.com



Frank Morrison

frank.morrison@chhj.com
The global spinal cord stimulation (SCS) devices marketis expected grow at a CAGR of close to 5% during the forecast period, according to Technavio's latest report.

In this report, Technavio covers the market outlook and growth prospects of the globalSCS devicesmarketfor 2016-2020. The market is further categorized into two end-user segments, including ASC and hospitals, of which the hospitals segment dominated the market with 78% of the overall market share in 2015.

"Rechargeable implantable pulse generator devices are likely to capture around 90% of the global spinal cord stimulation devices market by 2020 due to their long-lasting efficiency," says Srinivas Sashidhar, a lead orthopedics and medical devices research analyst from Technavio.

Technavio's research study segments the global SCS devices market into the following regions:

Americas

APAC

EMEA

Americas: largest market for SCS devices

The SCS devices market in the Americas is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of over 5%. The US was the largest revenue contributor to this region because of the increased use of SCS devices for various indications. Advances in technology and the availability of reimbursement by Medicare boost the market growth in the country. SCS device manufacturers in the country develop innovative products to expand their portfolio and increase market share. Most manufacturers have their headquarters in the US, making it a major contributor to the SCS devices market in the Americas.

"Canada, Argentina, Mexico, and Brazil are the other major contributors of the American SCS devices market. The preference of SCS devices by the surgeons in minimally invasive surgery technique for chronic back pain management has been increasing since last few years. Canada has the highest adoption rate of these devices but only next to the US. Brazil has specialty training centers where surgeons and other hospital/ASC staff are educated about MIS techniques involving SCS devices. The financial stability of both Brazil and Mexico in recent years has shown a promising expenditure on chronic pain management that includes SCS devices," says Srinivas.

Ask sample report: http://goo.gl/lrA5b1

Growing public awareness and demand for SCS devices aiding EMEA's growth

Primary care settings in EMEA had patients reporting persistent pain prevalence of 10%-20%. The market is expected to grow rapidly during the forecast period. As per recent data, the public spending on healthcare amounted to 15% of the overall government expenditure. The expenditure on care for neurostimulation is directly reimbursed to hospitals within the NHS. Side effects like constipation, dizziness, drowsiness, and nausea are commonly observed in case of conventional drug therapy. These abnormalities can be eliminated by using neurostimulation devices.

The shift of trend toward the usage of SCS devices has been increasing in EMEA. The focus of governments on chronic pain management has shown a positive direction toward better ways of pain management. Growing public awareness, demand for SCS devices, and the coverage of these devices propel market growth in Europe. The prevalence of chronic pain is increasing due to post-operative issues, changes in lifestyle, and improper usage of pain killers, leading to side effects.

There is a lot of scope for SCS devices to penetrate the market due to the increase in demand for treatment using these devices, partial or complete NHS coverage for treatment in case of European countries, and coverage by governments in case of MEA countries. In future, manufacturers might set up production plants in MEA countries like in case of European countries to reduce the import tax that reduces the cost of the devices. This enables the market exploration by meeting the demand and supply needs.

Paradigm shift among surgeons to use SCS devices will create market opportunities in APAC

The market is expected to grow at a low rate compared with the Americas and EMEA during the forecast period. Recent observed trends like the improvement in healthcare infrastructure, high prevalence of lifestyle diseases leading to increased surgeries and chronic disorders, and the paradigm shift among surgeons to use SCS devices have created market opportunities in this region. Promotion of SCS devices by hospitals and healthcare professionals is also leading to increased public awareness. However, in China, India, and Japan, trends like the preference for traditional treatment options including physiotherapy, yoga, and Ayurveda medication hamper market growth. Other major concerns include shortage of professionals with expertise on SCS devices and the high cost of devices. Australia and New Zealand are the major markets in APAC for manufacturers to explore the market.

The top vendors in the global SCS devices market highlighted in the report are:

Boston Scientific

Medtronic

Nevro

St. Jude Medical

Browse Related Reports:

Global Deep Brain Stimulation Market 2016-2020

Global Spine Biologics Market 2016-2020

Global Neurostimulation Devices Market 2015-2019

Do you need a report on a market in a specific geographical cluster or country but can't find what you're looking for? Don't worry, Technavio also takes client requests. Please contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and our analysts will be happy to create a customized report just for you.

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.

Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005011/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 630 333 9501

UK: +44 208 123 1770

www.technavio.com


10/08/16



Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful.



Shell International Finance B.V.



Post-stabilisation Period Announcement



Further to the pre-stabilisation period announcement dated 10/08/16 BNP Paribas (contact: Rupert Lewis telephone: 020 7595 8222) hereby gives notice that no stabilisation (within the meaning of Article 3.2(d) of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU 2016/1052) or the rules of the Financial Conduct Authority) was undertaken by the Stabilisation Manager(s) named below in relation to the offer of the following securities.



+---------------------------+-------------------------------------------------+ | Issuer: | Shell International Finance B.V. | +---------------------------+-------------------------------------------------+ | Guarantor (if any): | Royal Dutch Shell plc | +---------------------------+-------------------------------------------------+ | Aggregate nominal amount: | EUR 1.25bn | | | | | | EUR 1bn | +---------------------------+-------------------------------------------------+ | Description: | Senior unsecured, Reg S Bearer, New Global Note | | | | | | 15 Feb 25 (8.5 yr) | | | | | | 15 Aug 28 (12 yr) | +---------------------------+-------------------------------------------------+ | Stabilisation Manager(s): | BNPP | | | | | | BARCLAYS / Deutsche Bank | +---------------------------+-------------------------------------------------+ | Offer price: | 99.842 | | | | | | 99.623 | +---------------------------+-------------------------------------------------+



This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction.



This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale into the United States. The securities referred to above have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration. There has not been and will not be a public offer of the securities in the United States.



This announcement is distributed by GlobeNewswire on behalf of GlobeNewswire clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.



Source: BNP Paribas Primary New Issues via GlobeNewswire [HUG#2034455]



R34



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
HOUSTON, TX and SILICON SLOPES, UT -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Today, iOFFICE, the fastest growing provider of Integrated Workplace Management Solutions [IWMS], announced that EventBoard, the top developer of cloud-based meeting tools and analytics helping companies reclaim meeting productivity, has joined the iOFFICE Marketplace. Together, through the Marketplace, both companies offer real estate and corporate executives greater visibility to into room utilization, visitor flow and security throughout the facility. The two companies will be hosting joint workshops at IFMA's World Workplace on October 5 & 6, 2016, Booth #1041 and at CoreNet Global Summit on October 17 & 18, 2016 in iOFFICE booth #221. Press and attendees are invited to sign up here to attend a workshop.

With EventBoard joining the Marketplace iOFFICE is able to extend its guest management platform to include room kiosks, room reservations, and an enhanced security offering. EventBoard brings a graceful user experience that includes self-registration, touchscreen access to conference spaces, self-printing badges and seamless mobile and desktop environments to reserve space. These features translate into fewer bottlenecks in the lobby, reduced reception staff and greater access to utilization and security data in conjunction with the iOFFICE platform.

"With cutting edge SaaS partners joining the Marketplace, we're seeing an increased desire among facilities executives to consolidate their data in one central dashboard through iOFFICE to make powerful decisions that shape their workplace and their workforce, every day," said iOFFICE Co-Founder Elizabeth Dukes. "EventBoard is the ideal tech partner for us -- they enhance the iOFFICE and the customer experience with every interaction."

EventBoard CEO and Founder Shaun Ritchie said, "Joining the iOFFICE Marketplace will not only open a world of SaaS-based workplace management options to our clients, but will give them access to the most powerful and comprehensive tools to help FM's better support their digital workplaces."

About iOFFICE

iOFFICE is the leading workforce-centric IWMS software and the only 100% SaaS platform designed for workplace leaders. iOFFICE equips C-suite executives, strategic planners and facilities managers with the real-time data and communications tools they need to plan effectively for the future of their workforce and workspace. The iOFFICE Marketplace unifies the workplace around one real-time, data source, reporting engine and dashboard that allows critical apps to communicate to create the most productive workplaces on earth. Founded in 2000, iOFFICE supports more than 2.1M users in 1,400 fast moving companies including Adobe, Big Fish Games, BMC, Hess, HomeAway, Sodexo, SPX, Under Armour, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Zillow, and more. Visit http://www.iOFFICECORP.com and connect with iOFFICE on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn @iOFFICE.

Media Contact

Kayla Lloyd

Emerging Media

212-922-5885

kayla@emergingmediapr.com




LAS VEGAS (AP)  A federal trial has begun in Las Vegas for a suspended Clark County School District police officer accused of depriving the rights of a student and a staff member in a physical attack at an alternative high school campus and of trying to cover it up.

James Lescinsky's trial began Monday before U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey in Las Vegas, and it was expected to take several days.

The 45-year-old officer decided not to have the case heard by a jury. He could face decades in prison if he's convicted of deprivation of rights under color of law and document falsification in a May 2015 lunchroom fight at a North Las Vegas high school for students assessed with behavior problems.

Lescinsky's attorney, Jack Campbell, said prosecutors misunderstand what happened after Lescinsky raced to the lunchroom, believing he had to break up a fight.

Campbell told the judge that three supervisors found Lescinsky's actions were reasonable under department policy, according to a Las Vegas Review-Journal report.

U.S. Justice Department prosecutor Adam Harris told the judge that Lescinsky broke the law and knew his actions were inconsistent with his training.

A grand jury indicted Lescinsky after prosecutors presented evidence that he hit the 15-year-old female student and a female maintenance worker with his police-issued baton and falsified incident reports.

Lescinsky allegedly lied when he said the student was combative and that the student and staff member were wrestling. He also is accused of trying to get a witness to back up his account.

The maintenance worker, Tarika Rushing, 33, testified that her finger was broken when Lescinsky struck her left hand with the baton without warning, after she had helped pull the student away from a fight with another girl, the Review-Journal reported.

In earlier court filings, Campbell attacked the credibility of the school district police internal affairs investigator who helped the FBI bring federal charges against Lescinsky. The Review-Journal reported that prosecutors do not plan to call the investigator or the FBI agent who worked with him as trial witnesses.

Lescinsky joined the school district police force in August 2012. He has been reassigned to non-police duties pending the outcome of the case.
Technavio's latest report on the test and measurement (T&M) market in Malaysiaprovides an analysis on the most important trends expected to impact the market outlook from 2016-2020. Technavio defines an emerging trend as a factor that has the potential to significantly impact the market and contribute to its growth or decline.

Anju Ajaykumar, a lead analyst from Technavio, specializing in research on test and measurement sector, says, "Malaysia's positive investment climate, especially in the manufacturing sector, is expected to have a favorable impact on the market. The ease of doing business in the country is attracting large foreign investments in the manufacturing sector, led by countries such as Japan, China, Germany, and Singapore. In 2014, foreign investments accounted for approximately 60% of the total approved investment

Malaysia is rapidly gaining popularity as a regional machinery and equipment (M&E) manufacturing and distribution hub in Asia due to the continuous inflow of both foreign direct investment (FDI) and domestic investment in various sectors. Semiconductor, electrical and electronics (E&E), automotive, oil and gas, aerospace, medical, and food processing are the major sectors in the country. Exports of M&E have exceeded USD 8.97 billion in 2015 and are expected to grow at an average annual growth rate of 6.7% to reach USD 16.1 billion by 2020. Export destinations include Singapore, the US, and China. Imports have also increased from USD 10.6 billion in 2000 to USD 18.2 billion in 2013, indicating a dynamic and rapidly growing manufacturing sector in Malaysia.

The top three emerging trends driving the T&M market in Malaysiaaccording to Technavio heavy industry research analysts are:

Malaysia as a data outsourcing destination

Emergence of 5G network

Interoperability era for T&M equipment

Malaysia as a data outsourcing destination

T&M equipment are extensively used in data centers to ensure adequate capacity, performance, and reliability of data centers and their networking infrastructure. T&M equipment such as electrical energy loggers, infrared imaging systems, cable testing for both copper and fiber installations, return loss testers or more sophisticated optical time-domain reflectometers are extensively used in data centers. The high standards that data centers adhere to also require testing and measurement, thus calling for T&M equipment. Therefore, the T&M vendors in Malaysia are increasingly focusing on the data center market in the country and offering specialized T&M equipment due to the expanding potential of the market.

Several countries such as South Korea and Singapore are aspiring to capture the market by providing a conducive business environment and infrastructure. Malaysia is also a major player in the race to acquire a major market share in this high-potential market. The country's effort to establish itself as the preferred destination for regional investors is fueling its endeavor to become a regional hub for data center and cloud services. It is expected that data center space in the country will increase from 0.5 million sq. ft. in 2015 to 5 million sq. ft. by 2020, driven by broad trends of expansion, efficiency, and consolidation.

"One of the major initiatives is the EPP 3 under the NKEA of business services, which aims to make Malaysia the favored destination for data center investors and increase the internationally certified data center space in the country. This will be achieved by addressing the demand and supply of data center services, as well as raising awareness of the local data center industry," according to Anju.

Emergence of 5G network

The need to support demand for broadband services over mobile networks as well as the emergence of IoT has triggered the development of 5G networks. These networks enable the use of unused frequency bands, such as the V band, to transport large amounts of data. The emergence of 5G network will drive the demand for wireless test equipment market.

The 5G networks have multi-point connectivity with distributed MIMO. These can deliver several MIMO streams while a single device is connected to multiple sites at the same time, thereby achieving a downlink throughput of as much as 100%. Network operators are collaborating with testing companies for 5G technology testing and development.

Interoperability era for T&M equipment

The extensive range of electronic and electrical products in use today has led to the need for higher interoperability of T&M equipment among end-users, which will eliminate the need for a particular manufacturer's products for a lifetime.

"The need for interoperability applies to heterogeneous sets of products such as smoke alarms, video monitors, home gateways, and home networking or automation products, as well as homogeneous sets of products such as routers and switches," asserts Anju.

Browse Related Reports:

Global Test and Measurement Market 2016-2020

Test and Measurement Market in Australia 2016-2020

Test and Measurement Equipment Market in APAC 2015-2019

Do you need a report on a market in a specific geographical cluster or country but can't find what you're looking for? Don't worry, Technavio also takes client requests. Please contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and our analysts will be happy to create a customized report just for you.

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.

Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005017/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 630 333 9501

UK: +44 208 123 1770

www.technavio.com
WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - August 10, 2016) - Judicial Watch today released the responses by former Clinton Chief of Staff Cheryl Mills to Judicial Watch interrogatories, revealing that shortly after "Guccifer" hacked the email account of long-time Clinton advisor Sidney Blumenthal, Mills and former State Department IT official Brian Pagliano discussed the danger of Guccifer's actions compromising Clinton's unsecure non-state.gov email system:

"I recall having conversations with Bryan Pagliano, which I believe were by telephone...in or around March 2013, when the email account of Sidney Blumenthal was compromised by a hacker known as Guccifer. As I recall, these discussions involved whether this event might affect Secretary Clinton's email ..."

Judicial Watch deposed Mills on May 27, 2016. During her testimony, Ms. Mills declined to answer multiple questions purportedly based upon privilege assertions on behalf of Hillary Clinton. Rather than face a motion to compel answers in federal court, Ms. Mills answered the questions, posed again as interrogatories, in writing under oath.

Mills also revealed in her responses to the interrogatories that she had discussions with Pagliano concerning a group called Platte River Networks, then being considered as the private company to take over servicing the Clinton email system:

"In and or around Summer or Fall 2014, when we were seeking to gather Secretary Clinton's emails to provide those that were work-related to the Department of State. As I recall, these discussions involved whether Platte River Networks would have the technical capacity and be the appropriate source from which to gather Secretary Clinton's email from the clintonemail.com system."

Mills also denied ever "discussing [with Pagliano] in any of the above conversations the initial set up of the clintonemail.com system, including who set up the system, when it was set up, where the system was located, the reason for which it had been established, or anything related to Huma Abedin's email account."

In response to interrogatories about any conversations she had with Justin Cooper -- a former aide to President Clinton who has been linked to registration documents for the non-state-gov email server at the center of Mrs. Clinton's State Department emails controversy -- Mills said:

"To the best of my recollection, I had telephone conversations with Justin Cooper about the initial set up of Secretary Clinton's email in early 2015. I recall that Justin advised me that President Clinton's office originally hosted its office staff email on an Apple server, and that in 2009, their email was migrated to a newer server that was acquired from excess equipment available from Secretary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign. I recall that Justin advised me that Secretary Clinton's clintonemail.com account was later added to this existing server when she transitioned from the email address she had used while she was in the Senate. I believe that Justin advised me that Bryan Pagliano had assisted with the installation of this newer server... I believe Justin identified Bryan Pagliano as having knowledge about the initial set up of the clintonemail.com system."

Another interrogatory asked Ms. Mills about conversations she had with Oscar Flores, the property manager at the Clinton's residence in Chappaqua, New York, where Clinton housed her non-state.gov email system. Mills responded she had one conversation with Flores in early 2015:

"Oscar advised me that Justin Cooper, who had previously served as President Clinton's aide and advisor, might have more information about the email system than Oscar had."

The Mills interrogatories result from a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit before U.S. District Court Judge Emmet G. Sullivan that seeks records about the controversial employment status of Huma Abedin, former Deputy Chief of Staff to Clinton. The lawsuit was reopened because of revelations about the clintonemail.com system. (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of State (No. 1:13-cv-01363)).

The court granted discovery on the clintonemail.com system and Judicial Watch deposed seven former Clinton top aides and current State Department officials, including top Clinton aides Cheryl Mills and Huma Abedin. Judicial Watch also deposed IT official Brian Pagliano, who asserted his Fifth Amendment right not to testify during the Judicial Watch deposition. In granting Judicial Watch discovery, the court ruled that Judicial Watch may seek permission for Clinton's testimony, if necessary. Judicial Watch is currently seeking permission for the deposition of Clinton.

"Cheryl Mills' conversation with Brian Pagliano expressing concern that the impact of Guccifer's hack of Sidney Blumenthal's email account confirms that there was high anxiety among Clinton's inner circle about the vulnerabilities of Clinton's non-state.gov email system," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "It is notable that Hillary Clinton and her lawyers, rather than face a motion to compel in federal court, backed away from their obstructionist privilege claims to finally provide more answers from Cheryl Mills about Clinton's email scheme under oath."
TORONTO, ON -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- SmartStop Asset Management, LLC, a diversified real estate company with nearly $1 billion in assets under management, has hired Stefan Kulas, a sales and research executive formerly with Cushman & Wakefield, as managing director for the greater Toronto area (GTA). Kulas will assist in growing SmartStop's self storage portfolio in Toronto, which currently includes approximately 9,600 units and nearly 1 million rentable square feet. He will also be responsible for business development, new self storage acquisitions, redevelopment projects and third-party property management located in the Toronto market.

"Stefan brings excellent research and analytical skills to SmartStop, and we're looking forward to working with him as we grow the company's presence in the Toronto area," said H. Michael Schwartz, chairman/CEO of SmartStop Asset Management, LLC.

At Cushman & Wakefield, Kulas started out as a research analyst and then became a sales representative for the company. Before that, Kulas was a private banking associate for high net worth clients at the Royal Bank of Canada.

"As a commercial real estate broker, I started to focus on self-storage opportunities because I saw the accelerating growth of the industry here in Canada," Kulas said. "I am extremely excited about the incredible opportunity to lead Smartstop's expansion efforts here in the GTA."

Kulas has a bachelor of commerce degree from McMaster University, is a licensed real estate agent in Ontario and holds a Canadian Securities Course certificate.

About SmartStop Asset Management, LLC

SmartStop Asset Management, LLC is a diversified real estate company with a managed portfolio that currently includes approximately 57,100 self storage units and approximately 6.2 million rentable square feet. The company is the asset manager for 86 self storage facilities located throughout the United States and Toronto, Canada. SmartStop Asset Management is the sponsor of both SSGT and Strategic Storage Trust II, Inc. (SSTII), a public non-traded REIT focusing on stabilized self storage properties. The facilities offer affordable and accessible storage units for residential and commercial customers. In addition, they offer secure interior and exterior storage units as well as outside storage areas for vehicles, RVs and boats. In 2015, key executives at Smartstop Asset Management negotiated the sale of SmartStop Self Storage Inc. (Smartstop), then a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed self storage company, owning and/or operating 170 self storage properties in 21 states and Toronto, Canada, to Extra Space Storage Inc., the second-largest storage operator in the United States, in a merger transaction with SmartStop having an enterprise value of $1.4 billion.

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements can generally be identified by our use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "continue," or other similar words. Because such statements include risks, uncertainties and contingencies, actual results may differ materially from the expectations, intentions, beliefs, plans or predictions of the future expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and contingencies include, but are not limited to: uncertainties relating to changes in general economic and real estate conditions; uncertainties relating to the implementation of our real estate investment strategy; uncertainties relating to financing availability and capital proceeds; uncertainties relating to the closing of property acquisitions; uncertainties relating to the public offering of our common stock; uncertainties related to the timing and availability of distributions; and other risk factors as outlined in the Company's prospectus, as amended from time to time. This is neither an offer nor a solicitation to purchase securities.

Media Contacts:

Anton Communications

Vanessa Showalter

949-748-0542

vshowalter@antonpr.com



Genevieve Anton

714-544-6503

ganton@antonpr.com




Technavio analysts forecast the global grid scale energy storage marketto grow at a striking CAGR of close to 35% during the forecast period, according to their latest report.

The research study covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global grid scale energy storagemarketfor 2016-2020. The market size has been calculated by considering revenue generated from sales of grid-scale energy storage systems.

"Growing at a remarkable CAGR of close to 37%, the APAC region will display the fastest growth in the global grid scale energy storage market in the next four years. Voltage fluctuations, power outages, and growing environmental concerns in the region have warranted the use of energy storage systems. Japan and China are the key countries in this region," says Sayani Roy, an industry expert at Technavio for research on energy storage

In Japan, after the Fukushima disaster, the country is looking forward to shift toward renewable energy sources. To overcome the dependence on nuclear power and to reduce emission, Japan is focusing on energy storage technologies. It has over 25 GW of PHS capacity installed. The government aims to reduce the cost of grid-scale battery to nearly USD 230/kWh, which could be equivalent to PHS. As of 2014, Japan has 170 MW of grid-scale battery storage. The sodium-sulfur battery is dominant. In addition, the government is supporting 40,000 kW of redox battery demonstration project, which is commissioned by Hokkaido Electric Power.

Technavio energy analysts highlight the following three factors that are contributing to the growth of the global grid scale energy storage market:

Government support

Increase in R&D activities

Extensive use of energy storage technologies in utility sector

Government support

Government plays an important role in determining the rate of energy storage and energy usage. Countries such as Japan, the US, India, and South Korea support the use of renewable sources of energy and therefore are providing diverse incentives and financing options. With growth in the use of renewable sources, the need for energy storage is on the rise. The government regulatory requirements such as frequency regulation, capacity payment mechanisms that reward the best backup technologies, and achieving mandatory targets are also contributing to market growth. For instance, the US in 2014 had imposed a mandate under the California law, which gave a massive boost to energy storage usage. This law requires the state's investor-owned utilities to purchase about 1.3 GW of storage capacity by the year 2020. Such mandates may help to accelerate the development of storage technologies.

"Moreover, several governments provide support to manufacturers of energy storage systems owing to lesser operational costs, emission reduction, and generation of high power. For instance, in 2014, the European Commission invested USD 291 million to support the first hybrid flywheel energy storage plant in Ireland. Such increased government support will boost the prospects of the global grid-scale energy storage market," says Sayani.

Increase in R&D activities

Intensive R&D is taking place in the energy storage industry. In 2014, the Australian Energy Storage Council in collaboration with Ecoult and Californian Energy Storage Alliance conducted research on the emergence of storage technologies. In addition, governments in many countries are collaborating with various flywheel system manufacturers and universities to conduct intensive research to enhance the applications of flywheels.

In the US, the DOE energy storage program performs R&D on various energy storage technologies such as batteries, flywheels, and SMES (superconducting, magnetic energy storage). This program also works with industry partners to share the cost invested in energy storage projects.

Extensive use of energy storage technologies in utility sector

Energy storage systems play a crucial role in storing power generated from renewable sources. This is so because the power generated from wind and solar energy are intermittent. Based on the speed of the wind, the energy produced can vary and it is necessary to store the excess energy, else it could overload the grid or be wasted. Energy storage systems such as flywheel technology respond instantaneously to the control signals and can be a hundred times quicker than traditional energy generation sources. For instance, Beacon Power has designed flywheels to provide 20 MW of energy and its response time is less than four seconds. One of the key challenges is managing the grid reliability. The energy storage systems are increasingly used in utility sector for the following applications:

Regulation up

Regulation down

Spinning reserve

Voltage support

Browse Related Reports:

Global Energy Storage in Microgrids Market 2015-2019

Global Remote Microgrid Market Industry Analysis 2015-2019

Global Off-grid Energy Storage Market 2015-2019

Do you need a report on a market in a specific geographical cluster or country but can't find what you're looking for? Don't worry, Technavio also takes client requests. Please contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and our analysts will be happy to create a customized report just for you.

About Technavio

Technaviois a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.

Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005055/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 630 333 9501

UK: +44 208 123 1770

www.technavio.com
KENORA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) is a unique research facility and is the only place in the world where scientists can conduct research on real lakes and ecosystems for the most accurate and comprehensive results.

Research conducted at IISD-ELA supports Canada's long-term understanding of our freshwater ecosystems and leads to better decision-making on the use and protection of our freshwater resources for the benefit of all Canadians and future generations.

That is why, as committed in Budget 2016, Member of Parliament, the Honourable Bob Nault (Kenora), on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, today confirmed the Government of Canada's investment in freshwater research at IISD-ELA, situated in Northwestern Ontario.

Joined by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister, MP Nault announced that Fisheries and Oceans Canada will be providing $1.7 million over the next two years to the facility's operator-IISD-ELA. This investment builds on the provinces' support to ensure the continuation of the facility's almost 50 years of ongoing research on how contaminants, climate change and other factors are affecting our freshwater ecosystems that we all depend on.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada and the International Institute for Sustainable Development share a common commitment to understanding and protecting our freshwater fisheries and the ecosystems that support them. We are pleased to provide federal funding to IISD Experimental Lakes Area and to support its legacy of informing important policy decisions in Canada and around the world."

The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

"The unique environmental research being done at the Experimental Lakes Area is a crucial source of insights into some of the most important issues of our time. It is why, when the previous federal government cut its support for the ELA two years ago, the Ontario government stepped forward to keep the ELA going and support this essential research. Today I am delighted that the federal government is renewing its partnership in the ELA and once again investing in this vital scientific work."

Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario

"Manitoba is proud to provide IISD its largest, stable grant. The IISD Experimental Lakes Area has the potential to achieve breakthroughs in the science around sustainable solutions to many of our province's water issues. Our lakes and waterways are more than a source of drinking water, they are a significant component of our province's economic, recreational and tourism potential. Working in partnership with organizations like IISD, we will ensure that future generations are able to rely upon and enjoy our waterways."

The Honourable Brian Pallister, Manitoba Premier

"IISD Experimental Lakes Area, situated in beautiful Northwestern Ontario, is internationally known for its unique, whole-ecosystem research and its influence on policy decisions, such as the removal of phosphorous from household cleaners. This government recognizes the value of this important research facility and is committed to protecting our environment. It's also very encouraging to see Premiers and Ministers from Ontario and Manitoba attend this important event, which demonstrates their commitment to science and the ELA."

The Honourable Bob Nault, Member of Parliament (Kenora)

"We welcome this funding from the Government of Canada. With other partners, notably the Government of Ontario, IISD Experimental Lakes Area will continue to protect fresh water for future generations. Since the International Institute for Sustainable Development assumed operation of the Experimental Lakes Area two years ago, we have expanded its research and reach, from tracking the effects of pollutants in our lakes to assessing the impacts of climate change. For the first time, we have opened the facility to local communities and students, and are proud to have established a dialogue and partnership with local First Nations."

Scott Vaughan, President and CEO, International Institute for Sustainable Development

"This support along with our existing partnerships with the governments of Ontario and Manitoba is vital to maintaining IISD Experimental Lakes Area's unique repository of nearly 50 years of ecological experimentation and research. We are grateful to the federal government for recognizing the value of expanding our research capacity to provide evidence-based insight into the effects of pollutants, climate change and other threats to our lakes of rivers. "

Matthew McCandless, Executive Director, IISD Experimental Lakes Area

Quick Facts

-- This funding comes from the $197.1 million investment in ocean and freshwater sciences, which was announced in May 2016. -- The federal funding to IISD-ELA will cover the salaries of researchers and technicians and contribute to the facility's maintenance, data management, and equipment costs. -- The research will cover the long-term study of freshwater ecosystems; fisheries productivity; and, aquatic invasive species and other stressors influencing freshwater fisheries. -- For almost 50 years, IISD-ELA has pioneered research into threats to our freshwater supplies such as phosphorus, nanosilver, acid rain, climate change and more, influencing water-management policies in Canada and around the world. -- The Government of Ontario provides up to $2 million each year to IISD- ELA, and the the Province of Manitoba has committed more than $6 million over six years to support and advance IISD's operating costs, including the advancement of freshwater science and policy research.

Associated Links

IISD Experimental Lakes Area (https://www.iisd.org/ela/)

New Science Investments at Fisheries and Oceans Canada (http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?mthd=tp&crtr.page=1&nid=1063539)

Internet: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Follow us on Twitter! www.Twitter.com/DFO_MPO

Contacts:

Media Relations

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

613-990-7537

Media.xncr@dfo-mpo.gc.ca



Julian Morelli

Press Secretary for The Honourable Bob Nault

613-996-1161 (office)

613-222-6123 (mobile)

Bob.Nault.A1@parl.gc.ca



Patricia Bell

Press Secretary

Office of the Minister

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

613-992-3474

Patricia.Bell@dfo-mpo.gc.ca



Sumeep Bath

Media and Communications Officer

International Institute for Sustainable Development

sbath@iisd.ca




The global medical transcription IT spending marketis expected to grow at a CAGR of over 6% during the forecast period, according to Technavio's latest report.

In this report, Technavio covers the market outlook and growth prospects of the global medical transcription IT spending market for 2016-2020. To calculate the overall market size, the report considers revenue generated through the transactions of medical transcription software, hardware and IT services.

The need for a digital healthcare ecosystem is emerging as one of the primary drivers for market growth. Hospitals and super specialty clinics are using healthcare informatics technologies such as EHR and RIS that are integrated with medical transcription IT solutions. Such strategies help to minimize medical documentation timelines and help invest greater effort in diagnostic procedures.

According to Amit Sharma, a lead analyst at Technavio for research on IT professional services, "Connected and integrated healthcare technology generates an enormous amount of information that can be processed by efficient IT solutions. The integration of medical transcription with healthcare informatics software solutions such as EHR requires additional IT investments. This IT trend will attract numerous start-up vendors and medical outsourcing solutions providers in the medical transcription market in the coming years."

Technavio's research study segments the global medical transcription IT spending market into the following regions:

Americas

EMEA

APAC

Americas: largest medical transcription IT spending market

In 2015, the Americas had a market share of 52%, thus dominating the global medical transcription IT spending market in terms of the overall IT investments.

In the Americas, healthcare settings have been mandated to implement ICD-10 in their workflow, which has more diagnosis codes compared to ICD-9. This will require physicians and medical transcriptionists to include detailed patient information, such as the clinical condition, the cause, treatment methods, and frequency of clinical visits. Therefore, this need for organized patient records propels market growth in the Americas.

Hospitals and clinics in the Americas, especially in the US and Canada, work toward efficient and accurate medical transcription. The US is a major market for medical transcription services because of a sharper focus on improving healthcare IT infrastructure and establishing consistent healthcare data models. Advances in technology, such as speech recognition platforms and medical health applications, help minimize errors and optimize working processes. Vendors in the country focus on developing innovative platforms to boost the privacy and safety of medical data.

Ask for a sample of this report: http://goo.gl/DHsmgz

Shift toward connected healthcare in Europe labels it the highest revenue contributor in EMEA

"Europe is the major revenue contributor in this region. Countries in Europe are gradually moving toward connected healthcare, increasing the need for upgrading or implementing new technologies in medical transcription to improve the efficiency of data management. European healthcare services providers use speech recognition technologies, such as Dragon Dictation, to harvest accurate speech patterns," says Amit.

However, cost reduction initiatives implemented in healthcare settings have restricted market growth in EMEA. Budget constraints in hospitals and clinics have restrained the market for new platforms of medical transcription. For instance, in France, the government encourages hospitals to implement HER or EMR services. The government achieves this by allocating budgets to hospitals depending on their use of medical services.

Progress in healthcare infrastructure and availability of low-cost skilled personnel propelling APAC's growth

Improvement in healthcare infrastructure and the availability of low-cost skilled personnel propels market growth in the region. These factors have made many countries in this region such as India and the Philippines popular destinations for medical transcription outsourcing. Developed countries, such as South Korea, Japan, and Australia, are also improving their healthcare systems, with a sharp focus on e-health and the use of new technologies in medical transcription to reduce physicians' time and to minimize human errors.

The need for organized management of data and medical records of diagnosis and treatment should also drive market growth. Developed nations such as the UK, the US, and Germany are outsourcing medical transcription services to attain cost efficiency. India and the Philippines are the prominent destinations for outsourcing of medical transcription services. In 2014, MModal launched a medical transcription center in Hyderabad, India, to boost its presence in the local market.

The top vendors in the global medical transcription IT spending market highlighted in the report are:

Acusis

iMedX

MModal

Nuance Communications

Precyse

Browse Related Reports:

Global Medical Document Management System Market 2015-2019

Global Electronic Health Records Market 2016-2020

Global Medical Transcription Market 2015-2019

Do you need a report on a market in a specific geographical cluster or country but can't find what you're looking for? Don't worry, Technavio also takes client requests. Please contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and our analysts will be happy to create a customized report just for you.

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.

Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005057/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 630 333 9501

UK: +44 208 123 1770

www.technavio.com
LOS ANGELES, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Spark Networks, Inc. (NYSE MKT: LOV)

Quarterly Highlights

Spark Networks enters into transformative agreement with PEAK6 Investments, L.P. (PEAK6)





Company achieves positive Net Income of $329 thousand, a 4% margin(1)





Adjusted EBITDA increases to $1.4 million, a 16% margin





Total Contribution grew to $7.6 million





Christian Networks achieves +80% Contribution Margin





JSwipe current paid subscribers now represent 3% of total Jewish Networks subscribers with ARPU in-line with total Jewish Networks





Spark Networks, Inc. (NYSE MKT: LOV), today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2016.

Board Member John H. Lewis commented, "Spark Networks has industry-leading brands in the Jewish and Christian communities. The Board continues to see significant potential in expanding these brands to serve much larger audiences. PEAK6 is bringing a comprehensive and transformative package to Spark Networks that includes access to significant operational resources and a new leadership team with an outstanding track record of success with both large, established brands like Microsoft, Orbitz, and FTD.com, and smaller entrepreneurial success stories like OptionsHouse. The transaction also brings additional strength to Spark's balance sheet."

The highlights of the PEAK6 agreement:

PEAK6 purchased 5.0 million shares at $1.55 per share, resulting in $7.8 million of cash proceeds

PEAK6 now owns approximately 16% of Spark's outstanding shares

Pro Forma for the agreement, Spark's Q2 2016 net cash position increases from $3.1 million to $10.9 million

Spark issues PEAK6 warrants to purchase 7.5 million shares with an exercise price of $1.74 per share. These warrants vest as to 50% of the shares when the share price reaches $2.50 per share and the remaining 50% of the shares vest when the share price reaches $3.50 per share

PEAK6 executive Danny Rosenthal to become Chief Executive Officer and will join the Board of Directors

PEAK6 Chief Architect David Budworth to become Chief Technology Officer

PEAK6 Chief Marketing Officer Lisa McLafferty to become Chief Revenue Officer

PEAK6 President Brad Goldberg to join the Board of Directors





Spark Networks Chairman Michael McConnell stated, "The board greatly appreciates Michael Egan's efforts over the last 18 months to stabilize the core subscriber base at a profitable level while substantially enhancing the brands in communities that Spark serves. PEAK6 is bringing significant talent, resources and capital to Spark as we continue to work to drive shareholder value. I want to specifically recognize fellow Board member John Lewis for his origination and leadership in driving this transaction."

Incoming Spark CEO Danny Rosenthal added, "I'm excited to step into this leadership role. Spark has tremendous brands, and with a deeper focus on the customer experience and our technology platform, we see a tremendous opportunity for the business to grow."

Summary Quarterly Metrics

Q2 2016 Q1 2016 Q2 2015 --------------- --------------- --------------- Revenue $9.1 Million $9.9 Million $12.3 Million Contribution(2) $7.6 Million $4.8 Million $6.9 Million Net Income (Loss)(1) $329 Thousand $(3.4) Million $(95) Thousand Adjusted EBITDA(3) $1.4 Million $(2.3) Million $621 Thousand Cash Balance $3.1 Million $4.1 Million $14.6 Million Period Ending Subs(4) 183,678 198,238 196,819 Avg. Paying Subs(4) 189,938 199,451 203,895 ARPU $15.70 $16.12 $19.43

Second Quarter 2016 Financial Results

Revenue: For the second quarter of 2016, total revenue was $9.1 million, a decrease of 26% compared to the year ago period, and an 8% decrease from the prior quarter. The year over year decrease was primarily driven by a decrease in average paying subscribers as well as a decrease in our Q2 2016 ARPU. The sequential decrease was driven primarily by a decrease in average paying subscribers. The decrease in average paying subscribers was the result of seasonality and our decision to reduce our paid marketing efforts.

Contribution: For the second quarter of 2016, contribution was $7.6 million, an increase of 10% compared to the year ago period, and a 58% increase from the prior quarter. Our contribution margin increased to 84% from 49% in the previous quarter and 57% in the year ago period. The sequential increase in contribution was driven by the significant reduction in television spend on Christian Mingle in the second quarter of 2016.

Net Income: For the second quarter of 2016, Net Income was $329,000, an increase of $424,000 versus the year ago period and a $3.7 million increase from the prior quarter. During Q2 2016, the Company released a prior-period tax reserve after agreeing to settlement terms in a state tax matter, resulting in $719,000 of non-cash tax benefit in the period.

Adjusted EBITDA: For the second quarter of 2016, Adjusted EBITDA was $1.4 million, an increase of $821,000 versus the year ago period and a $3.7 million increase from the prior quarter. Excluding the operating impact of Smooch Labs, Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter was $1.7 million. Current period Adjusted EBITDA does not include $367,000 of severance expense related to the workforce reduction initiative during the period.

Liquidity: For the second quarter of 2016, the Company ended with $3.1 million in cash and cash equivalents, compared to $4.1 million at the end of the prior quarter. As of June 30, 2016, the Company had no outstanding debt.

SPARK NETWORKS, INC. SEGMENT(5) RESULTS FROM OPERATIONS (in thousands except subscriber and ARPU information) Q2 '16 Q2 '16 v. Q2 v. Q1 Q2 2016 Q1 2016 Q4 2015 Q3 2015 Q2 2015 '15 '16 -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- ------ ------ Revenue Jewish Networks $ 3,628 $ 3,994 $ 4,299 $ 4,613 $ 4,846 -25.1% -9.2% Christian Networks 5,044 5,405 5,940 6,581 6,921 -27.1% -6.7% Other Networks 413 438 446 466 470 -12.1% -5.8% Offline & Other Businesses 13 21 20 22 25 -49.2% -38.3% -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- ------ ------ Total Revenue $ 9,098 $ 9,859 $ 10,705 $ 11,682 $ 12,262 -25.8% -7.7% Direct Mktg. Exp. Jewish Networks $ 372 $ 497 $ 648 $ 619 $ 745 -50.0% -25.1% Christian Networks 1,001 4,420 3,111 3,664 4,450 -77.5% -77.4% Other Networks 105 120 129 141 133 -21.1% -12.7% -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- ------ ------ Total Direct Mktg. Exp. $ 1,478 $ 5,038 $ 3,888 $ 4,424 $ 5,328 -72.3% -70.7% Contribution Jewish Networks $ 3,256 $ 3,497 $ 3,652 $ 3,994 $ 4,101 -20.6% -6.9% Christian Networks 4,043 985 2,829 2,917 2,471 63.6% 310.4% Other Networks 308 318 316 325 337 -8.5% -3.1% Offline & Other Businesses 13 20 20 22 25 -49.2% -37.9% -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- ------ ------ Total Contribution $ 7,620 $ 4,821 $ 6,817 $ 7,258 $ 6,934 9.9% 58.1% Period Ending Subs Jewish Networks 59,868 63,982 65,004 64,144 62,991 -5.0% -6.4% Christian Networks 112,895 122,935 123,800 122,068 121,561 -7.1% -8.2% Other Networks 10,915 11,321 11,219 11,620 12,267 -11.0% -3.6% -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- ------ ------ Total Period Ending Subs. 183,678 198,238 200,023 197,832 196,819 -6.7% -7.3% Average Paying Subs. Jewish Networks 61,732 63,930 64,627 63,538 65,087 -5.2% -3.4% Christian Networks 117,024 124,180 123,888 121,597 126,214 -7.3% -5.8% Other Networks 11,182 11,341 11,266 11,974 12,594 -11.2% -1.4% -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- ------ ------ Total Avg. Paying Subs. 189,938 199,451 199,781 197,109 203,895 -6.8% -4.8% ARPU Jewish Networks $ 19.33 $ 20.46 $ 21.82 $ 23.80 $ 24.46 -21.0% -5.6% Christian Networks 14.09 14.17 15.25 17.19 17.57 -19.8% -0.6% Other Networks 12.15 12.52 12.72 12.58 12.08 0.6% -2.9% -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- ------ ------ Total ARPU(6) $ 15.70 $ 16.12 $ 17.26 $ 19.04 $ 19.43 -19.2% -2.6% Distribution of New Subscription Purchases(7) Q2 2016 Q1 2016 Q4 2015 Q3 2015 Q2 2015 --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- Jewish Networks 1 month plans 28.2% 26.4% 32.8% 35.6% 45.4% 3 month plans 19.2% 17.0% 19.8% 19.9% 21.8% 6 month plans 52.6% 56.6% 47.3% 44.5% 32.8% --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% Christian Networks 1 month plans 39.2% 32.9% 38.5% 39.6% 54.4% 3 month plans 25.7% 20.5% 21.6% 18.4% 19.4% 6 month plans 35.1% 46.7% 39.9% 42.0% 26.2% --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% Other Networks 1 month plans 52.2% 55.8% 59.9% 62.0% 58.3% 3 month plans 10.8% 11.6% 10.6% 11.4% 11.9% 6 month plans 37.1% 32.6% 29.6% 26.6% 29.8% --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Composition of Average Paying Subscriber Base(8) Q2 2016 Q1 2016 Q4 2015 Q3 2015 Q2 2015 --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- Jewish Networks First Time Subscribers 24.6% 24.7% 23.1% 21.7% 21.5% Winback Subscribers 34.0% 32.5% 32.0% 30.5% 29.1% Renewal Subscribers 41.4% 42.8% 44.9% 47.8% 49.4% --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% Christian Networks First Time Subscribers 42.0% 43.1% 41.3% 39.1% 38.3% Winback Subscribers 26.0% 24.6% 23.7% 23.3% 22.6% Renewal Subscribers 32.0% 32.3% 35.0% 37.6% 39.1% --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% Other Networks First Time Subscribers 33.0% 31.9% 30.0% 31.2% 33.2% Winback Subscribers 22.4% 21.7% 21.0% 22.0% 21.9% Renewal Subscribers 44.6% 46.4% 49.1% 46.8% 44.9% --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Investor Conference Call

The Company will discuss its financial results during a live teleconference today at 1:30 p.m. Pacific time.

Toll-Free (United States): 1-877-705-6003

International: 1-201-493-6725

In addition, the Company will host a webcast of the call which will be accessible in the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at www.spark.net or by clicking http://investor.spark.net.

A replay will begin approximately three hours after completion of the call and run until August 24, 2016.

Replay

Toll-Free (United States): 1-877-870-5176

International: 1-858-384-5517

Passcode: 13639962

Safe Harbor Statement:

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements regarding the company's ability to expand its existing brands and management's expectations following its transaction with PEAK6, including expectations with respect to the company's new leadership team. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be considered to be forward-looking statements. Written words, such as "may," "will," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "intends," "goal," "objective," "seek," "attempt," or variations of these or similar words, identify forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements and forecasts involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the near future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially, including, but not limited to, our ability to: successfully implement our strategy to stabilize our subscriber base and grow; avoid significant subscriber declines; attract and retain members; convert members into paying subscribers and retain our paying subscribers; retain and enhance the new marketing team; develop or acquire new product offerings and successfully implement and expand those offerings; keep pace with rapid technological changes, including making the technology stack more nimble; drive use of newly-updated mobile applications; maintain the strength of our existing brands and maintain and enhance those brands; continue to depend upon the telecommunications infrastructure and our networking hardware and software infrastructure; estimate on-going general and administrative costs, and obtain financing on acceptable terms. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ are discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" and in other sections of the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), and in the Company's other current and periodic reports filed or furnished from time to time with the SEC. All forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

About Spark Networks, Inc.:

The Spark Networks portfolio of consumer Web sites includes, among others, JDate.com (www.jdate.com), ChristianMingle.com (www.christianmingle.com), JSwipe (www.jswipeapp.com), CROSSPATHS (www.crosspathsapp.com), Spark.com (www.spark.com), BlackSingles.com (www.blacksingles.com), and SilverSingles.com (www.silversingles.com).

(1) Q2 2016 Net Income includes $719,000 of non-cash tax benefit in the period resulting from the release of a prior-period tax reserve relating to the settlement of a state tax matter.

(2) "Contribution" is defined as revenue, net of credits and credit card chargebacks, less direct marketing.

(3) The Company reports Adjusted EBITDA as a supplemental measure to generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). This non-GAAP measure is one of the primary metrics by which we evaluate the performance of our businesses, budget, forecast and compensate management. We believe this measure provides management and investors with a consistent view, period to period, of the core earnings generated from on-going operations and excludes the impact of: (i) non-cash items such as stock-based compensation, asset impairments, non-cash currency translation adjustments related to an inter-company loan and (ii) one-time items that have not occurred in the past two years and are not expected to recur in the next two years. Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as a substitute for net income (loss) (as determined in accordance with GAAP) for the purpose of analyzing our operating performance or financial position, as Adjusted EBITDA is not defined by GAAP. A reconciliation of the Adjusted EBITDA for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 can be found in the table below.

"Adjusted EBITDA" is defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation, impairment of long-lived assets, non-cash currency translation adjustments for an inter-company loan and non-recurring significant executive and non-executive severance, and acquisition costs.

(4) "Paying Subscribers" are defined as individuals who have paid a monthly fee for access to communication and website features beyond those provided to our members. Period ending subscribers for each quarter represent the paying subscriber count as of the last day of the period. Average paying subscribers for each month are calculated as the sum of the paying subscribers at the beginning and end of the month, divided by two. Average paying subscribers for periods longer than one month are calculated as the sum of the average paying subscribers for each month, divided by the number of months in such period. The calculation excludes results from the Company's HurryDate business due to its relative size.

(5) In accordance with Segment Reporting guidance, the Company's financial reporting includes detailed data on four separate operating segments. The Jewish Networks segment consists of JDate, JDate.co.il, JDate.fr, JDate.co.uk, Cupid.co.il, and JSwipe. The Christian Networks segment consists of ChristianMingle, CrossPaths, ChristianMingle.co.uk, ChristianMingle.com.au, Believe.com, ChristianCards.net, ChristianDating.com, DailyBibleVerse.com and Faith.com. The Other Networks segment consists of Spark.com and related other general market websites as well as other properties which are primarily composed of sites targeted towards various religious, ethnic, geographic and special interest groups. The Offline & Other Businesses segment consists of revenue generated from offline activities and HurryDate events and subscriptions.

(6) ARPU is defined as average revenue per user per month. Total ARPU excludes results from the Company's HurryDate business due to its relative size.

(7) One month plans may also include a small amount of two month plans. Three month plans may include a small amount of four month plans. Six month plans may include a small amount of twelve month plans.

(8) Represents the composition of average paying subscribers in the period. First Time Subscribers are defined as those subscribers that have never purchased a subscription from the Company for that reporting segment. Winback Subscribers are defined as those individuals who have purchased a subscription from the Company for that reporting segment, allowed their subscription to lapse, and subsequently purchased a subscription from the Company for that reporting segment. Renewal Subscribers are defined as those subscribers that have auto-renewed a subscription from the Company for that reporting segment. Figures exclude results from JSwipe and CrossPaths.

SPARK NETWORKS, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (in thousands, except share data) June 30, December 31, 2016 2015 ------------ ------------ Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 3,130 $ 6,565 Restricted cash 616 747 Accounts receivable (net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $101 and $99 at June 30, 2016, and December 31, 2015, respectively) 371 790 Prepaid expenses and other 540 1,341 ------------ ------------ Total current assets 4,657 9,443 Property and equipment, net 5,640 5,584 Goodwill 14,538 14,450 Intangible assets, net 3,296 3,451 Deposits and other assets 153 148 ------------ ------------ Total assets $ 28,284 $ 33,076 ============ ============ Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable 1,185 1,749 Accrued liabilities 2,835 3,854 Deferred revenue 5,208 5,834 ------------ ------------ Total current liabilities 9,228 11,437 Deferred tax liability - non-current 2,137 2,136 Other liabilities 391 537 ------------ ------------ Total liabilities 11,756 14,110 ------------ ------------ Commitments and Contingencies Stockholders' equity: 10,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock authorized, $0.001 par value, 450,000 of which are designated as Series C Junior Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock, with no shares of Preferred Stock issued or outstanding - - 100,000,000 shares of Common Stock authorized, $0.001 par value, with 25,944,509 and 25,845,879 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding at June 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015: 29 27 Additional paid-in-capital 77,854 77,188 Accumulated other comprehensive income 714 739 Accumulated deficit (62,069) (58,988) ------------ ------------ Total stockholders' equity 16,528 18,966 ------------ ------------ Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 28,284 $ 33,076 ============ ============ SPARK NETWORKS, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited, in thousands, except per share data) Three Months Ended Six Months Ended June 30, June 30, -------------------- -------------------- 2016 2015 2016 2015 --------- --------- --------- --------- Revenue $ 9,098 $ 12,262 $ 18,957 $ 25,748 Cost and expenses: Cost of revenue (exclusive of depreciation shown separately below) 2,653 6,368 8,882 13,465 Sales and marketing 1,380 996 2,832 1,751 Customer service 840 721 1,833 1,470 Technical operations 305 214 602 426 Development 1,180 1,008 2,210 1,925 General and administrative 2,004 2,533 4,515 4,771 Depreciation 746 532 1,458 1,045 Amortization of intangible assets 78 10 156 20 Impairment of long-lived assets 52 37 91 106 --------- --------- --------- --------- Total cost and expenses 9,238 12,419 22,579 24,979 --------- --------- --------- --------- Operating income (loss) (140) (157) (3,622) 769 Interest (income) expense and other, net 114 (230) (27) (112) --------- --------- --------- --------- Income (loss) before provision for income taxes (254) 73 (3,595) 881 Income tax (benefit) provision (583) 168 (516) 253 --------- --------- --------- --------- Net income (loss) 329 (95) (3,079) 628 Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax: Foreign currency translation adjustment (4) (7) (25) (5) --------- --------- --------- --------- Comprehensive income (loss) $ 325 $ (102) $ (3,104) $ 623 ========= ========= ========= ========= Net earnings (loss) per share - basic and diluted $ 0.01 $ (0.00) $ (0.12) $ 0.03 ========= ========= ========= ========= Weighted average shares outstanding - basic 25,908 25,100 25,885 24,878 Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted 25,975 25,100 25,885 25,100 Three Months Ended Six Months Ended June 30, June 30, -------------------- -------------------- 2016 2015 2016 2015 --------- --------- --------- --------- Stock-based compensation Sales and marketing $ 67 $ 10 $ 95 $ 8 Customer service 4 - 4 - Technical operations 24 - 44 - Development 7 3 12 3 General and administrative 242 242 511 326 Reconciliation of Net Income (Loss) to Adjusted EBITDA: Three Months Ended Six Months Ended June 30, June 30, -------------------- -------------------- (in thousands) 2016 2015 2016 2015 --------- --------- --------- --------- Net income (loss) $ 329 $ (95) $ (3,079) $ 628 Interest expense 19 8 33 20 (Benefit) provision for income taxes (583) 112 (516) 197 Depreciation 746 532 1,458 1,045 Impairment of long lived assets 52 37 91 106 Amortization of intangible assets 78 10 156 20 Non-cash currency translation adjustments 90 (238) (64) (136) Stock-based compensation 344 255 666 337 Non-recurring acquisition costs and severance 367 - 431 161 --------- --------- --------- --------- Adjusted EBITDA $ 1,442 $ 621 $ (824) $ 2,378 ========= ========= ========= =========
Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG (NYSE: AWH) announced today that Allied World Asia-Pacific has appointed Ramesh Sivanathan as Vice President, fulfilling the role of country manager in Malaysia. He will be based in Kuala Lumpur.

Michael Garrison, Senior Vice President, Head of Insurance, Asia-Pacific, said: "Malaysia is a market with tremendous potential, and Ramesh's arrival will allow us to put into action our growth plans for the country. We will be building out a strong presence on the ground, and will actively look to diversify our offering."

Mr. Sivanathan has nearly three decades of experience in the industry, starting his career in loss adjusting, before moving into broking and underwriting in Financial Lines. He previously held the role of Director of Business Development for Federal Insurance's Labuan branch, and his most recent position was Asia RI Manager for Financial Lines at AIG Singapore.

About Allied World

Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG, through its subsidiaries and brand known as Allied World, is a global provider of innovative property, casualty and specialty insurance and reinsurance solutions. Allied World offers superior client service through a global network of offices and branches. All of Allied World's rated insurance and reinsurance subsidiaries are rated A by A.M. Best Company, A by Standard & Poor's, and A2 by Moody's, and our Lloyd's Syndicate 2232 is rated A+ by Standard Poor's and AA- by Fitch.

Please visit the following for further information on Allied World: Web: www.awac.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/alliedworld | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allied-world

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Any forward-looking statements made in this press release reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements. For example, our forward-looking statements could be affected by pricing and policy term trends; increased competition; the adequacy of our loss reserves; negative rating agency actions; greater frequency or severity of unpredictable catastrophic events; the impact of acts of terrorism and acts of war; the company or its subsidiaries becoming subject to significant income taxes in the United States or elsewhere; changes in regulations or tax laws; changes in the availability, cost or quality of reinsurance or retrocessional coverage; adverse general economic conditions; and judicial, legislative, political and other governmental developments, as well as management's response to these factors, and other factors identified in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We are under no obligation (and expressly disclaim any such obligation) to update or revise any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810006142/en/

Contacts:

Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG

Media:

Faye Cook, +1-441-278-5406

Senior Vice President, Marketing Communications

Faye.Cook@awac.com

or

Investors:

Sarah Doran, +1-646-794-0590

Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Treasurer

Sarah.Doran@awac.com

Website: www.awac.com
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Just Energy Group, Inc. (TSX: JE)(NYSE: JE), an energy management solutions provider specializing in electricity, natural gas, solar and green energy, today announced results for its first quarter fiscal 2017.

Key Highlights:

-- Gross Margin increased 8% year over year to $162.7 million as a result of continued margin improvement efforts and an increase from the foreign exchange related to the weaker Canadian dollar. -- Base EBITDA of $41.1 million increased 6% year over year primarily as a result of operational improvements. Base EBITDA includes $8.9 million of prepaid commission expense for the quarter compared with $1.2 million expensed in the same period of last year. Excluding this incremental expense, Base EBITDA increased by 25% to $48.8 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2017. -- Base Funds from Operations ("Base FFO") decreased 14% to $25.7 million from the $29.8 million reported in the prior comparable period. This was due to a $3.1 million decrease from the adjustment to reflect net cash receipts from gas sales and a $2.5 million increase in maintenance capital expenditures related to IT projects. The payout ratio on Base Funds from Operations was 73% for the quarter. -- Cash and cash equivalents were $87.4 million at June 30, 2016, a decrease from $127.6 million at March 31, 2016, due to the early repayment of $25 million of senior unsecured notes in June 2016 and normal working capital needs for the first quarter. -- Total debt of $637.2 million as of June 30, 2016 decreased 4% from $660.5 million as of March 31, 2016. Book value net debt to trailing 12- month EBITDA was 2.6x, consistent with the net debt to EBITDA reported at March 31, 2016 and lower than the 3.0x reported one year ago. -- Gross customer additions for the first quarter were 205,000, a decrease from the 302,000 customers added in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Net additions were a negative 134,000 for the quarter, compared with negative 77,000 net customer additions in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. -- Management reaffirms its full year fiscal 2017 Base EBITDA guidance of $223 million to $233 million, reflecting continued double-digit percentage growth year over year. Fiscal 2017 guidance includes deductions to Base EBITDA of approximately $40.0 million for prepaid commercial commissions, which represents a $22.0 million increase over fiscal 2016 and reflects a go forward run rate for this incremental deduction in future years. Financial highlights For the three months ended June 30 (thousands of dollars, except where indicated and per share amounts) % increase Fiscal 2017 (decrease) Fiscal 2016 -------------------------------------------- Sales $ 898,409 (4)% $ 933,015 Gross margin 162,672 8% 150,907 Administrative expenses 44,701 19% 37,598 Selling and marketing expenses 57,790 (8)% 62,781 Finance costs 17,973 7% 16,856 Profit(1) 482,671 NMF(3) 129,671 Profit per share available to shareholders - basic 3.24 0.87 Profit per share available to shareholders - diluted 2.51 0.71 Dividends/distributions 18,793 1% 18,699 Base EBITDA(2) 41,141 6% 38,875 Base Funds from operations(2) 25,669 (14)% 29,818 Payout ratio on Base Funds from operations(2) 73% 63% Embedded gross margin(2) 1,936,500 4% 1,858,600 Total customers (RCEs) 4,386,000 (5)% 4,609,000 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Profit includes the impact of unrealized gains, which represents the mark to market of future commodity supply acquired to cover future customer demand. The supply has been sold to customers at fixed prices, minimizing any realizable impact of mark to market gains and losses. (2) See "Non-IFRS financial measures" in Management's Discussion and Analysis. (3) Not a meaningful figure.

"During the first quarter we continued to deliver strong operational performance while making significant progress along our strategic initiatives for the Company," commented Co-CEO Deb Merril. "Despite being our seasonally slowest quarter historically, and a very tough comparison to the strong first quarter of fiscal 2016, we are very pleased with the results for the first quarter. Sales were off slightly from the all-time Company record first quarter gross additions delivered last year, primarily due to the increased competition that tends to follow a lower commodity price environment, and our profitability continued to improve as a result of pricing discipline throughout the Consumer and Commercial customer base."

Co-CEO, James Lewis added, "Base EBITDA improved 6% as strong performance offset the increase in prepaid commission expenses during the period. When excluding this additional expense item, Base EBITDA increased by an impressive 25% to $48.8 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2017. Gross margin improved by 8% versus the same period of last year, driven by continued margin improvement efforts, disciplined pricing strategies and an increase from foreign exchange. While sales and net customer additions declined in the first quarter, as compared to a very strong first quarter of fiscal 2016, due to our refusal to engage in risky pricing tactics that would ultimately damage our improved profitability profile, we feel strongly that our margin per customer improvement initiative will continue to deliver in fiscal 2017 and beyond."

Co-CEO, Deb Merril concluded, "We're off to a strong start to fiscal 2017 and remain confident we can deliver on our previously provided Base EBITDA guidance for the full year while also achieving significant strategic milestones. We remain focused on restructuring our debt in a favorable manner in the coming months while also pursuing geographic expansion in Europe, where we expect to expand into at least two new nations in fiscal 2017. Beyond those initiatives, we feel the consistent, performance-based results that have now become the norm at Just Energy will be accentuated as we continue to successfully embrace the customer and build longer-term loyalty programs. We will accomplish this by offering a differentiated product suite that will drive our market position growth in a very profitable manner moving forward and ultimately securing our position as world-class energy management solutions provider globally."

First Quarter Operating Performance

http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1065519.pdf.

Just Energy delivered another quarter of strong operating and financial performance as the ongoing focus on increasing gross margin through a more selective sales and renewal process continues to drive profitability across the business and allowed the Company to overcome prepaid commission expense and perform in line with a very strong comparable first quarter of 2016.

-- Sales of $898.4 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2017 decreased 4% from sales of $933.0 million in the prior year, due to a 5% decrease in customer base over the past year. The Consumer and Commercial divisions' sales decreased by 4% and 3%, respectively. -- Gross Margin of $162.7 million increased 8% year over year as a result of continued margin improvement efforts and the weaker Canadian dollar. -- Just Energy increased margins on new customers while also removing lower margin customers from the books, as illustrated below. Higher new customer margins reflect strong margins on new products, including bundled offerings.

ANNUAL GROSS MARGIN PER RCE

Q1 Fiscal Number of Q1 Fiscal Number of 2017 customers 2016 customers ----------------------------------------------- Consumer customers added and renewed $ 207 216,000 $ 204 238,000 Consumer customers lost 195 133,000 187 167,000 Commercial customers added and renewed 80 260,000 80 390,000 Commercial customers lost 76 206,000 68 217,000 ----------------------------------------------- -- Administrative expenses increased by 19% from $37.6 million to $44.7 million as a result of the impact from the exchange rate on the U.S. dollar denominated administrative costs and costs to serve the growing customer base in the U.K. -- Selling and marketing expenses were $57.8 million, an 8% decrease from $62.8 million reported in the prior comparable quarter. This decrease is largely attributable to lower commission costs associated with lower gross customer additions and decreased residual commission expenses. -- Finance costs amounted to $18 million, an increase of 7% from $16.9 million last year. The increase in finance costs was a result of the impact of foreign currency on the U.S.-dollar based interest costs for the US$150m convertible bonds, as well as the one-time interest cost associated with the early redemption of $25 million of the senior unsecured notes outstanding. -- Base EBITDA was $41.1 million, a 6% increase from $38.9 million in the prior comparable quarter. The Company's reported Base EBITDA in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 includes $8.9 million of prepaid commission expense compared with $1.2 million expensed in the prior comparable quarter. -- Excluding this incremental expense, Base EBITDA increased by 25% to $48.8 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2017. Of this $9.9 million year over year improvement in Base EBITDA, $1.2 million was due to the foreign currency impact from translation of the U.S. and U.K. operations and $8.7 million was driven by operational performance improvements.

Customer Aggregation

Margin per RCE improvements during the quarter demonstrated continued success of Just Energy's margin improvement initiatives. The Company remains focused on maintaining its profitable customers and ensuring that variable rate customers meet base profitability profiles, even if this results in higher attrition. This improved profitability per RCE will add to the Company's future margins over and above any growth in the customer base.

April 1, Failed to 2016(1) Additions Attrition renew -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Consumer Energy Gas 661,000 27,000 (38,000) (8,000) Electricity 1,234,000 78,000 (66,000) (21,000) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Consumer RCEs 1,895,000 105,000 (104,000) (29,000) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Commercial Energy Gas 251,000 8,000 (5,000) (7,000) Electricity 2,374,000 92,000 (40,000) (154,000) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Commercial RCEs 2,625,000 100,000 (45,000) (161,000) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total RCEs 4,520,000 205,000 (149,000) (190,000) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- June 30 % increase June 30 % increase 2016 (decrease) 2015 (decrease) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Consumer Energy Gas 642,000 (3)% 699,000 (8)% Electricity 1,225,000 (1)% 1,233,000 (1)% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Consumer RCEs 1,867,000 (1)% 1,932,000 (3)% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Commercial Energy Gas 247,000 (2)% 241,000 2% Electricity 2,272,000 (4)% 2,436,000 (7)% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Commercial RCEs 2,519,000 (4)% 2,677,000 (6)% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total RCEs 4,386,000 (3)% 4,609,000 (5)% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) The balance as at April 1, 2016 has been adjusted for customers who have either grown above 15 RCEs (becoming a Commercial customer) or have fallen below 15 RCEs (becoming a Consumer customer) during the fiscal year 2016. At the beginning of each fiscal year, Just Energy will adjust the opening balances to reflect any changes in allocation of customers between the Consumer and Commercial divisions as a result of the increases or decreases in the annual consumption. -- Just Energy's total customer base is currently 4.4 million RCEs, a 5% decrease from one year ago. The Consumer base also includes 55,000 smart thermostats that are bundled with a commodity contract and tend to have lower attrition and higher overall profitability. Further expansion of smart-thermostats continues to be a key driver for Just Energy's growth. -- Gross customer additions for the quarter ended June 30, 2016 were 205,000, a decrease of 32% compared to 302,000 customers added in fiscal 2016. -- Consumer customer additions of 105,000 decreased 25% from the 140,000 added in the prior comparable quarter, primarily due to market conditions as commodity prices were lower and, therefore, more competitive across all markets. -- Commercial customer additions of 100,000 decreased 38% from the 162,000 gross customer additions in the prior comparable year, primarily due to competitiveness in pricing and a more disciplined pricing strategy. -- Just Energy's geographical footprint continues to diversify outside of North America. The U.K. operations increased their customer base by 38% to 321,000 RCEs on a year over year basis with strong growth for both their Consumer and Commercial customer bases. -- Net customer additions were a negative 134,000 for the first quarter of fiscal 2017, compared with negative 77,000 net customer additions in fiscal 2016, primarily as a result of the lower customer additions in North America and lower renewal rates for Commercial operations. -- The combined attrition rate for Just Energy was 15% for the trailing 12 months ended June 30, 2016, a decrease of two percentage points from one year prior as Just Energy focuses on becoming its customers' "trusted advisor" by providing a variety of product offerings to its customer base. -- Consumer attrition rates declined two percentage points to 26% compared to the prior year. -- Commercial attrition rates decreased two percentage points to 7% year over year. -- The renewal rate for the trailing 12 months ended June 30, 2016 was 62%, down three percentage points from 65% in fiscal 2016, but in-line with the renewal rate reported as of March 31, 2016. -- The Consumer renewal rate increased by one percentage point to 76%, while the Commercial renewal rate decreased by six percentage points to 54%. The decline reflected a very competitive market for Commercial renewals with competitors' pricing aggressively and Just Energy's focus on improving retained customers' profitability rather than pursuing low margin growth.

Balance Sheet & Liquidity

The Company continued to pursue aggressive debt reductions in the first quarter of 2017. As of June 30, 2016 Just Energy's book value net debt was 2.6x Base EBITDA, consistent with the net debt to EBITDA reported at March 31, 2016 and lower than the 3.0x reported for the prior comparable period.

-- Cash and cash equivalents were $87.4 million at June 30, 2016, a decrease from $127.6 million at March 31, 2016, due to the early repayment of $25 million of senior unsecured notes in June 2016 and normal working capital needs for the first quarter. -- Total debt of $637.2 million as of June 30, 2016 decreased 4% from $660.5 million as of March 31, 2016. The early repayment of $25 million was partially offset by the higher valuation of the U.S.-based $150 million convertible bonds as a result of changes in the exchange rate to Canadian dollars. -- Base Funds from Operations of $25.7 million decreased 14% from the $29.8 million reported in the prior comparable period. Base FFO decreased despite the increase in Base EBITDA due to the adjustment required for net cash receipts from greater gas sales than in the prior period, resulting from the decrease in the customer base. Maintenance capital expenditures increased by 131% in the current period due to information technology projects related to process improvements. -- The payout ratio on Base Funds from Operations was 73% for the three months ended June 30, 2016, compared to 63% reported in the prior comparable quarter. -- Dividends and distributions for the quarter were $18.8 million, an increase of 1% from the prior comparable period based on a consistent annual dividend rate of $0.50 per share.

Outlook

Just Energy continues to deploy its strategy to become a world-class consumer enterprise delivering superior value to its customers through a range of energy management solutions and a multi-channel approach. Growth plans center on geographic expansion, structuring superior product value propositions, and enhancing the portfolio of energy management offerings. The Company's geographic expansion is centered on Europe where the Company expects to expand into two new European markets in fiscal 2017 and remains committed to evaluating further potential expansion in continental Europe and beyond over the longer-term. Superior value propositions such as the new flat-bill product has now been rolled out in six new markets; energy management solutions such as solar are actively marketed in California, New York and New Jersey, a new commercial energy storage pilot is being planned; and the newly launched Just Energy Perks customer loyalty program is generating great interest and traction.

Based on the strong first quarter performance, management believes that the Company will achieve its previously provided fiscal 2017 Base EBITDA guidance range of $223 million to $233 million, reflecting continued double-digit percentage growth year over year. Fiscal 2017 guidance includes deductions to Base EBITDA of approximately $40.0 million for prepaid commercial commissions, which would previously have been included as amortization within selling and marketing expenses. This represents a $22.0 million increase over fiscal 2016 and reflects a go forward run rate for this incremental deduction in future years. Just Energy expects to offset this headwind with continued strong gross margin performance.

Just Energy's solar program commenced in California and New York during fiscal 2016, with expansion to New Jersey in fiscal 2017. In fiscal 2017, Just Energy Solar, along with TerraPass, are expected to contribute $10 million towards the double-digit percentage Base EBITDA target.

During the quarter, the Company early redeemed $25 million of the senior unsecured notes outstanding. In addition to the ongoing debt reduction effort, the Company remains committed to refinancing its debt in a favorable manner. In-line with this commitment, management is actively evaluating the many options available to the Company to refinance the debt over the coming months in a shareholder-friendly manner.

Earnings Call

The Company will host a conference call and live webcast to review the first quarter results beginning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Thursday, August 11, 2016, followed by a question and answer period. Rebecca MacDonald, Executive Chair, President & Co-Chief Executive Officers James Lewis and Deb Merril, and Chief Financial Officer Pat McCullough will participate on the call.

Just Energy Conference Call and Webcast

-- Thursday, August 11, 2016 -- 10:00 a.m. EST

Those who wish to participate in the conference call may do so by dialing 1-888-465-5079 and entering pass code 9813813#. The call will also be webcasted live over the internet at the following link:

http://event.onlineseminarsolutions.com/r.htm?e=1233324&s=1&k=A64DB8BB822DD19759B74C38D6FABFA4

An audio tape rebroadcast will be available starting at 12:30 p.m. EST August 11, 2016 until September 10, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. EST. To access the rebroadcast please dial 1-888-843-7419 and enter the participant code 9813813#.

About Just Energy Group Inc.

Established in 1997, Just Energy (NYSE: JE)(TSX: JE) is an energy management solutions provider specializing in electricity, natural gas, solar and green energy. With offices located across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, Just Energy serves close to two million residential and commercial customers. The company offers a wide range of energy products and home energy management services including long-term fixed-price, variable-price, and flat-bill programs, smart thermostats, and residential solar panel installations. Just Energy Group Inc. is the parent company of Amigo Energy, Commerce Energy, Green Star Energy, Hudson Energy, JE Solar, Tara Energy and TerraPass. Visit justenergygroup.com to learn more.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Just Energy's press releases may contain forward-looking statements including statements pertaining to customer revenues and margins, customer additions and renewals, customer attrition, customer consumption levels, general and administrative expenses, dividends, distributable cash and treatment under governmental regulatory regimes. These statements are based on current expectations that involve a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from those anticipated. These risks include, but are not limited to levels of customer natural gas and electricity consumption, rates of customer additions and renewals, rates of customer attrition, fluctuations in natural gas and electricity prices, results of litigation, changes in regulatory regimes and decisions by regulatory authorities, competition and dependence on certain suppliers. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect Just Energy's operations, financial results or dividend levels are included in Just Energy's annual information form and other reports on file with Canadian securities regulatory authorities which can be accessed through the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com, on the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov or through Just Energy's website at www.justenergygroup.com.

Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor the New York Stock Exchange has approved nor disapproved of the information contained herein.

Contacts:

Pat McCullough

Chief Financial Officer

Just Energy

713-933-0895

pmccullough@justenergy.com



Michael Cummings

Investor Relations

Alpha IR Group

617-461-1101

michael.cummings@alpha-ir.com




ELKO  CEO of Canyon Construction Co. Mike Lattin offered the City of Elko half a million dollars Tuesday to settle the attorney fees in the almost decade-long lawsuit involving work on the airport apron.

This council and Canyon Construction owe the public for their patience and perseverance enduring this fiasco for the past nine years, including the over $4 million spent by the City in fees and attorney costs in pursuit of Canyon, said Lattin.

The offer of judgement was effective Tuesday evening and can be considered for the next 10 days, said Lattin. This offer would be a total and unconditional settlement of outstanding claims and conclude ongoing litigation.

Ive been authorized to settle this matter of attorney fees and costs in the amount of a half-million dollars, said Lattin.

The CEO has been approached to sell the construction company and the potential buyers do not want the outstanding liability associated with this lawsuit, he said, explaining his position.

The council and Canyon recognize that whatever happens from this point on the last nine years has been an unnecessary waste of time and money and should never have occurred. Sadly the actions of this and prior councils have cost the taxpayers around $4 million, said Lattin, explaining the money could have helped build the new police station, part of the upcoming recreational facility, or even street improvements.

This is more than the total project cost that was being litigated, $3.3 million, and certainly substantially more than the cost of the concrete apron that was in question, which was $1,650,000. This is money we all agree could have been better spent, he said.

The City was in a lawsuit with both Canyon and Knight Piesold & Co. The City sued Canyon in 2007, claiming that the concrete the company poured for the airports apron in 2001 was falling apart and created a danger for the aircraft.

It is beyond time for this council to begin doing what is in the publics and taxpayers interest, getting this matter settled and behind us, Lattin said, before Mayor Chris Johnson thanked him for his statement.

Next Step for the City

City Manager Curtis Calder said the council cannot take action on the offer at this time. However, the board can meet privately with legal counsel to fully understand it.

The city council, as it has done with the two recent offers of judgment, can either accept or reject the current offer at the next meeting, he said.

At this time, Calder is planning on placing the item on the agenda. The 10 day deadline encompasses business days and will fall on the Aug. 23 council date.

Calder said what makes this offer different is that it was presented to the City by Lattin. The others came through attorneys.
CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Zargon Oil & Gas Ltd. ("Zargon" or the "Company") (TSX: ZAR)(TSX: ZAR.DB)

FINANCIAL AND OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS (THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2016)

-- Funds flow from operating activities of $3.5 million were higher than the $0.3 million loss recorded in the prior quarter due to a combination of higher oil prices, lower operating expenses and decreased general and administrative expenses. -- With the continuation of restricted conventional capital investment programs, second quarter 2016 production averaged 3,413 barrels of oil and liquids per day, a three percent decrease from the preceding quarter rate of 3,503 barrels of oil and liquids per day and an eight percent decline from the second quarter 2015 production rate of 3,720 barrels of oil and liquids per day. Zargon's Little Bow Alkaline Surfactant Polymer ("ASP") tertiary project continues to show good oil banking with second quarter 2016 average rates of 530 barrels of oil and liquids per day, up from first quarter 2016 and second quarter 2015 rates of 479 and 288 barrels of oil and liquids per day, respectively. -- Due to the shut-in of selected uneconomic properties, second quarter 2016 natural gas production averaged 3.58 million cubic feet per day, an 11 percent decrease from the preceding quarter and a 33 percent decline from the 2015 second quarter natural gas rate. Total production averaged 4,010 barrels of oil equivalent per day, a four percent decrease from the preceding quarter. During the quarter, oil and liquids production represented 85 percent of total production based on a 6:1 equivalent basis. -- Second quarter 2016 operating and transportation costs totaled $6.43 million ($17.63 per barrel of oil equivalent), down 26 percent from the 2015 second quarter cost of $8.67 million ($20.68 per barrel of oil equivalent) and down 10 percent from the 2016 first quarter cost of $7.12 million ($18.75 per barrel of oil equivalent). The 2016 cost savings reflect Zargon's continued cost containment focus and in particular incorporate lower electricity costs, lower field contractor costs and reduced Little Bow ASP facility and field pumping costs due to the polymer only streamlined facility operations and improved well pumping designs. -- Second quarter 2016 general and administrative ("G&A") costs totaled $1.38 million ($3.77 per barrel of oil equivalent), down 28 percent from the 2015 second quarter cost of $1.91 million ($4.55 per barrel of oil equivalent) and down 19 percent from the 2016 first quarter cost of $1.70 million ($4.48 per barrel of oil equivalent). -- Second quarter 2016 capital expenditures were $1.26 million and included $0.90 million of expenditures related to the Little Bow ASP project ($0.16 million exploitation and $0.74 million chemical costs). No wells were drilled in the quarter. -- On June 21, 2016, Zargon amended and renewed its syndicated committed credit facilities of $70.0 million, a reduction from the previous facilities of $88.0 million. At June 30, 2016, Zargon's outstanding bank debt and net working capital totaled $64.8 million. Including $57.5 million of convertible unsecured subordinate debentures, Zargon had $122.3 million of net debt at June 30, 2016. -- On July 25, 2016, subsequent to quarter end, Zargon announced that it had entered into a purchase and sale agreement for the sale of all of its Southeast Saskatchewan assets for cash consideration of $89.5 million, subject to normal closing adjustments. The effective date of the transaction is July 1, 2016 and the transaction is expected to close in early September. The assets include 1,211 barrels of oil equivalent per day of low decline production - 95 percent oil and liquids (first half 2016 rates) and proven plus probable reserves of 5.14 million barrels of oil equivalent - 96 percent oil and liquids (McDaniel & Associates Consultants Ltd. - Dec. 31, 2015). Initially, the proceeds of the transaction will be used to eliminate Zargon's bank debt. Zargon's net debt (including debentures) will be approximately $35.0 million following the transaction.

Strategic Alternatives Process Update

Last year, Zargon announced the formation of a Special Board Committee (the "Committee") to examine alternatives that would maximize stakeholder value in a manner that would recognize the Company's fundamental inherent value related to Zargon's long-life, low-decline conventional oil assets and the significant long term oil potential related to the Little Bow ASP project. Scotia Waterous Inc. ("Scotia") is the financial adviser for the Committee.

The July 2016 announced sale of Zargon's Southeast Saskatchewan assets for $89.5 million is a significant step in this process. The strategic alternatives process is continuing and may include but is not limited to, a financing, merger or other business combination, sale of the Company or a portion of the Company's business or assets, or any combination thereof, as well as the continued execution of our business plan.

Three Months Ended June 30, ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percent 2016 2015 Change ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Financial Highlights Income and Investments ($ millions) Gross petroleum and natural gas sales 13.53 20.32 (33) Funds flow from operating activities 3.53 9.99 (65) Cash flows from operating activities 1.18 6.98 (83) Cash dividends - 2.73 (100) Net loss (5.27) (3.76) (40) Field capital and administrative asset expenditures 1.31 5.40 (76) Net property dispositions (0.05) (0.05) - Net capital expenditures 1.26 5.35 (76) Per Share, Basic Funds flow from operating activities ($/share) 0.12 0.33 (64) Net loss ($/share) (0.17) (0.12) (42) Cash Dividends ($/common share) - 0.09 (100) Balance Sheet at Period End ($ millions) Property and equipment (D&P) Exploration and evaluation assets (E&E) Total assets (Working capital)/ working capital deficiency Bank debt Convertible debentures at maturity Shareholders' equity Weighted Average Shares Outstanding for the Period (millions) - Basic 30.47 30.28 1 Total Common Shares Outstanding at Period End (millions) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Six Months Ended June 30, ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percent 2016 2015 Change ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Financial Highlights Income and Investments ($ millions) Gross petroleum and natural gas sales 23.15 36.73 (37) Funds flow from operating activities 3.25 17.23 (81) Cash flows from operating activities 3.25 13.65 (76) Cash dividends - 5.45 (100) Net loss (14.09) (8.64) (63) Field capital and administrative asset expenditures 3.74 10.80 (65) Net property dispositions (0.01) (0.05) 80 Net capital expenditures 3.73 10.75 (65) Per Share, Basic Funds flow from operating activities ($/share) 0.11 0.57 (81) Net loss ($/share) (0.46) (0.29) (59) Cash Dividends ($/common share) - 0.18 (100) Balance Sheet at Period End ($ millions) Property and equipment (D&P) 224.73 333.58 (33) Exploration and evaluation assets (E&E) 5.49 6.44 (15) Total assets 253.94 369.47 (31) (Working capital)/ working capital deficiency (0.32) 3.70 (109) Bank debt 65.08 50.80 28 Convertible debentures at maturity 57.50 57.50 - Shareholders' equity 38.18 149.19 (74) Weighted Average Shares Outstanding for the Period (millions) - Basic 30.46 30.26 1 Total Common Shares Outstanding at Period End (millions) 30.47 30.28 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Funds flow from operating activities is an additional GAAP term that represents net earnings/loss and asset retirement expenditures except for non-cash items. Working capital deficiency excludes derivative assets/liabilities. Cash dividends were suspended after the October 2015 dividend paid on November 16, 2015. Three Months Ended June 30, ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percent 2016 2015 Change ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operating Highlights Average Daily Production Oil and liquids (bbl/d) 3,413 3,720 (8) Natural gas (mmcf/d) 3.58 5.32 (33) Equivalent (boe/d) 4,010 4,607 (13) Average Selling Price (before the impact of financial risk management contracts) Oil and liquids ($/bbl) 42.36 56.55 (25) Natural gas ($/mcf) 1.16 2.42 (52) Netback ($/boe) Gross petroleum and natural gas sales 37.09 48.46 (23) Royalties (4.31) (6.30) (32) Realized gain on derivatives 2.35 11.37 (79) Operating expenses (17.00) (20.10) (15) Transportation expenses (0.63) (0.58) 9 Operating netback 17.50 32.85 (47) Wells Drilled, Net - - - Undeveloped Land at Period End (thousand net acres) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Six Months Ended June 30, ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percent 2016 2015 Change ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operating Highlights Average Daily Production Oil and liquids (bbl/d) 3,458 3,824 (10) Natural gas (mmcf/d) 3.81 5.28 (28) Equivalent (boe/d) 4,093 4,704 (13) Average Selling Price (before the impact of financial risk management contracts) Oil and liquids ($/bbl) 35.22 49.25 (28) Natural gas ($/mcf) 1.41 2.77 (49) Netback ($/boe) Gross petroleum and natural gas sales 31.07 43.14 (28) Royalties (3.62) (6.03) (40) Realized gain on derivatives 3.08 15.38 (80) Operating expenses (17.77) (20.70) (14) Transportation expenses (0.42) (0.66) (36) Operating netback 12.34 31.13 (60) Wells Drilled, Net - - - Undeveloped Land at Period End (thousand net acres) 66 82 (20) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The calculation of barrels of oil equivalent ("boe") is based on the conversion ratio that six thousand cubic feet of natural gas is equivalent to one barrel of oil.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release offers our assessment of Zargon's future plans and operations as at August 10, 2016, and contains certain forward-looking information and statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "forecast", "may", "will", "project", "should", "plan", "intend", "believe" and similar expressions (including the negatives thereof) are intended to identify forward-looking information or statements. In particular, but without limiting the foregoing, this news release contains forward-looking information and statements pertaining to the following: our expected closing date, intended use of proceeds and net debt estimate following the transaction with respect to the sale of our Southeast Saskatchewan assets and our strategic alternatives process under the heading "Strategic Alternatives Process Update".

The forward-looking information and statements included in this news release are not guarantees of future performance and should not be unduly relied upon. Such information and statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information or statements including, without limitation: those relating to results of operations and financial condition; general economic conditions; industry conditions; changes in regulatory and taxation regimes; volatility of commodity prices; escalation of operating and capital costs; currency fluctuations; the availability of services; imprecision of reserve estimates; geological, technical, drilling and processing problems; environmental risks; weather; the lack of availability of qualified personnel or management; stock market volatility; the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources; and competition from other industry participants for, among other things, capital, services, acquisitions of reserves, undeveloped lands and skilled personnel. Risks are described in more detail in our Annual Information Form, which is available on www.zargon.ca and on www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are provided to allow investors to have a greater understanding of our business.

You are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information and statements, including, among other things: future oil and natural gas prices; future capital expenditure levels; future production levels; future exchange rates; the cost of developing and expanding our assets; our ability to obtain equipment in a timely manner to carry out development activities; our ability to market our oil and natural gas successfully to current and new customers; the impact of increasing competition; the availability of adequate and acceptable debt and equity financing and funds from operations to fund our planned expenditures; and our ability to add production and reserves through our development and acquisition activities, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Our actual results, performance, or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. We can give no assurance that any of the events anticipated will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what benefits we will derive from them. The forward-looking information and statements contained in this document is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Our policy for updating forward-looking statements is that Zargon disclaims, except as required by law, any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Additional GAAP and Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Zargon uses the following terms for measurement within this press release that do not have a standardized prescribed meaning under Canadian generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and these measurements may not be comparable with the calculation of similar measurements of other entities.

The terms "funds flow from operating activities" and "operating netback per boe" in this press release are not recognized measures under GAAP. Management of Zargon believes that in addition to net earnings and cash flows from operating activities as defined by GAAP, these terms are useful supplemental measures to evaluate operating performance and assess leverage. Users are cautioned; however, that these measures should not be construed as an alternative to net earnings or cash flows from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP as an indication of Zargon's performance.

Zargon considers funds flow from operating activities to be an important measure of Zargon's ability to generate the funds necessary to finance capital expenditures and repay debt. All references to funds flow from operating activities throughout this press release are based on cash provided by operating activities before the change in non-cash working capital since Zargon believes the timing of collection, payment or incurrence of these items involves a high degree of discretion and, as such, may not be useful for evaluating Zargon's operating performance. Zargon's method of calculating funds flow from operating activities may differ from that of other companies and, accordingly, may not be comparable to measures used by other companies. Funds flow from operating activities per basic share is calculated using the same weighted average basic shares outstanding as is used in calculating earnings per basic share. See Zargon's Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") as filed on www.zargon.ca and on www.sedar.com for the periods ended June 30, 2016 and 2015 for a discussion of cash flows from operating activities and funds flow from operating activities.

51-101 Advisory

In conformity with National Instrument 51-101, Standards for Disclosure of Oil and Gas Activities ("NI 51-101"), natural gas volumes have been converted to barrels of oil equivalent ("boe") using a conversion rate of six thousand cubic feet of natural gas to one barrel of oil. In certain circumstances, natural gas liquid volumes have been converted to a thousand cubic feet equivalent ("mcfe") on the basis of one barrel of natural gas liquids to six thousand cubic feet of gas. Boes and mcfes may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A conversion ratio of one barrel to six thousand cubic feet of natural gas is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. Given that the value ratio based on the current price of crude oil as compared to natural gas is significantly different from the energy equivalency of 6:1, utilizing a conversion ratio on a 6:1 basis may be misleading as an indication of value.

Filings

Zargon has filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities its unaudited financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 and the accompanying MD&A. These filings are available on www.zargon.ca and under Zargon's SEDAR profile on www.sedar.com.

About Zargon

Based in Calgary, Alberta, Zargon's securities trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange and there are currently approximately 30.470 million common shares outstanding.

Zargon is a Calgary based oil and natural gas company working in the Western Canadian and Williston sedimentary basins and is focused on oil exploitation projects (waterfloods and recently tertiary ASP) that profitably increase oil production and recovery factors from existing oil reservoirs.

In order to learn more about Zargon, we encourage you to visit Zargon's website at www.zargon.ca where you will find a current shareholder presentation, financial reports and historical news releases.

Contacts:

C.H. Hansen

President and Chief Executive Officer



J.N. Post

Chief Financial Officer



Zargon Oil & Gas Ltd.

403-264-9992

zargon@zargon.ca

www.zargon.ca




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Hampton Financial Corporation, formerly Dominion General Investment Corporation ("Dominion") (TSX VENTURE: DGA.P), a capital pool company as defined under Policy 2.4 of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"), is pleased to announce the closing of its previously announced Qualifying Transaction with Hampton Equity Partners Limited ("Hampton"). As a result of the transactions completed in connection with the Qualifying Transaction, Dominion is now called "Hampton Financial Corporation" (the "Resulting Issuer") and Hampton is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Resulting Issuer.

Dominion received an amended conditional approval from the TSXV for its proposed arm's length Qualifying Transaction with Hampton and on July 28, 2016 filed an amended Filing Statement on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) pursuant to TSXV requirements in connection with the Qualifying Transaction. The Filing Statement is the disclosure document that outlines the details of the share exchange, the Concurrent Financing (defined below), information about Dominion and information about Hampton, and its business, including financial statements of Dominion and Hampton, and pro forma financial statements. Readers of this release are encouraged to review the information in the amended Filing Statement.

The Filing Statement has been amended to reflect the following:

-- The private placement offering of Hampton securities was changed from a brokered offering of subscription receipts to a non-brokered offering of common shares of Hampton, closing concurrently with the Qualifying Transaction (the "Concurrent Financing"). -- The private placement offering of Hampton securities was changed from a minimum of $2,000,000 (2,000,000 subscription receipts) and maximum of $20,000,000 (20,000,000 subscription receipts) at $1.00 per subscription receipt to a minimum of $1,000,000 (800,000 Hampton common shares) and up to $22,000,000 (17,600,000 Hampton common shares) at the price of $1.00 per 0.8 Hampton common shares. -- Deeb & Company Limited ("Deeb & Co"), a corporation controlled by Peter Deeb, CEO of Hampton, sold to Hampton its receivable from Hampton Securities Limited, a subsidiary of Hampton, for the principal amount of $1,035,000 payable by Hampton to Deeb & Co and then converted $1,000,000 of such principal amount into 800,000 Hampton Common Shares at the rate of 0.8 Hampton Common Shares for each $1.00 of such principal. Hampton issued a promissory note to Deeb & Co for the remaining $35,000 of principal.

Concurrent Financing

Pursuant to the Concurrent Financing Hampton raised $1,000,000 through the sale of 800,000 common shares of Hampton. The common shares of Hampton issued in the Concurrent Financing were converted into subordinate voting shares of the Resulting Issuer at the rate of 1.25 subordinate voting shares of the Resulting Issuer for every one (1) common share of Hampton pursuant to the Qualifying Transaction.

The Qualifying Transaction

Pursuant to the Qualifying Transaction:

-- Dominion has changed its name to Hampton Financial Corporation. -- Dominion has amended its articles to create new classes of Multiple Voting Shares and Subordinate Voting Shares and to redesignate all outstanding common shares of Dominion as Subordinate Voting Shares on a 1 for 1 basis. -- Dominion has issued 15,149,845 Multiple Voting Shares and 10,618,670 Subordinate Voting Shares to Hampton shareholders (including subscribers under the Concurrent Financing). -- Hampton is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Dominion (the Resulting Issuer). -- the new board of the Resulting Issuer is: Peter Deeb, John Sununu, Robert Sherman and Kenneth Lipson. -- The new executive management team of the Resulting Issuer is: Peter Deeb, Chairman of the board of directors and Chief Executive Officer, Robert Sherman, Vice Chairman of the board of directors, and Mark George, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary. -- Conditional on receiving final TSXV approval and issuance of the Final Exchange Bulletin, it is anticipated that the Subordinate Voting Shares of the Resulting Issuer will commence trading under the name Hampton Financial Corporation and symbol HFC on August 12, 2016. -- The Resulting Issuer will be a Tier II issuer on the TSXV.

Pro Forma Capitalization

Following the completion of the Qualifying Transaction, 15,149,845 Multiple Voting Shares and 13,210,370 Subordinate Voting Shares of the Resulting Issuer are outstanding and 16,470,882 Subordinate Voting Shares are reserved for issuance. The former Hampton shareholders (including subscribers under the Concurrent Financing) hold approximately 80.4% of the outstanding Subordinate Voting Shares, 90.9% of the total number of outstanding shares of the Resulting Issuer and approximately 99.2% of the voting rights in respect of shares of the Resulting Issuer, and the former Dominion shareholders hold approximately 19.6% of the outstanding Subordinate Voting Shares, 9.1% of the total number of outstanding shares of the Resulting Issuer and approximately 0.8% of the voting rights in respect of shares of the Resulting Issuer. At the closing of the Qualifying Transaction, 15,149,845 Multiple Voting Shares and 3,493,670 Subordinate Voting Shares are subject to escrow (with 10% released upon the issuance of the Final Exchange Bulletin). The 15,149,845 Multiple Voting Shares are subject to a 'coattail agreement' that contains provisions customary for TSXV-listed corporations designed to prevent transactions that otherwise would deprive the holders of Resulting Issuer Subordinate Voting Shares of rights under applicable provincial take-over bid legislation to which they would have been entitled if the Resulting Issuer Multiple Voting Shares had been Resulting Issuer Subordinate Voting Shares.

About Hampton

Hampton is an Ontario corporation which operates, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Hampton Securities Limited ("HSL"), a Canadian boutique investment dealer delivering wealth management and capital markets services, supported by 37 advisors and associates. HSL also engages in proprietary trading activities for its own account. HSL, is a full service investment dealer, regulated by IIROC and registered in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Ontario, and Quebec.

HSL has been offering wealth management services since its inception in the late 1990s, with its principals having a considerably longer tenure in the industry. As of June 30, 2016, HSL's Private Client Group had approximately $657 million in assets under administration and currently employs a team of 24 active dealing representatives, providing investment advice and portfolio management services (internally and through third-party portfolio managers). Clients have the option of fee-based or transactional-based pricing for services as well as holding their investments in registered plans (for retirement, education, savings, etc.).

HSL offers a broad range of investment banking services and solutions primarily to small and mid-size public and private issuers, including private placements, initial public offerings and secondary offerings of equity and debt securities as well as providing sponsorship and advisory services to issuers seeking to list on the TSXV.

Since inception in the late 1990s, HSL has been actively engaged in proprietary trading for its own capital focusing on TSX listed large and mid-cap equities. Market dynamics have changed over the years and in 2014, HSL streamlined its trading operations to focus primarily on high-yield and income generating securities, utilizing its existing trading and borrowing facilities with a major Canadian bank. The objectives of HSL's propriety trading activities are to achieve predictable and sustainable cash flow to supplement other revenues of HSL as well as help fund potential strategic acquisitions.

Currently, HSL is aggressively working to increase its scale with a mandate of recruiting reputable advisors and evaluating acquisition opportunities, while continuing to fund its proprietary trading activities for long term cash flow growth and stability.

For further information please contact Peter Deeb, Chief Executive Officer, at (416) 862-8651 and see further detailed disclosure of the Resulting Issuer on the SEDAR web site at www.sedar.com.

The securities referred to in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities for sale, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities. Any public offering of securities in the United States must be made by means of a prospectus containing detailed information about the company and management, as well as financial statements.

Cautionary Statements

Listing of the Resulting Issuer Subordinate Voting Shares on the TSXV is subject to receipt of final approval of the TSXV for the listing of the Subordinate Voting Shares on the TSXV and/or other actions necessary to complete the issuance of the Final Exchange Bulletin by the TSXV. There can be no assurance that the actions necessary for the TSXV to issue its Final Exchange Bulletin will be completed.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the amended Filing Statement prepared in connection with the Qualifying Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Qualifying Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon.

The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the Qualifying Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Notice on forward-looking statements

This release includes forward-looking statements regarding the Resulting Issuer and its business. Such statements are based on the current expectations and views of future events of the management of each entity, respectively, and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Although the management of the Resulting Issuer believes that the assumptions underlying the statements relevant to the business of the Resulting Issuer and proposed future business of the Resulting Issuer are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release, including the ability of the Resulting Issuer and HSL to execute on their respective business plans, may not occur and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the companies, including risks regarding the investment industry, market conditions, economic factors, loss of key employees, the abilities of management of the Resulting Issuer to attract and retain executive management and/or members of its Board of Directors, the abilities of management of the Resulting Issuer to manage and to operate its business. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Dominion undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Readers are referred to the 'Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information' and 'Risk Factors' sections of the amended Filing Statement.

Contacts:

Peter Deeb

Chief Executive Officer

(416) 862-8651






WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK) announced it has entered into an agreement to convey its interests in the Barnett Shale operating area located in North Texas to Saddle Barnett Resources, LLC, a company backed by First Reserve. As part of the deal, Chesapeake and Williams Partners (WPZ) have agreed to terminate the current gathering agreement, projected MVC shortfall payments and fees pertaining to the Barnett Shale assets, for which Chesapeake expects to pay $334 million in cash to Williams, with First Reserve portfolio company Saddle Resources expected to pay an additional sum.



Properties in the proposed Barnett transaction include approximately 215,000 net developed and undeveloped acres and approximately 2,800 operated wells, which produced an average of approximately 65,000 boe per day (96% natural gas, 4% natural gas liquids) in the 2016 second quarter. The company said the expected net production impact from the proposed transaction is approximately 62,000 boe per day.



Chesapeake CEO Doug Lawler said, 'By exiting the Barnett, we expect to increase our operating income for the remainder of 2016 through 2019 between $200 and $300 million annually, eliminate approximately $1.9 billion of total future midstream and downstream commitments, and increase the PV-10 of our proved reserves.'



In exchange for a cash payment of $66 million, Chesapeake also renegotiated its existing cost-of-service gas gathering agreement with Williams covering the Mid-Continent operating area to a fixed-fee arrangement. As a result, Chesapeake's Mid-Continent gas gathering costs are expected to be reduced by 36%, effective July 1, 2016.



Chesapeake also agreed to accelerate the value of a long-term natural gas supply contract with a $4.00 per million British thermal units floor pricing mechanism by selling it to a third party for cash proceeds of approximately $146 million.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 10, 2016) - Abattis Bioceuticals Corp. (OTCQB: ATTBF) (CSE: ATT) (the "Company" or "Abattis"), is pleased to announce that it has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with the Jiangsu Regent Granary Trading Co., Ltd. ("Jaingsu"). Jaingsu is one of a select few that is exporting Canadian beef to China. They also export granola, dried fruit and will also include Abattis' line of Phytnos Superfruit tonics and VitaGum in mainland China. Jaingsu will utilize its network and sales experience to cultivate a market for Abattis' offerings. Jaingsu has certain sales revenue targets under the agreement; failure to achieve such targets will allow Abattis to terminate such agreement.

The key benefit is mainly access to our own distribution personnel in China. The market is vast and demand is very high for North American health products and technology that Abattis can offer.

The Company also announces that Michael Yung the Chief Executive Officer of Abattis has resigned. Mr. Yung will be replaced by Mr. Rene David on an interim basis while the board of directors appoints a new CEO.

These are exciting times for Abattis and the state of the Medical Cannabis industry and we wish to thank Mr. Yung for assisting with our most recent sales and marketing effort into Asia where we have made great progress from our recent trips to Shanghai and Korea. We wish Mr. Yung the best of luck with his new project.

About Abattis Bioceuticals Corp.

Abattis is a specialty biotechnology company that aggregates, incubates, integrates, and invests in the botanical drug development industry. The Company develops and licenses natural health products, medicines, extractions, and ingredients for the biologics, nutraceutical, bioceutical, and cosmetic markets - some of which will contain cannabinoid compounds. The Company also has an extensive pipeline of high-quality products and intellectual property for the rapidly expanding botanical drug market. We follow strict standard operating protocols, and adhere to the applicable laws of Canada and foreign jurisdictions. For more information, visit the Company's website at: www.abattis.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Rene David"

Rene David, CFO/COO and interim CEO

For further information, contact the Company at (604) 336-0881 or at news@abattis.com.

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

This press release contains forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks various risk factors discussed in the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. While the Company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time.
HOUSTON, TEXAS -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/16 -- Greenfields Petroleum Corporation (the "Company" or "Greenfields") (TSX VENTURE: GNF)(TSX VENTURE: GNF.DB) announces the following:

Loan Restructuring

The Company has signed a Ninth Amending Agreement ("Amendment") to its loan agreement dated November 25, 2013 ("Loan Agreement") with its senior lender ("Lender"), which will be effective upon the approval by the Company's shareholders of an increase in its share capital and of its Lender as a new control person, and approval by the Company's debentureholders of conversion of the Company's convertible debentures into common shares of the Company, all as described in the Information Circular ("Circular") dated July 18, 2016, and available on SEDAR.

Pursuant to the Amendment, the maturity date under the Loan Agreement will be extended until March 31, 2018, and the loan principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest originally due December 31, 2015, will be converted to principal ("Restructure Amount"). The Company will issue to the Lender up to 2,220,000 common shares (hereinafter "Debt Shares") in the Company for each $1,000,000 of Restructure Amount, and 1,200,000 common shares for each $1,000,000 of any additional advance provided by the Lender within a specified period of time. For additional information on the number of Debt Shares to be issued, please refer to the Circular.

Additionally, for each Debt Share issued related to the Restructure Amount, the Company will issue to the Lender an equivalent number of Common Share purchase warrants upon the terms as described in the Circular.

The Eighth Amending Agreement signed on July 13, 2016, and described in the Circular, previously extended the maturity date under the Loan Agreement to August 31, 2016.

About Greenfields Petroleum Corporation

Greenfields is a junior oil and natural gas company focused on the development and production of proven oil and gas reserves principally in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Company plans to expand its oil and gas assets through further farm-ins, and acquisitions of Production Sharing Agreements from foreign governments containing previously discovered but under-developed international oil and gas fields, also known as "greenfields". More information about the Company may be obtained on the Greenfields website at www.greenfields-petroleum.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. More particularly, this press release may include, but is not limited to, statements concerning the Loan Agreement, the Company's intention to evaluate refinancing options and the Company's strategy. In addition, the use of any of the words "initial, "scheduled", "can", "will", "prior to", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "should", "forecast", "future", "continue", "may", "expect", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company, including, but not limited to, the ability to secure a suitable shareholder of Bahar Energy Limited, expectations and assumptions concerning the success of optimization and efficiency improvement projects, the availability of capital, current legislation, receipt of required regulatory approval, the success of future drilling and development activities, the performance of existing wells, the performance of new wells, general economic conditions, availability of required equipment and services, weather conditions and prevailing commodity prices. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct.

Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties most of which are beyond the control of Greenfields. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results, performance or achievements could vary materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These risks include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general (e.g., operational risks in development, exploration and production; delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of reserve estimates; the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production, costs and expenses, and health, safety, political and environmental risks), commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, changes in legislation affecting the oil and gas industry and uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures. Additional risk factors can be found under the heading "Risk Factors" in Greenfields' Annual Information Form and similar headings in Greenfields' Management's Discussion & Analysis which may be viewed on www.sedar.com.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and Greenfields undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The Company's forward-looking information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Greenfields Petroleum Corporation

John W. Harkins

Chief Executive Officer

(832) 234-0836



Greenfields Petroleum Corporation

A. Wayne Curzadd

Chief Financial Officer

(832) 234-0835

info@greenfieldspetroleum.com

www.greenfields-petroleum.com




Anomali, a Redwood City, CA-based provider of the ThreatStream threat intelligence and Anomali Enterprise platforms, received a strategic investment from In-Q-Tel (IQT)*.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed.

The company intends to use the funds to continue to advance the development of its products.

Led by Hugh Njemanze, Chief Executive Officer, Anomali provides Enterprise and ThreatStream threat intelligence products, which are used to aggregate and curate massive amounts of threat intelligence data, reduce false-positives, facilitate threat hunting, and provide trusted circles for secure communication between organizations.

They also provide retrospective analysis by continuously reading a years worth of an organizations log data and comparing it to Anomalis vast library of indicators of compromise.

The company is backed by General Catalyst Partners, GV, Institutional Venture Partners, Paladin Capital Group, individual investors and *In-Q-Tel, the non-profit investor that identifies, adapts and delivers innovative technology solutions to support the mission of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC).

FinSMEs

10/08/2016
FullContact, a Denver, CO-based provider of a contact management platform for professionals and enterprises, raised $25m in funding.

The round was led by Foundry Group with participation from Baird Capital, Shea Ventures, and Blue Note Ventures.

The company, which has raised $50 million in total funding, plans to use the new capital to continue building the platform.

Led by Bart Lorang, co-founder and CEO, FullContact provides a contact management platform for individual professionals, businesses, and software developers. The companys free iPhone and Android apps have advanced capabilities that come natively installed with a mobile device including human transcription of business cards, enriching contacts with social profiles, syncing contacts across multiple address books, and updating contacts based on email signatures.

The solutions for businesses and developer APIs provide B2C companies and SaaS companies with a sharing and integration platform supporting complete customer profiles that include social interests and insights.

The company, which has offices in Riga, Latvia and Dallas, Texas, is planning additional offices and hiring in the second half of 2016.

It has acquired Cobook, a mobile contact management application; nGame, a SaaS-based enterprise customer data intelligence solution; and Brewster, a social address book enabling users to access contact information across networks.

FinSMEs

10/08/2016
Interactions LLC, a Franklin, MA-based provider of speech and natural language technology solutions for customer care, completed a $56m funding round.

The round was led by new investors Revolution Growth, NewSpring Capital and Comcast Ventures with additional funding from existing investors.

The company intends to use the capital for further development in artificial intelligence technology and European expansion.

Founded in 2004 and led by Mike Iacobucci, CEO, Jason Bristow, CFO, and Deepak Batheja, EVP Technology and CIO, Interactions provides speech and natural language technology that enables businesses and consumers to engage in productive conversations via unified, multichannel customer care. Its Intelligent Virtual Assistant solutions and Curo Speech and Language Platform enable businesses and consumers to conduct complex transactions without interacting with a live agent.

The company, which has additional offices in Indiana, Texas, New Jersey and New York, serves such clients as Hyatt, Humana, TXU Energy, JustFab, LifeLock, Asurion and EyeMed.

FinSMEs

10/08/2016
Kira Talent, a Toronto, ON-based creator of a video admissions and talent assessment platform for higher education, closed a $5m Series A financing round.

Backers included Relay Ventures, BDC Capital IT Venture Fund, Globalive and Roger Martin.

The company, which has raised $8m to date, will use the funds to develop its technology.

Led by Craig Morantz, CEO, Kira Talent provides a tech platform focused on supporting the entire student journey from the admissions process through to job placement. The company, which launched its academic solution in 2014 as a recruitment tool for general undergraduate programs and business school applicants, has since expanded its offerings in the post graduate space, providing a personalized platform for top law, medical and engineering programs.

The platform is now used by more than 150 schools around the world including Yale, Northwestern, Imperial College London, and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

FinSMEs

10/08/2016
ELKO  A fire in the south Ruby Mountains is burning three miles north of the Bald Mountain Mine, while another fire in Great Basin National Park has resulted in the closure of portions of the park, including Wheeler Peak Campground.

The Overland Fire was reported at 1:18 p.m. Monday. It was listed Tuesday at 8,900 acres.

Miners at Bald Mountain, which is owned by Kinross Gold Mining, are not in any danger from the fire, said Randy Burggraff, vice president and general manager of the mine.

It started south of the Overland Pass Road and still has not crossed the road, Chris Hanefeld, the Bureau of Land Managements fire information officer for the Ely district, said Tuesday.

Winds were blowing the flames north Monday afternoon but shifted to the south by evening. Hanefeld said the fire was moving back and forth Tuesday and winds could shift again.

The fire was about 10 miles south of Shantytown and three-quarters of a mile south of the Pony Express Trail.

It is zero-percent contained, and could continue to burn into the weekend.

Hanefeld said the fire was likely sparked by lightning from and earlier storm. It was consuming mule deer, elk and pronghorn antelope habitat, and there is a potential threat to Greater Sage Grouse habitat.

Hanefeld said the Ruby Marshes were not threatened, nor were any structures.

Two heavy air tankers, four single-engine air tankers, five engines, three type II hand crews, one dozer and one water tender were on the scene Tuesday.

The Strawberry Fire in eastern Nevada also started Monday and was only 15 acres when reported. Strong winds quickly caused rapid re growth and as of Tuesday morning it was estimated at 3,000 to 5,000 acres, according to the National Park Service.

Bureau of Land Managements Ely District has responded with two pumpers with crews and a helicopter. Currently there are four engines, two crews and a helicopter are working the re as conditions allow.

Heavy smoke and unfavorable winds were a concern Tuesday, according to the Park Service.

The Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive is closed above Upper Lehman Creek Campground. The trail from Upper Lehman Creek Campground to Wheeler Peak Campground is closed. Visitors are asked to respect all closures and to not fly drones in the region.

Most of Elko County and all of White Pine County are under a red flag warning through 11 p.m. Wednesday.

Wind gusts up to 30 mph and relative humidity as low as 7 percent increase the risk of wildland fires spreading out of control. On top of that, isolated dry thunderstorms are expected Wednesday afternoon and evening.

High temperatures will be in the mid-80s.
NEW DELHI It took him more than two years, but Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has finally discovered the art of the deal.

Realizing that a frontal assault wasn't securing the votes needed for India's biggest-ever tax reform, Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley changed tack this spring, government and ruling party sources have told Reuters.

First, they sought to build a coalition among the nation's 29 state governments to isolate the Congress party, which despite losing heavily to Modi in 2014 had blocked a new Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the upper house of parliament.

Then, Jaitley held a series of meetings with Congress leaders whose outcome was uncertain right up to the last minute, sources close to the finance minister said.

He yielded to their demands - accepting, verbatim, a clause they proposed for the constitutional amendment needed to make the GST happen, according to a member of the Congress team that included former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram.

"Negotiations take place only if both sides are willing to be flexible," senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told Reuters. "Both sides were pragmatic."

An aide to Jaitley said Congress's growing isolation proved decisive in making a compromise possible.

"They had got themselves into a corner," said the finance ministry official, who was privy to the talks. "They had two options: strike a deal and come out with your reputation intact, or lose your credibility."

Last week's unanimous upper-house vote to pass the 122nd amendment to the Indian constitution brings the wheel full circle - the GST was proposed by Chidambram a decade ago but was stalled by political rivalry.

Introducing a unified sales tax across India's market of 1.3 billion people would mark a bold act of integration at a time of disintegration elsewhere, as Britain exits the European Union and a protectionist, Donald Trump, runs for the U.S. presidency.

The GST vote also addresses how India, as a federation, can implement a one-size-fits-all sales tax - something the United States and EU have been unable to do - by creating a GST Council that brings the center and the states together.

Tough bargaining on the rate and scope of the tax lies ahead, yet at least the atmosphere has improved, with Chidambram praising Jaitley's "friendly and conciliatory tone".

That could revive projects that foundered early in Modi's rule, including land and labor reforms.

EARLY STANDOFF

Despite winning India's biggest mandate in 30 years, Modi has struggled to advance his agenda.

Congress, though reduced to a rump opposition, has resisted. As the largest party in the upper house that represents the states, it had blocked the GST and derailed Modi's land acquisition bill which critics branded as being "anti-farmer".

While that tactic proved effective, it wasn't winning public support. Congress took hits in state elections and in June lost the upper house votes it needed to be sure of stopping the GST.

This was the cue for Jaitley to court the states, with key swing state West Bengal soon declaring its support. In July, he targeted Bihar, while at the same time re-engaging with Congress after nine months of radio silence.

Jaitley's promise to the states to compensate revenue losses for five years, made at talks in New Delhi on July 26, won them over, West Bengal's finance minister Amit Mitra told Reuters.

Congress moved to cut a deal, while Modi and Jaitley were ready to offer concessions - including scrapping a levy of 1 percent on the movement of goods between states - that experts say would actually make the GST a better tax.

On the morning of July, 27 Congress submitted a written proposal, with new wording on resolving GST disputes between the center and the states. Modi's cabinet approved identical tweaks that same evening.

When it came to the Aug. 3 vote, there were 203 votes in favor, and none against. The amendment passed the lower house on Monday, also unanimously.

It was a first for Modi, who called the GST a "Great Step towards Transformation".

(Additional reporting by Subrata Nagchoudhury in Kolkata and Jatindra Dash in Bhubaneswar; Writing by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Kim Coghill)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Srinagar: The first batch of 340 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir left for Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to perform the annual Haj pilgrimage, with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti urging them to pray for peace and progress in the state.

Mehbooba accorded a warm send off to the first batch of Haj pilgrims from the state and wished them a safe journey and a smooth Manasik-e-Haj (Haj rituals), an official spokesman said here.

As many as 6,457 Hajis from Jammu and Kashmir are scheduled to perform Haj this year, the spokesman said, adding they would be flown to Medina from Srinagar International Airport in 20 flights, with two flights operating each day.

He said the Chief Minister reached Srinagar International Airport this morning from where the first group of 340 Hajis left for the holy city of Medina on a direct Air India flight.

Srinagar: J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti flags off the first batch of Haj pilgrims from J&K pic.twitter.com/YahMVtVFDH  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

The pilgrims included 238 from Anantnag, 56 from Srinagar, 11 from Baramulla, eight each from Kulgam and Shopian, six from Pulwama, four from Budgam, three from Jammu and two each from Kupwara and Ganderbal districts, the spokesman said.

While interacting with the pilgrims, she urged them to pray for peace and progress in the state as well as safeguarding its people from the tragedies and miseries of violence and bloodshed, the spokesman said.

He said the pilgrims thanked the Chief Minister for making elaborate arrangements at the Haj House and Srinagar Airport.

All arrangements of transportation, boarding and lodging at Srinagar Haj House and distribution of travel documents and issuance of boarding passes at the Srinagar Airport are in place for the pilgrims, he said.
New Delhi: India on Tuesday summoned Pakistan's high commissioner in New Delhi to protest against what it said was the continued infiltration of militants from across the border.

The Foreign Ministry said an arrested Pakistani national Bahadur Ali had confessed that he was "infiltrated into India" after being trained by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant group.

"The government of India strongly protests against the continued infiltration from Pakistan of trained terrorists with instructions to carry out attacks," the ministry said in a statement on its website.

"This is contrary to assurances given by the Pakistani leaders at the highest level."

Calls for comment to the spokesman for Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nafees Zakaria, went unanswered on Tuesday evening.

India's protest comes days after its Home Minister Rajnath Singh called for isolation of countries deemed to be supporting "terrorism" during a speech at a regional conference in Islamabad.

Singh did not mention Pakistan by name but India accuses its neighbour of sheltering militants fighting against Indian rule in its part of divided Kashmir.

On Tuesday, the Indian foreign secretary met Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit and issued a statement that India's Foreign Ministry spokesman described as a "strong demarche".

Ali had remained in touch with LeT's "operations room" before his arrest in July and received instructions to carry out an attack in India, the government said, adding it was prepared to grant the Pakistan High Commission consular access to Ali.

Relations between Pakistan and India have been strained further in recent weeks by a flare-up in protests against Indian rule in its part of the disputed border region of Kashmir, in which dozens have been killed by security forces.

India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947 over Kashmir, which they both claim in full but rule in part.

India accuses Pakistan of training and arming militants in the portion it controls and sending them to the Indian side, a claim its neighbour denies.
Auto refresh feeds

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa will jointly dedicate the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP's) first unit, to the country on Wednesday

"Nuclear power is clean and green power, the dedication of the Kudankulam power plant is a major milestone in Indo-Russian friendship," Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa speaking at the joint inauguration of Unit 1 of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant via video conference.

An expert committee was formed to address the concerns of the citizens and based on the report the govt of Tamil Nadu agreed to take steps for the early commissioning of the and allocate Rs 500 crore: Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa

Russian President Vladimir Putin: It is a big event for our Indian partners and for all of us. The power plant is updated with most modern Russian technologies. It is not just construction and commissioning of the power plant. It is well known that Russia is one of the world leaders in nuclear technology and we are glad to share with our Indian colleagues our technology.

" Today is indeed a special day. I am particularly grateful to President Putin for his presence at this event," Modi said.

In dedicating Kudankulam nuclear power plant we mark another historic tie between India and Russia: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/vkKkhFFe1Q

Prime Minister Narendra Modi: India-Russia nuclear plant collaboration is a celebration of our friendship. We plan to build a series of nuclear power plants. Today's event is joyful event for the Russian team of engineers in India and Russia, we salute them for their relentless work. I have a vision for India where achievements of our economic developments will benefit Earth. Kundankulam. The success of this plant demonstrates a common resolve to build new ties.

Long live Indo-Russian friendship, I thank President Putin for his presence and I am looking forward to meeting you at G20 Summit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa will jointly dedicate the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP's) first unit, to the country on Wednesday, reported Business Standard.

The three leaders will partake in a video conference from their respective capitals. The fourth point for the conference will be the plant site in Tirunelveli, where a function is being organised.

The function will see attendance from the chairman and managing director of Nuclear Power Corporation of India, site director RS Sundar as well as Russian company Atomstroy Export's president Limareenko, as reported by The New Indian Express.

Earlier, Modi had congratulated both Indian and Russian atomic energy scientists as the second unit at Kudankulam achieved criticality on 10 July 2016, reported Hindustan Times.

As per the report, the second unit is expected to add 1000 MWe electricity to the southern grid and raise the contribution of nuclear power in the country to 6780 MWe.

The components for the third and fourth units have already started arriving at Kudankulam, according to HN Sahu, station director of first and second units at Kudankulam.

The reactors at Kudankulam are being built by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and Russia's Atomstroy export company, a subsidiary of Rosatom (the regulatory body of the Russian nuclear complex), reported Business Standard.

The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, that has been in service since 2014, is a mark of Indo-Russian cooperation. The Russian technology plant was the result of an agreement signed between the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and then Soviet union President Mikhail Gorbachev back in 1988, reported NDTV.

The first plant faced strong protests in September 2011 from fisher folk, inhabitants of Idinthakarai, the village closest to the nuclear reactor. Local anti-nuclear activists like SP Udayakumar had dubbed the reactors at Kudankulam as "unsafe" and called them a huge risk for the people living around the giant reactors.

The first unit though experienced several hiccups ever since it started commercial production in December 2014, it seems to have achieved stability now, generating about 940 MW daily on an average, a report in IANS in early July had said.

With inputs from agencies
Bengaluru: Karnataka Cabinet on Wednesday decided not to oppose the bail pleas of "innocents" who have been booked following the violent protest that rocked northern parts of the state recently against a tribunal's interim order rejecting its claim of water from the inter-state Mahadayi river.

Citing certain legal procedures that are against the direct withdrawal of cases against the protesters, the government said a proposal to this effect will be placed before the Cabinet after following the due process of law.

"Cabinet has in detail discussed the violence that occurred. We have decided to not to oppose the bail of innocents who have been arrested and get them released on bail," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister TB Jayachandra told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.

Tension had gripped most parts of northern Karnataka like Gadag, Hubballi, Dharwad, Haveri, Belagavi, Naragunda, Navalagunda and other places as the protest had turned violent on 28 July during which government offices had come under attack and damage was caused to public property.

About 187 persons have been booked and 25 FIRs were registered following the violent protest against the rejection of Karnataka's plea for release of 7.56 tmcft for drinking water projects.

Seven cases among them are non-bailable. Jayachandra said he along with Home Minister G

Parameshwara have been authorised by the Cabinet to follow up with the further course of action.

"We will take steps and get them released on bail first, because it is a process of law and we have to approach court only through prosecutor," he added.

A team, headed by Additional Director General of Police Raghavendra Auradkar and the Director of Prosecution, was formed to look into the authenticity of the cases.

Parameshwara said there was a separate process for withdrawal of cases and government was ready for that process.

"According to CrPC section 321 we cannot withdraw without filing the charge sheet, without this process we cannot even go before the Cabinet, after completing this process we will go before Cabinet for withdrawal," he said.

Karnataka government, which has locked horns with neighboring Goa on the issue of sharing Mahadayi River water between the states, had petitioned the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal seeking 7.56 tmcft of water for the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project, aimed at improving water supply to Hubbali-Dharwad and Belagavi and Gadag districts.

The tribunal had rejected state's plea citing grounds like ecological damage that the project may cause.

ADGP Kamal Pant has been appointed by the government to probe into the alleged police excesses during the protests.

Stressing that the government had already suspended a sub-inspector, inspector, and eight constables, Parameshwara said, "We are waiting for ADGP Kamal Pant's report; on the basis of the report action will be taken."
New Delhi: BSP chief Mayawati on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure "strict action" against those indulging in attack against Dalits in the name of cow protection and not just show sympathy.

"Recently, atrocities were committed against two Dalits in Andhra Pradesh and they are in very serious condition," Mayawati told reporters outside Parliament.

"I want to tell the Centre, particularly the Prime Minister, that on the issue of attacks against Dalits, the government should not just show sympathy towards Dalits. There is a need for strict action against those involved in these cases," the BSP supremo said.

A group of 'gau rakshaks' allegedly beat up two Dalits in East Godavari district on Tuesday for skinning a cow which had died due to electrocution, according to police.

The incident took place at Janakipeta in Amalapuram town of the district in Andhra Pradesh. According to police, after the cow died following electrocution, its owner, a farmer, engaged the two Dalit brothers for skinning the animal before it was buried.

Modi had on Saturday slammed 'gau rakshaks' or cow vigilantes and termed as outrageous incidents like the flogging of four Dalits in Gujarat last month. Most of these people are "anti-social elements hiding behind the mask of gau rakshaks," he had said.
You know my rule, Andy, says a grifter in an O. Henry tale, that in all my illegitimate inroads against the legal letter of the law the article sold must be existent, visible, producible. In that way and by a careful study of city ordinances and train schedules I have kept out of all trouble with the police that a five dollar bill and a cigar could not square.

This high-minded adherence to such strictures so as to avoid any comeuppance or accountability might very well be ascribed to our Carson City grifters who for the past 40 years have played a confidence game  otherwise known as the Public Employees Retirement System of Nevada, NVPERS to the initiated  and slipped it under the noses of the taxpaying rubes by nickel-and-diming until they can sneak out of town and leave their marks holding the empty bag.

NVPERS was created in 1947. According to statute its purpose is to provide: A reasonable base income to qualified employees who have been employed by a public employer and whose earning capacity has been removed or has been substantially reduced by age or disability.

From this safety net for public employees whose earning capacity has been removed or has been substantially reduced, NVPERS has gradually, and almost imperceptibly, grown into the richest public employee pension program in the nation, according to the American Enterprise Institute.

By AEIs calculations Nevadas public pensions have reached $64,000 a year or more than $1.3 million in lifetime benefits. That doesnt include public-safety workers, such as firefighters and police, who can retire earlier and generally have higher salaries. Compare this to the average annual Social Security benefit of $14,220.

For years there have been warnings that the system is unsustainable and could collapse, leaving taxpayers on the hook. Lawmakers have utterly ignored the warnings and have even raised the ante and the risk.

The latest jeremiad on this topic comes curtesy of the Nevada Policy Research Institute, a libertarian-leaning think tank, which recently released Footprints: How NVPERS, step by step, made Nevada government employees some of the nations richest.

Written by NPRIs Director of Transparency Research Robert Fellner, the 36-page report warns that should todays international no-growth economy stumble into the deep financial crisis that many forecasters fear, NVPERS fantasy economic forecasts will be replaced by immediate bankruptcy  leaving every Silver State household with a sudden, implicit, $50,000-plus tax liability.

The report details how NVPERS benefits have ratcheted up over the decades by virtue of incremental benefit increases, collective bargaining gains, earlier retirement age, allowing the purchase of years of service, padding base pay with add-ons such as callback, standby, holiday, shift differential, extra duty, hazard and longevity pay, and simple compound interest.

Fellner notes that local government employees have taken advantage of their collective bargaining union contracts and negotiated to have their employers actually pay the employees pension contribution, claiming this is done in lieu of a salary increase or in conjunction with a salary decrease  even though local government pay checks rank eighth highest in the nation.

As examples of how the system is being gamed, Fellner points to two former fire chiefs from Southern Nevada who retired in their mid-40s and began collecting $100,000-plus annual pensions while working full-time in fire departments in other states.

The major problem with NVPERS  as NPRI and others have pointed out for years, only to be ignored in Carson City  is that it is a defined benefit system. Public employees are contractually guaranteed a percentage of their highest three years of salary, depending on the number of years of employment. Thus many may retire in their 40s and 50s at 75 percent of their working salary  and a few at more than 100 percent of their working salary due to the spiking of those add-ons in later years  and live into their 80s or longer, drawing pensions for more years than they worked.

This means taxpayers decades from now will be paying for benefits approved by current and past lawmakers. Fellner bluntly calls this intergenerational theft.

The solution is for Nevada to change to a defined contribution plan  comparable to 401(k) plans used in private industry  for future hires. The employer and employee would each contribute to a fund that would be invested, leaving the taxpayers off the hook should the economy turn sour. This has been offered and rejected.

Footprints can be downloaded at http://npri.org.
Behold the new, improved, mellower and friendlier version of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In his new avatar, the PM is not just reaching out to the opposition but also praising the Congress, from whom he wanted mukti, in public; is rebuking gau sevaks by day, exhorting them to not target Dalits by night, and, thankfully, also taking note of the fire raging in Kashmir.

Hope, after witnessing the PM's metamorphosis, must be blooming in every corner.

On Tuesday, Narendra Modi finally spoke on Kashmir, suggesting he is willing to take a few steps to restore peace in the state. The Valley has been on the boil since security forces shot dead Hizbul Mujahiddin's self-proclaimed area commander Burhan Wani in an encounter in south Kashmir a month ago. More than 50 people have died and nearly 5,000 injured in relentless clashes and protests. Most parts of the Valley have been under curfew since Wani's death sparked protests.

The month-long protests have been covered in detail by Indian and foreign media. It had even led to a war of words between India and Pakistan, culminating in Home Minister Rajnath Singh's controversial visit to Islamabad, where the countries sparred during a Saarc meeting.

But, all this while, as the Valley burned, Modi maintained a stoic silence. He spoke finally during a public function in Madhya Pradesh, talking about India's love for Kashmir and the government's desire to restore peace in accordance with Atal Bihari Vajpayee's principles of insaaniyat, jamhooriyat and Kashmiriyat.

That the PM is talking about the tenets of humanity and democracy to deal with the Kashmir problem is a welcome move. Though it will irk hardliners who have been arguing for stronger action against recalcitrant Kashmiris  a recipe for disaster  Modi has rightly advocated dialogue and peace.

Several years ago, while warning the British against holding on to India, Mahatma Gandhi had argued that it would be impossible for the Raj to continue if the 36 crore Indians refuse to cooperate with their rulers. (This is not to argue that Indian presence in the Valley is similar to the British Raj). In Kashmir, public anger has been rising against India, the Valley's youth are becoming increasingly unhappy with the Centre and state governments and their agitation has been acquiring a sense of urgency and desperation. Ignoring the trouble any more would have been disastrous. So, it was about time the PM broke his silence.

There is, of course, no guarantee that the PM's belated words will quieten things down. The BJP, frankly, is part of the Kashmir problem. Its opportunistic alliance with the PDP  a party Modi had derided as Baap-Beti ki sarkar  has contributed to the rising temperature in the Valley. By joining hands with the BJP, Mehbooba Mufti has alienated supporters who believed her party would never be co-opted by Delhi. Because of the alliance, Kashmiris have been forced to look for new alternatives.

Yet, by suggesting that he is willing to go back to the Vajpayee doctrine of talks and negotiations, Modi has opened a window for peace. What he does next, the steps he takes to calm down the temperature in the Valley and the response of the Kashmiris would decide the outcome of his outreach.

Modi's selective attack on gau rakshaks --notice he has not warned against targeting Muslims or offered to take the bullets vigilantes plan to aim at the minorities-- was a political compulsion. A few days ago, when the BJP failed to gather even a thousand Dalits in Agra for a rally it had planned with Amit Shah as the star speaker, it had become apparent that Modi will have to pick up the hose and do a bit of fire-fighting.

Incidents of attack on Dalits across the country, especially Gujarat's Una, had prised open the traditional 'savarana vs others' fault lines in the virat Hindu parivar. It was threatening to derail the BJP's poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh and dismantle its vote base in Gujarat. So, Modi had to do something to contain the damage and give his party a chance to reach out to Dalits.

Unlike his electorally inevitable rebuke to gau rakshaks attacking Dalits, his peace overtures to Kashmir could have a huge bearing on the country's polity and diplomacy. If peace returns to Kashmir, it will gradually cool down the embers that have lit up in India and Pakistan on the issue. In many ways, not just India but the entire region benefits from dialogue with Kashmiris.
Madurai: Expelled AIADMK leader Sasikala Pushpa and two of her family members have been booked by police on a complaint of alleged illegal detention and sexual harassment by her former domestic help, police said on Wednesday.

All-Women Police in Pudukottai in Tuticorin District registered the case against the MP, her husband Lingeswara Thilagan and their son L Pradeep Raja based on a complaint by the woman who had worked along with her sister as domestic help in the house of Sasikala, when she was the Tuticorin Mayor from 2011 to 2014, they said.

The case was registered after the Tuticorin Superintendent of Police to whom the complaint was given forwarded it to the Pudukottai All-Women Police station.

The complainant alleged that she and her sister were detained and sexually harassed by the MP, her husband, and their son, police said.

Pushpa, who reportedly slapped DMK MP Trichy Siva at Delhi airport recently, was expelled from AIADMK on 1 August by its supremo Jayalalithaa on grounds of violating party principles and ethics and bringing disrepute to the party.

On the same day, the MP alleged in the Rajya Sabha she was slapped by a "leader" and faced threat to her life in Tamil Nadu.

Last week, Pushpa's husband and her son had moved the Madras High Court claiming that a case had been registered against them by Anna Nagar Police in Chennai and sought anticipatory bail.

However, their petitions were disposed of by the court after the state government submitted that police had not filed the case as claimed by the petitioners.
Mumbai police on Tuesday arrested five doctors of the L H Hiranandani Hospital for alleged links with illegal kidney donation racket that was first brought to light on 14 July.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Deven Bharti said that five doctors, including the chief executive officer, Sujit Chatterjee and the medical director, Anurag Naik of the hospital in Powai were arrested for their 'connections' with illegal kidney transplants that occurred in the hospital premises.

Spokesperson of Mumbai Police, DCP Ashok Dudhe told that the arrests were initiated following a state health report which pointed towards alleged involvement of the five accused.

The five were arrested under sections 12 (explaining effects to donor and recipient) and 21 (offence committed by a company) of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act 1994.

According to The Times of India, the crackdown was carried out after tip off by Nilesh Kamble, a medical social worker who was arrested earlier and confessed to his crime.

Following the latest crackdown, the total number of arrests in the case has risen to 14, which also includes a patient (Brijkishore Jaiswal) and Shobha Thakur, who was impersonating as his wife.

Initial police investigations revealed that the main accused in the racket, Bhijendra Bhisen used to scout for potential donors and recipients through a wide network of agents in Gujarat, reported The Indian Express.

The 'modus operandi' employed would be to identify a 'donor' who would be struggling to pay off his or her debts and lure them to part with their kidney in exchange of monetary benefits, Lata Mishra of Mumbai Mirror reported.

The sellers

The Mumbai Mirror correspondent found several village residents in Gujarat who have sold their kidney for anything between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh.

Take for instance the case of Shobha Thakur, a donor from Piplav in Anand, Gujarat, which has become a safe haven for kidney racket 'kingpin', Javed Khan, who is absconding.

The 'kingpin', Khan who hails from a Mumbai suburbs, Santacruz, was able to carry out his operation after starting a 'referral system', where anyone who was able to introduce a donor was paid Rs. 25,000 in lump sum.

Thakur used to live on a meagre earning of Rs 50 a day when she was offered money in exchange for her organ. Like Thakur, there is Rafiq Ahmed from Pandoli, a 30 minute drive from Piplav, from where Thakur hails.

Ahmed was the first 'donor' from his village who was lured into selling his kidney to Khan's accomplices  Mukund Chaudhary and Sher Ali Khan Pathan for Rs 2 lakhs.

According to Ahmed's wife, her husband agreed to sell off his kidney because they had to pay off a debt of Rs 50,000.

Following the surgery, Ahmed even helped in recruiting fellow 'donors' from Pandoli.

One of Ahmed's first 'recruit' was Ameen Malik. Ahmed allegedly tricked Malik into 'selling' his kidney after he was taken to Delhi, where the surgery happened.

According to Malik, while in Delhi he was given a glass of juice to drink after which he has no recollection of what happened. Three days later, he was paid Rs 1.5 lakhs through an 'informal courier'.

Having an an earning of just Rs 100 per day, Malik immediately accepted the cash and started a milk business.

Ahmed's is one of the many sub-plots which is currently unfolding ever since the racket was busted on 14 July. The scope of the investigation has widened and Mumbai cops are now trying to understand why and how poor people are being persuaded too sell their organs.

Once the donor was identified, Kamble (in the Hiranandani case), the assistant manager and transplant coordinator at Hiranandani Hospital would then help in forging documents so that operations would happen without any trouble.

The documents had to be forged because according to the law, the donor and the receiver needed to be related by blood or had to be spouses, The Indian Express reported.

The racket, which came to light on 14 July, when the Mumbai Police stopped a surgery midway. Brijkishore Jaiswal, the receiver was not related to the donor, Shobha Thakur, who was impersonating as his wife.

Following the 'bust up', a case was registered and eight people were arrested.

On 3 August, the court granted bail to the 'donor', Shobha Thakur while Jaiswal was had secured bail earlier.

Reacting to the police crack down, Niranjan Hiranandani, founder of the hospital and a well-known builder told TOI that it was a 'sad day for the hospital.
New Delhi: Women employees who have complained of sexual harassment can get three months leave during the pendency of inquiry, Union Minister Jitendra Singh informed Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

The government does not maintain any centralised data on the number of sexual harassment complaints, he said.

Section 12 of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 provides for grant of leave up to three months to an aggrieved woman employee during the pendency of inquiry in to her case, he said in a written reply.

"Such leave may be granted by the employer if a written request from the aggrieved employee duly recommended by the local committee or the internal committee, as the case may be, is received," said the Minister of State for Personnel, Public

Grievances and Pensions.

To a question seeking details on the number of sexual harassment complaints registered by women employees as on date, the Minister said "centralised data is not maintained".

As per the law, sexual harassment includes physical contact and advances, demand or request for sexual favours, sexually coloured remarks, showing any pornography and any other unwelcome physical, verbal and non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature.

Besides, implied or explicit promise of preferential or detrimental treatment in employment; implied or explicit threat about her present or future employment status; interference with her work, creating an intimidating, offensive or hostile work environment for her; and humiliating treatment likely to affect her health or safety may also amount to sexual harassment.
Two days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered himself as a collateral to gau rakshaks against Dalit lives.

If you have to shoot, shoot me, not Dalit brothers, the PM said in Hyderabad in a bid to stop the rash of attacks by cow vigilantes across India.

The incorrigible thugs masquerading as gau rakshaks responded, ironically in Andhra Pradesh in less than 48 hours by tying two brothers to a coconut tree and then stripping and thrashing them brutally for skinning a dead cow.

According to NDTV, Mokati Elisa and his brother Lazar were hired to skin a cow that had died of electrocution, the police said. While they were on the job, the brothers were attacked by around 100 "gau-rakshaks" or cow vigilantes who arrived at the spot accusing them of stealing and killing the animal.

Obviously, the vigilantes did not take up the PM on his offer. His entreaties, warnings and pleas for sparing Dalits fell on deaf ears. The outcome, unfortunately, wasn't a big surprise.

In theory, the PM's dramatic offer to gau rakshaks for targeting him instead of Dalits is rooted in the Gandhian ideal of offering his own life to save others from violence and injustice. In 1947, when the entire country was burning in the Partition fire, Gandhi's decision to offer himself as a collateral in Calcutta kept the city free of riots for several days. And when riots broke out after several days of calm, Gandhi went on a hunger strike, saying he would die if Hindus and Muslims do not stop attacking each other.

Unfortunately, there can never be another Gandhi. The apostle of peace was a torch bearer of human conscience, the keeper of collective sanity and inspired many with his ideals and principles. Such was India's love for the Mahatma that every time he put his life at stake, Gandhi ended up achieving his objective, bringing a maddening people back to their moral roots.

But, that was a different age and era. India, its people, politicians, politics, morals and ideals have changed dramatically over the past six decades. Modi's plaintive plea, for several reasons, is unlikely to have any impact on the vigilantes.

Part of the blame for losing the moral high ground on the issue of cow vigilantism should go to the BJP and the PM. Over the past few decades, Indians had moved on from emotive and silly debates around gau raksha, gobar and gau mutra (dung and urine). But the BJP, with the overt objective of polarising the country, reignited this medieval debate in a modern country.

As the New York Times pointed out in a stinging editorial, "The cow, sacred to Hindus, has become a lightning rod for the Hindu right under Mr. Modis Bharatiya Janata Party government. Mr. Modi himself has exploited the cow slaughter issue at rallies. The BJPs president, Amit Shah, has boasted, 'Wherever there is a BJP government, there is a ban on beef.'

As Ghalib asked: Kaaba kis munh se jaoge, Ghalib?

The strength of moral force moves people only if the person exercising it is seen as a paragon of virtue, truth and idealism. The BJP, by inserting cows into the Indian narrative for electoral gains, has lost that right.

Now that the genie, uncorked by the BJP itself, is out of the bottle, the PM will have to take a series of initiatives to control the narrative. A countrywide crackdown on thugs out to extort money and unleash violence in the name of cow appears inevitable. The sooner it begins, the better it would be for the BJP and the country.

He will also have to address the problem of his selective outrage against cow vigilantes. Just as there are no good terrorists and bad terrorists, there are no good gau rakshaks and bad rakshaks. Everyone who dispenses street justice in the name of cow protection, regardless of party and ideological affiliation, should be punished like a criminal.

Finally, since the PM is keen to walk into the Mahatma's footsteps, he should recall the most important lesson from Gandhi's success in keeping Calcutta quiet: He put his life at stake for the entire humanity; not just for Dalits or Hindus.
Editor:

I find myself in a moral quandary. First, $400 million in cold hard foreign currency is delivered to Iran by the United States in secret at exactly the same moment as Iran releases four American hostages. Seems to be a situation that speaks for itself.

But the Obama Administration, including the President, publicly argues that the payment was not ransom but a reconciling of old debts. While their argument is somewhat tortured, they are adamant. At the same time Irans media and leadership seem to be very comfortable with the ransom explanation. So who to believe?

But then I remember that taking infidels hostage for ransom is well within normal behavior for Muslims. Thats partly what the conflict with the Barbary Pirates was all about.

And, unfortunately, lying to the American public is well within normal behavior for the Obama Administration. The Iranian nuclear deal and Benghazi come to mind.

Im saddened that we now live in a country where its more rational to believe our enemies than it is to believe our own government.

Robert R. Kessler

Las Vegas
Jammu: Accusing the BJP of making Kashmiri Pandits "scapegoats" in the ongoing unrest to "realise" its Kashmir dream, a Kashmiri Pandit organisation on Tuesday said the party was "punishing" the community for its lineage to Jawaharlal Nehru.

"BJP is punishing Kashmiri Pandits for their lineage to Jawaharlal Nehru and using them as baits, scapegoats to realise the so-called Kashmir dream without understanding the ground realities of Kashmir," said President of Citizens for Peace and Harmony (CFPH), King Bharati.

He said the attitude of the BJP towards Kashmiri Pandits indicates that the party "wants to punish innocent Kashmiri Pandits" for the "blunders" committed by Nehru simply because he was a Kashmiri Pandit.

"Had it not been so the BJP would have come to the rescue of the agitating Kashmiri Pandit employees who were attacked in Kashmir," Bharati said.

He said that it seems that BJP leadership was "hell-bent" upon "sacrificing" Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir as they feel Nehru had "ditched" India at a crucial moment and "punishing" Kashmiri Pandits at this time would be "satisfying" for the party.

"Kashmiri Pandits are threatened on daily basis by posters and threat letters," he claimed.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will split hairs with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the exact proportion of real versus rogue gau rakshaks. Is it 80:20 or 20:80? That is for the consumption of its cadre in particular and the public in general.

But the real import of the prime minister's fulminations on the "anti-social" activities of self-proclaimed gau rakshaks will not be lost on the top echelons of the RSS leadership.

Modi knows only too well that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)  and even a large section of conservatives in the RSS  attaches divine attributes to the bovine and sees cow protection as a religious duty. The VHP has predictably expressed its displeasure and another fringe organisation, the Hindu Mahasabha, has almost called the prime minister a traitor of the Hindutva cause. So, while we can argue about why the prime minister chose to join issue with gau rakshak goons when he did  more than a month after the Una incident  there is no doubt that he chose what he said and where he said it, deliberately and with great care.

First the venue and the occasion. As this Firstpost article pointed out, the prime minister chose the first-ever townhall to trash gau rakshaks as criminals. Townhalls are a western concept where the head of government takes questions directly from citizens. By doing the first prime ministerial townhall, Modi wants to the send a signal that accountability, access and transparency will be the hallmarks of his governance.

Notably, Modi chose this citizens platform to bring up the subject of gau rakshaks  which was creating havoc for his party politically  even though he was not directly asked a question on the subject. This makes two things clear: One, he is now wearing the hat of the administrator-in-chief of the country, not that of a protector-in-chief of his party's interests or its ideology. And, two, that this was a governance issue, not an ideological or religious issue.

In his earlier avatar as an RSS pracharak, Modi might have had to ignore the indiscretions and criminal excesses of cow protectors. But as prime minister, he cannot not ignore the ominous portents it has for the country. Additionally, he will be conscious of the fact that this can be the undoing of his image of being a moderniser, which he has so assiduously cultivated in India and abroad, particularly in the US.

That is as far as the obvious messaging is concerned. There is a deeper, hidden message, too, in his calculated outburst against gau rakshaks and that has to do with the two distinctly different strands of thinking within the Sangh parivar on the issue of holding up the cow as the symbol of religious nationalism.

One is the conservative hardcore, the types who wear their love for the cow on their sleeves. In the urbanised areas of western Uttar Pradesh where I live and work, I regularly encounter processions raising the slogan gau mata ko rashtra mata ghoshit karo (declare the cow the national symbol of motherhood). It is possible that wherever you live you, too, must have seen this version of total allegiance to the cow.

It does not matter to them that hundreds of cows roam around the same streets, day in and night out, causing serious danger to the traffic and for themselves. In fact, villages that lie cheek by jowl with these urban settlements, let go of hundreds of aged cows and oxen because they are past their productive phase. Concerns of commerce override religious or national sentiment but cow bhakts hardly ever question that.

In spite of our regular brush with this version of the holy-cow politics, it hardly ever makes a mark on the urban consciousness. Yet, those claiming to be protectors of the cow don't let one opportunity pass to pose for the camera or give out sensational bites to hog the limelight. The question arises why do they do it?

In Ramachandra Guhas book India after Gandhi, the author describes the RSSs vision of India by quoting its second chief MS Golwalkar. In Golwalkars words, Mother Cow, the living symbol of Mother Earth  that deserves to be the sole object of devotion and worship. To stop forthwith any onslaught on this particular point of our national honour, and to foster the spirit of devotion to the motherland, a ban on cow-slaughter should find topmost priority in our programme of national renaissance in swaraj.

Since its inception, the RSS has chosen the cow as a symbol for consolidation of Hindu society across the country. The underlying assumption was that cow is revered across the country and would be a powerful emotive issue to unite the fractured Hindu society.

In those days of communally supercharged politics, it had much greater resonance as opposed to the near total apathy, especially urban, now. In fact the cow-nationalists then had presumed that it had so much impact that in Independent India's first General Election a cow-bhakt sadhu, Prabhudutt Brahmachari, was put up as a candidate against Jawaharlal Nehru. Of course, he was trounced by Nehru, but continued his struggle for cow-protection which culminated in a march to Parliament that resulted in serious clashes between sadhus and the police in 1966.

This brief history of using the cow as a political symbol bears out the fact that the self-proclaimed champions of the cow draw their sustenance largely from the political ideology of Hindutva. They are certainly not random aberrations that have reared their ugly heads all of a sudden. Though the cow protection lobby was always a marginal group in the countrys political discourse, it has the potential of igniting the communal tinderbox. In the pre-independence and the immediate post-independence phases, in large parts of the Hindi belt, protection of cow symbolised the Hindus masculinity vis a vis the Muslims.

But there is a second line of thinking on the relevance of the cow. Cow-protection might be the dominant voice, not the only one. Mahatma Gandhi, for example. Gandhiji was all for revering the cow and protecting it, but he put a far greater premium on social amity. He had nothing but contempt for those claiming themselves to be champions of cow-protection and chided them openly for their hypocrisy. He termed cow-protection societies as cow-killing societies.

One can argue that Mahatma Gandhi was never the poster boy of Hindutva nationalists. So let's pick one such, Veer Savarkar, who had and has a cult following among Hindutva nationalists? In a paper published for the South Asia Institute of the Department of Political Science, Heidelberg University (February 2009) titled The demonic and the seductive in religious nationalism: Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and rites of exorcism in secularising South Asia, Ashish Nandy writes about Savarkar thus:

"The sceptics might like to look up Savarkars comments on the cow, worshipped as sacred by most Hindus, and compare it with the position of the organisations and parties that constitute the Hindu nationalist formation today. While the latter try to pander to the sentiments of the Hindus, Savarkar publicly supported cow slaughter when necessary and declared the cow to be a useless animal with no sacredness about it..."

Ashish Nandy hits the nail on the head. Savarkar was never confused about the inadequacy of the cow as the national emblem. Savarkar, who propounded Narsingh (mythical human-lion), as the national emblem fit for a strong nation, was rather dismissive of the cow. Here are his exact words: "A national emblem should evoke the nations exemplary valour, brilliance, aspirations and make its people super humans! The cow, exploited and eaten at will, is an appropriate symbol of our present-day weakness. But at least the Hindu nation of tomorrow should not have such a pitiable symbol." (1936,Ksha Kirane or X Rays, Samagra Savarkar Vangmaya, Vol. 3, p.237)

That brings us back to Modi's subtle message for the public in general and the parivar in particular. Modi is a self-confessed disciple of Savarkar and shares the late leader's vision about "valour, brilliance, aspirations" to make India a super power. That also fits the brand he has tried to build for himself as an administrator since the time he took political power in 2001. The visual imagery of the India that he wants to build corresponds more with Savarkar's Narsingh than the gau mata. While he might personally revere the cow, that is hardly the emblematic representation of the India that he aspires to build or the one that will resonate with the millennials who are his ardent support base.

Will this shift in emphasis fall foul of the RSS leadership? Unlikely, because even within the RSS, the realisation that cow protection has acquired anti-Dalit features has caused serious concern. It runs counter to their goal of Hindu consolidation. The statement from RSS, supporting Modi on his remarks about cow vigilantism, revealed as much. Perhaps the time has come to jettison the archaic symbols of political mobilisation that are completely irrelevant to 21st Century India.

That is the significance of Modi's outburst against cow-criminals.
Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday blasted Ukraine over an alleged attempted incursion into the disputed Crimea region that Kiev fiercely denied.

"This is very alarming news. In fact, our security services prevented an incursion into the territory by a sabotage-reconnaissance group from Ukraine's defence ministry," Putin told Russian news agencies.

Putin accused the authorities in Kiev of "practising terror" and pledged not to leave the deaths of two Russian officers in alleged clashes unanswered.

"From the Russian side there were losses  two soldiers killed. We obviously will not let such things slide by," Putin said.

"The attempt to provoke an uptick in violence, to provoke conflict is nothing but an attempt to distract public attention."

"This is a very dangerous game. We will of course do everything to assure the security of infrastructure, citizens and will take additional measures to provide security, including serious additional measures."

Russia's security service said it had thwarted "terrorist attacks" at the weekend in Crimea by Ukrainian military intelligence and beaten back an armed assault.

The FSB said in a statement that one of its officers was killed in armed clashes while arresting "terrorists" on the night of 6-7 August while a Russian soldier died in a firefight with "sabotage-terrorist" groups sent by the Ukrainian defence ministry on 8 August.

The allegations will fuel further tensions in the feud between Russia and Ukraine, sparked when Moscow annexed Crimea from Kiev in March 2014 after Kremlin-backed president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted.

Ukraine's national security council chief Oleksandr Turchynov blasted the claims as "hysterical and false" and said Moscow was trying to stoke fear in Crimea.

Ukraine's defence ministry dismissed the allegations as "nothing more than an attempt to justify the redeployment and aggressive actions" of Russian forces in the region.
WASHINGTON Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Wednesday accused Republican opponent Donald Trump of inciting violence with his call for gun rights activists to stop her from nominating liberal U.S. Supreme Court justices.

Clinton's comments added to a growing outcry over Trump's remarks on Tuesday at a North Carolina rally, which some interpreted as a call for violence against his White House rival. His remarks also fuelled widespread concerns about his ability to stay on track.

"Words matter, my friends," the former U.S. secretary of state, who rarely engages in direct back-and-forths with her Republican rival, said at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa. "And if you are running to be president or you are president of the United States, words can have tremendous consequences."

"Yesterday, we witnessed the latest in a long line of casual comments from Donald Trump that crossed the line," she said, citing "his casual inciting of violence."

Trump insisted in an interview with Fox News that his remarks were a call for political, not physical, action.

There is tremendous political power to save the Second Amendment, tremendous," the New York businessman said. "And you look at the power they have in terms of votes and thats what I was referring to, obviously thats what I was referring to, and everybody knows it."

The U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment guarantees a right to keep and bear arms.

"I cant think of anything remotely comparable to it. No one tells a joke about the opponent getting shot. Ive never heard it," said Bob Shrum, a top aide for Al Gore's presidential campaign in 2000 and John Kerry's in 2004.

REPUBLICANS SHAKEN

High-profile Republicans and rank-and-file voters appeared shaken on Wednesday after a string of Trump misfires, struggling with how to best reject his divisive candidacy. Some pledged to withhold their endorsement and others backed Clinton.

Some, including MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman from Florida, called for party leaders to replace Trump on the ticket.

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll taken Aug. 5-8 - before Trump's latest controversy - showed that nearly one-fifth of 396 registered Republicans said they want Trump to drop out of the race and another 10 percent said they "don't know" whether the Republican nominee should or not.

Clinton's campaign, seeing an opening, has moved to bring disenchanted Republicans into the fold by announcing an official intraparty outreach effort on behalf of the Democratic nominee.

Clinton's campaign now has a website for Republicans and political independents to sign up to pledge their support, listing 50 prominent Republicans and independents who have endorsed her.

On Monday, 50 Republican national security officials signed an open letter questioning Trump's temperament, calling him reckless and unqualified to be president.

Other top Republicans, including Senator Susan Collins of Maine this week, have disavowed Trump but said they cannot back Clinton.

James Rohrscheib, 74, a registered Republican and retired U.S. Navy officer from Washington state, told Reuters the reality is the Nov. 8 election will be a "tough one."

"Im in a quandary as to who I am going to vote for," Rohrscheib said.

Trump has dismissed the defections and criticism as an unsurprising reaction of the so-called Washington elite to his drive to change the status quo.

One group that appears unswayed is Trump's donors. Reuters interviewed nine major Trump donors on Wednesday, and not one said his Second Amendment comment had given them pause.

Trump Texas fundraising co-chair Gaylord Hughey called the interpretation of his remark as condoning violence "ridiculous" and "ludicrous."

"Its just another issue the press has really twisted to make headlines," Hughey said.

But Mike Smith, a Republican voter and Reuters/Ipsos poll respondent, said the support Trump is still receiving from Republicans "almost seems obligatory rather than voluntary."

"Im almost at the point where I think Im going to vote for Hillary. I don't like her," said Smith, a 74-year-old retiree who lives in Clearwater, Florida. "But Mr. Trump is making me very nervous."

RESET ABANDONED

Republican strategist and Trump supporter Ford OConnell said Trump has "dug himself a deep hole" with voters and to win the election he will need to "make it a referendum on Hillary Clinton and the 'rigged system.'"

Trump sought to do just that by using an economic policy speech in Detroit on Monday to correct a series of missteps that included a prolonged clash with the parents of a fallen Muslim American soldier. But his remarks Tuesday undermined that effort.

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks," Trump said at the rally in North Carolina. "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know," he continued.

A federal official familiar with the matter denied a media report that the U.S. Secret Service, which investigates threats against presidents and candidates, had formally spoken with the Trump campaign about his remark.

Trump's comment and the resulting backlash occurred as Reuters/Ipsos polling showed some 44 percent of 1,162 registered voters believe Trump should exit the race, and that as of Tuesday, Clinton led Trump by more than 7 percentage points, up from a 3-point lead late last week.

Strategists and Trump detractors agreed that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to remove Trump from the Republican ticket.

"Its wishful thinking to believe the Republicans are going to replace its nominee after the convention. People are grasping at straws," Ron Bonjean, a Republican strategist unaffiliated with Trump, told Reuters.

A more likely scenario would be a replay of the 1996 presidential race, when the Republican Party essentially deserted nominee Bob Dole, who was badly trailing President Bill Clinton, to focus on congressional races.

(Additional reporting by Alana Wise, Emily Flitter, Ginger Gibson, Susan Heavy, Doina Chiacu, Grant Smith, Eric Beech and Jonathan Allen; Writing by Amanda Becker; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jonathan Oatis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Beijing: China on Wednesday warmed up for talks with the Philippines to resolve differences as Beijing welcomed Manila's special envoy to make joint efforts to improve bilateral relations and restore dialogue amid tensions over the South China Sea tribunal verdict.

"As neighbours of traditional friendship, China and the Philippines should make joint efforts to improve bilateral relations, restore dialogue and cooperation and push for the sound and steady growth of bilateral relations," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a statement.

Manila's special envoy Fidel Ramos is on a five-day visit to Hong Kong.

"It is learnt that during his stay in Hong Kong, Ramos will meet his Chinese old friends. The Chinese side is open to all forms of contact between the two sides and welcomes a visit to China by Ramos as a special envoy at an early date," she said.

The tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration quashed China's claims over the South Chia Sea and gave a verdict in favour of the Philippines which contested Beijing's claims.

Besides the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and

Taiwan also have counter claims.

While rejecting the tribunal verdict, China said it is open for bilateral talks with Manila to resolve the dispute.

Designated by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte as a special envoy, Ramos arrived in Hong Kong on Monday to start his visit to China after the South China Sea arbitration case

has frozen the two countries' ties.

On his arrival in Hong Kong, he said the purpose of his visit to China is not for negotiations but to "rekindle" the Sino-Philippine friendship.

"We are here on a mission of goodwill and are not involved in any negotiations or official transactions," he said.

Ramos said that the people he want to first meet with during his trip is Wu Shicun, president of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, a major think-tank based on China's southern island of Hainan Province.

"I have always been optimistic and looking for the best results. But of course that also depends on the attitude of the Chinese officials," he said, adding that his Chinese friends include very successful businessmen.

Ramos said he will not discuss the particular issue of theSouth China Sea arbitration with his Chinese friends but seek to improve economic and tourism cooperation between the two countries.

Ramos, served as the Philippine President from 1992 to 1998.

After his retirement, Ramos became a key figure who proposed the Boao Forum for Asia, an international think tank backed by China which was also based in Hainan.
WILMINGTON, N.C. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday that gun rights activists could act to stop his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton from nominating liberal U.S. Supreme Court justices, igniting a new firestorm of criticism just as he sought to steer clear of controversy.

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks," Trump said at a rally. "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know," he continued. The U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment guarantees a right to bear firearms.

Until Trump made the remark, the businessman seeking his first public office had been trying to rally Republican voters behind him and against Clinton, who is leading in opinion polls in the race for the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election.

Clinton's campaign called the comments "dangerous."

"A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way, it said.

When asked to clarify what Trump meant, his campaign said Trump was referring to getting supporters of the Second Amendment to rally votes for Trump in the election.

"Its called the power of unification  2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power," the statement said.

Asked for comment, the U.S. Secret Service, which provides security details for both Trump and Clinton, said: The Secret Service is aware of the comment."

When by day's end Trump arrived in Fayetteville, North Carolina, for another rally, he was drawing criticism on several fronts.

Michael Hayden, a former CIA director who on Monday was among 50 Republican national security experts to denounce Trump in a letter, said on CNN, "Youre not just responsible for what you say. You are responsible for what people hear.

Tuesday's speech came on the heels of a discordant week on the campaign trail for Trump. He came under fire from within his party for belatedly endorsing fellow Republicans in reelection races and a prolonged clash with the parents of fallen Muslim American Army captain Humayun Khan.

On Monday, Trump had seemed to be heeding Republican advice to stick to a message of criticizing Clinton and other Democrats while putting forward economic policy proposals in a speech in Detroit.

Trump's vice presidential running mate Mike Pence, asked if he believed Trump was inciting violence towards Clinton, told NBCs Philadelphia affiliate: Of course not. No."

But Democrats called Trump's remarks another sign of a candidate unfit for the White House.

Dont treat this as a political misstep. Its an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy & crisis," U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, said in a tweet.

Immediately after Trump made his comment, many on social media accused him of effectively calling for Clintons assassination. In just three hours, 2nd amendment became the top trending topic on Twitter, with more than 60,000 posts mentioning the term.

Overall sentiment on the posts was more negative than positive, at a ratio of 2.5 to 1, according to the social media analytics firm Zoomph. #ProtectHillary was also one of the top trending hashtags on Twitter.

The 50 prominent national security officials said in their letter on Monday that Trump would be "the most reckless president in American history."

"He appears to lack basic knowledge about and belief in the U.S. Constitution, U.S. laws and U.S. institutions, including religious tolerance, freedom of the press, and an independent judiciary," their statement said.

(Additional reporting and writing by Alana Wise in Washington and Angela Moon in New York; Editing by Howard Goller)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Scope: Work includes approx 6,400 LF of 3" PVC sewer force main; 3,581 LF of 8" PVC sewer force main; 6,400 LF of 12" PVC sewer force main; 1,924 LF of 3" directional boring sewer; 1,020 LF of 8" directional boring sewer; 1,924 LF of 12" directional boring sewer; 1,924 LF of 3" HDPE sewer force main; 1,020 LF of 8" HDPE sewer force main; 1,897 LF of 12" HDPE sewer force main; 396 LF of 8" jack and bore; 396 LF of 16" steel sleeve (16" sleeve). See attached file.
2000 - 2022   24 .-   .       focus-news.net,                 () .                  24 .                 24      .       .       24 .
The grape harvest in Spain's leading wine producing region, La Rioja. EFE

In early September, Jose Antonio Narvaez will head for France to work on his 13th grape harvest. The 31-year old, from the tiny community of Alcala del Valle, in Cadiz province, made his first trip when he was aged 18, and has only missed one since. I went with my uncle, who is in charge of the team I work with, he explains, adding: Of the 16 in the group, 11 of us are cousins or uncles. Over the course of the year he also takes part in other harvests: olive picking or green asparagus: its very typical in my village.

Narvaez and his 15 travelling companions are part of the 15,000 or so Spaniards that labor unions say will be heading to France this year to take part in the grape harvest. In 1972, the figure was 96,000, dropping to 10,000 in 1992, when Spains economy was enjoying a lengthy period of growth.

Labor unions say that around 20% of first-time grape pickers are aged under 30 and have a university degree.

Labor unions say that most Spaniards who travel to France work overtime, generally bringing their wages up to 2,000

The campaign begins at the end of August and generally lasts a month, although there are areas of France where the harvest extends until the end of October. Celia Estevez says she hopes to travel to France this year for the second time, and has already contacted the head of the team she worked with eight years ago. He is the guy in the village who deals with this and he said he would see what he can do, she explains. But with barely two weeks to go before the group leaves, she still hasnt heard anything. Unemployed, Estevez is aged 28 and lives in Motril, a small seaside town in Granada province. This year I worked for 20 days selling fruit, and then two weeks in May as a cleaner.

Shes concerned she hasnt been contacted yet, but says she wont go without a contract. It would be crazy to just turn up there, she says, a view shared by Spains two main labor unions, UGT and CO. Dont travel without a signed contract from France and dont go unless there is organized transport, advises Pedro Hojas of CO.

Jose Antonio Narvaez says he expects to earn around 1,700. Celia says she earned 1,570 for three weeks work, six days a week, from 4.45am to 12.15. The minimum salary this year is 9.67 an hour for a 35-hour week, a significant improvement on Spain, where the minimum wage is 6.50 an hour.

But labor unions say that most Spaniards who travel to France work overtime, generally bringing their wages up to 2,000.

Sign up for our newsletter EL PAIS English Edition has launched a weekly newsletter. Sign up today to receive a selection of our best stories in your inbox every Saturday morning. For full details about how to subscribe, click here

The typical Spanish grape picker is male, aged between 30 and 45, with a primary education and experience working in agriculture. Most work in groups of between eight and 20 people.

Of Spains regions, Andalusia provides the largest number of workers who head to France each year: 11,000, or 75% of the grape-picking workforce.

English version by Nick Lyne.
Nextbit launched its cloud-first Robin smartphone in India at a price of Rs. 19,999. Today the smartphone has received a Rs. 5000 price cut and is available for Rs. 14,999 on Flipkart as a part of its Freedom Sale. Flipkart says that this limited period offer is valid until stocks last or till the offer ends.

Flipkart is also offering instant discount of 10% to HDFC Bank Credit Card holders and exchange up to Rs. 12,000 in exchange for old phone. If you are planning to get the phone, this is the right time since it is cheaper than the US price of $299.

Nextbit introduced a new Ember variant of the Robin last month and said that it will be available in India through Flipkart in limited numbers from early August, but there is still no sign of it. Hope it will go on sale by the end of this month.
Raisio Nutrition Ltd

Raisio Oats

Raisio is the biggest oat producer in Finland. Our high production capacity means a secure supply, short lead times, a wide range of offerings and competitive pricing. We have gluten free, organic and conventional oats as well as oat fibres. We want to share our comprehensive know-how in oats and oat based applications to help you have the best possible product for your customers.

We collaborate with our contract farmers and control our short and transparent supply chain to get you traceable and high quality oats. We source most of our oats from less than 100km radius from our mill.

In Finland oats are sustainably grown in optimal agro-climatic conditions. The purest air and water, good varieties and skilled farmers yield highest quality products. Our nordic climate brings out the best in oats, which love bitterly cold winters and draw all their energy from short, intense summers.

Our product range covers gluten free oats, organic oats, conventional oats and oat fibre concentrates (beta-glucan). All types of oats are available as different sized flakes, groats, flours and bran. We will help you choose the perfect ingredient for your product. We have extensive know-how to process high-quality Finnish oats into more than 100 oat based products at your use (including organic, gluten-free).

Opportunities with oats are not limited to mere gluten-free. It is a great fit with many other significant trends we can see on the market, such as natural, clean eating and plant-based nutrition.

Oats fit to all kinds of foods and brands to meet modern consumer needs. Oats are high in fibre, good source of protein and contain high quality carbohydrates and fatty acids. Oat beta-glucan is the only substance with four different EFSA approved health claims. Oats are free from allergens and naturally gluten-free and that is why oats bring real nutritional value, variety and taste to gluten-free diets.
Credit cards are convenient ways to make purchases, but they're not perfect. Credit card scams are everywhere, and credit card fraud is a growing problem. Read on for answers to common questions about spotting and reporting credit card fraud.

What is credit card fraud?

Credit card fraud is when someone uses your credit cards without your permission. They might use it to make purchases or withdraw funds. Credit card fraud can happen when someone steals your physical credit card. It can also happen if your credit card data is stolen and used online.

Another form of credit card fraud involves identity theft. This can occur when someone uses your personal information to open a credit card in your name. For example, a thief could use your Social Security number to apply for a credit card without your knowledge. More than 270,000 cases of credit card fraud occurred in 2019 alone.

What is a credit card scam?

A credit card scam is a lie or trick used to get your credit card information. It can be as simple as a phone call from someone pretending to be your card issuer. There are also more complex scams that involve fake web pages designed to look like your issuer's login page.

Credit card scams are extremely common. They can happen in person, by phone, through an email, or even via social media.

How do credit card companies spot fraud?

Credit card companies have developed extremely sophisticated tools for detecting fraud. They monitor every transaction on every card. Then, credit card issuers use complicated computer algorithms to look for unusual transactions. For example, if you rarely leave your city and your card is used in another state, your card issuer might flag your card for possible fraud.

Depending on the company, flagged transactions can have a variety of results. Some issuers will send text messages or automated phone calls. This allows you to confirm whether it's you making the purchase -- or not.

In some cases, the purchase might be denied, especially if the credit card company is unable to contact you. This could happen if your card account is used in another country, for instance. The transaction might also be denied if you try to make a purchase with a website known for fraudulent activity.

How to spot credit card fraud

Although cardholders don't have the fancy algorithms that card companies use, you can still spot fraud. The simplest way to catch credit card fraud is to keep a vigilant eye on your accounts.

Check your transactions at least once a month. If you spot a purchase you didn't make, dispute the charge right away. Of course, you should also report a lost or stolen card as soon as possible.

Don't forget to regularly check your credit report for signs of credit card fraud. You are entitled to a free report from each of the three credit bureaus every year. Immediately report any accounts you didn't open yourself.

How does fraud happen on credit cards?

Fraud can occur when thieves get either your credit card data or your physical credit card. For example, credit card fraud happens when criminals acquire your credit card information or your account login information.

Common ways fraudsters get your credit card information include theft and scams. For example, a thief may steal your mail or get old documents from your trash. Your physical credit card can be stolen. Your card can also be copied via a skimmer or scanner. Thankfully, chip credit cards have reduced the amount of fraud from copied credit cards.

Phone scams are also common. Fraudsters may pretend to be a bank or government agent and demand your account data. Other scams can include complex fronts like fake charities or counterfeit businesses.

Another common type of credit card fraud happens when your identity is stolen. Identity thieves can use your personal information to open credit cards in your name. They can then rack up debt on the cards and disappear.

How do I report credit card fraud?

The process for reporting credit card fraud depends on the type of fraud. If you spot fraudulent purchases on your card, you can report them to your issuer. You can easily report credit card fraud to your card issuer through its website or mobile app. Of course, you can also call the number on the back of your card.

If the credit card fraud involves unauthorized accounts opened in your name, there are two steps you need to take. First, contact the card issuer and alert them to the fraudulent account. You can usually do this online or by phone.

Next, contact the credit bureaus and report the credit card fraud by disputing the account. You'll need to file an account dispute with each credit bureau -- Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Identity theft should also be reported to appropriate legal authorities, including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Check identitytheft.gov for help reporting identity theft.

What to do if you're the victim of credit card fraud

The exact steps to take if you're a credit card fraud victim can vary.

If your card is stolen and used fraudulently, report the theft to your issuer. You should also freeze your credit. Make sure you dispute unauthorized transactions, too. Your issuer will send you a replacement card, likely with a new number.

Even if it's just your credit card data that was stolen (not the physical card), immediately dispute any transactions on your card you did not make. Consider freezing the credit card until the issue is resolved. Your issuer may decide to replace your card and give you a new number.

If a thief has obtained your login credentials, report the fraud to the card issuer right away. You should also change your account password and username. Be sure to change your credentials for any other accounts that use the same username or password.

In all these cases, remember that your liability for fraudulent credit card purchases is limited. Many card issuers have $0 liability policies in place.

If a credit card is opened in your name without permission, it gets more complicated. This means you are the victim of full-scale identity theft. You'll need to report the credit card fraud to the card issuer. You should also file a dispute with each of the three credit bureaus.

Lastly, report the identity theft to any required authorities. This can include filing a police report and contacting the FTC or the Social Security Administration. If you're not sure where to start, try identitytheft.gov for more information.

Although your liability is limited, identity theft can be hard to prove. Unfortunately, your credit score may suffer in the process. You may need to take steps to increase your credit score while you work to resolve your identity theft. It can be frustrating to have your credit damaged through no fault of your own, but there are steps you can take. Credit cards for bad credit can be useful if you have trouble getting approved for a new card after identity theft. Check out our guide for more on how to rebuild your credit.

Common credit card scams

There are as many different credit card scams as there are scammers (if not more). But most common scams fit into a few main categories:

Phishing: These are email scams that include links to fake login pages. The email will claim there's an issue with your account or pretend to be a fraud alert. When you use the email link, you are taken to a counterfeit website that may look very real. When you use your login credentials on the fake site, the fraudster gets access. Never log into your credit card account through an email link. Instead, go directly to the issuer's website through your address bar or search engine.

These are email scams that include links to fake login pages. The email will claim there's an issue with your account or pretend to be a fraud alert. When you use the email link, you are taken to a counterfeit website that may look very real. When you use your login credentials on the fake site, the fraudster gets access. Never log into your credit card account through an email link. Instead, go directly to the issuer's website through your address bar or search engine. Impersonation: These scams often occur by phone but may also be by email. Fraudsters pretend to be your bank, a government agency, or even law enforcement. They may use fear or threats to coerce you into giving up your information. Remember that no legitimate agency or bank will ask for your credit card login credentials by phone or email.

These scams often occur by phone but may also be by email. Fraudsters pretend to be your bank, a government agency, or even law enforcement. They may use fear or threats to coerce you into giving up your information. Remember that no legitimate agency or bank will ask for your credit card login credentials by phone or email. Fake organization: Some scammers will pretend to be part of a charity or popular organization. They may ask for donations or try to sell you something that doesn't exist. When you give them your credit card information, they can use it to make fraudulent purchases. Avoid giving out your card data by phone or email.

Some scammers will pretend to be part of a charity or popular organization. They may ask for donations or try to sell you something that doesn't exist. When you give them your credit card information, they can use it to make fraudulent purchases. Avoid giving out your card data by phone or email. Get rich quick: This common type of scam will offer quick cash or free credit card rewards -- they just need your personal and/or card information. Always be wary of anyone who asks for your Social Security number or other personal info. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Of course, these are just a few of the most common types of credit card scams. Always use caution before giving out your personal or credit card information.

How to report credit card scams

Credit card scams and card fraud are crimes. If you fall victim to a credit card scam, you can report it to your local government -- specifically, your state consumer protection office. You can also report scams to the FTC at the federal level. This is particularly important if the scammer is impersonating a government entity.

If you lost money or possessions to a credit card scam, you can also file a police report. Contact your local police department to file a report.

What to do if you're the victim of a credit card scam

As soon as you know you've been scammed, report it. Dispute any fraudulent credit card transactions with your issuer. You can do this online or by phone. Next, report the scam to the local government authorities. You may also want to file a police report with your local law enforcement. Watch your credit reports and pay attention to activity on all your accounts to catch any additional fraud. You might also consider setting up a fraud alert or credit freeze.

Still have questions?

Here are some other questions we've answered:
Do you need a financial therapist?

That may sound ridiculous, but it's a real thing, and Alison Southwick and Robert Brokamp dig into that question on this edition of Motley Fool Answers. Retail therapy is a growing field, and it's more than just lying down on a couch so someone can tell you to save for retirement and not buy things you can't afford.

Our hosts also discuss whether it's a good idea to invest in the company where you work. To help us answer that question, Motley Fool CFO Ollen Douglass provides the one question anyone should ask themselves before making that type of investment.

A full transcript follows the video.

This podcast was recorded on July 5, 2016.

Alison Southwick: This is Motley Fool Answers. I'm Alison Southwick and I'm joined, as always, by Robert Brokamp, personal finance expert here at The Motley Fool.

Robert Brokamp: It's such a pleasure to be with you again, Alison.

Alison: I love the enthusiasm this week.

Robert: Oh, yeah, yeah.

Alison: On today's episode, we're going to look into the emerging industry of financial therapy, and explore the concept of "money scripts," which some fancy-pants psychologist came up with to help us define our relationship with money. We're also going to answer your question on investing in the company where you work, and we'll end the show with a few thank you's and shout-outs to our fine listeners (that's you). All that, and more, on this week's episode of Motley Fool Answers.

__

Alison: It's time for Answers, Answers, and today's question comes from Ryan. Ryan writes: "My dad is 56 and wants to retire at 60. He has been presented with an opportunity to buy a small ownership stake in his company ($25,000 for 10%). What top three questions does he need to ask himself before making any decision to invest? Thanks. Love the show. Ryan."

So Ryan, to get this answer we actually turned to Ollen Douglass, a friend of the show, and he's also The Motley Fool's CFO. He knows a thing or two about investing in companies. Here's what he had to say.

__

Ollen Douglass: Hello, Alison. How are you, today?

Alison: I'm good, Ollen. How are you? Thank you for helping us answer this question today.

Ollen: No problem at all. Well, here we go. Normally, the first question I would ask would be, "Am I willing to lose 100% of this investment?" However, in this case, I would modify that to be, "Am I willing to lose 100% of this investment and, at the same time, lose my job?"

Assuming we get past No. 1 (which you can do and still be rational -- it's OK), No. 2 would be, "Can I wait for an undetermined length of time to get liquidity?" Then I would think about the business itself. How much do I know about the owner and health of the business? Am I an expert in this business? Is someone that I know and trust an expert that is also investing?

If you feel good about these first three answers, then a wrap-up question would be, "Do I think the potential reward is significantly higher than the risk that I've just stated above?" If you get through all those, and you get to a yes, then it sounds like you're ready.

__

Alison: Joke time! How many psychotherapists does it take to change a light bulb, Bro?

Robert: Three, and I don't know why I'm saying that. It's just most things come in threes.

Alison: OK, well the answer is just one, so long as the light bulb wants to change.

Robert: Ah, yes. Of course.

Alison: These are the jokes! But seriously, your relationship with money is complex, rooted in emotions which are driven by your personal experiences. It's all so complicated! Maybe you should seek professional help, and by which we mean financial therapy!

Robert: Dun dun da!

Alison: Dun dun da! Bro, what is financial therapy?

Robert: Financial therapy is like traditional mental health therapy. You go to see someone. You have some sort of problem. They're going to take a look at your past, take a look at your behaviors, and come up with some ways to help you change whatever it is you need to change. And it's something I've come to over the last year because I have actually been in my financial services life for about 20 years now (in terms of when I was a financial advisor and now being at The Motley Fool) and over that time it has become very clear to me that essentially financial decisions are emotional decisions.

A lot of the stuff we sort of already know. Most people know you should be saving for retirement. You should spend less than you make. You should not have a lot of debt. But we also know that too many people have too much debt and are not saving enough for retirement. So I was just was very curious. Like why are people not doing the things they know they should do?

And this has become a more common question. The whole idea of behavioral finance has become a big thing. We've talked about it here on the radio show. Behavioral finance, though, generally tends to look at investing and often spends a lot of time identifying the mistakes people make, but doesn't really dig into why people make them and what you should do about that, and that's what led me to financial therapy. It is very new, but I'm now getting my graduate certificate in financial therapy from Kansas State and I think it's actually the only program available, so that's how new it is.

Alison: When does someone need a financial therapist? Versus a financial planner or all the other ones we know?

Robert: The typical financial planner will break things down, for the most part, into numbers. They'll say, "OK, you want to retire at this point. You make this much. You need to save this much. You need this much life insurance. You should be saving this much for college."

Alison: Now go do it.

Robert: Now go do it. And many financial planners will tell you that they'll create these big plans and people will not do them. Or they will come to the financial planner with all kinds of problems. Like, "I want to do all this, but I also have $50,000 in credit card debt." Or, it's a married couple that doesn't get along and they can't agree on things. There are more fundamental issues, here, that have to be dealt with before you can start figuring out how much you can put into the 401(k).

Alison: So going back to the original part of my two-part question, you need a financial therapist when there is a specific blocker that you can't get over and you need to talk it out?

Robert: Right. And it can be very difficult because, like I said, it's a new industry. And what people will do is they'll go to a financial planner, and they don't really have expertise in helping couples work out their financial issues, so they might go to a couples therapist. And the couples therapist might be able to help them work out some of those issues, but they have no financial expertise. A financial therapist is a way to join both of those.

Alison: It seems like a large component of financial therapy (because I've been reading up on this) is called money scripts. Paul Sullivan over at The New York Times did a big piece on this. He describes money scripts as "the stories we tell ourselves, true or not, about money."

Robert: Right. I don't know the exact reason why the term "scripts" was chosen...

Alison: I feel like "scripts" is a hard word to say.

Robert: Right. And from what I understand...

Alison: So bear with me, here, as we go through this episode talking about money scripts.

Robert: ...they're really money beliefs. The reason I think they use the term scripts is because all of us talk to ourselves. We all walk around, all day, with these interior monologues. We talk about how we feel about ourselves. About life. About the future. And we have beliefs about money that will affect the decisions that we make.

One of the first things that we did in my Intro to Financial Therapy class was to go through a study by Brad Klontz and Sonya Britt, who are considered two of the people who are the leading researchers in the field of financial therapy. And what they have come up with is an inventory that will determine where you fall along four major money scripts. And what's most important about that is the degree to which those predict future behavior.

Three of the four predict, or are at least correlated, to people with lower income and lower wealth. So if you identify that you have those beliefs, you try to change them. One is correlated to higher wealth and higher income, but it also has some drawbacks, so we could talk a little bit about those.

Alison: Oh, hey, let's talk a little bit about those.

Robert: Let's talk a little bit about those.

Alison: Let's talk about the first one. The first money script (and again, this is getting to the emotional underpinnings about your financial decisions and your beliefs) is money avoidance.

Robert: The beliefs that are often associated with this are money is evil, rich people are greedy, they must have gotten it in some way that was underhanded. For these people, having a lot of money may not be consistent with their values, so they will often do things to either avoid the issue or even do things to undermine having too much money, because if they all of a sudden had a lot of money, that would feel incongruent to their values.

I think back to when I was in the seminary studying to be a priest, and then when I was a teacher. I was definitely surrounded by people for whom making a lot of money was not a top priority. I could definitely see, being around some of those people, the belief that if you've got a lot of money (if you look at the people on Wall Street and the people in the big banks) they're doing it because they're greedy and might be slightly evil.

Alison: Right. It's often quoted as "money is the root of all evil," but I believe more accurately it's "the love of money is the root of all evil" in the Bible. Right?

Robert: I'm going to believe you on that one -- listening to you pulling out a good bible quote. Someone pull out their concordance.

Rick Engdahl: Who went to seminary?

Alison: One of us went to seminary and one of us went to church every week.

Robert: Both of us have very religious upbringings.

Alison: Hi, Mom. Yes, she listens to the show. Now the second money script is money worship.

Robert: People who have this belief are essentially convinced that more money will solve all their problems. Like if there's anything going in their life, they just need to make more money and that you could never have enough money. More money is always better. And also they equate money with power.

Alison: And where does this become a bad thing? What actions does it drive that are bad? That's probably a better way to put it. And what's wrong with worshiping money? Cool!

Robert: Everyone should be doing that.

Alison: What are some of the actions that come from this money script that are negative?

Robert: Well, to a certain degree, if you believe that you could never have enough money, you're always going to be unhappy. You could certainly be vulnerable to taking on roles and spending your time where essentially the only pursuit is to make more money to the exclusion of other things. To the exclusion of your family. To the exclusion of your health. Things like that. This one, as well as the other one and the next bad one we're going to talk about, are all correlated, also, to compulsive spending.

Alison: So the third one -- let's just get into the third one -- is called money status.

Robert: Right. And that's essentially equating your self-worth with your net worth. And a lot of these, by the way, start in your childhood. Some of the work on this has shown that, for example, people who have this belief (that are equating net worth to self-worth) tended to grow up in lower-income households. You tend to see people with more money as being more important. As better at life. That type of thing.

Again, it's very similar in that you are pursuing things, buying things to make you feel like you have a certain amount of status. You're the person who wants the bigger house because if you have a bigger house, that means you are more important. You are more accomplished. You've done more with your life.

Alison: So it's not necessarily about having a pile of money. It's what you do with your pile of money.

Robert: Right.

Alison: And then you don't have a pile of money anymore.

Robert: Exactly.

Alison: And the fourth one is, for the most part, the best of the four. Is that what we're calling it?

Robert: Yes.

Alison: Money vigilance.

Robert: Right. These are people who are essentially very alert about their money. They're on top of things. Having an emergency fund is important to them. Having a budget is important to them. Having savings is the thing that gives them more value and makes them feel better about themselves. The downside of it is, of course, you can go too far.

And there are people who have saved too much. You may have heard stories of people who die at the age of 90. The will gets read and it turns out that they're worth several million dollars even though they've been living in a small apartment their whole lives.

Alison: You talked a little bit about how experiences are what really drive your money scripts and what you experience, often, as a child is what influences it.

Robert: Right.

Alison: I think they talk about the more traumatic the experiences are, the more ingrained your money scripts become and harder to change.

Robert: Right. I listened to an interview with Brad Klontz who came up with this inventory, and he talked, as an example, of people who grew up in the Depression. He used the example of his grandfather. Once his grandfather went through the Depression, he never trusted banks again, so all his money was lying around his house instead of in a bank and certainly not in the stock market, either.

Another example that he gave is people who grow up in houses where the parents say things about wealthy people, or maybe something bad happened in their life that was the cause of someone who was wealthier. They grew up with the money script of "money is evil."

Another study that we read in the class showed that, on average, men or boys are introduced to financial topics earlier in life than girls, and also boys get the message that making a reliable income is more important than girls. That might explain something we know we have these days, and that is a gender gap in financial literacy. If you take literacy tests, on average men will score higher than women. So it's another example of how the way people grow up can affect their beliefs and what they know about money.

In terms of traumatic events, one study we read showed that basically, after the Great Recession in 2009, some financial advisors showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, and it turned them from being buy-and-hold advisors and investors to people who are trying to be what they call tactical, but that basically means trying to time the market. So this traumatic event of seeing their clients' money drop 50% forced them to not be able to be buy and hold, anymore. They tried to be tactical and that probably was a big mistake for them and for their clients. But it's hard to go through that and not have that change your beliefs about money.

Alison: So we actually took the quiz -- all three of us (Rick, too, in the control room). People can take this quiz online. Should they just Google search "Klontz money script?"

Robert: We took an abridged version that we took in the class, but if you Google the actual article that was in the Journal of Financial Planning that had the study, at the very end of it, it also has an inventory that you can take. I think that's the best way to do it, because you can take the inventory, but then you also have the explanation for the answers. The name of the article is "How Clients' Money Scripts Predict Their Financial Behaviors."

Alison: And the quiz is just a Likert scale of 1 to 6 (strongly disagree to strongly agree) and asks you questions like, "I do not deserve a lot of money when others have less than me," or, "it's hard to be poor and be happy," or, "money is power." Questions like this. Then you say strongly agree or strongly disagree.

Robert: Right. So looking at the results for all of us, it does not surprise me that for the three of us, we tend to be financially vigilant people.

Alison: We do host a podcast on personal finance.

Robert: We scored pretty high on that. So money vigilance, the scale of it was between 8 and 48. I scored the highest at 36.

Alison: I came close at 35.

Robert: You came close. And you were up there, as well. And the other thing I noticed, looking at these, in terms of money status, was the three of us, not so much, in terms of equating net worth to self-worth. The scale there was 8 to 48. I was a 12.

Alison: I was also a 12. I was surprised -- well, maybe I'm not surprised -- that my money-worship score was a little bit up. In general, though, it was kind of boring.

Robert: You're pretty solid along the way. My money worship was up there, a little, as well. The scale, there is 7 to 49. I think mine put me as "your response style suggests that you exhibit one or more styles of money worship." And the questions, there, were basically things like, "things would get better if I had more money," or, "money will make you happier," or, "it's hard to be poor and happy."

Certainly everyone agrees with that to a certain degree, and I think it, frankly, is also influenced by the fact that I'm looking for a house, now, and if I were able to afford a more expensive house, it'd be easier. But I had a little bit more of that belief than I probably would have thought I would have.

Alison: What was this other quiz that you had us take?

Robert: There are two things. These are the scripts, but then there is also the Klontz Behavior Inventory, and this is important in that you have the beliefs, but what's important is how those beliefs transfer into behaviors. And that inventory basically determines whether you're a compulsive spender, a compulsive gambler, workaholic, a financial enabler (meaning that you tend to give money to people even though you don't have it), or financially dependent, in that you expect other people to be giving you money.

That, to me, is the crux of everything because the problems that people have with financial stability often come down to these things like compulsive spending. And for that, I don't know how you guys scored. None of us are gamblers. None of us are compulsive spenders...

Alison: The one that I scored the highest on (and my husband's going to be like, "Yup!") is "compulsive hoarding."

Robert: Really!

Alison: "Your response styles indicate that you are at risk of developing a money status belief," so I scored not the highest for compulsive hoarding. I could game this if I wanted to.

Robert: Yes. I was very high on workaholism.

Alison: Hm.

Robert: Yeah, hm. That's often very tied to a money belief that is money vigilant. It's not surprising that those types of people also become workaholics, and the questions they asked about whether you're a workaholic or not are things like, "If you're not working, can you relax?" or, "Do you feel like you're getting enough done?"

Alison: You never feel like you're getting enough done.

Robert: I never feel like I'm getting enough done, and if I'm not working, I am not relaxed. And it's not good, because it does have an effect on your family.

Alison: Rick, what was the most surprising thing for you when you took the quiz?

Rick Engdahl: I'm relaxing right now.

Alison: At work.

Rick: No, on vacation.

Alison: Oh, that's true. As this is airing, Rick is on vacation.

Rick: And I'm not thinking about work, and I don't feel like I'm not getting enough done.

Robert: Good for you.

Alison: So future Rick says, "I'm feeling good."

Rick: My scores are pretty much perfect in every way, as far as I can tell. I didn't look real close. I squinted my eyes a little. But I think it pays to be on this side of the glass, is what I'm saying.

Alison: All right. We don't need to dig deep into it. So what should I do with this information? How seriously should I take it? Because you said this is a new sort of way of looking at money and financial therapy, in general, is young. So what should I do with all this?

Robert: There are a couple of things. First of all Brad and Ted Klontz, the father and son team that have been at the vanguard of a lot of this, wrote a good book called, Mind over Money. So if you want to learn more, that's a good place to start. Take the inventory. I think it's interesting. If you are someone who is struggling to get your finances in order, it is interesting to know why. It is interesting to look back on when you were growing up what kind of experiences affected you.

In an interview I heard with Brad Klontz, he said he went to his parents and his grandparents and talked to them about what their experiences were with money, because all of that does get transferred consciously or not.

And if you really are in a position that you cannot control your spending or gambling, or you and your spouse can't decide what to do, look for a financial therapist. And you can find one at the website of the Financial Therapy Association. Because it is relatively new, in some locations you won't find that many people, but I can say as the spouse of someone who is in the mental health industry, more and more people are doing things like this over Skype and email, so you should be able to find someone to help you.

Alison: Or just call you.

Robert: Or just call us. I'm not qualified. I'm not qualified at all. Yet.

Alison: Don't say that. People listen to our show expecting you to be an expert.

Robert: I am an expert, but I will say this. I've taken one class -- my Intro to Financial Therapy -- and I've read a lot.

Alison: Aced it, I'm sure.

Robert: Aced it, I'm sure, but I certainly would not qualify myself, legally, as a financial therapist. But I do find it fascinating, and I would not be surprised if down the road... I actually have a business plan for this where my wife and I would have a copractice. She would be handling the mental health issues. I would be handling more of the financial planning issues. Because if you talk to anyone in the industry, they'll say, "I encounter people with financial problems all the time." They don't know where to send them.

Alison: You could have one chair and just tag each other out. Once they start talking about money, it should be, "Hold that thought. Let me go get the other Brokamp." Brokamp & Brokamp. I think it will work.

Robert: I think it will work.

__

Alison: Time for some housekeeping. Maybe I don't want to call it housekeeping, because that makes it sound really boring.

Robert: Fun keeping. Time for fun keeping.

Alison: Time for some fun keeping. I asked you, our dear listeners, to send in postcards so that I could post them on our wall, and one of you heard me. So I want to say thanks to [unintelligible] who's over in Montana. He sent not one, not two, but three postcards from Yellowstone. West Yellowstone. And not only did he share these postcards with us (which I need to put up on our wall), he also sent along a letter and had a really cool idea that I'm going to share with you guys now.

He writes: "I also wanted to pass along a travel tradition from our family. We have two kids (one is four and the other two). Each time we travel with them, either my wife or I write them a postcard describing what we did on that day as we traveled. We mail the postcard and when it arrives in the mailbox back home, we put it in a little box that contains all of their postcards. When they get older, we expect to give them a box full of postcards from all of our trips our family has taken."

Robert: What a great idea.

Alison: Isn't that an awesome idea?

Robert: I love that idea.

Alison: So I love that he heard my call for postcards and sent in some great postcards, and I love that he shared this idea, too. So if you want to go ahead and send us a postcard from where you live, that would be awesome, as well. Our address is 2000 Duke Street, 4th floor, Alexandria, Virginia 22314. And you can send it to my attention, if you want.

Robert: Dear Me.

Alison: Dear Me. Also, we wanted to thank Alan who works at The Pretzel Bakery in D.C. He dropped off a whole box of pretzels, but he didn't stay long enough to say, "Hi!" That's such a bummer.

Rick: He'll have to come back and bring more pretzels.

Alison: I know! That's what I was thinking! So Alan needs to come back, bring some pretzels. Maybe sit in on a taping of the show. Anyway, that was sweet of him.

Also, in our previous episode where we did a little tour of the United States, I accidentally said that on average, people in New Hampshire drink 4,600 gallons of alcohol a year.

Robert: How do they get any work done? They're always in the bathroom.

Alison: This is so ridiculously inaccurate. I can't believe it came out of my mouth.

Robert: I didn't say anything.

Alison: And nobody said anything. So it's not 4,600 gallons of alcohol.

Robert: How many is that a day?

Alison: I know! It's like over 10 gallons of alcohol a day. I don't know why it's so funny to me. It's actually 4.6!

Robert: Slightly different.

Alison: It is so funny to me that nobody caught that!

Robert: I'm sure I was looking at my notes and because I don't drink, I was probably zoned out the whole time.

Alison: I really have no idea how I messed that up so badly, but it's so funny. Anyway, sorry New Hampshire. You are not that drunk! OK, that's going to do it for today! I think that's enough. The show is edited soberly by Rick Engdahl. Our email is [email protected]

If you have a moment, please head over to Podcast.Fool.com to take our listener survey. A bunch of you have already done it, but I would love for more of you to do it. So if you have a moment, please head over to Podcast.Fool.com and take our listener survey. It'll help us understand who you are better and craft content that you will hopefully love.

I know we've asked you to do listener surveys before, but that was just for Motley Fool Answers, and this is a whole survey. Anyway, you guys don't need to know or care about that, but the point is please go to Podcast.Fool.com and take our survey. Whoo!

Robert: Whoo! Hic!

Alison: For Robert Brokamp, I'm Alison. Stay Foolish, everybody.
It's a great thing that Ford Motor Company (F 2.00%) generates massive profits right here in America. In fact, during the second quarter alone, Ford generated $2.7 billion in pre-tax profits in North America. However, it turns into a negative when a company is so reliant on one region for profits. During the second quarter, 90% of Ford's global pre-tax earnings came from North America.

Investors have long hoped that a surging Chinese auto market would push Ford's Asia-Pacific region to new heights and become a second pillar of revenue and earnings strength. That hasn't happened yet, but looking at July's sales figures, Detroit's second-largest automaker is still making progress.

Sales record

It's been a rocky road for China's automotive market over the past 12 months. About a year ago, the economy faced a lot of uncertainty in general and that put pressure on auto sales. Then, the Chinese government stepped in and placed some tax incentives on new-vehicle purchases that helped revive the market since last October -- and, fortunately, the incentives will remain throughout 2016.

Looking specifically at Ford's July sales data in China, the company and its joint ventures posted a record July month with sales increasing 15% to just over 88,000 units. The bulk of that was generated by Changan Ford (CAF), which posted a 20% sales gain during July, compared to the prior year, to 69,074 units.

Ford's Escort had an excellent July with sales increasing a staggering 82% while the Focus also had a healthy 13% gain. For the full year, Ford and its joint ventures combined to sell nearly 653,000 units, which was a 6% gain over last year during the same time period. While the 6% gain appears less pronounced on the graph below, thanks to Ford switching from reporting wholesales to retail sales, you can see the tremendous progress over the past three years.

What's next?

The landscape of China's automotive market is certainly changing. In the past, large tier 1 cities drove new-vehicle sales to new heights. But tier 1 cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, are dealing with population and pollution problems, which are hindering vehicle sales. The growth has shifted to smaller tier 3 and tier 4 cities, which are now posting double-digit growth. Better yet, General Motors' China chief, Matt Tsien, noted that the company believes China is about a decade away from vehicle sales saturation.

For investors, Ford's continued success in China will be critical for the company to lessen its dependence on a plateauing North American market. To do that, though, Ford is going to have to focus on a handful of key areas going forward. Ford needs to continue launching its Lincoln luxury brand in China, expand its lower-cost offering, and adjust to booming tier 3 and tier 4 cities.

If Ford can accomplish those things over the next couple of years, it'll be one big step toward building that second pillar of revenue and earnings potential that investors have desired for years.
A prison cell in a Barcelona prison. Carles Riba

The number of young people being held in Spanish prisons has increased by 11% over the last year. In June of 2015, there were 5,843 persons aged between 18 and 25, a figure that has risen to 6,486, according to the latest figures released by the countrys prison administration, the SGIP.

Some 61,500 people were being held at the end of June, a 6% fall on the same month in 2015. Of these, 28% were foreigners, although that figure has fallen by 9% during the same period. The majority of Spains prison population (92%) are men aged between 41 and 61.

The prison population fell overall throughout Spains regions, except for Aragon, where it rose by 0.2%. The biggest drop was in Catalonia, by 24.2%, ahead of Navarra, (-17.8%) and Extremadura (-10.6%). In the Spanish exclave of Melilla, the number of prisoners rose by 13%

The region with the largest prison population is Andalusia, with 14,288 people behind bars. Catalonia has 8,789, and Madrid 8,121. The ranking has remained stable for the last decade.

Sign up for our newsletter EL PAIS English Edition has launched a weekly newsletter. Sign up today to receive a selection of our best stories in your inbox every Saturday morning. For full details about how to subscribe, click here

One in 10 prisoners are serving a sentence for theft and fraud, with almost 11,500 behind bars for drug trafficking, while 3,876 are in jail for murder, and around 4,000 for offenses related to gender-specific violence.

Figures show that around 55% of Spanish prisoners reoffend and end up back in jail.

Experts complain of a lack of coordination between the various systems that come into play: the judiciary, the penitentiary and the social services. Adding to the difficulty are the different levels of authority involved: state, regional and municipal.

English version by Nick Lyne.
Fast-casual chain Shake Shack (SHAK 5.32%) will report second-quarter earnings the evening of Aug. 10. Despite continued business expansion, the stock has been choppy this year. What should investors look for when results are released?

Setting the stage for the second quarter

Since becoming a public company in early 2015, Shake Shack has been expanding its restaurant locations. At the end of the last quarter, the count was up to 88 in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

That brings new "Shack" openings up to 22 in the past year, an aggressive 33% increase. However, the stock has been in decline since last summer, when share prices neared $100. They're now hovering around $40. The drop was driven primarily by investors realizing that management expects to hold new openings at about 20 to 25 a year, effectively killing any unreasonable hopes of an overnight Chipotle (CMG 2.60%) story.

Ignoring the wild stock gyrations, the business has been in expansion both in store count and in increasing "same-shack" sales. Will the company be able to continue its success?

What to look for

Investors will want to focus in on new restaurant openings yet again. After opening three new domestic locations in the first quarter, Shake Shack upped its estimate for full-year 2016 from 13 to 16 openings.

The current strategy is that about a third of these will be in brand-new markets and the other two-thirds in existing market. Look for some color especially on the new markets, primarily east of the Mississippi. With the company's first California location reportedly being well received early in the year, more first-market openings are expected in Texas and the Midwest.

In addition to the domestic market, the company also uses the franchise model to expand overseas. Thirty-six of the 88 locations at last count operated under this model, with another seven expected in 2016. The one new opening earlier in the year was in a new market, Oman, so investors should look for progress on the other six expected in the UK, the Middle East, and Japan.

Management also added a reminder in the last report about the new licensing partner in South Korea. The first Shake Shack is slated for late 2016, and a total of 25 locations are in the agreement over the next 10 years.

"Same-shack" sales numbers will also be a highlight. This metric measures average same-restaurant sales increases or decreases at locations open for more than two years. Shake Shack has been toting hefty increases since going public a year and a half ago. Positive word of mouth as the company grows, a focus on locating in high-density population areas, and new menu items have all been a contributing factor thus far.

Period "Same-Shack" Sales Growth Q1 2016 9.9% Q4 2015 11% Q3 2015 17.1% Q2 2015 12.9% Q1 2015 11.7% Q4 2014 7.2%

Same-shack sales growth may have already hit a peak. After the 9.9% increase to start this year, management expects the full-year figure will come in between 4% and 5%. This would imply a slowdown through the rest of the year, but more clarity will no doubt be in order with new menu items and a slow rollout of breakfast at select restaurants under way.

Finally, profit margins will be in the spotlight. Shake Shack has been driving down operating expenses year-over-year as the business model matures. The company expects this to continue, with food, paper, and labor costs lowering as a percentage of sales through the end of the year. Also falling off of the year-over-year comparison timeline are the high admin expenses related with the company's public offering.

What investors should do

Still a small company, Shake Shack has a limited number of moving parts to keep track of. With a short-track record of growth under its belt, the company needs to continue doing more of the same for the stock to return to growth: open more locations and drive more traffic to them with new menu items, promotions, and positive PR.

As long as the trajectory remains positive, current owners of Shake Shack should continue to hold. Any pullbacks in price would be a good opportunity to pick up some more shares and average down in price, especially if you were unfortunate enough to buy at last summer's lofty valuation.
It's unlikely to become your next favorite watering hole, but Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG 2.60%) is testing out drink specials as a way to increase its traffic and sales. The struggling burrito roller is testing Happy Four Hours through select markets in the Midwest, offering half-priced adult beverages through the end of next month.

Happy Four Hours runs daily from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and it's being offered at participating stores in Chicago, Iowa (outside of Iowa City), Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin. It's not the same deal across all of the locations. Some are offering two-for-one beers and margaritas. Some are just marking down beers. Some are offering 50% off individual beverages.

It's just as well. It will give Chipotle the chance to see which approach is more successful if it decides to take Happy Four Hours national later this year.

It may very well flop. Chipotle isn't a place that folks associate with getting a drink on. The bright dining room and minimalist industrial decor push the attention to the exhibition assembly line, not the beer cooler by the register. Even after adding premium margaritas to many of its locations three years ago, adult beverages continued to be a non-factor. Alcohol sales were accounting for just 2% of Chipotle's sales two years ago, the last time that the chain divulged that information in an earnings call.

Whether it's the bare-boned architecture, heavy takeout component, or just the notion that co-workers ducking out for a meal together aren't likely to do heavy drinking, Chipotle may never be the next bar-fueled dining hotspot. You can't blame the chain for trying; nothing else seems to be working.

Bottoms up

There hasn't been a food-borne illness outbreak at Chipotle since late last year, but consumers still haven't forgiven the chain. Comps plunged 23.6% during the second quarter, making it the chain's third-consecutive quarter of sharp double-digit declines in comparable-restaurant sales.

Chipotle has spent this year offering up promotions that essentially translate into free or discounted food. It's now midway through the three-month Chiptopia promotion that encourages repeat visits to score free entrees.

If non-alcohol items account for 98% of sales, and food specials aren't working, there's little reason to hold out hope for drink specials doing the trick. However, with some casual-dining chains scoring as much as a third of their sales from beer, wine, and cocktails, it's an outlet worth pursuing until the burrito assembly line begins picking up speed.

The chain partnered with master sommelier Richard Betts earlier this year, proposing that Chipotle tweak its margarita recipe, introduce organic sangria, and shake up its beer selection. There's an opportunity here, and if you were Chipotle, you wouldn't just count on chorizo's national rollout to save the day later this year.
Trump in North Carolina. ERIC THAYER (REUTERS)

More information Donald Trump fracasa en el intento de contener la disidencia republicana

Donald Trump loneliness at the top of the Republican Party is more and more evident every day. The GOP presidential candidate who will face Democrat Hillary Clinton in November has the backing of millions of voters but fails to win over party leaders. Maine Senator Susan Collins and 50 Republican senior security and defense officials from past administrations have said they do not believe the New York businessman possesses the character to be the president of the United States.

Trump has become the de facto leader of the Republican Party since he was crowned as the official GOP nominee for the White House at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio in July. Delegates in Cleveland closed ranks around him and some of the most prominent GOP figures took the stage to defend him. Paul Ryan, the speaker of the House of Representatives, spoke up for Trump albeit without much enthusiasm. The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, also urged Republicans to vote for the real estate mogul.

Trump has turned his back on the national security complex, the deep state, that network of experts, senior officials, formidable spies and politicians

Yet the absence of former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, the last two GOP presidential nominees, John McCain and Mitt Romney, and the governor of the state that hosted the event, John Kasich, was a clear sign that the New York magnate was having a hard time uniting the party. His main rival in the primaries, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, was booed off the stage as he delivered a speech that failed to endorse the candidate.

From then on, everything has gotten much worse for Donald Trump. His ratings are falling. He has refused to heed advice and take on a more presidential tone. He has maintained his usual style: insults, slights, an insistence on demolishing what he calls political correctness. Meanwhile, the ranks of dissidents forming against him within the GOP are growing.

Trump received a one-two punch this week as 50 high ranking national security officials from past Republican administrations going all the way back to Richard Nixon in the late 1960s published an open letter that questioned his abilities and Republican Senator Collins wrote a searing article in The Washington Post denouncing him. Both texts, written in similar language, say his character makes him unfit to be commander-in-chief.

Senator Susan Collins, a moderate conservative, cited Trumps suggestion that a federal district judge might be biased because of his Mexican heritage, his remarks mocking a disabled journalist, and his criticism of the family of an American Muslim soldier who died in combat in Iraq. She said Trump is unworthy of being our president and his lack of self-restraint and his barrage of ill-informed comments would make an already perilous world even more so. Trump dishonors GOP traditions and she, therefore, does not feel compelled to vote for him in November, Collins added. She is the fourth Republican senator to announce her decision to not vote for her partys official candidate. About a dozen GOP senators have expressed reservations about supporting Trump.

Meanwhile, 50 senior officials  including ex-CIA Director Michael Hayen and former Secretaries of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff and Tom Ridge signed an open letter published on Monday to warn Americans that Trump would make a dangerous president, the most reckless in American history.

Ex-CIA chief Michael Hayden said in February that the armed forces might disobey some orders the GOP candidate has suggested

These are strong accusations to launch against a presidential candidate from one of the countrys two major parties. And they are even more significant seeing as they came from the thinkers and leaders who, under normal circumstances, would be helping their candidate prepare his presidential agenda and a smooth transition to the White House.

Trump has turned his back on the national security complex, the deep state, that network of experts, senior officials, formidable spies and politicians who are the guarantors of continuity in foreign policy and national defense of the most powerful country in the world.

If Trump wins in November, he will have to reconcile with this group or the United States will enter unchartered territory: a conflict between political and military powers. Ex-CIA chief Michael Hayden said in February that the armed forces might disobey some orders - say, killing family members of suspected terrorists as the GOP candidate has suggested. You are required not to follow an unlawful order, Hayden explained.

Sign up for our newsletter EL PAIS English Edition has launched a weekly newsletter. Sign up today to receive a selection of our best stories in your inbox every Saturday morning. For full details about how to subscribe, click here

Not all dissenting Republicans are expected to vote for Hillary Clinton, but sometimes they speak more harshly about Trump than against the Democratic Party. It is precisely in traditionally conservative circles from renowned columnists on the right like George Will to think tanks like the American Enterprise Institute where Republicans air out some of their most bitter complaints against Trump. The Weekly Standard, a neoconservative magazine, published an article this week that compares Speaker Ryan the great hope of American conservatives who finally capitulated to Trump with Marshal Petain, the decorated World War I French military officer who ended up running France for Adolf Hitler.

English version by Dyane Jean-Francois.
At first, former Senator Joe Lieberman couldnt make up his mind on which candidate he wanted to vote for in 2016, but during an interview Wednesday on the FOX Business Networks Mornings with Maria, he announced his presidential pick for the first time.

Im an Independent Democrat, I never changed parties, and Im going to vote for Hillary Clinton because Ive known her forever. Shes strong, shes smart, she understands national security, and what I was most impressed with during our years in the Senate together is that she reached across party lines to build coalitions and get stuff done, he said.

When it comes to national security, an issue primed to take center stage this election season, Lieberman explained why Clinton dominates.

First, she will start with a credibility and familiarity with our allies around the world including our allies in NATO. The second is that its pretty clear from her time as Secretary of State that she argued at various times for stronger action than the administration took, particularly in Syria. Based on the spread of ISIS murdering around the world, theyre involved in a global war around the world, and were not really involved in fighting back in that war, and the next presidents going to have to do that, along with all of our allies in Europe, the Middle East and beyond, he said.

Lieberman, who was Al Gores running mate in the 2000 presidential election, also discussed what Donald Trumps running mate, Mike Pence, and Hillary Clintons running mate, Tim Kaine, bring to their respective tickets.

In everything that they do, the vice presidential candidates have to convince the American people that they are capable of being president if that crisis should occur. Second, the vice presidential candidate basically does what the president wants them to do. Its a support system, he said.

And as for his advice for the vice president hopefuls, Lieberman says when it comes to the debate: prepare, prepare, prepare.

The debates generally will be a big moment. The way things are going now, itll be a particularly big moment for Donald Trump and Mike Pence who will have to be coming back from where they are now, where things seem to be moving away from the Republican ticket. I worked pretty hard to get ready for the debate. The debate I had with Dick Cheney Im very proud of because we disagreed on a lot of things, maybe most things, but it was a very civil debate, and America could use a civil debate between presidential and vice presidential candidates this year.
Eventually the Kemper plant will start adding to the bottom line, not weighing on it. Image source: Southern Co.

Southern Co. (NYSE: SO) reported second-quarter financial and operating results on July 27, delivering steady profits that met investor expectations, on a small decrease in the amount of power the utility generated and sold. The company also announced (another) cost increase in its ongoing Kemper plant project, raising estimates for the plant's completion, while taking an estimated $38 million loss in the quarter on costs related to the plant's construction.

Southern also announced that it will spend more money on capital investments for the full year than previously anticipated, both on capital construction and acquisitions, even as some of those existing projects take longer and cost more to complete than initially promised.So what does all this new spending mean for Southern Co. now and in the future? Let's take a closer look at the utility giant's quarterly results.

The numbers

Data source: Southern Co. Revenue and net income in millions.

Southern Co. saw its GAAP net income rise in the quarter, though earnings per share declined slightly because of the issuance of approximately 34 million new shares -- a 3.7% increase -- over the past year to raise capital. But at the same time, one of the big projects Southern has been raising capital for, its Kemper plant in Mississippi, weighed on earnings again in the quarter, as the company continues to spend more than expected to finish the project and bring the plant online.

Adjusting for the non-recurring losses related to the Kemper plant, as well as $44 million in acquisition costs in the quarter, earnings per share increased slightly. And while GAAP earnings are important -- since many companies regularly have "non-recurring" items for which they report adjusted earnings to reflect -- breaking things out helps investors see both the impact of items such as capital projects and acquisitions on the bottom line each reporting period. It also helps better measure a company's operating performance.

Key happenings in the quarter

The company said there were two key drivers behind its earnings growth in the quarter:

Lower expenses, particularly lower non-fuel operations and maintenance expenses across its regulated utility businesses.

Strong results from Southern Power -- its electricity wholesaler -- which reported 4.4% growth in wholesale Kilowatt-hour sales, helping absorb the decline in KwH sales at its utilities.

Southern also said it's accelerating its investments in new projects, as well as increasing its spending on acquisitions. Back in February, management said the company would spend $7.3 million in capital expenditures in 2016, and $8 billion on acquisitions. In its updated forecast, the company said it will spend $10.2 billion on capex and $9.9 billion in acquisitions this year, a 31% increase. Southern will use both debt and share issuance to pay for much of this capital spending, but management says the new capacity in its utility business, along with its expanded natural gas infrastructure, would lead to better per-share earnings over time.

One particular area of its business where Southern bumped up its planned spending was its Southern Power wholesale subsidiary. In February, the company had planned to spend $2.4 billion there, but that amount was increased 88% to $4.5 billion, largely aimed at renewables:

Image source: Southern Co. earnings presentation..

The vast majority of these investments will be in renewables, particularly solar and wind, which makes up a very small percentage of Southern Co.'s total mix currently.

Southern Co. also announced at the end of the second quarter that all relevant regulators had approved its pending merger with AGL Resources, and on July 1, the merger was completed. On July 11, AGL Resources was renamed Southern Company Gas, and the company intends to spend $800 million on capital projects at the subsidiary this year.

On July 10, Southern Co. also announced a new joint venture with natural gas infrastructure giantKinder Morgan(NYSE: KMI), acquiring a 50% equity interest in the Southern Natural Gas pipeline system from the company. Southern Co. will pay $1.47 billion for its interest in the pipeline, while Kinder Morgan will continue to operate it.

Notably, Kinder Morgan plans to use the proceeds it receives from Southern Co. to reduce its debt, which was over $43 billion at last report, while Southern Co. said it will finance the purchase, which both companies expect will close before the end of 2016.

On the earnings call, management also talked about the acquisition of PowerSecure, which it made early in the second quarter. While the $400 million acquisition was relatively small for a behemoth like Southern Co., CEO Tom Fanning highlighted the importance of how it will help the company address how distributed power, such as the growth of rooftop residential solar, is expected to affect utilities in the coming years. Fanning said that "this business is a way to play offense in the energy efficiency/distributed infrastructure sector, extending our customer-focused business model beyond the meter."

Looking ahead

Even while the Kemper project continues to cost more than anticipated and take longer to bring online, Southern Co. hasn't been shy about investing in capital expansion, as the big increase in capex and acquisitions guidance showed.

And while at least part of it -- particularly in the wind and solar spending -- was a unique product of timing because of some big changes with tax credits and renewables, it's evident that management also sees the benefit to diversifying its business away from being solely a power producer and seller.This is where big investments into the natural gas infrastructure and utility businesses come into play, though it will take some time for those investments to add to the bottom line.

Company guidance is for third-quarter earnings per share of $1.16, and full-year EPS between $2.76 and 2.88.

A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here.

Jason Hall owns shares of Kinder Morgan. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Kinder Morgan. The Motley Fool recommends Southern Company. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
You needn't feel guilty if you get caught with these two bank stocks. Image source: iStock/Thinkstock.

A good bank stock can go a long way toward helping you get rich or prepare you for retirement. But as with most good things, high-quality bank stocks are few and far between.

The two that I believe are best for long-term investors are Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) and U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB). Their shares trade for a pretty penny -- they're among the most expensive in the industry -- but these banks' current and historical performances justify the premium.

Industry-leading profitability

The key to investing in banks is simple. In the first place, you want a bank that creates value for shareholders. The best way to gauge this is by looking at a bank's return on equity, which is computed by dividing a bank's net income by its shareholders' equity.

As a general rule, you only want to invest in a bank if its return on equity exceeds its cost of capital -- or is likely to at some point in the not-too-distant future. This metric factors in the risk-free rate of return as well as a specific stock's volatility. While you can calculate the cost of capital for individual bank stocks, I usually use 10% as a benchmark.

Exceeding this value hasn't been a problem for either Wells Fargo or U.S. Bancorp. Over the last year, Wells Fargo generated a 13% return on equity, according to YCharts.com. U.S. Bancorp produced a 14.4% return on equity over the same stretch.These figures rank Wells Fargo and U.S. Bancorp at the top of their peer group -- only Fifth Third Bancorp and JPMorgan Chase have also earned double-digit returns on equity, albeit lower ones.

Data source: YCharts.com. Chart by author.

Consistently high profitability

But it's not just the ability to earn a high return on equity that matters. Many of the worst-performing banks over the past decade reported high profitability figures in the lead-up to the financial crisis only to see all of the corresponding gains to shareholder value evaporate once losses began to mount. In 2005, for instance, Citigroup (NYSE: C) reported a 22.4% return on equity. Three years later, that fell to negative 30%.

What matters just as much is thus the ability to earn high returns through all stages of the credit cycle (the credit cycle tracks the economy, as good economic times equate to low loan losses, and vice versa). This is necessary in order to maximize long-term returns, as the rate compounding returns, which gains momentum with time, is fueled by profits and throttled by losses.

Few banks do as well on this score as Wells Fargo and U.S. Bancorp. Neither reported an annual loss during the financial crisis, which was the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. And although Wells Fargo's return on equity dipped to 4.6% in 2008, that was because the bank, out of an abundance of caution, took a much larger loan loss provision than was necessary.

Data source: YCharts.com. Chart by author.

Last but not least: Valuation

Just because a bank earns consistently high profits doesn't necessarily mean its stock is a buy. You also have to factor in valuation. Even the best bank stock can perform poorly if you pay too much for it.

The metric that bank investors use to gauge bank stock valuations is the price-to-book-value ratio. It compares how much a bank claims it's worth to how much the market says it's worth. If the market says a particular bank is worth twice as much as the bank claims, than its price-to-book-value ratio would be 2.

Bank Price-to-Book-Value Ratio U.S. Bancorp 1.76 Wells Fargo 1.40 BB&T 1.16 JPMorgan Chase 1.05 Fifth Third Bancorp 0.97

Data source: YCharts.com.

An old adage in the bank industry is that you want to buy at half of book value and sell at two times book value. But even though the logic behind this is sound, it's impossible to pick up a quality bank stock for that cheap.The objective is, accordingly, to buy great bank stocks at reasonable valuations.

In this case, I believe that means buying shares of these banks so long as they trade for less than two times book value -- which both of these banks do. According to YCharts.com, Wells Fargo trades for a 40% premium to its book value, while U.S. Bancorp is priced at a 76% premium. These valuations aren't bargains, but they're not unreasonable either.

I'll be the first to admit that this final threshold is easy for banks to satisfy, and this is particularly true right now, given the downbeat forecast for the financial industry. At the same time, it's worth keeping in mind Warren Buffett's point that "it's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price."

In short, Wells Fargo and U.S. Bancorp are wonderful companies trading at fair prices.

A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here.

John Maxfield owns shares of US Bancorp and Wells Fargo. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Wells Fargo. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
ComScore Inc. disclosed in a regulatory filing Wednesday, that its Chief Executive Serge Matta and Chief Financial Officer Melvin Wesley will step down from those positions in the wake of an internal investigation into accounting matters. The audience measurement company also said it would not be able to file its second-quarter quarterly report in the time required, as it completes the accounting investigation. The company named Co-Founder Gian Fulgoni as CEO and Executive Revenue Officer David Chemerow as CFO. Matta will remain on the company's board, while Wesley will remain as EVP. Regarding the accounting investigation, the company said it was "substantially complete." It has identified " certain areas of potential concern, including with respect to certain accounting and disclosure practices and controls that the Company, with input from its consultants and counsel, is further analyzing," the filing stated. The stock, which was still inactive in premarket trade, has plunged 37% year to date, while the S&P 500 has gained 6.7%. (This replaces an earlier item that incorrectly reported the name of the new CFO.)

Copyright  2016 MarketWatch, Inc.
Exchange traded funds are touted as cheap and efficient investment vehicles that help investors achieve their goals. However, people should carefully consider the various factors of trading and holding an ETF lest they get blindsided by unforeseen costs.

For starters, ETF investors will most likely look to an expense ratio to get a sense of how much they will be paying for using the investment vehicle. There are currently 1,948 U.S.-listed exchange traded products, which include both ETFs and exchange traded notes, with an average expense ratio of 0.58% - for every $1,000 invested in a fund with a 0.58% expense ratio, an investor is paying $5.8 dollars in fees that are taken out of the fund's overall performance.

Most investors have no idea what they are paying when investing, even if they are given fees in a percentage term. Investors would typically just spend a couple of minutes glancing over account statement and checking balances without diving into the details, especially since expense ratios are typically deducted form the investment's overall performance, so investors rarely notice the cost in dollar terms.

To help lower fees, long-term investors should consider ETFs with low expense ratios. For instance, some broad stock ETF options now come with a dirt cheap 0.03% expense ratio, including the iShares Core S&P Total US Stock Market ETF (NYSE:ITOT), Schwab U.S. Large-Cap ETF (NYSE:SCHX) and Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF (NYSE:SCHB).

Additionally, many do not factor in commission fees or the cost of trading ETFs on a brokerage when calculating their investment portfolio's overall performance.

"Factoring in the impact of commissions can be particularly relevant for active investors who trade somewhat frequently - especially if you are making relatively smaller trade sizes - as well as long-term investors executing a dollar cost averaging strategy," according to Fidelity Investments. "When it comes to the impact of commission costs, trade size matters."

For example, assuming a $7.95 commission fee per trade on a brokerage account, executing a trade of $1,000 in funds to buy and sell an ETF would equate to $15.90 in trading fees, or committing 1.6% of the investment toward commissions.

On the other hand, if one were to buy or sell an ETF with $30,000 in funds, the same $15.90 in commissions would make up just 0.05% of the total trade.

As a way to better manage ETF trading costs, traders should find out if their brokerage offers commission-free ETF trades. Commission free ETFs may help investors manage costs of rebalancing and rotating in and out of various ETF trades.

"If you are an investor making relatively small trades, or an active investor who is frequently buying and selling ETFs, these savings can really add up," Fidelity said.

A number of trading platforms now offer a range of commission-free ETFs. For example, along with free trades on its own line of ETFs, Fidelity Investments has expanded its partnership with BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) to include free coverage of the iShares "Core" series. However, potential traders should note that if a sale is executed within 30 days of purchase, investors will incur a short-term trading transaction of the regular commission fee of $7.95.

Charles Schwab's OneSource ETF platform includes a large selection of over 200 commission-free ETFs over a range of asset categories from 16 fund sponsors, including States Street (NYSE:STT), PowerShares, Guggenheim, ETF Securities and U.S. Commodity Funds, among others. Since there are no short-term trading restrictions placed on the ETFs, active traders may find the platform appealing as a cost-free way to move in and out of broad market segments.

The TD Ameritrade (NASDAQ:AMTD) platform offers a broad 101 commission-free ETFs from eight different sponsors, including iShares, Vanguard, State Street, PowerShares, WisdomTree, Market Vectors, PIMCO and iPath exchange traded notes. However, if sales are executed within 30 days of purchase, investors will incur a short-term trading transactions of $19.99 - the regular commission on trades is $9.99.

E*Trade does not include products from the four largest ETF providers but offers commission-free trades on 117 products from WisdomTree (NASDAQ:WETF), Global X and Deutsche X-trackers. If sales are executed within 30 days of purchase, investors will incur a short-term trading transactions of $19.99 - the regular commission on trades is $9.99.

The Vanguard platform includes access to its proprietary ETFs. It only offers commission-free trades on its own ETFs. The firm also allows traders to buy and sell the same ETF 25 times over a 12-month period without restrictions. If a trader goes over its allotted quota, Vanguard will restrict trading on the ETF for 60 days. Regular commissions varies but starts at $7 on accounts with less than $500,000.

Bank of America's (NYSE:BAC) Merrill Edge self-directed investing account provides investors, whom maintain at least $25,000 in cash on the Merrill Lynch brokerage account or in a BofA account, with 30 commission-free trades per month on all available equities and ETFs.

This article was provided by our partners at etftrends.com.
Image source: Getty Images.

What: Shares of Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK) surged last month, despite the fact that oil slumped, and natural gas was rather flat:

CHK data by YCharts

Instead, analyst upgrades were the primary fuels driving Chesapeake Energy's stock higher last month.

So what: Chesapeake Energy's stock got its initial jolt in mid-July after Piper Jaffray upgraded shares from underweight to neutral while setting a $4.50 price target. In doing so, Piper Jaffray cited a diminished default risk over the next two years thanks in part to the company completing $950 million in asset sales, negotiating a lenient credit agreement, and initiating several debt-for-equity exchanges. While the company still has a boatload of debt to address, Piper Jaffray believed that Chesapeake's recent actions boosted its near-term outlook.

That upgrade was followed by a similar one from Tudor Pickering, which upgraded the stock from hold to buy. Not that long after, Johnson Rice followed with an upgrade of its own, raising the stock from a hold to accumulate.

In addition to that, a report in Upstream Online at the end of the month said that the company was near a deal to sell out of its Barnett Shale position. According to that report, the company was finalizing a deal with a privately held buyer in a move that would enable Chesapeake to pay down more of its debt load. However, when Chesapeake reported its second-quarter results in early August it did not suggest that a sale of the Barnett was imminent. Though, on its quarterly conference call, CEO Robert Lawler did hint that the company would be open to selling that asset if the price was right. However, the company did explicitlysay that it was in the process of selling some of its acreage in the Haynesville Shale. Further, that asset sale would enable the company to divest a total of $2 billion in assets this year, which would put it ahead of its $1.2 billion to $1.7 billion target range for asset sales.

Now what: Analysts love the steps Chesapeake Energy is taking to improve its balance sheet. Further, the company made it clear that additional progress is in the pipeline. That improving picture is giving investors growing confidence that the company will be able to make it through the downturn on its own.

A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here.

Matt DiLallo has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Image source: Michael Kors.

Luxury retailer Michael Kors Holdings (NYSE: KORS) has been dealing with the ups and downs of the fashion industry during the past couple of years, and investors have looked longingly for any signs that the company's turnaround efforts have started to pay off. Coming into Wednesday's fiscal first-quarter financial report, Kors investors were prepared to see further declines in sales and earnings as the company continued to struggle against an adverse environment in the retail industry overall.

Kors' results weren't as bad as many expected, but a substantial decline in comparable-store sales had many shareholders worrying if the company is on the right track. Let's take a closer look at Michael Kors to see if its latest earnings report is something to get excited about, or should provoke further concern.

A mixed story from Kors

Michael Kors' fiscal first-quarter results gave investors a mixed picture of the company's current financial condition. Revenue inched up 0.2%, to $987.9 million. Although that pace was slower than last quarter's rise, it was still far better than the 3% top-line decline that most investors were expecting.

Adjusted net income dropped by almost 11%, to $156 million, and that produced adjusted earnings of $0.88 per share. That was actually up slightly on a per-share basis, and it topped the consensus forecast among those following the stock by nearly 20%.

Looking more closely at Kors' results, there were some reasons for concern, despite the better-than-expected top-line and bottom-line figures. Comparable-store sales plunged 7.4%, erasing last quarter's slight upward movement in comps. Retail net sales were up almost 8%, due largely to the increase in store counts stemming from Kors' corporate moves related to its operations in the greater China region, South Korea, and Latin America.

Wholesale net sales fell 7%, and licensing revenue plunged by more than a fifth. Currency impacts have nearly disappeared from Kors' results, costing it just a fifth of a percentage point on the revenue front.

Kors' trend of posting stronger results outside of its home territory continued during the fiscal first quarter. Revenue from Kors' Americas region fell 5%. However, revenue from Europe rose by more than 3%, and Asia-related sales soared by three-quarters, due mostly to acquisition activity.

CEO John Idol gave a mixed picture of Kors' success. "We delivered another quarter of strong growth in our North American digital flagships," Idol said, "further expanded our presence globally, particularly in Asia, and expanded our fashion product offerings." However, the CEO pointed out that "this progress was muted by the continued decline in mall traffic trends, as well as a decrease in tourism in certain major cities, which negatively impacted our comparable-sales performance during the quarter."

What's next for Kors?

Kors expects that it will continue to focus on its long-term growth strategies. Idol pointed to new digital flagships in Europe, as well as efforts to bolster its appeal to male customers. Several retailers have worked hard to get more men into their stores, and expanded product offerings could help in Kors' attempts on that front. In particular, the debut of the Access line of smartwatches and trackers could well appeal to a broader audience.

Once again, however, Kors' outlook tried to set the bar low for future financial performance. For the fiscal second quarter, Kors says it expects sales of $1.07 billion to $1.085 billion, which is less than the $1.11 billion that most investors had expected. In particular, international expansion and digital efforts will produce a dramatic increase of around 8 percentage points in operating expense as a percentage of sales, and the pressure on operating margin will translate to earnings of just $0.84 to $0.88 per share for the quarter. That's far less than the $1.13 per-share consensus forecast.

In the longer term, however, Kors' guidance wasn't quite as downbeat. Adjusted earnings of $4.56 to $4.64 per share for the full fiscal year is in line with what investors expected to see, although a mid-single-digit percentage drop in comparable-store sales shows that Kors has further to go before it will return to a growth trajectory once and for all.

Kors shareholders chose to focus on the negatives in the report, sending the stock down almost 4% in pre-market trading following the announcement. Although investors have been patient, the tough environment in luxury retail promises to challenge Kors well into the new fiscal year, and push any full turnaround even further into the future.

A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here.

Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Michael Kors Holdings. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Image source: Getty Images.

When Diplomat Pharmacy (NYSE: DPLO) reported its first-quarter results in May, investors were perhaps a little worried. After all, the specialty pharmacy had set expectations lower for 2016 than Wall Street wanted. But Diplomat dispelled any worries by posting strong growth in the first quarter and raising its 2016 outlook.

Diplomat announced its second-quarter results after the market closed on Tuesday. Were there reasons for investors' worries to resurface?

Diplomat results: The raw numbers

Metric Q2 2016 Actuals Q2 2015 Actuals Growth (YOY) Revenue $1.09 billion $808 million 34.7% Net income from continuing operations $8.53 million $3.39 million 151.7% Earnings per diluted share $0.13 $0.05 160%

YOY = year over year. Data source: Diplomat Pharmacy.

What happened with Diplomat this quarter

Diplomat's stock sank over 7% in after-hours trading. What could investors possibly not like with those results? As good as the company's second-quarter results were, revenue wasn't enough to meet investors' high expectations.

Despite revenue coming in a little below expectations, investors had to like how Diplomat achieved its numbers. Organic growth grew 23% year-over-year, with new drugs making up more of the organic growth than price increases of existing drugs. Sales growth was also bolstered by acquisitions, in particular Diplomat's buyout ofBurman's Apothecary.

Gross margin in the second quarter wasn't as strong as in the past -- 7.6% compared to 8.6% in the prior-year period. This decline primarily resulted from a continued shift to higher-priced drugs that have lower margins and Diplomat's sale in September 2015 of its compounding business.

The strong revenue growth obviously helped earnings. However, Diplomat also benefited fromlower interest expense and a lower income tax rate in the second quarter compared to the same period in 2015.

On a non-GAAP basis, Diplomat posted earnings of $0.23 per share compared to $0.16 per share in the prior-year period. That reflects impressive growth and was higher than what investors expected.

What management had to say

Phil Hagerman, Diplomat's chairman and CEO, said:

Looking forward

Diplomat affirmed its previous full-year 2016 revenue and adjusted EBITDA guidance. Revenue for the year is still expected to be between$4.5 billion and $4.9 billion, with adjusted EBITDAbetween $121 million and $129 million.

The company increased the lower end of its guidance for adjusted earnings per share. Diplomat now expects 2016 adjusted earnings per share to come in between$0.90 and $0.95, up from the range of$0.88 to $0.95 provided earlier.

Diplomat's pricey valuation (with an earnings multiple of 63) makes the stock vulnerable to any hiccups. Lower-than-expected revenue qualifies as a hiccup. But the company's long-term prospects matter more than the results from one quarter.

As Hagerman noted, Diplomat continues to fire on all cylinders, with the one exception of the slowing hepatitis C market. The company's organic growth remains impressive. Its acquisitions appear to be paying off. And the moves Diplomat has made to sell off low-profit businesses make sense. Despite a negative market reaction to the company's second-quarter results, the long-term future for Diplomat Pharmacy still appears to be positive.

A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here.

Keith Speights has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Diplomat Pharmacy. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Falling stars over the El Teide volcano in the Canary Islands. Miquel Serra Ricart

As far as meteor showers go, the Perseids occupy a special place in the skies. Theyre so well-known that references to them can even be found in Chinese records from 36 AD. They have an impressive meteoric resume. The name Las Lagrimas de San Lorenzo came into use much later, during Medieval Europe, to honor the Catholic martyr.

Shooting stars are actually just different-sized particles of dust, some finer than a grain of sand, that comets and asteroids leave behind during their orbits around the Sun. The resulting particle cloud (called meteoroids), thawed by the Suns heat, disperses in the space around the comet, and every year our planet crosses through it during our orbit around the Sun. During this meeting, the dust specks disintegrate upon their high-speed entrance into Earths atmosphere, creating those famous streaks of luminescence, referred to scientifically as meteors. From our point of view, all the trajectories of different shooting stars converge into a point of the sky called the radiant. The constellation where that radiant point is found determines the name of the meteor shower. Thus, the Perseids meteor shower is found in the Perseus constellation, while the Geminids are found in the Gemini constellation.

A shooting star is nothing more than a small particle that emits light upon hurling high-speed into Earth's atmosphere due to sudden heat caused by friction

According to standard models, the Perseids activity will include about 100 meteors per hour (Zenithal Hourly Rate). Like every year, the Perseids reach their peak in the middle of August. For 2016, with maximum visibility expected between 13:00 and 15:30 UT/GMT. While theyre active between July 17 and August 24, the nights of August 12 and 13 will be the best moment to observe the shower. A large number of meteors can also be observed the night before, from late August 11 into the early hours of August 12. A crescent moon, which will disappear for the second half of the night, should not pose a problem for seeing the Perseids; on average, a stargazer will be able to see one every two minutes, including some very bright ones (due to the high speeds at which they enter into the atmosphere) for those watching from dark places with clear horizons, far from light contamination.

One of Perseids' progenitors is the comet Swift-Tuttle, discovered in 1862. In the years around Swift-Tuttles perihelion (the point of the orbit at which a meteorological body gets closest to the sun, last in 1992 and not expected again until 2126) activity can grow to 400-500 meteors per hour because of the density of the meteoroids that circle and accompany the comet. However, the Perseids are known for their outbursts provoked by the gravitational influence of Jupiter and Saturn on the meteoroid dust clouds created by comets from the past. In 1839, German observer E. Heis recorded for the first time the maximum rate of the Perseids: 160 meteors per hour. The last meteor outburst was in 2009, measuring in at 250 meteors per hour. According to the model of Russian astronomer Mikhail Masloc, this August we could witness a jump in Perseids activity. The disturbance coming from Jupiter will cause the elevated activity of the Perseids this year. The last increase was in 2004, also caused by the Giant planet, Maslov tells SkyLive.tv.

Jupiter got the closest its been to the orbit of the Swift-Tuttle comet in November 2014, when it came within 237 million kilometers. It takes 22 months for the meteoroid current to be pushed towards Earth. Will activity go up in 2016?

How to watch the meteor shower live?

Spain has one of the cleanest and clearest skies on the planet from which we can watch 2016s Perseids. The European project STARS4ALL, in collaboration with skylive.tv, will offer live streaming of the Perseids. From the Observatories of the Canary Islands, astronomer Miquel Serra Ricart will present two programs:

On average, a stargazer can see one shooting star every two minutes, including very bright ones if you watch from a dark place far from light pollution

Program 1: August 12 19:30-19:45 UT (August 12 21:30-21:34 CEST)

Program 2: August 12 23:12-23:30 UT (August 13 1:15-1:30 CEST)

STARS4ALL and skylive.tv, in addition, will broadcast an image of the sky from El Teide and El roque de los Muchachor for four hours or or on these nights, so that spectators can enjoy the shower from their homes, make their own calculations, or save and edit the footage.

Three Spanish Supercomputer centers  Centro Extremeno de Tecnologias Avanzadas (CETACIEMAT), Consorci de Serveis Universitaris de Catalunya (CSUC) and Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC)  will collaborate in distributing the retransmittions through the web portal skylive.tv.

STARS4ALL is a project financed by the European Unions Program H2020, until the contract number 688135. Eight separate institutions from six European countries work under the umbrella of STARS4ALL (UPM, CEFRIEL, SOTON, ECN, ESCP Europe, IAC, IGB and UCM). Its objective is to make the population more aware of the problem of light pollution in many of our home cities, emphasizing the importance of taking measures to reduce the contamination as much as possible.

English version by Allison Light.
Image source: Getty Images.

What: Oil stocks went on a wild ride in July after crude crashed 15% for the month. Drillers with balance-sheet challenges were the hardest hit by crude's slide, with Oasis Petroleum (NYSE: OAS), California Resources (NYSE: CRC), Denbury Resources (NYSE: DNR), EP Energy (NYSE: EPE), and Baytex Energy (NYSE: BTE) all slumping more than 20%:

OAS data by YCharts.

So what: Crude prices crumbled after oil traders got a dose of reality. Not only did supplies start to rebound from recent production outages in Canada and Nigeria, but oil producers in the U.S. began adding back rigs. This renewed fears that the supply overhang was not going to go away anytime soon.

That slump in crude prices was all it took to drive Oasis Petroleum, California Resources, and Denbury Resources down by 20% last month. Traders worried that the drop in crude prices would put further pressure on their balance sheets, which could force these companies to take additional actions to address their financial situations.

California Resources did just that in early August by upsizing its offering to repurchase notes for cash to cut its debt. Meanwhile, analysts at Barclays downgraded Denbury Resources' stock at the beginning of August due to concerns about its balance sheet. Even though the company has reduced its debt by 16% since the end of last year, analysts think its balance sheet still appears stretched, given current oil prices.

Meanwhile, an analyst upgrade of EP Energy was not enough to stop its slide in July. Analysts at KLR Group upgraded EP Energy and several of its peers to buy ahead of their second-quarter earnings reports. While EP Energy would go on to report solid second-quarter results in early August, the renewed weakness in oil prices is forcing the company to focus on its balance sheet by using its excess cash flow to buy back debt.

Finally, Baytex Energy's decent second-quarter results were not enough to stop its slide in July. Unsurprisingly, Baytex Energy's balance sheet was the focus of that report, with the company diverting all of its excess cash to repay debt during the quarter. It was only able to reduce debt by $39 million, which is pocket change compared to its $1.9 billion in net debt. That led the company to make additional announcements to speed debt repayment, including entering into agreements to sell non-core assets, while also cutting its capex budget by 13%

Now what: After riding high for several months, crude oil prices came back to earth in June, taking several oil stocks with it. That's because crude's slide reignited balance-sheet worries across the industry, which is forcing producers to take additional actions to cut debt. Investors can expect these concerns to continue to plague oil stocks until the market is back on solid ground.

A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here.

Matt DiLallo owns shares of Denbury Resources. The Motley Fool owns shares of Denbury Resources. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Image source: Getty Images.

What: Units of Energy Transfer Equity (NYSE: ETE) bounded higher last month, ending up 20.2% thanks to a bevy of positive comments by analysts.

So what: Barclays started the analyst parade in early July by reinstating its overweight rating and $20 price target. Its analysts believed that the company's units were trading at a discount due to leverage concerns as well as litigation overhang resulting from its failed merger with rivalWilliams Companies (NYSE: WMB). Barclays,however, thought Energy Transfer Equity's leverage was manageable because the company would be generating a lot of excess cash thanks to its preferred unit offering earlier this year. Furthermore, while it believes the distribution will remain flat through 2017, analysts expect the payout to grow by 22% per year from 2018 to 2020 as a result of the project-driven cash flow growth at its master limited partnership,Energy Transfer Partners (NYSE: ETP).

Credit analysts at S&P Global, likewise, agreed with the assessment that Energy Transfer Equity's credit is improving. Its analysts affirmed the company's BB credit rating and took it off credit watch negative while moving their outlook to stable. They believe the company will be able to maintain a stable distribution while keeping its stand-alone debt-to-EBITDA ratio below 4.0 times through 2018.

Shortly after that, analysts at Goldman Sachsreinstated their rating on the company at neutral with a $17 price target. While its analysts thought the company's fundamentals were solid, that outlook was already baked into the unit price. Also, they noted that there were still several negatives to the story, including its high leverage and high costs of capital at some of its subsidiaries. That said, Credit Suisse was a bit more bullish, with analysts reinstating their outperform rating while setting a $20 price target.

Now what: With its ill-fated deal to buy Williams Companies in the rearview mirror, analysts and investors are refocusing their attention on Energy Transfer's stand-alone potential. For the most part, they like what they see because the company avoided the potentially overwhelming weight of the added debt required to take over Williams. Instead, the company is positioned to cut its debt in the near term before returning to growth mode in 2018.

A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here.

Matt DiLallo has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Billionaire investor Carl Icahn said spending is akin to a deep recession during an interview on the FOX Business Networks Risk & Reward.

Capital spending is really in a terrible shape, he said. If you really analyze it, in a country thats supposed to grow you just had a 4% decline in capital spending, which is unheard of unless you have a deep recession.

In a statement Icahn released Tuesday, the billionaire investor said:

A capitalistic system cannot exist if government is at war with business.

Despite noting the U.S. is an over-regulated nation, which he believes keeps companies from investing, Icahn did say he agrees with some legislation.

There is good regulation. You really have to make sure that factories are safe and all that. But, whats happened now is regulation has run amuck. And I dont think theyre bad people, the regulators.

At one point in June 2015, Trump floated the possibility of offering the Secretary of the Treasury position to Icahn, who declined. The activist investor reiterated his point, saying he wouldnt accept a cabinet position, but would offer help if the GOP nominee asked.

Ive never worked for anybody in my life, its too late in the day for me to start working for anybody, Icahn said. But thats not the issue, you dont need me to work there. You need me maybe to talk to Donald once in a while, give him some advice.
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Wednesday accused Republican opponent Donald Trump of inciting violence with his call for gun rights activists to stop her from nominating liberal U.S. Supreme Court justices.

"There is tremendous political power to save the Second Amendment, tremendous," the New York businessman said. "And you look at the power they have in terms of votes and that's what I was referring to, obviously that's what I was referring to, and everybody knows it."

Trump insisted in an interview with Fox News that his remarks were a call for political, not physical, action.

"Yesterday, we witnessed the latest in a long line of casual comments from Donald Trump that crossed the line," she said, citing "his casual inciting of violence. Every single one of these incidences shows us that Donald Trump simply does not have the temperament to be president and commander in chief of the United States."

"Words matter, my friends," the former U.S. secretary of state said a rally in Des Moines, Iowa. "And if you are running to be president or you are president of the United States, words can have tremendous consequences.

Clinton's comments added to a growing outcry over Trump's remarks on Tuesday at a North Carolina rally, which some interpreted as a call for violence against his White House rival. His remarks also fueled widespread concerns about his ability to stay on track.

The U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment guarantees a right to keep and bear arms.

But high-profile Republicans and rank-and-file voters appeared shaken on Wednesday after a string of Trump missteps, struggling with how to best reject Trump's divisive candidacy. Some pledged to withhold their endorsement and others backed Clinton. Some sought for an unprecedented way to oust Trump from the Republican ticket.

MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman from Florida, in an opinion piece in the Washington Post, said the party was in "uncharted waters" and called for leaders to start looking for ways replace him.

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll taken Aug. 5-8, showed that nearly one-fifth of 396 registered Republicans said they want Trump to drop out of the race for the White House and another 10 percent said they "don't know" whether the Republican nominee should or not.

Clinton's campaign, seeing an opening, moved to bring disenchanted Republicans into the fold by announcing an official intraparty outreach effort on behalf of the Democratic nominee.

James Rohrscheib, 74, a registered Republican and retired U.S. Navy officer from Washington state, told Reuters the reality is the Nov. 8 election will be a "tough one."

"I'm in a quandary as to who I am going to vote for," Rohrscheib said.

PROMINENT DEFECTIONS

Clinton's campaign now has a website for Republicans and political independents to sign up to pledge their support, listing 50 prominent Republicans and independents who have endorsed her so far, including Meg Whitman, a high-profile Republican fundraiser and chief executive of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

John Negroponte, former director of national intelligence under President George W. Bush, and former U.S. Representative Chris Shays of Connecticut, also a Republican, were among those who announced their support on Wednesday.

On Monday, 50 Republican national security officials signed an open letter questioning Trump's temperament, calling him reckless and unqualified to be president.

Other top Republicans, including Senator Susan Collins of Maine this week, have disavowed Trump but said they cannot back Clinton.

Strategists and Trump detractors agreed that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to remove Trump from the Republican ticket.

"It's wishful thinking to believe the Republicans are going to replace its nominee after the convention. People are grasping at straws," Ron Bonjean, a Republican strategist unaffiliated with Trump, told Reuters.

Trump has dismissed the defections and criticism as an unsurprising reaction of the so-called Washington elite to his drive to change the status quo.

"The support he has from Republicans almost seems obligatory rather than voluntary," Mike Smith, a Republican voter and Reuters/Ipsos poll respondent, said of Trump's remaining defenders.

"I'm almost at the point where I think I'm going to vote for Hillary. I don't like her," said Smith, a 74-year-old retiree who lives in Clearwater, Florida. "But Mr. Trump is making me very nervous."

RESET ABANDONED

Republican strategist and Trump supporter Ford O'Connell said Trump has "dug himself a deep hole" and that to win the election he will need to "make it a referendum on Hillary Clinton and the 'rigged system.'"

Trump sought to do just that by using an economic policy speech in Detroit on Monday after a series of missteps that included a prolonged clash with the parents of a fallen Muslim American soldier. But his remarks Tuesday undermined that effort.

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks," Trump said at the rally at the University of North Carolina. "Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know," he continued.

The U.S. Secret Service, which investigates threats against sitting presidents and party nominees, has had "more than one conversation" with the Trump campaign about his remark, CNN reported on Wednesday.

Trump's comment and the resulting backlash occurred as Reuters/Ipsos polling showed some 44 percent of 1,162 registered voters believe Trump should exit the race, and that as of Tuesday, Clinton led Trump by more than 7 percentage points, up from a 3-point lead late last week.

Republican Party rules and state laws would make it difficult at this juncture to replace Trump on ballots ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

A more likely scenario would be a replay of the 1996 presidential race, when Republican nominee Bob Dole was badly trailing President Bill Clinton. The party essentially deserted Dole by urging its congressional candidates to cut ties and concentrate on maintaining a Republican majority in the U.S. Congress.

(By Amanda Becker and James Oliphant; Additional reporting by Alana Wise, Emily Flitter, Ginger Gibson, Susan Heavy, Doina Chiacu, Grant Smith and Jonathan Allen; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jonathan Oatis)
The People v. O.J. Simpson was the most watched show in the history of FX, but Executive Producer Brad Simpson shot down the possibility of a second season about O.J.

"We've been pitched that. We don't want to overstay our welcome. This is closed off, he told reporters at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour. That show would just be about O.J. What we had here was all these characters colliding. I think the case is closed for us on O.J.

Cuba Gooding Jr., who played OJ Simpson, said fans love to discuss the show with him.

Its specific demographics of blacks and whites aggressive poverty stricken peoplewould come up to me and say I was sure that he didn't do it and even if he did I didn't really care thats what I get, he explained. And the extreme whites would say I saw your show and Im thinking now maybe he didn't do it.



The Emmy-nominated actor told FOX411 he did not want the audience to know his personal thoughts about the famed case.

I want other people to not go and find documentation of my opinion on his guilt or innocence, he said. Id rather have them just experience the performance and then formulate their own opinions. Youre never going to convince people who think hes innocent that hes not.

Gooding Jr. said that when people discuss the show with them he listens like a priest would in a confessional.

The devotion has to be there; I have to allow myself to get caught up in the emotion that the character is going through, he said. This is the darkest experience I have ever had.

His co-star Sarah Paulson revealed she has not watched the show, and Gooding Jr. said he hasnt either, though he called the show one of the high notes of his career.

I said from the beginning, I don't want to walk through this life right now, he explained. Maybe someday, but not right now. Im still working through personal issues in my life that were so parallel with his issues

He said he struggles when I think about having to give that performance, knowing that it is still causing people pain to this day.
The next time your doctor prescribes or refuses to prescribe antibiotics for an illness, you might want to listen and follow directions exactly.

Misuse of antibiotics is a big contributor to the growing threat of so-called superbugs, bacterial infections that are difficult or impossible to treat. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 million people develop such infections in the United States every year, resulting in about 23,000 deaths and more than $20 billion in excess health care costs.

READ MORE: All About Drug Formularies and Prescription Coverage

Taking antibiotics when you dont need the, and failing to take a full course of antibiotics when you do each contribute to the growing risk of a superbug epidemic.

Heres more about that risk, and how you can help stave it off:

How superbugs are made

In the centuries before penicillin was discovered, people frequently died young of bacterial infections that spiraled out of control. Usually, the source of the infection was something we now consider unthreatening a bladder infection, or a cut on your finger while cooking dinner.

Since the advent of antibiotics, theyve become such common, cheap prescriptions that most people no longer see them as lifesaving medicine. In a recent survey of 400 people by the American Society for Microbiology, 25 percent of respondents said they would use antibiotics without a prescription and 14 percent were keeping old antibiotics at home for future use.

About 5 percent of those surveyed said they had used antibiotics in the past year without a prescription, most often to treat ailments such as coughs, sinus infections and sore throats symptoms that arent improved by antibiotics.

When bacteria are exposed to antibiotics, but not enough to kill the entire colony, only the strongest are left. Those remaining bacteria divide and continue to replicate, making the post-antibiotic colony stronger than the original and resistant to the antibiotic.

However, the issue is a lot more complicated than that, says Dr. Robin Patel, director of the Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

READ MORE: What Preventive Care Is Free?

The sheer number of bacteria strains that exist make the issue complex. Were talking about a lot of different kinds of bacteria and a lot of different types of antibiotics at the same time, Patel says.

The gene for antibiotic resistance is also easily spread from one bacterium to another when they come into contact, even if they are different species. In bacteria-rich environments, such as an animal or human intestine, this makes it possible for resistance to spread to several strains or species at once.

Because of this, taking antibiotics when you dont need them may create resistant beneficial strains in your own body that can pass on resistance to less beneficial strains. As the bacteria adapt and become resistant faster than new antibiotics are being developed, more resistant strains are expected to appear.

Why the threat of antibiotic resistance is real

Most people will not be affected by this in [the] next few years, but the trend is very frightening, says Dr. Eric N. Milefchik, chairman of infection prevention at Torrance Memorial Medical Center in California. Already, some healthy patients developing bladder infections in recent years have bacteria that can only be treated with intravenous antibiotics.

READ MORE: How to Read Your Hospital Bill

The antibiotics that must be used for such infections, in general, were developed over 20 years ago for the most resistant bacteria of the day, Milefchik says. The increased use of these antibiotics has given rise to the most feared superbugs to date.

How you can help stop superbugs

On the surface, it seems like the obvious solution is just to develop more antibiotics. But because todays antibiotics dont turn much profit, there are few incentives for pharmaceutical companies to invest in the research and development to create new options.

READ MORE: The Real Difference Between Brand-Name and Generic Drugs

Still, we can all do our part to use antibiotics wisely, including not taking them when you dont need to. If you dont need an antibiotic, there are definite downsides to taking one, Patel says, including possible side effects that come with any medication.

Worse, Patel says antibiotics may also disrupt the beneficial bacteria in your body, together known as your microbiome, that help regulate your immune system and metabolism, among other things.

When it comes to antibiotics, make sure you and your family members follow these rules:

 Do take all doses of antibiotics you are prescribed, even if you feel better before theyre gone.

 Dont pressure a doctor for antibiotics if he or she says you dont need them. Many illnesses are viral, and antibiotics wont fix your runny nose or common cold.

 Do throw away any old, unused antibiotics that are sitting in your medicine cabinet right now.

 Dont take veterinary antibiotics or prescription drugs from outside the U.S., which may be compromised or ineffective.
PARIS  French health authorities are denying claims they concealed a study on a drug used to treat epilepsy that caused birth defects.

Le Canard Enchaine weekly said the health ministry suppressed a study revealing that the drug was prescribed to more than 10,000 pregnant women between 2007 and 2014 while the potential risks for unborn children were known.

The ministry responded Wednesday that the study was launched a year ago and that its initial findings will be presented according to plans on Aug. 24 to parents whose children have been affected by the anti-convulsion drug Depakine, sold in France by pharmaceutical company Sanofi.

A study published in February estimated that there had been around 450 cases in France of children exposed to the drug during pregnancy who had congenital defects.
This week the California Assembly begins final deliberations on Sen. Ricardo Laras Equity in Higher Education Act (SB 1146). The bill, which passed the Senate in late May, has a salutary purpose -- to ensure against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation at California campuses.

Unfortunately, this legislation goes far beyond that.

As it is written today, SB 1146 would violate the religious freedom of faith-based colleges and could jeopardize higher educational opportunities for the tens of thousands of Californians they serve, including many who are black, Latino, Asian and low-income.

Here is the problem, as we see it:

Current California law exempts religious schools from nondiscrimination laws in cases where applying these laws would not be consistent with the religious tenets of that organization.

This is sensible and reflects our nations founding principles of religious freedom. For years now, this policy has worked well, enabling church-run colleges and universities to hire personnel and establish policies and expectations regarding religious practice and personal conduct that reflect their beliefs and values.

SB 1146 proposes to drastically narrow that historic exemption so that it would only protect seminaries or other schools that train clergy and ministers.

Any other faith-based school that receives state monies or enrolls students who depend on the Cal Grants financial aid program would be forced to change their policies to accommodate practices that in some cases would be contrary to their beliefs and teachings.

Detailed provisions in the legislation include rules for bathroom use and sleeping arrangements in dormitories. The bill even has the government setting guidelines for what religious practices and rules for moral conduct will be acceptable on these campuses.

If passed as written today, this bill would force faith-based institutions to choose between compromising their deeply held beliefs and risking an endless wave of costly litigation to defend themselves.

This is a choice that no individual or institution should face in our state or in our country. In fact, the First Amendment and Bill of Rights were enacted to prevent precisely the kind of government interference reflected by SB 1146. Title IX of federal law also respects the rights of faith-based colleges and universities to operate free from government meddling.

But those who would truly be punished by this bill are Californias low-income and minority families -- including millions served by our respective faith communities here in Los Angeles.

Historically, faith-based institutions have been a refuge for blacks, Asians and other minorities seeking a college education in the face of economic hardship and racial discrimination. That was true in the days before the Civil Rights Act and it is still true today.

Christian and other private nonprofit colleges in California serve a diverse student body -- nearly 60 percent are minorities and nearly 90 percent need financial aid.

Many of the schools that would be affected by this legislation participate in the federal governments Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HIS) initiative to expand Latino access to higher education -- schools such as California Lutheran, Azuza Pacific, Fresno Pacific, Notre Dame de Namur, among others.

To qualify for HIS status means these schools have student populations that are at least 25 percent Hispanic. Many of these students are children of immigrants and the first in their families to attend college.

We question why lawmakers would want to make it harder for Latinos and other minorities to receive an education by potentially denying their schools the opportunity to redeem Cal Grants. This is not fair to those students and it contradicts the states noble tradition of seeking to expand educational and economic opportunities for all Californians.

And all of this is unnecessary to achieve the goals of protecting the rights of gay, lesbian and transgender students.

The simple solution is to require that faith-based schools clearly state -- on their websites and in written materials -- what they believe, what accommodations they intend to provide to students, and what will be expected of students in terms of religious practice and personal conduct.

Most faith-based colleges and universities already do this. Sen. Laras bill proposes some helpful requirements that would further strengthen transparency and public disclosure at these institutions. But his legislation should stop there.

It is important to remember that no one is compelled to attend a private religious college or university. Those who do so make a deliberate decision because they are seeking an academic environment and community where they can live, learn and serve with others who share their beliefs, values and aspirations.

We respectfully urge lawmakers to amend SB 1146 so that California continues to protect the freedom and integrity of faith-based higher education and continues to afford poor and minority students the freedom to attend the college or university of their choice, regardless of their religious beliefs.

Archbishop Jose H. Gomez is head of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the nations largest Catholic community. Bishop Charles E. Blake is pastor of West Angeles Church of God in Christ and Presiding Bishop of the worldwide Church of God in Christ, a 6 million-member Pentecost-Holiness denomination.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange implied in an interview that a murdered Democratic National Committee staffer was the source of a trove of damaging emails the rogue website posted just days before the party's convention.

Speaking to Dutch television program Nieuswsuur Tuesday after earlier announcing a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Seth Rich's killer, Assange said the July 10 murder of Rich in Northwest Washington was an example of the risk leakers undertake.

"Whistle-blowers go to significant efforts to get us material and often very significant risks," Assange said. "As a 27-year-old, works for the DNC, was shot in the back, murdered just a few weeks ago for unknown reasons as he was walking down the street in Washington."

When the interviewer interjected that the murder may have been a robbery, Assange pushed back.

"No," he said. "Theres no finding. So Im suggesting that our sources take risks."

When pressed as to whether Rich was, in fact, the leaker, Assange stated that the organization does not reveal its sources.

Police have said they believe the motive was robbery, and that there is no evidence Rich's murder was connected to his work. But Rich's father has said the 4 a.m. murder, in which Rich was shot several times from behind, did not appear to be a robbery, as his son's wallet and watch were not taken.



When police found Rich, he was still conscious and breathing. He was transported to a hospital where he later died. No witnesses have come forward and police have no suspects. The WikiLeaks reward adds to a $25,000 reward posted by Washington police.



WikiLeaks email dump of DNC files, which embarrassed the party and showed possible collusion to block Bernie Sanders from the nomination, occurred 12 days after his death. Rich was the DNCs director of voter expansion.

Washington Police Assistant Chief Peter Newsham said the department appreciates WikiLeaks offering of a reward.

We're very pleased if anyone is going to assist us with giving reward money," Newsham added.

The 45-year-old Assange is founder and editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks, which touts itself as a nonprofit journalistic organization. WikiLeaks specializes in publishing online leaked documents and classified information gleaned from an international network of secret sources.

The Australian has been subject to extradition to Sweden since 2010, wher he is wanted for questioning in a rape case that his supporters claim is a pretext to muzzle his efforts. He has been holed up in Ecuador's United Kingdom embassy since he was granted asylum there in August 2012.

Assange participated in the interview from inside the embassy.
A 2010 program headed by then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to help Moscow develop a Russian Silicon Valley may instead have drawn some of Americas biggest tech companies into industrial espionage  even advancing the countrys military and spying operations, according to a new report by Clinton critic Peter Schweizers Government Accountability Institute.

There are serious national security questions that have been raised, the report said.

The program was pitched as a partnership involving U.S. and Russian government entities and companies. Major U.S. corporations like Boeing, Google, General Electric, Cisco and Microsoft  also generous donors to the Clintons family foundation  were solicited by Clinton to invest more than a billion dollars in the Skolkovo tech park outside Moscow, formally called the Skolkovo Innovation Center. The goal, Clinton said in speeches and to Russian media, was to break down barriers with Russia, create more free flow of people and information between the two countries, and ultimately strengthen Russia.

We want to help because we think that its in everyones interest do so, Clinton said in a 2010 speech at a U.S.-Russia summit, as she discussed building a technology center right outside Moscow.

However, the project may have inadvertently launched some of these companies into risky terrain. The FBI issued an extraordinary warning in 2014 to companies doing business with the Skolkovo Foundation that Skolkovo could draw them unwittingly into industrial espionage, noting Skolkovo was a crucial part of Dmitry Medvedevs plan to modernize Russias military.

The FBI also said Skolkovo may be a means for the Russian government to access our nations sensitive or classified research, development facilities and dual-use technologies with military and commercial applications.

Jeff Bechdel, communications director for the anti-Clinton America Rising PAC, said the Democratic presidential nominee effectively put our national security at risk with the project.

Leveraging Clinton Foundation donors, Clinton assisted in speeding up the Russians weaponized technology sector, and in so doing, demonstrated she lacks the judgment necessary to determine friend from foe on the international stage, he said in a statement.

The Clinton campaign is pushing back on the latest report from Schweizers group. Schweizer also authored the anti-Clinton book Clinton Cash and is a longtime adversary of the family.

This report is just the latest false attack by Republican operative and friend of the Koch brothers, Peter Schweizer, who was widely discredited for making baseless accusations in his debunked Clinton Cash book, that even he admitted was not backed up by any evidence, campaign spokesman Josh Schwerin said in a statement.

The campaign also rejected the groups claim that the FBI and Army found the project substantially enhanced Russias military tech capabilities, citing a 2014 article in which the FBI acknowledged it did not have hard evidence of such activity.

The partnership itself stemmed from President Obama and the Clinton State Departments efforts to reset relations with Russia early in the Obama administration. This included a plan to identify areas of cooperation and pursuing joint projects and actions that strengthen strategic stability, international security, economic well-being, and the development of ties between the Russian and American people.

The State Department paid for a delegation of 22 private tech entrepreneurs to go to Russia in May 2010, which led to an exclusive arrangement with Russia allowing entrance into what would become an industry tech park accommodating some 30,000 people.

The State Department actively and aggressively encouraged American firms to participate in Skolkovo, the Government Accountability Institute report said. Indeed, many of the Memorandums of Understanding signed by U.S. companies to invest and cooperate in Skolkovo were signed under the auspices of Hillary Clintons State Department.

Many of the key figures in the Skolkovo tech park development had major financial ties to the Clintons, the report said, noting 17 of 28 companies, both Russian and American, made financial commitments to the Clinton Foundation or sponsored speeches by Bill Clinton.

During the Russian reset, these figures and entities provided the Clintons with tens of millions of dollars, including contributions to the Clinton Foundation, paid for speeches by Bill Clinton, or investments in small start-up companies with deep Clinton ties, the report said.

Margaret E. Kosal, an associate professor at Georgia Techs Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, said while the project might have seemed a good opportunity to work in an emerging market, there are challenges working in Russia including dealing with cronyism and government bureaucracy.

But from a national security perspective, Kosal said the biggest concern is the ability of the Russian military to obtain, misuse, or develop nanotechnology for an application that catches the U.S. by surprise.

Relations with Russia have since become a focal point in the 2016 presidential election, with Clinton criticizing Republican opponent Donald Trump for both his campaign managers reported business ties to Russia and supposed lack of knowledge about international affairs. But Bechdel said history shows it is Clintons connections and relations that should be scrutinized.

"Clinton may talk a big game against Russia now, but when it mattered most and she had the opportunity to hold Russia accountable as Secretary of State, Clintons priority was aiding Russian efforts to accelerate their technology sector, not keeping America safe, Bechdel said.

The Clinton Foundation did not respond to a media inquiry from FoxNews.com.

A spokeswoman for Skolkovo told the Irish-based Independent news that all allegations of Kremlin spying were false, claiming it is "an international project and all our operations are fully transparent for our Russian and international partners".
A new batch of emails released Tuesday is raising fresh questions about whether Clinton Foundation donors got preferential treatment from the State Department during Hillary Clinton's tenure at the top.

Conservative watchdog Judicial Watch released 44 new email exchanges which it says were not in the original 30,000 handed over to the State Department, despite the Democratic presidential nominee's claims she turned over all work-related emails amid the now-closed probe into her private server use.

The documents, produced as a result of the group's FOIA lawsuit, appear to challenge Clinton's insistence that there is "no connection" between her family foundation and her work at the department.

Though the campaign is downplaying the emails, Republican opponent Donald Trump, at a campaign stop in Virginia on Wednesday, suggested the emails reveal potentially illegal activity.

Its called pay for play, Trump said.

In one email exchange released by Judicial Watch, Doug Band, an executive at the Clinton Foundation, tried to put billionaire donor Gilbert Chagoury -- a convicted money launderer -- in touch with the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon because of the donors interests there.

In the email, Band notes that Chagoury is a key guy there [Lebanon] and to us, and insists Clinton aide Huma Abedin call Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman to connect him with Chagoury.

Chagoury is a close friend of former President Bill Clinton and has appeared on the Clinton Foundation donor list as a $1 million to $5 million contributor. Hes also pledged $1 billion to the Clinton Global Initiative. Chagoury was convicted in 2000 in Switzerland for money laundering. He cut a deal and agreed to repay $66 million to the Nigerian government.

In another email from April 2009, Band seems to pressure Clintons former aides Cheryl Mills and Abedin into hiring a foundation associate.

In the email, Band writes its important to take care of [name redacted].

Abedin responds, telling Band, Personnel has been sending him options.

The latest batch of emails came more than a week after Clinton said, in a "Fox News Sunday" interview, that there is absolutely no connection between anything that I did as secretary of state and the Clinton Foundation.

The Republican National Committee seized on the appearance of favor-trading in the latest batch of documents.

That the Clinton Foundation was calling in favors barely 3 months into Hillary Clintons tenure at the State Department is deeply troubling and it is yet another reminder of the conflicts of interest and unethical wheeling and dealing shed bring to the White House, spokesman Michael Short said in a statement.

But a Clinton campaign spokesman said: Neither of these emails involve the Secretary or relate to the Foundations work. They are communications between her aides and the Presidents personal aide, and indeed the recommendation was for one of the Secretarys former staffers who was not employed by the Foundation.

The campaign initially was responding to an account in The Wall Street Journal.

The emails are separate from a larger batch of several thousand work-related emails that FBI officials recovered from Clinton's private server.

Clinton's legal team turned over more than 30,000 emails from her server to the State Department last March but only after deleting another 30,000 messages that Clinton's team deemed private and personal. The FBI plans to turn over the reconstructed Clinton emails to the State Department for public release.

The new Clinton emails also include a February 2009 message to her from Stephen Roach, then-chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, saying he planned to testify to Congress that week and was "happy to help in any way I can." Roach later met with Clinton over the summer for 30 minutes, according to Clinton calendars obtained by The Associated Press.

In another email, Clinton's chief of staff, Cheryl Mills, informed her that National Security Agency and State Department officials discussed an attempt to develop a modified blackberry for Clinton that might be used when she worked in a restricted State Department office that did not allow private phones.

Clinton called the development "good news," but she continued using a private Blackberry tied to her private server.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
John Negroponte, a veteran diplomat who served under three Republican administrations as well as the Clinton administration, endorsed Hillary Clinton for president on Wednesday.

In a statement provided by the Clinton campaign, Negroponte touted the former secretary of states leadership qualities in his decision.

She will bring to the Presidency the skill, experience and wisdom that is needed in a President and Commander in Chief, he said. Having myself served in numerous diplomatic and national security positions starting in 1960, I am convinced that Secretary Clinton has the leadership qualities that far and away qualify her best to be our next President.

The decision comes after Negroponte joined 49 other former security and diplomatic officials from Republican administrations in signing a letter opposing GOP nominee Donald Trump earlier this week.

Negroponte was among the more prominent names on the list, having served as director of national intelligence and deputy secretary of state under President George W. Bush. He also served as deputy national security adviser under President Ronald Reagan, and has held five different ambassadorial posts.

One of those was as ambassador to the Philippines under President Bill Clinton, though he mostly served under Republican administrations. He also was ambassador to Iraq under Bush.

The endorsement for the Democratic nominee marks the latest defection for the Republicans, though Trump has played down the intra-party tensions  and described those who signed the 50-official letter as the kind of insiders hes running against.

The Republican nominee said in a statement on that letter that the co-signers are the ones the American people should look to for answers on why the world is a mess, and we thank them for coming forward so everyone in the country knows who deserves the blame for making the world such a dangerous place.

The Clinton campaign also announced endorsements Wednesday from former Bush Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and ex-GOP Rep. Chris Shays, among others.

FoxNews.coms Judson Berger contributed to this report.
For years, Nevada taxpayers have spent millions subsidizing homeowners who install rooftop solar panels  but thats about to end.

In a controversial decision, the state is phasing out that subsidy over the next 12 years, a move being met with protests, lawsuits and even a failed bid to put the issue before voters. Last week, Nevada's Supreme Court ruled that a referendum from solar activists challenging the decision would not be allowed on the November ballot.

The changes and challenges are now being watched carefully by other states and the solar industry as a whole  as it could signal a shift away from government support for solar energy.

Until now, Nevada homeowners subsidized roughly 17,000 customers with solar panels, to the tune of about $16 million every year. This was done under a program known as net-metering, which reimbursed residential energy customers for excess power generated by their rooftop panels.

Paul Thomsen, chairman of Nevada's Public Utility Commission, said the perk was unfair, because it meant homeowners who didn't have solar panels were subsidizing those who did.

"As the rooftop solar industry has gotten larger and larger, we've seen this subsidy grow," Thomsen said. "What started as a legislative policy to kickstart the industry, now 18 years later, it's time for that industry to stand on its own two feet."

But customers are blasting the state's decision to phase out net-metering, as well as a decision to raise monthly fixed fees for solar customers, from $12.75 to $38.51.

"The PUC and Governor Brian Sandoval have backstabbed us, and have gone against the little person," Nevada solar customer Eric Heine said.

Many homeowners say without that perk, they wouldn't have shelled out thousands of dollars to go solar, and blame the Nevada Public Utility Commission for what they call a "bait and switch."

Activists are fighting the new policy in the courts, a legal battle other sunny states like Arizona and California are watching closely.

Meanwhile, many solar companies are down-sizing -- and several, including Solar City, have stopped doing business in the state, eliminating 550 jobs.

Solar activists say they're hopeful that customers who went solar before the PUC decision will be able to keep the rates they signed up for. A task force created by Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval has recommended the rates be grandfathered in for customers who submitted applications before 2016, and continue for 20 years.

That recommendation is expected to go before the Nevada state legislature early next year.
Ohio Senate candidate Ted Strickland joked about the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia on Monday, saying it came "at a good time" for union workers since he was unable to cast the deciding vote in a March case that ended up in a 4-4 deadlock.

According to a video posted on YouTube Tuesday by NTK Network, Strickland made the remarks in Cleveland, telling AFL-CIO members that Scalia's death "saved labor" from a terrible decision in the case, which could have dealt a blow to the ability of public-sector unions to collect fees from those who decide against joining the union and pay for collective bargaining activities.

"In about three and a half months, we'll make a decision about who occupies the executive branch, what party controls the Senate, and growing out of those two decisions will be the future of the United States Supreme Court," the former governor told attendees. "And my friends, a lot of average citizens out there don't understand the importance of that court.

"I mean, the death of Scalia saved labor from a terrible decision," Strickland said to cheers, with laughter soon filling the room as he made the joke. "And I don't wish anyone ill, but it happened at a good time because once that decision had been made, it would have been tough to reverse it."

Read more on WashingtonExaminer.com
College professors in Texas could face disciplinary measures if they prohibit handguns to be brought into their classrooms, state Attorney General Ken Paxton said Monday.

Paxton filed a motion this week to dismiss a federal lawsuit brought last month by three professors at the University of Texas at Austin seeking to block the campus carry law, which took effect Aug.1.

Texas has allowed licensed concealed handguns in public since 1995 but had previously made college buildings off limits.

"Faculty members are aware that state law provides that guns can be carried on campus, and that the president has not made a rule excluding them from classrooms," attorneys representing the university and Paxton wrote in the legal brief. "As a result, any individual professor who attempts to establish such prohibition is subject to discipline."

According to the Dallas Morning News, the three professors  Mia Carter, Jennifer Glass and Lisa Moore  are asking a judge to put the law on hold arguing that the law is too vague for them to know if and how they might be punished if armed students are kept out of their classrooms.

The professors are asking a judge to halt the law for at least one semester in order to hold a public trial on whether the campus carry law violates their constitution rights to free speech and equal protection.

Paxtons lawyers contend that the law is clear and gives the universities presidents the ability to designate each schools limited gun-free zones. The lawyers go on to say that If classrooms arent expressly included in their campuses policy to prohibit handguns, then firearms must be allowed in the rooms.

The paper reported that the judges decision to grant the professors request to halt the law could come later this week. However, the judge acknowledged that by granting their request could start a slippery slope that would allow every public university in the state an excuse to ban guns in the classroom.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from the Dallas Morning News.
Donald Trump rejected claims he was advocating violence against Hillary Clinton when he suggested at a rally Tuesday there might be something Second Amendment people can do to stop her from picking judges, telling Fox News he was only talking about their political power  and saying of the media coverage: Give me a break.

The candidate made the comments after telling voters in Wilmington, N.C., that his Democratic rival wants to abolish the Second Amendment.

If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks, he said.

Trump then added, Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know.

Almost immediately, social media lit up with accusations that Trump was essentially calling for someone to kill Clinton.

Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook called Trumps comments dangerous.

This is simplewhat Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way, Mook said in a statement.

But Trump, in an interview with Fox News Hannity, denied he was suggesting this.

"This is a political movement," Trump said. "This is a strong powerful movement, the Second Amendment. Hillary wants to take your guns away. She wants to leave you unprotected in your home.

"And there can be no other interpretation," Trump said of his remarks. "I mean, give me a break."

Trumps campaign also slammed the dishonest media for the characterization of his comments.

Its called the power of unification  2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power, Jason Miller, senior Trump communications adviser, said in a statement. And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it wont be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump.

Trump running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, said electing Trump would ensure America has a president whose Supreme Court appointments will uphold all of the liberties enshrined in the Constitution, including the Second Amendment.

"Trump is urging people around this country to act consistent with their convictions in the course of this election," Pence also said. "And people who cherish the Second Amendment have a very clear choice in this election."

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who said Monday she would not vote for Trump, also told MSNBC's "Meet the Press Daily" that she agreed with the Trump campaign's interpretation of his remarks -- but said the furor "is an example of Donald Trump's looseness with language that can lead to interpretations such as the one put out by Secretary Clinton's camp."

Some officials, including Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., went so far as to suggest the Secret Service investigate.

Donald Trump suggested someone kill Sec. Clinton. We must take people at their word. @SecretService must investigate #TrumpThreat.  Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) August 9, 2016

Michael Hayden, the former CIA director who has come out against Trump, also said on CNN: If anybody else had said this, theyd be out in the parking lot in a police wagon being questioned by the Secret Service.

An agency spokesperson told Fox News, "The Secret Service is aware of the comment," but would not say whether an investigation had been launched.

Fox News' Wes Barrett contributed to this report.
At 9 a.m. yesterday, Fox News led off its newscast with Donald Trumps economic speech on cutting taxes and regulations, including a rebuttal from Hillary Clinton. The on-screen headline: Trump & Clinton Clash on Economy.

At the same moment, MSNBC was running this headline: Growing List of Republicans Turning Away from Trump. The network was more focused on GOP defectors from the partys nominee, including Sen. Susan Collins.

That, in a nutshell, illustrates the competing narratives of this campaign right now. Trump is trying to reset after a rough period by focusing on such issues as the economy, while the Clinton camp is showcasing prominent Republicans who are jumping ship.

And that was before Trump set off a whole new frenzy with his casual crack about Hillary and gun-toting opponents.

Both are perfectly legitimate, but which story line do you think has more resonance for the media?

I was pleasantly surprised by the relatively serious coverage devoted to Trumps Detroit speech. Journalists pointed out that he has moved closer to the Paul Ryan school of economics, raising his earlier plan for a top income tax rate from 25 to 33 percent (still a cut from what the IRS now takes). He offered standard GOP fare, cutting taxes more for those at the top and vowing to eliminate what the party calls the death tax (affecting estates worth more than $5.45 million). He broke with the party establishment in opposing free trade deals. And he threw in a nod to the working masses with a tax credit for child care, even though lower-class folks dont pay much in taxes (the Trump camp now says it will broaden the benefit).

Clinton drew her share of coverage by calling this trickle-down economics, which means we are back to the same ideological debate that has raged since the Reagan years.

But looking at the New York Times home page yesterday, I saw three stories at the top:

Key Republican Senator Says She Will Not Vote for Trump.

G.O.P. Donors in Primaries Are Turning to Clinton.

Mormons Distaste for Trump Puts Utah Up for Grabs.

And below that, in tiny type, was this:

Trump Supports G.O.P. Tax Cuts, But Balks at Trade Pacts.

The Washington Post combined both approaches in its lead story: Trump tries to reset with economic speechbut faces new resistance in GOP.

The story below that was an op-ed from Collins, who described why she will not vote for Trump because he is a slash and burn candidate.

And the story below that was an opinion column by Stuart Rothenberg: Why Trump Needs a Miracle to Win.

(In their print editions, interestingly enough, the Post and Times both led with the tax speech.)

The denunciation by the moderate Maine senator was welcomed on the left, with the anti-Trump Huffington Post gleefully blaring this headline: Collins Cant Stomach Cruel Trump.

Also fueling the sense of Republican disunity was a blistering letter signed by 50 former national security officials, many of whom worked for George W. Bush, saying Trump would put the country at risk and would be the most reckless president in American history. The signers include Tom Ridge and Michael Chertoff, who both ran the Homeland Security department; former CIA director Michael Hayden; former director of national intelligence John Negroponte, and former deputy secretary of state Robert Zoellick.

That left the door wide open for Trump to say that many of them are the failed Washington elite, the architects of a disastrous foreign policy that includes the Iraq war.

The average voter undoubtedly cares more about what Trump would do on jobs and taxes than whether John Negroponte or Susan Collins is backing the billionaire. The problem for Trump is that he hasnt achieved the same level of support among Republicans as Clinton has among the Democrats.

And the more-disciplined-Trump story line suffered a blow when he went off on Hillary at a rally after saying she would abolish the Second Amendment: If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know. It was not the kind of joke a presidential candidate should make. (The Trump camp says he was talking about the power of unification among gun-rights activists to stop her election.)

Trump has been trying to focus the spotlight on his core economic message and his criticism of Hillary Clinton. But with diversions like that, the media may have other ideas.
A diving pool at the Rio Olympics turned green Tuesday when algae entered the water, stunning athletes and spectators.

The water in the diving well at the Maria Lenk Aquatic Centre had been blue on Monday, but reportedly changed hue overnight. Strangely, water in an adjacent pool remained blue, sparking plenty of debate on the internet.

Officials said that the water was tested and posed no risks to athletes.

Rio spokesman Mario Andrada said the green was caused "by a proliferation of algae."

"This was because of heat and a lack of wind," he said. "We did all the chemical tests.

The pools color quickly became a topic of conversation on social media. Wait is someone playing a joke or are we celebrating St Patty's Day early here in Rio? tweeted U.S. diver David Boudia Tuesday.

Wait is someone playing a joke or are we celebrating St Patty's Day early here in Rio? #divingpond #Olympics pic.twitter.com/CsxxperHvM  David Boudia (@davidboudia) August 9, 2016

Ermmm...what happened?!, tweeted British diver Tom Daley, who won bronze in the Men's synchronized 10m platform event Monday.

Ralph Riley, vice chairman of the U.K.-based Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group told FoxNews.com that lack of chlorination could have allowed algae to enter the pool, causing it to turn green. Sunlight and high temperatures can deplete a pools chlorine, he added.

Swimming pool water is typically turned over every six hours, according to the expert. You have got this process going on all the time  the water is being continuously circulated, filtered [and] treated with primary and secondary disinfectants, he said.

However, it is not unusual for Olympic pool systems to be switched off for a brief period, Riley noted. Quite frequently during Olympic competition, some pools will be turned off so that theres no eddies and turbulence from the pools circulation system, he added. Just losing the chlorine could mean that its susceptible to being attacked by spores of algae.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
The sun, not the Soviets, was a provocateur during a little-known Cold War event, a new study reveals.

A solar storm of historic proportions in May 1967 interfered with American radar installations and raised tensions, leading to aircraft being prepared for launch, according to the American Geophysical Union (AGU). The AGU is the publisher of the journal Space Weather, which will feature the study.

The solar storm was so powerful it disturbed Ballistic Missile Early Warning System sites in Alaska, Greenland, and the U.K. on May 23, 1967. According to the study, this was seen as the system being jammed.

Experts from the University of Colorado, Boulder, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Baylor University, and Boston College contributed to study, as well as retired Air Force personnel. The former Air Force officers describe the event publicly for the first time in the paper.

The powerful solar storm was, the study says, a near trip-wire in the tense political and military landscape of the time.

Luckily, space weather experts at the Air Forces Air Weather Service and NORAD figured out what was going on. The study hypothesizes that officials got the correct information to the right people in time, averting a possible disaster.

The study also states that a major American aircraft launch would have been very provocative and furthermore, it would have been hard to communicate with the planes after they took off because of radio interference from the solar storm.

Had it not been for the fact that we had invested very early on in solar and geomagnetic storm observations and forecasting, the impact [of the storm] likely would have been much greater, Delores Knipp, the first author of the study and a research professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, said in a statement.

Ejections from the sun can interfere with the technologies of today, like the power grid, GPS, and even aircraft communications when the planes are flying over the poles. Just recently, NOAA announced that a satellite called DSCVR, positioned a million miles from Earth like a sentry, is monitoring solar weather and sending data back to the agency's Space Weather Prediction Center.

Follow Rob Verger on Twitter: @robverger
A new study challenges the theory that humans populated the Americas using a corridor between ice sheets more than 12,600 years ago.



After humans arrived from Siberia to Alaska via a land bridge, the route south from there was blocked by two huge ice sheets in what is now Canada, called the Cordilleran and the Laurentide. As those ice sheets melted, a corridor opened between them, estimated to be about 930 miles long.

But the study released Wednesday uses an interesting method to demonstrate that that corridor couldnt have supported human traffic until about 12,600 years ago, even if it was physically open before that. And as such, the researchers argue that people who arrived before then must have traveled down the Pacific coast by boat.

Scientists took samples from the materials beneath two modern bodies of water Charlie Lake and Spring Lake in Canada standing on the ice during the winter and drilling down. The point they chose to analyze was key, because it represents one of the last parts of the corridor to actually open, and was what the study refers to as a bottleneck.

Then, they analyzed the ancient DNA they found, and that told them a story about how the once-glaciated landscape became colonized. The researchers found evidence, starting about 12,600 to 12,500 years ago, of mammoth and bison; then voles and jackrabbits; and after that, bald eagles, elk, and moose roamed the landscape, their data demonstrated.

In short, while the corridor they studied was open beforehand, it wasnt until about 12,600 years ago that enough plants and animals lived there to support humans on their journey. The study is published in the journal Nature.

Because of this, the researchers hypothesize that ancient people who journeyed south before that had to come down the Pacific coast.

The bottom line is that even though the physical corridor was open by 13,000 years ago, it was several hundred years before it was possible to use it, Eske Willerslev, a professor at St. Johns College, Univeristy of Cambridge, and the lead researcher on the study, said in a statement. That means that the first people entering what is now the US, Central and South America must have taken a different route.

After the corridor did open, people used it to go south, or even travel north, according to the study.

Tom Dalton Dillehay, a professor of anthropology, religion, and culture at Vanderbilt University, and author of book The Settlement of the Americas: A New Prehistory, said a study like this one had been needed for a while, but that it was just a start.

It is a well documented interdisciplinary work that attempts to resolve the early corridor route beyond standard archeology and geology, Dillehay wrote in an email to FoxNews.com. I would like to see more studies of this nature done in other areas of the corridor to confirm this hypothesis, especially at the entrance and exits points of the corridor.

Follow Rob Verger on Twitter: @robverger
A federal judge in San Francisco has dismissed a lawsuit accusing Twitter of supporting the Islamic State (ISIS) group.



The families of two men killed in Jordan claimed that Twitter had contributed to their deaths by allowing the group to sign up for and use Twitter accounts. The judge agreed with Twitter that the company cannot be held liable because federal law protects service providers that merely offer platforms for speech, without creating the speech itself.



"As horrific as these deaths were, ... Twitter cannot be treated as a publisher or speaker of ISIS's hateful rhetoric and is not liable under the facts alleged," U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick wrote Wednesday.



The federal Communications Decency Act has long protected service providers for remarks made and actions taken by their users, so Wednesday's ruling came as no surprise. But that law runs in conflict with an anti-terrorism law prohibiting support for groups like ISIS.



The families have the option to amend and refile the case.

Lloyd "Carl" Fields Jr. and James Damon Creach were shot and killed in 2015 while working as U.S. government contractors in Amman, Jordan, according to the lawsuit. ISIS later claimed responsibility for their deaths. The lawsuit names Anwar Abu Zaid as the lone gunman.



Orrick noted that the lawsuit didn't claim that ISIS recruited or communicated with Abu Zaid over Twitter, nor did the lawsuit accuse either of using Twitter to plan, carry out or raise funds for the attack. Rather, the lawsuit said Twitter provided "material support" in allowing the use of Twitter accounts for recruitment and other purposes.



A similar lawsuit against Google, Facebook and Twitter was filed in June by the father of a young woman killed in the Paris massacre last November.



Representatives for Twitter and a lawyer representing the families of two men could not immediately be reached for comment.
A Kansas couple whose farmhouse became the nexus of seemingly the entire country's internet misdeeds is suing the company they say is responsible, Courthouse News Service reports.

James and Theresa Arnold rented a farmhouse in Potwin in 2011. That's when the problems started. According to the Wichita Eagle, the Arnolds have been accused of computer fraud, stealing Facebook identities, tax fraud, attempted suicide, "holding girls at the residence for the purpose of making pornographic films," and more.

Law enforcement and various angry individuals would turn up day and night, and the Arnolds had no idea whyuntil a tech reporter cracked the mystery last spring.

The Arnolds filed a lawsuit against MaxMind on Monday, seeking more than $75,000 in damages, KMBC reports. The lawsuit claims the tech company made the Arnolds' farmhouse the default physical address of any website for which it couldn't locate an IP address.

(The home's front yard happens to be the center of the US, per the Eagle.) Over 14 years, the farmhouse became the default location for 600 million IP addresses.

This has led to "emotional distress, fear for their safety, and humiliation," according to the lawsuit. MaxMind was informed of the issue and changed its system so the default address is in "the middle of a lake somewhere." But those 600 million IP addresses still point to the Arnolds' rental home.

This article originally appeared on Newser: Kansas Couple Sues Over Hellish IP Address Quirk
A Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent was shot and killed Tuesday after an attempted drug bust went awry.

TBI Special Agent DeGreaun Frazier, 35, was pronounced dead at a hospital in Jackson, about 70 miles east of Memphis. A former police officer, Frazier had joined TBI in February of this year.

"Agent Frazier was exactly what we look for in a TBI Agent: hard-working, enthusiastic, and dedicated to making Tennessee a better place to live, TBI Director Mark Gwyn said in a statement. We are deeply saddened by his death and will work aggressively to investigate this case to its fullest."



According to an agency statement, Frazier was one of several agents taking part in an undercover drug buy Tuesday afternoon. At some point, the would-be seller pulled out a gun and attempted to rob Frazier and his informant. Frazier was shot during that exchange of gunfire.

The suspect was arrested a short distance away and officials said charges were pending. The suspect's identity was not immediately released.

Witness Candice Washington told The Jackson Sun newspaper that she heard "about four shots."

"I laid on the ground and then when I got up I looked out the window and I saw a black Navigator parked directly in front of my house," Washington said.

I saw a black male inside of the Navigator and it looked like he had been shot, his eyes were rolled back, his head was limp," she added. "And I saw another black male standing outside of the Navigator in the jarred door with his hands over the man's, I guess, his wound."
A Northwest Arkansas sheriff's deputy was fatally shot Wednesday morning and a local police chief was injured while responding to a disturbance call.

Sebastian County Deputy Bill Cooper, who had been shot in the neck, was pronounced dead Wednesday afternoon at Sparks Hospital in Fort Smith. A visibily emotional Sheriff Bill Hollenbeck described Cooper, a 15-year veteran and former U.S. Marine, as "dynamic."

"He loved his job," Hollenbeck told a news conference. "He could've retired years ago. He loved this community so much he stayed on."

Hackett Chief of Police Darrell Spells earlier was treated and released from the hospital after being grazed in the forehead by a bullet.

Billy Monroe Jones, 34, was identified as the accused gunman and taken into custody shortly before noon, nearly five hours after the shooting at Jones' home east of Hackett, near the Oklahoma border

"We have limited information as to why this has happened," Hollenbeck said, adding that investigators are "looking into" the possibility that this was a planned attack.

My thoughts and prayers are with the two police officers shot in Sebastian County, Arkansas. #LESM  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2016

Hollenbeck said Jones had gone to his father's house earlier Wednesday to take some tools. At some point, Jones pointed a gun at his father, who called 911. The sheriff added that Jones was due to appear in court today for a hearing on whether a previous suspended sentence should be revoked.

"Jones wanted to cause what was told to us as a 'ruckus,'" Hollenbeck said. Cooper and Spells were among officers who found Jones with a rifle and body armor when they went to his home.



PHOTOS: bullet holes in windows of Hackett PD vehicle from today's shootout. Photos/info credit @5newsjo @5NEWS pic.twitter.com/r29ga9shpK  Dillon Thomas (@5NEWSDillon) August 10, 2016

KHBS, citing court records, reported that Jones was arrested in February on charges of gun possession after having been previously convicted of a felony, and of possession of Oxycodone. NEWS5 listed multiple prior offenses for Jones, including a 2007 conviction for manufacture and possession of a controlled substance and a 2011 conviction for theft of property.

After the shooting, the suspect barricaded himself inside his house. Dozens of police vehicles clogged Arkansas 253, a two-lane road that runs through a mix of woods and fields east of Hackett. The town has around 800 residents.



James Markward, 72, who lives nearby, said he heard the commotion early Wednesday.



"It woke me up this morning, the gunshots. Of course I didn't know what was going on," Markward told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "My neighbor called me and asked if I was shooting, and I said `No, not me."'



Markward said the shooting suspect once helped him split wood, but said he hadn't seen the man in a few years.



"As far as I know, he was all right," he said.



During the encounter, Jones shot at and damaged a police robot providing surveillance to the responding officers, Hollenbeck said. In the commotion, a police dog was shot and ran into the woods and remained missing later Wednesday.



Gov. Asa Hutchinson mourned the loss, which comes after the deliberate shootings this summer of police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, La.

"Today's shooting incident ... tragically illustrates the dangers our law enforcement officers face each and every day to keep us safe," Hutchinson said in a statement.



Hollenbeck said Cooper was around age 65 and "about ready to retire."



"He was a perfect example of how we all want our law enforcement officers to be when it comes to relationships with our community," Hollenbeck said.



The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Neighbors of a California serial criminal dubbed the "Pillowcase Rapist" were relieved Wednesday as word spread the man responsible for at least 40 sex attacks was back in custody.

Christopher Hubbart, who terrorized women in Los Angeles and San Francisco between 1971 and 1982, was released from a mental hospital two years ago and placed in a home in Lake Los Angeles -- an unincorporated area of Antelope Valley near Palmdale. The move had sparked protests from area residents, many of whom said they lived in constant fear of Hubbart.

Los Angeles district attorney Jackie Lacey said Tuesday that Hubbart had been picked up by the state and would have a hearing in 15 days, according to The Associated Press.

Lacey is under a gag order not to discuss particulars of the case, but says Hubbart did not commit another sex offense. A spokesman for a state assemblyman in the area said Hubbart probably violated the strict conditions of his release.

On Wednesday, Cheryl Holbrook, a member of the opposition group Ladies of Lake LA, said the arrest brought her "great relief."

"The community is really happy -- like we won the lottery," Holbrook -- who lived about six miles from Hubbart -- told FoxNews.com.

"We've been jumping up and down for joy. We don't have to worry like we did when he was around," she said.

Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Gilbert Brown ordered in 2013 that Hubbart be released into the Lake Los Angeles area because he was born and raised there. Since 1996, Hubbart had been confined to a state mental hospital, where he was considered a sexually violent predator.

Lacey petitioned the state Supreme Court in July 2013 to block Hubbarts release, but the court denied her request, prompting widespread protests from residents.

Hubbart agreed to several restrictions for his release, including wearing a GPS bracelet and not associating with other convicts. He also agreed to avoid television shows, movies or digital media that might act as stimulus to arouse.

A hearing was held last year over Hubbart's ankle bracelet and whether or not he was properly charging his GPS monitor.

An attorney for Hubbart was not immediately available when contacted Wednesday.

Hubbart earned his grim moniker for the method of his crimes: binding victims' hands before pulling pillowcases over their heads to silence their screams. He was often known to look for children's toys outside homes, believing that mothers might be less resistant to his assaults in an attempt to protect their children.

Hubbart's former parole officer, John Bays, wrote in a November 2013 letter to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office that he feared the convicted rapist, "more than a Mexican Mafia Killer."

"I know more about Christopher Hubbart than I care to remember," wrote Bays, who served as Hubbart's parole officer in the 1990s. "Why does Chris scare me more than a Mexican Mafia Killer? Because Hubbart's actions are 'compulsive' ... personal compulsions at the expense of another's life."

Hubbart's criminal record shows many repeat offenses.

After Hubbart was released from a state hospital in 1979, he was later convicted for assaults in the San Francisco area and re-admitted to a mental health facility. Following his parole in 1990, he attacked a female jogger and was imprisoned again.

When his prison term ended in 1996, he was sent to Coalinga State Hospital.
The body of a 2-year-old girl was found allegedly stuffed inside the duffel bag of a man and woman trying to cross into Tijuana, Mexico from the U.S. on Tuesday morning, local media reported.

Mexican officials arrested the man and woman, identified as 39-year-old Johnny Lewis Hartley and 43-year-old Mercy Mary Becerra, from Whittier, California.

Workers discovered the infant's remains when processing the duffel bag through an X-ray machine, Fox 5 reported.

Law enforcement officials arrested Hartley. They said Becerra ran off, but they ultimately caught her as well.

The San Diego Police Department's homicide unit is working the case alongside Whittier investigators, Fox 5 added.

Its not clear how the girl died, or how the girl and couple may be related.

Tijuana is about 125 miles south of Whittier.

Click for more from Fox 5.
The suspect in a deadly shooting who was captured in North Carolina after evading authorities for decades is now in a north Florida jail.

Marion County Jail records show that 67-year-old William Claybourne "Clay" Taylor was booked into the Marion County Jail in Ocala on Tuesday evening. He's expected to have a brief first appearance hearing in court Wednesday.

Authorities say Taylor lived with his wife under an assumed name  James Manion  in Reidsville, North Carolina, and was captured by the FBI on July 28.

According to the FBI, Manion's life was part of a long deception dating back to the 1977 attempted murder of the mayor of Williston. Another government official died in the attack. Taylor was indicted in 1980 but disappeared soon after.

He's being held without bond.
Police in Ohio are on high alert after discovering what appeared to be a hit list in a city park Sunday evening that targeted cops.

The FBI was notified of the finding at Graytown Park in Port Clinton, officials said.

Right at the very top of it there are six stick figures and an X that says dead cops, so thats very disturbing, Ottawa County Sheriff Stephen Levorchick told FOX8.

The hit list, found behind a garage at the park, specifically identified three local police departments  Genoa, Clay Township and Lake Township  and also named four residents, Levorchick said.

No specific officers were on the list, The Sentinel-Tribune reported. Five names on the side of the paper had hashes through them.

The paper also included a list of weaponry  20 smoke cans, 22 boxes of ammunition and 1 dynamite  and what police believed to be a Monday rendezvous time for those involved.

We just want everyone to be very alert, Detective Aaron Leist told FOX8.

Click for more from FOX8.
A judge in Kentucky who recently made headlines for her reaction to a bare-legged inmate returned to the spotlightthis time, allowing a defendant to meet his newborn son.

Judge Amber Wolf on Friday called the defendant, James Roeder, back into her Jefferson County district courtroom after his hearing ended to let him hold his 1-month-old for the first time, WDRB reported. Once again, it was all caught on video.

Roeder, who was behind bars on a burglary charge, had never seen his son. He has a no-contact order with wife Ashley Roeder, a co-defendant in the same crime.

The video shows Wolf handing out tissues to observers who witnessed the emotional introduction, which lasted a few moments and ended with a kiss on the babys head. She then proclaimed, If you all arent teared up, then youre just heartless.

Wolf told WDRB in a Monday interview that she saw Ashley Roeder try to hold the baby up when James entered the courtroom for his case, prompting her to ask the mother if she would like for her husband to meet his son.

"It was touching," she told WDRB, adding Roeder would not have otherwise had the opportunity to meet his baby in the near future. "I think it was -- not as a judge, but just as person -- it was probably one of the best things Ive ever done."

The couple reportedly was taken into custody on May 20 on accusations that they broke into a warehouse and stole six flat-screen TVs.

Wolf received national attention last month when she stopped a hearing and pointed out that an inmate had entered the courtroom without a prison jumpsuit  and apparently without pants. The judge called jail officials, demanding an explanation.

Those officials claimed the woman was wearing shorts hidden by a long shirt. Steve Durham, a jail spokesman, said she wasnt in custody long enough to be given a jumpsuit.

Wolf apologized and released the woman, who had failed to complete a diversion program for shoplifting, with time served and a $100 fine.

Click for more from WDRB.
A lesbian pastor of the United Methodist Church was put on involuntary leave for violating the denomination's ban on having "self-avowed" homosexual clergy.

LGBT pastor placed on leave says #UMC is in a liminal moment, filled with possibility. https://t.co/EHv1wUXZhH pic.twitter.com/1MnLnHT5Aj  Emily Miller (@emmillerwrites) August 4, 2016

The Reverend Cynthia Meyer of Edgerton United Methodist Church in Kansas agreed earlier this week to the punishment in order to avoid a church trial.

According to the UMC Great Plains Annual Conference, the regional body which Meyer was part of, the involuntary leave is part of a resolution process.

"Rev. Meyer will go on involuntary leave of absence as of September 1st, 2016 with permission of the Executive Committee of the Board of Ordained Ministry," stated the Annual Conference.

"Meyer's credentials will remain as they are up to 90 days following the close of the next General Conference. During that time [Meyer] may not perform the duties of an Elder."

The Annual Conference proceeded to note that Meyer can still "be hired by any church or church agency to perform functions equivalent to those of a lay staff person."

"If General Conference approves some new structure which would allow Rev. Meyer to be in good standing within some aspect of that new structure, then her full status would be restored immediately," continued Great Plains.

The punishment came in response to a complaint filed against Meyer back in January when she came out to her congregation during a sermon.

According to the UMC Book of Discipline rules on ordination, individuals in same-sex relationships cannot become clergy.

"While persons set apart by the Church for ordained ministry are subject to all the frailties of the human condition and the pressures of society, they are required to maintain the highest standards of holy living in the world," reads the Book of Discipline.

"The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Therefore self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church."

Click Here to Read the Full Story at ChristianPost.com
A manhunt was on in Northern California early Wednesday after a volunteer searching for a 75-year-old hiker was shot and wounded by an unknown attacker.

The rescuer, identified as 69-year-old Steve Wolf, was in stable condition with a hip wound, operations captain for the Nevada County Sheriffs Office Paul Schmidt said. Crews late Tuesday took the rescuer to a site where a helicopter could land to transport him to a hospital.

The three volunteers with the Placer County Search and Rescue team were among several groups looking hiker Timothy Hansston, who was reported missing along the South Yuba River about three miles outside the rural town of Washington, the Sacramento Bee reported.

The seach for Hansston was called off around midday Wednesday,KCRA reported, but the manhunt for the shooter continued.

The town of Washington is about 75 miles west of Reno, Nevada.

Schmidt said it wasn't clear what prompted the shooting.

"We have absolutely no information on who or why," he told the Associated Press.

Nevada County Sheriff Keith Royal said helicopters with heat-detecting sensors searched for the shooter.

"Please keep Steve Wolf and his family in your thoughts, along with the deputies tasked with bringing the suspect to justice," the Placer County Sheriff's officials said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A 73-year-old Florida woman taking part in a citizen police academy was shot multiple times with a revolver and killed by a police officer during a "shoot/don't shoot" role-playing exercise Tuesday, authorities said.

Mary Knowlton volunteered for the demonstration and was assigned the role of "victim," according to a Charlotte Sun photographer who covered the event. The officer who shot her was playing the "bad guy," though it's unclear why the officer's gun contained live rounds or how and where Knowlton was shot.

"We were unaware that any live ammunition was available to the officer at the time,"said Punta Gorda police Chief Tom Lewis, who also confirmed the weapon used was known to be an "actual firearm."

Lewis called the shooting an accident and said the scenario occurred during an exercise in which authorities use simulated lethal force in a live scenario, according to WBBH-TV. He said a number of department personnel were present during the demo, including Lewis.

"It's just a horrific time for all of us," Lewis said during a Wednesday afternoon news conference.

Knowlton, a mom, wife and career librarian, was originally from Minnesota but moved to Punta Gorda recently with her husband, The Washington Post reported.

She was taken to Lee Memorial Hospital and later pronounced dead.

"I am devastated for everyone involved in this unimaginable event. If you pray, please pray for Mary's family, and for the officers who were involved. Everyone involved in this accident is in a state of overwhelming shock and grief," Lewis said.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident and the officer involved in the shooting has been placed on leave. The officer was not identified.

Click for more from WBBH-TV.
One New Jersey high school student is pushing Washington to throw a lifeline to an Afghan translator who served alongside U.S. Marines, then sought refuge in Germany after being denied safe haven in America.

Alex Joshua, 16, of Scotch Plains, says he recently started a White House petition after reading on FoxNews.com about the struggle Sami Kazikhani has faced since he was forced to flee his homeland. He served U.S. troops as a translator during the war in Afghanistan, but was outed as a collaborator and faced death at the hands of the Taliban.

Its a shame that so many people are risking their lives for the country and not being given to opportunity to come here, Joshua told FoxNews.com. Its absolutely ridiculous. Obama is fighting like hell to get Syrian refugees into the country but what about the 10,000 translators and others who helped our soldiers?

Foxnews.com has reported extensively on Kazikhani and the issues he has faced since working for the U.S. military.

Marked for death in his homeland after his cover was blown at a family wedding, Kazikhani, who was lauded by Marines he once served, was forced to flee last year. His escape came even as he was applying for safe passage to the U.S. with his wife Yasmiin and infant daughter Roxanna under a special visa program designed for those who served our troops.

After tribal elders ordered his death, Kazikhani fled first to Turkey, then made the dangerous trip across the Aegean Sea just weeks ago after being ordered to leave. He and his family eventually made their way to Germany, where they have been in administrative limbo ever since.

His supporters say he has more than earned a place in America for himself and his family. All coalition allies offer special visas for interpreters who served their troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, but the U.S. process is fraught with paperwork that can turn bureaucratic snarls into life and death for Afghans accused of being traitors and now actively hunted down by the Taliban, ISIS and Al Qaeda.

I became a translator because I wanted to serve my country and because I was able to speak English," Kazikhani told FoxNews.com in an interview conducted via Facebook Messenger late last year. "I thought I could also be helpful to the coalition forces as well.

"But there were many who absolutely did not like the people who worked with NATO," he said. "Especially interpreters.

Kazikhani and his family have spent a majority of the time since then in Germany living at a center for refugees, but in a interview this past June, the translator expressed concern after government officials there told him his family would be sent back to Afghanistan.

"The German politicians are saying that Afghanistan is now a safe country, he told FoxNews.com by phone. We're really nervous for what is happening here. We are living in uncertainty and we also fear what will happen next.

Attempts to contact Kazikhani for this article were unsuccessful. It was not immediately clear whether he and his family were still in Germany or back in Afghanistan.

As with most petitions posted on Whitehouse.gov, the Administration is obligated to review the issue once they hit 100,000 signatures within 30 days.

Matt Zeller, a former U.S. Army Intelligence officer who fought to bring to the U.S. another translator who saved his life in Afghanistan and started an organization called No One Left Behind to help others with SIV visas, said Joshuas effort makes him proud.

I think the fact that random Americans, who werent even old enough to remember the reason we went to Afghanistan, can recognize the importance of us keeping out word to those who helped us, it gives me a lot of hope, Zeller said. The fact that the still know the importance of honoring our promises and the willingness of complete strangers to something like this says a lot.
Police in Germany on Wedndesday launched anti-terror raids against Islamist preachers suspected of trying to recruit men to fight for ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

The raids took place in the west German state of North Rhine-Westphalia this morning, the states criminal police said, and targeted the towns of Duisburg and Dortmund among others.

At least three people were targeted in the raid. They are suspected of seeking members and supporters for ISIS since last year.

One of them also is believed to have given the group financial and logistical support, though no arrests have been made.

Germany is on high alert after a spate of attacks since July that have left 15 people dead, including four attackers, and dozens injured.

Two of the attackers, a Syrian asylum seeker and a refugee from either Pakistan or Afghanistan, had links to Islamist militancy, officials say.

The interior minister will propose a raft of new security measures on Thursday in response to two ISIS-linked terror attacks in recent months.

They include speeding up the expulsion process for asylum seekers convicted of crimes, Bild daily reported, and the creation of a threat to public security as a new reason for deporting migrants.

Doctors will also have their confidentiality obligations lifted in special cases that would allow them to inform authorities should their patient be a potential threat to the population.

The tougher stance comes after the two attacks by migrants in the southern state of Bavaria  an axe rampage on a train in Wuerzburg and a suicide bombing in Ansbach.

This story first appeared in The Sun.
Belgian police on Tuesday were hunting for a 15-year-old boy seen on a recent video calling for the murder of all Christians.

Footage published on a French website reveals the unnamed teenager speaking in Arabic, proclaiming, Oh Allah, destroy the odious Christians. Oh Allah Kill them all, The Telegraph reported.

The teenager, who is the son of a radical imam, is also quoted as stating, Dont spare any of them, in reference to the annihilation of Christians.

The video, recorded in Verviers, has city government officials on high alert. Mayor Muriel Targnion ordered police to uncover the boys whereabouts as a matter of urgency, according to reports.

Police have identified the boy and have confirmed he was on a list of radicalized individuals, but withheld his name, The Telegraph added.



A Belgian newspaper claims the boys father is an Islamist leader named El Alami Amaouch. Belgian law enforcement officers reportedly have sought to deport the imam to the Netherlands.

Belgiums Minister for Asylum and Migration, Theo Francken, called Amaouch the "spiritual father of a group of terrorists in Verviers. Describing the teenage son's video, Francken said, It seems that it runs in the family.

Verviers was the site of a January 2015 anti-terror raid that resulted in more than a dozen arrests. Investigators say Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the suspected ringleader of the November 2015 massacre in Paris, may have previously directed a terror cell based in Verviers.

Officials have made previous attempts to deport Amaouch but have faced delays from his appeals, Francken added.
Many are familiar with "The Vicar of Baghdad," Canon Andrew White, the head of one of the most prominent relief charities helping thousands of Christians displaced by ISIS, but many don't know that much of the work White gets credit for is actually carried out by a Muslim woman.

Muslim Woman Devotes Her Life to Helping Christians Displaced by ISIS https://t.co/Ha4rU8pkB0 pic.twitter.com/f5sL7DqylP  Julian (@crossmaker316) August 8, 2016

Meet Dr. Sarah Ahmed, an Iraqi dentist who for the past few years has devoted her time to traveling all over Iraq to bring clothes, medicine, food, hygiene supplies and just about any other need imaginable to the Christians, Yazidis, Muslims, Shebeks and others who have been thrown from their homes, tortured and raped at the hands of the Islamic State.

"She is there protecting all of the Iraqi Christians. You never hear anything about it in the news but you hear about the work I am doing. The work that I am doing is being done by a Muslim caring for the Christians," White, the former chaplain of St. George's Church in Baghdad, asserted last December during a lunch visit in Washington. "We think and hear about Islamic terrorism all the time. What about Islamic people working for the protection of Christians?"

Ahmed, who is now the director of operations for the White-founded Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East, spoke with The Christian Post this week from Kurdistan and detailed her experiences running all over northern Iraq to make sure that the needs of those vulnerable internally displaced persons, even on the dangerous side of Sinjar Mountain, are not overlooked.

"I am a very faithful person," Ahmed told CP. "I believe that with all the amount of [humanitarian work] that I have been doing and have been doing out of good faith in my heart and not for fame or money or anything, just out of my desire to help, I feel that God is always there for me and kind of protecting me and being around me to be able to reach all these areas and all these people."

"I know what a lot of people say about Islam but my Islam that I believe in is a religion that is very peaceful and believes in helping others," Ahmed continues. "You can not sleep while your neighbor is hungry or suffering. You have to lend a hand. I believe that all Muslims and all people have to do something to give back to life and the fact that they are living."

Originally from Baghdad, Ahmed went to the United States in 2010 to study and became a fully-trained dentist. While doing an internship on interfaith dialogue between Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Ahmed met White at a function in New York. Being that they were both from Iraq, Ahmed introduced herself and told the canon that she was working for a peacemaking initiative called "Because I Love Peace" to help build a relationship between the American and Iraqi people.

During that time, White offered her a role with his foundation, which Ahmed accepted. Although White offered to take her on at the Christian charity, he was hesitant at first to do so because she was a Muslim. Ahmed told CP that it was God who told White to offer her the job.

"We are a all-Christian charity and everybody is a Christian," Ahmed explained. "He was thinking 'What a place she would be in? She is not fit.' Then he said that God said, 'No, you know nothing. You have to have her. She has to come and work with you.'''

Ahmed said that she first started as a volunteer at a clinic and has worked her way up to be the director of operations and White's personal assistant. She said she never felt any discomfort when she first started working for the Christian charity as a Muslim and even had to live in the Baghdad church.

"It never crossed my mind. I feel no difference," Ahmed said. "I work for the Christians, Yazidis, Jews, everybody else. For me, we are all equal. I don't differentiate that much."

Click Here to Read the Full Story at ChristianPost.com
More than two years after the U.S. launched airstrikes against Islamic State targets in the Middle East, the commander overseeing the joint campaign said Wednesday as many as 45,000 ISIS-linked fighters had been killed.

"Although it's no measure of success and its difficult to confirm, we estimate that over the past 11 months we've killed about 25,000 enemy fighters. When you add that to the 20,000 estimated killed prior to our arrival, that's 45,000 enemies taken off the battlefield," Army Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland told reporters at a news briefing. "I only tell you this number to provide a sense to the scale of our support and perhaps explain why enemy resistance is beginning to crumble."

MacFarland said civilians and ISIS administration officials have been forced into front line combat jobs including manning checkpoints, making them a less capable and "diminished" force. "We don't see them operating nearly as effectively as they have in the past, which makes them even easier targets for us so as a result they're attrition has accelerated here of late."

He said the coaltion airstrike destroying hundreds of ISIS vehicles escaping Fallujah last month was further evidence ISIS was not as capable as it used to be. "I dont they would have made that mistake a year ago," MacFarland said.

The U.S.-led coaltion has launched more than 14,000 airstrikes in the two-year war against ISIS. The first U.S. airstrikes struck ISIS in Iraq on Aug. 8, 2014.

The U.S. military has spent over $8.4 billion fighting ISIS since then.

MacFarland later said the estimates of enemy killed and wounded were "squishy," or difficult to nail down precisely. He added that ISIS fighters could "grab a bunch of people minding their own business off the street, throw them in the back of a pickup truck and drop them off at a checkpoint with some AKs and say, 'defend this checkpoint.'"

The fight has also leveled entire neighborhoods, displaced millions and redrawn the Iraqi map. The U.S.-led coalition estimates ISIS has lost more than 40 percent of the territory it once held in Iraq.

The first coalition strikes were spurred by an ISIS push from Mosul a few weeks after the group's initial rampage across Iraq.

Makhmour base was just one of a number of front-line positions overrun in early August 2014, bringing ISIS fighters within just 19 miles of Irbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdish region.

After three days of airstrikes, the ISIS advance on Irbil was slowed and Kurdish forces retook the base. Two years later, the fight against ISIS has moved west across the Tigris River into Nineveh province and Makhmour has transitioned from an active front line to a sleepy support position.

"If it weren't for the strikes and the heavy artillery (given to the Iraqi army by the coalition), we would still be up in the mountains," Peshmerga solider Ayoub Khaylani said.

"I will not allow the United States to be dragged into fighting another war in Iraq," President Barack Obama said when he announced the authorization for airstrikes in Iraq in 2014. "American combat troops will not be returning to fight in Iraq."

Last Friday, the Pentagon announced about 400 U.S. soldiers would deploy south of Mosul to Qayarah airbase to aid in the operation to retake Iraq's second-largest city. They were among the 560 additional troops that Obama approved for the Iraq mission last month. The Pentagon said there were about 3,800 U.S. forces in Iraq, not including hundreds on temporary duty and not included in the official count.

As the push to retake Mosul ramps up, the scars from two years of costly victories remain vivid.

Sinjar, the small mostly Yazidi town north of Mosul, was retaken by Kurdish forces nine months ago, but it still lies in ruins. While Sinjar is technically "liberated" the vast majority of its residents still live in tented camps for the displaced scattered throughout Iraq's north.

Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Russia's main domestic security agency said Wednesday that one of its agents and an army soldier were killed while fending off what it described as a series of attempted terror attacks by Ukrainian "saboteurs" in Crimea, a claim Ukrainian officials denied.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin condemned what he described as a "stupid criminal action" by the Ukrainian authorities and vowed to take additional steps to ensure security of Crimea. He also strongly urged the West to warn Kiev against "resorting to terror instead of searching for a peaceful settlement."

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko rejected the Russian claims as "fantasy" and "provocation," saying in a statement that his government would use only political and diplomatic means to restore its sovereignty over Crimea.

Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula in March 2014 following a hastily called referendum. The ensuing conflict in eastern Ukraine has killed more than 9,500, and fighting there between Ukrainian troops and Russia-backed separatists has continued despite a 2015 cease-fire.

The Federal Security Service, known under its Russian acronym FSB, said in Wednesday's statement that its officer was killed over the weekend near Armyansk within a few miles of the de-facto border between Crimea and Ukraine when FSB officers engaged in a gun battle with a group of "saboteurs" from Ukraine. The FSB said the intruders carried an arsenal of bombs, ammunition and mines.

The agency said two more groups tried to force their way into Crimea early Monday, supported by Ukrainian artillery and armor. It said one Russian army soldier died in that clash.

The FSB said it also busted what it called a network of agents of Ukrainian military intelligence in Crimea, and detained several people, including a Ukrainian citizen identified as Yevgeniy Panov, whom it described as a Ukrainian military intelligence officer. The agency claimed that the Ukrainian intelligence operation had sought to destabilize the situation in Crimea ahead of Russia's parliamentary elections set for next month.

An aide to the Ukrainian Security Service chief, Yuri Tandit, denied the Russian claims Wednesday in comments carried by the Interfax news agency.

But Putin, speaking at a news conference in Moscow, accused the Ukrainian leadership of engaging in "terror" instead of discussing peace settlement in eastern Ukraine. Because of that, he said, it makes no sense to discuss the Ukrainian peace settlement with leaders of Ukraine, France and Germany at the sidelines of the Group of 20 meeting in China next month as earlier planned.

The Ukrainian government said over the weekend that Russia briefly closed its border crossings with mainland Ukraine, and social media users earlier this week posted photos and videos of dozens of armored vehicles on Crimean highways heading toward the de-facto border.
A wave of Kurdish rebel attacks targeting police and soldiers in Turkey's mainly-Kurdish southeast killed at least 12 people on Wednesday, as Turkey was still dealing with the aftermath of a failed military coup attempt that threatened the government.



Officials said rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, launched simultaneous bomb attacks targeting police vehicles in the city of Diyarbakir and the town of Kiziltepe, killing eight people, while four soldiers were killed in a separate attack near the border with Iraq hours earlier.



The attack in Kiziltepe was caused by a roadside bomb that went off as a police bus was passing by. Three people were killed and at least 25 others were wounded there, including at least five children aged between 2 and 5, said an official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations.



At the same time, a car bomb explosion targeting police in a historic part of the city Diyarbakir killed at least five civilians and wounded 12 others, the Diyarbakir governor's office said. The explosion occurred at a security checkpoint at a bridge over the Tigris river.



The attacks came hours after an earlier attack, also blamed on the PKK, killed four soldiers and injured nine others near the border with Iraq. The private Dogan news agency said that attack targeted military vehicles and was carried out with improvised explosives as well as rockets fired from northern Iraq.



Clashes between the PKK and Turkey's security forces resumed last year after a tenuous cease-fire collapsed and the PKK has frequently targeted police or military with roadside explosives or car bombs.



Wednesday's attacks, however, came as the country is still reeling from a violent coup attempt on July 15 that killed at least 270 people. The government has blamed the failed coup on the supporters of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen and has embarked on a sweeping crackdown on his followers.



The country is also combating the Islamic State group, whose militants have carried out a series of bloody attacks in Turkey in the past year.



Earlier this week, PKK commander Cemil Bayik threatened attacks against police in Turkish cities, according to media reports.



Since hostilities with the PKK resumed last summer, more than 600 Turkish security personnel and thousands of PKK militants have been killed, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.

Human rights groups say hundreds of civilians have also died.



Turkey and its allies consider the PKK a terror organization.


Afghan troops are being deployed to the capital of the key southern province of Helmand amid intense fighting with the Taliban in surrounding areas and fears the city could fall to the insurgents within days, officials said Wednesday.

According to Kareem Atal, the head of Helmand's provincial council, Taliban insurgents have completely surrounded Lashkar Gah after weeks of intense fighting across the province. Army and police units have now been pulled back from checkpoints farther afield and brought back to reinforce the city. Also, "new forces are arriving" in the city, he added.

The fighting has closed all the highways leading into Lashkar Gah, forcing up prices for food and other basics inside the provincial capital, Atal said.

Doctors Without Borders, the international medical charity, has reduced its international staff in Lashkar Gah and is maintaining basic emergency and surgical services, said the country representative Guillem Molinie.

The charity, known by its French acronym MSF, has a 300-bed hospital in the city and usually functions with 25 international staff. Molinie would not say how many staff had been evacuated.

He said that the number of people arriving for treatment after being caught up in fighting in districts around the city had been reduced in recent days by the road closures.

"With fears of the town being taken, non-emergency patients prefer to delay their treatment," he told The Associated Press, though 400 patients arrived at the hospital's emergency room on Tuesday.

"We are concerned about urban fighting  it is getting closer to the urban center," he said.

Helmand is a strategically important province for both the Kabul government and the Taliban, whose insurgency is now in its 15th year. The province produces opium, which is the raw material for most of the world's heroin and which funds the insurgency.

Southern Afghanistan is considered the Taliban heartland. During the Taliban's 1996-2001 rule of the country, they made neighboring Kandahar province the seat of their extremist regime.

In an indication of the seriousness of the Helmand situation, senior Kabul officials, including the deputy interior minister and the deputy chief of the military staff, are in Lashkar Gah, along with elite Afghan forces, said Sediq Sediqqi, the Interior Ministry's spokesman.

"All our focus is on Helmand right now," he said. "We know that the threats are high."

Sediqqi said he was aware of recent claims by Atal and other Helmand officials that the Taliban had taken control of up to 80 percent of the province but he would not confirm those assessments.

Last September, the Taliban seized the northern city of Kunduz for a few days before they were pushed out by Afghan forces, backed by U.S. airstrikes.

At the time, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in the country, Gen. John Nicholson, vowed no other city would fall to the insurgents.

However, the spokesman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Brig. Gen. Charlie Cleveland, said late Thursday that he doubts reports of the Taliban closing in on Lashkar Gah. He said military bases in the province were still receiving fuel supplies by road.

"The view we still have is that overall Lashkar Gah is not about to fall," Cleveland told the AP.
Score a Sweet Deal: Panthers Mondays are Back at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

$4.99 Original Glazed Dozens after a Carolina Panthers win

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - August 10, 2016 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Panthers Mondays are back! Krispy Kreme Doughnuts will offer any guest a dozen Original Glazed doughnuts for $4.99 on Mondays after a Panthers win at participating shops in North Carolina and South Carolina.

While this is Krispy Kremes fourth year offering the Panthers Monday deal, the teams success last year really helped to solidify this as a tradition after a Panthers victory, said Jackie Woodward, Chief Marketing Officer at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. As this season gets underway, we are excited to be able to celebrate the team with fans across the Carolinas.

Show your friends how youre celebrating a Panthers win using #KrispyKreme and #KeepPounding.

About Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc., is a global retailer of premium-quality sweet treats, including its signature Original Glazed doughnut. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C., the Company has offered the highest-quality doughnuts and great-tasting coffee since it was founded in 1937. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts is proud of its Fundraising program, which for decades has helped non-profit organizations raise millions of dollars in needed funds. Krispy Kreme doughnuts can be found in approximately 12,000 grocery, convenience and mass merchant stores in the U.S.The Company has more than 1,000 retail shops in 27 countries. Connect withKrispy Kreme Doughnuts at www.KrispyKreme.com, or on one its many social media channels, including www.Facebook.com/KrispyKreme, andwww.Twitter.com/KrispyKreme.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160810005779/en/

SOURCE Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc.

Contact:

Sarah Roof

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc.

Corporate Communications Coordinator

336-726-8878

sroof@krispykreme.com

###

Comments:

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.

Disqus
Debra Johnson-Patrick, 63, was born June 22, 1953, in Queens, N.Y., and she departed this life on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016, peacefully at her home in Locust Grove.

Debra was a descendant of Betty Lou and Albert Johnson who preceded her in death. She graduated from Springfield High School in Queens, N.Y., and attended church in Far Rockaway. Debra worked at Bellevue Hospital and retired after 27 years of service. In 2014 she moved to her new home in Virginia.

Debbie, or lil Debbie met the love of her life, Michael R. Patrick, in 1970. They courted for four years and were married on Aug. 31, 1974, and remained united until death. Debbie and Michael were blessed with three children, Michelle Faye Patrick, Mark Richard Patrick and Nicole Patrick.

They lived in Astoria, N.Y., until they both retired and moved to their new home in Locust Grove.

Debbie loved to shop, that is probably an understatement if you knew her. She loved to decorate and sew and had a knack for making floral arrangements. It all came naturally to lil Debbie. She knew how to make everything beautiful with just a simple touch. She had a beautiful soul.

Debbie loved her children, her husband, her sisters and brother dearly. She was always so thoughtful and caring to family and others. Although she was a very private person, wherever Debbie was or worked, she made friends. She had a laugh and a smile that would warm ones heart, and she would go out of her way to help others. That was the Debbie we all knew and loved, and all who were familiar with her knew how beautiful she was both inside and out.

She leaves behind to mourn her death her husband of 42 years, Michael; her three children, Michelle, Mark and Nicole; her sisters, Betty Jo, Barbara, Robin and Nancy; brother Albert Jr.; her seven grandchildren; her in-laws; and an abundant amount of nieces, nephews and cousins.

We will miss her love, smiles and laughter, but she will forever be in our hearts and minds.

Its not goodbye lil Debbie. Its just so long for now until we meet again in heaven. We know you are a beautiful angel watching over us. May you finally rest in peace.

A service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, at Covenant Funeral Service, Fredericksburg. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Burial will be private.

Online guest book is available at covenantfuneralservice.com.
Virginia TV Wall Installation Service Launched by Furniture Assembly Experts

Furniture Assembly Experts is a highly-rated, highly trusted, widely popular furniture assembly, disassembly and furniture delivery service in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia; that offers a comprehensive range of professional furniture moving, packing, unpacking, loading, unloading, installation, and other services at affordable rates.

--

One of the top-rated, leading furniture assemblers of Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia - Furniture Assembly Experts has recently launched another very important installation service, Virginia TV wall installation service.

The team that Furniture Assembly Experts has assigned for this special service of theirs is not only highly-experienced and highly-skilled, but they are also highly-efficient, so no matter what size and/or brand like Samsung, LG, Vizio, Panasonic, Sanyo, Sony, Best Buy, Sears, Walmart, Costco, Kmart, Amazon, etc. of TV it is - the expert Virginia TV wall installers of Furniture Assembly Experts can very easily and efficiently install any TV without any hassle.

"We have trained our Virginia TV wall installers specially, so that you always get timely and top-class TV installation service at a nominal price. We agree that there are many TV installation service providers in Virginia - who provide expert TV installation service, but we are different from them because for us you are not just a client - you are like family to us, so we make extra efforts to satisfy you completely. As our team is highly-experienced, they exactly know where a TV should be mounted - in order to make the most of it, so apart from just installing your TV, we also guide you about the best location you should mount your TV - just like how close, sincere family members would do.", stated the spokesperson of Furniture Assembly Experts.

The Virginia TV wall mounting service by Furniture Assembly Experts has been a great success by now. The people who have hired this service - have all loved it and highly-recommend it mainly because the team of this service is highly-skilled and they usually complete the tasks very quickly as compared to other local TV installers available in Virginia.

The best thing is that the TV installers of Furniture Assembly Experts is well-trained enough, so they can very easily - without any hassle - handle any scale of job, no matter if it is large or small; and they can even very easily handle any type of job, like no matter if one wants the expert team of Furniture Assembly Experts to do a commercial service or residential one or both at the same time - the experts of Furniture Assembly Experts can handle any job with efficiency.

So, for details and for hiring Furniture Assembly Experts' Virginia TV wall installation service, please go to www.TVwallinstallationservice.com

About: Furniture Assembly Experts is a highly-rated, highly trusted, widely popular furniture assembly, disassembly and furniture delivery service in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia; that offers a comprehensive range of professional furniture moving, packing, unpacking, loading, unloading, installation, and other services at affordable rates.

For more information, please visit http://www.TVwallinstallationservice.com

Contact Info:

Name: Furniture Assembly Experts

Organization: Furniture Assembly Experts

Address: 9418 annapolis rd suite 204

Phone: 240-705-2263

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/virginia-tv-wall-installation-service-launched-by-furniture-assembly-experts/127240

Release ID: 127240

For more information visit r



Recent Press Releases By The Same User

Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)
Dusty Rollins Joins Precision Capital Management

Precision Capital Management is happy to announce that Dusty Rollins has joined the Precision Capital Management team as an Investment Advisor Representative in DeLand, Florida.

--

Precision Capital Management (PCM) is made up of a team of Investment Advisor Representatives with the common goal of providing their client's with confidence in retirement. PCM Advisors are a community, led by some of the leading advisors in the country, constantly seeking better financial solutions. Together, PCM advisors work to create a culture based on integrity, trust and teamwork.

Dusty grew up in a boarding school in Penang, Malaysia. Traveling around the world has given him a global perspective on finances and life. After doing his graduate training at Oxford University in England, Dusty was a pastor of a church for a short time. When he moved into the business arena, he built successful businesses in the areas of construction, renovation, real estate investing and financial services. Dusty and his wife, Arin, are a husband and wife advisor team.

When asked why he joined Precision Capital Management, Dusty said "Over the last few years I have been looking for an Investment Advisory firm that had a strategy for actively avoiding market downturns while capturing the majority of market gains - while putting my client's needs first. I found that partner in PCM. Precision Capital Management allows me to provide my clients with the peace of mind they deserve." To learn more about Dusty's investment philosophy, or to read his weekly financial column, visit his website: http://www.oxfordwealthstrategies.com/.

Precision Capital Management was founded by Ryan Borer a veteran of the financial industry and an Accredited Asset Management Specialist designee through the College of Financial Planning. Ryan currently holds his Series 65 License and previously held his Series 7, 6, 63, and Life/Health/Variable licenses.

Ryan is one of five members of the Precision Capital Management Investment Committee, whose members individually advise on over $6 Billion in assets. The PCM Investment Committee is dedicated to helping their advisors create low risk, low volatility investment solutions that are designed for their client's peace of mind. To learn more about Precision Capital Management and their management team visit their website, www.precisioncapitalmanagement.com.

Investment advisory services are offered through PCM Advisory, LLC dba Precision Capital Management, an SEC registered investment advisor. The firm only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements. SEC registration is not an endorsement of the firm by the commission and does not mean that the advisor has attained a specific level of skill or ability.

For more information, please visit http://precisioncapitalmanagement.com/

Contact Info:

Name: Ryan Borer

Organization: Precision Capital Management



Source: http://marketersmedia.com/dusty-rollins-joins-precision-capital-management/127204

Release ID: 127204

For more information visit r



Recent Press Releases By The Same User

Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)
RenterKit Search Launches Site For Landlords to Attract Top Notch Tenants

The dual edged search engine allows tenants to search for apartments and landlords to search out the best tenants

--

With the increasing demand for apartments in conjunction with the tight supply of rental housing, landlords can now afford to be a bit more explicit in their standards, not to mention aggressive in their efforts to replace delinquent renters. With this in mind, Renterkit has introduced an online method to simplify the apartment rental process for both the tenant and landlord/management company.

Says the company spokesman, "The search for apartments is exhausting for tenants, but when you look at it from the other side of the coin, it's just as painstaking to find the right tenant. The last thing you want is to constantly be turning over the same property time and time again. For this reason, we've come up with Renterkit, an online search engine that allows both tenant and landlord to find what they're looking for."

The site allows landlords to list as many or as few properties as they wish for free. "How we're different from other sites you find is that the landlord doesn't pay to list their properties. List one or multiple apartments or properties on RenterKit for free. It can be the traditional multi-unit apartment, house or townhouse. The listings don't expire until you say so. The rental listings are then seen by thousands of potential tenants who would love to rent the space today."

The site further offer tools to help landlords attract top tenants by pricing their units appropriately. Says the site spokesperson, "With their Rent Graph, landlords can simply plug in a few numbers and watch the magic happen to find out the median price of similar properties in the area. This lets them know if they are losing out on potential renters because they've set the bar too high or too low."

Top cities are represented around the country, including Atlanta, Charlotte, Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Seattle, among others. "Our growing site is adding cities consistently. A vast majority of renters do live in cities, but the site does not plan to limit itself to urban settings. Plans are in the works to expand all over the country.

About Renterkit:

Renterkit is an online method that seeks to simplify the apartment rental process for both the tenant and landlord/management company. The firm makes it easy for landlords and management companies to list their apartments and be matched with the highest quality tenants. Further, it makes it easy for those looking for homes to find the best apartments based on area and amenities.

For more information, please visit http://www.renterkit.com

Contact Info:

Name: Rich

Organization: Renterkit

Phone: 1-866-777-9009

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/renterkit-search-launches-site-for-landlords-to-attract-top-notch-tenants/127315

Release ID: 127315

For more information visit r



Recent Press Releases By The Same User

Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)
Del Rey Party Rentals Launches New Website

The new site includes a clearer pricing structure, better equipment images, and tools that streamline the booking process, reports http://delreypartyrentals.com/.

--

Del Rey Party Rentals, a premier Event Rentals company serving the residents and business owners of Los Angeles and the surrounding areas, has recently announced the launch of their brand new website. In addition to a more vibrant look and easier navigation, the company has added clearer pricing information, better equipment images, and online tools that will help to streamline the booking process for their clients. According to the team at Del Rey Party Rentals, the new site puts everything that a host or event coordinator could need front and center.

Julio Cruz, a spokesperson for Del Rey Party Rentals, commented "As the summer ends and the fall season approaches, we know that many people in the local area will be planning events of all types and sizes. For that reason, we thought it was the perfect time to revamp and launch our new website. With both school and work in full swing, we know that party planners and hosts have a limited amount of time to figure out how to throw the perfect event, and we wanted to ensure that our website would make it easy for them to find what they need, get a quote, and book a time slot that works for them."

On their newly-launched website, the company has included updated and clearer pricing information for their Lounge Furniture Rentals and other product offerings. There are links to their complete inventory on the home page of the website, and each link leads to clear product pictures that help party planners get a sense of what they'll be getting. The new Del Rey Party Rentals website also features a tool that allows renters to build a quote online for easier budgeting and booking.

As Cruz continued, "Our team is on a mission to make sure that Del Rey Party Rentals is more than just an average Event Rentals company. No matter the size of the event, we strive each day to offer the highest level of service and professionalism. We believe that launching this new website will allow us to do this on an even greater scale, and we look forward to continuing to serve our clients in excellence."

About Del Rey Party Rentals:

Del Rey Party Rentals is a high-quality, competitively-priced party rental company serving residents, businesses, and organizations in the Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Santa Barbara areas. Their full suite of event rental services includes lighting, staging, and the provision of lighted and lounge furniture. Del Rey Party Rentals' mission is simple: to be the preferred rental company focusing on quality, dependability, and a commitment to the highest level of professionalism with every client.

For more information, please visit http://delreypartyrentals.com/

Contact Info:

Name: Julio Cruz

Organization: del rey party rentals

Phone: (310) 676-6363

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/del-rey-party-rentals-launches-new-website/127322

Release ID: 127322

For more information visit r



Recent Press Releases By The Same User

Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)
Thermalabs Launches an Organic Shea Butter Triple Moisturizing Lotion

Thermalabs upcoming Shea Butter lotion is now available in the market.

--

Thermalabs has said that its Shea Butter lotion is now available in the market. The product is available via Amazon.com, as well as through the firm's official website - Thermalabs.com. This is a classic new product that's designed to help with dry skin and stretch marks. It contains a triple moisture cream that's combined with microscopic grains of Dead Sea minerals for an outstanding skin treatment. According to the beauty firm, the product provides an innovative new way for people to take care of their skin on a day-to-day basis.

Thermalabs is an innovative American company that has produced nearly two dozen products for the global cosmetics market. The company launched sometimes in 2013 and started out with a self-tanning lotion that became an instant sensation in the market, mainly because it worked much better than any of the competition's products. Thermalabs has managed to build on this initial success to be one of the largest and most-trusted producers of self-tanners and general cosmetics products. Headquartered in New York City, the firm operates a number of production factories in other countries around the world. The company's main plant is based in Israel's Galilee district.

In recent times, Thermalabs has announced a number of new sub-brands that would oversee the prospecting of the company's upcoming products. These included Supremasea, Tent World, and Organic Healthcare. Supremasea is described as 'the company's collection of top-line skincare products designed from Dead Sea salts'. Tent World; on the other hand, oversee Thermalabs expansive range of beach tents, while Organic Healthcare is a more recent sub-brand that tackles the firm's interests in the natural healthcare niche. The new organic Shea Butter lotion has been launched under the Supremasea umbrella.

Thermalabs describes the new Shea Butter lotion as the best skin treatment lotion available in the market. The product is scientifically formulated to help with scars, stretch marks, dry skin, and other similar conditions. However, it also works great for people who are just looking to take care of their skin on a daily basis. This lotion features a triple moisture body butter laced with natural oils. It contains Sweet Almond Oils, which is rich in antioxidants that help prevent cancer, among other benefits. It also contains a combination of wholesome Shea Butter and Avocado and Coconut oils. These help give the skin a silky, smooth feel. Avocado oils contain a high volume of fatty acids, proteins and unsaturated fats that deeply moisturize the skin and protect it from the effects of aging. Coconut oil is known to promote regeneration and encourage circulation. According to Thermalabs, the fact that this lotion is based on all-natural ingredients makes it a unique product. It delivers multiple (specified and unspecified) natural skincare benefits. Customers can get it at Amazon.com, or from the main Thermalabs website. Currently, the company has extended a temporary introductory pricing model that lets customers get this lotion at only 27% of its list price.

For more information, please visit http://www.thermalabs.com/home

Contact Info:

Name: Jennifer Parker

Organization: Thermalabs

Address: 450 West 58th Street New York, NY 10019

Phone: (877) 266-6257

Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P-I0AgKZyI

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/thermalabs-launches-an-organic-shea-butter-triple-moisturizing-lotion/126968

Release ID: 126968

For more information visit r



Recent Press Releases By The Same User

Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)

Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17)
Free Freightnet Membership

List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours.
The chief executive of Rathbone Unit Trust Management Mike Webb has described last years takeover deal of an advice network as a one-off, ruling out the possibility of further acquisitions in the IFA space.

In October last year, Rathbones purchased Cornwall-based advice network Vision Independent Financial Planning, which has recently been expanding its presence in London, Scotland, and the North.

But according to Mr Webb, the takeover of Vision was an absolute one-off, and he said Rathbones has no plans for further acquisitions in the IFA space.

He said the company snapped up the unique opportunity because it had been working closely with the network since its inception, and knew it needed financial stability.

Mr Webb made it clear Rathbones was not trying to create the next Intrinsic by building a network with thousands of advisers, adding each adviser must be looking after at least 15m of assets in order to join Vision.

It is a very controlled growth environment.

But he said Rathbones was in the process of expanding its internal financial planning business, which he emphasised is aimed at the existing client base, and therefore does not compete with third-party advisers.

He also said the company is looking to grow the network to 150 advisers from its current troop of 86 over the next few years.

Mr Webb did not rule out, however, the possibility of acquisitions of sub-scale wealth managers, which are heavily biased towards discretionary management and running tailored portfolios for individuals. Rathbones is not a fan of vertical integration. Mike Webb

He also said the company had no plans to vertically integrate Vision, adding Rathbones was not a fan of that kind of model because it could create conflicts of interest, which he didnt feel comfortable with.

That is not to say its a bad model, its just not one we pursue, he said.

If you are going to create a vertically integrated model then you have to have very deep pockets in order to invest across the value chain.

However, Mr Webb disagreed with criticism that vertically integrated models are created more for the benefit, or profit, of the parent group at the expense of the consumer.

Vertical integration doesnt mean the company is going to put pressure on advisers to sell the products and services of their own company, he said, adding that would just lead to a repeat of historical issues with appointed representatives and life companies.

The Retail Distribution Review has finally clarified the role of the adviser and if you put pressure on somebody to do something that is not in the clients interest, then its unlikely that business will succeed in the long-term.

The buyout of Vision forms part of Rathbones third-party distribution strategy, which started in January 2015 after the company took a cold hard look at its plans for developing the business, Mr Webb said.

The Rathbones boss said, while the company had been reasonably successful in the IFA market, in 2015 the group started bringing together its resources to overhaul its sales infrastructure.
Royal London has said it will not be adding critical illness cover (CIC) to its relevant life plan (RLP), reviving a debate started at the start of this year.

The mutuals product architect Ian Smart explained it is possible to add CIC to its RLP, but only if the payment of benefits was linked to retirement of the employee covered by the policy.

Current critical illness definitions do not link payment to retirement and so such a policy would not meet the definition of a relevant life policy, he stated.

There may be no tangible tax benefit to the employer or the employee and this could potentially leave the employee liable to a benefit in kind tax liability on any premiums paid.

Mr Smart said discussions with HM Revenue & Customs clarified some queries in the ongoing debate, adding: My personal opinion is that people would be better to purchase a CIC policy themselves rather than try to take advantage of any tax savings.

On 25 January, Aviva launched the first relevant life plan with integrated critical illness cover, with managing director of protection Louise Colley calling it a market first.

Historically, relevant life policies have tended to only include a death benefit and terminal illness benefit, so I am delighted that, following extensive research and advice from external legal counsel, we are able to offer a fully compliant critical illness benefit on our new relevant life insurance, she stated at the time.

Alan Lakey, senior partner at Hertfordshire-based Highclere Financial Services, explained many insurers had investigated the potential for such a plan, but had been unable to navigate the onerous requirements of legislation.

However, a few days later, Legal & General took issue with the product and said it would raise its concerns with HMRC.

Richard Kateley, head of intermediary development at L&G, said the addition of critical illness conflicts with the markets current interpretation of what is allowed within a relevant life plan as laid down by the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.

In an update at the end of July, L&G stated if it were to add critical illness benefit to a relevant life plan, this could lead to policyholders losing the beneficial tax treatment that relevant life currently provides and makes this product so worthwhile.

Any attempt to claim the premium as an allowable expense for a critical illness may lead to the creation of a tax issue for the business and/or the individual, if the policy covers conditions that are not guaranteed to lead to early retirement, L&G noted, adding it would not be complaint to add CIC.

Aviva responded at the time that it had liaised with HMRC and took legal advice from a QC who confirmed that the product was compliant with the relevant legislation and therefore qualified as a relevant life plan.

HMRC would not clarify whether critical illness can be added to a relevant life plan without changing a policys tax status.
Aviva Investors has warned investors in its 1.8bn Property Trust that the portfolio is likely to remain suspended for at least another five to seven months.

The firm suspended its open-ended UK bricks and mortar property fund on July 5 for an initial 28-day period, before extending the gating for a further month on August 2.

In an update to investors, seen by Investment Adviser, the fund house warned the suspension could last until March 2017.

In order to lift the suspension we need to ensure that we can meet any requests to sell, buy, switch or transfer units which have been held by us during the suspension period, the company said in the letter.

The suspension is therefore likely to be in place for a period of at least six to eight months from the date of suspension. We will continue to monitor liquidity on a daily basis and are in regular contact with the trustee and depositary.

Property sales may be more difficult to execute in the current environment due to market uncertainty. In disposing of properties, we need to ensure we act in the best interests of all investors.

Aviva Investors was the second firm to suspend trading on its property fund in the aftermath of the UKs decision to leave the EU, following on from Standard Life Investments. An additional four retail funds remain suspended.

Aberdeen and L&G, two firms which added penal price moves for redeeming investors rather than suspending trading on their portfolios, have since reduced these downwards adjustments - a sign that trading conditions in the commercial property market may be starting to normalise.
Government policy towards pensions has been parked in the long grass since the spring.

But at some stage, sooner rather than later I would hope, pensions need to be put back on the political agenda. They simply cannot be sidelined forever.

It was George Osborne, now banished to the Conservative hinterlands, who decided that much-needed pensions reform should be shelved.

Earlier in 2016, during the run up to the Budget, we eagerly waited for him to pronounce on his desired path of pensions travel following a Treasury consultation on the way forward.

Would he get rid of tax relief? Would he turn the long-term savings market into one firmly based on Isas? We were warned to expect dramatic change.

Alas, there was nothing of the sort. Fearing a backlash from the middle classes  and with the outcome of the Brexit vote very much on his mind  he decided that procrastination was the best path to tread.

The weekend before his Budget, he confirmed that pension tax relief would remain intact after all, much to the relief (pun intended) of many higher-rate taxpayers. Having now thrown off her ministerial shackles, Baroness Altmann has let rip with an air of authority few other pension experts possess

What good did it do him? What good did it do for support of his remain campaign? What good did it do to maintain confidence in the pensions system? None at all.

As a result, all we got for policy reform from Osborne in his farewell Budget  other than initiatives already in train (a shameful cutting back of the lifetime allowance and a reduction in the annual contribution allowance for additional rate taxpayers)  was the intended launch of the lifetime Isa.

Of course, post Brexit vote, there are key issues government ministers need to address as a matter of urgency  a fragile economy to keep from the doors of recession, a cohesive energy policy that will keep the countrys lights burning and our preferred (least disruptive) exit route out of Europe. But pensions cannot be ignored forever. At some stage, the ruptured pensions system needs to be tackled.

Former pensions minister Baroness Ros Altmann  very much mute during her time inside government  seems to think so. Having now thrown off her ministerial shackles, Baroness Altmann has let rip with an air of authority few other pension experts possess.

Fairness for all

Baroness Altmann has let rip with an air of authority few other pension experts possess. Within days of being liberated from ministerial responsibility, she has called for a raft of reforms.

These include an ending in the near future to the triple lock pensions guarantee on affordability grounds; greater fairness in the way changes to the state pension retirement age are being introduced; and an overhaul of the tax relief system (that Mr Osborne sidelined) so higher-rate taxpayers do not continue to enjoy more than their fair share of the pickings on offer. Greater fairness for the majority.
Former pensions minister Ros Altmann has revealed she fought behind the scenes for the Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) cause when in government; a stance that jeopardised her position and was met with total intransigence.

Speaking to FTAdviser, she predicted the government's absolute determination not to grant the campaign any concessions would continue.

Her comments came after it was revealed there had been a split in the Waspi leadership , leaving the future of the campaign uncertain.

Baroness Altmann, who left government in July shortly after Theresa May became prime minister, said women born in the 1950s had been hit hard by the changes to the state pension age.

She claimed the government had not adequately communicated the changes to the state pension, either those made in the 1995 Act, or the 2011 amendments.

In the spring, the Work and Pensions select committee branded communication of changes to the state pension so bad neither the winners nor losers yet know who they are, while Which research found many of those approaching retirement are confused about aspects of the new state pension, ahead of its April launch.

Baroness Altmanns expressions of sympathy with Waspis stance did not sit well in the Department of Work & Pensions or the Conservative Party, she claimed.

My department and the whips were unhappy that I continued to express sympathy for those affected and tried to engage with them to see if we could find a route forward, both before and after the Work and Pensions Select Committee hearings and parliamentary debates, she said.

I tried so hard and in fact jeopardised my own position by refusing to just accept that the government was right on this matter, because I dont believe these women have been treated fairly, she said.

There was absolute determination not to grant the Waspi campaign any further concessions, after the initial 2011 concession of reducing the maximum wait time for pensions from two years to 18 months, she said.

She said she tried many different strands of work to find a solution, but said there was no hint of any recognition from government that the matter was important.

Therefore, I can only assume that, sadly, the government will continue to stonewall and delay any engagement, will string things out and perhaps assumes that by 2020 all these ladies will be getting some state pension so the issue will have gone away, she said.

The Department for Work & Pensions declined to respond to Baroness Altmanns comments.

Linda Phillips, one of the five founders of the Waspi campaign, confirmed that Baroness Altmann had met with them when she was pensions minister. Ms Phillips said the minister had warned them that, while she would have liked to help, she wasnt in a position to do so.

james.fernyhough@ft.com
A survey has shown overwhelming demand for the Lifetime Isa, with two in three employers saying they would make the new savings wrapper available to their employees alongside - and in some cases, instead of - a workplace pension.

Out of 131 businesses surveyed by Willis Towers Watson in March, two thirds said they believed their employees would prefer a Lisa to a workplace pension.

Half said they planned to give members a choice over which wrapper their employer contribution would be paid into.

The results appeared to lend weight to fears the Lisa would become a rival to workplace pensions, and could encourage people to opt out of auto-enrolment.

Due to be launched in April 2017, the Lisa will allow people aged less than 40 to put away up to 4,000 a year, plus a 25 per cent bonus from the government, either towards a first home or their retirement.

Willis Towers Watsons senior DC, wealth and workplace consultant Minh Tran said that if the employer contribution went into a Lisa, it would attract national insurance and income tax, whereas if it went into a pension, it would be tax free.

However, he pointed out that the tax, exempt, exempt (TEE) structure of an Isa meant that, unlike a pension, it would attract no tax when it is withdrawn by the saver.

The majority of employers also believed the tax treatment of pensions would change, with 60 per cent expecting an eventual shift from EET to TEE.

While this policy was associated with former chancellor George Osborne, who was sacked in July, Mr Tran said the radical reform was likely still on the table.

But despite employers interest in the Lisa, 60 per cent still believed pensions were a better long-term savings vehicle than a Lisa.

Mr Tran said he shared that view, but getting on the housing ladder was a much greater priority than saving for a pension for people aged less than 40, which explained the expected popularity of the Lisa.

Life company Zurich and consultancy Mercer both reported similar levels of interest in the Lisa from their clients.

Dave Lowe, Zurichs head of corporate propositions, told FTAdviser there was significant interest in the Lisa among employers, particularly for high-paid staff who had reached their annual or lifetime allowance for pension contributions, which have become less generous in recent years.

He said a number of employers were talking about offering a Lisa, while a few are wanting to look at real proposals.

While Zurich has not committed to offering a Lisa, Mr Lowe said as a provider of workplace savings solutions, it would consider offering one if it made sense.

Brian Henderson, DC and financial wellness leader at Mercer, said it was early days, but there were lots of conversations happening about the Lisa.

He did not see the Lisa as a threat to pensions at this stage. Ive not heard any employer talking about cutting off the pension in favour of the Lifetime Isa, he said.
Story Highlights 36% of Americans have favorable impression of Mike Pence

33% have favorable opinion of Tim Kaine

Republicans' views of Pence more positive than Democrats' views of Kaine

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Since their respective selections as vice presidential candidates, both Mike Pence and Tim Kaine have become much better known nationwide, but Pence's image has grown significantly more positive over this time than has been the case for Kaine. As of now, Republicans are embracing Pence more than Democrats are embracing Kaine.

Americans' Impressions of Vice Presidential Candidates Mike Pence and Tim Kaine % Favorable Pre-convention Post-convention % % Mike Pence 18 36 Tim Kaine 24 33 Gallup, July 15-16 (Pence), July 23-24 (Kaine) and August 3-7 (both), 2016

At this stage in the previous campaigns, most non-incumbent vice presidential candidates had substantially higher favorable ratings than Kaine and Pence do. Al Gore was at 62% favorable at this point in 1992; Jack Kemp was at 56% in 1996; Dick Cheney was at 51% and Joe Lieberman was at 55% in 2000; and John Edwards was at 59% in 2004. Gallup did not have polling for Joe Biden and Sarah Palin at this point in August in 2008 or for Paul Ryan in 2012.

Both Pence's favorable and unfavorable ratings have risen, while the percentage of those who have never heard of him or have no opinion has dropped from 65% before the Republican convention to 39%. His favorable rating has gone up more than his unfavorable rating. The Indiana governor received some nationwide media attention last year for signing a "religious freedom" law that LGBT Indianans sharply criticized, and was facing a difficult gubernatorial re-election campaign before GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump chose him to be his running mate.

Americans' Impressions of Mike Pence Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Mike Pence, or have you never heard of him? Favorable Unfavorable Never heard of/No opinion Net favorable % % % pct. pts. Aug 3-7, 2016 36 25 39 +11 Jul 15-16, 2016 18 16 65 +2 Gallup

Trump has garnered many headlines since the conventions, including his pronouncements about the Muslim family whose Army captain son was killed in Iraq, the tensions between him and House Speaker Paul Ryan, and whether nuclear weapons can or should be used. The conciliatory statements Pence made may be seen as an attempt to assuage the situation by endorsing Ryan days before Trump did and by sympathizing with the soldier's family. Yet while Trump's statements have not helped his own favorable ratings, Pence has gained substantially in net favorability -- the percentage with a positive opinion of him minus the percentage with a negative opinion.

Americans Quickly Forming Impressions of Pence; Republicans Embracing Him

Pence is better known and liked across key subgroups than he was before the Republican convention, especially among members of his own Republican Party.

Sixty-four percent of Republicans have a favorable impression of Pence, up from 40% in mid-July. He has risen to 33% favorability among independents and even has a 17% score among Democrats, up from a paltry 5% in July.

Impressions of Mike Pence, by Subgroup % Favorable Jul 15-16 , 2016 Aug 3-7 , 2016 % % Republicans 40 64 Independents 14 33 Democrats 5 17 Gallup

Kaine's Favorable Ratings See Slower Rise

Americans' overall image of Kaine has become somewhat more negative since the beginning of the Democratic convention, contrasting with Pence's more positive movement. The U.S. senator from Virginia and former Virginia governor has a favorable rating of 33%, up from 24% before the convention. But his unfavorable rating has increased from 14% to 30%. Kaine's running mate, Hillary Clinton, has been much more low-key in her public appearances and statements than Trump has been in the last several weeks, with less controversy surrounding the Democratic campaign.

Americans' Impressions of Tim Kaine Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Tim Kaine, or have you never heard of him? Favorable Unfavorable Never heard of/No opinion Net favorable % % % pct. pts. Aug 3-7, 2016 33 30 37 +3 Jul 23-24, 2016 24 14 63 +10 Gallup

As was true of Pence, a large share of Americans, 63%, had not heard of or had no opinion of Kaine at the time of his selection as a vice presidential candidate. In Gallup's early August poll, the percentage unfamiliar with Kaine has dropped to 37%. But while Pence has been able to convert proportionately more of those unfamiliar with him to a positive opinion, Kaine has had a proportionately greater gain in those having a negative opinion of him. As a result, Pence's net favorable is currently +11, compared with +3 for Kaine.

Among subgroups, Kaine has made gains, but these have been modest. Only among Democrats does Kaine have a majority favorable rating, at 54%, but this is worse than Pence's 64% favorable rating among Republicans. It is possible that Bernie Sanders voters may have wished that Clinton picked a more liberal running mate, and they are still holding that against Kaine.

Impressions of Tim Kaine, by Subgroup % Favorable Jul 23-24 , 2016 Aug 3-7 , 2016 % % Republicans 7 19 Independents 22 28 Democrats 42 54 Gallup

Bottom Line

The American public is getting to know Pence and Kaine. The vice presidential nominees' favorable ratings are rising, but Pence's gains have been more substantial than Kaine's since their respective nominating conventions. In the next three months, the American people will continue to form opinions of Kaine and Pence, and their images may be affected by the forthcoming vice presidential debate on Oct. 4 at Longwood University in Virginia.

Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics.

Survey Methods

Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted Aug. 3-7, 2016, on the Gallup U.S. Daily survey, with a random sample of 1,032 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is 4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.

Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 60% cellphone respondents and 40% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods.

View survey methodology, complete question responses and trends.

Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works.
High School Musical 4 Release Date, News & Update: Vanessa Hudgens Holds Grudge Towards Zac Efron, Cameo Reunion Not Possible?

Fans were ecstatic when Disney announced "High School Musical" 4, mostly in the hopes that a reunion between former lovers Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron will take place. However, there are speculations that a cameo reunion won't be possible since "Sucker Punch" star holds a grudge towards the "Baywatch" actor.

Zac Efron Makes Sappy Phone Calls

It appears that Vanessa Hudgens holds great animosity towards Zac Efron. A source tells Hollywood Life that the "Baywatch" actor is reportedly making sappy calls to ex-girlfriend and "High School Musical" co-star Vanessa Hudgens. This speculation came after Zac Efron broke up with girlfriend Sami Miro. Reports say that "Baywatch" actor has been calling "Spring Breakers" star over his heartache with ex-girlfriend Sami.

While Zac Efron is busy nursing his aching heart, Vanessa Hudgens gets into trouble with long-time boyfriend Austin Butler. There are speculations that Butler feels threatened by Efron and wants girlfriend Hudgens to stop taking his calls. While Hudgens and Butler are solid, Zac was Hudgens' first big love. "She and Austin are solid, but letting Zac back in her world would be playing with fire - he was her first big love," the insider tells the website. While Hudgens have sworn not to take Efron back, the latter can be quite convincing.

'High School Musical' 4 Reunion Not Possible?

The whole situation does not bear well for "High School Musical" 4. The source added that Vanessa still holds a lot of bitterness towards her ex-boyfriend. Towards the end of their relationship, Efron reportedly treated Hudgens like crap. This animosity plus the hot mess they're in may postpone their expected reunion for "High School Musical" 4.

Vanessa Hudgen's bitterness was also said to be the main reason why there's a whole new cast of "High School Musical" 4. However, fans can't help but expect a reunion between Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron in the movie.
Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson Dating: Amelia Warners Hubby Feels Wrong Filming Steamy Bed Scenes? Fifty Shades Darker Stars Hooking Up?

Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson are reportedly dating again. However, new reports are claiming that the husband of Amelia Warner has admitted that filming his steamy scenes in the "Fifty Shades Darker" movie feels wrong.

Jamie Dornan felt wrong filming bed scenes with Dakota Johnson in 'Fifty Shades Darker'

Celeb Dirty Laundry reports that Jamie Dornan had admitted that it felt so wrong to shoot his steamy scenes with Dakota Johnson for the "Fifty Shades Darker" movie in France. Summer 2016 has been a bloody season for the people in Europe wherein multiple terror attacks has happened.

Sources say that Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson were filming their honeymoon scenes when the Bastille Day attacks took place in Nice. The bloody attack happened just a few miles away from the "Fifty Shades Darker" shooting location in South of France.

With a total of 85 people who lost their lives, Jamie Dornan stated that filming the "Fifty Shades Darker" bed scenes with Dakota Johnson while people around the world are mourning is definitely wrong. "It felt very frivolous and wrong to be making something as silly as a f****** movie the day after something like that happened," the husband of Amelia Warner has told ComingSoon.net, as cited by CDL.

Previous reports have claimed that fans should expect more love scenes between Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson in the "Fifty Shades Darker" film. Spoilers have also revealed that the wedding of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele is definitely happening in the first sequel and the couple will have their baby in the "Fifty Shads Freed."

'Fifty Shades Darker' stars Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson caught cheating on Amelia Warner

Meanwhile, GamenGuide has previously reported that Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson were caught cheating on Amelia Warner. Sources have claimed that the "Fifty Shades Darker" stars were spotted making love in public.

However, it was later learned that Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson were just filming on another love scene for the "Fifty Shades Darker" movie. Until now, the "Fifty Shades of Grey" stars have remained silent on the dating reports that are spreading online. So, fans should take everything with a grain of salt until it has been proven true.

"Fifty Shades Darker" is set to be released in Feb. 10, 2017. Stay tuned to GamenGuide for more news and updates about the alleged secret relationship of Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson.
Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux Divorce: Friends Actress Cheats With Brad Pitt? Hollywood Couples Marriage Currently In Crisis?

Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux are hitting the divorce headlines again. Now, new reports are claiming that the couple did not celebrate their anniversary after the "Friends" actress was reported to be cheating on her husband with Brad Pitt.

Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux are divorcing very soon?

Celeb Dirty Laundry reports that Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux could be divorcing really soon after the couple did not celebrate their wedding anniversary. Sources claim that the couple did not do anything special on their wedding day anniversary.

Fans cannot help but speculate that Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux's marriage is currently hitting the rock bottom. Adding fuel to the divorce reports is the fact that "The Leftovers" actor and "We're the Millers" actress have spent their first year of marriage away from each other instead of enjoying it together.

According to the same report, Jennifer Aniston has expected something special from Justin Theroux during their first wedding anniversary. However, it seems like "Just Go with It" actress has waited for nothing as her husband has reportedly failed to deliver any gifts or surprises.

Both Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux are yet to comment on these reports. So, fans should take everything with a grain of salt until it is proven true.

Jennifer Aniston cheats on Justin Theroux with Brad Pitt

Meanwhile, GamenGuide has previously reported that Jennifer Aniston was caught cheating with Brad Pitt. According to reports, the former lovebirds have secretly reunited without the knowledge of Angelina Jolie and, probably, Justin Theroux.

Insiders have claimed that Brad Pitt had personally met Jennifer Aniston to send his condolences to her and to the family after Justin Theroux's mother-in-law has died. Though the intentions of the "Troy" actor is clean, reports say that Angelina Jolie was enraged after learning about it.

An unnamed source divulged that Angelina Jolie has accused Brad Pitt of cheating on her with Jennifer Aniston. Reports say that the "Maleficent" actress know that the "Cake" star and Justin Theroux's marriage is currently on the rocks, which could be the reason why she got totally mad after her husband secretly met his former flame.

Though these reports could be true, neither Jennifer Aniston nor Justin Theroux has confirmed any of these divorce reports. Stay tuned to GamenGuide for the latest news and updates on the alleged Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux divorce.
Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone Split: 'The Amazing Spider-Man' Stars Ended Relationship?

Hollywood couple Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are hitting the split headlines again. Reports say that "The Amazing Spider-Man" stars have already called it quits after several years of dating.

Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone have called it quits again?



This is not the very first time that Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone have reportedly broken up. In October 2015, the "Easy A" actress reportedly asked "The Social Network" star to give her space and time to be away.

Speculations about the supposed break up has spread like wildfire but Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield have remained silent. Not one detail about the current state of their relationship has been made public.

Both Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield are known to be very private especially with their relationship. So, it is really not that surprising that the two have chosen to keep things under wraps than to publicly discuss about it.

Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone are in good terms?



However, recent reports are suggesting that Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield are in good terms. As a matter of fact, the twosome was spotted at the Aegean Sea together with some close pals traveling around the land of Gods, Greece and Turkey, as per Parent Herald .

Avid followers of Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield have not seen them together for a very long time and that is because they are busying doing their own thing separately. Andrew Garfield is currently busy working with his upcoming American true story war film titled Hacksaw Ridge," which is set to be released in Nov. 4, 2016, as IMDB listed.

Emma Stone, on the other hand, is reportedly working on another romantic-comedy film. Moreover, she is said to star in the "La La Land" movie that is slated for a December 2016 release.

Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone might not be together right now, but it does not necessarily mean that their relationship is on the rocks. Stay tuned to GamenGuide for the latest news and updates of the alleged Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone split.
Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner Divorce: Couple Giving Marriage A Second Chance? No Split Will Happen?

Ben Affleck was spotted in the premiere of "Suicide Squad" looking a little bit untidy amid divorce reports. Reports claimed that the 43-year-old star, who is the husband of Jennifer Garner, had a wardrobe malfunction on the said red carpet premiere.

Sources have claimed that Ben Affleck had a disheveled look on his face when he attended the said premiere. Eyewitnesses have claimed that Jennifer Garner's husband had his fly down when he walked in the red carpet.

After the humiliating display of tackiness, Ben Affleck left the "Suicide Squad" premiere for some after-after party, as Celeb Dirty Laundry reports. The website added that the husband of Jennifer Garner did it on purpose to show the media that he wants to end his marriage with the "Elektra" actress.

The Inquisitr reported that the Ben Affleck is now back with his alcohol and gambling addiction. The news outlet has even reported that the addiction is the reason why his marriage with Jennifer Garner did not work.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Garner has previously appeared on the "Today" show to clarify their divorce with the "Argo" director, Ben Affleck. It can be recalled that the couple announced their separation last year.

A report from Vanity Fair has claimed that Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck had been separated before the nanny issue became public. The "Alias" actress stated that the nanny had nothing to do with her separation from the "Justice League" actor.

Meanwhile, new reports are stating that Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck might finalize their impending divorce. As a matter of fact, the "Daredevil" stars were even spotted spending a holiday weekend with their kids in Paris.

Source fans are convinced that Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck are giving their marriage another try; maybe not for themselves, but for their kids. Both stars are yet to comment on these reports. Stay tuned to GamenGuide for more news and updates about the alleged Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner divorce.
The Sims 4 Dine Out Expansion Latest Tips & Tricks: New Builds, Cheat Codes Bared

The Sims 4 is back in the limelight thanks to the recent release of the Dine Out expansion pack. The recent build offers Sims players a new way to get busy and earn a living in the virtual world.

As the expansion name connotes, The Sims 4 Dine Out game pack offers players the experience of running their own restaurants. They get to name their own restaurant, uniform and their preferred target market.

Start up or take over?

Just like in real life, the choices tied up to starting a restaurant business can be daunting. Fortunately The Sims 4 players dont have to go through that strenuous process since they can pick up from other creative minds.

The Sims 4 Dine Out builds could make things easier on gamers, builds created by other users and available for download at The Sims 4 gallery. After going through the builds, the only thing left for players to do is find a suitable location where they can open their restaurant business.

Do you have the Simoleons to buy one?

The Sims 4 Dine Out builds will require you to shell out the necessary cash (simeleons), costs which vary depending on the structure. A look at the gallery offers a lot of pretty impressive creations.

That includes the Seafood Restaurant by Deligracy (104,015 simoleons), the Modern 50s Diner by Leander (95, 473 simoleons) or the Hot Dog Stand by Penaple (36,430 simoleons). Do you have the right simoleons to buy any of them? Thankfully there are more from the gallery to choose from.

Racking up with the Cheat Codes for The Sims 4: Dine Out

Like most games, The Sims 4: Dine Out has its fair share of cheats. All players have to do is press CTRL+SHIFT+C and the command console will appear. Type in testingcheats true according to Neurogadget.

From there, you can consider a lot of other cheats. That includes keying in bucks.unlock_perk MoreCustomers true (more customers), bucks.unlock_perk AdditionalWaiter_1 true (additional waiter) and bucks.unlock_perk IngredientCostDiscount true (big discounts on ingredients.

Other cheats worth trying are bucks.unlock_perk IngredientQualityOptions true (getting quality ingredients) and bucks.unlock_perk IngredientQualityOptions true which activates Curious Customers. It allows players to recommend the specials which in turn will rack in money and potentially new (expensive) dishes.
Hunter X Hunter Chapter 361 Air Date, Spoilers, News & Update: Manga To Continue With New Writers?

Is "Hunter X Hunter" Chapter 361 coming out soon? Of course this is a major concern for fans of the hit Japanese manga is currently on hiatus after Yoshihiro Togashi, "Hunter X Hunter" creator and writer had to stop writing due to his lower back problems.

It appears that rumors of "Hunter X Hunter" Chapter 361 not happening at all may have been exaggerated a bit. Long time fans of the hit manga, who were left hanging with the unfinished storyline in "Hunter X Hunter" Chapter 360, will soon find out what happens to Kurapika next. According to speculations, there are two ways of how a Chapter 361 could happen.

'Hunter X Hunter' Chapter 361 Resumes Upon Togashi's Recovery

Since the current hiatus was caused by Yoshihiro Togashi's health problem, it only follows that manga reader could expect a "Hunter X Hunter" Chapter 361 when his health is restored.

However, going this route might take a bit longer, according to Christian Times. Togashi once took a similar break back in 2013 for the same health reason and was only able to resume creating new "Hunter X Hunter" chapters in 2015.

New Writers To Take Over 'Hunter X Hunter' Chapter 361

Another possibility being eyed for now is that new writers could be tapped to continue the much awaited "Hunter X Hunter" Chapter 361. Of course it would be much better if Togashi would still continue to work as a consultant to the series, ensuring continuity of his creative touch to the succeeding chapters.

'Hunter X Hunter' Chapter 361 Spoilers, News & Update



Kurapika was having a hard time getting to the bottom of things in "Hunter X Hunter" Chapter 360. Eventually, it was revealed that there are Nen beasts which could be seen by some but not by others.

The problem facing the group is that these Nen beasts seem to induce hallucinations. As a result, it can control some people and make them do things they are not fully aware of, such as that guard killing his companions in the later part of the "Hunter X Hunter" Chapter 361.

"Hunter X Hunter" Chapter 361 spoilers now suggest that Kurapika would be able to escape. However, he would require outside help which could come from the Zodiac or Leorio, according to Ecumenical News.

But of course, the final plot of "Hunter X Hunter" Chapter 361 would depend on who the writer will be. Stay tuned to Game & Guide for more updates.
Clean Your Social Media Feed: How To Block Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Kim Kardashian & Everything Else?

Whatever side you are with, Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, or you simply want to be apolitical, there's an app to help you block them from your social media feeds. A Google Chrome extension called "Remove Donald Trump from Facebook" will help subscribers pull out all news, feeds or whatever links may be from their newsfeed.

The app, offered by Derek Story, has now more than 4,000 users. Story might have developed the extension because he "got sick" of looking at Trump. It is not fool-proof, though. When the news only mentions his first or last name, or even his picture, it would still appear on your feeds.

Installing the app is easy as it runs, without an icon, in the background. When you want to delete it from the system, you simply have to disable it from Google Chrome extension.

Some users, however, claim that they have experienced some browsing issues when they used the app. A similar extension, but with less followers, called "Hillary Blocker" removes her from appearing on your webpages, Facebook and even YouTube.

"Trump Filter" can erase text and photos of the presidential candidate. Developed by Rob Spectre, it has three variations, namely: mild, aggressive and vindictive. It is so effective that one user playing Bridge was cut off because one member was named Donald!

Well, if you want more than just Clinton or Trump to be removed from your newsfeed, try "Hillary Filter & Jeb Filter: All in 1." It also blocks Bush from your webpage and Facebook newsfeed.

Sometimes, people get tired not only of those political issues but also of celebrity nuisance. If you are one of them, why not try the "Kardashian Filter." It does not only remove Kardashians from your newsfeed, it claims it can actually block any word of your choice.
Ready For A New Adventure? Six Flags To Launch Worlds First Interactive Gaming Coaster

If the plunging and jumping of a traditional roller coaster do not thrill you anymore, then maybe Six Flags' first interactive gaming coaster will. The famous adventure park will soon become the home of exciting and breath-taking "Rage of the Gargoyles." It will take out a similar virtual reality game called "The New Revolution."

Riders, who must not be younger than 13 years old, will have to brave the track that features 1,377 feet (420 meters) of unrivaled adventure. They will have to wear revolutionary Samsung Gear virtual reality headsets in high-definition resolution to experience 360 degrees of wild adventure.

On the launch of "Rage of the Gargoyles," people are expected to flock Six Flags in eight different locations like "Shock Wave" in Arlington, "Dare Devil Dive" in Atlanta, "Demon" in Chicago, "Skull Mountain" in Jackson, New Jersey, "Steamin' Demon" in New York, "Goliath" in Montreal, "Kong" in San Francisco and "Ninja" in St Louis in Eureka.

With the use of virtual reality headsets, thrill-seekers will be transformed into pilots. Gargoyles will attack the choppers sending the Apache-style helicopter plunging and diving as riders fight the evil creatures.

Six Flags amusement park has $1.3 billion revenue, making it the world's largest regional theme park. It has 18 grounds all over the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. It has been in operation for 55 years.

John Duffey, president of the Six Flags amusement park, said that they can change the story line of "Rage of the Gargoyles" making it more exciting for the riders. The use of Samsung Gear VR makes the world's first interactive gaming coaster more "unique and immersive" according to Marc Mathieu, the chief marketing officer of Samsung Electronics America.

The ending of this breath-taking adventure will surely make the clients want to experience the ride all over again. Stay tuned to GamenGuide for more news and updates!
PS Vita 3.61 Patch Updates: HENKaku Hack Gone; How To Run Homebrew Software, Emulators Again

A new PS Vita update by Sony recently fixed the HENKaku hack completely. However, gamers were advised not to install the 3.61 update to continue enjoying homebrew apps and emulators on their PS Vita. Players can opt to downgrade and keep themselves from removing the HENKaku hack.

Many PS Vita players automatically received the 3.61 update on their devices to discover that they can no longer use homebrew apps, which was previously unlocked by HENKaku. Reddit users began to formulate ways to continue using the hack and run homebrew games on their units. It was revealed that PS Vita players can choose to manually update their device so that the HENKaku update is functional. Those who automatically received the 3.61 update can delete it and manually downgrade back to 3.60.

The Bitbag explained that PS Vita update 3.60 can be downloaded from reliable sources online. After players receive the firmware, they must change the name of the file to PSP2UPDAT.PUP and then copy the file to the PSV Update folder in their PC. Next, they have to download a Github file. Gamers should put their PS Vita in airplane mode and restart. After linking the device to the PC, start QCMA and update the PS Vita firmware by heading to Settings and then Update.

Slashdot revealed that HENKaku is a jailbreak that hacked PS Vita, subsequently letting players install homebrew software and emulators. The hack created by Team Molecule worked on the PS Vita 3.60 update, players who visit the website will have the code injected into their handheld device, unlocking the hardware and taking out the file system from its protective sandbox. Players can then access the file system and the PS Vita memory card via FTP, including the ability to overclock the processor. Homebrew developers can then create and introduce their own games on PS Vita without coursing through official channels.

Blocked games can then be played on PS Vita, although these may be deemed inappropriate by authorized gaming bodies. Sony also warned PS Vita players that the use of hacks like HENKaku may result to their account getting banned from Sony.
Doing so will allow the airport to comply with Long Beach's noise ordinance.
The city of Adair Village celebrated the beginning of construction on $2.8 million in improvements to the citys water systems at a ceremony Tuesday afternoon.

City officials had originally planned a groundbreaking at the site of the two new 1 million gallon tanks that are the project's centerpiece, but opted instead to have a ceremony at City Hall after rains made their future site too muddy for the event.

Bill Currier, the citys mayor, said the water system, which was built when the city was a military base in the 1940s, has been an issue in the city since it incorporated in 1976.

Weve talked about it virtually every council meeting for the last 12 years, he said.

Currier said the project, which includes other overhauls of the citys water system, will significantly reduce the amount of water the system loses to leaks.

We were losing 75 to 80 percent of the water we processed, he said. One side effect of that: The city needed to process much more water than it consumed.

Currier said the city has worked to reduce that loss to around 50 percent, starting in 2010 when Pat Hare, then an intern with the city and now its city manager, began to hike through the system to map pipe locations and look for sites of water loss. With the upgrades, officials hope to reduce water loss to 30 percent, which is closer to the average of 15 percent for Oregon cities, Currier said.

Hare said the project also includes the installation of water meters throughout the system so officials can identify other locations of loss and work on additional improvements. The city also will install new water pumps, lower its water intake so that it functions better when river levels are low, remove old pump stations and refurbish a water-storage location that was taken offline because of unacceptable loss levels.

Hare said the new tanks will come online in January, and the improvements to the water system will allow the city to grow.

Previously we didnt have the ability to expand because we couldnt offer services, he said.

Nevertheless, he said, it was a tough decision because the project has meant large rate increases for Adair's 380 water customers.

Currier said the decision not only protects water consumers in Adair Village, but it also would allow the town to supply water to North Albany in an emergency.

He echoed Hares statements that the project would allow Adair Village to actively grow.

This is an exciting day for Adair Village, he said. We can say this is a turning point."

Charline King, one of the citys founders and its first mayor, said she hoped the growth would lead to additional amenities in Adair, such as a gas station and a supermarket.

Im delighted to see it. The city has grown since we incorporated, but not as much as I would have liked, she said.
LEBANON  More than a dozen members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Santiam went back to the classroom a little early Tuesday morning as City Manager Gary Marks gave them a lesson in the history and art of totem poles.

Since early June, Marks has been restoring a 14-foot tall red cedar totem pole that had stood in Mural Park in the Lebanon business district. He told the young people that he works about six to eight hours per week at the city maintenance building at Cheadle Lake.

In June, Marks wasnt sure he was going to be able to save the pole because of extensive cracking and rot.

But I am much more confident now, Marks said before the youngsters arrived.

Marks showed the kids photos of what the pole looked like before his work began, complete with chipped and faded paint, cracks and soft, rotted areas.

Marks said he has used an electric sander, Dremel tool and putty knife to get down to bare wood, fill in cracks and remove rot.

But hes not going to completely renovate the pole, because in native American culture, the poles are believed to take on new meaning as they age.

Its important in native American culture to honor the pole for what it has become, Marks said.

Marks said the totem poles history dates back about 23 years when a man named Tony Stanovich moved to Lebanon.

He found the community to be so friendly, he wanted to create a totem pole to let others know how welcoming Lebanon is, Marks said.

Marks said totem poles originated among Pacific Northwest native American tribes as a way of welcoming others to their homes. In time, they came to represent a welcoming sign to villages as well.

He told the youngsters that the totem pole was Stanovichs testimony to others about the quality of his new community.

He was a blood brother of someone in the Tlingit tribe and he wanted to do something special for the city of Lebanon, Marks said.

Marks said each of the animals carved into totem poles has a meaning.

He said the beaver represents the hard work and tenacity of the people of Lebanon.

He originally thought a bird on the pole was an eagle, but through research he has learned that it represents a mythical thunderbird, which looks over Lebanon because it is such a good town.

Marks said he is going to seal the wood with a hardener, then a layer of primer, followed by coats of bright paint covered by either plastic or varnish.

With maintenance, it should last 80 years or more, Marks said. The problem is that it appears the pole was put up and not maintained.

Marks invited the kids to attend the dedication ceremony for the totem and the renovated Mural Park, which is now called Strawberry Plaza.

Theres going to be a giant metal strawberry sculpture that is going to be lighted at night, Marks said.

An artist in addition to being a city manager, Marks said the project has special meaning for him since his wife Lauries great-grandfather was a member of the Nez Perce tribe.

For a time in the 1850s, totem pole carvings were banned by the U.S. government, but Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce is credited with getting the government to relinquish the ban.

Hannah Babcock, 10, called the half-hour session really cool.

It was fun seeing how smooth it is, she said.

Kristian Mesa, 10, said he was glad to learn that this is a symbol of our community.

Totem poles were primarily crafted by tribes of the Pacific Northwest. The term comes from the native American word odoodem which means his kinship group.

According to a plaque on the base of the totem, the following were responsible for its existence: Lebanon Fine Arts, Tony and Lee Stanovich, Milton Dodge, Patti Richards, Economy Lumber, Pacific Power, Morse Brothers, Joe Windell and the city of Lebanon.

Major colors include white, red, yellow, blue, brown and black.

Strawberry Plaza, at 847 Main St., will include an area where works by local artists can be displayed on a rotating basis.

Jason Williams of the Public Works Department, estimates cost of the entire project between $185,000 and $250,000. Funds will come from a 5-year interfund loan borrowed from the Lebanon parks system development charges fund.
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

MONDAY, AUG. 8

METH: 10:25 p.m., Northwest Ninth Street and Northwest Walnut Boulevard. During a traffic stop, a canine unit reportedly alerted to a vehicle and searching officers found a bag containing methamphetamine. They arrested the occupants of the vehicle, 27-year-old Joshua Clayton Allen Emery, of Salem, 26-year-old Jonathan Michael Eli, of Salem, and 38-year-old Adrian Richard Jake III, no address listed, for a charge of unlawful possession of methamphetamine each. Jake also reportedly had two outstanding warrants.

Benton County Sheriffs Office

SATURDAY, AUG. 6

DUII: 9:26 p.m., Highway 99W and Payne Road. A deputy arrested Russell Roy Fredrickson, 62, of Corvallis, for a charge of DUII. He reportedly had a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent.

THURSDAY, AUG. 4

DUII: 7:45 p.m., Bellfountain Road and Coon Road. A deputy arrested Steven Wendell Goesman, 71, of Monroe, for charges of DUII and reckless driving. A drug recognition expert concluded Goesman was under the influence of marijuana.
Linn County deputies arrested a man on Sunday night who allegedly intentionally smashed a van into an apartment east of Corvallis and then led authorities on a pursuit to Albany before police punctured the tires of his vehicle.

The crash was reported at about 10:40 p.m. in the 33800 block of Melody Lane, and though the apartment was occupied at the time, no one was injured, according to a news release.

Steven Ray Pugh, 35, of Corvallis, was charged in Linn County Circuit Court on Monday afternoon with first-degree criminal mischief, recklessly endangering another person and felony attempt to elude.

Pugh is a resident of the apartment complex, but the unit he smashed into was not his own.

"He was having some sort of issue with the folks who lived there," said Prosecutor Michael Wynhausen, during Monday's court hearing.

Wynhausen added that the crash did an estimated $30,000 in damage to the apartment building.

Judge Thomas McHill set Pugh's bail at $10,000. "The court is concerned with public safety," he said.

McHill appointed Heidi Sternhagen as defense attorney in the case.

According to the news release, Pugh had driven his gold 1999 Pontiac Montana van around to the back side of an apartment complex and onto the lawn. He then smashed into the back wall of the apartments, causing extensive damage before leaving the scene.

The gas line of the apartment was ruptured, and the Corvallis Fire Department responded to the scene to shut the gas off.

As authorities investigated the case, Pugh drove back to the apartment complex. Deputies attempted to pull him over, but he refused to stop and headed east on Highway 34, reaching top speeds of 55 mph.

When he reached the city limits of Albany, the van was spike-stripped by members of the Albany Police Department. The pursuit continued east on Queen Avenue to Pacific Boulevard, and then east on the Santiam Highway, where Pughs tires began to fall apart.

Pugh lost control of his vehicle and stopped in the parking lot of Pick-A-Part, 4646 Santiam Highway S.E. in Albany.

The Corvallis Police Department, Benton County Sheriffs Office and Oregon State Police also assisted in the case, which remains under investigation.
In a public hearing on Tuesday, the Benton County Board of Commissioners approved a request to change the zoning on two tax lots just north of Corvallis from urban residential to urban commercial.

The lots in question have been used for commercial purposes for many years, but the owners believe the rezone could help them avoid problems down the road.

One property, at 5800 N.W. Highway 99W, holds the City Limits convenience store and gas station. The other, at 5820 N.W. 99W, is the site of the former Lewisburg Auction, a junkyard that was at odds with the county for years over accumulated garbage and toxic substances.

Vernon and Priscilla Esplin bought the old auction yard last year with plans to relocate their business, Buena Vista Arbor Care, to the Lewisburg site. The deal involved paying off a $40,000 county lien on the property and a promise to spruce up the site, which had long been an eyesore.

Despite the long history of commercial use at the site, the underlying zoning is residential. To make sure theyll be able to run their tree care business from the location, the Esplins got together with City Limits owner Clive Harrison to request the zone change.

No one spoke against the request at the hearing, and the commissioners had complimentary things to say about the work the Esplins have already done on improving the property.

I wanted to thank you for the way youve cleaned up the property so far, Commissioner Jay Dixon said. Its the difference between night and day.

Vernon Esplin assured the board he plans to do more with the site as he completes the process of relocating his business.

I know its not landscaped yet, he said, but as the day is long it will be beautiful by the time were done.

The Oregon Department of Transportation had expressed concerns about traffic going in and out of the tree care business, Esplin said, but he worked out an arrangement with the agency to relocate the driveway to the adjoining lot to the north, which is farther from the Lewisburg/Granger Road intersection with 99.

The Esplins own that lot too but did not include it in the zone change request. The issue is complicated because the property is listed as residential in the Corvallis Comprehensive Plan, unlike the other two lots, which are already marked for commercial use in the citys comp plan even though theyre outside the city limits.

Vernon Esplin asked the commissioners to help him work with Corvallis officials to amend the citys comp plan to reflect a commercial use for that part of the property.

The commissioners voted 3-0 to direct county staff to prepare an ordinance implementing the zone change. The ordinance is scheduled for a first reading at the boards next meeting on Sept. 6.

In a second public hearing Tuesday, the commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance amending the animal control provisions of the county code to bring them into line with recent changes to state law.

The new language includes a requirement that animal rescue operations obtain a license from the county. The code was also changed to allow livestock owners to be cited for letting their animals run loose.

License fees and fine amounts will be set at a future meeting.
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.
Do you have a dog? : Controllers will go house to house

BONN In an effort to increase tax income, the city will send out employees to see if residents have registered their dogs.

Teilen

Teilen Weiterleiten

Weiterleiten Tweeten

Tweeten Weiterleiten

Weiterleiten Drucken

Around 9,400 dogs are registered with the City of Bonn. Their owners pay about 1.5 million euro in taxes every year. But the administration believes there are many more dogs out there which are not registered. They want to bring clarity to the situation  and will send controllers door to door to figure out just how many dogs are out there.

Two employees will begin the task in September, starting in Nordstadt (northern Bonn) and making their way through all of the city. Every house and every apartment. Because there are 165,914 households in Bonn, this will take some time, perhaps a few years. But they will search for all illegal dogs, We believe there are around 1,200 dogs that are not registered, said spokesperson Andrea Schulte. If that many more dogs were registered, the city would earn 200,000 euros more in tax income.

Heres how it will work. The city employee will knock on a residents door and ask the occupants if they own a dog. The resident is not required to let the city employee into their house or apartment. If the resident is not there at the time of the visit, a letter will be left behind with a request to fill out the form should there be a dog living there. It will not be allowed for the employee to ask neighbors whether or not a dog is living next door.

For those who have a dog that is not registered, it could be expensive. The fine can go up to 5,000 euros. Schulte said that in practice, however, a fine is normally around 200 euro, depending on how long the dog has been unregistered and how cooperative the owners seem to be.

What are the costs of keeping a dog? Owners pay 162 euros annually for their dog; 210 euros if they have two dogs. Dogs considered to be attack dogs such as pitbulls cost 840 euros in taxes per year. According to the city, there are only three such dogs registered at this time.

Does my dog need to be on a leash? In most areas of Bonn, dogs do need to be kept on a leash. A warning will be issued if a controller sees a dog not on a leash, and a second time there will be a fine of 25 euros.

For registration forms and information about how to register your dog, it is in German on the city website.

If any readers have further information which may be helpful for dog owners, please feel free to post under comments. It might just help out newly arrived dog owners.
Residents receive air quality warning : Major fire at print chemical manufacturer

TROISDORF Black smoke could be seen for miles in the evening sky as fired poured out of a print chemical manufacturing plant in Troisdorf.

Teilen

Teilen Weiterleiten

Weiterleiten Tweeten

Tweeten Weiterleiten

Weiterleiten Drucken

A massive fire broke out Tuesday evening in the hall of the Huber printing chemical manufacturer in Troisdorf. The second highest level of fire alarm was issued. According to spokesperson for the Troisdorf fire department, Tobias Diepenseifen, the fire broke out in the production part of a 40 x 50 meter hall. Luckily, no one was in the hall at the time. The printing colors, which had been stored in the hall, were damaged by the fire. Hazardous chemicals were not leaked in the fire; they had been stored in an area protected by a firewall.

The fire produced a huge cloud of black smoke which could be seen for quite a distance in the early evening sky. Around 200 firefighters were on the scene and the industrial area was cordoned off, and the autobahn exit leading to the area closed. Firefighters said the fire broke out at 7:20 p.m. and they had it under control by around 10:40 p.m. They used a telescopic rod to pump in fire extinguishing foam under the roof.

Because of the concern about chemicals, air quality was tested in Kriegsdorf and the water in Rotter Lake was tested. At 11:30 p.m., an all clear was given by the fire department; no contaminants had been detected. Still, the control center had sent out a warning to residents via siren. They were advised to keep doors and windows closed. The reasoning was that measurements are carried out selectively and that concentration levels in the air could differ throughout the area. Police said it was purely a precaution. Shortly after the fire broke out, warning App NINA sent out an advisory because of the heavy smoke. At 12:15 a.m., an all clear for the entire area was sent out.

Because of the damages sustained in the fire, there is s strong danger of the hall collapsing. Investigators are still examining whether it is safe to enter the hall. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Article

Protecting the worlds oceans  an important goal of Germanys climate diplomacy

The worlds oceans are vital to our survival. They regulate the global climate and are a source of food and income for billions of people. Only a very small part of the seas enjoys legal protection, however. Our diplomats are working in New York right now to change this state of affairs.
clarajancita at 10-08-2016 10:55 AM (6 years ago) (f)

A murder investigation has been launched after a teenager was stabbed to death at a house party in Peckham, London, days before he was due to go to Nigeria on holiday with his family.

A murder investigation has been launched after a teenager was stabbed to death at a house party in Peckham, London, days before he was due to go to Nigeria on holiday with his family. Leoandro Osemeke popularly known as Showkey, a 16-year-old musician was found with knife wounds to his upper body after police were called to a disturbance near a large house party at Colgrove Road on Friday August 5, at 7.19pm. Despite paramedics' efforts to save him, the teen died at the scene.

Footage taken at the scene shows police working to save the victim who was slumped bleeding on the ground while a crowd of distressed teenagers gather around. Southwark police, who are investigating the murder have retrieved multiple weapons from the scene.



A 15-year-old was arrested today on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody, Metropolitan Police said.

Tributes have poured out for the victim, who is the fifth teen this year to have been knifed to death in the capital. His family has been devastated by his death, which came days before they were due to go to Nigeria on holidays. His father Emmanuel said: We are in mourning . We will all miss Leoandro deeply. He was highly talented and intelligent and loved by many."

Leoandro Osemeke popularly known as Showkey, a 16-year-old musician was found with knife wounds to his upper body after police were called to a disturbance near a large house party at Colgrove Road on Friday August 5, at 7.19pm. Despite paramedics' efforts to save him, the teen died at the scene.Footage taken at the scene shows police working to save the victim who was slumped bleeding on the ground while a crowd of distressed teenagers gather around. Southwark police, who are investigating the murder have retrieved multiple weapons from the scene.A 15-year-old was arrested today on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody, Metropolitan Police said.Tributes have poured out for the victim, who is the fifth teen this year to have been knifed to death in the capital. His family has been devastated by his death, which came days before they were due to go to Nigeria on holidays. His father Emmanuel said: We are in mourning . We will all miss Leoandro deeply. He was highly talented and intelligent and loved by many." Quote "My son was a wonderful boy and never in any trouble. He was heading for a career in music, he was a great writer and a true talent. He wanted to be remembered as a legend and he will be for us."



Leoandros mother added: He was an amazing son.

Flowers have been left outside the Woodpecker community centre in New Cross.

His godbrother said: "People in the community wanted to pay tribute to them together because they were both good friends. We are all asking ourselves why this keeps happening."



Leoandro, who released songs and mixtapes under the name Showkey, was a pupil at Addey and Stanhope School in New Cross and had been due to collect his GCSE results this month. He was planning to study music at college and had been tipped for success in the music industry.



His older brother, who performs under the name Slimzy, paid tribute to his best friend, right- and left-hand man. He wrote on social media:

"Your legacy remains, and you linked with M-Dot [Myron] earlier than expected but just know Im there for you. I wish I was close enough to you when it happened so I could protect you but I wasnt. I know you had plans for the future and will definitely see each other one day.



Dajo Dele-Ojo, one of his former teachers, told the Standard: "Im in complete shock. He was a good student and worked hard and had a real talent for music

Showkeys manager, Junior Anim, told the Standard the teenager was Leoandros mother added: He was an amazing son.Flowers have been left outside the Woodpecker community centre in New Cross.His godbrother said: "People in the community wanted to pay tribute to them together because they were both good friends. We are all asking ourselves why this keeps happening."Leoandro, who released songs and mixtapes under the name Showkey, was a pupil at Addey and Stanhope School in New Cross and had been due to collect his GCSE results this month. He was planning to study music at college and had been tipped for success in the music industry.His older brother, who performs under the name Slimzy, paid tribute to his best friend, right- and left-hand man. He wrote on social media:"Your legacy remains, and you linked with M-Dot [Myron] earlier than expected but just know Im there for you. I wish I was close enough to you when it happened so I could protect you but I wasnt. I know you had plans for the future and will definitely see each other one day.Dajo Dele-Ojo, one of his former teachers, told the Standard: "Im in complete shock. He was a good student and worked hard and had a real talent for musicShowkeys manager, Junior Anim, told the Standard the teenager was Quote "just like any other young boy, full of energy with big dreams and aspirations. "His talent was undeniable and he would have been successful in music or any other trade or skill he put his mind to"

Friends of the boy have shared pictures of messages on social media suggesting that he "knew" he would be stabbed. One, apparently written by the rapper, read:

"Road life is mad. Anything could happen. Man could get stabbed or anything. But if I am going to die I'm going to be a f****** legend.



Emotional posts were written by friends of the rapper, including Grime artists Novelist and Giggs. The killing comes months after Myron Issac-Yarde, a 17-year-old rapper and friend of Showkey who went by the name MDot, was killed in New Cross.

After Mdot's funeral, Showkey recorded a moving rap tribute in which he said:

"Wrong time wrong place wrong person."



Speaking of the night Mdot was stabbed, he added: "That night was tragic, paramedics trying to tell me 'don't panic'.

A statement released by the Metropolitan Police yesterday, August 9, reads:

Emotional posts were written by friends of the rapper, including Grime artists Novelist and Giggs. The killing comes months after Myron Issac-Yarde, a 17-year-old rapper and friend of Showkey who went by the name MDot, was killed in New Cross.After Mdot's funeral, Showkey recorded a moving rap tribute in which he said:Speaking of the night Mdot was stabbed, he added: "That night was tragic, paramedics trying to tell me 'don't panic'.A statement released by the Metropolitan Police yesterday, August 9, reads: Quote "A boy appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court, today, Tuesday, 9 August, accused of the murder of a teenager. The 15-year-old was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, 10 August, accused of the murder of Leoandro Osemeke, 16, of Peckham. The incident happened on Colegrove Road, Peckham, at 19:19hrs on Friday, 5 August following reports of a disturbance."

Post Reply I am a metro reporter on Gistmania, I have been publishing news materials for over 5 years Posted: at 10-08-2016 10:55 AM (6 years ago) | Hero
Supreme Leader appreciates services of Intelligence Ministry

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Aug 9, IRNA -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Tuesday appreciated services of the intelligence ministry to safeguard national security.

The Supreme Leader made the remarks in a meeting with Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi and senior officials of the ministry.

The Supreme Leader acknowledged the timely endeavors and devotion of personnel of the intelligence ministry, saying that the Intelligence Ministry drove to failure plots of the global arrogance.

The Supreme Leader said the Intelligence Ministry has successfully thwarted various plots masterminded by global arrogance to strike a blow to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Supreme Leader made clear that any measures leading to weakening of government of the Islamic Republic of Iran is regarded as treason.

'Intelligence ministry is the hardcore of the Islamic Republic of Iran and should remain invulnerable in carrying out the task.'

The Supreme Leader also advised the ministry officials to spare no efforts to bring up committed and revolutionary generation in line with the values of the Islamic revolution.

'There is no room for compromise with the global arrogance led by the US as among main principles dictated by late Imam Khoemeini.'

Intelligence ministry should also play significant role in implementation of the resistance economy and preventing financial frauds, the Supreme Leader said.

Prior to the Supreme Leader's remarks, the intelligence minister presented a report to the Supreme Leader about activities of his ministry.

1430**1416

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Duterte bares more than 150 names of judges, military, police, lawmakers linked to illegal drugs

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 10:37, August 07, 2016

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday bared more than 150 names of judges, military, police and lawmakers who are allegedly linked to the alarming drug menace in the Philippines.

In a news conference in Davao City in the early hours on Sunday morning, Duterte said there are an estimated 600,000 Filipinos who are drug addicts, pushers and users nationwide.

"I grieve for my country," Duterte said, lamenting that the drug problem has worsened "because government personnel were into it."

Duterte read the long list of names during the news conference that lasted two hours, ordering those he named to report to their mother units within 24 hours. Some of those he named were retired police officers and former local officials from all over the country.

"You are hereby relieved of your duty and immediately report to your mother units," he said. "I'd like to give you the advice: once you hear your name mentioned here you are now relieved of your present assignments."

He also ordered the cancellation of "any and all" firearm permits and licenses issues to them cancelled immediately.

He said judges should report to the Supreme Court, the local government officials to the Department of Interior and Local Government, and the military and the police to their superiors in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)and the Philippine National Police (PNP)within 24 hours.

"If you do not do that I will order the AFP and the entire PNP to hunt for you," Duterte said.

Duterte also ordered to remove the "operational authority" over the military and police officials assigned to mayors and other local government officials he named.

Duterte also named Iloilo, a province in the central Philippines as the most "shabulized" province in the country, referring to the magnitude and extent of methamphetamine use in the region.

He said those names that made it to the list that he read had been validated. "I am the sole person responsible," he said.

On July 5, Duterte also named at least five police generals who are allegedly "protectors of illegal drug syndicates" operating in the country. The police officers are now being investigated.

Since the names of the five generals were bared at least four local officials or former local officials have submitted themselves to the police for further verification. Some have admitted using illegal drugs but denied allegations they are protectors.

Duterte has intensified his war against criminals, especially drug lords. He has also repeatedly warned these drug lords who are preying on the youths of the land, warning that "it's going to be a dirty and bloody fight."

Since he assumed the presidency on June 30, Duterte has ordered the police to crack the whip on drug lords and their protectors that allegedly include police officers and even the so-called "narco politicians."

So far, the media has recorded at least 600 people who were killed in the campaign against illegal drugs. The death toll continues to rise, causing human rights groups to demand an investigation into the unabated extra-judicial killings.

A couple of senators said they plan to initiate an investigation into the spate of vigilante-like killings of people who were marked as pushers and addicts whose bodies are dumped in the streets.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Air Force and Navy Medical Teams Integrate at Sea

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160809-04

Release Date: 8/9/2016 8:13:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Adam Austin, USS Wasp (LHD 1) Public Affairs

GULF OF ADEN (NNS) -- Airmen from the U.S. Air Force 379th Expeditionary Medical Group (EMG), Mobile Field Surgical Team (MFST) and Expeditionary Critical Care Team (ECCT) are embarked aboard amphibious transport dock USS San Antonio (LPD 17).

The group will augment and train with the ship's existing medical personnel to provide additional surgical capabilities for the ship while in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

"We typically go out on short missions, set up shop, and provide immediate damage control surgery and resuscitations," said Air Force Maj. Brian Layton, general surgeon for the MSFT. "We provide surgical care at or near the front lines, bringing care to the troops before flying them to larger facilities."

The six-member MSFT consists of a general surgeon, emergency physician, orthopedic surgeon, anesthesiologist, operating room nurse and an operating room technician. The ECCT is made up of an internal medicine/critical care physician, respiratory technician, and critical care nurse.

Together, San Antonio, MSFT and ECCT create a frontline, mission-ready medical care team that strengthens the relationship between the Air Force and Navy. For most members of the MSFT and ECCT, this is the first time they've been aboard a U.S. Navy vessel.

"Even though they've never been on a ship, they took to it like a fish to water," said Lt. Kaitlyn Mula, San Antonio senior medical officer. "They work with the same equipment they work with on land, so their jobs and area of expertise haven't changed."

The joint partnership has been tested since their arrival with mass casualty and medical emergency drills -- exercises designed to improve medical response time and to share techniques and best practices between the two services.

"While [we] emergency medicine folks are ready to resuscitate and stop the bleeding, the surgeons are looking one step ahead on how to definitively fix the person," said Mula. "They help us in learning how to do our primary assessment in a way that's going to help the patient once they get to the operating room."

With daily training and improved communication, the Navy and Air Force have created a seamless team aboard.

"The teamwork has been very good," said Layton. "I've been very impressed with the Navy side. The mass casualty drills we've been doing have been the smoothest I've ever seen."

The 379th EMG operates a 10-bed hospital, provides primary care to over 8,000 U.S. and coalition partners, and serves as a surgical referral facility for U.S. Central Command. In addition, it is U.S. Central Command's primary expeditionary medical asset.

San Antonio is deployed as part of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) to conduct maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

The Wasp ARG is comprised of Commander, Amphibious Squadron 6, the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1), San Antonio, and amphibious dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41).

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






USS Whidbey Island Transits Suez Canal

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160809-02

Release Date: 8/9/2016 8:04:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan R. McDonald, USS Wasp (LHD 1) Public Affairs

RED SEA (NNS) -- Amphibious dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41), with embarked U.S. Marines of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), transited the Suez Canal and entered the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, Aug. 7.

Navigating the 120-mile-long canal is no easy task, requiring hours of diligent planning, according to Lt. j.g. Jacqueline Brecklin, Whidbey Island's navigator.

"The Suez Canal is navigationally and operationally a huge undertaking, and truly an all-hands evolution," said Brecklin. "Much of our crew was at full power for 15 or more hours. With the dedication of Supply Department feeding us, Deck Department driving us, Navigation Department guiding us, SCAT (small-caliber attack team) protecting us, we had a smooth and safe transit through this unique passage."

The ship's security forces shoulder a lot of responsibility during strait transits, safeguarding the Sailors and Marines aboard.

"We rely heavily on our SCAT team, along with our embarked Marines, to provide a 360-degree security blanket," said Chief Master-at-Arms Joshua Amaral, gun liaison officer aboard Whidbey Island. "I have never had more faith in the pride and professionalism of this group of Sailors and Marines."

The Suez Canal is a man-made waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea and is one of the world's busiest shipping channels. It is the only water route from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean without traveling south around the continent of Africa.

While in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, Whidbey Island will be supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. Available expeditionary Navy and Marine Corps forces stand ready aboard ships to assure allies, deter potential adversaries and provide persistent U.S. presence.

The Wasp Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) is comprised of Whidbey Island; Commander, Amphibious Squadron 6; the 22nd MEU; amphibious transport dock USS San Antonio (LPD 17) and amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1).

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Readout of Pacific Fleet commander's meeting with PLA Navy North Sea Fleet commander

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160809-01

Release Date: 8/9/2016 6:47:00 AM

From U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs

QINGDAO, China (NNS) -- Adm. Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, visited the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy North Sea Fleet headquarters where he met with fleet commander Vice Adm. Yuan Yubai, Aug. 8. Swift joined Yuan on a tour of the PLA(N) frigate Daqing (FFG 576) the following day.

The meetings occurred during Swift's travel to Qingdao and Beijing for senior leader engagements and coincided with the guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold's port visit to Qingdao.

Swift thanked his hosts for their warm hospitality and highlighted the PLA(N)'s participation as one of 26 navies in the recent U.S. Navy-led multilateral Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise held off the coast of Hawai'i and southern California. Swift underscored the importance of the spirit of inclusiveness that is a hallmark of RIMPAC, a unique forum that allows a growing number of navies to set differences aside and train together as maritime professionals. Swift also praised the improvement of the PLA(N), returning for their second RIMPAC, as one of the relatively new participants in the 25th edition of the exercise that began in 1971. One of the areas the PLA(N) trained in during this year's RIMPAC was submarine rescue, included in the exercise for the first time.

Reiterating comments he made when meeting last year with the commander of the PLA (N), Adm. Wu Shengli, Swift emphasized to Yuan the importance of transparency, parity and reciprocity in the effort to improve the relationship between the Pacific Fleet and the PLA(N). Swift remarked that sustained navy-to-navy engagements, including exercises like RIMPAC, port visits by ships like Benfold and professional exchanges like his visit to North Sea Fleet, were essential building blocks toward increasing cooperation and reducing tensions at sea. Swift noted that Qingdao was where the multilateral Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) protocol was signed by regional navies, including the U.S. Navy and PLA(N), during the 2014 Western Pacific Naval Symposium, and that both navies had demonstrated the value of CUES several times in international waters. Swift advocated for the expansion of CUES to include all regional naval forces, including coast guards.

Swift and Yuan also discussed operations at sea. Swift commented that despite any differences in national policies, it is incumbent upon fleet commanders like himself and Yuan to ensure that actions at the tactical level do not have unintended strategic implications.

Yuan later joined Swift aboard Benfold for a visit with the ship's crew and a reception hosted by the ship to highlight the cooperation between the two navies.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






USS Boxer Completes South China Sea Patrol

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160809-17

Release Date: 8/9/2016 1:26:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Matthew N. Jackson, USS Boxer (LHD 4) Public Affairs

SOUTH CHINA SEA (NNS) -- Amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) completed a routine patrol in international waters of the South China Sea Aug. 6.

The U.S Navy conducts lawful and routine patrols throughout the Western Pacific year-round. Another ship from the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49), completed a similar patrol Aug. 4.

"Our routine presence here helps promote the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea and airspace guaranteed to all countries," said Capt. Patrick Foege, commander of Amphibious Squadron 1. "The crew of Boxer conducted the transit professionally and without incident, and we were grateful for the opportunity to do our part to ensure these critical waterways remain open to everyone."

The patrol followed Boxer's port visit to Singapore during which Sailors and Marines participated in military-to-military subject matter expert exchanges with the Republic of Singapore navy, Aug. 2. The exchanges allowed Sailors and Marines to share tactics and capabilities with their Singaporean counterparts.

USS Boxer (LHD 4), flagship of the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, with amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans (LPD 18), amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and the embarked 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the Western Pacific in support of security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

While in 7th Fleet, the Boxer ARG and 13th MEU are assigned to Commander, Amphibious Force U.S. 7th Fleet, the Navy's only forward-deployed amphibious force, headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






200 UAE-trained pro-Hadi forces enter Yemen

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 9, 2016 3:38PM

Some 200 Saudi-backed Yemeni troops, who were trained by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have arrived in the southern Yemeni island of Socotra.

Yemeni media reported on Monday that the 200 made up the first UAE-trained group of forces loyal to the resigned Yemeni president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.

Meanwhile, Salim Abdullah, the governor of Socotra Province, housing the Indian Ocean isle of Socotra, hailed the UAE role in instructing the pro-Hadi troops.

Last year, the UAE drew up a secret plan to enhance the capabilities of the Saudi-backed Yemeni soldiers in Eritrea in the Horn of Africa.

According to some Yemeni sources, many pro-Hadi forces have joined terrorist groups such as Daesh and al-Qaeda.

Back in February, Hadi rented out Socotra, a small archipelago of four Indian Ocean islands, to the UAE for 99 years in an attempt to get Abu Dhabi's support amid the ongoing conflict in Yemen.

The UAE has deployed mercenaries with the infamous US security firm, formerly known as Blackwater and now called Academi, to Yemen in support of the Saudi war on the impoverished country.

The UAE has been part of the Saudi-led coalition targeting Yemen in a deadly military campaign. In June, however, the UAE announced an end to its military operations in Yemen, noting that it may continue to keep forces there for what it claimed to be "counter-terrorism operations."

The UAE had been suffering heavy casualties in Yemen. Last September, the kingdom confirmed that at least 52 of its soldiers were killed when Ansarullah fighters and allied fighters from Popular Committees fired a barrage of missiles at Saudi-led foreign troopers in the central province of Ma'rib. Several Emirati helicopters and fighter jets have also crashed in Yemen.

Yemen has seen almost daily military attacks by Saudi Arabia since late March 2015, with internal sources putting the toll from the bloody aggression at about 10,000. The offensive was launched to crush the Houthis and allies and restore power to Hadi, a staunch ally of Riyadh.

The Houthi Ansarullah fighters took state matters into their own hands after the resignation and escape of Hadi, which threw Yemen into a state of uncertainty and threatened a total security breakdown in the country, where an al-Qaeda affiliate is present.

Yemeni retaliatory attacks deal blow to Saudis

In a relevant development on Tuesday, Yemeni army forces backed by fighters from allied Popular Committees thwarted attacks by Saudi mercenaries in a district in the province of Sana'a, Arabic-language al-Masirah TV reported.

According to the report, the retaliatory attacks by Yemeni forces have killed at least 100 Saudi mercenaries over the past three days.

Yemeni army snipers and allied fighters further killed a Saudi soldier in an attack on a military base in the kingdom's southwestern region of Jizan.

Additionally, the Yemeni armed forces launched rocket attacks on a Saudi missile launch pad elsewhere in Jizan and destroyed a military vehicle there. The assaults further left several Saudi soldiers dead and injured.

Centers of gathering belonging to Saudi forces in Jizan as well as Sana'a were also hit in similar rocket attacks.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






China Building Up Military Presence at South China Sea Disputed Islands

Sputnik News

07:30 09.08.2016

Recent satellite photos reveal that China is building up its military presence at the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea, according to media reports.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The photos collected and studied by the Center for Strategic and International Studies showed that China constructed reinforced aircraft hangars at Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief Reefs, which are parts of the disputed islands, The New York Times daily newspaper reported.

"They [hangars] are far thicker than you would build for any civilian purpose. They're reinforced to take a strike," Gregory Poling, director of the center's Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, told The New York Times.

Such hangars can reportedly accommodate any Chinese fighter jet and even some types of bombers.

Beijing's territorial claims to the Spratly Islands, which are believed to be rich in oil and gas reserves, run counter to those of the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam.

On July 12, a UN-appointed arbitration court in the Hague ruled that there was no basis to the Beijing's claim to extensive territories in the South China Sea, after the Philippines filed a case in January 2013 accusing Beijing of violating the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea by its actions in the South China Sea.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






B-2s conduct deployment to Indo-Asia-Pacific

U.S. Strategic Command Public Affairs

8/9/2016

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Three B-2 Spirits deployed from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, to Andersen AFB, Guam, in the U.S. Pacific Command area of operations August 9.

U.S. Strategic Command bombers regularly rotate through the Indo-Asia-Pacific to conduct USPACOM-led air operations, providing leaders with deterrent options to maintain regional stability. During this short-term deployment, the B-2s will conduct local and regional training sorties, and will integrate capabilities with key regional partners, ensuring bomber crews maintain a high state of readiness and crew proficiency.

"Our strategic bomber force routinely operates around the globe and with our regional allies and partners, and this deployment is one such demonstration of the U.S. commitment to supporting global and regional security," said Adm. Cecil D. Haney, U.S. Strategic Command commander. "Bomber training missions ensure crews maintain a high state of readiness and proficiency and demonstrate our ability to provide an always-ready global strike capability, whenever and wherever we are called to do so."

"Bomber aircraft provide the USPACOM area of responsibility with an effective deterrent capability, ensuring the regional security and stability of the U.S. and our allies and partners," said Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy, Pacific Air Forces commander. "These bomber deployments visibly demonstrate our readiness and commitment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region."

U.S. Strategic Command routinely demonstrates its capability to command, control and conduct global bomber missions, most recently by deploying B-52s to RAF Fairford, UK, in May and June, where the bombers participated in U.S. European Command Exercises BALTOPS and SABER STRIKE. Additionally, earlier this month, B-52s and B-2s from all three of the U.S.'s strategic bomber bases completed a mission coined "POLAR ROAR," where the bombers flew simultaneous flights to the Arctic, the Baltic Sea and Alaska. B-2s last deployed to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region in March.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






INTERVIEW: UN senior advisor discusses blueprint to strengthen global responses for refugees and migrants

9 August 2016  Following five months of negotiations, United Nations Member States agreed on 2 August by consensus upon a political declaration that will serve as the basis for discussions and the outcome of the first-ever UN Summit on Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants which will be held, on 19 September, at UN Headquarters in New York.

The document that will be put before the Heads of State and Government and other representatives at the General Assembly's Summit paves the way for global compacts on greater responsibility-sharing based on a comprehensive refugee response framework, and a range of principles, commitments and understandings among Member States regarding international migration in all its dimensions.

The UN Summit and the proposed commitments by Member States come as the number of people displaced from their homes due to conflict and persecution last year exceeded 60 million for the first time in the Organization's history. The Global Trends 2015 report compiled by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) notes that 65.3 million people were displaced at the end of 2015, a tally that comprised 21.3 million refugees, 3.2 million asylum seekers, and 40.8 million people internally displaced within their own countries.

Yesterday, the UN News Centre spoke with Karen AbuZayd, Special Adviser on the Summit on Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants on the outcome document and the effort to bring countries together behind a more humane and coordinated approach.

UN News Centre: To start off, could you tell us your reactions to the outcome document?

Karen AbuZayd: I am very pleased with the outcome document. As you know, it was the result of consensus by 193 Member States led by the co-facilitators, the Ambassadors of Ireland and Jordan. The facilitators did a fantastic job [] in bringing the 193 States together to say what they said and to offer the things to the refugees and the migrants, and the host countries [] a lot of new things that will make a big difference.

UN News Centre: What are your thoughts on the criticism that it is weak and that it could have been stronger?

Karen AbuZayd: Well, I think, of course it could have been stronger. Our document, which was used to build toward the outcome document, probably had some more recommendations in it that we would have liked to have seen, but all in all, what we achieved was quite extraordinary and the outcome document gives many things.

I don't know why [there is criticism that the outcome] is not strong. There could be some things that are not there that could have been, but all the commitments that are there use very strong language that the Member States agreed by consensus [and] are determined to do. They are acknowledging things, they are saying that they are going to go ahead and [take measures], and many intend to do as well. On the whole, they have agreed to a number of new actions that they will take on behalf of refugees and migrants. We should be happy about this and embrace it.

UN News Centre: How do you feel about the fact that the Secretary-General's recommendation on resettling 10 per cent of the refugees was not included?

Karen AbuZayd: I would like people to look at that in context. In 2015, for example, UNHCR submitted names for resettlement of 135,000 refugees. UNHCR said what it would like to do - and we put it in the [working draft] document - is resettle 10 per cent of the refugees every year. Now there are 21 million refugees this year - that means two million to be resettled.

This is an extraordinary ask, even logistically, getting countries to agree, going through country procedures to move two million refugees. What is in the document is 1.09 million refugees to be resettled. One million refugees, that is half of what we said, but it is nine times more than the 135,000 that were able to be resettled last year. I think we should be very glad that this very large number is in the document.

UN News Centre: How will this document feed into the summit in September?

Karen AbuZayd: It is a basis for the discussions. And since the 193 States have agreed to it, it means that the commitments that are in there, which they said they want to carry out, will be what comes out of the Summit in September.

UN News Centre: Before we conclude, is there any you would like to add?

Karen AbuZayd: I'd just like everyone to look at the positive side of this. If we begin to say it's weak, it's meaningless and so on - first, it's not true, it's not weak - there are some very strong things in there and it is certainly meaningful.

For any refugee or a refugee child, in particular, there are so many new things: getting rid of refugee camps; putting refugee children in school soon after they get to where they are going; to have better reception at borders; to work together globally and collectively to bring in international financial institutions immediately; for UNHCR to devise a plan on every major outflow of refugees; and to have a process that is going to begin immediately on having a global compact for migrants as well. So both refugees and migrants will benefit if all of the things that are in that document are achieved.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Ethiopia Protests Highlight Growing Solidarity Between Oromia, Amhara Regions

by Jill Craig August 09, 2016

The death toll from weekend protests in Ethiopia has climbed to nearly 100, by some accounts. Hundreds of people have also reportedly been arrested and many have been injured.

Protests in the Oromia and Amhara regions on Saturday and Sunday left dozens dead and hundreds injured. Amnesty International puts the number of fatalities at 97.

Opposition parties and human rights groups say Ethiopian security forces opened fire on anti-government protesters who were unarmed and peaceful.

The government tells a different story, saying some protesters carried lethal weapons, including explosives, and that the opposition was organizing "unauthorized protests by forces of violence."

Different grievances

Despite their simultaneous demonstrations, the Oromo and Amhara do not have the same grievances, says Fisseha Tekle, a human rights researcher at Amnesty International's regional office.

"In Oromia region, the immediate cause for the protest was about the master plan, that expanded the border of the city to Oromia. And in Amhara region, it is about the unrest of the five members of the Wolqait Identity and Self-Determination Committee. These are the immediate causes that have sparked the demonstration and the opposition rallies."

In the Oromia region, people began protesting in November 2015 against a government "master plan" that would annex parts of their land to Addis Ababa, the capital city. The plan was officially put on hold, but people have still been demonstrating. In the weekend violence, Amnesty International says at least 67 people were killed in 12 cities and towns.

In the Amhara region, reports suggest at least 30 people were killed in the capital, Bahir Dar, over the weekend. The opposition had cancelled a planned rally after saying officials did not give authorization, but protesters still came out to support the Oromia people and ask the government to address local issues.

One grievance had already surfaced in July, when security forces tried to arrest a leader of the Wolqait Identity and Self-Determination Committee on alleged terrorism charges.

The Wolqait administrative district was formerly part of the Amhara region until 1991, when the ruling party took charge. In subsequent years, it has demanded reintegration.

Fred Nyabera works with child anti-poverty group Arigatou International. He believes that the common bond between the Oromo and the Amhara is their inability to express the grievances to the government.

"I think partly, according to my thinking, is that there's been a shrinking space for civil society organizations and alternative voices in Ethiopia generally. And people might have different grievances but they don't have a place to air it out," he said.

Coming together

Awol Allo, a fellow in human rights at the London School of Economics, says that the groups are now starting to come together, after historically being pitted against one another.

"But what really happened over the course of the last one year is that people on both sides tried to come together and sort out the things that prevent them from having a conversation with one another so there are already very interesting expressions of solidarity between the Oromos and the Amharas," said Allo.

But no one, including Amnesty's Fisseha Tekle, is quite sure what the future will hold.

"It depends on the government. If the government is going to let the people demonstrate, and express their opinion, the situation will kind of improve. If the government is going to continue the use of excessive force, the situation will remain dire or it may even degenerate," said Fisseha Tekle,

The government continues to warn against protests, which it says could lead to destabilization.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Chinese railway transportation falls short of military demand

People's Daily Online

(People's Daily Online) 13:28, August 09, 2016

China's rapidly-developing railway system has yet to meet the military's demand for transportation, a newspaper affiliated with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) admitted, after photos of PLA soldiers traveling in boxcars triggered online discontent.

The photos, which began to proliferate online in mid-July, show soldiers sitting on the floor of what appears to be a boxcar. Some were also sitting on hard seats, while other photos reveal soldiers crammed uncomfortably into sleeping cars. The soldiers were allegedly on their way back from a military drill in northwestern China, according to a China National Radio Weibo post, which could no longer be found as of press time.

The photos immediately triggered outrage among Chinese netizens, who criticized the poor conditions as outdated and hard on the soldiers, even though some self-identified veterans commented that traveling in boxcars was in fact more comfortable.

In response, China National Defense, a newspaper affiliated with PLA Daily, said the troops were forced to travel in boxcars during their ad hoc mission due to inadequate railway capacity.

"It is undeniable that military transportation infrastructure and capacity has developed rapidly thanks to support from railway authorities. Many breakthroughs have been made to increase the speed and comfort of military transportation," the newspaper noted, adding that Chinese troops travel through more than 20 regions in China and Russia every year via rail.

"However, the railway construction still falls short of military transportation requirements, especially in western China, where railway transportation is inadequate," the article noted, suggesting increased government investment and integration between civilian and military transport companies to improve the current conditions.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iraqi defense minister survives assassination attempt

Iran Press TV

Mon Aug 8, 2016 10:48PM

Iraqi Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi has survived an assassination attempt during a trip to the county's northern regions.

Obeidi's motorcade was targeted by mortar fire on Monday during a visit to a military operations center in Nineveh, said a statement released on the Iraqi Defense Ministry's website.

No casualties have been reported from the incident, but the statement notes that the armored vehicle carrying Obeidi was hit by a mortar and sustained some damage.

The minister's security detail retaliated and opened fire at the point where the attack originated.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but some local news outlets suggest it was carried out by the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group.

Obeidi is due for a parliament vote of confidence because he recently accused the parliament speaker and several MPs of corruption.

A subpoena was issued after Obeidi was summoned to the parliament on August 1 to respond to blackmail allegations that were brought up by lawmaker Alia Nasayif.

During the closed parliament session, however, the defense minister accused House Speaker Salim al-Juburi, and at least five other lawmakers, including Nasayif herself, of corruption.

The lawmakers accused the Defense Ministry of wasting billions of dollars in public funds and weakening the country's armed forces in their fight against Daesh.

Obeidi has to present evidence to prove the charges he brought up against the lawmakers.

Iraq has been engaged in the fight against Daesh terrorists since the summer of 2014, when the militants took control of the major city of Mosul in the north of the country and some other areas in the country.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iraqi Defense Minister Unharmed After Assassination Attempt Near Mosul

Sputnik News

12:59 09.08.2016

Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled Obaidi has survived an assassination attempt near Iraq's second-largest city of Mosul in the north of the country, escaping uninjured, the Iraqi Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The minister's convoy was attacked near Qayyarah Airfield in the Nineveh Governorate, with the attackers using mortars, the ministry said.

The ministry has not named the group responsible for the attack, adding that no one traveling in the defense minister's convoy was killed or injured.

Iraqi forces are carrying out operations in the Nineveh Governorate in preparation for an assault on Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city that has been under Daesh control since 2014.

Daesh, a militant jihadist group outlawed in many countries, including Russia, overran large parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014 amid the ongoing civil war in Syria.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Libyan forces retake new area from Daesh in Sirte

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 9, 2016 9:32AM

Fighters affiliated with Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) have recaptured a new area in Sirte as they push ahead with their military operation to fully liberate the Daesh-held city.

The GNA said on Monday that its fighters managed to capture a new sector near the Daesh command center, east of al-Dollar District in Sirte, following intense clashes with the Takfiri terrorists.

"Our forces have targeted Daesh snipers and their mines," the GNA said in a statement on Monday.

Libyan forces had been fighting for the area since Thursday.

They launched a large-scale military operation in May to retake Sirte, which fell to Daesh last year. They entered the city in June and have managed to retake several residential districts since then.

Libyan troops have also been struck and slowed down as the Takfiri militants hit back with sniper fire, car bombs and attacks.

The fighters, however, have vowed to liberate the whole city in an operation, for which they are getting prepared.

Foreign forces from several Western countries, including the United States, France and Britain, are in Libya in a purported fight against Daesh.

In May, both Washington and London confirmed the presence of their troops in Libya.

The GNA, which is recognized as the legitimate government of Libya by the US, France, Britain and the Unite Nations, denounced the presence of foreign troops and described the intervention as the violation of the county's sovereignty.

The North African country has been the scene of violence since a NATO military intervention followed the 2011 uprising that led to the toppling and killing of the longtime dictator, Muammar Gaddafi.

Daesh has taken advantage of the chaos gripping the country to strengthen its foothold there.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Putin Submits Accord to Damascus for Russian Air Force Deployment to Syria

Sputnik News

11:46 09.08.2016

Russian President Vladimir Putin has submitted an agreement with Damascus on the deployment of a Russian air force group in Syria for ratification by the lower house of parliament, an entry in the official database of the State Duma confirmed Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On July 29, the Russian cabinet approved the accord on the deployment of the Russian air force group in Syria, and submitted to Putin for its further referral to the lower house of parliament for approval, according to a legislative act published on the official portal for legal information.

It is noted in the text that the Hmeymim air facility in Syria, its infrastructure and territory are granted to Russia free of charge.

The agreement was signed in Damascus on August 26, 2015.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Syrian forces, militants bolster ranks before battle of Aleppo

Iran Press TV

Mon Aug 8, 2016 8:43PM

Syrian government troops and militants besieged in Aleppo are bracing for a final battle to gain control of the city, says a UK-based monitoring group.

"Both sides are amassing their fighters in preparation for the great battle of Aleppo," said the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Rami Abdel Rahman on Monday.

Some 2,000 soldiers have joined the ranks of government troops, who have besieged militant-held areas in the northwestern Syrian city, he added.

A report published is Syria's al-Watan daily also noted that the army had received "the necessary military reinforcements to launch the battle to retake the areas from which it withdrew," adding that, a crucial attack on the terrorists was "imminent... and inevitable."

In the meantime, the foreign-backed militants are calling in support from other parts of the country in an attempt to bolster their ranks before the battle.

Over the last few days, fierce clashes have been underway in and around the northern Syrian city between government forces and terrorists trying to end a siege on militant-held areas. Aleppo has been divided since 2012 between government forces in the west and the militants in the east.

According to military sources, large numbers of terrorists have been killed and many others have sustained injuries in heavy fighting over the past few days. A large number of vehicles as well as equipment belonging to the militants have also been destroyed.

Russian bombs hit terrorists near Palmyra

Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry has announced that bombers launched from Russian soil carried out successful strikes against Daesh targets near the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra.

"On August 8, 2016, six Tu-22M3 long-range bombers, coming from Russian territory, performed a concentrated airstrike with high-explosive ammunition against the facilities of Daesh in areas east and northwest of Palmyra, near the settlements of Es Sukhne and Arak," said a statement released by the ministry.

It noted that a Takfiri headquarters and a large training camp were destroyed in the raids.

"In the area surrounding Palmyra and Arak, control centers, underground storage of ammunition and weaponry, three infantry fighting vehicles, 12 off-road vehicles with heavy machine guns and a large number of enemy personnel were destroyed," said the statement.

The Syrian army, backed by volunteer forces and Russian air cover, wrested back control of Palmyra from Takfiri militants on March 27 following four weeks of military operations against Daesh.

On September 30, 2015, Russia launched an air campaign against Daesh and other terrorist groups upon a request by the Damascus government. Later in mid-March, the bulk of Russian military forces were withdrawn from Syria.

Elsewhere in the country, Syrian forces retook the strategic Shilif Castle which overlooks the Kinsabba mountain range in the western province of Latakia.

The castle was cleared of militants after fierce fighting broke out between government forces and militants in the town of Kinsabba.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that over 400,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






83 Daesh oil tankers destroyed in Syria airstrike: US

Iran Press TV

Mon Aug 8, 2016 8:21PM

The Pentagon says 83 oil tankers used by the Daesh terrorist group have been destroyed in a US-led coalition airstrike in eastern Syria over the weekend.

According to Pentagon spokesman Matthew Allen, the air raid was conducted by "multiple coalition aircraft" on Sunday evening near Albu Kamal, in Deir Ezzor province along Syria's border with Iraq.

"This strike is a component of ongoing Tidal Wave II operation designed to attack the distribution network of Daesh's oil-smuggling operation and degrade their capacity to fund their operations," Allen said Monday.

Operation Tidal Wave II, which was named after a World War II mission to bomb oil refineries, has witnessed the US-led coalition carry out a series of raids on Daesh's oil infrastructure.

Coalition planes involved in two strikes last year struck and razed about 400 tankers lined up in the desert to be filled with illicit oil.

Prior to those strikes, the United States dropped pamphlets, warning drivers of the imminent strike as the Pentagon said they were not Daesh members.

However, it was not immediately clear if the US warned drivers of the 83 tankers of the strike on Sunday.

Reports show that Turkey has been involved in the smuggling of oil from areas held by the Daesh terrorist group in Iraq and Syria. Ankara has strongly rejected the allegation.

The United States and some of its allies have been carrying out airstrikes against alleged Daesh targets inside Syria and Iraq since 2014.

Analysts, however, say the airstrikes have not been that effective and only damaged the infrastructure of Syria and neighboring Iraq.

On Monday, the US envoy to the UN said there will be no swift victory in the ongoing fight to free Syria's second city of Aleppo from Daesh, voicing alarm over the fate of civilians caught up in the fighting.

"The longer the fighting drags on, the more civilians will be caught in the middle, the more they will pay the highest price," Samantha Power told the UN Security Council.

"Despite the overwhelming force of the Assad regime, Russian, Iran and Hezbollah on one side, neither side will be able to win a swift or decisive victory in the battle for Aleppo," she claimed.

Many of the Daesh terrorists were initially trained by the CIA in Jordan in 2012 to target the Syrian people and government.

Since March 2011, the United States and its regional allies, in particular Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, have been conducting a proxy war against Syria.

The conflict has left more than 470,000 Syrians dead and half of the country's population of about 23 million displaced within or beyond the Arab country's borders.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Syrian forces retake district in SW Aleppo from terrorists

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 9, 2016 5:40PM

Syrian army soldiers and their allied fighters have managed to recapture a district on the southwestern outskirts Aleppo, where fighting rages on between government troops and terrorists to gain control of the strategic city.

Lebanese TV channels of al-Manar and al-Mayadeen reported the advance on Tuesday.

According to the reports, the Syrian forces, supported by air raids, managed to retake Aleppo's Telat al-Snobarat neighborhood.

They further cut off a corridor into the militant-held eastern parts of Aleppo, which was opened by the Takfiri elements a few days ago.

Meanwhile,the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said fighters from the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement, which supports the Syrian government forces, were involved in Tuesday's battle.

Late last month, Syrian troops cut off all supply routes to the militant-controlled eastern Aleppo, effectively placing the area under siege.

On August 6, however, terrorists broke the blockade and opened a corridor to reconnect to militant-held areas elsewhere in Syria.

Aleppo has been divided since 2012 between government forces in the west and the militants in the east.

Since March 2011, Syria has been gripped by militancy it blames on some Western states and their regional allies.

The Takfiri terrorists operating in the Middle Eastern state have suffered major setbacks over the past few months as the Syrian army has managed to liberate a number of areas.

United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that over 400,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict. The UN has stopped its official casualty count in Syria, citing its inability to verify the figures it receives from various sources.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






UK special forces pictured in Syria's front line for first time

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 9, 2016 12:45PM

British special forces have been pictured on the front line in Syria, the first photographic evidence of UK troops operating in the war-ravaged country.

The images, obtained by the BBC, show British special forces on the ground in Syria riding open-air Thalab patrol vehicles which are designed for harsh terrain.

Small numbers of UK troops have been operating in Syria in an array of capacities including surveillance, advisory and combat.

The BBC reported that the images, taken in June, appear to show British troops defending a militant base on the Syria-Iraq border which was under attack by Daesh terrorists.

Nine so-called moderate militants were killed in the attack on the southeastern al-Tanaf base.

The special forces were deployed in a defensive role but were equipped with an arsenal of weapons, including sniper rifles, machine guns and anti-tank missiles.

The UK parliament has approved a campaign of air strikes against Daesh in Syria but not ground troops.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy it blames on some regional and Western governments.

According to a February report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470,000 people since March 2011.

The UK Department for International Development (DFID), a British government institution responsible for administering foreign spending, estimates that about 5.1 million of British aid for Syria may have ended up in the hands of Daesh.

British authorities also say that at least 800 UK nationals have traveled to Syria and Iraq to fight alongside the terror groups operating in those countries.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Over 2 million people could be trapped in Syria's Aleppo: UN

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 9, 2016 9:44AM

The United Nations (UN) has warned that millions of people could be trapped in Syria's strategic northwestern city of Aleppo as government forces and foreign-sponsored Takfiri militants are gearing up for a decisive battle for the city.

The UN's resident and humanitarian coordinator in Syria, Yacoub el Hillo, and the UN regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syria crisis, Kevin Kennedy, said in a statement released on Monday that two million residents of Aleppo are living in fear of besiegement.

The city is located some 355 kilometers (220 miles) north of the capital, Damascus.

The pair also demanded a "humanitarian pause" in the fierce clashes, stating, "The UN stands ready to assist the civilian population of Aleppo, a city now united in its suffering."

The statement added, "At a minimum, the UN requires a full-fledged ceasefire or weekly 48-hour humanitarian pauses to reach the millions of people in need throughout Aleppo and replenish the food and medicine stocks, which are running dangerously low."

The UN statement came on the same day that the head of the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdel Rahman, said some 2,000 fighters have joined the ranks of government troops in Aleppo.

Pro-government Arabic-language al-Watan daily reported that the army had received "the necessary military reinforcements to launch the battle," adding, "A crucial attack on the terrorists was imminent... and inevitable."

Meanwhile, the foreign-backed militants in Aleppo are seeking assistance from the Takfiri terrorists operating in other parts of Syria.

Syrian military sources say scores of terrorists have been killed and many others sustained injuries as a result of heavy fighting in several neighborhoods of Aleppo over the past few days.

A large number of vehicles as well as considerable volumes of ammunition belonging to Takfiri militants have also been destroyed.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The United Nations (UN)'s Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that over 400,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

Back in 2014, the UN said it would no more update its official death toll for Syria because it could not verify the figures that it received from various sources.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Syrian Air Force Resumes Intensive Strikes on Terrorists in Southern Aleppo

Sputnik News

14:43 09.08.2016

The Syrian Air Force on Tuesday resumed heavy bombardment of terrorist positions in the Ramuse district of southern Aleppo.

ALEPPO (Sputnik)  Pillars of smoke can be seen on the outskirts of the district near a cement plant and on the grounds of logistics and artillery schools. Syrian army snipers are firing on rebels as they try to leave the occupied buildings. Small arms and heavy machine guns fire can be heard to the west of Ramuse.

The main entrance to Aleppo on the south side is still closed as terrorists continue shelling it with mortars.

The terrorist positions in the northern part of Aleppo have been encircled by the Syrian army with fighting continuing in southwestern districts of the city where the Syrian Army has repelled several militant attacks over the past 10 days, killing more than 2,000 terrorists.

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, which maintain a heavy presence in Aleppo, are not part of the deal.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






UN: 2 Million in Syria's Aleppo Without Running Water, Electricity

by Margaret Besheer, Edward Yeranian August 09, 2016

The United Nations warned Tuesday that more than 2 million people in the Syrian city of Aleppo have no access to running water or electricity, and it called for a halt to the fighting to repair the damaged infrastructure and deliver humanitarian aid.

"We have supplies ready to roll: food rations, hospital supplies, ambulances, fuel for generators, water supplies and more," U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien told reporters in New York. "We can deliver these within 24 to 48 hours if we have safe access."

U.N. agencies have repeatedly called for weekly 48-hour humanitarian pauses to provide desperately needed aid to Aleppo's residents and evacuate them, but these have not materialized. O'Brien called on the U.N. Security Council to use its influence to make the pauses a reality.

Attacks this week have severely damaged Aleppo's electric and water infrastructure, while the main supply routes to both the eastern and western parts of the city have been cut in recent weeks, making an already severe humanitarian situation much worse.

Humanitarian pauses

Council diplomats were supportive of the humanitarian pauses, but it was not clear what immediate steps they would take to make them happen.

O'Brien warned that the humanitarian situation across the country is dire. "Conditions across the rest of Syria are difficult and increasingly difficult," he said.

UNICEF spokesman Christophe Boulierac warned children and families in Aleppo are facing a catastrophic situation.

"These cuts are coming amid a heat wave, putting children in Aleppo at a grave risk of waterborne diseases," Boulierac said. "And that getting clean water running again cannot wait for the fighting to stop."

UNICEF warns Aleppo's residents face an increase of diarrhea and malnutrition among children unless water pumping is restored soon.

U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura also briefed council members. In a private discussion held by video link, diplomats said de Mistura wants to restart the talks as soon as possible, but that the right environment must exist.

De Mistura said last month that he hoped to resume the third round of intra-Syrian talks at the end of August. But the escalation in Aleppo has cast doubt on that possibility, with several western diplomats saying there could not be substantive negotiations without a stop to the fighting.

Russia's U.N. envoy, Vitaly Churkin, said that while Moscow hopes the situation in Aleppo will improve, "we do not believe that there need to be any preconditions" for talks.

Fighting surges on

Meanwhile, the Syrian government has reportedly sent several thousand reinforcements to mount a counterattack south of Aleppo, in a bid to recapture territory taken by rebel factions in recent days.

Syrian state TV broadcast an urgent plea for volunteers, amid reports the army and its Lebanese Hezbollah allies were bringing in reinforcements to try to retake a strategic corridor south and west of Aleppo.

Heavy fighting took place along Aleppo's southern outskirts of Khan Assel, Khan Toman, Atareb and Sarmada, and there were reports of heavy government and Russian airstrikes of rebel forces defending a supply corridor into the city.

According to Syrian government media, the Syrian military and its militia allies stopped rebels from advancing through a destroyed housing complex south of the city, demolishing dozens of armed vehicles.

However, Hilal Khashan, who teaches political science at the American University of Beirut, discounted any major advance by the government or rebels in Aleppo.

"I don't believe that either side will prevail in the battle for Aleppo, despite the recent attack or the counterattack by government forces or their allies," Khashan said.

He argued that "a decisive victory by either party precludes the possibility for a negotiated settlement," and said "an equilibrium will need to be maintained, whereby all local allies will be losers and their regional and international backers will have to reach a negotiated settlement for the distribution of the spoils."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Hsuehshan Tunnel to be closed for Han Kuang military exercises

ROC Central News Agency

2016/08/09 16:54:43

Taipei, Aug. 9 (CNA) The Hsuehshan Tunnel, which connects the greater Taipei area with northeastern Taiwan's Yilan County, will be closed for the first time for the annual Han Kuang military exercises at the end of August.

The tunnel will be closed during the Han Kuang No. 32 exercises as the military simulates defending Taipei from enemy attack, Ministry of National Defense (MND) Spokesman Chen Chung-chi () said at a press conference Tuesday.

The MND said that the closure of the tunnel will coincide with a regular annual fire drill conducted by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

It will only be closed during off-peak hours, and the date and time of the closure will be announced to the public after the timing has been confirmed, the MND said.

The Han Kuang exercises, which simulate various scenarios of a Chinese attack, will last from Aug. 22-26.

Several of Taiwan's newly acquired advanced weapons systems will be deployed in the war games, including the AH-64E Apache attack helicopter, the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter, locally developed unmanned aerial vehicles, the Cloud Leopard armored vehicle, the Tuo Jiang () -- a locally designed stealth missile corvette -- and the Pan Shi (), a locally developed supply vessel, said Zhong Shu-ming (), director of the MND's Joint Operation Division.

The exercises will also focus on electronic warfare and cyber attacks and defense, and the military said it has recruited information technology talent from the private sector to take part in the exercises for the first time.

The National Airborne Service Corps will also be included in the exercises for the first time. The Corps' Black Hawk and AS365 Dauphin helicopters will simulate rapid response scenarios and rescue operations for wounded soldiers, Zhong said.

Although President Tsai Ing-wen () is expected to attend the exercises, the MND declined to confirm that, as it has yet to release detailed plans for the exercises. It is expected to do so later this week.

(By Tang Pei-chun and Christie Chen)

ENDITEM/J

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Erdogan calls for 'clean slate' in Russia relations

Iran Press TV

Mon Aug 8, 2016 11:30PM

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for a "clean slate" in relations and cooperation with Russia.

Erdogan made the remark during an interview with Russia's TASS news agency published on Monday, ahead of forthcoming talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.

"It will be a historical visit, a new start. I believe talks with my friend Vladimir will open up a new page in bilateral relations. Our countries have a lot to do together," Erdogan said.

The upcoming meeting is aimed at ending a period of tension between the two countries after Turkey downed a Russian jet close to the Syrian border in 2015.

"This visit strikes me as a new milepost in our bilateral relations, starting again from a clean slate," added Erdogan, noting that "this new page will include military, economic and cultural cooperation."

He further expressed Russia's role in solving the crisis in Syria, where the country has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011.

"It is impossible to find solution to the Syrian problem without Russia's participation. We can settle the crisis in Syria only in cooperation with Russia," noted Erdogan.

Turkey nabs 10 foreigners over coup attempt

Meanwhile, Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus (seen below) said that 10 foreign nationals have been detained over suspected ties to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen who Ankara blames for the recent coup.

Gulen, an outspoken opponent of Erdogan living in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999, has firmly denied the allegations against him. He argues that the move could have been orchestrated by the government to purge its opponents.

Kurtulmus refrained from giving further details on the arrestees or their nationalities, but noted that their number my increase as investigations progress.

He also announced that 186 soldiers, including nine generals, and 30 gendarmes suspected of planning the failed putsch are still at large.

Late on July 15, a faction of the Turkish military declared that it was in control of the country and that the government was no more in charge. The coup attempt was gradually suppressed and over 60,000 people in the military, judiciary, civil service and education have so far been sacked, dismissed or detained over allegations of involvement in the putsch and their links to Gulen.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Turkey has formally arrested over 16,000 over failed coup: Minister

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 9, 2016 9:25AM

Turkey says it has formally placed upwards of 16,000 people under arrest on the suspicion that they played a role in the failed coup in the country last month.

Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag announced the figure in an interview with state-run Anadolu Agency, which was broadcast live on Turkish television channels, on Tuesday.

The cases of another 6,000 detainees, he said, were still being processed. Another 7,668 people were under investigation but were not currently in detention.

At least 246 people were killed and more than 2,100 others sustained injuries during the botched putsch. It saw a faction of the military clashing with government troops and people on the streets of the capital, Ankara, and the city of Istanbul, using hijacked helicopters and tanks.

Thousands have also been suspended or fired in the aftermath.

The government has alleged that renegade officers in Turkey's military, who had links to Fethullah Gulen, a US-based opposition cleric, staged the coup on his orders.

Gulen has denied any involvement and warned that the blame game could be a ploy by the ruling Justice and Development Party to cement its grip on power.

Ankara has, however, convicted Gulen in absentia and been threatening to revisit bilateral ties with the US should Washington fail to extradite the cleric.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Alan Burkitt-Gray speaks to Don MacNeil, chief operating officer of GTT, about its company restructuring after coming out of Chapter 11 and its strategic roadmap for the next 12 months.
Starting this school year, visitors to any Pittsylvania County school will have to present their drivers license to receive a visitors badge, school officials told the school board during Tuesdays monthly meeting.

The system will scan the licenses during the first visit to any county school, Assistant Superintendent for Operations Jeff Early said. The one-time scan takes only a few seconds, and will make sure the visitor is not a child predator or sex offender, Early said.

The system will automatically update that throughout the year, Early said.

If a visitor does not have a Virginia drivers license, they will also be able to input the information from other forms of government identification, Early said.

In other school board business, the board heard an update of completed summer maintenance projects from Director of Maintenance and Operations Mike Hudson. Hudson said roof repairs were completed at Chatham Middle School, water repairs completed at Mount Airy Elementary School and additional parking spots added at Dan River High School.

Chairman of the Pittsylvania County Career and Technical Education Advisory Council Troy Simpson also presented a yearly update of the programs successes as well as a continued request for funding. Simpson said the program was succeeding wildly, noting that several county students were successful at the national SkillsUSA competition this year.

He also praised the programs teachers.

These people are changing lives, Simpson said.

The school board also recognized the SkillsUSA winners, state FFA competition winners and the school district as the recipient of the Virginia Department of Education Trailblazer Award.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Aug 9, 2016) - Tudor Gold Corp. (the "Company" or "Tudor Gold") (TSX VENTURE:TUD) is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement, which has been fully subscribed. The Company raised gross proceeds of $3,000,000 through the issuance of 3,000,000 common shares at a price of $1.00 per common share (the "Shares").

Finders in connection with the private placement will receive finders' fees totaling $186,066.35 in cash. Tudor Gold intends to expend the proceeds raised from the private placement primarily on further exploration of its Treaty Creek property and for general working capital purposes.

The Shares issued under the private placement are subject to a hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws expiring on December 10, 2016.

Company Website

The Company is also pleased to announce that it has opened its corporate website, which can be found at www.tudor-gold.com.

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 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.
CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - Aug. 10, 2016) - BACANORA MINERALS LTD. ("Bacanora" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:BCN)(AIM:BCN), the AIM and TSX Venture Exchange listed lithium and borates company focussed on Mexico, announces that the Company will be postponing its upcoming annual and special meeting of its shareholders (the "Meeting") on August 15, 2016 until September 28, 2016 (the "Postponement"). The Company decided on the Postponement in connection with the recent passing of Hon. Colin Orr-Ewing, a Non-Executive Director on August 3, 2016.

Hon. Colin Orr-Ewing was one of the director nominees and was one of the proxy appointees of the Company. The Company intends to seek an amended interim order from the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench regarding the new date of the Meeting and will be mailing out an addendum to the management information circular of the Company dated July 11, 2016 and an amended form of proxy to reduce the number of directors from seven to six, to remove Hon. Colin Orr-Ewing as a director nominee and to appoint an alternate proxy appointee.

ABOUT BACANORA:

Bacanora is a Canadian and London listed minerals explorer (TSX VENTURE:BCN)(AIM:BCN). The Company explores and develops industrial mineral projects, with a primary focus on lithium and borates. The Company's operations are based in Hermosillo in northern Mexico and it currently has two significant projects under development in the state of Sonora. The two main assets of Bacanora are:

The Sonora Lithium Project, which consists of ten mining concession areas covering approximately 100 thousand hectares in the northeast of Sonora State. The Company, through drilling and exploration work to date, has established an Indicated Mineral Resource (in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101")) of 4.46 Mt LCE contained in 259 Mt of clay at a Li grade of 3,200 ppm and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 2.74 Mt LCE contained in 160 Mt of clay at a Li grade of 3,200 ppm.





The Magdalena Borate Project, in Sonora state, Mexico, where the Company's main borate zone, El Cajon, has an Indicated Resource (in accordance with NI 43-101) of 1.17 Mt of B 2 O 3 , at an eight percent cut-off grade. The Company has completed a number of measures to determine the geological and commercial potential of the project and is undertaking a prefeasibility exercise to determine the economic benefit of developing the mine and constructing a processing plant on site in order to become a supplier of boric acid.





Reader Advisory

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: commodity price volatility; general economic conditions in Canada, the United States, Mexico and globally; industry conditions, governmental regulation, including environmental regulation; unanticipated operating events or performance; failure to obtain industry partner and other third party consents and approvals, if and when required; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; competition for, among other things, capital, skilled personnel and supplies; changes in tax laws; and the other risk factors disclosed under our profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Aug 10, 2016) - Aurvista Gold Corporation ("Aurvista" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:AVA)(OTC PINK:ARVSF)(FRANKFURT:AV2) is pleased to highlight historic and more recent diamond drill hole results from the 40 plus years of exploration work at its Douay Gold Project ("Douay") in 15 major exploration programs. Douay is located 40 km SW of the Matagami Zinc Base Metal Camp and 150 km N of the Val-d'Or-Malartic Gold Camp (both in Quebec).

As a number of new exploration projects in Quebec have been making headlines in recent months, Douay still remains one of the premier undeveloped gold projects in Quebec based on its past drilling results and Mineral Resources estimates*. Selective historic gold assay intervals from the higher gold grade zones at a cut-off grade at 5 g/t gold are outlined in the following table (refer below for a complete list of assay intervals, and refer to Tables 3 and 4):

GOLD CORE DDH # GRADE FROM TO LENGTH* GOLD (year drilled) (g/t) (m) (m) (meters) ZONE D-102 (2005) 15.01 283.10 291.30 8.20 Douay West 84637 (1990) 21.18 307.21 317.69 10.48 40688 (1981) 15.81 312.91 328.27 15.36 Main 54483 (1976) 7.12 160.90 174.07 13.17 70531-2 (1992) 11.93 371.03 378.26 7.23 531 4140-93-01 (1993) 10.73 182.00 187.00 5.00 NW DO-12-97 (2012) 5.36 304.50 313.50 9.00 Adam-Porphyry Included in 1.07 255.00 438.00 183.00 DO-11-61 (2011) 6.67 98.00 110.00 12.00 10 DO-92-20 (1992) 8.47 412.76 416.05 3.29 20 * Core lengths equal true widths of the gold mineralization.

Douay was initially explored from 1973 to 2010 for its higher grade gold potential with the discovery of 7 lenses ("Douay West", "10", "20", "531", "Central", "Main" and "NW"), followed by the 2005 discovery of a lower grade bulk gold porphyry (the "Main Porphyry").

Exploration of the "Main Porphyry" was revived by Aurvista during the Company's 2011 and 2012 drilling campaigns in light of the exploration and mining successes at the multi-million ounce Canadian-Malartic and Detour Lake bulk lower grade gold deposits. Drilling of the "Main Porphyry" led to the discovery of an additional higher grade lens, the "Adam-Porphyry" Zone, and a lower grade corridor ("South Porphyry").

It is important to remind shareholders, stakeholders and prospective investors of past exploration successes at Douay leading to the discovery of the 8 higher grade zones and the 2 lower grade corridors within a 10 km by 3 km wide segment (or 30 km2) of the 20 km trend of the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone (the "CBDZ") on Douay (refer to the Company news releases dated December 17, 2014). All of this work recently led Aurvista to define a sizeable Mineral Resource estimate*: representing 2.7 million tonnes at 2.76 g/t gold for 0.2 million ounces of gold in the Indicated category with an additional 115 million tonnes at 0.75 g/t gold for 2.8 million ounces of gold in the Inferred category (at a 0.3 g/t gold cut-off), or 2.5 million tonnes at 2.98 g/t gold for 0.2 million ounces of gold in the Indicated category with an additional 61.8 million tonnes at 1.06 g/t gold for 2.1 million ounces of gold in the Inferred category (at a 0.5 g/t gold cut-off grade).

Aurvista remains committed to the continued exploration of Douay with its near term exploration objective of increasing the quantity and quality of mineral resources by extending the higher grade gold lenses or by defining new ones with gold grades similar to those intersected in the past (refer to the table above, and Tables 3 and 4.)

Aurvista's management firmly believes:

 The upside potential of the under-explored Douay Project is significant for a lower grade bulk gold-type system containing a number of higher grade gold lenses of variable sizes and grades;  There has never been any historical mining on Douay, hence the higher grade gold lenses remain intact;  Less than one-sixth of the Camp-scale size gold system at Douay has been explored via diamond drilling in any detail based on the distribution of the known higher and lower grade gold zones and location of drill holes;  The gold system remains open along strike beyond the 10 km known trend and at depths below -400 m;  The main gold target is the largely untested "Main Porphyry", encompassing the Adam-Porphyry Zone. which was Aurvista's 2012 discovery containing (at a 3 g/t gold cut-off) 383,000 tonnes grading 22.29 g/t gold for 274,500 ounces in the Inferred category within a lower grade envelope of 55.1 million tonnes at 1 g/t (at a 0.5 g/t cut-off) also in the Inferred category, and the "South Porphyry";  The "Main Porphyry" is flanked by the largely unexplored NW Zone which to date contains 1 million tonnes grading 2.71 g/t for 87,000 ounces of gold in the Inferred category, and the Douay West Zone containing 2.33 million tonnes at 3 g/t gold for 225,000 ounces in the Indicated category and an additional 1.26 million tonnes at 1.8 g/t gold for 73,000 ounces in the Inferred category (both zones at a 0.5 g/t cut-off); and  Douay West is sufficiently advanced in order to go into pre-feasibility or feasibility mode if deemed beneficial.

Douay has seen 15 major exploration programs since 1973 (Table 1 can be accessed using the following link):

 The first 13 programs were focused on the discovery and exploration of 7 higher grade gold zones over an 8 km stretch of the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone;  From 1973 to 2010, the previous vendors completed 144,783 meters of drilling in 575 diamond drill holes, while Aurvista completed the last two programs and essentially focused its efforts on the higher grade Douay West Zone and the lower grade bulk gold porphyry, and drilled from 2011 to 2014 some 42,955 meters in 127 diamond drill holes; and  Aurvista's drilling led to the discovery of 1 higher grade gold lenses - the "Adam-Porphyry" Zone - and 2 lower grade bulk gold target - "Main Porphyry" and "South Porphyry";

Diamond drilling for the entire project was mostly focused on the higher grade gold zones:

 Diamond drilling totaled 187,738 meters in 702 drill holes (Table 2 can be accessed using the following link), with an additional 165 Reverse Circulation drill holes dating from the late 1980's;  There were 95,941 individual samples taken for gold assays, of which 317 assay intervals greater than 0.3 g/t gold were composited to delineate the 7 higher grade gold zones (Table 3 can be accessed using the following link) demonstrating the kilometric distribution, variability and continuity of the gold mineralization from bedrock surface to a -400 meter depth over a known 8 km strike length; and  There are 43 assay intervals greater than 5 g/t gold from the "Douay West", "Main", "531", "10", "20", "Adam-Porphyry" and "NW" zones (Table 4 can be accessed using the following link)

Aurvista is committed to the continued exploration of Douay

The Company is planning a two-staged exploration campaign on the Project for the period June to December 2016 with the prime objective of determining the best of the 25 defined targets identified in 2014-2015 with a view of significantly increasing the current Mineral Resource estimates*.

The First Stage campaign will complete the Priority Targeting Program (the "Program") in two areas where management is confident additional gold mineralization will be discovered, the first being in the 8 km by 3 km wide (at its longest and widest points) SE-tilted parallelogram-shaped polygon enclosing the Douay-Style Mineralization ("DSM") containing all the known gold zones ("Douay West", "10", "20", "531", "Central", "Main", "NW", "Adam-Porphyry", "Main Porphyry" and "South Porphyry") and current Mineral Resource estimates*. The second area is the 6 km by 1 km wide cluster of EM INPUT anomalies conductors running along the southwest boundary of the DSM that have affinities to Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide or VMS mineralization associated with gold. The Second Stage campaign will consist of a 4,000 meters of drilling to delineate additional gold and/or copper-gold mineralization on the best targets.

The Summer Program will include:

 Completing an airborne geophysical Magnetic, Electromagnetic and Radiometric survey of the central portion of the Douay Project to define key contacts and faults which could be linked to gold and any potential base metal bearing massive sulphide lenses within the 6 km by 1 km Copper-Gold corridor to a depth of -150 meters.  Re-logging selective previous and historical drill core for litho-geochemical and thin section work along key gold mineralized and non-mineralized sections across the Douay Project, all to define the chemical signatures and alteration mineralogy of the known gold and/or base metal mineralization. This will assist the airborne geophysical survey in the vectoring towards additional gold mineralization; and the drilling of the best priority targets that could potentially lead to the expansion of, and better quality, mineral resources.

The technical contents in this news release have approved by Mr. Jean Lafleur, M. Sc., P. Geo., President and CEO for Aurvista Gold Corp., a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101.

* Mineral Resource estimates reported in this news release were estimated in accordance with the definitions contained in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves Definitions and Guidelines that were prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by the CIM Council on November 27, 2010. Of note, tonnes and ounces have been rounded as per NI 43-101 standards.

About Aurvista Gold Corp.

Aurvista Gold Corp. is a junior gold exploration and development Company with 85,689,121 shares shares outstanding trading on the TSX Venture Exchange in Canada, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and OTC Pink Sheets in the US. Aurvista's only asset is the Douay Gold Project, consisting of a 100% owned interest in 250 contiguous claims totaling 133.1 km2, plus a 90% interest in 5 contiguous claims totaling 0.2 km2 and a 75% interest in 32 contiguous claims totaling 11.9 km2. In total there are 287 claims covering 145.3 km2 located along a 20 km segment of the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone in the prolific Abitibi Greenstone Belt of northern Quebec. The 32 joint venture claims are with SOQUEM, occupying the central northern portion of Douay, and such ownership is subject to Aurvista completing a further $175,000 of approved work with no time limitation on this work.

In August, 2012, Aurvista updated the Mineral Resources estimates* that included all drilling completed to the end of March 2012. Douay contained Mineral Resources estimates* of 2.7 million tonnes of Indicated Resources at 2.76 g/t gold for 238,000 ounces (above a 0.3 g/t gold cut-off grade) or 3,458,000 tonnes grading 2.98 g/t gold (at a 0.5 g/t gold cut-off grade) for 235,500 ounces. There were additional Inferred Resources of 115 million tonnes at 0.75 g/t gold for 2.75 million ounces (above a 0.3 g/t gold cut-off grade) or 62 million tonnes grading 1.06 g/t gold for 2.1 million ounces (above a 0.5 g/t cut-off grade). Details can be viewed on the Company's website at www.aurvistagold.com.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PRESS RELEASE.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions, uncertainties and management's best estimate of future events. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. When used herein, words such as "anticipate", "will", "intend" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Aurvista Gold Corp.'s filings with Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or the Company's website at www.aurvistagold.com.
VANCOUVER, Aug. 10, 2016 /CNW/ - Wealth Minerals Ltd. (the "Company" or "Wealth") - (TSXV: WML; OTCQB: WMLLF; SSE: WMLCL; Frankfurt: EJZ), announces that it has signed an option agreement giving it the right to acquire a 100% interest (subject to a 2% NSR royalty) in the Jesse Creek porphyry copper property located north of Merritt, B.C., Canada.

"Prior to Wealth's expansion into the lithium sector, the Company raised flow-through funds for exploration in Canada" stated Tim McCutcheon, Wealth's President. "An exhaustive search of lithium assets in Canada did not yield any properties of interest to the Company. However, we do want to continue to gain exposure to the tremendous demand growth for metals related to renewable energy. Jesse Creek's copper potential fits with our overall strategy to participate in renewable energy markets and allows us to deploy legacy flow-through cash to the upside benefit of shareholders."

Property Details

The Jesse Creek property (the "Property") is situated in the Nicola Mining Division of British Columbia, Canada, approximately 2.5 km due north of the city of Merritt and 7 km east of the Craigmont Mine, and consists of 24 contiguous mineral claims, covering 6,952 hectares (Figure 1). Topography is moderate; access and infrastructure are excellent and it can be explored year round.

While there are numerous historical workings on the Property, mostly targeting Craigmont-type skarn mineralization, recent work since 2012 has targeted alkaline and calc-alkaline porphyry mineralization principally within the Jesse Creek Stock. This work included an airborne magnetic gradiometer survey, a conventional IP/Resistivity survey, and seven drill holes totaling 2,043 metres completed by Dundarave Resources Inc. in late 2012. The drill holes only targeted IP anomalies, as no soil geochemistry was available. Nonetheless, the northern-most four holes intersected minor copper, gold and molybdenum mineralization associated with significant potassic and phyllic alteration.

Recent geological mapping and petrographic work has provided compelling evidence that the Jesse Creek Stock is an analogue of the Guichon Creek Batholith (host to the Highland Valley porphyry copper deposits  Valley, Lornex, Highmont, Bethlehem and JA). Mineralization controls at Jesse Creek Stock are remarkably similar to those at Highland Valley (a core younger more differentiated phase and major intersecting faults). These characteristics were previously unrecognized because of extensive overburden cover and erosion of the Jesse Creek Stock at a shallower level.

Work proposed by Wealth on the Property for 2016 includes a 200 metre spaced soil geochemistry grid, additional IP coverage to the north of the previous grid, and about 5,000 metres of follow-up drilling.

Acquisition Terms

Wealth and the Property owners ("Owners") (one of whom is non-arm's length, being a director of Wealth) have entered into a formal option agreement dated August 9, 2016 ("Option Agreement"). Under the Option Agreement, in order to acquire a 100% interest in the Property, Wealth is required to pay an aggregate of $1M in cash, and issue an aggregate of 3 million common shares of Wealth, to the Owners on the following schedule:

Due Date Cash Wealth Shares 3 days after TSXV acceptance ("Acceptance Date") 40,000 200,000 One year after Acceptance Date 80,000 400,000 Two years after Acceptance Date 160,000 600,000 Three years after Acceptance Date 320,000 800,000 Four years after Acceptance Date 400,000 1,000,000

Upon the exercise of the option, the Owners will jointly reserve a 2% NSR royalty. Wealth has the option to purchase, at any time, half of the royalty (1% of the 2%) for a lump sum payment of $2 million. There are no work commitments under the Option Agreement, but Wealth is required to file all work as assessment work in favour of the Property and maintain the Property in good standing during the option period.

The Option Agreement, and the obligations of Wealth thereunder, is subject to the acceptance for filing thereof by the TSXV on behalf of Wealth

Qualified Person

John Drobe, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Drobe is a consultant to Wealth, but does hold common shares and incentive stock options in the Company.

Grant of Incentive Stock Options

Wealth also announces that, pursuant to its 2004 Incentive Stock Option Plan, it has granted incentive stock options to directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company and its affiliates to purchase up to an aggregate of 1,775,000 common shares in the capital stock of the Company. The options are exercisable on or before August 9, 2018 at a price of $0.91 per share.

About Wealth Minerals Ltd.

Wealth is a mineral resource company with interests in Canada, Mexico, Peru and Chile. The Company's main focus is the acquisition of lithium projects in South America. To date the Company has positioned itself to develop the Aguas Caliente Norte, Pujsa and Quisquiro Salars in Chile, as well as to work with existing producers in the prolific Atacama Salar. The Company continues to aggressively pursue new acquisitions in the region. Lithium market dynamics and a rapidly increasing metal price are the result of profound structural issues with the industry meeting anticipated future demand. Wealth is positioning itself to be a major beneficiary of this future mismatch of supply and demand. The Company also maintains and continues to evaluate a portfolio of precious and base metal exploration-stage projects.

For further details on the Company readers are referred to the Company's web site (www.wealthminerals.com) and its Canadian regulatory filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of

WEALTH MINERALS LTD.

"Tim McCutcheon"

Tim McCutcheon

President

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 press release, which has been prepared by management.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and US securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement, timing and cost of exploration programs, anticipated exploration program results, the discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/reserves, the Company's expectation that it will be able to enter into agreements to acquire interests in additional mineral projects, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the state of the financial markets for the Company's equity securities, the state of the commodity markets generally, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required, including TSXV acceptance, for its planned activities, the inability of the Company to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's latest interim Management Discussion and Analysis and filed with certain securities commissions in Canada. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties.

Caution Regarding Adjacent or Similar Mineral Properties

This news release contains information with respect to adjacent or similar mineral properties in respect of which the Company has no interest or rights to explore or mine. Readers are cautioned that the Company has no interest in or right to acquire any interest in any such properties, and that mineral deposits, and the results of any mining thereof, on adjacent or similar properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Company's properties or any potential exploitation thereof.

SOURCE Wealth Minerals Ltd.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Aug 10, 2016) - Scorpio Gold Corp. ("Scorpio Gold" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:SGN) announces the resignation of Peter J. Hawley from the position of President, effective immediately, for personal reasons. Mr. Hawley has indicated that he will also retire from the position of CEO of the Company on October 31, 2016, or at such time as a replacement is found. He intends to remain as Chairman and a director of the Company.

The Company also announces the promotion of Chris Zerga to the position of President effective immediately. Mr. Zerga has been with Scorpio Gold since its inception in 2009 and has been the General Manager for the Company's Mineral Ridge and Goldwedge projects. Mr. Zerga not only has familiarity with all aspects of the Company's operations but brings over 29 years of mining operations and management experience in Nevada with Freeport McMoran, Anglo Gold, Minorco, Newmont and Queenstake.

The Company's board of directors, management and staff would like to thank Mr. Hawley for his extraordinary efforts and tireless service in making Scorpio Gold a successful, low-cost gold producer. Mr. Hawley will continue to provide guidance as a director and Chairman of the Company.

Chris Zerga comments, "I would like to thank Peter and the board of directors for this opportunity and look forward to the associated challenges of the position. I have been the beneficiary of working closely with Peter since the Company's inception and will strive to make this a seamless transition."

Peter J. Hawley comments, "I look forward to working with Chris in his new leadership position. I credit him and his team's hard work over the difficult period of low metal prices, allowing me to step away and leave the Company in very capable hands, in a stable financial position and poised for growth."

An independent search committee has been established to evaluate potential candidates for the position of CEO.

About Scorpio Gold

Scorpio Gold holds a 70% interest in the Mineral Ridge gold mining operation located in Esmeralda County, Nevada with joint venture partner Elevon, LLC (30%). Mineral Ridge is currently in production as a conventional open pit mining and heap leach operation. The Mineral Ridge property is host to multiple gold-bearing structures, veins and lenses at exploration, development and production stages. Scorpio Gold also holds a 100% interest in the advanced exploration-stage Goldwedge property in Manhattan, Nevada, with a fully permitted underground mine and 400 ton per day mill facility. The Goldwedge mill facility has been placed on a care and maintenance basis and can be restarted immediately when needed.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

SCORPIO GOLD CORPORATION

Peter J. Hawley, CEO

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.

The Company relies on litigation protection for forward-looking statements. This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the Company's current expectations and estimates. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated changes in senior management of the Company. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results implied or expressed in such forward-looking statements, including the anticipated changes in senior management of the Company and those risk factors outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis as filed on SEDAR. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty thereof.
ZUG, Aug 10, 2016 - Panex Resources Inc. (OTC PINK:DBGF) (the "Company," or "Panex") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Farm-In agreement with Afrimines SARL, a company registered under the laws of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to acquire up to 90% direct interest in the highly prospective Matala Gold Project in the South Kivu Province, DRC. The Matala Gold Project is located at the southwestern end of the prolific Twangiza-Namoya Gold corridor where Banro Corp. has defined to date, more than 17 Million Ounces ("Moz") of gold resources from four deposits adjacent to the project area. The main drill target, Kanana, is located within the Matala project area shown in Figure 1, and has the same geological setting as Banro's 8.6Moz Twangiza and 5.6Moz Lugushwa deposits. A 1,500m diamond drilling program is expected to commence mid-to-end August.

Matala Gold Project

The Matala Gold Project comprises 14 exploration permits for 1,967sqkm on the north-western edge of the Kibaran Belt, an intracontinental mobile belt located between the Congo and Tanzania cratons. The Kibaran belt and adjacent Tanzanian Craton host more than 70Moz of gold resources, currently being mined by Banro, AngloGold Ashanti, Barrick and Barra, in the well renowned, world class gold province.

Panex's initial focus will be to drill the high priority Kanana Prospect where channel sampling has identified high grade gold mineralisation along the fold axis of a major antiform, similar to that which hosts both the Twangiza and Lugushwa deposits.

Historic channel sampling across a 3000 metre long gold-in-soil anomaly shown in Figure 2 at Kanana returned a number of significant results including:

17m @ 2.51g/t Au

6m @ 2.55g/t Au

12m @ 3.03g/t Au

6m @ 4.37g/t Au

2m @ 12.95g/t Au

To view Figure 1. Matala Gold Project licences in red and location and Banro Corp.'s gold deposits, please click the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20160810-1065497_fig1.jpg

Panex has contracted International Drilling Services SARL from Goma, DRC, to drill 5 diamond drill holes for 1,500 metre ("m") aimed at testing the mineralised fold axis over 1,100m of strike. The drill collars are positioned approximately 400m apart over the highest grade portion of the gold-in-soil and channel sampling anomaly shown in Figure 2. Holes will be drilled at -50 degrees towards the southwest across the fold axis of the northwest trending Kanana anticline.

Drilling is expected to intercept multiple zones of high-grade gold mineralised quartz veins, several metres wide, surrounded by broader, low to moderate grade disseminated sulphide quartz stock work zones tens of metres wide, across the fold axis.

Project Background

Historic exploration across the Matala Project undertaken by Afrimines in 2010, identified numerous geochemical anomalies (5 gold, 1 tin) which formed the basis of follow-up regional exploration undertaken by Regal Resources Ltd (ASX:RER) between 2011 and 2014 (in a joint venture with Afrimines).

Regal's exploration focused on the two highest priority targets, Ngoy and Matala, with 51 holes drilled at Ngoy for 8,768m of diamond core and a JORC 2012 compliant Inferred Mineral Resource of 2 million tonnes ("Mt") at 3.3g/t gold ("Au") for 213,000oz Au estimated by CSA Global, Perth, Western Australia.

To view Figure 2. Gold-in-Soil anomalies and channel sample results and location of fold axis at Kanana, please click the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20160810-1065497_fig2l.jpg

Exploration at the Matala Project consisted of soil, rock chip, geological mapping and channel sampling. Kanana was advanced to the drilling stage following the delineation of a 3km long gold-in-soil anomaly (>100ppb Au) and in-situ, high-grade channel sample results, coinciding with the fold axis of a positively identified anticline. The anticline is interpreted to outcrop in the southeast and to gently plunge towards the northwest. Regal withdrew from the joint venture in 2015 to focus on a copper project in the Katanga Province in DRC. The highly prospective Kanana Prospect has not yet been drill tested.

Two styles on mineralisation have been identified at Kanana from channel sampling and geological mapping, both being associated with intense silica alteration. These are:

brecciated, ferruginous quartz veining <10cm up to 5m wide containing <1% pyrite. The veins are generally aligned to layering and foliation in outcrop (quartz vein-hosted gold mineralisation).





strongly silicified, foliated, schists containing 1 to 5% pyrite commonly containing bedding parallel quartz veins 1mm to 5mm thick (disseminated and stock work vein-hosted gold mineralisation).



The potential of known gold mineral occurrences within the remainder of the Matala Gold Project, including the mineral resource at Ngoy, will be further evaluated should results from the initial drilling at Kanana confirm the potential for discovery of significant gold mineralisation.

Terms of Agreement

Panex may earn an initial 51% interest in the Tenements by incurring:

expenditure totaling US$500,000 on the Tenements (Phase 1 Expenditure) during the period of 6 months after the Commencement Date (Phase 1 Period); and



expenditure totaling a further US$500,000 on the Tenements (Phase 2 Expenditure) during the period of 12 months after the Phase 1 Period (Phase 2 Period).

Panex may earn a further 19% interest to take its then aggregate interest to 70% by incurring a further US$3,000,000 in expenditure on the Tenements (Phase 3 Expenditure) during the period ending on the date that is 2 years after Panex has earned the Initial Interest (Phase 3 Period).

Panex can earn a further 10% interest (Phase 4 Interest) to take its then aggregate direct interest to 80% by incurring a further US$10,000,000 in expenditure on the Tenements (Phase 4 Expenditure) during the period ending on the date that is 3 years after Panex has earned the Phase 3 Interest (Phase 4 Period).

Upon completion of a Definitive Feasiblity Study ("DFS"), Panex shall also have the option to acquire up to a further 10% interest to take its then aggregate interest to 90% by payment to Afrimines of an amount determined through an independent valuation of the assets.

Panex is to fund all exploration to completion of a DFS.

Historic expenditure of US$12 million by Afrimines will be treated as a loan which will be recoverable from the proceeds of production within the first three years of commencement of production.

At any time after the Phase 1 Period, Panex may terminate the agreement, and Panex shall have no further obligation to make any expenditure in respect of the Tenements.

A vendor consideration of 125m shares in Panex and US$20,000 cash payment is due on closing of the transaction.

ON BEHALF OF PANEX

Mark Gasson

Chief Executive Officer

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains statements that plan for or anticipate the future, called "forward-looking statements." In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "expects," "plans," "intends," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of those terms and other comparable terminology.

These forward-looking statements appear in a number of places in this press release and include, but are not limited to, statements about; our market opportunity; revenue generation; our strategies; competition; expected activities and expenditures as we pursue our business plan; the adequacy of our available cash resources; our ability to acquire properties on commercially viable terms; challenges to our title to our properties; operating or technical difficulties in connection with our exploration and development activities; currency fluctuations; fluctuating market prices for precious and base metals; the speculative nature of precious and base metals exploration and development activities; environmental risks and hazards; governmental regulations; and conduct of operations in politically and economically less developed areas of the world.

Many of these contingencies and uncertainties can affect our actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, us. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Specific reference is made to our most recent annual report on Form 10KSB and other filings made by us with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission for more detailed discussions of the contingencies and uncertainties enumerated above and the factors underlying the forward-looking statements. These reports and filings may be inspected and copied at the Public Reference Room maintained by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can obtain information about operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at http://www.sec.gov.

We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable laws.

This press release is for informational purposes only and is not and should not be construed as an offer to solicit, buy, or sell any security.







Contact



Panex Resources Inc.

Mark Gasson

(+33) 640 61 2921

mark@gasson.co.za

www.panexresources.com

Panex Resources Inc.

504A Casabianca, Bd du Larvotto,

Monaco, 98000


VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - August 10, 2016) - Skeena Resources Limited (TSX VENTURE: SKE) ("Skeena" or the "Company") and Mount Rainey Silver Inc. ("Mount Rainey") (a private British Columbia corporation based in Calgary, Alberta) have entered into a definitive agreement dated August 9, 2016 (the "Definitive Agreement") pursuant to which Skeena has agreed to issue up to 25,089,576 common shares in exchange for all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Mount Rainey by way of a Plan of Arrangement (the "Arrangement") under the Business Corporations Act of British Columbia. Mount Rainey's primary asset is a 100% owned portfolio of 46 Crown-granted mineral claims covering the past-producing, underground Prosperity - Porter Idaho - Silverado silver property ("Porter Idaho Project" or the "Project") located in the Golden Triangle of northwest British Columbia in the Skeena Mining Division.

The Company will host an investor conference call to discuss the transaction at 4:15 pm EST/ 1:15 pm PST today, Wednesday, August 10, 2016. The conference call dial-in number is toll-free 888-632-3384 or 785-424-1675 and the verbal pass code is Skeena. A replay of the conference call will be available for three weeks and accessible by dialing toll-free 844-488-7474 or 862-902-0129 along with the pass code 79504332. Media are invited to attend on a listen-only basis. Supporting presentation slides will be available on Skeena's website at www.skeenaresources.com.

The Porter Idaho Project has two known silver-bearing vein systems approximately 2,000 metres apart on opposite sides of Mt. Rainey with a surface portion of the intervening terrain masked by the icefield capping Mt. Rainey. All veins have the same strike, are intimately associated as splays off the well-delineated Silverado Fault and remain open at depth. As the icefield has been rapidly receding during the most recent few decades, it has exposed surface mineralization that may further indicate the apparent structural continuity between the two vein systems.

The Porter Idaho Project contains an historical Indicated Resource of 394,700 tonnes grading 868 g/t silver, 3.37% lead and 1.41% zinc (435,000 tons @ 25.2 oz/ton silver or a contained 11 million ounces) and an Inferred Resource of 88,900 tonnes grading 595 g/t silver (97,900 tons @ 17.3 oz/ton silver or a contained 1.7 million ounces).

Porter Idaho Project Historical Resource Estimate @ 170 g/t Ag cut-off Avg. Grades Contained Metal Category Tonnes Ag (g/t) Ag (oz) Indicated 394,700 868 11,000,000 Inferred 88,900 595 1,700,000

Estimates of mineral resources are dated March 10, 2008 and were prepared by independent consulting geologist N.C. Carter, Ph.D., P. Eng. for Raimount Energy Inc. and re-stated for Mount Rainey Silver Inc. on May 15, 2012. The foregoing estimates made use of an extensive database detailing results of both underground sampling programs as well as surface and underground diamond drilling and were prepared pursuant to CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves. Nevertheless, the reader is cautioned that a Qualified Person on behalf of Skeena has not done sufficient work to verify either the underlying sampling data or the calculation methodology to consider this to be a current resource and as a result, Skeena is treating this mineral resource as an Historical Estimate, as defined in National Instrument 43-101. Skeena has not yet determined what work needs to be completed in order to upgrade or verify the Historical Estimate.

Since the initial discovery of silver mineralization on Mount Rainey in the early 1900s, various portions of the property have been investigated by more than 6,000 metres of underground workings, including nine adits, several internal shafts and raises, as well as numerous exploration drifts. The majority of the exploration and development work to date, including surface and underground drill programs in the 1980s, was directed at the Prosperity - Porter Idaho silver-bearing, shear zone-hosted epithermal vein structures. Limited production of direct shipping high-grade material, mainly from the Prosperity vein, between 1929 and 1931 amounted to 27,123 tonnes with recovered grades of 2,542 g/t silver (73.8 oz/ton), 0.96 g/t gold, and 4.08% lead (yielding approximately 2.2 million ounces silver).

Walter Coles Jr., President & CEO of Skeena, stated, "The acquisition of this silver project fits well into Skeena's growing portfolio of high-grade, post-discovery, precious metal projects in the Golden Triangle region of British Columbia. The Porter Idaho Project is a significant high-grade occurrence to which we aim to add considerable tonnage by diamond drilling the underexplored area between the two mineralized vein systems. Furthermore, the location of the Project, immediately southeast of Stewart at the head of the Portland Canal, a port with year-round access, contributes significantly to the intrinsic value of this exciting asset."

Greg Vavra, President & CEO of Mount Rainey, commented, "We've held the Porter Idaho Project since 1978 and would only part with it to a group such as Skeena that has the reputation and experience to carry this project forward to its full potential. The business combination provides our shareholders with an outstanding path forward for value creation through access to Skeena's technical capabilities and financial resources. Furthermore, the Arrangement gives our shareholders potential up-side exposure to Skeena's high-profile Snip gold exploration project and the ongoing development of the Spectrum-GJ gold-copper project, both of which are also located in the Golden Triangle."

Upon completion of the Arrangement, Mount Rainey will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Skeena and, assuming no exercise of dissent rights under the Arrangement, former holders of common shares of Mount Rainey will hold approximately 5.15% of the outstanding common shares of Skeena on an undiluted basis.

The Boards of Directors of both companies have approved the Arrangement. The Arrangement must also be approved by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast by shareholders present and voting at the Special Meeting of Mount Rainey Silver (the "Mount Rainey Meeting") which will be called to consider the Arrangement.

The Arrangement is also subject to the approval of the Supreme Court of British Columbia and all applicable regulatory authorities, including the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") and the conditions precedent set out in the Definitive Agreement. One such condition precedent is that Raimount Energy Inc. ("Raimount") transfers its Glacier Creek Claims (as defined below) to Mount Rainey and existing liabilities aggregating approximately $155,000 owing from Mount Rainey to Raimount are extinguished, in exchange for the issuance by Skeena of 1,450,000 common shares. The "Glacier Creek Claims" consist of 45 Crown-granted mineral claims located in the Glacier Creek/Albany Creek area on the east side of the Bear River Valley in British Columbia and five municipal lots located in Stewart, British Columbia. The companies expect to close the Arrangement in early September, 2016.

Pursuant to the terms of the Definitive Agreement, Mount Rainey shareholders will receive 5.65 common shares of Skeena for each common share of Mount Rainey held. Based on the August 9, 2016 closing price of $0.18 for Skeena common shares, this represents an aggregate value to Mount Rainey shareholders of $4,516,124. Evans & Evans, Inc. have provided a verbal fairness opinion to Mount Rainey's Board of Directors that, as of the date of such opinion, the consideration payable to Mount Rainey shareholders is fair, from a financial point of view, to the shareholders of Mount Rainey.

The Definitive Agreement includes customary provisions, including fiduciary out provisions, a break fee payable to Skeena in certain circumstances, and covenants of Mount Rainey not to solicit other acquisition proposals. Skeena retains the right to match any superior proposal. The transaction is an arm's length transaction and no finder's fee is payable by either party.

Directors and officers, who hold approximately 46.3% of the issued and outstanding Mount Rainey shares, have entered into voting and support agreements with Skeena in support of the Arrangement.

A copy of the Definitive Agreement will be filed on SEDAR and will be available for viewing under the profile of Skeena on SEDAR. The Mount Rainey Meeting is expected to be held in early September, 2016.

Counsel and Advisors

Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP is acting as legal counsel to Skeena. Carscallen LLP is acting as legal counsel to Mount Rainey. Evans & Evans, Inc. is acting as financial advisor to Mount Rainey.

Qualified Persons

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Skeena's VP of Exploration, Rupert Allan, P.Geol., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Skeena

Skeena Resources Ltd. is a junior Canadian mining exploration company focused on developing prospective base and precious metal properties in the Golden Triangle region of northern British Columbia, Canada. The Company's primary activities are the evaluation and development of the Spectrum gold project and adjacent GJ copper-gold project as well as exploration on the recently optioned past-producing Snip gold mine, acquired from Barrick Gold Corp. Skeena's management includes a highly experienced team of mine-finders, including Ron Netolitzky, Chairman of the Board.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Skeena Resources Ltd.,

Walt Coles Jr.

President & CEO

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking information

This release contains certain "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities laws concerning the events and transactions contemplated by the Definitive Agreement. Forward-looking information reflects Skeena's current internal expectations or beliefs and are based on information currently available to the two companies. In some cases forward-looking information can be identified by terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "projects", "potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" or the negative of those terms or other comparable terminology. Assumptions upon which such forward-looking information is based include, among others, that the conditions to closing of the Arrangement will be satisfied, that the transactions contemplated by the Definitive Agreement will be completed on the terms set out in the Definitive Agreement, that all required regulatory, shareholder, court approvals will be obtained on a timely basis, and that the business prospects and opportunities of each of the companies will proceed as anticipated. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Skeena, and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct or accurate. Risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted herein include, without limitation: that the Arrangement will not be completed at all or on terms less favourable to one party or the other, that required regulatory, shareholder or court approvals will not be obtained and that the business prospects and opportunities of each of the companies will not proceed as anticipated. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins and flooding (and the risk of inadequate insurance or inability to obtain insurance to cover these risks), as well as the risks disclosed by Skeena in its filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and actual results and future events could differ materially from those discussed in any such forward-looking information. All of the forward-looking information contained in this news release is qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers cannot be assured that actual results will be consistent with such statements. The Arrangement may not be completed on the terms described above, or at all. Accordingly, readers are cautioned against placing undue reliance on any of the forward-looking information contained herein. Skeena each expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information in this news release, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Zumbo store in South Yarra. Photo: Penny Stephens

Adriano Zumbo

It can be a struggle to find a park near celebrity pastry chef Adriano Zumbo's first Melbourne store. But you won't have any trouble spotting the place: look for the hot-pink neon and mirrored panels. Desserts here are hyped but with good reason; you won't find caramel vanilla sundae cronuts  sorry, Zonuts  or blackened vanilla bean and salted caramel popcorn macarons anywhere else.

14 Claremont Street, South Yarra, 1800 858 611, adrianozumbo.com

Chef Darren Purchese in his Sweet Studio. Photo: Supplied Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio Fancy a bullion bar filled with salted caramel? A choc-dipped biscuit sandwich filled with peanut butter, raspberry jam and raspberry marshmallow? Or even a giant, chewy meringue? Look no further than Melbourne's Willy Wonka. Darren Purchese's sweet studio is also famed for its layer cakes. Better yet, it cater to individuals with single-serve tube desserts. Don't tell the dentist. 647 Chapel Street, South Yarra, 03 9827 7060, burchandpurchese.com

Cucinetta

A restaurant that takes bookings is refreshing these days, but when you only have 21 seats, it becomes necessary. Groups of four to 12 can call ahead to guarantee ordering from the Italian menu, which changes every Wednesday. Expect a fish dish, a meat dish and a couple of pastas (perhaps pappardelle with beef cheeks and horseradish). Hot tip: BYO wine on Sundays with $10 corkage.



Shop 4, 3 Murphy Street, South Yarra, 03 9942 2607, cucinettamelb.com.au

Master Roll

The area's workers give thanks for this corner shop, which brings a taste of 'Nam to South Yarra. Seating is limited but the takeaway trade is booming. Best-sellers include banh mi with grilled pork cutlets, chicken or chilli lemongrass tofu, along with contemporary ricepaper rolls (think tender roast duck and baked fish).

169 Toorak Road, South Yarra, 03 9078 8754, masterrollvietnam.com.au

The interior of Mister Zen, South Yarra. Photo: Supplied

Mister Zen

Known as the cafe from reality television series The Block, Mister Zen's popularity has outlived the show. Outdoor seating at the bottom of the octagonal apartment building is hot property and blankets are provided on cooler days. There's clean eating to be done with an often-Instagrammed acai bowl topped with raspberry jelly, but heartier options also shine, perhaps baked eggs with lamb meatballs and dehydrated shiitake.

15 Commercial Road, South Yarra, 0431 215 723, misterzen.com.au

SOS Cafe

Superfoods. St Ali coffee. Organic juice. SOS may not save souls, but it certainly saves stomachs. Brekkie dishes might include The Field of Green, a verdant bowl of leafy righteousness topped with a poached egg, or guilt-free tiramisu pancakes with cashew cream and hot maple syrup ristretto. Seating is almost exclusively outside in South Yarra Square, a scattering of gluten-free crumbs away from the station.

Shop 5, 177 Toorak Road, South Yarra, sos-cafe.com

The interior of Sth Central in South Yarra. Photo: Wayne Taylor

Sth Central

The colour scheme at Sth Central is decidedly monochromatic. Wedged beneath a residential tower opposite the train tracks, it's industrial but not cold. Every surface is smooth  leather, marble, concrete and steel. It's why food pops from the plates, whether bircher piled with strawberries for breakfast or baby calamari barbecued in the Inka charcoal grill and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds from lunch 'til late.

4 Yarra Street, South Yarra, 03 8679 6755, sthcentral.com.au

Matteo Iarrera (manager), with Giuseppe Di Mauro and Fabio Magliano, of Thirty Eight Chairs. Photo: Pat Scala

Thirty Eight Chairs

What this restaurant lacks in size it makes up for in character. Charming Italian staff ensure first dates run smoothly, shout orders in their native tongue and call giggling female customers 'bella'. They're open for breakfast and lunch (try the $25 express menu), but come dinner it's the pappardelle al ragu di anatra  slow-cooked duck, porcini and pecorino  that you need to eat.

4a Bond Street, South Yarra, 03 9827 5553, thirtyeightchairs.com.au

Hot cross buns at Tivoli Road Bakery. Photo: Tim Grey

Tivoli Road Bakery

The area's breadwinner is tucked just off Toorak Road, but queues can extend to the street corner if a new flavour of doughnut or Easter hot cross bun is available. It's a bakery first and a cafe second  pick up a loaf of crusty sourdough or battle locals for a seat in front of the action and chow down on a fresh sandwich or chunky pie.

3 Tivoli Road, South Yarra, 03 9041 4345, tivoliroad.com.au

Two Wrongs

Indulge in the whacky at this 'fine diving' restaurant, where you can challenge a friend to Mario Kart on Nintendo and drink cocktails named Lara Bingle. But this isn't just a place of pink neon and lobster-shaped door handles. It's a restaurant where you eat juicy pork doughnuts, truffled mac 'n' cheese and a grown-up take on Kinder Surprise.

637 Chapel Street, South Yarra, 03 9827 4510, twowrongs.com.au
Francine Orr/ Los Angeles Times/TNS Robert Stone, 69, poses for a portrait July 9 on his porch in the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles. Bob has terminal cancer, and is in hospice care. As people are living longer, attitudes toward death are changing, with people seeking more autonomy. Many states are now considering physician-assisted suicide laws, like that which went into effect in California last month. Bob plans to take advantage of the new law.

SHARE

By Soumya Karlamangla, Los Angeles Times (TNS)

LOS ANGELES  When doctors told Robert Stone last year that he had terminal cancer, he didn't feel afraid.

Stone said he'd come to accept death as a natural part of life. What he did fear was having too little energy or too much pain to enjoy his remaining days.

So last month Stone, 69, became one of the first people in California to obtain lethal medications under a new state law that allows doctors to write prescriptions for terminally ill patients to kill themselves.

Stone said he won't take the pills until the growing fatigue caused by his bone marrow cancer becomes debilitating.

"I'll know that by how I feel," he said. "It gives me some comfort in having control over what the end of my life will be like."

Americans are planning for the possibility of living into their 80s or 90s, said Len Fishman, director of the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. "They also know that that can mean living with serious physical and cognitive disease, and it's making them think about what choices they would want to make if they were in that situation," he said.

That's led to more patients refusing intensive medical treatments just to prolong their lives, because there might be "some things worse than death," Fishman said.

More controversially, it's also contributed to a recent surge in the number of states looking into legalizing physician-assisted suicide  seen as either a humane option for the sick or the beginning of a dangerous trend in medicine.

Generally, attitudes toward death are changing in part because baby boomers  the oldest of whom reached retirement age five years ago  were the first generation to see their many of their parents live into their 80s, Fishman said. They probably saw health conditions they wouldn't want for themselves.

Stone recalled his mother's last months with a grimace.

He remembers that when she was hospitalized for congestive heart failure in 1992, her hands were strapped to a hospital bed, a tube down her throat. She eventually ended up in a coma before dying weeks later at age 80.

Stone said his mother, father and uncle endured "excruciatingly painful" situations before they died.

"If they'd had a choice, I don't think they would've done so," he said.

In October, Stone's doctors told him that his chemotherapy had stopped working and that he probably had one to two years left to live.

But unlike his mother's, Stone's last months will be peaceful, he said.

Since his diagnosis, he's traveled to Vietnam and Japan, two countries he'd always wanted to visit. He recently read through stacks of letters written as long ago as 1962, fondly remembering old friends.

And for these happy final months, "I'm very thankful," he said.

Since November 2014, legislators in more than 25 states have introduced bills that would legalize physician-assisted suicide  a fivefold increase from 2013, according to data collected by Compassion & Choices, an organization that advocates such laws.

Such laws face heavy opposition from some quarters.

Opponents say they fear these laws could be the beginning of a societal shift in which some people's lives are deemed less valuable.

"It's a very utilitarian attitude toward human life," said Camille Giglio, head of the anti-abortion advocacy group California Right to Life. "To say simply because you've got an illness or you've got a disability  you should do the right thing and take yourself out of the world."

Many doctors have historically been opposed to such laws, saying they go against their oath to save lives. A group of physicians in California has sued to overturn the state's law.

In Oregon, Dr. Kenneth Stevens, an oncologist, has been fighting physician-assisted suicide since Oregon became the first state to legalize it in 1998. "It's changing what doctors do, what hospitals do," he said. "I can't fathom why a doctor would do this."

In 2000, a terminally ill woman with inoperable cancer who refused treatment asked Stevens for a prescription for lethal medications.

He encouraged her to try chemotherapy and radiation instead and fight for the chance to see her son graduate from the police academy and perhaps see him get married.

She agreed and is still alive 16 years later.

"Killing someone is not a medical procedure," Stevens said.

Because many doctors are wary of helping patients die, participation in California's law is completely voluntary. Physicians don't have to prescribe such medications if asked or refer patients to colleagues who will.

But public acceptance of the practice has influenced doctors as well.

Last year, the California Medical Association, which represents doctors, switched its stance from opposed to neutral, which many credit with the bill's ability to gain sufficient support in the state Legislature.

In Colorado, where there's a campaign to get a similar measure on the state's November ballot, the Colorado Medical Society is re-evaluating its opposition to the practice.

"The times are changing rapidly in terms of national acceptance of the concept of this within the medical arena," Dr. Catherine Sonquist Forest, a family medicine doctor and professor at Stanford University, said in a webinar about the new law for California physicians.
Mariel Hemingway's family has experienced seven suicides, including her writer grandfather Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway discussed her famous family and struggles she observed as she grew up. Charles Trainor Jr./ Miami Herald/TNS

SHARE Ernest Hemingway

Actress reveals the haunting story of 7 suicides in famous family

By Connie Ogle, Miami Herald (TNS)

HOLLYWOOD, Fla.  With seven suicides in her family  including those of her writer grandfather Ernest and her supermodel sister Margaux  Mariel Hemingway hasnt just been affected by depression and suicide. She has been besieged by it.

This history is why the actress, the youngest daughter of Ernest Hemingways son Jack and famous for such films as Manhattan, Personal Best, Star 80 and The Mean Season, has spent the last several years speaking as a mental health and wellness advocate.

I started to realize I had a great understanding of the whole space, says Hemingway, who was in South Florida recently to speak at State of Recovery 2016, a conference held at the Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood on behavioral health care. I was drawn to being able to tell a story so that other people dont feel alone, so they dont feel isolated inside the darkness  because there is so much darkness when you dont speak about it, and theres so much hope and light in recovery if youre able to tell your story.

Hemingway, 54, the divorced mother of two grown daughters, is remarkably friendly and upbeat for someone whose family practically defines the phrase troubled past, but then, she has dedicated herself to a search for peace (Ive traveled to different countries. Ive chanted. Ive done primal scream. Ive eaten every way, and Ive exercised too much  Ive tried to find all the different avenues to create balance). She has long promoted lifestyle balance and wellness, but her public transformation to mental health advocate began several years ago, when a friend at OWN suggested she make a documentary about her family (her eldest sister, Joan, suffers from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia).

At first, Hemingway demurred. But on further reflection, she realized the merit in such a work  and grabbed the chance to reflect on her past in a positive light.

I did suffer depression myself; it wasnt clinical depression, but I had a genetic predisposition for it, she says. I grew up watching a family that was completely amazing and creative but also destructive and self-medicating. All of them, they were addicts. I didnt want to end up like that. I was on a mission.

The result was Running From Crazy, directed by Barbara Kopple (co-director of Shut Up & Sing, a documentary on country musics The Dixie Chicks and the bands political travails). Running From Crazy, which aired in 2013, was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary in 2014 (theres a repeat screening Aug. 4 on OWN).

Last year, Hemingway, who had published self-help books on such subjects as yoga and healthy eating, continued what she calls her journey by publishing two memoirs: Out Came the Sun: Overcoming the Legacy of Mental Illness, Addiction, and Suicide in My Family and Invisible Girl, written diary-style and aimed at teenagers, both co-written by Ben Greenman.

Reaching out to young adults was important to Hemingway, who grew up in Ketchum, Idaho, and became a caretaker to her family at an early age (at 11, she used to drive her mother home from chemotherapy appointments).

I thought I could fix my family when I was a kid, she says. If somebody could have talked to me, it wouldve taken all that pressure off me. I actually thought it was my job to make my family better because everybody was so messed up. I thought, Well, somebodys got to clean up after the crazy.  Its why movie sets were less messy than my home life. I was cleaning up after nights of too much wine all my life. When I started making movies it was an occasion. I thought, Oh my God, people give me things! They take care of me!

The fact that her family never spoke of their issues  Hemingway believes her grandfather, who shot himself four months before she was born in 1961, suffered from undiagnosed bipolar disorder  only makes her more determined to tell her story. Despite living in more transparent times, she believes the stigma against depression is alive and thriving.

Theres still a stigma, she says. Its funny, because Im such a healthy, balanced person now. But with people in the industry, because of a couple of stories that came out, they were like, I dont know if we can hire her  isnt she depressed? But you can be a drug addict or you can beat your wife or husband, you can do all kinds of crazy stuff and still get hired, still get a promotion. But even now, when you talk about mental health, people are really afraid, because its too close to home. Everybody has to deal with mental health issues at some level.

Dr. Charles B. Nemeroff, chairman of the psychiatry department at UHealth  University of Miami Health System, agrees with Hemingways assessment on the pervasive stigma against depression-related issues.

Its robust in many ways, he says. We have this fabulous cancer center at UM. Its so successful in raising money for research. But compare the amount Sylvester can raise compared to what we can raise in psychiatry  its a mere fraction. Strokes and Parkinsons are brain diseases. So is depression. Whats different? Theyre both above-the-neck diseases. We still fight this tremendous stigma.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death for Americans  the only cause of death in the top 10 thats increasing, not decreasing, Nemeroff says. A member of the board of directors of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, he attributes misconceptions about depression and suicide to a variety of factors, including poor insurance reimbursements for mental health care and an ongoing lack of funding and research. Raising awareness, he says, is key, which is why any celebrity to speak out about the subject is helpful.

Patty Duke was one of the first. Carrie Fisher has done it. Jane Pauley. Theres a local actor here in Miami, Gabrielle Anwar [of Burn Notice] who has followed in Mariels footsteps and was able to speak about her own issues with depression, Nemeroff says. They say you cant solve a problem by throwing money at it. But yes, you can. Look at AIDS.

As for Hemingway, shes looking forward to returning to acting, but in the meantime shell keep sharing her experiences.

Its liberating, she says. Every time I tell my story, I say something different. It unlocks something and lets something go. Thats why I know telling your story is really important for me  and for everyone.
Scott R. Galvin / Associated Press An Amish girl chases a cow from the outfield during a baseball game in Bergholz, Ohio, in this April 2013 file photo. A study published Wednesday explored reasons why asthma is so uncommon among Amish communities.

SHARE

By Lindsey Tanner, Associated Press

CHICAGO  Forget Fluffy and Fido. Bessie the cow just might make a healthier pet.

That idea stems from new research in two farming-based religious communities that shun modern ways but have dramatically different childhood asthma rates. The goal was to find an explanation for why asthma is so uncommon among Amish communities, where children run barefoot in dairy barns and farm fields, but much higher in the other group.

Blood samples, house dust and mice experiments revealed some tantalizing clues, suggesting something in the dust was protecting the Amish children.

The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. It involved 60 school-aged children  30 each from an Amish community in Middlebury, Indiana, and from a Hutterite colony near Mitchell, South Dakota. Amish and Hutterites both originated in Europe, share old-style Protestant beliefs and lifestyles and have similar genetic ancestry.

But Hutterites live on large highly industrialized communal farms, use modern agricultural machinery, and children are more isolated from livestock. By contrast, the Amish have family-run farms, they use horse-drawn plows, their barns often are located near their homes and their children have daily exposure to farm animals, the researchers explained.

Asthma is a lung disease involving narrowed airways and episodes of wheezing, coughing and breathing difficulties. Its cause is unknown but scientists believe genes and the environment play a role. Of the 60 children in the study, no Amish children and six Hutterites had asthma. Other studies have found rates of about 5 percent in Amish school-aged children versus up to about 20 percent in Hutterites and 10 percent for U.S. kids.

Reasons for the higher Hutterite rate aren't known but exhaust from farm machinery is an unlikely explanation because they typically don't come in close contact with it, said study co-author Carole Ober, a University of Chicago geneticist.

Blood tests confirmed both groups of children had similar genetic profiles. But Amish children had far more white blood cells called neutrophils  important in fighting infections. Plus, these cells looked younger in Amish kids, suggesting their immune system was constantly stimulated by exposure to germs to produce more.

Other blood cells called monocytes were found in similar numbers in both groups. Previous studies suggest these cells are hyperactive in allergy-prone children but the cells showed signs of being less responsive to allergy triggers in the Amish kids, said co-author Anne Sperling, a University of Chicago immunologist.

"This was a phenomenal difference," she said. "We were blown away."

She said the second "gee-whiz moment" came after researchers collected Amish and Hutterite house dust and tested it on special mice sensitized to develop asthma symptoms. Hutterite dust triggered breathing troubles and inflamed airways in the mice; Amish dust did not.

What exactly is in Amish house dust that might protect children is not known and more research is planned to find out, but the study authors theorized it could be microbes including bacteria from dairy cows.

"We could just say put a cow in everyone's house and no one would have asthma anymore but of course that's not easy," Ober said with a chuckle.

But if protective germs can be identified, it might someday be possible to create an asthma blocker for all children, she said.
Rick Smith Columnist SHARE A stone mural adorns the side of the Stephens Central Library in downtown San Angelo. The mural was done by Italian-born artist Remo Scardigli as a tribute to San Angelo in the early 1970s. Ken Grimm/Standard-Times Remo Scardigli left San Angelo for Mexico a year or so after the mural was complete. Contributed photo Ken Grimm/Standard-Times Stone mural adorns the side of the Stephens Central Library in downtown San Angelo. The mural was done by Italian-born artist Remo Scardigli as a tribute to San Angelo in the early 1970s. Shot/Archived 08.02.16

An Italian-born artist left something for San Angelo

In the early 1970s an Italian-born artist named Remo Scardigli left something for the people in San Angelo.

The sculptor, who was born in Florence in 1910, lived in the United States and Mexico for many years before coming to San Angelo in 1968 to work as a jewelry designer.

Although he had lived around the world from Italy to California to Mexico, he must have seen something here he liked.

Remo stayed in San Angelo for several years, teaching classes in sculpture and jewelry design and working on a book about John Steinbeck, a former neighbor of his in California.

"Remo led an interesting life," Chicken Farm Art Center director Roger Allen said in 2011.

"Remo was always working on something and had a studio in an old building across from the former Edison Junior High School," Roger said.

One of his creations: a mural originally placed on the west side of the Hemphill-Wells building, a favorite San Angelo department store.

Then, years after the department store was demolished, the mural was preserved and attached to the new Stephens Central Library when it was completed.

The 15-by-24-foot sculpture Remo cast in concrete was created in six separate panels.

When it was attached to the library, workers used a crane and put the sections to the west-facing wall.

It's an elegant piece of art, as smooth and flowing as the South Concho River and as tough as river rock.

It symbolizes San Angelo  the economy, agriculture, medicine, law, engineering, oil, horses, sheep, cattle, a gushing oil derrick, medical symbol, Western boot with spur, drafting tools and machine gears. All seem to leap out of the mural.

An open book rests near the center of the mural showing learning. What could be more appropriate on a library wall?

Because the mural's not flat, but crafted in three dimensions, it changes throughout the day as shadows creep across the mural, accenting figures.

Richard Ramirez was one of several local artists who helped Remo make the sculpture. He said creating the mural was hard work.

"Remo first sculpted the images in wet clay," Richard said.

"Then a plaster mold was taken from the clay. Concrete was poured into each of the molds of the sculpture's six panels."

Finally, Remo supervised the placement of the completed steel-reinforced panels on the wall.

"That was the hardest part, the tying it all into one big piece," Richard said.

Look up and you can see the mural and where Remo signed his name on the bottom right corner of his work.

Remo left San Angelo for Mexico a year or so after the mural was complete.

He died in 1984.

But not his work.

Rick Smith is a local news and community affairs columnist. Contact him at 325-659-8248 or rick.smith@gosanangelo.com.
SHARE

By Staff Report

Raul Jose Valencia of San Angelo has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for possession with the intent to deliver heroin, a first-degree felony.

Judge Ben Woodward handed down the sentence in a Tom Green County courtroom Tuesday morning, saying he believed Valencia, 56, had been found in possession of heroin and had the intention to deliver  to sell  heroin. Family members sitting toward the back of the courtroom gasped after the sentence was handed down.

Valencia had pleaded guilty to possession of heroin on Monday, but not guilty to possession with intent to deliver.

Officers with the San Angelo Police Department ran a search warrant on Valencia's house on Feb. 18, 2015, and found more than 11 grams of heroin. They also found materials for distributing narcotics, and more than $7,000 in cash, according to a news release from the Tom Green County District Attorney's office. Possession alone would have been a third-degree felony; possession with intent to deliver is a first-degree felony.

At his trial, both he and his wife testified that the heroin found at their home was for personal use and that they used heroin daily.

Maria Valencia testified that for the year leading up to the February 2015 arrest, the couple would travel to Dallas every three days to purchase 1 ounce (28 grams) of heroin and bring it back to San Angelo. She said they would use 3 grams of heroin per day. Valencia testified that at their worst they used 6 grams of heroin per day, according to an email from Jason Ferguson, the assistant district attorney who prosecuted the case.

Ferguson said after the sentencing that during the trial he started adding up the amount of heroin the Valencias said they used and the numbers didn't work.

"Trial testimony revealed Mr. Valencia to potentially be one of the larger heroin dealers in our community," Ferguson said in a news release. "With an average street price ranging from $150 to $225 per gram, that equals Mr. Valencia bringing between $500,000 and $750,000 in heroin into San Angelo."

Stephanie Goodman, Valencia's attorney, was not available for comment.

The sentencing range for the felony is 15-99 years. It was enhanced because of a prior felony conviction Valencia had for delivery of heroin. He also was ordered to pay $180 and court costs.
SHARE

By Ting Shi, Bloomberg News (TNS)

HONG KONG  South Korean President Park Geun Hye has discovered first hand the feeling of getting the cold shoulder from China.

Under the fluent Mandarin speaker's watch, South Korea had seen improved ties with China, drawn together in part by concern about Japan's wartime past and the military ambitions of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Park was the only leader of a U.S. ally to attend a military parade in China last year for the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Now, relations that were hailed by both countries as the best in history have soured, and Park may get a frosty reception in China next month for the Group of 20 summit. The reason: Her agreement to deploy a U.S. missile shield on Korean soil.

While South Korea says the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system would be aimed at prickly neighbor North Korea, which has been busy of late test-firing missiles, China has reacted angrily, saying the shield could be applied to it. Russia has also opposed it being stationed in Asia.

The tensions, which could crimp Chinese tourism to South Korea and even the appetite for that country's K-pop music, could also go some way to resetting the geopolitical landscape in North Asia. South Korea may move back toward the U.S., and that in turn could bring South Korea and Japan closer. China, meantime, finds itself potentially in North Korea's corner.

"The Thaad deployment is a symbol of the new Cold War," said Shi Yongming, an associate research fellow who specializes in Korean studies at the Foreign Ministry-run China Institute of International Studies in Beijing. "It marks a watershed moment in the relations between China and South Korea. The strategic trust is now broken. The power dynamic in Northeast Asia has fundamentally shifted, towards a profound deterioration."

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has described the Thaad plan as an "out-and-out strategic" move, underscoring Beijing's perception the deployment is a U.S. plan to contain China in the region. South Korea's willingness to share information with Japan that's collected from Thaad has compounded that view.

The system is "purely defensive," U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said at a briefing last month. "There should be no reason for China or any other nation to be concerned about this in terms of any offensive capabilities." Kirby said the U.S. had offered to share details of the system with Chinese officials, who never took up the offer.

One consequence of the tensions over Thaad could be an arms race in North Asia, with both China and Russia moving to develop more sophisticated weaponry. The deployment may also play into the hands of North Korea, allowing leader Kim Jong Un to shore up ties with China, its only major ally.

South Korea is already facing an economic backlash even though Thaad may not be operational on its soil until the end of next year. The Korea International Trade Association has identified 26 measures in place by China that hurt its members. Sales to China declined about 9 percent in July. It accounts for about a quarter of South Korea's exports and is its biggest trading partner.

For both Xi and Park, the cooling of ties could cost them political capital. Xi picked Seoul over Pyongyang for his first high-profile state visit to the peninsula. Park, meanwhile, had leaned on China to help her reign in North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

"It's China's inability to restrain North Korea and unwillingness to give South Korea meaningful security guarantees that has shown the limits of what South Korea can expect from China," said Phillip Saunders, director of the Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs at the U.S. National Defense University.

Xi and Kim  who have yet to meet  exchanged congratulatory messages in May and July on key party occasions. North Korean exports to China of natural resources not subject to United Nations sanctions rose more than 50 percent in the first half of the year, according to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency.

Kim Dong-yup, an analyst at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University in South Korea, said the bickering over Thaad "is happiness to North Korea."

China's foreign ministry, which has said Thaad's powerful radars threaten its national security, has warned about taking "necessary measures to safeguard" its interests. "The Thaad system far exceeds the defense needs of the Korean Peninsula, it will directly harm China's strategic security interests and disrupt the regional strategic balance," according to Zhu Haiquan, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C.

The Defense Ministry confirmed on July 28 it was pressing ahead with anti-missile system tests. China's military, which is undergoing an ambitious modernization program, has multiple options to respond, according to Yue Gang, a retired colonel. To prevent Thaad "foreshadowing a Northeast Asian version of NATO," China could jam Thaad's radar or boost the density of its missile deployment to overwhelm it, he said.

Still, China will need to take care to avoid pulling away too far from South Korea.

"Actions have consequences, and it has pushed the South Korea towards the U.S. and Japan, however much China tries to paint it as an American plot," said Robert Manning, senior fellow of the Brent Scowcroft Center for International Security at the Washington-based Atlantic Council. "It is one piece of a very counterproductive Xi Jinping foreign policy."



Hooyeon Kim, Isabel Reynolds, Kambiz Foroohar and Nick Wadhams contributed to this report.
SHARE

The following editorial appeared in Saturday's Chicago Tribune:

For many Americans, this presidential race is a train wreck in progress.

CNN's latest poll says Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are viewed unfavorably by a majority of voters. A majority! Clinton's negative number is bad  55 percent  but Trump's is catastrophic: 70 percent have an unfavorable opinion of him. The Pew Research Center says 4 in 10 voters find it hard to choose; they think neither would make a good president.

But if many Americans see their options as casting a hold-your-nose vote or staying home, others wonder about a third-party candidate.

Gov. Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party and Jill Stein of the Green Party won their parties' nominations in 2012, but that November neither broke the 1 percent threshold. This year, Stein has polled as high as 7 percent. Johnson's ventures into double digits make him, especially, more than a fringe player. He could become the escape-hatch choice for a lot of people Nov. 8  if he's included in the autumn presidential debates. The first is scheduled for Sept. 26. The decision on who is included rests with the private, nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates. The group says eligible candidates must appear on enough state ballots to have a mathematical shot at winning the Electoral College vote.

Johnson expects to be on the ballot in every state. To meet a second requirement, though, he'll need to stretch: Candidates must hit an average 15 percent support level in five national polls. A new Fox News poll has Johnson at 12 percent, but in the latest CNN poll he fell from 13 percent to 9 percent amid the hoopla of the Republican and Democratic conventions. A RealClearPolitics average has him at 7 percent. He has time to raise his game. The commission won't start looking at numbers until after Labor Day.

There's no way to wish magic on a candidate. It happens or it doesn't. But there's a practical side to the equation. Johnson tells us his biggest hurdle to reaching 15 percent is that many pollsters focus on the Clinton-Trump matchup and exclude Johnson or include him in a secondary question that gets ignored by the media and public. If the polls acknowledged that 2016 is a not a two-way race, he says, "I'd be at 20 percent overnight."

Johnson, in other words, is caught in an election cycle Catch-22: To get acknowledged by pollsters, he needs higher numbers, but he won't get higher numbers until the pollsters acknowledge him. Something needs to give, and we think it should be the pollsters, who can see better than anyone the dissatisfaction with the major party candidates.

The last third-party candidate to participate in the debates was Ross Perot, who in 1992 won 19 percent of the popular vote against Bill Clinton and George Bush. Perot made a splash criticizing NAFTA, describing the "giant sucking sound" of jobs going to Mexico. Trump and Hillary Clinton both play to jobs fears, going after trade deals while hammering each other over fitness for office.

We have no illusions about Johnson's chances to break through the clutter of ugliness and negativity. Third-party candidates don't get a lot of traction for a reason: They don't win elections. But in a year when the public is sick of politics as usual, Johnson would bring a set of ideas to the debate stage a lot of people may like.

A former Republican governor of New Mexico, he's a moderate Libertarian with an agenda that is more or less socially liberal and economically conservative. He is a free marketeer and skeptic of government power, but not an extremist. Where his views are outside the mainstream, most are not radical, just different. He would, for example, abolish the IRS, replacing corporate and personal income taxes and the capital gains tax with a consumption tax.

Another pet idea: bringing down health care costs by spurring competition (his favorite example is a theoretical business called X-Rays R Us). That would be a different answer to the "Obamacare" question than what voters will hear in the debates from Clinton and Trump.

You'd think this race couldn't get any more, um, interesting. It can if voters hear directly from Johnson on the debate stage. To make that happen, pollsters should recognize reality: 2016 is a year like no other for presidential politics.
Nurses and doctors lobbied the state to help cover the cost of a cocktail of drugs that can protect sexual assault victims from contracting HIV.In 2014, they succeeded when a state law was changed to reimburse hospitals, at least in part, when they provided the medication to victims who sought treatment and had a rape kit collected.Now, more than two years later, the law still isn't being followed; the state isn't covering any medication costs.That has kept hospitals and sexual assault nurses scrambling in some cases to get the expensive and time sensitive drug regimen to patients who often are reeling from the trauma of an attack.Nurse practitioner Janet Briggs is among those who "pushed and pushed and pushed and made pests of ourselves" to make it a priority for rape victims to get the drugs which can prevent the immune-system attacking virus from taking hold."The reality is that despite the fear of potential infection, few if any, victims of sexual assault will have the physical, emotional, or financial means to search for antiretroviral drugs on their own following their assault," Briggs, who works at the Louis Stokes Veterans Administration Medical Center, wrote in a letter to a committee that reviews rules for state agencies. "In light of current knowledge about HIV transmission and our ability to mitigate that risk, to offer no or incomplete prophylaxis is to do harm and deliberately breaches the State's duty to care."
Description

GIS  10 August, 2016: Government is very committed to give a boost to the livestock sector amidst the prevailing global food insecurity. Although panoply of schemes has been implemented in the past, the sector still seems to be lagging behind, especially the smallholder livestock owners. Government is very committed to give a boost to the livestock sector amidst the prevailing global food insecurity. Although panoply of schemes has been implemented in the past, the sector still seems to be lagging behind, especially the smallholder livestock owners.

The Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Mahen Seeruttun, made this statement this morning at Le Labourdonnais Hotel, Port Louis at the opening of a workshop on the findings of the VET-GOV Pilot Project Evaluation of Basic Veterinary Care in Mauritius. It is continent-wide pilot project to reinforce veterinary governance launched at the initiative of the African Union - Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources, World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

Regarding the livestock which is being seriously affected by the outbreak of an infectious disease in Rodrigues, the Minister pointed out that the National Livestock and Veterinary (NLVD) Division is called to be at the very core of livestock development not only as a department which caters only for animal health issues but as one which encompasses animal health, veterinary public health and trade of animal and animal products.

The Division is expected to provide a conducive environment for livestock production to develop, he said. This will be achieved by ensuring that animal health measures and food safety standards with respect to animal products are being implemented by stakeholders, through effective official controls.

Mr Seeruttun announced that animal health measures and food safety standards derived from OIE Terrestrial Animal Health and the Codex Alimentarius respectively, and enshrined in the upcoming national Animal Health Bill will provide the basis for the development of a sustainable livestock industry.

According to him, the ability of NLVD to carry out credible official controls through inspection, audits and certification in the livestock sector is fundamental to building consumer confidence in the production and supply chain of livestock products and maintaining trustworthiness among trading partners.

We should also provide the appropriate framework for our livestock industry to export their products to the international remunerative markets, the Minister added.
(TNS) -- The arrival of an unnamed black Labrador caused a small commotion round noontime Tuesday when he sauntered into the Solano County animal shelters intake room.The pooch, its fur unkempt and covered in fleas, was found wandering near a highway in Suisun City before a concerned woman brought him in. A technician gave him a syringe-full of vaccine to protect against parvo, a contagious virus, and kennel cough. Another woman waved a wand that turned up no sign of a computer chip that would have identified the stray and linked it to an owner.No microchip, no tags on the collar, Lt. Cathy Raymos of the Solano County Sheriffs Office, who runs the shelters operations, noted with disapproval.At the end of the evaluation, kennel worker Aunie Winn pulled out a point-and-shoot camera and tried to get the dog to stay relatively still.Too close, too close, she told the pooch, before handing the camera off to Amanda Hoover, whos in charge of outreach and volunteers for the shelter. Hoover meowed to get the dogs attention and snapped his photo.The picture, not unlike booking photos for inmates at the jail adjacent to the shelter, was uploaded to a database that keeps kennel inventory and has details on each animal.Starting this week, some of that information will also be sent to an app that uses facial recognition technology to match missing dogs to those that have been found.Officials in Solano Countys animal care department and the Sheriffs Office, which oversees the often-at-capacity shelter, hope the technology will increase the percentage of animals reclaimed by their owners  right now, only 10 to 15 percent. They also want the app to cut down on the time animals spend in the shelter, which can rack up boarding fees for owners when they finally come in.Data from the app, Finding Rover, is shared with up to 180 municipal shelters across the county, in hopes of reuniting pet owners with their lost furry friends. And Solano County, like the app users, didnt have to shell out any money to get the technology.Owners upload photos and details of their dogs to the database, and if Sparky or Buster ever runs away, someone who finds the animal can upload another photo, which will match to the first one and alert the owner. For shelters, the photos are automatically sent to the network.The technology  which notes 128 facial points and features, like eye-to-nose geometry  is accurate 98 percent of the time and will soon be available for cats, said John Polimeno, founder of Finding Rover.Its one more way for people to recognize their animal, Hoover said inside the intake room. We need, like, 500 more ways.Veterinarians and shelter workers still hope pet owners use traditional means of keeping track of their animals: microchips, licenses and tags on collars. Raymos said the app may help people who cant travel to the shelter or who are too lazy to do so.Its amazing how many people want to sit on their couch and find their animals, she said.But Polimeno, who commissioned the technology to be developed at the University of Utah, said owners looking for lost dogs often have to return to shelters every day. With the app, that becomes unnecessary, he said.When Harley, our black Lab, jumped the fence, those were probably the worst three days of my life, said Polimeno, who lives in Brentwood. He put his children in the backseat and they searched for three days, eventually finding the dog safe at a neighbors house.Years later, in 2013, a lost-dog poster at a coffee shop brought back the unpleasant memory and spurred Polimeno to look for a more innovative way of reuniting lost pets to their humans, eventually spawning Finding Rovers creation.I cant make people come down here, Raymos said, so if this is an avenue to help reunification, Im happy.
(TNS) -- Power outages during the dog days of summer are becoming less common as Pennsylvania utilities invest hundreds of millions of dollars in smart technology to keep the electric system running smoothly.The improvements allow utilities to detect and isolate problems before they become widespread or reroute the flow of electricity to prevent customers from losing power.Utilities also are using technology to monitor demand and prevent the electric grid from being overwhelmed as customers crank up their air conditioners to combat sweltering temperatures.The loss of power for air conditioners during the summer heat might be frustrating for electric customers, but utilities say the improvements they are making go beyond addressing just concerns about the performance of the grid during hot weather.I would emphasis that we're not only targeting summertime readiness, we're trying to make the system more resilient and more durable to help prevent outages, and so when outages do occur, we can repair them faster, West Penn Power spokesman Todd Meyers said.West Penn's average outage duration for each customer served fell by 83 minutes from 2013 to 2014, according to Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission reports, the most recent statistics available.But some experts say spending on smart technology by utilities is not the only reason for the improved performance of the grid. They credit an emphasis on energy efficiency and conservation for helping to reduce the demands that have overwhelmed the system at times, noting the increasing use of energy-saving light bulbs and appliances by utility customers.PUC reports suggest outages of all types are falling statewide year-by-year while outage severity decreases. A 2014 report, the most recent available, showed only one of the state's utilities failed to meet three-year rolling average outage duration benchmarks in 2014 compared to three companies in 2013. Utilities statewide similarly improved their performance as measured by the average number of interruptions.Duquesne Light, which serves more than 1 million people in Allegheny and Beaver counties, reported few outages related to hot weather this summer, while West Penn reported no heat related outages for its roughly 720,000 customers during last month's heat wave. West Penn's service territory spans more than 20 counties in western and southern Pennsylvania.Investment in technology upgrades by the utilities has combined with more aggressive tree-trimming programs that keep downed trees from snapping power lines during severe weather, and make it easier for crews to work on lines when outages occur.West Penn's parent company, FirstEnergy Corp., spent $181 million on projects in the utility's service area in 2014 and plans to spend significantly more on similar projects in 2016, Meyers said. FirstEnergy did not separate capital spending in West Penn territory from company-wide figures in 2015.Some of the 2016 investment will go toward installing more smart technology that helps prevent outages or isolate the power disruption to smaller areas.For example, smart circuit breakers called reclosers regulate power by automatically opening and closing distributions lines when they detect problems. If problems persist, they can cut off power to isolated lines on a given circuit.In the past, entire circuits might shut down if one line had a problem.FirstEnergy isn't the only company spending hundreds of millions of dollars on maintenance and capital projects to improve the performance of the electric transmission and distribution infrastructure.Duquesne Light has invested more than $2.6 billion in infrastructure and technology upgrades between 2010 and 2020, spokeswoman Ashlee Yingling said.The utility about six years ago began installing devices called IntelliRupters throughout its system that can detect problems on a circuit, so Duquesne Light can reroute power to prevent outages, Duquesne Light Director of Operations Pat Conti said.University of Pittsburgh Center for Energy Director Gregory Reed said such technology relies on sensors and automation to address issues and communicate problems to utility operators at extremely fast speeds.They operate in what we call a dynamic sense, meaning very fast, and things in an electric utility system happen very quickly, he said.But Duquesne Light and West Penn officials said new technology alone can do only so much to improve reliability. Tried-and-true operations like improving tree-trimming efforts and preventive maintenance are essential, and must take place before summer months strain the electric grid.West Penn will spend more than $27 million in 2016 to trim trees and maintain vegetation along its lines, Meyers said.Jay Apt, director of the Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center, said generation resources are under less stress since demand for electric power stagnated nationwide  and even decreased in some areas  starting in 2007. He attributed that change in part to behavioral adjustments like companies becoming more efficient and the proliferation of energy-saving light bulbs.Apt also credited reliability improvement to demand response programs, which involve regional transmission operators offering financial incentives to customers who reduce their energy use during peak times.That's extremely significant in hot weather, he said.
The concept of the Internet of Things (IoT) is nebulous by design.Oh, a definition is easy. The ITU, the United Nations information technology arm, has defined IoT as a global infrastructure for the information society, enabling advanced services by interconnecting (physical and virtual) things based on existing and evolving interoperable information and communication technologies.It's when one tries to understand what the IoT would look like that things get complicated. The IoT is, well, anything that can be connected wirelessly. So its applications involve anything one could conceive of to do with a wirelessly connected device.On the government side, the applications usually boil down to one thing: data. Having connected devices means that government can gather much more data on a much finer scale and often in real time. It also means government can better assess how effective its actions were, better understand what it needs to do and better model what impact its actions might have.Thats as true in traffic planning as it is in electric power or fleet management , or policing , or public transit Though many people frame discussion of the Internet of Things as a future hypothetical, its technically already existed for quite some time. Cellphones are sensor-laden, connected, ubiquitous devices. Cars are becoming increasingly connected. Air quality districts already take frequent measurements of the atmosphere.Whats likely to change in the future is the sheer amount of data collected. As more devices become connected, data thats never been available before will suddenly become available. And depending on who has access to that data, it could translate into grand or granular new insights into the true impact of large-scale actions on society.One government IoT project under way is the Array of Things , a multi-organization project that began in Chicago and has since spread to other cities. The project involves placing multi-sensor modules on city infrastructure and gathering information that then becomes open to the public so that citizens can look for novel ways to use the data. The modules could count pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles; they might take air quality measurements; they might even help identify urban flooding in its early stages.The key is understanding what happens when the number of nodes rises from a handful to ubiquity. If a node were on every street corner in Chicago, the government could understand far better how people move around and why they make the choices they do, which could be used to guide all sorts of government choices.Then theres the world of the connected vehicle . Through the Smart City Challenge , the U.S. Department of Transportation elicited myriad futuristic concepts from government leaders for how connected vehicles might help improve transportation. Transit vehicles could coordinate centrally so that an early train could wait for the passengers on a late bus. Traffic lights could become more efficient at letting traffic through. Programs could seek to shunt traffic from congested roads onto free-flowing side streets. Sensors in parking spots could help reduce the amount of time people spend circling the block in search of an open space.There are so many more potential uses that the growing IoT industry has explored. Electric utilities could use devices that tell it in real time where problems in the grid are, allowing them to address outages more quickly. Trash bins tell the city when they need pickup, allowing the city to conduct pickup programs more efficiently. Coffee machines can tell when an employee arrives at work and will start brewing according to that persons preference.As always, its not an unchallenged concept. Thought leaders have written of the unique issues for cybersecurity that might arise when so many devices become potential access points for hackers, or tools that malicious attackers can use. Some have become concerned about government violating the privacy of its citizens.Nonetheless, the IoT is certainly expanding. An industry report  which reached conclusions similar to other industry reports  estimated that the number of connections will more than quadruple from 1.2 billion in 2014 to 5.4 billion in 2020. Telecommunications giants and technology firms from Verizon to Cisco are pouring resources into IoT efforts, and innovations in the field frequently make the news.As far as nailing down the boundaries of IoTs usefulness  the future will tell.
Customers Come First

According to Gartners 2016 CIO Agenda report , a portfolio of citizen- and business-facing digital government solutions is no longer a luxury but a must-have  something with which I wholeheartedly agree. And while it can appear at times that the public sectors technological progress doesnt always keep pace with private industry, most agencies are in fact committed to transforming their service models with digital technology.But, with the daunting tide of new technology, what is the best way for government to keep up? A constituent-centric approach is often the first step to identifying and prioritizing digital government enhancements.If government is truly for the people and by the people, then how technology impacts constituents access to government services should be the first consideration for any new technology implementation or process change. What are constituents pain points and how can their government interactions be streamlined? When this thinking influences digital strategies, examples such as the three outlined below become easily apparent.When you pause and take a customer-first approach, it is easy to see how a digital solution might help solve the entrepreneurs frustration. That is exactly what happened in Maryland, which assembled four agencies that had collected business registration information separately. The conversation directed decision-makers to a business one-stop solution. Developing a single, multi-level online business registration service, the agencies merged their forms and information into one portal. Besides collecting a business information just once, the agencies worked together to develop a streamlined user interface. With this citizen-centric change, today nearly 80 percent of all general and sole proprietorships are filed online using the business one-stop solution versus submitting paper forms.Mobile devices represent more than one-third of the traffic on U.S. government websites, and more than 40 percent of smartphone owners are using those devices to access government services or information, according to a report released in early 2016 by the IBM Center for the Business of Government. With data like this supporting the widespread use of mobile devices, government must add mobile to its list of considerations when taking a citizen-centric approach.While native mobile apps still play a role for some agencies, constituents also expect responsive design, which adapts a website to the smartphone, tablet or other device they may be using. It is also important to consider the growing population of smartphone-dependent customers who have little to no other means for accessing the Internet. Serving this constituency may require rethinking what data an agency really needs to capture, or determining how to reconfigure lengthy forms so they can be completed on a small screen.These were just some of the considerations Alabama recently took into account when it developed one of the countrys first digital drivers licenses. Budget cuts had forced the closure of several Department of Motor Vehicle offices, and wait times at the DMV were growing longer and longer. The department worked to relieve wait times by implementing an online drivers license renewal solution. Upon completing the steps of the digital service, drivers are emailed a digital license that formats to a variety of digital wallets, such as Apple Wallet (formerly known as Passbook).It may not be long before digital personal assistants, like Amazon Echo, will replace keyboards, screens and the graphical user interface as we know it as the primary conduits for online interactions.Conversational user interface, also called no user interface, is already operational in some states. Mississippi, for example, recently enhanced its website, MS.gov , by integrating Amazon Echos Ask Alexa voice-driven capability, or skill. Using the skill, a citizen might say, Alexa, ask Mississippi when my drivers license expires, or Alexa, ask Mississippi what the phone number is for the Department of Revenue.The technology holds tremendous potential for simplifying citizen and business interactions, and should be a component of forward-looking strategies at all levels of government.To achieve digital transformation, government must put itself in the shoes of the constituents they serve. Agency personnel must work together to transcend the status quo, concentrating first on the solutions that best serve constituents and finding ways to ramp up digital delivery. The result  streamlined delivery of government services, better service to the citizens and businesses they serve, and more efficient and accountable agencies  will be worth it.
Coulee Dam has narrowed the field of candidates for a new chief of police to two, the mayor said Tuesday.

The top candidates, from an original field of five, are Mark Farrel, a recently-retired colonel from Pinedale, Wyoming, and Paul Bowden, who has served as chief in Wilbur for two years.

Farrel currently lives in the Seattle area. Bowden is the husband of the Coulee Dam town clerk, Stefani Bowden.

Mayor Greg Wilder said the towns civil service commission had forwarded three candidates for his consideration. He put together an interview committee that interviewed candidates Tuesday, then broke into three to rate them separately. He said the two groups of interviewers and he each came back with identical scores.

Wilder expects background checks on the two to take a week or two and negotiations with them for terms will start in a week or so.

Two earlier candidates didnt clear background checks, Wilder said.

The town currently has one police sergeant and a 35-hour-per-week reserve officer. The civil service commission is looking for one full-time officer candidate.
Can you believe summer is almost over?

My son goes back to school next week, so were hyper focused right now on getting organized, getting back into a routine, buying new school clothes and stocking up on school supplies.

Im sure the rest of you parents can relate. So much to do, so little time!

These two quick and easy crafts are fun last-minute projects to start the school year off right. You can find more back-to-school ideas on my blog, Atta Girl Says, at www.attagirlsays.com/craft-column.

Homework organizing bin

Every year, my son has more homework and papers to keep organized for school.

I created this storage bin for schoolwork that needs to be checked, important school papers, permission slips that need to be signed and library books to be returned.

Any wooden crate from the craft store will work, but the Knagglig bins from Ikea are great because you can paint them before assembly so you dont miss any spots.

This was especially helpful since I did a two-tone finish on our storage crate.

I painted the crate to look like a sheet of practice writing paper, and then added the word Homework in cursive.

Supplies

Wooden bin

Painters tape

Foam paintbrush

Flat, stiff-bristled paint brush

Artists paintbrush

Blue craft paint

White craft paint

Vinyl letters or sticker letters (optional)

Instructions

Paint the interior of the crate with two coats of blue paint. When dry, paint the exterior with two coats of white paint. I used a foam paintbrush to paint the slats, and then used a flat, stiff-bristled brush to paint the edges and any crevices.

When the white paint has thoroughly dried, tape off the writing guidelines using painters tape. If you have a steady hand, you could paint on the lines in freehand.

To make the lines, brush on two thin coats of blue paint using a flat-bristled brush. To keep the paint from seeping under the tape, make sure the edges are secured and also paint in long, horizontal strokes.

For the dotted line, I used the same flat-bristled brush. It was the perfect width to make the dashes.

Remove the tape and allow the blue lines to dry completely.

I used my Cricut electronic cutting machine to create the vinyl letters that spell out the word homework. If you dont have an electronic cutting machine, you can paint the letters on using a stencil or in freehand, or you can use stickers.

Were ready for the first day of school  and the first homework assignment!

Minecraft pencil cases

I know everyone is obsessed with another video game this summer, but Minecraft is still a favorite at my house.

These DIY Minecraft pencil cases are easy to make using card stock and the pattern printed here. Theyre perfect for back-to-school, birthday party favors and Halloween or Valentines Day treats.

(For additional printable pencil box patterns, plus a notebook cover and instructions on how to make your own Minecraft pencils, visit www.attagirlsays.com/craft-column)

Supplies

Card stock or thin cardboard

Pencil box template from the newspaper

Adhesive hook-and-loop tape dots

Scissors

Glue stick or spray adhesive

Super sticky double-sided tape (regular double-stick tape or craft glue will also work)

Instructions

Cut out the pencil box template and attach to cardstock or thin cardboard using spray adhesive, tape or glue.

Trim the cardboard or cardstock to fit the pattern.

Crease the pencil box along the dotted lines. I like to use a scoring board and tool to get sharp, straight lines. But you can just fold along the lines, being careful to keep the edges neat and straight.

Then use double-stick tape, glue or sticky strip (my preference) to secure the box.

The red sticky strip tape works best for these types of projects, Ive found. Once you peel off the red backing and stick the two pieces of card stock together, its not going to budge. Since youll be adding pencils to these cardboard boxes, you want something that is going to hold and stand up to use.

Apply tape to the bottom of the box, fold in flaps and secure.

Finally, add hook-and-loop dots to flap and front of the box. Allow adhesive to set for several hours before trying to pull the hook-and-loop tape apart to ensure a permanent bond.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

GREENWICH  Ruth Madoffs former home in Old Greenwich is up for demolition.

Ruth, wife of convicted Ponzi scheme thief Bernie Madoff, was the most recent resident of the house at 57 Tomac Ave., according to a neighbor. It was owned by the Madoffs son Andrew, who died of lymphoma in 2014.

Bernie Madoff pled guilty in 2009 to securities fraud for running a $65 billion Ponzi scheme, the largest in U.S. history. He is serving a 150-year prison sentence in North Carolina.

The current owner, Waterview Cottage LLC, a limited-liability company registered with the state at the Tomac Avenue address, has filed an application with the town to demolish the house, according to a notice posted to the front door.

The listed principal for the LLC, Greenwich attorney Pascarella, declined to comment.

The brown shingled colonial was built in 1905, according to the Greenwich Assessors Office. A search through the Greenwich Historical Society archives did not return any evidence that the home, though old, was particularly historic, barring its final occupants.

But Jennifer Worden, who lives across the street, said the home is in very good condition.

I can see that its not exactly what new home buyers prefer to walk into because its not turnkey up to Greenwich standards, but it had a lot of space, it was in good condition and quite frankly Im kind of sad to see it go, Worden said.

The house is not the only old home in the area facing the bulldozer. The Planning and Zoning Commission this month approved an application to subdivide a property around the corner at 50 Lockwood Ave. The move will require the demolition of a 19th century house that was home to descendants of Robert Lockwood, who represented Greenwich in the state Legislature and was the great-great-grandson of Susannah Lockwood, one of the wives of Jeffery Ferris, considered a founder of Greenwich.

I think its too bad when the historic landmarks go away, because they are what make Greenwich different than your average suburb, Worden said. The history behind Greenwich is something that I think is really attractive about the community.

pfrissell@hearstmediact.com; @PeregrineFriss
The rules have only been in place for a matter of months, but already Congress is moving to fine-tune the regulatory framework around the emerging field of equity crowdfunding that unaccredited investors are jumping into at a rapid pace.

Related: Which Entrepreneurs Will Benefit Most From the New Era of Crowdfunding?

In recent weeks, the House Financial Services Committee passed a pair of bills that will make it easier for companies to raise money via crowdfunding campaigns. One will remove some of the more onerous public reporting requirements for startups; the other will allow unaccredited investors to pool their investments in what are called Special Purposes Vehicles, creating de facto crowdfunding funds. Both bills enjoy wide bipartisan support and are expected to pass the full House by the end of the year.

But, what else is coming? Will the rules around equity crowdfunding change more in the next few months or years? At this point, with comment still to come from various regulators, no one can say for certain.

The real question, then, for entrepreneurs isnt if changes are coming, but whether or not they should be waiting for them to become law before launching their own crowdfunding campaigns.

In response to the changes currently working through Congress, the general feeling is that this sector is still very new and somewhat unsure. Should entrepreneurs hold off until this is all sorted out?

Yes, and no.

A limited market

The truth is that, as the regulations stand today, it is very simple to decide whether or not to launch an equity crowdfunding campaign: Companies that want to raise $1 million or more should hold off, while those that need less than that amount might as well go ahead.

The Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and the existing regulatory structure have taken a go slow approach, and have effectively put a cap on the marketplace for crowdfunding investments in the United States. Today, an individual can invest no more than $2,000 per year in crowdfunded equity investments. Thats a per-person total, across however many companies that investor would like to fund.

Related: How State and Federal Crowdfunding Regulations Differ

So, if an investor wants to crowdfund two different companies, he or she could commit just $1,000 per year to each. A diversified portfolio of 40 different crowdfunded investments would then mean earmarking just $50 per company. And that simply isnt realistic.

Whats more, each company that raises funds under the existing rules may accept investments from no more than 500 investors in total. When you do the math, its clear that in order to raise $1 million under the existing framework, each of those 500 investors would need to commit his or her personal maximum of $2,000 to the company.

Tall order

Thats a tall order for any entrepreneur and it doesnt make sense for individual investors, either.

Startups should not be a large allocation for most individuals. Investments in crowdfunded startups -- pre-IPO shares in a company developing the next killer iPhone app, or in a disruptive tech firm seeking $250,000 or perhaps $500,000 to get its idea off the ground -- should compose only a small portion of anyone's portfolio.

However, everything could soon get easier for entrepreneurs looking to tap crowdfunding and for individuals hoping to snag the next WhatsApp.

The Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) concept currently being considered in Congress will effectively remove the 500-investor cap on equity crowdfunding campaigns, allowing more unaccredited investors to participate up to and beyond the current limit, by effectively counting each SPV pool as "one" investor.

This could open up new opportunities for investors by allowing them to more effectively diversify their investments, while also making the fund-raising process simpler for founders.

Investing in an SPV instead of directly in a startup is a great idea for individual investors because about three-quarters of venture-capital backed firms in the United States never return investors' capital, according to a study by Shikhar Ghosh of Harvard Business School. Among 30 percent to 40 percent of U.S. start-ups, the study said, investors lose all their money; and 95 percent of startups fail to hit their projected rate of return.

Thats why big-venture capital firms spread their money around and why individual investors should, too. For any individual entrepreneur, having an SPV as a buffer between your company and all those individual investors makes sense, too.

The power of one

Whats more, such pools would make it easier to raise those larger rounds, as the entrepreneur would only have to convince one deal committee or SPV board to invest in his or her company. Thats a lot less of a lift than would be required to convince 500 or 1,000 more individuals to invest, provided the business idea were compelling enough.

It is always easier to get money from one source than from many different ones.

Still, the sweet spot for equity crowdfunding campaigns is in the under-$1 million range and will likely remain there for some time to come. Even under the proposed changes that we know are coming, non-accredited investor participation doesnt always fit with the needs of all companies, and that isnt changing.

We knew equity crowdfunding would be slow taking off. Thats because the initial red tape put into place by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) meant that for the next couple of years, crowdfunding would effectively be in a trial phase, as regulators seek to limit the risk to individual investors. Some experts complained that not allowing SPVs to facilitate deals made equity crowdfunding riskier than it ought to be.

So, the good news is that allowing SPVs to invest could yet make this form of financing an important capital-raising mechanism.

Related: What Entrepreneurs Need to Know About Crowd Finance

Meanwhile, what entrepreneurs need to keep in mind right now is that, as with anything, there isnt any perfect solution for everyone. There are other options available for raising larger amounts of funds, and crowdfunding isnt always the best or most direct path for every startup.

Related:

The Crowdfunding Landscape Is Evolving: Should Entrepreneurs Be Worried?

Crowdfunding Your Startup: Be Prepared To Work For It

Who Needs Venture Capitalists When You Can Crowdfund?



Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
The Republican nominee for president of the United States of America, arguably the most powerful position on the planet, said at a campaign rally in North Carolina Tuesday that "Second Amendment people" are the only way to stop his opponent from appointing federal judges if she wins. Take that as you will.

Donald Trump, the reality television star turned presidential candidate, spoke about what would happen should his opponent Hillary Clinton, the first woman to be nominated as a major political party's candidate for president, win.

Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the Second Amendment, Trump said. By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know. But Ill tell you what, that will be a horrible day.

RELATED: Iceland man says Donald Trump's son left 'white powder' at rental, paid 15 women to hang out

Shortly after Trump made the comment, which immediately caught fire on social media and prompted the Guardian to send a news alert with the headline "Trump hints at assassination of Hillary Clinton by gun rights supporters," his campaign responded with a statement.

Its called the power of unification  Second Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power , Jason Miller, senior communications adviser for the Trump campaign said in a campaign email. And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it wont be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump.

This is not the first time someone has maybe, or quite directly suggested, someone kill Clinton.

RELATED: Watch: Actress Elizabeth Banks hilariously troll Donald Trump on second night of the DNC

Al Baldasaro, a Republican congressman from New Hampshire, has expressed similar opinion.

Baldasaro, who has joined Trump on the campaign trail before, said in a radio interview that Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason, the Washington Post reported in an editorial column July 20.

Clintons campaign manager Robby Mook responded to Trumps comments shortly after he made them Tuesday afternoon.

This is simple what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way, he said.

But who knows?! Maybe Trump was kidding. He has yet to walk back on banning Muslims from the United States, a policy he said he would instate should he be elected last December.

RELATED: Donald Trump says 'titties' instead of 'cities' during economic policy speech

Politico reported that Trumps comment could be interpreted as a joke about using violence to stop Clinton or her judicial picks" and that the candidate suggested the Second Amendment "may be the only way to stop Hillary Clinton from getting to appoint federal judges if she wins the presidential election in November.

Gawker went with the assassination angle, reporting Trump is far from the first person to joke about someone assassinating Hillary Clinton, but it is considered unusual for a major party nominee for the presidency to go there, as they say.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

STAMFORD  An East Side day care owner who pleaded not guilty Tuesday in the death of a 2-month-old baby made a series of panic calls before dialing 911 at least 45 minutes after the child started having trouble breathing, police said.

Nydia Carrillo-Maldonado, 34, whose facility has been cited several times for safety violations, pleaded not guilty to first-degree manslaughter and risk of injury to a minor during a brief appearance Tuesday before Judge Auden Grogins.

Carrillo-Maldonado, who has no prior arrests, was watching 2-month-old Bella Redondo and her 1-year-old brother on July 12 when the baby girl had trouble breathing, police said. The girl was taken to Stamford Hospital where she died several hours later. An autopsy revealed her death was a homicide caused by blunt-force trauma to the head.

The state Department of Children and Families and the state Office of Early Childhood investigated the Wardwell Street facility in the days following the babys death. Carrillo-Maldonado surrendered her license after the state suspended it last month.

The investigators found during the July 14 visit that Carrillo-Maldonado lacked several documents, including a valid first aid certificate, a childs health records and a childs enrollment form, according to a report obtained Tuesday by The Advocate.

The report also shows inspectors found possible evidence the woman violated state regulations regarding good judgment about safety and supervision. However, details of those violations were redacted from the report since they are still under DCF investigation.

In two earlier visits, the Early Childhood office, which licenses and inspects the thousands of day cares in the state, found several safety and health violations at the East Side facility, including a curling iron plugged in next to a sleeping child and fencing wood with nails sticking out in the backyard. The inspector during one of the unannounced visits also discovered the familys dog did not have a current rabies exam and a family member had moved in without completing background checks or medical tests.

Carrillo-Maldonado eventually corrected the issues without receiving sanctions.

The affidavit detailing the evidence that led to Carrillo-Maldonados arrest remains sealed, but Lt. Diedrich Hohn said at least 45 minutes elapsed from when the baby started to have trouble breathing until Carrillo-Maldonado called 911.

Hohn said Carrillo-Maldonado made panic calls to the babys mother, her sister and her husband starting about 2:30 p.m. and then called 911 at 3:12 p.m.

Carrillo-Maldonado has maintained she never dropped the baby and had no idea how the child suffered the head injuries, Hohn said.

With that said, the only other reason for that injury to manifest itself would have been the result of an intentional act, Hohn said.

Hohn said since Carrillo-Maldonado was caring for the child from about 7:30 a.m. that day, she was responsible for the injuries.

Police have not released the details of the babys head trauma, but Hohn said the injuries were so pronounced that Carrillo-Maldonado should have known the child needed medical attention.

Hohn said police are waiting for the remainder of the medical reports to determine what caused the injuries.

However, Christian Bujdud, Carrillo-Maldonados attorney, said the baby didnt suffer the injuries while in his clients care.

I havent seen the medical reports, Bujdud said. I want to see what they say about the time frame and nature and scope of these injuries.

Bujdud said his client had a long and personal relationship with the Redondo family. He said Carrillo-Maldonados husband, Alexander Corleto, worked for about four years at a waste hauling company with the babys father, Fernando Redondo. Bujdud said the two were friends and his client watched the Redondos 1-year-old son for several months.

The Redondos were very comfortable with the care their child had received at the day care, Bujdud said.

Mark Sherman, a Stamford attorney who is representing Fernando and his wife, Katy Redondo, described the relationship differently.

They werent friends or anything like that, he said.

Sherman said the parents are struggling, but grateful for law enforcement working so quickly on this.

The Stamford case is one of three infant deaths in home day care facilities this year. A child died in Fairfield in March and another baby died in Sterling two days after the Stamford incident.

Carrillo-Maldonado remains held on $200,000 bond and will next appear in court on Aug. 25.

Staff writer Nelson Oliveira contributed to this report.

jnickerson@scni.com
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Last year, Connecticut exported more than $15 billion in merchandise.

Still, many minority-owned businesses in the state dont know much about exporting or how their companies can benefit from it, said Marisol Herrera, program manager for the Bridgeport Minority Business Development Agency.

They have a competitive advantage based on their cultural ties and language skills, she said, of minority business owners, but many dont know where to turn for answers to their questions on the topic.

On Tuesday, the agency held a seminar on exporting basics with panelists from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Connecticut Small Business Development Center and New Haven SCORE. A dozen people attended the event, held at the agencys offices on State Street in Bridgeport.

To read more, click here or below.
Ukena, in his new uniform. Photo: Fox13

Police say a Subway employee in Utah deliberately poisoned a cop who came in for lunch on Monday. The officer, a sergeant with the Layton Police Department, was taken to the hospital after nearly running a red light on his way back to the station. Luckily, the other officers quickly noticed the telltale signs of someone under the influence of narcotics: He couldnt focus on questions being asked and was having other problems, like trying to move his arm, [but] his arm wouldnt move when he thought it should.

The officer apparently did manage to recall that his lemonade had tasted funny. The drink was tested at a lab, where they found evidence of both meth and THC. When police viewed the Subway stores security footage, it reportedly showed the worker  18-year-old Tanis Lloyd Ukena  wandering off, returning with something in his hand, and then leaning over the sergeants drink for an unusual amount of time. Police arrested Ukena a short time later, though he denied putting anything in the cup. Layton PD doesnt have a motive yet, but stresses that this appears to be an isolated incident, and that the officer has been released and is home resting with his family. Ukena, meanwhile, was booked on a charge called surreptitious administration of a substance, which is a second-degree felony.
The Orange Julio at El Cortez. Photo: Melissa Hom

Its that time of summer again, when weeks of oppressive heat and heavy humidity mean New Yorkers want nothing more than to just cool off a little. Thats tough when subway platforms feel like the inside of a jet engine. The only real antidote, of course, is tropical drinks: pina coladas, Dark n Stormies, frozen whatevers  anything created to take your mind off the sweltering heat. Here are a dozen to help see you through summers hottest days:

Pina Colada

Where: Fort Defiance

Price: $14

Few, if any, cocktails better capture the summer spirit than pina coladas, and no New York bar makes a better one than Fort Defiance. Based on the original recipe, its shaken, not blended, and made with El Dorado 5 Year, Coco Lopez, and heavy cream, plus a hint of lime to cut through the richness.

Orange Julio

Where: El Cortez

Price: $12

This refreshing and dangerously easy-drinking twist on an Orange Julius combines gin, elderflower liqueur, Aperol, and fresh orange juice.

Dark n Slushie

Where: Gladys

Price: $6

The hip Jamaican restaurant makes a good Painkiller, but should you need to pretend youre on the islands, its recommended you opt for this slushied-but-otherwise-classic Dark n Stormy  sold at a bargain-bin price, no less.

Pineapple-Mango Mojito

Where: Tropical 128 Bar

Price: $12

You dont actually go to Tropical for the drinks. This hot mess of a Chinatown bar is about the experience, and the weird Rainforest Cafe-like decor. However, they do serve tropical drinks (hence the name), and, considering the setting, you really have no choice but to go all in with a fruity pineapple-mango mojito.

Singapore Sling

Where: Ottos Shrunken Head

Price: $14

At this early adopter of the tiki revival, you can get the deceptively boozy Singapore Sling. A mix of gin, cherry liqueur, Cointreau, Benedictine, and other spirits, its ideal when the humidity and heat are through the roof.

Playa

Where: Nix

Price: $12

Fact: The only thing more refreshing than watermelon juice is spiked watermelon juice. At this vegetarian restaurant, they booze the juice up with tequila and champagne foam.

Coconuts

Where: ROKC

Price: $11

If youre far uptown, looking for a well-made drink, and dont want to travel downtown because of the heat, you finally have an answer, thanks to this bar from Angels Share vets. The menu includes this gin-and-coconut concoction, invigorated with orange blossom and lime.

Fort Defiance makes the best pina colada in the whole city. Photo: Melissa Hom

Tia Mia

Where: Leyenda

Price: $13

Why stop at one tropical spirit? At Leyenda, the bartenders mix smoky mezcal with Jamaican rum, orange Curacao, nutty orgeat, and lime.

Fracas

Where: Grand Banks

Price: $16

Pair one of the citys finest lobster rolls with this mezcal-and-tequila drink, made with pineapple, lime, Angostura bitters, and  Painkiller-style  a dash of nutmeg. Bonus: This restaurant is on a boat.

Neon Lights

Where: Grand Army

Price: $13

Bartender Damon Boeltes summer menu is presented in celebration of hot nights of debauchery, but the drinks remain remarkably refined. Take, for example, this creamy, iced combination of mezcal, cachaca, Brazilian banana liqueur, and coconut. A little lime brightens the whole thing.

John the Beachcomber

Where: Super Power

Price: $12 or $22 for a super-size (serves two to three)

At this new Crown Heights tiki bar, the menu includes this cocktail  named for tiki originator Don the Beachcomber  made with Nicaraguan, Guyanese, and 151-proof Jamaican rum. Its rounded out with allspice dram, grenadine, lime juice, and pineapple.

Toes in the Sand

Where: Rosies

Price: $14

When used properly, banana liqueur can be as delicious a cocktail ingredient as any from the tropical pantry. Here, its mixed with South American cachaca and, going all in with the fruit, pineapple, orange, and lime.
There is no doubt the Galaxy Note7 is currently the most popular smartphone and among the most anticipated upcoming devices Samsung has ever announced. This often leads to problems for the most eager fans and now see the first of those.

Samsung Malaysia announced a delay for the Galaxy Note7 launch. Apparently, Samsung can't meet the demand in the country and will be pushing the premiere back to September. The exact date is yet to be announced.

On a positive note, all pre-orders placed through August 10 will be fulfilled and shipped on time, so no delays are expected for the orders already placed.

Samsung has already postponed the European premiere by announcing a September release on the UNPACKED event. It seems other markets may follow suit as Samsung is currently struggling to meet the high demand. We'll keep an ear on the ground and make sure you are updated if further delays occur.

Via
(The third of three articles) - (The second of three articles) - (The first of three articles) While the secret U.S. diplomatic cables given by Wikileaks to Haiti Liberte focus more on paramilitary leader, Senate candidate, and known drug trafficker Guy Philippe, there are several revealing references to former de facto Prime Minister Evans Paul, alias K-Plim. Ironically, today, there are many calls that Evans Paul and other officials of former President Michel Martelly should be prosecuted for corruption and human rights crimes committed during Martellys administration from May 2011 until February 2016. Paul has dismissed such calls as mere political score-settling with no foundation. On Jun. 1, 2016, Port-au-Prince prosecutor Danton Leger put a travel ban on Paul and 13 other Martelly officials so he could investigate charges. The next day, Paul and 12 of the officials issued a vehement note calling the measure arbitrary, illegal, unconstitutional and undemocratic and a form of political persecution. Leger immediately lifted the ban. However, in May 2005, during the two year de facto regime that followed the Feb. 29, 2004 coup detat against former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, former U.S. Ambassador to Haiti and Atlanta mayor Andrew Young visited Haiti to encourage Haitians to put mercy and reconciliation above the search for justice. Young's message, was straightforward, wrote then U.S. Ambassador James Foley in a Jun. 3, 2005 cable about the May 18-20 visit, organized by the U.S. Embassy and the Haitian American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM). At the time, Aristides former Prime Minister Yvon Neptune and Interior Minister Jocelerme Privert were sharing a hot, small National Penitentiary jail cell (charges had still not been formalized) and many other former Aristide officials were in hiding or exile. Haiti's continuing problems, rooted in economic and social inequities, cannot be solved if Haitians do not truly come together, forgive, and agree to address them cooperatively and non-violently. The challenge in Haiti, is to bring the benefits of democracy and free enterprise to all people, especially the poor. The most effective way to move forward is not to search for justice and punish those who have done wrong in the past, but to forgive and move on. However, Evans Paul, a leader of the U.S.-backed Group of 184" civic organizations that helped oust Aristide, did not agree with Youngs move on message, so similar to Pauls own message today. KID [ Democratic United Committee] leader (and Presidential candidate) Evans Paul said that forgiveness should go hand-in-hand with the truth;...the page should be read first before it is turned, Foley reported. Pauls position was supported by author Yanick Lahens, another G-184 activist, and echoed by other participants from the anti-Aristide movement. In fact, Paul would remain implacably hostile to the Lavalas party, even after the Feb. 7, 2006 election that brought Rene Preval to the presidency for the second time. For example, on the fifth anniversary of the 2004 coup, Alyans leader Evans Paul tried to puncture the Lavalas legend surrounding the end of Aristide's presidency by arguing that his term ended not with a coup d'etat but rather with the voluntary departure of the President after the Haitian people lost all confidence in him, U.S. Charge d'Affaires Thomas C. Tighe wrote in a Mar. 3, 2009 cable. Paul was bitter after his pathetic showing in the 2006 election, where he garnered only 2.49% of the vote. This was despite Paul being the preferred candidate of the de facto prime minister and his interior minister, according the Charles Henri Baker, the #2 of the G-184 and a rival presidential candidate. Baker accused Interim Prime Minister Gerard Latortue and Interim Interior Minister Paul Magloire of conspiring against his candidacy to the benefit of Evans Paul, their presidential candidate, reported Charge d'Affaires Douglas M. Griffiths in an Oct. 26, 2005 cable. The Embassy also had reports that there might be narco-money behind K-Plim, and Griffiths asked if Baker had received or heard of offers of financial contributions from narco-traffickers [to Pauls campaign], and Baker replied that he would leave that to the other candidates to answer, although he stated that he had ethical concerns about Alyans candidate Evans Paul. But the U.S. Embassy had no doubt about the narco-links of Guy Philippe, and nor did the UN Mission to Stabilize Haiti (MINUSTAH) or President Rene Preval. For example, Colonel Angel Cedres, the commander of Uruguays two MINUSTAH battalions (known as URUBAT I) based in Haitis Southern Department, told the U.S. Embassy that Narco-trafficking is the south's biggest problem, particularly around the town of St. Louis du Sud, reported U.S. Ambassador Janet E. Sanderson in a Nov. 29, 2007 secret cable. Colonel Cedres noted that although his troops are making every effort to combat illegal trafficking, the drug runners often receive tips that MINUSTAH is en route and quickly disappear. He specifically mentioned that the presence of Guy Philippe's family in Les Cayes posed difficulties for URUBAT I, and that Philippe's local popularity makes it difficult to develop information on his whereabouts. Ambassador [Sanderson] assured Cedres that the USG [U.S. government] shares his concerns about narco-trafficking and is working closely with the GOH [government of Haiti] to combat this problem. But Preval was very dissatisfied with U.S. attempts to arrest Guy Philippe on a drug-trafficking indictment brought against him in Miami by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Preval expressed bafflement at why the U.S. had not arrested Guy Philippe, wrote Ambassador Sanderson in a Jul. 8, 2008 confidential cable. Preval complained to Sanderson that Philippe and his associates were amateurs, not someone like (late Colombian drug trafficker) Pablo Escobar. The U.S. arresting them would send out a deterrent signal to the drug trafficking world. Preval admitted that Philippe had ties inside the police and was well-organized. Preval repeatedly urged Washington to take action against Philippe, a prodding which seems to have peeved Sanderson. In the same cable she writes that Preval gave his trademark presentation that drug trafficking was the single biggest obstacle to Haiti's development, and had to be mastered before Haiti could move on other fronts. But six months later, Sanderson was somewhat more sympathetic to the Presidents anger over drug trafficker Guy Philippe. Preval argues, and we agree, that the flow of narcotics transiting Haiti corrupts the political process and is undermining the country's fragile democracy, Sanderson wrote in a Feb. 2, 2009 cable. A number of politicians, police, and judges are believed to be involved in, or profiting from, drugs; Guy Philippe, indicted in the U.S. for trafficking, is running for the Senate. However, Sanderson admitted that the she and Preval diverge on how best to handle the problem, with Preval calling trafficking an American problem. Preval dismisses any suggestion that the GOH needs to develop its own counternarcotics capacity, Sanderson continued, and has demanded that significantly more USG resources be devoted to drug interdiction, noting that we spend more money on stopping illegal migrants from Haiti sailing to the U.S. than we do to stop the flow of drugs to Haiti. Agents of the Haitian Anti-Drug Unit (BLTS) and the DEA made at least two attempts to capture Guy Philippe and other drug fugitives in the tiny seaside town of Pestel, one of them on Mar. 25, 2008, Sanderson reported in an Apr. 3, 2008 cable. But Guy Philippe somehow managed to elude capture, and has given several radio interviews since the operation, and has vowed that he intends to run for a senate seat. (Another series of joint BLTS-DEA operations were conducted in June 2009, during which Philippe again narrowly escaped capture by fleeing on foot into the hills, said a Jun. 23, 2009 cable.) Philippe did indeed try to run in the April 2009 Senate elections but the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) disqualified him for his alleged drug-trafficking ties. In an Apr. 8, 2009 cable, Sanderson writes that Preval saw Philippe as the most threatening example of a drug lord trying to buy his way into politics. But President Martelly was a political ally of Guy Philippe, and Martellys 2015 CEP changed the electoral law so that Philippe would not be disqualified again. After participating in the patently fraudulent Oct. 25, 2015 election as a candidate for the Nippes Department Senate seat, Philippe now is set to compete in a run-off on Oct. 9, 2016. Even as a candidate, Philippe claims he has immunity from a Haitian government arrest warrant for his alleged involvement in a deadly May 16, 2016 attack on the Les Cayes police headquarters. Haitian authorities also believe Philippe is linked to a spate of murders and drive-by shootings over the past three months. But this is not the first time Guy Philippe and his commandos have been implicated in violent acts. On Apr. 3, 2008, demonstrators took to the streets of Lasavanne, a slum located in Les Cayes, capital city of the South Department to protest the high price of food, wrote Ambassador Sanderson in an Apr. 22, 2008 cable. The Les Cayes demonstrations took a turn when rioters aiming to free drug dealers being held in the Les Cayes prison infiltrated the food protesters and turned violent, targeting MINUSTAH... Three UN cars were burned and two houses rented by UN personnel ransacked. A mob threatened the hotel housing Senator Gabriel Fortune, who publicly echoed government statements that drug traffickers were behind the violence, and the politician had to be rescued by MINUSTAH. In the fray, hotel security guard fatally shot one of the attackers. MINUSTAH believes the Les Cayes violence was orchestrated by elements close to drug traffickers, perhaps including fugitive Guy Philippe. Then, on Feb. 18, 2009, unknown perpetrators sacked a regional electoral office of Pestel, in Grand'anse, according to a press report, Sanderson reported in a Feb. 20, 2009 cable. The men claimed to be affiliated with the National Front for Reconstruction (FRN), the political party of rejected Senate candidate (and suspected drug trafficker) Guy Philippe. They subsequently told the media that carrying away the office furniture was their way of reimbursing themselves for expenses incurred supporting Philippe's campaign. Philippe's associates were also rumored to be responsible for intermittent roadblocks between the southern towns of Jeremie and Les Cayes the week of Feb. 16. Philippes men did not even spare anti-Lavalas politicians. Jean Fritz Laplanche, an OPL [Struggling Peoples Organization] candidate for the Grand'Anse Senate seat, was harassed in the town of Pestel on Mar. 14 by supporters of Guy Philippe, a suspected drug trafficker indicted in the U.S., whose candidacy the CEP rejected, Sanderson wrote in a Mar. 20, 2009 cable. Laplanche was at home when he heard chants that no elections would occur in Pestel without Philippe's participation. Laplanche reported that attackers then ransacked his vehicle and stole money intended for his campaign. He later sought refuge in a church. Today, the fears of Rene Preval may soon come to pass. Preval feared that traffickers, including Guy Philippe, would finance candidates in the next elections or seek election themselves to obtain immunity from prosecution, Sanderson wrote in 2008. He said there were several traffickers currently with seats in parliament. Among others, Preval was referring to one of Haitis most prominent narco-Senators, Youri Latortue, who was recently reelected in the fraud-plagued 2015 elections. Latortue recently headed a Senate Commission investigating government corruption, while U.S. Embassy cables flagged him as a drug dealer and poster-boy for political corruption. In his book Paramilitarism and the Assault on Democracy in Haiti, researcher Jeb Sprague cites Canadian journalist Anthony Fenton who wrote: A source close to Haitian government circles said, Many people . . . have seen Guy Philippe going in and out of Youri Latortues office.... Others, such as Joel Deeb, a Haitian-American arms dealer who has reportedly brokered deals with Youri Latortue since the Feb. 29, 2004 ouster of President Jean Bertrand Aristide, called Youri Latortue [a] drug-smuggling Kingpin, with close ties to paramilitary leader Guy Philippe. Sprague reports in his book that Guy Philippe met with Evans Paul and other coup leaders on Feb. 29, 2004, the day Aristide was ousted. Whether or not the two men are meeting again today, they are clearly working in tandem to destabilize the interim government of President Jocelerme Privert, whom Evans Paul accuses of being pro-Lavalas. The secret U.S. diplomatic cables unearthed by Wikileaks provide a window into the history, motives, and tactics of both Evans Paul and Guy Philippe, helping us to better understand their long fight to foil the Haitian peoples struggle for democracy and justice.


25 years after Collin Raye shot to fame with the timeless No. 1 hit "Love, Me," the country sensation is still considered one of the hardest working acts in the business, with a heavy multi-state touring schedule, including a Mexican Riviera Cruise, remaining in latter part of 2016. Raye is bringing his exciting and uplifting live show across the U.S. to celebrate a quarter-century of success in the industry.



Further proving his staying-power and impact on the genre, Collin Raye was recently named to the list of Billboard's 'Greatest of All-Time Country Artists.' Considered one of the greatest voices of our time, his aforementioned hit "Love, Me" was also named No. 68 onBillboard's 'Greatest of All-Time Country Songs.'



On The Big 25 Tour, the energizing showman performs vivid rockers like "My Kind Of Girl," "I Can Still Feel You," "That's My Story" and "Little Red Rodeo." Fans can also look forward to hearing his smooth tenor on iconic ballads like "In This Life," "One Boy, One Girl" and many more.



Raye has built a career on songs with an emotional connection to listeners that other acts of the era can only dream of. In 1994, the music video for the poignant hit "Little Rock" led to more than 100,000 calls to Alcoholics Anonymous from people seeking help for their addictions. The song and video for "I Think About You" exposed the exploitation of women and children, earning Raye the award for "Video of the Year" from the Academy of Country Music in 1997.



In addition to impacting lives with his issue-oriented music, Raye has utilized his stardom to advance social causes through his tireless charity work. He has supported organizations like Special Olympics, Parade of Pennies, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt and The Tennessee Task Force Against Domestic Violence, as well as founding the Haley Bell Blessed Chair Foundation to honor the memory of his granddaughter.



Fans are anxiously awaiting Raye's soon-to-be released "Silver Anniversary Album" to commemorate his 25 years in country music, featuring new recordings of his greatest hits. Most recent projects for the ten-time Male Vocalist of the Year nominee include a tribute to Glenn Campbell, Still On The Line, an inspirational album, His Love Remains, and his first autobiography A Voice Undefeated. To purchase, please visit www.collinraye.com.



COLLIN RAYE'S THE BIG 25 TOUR

Aug. 09 Warren County Fair - Pittsfield, Penn.

Aug. 11 Brighton Casino - Okeechobee, Fla.

Aug. 15 State Fair of West Virginia - Fairlea, W.Va.

Aug. 18 Fraze Pavilion - Kettering, Ohio

Aug. 19 Sandy City Amphitheater - Sandy, Utah

Aug. 20 Edward A. Kenley Centennial Amphitheater - Layton, Utah

Aug. 25 Morganton Municipal Auditorium - Morganton, N.C.

Aug. 26 Centre County Grange Encampment Fair - Centre Hall, Penn.

Sept. 01 Peteetneet Amphitheater - Payson, Utah

Sept. 03 Kiwanis Wyoming County Fair - Meshoppen, Penn.

Sept. 08 Main Street Crossing - Tomball, Texas

Sept. 09 Arlington Music Hall - Arlington, Texas

Sept. 16 Little America Hotel and Resort - Cheyenne, Wyo.

Sept. 17 Memorial Hall - Pueblo, Colo.

Sept. 19 Casper Events Center - Casper, Wyo.

Sept. 21 Evanston High School - Evanston, Wyo.

Sept. 23 Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center - Bartlett, Tenn.

Sept. 24 Wishbone's - Fort Smith, Ark.

Oct. 01 Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center - Huntingdon, Tenn.

Oct. 09 Big 25 Tour Cruise - Los Angeles, Calif.

Oct. 10 Big 25 Tour Cruise - Los Angeles, Calif.

Oct. 11 Big 25 Tour Cruise - Los Angeles, Calif.

Oct. 12 Big 25 Tour Cruise - Los Angeles, Calif.

Oct. 13 Big 25 Tour Cruise - Los Angeles, Calif.

Oct. 14 Big 25 Tour Cruise - Los Angeles, Calif.

Oct. 15 Big 25 Tour Cruise - Los Angeles, Calif.

Oct. 16 Big 25 Tour Cruise - Los Angeles, Calif.

Oct. 22 Arkansas State Fair - Little Rock, Ark.

Nov. 06 Tribute to the Veterans, Foothills PAC - Oneonta, N.Y.

Tags : collin raye 25 years of hits tour collin raye news collin raye tour




Ambassador Nguyen Thi Hong Oanh (fifth from right) and delegates at the ceremony (Photo: baoquocte.vn)



The grant is small but has great significance because it encourages Bulgarian students to make efforts to explore the history, culture, language, country and people of Vietnam, contributing to forming an important bridge for promoting and strengthening multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Bulgaria in the future.

On behalf of the students, Dr. Raina, lecturer from the Vietnamese Faculty of University of Sofia, thanked the Vietnamese Embassy for its attention and finding grants for Bulgarian students to study, research and practice Vietnamese in Vietnam.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Bulgaria Nguyen Thi Hong Oanh appreciated the lecturers and students of the Vietnamese Faculty of University of Sofia. They have made efforts in teaching and learning Vietnamese language over the past time.



She hopes that the Vietnamese Faculty will continue to train more Bulgarian students with the ability to use Vietnamese fluently./.
By William Schwartz | Published on 2016/08/09

Upon further reflection the various spotlighted patients do in fact have some relation to the personal stories of the main doctors in "Doctors". It's just hard to tell because the timing is always so disjointed, and the doctors don't show any indication that the patients' stories have relevance to their own lives until pretty much the last possible minute. I was with Hye-jeong when Ji-hong was making the big announcement. Sure, I can appreciate the thought, but from Hye-jeong's perspective it really did come out of nowhere.

Advertisement

Another storyline that comes out of nowhere- Kang-soo (played by Kim Min-seok) apparently suffers from a chronic untreated illness. Strictly speaking this was foreshadowed, I don't know, maybe ten episodes ago at the party. While I remember thinking at the time that Kang-soo's collapsing like that was a pretty big deal, none of the medical professionals nearby acted like it was a big deal so I pretty much entirely forgot about the event.

That's among the bigger issues with "Doctors" is simply the weird pacing. Pretty much every plot in this drama is a shaggy dog story- they're horribly long-winded to no apparent purpose, and barely even seem to be in the same continuity except that references to past plots keep popping up long after they've been relevant. It would be nice if writer Ha Myeong-hee would just pick a story and follow it through to conclusion every once in awhile.

Well, all right, to be fair that's probably less her fault than it is director Oh Choong-hwan. As Namkoong Min demonstrated, "Doctors" is perfectly capable of packing an emotional punch provided it's edited in such a way that events follow up on each other logically. The cliffhanger, for example, would be pretty dramatic except that it has been a really, really long time since anyone ever credibly questioned Hye-jeong's medical expertise.

The Yeong-gook storyline evades these problem precisely because his character arc has never had a false ending. Granted, this is mostly because Yeong-gook is such a minor character that he's never gotten that much exposition but even so. I like the way Yeong-gook and Seo-woo talk to each other. Yeong-gook's enigmatic, indirect speaking style is a much better form of communication than anything else we've seen in "Doctors". Like cell phones. I was under the impression that hospital rooms (and a VIP room especially) would just have an emergency buzzer to summon whichever doctor happens to be closest.

Review by William Schwartz

"Doctors" is directed by Oh Choong-hwan, written by Ha Myeong-hee and features Kim Rae-won, Park Shin-hye, Yoon Kyun-sang, Lee Sung-kyung, Kim Young-ae and Jung Hae-kyun.
Published on 2016/08/10 | Source

Added episode 15 captures for the Korean drama "Doctors" (2016)

Advertisement

Directed by Oh Choong-hwan

Written by Ha Myeong-hee

Network : SBS

With Kim Rae-won, Park Shin-hye, Yoon Kyun-sang, Lee Sung-kyung, Kim Young-ae, Jung Hae-kyun,...

20 episode - Mon, Tue 22:00

Also known as "Doctor Crush"

Synopsis

A drama about the realism in the relationship between doctors and patients and the social prejudice of educational background and origin.

Broadcast starting date in Korea : 2016/06/20

More
Lecturers and trainees take photo at the opening ceremony (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)



With nearly 60 participants from 13 countries around the world such as Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Taiwan (China), Switzerland, France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy and Spain, the training course takes place in Hanoi from August 8th - 20th with a professional curriculum and extracurricular activities to learn about the country and people of Vietnam in historical sites such as Phat Diem stone cathedral, Trang An ecological zone, Hoa Lu ancient capital in Ninh Binh province and Ha Long bay.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Tran Duc Mau, Deputy Head of the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese, appreciated the efforts of the participants, who desire to teach Vietnamese language to overseas Vietnamese children to preserve the language and culture of Vietnamese people in foreign countries.

The training course was first held in 2013. This year, the number of the participants is large. It shows that there is demand to teach and learn Vietnamese language abroad. Therefore, I hope that after the training course, the expatriate teachers will learn teaching skills and new knowledge about language from linguistic lecturers of prestigious universities in Vietnam, Mr. Mau added.

During the opening ceremony, the participants are keen to be equipped with teaching methods with high efficiency and provided standard documents for teaching Vietnamese language abroad.

"Through this training course, the trainees will gain enhanced teaching skills and a better understanding of Vietnamese as well as the richness of Vietnamese language, which makes learning and spreading of Vietnamese easier when teaching overseas Vietnamese children," said Mr. Nguyen Thien Nam, Head of the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Language - University of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU-Hanoi).

"According to the educational development strategy of Taiwan (China), by 2018, the Vietnamese teaching program will be universal in schools across Taiwan, therefore, Vietnamese language is now drawing strong interest from the government of Taiwan. As a teacher of a primary school, I hope after joining in the training course I can equip myself with new skills for teaching Vietnamese language to Vietnamese children in Taiwan," shared Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Mai, Vietnamese language teacher from Dong Ho primary school in Taiwan (China).

"I participate in the training course because I recognize that my Vietnamese is not good, while I have to teach my students daily so I sometimes meet difficulties. Therefore, I hope to have a set of standard Vietnamese books and to learn more about pedagogical skills so that I can teach my students better," said Ms. Dao Le Quynh Phan from University of Rajabhat Udonthani, Thailand.

After the opening ceremony, a seminar about the situation of teaching and learning Vietnamese for overseas Vietnamese and solutions was organized with the participation of trainees and lecturers, who have high professional level and experience in teaching Vietnamese in Vietnam./.
Harlow is a former New Town in Essex with a population of 86,000. Located in the upper Stort Valley, it was built in the decades after the Second World War to ease overcrowding and London and provide homes for people bombed out during the Blitz. It includes Britain's first pedestrian precinct and first modern residential tower block, The Lawn. Old Harlow, the historic part of the town, was mentioned in the Domesday Book. David and Victoria Beckham's former home, Rowneybury House, nicknamed 'Beckingham Palace', is nearby.

11:01, 28 OCT 2022
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
HAWICA Rejects Planning Department's Formalistic Definition Of "Applicant" In Vacation Rental Case

by Robert Thomas, InverseCondemnation, August 9, 2016

One for you land users. We're not going to analyze the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals' published opinion in Robert D. Ferris Trust v. Planning Comm'n of the County of Kauai, No. CAAP-15-0000581 (Aug. 9, 2016) in too much detail, because our Damon Key colleagues Greg Kugle and Chris Leong represent the prevailing appellant. But here's a short summary, after which you can read the opinion itself.

The narrow issue in the case involves the definition of the term "applicant" in two different sections in the County's zoning ordinance. The underlying issue is one that's hot right now across Hawaii and elsewhere: short-term or transient vacation rentals, defined in the Kauai zoning ordinance as rental for less than 6 months.

Here, the homeowner had a parcel in an agricultural district, with a single-family residence on the lot. It began renting the home to vacationers in 2003, prior to the County's adoption of an ordinance prohibiting new TVRs outside of certain specially-designated districts. The ordinance also required existing lawful TVRs to register, after which the owner or operator was required to obtain a nonconforming use certificate within a certain time. The County followed up with another ordinance "targeting the grandfathering provision established by" the earlier ordinance. Slip op. at 2.

The owner registered and filed a nonconforming use application. But the Planning Department repeatedly informed it that the application was not complete, and ultimately focused on the fact that the property was condominiumized and the owner thus needed the consent of at least 75% of the owners of the lot in order to apply. A separate ordinance defined "applicant" as someone who possesses a "controlling interest" in the subject property, and according to the Department, it was not sufficient that the applicant was the "owner, operator, or proprietor" of the TVR as set forth in the registration ordinance.

Time marched on while this was being sorted out, and eventually "the Planning Department informed the Ferris Trust that the time period for applying for a nonconforming use certificate ended on August 8, 2011, and asked the Ferris Trust's counsel to advise their client to cease and desist from further use of land designated as agricultural from further use as TVRs." Slip op. at 3. The Trust appealed up the administrative chain to the Planning Commission and after a contested case before a hearings officer, the Commission denied the appeal. On to circuit court under the Administrative Procedures Act. That court affirmed the Commission.

The ICA saw it differently. The issue was whether the Trust could apply for a nonconforming use certificate despite it not having a controlling interest in the property, even though as "owner, operator, or proprietor" of the TVR, it was required by the TVR ordinance to apply for the certificate. The ICA began by noting that lawfully existing uses ("grandfathering") are grounded in constitutional and vested rights principles, and subsequently-adopted restrictions cannot limit a property owner's ability to continue with a preexisting use.

The court concluded:

[p]ersons with less than a a seventy-five percent ownership interest may be able to establish vested right to prior lawful conforming uses. Therefore, precluding such persons from even applying for a nonconforming use certificate would be inconsistent with the purpose of the ordinance to identify those engaged in the prior lawful use of their property as a transient vacation rental and allow them to apply to continue that use.

Slip op. at 10-11. Limiting the ability of the Trust to apply as the County argued would raise "serious constitutional questions." Slip op. at 11.

The court applied the avoidance principle to read the ordinances to allow the Trust to seek the required permit, because that would allow the court to avoid those tough questions. Thus, because it was an "operator," the Trust qualified as an applicant, notwithstanding that it did not have a "controlling interest" in the property.

PDF: Robert D. Ferris Trust v. Planning Comm'n of the County of Kauai, No. CAAP-15-0000581 (Haw. App. Aug....
Employees' Retirement System of the State of Hawaii Files Suit to Stop Implementation of Improper Benefits Election in 2016 Hawaii Laws 2nd Sp. Sess. Act 1 (S.B. 2077)

News Release from Hawaii ERS August 9, 2016

The Employees' Retirement System of the State of Hawaii (ERS) filed a lawsuit today to protect the tax exempt status of the ERS and the retirement benefits of its almost 120,000 members. The ERS sued to stop 2016 Hawaii Laws 2nd Sp. Sess. Act 1 (S.B. 2077) from taking effect because it is unconstitutional as it impairs the retirement benefits of all State and county employees and retirees.

Act 1 gives certain state employees, who are terminated due to the transfer of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation's Maui and Lanai facilities to a private entity, the option of electing a cash severance payment or certain early retirement benefits. The United States Internal Revenue Code does not allow the ERS plan to offer employees such an election. If Act 1 goes into effect, it could result in the loss of the ERSs status as a taxqualified defined benefit pension plan under the Internal Revenue Code.

The loss of tax-qualified status by the ERS would be catastrophic for all State and county employees. The employees would no longer be able to defer the payment of taxes on employee retirement contributions. Rather, the contributions would be included in the employees income and taxed as normal wages when contributed. Further, the employees would be subject to federal income taxes on the portion of their benefits funded by the employer at the time that the benefits vest, instead of when they actually receive the benefits. Additionally, the employees would lose their right to the tax deferred rollover of their retirement contributions to other retirement vehicles, such as IRAs.

To prevent such a catastrophe, the ERS is asking the State court to temporarily stay the effect of Act 1 so the ERS can seek guidance from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If the IRS determines that any portion of Act 1 would disqualify the ERS plan, then the ERS is seeking to have the court declare those provisions unconstitutional.

This lawsuit does not address the ongoing proposed transfer of Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital & Clinic and Lanai Community Hospital from the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to Kaiser Permanente Hawaii. The ERS takes no position as to that transaction, and the lawsuit does not seek to prevent it.

Thomas Williams, Executive Director for the ERS, stated As the steward of all the State and county employees retirement, the ERS must do everything it can to protect its beneficiaries and the fund. All we want is to make sure this statute does not have the unintended consequence of jeopardizing the ERS plan.

###

ERS Info:

ERS vs. State and HHSC  Frequently Asked Questions (as of 08-09-2016)

ERS - Complaint (Filed 08-09-2016)

ERS - Letter to T. Williams from J. Tom Maloney (d. 07-07-2016)
Private donor offers $300,000 matching challenge for rehab efforts at the historic estate

On August 6, more than 160 guests showed their support for Moses H. Cone Memorial Park during The Denim Ball fundraising event at Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock. Thanks to their generosity, more than $115,000 was raised to support the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundations efforts to rehabilitate the former estate of Moses and Bertha Cone at milepost 294 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

During the sold-out event, the Foundation made the exciting announcement that an anonymous donor had come forward to match the participants pledges, dollar for dollar, up to $300,000. Any donations designated for the estate over the next few months will go toward this matching challenge.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Moses H. Cone Memorial Park is a recreational and historical resource for visitors from across the globe and residents of the North Carolina High Country. Unfortunately, the 3,500-acre estate faces critical maintenance issues due to shortfalls in funding from the federal government. The park requires private financial support to supplement the National Park Services budget. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is committed to ensuring the estate remains a cultural treasure and tourist destination that stimulates the local economy.

The Denim Ball was sponsored by Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock, Mountainaire Inn & Log Cabins, Cone Health, WNCW 88.7 FM, The Cemala Foundation and Blowing Rock Furniture Market. The Denim Ball Committee was comprised of Anne Barnes, Marcia Greene, Billie Howell, Deborah McDowell, Karen Robertson, and Emily Stallings. Thanks to donations by many regional businesses and individuals, the auction raised more than $12,000.

Additional photographs of the event by Kathryn Ray Photography can be viewed at www.brpfoundation.org/denimballphotos.

About Moses H. Cone Memorial Park

The park was owned and developed as a gentlemans country estate by Moses H. Cone, an American captain of industry of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who with his brother, Ceasar Cone, brought denim production to the South. Together they built a textile empire that still exists today.

Cone was not only a successful entrepreneur, he was an inquisitive gentleman farmer who experimented with agriculture and designed and built one of Americas most beautiful country estates. Beginning in 1897, he carefully created an impressive retreat featuring carriage trails, lakes, apple orchards, fields, and forests. His vision was influenced by a great regard for the natural landscape.

Before his untimely death in 1908, he constructed Flat Top Manor as the centerpiece of this idyllic mountain estate. After his passing, his wife, Bertha, operated the estate for nearly 39 years, adhering to his original concept. The 3,500-acre estate became part of the Blue Ridge Parkway in 1949.

About the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation

The Foundation is the primary nonprofit fundraising organization, 501(c)3, of the Blue Ridge Parkway, helping ensure cultural and historical preservation, natural resource protection, educational outreach, and visitor enjoyment now and for future generations. www.brpfoundation.org

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Reddit

Pocket


By Elisabeth Wall / ASU News Service

Partnering with The Jed and Clinton Health Matters Campus Program (The Campus Program), Appalachian State University has added another action tool to its initiative to support student well-being and mental health.

The program is designed to help schools prevent what the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions National Center for Health Statistics identify as the two leading causes of death in young adults  unintentional injuries, including those caused by prescription drug overdoses or alcohol poisoning, and suicide.

Appalachian is among the first cohort to join The Campus Program, which is designed to help colleges and universities assess and enhance mental health, substance abuse and suicide prevention programming. Participating schools make a four-year commitment to work with The Campus Program to evaluate and identify opportunities to augment these activities on campus. The Campus Program provides schools with a framework for supporting student mental health, as well as assessment tools, feedback reports and ongoing technical assistance from The Campus Program team.

Membership in The Campus Program is just one more example of Appalachians commitment to promoting emotional well-being and improving substance abuse and suicide prevention programming for all students, Chancellor Sheri N. Everts said. Keeping Appalachian a welcoming and safe place requires constant vigilance, exploration and innovation. Our community cares and is committed to action, as is the university system. With the leadership of Dean of Students and Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Development JJ Brown, Appalachian offers a plethora of opportunities and resources for our Appalachian family.

The college years are the age when many mental health issues first manifest, and it can be a time of significant stress and pressure, said John MacPhee, executive director of The Jed Foundation.

The Jed and Clinton Health Matters Campus Program helps schools by working with them to survey everything their university is doing to support their students emotional health, and find practical ways to augment these efforts in a comprehensive way. We believe that the implementation of a campus-wide approach to mental health will lead to safer, healthier campuses, and likely greater student retention.

We are thrilled to announce that Appalachian State University is among the first group of schools in the nation to join The Campus Program, said Rain Henderson, CEO of the Clinton Health Matters Initiative, and to celebrate them for their recognition of mental health as an essential element of student education, development and maturation.

Elisabeth Cavallaro, suicide prevention program coordinator at Appalachian, said, The university is excited to be a part of The Jed and Clinton Health Matters Campus Program. It is one of many ways that we are working to ensure that our campus is a place where all of our students can thrive. At this university, we are committed to engaging in continuous quality improvement as it relates to the health and wellness of our students, and this is one of many steps we are taking to achieve that.

Appalachians membership in The Campus Program begins with establishing an interdisciplinary, campus-wide Mental Health Working Group to assess, support and implement program improvements and taking a confidential, self-assessment survey on its mental health promotion, substance abuse and suicide prevention programming. Upon completion, survey responses are reviewed by The Campus Program team and compared to the programs set of recommended practices. Schools then receive customized feedback and suggestions for enhancements, as well as direct support with their planning process. All survey responses and feedback reports are confidential.

The Jed and Clinton Health Matters Campus Program grants a membership seal to all schools that participate in the program. About The Campus Program The Campus Program is a nationwide initiative designed to help colleges and universities promote emotional well-being and mental health programming, reduce substance abuse and prevent suicide among their students. When a school becomes a member of The Campus Program, it demonstrates the schools commitment to assessing and enhancing their mental health promotion and substance abuse and suicide prevention programming for students, families and campus professionals. For more information on The Campus Program, visit http://www.TheCampusProgram.org. The Campus Program is a joint initiative of The Jed Foundation, a leading non-profit organization dedicated to promoting emotional health and preventing suicide among college students, and the Clinton Foundations Health Matters Initiative, which works to improve the health and well-being of people throughout the United States across all generations.

About The Jed Foundation

The Jed Foundation is a leading nonprofit working to protect the emotional health of teenagers and college students. Its programs inspire a new national dialogue on mental health, encouraging millions of young people to speak up and take action, and changing the way academic institutions create healthier campus communities and prevent substance abuse and self-harm. These programs include: The Jed and Clinton Foundation Health Matters Campus Program, a groundbreaking self-assessment and feedback program that helps colleges create more comprehensive solutions to support their students; ULifeline, an online resource that helps students understand and address mental health conditions like depression and anxiety disorders; the Half of Us campaign, with MTV, which uses online and on-air programming to share stories and encourage help-seeking; the Love is Louder movement that helps individuals, communities and schools build resiliency, create connectedness and promote acceptance;Transition Year, an online resource for parents aimed at helping to ensure a smooth, healthy transition into college life; and a portfolio of resources that helps campuses promote emotional health and protect at-risk students. Learn more at http://www.jedfoundation.org.

About the Clinton Foundation

The Clinton Foundation convenes businesses, governments, NGOs and individuals to improve global health and wellness, increase opportunity for women and girls, reduce childhood obesity, create economic opportunity and growth, and help communities address the effects of climate change. Because of its work, 20,000 American schools are providing kids with healthy food choices in an effort to eradicate childhood obesity; 28,000 farmers in Malawi have improved their incomes by more than 500 percent; 248 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions are being reduced in cities worldwide; more than 5,000 people have been trained in marketable job skills in Colombia; 8.2 million people have access to lifesaving HIV/AIDS medications; $200 million in strategic investments have been made, impacting the health of 75 million people in the U.S.; and members of the Clinton Global Initiative have made nearly 2,900 Commitments to Action to improve more than 430 million lives around the world. The Clinton Health Matters Initiative (CHMI) works to improve the health and well-being of people throughout the United States across all generations. Learn more at http://www.clintonfoundation.org.

About Appalachian Appalachian State University, in North Carolinas Blue Ridge Mountains, prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The transformational Appalachian experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and embrace diversity and difference. As one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina system, Appalachian enrolls about 18,000 students, has a low faculty-to-student ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Reddit

Pocket


GriefShare at Mount Vernon Baptist Aug. 28  Dec. 11

Mount Vernon Baptist Church hosts GriefShare,

a grief support group on Sunday afternoons from

4:00-6:00 pm. The fall 2016 session runs

August 28  December 11.

New members are welcome and may join at anytime!

MVBC Minister of Education and Administration, Rev. Bud Russell, a seasoned GriefShare facilitato r, leads this group.

For more information check out

griefshare.org/findagroup

or call our office 828.266.9700.

Preregistration is not required, but is appreciated.

Beech Mountain Veterans Celebration Aug. 13

Saturday August 13th , join us to celebrate and honor our Veterans. Event starts at 3:00 pm and Buckeye Recreation Center. We ask that you bring a side dish. Please call us at On, join us to celebrate and honor our Veterans. Event starts atand Buckeye Recreation Center. We ask that you bring a side dish. Please call us at 828-387-3003 to RSVP. We have a wonderful speaker for the program. This will be a great time to come together and honor all those who serve and have served in our military.

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Sean Royall at 828-387-3003 or email at [email protected] n.com

State Bird Commemorated on Forever Stamp

North Carolinas state bird has been commemorated on a Forever stamp. The Northern Cardinal appears as one of our Songbirds in Snow stamps that were just issued last week. Heres the link to the news release:http://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2016/pr16_063.htm Theyre available in many Post Offices already, and customers also can order them online at usps.com/shop. Heres the direct link: https://store.usps.com/store/browse/productDetailSingleSku.jsp?categoryNav=false&navAction=push&navCount=0&atg.multisite.remap=false&categoryId=buy-stamps&productId=S_681104 2-0_USPS16STA045b.jpg  Songbirds in Snow  Northern Cardinal

0-0_USPS16STA045.jpg  Songbirds in Snow  Golden-crownedKinglet

1-0_USPS16STA045a.jpg  Songbirds in Snow  Cedar Waxwings

3-0_USPS16STA045c.jpg  Songbirds in Snow  Red-breasted Nuthatch

4-0_USPS16STA045d.jpg  Songbirds in Snow  All four stamps Upcoming Programs at the Senior Center 1) Register now for a Free 9 week Gentle Exercise program approved by the Arthritis Foundation. Begins on Tuesday, Sept. 6th ,2016, and continues eachTuesday and Thursday-10am-11am until Oct. 27th. This class is great for anyone with limited mobility or those who just need to begin a good whole body exercise program that enhances well being.

The Instructor is Arthritis Foundation Certified. This program is designed to build strength, increase flexibility and range of motion, if done twice per week.

Location: Western Watauga Community Center, Sugar Grove, NC. Sign up at the senior center by August 31st. Call 828-297-5195. 2) We need some good Rook card players at the Western Watauga Senior Center! If you dont know how to play, we have some great teachers to show you how! Come to Western Watauga Senior Center anytime from 9-11:30 am! 3) Seniors, stay in shape by doing some line dancing and tap dancing! We have a certified dance instructor that will teach you! Come join in the funMonday and Thursday mornings at the Western Watauga Senior Center! Call828-297-5195 to sign up! (There is no charge to attend. Any age may attend but persons aged sixty and older will be given priority if class size exceeds space available.)

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Reddit

Pocket


By Jesse Wood

Eric Fairbanks, owner of multiple Hungry Howies franchises in North Carolina, including the local one near Walmart, has a permit with the Boone Planning and Inspections office to replace culverts in the old Frogurt property.

The project name on the application is Hungry Howies Pipe Replacement and Repair.

The property owner listed on the application is Symax Properties, LLC and the company applying for the permit is E&F Pizza Perfect, LLC  both of which are owned by Fairbanks.

Fairbanks bought the property this summer and said hes not sure yet what business will operate out of 668 Blowing Rock Road  whether its relocating the current Hungry Howies in Boone, opening a second Hungry Howies location in Boone or maybe opening something else.

We are not sure yet, Fairbanks said. We are trying to get it fixed up right now.

Fairbanks owns nine Hungry Howies franchises in the Charlotte area, one in Gastonia, and a Hickory location is under construction. (In 2008, he told the Charlotte Business Journal that he was hoping to open up to 20 locations in Charlotte.)

Boone is one of our better markets. I love the area, Fairbanks said.

Fairbanks said that culvert replacement extends onto the neighboring apartment complex lot owned by The Winkler Organization  as the two are looking to save a few bucks by working together with the same contractor.

In 2013, heavy rains caved in a portion of the old Frogurt parking lot, and the former owners of the property racked up more than $65,000 in fines for violating the Town of Boones Unified Development Ordinance in not fixing the sinkhole in a timely fashion.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Reddit

Pocket


(Bloomberg) Barclays Plc just upended one of the most common narratives for why hedge funds are struggling to repeat the glory years: they found its not the number of funds thats causing returns to languish. Its their size.

That calls into question a piece of wisdom so well received that even the industry itself has started to repeat it. Barclays polled 340 investors with about $8 trillion in assets under management, and 74 percent of them said the primary reason for meager returns is that the industry itself has become too big.

To read this article:
The largest online retailer in the world organised a recruitment event yesterday in Espoo and will organise another one today in Tampere to fill, for example, open product development positions in its digital books teams in Europe.

Amazon has mounted a recruitment campaign to dip into the talent pool left behind by Microsoft and Nokia in Finland, reports Helsingin Sanomat .

The daily newspaper points out that most of the roughly one thousand engineers made redundant by Nokia are based in the regions surrounding Helsinki and Tampere. Microsoft, it adds, is expected to lay off an additional one thousand people, including an estimated 600 engineers, in the country by the end of the month.

Shop stewards at both Nokia and Microsoft welcomed news of the recruitment campaign with excitement.

Related posts: - Amazon brings its cloud to Finland (22 October, 2015)

This is a brilliant marketing stunt by Amazon, and I wish them the best of luck, Lasse Laurikainen, the shop steward for managerial staff at Nokia, said in an interview with Helsingin Sanomat.

On the other hand, this also sends a clear message to Finnish employers that unless you hire these professionals, they will be pulled overseas.

Amazon also sent invitations to the recruitment events to people laid off by Microsoft, said Kalle Kiili, the chief shop steward at the software giant. He also revealed that he has second-hand information that the online retailer has considered setting up a product development unit in Finland.

Amazon launching product development operations here in Finland would naturally be desirable for Finland, he told Helsingin Sanomat.

The Seattle-headquartered online retailer established an office for its cloud computing business, Amazon Web Services (AWS), in Espoo last October.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Roni Rekomaa  Lehtikuva
The research project, titled the National Birth Cohort 1987, monitored the development of mental health, behaviour and well-being of 60,000 children born in Finland in 1987 from childhood to early adulthood based on information on various health and social indicators obtained from official registers.

Childhood living conditions are closely associated with well-being later in life, finds a study conducted by the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

The financial difficulties of families with children have long-reaching consequences, concludes THL.

Financial difficulties in childhood can, for example, have an adverse effect on the possibilities of young people to achieve economic independence and result in serious mental health problems, poor school achievement and lower education attainment later in life.

The study: - The National Birth Cohort 1987 is a register study covering all children born in Finland in 1987. - Funded by the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and the Academy of Finland, the study monitored the development of mental health, behaviour and well-being from childhood to early adulthood.

Tiina Ristikari, a special researcher at THL, argues that the findings draw attention to the unequal opportunities of young people to build independent lives. Young people whose childhoods were characterised by parents with serious problems are especially at a disadvantage, she highlights.

THL and the Finnish Youth Research Society consequently plead with decision-makers to invest in the development of prevention and early-intervention strategies. The researchers point out that social investments in childhood and adolescence, such as solid early-childhood education, can not only create cost savings but also promote well-being.

The findings are also an indication of the skewed nature of the school system, the researchers argue. The grade-point averages of primary school pupils demonstrate a pronounced gender gap: girls receive higher grades than boys.

The study indicates that school achievement has a great impact on whether or not young people are selected to post-primary education and thus on their place in the working life and level of income. It appears that educational structures are gendered, they state.

Although it is difficult to say anything about the school culture or educational practices based on our study, it is justifiable to ask should an institution that strives for equality pay considerably more attention to the issue.

Another report calling attention to the poor school achievement of boys was recently presented to Sanni Grahn-Laasonen (NCP), the Minister of Education and Culture.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Petteri Paalasmaa  Uusi Suomi

Source: Uusi Suomi
Clannad members Padraig Duggan (left) and his brother Noel with their Grammy Award Picture: AP

The music world has been mourning the death of Clannad co-founder Padraig Duggan, who has passed away at the age of 67.

The renowned folk musician, who is Enya's uncle, passed away at Blanchardstown Hospital yesterday morning as a result of a recurring illness. He is survived by his wife Jan.

Together with his twin brother Noel, they formed Clannad with their nephews and nieces Ciaran, Pol and Moya Brennan. Enya was a later addition to the Irish folk band.

Moya Brennan broke the sad news of his passing on Twitter.

"My dear uncle and Clannad member Padraig Duggan passed away peacefully this morning. Rest in peace," she wrote.

The Donegal band began their career back in the early 1970s after winning the Letterkenny Folk Festival and enlisted the talents of Enya - whose real name is Eithne - in the late 1970s.

She worked on two albums with them before starting her solo career.

Taking their name from the Irish word for family, the band found fame in 1982 when their theme song for the TV mini-series Harry's Game became a UK hit. They became the first act to perform as Gaeilge on BBC's Top of the Pops, which led to them writing the soundtrack for the Robin of Sherwood TV series.

They caught the attention of U2's Bono, who recorded a song that went on to become a smash-hit entitled In a Lifetime.

They toured internationally, releasing 25 albums and racking up a host of awards including the Ivor Novello songwriting accolade.

In 1997 their 15th album, Landmarks, won a Grammy Award for best New Age recording.

They also had success in the US after penning a track for the Oscar-winning film The Last of the Mohicans starring Daniel Day-Lewis.

The track saw them painstakingly researching the Mohicans to write the lyrics in that tribe's near-extinct language.

Padraig, who played guitar and mandolin, and his brother Noel released a collaborative album, Rubicon, in 2005.

The album featured a new version of the song Liza, which had won them the Letterkenny Folk Festival three decades earlier.

"I actually wrote it up on the roof of Leo's Tavern," Noel said previously.

Upbeat

"I was up there for some reason with my guitar. It is an upbeat pop song, I suppose I was influenced by bands such as The Beatles.

"It was a unique song at the time: a pop song in Gaelic.

"It proved popular in the local schools [and] the young people seemed to adopt it."

The song is still taught in some schools around the country.

They toured Germany with traditional band Norland Wind before Clannad got back together again in 2012.

The band were also given a lifetime achievement award by the BBC after they reunited.

A funeral for the musician will be held in St Mary's Church, Derrybeg, on Thursday.
A young man left in a vegetative state after he was hit in the head with a brick has been forced to live in a nursing home and has had to go to the UK for treatment.

An attack four years ago left Shane Grogan paralysed and unable to communicate. He now needs 24-hour care.

The 26-year-old was walking his girlfriend home in 2012 when he was struck on the head with a brick by a former Shamrock Rovers player.

His attacker, Shane Byrne, was later jailed for two-and-a-half years for the assault.

Shane's family have hit out at the fact that their son was forced to travel abroad for treatment and can only be cared for here in a nursing home despite his young age.

He spent three months in the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) in Dun Laoghaire and had a similar stay in the Leamington Spa Rehabilitation facility in the UK, a hospital that specialises in treating brain injury patients. He now lives in a nursing home.

His father, Joe, has called for a fresh look at how Ireland treats those with acquired brain injuries.

"They had a whole different style of treatment [in the UK] and we got a much better understanding of his condition and what we could do to assist him with his treatment," he said.

Shane remains in a minimal conscious state and must be fed by tube.

While there has been little improvement in his condition, he does respond to music and pet therapy.

"It's just little things that can make a difference," Joe said.

"These young people should not be in nursing homes where very little can be done for them. It's down to a lack of resources.

"We don't want to just leave Shane and others like him sitting in front of televisions. We want to do anything we can to stimulate them."

Injuries

They and other families facing similar battles are now seeking a new centre where young people who have brain injuries can stay when they are not being treated in the NRH.

Through a new group, An Saol Foundation, they hope to lobby politicians to support a three-year pilot project to develop support for people like Shane.

For more information see www.ansaol.ie or the Care for Shane idonate webpage.
Tragic victim Dean Johnson, who was shot dead in a case of mistaken identity in 2013

A dangerous criminal who is a suspect in the murder of a 21-year-old man shot dead in a case of mistaken identity has become one of the biggest cocaine traffickers in the country.

The latest garda success against the suspected killer's gang came when detectives seized 140,000 worth of cocaine in Lucan as part of a surveillance operation at 8pm on Monday.

They arrested three men, but not the suspect in the Dean Johnson murder.

Dealer

The Clondalkin-based convicted drugs dealer, who is aged in his late 20s, is one of 13 people arrested by gardai investigating the murder of tragic Dean Johnson.

Dean was shot dead at Harelawn Green in Clondalkin at 12.20am on August 24, 2013.

He was the innocent victim of a west Dublin feud in which he had no involvement. The intended target was a hitman who is currently on remand in prison.

It can now be revealed that since Dean was shot dead, the suspect in the case has "risen through the ranks" of the capital's drug-dealing scene and is now considered one of the biggest cocaine traffickers in west Dublin.

"This individual is extremely cautious and paranoid but gardai are continuing to eat into his operations," a source said.

It is understood that the gangster has moved on to a patch which was once controlled by his pal, Clondalkin criminal Jason 'Jay' Carroll, who was shot dead in August 2013.

Carroll (39) was strongly linked to a number of serious criminals and was an extremely close friend of Daniel Kinahan - the son of the leader of Ireland's biggest and most dangerous drugs syndicate, Christy Kinahan.

Monday night's operation was headed up by the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and led to the seizure of two kilos of cocaine when officers stopped cars in the Lucan area.

"They were pretty much caught red-handed and this seizure is considered significant," a source said last night.

Three men aged 31, 32 and 35 were arrested at the scene and were being questioned last night in Ronanstown and Clondalkin Garda stations.

This is the second major garda bust against the mob in recent weeks.

Last month, detectives seized 420,000 worth of drugs linked to the gang when they stopped a number of vehicles in west Dublin, before searching a number of properties in the capital as part of a planned operation which led to the arrest of two men aged in their 30s.

The gang are also suspected of controlling 2m worth of drugs which were seized by gardai in Dublin last year.

Meanwhile, gardai are continuing to investigate the murder of Dean Johnson and a file on the case has been sent to the DPP.

Dean had left a pub on the night of his murder when a car pulled up and two gunmen got out. One approached the victim and opened fire.

Flee

Innocent Dean attempted to flee but was shot dead.

The gunmen fled in the car, which was found burnt out at Collinstown Crescent with two firearms inside.

A major gangster, who had been out socialising with Dean earlier in the night, was the intended target of the hit.

Gardai suspect this man then murdered criminal Jason Carroll less than a week later because he blamed Carroll for masterminding the fatal shooting.

It later emerged that the suspected double killer was planning to murder four rivals on the same night.

At Dean's funeral Mass, Dean's parents made a special appeal "to all those who may be tempted towards violence, that they want to say clearly they do not want violence in their name".
There is not much time for rest when you are a self-employed model and nobody knows that better than catwalk star Yomiko Chen-Conway.

One of the best known fashion models on the Irish circuit, Yomiko returned to work just two weeks after giving birth to her first child.

The model, who has been living in Ireland for 11 years, welcomed daughter Lily Sue with husband Iain Conway.

Given the nature of the modelling industry - with jobs dictated by the fashion calendar - Yomiko didn't have the luxury of taking lots of time off after giving birth to her little girl.

Inquiring

Judging by the model mum's latest shoot, Yomiko, who looked as poised as ever on the catwalk, was more than happy to return to work.

A spokesperson for Assets agency said that it's business as usual for Yomiko, who also runs the Kokora Bento Sushi restaurant chain with husband Iain.

"She was back two weeks after having the baby ... she's unreal. She had a dream pregnancy and the weight just fell off her afterwards."

One of their most in-demand models, the Assets spokeswoman said that clients were inquiring when she would be back before she even had her baby in April.

While most mums-to-be can't wait to take some time off by the time they are ready to have their baby, Yomiko has said she was sad to leave the catwalk.

The raven-haired model admitted that she even cried at the end of every show before going on maternity leave.

She is not the first model to return to work soon after giving birth.

Sarah McGovern has spoken of returning to the catwalk just weeks after giving birth.

The mum of two has told the Herald how she can rarely afford to take time off, even when she is ill.

"I just don't have the time to be sick as a model and someone that is self-employed," she said.

Meanwhile, Yomiko has managed to combine running her busy Japanese restaurant chain with working as a model.

She and Iain even managed to expand the venue over the past two years, and now run three restaurants in Dublin city centre.

Yomiko, who works at the front of house in their venues, said she relishes having the challenge of two jobs.

"I'm a perfectionist, so I never switch off.

"It is very much a family business - when you are passionate about something, it takes over your life," she said.

"There really is no balance. I know being a mother won't slow me down."

Love

The half-Chinese, half-Japanese model arrived Ireland 11 years ago and decided to settle here after falling in love with the country - and Iain.

The pair got married in April 2015 and she discovered she was pregnant shortly afterwards.

She revealed how the couple had planned to travel to China and Japan last autumn so that Iain could meet her family. But that trip had to be delayed as she was so ill with morning sickness.

Yomiko's close pal and fellow model Sarah Morrissey is also expecting her first child.
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn.  Those who have nearly completed a graduate degree from any institution are invited to attend the East Tennessee State University Thesis and Dissertation Boot Camp.

The four-session camp will emphasize time to spend writing in a library computer lab plus options for mini-workshops on such topics as Getting Started and Staying on Track, Organization: Physical and Virtual Workspaces, Review of Writing Mechanics, The Review and Editing Process and Databases: Content and Usage.

The cost is $150 and each enrollee should attend all four sessions, which are held on Friday evenings from 5-9:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. The fee includes catering for Friday evening meals and Sat-urday breakfasts, lunches and afternoon snacks.

For an additional fee, participants can receive one-on-one tutorial sessions with a writing tutor from the Center for Academic Achievement and editorial services by an expert thesis and dissertation reader.

ETSU employees may use their employee audit opportunity to pay for the course.

The workshops will be conducted Aug. 26-27, Sept. 9-10, Sept. 23-24 and Oct. 21-22 in ETSUs Charles C. Sherrod Library.

Online registration is available by visiting http://etsuaw.etsu.edu and going to Dissertation Boot Camp.

For further information, call 800-222-3878 or visit the online registration site at http://etsuaw.etsu.edu, then click on courses and education. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-439-8346.
More women, juveniles help drive need for more space at the jail
Air India chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani is seeking to clear the runway for a smoother take-off for Air India with his recent remarks that staff need not observe petty courtesies, rather they should focus on work. His ire was directed at the practice of staff coming to receive him and see him off during visits. Earlier, he had said he would stop the system of upgrading to business and first class from economy and that he would start with his own family though they are entitled to business class. He has also stopped the practice of airline crew being allowed to travel on the same flights as their family members.

But Lohani needs political support for his attempts to professionalise the behemoth, which has been incurring losses for years. In 2015-16, the losses have apparently come down to 2,636 crore from 5,859.91 crore the previous financial year. This despite the fact that till March this year, the bailout package has amounted to 22,280 crore. The airline has also seen a decline in market share over the last three years as more nimble private carriers have shot past it.

Read | No bouquets for me, focus on work: AI chief tells staff

The airline has many problems, one of which is the misuse by politicians and bureaucrats who seem to consider Air India their private carrier. Upgrades for VIPs are almost routine. Flight delays thanks to politicians turning up late have taken place with no negative fallout except bad press. A former civil aviation minister is reported to have commandeered a bigger aircraft on a route so as to accommodate his extended family in business class.

With low oil prices and more Indians travelling, the airline should be on top of its game. But crippling union problems and poor management over the years have clipped its wings. Even despite trimming down, the aircraft-to-employee ratio is 1:120 when the international norm is 1:100. In 2007, the ratio for Air India was 1:256.

Read | Air India issues gag on staff to stem bad press, threatens being fired if caught

If Lohani succeeds in inculcating a sense of professionalism in the airline and can resist the attempts by VIPs to put pressure on it to suit their own ends, he will have done a signal service to the carrier. Hes bound to run into turbulence, but at least he is charting a more realistic flight plan.

Twitter: @lalitapanicker

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
In July, I was in a village in Alwar, Rajasthan, on an assignment and I saw several houses had brand new toilets with Swachh Bharat Mission logo on them. When I asked my local contact, Akshay, about the new toilets, he said: Yes, there is a rush now to build toilets, but mostly women use them men still prefer the fields. Why so, I asked. I dont know  it could be a matter of habit or they dont understand the link between health and sanitation, Akshay added.

Two recent reports show that this love for open defecation in rural India continues despite the NDA governments toilet building efforts. In 2015-16, 12.7 million toilets were built against a target of 12 million. Since the start of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) in 2014, 21 million toilets were installed in rural areas, covering 53.6% of the population.

Read: Swachh Bharat battles rural Indias belief that open defecation is better

A State-initiated rapid survey found rural India a big behavioural challenge. In the countryside, 52% of the population still thinks outdoors are their go-to area for defecation. Another ethnographic study by demographers quoted 47% of rural households in five states (Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Bihar) as saying that they prefer open defecation because they find it pleasurable, convenient and comfortable.

In 2014, the year the government launched the SBM, I asked Dean Spears of the Research Institute of Compassionate Economics whether the programme can change Indias stinking sanitation record.

Spears who has worked in El Salvador, India and Sri Lanka on sanitation issues, said that the situation will not change unless there is a change in the thought process of the people. Moreover, he added, that the sanitation ladder (open defecation-flush toilets with piped water) seems to be missing in this country.

Read: Dont flush this opportunity away

Moreover, in rural India, caste Hindus will not empty their own latrine pits  it would be considered extremely degrading. Dalits also understandably resist doing this work because it is a symbol of their past and continuing oppression. The market for pit emptying services is broken. Hence, people do not invest in a toilet until they can afford one that will have to be emptied only very rarely.

Read: Swachh Bharat corpus drying as corporates not chipping in

In Solving Indias Sanitation Puzzle, Spears colleague Sangita Vyas writes: We dont yet know what will accelerate the reduction of open defecation in India, and there is unlikely to be a silver bullet. What we do know, though, is that it will require frank and uncomfortable conversations about what purity, pollution and the continuing practice of untouchability have to do with rural Indias open defecation crisis.

Read: Solving Indias sanitation puzzle

Interestingly, sometimes solutions can be found in the problem areas only. Take for example, Rajasthan. The state has always done poorly on sanitation because of water scarcity, low literacy and difficult terrain. However, when the state junked the construction-driven agenda and brought in a participatory approach, it paid off.

This may all sound bit NGO jargon, but here is what happened: In districts such as Bikaner and Pali, the campaign was localised and, as this report says, every household that constructs a toilet gets a Phutro Ghar (beautiful home) nameplate for their home on which the name of the female family member is mentioned ahead the male member.

In Pali, for instance, a women-led community service group called Mission Poorn Shakti has been a conducting door-to-door campaign to spread awareness. Moreover, families can access a sanitation park and also choose the model of toilets they want.

Bikaner has a mobile-based application to monitor the usage of toilets. Further, to encourage toilet usage, the districts make payments to the beneficiaries only after they start using the toilet. Hence, subsidy is no longer the means through which households construct a toilet, but a reward they get for using it, the report added.

The Rajasthan example shows that one-size-fits-all plans will not end sanitation woes. Every state needs to think approach the problem differently, according to its own needs and capability to implement.

Twitter: @kumkumdasgupta

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
After cows, Dalits and Kashmiris came the turn of transgender people.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi told his party MPs on Tuesday to reach out to the transgender community in their respective constituencies, setting them a target of meeting 500,000 people from one of Indias most marginalised sections.

This is possibly the first time that the BJP leader has reached out to the transgender community, often ostracised by society and shut out from jobs and education opportunities.

Humanity is not confined to male or female. Go and meet them. Have meetings and rallies, Modi told his party members, hailing a bill conferring rights to transgender people as a great step for social reforms.

Read: Modi asks BJP MPs to reach out to transgenders, seeks their 2-year report card

Modis comments arent surprising though he leads a party that has been in the news for its deeply conservative views. It is in line with the views of new progressive Modi  a 2.0 of the Hindu Hriday Samrat if you will  who lashes out at once-patronised cow protection vigilantes, asks people to attack him instead of Dalits and loves Kashmir.

For the past four days, the prime minister has sprung a surprise--indicating to the world that he is alert to mounting international criticism of his administration as a tech-savvy but culturally intolerant regime that is hostile to minorities and dissent.

His paean to Dalits came shortly after the United States expressed concern over rising atrocities against the vulnerable community. He spoke on the spiraling violence in Kashmir more than a month after the first clashes and it came after his image as a pan-India leader was questioned in national and international media because of his silence.

Every single of these messages appeared carefully tailored for an international audience and aimed at giving out the message that India is ruled by a global leader with progressive views.

This is a sea change from the prime ministers earlier responses, when he chose to be silent and bulldoze through a torrent of criticism following Hindu hardline ghar wapsi conversion programmes, vitriol against alleged cases of love jihad and especially the mob lynching of Mohammad Ikhlaq over rumours that he slaughtered a cow.

Even this January when India was rocked by protests over the death of PhD student Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad after alleged casteist hounding by university authorities, Modi chose to keep silent  making a short statement that further infuriated anti-caste activists and opposition parties.

Transgender rights activists say that the new bill may curtail government benefits for them. (Praful Gangurde/ HT file photo)

Of course, this comes at a cost  the undying love of hardline Hindu elements, who are already grumbling that the new secular Modi isnt the leader they voted for. The BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh have had a troubled relationship with oppressed communities of all hues  be it religious minorities, backward castes or the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community.

Hindu hardliners have attacked couples out on Valentines Day, have been accused of peddling violence and patriarchal norms that shackle women, and have called homosexuality an abomination  Indias home minister Rajnath Singh called it a mental illness last year. Modis overtures might further rupture his relationship with his core constituency.

But a more pressing concern is whether the statements will inspire any real change. Dalit activists have already said theyd prefer stricter implementation of anti-atrocity laws to impassioned appeals. Kashmiris have unequivocally rejected the prime ministers professed love for the Valley and his offer of development, saying theyd rather see some real political change on the ground.

Read: Kashmir Valley gives lukewarm response as Modi reaches out

The same questions abound over the issue of transgender empowerment with many activists saying a recent bill dilutes Supreme Court guidelines from a historic verdict two years ago and will hurt the vulnerable community.

The bill proposes setting up a board with medical officers to certify transgenders. This, Hijra community elders say, will intimidate people. Why should I have to strip and show myself to a male doctor? Isnt this humiliation, asked Sabeera, a member of a 500-year-old Hijra haveli in Hyderabad.

The bill also criminalises begging, a provision that may be used to harass transpeople and even jail Hijra gurus. Activists say section 377which criminalises homosexuality  is used by police to harass working-class transpeople. The new law, they say, will meet the same fate.

You dont give us employment or education and want to take awaywhatever little we make from traditional occupations? This bill will kill us, said Sabeera.

Another provision says transpeople will be placed with natal families or government homes, making it difficult to remove victims from abusive families. How can the government say where we stay or eat? asked Rachana, a hijra community member.

If the prime minister is serious about his transgender outreach, it will not remain confined to mere words. His government will consult trans activists and amend the bill, bat for stricter implementation of benefits, and induct transgender leaders in his party.

He will also follow through on his promises to other minorities  because transgender people can be Dalits, Muslims or women  and violence against one community touches all. His government will come out against section 377 and end this shameful law once-and-for-all. Anything less may soar the prime ministers international reputation and make for good headlines abroad, but will do little to help the people he is elected to serve.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
A good title for Russian President Vladimir Putins political biography will be How Russia became the pivot for anti-West nations. As Ian Bremmer wrote in HT earlier this week: Russias president may not have created this recent string of international good fortune, but hes an accomplished political opportunist who is no doubt looking for creative new ways to seize the day.

On Tuesday, Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced in a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that the Moscow-Ankara friendship axis will be restored. That Erdogans first overseas travel after the failed coup on July 15 was to St Petersburg throws light on Turkeys deteriorating ties with the West.

Read | Putin meets Erdogan, says restoring trade ties with Turkey will take time

Bilateral ties had soured after Turkey shot down a Russian jet in November 24 near the Syria-Turkey border. However, a lot has changed in the past nine months.

While world events have shifted the winds in favour of Russia, Turkey has been often at the receiving end. The continuing conflict in Iraq and Syria has led to an international refugee crisis, and much of this has been flowing through Turkey. The European Union (EU) might have struck a deal with Turkey to check the flow of refugees, but it looks precariously delicate with every passing day. Strong ties with Russia will pull Turkey further away from the EU, which in many ways was treating it as a pariah. Turkeys entry into the Union seems to have been pushed to the backburner, and during a Brexit debate former British PM David Cameron put it bluntly: They [Turkey] applied in 1987. At the current rate of progress, they will probably get round to joining in about the year 3,000, according to the latest forecasts.

Read | Turkey warns US not to sacrifice relations for sake of Gulen

Erdogans visit to St Petersburg adds to Wests paranoia about Moscow and its ways. It is this same fear that sees the Kremlin being dragged into discussions and debates on the US presidential elections. That Turkey is a Nato member only heightens this fear.

Washington and Brussels were late to condemn the July 15 failed coup in Turkey. The delay, in one way, was understandable given that Erdogan is seen by many as Islamising Turkeys democracy and taking it away from Europes democratic standards. But while the West chewed over a response, Putin was quick to call Erdogan and condemn the attack. International diplomacy is all about making the right move at the right time and Putin seized the moment. It should not be forgotten that Putin called Erdogan at a time when Russia-Turkey ties were cold.

Read | Turkey formally arrested 16,000 people in coup probe: Justice minister

The real test of this rapprochement will be the stand both leaders adopt towards the conflict in Syria. While Putin supports the Bashar al-Assad regime and the Kremlin is helping Damascus fight anti-government forces, Ankara is not on the same page  at least until now. Many attribute Turkeys porous borders through which scores of jihadis have walked into Syria and Iraq as the main reason for this current mayhem in the region. Russia and Turkey could reach a point of consensus over the future of Syria and Assad if the two agree on containing the Kurds, who have used the unrest to revive their demand for a separate nation. Though the Kurds in Iraq and Syria have been successful in resisting the Islamic State (and in turn become reliable allies for the West), Turkey sees them as terrorists.

Another factor is the economics. Russias sanctions on Turkey greatly affected its tourism industry  Russian tourists form a majority of those visiting Turkey. Moreover, repeated terror attacks and a failed coup prompted many western governments to caution its citizens against visiting Turkey. Russia is also a big market for Turkeys fruits and vegetables.

The West should not rush in to condemn Ankara and further push it into Moscows arms. Rather than sticking to the Cold War dichotomy, it should be able to customise its approach depending on the situation: A good example would be the tacit understanding Washington has with Moscow in Syria at the moment.

Its an irony that Turkey, which survived an attempt to derail its democracy, does not turn to the West, but to Russia, which is not always a paragon of democracy.

Twitter: @vijucherian

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
My first visit to Bastar, Chhattisgarh (then in Madhya Pradesh), was in the summer of 1999. The region had/has the countrys best forests ---- the canopy is so thick in some areas that you cant even see the ground ---- but the summer can be dreadfully warm and humid.

However, the beautiful landscape and the distinct smell of pale-green, bulbous mahua flowers --- used for making country liquor, food items and medicines --- made the tough journey through Indias beautiful tribal land a pleasure.

The reason for my Bastar trip was an interesting project started by a young and enterprising district collector, Pravir Krishn along with Bastars senior-most forest officer.

The two officers were trying to break the hold of non-tribal middlemen (mostly outsiders) had on the lucrative trade in forest products such as tamarind, mahua, tora seeds, chironji, kosa and honey and hand it over to the poor, forest-dependent tribal communities so that they could earn from what was rightfully theirs.

The project started off well but collapsed after the two officers were transferred out of the district.

I was going on a routine inspection when I caught a non-tribal trader bartering salt for tamarind. The salt bag was marked unfit for human and animal consumption. That was the worst form of exploitation of tribals I had ever seen, Krishn told me when I asked him what prompted him to start the project.

Its been 17 years since my first visit to the region, yet even today the living conditions of a majority of tribals in Chhattisgarh and elsewhere in India have not changed significantly though the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act (FRA), 2006, provides for the restitution of deprived forest rights to tribal communities, including both individual rights to cultivated land in forest areas and community rights over common property resources.

DILUTING THE ACT

In the last few months, the NDA government has allowed several states to take away the forest rights of tribals over their traditional lands to facilitate development projects though the FRA does not provide for revocation of either community or individual land rights once granted under the law.

The law and the attendant regulations provide only for the government diverting the forest land for some other purpose after prior informed consent of the tribals through their gram sabha.

But in most cases the decisions have been unilateral.

Read: Centre, states undermining tribal rights

In its observations on a high-level-committee report of the government, reviewed by HT using the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the governments think-tank, the Niti Aayog, said that all the key features of FRA have

been undermined by a combination of apathy and sabotage during the process of implementation.

It added that the central and the state governments have pursued policies that violate of the spirit and letter of the Act.

Unless immediate remedial measures are taken, instead of undoing the historical injustice to tribals and other traditional forest dwellers, the act will have the opposite outcome of making them even more vulnerable to eviction and denial of their customary access to forests, said the Niti Aayog.

TURNING THE CLOCK BACK

While the world over now the trend is to handover forests to communities, India is going the other way.

According to a report by the Rights and Resources Initiative, a global coalition of organisations engaged in forest and land policy reform in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, land ownership has been shifting out of the public domain into the hands of local communities and households, with nearly 60% of Chinas forests now legally owned by collectives.

Since China has implemented these reforms, farmers incomes have steadily increased and the government has invested more than $50bn in programmes supporting farmers and households for environmental restoration, helping to ease poverty and mitigate the effects of climate change.

Global evidence, including the Chinese experience, the report added, indicates that communities manage forests more sustainably than governments or private entities.

But the Indian government seems to think otherwise. Other than diluting the FRA, it also does not want the money collected from diverting forests lands for industry to go to the communities that live in or are dependent on forests but to the corrupt and inefficient forest bureaucracy.

According to report in Hindustan Times, under a 1980 law, when forest land is diverted for industrial use, the project developer has to pay for compensatory afforestation and the Net Present Value of the forest, to make up for the loss in ecosystem.

Indias forests are worth as much as the combined market value of BSE-listed companies with a notional value of Rs 115 trillion.

Read: Indias forests valued at Rs 115 trillion, but tribals unlikely to get a share

In fact, the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2016, which was recently passed in Rajya Sabha, gives a carte blanche to forest officials to spend gigantic amounts of money (Rs 40,000 crore) without any accountability to the people whose forests, lands and lives will be damaged or destroyed by their activities.

But several reports including one by the Comptroller and Auditor General has exposed gross mismanagement of CAMPA funds meant for compensatory afforestation.

A report by HT found that massive plantation drives by states over the past decade have not translated into any significant increase in Indias green cover, raising concerns over the efficacy of money-guzzling schemes.

Read: Plantation projects on an overdrive but green cover shows little increase

So if the government has been unable utilise the existing funds meant for afforestation, then what is point of evaluating the notional value of the forests and charging more from industrial groups?

If anything, this increase in forest value would make sense only if it deters industry from using forest land and forces them to look elsewhere and the money, which is collected from industrial houses that still take forest land, is used for forest-dependent communities.

Bastar of 2016 is not the Bastar of 1999. Today, it is a hotbed of Maoists with tribals, still desperately poor, unwilling to help the security forces against the Red Army.

This stand does not surprise me; the NDAs forests policies are bound to alienate them further.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
This Independence Day, people in Delhi can enjoy an eclectic line-up of plays which are based on Indias fight for freedom. The stories depicted revisit Indias first rebellion of 1857, the partition and also the war against terrorism. Revel in the spirit of independence as you watch these compelling plays.

Jai Hind and Jis Lahore Nhi Dekheya O Jamiya Hi Nhi

A play on the different shades of patriotism and terrorism, Jai Hind tells the story of how the Indian military pacifies the negative forces present in the country. Presented by Shree Umapati Group, the story unfolds at Wagah Border, where the governments from India and Pakistan have come together for a peace meeting.

Read: Playing drums to the tune of love, peace and harmony

What the Indian delegation doesnt know is that there is terrorist pretending to be a Paksitani official. The characters in the play are inspired by real-life army personnel, leaders and terrorists, says SP Singh Sengar, director.

A scene from Jai Hind. (Himanshu Kumar)

The second play organized by the group is Jis Lahore Nhi Dekheya O Jamiya Hi Nhi. It is the story of an old Hindu woman who is left behind in Lahore by her family who relocated to India during Partition.

The play is an emotional journey of all the characters. At the beginning, the Muslim family that has taken over the haveli is hostile towards her, but gradually accepts her as a part of their family, says Sengar

A scene from Jis Lahore Nhi Dekheya O Jamiya Hi Nhi. (Himanshu Kumar)

What: Jai Hind and Jis Lahore Nhi Dekheya O Jamiya Hi Nhi

Where: LTG Auditorium, Copernicus Marg, Mandi House

When: August 14

Timings: 6pm & 7.30pm

Nearest Metro Station: Mandi House on Blue and Violet Line

Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan

Presented by Wings Cultural Society, Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan is a play based on the letters exchanged by poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz and his wife.

Before Partition, Faiz used to live and work in Delhi, but was sent to Paksitan. His was a progressive voice and the government tried to curb it, and put him in prison. He was married to a British national, Alys, who worked as a journalist. They used to exchange letters, on which we have fashioned this play, says Danish Iqbal, who used to play the role of Faiz.

A scene from Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan. (Vipul Rajpoot)

Salima Raza, director and female lead, says, Faizs mother once said in Punjabi that if not for Alys, there would have been no Faiz. She was his companion and comrade, who not just loved him, but his ideologies, too.

On Faizs 100th birth anniversary, the group presented the play in Lahore. Some of the people being talked about in the play were actually present in the audience, says Raza.

A scene from Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan. (Vipul Rajpoot)

The play takes place in the original language the letters were written in  Urdu. Banwari Taneja, male lead, says, Kuch yadein hain puraani, kuch nostalgia hai. Urdu, jo ki lupt hoti jaa rahi hai, logo ko bahut pasand hai. Jo log Faiz ko padhte hain aur jaante hain, unhe yeh play kaafi pasand aata hai (There are memories attached to the play. People love Urdu, a language which is fast losing popularity. People who read Faiz and know him, appreciate the play).

What: Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan

Where: Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road

When: August 14

Timings: 7.30pm

Nearest Metro Station: Jor Bagh on Yellow Line and Khan Market on Violet Line

Aazadi -The Birth of a Nation

A dance-drama production on Indias struggle for Independence, Aazadi-The Birth of a Nation takes the audience on a journey that goes beyond the textbooks. Presented by Natya Ballet Centre and Sangeet Natak Akademi, the production combines theatre with Myurbhanj Chhau and contemporary dance forms.

Aazadi combines the dance form of Mayurbhanj Chhau with theatre. (Natya Ballet Centre)

The choreography is set to voice-overs and speeches given by freedom fighters. It is important to trace your roots and understand what our leaders fought for, says Nikita Maheshwary, creative director. The play traces the journey from 1857, till Pandit Jawaharlal Nehrus speech at the stroke of midnight on August 14.

Read: Govt plans to celebrate patriotism, diversity ahead of Independence Day

What: Aazadi-The Birth of a Nation

Where: Meghdhoot I, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Copernicus Marg, Mandi House

When: August 12

Timings: 7pm

Nearest Metro Station: Mandi House on Blue and Violet Line

1857- Indiaa War for Independence

This play is told through the papers and eye-witness accounts of events of Indias first rebellion for Independence. Written by a young priest named Vishnu Bhatt Versaikar, the play focuses on the heroic queen, Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, and master strategist Tatya Tope.

The play, presented by Akshara Theatre, is a saga of these freedom fighters surrounding this momentous period of Indian history.

A scene from 1857-Indiaa War for Independence.

What: 1857-Indiaa War for Independence

Where: Akshara Theatre, 11B, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Next to RML Hospital

When: 6pm, August 13 & 7pm, August 14

Nearest Metro Station: Patel Chowk on Yellow Line and Shivaji Stadium on Delhi Airport Express Line

Follow @htlifeandstyle for more.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
A rough weather greeted the Prime Ministers public rally on Tuesday in this tribal hamlet situated 12 km from Bhabhara in Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh.

Broken spells of rains for past one week and drizzle on Tuesday morning turned the rally venue into a mess. Rains had uprooted three domes on Monday. Only one dome remained intact in addition to the one erected over podium.

Women and men from 15 districts of Indore and Ujjain divisions travelled overnight to reach the venue which was filled with ankle-deep slush. Many of them arrived early but worse awaited them.

They were frisked by security officials, as they were asked to undergo security exercise before entering the venue. This enraged some of them.

Were going back. Well watch the PM on television, said Mandsaur district farmer Laxminarayan Patidar. What should we do? Its raining, its muddy. There is nothing to cover us. On top of it, were told to go back to get checked, said farmer Ravi Singh from Agar.

As police and administration faced a tough time to deal with the men and women, co-operatives minister in-charge of Alirajpur district Vishwas Sarang told press persons to be positive. Its a patriotic occasion which the PM will address. People braved rains to come here. It should be appreciated, he told HT.

By 11.15 am, the weather became clear. BJP workers and government personnel formed a large section of the crowd. I came here on directives of our project officer (women and child development department), said aanganwadi worker Suraj Pancholi from Barod.

There was an expectation that a big announcement for tribals would be made, if not by the Prime Minister, at least by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, as Modi was speaking on World Tribal Day in a tribal district. But the people were disappointed on both counts.

Earlier in the day, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, finance minister Jayant Malaiya, home minister Bhupendra Singh and other cabinet colleagues received the Prime Minister at the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar airport.

Local MLAs, Indore mayor Malini Gaud, chief secretary Antony Dsa. DGP Rishi Kumar Shukla, collector P Narahari and other officials were present.

Modi them embarked on his helicopter which flew him to Bhabhara, Alirajpur district for a public rally.

Several delegations had come to meet the Prime Minister at the airport, but all of them were stopped before they could enter the airport, must to their

disappointment.
Good news for all you Salman Khan fans. If rumours are to be believed, Bollywoods Dabangg star may have started shooting for his next film, Tubelight, with director Kabir Khan. Salman arrived in Ladakh on Wednesday for the film and was seen obliging fans by posing with them. Chinese actor Zhu Zhu, who was also in Ladakh, shared a picture with him on her Instagram and rumours mills started speculating if she is the one playing the female lead in Tubelight.

What got us thinking was the fact that Zhu Zhu has since removed the picture even as she continued to post pictures from her Ladakh visit.

Palace A photo posted by Zhu Zhu (@zhuzhuclubheaven) on Aug 9, 2016 at 10:19am PDT

Three days ago, she had shared a picture from Mumbai with the post saying, My first Hindi lessons.

Having my first Hindi lesson  A photo posted by Zhu Zhu (@zhuzhuclubheaven) on Aug 6, 2016 at 10:24am PDT

Now, are we going overboard if we speculate she is learning Hindi for a film and would star opposite the actor she was spotted with? Not really.

Read: Tubelight is a mix of emotion and humour

The director, too, had earlier said Tubelight will have a China element in the story but he will be shooting the film in Ladakh.

Tubelight will mark the third collaboration between Kabir and the 50-year-old Dabangg star after blockbusters Ek Tha Tiger and Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Asked if their upcoming film will follow the lines of Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Kabir said, In terms of its emotional space, it is similar to Bajrangi Bhaijaan. But the story is very different. It is more of humour and emotional space that we (Salman and I) havent delved into.

Pritam will compose the music for the film that is set to hit theatres next year.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is known to be a cinephile. Now, a documentary based on his insurgent campaign to come to power in the city in 2013 will have a showcase he may appreciate  the Toronto International Film Festival.

TIFF, one of the worlds most celebrated film events, announced that An Insignificant Man, directed by Mumbai-based Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla, has been added to the lineup for the September festival. The movie also chronicles the formation of Kejriwals Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which emerged from an anti-corruption drive against the previous Congress-led government..

Read: Irrfan Khan to meet Arvind Kejriwal

Read: PM Modi is frustrated, can get me killed, says Arvind Kejriwal

AAPs Canadian supporters are excited about the premiere of a film on the partys genesis on such a significant stage. While they are still attempting to formulate a schedule for Kejriwal to travel to Canada ahead of the assembly elections in Punjab next year, theres no word yet on whether that particular film buff will be seen on the red carpet at TIFF.

With unprecedented access, this film follows Kejriwal as he tries to overcome his own shortcomings to convince the people of New Delhi that he is the honest politician they need, TIFF said in a statement.

The filmmakers described it as a non-fiction political drama chronicling the spectacular rise of Arvind Kejriwal from an activist to a controversial vigilante-politician.

Many filmmakers have shown interest in making a film on Kejriwals meteoric rise in Indian politics. (HT Photo)

Today the AAP is the centre of much debate, they said, adding they were neither looking to make heroes out of them for being protestors nor wanting to vilify them for being politicians.

The film was originally titled Proposition For A Revolution and was slated to premiere this spring at the Hot Docs documentary film festival in Toronto. But it was scratched as it was not completed in time.

The 100-minute documentary was partly supported by a crowdfunding campaign launched in 2014, with nearly 800 people contributing to the project.

The result is what the filmmakers believe is a living, breathing political study of the most turbulent phenomenon in Indias political landscape in decades  an event that continues to evolve.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal with Bollywood actor Preity Jhingiani at a film festival.

Other documentaries from India featuring at TIFF this year include Shirley Abraham and Amit Madheshiyas The Cinema Travellers, about the remnants of the travelling cinemas that once took films to remote villages in India.

Also slated is India In A Day, directed by Toronto-based Richie Mehta, a crowd-sourced film that captures experiences of citizens across the country on a single day.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
After delivering two back-to-back hits, Housefull 3 and Dishoom, Jacqueline Fernandez is now busy promoting her upcoming film, A Flying Jatt. But her busy schedule didnt stop her from taking a break from work. Last week, the actor visited Maldives with her mother.

And now, we have come to know that the tourism board of Maldives is keen to rope in Jacqueline as their brand ambassador in India.

Read:Theres more to Jacqueline Fernandez than just acting

Jacqueline Fernandez with her mother in Maldives.

A source says, Jacqueline had a great time in Maldives. She also gave her fans a sneak peek of her holiday on social media. When members of the Maldives tourism board learnt about Jacquelines experience in the island country, they felt that she will be perfect for promoting Maldives tourism in India. With Amitabh Bachchan promoting Gujarat, and Sidharth Malhotra as the brand ambassador of New Zealand in India, another member from Bollywood might represent a popular holiday destination soon.

Read: Jacqueline Fernandez rubbishes rumours of dating Sidharth Malhotra

Jacqueline was unavailable for a comment.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
In the past couple of years, he has proven his talent with back-to-back strong performances in films such as Haider (2014) and Udta Punjab, which was released this year. Shahid Kapoor admits that the influx of younger talent keeps him on his toes.

And ideally it should, because putting your head inside the sand, and assuming that mere aas-paas toh koi nahin hai aur main akela hi hoon (theres no one like me, and Im the only one) is stupid. Its important to see the surroundings, and use them positively to do better work, says Shahid.

Read: I used to feel lonely before marriage, says Shahid Kapoor

The Jab We Met (2007) star admits that nobody is indispensable in this industry. He says, Theres place for everybody. And there will always be somebody new around the block. So, people who are new today will see newer actors coming in, and then they will feel the same thing, which is totally normal.

For the audience

Shahid feels actors need to do good films as the audience wants value for money. He says, You have to constantly give people good movies, and when you do that over a long period, a certain amount of loyalty and credibility develops, and you are viewed accordingly.

#rajupappu time for iifa.  A photo posted by Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) on Jun 25, 2016 at 11:57am PDT

The Bollywood star says that actors who have spent a long time in the industry can gain credibility and loyalty faster, but the newer actors have the freshness and the ability to surprise the audience. I have to do better than what people expect from me. But if a new actor is doing anything as good, then I have to work harder to find an inspiration. I find inspiration from everyone around me, says Shahid, who will next be seen in film-maker Vishal Bhardwajs next, which also stars Saif Ali Khan and Kangana Ranaut.

No rivalry

Shahid admits that he likes to see newer actors deliver great performances. When I see someones good work, I wonder Isne toh pehli picture mein hi kamaal kar diya. Main 13 saal baad kya kar raha hun (this actor has done so well in his or her first film itself. What have I been doing for 13 years)? Its important to be honest to yourself, otherwise you lose your sense of reality, he says.

Read: It will be tough to leave home after the baby is born, says Shahid Kapoor

Talking of competition with the newer actors, Shahid feels all that matters is honesty towards your work. Its as simple as that. Its like vanilla cant say, A new flavour cannot compete with me. I was always there because I am vanilla, says the actor.

Follow @htshowbiz for more.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The question was irresistible. Banmali Agarwala, the head of General Electric for South Asia, was talking about the new culture coming up at the company. It wants its people to cut through the maze of politeness to deliver their messages directly.

It was a wet morning and Agarwala had taken an hour and a half to come from Gurgaon to the Taj Mahal hotel, near India Gate in New Delhi. The Chambers, where the meeting took place, was nearly empty. It was safe to slip in the question.

What if Agarwala thought his people had got a complete moron to interview him that morning? How would he have told them that earlier, and how would he do that now, under the new culture?

When I had just joined, with my Tata hangover, I would have taken 15 minutes to convey it, maybe over a cup of tea or coffee, and she may or may not have got the message. Now I would just say, This was a total waste of time. You need to do your homework better. More direct. I will also give her a feedback on the smartphone tool.

Agarwala came five years ago from Tata Power. He has come so far since then that he calls his Tata stint ancient history. That is how much GE has changed, as it now strives to become a bit more of an information technology and digital company, investing $1 billion in those areas every year.

With that its demography has changed. The company now has many more young people who dress and speak very differently from the impeccably groomed Agarwala, whose control over his voice never falters, not even when he calls himself an old fogy.

That he is not. Sure, Agarwala is 53 this year, a mechanical engineer by training, and in love with GEs big aircraft engines and heavy machinery. But he shows an easy, good-humoured acceptance of the new culture being driven by Jeff Immelt, GEs global CEO. Immelt recently held a conference with 500 of his top executives in the world, nine from India, and told them to do away with the old-fashioned politeness.

The intent of that, says Agarwala, is not that you get rude, but that you do not lose time beating around the bush because you want to be polite and nice, because you dont want to take issue with, confront, or displease the person. Immelt favours conflict, the constructive kind.

The new belief is that constructive conflict gets you better ideas. If you are just being nice to each other and using nice words, you will have a yes-man or yes-woman family. I have seldom seen a company of our size  $130 billion  change so much. But you cannot adopt a new strategy without changing your culture, says Agarwala.

In fact, changing the culture takes more time than changing strategies. You can change your strategy by buying or selling companies, but changing the culture takes time. But what takes years, we want to change in quarters. We are out on a mission, he says.

Last year the company jettisoned the old system of annual appraisals. There is no more rating and grading people once a year, for which both the sides come well-prepared and well-dressed. Now there is a performance development tool and the process is continuous. It is not for appraisal, but for development, says Agarwala. Feedback is given in real time on a smartphone tool everyone has.

Priorities are set for every quarter and every year. Periodically, the managers and their reports sit together to see the work done and set new priorities.

Dont people hate to be constantly under assessment?

By and large, people are positive, says Agarwala. We are not being judgmental, and people love it.

Isnt there a fine line between giving insight and being judgmental?

Yes, says Agarwala, we have trained people, not in how to give feedback, but in the intent of this exercise. It is not to judge, but to develop.

Those joining the company are put on this system from Day 1. Of course, it is much easier for most of them. Given the companys thrust on software and IT, many of them have a modern, open mindset. They are candid with one another, and comfortable giving feedback on the smartphone. It comes naturally to them. The company just has to make sure it does not curb that free spirit.

It is easier, says Agarwala, to deal with the younger lot than, say, someone who has spent 25 to 30 years doing things in a particular way.

That it may be, but not everyone who has spent 25 to 30 years is an old fogy.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Cross-border trade between India and Pakistan resumed yesterday after remaining suspended over widespread unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The trade route between Poonch in India and Rawalakot in Pakistan was shut down on August 3 for the second time within a fortnight after massive protests erupted across PoK against alleged rigging in recent elections.

Trade remained suspended for at least two weeks because of some internal crisis in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Trade finally resumed today. Ten vehicles have crossed from our side and more than 20 are coming from their end, said Mohammad Tanvir, custodian at Chakan da Bagh trade facilitation centre in Poonch.

PoK witnessed violent protests over the July 21 elections, which agitators claimed were rigged by the winning Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

Cross-LoC trade, which started in 2008, has often been suspended due to animosity between India and Kashmir.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has called on governments to incorporate pro-women fiscal measures in budgets, so as to bridge the gender gap.

In its first-ever global review of the use of tax and spending policies to promote gender equality, IMF has found that financial policies in Union and state budgets have helped gender parity.

Highlighting changes across 80 countries, the IMF study, Tackling Gender Inequality, says fiscal policy efforts were seen making a promising difference in promoting gender equality in India, with noticeable success in Kerala at the decentralised level.

The global body says India should consider basing its fiscal policies on gender criteria.

Hailing the decision to include climate change under the terms of reference of the Fourteenth Finance Commission, the IMF Asia review asks that if climate change can be part of fiscal devolution to share the divisible tax pool of central revenues with states, why can the same not apply to gender criteria?

Scholars have been debating this issue and we hope next Finance Commission will take it up, IMF said.

Though the survey does not rank countries based on gender budgeting, it says Indias position on the Gender Development Index, which depicts how countries are reducing the gender gap, has clearly improved. In terms of gender budgeting, India stands out, it said.

The review said India, Rwanda, Korea  and within India, Kerala  are examples of successful gender budgeting. Korea has gone one step ahead by incorporating it in its national finance law, 2006, it said.

As per the study, the intergovernmental fiscal transfers or state-level policy measures in redressing gender inequality have started playing an effective and crucial role.

Kerala is doing well as the finance minister has designed many innovative gender in infrastructure projects, the review said. Kerala finance ministrys innovative projects have demystified the notion that public expenditure related to infrastructure investment is gender neutral, it added.
Faced with charges of bypassing regulations by cellular operator association COAI, the Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio hit back on Wednesday, saying the claims are malicious, unfounded, ill-informed and frivolous and have been made with ulterior motive of promoting vested interests of incumbent operators.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) had on Monday written to the department of telecom (DoT) to immediately ask Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd (RJIL) to stop all connections provided to 1.5 million users because it had allegedly bypassed regulations by offering full-fledged services under the guise of test connections.

Terming the COAI letter as prima facie an exercise with ulterior motive of promoting the vested interests of the incumbent dominant operators, it said, COAI has deliberately indulged in an unwarranted vilification campaign, not only against Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, but also against TRAI, the regulator... without any basis whatsoever.

The company said it has created the worlds largest end-to-end all IP network and invested over Rs 1.34 lakh crore, higher than the gross block of any incumbent operator.

Once launched, the services will cover over 18,000 towns and over 200,000 villages across all the 22 service areas of the country. The coverage will soon be increased to cover over 90 per cent population of the country, it said.

Considering the large network, the need for test trial of the network, including the technology, services deployment, commissioning and operationalisation, and related business processes relevant for the network, are immediately required in order to assure quality of service, it said.

RJIL said it had duly informed the need and process of test trials to the DoT and TRAI from time to time and added that the test trials were in accordance with the terms of licence.

Citing several provisions, the company said the test trials being conducted by RJIL are well within the scope of the terms and conditions of the Unified Licence.

Without naming anyone, RJIL said the top three incumbent operators, who are core members of COAI, are opposing the downward revision of the rates charged from users on termination of calls on other networks, called IUC.

Stating that the three players command a market share in excess of 65% in the one billion-plus subscribers market, it said, It is simple math to decipher, who will end up paying more IUC.

Though, needless to clarify, currently there would be more outgoing calls from 35% plus subscribers to 65% subscribers, which in effect means significant and increased IUC inflow in the hands of current dominant incumbent operators, effectively stifling the other operators, including the later and new entrant operators, it said.

It alleged that steps taken by COAI in last few days are attempts to sabotage the market entry of RJIL, a new player, and malign its name.
Public joint-stock company Sumy Machine-Building Science and Production Association (Sumy NPO) has joined the imports replacement program in defense industry.

The company's press service reported that Sumy NPO will take part in industrial cooperation in the area of armored vehicle and tank building.

"A new contract for a test batch of products for Malyshev Plant has been signed," the press service said.

Sumy NPO Director General Oleksiy Tsymbal, the quick and good implementation of the contract could open good opportunities for cooperation in the interests of defense industry to the enterprise.

"Of course, we are ready to make other orders," he said.

According to the report, the potential of Sumy NPO's participation in the imports replacement program in defense industry was discussed during the negotiations held late July between the companys managers, top managers of Ukroboronprom and Sumy Regional Administration. Plans to connect the industrial complex of Sumy region to the imports replacement program are outlined in a memorandum of cooperation signed by Ukroboronprom and Sumy Regional Administration in July.

Sumy Machine-Building Science and Production Association is one of the biggest producers in Europe of gas re-pumping units and outfitted compressor stations for various uses: centrifugal, vacuum, and chemical pumps, and centrifuges and other equipment for the chemicals gas and oil-refining industries.

According to Ukroboronprom, since 2015, the concern has signed memos of cooperation with 15 regional administrations and Kyiv city. The concern provided for organization of production to replace over 1,000 items for defense industry earlier bought in Russia.

According to the concern, in 2014-2016 the Ukrainian defense and industrial sector replaced around 35% of spare parts earlier bought in Russia.
Hello, a new social media platform, has taken a page each from the playbooks of existing rivals Snapchat, Instagram and Pinterest.

Founded by Orkut Buyukkokten, maker of social media firm Orkut in early 2000s before it was killed by Facebook, Hello bets on love as opposed to likes, which is the most desired social media expression popularized by Facebook.

Hello is the first social network built on loves, not likes. I designed hello to help you connect with people who share your passions, said Buyukkokten.

From Instagram, Hello has picked up the attributes of making the platform more visual and less of text. In fact, it does not allow text-based posts to be put up. It rather allows sharing images, users can modify the background, add text to the photos, and add filters, which brings its closer to what Snapchat and Instagram have in offer.

The platform wont support video right away, but when it does, it is expected to be on the lines of Snapchat, a video-based social network. Buyukkokten said in his blog, that it will allow users to share videos, essentially short 10-15 second clips, soon. These will be like Snapchats snaps.

Hello has taken cue from Pinterest, another social network that allows you to pin images, videos and other objects to their virtual pinboard.

To put things in context, Hello promises a little more than the three rivals, and Facebook, too. You can create a profile by choosing five personas, or interests, from a list of 11. So, you can be a mix of a vampire, traveller, foodie, actor and an animal lover. This would bring you closer to other people having similar interests.

Now, everything you post has to be tagged to one of the chosen interests. If a Hello user in America has similar interests, the software-code running the app will show him or her your posts.

Buyukkokten focus on visual experience comes at a time when Facebook is betting big on video with features such as 360-degree videos and Facebook Live.

To put things in context, video is almost half of the total data consumption, globally. In India, too, video drives social networks.

Hello is expected to come to India next month. Buyukkokten has a reason to bet on India. In 2008, with 13 million users, Orkut already had more users here than it had in America.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
One of the accused involved in the alleged ATM skimming fraud case in Kerala was arrested from the outskirts of the city in a joint operation of Kerala police and the Mumbai crime branch late on Tuesday night. The arrested accused, a Romanian national, had fled to Mumbai after committing the crime and he has now been taken to Kerala for further investigation.

The accused was identified as Gabriel, who was tracked to Navi Mumbai with the help of some phone calls that were intercepted between Kerala and Navi Mumbai by the local police. After he was tracked down, officers informed the Mumbai crime branch and a team was given to assist them.

Sanjay Saxena, joint commissioner of police (crime), confirmed the development.

We helped the Kerala police arrest the accused based on the information they provided. It is unclear why he came to Mumbai, however, the group had come here before going to Kerala. If they were planning a similar attempt of committing the fraud here is not known and the Kerala police will look into it, said a crime branch officer.

Gabriel has been taken to Kerala by the police to interrogate him in the case and help locate his accomplices.

In the Kerala case, as many as 20 people claimed to have lost more than Rs3 lakh in fraudulent transactions in Vellayambalam, Kowdiar and Vattiyurkavu. The local police also recovered a skimmer from an ATM from Althara in Vellayambalam that was embedded to the smoke detector inside the kiosk.

A similar card-skimming fraud had taken place in Mumbai in 2013, in which Bulgarian nationals were involved. The fraudulent transactions that took place in Greece and came to the fore after the victims, mostly policemen, began receiving text messages of withdrawals on June 10, 2013.

At least 37 people lost Rs15.47 lakh, including 15 policemen, who lost around Rs2.21 lakh.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
NEW DELHI: Starting this year, second and third-year students of Delhi University will have to pay their fees online.

The university had arranged training for the staff members of various colleges so that they learn to handle the software which will be used to process the payment.

The university had earlier announced online fees payment for the first year students. First year students were asked to pay fees through the centralised DU UG portal. Others paid their fees at the college counters.

According to an official, the university is going to shift all operations online soon.

The admission process for the undergraduate programme this year was also conducted online. Till last year, along with the online process, admission forms were sold through the counters. The offline system was completely done away with this year and the colleges processed and approved admissions online.

Recently, the university launched the online process of applying for the advance degree certificate, as the convocation is yet to take place.

DOUBLE BACHELOR OF EDUCATION SEATS

The Delhi government has decided to double the seats in BEd programme conducted by the State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) from existing 70 to 150.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia announced the decision while addressing a new batch of students at the institute.

Sisodia, who is also the education minister, said the students of the course will soon get a separate institute and asked for their suggestions regarding its name.

The future of 26 lakh students of Delhi is in hands of the budding teachers and you should become partners of the government in ensuring quality education to every child, he said.
NEW DELHI: Security forces deployed at the sensitive Delhi airport are learning from the attack on international airports such as Moscow and Istanbul.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is in charge of security at the airport, has proposed to install vehicle scanners at the approach road, at least 500 metres away from the terminal building.

According to the officials, scanners can detect explosives in vehicles.

The scanners will be installed at every lane of CISFs checking barrier before the Terminal 3 and Terminal 1, which is 500 metres away from the main building. The force will have a hooter at the checking point to alert security personnel at the terminal building in case they come across a suspicious vehicle.

We have a security check point before the terminal building where vehicles are stopped and check on random basis. But there is no mechanism to check if the vehicle has explosives in it, said a CISF official. Once we have the scanners, vehicle can be checked. There are bollards next to the checking point to stop vehicles.

If a vehicle skips the bollards, we will press the hooter so that quick reaction teams (QRTs) can take position and minimise the damage, said a CISF official. Sources said the scanners will cost Rs 2.5 crore each. Currently, passengers are allowed to enter the terminal without any security check. The security agency could not introduce the concourse checking plan, where passengers will be frisked at the entry gate itself.

Checking is done on a random basis and attackers can cause real damage if they reach the terminal with ar ms and explosives. The CISF has also purchased explosive trace detectors (ETD) that can tell if anyone has touched explosive items in the past 24 hours.

S i n c e t r ave l l e r s s p e n d considerable time before the security check at the airport, the CISF stops them randomly just after they enter the terminal.

Based on profiling, they are taken to a separate enclosure and the ETD check is carried out. The device scans the baggage and the travellers hands to check if they have packed explosives in their luggage.

At the Delhi airport, the CISF has separate enclosures located near the entry gate, where they check suspicious looking travellers.

The CISF is planning to use hand-held ETDs to check passengers with artificial limbs so they do not have to go through the trauma of removing it during security check.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
GUWAHATI: Arunachal Pradesh Congress leader Kalikho Pul who became chief minister for 146 days, allegedly committed suicide in Itanagar, police said on Tuesday, sparking violent protests by supporters suspecting foul play in the death.

The body of Pul, 47, was found hanging in his official residence on Tuesday morning by a domestic help, state director general of police S Nithianandam told Hindustan Times.

He may have committed suicide on Monday night itself.

The state government ordered a magisterial inquiry to ascertain if there was foul play involved in the death, chief minister Pema Khandu told journalists in Itanagar.

Khandu, son of former chief minister Dorjee Khandu, was elected chief minister in a dramatic turn of events after Pul and 30 other former rebel Congress MLAs returned to the party.

Police said prima facie there was no sign of foul play in the death of Pul, who had rebelled against his predecessor Nabam Tuki and become the chief minister with the help of the BJP.

The rebellion by Pul and some other MLAs in November had triggered a long-drawn political crisis in the state with the Congress accusing the Narendra Modi government of trying to dislodge democratically-elected opposition-ruled state governments.

Pul left office last month after a Supreme Court ruling ordered removal of his government. But he hadnt vacated his official residence. He is survived by three wives and four children.

A long note titled  my vichar (my thoughts), which contains details on various subjects, was found in the room where the body was hanging. I wont call it a suicide note, Nithianandam said.

The note along with all other evidence in the room has been sealed and will be presented before a magistrate, he added. Reports said Pul was upset since the court order and had stopped communicating properly with others for the past few days.

Hundreds of Puls supporters staged protests on the streets of capital Itanagar and damaged property alleging foul play in his death and seeking an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Many gathered outside Puls residence and shouted slogans. Police said some of them damaged property inside the official residence of deputy chief minister Chowna Meins and also pelted stones at parked vehicles.

Angry supporters also burnt an empty coffin on the street as authorities deployed additional security personnel in the capital.

The government announced a three-day mourning period and assured proper investigation into the death. His body will be taken to his ancestral village on Wednesday and given a state funeral.

President Pranab Mukherjee and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi were among those who expressed grief over the death of Pul.

Nabam Tuki, who had said after the Supreme Court ruling that he bore no ill will towards Pul, described his death as a loss for entire Arunachal Pradesh.

Pul belonged to the Kaman Mishmi tribe and hailed from Walla village in eastern Arunachal Pradeshs Anjaw district  among the most backward areas.

He won his maiden assembly election in 1995.

(With agency inputs)

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
NEW DELHI: An automatic Glock 9mm pistol that didnt fire on time aided the escape of a gangster from Delhi Police custody in Haryanas Bahadurgarh on July 30.

The bullet was stuck in the pistols chamber when a police officer opened fire at armed men who had come to free the gangster.

The police have ordered an inquiry into the prisoners escape and why the pistol did not work.

Four Delhi Police officers escorting gangster Jitender alias Gogi in an interstate bus from Kashmere Gate to a Haryana court were attacked by Gogis gang members on the outskirts of Bahadurgarh on July 30 morning.

Four men posing as passengers had boarded the bus before it reached Bahadurgarh. At 6am, when the bus reached Bahadurgarh, 10 armed men in two cars stopped it.

A cop fired at the men but the bullet got stuck. The gangsters threw chilli powder at the policemen, freed Gogi, and fled with another officers MP5 rifle.

The police have arrested four men, including an international-level boxer, a national games gold medal winner athlete and two more persons. One man, Sanjay alias Falla, was arrested on Monday, from GT Karnal Road.

The third battalion cops, the unit in charge of transporting prisoners, told their seniors that they could not take Gogi in a secure police van as the Tihar Jail authorities had not put his name in high-risk prisoner category.

Sources said no one at the Bahadurgarh police station could dislodge the bullet stuck in the chamber. It was later removed at the armoury of the 3rd battalions headquarters in Vikaspuri.

A Glock 9mm pistol is automatic. We will review all other weapons because our officers escort high-risk prisoners. This cannot happen again, said a senior officer.

The Glock pistol can fire 15 bullets at one go and is one of the most commonly used weapons by field officers and the crime branch.

The Glocks replaced the old revolvers and regular 9mm pistols, which could accommodate only six and 10 bullets.

Gogi, a resident of Alipur, has committed over 15 cases of murder, robbery and dacoity. In the past year, at least five men died in gang wars between the Gogi and Tillu groups.

Gogi carried a reward of ` 2 lakh on his arrest.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
NEW DELHI: The Delhi government and the police on Tuesday took contesting stands before the Delhi high court on pleas seeking cancellation of the bail granted to JNU student union leader Kanhaiya Kumar.

While the government said it was not in favour of cancelling Kanhaiyas interim bail, the Delhi Police left it to the court to decide, even as it said he misused his liberty post his release on bail in March.

Justice PS Teji took strong objection to the Delhi Polices lack of stand on the issue saying, I do not want you (police) to play hide-and-seek with the court. From last three dates (in the high court) you are not clear whether you want his (Kanhaiya) bail to be cancelled or not.

The court was hearing two separate petitions filed by Prashant Kumar Umrao and Vineet Jindal  both Delhi residents  seeking cancellation of the student leaders bail on the grounds that his speech post release was antinational and violated the bail condition.

During the hearing, Delhi governments senior standing counsel Rahul Mehra said, Our stand is very clear. We dont want his (Kanhaiya) bail cancelled.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
NEW DELHI: A 75-year-old woman was found murdered at her home in outer Delhi s Narela on Tuesday morning. Police found strangulation marks around her neck.

Police suspect the involvement of her son-in-law as he has been missing after the crime. A case of murder was registered at Narela police station. Two teams have been formed to investigate the murder.

Preliminary probe indicated that the woman, Shanti Devi, was murdered over a property dispute.

Investigations revealed Shantis son-in-law, Awdhesh Kumar, had been pressuring her to transfer her house, where she lived, to his name.

Shanti is survived by her four daughters, all of them married. While her three daughters live with their in-laws, the younger daughter and her husband, Awdhesh, were staying with her for the past few years.

Awdhesh is a watchman in nearby residential colonies.

On Monday night, Shanti and other family members had dinner together. While Shanti and Awdhesh slept on their cots outside the house, other family members slept inside.

Around 7am on Tuesday, Shantis daughter came out and found her mother lying unconscious on the cot. She looked for Awdhesh but he was missing, a police officer said.
NEW DELHI: A 44-year-old man was killed and four others were injured after a portion of a scrap godown collapsed in Karawal Nagar area in northeast Delhi on Tuesday morning.

While Rajendra Kumar died on the spot, Seeta, Rohtash, Satbir and Sunny, have been admitted to the hospital. The police have registered a case of negligence against unknown persons and initiated an inquiry.

The roof of the godown collapsed around 11am. The locals heard a loud thud and rushed to rescue the inmates. They made a PCR call and also informed the fire department. The injured were then pulled out with the help of the locals and rushed to Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital. The rescue operation continued for at least five hours, a senior police officer said.

Investigation revealed that the roof made of T-iron, was overloaded with waste stashed on it. It appears the roof could not take the load and collapsed. We have summoned the godown owner, a senior police officer said.
NEW DELHI: India called in the Pakistani envoy on Tuesday to lodge a strong protest over Islamabads continuing cross-border terrorism amid a sharp downturn in bilateral ties.

A strong demarche on Pakistans use of terrorism against India and the recent arrest of Bahadur Ali, a Pakistani cadre of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, was handed over to Pakistani high commissioner Abdul Basit by foreign secretary S Jaishankar.

The demarche made specific reference to LeT terrorist and (Pakistani) national Bahadur Ali, said external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup.

Ties between India and Pakistan dipped to a new low in January after the terror attack on Pathankot airbase, which was blamed on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed.

The unrest in Jammu and Kashmir triggered by the death of militant commander Burhan Wani has added to tensions.

Pakistan has made renewed efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue and Indian home minister Rajnath Singhs visit to Islamabad last week to attend a SAARC meet ended in rancour after a tense encounter with his Pakistani counterpart.

During his meeting with Basit, the foreign secretary strongly protested against the continued infiltration from Pakistan of trained terrorists with instructions to carry out attacks. This, Jaishankar said, is contrary to the assurances given by Pakistani leaders at the highest level.

Raising the issue of Bahadur Ali, Jaishankar said the LeT operative had confessed to our authorities that after training in Lashkar-e-Taiba camps, he was infiltrated into India.

Ali was in touch with an operations room of LeT, receiving instructions to attack Indian security personnel and carry out other terrorist attacks in India. The Indian side said Ali, a resident of Jia Bagga village in Pakistani Punjab, was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir on July 25 with weapons, communication equipment and material of Pakistani and international origin.

The Indian said Ali, in a letter addressed to the Pakistan high commissioner, had requested legal aid and assistance to meet his family.

We are prepared to grant the Pakistan high commission consular access to Bahadur Ali, Swarup said.

Pakistan has turned down repeated calls by India for action against LeT and its founder Hafiz Saeed, who lives openly in Lahore despite a $10 million bounty offered for him by the US. The LeT was blamed for the 2008 Mumbai attacks and its operative Ajmal Kasab was captured during the assault on the financial hub.

In Islamabad, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif continued to needle India saying he was obliged to become the voice of the oppressed people of Kashmir and would leave no stone unturned to make the world understand the plight of the people in the Valley.

Sharif also shot off letters to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein, urging efforts to end the persistent and egregious violation of the basic human rights of the Kashmiri people and also to implement UN Security Council resolutions, a foreign office statement said.

The right of self- determination is the basic right of Kashmir is and we will make every effort to make Kashmiris captain of their own ship, the statement quoted Sharif as saying.

(With agency inputs)
PrivatBank (Dnipro) since early 2016 has repaid around UAH 8 billion of funds received as refinancing credits from the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) in 2014-2015.

The bank said in a press release that the bank repaid UAH 4.457 billion of the principal of the credits and UAH 3.559 billion of interest.

"The bank is actively returning refinancing credits, taking into account the positive pace of the deposit portfolio and stabilization of the situation on the financial market," First Deputy PrivatBank Board Chairman Oleh Horokhovsky said.

PrivatBank was founded in 1992. As of January 1, 2016 its largest shareholders were Hennadiy Boholiubov (direct participation is 33.2525%, indirect stands at 8.3346%) and Ihor Kolomoisky (41.6572%, 8.3346%).

The bank was the largest one among the 101 banks operating in the country on July 1, 2016 by total assets (UAH 268.85 billion), according to the National Bank of Ukraine.
NEW DELHI: Your Ola and Uber fares may be inflated by a fifth because of poor mobile network, preliminary results of a new government-authorised study has found.

The app-based cab aggregators use GPS installed on the phone of the driver  and not a physical meter like in an auto  to compute the bill for a particular ride.

But due to patchy mobile network, the phone frequently connects to a tower that may be far away from the pick-up and drop-off points, creating a discrepancy in the fares. The survey was conducted in Delhi but such discrepancies might be a pan-India phenomenon as poor mobile connectivity is a problem across the country.

A recent survey by the Inter national Center for Automotive Technology (ICAT), authorised by the Bureau of Indian Standards, found that app-based cab fares could vary as much as 56% from the actual bill. Over the course of the study, the discrepancy averaged out at 20%.

While this notionally means that cab fares could also be lower than the actual bill, most cases in the study found that a malfunctioning G PS caused a jump in the tariff.

The distance measurement accuracy varied from 0% to 56% under different situations, said the report.

Both Ola and Uber refused to comment on the matter.

The study monitored five routes in Delhi, the longest being 21 kilometres, and used a dozen different devices  procured by the aggregators.

In some devices, the distance showed up as 28 km and in some as 22. It varied from device to device and network to network. We are planning to conduct an exhaustive research before coming to a conclusion, said an ICAT official.

India is one of the worlds fastest-growing taxi markets and the two start-ups  The Indian Ola and the United States-based Uber  have been locked in a no-holds-barred fight over the past year to gain control. Ola is the market leader with services in over 100 cities but Uber is catching up fast.

But the breakneck pace of growth set by the cab aggregators has run into regulatory headwinds recently. Delhi took Uber cabs off the roads last year after a professional was raped by a cab driver. In April, state governments in Karnataka and Delhi banned surge pricing  a practice of increasing fares with rising demands.

Two weeks ago, the Delhi high court told Ola and Uber that they cannot charge customers more than rates prescribed by the government. They were also asked to install meters in their vehicles, in accordance with the law.

But the cab aggregators have resisted the move, instead commissioning ICAT to bolster the case for adopting GPS-based fare calculation by all cab companies. Ola and Uber were among the organisations that commissioned ICAT.

But the study found problems with the GPS-based fare computation, saying billing would kick in only in places with adequate network and the phone would use a mobile tower far away to calculate distance.

Many a time, the network is lost when you are in the middle of the trip, or going through the defence areas, where jammers are installed, the ICAT official said.
NEW DELHI: Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia called on lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung on Tuesday, first such meeting between the two following last weeks Delhi HC verdict that said that Delhi is a Union Territory and the L-G was the administrator of the National Capital.

Sources said that the two had a one-on-one meeting and no official was present during the interaction. The meeting lasted for about half an hour.

It was a general discussion between the L-G and the deputy CM. However, there will be detailed discussion on the high court order and other issues once chief minister Arvind Kejriwal comes back from Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, where he is undergoing a 10-day meditation session, a source said.

The CM is scheduled to resume work on August 12.

In an interview to HT last week, Jung had said he will request the chief minister to visit his office where he would discuss the contours of the high court verdict.
NEW DELHI: Tata Motors Limited on Tuesday filed a petition in the National Green Tribunal (NGT), seeking a clarification on the ban on registration of medium and heavy commercial diesel vehicles in Delhi.

The company said the Delhi governments transport department had refused to register medium and heavy commercial diesel vehicles following the two NGT orders passed in December 2015, and January this year.

Grave prejudice is being caused to its right to carry on business activities by the refusal of the department of transport, government of NCT, Delhi, to register medium and heavy commercial diesel vehicles in the guise of the two orders, the Tata Motors application read.

The green court had on December 11, 2015, ordered that no new diesel vehicle would be registered in the Capital till the next hearing.

On January 6, the green court said that since the matter was also taken up in Supreme Court, no further orders will be issued in the case.

In its application filed before a bench headed by NGT chairperson justice Swatanter Kumar, Tata Motors said that on December 16 last year, the Supreme Court had directed that registration of diesel-run SUVs and private cars with engine capacity of 2000cc and above would be banned in Delhi-NCR till March 31.
NEW DELHI: Modi was very high this time.

Only those vehicles cleared by security personnel and with anti-sabotage (AS) check stickers on their cars will be allowed parking near Red Fort.

The stickers indicate the vehicle has been checked.

Madhur Verma, DCP (north), said security personnel at the 11 authorised lots will paste stickers on vehicles.

Once pasted, the stickers cannot be removed and re-used on any other vehicle. Vehicles without AS Check stickers will not be allowed to park, said Verma.

Around 200 commandos from the National Security Guards, SWAT teams and Border Security Force will be posted within 500 metres of the ramparts.

The commandos will be equipped with automatic Beretta assault rifles and communication gadgets, which help them stay connected with other commandos and the control room.

The commandos are trained snipers who can fire from any position or situation, an officer said.

Police will use panoramic photography to capture a panorama of the buildings around Red Fort.

Nearly 605 balconies and 104 facing Red Fort will be under watch.

Armed police officers will be on guard at each of these balconies and windows.

More than 500 CCTV cameras have been installed at the venue and on roads to be taken by VVIPs and the PMs motorcade from his 7 RCR residence to Red Fort.

The camera surveillance began in August.

The Delhi Polices quick reaction teams, bomb and dog squad and medical teams will be deployed at the venue for any eventuality.

A no-fly zone will be in place around the Fort.

There will be security at installations at important places such as Parliament complex, airport, railway stations and the various metro stations.

Ahead of the Independence Day celebrations, the government on Tuesday warned flying clubs and aviation enthusiasts not to violate airspace during the period when prohibitory orders are in force.

The defence ministry, which is in charge of preparations for Republic and Independence Day celebrations, approached the Home Ministry citing previous violations that took place despite NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) having been issued.

The defence ministry asked the home ministry to inform general public about the implications of violating the NOTAM which includes even cancellation of flying licence of the pilot and stringent punishment to airlines.
GREATER NOIDA\GHAZIABAD: After the arrest of prime accused Saleem Bawariya and two others in the Bulandshahr gang-rape case, inspector general (Meerut zone) Sujit Pandey courted a controversy by revealing the name of the victims uncle and terming the incident as sexual assault at a press conference at Surajpur in Greater Noida on Tuesday afternoon.

The IG later said that it was not intentional and he just named the complainant when someone asked for it. Her uncle is the complainant in the case.

The IG should not have identified the relatives name in front of the press. Somewhere, the administration is trying to dilute the incident by referring it as sexual assault. In fact, it is a case of gang-rape, said Rekha Sharma, member of the National Commission for Women.

...@Uppolice introduced victims relative in the press highly objectionable (sic), she also tweeted to @PMOIndia and @MinistryWCD.

The victims uncle had barged inside the conference room on Tuesday where the IG was holding the briefing. The uncle and aunt of the 13-year-old victim appeared in front of the cameras and demanded handing over of the three accused to them.

I want to kill them at the same place where they indulged in brutality with my family. Darindo ko hamare hawale kar do, in he aise saza denge jo nazeer ban jaye. (Hand the culprits to us and we will punish them so that it becomes an example). I have just seen a glimpse of the accused... said the victims uncle and aunt.

After the uncles complaint, police lodged a case under IPC sections of gang rape, dacoity, illegal confinement and provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. Someof the sections were later modified with pen.

The NCW team on Monday questioned the Bulandshahr doctor and a statement was recorded. The statement will be a part of the report to be submitted to the NCW chairperson.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday said lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung has perennial hatred for Arvind Kejriwal and comments related to the dissolution of the Delhi assembly by a person holding a constitutional post amount to undermining the Constitution.

Addressing a press conference at the party office, the AAP leader said the L-G should proceed on a 10-day Vipassana course to weed out the hatred from his mind. Vishvas was reacting to the L-Gs remarks to a news channel in connection with the dissolution of Delhi assembly.

As a thinking human being, as a citizen of Delhi, why would I not be open to giving a thought to anything that involves Delhi, Jung said when asked whether he was open to the idea of doing away with the Delhi assembly, during an interview with NewsX.

Of course, I am not unwilling to think of anything. We are all human beings and all kinds of thoughts come to us. So, if somebody were to ask me in writing that will you give an opinion, then of course, I would think about it. I am not a robot that I dont think. he added.

The L-G office, however, clarified that the transcript should be looked at carefully in the context in which it was discussed. It simply implied that if the L-Gs opinion is asked by any authority on the subject, he would have to apply himself and think about it, an official said.

The interview triggered a strong reaction from AAP. While party leader Kumar Vishvas alleged that Delhi was being used by the Centre as a testing ground for possibly imposing Emergency in the country, home minister Satyendra Jain said Jung was acting like a viceroy.

His opinion is a reflection of the Centres thinking. Abolition of legislative assembly of any state does not depend on his recommendations and is decided by Parliament. If the Centre wants to do it, then we challenge the government that it pass such a legislation in Parliament, said Vishvas, adding that people will reply to such a move in the upcoming elections in Punjab, Goa and Gujarat.

Earlier Delhi Jain said that Jung doesnt have faith in democracy.

L-G sahab doesnt have faith in democracy. He has never contested an election and (is) holding the top position without peoples mandate. British viceroys used to say that India doesnt need independence. (Winston) Churchill said that India cannot be given independence as the people cannot govern themselves. He (Jung) is using the language of former viceroys and Churchill, he said.
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Islamic televangelist Zakir Naik and his Islamic Research Foundation( IRF) justify terrorism and violence in the name of jihad, says a Mumbai police report, which recommends action against the 50-year-old physician-turned-preacher.

The report follows the Centre and Maharashtra governments simultaneous move to bring to book the controversial preacher, who is accused of preaching jihadist ideas through sermons and speeches.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday the report has drawn links between Naik and terrorist outfits such as the Indian Mujahideen and Jamaat-ulDawa, the Pakistan- based organisation of 26/11 Mumbai attacks lynchpin Hafiz Saeed. Action will be taken in consultation with the ministry of home affairs, he said.

Naik, who is reportedly hiding in west Asia, is accused of dodging police after allegations that his sermons influenced a terrorist killed in the July 1 Dhaka siege, in which 22 people were gunned down. His aides said the preacher wont return to India for at least a year because of his engagements abroad.

But Fadnavis warned that the government will press for his extradition if he does not return on his own, reports PTI.

Naiks IRF has been accused of illegal and anti-national activities.

The report highlighted the relationship between Naik and Feroz Deshmukh, arrested by the Maharashtra police anti-terrorist squad for his involvement in serial train blasts (in 2006), the chief minister said.

Mumbai police had put Naik under surveillance after the 2003 serial blasts in the city, but no evidence was found against him.

Indian security agencies rallied to make a strong case against him after Bangladesh banned his Peace TV, saying it incited the attack on the Dhaka cafe. The Centre has warned cable operators against showing Peace TV.

Intelligence agencies have prepared a list of 65 people arrested since 2005 for suspected terrorismrelated activities, who were allegedly influenced by Naik s sermons.

The Mumbai police report says Naiks opinion about other religions is extreme, and once his audience gets attracted to Naik, he justifies terrorism and he fans religious sentiments of Muslim youths with the help of his oratory skills.

His statements are against religious harmony and peaceful coexistence, states the 72- page report.

Though Naik states that Islam condemns killing of innocent people, he justifies violence in the name of jihad.

The Centre could ban his foundation under the unlawful activities (prevention) act, which will bar the organisation from taking new members, holding meetings, and collecting donations.

The government is also looking at IRFs funding. The Union home ministry had asked the foundation to provide details about its foreign contributors.

If the IRFs reply is not found satisfactory, we will inspect records of the NGO, said a ministry official.

The IRF, founded by Naik in 1991, is a registered non-profit public charitable trust, the foundations website says.

But the charity faces questions as Kerala police arrested an IRF functionary, Arshi Qureshi, along with associate Rizwan Khan, on the charge of radical is in ga Kerala couple. The radicalised couple went to Afghanistan to join the Islamic State terrorist group.
Almost eight lakh patients were treated in five months at the 105 mohalla clinics opened by the AAP government, says out-patient data (OPD) data released on Wednesday.

These neighbourhood clinics were set up as a pilot project for the 1,000 clinics that the government had promised to open by the end of the year to improve primary healthcare and reduce the burden on the tertiary care centres.

When we had conceived the project, we thought almost 80% of the patients can be treated at these centres, however, since the project took off we realised almost 95% cases can be handled at the mohalla clinics itself, said Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain.

The data shows nearly 43,000 people got various tests done at the clinics.

The clinics will provide consultation, 110 free essential drugs, immunisation for children, 212 basic tests and counselling. Once the project is completed, even specialist doctors would visit the facilities on a rotational basis, Jain said.

Keeping the dengue crisis in mind, the minister assured that tests like complete blood count and serology test for dengue will be available free of cost at these centres from September 1.

Read: AAP govt to open mohalla clinics in schools

Recently, the government decided to open 110 such facilities in Delhi government schools. This move was opposed by parents citing security concerns.

There will be two entrances to these mohalla clinics  one door for the students and the other for the general public. No one will be able to enter the school premises from within the clinic, he said.

Another concern that parents had was that the patients could make the children sick. This fear is completely baseless as the people visiting the clinics are from within the community, which means that the children are already exposed to the bacteria or viruses in their own neighbourhoods, said Dr Tarun Seem, Delhi health secretary.
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia warned government employees on Wednesday that the high court verdict on Delhis administrative jurisdiction entailed no change in the AAP governments approach of zero tolerance against corruption.

The government will continue its fight against corruption and no order will stop us from fighting against corruption, Sisodia said while addressing a gathering of tax officials and winners of the bill banvao inam pao scheme of the trade and taxes department.

The statement comes a week after the court ruled that the lieutenant governor is the administrator of Delhi, which is essentially a Union Territory.

The AAP government and the L-G office were locked in a turf war over administrative jurisdiction. Transfer, posting and suspension of officials were major sticking points between the two.

Many people are saying the HC verdict is out and now the Delhi govt has no powers. Dont mind, but there are many officersjinka dhanda pani band ho gaya tha (who are no longer being able to make money), who have started thinking that the system would now get centralised. I warn all such people...no order will stop us from fighting against corruption.

We didnt leave our homes to make a career in politics, but to check loot of public money. Then, we neither had chair (power) nor anyone knew us. We dont derive our power because we hold some chair, but from our zeal and intent to fight out corruption. We can take this fight forward if you (people) are with us, he said.

Sisodia raised the relevance of an elected government in Delhi and the actual power of the voter when we the people is considered supreme in the Constitution.

Sisodia distributed cash prizes to 49 winners of the sixth draw of the bll banvao inaam pao scheme. Two winners were awarded with a cash prize of R 50,000 each.
A four-year-old girl of a Gurgaon school was allegedly sexually assaulted by an attendant inside a moving school bus last week.

The suspect, Shambu, 21, a resident of West Bengal, has been arrested and sent to custody after being produced before a magistrate here, police said. The victim is a pre-nursery student.

Police said Shambu was posted as a temporary attendant in Presidium school in Sector 56 in place of his brother, who left a few days ago.

He (Shambu) has been arrested for allegedly molesting the girl in the moving school bus of Presidium School, confirmed assistant police commissioner, Hawa Singh, the official spokesperson of Gurgaon police.

Police said the accused took the victim to the rear seat of the bus where he allegedly molested her. Her mother came to know about the incident after noticing swelling in her private parts.

When her mother asked her about the swelling, she cried and shared her ordeal, police said.

The girls family, who live in an upscale apartment, later registered a complaint with the school, which approached the Sector 56 police station to lodge an FIR.

Read: 16-year-old girl abducted from Gurgaon, gangraped in Delhi

Based on the complaint, a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was lodged.

The FIR was lodged based on the schools complaint, said assistant police commissioner Singh.

Narendra Kumar, Station House Officer of Sector 56 police station, refused to divulge any details when contacted.

No one from the school management was available for a comment despite repeated attempts.

An employee of the transport company, which manages Presidiums school buses, Devendra, said the incident took place last week in the afternoon when the bus was headed towards Sector 57 to drop the girl back home after school.

It happened last week when the bus was ferrying students after school. Shambu was working in place of his brother, he added.

(WITH INPUTS FROM ISHA SAHNI)

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The Cabinet of Ministers has to make the final decision on including Yuzgas B.V. (the Netherlands), which won the corresponding tender, as an investor in the production sharing agreement (PSA) for hydrocarbons extraction on Yuzivska deposit (Donetsk and Kharkiv region), Nadra Ukrainy board chairman Yaroslav Klymovych has said.

"Procedurally, investors appeal to the government to get consent [for the PSA]. The state has 90 days to study their proposals. And the state has to make the final decision on participants in the PSA," he said at a press conference in Kyiv.

He noted that at this stage all the questions as for the ownership structure, verification of obligations or guarantees put up by the investor can be reviewed.

He noted a total of five companies were interested in the tender announced in late October last year, while three of them bought the information and submitted applications by the deadline of July 8.
New Delhi: Born in a poor family, Pushpa Sharma, 41, never got a chance to attend school. Sewing clothes fascinated her, but her parents couldnt afford to get her trained in it. However, 14 years ago, help from an all-womens group changed her life.

Married off at a young age, Pushpa soon became a mother and was inundated with household responsibilities. I grew up watching the male members of the family working throughout the day to earn. In those days, women were not allowed to work but I dreamt to become self-sufficient like them one day, she says.

She came to know about tailoring classes being run in Chittaranjan Parks block K by homemakers and senior citizens from the area. It was the turning point of her life. We were encouraged to bring our toddlers. While I worked on the sewing machine, volunteers looked after my child, said Pushpa. Eventually she became confident enough to take orders from customers and began earning. This was a huge turning point in her life.

Like Pushpa, many underprivileged women have become a part of this tailoring unit run by voluntary group Purbosree Mahila Samity. Classes are conducted in the evenings as most of the girls and mothers who come here work as house helps. They take two hours off work to attend the classes.

My mother-in-law brought me to the classes. Here, I learnt to sew and alter clothes, along with making bags. I also know embroidery. I have started taking orders for stitching clothes and now I am now financially independent. Not just relatives and neighbours, people from outside CR Park also place orders with me, said Dolly Bhowmick, 35, a tailoring student.

Mala Majumdar, who manages the tailoring unit, said that initially the group thought of conducting typing classes. The idea fizzled out when computers came into the picture. We brainstormed and finally started these classes in 1998. At least 250 women have been trained here since and many have started their own businesses, she said. The students are charged `150 per month. Mala says the fees ensures that they regularly attend classes.

Many people have donated funds, some have given sewing machines. We teach the girls tailoring, stitching, cutting and embroidery, said Radha Bardhan, 80, another volunteer. Bardhan said the number of students increased when they introduced a Learn and Earn model. Through this, the women who couldnt afford a machine of their own could use the groups machines to take orders, sew, and earn.

The group of volunteers came together in 1973, with about seven homemakers. Today, the group has a little over 400 volunteers, a majority of whom are homemakers and senior citizens.

Bardhan says, Old people have a lot of free time. Ever since this group came up in CR Park, senior citizens like me come here to look after the activities of the group, interact with other volunteers and teach children. This way we never feel lonely and end up helping poor people.

The group has also established a Balwadi school for the nearby slum children. The idea of this school came up when the members saw children aged between 3 and 8 years from nearby slums who were illiterate would just roam about.

Their parents work as house helps, labourers and vendors. We encourage them to send their children here, where they can learn basic English and Math. Children are seated in two class rooms segregated between the ages 3 and 6 years and 6 and 8 years. There is also a playground, said Monica Basu, president of the Samity.

The school follows an informal syllabus. To ensure that the kids continue their education, they are prepared for appearing and writing admission tests for various public and private schools. Extracurricular activities like music, drawing and painting, clay modelling, story-telling are also encouraged. Children are also provided mid-day meals. In winters, sweaters are distributed for free. Twice a year, the group organises free medical check-ups.

The women also provide healthcare to all the underprivileged. They have organised health camps where consultations, dental check-ups, routine pathological tests and basic medicines are provided free of cost.

The group organises various cultural events to celebrate the Bengali New Years Day (Nobo-borsho), annual day, Rabindra Jayanti, Independence Day, Saraswati Puja, Bijoya Sammelani, etc.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Delhi Metro has tried to capture the grandeur of the Red Fort in its station near the monument on its Heritage Line.

The entrance to the station is similar to that of the Mughal-era fort. Red sandstone is used to give the station a unique signature.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has tried to capture the unique facets of the four places -- Delhi Gate, Jama Masjid, Lal Quila (Red Fort) and Kashmere Gate -- in its stations built on the heritage link of the ITO-Kashmere Gate line.

Shahjahans magnificent Red Fort, with its elegant palaces, symbolises a legacy of political power, which is alive till today as it is the venue of the prime ministers address on Independence Day, said a DMRC official.

There are 4 entry / exits to the station -- two towards Red Fort and two towards Lajpat Rai Market.

Special panels at the station will pay tribute to the imperial lifestyle. The first panel will showcase the architecture of the palace complex. The central panel will represent two elevations of the fort walls - as a silhouette against the light, and as a present day photograph, a DMRC spokesperson said.

A large plan of the city of Shahjahanabad will be incorporated in the artwork. Monochrome and coloured lithographs, juxtaposed with present-day images, will serve as references to life in Mughal and colonial periods.

The station will be a boon for tourists to the Mughal-era fort. As per Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) records, 10,000 people visit Red Fort daily. But it is less when compared to other monuments such as Humayuns Tomb, Qutub Minar and India Gate.

Tourists can either come here in private and tourist buses or take the Metro. The traffic around Old Delhi is always heavy and this affects tourist inflow, said Mahesh Yadav, a guide at the monument. Delhi Traffic Police said 1.5 lakh vehicles use Netaji Subhash Marg, which crosses the monument, every day.

The nearest Metro station to Red Fort is Chandni Chowk, which is 1.6-km away. The parking lot of the monument is located more than half a kilometre away, making it difficult for children and the elderly to reach the fort.

Read: Trial run begins on Metros Heritage Line

Local shop owners are eagerly waiting for the opening of the new heritage line. The market union of the Old Lajpat Rai market said that the transport of material will become extremely easy for owners, as the market is barely 20 metres away from one of the four exits of the Lal Quila station.

We rely on loaders to get our material. The consignment cannot be delivered near the market because of the crowd at the entrance. So, the loaders have to carry the cartons from the Jain mandir side of the road where they are unloaded. The station will cut down on our costs, said Sahil Tripathy, owner of Saraswati electronics, in Old Lajpat Rai market.

The station is walking distance from the Digambar Jain Lal Mandir, Gauri Shankar Mandir and Gurdwara Sees Ganj Sahib.

The increasing reach of the Metro will encourage commuters to give up on private vehicles. If this happens, we could probably hope to make the area pedestrians only, said Mahroof Khan, secretary, market association of Dariba Kalan.
Roaming carelessly through crowded roads and eating whatever comes its way, with little or no restriction -- the life of the holy cow in the national capital is more difficult than it looks.

The average lifespan of a cow is 15 years and by the time it is three, it reaches its milking age.

When the cows reach their milking age, the quality of fodder she is given should be of high quality. Ideally, in villages cows are set free in lush green farms, said Dr AK Singh, head of veterinary wing at Shree Krishna Goshala in Sultanpur Dabas  the largest government-aided cow shelter in Delhi.

In the city, these abandoned cows eat whatever comes their way because of the lack of grazing space.

Plastic bags, though, are the most harmful. They accumulate in the bovines stomach and cause diseases  sometimes even death.

On the streets, cows eat garbage wrapped in polythene bags, used sanitary napkins, medical waste and nails.

He said after giving birth, the cow continues to lactate till six to eight months.

Many dairy owners inject a banned drug called oxytocin in cows for early onset of puberty and to prolong the milking age.

The quality of milk produced by injected cows is harmful. For maximum produce, the calves are also not allowed to suckle on their mothers, which makes them weak and increases chances of contracting diseases and premature deaths, he said.

In a general scenario  where cows follow their usual milking cycle  by the age of 10 years, for most the productive life ends and cows udders begin to dry.

A cows age is mainly determined by its frame and teeth. As they begin to age, their body frame begins to shrink and their skin begins hang, especially from their neck. Their teeth begin to fall off. For example, a 13-year-old cow will barely have any teeth, while a two or three year old will have a mouth full of crowded teeth, almost protruding out of their mouths, said Ruchi Kale, a volunteer with the Dhyan Foundation, an NGO working for cow protection.

In 2014, animal rights NGO, PETA, found over 1,000 illegal dairies operating in the city, most of which abandon milch cows after they are of no use to them. Most dairies abandon cows when they reach eight to 10 years of age.
The driver of the app-based taxi you have booked may be sleep-deprived, putting your and his life at risk. Drivers of Uber and Ola are spending up to 17 hours every day to clock rides to avail the incentives given by the cab-hailing platforms.

Extensive driving hours cause road accidents. India data isnt available, but in the US drowsy driving consumed 800 lives in 2013.

More rides means higher incentive. Bengaluru-based cab aggregator, Ola, gives `3,000 if a driver clocks six rides, back-to-back, `5,500 for 12 rides, `8,000 for 16, and `11,500 for 19. Its rival, American cabs platform, Uber, offers similar incentives.

Dharamveer Thakur, an Ola cab driver, hasnt slept for the past 24 hours. When I feel sleepy I park the car and take a quick nap, until the next cab request comes, he said.

Thakur says his life depends on incentives, without which he wont make enough to pay for his childrens education, his cars instalment, and familys monthly expenses.

Uber cab driver Sunil Jangra dozed off when he came to pick up a passenger from Delhis Chittaranjan Park at 2.30am. In the morning I did six rides on Ola. Since evening, I am on Uber. I will have to clock two more rides to avail the10-rides incentive, he said.

Read: Uber, Ola to be regulated, face fare cap

Jangra has bought a plot in west Delhis Nangloi. His kids go to an English-medium school. Indicating at the withdrawal of per-ride incentive that Ola and Uber gave a year ago, he said he wants to earn as long as the good days are around.

Doctors, however, said that drivers need minimum 7-8 hours of sleep, else they are not attentive, and their reaction time is low. There is enough scientific data that shows accidents are rampant because of lack of sleep. There are guidelines for drivers that they are not supposed to drive for 15-16 hours, said JC Suri, professor and head, pulmonary and sleep medicine at Safdarjung Hospital.

Ajay Kumar, 28, originally from Himachal Pradesh, drives for 16 hours everyday. I dont make money if I drive less than that. Without incentives, the business is not viable, he said.

Fragmented sleep or short naps dont suffice. It causes irritability and fatigue No driver can perform for 15-16 hours at a stretch, said Brig Ashok Rajput, medical director of Morpheus Healthcare, and HOD of Venkateshwar Hospital.

Ola and Uber do not have any check on driving hours. The aggregators also do not do any sleep study on drivers before inducting them.

In fact, if a driver declines a trip, the chain of the trip ends and he doesnt get the incentive, a driver said.

We are working to raise awareness about driving patterns and habits. One of the features we are piloting on drivers app is pause requests designed for drivers who want to log-off after dropping their passenger, instead of having to decline trip requests while their last rider is in the car, an Uber spokerperson said.

A mail sent to Ola remained unattended.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The first semester of college in India was exciting for Aaron*, a 20-year-old from Afghanistan. He came to Mumbai last year, for an undergraduate degree in Accounting & Finance (BAF). The course content is of my interest and I am amazed by the culture of the country, he says. However, problems began a few months into college.

I was humiliated and laughed at by peers for wearing the pakul, an Afghan cap, he says.

Aaron is currently in his second year of the three-year course and hes run into a couple of other problems  with hostel space scarce, hes having to rent a room in the exorbitant city, a massive expense he had not budgeted for. My college has no hostel, so I was living with aunt, who recently passed away. Now Im sharing in a one-room apartment with four others and even thats costing me Rs 8,000, he says.

Read: New quality check methods for varsities, colleges

We can soon expect to see more foreign students heading to India, as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Council begins to conduct the JEE (Advanced) exam outside the country for the first time ever. The exam will be held in countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives, Singapore, the UAE and Ethiopia, from the academic session 2017-18.

The aim is to improve the international standing of the IITs, because the number of foreign students admitted is one of the parameters considered by various world university rankings. But in order for this move to pay off, Indian institutes will have to upgrade their infrastructure and sensitise students.

A good number of foreign students ensure diversity in the classroom. This initiative will ensure that foreign applicants do not have to travel to India to give the examination, says Devang Khakar, director of IIT-Bombay. We plan to add about 10% more seats to accommodate students from abroad. The other norms of the JEE remain unchanged.

Read: Why e-assessment is a must for certain institutions

Currently, the number of seats is not really the issue. A report released last month by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) found that of an intake capacity of 4.5 lakh foreign students, Indian institutes could only fill 31,000 full-time places in the academic year 2013-14.

Of 33 million students in the higher education sector, the government has targeted getting at least 15% students from foreign countries, says Furqan Qamar, secretary general of the AIU. We have so far managed to get only 0.64%. The low numbers are mostly attributable to the poor feedback on state universities by existing foreign students, and lack of adequate infrastructure.

The problems

Five years ago, the Kalina campus of the University of Mumbai had over 100 students from the African countries of Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi and Tanzania, enrolled in social science courses. This year, only two students, both from Nigeria, have enrolled.

The university does not offer hostels on campus and many cannot afford rental houses in the city, says Aparajita Biswas, head of the Centre for African Studies at the Mumbai university. They have also experienced racism on campus. This racism is also responsible for the fall in number of students. From just Mauritius alone, for instance, we had more than 20 students on campus. Now we have only three.

Its not only students of different races that face prejudice. Canadian Pranav Gandhi, 20, of Indian descent, is a second-year MBBS student at Bhartiya Vidyapeeth, Pune and says his college mates stereotype him as a spoilt brat from the West.

Another core issue is the outdated, book-based syllabi.

I struggle to adapt to the textbook format of studying here, as Canadian schools offer an evolved model of a classroom with technology-driven education, Gandhi adds.

Opaline*, 22, would agree. The Mauritian student came to Mumbai in 2014 to pursue a BSc in home science, a course not available back home.

I was very excited in the beginning but I expected the course to have more of a practical approach  with the use of latest technology in the field, she says.

The universities in India are not proactive in popularising their programmes across borders either, says Qamar of the AIU. There is no awareness among other countries about the courses taught in India and hence we do not see many seeking courses here. There is also a lack of focus on making universities friendly to foreign students, he adds.

The technological infrastructure and living facilities at the universities and towns in which they are situated fails to attract foreign students too. Campuses lack technology and development and hence we are unable to make them more diverse, Qamar says.

Possible solutions

Foreign students are turning to private and deemed universities instead of the state universities in India, states the AIU report. The programmes and courses at the deemed universities are contemporary and new-age, says Rajan Saxena, vice-chancellor at Narsee Monje Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Vile Parle, a deemed university.

The universities need to market themselves better in specific foreign countries. The highest number of foreign students coming to India is from countries such as Nepal, Bhutan and Iran, says Veena Bhalla, joint secretary at AIU. So we must promote our courses better in these countries to garner more students.

State universities should also get international accreditations, to attract students from across countries. Even if the accreditation is from a regional body in a developed country, it gives the university an edge, says Saxena.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Their passion for designing something unique and interest in technology brought a group of students from colleges across the country together to create an app for the Prime Ministers Office (PMO). It all started when the students, part of Team Sanskrit, participated in a contest by Google and were selected as the best from more than 10,000 entries with more than 45,000 ideas.

Together with MyGov, the citizen engagement platform of the Government of India, Google invited Indian citizens to share their ideas on what features an app of the PMO should include. This app gives citizens access to critical information about flagship programmes. In addition, the app provides an overview of the Prime Ministers major initiatives, news and social media updates, and enables people to make a donation to the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund in 10 Indian languages.

The winning team, comprising Raghav Sarin, Gyan Lakhwani, Prajwal Seth, Preet S Khalsa, Naman Dwivedi and Pranav Sethi, will visit the Google headquarters in California, where they will get to interact with Googles engineering and Android teams.

Raghav Sarin, team leader and designer, says, The contest was a unique initiative by Google and the Government of India to make a PMO app which is truly for the people and by the people. It involved taking inputs from citizens of the country for the features of the app and then another phase where citizens themselves would develop it. We focused on building a high quality and user-friendly app. We ensured that everything from the design to the development was at the highest level possible and also made sure that the app would be something the PMO and this nation would be proud of.

The project was aimed at bringing the people closer to the Prime Minister through something as simple as a mobile app. It gives the people updates about the functioning of the office and also helps educate them about it, says Sarin, a 19-year-old economics student at Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi University.

The team has to maintain the app for another year and aims to improve it in due course. Users get updates from the PMOs news feed, social media feed, image gallery and can also listen to Mann Ki Baat.

Gyan Lakhwani, another engineering student and team member, says, In the first stage, the contest crowdsourced ideas from the public about the features they would like to see in the PMO app. Thousands of entries were received, and the best ideas were picked. An open competition was held in the second phase to design app wireframes with the given feature set. Finally the third phase had the top five teams working on building the app with mentors from Google. We focused on designing an intuitive and frictionless interface that followed the design patterns set by Google in their material design guidelines. This, combined with our well-optimised Android and backend code, resulted in a fast app with a great user experience. We also kept in mind accessibility guidelines, and provided the app in 10 different languages, with options to increase/decrease the font size of news articles, the ability to hear news read out, and a high contrast theme in the settings. I feel this is what gave us an edge over the other participants in the PMO app development contest.

All team members had a common interest in design. As Naman Dwivedi, a student of Delhi Technological University, says, We heard about the contest which tested our design skills. We submitted the design blueprint of the app to MyGov and were selected. I am currently also working on an app to monitor the payment process in MNREGA for Harvard Universitys Center for International Development.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
New Zealand Universities and Education New Zealand (ENZ) have jointly announced 35 scholarships for Indian students. These scholarships will be available for undergraduate or postgraduate studies in New Zealand in the fields of business, fashion and STEM-related programmes (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). ENZ is New Zealands government agency for international education. Click here for more.

India is the second largest source of international students to New Zealand, after China. Indian students (and others) are helping New Zealand build its research capability and global linkages, to fill skill shortages and enrich the countrys culture.

Up to 35 scholarships will be awarded and each will be of NZD $5,000 (Rs 2.41 lakh approx) for the first years tuition fee. All applicants must be Indian citizens and at least 18 years old . They must hold a minimum equivalent grade point average of B+ in most recent or highest tertiary qualification and meet Immigration New Zealand requirements for a New Zealand student visa, including health, character requirements and evidence of financial support.

A minimum score of 6.0 in IELTS is required for admission at the first-year level. An alternative is TOEFL (iBT): minimum score 79-80. Each university can provide details of its own requirements.

All scholarship applications should be sent to scholarship@enz.govt.nz (with NZEA application in subject). Required documents for scholarship application include completed scholarship application form, evidence of (unconditional) offer of place at a New Zealand university, academic transcripts, CV, proof of Indian citizenship and proof of financial documents to support the remaining cost of education as specified by Immigration New Zealand.

The application deadline for the November 2016 intake is September 1, 2016 (to the relevant university). Scholarship applications must be submitted (to ENZ) by October 1, 2016.

For the February 2017 intake, university applications must be submitted (to the relevant university) by October 30, 2016 and to ENZ by November 30, 2016.
A class 10th girl of a government school in Gurgaon was allegedly gangraped by her acquaintances after being held captive for two days in Delhi. The accused also filmed her and threatened to make the video public if she lodged a complaint, police said.

The accused, Karan Singh of Palra village and Sanjay from Dhani Shikohpur village in Badshahpur lured the 16-year-old girl on August 8, took her on a two-wheeler and then by a bus to Kalkaji in Delhi where they gangraped her after holding her captive in a room, police said. She returned home on August 8 after which a complaint was lodged. Two other accused, Mahesh and Kala, also residents of Palra village, allegedly filmed the act when she was raped again the next day on August 7. The girl knew the main accused Karan.

The victim, after reaching back home in Gurgaon, initially accused Mahesh for gangraping her but later changed her statement before a magistrate where she accused Karan and Sanjay for raping her and Mahesh and Kala for filming the act and later blackmailing her.

Police said the accused then sent her back home in a bus from Delhi. After she lodged complaint at Badshahpur police station on Monday, a medical examination was conducted, which confirmed rape.

A case was lodged against three accused, under sections 363 (abduction), 365 (abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person), 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code and other sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. No one has been arrested so far.

They even threatened to kill her if she disclosed the ordeal to anyone. She knew Karan and that is why she trusted him and agreed to go. While the three have been booked for rape the fourth accused was involved in criminal conspiracy. We are investigating it, said Praveen Malik, station house officer, Badshahpur police station.
A Delhi court on Wednesday upheld a Juvenile Justice Board order sentencing a minor involved in the 2011 Delhi High Court blast to three years in a special home.

Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Pandit upheld the Juvenile Justice Board order delivered on July 9, 2014.

At least 15 people were killed and 79 injured on September 7, 2011, in the explosion outside Gate Number 5 of the court complex here.

The sessions court found the juvenile guilty of offences under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with Sections 121 (waging war against the country), 121 A (conspiracy to commit waging war), 122 (collecting arms for waging war), 123 (concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 436 (mischief by explosive substance), and 440 (mischief committed for causing death) of the Indian Penal Code and under various section of the Explosive Substances Act.

But the court acquitted him of the charges dealing with Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Acts.

The board had held the juvenile guilty of the offences under various section dealing with criminal conspiracy with waging war against the country, murder, attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt and provisions of Explosive substance Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has claimed that the minor was responsible for sending an email to media houses claiming responsibility for the blast and also threatening to cause more bomb blasts at other courts, if Afzal Guru (prime accused in the 2001 Parliament House attack) was hanged.

According to the NIA, the email was sent by the juvenile from Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir.

The NIA in March 2012 filed a chargesheet against six accused, including Wasim Akram Malik, Amir Abbas Dev and a minor. Malik and Dev were arrested in September 2011.

Later, Dev turned approver in the case.

The other accused in the case are Maliks brother and alleged Hizb-ul Mujahideen terrorist Junaid Akram Malik, Shakir Hussain Seikh alias Chhota Hafiz and Amir Kamal. Malik is on the run while other two were killed in a gunbattle with security force.
Eight people were arrested by Allavaram police in Andhra Pradeshs East Godavari district on Wednesday for allegedly beating up two Dalits trying to skin a dead cow.

Police, however, clarified that the incident, which happened late on Monday night, had nothing to do with cow vigilantism as suspected.

Read | Now gau rakshaks from Andhra beat up 2 Dalits for skinning dead cow

Narayana Rao, Gangadhara Rao and others were arrested and booked under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, a police official said, adding they belonged to Kamanagaruvu village and were not gau rakshaks.

The villagers, looking for a missing cow, happened upon the two Dalits near a burial ground Sudhapalem village, trying to skin a dead cow. Suspecting that they killed the animal, the villagers beat up the Dalits.

State chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed anger over the incident and warned of stern action against anyone attacking Dalits and disturbing law and order.

He reviewed the incident with director general of police (in charge) N Sambasiva Rao and additional director generals RP Thakur and AB Venkateswara Rao, directing them to take strong action against culprits.

The East Godavari district collector was also directed to take care of the medical expenses of the two injured, apart from giving them Rs 1 lakh each.

The cow had apparently been electrocuted, and its owner had engaged the two Dalits for burying it. The victims sustained severe injuries and were admitted to the Amalapuram hospital.
The official press has released the court summons to the leader of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) Igor Plotnitsky to appear at the meeting of the Podolsky District Court of Kyiv on August 31.

As published in the Uriadovy Kurier newspaper on August 10, the court summons indicates that the meeting is scheduled for 13:00, August 31. Plotnitsky is summoned to the court as the accused under Article 146 Part 3 (unlawful imprisonment or kidnapping), Article 258 Part 2 (terrorism), Article 332 Part 3 (illegal trafficking of persons across the border) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The summons emphasizes that the accused must compulsorily appear and have a passport or personal identity document. In case of Plotnitskys absence, the case will be considered in a special manner (in absentia) of court proceedings.
The Congress took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his absence from Parliament on Wednesday, saying India has been forced to come to terms with a PM-mukt Parliament.

When PM Modi assumed office, he had said that Parliament is a temple of Democracy and he kow-towed before entering the august building for the first time. A year into his term, on one of his numerous trips to the USA, he said, the Constitution is the only holy book for his Government... But, today, India has been forced to come to terms with a PM-Mukt Parliament. PM Modis actions show his disdain for the Parliament and its affairs, the party said, targeting Modi by using a parody of his call for Congress-mukt Bharat he had made during the Lok Sabha poll campaign.

The principal opposition party posted their criticism on its website, titling the article India has a PM-Mukt Parliament. The party alleged that the Prime Minister loves to speak, but, unfortunately, not in national interest but for vote bank politics.

For all his grandstanding, the Prime Minister was chided into making a rare appearance in the Lok Sabha during the final stages of the GST Bill, when was debated down to the brass tacks in the Rajya Sabha.

The Congress party has posted its latest criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on its website, parodying Modis 2014 general election slogan of a Congress-mukht Bharat. (inc.in)

This was the first time in over 122 occasions when a Constitutional Amendment was passed in both the Houses of Parliament that the Prime Minister was absent. An embarrassed PM Modi made an appearance in the Lok Sabha after the GST bill was debated, to save face, the article said. The party said this year there has been violence in Kashmir, vigilantism by gau rakshaks and systematic violence against Dalits, yet the Prime Minister did not make a statement in Parliament, but chose to address these issues outside.

The party said MPs are representatives of the people and the Houses of Parliament represent peoples will. When there are serious atrocities, the Prime Minister must address the representatives of the people, who will then hold the Government accountable, it said.

Is the Prime Ministers absence indicative of his disregard for the temple of our Democracy? There have been numerous occasions when the PM has been in the Parliament building, but chose not to attend the session. Prime Ministers of the past had made it a point to attend Parliament, it said.

Instead of paying lip service, Mr Modi should actually give Parliament, and through it the 125 crore Indians, the respect it deserves, the Congress said in the commentary.
The Delhi government will not allow surge pricing and fix a maximum fare cap for app-based cab aggregators such as Ola and its American rival Uber.

These measures are part of a policy that the Aam Aadmi Party government is preparing, following directions of the Delhi high court. The proposals will be sent to the lieutenant-governor for approval.

The government will fix the rates and cabs will charge within the limit, transport minister Satyendar Jain said on Wednesday. If theres a law for autos and taxis, Ola and Uber cannot be above it.

The policy will be in line with the amended motor vehicles law the Union cabinet approved a week ago.

Surge pricing is a demand-based model that makes fares fluctuate, sometimes more than five times the base value. Ola and Uber were criticised for using the model during the Delhi governments odd-even road rationing scheme in April.

Besides, all taxis must install fare meters. App-based taxis rely on the GPS in the drivers phone to calculate the fare. A government study shows Ola and Uber fares were inflated by poor mobile network as cell phones often connect to a tower far from the pick-up and drop-off points.

The amended motor vehicles act is expected to create a level-playing field, bringing cab rental companies such as Meru and Carzonrent-owned Easy Cabs back in action. These firms were pushed aside as Ola and Uber offered heavy discounts to passengers and doled out incentives to drivers.

The discounts and incentives are not sustainable  Hopefully, there will be some clarity. It is unusual to start a business in a country without complying with the laws, said Rajiv Vij, the CEO of Carzonrent.

In the new regime, Ola and Uber will have to take an aggregators licence and follow taxi rules of every state. In Mumbai, a licence holder cannot have more than 4,000 cabs, and 2,500 in Delhi, and all taxis should run on eco-friendly CNG.
The Tuticorin police lodged an FIR on Wednesday against expelled AIADMK leader Sasikala Pushpa, her husband, Lingesvara Thilakan and son Pradeep Raja for harassing her domestic helps.

The FIR against Sasikala and her family comes two days the Madras high court dismissed an anticipatory bail plea by her husband and son.

The two sisters who worked in household of the Rajya Sabha MP, have lodged a complaint with the Tuticorin police alleging that Sasikala Pushpa, her husband and son, had tortured them.

The two girls also alleged that Sasikalas husband and son sexually harassed them while they were working at her Chennai house.

The girls approached the DSP of Tuticorin with their complaints of sexual harassment. One of the sisters alleged that she was beaten up by the MP when she tried to escape from the household.

She said that she could not complain as she feared the MP. But now that Sasikala has been expelled from the AIADMK, she had gained courage to lodge a complaint,the maid added.

Sasikalas husband and son had sought anticipatory bail from the Madras high court fearing a spate of complaints against them and possible arrest after she dared to question the AIADMK leadership. But on August 8, the court dismissed their anticipatory bail plea when the matter came for hearing with the prosecution maintaining that there were no cases pending against the MP and her family.

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa expelled Sasikala Pushpa from the AIADMK on August 1, two days after Pushpa slapped DMK MP Tiruchi Siva at the Delhi airport, triggering a controversy and delaying a flight.
It took him more than two years, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has finally discovered the art of the deal.

Realising that a frontal assault wasnt securing the votes needed for Indias biggest-ever tax reform, Modi and finance minister Arun Jaitley changed tack this spring, government and ruling party sources have told Reuters.

First, they sought to build a coalition among the nations 29 state governments to isolate the Congress party, which despite losing heavily to Modi in 2014 had blocked a new Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the Rajya Sabha.

Then, Jaitley held a series of meetings with Congress leaders whose outcome was uncertain right up to the last minute, sources close to the finance minister said.

Read | GSTN-a PC time bomb: Why Subramanian Swamy thinks GST wont survive in SC

He yielded to their demands - accepting, verbatim, a clause they proposed for the constitutional amendment needed to make the GST happen, according to a member of the Congress team that included former finance minister P Chidambaram.

Negotiations take place only if both sides are willing to be flexible, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told Reuters. Both sides were pragmatic.

An aide to Jaitley said Congresss growing isolation proved decisive in making a compromise possible.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley addresses a press conference at Parliament House after the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)

They had got themselves into a corner, said the finance ministry official, who was privy to the talks. They had two options: strike a deal and come out with your reputation intact, or lose your credibility.

Last weeks unanimous Upper House vote to pass the 122nd amendment to the Constitution brings the wheel full circle - the GST was proposed by Chidambaram a decade ago but was stalled by political rivalry.

Introducing a unified sales tax across Indias market of 1.3 billion people would mark a bold act of integration at a time of disintegration elsewhere, as Britain exits the European Union and a protectionist, Donald Trump, runs for the US presidency.

Read | Consumer is the king: Top quotes from Modis GST speech

The GST vote also addresses how India, as a federation, can implement a one-size-fits-all sales tax - something the United States and EU have been unable to do - by creating a GST Council that brings the centre and the states together.

Tough bargaining on the rate and scope of the tax lies ahead, yet at least the atmosphere has improved, with Chidambaram praising Jaitleys friendly and conciliatory tone.

That could revive projects that foundered early in Modis rule, including land and labour reforms.

Early standoff

Despite winning Indias biggest mandate in 30 years, Modi has struggled to advance his agenda.

Congress, though reduced to a rump opposition, has resisted. As the largest party in the Rajya Sabha that represents the states, it had blocked the GST and derailed Modis land acquisition bill which critics branded as being anti-farmer.

While that tactic proved effective, it wasnt winning public support. Congress took hits in state elections and in June lost the Rajya Sabha votes it needed to be sure of stopping the GST.

This was the cue for Jaitley to court the states, with key swing state West Bengal soon declaring its support. In July, he targeted Bihar, while at the same time re-engaging with Congress after nine months of radio silence.

Jaitleys promise to the states to compensate revenue losses for five years, made at talks in New Delhi on July 26, won them over, West Bengals finance minister Amit Mitra told Reuters.

Congress moved to cut a deal, while Modi and Jaitley were ready to offer concessions - including scrapping a levy of 1% on the movement of goods between states - that experts say would actually make the GST a better tax.

On the morning of July, 27 Congress submitted a written proposal, with new wording on resolving GST disputes between the centre and the states. Modis cabinet approved identical tweaks that same evening.

When it came to the August 3 vote, there were 203 votes in favour, and none against. The amendment passed the Lower House on Monday, also unanimously.

It was a first for Modi, who called the GST a Great Step towards Transformation.
As Maharashtra lawmakers passed a bill to raise their own monthly salaries, now surpassing even the Presidents, heres a look at how much netas across India make:

The big three

President: Rs 1.50 lakh

Vice-president: Rs 1.25 lakh

Governor: Rs 1.10 lakh

Delhi

Chief minister: Rs 1.2 lakh

Ministers: Rs 1.2 lakh

MLAs, MLCs: Rs 88,000

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal at HT Media House in New Delhi. (Jasjeet Plaha/HT File Photo)

Proposals to hike ministers salaries to Rs 3.6 lakh and MLAs to Rs 2.10 lakh has been passed by the Delhi Assembly, but is yet to get the Centres nod.

Maharashtra

Chief minister: Rs 2.25 lakh (approximately)

Ministers: Rs 2.05 lakh (approximately)

MLAs, MLCs: Rs 1.70 lakh (approximately)

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis during the assembly monsoon session at Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai. (Kunal Patil/HT File Photo)

The salary hike (250% for ministers, 126% for MLAs, MLCs) will come into effect from December. While the basic pay will remain less than that of the President and governor, there will be perks and allowances.

Telangana

Chief minister: Rs 4.21 lakh

MLAs: Rs 2.5 lakh

Telangana chief minister and TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao addressing the party's legislative party meeting in Hyderabad. (PTI File Photo)

Andhra Pradesh

Chief minister: Rs 2.40 lakh

MLAs: Rs 1.25 lakh

File photo of Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu. (HT Photo)

Tamil Nadu

Chief minister: Rs 1

MLAs: Rs 55,000

AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa at the Madras University, in Chennai. (PTI Photo)

The legislators also get a daily allowance of Rs 500 to attend session and Rs 20,000 travel allowance in two instalments every year for train travel anywhere in India.

West Bengal

Chief minister: Mamata Banerjee doesnt accept any salary. She donates it to the chief ministers relief fund. She didnt take her salary as an MLA too.

MLAs: Rs 42,000

TMC chief Mamata Banerjee addressing the Martyr's Day rally at Esplanade in Kolkata. (Subhendu Ghosh/HT File Photo)

Uttarakhand

Chief minister: Rs 2.5 lakh

MLAs: Rs 1.6 lakh

Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat addresses the media in Dehradun. (PTI Photo)

Uttar Pradesh

Chief minister: Rs 1.01 lakh

MLAs, MLCs: Rs 75,000

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. (PTI File Photo)

Madhya Pradesh

Chief minister: Rs 2 lakh

MLAs: Rs 1.10 lakh

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. (HT File Photo)

The hike came into effect from April this year. The chief ministers salary rose from Rs 1.43 lakh and that of MLAs from Rs 71,000.

Read | Maharashtra lawmakers get monthly salary hike with immediate effect
The government is conducting a study to ascertain whether the use of plastic for packaging food has any harmful impact on human health, Union health minister JP Nadda told Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

He, however, said there is no harm if plastics are used as per the standards laid down by the regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI).

There are various theories about it (plastic). We have not reached any conclusion. The study is still going on. If plastics are used within a level, then there is no danger, Nadda said during the Question Hour.

There are different types of packaging  paper, tin, plastics and glass. Globally, 42% of packaging is done in plastics as they are temper-proof and there are less chances of adulteration, the minister said.

FSSAI has laid down 10 standards for use of plastics in packaging of food products. If the quality of plastic is as per the FSSAI standards, then there is no problem, Nadda said.

To a suggestion on banning plastic for packaging medicines, the minister said there is no such plan.

If the quality of plastic is below the standards, then there is no problem, he said.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Indias forests are worth as much as the combined market value of BSE-listed companies with a notional value of Rs 115 trillion but the money collected from diverting parts of this land for industries wont go to communities that live in and are dependent on the jungles.

The Union environment ministry accepted most recommendations of a 2013 expert panel that hiked the rates at which industrialists pay for diverting forest land but dropped a crucial clause mandating half that money be used to compensate tribals for the loss of jungles, documents reviewed by HT show.

A new law enacted by the Centre to disburse these funds  Rs 42,000 crore at present  also says the money should go to state forest departments, leaving out tribals. The government says the suggestion to give money to local communities isnt practical.

Read: States rejected 8 out of every 10 claims for land by tribals last year

A lot of things are easier said than done. The governments anyway try and spend the money in such a way that the local communities get the maximum benefit, said a government official.

Under a 1980 law, when forest land is diverted for industrial use, the project developer has to pay for compensatory afforestation and the Net Present Value (NPV) of the forest, to make up for the loss in ecosystem.

At present, the government charges Rs 4.38 lakh to Rs 10.43 lakh per hectares (ha) NPV, depending on the type and density of forest. These rates were fixed in 2008 but the Supreme Court asked the government to revise rates of NPV every three years.

The 2013 report revised the rates to a range of Rs 5.54 lakh to RS 50.72 lakh per ha. The panel  comprising scientists from the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) and Forest Survey of India  said the previous 2008 numbers were grossly underestimated.

The environment ministry accepted the new figures and is sending them to the committee of secretaries (CoS) for its nod, documents reviewed by HT revealed.

Before accepting the recommendations, the ministry asked the IIFM to estimate the total NPV of Indias forests, an exercise never done before. The IIFM told the ministry the notional value of Indias forest would be Rs 115 trillion.

This will increase the money collected from industrialists. The rate of accumulation of the compensatory afforestation fund will be more than double now with an overall hike of 117% in the NPV as compared to previous rates, said an official.

But one crucial recommendation is missing from the environment ministrys proposal to the CoS. The 2013 panel estimated 50% of the value of forest goods and services are created at the local level, 34% at the state level and 16% the national level and suggested the NPV money be accordingly distributed between local communities, state governments and the Centre, respectively.

Read: MP to use satellite images to verify tribals forest land claim

Such a mechanism, the panel said, would ease land acquisition worries for big projects, which face the ire of forest-dwelling tribals who fear the loss of livelihood.

Another source of worry for local communities is a new law -- the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, or Campa act, which was cleared by Parliament recently  that will govern the disbursal of these funds.

Campa act has tribal rights activists up in arms as the legislation says nothing about sharing the revenue with the traditional forest-dwelling communities. The money is set to go to state governments, which violates the spirit of the 2013 panel report and the 2006 forest rights act, activists say.

Activists have repeatedly alleged that the government disregards environmental norms and tribal rights in handing out permits to use forestland for industries.

The 2013 report recommended the increase in NPV based on the monetary value of several goods and services from the forests such as timber, bamboo, non-timber forest produce, fuelwood, fodder, carbon sequestration, water recharge, soil conservation, pollination and seed dispersal that were not valued earlier.

The new NPV rates will be part of the yet-to-be-framed rules under Campa act.

Waiting for a fair share:

 Under a 1980 law, when forest land is diverted, the project developer has to pay for compensatory afforestation and the Net Present Value of the forest

 At present, government charges Rs 4.38 lakh to Rs 10.43 lakh per hectares NPV. These rates were fixed in 2008

 In 2013, a panel recommended that rates be revised to a range of Rs 5.54 lakh to Rs 50.72 lakh per hectare and additional premium of 20% to 4 times of NPV be charged if the project is coming up in ecologically sensitive areas

 The Centre accepted the hiked rates but dropped a clause mandating half that money be used to compensate tribals for the loss of jungles

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadavs demand in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday for a probe into the death of his lions is now being seen as a desperate attempt to salvage his dream of making Etawah lion safari an ecotourism hub.

The death of the lions has put the Rs 100-crore lion safari spread across 150 acres under a severe strain. A few environmentalists and wildlife experts who do not wish to be named have suggested that the safari be shut down. It has lost four lions and five cubs since September 2014.

And there could be more deaths. Another lioness Girishma is now half paralysed. Experts are calling for euthanasia to end her pain.

The safari has not been able to tide over the problem of feline mortality. The government has done everything it can do. It is the wildlife machinery that is failing the safari, said Dr Sandeep Paul, a vet and a whistle-blower.

Dr Paul was the first to point out way back in September 2014 that the lion named Vishnu had died of canine distemper. He faced ridicule from top state wildlife officials who felt an outsider had no business to dispute their findings. Wildlife officials believed that Vishnu died of leptospira and babesia.

But Dr Paul stood vindicated after the autopsy report of the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, confirmed canine distemper virus (CDV) in Vishnus lymph node.

Vishnus partner Lakshmi, who died within two weeks of his death, was found CDV positive in brain tissue.

Tapasya and Kuber, the other pair that died this year, also had canine distemper. And Girishma is battling with the same virus.

They didnt pay heed in 2014 and when they realised, it was too late. Now, I fear for Pataudi, Jessica, Kunwari, Gigo and two others, said Dr Paul.

Canine distemper virus that spreads through the dogs killed nearly 1,000 lions in Tanzania recently, and wildlife experts believe Asiatic lions in India are now catching the infection. Some say that Gir, from where four lions were brought to Etawah, is also not free of the virus.

The deaths have hit the state governments efforts to open the safari before the assembly election early next year. The government has undertaken vaccination of stray dogs on a massive scale and has involved foreign wildlife experts such as Jonathan Cracknell, director of Longleat Animal Safari & Adventure Park in England. He is an expert in infectious disease management. Cracknell visited the Safari in January this year.

The Etawah lion safari is also in touch with experts at Washingtons Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI).

The government also sent its veterinary and officials from different zoos to learn how Gir is managing a better survival rate of felines. The number of lions has risen by 23% at Gir in the last five years. The survival rate of cubs crossing the age of two years is 35% that is more than the national average.

Deputy director of the Etawah lion safari, Dr Anil Patel said it was a unique project that involved rehabilitating lions in a new geographical area.

The other lions are hale and hearty and we will make the project a success, he said, adding there are no standard vaccines or cure available for canine distemper.
The prime ministers first remarks on the ongoing spell of unrest in Kashmir after 32 days of violence made the headlines in most newspapers in the Valley on Wednesday morning.

The Valleys largest-circulating daily, Greater Kashmir, leads with a quote headline saying Kashmir has same freedom that every Indian feels.

The story  reported by the Press Trust of India  said the prime minister broke his silence on the turmoil in Kashmir and advocated a path of democracy and dialogue to restore peace in the spirit of insaniyat (humanity), jamhuriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat.

An adjoining reaction story said Modis speech drew a mixed response.

The newspaper quotes various separatist leaders as criticising the speech. While JKLF leader Yasin Mallik was quoted as saying calling pro freedom Kashmiris as misguided youth is old Delhi policy, another moderate separatist Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was reported as saying that Delhi should accept, not deny what Kashmiris want.

Another leading daily, Rising Kashmir, said on its front page: Too little too late, Prime Ministers Kashmir remarks fail to enthuse. The paper says Modis words will have little impact on ground. The newspaper also used PTI copy for the main speech.

Both the newspapers carry prominent stories about the increase in pellet victims in hospitals alongside the prime ministers speech.

Greater Kashmir also carried an interview with a prominent retina surgeon, Dr Mahesh Shanmugam, from Bangaluru saying more surgeons were needed for eye surgeries. The surgeon calls situation in hospitals `war like.

Another newspaper that rising readership over the past month, Kashmir Reader said Narendra Modi speaks on Kashmir, offers little in the headline.

What Prime Minister Narendra Modi said about Kashmir on Tuesday, 32 days after the entire valley rose in revolt against the Indian rule, would probably not please even chief minister Mehbooba Mufti who on Monday called for bold and tangible steps to reach out to the people of Kashmir, the paper said.

In a rally in Madhya Pradesh on Monday, Modi called for peace in the state and said the freedom available in other parts of India was also for Kashmiris. But he attributed the massive protests in the Valley to the handiwork of a few misguided people hurting the Valleys great tradition  remarks that roiled many in the region.

Kashmirs vernacular dailies also talked about Modis speech.

The headline in Kashmir Uzma said Kashmir halat par Modi ne todhi taweel Khamoshi. (Modi breaks his long silence on Kashmir).

Kashmirs largest circulating Urdu daily, Aftab, said ``Tawun do Khushali lo, Wazir-e-Azam ka naya nara (Cooperate and get development in return, PMs new slogan).

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
No person above four will be allowed to ride a two-wheeler or travel pillion without a helmet once the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill, 2016 is passed.

The bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, also proposes to introduce a mandatory vehicle recall policy in case of defects that may harm the environment, the driver and the occupants, or other road users.

Under the altered law, failing to wear a helmet will invite a penalty of Rs 1,000 and suspension of the motorists driving licence for three months. Though the existing motor law makes wearing helmets mandatory, it does not specify an age in this regard  providing those transporting young children with a legal loophole. Only Sikhs, who wear turbans, are exempted from the helmet rule.

Besides this, the proposed amendments impose hefty penalties for traffic violations such as jumping the red light and talking on the mobile phone while driving. Under the new vehicle recall provision, the Centre will be empowered to direct the recall of a certain vehicle variant if a defect is brought to its notice by either the manufacturer, a percentage of owners (to be notified by the Centre), or testing agencies.

The manufacturer will be mandated to reimburse the full cost of the vehicle that has been recalled or replace the defective unit with another one of similar or better specifications. Failure to do so will invite a fine. The government will waive off the penalty only if the manufacturer informs the government about the defect on its own, and initiates recall proceedings.

India, the fifth-largest passenger vehicle market in the world, does not have a mandatory vehicle recall policy. There has been a spurt in voluntary vehicle recall in the last few years, with nearly 2.24 million cars being taken back since 2012.

KK Gandhi, executive director (technical), Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam), welcomed the move to make vehicle recall mandatory. But the government has to put adequate resources in place before the law kicks in, he said.

Gandhi said Siam, with 48 automobile manufacturers under it, already has a voluntary vehicle recall code in place since 2012. So far, 2.24 million cars have been voluntarily recalled in India, he added.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office on August 10 will submit a court ruling ordered to detain MP Oleksandr Onyschenko and bring him to court to the INTERPOL National Central Bureau for Ukraine, Deputy Head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office Volodymyr Kryvenko has said.

"Today we are preparing to file a court ruling to detain Oleksandr Romanovych [Onyschenko] to the INTERPOL National Central Bureau for Ukraine. We will try to work with foreign partners quickly and have Red Notice announced. Oleksandr Romanovych could be detained if he stays in any country where INTERPOL can operate," he said on Wednesday on television station 112 TV Ukraina.

Kryvenko said that after detention of Onyschenko using INTERPOL detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and anti-corruption prosecutors would decide on extradition of the lawmaker to Ukraine.

He said that the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office contacted partners from Britain where Onyschenko is staying, according to latest information.

As reported, on June 22 Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office made public the scheme of gas production and sales involving PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia. As a result of this gas scheme, the state suffered damage in the amount of UAH 3 billion.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on July 5 supported the request by Ukraine's Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko to give its consent to criminal prosecution, detention and arrest of MP Oleksandr Onyschenko  a chief figurant of gas shady deal. On July 27, PGO head Yuriy Lutsenko signed a notice that MP Oleksandr Onyschenko, a member of the People's Will parliament faction, was suspected of the wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, before that, he, taking advantage of his parliamentary immunity, left Ukraine.

On July 29 Onyschenko said that he was in London, in the process of getting a residence permit, and was seeking political asylum in the UK.

On August 2 Onyschenko didnt come to the first interrogation. NABU explained that if he doesnt come for the interrogation for the second time, he will be wanted: "If he fails to come again, we'll appeal forced delivery to court and selection of a restraint." According to the procedure, he will be first wanted in Ukraine, and then he'll be placed on the international wanted list.
Lions of Gujarat became a subject of debate in Lok Sabha with SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav seeking a probe into the death of two big cats gifted to Uttar Pradesh.

Raising the issue on Tuesday, Yadav said the two lions were gifted by Gujarat to the Etawah Wildlife Lion Safari Park, a dream project of chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and the senior Lok Sabha MP himself.

My lions have died. (Narendra) Modi (as Gujarat chief minister) had gifted us. I want an inquiry into it. How did they die? What were the reasons? If there were shortcomings on our side, we will rectify. But I want a probe, Yadav said during Question Hour.

Responding to Yadavs request, environment minister Anil Madhav Dave said he would try to find out the reasons.

I will try to find out the reasons and revert to you. We will conduct a probe, he said.

Altogether four lions were gifted to Uttar Pradesh by Gujarat three years ago.

After Mulayam Singh spoke, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia wanted to know whether some lions  at least 40  could be relocated from Gir National Park of Gujarat to Panna Reserve Forest in Madhya Pradesh.

However, Dave did not reply to his supplementary, saying it was far from the main question on biodiversity parks.

Scindias question prompted several MPs from Gujarat to say that lions of their state were not for Madhya Pradesh.

This resulted in a verbal duel with the Congress leader.

The dispute between Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh over translocation of lions from Gir had already reached the Supreme Court, which gave its nod in 2013 saying the species was facing the threat of extinction and needed a second home.

However, Gujarat has filed a review petition against this order. The state contends that lions would not be safe in Madhya Pradesh, considering that tiger population in Panna Reserve Forest in the state was dwindling.

Responding to another question, Dave said the environment ministry had not formulated any plan for the development of biodiversity parks anywhere in India.

However, the Delhi Development Authority has created the Delhi biodiversity foundation under the chairmanship of the lieutenant governor.

The foundation has taken initiative to develop six biodiversity parks on the land under the DDAs jurisdiction. Compensation paid to the land-oustees or whose land had been acquired for the development of biodiversity parks falls within the preview of concerned land departments of state governments, he said.
The Mumbai Police arrested two men on Tuesday who allegedly stole a litter of six kittens after union minister Maneka Gandhi intervened following an email from the family of the animals owner.

The family of Sulochana, a resident of Chuim village in Khar, claimed that Gandhi called up the local police post in Khar after they sent her an email that two sweepers had stolen their kittens.

Sulochana said she and her husband had seen two sweepers trying to put one of their cats into a gunny bag. When her husband confronted them, the two fled but then the family found that the cats litter of six kittens had disappeared. The kittens are yet to be traced.

Sulochanas daughter Tina told Hindustan Times, We called the police control room on the emergency number 100 and within 15 minutes police reached our door step. We also wrote an email to Mrs. Gandhi who called up the police station. Both Mrs. Gandhi and Mumbai police acted promptly and helped us. We hope the police find our kittens.

When asked what could be the reason for the kittens being stolen, Tina replied, A neighbour seems to have a problem. We have learnt that the accused were promised some money to get rid of the kittens. What harm did they cause anyone?

An emotional Sulochana said A day after my fathers demise a cat came to our doorstep and I looked after her. For 12 years, I have kept over 20 cats as pets. I have taken good care of them. They are harmless. The kittens are very dear to us.

The Khar police have booked the sweepers, Shiva Chandaliya and Baljeet Chandaliya, residents of Bharat Nagar, Bandra, for theft under section 379 of the Indian Penal Code. They face up to three years in jail.

Their lawyer, Ankit Mota, said, My clients have been made scapegoats. The issue was between the two neighbours.

The two were granted bail by the magistrates court but neither had surety nor Rs15,000 each for cash for the bail and therefore were sent to judicial custody. They will have to remain in Arthur Road jail till someone pays their bail amount.
A Romanian man involved in a ATM heist from an SBI kiosk has been arrested in Mumbai and he has admitted to being a part of a Romanian gang.

Gabriel Marian was taken into custody on Tuesday night from Mumbai. He identified two others involved in the crime as Bogdean Florian and Christian Victor. The fourth has not been identified.

Mumbai police, who detained Marian while he was withdrawing money from an ATM in Station Plaza, was later handed over to Kerala Police.

Marian is expected to reach here on Wednesday or Thursday.

The accused is understood to have admitted to have done the heist with his friends who were in the Kerala capital last month for some two weeks.

They are believed to have stayed at a beach destination in Kovalam.

They placed electronic equipment in the SBI kiosk, which enabled them to get the details of card holders who withdrew money from the ATM.

Read: Three Romanians hide device at Kerala ATM kiosk, steal Rs 4 lakh: Police

Using the stolen data, the gang withdrew money from Mumbai.

On Sunday, a few ATM cardholders got SMS alerts on mobile telephones stating money had been withdrawn from their accounts.

Around 50 people complained to the police here. The total loss to these bank customers has been put around Rs 2.50 lakh.

When they checked the visuals of CCTV camera, officials spotted two foreigners working on the smoke alarm inside a SBI ATM.

The police then got their records form the hotel where they stayed.

The police have urged all those who used their ATM card form this kiosk to change their pins and have also asked all the banks to ensure that their kiosks do not contain any external fixtures.
The seven-hour long debate in the Rajya Sabha on the Kashmir situation witnessed parties across ideological spectrum stressing on the need for a political solution to the current unrest.

MPs also sought a ban on the use of pellets by security forces, resulting in grievous injuries to scores of Kashmiri youth. During the debate, Congress took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for choosing to speak on this issue in Madhya Pradesh, and not in the Parliament.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said, If something happens in Africa, you (Modi) tweet, Pakistan is an enemy nation and still you speak when something happens there. It is good to show sympathy with all. But the crown of India (Kashmir) is burning. You must have felt the heat on your head, if not the heart. This led to some angry exchanges between the Opposition and treasury benches prompting finance minister and leader of the House Arun Jaitley to intervene and urge member to keep politics out of the debate.

Read | Rajnath says govt will talk to all about Kashmir, all-party meet on Aug 12

Resuming the speech, Azad said Kashmir wasnt a mere law and order problem but a complex issue.

Politics comes first, economics second, employment after that. If we talk about electricity, roads and water, and not about politics, it will be wrong. He urged the government to talk to all sections of people in the state.

Veteran Congress leader Karan Singh said the government and the House should introspect why thousands of youths have embarked on a path of destruction in the Valley. Emphasising that Jammu and Kashmir was not an internal matter, he said, We insist Jammu and Kashmir is an internal affair. I agree, but let us not forget that 50% of the original state of Jammu and Kashmir is not under our control. There is a very major international aspect to it. There is Pakistan, there is China.

He said that the state, for which his father Maharaja Hari Singh signed accession (with India) was 84,000 square miles. To say that we will not talk is not a mature response. When we say we do not need to talk to Pakistan, have we legitimised that? he asked. You got to keep the dialogue on, he stressed.

Read | Kashmir has the same freedom that any other Indian state enjoys: Modi

Urging an immediate end to the use of pellet guns to quell protests, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, We have to end the violence and the current bloodshed in Kashmir. Start a political process to bring an end to the problems of people of Kashmir.

Nazir Ahmad Laway of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said, The longer we take to resolve this issue, the harder it will be. Kashmiri people are not for guns, they are for this country.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Two years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that he had asked the Spices Board to set up a separate unit to promote saffron, the PMO has not been able to produce any communication to this effect.

The PMO has told a Delhi-based RTI activist that they did not have any document indicating that such a communication had indeed been sent, either before Modi made the announcement or later.

Modi had travelled to Leh in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2014 to dedicate two hydel projects to the people and lay the foundation stone of the Leh-Kargil-Srinagar power transmission system.

At the public function, Modi reached out to the Kashmir valley as well, promising to bring a saffron revolution in J&K.

I have asked the Spice Board to think and make a special arrangement to develop a separate unit in the board for the development of saffron, developing a world market for it and using modern techniques of farming, the PM had said.

This unit will especially cater to the farmers of Jammu and Kashmir and help in saffron cultivation.

Shortly after this speech, activist Venkatesh Nayak filed an RTI application to see the PMs advice to the Spices Board. The PMO told him they didnt have a clue.

...the office has stated that no such communication/correspondence is available in the records held by this office, the PMO said.

But an unfazed Nayak persisted.

He filed an appeal with the PMO, this time sending them a link to the PMs video making the announcement as well. The appellate authority, Krishan Kumar, asked the public information officer to obtain fresh inputs in view of the specific and particular details provided by the appellant.

Nayak filed an application with the Spices Board as well to seek a copy of the PMs advice but did not get the information.

In May 2015, he finally filed an appeal with the transparency watchdog, the central information commission.

The PMs officers, he argued, had let down the PM.

The officers of your public authority had a duty to follow-up on the PMs speech by communicating his promise/assurance to spices board... if not done so prior to the making of the said speech, Nayak said.

At the CICs hearing last month, he made the same point. But a junior PMO official who had come for the hearing told him that it wasnt his job to follow-up. Curiously, chief information commissioner RK Mathur did not pass any directions. This is a violation of the commissions rulings that public authorities have to give clear reasons for their decision.

The Spices Board may not have produced the PMs letter but it did  along with the commerce ministry to which it reports  start work after Modis announcement.

The 2015-16 annual report of the commerce ministry said a saffron production and export development agency under the Spices Board had been established. It is headquartered in J&K. The report did not, however, indicate if the agency had been able to help the cause of the saffron cultivators and appeared targeted at post-harvest activities. The report said it would encourage creation of appropriate infrastructure for processing, packing, warehousing, research and also establish quality evaluation laboratory for saffron.

A national saffron mission launched in 2010 to promote modern techniques of farming is already in place.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The government is in the final stages of awarding a Rs 670-crore contract to Punj Lloyd for upgrading the armys ageing Zu-23-2B anti-aircraft guns, capable of engaging both aerial and ground targets.

The firm has partnered with Slovakian defence company EVPU to convert the mechanical Soviet-era gun, developed in the late 1950s, into an automatic system. The plan is to upgrade 468 guns.

Ashok Wadhawan, who heads manufacturing for Punj Lloyd, told HT that the deal was on the verge of being inked and the guns would be upgraded over a period of four years. The contract covers maintenance of the guns for 15 years.

Punj Lloyd emerged as the lowest bidder for the contract last year, beating off competition from state-run Bharat Electronics Ltd.

Larsen and Toubro (L&T), Tata Power SED and Alpha Design Technology also competed for the order, but were knocked out of competition in the early stage.

The contract is not a big one, but it will help us build capabilities at our Malanpur plant in Madhya Pradesh, Wadhawan said.

The existing guns will be upgraded with an electro-optical fire control system for detecting, tracking and engaging targets with precision. The modified guns would have all-weather day/night capability.

The firm is also competing for a Rs 1,500-crore contract to upgrade the armys vintage 130mm M-46 artillery guns to 155mm standard  155 mm denotes the diameter of the shell.

The up-gunning will increase the guns range and its ability to deliver heavier explosives to cause greater destruction. The upgrade should have happened by now. We are running behind schedule, said former army chief General Deepak Kapoor, an artillery officer.

Punj Lloyd has partnered with Serbian firm Yugo Import for the programme. Its competitors include Ordnance Factory Board and Bharat Forge.

The 130 mm gun has a range of 27 km. The upgrade will increase the guns range by 34%, enhance its terminal effectiveness by 260% and enlarge the lethal area by 330%. The army has completed summer trials and is gearing up to test the systems on offer in winter.

Wadhawan said Punj Lloyd was also preparing to take part in a tender to provide a replacement for L-70/Zu-23-2B guns, a Make in India project worth nearly Rs 17,000 crore.

Strategic affairs expert Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd) said the armys air defence capabilities needed to be scaled up swiftly and the L-70/Zu-23-2B replacement programme was a crucial one.
The Centre agreed to an all-party meeting on Friday to discuss how to end weeks of violent unrest in Kashmir, as pressure mounted on the government to open a broad dialogue to resolve the crisis triggered by the killing of a militant leader.

Home minister Rajnath Singh also said a decision could be taken on sending an all-party delegation to Kashmir after discussions with the state chief minister on the terms and modalities of engagement.

He said the government will talk to all no doubt, responding to opposition queries on whether moderates, political parties and others will be included in the dialogue. He, however, ruled out discussing Kashmir with Pakistan.

Read | All-party meeting to discuss Kashmir situation on August 12

Kashmir is an inseparable part of India. No power on earth can separate it from India, Singh said while replying to the debate in the upper house.

Talks would not be held with Pakistan regarding Kashmir but on the issue of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, he added, saying pro-Pakistani slogans wont be tolerated on Indian territory.

At least 55 people have been killed  most of them in police firing  following street unrest in Kashmir to protest against the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani by security forces last month. The region has been under curfew for 33 days.

Wednesdays announcements came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi invoked his predecessor Atal Bihari Vajpayees moderate vision to outline his governments stand on dealing with the protests in Kashmir. In 2003, Vajpayee paved the way for the Centres first-ever talks with Kashmiri separatists and laid down three principles to deal with the regions political crisis -- Insaaniyat (humanism), Jamhooriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat (Kashmirs legacy of amity).

Read | Kashmir has the same freedom that any other Indian state enjoys: Modi



The governments decision to hold an all-party meeting is seen aimed at blunting opposition criticism in Rajya Sabha that Modis outreach to Kashmir was not genuine and that the government was reluctant to talk to all stakeholders in the region.

On Wednesday, Rajya Sabha saw an impassioned debate over Kashmir and the house unanimously adopted a resolution, appealing to all sections of the society in Jammu and Kashmir to work for the early restoration of normalcy and harmony and restore the confidence among the people in general and youth in particular.

Later, RS deputy chairperson PJ Kurien clarified the resolution would include a suggestion from CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury that confidence building measures will come through a process of dialogue in Delhi and Kashmir. It wasnt clear if that would include the separatist Hurriyat leaders to whom Vajpayee had reached out.

Way Forward

Past efforts at finding political solutions in Kashmir, including the initiatives by Vajpayee, yielded little results. In 2010, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sent a three-member team of interlocutors to the region but their recommendations were largely ignored.

Political experts see Modis outreach to Kashmir  after a long silence -- and the Centres latest stand as a sign of nervousness in the government that the region might have reached a tipping point.

Like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he (Modi) should admit that there is a problem and address that, Professor Gull Mohammad Wani of Kashmir University said.

Dialogue with separatists will definitely help. They have a separate constituency and can influence people. Nobody can ignore that.

Noor Ahmad Baba, political science professor of Kashmir University, agrees.

It requires more than symbolism and mere expressions to address the current unrest as past experiences have shown. Dialogue at various levels is imperative, he said.

Stopping the use of pellet guns will be a good beginning.

But others feel the intensity of the ongoing protests, by and large spontaneous, will not sustain.

Fatigue will eventually set in but that doesnt mean the issue will go. If not addressed, it will keep recurring in different forms and manifestations, said another political analyst, requesting anonymity.


Union textile minister Smriti Irani will visit Siachen base camp on Raksha Bandhan while seven other Union ministers of the Narendra Modi government will be visiting soldiers elsewhere on that day.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, women and child welfare minister Maneka Gandhi and water resource minister Uma Bharti will visit border areas and interact with the soldiers.

Commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman, food processing minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and health minister Anupriya Patel will also meet jawans on August 18.

Soldiers at Siachen have seen visits by Prime Minister and defence ministers on special occasions but perhaps this will be the first time when a women minister will visit Siachen. In 2014, PM Modi visited Siachen on Diwali and interacted with the soldiers.

The visit comes amid a fresh debate over the armys presence in Kashmir valley and escalated tension with Pakistan.
The Srinagar district magistrate has ordered the exhumation of the body of a youth who according to his family was killed by a senior cop last month.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had stayed contempt proceedings against top police officers  Kashmirs inspector general of police SJM Gillani and Srinagar senior superintendent of police Amit Kumar  for failing to obey a court order to proceed against deputy superintendent of police Yasir Qadri for allegedly gunning down Shabbir Ahmad Mir.

The order, dated August 9, issued by Srinagar district magistrate says that for a transparent investigation of the case Mirs body is to be exhumed. It adds that the chief medical officer shall constitute a team of experts to conduct a post-mortem of the body as required under the law.

The body will also be re-buried following appropriate religious procedure under video coverage.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Justice to the victims of terror attacks like in Mumbai and Pathankot can be delivered only when countries stop patronising terrorism as well as any type of extremist act, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said on Wednesday.

Delivering an address at an international conference on counter-terrorism in Bali, Indonesia, Rijiju said there is a need to ensure that terrorism is not glorified and is not patronised by any state.

One countrys terrorist cannot be a martyr or freedom fighter for anyone. A terrorist anywhere is a terrorist everywhere. No type of terror activity or support to it can be justified on any ground whatsoever. Only then justice will be delivered to the victims of terrorist attacks such as in Mumbai and Pathankot, he said.

The minister said terrorism is an attack on the very idea of civilised societies and an attack on humanity itself. It defies international boundaries and hardly any nation is free from its impact.

Lately, he said, the menace has seriously escalated with terrorist groups creating havoc by maximising human losses through perpetration of widespread killings and destruction. Rijiju said India is committed to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and to ensure that the perpetrators of terrorist acts, their masterminds and conspirators are brought to justice.

We unequivocally condemn all acts, methods and practices of terrorism, which cannot be justified under any circumstances, regardless of their motivation, wherever and by whomsoever they are committed.

There should be zero tolerance against terrorism. We reaffirm that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group, he said.

The minister said those who provide support, encouragement, sanctuary, safe haven or any assistance to terrorism or terrorists must be isolated, according to a statement.

Strongest possible steps need to be taken not only against terrorists and terrorist organisations but also against those individuals, institutions, organisations or nations that support them, he said.
There has been significant progress in the investigation into journalist Pavel Sheremet's killing in Kyiv, but this information cannot be made public in order to safeguard the investigation, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko said.

"There is no information that can be made public in the Sheremet case. There has been serious progress in the investigation, but it is not public," Lutsenko said at a news briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday.

Sheremet was killed when a car he was driving was blown up in central Kyiv on July 20. Media said the car belonged to Olena Prytula, head of the Ukrainska Pravda online publication, but that she was not in it at the moment of the attack.
The Kerala police on Tuesday recovered CCTV footage of three Romania nationals who allegedly fitted a skimmer device in an ATM counter here and decamped with Rs 4 lakh.

The incident came to light when some of the customers who were robbed of the money  ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 40,000  thronged the bank on Monday.

We have collected the copies of their travel documents and alerted all airports. We have also sought the help of Interpol in nabbing the accused, said additional DGP B Sandhya.

The employees of a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram  where the trio stayed for three days in the first week of July  have also identified the accused.

The police have also recovered the skimmer device that was hidden in the smoke detector in the ceiling of the ATM unit.

The chip in the card reader was missing and the money was withdrawn from various branches in Mumbai.

The police suspect that after removing the chip that contained security details, they might have made fake cards to withdraw money.

At least 20 persons had lodged a complaint. We suspect there can be more victims, said a senior police officer.

Most of the customers who received SMS alerts have lodged complaints. After the incident, the police and bank officials conducted a random search at many ATM units across the city. Many banks were flooded with requests to change PIN numbers and block cards.

When the police examined the CCTC footage, they found that the three persons were meddling with the smoke detector in the ATM unit.

Nobody suspected any foul play as they entered the kiosk dressed as mechanics.

This is the first such case reported in the state.
A priest and his assistant allegedly prevented a teenaged Dalit girl from drinking water from the temple handpump in Gaghura village in Uttar Pradeshs Sambhal.

The priest, Puran Singh Kashyap, who belongs to the other backwards caste (OBC), and his assistant Natthu Singh allegedly injured the girls father Charan Singh with a trident (trishul) when he protested.

The police have arrested the priest and his assistant.

ASP, Sambhal, Kamlesh Dixit said a case had been registered under section 323, 324 of the IPC and under the SC/ST Act at Gunnaur police station.

The incident took place on Sunday evening when Charan Singh, a Dalit and his 13-year-old daughter, Sudha Kumari, had gone to collect fodder on the village outskirts.

The girl went to a temple in search of water where the priest and his assistant allegedly made casteist remarks against her and prevented her from drinking water.

The girl narrated the incident to her father. When he objected to their act, the duo allegedly attacked him with a trident.
The NIA said on Wednesday that Pakistani terror suspect Bahadur Ali, who was recently captured in Kashmir, was regularly guided by the control room of terrorist groups in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) with the help of neighbouring countrys forces.

During a press conference on Wednesday, the National Investigation Agency added that the arms and ammunitions training given to Ali show the involvement of military experts.

A Lashkar control room, code named Alpha-3 and located at a high-altitude peak in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, guided Ali and his associates.The control room is being run with support from Pakistani forces, NIA inspector general Sanjiv Kumar Singh said.

Ali told interrogators that he was trained by military men. The NIA has reasons to believe him as security forces recovered assault rifles, Chinese hand grenades, sophisticated wireless sets made by ICOM Inc. of Japan.

Ali, a resident of Jia Bagga village in Pakistani Punjab, was captured with weapons, communication equipment and material of Pakistani and international origin in Jammu and Kashmir on July 25 following an encounter with security forces in Kupwara district. Four other terrorists were gunned down in the shootout.

Counter-terror officials said Ali, who was described by the government as a big terror catch, had crossed over to India to attack security forces and fuel more unrest in the valley. He was on a fidayeen or suicide mission in Kashmir.

The agency also told reporters that the LeT has instructed its cadre to stay behind Kashmiris during protests in the valley that has witnessed a wave of violence after security forces gunned down Burhan Wani, a poster boy of the militant Hizbul Mujahideen.

Bahadur Ali lays bare the Lashkar conspiracy to throw grenades amidst protesters in Kashmir, NIA DG Sharad Kumar told Hindustan Times.

Kumar added that Ali tried throwing grenades from behind protesters twice.

Since Ali was roaming among the protesters and his appearance didnt gel with the locals, informers spotted him. A wireless set was found on him when he was captured, said a counter-terrorism expert.

According to the agency, Ali is the son of a former police constable in Pakistans Punjab province and has six brother and two sisters. They said his family owns 12 canals or over 5,000 square feet of land in Jia Bagga near Lahore.

He dropped out of the government primary school in his village after Class 8 and also attended a local madrassa Jamia Qasmia affiliated to Tablighi Jamaat.

In 2008-09 when Ali was 13 or 14, he met an imam of Ahle-Hadith mosque and his son who motivated him to join the sect. At the same time, he also met Mohammad Yusuf and Hafiz Shehzad, who worked for LeTs parent outfit Jamaat Ud Dawa.

In 2013-14, he started working with Falah-e-Insaniat, the charity long suspected of a front of the LeT. A JuD donation collector by the name of Abdullah asked Ali to join the Lashkar.

Officials also said Indian national called Deen Mohammad is related to Ali.

He is the fourth Pakistan terror suspect to be captured alive in Kashmir since the arrest of Mohammad Naveed Yakub, a 22-year-old from Pakistans Faisalabad city who joined LeT at a young age after getting indoctrinated at a local mosque.

Naveed was arrested on August 5 last year after he, along with another suicide attacker, tried to attack a BSF bus in Udhampur area of Jammu and Kashmir.

India on Tuesday called in the Pakistani envoy to lodge a strong protest over Islamabads continuing cross-border terrorism amid a sharp downturn in bilateral ties.

Bahadur Ali crossed into Indian side on either 11th or 12th June along with two LeT cadres: NIA pic.twitter.com/zQBmB5ZP4S  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

A strong demarche on Pakistans use of terrorism against India and the recent arrest of Ali was handed over to Pakistani high commissioner Abdul Basit by foreign secretary S Jaishankar. The demarche made specific reference to LeT terrorist and (Pakistani) national Bahadur Ali, external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

Pakistans Foreign Office spokesperson strongly rejected Indian claim of any cross-LOC infiltration.

Pakistan remains committed to the policy of not allowing its territory for any terrorist activity against anyone. However, it is necessary to establish the veracity of the Indian claim. Details in this regard will be gathered, the spokesperson added.

Ties between India and Pakistan dipped to a new low in January after the terror attack on Pathankot airbase, which was blamed on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed. The unrest in Jammu and Kashmir triggered by the death of militant commander Burhan Wani has added to tensions.

Pakistan has made renewed efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue and Indian home minister Rajnath Singhs visit to Islamabad last week to attend a Saarc meet ended in rancour after a tense encounter with his Pakistani counterpart.

Read | Big terror catch: Militant caught in Kashmir is Pakistani national

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi walked into a BJP meeting called to discuss names for Gujarat chief minister early this month, he had just one message for the party.

Amit (Shah) ko chhod kar baki naam par vichar kar len (Discuss any name but Amit Shahs), were his opening lines as he addressed the BJPs parliamentary board.

The members of the BJPs highest decision-making body had on August 3 gathered at the Prime Ministers 7, RCR residence to pick Anandiben Patels successor.

Modis remarks put an end to the talk about the BJP chief returning to Gujarat ahead of the 2017 state elections.

Modi, BJP sources said, had received feedback that only Shah could arrest the partys slide in Gujarat, where it has been in power for almost 19 years.

The BJP chief, the sources said, was open to the idea of going back to his home state.

But sources close to Shah denied that the 51-year-old was interested in the Gujarat top job. As BJP chief, he was responsible for the party across the country and not just one state, they said.

The chapter was closed when the message came directly from the Prime Minister, said a leader who attended the August 3 meeting.

The Prime Ministers biggest concern was finding a suitable replacement for Shah in Delhi, sources said.

Modi and Shah have shared a good relationship since their days together in the Gujarat government. Shah held a dozen ministries under Modi as chief minister.

The equation stood both in good stead as they moved to Delhi two years ago, Modi as the Prime Minister and Shah as the party chief. And now as the government is buffeted by crises  from the Kashmir unrest to attacks on Dalits  Modi probably needs Shah more than ever to tide over.

Then there are five state elections due in early 2017. The big one will be in Uttar Pradesh that played a key role in the BJP sweeping the 2014 national elections. Of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the countrys most populous state, the BJP won 71.

Modi would not have been as comfortable with another leader as the BJP chief as he is with Shah, the party leader said.

Modis message received, the parliamentary board left it to Shah to pick the next chief minister. On August 5, Gujarat BJP chief Vijay Rupani, close to both Modi and Shah, was named the chief minister.

Patel had opposed Rupanis elevation, saying he didnt have the experience to lead a state government.

Shah assured the Prime Minister that he will win Gujarat for him, provided he gets a free hand. The PM went by his advice in choosing Anandibens successor, another BJP leader told HT.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Rain continued to batter parts of Rajasthan on Wednesday and flood-like situation has thrown life out of gear in Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Pali and Jodhpur districts.

Teams of Army, National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force and Rajasthan Armed Constabulary (RAC) carried out rescue works in the affected districts. According to officials, several thatched houses have collapsed in different parts of Bhilwara district and villages and towns, including Mandalgarh, have been cut off as the roads were submerged. Train services in the region too have been affected. Disaster management and relief department officials, however, told HT that the situation was under control.

Chief minister Vasundhara Raje conducted an aerial survey of Bhilwara and Chittorgarh to take stock of situation. She directed all district collectors to immediately provide relief to affected people and move them to safer locations. The chief minister has also asked the administration to remain alert in areas facing flood-like situation, especially where rivers and dams were in surge.

The situation is under control in Chittorgarh. The assessment of losses is being done and the state government will, under norms, provide help and assistance to the affected families, said Prakash Chand, in-charge of the control room set up to oversee operations in Bhilwara. Heavy rainfall occurred in Mandalgarh and nearby areas in Bhilwara, while places located near the catchment area of Banas river are affected due to increase in the water level.

Two children reportedly drowned in a rivulet in Bilia village under Ralayata panchayat samiti in Bhilwara district. The children, Dinesh, 6, and Maina, 4, were playing when they were swept away by sudden gush of water, police said.

Meanwhile, the state capital witnessed light to moderate showers which triggered traffic snarls in several arterial roads.

12 trains cancelled

The incessant rainfall and intense water logging in Bhagat ki Kothi-Basni, Mandor-Rai Ka Bagh, Jodhpur-Merta sections have affected movement of trains, forcing the North Western Railways to cancel 12 trains and partially cancelling three trains. Several trains were running late even as routes of three trains were changed.

Trains which have been cancelled include Jaipur-Jodhpur express, Jaisalmer-Jodhpur express, Barmer-Jodhpur express, Gandhidham-Jodhpur express, Jodhpur-Bhopal passenger, Delhi Sarai-Jodhpur express, Delhi Sarai-Sikar express and Delhi-Jaisalmer express.

(With PTI inputs)
Majeed Abdul Kader, 63, whose son Ashfaque left from Kerala with his wife and infant daughter to join terrorist group ISIS, said he started noticing changes in his sons behaviour two years ago.

Ashfaque started growing a beard and grew very religious. He started saying hateful things against different sects. Before he left Kerala, he said he was going to Sri Lanka for further studies, said Kader.

On Saturday, Kader registered a case against three people and one employee of the Islamic Research Foundation, the organisation of controversial preacher Zakir Naik.

Ashfaques mother continues crying and has not slept properly since. She is a mother after all, said Kader.

In July, Ashfaques younger brother received a message from him. The message was, We are in Islamic country in Hijrah (known as prophets migration with his Islamic followers) and will not return. Take care of mother.

A score of Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) officers have been visiting the lodge since. The lodge employees take care of the business as Kader shuttles between the two states -- at times to visit his worried family and sometimes with the ATS teams.

Ashfaque used to visit Navi Mumbai from Kerala to meet an IRF employee. Ashfaque and other youths were learning under Haneef, a madrasa teacher. He was being radicalized. Abdul Rashid, a teacher with the peace international school, is responsible for brainwashing many. I dont want others like Ashfaque to lose their path and get brainwashed into doing something like this, Kader said.

Kader said, I have read books but nowhere do they ask us to go to Hijrah, leaving parents alone. Who has taught the boys these new stories? Who is trying to bring in this new Islam?

When asked if they hope Ashfaque would be reunited with them sometime in the future, Kader plainly said, Even if he comes back, he is not my son. This country has not given us any trouble, why would he betray the country like this. He is dead to us.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Last week, the Maharashtra government chose gatari amavasya to discuss statehood for Vidarbha. Gatari is derived from gutter and I have always wondered at the tradition  the society has always sanctioned people to indulge in gutter behaviour  eat, drink, sin, use abusive language, let off steam and lighten the burden of their grievances against others. After that, they must forget enmities and become model citizens

Analysts were upset that the states legislators, of all political hues, rather lived up to the name of this celebration. Congress and NCP legislators descended to the well of the House and sat in, tearing and flinging papers at the Speakers podium. Women legislators too pitched in.

The Shiv Sena had promised to team up with the Congress to press a resolution for Akhand Maharashtra to hem the BJP in and prevent the party from breaking up the state anytime in the future. It later backed out but there was enough chaos in the House to unnerve the chief minister and, as seems to have become his wont these days, he gave in with an assurance that there would be no separate Vidarbha. Later ruling party ad opposition legislators together feasted on mutton biryani and, I am told by reporters covering the event, they then all went together to watch Kabali at the nearby cinema.

I would not grudge our legislators some fun but this exhibition of the lack of seriousness has angered certain Congressmen to no end and they immediately went into a huddle in Yavatmal to discuss the fallout of the assurance that there would be no division of the state. They have threatened morchas and demonstrations across the state and some consolidation seems to be taking place among the proponents of a separate Vidarbha. But it is very telling that all these Congressmen are defeated candidates with nothing to lose in going high voltage over a separate state but at the back of their mind, I am sure, must prevail the thought that Vidarbha never votes for people who demand statehood for the region.

Even Jambuwantrao Dhote, the live wire proponent of statehood in the 1970s, found his margins diminishing steadily until he faded out altogether. Dhote was known for his Hanuman leap from his desk in the Assembly towards the Speakers podium and running away with the mace at one time. That brought him more notoriety than fame and eventually the plot slipped from under his feet. Does anyone remember him at all today?

Devendra Fadnavis has a larger canvas than he would have as just a Vidarbha legislator and he cannot be unaware of that advantage. The BJP passed a resolution for the smaller states at its Bhubaneshwar executive meeting in the 1990s and so all legislators from the party have to pay lip service to the demand. But I know as a matter of fact that many of them are wary of pressing for a separate state of Vidarbha after the Telangana experience.

The Congress had honoured its commitment for a separate state against all opposition to the demand and lost both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in the bargain. Moreover, the demand for Telangana came from agitating groups led by a concerted leadership. That is not the case with Vidarbha. Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari is on record stating that there is hardly any popular demand for a separate state. Whenever someone gives a call, some 50 people gather on the streets, shout out a few slogans and go home peacefully.

In fact, that is indeed the character of the people of Vidarbha  they are not moved to agitate and are not inspired by violence. They wish to be left in peace. That is also perhaps the reason why there is no development in Vidarbha. Hemant Gadkari of the MNS, who is opposed to statehood, tells me there is no guarantees that Vidarbha will develop even after its separation from Maharashtra. All you need is proper funding, efficient bureaucrats and conscious people who will press for development.

Now, people of Vidarbha are looking up to their most prominent politicians from Nagpur  Nitin Gadkari and Fadnavis  to deliver on development, so there is still hope for the region within the ambit of Maharashtra which pays it handsomely for the thermal power and other resources that Bombay derives from the region. Where do the funds go though? That has always been the billion rupee question for decades.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The National Disaster Response Force and the Indian Navy are likely to call off search operations on the Savitri river, after more than a week of scouring the area for victims of the bridge collapse. The state government, however, will continue surveying the area until all bodies are found.

Relief and rehabilitation minister Chandrakant Patil hinted on Wednesday there was no point continuing with search and rescue, as the bodies are unlikely to be recovered in sound condition.

The central agencies are finding it difficult as there are many crocodiles in the riverbed. We hope the missing people are in the two state transport buses that are yet to be traced. But we will have to decide about the operation very soon, he said. Patil said a few boats will operate.

The agencies and the government said they may be able to spot the two ST buses by Thursday as the water has started receding, and hope the remaining bodies are trapped in them.

Four teams - 40 jawans from the NDRF and 25 from coast Guards,16 boats and several divers were part of the rescue operation that began on August 3. The teams have so far found 26 of the 42 people who went missing after the river washed away the bridge at Mahad.

To ensure financial aid reaches the kin of the victim quickly, the state on Wednesday decided to tweak a rule to announce the missing as dead in two months, instead of seven years. Existing rules state a person not traceable for seven years is to be declared dead. We have decided make an exception in this case, so the families are compensated with immediate effect, Patil said.

He also announced to raise the compensation to the next of kin of the deceased in private vehicle. The relatives of the passengers in the ST buses will be compensated with 14 lakh, while families of the passengers in the private vehicles will be compensated with Rs10 lakh each.

The government has already announced a judicial probe into the accident. The scope and the name of the retired judge is yet to be finalised. Patil said a team of three experts from IIT-Bombay has started an audit of about 100 bridges constructed during British rule.
Rock star Sahil Makhija, of Demonic Resurrection, and Reptilian Death, recommends the most promising metal bands in town.

1. The Minerva Conduct: When you talk of some of the best players in the Mumbai metal scene coming together, you think of The Minerva Conduct. The core group -- Ashwin Shriyan, Nishith Hegde and Pratheek Rajagopal -- dish out some crazy, experimental, progressive metal. These guys give you serious envy with their skill levels.

ALSO READ: Mumbais metal music scene is getting a revival with new, regular gigs

2. Darkrypt: A promising new band which has just released their debut album, Delirious Excursion, featuring collaborations with international artists for their artwork, lyrics and even the mixing and mastering. I saw them live before the album came out, and they showed a lot of promise. Their album has set them a high benchmark to match up to when they play live now. Check it out if death metal is your thing.

3. Killchain: Their music is primal and raw death metal. It reminds me of Obituary, if I have to think of a reference point. They are a good live band, and are currently working on their EP, which Im quite excited to listen to. They can definitely be a force to reckon with if they stick around.

ALSO READ: Musician Sahil Makhija on the Indian metal scene today

4. The Calvin Cycle: Honestly, they arent the tightest live band, but they bring something new to the Mumbai scene with their brand of Gothic metal. Think Evanescence and Lacuna Coil. If these guys can hone their chops, they can go a long way.

 By Sahil Makhija, drummer, Reptilian Death, and vocalist and guitarist, Demonic Resurrection

Follow HT48Hours on Twitter: @ht48hours
Former Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Manoj Kumar (64kg) stunned ex-Olympic bronze-medallist Evaldas Petrauskas in a fiercely-contested opening bout to enter the pre-quarterfinals of the Rio Games here.

Manoj prevailed 2-1 in the hard-fought battle in which he had to hold his ground against the intense aggression displayed by Lithuanian Petrauskas in all three rounds.

A former Asian bronze-medallist, Manoj will next be up against fifth seed Uzbek Fazliddin Gaibnazarov in the pre-quarters scheduled on Sunday.

Evenly-matched on pace and agility, the two boxers were quite distinct in their attacking approach.

While Petrauskas, the London Olympics bronze winner in lightweight 60kg division, aggressively tried to engage the Indian from close range, Manoj preferred to back-peddle and hit from a distance.

At the end of the opening three minutes, it was Manojs tactics that found favour with the judges, who awarded the first round to the former Commonwealth Games gold-medallist on a split decision.

In the second round too, Petrauskas was the more aggressive of the two but Manoj managed to stave off the challenge by sticking to his strategy of keeping a distance and hitting occasional uppercuts to the Lithuanians body.

None of the boxers were willing to make any change to their strategy in the final three minutes as well although the desperate attacks launched by Petrauskas did unnerve Manoj to an extent.

The pumped up effort secured Petrauskas the final round but it was not enough to turn the bout in his favour as Manoj was adjudged the winner.

Manoj joined 7th seed Vikas Krishan (75kg) as the second Indian in the pre-quarters. Tomorrow, Shiva Thapa will open his campaign in the bantamweight (56kg) category.
Former PM Azarov fails to come for PGO questioning with his son

Former Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov has failed to appear for questioning at the Main Military Prosecutor's Office of the General Prosecutor's Office (PGO), where he was summoned on Tuesday as a witness in the case of Ukrgazvydobuvannia and Ukrnafta embezzlement (the case was opened in January 2013).

"Azarov has not come in for questioning," press secretary of Chief Prosecutor Yuriy Lutsenko Larysa Sargan told Interfax-Ukraine agency.

Earlier, PGO published Azarovs summons warrant on its website to the Main Military Prosecutor's Office.

According to the document, Azarov is invited for questioning at 14.00 on August 9 and for procedural matters in the framework of a criminal case probing the activities of an organized criminal group headed by disgraced former President Viktor Yanukovych that embezzled up to UAH 2 billion with PSJC Ukrnafta and PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia.

In addition, Azarov's son, Oleksiy, has also been summoned for questioning at 16.00 the same day. Oleksiy Azarov also failed to appear for questioning at the appointed time by the investigator.

Mykola Azarov said the PGO itself illegitimate. "Following the overthrow of elected officials [in February 2014] the PGO ceased to serve as the agency responsible for law enforcement and upholding the Constitution of Ukraine. Following the arrests of Kotsaba, Hlischenska, Aleksandrovska, Yefremov and many others, the PGO lost the moral and legal right to accuse individuals in the name of Ukraine. This is how to respond to PGO claims," Azarov wrote on his Facebook page.

Azarov headed the Ukrainian government from March 2010 until the end of January 2014. Following the Revolution of Dignity he fled Ukraine. Presently he resides in the Russian Federation.

Ukraine has put Mykola Azarov on the international wanted list on suspicion he embezzled government funds.

Azarov's son Oleksiy was elected national parliament deputy in 2012.
Just a few days ago, at this very range in Rio, Jitu Rai broke the world record in practice. On Wednesday, he failed to reproduce any of that form as he yo-yoed between brilliant and indifferent shooting to end Indias realistic hopes of a shooting podium from its favourite medal sport.

Rai is ranked third in the world in the 50m mens pistol and the kind of form he had displayed coming into these Games, India was looking up to him to deliver after the near loss of Abhinav Bindra. There is still London bronze medalist Gagan Narang in the fray in 50m prone and three-position, who kindles some hope on account of his past performance, and one can pray that the others may turn in a maverick win, but hopes are fading fast.

Rai did realize just what was at stake and what was expected from him. I have let my country down. Aisa lag raha hai ki maine apne desh ke saath dhokha kiya hai (I feel I have betrayed my country), was his emotional pained admission later.

There was some wind at the range in the morning and Rais shots were drifting a wee bit to the left as he opened his account in the qualifying. Shooters must fire 60 shots in an hour and 30 minutes. Despite the wind, Rai soon seemed to be in cruise mode, turning in 9s with regularity and an odd ten thrown in to further buttress his qualification chances. The 500 mm target with the 10th ring measuring 50 mm, is not evaluated for decimals in the qualifying and a 10 is the highest possible score from a shot.

In his third series of ten shots, Rai registered a disastrous 6 and an 8, to cause a minor flutter in the Indian camp. The anxiety was soon eased, though, when he came back strongly and was comfortably in the top eight headed for the finals. Rai does like to take his time and with four shots still left and five minutes on the clock, he seemed to get a bit flustered. An 8 and a 9 followed. Then another 8 before the disastrous 7, on his penultimate shot which sealed things against him. He finished at 12, four places off the cut off.

It was a disastrous run from a man who was in hot form and expected to finally break Indias medal drought in these Games. When a shot falls below expectation your correspondents heart quails in the stands, one can only imagine the stress that the man on the spot undergoes. The other Indian in the fray, Prakash Nanjappa, had been diagnosed with a debilitating brain clot in 2014 at a tournament in Spain. That had set rumours abuzz that his Olympic quota may be given to another. Nanjappa made it to 25 in the qualification standings and that is a credit to his grit for recovering enough to compete at this level. However, the man in the spotlight today was Rai and he went on to join the ranks of many Indians who do manage world-beating performances at other events but seem to come apart under the pressure induced by a billion hopes from the Indian Olympics contingent.
Laishram Bombayla Devi and Deepika Kumari advanced to the pre-quarterfinals of the womens individual recurve event as Indian archers rounded off a good day in office at the Olympic Games.

Competing in her third Olympics, the 31-year-old Bombayla, who finished 24th in the ranking round, dished out a dominating show to get the better off Chinese Taipeis Lin Shih-Chia 6-2 in the 1/16 elimination after beating Austrias Laurence Baldauff in 1/32 elimination round.

Deepika also put up an excellent show as she comprehensively defeated Italys Sartori Guendalina 6-2 in the 1/16 elimination after prevailing over her opponent from Georgia, Kristine Esebua, 6-4 in the 1/32 elimination round.

The 22-year-old from Jharkhand, who had lost in the first round in London Games four years ago, came back strongly from a set down to register a dominating 24-27, 29-26, 28-26, 28-27 victory in the end.

Deepika lost the first set before hitting two consecutive 10s and a nine in the second set to aggregate 29 as compared to 26 by the Italian.

After the first two 10s, Deepika sealed the set in her favour after her opponent hit a seven and a nine in her first two attempts.

The Indian once again started with a 10 in the third set, while two 9s in the next two arrows gave her a total of 28. The Italian, on the other hand, managed just 26.

Heading into the fourth set with a 4-2 advantage, Deepika tightened the noose. While both the archers began the round with an eight each, followed by 10, the last attempt made all the difference. While the Italian shot a nine, Deepika hit the bulls eye to eke out a one-point win.

Earlier, in the round of 1/32, Deepika beat her Georgian rival 27-26, 29-29, 30-27, 27-29, 29-29 to enter the next round.

In the first set, Deepika won by just one point as she managed to hit a 10 with her second arrow as compared to none by the Georgian girl.

After a 29-29 tie in the second set, Deepika hit the bulls eye in her all three attempts in the third set to surge ahead 5-1.

However, she lost the rhythm in the fourth set, going down 27-29. Deepika bounced back and kept her nerves in the deciding set to tie the scores 29-29 and clinch the issue in her favour.
Half a point. That was the difference between Abhinav Bindra and Ukraines Serhiy Kulish in the 10m air rifle shoot-off on Tuesday. It would also prove to be the difference between Indias first medal at the Rio Olympics and another agonising near-miss. It was the difference between Bindra finishing his career with a medal at the Olympics or with lifelong lament.

No one knows the despair of finishing fourth at the Olympics better than Indian shooter Joydeep Karmakar. Four years ago at London, Karmakar had finished fourth in the 50m rifle prone event. Its a result which rankles Karmakar.

Finishing fourth is very, very heartbreaking and painful. If you finish 10th or if youre in the final and finish eighth, its a big jolt. But if you finish fourth, you are almost there. I regard this word almost as very important in my life. The distance was so close, yet so far, Karmakar told HT on Tuesday.

I havent managed to get over the loss. Its a big dent. Youre still an Olympian, not an Olympic medallist. The margin was so close. I came too close to it.

Its a scar that others like Milkha Singh, who finished fourth in the 1960 Olympics in 400m, and PT Usha, who missed bronze by 100th of a second in the 400m hurdles race at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, also bear.

Shooting is a sport where fractions can be a kingmaker. At London, Karmakar came into the finals with a score of 595, tied with four others. Rajmond Debevec, a veteran of eight Olympics stretching back to 1984, was third with 596 points. Back then, rules were different. Shooters scores in the finals, where they had to take 10 shots, were added to qualification scores.

Karmakars next 10 shots are all in 10s, but that one-point advantage the eventual bronze medallist, Debevec, carried over from qualification proved to be the difference. The Indian fell 1.9 short of a medal. The frustration made him bang the mat with his fist.

In the crowd, there was a huge Indian contingent. They made my day. I was about to break down, but they congratulated me. The tears came in abundance two hours later when he would see Vijay Kumar climb the podium for his silver-medal finish.

I realised what I had missed. I went back to the final range where there was nobody and I cried like a baby, said Karmakar.

When I returned to India, I got a heros welcome. People actually hailed me like a fighter and not a loser, he recollected.

The difference between a bronze and fourth position would become evident when the London medallists were handed fat bonus cheques, while Karmakar got just R50,000. For a sport where there is barely any money coming in through sponsorships, the amount can make a huge difference.

Four years on, the wounds opened up again as he saw friend Bindra come up short by another fine margin.

I didnt expect him to finish fourth. It will hurt him for a long time. But Abhinav already has an Olympic gold in the bag, so it might be a little different for him. Signing off with a fourth-place finish is not that bad for him, Karmakar said before adding, There will be mixed emotions and even a dilemma -- he might think of reversing his call about retirement because the ending was not perfect. Hes a perfectionist. I wont be very surprised if he does not retire.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
After inputs about possible terror attack on the Pakistan side of the Attari-Wagah border around Independence Day, the Border Security Force (BSF) sounded an alert here on Wednesday.

Besides stepping up security in the area, the BSF is deploying more personnel to keep vigil during the evening retreat ceremony.

BSF men at the India-Pakistan border in Attari. (HT File Photo)

We are already extra vigilant ahead of Independence Day. After intelligence inputs from Pakistan, we have sounded an operational alert on Wednesday itself. We have also intensified checking of people visiting the daily ceremony, said a senior BSF official.

Pakistans National Counter Terrorism Authority on Tuesday had written to the Punjab (Pak) home secretary about a terror outfits plan to target the parade at Wagah between August 13 and 15.

A suicide blast after the evening retreat had killed at least 60 Pakistan nationals in 2014.

IG reviews security at border posts

Inspector general (IG, border range) NK Arora along with Pathankot senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rakesh Kaushal reviewed security at border villages of the district on Wednesday. After joining his new assignment, Arora is likely to meet BSF officials in his visit to the border posts, said sources.

Talking to HT, SSP Kaushal said Pathankot will soon have a company of the BSF in addition to seven companies of the Punjab Armed Police already deployed here. The heightened security will help avert infiltration bids in the border district, he said.

The SSP said police personnel are keeping a close eye on vehicles entering the state from neighbouring states of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir as well. (with inputs from Pathankot)
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Captain Amarinder Singh, who attended the Lokan Da Darbar programme in Sardulgarh on Tuesday, hinted that some sitting party MLAs may be dropped in the coming elections depending on their performance.

Sardulgarh assembly constituency is represented by Congress MLA Ajit Inder Singh Mofar, despite that, SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal had earned a lead of 20,000 votes from this assembly constituency in the Lok Sabha elections.

Registration of false cases, discrimination against Congress workers and non availability of drinking water in the region remained the major issues highlighted in the programme.

One of the local congress workers asked Captain to offer free-run to party workers after coming to power so that they can avenge the injustice done by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) workers. To this, Capt said, I will avenge each and every case of victimisation and vendetta and it is my fight. I will not let anyone who victimised my people, go scot-free.

During the Halke vich Captain programme, he said that after Congress forms the government, all the villages and panchayats with Congress majority, which have been ignored and discriminated against by the Akalis, will get priority in the allocation of development funds and grants.

Along the sidelines of Halqe vich Captain programme, the PCC president said that the party has already started the process of identifying candidates.

He added that surveys by independent agencies are being carried out to assess the performance of ticket-aspirants.

Regarding the Congress MPs and MLAs mass resignations against the SYL verdict, Capt said, that the party will go to the people and seek their support so that they have adequate numbers in the Vidhan Sabha to bring in a law to save Punjabs water.
Promising to provide best facilities to the Amrtisar international airport, Rajya Sabha member Shwait Malik said it was surprising the way revenue earned from cargo dipped between 2011 and 2014.

Malik, after holding a detailed meeting with the airport officials, said the airport earned Rs 1.7 crore revenue in 2011-2012, which dipped to Rs 15.6 lakh in 2015-16.

The MP said the Centre was committed to equip the airport with top facilities, while promising a grant of Rs 200 crore in coming months.

The first floor of the terminal building will be getting a major facelift. It will also have two more aerobridges, he said.
Expressing concern over the depleting water level in the Sukhna Lake, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday said there was a need to make artificial arrangements to revive the water body.

We cant depend on rain god. Something will have to be done to get surplus water to the lake. You (Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh) will have to spend a little. Artificial arrangement of water is the only solution to save the lake. You install borewells and release water into the lake. Something like this needs to be done, a bench of justices A K Mittal and Ramendra Jain said.

Two days after a high court team visited the lake, the HC bench sought help of tricity residents and come up with suggestions to preserve the heritage of the city.

There is no petitioner, no respondent (in this matter). Including the court, there is no party in this case. Each one has given positive response, the high court bench observed commenting on the successful visit in which counsels from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh had participated.

The high court bench exhorted the residents to submit their suggestions for revival of lake to amicus curiae, assisting the court in matter, Tanu Bedi at her email id: tanubedi@yahoo.com and also asked Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to ensure publicity for the cause.

The bench said the amicus curiae would compile all suggestions from residents and place it before the court by September 5. Then it will be deliberated upon and appropriate directions will be issued to all stakeholders.

The HC was hearing a suo motu petition initiated in 2009 on depleting water levels and increasing pollution in the lake.
Kulwant Singh, the mayor of SAS Nagar (Mohali), on Wednesday joined Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in the presence of Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Eleven councillors of his Azad Group and two other Independents also joined back.

About his decision, Kulwant had said on Tuesday, Being part of the political system, I and other members of the group felt a need to rejoin the party. There is no hitch.

Sukhbir and Kulwant after the latter rejoined the SAD on Wednesday. (Karun Sharma/HT Photo)

Kulwant, of Samana Kalan village in Rupnagar district, is a Class-10 passout and owner of Janta Land Promoters Limited that has Rs 1,500-crore turnover with business interests in SAS Nagar, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and Himachal Pradesh.

He began his career as an employee of Janta Dharam Kanda at a monthly salary of Rs 375. He contested elections for the first time in 1995. He remained the senior vice-president of the SAS Nagar municipal council from 1995 to 2000 and the president till 2005.

His fortune took a turn for the better when he was SAS Nagar council president when the then local bodies minister Chaudhary Jagjit Singh introduced him to the then chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh. Amarinder wanted to develop SAS Nagar into a world class city and offered him land to develop various sectors.

JOINED SAD IN 2007

Kulwant joined the SAD in 2007 and worked in the party for some time, before present Dera Bassi MLA NK Sharma introduced him to the Badals, resulting in a SAD Lok Sabha party ticket in 2014.

CONGRESS AIDED HIS RISE

In what could be dubbed as farcical voting to elect the mayor in the first-ever SAS Nagar MC of 50 members, 23 SAD-BJP councillors opted not to participate in the voting, paving the way for his Kulwants election as mayor. Rishabh Jain of the Congress was made senior deputy mayors and independent councillor Manjeet Singh Sethi took charge as deputy mayor.

Even as Kulwants rejoining has given rise to speculation that he would be contesting the assembly elections due next year.

When queried, Kulwant said, There has been no discussion of any kind on contesting elections.
Nearly 400 farmers and comrades protested against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and BJP government outside district administrative complex at Sangrur on Tuesday.

Farmers, under the banner of Punjab Kisan Union gathered here from all the villages of the district. District leader Satwant Singh said SAD government has failed miserably in Punjab whereas Bharatiya Janata Party has failed at central level.

Satwant, while addressing the gathering, said SAD has done no development in the state except that of drugs. He said, no matter how hard they try to hide, but everyone knows that SAD leaders are guilty of promoting drugs in the state.

Satwant said Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP Centre was busy in signing deals with foreign countries, however, farmers of the country were dying of debt. He said, BJP government has failed to fulfil its promises of bringing back the black money and provide employment to youths of the country.

The farmers have been demanding a minimum pension of `4000. They want anganwadi workers and mid-day meal workers to fall under minimum salary cap. They also expressed their resentment against merger of State Bank of Patiala and other sister banks of SBI with the State Bank of India. They said farmers Unions will join the nation wide strike of bank employees on September 2.

The Anganwadi workers also participated in the protest and marched from Railway Station to DC office. Their leader Rajwant Kaur said administration and government have turned deaf ears to their demands. She said, they would show the government that if they do not listen to problems of citizens then they will no longer be able to rule the state. She said all the Anganwadi workers have promised to vote out the Badal government in the upcoming elections.
A pond constructed in the premises of Civil Hospital Moga has become a major reason for the proliferation of mosquito breeding.

The pond was constructed to rear mosquito larvae-eating fish, Gambusia, to curb denguemenace, but it has failed to serve the purpose.

Water has stagnated in the two ponds built at the hospital in April this year, and is leading to mosquitoe-breeding, thus spreading dengue among the patients undergoing treatment and the employees working at the hospital.

These ponds were constructed by the Punjab Health Corporation (PHC) at state-level in every district, to curtail the breeding of mosquitoes.

Sources said that after completing its construction, the health system corporation has failed to hand-over the ponds responsibility to the district health authorities due to which it was not brought into use.

There was some water connection problem and the authorities said that till the connection problem is not solved, the pond cannot be brought into function, said a source.

The authorities have failed to learn a lesson even after a dengue epidemic last year, which had claimed more than 500 toll of patients and employees including senior medical officer (SMO) Civil Hospital Moga.

Dr Manish Arora, epidemiologist, said that the rainwater stagnated in the pond, he had asked the employees to spray anti-larvae chemical in the pond to avoid the proliferation of mosquitoes.

We cant start functioning of the pond until the PHC handsit-over to us, he added.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
None of Ukrainian soldiers has been killed, but five of them injured during the fighting in the area of the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian Presidential Administration spokesman Oleksandr Motuzianyk on ATO matters has said.

"Over the past day no Ukrainian soldiers were killed. Five were wounded," Motuzianyk said at a briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and senior advocate HS Phoolka on Wednesday challenged Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh to reveal the names of 12 junior lawyers he has accused of taking money from 1984 riot victims on his behalf.

Capt Amarinder has alleged that 12 junior advocates had taken Rs 80,000 each from riot victims, of which I received Rs 60,000, to fight their cases. I challenge him to reveal the names of the lawyers and riot victims in next seven days, said Phoolka.

The Congress leader reportedly made the allegation during his Halke Vich Captain programme at Mansa on Tuesday, while threatening to expose Phoolka.

Addressing a press conference here, Phoolka said: If Capt fails to reveal the names in one week, he will have no right to stay on his post (of PPCC president).

Slamming Amarinder for playing politics on such a sensitive issue, the AAP leader said: I just want to ask Capt since when Congressmen have become sympathisers of riot victims? He is making such allegations because the noose is tightening around his senior colleague Jagdish Tytler.

AAP leader takes a dig at Sukhbir

On deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badals allegation of sale of AAP tickets for assembly polls, Phoolka said: I can understand Sukhbir cannot even imagine that tickets can be given without taking money.

Questioned on former Rajya Sabha member Navjot Singh Sidhus possible induction into the party, Phoolka said things will become clear after AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal returns from meditation.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday claimed to have busted a racket of the government-run Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) officials and businessmen who allegedly managed to siphon off Rs 321 crore of public money to a Hong Kong-based company using fake guarantee issued by the bank.

The agency carried out searches at 14 locations in Chandigarh, Panchkula, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Zirakpur (Punjab) of 11 people and companies against whom a case has been registered by it, CBI sources said. They alleged that the mastermind of the conspiracy is Ashu Mehra, an assistant manager with the bank, who helped a company get Letters of Comfort -- a kind of guarantee -- from the bank in favour of a Hong Kong-based company which managed to avail credit from Bank of Baroda (BoB), Bahama branch, and Punjab National Bank (PNB), Dubai branch, between 2014 and 2016.

CBI has named in its FIR two more then assistant managers of the Chandigarh branch of the bank -- Nitish Negi and Gaurav Bhatia -- proprietor of Chandigarh-based Vision Procon Dinesh Kumar, owner of Heights International Amanpreet Singh Sodhi, directors of Sai Bhakti Impex Aman Kirpal and Gaurav Kirpal, the company Sai Bhakti Impex, Hong Kong-based Colour Wave (HK) Ltd, and other unknown officials. Sodhi also owns the Hong Kong-based company.

The sources said Mehra not have the power to issue such Letters of Comfort. His father-in-law MS Dullat, a retired army brigadier, has also been named in the FIR. They said officials of BoB and PNB are also under scanner of the agency.

It was alleged that the accused persons in connivance/criminal conspiracy with the branch officials and with each other siphoned off the bank funds under the garb of Letter of Comforts in favour of the Hong Kong-based company purportedly issued by officials of Indian Overseas Bank, Chandigarh to PNB, Dubai and BoB, Bahamas, CBI spokesperson R K Gaur said here.

He said based on these fraudulently issued Letters of Comfort, the banks issued buyers credit to the account of accused abroad. An alleged loss of around Rs 321 crore was caused to the complainant bank (IOB) and the foreign branches of PNB and BoB, the spokesperson said.
Local Sikh hardliner leader jathedar Jagjeet Singh Gaba joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday evening along with his supporters in the presence of AAP convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur and the partys Jalandhar Lok Sabha observer Rajiv Chaudhary.

At present, Gaba is president of Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Naumi Patshahi in Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar. He has remained associated with the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) for the past many decades.

AAP leaders welcomed Gaba and his supporters and hoped that his entry would strengthen the party in the state.

Gaba actively participated in the protests held by Sikh organisations against sacrilege incidents during the last year.
Sikhs living in Tral valley of Jammu and Kashmir are feeling unsafe with the region on the boil after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter on July 8.

Kulwant Singh, 54, a resident of Mungama village, 40 kilometre from the capital Srinagar, spoke to Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal over telephone and asked him to take up the matter of their security with the Centre.

Kulwant Singh, who works at the Canara Bank in Sopore, said 400 Sikh families are residing in his village. He said they all are under constant threat, as local Muslim community has been taking out processions every day, brandishing weapons and raising pro-Pakistan slogans.

The chief ministers office (CMO) said Badal has asked Sikhs residing in 39 villages of Tral valley to send a delegation to Chandigarh to discuss the matter with Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president and him. Following this, the government will take up the matter with its J&K counterparts and the Centre, said sources.

Talking to HT over phone, Kulwant Singh said: Sikh women are virtually under house arrest. If anyone raises voice against them (Muslim community), they damage our houses and beat us up. Kulwant Singh, whose forefathers have been living in Kashmir for three centuries, alleged the local population dont want us to live here.

There is no security here, police have already moved out of Tral valley, and there are no signs of the army either, said Kulwant Singh. He said a week ago a historic gurdwara was damaged after a group of youngsters started pelting stones when Sikhs gathered there.

Avtar Singh, another resident of Tral valley, too, complained of lack of security for Sikhs, who are a thin minority in the region.

Muslims target Sikh homes, raise slogans outside our houses, and if we oppose they damage our houses, he told HT.

All attempts of talks with the Muslim brethren have failed because youngsters are leading the protests and they dont want to listen, said another Sikh resident, on the condition of anonymity.

Sikhs have been marginalised

Kulwant Singh said he had sent his daughters to study in Punjab to ensure their safety. One is pursuing MTech from a college in Fatehgarh Sahib and the other MBBS in Amritsar.

All Sikhs are not privileged as I am. They dont have the means to send their children away for studies. There was a time when Sikhs in Tral valley were well to do. During the unending turmoil, the majority community has marginalised us. Our businesses have failed and most Sikh families are hand to mouth. They just want to move out of here now, he said.

No need to be intimidated: SSP

Avantipura senior superintendent of police Zahid Malik, under whose jurisdiction the villages fall, told HT there was no need for anyone to be afraid or intimidated. No one has contacted me so far. In case anybody feels threatened, they can contact me. In fact, we have posted a Sikh station house officer (SHO) in Tral valley to build confidence among the minority community, he said.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Three days after he was admitted to Hero DMC Heart Institute here, state vice-president of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Brigadier Jagdish Gagneja (retd), on Wednesday, showed marginal signs of improvement in his health.

The doctors said the improvement was 4% in medical terms and he was on the ventilator and critical. Dr GS Wander, chief cardiologist and head of research, said that there was marginal improvement in the condition of Gagneja but that was not something major.

A day after he met union home minister Rajnath Singh to apprise him of the condition of Gagneja, national vice-president of BJP Avinash Rai Khanna visited the DMC and met the family of the RSS leader.

Khanna said that the state and the central governments were working in co-ordination not only to nab the attackers of Gagneja, but also to save his life.

Khanna said that the police were working in the right direction and the culprits would be arrested soon, he said, adding that it was for the first time that a reward and a government job has been promised to the person providing information about the accused.

Also read | Attack on RSS leader: Assailants dodge CCTV cameras after crime, cops wonder how

ATTACKERS REMAIN UNTRACED

Cops are still clueless about the accused four days after the incident. Various police teams are camping in many areas of Jalandhar, including Deep Nagar road, Phagwara road, and others in a bid to find a clue to trace attackers. Police are also quizzing licence holders of .32 bore weapons in the city and seeking the records of firing from them.

Police commissioner Arpit Shukla claimed that they had got a few leads in the case that cannot be shared at this stage.

So far, police have only footage from the security cameras installed on the various roads, which had helped police to get the description of the attackers and know that they were on a Bajaj motorcycle.
Babandeep Singh Walia is a happy man. He secured the second position in the Punjab Civil Services (PCS) exam, the results of which were declared on Monday.

The 24-year-olds success mantra was to refrain from using social media. He stopped himself from logging onto his Facebook account for three months and stayed away from blogging, which is a passion, he said.

Walia said, I am very fond of blogging where I was teaching spoken English to Punjabis living abroad. But for the last year, I was busy preparing for the civil services exam. Now that I have cleared the exam, I will continue my passion for blogging. I was in touch with friends through WhatsApp.

Walia can speak two foreign languages. I learned two foreign languages - French and Spanish  online and can now easily converse in them. I am also learning German and Mandarin but I need a few more months before I can start speaking them, he said.

He added, I have devoted more than eight hours to studies in the last six months. I am happy that my hard work paid off. Walia says he is the first in his family to clear this exam. He scored 58.76% in the PCS exam. He is a graduate in electronics and electrical engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, in Rajasthan. His father, Baldev, says the family is proud of Babandeep and this was a big achievement. His father is a sanitary inspector in the municipal corporation. His mother, Baljit Kaur, is a homemaker.
Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday summed up the recent series of law-and-order setbacks in the state, including last weeks attack on a senior Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) leader, as handiwork of Pakistans spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Their (ISIs) plan is to target leaders, carry out sacrileges (of religious scriptures) to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in Punjab before the elections, Sukhbir, also the states home minister, told a press conference here. We (state intelligence agencies) had the entire information that we sent to the central government, and Union home minister Rajnath Singh was also apprised of it last month, he declared, adding that police are doing their job in the best way possible. Punjab police have busted many modules and arrested people from abroad also in this connection. He refused to elaborate, saying that would hamper investigation.

He also declared as solved the cases of two anti-sacrilege protesters having been killed in police firing in Faridkots Behbal Kalan village last year and that of burning of Quran pages at Malerkotla earlier this year, in which a Delhi MLA of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is among the accused. He said the two high-profile cases that remain unsolved are the attack on the RSS Punjab unit vice-president, Brig (retd) Jagdish Gagneja in Jalandhar, and the killing of Namdhari matriarch Chand Kaur at the sects headquarters at Bhaini Sahib near Ludhiana.

Asked about the report of the Zora Singh Commission on last Octobers Behbal Kalan firing, he said it was pending with the state advocate general for review for appropriate legal action. He brushed aside queries on further action against the then senior superintendent of police (SSP) Charanjit Sharma, who was suspended after the Zora panel reportedly indicted him for the firing. I will check on that, Sukhbir said.

He reiterated his accusation that Sikh radical groups from abroad were financing the AAP and demanded that its funds be brought under the scanner. He dubbed the AAP and the Congress a frustrated lot, adding that the two parties had tried but failed to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in Punjab.

Pak fomenting trouble in Punjab: Cong MP

New Delhi: Congress leader Ravneet Singh Bittu on Wednesday raised concern over alleged Pakistan-sponsored attempts to foment trouble in Punjab as well as to drive out Sikhs from Kashmir.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, the Ludhiana MP said, 25 years after Kashmiri Pandits being forced out of the Valley, Sikhs were being increasingly targeted there.

Shifting the focus to Punjab, Bittu said the state government is a panicky lot following the recent attack on a leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He said the government has sought more paramilitary forces as there appears to be an attempt to create trouble in the state, which has already witnessed militancy.

Bittu said the Intelligence Bureau should be more alert in view of the nefarious designs of those across the border and urged the Centre to order strict vigil. PTI
Hoardings of suspended Youth Akali Dal (YAD) leader Navdeep Singh Goldy, who is on the run after being booked for manhandling the senior deputy mayor, can still be seen installed on the city roads.

Once a Congress candidate for the Amritsar (south) assembly segment bypoll, Goldy has been laying claim to Akali ticket from here for the upcoming state assembly elections. As a branding exercise, he has outdone all his rivals in the newly adopted party and installed scores of hoardings, especially in this segment.

The hoardings can still be seen on Tarn Taran road, Sultanwind road and other areas in Amritsar (south). These also carry the photo of Punjab cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia, who had reportedly played major role in getting Goldy into the Akali fold.

The hoardings carry slogans, such as Din Raat Tuhadi Sewa Vich Hazir (At your service round the clock) and Tuhada Sehyog  Sadi Taqat (Your cooperation is our strength).

While some local SAD leaders have demanded the removal of these hoarding glorifying Goldy, other party members said as the suspended leader has not been expelled from the party yet, no objection should be raised against the hoardings.

Goldy had a brawl with Amritsar senior deputy mayor Avtar Singh Truckanwala during a meeting called by the deputy commissioner on Thursday. The party high command suspended him the same day. After a case was registered against him, Goldy had gone underground.
A gangster was killed and another injured in exchange of fire between two factions near Baath village on Tarn Taran-Khadoor Sahib road on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.

Dilbag Singh alias Lamma of Patti, who was found dead with bullet injuries, had been released on bail from Faridkot jail in a murder case recenlty. He was facing four criminal cases.

Akul Khatri, the injured, has been admitted to Fortis Hospital, Amritsar. He is a resident of Amritsars Mehta village and an associate of Lamma. Both are said to be members of the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang.

The firing took place between members of Lamma and Davinder Singh gangs. Davinder was reportedly accompanied by his associates, Goru Bacha (Ludhiana) and one Money. Davinder, also known as Sharp Shooter, is a resident of Bambiha village in Moga district and is wanted in a number of cases, including those of murder.

An abandoned and badlydamaged Toyota Fortuner was found at the shooting site and it appeared that it had met with a mishap after coming under heavy firing. There are as many as 150 bullet marks on the vehicle. Inside, there was blood all over. A pistol and some cartridges were also recovered from the spot.

Superintendent of police (investigation) Jagmohan Singh said things will be clear once Khatri was in a state to make a statement.

Later, some pictures of Lammas body showed both his hands tied with a tape, suggesting that he was killed in captivity.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Sources said Lamma aide Khatri was hiding from the police and Davinder got to know about his location. Davinder and his aides had kidnapped Khatri. Khatris mother Honey has also confirmed her sons kidnapping.

Near Khadoor Sahib, Davinder forced Khatri to call up Lamma and ask him to reach a place nearby without making him realise that the call was being made at Davinders behest. But, Lamma sensed the trouble, and he, along with his aides, carrying heavy arms, turned up at the spot.

Soon, both sides started firing at each other in which Lamma was killed. Davinder and his aides left the place, leaving Khatri behind, presuming him to be dead.Khatris mother told that somebody dropped her son to a hospital at Baba Bakala of Amritsar district. The employees of the hospital called the Police which took him to Fortis hospital at Amritsar.

The police said Khatris aides may have dropped him near the hospital.

However, as per a Facebook post of Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang, Lamma and Khatri were in Davinder Bambiha gangs captivity and firing was result of an operation to rescue them.

FACEBOOK POST CLAIMS VICTIM, SURVIVOR WERE KIDNAPPED BY BAMBIHA GANG

As per a Facebook post by Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang, Lamma and Khatri were in Davinder Bambiha gangs custody after being kidnapped. The posts read: Davinder Bambiha kidnapped our brothers Akul Khatri and then Lamma Patti. At 10.30pm on Tuesday, our friends carried out a rescue operation and got Akul rescued. Bambiha managed to flee in the darkness after abandoning his Toyota Fortuner. Bambihas aides saved their lives by taking shelter in the fields. Sad news is that Lamma Patti was found dead at some other place. Friends, our brothers death will not go a waste and God will do the justice. Miss you, Lamma Patti veer!

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Hillary Clintons campaign on Wednesday stepped up its effort to bring in Republicans and independent voters disenchanted with her Republican rival Donald Trump, launching an outreach effort to woo conservative support for her White House bid.

The recruiting effort by the Democratic presidential nominee came a day after Trump drew criticism for saying gun rights advocates could stop her from nominating liberal Supreme Court justices.

The turmoil among Republicans was reflected in a Reuters/IPSOS poll on Wednesday that showed nearly one-in-five registered Republicans voters wanted Trump to drop out ahead of the November 8 election.

The Clinton campaign on Wednesday unveiled a website, togetherforamerica.com, for Republicans and independents to sign up in support of Clinton. It listed 50 prominent Republicans and independents who have endorsed her so far, including Hewlett Packard CEO Meg Whitman and former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg.

John Negroponte, former director of national intelligence under president George W Bush, and former Republican US representative Chris Shays of Connecticut were among those announcing their support on Wednesday.

Donald Trump lost me a long time ago, Shays told MSNBC in an interview. He does and says everything my mom and dad taught me never to say and do. He doesnt understand the basic requirements of being president of the United States. And, frankly, hes dangerous.

He joins a number of high-profile Republicans moving away from Trump amid a string of controversial statements.

At a rally on Tuesday, Trump suggested gun rights activists could prevent Clinton from placing liberals on the US Supreme Court. His campaign said the comment was misinterpreted even as it sparked backlash from Clintons campaign as well as some Republicans.

Trump previously came under fire from within his party for belatedly endorsing fellow Republicans in re-election races and a prolonged clash with the parents of fallen Muslim American army captain Humayun Khan.

Earlier this week, 50 Republican national security officials had signed an open letter questioning the real estate moguls temperament, calling him reckless and unqualified.

Other top Republicans, including Senator Susan Collins of Maine this week, have disavowed Trump but said they cannot back Clinton, either.

Trump has dismissed the defections and criticism by Republicans as an unsurprising reaction of the so-called Washington elite to his drive to change the status quo.

Other Republicans have come to Trumps defense after critics said he had made a veiled reference to assassinating Clinton. US representative Peter King on Wednesday criticized the remark but said Trump had the temperament to be president.

I am not an enemy of Hillary Clinton, I consider her a friend. But I think Donald Trump ... at this time and place would be a better commander in chief, King told MSNBC.

Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani also defended Trump, telling ABC News the candidate was not known for being indirect.

If Donald Trump was going to say something like that, hed say something like that, he said.
The SmartMe University educational online platform and seven Ukrainian higher education institutions will receive a EUR816,720 grant from the European Union's Erasmus program for the implementation of an educational project in the field of the "Internet of Things."

According to the press service of SmartMe University, with reference to its managing partner Oksana Bila, the coordinator of the project is Newcastle University (Britain).

In addition, universities from Portugal, the UK, Sweden and Italy participate in the project. The works will start on October 15, 2016 and will last three years.

"According to analysts, the financial potential of the "Internet of Things" is $8.9 trillion. Therefore research in this direction is important not only for the IT industry: the detailed study of the IoT [Internet of Things] will allow providing students with knowledge and skills to improve their competitiveness in a rapidly changing labor market," she said.

SmartMe University is an educational online platform, specializing in training IT professionals since 2010.

Erasmus is a non-profit program of the European Union launched in 1987.
Donald Trump ignited a fresh political firestorm Tuesday by declaring gun rights supporters might still find a way to stop Hillary Clinton, even if she should defeat him and then name anti-gun Supreme Court justices. Democrats pounced, accusing him of openly encouraging violence against his opponent.

The Republican presidential nominee has been working this week to move past distracting campaign disputes, but once again he put himself at the centre of a blazing controversy.

First, he falsely claimed that Clinton, his Democratic opponent, wants to essentially abolish the Second Amendment.

Clinton has said repeatedly that she supports the Second Amendment right to own guns, though she does back some stricter gun control measures.

Trump then noted the power Clinton would have to nominate justices to the high court.

Read: More Republicans, including senator, dump Donald Trump

By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people  maybe there is, I dont know, Trump told supporters at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina. But Ill tell you what. That will be a horrible day.

The reaction from Democrats was immediate. Said her campaign manager, Robby Mook: This is simple  what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.

Trumps reaction later as the uproar grew: Give me a break.

Interviewed by Fox News Sean Hannity, he said everyone in his audience knew he was referring to the power of voters and there can be no other interpretation.

Trumps campaign sought to quell the controversy with a statement that blamed the dishonest media for misinterpretation. And Trumps running mate, Indiana governor Mike Pence, said his boss was talking about the election choice for pro-gun voters, not encouraging violence.

Yet Trumps foes were unconvinced and unforgiving.

Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, said, I think it was just revealing ... and I dont find the attempt to roll it back persuasive at all.

Read: Clinton gets more bounce than Trump from conventions, leads in opinion polls

Priorities USA, a super PAC supporting Clinton, said Trump had suggested that someone shoot Hillary Clinton. Across the country, Democratic House and Senate candidates piled on, working to tie Trumps comments to their GOP opponents.

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which has endorsed Clinton, said Trump was encouraging gun violence based on conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton.

.@realDonaldTrump makes death threats because he's a pathetic coward who cant handle the fact that hes losing to a girl.  Elizabeth Warren (@elizabethforma) August 9, 2016

Senator Elizabeth Warren is a Massachusetts Democrat.

The National Rifle Association, the gun lobby that has endorsed Trump, came to his defense. The group wrote on Twitter that theres nothing we can do if Clinton is elected, urging voters to defeat her in November.

The controversy immediately overwhelmed Trumps intended campaign-trail focus: the economic plan he unveiled just a day earlier and was promoting during a series of rallies in the most competitive general election states. It also reinforced the concern, voiced by many worried Republicans, that he cannot stay disciplined and avoid inflammatory remarks that imperil not only his White House prospects but the re-election chances of many GOP lawmakers.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, who was celebrating a primary victory in Wisconsin Tuesday night, said: It sounds like just a joke gone bad. I hope they clear this up very quickly. You never joke about something like that.

Read: Ex-CIA spy takes on Trump for reluctant Republicans
Security officials in Bangladeshs capital have arrested six suspected members of the banned Islamist group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) as part of a crackdown on radical Islamists.

Mufti Mahmud Khan, spokesman for the elite Rapid Action Battalion, told a news conference on Wednesday the men were arrested in separate raids in Dhaka as authorities stepped up the crackdown following the July 1 attack on a cafe that left 20 people, including 17 foreigners, dead.

A few days after that attack, suspected JMB members targeted an Eid congregation outside Dhaka, killing three people. The Islamic State extremist group claimed responsibility for the July 1 attack but authorities rejected it, saying it the JMB was behind it.

During the overnight raids, security officials also recovered two pistols, five grenades, 12 small bombs, 13 detonators, power gel, gunpowder, four meat cleavers and five knives from the possession of the arrested men.

Mustafizur Rahman, one of the arrested men, was described to journalists as the administrator of the website At-Tamkin that officials said is run by the JMB. The other arrested young men are members of JMBs sleeper cell, Khan said.

Rahman was involved with a group, Dawatul Islam Bangladesh, that recruits members for JMB, he said.

The other men  Jahid Anwar alias Parag, 22, Nayon Hossain, 21, Jahid Hasan alias Mayeen, 21, Ziabul Huq alias Zia, 24, and Tazul Islam alias Tazul, 29  were produced before the media but they were not allowed to speak to reporters.

Khan said the suspects had admitted during interrogation that they were preparing for attacks in Dhaka.

The spokesman said security officials first arrested Jahid Anwar at a railway station area near Dhakas international airport on Tuesday night. They acted on information provided by him and arrested two more from a restaurant in Dhakas Gabtoli area at 2 am. Another three men were arrested from a rented apartment in Mirpur area at 5 am. They rented the apartment three days ago, Khan said.

Khan said Dawatul Islam Bangladesh was involved in at least 11 recent attacks, including the July 1 attack on Holey Artisan Bakery, and this group is another wing of the JMB.
A special tribunal dealing with war crimes committed during Bangladeshs independence war against Pakistan in 1971 on Wednesday sentenced a former lawmaker to death and seven others to life in prison for murder and other crimes.

The tribunal sentenced Sakhawat Hossain, a former parliament member belonging to the Jamaat-e-Islami party, to death on Wednesday. He and one of the other defendants were present in the court. The six others were tried in absentia.

Hossain was a central committee member of Islami Chhatra Sangha, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami party at the time, and was accused of acting as a local commander of a group that aided Pakistani soldiers. He left Jamaat-e-Islami and joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party headed by former prime minister Khaleda Zia. At the time of the court case he was involved with Jatiya Party headed by former military dictator HM Ershad.

His lawyers said they will appeal.

Bangladesh says Pakistani soldiers, aided by local collaborators, killed 3 million people and raped 200,000 women in 1971.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina initiated the process of prosecuting suspected war criminals in 2010 by forming the tribunal. More than 20 people have already been convicted, and five men, mostly Jamaat-e-Islamis top leaders, have been executed.

Jamaat-e-Islami party openly campaigned against Bangladeshs independence in 1971 and formed militia groups to help the Pakistani army crush the uprising.
A new two-year pilot project at three British universities that allows Indian and other non-EU students extra time to find employment after their course ends has received a cautious welcome on the ground that it does not address the real issue.

The Home Office introduced the pilot in July for academic years starting September 2016 and September 2017, under which non-European Union students will be able to remain in Britain for six months after their course ends.

The pilot runs at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Bath and Imperial College London for postgraduate courses.

The closure of the two-year post-study work visa in 2012 was considered one of the key reasons for a sharp drop in the number of Indian students coming to British universities in recent years. Self-financing students used the work visa to recover some of the costs of courses.

Read | UK cold to London mayors India-specific student visa proposal

Under current rules, non-EU students are allowed a two-month stay after the course ends; the pilot extends it to six months. Official sources said the pilot seeks to streamline the student visa process for non-EU students.

Sanam Arora of the National Indian Students and Alumni Union (UK) told Hindustan Times: While we are supportive of the scheme in general, the key aim seems to be around enabling students to find employment opportunities by giving them a slightly longer time period. This addresses the wrong issue.

The issue is that students are discriminated against the moment they disclose they will require visa sponsorship. Many students time and again lose out on job offers that they achieve much earlier on, often during the course of their studies  purely because they need a visa.

Employers seeking to hire non-EU students need to pass a Resident Labour Market test, under which they need to demonstrate there is no one in Britain or the EU who could do the job advertised.

The test makes it extremely difficult and costly for employers to take on international students, and these things are the crux of the issue, not necessarily the time element. Regardless its a welcome move, but the actual impact on international student employment rate remains to be seen, Arora said.

Several higher education stakeholders, including universities, have lobbied unsuccessfully with the government to restore the post-study work visa. Scotland sought a similar visa for non-EU students enrolling at universities there, but it was rejected by London.

Scottish leaders regretted that Scottish universities were not included in the pilot.

Read | What Brexit means to Indian students

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier believes Donald Trump becoming US president would be a frightening prospect for the world, his spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Steinmeier is not neutral on whether the Republican candidate is fit to occupy the Oval Office, the spokesperson, Sawsan Chebli, told reporters.

He is of the opinion that it is frightening, if you follow Trumps remarks, what could become of this world if Trump actually became president, she said.

The foreign minister is calling attention to that and that is his right.

Chancellor Angela Merkels spokesperson told the same news conference that she would stand by her policy of not commenting on the US election campaign.

Steinmeier, a Social Democrat, had already compared Trump last week to a hate preacher, saying he had much in common with fear-mongers in Germanys right-wing populist AfD party as well as advocates of Britains exit from the EU.

French President Francois Hollande said Trump makes you want to retch following the Republicans hurtful and humiliating comments against the Muslim parents of a slain US soldier who criticised the candidate.

Trumps bid to take the White House is reeling from a series of self-inflicted scandals after he disparaged Muslims, babies, firefighters and the military, prompting his Republican stablemates to issue awkward denunciations.

He stirred new controversy on Tuesday over comments interpreted by some as a threat of violence against rival Hillary Clinton.
The father of Omar Mateen, the Orlando gay nightclub shooter, was spotted at a campaign event for Hillary Clinton in central Florida.

Seddique Mateen was standing in a crowd behind Clinton during the Monday night event in Kissimmee, south of Orlando. A campaign official told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he wasnt invited to attend the 3,000-person, open-door public event and that the campaign wasnt aware he was there until it ended.

Mateen told news outlets after the rally that he loves the United States.

Read | Father of Orlando shooter had declared candidacy for Afghan presidency

Omar Mateen fatally shot 49 people and injured another 53 at Pulse nightclub on June 12. He was killed by law enforcement officers following a three-hour standoff.

The father says his family has been cooperating with investigators.

Read | Omar Mateen: How a playful child became Orlando shooter

During her speech, Clinton expressed support for the survivors of the attack and the loved ones of those killed.

The Clinton campaign said the rally was a 3,000-person, open-door event for the public and that Mateen wasnt invited as a guest and that the campaign was unaware of his presence until after the event.

She disagrees with his views and disavows his support, spokesperson Nick Merrill said.

Read | Father says Omar Mateen, the Orlando suspect, not motivated by religion
A fire ripped through a maternity ward at a Baghdad hospital overnight, killing 11 newborn babies, an Iraqi spokesman said Wednesday, a deadly blaze that was likely caused by faulty electrical wiring.

By morning, grief-stricken fathers searched for their missing newborns in vain while angry relatives gathered outside the Yarmouk hospital in western Baghdad blamed the government for the tragedy.

Iraqi Health Ministry spokesman Ahmed al-Roudaini said the blaze broke out late on Tuesday night and that the initial investigation indicated it was an electrical fire. Mada Press, an independent news agency in Baghdad, reported that 29 female patients and seven babies were moved from the ward where the fire broke out and transferred to another hospital.

Baghdad authorities initially sealed off the hospital but later allowed some media into the site.

At the maternity ward, forensic teams in masks and protective gloves were seen searching through the rubble and charred pieces of furniture. A yellow tape stretched across the ward entrance, preventing reporters from getting closer.

Some of the crying relatives outside claimed their babies were still missing and demanded an answer from authorities.

One father, 30-year-old Hussein Omar, a construction worker, said he lost twins in the blaze, a baby boy and a girl born last week. The hospital told him to go look for them at another Baghdad hospital where some of the patients were moved to during the fire.

He said he looked and couldnt find them anywhere so he came back to Yarmouk. The hospital staff then told him to go look at the morgue.

I only found charred pieces of flesh, Omar said, crying. I want my baby boy and girl back. The government must give them back to me.

Eshrak Ahmed Jaasar, 41, said she is unable to find her four-day-old nephew.

I came early this morning to see my nephew and his mother, but they told me about the fire, Jasaar said. My nephew is still missing and his mother was moved to another hospital ward.

She said she was still in shock and felt very bitter.

We pay the hospital employees thousands of Iraqi dinars to allow us in to get our loved ones basic food and milk, which they cannot provide, Jasaar said. Its a corrupt government that doesnt care about its citizens and lets this happen.

Electrical fires are common in the Iraqi capital and elsewhere across the country because of shoddy maintenance and poor wiring. A lack of fire escapes also contributes to the danger whenever a fire breaks out. There is also widespread failure by construction companies and those providing building material to follow accepted standards.

.
New emails from Hillary Clinton released on Tuesday show her family-run Clinton Foundation tried to use her position as US secretary of state to gain access to the state department.

The emails, obtained and released by conservative watchdog Judicial Watch under the Freedom of Information Act, were hosted on a private server Clinton used while in office.

In one email exchange from 2009, a top foundation official wrote to secretary Clintons aides, saying it was important to take care of a particular person, whose name had been redacted.

This person had written an email to the foundation official with a subject line that said A favor , and thanked him for an eye-opening opportunity to visit Haiti.

Another email from the foundation sought to put a billionaire donor in touch with the American ambassador in Lebanon in order to speak to the substance person re Lebanon.

As you know, hes key guy there and to us and is loved in Lebanon. Very imp, the email said.

The Clinton campaign said in a statement: Neither of these emails involve the secretary or relate to the foundations work. They are communications between her aides and the Presidents (former president Bill Clinton, who was the effective head of the foundation) personal aide, and indeed the recommendation was for one of the secretarys former staffers who was not employed by the foundation.

Clintons emails from her days at the state department have cast a shadow on her White House race for 18 months now, and show no signs of going away.

Last week, before the fresh batch of emails was released, Clinton faced criticism for flubbing her reply to a T V interviewer about her statements on the issue.

I may have short-circuited it and for that I, ah, you know, will try to clarify, she told reporters at a news conference.
The killing of Mullah Akhtar Mansour severely crippled Taliban operations in Afghanistan as it disrupted the flow of funds to militants, Gen John Nicholson, the commander of US forces in the war-torn country, said on Wednesday.

Mansour, killed in a US drone strike in Pakistan in May, controlled the Afghan Talibans funds from drug sales and overseas donors.

The Taliban offensive through last winter exhausted their stocks of arms and money, said Nicholson, who was on an official visit to India. This year, though they have attacked checkpoints, we dont see anything where they hold terrain except for brief periods, he added.

Mansour had a very tight control over revenue sources. The Taliban finance commission frankly doesnt know where the money is following his death, said Nicholson, though the group is trying to re-establish funding streams.

Over the past two weeks, US and Afghan forces carried out a major drive against the Islamic State Khorasan in which about 300 fighters were killed. This was about a quarter of the ISs strength in Afghanistan. There is a clear connection between the IS Khorasan and the IS in Syria and Iraq, Nicholson said.

In a change from the past, troops have seen the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) conducting operations in Afghanistan and US forces are now putting pressure on them, Nicholson said.

Though these disparate groups didnt seem to work together, some Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan fighters from the Orakzai tribal region joined the IS Khorasan when the US attacked the latter.

Nicholson confirmed that Pakistan Army chief Gen Raheel Sharif had raised concerns about Indian military assistance to the Afghan Army. The US response, he said, was to say this aided the creation of a strong, prosperous and independent Afghanistan which was in Pakistans interest.

Sharif, Nicholson said, had welcomed his decision to visit New Delhi where he has met Indias national security advisor and foreign and defence secretaries.

US welcomes Indian gunships for Afghans

The top US commander in Afghanistan welcomed Indias gift of four Mi-25 gunship helicopters to the Afghan military, reversing Washingtons long-standing opposition to New Delhi providing lethal weaponry to Kabul.

Nicholson said there is an immediate need for more aircraft and a repair facility for the Afghan Air Force.

Western sanctions against Russia have disrupted the ability of Afghans to get spare parts for their Russian aircraft, he said. Because of the sanctions, $4.5 billion in international donations for the air force cannot be used for such parts. Spare parts by India would be most welcome, he said.

An aircraft repair facility in Afghanistan would be useful, he added. Aircraft needing maintenance are currently sent to eastern Europe. This would seem to be a thumbs-up for Indo-Russia plans to build a repair facility for the gunship helicopters.

Nicholson also said Indias provision of education and training for thousands of Afghan soldiers and students was having a tremendous impact on the human side. Indias professional training is helping the young Afghan Army fill the junior and mid-level ranks, who are new to the ways of a professional military.
An indigenously built Chinese battle tank that has created a buzz in military circles could become the Peoples Liberation Armys (PLA) primary tank of the future, reports said on Wednesday.

The Type-96B  a new tank in the Type-96 family  is ready to replace its predecessors after performing well at ongoing war games organised by Russia. China currently has more than 7,000 battle tanks in service.

Military observers worldwide wait for the secretive PLA to reveal new weapons and equipment and it was the same with the new tank.

The Type-96B is the strongest variant of the Type-96 family and is truly an advanced, third-generation main battle tank, Gao Zhuo, a Shanghai-based military analyst, told state-controlled China Daily newspaper.

The PLA will use it to replace the old tanks such as the Type-59 and Type-69 models.

In July, the IHS Jane website wrote about the tank, saying one of the countrys biggest military manufacturers, China North Industries Corporation (Norinco), has developed a new variant of its Type 96 (ZTZ-96) main battle tank in time to participate in the 30 July to 16 August International Army Games organised by the Russian Ministry of Defence.

Quoting Russian media reports, it said five T-96Bs had arrived in Russia on July 7 to participate in the Masters of Automobile and Tank Hardware competition. IHS Jane added: The new T-96B variant was revealed on Chinese online forums on 5 July by a blogger posting a video of the tank on its way to high altitude testing. Two days later images emerged of the new tank beginning its trip to Russia.

According to an article posted by Norinco, the Type-96B has a high-performance 125mm smooth-bore gun, an improved, more powerful engine, newly developed transmission gear and a modern fire control system.

Chinese state media said the tank had performed well in the war games. Type-96B delivered impressive performances in the ongoing Masters of Automobile and Tank Hardware competition, also known as the Tank Biathlon, at the Alabino training range in Moscow, China Daily reported.

Of the PLA tanks in service, about 2,000 are Type-96s and Type-96As and about 600 are Type-99s and Type-99As. A majority of these tanks were made several decades ago, foreign military analysts say.
Viktor Shvets, the judge of the Higher Economic Court of Ukraine, who was accused of taking a $5,000 bribe, has been dismissed from office, Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko has stated.

"Yes, the investigator removed him from his duties," Lutsenko said at a press conference in Kyiv.

As reported, in late July the officers of the Ukrainian State Security Service (SBU) documented the receipt of a $5,000 bribe by the judge of the Higher Economic Court of Ukraine. In the course of searches, law enforcement officers found about $300,000 in cash and a passport of a citizen of Hungary at the judge's property.
Since launching his White House campaign in June 2015, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has several times gone back on comments that got him in hot water.

Here are nine times when Trump distanced himself from his own comments:

1. John McCain

In July 2015, Trump said Republican senator and former prisoner of war John McCain was not a war hero, adding: Hes a war hero because he was captured. I like people that werent captured, OK?

The remark sparked immediate consternations among Republicans. The next day, Trump  then embroiled in a primary battle with a host of challengers  said, Four times, I said he is a hero. But you know... people choose little selective pieces.

Read | How Trump broke the rules of politics: A story of insults, consistency

2. Megyn Kelly

Annoyed by the questions that Fox News reporter Megyn Kelly asked him in the first Republican presidential primary debate in August 2015, Trump said the following day: You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her wherever.

Was he referring to Kellys menstrual period? Many believed he was.

Trump told CNN: I didnt even finish the thought. I was going to say nose and/or ears, because thats a very common statement, blood flowing out of somebodys nose.

Read | From bimbo to slobs: Trump could be ruined by comments on women

3. Violence

If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you? Seriously. Just knock the hell  I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees. I promise. I promise, Trump told his supporters in February.

The next month, after one of his supporters hit a protester, Trump said: I dont condone violence, and I didnt say I was going to pay for the fees.

4. Nuclear weapons for Japan

Should Japan have its own nuclear weapons to defend themselves against North Korea?

In a March interview with The New York Times, Trump said: Would I rather have North Korea have them with Japan sitting there having them also? You may very well be better off if thats the case.

After criticism from his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, Trump said: She was saying last night so many things. Donald Trump wants to see Japan get nuclear weapons. I never said that.

5. Cruzs dad and Oswald

(Cruzs) father was with Lee Harvey Oswald prior to Oswald being, you know, shot, Trump said in May of the father of his primary rival Ted Cruz, citing an article in the tabloid National Enquirer. Oswald was the man who assassinated US president John F Kennedy in 1963.

The allegation about Cruzs father stirred up a media firestorm. This time, Trump did not deny he made the comments, but denied any responsibility for them, saying he was just quoting the Enquirer.

I just asked about stories that were appearing all over the place, not just in the National Enquirer, about the fact that a picture was taken of him and Lee Harvey Oswald. They didnt deny that picture, he told NBCs Today show.

6. Disabled journalist

In November 2015, Trump criticized a statement by journalist Serge Kovaleski, who suffers from a congenital disorder that limits the functioning of his joints, forcing his arm to be curled in front of him.

The candidate flailed his arms and shook his head as if to imitate Kovaleski, saying: Now, the poor guy, you ought to see this guy, Ah, I dont know what I said, I dont remember.

In June on Twitter, in response to a Clinton ad using the video sequence, Trump said: Clinton made a false ad about me where I was imitating a reporter GROVELING after he changed his story. I would NEVER mock disabled. Shame!

7. Vladimir Putin

I got to know him very well because we were both on 60 Minutes. We were stablemates, and we did very well that night, Trump said of Russian President Vladimir Putin, sparking waves on the US political left and right.

Later, the notion that they met on the set was debunked, as they were in different cities when their interviews were taped.

In July, Trump said: I have no relationship with him.

8. Russian hackers

Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing, Trump said in July, referring to Clintons private email server which she used during her time as secretary of state.

The remark was interpreted as an invitation to Russian intelligence services to hack his rival.

Of course, Im being sarcastic, he said the next day.

Read | Why Russia would prefer Trump enough to hack Clinton

9. Second Amendment and Clinton

Hillary wants to essentially abolish the Second Amendment, Trump told a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina on Tuesday, referring to the US Constitutions clause that enshrines the right to bear arms.

If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks, Trump said. Although the Second Amendment people  maybe there is, I dont know.

His meaning was ambiguous, but the remark was seen as a possible threat of violence against Clinton or her Supreme Court nominees.

Later the same night, on Fox News, the candidate rejected that interpretation, saying: This is a political movement. This is a strong powerful movement, the Second Amendment. (...) There can be no other interpretation.

Read more | Obscene buffoon or political genius? Top 10 Trump-isms
Bangladeshi opposition leader and former premier Khaleda Zia got bail in 10 cases involving charges of arson and sedition on Wednesday.

The decision came after Zia appeared in the court of metropolitan sessions judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah amid tight security and sought bail.

The sedition charge was linked to Zias comments on the number of people killed during the liberation war against Pakistan. A lawyer filed a case against her, accusing her of distorting history by making controversial remarks about the number of dead.

Bangladesh says Pakistani soldiers, aided by local collaborators, killed three million people during the war. The figure was used even during Zias premiership in 1991-1996 and 2001-2006.

The judge took the sedition charge against her into cognisance but granted bail to her after the defence argued the case was politically motivated. The court also awarded bail in nine other cases of arson, said prosecution lawyer Abdullah Abu.

The court set October 10 for the next hearing of the cases.

She also appeared in two graft cases involving a coal mine project and a gas field contract. New dates were fixed for hearing those cases.

Zia has been trying to revive her Bangladesh Nationalist Partys (BNP) strength and last Saturday announced a 592-strong new central committee to build an effective anti-government movement.

The BNP is under pressure in the face of official action for its alleged subversive activities in recent years to remove Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas government.

The cases against Zia are seen by her supporters as a major political tool to weaken the BNP, which has a strong partnership with the Jamaat-e-Islami party. The Jamaat too is under severe pressure as its top leadership has been convicted of war crimes committed during the 1971 independence war.
Pakistans top military commanders say the terrorist threat in the country was because of the growing nexus of hostile actors in Afghanistan, managed by India, and facilitators within Pakistan.

At a conference attended by the Pakistani army chief, General Raheel Sharif, the commanders said the threat was emanating from Afghan soil, which was being managed by Indian intelligence agencies, Dawn online reported.

However, at the same time there was an acknowledgment that a network of facilitators within the country provided an enabling environment for the external enemy, an Inter-Service Public Relations statement said.

At a corps commanders conference held at the General Headquarters on Tuesday, the generals reviewed the threat perception and discussed measures for countering the imminent security challenges.

The meeting, a monthly feature, was significant because of Mondays terror attack on a Quetta hospital that left at least 70 people dead. An upcoming high-level security meeting is expected to take important decisions with regards to future direction of counterterrorism operations, the statement said.

Gen Sharif told his commanders that the Quetta attack was an attempt to undermine the successes of operation Zarb-e-Azb  a joint military offensive against various militant groups  which was in its final phase.
It was a moment in the speech that Donald Trumps aides and advisers have come to dread - when he looks up or away from his notes, and ad-libs for a bit, trying to work up his supporters.

He did that again at a rally in North Carolina on Tuesday afternoon, and caused another firestorm, this time suggesting pro-gun activists might be able to stop his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks, Trump said, referring to the appointment of Supreme Court judges by Clinton if she were to win the White House.

As some supporters started booing at the possibility, Trump stopped, and added, with a shrug, Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know.

The Second Amendment of the US Constitution protects Americans right to bear arms, and the gun lobby uses it to block any attempt to reform the countrys notoriously lax gun laws.

Response from Democrats, Trump critics and even some Republicans was swift: He had crossed yet another line, inciting violence against Clinton, even assassination.

Clinton supports some changes in the law to prevent guns, specially assault rifles used in most cases of mass shooting, falling into the wrong hands, as does a majority of the country according to many polls.

Trumps comment came in that context  he was attacking Clintons support for gun law changes, which has been a standard Republican attack line for Democrats.

Then he went off script, setting off another political storm.

What Trump is saying is dangerous, said Clinton Campaign chair Robby Mook. A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way."

Chris Murphy, a Democratic senator, went further, with this tweet: Dont treat this as a political misstep. Its an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy & crisis.

The Secret Service, which protects past and present presidents, vice-presidents and presidential candidates and routinely probes all threats against them, said it was aware of the comments.

As he has done in the past, Trump let his aides tackle the row through statements, denials and clarifications that only kept the pot boiling, basically claiming he was not calling for violence.

Trump finally addressed it himself late in the night with Americans glued to their TV sets watching their swimmers and gymnasts amass medals at the Olympics in Rio.

Media desperate to distract from Clinton's anti-2A stance, Trump tweeted. I said pro-2A citizens must organize and get out vote to save our Constitution!

The 2A was short for the Second Amendment, but his attempt to pin it on the media, also a standard operating procedure for him and his campaign, didnt fool anyone.

Speaker Paul Ryan, who easily overcame a primary challenge in his re-election bid for US House on Tuesday, said, It sounds like just a joke gone bad. I hope he clears it up very quickly.

You should never joke about something like that, he added, echoing other Republicans, such as Senator Jeff Sessions, a Trump supporter, who took the same line in a TV interview.

The US Supreme Court bench is currently short by one, from its sanctioned strength of nine, and more positions are expected to open up for the next president to fill through retirements.

Both Democrats and Republicans fear the other side will fill the court with judges aligned with their respective ideology, as is the practice, altering the balance on the bench for many years.
Two aircraft landed safely at Brussels Zaventem airport after receiving bomb threats, the Belgian state broadcaster VRT reported on Wednesday evening.

State prosecutor Eric Van Der Sypt said his office had received information about possible bomb alerts and had opened an investigation, but declined to provide details. He said the bomb squad had not been called to the airport.

An airport police spokeswoman said no bomb alerts were in place and that there was no problem at the airport.

VRT said both planes, one of which was flying from Oslo, landed safely.

A reporter at Belgian broadcaster Woestijnvis/Proximus TV, Bart Raes, tweeted that he was on the flight from Oslo and that the pilot had received the bomb threat 20 minutes before the plane was due to land.

Raes said that passengers were informed of the threat and had to wait 10 minutes before being allowed to leave the plane after it landed.

Belgian media said some other planes had been diverted to other airports.

Last March, Islamist bombers killed 32 people in suicide attacks at Brussels airport and a metro station. Many of those who carried out last Novembers attacks in Paris, which killed 130 people, were based in Belgium.

Read | Panic grips Brussels after string of explosions
The United States has approved the possible sale of up to 153 tanks, hundreds of machine guns and various other military gear to Saudi Arabia in a deal worth $1.15 billion, the Pentagon said.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on Tuesday said Riyadh had requested the possible purchase of up to 133 American M1A1/A2 Abrams tanks that would be configured to Saudi needs, plus another 20 to replace damaged tanks in their fleet.

Additionally, the deal would include 153 .50-caliber machine guns, 266 7.62mm M240 machine guns, smoke grenade launchers, armoured recovery vehicles and a range of other hardware.

The US state department has approved the possible sale and notified Congress on Monday, the DSCA said.

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a strategic regional partner which has been and continues to be a leading contributor of political stability and economic progress in the Middle East, the DSCA said in a statement.

The addition of these tanks and recovery vehicles to the (Saudi militarys) inventory will enhance Saudi Arabias ability to support its soldiers in the field and to defend the Kingdoms borders.

Saudi Arabia currently forms part of the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State jihadists in Syria and Iraq and is also part of a separate Arab coalition fighting in Yemen.
Georgetowns university in the US has appointed a first full-time director for Hindu Life in recognition of the growing number of Hindu students at the varsity.

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Brahmachari Vrajvihari Sharan as Georgetowns first full-time director for Hindu Life and the first Hindu priest chaplain in the United States, Rev Howard Gray, interim vice-president for mission and ministry at university said.

Sharan joins the Georgetown University from the University of Edinburgh where he served as honorary Hindu Chaplain since 2010.

He will also serve as chaplain-in-residence to first-year students in New South Hall.

Sharan was drawn to Georgetown by its commitment to interreligious student formation, and by the vibrancy of the universitys Hindu community, Gray said in a blog post.

The university has some 400 Hindu university and faculty members.

From its foundation in 1789, Georgetown, the nations oldest Catholic and Jesuit university, has been open to students of every religious tradition, he wrote.

Sharan is a senior monk at Shri Golok Dham Ashram (Vrindavan and New Delhi) where he was initiated in 2003.

He subsequently completed ritual training at the Vishwanath Sannyas Ashram in both Varanasi and Delhi.

Since completing his PhD in Sanskrit at Edinburgh in 2015, Sharan has also served as Lecturer of Asian Religions at Cardiff University in Wales and Senior Teaching Fellow in Sanskrit at the University of London in England.

Sharan has been a major contributor to interfaith initiatives across the UK and is a Patron of the Hindu Forum of Europe, Gray said.

Notably, Sharan is Georgetown Universitys second Hindu chaplain.

Pratima Dharan, the first Hindu chaplain resigned in January 2015 after three months of working at the university.

The Georgetown University Hindu Students Association welcomed the appointment of first full-time Director for Hindu Life in Campus Ministry.

We are so thankful and appreciative of all the hard work and dedication that went into making this possible (both on behalf of the university and our fellow Hindu students), the association said.

I look forward to meeting each one of you wonderful, dynamic students when you return. In the mean time feel free to message me with any questions, or just say hi! If youre already on campus, Sharan said in a message to Hindu students.
WASHINGTON: As Donald Trump tried to reset his campaign with a disciplined, on-message speech about his economic plan on Monday, more Republicans came out against him, including another senator.

I will not be voting for Donald Trump for president, Susan Collins, Senator from Maine, wrote in The Washington Post, listing his spat with Khizr and Ghazala Khan among her reasons.

Collins joined a growing list of Republican lawmakers and leaders not voting or supporting their partys nominee, including former presidents George HW Bush and George W Bush.

The same day, 50 Republican national security officials said in a statement that Trump would be a dangerous president and would put at risk our countrys national security and well-being.

The Republican nominee had not responded to Collins, but dismissed the national security officials as those who should be blamed for making the world such a dangerous place.

Signatories of the joint statement included George W Bushs homeland security secretary Tom Ridge, former director of National Intelligence John Negroponte and former CIA director Michael Hayden.

Also on Monday, Evan McMullin, a former CIA spy and policy director to the House Republican Conference, launched his presidential run backed by #NeverTrump members of the party.

Trump, who trails his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton by widening margins in polls, was expected to put behind a bad week  marked by a spat with the Khans, among other things  with his economy speech.

Republican party leaders, who are still supporting him, wanted to see if he could stay on message  laying down his policy and hammering Clinton  without setting off side-fights.

Reading from a teleprompter for a change, the Republican nominee laid out his economic plan  broadly tax reforms, no trade deals harmful to the US and fewer regulations.

Americanism, not globalism, will be our new credo, Trump said in a speech marked by applause and interrupted by protestors 14 times, according to one count. Within an hour or so of the speech came the joint statement by the national security officials, all from Republican-led administrations. And they called the nominee dangerous.

Senator Collins followed up with a crushing denunciation of the nominee in an opinion piece on Why I cannot support Trump, posted online by the Post late on Monday evening.

My conclusion about Mr Trumps unsuitability for office is based on his disregard for the precept of treating others with respect, an idea that should transcend politics, she wrote.

Collins based her conclusion on three incidents. One, he mocked a New York Times reporter with physical disabilities who had disputed Trumps account of Muslims cheering the 9/11 attacks.

Two, he accused a federal judge overseeing the cases of fraud against the now-defunct Trump University of bias because he was of Mexican heritage. Three, the attack on the Khans, the parents of a soldier killed in Iraq.
CULIACAN: The director of the Miss World Mexico pageant has been found shot dead after being kidnapped from a bar, officials in the violence-racked northwestern state of Sinaloa said. Hugo Ruben Castellanos was abducted late on Saturday from a bar in the town of Culiacan by armed men wearing hoods. He had gone there after attending a local beauty contest, officials said on Monday

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
BEIJING: Recent satellite photographs show Beijing has built concrete aircraft hangars on reefs and features in the South China Sea (SCS), a Washington-based think-tank said even as Japan warned China on Tuesday that ties were deteriorating over another maritime dispute.

The photographs indicating further militarisation of the already tense region emerged less than a month after an international tribunal ruled that China doesnt have historical rights over the South China Sea, handing petitioner and Beijings much smaller neighbour, the Philippines, a boost in the ongoing tussle.

The imagery released by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) showed hangars on Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief reefs in the Spratly Islands, known as Nansha in China, which claims most of the South China Sea.

The islands and reefs are also claimed by Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan.

The CSIS released the report with the headline Build and They Will Come: China Prepares Spratlys for Military Aircraft.

Civilian planes landed on Subi and Mischief reefs for the first time on July 12, giving China three operational runways in the disputed Spratly Islands. Except for a brief visit by a military transport plane to Fiery Cross Reef earlier this year, there is no evidence that Beijing has deployed military aircraft to these outposts, the report said.

Meanwhile, Japan warned bilateral ties were deteriorating after dozens of Chinese vessels sailed into the disputed waters of the East China Sea.

Japans foreign minister Fumio Kishida called in Chinese envoy Cheng Yonghua for the second time since Friday to protest the incursion, and told him China was trying to change the status quo unilaterally.
Drawing of a significant amount of heavy military equipment of Russias Armed Forces to the annexed Crimea and temporarily occupied territories of Donbas could mean Moscows preparing for offensive operations against the Armed Forces of Ukraine dedicated to the independence anniversary of Ukraine, Ukraine's representative in the security subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group for a peaceful settlement of the situation in Donbas Yevhen Marchuk has said.

"Russia publicly supplies a large number of heavy military equipment, mainly of offensive character, to Crimea and the occupied territories of Donbas ... In my opinion, Russia is simply preparing to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Ukraine's independence. Perhaps, in the way she did it in 2014, but only with some amendments to the current realities," Marchuk wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday.

According to Yevhen Marchuk, Russia can not put up with the 25th anniversary of Ukrainian independence happening smoothly. The fact that "Kyiv will host the leaders of the leading world countries" frustrates them [Russian Federation].

"Even if Russia does not dare to repeat the events of August 2014, the situation - created by them - of a high probability of serious escalation will inevitably produce highly hypothetical threats to the personal safety of distinguished guests and refusal to travel to Kyiv. I think that Russia has already developed and activated its plan, which is designed to ruin and disrupt the celebration of the 25th anniversary of independence of Ukraine," Marchuk said.

Marchuk noted that the Ukrainian security and defense system "has already gained decent experience in countering the aggressors actions and actively working to ensure the safety of the 25th anniversary of independence throughout Ukraine, not only in Kyiv."
KATHMANDU: President Xi Jinping will visit Nepal this year to strengthen bilateral ties, a top Chinese official said during a meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda on Tuesday.

Prachanda said Nepal is eager to welcome the Chinese president at the earliest, according to a statement issued the prime ministers secretariat. Nepal, he said, wants a reliable and long-term friendship with China based on mutual benefit.

Nepal also wants trilateral cooperation with India and China, he added.

Ji Zhiye, president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), said during the meeting with Prachanda that Xis visit will go ahead as planned but did not give any dates. This year, President Xi will visit Nepal which aims to strengthen bilateral ties, he said.

There has been confusion in Kathmandu over Xis visit following the change of government in Nepal. Prachanda became the premier after his predecessor KP Sharma Oli resigned when a no-confidence motion was moved against him.

The CICIR teams visit has helped dispel the notion that Xis visit will be cancelled or postponed, observers said. The Chinese experts told Nepali leaders that Xis visit will certainly go ahead and they were in Kathmandu to look into the preparations for it. Reports have suggested that the Chinese President could travel to Nepal in October before or after attending the BRICS Summit in India.
DHAKA: A four-year-old Bangladeshi boy suffering from a mysterious illness that makes him look like an aged man has been admitted to a hospital for tests, his family and doctors said.

Born with excess skin that hangs from his limbs and face causing it to sag, Bayezid Shikdar also suffers from related heart, vision and hearing problems.

Doctors at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, a top hospital in Dhaka, have agreed to try to diagnose and treat Bayezid , who comes from a poor farming family, for free.

His father Lablu Shikdar said numerous doctors have been at a loss trying to explain his sons condition.

We sold our land to treat him at local hospitals. We took him to religious healers and herbal doctors, but his condition did not change. This hospital is our last hope, Shikdar said at this week.

We hope theyll make him look like any other normal child, he added.

Doctors initially suspected he suffered from progeria which causes rapid and premature ageing shortly after birth, leading to severe health complications. The extremely rare genetic disorder was the subject of Hollywood movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button starring Brad Pitt. But doctors at the Dhaka hospital expressed caution, saying extensive tests were needed before giving out a confirmed diagnosis. In progeria, the ageing process accelerates with time, said Abul Kalam, head of the hospitals burns and plastic surgery unit.

But Bayezids parents have said the ageing of their boy has been halted recently. He has shown signs of improvement. Were investigating his condition. In addition to loose skin, he has problems in his heart, ear, eyes and penis, Kalam added.

Doctors also said his genetic condition may be the result of inbreeding, with marriage among relatives, including first cousins, common in Bangladeshs rural areas.
ST PETERSBURG: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that restoring trade ties with Turkey will take time and work, after his first meeting with counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan since Ankara shot down a Russian warplane last November.

Putin insisted he wanted to see relations with our Turkish friends return to previous levels but stressed it would take time for Moscow to roll back a series of economic sanctions against Ankara.

Ahead of us lies painstaking work to resuscitate trade and economic cooperation. This process has already started but it will take some time, Putin told a press conference in Saint Petersburg.

We lived through a very complicated moment in the relations between our states and we very much want, and I feel our Turkish friends want, to overcome the difficulties, Putin said.

Erdogans visit to Putins hometown of Saint Petersburg was his first foreign trip since the failed coup against him last month that sparked a purge of opponents and cast a shadow over Turkeys relations with the West. For his part, Erdogan said he hoped Russia-Turkish ties would become more robust and stressed how important it was that Putin offered his support after the coup.

We will bring our relations back to the old level and even beyond. Both sides are determined and have the necessary will, he said.

The Turkish leader also called for the TurkStream gas pipeline, a joint project with Russia, to be done as soon as possible.

The shooting down of a Russian fighter jet by a Turkish F-16 plane over the Syrian border last autumn saw a furious Putin slap economic sanctions on Turkey. But in late June, Putin accepted a letter expressing regret over the incident from Erdogan as an apology and quickly rolled back a ban on the sale of package holidays to Turkey and signalled Moscow would end measures against Turkish food imports and construction firms.
BANGKOK: Thailand will hold a general election in 2017, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Tuesday, seeking to allay concerns his military government might delay plans for a return to democracy, days after the country endorsed a military-backed constitution. The vote in favour of the constitution in Sundays referendum, the biggest test of public opinion since then army chief Prayuth seized power in a 2014 coup, is seen as a boost for the legitimacy of the government and its plans. Under the juntas roadmap to restore democratic rule, Prayuth had previously said an election would be held in 2017. The confirmation, in his first public comments since the referendum, came after the US state department urged Thailand to take steps to restore an elected government as soon as possible.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The storm is passing. The last year and a half has been rough sailing in so many ways. One r
Members of the Myrotvorets (Peacekeeper) Battalion of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, many of whom were civil activists before the Revolution of Dignity and joined volunteer battalions going to the front in Donbas, say several officers at the interior ministry have "it in for them."

Myrotvorets member Serhiy Bondar during a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday said several members of the old police force who passed re-evaluation and joined the National Police of Ukraine have been following them since December 2014, except during the periods they were deployed in the anti-terrorist operation zone in eastern Ukraine.

"This was repeated many times by the prosecution in the [murder case involving Ukrainian journalist, blogger Oles] Buzyna [who was murdered in Kyiv on April 16, 2015]. As soon as fighting on the front died down and the guys began returning, we were again followed," Bondar said.

According to him, a group of former police department chiefs incorporated into the new police force is behind the surveillance.

"Today people who have taken active part in the social life of the country, and then for a long period of time were on the front, are not only deprived of their rights and opportunities to legally become members of the country's law-enforcement agencies  they are being squeezed out of armed law-enforcement units. We know for sure that there was a criminal search and top interior ministry officials pressured the leaders of the Kyiv 2, Harpun [Harpoon] and Myrotvorets units in order to limit our membership in these formations," said Bondar.

The Myrotvorets member said civil activists were deliberately beaten during the spring of 2013.

"We are all people who are active in society with our position. We fought from 2010 against illegal construction, disregard for the law  during the regime of Yanukovych [disgraced former Ukrainian president] three fabricated criminal cases pursuant to Article 296 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine [hooliganism] were opened against me. They followed us during the [Euro]maidan revolution, militia officers escorted 'goons' to beat us up. Those who followed us have never been punished. They are working at the same jobs," he said.

A member of the interior ministry's Harpun volunteer battalion, Oleksandr Voitko, said that after members of his battalion detained police colonel Vladyslav Derkach on suspicion of cooperating with Russian special forces, threats to members of the C14 (Sich) organization [of young Ukrainian nationalists] increased.

"In March 2016, five members of our unit received requests to give information about our unit and our commanders. I am recorded as a claimant in a criminal case, not a suspect in any case. This goes to show that a criminal group within the interior ministry is continuing to harass patriots," Voitko said.

Speaking about the motives for following civil activists, Harpun member Voitko said "the aim is either to fabricate against us some kind of criminal case or use information [we have] for revenge."
A record number of London commuters are getting to work by boat. Almost a million now travel to the office by MBNA Thames Clippers, the largest operator of River Buses in the capital, which forecasts that it will see 4.2 million journeys made on its central to east London services this year, up from 3.3 million three years ago.

To cope with increasing demand, no fewer than 11 new piers are planned, which will open up the service to thousands more people as far afield as Barking. Plans to extend into Kent are also being discussed.

The piers at Blackfriars and Embankment are being extended. A newly extended Westminster Pier opened this month.

Sean Collins, chief executive and co-founder of MBNA Thames Clippers, which launched in 1999, says that over the next year, piers will be opened at Battersea to serve the new development taking shape around Battersea Power Station.

In east London piers at Canary Wharf East and Providence Wharf will open up the Isle of Dogs to river transport.

There are also imminent plans for a new pier at Enderby Wharf, close to the O2 and the location of a major Barratt Homes development. It is hoped that this pier will be up and running by 2018.

Another new pier is proposed at Royal Wharf, a Ballymore development close to the Royal Docks and London City airport.

Transport for London also hopes to see piers developed to the rear of The Savoy hotel and in Wapping, Rotherhithe, Greenwich, Beckton and close to the new Barking Riverside development.

About 40 per cent of current Thames Clipper journeys are made by regular commuters. Another 250,000 trips will be made on the western branch of the service, which operates from Putney during the morning and evening rush hours only.

Revealed: London's top property news stories 1 /40 Revealed: London's top property news stories Southwark council moves to save historic arches A London council is stepping in to save its historic railway arches, after a rush of applications to convert them into homes.



Read more

> Scroll right for more of London's top property news stories... Alamy Stock Photo Canning Town revealed as the most affordable property hotspot along the new 24-hour Night Tube route New research reveals the 10 most affordable stops to buy along the newest branch of Londons weekend Night Tube network...



Read more

Daniel Lynch London's property hotspots for "second steppers" New research reveals the capitals top locations for first-time owners trading up in the suburbs. Here's where to start your search for good-value homes with more space...



Read more

New-look 2016 Monopoly board for London's first-time buyers Barking and Bexley replace Old Kent Road and Whitechapel as the capital's cheapest property hotspots. Discover the average cost of buying in every London borough...



Read more

Barratt London Top 30 fastest-rising hotspots for first-time buyers from Peckham to Walthamstow South-east London postcodes are a favourite with the capital's first-timers, but discover which areas are proving to be the best investment for newbie buyers...



Read more

Bob Comics_Flickr City of London set to ban cars and trucks at Bank Junction The junction outside the Bank of England could become a bus and bike-only zone as early as next spring in an effort to reduce regular traffic accidents.



Read more

100 days after Brexit: how the UK's vote to leave the EU has impacted the property market We ask UK property experts how Brexit has effected the housing market and what the future holds...



Read more

> Scroll right for more of London's top property news stories... Shutterstock London borough of Redbridge is home to the capital's most satisfied residents The north-east London borough containing Ilford, Woodford and Wanstead has the best levels of life satisfaction in the capital, according to the latest data from the Office of National Statistics. So, what makes it such a good place to live? We find out...



Read more Daniel Lynch The Optic Cloak at Greenwich Peninsula This gigantic energy tower in south-east London, called the Optic Cloak, is set to warm up 15,000 new homes...



Read more Marc Wilmot_Greenwich Peninsula North Kensington house prices tipped to soar as council pledges to plug W10 into the Elizabeth line A new train station in North Kensington has become more likely after Kensington & Chelsea council pledged to foot the nine-figure bill to link the area to the Crossrail network.



Read more Alamy Stock Photo Post-Brexit sales "better than usual": 35m of London property sells in a single day at auction Guide prices were busted at a fiercely contested property auction where sellers were more nervous than the buyers...



Read more The 'world's largest smog vacuum cleaner' turns polluted city air into jewellery Winner of the 2016 Airbnb London Design Innovation medal, Daan Roosegaarde has launched his acclaimed Smog Free Tower in Beijing - and London could be next...



Read more Derrick Wang Locals vow to fight demolition of Fulham Gasworks Residents are preparing to fight plans for 1,300 new homes in tower blocks of up to 27-storeys high on the site of Londons last surviving Victorian gasworks in Fulham. .

Read more Post-Brexit UK property prices The pace of growth has slowed, but property prices are still rising following the Brexit vote. See how your region compares...



Read more PA Quietway cycle routes: Enfield to Greenwich London's first Quietway, the cycle route from Waterloo to Greenwich, is already up and running, with six more due next year. We reveal the traffic-free enclaves along the routes that are still some of the capitals best-kept secrets...



Read more Seven of the best Hertfordshire villages with 40-minute commutes to London Some of England's loveliest villages are found in family-friendly Hertfordshire, the low-profile home county just north of the capital that offers quick commutes to the centre. Take a tour of our pick of the best...



Read more Alamy Quietway cycle routes: Clapham Common to Walthamstow Discover the homes along TfLs peaceful new bike routes linking the suburbs to the centre through back streets and parks and along riverbanks and canal paths...



Read more Jonathan Bewley House prices in east London borough of Newham rise by more than 20 per cent in a year New figures reveal that while the pace of growth is slowing, property prices are still rising across the capital as demand continues to soar.



Read more Rex Grammar school expansion plans: homes near England's top 30 state schools command premiums of up to 630k Parents face paying an average of 53k extra to live near England's top 30 state schools - and grammar schools dominate the top 10, says new report.



Read more London's Zone 5 homes hotspots Thinking of moving? These are the areas you need to know about...



Read more Graham Hussey Tottenham Hale masterplan row Local residents complain they will lose their views if plans for the regeneration of the the River Lee Navigation waterfront, including apartment blocks up to 21 storeys tall, go ahead....

Read more Notting Hill's skinniest home for sale for 1.25m Inside west London's 'life-size doll's house' - measuring just seven feet wide...

Read more Seven of the best Kent villages less than 60 minutes from the capital - with good schools, shops and pubs Idyllic Kent villages with pubs, shops and good schools are great commuter options and only an hour - or less - from London.

Read more The Tube line extensions and Crossrail homes hotspots you need to know about Transport-led regeneration is the single most important factor boosting the value of homes. These are the new routes you need to know about...

Read more London's new walk-to-work homes near emerging business hubs - and mainline train stations As more creative companies and start-ups move out of central London's traditional business areas, neighbourhoods with new commercial hubs are being created with walk-to-work homes...

Read more The Olympic legacy? More than 100 small start up firms in Vittoria Wharf, Hackney Wick, are being forced to move into new premises following a green light to bulldoze the area to make way for a new bridge over the River Lee Navigation.

Read more Alamy Three-year forecast predicts the house price changes in your region House price growth has fallen in recent months, but is expected to start rising again by 2018, according to the latest three-year housing forecast by Countrywide...



Read more Shutterstock Night Tube: Tottenham Hale revealed as the most affordable property hotspot New research reveals the 10 most affordable stops to buy along London's Night Tube network as addresses along the Central and Victoria lines benefit from 24-hour connections...



Read more Rents fall for the first time in eight years as homes to let flood the market While rents are falling for the first time since the financial crash of 2008, rental prices across the capital are still far too high in relation to salaries.



Read more The university areas that get top marks for return on investment For parents considering buying a property for the three-year stint, a new study of the capitals top 12 universities reveals which present the best deals for buyers compared with renting.



Read more Alamy

The increase in users comes despite the fact that a river commute can be slower and slightly more expensive than travelling on land. What we offer is a very unique form of transport to people who would rather not travel by train, says Collins. They are arriving at work in a totally relaxed frame of mind.

At Barking around 15,000 homes are being developed so it has got the potential to become a very significant hub for river transport, and provide phenomenal access to Canary Wharf.

Collins hopes the service will one day run as far out of central London as Ebbsfleet in Kent, via Greenhithe, home of the Bluewater shopping centre, and Swanscombe, where a 2 billion Disneyland-style theme park is planned.

It will not be possible to extend the River Bus service further west than Putney  shallow water plus a strict speed limit make the idea of commuting by boat from Richmond or Kew to central London impossible adds Collins.

An annual season ticket is not cheap. For example, to travel from Royal Arsenal to Bankside costs 1,200. The journey takes 46 minutes and services from central London run every 20 minutes until about 11pm. However, this ticket does not allow travel by train or bus, and Collins says that the level of public subsidy required to develop a fully integrated season ticket makes the concept unviable.

He hopes to see more express services in future to cut journey times, and in 2017/18 will add another two boats to his 15-strong fleet of clippers.
News, events, history, and other mid-week tidbits.

Tuesday, October 25, 4:30  7 p.m.

Orr Area EMS Open House

Brats and burgers will be served. Event includes a new ambulance tour and blood pressure screenings. For more info: 218-780-3798.

Orr Fire Hall

4540 Lake St., Orr

Tuesday, October 25, 12  6 p.m.

Essentia Health Job Fair

Talent recruiters and department managers will be on-site at Essentia Health-Virginia. Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to attendnurses, nursing and clinical assistants, surgery technicians, radiology technicians, respiratory therapists, human resource professionals, and those interested in environmental services or nutrition services. Essentia staff will greet candidates, conduct an initial screening and filter them to appropriate hiring managers for interviews. Select candidates will be verbally offered a position before leaving. Candidates are asked to bring a resume, but its not required. Attire is business casual. For more info: www.essentiacareers.org.

901 9th St. N., Virginia
It's in posts, in blogs, promoted in social media, and almost everyone in the travel industry has heard about 'meta'. But what is metasearch exactly and how can it help your hotel?

Metasearch sites have been a constant topic in their own right. The numbers tell it all : 54% of Chinese, 36% of American, and 35% of British travellers use meta search engines to compare rates.

What is a metasearch?

A metasearch site is, in simple terms, a website helping travellers to find hotels by comparing prices and availability from different websites and displaying them in one place. A metasearch uses other website's data to produce a result list based on specific characteristics, like price or location. By combining information from multiple websites, metasearch sites can offer custom results. Hotel rooms, cars, flights, and other products have their own metasearch. Some popular examples are Amazon, Tripadvisor, Google, Kayak, trivago, and Skyscanner.

Metasearch engines help guests with the price shopping process, while hoteliers promote their properties in several platforms with competitive prices. It is not a secret that the travel, shop and buy process is becoming increasingly complex. With multiple channels and devices to maintain, hoteliers should aim to maximise exposure and improve their marketing strategies.

Some metasearch sites have started to facilitate direct booking and payment functions within their website, blurring the lines of online distribution channels. Therefore, metasearch sites go from marketing channels or distribution channels into a direct distribution and marketing channel, if we can call it that.

Tips to manage you meta-campaign

Understand your guest's travel behaviour and factors influencing their decision-making process. If you want to know more about it, read our article about the decision process.

As a marketing channel, having your own marketing strategy deployed is vital. From photos to reviews, metasearch considers all available information about your property and presents it.

Having your own website and booking engine can boost your occupancy rates and bookings, facilitating direct bookings.

Maintaining occupancy and rates can be hard, but they surely pay off. A clear pricing strategy can help increase revenue based on identified behavioural guest patterns, especially during holidays or high season.

Offer competitive rates and use extras as added value proposition.

Follow changes, track, analyse and optimise your strategy to make the best of metasearch.

At the end, metasearch offer users organised data. In order to maximise the benefits, hoteliers should identify and fully display their value proposition to potential guests. The real value is what your guest is looking for, and metasearch is one additional tool to reach out.

Do you have any questions related to metasearch? Let us know in our social media in Facebook or @Base7booking, and we'll give you great tips and advice about.

Base7 Booking

Hotel technology company

Base7booking.com
Hotel website design, like any kind of design, is subjective. Nothing is more painful than a website design "discussion" where stakeholders talk for hours about colors, content and photos. For every extra person added to these meetings, more useless things get added and useful things get taken out. By the end of it, you have a website that is not usable for potential guests, which hurts your conversion rate and, more important, your revenue.

So in this post, let's worry less about design and more about usability. To that end, here is a list of mistakes that can hurt your hotel website revenue, no matter how much you love your design.

1. Missing Address & Phone Number

You need to give website visitors your address and phone number right at the top of your home page. This is more important than your homepage slider, and even that oh so trendy moving video on loop that you recently added. Assuming that your phone number and location only matter on mobile is flawed thinking.

Sometimes people want to call you. When they are calling you, there's a good chance they're going to book with you. Before they book, they are very likely to search for information about your location. Travel research is still happening on larger screens. You have to make it easy for them to discover your exact location, and even easier to contact you.

Don't bury this information in your footer. Would you wear your name tag on your shoe? Mike drop. Next.

2. Fluffy Homepage Taglines

Hotel websites are notorious for fluffy descriptive taglines. I am not sure where this trend started, but it really has to stop. Home page is prime real estate for you to talk about who you are, what you do, and where are you located. Marketing is not stuffing adjectives like "Extraordinaire, Award Winning, Blissful Abode, etc." on your home page. Providing the right information up front will lead your visitors deeper into your website for discovery, and not on an expedition to try to find simple answers about who you are, where you are, and what you offer. You have a few seconds to keep a new visitor on your website. Let's not use that time to bombard them with fluff.

3. Music (Can you not?)

This is a public service announcement: Please don't put music on your website.

Anything (music, videos) that autoplays on a website is a conversion death trap. The majority of bookings happen Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm. People are at workand nothing is more disastrous than suddenly having your office laptop broadcast the sounds of singing whales, crashing waves, or romantic piano music while you are trying to book your vacation. Especially while your boss is waiting on that TPS report.

4. Cannibalizing Your Own Traffic

I have written a massive article on this topic that you can read here. Obviously, not enough people have read it. Social media traffic is useful only when it's pointing people inwards, into your website! I am always surprised to see social media exit signs all over hotel websites. Do you think anyone leaving your website to go to YouTube is ever coming back? I refer to it as the black hole of the Internet universe. All that effort you spent to get people to come to your website is wasted when you then lead them right out.

5. Poorly Embedded Videos

Videos can do wonders for your website engagement. I am always thrilled when a hotel website utilizes videos. YouTube is a great place to host videos that you can embed into your website. But beware one small setting that can wreak havoc: Suggested Videos. This totally defeats the purpose of having video embedded on your website, as people are now getting sucked directly from your site back into the Internet black hole of cat videos! What's even worse than that? When your competitors' hotel videos start showing up! Now that is really embarrassing.

So, when you are embedding YouTube videos on your website, make sure you follow these easy steps:

Copy your video embed code. Select the "show more" option. Uncheck the "show suggested videos when the video finishes" box. Copy and paste the new code into your website.

6. Bad Photography

Photos make or break a hotel website. Still, a lot of hotels do not invest in photography at the level they should. I have seen some amazing website design themes ruined by bad photos. The importance of unique, high-quality photos is not limited to your website. They need to be used on every OTA that you work with. Instead of getting photos updated once in 5 or 10 years, organize a seasonal photo shoot to cover the full spectrum of your location and seasonality.

Sadly, there are countless hotel websites where I can instantly make out who made it thanks to the ubiquitousness of the marketing agency's stock photos. From San Francisco to San Antonio, the same couple is having a great romantic dinner, day after day, year after year. Another couple is enjoying the generic beach in San Diego, and Miami, and South Carolina. You get the drift.

7. Press Releases

Some find it hard to believe, and even find this notion offensive, but I'll say it anyway: a press release is not real content. Let me elaborate. A press release does not fall into any real content category people are using these days. Current news can be found on Twitter or an actual news website. Topical discussions and viewpoints are offered in blogs and podcasts. Having a press release page on your website does not help educate your audience. You need to convert that information into useful content potential visitors can use. A beautiful press kit available for download will run circles around any effort and money spent on press releases. News about renovations, re-branding, new food and beverage outlets, etc., needs to be broadcast live on your hotel blog.

8. The Dreaded Restaurant & Spa Menu PDF

Larger resort websites are top offenders when it comes to this. PDFs are awful when it comes to usability. First there is the download time and resolution issues that occur on mobile devices, combined with the need to "select" the right app to open them. PDFs are just a bad idea. I just want to see if I can get a salad! It shouldn't require so much effort, and then become a permanent file on my phone.

HTML it instead! Let people view information without fixed borders. They are great for printing, but who is even printing anything these days? You can always offer a "printable" option for laptop users, but it cannot and should not be the only way to access information on your website.

9. One Call to Action

With the heavy emphasis on booking direct, it seems like every website has become a big "BOOK NOW AND SAVE" destination. You website needs to be a part of the larger travel booking conversation. If the only thing you are yelling is "BOOK NOW!" you are not distinguishing yourself from the hundreds of other websites that are doing the exact same thing. You have to do better.

Diversify your calls to action. Ask visitors to interact with you in other ways. Maybe your guest is still researching their options, trying to understand your location and value proposition. Make it easy for them to contact you by requiring very limited information in your contact form. "Give us your name and email, and we'll get right back to you." Help with the journey first, and the odds of them booking with you go up tremendously.

Pro Tip: The number of questions asked in a contact form is inversely proportional to the number of people who will fill out that form and convert.

10. Bad Booking Engines

Booking engines deserve their own very special usability article, which I will get to in the near future. For now, know this: For your guest, the booking engine is a part of your website. They do not know or care that you are renting this cart from a provider that has been making booking engines since 1989, or from a guy in his garage in Seattle. When you confuse your visitors with a bad booking experience, you are doing two things:

Tanking all the marketing budget you spent to drive this person to your website Training them not to waste time with you, and instead use an Online Travel Agent that lets them book a room more efficiently

Your website is your storefront. There is NO point to having all the great photography, content, ambience, and offeringsand then a broken cash register at the end of the experience.

Conclusion

Yes, make a beautiful website! It should be modern, aesthetically pleasing, inviting, and show off your property. But also remember to avoid the pitfalls I have highlighted above. Start making your website perform better. It's hard to remember that these small things can matter more than the expensive design things, but do not give in to marketing peer pressure. Usability beats trends. Make sure your most profitable revenue channel is more than just a pretty face. Stay Woke.

Vikram Singh

415-244-9861

Vikram Singh

View source
Ukraine's State Security Service (SBU) has rejected the statement by the Russian Federation's Federal Security Service (FSS) about the deployment of Ukrainian saboteurs to Russia-occupied Crimea.

"Ukraine does not seize or return by force its territory now and will not do so in the future. I can tell you this," SBU adviser Yuriy Tandit told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Friday.

"That's why it is possible from this standpoint to turn the statement by the FSS or the [Russian] ministry of defense on its head. We will not use force to return our territory. It is our territory and we have rights to it," he said.

The SBU adviser said that "citizens of Ukraine live in Crimea and we cannot and do not have the right to make them suffer or launch an attack on someone there."

"We refute the information [of the Russian FSS about a so-called attempt by a diversionary group made up of crack troops from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine]. What is the motive? We are not attempting to return our territory by force," Tandit said.

As earlier reported, Russia's FSS on Wednesday said it with support of other defense and security structures had averted a breakthrough by groups of saboteurs and terrorists into Crimea from the territory of Ukraine.

"In the early hours of August 8, 2016, special units of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry made another two attempts to break through using groups of saboteurs and terrorists, which were averted by the defense and security units of the Russian Federal Security Service and the interacting agencies," the report said.

According to the FSS, "the breakthrough attempts were covered by a massive attack from the neighboring state and armored vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a Russian Defense Ministry serviceman was killed in the skirmish."

The Federal Security Service said a criminal case has been opened on the basis of the results of the operational search activities and the combat measures conducted by the investigative department of the Federal Security Service's Department for Russia and the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol and additional operational and investigative activities are being conducted.

"Security has been tightened in places where many people gather and in recreation places, and also to protect critical infrastructure facilities. The border regime on the Ukrainian border has been intensified," the Federal Security Service said.
The THINC Indonesia organizing committee is grateful to all sponsors, partners, speakers and delegates for their valued

support, and looks forward to welcoming everyone at the 5th edition of THINC Indonesia on 6 and 7 September, 2017.

For more information please contact Debjani Dhara

+91 124 461 6000 ext. 51
KARJAT, INDIA -- Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Karjat, located in the sub district of Raigad, is now open. Situated in the natural surroundings of verdant greenery and awe-inspiring landscapes of the nearby hills, Karjat is a popular weekend destination for regional tourism and international travelers.

The 102 rooms, new build, Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Karjat is a convenient two-hour drive from Mumbai and Pune. The resort offers 360-degree views of the stunning Sahyadri Mountains which is nestled along on the banks of the Ulhas River. It is an ideal choice for all guest types, including couples, families, adventure-seekers, wellness enthusiasts, wedding party guests, and business travelers. Radisson's unique Yes I Can!SM service philosophy offers guests unforgettable experiences effortlessly combined with modern design and high-quality service.

Speaking on the hotel's opening, Raj Rana, chief executive officer, South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group said, "We are excited to partner with Mr. Chakraborty to launch this upper upscale resort. This resort's opening reinforces our commitment to enhance the brand's portfolio and further expand our presence in resort destinations throughout India. With its unparalleled resort experience and commitment to excellence, we are confident Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Karjat will be a shining success."

The hotel's award-winning design predominantly features Eastern themes with nods to Thai and Balinese architecture, while retaining an internal narrative that celebrates Indian design, culture and spirit.

Designed to welcome the savvy, modern traveler, Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Karjat offers well-appointed rooms and suites, with modern amenities. 24-hour room service, high speed, complimentary Wi-Fi, a complimentary tea and coffee maker in each room, and a fully-stocked minibar all ensure a comfortable stay. Additionally, each room is fully fitted with a digital in-room safe, a digital clock with a docking station, Internet television, a hair dryer, independent shower cubicles and balconies with loungers.

Guest can enjoy a relaxing and pleasurable stay as the resort offers a state-of-the-art fitness center, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a children's pool and an outdoor, heated Jacuzzi. Wellness enthusiasts have a plethora of options to choose from when looking for pampering, at the Escenza Spa. A range of indulgent spa rituals, administered by expertly trained professionals using international products, are designed help guests relax, rejuvenate, and see results. For families traveling with children, the resort provides a children's activity zone and gaming arcade.

A multitude of dining options includes the Riverside Poolside Bar, which allows guests to dine under the stars, a luxury that most city-dwellers are unaccustomed to. The venue offers an extensive selection of grills and barbecues, accompanied by customized cocktails. The Blu Lounge is a cozy yet sophisticated bar where guests can unwind over an extraordinary array of international and domestic wines, spirits and cocktails, accompanied by a curated selection of small bites. An outdoor deck area encourages guests to enjoy being surrounded by the resort's multiple water bodies, in a laid-back yet elegant setting. The Palms is the resort's all-day dining restaurant, featuring some of the most popular dishes seen on menus both in India and around the globe. Guests can sample the executive chef's culinary innovations while admiring the pool view and surrounding greenery.

Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Karjat is designed to be the ideal choice for banqueting events of all types. Guests looking to host weddings at the property will have two outdoor sections, the Party Greens and Grand Lawn, to choose from. Spanning a vast 18,000 square feet, the areas allow guests the flexibility and space to create the perfect event of their choosing, fully supported by the hotel's expert team of event professionals. The Grand Ballroom, one of the very few pillar-less banqueting venues of this size seen at a leading hotel today, is part of an expansive indoor set up of almost 10,000 square feet. Here, guests can host meetings, conferences and social events of all sizes. Superior attention to detail will ensure a hassle-free, enjoyable experience for both the hosts and the attendees. Modern audio-visual equipment with drop-down screens and seamless Wi-Fi coverage, elegant decor with rich wood finishing, gold-leaf accents, carefully-curated artworks, mood lighting, and an expansive array of personalized menu options all ensure a memorable, on-property experience, be it for business or pleasure.

The resort's owner, Suhasish Chakraborty, said, "Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Karjat offers a beautiful balance between modern design and enveloping natural beauty. It is a first-of-its-kind luxury offering in an upcoming destination, complete with great connectivity, service excellence and quality standards befitting of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. We are excited to introduce this property to a range of discerning guests."

With this newest addition, there are now 29 Radisson Blu hotels in India under Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group's portfolio.

About Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Karjat

A ninety-minute drive from Mumbai and two hours away from Pune, Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Karjat is situated along the river and surrounded by a 360-degrees view of the picturesque hills, a perfect destination for leisure and corporate travelers. It is an apt venue for conferences, seminars and large banqueting events. With its vast expanse of covered as well as outdoor venues, it is the perfect choice for product launches, media events, theme cocktail dinners and social celebrations.

The vision for the Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Karjat is to offer an unforgettable and unique experience by melding the natural beauty of its surroundings with high quality and anticipative service. An Eastern design theme combines the compelling beauty of a far-eastern resort with hints of Thai and Balinese architectural styles and an internal narrative that celebrates Indian design, culture and spirit. https://www.radissonblu.com/en/resort-karjat

About Radisson Hotel Group

Radisson Hotel Group is one of the world's largest hotel groups with nine distinctive hotel brands, and more than 1,600 hotels in operation and under development in 120 countries. The Group's overarching brand promise is Every Moment Matters with a signature Yes I Can! service ethos.

The Radisson Hotel Group portfolio includes Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Radisson Individuals, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, and prizeotel brought together under one commercial umbrella brand Radisson Hotels.

Radisson Rewards is our international rewards program that delivers unique and personalized ways to create memorable moments that matter to our guests. Radisson Rewards offers an exceptional experience for our guests, meeting planners, and travel agents at over 550 hotels in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.

Radisson Meetings provides tailored solutions for any event or meeting, including hybrid solutions placing guests and their needs at the heart of its offer. Radisson Meetings is built around three strong service commitments: Personal, Professional and Memorable, while delivering on the brilliant basics and being uniquely 100% Carbon Neutral.

The health and safety of guests and team members remain a top priority for Radisson Hotel Group. All properties across the Group's portfolio are subject to stringent health and safety requirements, as outlined in the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol.

More than 100,000 team members work at Radisson Hotel Group and at the hotels licensed to operate in its systems. For more information, visit our corporate website. Or connect with Radisson Hotels on:

LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

Ajith Nair

Director of Sales & Marketing - Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Karjat

Radisson Hotel Group
It looks like you've reached a page that doesnt exist (anymore).

Please use the navigation or search above to find content on Hospitality Net.

Go back to home
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has dismissed the information from the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) that the ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate units are involved in subversive activity in Crimea.

"Such allegations by the FSB are nothing but an attempt to justify the redeployment and aggression of the Russian Federation troops on the territory of the annexed peninsula," the ministry said on its website on Wednesday.
Wonder what the 'Boss' would make of this cover?

Playing at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field, it only seemed fitting for the band to perform the legendary tune about the city.

Chris Martin remained faithful to the original version, performing the song accoustically.

The classic tune became a critical triumph in 1993 when it featured in the controversial film Philadelphia which dealt with HIV/AIDS. It cleaned out big in the awards, scooping an Academy Award for Best Original Song and four Grammy Awards.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office continues its effort to remove repeat DWI offenders from the roads  for a long time.

Ronnie Paul Hobgood Jr. will serve a 50-year sentence following his sixth DWI and two previous prison trips, including one for killing a person while driving drunk, according to the DA's office. He also received probation on the three other DWIs dating back to 1990.

The 45-year-old Hobgood reach a plea bargain in the 410th state District Court Monday, becoming one of nine multiple DWI offenders to be sentenced to 50-plus years since DA Brett Ligon took office in 2009.

He faced a max sentence of life had he gone to trial, according to the DA's office.

READ MORE: Driver accused in San Marcos crash still jailed, mother who lost husband, child planning funeral

Under Ligon, the DA's Office has cracked down on repeat offenders, specifically making an effort to reduce a "DWI problem" in the county, according to Assistant District Attorney Andrew James.

Of the nine with hefty sentences, five were sentenced to life, one received 99 years, one got 55 years, and the other two, including Hobgood, received 50 years.

All nine repeat offenders had been to prison at least twice, with some prior charges in addition to DWI, James said.

"When you've got people like these nine guys that have shown over and over again they can't be trusted with their own freedom," James said. "they're not responsible members of society, they've been to prison on multiple occasions, they're not able to be rehabilitated. ... They need to be separated from society so they can't put anybody in danger and God forbid kill somebody."

James said the DA's office also runs "no refusal" every Friday and Saturday night in an effort to prevent drunk-driving deaths in Montgomery County.

Hobgood's Case

Hobgood wasn't learning his lesson, according to Assistant District Attorney Brittany Litaker, who prosecuted the case.

"You would think that when something that drastic happens in your life that it would be enough for you to stop," said Litaker, referring to Hobgood previously killing somebody while driving drunk.

READ MORE: Woman killed, motorcyclist hospitalized after 'T-boning' a 16-year-old driver in New Braunfels

Hobgood was leaving a bar Feb. 7 when a bartender noticed that he was highly intoxicated.

According to information from the DA's Office, the bartender approached Hobgood and attempted to prevent him from driving. Instead, witnesses reported that Hobgood started his truck, put it in reverse and crashed into a parked car. He then attempted to flee the scene while the bartender called police.

After being blocked in the parking lot by concerned citizens, Hobgood drove over a curb and onto the feeder road of Interstate 45 North, where he collided with another vehicle before driving off at a high rate of speed. A local wrecker driver located Hobgood and called police.

DPS Trooper Matthew Cline responded and started his investigation.

"Hobgood was very unsteady on his feet, smelled strongly of alcohol and failed field sobriety tests," according to information from the DA's Office. "A search warrant was executed for a sample of Hobgood's blood, which revealed a blood alcohol concentration of .272, over three times the legal limit."

The only thing prosecutors can do is lock up Hobgood as long as possible to keep the community safe, Litaker said

"... It just goes to show that this defendant is dangerous and that's why getting this 50-year sentence is so important," Litaker said. "We don't want someone like this to be on the road and putting us and our families at risk."

Based on the way parole eligibility works, 50 years with a deadly weapon is essentially the same as a life sentence, Litaker said.

"I knew with my plea negotiations that I was unwilling to go any lower than 50 years," she said. "Otherwise it wasn't worth the risk of him being able to get out sooner."

Litaker said she often sees three- to four-time DWI offenders in Montgomery County, but the DA's Office is putting its foot down.

"If you are willing to commit four, five, six or more," Litaker said, "that's enough. We're not going to tolerate it."

Will Axford contributed to this report.
Gary Coronado/Staff

Prosecutors may seek the death penalty for a Channelview man accused of gunning down three people while stealing their drugs last year at an apartment in the Greenspoint area of north Houston.

Kevoughn Dontrell Fields, who appeared in a Harris County court Wednesday after being arrested last week, is accused of leading a group suspected of committing up to 15 armed robberies, prosecutor Justin Keiter told the judge.
"Drill, baby, drill," has been the unofficial motto of the American oil and gas industry. As OPEC suddenly announces a previously unscheduled meeting for late next month, we imagine they're saying something along the lines of: "Stop, baby, stop."

OPEC nations have flooded global markets with crude over the past two years in an attempt to drive U.S. frackers out of business and maintain the oil cartel's dominant market share. But hopes that the self-induced oil bust had finally stabilized at a sustainable level have been dashed. After hitting $50 a barrel just two months ago, oil prices have collapsed back toward $40. The consequences of cheap oil continue to plague major producers who thought the worst was behind them.

Saudi Arabia, the powerful OPEC leader, has been grappling with budget cuts and unemployed workers face starvation in migrant camps, CNN reported this week.

Without oil revenue to support its socialist state, Venezuela has started to rely on involuntary labor to work the agricultural industry while grocery store shelves lay barren.

Here in the United States, private producers have seen their earnings plummet while layoffs continue to hit and hurt our state. Texas drillers have laid off about 20 percent of their employees since last June. Three major oil field service companies - Schlumberger, Halliburton and FMC Technologies - cut a combined 14,000 jobs from April through June.

National job statistics are practically flip-flopped: Houston is flat even though the rest of the nation is growing. The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas has predicted that the ripple effects of a weak oil and gas market will hit construction and other local industries in Houston for months to come.

Things certainly don't look good for the energy capital of the world. But if you peek beyond the immediate statistics, there's reason to think that we're on the right path.

The United States is still producing oil at a rate unmatched in 40 years, and we're selling that product on a global scale after Congress removed the export ban last year.

The construction of liquefied natural gas export terminals is also starting to bear fruit. The first-ever LNG tanker sailed through the expanded Panama Canal last month, sending fuel from Sabine Pass in Louisiana to Asia. Before that expansion, only six percent of the world's LNG tankers could sail through the Panama Canal. Now that number is at 90 percent, essentially revolutionizing energy markets by connecting Pacific consumers with Gulf Coast producers.

On the other side of the world, the promise of cheap U.S. natural gas exports has started to threaten Europe's reliance on coal as a baseline energy source, according to the International Energy Agency and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. That should come as good news for both frackers trying to make money and environmentalists concerned about global warming.

Overall, our nation is on the verge of jumping from a non-entity in global gas exports to the third largest player. The supply we're starting to provide, in addition to Australian exports, has added a newfound flexibility to gas markets that undermines the sort of long-term contracts that Middle East petro-despots and Vladimir Putin have used as political tools.

Two years ago, OPEC decided that it wanted to play a game of chicken with frackers. There's been hurt on both sides, but anyway you measure it, U.S. layoffs have been far less painful than the massive economic consequences suffered by OPEC nations. In other words, we're winning that game of chicken.

Drill, baby, drill did its job. Now it is time to update the motto: Export, baby, export.
Missouri State University researchers who have trapped more than 10,000 mosquitoes have not found any evidence the insects are carrying the Zika virus into Missouri.

The team has been trapping and identifying mosquitoes for about seven weeks, with a goal of providing an early warning if the virus is found, said associate professor David Claborn, leading the effort.

The yellow-fever mosquito, the primary carrier of Zika, has existed in Missouri in the past and the team is trying to determine whether it still is in the state, Claborn said.

Were going on seven weeks with this study, and we still havent found one yet, he said. We have no reason to believe Zika is in the mosquito population in Missouri at this time.

Yellow-fever mosquitoes are plentiful in Southern states but are less common inland. The Asian tiger mosquito, which also can carry the Zika virus, is plentiful in Missouri, however.

None of the thousands of Asian tiger mosquitoes caught in the Missouri traps was infected with Zika, Claborn said.

The Zika virus can cause severe birth defects. At least 15 people have been infected in one Miami neighborhood in what are believed to be the first mosquito-transmitted cases in the mainland U.S. of people who had not traveled to Latin America or the Caribbean, where there is a Zika epidemic.

Claborns staff uses special traps baited with dry ice to attract the mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes are drawn to carbon dioxide in your breath, so thats what the dry ice imitates, Claborn said. The trap has a small fan that sucks them into a net on the bottom.

We collect the mosquitoes, freeze them in the lab to kill them, and then we put them under a microscope to sort them by species and by sex  male or female.

The researchers particularly are looking for female mosquitoes, which bite people, unlike the males.

Every trapping site is logged by GPS coordinates that also describe the environment in which the mosquitoes were found.

The collected data are shared with the Missouri Department of Health and Human Services, which provides the information to the Centers for Disease Control.

The state wants to know whats here and have a plan for how to deal with it if Zika does reach Missouri, Claborn said. I think its wise for our state health department to get ahead of this before it happens.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

An online exclusive is an article or story that does not run in the print edition of the Houston Herald. Typically 2-3 are posted online every Wednesday morning. It is another feature for users who purchase full web access from the Herald.

Click here to subscribe for print, digital or both.
KYIV. Aug 10 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Chernivtsi region is the leader among Ukrainian regions by volume of timber cut in national nature reserve funds.

In 2013-2014 the region cut 114,533 cubic meters of timber. Zakarpattia region ranked second with 87,295 cubic meters of timber, while Chernihiv region was third with 64,336 cubic meters.

"Chernivtsi region cuts twice more than such forest regions as Zakarpattia and Chernihiv," Director of the Kyiv Ecological and Cultural Center Volodymyr Boreiko said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine.

In addition to the above mentioned regions, the leaders in deforestation included Kherson and Odesa regions. At the same time, "relatively unforested" Vinnytsia region ranked first in terms of deforestation.

According to the Kyiv Ecological and Cultural Center, the annual forest cutting area is 44,000 hectares, which is approximately equal to the five areas of the Kyiv National Park Holosiyevsky. This is more than one million cubic meters of forest, which is nearly 0.06% of official logging in Ukraine. However, it is impossible to calculate exact data, as there are formal logging operations, informal logging operations and illegal logging operations.
This is my first successful Bantu knot out and I am in love got me feeling myself

A video posted by Coco (@naturallycoco__) on Aug 10, 2016 at 11:26am PDT
Almost four-in-five Canadians are troubled by the idea of Donald Trump becoming the next United States president, a new poll suggests.

According to numbers from Insights West released on Tuesday, 79 per cent of Canadians say they are "very" or "moderately" concerned about the possibility the wildly-controversial Republican could win the White House.

Advertisement

Just six per cent told the firm they aren't worried at all in a survey conducted last week.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Fayetteville, N.C. (Photo: Evan Vucci/AP)

By comparison, 42 per cent said they are "very" or "moderately" worried about Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton becoming president. Forty-nine per cent said they are "not too concerned" or not concerned at all about the possibility she could win.

A strong majority also thinks a Trump presidency would be a nightmare for this country.

Sixty-four per cent told the firm it would be "very bad for Canada" if Trump wins, while another 14 per cent said it would be "bad." That represents a 16-per cent spike from when the question was asked the same time last year.

Advertisement

When asked about a Clinton presidency, 27 per cent said it would be "bad" or "very bad" for Canada, compared to 47 per cent who said the result would be "good" or "very good."

(Chart: Insights West)

Voters who supported the New Democratic Party in the 2015 federal election were most likely to find the notion of a Trump presidency repugnant. Ninety-two per cent of NDP voters said Trump would be "bad" or "very bad" for this country.

NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair labelled Trump a "fascist" in March because of the GOP nominee's pledge to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the country and to build a wall along the Mexican border to thwart illegal immigration. Donald Trump Jr. later told The Huffington Post Canada that Mulcair's remark was "nonsense."

But the numbers suggest that opposition to Trump cuts across political divides in this country. Seventy-seven per cent of Liberal voters said they reject Trump, while 62 per cent of Conservative supporters feel the same.

Advertisement

Top Canadian Conservatives no fans of Trump

For months now, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has ducked invitations to directly criticize Trump, typically by saying he has confidence Americans will make the right decision and that he rejects the politics of fear.

Several top Conservatives, however, have made it clear they do not support Trump's brand of politics.

In December, interim Tory Leader Rona Ambrose said Trump was "not a voice that we welcome in our party."

On Tuesday, Tory finance critic and possible leadership contender Lisa Raitt took to Twitter to comment on the latest Trump controversy  his suggestion that "the Second Amendment people" might stop Clinton from appointing Supreme Court justices.

Advertisement

Raitt referenced British MP Jo Cox, who was fatally shot in June, and former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, who survived a gunman's attack in 2011.

"I don't know how these words can be spun by his team," Raitt tweeted.

Knowing Jo Cox was murdered and Gabby Giffords shot I don't know how these words can be spun by his team. #noexcusehttps://t.co/A3QLr6KjKv  Lisa Raitt (@lraitt) August 9, 2016

The poll also suggests Canadians are paying close attention to what's happening south of the border.

Forty-eight per cent of respondents said they are following the presidential race more than those in the past. Nearly half think the coverage from Canadian television newscasts, newspapers, and radio stations has been adequate.

However, one-in-four told the firm there has been too much TV exposure on the race.

Pollster: Trump concern 'remains extremely high

Mario Canseco, vice president of public affairs for Insights West, said in a release that Canadians are "appreciative of the coverage they are getting from domestic media outlets."

Advertisement

And, with the vote less than 100 days away, "the level of concern about a Donald Trump victory remains extremely high."

The online poll was conducted between August 1 and 4 among 1,002 adult Canadians, with the data statistically weighted according to census figures for gender, age, and region. The margin of error is 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Also on HuffPost
The federal Liberal government has embarked on a campaign to attract more Chinese investors and migrants to Canada, including temporary foreign workers.

The move, designed to give Canadas economy a boost in the midst of a soft patch, comes as concerns grow that illicit cash from China is pumping up house prices, particularly in Vancouver.

Advertisement

Immigration Minister John McCallum met with officials in Beijing this week in an effort to increase the number of offices across China where nationals can obtain visas to Canada, to 10 from five, and eventually to as many as 15 offices, the Globe and Mail reported.

Its part of an effort to increase the number of Chinese students and high-tech workers in the country and expand Chinese investment in Canada, even if that means adding to housing demand at a time of overheated home prices, as the Globe put it.

In terms of Chinese migration to Canada, we want to get it even bigger, McCallum said.

He said the government is looking for the highest growth we can of tourists coming to Canada, of qualified foreign students who want to study in Canada. If thats a doubling [in numbers], thats great.

Advertisement

"The history of our government shows that we are open for people, for trade, for investment."  Immigration Minister John McCallum

McCallum has argued greater foreign investment and larger flows of migrants are a positive for Canada's economy. In an interview with Bloomberg last month, he downplayed concerns about foreign cash flowing into the country.

"The history of our government shows that we are open for people, for trade, for investment," he said. "Thats our disposition and that doesnt change because parts of the world have changed."

The flow of people between China and Canada is already growing rapidly. Since 2010, when China approved Canada as a tourist destination, the number of ten-year visas to Canada issued to Chinese nationals has grown to nearly 400,000 annually from around 28,000.

Advertisement

At the same time, the Liberals are reportedly resisting a push by China to sign an extradition agreement with Canada. McCallum says Canada wont formalize extradition with China, so long as China has a death penalty.

China launched a crackdown in June in an attempt to reign in capital flight  in this instance, money illegally leaving the country.

McCallums trip to Beijing came at a time when observers on both sides of the Pacific Ocean are growing concerned that illicit Chinese cash is being hidden in the Canadian housing market, inflating house prices.

Chinese media have suggested Vancouver is becoming a tax haven for its nationals.

Vancouver has a suspiciously high number of addresses that appeared in the Panama Papers, prompting some to conclude the city has become a major tax haven. (Photo: Ellen Atkins/Design Pics via Getty Images)

Advertisement

Documents in the Panama Papers leak earlier this year indicated the city is likely disproportionately involved in offshore tax schemes. Vancouver had four times as many addresses listed in the Panama Papers, per capita, as the Canadian average, despite Toronto being the country's financial capital, the South China Morning Post reported.

Meanwhile, the amount of illicit cash seized by Canada Border Services Agency from Chinese nationals doubled from 2013 to 2015, according to documents obtained this week by Reuters.

Cash seizures jumped to nearly $11.5 million in 2015, from $5.5 million in 2013, and 2016 is on track to beat the 2015 record.

That figure includes both suspected criminal proceeds and undeclared cash. Undeclared money is returned upon payment of a $250 to $5,000 fine, which suspected criminal proceeds are confiscated.

Advertisement

A Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer at Toronto Pearson International Airport, December 8, 2015. Seizures of illicit cash from Chinese nationals have doubled in the past few years. (Photo: Mark Blinch/Reuters)

In an effort to slow down the flow of foreign money into Vancouvers severely overheated housing market, British Columbias governing Liberals last month introduced a 15-per-cent real estate sales tax that applies only to foreign nationals.

Despite assertions by some in the industry that foreign cash doesnt have much influence on the market, real estate insiders reported that numerous real estate deals collapsed when the tax was introduced.
Missing a flight is a pretty terrible feeling, and it's one that this traveller couldn't stomach last week.

A man planning to travel from Madrid, Spain to Gran Canaria, one of the country's Canary Islands, resorted to desperate measures to try to make his plane when he got delayed in the airport, according to The Local news site.

Advertisement

Video posted by airport workers on Facebook shows the Ryanair passenger sitting on the edge of an airport bridge, then jumping to the ground with his bags.

He then runs across the tarmac and flags down a service vehicle, the driver seemingly denying him a ride.

He then runs towards a Ryanair plane, but is stopped before he gets there.

Madrid-Barajas airport was on its second-highest anti-terror alert level at the time, the Facebook poster wrote.

Advertisement

A spokeswoman for Spanish Civil Guard told The Guardian that while he was allowed to board his plane, the aircraft he was running after in the video wasn't his flight.

The spokeswoman said he was arrested by police once he arrived on the island.

The incident occurred Aug. 5 at around 9 p.m., a representative for Aena, the company that operates the airport, told The Guardian.

An Aena spokesman explained to The Local how the incident actually happened.

He pushed through a fire escape door into the air bridge, jumped down and then chased the plane."

This passenger had a boarding card and went through security but he seemingly got waylaid in the terminal and the gate was closed before he reached it, he said.

He pushed through a fire escape door into the air bridge, jumped down and then chased the plane. The alarm was immediately raised and the Civil Guard alerted but by then he had boarded the plane and was on his way.

The Civil Guard spokeswoman told The Guardian that the traveller was released after questioning, but isn't necessarily off the hook.

Advertisement

The Sun reports the Bolivian national could face a big fine.

Gran Canaria is pretty stunning  we wouldn't want to lose any time on the beach either.

It is definitely a first for this airport," an Aena spokesman told the outlet.

A Ryanair representative told CNN that the Facebook video concerned an airport security breach and was a matter for the airport police, who wouldn't comment.

But a few directed their anger at authorities.

"The airport needs investigating for a complete failure of basic security control," wrote Ian Barber in a comment below the video.

And Joel Chandler pointed out what a lot of people may be thinking  just how dangerous the man's stunt was.

"All fun and games till you get sucked into the engine and grinded (sic) up to a red mist," he wrote.

Advertisement

Also on HuffPost
Conservatives showcased a blurry picture of a bare-chested Justin Trudeau this week to criticize the prime minister's family vacation amid worrying job numbers, but were reportedly ordered to pull it down.

The Conservative Party launched a page on its website highlighting that 31,200 net jobs were shed in July. The page featured a large shot of a shirtless Trudeau holding a surfboard, but that image was changed to a shot of a welder Wednesday afternoon.

Advertisement

"In July, Canada lost 31,000 jobs. That means over 110,000 jobs were lost across the country in the last two months alone," it reads. "Where is Justin Trudeau? He's on vacation. And where is the Finance Minister? He's MIA."

The conclusion that 110,000 jobs have been lost in two months comes from Statistics Canada numbers showing a decline of 40,100 full-time jobs in June and 71,400 in July. But those losses were offset by gains of 39,400 part-time positions in June and 40,200 in July.

The photo of Trudeau was snapped by Tofino, British Columbia photographer Marnie Recker, who spotted the prime minister observing a wedding on Chesterman Beach. She later filed a cease and desist notice against the party, iNews880 reports.

Advertisement

The so-called photobomb came on the heels of another image of a shirtless Trudeau, posing with a boy in Quebec's Gatineau Park, which made headlines around the world.

Tories also took their campaign to Facebook and Twitter Tuesday to criticize that the PM was "still on vacation," but have since deleted those posts as well.

Cory Hann, director of communications for the Conservative Party, would not tell The Huffington Post Canada why the images were removed.

Advertisement

"It's unfortunate there's much more interest in, and concern about, a shirtless photo of the Prime Minister than there seems to be over the 110,000 jobs lost in Canada in the last two months," Hann said via email. "Canadians need a plan for jobs, instead theyre getting vacation photos of Mr. Trudeau. And that's what our post highlighted."

On Wednesday, the party released a graphic showing Trudeau as a "missing" person on a milk carton.

"Last seen wandering shirtless in BC wilderness looking for photo opportunities," it reads.

Every major political party creates similar pages to encourage Canadians to provide their email addresses and postal codes. That information is valuable to political parties to help build their database of supporters who can later be contacted for donations.

And while Tories are evidently unimpressed that Trudeau is taking time off with his family, the practice is not unusual. Former prime minister Stephen Harper typically took his breaks in late July and early August, usually at the PM's official summer residence at Harrington Lake, Quebec.

Advertisement

Prime Minister of Canada's official country residence at Harrington Lake, Quebec is is shown on August 15, 2012. (Photo: Fred Chartrand/CP)

Trudeau has also made it clear that he intends to make work-life balance a priority, in part because of the dissolution of his parents' marriage when he was a child.

During the G7 summit in Japan last May, Trudeau raised some eyebrows by taking a day off to celebrate his anniversary with his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau.

"This is the kind of work-life balance that I've often talked about as being essential in order to be able to be in service of the country with all one's very best and that's certainly something I'm going to continue to make sure we do," he said at the time.

With files from The Canadian Press

ALSO ON HUFFPOST:
Fabian Nagel/500px Waterfront in Vancouver, BC

I've noticed a newfound swagger amongst B.C.'s tech professionals recently. The word is out on the economic impact that the industry has on the B.C. economy (generating $23 billion in annual revenues and $15 billion in GDP), and there is palpable and boundless optimism for the future.

And it seems like governments are also starting to take notice.

The Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) has produced this slick video to promote the city to the global tech community, while the provincial government introduced a $100 million venture capital fund in support of growth and innovation late last year.

Advertisement

But while the VEC trumpets Bloomberg Businessweek's designation of Vancouver being a "new tech hub" that offers "world-class talent and few immigration headaches" as well as "great views in a convenient time zone," I believe that the tech community has a duty to be far more discerning with labels and premature designations.

Don't get me wrong - I am very aware of Vancouver's status as one of the top 20 global cities in which to launch a startup. Digging deeper into this 2015 Compass Global Startup Ecosystem Rankings report, however, provides some concerning facts when it comes to considering the city's current and future competitiveness.

Here are four steps that Vancouver must take in order to truly be considered a global tech hub:

1) Improve Access to Venture Capital

Overall, growth in venture capital in Canada as compared to the rest of the world has slowed dramatically. As an example, the US has ten times the population of Canada, yet invests between 25 to 30 times more money in venture capital.

More specifically, Compass found that the average seed and Series A funding available in Vancouver is 50 per cent lower than the North American average. Research shows that in 2014, venture capital investments in the city were around $382 million, which is far below many of the others listed in the top 20 start up ecosystem list.

Advertisement

This is where the government really needs to step up to the plate. Sure, Ottawa's $1.5 billion commitment to a science and technology strategy, or the BC government's $100 million venture capital fund, are steps in the right direction. Yet in contrast to a country like China, for example, where government-backed venture funds comprised an astonishing $231 billion USD in 2015, they are drops in the bucket.

If left unaddressed, these challenges will prevent Vancouver's tech market from reaching its full potential as a tech hub.

2) Support the Scalability of Start Ups

I will address the importance of educational links below, but in my opinion, true scalability goes beyond a steady access to qualified talent. It should refer to a path for companies to grow into organizations that can eventually serve as consolidators for the entire local industry.

In other words, there is nothing wrong with having structures in place that can better pick the winners with true potential for worldwide appeal. For instance, can Vancouver grow as a hotspot for green technologies that helps other markets transition towards new opportunities?

In its Outlook 2020 Initiative report on BC's Advanced Technology Sector, the BC Technology Industry Association ("BCTIA") identifies some of the reasons why Vancouver's tech community is populated with so many medium sized companies. As it stands, there are too many service oriented companies, many examples where founders who have achieved financial success are content with no longer growing, and most starkly, a real shortage of senior management expertise.

Advertisement

Instead of watching emerging companies with potential become the prey of global vulture capitalists, it is time for our community, with the help of policy makers, to take the steps necessary to better shepherd them into becoming into anchors for Vancouver's and BC's tech sectors.

3) Build a Global Education Centre of Excellence

As is evidenced by the letter sent by Vancouver tech leaders to Premier Christy Clark last month, or my Huffington Post piece detailing the difficulty of attracting recruits to meet the rapid growth of Canada Drives, tech talent in Vancouver is truly at a premium these days.

Every major global tech hub city relies on partnership that usually involves the private sector, educational institutions and government. What I want to emphasize, however, is that an effective strategy of this kind must go beyond having UBC, SFU, BCIT or any other school produce graduates that the local tech industry can swoop in and hire.

Instead, there must be political will, investment and long-term planning that will not only build a world-class facility in support of cutting edge innovation, but will have the ability to serve as a centre for excellence that attracts enrollment from around the world. This once again requires a choice to move away from equal support for subjects like the humanities or arts, to a more focussed effort to build a self-fulfilling economic driver that cyclically attracts leading research, teachers, students and external funding into the mix.

4) Develop a Regional Strategy for Clustering

It took four years for the BCTIA's Centre4Growth to find a physical location, which now hosts about 30 early-stage companies in 26,000 square feet. The City of Vancouver's Technology and Social Innovation Centre has gone through extensive renovations over the past two years to transform the 100,000 square foot former cop shop on Vancouver's downtown eastside into a tech hub scheduled to officially open in October.

Advertisement

But these initiatives are taking far too long, and aren't nearly enough to meet Vancouver's global tech aspirations. Vancouver doesn't have an institution that compares to the size of MaRS in Toronto, where educators, researchers, social scientists, entrepreneurs and business experts are housed under one roof.

Downtown Vancouver represents the epicentre of tech companies in the province, but there is no cohesive geographic or collaborative strategy that fosters synergy. Meanwhile, venues like Surrey's Innovation Boulevard are acting as competitors by attempting to attract tech companies away from Vancouver who are seeking out cheaper options for space and in the cost of living for their employees.

It is time that Metro Vancouver bands together to form a regional strategy that collectively concentrates tech into a defined area that can serve as the catalyst for greater overall success for the industry. Toronto's tech community understands its value in being close to the financial centre of the country, and clustering will similarly allow Vancouver to better develop our brand and competitive advantage for the future.
MEXICO CITY, Aug. 9 -- Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong on Monday urged Chinese telecoms giant Huawei to continue making contribution to the implementation of China's innovation-driven development strategy.

Liu made the remarks while visiting the Latin America headquarters of Huawei, which is located in Mexico City.

Huawei, as a private enterprise, has established a successful path of "going global" and building an international brand through technological innovation and constantly enhancing its core competitiveness, said Liu.

President Xi Jinping told a national conference on science and technology in May that China must stick to the road of independent innovation with Chinese characteristics in a bid to realize the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and achieve the country's Two Centennial Goals -- to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020, and build a socialist modernized country by the middle of the 21th century, Liu noted.

Liu expressed her hope that Huawei could continue to undertake its historical and social responsibility, have the courage to meet new challenges and dare to be a pioneer, and play a positive role in deepening China's relations with Mexico and Latin America.
DEATH NOTICE: Democracy, American (a.k.a. Representative Government)

On July 21, 2016, American Democracy died a painful death in Cleveland, Ohio after a long battle with a series of severe "-isms" including nativism, militarism, racism and corporatism. She was 240 years old.

Born on July 4, 1776, Democracy lived a long, fruitful life although, in her later years, she suffered from numerous ailments including gerrymandering, pork barreling, vote buying and influence peddling.

In her early days, American Democracy was somewhat fragile. She was unable or unwilling to extend the franchise to slaves and women and was apparently not strong enough to handle direct voting. This may explain her decision to pursue her studies at the Electoral College.

Advertisement

As she matured, American Democracy took on more of the signs of a truly representative government including the granting of the vote to black males and eventually also to women. She even had the courage to allow the direct election of U. S. senators by popular vote.

However, once American Democracy entered her third century, it was clear that she was in failing health. She suffered from a bad case of executive overreach in the early 1970s and almost succumbed to a rare but virulent condition called superbia prsidentium, more commonly known as Presidential hubris or Watergate disease.

After recovering, Democracy was hit with a nasty case of trivial impeachment in the mid-1990s. Luckily, despite having this rare STD, she was able to narrowly avoid termination by the Senate.

Sadly, though, American Democracy was so weakened by these infections that she became susceptible to an outside virus called Supreme Court. In 2000, Democracy contracted a severe strain of the virus which overturned a presidential election result thereby sending her into a downward spiral.

Advertisement

In recent years, there had been a rapid series of attacks on Democracy's body politic. Repeated cases of PACs, super PACs and Wall Street lobbying left her open to all manner of germs including a mutation of the Supreme Court virus: the near-fatal Citizens United bug.

In the past eight years, no one came to American Democracy's aid, particularly her former friend and ally Congress. Rather than assist in strengthening her by providing legislative assistance, Congress left Democracy to fade away.

American Democracy's final months were tortuous and painful as she endured unwarranted assaults on her minorities and immigrants and even on her borders. The final fatal blow came in late July when Republican Party, a former defender of Democracy, chose an authoritarian demagogue as its presidential nominee.

Democracy died on the podium of the Republican Convention in Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena. She was predeceased by Civility, Decency and Compromise. She has no known survivors except possibly for one Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
U. of Saskatchewan

Trumpisms for Energy East

Ezra Levant is angry with the NO delivered to Energy East from the 82 mayors of Montreal's Urban Community to TransCanada Pipelines last January, and is accusing Mayor Coderre of favouring "Shariah" petroleum by saying NO to the "ethical" petroleum of Canada. Furthermore, since Outfront Media refused to display his questionable ad, Mr. Levant now uses a panel truck to flaunt his ideas, including a picture of the monarch of Saudi Arabia, King Salmane Ben Abdelaziz al Saoud.

He also insinuates that the mayor's office is putting pressure on the media not to publish his pitch; in effect, he alludes to subtle censorship. Since Mr. Levant's ideas are contrary to the truth based on objectives facts, could it be that the ad agencies themselves are uneasy about their participation in the publication of manifest falsehoods?

Advertisement

Our country's freedom of expression gives Mr. Levant the right to express his ideas, even if these are only remotely connected to reality.

Mr. Levant should remember that Mayor Coderre and his 81 colleagues in the Montreal Urban Community aren't the only ones to put the brakes on the expansion of Canadian tar sands. The First Nations, Mayor Robertson of Vancouver and his fellow mayors also oppose Kinder Morgan's Transmountain pipeline, claiming that the financial returns are not worth the risks of pollution. Why isn't Mr. Levant irate with these elected officials? In the name of fairness, shouldn't he campaign equally against the officials of Greater Vancouver?

Mr. Levant's enthusiastic promotion of Energy East notwithstanding, the mayors of the Greater Montreal area are ethically required to protect the water supply from a possible oil spill upstream from its water intakes. In July, the city of Prince Albert in Saskatchewan felt the effects of a drinking water advisory caused by a leaky pipeline. In Montreal, it's not just 35,000 citizens that would be affected, but nearly four million; and there is no alternate supply of water as in Prince Albert.

The billboard says, "when @DenisCoderre says no to Energy East, he's saying yes to Shariah oil from OPEC". #cdnpolipic.twitter.com/yrhtRwfVcl  Ezra Levant (@ezralevant) August 3, 2016

Advertisement

Since TransCanada Pipelines boycotted the legitimate questions at the hearings of the CMM (communaute metropolitaine de Montreal), the elected officials have a moral duty to look after the vital needs of their citizens.

But there is an important major flaw in Mr. Levant's argument. He associates "Sharia" petroleum with the photo of the King of Saudi Arabia. But according to Stat Canada, "La belle province" doesn't import a single drop of Saudi oil! The most important source of crude for Quebec's refineries is the USA; they supply 55 per cent of the oil necessary for our two refineries. In order to be anywhere close to the truth, shouldn't the picture on his panel truck be that of the American president?

Since Mr. Levant objects to dealing with Saudi Arabia on moral grounds, it would be interesting to know whether he mounted a similar vigorous opposition to Canada's sale of 900 armoured vehicles to that country. The possible use of these weapons to oppress the citizens of Saudi Arabia and Yemen should be his ethical nightmare; if he doesn't strenuously oppose the sale of these weapons, his anti-Coderre propaganda would appear dangerously close to Quebec Bashing.

A genuine dialogue can only be built on respect for facts; playing the ostrich by denying scientific evidence can only lead to catastrophe.

True, our country's freedom of expression gives Mr. Levant the right to express his ideas, even if these are only remotely connected to reality. Despite the fact that Quebec doesn't buy one drop of Saudi oil, he uses the photo of the king of Saudi Arabia as a symbol of "tainted" oil. Fortunately, the same freedom of expression gives us not only the right, but also the duty to set the record straight.

Advertisement

If Mr. Levant has arguments based on facts to back the construction of Energy East, let's have them. I have rock-solid arguments against this pipeline. A genuine dialogue can only be built on respect for facts; playing the ostrich by denying scientific evidence can only lead to catastrophe. On the other hand, if I were to suggest what he should do with his less-than-factual ideas, genuine censorship would prevent publication.

We have witnessed Donald Trump's brand of divisive discourse in the United States recently. Do we need Mr. Levant's trumpisms in Montreal, and the "kinder, gentler society?"

Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook

MORE ON HUFFPOST:
U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen answers allegations by the Turkish government of orchestrating a July 15, 2016 military coup attempt, but he firmly denied involvement, also condemning the action "in the strongest terms." (Photo: THOMAS URBAIN/AFP/Getty Images)

I am appalled by the accusation of Turkey's president, Mr. Erdogan, singling out Rev. Fethullah Gulen as instigator of the recent military putsch. I am appalled because I am familiar with the work of this Turkish sage, have studied his thought and learned how he understands his mission in society.

Advertisement

As a Catholic theologian committed to interreligious dialogue, a student of contemporary Islamic thought and an admirer of Fethullah Gulen, I feel obliged to denounce the absurd idea that he or his movement is an initiator of violence.

Solidarity of Catholics with followers of other religions committed to justice and peace is a recent phenomenon, based on the Church's new teaching at the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). I actually had the honour as an appointed theologian to participate in the composition of Nostra aetate, the conciliar declaration of the Church spelling out its new approach to the world religions: respect, dialogue, recognizing many common values and hoping for cooperation in support of the common good.

In recent years I have studied the renewal movement (al-nahda) of Muslim religious thinkers open to democracy and pluralism and at the same time faithful to the substance of their faith; they want to be modern as well as orthodox. Catholic theologians wrestled with this issue in the 20th century: they too wanted to be modern and orthodox. Their work eventually affected the teaching of the Second Vatican Council.

Fethullah Gulen is part of the renewal movement, al-nahda. For him Islam is first of all a religion, the worship of God, summoning believers to be good and do good in their society. He emphasizes the Qur'anic message that God wants his people to be truthful, and just, and build a just and peace-loving society.

Advertisement

For Gulen, a man of prayer, the Qur'an contains an ethic of citizenship. In the name of Islam, he advocates education, productivity, dialogue with the sciences and universal friendship. These are the values promoted by Hizmet, the Gulen Movement. While religiously based, Hizmet is an educational movement. It is obvious that the faith-based Hizmet has no affinity whatever with the secularism of the military clique that staged the recent revolt.

Gulen has always remained non-political. Political parties come and go, he said, while Islam remains. Yet because he and his movement stand for truthfulness, and justice, and dare to question what happens in politics and government, they have been denounced more than once as enemies of the State.

In recent years journalists associated with Hizmet have drawn attention to the corruption and the increasing authoritarianism of the Erdogan government, observations that provoked Erdogan's enmity. Hizmet was made the scapegoat for Turkey's unresolved problems and now, after the putsch, Fethullah Gulen, Turkey's spiritual sage, is indicted as its initiator. I call this absurd.

Gregory Baum

Prof. Emer., Religious Studies, McGill University

Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook

MORE ON HUFFPOST:
ASSOCIATED PRESS Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Crown Arena, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Fayetteville, N.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The word "trump" has always held significant meaning. In cards, it outranks all else, and in life, it is used to show that you have an advantage over others.

As a surname, Trump is of English origin and has historically served as an occupational name for a trumpeter (from the Middle English word "trumpe," or "trumpet"), an apt description for Donald J. Trump if you think about it. Since announcing his candidacy on June 16, 2015, Trump and his stances have taken centre stage both in America and abroad.

Advertisement

Despite the criticism that invariably follows his comments, his campaign is no longer a political diversion. Simply put, he has a very real shot at the presidency. But should anybody be surprised? Like him or not, the man is savvy. He is adept at connecting with the masses, and the nicknames he gives his opponents stick (i.e. "Lying Ted" and "Crooked Hillary"). While some may debate the appropriateness of his morally-grey strategy, his appeal to a wide range of Americans is no longer at question - whether you personally agree with his perspective or not.

It is difficult to gauge the effect that a Trump win would have on the financial markets given his reliance on rhetoric, and his lack of a decisive policy or plan at this time. The degree of uncertainty he has introduced to the world is high, and the domestic and international upheaval it may create is concerning. As a result, it is highly likely that the ongoing volatility experienced across both the financial and commodity markets will continue for quite some time, and may even intensify.

In the long list of market unknowns, Donald J. Trump and the US Presidential race is the unknown. The result of the election could have massive implications on the markets, even if we are unsure about what they are. When looking to commodities, a weaker US dollar will drive prices higher, but this may be offset by concerns over a slowing economy.

When broken down by subgroup, Trump could have the following effects on the markets:

Given the recent multi-year rally and an artificially low CBOE Volatility Index level, equities will likely experience significant volatility.

Precious metals will likely remain positive, reflecting heightened uncertainty and geopolitical risk.

Many investors could become bullish on industrial metals if Trump wins, as it is expected that he would call for increased spending on infrastructure.

In terms of agriculture, prices of vegetables could rise if strict immigration policies affecting illegal workers are implemented, while grains will likely remain unaffected.

Energy prices could go either way, depending on Trump's protectionist agenda and political policies.

While energy is hard to call, I believe that Canadian oil would do well under Trump given his desire to secure a safe supply for America, and his pro-pipeline agenda. While he wants America to be energy independent, a Canadian supply of crude would be looked at favourably when compared to other sources.

Moving away from Mexican and other South American heavy sour crude suppliers would provide advantages beyond safety and ethics. Pricing for these imports are not generated by transparent, open market systems, but rather set by their respective governments. As such, risk mitigation tools like hedging are simply not available to market participants as they are with Canadian oil.

Generally speaking, you can only use a trump card once, and often as a last resort. Donald Trump has a very real shot at being elected because many voters see him as exactly that -- a last resort. He has only one chance at this. Like Ross Perot, there will likely not be another run. While we all recognize Donald is good at blowing his own horn, the real question should be whether his candidacy heralds significant change for the world's commodity and financial markets.
Being an Artistic Director is sometimes like being an archeologist; you have to get down in the dirt and dig deep to discover treasure. I first stumbled upon a transcript of Colin Spencer's Spitting Image in a shadowy corner of a dusty theatre archive at the Victoria and Albert Museum after months of searching high and low across London (OK- I'm building the theatrical tension here a bit). I knew there and then that we had to revive this play for the twenty-first century, and I knew exactly who should direct it.

Gareth and I met way back in 2008. I was cutting my teeth as a director and producer at the White Bear Theatre Club and put a call-out online for a casting director. Gareth, a professional actor, was the only person to respond. We met and he waxed lyrical about ethical casting, about how we could make things better for actors in small fringe theatres with even smaller budgets. We got on like a house on fire from the word go.

I think a huge part of what drew us together was a love of those post-war plays that ran the risk of being forgotten. There's a whole host of really exciting pieces out there; often never published and always overlooked in favour of your Pinter's and your Beckett's and your Orton's/Osborne's. Never one to do what everyone else is doing, I made it my mission to get these plays back on a stage, back in the public consciousness and back under an audience's skin.

Advertisement

Gareth was a frequent and important collaborator, his many and varied talents seemingly limitless. After our casting adventure, He directed The Backroom and went on to design the costumes for my production of Daniel's Wright's Studies for A Portrait, which enjoyed a transfer to the Oval House Theatre. As part of the Edward Bond retrospective season

at The Cock Tavern Theatre, he directed the UK premiere of Olly's Prison. It seemed only right and proper that should be the one to direct the first ever revival of the UKs' first ever openly gay play.

Spitting Image is the play that changed everything. It was the first time that homosexuality had been portrayed in a natural, joyful, positive way on stage, and posited the idea that same-sex couples could not only be parents, but be tender, loving and committed parents. In the late sixties, homosexuality was decriminalised, theatre censorship was abolished and Colin Spencer was free to pick up his pen and write whatever he wanted without fear of retribution. There is no doubt it paved the way for great gay dramas of the last 50 years, A Beautiful Thing, Angels in America and Any Human Heart to name but a few.

When it was first staged in 1969, it was met with acclaim and outrage in equal measure. Despite a high profile West End transfer, it was considered unfit for publication and consigned to the annals of history, until I tracked it down to the aforementioned dusty archive on a grey day in February (again with the theatrics; we are shameless dramatic at the King's Head), It's truly thrilling that my old friend and I, along with a heroic band of actors and creatives, are on the cusp of restoring this funny, thought provoking classic to its rightful place; on a Saturday stage, in front of an audience...

Advertisement
Quite a few years ago I had a minor disagreement with an old schoolfriend. He was a Top City Lawyer working on a big banking merger. I was a Parliamentary Clerk toiling away in the arcane Private Bill Office. Our worlds collided because his merger required amendments to be made to a Private Act dating from late Victorian times (I told you it was arcane). My friend was confident this was just a formality; I knew it could be an issue, potentially delaying the deal by 6 months or a year. Don't worry, he assured me loftily, this is a four billion pound merger - Parliament won't be a problem.

Even now, 20 years later, it still gives me pleasure to say I was right and he was wrong. But his attitude lives on in large parts of the business world, where all too often Westminster, Holyrood and Brussels are treated as sideshows which can be dealt with by mid-level government affairs staff - or handed over to the Chairman who may or may not be a big party donor and may or may not know someone who they claim can help (Hint: they rarely can, by the way). Only very occasionally, when something really bad happens like a regulatory threat to the whole business, or a failure to win a very large contract, or, I don't know, Britain deciding to leave the European Union, do the majority of Chief Execs and senior management start to pay serious attention.

Brexit has been the absolute nadir in terms of business fecklessness about the possible impact of political change. Early on the Government bizarrely asked companies not to intervene, but in truth very few of them ever really planned to do so anyway: certainly the efforts of most firms were not in proportion to the risks they faced. This was not a one-off: the Scottish referendum saw the same behaviour, and the story has been repeated countless times in relation to UK and European legislation. We pay trade bodies to look after us, is the common refrain, and anyway it'll never happen. We are a Big Business. Good sense will always prevail.

Advertisement

This reckless attitude is about to be challenged again with Theresa May's promises to reform capitalism, to make it more inclusive and more responsive to ordinary folk. Thus far it is unclear exactly what Mrs May and her Joseph Chamberlain-inspired sidekicks have in mind, beyond giving workers some sort of representation on the board. However, it seems clear that they really mean what they say, and will push forward a wide-ranging suite of proposals over the coming months: moral conviction coupled with electoral logic tells them this is the right thing to do.

In this context the news yesterday that average wages of FTSE100 Chief Executives went up by 10% last year, and that these top guys now earn 140 times more than the typical worker, came at a particularly bad time. Whatever the truth it is at best tin-earred for co-called Fat Cats to be seen to be lining their nests to this extent when their businesses are not growing anything like as fast as their pay packets, and when many 'ordinary' people are still struggling post-recession. And it is very easy, and all too tempting, for politicians to tap into public unhappiness about what looks like an unrestrained binge. Some means of enforcing pay restraint looks certain to be part of the package of reforms the new Government will pursue; and yesterday's report will be cited in evidence repeatedly as the debate about what to do goes on over the next few months.

In the past company heads have gambled that no British politician would dare make their lives too tricky since firms could simply up sticks and base themselves elsewhere. This was always a risky calculation, given that outside a few hedge funds and asset managers most organisations have deep roots in their home nation that are hard to pull up. But moving is even more of a gamble now, given that anti-business rhetoric is reaching ever greater heights elsewhere in the world. America, in particular, looks set to become less of a 'safe haven', given that the next President will either be unsympathetic (Clinton) or enraged (Trump). No, executives are likely to have to stay where they are and deal with public opprobrium and political meddling at home.

Advertisement

Some business leaders have recognised the risks. In the US a number of senior figures including the head of JPMorgan Chase, Jamie Dimon, Warren Buffett and the CEO of General Motors, Mary Barra, recently published their view of 'commonsense' principles for corporate governance. What they set out were sensible proposals, which could be emulated here (and in some instances have been already), and which could go a long way to curbing some business excesses. In normal times they might have been enough to set the agenda and deal with the threat of political intervention. But these are not normal times.
If I hadn't been aware of the latest charitable viral campaign doing the rounds online I would have considered Facebook videos of people doing press-ups as being nothing more than another daily dose of the self-objectifying underbelly of social media.

Body image is slowly becoming the mental health problem of our generation. For women, marketing campaigns that frequently use unrealistic ideals of the body are compounded by celebrities, fashion models and show hosts who are compelled to change in a mass media environment where the portrayal of body size has been steadily getting smaller. But as much as we talk of it as a women's issue, body shaming is as prominent for blokes.

A survey conducted by Psychology Today found that men believe their appearance is much more important to women then women report it is, with millions of men suffering from eating disorders as a consequence. Where women are pressured to 'lose', 'trim' or 'tighten', for men it's about 'adding inches', 'bulking' or 'building'.

Advertisement

Social media is largely to blame for such feelings of insecurity which are driving men into negative cycles of shame over their body. The so-called "Dark Triad" of narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism is all too commonplace nowadays, with gym selfies, photo-edited 'bulk shots' and an incessant requirement to inform friends and family which muscles are being trained on any given day adding to the weight of self-loathing already been thrown at men via sport, media, marketing, even the porn industry!

Which makes a recent viral campaign using push-ups to raise awareness of suicide rates rather perplexing. Two years on from the ice bucket challenge - which, although a depart from the charity's key goal has led to scientists identifying a gene that contributes to the disease - a global movement called Honor Courage Commitment has started the 22Kill campaign to create awareness of the fact 22 veterans die by suicide every day. Participants must do 22 pushups for 22 consecutive days and nominate two friends on each of those days to join the challenge.

According to the veteran empowerment group the purpose of the campaign is to spread the word that veteran suicide is not the answer, helping to "bridge the gap between veterans and civilians" and "build a community of support" for those living with these mental health challenges. That's admirable, but when it comes to awareness, isn't machismo part of the problem? As one phycologist told me, "it seems to just compound the ridiculous notion of men needing to be tough and therefore not very human". The big issue that is being swept under the very carpet we're bulking our chest muscles on top of is that men don't talk.

That's why I'm more upbeat about the 'It's OK To Talk' viral campaign which uses the universal hand gesture for 'okay' to focus on one of the core issues of mental health. Started by Irish international rugby player for Halifax Luke Ambler after he lost his brother-in-law to suicide the campaign has already been backed by many celebrities, including comedian Ricky Gervais and several actors and sportsmen.

Advertisement

Along with posting the hand sign, the campaign note reads:

"The single biggest killer of men aged fewer than 45 is suicide! In 2014, 4623 men took their own life. That's 12 men every day, one man every two hours. 41 per cent of men who contemplated suicide felt they couldn't talk about their feelings. One 20 per cent of the UK know that suicide is the most likely cause of death for men under 45. Let's show men all across the world that #ITSOKAYTOTALK."
With Edinburgh Scotland's most popular tourist destination, the locals are used to being outnumbered by sassenachs. Things get much worse at Fringe time, and it's easy to forget there are plenty of homegrown comedians to enjoy too. Here's my recommendations for ten brilliant acts who are all as Scottish as a highland terrier chewing shortbread on Loch Lomond, while a junkie shoots up, signs on, and stabs a guy in a kilt eating haggis, drinking Irn Bru and shouting "Och aye the nooooo."

(Hat tip to Monty Burns for helping with this. In my opinion, he's easily as good as anyone below. But he's taking a break from Edinburgh this year; otherwise he'd be the first name on this list.)

Advertisement

Daisy Earl: Scottish Comedian Of The Year

One of the fastest-rising stars in Scottish comedy, with a bulging trophy cabinet. While the show title seems like a supercilious choice, I'm reasonably confident it wasn't her decision, but rather something imposed upon her by the company who organise the awards. She's the first female act to grab that particular prize, but if you've seen her live, you'll know she's no beneficiary of tokenism. This, her debut show, is a candid retelling of her life so far, from online dating and political misunderstandings to her eccentric family and rickety mental health. It's strikingly honest and hilarious.

Larry Dean: Farcissist

Glaswegian Larry Dean also won Scotland's top comedy prize, all the way back in 2013. A self-confessed "homophobic homosexual" who's starred on Live at the BBC and ITV2's @elevenish show in just the last year, and was nominated for an Edinburgh Comedy Award too for his debut show. A natural storyteller and physical comedian, he regularly shares the stage with some of the biggest names in the country. (He's also shared the stage with me, in the backroom of a dingy pub in rural Lincolnshire. He was the highlight of that show.) Do yourself a favour and see him now, before he becomes a lot more expensive.

Paul McDougall and Jonny Thomson: Leithal Weapons

Two thirty-somethings from Leith who could be Olympic representatives for their country at its national pastime - moaning. They've been going since 2011 and have decided to share an hour, with one of the best-named shows at the festival. Go and listen to them moan about their lives, loves and local government.

Advertisement

Vladimir McTavish: Scotland in Sixty Minutes

One of the finest acts on the Scottish comedy circuit, and a miserable misanthrope, doing his twelfth solo show. Sixty-year-old McTavish got his free bus pass earlier in the year, and presents an hour of stories from his three month tour of the cities and small towns of Scotland. This is a hilarious hour-long account of that trek from Gretna to Thurso and beyond in a quest to find the essential Scotland.

Christopher Macarthur-Boyd and Rosco Mcclelland

Punk musicians turned comedians, it's well worth seeking out these anarchic sketch and improv specialists while you're at the Fringe. Young, charismatic and uninhibited, they'll be right up your street if you like your comedy alternative. Both have a list of award nominations longer than your arm. You may already know Chris from appearances of BBC radio and television, and Rosco from his guest spots on STV's Late Show. They might look like the pretty boy comedian stereotype, but don't be fooled. They're much darker and more interesting than that.

Bob Graham: Fifth Show

Deadpan Edinburgher Bob Graham has been on the comedy circuit for a decade now, and the vague title is a result of not having chosen a theme at the time of registering his show. "Fifth" is the story of what happened to Graham when he should have been writing a show about something else. Anarchic, dark and sinister, the narrative involves performing an intervention, the world's worst date, getting drunk with old women, a mentalbreak down, a chainsaw, therapy and potentially getting into a fight.

Advertisement

Obie: What Would Derren Brown Do?

Glaswegian veteran Obie has been performing at the Edinburgh Fringe since 2004, has built up a cult following, and is bringing three different shows to the festival this year. A student of psychology, hypnosis and NLP, Obie's one-man monograph to Derren Brown will show off his own memory mastery and mentalism skills, in an interactive, off the wall extravaganza that's likely to include plenty of freestyling.

Jay McIslaam: Travels with Autism

Bathgate born, but with a cut glass English accent forged in the crucible of prepubescent sodomy that only a public school education can provide. Even though he bides in Birmingham, he hasn't forgotten his roots, and there's no shortage of rampant lions and thistles all over his hoos. It's no coincidence his most famous comic creation is called Bambam.

McIslaam suffered a plunge in popularity when paparazzi caught him in flagrante fellatio with the Krankies on the grounds of Braemar castle. The scandal derailed his career for almost a decade, during which time he made ends meet by "tossing cabers" for Harry hoofters in Edinburgh old town alleyways. Enjoying quite a revival in the Scottish comedy world since he inherited a Blackford brothel/crackhouse last year, following the mysterious death of his brother Hamish "Fud Puncher" McIslaam.

So go see him, because even if you don't enjoy the gig, the afterparty will more than make up for it. (Use password "BAHOOCHIE" for a 20% discount. No Polis!)

Advertisement
Simply super stylish summer date ideas, hand-picked just for you.

Dinner Date: Bronte

Photo Credit: Bronte

Dinner. It's not reinventing the date-wheel but you can't go wrong with a thoughtfully chosen spot. Added impressibility comes by way of finding a hot, new opening with maximum Insta-ability, if your dining partner is so technologically inclined. Enter Bronte on London's Strand. The menu offers an outrageously-inviting selection of small and larger Pacific-Antipodean plates - the rare beef and paw-paw salad; scallops with garlic and yuzu; and salt baked celeriac with truffle sour cream and crispy shallots are not to be missed. Herbivores shan't be disappointed. But what makes this newcomer particularly stylish is the stunning space itself created by Tom Dixon.

Named after neighbour Lord Nelson (AKA the first Duke of Bronte) there are nods to his naval career throughout with with collected treasures, lots of Dixon's signature gold, deep leather booths and a pewter bar. It's light, it's opulent and the imposing Trafalgar Square terrace backdrop makes for quite the romantic digestif spot.

Advertisement

Music Date: Ron Arad's Curtain Call at the Roundhouse

Photo Credit: Stuart Leech

If you want a date that packs a visual punch, then check out the performances at The Roundhouse this late summer. Returning in celebration of the venue's 50th anniversary, artist Ron Arad has re-installed his stunning 360 blank canvas performance space Curtain Call. A ring eighteen metres across, made of 5,600 silicon rods within the Roundhouse's main space will play host to artists and musical performances, not least the BBC Proms, with custom projected visuals for each. Guests are encouraged to meander through the dimly lit and moody space to get the most out of the experience. Pretty romantic huh? August's 11th's Manga's Akira-inspired immersive experience with grime artist Gaika is one date I'm particularly excited about.

Movie Date: See a movie at the House of Vans

Photo Credit: House of Vans

Forego obnoxious tweens and an offensive bill at the local Odeon and instead head down to the House of Vans at Waterloo for an altogether more intimate and, indeed, stylish movie date. The late summer line-up includes includes iconic style flicks Dazed and Confused and Pulp Fiction but as no 'Most stylish film...' list would ever be complete without Anthony Minghella's The Talented Mr. Ripley, you'd find me there. And it's no more on-trend than it is right now, with Cuban Collars and resort shirts a-plenty on the catwalks and sidewalks alike this summer. Oh and did I mention that it's totally free? More kitty money for the Italian sojourn, she'll be insisting you whisk her away on.

Advertisement

Drink Date: Songs From Above at The London Edition

Photo Credit: Edition Hotels

Every Wednesday throughout August, the London Edition is presenting its inaugural Songs From Above series which will see a beautifully curated selection of musical performances grace the mezzanine overlooking the hotel's Lobby Bar. The House Gospel Choir will be serving up covers of Disclosure and Labrinth on the 17th and contemporary Billie Holiday ALA.NI will be joining forces with with the all-female Deep Throat Choir (ahem) to wow with numbers by Amy Winehouse and Bjork on the 31st, amongst many great others. And most lovely of all, no fee or booking required, subject to space in the bar.

Arty Date: Exhibitionism: The Rolling Stones

Photo Credit: Exhibitionism

If you haven't already been, you still have a month to get down to the Saatchi Gallery for Exhibitionism: The Rolling Stones Exhibition before it skips across the pond to the Big Apple. The first major and most comprehensive presentation of the band's personal archives sees nine themed galleries house photography, video, costume, stage sets and, of course, the instruments themselves. Keep an eye out for collaborative works from Andy Warhol, Alexander McQueen and Martin Scorsese.

Active Date: Exercise in the City at Coq d'Argent

Advertisement

Photo Credit: Exercise In The City

If working up a sweat with a bit of downward dog is more your kind of date, then be sure to book in for one of Exercise in the City's al fresco, panoramic pilates sessions. This August they've taken up residency at Coq d'Argent offering early morning classes every Wednesday and Friday on the restaurant's rather spectacular roof space. What's more, class participants can stay and enjoy breakfast on the terrace with a rather lovely discount. Now what is it they say about the early bird?

Show Date: Groundhog Day at The Old Vic
Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Public health issues, such as tackling obesity from a young age, are hugely important.

In the UK 38% of both men and women are expected to be obese by 2025.

However, there is no evidence worldwide that a soft drinks tax will have any impact on levels of obesity.

Similar taxes in other countries have shown to have no, or very little, effect.

In Mexico, for example, there was a slight drop in consumption which led to 6 fewer calories a day per person following the introduction of a tax in 2014, but the following year sales began to rise again.

Advertisement

It's also worth pointing out that the proposal for a soft drinks tax in the UK was based on 2012 data and does not factor in the significant action taken by companies to reduce sugar consumption from their products over the last four years.

Now the Childhood Obesity Strategy has been delayed over the summer, we urge the new Chancellor to use this opportunity to take a fresh look at the evidence and more effective means of changing behaviour.

Obesity is not caused by a single ingredient or product

Sugar consumption in the UK is falling but obesity is still rising.

European countries with the lowest obesity levels - at least 5% lower than the UK - consume more sugar per head than the UK.

Consumption of regular soft drinks in the UK is already markedly down. The Defra Family Food Survey shows that purchases of regular soft drinks fell by 32% between 2010 and 2014, whilst low calorie drinks purchases increased by more than a third.

Advertisement

To look closer at the causes of obesity, the Government must understand more about patterns of behaviour, including levels of activity.

Only last month scientists from Cambridge University said sedentary lifestyles were now posing as great a threat to public health as smoking, and were causing more deaths than obesity.

Practical steps are needed in all areas if we are serious about finding solutions.

Recognise the action taken already within the sector

The soft drinks industry has seen a strong shift towards self-regulation and change.

The British Soft Drinks Association recently released its 2016 Annual Report, detailing how almost 60% of soft drinks now sold in the UK are low or no calorie.

By widening the availability of smaller packs, removing sugar from their drinks and significantly increasing the promotion of low and no calorie options soft drinks producers have reduced their consumers' sugar intake by over 16% since 2012 - and that's despite sales increasing by over 2%.

In 2015 the soft drinks industry became the only sector to set an ambitious target; to reduce calorie intake from soft drinks by 20% by 2020.

Advertisement

If we consider that in 2012 soft drinks accounted for 10.3% of take home sugar intake and now it's 8.3% (and falling) it makes the decision to target soft drinks even more questionable.

Global and UK studies have shown that reformulation and smaller portion sizes have a far bigger impact on obesity levels than tax and these are steps that we are already taking. It is an approach that should be rewarded rather than punished.

The tax will increase the economic burden on businesses and consumers

Our industry has committed publicly to reduce sugar further, but this work will be made harder to sustain by the significant commercial risk the soft drinks industry tax presents.

It should also be recognised that the previous Government expected the tax to be passed entirely onto consumers.

If retailers do this current estimates suggest it would add 48p to a two litre bottle of soft drink - effectively a 50% tax. This is a particular risk for smaller retailers.

Advertisement

In the face of great economic uncertainty this is no time for a measure that will impact negatively on companies and to higher prices for those who can least afford it whilst having no impact on levels of obesity.

This is why the new Government must take this opportunity to reconsider this tax and support UK businesses and consumers.

Invest in preventative public health measures

Most importantly, if the Government is serious about tackling obesity then it needs to put in place more preventative measures.

The Department of Health estimates that 70% of the NHS budget is spent on long-term conditions, yet only 4% of the total healthcare budget is spent on prevention.

McKinsey's recent studies into obesity highlight how education and personal responsibility are also critical elements of any programme aiming to reduce obesity.

Advertisement

We recognise the obesity is a complicated problem and we want to work with the government to find solutions which work.
Miss Zhao, a graduate of Communication University of China, is visibly frustrated when she talks about her recent experience job hunting. Although Miss Zhao has a PhD as well as experience interning in a central media outlet, she says employers still prefer male applicants, and will sometimes choose a male applicant who holds only a bachelor's degree over a female applicant with a doctorate. She added that, for her, job interviews always include questions about when she plans to marry and have a child, and even about whether she plans to have a second baby.

This year will witness 7.65 million students graduate from universities and colleges across China. This summer is also the first employment season after the universal two-child policy came into effect. As a result, female graduates are facing more severe competition and pressure in job hunting.

Overt and covert gender discrimination floods recruitment notices. Examples of more explicit discrimination include: only male," "male preferred," "married mother preferred," "higher educational background for female candidates," "appearance and height required" and "obligations of no marriage and no reproduction in certain years. However, even covert discrimination can be quite obvious, such as when employers inquire about female applicants' marital status and thoughts on family planning, or stress that the position requires frequent overtime and is therefore more suitable for men.

According to a 2014 survey conducted by the Womens Studies Institute of China (WSIC), 86.18 percent of female graduates in Beijing, Hebei and Shandong say they have experienced gender discrimination while job hunting.

Marriage, childbearing and employment are all womens rights, and are protected by law, explained Ma Yan, a researcher with WSIC. However, Ma said, childbearing does increase costs to employers. For instance, in the wake of the universal two-child policy, many local governments have extend mandated maternity from one month to three.

Guo Ruilin, who works in human resources at a private pharmaceutical company, complained, Normally, maternity impacts a woman's work for a year or two, but the company still pays them a salary and offers social security. A second child will double the costs. Additionally, according to tradition, women play a central role in domestic affairs. Many employers worry that running a household with two children will further divert womens attention and energy from work.

A number of experts believe the government should get involved in reducing the stigma and discrimination wrought by the two-child policy. Yin Xiaojun, an associate researcher at the Shanxi Academy of Social Sciences, suggested that the government offer financial subsidies or maternity bonuses to help reduce corporate costs. Peng Xizhe, director of Center for Population and Development Policy Studies under Fudan University, also thinks the government should take on some of the maternity costs since, childbearing is a systematic project that all of society needs to pay attention to and care about.
"Now we are able to buy sheep, breed them and sell them," says Hanane Anassi who leads a women's cooperative in the harsh landscape of Morocco's Atlas mountains. What's changed in this ancient land where millions live in poverty, is that these sheep-raising women have become computer savvy.

"The women's engagement network has empowered us," Hanane says.

They are using a web portal to organize themselves and develop the skills they badly need to compete in commercial markets. And, even more remarkable, they are running their business relying on each other, independent of their villages' menfolk.

Advertisement

"The online portal was instrumental in creating a basic accounting procedure," says Hanane who is now comfortable with high-tech lingo. "It also helped us develop a business plan and set up our organizational structure."

What started as an loosely grouped agricultural association has now become a legally registered cooperative that generates revenue for each of its members - all of whom are local women.

Their cooperative, one of more than 6,000 in Morocco, is part of a nationwide network of self-governing women's organizations, funding and training themselves as they break the mould that has held them back for centuries.

It's a game changer

These women are using the power of the worldwide web to leap over the intractable barriers of widespread illiteracy and the denial of women's rights. Their 21st-century approach is the brainchild of a little-known center started by a woman who has just broken through one of the highest glass ceilings in the world - Hillary Clinton.

Advertisement

Launched in 1999, when she was the First Lady of the United States, the Hillary Rodham Clinton Center for Women's Empowerment was set up to conduct interdisciplinary research into gender issues in North Africa and do grassroots work to empower women in local communities.

Based in Morocco's leading institution of higher learning, Al Akhawayn University, the center faced an immediate challenge. How could it work effectively with socially disenfranchised people, blighted by rural poverty, and prevented from changing their circumstances by illiteracy - one of the greatest and most persistent obstacles to social transformation?

It was a formidable prospect. Illiteracy remains one of the country's greatest roadblocks to social and economic development. Of the 149 countries listed in UNESCO's 2015 world literacy report, Morocco ranks 117th. Four out of ten women are illiterate. In many of the rural areas it is as as many as eight out of ten.

"We faced a choice," says the center's director, Dr Doris Gray. "We could campaign for greater literacy. This had been tried without much success. Or we could try another approach. Find a way to get around the literacy barrier. We decided we would try to empower women with tools and skills they could use without being fully literate."

Advertisement

"Almost everyone in the rural areas is computer literate. They use the technology to keep in touch with their relatives. The great thing is that on a smart phone you can swipe. You don't have to type."

Dr Gray and her team decided to develop an app that would enable the whole network of women's leaders to get skills even if they had only minimal reading or writing abilities. "That would give them the tools they said they needed to make their cooperatives successful," she recalls.

Now anyone on the network can visit the website of the Clinton center's Women's Engagement Network and find literally dozens of short films and interviews covering everything from setting up accounts, to marketing, to organizational management. "No video is longer than three minutes," says Dr Gray. "They are deliberately designed to overcome another problem caused by illiteracy. The users cannot make written notes. So we have used the methods of oral, repetitive pedagogy. The short films are scripted and edited to be easily remembered. And they are all in local dialects."

This painstaking work, all done collaboratively with the women in the cooperatives, can throw up unexpected realities. The Clinton Center team discovered that virtually all the products - ranging from herbal medicines and cosmetics through to woven rugs and scarves, as well as a wide variety of traditional handicrafts - were being significantly underpriced.

Advertisement

"They were not factoring in their own time," says Dr Gray. "They didn't think their time had any value. They were only putting in the price of the materials. It never occurred to them that their time was worth something."

The women have now come to see the value of their time and include it the pricing of their products. To those outside the world of these rural women, this pricing shift may seem like a small, even absurd, advance. But within a culture where, for centuries, women have had limited property rights, little or no formal education, and almost no economic independence, to now have them valuing and pricing their time at the loom or beehive is a game changer.

Investing in girls and women

Hanane Anassi who has benefited both from the online access of the Women's Engagement Network as well as the Clinton Center's on-site training workshops, says it is not only the goal of financial independence that has motivated local women like her.

"The workshops and the online portal removed our sense of isolation and made Berber women like us, living in the countryside, feel part of a Morocco-wide network of women's associations and co-operatives with similar goals and challenges."

Advertisement

The Center has also established the largest community outreach program in the region: the Azrou Center for Community Development. Its activities include vocational training and literacy programs for girls and women, continuing education for young people not in the formal school system, computer and IT courses for men and women, French and English language classes, a health center and satellite programs in villages throughout the region.

This is not conventional charity work. It is not "throwing money" at a problem. It is about deep social reform. When the Center opened in April 2000, a year after Hillary Clinton announced its creation, she said: "Women around the world have joined together to express their belief that economic progress depends on women's progress; democratic progress depends on women's progress; human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human rights."

"The benefits of educating women go far beyond the classroom and the schoolhouse," she said. "They go to stronger families, better health, nutrition, wages and levels of political participation. As I have traveled around the world and during my visits to Morocco, I have seen first-hand that investing in girls and women helps to transform communities which in turn can transform societies."

It is a view, once subject to all manner of scepticism and hostility, that has now become more and more mainstream.

Advertisement

As if to signify increasing endorsement of this approach, the US government dispatched its ambassador in Morocco, Dwight L. Bush, to Al Akhawayn University to visit the Clinton Center this year. Not only did ambassador Bush meet with the center's director, Dr Doris Gray (above, right), but also three representatives of local cooperatives who have become change agents in their communities.

The end of poverty

At the outset of this century the United Nations declared eight Millennium Development Goals to be achieved by the year 2015. These included cutting by half the millions of people around the world living in absolute poverty - as a step towards the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger altogether.

By 2015, far more had been achieved than critics feared, although many aspects of the goals still remained to be accomplished. Based on that unprecendented global effort, the targets were expanded to 17 Sustainable Development Goals, known collectively as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Significantly, women's empowerment is explicity included in the strategy for achieving all of these goals, whether they be ending poverty, making the world's cities safer or protecting the oceans. The language is strong and upfront. Take the first goal, "End poverty in all its forms everywhere". The UN states:

"The end of poverty can only be achieved with the end of gender-based discrimination. All over the world, gender inequality makes and keeps women poor, depriving them of basic rights and opportunities for well-being. Women have a right to equal access to all avenues to end poverty, from social protection safety nets to use of the latest technology. Fully realizing that right will be key to achieving the first Sustainable Development Goal."

It is not just the eradication of poverty where this matters. The UN states:

"The sustainable development goals seek to change the course of the 21st century, addressing key challenges such as poverty, inequality, and violence against women. Women's empowerment is a pre-condition for this."

One of the global goals is specifically dedicated to women's rights. It proclaims: "Since all areas of life relate to gender equality, efforts must be made to cut the roots of gender discrimination wherever they appear."

The greatest obstacle

Morocco was rocked by massive demonstrations in the 1990s and early 2000s calling for reform of the country's traditional model of family law. The process of change started in 1999, and by 2003 both international and national pressure led to a new law that was the most radical reform of family law in the contemporary Arab and Muslim world. It raised the marriage age. It curtailed polygamy, ended a husband's unilateral right to divorce, and removed the traditional clause requiring a wife to be obedient to her husband.

"The change turned the family from a vertical institution where the man presided over everything into a horizontal institution. It made husband and wife equal in terms of managing the family's affairs," says Dr Gray.

But even though the law has changed, cultural perceptions have not. In the rural areas, many people are still following the previous family code. "Women feel they cannot open a bank account if they want to establish a cooperative - even though they are completely entitled to," says Dr Gray. "The men tell their wives, 'You need my signature,' and they won't give it unless they are added to the cooperative."

Advertisement

"Even where people know the law has changed, they don't apply it," she says. "For example, the police prevent women from planting herbs or having a bee-hive on public land, even though this is legal. But being semi-literate the women do not know their rights or where to go to enforce those rights. To make matters worse, the police and courts often side with the husbands against the women. So when I ask the women what is the greatest obstacle they face, they say it is their husbands."

"What's happening here, not in Europe, gets completely ignored. "

I asked Dr Gray about the other, inevitable, challenge that a center like this must face: funding. "We feel we need to reflect Hillary's vision in a much more substantive way," she told me. "We need to get an endowment for our 'scholar in residence' program and expand our workshops and conferences. These are key parts of our interdisciplinary research role in North Africa. Being in an academic institution we are trying to be a bridge between the ivory tower of the university and the real life situation all around us."
Researchers spend years looking for them, testing them, perfecting them before medical practitioners get to implement them in real life. I'm talking about cures. They've discovered one for malaria and for TB, and they're still working on one for cancer.

Usually, whatever the illness, once a person has taken the correct course of medication and is infection-free we consider them to be cured. However, having been the chief executive of Lepra, an international charity battling neglected diseases, for six years, I'm starting to wonder when is a cure a cure? If a person no longer has the disease in their system but is living with the debilitating consequences, are they cured?

Advertisement

The Cambridge dictionary defines being cured as 'making someone with an illness healthy again' [1]. In the case of leprosy, one of the diseases we work to tackle, there is a medical cure available and we've been helping people access the relevant multi-drug therapy since 1983. Once a person has completed the treatment, usually over a period of 6 to 12 months, the medical world says they have been cured.

However, it is hard to evaluate whether an individual whose leprosy bacteria have been killed by antibiotics but has lost fingers and cannot feel patches on their body that are then prone to burns and cuts, is in fact healthy. After all, such lasting anesthesia, an effect of the disease, can lead to infections and further ill health.

Like with other diseases, the person may no longer be infectious but could face a lifetime living with the consequences. With leprosy that can mean nerve damage, as well as severe disabilities to hands and feet and even blindness. Does that individual feel that they have been cured or is it a medical conceit?

That's why, at Lepra, we don't just work with children, women and men until the point that they've finished their course of drugs. We look at their whole life after having experienced leprosy and find ways to improve it. To us a person is cured when they believe that their life has returned to normal and they can participate fully in their community.

Advertisement

We might do this by providing reconstructive surgery and physiotherapy services to reduce the physical burden leprosy may have left. Our protective shoes are also a part of assisting a person after the disease has been treated. They are customised to individual needs and help to protect any patches of anesthesia on the feet. This reduces the risk of infection.

We set up self-help groups that bring people together who have shared similar experiences and provide training in various skill sets. These, along with the groups' micro loans, offer an opportunity for a person to set up a small business and earn a living.

So, perhaps, if leprosy is not detected before disability or stigma sets in, a person isn't ever fully cured. However, through these activities, we look to relieve some of the burden of having been affected by a neglected disease and try to improve the overall health and well-being of a person.

We also continue to provide health education to communities so that they know where to access help and what the symptoms are. That way we can prevent fewer people having to live with the effects of a disease and truly live a life free from a disease that has actually been cured.
CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN via Getty Images

Earlier this year the United Nations published a report 'Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar', which concluded that human rights violations against us could amount to crimes against humanity.

The report also stated that the government of Burma needed to take urgent action to end the anti-Rohingya policies of past governments. The response of the NLD led government and rest of the international community was silence. Once again, evidence of violations of international law have been provided, and once again no action has been taken. Our suffering goes on.

Advertisement

Worse, the day after the UN report was published, European Union diplomats based in Burma announced that in response to a demand by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to avoid using the word Rohingya, they would also not use the word Rohingya when talking about Rohingya people.

The denial of our ethnic identity is an integral part of the discrimination that we face. Nationalists and the government administration under former President Thein Sein have deliberately and tactically escalated controversy over the use of the name Rohingya as part of their campaign to say we are not an ethnic group in Burma and don't belong there. They called us Bengali instead, claiming we are immigrants from Bangladesh. Instead of standing up to these people and their lies, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has said because the name is controversial, diplomats should call us 'Muslims from Rakhine state'.

This is seen as a victory by nationalists. Rather than being pacified by this so-called compromise, they are now demanding the Burmese government officially call us Bengali. Not calling us Rohingya has encouraged them. In effect, the government of Burma and European Union have sided with racists and nationalists rather than with the oppressed and vulnerable.

My people are dying in the camps where they fled to four years ago after they fled mobs burning their homes and villagers. They are dying in part because the new government has kept in place severe restrictions on delivery of aid. In towns and villages my people live in poverty and fear, afraid of attack or arrest at any time. My people are denied the right to travel around the country, are denied citizenship, and denied the right to vote. We are denied access to healthcare. Our children are denied access to higher and university education. We had so much hope in an NLD government, but so far, since they came to power, things have continued to get worse, not better.

Advertisement

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi says her government needs time and space to deal with this issue. As Rohingya we understand that there is much hatred against us in Burma. Fully addressing this will take time. But in the short term restrictions on aid can be lifted, action taken against those inciting hatred and violence, and the process of reforming the 1982 citizenship law which is at the root of depriving us of so many of our rights, could be started. My people are dying and suffering so much, we don't have time. We need action now.

At the same time, violations of law don't get much more serious than crimes against humanity. Yet having concluded that these crimes might be happening, no action is being taken by the UN or government of Burma. Imagine if a police force said a murder had been committed, but we are not going to investigate it. That's the equivalent of what the United Nations are doing now.

At a time when there is so much hope for so many others in Burma, this is our most desperate hour. Pressure needs to be placed on the NLD led government to lift government restrictions on humanitarian aid to the Rohingya still living in squalid camps four years after being forced to flee their homes. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi must be made to live up to her previous statement that the discriminatory 1982 citizenship law should be reviewed. And the United Nations must establish an international investigation into human rights violations against my people. Next month's UN General Assembly sessions are the opportunity to do this.

Report after report have concluded that multiple violations of international law are being committed against the Rohingya. No government can say they don't know what is going on. It is to their shame that they allowed it to carry on.
Twenty-one years ago, Hillary Clinton made a promise.

Then First Lady, she was speaking at the memorial service for UNICEF's legendary executive director Jim Grant. It was a blustery February day in 1995, and more than 2,500 people had filed into New York's cavernous Cathedral of St. John the Divine to pay respects to a man who, Clinton would later note, "may have been more responsible for saving more lives over the past 15 years than any other person in the world."

Grant was a phenomenon. The exuberant American World War II veteran and international aid expert had taken the helm of UNICEF in 1980 and had set in motion an unprecedented wave of progress that is still being felt today. In 1982, he launched a "child survival revolution" that would save the lives of an estimated 25 million children and spur a tectonic shift in the ethos of global health.

In late January 1995, after a long and mostly secret fight with cancer, Grant became confined to a small hospital room in Mount Kisco, NY. Among the hundreds of letters that piled up in his room was a note from President Bill Clinton thanking Grant for everything he had done for children. On Friday, January 27, Grant decided he would write a reply. This wasn't about being courteous -- the shrewd UNICEF chief wanted something from Clinton, and he bet the President would not refuse a dying man. Grant's final wish, he wrote Clinton, was that the United States sign the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

Advertisement

Known as the "Magna Carta for Children," the CRC was adopted by the UN General Assembly on November 20, 1989. Its 54 articles (drafted with significant input from the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations) afford children basic rights and protection from abuse and exploitation. Grant was the CRC's most powerful promoter, helping it become the most widely ratified human rights in history and using it to prod countries the world over to take better care of their youngest citizens.

On January 28, 1995 -- the day after he penned his response to President Clinton -- Jim Grant died. A few weeks later, the First Lady of the United States stood before those assembled to honor him. After sharing a few anecdotes, Hillary Clinton surprised everyone. She mentioned that one of Grant's "greatest hopes" was that the CRC "would serve as a standard of principle that would guide us into the next century." She paused and then continued: "Therefore . . . I am pleased to announce that the United States will sign the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child." Applause rippled through the cathedral.

And true to Clinton's word, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Madeleine Albright signed the treaty a week later.

But that's where the story thuds to a halt.

In order for the CRC to take effect, the US Senate needs to ratify it by a two-thirds majority -- and 21 years later, that still hasn't happened. Facing Republican opposition, Bill Clinton never submitted it to the Senate. Succeeding administrations have let the CRC gather dust on a seemingly forgotten shelf. Before being elected, President Obama called the lack of action on the treaty "embarrassing." But with less than a year left in his term, he has still done nothing substantive to change that.

Advertisement

The shameful end result? The US is now the only country in the world that has not ratified the CRC. Is it a coincidence that the US has one of the worst infant mortality rates in the industrialized world? A 2015 Save the Children study found that Washington, DC had the highest infant mortality rate among 25 capital cities in wealthy countries around the world.

Opposition to US ratification stems mostly from hysterical overreactions rooted in misconceptions -- that the CRC could erode national sovereignty, supersede the Constitution, or interfere with parental rights. Legal scholars insist it would do none of these things. The US generally views human rights treaties as "non-self-executing," meaning that no provision would become mandatory without specific legislation.

If Brazil, Canada, England, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, and every other UN member state can ratify it, why can't we? The treaty has helped improve children's well-being in these and many other places.

The US's refusal to ratify the treaty diminishes our moral leadership on the global stage. By embracing the CRC, America would not only aid vulnerable children here at home -- it would help put the needs of impoverished, invisible children around the world on the political map.

The best chance of moving the CRC forward now rests with the very woman who pledged her country would sign it more than two decades ago. Child rights advocates are hopeful that, if elected President, Hillary Clinton will finally give the children's treaty the priority it deserves.

"Hillary Clinton should need no reminding of the importance of the CRC, having herself been a strong advocate of women's and children's rights all her life, and having personally conveyed to the whole world President Clinton's solemn commitment to ratify the Convention," says Meg Gardinier, the Secretary General of the ChildFund Alliance and the voluntary Chair of the Campaign for US Ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Advertisement

The first step would be submitting the CRC to the US State Department for review, an involved and lengthy process. The next hurdle would be overcoming Republican opposition in the Senate -- a tall order, but not impossible. The key: make sure the State Department review is completed, so that CRC advocates on Capitol Hill can be ready to push ratification if political conditions become more advantageous. This would ideally be accompanied by a major public advocacy campaign (a diverse pro-CRC coalition of organizations and faith-based groups already exists and could be mobilized when the time is right).
Businesswoman sitting at table in restaurant with head resting on hand

The headlines tell you that finally we have a robust job market, a lot of hiring, and even some wage increases. However, the American economy grew during the last quarter at a lackluster rate of 1.2 percent. Economic growth has been anemic now for nearly a decade. It is among the lowest since WWII. Commentators tell us that the U.S. economy is doing better than most other industrial economies; which is bad news because they serve as our markets and we as theirs. Japan shows that an economy can be marred in a semi-recession for decades. The growth of China's economy, until recently the marvel of the world, is decelerating. The Central Banks have been pumping trillions into the world's economies in order to stimulate growth but instead are causing an asset bubble, soon to burst as all such bubbles do. Unemployment rates are high in Europe; while the rate has been declining in the U.S., this is due in part to the fact that millions stopped looking for work. Most new jobs pay much less than old ones, provide fewer benefits if any, and are much less secure. Next comes the new technological revolution: smarter computers that replace many middle class jobs, especially in medicine and education, as they are already doing to the legal profession.

Advertisement

So far, the reaction to the economic deterioration has been a major increase in right wing populism, accompanied by small growth in left populism, and growing alienation of most citizens of the major democracies. There is growing violence, xenophobia and racism.

Both the Democratic and Republican parties, as well as Donald the Quack, promise Americans more and better jobs, a vibrant economy. But what if this is truly a dreaming field, which no one can build? What if no one can rev up the world's economies? The time has come to consider a fundamental change in what we aspire to. Those who have enough income to have their basic needs met may find that chasing more income to acquire more things, may be both ever more frustrating and indecent, as so many cannot get the work and the income they need to make ends meet.

We hence will need to: (a) Ensure that whatever work there is, gets more widely distributed -- for instance, by reinstating the mandatory retirement age, and taxes over time; (b) Provide everyone with a basic insured income (an extension of the existing Earned Income Tax Credit); (c) Provide health insurance for all; (d) Above all, provide sources of satisfaction other than consumerism.

These can be found in three major categories:

Social: Social science data show that spending time with those with whom one shares bonds of affinity -- children, spouses, friends, members of one's community -- is a major source of non-consumeristic contentment. Research shows that married people are more satisfied than those who are single, divorced, widowed, separated or cohabiting. Close friendships provide nearly as much happiness as a successful marriage. Conversely, "Adults who feel socially isolated are also characterized by higher levels of anxiety, negative mood, dejection, hostility, fear of negative evaluation, perceived stress, lower levels of optimism, happiness, and life satisfaction."

Advertisement

Spiritual or transcendental: Extensive evidence indicates that people who consider themselves religious, express a belief in God, or regularly attend religious services are more satisfied than those who do not. According to one study, agreement with the statement "God is important in my life" was associated with a gain of 3.5 points on a 100-point scale of happiness. (For comparison, unemployment is associated with a 6-point drop on the same scale.) Other studies show that Americans with a deep religious faith are healthier, live longer, and have lower rates of divorce, crime, and suicide. In their 2010 book American Grace, Robert Putnam and David Campbell report that "a common finding [of happiness researchers] is that religiosity is among the closest correlates of life satisfaction, at least as strong as income." They found that the difference in satisfaction between a person who attends church once a week and someone who does not attend church was "slightly larger than the difference between someone who earns $10,000 a year and his demographic twin who earns $100,000 a year." Other spiritual and cultural engagements have similar benefits to religion.

Civic: Researchers who examined the effects of community involvement found a strong correlation with satisfaction. In his book, The Politics of Happiness, Derek Bok reports that "some researchers have found that merely attending monthly club meetings or volunteering once a month is associated with a change in well-being equivalent to a doubling of income." Other studies have found that individuals who devote substantial amounts of time to volunteer work have high "life satisfaction."

This is not an argument that the poor should enjoy their poverty and instead of seeking income should socialize, pray, and volunteer. It is an argument that in the future, the more one's economic needs are satisfied, the more one will need to find joy in ways other than working more and more in order to buy more and more.
This piece will be running in newspapers in my conservative congressional District in Virginia. It was ready to run some weeks ago, but I held off due to events I thought might interfere with my intended audience taking in this message.

****

We'd likely have less controversy over the slogan, "Black Live Matter," if we had more of a shared understanding of the relevant American reality.

Sometimes a single clue reveals something big about that reality. There's the clue, for example, that we white people have heard about in recent times in the wake of headlined shootings of unarmed black men. It's "the talk" that many black parents give to their children, especially their sons.

Advertisement

Prominent blacks, middle-class blacks, and poorer blacks have disclosed that they tell their sons that -- if they must deal with a white policeman -- it is important they act with exquisite care.

Keep your hands on the dashboard, where he can see them. Use your Sunday School manners. Call him Sir. Cooperate fully. Make no sudden moves. Ask for permission for each action you take.

Understand that your life may depend on this.

Like all parents, these parents of black sons want to protect their children. And "the talk," we have lately learned, is a well-established part of black culture through which black parents try to help their sons survive.

It's not easy for something like this to become an established part of a culture. It requires widespread experience, and it takes a very long time -- generations even -- for such a practice to take root.

Advertisement

This clue tells us, therefore, that the danger faced by young black men in contact with white police has been a major part of black experience for a long time.

But if blacks have been facing this reality for so long, why is it that it is only recently that white people have heard about "the talk"? Because only now do black people have reason to believe that white people might understand the reality they've been dealing with.

Thanks to cell-phone videos, we have all become eyewitnesses to the kinds of events from which black parents have long been trying to protect their children.

Only now are we seeing how an illegal police choke-hold led to the death of a black man in New York selling cigarettes on the street, how a white policeman in South Carolina shot a black man in the back and then planted a weapon on him, how a young black man selling CDs in front of a convenience store in Baton Rouge was shot multiple times after the police had pinned him to the ground. The list could go on.

And, for the same reason, this is the time that a movement has arisen to declare "Black Lives Matter."

Advertisement

Although this movement may be new, we can assume that this message expresses a feeling that has dwelt in aching hearts for years -- from the time of slavery, through the era of (several thousand) lynchings and segregation and disenfranchisement, to the present era.

Only now -- when we can all see that sometimes not much stands in the way of snuffing out a black life -- have black people emerged to issue to the whole nation this cry from the heart: Black Lives Matter.

Much of white America has responded to this message with understanding and empathy. But there is a segment that has responded with anger. Some condemn the message as "racist," interpreting it to mean "Black Lives Matter more than others," when it could hardly be clearer that the true meaning is, "Black Lives Matter, too."

When it is so clear that the meaning of the message is, "We are human beings, too, and we implore that you do unto us as you would wish for yourselves and your children to be done unto," something powerful must be at work in the hearts of some white people to distort it into something to fight over.

Powerful patterns of culture get handed down through the generations, and one such pattern -- in a segment of white America -- has been hostility to the aspirations of black people.

Advertisement

The ancestors of some of us were hostile to the slaves' desire to be free, supported the Jim Crow regime of racial oppression, opposed the civil rights movement for equal opportunity and equal treatment under the law. And now, some whites take umbrage at the message of "Black Lives Matter."

That a phrase as simple and direct and clear as "Black Lives Matter" can be misinterpreted as a threat shows that America has yet to realize the ideal of a society in which all lives matter equally.

****
OMG, how did he manage to do this hard time behind bars? This week the brother of Paris Hilton finished his prison sentence. People Magazine reported that on August 1 he was released after serving eight weeks for violating his parole. He was found guilty in March of 2015 when he attacked passengers and flight attendants. According to court records he shouted profanities and told his fellow passengers that he was going to kill them. It is rumored that he had ingested pot and cocaine and flipped out.

Conrad joins his famous sister Paris, who had served time after violating her parole for an earlier crime of driving under the influence (DUI). I wrote about this in my new book "This Side of Freedom: Life after Clemency" in a chapter dedicated to addiction and celebrities:

Working at my job every day I saw stories splashed across news that exposed the realities of drug use in America. From celebrities to politicians to athletes and ordinary people, the war on drugs loomed large. But I found that the public especially loved stories about celebs with substance abuse problems. When conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh had a clash with the law concerning his addiction to prescription pain killers he became a national symbol for drug addiction. It reminded me of the fact that drug addiction did not discriminate, but unfortunately our drug policies did. Rush was investigated for illegally obtaining thousands of addictive prescription painkillers. But instead of going to prison criminal charges were dropped against him in Florida when he worked out a plea agreement.This included a $30,000 penalty and continued drug treatment. Limbaugh contended that his addiction was a by-product of taking painkillers for chronic pain from a back injury. But Rush's addiction brought out a good point. Many people with diseases ranging from back pain to cancer have chosen to treat their pain with a natural alternative, marijuana. What was the distinguishing difference? One drug is demonized, while the other was not.

Advertisement

A few weeks before, Limbaugh got arrested he had weighed in on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) announcement that there were no "sound scientific studies" supporting the medicinal use of marijuana. His diatribe was characteristically callous and harsh toward sick and dying people who use medical marijuana as Limbaugh blathered "the FDA says there's no -- zilch, zero, nada -- shred of medicinal value to the evil weed marijuana. This is going to be a setback to the long-haired, maggot-infested, dope-smoking crowd."

This distain for medical marijuana patients was not the first time Rush showed a lack of compassion to people who use drugs or suffer from addiction. Limbaugh was also the man who scoffed at the idea that African Americans were disproportionately arrested on drug charges, and suggested that the solution was to arrest more white people. Interestingly enough, Mr. Limbaugh sang a different tune when he was the white person who could have easily ended up behind bars if he was not the famous radio personality that he was. But in the end, I supported Rush as I did many celebrities that followed who had brushes with the law because of their drug addictions.

In 2008 Tatum O'Neal, the Oscar-winning actress, took a plea deal on July 2 stemming from her June 1 arrest while supposedly trying to score some crack cocaine in New York City's Lower East Side. She was initially charged with possession of a controlled substance and faced a year in prison if convicted. The court allowed her to plead out to a disorderly conduct charge and ordered her to attend two half-day drug treatment sessions. She followed the courts orders and they eventually dismissed the cocaine possession charges.

Advertisement

O'Neal had been open about her history of heroin addiction as outlined in her memoir, A Paper Life. When she was arrested by undercover officers, they searched her and found two bags of cocaine along with an unused crack pipe. She had initially told police that she was doing research for an acting role. Then she changed her story and told them that the death of her 16-year-old dog nearly triggered her into relapse. Some say O'Neal was treated with a slap on the wrist. Others say she did not deserve to do any jail time because of her addiction.This begs a critical question that we as a society need to address and one that I constantly asked.

For most people, treatment is a much more effective approach than imprisonment for successfully breaking their addictions, yet our prisons are full of individuals whose only crime is their addiction to drugs. According to Justice Department statistics, the U.S. holds a firm lead in maintaining the most prisoners of any country in the world.

In 2006, the Justice Department recorded the largest increase since 2000 in the number of people in prisons and jails. Criminal justice experts attributed the exploding U.S. prison population to harsh sentencing laws and record numbers of drug law violators entering the system, many of whom have substance abuse problems. Nonviolent drug offenders like Tatum O'Neal should have been given an opportunity to receive treatment, not jail time, for their drug use.

This would be a more effective, not to mention much more affordable solution, for both the individual and the community. Prosecutors in many states such as New York, where they have leeway to recommend a defendant to treatment instead of incarceration, more than likely will not do it. This is because it would not be considered a "win" for them. In effect, the system does not reward prosecutors for doing the compassionate thing. In my view, prosecutors live and die by their rates of convictions, so why would they want to be compassionate if it did not help with their careers?

At that time, I thought that O'Neal could have been considered a role model to millions of young people all over the world. I thought that her experiences with addiction and the realities of the drug war would have encouraged her to join our movement to reform U.S. drug policy. If she decided to take up the cause of treatment, instead of imprisonment, she could help change laws across the country.After all, if treatment instead of jail is good enough for her as she struggles with her addiction, surely it is good enough for the tens of thousands of others just like her who struggle with their substance abuse problems every day. But to my great sadness, she did not join our movement.

Advertisement

Paris Hilton had similar taste of the sting of the war on drugs when she pled guilty in 2010 in Las Vega, to two misdemeanors. One charge was for possessing a small amount of cocaine and the other for obstructing an officer. In return, she received one year's probation. Under the plea agreement, Paris avoided doing jail time by agreeing to pay a $2,000 fine, and to perform 200 hours of community service, and to complete a drug treatment program. The judge who sentenced Hilton told her that "Any new arrests terminate your criminal probation and you will serve a one-year sentence."

Hilton had two previous brushes with the law the most serious in 2007, when she was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) which led to her doing 23 days at the Century Regional Detention Facility. Like tens of millions of Americans, Paris Hilton wanted to use drugs, either to get in touch with reality or to escape from it. The question I asked was did she have the right to put substances in her body, if she did not hurt others? Or, did she deserve to go to jail, for doing so? Every year millions of other Americans are arrested for minor drug law violations - but most of them do not get the same breaks that Hilton, O'Neal and Rush had received.

Sometimes it takes a traumatic experience to awaken the hidden self. But Hilton's twenty-three days in jail and her multiple arrests for drug use have not seemed to give her the wakeup call she needed. But it did give her a taste of life in the gulag. In that short time, I gather she felt the reality of what it's like to lose your life as you know it. Sitting in a small cell can provoke profound existential questioning - I'm sure Hilton saw the light, even if just for a moment. There is something mystical about spending time in a cage. Since there is nowhere to go, you pace the perimeter of your cell. Back and forth or around in circles, all the while reliving the crime you committed that brought you there.

When it gets really bad, you start reading the Bible and praying to the Lord for forgiveness. From published accounts, that's exactly what Paris did. But the problem Paris faced as an ex-con is one that all ex-cons experience, and one that can lead them down the road to recidivism. When you are released, you want to forget the prison experience. You do your best to block it out. In her case, all those feelings she built up inside her brought on by her longing for her lost freedom when she was in jail.

How do I know? When I completed my twelve-year stint at Sing Sing, the first day I got out I almost completely forgot all the feelings I experienced while I was there. I forgot about how my existence was reduced to daily routines and calculations. I forgot about measuring time in reference to the day at hand and the functions associated with it - the head counts and bells that the prison used to maintain security and order. This was a problem and many of those who feel the harrowing experience of imprisonment readily want to forget about it.

Advertisement

Paris had felt the sting of the government's zero tolerance policy on drug use that incarcerates hundreds of thousands of Americans. But I wondered how long she would remember it. I recall her on the Larry King Show she was asked if she was planning to help others. Paris was humbled by her 23-day stay in jail and told King "That's something I was actually thinking a lot about in jail. I feel like being in the spotlight, I have a platform where I can raise awareness for so many great causes, and just do so much with this, instead of, you know, superficial things like going out. I want to help raise money for kids, breast cancer and multiple sclerosis." Soon after that Hilton was rejected from entering Japan because of her drug conviction forcing her to cancel her tour.

I thought that somehow she would join our movement and become a spokesman for our upcoming battle with the legislature in trying to get additional reforms of the law. But I was dead wrong. I reached out to her and got no response. People told me I was crazy to think I could get a high profile celebrity to join our movement. Maybe I was, but I knew that someday a celeb who had felt the pain of being imprisoned for putting a substance in their body would help change the system...
Male model lying on a couch in a living room, surfing the web on a tablet computer

Late last month, I visited the California offices of Chegg, a higher education company that specializes in helping college students with everything from affordable textbook rentals to online tutoring. Lately, Chegg has committed to gaining a deeper understanding of another subject central to college students' lives: sleep. And as Chegg's CEO Dan Rosensweig and I began a conversation with an audience of Chegg employees, Dan shared the results of a new Chegg survey on the sleep habits of college students.

The survey's findings bring valuable data to a familiar problem: for an alarming number of students, college has been turned into one long training ground for burnout. The motto "sleep, grades, social life: pick two," or some version of this, can be heard on campuses across the country. The combination of academic pressures, social opportunities -- and for many, newfound freedoms and the resulting challenge of time management -- creates an environment where sleep doesn't get the respect it deserves.

Advertisement

So as thousands of young people across the country prepare to head off to college, here are a few findings from the Chegg study -- which surveyed 473 students from a mix of public and private colleges -- that I found most illuminating.

Most students know there is a link between sleeping and academic performance.

Over half of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that students who do better in school probably get more sleep. (They're right, of course. A 2014 study by the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota showed that the effect of sleep deprivation on grades is roughly equivalent to binge drinking and drug use.)

And the vast majority of students want to get the sleep they need.

Fully 84 percent said 8 or more hours would be "ideal" on a school night.

But very few are meeting that goal.

Only 16 percent usually get 8 or more hours on a school night, with far more (79 percent) sleeping 5 to 7 hours a night.

Today's college students are constantly connected.

Students overwhelmingly cited time spent online and with electronic devices as significant obstacles to sleep. Asked to name the reasons that keep them from sleeping, 51 percent cited too much time online doing non-school related activities -- second only to having too much homework.

Advertisement

Even in bed.

A whopping 86 percent said they take their devices to bed with them -- for email, texting and other non-school activities. And 90 percent leave their phones on when they go to sleep.

The good news?

Chegg's survey found that most college students have plenty of free time each day (much of it, for better or worse, is spent online). So there's an opportunity for students to set aside some of that time for sleep, whether that means going to bed 30 minutes earlier or finding time during the day for a nap.

And the fact that so many students know how much sleep they should be getting, and are aware of how tethered they are to their devices, is at least a first step in changing habits. As more studies like this emerge -- and as I was researching The Sleep Revolution, I was struck by the sheer number of new studies adding to our understanding of sleep's vital role in every aspect of our lives -- people will be more equipped to make changes, even small ones, to help them get the sleep they need.
[Source: The official website of Spotify (www.spotify.com)]

By AsiaToday reporter Kim Ye-jin - Both Korean and Japanese music streaming markets are fluctuating with the emergence of big players - "Apple Music" and "Spotify" - respectively.

Spotify, one of the biggest providers of on-demand music, will make its debut this fall in Japan, the world's second largest market, reported Nihon Keizai Shimbun (a.k.a. Nikkei) on Tuesday.

Spotify will face several competitors. Avex and CyberAgent launched the AWA music last year, and LINE, Apple, and Google followed. Meanwhile, Apple Music made its Korean debut while big players such as Melon, Bugs, and Genie are keeping their positions firmly.

Advertisement

Founded in 2006, Spotify is used by 100 million people worldwide. The paid version alone has nearly 30 million users. The company will run a trial version this summer in Japan, and make its service available this fall.

The best feature of Spotify is its "free service", which offers the music library for free in exchange for the ads appearing on the display of f the users' IT devices. The advertising revenue is shared with record companies and the artists. Free service users are encouraged to become paid service. The company will offer its paid version costing 980 yen (approx. 10,600 won) per month.

In Korea, Apple surprisingly launched "Apple Music", a live music streaming service in a surprise move on August 5. Apple Music offers a three-month free trial. It charges $7.99 (8,800 won), slightly cheaper than services in North America with $9.99 (11,000 won).

It will be interesting to see whether Spotify will offer tailored service to Japanese customers, who are not yet familiar with fixed price music streaming service.

Advertisement
FILE - In this July 15, 2015, file photo, Uber driver Karim Amrani sits in his car parked near the San Francisco International Airport parking area. Uber said Thursday, April 7, 2016, it will pay at least $10 million to settle a case in which California prosecutors alleged it misled passengers over the quality of its driver background checks. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

Across the country, workers are demanding billion-dollar companies like McDonald's and Walmart pay a $15 hourly minimum wage. And they are winning. In the nearly four years since the Fight for $15 began, more than 17 million workers have won big raises as a direct result of the movement. Democrats added the once pie-in-the-sky $15 wage to their convention platform and cities and states across the country are racing to raise pay.

At the same time cooks and cashiers are winning huge wage increases from coast to coast, regulators and policymakers have seemed willing to let behemoths like Uber off the hook, resulting in paltry pay for the folks who are literally driving the "new economy."

Advertisement

Recently, Buzzfeed broke the news that Uber drivers in Detroit bring home poverty-level wages of $8.77 per hour. The Buzzfeed analysis of leaked Uber documents also showed that drivers in the Houston area earn$10.75 per hour, while those in the Denver market earn $13.17 per hour. These figures take into consideration the extensive car-related expenses that drivers shoulder for the privilege of driving for Uber, but still undercount expenses. They leave out expenses like the 15.3% these workers pay in self-employment taxes, use a reimbursement rate lower than that used by the IRS, and seem to count only the time drivers actually have a fare in the car, not the time spent on-duty cruising for fares.

Given Uber's constant price-dropping in its no-holds-barred bid to corner the market, even drivers who had no waiting time at all would find it mathematically impossible in some cities to earn at minimum wage. This is hardly the $90,000 average annual gross pay that Uber reportedly posted on its blog as the median for its New York City drivers. And the culture of low fares and no tips is trickling down into the regulated taxi industry, setting off a workforce-wide race to the bottom where sub-minimum, part-time only gig work awaits.

Meanwhile, the fight for a $15 minimum wage has swept the nation. Beginning with a few brave fast-food workers in New York City who went on strike for $15 and union rights, the movement has spread to 300 cities on six continents. It now includes home care workers, airport workers, child care teachers, adjunct professors and retail employees. Cities have taken up the call, with Seattle, Los Angeles, New York City, the District of Columbia, and others passing $15 per hour minimum wages. States like California, New York and New Jersey have taken up the fight as well, and campaigns are active in states and cities around the country.. The fight for a $15 hourly minimum wage has become central to reversing the yawning gap in our country between its wealthiest citizens and the rest of us.

Like the profitable corporations that call the shots for fast-food workers and the home care industry, Uber is sitting on avaluation of $66 billion. And Uber drivers' wages are comparable to those of fast-food and home care workers, who earn a median wage of $9.09, and $10.54, respectively. Like these fast-food and homecare agencies, transportation network companies hide behind sham work structures - franchises in the case of fast food, so-called "independent contractor" schemes in home care and transportation - to disclaim responsibility for the workers who make their hefty profits possible.

Advertisement

And what about the "union" part of the demand for $15 and a union? Transportation network drivers, who have staged strikes in cities from New York to San Francisco, Austin to Dallas clearly want to negotiate the terms of their jobs with the company. Like fast-food workers, they face enormous obstacles to organizing, not the least of which is that Uber claims its drivers are not employees entitled to the protection of the National Labor Relations Act. And like fast-food workers, they have found and are continuing to find ways to come together - In New York, the New York Taxi Workers Alliance represents 5,000 Uber drivers among its 19,000 members. The Taxi Workers Alliance recently filed litigation on behalf of its Uber members, challenging their misclassification of drivers as independent contractors and the sub-prime loans that Uber uses to lock them into continuing to work for subminimum wages.
Workers install a heavy truck at a production base of Aviation Industry Corporation of China in Xingtai, north China's Hebei Province, Sept. 11, 2015. [Photo: Xinhua/Zhu Xudong]

Official figures show that China's producer price index or PPI, which measures the cost of goods at the factory gate, dropped 1.7 percent year on year in July.

The National Bureau of Statistics said the PPI decline narrowed from a 2.6-percent decrease in June thanks to stronger industrial product prices for nonferrous metal smelting and rolling, ferrous metal ore mining, and ferrous metal melting and rolling.

However, the July reading continued a 52-month declining trend as China's economic slowdown and industrial overcapacity dampened prices.

On a month-on-month basis, July's PPI edged up 0.2 percent.

The PPI figures come with the release of the consumer price index, the CPI, which rose 1.8 percent year on year in July, slowing from 1.9 percent in June.

For more on this, CRI's Shane Bigham spoke earlier with John Ross, senior fellow of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University.
"The Book Hunters" -- Collier's magazine, 1909

He lacks the required temperament, he's too erratic, a loose cannon, a walking time bomb, he lacks integrity and exhibits time and again poor judgment.

These are just some, but certainly not all, of the character deficiencies attributed to Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for U.S. president, and the reasons most cited by his critics for not voting for him in November.

And yet there's still one more deficiency not often discussed.

Trump rarely reads books. He's too busy, he claims. He has never read a presidential biography.

The real estate mogul told the Washington Post that he reaches the right decision "with very little knowledge other than the knowledge I [already] had, plus the words 'common sense' because I have a lot of common sense and I have a lot of business ability."

Advertisement

If Trump truly wants to "Make America Great Again," you would think he would have a voracious appetite for the written word and learn from the great masters who occupied the Oval Office over the years.

Occupants such as John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt, all exhibited strong reading habits.

Though largely self-educated, Lincoln, who didn't have access to many books growing up, elevated his use of the English language largely through the Bible and the plays of William Shakespeare.

Even when he was in the White House, the "Rail Splitter" was often heard citing Shakespeare phrases to Cabinet members. When he first entered the White House in 1861, one of his first actions was to check out a stack of books from the Library of Congress on military strategy, so he could prepare for the rupture of the approaching Civil War.

Advertisement

Theodore Roosevelt, who was no bully, but knew how to operate a bully pulpit to advance his agenda, was known for swallowing books. TR read a book a day, sometimes more, according to historians.

Much like Lincoln, Millard Fillmore, the last Whig president (1850-1853), was largely self-educated and developed a lifelong passion for reading books. In 1846, Fillmore helped found the private University of Buffalo (which today is the public State University of New York at Buffalo), and he served as the first president of the Buffalo Historical Society.

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were well known for their extensive home libraries. Adams devoured Greek classics and, even when his eyesight had gone toward the end of his life, he had one of his nurses read to him.

In 1814, when the British invaded the Library of Congress, they burned all the books. Jefferson was quick to donate his entire book collection to the LOC, which comprised 6,487 books.

John F. Kennedy developed a strong liking to spy thrillers, including the works of Ian Fleming (James Bond). Kennedy was additionally drawn to the works of Ernest Hemingway.

Advertisement

Kennedy cited Winston Churchill's "Marlborough: His Life and Times," a four-volume, million- word biography about John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, as one of his all-time favorites, along with John Buchan's memoir "Pilgrim's Way."

Similar to Kennedy, Franklin Delano Roosevelt loved detective stories and reportedly took 50 of them with him to the Tehran Conference in 1943. At the time of his death, FDR was reading "The Punch and Judy Murders," a mystery novel by American writer John Dickson Carr.

Even George W. Bush, often derided as an unlettered philistine, reportedly read 186 books between 2006 and 2008, a vast majority of them dealing with history and biographies. In an op-ed piece for The Wall Street Journal in 2008, Karl Rove, Bush's White House senior advisor and deputy chief of staff, wrote "that in the 35 years I've known George W. Bush, he's always had a book nearby."

Considering Donald Trump has up to this point largely shunned books (save for his own), I often wondered what books would be recommended to him if he had reached out to others.

Carlos Eire, professor of history and religious studies at Yale University, says that since it seems that Trump has already read Niccolo Machiavelli's "The Prince," despite his disclaimers about book-learning, "I would recommend that he read 'The Twelve Steps of Humility and Pride' by St. Bernard of Clairvaux (12th century)."

Advertisement

Eire additionally shared with me his own theory of this dysfunctional presidential season. He strongly believes Hillary Clinton is paying Trump to run, and that he'll end up as secretary of the Treasury in her administration. "I think Hillary is paying him $10 million for every outrageous statement," Eire said.

Chris Matthews, political commentator and host of MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews," says he would have recommended "Franklin and Winston: An Intimate Portrait of an Epic Friendship" by Jonathon Meacham, while Jill Abramson, former executive editor of the New York Times and currently senior lecturer in the English Department at Harvard University, recommends "Lincoln," a masterful work by Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Herbert Donald.

American lawyer, jurist, author and Harvard Law School scholar Alan Dershowitz thinks The Donald should get back to the basics of many American civics classes by reading the Federalist Papers and the U.S. Constitution. And he can chase that, Dershowitz recommends, with Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" and Robert Caro's masterful four volumes of "The Years of Lyndon Johnson" (with Volume 5 still in the works).

Richard Bensel, professor of government in American politics and political economy at Cornell University, recommends "Reflections on the Revolution in France" by Irish statesman Edmund Burke. Bensel recommends the book so strongly that he thinks Trump should suspend his campaign until he has finished it.

Robert W. Gordon, Chancellor Kent Professor Emeritus of Law and Legal History and professor (adjunct) of law at Yale Law School, believes Trump has a very short attention span, so it's unlikely that he would actually read any of these books, but he nonetheless would benefit from dipping into "two 20th century presidents who were like him in that they were born to wealth and had big egos and big ambitions -- but unlike him had a huge curiosity to learn about the world from books and informed people like scholars and experts -- I'm thinking of Edmund Morris' three-volume biography of Theodore Roosevelt (the last volume, Theodore Rex, deals with TR's presidency) and of James MacGregor Burns' biography of Franklin Roosevelt (Volume 1, 'The Lion and the Fox,' about the New Deal, and Volume 2, 'The Soldier of Freedom,' about FDR in World War II)."

Advertisement

Darrin McMahon, professor of history at Dartmouth College, in sharp contrast with other colleagues, thinks the Republican nominee might be better served reading some of the Russian classics, particularly Leo Tolstoy's, "The Death of Ivan Ilyich," the story of a wealthy and successful man who has spent his entire life amassing a fortune and climbing the social ladder without much regard for anything else. "But when illness presents him with the immanence of his own death," McMahon explains, "he is forced to confront the superficiality of his life so far, and to ask deep existential questions about the choices he has made and what is truly of worth."

"A little bit of such honest soul searching might do Mr. Trump some good," McMahon said.

Paul Kennedy, professor of history and director of the international security studies program at Yale University, isn't confident, even if asked, Trump would read any books he recommended. So the next best thing, Kennedy thinks, would be to strap Trump into a chair and force him to listen to Winston Churchill's speeches and radio broadcasts during World War II. "If Trump used even one-50th of the language," Kennedy said, "it would be an improvement."

Susan Pedersen, professor of British history at Columbia University, thinks Trump would benefit mightily by reading "Politics as a Vocation," an essay by German economist and sociologist Max Weber. "A brilliant short essay," Pedersen said, "on the kinds of attributes and cast of mind required for the 'politician of responsibility' -- that is, the politician interested in accomplishing real things in the real world, and who is therefore willing to consider the unintended consequences of actions, and to compromise to achieve something rather than focus on an unachievable best."

Interestingly, Pedersen said that Bill Clinton once told her great, recently deceased colleague (and historian of Germany) Fritz Stern that Weber's `Politics as a Vocation' was one of the pieces that had most greatly influenced him."

Advertisement

Finally, British historian and professor of history at Harvard University Niall Ferguson, employing his trademark sardonic wit, suggests "A Little History of The World" (1935) by Ernst Gombrich, a book that uses only words and concepts that children can understand.

So, there you have it.

If The Donald really ever gets serious about cracking the books, he has plenty of quality reading material from which to choose.
Cropped image of patriotic soldier sitting on wheel chair against American flag

Combat veterans are flooding the workforce at rates unseen since World War II. Some estimates suggest that one million men and women of the U.S. military will return to civilian life in the next four years. Combined with tens of thousands who find themselves unexpected by-products of military downsizing, these veterans face the daunting mission of finding civilian employment after honorably serving their country abroad.

Challenges abound. While one-on-one interviews enable each veteran to showcase their qualifications and find new career paths, a barrier to getting those interviews is how society perceives veterans as a group.

Advertisement

We've all seen it. Whether on big-screen or small, Hollywood most often depicts veterans as either larger-than-life heroes or psychologically damaged victims. While these portrayals seem sometimes heart-warming--and surely effective at drawing viewers and in many cases donor support--over-glorifying some veterans while treating others as a fragile class of citizen does them no favor.

As the president of a non-profit organization which has helped over 10,000 veterans and transitioning military achieve civilian employment, I know what corporate employers want. They want well-disciplined employees who are as adept at leading as they are at following commands. They want loyal, hardworking, and committed colleagues. They want what the overwhelming majority of veterans have to offer: experience, tenacity, honor, and courage. They do not want Hollywood's sensationalized or shattered image of a veteran.

Don't get me wrong. I know some veterans have very real personal struggles to overcome, but they are not the norm. The thousands of veterans my organization works with are not victims. They are leaders, fighters, and exemplary problem solvers. While they certainly appreciate gratitude, they appreciate even more the opportunity to be viewed for what they are: productive individuals looking to find the right post-military job so they can move on with their lives as contributing members of their community.

They are people like United States Marine Kelvin Almazan, who found a job with Marine Hydraulics International as a computer operations analyst. Or Army veteran Ahmad Burse, who was helped to find gainful employment as an IT instructor at Miller-Motte College in Wilmington, N.C. Or Dawn Martin, who left the United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command and now works at Lowe's Home Improvement. While not the explosive stuff of movies, these examples are dramatic to each veteran's personal story.

Advertisement


"Amidst debates about college access and affordability, we think the question of employer needs should sit at the core of higher education conversations. Without answering it, we risk pumping more and more students through a costly system that is not aligned in reliable ways to the job market." -- Julia Freeland Fisher

What will be the legacy of Race to the Top and Barack Obama's other education initiatives? Indeed, what's been accomplished in education reform around the country since 2012? Does our current traditional model of education meet the needs of most students? Is our curriculum preparing them for the jobs we need to fill in an age of globalization and artificial intelligence? What are the most critical needs for education leading up to 2030? Should tuition at public colleges and universities be free?

As the United States prepares to elect a new President this November, putting every student on a path towards a successful future should be required discussion at every presidential debate. This summer in The Global Search for Education, we bring back our popular 2012 Education Debate series and put these questions and others to thought leaders at the forefront of educational change. We asked Andy Hargreaves, Diane Ravitch, Howard Gardner, Randi Weingarten, Julia Freeland Fisher, and Charles Fadel to imagine they were Secretary of Education for the new administration. What are their answers to some of the big picture questions facing education and education reform?

Advertisement

It's my pleasure today to welcome Julia Freeland Fisher. Julia Freeland Fisher is the director of education research at the Clayton Christensen Institute. She leads a team that educates policymakers and community leaders on the power of disruptive innovation in the K-12 and higher education spheres through its research. Her team aims to transform monolithic, factory-model education systems into student-centered designs that educate every student successfully and enable each to realize his or her fullest potential.



"A new education framework will fundamentally upend the hegemony of the factory-based model of school that dominated the past century. Whether we are optimizing for the 3 R's, the 4 C's or any other ends, our traditional model of education has struggled to meet the needs of each student because it was never designed to do so." -- Julia Freeland Fisher

Julia what will be the legacy of Race to the Top and Barack Obama's other education initiatives?

Overall, Race to the Top solidified the administration's push to shift states from focusing on inputs to outcomes. This was not a new agenda--indeed it was in many ways enshrined in the previous administration's accountability push. However, Race to the Top as well as programs like the i3 grant, aimed to ensure that innovations at the state and local level took root and grew in service of student outcomes rather than traditional measures like enrollment or seat-time. Although these policies did not lead to foolproof results, they kept education focused on metrics including graduation rates and achievement gaps.

What has the US as a whole accomplished since 2012 in the field of education? Given the shift in focus in the global education reform debate from the 3 R's to the 4 C's, what are the critical steps we need to take to produce a new education framework for the US?

Advertisement

A new education framework will fundamentally upend the hegemony of the factory-based model of school that dominated the past century. Whether we are optimizing for the 3 R's, the 4 C's or any other ends, our traditional model of education has struggled to meet the needs of each student because it was never designed to do so. Our research has shown that the disruptive innovation of online learning holds the potential to break apart the factory model of schooling. Armed with software programs that can deliver instruction and assessment, teachers can blend instruction in ways that frees up more time for small-group differentiated instruction, provides better data on how students are performing, and affords students greater flexibility and choice in how and when they move through their learning.

Technology, however, is not a silver bullet. In the years to come, online learning programs could be deployed primarily as a cheaper delivery tool to decrease spending, without revolutionizing instruction. The education system needs leadership to steer the growth of technology in a direction that benefits all students, rather than simply cuts costs. The next U.S. President will need to champion classroom and school models that use technology to personalize learning, rather than giving into the temptation to simply digitize our monolithic 19th century classroom.



"Although the SDG's provide a compelling set of goals, we should be wary of setting metrics of success that urge developing countries to simply transplant Western traditional models of school abroad." -- Julia Freeland Fisher

Do you believe the UN's SDG's will speed up the "education renaissance"? What are the most crucial needs for education leading up to 2030?

Advertisement

Disruptive innovations by definition expand access at a lower price point to those for whom a product or service is otherwise out of reach. The developing world where access to basic educational services remains out of reach to hundreds of millions of children is likely where we'll see some of the boldest disruptive innovations in education flourish. For example, low-cost delivery models like Educational Initiative's Mindspark program in India and low-cost school models like Bridge International Academies in Africa are already bucking traditional visions of what "school" should be in order to deliver more reliable learning experiences to more students.

How we define success will determine how education innovations in the developing world grow. Although the SDG's provide a compelling set of goals, we should be wary of setting metrics of success that urge developing countries to simply transplant Western traditional models of school abroad. Instead, the development space should pay as much attention to where capital is flowing in the markets where schools are being built and work to ensure that educational reforms go hand in hand with developing jobs. In some countries, such efforts might include more employer-embedded training programs or boot camp models in lieu of propping up costly and oversubscribed institutions of higher education.

How can we make teaching a more prestigious career? How can we entice better quality talent away from more lucrative careers and into classrooms? How do we retain good teachers and make sure they are where they are needed most?

The challenge of recruiting and retaining high quality teachers is not new. The rise of technology, however, does open the door to new strategies previously out of reach. Specifically, as we start to shift more instruction and assessment online, we predict that how teachers spend their time can likewise shift radically. For example, the role of a single teacher can start to "unbundle"--such that teachers can actually play to their strengths and passions rather than having to serve as a jack-of-all-trades to a large cohort of students. Some teachers may serve as curriculum designers, others as mentors and motivators, and still others as subject matter experts. Blended learning environments also open up greater possibilities for team teaching models that allow teachers to divide and conquer based on their expertise and strengths and to rely on one another rather than operate in silos. Although these are by no means cure-alls to elevating the profession, the possibilities that technology introduces may be paving the way to specialization, choice, and expertise that would allow teaching to assume newfound status in the labor market.



"As we start to shift more instruction and assessment online, we predict that how teachers spend their time can likewise shift radically. For example, the role of a single teacher can start to 'unbundle'--such that teachers can actually play to their strengths and passions rather than having to serve as a jack-of-all-trades to a large cohort of students." -- Julia Freeland Fisher

How do we make Higher Education more effective in meeting the employment needs of the world outside the campus?

Amidst debates about college access and affordability, we think the question of employer needs should sit at the core of higher education conversations. Without answering it, we risk pumping more and more students through a costly system that is not aligned in reliable ways to the job market.

Tackling this problem is both an issue of demand and supply--that is, employers' demands for particular types or skillsets or talent, and the corresponding supply of the types and skillsets of graduates that higher education is producing. Employers chronically struggle to articulate their precise needs to higher education institutions. That said, institutions of higher education remain chronically misaligned with the labor market and fixed in their ways. A recent Gallup poll found that only 11 percent of business leaders believe graduates have the requisite skills for success in the workforce.

There are a number of postsecondary models, however, which are defying these odds. In particular, online competency-based programs are emerging both within existing institutions like Southern New Hampshire University and Western Governors University, and in new startups like Udacity. These programs offer not only flexibility in how students move through their learning, but also break learning down into "competencies" which often align directly to employer and industry-driven needs. We're seeing similar alignment in efforts like coding boot camps that not only teach software development skills but also focus on intensive job placement efforts in the home stretch of the experience.

Advertisement

For the federal government, particularly as new unbundled offerings gain market share, accountability should shift away from traditional accreditation and oversight. Instead, the government should welcome new entrants with untraditional models, in exchange for higher levels of transparency around prices and outcomes. On the back end, the government could pursue a quality-value (QV) index approach to ranking and rewarding schools. Rather than sorting schools on the basis of accreditation requirements or simplified outcome metrics, a QV index could shed light on what students get out of higher education investments based on their experiences and success rates post-graduation.



Top Row: C. M. Rubin, Andy Hargreaves, Randi Weingarten

Bottom Row: Charles Fadel, Diane Ravitch, Howard Gardner, Julia Freeland Fisher

(Photos are courtesy of CMRubinWorld)

Join me and globally renowned thought leaders including Sir Michael Barber (UK), Dr. Michael Block (U.S.), Dr. Leon Botstein (U.S.), Professor Clay Christensen (U.S.), Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond (U.S.), Dr. MadhavChavan (India), Professor Michael Fullan (Canada), Professor Howard Gardner (U.S.), Professor Andy Hargreaves (U.S.), Professor Yvonne Hellman (The Netherlands), Professor Kristin Helstad (Norway), Jean Hendrickson (U.S.), Professor Rose Hipkins (New Zealand), Professor Cornelia Hoogland (Canada), Honourable Jeff Johnson (Canada), Mme. Chantal Kaufmann (Belgium), Dr. EijaKauppinen (Finland), State Secretary TapioKosunen (Finland), Professor Dominique Lafontaine (Belgium), Professor Hugh Lauder (UK), Lord Ken Macdonald (UK), Professor Geoff Masters (Australia), Professor Barry McGaw (Australia), Shiv Nadar (India), Professor R. Natarajan (India), Dr. Pak Tee Ng (Singapore), Dr. Denise Pope (US), Sridhar Rajagopalan (India), Dr. Diane Ravitch (U.S.), Richard Wilson Riley (U.S.), Sir Ken Robinson (UK), Professor Pasi Sahlberg (Finland), Professor Manabu Sato (Japan), Andreas Schleicher (PISA, OECD), Dr. Anthony Seldon (UK), Dr. David Shaffer (U.S.), Dr. Kirsten Sivesind (Norway), Chancellor Stephen Spahn (U.S.), Yves Theze (LyceeFrancais U.S.), Professor Charles Ungerleider (Canada), Professor Tony Wagner (U.S.), Sir David Watson (UK), Professor Dylan Wiliam (UK), Dr. Mark Wormald (UK), Professor Theo Wubbels (The Netherlands), Professor Michael Young (UK), and Professor Minxuan Zhang (China) as they explore the big picture education questions that all nations face today.

The Global Search for Education Community Page
While presidential candidates have continued to focus on the negative aspects of U.S. trade agreements, Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker visited San Diego, California, on Wednesday, August 3, 2016, to promote the TransPacific Partnership (TPP), a trade pact that offers important benefits for San Diego's innovation economy.

Until their recent exposure in the presidential campaigns, trade agreements were only the subject of policy wonks and those involved directly in trade. However, both the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates have expressed views that trade pacts cause the U.S. to lose jobs at a time when some U.S. manufacturing has gone offshore. Without understanding the national benefits of trade agreements, it is easy to see how those affected by factory closures would react negatively the TPP. What has been missing from the discussion is how trade agreements benefit innovative regions like San Diego.

Two of the major benefits of the TPP include patent protection and leveling the playing field on tariffs. In addition, the pact would limit restrictions on global cloud computing and the movement of data across borders.



Advertisement

Cowhey says the TPP will equalize tariffs while also providing intellectual property (IP) protection.

According to Peter Cowhey, Dean of the University of California San Diego's (UCSD) School of Global Policy and Strategy, the U.S. has much lower tariffs than any TPP country other than Canada. U.S. tariffs average 7.5 percent. Australia's tariffs are 11.9 percent, Japan averages nine percent, and some other TPP countries have tariffs on U.S. goods as high as 25 percent.

Cowhey also says the TPP will equalize tariffs while also providing intellectual property (IP) protection. IP is important to San Diego, the third most patent-intensive region in the world. In addition, more than 97 percent of the region's exports are sold to TPP markets, collectively worth more than $22 billion. Cowhey referenced his remarks from a report UCSD recently released, "San Diego and the Trans-Pacific Partnership."

In an August 6, 2016, editorial, the New York Times said "trade has hurt some factories and workers in the United States because they have not been able to compete with foreign businesses that enjoy lower-cost labor as well as subsidies and other benefits from their governments." The newspaper went on to opine that "trade isn't the main force destroying good jobs, but at the moment, it serves as an easy target for an electorate anxious about the economy and looking for answers . . . Many economists believe that automation has had a much bigger impact."

Advertisement

The San Diego/Tijuana region is truly a border community with two-way benefits.

However, the TPP, and NAFTA before it, are important to border regions like San Diego. Cross border trade between San Diego and Tijuana has an economic value of $6 billion to the San Diego region. Another $7 billion in value is lost because of long wait times at the border.

Forty-seven million people legally crossed the border into the U.S. at three San Diego ports of entry in 2014, and an equal number crossed in the other direction. According to a recent SANDAG study, 36 percent of crossers make the trip to work. Of those, 45 percent work in Mexico and 44 percent work in the U.S. The San Diego/Tijuana region is a truly a border community with two-way benefits.

The San Diego Union-Tribune, in an August 8, 2016, editorial said "the standard story about the fate of American manufacturing is incomplete. It blames the loss of U.S. factory jobs mainly on foreign imports and the move of American firms abroad. That's part of the problem, but a larger cause is ... "rapid productivity growth." The editorial cited the work of Harvard economist Robert Lawrence and his assertion that "better manufacturing methods and technologies mean that fewer workers can produce the same output."

The Union-Tribune editorial used steel as an example. While employment in the steel sector has plummeted, "U.S. steel production is roughly where it's been for decades, between 90 million and 120 million tons a year ... dozens of steel plants have closed. But dozens of more efficient plants have opened. Productivity (aka, efficiency) has increased dramatically."

One of the reasons to manufacture in another country is to be closer to the market where products are sold. While Ford has moved a plant from Detroit to central Mexico, Toyota has a plant in Tijuana. According to the CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Jerry Sanders, every Toyota Tacoma pickup sold in the U.S. is made in Tijuana. Toyota benefits from being close to the market and from Tijuana's cost-effective and high-quality workforce, but the U.S. benefits, too.

Advertisement

According to a study by the Wilson Institute, every dollar spent on products manufactured in Mexico returns forty cents to the U.S. because many components in Mexican products are made in the U.S. Compare this to products manufactured in China, where only four cents is returned to the U.S. for products made in that country. Rather than focusing on the U.S. manufacturing plants moving to Mexico, it would be more productive to bring U.S. products manufactured in Asia back to Mexico where production would return more direct economic benefits to the U.S.

The Union-Tribune says that "What matters is the economy's ability to offset the losses with new jobs and opportunities. That is the ultimate test."

"Being against globalization is like being against breathing - it's so much a part of the world we live in." - Dr. Jim Yong Kim, World Bank

Dr. Jim Yong Kim, the head of the World Bank agrees. In an August 3, 2016 interview on BBC Radio's World at One, he says the middle class in high-income countries are the ones who have done poorly because of globalization.

"In every country in the world, the answer is not to close off borders, the answer is not to become more xenophobic, but to be serious about what it will take to build the kind of workforce that will take those really great jobs that are coming in the future.," Kim said. "Being against globalization is like being against breathing - it's so much a part of the world we live in."

Advertisement
The eyes, and the hopes, of climate advocates everywhere should be focused for the next two weeks on California. Our prospects for breakthrough climate progress rest on five global theaters of war:

Deforestation, as always, depends heavily on better governance in complex and diverse societies - it's a slow slog, not a breakthrough game.



Manufacturing - well, we are just really beginning to wrestle with its transformation.



But oil - oil is on the edge of a major event, and it is going to happen, or not, in a few short weeks in Sacramento.



In 2007 Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger mandated that the oil industry diversify and decarbonize the state's fuel supply, gradually replacing oil with alternatives - electricity, natural gas, biofuels. Oil could produce these alternatives itself, or buy them on the market, but by 2020, the carbon content of fuels had to be reduced by 10%.



Oil's fuel monopoly is the leverage that enables a barrel of crude to fetch - in tight markets - the $75-$125 the industry profitability requires. No monopoly, no profits. (No profits, and oil's power to block climate progress withers.)



Oil threw everything it could to combat this existential threat: multiple lawsuits in state and federal courts, massive lobbying and campaign investments seeking rescue from the legislature, even a ballot measure seeking the repeal of California's entire global warming solutions framework.



Nothing stuck. Neither Schwarzenegger or his Democratic successor, Jerry Brown, flinched. Courts upheld the low carbon fuel regulations. Gushers of money could not line up the necessary legislative majorities, the initiative was decisively slapped down at the polls, and the public continues to embrace the program.



As a result, the low carbon fuel regulations are now poised to be the biggest single contributor towards California's efforts to reduce climate pollution.



But the litigation did slow the start of the program. The ramp up of fuel diversity was correspondingly been sped up, because the 10% by 2020 mandate remained. Meanwhile, the oil industry chose not to invest in making its own lower carbon fuels even though Chevron admits it could have done so at a profit. Now oil companies must pay others whatever the market demands for the non-petroleum fuels the industry should have been gearing up to supply on its own.



The economic impact on the oil industry is big. By 2020, the oil industry will have to offset (by purchasing low carbon fuels) a ton of CO2 for every 30 barrels of oil. That's projected to cost about $2/barrel, only a nickel a gallon -- but it adds up to $1.5 billion a year. Worse, the program will reduce demand for oil in California's transportation sector by at least 10%. California refiners enjoy a monopoly within a monopoly. No out of state refiners produce the special blends of gasoline required by California's special unique air quality needs, and the state's refiners, during the summer months, don't produce quite enough to meet demand. That tight market allows oil companies to jack up prices. So every summer gasoline prices in the state rise often by $1.00/gallon. With demand for gasoline falling because of an increasingly large percentage of non-petroleum based fuels in the market, that price gouging opportunity will vanish - and refining in California becomes vastly less profitable. Indeed, the reduction in gasoline demand from more efficient vehicles has already led Exxon to complain that there is "too much" clean gasoline being made in the California market. (Losing that premium for, say, four months a year, would slash another $4 billion from the oil industry's profits on refining.)



Oil's alternative is to roll the dice on politics again, this time giving its operatives a truly unlimited campaign budget and trying to force Brown to restore oil's monopoly future in California. After all, if you stand to lose $5.5 billion - and if the rest of the world is poised to copy California -- you can easily afford to invest a few hundred million in buying politicians or influencing elections.



The new strategy involves holding as hostage California future ability to finance clean energy with revenues from the state's cap and trade program. New litigation claims that these revenues turn cap and trade into a tax which requires a new 2/3 vote of the legislature. Clean energy advocates would like to extend the program - which currently expires in 2020 - to give investors and businesses certainty about future markets. Republicans oppose the extension -- period. The oil industry is hoping to persuade enough petroleum Democrats in the legislature to vote "No" on an extension that it can force California to exempt oil from clean energy requirements in exchange for extending the program. Brown wants an extension - but wants a 2/3 vote to protect it against future legal rulings and challenges, and it doesn't seem plausible he can get such a super-majority



Climate advocates may not even, given oil's extravagant spending on legislative races, muster a majority in the Assembly to extend AB32. Facing that possibility, Brown announced that he might leave the extension of the program in the hands of the voters in a 2018 ballot measure, rather than calling the question in the next two weeks.
Once upon a time there was a profound understanding of the two electromagnetic poles we now call "positive" and "negative." Back in the day the fundamental polarity upon which the material world is constructed was expressed as the "masculine" and "feminine" forces ... also known in the East as the complementary forces of yang and yin.

The masculine/yang represented the intellect, light, narrow linear focus, order intellectual processing, logic and aggression. The feminine/yin were the words used to refer to emotions, darkness, holism, intuition, chaos and receptivity. Neither force was stronger or better than the other--just different. One expression could not exist without the other. And without these two expressions there could be no life.

Today our understanding of masculine and feminine--what are essentially the archetypal forces lying at the root of all Creation--has been sexualized and drastically reduced in meaning and scope.

Advertisement

For example the picture above titled "Lady Gaga - men as slaves - power to Woman!"" was the result of a Google search "the masculine serves the feminine." That and a bunch of 1950s images of guys in shirts and ties serving breakfast in bed to their startled but ecstatic mates overcome by the thought of their husbands actually getting up and making coffee in the morning by themselves.

And yet in the natural order of things (life) the masculine does serve the feminine.

That doesn't mean that men should be slaves to women. Ridiculare!

It means that in the natural order of things the feminine (the Creatrix) precedes the masculine. The dark vastness of the Biblical Void is the Womb of Creation--the infinite chaos of potential (the feminine) out of which the seed of light grows and life is born into structure and form (the masculine).

Once life is in motion, if the "natural order" is followed, the masculine continues to serve the feminine.

There has never been a great male entrepreneur--from Carnegie to Edison to Walt Disney to Bill Gates--who hasn't tipped his hat to the instinctual, intuitive feminine processes within, crediting the "illogical force" that pressed them to follow their gut with their ultimate success in life. They started out with a hunch--a stirring in their heart and soul (the feminine intuitive processes) --that they then served by following up with hard intellectual processing, aggressive action, relentless focus and fierce will ... all the masculine expressions needed to make the original intuitive vision manifest in the world.

Advertisement

This is the mating dance of the forces of yin and yang, feminine and masculine.

It's been a long time since this ancient understanding has been recognized socially. The last time it happened was during the romanticized times of King Arthur and his court when knights worshipped their ladies and bards extolled the virtues of the Queen of Heaven and "real men" bowed to Her and did Her bidding. The feminine was honored and courted, cherished and protected.

But then we got it all mixed up and started to believe female humans were "the feminine." We confused one of the two most powerful equal forces in the universe with fainting spells and tiny waistlines, heaving bosoms and hysteria, physical weakness, enforced virginity, and political and economic inconsequence.

We reduced the life force itself to giggles, lace, the color pink, emotionalism and a pretend fear of spiders thinking .... "ah, that's the feminine." But that's no more "the feminine" than "the masculine" is bulging biceps, a cocky attitude, a six-pack of Budweiser and a red-boned hound in the back of a beat-up Ford truck.

It's been six years since I wrote the book Unearthing Venus and three since it was published. And yet a recent conversation reminded me yet again of how deeply trivialized and misunderstood the words masculine and feminine are in our society. And what a terrible disservice we do to ourselves and others in our ignorance.

"I don't trust men," said a woman friend over dinner. "I don't trust the masculine at all."

And therein lies the crux of the matter.

We have no idea who and what we really are and what we're talking about when we say such things. We have no idea of the forces at work in Creation--even though mystics and now quantum physicists have thoroughly explained them and described our essential Unity. We have no idea why we're here or the least cognizance of our spiritual essence.

Advertisement

And we wonder why our lives are difficult and our world is so screwed up? Why we're at each others throats, violent and stressed?

At the ancient site of the Delphic Oracle in Greece, the God Apollo--the god of light and intelligence--was worshipped. And over the door of the main temple was inscribed the advice: Know thyself.


(Photo credit: Carl Walsh for Catholic Relief Services)

By now, the phenomenon of Pokemon Go has gone global. Armed with smartphones and real-time data, people from Egypt to England are catching as many Pokemon characters as they can while navigating an augmented reality gaming environment that puts players very much in the real world. However gamers aren't the only ones to benefit from such new innovations in technology. In fact, similar improvements in technology and communications are helping some of the poorest and most vulnerable people worldwide. Here are five ways that the technology and ideas behind Pokemon Go are helping one international humanitarian organization--Catholic Relief Services-- better serve those in need.

1. Mobile technology in conflict and crises



(Photo credit: Kim Pozniak/CRS)

Just like players of Pokemon Go, most people throughout the developing world have access to a mobile phone. And as it turns out, mobile technology is one of the most effective ways to reach displaced populations during times of crises. For example, since 2014, large swaths of Iraq have been taken over by ISIS, meaning that millions of people have been forced from their homes. To respond to the needs of so many on the move, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) used mobile phones and iPads to track, target, and register people for life-saving food assistance. Similar technology has allowed CRS to respond to many other crises worldwide.

2. Mapping technology



(Photo credit: Charlie David Martinez for Catholic Relief Services)

The makers behind Pokemon Go certainly know how to take advantage of the most up-to-date mapping technology to engage players. Similarly, humanitarian actors are using the latest mapping technologies to assist people in difficult or unknown terrain. When typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines in 2013, CRS turned what were then hand-drawn maps into high-quality, digital maps so that responders could identify key infrastructures, evacuation centers, and potential hazards in the affected areas. These digital maps were then stored online. The new maps have become an important tool for the local governments in preparing for future disasters.



Advertisement

3. Creative thinking and problem solving



(Photo credit: Heidi Yanulis for Catholic Relief Services)

Pokemon Go gives players a new worldview by taking them into a new environment, melding the real world with the gaming world. Similarly, technology has given humanitarian organizations a new prism to view the world, helping them come up with new solutions to old problems. In Madagascar, to combat malnutrition and hunger, CRS was providing food to women and children who had to walk long distances to make it to the various food distribution sites. Many could not afford to lose this valuable time, so they didn't collect the food. To increase the attendance at the distributions, CRS used a geographic mapping tool to understand and measure spatial data while analyzing patterns. Households and distribution sites were plotted out, which enabled the recommendation of new sites to ensure that the women walked less. The result was a 30 percent increase in the number of people receiving life-saving food assistance while cutting the average walking time in half.

4. Improving mental health and physical well-being



(Photo credit: Jennifer Hardy/CRS)

Pokemon Go gets players moving by having them explore new spaces and places to catch characters, potentially contributing to improved health. Similarly, CRS is using technology to improve the health of those living in developing countries. In India, CRS implements a project that uses a mobile phone app that links health workers in remote, rural areas with medical professionals in regional health centers, ensuring that mothers and children living in rural areas have access to more support, health education, and quality care. Because the app is culturally appropriate, effective for low-literacy users, and is accompanied by a trusted community health worker, it has had a measurable impact on maternal and child health.

5. Uniting people all over the world



(Photo credit: Jake Lyell for Catholic Relief Services)
By Darryl Lorenzo Wellington

In New York City, where the summer job program for high school students is run on a neighborhood lotto system under which kids vie for a limited number of slots, some kids will win, and some will lose.

Maria Bonilla struck out four times straight.



"I would see friends getting picked their first time. I tried not to feel jealous. It's hard to find work in New York" says Maria, now 21. Last year over 110,000 students applied to the NYC Summer Youth Employment program. Fewer than half were provided work.



The recession in 2009 hit summer jobs for youth hard. From 2007 to 2009, unemployment numbers among youth and young adults spiked, and escalated astronomically for black youth, in particular.



That's why a movement is growing among youth advocates in New York City that proposes expanding opportunities for summer jobs for students. That means seeing youth employment during the summer months as an integral part of an overall educational experience. That means guaranteeing a summer job in New York to any high school student who wants one.

Advertisement

In 2015, half of all applicants to New York City's Summer Youth Employment Program were turned away without a program spot, says the Community Service Society, a New York organization that works to empower city residents struggling to make ends meet.

The Society issued a report earlier this year calling for significant public investment in youth employment. Entitled Extending the High School Year Through Universal Summer Jobs, the report outlines a proposal for a new paid summer internship program that would be available to all New York City high school students.

Another report, released in July by the Brookings Institution, offers city leaders, policy makers and funders a blueprint on how to provide larger and better summer jobs programs.

"The kids that apply are mostly from poor and underserved communities" says Lazar Treschan, Director of Youth Policy for the Community Service Society in New York. "Here are kids who want to work, who want to do things for their families and their future careers, and a majority will be told they lost."

Advertisement

The Community Service Society report recommends universal summer jobs for all youth in New York City from ages 14 to 18, and more year-round youth jobs. It requires creating a new model, says David Jones, Community Service Society CEO.

"The model that we use for education began with the notion that kids would use the summer months to work the fields; that later became the notion kids should enjoy summer camps, although many families can't afford camps," Jones says.



The Society report argues that the present model isn't maximizing the potential positive outcomes. For example, often students in summer job programs receive "a job that's just a job," says Treschan, with no relationship to the student's future career plans. That's an example of how the programming needs to catch up with the 21st century, Treschan says.

In addition to universal jobs, the Society report proposes revamping the youth summer employment program by focusing on individual schools where on-site coordinators steer the students toward career-related summer work and incorporating service corps models that will allow students to work on projects that rebuild infrastructure in their own communities.

A summer job for every high school student? Is this a viable new model? Is it a goal that's realistic financially? In New York, much less in cities across America?

The report points out that the estimated cost for a universal summer jobs program - $242 million, or $2,200 per student - "would be less than a 15 percent increase in what the NYC Department of Education currently spends per student. "

Advertisement

The New York Times published an editorial supporting the Society's proposal that read, "A well-planned, expanded program that served 110,000 young people would probably cost around $242 million. The city would not have to come up with all of it but could seek help from the state and federal governments. It could start with a pilot program that covers, say, about 20 of the city's 438 or so high schools.

Given the profound difference that meaningful, career-related summer jobs can make in the lives of the young, this proposal is well worth pursuing."

The Society proposal and others like it stress that summer jobs strengthen a student's burgeoning resume and job experience, discourage juvenile delinquency, provides a sense of responsibility and provides youth in families struggling to get by with income for them and their households.



In June, the NYC City Council added $18 million to the youth summer employment program, including funds for pilot programs based on the Community Service Society model.



All, or most of the students at approximately three NYC schools will be employed over the summer at community service jobs.



Maria Bonilla remembers her own disappointment over having been rejected so often. Regarding expanding and creating universal jobs? " We should do that," says Maria.



Students like Maria should not have to play a winners and losers game with their summer activities or future prospects. Offering universalizing opportunity means everyone can be a winner.
Donald Trump is not an aberration in the modern Republican Party, though many would wish it were so. In fact, ever since the Republican Party chose, in the middle and later 1960's, to adopt its infamous "Southern strategy" of coded appeals to white voters, it has been laying the foundation for the rise of a candidate like Donald Trump.

The Republican Southern strategy appeared in many guises over the last four-plus decades. One of its more recent manifestations has come in the form of restrictions on early voting and the imposition of onerous voter ID requirements. These restrictions were passed by Republican-majority legislatures and signed into law by Republican governors.

The stated explanation for these laws was the prevention of voter fraud. Plaintiffs in a number of states, however, challenged this legislation as racially motivated and discriminatory. And a series of judicial decisions, issued this summer by respected federal courts, have revealed the ugly racial politics behind the enactment of these statutes.

Advertisement

Let's look at three of these states. We'll begin with Texas. In 2011, the Republican-controlled Texas legislature enacted a strict voter identification statute. To obtain an in-person ballot under Texas law, one had to present either a valid driver's license; military identification; a passport; a current license to carry concealed weapons; or a U.S. citizenship certificate. A voter lacking these other forms of identification could still vote if he or she obtained an "election identification certificate."

In July, nine judges of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, one of the most conservative appellate tribunals in the United States, struck down this legislation. Among the nine judges, were four Republicans. The opinion they issued was damning.

It noted that historically every form of discriminatory restriction placed on African-American voters was justified on the basis of combating voter fraud. The white primary was said to restrict voter fraud. So also was the poll tax and voter purges. None of these measures ever prevented voter fraud from occurring, but they did keep African-Americans and other racial minorities from the polls.

The Fifth Circuit viewed the new Texas law through the prism of this history. It agreed that the prevention of voter fraud was surely a worthy cause, but noted that voter identification was not an effective means of combating it. Examining a decade-worth of election returns and over twenty million ballots, the Court noted that there were "only two convictions for in-person voter impersonation fraud."

Advertisement

The new voter identification requirements, however, did succeed in placing a disproportionate burden on poorer members of minority groups. These were voters who were less likely to own cars, or possess passports, or hold the other forms of identification the State now required its citizens to have. And at the same time, they often found it difficult to secure the needed birth certificates or other records, often from distant locations, to obtain an election identification certificate.

The Court indicated that the Texas legislature was warned about these disparate impacts but chose to ignore the warnings. In fact, the Texas legislature stream-lined the procedural requirements to pass the bill in expedited fashion.

The Court concluded that the evidence was "well-supported" and established that the Texas legislation had "a discriminatory effect on minorities' voting rights." The statute, in other words, actually succeeded in preventing a certain number of otherwise qualified minority voters from exercising their franchise as Americans.

How about North Carolina? NAACP v. McCrory, decided by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals this July, was a challenge to a set of "voting restrictions" put in place by the Republican Governor and legislature of North Carolina in 2013.

The Republican legislature asked for and received information regarding African-American usage of early voting and same-day registration. They were similarly well aware "that African-Americans disproportionately lacked the most common kind of photo ID." With full awareness of the discriminatory impact of their actions, the Republican-controlled legislature then "amended the [legislation] to exclude many of the alternative photo IDs used by African-Americans."

Advertisement

The Court indicated that this racial discrimination was engaged in to promote Republican partisan advantage. The State Legislature, the Court wrote, "certainly knew that African American voters were highly likely . . . to vote for Democrats. And it knew that, in recent years, African Americans had begun registering and voting in unprecedented numbers." Indeed, Republican legislators had stated "specifically [their] concern that African Americans, who had overwhelmingly voted for Democrats, had too much access to the franchise."

Republican voter suppression, however, is not exclusively a Southern phenomenon. Let's look at Wisconsin. This election cycle, it is fair to describe Wisconsin as ground zero for the Republican Party's national establishment. It is home to Republican National Chairman Reince Priebus, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, and failed presidential contender Scott Walker.

Wisconsin's Republican-enacted voter restrictions have been the subject of two judicial opinions this summer. The first case, One Wisconsin Institute v. Thomsen considered both Wisconsin's voter ID laws and the restrictions the State placed on early voting.

Even though the Court did not conclude that Wisconsin's voter ID law was the product of intentional discrimination, it had harsh things to say about the motives of the Republican legislators who approved it. It found that a Republican state senator boasted that enactment of the voter ID statute "would help Republicans in the 2016 presidential election." Another state senator bragged on a radio broadcast "that the Republican leadership passed the voter ID law for partisan purposes, not out of any legitimate concern for the integrity of Wisconsin elections." The Court concluded: "The Republican leadership believed that voter ID would help the prospects of Republicans in future elections."

Where early voting was concerned, on the other hand, the One Wisconsin Court did find that the State's Republican-led Government curtailed the practice for racially discriminatory reasons. It sought specifically to restrict access to the polls in Milwaukee County, "where two-thirds of [Wisconsin's] African-American citizens live." A second case, Frank v. Walker, dealt with voter ID requirements but added little new.

Advertisement

Donald Trump's racist appeals are, no doubt, uniquely dreadful. But those appeals arise in the context of a Party that has dabbled in racial politics in subtle and unsubtle ways since the 1960's. The recent broadly-based Republican campaign to restrict early voting and to enact voter ID laws is just the most recent iteration of a decades-long and racially divisive Southern strategy meant to capitalize on white voting patterns.

The Republican Party is in desperate need of reform. Still, although I am not a Republican, I do not despair for that Party's future. This election, one hopes, might be the catharsis the Party needs to start reforming itself. And a good place to start the reform process is to look back to that fateful year of 1964 and the debate over the Civil Rights Act.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton pauses while speaking at a rally at the Coliseum in St. Petersburg, Fla., Monday, Aug. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

It has been an extraordinary two weeks on the presidential campaign trail, but then again that statement could have been uttered pretty much at any point during the past year and still have been just as true. This time around, I'm referring to Donald Trump obviously starting to consider the possibility that he's going to lose the general election. He never used to talk about (or even acknowledge) this possibility before now, but all his dismal post-convention polling may have forced him to begin to think about it.

Currently Trump is being slammed for his "dog whistle" to Second Amendment enthusiasts, which intimated that perhaps assassinating federal judges or Hillary Clinton might be a desired reaction to her presidency. This isn't the first time this particular dog whistle has been blown by Republican candidates, although they usually phrase it as "Second Amendment remedies" (which sounds so much nicer than "waging civil war against the United States of America," doesn't it?). I've said it before (about Hillary Clinton, back in 2008, actually) and I'll say it again: politicians should never even hint at political assassination being any sort of realistic option. Just don't do it. It's beyond "playing with fire" -- it is downright dangerous and irresponsible to even talk about the subject.

Advertisement

But at the same time, I think this'll blow over in the same way almost all of Trump's off-the-cuff remarks have already blown over. What I thought was an even more dangerous and irresponsible remark was Trump talking about how the entire election is obviously going to be "rigged" if he doesn't win. It was an open invitation for all his followers to see Hillary Clinton as an illegitimate president, should she win. What would millions of Trump voters actually do if they thought the election had been stolen away from them -- and Trump was loudly egging them on? That's a question that is going to get a lot more attention as the election draws nearer -- that's my guess, at any rate.

But again, I'm going to set all that aside for the moment. I'm even going to ignore Donald Trump in the equation. Because if Clinton does win, Trump will fade away on the political scene, much like Sarah Palin has (finally) done. What I've been wondering -- for far longer than the past few weeks -- is whether Hillary Clinton will face the same headwinds that her husband faced when he won the presidency. Will she be hounded by the accusation that she doesn't have a true "mandate" from the people?

Bill Clinton faced this problem twice, because in neither 1992 nor 1996 did he manage to win at least 50 percent of the popular vote. Remember, H. Ross Perot took close to 20 percent in the first one and almost 10 percent in the second one, so winning 50 percent was not necessary to win the race. This year, there are two third-party candidates who are polling much stronger than third parties normally do. Whether people will actually vote for them is an open question (often third parties poll a whole lot better than they manage to do in the actual election). But it's pretty easy to see that Hillary Clinton might win the race but fail to reach 50 percent of the popular vote.

All along I've been saying that Hillary's campaign has been peddling one particular fantasy to her supporters, the idea that she will "get things done" because she'll be so much better at "working with Congress" than that pie-in-the-sky dreamer Bernie Sanders (or, now, Donald Trump). She paints the picture of congressional compromise in glowing colors, and for the most part her supporters seem to believe it could become reality. I don't, to put it mildly.

Advertisement

Who really thinks the Republicans in Congress are going to start working in good faith with President Hillary Clinton to get anything done? I'm not saying that Bernie Sanders would have been any better at this, mind you -- I've always thought that any Democratic president will face exactly the same hostility from Republicans that Barack Obama has had to deal with from his first day in office. Who really believes that Hillary Clinton will be seen in a more positive light by all the Tea Partiers and their Republican enablers in both the House and Senate? "Gosh, we certainly gave Barack Obama a hard time," they're all supposed to suddenly realize, "so let's show President Clinton how much we can get done together!" As I said, this is pure fantasy.

Those on the right simply hate it whenever any Democrat occupies the Oval Office. Period. Plain and simple. They have hated all eight years of Barack Obama, and they hated (with a white-hot passion) all eight years of Bill Clinton. They're going to hate Hillary Clinton in the White House just as fervently. The only way out of this problem is for Democrats to win control of the House and rack up a 60-vote majority in the Senate. The first of those might actually happen this November, but the second is completely out of reach. So Hillary will face -- at least -- the same unending Senate filibuster votes that Obama has had to deal with. And if the House remains in Republican hands, it may be almost impossible for Clinton to move much of her agenda forward at all.

Now, I realize that making political promises (or even just painting gauzy pictures of the future) on the campaign trail is a normal part of politics. But I do wonder whether Clinton herself believes that she'll be able to get things done by sitting down with the congressional Republicans. It's one thing to radiate optimism in a political rally, but it's another for the candidate to actually firmly believe something that probably won't turn out to be true. Clinton may be remembering her own stint in the Senate, which was before the Tea Party wave happened. Things did occasionally get done, back when Clinton was representing New York in the Senate. The two parties did occasionally reach compromises. But things have changed. I do hope Hillary Clinton knows this, to put it another way.

Clinton will face hostility from congressional Republicans, whether they hold either chamber or not. If Democrats hold the House, then the GOP minority there can safely be ignored. But even if Democrats also hold the Senate, Republicans will still be able to filibuster everything under the sun. In fact, the next session of the Senate might start off with a gigantic fight, if the lame-duck session doesn't confirm Barack Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court. Hillary Clinton could spend her first day in office announcing her new nominee to the court, which would mean it'd be the first piece of business the Senate took up.

Now, back when Harry Reid "dropped the nuke" by changing Senate rules so that federal judge confirmations couldn't be filibustered any more, he left the filibuster intact for the Supreme Court. But with a new Senate convening next January, they could very easily chuck that rule out too, on their first day in office. Meaning if Democrats hold the chamber, Hillary Clinton's nominee would soon be on the high court. Think that's going to put Republicans in a compromising mood on Capitol Hill? I don't. Especially since I remember how they screamed when Reid chose the "nuclear option" in the first place -- which didn't even involve the Supreme Court.

Advertisement

Even without all this speculation on what Congress will look like (and do) next January, though, Hillary Clinton may still face the headwinds of the media deciding she "doesn't have a mandate from the people." If Hillary Clinton wins, Donald Trump has already signaled that he's going to do everything he can to delegitimize her victory. Rantings about "rigged elections" likely won't last long, but if Clinton fails to attain a majority of the popular vote, the line from Republicans will quickly become: "Over half the voters didn't vote for Hillary."

Bill Clinton worked through this problem twice, and Hillary can work through it as well. Interestingly enough, when George W. Bush was confronted with his own lack of a mandate, his response was essentially that he was now president and that was all the mandate he needed, thank you very much. Once he brushed the question off in such fashion, it was rarely ever asked again. So this doesn't have to be an insurmountable problem for any president.

What Hillary Clinton doesn't clearly express when telling her supporters that she knows how to get things done with Congress is that it is an implied knock on Barack Obama. This is entirely deserved, as Obama has never shown any enthusiasm for courting even members of his own party. He doesn't do all the glad-handling and cocktail hours that previous presidents have used to get influential members of Congress on their side. And that's just within his own party. Hillary Clinton will doubtlessly be a lot more attentive to such things. She knows all about the congressional meet-and-greet events that can help a sitting president. In fact, she'll have someone handy who is quite good at it, so perhaps Bill will be given the job of "Congressional Schmoozer-In-Chief" -- a job he'd likely both enjoy and be quite good at.

So it really remains to be seen how much of a hurdle the accusation that Hillary Clinton "didn't win a mandate" will be. Republicans are already chomping at the bit to delegitimize Clinton in any way possible, so it should come as no surprise to anyone if this ramps up to fever pitch after Election Day. Hillary Clinton should be ready for this to happen, because if she does win it is likely to become inevitable.

Advertisement

Chris Weigant blogs at:
Passengers using mobile phones on planes might face 50,000 yuan ($7,515) fine, according to a latest draft amendment to the country's Civil Aviation Law that was published on Monday by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

The draft amendment has added a new chapter regulating 14 types of behaviors that endanger civil aviation safety and disturb order.

The activities include using mobile phones, smoking, forcibly occupying seats, blocking channels and gates, breaking into airports and planes, beating crew and other workers, fighting, spreading rumors and causing troubles.

When people conduct behavior that does not fall under the Criminal Law but violates the Public Security Administration Punishment Law, they would face a fine up to 50,000 yuan.

The draft amendment has also revised articles to make the aviation companies shoulder more responsibility in ensuring flights safety and passengers' interests. Companies must set up sound management system to prevent and minimize civil aviation accidents.

When flights are delayed, the airlines should inform passengers and provide related services. Aviation companies are encouraged to buy insurance for passengers to secure travelers' interests.

If pilots intentionally break the law, their license will be cancelled, and they would be barred from any commercial flight activities for two years.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China published the draft amendment on its official website on Monday and people can email their opinions until Sept 6 to [email protected], or fax 010-64016870.
american flag patch on u.s....

Nathan, an Army Sergeant with a Middle East combat tour under his belt, walked straight from his Army position into a freight transport career that provided a living wage and full benefits to support his family.

What made Nathan's transition unique was that his training and credentialing as a commercial truck driver occurred prior to his taking off his uniform - as did the offer of employment and link to community services for him and his family.

Advertisement

Nathan's needs, like the majority of our service members returning to the civilian sector, evolved over time. Nathan was offered employment by ABF Freight as part of his successful participation in the Teamsters Military Assistance Program (TMAP) conducted at Fort Riley with the support of the Army's Soldier for Life program. But after graduation, he became a single parent.



Programs like TMAP combine the best of public, private and non-profit entities to ensure veterans succeed where they live.

Although his new posting with ABF Freight was in Kansas City, he had to commute about 40 miles each way, and childcare became an issue. As part of the unique relationship between TMAP, ABF Freight and Easterseals, supports and services such as childcare are provided to transitioning military families like Nathan's. Shortly after learning of the situation, EasterSeals Dixon Center contacted him with options and solutions that preempted a problem before it became a crisis.

Given that upwards of 250,000 service members depart the military every year, scenarios like this play out daily. The lucky ones are veterans like Nathan and 1,500 other transitioning service members participating in TMAP this year because the program incorporates "wrap-around" services. (Wrap-around services are non-work-related assistance such as childcare, transportation, housing and more that are necessary to hold down a job.)

Advertisement



A graduating TMAP class at Ft. Riley poses with on of the rigs on which they trained.

Nathan thrived because four very disparate organizations worked together seamlessly to recognize the needs and value of transitioning service members. When it comes to veterans and military families, business and non-profit leaders should consider the three priorities the organizations followed for ensuring success with transitioning veterans.



Crisis prevention. The needs of our veterans and their families are evolving, not disappearing, as evidenced in a report from Purdue University's Military Families Research Institute. I've seen this statement play out daily. It translates to a need for partnerships close to where veterans live, partnerships that have their finger on the pulse of the unexpected anomalies that pop up both prior to and during the transition period. Being closely connected allows for crisis prevention rather than crisis intervention.

Reinvesting, not replicating. This past January, the PwC Charitable Foundation invested in ESDC specifically to enhance its ability to scale and meet veterans where they are. It allows ESDC to accompany them on their journey through TMAP and the Solider for Life transition program. Admirably, the funding does not go to overhead and transaction costs. Rather than replicating programs that may already exist, the PwC Charitable Foundation recognizes that the real power of change comes from leveraging professional operations such as ESDC to achieve real social impact on a daily basis.

Community-based solutions. During testimony before the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, United States House of Representatives last year, I stated my belief that the solution to the successful transition of service members lies in America's communities. This starts with a warm handoff to the community where the veteran ends up living. Organizations such as EasterSeals, ESDC, the PwC Charitable Foundation, ABF Freight, and the Teamsters connect locally to ensure veterans flourish across this great country.
With just over ninety days before Election Day, the uniqueness of this election season is becoming increasingly apparent. This week fifty Republican national security officials blasted Trump's incompetence on foreign policy, and he encouraged his supporters to assassinate President Hillary Clinton. His negatives rise daily, and only a few supporters, such as extreme right-wing columnist, Hugh Hewitt, are left to publicly come to his defense. A new "Republicans for Hillary" PAC is reportedly in formation. Clinton is leading significantly in North Carolina (the home of the rabidly anti-LGBT HB2!), Georgia and Arizona, expanding the swing-state map.

This is not your father's presidential election year. Yet in spite of conservative pundits such as George Will and Michael Gerson jumping ship, most of the Republican establishment sitting it out or joining the Clinton campaign, there is one community that is remaining steadfast in its silence. Remaining steadfast even after the head of the American Nazi party praised Trump. That community should have been the first to go. Yet silence reigns.

That community? The American Jewish community. Only one major national Jewish organization, Bend the Arc, has come out publicly (#JewsRejectTrump) against Trump.

Advertisement

Is there an American Jewish Emergency Committee Against Trump? No. In spite of a long history of such communal actions, beginning in 1940, and continuing through the establishment of Israel and revived multiple times since on behalf of the Jewish state (I participated in the Israel Emergency Fund of the 1973 Yom Kippur War while in college), there is nothing today. AIPAC invited Trump to address its supporters and felt obligated the next day to issue a public apology to the President. Even the overarching Jewish political organization, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, is silent. Not a single press release, not a story planted in the Forward or Tablet magazine discussing internal dissension.

To be fair, there have been a few public comments calling out specific Trump comments, particularly by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Most Jewish organizations are non-profits, so they are hampered from involving themselves in politics. But this isn't politics; this is a matter of life or death for our constitutional republic, and few stand to lose as much from its demise than the American Jewish community. If these groups want to act, and to do so with the power of broad communal support, they could find the means to so legally.

So what is going on? Have American Jews become complacent in America, siding with the establishment even in such dire circumstances? Have they become "white," and forgotten that they were strangers, like today's immigrants, in a land not theirs?

I don't think so, based upon what I see in social media and what I observed at the Democratic National Convention two weeks ago. Democratic Jews are fully engaged against Trump, just not through any organization other than Bend the Arc (which has called upon the RJC to withdraw its support of Trump) outside the Democratic party structure. That is shameful, and a monstrous failure of communal ethics, and it has occurred because the Republican Jewish Coalition has endorsed Trump, and many such Republican Trump supporters fund the major Jewish social organizations.

Advertisement

It's bad enough to see Jewish individuals such as Larry Kudlow, Ari Fleischer and Steven Roth supporting him. Even Hitler had Jewish supporters. There's a Jews4Trump Facebook page. There are Jews, particularly among the orthodox, who fear modern society and will support anyone embraced by conservatives, and there are those who are so hawkish in their support for Israel that they will do whatever their Israeli right-wing friends tell them to do.

I grew up in New York (I know all about "New York values") with the slogans "Never Again" and "It Can't Happen Here" reverberating in my skull. Given the history that America turned progressive while Europe turned fascist, and then went all out to defeat fascism, it was easy to believe that the United States was exceptional. Sure, FDR didn't bomb the rail lines to Auschwitz, and the State Department was rife with anti-Semites who caused the deaths of thousands trying to escape Nazi Europe by their refusal to help, but America ultimately did the right thing. It was a very comforting tale.

It might be that many of these Jewish Republicans (and not all such Republicans support Trump) are very unhappy with their nominee, and have simply decided to sell their soul to the devil for another tax cut or the in the naive belief that Israel is better off as an authoritarian state oppressing its majority non-Jewish population. The American Jewish community suffered a grievous wound last August when the Republican Jewish community turned fully against the President on the Iran deal, and many of those wounds have failed to heal. This current division may create wounds which will last far longer, assuming the Republic lasts and the Republican Jewish community doesn't end up joining the rest of us in camps under a Trump administration. That is, assuming he doesn't blow up the planet first with nukes.

But none of this excuses the sane faction of the American Jewish community from taking a coherent, strong position, with or without Republicans. Without such an effort, what are we signaling to our children? What chance will we have to educate the millennial generation to bring them home to a Jewish space from which many are already alienated because of Israeli behavior? What message are those of us nearing our retirement left with, having lived in an affluent America after our families were decimated just years before our birth, when this is what we've become?

Advertisement
Once upon a time ... Woody Allen was known as a sophisticated writer, actor, and director of amiable comedies.

This story takes place in that time of innocence. It concerns a movie moment in the life of a comfortable lady, and the teapot tempest it unleashes in me, her star gazing relative.

Here's what happened.

She lunched.

I trained.

She took tea at the Club.

I poured over Backstage and went to open auditions.

She was invited to meet Woody Allen. And dismissed the call.

She became a movie star.

I became ... a social worker.

"She" was my Aunt Ellie ... Mrs. Ellen Garrison to be precise. She was a woman of privilege living a well managed life keeping up with family and friends in New York City. This included lectures at the Club, and occasional forays to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Advertisement

At that time, (mid 1980s), I was a single woman with small children. I was on a new career path. I considered myself recovered from a 15-year dream of a life in the theatre, movies definitely included. Aunt Ellie's story made me question my new commitment.

Scene One: Aunt Ellie is "discovered."

She was lunching with friends in the member's dining room at the Cosmopolitan Club. Spotted across a crowded room by a woman from Woody Allen's office, she received an afternoon phone call. She was invited to meet Mr. Allen for a possible role in his upcoming film.

Aunt Ellie was true to form: "In the first place, I don't know who you are. Are you a member of the Club? And in the second place, I'm frightfully busy. You'll just have to call back after Christmas."

It took a second call to convince her to meet Mr. Allen. This time, she'd heard that two other women from the Club had received similar invitations.

Advertisement

She sallied forth.



Scene Two: Aunt Ellie Shares the news.

Sitting around the Thanksgiving table my cousins and I were agog. Aunt Ellie in the movies? She didn't even go to the movies. "What's the point?" she would say.

"Tell us about Woody Allen Aunt Ellie, is he really nerdy the way he is in the movies?"

"Darlings, he's just lovely. When I met him, I told him straight out that I take terrible pictures, but that didn't seem to bother him. He just said "please tell me something about yourself Mrs. Garrison."

"So I did. I told him I'd gone to the Brearley School, and then to Bryn Mawr, and then I'd married a lawyer. We'd moved to Madison, Wisconsin, when my husband was asked to be Dean of the Law School. We'd met and liked Adlai Stevenson. So we worked in Democratic politics, and went on a trip to Africa with him."

Then he said it was a pleasure to meet me, and walked away.

"But wasn't that rude of him to just go off like that?"

Aunt Ellie was unperturbed. "I'd told him everything that was important to me."

Really? Was I the only one that noticed that although she was telling this story to her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, she certainly hadn't mentioned anything about any of us in what she said was important to her. Had we all just slipped her mind? Did everyone forget that I was the one who had actively pursued a career in show business? I'd gone to Drama School, I'd even had a featured role on a well known soap opera. All she had to do was go to lunch? She was a civilian, I was a professional. Believe it, I was jealous of an 85-year-old woman.



Scene Three: Aunt Ellie gets the job.

She had been serenely indifferent to the immediate outcome of her meeting with Woody Allen. As she'd departed the office she'd heard one of the "lovely" young women say "she looks just like her" and had thought that was a good sign.

She was right. The person she looked just like was Mia Farrow, and Woody Allen cast Aunt Ellie to play her in her old age in the movie "Zelig."

Even though by now I'd had my own good luck, even though by now I was on a career path that suited me, and supported me, Aunt Ellie's news opened a trap door in my brain, and I fell down in a state of full, florid, green eyed monster jealousy. Compared to her discovery, my new career seemed dull. I had obviously made the worst mistake of my life. If stardom could happen to Aunt Ellie, why couldn't it happen to me?

Scene Four: Aunt Ellie gets anxious.

"Lloyd, Lloyd, wake up, I can't remember what I'm supposed to say." My uncle was 87 at the time, and went to his law office every day. He might have preferred to sleep through the night, but he loved his wife.

"Dearie dear, don't get upset, don't you remember? Woody Allen said he would help you. It's going to be all right. Go back to sleep precious girl."

He was right. It was alright. She hadn't been able to remember her lines, but Woody Allen sat on the sofa where they were filming, and said them to her two or three words at a time. In the film she just looks as if she was stretching back in the past to summon up the story she is telling.

Advertisement

She had her 15 minutes of fame, she had an article written about her in the "New York Times," and there was a photograph as well. She looks very distinguished. And she went to "such a nice party" when the movie opened.

Epilogue

Aunt Ellie's adventure in show business was the equivalent of a charming weekend in a foreign country. She learned a few phrases in a new language, "it's called being on set" she confided to us at the Thanksgiving table months later. She had new experiences, "make up? On me?" She found the natives friendly: "they said my navy cardigan was just perfect, so kind."

And, of course, Woody Allen was the nicest man she'd ever met. "You know he held my hand so I wouldn't worry ... Lloyd said he was quite jealous ..." she beamed with delight at that detail.

As I tracked Aunt Ellie's story over time, my internal clenching began to release. It was all alright. I'd needed to learn the rhythm of transition. Hint: it's not linear. The old dream was still there for temporary download? Well, yes. And? And, I had a mad surge of jealousy. Painful. But ultimately useful: a wake up call. Of course I had doubts about my new path, second guessing myself is second nature to me. But I also had a choice. Go with those feelings of regret and recrimination, I'd done it wrong, again, or recommit to the new life I was creating. Because in life, in action, I was right where I was supposed to be. Graduate school, Social Work, clear and specific. Read this, learn that. I could do it, I liked to do it.

In the world of the theatre, I circled. In this world, I landed. I didn't want Aunt Ellie's life any more, I wanted my own. Miraculously, I was in the right place at the right time.

Advertisement

The last time I saw Aunt Ellie was at the following Christmas. She was sitting on a sofa in her son and daughter in law's Central Park West apartment. Small and trim, she was festooned with ribbons from the gifts that were being handed around. I commented on how festive she looked, "You know" she said, "I think this is a lovely apartment, and the children seem very well behaved, but I don't think I know who these people are. Come to think of it, do I know you?"

She was in full Alzheimer's then, but it was still alright. She was as completely herself as if she had been freed by Michelangelo's chisel, polished down to her essence, released at last to remind us of all the stories we have yet to live.

FADE TO BLACK

Earlier on Huff/Post50:
A close up shot of a little boy at school who looks distant and upset.

School. It is a place of frustration, loss, failure, and reminder of loss to a child in foster care. It is a place of humiliation, bullying, shame, and sorrow for those who are placed in a foster home. Yet, so few recognize the many challenges and disruptions that kids in foster care face each and every day they are in a classroom setting.

I am often asked how I became a foster parent, from both foster parents, and those who are simply curious why I have dedicated my life to helping these children in need. It all goes back to my days as a teacher in a rural high school, where I was teaching English and drama classes. Recently moving back to the USA with my wife, after living in Australia for a number of years, I was troubled by the number of students coming through my classes who were experiencing problems in behavior, grades, or both. Meeting several of their parents, I sadly came to realize that these problems were stemming from other problems within their home; these students of mine were suffering from neglect, abuse, or other issues, and it dawned on me that it truly started in the home. My wife and I had lost our first child years before to a disease known as Anacephily, and I had grown to appreciate very much how precious the life of each child was. I wanted to help those children who were at risk, as did my wife, and thus our foster parenting experience began.

Advertisement

It wasn't until I had my first children from foster care living with my family that I came to fully understand the tremendous challenges that these children face while in public school. As a teacher, I was very aware that my fellow teachers knew next to nothing about foster care, or the challenges that children in care face each and every day. To be sure, I was just as much in the dark before I was a foster parent, myself. With all this, I began searching for ways to not only help my fellow foster parents and teachers better understand why kids in care struggle in school, I also sought avenues for these two groups, as well as case workers, to come together, in a team effort, to best help the thousands of kids in care who struggle with school each day.

For many children in foster care, our schools are the last place they want to be. For that foster child who has been taken from his family, from his home, from his friends, and all he knows, and suddenly placed into a strange home late one evening, only to be forced to attend a strange school the following day, it is incredibly traumatic. Many children placed under foster care supervision suffer from at least one learning-based developmental delay. Many other children in the custody of child welfare agencies exhibit the need for special education services In addition, students in foster care exhibit an array of academic difficulties, including cognitive abilities that are weaker than traditional students. Federal and state funding to assist in this problem is lacking, as well.

Foster children often have a difficult time with exhibiting proper school behavior during the school day. Indeed, children under foster care supervision experience problems in behavior while enrolled in public schools. For many of the children, school is a constant reminder that they are, indeed, foster children without a true home. The continuous reminder that their peers are living with biological family members while they are not is a difficult reality for them, and can be manifested in several ways. Some foster children simply withdraw and become anti-social, in an attempt to escape their current environment and world they have been thrust into. For many foster children, violent behavior becomes the norm, as they not only act out in a negative and disruptive fashion in the school, but in their foster home, too, prompting yet another move to another foster home and another school.

Advertisement

Schools are indeed a difficult environment for foster children, and far too many times, these foster children are unable to meet the demands and challenges that are placed upon them while enrolled in a school. It is only with the combined help of the foster parents, caseworker, and trained teachers that a foster child has a chance at success. By working together, all members of these three groups will be better equipped to assist foster teens as they grow older and contribute to the community and society in a positive way as a means of greater social change. I hope you will join me in this, as we begin to break this cycle of failure and sadness for our children in school, and instead create an atmosphere of success and understanding.

-Dr. John
It is my tradition to start the day at the pool, whenever I happen to stay at a hotel which makes this luxury a reality. Swimming is unbeatable as exercise, and the pool of a hotel feels a lot like the heart of a place to me, showing off its good nature and welcoming spirit.

Even during the scorching Dubai summer, and it's been an average of 110 degrees Fahrenheit during the months of July and August, the mornings remain a time to venture outside, away from the air-conditioned malls, and enjoy a bit of air -- albeit not exactly "fresh" air. Think more like a hairdryer set on low...

Every morning, bright and early, I meet the same older gentleman from Yemen, a UAE resident for decades, and we share wisdoms. He, a lot of wisdom, me a smidgen of course. But he indulges my lofty talks about subjects he probably could discuss in his sleep, and that makes me feel wonderful. I cherish our talks while we swim, because I know I will always come away having learned more about the Arab world, be it Sufi poetry, a cure for dry skin (sesame oil baths) or a good morning ritual of three dates (always an odd number) and liquid yogurt to get the metabolism going.

Advertisement

On a particularly hot morning, when even keeping our heads above water seemed like a feat out of an action film, the Yemeni gentleman from Aden told me about Ibn Battuta, the Moroccan scholar who lived in the 14th century and is considered the greatest traveler of all time. If one imagines how difficult it must have been to travel across oceans and through continents during a time when the Americas weren't even on the map, his feat of having visited nearly the entire discovered world appears supernatural.

So, in the spirit of Ibn Battuta, I wanted to discover the heart of a special place in Dubai, and watch the world go by in the open air. The only way to do it, I realized on an outstandingly hot day, was by finding a spot poolside at the Hotel Vida Downtown.

I knew as soon as I made my way upstairs to the Vida, walking from French bistro to contemporary Dubai hotel, that the place is a special spot. Downstairs and street front is La Serre Boulangerie and Bistro, one of the most beloved restaurants in Dubai, and through a comfortable staircase in the middle of the eatery, one can find one's way up to the Vida, a boutique hotel that prides itself on having an arty, fashion-y clientele but also catering to the modern business traveler.

Many trunk shows and special events take place at the Vida, and there was even a beautiful art installation there recently by Yasuaki Onishi, though honestly, the lobby looks stunning even without it. I think what I like best about the place is the streamlined simple luxury it offers combined with the ease of hospitality. You can sit around the lobby at the Vida, enjoy a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, and work on your laptop undisturbed. Common areas are what make or break a hotel in my opinion and the Vida has that concept down to a T.

Advertisement

The pool has these lovely, roomy cabanas that sit right on the water, and allow for a splendidly easy poolside to pool transition. You can sit in the shade and look through your favorite magazine, or order a snack from the pool staff. If ever a perfect pool was built I think this may be it. I found myself swimming side to side undisturbed, un-disturbing. Fantastic.

Then I discovered that come late August, the pool becomes the setting for the Vida picnic brunch, called the Vida Urban Picnic, and honestly, what better way to spend a weekend than by the pool with your own basket of goodies to munch on, which someone else has cooked!

On Wednesdays, another great way to make the hotel one's own is a cheese and wine night, which takes place in the lobby. While most people may be busy chasing Pokemon around the city, I am quite OK with having an actual conversation with a live, actual human being, over a glass of red wine and some cheddar.

In case you are wondering if there is a secret to happiness, I'll give you a short answer and the long one. Yes, there is. I re-discovered in Dubai -- perhaps I should have known all along -- that secret lies in learning to appreciate what is in front of you, and not on your android or iPhone screen. It also lies in the ability to make new friends, explore new lands and learn new ways of looking at the world, which then we need to incorporate into our lives, always, every day.
For as long as I can remember, traveling to Moscow from St. Petersburg by train took about 8 hours overnight. Not anymore. I was surprised to discover a new alternative: a speed train bringing you to the Russian capital in just 4 hours. Staying in a hotel not far from the Red Square, I couldn't help comparing the bursting and slightly unruly energy of the sprawling ancient capital with the much more restrained St. Petersburg, known as Russia's "window to the West".

When people ask me for advice on what to see in Moscow and how many days to spend there, I usually say, "at least a week". Going inside the Kremlin and visiting its various churches will take your breath away and -- more to the point --will take you back a few centuries. Funny, but about thirty years ago during the Soviet Culture Festival held in San Diego, we enjoyed the production of the Mussorgsky opera Boris Godunov by the Bolshoi Theater. Its sumptuous set design was inspired by the Kremlin's architecture. And if you wish to experience the Red Square at its best, be sure to walk through it not only during the daytime, but at night as well -- when it's illuminated to maximum effect.

Tretyakov Gallery, with its incomparable collection of Russian art, is one of Moscow's oldest museums. Even if you're only interested in the avant-garde art of the early 20th century, plan to spend at least a couple of hours there. My favorite was the large gallery displaying Marc Chagall's monumental paintings made for the Moscow State Jewish Theater.

Advertisement

Pushkin Museum, with its extensive collection of European art, is another must for any tourist. Even after admiring the collection of French art at the Hermitage, you will find yourself equally -- if not even more intrigued, by the Pushkin Museum's in-depth collection of paintings by Monet and Renoir, Van Gogh and Gauguin, and on top of that, a breathtaking selection of early works by Matisse and Picasso. While the Hermitage and other museums in St. Petersburg were insanely crowded with tourists, the Moscow museums allowed visitors a welcome chance to quietly contemplate the art rather than offering a glimpse of it in the jam-packed galleries.

Until recently, Moscow museums didn't show a sustained interest in Modern and Contemporary art, but a few years ago with the new private Garage Museum established by Dasha Zhukova in 2008, the situation dramatically changed. In 2015, the museum was moved to its new permanent building designed by architect Rem Koolhaas. The Garage Museum, with its educational programs and international art exhibitions, comes across as a major player on the vibrant and crowded cultural stage in Moscow.

It was intriguing to see the large exhibition by Swiss sculptor Urs Fischer, whose works we've enjoyed here in Los Angeles a few years ago at MOCA. As one expects from the artist, one of his life-sized sculptures made out of wax was lit and slowly melting. So you find yourself standing next to the lovely middle-aged couple who are slowly disintegrating in front of your eyes.

And here's one thing I've never experienced before anywhere, in any museum. There were special devices allowing blind visitors to experience and understand the composition of a few paintings through touching small, three-dimensional reliefs placed near the paintings that they replicated. Museums around the world should take note.

Advertisement

To learn about Edward's Fine Art of Art Collecting Classes, please visit his website. You can also read The New York Times article about his classes here, or an Artillery Magazine article about Edward and his classes here.

___________


ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson acknowledges climate change is a "serious issue," but he is still trying to undermine government efforts to curb carbon emissions.

Recent press accounts report that ExxonMobil is now actively promoting a carbon tax. If true, that's big news. It would mean that, after nearly 20 years of blocking action on climate change, the world's biggest energy company has finally come to its senses.

But wait a minute. If something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. So one might well ask: Is this anything more than a PR ploy?

Advertisement

Let's take a closer look.

As I reported earlier this year, ExxonMobil has paid lip service to the idea of a carbon tax since 2009 but, all the while, has continued to fund federal lawmakers who resolutely oppose it. In March 2015, for example, the Senate voted 58 to 42 to pass a budget amendment prohibiting a carbon tax. Thirty of the 40 senators who had received ExxonMobil campaign contributions since 2010 voted in favor of the prohibition. Meanwhile, in March 2013, 156 House members cosponsored a nonbinding resolution stating that "a carbon tax would be detrimental to American families and businesses and is not in the best interest of the United States." Ninety-three percent of the cosponsors were funded by -- you guessed it -- ExxonMobil.

OK, but that was then, and things can change, right? After all, last December, Ken Cohen, the company's outgoing vice president of public and government affairs, blogged about ExxonMobil's strong support for a carbon tax, noting that the company has been holding "countless private briefings with members of Congress on carbon tax policy options."

So how have the company's friends on Capitol Hill responded?

In June, the House passed a resolution stating "a carbon tax would be detrimental to the United States economy" on a 237 to 163 vote. Eighty-five percent of the House members who voted for the resolution received ExxonMobil political donations since 2013; 82 of them are documented climate science deniers. By contrast, only 26 of the representatives who voted against the resolution -- a measly 16 percent -- received ExxonMobil money.

The numbers are unambiguous: When it comes to a carbon tax, there's no escaping the fact that ExxonMobil still funds legislators who don't favor it and, by the same token, doesn't support many who do.

Advertisement

Disingenuous Origins

In his December blog post, Cohen traced ExxonMobil's support for a carbon tax back to January 2009, when company CEO Rex Tillerson endorsed it in a speech at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. Cohen, however, neglected to explain the context for this pronounced break with ExxonMobil's long-held position against any policy that would curb carbon emissions: Tillerson was trying to derail momentum on Capitol Hill for a different approach.

Back then, Congress was seriously considering instituting a cap-and-trade system, modeled after the George H. W. Bush administration's successful plan to reduce acid rain, which would have set a cap on overall carbon emissions and established a regulated marketplace where polluters could buy and sell emissions allowances. The less carbon they emitted, the less they would pay.

The European Union had instituted such a system in 2005 and, although there were disagreements over the details, the idea of a U.S. cap-and-trade system had the support of a number of environmental organizations, including the Environmental Defense Fund and Natural Resources Defense Council, and more than two dozen companies, including oil giants BP America, ConocoPhillips and Shell. Perhaps most important, the plan had the backing of President-elect Barack Obama and congressional Democrats, who then controlled both houses of Congress.

Tillerson was having none of it. "A carbon tax strikes us as a more direct, transparent and effective approach" than a cap-and-trade system, he said in that January 2009 speech. "It is the most efficient means of reflecting the cost of carbon in all economic decisions, from investments made by companies to fuel and product choices made by consumers." Any carbon tax, he added, should be revenue-neutral, meaning it should be offset by reductions in income and corporate taxes.

But there was a major obstacle in the way of Tillerson's preferred solution: It had no political support. When California Rep. Pete Stark proposed a carbon tax just the year before, it attracted only three cosponsors.

Advertisement

Tillerson, who surely knew Congress wasn't about to pass a carbon tax, publicly conceded it faced long odds. "Right now, any talk of imposing new taxes would rattle the markets and individuals," he told E&E News, a trade publication, the same day he spoke at the Woodrow Wilson Center. "...But probably later this year, I think they're going to get around to want to further investigate what their alternatives are."

As it turned out, the House narrowly passed a cap-and-trade bill on a 219 to 212 vote in June 2009. In the Senate, however, it was a different story. The legislation never made it out of committee for a number of complicated reasons, but the fact that fossil fuel interests had plenty of friends in the upper chamber -- many of them longtime recipients of ExxonMobil political donations -- no doubt played a significant role. The bottom line? ExxonMobil ultimately got what it wanted by plugging a carbon tax: gridlock.

Beyond the Rhetoric

There has been some speculation about what motivated ExxonMobil to recently ramp up its pro-carbon tax rhetoric. First, with multiple investigations underway by state attorneys general of the company for misleading its shareholders and the general public about climate risks, it likely feels the need to polish its tarnished image. Second, the company knows that last December's historic U.N. climate meeting in Paris, where 195 countries committed to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius, means that it will be harder to maintain the status quo. Third, if and when Congress does seriously consider a carbon tax, ExxonMobil wants to position itself to influence the debate. And finally, ExxonMobil would likely benefit more than its competitors from a carbon tax, because such a tax would favor the cleaner-burning natural gas over coal and ExxonMobil has the largest natural gas reserves of any U.S. company.

These are all plausible reasons, except for one thing: The evidence suggests that the company is still doing what it can to obstruct policies to combat climate change.

Advertisement

Last fall, for example, California Rep. Ted Lieu -- who has not received any ExxonMobil campaign contributions -- met with the company's lobbyists in what was presumably one of the "countless private briefings" Cohen cited in his December blog. Lieu asked the lobbyists what they would do if he drafted carbon tax legislation. They replied that "they would take a look at it," Lieu told InsideClimate News. "They didn't say they wouldn't support it and they didn't say they would," he added. "It's clear that they are not going around championing their position. If they actually believe this internally, then they ought to do so in a much louder way than just quietly sticking it on a website."

In the Senate, meanwhile, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Brian Schatz of Hawaii have introduced a carbon tax bill, the "American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act." Has ExxonMobil endorsed it or lobbied on its behalf? According to Whitehouse and Schatz, no.

"Regarding ExxonMobil's alleged seven years of support for a carbon fee, we've seen no meaningful evidence of that," the senators said in a letter they sent to the company just yesterday. "None of the top executives that make up ExxonMobil's management team has expressed interest in meeting with any of us to discuss the Whitehouse-Schatz proposal or any carbon fee legislation."

Conversely, House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton, a climate science denier, explained to Fox News host Steve Doocy in December 2012 that he told ExxonMobil lobbyists a carbon tax was a "bad idea." "I sat down with the Exxon folks a couple of months ago," Upton said, "and let it be known that this is not a proposal that ... is going to be coming through in the House." Nevertheless, ExxonMobil donated more to Upton during the current election cycle than it did in either the 2012 or 2014 cycles.

Besides its political donations and lobbying, the company is still spending millions of dollars a year on think tanks, advocacy groups and trade associations that dispute climate science and disparage climate policies, including a carbon tax. Just last month, ExxonMobil was a lead sponsor of the American Legislative Exchange Council's (ALEC) annual conference, which featured Oren Cass, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a self-described free-market think tank ExxonMobil has been funding since 1998. According to one conference participant, Cass "absolutely eviscerated the case for conservatives adopting a carbon tax." Conference organizers also provided ALEC state legislator members with a sample resolution against the Environmental Protection Agency's plan to curb power plant carbon emissions.

Advertisement

ExxonMobil doesn't just rely on paid surrogates, however, to spread disinformation and block government action. Company executives may sing the praises of a carbon tax, but they still find time to misrepresent climate science and question the necessity of taking any action at all.

Climate Science Denial Starts at the Top

In March 2013 -- the same month 146 ExxonMobil-funded House members cosponsored a resolution against a carbon tax -- Tillerson appeared on on PBS's Charlie Rose, ostensibly to promote one. The CEO told Rose he preferred a carbon tax to a cap-and-trade system, but then he doubted whether scientists knew enough to warrant one. "The facts remain there are uncertainties around climate change, why it's changing, [and] what the principal drivers of climate change are," Tillerson claimed, repudiating the consensus among climate scientists worldwide. He also falsely claimed there is no scientific evidence of a link between global warming and extreme weather events.

Two years later, at ExxonMobil's 2015 annual shareholder meeting, Tillerson again argued that climate models are not accurate enough to justify a dramatic shift away from fossil fuels. "What if everything we do," he asked, "it turns out our models are lousy and we don't get the effects we predict?" He recommended continuing to burn fossil fuels and adapting to whatever happens, be it sea level rise or crop failures. "Mankind has this enormous capacity to deal with adversity," he said, "and those solutions will present themselves as the realities become clear."

Contrary to Tillerson's assertions, climate models have proven to be extremely accurate. A March 2013 peer-reviewed paper in the journal Nature Geoscience, for example, found that the models accurately predicted the rise in global temperatures over the previous 15 years to within a few hundredths of a degree. No matter. When given the chance to set the record straight at this year's shareholder meeting in late May, Tillerson would not back down. "My view on the competencies of the models," he said, "has really not changed."

Advertisement

Perhaps the most revealing statement demonstrating the depth of ExxonMobil's support for a carbon tax, however, came the day before the House resolution vote in June -- the one where nearly 90 percent of the ExxonMobil-funded House members casting a ballot voted yes, a carbon tax would hurt the U.S. economy. A Huffington Post reporter contacted ExxonMobil Media Relations Manager Alan Jeffers to find out what the company had to say. Given the company's supposedly heightened interest in persuading Congress to pass a carbon tax, one would have expected Jeffers to register the company's opposition. Certainly he would explain why the resolution was misguided and tell House members to vote no. It was what some would call a teachable moment.

So how did Jeffers respond?

"We're not commenting on the resolution."
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Wilmington, N.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

For anyone stunned by Donald Trump's apparent suggestion yesterday that "Second Amendment people" could prevent Hillary Clinton from appointing justices to the Supreme Court -- a remark widely interpreted as a veiled threat of political violence -- keep in mind that vigilante, insurrectionist rhetoric has become a cornerstone of the conservative movement and right-wing media in recent years.

Not content to portray President Obama as misguided or wrong on the facts during his eight years in office, troubled portions of the far-right press embraced openly violent rhetoric to condemn the president of the United States. Especially hysterical regarding the topic of guns -- which was the topic that prompted Trump's startling statement yesterday -- the far-right media have in recent years helped mainstream a type of violent rhetoric once considered to be outside the norms of American politics.

Advertisement

Trump's apparent embrace of that dark, dangerous side was on display on Tuesday when he said that if Clinton "gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people maybe there is, I don't know." (Trump and his campaign have since tried to claim that he meant NRA types would rally behind his candidacy and vote against Clinton in the election.)

Following up his repeated claim that November's election might be "rigged" to ensure a Democratic victory, Trump has layered onto that dangerous fantasy the idea of insurrectionism following Clinton's inauguration.

Longtime Trump adviser and guttural media player Roger Stone has been outspoken about the looming uprising if Trump loses. Stone recently appeared on a fringe-right radio show and warned about the massive tumult that would occur if Trump loses the election:

He needs to say for example, today would be a perfect example: 'I am leading in Florida. The polls all show it. If I lose Florida, we will know that there's voter fraud. If there's voter fraud, this election will be illegitimate, the election of the winner will be illegitimate, we will have a constitutional crisis, widespread civil disobedience, and the government will no longer be the government.'

"If you can't have an honest election, nothing else counts," he continued.

I think he's gotta put them on notice that their inauguration will be a rhetorical, and when I mean civil disobedience, not violence, but it will be a bloodbath. The government will be shut down if they attempt to steal this and swear Hillary in. No, we will not stand for it. We will not stand for it.

Stone himself has a long history of making insanely incendiary comments. In July 2014, Stone tweeted that Hillary Clinton should be "tried" and "executed for murder." He tweeted that Sen. Bernie Sanders should be "arrested for treason and shot," and that philanthropist and businessman George Soros should be "executed."

Just this week, Stone went on Twitter and suggested the Clintons were responsible for the recent deaths of four people. So no, Trump's "Second Amendment people" comment did not spring from a vacuum.

Trump's campaign and his media allies are increasingly embracing the dead-end view of right-wing politics where violence is justified to right a perceived wrong -- where violent political action might need to be taken by private citizens to curb a dangerously powerful federal government.

Sadly, this kind of irresponsible, doomsday chatter isn't new. The sewer runs quite deep, Trump's simply riding the currents. But having a presidential candidate who will give it credence is new and alarming.

Advertisement

As the rampant anti-government rhetoric of the tea party movement swelled in 2009 and 2010, and activists marched around with Swastika posters, brandished guns, and gave speeches about the need to wage bloody war against the federal government, one Newsmax columnist determined that a military coup "to resolve the 'Obama problem'" was not "unrealistic." (Newsmax later pulled the column.) Meanwhile, Glenn Beck landed a show on Fox News and gamed out bloody scenarios for the then-looming civil war against the Obama-led tyranny. (Beck later insisted Obama might throw his political opponents into internment camps.)

A Breitbart.com writer branded Obama "suicide-bomber-in-chief." Rush Limbaugh announced, "Adolf Hitler, like Barack Obama, also ruled by dictate." And appearing on Fox News, Dick Morris essentially endorsed armed insurrectionism against law enforcement: "Those crazies in Montana who say, 'We're going to kill ATF agents because the UN's going to take over' -- well, they're beginning to have a case."

Years later, amid Obama urging new gun safety legislation in the wake of the school gun massacre in Newtown, CT, Fox's Todd Starnes warned there would "a revolution" if the government tries to "confiscate our guns." Fox News' Pat Caddell claimed the country was in a "pre-revolutionary condition," and "on the verge of an explosion," while Arthur Herman declared on FoxNews.com that the U.S. is "one step closer" to a looming "civil war."

Trump himself responded to Obama's re-election by sending out (and later deleting) two tweets invoking the need for a "revolution," including saying, "He lost the popular vote by a lot and won the election. We should have a revolution in this country!" (Obama actually won the popular vote by nearly five million votes.)

Trump's favorite professional conspiracy theorist, Alex Jones, warned that year, "Hitler took the guns, Stalin took the guns, Mao took the guns, Fidel Castro took the guns, Hugo Chavez took the guns! ... And I am here to tell you, 1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms!"

Advertisement

That reactionary mindset has been embraced by Trump's fervent followers, who chant "Lock her up" at rallies, and much worse. ("Hang the bitch!") Al Baldasaro, an adviser to the Trump campaign for veterans issues, announced that Clinton "should be shot" for treason. And West Virginia lawmaker Michael Folk agreed, suggesting Clinton should be "hung on the mall in Washington, DC."

The doomsday, Armageddon rhetoric about Democratic criminality and the party's supposed traitorous desire to tear down America carries with it an implicit suggestion to aggrieved listeners and viewers.

Back when Beck first started broadcasting this brand of insurrectionist rhetoric on Fox News, Jeffrey Jones, a professor of media and politics at Old Dominion University, explained the significance: "People hear their values are under attack and they get worried. It becomes an opportunity for them to stand up and do something."
WILMINGTON, NC - AUGUST 9: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses the audience during a campaign event at Trask Coliseum on August 9, 2016 in Wilmington, North Carolina. This was TrumpAs first visit to Southeastern North Carolina since he entered the presidential race. (Photo by Sara D. Davis/Getty Images)

Lost in the shuffle of whether Trump meant or did not mean Clinton should be assassinated by "2nd Amendment people," is what the implications are for a president to say something that gets interpreted that way, once in office.

Imagine if, during the Cuban missile crisis, when twitchy fingers were on a lot of nuclear buttons in the US and USSR, JFK "joked" during a speech about taking out Khrushchev, or even made an off-target joke that most people interpreted that way.

Advertisement

As horrific as it is to even hint at killing your political opponents while running for office, the implications of those kinds of words once in office could very well lead to destruction of humanity.

Even if Trump didn't mean to say people should shoot Hillary Clinton (and I believe he did mean it that way), there is still the issue of the implications of putting a man with no filter, no internal safeguards, and no ability to comprehend the impact of his words in the Oval Office.

In #walmartmoms focus group of Ohio women, one says of Trumps 2nd amendment gaffe: "Sounds like hes basically saying, Take her out."  Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) August 9, 2016

Every word, as President, gets parsed and examined - especially in the tensest of moments.

In 1984, while doing a sound check for his weekly radio address, Ronald Reagan joked about signing "legislation that outlaws Russia forever... We begin bombing in five minutes." The joke wasn't particularly hilarious, given the very real scare of nuclear war, but Reagan had the good sense to not crack that joke during a speech, or other public event.

Advertisement

It isn't hard to see why Reagan chose not to make that joke in public. Once the audio leaked out of his sound test, the USSR was placed on war alert.

The Soviets did not think it was funny, or take it as a joke. For a few moments, it put us closer to World War III.

The fact of the matter is that if you take the "2nd amendment people" comment from Candidate Trump, and transpose it to President Trump, when militaries and nuclear weapons are involved, it isn't just endangering the life of a political opponent - it is putting every single American life at severe risk.
Post-war is hell.

Truces may be declared, but the long-term fallout is harder to reconcile. That's the premise of Quietly, now at the Irish Rep.

It's set in a Belfast bar, a decade after the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which hammered out a new political government for Northern Ireland, ending, in large part, the violent 30-year conflict known as The Troubles.

But the psychological scars remain. So do contentious questions, such as: What is the definition of a victim?

Advertisement

In Quietly, first performed at Dublin's Abbey Theatre in 2012, two men, on opposite sides of the struggle, meet 36 years after a fatal bombing altered their lives. Both struggle with issues of truth, guilt and responsibility.

As a teenager, Ian (Declan Conlon) a former soldier for the UVF (Unionist Volunteer Force), a Protestant paramilitary organization, threw a bomb into a bar, filled, he was told, with suspected IRA sympathizers, killing Jimmy's Catholic father. Both were 16 at the time.

As Jimmy, Patrick O'Kane gives a riveting performance as a man terribly wronged, trying to reclaim his life. Like a panther ready to spring, Jimmy is filled with rage and demands an apology from Ian. Every sinew of his body is coiled in anger. Can words erase a lifetime of suffering? Forgiveness is more than he can bear.

Ian, too, is grappling with his past, and the repercussions of violence are confronted with stark realism. Playwright Owen McCafferty gives each man his due, while noting that truth and reconciliation are not twinned, however much politicians desire it.

Advertisement

"We all need to be heard at some time," muses Jimmy to the Polish bartender (Robert Zawadzki), the third man in the otherwise empty bar. And when he speaks, we listen. Quietly is a raw, taut 75 minute drama that injects a sense of menace, as well as sorrow, into every potential utterance.

McCafferty posits the murky pressures of foot soldiers in a decades-long war. Can catharsis be achieved? Ireland may have moved past armed conflict, but still wrestles with its horror.
BUENOS AIRES, Aug. 9 -- China is poised to play a "crucial" role at the upcoming summit of G20 leaders in Hangzhou, serving to guide talks aimed at jump-starting the world economy, according to a leading Argentine economist.

"Important and powerful conflicting interests coexist within the G20," said Gustavo Girado, head of the Buenos Aires-based consulting firm Asia & Argentina.

"While most of its members seem to agree on the need to spur the global economy, it is not at all apparent whether they agree on how to go about it, so they can take joint measures. In that sense, China plays a crucial role and it appears to have taken due note of it," Girado said.

In the lead up to the Sept. 4-5 summit in China's eastern city of Hangzhou, Girado published his views on Monday in local financial daily BAE.

China's interests, said Girado, are more than ever linked to the progress of its partners, even small ones. It could cost this great economy a lot if its partners face economic and political limitations.

With that in mind, China will host the meeting with a willingness to rearrange core interests in the institutional and economic matters that gave rise to the G20, without losing sight of the fact that times have changed significantly since then, said Girado.

In Fortaleza, Brazil in 2014, the BRICS bloc of emerging economies -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, all members of the G20 -- expressed their shared discontent with the existing multilateral lending institutions, which had already come under fire for, among other things, serving the interests of the developed nations at the expense of developing countries.

In a joint declaration, BRICS countries said they were "disappointed and seriously concerned" that reforms to the International Monetary Fund that had been agreed on back in 2010 had been almost totally disregarded.

China decided to set a proactive agenda to channel the group's demands, leading to the creation of new banking mechanisms to finance infrastructure projects, said Girado.

This new form of financing serves collaterally as a financial security net for Argentina and other developing countries, so they can better tackle the risks of international capital flows and financial turbulence, he added.

"Cooperation to promote innovation and encourage individual initiative ... require improving the existing means of coordination, and that includes supporting a multilateral trade system," Girado said.
The conventions of film noir and its famed PIs are ripe for parody. That's the premise of Richard Alfredo's The Dark Clothes of Night, a clever little minx of a play, the third of three one-acts in Series B at this year's Summer Shorts at 59E59 Theaters.

In a hilarious send-up of The Big Sleep and 1940s screen detectives, Dark Clothes has private eye Burke (Dana Watkins) entranced by a client (Sinem Meltem Dogan), a femme fatale who may have ensnared him in murder.

As he regales her with a riotous array of one liners -- claiming he's "clean as a cat's conscience" or calls a butler a "stuffed artichoke" -- he takes audiences on a joyride through the genre. But here's the twist, each of the characters, including sidekick Barry (James Rees), flip roles.

Advertisement

There is the story of the classy dame and the dead body, and the tale of film professor Rob Marlow (a nod to Raymond Chandler's ace PI), a man so obsessed with cinematic fantasies his marriage goes sour. The dual construction is entertaining; it's clear that everyone -- including the actors -- is having a good time.

Dark Clothes is neatly constructed by Alfredo, who has a gift for comic timing and a playful prose style. He is adept at poking fun at academic critiques, while teasing the humor of out Hollywood classics. Ably directed by Alexander Dinelaris, it will appeal to fans of the detective genre -- or anyone enamored of sassy writing.

Oscar-winning writer Dinelaris (Birdman) is also represented by Queen, based on a Gabriel Garcia Marquez story. This quiet two-hander posits Queen, a prostitute (Casandera M.J. Lollar), and Joe, a kindly middle-aged man (a pitch-perfect Saverio Tuzzolo) enamored of her.

Queen is angry and bitter; he's a stand-up guy. She wants more than a crappy life; Joe wants only to care for her. The pain of unrequited love and the sudden demands of friendship will be tested. Rage and desire take a sinister turn.



Queen is an economic meditation on the pathos of missed connections -- and how far a good guy will go.

Advertisement

Pushing boundaries is the premise behind the opening short Black Flag by Colorado College professor Idris Goodwin. Two college freshman at a Manhattan university share the same dorm room: one white, one black. Deja (Suzette Azariah Gunn) is from Detroit, while Sydney (Francesca Carpanini) hails from Georgia. To ensure her daughter remembers her roots, Sydney's mother packs a Confederate flag.

Deja is taken aback, but Sydney explains it's about pride of place, not a symbol of racism to her. Deja counters: "It's your side of the room." The lines are drawn: Black Flag raises provocative questions about perspective and symbolism.

Yes, Deja is unnerved; and the dialogue sounds like most campus discussions. But to Goodwin's credit, two talented actresses and director Logan Vaughn, the women aren't one-dimensional. The play is a thoughtful examination of what we are taught vs. the power of knowledge.

For those who prefer their anxiety visceral, there is Paradiso: Chapter 1, an immersive, interactive escape-room experience. Participants have to collect clues and solve puzzles in an hour to achieve their goal.

Done in a secret location in midtown Manhattan, it begins with dangerous-sounding texts from the Virgil Corp, specialists in nasty global machinations. (Note the classical allusion, as creator Michael Count's inspiration is Dante's Divine Comedy. The resemblance, however, ends there.)

Advertisement

Paradiso can be a suspenseful, 60-minute adventure to share with friends -- complete with 3D holographic projection technology and special effects. At certain moments, it's like being in a movie with a slight dystopian edge.

But the production needs a stronger, logical through line to give the escape story more shape. It would also prevent some of the actors, especially dead ones, from whispering clues to participants.


Slumming obviously derives from the word slum, which refers to a form of beaten down housing usually occupied by those of modest means. Prince Hal was slumming when he hung out with Falstaff and when spurned his old pal in a particularly touching scene of the at the end of Henry IV, Part II, Henry is signaling the end of his slumming days. Slumming usually involves pretending to be something you're not, which is exactly the crime Hal is guilty of when he fails to behave like the leader he will one day be. Yes, wine, women and song, but when you put on the disguise of the blackguard in order to make yourself cozy in the company of friends, you're doing both yourself and your friends a disservice. Slumming has a long a storied history and may connote being transported to more off the beaten track places the traveler might not ordinarily have had the opportunity to see. The titles of Luc Sante's Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York (1991) give the impression of a kind nostalgie de la boue as does The Other Paris (2015). Toulouse Lautrec was slumming when he painted the whores of Montmartre and slumming is the only way of describing the attraction of white suburban teenagers for Gangsta Rap--where the music provides the vicarious pleasures of a kind of male bravado that is absent from the molly coddled existence affluent teenagers live. Ray Ashley's masterpiece Little Fugitive (1953) about a slum kid on his own in the Coney Island is the ultimate form of cinematic slumming to the extent, that it allows the viewer to see reality through the eyes of a disadvantaged kid. You as the viewer, through the act of empathy and identification, become the eminence grise, who bankrolls a runaway's world. The Bowery Boys, The East Side Kids, The Little Rascals and later Larry Clark's Kids (1995) all provided a vehicle for audiences who yearned to see what life was like on the other side of the tracks.
A recent survey shows that most Americans are terrified about their retirement savings, or lack thereof. Because of decreased interest and concernment about our retirement, so many American's don't even consider 401K plans before choosing an employer.

This is your future you are gambling with here, and it is important to get educated and be smart when planning out your savings. Before agreeing on employment at a business, make sure they offer retirement, and be active in your planning. Because of the common fear for our futures, I asked Jim Poolman from Indexed Annuity Leadership Council to answer some questions for me addressing some of our top questions regarding retirement savings.

Why do you think that most American's are afraid of running out of retirement money?

"When you see just a quarter of Americans having not a single dollar saved, I think there's a real and legitimate fear that they'll run out of retirement money. Not only are Americans worried they won't have enough funds to get them through retirement, they're also worried about having enough savings to cover basic necessities."

Advertisement

The survey shows that 25% of Americans worry about outliving their income. How should we prepare our retirement funds differently now that life expectancy is longer?

"One of the biggest pieces to making sure you're not outliving your money is making sure you have a balanced portfolio that includes both high-risk options and conservative options, like Fixed Indexed Annuities, that can offer guaranteed lifetime income."

What's the best way for those who started saving later on in life to grow a decent retirement savings fast enough to retire at a normal age?



"Take advantage of free money. If your employer offers a 401(k), try to contribute the maximum. This instantly increases the amount of money toward your retirement savings"

Why is it that most millennials have less than $5K saved for retirement?

"This generation came to age during the economic recession and an estimated 40 percent have student loan debt, which can have a significant impact on the ability to save for retirement. No matter what age, start saving something for retirement. Even if it's just 1 percent of your salary this can grow dramatically over time. The earlier you start saving the more time your money has to generate interest."

Advertisement

What can you do to continue getting income after retirement, aside from working?



"A great option for still receiving income after you retire is having a product that offers an assured income stream for as long as you live, such as a Fixed Indexed Annuity. FIAs also protect your principal regardless of market ups and downs. "

What is a good amount to have saved up by the time you retire, that will last you your lifetime?



"The total amount you need in retirement varies from person to person, but the best way to know what the right number is for you is to make a plan, taking into account lifestyle, healthcare costs and basic necessities. Those who make a plan are three times more likely to meet their goals. The IALC has a free, easy to use calculator at FIAinsights.org. "

Do you think that Americans should be more educated on the importance and requirements of a substantial retirement fund?

"There is a big knowledge gap when it comes to retirement. In fact, more than a quarter of Americans don't even know how much they have saved. That's why the IALC has been working to educate Americans about their retirement choices. Specifically, we're working to educate consumers on the importance of a balanced retirement portfolio and incorporating options that can provide a steady stream of income in retirement."

Are many retirement-age individuals discovering that they have to work later in life than they intended because they don't have enough saved up?



"Right now, 1 in 4 Baby Boomers--the generation closest to retirement--have less than $5,000 saved for retirement. This is troubling and I think you'll see many of these Americans working later in life or outliving their retirement savings. That's why it's critical to make a budget, build a balanced portfolio and continually adjust your plans."

Advertisement
CIUDAD JUAREZ, CHIHUAHUA - JUNE 29: A man walks along the border fence between the U.S. and Mexico on June 29, 2007 in the Anapra area of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. This area is a popular crossing spot for immigrants to ilegally cross into the United States because houses are close to the border on the south side and the highway is close to the north side. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The United States is home to the largest immigration detention system in the world. It is estimated that between 380,000 to 442,000 individuals are detained each year. Over the last decade the detention system has grown an estimated 75%, and cost taxpayers more than 2 billion dollars annually. What most people don't realize is that the majority of these facilities are actually private for profit prisons. A deeper examination of our current immigration policies reveals the development of a border-to-prison pipeline, profiting off of the labor and detention of undocumented immigrants.

The school-to-prison pipeline has long been discussed as a conceptual model for mass incarceration, racial inequality and the educational failures of the United States. The border-to-prison pipeline is by no means a comprehensive overview of the issue of undocumented immigration in the United States, but instead a theoretical concept that I believe can be useful in identifying root causes and potential benefactors of the status quo. The issue is particularly concerning not only in terms of policy discussions about borders, globalization and the refugee crisis but the fact that it is being implemented on a global scale.

Advertisement

We begin with an important question that is often left out of debates on immigration. Why do people leave their homes, risk a dangerous trip across a desert and come to a land in which they are essentially treated as an inferior caste for their entire lives? The answer often lies in the economic relations between nation states, employers and employees, individuals and capital.

Mexico offers an interesting and practical case study for how our economic policies can directly impact immigration. A popular saying in Mexico is; Sin Maiz, No Hay Paiz (Without Corn, There Is No Country). The proverb is much closer to the truth then most would imagine. Corn was historically a staple crop in Mexico, providing employment, export goods and subsistence. Following the implementation of NAFTA, the Mexican government cut their corn subsidy for all but the largest producers, and removed restrictions on corn imported from the United States.

The United States heavily subsidizes corn, allowing it to be produced cheaply, and in turn sold at bare bottom prices on the international market. As a result corn prices fell an estimated 70% in Mexico. Over time an estimated two million Mexican farm were forced to give up their farms and look to wage labor as a means for survival. Instead of providing Mexico with an improved economy, NAFTA has led to an estimated 300% increase in illegal immigration and placed downward pressure on wages.

Advertisement

Those who have read the Grapes of Wrath may recall the conditions which forced the Joad family to sell their farm, pack up their belongings and move West. A similar fate awaited those who grew their own crops in Mexico. Instead of a dust bowl, Mexican farmers encountered an economic bust that made growing crops on a small farm impossible. Most could not seek an alternative field, nor could they survive on the meager wages offered in Mexican cities. However, to the north was the promise of opportunity, wages, and a chance at a better life. Some of them inevitably chose to enter the United States.

Once across the border, immigrants are readily put to use by an economic system ready to exploit them. Those who have no legal status are vulnerable in every sense of the word. Employers continue to profit off of undocumented labor by offering undermarket wages, unsafe work conditions and no benefits. Any attempts to organize labor, or demand rights are met with threats of deportation. Those who are arrested are sent to private prisons, where they not only create profit through filling bed quotas, but are put to work inside the government contracted facilities for as little as $3 a day. Thus the border-to-prison chain of profit is complete.

It is hardly a surprise that the status quo is to continue to allow undocumented individuals to cross the border, yet stubbornly insist that they remain part of a marginalized caste in society, exploited and mistreated at every turn until every last bit of profit is made before they are sent back across the border, only to repeat the cycle.

There was once a period in history in which capital was immobile, and people could freely travel across borders, seeking a better life for themselves and their family. Today, capital is mobile, as evidenced by the destruction of American manufacturing industry, and people are immobile. The rights we once found sacred are stripped from individuals and instead written to protect profit and capital.

There are things we can do to fight this. We can call for Congress to end the shameful detention bed quota, and end unnecessary detentions, especially for women and children. Demanding that individuals seeking asylum are provided adequate due process and access to legal counsel. We can also call for a meaningful reform in our immigration system, one which provides true pathways to equality for those who reside in this country. We can call out companies and private entities who unfairly exploit the labor of undocumented individuals and profit off of their misery.

Advertisement

We must also understand how our trade agreements, regional policies and wars have contributed to the problems. This includes past policies which have created the conditions for gang violence and corrupt regimes in the region.
I know I'm not alone. I am an aging baby boomer with a widowed mother who lives 1,000 miles away from me. And there are certain things I can be sure of when I stay with my mom in Ohio.

1.There is usually a funeral to attend. My husband and I fly in on a Sunday and go to graveside services the following afternoon for a 91-year-old close family friend my mother knew from junior high school dances. And at the shiva call we make after the funeral, my husband and I are swept into a large party room -- peopled with adults we have grown up revering. Many with canes. Many with walkers. Many displaying evident decline by stroke, cancer or just the natural ravages of aging.

2.I still see that my mother continues to thrive, while living alone in an apartment building. She still drives, manages her finances and works on the daily puzzle called Jumble in the newspaper while drinking her morning cup of Maxwell House coffee. Unlike me, who usually gives up early in frustration over the baffling information presented, she patiently tackles the blocks, fills in the circles and 100 percent of the time comes up with the sentence to match the cartoon.

Advertisement

3.My mother is still making new friends. After my mom and dad sold their house and moved into a mid-rise building with under cover parking, my mother met a woman her same age, living right down the hall from her. From Connecticut, Carol had moved with her husband to Ohio to be closer to her son and his family. After both husbands passed away, my mom and Carol began spending more and more time together. "I like her so much," my mom notes."Not only do we chat about our health and families, but we are both interested in learning about each other's past experiences and we have found we can relate to each other famously."

4.My mother still has the energy for self-care. Besides some hearing loss due to scarlet fever as a child, my mom's pretty healthy. She takes her blood pressure meds regularly and monitors her blood pressure levels daily. She suffers from arthritis in her legs and as she has grown closer to her 90th birthday, has become more unsteady on her feet. Hence the walker. Hence the daily exercises, mastered at physical therapy, to prevent excess swelling.

5.My mom is still highly creative and participatory. She writes perfectly rhyming poems, signing each with a flourishy "La Bev." And she paints colorful florals on miniature canvasses when the spirit moves her. She gets her hair and nails done weekly and her signature look for her nails is either an exotic color or a flutter of sparkles. She texts on her iPhone, regularly conducts Google searches on her computer and checks her email daily.

6.She remains adaptable. Her apartment's furnishing are far more modern than that of her children's and her closets more organized and streamlined. She tolerates messiness much more than she used to -- I think as a result of realizing out-of-town company is more important than angst over clutter.

Advertisement

7."La Bev" remains charming. She is well known by both owners and employees at the bagel shop, the print shop, the frame shop, and various neighborhood eateries. Two years ago, she was featured in a commercial to save a famous landmark, Union Terminal. The faces of both the maintenance man at the apartment complex and the night watchman light up when they see her. My dad's former caretaker still brings her boxes of water regularly and her caretaker's grandson helps her with computer glitches. And when we went out to dinner, the waiter treated US to dinner. No joke.

In spite of it all, is she depressed? I'd say so. Hearing loss remains profound and uncorrected by hearing aids-- leading to her being shut out of conversations and increasingly feeling isolated. Her three grown children have all moved away. None of her grandchildren live close by. In a city where she had a vast network of family members, few remain. She is unwilling to move closer to any of her adult children, so she remains in the city of her birth surrounded by loving, long time friends. And, fortunately, she has a companion/helper five afternoons a week who provides company, runs her errands, monitors her meds and makes sure she eats.

My mom misses my father, who passed away four years ago. Life is tolerable. But my mom is not happy. And in spite of all the positives, I think she'd be very relieved to join my dad.



Iris is available to speak on a variety of topics, focusing on self-help, self-improvement and self-empowerment. For more information, contact her at irisruthpastor@gmail.com

If you want more information about Iris's forthcoming book Tales of a Bulimic Baby Boomer, or to sign up for her weekly newsletter, visit www.irisruthpastor.com or follow her on Twitter @IrisRuthPastor.

Advertisement

You can find more from Iris on LinkedIn.

Earlier on Huff/Post50:
As a general rule, it is a mistake in politics to speculate on the motives of others. But it is difficult to avoid asking serious questions following the recent back-to-back visits to Africa by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The questions ultimately go to African leaders who must answer not so much to foreign leaders, but to millions of their own citizens. First, though, some background. Decades ago, Israel had friendly and productive ties to dozens of sub-Saharan countries. Bilateral trade and commercial relations, in both the public and private sectors, proliferated throughout much of the continent. It came to a crashing halt under the pressure of the 1970's-era oil embargo and related blackballing of the Jewish state by Middle East oil-producers. What the Arab nations failed to achieve through war in 1967 -- the openly stated goal of destroying and eliminating Israel -- they hoped to accomplish via economic and diplomatic isolation. With the passage of time, though, as Israel has thrived and the Arab world remains mired in poverty and despotism, many African leaders have begun to question the wisdom of old policies that have done nothing to improve the lives of their people. The one-way deal -- in which Africa has been expected to fall in line with those who vilify and denigrate Israel, while at the same time sustaining terrorist attacks by Islamists against innocent African citizens -- appears to be coming to an end. When Prime Minister Netanyahu met with seven African heads of state, it signaled the turning of the page. It represents the acknowledgment that today's leaders no longer are willing to engage in empty rhetoric and symbolism. A changing, more democratic Africa now expects its leaders to create an environment that can lead to a higher standard of living and quality of life enjoyed by much of the northern hemisphere. The high tech economy that defines Israel today is an attractive model for many African countries, and they want to begin traveling down that road. Israeli know-how in revolutionizing agricultural output, advanced medical care and security technology is only the beginning of the conversation launched by the Netanyahu visit. Just days later, President Abbas arrived hastily to try to blunt the economic development ideas of visionary Africans. His immediate goal seems to be to gain support for Palestinian efforts to internationalize the conflict with Israel, especially in the context of a French proposal that gives the Palestinian President another excuse to avoid direct, face-to-face negotiations with Israel. Sadly, Abbas' motives and tactics are ripe for questioning after his trip to Africa was focused on strengthening ties with Sudan. Upon arrival in Khartoum, the Palestinian President embraced the genocidal Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir, wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Darfur. This is the leader Abbas chose as his partner with whom "to develop a strategy for the African continent." African leaders have been presented with a stark choice. Israel waits in vain for a peace partner willing to negotiate without preconditions for the long sought goal of two states for two peoples. The Jewish state looks to Africa as a continent where it can share its pro-growth, innovative, high tech economic experience that can make a genuine difference in the lives of millions. Meanwhile, Abbas' alliance with al-Bashir is nothing short of an embarrassment, a moral and practical dead-end, that reinforces the old line about never failing to miss an opportunity. Advocating for a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains a very important, albeit frustrating, endeavor. But African leaders sensitive to the needs of their own people and the universal demand for greater prosperity are growing tired of sacrificing the benefits of economic development at home. They should be appalled to witness the Palestinian President renew his friendship with an African strongman with more blood on his hands than anyone else on the continent. A good place to give voice to their evolution in thinking about the conflict will come at the annual UN General Assembly meetings in New York next month. Typically, it has been an Israel bashing forum, but the world will take notice if African leaders summon the courage to speak honestly about how and why they have come to see Israel in a new light. If all politics is local, Africans leaders will choose the path to a brighter future for their children, one that holds the promise of greater opportunity, empowerment and a better quality of life. It's time to grasp Israel's outstretched hand.
Michael Mauboussin is the head of Global Financial Strategies at the investment bank Credit Suisse and a published author of four best-selling books, but he may not have even gotten his career started if not for a trash can. Seriously. I recently spoke with Michael about his book "The Success Equation" which talks about how luck plays into success. Here are the four lessons I learned - I hope they help you achieve your own success.

1. Luck is a combination of preparation and opportunity

When Michael was a college student, he went up to New York to interview with the preeminent investment bank at the time, Drexel Burnham Lambert. He was scheduled to interview with six junior staff members and one interview with a senior executive. When he started his interview with the senior executive, he noticed a Washington Redskins trash can and made an offhand comment about it. The interview became a conversation about their common love of sports. He got the job. It was only months later he found out that the six junior staff members voted against hiring him, but the senior executive overruled them all. And Michael's career in finance was born.

How much of this was luck and how much of this was Michael's skill? Michael was an athlete at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. who interviewed with a senior executive who was a Washington Redskins fan. And he had the grades to secure an interview with the investment bank. So you can't really say this was all luck. But if a conversation about a trash can never happened, Michael may not be where he is now.

Advertisement

2. Luck is sometimes created by emotional factors not attributable to logic

Do you know why the Mona Lisa is the most famous painting? According to Michael and his research, it's not because of that iconic smile. Until 1911, the Mona Lisa was not even considered the top painting in the Louvre. In 1849, the Louvre commissioned a market value assessment of their paintings for insurance purposes. Raphael's La Sainte Famile de Francois I, Raphael's La Belle Jardiniere, and Leonardo Da Vinci's La Vierge aux Rochers were all valued significantly higher than the Mona Lisa. But in 1911 something happened. The Mona Lisa was stolen by an Italian nationalist and a media hysteria ensued. Eventually the Mona Lisa was recovered and when it was, the painting was revered as a national treasure and its fame never subsided after that event.

Until 1911, the Mona Lisa was considered just another great painting in the Louvre but it's perception changed when society decided to give it significant value after it's theft. Soon after, Leonardo Da Vinci's painting became the most valued painting in the Louvre despite being the same painting it had been for the past 500+ years.

3. Luck can be engineered strategically by playing to one's strength

A professor of International Relations researched wars and how successful smaller countries were against larger countries throughout history. He found that from 1800 to 1849, the larger country (and thus larger military force) prevailed 88% of time. However, from 1950 to 1999, the larger country only prevailed 50% of time! Michael attributes this to the smaller countries refusing to engage where the stronger country has an advantage (e.g. guerrilla warfare). In the classic story of David vs. Goliath, David refused to engage Goliath in hand-to-hand combat because he knew that was Goliath's strength. Instead, he stayed far away and used a slingshot to take down the giant.

Whether in business, sports, or war, it's important to engage your enemies in an arena where YOUR strength is magnified and not where you're playing to their advantage.

Advertisement

4. Sometimes... there's just dumb luck

Quite possibly my favorite story in his book, Michael wrote about the Spanish national lottery which has been around since 1763. In the mid-1970s, a man won the big prize ("El Gordo") by purchasing a lotto ticket that had the last 2 digits "48". When asked by media why he chose that number, he said, "I dreamed of the number 7 for 7 straight nights. And 7 times 7 is 48."

Conclusion
More daily fake news on The Political Garbage Chute.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Though currently odds makers and political pundits both give the Donald Trump campaign a very narrow path to victory in the fall, the government's top engineers are hard at work preparing a contingency plan should he navigate that path successfully. One task in particular is retrofitting the button that presidents use to launch a full-scale nuclear attack to better suit the alleged billionaire's unique physical traits.

"The simple fact is," Dr. Susan Wickstrom of the White House Engineering Corps told the media this morning, "the Big Red Button will have to be converted into a tiny red button. As it is now, the standard size button we use is simply too big for smaller fingers to depress."

Dr. Wickstrom says the nuclear launch button was intentionally designed to require an adult's fingers to press in order to avoid any First Children accidentally pressing it when their presidential parent wasn't paying attention. Even though the chances of a Trump victory are rather small at the moment, Wickstrom says she and her team have to prepare for a situation where the country "has a man with both a child's mentality and fingers" in the Oval Office.

Advertisement

"The Constitution states that a candidate must be at least 35 years old to hold the office of the presidency," Wickstrom said, "but it doesn't say anything about the president's IQ needing to be north of 35, or whether his or her fingers need to be the size of a normal, average adult's. So we don't see any alternative than to plan for the possibility of a scenario where the U.S. has a man wiht a both a child's mentality and fingers as its president."

Wickstrom and her team are busy retrofitting other areas of the White House as well.

"President Nixon had a bowling installed when he was president," Wickstrom said, "and Mr. Trump has requested we start making plans to put another one in. But this time all the lanes needs bumpers and all the balls need to have the smallest holes possible drilled into them."

There are also plans to install some new hi-tech gadgetry in the White House, should Trump manage to win the General Election.

"We realized that not everyone who works in the White House will understand everything Mr. Trump says," Wickstrom told reporters, "so we're going to install a new device that was just invented. It translates farts into Donald Trump speeches. The designer has said he can reverse the translation so that when Trump speaks, instead of hearing farts, you hear words in English." Though there is a caveat, Wickstrom said, because "even when you can hear [Trump's] words as plain English, they won't make any sense."

Advertisement
...I believe over the last week the Republican Party lost all remaining pretense of principled conservatism while the national party simultaneously lost any credible claim to being the party of the "rule of law." The nominee is a nutcase who can't even stop defending the National Enquirer the day after the Convention. And in a way I haven't seen in past elections, this race has turned people I know into people I barely recognize. It's disheartening.

Though I've considered myself a Republican since I saw Reagan debate Carter at age 9, today with sadness I updated my party affiliation.

As I am no longer a registered Republican, I have submitted my resignation as chairman of Republican House District 43. I have also submitted my resignation as a member of the Colorado Republican Central Committee.
Innovation is about making our world better and new. While there are some regions that are dealing with the speed and complexity of hyper-innovation, there are others that are struggling to integrate innovation in the most fundamental forms: clean water, reliable food sources, basic health care and safety from violence.

Given that most leaders will face a challenging situation where making innovation happen is difficult at best, I thought it might be helpful to interview someone who has lived with the most formidable of problems to see what lessons we can glean from their experience.

Paul Kortenhoven has been a development leader of West African Missions for over thirty years. He has worked through poverty, plagues and civil wars and now advises communities how to thrive in the face of adversity. Paul's suggestions could apply to any community or organization. The next time you think you find it difficult to make innovation happen, you might want to consider Paul's advice.

Advertisement

JEFF: Where do you start to make innovation happen in war-torn region where many are living day to day?

PAUL: First, you have to understand that you cannot help people without giving away a part of yourself. It often hurts to help-but the long term results for both the helper and "helpee"are tremendous.

Results for the helper are respect, self-confidence, understanding of who you really are and why you are where you are, happiness

Results for the "helpee" are healing, recognition, chance to improve life, seeing an example of compassion to follow which always "pays it forward" somehow and somewhere and the awareness that you are loved and you are valuable, your life counts.

Advertisement

JEFF: How do you establish a relationship with these communities that allows you to introduce new ideas?

PAUL: Belonging is everything. "I exist because we are!" This is the core value of the African villager. Everyone needs to belong to some unit...a family, peer group, work group in planting season...everyone belongs regardless of their status in the village....from the deaf mute to the village chief. Then, there are no losers. Only winners!

The positives of this widely held belief are overwhelming! So overwhelming that when the civil war started in Sierra Leone in 1991, the Revolutionary United Front or RUF used this value to indoctrinate their kidnapped child soldiers. The human need to belong, to be respected, to be of value was inverted completely. The RUF through force, intimidation and extreme violence demonstrated clearly that the perversion of what is good, noble and even biblical can be turned into pure evil.

Trust is key. In Sierra Leone (and most African poverty riddled countries) you simply die if you do not live in a village or an area in which people trust each other.

In literally every business, every school system, every government department, we need to figure out how to build and or re-build trust among employees and employers, the government and the people they represent, residents and the educational systems, rich and poor. It is possible if you believe it....remember the Kevin Costner movie "Field of Dreams".

JEFF: So how do we create this Field of Dreams in the many places that need innovation the most?



PAUL: Well, maybe we should start by paying more attention to the rural areas, to the small towns. They are the soul of the state. Learn to listen to people who live and work on farms, orchards, in a small town garage, shopkeepers. The big cities and tech towns are not the center of our universe.

Advertisement

Then, take care of the poor who will "always be with us". Use the existing welfare system wisely and improve it. People who need welfare really do need it. They are not all free loaders as so many of us think. And the myth of pulling yourself up by the boot straps is a just that...a myth not a fact. I know people for whom it has worked well and are now college graduates and even Ph. D's. When they needed help, it worked for them.

The worst insult in an African village or society is to be called "tightfisted". There are proverbs in very West African language about the sorry fate of "tightfisted "people. A good name is worth more than gold in a poor society. It isn't just in poor societies that people need each other to survive. In the "wealthy" society we have in the US, we all need each other as well. The sooner the leaders of our greatest cities, schools, businesses and economic leaders learn this, the better off we all will be.

Be generous not parsimonious. Think about tapping the really wealthy for the sake of the poor and make it plain that we are doing this because it is the right thing to do.

JEFF: Why aren't we doing more to make innovation happen in these places now?

PAUL: Simply put, intolerance. One of the most important lessons we learned in our international lives was to be tolerant of other cultures, other world views, other religions. If you do not tolerate other people as they are, other people will never figure out who you are and you will accomplish nothing by working among them. Find some people that you know think differently than you do and get to know them....by listening not by telling them what to do...talk with them and not to them. You will be a better leader better, a better CEO, a better worker and a better person.

We need to be inclusive not exclusive. Learn from the "movers and shakers" but do not worship them. Do not make major decisions based solely on their interest or comments. Remember that most people are not "movers and shakers" but they still need to be heard.

Advertisement

To at least approach some sense of democracy, be inclusive. Exclusive groups serve only themselves and "themselves" just ain't enough to sustain anything but "themselves"....

JEFF: What is your biggest concern about our own society's ability to develop meaningful innovations?

PAUL: Multi-tasking! In less developed countries multi-tasking is a luxury. You have to concentrate on what is necessary for survival. In a recent NYT article, "Think less, Think better" by Moshe Bar made a lot of sense to me.

My father, a straight thinking mechanical engineer, literally took the radio out of our new 1958 Edsel because, as he said, "You cannot concentrate on your driving when are listening to the radio" And my bother in law (a vegetable farmer from Ohio) did not obey his father when told to turn off the radio while transplanting celery into the field from the green house and subsequently planted two whole rows of radishes upside down! Grandpa was not pleased to say the least.

Moshe Bar, a neuroscientist writes that a recent study by one of his Harvard graduate students "suggests that innovative thinking, not routine ideation, is our default mode when are minds are clear". My father was right in 1958! Doing or thinking about several things simultaneously usually results in none of them being done well.

JEFF: In many ways, your suggestions about innovation are, shall we say, traditional?

PAUL: Their "newness" comes in the recognizing that the "tried and true" values past have been de-valued or discarded by the extreme individualism of our present day culture and the ease of electronic age which allows us and encourages us to be even more self-centered. This enables us to ignore our neighbor and belong only to ourselves. ...bad for business, bad for any meaningful accountability for our decisions in whatever field in which we are engaged.

Once we recognize this, innovation can begin in leadership in business, education and government.

##
Over 1,000 people have signed up for a tour that will take them to watch the moon on Taiping Island. The tour, which lasts just one day, is organized by TaiwanXing under Taiwan's 1111 Human Resource Bank. The organizer said the planning of the tour has already been finalized, and that they are just awaiting approval from relevant departments.

In addition to viewing the island's tourist sites, those who go on the trip get the added bonus of defending the island on China's behalf, according to Li Qiyue, an adviser to TaiwanXing. Li believes that one reason the tour is so popular is that the public is eager to do just that.

The agency has chosen to launch the tour during Mid-Autumn Festival. Tours will be offered from Sept. 9 to 18. Tourist will head to the island by airplane and take a tour around the island, exploring its history and culture. They will then enjoy a special dinner and moon cakes under the night sky before flying home at 8 p.m.

Chen Guisong, head of the Association of Taiwan Travel Agencies, said he is very supportive of the tour. Exploring Taiping Island will increase the content and diversity tours available in Taiwan.

Taiping Island, which is 1,420 meters long and 402 meters wide, is the largest natural island within the Nansha Islands. The Chinese army took it over from Japan and renamed it Taiping Island after China's victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in 1945.
It will go down in the annals of aviation: A round-the-world flight without a drop of fuel.



That was the amazing achievement of two Swiss pilots who designed, built, and flew a solar-powered airplane that defied almost every known rule of aeronautics. And broke a few records as well.



I had the privilege of interviewing these two men several times, on the ground and in the air (via satellite). Fifty-eight year old Bertrand Piccard and 63-year old Andre Borschberg began 15 years ago to design an airplane that would be powered simply by the sun. After discarding the first model (which is now on display in a French museum), they created Solar Impulse 2 -- a delicate, bird-like aircraft weighing no more than a large car, with 17,000 batteries mounted on very long wings.



"It was an impossible dream" says Piccard, a psychiatrist, who comes from a family of dreamers. His grandfather Auguste Piccard, a friend of Einstein, set world records for his ascent in a stratospheric balloon. His father Jacques Piccard, who worked at NASA, descended into the deepest part of the ocean in a bathyscaphe. Bertrand himself made history in 1999, flying around the world non-stop in a hot air balloon with Brian Jones.



For Borschberg, a businessman and former Air Force pilot, the challenge was to find "concrete innovations and disruptive solutions....to put dreams and emotions back at the heart of scientific adventure". The project was backed by several high-end European corporations including Solvay, Schindler, Omega, ABB and Moet-Hennessey, who broke out the Champagne whenever a lap was completed.



Altogether, there were 16 laps, beginning in March 2015 in Abu Dubai and ending back there 16 months later, on July 25. The enterprise took much longer than expected due to changing weather conditions at every destination. Patience and persistence and optimism were de rigueur. Because the Solar Impulse plane can hold only one pilot in its very small cockpit, Bertrand and Andre alternated flights. Andre started the first lap and also had the longest flight, five days and five nights -- a record non-stop 117 hours in the air -- flying over the Pacific Ocean from Japan to Hawaii. Bertrand had the last lap and also made the three-day flight across the Atlantic -- 71 hours in the air -- taking off from JFK in New York and landing in Seville, Spain.



While flying, they could never allow themselves to sleep for more than 20 minutes at a time. To get through the grueling hours, they both practiced some form of yoga, meditation and self-hypnosis. They were in constant contact with the Mission Control Center in Monaco, where scores of specialists worked 24 hours a day to track the weather, the plane, and the pilots. Prince Albert II of Monaco was a great enthusiast and supporter of the project, and often stopped by the Center to follow the progress.



For Bertrand and Andre, the adventure doesn't end here. To promote the idea of renewable energy, they are setting up an International Commission for Clean Technologies, involving universities, corporations and the U.N. Bertrand is planning to write a book about their exploit.



"We don't have time to rest!", they say. "The worst thing in life is not to have a dream."
Since the first use of a nuclear weapon in Hiroshima 71 years ago on Aug. 6, 1945, the story of where the uranium for the bomb came from and the covert operation the U.S. employed to secure it has been little known.

That is until the publication soon in the United States of a new book, Spies in the Congo, by British researcher Susan Williams (Public Affairs Books, New York), which unveils for the first time the detailed story of the deep cover race between the Americans and the Nazis to get their hands on the deadliest metal on earth.

At the outset of World War II, when the U.S. launched the extraordinarily secret Manhattan Project, uranium from North America and most of the rest of the world was less than one percent uranium oxide, considered inadequate to build the first atom bombs. But there was one mine in the world where, through a freak of nature, the ore contained up to an unheard of 75% uranium oxide: Shinkolobwe mine in the present-day Democratic Republic of Congo.

Advertisement

The link between Shinkolobwe and Hiroshima, where more than 200,000 people were killed, is still largely unknown in the West, in the Congo and even in Japan, among the few survivors still alive. Another ignored link is the disastrous health effect on Congolese miners who handled the uranium as virtual slaves of the Belgium mining giant Union Miniere, owners of Shinkolobwe in the then Belgian Congo.

Einstein's Warning

Though it turned out the Nazis had not got very far in their quest for the bomb (because of a lack of highly-enriched uranium), the Americans could not have known that in 1939, and were fearful Hitler would get a nuclear weapon before they did. That would have almost certainly affected the outcome of the war. As early as that year, Albert Einstein wrote President Franklin D. Roosevelt to to warn him of the Nazis work with uranium and that the most important source in the world was Shinkolowbe.

Williams' meticulously-researched and masterfully written book tells the intricate tale of a special unit of the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner of the Central Intelligence Agency, that was set up to purchase and secretly remove all the uranium from Shinkolowbe that the U.S. could get its hands on.

The unit was headed in Washington by OSS Director William "Wild Bill" Donovan and Rud Boulton, head of the OSS' Africa section. Donovan was obsessed with stopping the Nazis from getting the bomb and mistrustful of Britain's role in the uranium operation. Britain on the other hand feared the U.S. was trying to take over its West African colonies. Williams tells us that Donovan trained his agents to not only target Nazism but colonialism as well.

Advertisement

The OSS agents used a number of covers, such as ornithologists, naturalists collecting live gorillas, silk importers, and posing as an executive for the Texaco oil company, such as agent Lanier Violett did. This became an issue after Texaco's president, Torkild Rieber, was forced to resign in 1940 after being exposed as an oil smuggler to the Nazis. Williams also tells us that the American spies had difficulties operating in French Congo and other colonies under General Charles De Gaulle's Free French control because the U.S. recognized the pro-Nazi Vichy government until the Normandy invasion.

A Real-Life Thriller

Williams' real-life spy thriller focuses on a number of OSS agents involved in securing the uranium and stopping the Nazis from accessing the unique mine in Katanga province, a mission so secretive most of the agents involved thought they were preventing diamond smuggling. The few OSS agents who knew it was uranium that the US sought, didn't know what the ore was for.

Once such agent, Wilbur 'Dock' Hogue, the protagonist of the story, only found out after August 6, 1945 why he had helped uncover Nazi smuggling routes from the Congo and helped spirit uranium out of the country. It was brought by train to Port-Francqui, then on barges down the Kasai to the Congo River to Leopoldville (Kinshasa), where it was reloaded on a train to the port of Matadi.

There the uranium was put on Pan American airplanes or on ships, both bound for New York, where it was unloaded and stored on the New York City borough of Staten Island. There the uranium remained until it was ready to be used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. (The New York site under the Bayonne Bridge still registers radiation levels today high enough for the US government to order a clean-up.)

Williams also reveals that the U.S. mission was complicated by some Belgian officials in the Congo, as well as Union Miniere, who cooperated at times with the Nazis to smuggle out some of the lethal ore. As Williams explains, after the Germans surrendered, the U.S. learned how far from a bomb the Nazis actually were, and after Japan was defeated, learned for the first time that Tokyo also had had a rudimentary nuclear weapons program.

Advertisement

After VE Day, Einstein tried to convince Truman to shut down the Manhattan Project. But it was too late. Though Generals Dwight Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur and three other senior American military commanders were opposed to using the bomb, Truman dropped it anyway, not to end the war and save lives, as many historians now agree, but to test the weapon and send a message to the world, and especially the Soviets, about America's coming dominance.

"The Japanese were ready to surrender, and it wasn't necessary to hit them with that awful thing," Eisenhower said.

Though OSS agent Hogue did not know what the uranium was for, he knew he was on a highly dangerous mission. Nazi agents three times tried to kill him, with a bomb, a knife and a gun. He survived the war only to succumb to stomach cancer at the age of 42. As Williams points out: "Risk factors for this disease include exposure to radiation, which explains why atomic bomb survivors in the Second World War were more likely than most people to get stomach cancer."

Two other of Hogue's OSS colleagues from the Congo mission also died at very young ages. But Williams' concern also extends to the Congolese mine workers who handled the stuff for days on end and about which neither Belgium, Union Miniere nor the Americans seemed to have the slightest concern.

"Astonishingly, hardly any attention has been paid to the Congolese, not one of whom was consulted about plans to make atomic bombs with Shinkolobwe's uranium," Williams writes. "What would have been their reaction, on a moral basis, to the building of such a destructive and terrible weapon with a mineral from their own land?"

Advertisement
Danville's recent ranking in Southern Living magazine as No. 6 on a list of "21 Best Southern College Towns" may have caught some by surprise. For me, it's a well-deserved honor that's been a long time coming.

Having served as the president of Centre College in Kentucky since 1998, my perspective is tempered not just by 18 years in this warm, welcoming community but also by comparison with the 17 prior years my family and I spent in another great Southern city: Richmond, Virginia.

Danville may not have all the offerings of the other towns listed -- recognizable places such as Knoxville, Savannah and Williamsburg. However, the folks at Southern Living made clear that they weren't just looking for brand names. Instead, they preferred towns they deemed "hidden gems" that are home to "schools exploring truly exciting academics and research that promise to reach the wider world."

Advertisement

Do Danville and Centre meet these criteria?

I'd offer a resounding "yes." But don't take my word for it.

This is what we heard from the more than 3,200 media personnel from 1,500 news organizations in 40 countries who were here for the vice presidential debate on Oct. 11, 2012, when Centre and Danville were at the center of the political universe for the second time, after a successful debate in 2000.

Praise for Danville's charm and hospitality was also offered in 2010 when patrons of the World Equestrian Games made the drive from Lexington to Centre College's Norton Center for the Arts to hear the world-renowned Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, an event made possible by sponsor Alltech. The performance caught the attention of the Los Angeles Times, but not because they found it such an anomaly for a famous orchestra to be in Danville. Instead, they claimed it was "just one more in a long line of successes for a college that consistently punches above its weight."

Such positive sentiments are also echoed by the families of our students, who hail from 45 states across this great nation and such diverse countries as Burma, China, Germany, Japan, Northern Ireland and Vietnam.

In fact, the growth of our international student population the last several years has provided new opportunities for what is often called "town-gown relations." Some 8 percent of our 1,400 students are now from other countries.

Advertisement

Our Center for Global Citizenship has already distinguished itself for reaching "the wider world" through one of the nation's top study abroad programs, sending an average 85 percent of Centre students on educational adventures across the world that solidify their credentials as global citizens upon graduation.

A more recent effort involves working with local Danville families who open their homes and their hearts to more than a hundred often homesick international students who welcome a home-cooked meal, a place to stay during holidays or the opportunity to be adopted as an honorary son or daughter, brother or sister.

Imagine the international goodwill created when families half a world away learn about American holiday traditions like Thanksgiving because their sons and daughters had their first meal of turkey, dressing, and mashed potatoes and gravy with a gracious Danville family.

And this typifies the strength of our town-gown bond. We all work together for a common good.

Intentional or not, I'd like to think that Centre and Danville do so guided by Kentucky's motto, which is literally part of our local DNA. "United we stand, divided we fall" claimed the brave pioneers who founded our commonwealth on June 1, 1792, in the spot now memorialized as Constitution Square. Nearly a quarter century later, in 1819, Presbyterian leaders founded Centre, with Kentucky Gov. Isaac Shelby serving as first chair of our Board of Trustees.

While the capitol has since moved to Frankfort, Centre's roots in the community have only grown deeper.

Advertisement

But like this great nation, which constantly strives to become a more perfect union, Centre and Danville must never rest on their laurels.
His snoring goes beyond a joke



photo credit: Ododo George

Now that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are officially nominated and the conventions are behind us, the stage is set for what I'm sure will be a wild, no holds-barred, drop down and punch them out type of race to the end for the presidency. The press will capitalize on every opportunity they get to make Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton look bad (depending on which media outlet you pay attention to). Stories will be sensationalized and water cooler and dinner table conversations will be filled with all things politics. And for some of these at home conversations, they can be volatile, contentious, and maybe even verge on breaking up a relationship. I've actually had a few fighting couples see me, who in their defense or attack of a candidate, almost parted for good.

In my personal life I've been met with outrage at the mere expression of how I feel about one candidate or the other and my commentary of the political circus. This got me thinking. Just how should couples deal with opposing views in their relationship? How can two loving people have such dissimilar views and continue to coexist and not let the 2016 election tear them apart? The truth is, if the relationship is stable and loving and the couple problem solves well together, it will survive and withstand any tension or strain it may encounter. If though problems already exist, then that's a different story. They're vulnerable and could be subject to insurmountable troubles or even splitting up.

Advertisement

Here's how to keep your political differences from causing problems in your relationship:

1. Aim to share your ideas, not change your partner's mind. As is the case with a lot of discussions about hot-button issues, in relationships it should be one about sharing your opinion and deepening your understanding and connection, not trying to get your partner to buy into your beliefs.

2. Listen. Be a good listener and truly make an effort to understand how your partner came to feel a certain way about a candidate. Sometimes being heard is all that's needed to prevent a discussion from turning acrimonious. Clarify what the other person says and how they feel by repeating back to them your summation or their comments and/or asking them questions that will ensure better understanding.

3. Forget about trying to win. It's not about keeping score, winning the argument, or making the other person look bad. If you approach your partner with that mindset then it will surely come with hostility and be met with defensiveness. Any name calling or demonizing your partner and reliance on sensationalized clips or propaganda will only fuel the tension between you and them and compromise the otherwise healthy dynamic that exist. Rather than trying to find holes in their argument or seeing him or her as an antagonist, be respectful and sensitive.

4. Keep your emotions in check. If you feel things starting to get heated, then agree with your partner to some ground rules. For example, agree to take a time out. Go for a walk, have a bite to eat, or do something else and then hit the reset button.

Advertisement

5. Ask yourself, "What's really important?" All too often if a couple gets embroiled in political conversation they lose sight of what's truly important. Things such as family, kids, and careers take a back seat to an elected official. Stay true to what really matters.

6. Focus on what binds you. Despite their vast differences in style and presentation, ultimately Hillary and Donald want the same things: peace, a strong economy, good educational system, security, etc. Try to focus on these larger items and concepts and where you might actually want similar things for the country.



7. Choose a time to discuss. Knowing that such a discussion might be emotional, generate some stark differences, and inflame tensions, choose a time to discuss that's appropriate. For example, when you have down time and aren't on your way to work or getting ready for bed.

So if after employing these tips you're still having problems then consider that perhaps the differences are simply too stark to have a healthy relationship. Next time you meet someone to potentially date, discuss the very things that you might otherwise avoid early on: political views, religion, and sex. As a psychotherapist who has treated countless couples, I say talk about the very things you'd ordinarily avoid, including which political party you feel an allegiance to, and why.
Newborns in hospital nursery

I made peace with the fact that in the United States I could be in the "wrong" place at the "wrong" time and be shot and killed by police because a man or woman who feels threatened by my presence and calls 9-1-1. I can be murdered by a concerned citizen standing his or her ground as I walk through "their" neighborhood. I could be asking for help because our car broke down and be taken from this world if I knock on the wrong front door. I could be arrested because I "fit the description" and die in the police van or in the cell and no one would be held accountable. On one hand I will seek justice and love mercy and on the other accept that some people and some systems will not change this side of Glory.

But I certainly have not accepted that for my Black, Chinese and Korean American daughter - Maia Pan Bang Jie Walton.

Advertisement

Maia's name is rooted in thousands of years of history. Pan is her family name, Bang is her generational name, and Jie is the name chosen by her grandmother. Walton holds the complicated history of my people in this country - slaves and slave owners in Virginia. The name most will call her is Hebrew for water signifying notably in the Bible a deep cleansing and replenishment. And looking at the life of Jesus, the waters of baptism signify new life itself. How beautiful it would be if those who saw her knew the story of how faithful God was through the story He wove from South Korea, Southern China, and Southern Virginia to make her life possible!

Sadly, none of this will be perceived at first glance.

Instead, a nurse enters our hospital room not even 24 hours after she is born and says "your daughter has such a nice complexion".

Another worker enters later, "she has such beautiful skin."

I've given up my privilege of moving on and it's making me painfully uncomfortable. Staying #woke makes my bones tired.

Those two women didn't know that on the phone I was looking up from I had just seen that Charles Kinsey was shot by North Miami Police while laying on the ground with his hands in the air.

Advertisement

On the ground.

Hands in the air.

Explaining that he was a behavioral therapist.

And he is still shot.

He is Black like me. He is educated like me.

And my daughter is Black like me too, but her skin could be praised by many simply because of its lightness. Would they have said that if she was dark like me?

These moments that are supposed to be so joyful and exciting, is invaded by the brokenness of the history that we can't get past because we as a society won't deal with it. And this is the society that my daughter is a part of. The opportunities for marginalization of this woman of color are paralyzing.

Will my daughter be ashamed for her friends to meet me? Will her friends treat her differently after they find out her dad is black because she can "pass"?

Note: (If you don't know what "passing" is, please click here)

Please don't zone out or stop reading or declare this is too long, too sad, too honest, too whatever by going on to the next thing in your newsfeed.

Advertisement

Please don't tell me to move on.

Don't tell me to get over it.

Don't tell me it will get better.

Don't tell me that she'll love me because I'm her Dad, her Baba. And that you just love me too.

I need you to understand, or at least attempt to see the reality that I live and this little one will be privy to. I need you to commit to actively fight racism and prejudice based on skin color. I need you to keep learning, to speak up, and to show up.

The issue remains that every day her value could be propped up on the false and destructive notion that lighter skinned people are more valuable, deserve better treatment and bear no burden of dangerousness. She will be given the benefit of the doubt by a potential date or the Deputy and that is painful and disgusting. The issue remains that if we have another child and his or her skin is darker, they will have completely different experiences in this country. They will be perceived and treated differently by teachers, classmates, police officers, security guards, relatives and in-laws. As I mentioned in "Racism is Ruining My Marriage", the level to which myself and other people of color have internalized our devaluation is staggering. And to try and tear down our culture's worship and protection of whiteness is exhausting - so no wonder folks don't even try.

Jesus help me. Jesus help my wife. Jesus help my daughter.

I briefly shared these thoughts with two white male friends of mine. One said in short, "I can't imagine how hard those things must be but do your best to choose joy." And he is right! These circumstances have not changed the love of God, His love for me and for Maia. These trials do not change the reality that we just had a healthy, Psalm 139, beautiful type of baby. Hallelujah and amen!

Advertisement

The other said, "I'd love to hear more of your thoughts on this". So I wrote this piece. And I'm sure we will talk about it.

And that is why we have the Body of Christ. I am not alone. My daughter will not be alone because her Mom and friends like this are willing to listen, learn and fight for her. Priscilla knows that our daughter is Black and Asian and the social implications of that ethnic identity. She is more than aware of the model minority myth, is well-versed in deconstructing narratives that ensure white supremacy is kept in place, and knows the children's books and the bible stories at every level to ensure Maia has the knowledge and the theology to flourish as a Black, Chinese, Korean woman in this world of ignorance and intolerance. We have white friends and family willing to own the collective history of their people and our country and press into racial justice and reconciliation. There is a growing community of people especially in the Asian Diaspora willing to wade into the choppy river of justice work because Jesus showed us that we can walk on water if we keep focused on Him.
It's that time of year again. eTail East is kicking off next week bringing together eCommerce and Omni-Channel Retail Innovators. I sit back and think of what the first eTail was like in 1999 right before the .com bubble burst and find it amazing the transformation retail has undergone since then. Responsive site design- what was that? Shop online and pick up in store- come again? Can anyone say Cartwheel App?

eTail East is happening August 15-18, 2016 at The Sheraton in Boston, MA. It will bring together 900 retailers, 100 speakers and many service and solution providers under one roof. Working for one of the retail industry's most trusted eCommerce agencies, Echidna, I love following industry events like this. Not only for the purpose of future partnerships, but being able to learn how other brands are taking on their online presence through eCommerce and digital marketing. Being able to celebrate what is working and learn from what is not is invaluable.

At eTail East last year it toted some great presentations from industry leaders like Jason Goldberger from Target, Stormy Simon, now former President at Overstock.com and Marshall Porter, now former SVP and GM, International of Gilt Groupe. This year promises some amazing keynotes, sessions and networking opportunities. So how can you pick just the cream of the crop? In the end, it depends where your brand sits today and their goals for tomorrow, but as usual I took the time to pick my top 3 Must Attend's.

Advertisement

1. Panel Discussion: Turning Traffic Into Sales: Making The Mobile Experience Better For Today's Consumers

This made my Top 3 for obvious reasons. More consumers are shopping on mobile devices and it is predicted this will continue to increase. Make sure your brand is ready and join the panelists to hear their thoughts around taking your mobile strategy from soup to nuts and firing out what updates you need to really see a difference in conversion on these devices. The panel that they have brought together to talk on this topic should make for a great discussion. All with extensive experience in various facets of eCommerce, digital marketing, IT management and User Experience.

Industry Experts Speaking:

Eileen Shulluck, VP of eCommerce for luxury boutique Kirna Zabete.

Michael Zuccato, Director of Online Marketing for Sourcebooks

Mike DiMiele, Director of Marketing for Pampered Chef

Damon Burgess, Web Development for One Way Furniture

When: 3:25pm, Tuesday, August 16 (Track C)

2. Keynote: The Future Of Retail And The Convergence Of Customer Centricity, IoT And Omnichannel

First of all, if you arent familiar with Thoryn Stephens, you should be. He has an incredibly interesting background as a business professional and web analytics guru. As the Chief Digital Officer of American Apparel, he manages their digital business across a global network of 17 websites. This keynote will be discussing how to leverage customer centricity as the foundation of your consumer strategy, practical applications of omnichannel and how IoT is shaping the consumer experience. Im looking forward to hearing his thoughts on what is considered a loaded topic for many retailers in this cant miss keynote.

When: 9:55am, Wednesday, August 17th

3. Retailer Only Chats and Cocktails

I stated it earlier, but a huge part of this conference is learning what has (or hasn't) worked for other brands. We are all in this together, so network with fellow retailers before the actual conference kicks off! With several tables to choose from, this is a great time to mingle with fellow retailers and also learn from them.

Advertisement

Industry Experts Hosting:

Table 1: Achieving Omni-Channel Success with Eileen Shulock, VP eCommerce, Kirna Zabete

Table 2: Jumpstart Your Start Up with Christine Monaghan, Director/VP eCommerce, Villa

Table 3: Hosted By: Rosie Manfredi, Director, User Experience, Digital Commerce, Harry and David



Table 4: Attribution Best Practices with Amy Boaz, Sr. Manager Global Digital Marketing, Global eCommerce, Lenovo

When: 5:00pm, Wednesday, August 17th
Korryn Gaines , who was shot to death after a five-hour standoff with police and SWAT officers in Randallstown, Maryland, had prophesied her own demise. In a sixteen-minute video clip taken during an earlier traffic stop, Gaines refused to surrender her vehicle and instructed her five-year old to take her phone and film the police. After she kissed her son, as if to say goodbye, she tells him: "Don't cry. And you better fight." She also tells the police if they lay a hand on her they will have to kill her.

A few months ago, this behavior probably would have seemed totally irrational and most likely indicative of mental illness, especially considering the risks to her son and infant daughter, who were in the backseat. A few months ago, most probably would have believed that Gaines' best course of action was to comply with the police in order to get herself and her children home safely.

Advertisement

But "a few months ago" was before Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.

Now after these and so many other deaths of black women and men killed during minor traffic stops, killed for selling loose cigarettes, or found dead in jail after failing to signal a lane change, Gaines' defiance may gesture toward a desperate tipping point: that the system is so corrupt there is little distinction between notions of legal and illegal. It may also mark the mounting fear that for black people there is little chance of survival during even the most routine police encounters.

Some will dismiss Gaines' militancy as indicative of some kind of clinical paranoia or police phobia, but historically we have examples of black women boldly deciding to disregard racist laws, systems, and social structures. The women who lived outside of the law did so despite the severity of the consequences. Similar to Korryn Gaines, they were ready for combat. Moreover, that Gaines suffered from neurological damage as well as bouts of depression and mood swings does not diminish her critique of deadly racism in the justice system.

Too often we have seen evidence that complying with police officers is no guarantee that black humanity will be respected. Running does not work either. Recall Walter Scott, shot in the back as he fled an officer in South Carolina and Rekia Boyd, shot in the head as she and her friends walked away from an off-duty Chicago police detective.

Innocent children also risk deadly police violence, whether it's a seven year old asleep at grandma's house like Aiyana Stanley Jones or a boy playing with a toy gun in the park like Tamir Rice.

Advertisement

Officers who use excessive force or who have kill unarmed African Americans are rarely punished. Few are even indicted. When they are, even prosecutors like Marilyn Mosby can't win. Freddie Gray, 25, died of "severe neck injuries" while handcuffed in the back of a police van in Baltimore, but no officers will be held responsible.

Moreover, that Facebook deactivated Gaines' account as she sought to document police conduct during the fatal standoff is also deeply disturbing. Fraught though it may be, social media has been critical in exposing police brutality.

And right now, we need more transparency, not less. We also need leaders with the conviction to implement criminal justice reforms such as holding those in law enforcement accountable for brutality and murder. We need to remedy practices that permit armed white suspects to be arrested, unscathed, while black mothers like Gaines are killed with their young nearby.

And officers who are supposed to protect and serve should not be using military grade weapons and tactics on civilians at all, let alone for things like exercising their constitutional rights or even for having warrants for traffic violations.

It is too late to save Gaines's life but it is not too late to grant her and other black victims justice. Maybe if we can do this, all will not be lost.
"I just hope people see I'm not the only child that's like this," Khalil Bridges said. "There are more children that could use the help I received and actually take the opportunity to change."

Khalil Bridges is a student at Renaissance Academy High School in West Baltimore. This quote comes in a follow-up to a longer story about his challenging journey in The Washington Post. The follow-up story talked about the GoFundMe campaign that has now raised nearly $40,000 to further his education.

Khalil's is the story of too many young people of color in disinvested communities across the nation. He has expressed his great appreciation for the help he is receiving as an individual. His concern for others in his community tells us a great deal about his character, and I believe the character and potential of the vast majority of young people in his school and community and in similar circumstance across the country.

Advertisement

And yet our society often seems to focus only on the single individual - helping Khalil but overlooking the support that all of our young people deserve. We seem unwilling to look hard at the inequities that so many young people, particularly young men and women of color face.

At the Coalition for Community Schools we believe that "every child deserves every chance." That's why at Khalil's school, educators and community partners are working to tie the assets and resources of their community to their school.

At Renaissance, Khalil benefited from a principal, Nikkia Rowe, who understood that the lives of her students mattered when it came to their education. Through a partnership with the University of Maryland School of Social Work's Promise Heights initiative, which supports six community schools in West Baltimore, Rowe is mobilizing additional support for her students.

As she notes in a blog post for The Washington Post, "at Renaissance, every single day, we work to triage the trauma and to meet the basic needs of our students so they are able to learn. We love our students fiercely in the face of life-or-death circumstances."

Advertisement

At Renaissance a mentoring program called "Seeds of Promise: Transforming Black Boys into Men" brings four African American men from the community to work with groups of students. Mentors are available 24/7. This next school year, Principal Rowe is looking to do something similar for her female students through "Blooms of Promise."

Hallie Atwater, a licensed clinical social worker, assists individual students to meet their immediate personal and family needs - food, clothing, personal hygiene items, financial support, housing, and mental health supports.

Atwater also works with teachers and mentors to facilitate Restorative Practices with students as conflicts arise, often due to issues in the surrounding communities. Each day begins with a "circle" during which students and staff discuss any lingering issues from the previous day, or a current event, or maybe just their favorite song of the moment. It's a way for the school community to create and sustain an emotional bond, which in turn helps students feel safe in revealing their most urgent needs.

And Atwater involves other agencies and organizations to support Khalil, his classmates, and their families. She runs a bi-monthly food bank for the community with assistance from student and parent volunteers. She assists with a local university partnership through which five students per semester can receive dual credit in a college course on social justice issues in Baltimore.

Atwater makes referrals to other appropriate Promise Heights programs, including pregnancy supports, parenting education, or workforce development. A local community organizing coalition works with students to learn self-expression, self-advocacy, and principles of community organizing. She works with students to find the right post-graduate experience--whether community college, four-year college, work, or an internship.

Advertisement

Nikkia Rowe and her teachers and other staff, and Hallie Atwater and the leaders of the Promise Heights Initiative, are doing everything they can to address the many challenges that all students at Renaissance Academy are experiencing.

As we continue our work, partners in the Coalition for Community Schools will not forget Khalil Bridges admonition to not overlook everyone else. It's a matter of equity.
Woman closing her face with her hands, she has different red and blue nailpolish, standing against bright orange wall

Talking to an ex-Mormon recently, she asked me how I could maintain my membership in an organization where so many people are doing so many embarrassing things. She pointed out that just because my own home ward is a safe place, or just because I live in a liberal Mecca (I don't), that doesn't mean that I can ignore what Mormonism as a whole means. To her, Mormonism has become a symbol of racial, gender, and sexuality prejudice. It has become synonymous with backward thinking, with anti-science, with cognitive dissonance, with excommunication of the best and the brightest. I might argue that Mormonism is also about healthy living, service, about fair treatment for immigrants, and about helping refugees. But sometimes Mormonism and other Mormons aren't always what I wish they were.

It might surprise you to learn that I am a registered Republican. This is partly because I live in what is a de-facto one-party state (Utah) where the Republican party requires I must be a registered Republican to have a voice in primaries, while the Democratic party allows me to vote in their primary no matter what. I have thought about resigning as a Republican, and I haven't done it yet. I may yet do it, but I've happily voted Democrat for several national elections without feeling the need to change my party affiliation locally. I certainly understand those who have resigned their membership in the Republican party because of Trump. I am embarrassed by Trump and by his supporters, and I understand, as well, Mormons who feel they cannot stay members of the Mormon church.

Advertisement

But here is my question in return to those who think that I must resign or risk being called a hypocrite: Am I allowed to be part of no organization if any persons in that organization have any embarrassing behavior? This would surely mean that I could not belong to any organizations period. So, if it is a given that any organization is going to embarrass me at some point, how many Mormons have to be doing what I agree with in order for me to maintain my membership without being called a hypocrite (a word I daresay no human is ever immune from, no matter how honest and authentic)?

I have written about the times when I see the Mormon church as an institution setting policies which I find offensive or backward. Many times, people who have read my essays here on Huffington or my Linda Wallheim series of mystery novels ask when I left the Mormon church, expecting to hear a narrative about my resignation or disaffection from the church. They are always surprised to hear that I am still a practicing Mormon who attends weekly meetings, does her monthly visiting teaching, and has a daughter recently returned from serving a mission.

Am I embarrassed by some Mormons I know? Yes, I am. I see Cliven Bundy, who seems a ridiculous figure, not disciplined by the church, and Orrin Hatch who is calling for Mormons to support Donald Trump. I've watched Mormons in politics here in Utah take bribes, and I've seen Mormons who have been convicted of crimes from child abuse to fraud. I cringe when I personally hear some Mormons insisting that evolution is a "trap" by Satan, or who argue that all science is wrong and that truth from God comes completely differently. I feel obliged to remind people about our imperative to love when I hear some speak in fear or disgust in church about other races or groups. I even have family members whose relationship have become strained of late.

But walking away also doesn't seem an answer to me. Do all the problems disappear if I have my name removed? Are gay children who are trying to figure out who they are better served by those allies who are outside the church or those allies who are in the pews each Sunday? Are Mormons more likely to listen to those who point out the real history of the church from outsiders branded as "anti-Mormon" or those who have educated themselves well and who are helping their fellow Mormons move on Saturday or filling the local cannery assignment?

Advertisement

I guess I feel that I am living the life I believe in as openly and honestly and authentically as I possibly can. I think no one can accuse me of hiding my problems with the Mormon church. But I also think that it is worth my effort. I made a covenant to the church and I will try to honor it as far as I can. This covenant is to mourn with those that mourn, to comfort those who stand in need of comfort, and to honor Christ's name in the way that I live. I think that I can do this on my own terms, following my conscience, without rejecting everything that is Mormon.
The springboard for this post is an op-ed piece authored by Patrick J. Kennedy, the youngest son of Teddy Kennedy, a former Democratic member of Congress (D-R.I. from 1995-2011) and co-author of the book, "A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through The Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction". His piece, first published in the Washington Post, and then reprinted in the August 9 edition of the Chicago Tribune, is titled, "Quit diagnosing Trump's mental state and deal with the real issue." I dissent.

My dissent boils down to Mr. Kennedy's statement, "We can reject Trump without resorting to making baseless diagnoses of his mental health." It is okay, so says Kennedy, to attack his temperament, but we should stop the name-calling and grade-school bullying of him. I guess that means we shouldn't label Trump with any description other than his lacking temperament for office.

Besides temperament, and as reported in numerous publications by noted columnists and writers, Trump's mental health has been questioned, from the use of the colloquial "crazy" to being an extreme narcissist. Just read, for example, Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post ("Is Donald Trump Just Plain Crazy?"), Jane Brody of the NY Times ("The Narcissist Next Door"), Dan McAdams in The Atlantic ("The Mind of Donald Trump"), Ezra Klein on Vox.com, and Richard North Patterson in Huffington Post ("Too Sick To Lead: The Lethal Personality Disorder of Donald Trump"). Hillary Clinton calls him "temperamentally unfit" to be president. Others have used other adjectives, like "dangerous," "mentally unstable", and "unhinged' to describe why he cannot be president. Joe Scarborough, the conservative Republican pundit and co-host of MSNBC's "Morning Joe" wrote in an opinion piece today in the Washington Post that the GOP "must dump Trump" for his various offenses. Even Rep. Karen Bass (D-Ca.) has circulated a petition online to require Trump to undergo a psychological evaluation.

Advertisement

Senator Collins (R-Me) in her op-ed piece ("GOP senator Susan Collins: Why I cannot support Trump", Washington Post (August 8)) stated, "I have become increasingly dismayed by his constant stream of cruel comments and his inability to admit error or apologize. But it was his attacks directed at people who could not respond on an equal footing -- either because they do not share his power or stature or because professional responsibility precluded them from engaging at such a level -- that revealed Mr. Trump as unworthy of being our president. My conclusion about Mr. Trump's unsuitability for office is based on his disregard for the precept of treating others with respect, an idea that should transcend politics. Instead, he opts to mock the vulnerable and inflame prejudices by attacking ethnic and religious minorities." What causes what Senator Collins describes?

Last night, former Senator Gordon Humphrey (R-N.H.), called out Trump for being "unbalanced," so much so that he is requesting the RNC to replace him as the Republican Party's nominee.

Advertisement

But let's get back to Kennedy's thesis about shaming the electorate for labeling Trump with an undiagnosed mental health condition.

To begin with, Trump (obviously) is a vote away from becoming president, and is one of two candidates from the major political parties this election cycle to become the most powerful leader of our nation and the free world. That separates him from every other voter with the exception of one, Hillary Clinton, and a couple more if one includes Libertarian, Gary Johnson, and Green Party candidate, Dr. Jill Stein. Because he (Trump) wants to be our president, shouldn't we be able to critique and judge his every move, action, spoken word, policy, and his use of the English language -- like "dissecting" a lab animal in a high school biology class? He is, after all, the most public of public figures now.

We have heard innumerable times about the mental health disorder called, NPD, or Narcissistic Personality Disorder. The Mayo Clinic describes it as, "a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others." Depending upon where one looks, there are variously 17 symptoms that characterize the disorder. Noted among them are said to be, (1) an exaggerated sense of self-importance; (2) an unwarranted belief in one's own superiority; (3) a preoccupation with fantasies of one's own success, power and brilliance; (4) a craving for constant admiration; (5) a consuming sense of entitlement; (6) a penchant for exploiting or disparaging others; (7) an expectation of special favors and unquestioning compliance; (8) a need to always be right; (9) a tendency to act on impulse; and (10) the visceral reflex to humiliate and degrade anyone who displeases you, no matter the context or situation.

We all have observed what has occurred with Trump for over a year now. His transgressions are starting to fill up a small volume, like denigrating every conceivable group, starting with women and their menstrual cycles; referring to an African American in a campaign crowd as "my" African American; barring Muslims from entering the U.S.; not disavowing an anti-Semitic slur; making fun of the disabled; not considering the likes of John McCain a war hero because he was a P.O.W. for five years; arguing with a Gold Star family; calling those from Mexico rapists; and judges of Mexican heritage being unable to rule fairly and impartially. Living in his own reality, or maybe it is called lying with impunity, goes without saying as we have observed, like inventing a video showing $400M being transferred to Iran at the airport in Tehran. He can't live without complimenting himself with superlatives like the best, the brightest, the biggest, the most... And lest we not forget that he was on the birther bandwagon, declaring President Obama was not born in America but without any evidence; so, too, has he declared days ago that the execution of a scientist in Iran was no doubt tied to the hacking of Clinton's Emails (though, once more, no evidence exist to support this position nor that Clinton's emails were ever hacked).

Advertisement

The list of Trump's miscues is far from complete, and will no doubt be added to daily or weekly. The most recent addition is his using words at a campaign stop in North Carolina yesterday, suggesting gun violence against Clinton by those supporting the 2d Amendment. And yet with all of this -- and repeating Senator Collins -- he has never once apologized for his lies, his misstatements or his misdeeds -- saying something like, "I am sorry" or, plainly, "I apologize".

Though by no means a certainty, but by comparing the symptoms of NPD with the above couple of paragraphs, what is a voter to think? What are writers to say; what should they suggest when they write for the voter to read? And one cannot preclude harkening back to Senator Tom Eagleton from Missouri who had to withdraw as a V.P. pick due to his own mental issues.

Conversely, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) tells us that it is basically unethical for any of its members to make a diagnosis of Trump's mental health without first treating him. This is often referred to as the "Goldwater Rule", after what occurred when Barry Goldwater ran for president. Fine and good, but does the prohibition on members of the APA also mean, in the "court" of public opinion, that voters should not come to their own decisions as to what is responsible for Trump's words and actions?

There can be no disagreement with Mr. Kennedy -- particularly with his personal demons he has had to face (and overcome) and as a staunch advocate for mental healthcare reform -- that we face in our country a mental health crisis; no doubt not one of us is immune from knowing a friend, family member, colleague or acquaintance that has been visited in one dimension or another with mental health issues. He asserts, to which there should be no disagreement, that to toss around words like "crazy" as commonplace is a roadblock for those experiencing a mental illness to openly seek treatment that works. But here is where his thesis and worthy goal for us fails.

Advertisement

For him to say voters in November cannot form or discuss an opinion in psychological terms on what is motivating or causing Trump to say or do what he says and does is to take away an area of real inquiry upon which we need to confront, even by supposition, before we vote. A President Trump, after all, will affect our lives and our futures; will have the power to send our children and loved ones into a war zone with the potential of the ultimate sacrifice awaiting each; and is the person that will have the power to confront other nations militarily with the nuclear option at his disposal. And, unlike Americans who have had to face and obtain treatment for a mental illness, none have taken the stage so publicly as Trump and been so reckless in the process. And unlike Trump, individuals confronting and then overcoming mental illness do so, knowing that what afflicts them will not affect the health and well being of an entire nation.
Cambodia, Indonesia encourage all parties concerned in South China Sea to settle issues through negotiations

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 10 -- Cambodian Defense Minister Gen. Tea Banh and Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu on Wednesday encouraged all parties concerned in the South China Sea issue to resolve their disputes through peaceful negotiations.

"We had a brief talk on South China Sea issue and agreed that all parties concerned (in the disputes) should continue negotiating with each other peacefully,"Gen. Tea Banh told reporters after the meeting.

"(We) should not do anything on behalf of the parties concerned in the disputes,"he said.

Ryamizard arrived in Cambodia on Tuesday for a three-day visit to bolster military ties between the two ASEAN members.
This week, several LBT groups have spoken out against including BYU in the Big 12 based on discriminatory language in the University's honor code.

The letter from Athlete Ally states "...[BYU] provides no protections for LGBT students. In fact, through its policies, BYU is very clear about its intent to discriminate against openly LGBT students, with sanctions that can include suspension or dismissal for being openly LGBT or in a same-sex relationship."

Admission to the Big 12, they maintain, flies in the face of the values of the conference itself, which is strongly LGBT inclusive.

Advertisement

But at the core of BYU's honor code is the stance of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints itself, who owns the university. Church policies on LGBT individuals have become increasingly draconian over the past few months, starting in November of last year when the Church announced a rigid stance on LGBT members.

Under that new policy, developed only months after the Church failed at its attempts to block legal marriage equality in the U.S.:

LGBT individuals who choose to be legally wed are mandated for church discipline (the process that generally leads to excommunication); and

Children of LGBT couples will be barred from certain saving rites, including baby blessings and baptism itself, until the child reaches the age of 18 -- and only then if the child publicly disavows the relationship of their LGBT parents.

The policy, while problematic enough, was expanded upon in January, when Elder Russell M. Nelson, the president of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles and next in line to be president of the entire church, pronounced it a revelation from God, which gave it almost doctrinal status.

The "exclusion policy" (as it's referred to on social media) has prompted backlash from within the Mormon community itself, provoking thousands of straight and LGBT Mormons to officially resign from the church and untold others to walk away or diminish their involvement.

Advertisement

But while adults can choose to walk away, LGBT youth cannot. The policy places on the shoulders of LGBT youth an untenable Sophie's Choice: Either accept yourself as afflicted and broken as a result of your LGBT orientation, and live your life here in a state of quiet desperation and singlehood; or be among the lucky few who fall in love with someone of your own gender, have a family, and be expelled from the faith of your roots -- and along with it your family, for all time and eternity.

It's been reported that some vulnerable LGBT members are seeing no other way out than to take their own lives. In January, church-owned Deseret News reported that there were claims of 32 LGBT Mormon youth taking their own lives.

That number has climbed since, underscored by coverage like CNN's thoughtful piece about the suicide of gay Mormon Harry Fisher, and reports from Neon Trees' Tyler Glenn (also Mormon) highlighting still more tragic suicides.

For some time, many progressive Mormons have drawn parallels between the Church's current predicament and its racist stance on blacks in the late 60s, when black men of African descent were forbidden to hold the priesthood. In fact, in a 1967 article in the Los Angeles Times, the church was referred to as "one of the few uncracked fortresses of discrimination" -- a phrase that could be lifted verbatim and applied to LGBT policies today.

History tells us that external pressure on BYU mounted -- with Stanford University refusing to participate in sporting events in 1969; and in 1970 with six other universities severing ties with BYU over the church's racist practices.

Advertisement

In the end, the pressure against BYU helped ensure church doctrine was changed. In 1978 the church lifted the ban on priesthood and granted it to all worthy males, regardless of race. The change was heralded as revelation from God; and while some reject that claim, I think revelation can be a mysterious thing, often working from the bottom up as well as from the top down -- or in this case, from the outside in.

Like with LGBT Mormons, top leadership really had no impetus to examine what they thought they knew about race until they were tugged firmly enough on the sleeve and told, "Hey, what we have today isn't working anymore. Can you pray for additional guidance?"

But there's an important difference that makes change much more urgent in this case: No one ever reported African American members ending their own lives as a result of the ban on the priesthood.

Let's consider BYU's likely exclusion from the Big 12 another tug on the sleeve of church leadership. Appealing to the moral goodness of our leadership to become more Christlike and change the anti-LGBT policy hasn't worked. Perhaps this will.

And let's not be so quick to do what we always want to do inside Mormonism, and proclaim ourselves victims for righteousness'' sake and our willingness to stand against worldliness.

Advertisement
By Barbara Marquand

Saying the last goodbye in the dorm parking lot, you realize more than ever that you can't protect your child from every risk. It's time to let go.

But back at home, you can assemble a strong financial safety net. Knowing what your current insurance will pay for -- and whether you need to buy extra coverage -- is a good first step.

Here's how to evaluate your auto, homeowners, life and health insurance needs as your kid heads to college.

Advertisement

Car insurance

If your kid doesn't take a car to school:

Ask your insurer about an away-at-school discount. Some companies offer a price break if the college is at least 100 miles away from your home.

Keep the student listed on your policy, so your son or daughter has coverage at home on breaks, says Scott Johnson, manager of Marindependent Insurance Services LLC in Mill Valley, California. Maintaining continuous auto liability insurance also keeps rates down over the long haul.

If your kid asks to take a car:

Consider the risks. "It's the first time away from home. Why throw a vehicle into the mix?" Johnson says.

Let your insurer know if your child takes a car. Some insurers might reprice the policy based on the school's location, Johnson says. Your coverage price might go up or down.

Car or no car, don't forget about the good-student discount. Many insurers offer one for maintaining at least a B average.

Homeowners or renters insurance

Your child's stuff will be covered under your homeowners or renters insurance in a campus dorm. Check your policy for details. Some policies limit coverage for belongings away from home to a percentage of the total amount of coverage for all possessions, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Typically there are also coverage limits on expensive items such as computers. Talk to your insurer about buying extra coverage for these items if necessary.

Advertisement

Students who live in off-campus apartments will need their own renters insurance policies. Renters insurance covers belongings and, like homeowners insurance, provides liability coverage if your kid inadvertently harms someone and is held responsible.

Make sure your liability insurance includes personal injury coverage, Johnson says. If not, you can add it for a small price, he says. Among other things, personal injury coverage would pay for legal defense and settlement costs if your son or daughter were sued for posting something objectionable on social media.

Life insurance

If you don't have life insurance and your income is crucial for paying the college tuition bills, then shop for a term life insurance policy to cover you at least until the youngest child graduates from college, says Garrett Prom, a financial planner and founder of Prominent Financial Planning LLC in Austin, Texas.

"Ideally you already have the coverage you need and have all your ducks in a row, but that isn't always the case," he says.

Health insurance

Check whether your health plan's provider network includes doctors and hospitals where your child will attend school, says Elizabeth Hagan, senior policy analyst for Families USA, a national consumer advocacy group. You'll pay a larger portion of the medical bills for treatment outside the network with a preferred provider organization, or PPO. With a health maintenance organization, or HMO, you may have no coverage outside the network, except in emergencies.

Advertisement

If your kid will be uninsured or will move outside the plan's network, check the following:

The college's student health plan: Most student health plans offer comprehensive coverage. Make sure you understand any limitations, Hagan says.

The government-sponsored health insurance marketplace: If the college town is outside the provider network, your child will be eligible to sign up for a health plan outside the regular open enrollment period. Time the purchase so coverage can begin when the student starts school. Then sign up for a 2017 plan during the annual open enrollment period, which will run from Nov. 1, 2016, to Jan. 31, 2017.

Health insurers outside the marketplace: Consider this only if you're not eligible for income-based subsidies that would lower the price through the marketplace.

You're not alone if you find health insurance confusing. "It's very complicated, and a lot of times, people are left with questions about what to do," Hagan says. She recommends getting help sorting out the options. Contact your health plan or health benefits adminstrator at work. For help finding a marketplace plan, log onto Healthcare.gov to get contact information for free, in-person assistance.

More changes are ahead as your child gains independence. Review your insurance policies annually to make sure you have the right coverage.
By Rabbi Michael Davis, Dale Loepp,* and Philip Farah

This week, members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) gathering in New Orleans for its triennial Churchwide Assembly will discuss a resolution calling for the adoption of an investment screen that will prevent the church's social responsibility funds from profiting from human rights abuses, including Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands.

The religious and spiritual significance of the Holy Land makes the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians of particular concern to Christians, Muslims, and Jews around the world, including here in the U.S. Many of us also have direct personal connections to the region, making the situation all the more urgent.

For nearly 50 years, Israel's oppressive and discriminatory occupation regime has denied millions of Palestinians the most basic of freedoms and rights that we as Americans take for granted, including the right to protest peacefully. The occupation takes Palestinian land for illegal settlements, destroys Palestinian homes and crops, and imposes severe restrictions on the movement of people and goods, preventing Palestinians from living normal lives and systematically stifling their economy. Palestinians of all faiths are routinely denied the right to worship freely at their holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and elsewhere. Palestinians have died after being denied travel to the region's vital emergency health services, such as those provided by the Lutheran World Federation's Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem.

Advertisement

The occupation should carry a special poignancy for Lutherans because the restrictions imposed on Palestinians in the occupied territories often impede the health care, education, and vocational training provided in the West Bank by Palestinian Lutheran congregations and by the Lutheran World Federation.

Seven years ago, Christian Palestinians living under occupation, including Lutherans, united to ask Christians around the world for assistance via the Kairos Palestine document, which calls for boycotts and other economic acts of conscience in support of Palestinian human rights. In the ELCA, this appeal generated numerous calls for study and prayer, but in the past some have also argued that the only appropriate role of a peacemaker is to avoid "taking sides." This attitude reveals a faulty understanding of the realities on the ground in Israel and Palestine, and of our responsibilities as conscientious Christians and American citizens.

That's because the U.S. is already complicit in Israel's denial of Palestinian freedom as a result of the massive and unconditional military aid and diplomatic protection that we provide to Israel, without which it would not be able to maintain its occupation.

Advertisement

By screening out companies that profit from Israel's occupation from its social responsibility funds, the ELCA would simply be taking a step towards greater neutrality and working to prevent complicity in injustice in the Holy Land. In doing so, the church will be adding its own voice and approach to the recent actions of other Christian denominations such as the United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church (USA) and the United Church of Christ, which have taken boycott and/or divestment actions in support of Palestinian human rights.

Palestinian farmer trying to block American-made bulldozer operated by the Israeli army as it is destroying his olive trees.

Increasingly, progressive Jewish Americans, in particular younger ones, are also supporting economic acts of conscience, like boycott and divestment campaigns, in support of Palestinian rights. In many cases, Jewish Americans and organizations like Jewish Voice for Peace, the fastest growing Jewish organization in the U.S., are at the forefront of these campaigns. They do so in the belief that the best chance for peace is to safeguard the human rights of both Israelis and the Palestinians.

The Ten Commandments instruct us: "Thou shalt not kill," but Martin Luther understood "not killing" much more broadly. "Not killing" for Lutherans includes being aware of the pain in our world and responding to those in need -- and especially responding to those who have asked for our help. Similarly, the Rabbinic tradition mandates a religious requirement to intervene when human lives are at risk.

Supporting the occupation with tax dollars and investments is inconsistent with Lutheran, Jewish, and American values. In order to align the church's words and beliefs with its actions, the ECLA should ensure it is not profiting from injustice in the Holy Land. Approving a human rights-based investment screen would be a positive step in this direction.

Advertisement
Although it has been bumped off the nation's front pages by other disasters (like the upcoming presidential election), the ponderous wheels of justice are slowly grinding their way along in the toxic water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Like cockroaches scurry for darkness in sudden light, those responsible for the situation are finding excuses and denials to hide behind as criminal indictments and civil suits shine the light upon the guilty. As important as finding and punishing those responsible for such an egregious situation, what's more important is determining how best to prevent such a situation from happening again in the future.

What is becoming more and more clear is that there was a concerted effort by those in charge to cover up the discovery of the first signs of lead poisoning. Last week six former and current state employees were charged as part of the overarching investigation into the drinking water debacle. According to prosecutors, it is "pretty obvious" that agents with two state agencies manipulated data and implored others not to make known the serious problems happening in Flint. As it stands now, nine past and present state employees are facing criminal sanctions for crimes committed that caused and continued the crisis, and a tenth is avoiding charges in exchange for his cooperation.

Although many on the right are quick to hold the water crisis up as a golden example of government gone wrong, several private companies are accused of similar wrongdoings. At the front of that pack is a French company named Veolia Environnement SA, a firm against whom the state has filed a civil suit that may cost Veolia hundreds of millions of dollars. The firm was hired in the winter of 2015 to examine and remedy the quality of Flint's drinking water. Veolia, knowing full well that the water was clearly not potable, produced a report and gave a presentation stating the opposite.

Advertisement

For its part, Veolia insists that they are merely a scapegoat. Calling the allegations in the civil suit "false, inaccurate, and unwarranted," the company argues that the government officials who caused and continued the situation are using them as a means to deflect responsibility. They cite to a Governor's Task Force investigation that found that the firm's actions in Flint were aboveboard.

However, the excuse that Veolia is simply a whipping boy for guilty government officials begins to lose the ring of truth as more and more of those government officials are indicted. Michigan's Attorney General Bill Schuette has indicated that the investigation, which is eight months old and is poised to be the largest ever for the Wolverine State, is likely to yield even more indictments.

The idea that the situation in Flint is an outlier is comforting, but plenty of evidence suggests that Flint is simply the first of such crises. As municipalities across America watch their revenue streams shrink, the temptation to cut costs and corners with the public water supply grows. Flint ceased buying its water from Detroit in 2014 and drawing water from the polluted Flint River strictly as a cost-cutting measure. Additionally, the city's decrepit water pipes, from which the toxic lead was drawn, were themselves casualties of the cash crunch. And Flint is not unique in this regard, either - the EPA estimates the country as a whole requires up to $600 billion in infrastructure work just to bring its drinking water and wastewater systems into the 21st century.

Profit-oriented private companies are not the answer to a public water crisis, as has been seen, and Veolia is perhaps a perfect poster boy for not leaving public water quality to private firms. The Paris-based company entrusted with Flint's water supply has an impressively terrible record of showing up to a municipality, making the situation significantly worse, and laughing all the way to the bank in the process. Examples of Veolia's egregious behavior abound - in 2007 the firm began importing waste saturated with a military-grade nerve agent and burning it at an incinerator located in a minority-populated city just outside of Houston. It lobbied for permission to import PCBs, which have been banned in this country since the 1970s due to the substance's penchant for damaging the environment and causing cancer in humans, so it could burn them in the same incinerators.

Advertisement

Veolia hasn't limited itself to damaging the United States, either. Earlier this year the firm was accused of dumping raw sewage into the Saldo Estuary in Ecuador. Activists accused the firm of colluding with the local mayor to dump approximately 44 million liters of wastewater into the estuary, putting the health and well-being of some of the country's poorest citizens at risk. The national government has filed suit against both the mayor and Veolia's subsidiary responsible for the dumping.

The firm has left its mark upon Lithuania as well. Veolia's fifteen-year lease agreement over the heating infrastructure of ten of the country's cities led to what is likely that country's biggest corruption scandal. Veolia's subsidiary stands accused of obtaining the lucrative contract through significant and ongoing bribery of government officials, including Arturas Zuokas, mayor of the country's capital of Vilnius. The company resorted to intimidation and violence to retain the contract as well. And, in order to enhance its bottom line, the company is charged with manipulating the price of heating fuel. When the contract came up for renewal and one city chose not to renew the contract, Veolia initiated an international arbitration, demanding 100 million in damages.
Paradigm Shifters is a series of interviews with a select group of women and men from eclectic walks of life. It will highlight unspoken, real-life insights on how they have been able to turn weakness into strength. A naked soul point of view of how their breakdowns were really a preparation for breakthroughs. They are your quintessential paradigm shifters; internal shifts converted into genuine change.

Everything I have ever done has been focused on this underlying theme of shifting the paradigm because, "What we think determines what we feel and what we feel determines what we do." Hence, why Empowered by You takes lingerie, which has traditionally been seen merely as a tool of seduction and redirected that energy as a tool of empowerment.

I hope from these stories you will look at your own situations, struggles and accomplishments through a different lens. At the very least you will be more equipped with real life tools to change your own paradigm. At the end of the day, we are our own Alchemist turning the silver we were born with into the gold we are destined to become.

Advertisement

Kimberly Bautista - filmmaker of Justice for My Sister

How did you get started in film?

I was very interested in social justice movements. I had watched a film when I was in college about women who disappeared and were murdered in Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. That film resonated with me, because I had never watched a documentary that made me want to take action, in a way where there could be real, tangible shifts. After seeing how that documentary awakened my consciousness, I was inspired to create more. Often times, we might not have the necessary information and, as a result, don't take action. We don't understand the implications of our own habits and what ramifications they have in another individual's life. When we can identify with that person, we feel a calling to take action. I was intimidated at first to committing myself to film. I experienced an unfamiliarity with the whole community as well as certain expectations, especially coming from a very middle class background--my father is Colombian, my mother Irish American. But my parents have always been supportive and I have also had mentors who pushed me to pursue filmmaking. Justice for My Sister was my first professional product.

What made you decide to document femicide in particular? And in Central America?

Being of Colombian heritage, as well as a transnational activist, I found it necessary to examine the US foreign policy, beyond Mexico, beyond North America. In the film we make reference to the genocide that happened and the internal conflict that was, in great measure, sparked or upheld by US foreign policy. These wars affirmed the belief that if women were subject to violence they must have done something to provoke it. Over half the cases of femicide in Guatemala are of intimate partner abuse, which is why in my film I chose to focus on one. Abusers know they can get away with it because of impunity, witnesses who are afraid to testify, and the corrupt victim blaming notion that runs these cases.

Is war in Guatemala the only reason? In Justice for My Sister Ricardo says about Adela that he doesn't know "what she did to make someone hurt her." What do you think contributes to this perception that women are at fault for being attacked?

Even in my case, I can't tell you how many people upon hearing my story of survival asked, "Why wouldn't you think that might happen while documenting this story?" I kept asking myself: "Why didn't I listen to my intuition and stay at the other house? Why didn't we lock the door? Why didn't we have a guard outside?" But regardless, even if we had taken all the precautions it still might have happened. By blaming ourselves we're removing the responsibility from the people harmed us. The justice system in Guatemala is not centered from the victim's point of view, even in the US that remains true. When I was trying to obtain mental help from the US, my psychologist asked me, "Why are you attracted to violent people in violent places?" We're careful in our workshops to limit the notion that it's a cultural issue because it's not a cultural issue. It's a social issue, one we contend with all the time in the US. Thankfully, in the US there is a certain level of legal access that is becoming closer to the victim's perspective. That is the result of the feminist movement here. In Central America, many policy changes have been pushed forward by the women's movement, but implementing policy on the ground is a hurdle.

Advertisement

What is the result of the feminist movement in Guatemala? Are you seeing progress?

In Guatemala the feminist movement is extremely strong. With Rebeca, she demonstrated so much resilience through her struggle. There's an amplified sense of victim blaming in Guatemala that is really unchecked. However, there are now more mechanisms in place to quell victim-blaming, by way of coalitions led by women's organizations and many agendas that women have fought for. There are increased gender-sensitivity trainings throughout Central America for judges, lawyers, and reporters, funded by different European Embassies, and administered by national women's agencies and regional foundations. This initiative is called the BA1, it's a campaign to end gender based violence against women. I've collaborated with some of those agencies, as well as U.S. and Canadian Embassies to train police. The interactions with them are always interesting. For example, in Costa Rica, an officer straight out disregarded the training, and told me that they're so far removed from the issue of femicide. But then one of his peers stood up and reminded him of a former policeman who was suspended for domestic abuse. He pointed out that if they have gender based domestic violence in their ranks, these issues truly are relevant in the country. That's why it's important for me to sustain leadership development and gender equality programs with the Justice for My Sister Collective.

Since the release of the film, do you see a change/do you think it's affecting men?

It's pushed men to think about their daily privileges. One of the nephews of our advocates accompanied us to a screenings. Afterwards he turned to me and said, "This really made me think about the ways I've treated women I've dated in the past." For that to happen where an audience member, who just happened to be there, is moved to take inventory on their behavior is incredibly powerful. This realization helps to shift a culture of victim blaming, of objectification of women. Men aren't the only ones who need to take inventory on their behavior. Women often blame themselves for their partner's violence, when the partner is the responsible party. Our trainings aim to teach men and women that the person responsible for the violence is the aggressor.

Breakdown to breakthrough?

With being subject to violence in Guatemala, I can't say there was one breakthrough moment because it's not a linear healing process. You go through cycles of reconciling with what happened. I would say shortly after that horrible experience I was very bent on not being silent. In telling Rebeca, my main character, about my case she said, "This is something that is going to propel you to continue fighting." And I knew that. Even in interfacing with my rapist, I recognized that these young men are attempting to prove themselves to the ringleader. I turned to one of them and said, "Don't you have a sister?" He ignored me, but later that night he basically saved me. We were outside and the ringleader said "you can go inside" and I was so thankful it was over. Then someone else was trying to rape me and that person who I had questioned about his sister defended me saying, "No, the boss said that she can go back inside." When people are hurting you there are still opportunities to see their humanity. This campaign is for women but also to redeem the humanity of men.

Legacy?

In this world, women's voices are so questioned and dismissed and I want to contribute to changing that.
I walked into my sixth American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) conference over a week ago as one of two familiar Wisconsin myths was being told by the queen of ALEC, state Senator Leah Vukmir. It wasn't the one Governor Walker continues to repeat, where newly elected tea party politicians who had all the power took away workers' rights and faced down thousands of school teachers, firefighters and high school kids (aka "the union bosses," who were actually exercising the First Amendment rights our founding fathers had envisioned).

It was the other, lesser known, but equally powerful myth that is eaten up by the ALEC crowd--Wisconsin Republicans had "shut down" a government run amok that had resorted to early morning military raids to suppress the First Amendment rights of "free market supporters" (i.e., ALEC allies and supporters).

These "victims," in case you have forgotten, are the individuals peddling dark money, who run organizations like the Wisconsin Club for Growth, directed by Eric O'Keefe.

Advertisement

The investigation in Wisconsin focused on the previously illegal art of coordination between so-called independent groups and the campaigns of political candidates. That bipartisan criminal investigation examined the funneling millions of dollars among groups whose activities were coordinated by Scott Walker's right-hand man to aid the anti-recall campaign of the governor and several senators.

But the investigation was cut short because a majority on the Wisconsin state Supreme Court, which the Wisconsin Club for Growth and others in the investigation helped get elected through ads and more, issued an edict attempting to legalize such activities under our Constitution. And the Wisconsin legislature, stacked with ALEC members, has changed state statutes to try to legalize activities like those Wisconsin Club for Growth was suspected of pursuing. These efforts are nothing less than an attempt to keep the public in the dark about who really is financing elections.

This Wisconsin myth has helped embolden other efforts at ALEC for state legislators to repeal and resist campaign finance regulations.

For example, the State Policy Network (SPN), another Koch-funded baby that links together all of the right-wing think tanks now in every state, sponsored an ALEC workshop entitled "Protecting your constituents from harassment: How to stop bureaucrats from targeting and harassing people based on their First Amendment beliefs."

Advertisement

SPN handed out a single "how to" sheet that encouraged state lawmakers to resist ethics bills and dismantle government entities charged with enforcing ethics codes (like Wisconsin's independent, nonpartisan Government Accountability Board). SPN also instructed legislators to defeat or repeal anti-corruption legislation, including donor disclosure laws and any regulation of phony "issue ads" that, while not using the magic words "vote for" or "vote against" words, are clearly designed to influence who wins elections.

Appearing at ALEC to make the case that any attempt at clean, transparent and open government is a violation of individual First Amendment speech rights was none other than Eric O'Keefe.

As he tells it, the mischief started when the legislature, after an explosive discovery of widespread corruption and on a strong bipartisan basis, created the "left-wing" Government Accountability Board (GAB), which actually was an independent watchdog governed by retired judges tasked with monitoring ethics and campaign finance laws.

In O'Keefe's distorted reality, special prosecutors were hired to specifically and illegally target conservatives who were running "effective" organizations (never mind that a court oversaw and sanctioned this investigation and that two of the district attorneys involved were Republicans).

As many will remember, part of this dark money included a $700,000 "donation" to Wisconsin Club for Growth from Gogebic Taconite, the company attempting to rewrite Wisconsin's mining laws, which was discovered.

As a result of these various nefarious activities, the Wisconsin legislature "cleaned out" government and campaign finance standards. O'Keefe indicated he does not support any agency having any ability to regulate campaign or ethics activities. And the state's GOP majority, aided by Wisconsin Club for Growth in retaining their majority, ensured O'Keefe's vision become reality by wiping out the GAB and returning to an ineffective Ethics and Elections Board structure paralyzed by partisanship.

O'Keefe got so carried away at the conference that he preemptively announced he would be launching yet another lawsuit against John Chisholm, one of the DA's involved with the John Doe investigation who actually has doing what DA's do, investigating potentially criminal conduct by Wisconsin Club for Growth and others. With a different state Supreme Court majority in power due to dark money spending by O'Keefe's Wisconsin Club for Growth and their cronies, the prosecutors might have been able to bring charges but the court shut down the investigation into their powerful allies.

Advertisement

Sure enough, four days later, the MacIver Institute, one of two right-wing think tanks in Wisconsin and a member of SPN, had filed a lawsuit against the John Doe district attorneys. On a related front, O'Keefe was also trying to get rid of Chisholm by aiding a Democratic primary challenge against him.

This type of excessive litigation to silence prosecutors comes on top of the GOP's destruction this last legislative session of the three-legged stool keeping our elections fair and government accountable: 1) Dismantling the GAB; 2) Gutting our once exemplary campaign finance laws in a massively broad sweep that will allow more dark money to pour into our elections with less disclosure; and 3) Repealing Wisconsin's "John Doe" investigations for political corruption but not for any other crimes.

"Beat 'em then defeat 'em" could be the ALEC tagline and that of our own state government. That is the real story, with tragic consequences. In the name of free speech, ALEC and our own state are leading national efforts to shut down speech from actual people by making it harder to hear through the tidal wave of dark money and corporate cash infusing our elections.
On July 29, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) signed a bill removing the threat of arrest for small amounts of marijuana, capping a record year of legislative and administrative marijuana policy reforms throughout the country.

Two states, Pennsylvania and Ohio, enacted effective medical marijuana laws via their legislatures, making them the 24th and 25th states to do so, respectively. As a result, more than half of the U.S. population now lives in states that have opted to legalize medical marijuana.

This year has also seen improvements to several existing medical marijuana programs. Colorado adopted "Jack's Law," which provides protections for medical marijuana patients who attend public schools. Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont expanded the lists of medical conditions for which patients can qualify to use medical marijuana. Vermont also enacted a law that reduces the required time for a patient-provider relationship from six to three months, allows marijuana to be transferred to research institutions, and requires labeling and child-resistant packaging for edibles sold at dispensaries. Oregon increased access to medical marijuana for veterans who receive assistance from the VA program. In Illinois, Gov. Rauner signed a bill to extend and expand the state's pilot medical marijuana program, and in Maryland, lawmakers enacted a law allowing nurse practitioners, dentists, podiatrists, and nurse midwives to recommend medical marijuana to qualifying patients.

Advertisement

Florida enacted a law allowing terminally ill patients to use any form of medical marijuana. However, this law does not affect Florida's flawed low-THC medical marijuana law for non-terminal patients. It also contains a major flaw in that it requires physicians to acquire medical marijuana for terminal patients, exposing the physicians to potential criminal sanctions and/or loss of licensure.

In addition to Illinois, a number of other states enacted laws to reduce marijuana possession penalties. Kansas lowered the maximum jail sentence for first-time possession and reduced second offenses from felonies to misdemeanors. Louisiana and Maryland removed criminal penalties for possession of paraphernalia, with the Maryland Legislature overriding Gov. Larry Hogan's (R) veto. Oklahoma cut the penalties for second marijuana possession offenses in half, and Tennessee reduced a third possession offense from a felony to a misdemeanor, making the maximum penalty less than a year in jail. At the local level, New Orleans and a number of Florida counties passed ordinances that give police the option to issue summons or citations instead of arresting people for low-level possession.

In states where marijuana is legal for adults, legislators and regulators made notable improvements and progress toward full implementation.

Advertisement

In Colorado, lawmakers passed a bill to allow out-of-state ownership of marijuana businesses and increased the amount of marijuana that non-residents may purchase at retail establishments. Colorado also increased local control of testing laboratories and created a new business category for businesses that transport marijuana. And in Washington State, a number of bills were passed to streamline practices in the marijuana industry and make it easier to apply for research licenses.

Alaska regulators began licensing marijuana cultivators and expect to begin issuing retail licenses soon. Oregon is in the process of licensing adult-use marijuana retailers while currently allowing any adult to purchase marijuana from existing medical dispensaries; Oregon also passed comprehensive regulations that, among many other things, increase cooperation between the medical and adult retail programs, exempt patients from being taxed, allow out-of-state investment in marijuana businesses, and protect financial institutions from prosecution under state law for doing business with the marijuana industry.

In addition to this progress, Vermont came close to becoming the first state to legalize and regulate marijuana for adults 21 and older through a legislature; a comprehensive bill passed in the state Senate but stalled in the House. Rhode Island is close behind Vermont, with both states expected to enact legalization laws during their 2017 legislative sessions.

Looking forward to November 8, voters in as many as 10 states will be voting on marijuana ballot measures. Specifically, medical marijuana initiatives have already qualified for the ballot in Arkansas and Florida, and Missouri and North Dakota could also be in play. As for regulating marijuana like alcohol, such ballot initiatives have qualified for the ballot in California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada, with Arizona soon to follow. Finally, a tenth state, Montana, will be voting to improve its existing medical marijuana law.

This year is already the most important year in the history of the movement to end marijuana prohibition in the United States.
One of the recurring mantras we keep hearing through the campaign is that when Donald Trump says something horrific, people moan, "I thought he'd gone as low as he could go, but I can't believe he just went lower." One would have thought demeaning a grieving Gold Star mother would be the bottom, and yet days later he accepted a Purple Heart medal, saying he was thrilled how "easy" it was to get. And then kicked a baby out of his press conference.

All bottom-feeding stuff, although attacking the Gold Star mother was as low as you'd think he could go.

Oh, silly you.

Because there Donald Trump was, saying -- and I have a hard time even typing this.

"Hillary wants to abolish -- essentially abolish the Second Amendment. By the way, if she gets to pick, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know."

Advertisement

This is beyond hate-filled and repugnant, it's dangerous. Silly hinting in his "I don't know" way about violence to anyone, but especially a presidential candidate. Good Lord, how sick the man must be. Yet his eternally-beleaguered spokesman Jason Miller, who took the job by choice, selling his self-respect in the process, tried desperately to explain the unexplainable away, rather than falling on his knees, begging for mercy and forgiveness, and attempted to scam the world by saying that Trump wasn't speaking literally. "It's called the power of unification -- Second Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power."

Forgetting for the moment that this makes no sense, which is the first step in obfuscation, I hope Jason Miller starts preparing a similar flim-flam for himself when he meets St. Peter, though it's not likely to do him any good. You don't get to be the guardian of the Pearly Gates by being stupid and gullible and violently hate-filled. No, despite what tripe Mr. Miller is trying to sell, this is not called "the power of unification," it's called "inciting to riot," and when someone in the public does it towards a president or presidential candidate, it brings them a visit by the Secret Service. And yes, the Secret Service has said they're aware of Donald Trump's quote, though not commenting on their own actions.

As you might expect, the Clinton campaign didn't accept the fact, shameful reply and were rightfully outraged. "This is simple," the campaign responded through a spokesman: "What Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way."

The campaign also chimed in later again, whining about how the media was misinterpreting their venal Talking Head. Because, of course, it's the media's fault what Donald Trump said. Because he's the best victim, the best. Believe me. I've read many people say that. Many. No one is a better victim. The problem is, when you've run as relentlessly cold, mean-spirited and violence-encouraged campaign as Trump has, you haven't built up a reservoir of good will to believe anything other than the worst. For the campaign to suggest this is just simply about energizing Second Amendment zealots to political action is empty and pathetic. Remember: Donald Trump used his infamous, glib shrug and smirking "... I don't know," the way he always does, to make sure you know exactly that he does know. Because after all, if he was merely saying oh-so innocently that people could get energized and "unite," then there's no reason on earth to be "maybe" unsure if they could and really folks, "I don't know." Because of course they could. Of course they could. And any half-wit knows that. It's the whole core foundation of the American system. And if you want to inspire your minions with some soaring "power of unification" -- you do so. You say it. "You can do this people! You can unite and put the wrath of holy pressure on your representatives!" You don't shrug and say, gosh, hmm, maybe, jeepers, I don't know. The only reason Trump tends to casually adds his "maybe" and gee whiz "... I don't know," is solely because he wants to hint, wink-wink, that he absolutely knows you know. But is too cowardly to say it outright.

Advertisement

Of course Donald Trump didn't "mean" that people should really kill Hillary Clinton. Or judges. (And how horribly does it speak about a human being like Donald Trump when you have to add, "I assume...") But it's despicable. Does Donald Trump not realize that people can actually hear him when he talks?

Centuries ago, King Henry II is famously recalled having said about the troublesome Thomas Becket, "Who wouldst rid me of this turbulent priest?" He didn't really mean it, he insisted. He was just sighing out loud. Perhaps his head of the exchequer explained it away as the "Power of Unification." And maybe he actually did mean it. But let's give King Henry the benefit of the doubt that he was just being careless with so many armed soldiers and aides around. Not long after, Becket was dead.

Hey, Thomas Becket did at least get sainted, and had several plays written about him, and an Oscar-winning movie. So, it wasn't all bad. Just mostly.

As has often been said, with awesome power comes awesome responsibility. Unfortunately, as awesome as Donald Trump thinks he is, he's just a little, little man. Whose sense of humanity is smaller than his hands. And who may never have had a sense of responsibility since even before his father sent him to military school to teach him some.

Advertisement

But there's the thing, the bottom line: if anyone thinks the complaints about what Donald Trump actually said are over-the-top hand-wringing, and that it's all the media's fault for misinterpreting it, consider the reaction if Hillary Clinton had said this about Donald Trump.

Just consider that. I can wait.

If Hillary Clinton ever said these exact words, it might turn away so much of her support that she'd lose the election. In Trump's case, though, of course, he's been heading in that direction anyway. But his most maniacal adherents at the far edges tend to be fine with such violent rhetoric. I do suspect that those more in the middle, though, might be finding reason to dive away.

Whether Speaker Paul Ryan is one of those, we'll see.

One other big thing to keep in mind, too: this of Donald Trump finally (again) pivoting, keeping to the script and acting presidential. One whole day after his Big Economic Speech, which was a bust. To any Republican who think Donald Trump pivoting is possible (or even meaningful at this point, as if we all will forget his horrific, endlessly empty irresponsibility that goes on and on and on), and hope that it will all turn around and all will be well... Do You Get It Now?

Donald Trump is not pivoting. Donald Trump is not going to become Presidential. Donald Trump is not moving to the center. I wrote this 2-3 months ago. This is who Donald Trump is. His whole life. And he's 70 years old now. It's got him to this point. HE IS NOT CHANGING. He's a thoughtless, empty, egomaniacal, racist, misogynistic, sociopathic, mean-spirited bully. He is not pivoting.

By the way, I've posted several Olympic videos produced by my friend at NBC, Clare Duffy. But she doesn't just do sports. Mainly, she works for NBC News, and has done a lot over the years with Tom Brokaw. This is a piece she produced with Brokaw nine months back when he did a commentary on Donald Trump's call to ban all Muslims from the United States. As un-American and despicable as that was, it almost seems quaint today after so much else. But Brokaw puts it and Trump in excellent perspective. And there's an ironic ending to the video -- the Muslim soldier killed in war that Tom Brokaw singles out is named... Khan. And Brokaw talks about how Trump can't exclude him from the list of Muslims he wants to ban. No, this is a different Khan from Humayun Khan whose eloquent parents started Donald Trump down his latest descent into Hell. But what a proper, meaningful perspective.

Advertisement

One keeps hearing that "I didn't think Trump can go any lower, but he did." I think Donald Trump will have to travel a long way to go lower than he did today -- though I think he has it in him to.

*****
There were some stark differences between the Republican National Convention in Cleveland and the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

The Salam, I Come in Peace project was an effort to distribute flower pens in Cleveland, during the RNC, in order to create opportunities for Muslims to interact with delegates and ease fears about Islam and Muslims.



My expectations were framed by my experiences at the DNC when it was in Charlotte, NC in 2012. The actual televised convention in the evenings can only be attended by delegates and guests. But during the day delegates at the DNC attend meetings such as the Small Business Owners Council, the Interfaith Council, the Women's Caucus, and others, which were open to the public. I assumed the same would be true at the RNC.

Advertisement

However, the RNC doesn't provide those opportunities. The delegates spent their days in closed sessions. The only way I found to interact with delegates was to try to find them on the streets as they waited for shuttles or walked to events. But there were so many other people distributing things (many of them protesters) that delegates were hesitant to engage. When we did have those occasions, Republicans were grateful for the opportunity and we had some meaningful conversations. (We gave out over 2,500 pens)



Connecting with a Republican lobbyist

My experience at the DNC in Philadelphia was different, mainly because I was able to attend the Women's Caucus where I heard some inspirational speeches in the company of delegates, volunteers and the general public. I was able to distribute flower pens and have great conversations. When I said I was there to create a positive image for Islam and Muslims the responses were like, "I'm so sorry you feel you have to do that" and "I have Muslim friends". It was heartwarming and I felt loved. With every interaction I was purposeful about letting Democrats know I had a positive experience at the RNC. They were pleasantly surprised to hear that we were treated well and had good conversations; they said it gave them hope.



The Women's Caucus at the DNC

Another big difference between the two conventions was the level of fear surrounding the RNC. Considering that Trump rallies have a history of violence and that there were so many people carrying weapons, friends and family were afraid for me. I was concerned people would recognize me as the Muslim woman who stood in silent protest at a Trump rally and would consider me the enemy. I'm happy to report I didn't encounter any violence.



Police Presence at the RNC

My experience at the DNC was very pleasant, but it was almost too easy. I felt like I was 'preaching to the choir'. The conversations I had at the RNC, although more difficult to come by, seemed to have more impact.

Advertisement

Many Trump supporters tried to explain that Trump is not Anti-Muslim, he's just trying to "keep our country safe against terrorists", but his recent behavior shows me otherwise. In belittling Mrs. Khan, by insinuating that she was not allowed to speak because she is Muslim, he is demonstrating his deeply-seated disdain for Muslims and Islam. Watching him, his advisors and supporters go on a McCarthyesque witch-hunt to try to discredit Mr. Khan is indicative of the life Muslims would face under his presidency.

It is more important than ever for American Muslims to find opportunities to interact with Republicans face to face. I plan to attend whatever Republican rallies I can, not as a protest, but to distribute flower pens and put a positive face on Islam and Muslims and say Salam, I come in peace.
GRAY IN L.A.:

We all know the shopping ordeal. We are willing, we've got the looks, we've got the money -- what we don't have are the clothes that are clearly made for US!

Have you noticed that practically anything fashionable is worn by very thin, very young women in nearly all ads everywhere? So where are WE -- the women who dare to be older than 50 and who refuse to be invisible bystanders? Probably hiding in that empty closet that should be filled with great looking stuff to wear.

But here comes the good news for all the women who've had enough of this Game of Shame. You're not alone! A new study by the London College of Fashion asked more than 500 women aged 40 to 89 about their views on fashion and beauty products aimed at their age group.

Advertisement

Not surprisingly, nine out of 10 women feel ignored and don't think they are represented at all! They demand to see a greater number of older models or celebrities in such ads.

Are you listening, all you designers in love with youth?

Of course, you have your 72-year-old Joni Mitchell and your 69-year-old Jane Birkin -- which Saint Laurent grabbed to "celebrate" age -- for a few weeks last year. Then they were gone. Designer Tom Ford, ever so crafty, went further and practically declared war on ageism:

"I am tired of the cult of youth. The cultural rejection of old age, the stigmatization of wrinkles, grey hair, of bodies furrowed by the years. I am fascinated by Diana Vreeland, Georgia O'Keeffe and Louise Bourgeois, women who have let time embrace them without ever cheating. Society today condemns this, me, I celebrate it." And so on and on.

Well, thanks, Tommy! Weighty words, unfortunately not backed up by much action since he keeps on using very young models for clothes older women are supposed to wear.

Advertisement

No woman of 50, 60 and up that I know of is impressed, inspired or tempted to buy clothes or other products that are worn by gawky teens. Not one! And we aren't all dead fashion icons or famous artists either -- we are women in our best years who'd be happy enough with some fabulous, wearable clothes that don't break the bank.

So, here's the question I have for the male designers: Is it ageism, sexism -- or fear of your own age? I'm talking to you -- Lagerfeld, Lauren, Klein, Kors, Armani & Co. -- all old men.

But that doesn't excuse the designing women who do the same. Jil Sander, Miuccia Prada, Diane von Furstenberg, Donna Karan, Eileen Fisher (yes, even her), Donatella Versace, are all women well over 60 who take their generation completely out of the picture. They don't like and trust themselves?

Miuccia Prada, the 67-year-old star-designer and rebellious spirit behind (and in front of) Prada preaches: "I hate the idea that you shouldn't wear something just because you are a certain age." Pradissimo! But does she actually follow up with her collections? Not really. But she adds a lot of very old typically Italian Mamas dressed in Prada to her amusing spreads in magazines -- and in a way they steal the show. Amusing, but not US either!

Cosmetics are even worse than fashion. Isabella Rossellini, 64, still tells the humiliating tale of being ditched by Lancome once she hit 40. Yes, L'Oreal and NARS took on older stars this year, such as Dame Helen Mirren, 70, and Jane Fonda, 78, to sell their products. But the majority of models for fashion and beauty brands remain under 40. Which of course is truly insane since women between 50 and 70 -- not dewy young things -- are the biggest buyers of "rejuvenating" beauty products.

Advertisement

Maybe it hasn't reached public knowledge but there's more to older women than being shown cavorting around in white-haired senior-groups or being stuck into ads for products with negative stereotypes of old age, like stair lifts or hearing aids.

So what does it take to make the designers and advertisement people understand that they are losing one of the largest and wealthiest groups of consumers ever, by pretending they don't exist or are miraculously forever 21?

Here's an idea. Repeat after me -- just like in the fantastic movie classic "Network" where the entire duped TV-audience is rebelling and yelling: "We've had it! We're mad, we're not taking it anymore!"

Get real! Get a good look at US. Because what you see is who we are!

Earlier on Huff/Post50:
According to the China Times, Xu Xinying, chairperson of the Minkuotang political party in Taiwan, staged a protest on Aug. 8 in front of the office of Tsai Ing-wen, the current leader of Taiwan. The protest accompanied the delivery of a petition signed by 120,000 people challenging the results of the recent South China Sea arbitration. Xu was joined by a number of fishermen whose livelihoods are potentially on the line.

Chen Shengfu, captain of the Man Ji Sheng fishing boat, gave an impassioned plea: Dont point the gun at us. The authorities should send more destroyers to protect the lives and property of fishermen. Chen also expressed his hope that authorities would begin to support to fishermen instead of fining them for simply defending the contested island.

On Aug. 8, boxes filled with signatures were placed in front of Tsais office. An ironic drama was performed at the scene by 20 protesters, whose message was that fishermen might be vulnerable to persecution in the future.

Fishermen have been fishing near the Taiping Island in the South China Sea for the past 40 years, but now they do not dare to continue since other countries have sent warships to patrol the area. Chen added, This has posed a great threat to us but authorities have failed to offer necessary protection.

Xu emphasized that the fishing industry is crucial to Taiwan, but the results of the arbitration endanger that industry. Xu also criticized Tsai for her inaction in the wake of the South China Sea arbitration.

In July, a group of Taiwanese fishermen attempted to protest the arbitration on Taiping Island, but were fined by Taiwanese authorities after returning on July 31.
Earth from outer space

Barely a day goes by where a cause of some sort doesn't call for our attention, action or cash. The immediacy and reach of the internet has intensified this, and - as I discuss here with journalist and academic Hannah Spyksma - are contributing to a blurring of what we call and consume as news versus that we engage with as advocacy. We also talk voluntourism, Humanitarians of Tinder and this one time I sort of got fired.

S: You wrote a chapter on the increasingly blurred line between advocacy and journalism for the forthcoming book Don't dream it's over: Reimagining journalism in Aotearoa New Zealand. It's on a slightly different tack, but what are your thoughts on Louise Linton, the Hollywood-based Scot who recently published a memoir about her time volunteering in Zambia? The Telegraph ran an excerpt at the start of July, which led to Linton being strung up by commentators on social (and then other) media, who expressed outrage at what they felt was a white savior account, and also that there were a lot of holes in her story. As someone who's studied international development in a fairly critical environment, reading the excerpt made me wince - as have, quite amazing, sites like Humanitarians of Tinder, and the barbiesavior Instagram account (image above). Although, those are jaw-dropping in a more hilarious way.

Advertisement

H: Interestingly, the article link is no longer live on the Telegraph website. Says a lot about the response, doesn't it? Since I haven't read the original piece I'm hesitant to comment on what exactly Linton has written. But it's pretty naive to assume that when you write something like that these days, the conversation won't reach the people you're writing about. This is the thing about globalisation; despite uneven access to technologies, as a whole communities increasingly have the capacity to challenge existing communicative power structures through the internet. That includes 'white savior' travel accounts. Geographic isolation or distance is no longer a shield to hide behind in terms of publishing. If you're in Zambia, or in the case of my MA research Vanuatu, then you can join an online conversation when someone writes about you from Hollywood. And this means that there is space for people to begin to have a certain sense of agency over the way they're talked about. Communication isn't one-way anymore. And as the social media backlash to Linton's piece shows, communities don't need or want someone to speak for them. Classic othering doesn't fly in a connected world, the internet is too nuanced for that.

As for Humanitarians of Tinder and barbiesavior: LOL and WOW and cringe. I have to say, in my time on Tinder I did see quite a few of those humanitarian photos but I'm not even going to get into where or when that was... (and for the record those images are not the way to get someone to swipe right IMHO!) Regardless, I am cautious of assuming to know these people's situations also. Playing devil's advocate for a second here - is it just as bad to be taking someone's dating profile and using it to make fun of them? A little schadenfreude, no?

Advertisement

S: Ha, yes I agree! And I'd like to see the stats on how well those profiles do. Hey, I'm Chad and I'm looking for some humanitarian action, if you know what I mean. I bet they clean up. Thinking on these things has reminded me of a job I had in my early 20s, travelling around college campuses in the US, promoting a programme that took volunteers to places like Costa Rica and Thailand. They'd spend one week doing things like digging wells in a local community, and the other doing 'adventure' activities like whitewater rafting. Sounded like a great idea at the time as far as I was concerned: travel around the States for three months, each week on a different campus in a different town, promoting a programme in which students could go help people out, and also have adventures. Wins all round! Turns out it was more of a sales role than I thought, and also highly dodgy, as the company was essentially passing us off as students to hawk their programme, which is illegal. I wasn't inclined to pressure college students into paying a mandatory 10% deposit on this experience of a lifetime on the spot, and once I cottoned onto the dodginess of the set-up, lost even more interest. I'm still not sure if I quit or was fired, but either way I lasted a month. The day of the call that ended the damn thing I was in Charlottesville, Virginia - and after it found myself watching a fortuitously timed free George Clinton concert, wondering what the heck to do next.

Returning from memory lane, I'm glad for that experience - which I now understand to have been promoting voluntourism, a phenomenon that is gross on so many levels. I'm glad for it because, when I later came to study international development it help me keep in check this whole notion of some sections of the world as needing to be saved, and others as being in a position to save them - which, it's no secret, has been a pretty strong driver of aid work over the 70-odd years that's been a thing. (I also grew up in the Pentecostal church, which contributes to this, but that's a tale for another time). Which brings me back to a point of some sort, and that is that: doing good is complicated. Digital platforms offer much to those wanting to challenge power dynamics that leave many fucked, but using the medium as a platform for advocacy can also be problematic. In your chapter for Reimagining you address the issue of charity organizations essentially writing advertorial for news outlets - so, maybe placing a field report related to the work they do on a news site - but that these sorts of 'stories' aren't always clearly marked as such. Can you talk a bit about this? Pros and cons, including the potentially negative impacts, in terms of leading the audience to believe the content is straight-up news?

H: Wow what a story, Sarah! As a side note, do you think all humanitarians of Tinder are called Chad? Now I'd love to see the stats on that! Kidding. I digress... but actually, this is a good place to start because this reminds me of my own humanitarian and voluntourism story that actually leads to answering your question. Oh the irony. To summarise, in mid-2011 as a newbie journalist, and having never sailed before, I paid to join a boat full of environmentalists sailing across the Pacific Ocean. I somehow found myself crewing this 72-foot yacht with seven others, including a diver named Chad, interviewing i-Kiribati locals about plastic pollution on their islands and then sailing to Hawai'i. I wrote a few stories about the people I met along the way, but more than my work outputs the whole experience really got me thinking about how, through media, we perceive others who are different from us. How can I make people care about the pollution and sea level rise in Kiribati - and is this even my responsibility, or right, to do so? - when we can't even have a reasonable dialogue about climate change in New Zealand? I knew these people existed, and had seen their lives with my own eyes, but to many, those islands are an insignificant needle in the haystack of the Pacific Ocean.

Advertisement

These questions about wanting to make people care have stayed with me as I've moved from journalism to academia. My research has been underpinned by exploring notions of 'who is legitimized as a storyteller?' in today's digital environment, and 'what is journalism?' in a such a fragmented media system. I was drawn back to the Pacific region to carry out my thesis research, still looking for answers to these questions. I was interested in exploring an advocacy organization that produced media reports on Cyclone Pam from Vanuatu, in March 2015. It struck me as interesting that the news I was receiving about the cyclone, as it passed, wasn't necessarily coming from journalists or even news websites - it was coming from a group of advocates posting on various digital outlets like blogs and social media. These types of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have to be the epitome of 'wanting to make people care' about an issue. So it seemed a natural progression for me to research this phenomenon. To get to your question, the thing I've realized along the way is that when advocacy and reporting collide, much like deconstructing the ethics of Humanitarians of Tinder, the pros and cons are complicated. There's a fine line between trying to help and providing a legitimate news service.

I guess this also goes back to my experience of voluntourism; it doesn't really work to just say that type of travel is good or bad - those binaries are too simple in most cases. Traditionally, journalism has always existed to document a situation and then the people, of their own accord, should take action if they feel so inclined. Whereas most NGOs are mandated from the start to try and bring about some form of action or change on a particular issue. So there is immediately an ethical issue if you're consuming reports from NGOs - whether on social media, blogs or picked up by mainstream outlets - as news, because it has an inherent bias. However, this is also a very rose-tinted way of thinking about the media at the moment. We all know that commercialism and clicks win most of the time in terms of driving mainstream news content. Companies are mandated with providing a return to their shareholders - so in some ways that original idea of what journalism should be is very diluted in today's commercial environment anyway.

There is a guy called Matthew Powers, who is probably the most notable researcher in the area of NGO journalism. He suggests that, regardless of how you frame it, NGOs are becoming the new boots on the ground for reporting from faraway places. I think that this is actually quite an accurate summary of what is beginning to happen with some organizations, especially the likes of UNICEF NZ - as I discuss in my chapter for Reimagining Journalism. In my opinion, we need to accept the relevance of such organizations to producing news, and start accounting for the role they could play in providing content - especially from regions that feel remote, like the Pacific. And I think it's a matter of how we do this in a way that visibly acknowledges reporting is by an NGO, while still affirming its relevance. I mean, why are these reports going to be any less biased than the commercial imperatives of many media companies that don't even send foreign correspondents on assignment anymore because they are too risk-averse and the return on profit isn't high enough? That said, acknowledging the growing influence of NGOs also puts the ball back in the court of journalism outlets to differentiate themselves from advocacy by providing neutral, factual and quality reporting that addresses all sides of an argument - unlike advocacy, which tends to focus on actioning a cause or fulfilling a preset agenda.

I say all this without even getting to some of the findings from my thesis though, which showed that many advocates don't even see their work as journalism - this 'news' aspect is an unintentional side effect of their advocacy being distributed into a very messy digital environment where I, for one, saw it and read it as 'news'. So that's a whole other layer, probably for another discussion. I go back to the dating and voluntourism analogies: It's complicated.

S: I hear you on all of this. I've bounced between roles in my time as a writer, and I guess have been spending a bit of time wondering what category I fit into at this point. Am I a journalist? Am I a researcher? Am I an editor trying to do too many things at once?! If I do a PhD, would that make me an academic? Can I be all of these things simultaneously, or should I focus on fitting into one category? Am I employable if I don't?

One of my current contracts is as a researcher on an academic project mapping the INGO sector in the UK. At this stage of the project that basically means collating data on what the NGOs we're looking at do and who they work with, in order to get a better idea of any gaps in the sector. Anyway, the NGO I have been looking at this week's entire MO is sending volunteers to developing communities, and placing them with civil society organizations, government agencies, health centres and the like to help train local staff, improve infrastructure - using whatever skills they can bring to the party. Volunteers range from students to parliamentarians, and everything in-between, and include volunteers from the communities and countries the NGO operates in. They do amazing work, and - at least from their comms materials! - it seems to be making a huge difference to the communities they work in, as well as benefitting volunteers on both a personal and professional level.

Advertisement

I'm sure the reality is, once again, more complex, but generally speaking they're volunteering in a considered, participatory way, rather than latching onto people's disadvantage for the feel-goods and Instagram pics, which is the side of volunteer schemes that I have a problem with. That said, motives are subjective things, and even if it was possible to precisely judge them - whose place is it to do so? How much time should we spend dragging well-intentioned folk over the coals, when at least they're using their position to do something to address inequity? However, by the same token - as the example of Louise Linton shows - not critiquing the way people engage in charity and advocacy work can have incredibly demeaning and destructive consequences.

As you say, these sorts of tensions also exist in the media, particularly right now as the industry is undergoing a major identity crisis c/o the internet and other technologies. You noted the expectation of, and need for neutrality in reportage, but there's also often overt pressure to take a position as a journalist - some editors directly pressure writers to seek to shock or be polarising, to win a reaction from their audiences. On those terms, it could be argued that taking a stance as a journalist can equate to advocacy (or lobbying, depending on the topic). In some cases the difference will be clear, but not all - and if a journalist is actively fulfilling their mandate of speaking truth to power, the distinction may blur further. It's hard to remain neutral if you're questioning power dynamics and their effects. And, as you've noted: what's the difference between branded placement of case studies and calls-to-action by NGOs and activist groups, and commercial advertorial for other products or services?

I actually love the fact that none of this is clear right now. It emphasises to me how hung up people still are on categories - despite the fact, I think, it's going to get harder and harder to put people, and forms of work, into tidy boxes. In application, as a freelancer, this can be disorienting and stressful, but it's also exciting and really interesting. I just think the news has bowed to corporate interests for long enough, which to me only reinforces longstanding power dynamics that ultimately do a lot of damage. I'm excited to see what is possible if more independent media outlets are able to find a way of establishing themselves, and to stay independent, in this new climate.
When policy-makers say that someone has fallen through the cracks, we attempt to explain a situation as something that we cannot control. As an elected representative, it is my responsibility to identify those cracks, and propose responsible solutions to repair those cracks and ensure that they do not splinter again.

A good start in life begins with a solid education. In California and across the nation, many students show up to school facing difficulties not of their own doing. Parents, for better or worse, drop their kids off at school and it becomes the school's responsibility to address those difficulties. These problems can stem from household problems, neighborhood factors, or school-site issues. And we know that mental health is one of the major problems that hamper learning. In fact, the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research reports that in California three out of four children with mental health treatment do not receive treatment despite having health insurance.

Los Angeles Unified School District has taken steps to help address this with their almost two dozen School Mental Health Facilities and direct services provided by 300 professionals. Proposition 63, the Mental Health Services Act, has provided funding for school site Wellness Centers and Clinics. As Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Mental and Behavior Health and Proposition 63 Implementation, I am pleased to see a new budget allocation this year for the creation of a statewide Office of School Based Health Centers. These facilities are a strong example of the kind of work that can be done when government declares a priority and takes steps to address an issue.

Advertisement

Mental health dovetails into another crisis in California. The issue of homelessness is closely linked to mental illness. Officials estimate that 30-40% of the homeless in California are suffering from mental illness. The population of California represents 12% of the nation's population, but we are home to 20% of the nation's homeless individuals. Since we began deinstitutionalization in California, we have left some of our most vulnerable loved ones without the care that they need. The burden is then on family members who in most cases do not have the necessary resources to care for their relative in distress.

We have a significant moral obligation to care for the mentally ill and there are pressing policy challenges facing lawmakers. In 2014, a terrible incident occurred in the 54th District that I have the privilege to represent in the State Assembly. A mentally ill individual wandered onto a highway, and a California Highway Patrol officer used questionable tactics to restrain her. The incident gained national attention, with the conversation being mostly about law enforcement conduct.

Poor policy decisions have forced the responsibility of caring for those suffering from mental illness onto law enforcement and emergency rooms. Law enforcement agencies have begun creating mental health response units, sending dedicated mental health professionals alongside responding officers to individuals in distress. If we are to prevent homelessness from continuing to rise across California we must provide the resources for the behavioral interventions and therapies that will help provide pathways to healing and care.

My commitment to improving the mental healthcare delivery system bore Assembly Bill 1300, which seeks to require greater access to care for those on psychiatric holds. California Legislature enacted and the Governor signed the the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act (LPS), some 49 years ago. LPS was intended to end inappropriate and involuntary commitment to mental institutions while safeguarding individual rights. LPS requires individuals having a mental health crisis to be taken to a designated hospital that is equipped to properly diagnose and treat. Since 1995, California's number of designated facilities has dropped from 181 to 138 while the number of designated psychiatric beds has dropped by 2,673. The state's population has grown by 20% in this time, leading to excessive overcrowding of the state's psychiatric beds.

Advertisement

AB 1300 would require all emergency rooms to accept patients on psychiatric holds. This would allow emergency room caregivers to expedite treatment and work more closely with the psychiatric care system. AB 1300 makes it possible for ER physicians to significantly impact community-based health care while still providing the best possible service for those in distress.

Legislative changes in the area of mental health are not easy. They are expensive and require building broad coalitions. Mental health champion, Former Senate President pro-Tempore and Sacramento Mayor-Elect Darrell Steinberg's work in the legislature made significant strides to end stigma in mental health policy. His Mental Health Services Act has worked to provide mental health care to millions of Californians and reduced the number of arrests and hospitalizations for those suffering from mental illness. It is in this tradition that we continue to push for dedicated homeless services revenue in California as well as reforming, modernizing and improving our mental health delivery system. One such improvement is AB 1300.
When industrial chemicals that induce workers' deaths and injuries are secretly covered up in the interests of trade secrets then the global model of trade that relies on huge multinational companies and their supply chains is bankrupt.

Samsung is one of the largest and best known companies in the world but no corporate giant can be allowed to operate with disregard for the lives of people.

If you have smart phone, a television, an air-conditioner - then there's a good chance that you have one of Samsung's electronic products. Or you may have one of their life insurance policies, been to one of their theme parks in South Korea or even seen an advert made by their advertising company.

Advertisement

Samsung are everywhere.

An investigation by the Associated Press has revealed that South Korean officials - at the request of Samsung - withheld information from workers and their families about serious health risks due to chemical exposure.

Campaigners at SHARPS (Supporters for the Health and Rights of People in the Semi-Conductor Industry) have documented that 76 workers have died, and more than 200 cases of "serious illnesses including leukemia, lupus, lymphoma, and multiple sclerosis have been found among former Samsung semiconductor and LCD workers."

Samsung cites its need to protect trade secrets, requesting that the government withhold information about chemical exposure from workers and the public.

If that doesn't shock you enough the fact that South Korean officials are prohibited from withholding corporate information necessary "to protect the lives, physical safety, and health" of individuals, yet say they "fear being sued for sharing data against a company's will," corporate greed is out of control.

Advertisement

And voters don't like it.

In South Korea 77% of people agree that all companies should be make information publicly available to their customers about all contractors and sub-contractors they use.

91% of people in South Korea believe a company is ultimately responsible for and should be held accountable for the actions of their subcontractors, including if they undertake any illegal practices like slavery, forced labour and paying below the minimum wage.

Across Asia the ITUC has accounts of the bullying wrought on workers who are desperate enough to exercise their right to form a union - and as a result they are sacked.

And for contractors in Samsung's supply chains who work with workers in a union there is a contract guillotine - contracts are simply torn up.

The ITUC is petitioning Samsung to end worker abuse and abolish it's no union policy.

Worker testimony reveals accounts of child labour as well as offers of bribes to keep people silent.

Samsung is a huge company accounting for around one fifth of Korea's gross domestic product and its supply chains reach around the world with a predominance in Asia.

Advertisement

ITUC research shows that up to 94% of supply chains workers that multinationals depend on are a hidden workforce: living on poverty wages, and in jobs which are insecure and too often unsafe work for the profits of a company who takes no responsibility.

The model of global supply chains is broken. If the Government of South Korea, a G20 country who sit side by side with world leaders - President Obama, Chancellor Merkel, Prime Minister May - from the 20 largest economies in the world each year, cares less for its workers and denies fundamental right then other governments must act.

Samsung is a business model that has lost its moral compass, based on exploitation and abuse of human rights it its supply chain.
Poor girls living at the bank of Ravi River Near Lahore, might be the poorest area, are Smiling after receiving the Roti (bread) and sharing with each other.

In recent decades, the world has been moved to help girls, especially girls in the global South. The Western campaigns and projects are legion: Girl Effect, Girl Up, Girl Rising, G(irls)20 Summit, Because I am a Girl, Let Girls Learn, Girl Declaration.

The United Kingdom's former prime minister, Gordon Brown, regularly writes about the potential of girls. The popular New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn wrote the book Half the Sky (2009) about the oppression of young women. It has led to the creation of an eponymous movement devoted to 'turning oppression into opportunity' for young women. This April, the World Bank pledged $2.5 billion dollars for investment in girls' education and empowerment projects in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Advertisement

Are girls really the key to societal progress? Why has the international development field converged on the figure of the girl? What kind of girlhood is desired?

Women and girls have frequently functioned as symbols for expressing hopes and fears, a powerful shorthand for the kind of society that people want, and what they think is important. Today, development campaigns often portray girls in the global South as not only threatened by disease, terrorism, patriarchy and poverty, but also as holding the potential to resolve these problems. This combination of promise and fragility makes girls irresistible targets for reform. Girls stand in not only for their own but also their family's, nation's and indeed the world's progress.

Generally, the international development community sees rather particular ways of being a girl as healthy and modern. In short, empowered, modern girlhoods are marked by individualism and entrepreneurship, consumerism, delayed marriage and motherhood, participation in the wage-labour market, and positive public expressions of sexuality. It's a model of girlhood most associated with the white, middle-class experience. In contrast, girls living in poverty, in rural areas or in neighbourhoods rife with violence, crime or drugs find themselves classified as 'at-risk', 'backward' or 'failed' girls. So are girls who prioritise the wellbeing of their faith communities and families, and who value solidarity over individualism. But, all is not lost - education, empowerment and/or leadership projects posit that failed girls can be transformed into empowered, modern girls.

Advertisement

My research in Pakistan, however, highlights women and girls for whom the white, Western liberal ideal of girlhood is neither possible nor desired. These girls viewed waged work not as a 'choice' or a 'right' but as a form of compulsion, primarily because the work opportunities available to them are often contingent and highly exploitative. They called for strengthening local systems of support, including faith-based governance bodies, councils and civil society organisations. The Western international development community typically deems such institutions as patriarchal, oppressive and unaware of 'best practices'. However, my participants found these organisations supportive, especially when public/state-sponsored social services were absent. It is these local organisations that step in when development agencies leave or are unable to sustain projects.

No one is suggesting that all local organisations are exemplars of gender justice - the jirga (village council) who ordered the murder this May of 16-year-old Ambreen in Abbottabad for helping her friend escape the village to marry is clearly not! What I am suggesting, however, is that there are many ways of being a girl. Surely, if girlhood is important, and girls are important, then girls and women in the global South also deserve a say in what kind of life they want, and how to live it.

In practice, the attention on the figure of the girl makes social development appear as yet another individualised project. It avoids attention on the structures, systems and networks that actually produce the economic, social and political marginalisation of girls. For example, the search for new markets in Africa and Asia, corruption, colonial legacies, and the War on Terror all deepen poverty and displace hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of people. But the international community asks girls to take personal responsibility for their welfare. For instance, Nike Foundation's campaign Girl Effect portrays girls as 'co-creators of new solutions' to poverty. How are adolescent girls going to address state corruption and the War on Terror? No one is denying the agency of girls; indeed, I have documented such forms of resistance. However, we cannot expect girls to do this work in the absence of an authorising environment. Putting the onus of solving systemic problems such as poverty, terrorism and disease solely on girls, rather than calling for political solutions, is in reality contrary to the interest of girls.

The convergence on the figure of the girl should be greeted with skepticism. These campaigns tend to render invisible some of the biggest problems afflicting girls in the global South. In the case of Pakistan, for instance, we can begin by acknowledging the political and economic conditions that make the lives of girls and their families precarious. This would include advocating for living wages rather than simply 'jobs'. It would involve protesting the exploitation of the country's natural resources and its people by transnational capital. It would call for legal measures to provide safe working environments, and holding the Pakistani state accountable for re-investing in the enervated social service sectors. Ending the rampant corruption among the political elite, as demonstrated by the recent charges of money-laundering against the prime minister Nawaz Sharif's family, would also help girls because it would help Pakistan. Not coincidentally, it is Sharif's daughter who is leading USAID's Let Girls Learn project in the country. As long as attention remains on girls, instead of elite corruption and exploitation, the revenue streams for the Sharif family remain open.

Effective feminism, feminism for the people instead of the elite one per cent, requires structural changes to political and financial institutions to improve the wellbeing of women and girls. We should not allow feminism to be reduced to window dressing that can be used to transform girls into flexible, low-paid and underemployed workers - the 'human capital' needed to reproduce current inequalities.

Shenila Khoja-Moolji
As military spending comprises the majority of the United States budget and there are correlations between politics, history, war, the economy, economic status, wellbeing and health, U.S. military life, despite having a distinct and largely separate operating system as well as a seemingly consuming yet completely segregated presence, will at some point, inevitably, touch the life of every person living in the United States. As the end of Summer descend begins and we feel the change, that faster pace the Fall inevitably brings, this piece pauses to reflect upon the future of the United States Military, three specific areas of interest and importance, and the challenges and opportunities within this entity and its related populations. Wellbeing, Deployment of U.S. Active Duty/Reservists And A Future Draft While the over two million active duty and reserve status service members across the five U.S. military branches account for "less than one percent" of the approximately 309 million people that comprise the total U.S. population per National Public Radio statistical data , this figure diminishes the actual reach of the U.S. military, which extends further, permeating the lives of millions of people. For example, while the U.S. Veteran population consists of over 22 million men and women who have served this country per the VA ( May 2016 ), this figure does not include their family, which when combined totals approximately three times that amount at 63 million, or more compelling, 20 percent of the U.S. population. In fact, when including civilian Department of Defense (DoD) employees, active duty and reserve populations located in over 150 nations, the DoD are the largest employer in the country ( DoD, 2015 ). Still, despite these astronomical figures and no true major spending cuts in sight, there is growing concern that active and reserve forces are being over-utilized and over-deployed even with recent policy change to official permit women to participate in combat, a process that began integration in 2013 with formal policy changes in 2015.

For the first time in history, the United States' overseas anti-terrorism contingency operations have been carried out without the use of a draft for over four decades with military service participation and recruitment met solely via a volunteer basis. Following the 9-11 attacks, the U.S. amply deployed over one million service men and women to carry out Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) within the first four years. Today, data indicate that the Gulf War Veteran population has reached 7.3 million, officially surpassing the 7.1 million of the Vietnam War period per the VA (2016) with almost one million active component service members.. diagnosed with at least one mental disorder... during the years 2000 through 2011. This data begs the question whether multi deployments or other factors, such as efforts to end the stigma related to accessing mental health disorders can better explain why these diagnoses have risen by approximately 65 percent in the last twelve years, with females and all genders under age thirty, reporting higher rates and what the DoD intends to do should our military workforce, which has been characterized as "smaller" (Pew Research Center, 2011) shrink even further. Moreover, as research affirms that combat exposure "increases the risk of substance abuse disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, major depression and tobacco use," 40% of active duty members are under age 25 (Business Insider, 2014) examination and implementation of neuroscience data which confirms the brain has not completed development is becoming increasingly timely and relevant.

Mental Health



Given the significant mental health disorder spikes, as well as the "unprecedented" increased rates of suicide in the military, both reported within the last decade , it is clear that the issue of mental health in the coming decade and how to best meet the needs and help heal these growing military populations will be unavoidable, particularly as suicide has also begun to outnumber combat fatalities in recent years. This potential impasse between the hierarchal macro and micro systems within the military could present an opportunity to end all barriers to treatment but also embrace this data, which demonstrates that clearly this generation of service women and men are bold and unafraid to incorporate into their value system and "norms," mental health tools and products that will best prepare her/himfor one of life's most devastating and destructive traumas, war. These statistics can also represent a chance to psychoeducate about the fact that no American over the course of their lifetime is immune from encountering a mental health issue and that obtaining more knowledge about mental health best practices to address overall health, strength and wellness are an essential component of rest and recuperation as well as a welcomed addition to tribe culture especially when there is data that readily confirms that the mind is connected to the body, which are both forms of weapons our military need to access during times of War, and maintain during times of peace/rest. While these military mental health statistics do create a pause in which to contemplate why these figures exponentially increased, it is also a chance to reshape and redefine the military's development and definition of a "strong and stable identity." This next decade could prove to be an incredibly exciting point in history as neuroscience breakthroughs shed more light regarding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) issues.

Sexual Assault and Contemporary Society Well-Being

While women make up a smaller percentage both in Veteran populations at 9% per the VA (2016) and active duty forces at 15%, their wellbeing is important not only because many servicewoman identify as caretakers and/or parents but as military sexual assault has "risen by approximately 88%" since 2007, continually dismissing these crimes poses an incredible public safety issue via an entity that is supposed to create the precise opposite sense of wellbeing and safety. If the stories shared by sexual assault survivors are not enough to bring about policy change and consequences, then the data that affirms that rapists will most likely rape again needs to translated into tangible no tolerance policy with unequivocally guilty violators immediately dishonorably discharged and without access to taxpaying military benefits. It should matter that the nation's most honorable are perpetrating the most damaging acts of violence against their own and possibly society. Military populations need to be educated that an inability to control one's sexuality is a developmental defect and a sign of weakness and not at all a part of "masculine norms." As survivors are unaware of the best way to report and document sexual assault, this is also a timely opportunity for advocacy of overdue system resolutions and closure.

Emotional Impact Awareness

These issues can affect any one of us, both on a professional and personal level; it is painful to see the most honorable of populations suffer and sacrifice their lives and wellbeing further particularly when there is a litany of solutions to consider. As sexual assault is an incredibly emotional and disturbing issue to occur among team units that are supposed to be centered on trust, a range of emotions, especially if one has a military background, arise and need to resolved. Moreover, continual denial of these well-founded crimes cannot go on endlessly as public safety issues possibly intensify not to mention that civilian populations collectively acknowledge and support that these populations undeniably deserve tangible and swift justice and safety.

New Insights and Aspects
By Coert Ambrosino

Last week I found myself standing shin deep in the frigid shallows of Lake Michigan, holding the hand of my young nephew, August, who was hesitant to dive in. I helped him calm his breathing, told him to close his eyes after we counted to three, and held his hands as we plunged down and popped back up together.

As I watched August gain confidence and independence in the water, I thought about the many times my colleagues and I are called upon to try something new and challenging at work. This has been especially true with the advent of the Common Core - and the professional development sessions associated with it. Now, with the roll out of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), this is an important moment to honestly assess whether the training commonly provided to teachers actually advances equitable and highly effective instruction for all students.

In the age of the Common Core, teachers like me are constantly instructed in PD sessions to differentiate our teaching to meet the needs of diverse learners and design lessons that allow students to actively engage with rigorous, standards-aligned content. Yet, time after time, the training sessions that districts provide fail to integrate the very approaches they aim to develop in teachers. It's commonplace to walk into a session to see thirty teachers passively seated around a single presenter, checking their phones under the table or taking trips to the farthest possible bathroom to get their steps in. And to think they might miss that next PowerPoint slide or black and white handout! It's no wonder that teachers check out during these "sage on the stage" sessions.

Advertisement

In order to help our public educators teach "to high academic standards that will prepare [students] to succeed in college and careers" (http://www.ed.gov/essa), we must deliver professional development that is differentiated, collaborative, and practiced-based.

Differentiated PD means moving away from a "one size fits all" approach. No one enjoys sitting through a presentation on material they already know or that isn't relevant to their job. Instead we should be offering separate trainings targeted towards specific grade levels and content areas. Teachers and administrators should be able to thoughtfully choose who needs what content within diverse teaching staffs. Recently at my school, for example, we prepared five targeted trainings on a variety of topics and allowed teachers to select a session that best matched their interests and needs.



Collaborative PD means moving away from "sit and get," lecture-style instruction. We expect this of teachers in their own classrooms, and it's time to bring that same expectation to sessions that teach teachers. In collaborative sessions, participants actively engage with the material, share ideas, and communicate with one another in a variety of formats. This structure deepens learning and helps foster a spirit of sharing and support among staff members. What's more, positioning teachers as knowledgeable professionals with valuable ideas to share inspires educators to bring their best effort and energy to these trainings.

Finally, practice-based PD means moving away from discussing general approaches and digging into the nitty gritty of putting best practices into action. In order to help students achieve the heightened academic standards of the Common Core, teachers need opportunities to integrate high-leverage strategies into their classrooms in ongoing, supported ways. So often, districts provide a single training on a new strategy or resource and expect teachers to independently adopt it into their practice. Instead, teachers need consistent opportunities to rehearse proven techniques, receive individualized feedback, share successes, and troubleshoot challenges.

Advertisement

The good news is that there are educators around the country who have embraced this vision of PD. In Colorado where I teach, I recently had the opportunity to facilitate a five-week PD course through a program sponsored by my local union in partnership with Teach Plus. Participants selected from a menu of course offerings and met for three-hour sessions to dive deeply into high-interest, standards-based topics. In each session we built on our prior meetings and reflected on how new strategies we were exploring had impacted our teaching over the last week. This personalized, supportive environment meant that facilitators and participants were in amongst the waves together, working collaboratively, and gaining confidence and independence as we navigated the waters of innovative teaching techniques.

Every year, districts around the country pour big money into professional development, but we get more bang for our buck when we direct those dollars towards programs like the one I experienced through Teach Plus: PD programs that allow teachers to actively engage around best practices in collaborative, differentiated ways.

It's time for districts to stop standing on the beach and telling teachers to swim. It's time to dive in together.

Coert Ambrosino teaches 5th grade general education at Alsup Elementary School in Adams County School District 14. He is a T.A.L.L. Teacher Leader and a School District 14 Classroom Teachers' Association representative. Follow him on Twitter at @CoertAmbrosino.

Advertisement
Book Review: Why we are not a nation, by Christine Qunta.

This readable book by Christine Qunta, free of any jargon, divides into three extended essays. The first, mostly historic and political, is titled Why we are not a nation? The second essay, sociological and psychological, is called Is hair political? - and should be a hot sell among African-Americans. The third is a 50-page part-autobiography called Law, national duty, and other hazards.

It is sad that half a century after Basil Davidson and Joseph Needham's books popularised respectively African history and Chinese mechanical inventions, Qunta still finds it necessary to devote pages to an Afrocentric summary of history.

It is sad that half a century after the Oxford History of South Africa and a steady stream of archaeological publications, Qunta still finds it necessary to debunk the colonial and apartheid the-whites-settled-in-empty-land dogma.

Advertisement

But just read the letters to the editors, and the websites, blogs, Facebook and Twitter of 2016, where the racist memes of apartheid persist and reproduce themselves, and we immediately understand why. Qunta writes:

White supremacy constituted part of the ideological arsenal developed and deployed by colonialism and imperialism, developing an autonomous existence that has survived long after its economic rationale ceased to exist.

The core argument of the book is that South Africa has:

.... a type of post-traumatic stress disorder of a nation, one that cannot be treated because it has not yet been diagnosed. (We are a country) where forgiveness is overrated and justice is underrated.

Qunta advocates a reparations fund; to accelerate corrective policies; that white businesses should learn to think strategically; that schools should be freed from colonial indoctrination; and that African culture should be mainstreamed, especially African languages.

Advertisement

The author's heroes include Marcus Garvey, Franz Fanon, Malcolm X and Steve Biko. She advocates that colonial symbols, including statues, should be removed from public places and sent to museums; the same with colonial names.

Of black hair and Jewish noses

The essay Is Hair political? starts by quoting Ngugi wa Thiong'o that a:

... multibillion industry in the world is built around the erasure of blackness - and its biggest clients are the affluent black middle classes in Africa and the world.

Qunta recalls her screaming in pain as a child when her granny tried to comb her hair straight and her mother burnt it straight, leaving her with marks on her forehead. She then summarises the fashion and beauty industries' war against African hair. In a profoundly feminist statement, she writes:

If the fashion and beauty industries were states, they would undoubtedly be fascist.

The phenomenal proportion of black women still using hair-straightening and skin-lightening products decades after white racist laws have been revoked can be explained by a sociological comparison.

From at least the 1930s until the 1960s, many wealthy Jewish women went for "nose jobs" - for plastic surgeons to make their noses look "less Jewish" and more Aryan. During the 1950s and 1960s many Japanese women had surgeons reshape their eyes from almond to round. Even today, many Brazilian and Egyptian women feel pressured to get a gynaecologist to reconstruct their hymens before marriage.

Advertisement

Not those women, but respectively anti-Jewish racism, US hegemony and military occupation of Japan, and contemporary misogyny and double standards, should be blamed for pressuring persons until they felt the need for self-mutilation.

The third essay, Law, national duty, and other hazards, needs to be compulsory reading for all black women to motivate them to succeed in business. Her pages on the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, after the end of apartheid, vividly remind us of the routine torture, perversion of justice, and perjuring of affidavits under the apartheid machine. She sketches how the apartheid security apparatus tried to turn Advocate Dumisa Ntsebenza, one of the commissioners, into a second Dreyfus affair.

Egyptian civilisation

This reviewer has quibbles with one or two claims in the text, but none of these affect the main points which the author makes.

Ancient Egyptian civilisation is probably best dated (page 3) as emerging not in 4000BC, but between 3400 and 3100 BC.

The claims about Dogon knowledge of astronomy lack independent substantiation. But this does not affect African contributions to historic astronomy, from the calendar to what is possibly the world's oldest Stonehenge at Nabta Playa, dating before 4000 BC.

Advertisement

Shamil Jeppie and Souleymane Diagne's magisterial The Meanings of Timbuktu points out that there was no institute such as a University of Sankore. This was a metaphor that African authors used to interpret for western readers that Timbuktu was a centre of higher education, where students studied under individual leading scholars.

In the Cape, slaves were not randomly given the names of months (page 67); they were named after the month in which the slaver ship unloaded them in Cape Town.

Everyone should buy this book - it can be read over a weekend.


(Photo: Albin Lohr-Jones/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

By Rebecca Traister

In the first week of August, just as Hillary Clinton began to pull ahead significantly in the polls, Donald Trump prophylactically claimed that the only way he will lose in November is if Clinton cheats her way to victory. "I'm telling you, November 8, we'd better be careful, because that election is going to be rigged," Trump said. The next day he dug in further, suggesting that without stricter voter-ID laws, "people are going to walk in, they are going to vote ten times maybe."

This idea of the system being rigged in Clinton's favor echoes recent rhetoric from the left. Some Bernie Sanders supporters spent portions of the Democratic convention accusing Clinton of having rigged the primaries -- a notion that was quickly picked up by the right: "Do you think the general election could be rigged?" Fox News' Sean Hannity asked in a tweet. But it was Trump's friend and sometime adviser Roger Stone who really bellied up to the bar, telling Milo Yiannopoulos that "this election will be illegitimate ... We will have a constitutional crisis, widespread civil disobedience, and the government will no longer be the government ... It will be a bloodbath."

While the blaming of an anticipated loss on voter fraud is certainly not exclusive to this election cycle -- Google "Diebold" and "2004" -- the language used by Trump and his allies, the language of delegitimization, is especially telling, and potentially powerful, in a race against the first woman ever nominated for the presidency. It channels a conviction that has deep roots in our culture: A woman could never really win, not over a man. Her purported victory must, on some level, be inauthentic -- whether because she cheated or because she shouldn't have been allowed to compete in the first place.

Advertisement

Not coincidentally, this was also the argument used in many attempts to delegitimize the presidency of our first black commander-in-chief. The "birther" movement -- led in part by Trump -- questioned Barack Obama's claim to the highest office in the land by suggesting that he was foreign-born, his very citizenship illegitimate. Even after Obama produced his birth certificate, questions about how real his electoral victory was persisted. In the brief period of Election Night 2012 in which it appeared that Obama might have won the electoral college but lost the popular vote, Trump tweeted furiously that his victory was false: "He lost the popular vote by a lot and won the election. We should have a revolution in this country!"; "The phoney electoral college made a laughing stock out of our nation. The loser one! [sic]"; "This election is a total sham and a travesty ..."

Now, surely Trump presents a particularly acute case of White Male Authority Dysfunction, but in his impulse to cry illegitimacy when faced with potential insurrection by a woman or a person of color, Trump is not un-American. In fact, it is a response that runs throughout our history.

Salamishah Tillet, professor of English and Africana studies at the University of Pennsylvania, argues that one of the first acts of delegitimization was a change in birthright laws designed to ensure that babies born to enslaved women and their owners could not be legitimized through their white fathers. In 1662, Virginia declared, in an inversion of European laws long based on patrilineal succession, that "all children borne in this country shall be held bond or free only according to the condition of the mother." Black citizenship, Tillet says, "is always something that has to be proven again and again and again," a reality made clear by the birther movement, which persists to this day.

Advertisement

Demanding proof of legitimacy is also central to the increased voting restrictions designed to throw voters of color off the rolls. A recent New York Times piece included the report that in Sparta, Georgia, the majority-white Board of Elections was "systematically questioning the registrations of more than 180 black ... citizens -- a fifth of the city's registered voters -- by dispatching deputies with summonses commanding them to appear in person to prove their residence or lose their voting rights." It's no accident that these voters made up Obama's base and are the ones most likely to vote for Clinton.

This disqualification of African-American civic legitimacy is linked to the history of American women's precarious hold on rights to full civic participation. Linda Kerber, historian at the University of Iowa, argues that this too goes back to the founding of the country. "When the framers make the nation in the name of free white men," she said, "you always need an other. You need boundaries. So the boundaries become Native Americans, who are dehumanized as savages; slaves, who are chattel; and women." Two hundred and forty years later, she says, you still "can't have a black man legitimately presiding over you, and you certainly can't have a woman directing you into battle."

Women's attempts to assert political authority were regularly regarded as unnatural and therefore illegitimate. Kerber cites Elihu Root, secretary of War under Theodore Roosevelt and winner of the 1912 Nobel Peace Prize, who said that women's suffrage would be "an injury to the state, and to every man and woman in the state ... Woman in strife becomes hard, harsh, unlovable, repulsive ..." Does this sound familiar?

Even after women won the vote, they were barred from serving on juries in many states, in part because the notion that women might be in a position of power over men -- deciding their guilt or innocence, determining their sentences -- was a perversion of the "natural" order. "The argument was: Could you imagine women on a jury sending a man to the electric chair?" says Kerber. (This was also the strain of argument deployed by some white suffragists after the suffrage and abolition movements were split by the enfranchisement of black men but not women of any color: "Think of Patrick and Sambo and Hans and Yung Tung who do not know the difference between a monarchy and a republic ... making laws for [white women]," Elizabeth Cady Stanton famously said.)

This line of thinking is so pervasive that it even crops up among some on the left who likely consider themselves feminists. "I don't cut the Bernie people any slack for what they're saying about it not being fair," Kerber says, noting that undergirding it is the conviction that "it's not right, it's not natural, that this woman could beat him. It's deeply rooted in assumptions that go back as far as the founding."

Advertisement

It's true that the major hit on Hillary Clinton has long been that she is untrustworthy, which makes it a short step to suggesting that her electoral victories are fraudulent. Surely some of this stems from a reputation and history particular to her. But it seems unlikely that Clinton is, by political standards, uniquely dishonest; former New York Times editor Jill Abramson has written of how her many journalistic investigations into Clintonian malfeasance revealed that Clinton was "fundamentally honest and trustworthy." The fact that "she can be so seamlessly rendered synonymous with all things untrue," says Tillet, is at least in part because "religious narratives tell us that women are inherently untrustworthy ... The idea of woman as a liar and as evil goes back to the Bible."
By Veronique Hyland

There's a needle in my peripheral vision. It has to be one of the weirder sensations I've experienced, and I used to be heavily involved in the experimental theater world. I'm staring at its thin shadow courtesy of CAP Beauty, a West Village boutique and spa whose slogan is "Wellness Is Beauty, Beauty Is Wellness." I am lying on a surface that's somewhere between an exam table and a spa bed, contemplating the ceiling as I try to avoid the temptation to scratch my nose, since my face and hands are full of needles and that would result in something out of a horror movie.



Related: Everything You Need to Know About Beauty Oils

I came here for the CAP Lift, a $375 acupuncture version of a face-lift that's meant to be a holistic alternative to treatments like Botox and fillers. "Thousands of years ago, the Chinese were not doing facial acupuncture," admits my acupuncturist, Elizabeth Alexandre. "It's obviously a very modern technique on a very ancient medicine." (This particular style was, she explains, created by an acupuncturist named Virginia Doran.) After multiple sessions (12 is recommended), the treatment promises to help reduce the appearance of puffiness and fine lines and build collagen. I'm just getting one, but "some have seen benefits from a single treatment," per the CAP site, and I'm hoping to be one of those "some." It also promises a "vital mysterious glow," which sounds like a symptom of radiation poisoning, but could be a cool look for me, I guess.

Advertisement

Because I can't do anything without it abruptly becoming uncool, my appointment happens to coincide with a big week for acupuncture skepticism. A few days before my CAP appointment, Scientific American publishes a story about studies casting doubt on the benefits of the ancient practice.

"We have no evidence that [acupuncture] is anything more than theatrical placebo," one researcher is quoted as saying. In one study, patients reported the same degree of pain relief whether toothpicks or real acupuncture needles were inserted into their skin. A doctor friend tells me that she tells her patients "it won't help you, but it won't hurt you," when it comes to acupuncture. That said, obviously people have been doing this for thousands of years, and the practice has passionate advocates in the mainstream medical field (and also, in the field of "being Gwyneth Paltrow").

Clearly, the scientific community is divided, and I have no desire to wade into this feud. The important question here is: Can acupuncture make me more vibrant-looking, especially when I need to look my best for an important Third Eye Blind concert I have coming up?

Advertisement

My skepticism dissipates when I am subjected to the most detailed medical history (and the most involved intake form) I have ever experienced. Now that most doctors have dwindling time with their patients, it's unusual to hear someone asking questions in the unhurried way Alexandre does. She touches on everything from digestion to sleep to chronic conditions. "Even though it's going to focus on the face, I'm still going to assess you from a whole-body perspective," she explains. At one point, she asks, "Are you exhausted when you wake up or do you crash in the middle of the afternoon?" I contemplate saying, "Is ... that an either/or?"

Alexandre says she's going to go easy on my face, since, in her words, "You look ten years younger than you are," and "you have no lines or under-eye bags." (It's not bragging if you're reporting direct quotes from a subject! Self-love is an important part of wellness.) She breaks from her disquisition on my impossible freshness to insert needles into my face and different energy points on my body, like my ears, ankles, and wrists. The sensation isn't painful -- it's more like, "Well, this is happening." At the risk of sounding extremely crunchy, I feel a wavy energy in my wrists, and as I lie prone on the table, I could swear my body is starting to feel lighter. The needles were in for about 20 minutes.

The following day, for the first time in a while, I don't wake up feeling like someone hit me over the head with a two-by-four. In fact, I have a lot of energy, but it's calm energy. I don't obsess over every missed Slack message or unopened email, and I don't find myself crashing (and trawling the office for Swedish Fish) at 4 p.m. The metaphor I keep reaching for to describe it to people: It feels like I'm on really good drugs. As far as the wellness component of this goes, consider me sold.
Last semester I had the opportunity to live in Florence, Italy, a city famed for its food, fine arts, and fashion. But during my time here what I was really interested in was the language. As an itinerant educator - and a linguist to boot - I have always had the lofty goal of learning the language of the country I'm living in. Last year I wrote a blog dealing with the realisation that language learning is not always as easy as I thought, as I was coming to terms with the failure to meet my goal of conversational proficiency in Greek.

This year, I have learnt many things about language learning by being a language learner myself. Living in Sweden, Bosnia, and Italy allowed me to engage with locals in their native tongue and learn the subtleties of their language through practice and repetition. And now I would like to share these realisations with you, dear reader.

Headed to Florence? Visit the Piazza Santa Croce for a stellar macchiato.

Refuse to give in to impatient native speakers

Before I moved to Sweden, I decided that I would make up for my Greek language learning tragedy by aiming to get by in Swedish. How hard could it be? It has many similarities to English and German and is in the first tier of difficulty for English speakers. Although I arrived with good intentions, I fell prey to the most cliched excuse in the book: "But everyone here speaks such great English!"

Advertisement

It's true. Swedes are exceptionally proficient English speakers. When I lived in Greece there were times (although very few, it has to be said) I encountered people who could not speak English very well, forcing me to use my rudimentary Greek skills. In Sweden, this did not happen -- not even once. To their credit, when I originally tried to speak Swedish to people they appeared to be appreciative, sometimes even playing along by answering me in Swedish. But there were other occasions when their time clearly trumped my desire to learn the language, and they wouldn't even humour my halting attempts to communicate in their language.

When I was around 15 years old, I went on holiday to the south of Spain with my family. I had only been learning Spanish for a year or so, but I was absolutely passionate about it and keen to use it whenever I could. When we arrived, we rented a car and in the parking garage I asked one of the staff in Spanish where we needed to go. I distinctly remember him answering me in English straight away, and I remember the feeling of being crushed -- I didn't even try to speak Spanish for the rest of the holiday.

In Italy, I decided to have a policy. I wouldn't speak English to any Italian, regardless of the situation. This was one of the keys to my improved progress -- I stuck to my guns, and I really feel like people respected me for it. And of course, I got the speaking and listening practice I needed.

Sometimes, you may have to admit defeat - or at least accept your shortcomings

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a fascinating country. Ethnically, religiously and territorially diverse, it still bears the scars of a devastating war. Although the physical scars are on display throughout Sarajevo, the people are resilient, open, and warm. Thanks to this, I thought it would be fairly straightforward to learn some conversational Bosnian.

Advertisement

Exploring Sarajevo's abandoned bobsled track

How wrong I was! My background in Romance and Germanic languages could not have prepared me for quite how different Slavic languages are. I managed to learn a few basic phrases, but it really was so different that I could not find enough similarities to improvise. The lesson I learnt from my time in Bosnia is that sometimes it's just too difficult to learn in the time you have available, but learning a few phrases certainly helps out.

Learning something new really is fun

This is something I knew deep down, but that I hadn't really experienced for a while. As a teacher, imparting and facilitating the acquisition of knowledge and skills is something I do every day. One of my favourite aspects of my job is seeing that spark in a student's eyes; the 'light bulb' moment when they really understand something. The pleasure of that moment is almost tangible.

Learning Italian really helped me to experience that pleasure again, and it was quite intoxicating. It was like cracking a code: I'd learn a new tense or some new vocabulary, and suddenly what would previously have been unintelligible noises on the street became part of the code. I then added these to my Italian 'toolbox', and I started progressing from having very basic exchanges to having actual conversations with people.

Personal contact is key

As learners of any discipline, we are incredibly lucky to live in a world where information is so readily accessible. At the risk of prematurely sounding like a dinosaur, back in my day we relied on the teacher, textbooks, and dictionaries for our language learning needs. Although to some extent this has not changed, the internet (and in particular the proliferation of handheld mobile devices) has been a real game-changer. Don't understand a phrase? The Google Translate app will sort that for you, even to the point of merely holding your phone's camera up to it and seeing it magically translate before your eyes. Want to practise your language at home or on the go? Use one of the thousands of language-learning apps and websites.

TGS students engage in homestays to learn more about the local culture and practice language

So this is all great, right? Well, I would argue that although these resources are an absolute godsend in many ways, there really is no substitute for personal contact. One of my first goals upon arrival in Florence was to get myself a tutor, and I had regular, focussed practice with Francesca, a knowledgeable and above all patient teacher. This, in addition to practising with some lovely locals, meant that I made leaps and bounds in a far shorter time period than if I'd relied on Duolingo or Rosetta Stone alone.

Advertisement

Language skills make learning new ones a lot easier

Do you "get" grammar? Do you understand the difference between the present perfect and the imperfect, or the indicative and the subjunctive? If so, this makes your life so much easier when learning a new language. Language has many patterns inherent in its makeup, and if you have a facility with these types of patterns, your progress will be much faster. As such, I would recommend anyone intending on learning a new language read up on the grammar and structures of their own language -- there are often more parallels than differences.

Learning to learn

I really feel like this past year has opened my eyes. I now remember what it's like to be a learner, and along with the conjugation, frustration and translation, there is also elation, fascination and jubilation. Learn to learn again -- you might even learn something!
The election (twice now) of a Black president and stirring speeches by his equally charismatic wife--'when they go low (again and again and again), we go high'--has not changed the fact that when you are Black, or apparently just the right shade of anything darker than spray tan, you are othered, distinct, not fully American, not fully 'us.' So when my husband started the synopsis of his workday, which began with the phrase, "I have a crazy story for you...", I assumed he would tell me about a customer who yelled or an employee who got snippy. Instead, he told me a story that sparked the kind of anxiety that only ensues when you let your mind dip into the pool of what could have been or what would have been had exactly just one detail been different.

My husband is a Black man. To be more specific, he is a bearded, chai latte with almond milk brown complexion Black man. And to be even more specific, when glistening ever so slightly with sweat after walking from the Metro on a hot DC day, he, according to the residents of the quaint DC suburb in which we live and he works, is that perfect shade of brown Black man that signals a threat.

Advertisement

How do I know? I know because as he sat in the lobby of the small arts cinema he manages in said quaint suburb, early for his shift, his cobalt blue button down and patterned tie removed so he could cool down before working with customers, headphones on, listening to Nas, bookbag next to him full of the lemon-glazed yams, jerk chicken, and creamed corn I had prepared the night before, swaying ever so slightly to the beat, whispering to himself...

"it's mine, it's mine, it's mine,

whoooooooose world is this?

The world is yours.

The world is yours."

....my husband was confronted by the sight of two of his coworkers each walking by him twice. After the second co-workers' second gait, he explained, "a woman just reported 'a Muslim man in the lobby praying. The type of Muslim who likes to blow us up.' When we came to investigate, we realized that the man she was referring to was you."

While Nas (and Tony Montana) would like us to believe otherwise, situations like this, remind the darker than spray tan among us that this little part of the world--the United States--is anything but ours. As my husband began the story, I thought I knew how it would end. Rich White women scared of Black man, says something to management (of which my husband is a part of!). End of story. Maybe we'd laugh, maybe we'd get mad, maybe we'd reminisce about the last time this happened, but this particular situation aroused a completely different set of feelings, fears, angers, and anxieties, each more intense than the last.

First, the most obvious (I hope...). Why would being Muslim be equated with blowing "us" up? And why would praying signal a threat? SO WHAT if my husband was Muslim and praying! Last time I checked, neither was illegal (at least until November 8th, they aren't). Besides this most obvious audacity, there's the hypothetical, yet completely and utterly plausible.

Advertisement

What if he wasn't at work and instead was on the public bench just outside of the theater? What if this woman had gone to a police officer as opposed to a fellow employee? What if my husband's lunch bag of yams, chicken, and corn had been deemed a suspicious package? What if an officer had shouted out to my husband to get his attention, and he hadn't heard because of his headphones, and as he reached to take them off, said officer fearing for his life at the mere sight of a Black brown man, responded with a spray of bullets? The result, of course, being that the officer was 100% justified and my husband was 100% to blame; the media pulling up that one time in undergrad he got caught drinking under the age of 21, reinforcing the stereotype of Black (or any browner than spray tan) criminality, strategically darkening his skin in media photos to subconsciously drive their not so implicit bias home.

The ease with which this everyday, seemingly benign act--a darker than spray tan man with a beard cooling down and listening to Nas--could have spiraled out of control and into my mourning was so palpably vivid I had to hold back tears. Illmatic turned into a chant of destruction? My husband turned into a terriorist? Just. Like. That. And if you are not Black or Brown or visibly othered in some way in this country, I can already anticipate what you're thinking. That's a lot of 'what ifs" in that last paragraph. If he was not "doing anything wrong," he would have been fine. And to you, I say, just go back to the facts surrounding the too many to count men and women of color killed by police and other ostensibly justified neighborhood vigilantes over the past few years, and you will see that my "what ifs" actually have been, and are quite likely to continue to be, reality--when you are any darker than spray tan, that is.

And yet, despite these feelings, the wanna be Buddhist in me, really wants to interpret this situation through a lens of compassion and caring. This woman likely felt true fear and thought she was doing the right thing. The weight of what fear like hers has the potential to trigger however, stifles my ability to truly, truly empathize. When, just. like. that., the Black man can become the embodiment of everything mainstream America fears and hates, I have a hard time empathizing. For just like the recovered addict counts not days but each and every moment sober, Black America (and from this experience, I'd venture to say, many other groups in America) counts the hours, minutes, seconds, and milliseconds that fear-laden behaviors such as reporting a man listening to Nas doesn't morph into an act that strips us away from this world that is supposed to be ours just like everyone else's.
Whether your stance is "Black Lives Matter", "Blue Lives Matter", or "All Lives Matter", we all need to do better. I read numerous articles and postings on social media that address the recent events in the United States, and I've come to the conclusion that there is work to be done by all of us. The onus doesn't fall on one particular group, we are all responsible for the state of our country.

I recently read a post on social media that I partially agreed with - the author of the post stated that our police do not need to be retrained, the public does. This stance raises several questions in my mind; How can you say the police do not need to be retrained when a citizen is thrown to the ground during a traffic stop and the video surveillance is hidden for a year? How can you claim it is not the police, but the citizens of these United States that need to be trained when a therapist who was trying to comfort a patient is shot and the officer could not explain why he pulled the trigger? How can you say the police do not need to be retrained when numerous Black males have been killed at the hands of the officers who swore to protect and serve?

I consider myself to be a law abiding citizen. Granted, I have exceeded the speed limit from time to time, but that is the extent of the crimes I have committed. But, recent events make me leery of the image of Five-O in my rearview mirror. I'll be honest, if my taillight is out unbeknownst to me and there are flashing lights behind me, do I really want to pull over? If I don't respond fast enough for the officer will I become another statistic?

Advertisement

Don't get me wrong, I am sure being a police officer is not an easy job. I know it must be difficult dealing with horrific crime scenes and difficult people. But, how much vetting is done before these individuals are given a badge and a gun? Is enough being done to ensure the right people are doing the job? By no means am I saying all cops are bad - they aren't, I'm related to one. However, something is obviously broken and it needs to be fixed. Starting with the belief that we, the public, are the enemy and must be stopped.

And here comes the portion of the post I agree with - we need to train our children. Children are very impressionable and they mimic the things they see and hear. We should be more mindful of what we are teaching our youth through the things we say and the lifestyle we display before them. Children should be taught to respect and obey authority. As I stated before, children follow by example - so, adults should obey and respect authority as well. Having said that, those in positions of authority should behave in a manner that is worthy of respect and the obedience of the public. What would be the purpose of compliance to an officer who has no respect or regard for the life of the person he or she is confronting? The answer to the problem is not one sided. Much like marriage, all parties must be willing to do their part in order for it to work.

I am not saying the loss of lives were justified - they were not. However, I believe the outcome of the incidents would have been much different had more extensive vetting been done on police officers in conjunction with better training. Aren't there better ways to defuse a hostile situation besides deadly force? Or is a better question - are police officers taught other ways to defuse a hostile situation besides using deadly force? Once a life is taken it cannot be undone. There are no "do-overs." My immediate thought when I see a Black male being detained by a police officer should not be, "Lord, please let that Black man walk away with his life." Truth be told, those exact words came out of my mouth on my way back from Philadelphia over the weekend.

Advertisement


Images Courtesy of Shutterstock



When you picture the perfect beach, it's likely that you see clear blue waters, bright beach umbrellas, and colorful sand -- wait, what? That's right -- if you think sand only comes in beige, then you're missing out on some of the world's most gorgeous shorelines.

These 10 beaches are the perfect way to add some color to your next vacation.

Glass Beach (Fort Bragg, California)





One of the best natural examples of one man's trash being another man's treasure, the multi-colored glass pebbles on this beach are the result of trash being dumped in the ocean along Fort Bragg. The trash is broken down and smoothed over by the ocean waves before being dumped back onto the shoreline. Today, the glass pebbles dazzle in the sun and make for a serious upgrade from hunting for shells -- but don't take them home, please! Due to the number of visitors that have taken self-serve souvenirs from the beach, the amount of glass is dwindling.

How to see it: Glass Beach is located on the coast of Fort Bragg, in Northern California's Mendocino County. The beach is positioned within MacKerricher State Park, and is accessible via a side road off of the legendary Highway 1.

Where to stay: If your plans are flexible, the 4-star Heritage House Resort is located 15 miles from Fort Bragg.

Advertisement

Pink Sands Beach (Harbour Island, Bahamas)





Thanks to brightly colored microscopic reef organisms that have washed upon shore and integrated into the sand, the coastline of Harbour Island is a distinct pink hue. In addition to being undeniably beautiful, the Pink Sands Beach offers incredible offshore diving among the area's coral reef. Perhaps best of all, Harbour Island's off-the-beaten-path location means that the Pink Sands Beach is often free from hordes of tourists -- so you and your traveling companions will have the opportunity to stretch out on the gorgeous sands, undisturbed.

How to see it: Harbour Island and its Pink Sands Beach are only accessible via water, and the best way to get around the island is by foot, so leave the car at home (or at the airport) and unplug from the hustle and bustle for a serious dose of R&R -- Bahamas-style.

Where to stay: Double-down on this peaceful seclusion at the intimate, and aptly named Pink Sands Resort, where private villas attract honeymooners and other romantics.

Hyams Beach (New South Wales, Australia)





There are white-sand beaches, and then there is Hyams Beach, which is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having the whitest sand in the world. To accentuate the pureness of the shoreline, Hyams Beach is lined with colorful beach cottages on one side and the crystal-blue waters of Jervis Bay on the other. Those visiting this beach can stretch out on the world-famous sands, check out the rich underwater life via snorkeling or diving, or participate in watersports like stand-up paddleboarding, sailing, or surfing.

How to see it: Hyams Beach is located in the Shoalhaven area of New South Wales on Jervis Bay, about two hours and 45 minutes from Sydney.

Where to stay: A plush way to rest up before or after the drive down, the Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney is a 5-star spot near another famous bright-white waterfront attraction: the opera house.

Advertisement

Red Sands Shore (Prince Edward Island, Canada)





Photo: Nicolas Raymond/Flickr/freestock.ca



Along the central southern region of Prince Edward Island lies a stretch of coastline with a color scheme surprisingly reminiscent of Arizona's red rock deserts: Red Sands Shore. Red clay sands, cliffs and roads dot the miles of shoreline through the areas of Argyle Shore, Bedeque, Breadalbane, Canoe Cove, Clyde River, Cornwall, Crapaud and Kinkora. Though most would assume this area is best enjoyed during summer, Red Sands Shore is a four-season destination and offers activities year-round.

How to see it: From the mainland, visitors can take the eight-mile Confederation Bridge across Northumberland Strait to Prince Edward Island and land right in the heart of the Red Sands Shore region.

Where to stay: The recently renovated Rodd Royalty hotel stays full of free breakfast, parking, and Wi-Fi, and the location near the highway puts all of PEI at close range.

Papakolea Green Sand Beach (Kau, Hawaii)





A truly one-of-a-kind natural wonder, Papakolea Green Sand Beach is more of a hiking and sightseeing destination than a swim-and-sun beach. This is partly because of its geographical positioning -- though Papakolea Green Sand Beach is (duh) located on the water, it's actually on a small crescent-shaped bay cut into the side of an ancient cinder cone volcano. The green color can be credited to small pebble-like deposits of olivine, remaining from a lava eruption 50,000 years ago.

How to see it: Papakolea Green Sand Beach is located on the southernmost tip of the Big Island, and is accessible by either a short drive in a four-wheel vehicle (offered by locals from the parking area) or a hiking trail. Big Island Hikes suggests taking the 2.5-mile trail, which passes through additional archeological sites, including an ancient fishing heiau.

Where to stay: After all that hiking, retreat about two hours north to one of the island's nicest options, The Fairmont Orchid, which has a Travel + Leisure-lauded spa and sits on a private cove.

Red Beach/ Kokkini Paralia (Santorini, Greece)





A geological jaw-dropper, Santorini's Red Beach is backdropped by a wall of red cliffs juxtaposed beautifully against the deep blue waters. The only thing that makes this stretch of shoreline even more colorful is the bright umbrellas dotting the sands.

Advertisement

How to see it: Located on the southern coast of Santorini in Akrotiri, Red Beach is not directly accessible by car. But you can get pretty close. Once you park at the nearby lot, you'll be just a few minutes' walk from the cliffside views and a short hike down to the shore.

Where to stay: Santorini is surrounded by unusual sands -- a volcanic black-sand beach gathers around the Bellonias Villas, where sleek and spacious studios have stunning sea views.

Wai'anapanapa/ Pa'iloa Beach (Hana, Maui)





The eye-catching anchor of Wai'anapanapa State Park, Pa'iloa Beach is known for its deep black sands and black lava cliff. The lush greenery surrounding the area and the bright ocean waters make the black beach even more dramatic. Visitors to the beach can check out ocean caves adjacent to the main Pa'iloa area or explore the freshwater caves, burial sites and ancient temples throughout the rest of the state park.

How to see it: Just off the legendary Road to Hana, Pa'iloa Beach is the perfect addition to this trip itinerary.

Where to stay: A company favorite and "as good as it gets" (Lonely Planet), the Travaasa Hana resort perches on a cliff, and features an excellent spa plus lots of free activities.

Pfeiffer Beach (Big Sur, California)





Among the stiff beach competition that California provides, Pfeiffer Beach is undeniably a standout -- especially in terms of natural beauty. While the natural rock formations, oceanfront vistas and sea caves helped put Pfeiffer Beach on the map, the purple sand (a result of mineral deposits) ensures that this stretch of coastline looks good from every angle. The beach is the ideal spot for spending a day with kids, taking in a romantic sunset, or adventuring with man's best friend -- yes, this beach is also dog-friendly.

How to see it: Tucked into the coastline in Big Sur, Pfeiffer Beach is located within the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park just off California's iconic Highway 1.

Where to stay: An adults-only, Conde Nast Traveler Gold List hotel that members love, Ventana Inn & Spa has nature walks through woodlands, Japanese hot baths, and patios with Pacific views.

Advertisement

Porto Ferro (Sardinia, Italy)





Mediterranean island Sardinia is in no way short on natural attractions, but the golden sands of Porto Ferro are definitely one of the best. The sands orange, ochre color derives from natural minerals, and only accentuates the bright blue waters of the bay and the pine trees of the surrounding grove. Porto Ferro also offers surfing, windsurfing, and diving for tourists and locals alike.

How to see it: Sardinia is not driveable from mainland Italy and, though it is possible to take a ferry between the two destinations, the boat ride can take over seven hours, so flying tends to be the easiest option. Once on Sardinia, Porto Ferro is located on the Northeast coast in the Sassari region. The beach is easily accessible by car, and offers facilities for parking and camping overnight.

Where to stay: Located within a 19th-century palazzo on the seafront of Sardinia's capital city, Hotel Miramare has only 18 rooms that have murals and balconies.

Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach (Vik, Iceland)





The Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is so visually stunning that, upon first viewing photos of this destination, you may assume this beach could only possibly exist with the help of Photoshop. Far from a fairy tale, this Icelandic beach is famous for its black sands, unique rock formations and basalt sea stacks. A non-tropical beach, this sightseeing destination isn't made for laying out or swimming -- in fact, the waves are especially strong and tourists are encouraged to exercise caution by keeping their distance from the water.

How to see it: On the central southern coast of Iceland, the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is near the village of Vik i Myrdal, in the area of Vik. The Reynisfjara peninsula, where the beach is located, can easily be reached by car.

Where to stay: One of our favorite airlines also runs excellent hotels in their home country, and the Icelandair Hotel Vik offers Scandinavian sleekness a five-minute walk from the beach.

With our new hotel search, featuring more than 3,000 carefully selected hotels, find and book deals when you need them.

Advertisement

Travelzoo has 250 deal experts from around the world who rigorously research, evaluate and test thousands of deals to find those with true value.
Entering college in 1961, my sister was told that women weren't allowed in the engineering program. Today's young women still face inequitable challenges, but because of people like my sister, and Hillary Clinton, and so many others who stood tall and moved forward, new doors open every day.

I was nine years old when I visited my sister on campus. It was exciting, until I saw her smoking. I was devastated. A nine-year age difference between siblings can create unrealistic expectations. I thought my big sister was perfect. To see her transgress shattered my youthful ideals. But she simply confessed that good people are human, and humans make mistakes. Bad people, she explained, make bad choices with the deliberate intent of hurting others by word or by deed. It was my first encounter with that important distinction.

With engineering off the table, my sister moved forward and earned a master's degree in psychiatric social work. Soon she pioneered a community outreach program that helped people live in ways that they had never thought to try. But the yearning to work with her hands remained strong, until one day, she literally picked up a hammer and shattered a glass ceiling. My sister became the first woman journeyman carpenter in the Illinois Land of Lincoln.

Advertisement

Years later, she honorably withdrew from the carpenters' union to study the ground-breaking, structural integration work of Ida P. Rolf. She gave full measure to the training, learning to combine her skillful hands with her life skills, and ultimately she became one of the world's earliest Rolfers.

Breast cancer took my sister in 2008, but not before she devoted her last months on this earth to volunteering for Barack Obama. She really loved his spirit. But that year, in spite of my lifelong Republican roots, I wanted Hillary to win the Democratic nomination. My sister and I agreed that we wanted both Hillary and Barack to lead the country. The question was: In what order would that happen? I only wish my sister could have witnessed Barack's presidency and Hillary's historic nomination.

Breaking glass ceilings is no picnic. I remember those certain male coworkers who treated my sister with disrespect and downright villainy. But day after day she dealt with it. She had glorious grit. Her accomplishments taught me that doing well in life is all about tenacity, hope, hard work, resilience, and especially, kindness. She never met a stranger she wouldn't help. I recognize those important qualities in Hillary Clinton.

I've examined Hillary's alleged transgressions as deeply as anyone, and mistakes exist. After all, you can't put yourself out there for so many years without some regrets. But the legends of her mistakes are much bigger than any actual misdeeds, and there is no nefarious intent to be found.

Advertisement

Some call Hillary a liar or untrustworthy, accusing her of parsing words to create lies that suit her, but that is exactly what happens when others talk about her. Words out of context are suspect no matter who says them. Yet I believe that Hillary states what she understands to be true when she says it, relating new facts on a matter as they come to light.

None of the multiple, bipartisan, years-long investigations have found Hillary personally culpable for the horrific attack in Benghazi, yet there are those for whom no amount of authentic discovery will change their minds.

I don't believe she used a personal email server to intentionally or knowingly subvert national security, or because she believed that the rules didn't apply to her. For years, public servants from both parties used alternate communication systems, and when high-ranking officials of the George W. Bush administration wiped out more than 20 million emails that should have been preserved, barely a ripple of dismay occurred.

In spite of the indignation of some, Hillary stayed the course during a time of daunting and public marital strife, not caving to the skeptics who accused her of staying with her husband for political reasons. Lots of married couples face similar trials, work through them, and move forward. Real connection is pretty strong. But in the public sphere, Hillary was damned if she did and damned if she didn't.

And who wouldn't accept whatever amount was offered for a speech? The speaking circuit is rife with political leaders. Further, there were hundreds in attendance at Hillary's speeches. If anything untoward was said, someone would have leaked and exploited those words by now. A compensated speech does not make the speaker beholden.

Advertisement

Every telling of a purported transgression by Hillary gets bigger, like a tall fish tale, but she faces each onslaught with strength. She owns her mistakes, and learns from them, in spite of what her adversaries claim.

I trust Hillary because she is smart, determined, and qualified to be president. I trust her because no one has ever been able to show me how any of her alleged transgressions came from a place of evil intent or even actionable negligence. Humans are not perfect. Mistakes happen. It's learning from one's mistakes that matters.

I trust her because she's a patron of study. She knows her stuff. I admire her because she devoted herself to fixing broken lives and broken systems, long before entering the political arena. I am grateful to her for championing causes that help the less fortunate and for her stellar record regarding animal welfare. I respect her for her unflappable embrace of inclusion.

She may not be a raise-the-roof political speaker, but when she simply speaks from the heart, her words can move mountains. More importantly, she is a solid leader and an indefatigable worker. Those are the qualities that that should drive us all.

It's important to separate things that matter most from things that matter less, and in things that matter most, I trust Hillary to be a strong, thoughtful, and measured president.

Advertisement

Hillary and my sister would have strongly disagreed on some issues, just as Hillary and I do. But it's the big picture that counts.

I've shared a bit of my sister's history because she is my point of reference for my belief in Hillary. It was my own glass-ceiling-breaking, good-hearted, smart, big sister who taught me how to peel back a veneer to find the truth, and I have done that now, to the best of my ability and to my own peace of mind.
Crossposted from UN Women.

To combat the impact of climate change, the indigenous women of Laramate in Peru have turned to ancestral farming techniques with support from UN Womens Fund for Gender Equality. In addition to healthier crops and improved incomes for the community, the programme has boosted indigenous womens participation in public spaces and decision-making.

Magaly Garayar works on her farm in Laramate, Peru. The indigenous women of Laramate use ancestral farming techniques intended to yield more nutritious and weather-resistant crops than modern methods. Photo courtesy of CHIRAPAQ

The indigenous farmers of the Laramate district in Peru know what climate change looks like. They saw their crops shrivel in drought and rot under untimely rain and frost. The production suffered and their children were malnourished, until the indigenous women of the farming communities of Atocata, Miraflores, Patachana, Yauca and Tucuta turned to their ancestral techniques of choosing and conserving the seeds and cultivating the land.

Advertisement

The result has been astounding. The fields are now lush with potatoes, olluco, corn, vegetables, fruits and grains, such as kiwicha. The yield is higher and more diverse, the crops are more resilient to frost and drought, and the products are more nutritious.

The women select healthy seeds, rotate the crops to recover soil fertility and irrigate the land more efficiently, using the methods of their ancestors. Since they no longer use agrochemicals, their products taste better and last longer.

Our land is the only legacy we have. We take care of it as our ancestors would, sowing seeds, but also letting it rest for periods of time, says 37-year-old Magaly Garayar, resident of the Atocata community and President of OMIL (the Organization of Indigenous Women of Laramate), which is supported by Centro de Culturas Indigenas del Peru (CHIRAPAQ), a grantee of UN Womens Fund for Gender Equality. CHIRAPAQ strengthens the capacity of indigenous women in the district of Laramate, provides them with training and assistance to improve their economic condition.

Lucia Rupire, also a resident of Atocata and member of OMIL, has memories of her father and grandfather fertilizing the soil with manure from cows, sheep and alpaca. I started doing the same after the trainings because I understood that the techniques of my ancestors respected the environment while improving fertility of the soil and improving our health. Now we have learned to prepare even better organic manuremy husband is astonished by what we have harvested!

Advertisement

As President of the Organization of Indigenous Women of Laramate (OMIL), Magaly Garayar, advocates for the rights of indigenous women. OMIL helps indigenous women commercialize and sell their products in local markets. Photo courtesy of CHIRAPAQ

Improved yield has led to better economy and health for the indigenous families in the area. In the past we only sowed potatoes, we just ate a bit of wheat We couldnt afford buying anything. Now I grow my own vegetables and our food is better because I combine it with vegetables. Part of what I sow, I cook for myself and I sell the rest to earn some money, shares Carmen Tenorio from the Yauca community.

Magaly Garayar leads a group of 110 women in OMIL who are advocating for the rights of the indigenous women. Machismo remains present in our communities. Most of the time, men didnt allow us to participate in events, activities or workshopsMen were the only ones who made decisions. But now our women are speaking out, our authorities listen to us and our opinions are taken into account, shares Ms. Garayar.

As part of the programme, Indigenous women defending the Motherland: Economic rights and empowering in Latin America, funded by UN Womens Fund for Gender Equality and implemented by CHIRAPAQ, OMIL has also helped indigenous women to commercialize and sell the products in local markets. It has secured the commitment of the local government to support the organization of an agro-ecological fair every month to boost their economy. In addition, the organization helped set up an all-women local dairy business in the Andean region of Ayacucho that has developed a popular brand for cheese, yogurt and other products.
I got my first job when I was fifteen, working in food service at Great America, an amusement park in Northern California. The following summer I was a food service lead and the summer after that, promoted to supervisor. My department held a 2-hour training session covering food safety, scheduling, timecards, OSHA regulations, and that was pretty much it. I wasn't taught anything about leadership, communication, the well-being of my employees or anything else that might fall into the category of: Managerial Skills.

On Monday of my first week in management, I was assigned to run "Always on Sundae," and that Thursday, I made one of my employees cry. She was sixteen, it was her first job, and I teased her in front of everyone because she was taking forever to heat a batch of hot fudge. She didn't show up for work the next day.

Advertisement

I was seventeen years old.

Without realizing it, decades before I coined the term "Accidental Manager" to describe a person who falls into a supervisory role without the least qualifications to oversee the work of others, I was one.

This has become an epidemic in America, and a very expensive one. Accidental Managers are in every workplace, in every industry, at all levels, and they cost employers hundreds of billions of dollars.

That's not hyperbole. Gallup has been researching the state of the American workforce for over a decade and their latest report concludes that employee unhappiness and disengagement costs companies in the U.S. $450-550 billion a year (yes, billion). Unhappy workers are more likely to call in sick, quit without notice, engage in workplace violence and bullying, file workers compensation claims (both false and legitimate, as unhappy people actually suffer more workplace injuries), and that's not even considering the loss of productivity a company would otherwise get from a fully engaged, happy workforce, who will be more creative, more loyal and more innovative than their miserable counterparts.

An even greater cost emerging from employee unhappiness is the presence of disgruntled, revenge-seeking workers on the Darknet - a black-market mall of sorts, where participants who can conceal their identities are only too willing to sell corporate secrets to the highest bidder. Companies are now spending in the billions on security software, data monitoring, tracking and personnel to combat this. If they would take 10% of that budget and invest it into improving corporate culture they'd get far greater returns. The first step is identifying, training and limiting Accidental Managers. Quite simply - don't put employees in charge of other employees without making sure they have the basic skills and training for the task.

Advertisement

When I work with a law firm that is losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in turnover and absenteeism, one of the first questions I'll ask is, "How many managers do you have?" The answer for a large firm is generally, "Around 10 or 12," at which point I have to point out that they have 300 attorneys, every one of whom has an assistant, and supervisory duties over paralegals, junior lawyers, receptionists and so on. Thus, every one of those lawyers is a manager. And none of them has been taught managerial skills. I was a lawyer in a 900-attorney firm and I taught law school, and this kind of curriculum or training does not seem to be offered anywhere. In fact, while I was a visiting professor at Berkeley Law, I took an hour out of my syllabus to teach, "How to speak to your assistant," which most students thought was a waste of time. A year or two later, I started getting their emails, as so many finally understood what I was trying to convey.

How you talk to someone dictates how they work for you, and the Accidental Manager who gets this wrong faces an uphill battle, struggling every day to get their own team to be on their side. Just think of how much that costs their employer!

I have a close friend who is a successful game developer. He got hired by a company to be a product manager and is so good at the tech side of his job, he was put in charge of five of their products, each with a team of about 30 developers, designers, engineers and others. When we had the conversation about what he could do to keep his 150 highly-skilled, in-demand workers from quitting (and especially quitting with no notice, costing the company incredible amounts of time and money), I gave him a quick tutorial about employee satisfaction, and how the great majority of it comes from a sense of accomplishment and autonomy. If he could simply find a way to give each person ownership of a larger portion of the outcome, then essentially stay out of their way as they achieve their goals, he would get far more out of everyone. Flash forward a few months and that proved to be so true that he called me, bordering on furious, asking, "Why didn't they just tell me this in the first place?!"

There are three answers to that question. The first is that upper management doesn't know it themselves. They came up through the ranks under their share of Accidental Managers and have never seen mindful, effective team leadership modeled. The second is that if they are aware of what makes for good managerial practices, they assume everyone already knows this as well, intuitively. That's a grave mistake. Nothing about modern workforce management is instinctive. For most of human existence, our leaders were those who were the biggest, strongest and most aggressive -- the ones who the tribe most feared. In today's culture, fear is not a motivator for employee engagement, and yet, our instinct still tells us it is.

The number one factor that motivates employees is the feeling of making progress in their work (think about it - isn't that what motivates you?), and yet, when Terese Amabile at Harvard Business School asked managers across a wide range of industries at various levels of management to rank the effectiveness of factors that motivate employees, 95% of them ranked "Making Progress" last - dead last!

The skills that managers need to create a positive culture are not intuitive and most people do not possess them naturally. Organizations need to invest in training for this if they want to achieve it.

Which brings us to the third answer to my friend's question: Employee unhappiness is not a line item in the P&L statement. If it were, it would get an emergency response. People in the C-Suites and HR are not paying enough attention to how much their Accidental Managers, their toxic employees, their demoralizing policies, etc. cost them, in very real dollars, every day. If they would address these issues, they'd see immediate, impressive results.

They are also afraid to tell someone higher up on the ladder that they're spending money on something so seemingly frivolous as "Workplace Happiness." But one only has to look at the research in this area being done by Gallup, Harvard and U.C. Riverside to realize that nothing could be more cost-effective or provide greater returns than investing in training managers how to establish and grow workforce happiness. This pays off exponentially and over a longer period than just about any other program.

Advertisement

Here are three simple starting steps to lowering costs, increasing productivity and maximizing profits by making employee happiness a priority:

Lose the Accidental Managers. Stop promoting people into management roles without giving them any training in how to effectively manage other human beings. A management role is any job that requires someone else to report to it. Don't let executives who have no clue how to motivate and engage workers be put in charge of others by virtue of their education, seniority or job title. A one-hour session guiding supervisors how to talk to their direct reports can save hundreds of thousands of dollars in turnover, absenteeism and theft. Fire all of the toxic people. You know who they are. You think you need them, but if they got hit by a bus tomorrow, your company would survive and they are costing far more than you're willing to admit. Look at the absenteeism and turnover in every department and if one is a standard deviation above the rest, go find out who there is toxic and give them a chance to improve. If they won't (or can't), show them the door. Give employees clear directions, then get out of their way. The #1 factor in workplace happiness is a person's sense of accomplishment. That's all any of us wants from a job -- the feeling that we can do it and do it well. The #2 factor is autonomy -- being able to do our jobs without interference. #3 is appreciation of our work. Don't take your employees' efforts for granted. When they're giving you what you need, tell them. Often. In fact, lead with it. If you give people those three things: appreciation, clear directions and confidence in their ability to do the job, it's worth more than all the Friday bagels and foosball tables in the world.

These changes cost virtually nothing.

They save millions.

Leaders who ignore this deserve to lose the money they're losing sticking with that same outdated view that employees should just do what they're told and be grateful that they have jobs.



Focus on happiness in the workplace and not only will you have a more pleasant place to spend one-third of your waking hours, but you'll have an incredible ROI to show for it.

----------------

This article originally appeared on LinkedIn.
Even the best intentions can backfire. As if that weren't frustrating enough, sometimes such negative fallout could easily have been avoided with a working knowledge of cultural intelligence.

Consider the story I'm going to share with you this month. It's about one man's strategy to solve a cultural challenge created by a merger between his North American engineering firm and a Chinese manufacturing plant, and it's a microcosm of issues people in global business face on a daily basis.

We'll call the man "Kevin." And despite Kevin's efforts to do what he considered to be the right thing, he still got stung. Now, he's unfortunately receiving the cold shoulder from the Chinese team. Instead of earning their trust, he's given them a major reason to trust neither him nor the company's entire U.S. operation.

Advertisement

When it comes to global teamwork, great intentions simply aren't enough.

Although I've known Kevin for years, we've never officially worked together. But when the merger went through between his Southeastern United States firm and the Beijing manufacturing plant, he turned to me for help.

Kevin is a man who has not traveled overseas much, yet for much of his career he's worked for multinational companies. When his current company became involved in the China merger, vast cultural differences soon surfaced. Some were much more complicated and noticeable than others, and they led to costly delays and mistakes.

Recognizing that everybody associated with the merger was treading uncharted international waters, Kevin contacted me to request a proposal for Professional Passport to work with his company and help executives and other employees navigate these global challenges. I told him my firm typically does not prepare proposals without first having a conversation with involved stakeholders to fully understand the roots of those challenges.

Kevin responded that it was too early for him to introduce me to his leadership team, but I forwarded him some valuable materials and spent one hour on the phone with Kevin and the U.S. vice president of manufacturing, who understood the power of cultural intelligence.

Advertisement

What Kevin did next is very typical of how linear, solution driven Westerners tend to behave: He recommended that his CEO hire Professional Passport to help remove some of the tensions between the American and Chinese teams that were now expected to work seamlessly together.

Kevin's CEO liked the potential he saw in such a solution and presented the idea to his counterpart in China. The idea backfired, though, when the Chinese leader took offense at not being included in the decision-making process. That leader rejected the U.S. firm's idea and suggested that his team sort out its problems on its own -- even though those problems lie in adaptive solutions that the Chinese leader is unable to pinpoint, not the technical ones to which he naturally reverts.

Learn from your mistakes and avoid them next time.

In this specific case, instead of taking his proposed solution to his American CEO, Kevin should have initiated a private conversation with members of the Chinese team and engaged them in a conversation about the cultural struggles employees were encountering. By asking questions of the Chinese, he might have learned more about their views on the issue and determined how receptive the Beijing crew would be to outside assistance.

If Chinese leaders had shown interest, Kevin could have offered to facilitate the meeting with Professional Passport while being discreet about a possible partnership. This would have indicated to the Chinese leader that Kevin was empathetic with the China team and demonstrated he had the interest of the organization as a whole in mind.

Instead, and this inadvertently, Kevin looked to the Chinese as if he attempted to be the savior of the company to his own boss while portraying leaders of the China operation as lacking initiative and resources. It was the wrong move as the Chinese, for centuries, have maintained a strong concept of pride in self and don't like to lose face.

Advertisement

Commit to a culture of cultural intelligence.

This small misstep in handling what could have been perceived as a smart and time saving initiative will wind up costing Kevin's company dearly in time and dollars.

Such missed opportunities are common among multinational companies with employees who, while seeing the value of investing in cultural intelligence, have a hard time adapting their behaviors while tempering their own ideas of how to achieve success.

Most business executives consider cultural intelligence something required to gain market share or resolve problems with international vendors once they occur. Few understand the need for a high degree of cultural intelligence when trying to influence and gain the trust of internal partners who don't share the same cultural backgrounds, expectations and values.
Question: A couple of years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that the Voting Rights Act was no longer necessary because racial bias had been overcome. What do you have to say to those Justices?

Answer: Once they made that decision, immediately we have reverted back to the Jim Crow days.

(In a lot of the Southern States?)

Not only the Southern States, the Northern ones too. They have all set up obstacles to voting.

Photo I.D. laws, making it more difficult for College Students to register, a lot of obstacles are now there. They opened the floodgates to the Jim Crow Days
Money

The real world is quite complicated. We make sense of it for the purposes of assessing policies by using the shorthand incorporated in accepted myths and memories. For instance, James W. Loewen explains how the many "facts" that can be brought to bear to explain the Civil War have been condensed into a myth that the Confederacy was about protecting states' rights and intersectional differences over policies from an overpowering federal government. This myth, or the sense of memory that most Americans have in understanding the Civil War, of course masks the racism inherent in most right-wing extremism in the United States today. That "memory" of the Civil War, lets people look past the racism of Donald Trump, to interpret him as heir to that stream of Americana of someone who bravely battles the meddling federal government in Washington.

Advertisement

But, myth and memory also are key to economic thinking. Economics can be equally complex as history. Making sense of what role fiscal deficits play in the economy, or trade, or minimum wages are wrapped in simplifying stories--or myths. Unfortunately, just as with the concept of the Confederacy as noble, many Americans hold to economic myths that are harmful. Fiscal deficits are very necessary to run when the economy is stuck, as it is now, with inadequate aggregate demand to promote a healthy level of business investment and consumer demand to accelerate job growth. Yet, most Americans believe that when Washington, D.C., runs a deficit it is a job killer, and somehow not virtuous. Even President Barack Obama delivered such a speech in February 2010 about American households tightening their belts during the recession meant that Americans expected to see the government also tighten its belt, despite only one month of positive monthly job growth out of the past 24.

The biggest conceit of the neoliberal agenda has been to convince Americans that what is good for Wall Street is good for America. This "trickle-down" has led to policies that suppress wages, lower corporate taxes and undermine public investment and the legitimacy of laws that regulate business behavior to protect workers and our environment. The revolt taking place in this year's election is a testament to Abraham Lincoln's famous observation about Americans: "You can fool all the people some of the time, and you can fool some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time."

Donald Trump has manipulated the anti-intellectual bent the Republican Party took in assailing "liberal" elite institutions and on the back of the Confederate myth, attacked the Washington elite on behalf of the white yeoman while truly advocating the same oligarchy protection that was always the truth of the Confederacy--a government whose sole purpose was to protect the wealth of the wealthy planter class.

Hillary Clinton has embraced the progressive platform of the Democratic Party that rejects the neoliberal case as well. It calls for raising the minimum wage, restoring public investment in our infrastructure and in our human capital by doubling down on college affordability. It also calls on corporations and the rich to pay their fair share of taxes, noting that the tax cuts given them by former President George W. Bush did not result in rising incomes for anyone but the 1%.

Advertisement

But another myth is that America has been signing "free trade" agreements that enhance the competitiveness of America's manufactured goods. The clear evidence is that since going down that policy path, the non-oil trade deficit of the United States has exploded; and the jobs of Americans in those fields has collapsed. Of course, these are not "free trade" deals. They are, in fact, a set of international corporate governance rules that make corporations more powerful than nations. By granting authority to corporations, these agreements force countries to engage in races to the bottom to see which countries can lower wages and environmental standards the most to boost profit and capital income share at the expense of wages.

Americans now reject those ideas. Those deals are an element of why the 1% gains and everyone else loses. President Obama recently has increased his efforts to push for those things that help right the economic ship of the nation, like raising the minimum wage. But he needs to go one step more to insure there is no confusion over where Hillary Clinton stands on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He needs to state clearly that he is withdrawing the TPP from congressional consideration and will leave that to the next president to start a new round.
Gawker the website known for the tagline "today's gossip is tomorrow's news" is set to be sold in an auction next week. The website is in the final stages of a defamation lawsuit, which is nothing new, however, thanks to a record breaking settlement from a real American fighting for what's right, fighting for his life, Gawker is now bankrupt.

That's right, Hulk Hogan unleashed full Hulkamania legal action after the website published his sex tape. The ruling proved to be the proverbial leg drop on the website's crippled infrastructure. Instead of reacting to this poise and grace (why should they), the Gawker writing staff have gone another route, and it's glorious.

The writing staff have opened the floodgates and have been writing the most cutting edge journalism out there. They've titled this approach Senior Week saying, "We're celebrating 14 years of hard-hitting independent journalism and also dog with a week of fond reminiscing, a few stories we've always wanted to do, and some fun surprises."

Advertisement

The results have ranged from insane with Where Will It Happen in New York City?, to inspired with, It Has Been 17 Months and Counting Since Donald Trump Last Took Off His Jacket, According to My Research. The former reads as vague nonsense that carries a real strange sense of humor. While the latter is actually a very interesting case study into a not-so-serious issue that could potentially teach you a lot about the fractured psyche of human sloppy joe, Donald J. Trump.

Whatever continues to happen at Gawker over the course of the week will prove profoundly interesting but in the meantime, here are some of our favorite articles. Better start reading if you want to stay woke:

Papa John's Pizza Is The Best Pizza In Chicago - a man emailed in with the request of pushing Papa John's pizza as the best in Chicago, Gawker obliged.

Gawker Media's Biggest Mistakes - a definitive timeline of a staff writer pitching terrible ideas to her editors.

Advertisement

Please Stop Asking For Shrek Nudes - this one's pretty self explanatory. Stop asking.

COUNTERPOINT: Bubbles Are Fun - a celebration and examination of bubbles in soda.
BAGHDAD, Aug. 10 -- At least 20 newborn babies were killed on Wednesday in a fire at a hospital in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, a police source told Xinhua.

The incident took place at dawn when a fire broke out at the maternity wards in Yarmouk Hospital in western Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

"The children mainly died of suffocation from the thick smoke which spread in the wards," the source said.

The fire is under investigation, but initial reports said that it was probably caused by "electrical contact," the source added.
(Photo/Firefly Conservation Research Center Weibo)

Wild fireflies in China face a growing threat as businesses sensationalize the glowing insects as romantic, especially around Chinese Valentines Day, or Qixi Festival.

A search for live fireflies on Chinas e-commerce website Taobao yields many online stores selling fireflies in jars as romantic and creative gifts for Valentines Day. The insects, allegedly bred at firefly farms, are often sold by the dozens. Prices for different packages--usually up to around 300 fireflies--range between 100 and 300 yuan. Comments reveal that most customers purchase them as gifts, though some also buy the insects for their children.

Xinhua News Agency reported that a young man released over 1,000 fireflies as he proposed to his girlfriend at a park in Changzhou, Jiangsu province on Aug. 9, this years Qixi Festival. And hes certainly not the only one utilizing the insects to create a romantic setting.

A business chain already exists. Wild fireflies are hunted and sold online, after which they are sent to cities to be released in huge quantities...The so-called release actually means death in many cases, explained an investigative report on Chinas firefly industry, which was jointly asembled by Hubei-based NGO Firefly Conservation Research Center (FCRC) and popular science website Guokr.com.

Firefly culture

According to the report, there have been at least 49 online shops on Taobao selling live fireflies in 2016, up 28.9 percent from last year. Meanwhile, the rate of death during transportation for the fireflies being sold is 22.52 percent.

The number of cities organizing firefly observation and release activities is also on the rise. In 2014, there were 17 such events around China, and the number grew to 26 in 2015. As of August, some 23 cities have already held such activities, the report noted.

Fu Xinhua, an associate professor from the College of Plant Science & Technology of Huazhong Agricultural University, told Peoples Daily Online that the online firefly business has been growing since 2010, as the insects are often sold as romantic props.

Indeed, the link between fireflies and Qixi Festival has a long history. The insect was often mentioned in Chinese poems from the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and often in conjunction with Qixi.

According to Fu, the business will likely continue to thrive despite criticism from the media and NGOs. As long as it remains legal to hunt and sell fireflies, Fu believes the business will stay profitable. Firefly release and exhibition activities usually involve tens of thousands of fireflies bought at an average price of 1.5 yuan each; tickets to such activities are usually sold at 30-40 yuan per person.

(A man use his motorcycle light to catch firefly. Photo/thepaper.cn)

Farm or grave

Whats more, even as sellers cultivate the soothing image of a wholesome firefly farm, many of the fireflies sold are not being bred at all.

During a survey in late July in eastern Chinas Jiangxi province, it was discovered that several firefly farms were actually just collecting wild fireflies caught by locals for 0.3 yuan each. The price can go as high as 1 yuan when there is huge market demand.

Farmers in Ganzhou [of Jiangxi] found out that glowing motorcycle lights can imitate the courting signal of female fireflies. Many people have used this trick to hunt for more fireflies. Such traps can vastly reduce the number of male fireflies available to mate, and can therefore affect an entire populations genetic diversity. It could even mean that some populations die out entirely, Fu noted.

Fu added that firefly farming requires a lengthy species selection process and advanced technology. He said he was only able to breed three firefly species in the laboratory after 16 years of research.

The report pointed out that the glowing quality of fireflies is a natural instinct during the animals reproductive period, which is a crucial stage in its week-long life. Meanwhile, large-scale hunting not only kills individual fireflies, it can also wreak havoc on a regions ecological environment. And the release of fireflies in cities far from where they were born can threaten local species and even humans with new diseases.

The ongoing survival of fireflies has been greatly threatened by this business chain, in addition to air, water and light pollution. But it is never about the species alone when it comes to extinction. It is more of a signal, a warning of a collapsing ecological environment, Fu said.

To save the fragile lives, China has set up its first firefly reservation on Dalei Mountain in the city of Xianning, Hubei province. Spreading across 22 square kilometers, the park currently boasts 17 kinds of fireflies with a total population of 500,000. In Songzi, another city in Hubei, there is currently an initiative to rebuild the local habitats of fireflies. The city hopes that renewed firefly populations in the region can in turn attract tourists, according to the FCRC report.
Restaurant, Bar, Venue Lobbyists Stupidly Applaud DOJ Decision

David Lowery examines how such an unpopular decision as the 100% licensing decree handed down by the Department of Justice came to pass with a little help from Google, and how it could negatively impact the ability of venues to license music.

__________________________________

By musician and artist advocate David Lowery of The Trichordist

(Performing rights organizations or PROs are unions of songwriters. They are also licensing organizations that peform a valuable service to the public. They allow a quick way for any business big or small to get a license to play music. Youve heard of BMI, ASCAP right? These are the main two PROs. There are also two other smaller ones SESAC and GMR. But most of this blog concerns the DOJ rules that govern BMI and ASCAP).

Im gonna make this very easy for everyone to understand. These are the companies and organizations that make up the MIC-Coaltion. As a venue or restaurant your interests in music licensing are represented by National Restaurant Association, Alcohol Beverage Licensees or National Retail Federation. They are all members of this group.

As far as we can tell this was the only group (along with Google) that was pushing the DOJ to change song licensing from the historical and internally accepted standard of fractional licensing to 100% licensing. Or forcing a single co-writer to license the song for everyone else.

Google (the de facto leader of the MIC Coalition) especially wanted songs to be licensed this way because of the threatened lawsuit above. See Google could get a license to many of Pharrell (and other GMR artists) songs, by getting DOJ to force his BMI and ASCAP co-writers to license songs. Clever right? Thats why Google formed this coalition right about the time this dispute began. And lets not kid ourselves, Google formed this coalition and drove the entire lobbying effort.

Google to restaurants and venues: Kumbaya, Lets all work together to keep our songwriter royalty rates low.

Translation: Hey restaurants, bars and venues want to be human shields?

Yes, in reality Google was simply using these other organizations as human shields. It was quite predictable that restaurants, bars and venues would end up as collateral damage. Google doesnt care about anyone but Google.

This is Renata Hesse. She is the Acting Assistant Attorney General of US. She oversees DOJ Antitrust Litigation Section III that has decided to meddle relentlessly in music licensing space. She also represented Google when she was in private practice right before she (re) joined the DOJ. She has been the DOJ point person on this issue. She even met with songwriters to explain to them why this new rule would be good for them! How nice!

Too bad she should have recused herself from this matter because she worked for Google on Antitrust issues before coming back to DOJ. Can you say conflict of interest? She also violated Obama administration ethics rules by getting involved in this.

Shortly before the MIC Coaliton was formed the DOJ put forth this proposal to radically change how music is licensed. Odd timing? Did Mic Coalition leader Google know it was coming?

Many people in the music industry (both creators of music and users of music) were perplexed by the DOJ sudden fixation on the issue. Until the DOJ put forth this bizarre fix for something that wasnt broke, no one in the industry (music creators or users) questioned the fractional licensing of songs. It was so perplexing my own congressman Doug Collins asked the Register of Copyrights to explain (see above).

And this is the response from the Register of Copyrights. In the recent Copyright Office music licensing consultation, NO ONE asked to change music licensing from fractional to 100% licensing (see above). The Copyright Office makes it unequivocally clear. So who supported and pushed this change? How did it emerge as an idea from the dark Googley recesses of the DOJ?

Even though this was a change that no one but Google seemed to want, the DOJ with former Google lawyer Renata Hesse leading the charge went ahead and initiated the rule.

Above is the US Constitution. Songwriters have constitutional rights (although lately Ive come to doubt it). For instance we have a right to make legal private contracts with our co-writers without the federal government later making them illegal. In order for Renata Hesse and the rest of the cant-shoot-straight DOJ antitrust gang to institute this new rule without violating existing private contracts between songwriters, the final rule is incredibly complex. Unless hundreds of thousands of songwriters (or their estates) go back and modify co-writing agreements with hundreds of thousands of co-writers, hundreds of thousands of songs (maybe millions) will no longer be available for licensing. This rule change requires a vast re-ordering of the music licensing system that will likely take decades.

Now as a restaurant or venue owner how does this affect you?

First you know how you obtain the right to publicly perform music for the public in your establishment, right? From your ASCAP, BMI and SESAC licenses! The very licenses the DOJ (apparently at the behest of Google) has just obliterated.

Currently these are blanket licenses. You dont have to keep track of what songs the bands are playing and what songs the DJs are spinning. You dont have to check the band's setlist before they go on stage or dig through the DJ's crate of albums and note which albums are not licensed and forbid DJs to play these songs. That is the beauty of the songwriter rights organizations. They create efficiency. Its a win-win. Venues are shielded from infringement claims. Songwriters get paid. Without these blanket licenses a bar, restaurant and venue would literally have to license each song directly from every music publisher and songwriter.

Will it stay this way? It is highly unlikely. A significant number of songs will be unavailable for licensing and you will have to negotiate and obtain many more licenses from many more organizations to have the same coverage you have now. You may even be required to negotiate directly with an individual writer depending on the song.

Hi this is John from the Red Dog Saloon outside North Platte Nebraska. Id like to talk to Max Martin about licensing that Taylor Swift Song

Above you can see what BMI wrote to the Judge Stanton who oversees BMIs consent decree (the rule DOJ changed). A significant portion of songs especially songs with foreign writers or cowriters, (and works with samples) become stranded. Same thing would happen to ASCAP. So because of the new DOJ rule, certain songs become incapable of being performed in this country. Suddenly your BMI and ASCAP licenses are not blanket licenses. Dont believe BMI? What does the US Copyright Office say?



The copyright office said the same thing last year when they warned against changing this rule. See above. might well result in a sharp decrease in repertoire available through these PROs blanket licenses. Now that weve seen the actual text of the DOJ rule we see the Copyright office was correct in its prediction.

Even the Department of Justice admits in their own brief (above) that this new rule will require removing songs from BMI and ASCAP blanket licenses.

Further order that BMI and ASCAP identify the songs no longer allowed in the blanket licenses. The expenses associated with this Sisyphean task (new songs constantly created) will come out of songwriter royalties or higher licensing fees to venues. Thats right lower royalties, higher costs for venues and fewer songs available. Doesnt this violate the entire antitrust division mandate.

How many fewer songs available?

A shitload. Think about this for a minute. ASCAP and BMI are tasked with reviewing tens of millions of songs, contacting and getting responses from hundreds of thousands if not millions of songwriters, who then in turn need to review co-writer arrangements with co-writers and execute new agreements and get back to BMI and ASCAP.

In one year.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahaha

Pure comedy gold.

It seems reasonable to say that this is an impossible verification task and the resulting database of unlicenseable songs will be in the millions. Tons of work. Less songs. Massive inneficiency that benefits no one except Google (they can always rely on the DMCA safe harbor and let users upload unlicensable songs a bar cant).

Guess what venue, restaurant and bar owners? Youve been fucked. By your own public policy folks and Google through your membership in the MIC-Coalition.

You see what happens when you find a stranger in the alps? 

Looks like restaurants, venues and bar owners WILL be asking bands and DJs which songs they will be playing and checking the setlist against some sort of database.

Oh and this pretty much makes your BMI/ASCAP/SESAC licenses considerably less valuable. They are no longer blanket assurances that you wont get sued by some gold digging lawyer with a few song copyrights. And with millions of stranded songs floating around its inevitable. But youll still be paying for your PRO licenses. Because some significant portion of the songs will still be in BMI and ASCAP.

And the DOJ went along with this idiotic rule. Despite the fact the US Copyright office warned them this would happen.

This is completely batshit crazy.

This is one of the most powerful departments of the US government Staffed with lawyers from elite institutions like Yale, Harvard and Berkeley. (Hmm maybe thats the problem!). How did they fuck things up this bad. I mean shouldnt these people be fired? At least investigated for corruption? Sadly corruption or lose-your-law-license incompetence are the two most plausible explanations.

My bet is on corruption. I mean doesnt it seem a more than a little odd that this rule benefits no one but Google and it was pushed through by a DOJ official that used to work for Google?



Yet looks like the public policy folks that should be looking out for the interests of bar, restaurant and venue owners are applauding this decision. Apparently they were too lazy to read the actual rule. Or too stoopid to understand the implications clearly spelled out.

Look what theABL president says:

ABL also welcomes DOJs confirmation of full-work licensing, which means that the blanket licenses offered by Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) provide licensees with the right to use all the works in that PROs repertoire without risk of copyright infringement.

Either he is conveniently leaving out the fact that potentially millions of songs will be removed from those blanket licenses. Or he doesnt understand what he is celebrating. Before all of this venue owners were pretty much insulated from random copyright infringement with the blanket licenses. Now by the admission of the DOJ they wont. Songs will be removed from those repertoires!!!

Stoopid.

Restaurant and venue owners should ask their public policy folks exactly why they supported a rule that clearly will make licensing music less efficient,more expensive or even impossible?

If they cant give you a straight answer?

Fire their asses as well.

BTW the solution is incredibly simple. Withdraw the rule. Continue with the old system of fractional licensing. It was working just fine. And in the previous 80 years no one objected.

Share on:
The Miami police announced Tuesday that it has arrested three individuals in connection with an ongoing investigation into insurance fraud in the area.Doctor Angel Amado Lazo, therapist Clara R. Segura, and front desk worker Arlene Hernandez Garcia were taken into custodythe result of an operation that began nearly a year ago by the police departments Staged Accident Detail.On Monday, a search warrant was carried out at Brothers Medical Center, 3990 W. Flagler St., Suite 201, where the three were apprehended. Officials said that all three individuals are facing multiple charges, including insurance fraud.The Sun Sentinel reported that an officer going undercover paid a visit to the clinic as part of the operations, claiming he had been in a car crash and needed therapy.He was told to fill out a bunch of papers and [he] never came for any kind of therapy, Officer Rene Pimentel told CBS Miami.There wasnt any type of treatment whatsoever, they were just billing the insurance companies for services not rendered, the undercover patient said.The undercover patient revealed that his insurer was billed thousands of dollars.This is something that goes on, time and time again, the undercover patient explained. This type of clinicto be honest with youis an epidemic. Its happening all over the country. And its something thats affecting everybody. Its affecting our insurance rates, its affecting everything.
More than half a million drones have been registered with the US Federal Aviation Administration since December 2015, setting the personal and commercial drone space up as what many insurance professionals consider among the biggest emerging markets in the industry.Yet agents and brokers looking for a share of the profits already have a major competitor: a New York-based startup called Verifly. The app-based licensed producer has partnered with Global Aerospace Insurance to offer on-demand, per-flight policies.When a consumer opens the app, Verifly draws a quarter-mile circle around users, analyses information from the companys geospatial and weather databases and calculates risk for an hour-long flight. Quotes begin at $10 for $1 million in third-party liability coverage with $10,000 of invasion-of-privacy coverage.The app has gained praise for its simple, easy-to-use format and billing system. Chris Walach, director of operations for unmanned aviation with the FAA-designated Nevada unmanned aircraft system test site told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that such an approach is key to the drone insurance industry.Its got to be simple, its got to be accessible, and  most of all  it has to be economical for the operator and very usable, Walach said. Those that can move to the top of making it easier, making it more economical and making it more usable to the operator would move ahead to the pack in the insurance industry from a regulator perspective.Others are more skeptical, however. While many mainstream insurance companies have begun offering drone insurance policies, they are taking a more cautious approach to ensure all risks associated with the relatively new technology are understood.Understanding if its an aviation product or if its going to be covered under your personal lines or commercial products  I think there are some big questions there, Chris Peterson, vice president with Chris-Leef General Agency, told Insurance Business America. An invasion of privacy issue or some other issue might be excluded under personal lines policies, so where that coverage actually lies and who needs to pick that up, I think is a big question that has yet to be answered in the courts.So, over the next couple of years were going to have some big things well have to deal with there.Insurance regulators seem to be backing the more cautious approach. Though some have approved Verifly for business, they are looking to other insurance companies to offer full, comprehensive drone insurance.We are still not seeing fully fledged coverage for all the risk that drones may represent, said Rajat Jain, the property and casualty section chief at the Nevada Division of Insurance. The insurance industry is assessing the risk and trying to figure out, as more information becomes available and the technology changes, how to assess that risk and how to accept the risk.
Gov. Charlie Baker signs the Municipal Modernization Act at the State House on Tuesday. Gov. Baker described the act as 'weed whacking' overgrown laws. Lt. Gov. Polito asked how the administration could help municipalities and got 1,300 responses. The event at the State House was held on the Grand Staircase shortly before noon. PreviousNext

Governor Signs Legislation Updating Obsolete Municipal Regulations



MMA President Lisa Blackmer, a North Adams city councilor, speaks at Tuesday's bill signing. The act's section summaries can be read here.

BOSTON  Legislation signed at the State House on Tuesday eliminates or updates a raft of outdated and obsolete municipal regulations.



Filed by the Baker administration last December, the 125-page Municipal Modernization Act found strong support from state and local officials, the Massachusetts Municipal Association and Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officers.



Gov. Charlie Baker, with a host of local elected and administrative officials behind him on the Grand Staircase at the State House, noted he'd gotten some flack when he'd described the effort as "weed whacking" outdated laws.



"I took a fair amount of grief for it at the time, but just because this is full of lots of what we describe as arcane and off-the-beaten-track municipal and state law doesn't mean it doesn't matter," he said, adding it's "important work and it's been 50 years since the commonwealth updated a lot of the standards associated with local government."



The governor said just simplifying, eliminating or dramatically improving the flexibility "of item after item after item" will be an "enormous improvement with our communities' abilities to actually do the work they need to do on behalf the people they serve."



Among the bill's changes are easier opportunities for municipalities to save funds; to issue motor vehicle violation digitally; to create trust funds for post-employment benefits; to allow communities to file documentation online; to develop workforce housing, and to expand town's abilities to make year-end budget adjustments. The legislation also recognizes the reality of contemporary costs by extending local officials ability to spend on project and procurements from $10,000 to $50,000 without going to town meeting.



"We're thrilled," said MMA President Lisa Blackmer, noting that many small towns are often run by limited staff and volunteers who can be overwhelmed with complex regulations. "This bill you're signing today fixes a lot of that. ...



"I applaud Gov. Baker, Lt. Gov. Polito, and the House and Senate for building this powerful partnership with cities and towns and for standing with us to getting Massachusetts to a model for the rest of the nation."



The legislation has been part of the Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito's stated partnership with municipalities, which also saw the development of the Community Compact that created opportunities for municipalities to pursue best practices with technical help from the state. Polito has been point person on the compact program, traveling across the commonwealth and signing agreements with some 250 of its 351 municipalities.



Both Baker and Polito often point to their times serving as selectmen in their respective hometowns  Swampscott and Shrewsbury, respectively  as providing them insight into the needs of local government.



More than 100 local officials journeyed to Beacon Hill last year to provide input on regulations that have helped and hampered the functioning of local government.

Clarksburg Town Administrator Carl McKinney, who had hoped to attend Tuesday's event, said afterward that he appreciated the efforts of the governor and lieutenant governor.

"They clearly understand the challenges cities and town struggle with when dealing with outdated and inefficient laws and regulations as they pertain to the administration and delivery of governmental services," he said. "This is a good start, and yet there is more to be done."

McKinney would like to see more on pro-rationing of benefits for part-time employees and exemptions from the prevailing wage laws for small projects under $50,000.

"This would allow more hiring of local tradesman in small companies from our own communities instead of having to contract with larger firms located out of the area, which in turn drives up the costs for doing everything," he said.



"I think it's going to streamline our procurement process to be able to do a lot of things faster that have frankly gotten bogged down," Lenox Town Manager Christopher Ketchen said.



The only Berkshire manager to attend the State House event, Ketchen thought it was "super" how so many partners were able to come together on not only a single bill, but one that as so many parts "that are going to be extremely helpful to towns."



"We all struggle with how slow government can go sometimes and it's all due to the arcane laws that we have to grapple with," he said. "Whether it's managers, town meetings ... everybody wins with a big package like this."

Updated on Aug. 10 to add in comments from McKinney.
Meeting Set for Input on North Adams Parking Lot Changes

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  The City Council on Tuesday night passed a controversial parking ordinance to a second reading.



But that doesn't mean the debate is over.



The decision to move forward with changing the cost for parking in the Center Street lot  and eliminating the free first two hours  may still face opposition when it reappears in two weeks.



On Tuesday, Aug. 16, Public Safety will again take up the issue to allow business owners and residents a chance to air their concerns. The meeting takes place at 5:45 p.m. in Council Chambers.



It had seemed the council had finally formed a consensus to move forward with the ordinance, which will mean the installation of parking meters in the Center Street lot. The ordinance was moved with only two votes against: Councilors Keith Bona and Lisa Blackmer.



The ordinance had arrived at the City Council in mid-July on the recommendation of the Traffic Commission as purely an enforcement issue. The two ticket kiosks in the lot had both broken years ago and it was difficult for officers to enforce the parking restrictions, which also include monthly permit holders.



Mayor Richard Alcombright said the enforcement would be simplified by eliminating the two-hour free parking limit ($1 for a total of four hours and an additional 50 per hour after) and instituting 25 cents an hour in accordance with other metered lots. That would mean putting parking meters back in the lot, which is about to undergo some modifications and paving.



But the suggested ordinance set off a wide-ranging debate over what the city's future parking situation should look like. Some councilors called for a comprehensive plan, others to eliminate charges altogether.



On Tuesday, the mayor asked that the councilors make a decision one way or the other.



"I suggest that the council vote on the order up or down," he said. "If it's down, we can look at it more globally ... right now, we're just looking for a way to enforce that lot."



Bona reiterated earlier concerns that putting the meters back could short-circuit any comprehensive planning. He repeated a conversation he said he had with Police Director Michael Cozzaglio about using a digital camera to mark the location and times of parked cars. That could be done at once, he said, and would not require installing the meters.



"This isn't about meters, this is about keeping permit holders happy," he said, because they were paying monthly for space while others were using the lot for free.



"I'm not in favor but not opposed," Bona said. "I don't feel we need to move on it as fast as we did."



Blackmer, however, said the city cannot fine anyone in the lot for overstaying two hours because there is no way for motorists to comply because the ticket kiosks are broken.



"There is no way for them to pay for that additional time," she said. "Are they supposed to come to City Hall and say they want to pay to park?"
Firefighters Kevin Brady, Kendric Reese, Christopher LeBlanc, Fire Chief Robert Czerwinski, Deputy Chief Andrew Stephenson, Lina Simeone, John Bresnahan of Devanny Condron Funeral Home, Firefighter Paul Zwingelstein, and Capt. Tim Miller on Wednesday morning when the funeral home delivered the new flag to Fire Department headquarters.

Funeral Home Donates Memorial Flag For Pittsfield Firefighter Funerals

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  When Anthony Simeone's funeral procession traveled down Columbus Avenue, fire trucks were pulled outside Fire Department headquarters and firefighters gave a final salute.



The Fire Department provides honor guards at wakes and funerals, drives trucks in the procession, and sounds a final alarm for former members of the department who died.



Simeone had been a firefighter for 18 years and, after he retired in 1982, he continued to work closely with the department to help businesses with fire prevention as a representative for the Pittsfield Fire and Safety Co. fire extinguisher and fire safety consulting company.



"He was very proud to be a fireman," said his wife, Lina Simeone.



Simeone said the Fire Department's involvement in the funeral "means the world to me. It means the world to my husband."



John Bresnahan of Devanny-Condron Funeral Home noticed at the funeral that a flag he donated a few years ago needed to be replaced.
A group of Liberians that studied in China have embarked on media outreach in Liberia to create awareness among fellow citizens. The program aims to educate Liberians on the growing benefits of Chinas relations with the country as well as the impacts of her economic and development cooperation.

The body known as Liberian Association of Chinese-Trained Scholars (LACTS) says it will carry out activities using major media houses in the country to inform Liberians and the world about Chinas active involvement in the reconstruction drive of Liberia and how it has become a reliable partner to the development agenda of Liberia.

In an interview on the phone from the Liberian capital, Monrovia on Tuesday, the groups spokesperson, Mr. Joe Noutoua Wandah, said the six-month program will look at Chinas involvement in all sectors of the Liberian society with discussants including officials from LACTS, public and private institutions.

Joe Noutoua Wandah, Spokesperson of LACTS

The Association has embarked on the program using major radio stations and newspapers in positively educating Liberians throughout the country of Chinas enormous contributions making socio-economic impacts on many Liberians and the first initiative lasts from July to December 2016, Wandah explained.

According to him, they will also promote Chinese culture and dream on the One Belt One Road initiative while seeking to support the welfare, interest and efforts of the group members through services, irrespective of social, religious and economic status.

Wandah said it is about time for Liberians to follow Chinas dream for global economic and development transformation because the country (China) has/and continues to push for development in Liberia since her diplomatic relations with Liberia.

He also noted that the Association finds it expedient to engage fellow Liberians in properly explaining Chinas involvements including reconstruction drive that today Liberians can boast of modern facilities including the Fendell University of Liberia (UL) complex outside Monrovia, the Jackson F. Doe referral hospital in northeastern Liberia that also serves patients from neighboring Ivory Coast, Guinea and Sierra Leone and the modern facilities at the Monrovia Vocational Training Center (MVTC), among others.

Wandah also recounted Chinas growing assistance in Liberias human resource development, and said hundreds of Liberian students and professionals in various disciplines including journalists, have benefitted from the Chinese educational gestures, by affording them the opportunities in obtaining higher education as well as technical skills in China. Wandah is also a journalist who has benefited from a training in China.

Another life saving assistance by China, Wandah said, was the intervention in Liberias seriously challenged health situation during the Ebola outbreak in 2014; something he said will be remembered by Liberians at all times.

He said on their return from China five years ago, some Liberians established LACTS as a means of sharing the knowledge and experience with their fellow citizens. So far, Wandah disclosed that the group membership has reached about 150 persons who are contributing positively in all sectors of the Liberian society.

As non-profit social and advocacy organization, the Chinese-trained Liberian group has been engaging in teaching the Chinese language and culture in schools and communities during vacations, especially to prepare those who are ambitious of studying Chinese, either at the Confucius Institute at the University of Liberia (UL) or in China.

During the Ebola virus outbreak, members of the group were actively involved in identifying with survivors and affected communities.

LACTS membership is open to Liberians who have completed study and training programs in China.




iciHaiti - Diaspora : Success of Forum on the issue of immigration





Organized under the auspices of the Consulate General of the Republic of Haiti in New York, the Forum on issues of immigration, that has taken place on August 4, to the Haitian Center of Brooklyn, was a success.



The Forum brought together three eminent lawyers, including Me Peter Helder Bernard, the new Head of the Consulate General.

Under the watchful eye of a number of participants from the Haitian community, these men of law have dealt with issues affecting the TPS (Temporary Protective Status); domestic violence; the special status granted to young people who face certain situations; the Deportation; the different remedies that would facilitate obtaining the residence (green card) and Asylum policy.



The experts highlighted the need to hire a competent lawyer, if necessary.



For further information, please call the Consulate at : 212 697 9767



IH/ iciHaiti


















Mack Horton is an Australian Olympic swimmer who unapologetically called Chinese champion Sun Yang a drug cheat; Mark Horton is a 36-year-old British IT worker who is unlucky enough to possess a similar name to that of the famous athlete. Yet somehow, the latter has become a victim of social media abuse based on an interview he never even gave.

After Horton beat Sun in the 400-meter freestyle competition on Aug. 6, Horton made his now infamous drug cheat comment. The comment was in reference to a three-month ban that Sun served in 2014 after testing positive for the stimulant trimetazidine, which he later claimed he was taking for medical reasons.

Hortons comment ignited the rage of Chinese netizens, who immediately searched out Hortons social media accounts to berate him for his bad attitude and demand an apology on Sun's behalf. Within five hours, there were more than 250,000 comments on Hortons accounts. What remains to be seen, however, is how many more there might have been if so many Chinese netizens hadnt misspelled Hortons name.

Twitter user @jessica1207zh wrote to the innocent Brit: sun is a good athlete! AND he is not a drug cheater! so you should apologize to him. Another, user, @suzibin_suzi, tweeted at both Mark and Mack Horton: Drink your urine if your (sic) so proud of it. It was medicine!!!! At first, Mark Horton was confused. He took to his Twitter to ask whether his critics were confusing him with someone else, and later he asked who Sun Yang was. Eventually he attempted to clear up the confusion, writing: For the record Im not the Australian swimmer who said something about a Chinese swimmer #sunyang.

Eventually, fed up, Mark Horton tweeted directly at Mack Horton himself: @_mackhorton mate, just apologise! Im getting abuse for something you said. #SunYang.

As of yet, the Australian swimmer has not issued an apology for his comment.
The Group of Twenty, or G20, is the premier forum for international economic cooperation. It is also an important mechanism for global economic governance. China, having assumed the G20 presidency for 2016, stands ready to work together with all members toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy." Those four adjectives also comprise the theme of the 2016 G20 Summit.

Chen Xiaochen and Li Zhen, researchers at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies affiliated to Renmin University of China, wrote an analysis of the theme of this years G20.

To be specific, "innovative" refers to innovation-driven development, including innovation in science and technology, as well as innovation in development concepts, systems and institutions, business models and structural reform, all of which will help to locate new sources of growth for the world economy. The biggest problem for the global economy now is a lack of growth drivers, and the key lies in innovation, reform and adjustment. Many agree that the world is currently on the cusp of a new scientific and industrial revolution, and innovation is of crucial importance for facilitating productivity and strong economic growth during this time. China has decided to make "forging a new path for growth" a priority of the Hangzhou summit. What is being advocated is innovation in a broader sense--innovation in science and technology and, beyond that, in development concepts, institutions and mechanisms, business models and a whole range of areas. China hopes that the summit will reach a consensus on innovation, structural reform, the new industrial revolution and the digital economy.

"Invigorated" means lending impetus to the sluggish world economy by exploring new paths and tapping new forces for improved vitality. It is also about achieving more efficient global economic and financial governance.

Since the global financial crisis, G20 has played an important role in improving the international financial system and increasing the voice and representation of emerging markets, which has been well received by the international community. China hopes that G20 members will build on what has already been achieved to further enhance the reform of international financial institutions, improve the international monetary system and strengthen cooperation on financial regulation, international taxation, green finance, energy governance and anti-corruption. All of this will help to balance the global economic governance structure, as well as to make its mechanisms more reliable and its actions more effective.

File photo taken on April 27, 2016 shows an aerial view of the West Lake in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province.

"Interconnected" indicates a community with shared interests and a common future. The term calls for closer international economic cooperation, the sharing of opportunities through connectivity and the creation of synergy through sound interactions.

For some time now, protectionism has been on the rise, and the multilateral trading system has encountered difficulties and setbacks. China has therefore pushed for regular meetings of trade ministers and the creation of a trade and investment working group. This years summit agenda will highlight trade and investment so as to reverse the current situation. China hopes that during the Hangzhou summit, G20 members will reiterate their opposition to protectionism and reach a consensus on promoting the coordinated development of a multilateral trading system and regional trade arrangements, propelling global trade growth, supporting global value chain development and enhancing cooperation on international investment policies.

"Inclusive" aims to narrow the developmental gaps between countries. Use of the term means focusing more on developing countries and all groups of people, and allowing all people to benefit from the growth of the world economy. G20 strongly supports the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and has achieved significant results in infrastructure investment, food security, taxation, financial inclusion, human resource development and more. In 2015, while continuing to make progress on these issues, G20 accorded special attention to low-income and developing countries, SMEs, energy access in Africa as well as womens and youth employment. Such focus demonstrates G20s determination to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and deepen developmental cooperation.
Imperial Valley News Center

Preventing mass extinctions of big mammals will require immediate action

Los Angeles, California - Preventing the extinction of gorillas, rhinoceroses, elephants, lions, tigers, wolves, bears and the worlds other largest mammals will require bold political action and financial commitments from nations worldwide. In an article in the journal BioScience, 43 wildlife experts write that without immediate changes, many of the Earths most iconic species will be lost.

The loss of these magnificent animals would be a tremendous tragedy, said Blaire Van Valkenburgh, a UCLA professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, and one of the articles co-authors. They are all that is left of a once much more diverse megafauna that populated the planet only 12,000 years ago. And more importantly, we have only just begun to understand the important roles they play in maintaining healthy ecosystems.

Among the most serious threats to endangered animals are illegal hunting, deforestation, habitat loss, expansion of livestock and agriculture into wildlife areas, and human population growth, they write.

The scientists, who represent six continents, write that humans have an abiding moral obligation to protect the Earths megafauna, or large mammals. We must not go quietly into this impoverished future.

In addition to their significance to ecosystems, animals such as tigers and elephants attract tourists and their money to parts of the world that have few alternative sources of income, said Van Valkenburgh, who holds the Donald R. Dickey chair in vertebrate biology in the UCLA College.

This paper is a call for action at all levels, local to global, to halt the rapid decline of the megafauna, she said.

The paper reports that 59 percent of the largest carnivores and 60 percent of the largest herbivores have been classified as threatened with extinction, and that the situation is especially severe in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, where the greatest diversity of extant megafauna live.

William Ripple, the papers lead author, a distinguished professor of ecology in the College of Forestry at Oregon State University, said the animals declines are occurring rapidly.

The more I look at the trends facing the worlds largest terrestrial mammals, the more concerned I am we could lose these animals just as science is discovering how important they are to ecosystems and to the services they provide to people, he said.

The scientists call for comprehensive action, including expanding habitats for the animals and changing conservation policy. The paper notes that some conservation initiatives have been successful and that, if measures are taken now, it may still be possible to rescue these animals from extinction.
Zimbabwe and China have adjusted their cooperation framework to focus mainly on agriculture and housing, with the Asian economic giant set to release nearly $6 billion for the two sectors.

Zimbabwes Minister of Macro Economic Planning and Investment Promotion Obert Mpofu was in Beijing last week to finalise the deals and facilitate release of the funds.

The deals were signed under the African Unions Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement with China.

Mpofu was accompanied by his countrys Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Joseph Made and Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Saviour Kasukuwere.

Speaking an interview in China, Mpofu said Zimbabwe had adjusted its priorities on cooperation with the Asian country to focus on the two areas, which government believes are important for economic progress.

We submitted projects that we feel are key under our economic revival, that is agriculture, support in agriculture, as well as support in housing, he said. Hence the presence of Minister Made and Minister Kasukuwere to actually beef up our delegation in arguing our case for the support.

Mpofu met with Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao and the countrys Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu and Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng to discuss the funding.

Among six or so projects that were submitted, we have now centered on the two that I mentioned and the discussions and engagement that we have made so far are very encouraging, he said.

We prioritised our initial submissions to deal with agriculture and housing because any economy can only be active if agriculture is producing something. That is where the sustenance of the economy is because agriculture leads all other sectors of the economy into boosting production.

Mpofu said Zimbabwe chose agriculture and housing because they also come with employment and technological advancement.

He said in their meetings, the Chinese officials expressed an interest in Zimbabwes horticulture, beef, citrus fruits and organic products.

These products can be supplied to Chinese markets within a day, thus we have also engaged them to open their markets for trade in agriculture, said Mpofu.

Mpofu also signed an agreement with China worth $46 million as part of the first trench of funds for the construction of a new Parliament Building, just outside the capital, Harare.

Of the $6 billion to be availed by China, $4 billion is expected to go towards agriculture, while the remainder will be used for the countrys National Housing Delivery Programme.

Mpofu is Zimbabwes coordinator for the implementation of projects being carried out under the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation, as pronounced at the bodys summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, last year.

While he was in China, Mpofu attended a meeting between China and African countries on reviewing the implementation of the Johannesburg FOCAC outcomes.

At the meeting, he supervised the signing of more deals worth nearly $1 billion for the construction of a mega dam near Harare and the expansion of the countrys telecommunications network.

The deals involved Chinese firm, Sino-Hydro, signing an investment agreement with the Zimbabwean government worth $600 million for the construction of Kunzvi-Musami Dam.

The other deal saw NetOne acting chief executive Mr Brian Mutandiro signing a deal with Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd for the overhaul of the telecoms firms systems.

Speaking after signing the agreement with Sino-Hydro, Zimbabwean government official Prince Mupazviriho said construction of the Kunzvi-Musami Dam would start early next year.

We see it as a major milestone towards addressing the shortage of water in the Greater Harare area, he said. I hope that by the first of April 2017 we should be doing the construction.

Kunzvi-Musami Dam, 67 kilometres north-east of Harare, was mooted more than 30 years ago, but lack of funds stalled construction.

Mutandiro said the NetOne deal would result in the adaption of new technologies and establishment of nearly 3 000 more network base stations for the telecommunications firm.

China and Zimbabwe are already working on other deals worth billions of dollars to improve infrastructure such as power stations, rail and roads.

Some of the deals were signed when President Robert Mugabe visited Beijing in 2014, while more others were inked when President Xi Jinping went to Harare last year.
Fowler exhibition features yarn paintings from Western Mexico

Los Angeles, California - A new exhibition at the Fowler Museum at UCLA will present colorful yarn paintings and ritual objects inspired by mythology and shamanic visions from the Wixarika people of Western Mexico.

The Fowler in Focus: The Spun Universe: Wixarika (Huichol) Yarn Paintings exhibition chronicles artistic production by the Wixarika people, commonly referred to as the Huichol, from mid-20th century to the present day. It opens Aug. 14 and runs through Dec. 4 and highlights early works by Ramon Medina Silva, which are filled with vivid depictions of the Wixarika cosmos.

Since the 1960s, Wixarika artists have garnered international acclaim for their nierakate, paintings composed of colorful yarn attached to wooden boards with beeswax. Inspired by mythology and shamanic visions associated with the use of the hallucinogenic divine cactus, peyote, the paintings are thickly populated with images of sacred animals, humanoid ancestral figures, holy plants and important ritual objects.

The bulk of the Fowler collection of nierakate was acquired in the mid-1960s by the UCLA-trained anthropologist Peter Furst after he met the self-described Wixarika apprentice marakame (shaman) Ramon Medina Silva and his wife, Guadalupe de la Cruz Rios. While recording indigenous mythological narratives as told by Medina Silva, Furst prompted him to illustrate the sacred stories. This innovation ultimately reshaped both outsider and insider understandings of yarn paintings, and Medina Silva became globally renowned for his ability to translate Wixarika belief and ritual into stunningly arranged strands of spun fiber.

The Fowler Museum at UCLA is one of the countrys most respected institutions devoted to exploring the arts and cultures of Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and the Americas. The Fowler is open Wednesdays, from noon until 8 p.m. and Thursdays through Sundays, from noon to 5 p.m. The museum is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The Fowler Museum, part of UCLA Arts, is located in the north part of the UCLA campus. Admission is free. Parking is available for a maximum of $12 in Lot 4. For more information, the public may call 310 825-4361 or visit fowler.ucla.edu.

Public programs

Family Program: Aztec Stories

Sunday, Aug. 28, 24 p.m.

Learn about rich and varied cultural traditions across Mexico through song and performance. Explore Intersections to find amazing works of art from all over Mexico and admire the beautiful swirling, rainbow yarn paintings in The Spun Universe. Be inspired and create a work of art with yarn.

Curator Talk: Patrick Polk on Wixarika (Huichol) Arts

Friday, Sept. 16, noon

Patrick Polk, Fowler curator of Latin American and Caribbean Popular Arts, will lead a discussion of the brilliantly colored yarn paintings of the Wixarika (Huichol) peoples of Mexico  works inspired by mythology and shamanic visions.
2015 International Religious Freedom Report

Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of State submitted the 2015 International Religious Freedom Report to the United States Congress today.

Now in its 18th year, this congressionally-mandated Report comprises almost 200 distinct reports on countries and territories worldwide and continues to reflect the United States commitment to, and advancement of, the right of every person to freedom of religion or belief.

The 2015 Report notes a continuing trend of some governments enforcing strict laws against blasphemy, apostasy, and conversion from the majority religion, or restricting religious liberty under the guise of combatting violent extremism. Many non-state actors, including terrorists, continued their assault on religious and ethnic minorities.

The Report also notes the positive actions of civil society and other governments around the world to provide greater protections for religious minorities and to safeguard the fundamental freedom of individuals to believe, or not believe  according to their own conscience, and to manifest their religion or belief in worship, practice, observance, and teaching.

The Report is available at www.State.gov and www.HumanRights.gov .
Ecuadorian Independence Day

Washington, DC - Secretary of State John Kerry: "On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Ecuador as you celebrate the 207th anniversary of your nations Proclamation of Independence today.

"The friendship between our countries is long standing, and so my nation was shocked and grieved by the devastating earthquake that struck your northern coastal region this past April. The United States admires the determination and unity with which you responded to that tragedy, and we were pleased to join with others in the international community in providing emergency aid.

"Looking ahead, my country looks forward to building on our strong economic relationship, our cooperation on security and law enforcement matters, and our robust people-to-people ties. Each year, more U.S. citizens travel to Ecuador to explore your beautiful and diverse land, and educational exchanges continue to increase in both directions.

"On this special day, I offer my best wishes to all the people of Ecuador for a safe and prosperous year to come."
Joint Statement on Libya by the Governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States

Washington, DC - The Governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States express their concern at reports of increasing tension near the Zueitina oil facility on the central coast of Libya. They express their support for the Government of National Accords efforts peacefully to resolve the disruptions to Libyas energy exports, and emphasize that control of all facilities should be transferred unconditionally and without preconditions or delay back to the legitimate national authorities recognized as such by UN Security Council Resolution 2259.

The Governments call for all parties to refrain from hostilities and avoid any action that could damage or disrupt Libyas energy infrastructure.

The Governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States reaffirm their full support for the Government of National Accord. As underlined by the UN Security Council Resolution 2278, Libyan state financial institutions and the National Oil Corporation must benefit all Libyans. The Government of National Accord must work with the National Oil Corporation to restore oil production to rebuild Libyas economy. Restoring oil exports is vital to generating revenues that can provide for the essential needs of the Libyan people, including electricity, healthcare, and infrastructure. It is in the interests of all Libyans that they fully support the efforts led by the GNA to provide these key services to the Libyan people.




This Isnt Our Last Love Letter



Dear Don Don,

Way back in 92



I walked into the room and knew



Never felt this way before



I shook your hand while gazing into your eyes



And the feeling grew



As I took a seat I knew



A love that would have my heart



Forever



I knew



Way back in 92





They say love at first sight doesnt always last or isnt true



We were the exception to that rule



Our love had no where to hide



A spark set fire



As if this is how the universe started





I never doubted our love or what we could do



Together we grew



Forming a bond everlasting



That became our glue



My euphoria was YOU



Im eternally grateful for the love and life we shared



For how fortunate we were :



to have and to hold

through sickness and in health

Til death do us part



Until we are together again



This isnt our last love letter



I love you with all my heart and soul



Yours forever,



Deirdre (Mrs. Hank Snow)





Im fortunate to have fallen in love with, marry and make a life with the sharpest, coolest, funniest, most rare, bad ass, tender loving, loyal man on the planet, my husband Don Imus.









A True American Hero

I dont know why it has been so hard for me to write about my dear friend Don Imus.



I certainly know what he meant to me, my family, my charity, my hospital and the millions of fans that listened and loved him for so many years.



I keep reading all the beautiful condolences that people are writing about how much a part of their lives were effected by listening to him over the years.

But what most people dont talk enough about is what he did for all of us.

In every sense of the word, he was an American Hero. His work with children with so many different illnesses and his dedication to their future was unmatched by anyone I have ever known or heard about.



Besides raising over $100,000,000 for so many causes, he took care of young people for over 20 years in a state where he could not breathe. Along with his incredible wife Deirdre, he created a world where children were not defined by their disease. That was a miracle! He was a miracle.

I will miss him ever day for the rest of my life.

I was blessed to be a part of his and Deirdes life.

No one will ever do what he did.

I love you Don Imus - A TRUE AMERICAN HERO





David Jurist

IMUS IN THE MORNING

FIRST DAY BACK!
WATCH: This Restaurant in Pune Are Run by Speech and Hearing Impaired People
China has suggested that it is open to any form of communication with the Philippines after the South China Sea arbitration case caused a breakdown in bilateral ties.

The suggestion comes just days after former Philippine President Fidel Ramos arrived in Hong Kong, widely expected to pave the way for talks with Beijing.

Ramos had been designated by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte as a special envoy for negotiations over the South China Sea.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Ramos would have private communications with his old Chinese friends during his stay in Hong Kong.

She noted China welcomes an early Beijing visit by Ramos as Philippine Presidents special envoy.

Ramos has said his job is not to negotiate, but to break the ice and rekindle the friendship between the two sides.
Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Margot Robbie is campaigning for a Suicide Squad spin-off starring Harley Quinn and The Joker.

The Australian actress has been praised for carrying David Ayers widely-panned supervillain movie with a compelling performance as the Jokers unhinged lover and accomplice so its not a huge surprise that she would want to lead a standalone movie based on the couples famously dysfunctional relationship.

Im trying to make that happen, she told Tipsy Talk. Theres just so much to do. [The Joker] refuses to acknowledge that he even has emotions so he turns it into this toxic negative thing. Theres so much to it. There was so much of our backstory [but] they probably realised that the emotional through-line of the story had to be the mission we were on.



The Joker, played by Jared Leto whose method approach involved sending live rats and dead pigs to his co-stars, only has around 15 minutes of screen time in Suicide Squad (much to the rage of one fan who is suing Warner Bros for false advertising).

The Oscar-winning actor has said that there is enough deleted footage to make a full Joker movie. There were so many scenes that got cut from the movie I couldnt even start, he told IGN. Were there any that didnt get cut? We did a lot of experimentation on the set, we explored a lot. Theres so much that we shot thats not in the film.

Recommended Read more Every known deleted Suicide Squad scene featuring the Joker

Warner Bros is reportedly considering where to go next with Suicide Squad, with The Hollywood Reporter learning in May that Robbie has been lined up to star as Quinn in a film she would also produce about DCs female superheroes and villains. This is yet to be confirmed.

Suicide Squad is in cinemas near having debuted worldwide with a record-breaking $267 million last weekend. It follows a group of supervillains enlisted by a secret government agency to carry out blackop missions in exchange for clemency, with Will Smith, Cara Delevingne and Viola Davis also starring.
Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Directed by Todd Solondz, 88 mins (15) , starring: Greta Gerwig, Danny DeVito, Ellen Burstyn, Julie Delpy

In the 20 years since his breakthrough film Welcome To The Dollhouse (1995), Todd Solondz hasnt mellowed in the slightest. He is one of US cinemas most caustic and satirical filmmakers, a director whose deadpan style is instantly recognisable. He is often accused of misanthropy but he is fearless in the subjects he tackles and is ever ready to probe into the darkest recesses of American family life. Whether dealing with a germ-filled New Jersey adolescence or with the ravages of old age, he is always equally frank and unsentimental.

Wiener-Dog sees Solondz on top form. Some of his other recent features have suffered from such small budgets that theyve looked very drab and flat. Here, he is working with top producers Megan Ellison (Foxcatcher, American Hustle) and Christine Vachon (Carol), a starry cast and a very accomplished cinematographer (Ed Lachman). The film is visually striking, very funny indeed but has an undertow of pathos. All of its main adult characters are frustrated about the turns their lives have taken. The silent witness to their bad and often ludicrous behaviour is a brown dachshund (or wiener-dog). They project their own fears and prejudices on to the little dog.

In the course of the movie, this very cute and rather forlorn looking mutt goes to several different owners. The first is Remi (Keaton Nigel Cooke), a precocious little boy recovering from an unspecified illness, presumably cancer. The boys parents (Tracy Letts and Julie Delpy) cant stand one another. The dog stubbornly resists attempts to house train it. Heel, motherfucker! the father shrieks. In no time at all, it is eating the boys granola bars, defecating all over their suburban home, chewing the furniture and entirely disrupting their lives. They dote on it  but are ready to have it put to sleep at the first opportunity.

The second owner, who rescues the dog from the vet about to kill it, is Dawn Weiner. Anyone who remembers Welcome To The Dollhouse (in which she was the main character) will know Dawn as a very geeky and unpopular high-school adolescent with greasy black hair. The original actress Heather Matarazzo didnt want to play the role again so Dawn is now portrayed as an adult in a completely different way by the blonde haired Greta Gerwig. Dawn embarks on a road trip to Ohio with Brandon (Kieran Culkin), a delinquent old high school acquaintance who used to bully her relentlessly and has grown up to become a small time hustler.

Next, the dog is taken in by Dave Schmerz (Danny DeVito), a screenwriter and film professor whose career is in free fall. Hes old, homophobic, a dinosaur, openly despised by his students who mock his screenwriting instructions. Schmerz insists that every script must have a what if and a then what in it

DeVito, too little seen on screen these days, gives a wonderful performance in a role one guesses the writer-director has partly based on himself. Hes a crumpled, woebegone figure, desperately trying to reach his agent and still hoping for a big break although he is all too clearly yesterdays man. As in his roles in Tin Men or Ruthless People, DeVito manages to be pugnacious and pathetic, defiant and self-pitying at the same time.

The dogs final owner is an ailing but wealthy old lady (Ellen Burstyn) who calls the dog cancer and writes cheques for needy relatives.

In the course of the movie, the characters encounter disappointment in all its manifestations. There is family betrayal, romantic disillusionment and professional underachievement. All four stories hinge on death. For much of the movie, the actors have the same shell-shocked look. They may be losers but Solondzs shooting style is deceptively graceful. The film, full of lilting and mournful music, has an elegiac feel even at its most absurd moments. The grotesquerie is interspersed with unexpected grace notes. In one scene, Burstyn is serenaded by a chorus of red-haired figures, looking like pre-Raphaelite angels, who represent her younger self and all the roads not taken. The dog itself is the same impassive presence regardless of the chaos contrived by the humans around it. Solondz even throws in an animated intermission film which portrays the dachshund as if it is a pioneer, soldiering on across a Wild West-style landscape in search of the happy home we know it will never find.
Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

For the first time on record, wind turbines have generated more electricity than was used in the whole of Scotland on a single day.

An analysis by conservation group WWF Scotland found unseasonably stormy weather saw turbines create about 106 per cent of the total amount of electricity used by every home and business in the country on 7 August.

Gale-force winds lashed much of the country with a speed of 115mph recorded at the top of Cairngorm mountain.

A 17,000-tonne oil rig broke away from a tug in the early hours of Monday morning and later ran aground near Carloway on the Isle of Lewis.

And train services were cancelled as trees were blown onto the tracks, various events had to be cancelled and parts of Dundee were hit by a power cut.

But WWF Scotlands director Lang Banks said: While Sundays weather caused disruption for many people, it also proved to be a good day for wind power output, with wind turbines alone providing the equivalent of all Scotlands total electricity needs.

This major moment was made possible thanks, in part, to many years of political support, which means that across the year now, renewables contribute well over half of our electricity needs.

However, if we want this ensure we reap the many benefits of becoming a low-carbon economy we need to see this political support for renewables continue.

He urged the Scottish Government to commit to a new target of supplying half of all Scotlands energy needs  including heat and transport  from renewables by 2030.

Energy saving options in pictures Show all 4 1 /4 Energy saving options in pictures Energy saving options in pictures Nest Thermostat merges cool tech with neat design Energy saving options in pictures Swan has launched a halogen oven which promises faster cooking as well as energy saving and health benefits Energy saving options in pictures Duette blinds have a climate control insulating action so rooms stay cool in the summer months and warm in the winter Energy saving options in pictures Rainshower has a button on the handle that can be pressed to reduce the water used by 40%

Mr Banks said it was not impossible that this has happened before but they had only had enough information to calculate the figures since last year.

On the path to a fully renewable future, this certainly marks a significant milestone, he said.

It should also be remembered that wind power is not the only renewable power source Scotland has at its disposal.

If we continue to take steps to reduce our energy demand, invest in storage, and increase our use of renewables we can hopefully look forward to many days that are fully powered by nature.

The figures showed that wind turbines in Scotland provided 39,545 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity to the National Grid for 24 hours on Sunday. Scotlands total electricity consumption for that day was 37,202MWh. It is unclear whether demand at any single point in the day exceeded the amount supplied by the turbines.

Karen Robinson, of the WeatherEnergy project, which provides information about renewables, said that electricity demand during weekends was usually lower than the rest of the week. People also tend to use less power during the summer.

Nevertheless, the fact that wind power was able to generate the equivalent of all Scotlands electricity needs shows just how far renewables have come, Ms Robinson said.

In May this year, renewable energy in Germany supplied almost all of the demand at a specific time of day, prompting power prices to turn negative during several 15-minute periods, meaning that consumers were being paid up to 50 euros (43) per MWh to use electricity. Last year, wind energy supplied 140 per cent of demand in Denmark.

According to a new study by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) last year, wind power generates the cheapest electricity in both the UK and Germany.

Talking about the UK-wide situation James Court, head of policy at the Renewable Energy Association, accused the Westminster Government of standing in the way of green energy.

The UK already has 25 per cent of generation from renewables, and that was from a standing start 10 years ago, he said.

We are now at a point where renewables such as solar and wind are already cheaper than new gas plants; biomass and energy-from-waste are comparable to new nuclear; and grid-scale energy storage is being deployed commercially in the UK without subsidy.

Now that renewables are cost competitive with fossil fuels, we need Government to level the playing field. Renewables are being blocked to market by Government policy, just at the time they are commercially viable.

The Scottish Government said in a statement that the country's abundant energy resources play a vital role in delivering security of electricity supply across the UK.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting onshore wind, which is one of our most cost-effective low carbon energy technologies, it added.

 Oil Rig blown aground in Scotland

We remain fully supportive of low-carbon technologies, which offer a huge economic opportunity for Scotland and have a key role to play in our fight against the threat posed by climate change to our society and natural environment.

We have a clear policy for an energy mix to provide energy security for the future and will set out our ambitions for an integrated approach to low carbon technologies within our draft energy strategy later this year. This will include exploring the option of setting a new renewable energy target.

However, the statement added: Recent decisions taken at UK level have been damaging to key areas of the industry.

Going forward we need both a long-term commitment and greater visibility on funding to provide certainty and confidence to developers and investors.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Apple has reportedly bought a Seattle-based machine-learning startup as part of its continued investment in artificial intelligence.

The quiet deal, first reported by Geekwire, is said to be worth around $200m (153m).

Turi, which uses the tagline create intelligence, let developers and data scientists incorporate machine learning and artificial intelligence into their apps.

Recommended Read more Apple set to unveil artificial intelligence plans at WWDC conference

Its tools are mostly using machine learning to help companies to understand data such as sentiment analysis on social media or customer segmentation.

Apples purchase of Turi is a further proof the company is ready to put more resources into artificial intelligence.

Tim Cook, Apples chief executive, talked about longer term opportunities including the potential he sees in artificial intelligence earlier this month on Apples earnings conference call.

We have focused our AI efforts on the features that best enhance the customer experience, Mr Cook said.

We're also using machine learning in many other ways across our products and services, including recommending songs, apps, and news, he added.

Last year, Apple also bought VocalIQ, a UK based artificial intelligence-powered company that aims to make robots easier to speak to and could lead to improvements in its voice assistant, Siri.

The company has been aggressively hiring experts including those from other companies like Google, Amazon and Facebook, in addition to the VoicaIlQ acquisition.

Apple is also facing competition from Google and Facebook which have already announced greater focus on their artificial intelligence products this year.

While Google is improving its Google Now software, Facebook is introducing intelligent bots to its Messenger service that can understand requests and questions from users.

Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty

Apple declined to say how much it paid for Turi but confirmed the deal.

Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans, the company said in a statement.
Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Prudential, the UKs largest insurer by value, has said it is considering shifting funds from M&G, its assets management business, to Dublin or Luxembourg following UKs vote to leave the EU.

A tenth of Prudentials M&Gs 255.4 billion in assets under management are from EU clients.

Anne Richard, the chief executive of M&G, said the decision to move assets will depend on the outcome of UKs negotiations with the EU.

"What we are trying to do as a business is give ourselves options so we are in a position to react and adapt to whatever negotiations come through over the next year or so regarding Brexit," Richard said.

"We have, at the moment, business domiciled in both Dublin and Luxemburg so both of those would potentially be options for us if we felt that we should have additional funds domiciled in continental Europe," she added.

British insurers were hit hard in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote, with share prices tumbling on expectations that the fallout in the broader economy would hurt the firms.

"On Brexit it is a challenge for the whole industry in that we dont know exactly what form it will take. Will there be fund passporting from the UK to Europe, and vice versa, or not?" Richard said.

The news that Prudential UK operations could be hit by Brexit came as the group released its first half results.

Prudential posted a 6 per cent increase in first-half profit as a jump in earnings at its Asia business helped it to beat analyst estimates and offset lower profits from M&G

M&Gs operating profit declined by 10 per cent to 225 million.

6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Show all 6 1 /6 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you More expensive foreign holidays The first practical effect of a vote to Leave is that the pound will be worth less abroad, meaning foreign holidays will cost us more nito100 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you No immediate change in immigration status The Prime Minister will have to address other immediate concerns. He is likely to reassure nationals of other EU countries living in the UK that their status is unchanged. That is what the Leave campaign has said, so, even after the Brexit negotiations are complete, those who are already in the UK would be allowed to stay Getty 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Higher inflation A lower pound means that imports would become more expensive. This is likely to mean the return of inflation  a phenomenon with which many of us are unfamiliar because prices have been stable for so long, rising at no more than about 2 per cent a year. The effect may probably not be particularly noticeable in the first few months. At first price rises would be confined to imported goods  food and clothes being the most obvious  but inflation has a tendency to spread and to gain its own momentum AFP/Getty Images 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Interest rates might rise The trouble with inflation is that the Bank of England has a legal obligation to keep it as close to 2 per cent a year as possible. If a fall in the pound threatens to push prices up faster than this, the Bank will raise interest rates. This acts against inflation in three ways. First, it makes the pound more attractive, because deposits in pounds will earn higher interest. Second, it reduces demand by putting up the cost of borrowing, and especially by taking larger mortgage payments out of the economy. Third, it makes it more expensive for businesses to borrow to expand output Getty 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Did somebody say recession? Mr Carney, the Treasury and a range of international economists have warned about this. Many Leave voters appear not to have believed them, or to think that they are exaggerating small, long-term effects. But there is no doubt that the Leave vote is a negative shock to the economy. This is because it changes expectations about the economys future performance. Even though Britain is not actually be leaving the EU for at least two years, companies and investors will start to move money out of Britain, or to scale back plans for expansion, because they are less confident about what would happen after 2018 AFP/Getty Images 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you And we wouldnt even get our money back All this will be happening while the Prime Minister, whoever he or she is, is negotiating the terms of our future access to the EU single market. In the meantime, our trade with the EU would be unaffected, except that companies elsewhere in the EU may be less interested in buying from us or selling to us, expecting tariff barriers to go up in two years time. Whoever the Chancellor is, he or she may feel the need to bring in a new Budget Getty Images

Mike Wells, Prudentials chief executive, said the group has delivered good progress in a period of heightened macro-economic, geo-political and investment market uncertainty and volatility.

He added that Prudential continue to successfully manage the effects of markets turbulence in the US and the UK.

Click here to download your free guide to investing in funds with Independent partner, Hargreaves Lansdown
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

G4S posted a 44 per cent rise in first-half earnings on Wednesday and maintained its dividend, sending its shares 15 per cent higher, making it the top performer on the FTSE 250 share index.

The group said it was making substantial progress in its turnaround plan.

Shares in the world's largest security firm jumped on relief that the dividend - seen as vulnerable by some analysts - was maintained at 3.59p per share.

The company, which runs services ranging from moving cash for companies to protecting ships, is selling weak businesses under a restructuring programme as it attempts to recover from a string of high-profile contract problems in Britain.

G4S reputation has been tarnished by a failure to provide enough security guards at the London 2012 Olympics and for charging for the electronic tagging of offenders, some of whom turned out to be dead. In June, the company was left scrambling to defend its vetting procedures after an employee murdered 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando.

Analysts had feared that the group would be hit by Britain's vote to leave the European Union, a more sluggish economy and a fall in the value of the pound making its debt in foreign currencies more expensive to service. The UK accounts for around one fifth of G4S's revenues.

Ashley Almanza, chief executive, said the company still has much to do to realise the full potential of our strategy, but said G4S has made substantial further progress.

Biggest business scandals in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Biggest business scandals in pictures Biggest business scandals in pictures Volkswagen emissions scandal VW admitted to rigging its US emission tests so that diesel-powered cars would looks like they were emitting less nitrous oxide, which can damage the ozone layer and contribute to respiratory diseases. Around 11 million cars worldwide were affected. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Martin Shkreli and Turing Pharmaceuticals Martin Shkreli became known as the most hated man in the world after his drug company, Turing, increased the price of a 62-year-old drug that treated HIV patients by 5,000% to $750 a pill. He was charged with illegally taking stock from Retrophin, a biotechnology firm he started in 2011, and using it pay off debts from unrelated business dealings. Shkreli, who maintains he is innocent, and says there is little evidence of fraud because his investors didn't lose money. Biggest business scandals in pictures Panama Papers: Millions of leaked documents expose how worlds rich and powerful hid money - April 2016 Millions of confidential documents have been leaked from one of the worlds most secretive law firms, exposing how the rich and powerful have hidden their money. Dictators and other heads of state have been accused of laundering money, avoiding sanctions and evading tax, according to the unprecedented cache of papers that show the inner workings of the law firm Mossack Fonseca, which is based in Panama. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Google's tax avoidance Google reached a deal with the HM Revenue and Customs to pay back 130 million in so-called back-taxes that have been due since 2005. George Osborne championed the deal as a major success. But European MEPs have since called for the Chancellor to appear in front of the committee on tax rulings to explain the tax deal. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Rogue trader A French court cut the damages owed by rogue trader Jerome Kerviel from 4.9bn (4.2bn) to just 1m (860,000). The court ruled on that Kerviel was partly responsible for massive losses suffered in 2008 by his former employer Societe Generale through his reckless trades. Kerviel has consistently maintained that bosses at the French bank knew what he was doing all along. AP Biggest business scandals in pictures Barclays CEO under investigation for trying to identify whistleblower - Monday Paril 10 Authorities have launched an investigation into Barclays chief executive officer Jes Staley for trying to identify a whistleblower, the bank said on Monday. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) are both investigating Mr Staley after the bank notified them that Mr Staley had tried to identify the author of two anonymous letters, which were sent to the board and a senior executive in June 2016. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures UK to crack down on bank money laundering after reports of 65bn Russian scam, City minister says - March 2017 The Economic Secretary to the Treasury has vowed that the Government will crack down on money laundering practices, after several of the UK's biggest banks were accused of processing money from a Russian scam, believed to involve up to $80bn (65bn). Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Former HBOS bankers convicted of bribery and fraud over 245m loan scam - February 2017 Two former HBOS bankers were among six people found guilty of bribery and fraud that cost customers and shareholders hundreds of millions of pounds, the BBC reports. Lynden Scourfield, 54, a manager at HBOS, forced struggling clients to use the services of his friends David Mills, 60, and Michael Bancroft, 73. In return, the two businessmen arranged sex parties, cash and lavish gifts. On Monday, the three were convicted at Southwark Crown Court on accounts including bribery, fraud and money laundering. Mark Dobson, another manager at HBOS, Alison Mills, and John Cartwright were also convicted. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Lloyds chief apologises for damage caused by affair allegations - August 2016 Antonio Horta-Osorio, the chief executive of Lloyds Bank, has broken his silence over allegations about his private life admitting he regrets any "damage done to the group's reputation". In a message sent to the bank's 75,000 employees, the banker said that anyone can make mistakes while insisting that staff had to maintain the highest professional standards. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Christine Lagarde faces court over 340m Bernard Tapie payment - July 2016 The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, must stand trial in France over a payment of 403 million (now 340m, then 290m) to tycoon Bernard Tapie, a France's highest appeals court has ruled. The court rejected Ms Lagarde's appeal against a judge's order in December for her to stand trial over allegations of negligence in her handling of the affair. Ms Lagarde could risk a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of 15,000 euros if convicted. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures HSBC senior manager arrested in FX rigging investigation at JFK airport in New York - July 2016 A senior executive at HSBC has been arrested at New York's JFK airport for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to rig currency benchmarks, according to reports. Mark Johnson, global head of foreign exchange cash trading in London, was reportedly arrested on Tuesday. He will appear before a federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Bloomberg said. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Former PwC employees found guilty in 'Luxleaks' tax scandal - June 2016 Two ex- PricewaterhouseCoopers staffers were found guilty in Luxembourg of stealing confidential tax files that helped unleash a global scandal over generous fiscal deals for hundreds of international companies. Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet face suspended sentences of 12 months and 9 months and were ordered to pay fines of 1,500 (1,230) and 1,000 (822) for their role in the so-called LuxLeaks scandal. Despite the minimal sentences, the ruling was described by Deltours lawyer as shocking and a terrible anomaly. The ruling puts on guard future whistle-blowers, Deltour told reporters.The LuxLeaks revelations sped beyond Luxembourg, causing European Union regulators to expand a tax-subsidy probe and propose new laws to fight corporate tax dodging, while EU lawmakers created a special committee to probe fiscal deals across the 28-nation bloc. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Goldman Sachs dealmakers lavished Libyan officials with prostitutes to win contract - June 2016 A former Goldman Sachs dealmaker trying to persuade Gadaffi-era Libya to invest $1 billion with the investment bank procured prostitutes and invited Libyan officials to lavish parties in the hope of winning the business, the High Court heard on Monday June 13.The Libyan Investment Authority sovereign wealth fund is suing Goldman Sachs for inappropriately coercing its naive staff into giving its sovereign wealth fund cash to the bank to invest in products they did not understand. The products were designed to generate big profits for Goldman, the LIA claims.Goldman denies wrongdoing and says the LIA was treated as an arms-length customer Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Former boss of BHS said his life was threatened - June 2016 Darren Topp, the former boss of BHS, has said former owner Dominic Chappell threatened to kill him when he challenged him over a 1.5 million transfer out of the business. MPs on the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee asked Mr Topp about a 1.5 million transfer Mr Chappell made from BHS to a company called BHS Sweden. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley admits paying workers below the minimum wage - June 2016 Mike Ashley admitted paying Sports Direct employees below the minimum wage at a hearing in front of MPs. The company founder said that workers were paid less than the statutory minimum because of bottlenecks at security in an admission that could result in sanctions from HMRC. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Mitsubishi admits improper fuel tests - April 2016 Mitsubishi has admitted to using false fuel methods dating back to 1991. The scale of the scandal is only just coming to light after it was revealed in April that data was falsified in the testing of four types of cars, including two Nissan cars. AP Biggest business scandals in pictures Quindell, the scandal-ridden insurance firm Quindell was once a darling of AIM but its share price fell in April 2014 when its accounting practices were attacked in a stinging research note by US short seller Gotham City. In August the group was forced to disclose that the 107 million pre-tax profit it had reported for 2013 was incorrect, and it had in fact suffered a 64million loss. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Toshiba Accounting Scandal The boss of Toshiba, the Japanese technology giant, resigned in disgrace in the wake of one of the countrys biggest ever accounting scandals. His exit came two months after the company revealed that it was investigating accounting irregularities. An independent investigatory panel said that Toshibas management had inflated its reported profits by up to 152 billion yen (780m) between 2008 and 2014. Biggest business scandals in pictures FIFA Corruption Scandal Fifa, football's world governing body, has been engulfed by claims of widespread corruption since the summer of 2015, when the US Department of Justice indicted several top executives. It has now claimed the careers of two of the most powerful men in football, Fifa President Sepp Blatter and Uefa President Michel Platini, after they were banned for eight years from all football-related activities by Fifa's ethics committee. A Swiss criminal investigation into the pair is ongoing. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Libor fraudster City trader Tom Hayes, 35, has become the first person to be convicted of rigging Libor rates following a trial at London's Southwark Crown Court. Hayes worked as a trader in yen derivatives at UBS before joining the American bank Citigroup in Tokyo. He was fired from Citigroup following an investigation into his trading methods. He returned to the UK in December 2012 and was arrested following a two-and-a-half year criminal investigation by the SFO. Getty

The company cut debt to 3.2 times core earnings (before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) from 3.3 times at the end of 2015, and said debt reduction remains one of its priorities. It said it was able to whittle down debt thanks to strong cash flow, offsetting the impact of weaker sterling on euro and dollar-denominated debt.

Group revenues rose 5.1 per cent.

Results were in line with expectations, with core earnings of 199 million landing within a forecast range of 185 million to 205 million.

 Reuters
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Donald Trumps apparent suggestion that people could shoot Hillary Clinton to stop her appointing liberal judges to the Supreme Court caused outrage among many quarters.

One person it especially angered was the daughter of an America icon who was himself assassinated - his death sparking protests, riots and outcry across the country four decades ago.

As the daughter of a leader who was assassinated, I find Trumps comments distasteful, disturbing, dangerous, tweeted Bernice A King, the youngest daughter of Martin Luther King. His words don't #LiveUp.

The civil rights leader, who was shot and killed while at a motel in Memphis in April 1968, is among a number of high profile political and social leaders in the US who have been killed by assassins.

 trump second.mp4

Perhaps most notoriously, President John G Kennedy was killed in Dallas in November 1963.

(Rex Features)

Malcolm X, a black Muslim leader was killed in February 1965, while Kennedys brother, Robert Kennedy was shot and killed in June 1968 while running to become the Democratic candidate for that years election.

In March 30, 1981 President Ronald Reagan was shot and badly wounded in Washington DC. The attack on the US leader, 69 days into his presidency, followed the December 1980 assassination of former Beatle John Lennon in New York City.
A bus driver in central China's Henan province turned his bus into a matchmaking center for the occasion of Chinese Valentine's Day, or Qixi Festival, local media reported.

On Monday, the driver, named Chang Yunxi, attached more than 30 posters to the interior of his bus. Each poster was printed with the personal information of a single person looking for love. After listening to the worries of so many parents about their children's single status, the kind-hearted bus driver decided to do something to help. According to Chang, he successfully facilitated the matching of seven couples. Many citizens praised Chang's idea, remarking on how romantic it is to meet one's other half on a bus during Valentine's Day.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

When Seth Rich was found dead in the early hours close to his home in Washington, it was initially believed he had been the victim of an attempted robbery.

But very quickly the internet erupted with theories and speculation that the July death of the 27-year-old, who worked for the Democratic National Committee (DNC), was connected to the release of more than 20,000 hacked emails. Some were even suggesting that people in high places had ordered him wiped out, for some unspecified role in the leak of the emails, which were published by Wikileaks.

This week, such theories received fresh fuel when Wikileaks announced it was offering a reward of $20,000 for information that led to the conviction of Mr Richs killer. Why, people asked, was Wikileaks getting involved in the affair unless Mr Rich, who lived in the Bloomingdale neighborhood of north-west Washington, was somehow involved.

Wikileaks said it would not comment on how it obtained the emails. Then, in an extraordinary interview with Dutch television, Mr Assange seemed to imly that the young man was indeed the source.

Whistleblowers go to significant efforts to get us material and often very significant risks. As a 27 year-old, works for the DNC, was shot in the back, murdered just a few weeks ago for unknown reasons as he was walking down the street in Washington, he said in the interview on Sunday night.

The interviewer from Nieuwsuur asked Mr Assange if that was not simply a murder. Mr Assange replied: No. Theres no finding. So, Im suggesting that our sources take risks.

Mr Rich was found dead close to his home in Washington (YouTube)

The Wikileaks head said people were taking such risks because the stakes going into the US were "so high".

Wasserman Schultz was forced to stand down as the DNC chair (Reuters)

Mr Richs father told the Washington Post that he was concerned about the bizarre reports that were circulating on internet discussion and message boards about his son. Mr Rich and his wife, Mary Ann, who live in Nebraska, visited the Washington location of the shooting last week and appealed for help in finding the killer.

On Tuesday, Joel Rich said the WikiLeaks reward would further fuel the rumour mill. I hope the additional money helps find out who did this, he said. But I dont want to play WikiLeaks game.

Mr Rich was shot twice in the back as he walked to his home at around 4:20am on July 10. Nothing was taken, but police have said attempted robbery was their leading theory for a motive, noting a spike in robberies in the neighbourhood in the preceding weeks. WikiLeaks released the cache of DNC emails later that month, on July 22.

One of the emails revealed a plot by DNC staffers to try and smear Bernie Sanders and support his rival, Hillary Clinton. The revelation sparked outrage among supporters of Mr Sanders and the chair of the DNC, Congressman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, was forced to resign.

She would be among those who attended a vigil for Mr Rich in his home town. Meanwhile, Ms Clinton mentioned his name during a speech in which she called for limiting the availability of guns.

Police in Washington have already offered a reward of $25,000 for information about Mr Richs death, something that is standard in all murder cases. In a statement, the force said its investigation was ongoing, but said there was no evidence yet that the murder was linked to his DNC job.

At this time, there is no indication that Seth Richs death is connected to his employment at the DNC, said the statement.

However, we welcome information that could potentially lead to the identification of the individual responsible for his death and are pleased when any outside contributors help us generate new leads.
Sign up for a full digest of all the best opinions of the week in our Voices Dispatches email Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Voices Dispatches email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

A British steamship whose crew were trying to find a sea route into Siberia has been found almost 140 years after it sank during the attempt.

Russian researchers have discovered The Thames, a steamship with sails which braved the Arctic ice in the 19th century, sunk deep in the bed of the vastly long Yanisei river that traverses the country.

Found with its stern above the sand and the rest buried eight metres beneath silt, the long-lost Thames has been hailed "the discovery of the year" by regional media.

Members of the Russian Geographic Society (RGS), which helped organise the expedition, said the find testifies to the legacy of British exploration close to the Arctic Circle throughout the 19th and early 20th century.

Alexander Goncharov, associate professor in Arctic history at the Siberian State Aerospace University and a member of the expedition, said the team had set out along the Yanisei river with the specific intention of discovering The Thames' final resting place.

We knew that The Thames was there somewhere. We went looking through old maps and charts, Dr Goncharov told The Independent. The team were near a bend in the river at the village of Goroshikha.

We had sonar and a camera that was submergible, but the water is very murky there so we didn't get good resolution.

But we were measuring the depth at the mouth of this little creek  it's very deep there, about 10 metres x0150 and then all of a sudden it was very shallow.

We did a few dives. And there it was, the stern section, about maybe half a metre coming up from the sand. There is no other vessel that could be there. It was in the right spot, and the right size. It was The Thames.

The 120-tonne steamship was captained by Joseph Wiggins, an explorer determined to find a sea route between Britain and Siberia through the Arctic Ocean.

Captain Joseph Wiggins, who led British steamship The Thames up the Yansei river for the first time. He later ran it aground in 1877, after which it sank. (Siberian State Aerospace University)

Under his guidance the ship was the first ocean vessel to enter the great Yanisei river and one of the first to navigate the North East Passage, which headed up Norway's coast and across over Siberia to come down towards Japan.

In a biography of Captain Wiggins by Henry Johnson, called The Life and Voyages of Joseph Wiggins, the author prints part of the captain's own logbook during The Thames' voyage on page 106.

On we steamed. Evening soon closed in, and a headwind, springing up, compelled us to anchor for the first time in the Yenesei River, he wrote.

The first British flag that had ever flown on this mighty river was hauled down at sunset. We had hoisted it in the afternoon on perceiving the natives.

In pictures: Life in the Arctic Show all 28 1 /28 In pictures: Life in the Arctic In pictures: Life in the Arctic 325659.bin In pictures: Life in the Arctic 325661.bin In pictures: Life in the Arctic 325660.bin In pictures: Life in the Arctic 325662.bin In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324622.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324623.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324624.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324625.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324626.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324627.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324628.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324629.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324630.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324634.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324636.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324635.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324637.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324638.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324639.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324640.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324641.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324643.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324642.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324644.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324661.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324645.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324663.bin Charles Emmerson In pictures: Life in the Arctic 324662.bin Charles Emmerson

Yet when Captain Wiggins reached the Yanisei river in The Thames in 1876, returning the next year to continue the expedition, he ran the ship aground where it froze to the riverbed. While he and his crew disembarked and sold some parts to local merchants, the abandoned ship eventually sank in the spring thaw of 1878.

Such was the British enthusiasm for securing a fast trade route to Siberia, which was rich in coal, fur and timber, that explorers continued to send boats every year from about 1893, said Dr Goncharov.

There were many English expeditions in the 1800s, especially starting from 1893, after which they were sent annually, he said.

Your countrymen really explored that route.

However, regional newspaper Nash Krasnoyarsk Krai, which dubbed the event the discovery of the year, said the find should hail a new era of Russian exploration of the area.

It read: The find to the north of Krasnoyarsk [a nearby city] can replace scepticism with a positive attitude towards the reclamation of the Russian north, promising incredible benefits.

The chair of the Russian Geological Society is the country's president, Vladimir Putin. Russia is keen to claim the trade routes and oil fields near the Arctic Circle as global warming makes them increasingly accessible.

Archaeological finds more than 100 years old require special permission to be excavated, said Dr Goncharov, meaning the team must wait to find out when they can bring The Thames up from its sandy grave.
Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

London Underground will stage a test run of its new night service this weekend ahead of its launch next week.

During the night, trains will run without passengers on Friday and Saturday as staff make last minute checks before the service goes live.

It will start on the Central and Victoria lines before it is introduced for the Piccadilly, Jubilee and Northern lines in the autumn.

There will be six trains per hour on most lines between 00:30am and 5:30am.

The Northern line will have eight per hours to meet demand between Leicester Square and Camden Town.

The service was originally due to be introduced in September 2015 but was delayed by a string of tube strikes last summer by the RMT, TSSA, Aslef and Unite over the pay and conditions of workers.

Night Tube Map (TfL)

A Transport for London spokeswoman said: A service will be running on the Central and Victoria lines on Friday and Saturday nights. It wont be open to any customers, it is purely for operational staff.

In May, London Mayor Sadiq Khan called the service absolutely vital to his plan to support and grow Londons night time economy.

In pictures: Tube strike in London (July 2015) Show all 12 1 /12 In pictures: Tube strike in London (July 2015) In pictures: Tube strike in London (July 2015) London People queue for buses at Stratford station In pictures: Tube strike in London (July 2015) London Commuters crowd on a platform as they wait for a train on the c2c line at Upminster station In pictures: Tube strike in London (July 2015) London Metropolitan Police with crowds of people queuing for buses at Stratford station In pictures: Tube strike in London (July 2015) London People queue for buses in Stratford In pictures: Tube strike in London (July 2015) London People queue to get on a bus outside Victoria Station In pictures: Tube strike in London (July 2015) London A long line of people waiting at a bus stop in Wimbledon, south west London, as tennis fans leaving the All England Club faced a difficult journey home due to a tube strike In pictures: Tube strike in London (July 2015) London People wait in line for taxis in Wimbledon In pictures: Tube strike in London (July 2015) London A closed entrance to Stratford underground station, as commuters face travel misery trying to get to work because of a strike which has brought London Underground to a standstill In pictures: Tube strike in London (July 2015) London District Line tube trains parked at the Upminster depot during a 24-hour walkout of London Underground staff In pictures: Tube strike in London (July 2015) London Commuters try to board a tube train at Westminster station as workers across the British capital begin a 24-hour strike on 7 July In pictures: Tube strike in London (July 2015) London Commuters crowding around one of the entrances to Oxford Circus Tube station, the rush hour on 7 July started early in London as commuters left work to beat a Tube strike In pictures: Tube strike in London (July 2015) London Commuters crowding around one of the closed entrances to Oxford Circus Tube station. Picket lines were mounted outside stations by members of four trade unions involved in a 24-hour walkout in a row over the new all-night Tubes, due to start in mid-September

He said: "The Night Tube is absolutely vital to my plans to support and grow London's night time economy - creating more jobs and opportunities for all Londoners. The constant delays under the previous Mayor let Londoners down badly.

According to figures released by the Mayors office, the number of late night tube journeys is increasing at double the rate of daytime times and demand for travel on night buses has risen by over 170 per cent since 2000.

The average night journey time will be cut by an average of 20 minutes by the service.
Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Jeremy Corbyns re-election as Labour leader has been thrown into doubt for the first time since his challenger, Owen Smith, began the contest.

Mr Smith has won the backing of Britains third biggest union, the GMB, in the same week that the fourth biggest union, Usdaw, came out for him.

And Mr Smiths camp say that two private polls, each with a sample of 5,000 Labour Party members and supporters, show that Mr Corbyn is not home yet.

The loss of the GMBs support is a symbolic blow for Mr Corbyn, because it was at a GMB hustings last year that his extraordinary success in the leadership contest began. The union balloted it members, who voted by a margin of 60-40 to back Mr Smith.

Tim Roache, who recently took over as the unions general secretary, said: The Labour Party is at a crossroads. Im under no illusions that were living through dangerous political times  the like of which I havent seen during my three decades in our movement. It's time for us to face up to reality.

GMB balloted our members because this kind of decision shouldnt be taken from up on high. Were a democratic organisation here to serve our members interests. I was determined that our members would have their say. And they've had it.

Ill proudly campaign alongside Owen in the coming weeks and months to deliver on his pledges to end the public sector pay freeze, to support defence workers, to invest in health and industry, and to build an industrial strategy  these are bread and butter issues for the people I represent.

But we can only tackle them if were in government. Thats the end game and I hope whatever the final result, the Labour Party will unite when all this is over. GMB members cannot afford for Labour to be talking to itself in a bubble for the next five years while the Tories run riot through our rights at work, our public services and our communities.

Mr Smith said: Its a great honour to receive GMBs nomination to be the next leader of the Labour Party after a consultation with its members.

At the heart of my campaign are commitments to strengthening our trade unions, ending exploitation and delivering greater equality.

I look forward to working with the GMB, its members and all in the Labour movement to tackle inequality, invest in strong public services, and for Britain to have trade union and workers rights that are the envy of the world.

Mr Corbyn appeared in front of GMB activists in Dublin on 12 June 2015, alongside the other three contestants in the election to succeed Ed Miliband, at the first hustings of the contest. Afterwards The Independent reported: If the audience were representative of the public at large, Labour could sail to victory under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn.

But last October, Mr Corbyn angered GMB leaders by unilaterally announcing that he stands by his long held opposition to renewing the Trident submarine fleet, contrary to previously agreed party policy. The jobs of thousands of GMB members are dependent on Trident.

The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Show all 11 1 /11 The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He called Hezbollah and Hamas friends True. In a speech made to the Stop the War Coalition in 2009, Mr Corbyn called representatives from both groups friends after inviting them to Parliament. He later told Channel 4 he wanted both groups, who have factions designated as international terror organisations, to be part of the debate for the Middle East peace process. I use (the word friends) in a collective way, saying our friends are prepared to talk, he added. Does it mean I agree with Hamas and what it does? No. Does it mean I agree with Hezbollah and what they do? No. Reuters The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn thinks the death of Osama bin Laden was a tragedy Partly false. David Cameron used this as a line of attack at the Conservative Party conference but appears to have left out all context from Mr Corbyns original remarks. In an 2011 interview on Iranian television, the then-backbencher said the fact the al-Qaeda leader was not put on trial was the tragedy, continuing: The World Trade Center was a tragedy, the attack on Afghanistan was a tragedy, the war in Iraq was a tragedy. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He is haunted by the legacy of his evil great-great-grandfather False. A Daily Express expose revealed that the Labour leaders ancestor, James Sargent, was the despotic master of a Victorian workhouse. Addressing the report at the Labour conference, Mr Corbyn said he had never heard of him before, adding: I want to take this opportunity to apologise for not doing the decent thing and going back in time and having a chat with him about his appalling behaviour. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn raised a motion about pigeon bombs in Parliament This one is true. On 21 May 2004, Mr Corbyn raised an early day motion entitled pigeon bombs, proposing that the House register being appalled but barely surprised that MI5 reportedly proposed to load pigeons with explosives as a weapon. The motion continued: The House believes that humans represent the most obscene, perverted, cruel, uncivilised and lethal species ever to inhabit the planet and looks forward to the day when the inevitable asteroid slams into the earth and wipes them out thus giving nature the opportunity to start again. It was not carried. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He rides a Communist bicycle False. A report in The Times referred to Mr Corbyn, known for his cycling, riding a Chairman Mao-style bicycle earlier this year. Less thorough journalists might have referred to it as just a bicycle, but no, so we have to conclude that whenever we see somebody on a bicycle from now on, there goes another supporter of Chairman Mao, he later joked. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn 'Jeremy Corbyn will appoint a special minister for Jews' False so far. The Sun report in December was allegedly based on a rumour passed to the paper by a Daily Express columnist who has written pieces critical of the Labour leader in the past. The minister did not materialise in his shadow cabinet. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn wishes Britain would abolish its Army False. Another gem from The Sun took comments made at a Hiroshima remembrance parade in August 2012 where Mr Corbyn supported Costa Ricas move to abolish it armed forces. Wouldnt it be wonderful if every politician around the worldabolished the army and took pride in the fact that they dont have an army, he added. The caveat that every politician must take the step suggests Mr Corbyn does not support UK disarmament just yet. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn stole sandwiches meant for veterans False. The Guido Fawkes blog claimed that the Labour leader took sandwiches meant for veterans at at Battle of Britain memorial service in September but a photo later emerged showing him being handed one by Costa volunteers, who later confirmed they were given to all guests. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He missed the induction into the Queens privy council True. After much speculation about Mr Corbyns republican views and willingness to bow to the monarch, his office confirmed that he did not attend the official induction to the privy council because of a prior engagement, but did not rule out joining the body. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn refuses to sing the national anthem. Partly true. The Labour leader was filmed standing in silence as God Save the Queen was sung at a Battle of Britain remembrance service but will reportedly sing it in future. Mr Corbyn was elusive on the issue in an interview, saying he would show memorials respect in the proper way, but sources said he would sing the anthem at future occasions. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He is a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cheese True. The group lists its purpose as the following: To increase awareness of issues surrounding the dairy industry and focus on economic issues affecting the dairy industry and producers.

When the union held a conference on Tridents future in Newcastle in February, its Scottish secretary, Gary Smith, warned: Instead of honouring you as hard-working, committed trade unionists there are people, many of whom are at the heart of the Labour and trade union movement, who, quite simply, want you to lose your jobs.

Two private polls conducted for the Smith camp indicate that a majority of Labour members and supporters are either backing Mr Smith or undecided. However, they were taken before Mondays court judgement that gave 130,000 party members who joined up after 12 January an automatic right to vote.

That judgement, which the Labour Party is contesting on appeal, is assumed to have the effect of boosting Mr Corbyns vote, because of the large number of people who flocked to join Labour after the 23 June referendum when they heard that Mr Corbyn was under threat.

But a spokesman for Mr Smith said: We dont have any evidence to show that support within the new selectorate will be any different from the selectorate that was there before the judgement.
Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Theresa May has spoken to Russian president Vladimir Putin for the first time since she became Prime Minister.

The Kremlin said both leaders expressed dissatisfaction with UK-Russian relations and pledged to improve ties.

The UK's relationship with Russia became increasingly strained under former prime minister David Cameron, following Mr Putin's support for the Syrian regime, the Ukraine crisis, and the recent inquiry in to the 2006 poisoning death of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.

Mrs May said she hoped the nations could push forward in an "honest" way despite their differences. The pair will meet at the G20 summit of world leaders in China next month.

Recommended Read more Russia hosts its own Olympics for athletes banned from Rio 2016

A Downing Street spokeswoman said the leaders discussed common security threats faced by both countries when they spoke on the phone on Tuesday afternoon.

She said: "The Prime Minister noted the importance of the relationship between the UK and Russia and expressed the hope that, despite differences on certain issues, they could communicate in an open and honest way about the issues that mattered most to them.

"The Prime Minister and president agreed that British and Russian citizens faced common threats from terrorism, and that co-operation on aviation security in particular was a vital part of the international counter-terrorism effort.

"They looked forward to seeing each other at the G20 summit in China next month."

The pair agreed to develop a dialogue between their security agencies over aviation security, the Kremlin added.

The Russian government said Mrs May also confirmed Britain's intention to participate in the 75th anniversary of the first arrival of vital aid by British wartime convoys to the Russian city of Arkhangelsk, later this month.

Press Association
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

An American woman has pleaded guilty to kissing and groping a 14-year-old Filipino boy she was in the process of adopting.

Christy Lynn Jaski, 43, from Wilmington in North Carolina, allegedly climbed on top of the teenager and admitted to a friend she had to fight the urge to go further in groping him, during as series of incidents between December 2014 and January 2015.

The case was raised by Wilmington police department after Jaski allegedly sent text messages to her friend in the Philippines saying she had kissed the boy who she referred to as her son.

Meanwhile the victim said Jaski had blamed him for the incidents and had stated she did not know how it had got to this point between them, according to Wilmington Star News.

At New Hanover County Superior Court, Jaski pleaded guilty to three counts of misdemeanor sexual battery involving a minor, and was sentenced to three years supervised probation -- and registered as a sex offender for 30 years.

Jaski founded a child adoption ministry in 2004 which has operated across several US states and ensured new homes for more than 20 children.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

It is not known how far through the adoption process Jaski was with the unnamed boy, how she had come to adopt him and her motivation behind adopting him.

Jaskis lawyers confirmed she has had no contact with the boy since he was removed from the family home, and the boy has been placed in another state and is doing well.

The original charges of indecent liberties with a child, behaviour described by police officers as lewd and lascivious, were dismissed by the judge as part of Jaskis plea deal.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

A man suspected of shooting and wounding two Arkansas law enforcement officers has been taken in into custody, according to the local sheriff.

The suspect was arrested several hours after the shooting was reported in a rural, woodland area of Sebastian County.

KFSM Television said the gunman shot one Sebastian County deputy and the Hackett chief of police at about 7.15 am.

It is not clear what led to the shooting, which happened between the towns of Greenwood and Midland, about150 miles west of Little Rock

The officers were responding to an unspecified call for service, according to Lt Philip Pevehouse, of Sebastian County Sheriff's office. Deputies later surrounded a house where the suspect had barricaded himself inside.

James Markward, who lives nearby, said he heard a commotion.

"It woke me up this morning, the gunshots. Of course I didn't know what was going on," the 72-year-old told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "My neighbour called me and asked if I was shooting, and I said 'No, not me."'
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey flat-out lied to reporters about the so-called Bridgegate scandal involving the closing of lanes over a key span to Manhattan, according to newly revealed court documents filed in connection with the case.

The filing by Bill Baroni, a former top official at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, contains snippets of text messages by New Jersey offiicals at the time that appear directly to contradict Mr Christies assertion a nationally broadcast press conference in December 2015 that no one among his senior staff were aware of the situation.

Recommended Read more One in five Republicans want Trump to drop out

Mr Christie, who was later to make an ultimately unsuccessful run at the Republican presidential nomination, struggled at the time to distance himself from the controversy that erupted after road crews strangled access to the George Washington Bridge from New Jersey in retribution to a local mayor who had declined to support him for re-election after his first term as governor.

I've made it very clear to everybody on my senior staff that if anyone had any knowledge about this that they needed to come forward to me and tell me about it, and they've all assured me that they don't, Mr Christie said at the time.

Mr Baroni is one of two former Christie allies facing trial next month on criminal charges in relation to the closures.

The court filing in the case concerns a text message allegedly sent by Christina Renna, former director of Mr Christie's intergovernmental affairs office, during the press conference to Peter Sheridan, a member of the governor;s re-election campaign.

Are you listening? He just flat out lied about senior staff and Stepien not being involved, her first text said, referring to Bill Stepien, campaign manager for Mr Christie in both his campaigns for governor. She sent another text saying, it could be bad if emails were later uncovered through a subpoena or court discovery.

The revelation might have caused significant damage to Mr Christie had he prevailed in the Republican nomination race. Instead he dropped out early on in the primary contests and shocked the Republican establishment by coming out in favour of Donald Trump.

On Wednesday, a Christie spokesman downplayed the significance of the text message. The governor's statements have been clear, Brian Murray said. Nothing contained in this text message changes that in any way.

Weeks after it first erupted, Mr Christie apologised for the bridge fiasco, which had car commuters tied up for hours trying to get to their offices in Manhattan as well as other drivers. He fired a deputy chief of staff and cut ties with Mr Stepien.

There was speculation for months after that his ambitions to run for president had already been dealt a fatal blow by the affair because it seemed to play into an already well-established narrative that he was a bully and authoritarian figure with ambitions larger than his ethics.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

An elderly Canadian cruise ship passenger who got lost on a solo hike near an Alaskan Glacier spent the night in a forest home to bears, wolves and moose, before walking to safety the following morning.

The 79-year-old Ontario woman, whose name has not been made public, was a passenger on the 294-metre Coral Princess when it docked in Juneau, Alaskas state capital, last Wednesday. The ship has 1,000 passenger cabins and a crew of close to 900.

Recommended Read more Beloved Alaskan wolf pack feared dead due to hunting

The woman travelled 19 kilometres from the port to the Mendenhall Glacier to walk the 3.5-mile East Glacier Trail, which was not part of the cruise itinerary. But she became disorientated on the loop route, which ought to take two hours to walk, veering instead onto another path, the Nugget Creek Trail.

At 4pm, by which time she had failed to return, the Coral Princess left port without her. Lost out on the darkening trail, she was forced to spend the night without any camping or safety gear in the Tongass national forest, part of the worlds largest swathe of temperate rainforest.

Juneau police organised a search that went on until midnight. The following morning at about 9.30, the woman walked into the visitor centre, wet and tired but otherwise unscathed. Police officers drove her to the airport, where she boarded to a flight to Ketchikan to rejoin the cruise.

Shes a hardy soul, Princess Cruises port manager Kirby Day told the Juneau Empire. She is a strong lady, and she knew what she was doing. She did all the right things except for making one wrong turn."
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

After hours of tense and sometimes emotional debate, the Brazil Senate has now voted to move forward with the impeachment trial of suspended President Dilma Rousseff.

The vote in the upper house of the national Congress in Brasilia cast a bright and unwelcome spotlight on the countrys political turmoil at the very time that it is trying to put on its best face for the Summer Olympics under way in Rio de Janeiro.

By agreeing formally to indict Ms Rousseff, the Senate has opened the door to what is certain to be a wrenching trial of the one-time leftist guerrilla leader and head of the socialist-leaning Workers Party that will open in the same chamber the week after the closing ceremonies.

The lopsided 59-21 vote to indict Ms Rousseff was a stark reflection of her failure to persuade members of the Senate to see her side in a case that technically centres on allegations that she massaged the countrys fiscal books as she prepared for re-election three years ago.

There are now very few observers in Brazil who believe she can prevail at trial. If she is found guilty she will be permanently removed from office and the tenure of the man who replaced her, Michel Temer, will be confirmed. His term would end in 2018.

The margin in favour of indictment after a debate that lasted some 15 hours was especially discouraging for Ms Rousseff and her allies. For her to be convicted at trial at least 54 senators will need to be on side. That tally now seems entirely attainable by her political foes.

This is not an easy situation, Jose Eduardo Cardozo, who was attorney general under Ms Rousseff and is leading her defense, told Brazilian news portal G1 after the vote. He appeared to pin any dwindling hopes on a big enough number of senators balking when the moment comes actually to oust her for good. The final vote isn't tethered to today's result, he said.

The more conservative Mr Temer, who was Ms Rousseffs vice president, has been in charge of Brazil since her original suspension in May. Since then, he has been widely criticized for appointing an all-male, all-white cabinet. Three of his ministers have since been forced to resign for apparent links to a sprawling corruption probe that continues to shake the country.

Mr Temer, who has promised economic reforms designed to lift the economy out of its worst recession in decades but which also risk reversing many of the social policies introduced by the Workers Party, is 75 years old and said he will not run in the 2018 elections.
18-yr-old Chinese young man who gets life sentence for buying replica guns online shouts in court: See if you can shoot me with the guns I bought!

The guns bought by Liu Dawei.

The fate of Liu Dawei that would lead him to a life sentence conviction began on July, 2014. Then 18-year-old, gun enthusiast Liu placed an online order to purchase 24 replica firearms from a Taiwanese website at a cost of 30,540 yuan (around 4602.07 USD). But his parcel never arrived at his home in Quanzhou, southeast Chinas Fujian province. Two months later, on September 29, 2014, Liu was arrested for arm trafficking. Police have identified 20 out of the 24 replica guns as real guns. On April 30, 2015, Liu has been sentenced to life imprisonment. In the courtroom, Liu Dawei yelled out at the top of his lungs, Please shoot me with the guns I bought! Ill admit guilty if I could be killed!

The judge evoked Article 151 of PRC Criminal Law: Smuggling arms, ammunitions, nuclear materials, or counterfeit currency notes shall be sentenced to imprisonment of over seven years, with a fine or forfeiture of property. Offenses of an extraordinarily serious nature [...] should be punished with life imprisonment or death penalty, with forfeiture of property. The judge said, based on the law, smuggling over 20 firearms should be given death sentence. However, the judge added that considering Lius young age at the time when the crime was committed, the court thus handed down a life sentence instead. In Daweis defense, the reason why he bought such a large chunk of replica guns was that the Taiwanese online store would not accept an order under 20 pieces.

File photo: Liu Dawei

The crux of the controversy thus lies in the question of where a replica gun is counted as a real weapon on the spectrum. According to Regulations on evaluating firearm and ammunition performance by Public Security Organs decreed in 2010, [the object] should be identified as a firearm when the kinetic energy of firearms muzzle is over 1.8 j/cm2.

The terminologies in the definition may be obscure for most people who lack expertise in the field. Liu Daweis lawyer used a metaphor to clarify, We are sitting across the table, and I dash a handful of beans onto your face; the force of these beans would be about 1.8j/cm2. Similar standard in Hong Kong goes up to 7.077 j/cm2, and 20 k/cm2 in Taiwan. Even in mainland China, the number was set at 16j/cm2 before 2008.

Lius mother, who never thought she would lose her son for a kind of toy hes been playing with since child, said Dawei was ignorant to the existence of such a law. Dawei never knew such regulation before he was arrested, said Lius mother.

Liu Dawei is not alone. There are more and more similar cases in recent years. Cai Xueen, deputy to the National Peoples Congress, said that there has been an increase of 30 percent of similar cases in Hubei province alone after the new regulation in 2010.

There are efforts made in recent years, dedicating to raising the threshold of the definition of firearm. There are reports submitted both in the Two Sessions and the National Peoples Congress this year, appealing for an amendment in the appraisal of replica guns. Those appraisal standards that go against scientific recognition and common sense should be stopped, said Zhu Zhengfu, a deputy in the Two Session this year.

There perhaps still is hope for a turnaround in Liu Dawei's case. On April 11, 2016, Higher Peoples Court of Fujian Province has accepted Liu Daweis appeal. Liu and his family are now eagerly waiting for the final results.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

During his campaign Donald Trump has consistently set the bar high with his natural flair for generating outrage, but the Republican presidential nominee surpassed all his previous self-inflicted scandals after apparently suggesting that shooting his rival Hillary Clinton maybe the only way to stop her seeking controls on firearms.

In an unprecedented move, the United States Secret Service has responded to the presidential hopefuls words.

Through its official Twitter account, the service tweeted: The Secret Service is aware of the comments made earlier this afternoon.

The brouhaha erupted after Mr Trump spoke about gun control and the next presidents power to appoint Supreme Court justices at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina,

To a torrent of boos from the audience, Mr Trump said: Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the second amendment.

He then added: If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the second amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know. But Ill tell you what, that will be a horrible day.

After the incident, Michael Hayden, the former director of the CIA and National Security Agency told CNN: Well, let me say, if someone had have said that outside the hall hed be in the back of a police wagon now with the secret service questioning him.

Speaking about Trumps presidential bid, he added: You get to a certain point in this business and youre not just responsible for what you say, you are responsible for what people hear.

Mr Trumps campaign quickly sought to defuse the situation, arguing he was calling for supporters of the second amendment to rally around him.

Its called the power of unification  2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power, Jason Miller, the campaigns senior communications adviser said in a statement.

In an interview after the incident, Fox Newss Sean Hannity asked Mr Trump: You know, so obviously youre saying that theres a strong political movement within the Second Amendment, and if people mobilize and vote, they can stop Hillary from having this impact on the court. But thats not how the media is spinning it. Whats your reaction to it?

Trump replied: Well, I just heard about that, and it was amazing because nobody in that room thought anything other than what you just said. This is a political movement. This is a strong, powerful movement, the Second Amendment there can be no other interpretation. Even reporters have told me  I mean give me a break.

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'

The National Rifle Associations spokeswoman Jennifer Baker said the outrage over Mr Trumps comments were a distraction created by the dishonest media.
Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Nadine White Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race Report Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

The Race Report email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

A New Jersey man says he was assaulted after he was confronted for wearing a Donald Trump T-shirt.

Peter Yankowski, 62, told News12 that the alleged suspect  described by police as a black man in his 20s  drove alongside him on a busy Bloomfield road as he was walking to a neighbourhood Friendlys restaurant.

The confrontation underscores the atmosphere of racial tension created by the Republican nominees candidacy, which has drawn the support of White Nationalist groups in the US.

[He] called me white trash, cursed me out, gave me the finger, Mr Yankowski said. I yelled back a few expletives.

After the initial confrontation, Mr Yankowski said he went inside of the restaurant for some ice cream when the suspect returned holding a blunt metal object.

According to a witness, Mr Yankowski yelled racial slurs at the suspect, whom she said was also at the restaurant getting ice cream. Her account challenges Mr Yankowskis narrative that he was followed into the restaurant.

 Donald Trump says Putin called Obama the 'N-Word'

He goes like, Youre a n***er. Youre not even supposed to be here. This is a white people spot', Friendlys employee Mimi Sonmez told reporters.

She said that the two stepped outside when she saw the younger man trying to hit him with the metal.

Police said Mr Yankowski was hit multiple times on the arm and was treated at the scene.

When asked if he did, in fact, use the racial slur, Mr Yankowski whispered, Yes.

I just wish I had the nerve to keep on walking and disregard it, he added. But I guess he struck a nerve.

Mr Yankowski said he will not wear the Donald Trump shirt again until November.

The Trump campaign has received steady criticism over the candidates seeming unwillingness to condemn the racialised violence that surrounds it.

The Southern Poverty Law Centre recently rebuked the New York businessmans campaign, saying he has done little to dampen the rancor of his supporters from white supremacist circles  particularly when violent incidents occur at his events.

Rather than tamping down the raucous racism and violence at Trump rallies and at white nationalist events praising Trump, they wrote, the frequency of these incidents has risen, along with the abiding enthusiasm of neo-Nazis, white nationalists, and various far-right extremists for the GOP nominee."
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Were sorry for your loss. Can we help sell your house?

That is the gist of a sympathy card delivered to a Canadian man by estate agents days after his wifes death.

Launi Smith Bowie found the card in her fathers rubbish bin and took to Facebook to express her anger.

My dad received this sympathy card in the mail from these two ambulance chasing vultures less than 3 weeks after my moms untimely passing, she wrote. They did not know my mom at all. It absolutely devastated him.

In fact, she told The Toronto Star, her mother Audry Smith collapsed at a family birthday party three weeks earlier and died, leaving the Vancouver family to cope with a desperately unexpected loss.

The estate agents knocked on her fathers door and left a condolence card with their business cards and an offer to help.

Absolutely disgusting and misguided in the worst way, continued Ms Bowie. On what planet does someone think this is ethical or even remotely acceptable???"

The estate agents have apologised for sending the message, which they said was heartfelt

Linda Shaver and Leanne deSouza, the two estate agents, have since apologised and insisted their offer was well-intentioned.

They said they met Ted Smith during a routine doorstep canvassing session. He had explained his recent loss and said he expressed interest in finding out how much his home would sell for, they explained.

Our sympathy was heartfelt. It was very emotional to hear his loss, said Ms deSouza, who said in future they would not send their business cards.

The episode has led them to receive hate mail and threats.

The Real Estate Council of British Columbia has launched an investigation.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Gunfire broke out after a hit and run during a peaceful protest in Ferguson to mark the second anniversary of Michael Brown's murder.

Video footage shows a man standing in the road in what appears to be an act of protest, before being hit by a fast-moving car.

It shows the man being thrown to the side of the road, and people can be heard screaming in shock.

Recommended Read more How Ferguson became gripped by unrest after Michael Brown was shot

Less than a minute later gunshots can be heard. It is not confirmed who fired them.

The incident occurred during a peaceful memorial for Brown, who was shot by a police officer at the age of 18 in August 2014.

At around 8pm police arrived on the scene after the protesters formed a line in the road and ordered the protesters to get off the road.

But shortly afterwards a protester, named locally as Jacoby Thomas, was hit by a car.

The driver allegedly failed to stop after hitting Mr Thomas.

A witness said in a video posted on Twitter: "The chief told them to unblock the street. Once they unblocked the street, people start driving down here 50 or 60 miles an hour and they hit a young man.

"Normally a person will pull over when they hit somebody. This person didn't stop."

The condition of Mr Thomas is unknown as he was taken from the scene in a private vehicle, police told the St Louis Post-Dispatch.

No one was injured in the shooting and no arrests were made, local police told AP.

Twitter users reported later on in the evening a man in a wheelchair was tasered by police officers and put into a police car.

A witness said: "A police officer just tased a man who asked for help. He said he wanted medical help and they tased him several times and they've put him in the cop car."

The death of Michael Brown at the hands of police in 2014 and the events that followed set off protests and unrest in Ferguson and other US cities.

It also led to the creation of the Black Lives Matter movement, which is gaining momentum in the UK.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

An elderly Florida woman who was helping the police with a training exercise has been shot dead by an officer using a real gun and live ammunition.

Mary Knowlton, 73, was killed in a role play involving a real firearm which was being performed as part of a 35-strong citizenship class.

According to the Punta Gorda City police department, two participants were randomly selected to be put through a shoot/dont shoot scenario in which they make decisions on using simulated lethal force in a live role play.

Recommended Read more Father defends guns after accidentally kills son at a firing range

Ms Knowlton was playing a victim and the officer was playing an aggressor.

But the gun used in the exercise was real and loaded with ammunition, and at least one round was shot into Ms Knowlton, causing fatal injuries. She was transported to hospital but pronounced dead on arrival. There have been no further details released of how the incident transpired.

An investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has been opened and the officer involved has been placed on administrative leave. The name of the officer has not been released.

It is unclear why a real gun and ammunition were used as part of a role play scenario in the Citizen's Academy, a series of classes used to educate selected residents about the operation of local government.

The famous for and against US gun control Show all 31 1 /31 The famous for and against US gun control The famous for and against US gun control Against: Robert De Niro Despite the actor being a gun-wielding fast-talker, he told Daily Mail: "There should be more control. It has just gotten out of hand, how easily you can get guns." The famous for and against US gun control For: Brad Pitt "America is founded on guns. It;s in out DNA. Its very strange but I feel better having a gun." Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control For: Angelina Jolie "Brad and I are not against having a gun in the house, and we do have one. If anybody comes into my home and tries to hurt my kids, Ive no problem shooting them." AFP/Getty The famous for and against US gun control For: Johnny Depp "When I was a kid it was a controlled atmosphere, we weren't shooting at humans - we were shooting at cans and bottles mostly. I will most certainly take my kids out for target practice." Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control For: Bruce Willis "Everyone has a right to bear arms. If you take guns away from legal gun owners, then the only people who have guns are the bad guys." Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control For: Clint Eastwood "I have a very strict gun control policy: if there's a gun around, I want to be in control of it." Reuters The famous for and against US gun control For: Whoopi Goldberg "Im an NRA member, as you know or probably dont know... I want to know that theres at least some way to prevent folks who are just getting out from mental institutions [from getting guns]." The famous for and against US gun control For: Vince Vaughn "Banning guns is like banning forks in an attempt to stop making people fat. Taking away guns, taking away drugs, the booze, it won't rid the world of criminality... I support people having a gun in public full stop, not just in your home." Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control For: Donald Trump "Democrats want to confiscate all guns, which is a dumb idea because only the law-abiding citizens would turn in their guns and the bad guys would be the only ones left armed. The Republicans walk the NRA line and refuse even limited restrictions" Getty The famous for and against US gun control Against: Matt Damon I actually hate guns. They freak me out. Rex The famous for and against US gun control Against: Mark Wahlberg "Well, I would love it if they could take all the guns away. Unfortunately, you cant do that so you hope that good people in the world have them to protect the people who cant protect themselves." AP The famous for and against US gun control Against: Sean Connery "It is said that a total ban on handguns, including .22s, would take away innocent pleasure from thousands of people. Is that more or less pleasure than watching your child grow up?" Rex Features The famous for and against US gun control Against: Arnold Schwarzenegger "Im for gun control. Im a peace-loving guy." Lionsgate The famous for and against US gun control Against: Sylvester Stallone "Until America, door to door, takes every handgun, this is what youre gonna have. Its pathetic. It really is pathetic. Its sad. Were living in the Dark Ages over there." Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Rashida Jones "Gun control is our only road to freedom. Freedom from the fear of senselessly losing children." Getty The famous for and against US gun control Against: Susan Sarandon "How much more suffering & loss will it take before we better regulate the sale of arms in our country?" Getty The famous for and against US gun control Against: Beyonce Queen B was part of the Demand a Plan campaign against guns after Newton shooting, by appearing in a video alongside a bunch of celebrities. AP The famous for and against US gun control Against: Jamie Foxx A Hollywood gang joined Beyonce in the campaign... GETTY IMAGES The famous for and against US gun control Against: Cameron Diaz Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Jessica Alba Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Jennifer Garner Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Jennifer Aniston Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Jason Merritt | Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Jon Hamm The Mad Men actor also appeared in the video... The famous for and against US gun control Against: Reese Witherspoon Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Ellen DeGeneres Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Reuters The famous for and against US gun control Against: Julianne Moore Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. The famous for and against US gun control Against: Selena Gomez Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. GETTY IMAGES The famous for and against US gun control Against: Peter Dinklage The Game of Thrones also appeared in the video... Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Zooey Deschanel alongside the New Girl star. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Steve Carell Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Gwyneth Paltrow Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign, too.

I just do not understand why a real firearm even needs to be used during a live role play simulation, Ryan Meis commneted on the PGPDs Facebook page. Even if the firearm had blanks, the person with that firearm just disregarded every top safety rule in the book. Is it so hard to use a Nerf gun for a role play simulation?

On the same page, Bret Walley said: What kind of morons use real guns in a role playing situation? You never point a real gun at anyone you don't intend to kill.

Photos of other Citizen's Academy classes at the Punta Gorda police department showed role play exercises being carried out with mock firearms.

A Citizen's Academy class at the Punta Gorda Police Department, using a mock firearm (PGPD/Facebook)

One picture even shows members of the group test firing a taser, which was a "huge hit" with the class, according the department's Facebook page.

A woman prepares to fire a taser during a Punta Gorda Police Department Citizens Academy class (PGPD/Facebook)

Chief Thomas Lewis said: I am devastated for everyone involved in this unimaginable event. If you pray, please pray for Marys family, and for the officers who were involved. Everyone involved in this accident is in a state of overwhelming shock and grief.

A statement said: The Punta Gorda Police Department realises the community has many questions about this incident. We also must take great care to not jeopardize the investigation. As the investigation continues and more information is available we will release it.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

"This is your brain. This is drugs. This is your brain on drugs. Any questions?"

The infamous advert, targeted at children from the 1980s, has been revamped three decades later, but it still risks "demonising" and "discriminating" against drug users, campaigners argued.

The message that drugs are dangerous was new enough to have a serious impact on people watching the 30-second television advert 30 years ago, said Rebecca Shaw, director of advertising and production at the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.

She told Ad Week that the issue of drugs had since become so much more complicated.

At the time it used to be enough to say drugs are dangerous because that was actually new information at the time. 'Any questions?' posed at the end of the spot could be rhetorical but today teens do have questions and they're not easy ones to answer, she said.

The new advert, repackaged for the non-profit organisation, points to drugfree.org, so parents can inform themselves on how to answer those questions.

But Matt Curtis, policy director of campaign group Vocal New York, told The Independent that anti-drug adverts have wider implications for public health, criminal justice and racism. He also said this advert specifically was "harmful".

"We all agree that we want people to be well and happy and not die from an overdose, but these adverts currently stigmatise people who are using drugs and it can contribute to discrimination in health care and crummy drug health treatment," he said.

Mr Curtis added that boiling down the message of the advert was a disservice to a very complex issue.

"We have replaced an old system of apartheid and slavery with a sort of massive economic and criminal justice system of control. I say this without any hyperbole - it reinforces a system of white supremacy in the US," he said.

The non-profit previously teamed up with actress Rachael Leigh Cook, also using an egg and a skillet, to show how the brain was crushed by taking heroin.

Ethan Nadelmann, the founder and executive director from the Drug Policy Alliance, said the advert was great but the link that the advert directs parents to is "seriously lacking" in information.

"They are missing a major opportunity to provide accurate information to young people," he said.

"The bottom line with young people is to ensure their safety, not just discouraging them from drugs, but also providing accurate information for kids both doing drugs and considering doing it," he added.

The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids could not be immediately reached for comment.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Lonnie Franklin, the Los Angeles serial killer known as The Grim Sleeper has been sentenced to death for the murders of ten women between 1985 and 2007.

A former rubbish collector who at one point was mechanic for the LAPD, Franklin targeted addicts and prostitutes in his long but sporadic killing spree, claiming victims who ranged in age from 15 to 35. The women were all shot or strangled, and their bodies dumped in alleyways close to Franklins home in South LA.

Some of the victims family members wept as Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy read out the death sentences. Others repeated Amen after each one, the Los Angeles Times reported. Franklin sat silent and impassive.

The sentencing came at the climax of a hearing at which 17 relatives of the victims read statements to the court. Laverne Peters, whose 25-year-old daughter was killed in 2007 and her body left in a rubbish bin, said Franklin had treated her like she was trash, adding: My hope is that he spends the rest of his glory days in his jail cell, which will become his trash bag.

Franklin claimed his early victims amid the violent crack cocaine epidemic that overtook Los Angeles and other US cities in the 1980s and 1990s. Police failed to connect the slayings at the time, in part because at least three serial killers were active in South Los Angeles during the same period. Franklin proved to be particularly elusive, earning his sinister nickname because his murders appeared to cease between 1988 and 2002.

Police finally closed in following DNA advances in the 2000s. When Franklins son Christopher was arrested on firearm and drugs charges, his DNA proved a match for that found on several of the victims. Franklin was arrested at last in July 2010.

One of dozens of witnesses at the three-month trial was Enietra Washington, 57, who testified that he had sexually assaulted and shot her, snapping her picture with a Polaroid camera before he dumped her from his vehicle during the attack in 1988. Franklin was also found guilty of Ms Washingtons attempted murder.

During the sentencing phase of the trial, prosecutors linked Franklin to five further killings. Police believe he may have murdered as many as 25 women in total.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

New emails released from Hillary Clintons time as secretary of state have revealed a dubious relationship between donors of her charitable Clinton Foundation and the State Department.

Conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch obtained a total of 296 pages of emails via a Freedom of Information Request in 2015, 44 pages of which the group said were not handed over during the original Clinton email investigation.

The emails show that that donors to the foundation were treated by Ms Clintons aides as top priorities, even when it came to applying for government jobs.

Recommended Read more Parents of Benghazi victims sue Clinton linking attack to email server

The news comes shortly after the FBI and the US Department of Justice decided to not to prosecute the Democratic nominee for the misuse of her personal email server during her tenure as secretary of state. The Clinton Foundation was not part of that investigation or the 33,000 emails that the department combed through, despite the FBIs request to include it.

In one email chain, Clinton Foundation official Doug Band tried to get Ms Clintons aides to accept his recommendation of a candidate for a job at the State Department.

He told aides Cheryl Mills and Huma Abedin to take care of the person, whose name was redacted.

Ms Abedin replied: Personnel has been sending him options.

 FBI director says 'no charges' for Hillary Clinton amid email scandal

In another instance in 2009, Mr Band asked the two aides to help a Lebanese-Nigerian billionaire and donor called Gilbert Chagoury to get in contact with the State Departments substance person on Lebanon.

As you know, he's a key guy there and to us and is loved in Lebanon. Very imp, Mr Band wrote.

Ms Abedin responded: Its jeff feltman. Im sure he knows him. Ill talk to jeff. She was referring to Jeffrey Feltman, the US ambassador at the time.

Judicial Watch president Tom Filton accused Ms Clinton of hiding 44 emails.

No wonder Hillary Clinton and Huma Abedin hid emails from the American people, the courts and Congress, he said in a press release.

They show the Clinton Foundation, Clinton donors, and operatives worked with Hillary Clinton in potential violation of the law.

The Clinton campaign responded that the emails did not refer to Ms Clintons work at the foundation.

 FBI probes Hillary Clinton over private email use

The Trump campaign has also used the most recent batch of emails as supposed proof that Ms Clinton is corrupt.

Mr Trump tweeted: When is the media going to talk about Hillarys policies that have gotten people killed, like Libya, open borders, and maybe her emails?
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

For black residents of Baltimore the numbers contained in a Justice Department report detailing consistent and undisguised targeting of members of their community by the police come as no surprise. Its a story of blatant discrimination  indeed racism  they have been trying to get out for years.

Some sort of remedy may now  at last  be afoot, though it took a tragedy to make it happen. The 2015 death in custody of one black man, 25-year-old Freddie Gray, and the rioting that ensued forced the Justice Department to launch its probe.

Recommended Read more US police forced to report on how many people they kill

Public trust is critical to effective policing and public safety, said Attorney General Loretta Lynch. Our investigation found that Baltimore is a city where the bonds of trust have been broken, and that the Baltimore Police Department engaged in a pattern or practise of unlawful and unconstitutional conduct, ranging from the use of excessive force to unjustified stops, seizures and arrests.

The blistering report detailing systemic problems, in the Baltimore Police Force, was unveiled formally by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Departments Civil Rights division, on Wednesday, pulls no punches. It is the indictment of extraordinary police misconduct that so many blacks in the city had been waiting for.

Like the man, in his mid-50s, identified by the report who, like so many other blacks guilty of doing nothing more than walking the streets, found himself stopped for no reason no less than 30 times in the last four years. Not a single stop led to any criminal charges being filed against him.

It is the data reviewed by the Justice Department and detailed in its 160-page report that hits the hardest, however. Black residents accounted for 95 per cent of the 410 individuals who were stopped by police more than ten times in the last five and a half years. This in a city where blacks make up just 63 per cent of the overall population.

The picture is more or less the same for drivers in the city. Blacks make up 60 per cent of its motorists. Yet, they account for 82 percent of traffic stops.

So as to make sure its findings are not lost on anyone, the authors of the report also included an anecdote of training that was given to police on the beat that involved an easy-to-use template to use every time they made a trespassing arrest of a citizen and needed to fill out a report. It included a default description of the detainee: A BLACK MALE.

It was Ms Rawlings-Blake, an African-American, who requested the Justice Department launch an investigation in the wake of the death of Mr Gray, which sparked days of unrest on her citys streets last April. That in turn led to the charges being filed against the six police officers involved in his arrest and subsequent detention. Successive prosecutions of those officers subsequently faltered in court and charges against the last officer have been dropped.

The report concludes that there are systemic problems in the Baltimore Police Force (Getty)

The findings are challenging to hear. but let me be clear, I never sugarcoat our problems nor will I run away from our most problems, Ms Rawlings-Blake said. The transparency of the report offers a crucial foundation if were are to move forward."

If change does come, it will begin with the negotiation of a so-called consent decree agreement between the Department and the city under which the police department will be compelled to undertake root-and-branch reforms of how its officers operate and interact with minorities.

It will fit into a pattern of such actions by the administration of President Barack Obama. His Justice Department, under Ms Lynch and her predecessor, Attorney General Eric Holder, has similarly cracked down on the police departments of multiple other cities, from Ferguson, Missouri, the scene of the shooting of a 18-year-old Michael Brown that kicked off the Black Lives Matter movement, to Cleveland and Seattle.

Its so very import that we get this right, Ms Rawlings-Blake said at the Wednesday press conference. The report was described to reporters by Ms Gupta. Offering another detail, she noted that 44 per cent of police stops happened in one small portion of the city that accounts for just 11 per cent of the citys population, where residents are overwhelmingly black.

There is reasonable cause to believe that the BPD engages in a pattern of practice of making unconstitutional, searches and arrest, using enforcement strategies, which had led to a deep eroded metal trust between the police department and the citizens it is meant to serve, Ms Gupta concluded.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

The director of Miss World in Mexico was kidnapped and murdered just hours after crowning the winner of a regional beauty contest in Sinaloa, the northeastern state synonymous with drug trade-related bloodshed.

Hugo Ruben Castellanos Jimenez, 39, named Melissa Carolina Lizarraga Miss Sinaloa on Saturday afternoon at a contest in the state capital, Culiacan. He was found dead in the back of a stolen Jeep Cherokee, riddled with bullet holes, in the early hours of the following morning.

A former model and current owner of a modelling agency, Jimenez was appointed director of Mexicos Miss World organisation in May. He reportedly attended a party with participants after the contest, leaving at around 3.40am to drive to a restaurant with some friends.

The group were pulled over by gunman at a makeshift roadblock, where Jimenez was abducted while his friends were set free. The motive for his death remains unknown, but police said they had discounted robbery as a possibility after a large amount of cash was found at the scene.

Yesterday, he crowned me. Today hes not here, Ms Lizarraga wrote on Facebook after news of the slaying emerged.

Mexican beauty pageants have long been entwined with the countrys drug trade, especially in Sinaloa, home of the infamous Sinaloa cartel and its leader Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, who married his wife, small-town pageant winner Emma Coronel, on her 18th birthday in 2007.

The following year, Miss Sinaloa was stripped of her title after being arrested with several leaders of the Juarez cartel. She was jailed for 40 days before being released for lack of evidence.

In 2012, 20-year-old Maria Susana Flores Gamez, the winner of another pageant, Woman of Sinaloa, was killed in a gun battle between drug traffickers and the military. She was said to have been the girlfriend of a senior figure in the Sinaloa cartel.

The murder rate in the state has reportedly increased since January, when Guzman was recaptured following his dramatic 2015 escape from a high-security Mexican prison. It is thought that rival gangs have been trying to capitalise on his capture by fighting for control of the regions lucrative drugs trade.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

The 20-year-old would-be assassin of Donald Trump is "broken" in prison, according to his mother.

Lynne Sandford told CNN that her son's attempt to grab a police officers gun at a Trump rally in Las Vegas in June shocked her.

"By nature, he was a very sweet, very sensitive, soppy, loving lad," she said.

She insisted he had never been violent before.

Ms Sandford has been actively campaigning for her son to be brought back to the UK.

At the age of 14, he was admitted to a psychiatric facility for anorexia. He also suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, depression and anxiety.

"Hes in pieces," she said. "Hes broken. Hes bewildered. He begs me not to hang up on the phone when we do speak."

She said her son insisted on going to the US to be with his girlfriend, although his parents did not want him to go.

 Sandford's mother speaks

He was reportedly unemployed in the US and sleeping in his car. He practised shooting at a gun range and drove across the country to attend the Trump rally in Las Vegas, which he had allegedly been planning for a year.

"My heart just stopped. I couldnt get my head around it, I couldnt believe this was my Michael," she said.

He told police officers he wanted to kill the Republican nominee and that he had expected to die during the attempt.

Mr Sandford, from Dorking in Surrey, has been charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and disrupting the orderly conduct of government business and official functions.

The 20-year-old has denied the charges and his mother said they are evidence the police did not believe he "seriously" wanted to attack Mr Trump, as he has not been charged with attempted murder.

"Theres no getting away from what he did. He did attempt to do a very bad, very wrong thing," said his mother, adding that she has not yet pushed her son for details about why he tried to grab the gun.

"But hes not a bad person. Thats why we want to get him back to the UK. We want to get him psychiatric help, and we want him to see his family."

Mr Sandford is awaiting sentencing. He faces being behind bars for up to a decade and fined a maximum of 170,000.

He is due to stand trial on 22 August.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Lawyers who knowingly subject their colleagues to sexism or harassment in the court room could face penalties following a new ruling.

The American Bar Association has passed a measure to prohibit lawyers targeting a persons race, religion, sex or disability - the first time such a national ethics rule has been imposed in the legal profession.

It will be a welcome relief to female lawyers who are normally expected to stand up for themselves in the face of harassment or discrimination.

The rule also aims to end the age-old courtroom practice of older, male practitioners undermining female opponents by using dismissive terms, such as "honey".

It covers both verbal and physical conduct that manifests bias or prejudice towards others, according to the accompanying guidance.

Recommended Read more Shelley Ross accuses former Fox CEO Roger Ailes of sexual harassment

The new rule also applies to lawyers working with witnesses, colleagues and court staff, whether its in the courts, law offices or in social situations associated with work.

It comes with stipulations, however, including that offensive conduct is only banned if the lawyer knows or reasonably should know that their words or actions represent harassment or discrimination.

The ABA, represented by 589 members from state and local bar associations, voted near unanimously for the new resolution at their annual meeting in San Francisco on Monday.

The countries with anti-women laws Show all 5 1 /5 The countries with anti-women laws The countries with anti-women laws The countries with anti-women laws The countries with anti-women laws The countries with anti-women laws The countries with anti-women laws

Its Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility noted that 25 jurisdictions around the US have already adopted a similar policy regarding harassment.

"The states have not waited for the ABA to act. They have been laboratories of changeit is time for the ABA to catch up," said Myles Lynk, chair of the committee.

Michele Dauber, a professor of law at Stanford, told The Independent that the rules will help to ensure the court room is free of discrimination and that clients are not disadvantaged as a result.

"This is 2016 and we need to make sure that the legal profession is protecting all members of the bar, regardless of gender or any other protected characteristic, from harassment and discrimination," she said.

Luna Droubi, an associate at law firm Beldock Levine & Hoffman in New York, said the ruling was a "very exiciting development".

"Its often an unspoken frustration that female litigators face, and its refreshing to see that it is being acknowledged," she said.

"We are tasked with being zealous advocates for our clients and it is an added burden when we are also forced to advocate for ourselves against such biases."
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Caleb Schwab, the 10-year-old boy killed in a water slide accident in Kansas City, is in heaven drinking endless amounts of chocolate milk, according to his friends mother.

The investigation into how the son of a local politician was thrown off the ride - billed as the worlds highest water slide - continues but the Schlitterbahn Water Park is due to re-open on Wednesday.

Meanwhile the mother of his friend, Jack Sloan, 10, said Caleb knew about heaven and had discussed what it would be like during Sunday School sessions at LifeMissin Church in Olath, Kansas.

They talked about heaven, Robin Sloan told People magazine. Jack loved chocolate milke. [They] said there would be endless amounts in heaven.

Caleb died on Sunday when he was on the Verruckt - German for crazy or insane - water slide.

Witnesses described how he was decapitated when he was thrown off the 168-ft tall ride and hit a safety net.

The slide opened in 2014 and riders reach speeds of 70mh.

Kansas Police said its major case unit was investigating how the accident happened.

 Boy dies on 'world's biggest waterslide' at Kansas park

Verruckt riders sit in multi-person rafts and are strapped in with nylon seatbelts. The Associated Press reports that at least two people recently reported that shoulder straps came loose on the ride, although it is unclear if these played a role in the accident.

A spokesman for the park said all its attractions were inspected every day before opening.

A memorial service will be held on Friday.

A Gofundme appeal to pay for his funeral has already surpassed its $15,000 target, raising $34,000.

Ms Sloan described him as a happy boy.

He was a hugger, she said. He always hugged Jack whenever he saw him.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

The Thai government is planning to track foreigners phones by issuing special Sim cards to tourists visiting the country.

Its National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has insisted the move is not a breach of privacy and will help authorities catch criminals and anyone overstaying their visa.

It is not to limit tourists' rights. Instead it is to locate them which will help if there are some tourists who overstay or run away, secretary-general Takorn Tantasith said.

Gemalto CEO Olivier Piou shows a cell phone sim card before a press conference on February 25, 2015 in Paris. (AFP/Getty Images)

He later clarified that the NBTC has no authority to check peoples locations, adding: But if tourists commit wrong, or there is a court warrant, we will then forward the warrant to a mobile phone operator and seek co-operation.

The Sim cards would come with tracking enabled that cannot be switched off by users, the BBC reported.

It was unclear how the policy would be implemented and Mr Tantasith said discussions would be held with police and tourist agencies.

The rule would not apply to expatriates, who are already registered with authorities and must show their passports before buying Sim cards or starting new mobile phone contracts.

Thailands military government is backing the proposals, which come as 32 million visitors are expected to arrive in the country to see its famed temples and tropical beaches this year.

It will be helpful if any foreigner comes and commit crimes, because in the past they have been able to flee or it can be difficult to find them, said Pongsathorn Chansri, from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security.

The junta, named the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), has ruled Thailand since seizing power in a 2014 coup, when the military ousted Yingluck Shinawatra's government, imposed a state of emergency and martial law.

A disputed referendum on Sunday saw the country back a new military constitution by 61 per cent to 39 per cent.

 Thais approve new constitution in referendum

Politicians from both sides of the divide and rights groups opposed draft charter, which includes clauses for a fully appointed Senate complete with seats reserved for chiefs of the armed forces.

Other provisions would make it difficult for a single party to win a majority in the 500-member lower house, driving weak coalitions and allowing the Senate to play a critical role in parliament.

Thai Prime Minister and former army commander, Prayuth Chan-ocha, has called for Thailand to accept the outcome amid fears the laws will stifle democracy.

Human Rights Watch said the constitution facilitated a deepening dictatorship.

The groups Asia director, Brad Adams, said opponents to the move had been repressed and that the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly were absent from the referendum campaign.

The Thai juntas campaign of repression against opponents of the proposed constitution ensured that the referendum wouldnt be fair, he added.

Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Show all 25 1 /25 Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand A Thai soldier stands in front of a portrait of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej as he patrols near government buildings in Bangkok Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand A pro-government protester points at a soldier during a cleanup at a pro-government demonstration site on the outskirts of Bangkok Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai soldiers patrol near government buildings in Bangkok Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand A soldier walks past barefoot Buddhist monks begging for alms outside a temple near Government House in Bangkok Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai police and army soldiers stand guard outside a military compound before former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra arrives to report to Thailand's ruling military in Bangkok Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai soldiers stand guard at a roadblock outside the Defence Ministry building (background) after Thailand's army chief announced that the armed forces were seizing power in Bangkok Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai soldiers patrol after army chief General Prayut Chan-O-Cha met with anti-government and pro-government leaders at the Army Club in Bangkok Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai police and military display a haul of weapons seized during recent raids since the imposition of martial law, at a press conference at the Army Club in Bangkok Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai soldiers stand next to the portrait of King Bhumibol Adulyadej after the declaration of martial law at the Army Club in Bangkok. Thai Army Chief Prayuth Chan-ocha, declared martial law giving the military full control to prevent further protest-related violence in the country Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban (R) gives a traditional greeting to a soldier before leaving Government House in Bangkok. Thailand's army chief said rival political groups should talk to each other and that the martial law imposed would last until peace and order had been restored Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand A Thai soldier stands outside the Government Public Relations Department in Bangkok Getty Images Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai soldiers man a checkpoint near pro-government "red shirt" supporters encampment in suburbs of Bangkok Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand (L-R) Thai Police Chief Adul Saengsingkaew, Navy Chief Adm Narong Pipattanasai, Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha and Air Chief Marshall Prachin Chantong during a meeting at the Army Club in Bangkok. Thailand has been wracked by six months of non-stop protests seeking to topple the government. At least 25 people have died in political-related violence and more than 700 injured Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Motorists on their way as Thai soldiers take to the streets with a heavy machine gun on a Humvee military vehicle at a main road outside the Royal Thai Police Sports Club in Bangkok Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Outside police headquarters in Bangkok Getty Images Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand An anti-government protester waves a Thai national flag during a rally outside the Government House in Bangkok. Thailand's Senate said it was ready to choose an interim prime minister to end a political deadlock but stopped short of throwing out a beleaguered caretaker government and risking a violent backlash by its supporters Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai anti-government protesters shout slogans during a rally in front of the Parliament as senators debate to find and end to the country's political conflict in Bangkok. Thousands of anti-government protesters rallied the area surrounding parliament and Government House to pressure the Senate to appoint an interim government to institute political reforms before new elections while key Thai institutions are resisting the opposition's demands Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai anti-government protesters gather in front of the Parliament in Bangkok Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai riot policemen stand guard during an anti-government protest rally at the Air Force auditorium in Bangkok. Thailand's Election Commission called for the postponement of key parliamentary polls due to be held on 20 July 2014 because of political unrest shaking the kingdom Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Anti-government protesters leave an air force base after breaking into its grounds in Bangkok. Protesters seeking to oust Thailand's government broke into the grounds of an air force compound where the acting prime minister was meeting the Election Commission to fix a date for new polls, forcing him to flee Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai Air Force military (L) face anti-government protesters after they broke into the Royal Thai Air Force base in Bangkok. Hundreds of anti-government protesters broke into the meeting between the election commission and the caretaker government as they discussed for the planned next elections on 15 May 2014, after the results of the 02 February general elections were annulled. According to media reports, Thailand's Election Commission said that the 20 July polling is no longer possible due to political turmoil Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Thai anti-government protesters leader Suthep Thaugsuban (C-L) cheers his followers during a street rally march toward Government House and Parliament in Bangkok Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand An anti-government protester (C) gives instructions to a fellow protester on how to wave a huge Thai flag from atop a barricade near the Government House in Bangkok. Thailand's beleaguered government warned people to stay away from anti-government protests, saying it had to step up security as the two sides in a lengthy political crisis squared off over who is running the country Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand An anti-government protester looks at a damaged telephone booth after a grenade attack at a protest site outside Government House in Bangkok. Supporters of Thailand's embattled government warned the country's judiciary and Senate against any attempt to install an unelected prime minister, saying it would be a disaster for the nation that could spark civil war Thailand protests: Thai army declares martial law Thailand Anti-government protesters making a fist and waving a giant Thai flag, the symbol of the protest, on top of a truck as they rally outside Thai Parliament in a call for the final battle in Bangkok. Protesters marched on many key sites in Bangkok, police fired tear gas and some protesters have been injured. Protest leaders say they are hoping to strike the final blow at the weakened government and usher in a people's council to reform the government

Instead of the long-promised return to democratic civilian rule, the new constitution facilitates unaccountable military power and a deepening dictatorship.

It will entrench the abusive military rule that Thailand has endured since the May 2014 coup.

For more than a decade, Thailand has been divided between populist political forces led by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was toppled in a 2006 coup, and the royalist and military establishment, which accuses him of corruption and nepotism that he denies.

Mr Prayuth, seeking to allay concern he might delay plans for a vote, said a general election would be held in 2017.

The US and European Union have urged a quick return to democracy, calling on authorities to lift restrictions on freedom of expression.

Additional reporting by Reuters
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Horrific accounts of sexual abuse, beatings and attempted suicide at an offshore Australian detention centre for asylum seekers have been uncovered in a cache of leaked documents.

More than 2,000 incidents ranging from minor to critical were recorded in little over two years on the island of Nauru in what was condemned as a system of routine dysfunction and cruelty.

The documents, obtained by the Guardian Australia, include reports drawn up by guards, case workers and teachers, more than half of which involved children.

 Report: Severe abuse of Australias asylum seekers in Nauru

They include allegations of a guard grabbing a boy and threatening to kill him, children being slapped and a male security officer demanding sexual favours from a young woman who requested a longer shower than the regulation two minutes.

Between August 2013 and October 2015, the Guardian found seven reports of sexual assault of children, 59 reports of assault on children, 30 of self-harm involving children and 159 of threatened self-harm involving children.

One of the leaked incident reports said a child had written in her book that she was tired, doesn't like the camp and wants to die... 'I want death, I need death'.

Humanitarian groups have long demanded the closure of the Nauru Regional Processing Centre, where desperate refugees have set themselves on fire, sewn their lips shut and gone on hunger strike in protest against the conditions.

Under Australia's policy, asylum seekers intercepted at sea are sent to Nauru and another camp on Manus Island, in Papua New Guinea, and told they will never be settled in Australia.

Thousands of Australians join a rally calling for the closure of the Manus and Nauru detention centres (Recep Sakar/Anadolu Agency/Getty) (Getty)

The first refugees arrived on Nauru in September 2012 and the tiny Pacific island is now used for all women and children arriving on boats, mainly from countries including Iran, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Iraq.

The closely protected camps, and Australia's hard-line immigration policy against illegal boat arrivals, have been widely criticised by the United Nations and human rights groups who say the government could easily accommodate the number of refugees arriving.

Australias Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, said the government would examine the leaked documents to see if any of the complaints had not been properly addressed.

It will be carefully examined to see if there are complaints there or issues there that were not properly addressed, he said, while rejecting calls for a Royal Commission.

Scott Morrison, Australias Treasurer and a former immigration minister, said the incident reports were not a reporting of fact, they are reporting that an allegation.

His comments were echoed by the Australian Department for Immigration, which said it was checking the reported cases had been dealt with appropriately.

The island of Nauru (Getty Images)

The documents released are historical in nature and have been the subject of previous reporting by the department in relation to the overall number of recorded incidents over time, a spokesperson said.

It's important to note many of these incident reports reflect unconfirmed allegations.

Amnesty International said the Nauru files enforced its own findings in an inspection of the island with Human Rights Watch, which it accused the Australian government of attempting to deny.

Anna Neistat, senior director for research at Amnesty International, said: This leak has laid bare a system of 'routine dysfunction and cruelty' that is at once dizzying in its scale and utterly damning for the Australian authorities who tried so hard to maintain a veil of secrecy.

The exposure of just how appalling the conditions on Nauru are  and the impact of this on refugees  has to end the government of Australias denials.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Australia's offshore processing of refugees must end, and all of the refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island must be resettled immediately and given the medical and psychological support they need.

Allegations uncovered in a report earlier this month also included the denial of medical treatment for refugees, even those with life-threatening illnesses, alongside severe abuse, inhumane treatment and neglect.

Researchers said temperatures reached 50C inside the processing centre in the summer, which also suffered from torrential rains and flooding, with some refugees sleeping in tents and restricted to two-minute showers and filthy toilets.

Workers said they faced criminal charges and civil penalties under Australian law for disclosing information about the treatment of detainees, while Facebook is banned on Nauru and journalists must pay a 4,700 non-refundable visa fee to visit, although applications have been frequently denied.

Human Rights Watchs Australia director Elaine Pearson said the new files painted a "disturbing picture" of the abuse on Nauru, adding: "This policy is inhumane and irresponsible, and it means refugees and asylum seekers remain vulnerable to further abuse and mistreatment."

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child will be considering Nauru alongside other territories in its upcoming session starting on 13 September.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

An 80-year-old woman allegedly drugged and robbed several men she met through lonely hearts adverts in local newspapers, according to Polish police.

The pensioner, named as Janina M, was arrested by officers in southern Poland after she allegedly mixed the psychotropic anxiety drug lorazepam into her victims food, before stealing valuable items from their homes and escaping without a trace.

In one instance she is said to have stolen over 1,500-worth of gadgets, jewellery and money from a 78-year-old man who invited her to his home in Szczurow, according to BBC News.

One of the womans victims complained to his doctor of dizziness and blood tests revealed the presence of lorazepam, leading to a six-month investigation.

The octogenarian, who quickly won over the affections of her victims through flirtatious behaviour and who has since been dubbed 'The Predatory Pensioner', was eventually arrested after being caught committing a similar crime.

The pensioner was described by a prosecutor as a nice old lady at first glance - slim, with carefully applied make-up and an attractive haircut.

Local police quickly compiled evidence against the woman, which showed she had used the same technique to entrap a series of lovers in their 70s and 80s.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

"I'd never have imagined this lady was capable of doing something like this, nor that she's 80," said district prosecutor Andrzej Lesniak.

The woman had nine previous convictions for theft and fraud and had been nicknamed The Predatory Pensioner by local people, according to investigators.

She has denied any wrongdoing, claiming she never been to Szczurow and denied robbing the 78-year old man.

The 80-year-old faces up to 20 years behind bars if she is found guilty in court, due to the perceived high risk of reoffending.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Bomb alerts have been reported on two passenger jets due to arrive at Brussels airport.

The alerts were reportedly radioed in from the aircraft to air traffic control.

The threats came from messages on Twitter, according to Belgian newspaper HLN.

Both planes have now landed safely.

The planes were both run by the Scandivian airline, SAS, one came from Oslo in Norway and the other from Arlanda in Sweden.

Belgian journalist Bart Raes, who was on one of the flights, tweeted to say the pilot had entered the cabin 20 minutes before landing, saying there may be a bomb on the plane.

He asked people to remain in their seats and they waited for approximately 10 minutes after they landed safely.

Mr Raes said he left the plane safely and was now in the Arrivals hall at the airport.

He told HLN everyone was "shocked" when the pilot told them about the threat.

He said: "We saw nothing, no fire or police.

"After waiting for awhile, we were allowed to get off. So it was a false report, I suppose.

"All passengers are already on their way home now or wait for a connecting flight".

In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A man carries an injured person in Brussels Airport, after explosions ripped through the departure hall In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Travellers get to their feet in a smoke filled terminal at Brussels Airport after explosions In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A man is wounded in Brussels Airport in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A man speaks on a mobile phone in Brussels Airport, after the explosions ripped through the departure hall In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Belgian police officers detain a man at the Gare du Midi train station in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A police officer stands guard as people are evacuated from Brussels airport, after explosions rocked the facility in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People stand near Brussels airport after being evacuated following explosions that rocked the facility in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Crew and passengers are evacuated from Zaventem Bruxelles International Airport after an attack in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Passengers gather near Brussels airport in Zaventem, following its evacuation after blasts rocked the main terminal of Brussels airport In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Two women wounded in Brussels Airport in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Passengers and airport staff are evacuated from the terminal building after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem near Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Passengers and airport staff are evacuated from the terminal building after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem near Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Broken windows seen at the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People leave the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People are evacuated from the scene after two explosions were heard at Brussels Airport In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People wait outside of the Brussels Airport after evacuation In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People leave the airport area after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Passengers comfort each other as they are evacuated from the terminal building after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People react as they walk away from Brussels airport after explosions rocked the facility in Brussels In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Emergency services attend the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels Reuters In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Injured people at the scene at Brussels Airport after two explosions were heard PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport The aftermath of the explosions at Brussels airport PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport People wait outside of the Zaventem airport after two explosions were heard PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Emergency services at the scene of explosions at Brussels Airport In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A view of the scene after the explosions at Brussels airport PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Emergency services at the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels Reuters In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport The aftermath of the explosions at Brussels airport PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport The view of the Brussels airport after the explosion PA In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Smoke is seen at Brussels airport in Brussels AP In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport A photo shows cars on a blocked highway near Zaventem, Brussels National airport, after two explosions rocked the main hall of Brussels Airport Getty Images

A spokesman for the federal prosecutor, Eric Van der Sypt, told Belgain broadcaster VRT there was a threat deemed "serious enough to take measures".

It comes as tensions in the country are already running high following a major terror attack at the same airport in March killing 16 people.

The two nail bombings were part of three suicide attacks co-ordinated to go off at the same time across the city.

The city has had several false alarms in recent months, including an incident in the city centre last month when a Physics student conducting an experiment was cornered by police after he was spotted wearing a long coat with wires sticking out.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

A Disneyland Paris train station and bus depot has been evacuated after the reported discovery of a suspicious package.

Hundreds of families were ordered the leave the area at around 8pm on Wednesday as police and soldiers armed with rifles poured into the Marne la Vallee station near the theme park.

The park remains open but the station has been cordoned off while police investigate.

A police spokesman told the Sun: Marne-la-Vallee station is being shut down as a precaution.

Searches are underway following a warning about a suspicious package.

France is currently in a state of emergency following the Paris attacks in November last year and an attack on a Bastille Day crowd in Nice last month.

Several other attempts by Islamist militants to attack French insitutions in the past 18 months have shakened the country's faith in the security services.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Prime Minister Manuel Valls was booed at a memorial service for the 84 people who died in Nice last month after it emerged he had refused the regional president's request for more security personnel to police the parade on 14 July.

The themepark has been on high alert after Isis said it was one of its prime targets.

A man was arrested in January after he was caught by security officials carrying two handguns, ammunition and a guide to the Qu'ran.

He was later given a six month sentence for arms possession after investigators declined to press terrorism charges.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

A burkini swimming pool party in France has been cancelled after the organisers received death threats, less than a week after the local mayor said he wanted to ban the event.

Mayor Michel Amiel of Pennes-Mirabeau, near Marseilles, announced he had discussed the proposed party with the Speed Water Park venue with regards to the extreme ideological positions he believed the organisers were taking.

A joint decision was made to call off the event in an effort to calm the situation and preserve public order after a heated reaction from residents, according to the Local.

Muslim community group Smile 13 had organised the event for September 10 as an opportunity for women to swim in private for eight hours while wearing the burkini swimming costume.

Shortly after posters went up around Pennes-Mirabeau, Mr Amiel announced he intended to take up a city bylaw to prohibit the event on the grounds it is likely to cause public disorder.

The idea for the party particularly outraged local right-wing politicians, who argued it contravened legally-binding French secular values and promoted communalism.

Following the cancellation, Smile 13 confirmed one of its members had been sent an envelope containing bullets, and condemned those who had sought to threaten the event.

The group wrote a lengthy Facebook post criticising the narrow-minded polemicists and politicians who had attacked the party, before appearing to delete its Facebook account.

The statement continued: It's with astonishment and regret that we have noted the extent of this controversy.

"The situation has become surreal, from insults, incessant journalist requests, and death threats to members of the team.

Our group is an open and tolerant one, including women from different backgrounds regardless of their religious and clothing choices.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Smile 13 added it planned to take legal action against those who had sent the death threats.

Meanwhile Mr Amiel told a local radio station: The manager of the pool had not considered the sheer emotion that organising this event could generate.

We saw the reactions on social networks that were completely outrageous, Islamophobic, xenophobic and racist, which I totally condemn but given the circumstances we have to cool things off.

In the wake of the announcement, local right wing politician Valerie Boyer tweeted: "It is a victory for our values. We must never give in.

"I will not stay silent in the face of those who refuse assimilation!"

Around 2,000 of Frances 5 million Muslim citizens are thought to wear full veils, and the country has had a difficult history when it comes to Islamic dress.

France's swimming pools usually have strict rules forbidding people swimming in certain clothes and the 2004 law banned the wearing of the Muslim headscarf and other religious signs in public buildings.

The launch of the burkini by certain French brands in March this year was attacked in some circles, with some politicians describing the introduction of the swimming costume as irresponsible.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Police have arrested an asylum seeker who climbed on to the roof of a refugee centre in Denmark and threatened to blow himself up, prompting a stand-off that lasted for several hours.

It was unclear whether the claim was credible but it sparked a lockdown around the building in the city of Nyborg and a ban on aircraft flying overhead.

Armed police were dispatched and other residents of the asylum centre were evacuated as negotiators tried to talk the man down for more than two hours.

A spokesperson for Funen Police said the man, a 22-year-old asylum seeker from Iran, was arrested without drama.

It was reportedly heartbreak that caused the man to threaten to blow himself up, a statement said.

Funen Police will now start to question him and investigate the circumstances of the case.

Police were called at 11.15am local time (10.15am BST) and the incident was resolved around two-and-a-half hours later.

Refugee crisis - in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugee crisis - in pictures A child looks through the fence at the Moria detention camp for migrants and refugees at the island of Lesbos on May 24, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Ahmad Zarour, 32, from Syria, reacts after his rescue by MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) while attempting to reach the Greek island of Agathonisi, Dodecanese, southeastern Agean Sea Refugee crisis - in pictures Syrian migrants holding life vests gather onto a pebble beach in the Yesil liman district of Canakkale, northwestern Turkey, after being stopped by Turkish police in their attempt to reach the Greek island of Lesbos on 29 January 2016. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees flash the 'V for victory' sign during a demonstration as they block the Greek-Macedonian border Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants have been braving sub zero temperatures as they cross the border from Macedonia into Serbia. Refugee crisis - in pictures A sinking boat is seen behind a Turkish gendarme off the coast of Canakkale's Bademli district on January 30, 2016. At least 33 migrants drowned on January 30 when their boat sank in the Aegean Sea while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A general view of a shelter for migrants inside a hangar of the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, Germany Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees protest behind a fence against restrictions limiting passage at the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Since last week, Macedonia has restricted passage to northern Europe to only Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans who are considered war refugees. All other nationalities are deemed economic migrants and told to turn back. Macedonia has finished building a fence on its frontier with Greece becoming the latest country in Europe to build a border barrier aimed at checking the flow of refugees Refugee crisis - in pictures A father and his child wait after being caught by Turkish gendarme on 27 January 2016 at Canakkale's Kucukkuyu district Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants make hand signals as they arrive into the southern Spanish port of Malaga on 27 January, 2016 after an inflatable boat carrying 55 Africans, seven of them women and six chidren, was rescued by the Spanish coast guard off the Spanish coast. Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee holds two children as dozens arrive on an overcrowded boat on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures A child, covered by emergency blankets, reacts as she arrives, with other refugees and migrants, on the Greek island of Lesbos, At least five migrants including three children, died after four boats sank between Turkey and Greece, as rescue workers searched the sea for dozens more, the Greek coastguard said Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants wait under outside the Moria registration camp on the Lesbos. Over 400,000 people have landed on Greek islands from neighbouring Turkey since the beginning of the year Refugee crisis - in pictures The bodies of Christian refugees are buried separately from Muslim refugees at the Agios Panteleimonas cemetery in Mytilene, Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures Macedonian police officers control a crowd of refugees as they prepare to enter a camp after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee tries to force the entry to a camp as Macedonian police officers control a crowd after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees are seen aboard a Turkish fishing boat as they arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coast to Lesbos Reuters Refugee crisis - in pictures An elderly woman sings a lullaby to baby on a beach after arriving with other refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A man collapses as refugees make land from an overloaded rubber dinghy after crossing the Aegean see from Turkey, at the island of Lesbos EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures A girl reacts as refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees make a show of hands as they queue after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures People help a wheelchair user board a train with others, heading towards Serbia, at the transit camp for refugees near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija AP Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees board a train, after crossing the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Macedonia is a key transit country in the Balkans migration route into the EU, with thousands of asylum seekers - many of them from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia - entering the country every day Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures An aerial picture shows the "New Jungle" refugee camp where some 3,500 people live while they attempt to enter Britain, near the port of Calais, northern France Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A Syrian girl reacts as she helped by a volunteer upon her arrival from Turkey on the Greek island of Lesbos, after having crossed the Aegean Sea EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Beds ready for use for migrants and refugees are prepared at a processing center on January 27, 2016 in Passau, Germany. The flow of migrants arriving in Passau has dropped to between 500 and 1,000 per day, down significantly from last November, when in the same region up to 6,000 migrants were arriving daily.

The Nyborg asylum centre can house up to 500 residents and says it works to offer them a dignified stay while asylum applications are processed.

Denmark received 21,000 asylum applications during 2015, up from 14,815 the previous year.

Proportionately to its population of 5.5 million, it has the ninth-highest number of refugee arrivals in Europe according to the latest EU statistics, behind Germany, Austria, Malta, Luxembourg, Sweden, Cyprus, Hungary and Bulgaria.

The country has been criticised for attempts to reduce arrivals, including a call by the anti-immigration Danish Peoples Party to ban Muslim asylum seekers for up to six years.

Denmarks controversial law allowing authorities to seize asylum seekers' cash and valuables to pay for their stay sparked international condemnation earlier this year but several other countries have introduced similar measures as Europes attitude towards asylum seekers hardens.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Vladimir Putin is looking for ways to justify a war with Ukraine, a spokesman for the country's foreign ministry has said.

"Putin wants more war. Russia escalates, desperately looks for casus belli against Ukraine, tests West's reaction," a spokesman for Ukraine's foreign ministry, Dmytro Kuleba, wrote on Twitter.

Putin has accused Ukraine of choosing terror over peace and of playing a dangerous game after Russia's FSB security service said it had thwarted a series of armed Ukrainian raids on Crimea which Russia annexed in March 2014.

He said Kievs actions were "stupid" and "criminal" and that there was no point in holding planned talks on the peace process in eastern Ukraine as a result.

Earlier, Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) said it has prevented terrorist attacks in Crimea which it claims were planned by the Ukrainian authorities.

The FSB said the Ukrainian Defence Ministrys intelligence agency was targeting Crimeas critical infrastructure.

The Crimean peninsula on southern Ukraine became disputed territory in 2014, after Russia took control of the Ukrainian land mass during the uprising in Ukraine that ousted the Kremlin-backed president Viktor Yanukovych.

But the Ukrainian Defense Ministry dismissed the FSB reports of involvement in subversive activity in Crimea, Interfax-Ukraine news agency reports.

Such allegations by the FSB are nothing but an attempt to justify the redeployment and aggression of the Russian Federation troops on the territory of the annexed peninsula, the ministry said on its website on Wednesday.

Yuriy Tandit, an adviser to the head of Ukraines security agency, told Interfax-Ukraine that Kiev had no intention of taking back the territory by force.

Recommended Read more Donald Trump ridiculed for confused explanation of Ukranian conflict

According to the FSB, one of its officers was killed while arresting the terrorists on Saturday, and said a Russian soldier was also killed on Monday during exchanges of gunfire.

The FSB also said it found 20 home-made explosive devices equivalent to more than 40 kilos of TNT, along with ammunition, shells, and other weapons used by the Ukrainian Armys special forces at the scene, Reuters reports.

It said suspects employed by Ukrainian intelligence are now giving their confessions, adding that the captured group includes one of the organisers.

In its statement the FSB said it had foiled terrorist attacks on the territory of Crimea prepared by the intelligence directorate of the Ukrainian defence ministry.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

The fighting, in the northern Crimean town of Armyansk, included massive firing from the side of the neighbouring state and armoured vehicles, which was repelled by Russian forces, the FSB said.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

A fire that erupted in a hospital in Baghdad has killed 13 newborn babies, the country's health ministry has said.

Ahmed al-Roudaini, a spokesperson for the ministry said the blaze broke out in the maternity department of Yarmouk hospital late on Tuesday night.

Firefighters took three hours to douse the flames at the facility, which is the main hospital in western Baghdad and houses emergency care and teaching facilities.

Officials said the fire spread from a hospital lounge, destroying part of the maternity ward and a lobby.

Al-Mada Press, an independent news agency in Baghdad, reported that 29 female patients and seven babies were moved from the ward where the fire broke out and transferred to another hospital.

Early investigations suggest the fire was caused by an electrical fault, which are commonly caused by poor maintenance and wiring.

Mariam Thijeel, the mother of a newborn baby boy who died, said she ran into the ward as she heard screaming late on Tuesday night.

"The power was cut off, and then the doors got locked on us, and there was no man in the newborn section, and we could not save any babies," she told the New York Times, describing chaos as parents desperately tried to find a hospital worker with keys.

"We asked the help of one of the employees, but she said, 'I cannot help you with anything, because it's a fire."

The incident is likely to intensify accusations of state corruption and mismanagement, with 2013 recommendations to reduce fire risks in municipal buildings having little effect.

Thirteen years after the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, the oil-rich country still suffers a shortage of electricity, water, schools and hospitals.

Pictures posted on social media recently showed Yarmouk hospital in a state of neglect, with cockroaches crawling out from between broken tiles, dustbins overflowing with rubbish, dirty toilets and patients lying on stretchers in the courtyard.

The relative of a patient who died recently in the hospital from meningitis said he saw cockroach crawling along the tube of an oxygen mask.

It was so dirty, he said. We had to bring our own bed sheets.

In pictures: Baghdad hit by 24 hours of Isis bombings Show all 11 1 /11 In pictures: Baghdad hit by 24 hours of Isis bombings In pictures: Baghdad hit by 24 hours of Isis bombings Baghdad bombings People gather at the scene of a car bomb attack in Baghdad's mainly Shia district of Sadr City, Iraq, May 11, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Baghdad hit by 24 hours of Isis bombings Baghdad bombings People gather at the scene of a car bomb attack in Baghdad's mainly Shia district of Sadr City, Iraq, May 11, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Baghdad hit by 24 hours of Isis bombings Baghdad bombings People gather at the scene of a car bomb attack in Baghdad's mainly Shia district of Sadr City, Iraq, May 11, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Baghdad hit by 24 hours of Isis bombings Baghdad bombings People gather at the scene of a car bomb attack in Baghdad's mainly Shia district of Sadr City, Iraq, May 11, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Baghdad hit by 24 hours of Isis bombings Baghdad bombings Security forces and citizens inspect the scene after a car bomb explosion at a crowded outdoor market in the Iraqi capital's eastern district of Sadr City, Iraq, Wednesday, May 11, 2016. AP In pictures: Baghdad hit by 24 hours of Isis bombings Baghdad bombings People gather at the scene of a car bomb attack in Baghdad's mainly Shia district of Sadr City, Iraq, May 11, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Baghdad hit by 24 hours of Isis bombings Baghdad bombings A woman reacts at the scene of a car bomb attack in Baghdad's mainly Shi'ite district of Sadr City, Iraq, May 11, 2016 Reuters In pictures: Baghdad hit by 24 hours of Isis bombings Baghdad bombings A bulldozer clears the wreckage following a car bomb attack in Sadr City, a Shia area of Baghdad, on May 11, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Baghdad hit by 24 hours of Isis bombings Baghdad bombings Iraqis walk past flowers and shoes left on the ground at Oraiba market a day after it was targeted in a car bomb attack on May 12, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Baghdad hit by 24 hours of Isis bombings Baghdad bombings Iraqis mourn in the holy city of Najaf during the funeral of victims of a car bombing in Baghdad's Shiia area of Sadr City during on May 11, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Baghdad hit by 24 hours of Isis bombings Baghdad bombings Mourners carry the coffins of bomb victims during a funeral procession at the holy shrine of Imam Ali in Najaf, Iraq, on May 11, 2016. AP

The Iraqi capital has been hit by a string of suicide bombings and attacks by Isis militants in recent months.

Yarmouk hospital has been the target of several vehicle bombs in the past, including one that struck its car park in April last year and another that was detonated outside its accident and emergency department in 2004.

Additional reporting by AP
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Leading figures in the higher education community have praised this years National Student Survey (NSS) results for showing high levels of university satisfaction, despite the fact tuition fees are to rise even further.

Eighty-six per cent of final-year students at UK universities have said they were satisfied with their course, the same high figure to have emerged from the surveys results over the last two years.

Recommended Read more Student debt worries causing depression and alcohol dependency

Conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of UK funding bodies, the survey provides useful information for prospective students and helps universities and colleges to further improve the education they provide.

From the 312,000 undergraduates who took part this year, the response was 72 per cent - slightly higher than 2014 and 2015 - with 10,000 more final year students taking part.

Hefce chief executive, Professor Madeleine Atkins, said she was pleased to see the results of this years survey remain very positive, something, she said, demonstrated the commitment of all higher education providers to deliver high-quality teaching and learning for their students.

Recommended Read more Universities offer students discounts and perks amid Brexit concerns

She added: The response rate is very encouraging and ensures the student voice continues to inform enhancements in quality and in the information available to the next cohort of students. The increase in the number of alternative providers taking part in the survey on a voluntary basis for this year is a reflection of how important the survey is to the sector and highlights the increasing diversity of higher education in the UK.

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of MillionPlus - which promotes the role played by modern universities - also said the NSSs results are a tribute to the fantastic work done by university staff and management during a period of significant change. She added: These satisfaction rates are much higher than those achieved in many private and public sector organisations, and provide further evidence that UK universities are performing extremely well.

General secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), Sally Hunt, said: The results are testament to the hard work of college and university staff, who continue to deliver a high-quality experience for students.

Alistair Jarvis, deputy chief executive of Universities UK, highlighted how the UK's university sector has a well-deserved international reputation for high-quality teaching and learning, something universities are seeking to continually enhance what they offer to students.

He continued: In recent years, universities have increased investment in teaching and learning and are continuing to respond to student feedback to further improve their higher education experience.

With the Governments new Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) for universities in England under development, these impressive results are a timely reminder that most students report strong satisfaction with the high quality teaching and learning experience that universities provide.

The results from NSS help to decide TEF ratings, meaning they are also linked with the amount of tuition fees each university is able to charge.

(via Hefce)

This years high score has come despite the fact that the National Union of Students (NUS) passed a motion at its National Conference in Brighton in April, encouraging students to either boycott the NSS - or sabotage it by giving artificially maximum or minimum scores - believing this could render the TEF unworkable, and seriously disrupt the Governments HE reforms as a whole.

The students union at Sheffield University (SSU) was one group to join in the campaign to sabotage the NSS in May in order to stop the Government from raising tuition fees even higher. The union, which was named the UKs best by the NSS for the fourth year in a row last year, said it wanted to find alternative ways for students to give feedback on their courses, without using the metrics, which could leave younger generations in a lifetime of even more debt.

Recommended Read more Sheffield students vote to sabotage national survey

SSU education officer, Minesh Parekh, who proposed the sabotage policy at the time, described the TEF proposals as being incredibly ideological. He said: All we have left is to play the Government at their own game, and strike at the heart of their plans.

This years NSS results have contradicted the outcome of a new report into student satisfaction from The Student Room (TSR) which found students satisfaction with their university experience is continuing to fall. According to that report, satisfaction has continued to fall year-on-year, with the overall rating falling from 7.7/10 in 2014 to 6.9/10 in 2016.

Chris Newson, CEO of TSR, said: The education industry needs to continue to work hard to address this challenge head on. Universities can help students by building good relationships with employers and supporting their careers and aspirations whilst at university.

Another big factor in improving university satisfaction is helping students to make the right decision in the first place. Helping them to research their course thoroughly will increase overall satisfaction in the long term.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

The University of Buckingham and The University of Law (ULaw) have come in joint first for having the most students who are satisfied with their course, according to this years National Student Survey (NSS).

Both private universities achieved an overall satisfaction score of 97 per cent, as Buckingham comes in at the top for the seventh time since it started taking part in the survey eleven years ago.

Buckingham also scored highly in a number of other areas; top in the UK for the academic support provided to students, with 96 per cent. Additionally, 97 per cent of students said staff were good at explaining things, and 93 per cent said their course was well organised and running smoothly.

ULaw, on the other hand, improved its score by nine per cent over 2015. As well as overall satisfaction, ULaws tutors received the sectors highest ranking for enthusiasm about what they are teaching and for being good at explaining their subjects. Students also showed satisfaction with the overall programme delivery, giving the second highest score - 97 per cent - in the country for teaching quality. Academic support and organisation and management were also impressive results, with ULaw ranking third for both categories.

Institutions students are most satisfied with:

=1. The University of Buckingham - 97%

=1. The University of Law - 97

3. St Mary's University College - 95

=4. Courtauld Institute of Art - 94

=4. Keele University - 94

=4. University of St Andrews - 94

=7. Bishop Grosseteste University - 92

=7. Harper Adams University - 92

=7. Liverpool Hope University - 92

=7. Aberystwyth University - 92

NSS, which is commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) and has 23 questions covering the main aspects of the learning experience, is conducted among nearly half a million final year undergraduates in publicly-funded higher education bodies in the UK, as well as other providers of higher education.

In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 1. Cambridge University (1st in world rankings) Getty In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 2. Oxford University (4th) Getty In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 3. University College London (14th) UCL In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 4. Imperial College London (15th) Flickr (Ariaski) In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 5. Edinburgh University (18th) Creative Commons In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 6. Manchester University (25th) In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 7. Kings College London (35th) Jamesmh2006/Wiki Commons In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 8. London School of Economics (44th) Getty In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 9. Birmingham University (60th) Birmingham University In pictures: Britains top 10 universities for employment 10. Nottingham University (63rd) Creative Commons

The survey, conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of UK funding bodies, gives all final-year undergraduate students in UK higher education institutions and further education colleges the opportunity to express their opinions on what they liked during their time at university. The results also provide valuable information for prospective students, and help universities and colleges to further improve the education they provide.

The London School of Economics (LSE) - which consistently ranks highly in university league tables - saw its satisfaction rate fall six per cent on last year, the lowest-scoring institution out of all the major universities, excluding small and specialist ones.

Responding to its poor performance, Professor Paul Kelly, LSEs pro director for teaching and learning, highlighted the immediate steps the university will be taking to reverse its decline.

He insisted the improvement of students experience and further enhancing the quality of teaching is a top priority for LSE, and added: This is why we are investing 11 million over the next three years on teaching and learning and why LSE has embarked on the biggest development of its building infrastructure in 120 years.

As part of the increased investment, 2 million will be focused on teaching excellence; 4 million will go towards new academic posts to support educational programmes, and more than 5 million will be dedicated to LSE LIFE - an academic, personal, and professional development centre for students, which will open this September.

Sir Anthony Seldon, the new vice-chancellor of Buckingham University, said: Whilst studying at some other universities can mean big, impersonal lectures, and just being a number, our high staff-student ratio and open door policy results in students getting all the help they need from tutors, and enjoying the benefits of small Oxbridge-style tutorial groups.

Recommended Read more Top 10 UK universities with the highest graduate job rates

Professor Andrea Nollent, vice-chancellor at ULaw, said its mission is to always place the quality of teaching at the heart of all that we do as a university. She added: We know students respond extremely positively to the law being taught in a practical, applied, and highly dynamic way. Having extremely motivated and hugely enthusiastic staff who have all practiced law adds a depth of understanding and excitement to the learning process, which our students clearly enjoy and appreciate.
Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

To get away from it all, to find a stretch of paradise untouched by another, is almost impossible. Most stones have been turned, and paths trodden. The next best thing, therefore, must be to escape to a remote destination where there might still exist the slim possibility of some peace and quiet and solitude.

Im not looking for a wi-fi free zone or some far-flung corner of the globe without network coverage. Im not trying to escape from my iPad, email, games or online shopping... No, I just want to escape other people.

And so it was, at 6.30 on the morning of 6 July, after a 90-minute ferry ride from Kamiros Scala, on the south-eastern tip of Rhodes, I found my slice of heaven: the island of Halki, a rare gem, embellished with neo-classical buildings in rich colours of ochre, burnt umber and red.

As we drifted into the harbour I could see a couple of restaurants, a grocery store, a post office, and a few fishing boats bobbing on the crystal clear waters. I was met by Janis, who owns a little travel agency, Zifos, and we made our way up the gently winding tracks to Villa Evi, a traditional Greek house high up on the hills with breathtaking views across the bay. With my bags unpacked, I set off for the beach.

Halki harbour (Sky Moore-Clube)

Pondamos, the nearest beach, was completely deserted  and just a 10-minute walk, past the army barracks. At this end of the Aegean, on the Dodecanese islands, Turkey is just a few kilometres away; I discovered later that Rhodes has six army barracks and regularly stages military exercises against potential Turkish invasions.

But back to the beach: the road to the sea skirts around a beautiful church  one of the few blue and white buildings on the island  and cemetery, where families are obliged to disinter and wash the bones of their loved ones after a few years and move them to a mausoleum to make way for newcomers.

The pretty church is is one of few blue and white buildings on the island

The beach taverna at Pondamos puts on a superb lunch and stays open late on Fridays for supper. My preferred spot for an evening meal was Valantis, down on the harbour, which served some of the finest grilled feta Ive ever eaten, along with kefalotyri cheese and souvlaki.

Top tip for fellow crowd-dodgers: avoid Pondamos on Tuesdays as a nearby island puts on a day trip and the place is mobbed. Reserve Tuesdays for walking; there are some excellent paths to follow (pick up a map for 5  4.32  at Petross general store).

I dont believe I have ever felt so relaxed or refreshed by a holiday; the peace and tranquility were intoxicating, the villa charming and unpretentious, the locals incredibly friendly, and the water was the clearest and bluest I have ever seen. It was with a heavy heart that I packed my bags to leave Halki for my next destination. The only remedy? Booking a villa for next year.

Back on Rhodes, and not a million miles from Faliraki, is Ixia, a much smaller resort on the western tip of the island. I was staying in the Atrium Plantinum, a luxury hotel thats been exquisitely designed by a local architect, with the pool taking pride of place. After the peace of Halki I was worried about being around too many people, but even though I wasnt the only guest, the hotel never felt crowded, with ample space between sunloungers, and even the tables in the restaurant.

In the quest to locate other tucked-away treasures on Rhodes I travelled to the tiny fishing village of Haraki, on the south-eastern side of the island, just above Lindos, on the Mediterranean. The pebbly shore is lined with a few tavernas, shops and holiday apartments, and in peak season the beach road is closed to traffic, allowing visitors to promenade along the seafront.

At Haraki Bay you can admire ancient ruins as well as the view out to sea (Sky Moore-Clube)

From here I travelled up the coast to Stegna, where youll find Stegna beach at the end of a steep, winding lane. The main street backs on to another long stretch of white sand, where at one end youll find a tiny fishing harbour, and Stegna Kozas, quite possibly the best restaurant on Rhodes.

Established on the beachfront in 1932, it has been passed down through the generations to current son Kozas, who wears a black gown and apron and, oddly, is barefoot at all times. Several locals with weathered faces line his bar, quite possibly the same people who carry cases to the studios, clean the apartments and fetch the fish in the early morning. Nothing much happens here and thats the way the people of Stegna  and I  like it. I used to think of Rhodes and bristle at the thought of Faliraki but Ive discovered there are some stunningly quiet places to escape to too.

Kozas restaurant (Sky Moore-Clube)

Travel essentials

Getting there

Olympic Holidays (0208 492 6868; olympicholidays.com) offers seven nights self-catering at Villa Evi, Halki, and three nights B&B at the Atrium Palace, Rhodes, from 1,435 per person. Includes flights from Gatwick.

More information

visitgreece.gr
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

The US State Department has approved the potential sale of more than 130 Abrams battle tanks, 20 armoured recovery vehicles and other equipment, worth about 880m ($1.15bn), to Saudi Arabia, the Pentagon has said.

The approval for land force equipment coincides with Saudi Arabia leading a military coalition in support of Yemeni forces loyal to the exiled government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi who are trying to oust Iran-allied Houthi forces from the capital, Sanaa. Human rights groups have criticized the coalition's air strikes because of the deaths of civilians.

The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency, which implements foreign arms sales, said that General Dynamics will be the principal contractor for the sale.

This sale will increase the Royal Saudi Land Force's (RSLF) interoperability with U.S. forces and conveys US commitment to Saudi Arabia's security and armed forces modernisation, the agency said in a notice to lawmakers posted on its website.

Lawmakers have 30 days to block the sale, although such action is rare.

Saudi Arabia and its mostly Gulf Arab allies intervened in Yemen's civil war in March 2015 after the Houthi movement had pushed the Hadi administration into exile in Saudi Arabia.

On Tuesday, the Saudi-led military coalition conducted air strikes on Sanaa for the first time in five months, residents said, after UN-backed peace talks to end the conflict broke down at the weekend.

Medics said nine civilians were killed in a strike on a potato chip factory in the Nahda district of the capital.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch called on the United Nations General Assembly in June to suspend Saudi Arabia from the UN Human Rights Council until the military coalition stops killing civilians in Yemen.

The Saudi-led coalition's campaign in Yemen has been devastating for civilians (and) the US should be suspending arms sales to Saudi Arabia, not approving more, said Kristine Beckerle, a researcher with Human Rights Watch.

US Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut who has been critical of arms sales to Saudi Arabia, said in a statement that he was concerned about the high civilian casualty rate in Yemen. Murphy said Saudi Arabia had largely backed away from the fight against Islamic State militants and I'd like to see them commit to rejoin that fight as part of major new military sales.
Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

The arresting presence of Robocop-style armed police officers on the streets of London will no doubt reassure the public that the Government is doing all it can to combat the threat of terrorism. But Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe warned last week that it is a question of when, rather than if, attacks like those recently witnessed in France and Belgium will be visited on Britain. Is this an admission of failure in counter-terrorism policy or just a realistic assessment of the terrible threat we must all now learn to live with?

Policemen with machine guns can only combat the symptoms of the violent jihad. Once a terror attack has begun and innocent lives taken it is already too late. A committed terrorist can kill dozens of people before even the most rapid response team is on the scene.

The question of what causes so many young Muslim men to want to travel to the Middle East and take part in violent jihad is as complex as it is controversial but, unless we are prepared to spend the next 20 years living in fear of the next terror outrage, this question must be addressed with the consent and help of all Muslim groups.

The Government has put its faith in its Prevent counter-terrorism strategy which aims to combat radicalisation in the UK. Under the scheme last year around 6,000 people, mostly Muslims, were reported as being on the radicalisation spectrum. Now ministers intend to step up this controversial programme by introducing forced deradicalisation classes for those who are suspected of already being converted to extremist views.

Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Show all 9 1 /9 Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Policemen outside Rouen's cathedral during the funeral of Jacques Hamel, the priest who was killed in a church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in Normandy on 26 July during a hostage-taking claimed by Islamic State group Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Two jihadists, both 19, slit Hamel's throat while he was celebrating mass in an attack that shocked France as well as the Catholic Church Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Muslims place flowers and hold a minute of silence in front of the church if Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, western France, where French priest Jacques Hamel was killed on 26 July Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Two people hold each other by the new makeshift memorial in Nice, in tribute to the victims of the deadly Bastille Day attack at the Promenade des Anglais Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the truck attack that killed 84 people in Nice on France's national holiday. Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, 31, smashed a 19-tonne truck into a packed crowd of people in the Riviera city celebrating Bastille Day Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Police work at a site where a Syrian migrant set off an explosive device in Ansbach, southern Germany, on 25 July, killing himself and wounding a dozen others Daniel Roland/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis A Syrian migrant set off an explosion at a bar in southern Germany that killed himself and wounded a dozen others in the third attack to hit Bavaria in a week. The 27-year-old, who had spent a stint in a psychiatric facility, had intended to target a music festival in the city of Ansbach but was turned away because he did not have a ticket Friebe/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Police officers walk along train tracks in Wuerzburg southern Germany on 19 July, a day after a man attacked train passengers with an axe. German authorities said they had found a hand-painted IS flag among the belongings of the man, an asylum seeker from Afghanistan, who seriously injured four members of a family of tourists from Hong Kong in his rampage Daniel Roland/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis German police killed a teenage assailant after he attacked passengers on a train in Wuerzburg, southerg Germany with an axe and a knife on 18 July, seriously wounding three people Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/AFP/Getty Images

This is a significant and worrying departure from the existing programme, which is a voluntary arrangement.

Prevent and its sister programme Channel are already viewed with suspicion by large numbers of Muslims who complain that innocent families have been subject to state controls after teachers or social workers have reported their children to the authorities. Meanwhile, Muslim academics have been investigated because of misunderstandings about the nature of Islamic research projects. Even lawyers and doctors have encountered the pernicious consequences of the misinterpretation of their words or actions.

At the heart of the problem is the definition of what constitutes radicalisation or non-violent extremism. It is so loose, and the training it is so basic, that almost anyone who takes an interest in the troubles in the Middle East could fall foul of the referral system.

The motivation behind a referral to Prevent can be based on personal dispute or the desire to settle a political battle. I know of a Muslim father who lost access to his daughter because his former wife complained to the council that he had once watched an Arabic broadcaster's news coverage of an execution carried out by Isis.

The fact that nine out of 10 referrals are made from outside the Muslim community  by teachers, doctors, social workers, lecturers and police officers  is telling. An already alienated Muslim community is being forced to turn in on itself, risking the withdrawal of cooperation with the security services so heavily reliant on human intelligence to thwart terror plots.

 France attack: Mourners pay respects in Nice

The recent attacks in Paris and Brussels were mostly carried out by home-grown extremists who lived among the minority Muslim communities of France and Belgium. Even after they had carried out their attacks, they were able to melt away into these run-down suburbs.

The fundamental breakdown in intelligence gathering in France and Belgium has been plain to see. In British cities our Muslim communities are more accessible to the security services, largely due to more sophisticated policing and informant networks. But it is also true that a more tolerant approach to religious freedoms, compared to the French republic's anti-Islam policies, has meant British Muslims feel they have a greater a stake in mainstream society.

We have now reached a critical juncture in community relations where many Muslims believe that by reporting suspicious behaviour they open themselves up to investigation by the state. For many the less risky option is to turn a blind eye to what may be the early signs of a terror plot. Instead of stepping up draconian programmes that force Muslims to take deradicalisation classes, more effort should be spent on consensual policing and intelligent intelligence gathering.
Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

If the infamous beach volleyball picture has shown us anything, its that no matter what you wear to play sport as a woman, youll always be judged by the men watching. You can even be labelled the perfect woman as long as the men judging you are doing so from the same cultural perspective as you.

Wearing a burkini? Well done, youre modestly covered and proof that sportswear should be functional, not at all revealing. Wearing a bikini? Well done, there you are showing the world what female freedom looks like with your perfect male pleasing figure on show. Go on my son. Get in. Look at that.

It doesnt matter what culture you come from, womens bodies and the way those bodies are dressed is still seen as public property, or more accurately the property of the patriarchy.

 Rio 2016: Yesterday's Highlights

Recommended Read more These broadcasters deserve a gold medal for sexism in the Rio Olympics

From the receptionist sent home earlier this year because she wasnt wearing high heels, even though her male colleagues are not expected to wear uncomfortable footwear, to Venus Williams wearing a skirt that is too short for her powerful thighs, to Rios pointless bikini versus burkini debate, womens bodies are anything but their own.

When two competing teams are held up against each other as part of a political debate over what they are wearing, that is the moment we must realise how far we still have to go. Is world diplomacy and cultural understanding to be debated via the correct volleyball outfit?

If the burkini is the sign of a repressive society, then what is the body shaming reaction of Western society to the body of a woman in a bikini  beach ready or not?

Are women in the west free from patriarchal control over their clothing in the West? Ask Helen Skelton, whose legs were deemed far too racy for prime time television, while her male colleagues legs  exposed in a pair of skimpy shorts - were not only not commented on. In fact, they werent even noticed.

Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Show all 74 1 /74 Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Eight Andy Murray celebrates his victory over Kai Nishikori to reach the men's Olympic final. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Eight Jessica Ennis-Hill continues her bid for gold in heptathlon. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Eight Usain Bolt breezed through his 100m heat. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Eight Team GB took silver in the women's eight. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Eight The men's eight gold took Great Britain top of the rowing medal table. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Seven Britain's Jazz Carlin secured her second silver of the Games in the women's 800m freestyle, as American Katie Ledecky surged to her fourth Rio gold. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Seven Singapore's Joseph Schooling won his nation's first gold medal with victory in the 100m butterfly as Michael Phelps was denied a 23rd Olympic title. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Seven Sir Bradley Wiggins becomes Britain's greatest Olympian ever as Team GB win gold in the men's Team Pursuit at the Velodrome. AFP Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Seven Bryony Page on her way to a silver in gymnastics trampoline. EPA Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Seven Heather Stanning and Helen Glover win gold in the women's rowing pairs. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Seven Alex Gregory, Mohamed Sbihi, George Nash and Constantine Louloudis celebrate their success in the mens coxless four. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Seven Defending champions Great Britain won silver in the Olympic team dressage, as world champions Germany claimed gold. The British quartet - Spencer Wilton, Fiona Bigwood, Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin - were beaten into second by 3.334 points. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Six American Simone Manuel became the first black female swimmer to win an Olympic title as she shared the women's 100m freestyle gold with Canada's Penny Oleksiak, 16, after a dead heat. Getty Images Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Six Swimming legend Michael Phelps demolished the field in the 200m individual medley to claim his 22nd Olympic gold. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Six Simone Biles takes gold in the Womens individual all-around artistic gymnastics. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Six Fiji's Vatemo Ravouvou breaks through to score during the Men's Rugby Sevens Gold medal final match against Great Britain. Team GB settled for silver as Fiji romped to gold. David Rogers/Getty Images Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Six Callum Skinner, Jason Kenny and Philip Hindes of Great Britain celebrate after winning gold in the men's team sprint. AFP Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Six Double act David Florence and Richard Hounslow won their second joint Olympic silver in the canoeing slalom. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Six Victoria Thornley and Katherine Grainger show off their silver medals after the women's double sculls final Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Five Max Whitlock poses with his bronze medal Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Five Joe Clarke reacts to winning Britain's second gold of thee Games Reuters Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Five Jack Laugher and Chris Mears celebrate with their gold medals Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Four David Florence suffered heartbreak in the canoe single C1 men's semi-final Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Four Andy Murray celebrates his straight sets victory against Juan Monaco Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Lilly King shows off her gold medal as Yulia Efimova parades her silver AFP Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Russia's Yulia Efimova (left) looks on as the US's Lilly King (right) celebrates winning the Women's 100m Breaststroke Final earlier this morning Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Lilly King celebrates after beating her Russian rival Yulia Efimova Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Michael Phelps takes on Chad Le Clos in the men's 200m butterfly final Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Michael Phelps says it 'breaks my heart' to see drug cheats at the Olympics Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three James Guy missed out on bronze on Monday night Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Louis Smith reacts to his pommel stumble which may have cost Team GB a medal Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Dan Goodfellow (right) and Tom Daley celebrate with their bronze medals Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Tom Daley and Dan Goodfellow dive into the pool in delight after winning bronze Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Tom Daley (left) and Daniel Goodfellow performing in the men's synchronised 10m platform final PA Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Canada celebrate their victory against Team GB on day three Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Heather Watson leaves the court yesterday after losing her second round match against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine Reuters Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Carlin proudly shows off her silver medal Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Carlin reacts after learning that she has won the silver medal Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Peaty shows off his gold medal with pride Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Adam Peaty celebrates his gold Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Andy Murray and Jamie Murray were knocked out of the men's doubles by Thomaz Bellucci and Andre Sa AFP Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Venus and Serena Williams suffered their first ever Olympic defeat playing together Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Richard Kruse battling the Russian Timur Safin GETTY Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Lizzie Armitstead finished fifth in the women's road race PA Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Anna van der Breggen celebrates winning gold in the women's road race Reuters Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Annemiek van Vleuten suffered a horrific accident in the women's road race Reuters Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two The women's road race passes along the beach in Rio de Janeiro Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Andy Murray beat Viktor Troicki 6-3, 6-2 to win his men's singles first round match Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Serena Williams is through to the second round of the women's singles after defeating Daria Gavrilova Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Gold medal winner, Hoang Xuan Vinh of Vietnam, center, silver medal winner, Felipe Almeida Wu of Brazil, left, and bronze medalist Pang Wei of China, at the victory ceremony for the men's 10-meter air pistol event AP Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Rowing was cancelled on day two over fears of sinking and capsizing due to strong winds Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Yusra Mardini has won her heat of the Women's 100m Butterfly but she will not be able to go forward to the semi-final Getty Images Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Britain's James Guy chops through the water Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Kantinka Hosszu of Hungary set a new world record in winning gold in the Women's 100m Individual Medley final Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Samir Ait Said receiving medical help after suffering a badly broken leg Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Yusra Mardini leads the race in the 100m Butterfly heat at Olympic Aquatics Stadium in Rio EPA Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Natasha Hunt scored two tries to inspire Britain to victory against Brazil Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Joanne Watmore scored Britain's first try in Olympic rugby sevens history Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Adam Peaty celebrates after breaking the 100m breaststroke world record Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Adam Peaty broke his own world record in the 100m breaststroke heats and is favourite to win gold on Sunday Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Adam Peaty broke his own world record in the 100m breaststroke heats Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Chris Froome speaks with a bruised Geraint Thomas after the men's road race PA Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Greg van Avermaet celebrates winning gold in the men's road race Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Rafal Majka was caught with just two kilometres to go Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Greg van Avermaet won a sprint finish to clinch Olympic road race gold EPA Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One A bullet is marked by Brazilian police in the equestrian media centre Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One The peloton make their way along the beach during the road race Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Chris Froome leads away the men's road race along with the rest of Team GB Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One The field make their way along the opening stages of the road race Eric Gaillard/Reuters Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand had no trouble in qualifying for the men's single skulls quarter-finals Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Rowers warm up under the watchful gaze of the Christ the Redeemer statue Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Opening Ceremony A huge fireworks display signals the end of the Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony. Felipe Dana/AP Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Opening Ceremony Andy Murray leads out Team GB at the Rio Olympics opening ceremony Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Opening Ceremony Gisele Bundchen turns the stage into a catwalk during the opening ceremony AP

Men commenting on what women are wearing in a futile argument over the right kind of outfit for a womans sporting competition feels nothing but horrifyingly familiar.

As Mrs Lintott says in Alan Bennetts The History Boys, history is women following behind with the bucket, but she forgets to mention that they were being told what to wear and how to mop up correctly as they did so.

As Western women, we may think that we have come a long way from the days when we were told to cover our ankles lest men get too excited. We may look at women playing volleyball in their burkinis and think they must be incredibly repressed. Thats missing the point. If you are female, naked or clothed, you are being judged by the men around you in their endless quest to define the perfect woman.
Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster, who backed a Brexit vote, has warned Theresa May that the north's economy and farming sector is vulnerable to a loss of EU funding and tariffs on trade.

In a joint letter with Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness to the UK Prime Minister, the two leaders pointed out the importance to Northern Ireland of EU funds.

They said the norths agri-food sector, including fisheries, represents a much more important component of the regions economy than it does for the UK as a whole.

This is reflected in the fact that approximately 10pc of UK receipts from the CAP (Common Agriculture Policy) accrue to Northern Ireland (accounting for the majority of our EU funding) and a large proportion of our food and agriculture output is exported to other EU and non EU countries, they said.

Our agri-food sector, and hence our wider economy, is therefore uniquely vulnerable both to the loss of EU funding, and to potential tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade.

The leaders state that EU funds have been important to the Northern Ireland economy and peace process, and that since 1994, the north has received 13bn of European funding.

Between 2014 and 2020, it expects to draw down more than 3.5bn.

The current uncertainty around the ability to draw down a proportion of these funds, and the absence of EU programmes in the future, is of real concern to a range of sectors, the letter states.

Ms Foster, who is also leader of the DUP, backed the pro-Brexit campaign. She was the only leader of the norths main political parties to do so.

Northern Ireland voted in favour of the UK remaining in the EU, by 56pc to 44pc.

Prime Minister May visited Belfast late last month.

In the letter, dated today, Ms Foster and Mr McGuinness listed a number of issues of concern to the north in the wake of the vote, including the border, trade access to EU markets, energy security, and EU funds.

On the border, the leaders said they appreciated Ms Mays comments that the border would not become an impediment to the movement of people, goods and services.

It must not become a catalyst for illegal activity or compromise in any way the arrangements relating to criminal justice and tackling organised crime, the letter states.

It is equally important that the border does not create an incentive for those who would wish to undermine the peace process and/or the political settlement.

The leaders also state that it is essential that Northern Ireland businesses retain trading access to EU markets, and retain access to labour.

They said policies need to be sufficiently flexible to allow access to workers from the EU, both for the private and public sectors.

There is also the matter of the many thousands of people who commute each way across the border to work on a daily basis, the letter states.

The letter has also been copied to Boris Johnson, Home Secretary Amber Rudd, Brexit minister David Davis, Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox, Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire, Business Secretary Greg Clarke, and the leaders of the other devolved administrations.
Legal and professional services firms here have been ramping up activity to meet the potential fall-out of the UK vote to pull out of the European Union, Morgan McKinley has claimed.

Companies are positioning themselves to deal with the complex contract amendments that could arise in the wake of the Brexit vote, with activity largely focused on advisory roles, according to the global recruitment consultants, which has published its latest employment monitor.

There was also an increase in middle and back office roles within the funds industry, although Morgan McKinley was quick to point out that the UK vote is not entirely responsible for that.

"That's not specifically in relation to Brexit, but it would suggest that there are some changes afoot in that area," said Karen O'Flaherty, Morgan's chief operations officer in Ireland.

"We have yet to see any dramatic change in hiring post-Brexit. The outcome of the UK referendum is however likely to require a recalibration of hiring forecasts and skill sets for certain employers depending on their sector, size and specialisation."

But the report points out that there are signs of increased activity in legal and professional services. "With a lot of our legal and professional services employers, there is a ramp-up of activity largely because of the impending contract amendments that are likely to take place from the different trade agreements that may be made," Ms O'Flaherty added.

"At the moment this might be more in an advisory capacity. The significant likelihood is that going into the latter part of this year and into next, we would imagine there would be a lift in employment in this area."

Overall, professional job opportunities rose by more than 2pc last month compared with June, but there are 8pc fewer jobs available than the same period in 2015, the reported states.

The pharma, medical devices and IT sectors were the top-performing sectors in relation to hiring activity this month.

In financial services, the funds sector experienced a slower start to the year in terms of job opportunities, but most recently there is an increased demand from a number of employers in Dublin looking for talent, the monitor stated.

Compliance, risk and tax experts are in demand generally within finance, along with newly qualified accountants. SMEs that have exposure to the UK are said to be taking a more "considered" approach to hiring.

Ms Flaherty said skills shortages are being experienced in big data, technology and digital roles. "The skill sets are not legacy jobs, they're changing job specs," she said. "There's a lot of people-orientated, change management skills, in the majority of mid to senior level positions, and anything from project manager and upwards.

"There a real necessity to look at a very different type of job description and skill set that's required. Even though there's a skills demand, the period of time it's taking to fulfil those roles is taking longer." The monitor also found that the number of professionals seeking new roles fell by 2pc to 7,635 in July when compared to June. Turkish, Nordic and Dutch were the most in demand languages in July.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

More than 104 million manats of value added tax (VAT) have been refunded to citizens of 45 countries since June 16 when the Tax Free system was introduced in Azerbaijan, the countrys Deputy Taxes Minister Ilkin Valiyev said.

He made the remarks at a press conference dedicated to execution of the Azerbaijani presidents order, dated Aug. 4, 2016, On improvement of tax administration and approval of directions of reforms in taxation in 2016.

This demonstrates that the system is in a very high demand, Valiyev added. It currently operates only at the Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport, but soon it will be used at all other checkpoints of Azerbaijan.

Head of Taxpayers Services Main Department Mahir Rafiyev, in turn, told reporters that expanding the Tax Free system doesnt mean the inclusion of persons and goods not covered by the Tax Free.

The expansion of this system means that it will be used at all checkpoints of Azerbaijan, said Rafiyev, adding that the list of persons and goods not covered by Tax Free wont be changed.

Foreign citizens can benefit from tax free system, if the cost of purchased goods per one e-tax invoice is not less than 300 Azerbaijani manats, including VAT. The goods should be taken out of Azerbaijans territory within 90 days from the date of purchase.

Standard VAT rate in Azerbaijan is 18 percent. Regardless of the transfer method, foreign citizens will be refunded the amount of VAT paid for the purchased goods after withholding 20 percent service fee.

How to benefit from Tax Free?

To benefit from Tax Free system, a customer must shop at Tax Free labeled stores. Customers can refund the VAT paid for the goods they purchased at Tax Free stores during their departure at the airport.

While purchasing goods at Tax Free stores customers need to inform a salesperson about the intention to benefit from Tax Free, show a passport confirming citizenship, and have the salesperson to fill in the electronic tax invoice enabling VAT refund. The salesperson, upon filling in the passport details, will provide the customer with two copies of signed and stamped e-tax invoice. The e-tax invoice, along with other information, will contain the amount of paid VAT, as well as the expiry date of VAT refund.

While departing from Azerbaijan, it is necessary to present purchased goods and e-tax invoice along with a passport to the customs checkpoint located at the airport. Customs staff will certify the e-tax invoice with a stamp and return it back to the customer after making relevant notes on it.

At the last step, customers need to present the e-tax invoice given by the customs checkpoint to the correspondent bank. They can receive their refund on foreign or local currency according to chosen method as follows: 1) cash - immediately after presenting necessary document to the bank 2) non-cash  Within 10 working days from the date of submitting to the bank their bank card details to which customers wish to receive the refund.
Dysart is a corruption of the Irish name 'Diseart' which itself is a corruption of the Latin term 'Desertum' meaning 'deserted place'.

Unlike the English word 'desert' meaning a barren inhospitable place, the Irish term refers to a place of hermitage, renewal and rediscovery.

A 26ac residential property with farm outbuildings at Desert, Clonakilty in West Cork would make the ideal spot for someone wanting to revive their drooping spirits in a traditional farmhouse surrounded by decent tillage and pastureland.

Selling agent John Hodnett, of Hodnett Forde, is expecting 12,000/ac for the land, and he values the house at between 170,000 and 200,000/ac.

Located one mile from Clonakilty, the property is described by Mr Hodnett as a traditional stone-built farmhouse. Set over two stories and with an extension, the accommodation includes a living room, kitchen, hall, bathroom and a downstairs bedroom.

Upstairs there are three bedrooms, and while the house is perfectly habitable it needs modernisation

The land fronts on to the Clonakilty coastal road and there are great views of Clonakilty Harbour and Inchadoney Island.

The ground is in great heart and is well farmed. Currently under a crop of maize and pasture, it is suitable to all kinds of farming and could make an excellent addition to any farming enterprise or could be developed into a lovely hobby farm.

There are traditional farm buildings with the property primarily consisting of a four-column, round roof shed with a lean-to at either side.

The property can be bought as an entire or in lots; a natural parcel of 3.6ac is located around the house, while adjacent to this is a larger parcel of 21ac in grass and maize.

The final section, which is prompting a lot of interest, is a lovely 1.6ac field that is located away from the main property and situated beside the sea.
Tourism is critically important to Clare Island. An estimated 15,000 people will visit the island this year, with most staying a night or more, and the employment and business these visitors generate is vital.

There are a range of accommodation types to suit all tastes and budgets, from the hostel, to B&Bs, to the boutique guesthouse experience offered by Clare Island Lighthouse.

Cliara Development Company co-ordinator Caroline Healy says each day brings a different mix of visitors. The day I was talking to her, the various parties included a group from the youth organisation Foroige and a German film crew.

"We have Irish people who come year-on-year to spend two weeks here; and you have Americans looking for their ancestors because a lot of Clare Islanders went to Chicago," she says.

"You have a lot of French, and a lot of Spanish too," she adds.

Most of the visitors enjoy the laid-back atmosphere of the island, and the different pace of life, Caroline explains.

"The topography of the island is also a big attraction," local businessman Carl O'Grady maintains.

"We have mountains, lakes and cliffs, and a blue-flag beach, which is unique for an offshore island," he says - before conceding that Achill has the same, "but it has a bridge".

Adventure holidays

Carl runs Sailor's Bar and Restaurant and the Go Explore Hostel on Clare Island. By targeting the activity and adventure holiday sector, the business has managed to grow visitor numbers and foster a different clientele.

The activities offered include orienteering, snorkelling and coasteering - where participants are kitted out in wetsuits and life jackets and jump off cliffs.

"The tourist landscape has totally changed. People are interested first of all in what they can do in a place, and then in where they can stay," Carl points out.

He calls this the "do first, stay later" mentality.

The hostel also runs a number of festivals through the summer. One of the more interesting is a 'singles' adventure festival in September.

Carl insists that it is not a matchmaking festival but that the weekend "will provide the environment" for people to meet. "After that it's up to themselves," he says.

The formula obviously works because the hostel has been booked out for most weekends through the summer.

There is also still plenty to see and do for those who prefer to saunter, rather than gallop, around the place.

Knockmore at 461m offers a serious climb, but the gentle sloping Knocknaveen may be more appealing to many. In addition, there are a plethora of Bronze Age and Iron Age tombs and forts dotted across the island.

The 12th Century Abbey - reputed to be the burial place of Granuaile - is also worth a visit, if only to see the remarkable series of medieval wall and ceilings paintings.

If all this is too much, you could just relax, unwind, and slip down the gears to Clare Island pace.
July turned out to be a particularly busy month for me this year. First off it was a case of out with the old and in with the new as far as my cattle slats were concerned.

Having being built in the early 1970s, my shed with its low eves and narrow feeding passageway posed a major challenge to anyone trying to replace the slats. However thanks to the amazing problem solving ability and hard work of the crew involved, everything went smoothly with the minimum amount of disruption to both the yard and shed.

Just as soon as we had finished laying the new slats my annual herd test fell due, so the pressure was on to replace the barriers and side shutters next to the yard in order to get all the cattle in together. As luck would have it this challenge also had a happy outcome with the herd passing the test, which of course is a great relief to any farmer.

Next up was second-cut silage and in spite of the changeable weather luck was again on my side with the grass going in nice and dry, which resulted in little or no seepage from the pit. It turned out to be a good heavy crop, so hopefully it will be sufficient to compensate for the disappointing first cut.

I also had good news about my little 10 year old C4 van, which has nearly 200,000 miles on the clock - it also passed its DOE test with flying colours.

While other sectors in farming are benefiting from emergency EU funding to ameliorate their current difficulties, it appears that once again cattle farmers are simply being thrown to the wolves.

Is it that cattle farmers are just too meek and so find themselves being totally ignored? Perhaps the time has come to take a leaf from another sector's book by becoming quite vociferous and defiant when incomes are threatened. Continually playing the best boy in the class appears to have achieved little more than hasten the cattle sector's extinction.

All we need now is another pretentious farming guru telling us how to get rich fattening cattle. It's about time that these types were told once and for all what to do with their 'increased output!' and 'gross margins'. They should be politely encouraged to join the real world where actual farm income (net profit) is the only figure that counts.

We've all heard the old saying about the glass being half full or half empty, but people's opinions seem to be divided about the weather this summer.

For some the sporadic spells of beautiful fine weather were seen as a half full grass while the numerous wet spells convinced the rest that the glass is half empty.

However, as a farmer who relies solely on grass for feed, the proverbial glass has been nicely full all summer. With both heat and moisture in good supply, overall growing conditions have been quite good. It did slow down a bit in mid July but at the moment it appears to be taking off again.

With all the recent market volatility it is difficult to know whether it would be better to move cattle or wait a while in the hope of things settling down. My best cattle appear to be quite fleshy so I'll probably try to get a load away in the next week or two and then at least I'll know where I stand.

On a happier note I paid a very enjoyable visit to the recent RDS horse show in Ballsbridge. What a great event it was and what a spectacle with its myriad of classes for what must have been thousands of entries. It was a real case of rural Ireland meets the leafy suburbs with 'Foxrock fillies' mingling freely with farmers from as far away as Farranfore and beyond.

Perhaps it's a sign of the times, but I also found it quite uplifting to see a very prominent Kildare cattle farmer chatting happily with 'The Princess Royal' as they watched the 'Nations Cup' on Friday. I wonder if he used the opportunity to discuss the effect that Brexit was having on the cattle trade over here - probably not!

It really was an amazing display of beautifully presented horses, who were such a credit to their owners, participating in the many events which were run with amazing military precision. Full marks must go to all the hardworking RDS staff involved.

A big well done must also go to the legions of judges and stewards; the gentlemen resplendent in their bowlers and the ladies in their colourfully bedecked straw hats, who performed their highly important duties with such aptitude and aplomb.

John Heney farms in Kilfeacle, Co Tipperary
There is mounting concern within the artisan food sector that any parity between sterling and the euro during the upcoming Brexit negotiations will have harsh consequences for the thriving Irish food producing sector.

Producers say that currency parity up to and after Britain's exit from the EU will squeeze margins within a sector which has increased the export of artisan food over the past decade, particularly to Northern Ireland and Britain.

Glennys Pollock, who heads up the Pollocks Pickles & Preserves company in Co Monaghan - which exports some 30pc of its product to Britain - says the Brexit move is a source of "great worry" to the company.

"It is a pity [Brexit] has happened. We have great relations with our Northern and British customers. Our biggest worry is that sterling and the euro will reach parity, and if that happens, we are in deep trouble", she told the Farming Independent this week.

"We will have to wait and see and probably rethink our export destinations," she added.

Glennys is worried that the fact that Britain will not be a member of the European Union at the end of the process will lead to a lot of paperwork.

"This is going to lead to a huge amount of paperwork. We had a big order from Kuwait a few years ago and because it was a non EU country we were overloaded with paperwork to get the produce to the country," she pointed out.

Seamus Sheridan, whose company produces brown bread cheese crackers mainly for the export market, is equally concerned about the possibility of currency parity.

Some 30pc of the crackers go to high-end British independent stores at the moment, though the company has other substantial markets in the US and Europe.

The artisan food maker and agriculture spokesman for the Green Party says artisan producers are "more than worried" about the Brexit development.

"Brexit is causing problems for the sector and if the euro and sterling reach parity, it will be under fierce pressure.

"Things are not great at the moment, but we will have to wait to see the orders which the British supermarkets send out to artisan food companies at Christmas to know where we are", he added.

The Irish artisan cheese market, which has been to the forefront of the export drive in the artisan sector, is also worried about possible currency problems.

Ralph Haslam of the award-winning Mossfield cheese brand in Birr, Co Offaly exports two tonnes of his product to Britain annually, and he says any currency parity would affect his operation.

"Mossfield is a niche upmarket brand and our British customers, who live mainly in London's Chelsea area, will continue to buy the cheese because they like it. But currency fluctuations will have an effect", he said.

Cheese producer John Hempentall in Wicklow, ironically, maybe be about to re-enter the British market at a time of high market volatility.

He left the British market some years ago, mainly because of its "cut-throat" cheap food policies, and concentrated on the domestic, EU and US markets.

Now he has been invited to sample his award-winning Wicklow Brie brand once more by the giant Paxton and Whitfield distributor in England.

"We supplied Sainsbury's and Waitrose when we were last in the British market, but left because of the country's cheap food policy. We will give it another try in September, but a 10pc to 12pc margin drop because of currency fluctuations would affect that decision.

"Even for the industrial cheeses, it would not be economical if things get to parity, much less for the artisan ones," he added.

Some 150 Bord Bia accredited artisan companies export between 10pc and 40pc of their product to retail multiples and independent food stores in Britain, and this trade runs into the tens of millions of euro every year.

It is projected that artisan products such as cheeses, yoghurts, organic meats, smoked fish, chocolates, craft beers and coffee creams, to name just a few, will rise by a further 15pc between now and 2021.

Bord Bia defines an artisan or small agri-business venture as a company with an annual turnover of between 100, 000 and 3.5m.

The state organisation says it is monitoring the situation in the run-up to the triggering of Brexit from its London office, and is keeping the artisan and small agri-firms community informed of developments on a weekly basis through its food alert online facility.

"The artisan food-producing sector has thrived over the past decade and the North and Britain remain our markets for these companies, as consumer taste on both islands is generally the same", Stephanie Moe, Bord Bia artisan food adviser, outlined this week.

"So far our London office has not reported any increase in companies referring new market concerns to them, but they are keeping the whole Brexit situation under daily review", she added.

She also said that many of these artisan companies were exporting to the United States and Europe, and that these markets could be further developed as the British exit from Europe gathers pace.

Conferences on Brexit implications

Two conferences on the implications of Brexit are scheduled to take place this month - at the Taste of Cavan festival this weekend, and at a Bord Bia arranged conference at the BrookLodge hotel in Wicklow at the end of the month.

Alo Moran, the chairman of the Cavan conference, says there are real concerns in the border region about the possibility of a "hard border" being reintroduced, "with all the security and community instability which that will involve".

There is also continuing worry within the artisan and small agri-business sector about the problems caused by the fluctuations in sterling.

This weekend's conference will be addressed by the vice chairman of the EU parliament, Mairead McGuinness (FG), Independent MEP Marian Harkin, former agriculture minister Brendan Smith (FF), and farmer leaders Joe Healy of the IFA, Charles Bourns of the European-wide COPA farmers' pressure group, and Gary Ford of the UK Farmers Union. Among the issues likely to be highlighted at the Cavan conference on Friday are:

With sterling on a downward trend, how will artisan and small agri companies be given concessions or compensation for trading with Britain?

How will the eventual EU exit of Britain affect Irish agri business in terms of tariffs and new British trade deals?

What is likely to occur when the issue of food labelling is addressed in the Brexit negotiations?

Will there be a hard border, and what controls will there be on people and foods travelling north and south?

What controls will there be in terms of goods and services from a VAT perspective?

What regime will be introduced on disease control and animals travelling, and on the transportation of animal by-products?

On purely commercial in-house operational matters, the conference is also likely to discuss the implications of Brexit on banking and transaction fees, insurance, communications and energy issues, and how the investment in the border regions arising from the peace process will be affected by Brexit.

Similar discussions are expected to take place at the Bord Bia conference in Wicklow later this month.
I'm a Brit writing about Brexit as I tour around Ireland for a couple of weeks as part of my Nuffield Farming Scholarship.

I'm gradually making my way south-west from Dublin, stopping off in Tipperary, Wexford and Cork. In fact I'm writing this in a B&B near Bantry after a bracing walk along the Sheep's Head peninsula. A good place to mull over what's going on at home.

When Brexit crops up in conversation, as it invariably does, a couple of Irish people have put their heads in their hands and cried: "What were you all thinking?!"

I was chatting to a guy in Cork city about it over the bank holiday.

"I know what they were thinking," he said. "It would be like if we had a referendum here about uniting Ireland. I'd know it could cause trouble and damage relations with the UK, but would I vote for a 32 county Ireland? Yes I would."

Whether or not that is a reasonable comparison is up to you, but he's right that many Brits went to the polls with the sole purpose of "making Britain great again".

The farmers though? I think those who voted to leave the European Union were thinking more tactically than that.

I know a few of them and they're not what you might expect. For example, if you thought all the young people voted 'Remain', you should chat to some under 40s in the British countryside.

Some want rid of direct payments and the farms that depend on them, which they view as inefficient and a drag on the industry.

I distinctly remember one Leave supporter saying "subsidised old codgers" were blocking new entrants and fresh ideas. Others, particularly in the arable areas, hope a Brexit will mean the relaxation of the precautionary principle and better access to new crop protection products, and maybe even GMOs. But if anyone thought for a minute these things would happen quickly - if ever - they are very much mistaken.

Britain is still reeling from the shock. No one, not even those who voted to leave the EU, can quite believe it's actually happening.

The National Farmers' Union is making the best of it by calling on farmers to take control of their destiny.

This month they are launching the biggest consultation for a generation.

NFU bosses have agreed on a set of core principles, which could form the basis of a new domestic agricultural policy, or at least what the NFU wants from one.

Meetings will be held all over the UK to discuss the pros and cons.

They hope to have it signed off and ready to deliver to government by October.

The NFU cannot be accused of acting slowly. Less than a month after the referendum result, the four presidents, representing each nation, met in Brussels to set out their priorities.

England put access to European markets and new global trade agreements at the top of its list, Scotland stressed the importance of access to labour, Wales called for a science-based approach to pesticides and herbicides and Northern Ireland a removal of costly bureaucracy.

Some of it tallies with what our new Defra Secretary of State Andrea Leadsom said in a letter to the Farmers' Weekly exactly a month after the referendum.

In it she appears very positive, ambitious even, about trade and export opportunities and recognises the 100bn a year contribution to the economy from food and farming.

But she makes no mention of continued support payments for farmers after we leave the EU, and I was surprised none of the four NFU leaders mentioned it at the earliest opportunity either.

This will be something to watch very closely.

My Dad, a sheep and beef producer and a staunch Remainer, is disillusioned.

"How can the NFU represent the interests of the big arable men in the east and the small livestock farmers in the hills at the same time?" he asked.

Personally, I believe now is the time for every British farmer to stand up and have his or her voice heard, to be part of the first British Agricultural Policy in decades.

Yes, our industry is fragmented and regionalised but there are strengths in that too. We do a lot of things well - from beef to barley, pork to potatoes, sheep to strawberries. And it's time to shout about it.

Someone suggested to me the other day that Irish farming will far much worse out of Brexit than ours.

I can see their point but with emotions running so high at home, I hope you don't mind if I keep that thought to myself when I get off the ferry at Holyhead.

Anna Jones is a farmer's daughter from the Welsh Borders. She works on BBC's Countryfile and Radio 4's Farming Today. Her Nuffield Farming Scholarship looks at the coverage of agricultural issues in the news media
The recent referendum in Britain has thrown up more questions than answers. While a small majority voted to leave the EU, no one seems to quite know why.

A lot of soul searching is taking place in the columns of the British newspapers, mostly trying to get to the bottom of what went wrong and why people would vote to exit from a union with other nations that promoted equality, free trade, a high degree of economic security and a greatly reduced risk of war.

What made them feel so bad? It would seem that referendums are a flawed means of discovering public opinion on specific issues. People tend to vote against the government of the day, rather than thinking through carefully what the issues really mean. A good example of this would be our own relatively recent referendum held in 2013 to see if the Irish people wished to abolish the Senate.

At that time, most of the people I spoke to felt that the Senate was a waste of public money and we would be better off without it. However, on the day, the majority voted to retain it. They did so not because they felt strongly on the issue, but rather to give the then government a sharp shock and as a means of protesting about matters that had nothing to do with whether we retained our Senate or not.

The same has occurred in Britain, where dissatisfaction with their government motivated the voters rather than strong feelings for or against the EU. This is, of course, dangerous stuff and the repercussions will be felt throughout Europe for many years to come.

So why do we behave in this irresponsible manner?

I found some of the answers in a great book called 'Status Anxiety' by Alain De Botton. It is a well-researched work that probes how and why we act in certain ways, by backing up theory with historical fact.

The vast majority of people would deny that they are concerned about their personal status but on the other hand, we should consider the way we behave and how we act to bolster our self-esteem.

There are endless tales of families who almost go hungry in order to have a new car in their driveway or wear the latest fashions, solely to impress the neighbours. This is not restricted to suburban areas but is far more widespread. Just look at the passion in rural Ireland for owning land, almost regardless of its cost.

"Fear gan talamh" or "Man without land" is a well-known old Irish saying of contempt and has its roots in the ongoing desire for status among our own peers.

The possession of land in past centuries provoked much hatred and violence and perhaps the best example of this was in John B Keane's famous play 'The Field'. This was a classic example of one man's almost insane desire for status among his local community rather than just the acquisition of an economic asset. When talking to his son about the land they hoped to purchase, the Bull McCabe tellingly said "one day we will be important people".

The point of all this is simply to illustrate that people behave in different ways depending on their economic circumstances and wealth can make us less satisfied. Think of the recent water charge protests.

Virtually all other developed countries have water charges but for some strange reason, here in Ireland, a small minority decided to protest about them. Is this about more than just a water charge?

Of course it is, for this is yet another protest against Government rather than that specific issue.

According to De Botton, western civilisation has given us an extraordinary increase in wealth, life expectancy and economic opportunity.

Blessed with riches and possibilities far beyond anything imagined by our ancestors who struggled to survive in medieval Europe, modern populations have nonetheless shown a remarkable capacity to feel that neither who they are nor what they have is quite enough.

This is borne out by statistics regarding really poor populations worldwide such as the genuinely deprived in Bangladesh, many of whom, despite having only the barest means of subsistence, are not only generally happy but also feel equal to their neighbours and are immune from status envy.

'Status Anxiety' is an entertaining and thought provoking read and tells us a lot about ourselves and how, despite our relatively high standard of living, we have become dissatisfied with our lot.

Happiness? Less is seemingly more

We all know that money does not buy happiness, but this knowledge does not stop us striving to have the trappings of wealth, usually just for outer show.

It would almost seem as if the more we have, the less happy we are.

Yet, acquiring status does not require financial wealth. We revere the great artists and musicians in our communities, even if they are in poor economic circumstances. We also praise individuals like Mother Theresa of Calcutta, who devote their lives to helping the poor.

People with those talents are very much in the minority however, and are perhaps admired as they pose us no threat. America has always been held up as an example of freedom and equal opportunity but in the 19th century, the French historian, Alain De Tocqueville, having visited there, reasoned that there is a strange melancholy often haunting inhabitants of democracies in the midst of abundance.

He suspected that deprived classes in other countries, prior to the arrival of democracy, had the benefit of a mental calm that their successors would be denied. In recent years, democratically elected governments have continually delivered their voters additional benefits. Has this made anyone happier? It would appear not.
One notable trend in the land sales market is that inheritors of land are now opting to lease farms to avail of the tax breaks associated with leasing rather than going down the sales route.

"I had at least three farms withdrawn from the market earlier this year after potential vendors took advice from accountants," said Kilkenny auctioneer Joseph Coogan. "Many are using the leasing opportunities to 'park' farms until farming improves and land prices increase."

Tom Crosse of GVM said the difficulty in getting money from the banks was making farmer customers shy away from the auction room, opting for the private treaty market instead.

"Purchasing solicitors are advising farmers against borrowing for auction as the conditions attached to many letters of offer are regarded as too burdensome," he said.

Expand Close Newhall House on 310ac near Ennis in Co Clare sold at auction for 1.7m / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Newhall House on 310ac near Ennis in Co Clare sold at auction for 1.7m

"Banks can demand a lean on other properties, on life insurances and other assets before they agree to loan sanction. Purchasing solicitors are also advising clients not to finalise any sale based on loan sanction but to do so only on cheques draw down," he explained.

Mr Crosse said the continuing uncertainty in the dairy sector was also having a huge impact on land sales in Munster.

Falling farm incomes have also been a factor in the sharp fall-off in sales in the southeast, according to Wexford auctioneer David Quinn. He also noted the impact of the increased popularity of long-term lease arrangements.

Newbridge auctioneer Paddy Jordan maintained that access to money was the main factor hitting the land market.

"The motorway money and the development money from the boom years has dried up and the banks are very cagey when dealing with farmers," Mr Jordan said.

"Clearly farm prices are on the floor, with milk and grain particularly hit, but I believe an added problem this year has been the weather. We had a late and wet spring that left land in bad shape. It was nearly June before the land recovered and as a consequence the auction year was late starting."

Expand Close The biggest fram to come on the market in 2016 is located in Connacht Ulster region. An Ghrianan consisting of 2,400ac at Speenogue, Burt in Co Donegal is for sale by private treaty with a guide price of 17m / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The biggest fram to come on the market in 2016 is located in Connacht Ulster region. An Ghrianan consisting of 2,400ac at Speenogue, Burt in Co Donegal is for sale by private treaty with a guide price of 17m

According to Trim auctioneer Thomas Potterton, the looming possibility of Brexit had a significant impact on the market in the northeast.

He pointed out that the uncertainty before the UK referendum caused expected sterling buyers to hold off.

South Leinster: Auctioneers pin hopes on an autumn sales rebound

Over the past number of years the cockpit of the farm property market has been South Leinster, made up of counties Laois, Kildare, Kilkenny, Carlow, Wicklow and Wexford.

In the last six months this region has endured the biggest drop across the board, with the amount of land sold at auction down 54pc, from the 2,033ac sold in early 2015 to 943ac in the same period this year.

The amount of money generated from land auctions in the region fell 60pc, from 24.116m in the first six months of last year to 9.781m this year, while the average price per acre fell from 11,861 in 2015 to 10,364 in the current year, representing a drop of 13pc. The number of successful auctions reported declined from 39 in 2015 to 20 this year.

Despite all the negative figures, South Leinster still remains the dearest place in the country to buy farmland.

The largest farm sold in the region was a 282ac farm, Haggard House near Carbury in Co Kildare. The holding is a mixture of grass, tillage and forestry and made 2.15m under the hammer of Paddy Jordan of Jordan Auctioneers.

The best price paid for land in the region was 19,140/ac paid for 18.8ac of grazing ground at Kilmurray near Gorey in Co Wexford. In one of the earlier auctions of the year the place sold under the direction of Denis Howell of Warren Estates.

The best price paid at auction for a large farm in the region was given for a 112ac holding at Athgarvan, Co Kildare that sold under the hammer of Willie Coonan for 1.56m, or 14,000/ac

The average size of farm sold in the region under auction between January and June 2016 was 47ac.

Wexford auctioneer David Quinn says the figures nationally and for South Leinster reflect his experience on the ground. "The volume of land coming on to the market in Wicklow and Wexford is certainly down 50pc," he said.

Like Joseph Coogan in Kilkenny, he believes the option of tax-free income from long-term leasing has tied up a lot of land that would otherwise find its way onto the auction floor.

He also believes that a lot of land sold in recent times was offloaded to 'tidy up' debts hanging over from the financial collapse. Even so, he expects a strong market to emerge this autumn.

North Leinster: Sterling buyers put their plans on hold

North Leinster - made up of the counties of Longford, Westmeath, Meath, Louth, Dublin and Offaly - showed the least dramatic movement, but all the key figures are down on last year.

A total of 1,152ac sold at auction to the end of June this year, compared to 1,413ac in 2015. This represents a drop of 261ac, or 18.5pc.

The total generated by auction sales decreased from 13,121,500 to 9,410,000, representing a decline of 28pc, while the price per acre declined 12pc, falling from 9,286 to 8,169.

The number of successful auctions reported was just marginally down, dropping from 29 to 22.

The largest farm sold was a 227ac farm at Derrynagarragh in Co Westmeath. The holding is in need of some investment and sold as one block under the hammer of Paul Murtagh. It made 1.3m or 5,276/ac.

The biggest price in the region in the six months was paid for a 94ac residential holding at Fordstown, Co Meath that made 1.45m in a sale handled by Raymond Potterton. The highest price paid per acre was for a 54ac non-residential tillage and grass farm at Newcastle, Co Dublin. It sold under the hammer of Robert Ganly for 850,000 or 15,400/ac.

The average size of holding sold in the region during the first six months of 2016 was 52ac.

Trim auctioneer Thomas Potterton identified Brexit as a contributing factor to the decline in the volume and price of land sold in the early part of 2016.

"In our area we have a steady business from sterling buyers, especially for country houses and estates and the uncertainty before the Brexit vote caused these buyers to pause and wait. The same thing happens before the annual budget, if changes are expected in capital gains tax. When there is uncertainty buyers hold off until they see what is going to happen."

Mr Potterton also pointed to the difficult times for farm incomes, the tight credit regime operated by the banks, and the poor spring weather as contributing to the sluggish state of farm sales.

However, he is optimistic that the market could recover quickly: " I have a lot of farms on my books for the autumn season," he said.

Connacht/Ulster: Demand switches to land with forestry potential

The Connacht counties, along with Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan, showed a substantial decline in the number of successful land auctions this year - falling from 17 to nine.

There was a 66pc drop in the area of land sold under the hammer for the first six months of the year, falling from 1,067 in 2015 to 356ac for the January to June period this year.

A similar percentage applies to the drop in the level of income generated from land sales, which fell from 6,260,000 for the first six months of 2015 to 2,166,750 this year.

Unlike other regions there was a slight increase in the per acre price, which rose 3pc, increasing from 5,866/ac last year to 6,086/ac this year.

This figure is probably somewhat skewed by a bumper price of 17,000/ac paid for 17ac of land at Ballybay in Co Monaghan.

The largest farm sold under the hammer in the early part of 2016 was a 180ac parcel of forestry and grazing ground at Craggagh, Balla, Co Mayo that sold for 750,000 under the direction of Morans of Castlebar.

The dearest land sold in the region was the aforementioned 17ac grass farm at Legacurry, Ballybay in Co Monaghan.

The reseeded, 'top class' grazing ground was bought by an auctioneer believed to be acting for a dairy farmer when it sold under the hammer of local agent Phillip Ward.

The average size of holding sold in Connacht/Ulster in the first six months of 2016 was 39ac.

Caution

Roscommon auctioneer John Earley has noticed a distinct change in the market and a softening of prices.

"I am certainly finding the bigger farms harder to get away and prices are certainly softening," he maintained.

"I would say land is back 1,000/ac. And while last year I was quoting 7,000 to 8,000/ac for top quality land in this region, this year I'd be quoting 6,000 to 7,000," he said.

Mr Earley said the banks were certainly more cautious and buyers were not as bullish.

"However, I find the demand for investment land for planting is increasing and people are looking for average land rather than poor ground for it," he said.

Munster: 'The scepticism about prospects in farming is keeping vendors and purchasers out of the auction rooms'

Last year was not a great one for land sales in Munster and there is no improvement to date in the market for 2016.

If anything things have continued to get worse. In the south western province the amount of land selling under the hammer in early 2016 is down 45pc.

A total of 1,494ac was sold in the first six months of 2015 compared to 852ac sold to the end of June 2016.

In terms of the money generated by land sales at public auction the total is down by more than 54% with sales dropping form 14,288,000 in the first six months of 2015 to 6,535,000 in the same period of this year.

The per acre price of land also fell by a substantial 11pc from 9,562 in 2016 to 8484. It is interesting to note that the number of reported auctions is only slightly down on last year from 20 to 16.

The largest farm to sell under the hammer in Munster was the 310ac estate with Newhall House near Ennis in Co Clare.

In an auction conducted by Sothebys and Owen Reilly property consultants the estate sold for 1.7m.

The highest per acre price paid was for land was 13,300 paid for 35ac of tillage ground at Barnora, Cahir, Co Tipperary when John Stokes of Stokes and Quirke sold the farm to a solicitor acting in trust for 465,000.

The average size of holding sold under the hammer in Munster during the period was 53ac.

Macroom auctioneer Killian Lynch attributes the state of the market to caution on the part of vendors and purchasers.

Ceiling

"There is much scepticism around concerning farming and this keeps vendors and purchasers out of the auction room, so I have no doubt there is less selling by auction."

Mr Lynch also believes that many of the farmers with plans for substantial expansion put a ceiling on their plans.

"I think many of the farmers who decided to expand from 100 to 300 cows have stopped at 150 and are happy at that," he said.

He is not convinced the banks are 'spooked' by the current state of farm incomes.

"My sources in the banks tell me they take a five year perspective on farm incomes and this leaves scope for good years and bad years," he said.
Stephen Shorten is one of agriculture's natural optimists - taking this year's poor prices for both milk and crops on the chin, and stressing that he is fully intent on "sticking with farming".

He farms in partnership with his sister Fiona on what his describes as a " typical fragmented West Cork farm" at Enniskeane, between Bandon and Bantry, where they milk cows and grow crops on 340 acres - including the home farm and owned and rented land between three and four miles away.

The Shortens milk some 50 pedigree British Friesians - The Palace Anne herd - and supply Bandon Co-Op with some 1,200 litres a unit, as well as planting some 200 acres with spring barley, winter barley and wheat and growing some beet and maize crops for neighbouring farmers on a contract basis.

"The milk price is under pressure, but to be fair to the co-ops, they are getting every cent available to the farmers. I took the forward price this year and if I didn't, I probably wouldn't break even," Stephen says.

On the tillage front, where he is averaging 3.2 tonnes an acre on his crops, he says "things are very tough at the moment and prices are on the floor. But you have to stick with it and wait for a good year."

This is the fourth generation of the Shortens to farm in the Enniskeane area and while Stephen, who is single and in his fifties, was a farmer from the get-go, his sister Fiona only took up farming 15 years ago.

She packed in her previous full-time job as a national school teacher when she inherited some land from a relation. "She gave up the teaching for farming and it's better lifestyle," Stephen says without a hint of irony in his voice.

Stephen also works along with two employees collecting the "sludge cakes" (biomass blocks extracted from the 2m gallons a day taken by Carberry from the River Bandon to manufacture dairy products before returning the cleaned water to the river) and spreading the biomass material on farming land throughout the Cork region. It takes up two weeks a month from January to December.

To describe Stephen as farming activist and innovator would be an understatement.

His off-farm career is as busy as his on-farm work, having recently served as a vice chairman on the National Dairy Council and undertaking ongoing board commitments at Bandon Co-Op, Bandon Vale and the local mart, to say nothing of his boardroom appointment to the Clona Dairy concern in Clonakilty.

And if that wasn't enough, he also spearheaded various alternative energy projects in West Cork, including the initially very successful Gro-Oil company which produced energy from rapeseed oil.

The company's customer base included the EBS, An Post and a wind energy company.

The Gro Oil project was flying from 2006 until the tax breaks for alternative energy project were abolished by the Government because of the economic crisis in 2010 - while the wind farm project was blown away because of a lack of enthusiasm for the wind blade in the region.

"I am a great believer in alternative energy and it is something that will have to be addressed in terms of climate change and emissions. The wind project was based on a similar one in Germany which was supported by everyone in the area.

"If these projects are seen to benefit the local community in a co-op type way they will have a future but you have to persuade people in advance of starting these projects," he says.

Stephen believes the PR campaigns associated with wind farms projects have been disastrous.

When he has spare time, it is devoted to following the fortune of the Le Mans car racing tournament which he regularly attends - though not for the past two years.

"I don't particularly like Formula One - it's too commercial - but I like the Le Mans race and I hope to get there again, though maybe not for a year or two because I have commitments here," he points out.

One of his next projects is to take part in the rural revival campaign which aims to renew the countryside and rural towns and villages.
Details added (first version posted on 12:25)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

It is planned to decrease tax rates in order to encourage non-cash payments in Azerbaijan, the countrys Deputy Taxes Minister Ilkin Valiyev said.

He made the remarks at a press conference dedicated to execution of the Azerbaijani presidents order, dated Aug. 4, 2016, On improvement of tax administration and approval of directions of reforms in taxation in 2016.

Encouraging non-cash payments and limiting cash payments will lead to a rise in the number of POS-terminals and to the transparency in the payment of taxes, said Valiyev. We have already had a few suggestions in connection with the expansion of non-cash payments.

One of these offers envisages that any payment that exceeds 1,000 manats a day must be carried out in non-cash method, he noted. Moreover, we have offered to reduce the rate of VAT or any other tax in order to encourage non-cash payments.

The deputy minister added that these offers are at the stage of discussion.
Pre-tax profits at the main Irish unit of US security software maker McAfee decreased by 10pc to 22.59m last year.

Accounts just filed with the Companies Office show that pre-tax profits at the Cork-based McAfee Ireland Ltd declined in spite of revenues increasing by 11pc from 419.82m to 466.54m in the 12 months to the end of December 26th last year.

McAfee has its headquarters for its operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) in Cork and numbers employed at the Irish base increased from 338 to 344 last year

In February 2011, Intel agreed to buy McAfee's global operation for $7.68bn (5.6bn) in cash in an effort to boost its security offerings.

The directors state that the firm's gross margin decreased from 6pc to 3.5pc as McAfee's compensation arrangements were aligned with Intel transfer pricing policies.

In a shake-up of the structure of the firm, the company's parent, McAfee European Holdings Ltd, transferred its holding in the company to a fellow group company, Intel Shannon Ltd.

The figures show that McAfee Ireland recorded a gain of 5.7m arising from a disposal of McAfee (Bejing) Security Software Co Ltd to a connected firm.

The firm's spend on R&D during last year totalled 5.37m compared to 9.97m in 2014. The profit last year takes account of foreign exchange losses of 2.13m. McAfee - which established its Irish operations in 2004 - provides a series of security solutions include anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-spam and intrusion prevention.

The profits last year resulted in the firm having accumulated profits of 69.8m with shareholder funds standing at 71.6m.

The company's cost of sales increased from 272.6m to 349m, while its administrative expenses fell from 122m to 100m. The accounts show that the company's operating profits decreased by 35pc from 25m to 16m.

The firm's interest receivable last year increased going from 184,166 to 674,198. The profit was recorded after a non-cash depreciation charge of 741,194.

An analysis of the company's turnover shows that 247m was generated in EU countries with 219m in Non-EU countries.

The figures show that the numbers employed by the firm last year increased from 338 to 344 with 119 engaged in sales and marketing; 125 in technical support with the numbers in administration at 100.

Staff costs last year reduced from 26.4m to 13.4m as a result of the company restructure.

After paying corporation tax of 696,733, the firm recorded post tax profits of 21.89m.

Remuneration for directors reduced from 728,951 to 252,075.
Accumulated profits at Chris O'Dowd's UK production firm jumped by 54pc last year.

New figures show that the accumulated profits at Hot Cod Productions rose from 354,699 to 546,244 (639,374) in the year to the end of October 31, 2015.

O'Dowd's Hot Cod Productions is one of the companies behind his very successful 'Moone Boy' series broadcast in recent years to critical and popular acclaim.

The value of the firm's investments during the period increased from 148,931 to 293,284.

Roscommon man O'Dowd (36) is a favourite of one of the most influential directors in Hollywood, Judd Apatow, and has starred in Apatow movies 'Bridesmaids' and 'This is 40' while O'Dowd has also had a starring role in HBO's 'Girls' series.

O'Dowd is part of a star-studded cast including Samuel L Jackson, Judi Dench, Eva Green and Rupert Everett starring in Tim Burton's upcoming fantasy adventure film, 'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children'.

O'Dowd is currently filming the 'God Particle' being directed by JJ Abrams of 'Star Wars' fame that is due for release next year

Last year, O'Dowd enjoyed positive reviews for his portrayal of journalist David Walsh in his pursuit of champion cyclist Lance Armstrong in the movie 'The Program'.

A former UCD student, O'Dowd represented Roscommon GAA at several under-age levels right up to under 21.

He first came to notice here playing Brendan Davenport in RTE's 'The Clinic' between 2003 and 2005 with his breakthrough in the UK for his role as Roy Trenneman in the 'IT Crowd'.

O'Dowd also had a starring role in black comedy 'Calvary', which was written and directed by John Michael McDonagh, best known as the writer-director of 'The Guard' while he has also added roles in 'Cuban Fury' and 'Thor'.
Properties in Longford are selling for an average of 80,000 - more than four times cheaper than the average price in Dublin. Stock photo

Houses in Longford are selling for less than a quarter of the cost of Dublin properties, a new survey shows.

It comes as evidence has emerged that the mortgage market is bouncing back with a jump in the number of home loans drawn down.

But property prices remain muted in many rural parts of the country.

Properties in Longford are selling for an average of 80,000, a new survey shows.

This is more than four times cheaper than the average price in Dublin of 380,000, according to data compiled for An Post's GeoDirectory.

Low levels of property transactions and a three-tier housing market have been identified in the survey.

Dublin has the highest turnover level and higher prices, followed by the commuter counties and Cork and Galway.

In the third tier are rural counties such as Leitrim, Longford and Roscommon, where there are lower property prices and low levels of transactions.The GeoView report found the national average turnover rate up to June this year was just 2.1pc, representing around 43,000 properties.

This is less than half the turnover level considered normal.

Read more: Property bulletin: Number of homes trading hands falls as prices rise

Meanwhile, figures for the April to June period showed the number of mortgages drawn down rose to 6,800, the banks said. This was up 25pc compared with the previous quarter, with the market now at its highest level since 2010.

First-time buyers still represent the largest number of buyers, accounting for almost half of all drawdowns, the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland data indicates.

The 6,803 mortgages had a value of 1.29bn in the second quarter of this year.

Economist with Goodbody Stockbrokers Dermot O'Leary said the figures suggested that the market was recovering from the shock of the introduction of Central Bank mortgage lending caps.

"The latest mortgage data suggests the hangover following the introduction of the macro-prudential rules is wearing off, with good momentum going into the second half of 2016."

The average amount drawn down by both first-time and mover-purchasers has risen by around 30,000 in the past three years.

First-time buyers are now borrowing an average of 183,000. Just over 230,000 is being borrowed by the average mover, the figures show.

The level of mortgage switching remains low, with just under 500 loans remortgaged in the April to June period. However, the trend indicates that mortgage switching is becoming more popular, with a 75pc rise in the numbers remortgaging in the year to June.

And in an indicator of future mortgage market activity, the numbers being approved for a mortgage were up, the banks said.

The numbers approved for a mortgage rose in June to 3,140, a rise of 22pc compared with the same month last year, the banking figures show.

First-time buyers account for almost half of the approvals.

Analyst at Davy Stockbrokers David McNamara said he expected the market to surge this year, with lending of 5bn to new buyers and to investors.

Mr McNamara said the figures showed that the mortgage market was in good shape.

"The recovery in jobs and wages of late has allowed borrowers to obtain larger loans, bidding up house prices in a still supply-constrained housing market," the economist said.
Subscribe to The Ready Business show, in association with Vodafone via iTunes or SoundCloud.

What's it like to ditch the corporate life to strike out on your own? Mark Stratfold did just that when he decided to leave his job behind to set up Team Africa specialising in African safari trips.

Not only that, but he's doing it all from Skibbereen in west Cork where the opening of the gigabit digital hub, the Ludgate centre, is enticing entrepreneurs from all over the world to set up business in this rural part of Ireland.

I was inspired by a somone who gave a talk in my work and they had up a coffee shop chain. They had made that leap and did it, explains Stratfold.

Its what Ive always wanted to do. There is always the corporate world to go back to but I wouldnt change a thing. It is difficult but thats life, its worse to say youve never tried it. Theres no such thing as instant success but if you work hard enough you can do it.

Also on the show, an extended interview with Sean O'Driscoll, President of the Glen Dimplex Group, a west Cork native, and a key driver behind the introduction of gigabit broadband speeds to Skibbereen.

There are 200,000 jobs to be created by 2020 with 135,000 of those in rural Ireland and Skibbereen and Ludgate is the template for how it can be done and we did it without one euro of state funding, says ODriscoll.

We have done our part and can now turn to the government and say, theres the model and template. Theres no reason why the IDA cant have Skibbereen on their list for investors in Ireland in the digital world. There is no reason why the next Google cant be based in Skibbereen.

The Ready Business show, in association with Vodafone , is available via iTunes , SoundCloud and Stitcher or subscribe to the RSS feed of the Ready Business Podcast using your favourite podcatcher.

You can check out the full Ready Business Podcast series here .

In association with:
Actor Sebastian Stan attends the UK Film Premiere of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" at Westfield London

Love/Hate star Peter Coonan was spotted on the streets of Wicklow looking very different from bloodthirsty Fran.

The Dublin actor, who played inner city gangster Fran on the RTE crime drama, was photographed on the set of his new movie on Tuesday in Enniskerry, County Wicklow.

Dressed in what appears to be mechanic overalls, Coonan was on location for the second day of shooting the Michael Douglas-produced thriller, We Have Always Lived in the Castle.

The movie also stars Captain America's Sebastian Stan, True Detective and Baywatch star Alexandra Daddario and American Horror Story's Taissa Farmiga.

Expand Close Peter Coonan on location in Enniskerry Village, Co. Wicklow shooting his new movie. Pics : Mark Doyle / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Peter Coonan on location in Enniskerry Village, Co. Wicklow shooting his new movie. Pics : Mark Doyle

The movie is based on the 1962-published Shirley Jackson horror novel about an isolated grand, old family which has lost four members of its dynasty to poisoning.

Stan plays a smooth-talking, gold-digging distant cousin whose arrival sets in motion the uncovering of family secrets.

Expand Close Actor Sebastian Stan attends the UK Film Premiere of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" at Westfield London / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Actor Sebastian Stan attends the UK Film Premiere of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" at Westfield London

This is the first time the story is being adapted for the screen. It was previously translated into a play as well as a musical.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle is Coonan's first movie since 2015's short Gridlock.
An Irish guy with Tourette's has completely charmed TV audiences after his First Dates appearance.

Damian (24) refused to let his tics get in the way of his quest for true love and took to the Channel 4 show in the hope of meeting his love match.

He admitted that he recently went through a difficult period in his life after splitting from his ex-boyfriend in 2013.

The mental health nursing student was honest and open about his condition and explained that he was diagnosed with Tourette's shortly after the break-up.

"I couldn't even speak because I was tic-ing constantly," he said.

"I remember my dad getting really upset and I could tell that he was trying to hold back tears and so because of that I thought the best way to deal with that was to joke about it."

The Derry man said Tourette's is "like this constant companion that follows you around, that upsets you and makes you laugh".

"It's when it catches you unawares..." he told the cameras while he accidentally shouted to the barman "I'm on a load of drugs..."

He reassured him that he is not, in fact, on drugs and as the show continued, he shouted out "gay boy", "lesbo" and "kitten f***er" to the TV restaurant.

Damian admitted that he has made his peace with his tics and finds it easier to warn others so they won't be shocked.

Expand Close Kai on First Dates. Photo: Channel 4 / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Kai on First Dates. Photo: Channel 4

"I don't know if it will go or if it will stay, but either way I've changed and that's not necessarily a bad thing," he said.

His honesty won him over with audiences, as well as his hunky date, businessman and part-time model Kai (31) who loves the Irish accent and was charmed by Damien's transparency.

Video of the Day

In fact, it even inspired him to be open about his own mental health issues.

"I know I've had depression on and off. I went through a really bad period four years ago. I accept it now. Since I've done that, I can manage it better," Kai said.

Expand Close Kai and Damian on First Dates / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Kai and Damian on First Dates

The pair seemed to really enjoy their time together and revealed they'd like to see each other again, much to viewers' delight.
THE deployment of Irish soldiers to Syria has brought back bittersweet memories for an Army family twice hit by tragedy.

Commandant Tommy Wickham was the most senior officer in the Defence Forces to die in the line of duty. He was shot dead by Syrian troops in 1967 at the same United Nations post where Irish troops are to be deployed.

His daughter, Joyce, 44, who was married to Army officer Ray Quinn, was murdered in Kildare in January 1996 by out-of-work butcher, Kenneth O'Reilly, who was sentenced to life for the crime.

Joyce Quinn spent two years in the Middle East with Ray and their children while he served on UN missions, including 16 months in Syria.

Joyce's father, Cmdt Tommy Wickham, was on duty with the United Nations at the disputed Golan Heights when war broke out between Israel and its Arab neighbours, Egypt, Jordan and Syria. He was shot dead while on his way to relieve other UN observers at the Golan Heights on the start of the Six Day War in June 1967.

He was killed just two weeks after his wife Patricia and their three children had arrived in Damascus to join him for his tour of duty.

Patricia was left to fend for her family, one of the children sick with food poisoning, while the city came under aerial bombardment, and the airport closed. She was eventually transported to Beirut to fly home with her children.

Years later, Joyce accompanied her husband Ray in 1990 when he also served as a UN observer at the same post as his late father-in-law. Ray, a retired Colonel, said his wife enjoyed her time in Syria despite the memories of her father's death. She too brought her children, Nicole, David and Lisa, to Syria. The family spent a further six months living in northern Israel while Ray served another UN tour in south Lebanon.

Recalling the stay in Syria, Ray said: "Despite the fact that her father had been killed by the Syrian army, Joyce was happy to accompany me there with our family. I served for 16 months on the Golan Heights, mostly on the Syrian side. Our family really enjoyed our time in Damascus despite tensions from time to time."

Speaking about his late father-in-law, Ray said: "He is the only Irish Army casualty that occurred in Syria.

He was shot dead by a Syrian soldier on the Golan Heights on June 7, 1967, the day after the Six Day Arab-Israeli war started. Tommy Wickham was an unarmed observer serving with United Nations Treaty Supervisory Organisation (UNTSO). The incident occurred during a misguided attempt to relieve some observer positions on the Golan Heights after the war started. Tommy Wickham was shot at a Syrian checkpoint at the old Roman bridge near the village of Ar Rafid on the Golan Heights. The bridge was subsequently blown up by the Israelis.

"The Syrians subsequently sentenced the soldier involved to 18 years in jail.

"Tommy Wickham was not long in the mission area at the time of his death. In fact, his wife and their three children, Denise the youngest was just four, had arrived in Damascus just a fortnight before the war started. It was a pretty terrible situation, to be dropped into a totally alien environment, language and cultural wise, in the middle of a war with Damascus city being bombed by the Israeli Airforce."

Retired Colonel Ray Quinn said the area where the 115 Irish troops are to be deployed has been troubled for decades.

"When the ceasefire was agreed after the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, the Israeli Army withdrew to an agreed line. This disrupted communities that had been there since before the time of Christ.

A small town called Quneitra, approximately the size of Abbeyleix, was located adjacent to the ceasefire line. As the Israelis did not want a populated area beside what they viewed as their new 'border', they blew up every single dwelling and business premises in the town. The only buildings left intact were the church and the mosque. The population was forced to flee into Syria. Quneitra is now the only crossing place on the Golan," he said.

"Nearby, also seriously discommoded, was the Druze community on the Golan. They lived in two towns, again each about the size of Abbeyleix, Hadar and Majdal Shams. The Israelis constructed a border fence with the usual minefields, wire and electronic sensors that totally separated the Druze community."

Patricia Wickham is now in her eighties and lives in Dublin.

There is still uncertainty about the deployment of the Irish troops due to the civil war in Syria. They are to help replace Austrian, Japanese and Croatian UN troops who have been withdrawn because of the escalating violence in the country.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

Trend:

Armenian armed forces have 17 times violated the ceasefire on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops over the past 24 hours, said Azerbaijans Defense Ministry Aug. 10.

Armenian army was using large-caliber machine guns.

Armenian armed forces stationed in the villages of Barekamavan, Shavarshavan, Voskevan of Armenias Noyemberyan district opened fire at Azerbaijani positions located in the villages of Gaymagli, Chayli and Farakhli of the Gazakh district.

Moreover, Azerbaijani positions also underwent fire from the positions located near the Bash Gervend village of the Aghdam district, Ashagi Veyselli village of the Fizuli district and nameless heights of the Goranboy 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.
Private clampers are still able to charge up to 300 to release vehicles despite new laws to limit fees being passed 15 months ago. Stock Image

Private clampers are still able to charge up to 300 to release vehicles, despite new laws to limit fees being passed 15 months ago.

Transport Minister Shane Ross is under pressure from Fine Gael backbenchers to finally allow strict regulations come into place.

The Vehicle Clamping Act was signed into law by President Michael D Higgins in May 2015. It sets the maximum release fee for clamping at 100 and relocation at 50.

At the time, the Dail heard that some private companies were charging between 200 and 300 to de-clamp cars.

Responsibility for regulating clampers falls to the National Transport Authority (NTA) but a spokesperson said it cannot begin to limit the fees until Mr Ross signs a commencement order.

She said the NTA is working closely with the Department of Transport on the issue.

But Fine Gael TD for Dublin North West Noel Rock said the delay is unacceptable.

"These ridiculous fees were supposed to be capped years ago. It's insane that people are still being charged a rate above the cap that was supposed to be introduced in the Vehicle Clamping Bill," he said.

"This isn't on. It's time for Shane Ross to sign this into law quickly."

The Department of Transport said the NTA has been given extra resources to take on the new responsibilities. Mr Ross expects an early autumn commencement date.
A 38-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the murder of an Irishman in London three days ago.

Darryn Madigan (38) of Doreen Avenue this afternoon appeared at the Old Bailey via video link, charged with one count of murder. He is accused of murdering John Martin (41), from Co Meath, in the early hours of Sunday in the suburb of Kingsbury.

The court heard that Mr Martin was returning home from a pub with his partner when the attack happened. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The prosecution told the court both men lived in neighbouring flats.

It is alleged that when Mr Martin arrived home a dispute broke out between the two men.

The court heard that it is alleged that Mr Madigan left his flat and came downstairs with a kitchen knife.

Expand Close Doreen Avenue London. Picture: Google Maps / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Doreen Avenue London. Picture: Google Maps

Mr Madigan was remanded in custody and he is due to stand trial on January 30, next year.

The Irish kidney donor was stabbed to death at his home.

Mr Martin had just returned from a night at a local bar with his girlfriend when he became involved in the altercation.

Reports have suggested his devastated partner witnessed the attack.

Friends in London told the Irish Daily Mail that the carpenter donated a kidney after he heard about an appeal from a woman he had never met.

He spotted the advert, was taken by her story and after having himself checked to see if he could be a match, he underwent the surgery to have one of his kidneys removed and it was donated to her, saving her life.

His parents GAA referee Noel and mother Mary, from St Mary's, Donore were last night being comforted by John's sisters Paula, Margaret and Theresa.

In the statement, issued through Meath county councillor Sharon Keogan, the Martin family confirmed that John donated a kidney last September and that, he gave somebody else a chance of life and somebody else has come along and taken his life.

They said, we are extremely proud of his achievements in life and we ask the media to respect our privacy. We want now to bring John home to his family and have his burial in Donore as soon as possible.

"We are distraught and very upset over the circumstances surrounding Johns death," the statement added.

Mr Martin moved to England nine years ago.

Cllr Sharon Keogan told Independent.ie: Our thoughts and prayers are with the Martin family at this very tragic time in dealing with the death of their son and brother.

I understand the Irish consulate and the police in the UK are assisting the family at this time  we hope that its swift.

Donore is a very small tight-knit community and the Martins have been a part of that community for a very, very long time and its a terrible phone call for any family to take.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed it is providing consular assistance.
A South African man, jailed for possession and the sale of drugs, has lost a legal challenge in the High Court against a deportation order that will see him sent home while his two Irish-born children remain in Ireland.

A South African man, jailed for possession and the sale of drugs, has lost a legal challenge in the High Court against a deportation order that will see him sent home while his two Irish-born children remain in Ireland.

Mr Justice Richard Humphreys said the applicant and his wife, who is also South African, married in their home country and came to Ireland in the late 1990s. They had two children in the State.

The man had applied for and was refused refugee status, and lost an appeal against the decision, but had been granted leave to remain on the basis of being the father of an Irish citizen child. He had made two applications for a certificate of naturalisation which had both been refused.

The judge said the man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was then convicted of the drug-related offences following a trial by jury and had been imprisoned.

The man had later been granted enhanced remission of sentence by the Justice Minister who had already issued a "proposal" to deport him. The deportation order was formally made against him later.

Judge Humphreys said the man had legally challenged his deportation claiming the Justice Minister's decision to deport him was in contradiction with the fact that she, through the Irish Prison Services, had granted him enhanced remission in "recognition of a reduced risk of reoffending and in recognition of his efforts at rehabilitation".

The judge said the minister had based her deportation order on a series of reasons including the seriousness of the man's offence and his failure to acknowledge responsibility for it as he had maintained his innocence, contending there had been a miscarriage of justice.
A trial heard Molloy started counterfeiting after the downturn affected his printing business. Stock Picture

A man jailed for six years for selling counterfeit banknotes for the IRA has had his sentence reduced by the Court of Appeal.

Kildare printer Richard Molloy ran a sophisticated counterfeiting operation and around 2m in fake notes, of varying quality, were discovered by the Special Detective Unit at a premises he was leasing.

He was sentenced to six years in prison last year after pleading guilty to having materials for the purpose of counterfeiting currency.

But in a ruling published this week, the Court of Appeal decided to reduce the sentence by six months. It also suspended the final 18 months.

The changes effectively cut Molloy's prison time by a third.

The case arose out of a surveillance operation on suspected members of the IRA.

Detectives swooped on Molloy (45), of Kilmeague, Naas, Co Kildare, after he sold 20,000 in counterfeit notes for 2,200 to a man in a pub in Phibsboro in Dublin in February 2014.

A trial heard Molloy started counterfeiting after the downturn affected his printing business.

Gardai accepted Molloy was not a member of the IRA, but knew the people he was producing the notes for were members of, or involved with, the IRA.

In a judgment by Mr Justice John Edwards, the appeal court found that the original sentencing judge had not indicated a starting point to be considered for the jail term or what allowance was being made for mitigating factors.

In reducing the sentence, the Court of Appeal found Molloy was clearly a man with emotional and personal difficulties.

This included an alcohol dependence and the terminal illness of his partner.

It found Molloy had made progress towards rehabilitation in prison and that this could be incentivised by suspending the final 18 months of the sentence.
Convicted killer Brian Meehan has been disciplined after he was caught with drugs behind bars.

The murderer, who is serving life for the brutal killing of Sunday Independent journalist Veronica Guerin, was allegedly caught with vials of methadone and pills during a search at the maximum security Portlaoise Prison.

The items were discovered after Meehan started acting suspiciously during a prison visit.

Meehan (48), from Crumlin was handed a P. 19 report by the the governor and moved to the punishment A Wing. All of his privileges have been removed as a result of the seizure.

Expand Close The late Sunday Independent journalist Veronica Guerin / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The late Sunday Independent journalist Veronica Guerin

The Irish Mirror is reporting that Meehan is not a drug addict nor is he believed to use narcotics.

A source told the newspaper that staff were confused as to why he had the narcotics concealed on him.

"He met with the prison governor on Tuesday morning when he received a P19. He has lost any privileges he once had.

"Meehan is not a drug addict or user begging the question why he had them on him. Prison staff will continue to try and establish why he had them to determine if he was holding them for someone of supplying them to another inmate.

Expand Close Portlaoise Prison / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Portlaoise Prison

A spokesman for the Irish Prison Service said this morning: "The IPS does not comment on individual cases."

Meehan is serving a life sentence for the murder of Ms Guerin who was shot dead on the Naas Road on June 26, 1996 while waiting at traffic lights. A motorcycle pulled up alongside her car and the pillion passenger discharged a number of shots.

Meehan was convicted by the Special Criminal Court in July 1999. It was the prosecutions case that he drove the motorcycle.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

The Azerbaijan-Turkey-Russia trilateral format can be effective for settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Turkish presidents spokesman Ibrahim Kalin in his interview with A Haber TV channel.

Kalin said Russia too welcomes the creation of such a format of cooperation.

Currently, a positive situation is being observed in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts settlement, he noted.

If Armenia withdraws from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, the process will be accelerated, added Kalin.

He also said the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts settlement will also contribute to the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey.

If the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is resolved, it is more likely to be beneficial for Armenia, which will be able to normalize relations with Turkey, he noted.

Turkeys Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Aug. 10 that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be discussed within the Azerbaijan-Turkey-Russia trilateral format.

Cavusoglu noted that the trilateral format will be beneficial for all parties.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
The family of jailed Irishman Ibrahim Halawa have said the Egyptian parliament was wrong to allege that the Irish Government was "interfering" by seeking his release.

Somaia Halawa, a sister of the imprisoned Dubliner, said that the Irish Government was compliant with a special provision of Egyptian law which allows the Irish authorities to legally seek his release.

Mr Halawa was 17 when he was arrested along with his three sisters in a mosque near Cairo's Ramses Square in 2013 as the Muslim Brotherhood held a "day of rage" over the removal of their elected president, Mohamed Morsi.

The family insisted they were taking refuge from the protests. His sisters were later released but Mr Halawa, from Firhouse in Dublin, has been in custody ever since, facing a mass trial along with almost 500 other alleged dissenters.

Now 20, he is facing the death penalty if found guilty.

The Egyptian parliament recently rejected calls from the Irish Government to release him and accused Ireland of "unacceptable interference".

The speaker of the Egyptian parliament read a statement saying Mr Halawa was charged with assaulting police, disrupting roads and endangering the safety of citizens during a protest in Cairo in 2013.

Solicitors for Mr Halawa insisted the request for a presidential release decree would proceed despite a recent statement in the Egyptian parliament strongly defending the 20-year-old's detention.

The case has been adjourned 14 times and the latest trial date is set for October. Mr Halawa staged a hunger strike protest last year and is again currently refusing food.

Read more: Fresh bid to seek release of Irishman imprisoned without trial for last three years

Read more: The Halawa case: Is Ibrahim a pawn in Egypts political game?

Earlier this year, both houses of the Oireachtas passed motions denouncing his "unacceptable" detention.

His solicitor Darragh Mackin said the stance of the Egyptian parliament had no basis in law. A legal application will be made for him this week to be released under a presidential decree. The Egyptian politicians would not impact on the application to the president, he said.

A previous bid for presidential intervention failed in early 2015.

Reacting to the stance of the Egyptian parliament, Mr Mackin said: "There is no hiding from the fact that such a politically charged statement is concerning, and unconstructive, in working towards Ibrahim's release.

"It is, however, a political statement, and has no basis in law, nor is it a direct response to the application for Ibrahim's release.

"Ibrahim Halawa is entitled to the presumption of innocence. No evidence has been produced."
Simon Harris: 50m to be spent on targeted actions. Picture Credit: Frank McGrath

Health Minister Simon Harris's new five-point plan to tackle hospital waiting lists has been met with criticism from one of his predecessors and with "despair" by nurses.

Former minister James Reilly hit back at his Fine Gael colleague's claim that deactivating the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) was a "significant mistake".

The fund, which is responsible for collecting, collating and validating information on people waiting for public hospital treatment, was partly wound down during Mr Reilly's tenure as minister.

In many cases it organised for patients to be treated outside the public system in order to reduce waiting times.

Last month, the number of public patients in the queue for an outpatient appointment, surgery, or procedure reached a record 530,000.

Mr Harris has now set aside 15m to restart the NTPF as part of a programme of "sustained investment in waiting list initiatives".

"I'm going to put my hands up and say that I genuinely believe it was a significant mistake to deactivate the NTPF," he said.

However, Mr Reilly, who was health minister between 2011 and 2014, rejected the criticism, saying that while its role changed, the NTPF remained in existence and that resources were used by a Special Delivery Unit in "more innovative ways".

"Inpatient waiting times were reduced to eight months. Long trolley waits were reduced by a third," Dr Reilly, who is now a senator, told the Irish Independent.

"The NTPF was not disbanded. The board remained in place. But during that time, it failed to address the issue of people waiting the longest. It didn't tackle the issue people waiting five or six years."

Mr Harris said that 50m is being made available for "targeted, funded actions" to reduce waiting lists.

His five point includes:

 Reducing by 50pc the number of patients waiting over 18 months by year end.

 Clinical validation of all inpatient/day-case waiting lists where patients are waiting longer than 15 months by end of August.

 HSE to roll out Waiting List Improvement Programme in each Hospital Group.

 Special Delivery Unit Improvement Leads to drive the Improvement Programme at hospital and group level, monitor how hospitals are performing on a weekly and monthly basis and report regularly to the Department of Health.

 HSE to develop further waiting list proposals for 2016 for targeted measures to address waiting lists in a number of specialist areas.

Read more: New action plan to reduce 'unacceptably high' hospital waiting lists by end of year - Harris

Read more: 3,000 to get fast tracked endoscopy procedure

There are currently 3,488 patients waiting inpatient/day-case procedure for more than 18 months.

"Reducing patient waiting times is a priority and requires a concerted effort," Mr Harris said.

However, the General Secretary Liam Doran said the plan amounted to more layers of management.

He said talk of a Special Delivery Unit brings him "into the realms of despair".

"That is code for some new level of management overseeing some existing layer of management to decide whether what they said they were going to do, they were actually going to do.

"I would much prefer the minister tell directors of nursing, 'here's the budget, here's the funding; you manage the staff on the front line, you deliver the targets'," he said on RTE's 'Sean O'Rourke Programme'.

Mr Harris told the Irish Independent his plan is a genuine attempt to move quickly on the waiting list problem.

He is to visit a number of hospitals around the country in the coming weeks to assess the situation on the ground.

Some Government sources said they believe Mr Harris's remarks on the NTPF are influenced by Fianna Fail, which sought its reinstatement as part of the deal facilitating a minority government.

"This is about keeping Fianna Fail happy," one source said.
A mum-of-two who lost a baby to fatal foetal abnormalities has commended the new guidelines for HSE staff advising on treatment of bereaved parents.

Claire Cullen-Delsol (32), from Waterford, joined RTE Radio Ones Morning Ireland as a spokesperson for the group Termination for Medical Reasons, founded by Amanda Mellett.

She explained that she had a seven-year-old daughter and a one-year-old son when she became pregnant with her third child.

Last August, she attended her 20-week scan, at which her unborn baby was diagnosed with fatal foetal abnormalities.

Expand Close Amanda Mellett Picture: Steve Humphreys / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Amanda Mellett Picture: Steve Humphreys

The midwife was doing her measurements as usual and she was taking a bit longer than usual. I asked was everything okay and she said no, Ms Cullen-Delsol said.

There were several problems that she could physically see on the scan such as a cleft lip, problems with the heart and an underdeveloped brain. She couldnt see a stomach and the kidneys didnt seem to be functioning.

She was referred to a foetal medicine specialist at Holles Street, where she was told her baby had trisomy 13 or Patau syndrome, a genetic disorder in which a chromosome appears three times instead of twice.

I was told that because of the severity of her symptoms she was not going to survive to be born alive, Ms Cullen-Delsol said.

Although she wanted to travel to the UK to obtain an abortion, she said she couldnt afford to travel.

I was in a fairly low-paid job and I couldnt afford it but most importantly I couldnt leave my other two children.

Expand Close Minister for Health Simon Harris. Picture Credit : Frank Mc Grath / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Minister for Health Simon Harris. Picture Credit : Frank Mc Grath

It just wasnt a possibility for me to travel to the UK so I continued my pregnancy against my will. It was the only option that was available to me.

Despite her repeated requests for counselling, Ms Cullen-Delsol said it was unavailable to her, and she had to source a counsellor through a local community centre.

I asked for counselling and at one point I was told, you probably wont need counselling until after the babys dead, she said.

She continued to attend monthly scans and was invited to speak to a midwife about what to expect during a stillbirth, as they didnt think the baby would survive past 30 weeks.

They described the physical birth, what it would be like to give birth to a baby who was already dead - how I would know she was dead, how I would perceive the lack of movement, how I would feel it myself, how I would present myself for a scan and then they would put tablets into my cervix and then I would start contractions and give birth.

Her baby, named Alex, died on September 25 after her heart stopped at 26 weeks.

Expand Close HSE chief Tony OBrien. Photo: Damien Eagers / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp HSE chief Tony OBrien. Photo: Damien Eagers

Health Minister Simon Harris and HSE director General Tony OBrien are set to launch the updated guidelines for health workers, titled Standards for Bereavement Care Following Pregnancy Loss and Perinatal Death, later today.

The new guidelines will specifically acknowledge fatal foetal abnormalities, and offer instructions on how best to assist parents in the aftermath of such tragedies, regardless of whether the mother carried the child to full-term or travelled abroad for an abortion.

Ms Cullen-Delsol said she absolutely welcomes the new guidelines, and had met with Mr Harris to discuss her own case.

I think its about time that all bereaved parents are included in our guidelines, she said, adding that she supports the inclusion of after-care for women who travelled for a termination.

Its still a bereavement, its not a choice that somebody made to end an unwanted pregnancy, its still losing your much-loved and much-wanted baby.

If you look at my situation, for example, had I chosen to go for a termination, I would have had a stillbirth three or four weeks earlier () Why would I be less deserving of care and comfort and support if I had had that experience a few weeks earlier?

It is estimated that approximately 14,500 parents are bereaved in the maternity services each year.
The number of patients on trolleys in the countrys emergency departments has reached record levels. Stock Image

The number of patients on trolleys in the country's emergency departments has reached record levels, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwife's Organisation (INMO).

The union's 'trolley watch' found a total of 6,751 patients were admitted to hospital on trolleys in the month of July.

It comes after the months of May and June 2016 saw a significant reduction in the number of patients finding themselves in hospital without an in-patient bed.

The figures represent a 1pc increase when compared to the same time in 2015.

But the statistics are 95pc worse than they were in 2006, when the then health minister, Mary Harney, declared the overcrowding situation a "national emergency".

University Hospital Limerick was found to have the most ED patients on trolleys in July 2015, with 649.

The hospital with the most patients on trolleys in Dublin was Tallaght Hospital, with 442 patients.

Read more: New action plan to reduce 'unacceptably high' hospital waiting lists by end of year - Harris

Liam Doran, general secretary of the INMO, said the organisation was very disappointed with the figures.

"These July figures are extremely disappointing and indicate the health system continues to underestimate the challenges arising within our emergency departments," he said.

He also called on the health service to invest in the recruitment of more nurses and to increase bed capacity to meet the demand.

"The INMO has consistently said ED overcrowding and waiting lists difficulties cannot, and will not, be solved without additional nursing staff and an increase in bed capacity," he added. "These issues will be at the centre of our forthcoming discussions with the Minister for Health and the director general of the HSE."

Liam Doran and HSE director general Tony O'Brien are set to meet Health Minister Simon Harris.

A HSE spokesperson said an 8am trolley count taken on August 9, 2016 showed a reduction of around 12pc in the number of patients on trolleys compared with the same day last year.
A Leaving Cert student has delayed his college plans in the hope of getting a procedure for scoliosis after being on an urgent waiting list for almost two years.

Pierce Joyce from Borris in Co Carlow was first diagnosed at the age of 16 and said the delay was "very frustrating".

Pierce (19), who is expecting his exam results this month, said that he had been offered a place in the prestigious Royal Irish Academy of Music.

But he has had to inform it that he must defer his place until 2017, in case he gets a date for a procedure before then.

Pierce says he hopes to become a composer after his studies.

"I play a good bit of piano and violin, particularly violin," he said. "Violin in particular can be hard to play, as I have to stand upright."

His mum Denise said she writes to the Health Minister regularly, but feels she has "hit a wall".

"I'm really at my wits' end. I don't know what to do next," she said. "We've been told that we are now number 53 on the urgent waiting list."

Denise, who has no private healthcare, also believes her son's curvature could now be 70 degrees. "It is having an effect on him, physically and emotionally," she added.
The elderly woman, who was hospitalised after fracturing her pelvis, has been cleared by her doctors to return home. Stock Image

The family of a 92-year-old woman who has been in hospital for almost 300 days have hit out at the HSE for failing to provide a home care package which would allow her go home.

The elderly woman, who was hospitalised after fracturing her pelvis, has been cleared by her doctors to return home.

However, the HSE will not provide the necessary home care package needed to cover her additional care at home.

A family member said they are now facing the prospect of taking out a loan to cover the cost of a private nurse to assist.

"She needs additional care at home and we'll have to cover it somehow. If we don't get the care package we probably will have to get a loan to pay for the nurse, we're just looking at the figures now. The doctor was very good and didn't want to discharge her until the home care package was in place but we just don't know when that might happen," they said.

They added that the delay was causing anxiety for the elderly woman.

"She's not really keeping her spirits up. After almost 300 days in hospital she just wants to come home and who can blame her? Every day she asks what day she can come home. She's a little deaf so it's upsetting to have to be shouting this out in a ward with six other people," they added.

The family had been told the home care package has been approved but the funds are not currently available.

This is resulting in the elderly patient remaining in hospital at a cost of 7,000 a week compared to just 400 a week needed for the care package.

"The cost of keeping her in a hospital or a community home is huge compared to the cost of bringing her home. None of it makes sense," added the family member.

Read more: Opening of residential care centre delayed after manager found lacking qualifications  Hiqa report

Local councillor Michael Kilcoyne hit out at the failure to provide the funding describing it as "leprechaun economics at its best".

"This woman has been in hospital for nearly 300 days. She's now at the stage where her consultant is ready to discharge her home and yet the HSE claim there's no money for the necessary package.

"This package would only cost around 400 a week while keeping her in hospital, taking up an acute bed, is costing 7,000 a week. It's an appalling situation and shows leprechaun economics at its best," he said.

Mr Kilcoyne said this was not the only such case brought to his attention, where patients are being 'failed' by the lack of the home care package.

"I've had a number of people contact me about the lack of these packages. One woman gave up her job to care for her sick mother. She now needs some additional help but none is available, she's been forced to consider moving her mother into a nursing home instead," he added.

A statement from the HSE said the Galway, Mayo and Roscommon area had been providing home care supports "in excess of the funded levels of service and is required to bring the level of service and expenditure back into equilibrium with allocated budgets."

"All Home Care Applications are considered by the Home Care Fora, which comprises of representatives from older people services and nursing. The Fora make decisions in terms of support based on client needs, underpinned by criteria standardised across the CHO. The allocation of care is focused on prioritised cases within available resources," it added.

It said that discharging patients from hospital is a decision made by the medical consultants and healthcare professionals at Saolta University Health Care Group.
A 10m fund to help rejuvenate 200 towns and villages will have a "lasting impact", Rural Development Minister Heather Humphreys has said.

The minister has defended her renewal scheme in the face of criticism that it is just a "box-ticking" exercise.

Ms Humphreys said money will be "targeted specifically" at getting investment into towns around the country.

"What this scheme is doing is utilising local knowledge, and indeed local enthusiasm and commitment [that people have] to their town," she said.

"It's allowing businesses and communities to come up with their own proposals as to what can provide maximum benefit to their town."

Under the scheme, eight towns in every county will share 830,000 that can be used on projects such as streetscape improvements, heritage infrastructure or other community initiatives.

"It's up to each local authority to engage with businesses and communities to come with their proposals.

"I have adopted this approach because there is not a one-cap-fits-all solution for what rural towns and villages need. Every town is different," Ms Humphreys said.

The allocations to each town must be between 20,000 and 100,000, with the average pay-out expected to be in the region of 47,000.

Roscommon TD Michael Fitzmaurice has hit out at the scheme, saying it is an attempt by the Government to pretend it has begun the regeneration of rural Ireland.

"To be quite frank about it, you would want 20 times that if you were to make an effort in regenerating parts of rural Ireland," he said.

The chief executive of Chambers Ireland, Ian Talbot said consultation with business owners will be critical to the scheme's success.

He said stakeholders must work closely "to develop innovative projects that can deliver long-term and sustainable economic benefits, not only for the individual town or village but in turn for the wider county and region".
Lynn Kelly pictured at Belvedere Vodka Irelands exclusive pre-party ahead of Irelands first screening of the 24th Bond adventure, SPECTRE. Photo: Anthony Woods

Aoife McGeane, Niamh Kennedy, Niamh Boyle and Anne Marie Blake at the launch of Miss Ireland 2016 ,in association with Bellamianta Tan. Picture: Brian McEvoy

Samantha Powell (L), Miss New Zealand 2008, Lynn Kelly (C), Miss Ireland 2007, and Sun Lee, Miss Korea 2008 at the 57th annual Miss Universe competition which will take place in the central city of Nha Trang on July 14, 2008.

A former holder of the Miss Universe Ireland title has insisted future pageant hopefuls should not be deterred by the threat of terrorism.

Isil terrorists have called for an attack on the beauty pageant which is scheduled to take place in the Philippines in January 2017.

A branch of the jihadi terror group called for "everyone who can" to launch attacks at the event, according to reports of posts on social media channels used by the group.

Dublin native Lynn Kelly, who represented Ireland in Miss Universe in 2008, insisted pageant hopefuls should not be afraid to compete in next year's competition.

Expand Close Miss Universe Winner Lynn Kelly in 2008 / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Miss Universe Winner Lynn Kelly in 2008

"I still would have done it," she said yesterday. "I totally live by the attitude that if we let them rule our lives, then they are winning. You can't live in fear of terrorism. Fingers crossed that it is just a threat."

Read More

Miss Universe was mentioned in an online tutorial that explained how to make a suicide bomb.

"You can't live in fear, that's my motto. Nobody knows what's going to happen tomorrow," Lynn said.

Expand Close Lynn Kelly pictured at Belvedere Vodka Irelands exclusive pre-party ahead of Irelands first screening of the 24th Bond adventure, SPECTRE. Photo: Anthony Woods / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Lynn Kelly pictured at Belvedere Vodka Irelands exclusive pre-party ahead of Irelands first screening of the 24th Bond adventure, SPECTRE. Photo: Anthony Woods

"You need to just get on with it and live your life. You can't let that influence your decision in any way. They're just looking for another stage to stand on."

Video of the Day

Read More

Several well-known models, including Rosanna Davison, Rozanna Purcell and Amanda Brunker, all got their start in pageants, with Davison famously the only the Irish winner of Miss World and Purcell coming in seventh during her turn at Miss Universe.

Despite the threat issued to the high-profile event, it did not cast a pall over the launch of the Miss Ireland competition on Tuesday night - which selects the Irish representative for Miss World.

Expand Close Aoife McGeane, Niamh Kennedy, Niamh Boyle and Anne Marie Blake at the launch of Miss Ireland 2016 ,in association with Bellamianta Tan. Picture: Brian McEvoy / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Aoife McGeane, Niamh Kennedy, Niamh Boyle and Anne Marie Blake at the launch of Miss Ireland 2016 ,in association with Bellamianta Tan. Picture: Brian McEvoy

The regional heats have been completed and 35 hopefuls from across the country have been selected to compete.

Miss Ireland organiser Brendan Scully pointed out that a terrorist attack could happen anywhere.

"We could be bombed on Grafton Street tomorrow, who knows? It is like going anywhere at the moment - we just don't know."
A general manager of a hotel who returned to work after being on maternity leave to find she had been effectively demoted has been awarded 12,000 by the WRC. Stock picture

A general manager of a hotel who returned to work after being on maternity leave to find she had been effectively demoted has been awarded 12,000.

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) made the award after the woman brought a claim against the hotel under the Maternity Protection Act.

The mother had her baby in March of last year and was due to return to work in January of this year from maternity leave.

Prior to returning to work, the mother learned that a new management role, more senior to her own, had been created in her absence and she would now be reporting to the new manager.

The woman found on that returning to work in January, her laptop and email account were not accessible and there was no office or workstation ready for her.

Unable to resolve the issues with the new senior hotel manager, the employee consulted her doctor, who placed her on sick leave.

In a letter to the owners of the hotel, the woman described the situation as "untenable".

The woman didn't return to work and tendered her resignation on April 4, 2016.

The woman claimed she was not permitted to return to the position she left to go on maternity leave, contrary to the provisions of sections 30 and 31 of the Maternity Protection Act 1994.

In reply, the hotel firm stated that the woman's salary and responsibilities would have remained the same. The WRC found the worker had her rights breached under the Maternity Protection Act.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug.10

Trend:

Six Azerbaijani sportsmen will take part on the sixth day of the Olympic Games in Rio.

Azerbaijani swimmers will participate in the Olimpiade: Boris Kirilov (200 m, backstroke),

Fatima Alkeremova(100 m, freestyle).

Azerbaijani judoka Mammadali Mehdiyev will fight with Russian athlete Kiril Denisov.

Also boxer Abdulkadir Abdullayev (91 kg) will seek to participate in the semi-finals, canoeist

Jure Meglic will continue his participation in canoe-slalom, gymnast Oleg Stepko will in the final of artistic gymnastics.
It is believed that a pack of dogs attacked the sheep (Stock)

A farmer has been left in "utter shock" after discovering over 30 of his sheep had been killed as a result of a "dog attack".

Pat Rohan, chair of the ICMSA Farm and Rural Affairs Committee, has spoken of the scenes of devastation that his neighbour woke up to last Friday at his farm in Co Kerry.

"When the farmer woke up, he realised that his sheep were not in the field they were meant to be in - and immediately he knew something was wrong," Rohan told independent.ie.

"A few individual sheep remaining at the base of the field were left brown, dirty and torn, but then he found most of his flock. Thirty-six of his sheep had pushed through the re-inforced wire and were piled in a heap on top of each other."

Based on paw marks in wet soil and the injuries to the animals, both alive and dead, it is believed that a pack of dogs attacked the sheep, who then tried to flee the field in panic.

"The vet was called straight away [after the discovery] and confirmed that the tear damage looks like it was as a result of dog bites," said Rohan.

However, the majority of the animals were actually found to have suffocated after they piled on top of each other against a 15 foot galvanised gate.

"There was a U-shape left in the gate from the sheep who had lunged at it in blind panic," he said.

Three other farmers in the same locality of Annascaul reported similar incidents of sheep damage by dogs - but on a much smaller scale.

This particular farmer has been left in shock, according to Rohan, especially after "devoting all winter and spring to lambing".

"He has lost 26 lambs practically ready for sale and maybe five ewes. A conservative figure would place the financial loss for him at around 2,700," said Rohan.

The farmer has thanked his friends and neighbours who assisted him in the aftermath of the discovery - particularly when it came to removing the sheep from the scene.

"He said he can fight the elements of the weather, the fox and the crow - but this had proven a lot harder to handle," said Rohan.
Two woman have been arrested on suspicion of endangering an aircraft at the City of Derry Airport.

The two woman, aged in their 30s, were removed from the flight when it landed at City of Derry following a request from the pilot.

Police attended the scene and the woman have been arrested on suspicion of endangering an aircraft.

They remain in custody.
No longer will Ireland ignore the silent pain suffered by many parents who experience the loss of a pregnancy or perinatal death, Health Minister Simon Harris has pledged.

He described the new national counselling guidelines for parents looking to access bereavement services as a new beginning.

Mr Harris said that for too long Ireland had, regrettably, been behind the curve in supporting those coping with the loss of a baby or foetus.

The minister and the HSEs director-general Tony OBrien launched the updated national standards, entitled Standards for bereavement care following pregnancy loss and perinatal death, at Farmleigh House to a packed audience of midwives, nurses and parents who had suffered such a trauma.

He told them: This document is important because it puts in writing what Ireland expects of its national health service.

Mr Harris added that he hoped the new regime would give grieving families the care and compassion they need.

The 84-page report advises that any information given to mothers and families needs to be reliable, accurate and explained in a sensitive and supportive manner.

It outlines four pillars of bereavement care  the hospital, baby, parents and staff  and states that bereavement and end-of-life care should be organised around the needs of babies and their families.

It also requires all maternity hospitals and units to be staffed with bereavement specialists.

These teams should include a dedicated clinical midwife specialising in bereavement care, along with obstetricians, paediatricians, neonatologists, chaplains, social workers and palliative-care staff.

The document says that bereavement care should be offered in accordance with the religious, secular, ethnic, social and cultural values of the parents.

The guidelines are updated to acknowledge cases of fatal foetal abnormality and say there is a duty of care towards those who have travelled abroad for an abortion.

Other recommendations include that a certain prescribed language be used when breaking the news of a death or life-limiting condition to parents.

Figures detailed in the report show that there were some 500 perinatal deaths in 2013, including 301 stillbirths.

There are also around 14,000 miscarriages a year in Ireland.

Twenty-six terminations were carried out in 2014 under the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act.

The document also noted that there were 3,735 terminations undertaken in England and Wales during the same period for women with an address in Ireland.

These standards absolutely apply to all, said Mr Harris.

Among the cases that heavily shaped the report was the death of Savita Halappanavar, who died in October 2012 at University Hospital Galway due to complications of a septic miscarriage.

Ciaran Browne, chair of the sub-committee that was tasked with drawing up the new standards, said a copy of the new guidelines had been sent to her husband Praveen.

The guidelines were welcomed by Sarah Nugent of Every Life Counts, which supports parents of children who were diagnosed with a terminal condition.

Ms Nugent, from Portlaoise, Co Laois, described the heartache her family endured when her daughter Isabella was born with a peroxisomal disorder in 2014 and died 54 days later.

Speaking to RTE Radio Ones Morning Ireland on Thursday, she said: I didnt find out that she was sick until after she was born.

She added: In my experience, there was no system in place to provide support to you and your family. It was very much coming from a medical point of view.

It was a very difficult time. Isabella was in hospital for her whole life. She was in an intense care setting so it was very difficult for family to see her.

Ms Nugents young son in particular found it hard as he was only allowed to see his sister twice in her short life.

There were a couple of times when we could sneak him in but you had to have the right security guard and the right nurse on duty. It was really people putting their jobs on the line to facilitate you getting a bit of time with her, she said.

After Isabella died, Ms Nugent said she didnt receive counselling, and praised the new guidance for ensuring families would receive the necessary care and compassion.

They left no ambiguity as to what peoples roles are in different scenarios, be it ectopic pregnancy, be it stillborn, or be it neo-natal death. Its so clear for every stage of the process.

You can feel the love and compassion in these guidelines, she said.
The proposed strikes would affect up to 334,000 Dublin Bus passengers a day and may take place towards the end of the month

The National Bus and Railworkers' Union has written to the four "sister unions" at Dublin Bus urging them to meet and co-ordinate a campaign of industrial action when ballots finish next week.

These unions include Siptu, the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) and Unite.

The proposed strikes would affect up to 334,000 Dublin Bus passengers a day and may take place towards the end of the month as workers pursue at least the same pay rise as Luas drivers.

Fears are growing that work stoppages may take place as schools reopen after the summer holidays - causing havoc for pupils and parents.

The national executive committee of the National Bus and Railworkers' Union (NBRU) has warned that "nothing short of actual strike action" will bring a resolution of their members' claim for a significant pay rise.

The national executive met yesterday to discuss options including a no fares day and strikes to win a wage increase of at least the 3.8pc a year Luas drivers achieved recently. The meeting was held after its members backed industrial action by 96pc.

But it decided that soft options should be abandoned and unions should present a united front to co-ordinate what they said would be "the inevitable industrial action required" as the company remains silent on new talks.

The meeting came after members of the union rejected a Labour Court recommendation that they get a wage hike worth 2.75pc a year each year for three years.

They want the same increase as the tram drivers as the first part of a mission to achieve a 31pc increase in wages that would give them equal pay.

Bus drivers' wages are roughly 39,000 a year including shift and premium payments, but tram drivers stand to make up to 53,000 after the pay increase they won two months ago.

The NBRU is the second largest union at the bus company with 1,432 members, who are mainly drivers.

Dublin Bus' largest union, Siptu, is still balloting its members in seven grades on industrial action, including strike action. It has urged them to reject the Labour Court proposal.

United

Siptu, which has 1,686 members at Dublin Bus including drivers, supervisors, craft and clerical workers, will reveal its ballot result next Tuesday.

In his letter addressed to "sister unions" at Dublin Bus, NBRU general secretary Dermot O'Leary offered to meet to discuss a "co-ordinated, united industrial action response" to advance the issue of pay.

"I am to suggest that desire of all staff to expedite what appears to be the obvious next step of moving towards the unfortunate, but necessary industrial action is a challenge we are obliged to meet sooner rather than later," he said.

The unions argue that staff are angry and want an improvement in their pay packets after eight years of austerity, which included pay cuts and voluntary redundancies.
Olympic legend Michael Phelps sent the Internet into meltdown this week after showing off those mysterious, painful looking round bruises on his body.

It wasn't long before we were told those peculiar marks were from cupping, a bizarre therapy that is believed by some to ease muscle pain and stimulate the flow of energy.

Before 2016's Olympians brought it to public attention, stars like Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow used it as a form of beauty therapy.

This is done by applying a a heated bell-shaped jar to the back, which sucks up the skin. This alternative practice has been around for thousands of years and is hugely popular in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Those who advocate the practice say it's an appropriate treatment for migraines, fertility problems and rheumatic diseases, but the science behind these claims are lacking.

However, athletes who use cupping as a form of therapy or injury prevention swear by it.

"Youre like, OK, Im sore here, American gymnastics captain Chris Brooks told USA Today. "Throw a cup on, and your roommate will help you or you can do it yourself."

"No method hasnt been tested. No stone hasnt been unturned. If theres something thats out there that somebody believes is going to be beneficial for my situation, I gave it a shot and then we ran with what worked best for my body in particular."

With everyone talking about it, Independent.ie decided to give it a go to test the supposed benefits. We booked our appointment and The Physio Company clinic in Temple Bar.

"Will it hurt?," I asked Chartered Physiotherapist Sara Smits.

"Not at all. You'll just feel a bit of suction," she assured me.

One my one, Sara put six jars close to my spine. With two sucks, it - rather unattractively - suctioned up a large chunk of skin.

Sara didn't lie. It's not painful, but it feel strange. Like there's a heavy bag on my back or like a number of hoovers were getting to work. After a few minutes, the sensation is gone at it feels strangely normal.

"The main principal behind cupping is that the suction created encourages blood and lymph flow, so the cups are placed and moved in a specific order and time," she says.

"It's not very popular in Ireland right now, but we are already seeing an increase in people talking about it."

The massage takes around 20 minutes and left me with six red blotches akin in size to American pancakes. These will hopefully fade in around a week.

Although the listed benefits have not yet come to the fore, Sara says it may take a day for me to feel any better. However, with Olympic heroes proudly showing of their cupping marks, it could be sen to become the latest fad to promote well being and health.

If you would like to try cupping,The Physio Company has clinics across Ireland. To find one near you, visit thephysiocompany.com or call 1890 749 746.
FLIGHT OF FANCY: The Boeing 767 arrives in Enniscrone, Co Sligo, after a gruelling 36-hour journey by sea from Shannon. Photo: Clodagh Kilcoyne

First David McGowan shipped a Boeing 767 from Shannon to Sligo, now he has his sights set on another form of aircraft.

The next addition to his Quirky Nights Glamping Village, which currently holds taxis and buses as methods of camping, will be a helicopter.

Im after finding a helicopter! he said on The Anton Savage Show on Today FM.

McGowan said he found the 40ft long helicopter in a hay shed in Mullingar, and it was on the way to a museum until he convinced the owner to sell it to him.

Ill get a double bed into it no problem, he said confidently.

McGowan said the Boeing 767, which he acquired in May, has been a major success, raking in 40,000 visitors since it landed on the site.

The plane holds nine bedrooms and the entrepreneur said he has already received nine requests for weddings to be held in it next year.

Another venture for the undertaker-turned-businessman is transporting a 63ft long train that he recently bought for 25,000 from London to Sligo.

Expand Close FLIGHT OF FANCY: The Boeing 767 arrives in Enniscrone, Co Sligo, after a gruelling 36-hour journey by sea from Shannon. Photo: Clodagh Kilcoyne / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp FLIGHT OF FANCY: The Boeing 767 arrives in Enniscrone, Co Sligo, after a gruelling 36-hour journey by sea from Shannon. Photo: Clodagh Kilcoyne

McGowan runs Quirky Glamping Villiage in Enniscrone, Co. Sligo, where four boats, eight taxis, ten double-decker buses, three train carriages and a Boeing 767 play host to guests who want to upgrade their camping experience.
Is Shane Ross serious about his role and responsibilities at Cabinet and specifically as Transport Minister? It's a legitimate question to ask following the revelation in this newspaper that Ross has objected to a new development of just 63 housing units in his own constituency.

That objection, by any measured consideration, runs contrary to the spirit and the substance of the Government's action plan for housing and homelessness, 'Rebuilding Ireland', launched with much fanfare a few weeks ago.

In that plan, Housing Minister Simon Coveney boldly stated that the Government's "mission is to ensure that everyone can access a home, either on their own or with State support", adding: "We are determined to deal with the dramatic under-supply of housing and the problems it generates for families and communities."

Unless, it would seem, that "accessing a home" or "dealing with under-supply of housing" is in the backyard of the constituents of one of the ministers at Cabinet.

Ross's objection to the proposal to build nine homes, 24 duplexes and 30 apartments beggars belief in the context of what the action plan is supposedly determined to achieve.

What's proposed on the 1.1 hectare site at the back of Oatlands College in Stillorgan - on the southside of Dublin - is relatively modest and entirely reasonable. An argument could perhaps be made against the overall height of the apartments in the development. But, that aside, the proposal is exactly the kind of development, in a much sought-after urban setting with excellent transport links and local infrastructure, that any government would want to encourage.

Of course, local residents are not going to be happy about the development. They, understandably, want things to remain as they are. And that's reflected in the huge number of objections to the proposal. And, of course, they have a right to make those objections.

As do the many local politicians, including Fine Gael TD Josepha Madigan, who have joined in those submissions. But that doesn't mean they are right. And, as a Cabinet minister in a Government supposedly on a mission to tackle the national housing crisis, Ross has to be held to a higher standard than those other politicians.

But in this instance, at least, he comes up short. He cites four reasons for objecting to the proposal. The final one - relating to the protection of trees - doesn't warrant elaborating on here, as it will inevitably be sorted out at the planning stage. None of the others remotely stand up to scrutiny.

The minister firstly argues the development takes no account of the impact on primary and post-primary schools in the area. He cites the guidelines laid out in the Department of Environment's 'Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas', which states that no substantial residential development should proceed without an assessment of local school capacity.

The problem is that this isn't a "substantial residential development". It's basically an infill development. Given that just 33 houses are planned, we're probably talking about an extra 60 children ultimately living in the area. If Stillorgan, a few miles from the centre of the country's capital city, can't cope with an extra few dozen pupils over a number of years, then we are in serious trouble.

Ross's second reason for objecting - his claim that potential residents would not be able to access medical services in their locality - is equally risible.

His third point is one that is made in virtually all of the 200 or so objections - that the density of the development is far too high. The minister once again cites the sustainable residential development guidelines which he says recommends "densities in the general range of 35-50 dwellings per hectare", complaining that this development proposes a development of 56 units per hectare.

However, the reality is that the same guidelines also specifically allows for higher densities within transport corridors - and this site, just a few hundred yards from the Stillorgan Road/N11 Quality Bus Corridor, is within a transport corridor.

Just in case there was any room for doubt, the local county development plan points out that higher densities - "at a minimum of 50 units per hectare" - would be encouraged if developments are within a kilometre of a quality bus corridor. That's presumably why an earlier proposal from the site's developers, with much lower densities, was rejected by county planners at preliminary meetings.

It's puzzling that the Transport Minister would, firstly, not seem to be aware of this and, secondly, would be opposing higher densities along the public transport networks he's in charge of. That runs contrary to good public policy and, well, common sense.

Of course, Ross is not the first - nor will he be the last - minister to object to a housing development that is unpopular in the constituency. All politics is local and all that.

But coming so soon after the very welcome apparent urgency of the housing action plan, his objection to the kind of development that would be the norm in cities across Europe, and should be the norm here, is hugely dispiriting.

It's also worth recalling that we were told Ross's Independent Alliance was "determined to change Irish politics fundamentally".

So far, at least, we are seeing little sign of that with their ministers - on issues as diverse as water charges, abortion, prostitution and housing - looking to have their usual oppositionist cake, while eating it at the Cabinet table.

And, other than being in power for power's sake, what's the benefit or the point of that?
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

Trend:

Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev visited the countrys Gabala district Aug. 10.

The president visited the monument to National Leader Heydar Aliyev in the center of the Gabala city and laid flowers at the monument.

Head of Gabala District Executive Authority Sabuhi Abdullayev informed President Aliyev about the work carried out around the monument and in general in the district over the recent years.
Premium

Sinead Moriarty: 'Weve got to disconnect to reconnect to our gift of the gab'

Are we losing our world-famous gift of the gab? In an attempt to save our traditional national pastime, a pub in west Cork has banned people from using mobile phones. Billy Fleming, owner of the Anchor Bar, in Courtmacsherry, has said that the locals who drink in his pub support his decision and that mobile phones have gradually killed conversation over the last few years.
Vowing to restore an "axis of friendship" between Ankara and Moscow, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed yesterday to increase defence co-operation, amid a growing rift between Turkey and the West.

Speaking in St Petersburg on his first overseas trip since facing down an attempted coup last month, Mr Erdogan thanked his "dear friend" Mr Putin and said the two countries would restore diplomatic and economic ties that were shattered when Turkey shot down a Russian military jet over Syria last year.

"The fact Mr Putin called me the next day after the coup attempt was a very strong psychological factor," he said at a joint press conference. "The axis of friendship between Moscow and Ankara will be restored."

As the two leaders met at the city's Constantine Palace, Mr Putin said: "Your visit today, despite a very difficult situation regarding domestic politics, indicates that we all want to restart dialogue and restore relations between Russia and Turkey."

Turkey shot down the jet, carrying out a bombing mission in northern Syria, in November 2015, resulting in the deaths of two Russian servicemen.

Russia responded with a range of economic sanctions and accused Mr Erdogan of personally benefiting from illegal cross-border oil trade with the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil) terror group.

Ties were improved in June, when Mr Erdogan issued a surprise apology.

Mr Putin said yesterday that Russia would lift sanctions "step by step", including by removing a ban on tourist charter flights, but he cautioned that it would take "painstaking work" to achieve previous trade levels.

Mr Erdogan, in turn, promised to back major Russian energy projects in Turkey, including a gas pipeline to Europe. The two presidents declined to comment on their differences over the Syrian civil war, saying they would discuss the issue at a meeting with military and security chiefs later in the day.

"As you know, our outlooks on how the Syrian crisis should be managed have not always been aligned," said Mr Putin, adding that he hoped the sides could find a "mutually acceptable solution".

Ankara has supported Syria's rebels since the beginning of the war and insists on the departure of president Bashar al-Assad, a key Russian ally. Russia entered the war on Mr Assad's side in September last year.

The detente comes amid a surge in anti-Western sentiment in Turkey and a growing rift between Ankara and its traditional allies in Nato.

Turkey's relations with its Western allies, already strained by Washington's support for Syria's Kurds and the EU's unwillingness to grant visa-free travel to Turks, have deteriorated since the July 15 coup attempt.

One Turkish official warned yesterday that relations with the United States could suffer if the US does not extradite Fethullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based preacher whom Ankara blames for inspiring the coup.

"If the US does not deliver [Gulen], they will sacrifice relations with Turkey for the sake of a terrorist," Bekir Bozdag, Turkey's justice minister, said.
As record numbers of people - more than half a million - wait for diagnosis and treatment, Health Minister Simon Harris has come up with 'five specific actions' to reduce hospital waiting lists.

Less than three months in office, the minister took to the airwaves yesterday morning to outline his five-point plan. Harris declined to set a target for overall reduction in the numbers waiting, but his first action is to halve the number of adults waiting more than 18 months for inpatient treatment by the end of the year.

Under Fine Gael stewardship in 2011, the Government set a target that no one would wait more than nine months for inpatient or day treatment by September 2012. When it failed to reach this, new targets were set that no patient would wait more than 15 months.

Harris's statement yesterday indicates that the 15-month maximum wait time target is now discarded. Halving the number of people waiting more than 18 months is as unambitious a target as could be set.

Next up, Harris promised to make sure waiting lists are accurate, that there would be "a clinical validation of waiting lists". Validating waiting lists is generally newspeak for getting people off the list. It is set on the premise that there are people on waiting lists who don't need to be there.

The minister said that from now on, doctors will look at the files of each person on the waiting list and check they need to be there. This fails to recognise that doctors put people on these lists in the first place.

The third action outlined by the minister is to ask the 'Special Delivery Unit' to oversee "the implementation of a waiting list improvement plan" for hospital groups. The fourth action is the appointment of an "improvement lead" to tackle waiting lists.

The Special Delivery Unit was set up by James Reilly in 2011 to reduce waiting times for public hospital patients. It had some initial success in reducing wait times but once the political attention was diverted and money dried up, waiting lists crept back up again and are now worse than they were then.

Since 2013, the Special Delivery Unit has been run down by this Government. Now it seems it is being reborn to oversee hospital groups' plans to improve their waiting times, headed up by an "improvement lead".

The fifth action is to ask the HSE for specific proposals for this year to reduce waiting lists. We are in the eighth month of the year and the minister asked the HSE, which oversees the growing waiting lists, to come up with waiting list reduction proposals. Let's see that plan then.

There have been initiatives before to tackle the chronically long wait times in Irish public hospitals. In 1993, under Brendan Howlin, the then coalition government set up the waiting list initiative. In 2001, the PDs usurped Micheal Martin's health strategy and pushed for the establishment of the National Treatment Purchase Fund. In 2011, James Reilly oversaw the establishment of the Special Delivery Unit to reduce waiting times for public patients.

Each failed to deliver, as will Harris's so-called "specific actions".

Each of these had some initial successes but like the Special Delivery Unit in 2011, once the political eye is taken off the ball and the purse strings are tightened, they stop producing results. For example, contracting out the care of the longest waiters to private hospitals gets those people treated (and off the waiting lists) but it does not address the underlying causes of long waits in our public hospital system and diverts hundreds of millions in public money to private hospitals.

Repeatedly on yesterday's 'Morning Ireland', Harris said that the HSE's Service Plan is adequately funded since it got an extra half a billion after the Budget. What the minister omitted was that the HSE Service Plan is inadequate to meet population needs, so waiting lists will continue to grow while demand exceeds supply.

More resources and staff are needed to meet increasing needs. However, making improvements is not just about money. It is often about doing lots of small things differently, making slow, excruciating, much-needed change.

Such change includes having senior clinicians admit and discharge patients; this means making the health system attractive to recruit and retain high-calibre staff.

It requires more and better access to diagnostics and treatment outside of hospitals, often in primary care centres, delivered by GPs and nurses. This involves resourcing primary care.

Currently, the vast majority of hospital care is driven by emergency department admissions, often resulting in cancelled surgery and treatment. Only when these beds are protected from emergency department (ED) admissions will some progress be made in reducing waiting times for elective care.

But the urgent always trumps the important and hospital managers cancel treatment in order to free up space in overcrowded EDs as trolleys remain the political lightning rod.

Harris spoke about how we "clearly need targeted, funded actions". There was not a clear target nor a funded action in yesterday's non-announcement. There is 50m for next year - but not a cent for this year.

Harris's actions broadcast yesterday are pure guff. If he thinks they will reduce the amount of time half a million people are waiting, his honeymoon in health is well and truly over.
Top Gear host Matt LeBlanc has said he would like to return for another series of the motoring show but is not sure if he will.

His co-host Chris Evans quit the show after one series, saying he gave it his best shot but it was "not enough".

After he resigned, Evans said LeBlanc is the "captain" that the show needs going forward.

Asked by television critics in Los Angeles if he would come back to the BBC programme, LeBlanc said: "I don't know. I'd like to. There's nothing officially happening yet. Follow the BBC."

Radio 2 DJ Evans has previously said the motoring show and the former Friends star "were made for each other" and heaped praise on LeBlanc for his dedication to the programme.

Evans described working on Top Gear as an "honour, privilege and a pleasure" and he had tried his best, but said his stint in the driving seat was "not meant to be".

The BBC has said it has no plans to replace Evans when Top Gear returns for a 24th season.

Facing questions from critics, LeBlanc said his favourite part about appearing on the series was "probably the travel", adding that he visited places including South Africa, Morocco and Ireland.

He added: "That show has a pretty broad demographic. Everybody can relate to an automobile."

LeBlanc was promoting his new show Man With A Plan on American network CBS, in which he plays a father who cares for his children after his wife takes a full-time job.

Video of the Day

He said: "This is a new thing, a new character for me, a whole new side of me and I'm looking forward to it."

LeBlanc added that his tenure on sitcom Friends made him critical of comedies, saying: "I'm a joke snob. I don't love what you call low-hanging fruit. I don't like that kind of stuff.

"I tend to go for a smarter joke, and if there's a discussion about a joke that not everyone will get it, that doesn't scare me away from the joke. ... I'd rather do jokes that take a little bit of thought."
Donald Trump last night suggested that if Hillary Clinton is able to pick federal judges as US president, nothing could be done to protect the right to bear arms. He then added, without elaboration, that supporters of the Second Amendment could maybe figure out a way.

Speaking at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, the Republican nominee incorrectly said his general election opponent wants to "essentially abolish the Second Amendment".

He continued: "By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know."

Within minutes, Clinton's campaign and an outside group backing her candidacy denounced the celebrity businessman's remarks as an attempt to incite violence.

"This is simple - what Trump is saying is dangerous," said Robby Mook, Ms Clinton's campaign manager. "A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way."

The pro-Clinton group Priorities USA blasted out an email with the subject line: "Donald Trump Just Suggested That Someone Shoot Hillary Clinton."

Expand Close Donald Trump spoke about right to bear arms. Photo: Getty / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Donald Trump spoke about right to bear arms. Photo: Getty

The Trump campaign was equally quick to dispute that interpretation of his remarks, saying he was simply touting the "amazing spirit" of Second Amendment supporters.

"It's called the power of unification - Second Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power," said Jason Miller, Mr Trump's senior communications adviser. "And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it won't be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump."

Read more: Donald Trump suggests Hillary Clinton's emails may be responsible for Iranian scientist's execution

Read more: Female protesters yell during Donald Trump's speech for his comments on women

Catherine Milhoan, a spokeswoman for the US Secret Service, said: "We are aware of his comments." She declined to answer any additional questions about Mr Trump's remarks.

The Second Amendment provides a constitutional right to citizens to own guns. Ms Clinton supports some new restrictions on gun ownership, but has not advocated overturning the amendment.

Mr Trump's remarks immediately set off a firestorm of criticism on social media and threatened to upstage discussion of his economic policy speech the day before and his swing through the key battleground state of North Carolina.

Mr Trump's comments yesterday also come a few weeks after one of his campaign advisers said that "Hillary Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason".

The Secret Service is investigating those remarks, made last month by Al Baldasaro, a New Hampshire state lawmaker and an adviser to Mr Trump on veterans' issues. Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said then that neither Mr Trump nor his campaign agree with Mr Baldasaro's comments.

Meanwhile, Democratic candidate Ms Clinton suffered a blow with the news that the parents of two Americans killed in a 2012 attack in the Libyan city of Benghazi are to sue the presidential nominee.

Patricia Smith and Charles Woods, parents of Sean Smith and Tyrone Woods, filed a lawsuit against Ms Clinton for wrongful death and defamation.

The parents also accuse Ms Clinton of defaming them in statements to the media.

Islamic militants attacked a US diplomatic compound in 2012 and killed four Americans, including ambassador Chris Stevens, while Ms Clinton was secretary of state. Though a House Republicans committee cleared Ms Clinton of any wrongdoing earlier this year, the issue has dogged her presidential campaign.

The suit was filed on behalf of the parents by the conservative group Freedom Watch.

The parents, who have both spoken out against Ms Clinton, argue her "'extreme carelessness in handling confidential and classified information" on her private server may have revealed the location of State Department employees in Libya.

Those details, the suit argued, could have been obtained by "hostile adversaries" who may have hacked her server and ultimately led to their sons' deaths.

Read more: 'It's never too late to do the right thing' - Republican Evan McMullin to launch presidential bid against Trump

FBI director James Comey announced last month that it was "possible that hostile actors gained access" to Ms Clinton's email server, but added the agency did not find conclusive evidence that it was hacked.

The suit also claims Ms Clinton made "false and defamatory statements negligently, recklessly and purposefully and/or intentionally with malice" in public statements.

The parents said Ms Clinton blamed the attack on a controversial YouTube video mocking the Islamic prophet Mohammed, but later denied making those statements.

Nick Merrill, a Clinton campaign spokesman, said in response to the suit: "While no one can imagine the pain of the families of the brave Americans we lost at Benghazi, there have been nine different investigations into this attack and none found any evidence whatsoever of any wrongdoing on the part of Hillary Clinton."
The car was wedged on a walkway used by ferry passengers (Blasket Islands Ferry/PA)

A motorist has crawled out of the boot of his hatchback after spending the night wedged between walls on a narrow path 200 feet above the sea.

The unnamed man drove his car down the twisty, steep and narrow walkway used by ferry passengers making their way from Dunquin to the Blasket Islands off Co Kerry in Ireland.

It is believed he spent the night in the car after getting stuck at about 9pm on Tuesday.

He was not freed until some of the staff from Blasket Islands Ferry took the keys off him, opened the boot and helped him to crawl out at about 8.30am the following morning.

Sibeal Ni Lubhaing, of the ferry company, said her colleagues discovered him when they went to the pier.

"He wanted to go on a little adventure, we think. He was saying he wanted to camp for the night," she said.

"He had great dreams of camping out beside the pier.

"But it all went horribly wrong - he's world famous now at this stage.

"I think it was quite innocent. He just chanced his luck. He was terribly embarrassed about the whole thing."

Known by some locals as Sheep's Walk, the precipitous path to the Dunquin pier is famous for a picture postcard image of sheep winding their way uphill after being taken off the islands by ferry.

But it is also a notorious accident spot with drivers routinely getting stuck after edging downhill only to find the pedestrian route is too narrow and then burning out their clutch trying to reverse back up.

It has also become a popular spot for daredevil downhill mountain bikers.

The top of the walkway is posted with numerous signs warning of the dangers and that it is inaccessible for cars.

Kerry County Council and local gardai were called to the scene when the man was found.

A Bobcat loader was brought in to tow the car up the path and several sailings of the ferry to the islands had to been cancelled leaving hundreds of tourists and visitors high and dry.

The clutch on the car was burnt out but Ms Ni Lubhaing praised the rescue team who added little to the dents and scrapes caused by the downhill drive.

She said: "When our guys were talking to the man he was saying that he would climb out the window. But it is a sheer drop on either side there where his car was jammed.

"He had gone two thirds of the way down the pathway. It's amazing that he got that far."
A humpback whale off the coast of Kerry in Ireland

Increased shipping noise is disrupting the foraging behaviour of humpback whales in the North Atlantic, according to a new study.

Scientists in the US and UK said their findings could impact upon the numbers of humpback whales in the long term.

Many whales are found in coastal areas with high levels of shipping traffic, which often results in frequent fatalities from collisions.

The team collected data from 10 whales within the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, which is a popular whale watching site between Cape Cod and Cape Ann in the US.

They used archival tags that simultaneously recorded underwater movements and the acoustic environment to collect the data.

Scientists in the US and UK found "significant" effects on foraging, including slower descent rates and fewer side-roll feeding events per dive with increasing ship noise.

During five of 18 ship passages, dives without side-rolls were observed, they said.

Previous studies have shown the noise pollution has been shown to alter acoustic communications, distribution patterns and stress responses in a wide range of animals.

The study was carried out by Hannah Blair and Susan Parks, from Syracuse University in New York, Ari Friedlaender, from Oregon State University, Nathan Merchant, from the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science in Suffolk and David Wiley from the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.

"These findings indicate that humpback whales on Stellwagen Bank, an area with chronically elevated levels of shipping traffic, significantly change foraging activity when exposed to high levels of ship noise," the researchers said.

"This measureable reduction in within-dive foraging effort of individual whales could potentially lead to population-level impacts of shipping noise on whale foraging success."

They said there were several potential explanations for the results.

"Whales may modify their diving behaviour in response to a perceived threat from ship noise, given that they require surface access to breathe," they said.

The researchers said they had expected humpback whales to show some familiarisation with ship noise because they have been regularly exposed to commercial and whale watching vessels for decades.

"Therefore, it is especially interesting that alterations to foraging behaviours were detectable in this study, as it suggests that humpbacks are unable to completely adjust to this disturbance," they said.

"These behavioural changes were also observed at night when there are fewer ship interactions compared with the day.

"Further research on the impacts of noise on daytime foraging activities and variation in the sensitivity to different age and sex classes are needed."

They added: "These results are among the first support that ship noise can impact humpback whales' foraging, making this source of disturbance a management concern.

"Chronic impacts of even small reductions in foraging efficiency could affect individual fitness and translate to population-level effects on humpback whales exposed to ship noise in critical foraging areas."

The paper, Evidence for ship noise impacts on humpback whale foraging behaviour, is published in the Royal Society's journal Biology Letters.
Bomb blasts in two cities in southeast Turkey killed nine civilians and wounded dozens on Wednesday.

Security sources are blaming the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) for the coordinated attacks which aimed to target police.

A PKK commander warned at the weekend of fresh attacks, saying police "will not be able to live as comfortably as they did in the past in cities."

Earlier in the day, four soldiers were killed and nine wounded when militants opened fire with rockets and long-range weapons from across the Iraqi border. Security sources also blamed that attack, in Sirnak province, on the PKK.

Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast has seen its worst violence in two decades since the PKK abandoned a 2 and a half year ceasefire last year.

Four civilians were killed when roadside explosives were detonated by remote control near a hospital in the town of Kiziltepe in Mardin province, near the Syrian border, in an attack targeting a bus carrying police, the sources said.

About 30 civilians and 10 police officers were wounded.

In the region's largest city, Diyarbakir, five civilians were killed in a car bomb attack apparently targeting police, the sources said. They said 12 people were wounded in that attack, including five police officers.

A PKK commander, Cemil Bayik, said "a new style of war has been developed" in an interview published on Sunday by the Firat news agency, which is close to the group.

"The war will from now on be conducted everywhere without distinguishing between mountains, valleys and cities," he said.

Turkey is dealing with the aftermath of a failed coup attempt on July 15 which killed more than 240 people and wounded 2,200.

More than 60,000 people, including many in the military and police have been detained, suspended or placed under investigation since the coup attempt, in which rogue soldiers commandeered tanks and warplanes to try to take power.

The PKK, designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the United States, took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984 and more than 40,000 people, mainly Kurds, have died in the violence.
A file photo of people gathering among tents at a shelter for migrants inside a hangar of the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin Credit: Reuters

A Chinese tourist who lost his wallet unwittingly became a refugee in Germany for two weeks.

The 31-year-old backpacker, who spoke neither German nor English, reported that he "needed help" after arriving at Stuttgart airport on July 4.

The man, who was described as "smartly dressed" and had apparently travelled to Europe for a walking holiday in Italy, was taken to a reception centre in the nearby town of Heidelberg.

Instead of signing a stolen item form for his wallet at the local police station, the man, known as Mr L, unwittingly filled out an asylum request form.

The mistake triggered a chain of events as the hapless tourist became mired in bureaucratic red tape.

Authorities took his passport and gave him refugee documents. He was transported nearly 200 miles to Dusseldorf, in the west of the country, and then a further 50 miles north to Dulmen.

He was given a medical check, had his finger prints taken, and accepted the pocket money given to him by camp officials.

A German Red Cross worker, Christoph Schlutermann, was the first to notice there may have been a mistake. He went to a local Chinese restaurant for help, who advised him to use a mobile phone translation app to communicate with the tourist.

"He acted so differently to other refugees. He kept trying to talk to people to tell his story but no one could understand him. He kept asking to get his passport back, which is the opposite of what most refugees do."

I spoke into the app in German and the phone translated it into Mandarin. But when I received his reply, I got the curious response I want to go walking in Italy," Mr Schlutermann told the Dulmener Zeitung newspaper.

"He spent 12 days trapped in our bureaucratic jungle because we couldn't communicate," he said. "Germany is unfortunately an extremely bureaucratic country. Especially during the refugee crisis I've seen how much red tape we have."

More than one million refugees have arrived in Germany in the last year, fleeing war and poverty in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. There has been only a tiny number of Chinese asylum seekers over the years, Mr Schlutermann said.

Twelve days into his stay in Germany, the man was finally able to set off for France and Italy.

The tourist, who did not lodge a formal complaint, was reported as saying: "It isn't how I imagined Europe."
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has attended the opening of Gabala regional ASAN xidmet center of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations.

The head of state cut the ribbon symbolizing the official inauguration of the four-storey building of the center, which is located on Elchin Karimov Street in the vicinity of the citys main infrastructure facilities.

A bust of National Leader Heydar Aliyev was installed in the building.

President Ilham Aliyev pushed the button launching the center and then toured it. The head of state was told that the center will serve a total of 902,435 citizens residing in Gabala, Balakan, Zaqatala, Gakh, Shaki, Oghuz, Ismayilli, Aghsu, Shamakhi and Gobustan districts.

The president familiarized himself with new projects here, including ASAN wifi, ASAN VISA portal, ASAN i-LAB innovation laboratory, BASLA, and i-LAB store.

The head of state was also informed of Ready 1.0-ready document device, which allows sending notifications to citizens  through SMS or email  when their documents are processed.

The new projects also include survival bracelets, and Healthy life platform  bag and portal.

The center will employ 200 people, including 45 volunteers.

President Ilham Aliyev then had a meeting with representatives of general public of Gabala and staff of the center.

Then photos were taken.
Germany has announced plans to allow courts to impose driving bans as a punishment for crimes other than traffic offences. The scheme could be used to target young offenders, according to MPs.

"We will introduce a bill this year to make the withdrawal of driving licences a possible sanction for a variety of offences," Heiko Maas, the justice minister, said.

"There are cases, such as with very wealthy offenders, in which a fine has no effect. A driving disqualification, on the other hand, would have noticeable effects.

"The courts will be able to decide in individual cases."

Under current German laws, driving bans are only imposed for serious traffic offences such as severe speeding and drink-driving.

The government has not yet announced which crimes it will be extended to, but a spokesman for MPs from Angela Merkel's Christian Democrat party (CDU) said young offenders could be targeted.

"Particularly with adolescents and young adults, for whom a car is often a special status symbol, a driving disqualification is a much more drastic and severe sanction than a suspended sentence would be," Stephen Mayer said.

There have been calls for driving bans to be extended to a number of offences, including tax evasion.

Manuela Schwesig, the minister for women and families, has proposed six-month driving bans as punishment for absentee parents who fail to pay child support.

The German police union welcomed the plans. "This proposal has been discussed for years. It's a sensible idea," Rainer Wendt, the union's leader, said, adding that many offenders were able to pay fines "out of petty cash".

Mr Wednt suggested a driving ban could also be imposed as a punishment for posting hate speech on social media.

The German motoring organisation ADAC, however, is opposed to the plans.
A man who suffered severe burns in a nightclub fire has died in hospital.

The 28-year-old was badly hurt in Monday night's blaze at Studio 338, close to the O2 Arena in Greenwich.

He was rushed to a hospital in east London but a Scotland Yard spokesman said on Wednesday: "He died in hospital on Tuesday August 9."

The club's Facebook page have identified the man as Tomas.

"Our hearts are smashed and broken. Tomas fought for as long as he could given the extent of his injuries. He was as strong as an Ox but it was too much even for him. We are so sad to tell you all that he died a few minutes ago," reads the Facebook post.

"He was so pure and beautiful. An inspiration to us all, always postive, never complaining, working through the night to make sure the parties were the best they could be for you and us.

"We are all so devasted to lose him like this. Everything we do from now on is for you our brother."

Detectives and the Health and Safety Executive are investigating the cause of the fire.

Around 100 firefighters and 15 fire engines attended the blaze at its height, which sent smoke into the sky which could be seen across the capital.

The London Fire Brigade said it broke out on Tunnel Avenue and a large part of the ground floor of the club and part of its first floor were alight. An industrial warehouse and a scrap paper processing yard, along with 40 pallets of paper, were affected.

Some gas cylinders were also affected and a safety cordon was put in place until the cylinders cooled.
So the Sultan travels to see the Tsar at the royal seat of St Petersburg. And the Caliph of Damascus will watch from Syria with the conviction that Ba'ath Party policy has once again proved its worth. The policy? Wait. And wait. And wait.

For just as Turkey's power over Syria - its Pakistan-like role of conduit for Arab Gulf money and arms to the civil war, its smuggling routes to Isil al-Qa'ida (or Jabhat al-Nusra or Fatah el-Sham or whatever) - seemed an overwhelming threat to Damascus, along comes Turkey's mysterious coup, its army neutered, and Sultan Erdogan scurrying off to St Petersburg to move his country from Nato to Mother Russia.

And all this when the rebel armies in Syria have re-surrounded government troops in Aleppo with the aim of reopening their supply routes to Turkey.

Bombing

For with Russian forces scarcely 50 kilometres south of the Turkish border, and its pilots daily bombing the very same rebels who are besieging Aleppo, Tsar Putin is not going to tolerate any more missiles smuggled across the Turkish border to shoot down his helicopters.

And if Nato and the EU believe they can rely on their faithful ally Sultan Erdogan to pursue the destruction of the Assad regime or curb refugee flows to Europe - or tolerate US jets flying out of Incirlik airbase and other former Armenian properties in Anatolia - they can think again.

You only have to read the Russian versions of the Sultan's grovelling statements prior to his Ottoman visit to grasp how the sick man of Europe is breathing in the fresh air of the Steppes.

"This visit seems to me a new milestone in bilateral relations, beginning with a clean slate," quoth the Sultan, "and I personally, with all my heart and on behalf of the Turkish nation, salute President Putin and all Russians."

That was Russian television for you. Then take the Russian news agency Tass, through which the Sultan refers to his "friend Vladimir" and promises that "there is yet much for our countries to do together".

Now let's abandon the Tsar-Sultan stuff. This was more like the fraternal greetings a Brezhnev or a Podgorny might have expected from an erring member of the Warsaw Pact, full of "bilateral relations" and "salutes" and "friendship" (though not "eternal friendship", as brotherly nations might once have pledged the Kremlin).

Here's another line from the Tass version of Erdogan's pre-St Petersburg declarations: "A solution to the Syrian crisis cannot be found without Russia. We can resolve the Syrian crisis only in co-operation with Russia."

And in co-operation with Bashar al-Assad? It's a thought that must warm the heart of Bashar who was once - let us remember this - close family friends with Erdogan and his wife. If you can shoot down a Russian plane and then embrace your "friend" Putin (pictured), why could Erdogan not do the same to Bashar all over again?

That's also, of course, a question for Hillary Clinton and The Donald to ponder - although Donald Trump, who seems to hold the same views about the Tsar as the Sultan now boasts, could possibly live with that.

There is a long list of the potential losers in the theatre of St Petersburg. First, Isil and al-Qa'ida-Nusra-Fatah el-Sham, and all the other Islamist outfits now fighting the regime in Syria, who suddenly find that their most reliable arms conduit has teamed up with their most ferocious enemy, the owner of the Russian air force. Then there's the Saudi and Qatari billionaires who have been supplying the cash and guns for the Sunni warriors who are trying to overthrow both Damascus and Baghdad, and humble the Shia of Iran, Syria (the Alawites) and Lebanon.

And then, above all others perhaps, those who will fear for their lives in the aftermath of this fraternal jaunt to the Tsar's palace: the Turkish army. For what is becoming ever clearer is that - and this is called the kicker to the story - Russia and, indeed, Iran played an intelligence role in warning Erdogan of the military coup plotted against him.

The Arabs have already been told by their Russian collocutors that Putin, being the old KGB boss that he was, personally sent a message to Erdogan after learning of the coup from Turkish army communications, which were picked up and listened to by Russian technicians at their air base just outside Latakia in Syria.

Turned

The Iranians - who would be happy to see Turkey turned against their Sunni Islamist enemies in Syria - also tipped off Erdogan about the coup, so the Arabs have been told.

Not long ago, it seems, it was Hillary who wanted to press the "reset" button with Putin. Now it's Erdogan - with, one suspects, a lot more effect.

The word "terror" is now used with such promiscuity that it seems to have been invented in the United States. Actually, its first common usage after the French Revolution appears to have been in Moscow, where it described the bomb-throwing "terrorists" who were trying to overthrow the Tsar.

So watch out for that word "terrorists" in the communiques that follow the Sultan-Tsar Summit. The Grand St Petersburg Alliance Against Terror. Terror, terror, terror. If you hear that from Mother Russia in the coming hours, you'll know that things are going to change in Syria.
The tower is the HQ of Mr Trump's US presidential campaign

A man is trying to scale the all-glass face of Trump Tower in New York City using suction cups.

A video recorded by a bystander and streamed online shows police observing the man from an outdoor terrace.

A police spokeswoman said officers responded to the skyscraper on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan but had no further information.

The 58-storey building is the headquarters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's campaign. He also lives there.

There was no immediate comment from Mr Trump's campaign spokeswoman.

Parts of the building, including the terraces, are open to the public during the day.

AP
A sandwich shop employee in the US has been arrested amid allegations that he drugged the drink of a uniformed police officer.

Authorities said a Layton, Utah, police sergeant immediately felt impaired after getting the drink at a Subway restaurant on Monday. He struggled to find the brake pedal of his patrol car at a red light and was unable to answer questions at the police station.

He was later taken to hospital, and it is believed he ingested methamphetamine and THC. His condition is not known.

Tanis Ukena was arrested on suspicion of surreptitiously giving a poisonous substance. He denies the allegations.

Authorities have given no details about any potential motive.

Subway has not commented.
Democrats have attacked US presidential nominee Donald Trump after he ignited a fresh political firestorm by declaring gun rights supporters might still find a way to stop Hillary Clinton, even if she should defeat him and then name anti-gun Supreme Court justices.

Democratic Party members accused the billionaire Republican of openly encouraging violence against his election opponent.

Mr Trump has been working this week to move past distracting campaign disputes, but once again he put himself at the centre of a blazing controversy.

First, he falsely claimed that Mrs Clinton wanted to "essentially abolish the Second Amendment". She has said repeatedly that she supports the Second Amendment right to own guns, but backs some stricter controls.

"A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way." pic.twitter.com/Uu55CBCqdK  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 9, 2016

Mr Trump then noted the power Mrs Clinton would have to nominate justices to America's top court.

"By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people - maybe there is, I don't know," Mr Trump told supporters at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina. "But I'll tell you what. That will be a horrible day."

Expand Close Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump applauds during a campaign rally at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Wilmington, N.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump applauds during a campaign rally at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Wilmington, N.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The reaction from Democrats was immediate. Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said: "This is simple - what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way."

Mr Trump's reaction as the uproar grew was: "Give me a break."

Interviewed by Fox News' Sean Hannity, he said everyone in his audience knew he was referring to the power of voters and "there can be no other interpretation".

Mr Trump's campaign sought to quell the controversy with a statement that blamed the "dishonest media" for misinterpretation. And Mr Trump's running mate, Indiana governor Mike Pence, said his boss was talking about the election choice for pro-gun voters, not encouraging violence.

But Mr Trump's foes were unconvinced and unforgiving.

Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, said: "I think it was just revealing and I don't find the attempt to roll it back persuasive at all."

Expand Close Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Wilmington, N.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Wilmington, N.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Priorities USA, a super PAC - expenditure-only committee - supporting Mrs Clinton, said Mr Trump had "suggested that someone shoot Hillary Clinton".

Across the country, Democratic House of Representatives and Senate candidates piled in, working to tie Mr Trump's comments to their Republican opponents.

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which has endorsed Mrs Clinton, said Mr Trump was encouraging gun violence "based on conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton".

Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, tweeted: "@realDonaldTrump makes death threats because he's a pathetic coward who can't handle the fact that he's losing to a girl."

The National Rifle Association, the gun lobby that has endorsed Mr Trump, came to his defence, writing on Twitter that "there's nothing we can do" if Mrs Clinton is elected, urging voters to defeat her in November.

The controversy immediately overwhelmed Mr Trump's intended campaign-trail focus: the economic plan he unveiled just a day earlier and was promoting during a series of rallies in the most competitive general election states.

It also reinforced the concern, voiced by many worried Republicans, that he cannot stay disciplined and avoid inflammatory remarks that imperil not only his White House prospects but the re-election chances of many party politicians.

House of Representatives speaker Paul Ryan, who was celebrating a primary victory in Wisconsin, said: "It sounds like just a joke gone bad. I hope they clear this up very quickly. You never joke about something like that."

At another rally later in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Mr Trump was careful with his words. He repeated his argument that Mrs Clinton posed a threat to gun rights, but avoided any talk about advocates taking matters into their own hands.

Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, introducing him, blamed the controversy on "disgusting" journalists.

Mrs Clinton's supporters are hoping the latest Trump trip-up will lead yet more of his fellow Republicans to defect. A day earlier, Maine senator Susan Collins became the latest to declare she would not vote for her party's nominee, explicitly pointing to his "constant stream of cruel comments".

The US Secret Service, responsible for both Mrs Clinton's and Mr Trump's protection, said it was aware of what Mr Trump had said, but declined to say whether it planned to investigate.

Contrary to Mr Trump's remarks, Mrs Clinton has made her support for gun rights a key piece of her stump speech in a bid to pre-empt attacks from Mr Trump and groups like the NRA.

But she supports reinstating a national assault weapons ban, expanding background checks and barring purchases by domestic abusers, among other steps.

"I'm not here to repeal the Second Amendment," she said in her Democratic National Convention speech. "I'm not here to take away your guns. I just don't want you to be shot by someone who shouldn't have a gun in the first place."

She spent Tuesday in Florida calling for emergency public health action on the Zika virus while visiting the Miami area dealing with the first US outbreak.

At a local health clinic, she urged the US Congress to cut short its summer recess and immediately pass funding for a Zika response, blaming congressional Republicans for inaction.
An Arkansas police officer has died after being shot while responding to a call at a house.

Sebastian County Deputy Bill Cooper was pronounced dead in hospital after the incident near the town of Hackett.

Local police chief Darrell Spells was also shot in the incident, suffering superficial wounds.

After the shooting, the suspect barricaded himself inside the house for more than four and a half hours before being arrested.

Sheriff Bill Hollenbeck said: "We have limited information as to why this has happened."

He added that investigators are "looking into" the possibility that this was a planned attack.

Authorities said the injured officers went to the home, about six miles from the Oklahoma border, after the suspect's father asked them to check on his son.

After the shootings, dozens of police vehicles, including a Swat truck, quickly descended on the area. The shootings occurred in a rural, wooded area near Hackett, a town of about 800 residents.

Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson said he did not have details about the shooting but said it underscored the danger that the state's law enforcement officers face.

"It's a risky business and it really illustrates the importance of our support for law enforcement," Mr Hutchinson told reporters at an event in North Little Rock.

Representative Bruce Westerman, whose district includes part of Sebastian County, echoed the governor's support for police state-wide.

"This has to stop," Mr Westerman said.

"It's a shame the price that law enforcement officers are paying right now and, again, I don't know any details about what's happening here, but my heart and prayer is with them and their families."

AP
On Monday afternoon, Timea Lashay Batts caught the bus home after her first day of middle school.

The 11-year-old with twotone hair and a bright smile left the bus and began to walk through her quiet neighborhood of Hendersonville, Tennessee.

By the time she reached her own house, however, Timea somehow had been shot, her dad told police.

He took his daughter to the hospital but it was too late.

Timea was dead.

The bizarre shooting left police and local media searching for answers. Authorities initially said they had no suspects and few clues aside from the fathers account.

Detectives tell us they believe the child may have been shot somewhere between getting off the bus and walking home, which is only a few feet apart, reported News Channel 5.

Neighbours were baffled.

Im shocked. Im just totally shocked, Sean Stover told the Tennessean.

Why would anybody shoot an 11-year-old? Louise Gray told Channel 5. She couldnt be involved in nothing cause shes too young.

As the night drew on, however, the mysterious killing of Timea Batts took several more turns.

At around 1 am, authorities announced they had made an arrest.

Police did not immediately identify the shooting victim but Sumner County Schools announced Monday evening it was grieved to learn of the tragic loss of one of our sixth grade students, Timea Lashay Batts.

Timea was a bright and kind girl who was well loved by her classmates and teachers, the school district said in a statement.

She will be greatly missed at Knox Doss Middle School at Drakes Creek.

Timea lived with her father, his partner and Timeas two younger siblings, according to authorities. Her house sat on the corner of Shady View Drive, a quaint street lined with minivans and closely cut lawns.

Monday was Timeas first day at Knox, which serves sixth, seventh and eighth grades.

A photo circulating on social media Monday night showed a girl identified as Timea in a striped dress with a backpack and a broad smile, seemingly on her way to school.

School officials said the girl was fine when she got off the bus Monday afternoon.

The incident did not occur on the bus or at the bus stop, the district said in its statement.

When police spoke to Timeas father at the hospital, Timothy Batts told them his daughter was injured before she got home.

The father said the child came in after school and said shed been shot, Hendersonville police Det Sgt Jim Vaughn told the Tennessean shortly after the shooting.

Operating on that information, authorities scoured Shady View Drive for clues, stringing up crime scene tape between mailboxes as they searched for evidence of a shooting outside the house.

They found none, according to Vaughn.

Neighbours said they didnt hear any gunshots, Fox 17 reported.

We dont really have any suspects right now, Mr Vaughn told the Tennessean, adding that there was no sign anyone else was in danger. Right now, were just trying to find out what happened to the little girl.

When asked if Timea could have shot herself somehow, Vaughn replied: We have no facts right now. We havent been inside the house.

Police were waiting on a judge to sign a search warrant before entering, he explained.

When the warrant finally arrived, the case took a sudden twist.

At around 9:30 pm, Mr Vaughn told reporters he no longer thought the shooting happened outside Timeas house.

The evidence tells me that it happened inside, he said.

At first you told us it appeared if she had been shot walking from the school bus to the home, one reporter asked as she filmed the detective on her phone. Were you given false information?

We were told that the incident took place from the bus to the house, somewhere along the way, he answered. We dont know if that was mostly false yet or not.

Less than four hours later, Timeas father was under arrest.

Timothy Batts was charged with reckless homicide, tampering with evidence, false reporting and possessing a firearm as a felon, Fox 17 reported. His bond and court date have not yet been set.

Despite the arrest, mystery still shrouds the slaying of Timea Batts.

How did an 11-year-old girl home from her first day of school end up dead?

A neighbor just placed more flowers to remember Timea Batts who was shot and killed. Her father now in jail. @WKRN pic.twitter.com/ezQiP3JkX1  Paige Hill (@PaigeWKRN) August 9, 2016

And why?

She was not ready to leave this earth, Justin Mathes, a 17-year-old who rode the bus with Timea, told the Tennessean. She hasnt experienced high school or gotten her first car.

There was so much more for her to experience.
A notorious rapist who muffled his victims' screams with a pillowcase is back in a US mental hospital, two years after he was released over the protests of prosecutors and women who feared he would attack again.

Christopher Hubbart, 65, is not accused of a new crime, but was picked up by the Department of State Hospitals, said Los Angeles County district attorney Jackie Lacey, who is under a gag order and could not discuss further details.

"The good news is tonight he's back in a state hospital," she told KFI-AM. "That's probably the safest place."

The programme supervising Hubbart reported he had failed to meet the terms of his release and was returned to Coalinga State Hospital, Santa Clara County Superior Court spokesman Joseph Macaluso told the Los Angeles Times .

Ms Lacey had fought Hubbart's release and angry residents of the Antelope Valley, where he was relocated about 40 miles north of Los Angeles, had demonstrated regularly outside his remote house where he lived under 24-hour guard and strict conditions.

Women shouted through megaphones that he did not belong there and should be locked up. Some burned effigies and carried signs saying "burn in hell".

A woman who spent 18 months protesting against his release and travelled 350 miles to implore the Santa Clara County judge to keep him out of her community said she was ecstatic to hear he was gone.

"I feel like I won the lottery," Cheryl Holbrook said. "We're praying real hard that they keep him locked up. He's exactly where he needs to be."

Hubbart, dubbed the "Pillowcase Rapist", has admitted assaulting at least 40 women, several following stints behind bars. He has been in and out of prisons and state psychiatric hospitals since his first rape conviction in 1972.

After reoffending and serving more time Hubbart was declared a sexually violent predator in 2000 and committed to a state-run psychiatric hospital.

A Northern California judge in 2013 ordered Hubbart released after doctors said he had completed treatment and was fit to live in the community. The judge ordered that he live in Southern California near where he grew up, though his notoriety made it difficult to find housing.

When he was released in 2014, he moved into a small house in the desert on the outskirts of Palmdale.

Hubbart had to comply with conditions that included wearing a monitoring device around his ankle, attending therapy and undergoing lie detector tests and random searches of his home. He was also ordered not to view movies or online material that would arouse him.

Prosecutors tried to have him returned to custody last year after the batteries in his ankle monitor twice ran too low. A judge denied the request.

Ms Lacey said she was not told why he was picked up, but expects to find out at a court hearing in 15 days in Santa Clara County.

AP
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today arrived in Ismayilli district for a visit.

The head of state laid flowers at a monument to national leader Heydar Aliyev in the park in the city center.

Head of Ismayilli District Executive Authority Mirdamet Sadigov informed the head of state of extensive landscaping work carried out in the park, and works carried out in the district over the last years.
The daily ceasefire will allow aid convoys to deliver their goods

The Russian military has declared that fighting in the Syrian city of Aleppo will cease for three hours daily to allow humanitarian aid deliveries.

Lt Gen Sergei Rudskoi said the daily ceasefires will be observed from 10am to 1pm local time from Thursday.

Lt Gen Rudskoi said Russia supports the UN's proposal to oversee the aid deliveries, adding that the Russian military is discussing the issue with UN experts and the US military.

He told a briefing that humanitarian convoys will be formed near Handarat and will move on the strategic Castello road.

The Syrian army won control of the Castello road last month and cut the main supply link to rebel-held parts of Aleppo as government troops laid siege to the city. Opposition groups breached the siege over the weekend.

Lt Gen Rudskoi did not say whether the rebels have agreed to respect the halt in hostilities, or explain how they would be enforced.

In Washington, US State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said all parties to the Syrian conflict must abide by the UN request to ensure access for humanitarian supplies.

"We would welcome any pause that successfully facilitates delivering of vitally needed humanitarian supplies, but such a ceasefire must be observed by all parties," she said.

"All supplies, including food and medical supplies, as determined and requested solely by the UN, need to be delivered now."

At the United Nations, humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said 48 hours and a two-lane road are the minimum requirement for getting sufficient humanitarian aid into Aleppo.

"When we're offered three hours, then you have to ask what could be achieved in those three hours?" he told reporters.

"Is it to meet the need or will it only just meet a very small part of the need? And clearly, from our point of view, we're there to meet the need, all the need, and we need to have sufficient capacity to do that."

AP
The attacks came as Turkey is still reeling from the failed coup last month. Here, supporters of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stage a rally in Istanbul (AP)

A wave of Kurdish rebel attacks targeting police and soldiers in south-east Turkey have killed at least 12 people.

Turkish officials said rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, launched simultaneous bomb attacks targeting police vehicles in the city of Diyarbakir and the town of Kiziltepe, killing eight people, while four soldiers were killed in a separate attack near the border with Iraq hours earlier.

The attack in Kiziltepe was caused by a roadside bomb that went off as a police bus was passing by. Three people were killed and at least 25 others were injured, including at least five young children.

At the same time, a car bomb explosion targeting police in a historic part of the city Diyarbakir killed at least five civilians and injured 12 others. The explosion occurred at a security checkpoint at a bridge over the Tigris river.

The bombings came hours after an earlier attack, also blamed on the PKK, killed four soldiers and injured nine others near the border with Iraq. The private Dogan news agency said that attack targeted military vehicles and was carried out with improvised explosives as well as rockets fired from northern Iraq.

Clashes between the PKK and Turkey's security forces resumed last year after a tenuous ceasefire collapsed, and the PKK has frequently targeted police or military with roadside explosives or car bombs.

The latest attacks came as Turkey is still reeling from a violent coup attempt on July 15 that killed at least 270 people.

The government has blamed the failed coup on the supporters of US.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen and has embarked on a sweeping crackdown on his followers.

The country is also combating the Islamic State group, whose militants have carried out a series of bloody attacks in Turkey in the past year.

Earlier this week, PKK commander Cemil Bayik threatened attacks against police in Turkish cities, according to media reports.

Since hostilities with the PKK resumed last summer, more than 600 Turkish security personnel and thousands of PKK militants have been killed, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency. Human rights groups say hundreds of civilians have also died.

Turkey and its allies consider the PKK a terror organisation.

AP
Hillary Clinton has warned that Donald Trump's comments about supporters of the US Constitution's Second Amendment - which guarantees the right to bear arms - are just another example of how his words could have "tremendous consequences".

Democratic candidate Mrs Clinton said her Republican rival's remarks were a "casual inciting of violence" that show he lacks the temperament to be the American commander-in-chief.

She then noted her growing list of Republican supporters, saying they were backing her "not as Republicans, but as Americans".

Speaking to supporters in Des Moines, she said: "We may not agree on everything, but this is not a normal election.

"I will work hard for the next three months to earn the support of anyone willing to put our country first."

On Tuesday, Mr Trump falsely said that Mrs Clinton wanted to revoke the right to gun ownership.

He then said that there was nothing people could do to stop Mrs Clinton from stacking the Supreme Court with anti-gun justices, before stating vaguely that "although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is - I don't know. But I'll tell you what: that will be a horrible day ".

Democrats quickly jumped on the comments as further evidence that Mr Trump is undisciplined and unprepared for the presidency, while Mr Trump insisted he was never advocating violence against Clinton.

As he struggled to turn the page on a difficult period in his campaign, Mrs Clinton's campaign continued a push to win over Republicans and independents, launching a group called "Together for America".

The group aims to use a wave of nearly 50 recent endorsements by high-profile Republicans and independents to convince voters to cross party lines.

The campaign released new endorsements from several retired Republican officials, including former commerce secretary Carlos Gutierrez, former housing and urban development secretary Carla Hills, former Maryland Congresswoman Connie Morella, former Connecticut congressman Chris Shays and former director of national intelligence John Negroponte.

Mrs Clinton will continue her appeals to Republicans and independents on Thursday with an economic speech in Detroit.

In Iowa, she stressed her commitment to small businesses and young entrepreneurs with a visit to local T-shirt store, Raygun.

The Iowa trip marked Mrs Clinton's first visit to the battleground state since her narrow win over Bernie Sanders in the lead-off caucuses.

She has had a troubled relationship with the state since losing here to then-senator Barack Obama in the 2008 caucuses.

Donald Trump has also focused heavily on Iowa, making several trips in recent weeks. Iowa has six electoral votes, with 270 needed to win the presidency.

AP
A delegation of Turkish foreign ministry, military and intelligence officials is travelling to Russia for discussions on finding a solution to the Syria conflict

The announcement by foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu came a day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Russia's Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg for the first time since the countries agreed to mend relations soured by Turkey's downing of a Russian plane in November.

The two leaders agreed to take steps to rebuild their damaged trade ties and revive major energy projects.

They also held a separate meeting to discuss the conflict in Syria - despite their divergent views. While Moscow has backed Syrian President Bashar Assad throughout the nation's civil war and further bolstered that support by launching an air campaign last September, Turkey has pushed for Assad's removal.

Mr Cavusoglu told state-run Anadolu Agency that the Turkish delegation would head for Russia on Wednesday in search of common ground.

The meeting would be followed by talks by higher level officials, he said, adding that the two countries had a mutual understanding on a number of issues.

"On Syria, we think the same on the issue of a cease-fire, on humanitarian aid and a political solution," the minister said.

"We may have a different outlook on how the cease-fire should be implemented."

Mr Cavusoglu added: "We (Turkey) especially don't want attacks that harm civilians. We don't believe it is appropriate that the moderate opposition is attacked. We don't find the Aleppo siege to be appropriate."

Mr Cavusoglu also denied that Mr Erdogan's visit to St Petersburg was intended to send a message to Turkey's allies in the West, which Ankara accuses of not showing Turkey sufficient support since last month's failed coup.

Turkey is pressing the United States to extradite US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom it accuses of orchestrating the coup attempt, and has expressed frustration at its slow response. Mr Gulen has repeatedly denied any involvement.

The dispute has strained US-Turkish ties, with some Turkish officials implying Washington could have been behind the coup. Washington has strongly denied that.

Turkish officials have also fumed at expressions of concern from European officials over Turkey's sweeping crackdown on the Gulen movement, and accused the West of failing to show support for a democratically elected government. Ankara also lashed out at the EU for failing to uphold its end of an EU-Turkey agreement on migration.

Still, Mr Cavusoglu said the rapprochement with Russia was independent of relations with the West.

"We have always regarded our relations with Russia as complementary not as an alternative (to the West)," Mr Cavusoglu said.

"We are not improving ties with Russia to send a message to the West," Mr Cavusoglu told Anadolu.

"We are doing it for our own interests and for the interests of the region."

Turkey's shooting down of the Russian plane near the border with Syria had brought relations with Russia to freezing point until Erdogan apologized to Russia in June.

AP
The fighters said they have seized control of the former IS base in Sirte, Libya (AP)

US-backed Libyan fighters say they have taken over the Islamic State group's headquarters in Sirte, the militants' final bastion in Libya.

The fighters said they have seized control of the sprawling convention centre that was used as IS headquarters in the coastal city.

The militia fighters, who are mainly from the nearby city of Misrata, launched their offensive against IS in June.

A statement on the forces' Facebook page declares that "Sirte is returning to Libya".

US warplanes have launched a series of air strikes targeting IS positions in the city. The air support came in response to a request for assistance from Libya's UN-brokered government after battles in Sirte stalled.

The militants seized control of the city, the home town of Libya's long-standing dictator Muammar Gaddafi, in 2015.
SHARE

Anderson Mall presents clothing drive to help students get work ready

Drop-off site is at mall's main entrance during business hours.

Anderson Mall will present a clothing drive to help students enrolled in the Anderson County District Five Career Campus from now through Aug. 21. Shoppers will have the opportunity to help students in need by donating work-ready clothing for interviews and work. The drop-off site, available during mall hours, will be located at the mall's main entrance.

"It is an honor to be able to assist hardworking, goal-oriented students in our community," said Christie Eller, marketing director at Anderson Mall. "Anderson Mall takes pride in supporting impactful initiatives and offering a great selection of shopping and dining options for friends and family to enjoy."

The Anderson County District Five Career Campus offers career and technology education to the students of Westside and T.L. Hanna High schools. They strive to provide real-world training that can translate into certifications as well as college credits for future education for a diverse student population.

"The Anderson County District Five Career Campus is constantly working through mock interviews, soft skills workshops, career expos and more to prepare its students for life after they graduate from high school," said Cecil Bonner, career campus director. "We applaud Anderson Mall for helping us to support students who we want to grow and become productive members of society."

For more information on Anderson Mall, please call 864.225.3195 or visit www.shopandersonmall.com. Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/AndersonMall and follow us on Twitter @ShopAnderson and on Instagram @ShopAnderson.
SHARE

By Ray Chandler, Special to Independent Mail

WALHALLA  A proposal that Oconee County accept ownership of the Oakway Intermediate School building will go to the Oconee County Council with a recommendation for approval.

The Council's three-member building and facilities committee voted unanimously for the recommendation on Tuesday.

The building, at 150 School House Road, in Westminster, is no longer used by the School District of Oconee County, which has offered the property to the county at no cost.

The proposal to accept the school building is expected to come before the full county council for a vote at the regularly scheduled council meeting on Aug. 16.

Council member Wayne McCall said Sheriff Mike Crenshaw expressed interest in establishing a satellite station of the Oconee County Sheriff's Office in the building.

County administrator Scott Moulder said even if the building could serve no county needs it could be of use to the general community.

McCall said a gymnasium that is part of the school and could serve for community recreation.

County administrator Scott Moulder said the personnel of the county agricultural extension office and soil and water conservation also expressed an interest in the building for a satellite office and for meeting space.

Council member Reg Dexter said he wanted assurances that the building would not be a liability to the county.

"I would like to see something in writing that people are committed to using this property," Dexter said, referring to the groups that had expressed interest. "I see a lot of things people wish they could do."

Dexter also questioned whether the communities wishing to use the building for recreation would pay for upkeep out of the funds already allotted those communities for recreation or whether additional funds for upkeep would be expected from the county.

He cited the example of a school building in Fair Play turned over to the community several years ago and now used as a community center.

"You walk into that building at your own peril," he said, further describing the building's poor condition.

The county should be hesitant, Dexter said, in acquiring another building that might fall into disrepair.

In other business, county administrator Moulder said that the county is having to seek an alternative site for a fire department substation in the Bountyland area, between Seneca and Walhalla.

The county is currently looking at a parcel of land adjacent to the school district's maintenance building in the Bountyland community for a long-term lease that allows the station's construction.

Construction on the station, approved in the county's 2015-2016 budget, should begin in about six months, said Moulder.
Robust Demand Pushes Rental Rates Up at Indias Premium Malls

A report by property consultant CBRE South Asia Pvt. Ltd. shows that rental rates at Indias premium malls have significantly risen in the first six months of 2016. The biggest rise in rental rates were noted in the following major cosmopolitan mall clusters  Noida (rising by 45 percent), Gurgaon (30.8 percent), Vasant Kunj (28.6 percent), and East Bangalore (10.5 percent). Region wise, rental rates have increased in the National Capital Region centered around Delhi (Vasant Kunj, Saket, and Gurgaon), Mumbai (Kurla, Ghatkopar and Lower Parel), and Bangalore (Whitefield, Ulsoor, and areas in West Bangalore).

The steep rise in rent is due to the robust demand led by international retailers, and rapid expansion plans of established retailers. For example, during the first half of 2016, Swedish clothing retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M), US clothing company GAP, Japanese lingerie brand Wacoal, and Dutch brand Hunkemoller opened new stores in India, while the more established retail stores  Shoppers Stop, Levis, Puma, Pepe Jeans, Fabindia, GAP, Haagen-Dazs, and Mebaz  further expanded their outlets. A gap between the demand and supply is also to blame, as building malls is a capital intensive activity and completion of projects may take up four to six years.

However, the rise in rent and demand is restricted to premium markets. In another report, by property consultant Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) India, findings indicate that tier 2 cities and even average and poor malls in tier 1 cities, continue to struggle with high vacancy rates, which began with the global financial crisis of 2008. Poor consumer and retailer sentiment has also prompted several mall developers to shelve or defer new projects across the country. The JLL report estimates that rental rates in premium markets will stay constant or increase till the gap between demand and supply gets bridged in about five to seven years.

Urban Markets Key Growth Prospects for Packaged Goods Firms in India

Market researcher Nielsen recently reported that packaged goods manufacturers should focus on penetrating the urban market in India. Consumer packaged goods include biscuits, branded edible oil, beverages, and other household products that are consumed every day, and comes under the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector.

Data from the last fiscal year (2015-2016) shows that Indias urban markets were underserved by packaged goods makers. Meanwhile, rural purchasing power has suffered after two consecutive years of drought. Leading companies such as Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) and Dabur India Ltd have both seen a decline in growth in sales volumes due to this rural slowdown. Consumer packaged goods companies can compensate for the rural slack by expanding their urban presence in Indias multitude of metro cities. Metro cities are those with a population of at least one million, and the Census 2011 data establishes 53 such metros in India. Nielsen estimates that for packaged consumer goods, the average per capita consumption in the top eight metros is worth US$ 97.53 (Rs 6,500) every year; this drops to US$ 72.02 (Rs 4,800) in the other metros but is still more than four times the average rural per capita consumption of US$ 16.50 (Rs 1,100). The payouts from the Seventh Pay Commission will additionally boost urban growth this year.

Finally, while the leading companies in the sector may not find it difficult to expand their reach, influencing consumer spending patterns will become the next big challenge.

UAE International Investors Council to be a Strategic Partner in UAE-India Economic Forum

The UAE International Investors Council (UAEIIC) recently announced its participation in the second edition of the UAE-India Economic Forum (UIEF) as a Strategic Partner. The Forum is scheduled for October 19th  20th, 2016. Senior members of the UAE council will take part in panel discussions focused on the expanding investment opportunities available in India.

The UAEIIC membership consists of a mix of government and private bodies, among which are the Federal Ministries of Economy; Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; and Ministry of Finance, as well as the General Civil Aviation Authority, and 12 of the biggest companies in the UAE (Mubadala, Emaar, Etihad Airways, Etisalat Group, DP World, Dubai Investment, Thani Investment, Al Futtaim Group, Al Fahim Group, Sharaf Group, Borouj and IPIC). Their participation holds key to the UAE-India Economic Forum, which aims to diversify and strengthen the bilateral partnership between India and the UAE.



About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email india@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight.





Managing Your Accounting and Bookkeeping in India

In this issue of India Briefing Magazine, we spotlight three issues that financial management teams for India should monitor. Firstly, we examine the new Indian Accounting Standards (Ind-AS) system, which is expected to be a boon for foreign companies in India. We then highlight common filing dates for most companies with operations in India, and lastly examine procedures and regulations for remitting profits from India.

Taking Advantage of Indias FDI Reforms

In this edition of India Briefing Magazine, we explore important amendments to Indias foreign investment policy and outline various options for business establishment, including the creation of wholly owned subsidiaries in sectors that permit 100 percent foreign direct investment. We additionally explore several taxes that apply to wholly owned subsidiary companies, and provide an outlook for what investors can expect to see in India this year.

An Introduction to Doing Business in India 2015 (Second Edition)

Doing Business in India 2015 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in India. As such, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Indian market, but also for companies who already have a presence here and want to keep up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes. We discuss a range of pertinent issues for foreign businesses, including Indias most recent FDI caps and restrictions, the key taxes applicable to foreign companies, how to conduct a successful audit, and the procedures for obtaining an employment visa.
Bakcell, The First Mobile Operator and Leading Mobile Internet Provider of Azerbaijan, continues to expand the list of countries, where the 1 MB = 1 qepik roaming campaign is provided.

Thus, as a result of negotiations with MCI, being Irans leading telecommunications company, Bakcell customers are now able to use the 1 MB Internet = 1 qepik offer. From now on, Bakcell subscribers who travel to Iran and use the network of MCI mobile operator will enjoy using high speed internet for as low as 1 qepik per 1 MB. To activate this offer, the subscriber should simply dial *125#1000#YES and activate the roaming data package.

Currently, Bakcell subscribers are able to benefit from this offer in as much as 21 countries. The list of such countries includes Turkey, USA, UAE, Russia, Greece, Germany, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Spain, Hungary, Netherlands, Italy, Iran and etc. The complete list of countries is available at http://www.bakcell.com/az/1000mb-in-roaming-cedvel.

Bakcell continues negotiations with its roaming partners in order to provide the customers with best offers in even more number of countries, so they can fully enjoy communicating and using high speed mobile internet at the most affordable rates. These negotiations are mostly held with such global leading telco companies as Vodafone, Megafon, AirTel and Etisalat.

It should be noted that by means of the Bakcell Roaming Application, subscribers who travel abroad may get all the necessary information about the prices for calls, SMS and the Internet, as well as the current roaming campaigns at all partner roaming countries and operators, and even get support through online communication with Bakcell.

Moreover, by means of this application, the subscribers can easily top-up their balances.

For more detailed information about the Bakcell Roaming Application, please, visit: http://www.bakcell.com/en/bakcell-rouminq-ap

Bakcell, The First Mobile Operator and the Leading Mobile Internet Provider of Azerbaijan, offers a variety of products for modern mobile communications customers. Bakcell provides class leading 3G and 4G mobile internet experience in the country under the Su[email protected] brand name.

With more than 5300 base stations Bakcells network covers more than 99% of the population and 93% of the land area of the country (excluding occupied territories). Bakcell is a leader in innovation and it focuses on bringing the best of the mobile internet to Azerbaijanis through new partnerships and its Su[email protected] services. Bakcell 3G service is available in all regions of Azerbaijan and covers 93% of population.

For more information about Bakcell products and services, please visit www.bakcell.com or call 555.For press releases please see www.bakcell.com/az/news (or www.bakcell.com/en/news for press releases in English).

If you are not a Bakcell subscriber, but wish to find out about Bakcell and its services, please call 055 000 05 55.
Nihar Info Global applies for trademark registration for 'ONVO' Nihar Info Global Limited informed to the exchanges that it has successfully applied for Trademark registration of its private label "ONVO" under the 'Trademark Classes 18 and 21. ... October 28, 2022 | 28-10-2022 2:37 pm

Rupee rises 4 paisa to 82.29/$ Early on Friday, the rupee strengthened against the US dollar by 4 paise to 82.29, helped by a weak US dollar in the international market and strong local equities. The influx of new fore... October 28, 2022 | 28-10-2022 2:30 pm

PNB Housing Finance's net profit increases by 12% PNB Housing Finance announced on Thursday that its September 20222023 quarter net profit increased by 11.7% to Rs 262.63 crore, thanks to a little increase in core income. In the same period... October 28, 2022 | 28-10-2022 2:25 pm

Dhanuka Agritech soars ~8% as board to consider buyback Dhanuka Agritechs stock surged as much as 8% in Fridays intraday session and touched a high of Rs742. The company stated in its filing with the exchanges that at its ensuing ge... October 28, 2022 | 28-10-2022 2:18 pm

Markets trade flat amid volatility; Nifty below 17,800 dragged by metals Domestic benchmark indices in a volatile session and trading flat after a gap-up opening on Friday. Both the Sensex and Nifty benchmarks are in the green during the afternoon market session ami... October 28, 2022 | 28-10-2022 2:00 pm
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today attended the opening of ISMA BIKES bicycle factory as part of his visit to Ismayilli district.

The head of state was informed that located in the village of Diyalli, 6km from the city center, the facility was built as part of cooperation with the Bulgarian Sofia bicycle factory.

The facility is provided with Bulgarian, Danish, Dutch, Chinese, and Turkish made equipment.

The factory has a yearly production capacity of 20,000-30,000 bicycles. It created 60 jobs.

The head of state was informed that the number of workers is expected to be increased as the facility will enhance its activity in the future.

There is a modern cycle track in the yard of the facility which occupies a total area of 3 hectares.

President Ilham Aliyev launched the factory, and tested a bicycle produced here.

President Ilham Aliyev met with representatives of the general public of Ismayilli district.
The Yurok Tribe owns and operates the Redwood Hotel Casino in Klamath, California. Photo from Facebook



The California Senate Governmental Organization Committee held a series of informational hearings on Tuesday for eight tribal gaming compacts.

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians , the Barona Band of Mission Indians , the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians , the Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians , the Jamul Indian Village , the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians , the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation , the Yurok Tribe have all reached new or amended Class III agreements with the state. They need to be ratified by the Legislature before they can be sent to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for review.

The new agreements include provisions that address revenue sharing and unions, according to background documents provided by the committee . Tribal leaders and labor officials testified at the hearing to seek passage of the compacts.

"Casinos have become part of California, and casino workers deserve protections that strong unions can provide," The Sacramento Bee wrote in an editorial that praised the new compacts.

Read More on the Story: Hearing set for Browns deals with tribes (The Sacramento Bee 8/9)

An Opinion: Editorial: New compacts deal in casino workers (The Sacramento Bee 8/10)

Related Stories

Join the Conversation
A view of the gaming floor at the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley in Glendale, Arizona. Photo from Facebook



After the state of Arizona forced the Tohono O'odham Nation to turn over internal documents, a judge is requiring the same of the state as part of a gaming dispute.

At issue is an email between the Arizona Department of Gaming and an attorney for the Gila River Indian Community . The state and the tribe have been working together in hopes of stopping the Tohono O'odham Nation from opening a new casino.

The state tried to prevent the release of the email but Judge David Campbell denied the request. He said it could help address questions about the relationship between the department and the Gila River Indian Community.

"The court also finds troubling the notion that a state regulatory body could join in a privilege-protected partnership with one of the entities it regulates to thwart expansion efforts of another entity it regulates, whether or not the regulatory body has a valid basis for opposing the expansion," Campbell wrote in a July 25 order . "That appears to be what is happening here."

Arizona Casino Wars: Tribes battle over new gaming facility in the Phoenix area



The state complied with the order on July 28, according to a notice filed in court . But unlike documents that the Tohono O'odham Nation turned over to the state -- which ended up in the hands of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community , whose public relations company then gave them to a reporter for Capitol Media Services -- the email in question has remained under wraps.

The Gila River and Salt River tribes were unable to stop the Tohono O'odham Nation from opening the Desert Diamond West Valley Casino and Resort in December. The state, though, has refused to certify the new facility for Class III games or allow liquor to be served there.

Read More on the Story: Judge questions gaming directors action in Glendale casino case (Capitol Media Services 8/9)

Join the Conversation

Related Stories
Marcellus Red Tomahawk after a meeting with President Herbert Hoover at the White House in 1929. Image from Library of Congress



The leader of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is speaking out against a major change to highway signs in North Dakota.

With little public notice or comment, the state Department of Transportation has been removing the likeness of Marcellus Red Tomahawk , a historic Standing Rock leader, from the signs. The decision has drawn significant controversy.

The reason why Red Tomahawk is on those signs was to honor that tribal relationship, Chairman Dave Archambault II told the Associated Press. All of the sudden, they want to take that honoring away. Were not happy.

Red Tomahawk's descendants are also upset. The likeness of their ancestor is being replaced by an outline of the state's borders.

Highway signs that are based on a likeness of Marcellus Red Tomahawk are slowly being phased out in North Dakota. Photo by Jimmy Emerson



It was an honor to have those signs, Judith Red Tomahawk, who is Red Tomahawks great-granddaughter, told the AP. I dont know why people cant grasp that. People dont know how much it means to us.

Emails obtained by the AP show that state officials were worried about a potential civil rights complaint over the signs. But Transportation Director Grant Levi denied that was the reason for the change.

Red Tomahawk was the first elected leader of the tribe. He helped write the tribe's first constitution.

Prior to his role in forming the modern tribal government, Red Tomahawk was a scout for the U.S. military during the Indian wars. He later served as a federal police officer who was involving in the fatal shooting of Sitting Bull , the revered Lakota leader, in December 1890.

The North Dakota Highway Patrol continues to use a likeness of Tomahawk as its official logo and has no plans to get rid of the symbol.

Read More on the Story: Emails: North Dakota faced complaints over Sioux image signs (AP 8/9)

An Opinion: OUR OPINION: Mistake to replace Red Tomahawk's image (The Grand Forks Herald 7/22)

Related Stories

Join the Conversation
A grizzly bear at Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Terry Tollefsbol / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service



Tribes are hosting a prayer ceremony at Glacier National Park in Montana on Friday.

Spiritual leaders from the Blackfoot Confederacy will lead the group in prayers for the grizzly bear , according to a press release . The meeting comes as U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks to remove protections for the sacred animal.

"Our brother, the grizzly bear, is the power of our people. He is the only brother that was a human being in his time on Mother Earth," James Jimmy St. Goddard, a member of the Blackfeet Nation who serves as vice chair of the Guardians of Our Ancestors Legacy (GOAL) Tribal Coalition. "The grizzly bear is not only equal to, but also far superior to us pitiful humans. To kill the grizzly is to kill our own kind."

Tribes say they weren't properly consulted about the decision to lift protections for grizzly bears in and near Yellowstone National Park . They believe the change will lead to trophy hunts in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.

US Fish and Wildlife Service Documents:

Join the Conversation

Related Stories
Abhay Deol is one of those actors in Bollywood who never got their due in the industry. Th actor is talented, good looking, daring and has often exhibited brilliant acting skills on the big screen, yet success has evaded him. In fact, he's one of those few actors in the industry who have often tried to break free from the stereotypes, taken risks, and made their own brand of cinema. Especially with films like Dev D and Manorama Six Feet Under, Abhay really tried to do something different.

And now, he's all set to give another chance to his Bollywood career with his upcoming film with Diana Penty, Happy Bhaag Jayegi. But talking about our rigid mindsets, Abhay recently spoke about how rebellion is discouraged in our country.

He said, "We are shaped by our traditions. With us, it is a little more difficult because we are traditionalist. We have 5000-year-old history which is now almost a part of our DNA. How do you break that? America, for example, doesn't have that history behind it. It romanticises rebellion. We look down upon rebellion. It's an insult. To think out-of-the-box is looked down upon here."

Well, he definitely has a valid point there. Abhay also talked about how it was tough for him to do a different kind of cinema, while others were busy making potboilers in Bollywood.

He added, "It is definitely hard when you're going against the tide. Of course, it is tough. But does that mean you can't do it? No, it depends on your strength, stamina and ability to take so much power against you. But it's not just Bollywood, it is also in Hollywood. It's the same thing everywhere."

Abhay's mainstream projects include Aisha and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and the actor says he likes being a part of commercial projects as they help him support the movies he wants to eventually invest in. "I like doing mainstream films, because not only do they give me a wider release and audience, they also supports the off beat films I want to make. The two go hand in hand. My effort is always that whatever mainstream films I do, they should not insult the intelligence of the audience," he said.
Salman Khan has started shooting for Kabir Khans Tubelight and just a few months ago, there were reports that claimed Chinese actress Zhu Zhu is all set to make her big debut.

Chinese actress Zhu Zhu has worked with some International projects like What Women Want, Shanghai Calling, The Man with the Iron Fists, Last Flight and a few others. Zhu Zhu who was also a VJ on MTV China is all set to make her big debut. Here are some photos of Zhu Zhu that prove she's all set for Bollywood and ready to romance Bollywood's Sultan on the silver screen!

A photo posted by Zhu Zhu (@zhuzhuclubheaven) on Aug 9, 2016 at 10:20am PDT

Can't get #Netflix in China, want to watch season 2 so badly...  all the post made me miss everyone so much... When's the next reunion??? #marcopoloseason2 A photo posted by Zhu Zhu (@zhuzhuclubheaven) on Jul 1, 2016 at 6:35pm PDT

 A photo posted by Zhu Zhu (@zhuzhuclubheaven) on Apr 19, 2016 at 12:20am PDT

Morning London!  who's around? A photo posted by Zhu Zhu (@zhuzhuclubheaven) on Apr 13, 2016 at 1:13am PDT
Actress Vidya Balan has been actively involved in philanthropy and shes also the brand ambassador for National Sanitation in India.

If you jog your memory a little, she has also done several ad campaigns including Television ads and radio spots for sanitation in UP and Bihar too.

YouTube SCreengrab

Apart from being involved in these campaigns related to spreading awareness about cleanliness and the need for sanitation facilities in the country. A few days ago, Vidya Balan was awarded the Woman Icon of the Year award for her contribution to cinema. She was also awarded a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh at an event.

According to a Hindustan Times report, Vidya Balan has donated her award prize money to Swades Foundation. Swades Foundation is actively involved in building toilets in several rural parts of India.

A source close to Vidya Balan told HT,

TheHindu

Vidya has been actively involved in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. She wanted to contribute towards building toilets in the country. The team of the Swades Foundation was surprised when they received a cheque worth Rs5 lakh.

That's really thoughtful of you, Vidya!
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last week came out with a strong criticism against "those running shops in the name of cow protection." Denouncing the violence, he had asked state governments to take strict action against those indulge in violence in the name of Gau Raksha.

PIB

He had termed them "anti-social elements", who indulged in crimes by the night and masqueraded as cow protectors by the day.

A day later in Telangana, Modi had asked people to beware of "fake" cow protectors as they were trying to create "tension and conflict" in the society and said that "if you have to attack, attack me" but stop attacking "my Dalit bretheren".

Despite stern warning, it seems like the vigilantes are unmoved and are continuing with their self-styled activism, attacking those suspected of cow slaughter. Yet another incident of cow-vigilantism has now surfaced. This time from Andhra Pradesh-- once again on the receiving end were two dalits.

Thier crime - they skinned a cow which had died due to electrocution. The incident happened in Janakipeta of East Godavari district in Andhra.

amazonaws

According to police, after the cow died following electrocution, its owner, a farmer, engaged the two Dalits, who were brothers, for skinning the animal before it was buried last night.

Also Read: 11 Major Incidents Of Violence Against Dalits Which Show How Badly We Treat Them

On getting to know of the skinning, the "gau rakshaks" went to the place and beat up the duo, identified as Mokati Elisha and Lazer, suspecting that they had killed the animal.

BCCL/representative image

The two were admitted to a hospital in Amalapuram for treatment and Elisha's condition was said to be serious.

Also Read: Three Cow Vigilantees Arrested For Assaulting Dalit Youths After They Skinned A Dead Cow

"We have registered a case under SCs/STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against some persons, who are yet to be identified. We are investigating the case and gathering clues about the suspects," a police official said.

The latest incident also comes even as Gujarat is still on the boil after dalit protest over flogging of Dalit youths in Una over similar allegations. After a video of them being beaten up went viral, the dalit community boycotted collecting cow carcasses and even dumped them on the streets.
PIB

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last week came out with a strong criticism against "those running shops in the name of cow protection." Denouncing the violence, he had asked state governments to take strict action against those indulge in violence in the name of Gau Raksha.

He had termed them "anti-social elements", who indulged in crimes by the night and masqueraded as cow protectors by the day.

A day later in Telangana, Modi had asked people to beware of "fake" cow protectors as they were trying to create "tension and conflict" in the society and said that "if you have to attack, attack me" but stop attacking "my Dalit bretheren". Read the details here.

Here are 5 more stories that may interest you:

1. Kids Give Up Mid-Day Meal So Baby Rhinos Rescued From Assam Floods Can Have Milk

PTI

The story of Assam's floods is one of horror and state apathy, but like all calamities, it brings forth stories of human kindness.

Nepali Khuti Banuwa LP School students, who depend on the government's mid-day meal program for their daily meals understand the value of food.

They also know the feeling of being near starvation, and have therefore given up their meal so that orphaned rhino calves, rescued by the Centre for Wildlife Rescue and Conservation could have milk. More details here

2. TATA Motors Just Launched Condoms For Truck Drivers, Now They'll 'Use Dipper At Night'!

img.etimg

The year was 2002. Prasoon Joshi, current APAC chairman of McCann Worldgroup, was working on an HIV awareness campaign for NACO (National AIDS Control Organisation). Researchers from his team were asking men from Tier II and III towns if they were inclined towards wearing a condom.

One respondent told them that he wears a condom everyday but it gets loose by the evening. He didn't know a condom is to be worn during sexual intercourse. And then there's the possibly apocryphal story of a man who after seeing a demonstration of a condom on a banana, apparently covered the fruits with rubbers to stay safe from AIDS.

The awareness around the disease and its causes has increased over the years but is still far short of the mark. And one classic 'low-awareness high-risk' category is truck drivers: a highly mobile population who spend their nights and days traversing the roads and highways of the country. And who tend towards promiscuous sexual behaviour. Their indifference towards the importance of safe sex leads to the migration of the virus from high prevalence to low prevalence zones, spreading throughout the country. Read more about the elephant here!

3.Putin And Modi Unite To Inaugurate Kalam's Dream, The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant

BCCL

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa will on Wednesday jointly dedicate the nation the first unit of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. It will be done through a video conferencing.

In the function to be held at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Corporation, chairman SK Sharma, Russian company Atomstroy Export president Limareenko and site director Sundar will be present. The first unit of Kudankulam nuclear power plant attained criticality in July 2013. Till now, more than 10,800 million units of power has been generated from the first unit. Read more here

4. Pakistan Army Is Helping Terrorists To Infiltrate To India, Arrested LeT Terrorist Operative Bahadur Ali Claims

ANI

India's premier counterterrorism agency the National Investigation Agency says they have solid evidence to link Pakistan's army with the terrorism in Kashmir.

The NIA on Wednesday released the video of Bahadur Ali, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative arrested last month admitting the role of Pakistani military experts in training and equipping terrorists in Kashmir.

"LeT is being helped by Pakistan army in spreading unrest in the Kashmir valley," NIA IG Sanjeev Kumar said in the first press briefing since Ali's arrest.

Ali, aka Abu Saifullah who was arrested on July 25 with weapons including an AK-47 rifle, live rounds, grenades and grenade launcher following an encounter with security forces in Kupwara district, said he was asked to mingle with the locals, and attack security forces taking advantage of the on going protest in the valley. He reportedly was asked to throw grenades at security forces from the crowd. Read more here

5. Kerala Man Who Survived The Emirates Flight Crash Wins Rs 6.66 Crore In Dubai Duty Free Lottery

Gulf News

Talk about being lucky, it can't get any better than A.K. Mohammad Basheer. The 62-year-old Kerala resident who last week had a miraculous escape after the fight he was travelling, Emirates EK521 caught fire.

If that wasn't enough just days after cheating death Basheer has become a millionaire! This after his lottery at the Dubai Duty Free won the first prize of $1 million ( Over Rs 6.66 crore) on Tuesday.

Basheer had purchased the ticket on Eid on his way for a vacation with his family in Kerala.

A regular in trying his luck on lotteries, Basheer struck the jackpot on his 17th attempt. Read the details here.
Officials from the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) in Kolkata are part of a panel set up by the Centre to see whether rubber pellets can replace lead balls, after the number of life-impairing injuries during the recent Kashmir violence and the protests that followed.

BCCL

Rifle Factory Ishapore (RFI), about 30 km from Kolkata, is the only one in the country that makes the .12 bore pump action guns (PAGs) that security agencies use against stone-pelting mobs in Kashmir.

Originally marketed as a non-lethal weapon, the PAGs were issued to central paramilitary forces like the BSF and CRPF for crowd control. BSF personnel manning the India-Bangladesh border were also issued this weapon after Bangladesh complained of excessive use of force by Indian border guards. However, the gun lost its non-lethal tag in Kashmir in the recent weeks following Burhan Wani's death.

One person died and nearly 100 protesters suffered eye injuries after being hit by pellets.

Also Read: Youth Allegedly Killed By Pellet Gun Fired At Point-Blank Range Near Kashmir Hospital

BCCL

These guns are not strictly non-lethal unless fired from a distance. If a person receives a full charge at short range, the injury can be fatal. The PAG is effectively a shotgun that is considered lethal during close quarter combat. These guns are used as scatter guns for crowd control by the police in western countries but the pellets are made of rubber. In India, security forces now use the .12 bore 7 mm 'Astram' cartridges. Each cartridge carries a charge of 32 gram of hardened lead pellets.

Also Read: Pellet Gun Injuries Leaving Young Kashmiris Blind, Disfigured And Angry

A PAG can carry four cartridges in its magazine and one in the chamber.

"The government of India has now set up a committee to consider whether the cartridges can be packed with rubber pellets instead of lead ones. Officials from the OFB are also part of the committee," said Ratneshwar Varma, general manager, RFI.

BCCL

According to RFI joint general manager C Kamal Kumar, no changes will be required in the .12 bore PAG if the lead pellets are replaced with rubber ones. The factory builds two PAG variants. The one with a 20-inch barrel is meant for civilian use while a smaller one (18-inch barrel) is meant for the security forces.

Also Read: As Parties Fight Over Use Of Pellet Guns In The Valley, More Than 3,300 Soldiers Were Also Injured, Do We Care?

Earlier this year, the State Bank of India signed an MoU with RFI for supply of 11,000 PAGs for its security guards.

BCCL

The factory in Ishapore is now building over 1,000 PAGs a month. While 1,000 will go to the bank, the remaining is for the ministry of home affairs to meet orders from central paramilitary forces and state police forces. Even the West Bengal Police has ordered 66 PAGs.

Also Read: Pellet Gun Injuries Leaving Young Kashmiris Blind, Disfigured And Angry

OFB sells a PAG for about Rs 55,000.

"We are expecting more orders for PAGs, particularly from the civilian market. After SBI, other banks may also want to arm their guards with this weapon. In a way, it would be good if rubber pellets are introduced. After all, the law is against the use of more force than is required to prevent a crime. After what happened in Kashmir, people would want to arm their security guards with a weapon that is truly non-lethal," an official said.
The Russian Helicopters Holding will open a center for repair of Mi-8/17 helicopters in Azerbaijan and the corresponding agreement is expected to be signed at the ADEX 2016 exhibition in late September, TASS reported citing deputy director general of the holding for after-sales service, Igor Chechikov.

He added that negotiations are currently underway regarding the form of cooperation.

There is a plan to sign the relevant agreements during the ADEX 2016 Azerbaijan International Defense Industry Exhibition, he said.

On Aug. 8, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said that an aircraft assembly plant and a center for helicopter modernization will be opened in Baku, Azerbaijan.

He made the remarks following the summit of presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran in St. Petersburg.
Turns out, PM Modi was spot on when he mentioned people running businesses in the name of the cow  thats exactly what Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is facing.

BCCL

Undesirable elements, she told the Indian Express, are taking over government land, claiming to be gau rakshaks. Soon after, they demand the government give them the land for a gaushala (cow shelter/shed).

The state has received many such applications, despite being home to 1,606 registered gaushalas, with 5 lakh cows and their male progeny.

Along with land, gaushalas get receive famine allowance for Rs. 70 per large animal, and Rs 35 a day for a small animal. Many new claimants have reportedly rounded up stray cattle and now want to set up a gaushala either on encroached land or a gauchar, an official said. Rajasthan government has denied reports that lapses at the government-run cowshed in Hingonia, Jaipur has caused mass deaths of cattle.

BCCL

According to Kunji Lal Meena, secretary for the Animal Husbandry and Gaupalan department, there are over 8,000 cows at the Hingonia Gaushala which are taken care of by a team of 14 veterinarians, 24 livestock assistants, and about 200 other staff.

He said that the cows which died were only recently brought to the facility and most of the were already unwell and suffering from malnutrition.

The statement comes after reports emerged that over a hundred cows died in the centre in just the past couple of days due to neglect and starvation.

Also Read: Propaganda Videos, Religious Fervor And More - The Making Of A Cow Vigilante

The functioning of cow shelter in Hingonia, the biggest of its kind in Rajasthan, had been hit since last month after contract labourers began a strike demanding unpaid wages.

They also claim that there is an acute shortage of staff at the welfare home which currently have less than 20 labourers as against the required strength of 240.

BCCL

Last year Rajasthan had become first Indian state to have a separate department and minister in charge of the welfare of cow, considered holy by Hindus. According to the government, Rs 10.78 crore is being spent in 2015-16 financial year at the Hingonia centre alone.

The Cow Was Killed By A Lion And Not By The Dalits Who Were Flogged For It By Cow-Protection Vigilantes
An Ayurvedic doctor who was arrested last month in Delhi for running an international organ smuggling racket has escaped police custody.

BCCL

Dr Amit Ravat aliases Amit Kumar aliases Santosh Raut was arrested by Gujarat police from Delhi on July 29 after being on the run for years.

He escaped custody while being escorted back from Delhi by Anand crime branch in Swarna Jayanti Express.

After having dinner, the team went to sleep and according to procedure, handcuffs were put on Raut to prevent his escape.

"It was sometime between 2 am and 3 am when the train was crossing Ajmer junction that one of the police constables woke up and found Raut missing from his berth. The handcuffs were left latched to the railing but there was no trace of Raut," said Saurabh Singh, superintendent of police, Anand.

BCCL

Last month he was arrested from an apartment in Gurgaon, over a complaint by Aamir Malek, a villager, who claimed that his kidney was extracted without his knowledge in a Delhi hospital.

Later investigations revealed seven poor labourers from the village had been taken to Delhi and their kidneys removed for as little as Rs 50,000. Later these organs were transplanted on patients in Europe and US, Greece, Lebanon, Canada, Saudi Arabia and UAE.

BCCL

"Our investigations had revealed that Ravat used to conduct surgeries on the victims and remove their kidneys that were sold later. He also conducted surgery on the victim who had filed a complaint in Anand earlier this year," said Anand LCB police inspector Haresh Vora.

Raut, originally from Maharashtra completed M.S. from Nagpur and then shifted to Delhi in 1996. He was accused in similar racket in 1995 and then 2008 in Gurugram.
A 65-year-old man was on Wednesday killed when his two-wheeler was allegedly hit by a car in which Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia was travelling, police said.

BCCL

The accident occurred at Puthiyakavu on the Kochi-Allapuzha stretch of a national highway when Scindia was going in a chauffeur-driven car to attend a function at Cherthala after arriving at Kochi from New Delhi, they said.

BCCL

After the incident, the Congress leader in a tweet said "Devastated - sad loss of life - unfortunate accident between Cochin-Allepey. Arranged for hospital immediately - on way to meet bereaved family!".

Devastated - sad loss of life - unfortunate accident betw Cochin-Allepy. Arranged for hospital immediately - on way to meet bereaved family!  Jyotiraditya Scindia (@JM_Scindia) August 10, 2016

Police identified the deceased as Sasi, a resident of Puthiyakavu locality. Though Sasi was rushed to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to injuries, police said.
During a recent discussion on biodiversity parks in the Lok Sabha, members of Parliament from Gujarat made it clear to their counterparts from Madhya Pradesh that no lions were going to be sent to that state from Gujarat, given the current state of affairs. The last lion census in 2015 had found 523 lions in Gujarat.

BCCL

During the debate in Parliament, Congress leader and MP from Guna, Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia, asked whether some 40-odd lions could be relocated from Gir National Park to Kuno Palpur in Madhya Pradesh. MPs from Gujarat immediately stood up and denied the demand in unison.

The issue of translocating lions has been a bone of contention between the two states since the late 90s.

The row began when Samajwadi party chief Mulayam Sing Yadav sought a probe into the death of two lions gifted to Uttar Pradesh from zoos in Gujarat.

BCCL

It is worthy to note that the UP government has raised allegations that Gujarat has been sending sick lions. When a safari park was being set up in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, too, made same allegations and avoided approaching Gujarat for lions.

In fact, MPs from Gujarat were touchy over any further demand for lions.

Narayan Kachadiya, MP from Amreli, said, "As soon as Scindia raised the issue of lion translocation, I got up and said that the state will not send a single lion to Madhya Pradesh. Immediately, other MPs too got on their feet and refused to part with the lions."

BCCL

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan did not allow the point to be stretched, as she said the issue was not relevant to the topic being discussed - biodiversity parks.

In response to Mulayam Sing Yadav's request, however, Union environment minister, Anil Madhav Dave, assured a probe into the lion deaths.

Yadav said that two lions recently gifted by Gujarat to Etawah Wildlife Lion Safari Park - his dream project - had died, and he wanted to know whether there was any shortcoming on part of Uttar Pradesh.

BCCL

It is worthy to note that until now, all lions sent to Etawah from Gujarat have died.

In April 2013, the Supreme Court had formed a 12-member committee to oversee the translocation of lions from Gir to Kuno Palpur. A master plan was prepared by experts, and the committee headed by Ravi Chellam and Y V Jhala proposed translocation of 40 lions phased across two decades.

Initially, the duo of lion experts, Chellam and Jhala had proposed shifting 12 lions from Gir to Kuno Palpur.
The dream of a pilot to manufacture his own aircraft in India could soon become a reality. The Maharashtra government is all set to give wings to the dreams of Amol Yadav, who assembled a six-seater aircraft in his three-BHK flat in Charkop, Kandivali in the suburb of Mumbai.

Jetphotos

The state government will allot 46-acres of land in Palghar for building 20-seater commercial planes, making it the first of its kind made in India.

His TAC-003 aircraft was one of the star attractions in the Make in India Week in February this year.

BCCL

Calling it a torch-bearer of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet project - Make in India, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the state government will provide all support to the venture.

On his part, an excited Yadav told ET that the price of his 20-seater planes will be significantly less than similar aircraft imported from abroad, and can "revolutionize air travel" in the country.

"These aircraft can fly between smaller cities with tickets priced at less than Rs 2,000, which will improve air connectivity and boost tourism," he said.

Yadav is a 40-year-old deputy chief pilot with Jet Airways, whose obsession with aircraft began in school.

He got his hands-on experience in assembling and maintaining planes while his stay in the US during a year-long flying training course

Yadav, who later returned to India, started building his own aircraft, piece-by-piece over a period of six years in his home in Sukant Society, which he shares with 19 of his family members.

Twitter

Despite his plane getting recognised by the civil aviation ministry, Yadav said since 2011, numerous efforts to get it registered with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation was caught in red tape.

Now with all the clearances granted, Yadav is in talks with aircraft engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney to supply engines for his aircraft. The first two prototype 20-seater planes will be rolled out by the end of next year.
When you see the name Rakhi Sawant in the news, you know she has done something controversial. Well this time around, the story is no different.

Some Indians in Illinois, USA were celebrating the Independence day and for some God-knows-why reason they invited Rakhi Sawant as the special guest.

And she some how managed to arrive there wearing this:

Twitter

A self-confessed Modi-fan, Sawant, had the Indian Prime Minister's image imprinted on her dress- maybe in a 'slightly inappropriate way'.

Twitter
Hey, Potterheads! India's got its own special connection to Harry Potter and you'll love it!

Did you notice how easy it was to lay your hands on the latest HP book on the day of its worldwide release? Well, you have a Karnataka-based firm to thank for that.

Manipal Technologies Ltd. is officially the only privileged company in all of Asia to have won the rights to print Harry Potter And The Cursed Child which was released on J.K. Rowling's (and Harry's!) birthday on 31st July.

Pottermore

Reported by The Hindu, the firm had released a press release which said that the book was printed in complete secrecy and security. Every little bit of information about the book was kept under tight wraps before its launch. Also, the books were printed in record time and were delivered to the Indian publisher, Hachette India for their grand unveiling.

AFP/Getty

According to Mr. Rajan, VP and Business Head, the security measures entailed maintaining a tight vigil on the 3,00,000 sq ft facility - especially on the production floor and at the warehouse. The facility was kept under 24/7 surveillance - both physical and electronic - with a complete ban on mobile phones and other gadgets.

In wizard lingo, full magical defences were set up to protect the last of the Harry Potter treasures.

*Protego Maxima. Fianto Duri. Repello Inimicum.*
27-year-old Google employee Venessa Marcotte was found murdered in Massachusetts after she went for a jog and never came back.

Venessa, who worked in New York, was visiting home for the weekend when she disappeared Sunday afternoon. Her body was found on Sunday night a mile away from her mother's place in Princeton.

Instagram

She was last seen at 1 pm before her body was found by the state police in a wooded area at 8 pm. Police sources have cited that there were indications of her body being burnt but they are still investigating whether she was sexually assaulted or not.

Venessa had joined Google in January 2015 as a healthcare account manager in New York City. According to her LinkedIn profile, she had graduated from Boston University in 2011.

Instagram

In an email statement to The Washington Post, Google confirmed Venessa's employment with the company.

"Vanessa Marcotte was a much loved member of the Google team, working in our New York office for the last year and a half, and known for her ubiquitous smile, passion for volunteer work, and love of Boston sports," the statement said. "We are deeply shocked and saddened and our thoughts are with her family and friends."
There is a petition circulating the internet, "Google - Put Palestine on your maps" that has been signed by more than 180,000 people because Palestine was apparently removed from Google Maps and shown as Israel.

Google Maps

The petition, on Change.org, was first uploaded in March but the story caught on once again after it was reported that Google made this decision recently. The description read:

"Google has no grounds whasoever for omitting Palestine from its maps. The fact that Israel - an artificial state established on Palestinian territory - is clearly designated on Google Maps, while Palestine itself has been "airbrushed" out, is outrageous and deeply offensive to Palestinians. It is the online parallel of Israel's policy of demolishing Palestinian villages and changing Palestinian place names in an effort to erase Palestine from the map. Google is aiding and abetting the Israeli government in this ethnic cleansing program."

It has led to hashtags online such as "PalestineIsHere" and "PalestineExists", using which people are posting:

Google has deleted the name of Palestine from all its maps and replaced it with Israel. Really Google? #PalestineExists  Alya Jess Chaudhry (@AlyaJessC) August 8, 2016

hearing Palestine being erased from the world map has me disgusted and hurt for my Palestinian brothers and sisters. #Palestineexists  sal (@SalamBeydoun) August 10, 2016

According to Al Arabiya, a Google spokeman wrote to them clarifying the situation of Palestine's apparent obliteration from its maps.

"There has never been a Palestine label on Google Maps, however we discovered a bug that removed the labels for West Bank and Gaza Strip. Were working quickly to bring these labels back to the area, the spokesperson said.

As background, our basemap data, which includes information like place names, borders, and road networks, comes from a combination of third-party providers and public sources. While this helps us provide a comprehensive map, it also means that the amount of data we have varies from place to place and you can see this reflected in our maps.

A glitch recently has removed the dotted red lines from what was previously labelled as West Bank and Gaza. In the past, users who searched for Palestine were zoomed into the territory of Israel with dotted red lines around the occupied territories of West Bank and Gaza.

However, Google manages issues of disputed territory by showing different maps to people depending on where they are searching from. And it shows those disputed areas in dotted red lines to allow people to make their own decisions about geopolitical issues. For example, in India, Arunachal Pradesh is shown as a part of Indian territory, whereas a user in China would view it as a part of China and users in the US would see a dotted red line around the border.

This is what seems to be happening to Palestine's position on the map.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

Trend:

American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan (AmCham) welcomes Azerbaijani presidents order, dated Aug. 4, 2016, On improvement of tax administration and approval of directions of reforms in taxation in 2016.

We are glad to see that a number of recommendations to improve tax administration and simplify doing business in the country, proposed to the Azerbaijani government by AmCham, found its reflection in the order, said AmCham Executive Director in Azerbaijan Natavan Mammadova.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan is a private, non-profit business association supporting and promoting the interests of business in Azerbaijan.

Established in 1996, AmCham is composed of over 280 members and associates active in every sector of the Azerbaijani economy.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

By Maksim Tsurkov, Rufiz Hafizoglu and Elena Kosolapova  Trend:

Under the Energy Union strategy, the EU is committed to diversification of gas sources, counterparties and routes, aiming to reduce overdependence on a single dominant supplier or route, an informed source in the European Commission told Trend Aug. 10.

The comment came with regard to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglus proposal to connect the Russia-developed Turkish Stream pipeline to the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), which will start delivering Azerbaijani gas to Europe in 2020.

The European Commission aims at creating more interconnected and competitive gas markets in Europe in order to achieve this objective, with such initiatives as, particularly, the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC), said the source.

As regards timing of the Southern Gas Corridor project, we support the timely development of the SGC, which should ensure the flow of gas from the Caspian region to the EU by 2020, added the source.

The source said also that the European Commission is familiar with the statements of the Russian and Turkish sides after their meeting in St. Petersburg on Aug. 9, but it doesn't have any particular comment to make as regards the Turkish Stream as such.

Infrastructure that spans over to the EU  as any other pipeline in the EU  will have to fully respect the EU law, noted the source.

Turkeys Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Turkish media Aug. 10 that Ankara will buy only 16 billion cubic meters of Russian gas per year via the Turkish Stream. The remaining volume of Russian gas can be exported through Turkey via TANAP by connecting it to the Turkish Stream.

In a comment to Trend, Turkish Foreign Ministry said they arent ready to talk about the details of Cavusoglus statement.

TANAP Consortium, in turn, told Trend that they are familiar with Turkish foreign ministers statement, but dont have precise information.

Meanwhile, Russias Energy Ministry expressed readiness to clarify their position on the issue, adding that currently they dont have detailed information.

TANAP project, worth $9.2 billion, envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijans Shah Deniz field to the western borders of Turkey. The gas will be delivered to Turkey in 2018, and after completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipelines construction, the gas will be delivered to Europe in early 2020.

TANAP shareholders are Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR (58 percent), BOTAS (30 percent) and BP (12 percent).

---

Follow the authors on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov, @rhafizoglu and @E_Kosolapova
The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Enugu State has assured that President Muhammadu Buhari will not disappoint Nigerians in the task of fixing the country.

The party gave the assurance in a statement signed and issued to journalists on Tuesday by its spokesperson, Kate Offor.

The Enugu APC was reacting to recent remarks about the president by a Catholic Priest and Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka.

Mr. Mbaka, who predicted Mr. Buharis victory in the March 2015 presidential election, had said life was no longer easy for Nigerians and the president should know that there is trouble.

But he followed up in a statement through his spokesman, Maximus Ugwuoke, expressing concern in some sections of the media that he attacked the president, saying it was far from the truth.

The Cleric insisted that he didnt attack Buhari but told him the situation of things in the country and also suggested ways out.

The news headline is not only sensational but also a censorious media colouration and hype of the message of the cleric titled Bless and Be Blessed for whatever ends, the statement said.

The Catholic priest said that it was true he lamented the level of hunger and suffering in the country, but that it was followed by another message where he explained that President Buhari was not to be blamed.

The past Government was a disaster to the land of Nigeria; the past government was cancer to this country. There is no need trying to cover their incalculable and iniquitous mess. If you dont feel it now, you will feel it later.

The impact of their horrific mess is yet to be felt. It was a regime where hooliganism became a political slogan; where looting became the order of the day; where the neglect of youths became a pattern of administration. The result is what we are passing through now. Hunger is everywhere; the hunger was created before this new government came in. Buhari is not the maker of the hunger.

The hunger was created during the Jonathan PDP administration but Buhari should abate the long procrastination, bureaucracy and slow methods in tackling it, he was quoted in the statement as saying.

The Enugu APC said though it agreed with Mr. Mbaka, the president was committed to fixing the country.

We wish to reassure Fr. Mbaka that President Buhari will not in the fullness of time disappoint Nigerians or fail to fix our dilapidated social and physical infrastructure. Never! Buhari is devotedly committed to pull Nigerians out of poverty, hunger and squalor, it said.

The party however, agreed with Mr. Mbaka that the past Peoples Democratic Party administrations should be blamed for Nigerias woes and that if they had done what was expected of them, the nation would not have been in its current situation.

It said, For us yesterday and for true reality is the architecture of today, and nobody can wash yesterday away.

Therefore, Fr Mbaka is correct in stating that the past regimes sowed the whirlwind we are regrettably reaping today.

If the $16 billion expended on power supply was prudently expended, if the 3 Greenfield Refineries awarded on 13 May, 2010 was not dead and fund decayed in the sand, if the $8.3 billion spent on the old gauge Lagos-Kano Railway were for standard gauge, if the Enugu-Onitsha, Enugu-Port Harcourt, 2nd Niger Bridge the and other federal roads monies budgeted were not eaten by locust, if the monies meant for Enugu Coal were nor embezzled and if the billions budgeted for our schools and hospitals did not grow wings; hunger couldnt have been in the land, unemployment could have been drastically reduced and our prosperity could have been guaranteed.

The party said for the avoidance of doubt, its members and by extension Nigeria, feel the pains, pangs of hunger, gruesome hardship and abject poverty ravaging the land.

It said its members were not immune to hunger nor the gross unemployment dislocating the countrys teeming youth.

The party said Mr. Buhari had repeatedly disclosed that he was not unaware or unconcerned about the sordid economic situation and that was the reason he was waging strident war against corruption.

His solution is to effectively and prudently implement 2016 and subsequent budgets, so as to fix the decayed infrastructure, it said.

On the issue of being slow, Mr. President pointed out that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Procurement Act and other extant laws make it impossible for any official to expend monies not appropriated by the National Assembly. Otherwise, he could have dipped his hand into the trillions budgeted and hit the ground running.

It is pertinent to inform as well that Mr. President is embarking on economic diplomacy, travelling the length and breadth of the globe, utilizing his huge goodwill to attract foreign investors to fulfil the solemn pledge he made to the good people of Nigeria.

It is common knowledge that destruction is very easy and reconstruction very difficult. This is the ordeal that Mr. President is facing in fixing Nigeria.

The Enugu APC assured Mr. Mbaka and other Nigerians that in the fullness of time, nobody would ever regret voting for Mr. Buhari, adding All he needs is prayers patience and support.
According to a UK report, security forces have warned that thousands of Nigerian refugees indoctrinated in Boko Haram camps are heading to Europes shores as a famine intensifies.

SEE: Saraki Seeks Probe Of Boko Haram Recruitment In IDPs Camps

The report claims that Britain has committed to spending 860 million in foreign aid to Nigeria to help support the countrys efforts to crush Boko Haram.

The report also states that human traffickers from the ISIS-backed terror group are transporting girls and young men across the Sahara into Libya.

Some trained suicide bombers and militants are heading for Europe while others are travelling to fight for Islamic State in Syria.

They will soon start showing up on the Mediterraneans shores, a source linked to Nigerias National Intelligence Agency said.

Some of these people are trained suicide bombers and fighters, including children as young as ten. They have all been indoctrinated by Boko Haram and they could soon turn up in Europes capitals.

SEE ALSO: Boko Haram Leaders In Leadership Tussle
https://youtu.be/CGywJtBwQSk

Heineken, the worlds leading international premium beer, in its ongoing attempt to enhance the cities of the world, brings the third edition of its Cities campaign to Nigeria. This years campaign tagged Shape your City is aimed at transforming great cities while broadening the imagination of the new generation city dwellers, inspiring them to contribute their quota to improving their cities.

Heineken is taking this opportunity to call on everyone to visit http://www.heineken.com/ng to share ideas to shape the city of their dreams.

To achieve the #ShapeYourCity campaign, Heineken Nigeria partners with City Shapers, individuals known for using their skills in creating one-of-kind experiences to make their cities more enjoyable for dwellers. They are urban visionaries who have by small actions of their own, contributed to shaping cities across Nigeria.

https://youtu.be/pSQIJbq0pfw

The selected City Shapers include: Bolanle Austen-Peters, Founder of Nigerias foremost cultural hub, Terra Kulture; Theo Lawson, Architect of the acclaimed Freedom Park and Kalakuta Museum; and Kenneth Gyang, Director of award winning films Confusion Na Wa and Blood & Henna.

https://youtu.be/jnZ1qq7BmAA

Globally, Heineken is committed to making great cities even greater and we are glad to include Nigeria in this movement. said Ngozi Nkwoji, Senior Brand Manager, Heineken Nigeria. This years theme of shaping cities is focused on encouraging people to contribute to their city as Heineken believes that the smallest of gestures have the potential to bring about unexpected transformation to our Nigerian cities.

As part of the campaign, Heineken has also launched a series of limited Heineken City Edition bottles and cans, each bearing the name of renowned cities across the globe including 10 Nigerian cities namely Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Enugu, Benin, Warri, Kaduna, Aba and Onitsha.

Heineken, is reaching out to city dwellers across Nigeria to share their ideas for improving great cities. At the end of the campaign, the winning idea(s) will be executed by Heineken Nigeria while engaging City Shapers and other passionate urban explorers across the country to help make the project a reality.

To stand a chance to have your project executed in the Heineken #ShapeYourCity campaign, visit the website http://www.heineken.com/ng to submit city shaping ideas now!

You can also use the hashtag #ShapeYourCity across all social media platforms to contribute your ideas towards transforming cities in Nigeria.

About Heineken

In 2014, Heineken launched a brand new platform  CITIES. This a platform designed to foster the relationship between the brand and the cities it operates in, bringing it closer to consumers and their cities.

The Heineken brand is available across 192 countries across the globe and is the worlds most international premium beer brand.

To follow Heineken on Twitter visit www.twitter.com/heineken and to become a fan on Facebook go to www.facebook.com/heineken. To view videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/heineken.
These are hard times for Brazilian President, Dilma Rousseff as the bid to impeach her, which has raged since December 2015 seems to be closer to fruition than ever.

Rousseffs unpopularity stems from a couple of factors among which include the worst economic recession in thirty years and a massive corruption scandal at the state-run petroleum company, Petrobas.

Many of Rousseffs allies have been implicated in the scandal and the decision to appoint her predecessor and godfather as Chief of staff further alienated her.

However, the impeachment charges against her stem from illegal accounting practices surrounding the budget as well charges of cooking the books to hide Brazils economic recession.

The lower house had voted in favour of her impeachment a few months ago and a Senate vote also supporting her impeachment was all that stood between her and a trial.

The Brazilian Senate today overwhelmingly in favor of her impeachment, with 59 Senators voting in favour and 21 senators voting against.

Rousseff has decried the impeachment attempts against her, describing it as a coup. Nevertheless, her trial will begin on August 25 and if found guilty, she will finally be impeached.
Burnaboys alleged babymama Uju Stella has been reportedly spotted at a mall in Lekki with no baby bump in sight.

Uju Stella shocked Nigerians back in May, June this year when she announced out of the blues that shes pregnant for music artiste Burna Boy.

According to her, they were in a relationship. Stella claims that after she told Burna she was with his child, he wanted nothing to do with her. So, she took to Instagram to call him out.

When Burnaboy slammed bloggers for giving her attention, saying he had sex with her just once and

she was never pregnant, Stella showed off her growing baby bump and posted her pregnancy test result to prove her claim was true and even blasted Burnas mother for criticizing her.

Well, theres an update to Uju Stella & Burnas scandal  one of Burnas fans says she spotted Uju at a mall in Lekki and there was no baby bump in sight. The young lady wrote on Burnaboys IG page:

Source: Instagram
Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, on Tuesday condemned the stripping and battering of a 14-year-old girl, Uzoamaka Chukwu, in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of the state.

Chukwu, a JSS 2 student, was last month allegedly stripped naked, dragged around on the ground and flogged on the orders of the coordinator of Ohaozara Development Centre, Ogbonnaya Odi.

When the news first broke, it was reported that the girl was humiliated by her father, who supposedly caught her with her lover in his house. However, as the story unfolded, it was discovered that Miss Chukwu was an orphan and victim of oppression by Mr. Odi and his cohorts, including two serving police men.

Reacting to the viral report, Gov. Umahi, in a statement by his spokesperson, Emma Anya, said he had directed the police to ensure that all the perpetrators, be they political appointees or not, were properly investigated with a view to bringing those guilty to justice.

Ebonyi State Government condemns in totality, the inhuman treatment meted out to a minor, Miss Uzoamaka, Chukwu, by some people in Ohoazara LGA, the statement said.

It continued: Government encourages the state police command to ensure a thorough investigation of the incident and bring to book, the suspects, some of whom are already in detention.

Governor David Umahi will not in any way condone the violation of the rights of any Ebonyian, especially minors, by anyone be he in government or private sector.

The politicisation of this pitiful situation cannot benefit the little girl concerned nor the politicians parading her on national media. The naked images of the child splashed on newspaper pages are utterly condemnable.

Government has already taken action to locate the minor in order to ensure that she is properly rehabilitated and made to overcome the trauma she has passed through.
An Ogudu Magistrates Court, Lagos, on Wednesday remanded a 37-year-old father, Okoro Odia, in prison custody for putting grinded pepper on his 10-year-old daughters private part.

Okoro is standing trial on a three-count of indecent treatment, attempt to commit murder and assault.

Prosecutor Ihiehie Lucky told the court that the accused committed the alleged offences sometime in June and August.

Ihiehie said that Okoro, a furniture maker, unlawfully and indecently dealt with his daughter.

He said the step-mother, Abayomi Maria, reported that the accused always beat up the girl.

The prosecutor said the complainant told the police that Okoro had sometime in June used a dog chain to tie the girl to a ceiling fan and left her there.

Ihiehie told the court that the accused tied the daughter to the ceiling because she failed to submit his lotto number to the agent.

He told the court that the indecent assault on the girl was reported by the step-mother to the Ketu Police Station.

Maria, the prosecutor, told the police that on Aug. 8 at about 8:00 p.m. Okoro called his daughter to bring her report sheet.

When he saw that she failed, he indecently punished her. He told her to lie down and he put the dry pepper inside her private part, in her eyes and all over her body.

Her screams alerted the step-mother who tried to stop him but he beat her up, Ihiehie said.

Ihiehie said the offences contravened sections 135, 228(1) and 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused, however, denied the charges.

The Magistrate, Mrs Temitope Oladele, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Oladele said that the sureties must deposit N100,000 each into the Chief Registrars account and show evidence of gainful employment in a reputable organisation.

She also said that the sureties must show evidence of tax payment and their addresses verified by the court, and adjourned the case till Oct. 13 for mention.

Source: Punch
Four officers and sixteen other ranks of the Nigerian Army are facing Court Martial over offences committed in the theatre of the Operation Lafiya Dole.

Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Major General Victor Ezugwu inaugurated the Court Martial on Wednesday following a directive from the Army Headquarters.

According to him, the aim is to achieve timely and quick dispensation of justice.

Gen. Ezugwu appealed to the prosecutors and accused to bear that in mind and avoid antics such as frivolous call for adjournment to cause unnecessary delay.

He also advised the court to avoid bias and decisions based on external pressure, such that the judgement passed stands the test of Appellate Court and public opinion.

Gen. Ezugwu told journalists that the offences of those arraigned varies from theft and sales of ammunition to murder in the course of operations.

The 20 soldiers are being arraigned at the maiden court martial, proceedings on account of the weight of their offences.

The GOC further stated that over a 100 soldiers have been tried and punished at the Brigade level over acts of indiscipline and unprofessionalism.

50,000 soldiers have also been awarded medals of excellence on the theatre of operation for patriotism and gallantry.

The president of the Court Martial, Gen. OG Adeniyi has assured the accused of fair hearing and justice.

The prosecutors have sought adjournment till September 5, 2016, the defense did not oppose but have applied for an open arrest for the accused who have been in military detention form 6 months to nearly 2 years.

Source: Channels
The Imo state government has gone ahead to initiate the 3-day working policy despite the states chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) calling it unconstitutional.

The declaration of the policy has now pitched Governor Rochas Okorocha with the NLC who still insist on total abolishment of the new policy.

The policy gives workers 2 days off from the usual 5 days. Workers are meant to use the days off to fend for themselves.

The NLC threatened to go on strike if such policy was established, claiming the state government had no authority to do so.

However, the governor made an appeal to the NLC, asking for their support on the policy. Also adding that there wont be any reduction to the salaries of the workers.

With the policy now in place, one wonders what happens next.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Aug. 10

By Demir Azizov Trend:

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan Fumihiko Kato in connection with completion of his diplomatic mission in Uzbekistan, press service of the Uzbek Foreign Ministry reported.

During the meeting, Kamilov and Kato discussed topical issues of relations between the two countries.

The parties noted that regular Uzbek-Japanese dialogue in different formats allows to develop cooperation in the interests of both countries.

Uzbek foreign minister congratulated the ambassador on receiving the degree of Honorary Doctor of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy and expressed appreciation for the significant contribution to the development of multifaceted cooperation between Uzbekistan and Japan.

Diplomatic relations between the countries were established in the end of January 1992. In January 1993, the Japanese Embassy was opened in Tashkent and in February 1996 - the Uzbek embassy in Tokyo.

Uzbek-Japanese relations are characterized by mutual respect and trust, which contributes to the development of political, trade, economic and investment cooperation.

Japanese investments in the Uzbek economy to date exceed $2.5 billion. Japan invests in projects in the field of railway transport, oil and gas, energy, mining, automotive, telecommunications, electronics and textile industries.
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has said that the National Caretaker Chairman of the party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, is deceiving Nigerians over the current state of affairs in the party.

Speaking when he granted audience to Madam Esther Opera, the deputy governorship candidate of his faction of the party in Edo State yesterday, Sheriff said that he was waiting for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the names of governorship candidates for the September 10 polls in the state, tomorrow, to start leading the campaign of his factional candidate, Mathew Iduoriyekemwen.

It would be recalled that the INEC, recently, accepted the Makarfi caretaker committees candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as PDP flag bearer for the Edo governorship election.

But Sheriff said: What the court says is that the only person that can submit PDP gubernatorial candidate to INEC for Edo and Ondo states is Sheriff.

The court also said that starting from the date of last convention, May 21, what happened in Port Harcourt signed by Makarfi is illegal, null and void.

So, I dont know why they are deceiving Nigerians. Instead of following the rule of law, they are there wasting their time. They are only just trying to destroy our party by wasting peoples time, making pronouncement and plans that will not even get out of their backyards.

If Pastor Ize-Iyamu likes, let him campaign from now to a thousand years to come, the governorship candidate for Edo State is Matthew. There is no basis for his candidacy. He cannot come from a non-existing caretaker committee and rush to say he has become a candidate of PDP.
The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has directed agencies with powers to prosecute, to compile pending cases they are currently handling in various courts.

This, he said, was in order to determine which of them falls within the category of high profile cases to be taken over by the National Prosecution Coordination Committee (NPCC).

A statement issued by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Salisu Isah, said Malami gave the directive when he met with the various agencies in his office on Monday.

The minister briefed them on the existence of the committee, adding that the meeting was to fashion out a synergy between the committee and the agencies.

Mr. Isah, who is the NPCC Head of Communication and Public Affairs, said Mr. Malamis message was read by Sylvester Imhanobe, the Special Assistant to the president on Research and Special Project.

Mr. Imhanobe, who is also the secretary of the committee, used the occasion to inform the agencies of the objectives for setting up the prosecution committee.

The AGF explained that for a case to be tagged high profile, it must have overriding public interest elements, but that ultimately, he determined what case was tagged a high profile case.

He added that sometimes, the quantum of value of a case and its sensitivity also influenced whether a case was a high profile case or not.

According to him, members of the committee are mainly his aides as well as eight external members selected on the basis of experience and expertise.

He said that the heads of agencies were not part of the NPCC due to their busy schedules.

He said it was important for cooperation and synergy between the committee and the agencies to be consistent with the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari in the anti-graft war.

The Special Assistant to the President on Coordination and International Affairs under the Federal Ministry of Justice, Pius Oteh, chaired the meeting.

Mr. Oteh said the AGF saw the need for coordination and cooperation between the NPCC and agencies with prosecutorial and investigative powers.

The agencies present at the meeting were the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices & other related offences Commission and the Federal Inland Revenue Service. (NAN)
Margaret Wambui, who has been detained at Nairobi Womens Hospital for four months over unpaid bill, has accused her husband of running over her with a minibus after he accused her of infidelity.

The 37-year-old mother of four claims she was attacked by her husband, Stephen Gichuhi on February 18 , this year.

Mr Gichuhi, then a bus driver plying the Wangige-Kiambu route asked her to accompany him to visit a neighbour but instead drove to the home of a politician he accused her of having a relationship with.

The politician confirmed to The Standard that the couple visited his house at around 7pm .

They found me unpacking things from my car. I asked them if they needed any help. I thought they had come, just like many other constituents, looking for help. The man said the person they had come to see was not there. He then directed his wife to get into the matatu, the politician said.

Ms Wambui said they had a confrontation outside the politicians home as her husband accused her of having an affair with the man and warned that he would not share her with other men while he was still alive and sped off.

After a few metres, he opened the passenger door and violently pushed me out. I was not expecting this and clung desperately to the door which was swinging. Then I fell.

When Wambui fell, Gichuhi stopped the bus, reversed and ran over her right leg, crushing it. He reversed again and drove over the leg a second time. An eyewitness, Julius Kimani was driving by and claims to have witnessed the incident.

I was coming from the highway and had just branched into a feeder road. Then I saw a speeding matatu. The driver pulled over and started reversing as if he was looking for a way out as my vehicle was blocking the exit. I saw a woman clinging to the door of the matatu but then she fell. The driver reversed and ran over the womans leg.

Kimani jumped out of the vehicle screaming as Mr Gishuhi ran over his wifes leg a second time.

I ran towards the driver and who started attacking me with his car keys but with the help of my brother, Joseph Maina, we subdued him, grabbed the keys and forced him to sit in the back of the vehicle.

While his brother took over the bus at the scene, Kimani asked Gichuhi if he had money to so they could take the victim to the hospital but he said he had no money.

I reassured him not to worry as I would show him where the money would come from. As I slowed down at some bumps before entering Kikuyu Police Station, he opened the door and vanished,

He drove to the nearest police station and two police officers accompanied them to Kikuyu Hospital. Wambuis mother, Mary Nyambura, said she received the news the next day that her daughter had been admitted to the hospital.

Ms Nyambura claimed that police at Kikuyu Police Station have never recorded the incident in the Occurrence Book and issued an irrelevant P3 form not captured in their records. When she went to the police a few days later, she found the matatu had been released to Gichuhi who has never been arrested.

Ms Nyambura said her daughter was admitted in hospital for two months and re-admitted at Nairobi Womens Hospital after the leg developed complications.

She said even after traffic police at the station wrote a report, they said the incident was an accident.

When I demanded the OB number, they gave me the wrong one referenced 46/18/2016. And after going to several offices within the police station, I realised the OB was recorded in reference to six people who had been arrested for being drunk and causing disturbance, Nyambura said.

Kikuyu OCPD Brigen Kiptoo said the injury was as a result of a domestic violence, not an accident.

Both the accused and the victim gave conflicting statements. There were only two people in the vehicle and this is a complicated case, he said.

Meanwhile, the politician said the infidelity allegation was being used by his opponents to end his political career.

Source: Standard Media ke
A middle-aged man, Simon Akor, has told a Nyanya Customary Court, Abuja, that his wife, Patricia, demands money before allowing him to make love to her.

Simon said this when he testified in a divorce petition against his wife on Tuesday.

My wife always says I must give her money before I enter inside her buttocks, sometimes when I have money, I give her.

Whenever am angry about it and talk to her about it, she will say that all her friends collect money from their husbands before their husbands can get into them, she claimed.

According to him, Patricia rubs juju on her private part before making love to me.

The petitioner said when he confronted her, Patricia said it was the native doctor that gave it to her.

That the native doctor instructed her to always rub it before making love to me, so that even if I drive her out of my house, I will not be able to perform with another woman.

Whenever my wife rubs that oily substance in her private part and I make love to her, my penis will become very weak. I will not be able to do anything again, he said.

He said that his wife invited the native doctor to live with them without his permission.

Simon said Patricia told him that the native doctor saw darkness in our home and had come to dispel it.

The petitioner also told the court that his wife was into human trafficking, adding that she used to bring girls to people in Abuja.

He told the court that his wife chased him out of the house, adding that he was no longer interested in the marriage.

Patricia, a businesswoman, denied the allegations, adding that they pull resources to buy the house.

The presiding officer, Everyman Eleanya, advised the couple to reconcile.

You cant force the court to divorce you, this is a court of justice, we are going to give you room for reconciliation.

This is not because of you or your wife but because of your children.

You should consider your children before you take certain decision in life, Eleanya said.

He urged the petitioners sister, Mary Akor, who was also present in court to try and reconcile his brother and his wife.

He further advised her to explore every possible means, including her church to bring peace and love between them.

He adjourned the case till Sept. 5, for the report of settlement (NAN)

Source: NAN
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has promised to release names of electoral officials, politicians, security personnel and others indicted for electoral offences during the 2007 and 2011 general elections tomorrow (Thursday).

The commission said on Wednesday it will launch a report titled: End electoral impunity, containing among others, names of people indicted for election offences by tribunals.

It would be recalled that the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Prof. Bem Angwe, last month in Abuja, disclosed that the committee will release reports of its investigations very soon.

Prof. Angwe said the NHRC will also release the outcome of its investigation into the December 2014 clash between the army and members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.
Nigerians on Tuesday tackled members of President Muhammadu Buharis cabinet about poverty and rot in the country at a dramatic town hall meeting in Abuja.

PDP candidate Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu yesterday lamented what he described as the APCs poor job creation ideas.

The Sun

All Progressives Congress (APC) women across the country led by wife of the president, Hajia Aisha Buhari, yesterday stormed Edo State in support of Mr Godwin Obaseki, saying that victory for the party in the forthcoming election is non-negotiable.

Thisday

After weeks of accusations and counter-accusations over the alleged alterations made in the 2016 budget, the presidency for first time yesterday spoke on the war of attrition in the House of Representatives and exonerated itself from the budget scandal rocking the lower legislative chamber.

Guardian

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru, has dismissed suggestion that the Federal Government is planning to increase the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from the current N141/145 per litre.

Daily Trust

The Appeal Court in Abuja has reserved judgement in the appeal by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State challenging his sack by a Federal High Court.

Leadership

As the Peoples Democratic Partys (PDP) National Convention draws closer , Chief Raymond Dokpesi who declared to vie for the National Chairman of the party, has pledged to reform and restructure the party in order to reclaim its lost glory come 2019 if elected the national chairman of the party. The Nation Budget padding: EFCC writes Clerk, Perm Sec The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has written the National Assembly Clerk, Mohammed Sani Omolori, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and National Planning over the budget padding scandal, it was learnt yesterday. Tribune
Charles Okah and Henry Okah, leaders of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND) have vowed to take legal action against former President Goodluck Jonathan over his statement in reaction to being accused as a sponsor of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

Over the weekend an alleged splinter group of the NDA, Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, RNDA, released a statement by a Cynthia Whyte revealing sponsors of the NDA. Among the alleged sponsors was former President, Goodluck Jonathan.

SEE: Goodluck Jonathan, Gov Wike, Dokpesi, Others Named As Sponsors Of Niger Delta Avenger

Reacting to this, Jonathan released a statement dismissing the accusations and also claimed that MEND was trying to assassinate him.

SEE ALSO: MEND Is After My Life  Jonathan Alleges Assassination Plot

MEND spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, has disclosed in an online statement that legal action would be taken on Jonathan over his statement.

The statement said:

A substantial portion of Mr. Jonathans statement unfortunately dwelt on judicial matters, which are pending in various courts in Nigeria and South Africa. For instance, Mr. Henry Okahs appeal in South Africas Constitutional Court is due for hearing this August; while his brother, Charles ongoing trial in Nigeria is pending before Hon. Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The former Presidents statement was, therefore, contemptuous and prejudicial to the success of the ongoing trials of Henry and Charles Okah in South African and Nigerian courts, respectively. Consequently, both brothers shall, because of the former Presidents prejudicial statement, institute legal action against him in South Africa and Nigeria within 60 days, commencing from today, August 8, 2016. Accordingly, they have briefed their respective solicitors to formally engage the former President in litigation,

Commenting on Jonathans attempt to dissociate himself from the RNDA allegation, MEND also said:
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, on Tuesday said that the apex bank did not provide foreign exchange at a subsidised rate for the 2016 hajj pilgrims.

Emefiele, according to a statement from the bank, explained that the insinuation that the foreign exchange for the pilgrims was subsidised by the Federal Government was untrue.

The governor stated that the agreement between the apex bank and the pilgrims had been concluded even before the commencement of the implementation of the new flexible foreign exchange policy.

He said the pilgrims had earlier in the year made what he described as advance payment for their personal travel allowances, noting that in the current circumstances, the advance payment made was $750 per pilgrim.

The governor explained that the advance payment was made by the pilgrims to the respective state pilgrims boards, after which the requests were passed by the states to the national body.

According to him, since the agreement was made in April when the market rate was N197 to a dollar, it would be unethical not to honour it.

Emefiele said refusing to provide foreign exchange to the pilgrims at the N197 per dollar agreed rate would mean that the pilgrims would have to pay the difference between the old and new rates.

This, he noted, was against sound business principle.

He said, What is obtainable is that every year, prior to the commencement of the pilgrimage, the commissions (both Christian and Muslim) approach the CBN to agree on the exchange rate for the personal travel allowance for that particular year, which, in this case, is between $750 and $1,000 per pilgrim.

In this particular case, the market rate prevailed. Hence, with the commencement of the flexible exchange rate policy, market-determined rates will continue to serve as the basis for foreign exchange for pilgrimage or any form of PTA in the country.

He added that the request for PTA for pilgrimage or tourism was a valid transaction and stated that the CBN, as a responsible organisation, could not renege on agreements or contracts entered into with other groups for whatever business transactions.

Source: Punch
The Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has urged security agencies to probe reports that Boko Haram members are recruiting young Nigerians in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.

Saraki, who made the call in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by his spokesman, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said it was important for Nigerias intelligence apparatus not to treat such rumours with kid-gloves.

Seeing that ISIS has been recruiting members from European refugee camps, and the Kenyan government recently had to shut down the worlds largest refugee camp because Al-Shaabab was using the place to train and recruit young people as extremists, it is important that we take the rumours about Boko Haram recruiting from IDP camps seriously, he said.

The Senate president also called for a comprehensive probe of the diversion of relief materials meant for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North-east.

He applauded the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigating and arresting a contractor who diverted 60 trucks of grains that were allocated to IDPs in Borno State by the federal government.
One of the four suspects arrested in connection with the gruesome murder of a member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Gideon Aremu, on July 1, 2016, Ayobami Adedeji (23) has disclosed that they were mere robbers and not assassins as it was insinuated.

Adedeji and three other suspects; Adediran Oladapo (31), Kareem Isiaka, and Sodiq Adedeji (20) were paraded by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade at the Police Command headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan on Monday.

The lawmaker from the Labour Party, representing Oorelope constituency, was until his death the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Public Relations and Security.

He was killed in front of his house in Alakia area of the state as he alighted from his car to open his gate. Three gunmen on a motorcycle were said to have trailed him to the house and shot him severally after a brief argument according to family source.

In an attempt to quicken the arrest of the killers, the state Governor Abiola Ajimobi placed a N5m bounty on the heads of the gunmen responsible for the murder of the lawmaker.

Narrating how the lawmaker was killed, Adedeji said they did not know the status of late Aremu before one of them called Abbey shot him after collecting his mobile phone and money.

According to him, we met at our usual Awo joint in Beere area, Ibadan, to carry out a robbery operation at Adegbayi, Ibadan on that fateful day.

We did not track the lawmaker to his residence but it was one of us called Abbey that his mother reside in Adegbayi that brought the job to rob the lawmaker to us. I did not know why Abbey shot him, but the only thing they gave me was N40,000 which was my share of the operation. he said

Adedeji who also confirmed to be an ex-convict said he is was jailed last year for selling Indian Hemp but was later pardoned after spending a year at the Agodi prison in Ibadan by the State Attorney General.

The suspect claimed that he became friends with Abbey, Kola Mission, Yusff Ikire at Awo joint, around Ogunmola compound in Beere after he was released from prison.

He noted that on the day they killed the lawmaker, they took off from the Awo joint after consuming Indian Hemp served to them by one Dele Awo.

But one of the arrested suspect, Sodiq Kareem, who is a criminal receiver claimed that he was not aware that the killed lawmakers phone he bought was a stolen one.

It was Kola and Yusuf that sold the lawmakers phone to me for N12,500 but I could not make use of the phone because it was locked and has a security code, so I gave it to Kareem Isiaka aka Alfa to unlock for me or sell. Alfa sold it to Adeniran Oladapo for N16,000 he said

Also, Alfa confirmed collecting the phone from Sodiq to sell but did not know that it was a stolen phone.

Oyebade said that the arrest was made possible by a combined team of Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and detectives from the Oyo State Police Command.

The suspects did not have the knowledge of the status of the lawmaker. As robbers their intention was to rob him of valuable property in his possession. The victim was killed because they thought he could identify them due to a torch flashed on them during the operation. he said

The police boss declared wanted three of the fleeing suspects which includes; Abbey, Kola Mission, and Yusuf Ikire, adding that anyone with useful information that could lead to their arrest should contact the police command.

He saluted the patience of the family of the victim, the understanding of the state government and the people of the state.

Oyebade assured that no criminal will commit crime of any magnitude in the state and get away with it.

Lauding the effort of te police, The lawmaker representing Ibadan North State Constituency II, Mr Olaleye said the effort of the police in the arrest of his colleague is very commendable.

It is very clear to the world now that Honourable Aremu was not killed politically but by arm robbers. Its not up to two months now and they have expose the face of this evil perpetrators and am sure those that flee too will soon be caught he said

Also, Oyebade commissioned the Secretariat of the Police Officers Wife Association (POWA) and a new police station in Ogungbade, Ibadan.

Source: The Nation
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

By Dalga Khatinoglu  Trend:

Irans gas output has reached 750 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d), Iranian Deputy Oil Minister Amir Hossein Zamaninia told Trend Aug 9.

He said the volume will rise to 1,000 mcm/d by the next 1.5 years and Iran will have the capacity to export 200 mcm/d of gas. Currently, Iran exports 27 mcm/d of gas to Turkey and imports the same volume from Turkmenistan.

Zamaninia added that Iran intends to export gas via pipeline to regional countries and prioritizes Asian markets for exporting liquefied gas.

Iran is ready to negotiate for exporting gas through the southern corridor, but for the time being, gas exports via pipeline to Europe is not economically justifiable, he said.

Even in liquefied gas exports, our priority is Asia, not Europe. But, Iran wants to diversify gas exports. So, Iran is holding talks with Russia and Azerbaijan in order to create balance between supply and demand in the world. We should increase demand for gas as a clean fuel, Zamaninia added.

According to him, Irans potential for gas export will be increased in the future because some 200 mcm/d of gas is wasted in Iran, but some projects worth $20 billion have been defined for the next 5 years to improve fuel efficiency and prevent wasting such a volume of gas.

Gas holds a 70-percent share of energy basket in Iran.

Zamaninia believes that the rise in gas consumption will be possible through reducing wastes, and gas consumption over the next years will be equal to the current level of 700-750 mcm/d.

A major portion of power plants and industries are being fueled with gas, he said.
On this day 2014, Boko Haram abducted some 100 young men and several women in Doron Baga in the Kukawa area near the border with Chad.

28 older men were reported killed. The terrorists were stopped as they crossed the Chad border by Chadian soldiers who killed most of them and set free 65 men and 22 women. More than 30 were still suspected to be held by the extremists.

According to PUNCH, the victims were seized from Doron Baga during an attack, on Sunday, on the village, where at least 20 persons were allegedly killed.
Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday met with President Muhammadu Buhari behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on issues bordering on security.

Akwa Ibom, which is one of the Niger Delta States, has witnessed unprecedented level of peace amid the militancy and destruction of oil and gas installations in the oil-rich region in the last few months.

Addressing State House correspondents shortly after the meeting, the governor said he was at the Presidential Villa, as part of his responsibility, to brief the president on how things are being done and how they are faring in Akwa Ibom, as the father of the country.

On what he discussed with President Buhari during the closed door meeting, he said We discussed issues of security. Unfortunately, everything discussed under security is covered.

On whether or not he made a request to the president, Mr. Emmanuel said: Not really a request but a feedback. At times, a feedback could be effective than a request. This is because a feedback is necessary for further actions and the rest of things you want to do.

But I also want to use this platform to say we are running one project, which is project Nigeria. If we are running project Nigeria, all hands must be on deck to move the country to the level we expect and dream of.

I think this is the essence of the whole thing: to keep letting everybody know that at this point it is a time everybody must join hands to work for the country and see what we can do from the state to the local government level, to support the vision of making Nigeria reach where we want it to be.

Well, I dont know whether you want me to redefine that word restiveness, but permit to also say you are still pushing me to discuss security, which we dont discuss on camera. Spare me for today. But rather than call it restiveness, I will say everything we discussed is about the wellbeing of Nigerians. How can we make their situation better? I think that is the way I look at it.

Whether you look at it; from security, infrastructure, security or any other angle, that is the ultimate. At times, I move from what do I set to achieve and how do I want to do it? I think that is the way I look at it. What have I set to achieve at the end of the day? It is the interest of everybody that we are working for.
Reports in the US say police in Anderson are looking for a woman with a No Regrets tattoo on her neck, who they say apologized to a store clerk during a robbery Tuesday morning.

The woman was said to have gone into the 7-Eleven store around 4 a.m. with her hands in her jacket pockets and laid a bag on the counter.

According to police, she told the clerk she needed the money from the register, got the money and left the store in a white Jeep, which was parked on the side of the store.

Police said the woman told the clerk she was sorry for robbing the store.

The woman told the clerk she had a gun but never showed one, police said.

Anderson deputies said the woman looks similar to a woman wanted by the Greenville County Sheriffs Office for also robbing a 7-Eleven store on Augusta Road last week.

The two agencies are said to be looking into the similarities.
Yesterday, Patch Tuesday, brought an enormous array of patches. We had nine security bulletins, none of which are particularly pressing. We saw 28 security updates for Office (including three of those security bulletins), one of which fixes a critical Excel bug that was introduced in the security patches last month. There are 40 new Office nonsecurity patches. We even got a patch, KB 3161102, which removes Windows Journal on Win10 machines.

And for those of you with Windows 10, you were upgraded overnight to build 14393.67, 14393.51, 10586.545, or 10240.17071.

[ InfoWorld has you covered through all stages of Windows 10. Download the Windows 10 installation superguide and the ultimate Windows 10 survivor kit, both available as PDFs. | Stay up on key Microsoft technologies with the Windows Report newsletter. ]

If that sounds like a major shake-up of the Byzantium Army, you understand. Here's how to sort through the numeric carnage. (Remember you can always find your build number by typing "winver" in the search box.)

If you're running Windows Anniversary Update, version 1607, you are now on build 14393.51, thanks to KB 3176495. That's the fourth cumulative update for version 1607. I call it Win 10.2.4. The changes are extensive, including security patches for IE, Edge, graphics, kernel mode drivers, authentication, and the PDF library. The list of changed files goes on for pages and pages -- this is a very significant update.

You may recall that cumulative update 3 broke Cortana; I'm getting reports that this new update doesn't solve the Cortana problem introduced earlier. Which is great news if you don't want Cortana.

If you're a Windows Insider, also running version 1607, you should be at build 14393.67, but if you did a clean install of Win10, you probably aren't. That's because clean installs knock your machine out of the Insider builds. To get back in, click Start > Settings > Update & security > Windows Insider Program and under the heading Get Insider Preview builds click Get started. Windows will restart, and you need to go back into the Windows Insider settings again to choose your level (Fast, Slow, Preview). After all of that, you have to go back to Windows Update and manually install the latest patch, KB 3176931.

Microsoft is making it painfully difficult to find documentation about Insider builds, but if you're using a Windows Insider account, you should be able to see the official announcement about 14393.67 (10.2.4.1?) by going to the Feedback Hub. I tried to go there on a non-Insider machine using an Insider ID, and I couldn't get in. Switching to an Insider machine, I discovered that Microsoft says that build 14393.67

 includes the same fixes as KB3176495 (Build 14393.51) with two additional fixes: Addressed issue that causes significantly reduced battery life on Windows Phone when using Bluetooth with "Hey Cortana" feature enabled. Addressed issue that prevents users from completing the out-of-box experience (OOBE) with a local account using Korean characters.

I have no idea why they shipped those fixes to Windows Insiders (Fast, Slow, and Preview) but not to Anniversary Update customers. Windows Phone users with Korean logons should feel slighted.

Further note to Windows Insiders (if you aren't confused enough already): Microsoft hasn't started shipping beta copies of Windows 10 -- the so-called Redstone 2 builds. Even if you're at 14393.67, you're still running the Anniversary Update, build 1607. If you want to get the beta builds of the next version (of the last version) of Windows, better check your Windows Insider settings. Microsoft also warns in the Feedback Hub that it's going to ship beta builds of Windows 10 desktop first, then mobile "a few weeks after."

Remember that this numbering system is supposed to make things clearer.

Moving down the evolutionary chain, if you're running Windows Fall Update, version 1511, you were upgraded to 10586.545, thanks to KB 3176493. There are so many changed files in this update that Microsoft released an Excel spreadsheet to list them all -- and the file's 12,062 lines long. This is the 15th cumulative update for Windows 10 build 1511. I would call it Win 10.1.15. Whaddya want to bet there are a few changes in there among the 12,000-plus changed files that make it easier to move from the Fall Update to the Anniversary Update?

Down in the knuckle-dragging range, Windows RTM (sometimes referred to as version 1507, but that isn't an official designation; I call it Win 10.0) moved to build 10240.17071. Thanks to the magic of KB 3176492, folks who still cling to the July 29, 2015, initial release of Windows 10 can see the same security updates as in the 1511 bump, with additional fixes. All told we're looking at more than 7,000 files changed. I bet some of those changes are Anniversary Update-upgrade friendly too.

The news is not good for those of you using Windows Journal files. An independently distributed update (not part of the cumulative updates noted above) called KB 3161102 aims to remove the Windows Journal from all Windows 10 versions up to and including the Fall Update, version 1511. (Windows Journal isn't in version 1607, the Anniversary Update.) I've talked about Window Journal before and have heard from several of you who still need it.

Long story short, it's an XP-era program that creates and uses JNT files. Unfortunately, JNT files are inherently insecure. Microsoft's been trying to fix the JNT file reader and finally threw up its hands. There's also writing on the wall. Per the KB article:

The file format that's used by Windows Journal (Journal Note File, or JNT) has been demonstrated to be susceptible to many security exploits. Therefore, Windows Journal will be removed from all versions of Microsoft Windows soon. This update lets users remove the Windows Journal component immediately. Because it is a more secure alternative to Windows Journal, we recommend that users download, install, and use Microsoft OneNote. Other mitigations for customers who have dependencies on Windows Journal are provided in this article.

But there's a bit of silver lining:

An installable version of the Windows Journal application is available. After you uninstall the Windows Journal component, you can install the Windows Journal application.... The Windows Journal application is functionally identical to the original Windows Journal component, but differs in the following ways: The Windows Journal application contains a trusted notification message box that appears every time that a Windows Journal file is opened. This message box informs users of the security risks that are inherent to Windows Journal files, and asks users whether they want to open the file. Users must select Yes to open the Journal file. The Windows Journal Note Writer is deprecated. The Journal Note Writer is a printer driver that lets users create Journal files by printing documents from any application.

If you dig a little deeper, you'll discover that the Windows Journal Application  which reads JNT files -- is still in beta. It only works on Windows 7 or later, and it won't work on any Server version.

That's a quick overview. If you're having problems installing any of the updates, head over to the Windows Answer forum, where a line is forming for problems with the 1511 update. Better, post your problem on Reddit, where Microsoft sage John Wink is holding court.

Hard to believe, but it's getting better, albeit a, uh, tad more complicated.
Hogs Rebound into Weekend Barchart - 15 minutes ago Lean hog futures ended the Friday round with 32 to 97 cent gains to fade the triple digit losses from Thursday. The USDA National Average Base Hog Price was $90.54 in the PM update, down by $1.15. The... HEZ22 : 86.100s (+1.15%) HEJ23 : 92.700s (+0.62%) KMZ22 : 96.125s (+0.37%)

Cotton Falls Triple Digits Barchart - 15 minutes ago December cotton ended the day locked limit lower on the 3c loss. The March contract worked back off the limit for the bell, but still went home down by 274 points. For the week, Dec cotton closed 702 points... CTZ22 : 72.11s (-3.99%) CTH23 : 72.07s (-3.66%) CTK23 : 72.30s (-2.99%)

Cattle Market Fades on Friday Barchart - 15 minutes ago Live cattle futures ended the weeks last trade day down by 35 cents to $1.02 with soon to expire October down the most. Cash trade picked up later in the week with some Friday catch up sales mostly... LEV22 : 150.375s (-0.68%) LEZ22 : 153.000s (-0.28%) LEG23 : 156.325s (-0.33%) GFX22 : 177.875s (-0.14%) GFF23 : 180.375s (-0.04%)

Loss for Friday Wheat Barchart - 15 minutes ago Wheat futures faded on Friday with the front month contracts going home 6 1/4 to 9 1/4 cents lower in SRW. For the December contract that completed the week with a 21 1/2 cent loss. KC futures closed down... ZWZ22 : 829-2s (-1.10%) ZWH23 : 849-0s (-1.05%) ZWPAES.CM : 7.6281 (-1.18%) KEZ22 : 925-0s (-0.78%) KEPAWS.CM : 8.8324 (-0.81%) MWZ22 : 945-0s (-0.58%)

Corn Closes Red on Friday Barchart - 15 minutes ago Front month corn futures settled the Friday session with fractional to 1 1/2 cent losses. The December contract saw a tight 7 1/2 cent range from -6 cents to +1 1/2 cents on the day. It was also down for... ZCZ22 : 680-6s (-0.22%) ZCPAUS.CM : 6.7193 (-0.15%) ZCH23 : 686-6s (-0.15%) ZCK23 : 686-2s (unch)

Soy Futures Close Mixed on Higher Beans and Meal Barchart - 15 minutes ago Soybean futures ended the day with the deferred contracts above the $14/bu mark on 5 1/2 to 8 cent gains. November contracts stayed 12 cents under the mark but closed near the top end of the 20 cent range... ZSX22 : 1387-6s (+0.40%) ZSPAUS.CM : 13.4825 (+0.51%) ZSF23 : 1400-2s (+0.48%) ZSH23 : 1409-0s (+0.50%)

Grain Spreads: Corn Strangle Walsh Trading - 1 hour ago Wedge Formation Intact
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Irans oil products export, including diesel and fuel oil, hit 56 million liters during the 141 days from March 20, Nasser Sajjadi, managing director of the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, said.

The country exported 44 million liters of fuel oil and 13 million liters of diesel from the beginning of the current fiscal year (March 20), Sajjadi said, SHANA news agency reported Aug. 10.

He further said the oil product exports hit 61 million liters per day during the current Iranian calendar month (started July 20).

Some 47 million liters of fuel oil as well as 14 million liters of diesel were exported per day during the period, Sajjadi added.

The countrys daily diesel export stood at 9 million liters from March 20 to Aug. 5, which indicates a rise by 200 percent as compared to the last fiscal year.
Jeffrey Dean is one of the unsung heroes of Googles success, and kind of a living legend in the tech community. He and his wifes nascent philanthropy is targeting the stark lack of diversity in his field.

At Googles headquarters, whispers follow software engineer Jeff Deans path. His title is the unassuming Senior Fellow in the Research Group, but Deans been with the company since there were only about 20 employees, and hes been credited with programming advances that made Googles search so fast and even defined a lot of the modern web. These days he works on the companys leading edge development in deep machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Dean has developed such a reputation as one of Googles most valued software engineers, in fact, that there was once a series of Jeff Dean Facts, in the tradition of Chuck Norris Facts, that Googlers and ex-Googlers swapped online.

Jeff Dean writes directly in binary. He then writes the source code as documentation for other developers. (Thats one of the few I didnt need to look up.)

The tall tales also surround his pay grade, with unsubstantiated speculation that he makes $3 million a year. True or not, anyone whos been with Google since 1999, much less someone with his record, is doing alright.

As such, were starting to see Dean and his wife Heidi Hoppers names appear in philanthropic news. And considering Deans just in his late 40s, were probably going to see a lot more of them. One of the couples causes is diversity in STEM, and just this year, their Hopper-Dean Foundation has given two $1 million grants for programs at top schools.

At MIT, funding will go toward a series of programs to diversify electrical engineering and computer science, including the schools Society of Women Engineers chapter, and enrichment and career exploration programs for middle and high school students in the area. At UC Berkeley, the same amount is backing diversity initiatives in computer science, supporting high school education and attracting CS majors from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds.

The couples foundation is just getting started, first making grants in 2011 and growing to $650,000 in 2014 giving, supporting various alma maters, fellowships, and educational programs like Khan Academy. But if these two 2016 grants are any indication, not to mention the trend were seeing of young tech moguls jumping right into philanthropy young, things are going to pick up.

Diversity in STEM is a fitting cause for the couple, as lack of diversity is one of the biggest failures of tech giants like Google.

Related:

In 2014, Google first released its diversity statistics, along with a commitment to improve the numbers that confirmed what everyone already knew about the sea of white dudes in Silicon Valley. That year, men made up 70 percent of Googlers, 83 percent of its tech positions, and 91 percent of the staff were white or Asian. The company committed $150 million to the problem in 2015, and has made slight gains so far.

Dean has used his programming wizardry to solve a lot of Googles problems over the years. Now hes using some of the windfall hes made in the process to work on one big one.
When moneys your business, doesnt it make sense to fund financial education? It would seem so, judging from the recent behavior of Americas financial sector. Outfits like PwC, Opus Bank, and Santander have made financial literacy a linchpin of their giving, and thats on top of the millions going to a range of other financial inclusion efforts, as well as for career readiness, from giants like Bank of America, Citi, and JPMorgan Chase.

After an era of epic irresponsibility on the part of the financial sector, its philanthropy has become more focused on ensuring that young Americans are responsible when it comes to their own money and lives. We'll leave it to others to offer psychoanalysis of what's going on here. Meanwhile, let's get to the usual issues of who's giving money for what.

Late last month, a controversial hedge fund based in Chicago, Magnetar Capital, channeled $5 million to the University of Chicago to support financial literacy education via the UChicago STEM Education program. UChicago STEM was already working with the Magnetar Youth Investment Academy, which has offered financial literacy programs to 5,500 students at Chicago high schools, mostly in low-income areas. The current grant will sustain and grow the work.

While financial literacys value cannot be deniedespecially to underprivileged students like those on the South Side of Chicagothe irony is hard to escape. Magnetar Capital, after all, was a major trader in the market for collateralized debt obligations (CDOs), those risky bundled assets that spurred on the subprime mortgage crisis and the 2008 crash.

As we said, though, Magnetar isnt the only firm playing this game. Most of Americas big banks were implicated in the financial crisis, and many of them sport hefty grantmaking programs today, some of which seem expressly designed to atone for the past. Good PR is surely another consideration. Todays youth might think of Citi or Chase as the good guys who helped them save for college. Their parents and older siblings, remembering 2008, might have a less sunny opinion.

Setting aside Magnetars checkered past, what do its financial literacy programs actually look like? The Magnetar Youth Investment Academy is the vehicle that delivers curriculum to schools, building on research from UChicago STEM Education and the academys previous in-classroom work.

As it stands, students complete four units, the first two being pretty straightforward. Theres long-term financial planning, where students think about the fiscal ramifications of life decisions, career choices, and potential risks. Then they dig deeper into budgeting, savings, credit, and debt. It gets interesting in units three and four.

Thats when students learn about investing, how to evaluate stocks, and how to distinguish between investment vehicles. For students who become particularly, well, invested, the hedge fund hosts the Magnetar Academy Team Challenge, a daylong annual competition between teams from 45 Chicago schools tasked with growing $100,000 mock-dollars in a simulated stock trading competition.

So its clear that Magnetar wants to go beyond the basics and actually get Chicago youth interested in financial sector careers. This industry focus is somewhat unique among financial literacy programs, which tend to confine themselves to a narrower range of instruction.

Magnetars grant benefits high school students, but the nationwide pivot to financial literacy covers all age groups. Opus Bank is one donor in this space, as is the PwC Charitable Foundation and the Mott Foundation. The Walton Family Foundations recent grant to local nonprofit Economics Arkansas supports practical economics curricula from K through 12. We've also tracked financial literacy efforts specifically targeting low-income women.

This focus on financial literacy, a kind of home economics for the modern age, is a chance for nonprofits and educators to raise substantial funds from some of our eras moneyed behemoths. Its also puzzling and contradictory, since a case can be made that many of the same behemoths profited from a financially misinformed population. Such is the complex world of fundraising.

Related:
SmartStop Asset Management LLC, a diversified real estate company that manages 86 self-storage facilities in Canada and the United States, has hired Stefan Kulas as managing director for Greater Toronto. Kulas will assist in growing SmartStop's self-storage portfolio in the area, which currently comprises about 1 million rentable square feet, according to a press release. Hell also be responsible for business development, new facility acquisitions, redevelopment projects and third-party property management in the local market.

Kulas was previously a research analyst and sales executive with global real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield. He was also a private-banking associate for high-net-worth clients at the Royal Bank of Canada, the release stated.

"Stefan brings excellent research and analytical skills to SmartStop, and we're looking forward to working with him as we grow the company's presence in the Toronto area," said H. Michael Schwartz, chairman and CEO of SmartStop.

"As a commercial real estate broker, I started to focus on self-storage opportunities because I saw the accelerating growth of the industry here in Canada," Kulas said. "I am extremely excited about the incredible opportunity to lead SmartStop's expansion efforts here in the GTA [Greater Toronto area]."

Kulas has a bachelors degree in commerce from McMaster University and is a licensed real estate agent in Ontario. He also holds a Canadian Securities course certificate.

The SmartStop portfolio includes 6.2 million rentable square feet of self-storage space in approximately 57,100 units. The company is the sponsor of Strategic Storage Growth Trust Inc., a public, non-traded real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on self-storage acquisition and development, and Strategic Storage Trust II Inc., a public non-traded REIT that focuses on stabilized self-storage properties.
@ajemms @FlamboroSpdwy @OSCAARracing Hamilton, ON (August 10, 2016)- Unfortunately after showing speed in practice, things didnt pan out how A.J. Emms wouldve hoped on Saturday night at Flamboro Speedway as a mechanical failure took him out of contention.

Starting fifth in the first of two 20-lap features, Emms was set to make up some ground, passing Cory Horner to move up into fourth on Lap 4. Unfortunately, Emms strong run came to an end on Lap 7 as he pulled off the track with an apparent mechanical problem.

Knowing the team had an issue, Emms started the second two-lap feature, however pulled off in the opening laps.

Emms will now focus his attention to Delaware Speedway, where the next OSCAAR Modified event takes place Friday August 19. After scoring a top-five finish on the half-mile earlier this year, the team hopes to have all the issues aside for a strong run.

Emms and team thank Sunshine Super Wash  Orillia, Davenport Subaru, Creechers Design, Klotz Canada, Artech Promotional Wear  Orillia, Bromley Automotive, and TSS Top Shops  Barrie for the support.

Fans can keep up with A.J. Emms all year by visiting his website at http://www.ajemms.com. You can also follow Emms on twitter via http://www.twitter.com/ajemms.

Race Report by: Ashley McCubbin/AM Marketing  ashleymccubbin17@gmail.com
Tehran, Iran, Aug. 10

By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

Iran has set a deadline of six months for foreign cell phone companies to open agencies in the country if they want to go on selling their products in its market.

The measure comes as a new bid of the government to fight cell phone smuggling into the country, Mehr news agency reported Aug. 10.

Unofficial statistics say the Iranian cell phone market is worth $2 billion, but over 90 percent of the products are smuggled.

Previous administrations increased cell phone import tariffs from 4 to 60 percent, intending to help domestic products. But the move caused a great turn to smuggling cell phones into the country.

Last year, the current government reduced the tariff to 6 percent. It is also planning to provide service only to legally imported cell phones starting in the near future.

But the latest decision comes at a time when Iran is having problem with certain brands opening branches in the country.

While the American-made Apple has a lot of fans in Iran, the Iranian government has a record of banning American brands under the justification that they bring a sense of domination by certain powers  remarks made by Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli last year.
This content is from: Opinion

Cryptos descent into hell, rather than sending institutional investors straight for the exits, has triggered a hunt for the next big bet.(Part of the crypto column series.)
The Financial Ombudsman Service Australia (FOS) has welcomed the release of the terms of reference for the review into the financial systems external dispute resolution (EDR) and complaints framework by Minister of Revenue and Financial Services Kelly ODwyer, MP.Shane Tregillis, FOS chief ombudsman, said: FOS is committed to the principles of fair, open, and simple resolution of financial disputes. Reducing complexity for consumers in accessing effective independent dispute resolution has the strong support of FOS.An independent expert panel will lead the review of the current dispute resolution and complaints bodies in the financial sector: FOS, the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal, and the Credit & Investments Ombudsman.FOS said the panel will not be able to make recommendations on the last-resort compensation scheme, but will be able to make observations on the issue long advocated by the industry body.FOS has been a longstanding advocate of a compensation scheme over many years. It is essential for the effective operation of external dispute resolution that consumers who get an award of compensation by FOS can be confident that this compensation will be paid, Tregillis said.FOS looks forward to working with the panel, consumers, industry, regulators and government to ensure Australia has an EDR framework that adapts and evolves to sustainably deliver fair and effective outcomes in a dynamic financial system, Tregillis said.The panel consists of Professor Ian Ramsay as chairman, with Alan Kirkland and Julie Abramson as members, and will be supported by a secretariat from Treasury.The panel will deliver its final report to the Minister for Revenue and Financial Services by the end of March 2017.
A tech leader in the insurance industry has revealed the tech trends to watch as technology that was originally set to impact the personal lines market, crosses over into a key commercial space.Paul Miller, general manager Asia Pacific for software giant SSP, told Insurance Business that the industry is currently seeing change in various aspects thanks to technology as there is a focus on the MGA space.From an Australian point-of-view we are seeing a lot of focus on the MGA space and support for underwriting agencies and their back office operations, Miller said.There is also a lot of focus on distribution and there is almost a fracturing of the insurance market in that space with the specialty underwriting agencies being where a lot of the large players are trying to align themselves with.They are trying to connect them into their processes for more efficiency from a technology point of view and meanwhile the underwriting agencies are really trying to amp up the distribution capabilities including direct to consumer in some cases in personal lines.A lot of action around electronic trading, around different distribution platforms, white labelling and so forth.Telematics was once mooted as a game-changing innovation for the insurance industry but has creeped away from the radar in personal lines, but Miller said that the technology has abig future in the commercial space.On another tangent we have been doing quite a lot of work on telematics, we launched three telematics offerings in the last year, Miller continued.The take-up rate is probably not quite what everybody had hoped from a personal lines point of view but there is now increasing interest from a commercial point of view, particularly for fleet.There is also an evolution in devices, one of our partners has a cigarette lighter device now which is more accurate than a mobile phone but easier to fit than the older on-board devices.That is going to be interesting to see the impact of that on fleet as an offering, we believe that if it is packaged properly it will be quite a sticky offering for fleet.Brokers will feel the squeeze as technology bridges the gap between consumer and insurer, as Miller noted that the SME space could be a key battleground as customer expectations change.The insurers are always encroaching on their [broker] space, Miller said.The insurers all think that they can turn that [SME} into a direct market and do to that what they have done in direct, and they have been trying to do that for at least the last 10 or 15 years, and that could be the mainstay of a lot of the brokers and impacting on that.As well as business expectations of self-service and streamlined operations and being able to access information about your insurance and so forth and, if you are a smaller broker, it is a bit harder to offer those types of services and you have to be very careful about what your technology and platform is to do that.A lot of the broking platforms havent been constructed with that type of operation in mind so it is a large leap for them to be able to offer real-time access to the brokers customers to their own insurance and history.Over the next decade, Miller noted, that it may not be a happy hunting ground for the large, existing players in the industry as market-share continues to erode.I think the big players will continue to lose market share, Miller continued. I think that is what happens when you get too large, it gets very difficult in a diverse market to provide the service versus the specialists so they will continue to chip away.I think the aggregators will be gaining more and more market share, whether they will be a significant force by then Im not certain. I think certainly intelligent cars will be more common so there will be a larger segment of the market with that so there will, potentially, be a different kind of insurance regime.P2P insurers, one part of me says they are just a technology enabled mutual, and they may be appealing to a younger, Millennial so maybe they will take a segment of it.I think we will continue to see the trend of specialist MGAs going after segments of markets where they have alignment then the larger commercial players.I think there will be differences in distribution, differences in products, differences in market share but insurance fundamentals will still be there.
A 61-year-old New York woman has been sentenced to prison time for stealing nearly half a million dollars from her longtime employer.

The Erie County District Attorneys Office said Bernadette Szymanski of Cheektowaga, N.Y., was sentenced Monday to up to five years in prison. She pleaded guilty in May to a grand larceny charge.

Prosecutors said Szymanski worked as the controller for FPPF Chemical Co. of Buffalo from 1991 until late 2015, when she was fired. Officials said during a 13-year period that started in early 2002, she stole nearly $492k by committing payroll fraud and making unauthorized personal purchases on the companys credit card. The thefts were discovered after Szymanski became embroiled in a dispute with the companys owner.

Szymanski so far has repaid $80k to the company.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Commercial Lines Fraud New York Business Insurance
Business Insurance  a well-known industry publication for 49 years, has been abruptly shut down by parent company Crain Communications.

The final issue of Business Insurance came out on Aug. 1. The publications website, its businessinsurance.com, and the Business Insurance events business were to cease functioning on Aug. 9, according to the closure announcement.

Why the shutdown? Crain Communications blamed continued structural changes and consolidation in the insurance industry since 2008.

Business Insurance has struggled to diversify its revenue from a dependence on a declining base of print advertising, Crain Communications said in its closure announcement. The company invested heavily in a very talented new team, and despite their best efforts, it became clear that the changes in the market simply werent going to be reversed.

KC Crain, executive vice president and director of Operations for Crain Communications, said in prepared remarks that his company, as part of ongoing revenue transformation efforts, has invested money in brands that offer the best revenue mix of print, digital, events and content marketing in markets with proven growth potential.

Crain said it became clear that Business Insurance did not fit these criteria.

Business Insurance editor Gavin Souter sent a mass email from his personal address to many people in the communications world that BI has worked with disclosing the closure news.

As with Crain Communications announcement, Souter blamed editorial consolidation, which he said has left many publications with a brutal advertising climate in which to operate.

Its been a tough time for many publications over the past few years and for BI it has been particularly difficult due to the consolidation in the insurance industry, Souter wrote. On the editorial side of the house, its given us plenty of stories to write, but it has also meant that many of our advertisers have been absorbed by other companies.

Souter noted that the quick closure meant that uncompleted BI awards programs 40 under 40 and Women to Watch would also end abruptly.

I know that submissions involve a lot of work, so I apologize for the fact that the work turns out to have been unnecessary this year, Souter said.

Souter did not return a call to Carrier Management seeking comment as of deadline.

Topics Trends Commercial Lines Business Insurance
American International Group Inc. Chief Executive Officer Peter Hancock said hes more focused on boosting returns than worrying about the governments classification of his company as too big to fail.

Of all of the strategic issues that we face as a leadership team, this doesnt even make the top 10, Hancock said Tuesday at a conference, when asked about the companys status as a non-bank systemically important financial institution, a tag that can bring tighter capital rules. Seeking to reverse that label would be hugely distracting to management and is based on a flawed premise that the binding constraint holding us back from returning more capital to shareholders is the regulatory framework that we have from the Federal Reserve.

Hancocks view differs with the approach of MetLife Inc. CEO Steve Kandarian who won a court battle in March to overturn the SIFI designation. MetLife has dropped 15 percent since Dec. 31 in New York trading, with the slump worsening after the company reported second-quarter results last week. AIG rallied after posting earnings last week, and its decline for the year was 4.5 percent as of 1:45 p.m. in New York.

Stick to Our Guns

Without naming names, the most recent court challenges and events have demonstrated staying focused on the fundamentals is perhaps the right thing to do, Hancock said Tuesday at the conference, which was held by UBS Group AG in Chicago. So were going to stick to our guns.

Carl Icahn, the activist investor, challenged Hancocks leadership in October and said that enhanced U.S. regulation is a tax on size that was draining value from the company. The CEO has cut jobs and sold assets to simplify operations, and AIG agreed in February to add a representative from Icahns firm to the insurers board. Hancock did say Tuesday that hed be willing to reassess his position once capital rules are finalized.

General Electric Co. managed to exit SIFI status by selling assets such as finance operations and returning to its roots as an industrial company. Hancock said Tuesday that with insurance operations around the world, his New York-based firm will inevitably be closely monitored by a large group of government watchdogs.

Its not like you remove this label and suddenly youre an unregulated company, he said of the SIFI tag. Were constantly navigating these multiple constraints in a way that keeps us focused on our true north, which is being really well capitalized to serve our customers.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics New York
Authorities say two thieves stole about $20,000 in guns from a store in Sumter, S.C., in a well-planned heist that took less than four minutes.

Sumter County Sheriffs spokesman Ken Bell told media outlets that the men broke the lock on the door of Tonys Gun Shop around 2 a.m. Friday.

Video surveillance shows one thief smashing display cases with a hammer while a second thief scooped up handguns and threw them into a bag.

Bell says deputies arrived four minutes after the alarm sounded when the lock was broken, but the thieves were gone and tracking dogs couldnt find their scent.

Federal agents are helping with the investigation.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Gun Liability South Carolina
Alliant Insurance Services Inc. has named Julie Beacock first vice president within its Newport Beach, Calif.office,

Beacock will be part of Alliants West Coast employee benefits team and will work with a portfolio of public and private sector clients.

Beacock is a benefits consultant with more than 20 years of industry experience. Her specialties include mergers and acquisitions, analytics, population health management, complex funding agreements and organizational leadership.

Beacock was senior vice president and national growth leader with a U.S. insurance brokerage firm prior to joining Alliant.

Newport Beach, Calif.-based Alliant provides property/casualty, workers compensation, employee benefits, surety and financial products and services.

Topics California Alliant
California Commissioner Dave Jones on Wednesday asked Consumer Watchdog to retract a news release about State Farm that he said includes inaccurate statements and is misleading.

The Consumer Watchdog news release issued on Tuesday was picked up by media outlets, including Insurance Journal. The release stated that an administrative law judge ordered State Farm to refund policyholders at least $85 million for overcharges, and ordered that going forward the carrier must decrease its homeowners insurance rates by 7 percent.

To the contrary, no such order has been issued by an administrative judge or by Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, a release issued from the commissioners office states. No final decision has been made on the State Farm rate case. Commissioner Jones has the final authority in the case and will make a final decision at the conclusion of the case, which is still pending.

In the statement Jones asks Consumer Watchdog to retract its false and misleading news release and respect the Proposition 103 rate setting process in this case.

Consumer Watchdogs news release causes consumers and the media to believe that consumers are now entitled to a rate rebate and reduction, when no such order has been issued, the release states.

The commissioners release notes that the judge made a recommendation as a proposed decision for Jones to consider based on evidence and arguments made at a State Farm rate hearing.

Jones has ordered the case to be returned to the judge to hear additional evidence.

After evidence is taken by the judge, the rate case will be formally submitted to Jones to consider, after which he will make a decision and issue a final order, according to Jones release.

Related:

Topics California
The property and casualty insurance industry is taking a closer look at the potential for smart home devices. Observers expect that smart homes will have a similar effect on home insurance that telematics and the connected car did for auto insurance.

Soon, carriers aim to use connected-home technology for claims avoidance, underwriting and improved interactions with homeowners beyond just creating a policy. Thats according to new research from technology-research firm Gartner. And, some insurers are beginning to invest in connected-home companies using their internal venture capital arms.

But there are still obstacles in the way of fully realizing smart homes potential. Unlike telematics in auto insurance, there is no set standard yet of how to leverage data insurers collect from households, according to Kimberly Harris-Ferrante, distinguished analyst at Gartner. Customers are also not adopting smart home technology as quickly as the industry would like. As a result, insurers have adopted a wait and see approach as more tech trickles out from incubators and startups.

This is the future of insurance, but carriers have to figure out the partnership model, how to make use of the data and how to actually get the device in the consumers hands, Harris-Ferrante says.

A Big Insurers Game

Only the top insurersin terms of premiumsare active participants in the market, according to Gartner. Led by Liberty Mutual, Allstate and State Farm, carriers work with vendors in a quid-pro-quo scenario, offering a large client base to suppliers.

In return, insurance companies receive monthly customer data and an inventory of smart devices, including water sensors, automated smoke detectors and burglar alarms.

With recent partnerships with smart-home startups Canary, Notion and August Home, Liberty Mutual is the one of the industrys biggest contributors so far. Its Smart Home Discount Program offers deductions on premiums to policyholders who opt to install smart home devices. The insurer first ventured into the market with its partnership with Nest Labs in June 2015.

Monitoring your home is important  not just for personal and property security, but also to detect when there are abnormalities in your home environment, like temperature and humidity fluctuations, said Chad Lovell, assistant VP & managing director, emerging partnerships and strategic programs, Liberty Mutual. All of this leads to a smarter and safer home with less worry.

Admittedly, carriers are thinking long-term about smart home devices as they ponder how to analyze the unstructured data homeowners send over. Market progression has lagged compared to telematics, as a result, according to Gartner.

For insurance companies actively looking to invest in smart homes, finding a vendor whose network works well with all of the different types of sensors in the market also remains a burden.

There is no consistency in the home market like there was in usage-based insurance, said Jeffrey Ill, VP of homeowner product at Esurance. That dongle could be plugged into any car to get a read. But there is no network yet to hang all devices off of and get all the readings youd want from a home.

Esurance is currently in talks with a number of vendors, according to Ill. But when it enters the smart home market, it plans to partner with a vendor that offers one universal system for better loss prevention and mitigation, he added.

Vendor Patience is a Virtue

Vendors understand that there is still a lot of work to do. Similar to insurance carriers, vendors aim to change customer perception of home security, according to Notion CEO and co-founder Brett Jurgens, whose company began working with Liberty Mutual and XL Group in June.

A majority of consumers believe home security systems are unnecessary, he explains. Thats why his company, which is based in Denver, is marketing a home security system tailored to provide only the components individual customers want. Notion hopes to convince potential customers that other features, such as temperature detection, water leak sensors and garage door smart locks are equally important.

Insurance could be the catalyst for the Internet of Things reaching the mass market, said Jurgens. Its not very refined yet, so we are seeing lots of heavy testing up front. Lots of time and patience is needed to work with insurance companies because they have a high bar when it comes to security.

Only an estimated 7 percent of consumers in mature markets  including the U.S., U.K. and France  have subscribed to a home-monitoring service, according to a recent Gartner survey. The reluctance is best explained by consumers opposition to the Big Brother aspect, Harris-Ferrante says. UBI has an on/off switch, but with home telematics its all or nothing. Smart home participants are also looking for another incentive to share data besides monthly discounts on premiums. In most cases, homeowners receive instant savings from insurers by just providing a copy of a basic security system contract.

Consumers worry about the complication of some of the solutions in the market as well as the privacy and data security of their home, said John Carter, head of communications at Canary, a startup and smart home partner of State Farm and Liberty Mutual. Ours is easy to set up. We like to make sure our system is more secure than anything else out there.

Future of Home Telematics

Gartner predicts the connected home market will grow steadily over the next five years, but wont fully mature until 2026, contradicting many experts two-to-three year projection, the firm says. Slow progression is credited to a general lack of understanding of consumer data and low adoption rates. Fortunately, at a time when insurers are struggling to drive customer loyalty, smart homes provide an extra touch point with policyholders, which can help improve relations.

Carriers understand they cannot just sell a policy and wait for a claim to come in, said Harris-Ferrante. They learned a lot of this from telematics in auto, which is much more advanced.

Even after the industry sorts through its troubles, the smart home market may be only suitable for Tier 1 insurers to exploit, she concludes.

For the big guys with a huge number of policies, smart home investments are worth it to build up their analytic strategies. We predict a majority of insurance companies wont, however, thanks to the high costs of entering the market.


Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Irans non-oil exports to South Korea witnessed a huge increase of over 2439 percent in the first four months of current Iranian fiscal year (March 20  July 20), according to the Iranian Customs Administrations latest monthly report.

Iran exported 2.885 million tons of non-oil goods, worth $1.491 billion to South Korea during that period.

Tehrans non-oil export to South Korea was 4051 percent more in terms of volume as compared to the same period of last year.

Irans exports to South Korea shared 9.1 percent of countrys total non-oil exports in terms of value.

China was the main importer of the Iranian goods during the 4-month period. Beijings imports accounted for 18 percent of Irans total non-oil exports in terms of value and 26.75 percent in terms of volume.

Iran exported 11 million tons of non-oil goods, worth $2.937 billion to China during the first four months of Iranian fiscal year.

Irans non-oil exports to China witnessed a rise of 8.81 percent in terms of value, while the volume of the Islamic Republics non-oil exports to China rose by 34.39 percent, according to the Iranian Customs Administration.

The UAE (with $2.5 billion), Turkey ($2.7 billion) and Iraq ($1.92 billion were the other three biggest importers of Iranian goods.

The UAE and Iraqs imports from Iran indicate a fall by 8.6 and 4.6 percent respectively. Meanwhile, the Islamic Republics exports to Turkey rose by 10.3 percent.

Tehrans total non-oil exports (including condensates) surpassed $16.3 billion during the 4-month period, indicating a rise of 21.11 percent year-on-year.
CFA vs. CFP: An Overview

The differences between a chartered financial analyst (CFA) and a certified financial planner (CFP) are many.

But the main distinction often comes down to the fact that a CFP works with individual clients to achieve their personal financial goals, while a CFA focuses on investing in large-scale corporate situations.

Key Takeaways CFA and CFP are two widely recognized and respected financial credentials earned by professionals.

The CFA program is very broad and might be more aptly described as the equivalent of a master's degree in finance with accompanying minors in accounting, economics, statistical analysis, and portfolio management.

The focus of the CFP is to train financial advisors to create and implement financial plans for investors.

Certified Financial Planner (CFP)

A certified financial planner (CFP) helps individuals plan their financial futures. CFPs are not focused only on investments; they help their clients achieve specific long-term financial goals, such as saving for retirement, buying a house, or starting a college fund for their children.

To become a CFP, a person must complete a course of study and then pass a two-part examination. The exam covers wealth management, tax planning, insurance, retirement planning, estate planning, and other basic personal finance topics. These topics are all important for someone seeking to help clients achieve financial goals.

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

A CFA, on the other hand, conducts investing in larger settings, normally for large investment firms on both the buy side and the sell side, mutual funds or hedge funds. CFAs can also provide internal financial analysis for corporations that are not in the investment industry. While a CFP focuses on wealth management and planning for individual clients, a CFA focuses on wealth management for a corporation.

To become a CFA, a person must complete a rigorous course of study and pass three examinations over the course of two or more years. In addition, the candidate must adhere to a strict code of ethics and have four years of work experience in an investment decision-making setting.

Key Differences

The primary difference between the two designations has to do with the role or job that the individual is primarily concerned with. Providing financial advice and planning to individuals and families is most likely to be covered by the training and curriculum offered by certified financial planners and the services they provide. These include recommending investment portfolios, insurance products, and tax guidance.

CFA charterholders, on the other hand, are most likely to work for a financial institution such as a bank, hedge fund, pension, or mutual fund company. These professionals actively manage portfolios, engage in equity research or financial analysis, and trade assets like derivatives, commodities, or currencies.

Still, some CFA charterholders may engage in financial advising or run an advisory practice. Likewise, CFP credentialed individuals may work for a bank or trading firm. In some cases, holding both designations is desirable to achieve a complete set of skills and knowledge for the job you do.

In choosing a designation to pursue, ask yourself what kind of work you want to do, where you want to work, and if you want to work as an employee with a guaranteed salary or an entrepreneur where the sky (and the basement) is the limit. No matter which you choose, each of these financial designations will provide ample professional opportunities for those who spend the time and energy to earn them.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Irans imports from China decreased by 16.47 percent and 16.97 percent in terms of value and volume, respectively, year-on-year during the first four months of current fiscal year (March 20-July 20), according to the Iranian Customs Administrations latest report.

China was the main exporter of goods to Iran in the mentioned period. Beijings exports accounted for 22.86 percent of Irans total imports in terms of value and 13.88 percent in terms of volume.

Iran imported 1.382 million tons of goods, worth $2.94 billion, from China during the four-month period.

In the mentioned period, the Islamic Republic purchased almost 60 percent of its total imported goods from five countries  China, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Turkey and India.

Iran imported 1.5 million tons of goods, worth $2.1 billion, from the UAE, which makes up 16.3 percent of Irans total imports value.

Irans imports from the UAE witnessed a 30.96-percent fall in terms of value and a 37.26-percent decrease in terms of volume as compared to the same period of preceding year.

Turkey and South Korea exported $863 million and $934 million worth of goods to Iran, respectively.

Irans imports from Turkey registered a fall by 18.5 percent, meanwhile South Koreas exports to the Islamic Republic decreased by 26.2 percent in terms of value year on year.

Irans imports from India registered a fall by 3.9 percent in terms of value to $812 million during the first four months of the current Iranian fiscal year.

Iran imported 9.958 million tons of goods, worth $12.865 billion, during the four-month period, which is 7.12 percent less in terms of value as compared to the same period of preceding year.
One Irish traveler caused mayhem for tourists on their way to the Blasket Islands this morning as his car had become lodged in the narrow laneway down to the pier, blocking all access to the boats.

Hoping to camp along the pier in Dunquin, Co. Kerry, and either ignoring or failing to see all the signs saying it was not fit for cars, he made his way down the pedestrian path last night around 9pm. He wasnt long spiraling down the 200ft above the sea laneway, however, before becoming lodged between the narrow walls without any means of escape.

Spending the night in his car, the driver, who witnesses say is Irish, was eventually discovered by ferry staff this morning who were forced to cancel expeditions to the Islands until the car could be removed. Although he suggested climbing out the window of his car, the driver handed the keys over to staff who let him out through the trunk, for fear he would slip with a sheer drop to the sea from each window.

Read more: Last of the Blasket Islanders were evacuated to mainland in 1953 (PHOTOS)

A local tractor thankfully came to the rescue of the tourists waiting to see if they could get a ferry around noon and pulled the car back up to safety, opening up the ferry service once more.

"He had great dreams of camping out beside the pier, Sibeal Ni Lubhaing, of the ferry company, told Independent.ie.

"But it all went horribly wrong - he's world famous now at this stage.

"I think it was quite innocent. He just chanced his luck. He was terribly embarrassed about the whole thing."

Known locally as the Sheeps Walk, the pathway to the pier in Dunquin is notorious for burning out many clutches as foolhardy drivers underestimate the extent of the steep, narrow path.

We hope this driver is fully recovered from the shock and checks himself in to somewhere more comfortable for the night.

H/T: Blasket Island Ferries
Were still a long way from awards season, but Irish acting legend Liam Neeson is already tipped to pick up his first ever Oscar for upcoming blockbuster "Silence."

The Martin Scorcese film is set to be released in November or December, just in time to be eligible for the 2017 Oscars, and there is speculation that this could be the Count Antrim natives best shot yet at bringing home a golden statue.

As well as bringing his very special set of skills to the film, Neeson, 64, caused fans some concern when he was pictured in Taiwan, where the film was shot, looking extremely thin and gaunt, a look that was required for this role, it was later revealed.

One of Hollywoods most respected actors, Neeson must hope the the sacrifices will now bring him actings highest accolade.

Read more: Mystery of Liam Neesons recent huge weight loss is solved

The "Taken" star came extremely close 1994, when he was nominated for Best Actor for playing the main role in critically-acclaimed "Schindler's List." Neeson played the role of World War II German industrialist Oskar Schindler, who saved the lives of over 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust. On the big night, however, he lost out to Tom Hanks for his role in "Philadelphia."

Also starring Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Tadanobu Asano, and Belfasts Ciaran Hinds, "Silence" is a historical drama based on the novel of the same name by Shusaku Endo.

Neeson plays mentor Fr. Cristovao Ferreira in the film, which is based on the violent persecution endured by two Portuguese Jesuit priests in 17th century Japan. F.r Sebastiao Rodrigues and Fr. Francisco Garrpe, played by Garfield and Driver, travel to Japan to find their mentor (Neeson) despite the ban on Christianity and almost all foreign contact. The two witness the persecution of Japanese Christians under the feudal Japanese military government Tokugawa shogunate, which wishes to purge Japan of all western influence.

With its strong religious themes, it was believed the release might have been postponed until January so as not to compete with the wave of feel-good films that crop up in the weeks leading up to the holidays, but producer Irwin Winkler has confirmed it will be in cinemas by the end of the year.

Neeson has previously commented that the general question of the film is Is there a God? as the priests question his silence during the pain suffered by the Japanese Christians, while the actor was himself attracted to the project because of this his own Catholic upbringing in Northern Ireland.

Born a Catholic in Ballymena, an overwhelmingly Protestant town, the Irish actor admits that when he was 13-years-old he used to sneak into the church hall of Dr. Ian Paisley, the Protestant fundamentalist preacher and unionist leader, to hear him preach. Neeson was captivated by Paisley's style and command of the audience. It helped convince the young Neeson to go into acting.

Read more: Liam Neeson accused of anti-Catholicism after narrating pro-abortion ad

Neeson lost 20 pounds to play the Jesuit missionary. Neeson explained to the audience at Los Cabos Film Festival last year, Martin requires a lot of commitment. All of the main actors are believed to have taken a pay cut in order to allow Scorsese to finally make the film he first floated back in 2002 when he had finished making "Gangs of New York," which also featured Neeson as a priest.

Looking back on Neesons career, it seems impossible he hasnt picked up the accolade already. If you need a reminder of some of his best roles, you can find our top ten here.
Star gazers will be treated to an extra special celestial display as the Earth ploughs through a dense cloud of debris and 80 or more meteors streak across the sky every hour. The annual Perseid meteor shower will peak on Thursday night / Friday morning.

Experts have reported that this years display will be more dramatic than usual as the Perseids reach the high point of their 12-year cycle. Also Planet Jupiter has shifted the debris stream so that more of it lies in the Earths path, which will also boost the meteor count. Also the moon will set just after midnight bringing full darkness to the skies.

These meteors (popularly known as shooting stars) are the result of small particles, some as small as a grain of sand, entering the Earth's atmosphere at high speed. The Perseids have been observed for around 2,000 years.

The tail of the Comet Swift-Tuttle, which last passed near the Earth in 1992, leaves such debris in the Earths path. On entering the atmosphere, at 36.66 kilometers per second, these particles heat the air around them, causing the characteristic streak of light seen from the ground.

This shower of meteors appears to originate from a single point, called a 'radiant', in the constellation of Perseus, hence the name. The shower is active each year from around July 17 to August 24, although for most of that period only a few meteors an hour will be visible.

NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke provided some amazing food for thought:

The meteors youll see this year are from comet flybys that occurred hundreds if not thousands of years agoAnd theyve traveled billions of miles before their kamikaze run into Earths atmosphere.

This year the display is set to be the best in 12 years. Robin Scagell, the Vice President of the Society for Popular Astronomy in Britain told the Irish Examiner that every 12 years the Perseids are slightly stronger, and this year you could expect to see about 80 of them every hour under the best conditions, or more probably one a minute.

This time next week, the Perseids will be at their biggest and brightest in two decades.https://t.co/f2q65xyhsn pic.twitter.com/i9TqUzVFQH  Astronomy Magazine (@AstronomyMag) August 5, 2016

Usually the Perseids are fairly dependable. There might be some long gaps and then youll see two or three at once.

Theyre fairly swift and dash across the sky quite quickly leaving trains behind them.

Cooke has said an outburst this year could result in 150 to 200 of the shooting stars, per hour. He said Under perfect conditions, rates could soar to 200 meteors per hour.

Scagell disagrees saying this figure is more likely to be around 80.

This year Astronomy Ireland is inviting people in Ireland part in a Nationwide Perseid Watch by simply counting the number of shooting stars they see every 15 minutes.

Read more: Ireland's Travel Secrets: The Kerry International Dark-Sky Reserve

According to their site The best night to watch the meteor show is Thursday night, but you can observe on any night around this date.

You also do not need a telescope or any special equipment to view the Perseids.

To really get a good look at the meteors you should find somewhere away from streetlights with a good view of the sky (away from trees or tall buildings). Where plenty of clothes and temperatures will be low at that time of night. Also dont forget a blanket so you can lie back and relax.

Heres some incredible time-lapse footage and photography taken at Yosemite Park:
Between the years 1874 and 1955 the political names that brought Ireland to nationhood are legendary: Charles Stewart Parnell, Michael Collins and Eamon de Valera, all icons on a separate, higher, even holy, level. But there is another name, an English one at that, intimately involved in the internecine Irish politics of the time. That name is Churchill.

We start in 1874 because that is the birth year of one Winston Spencer Churchill, son of American Jennie Jerome and Lord Randolph Churchill. By age two he knew the grounds at the Viceregal Lodge (now Aras an Uachtarain, the residence of the Irish President) in Dublins Phoenix Park because his grandfather, John Churchill, the seventh Duke of Marlborough, was the Lord Lieutenant/Viceroy of Ireland, appointed by Disraeli. (Winstons father was his secretary.)

The best way to describe Winston and Randolphs political attitude towards Ireland would be schizophrenic. Randolph is famous for the inflammatory, sectarian-baiting quote Ulster will fight, and Ulster will be right and Winston is the man, as Secretary of State for War in Lloyd Georges government, who was responsible for introducing the Auxiliaries and Black and Tans into Ireland in 1920.

Read more: Little known Irish facts: Churchill and Pope Francis both lived in Dublin

However, as Paul Bew documents in his book "Churchill and Ireland" (Oxford University Press), both were supporters of historic Irish causes: Randolph supported the Land League movement of the 1870s and was a champion of Irish educational reform, and Winston was a staunch defender of the Irish Free State after its birth in 1922although he had second thoughts about Eire with the outbreak of World War II.

Bew is a professor of Irish Politics at Queens University, Belfast, and a crossbench peer in the House of Lords. In the past he has served as an advisor to David Trimble. Bew, clearly a fan of Churchill, makes some interesting points.

Churchill once said: We have always found the Irish a bit odd. They refuse to be English. Yet during the War of Independence and during World War II Churchill wanted the Irish to act English, something anathema to the Irish character.

IrishCentral asked Bew if he could explain this dichotomy on the part of Churchill: I think Churchill was slow to see the collapse of Redmondite Ireland," he replied, "which he knew and admired, and much of which was the consequence of World War I.

Indeed, John Redmond, the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, so misjudged the events of 1916 that by 1919 he was dead, a failure, and the IPP was extinct.

Winston Churchills imprint is first really felt in Ireland and on the Irish psyche in Gallipoli in 1915 when at Suvla Bay half of the 17,000 strong Irish Division was killed. It was Churchills idea, his folly, and it was an utter disaster that drove him from the government.

Although he had nothing to do with 1916 and its aftermath of executions, he was back in Lloyd Georges government as the War of Independence dragged on and, like his contemporary foes Edward Carson and Sir Henry Wilson, was strongly in favor of introducing conscription to Irelandsomething that, ironically, united north and south against Britain.

At the height of the revolution he was outraged by the guerrilla tactics of Michael Collins and the IRA. After the killings of a spy named Jameson and the very dangerous bank examiner Alan Bell in Dublin by Collins Active Service Unit known as The Squad (and more colorfully as The Twelve Apostles) Churchill wrote to his wife, Clementine: Really getting very serious What a diabolical streak [the Irish] have in their character! I expect it is that treacherous, assassinating, conspiring trait which has done them in in bygone ages of history and prevented them from being a great responsible nation with stability and prosperity. It is shocking that we have not been able to bring the murderers to justice.

Clementine was well aware of her husbands sanguinary instincts and she tried to temper him. Do my darling, she wrote him, use your influence now for some sort of moderation or at any rate justice in Ireland. Put yourself in the place of the Irish. If you were ever leader you would not be cowed by severity and certainly not my reprisals which fall like the rain from Heaven upon the Just and the Unjust. It always makes me unhappy and disappointed when I see you inclined to take for granted that the rough, iron-fisted Hunnish way will prevail. Using the word Hunthe despised Germans of the Great Warshows that Clementine knew how to stick the needle in her husband to get his attention. She went on to say You know that if the situation was reversed your heart would be with the rebels.

It wouldnt be until the fall of 1921 when Churchill met Collins and they worked on the Treaty that Churchill began to change his feelings towards Ireland. Although some historians disagree, there seemed to be a genuine friendship between Collins and Churchill. Churchill, says Bew, identified with the young Collins.

Irish Independent columnist Mary Kenny wrote a wonderful play called "Allegiances" about an evening they spent together, based on a reminiscence by Churchill: He [Collins] was in his most difficult mood, full of reproaches and defiances, and it was very easy for everyone to lose his temper. You hunted me day and night! he exclaimed. You put a price on my head! Wait a minute, I said. You are not the only one.' And I took from my wall the framed copy of the reward offered for my recapture by the Boers. At any rate it was a good price5,000. Look at me25 dead or alive. How would you like that? The tension was broken and the two of them spent the rest of the night drinking. Weeks later, there was the Treaty. (One wonders what would have happened if the acetic de Valera, instead of Collins, had gone to London to negotiate the Treaty? Considering how de Valera was water to Churchills oil, the Union Jack might still be flying over the GPO today!)

After the Treaty was signed, Churchill was put in charge of the Irish transition from colony to nation. He became a staunch supporter of the new Free State. He backed Collinsand sometimes bullied himbut he helped bring the new nation to fruition.

One of the most interesting things about Bews book was Churchills continuous interest in having a united Ireland, where both the Nationalists and Unionists would agree on a commitment. His ideal, says Bew, provided a link to England and based on consent in the end the commonwealth would have been enough.

Churchills biggest battle with Ireland and de Valera was over Irelands neutrality during the Emergency, which outside of Ireland was known as World War II.

I think he regarded Irish neutrality, says Bew, as a betrayal of the best instincts of the Irishbravery and generosity. The Anglo-Irish Treaty that created the Irish Free State in 1921 allowed Britain to retain control of three deep water ports: Cobh (formerly Queenstown) and Berehaven (both in Cork) and Lough Swilly in Donegal. In 1938, Neville Chamberlains government returned these ports to Eire as part of the treaty that settled the Anglo-Irish Trade War.

Churchill was an instant critic and considered the treaty folly on the part of Britain. This feeling was even more firmly entrenched when he became First Lord of the Admiralty. On the British side, says Bew, it was believed that there was an understanding that in the event of a crisis they would have use of the ports. [U.S. Ambassador] Joe Kennedy refers to this belief on the Chamberlain side even as he dismisses it.

Read more: How Michael Collins helped save Winston Churchills career

But Britain did not regain access to the ports and it stuck in Churchills craw. England was under tremendous pressure because the U.S. was not yet in the war and German U-boats were putting a stranglehold on the island nation. But de Valera stood firm.

On the evening of December 7, 1941 a drunk Churchill sent his famous A Nation Once Again telegram to de Valera (Now is your chance, now or never, A Nation Once Again), perhaps trying to bait or tempt the Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister). It drew zero response from Dev. (One speculates that if Michael Collins had been in charge Churchill probably would have a visitor at #10 Downing Street early the next morning doing his Monty Hall imitation: Lets make a deal!)

Bew is critical of Ireland in World War II for not only its neutrality but because there was a German Legation on Northumberland Road in Dublin. Bew sees insidious actions on the part of these Dublin Germans, and blames de Valera.

However, Devs Emergency was also, perhaps, one of the high points of his tenure. When the British bombed Belfast he sent the Dublin Fire Brigade to help put out the flames. He reminded the Germans that the northern six counties, under the Irish Constitution, were a de facto part of the Irish state, thus stopping the bombing. The Special Branch kept a close eye on the German legation and clamped down on all IRA activities that might favor Nazi Germany. The Irish government also returned downed Allied flyers while detaining German ones. There were also contingency plans in place in the event of a German invasion of Ireland.

Ireland, in essence, was neutral during World War IIon the side of the Allies. (Bew also supplies an interesting list of Anglo-Irish points of cooperation during the war: A secret memorandum of the Irish Department of External Affairs, dated May 1941, detailed thirteen areas of cooperation with Britain. They included information on transport and military facilities in Ireland, free air space for British planes, broadcasting facilities, collection of and passing-on information, a coast watch service, routing of official German and Italian communications through Britain, internment of spies, and blacking-out of areas at British request. Ireland also provided much food for Britain.)

Probably the blackest mark on de Valeras handling of Ireland during World War II came at the very end of the war. For some unknown, bizarre reason de Valera visited the German Legation to express his condolences on the death of Adolph Hitler. (He did not extend the same sympathies three weeks earlier upon the death of President Roosevelt.)

Bew looks at the port issue solely from the viewpoint of the British. The Irish government received the ports back in a treaty that was duly approved by both governments. The British could have invaded Ireland to regain the ports, but wouldnt that make them look like Germany trampling over small nations?

From de Valeras view, the ports were Irish territory and why should they allow the British access? Wasnt Britain the country that:

Occupied Ireland for 700 years Persecuted Catholics in their own country Nearly cleared Catholics from the island with a famine Imposed punitive taxes on a poverty-stricken country Brutalized the Irish during the War of Independence with the Black and Tans And, on a personal note, condemned one Commandant Eamon de Valera to death in 1916

The appearance of de Valera at the German Legation was the last straw for Churchill. After VE-Day was declared Churchill went on the radio and directed venom at de Valera and the Irish:

This was, indeed, a deadly moment in our life and had it not been for the loyalty and friendship of Northern Ireland, we should have been forced to come to close quarters with Mr. de Valera, or perish forever from the earth. However, with a restraint and poise to which I venture to say history will find few parallels, His Majestys government never laid a hand upon them, though at times it would have been quite easy and natural. We left the de Valera government to frolic with the Germans and later with the Japanese representatives to their hearts content.

Churchills speech was met with disbelief in Ireland and de Valera was forced to respond: Mr. Churchill is fiercely proud of his nations perseverance against heavy odds. But we in this island are still prouder of our peoples perseverance for freedom through all the centuries  I regret that it is not to this nobler purpose that Mr. Churchill is lending his hand, rather than, by the abuse of a people who have done him no wrong, trying to find a crisis like the present, excuse for continuing the mutilation of our country.

Bew sums up the whole kerfuffle succinctly: For Churchill, the greatest error was to indulge in the emotions of revenge and spite. Post-conflict he was soon to go out of his way to send warm messages to Dublin.

After the war the two old warriors would be voted out of office, but by 1953 they were both back running their respective governments. They finally met face-to-face for the first time at 10 Downing Street (for the record, these two old antagonists were aged 79 and 71, de Valera being the junior partner). At the meeting Dev told Churchill that he would not have taken Eire out of the commonwealth in 1949 (the government of John Costello did) and then spoke of the north: I spoke first of a possible unification of the country. To this he replied that they could never put out the people of the Six Counties, so long as they wished to remain with them.

When looking at the framework of the Good Friday Agreement one see the hand of Churchill in the settlement. The Republic and the Northern Ireland can unitewhen they are ready to unite. I think, says Bew, that Churchill's emphasis on consent and fair play for Northern Catholics and north/south cooperation is in the Craig/Collins pacts of 1922 and the core of the Good Friday Agreement.

Maybe someday, when the time is perfect, the ghost of Winston Churchill will sing like he sang on December 7, 1941A Nation Once Again!

Dermot McEvoy is the author of the "The 13th Apostle: A Novel of a Dublin Family", "Michael Collins, and the Irish Uprising" and "Irish Miscellany" (Skyhorse Publishing). He may be reached at dermotmcevoy50@gmail.com. Follow him at www.dermotmcevoy.com. Follow The 13th Apostle on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/13thApostleMcEvoy/.
Exports in July rose 1.2% from a year earlier, the finance ministry said, with electronic goods sent overseas up 5.7%.

A low base last July helped the overall increase. Exports account for two thirds of Taiwans GDP, and a recovery in shipments would substantially raise economic growth.

The island reversed three quarters of GDP shrinkage in the second quarter with a gain of 0.7%.

In May, the statistics bureau forecast growth of over 1% for the year. Bank of America Merrill Lynch economists Xiaojia Zhi, Helen Qiao, and Sylvia Sheng expect export growth and favourable base effects to support year-on-year GDP growth in the second half of the year.

The next few months mark the peak season for semi-conductors and telecommunications products, says Anita Hsu, an economist at Masterlink Securities Investment Advisory in Taipei.

Ms Hsu expects exports to grow 5% in the third quarter, since the new iPhones release will boost shipments.

Apple could introduce new models to follow the 6S and 6S Plus as early as next month, with more advanced photography capabilities and upgraded hardware.

Apples biggest Taiwanese suppliers include the worlds biggest contract manufacturer of microchips, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, and iPhone assembler Hon Hai Precision Industries, better known as Foxconn.

We expect the outperformance in electronics to sustain in the third-quarter, as component suppliers ramp up production ahead of Apples iPhone 7 launch, said Angela Hsieh, an economist at Barclays.
An Irishman will attempt to fly from Ireland to Africa on a lawnmower-powered craft this weekend.

Oisin Creagh will use a paramotor, a propeller blade mounted on his back on a rucksack device and connected to a wing, to complete the 3,000km journey.

He is aiming to raise awareness for the charity Gorta-Self Help Africa.

He'll fly via the UK, France and Spain at altitudes ranging from 1,500ft to 6,000ft before landing in North Africa.

Today he's undertaking a day of safety and rescue training at the National Maritime College of Ireland in Cork.

Amongst just a few dozen paramotoring enthusiasts in Ireland, Oisin Creagh regards his sport as one of the simplest forms of powered aviation available to humankind.

His paramotor is a specific type of motorised unit fitted with a propeller blade that is mounted on his back on a rucksack-like frame.

Powered by a small two-stroke engine similar to the motor of a lawnmower, he should potentially be able to cover up to 150-200km of his trip, per flight, travelling at up to 60km an hour.

The Paraglider (known in paramotoring as a Wing) is essentially a parachute, very similar to those used for paragliding, but with a motor.

Oisin is predicting that it will take him approximately a month to cover the distance, but says that a huge amount of the expedition is dependent on getting the right weather conditions.

Too warm, too windy or too wet and you just cant fly, he says.
Emergency services battled overnight to get a fire under control at a building site in Glanmire, Co. Cork, according to The Evening Echo.

Units from Midleton and Cork city responded to a call, which came in at 8.12pm last night.
By David Raleigh

Around Limerick, they're describing miracle toddler Neil Shanahan as "the flying boy".

Neil, aged two and a half, has made an astonishing recovery, five weeks after he fell to the first floor of the Strand Hotel from its sixth-floor rooftop balcony.

Speaking for the first time since her little boy's dramatic fall, his mother Martina, said she believed he was saved in a series of miracles.

"I believe it was a miracle, I believe I got a dig out, I really do," Martina, a mother of three boys said today.

Neil and his "thrilled" family arrived home in Farranshone, Limerick, last Friday night having spent the past five weeks in the care of staff at Temple Street Children's Hospital.

With tears welling in her eyes, Neil's overjoyed mother said: "He spent 70 hours in a critical condition, I'm just so delighted he's home. I'm just so delighted I got my (boy) back. He's my life. I would never have got over it if we had lost him."

Neil, who hasn't a mark on him, has been nicknamed "miracle boy" by his family and neighbours.

Oblivious to all the drama, he happily played away on a giant bean bag chair as his older brother Mairtin (aged 5), watched one of his favourite cartoons on the television.

The family broke into laughter after Martina asked Neil where he had he fallen from. "The roof", he swiftly replied, with a cheeky grin.

Martina and husband, Mike, said they were still trying to take in the emotional roller coaster ride they had all been on since July 2, the day Neil plummeted five stories in what was a terrifying accident.

Neil had been attending a coffee morning in the Strand Hotel with his family when he ventured into a lift that took him to the sixth floor. Somehow he managed to get from the lift to the rooftop balcony before falling to the ground. One eye witness described seeing him dangling off the large letters that spell out the hotel's name, before he lost his grip.

The Strand Hotel in Limerick

"It's just unconscionable, and it's just so overwhelming, from start to finish. It's still so overwhelming," Martina said.

Michael and Martina smiled as they looked at their three boys, Mairtin, (aged 5), who was born with cerebral palsy, Neil (aged 2), and Billy, (aged 1), all together again.

"It is just wonderful to get them all back together, because I had to hand over my little boy, our baby, for five weeks, so that wasn't an easy thing. It is lovely to have us all back as a unit. It's just so special, it's a lovely time," an emotional Martina said.

She paid special tribute to an American nurse, who was visiting Limerick on a tour of Ireland, when she saw Neil land on the ground with a sickening thud.

"I just want to thank the woman who resuscitated him, she is an American nurse. I just saw her breath life back into him," Martina said.

"When he coughed and when he moaned, I just knew he wasn't dead. It was an amazing thing that she was there, and that she was on site at that moment. I just feel so thankful to her, very very thankful."

"She is my angel. We firmly believe she saved him," she added.

The family also thanked the nurses and doctors at Temple Street Children's Hospital, their family, neighbours, friends.

Neil spent much of his five weeks in hospital in the Intensive Care unit, and he was put in a full body cast as doctors monitored his amazing recovery.

The body cast was removed last week, and he bears no clear physical scars of the dramatic events of a little over a month ago.

He sustained damage to one of his legs and is receiving physiotherapy to get him properly back on his feet. His liver was also damaged in the fall, and he has to have his blood pressure checked daily. Apart from that, he is still the same old loveable adventurous rogue he always was, according to his mother.

"He's just so funny, I'd be lost without him. We're delighted," Martina said.

Michael, who had represented the family at a special mass which was organised by neighbours in their local church, in the parish of St Munchins, added: "It's a miracle alright, that he survived. We're delighted to have him home."

Gardai are treating the incident as an "accident".

General Manager of the Strand, Sean Lally said: "We're absolutely thrilled at the hotel that Neil has been discharged from hospital, and is well on his way taking a full recovery."

"The thoughts and prayers of the people of Limerick have definitely been answered on this occasion."

Local curate, Fr Pat Seaver, who had been in the hotel speaking to Martina and Neil a few moments before the toddler wandered off, said he is convinced Neil's recovery is miraculous.

"It is a miracle, there's no doubt about it. I've never heard of such a thing," Fr Seaver said.

Looking at a photograph of a smiling Neil taken yesterday, Fr Seaver joked: "He has his little batman outfit on him there...and, we often think of children as little angels, but we never realised that some of them could actually fly.
A judge in England has made a personal apology to a victim of a former children's home worker and Catholic priest who sexually abused 12 children dating back to the 1970s, and slipped through the British justice system before admitting his crimes.

Philip Temple, 67, sexually assaulted a number of boys and a girl in his care between 1971 and 1977 when he worked for Lambeth and Wandsworth borough councils.

He then changed career to become a priest in 1988 and served at Christ the King Monastery, Vita Et Pax in Cockfosters, where he abused two children including an altar boy.

Temple was tried in the late 1990s but the jury could not decide on a verdict, sparking a retrial which ended in an acquittal, Woolwich Crown Court heard on Wednesday.

The former priest was described by one of his victims as an "extremely skilled liar and manipulator with sociopathic qualities", and the court heard the effect on his victims' lives had proved "incalculable".

Judge Christopher Hehir told the man, who said he was abused as a teenager when Temple was a priest: "I am sorry justice was not done when you came to court in 1998 and 1999."

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court he took to smoking and drinking heavily, self-harming, became a recluse and rarely ate after the trials, culminating in a suicide attempt.

He said he had seen Temple as a father figure, to the extent that he gave him a Father's Day card one year, and called for the judge to hand down the maximum sentence to the 67-year-old.

He said: "I can only imagine the damage he has caused to other victims. We can never escape what he did and we can never be free of it."

He added: "I believe it (the sentence) should reflect the risk he poses to others. He is an extremely skilled liar and manipulator with sociopathic qualities.

"It has been a heavy burden to bear and I hope when this case concludes I can release myself from it."

The judge said it was clear there were "two missed opportunities" after the court heard that the youngest known victim, who was six or seven when he was abused by Temple while he was employed by Wandsworth Borough Council, started civil proceedings against the council in 1991.

The civil case "appeared to be settled with no payment" and police did not investigate when he reported the matter four years later, prosecutor Jonathan Polnay said.

After being arrested in July last year, Temple pleaded guilty to 20 counts of non-recent sexual assault at Croydon Crown Court on Wednesday April 6, and seven like counts at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday.

He also admitted two counts of perjury during the previous trials at the Croydon hearing.

Temple, wearing glasses and a green sweater, spoke to confirm his name and kept his head bowed throughout Wednesday's hearing. He will be sentenced later.
A Russian security agent and a soldier have been killed fending off what Moscow described as a series of attempted terror attacks by the Ukrainian military intelligence in Crimea.

Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned what he called a "stupid criminal action" by the Ukrainian authorities and vowed to take additional steps to ensure security of Crimea. He also strongly urged the West to warn Kiev against "resorting to terror instead of searching for a peaceful settlement".

Ukrainian officials have denied the claims.

Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula in March 2014 following a hastily called referendum. The ensuing conflict in eastern Ukraine has killed more than 9,500, and fighting there between Ukrainian troops and Russia-backed separatists has continued despite a 2015 ceasefire.

The Federal Security Service, known under its Russian acronym the FSB, said its officer was killed over the weekend near Armyansk within a few miles of the de-facto border between Crimea and Ukraine when FSB officers engaged in a gun battle with a group of "saboteurs" from Ukraine.

The FSB said the intruders carried an arsenal of bombs, ammunition and mines.

The agency said two more groups of saboteurs tried to force their way into Crimea early on Monday, supported by Ukrainian artillery. It said one Russian soldier died in that clash.

The FSB said it also busted what it called a network of agents of Ukrainian military intelligence in Crimea and detained several people, including a Ukrainian citizen identified as Yevgeniy Panov whom it described as a Ukrainian military intelligence officer.

Putin blames Ukraine for deaths of service members in Crimea https://t.co/2XtjdqDQQH pic.twitter.com/R2kfxXoeUO  The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) August 10, 2016

The agency claimed the Ukrainian intelligence operation had sought to destabilise the situation in Crimea ahead of Russia's parliamentary election next month.

An aide to the Ukrainian Security Service chief, Yuri Tandit, denied the Russian claims in comments carried by the Interfax news agency.

But Mr Putin, speaking at a news conference in Moscow, accused the Ukrainian leadership of engaging in "terror" instead of discussing a peace settlement in eastern Ukraine. Because of that, he said, it makes no sense to discuss the Ukrainian peace settlement with leaders of Ukraine, France and Germany at the sidelines of the Group of 20 meeting in China next month as earlier planned.

The Ukrainian government said over the weekend that Russia briefly closed its border crossings with mainland Ukraine, and social media users earlier this week posted photos and videos of dozens of armoured vehicles on Crimean road heading toward the de-facto border.
The tree of gold sculpture by artist Eamonn Doherty, which sits outside the banks current headquarters on Dame St, will remain in situ despite speculation last year that it was to be incorporated into its new offices in the Dublin Docklands.

Central Bank chief operations officer Gerry Quinn said the decision had been taken not to relocate the sculpture based on external advice and significant internal assessment.

Its external consultations included discussions with artists and architects which revealed a strong desire for Crann an Oir to stay in its current location when the Dame St site is sold, said a Central Bank spokesperson.

The decision regarding Crann an Oir remaining in place was arrived at after careful consideration with local stakeholders and the wider arts and architectural community, where the strong consensus was that the artwork is an integral part of the fabric of the plaza and an important site- specific installation, the spokesperson said.

When the artist Eamonn ODoherty was commissioned by the Central Bank, it was to create Crann an Oir as a site-specific artwork and the strong consensus among key stakeholders was that it should stay on the [Dame Street] plaza.

We will seek to have Crann an Oir remain in place as part of the sales process.

Central Bank Governor Philip said the sculpture would remain central to the brand of the bank.

It has also been confirmed that a separate artwork will be commissioned for the North Wall Quay offices which is expected to be completed in late 2016.

Reports in February 2015 indicated that the bank intended to move the artwork at the cost of 500,000.

It is believed the estimated cost was accurate, despite a Central Bank official dismissing it as ridiculous at the time.

Mr ODoherty, a Derry sculptor who died in 2011, was commissioned to create the artwork after a nationwide competition in 1991.

The Central Bank commissioned the project to mark the occasion of Dublin becoming the European City of Culture that year.

The tree symbolises growth under careful management and the role of the Central Bank in protecting and husbanding the wealth of the country.
Tehran, Iran, Aug. 10

By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

The United Arab Emirates has acquitted and will set free 29 Iranian prisoners held in the Arab country, Hassan Qashqavi, deputy foreign minister for consular, parliamentarian and overseas-based Iranian-nationals affairs, said.

Turkmenistan will also free 130 Iranian prisoners from its prisons in the near future, Tasnim reported Aug. 10.

Legal and consular cases of these 130 are being followed up and the inmates are expected to enter Iran via the Bajgiran border checkpoint, the report stated.

Sources say that around 400 Iranians are currently held prisoner in Turkmenistan.

Iranian Ambassador to Turkmenistan Mohammad Ahmadi recently said that 302 Iranian inmates were expected to be transferred to Iran soon.
Leading recruitment firm Morgan McKinley yesterday said it expects to start seeing a marked increase in interest from UK-based financial workers from the end of this year and early next, along with hiring increases and a rethink of Irish firms employment budgets.

It said there is a large demand for compliance, risk and tax experts, and newly qualified accountants.
Savills, which makes 40% of its revenue in Britain, said it had seen a significant fall in transaction volumes ahead of the vote, pushing underlying profits for the UK commercial business down 54% in the first half.

Commercial property was one of the first areas affected by the referendum, with investors pulling cash out of funds and forcing many to be suspended  at one point freezing more than 18bn (21.2bn) in the system.

In the residential sector, leading agents such as Foxtons, Countrywide, and Rightmove also reported a fall in transactions as the uncertainty sparked by the historic vote hit a previously booming industry.

Savills said it was maintaining its full-year expectations but chief financial officer Simon Shaw said the range of possibilities had widened. The shares which have fallen 20% this year were up slightly yesterday.

We really just dont know which direction various sub-sectors of the market are going to take in terms of volumes, he said. The high is higher, and the low is lower.

Industry surveys had indicated that interest in commercial property was waning in the run-up to the vote, with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors reporting the largest drop in investment demand on record in the second quarter of the year.

Savills said that had been sparked by many of the larger sovereign wealth and private equity firms sitting on the sidelines in central London, allowing wealthy individuals to get good deals in commercial property. Since then the market had stabilised, it said.

Now, were back to a more normal market where weve got all the big players back, said chief executive Jeremy Helsby.

Assuming that we start to see volumes picking up, which we are seeing at the moment, I would expect the second-half performance to be better than the first half.

In the British residential market, transaction fee income rose 10% in the period but Helsby said the immediate signs were that transactions would be slightly down in London in the weeks since Britain voted to leave the EU.

Underlying profit at the firm  which operates in Britain, Asia, continental Europe and the US  rose 11.5% to 42.8m in the six months, with other markets compensating for falling revenue in Britain.
Mr ODowds Hot Cod Productions is one of the companies behind his very successful Moone Boy series broadcast in recent years to critical and popular acclaim.

The upturn in the companys fortunes has coincided with the continuing success of the semi-autobiographical series and the 36-year-olds continuing rise in Hollywood.

The value of the firms investments during the 12 months to the end of last October increased from 148,931 to 293,284, accounts show.

Mr ODowd is a favourite of one of the most influential directors in Hollywood, Judd Apatow, and has starred in Apatow movies Bridesmaids and This is 40, while he has also had a starring role in the HBO series Girls.

He is part of a star-studded cast including Samuel L Jackson, Judi Dench, Eva Green, and Rupert Everett starring in Tim Burtons upcoming fantasy adventure film Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children.

He is currently filming The God Particle, which is being directed by JJ Abrams of Star Wars fame and is due for release next year.

Last year, the actor enjoyed positive reviews for his portrayal of journalist David Walsh in his pursuit of disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong in the movie The Program.

He first came to notice in RTEs The Clinic, before his UK breakthrough in comedy The IT Crowd.
ICMSA deputy president Pat McCormack has urged the department to avoid repeating the inordinately long delays which some farmers experienced in 2015.

The Basic Payment Scheme is due to be paid by October 16, while farmers are due to receive the ANC (formerly Disadvantaged Areas Scheme) payment by the third week in September.

The ICMSA says that, under the Farmers Charter, the department is committed to have all problems dealt with by September 15.

To ensure prompt payments, the farmer group says all applications, including entitlement transfers, should be processed by the end of August and letters issued to those farmers deemed to have issues requiring resolution.

The department have had applications since as early as last February and all applications since May 15 and we dont think its unreasonable to expect that any problems would be identified and notified to the farmers by the end of August with the problems being resolved by the department by the middle of September, said Mr McCormack.

For a number of years now, individual farmers have experienced very considerable delays in payment that have caused absolute chaos in terms of cashflow and repayment schedules, in the context of the income wipeout experienced by dairy farmers this year, were stating categorically that these kinds of chaotic delays cannot be repeated as farmers just dont have any room to manoeuvre after the last 18 months.

He said timely payment will be an acid test for how seriously the department takes the Farmers Charter.
Members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) are planning to hold talks in Algeria next month when they gather for a meeting of the International Energy Forum, the groups president Mohammed Al Sada said earlier this week.

However, the same obstacles that prevented an agreement on proposals to freeze output in April or fix a new production target in June are still there, according to UBS Group.

We still havent reached the moment when Opec members will agree to a production agreement, as Iran has not yet recovered its pre-sanction production levels, said Giovanni Staunovo, an analyst at UBS.

Oil fell into a bear market last week, ending a recovery that saw prices almost double from a 12-year low in February.

Opec moved to targeting market share over price in 2014, adopting a Saudi-led strategy to keep pumping in the face of oversupply.

Efforts by some Opec members over the past two years to limit the groups output have come to nothing.

In Doha in April, talks with other producers including Russia to freeze output ended in failure after Saudi Arabia decided it wouldnt back the accord as long as Iran refused to join.

Irans position on a freeze accord has not changed, with the country seeking to reclaim its pre-sanctions share of Opecs total production before agreeing to cap output, according to an Opec delegate.

Irans crude production increased by about a quarter since the start of the year to 3.6m barrels a day in July. However, it has yet to fully recover the levels pumped before sanctions were imposed four years ago.

Crude production in Libya remains at less than a quarter of its level before the ouster of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

In Nigeria, a resurgence of rebel attacks against oil infrastructure is holding output close to the lowest level since 1989.

Holding an informal meeting is an opportunistic, low-risk strategy for Opec to deal with the problem of falling prices, said David Fyfe, head of research at oil trading house Gunvor Group in Geneva.
Mr Trump included a call for a 15% corporate rate in a Detroit speech where he outlined other tax and economic reforms.

Business groups have long said their members are hurt because US companies pay the most federal income tax  a 35% rate, though the effective rate is often lower  among the 35 countries in the OECD.

The fact that he is pushing for a 15% corporate tax rate is definitely a positive, said Dorothy Coleman, vice-president of tax and domestic economic policy for the National Association of Manufacturers.

Tax reform is really one of the important goals that we have.

The Rate Coalition, which lists Boeing, Ford, and Wal-Mart among corporate supporters, said it will not endorse all aspects of Mr Trumps plan but that the tax proposal is a huge step in the right direction and we urge other candidates in the race to follow his lead.

Mr Trump also called for a 10% levy on overseas cash that companies have been unwilling to bring home because of high US taxes.

For small businesses, the proposal was a home run, said Juanita Duggan, chief executive of the National Federation of Independent Business.

It would provide the same 15% rate for companies no matter their size, freeing up funds to invest back into family businesses, she said.

The US last adjusted its corporate tax in 1993 when it was pushed up by a percentage point to 35%, said Alan Cole, an economist with the Tax Foundations Center for Federal Tax Policy.

Under a 1986 tax bill, the rate was phased down to 34% from 46%.

Countries around the world have been ratcheting down their tax rate steadily to become more competitive, said Mr Cole.

The average corporate tax rate when including state levies and weighted by the size of economy has declined to about 29% from 36% in 2003.

The US corporate tax when including state levies is about 39%, according to the OECD.

The US Chamber of Commerce did not issue a statement on the Trump speech and referred questions to a video that calls for lower rates and a globally competitive system.

The manufacturers association still wants to see more particulars on Mr Trumps plan, as well as more incentive for capital spending and research and development, said Mr Coleman, adding: The devil is in the details on this.
The ICSA is conducting the study in partnership with Kathleen Moore Walsh, law and criminology lecturer, WIT, and Louise Walsh, accounting and economics lecturer, WIT.

The survey invites farmers and rural dwellers to contribute data which could ultimately help combat agricultural crime.

ICSA rural development chairman Seamus Sherlock said: The survey will be the first to look at the full implications of agriculture crime in Ireland. It will focus on losses in all areas of farm life, plus income and tax implications for victims.

We know that not all agriculture crimes are reported. This much-needed study will provide valuable insights into the true nature, extent and implications of all agricultural crime.

The survey will gather data on the type and level of agriculture crime nationally and the costs of crime to a farm business.

Meanwhile, a recent operation by gardai led to the seizure of vehicles, trailers and farm equipment.

Gardai made several arrests as part of an operation targeting burglaries and theft in rural areas of Laois, Offaly, Tipperary, Carlow, and Kilkenny.

The Garda said it will continue to work with the main agricultural representative organisations, IFA and ICMSA, to raise awareness within the farming community and the wider Garda organisation on rural crime.

Mr Sherlock said he was alarmed at recent reports that a trusted visitor to a farm carrying out agricultural services has allegedly supplied insider information to criminal gangs intent on farm robberies.

This news prompted a major discussion at last weeks ICSA national executive meeting, where the garda vetting of farm visitors was considered, said Mr Sherlock.

Accordingly, ICSA is to look further into the practicalities of this. In any event, farmers will be very concerned and it also should set off alarm bells for all businesses and Government agencies who regularly visit farms.

"Farmers need to be informed at the earliest date possible of such visits and which personnel were involved.

The rural crime survey is on www.icsaireland.com, where responses are completely anonymous.
The Cork-headquartered company has already established centres in Cork, Dublin, California and most recently in Athens, Georgia, in the US.

Company chief executive and co-founder Dan Kiely confirmed to the Irish Examiner that Voxpros expansion will continue into the latter part of the year with offices planned in at least one more country.

In his sights is another European base, as well asVoxpros first in Latin America.

Well definitely have another base before year-end, said Mr Kiely. Itll either be in Europe or Latin America. If we can do both thatd be great but well certainly do at least one.

The company which employs more than 1,700 people globally and works with clients in 32 countries, is also forging ahead with plans to establish operations in Asia-Pacific.

Mr Kiely confirmed that it remains the companys intention to set up base in Asia-Pacific, as previously indicated, but that another European office and its first foray into Latin America will be completed first.

The new Asia-Pacific office will likely follow early next year.

Mr Kiely said Voxpro is continuing to carry out due diligence in the region, but said expansion into Asia is a little more difficult given the more country-specific, rather than regional, nature of doing business there.

The companys continued expansion comes after the announcement last week that it was to invest $4m (3.57m) in a new centre of excellence in the US state of Georgia.

The facility, which Mr Kiely said he hopes will allow Voxpro to become the most coveted place to work in Athens, will employ 500 staff by 2020.

Its an amazing university town with a huge graduate pool to be able to tap into so what we will be basically doing is trying to attract in the graduates when they graduate from the university and want to base themselves in Athens, which is an absolutely beautiful town, Mr Kiely said.

In March, Voxpros existing US operations received a boost when it announced it was to create 450 additional roles at its base in Folsom, California. PayPal vice president of global operations in Europe, Middle East and Africa, Louise Phelan joined Voxpros board this year to aid its growth in overseas markets.

Mr Kiely has previously spoken of potentially floating the company in the next three years or so.

The 2019 target date is subject to change and contingent on meeting certain targets such as reaching revenues of $100m beforehand. Voxpro counts a number of leading technology companies among its clients including, Google, Nest, and Airbnb.
Interest from Rank and 888 had been reported last month and William Hill yesterday confirmed that it had received an unsolicited bid aimed at combining the three entities.

Rank switched its focus from films and cinema to the gaming industry 10 years ago and now focuses on online gaming, casino ownership and bingo clubs, through its ownership of leading UK brand Mecca Bingo.

It and online gaming specialst 888 had hoped to merge their interests with leading traditional bookmaker William Hill as consolidation ramps up across the industry.

However, in a statement yesterday, William Hill said its board does not believe that a combination of William Hill with 888 and Rank will enhance strategic positioning or deliver superior value for shareholders compared against [its own] strategy, which is focused on increasing the groups diversification by growing its digital and international businesses.

William Hills share price rose by over 7% in early trading, yesterday, on the initial news of the merger offer.

However, that increase was pretty much eroded after the rejection statement was published to the London Stock Exchange later in the day.

Earlier this month, William Hill announced the acquisition of betting and gaming software provider Grand Parade in a 13.6m deal aimed at tackling its problems in getting to grips with the challenges of online.

It also recently sacked its chief executive James Henderson  after only two years in the job  after the board lost patience with the pace of growth, particularly in online, under his stewardship.

The company looks set to lose its market leadership position in the UK after Ladbrokes concludes its merger with Coral.

Last week, William Hill reported a 16% annualised decline in first half operating profit to 131m, but a 1% rise in interim revenues to 814m.

Chairman Gareth Davis yesterday said the group has a strong team to deliver its strategy, so shareholders should take no action regarding the Rank/888 offer.

This conditional proposal substantially undervalues William Hill, is highly opportunistic and does not reflect the inherent value of the business, he said.
The US State Department has approved the potential sale of more than 130 Abrams battle tanks, 20 armored recovery vehicles and other equipment, worth about $1.15 billion, to Saudi Arabia, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

The approval for land force equipment coincides with Saudi Arabia leading a military coalition in support of Yemeni forces loyal to the exiled government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi who are trying to oust Iran-allied Houthi forces from the capital, Sanaa. Human rights groups have criticized the coalition's air strikes because of the deaths of civilians.

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which implements foreign arms sales, said that General Dynamics will be the principal contractor for the sale.

"This sale will increase the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) interoperability with US forces and conveys US commitment to Saudi Arabia's security and armed forces modernization," the agency said in a notice to lawmakers posted on its website.

Lawmakers have 30 days to block the sale, although such action is rare.

Saudi Arabia and its mostly Gulf Arab allies intervened in Yemen's civil war in March 2015 after the Houthi movement had pushed the Hadi administration into exile in Saudi Arabia.

On Tuesday, the Saudi-led military coalition conducted air strikes on Sanaa for the first time in five months, residents said, after U.N.-backed peace talks to end the conflict broke down at the weekend.

Medics said nine civilians were killed in a strike on a potato chip factory in the Nahda district of the capital.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch called on the United Nations General Assembly in June to suspend Saudi Arabia from the U.N. Human Rights Council until the military coalition stops killing civilians in Yemen.

"The Saudi-led coalitions campaign in Yemen has been devastating for civilians (and) the US should be suspending arms sales to Saudi Arabia, not approving more," said Kristine Beckerle, a researcher with Human Rights Watch.
Last night, a driver decided to take a trip to the picturesque Dunquin pier in Kerry - where visitors get the ferry to the Blasket Islands.

Unfortunately, its a notoriously twisty, narrow pedestrian-only road - and the inevitable happened.

Yup, his car got completely wedged in at one of the tight corners.

The photo was posted by the Blasket Island Ferries Facebook page, who discovered the man (as they point out, "a Dub!") first thing this morning completely blocking access to the pier.

"It would be the busiest week of the year for us, so plenty of people were a little annoyed at not being able to catch the ferry this morning," said Sibeal Ni Lubhaing of Blasket Island Ferries.

Speaking to breakingnews.ie, Sibeal said that the man had been there all night:

"The guy drove down there last night and stayed sitting in the car the whole night. He didnt ring anyone for help."

For reference, this is the area were talking about - beautiful but definitely not car friendly.

Dunquin, Co. Kerry/Pixaby

The man was let out thought the boot this morning and the county council sent a digger to free the car in the last hour, which sustained plenty of scratches.

Not a mistake you make twice anyway and not one hes likely to forget in a hurry as the Facebook post has gone viral - its been shared over 1,000 times.

via BreakingNews.ie
Independent TD for Roscommon-Galway East, Michael Fitzmaurice, made the claim after the sought-after ring-fenced funding was announced by Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Heather Humphreys.

Under a long-awaited initiative to help rural Ireland recover, Ms Humphreys has published plans to invest at least 10m in small towns and villages this year.

The money, which will be provided through local authorities, will be focused on 200 specific communities where fewer than 10,000 people live  with the majority going to villages with populations of under 5,000 people.

Announcing the plans in Clones, Co Monaghan, yesterday, Ms Humphreys said the renewal scheme is needed to begin breathing life back into our rural towns and villages.

While accepting one funding initiative is not the silver bullet for tackling longer term economic problems in rural Ireland, she said the money available has been more than doubled from 4m last year and that up to 200 locations are set to benefit from the Government action.

However, Mr Fitzmaurice heavily criticised the level of funding, saying it needs to be at least 20 times bigger to make any real difference to hard-hit communities.

He said the 10m fund in reality works out at just 380,000 per county, and that the money being made available is not significant.

Its ticking a box, basically saying, that look it, we have done this trying to get the rural regeneration off. To be quite frank about it, you would want 20 times that if you were to make an effort in regenerating parts of rural Ireland, he said.

While the economic crisis caused havoc to all parts of Ireland, rural communities have been particularly badly hit due to the linked issues of joblessness and emigration. Addressing the issue was among the key points raised during the post-election Government negotiations earlier this year.
Health Minister Simon Harris and HSE director general Tony OBrien will launch the new standards for bereavement care following pregnancy loss and perinatal death at an event this morning in a bid to address a lack of uniformity in how families affected by the personal tragedies are treated by hospitals.

Under the current system, hospitals provide varying degrees of bereavement counselling to an estimated 14,500 grieving parents who have suffered a stillbirth or seen their child days moments after pregnancy.
Twenty-two percent of home birth mothers exclusively breastfeed for six months  compared to 9% of other mothers.

Ireland has significantly lower rates of breastfeeding, with only 60% of women starting breastfeeding, compared to the European norm of around 90%.

Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to six months of age by the World Health Organisation.

Researchers at Trinity College Dublin-based their finding on collected data and an analysis of factors surrounding home and hospital-based births.

The studys principal researcher, Dr Linda Zgaga, said the information might help to improve low breastfeeding rates in Ireland by identifying the changes that could be implemented in the hospital setting to encourage and facilitate breastfeeding.

Dr Zgaga, associate professor of epidemiology at TCD said the work also raises a fundamental question about breastfeeding in Ireland.

When breastfeeding is so strongly recommended across the board by the medical profession, what causes lower rates of breastfeeding following hospital births? she asked.

The research suggested a number of potential reasons for higher home birth breastfeeding rates.

A home birth is typically midwife-led and in Ireland a self-employed community midwife is the mother and childs primary carer until the baby is 14 days old;

Many health professionals are involved after a hospital birth, potentially providing unpredictable and inconsistent input;

Support in the days after birth improves outcomes for the mother and baby but some mothers do not get it as soon as they should;

There is shared care between the obstetricians and GP in hospital births, followed by a visit from a public health nurse that should take place within 48 hours of discharge. However, the percentage of first visits achieved varied significantly from 57% to 87%;

Also, the non-clinical setting of a home allows immediate and prolonged skin to skin contact between mother and baby after birth  widely considered to have a positive effect on the initiation of breastfeeding and mother-infant bonding.

The study, published in the international journal BMJ Open, also noted the increased use of interventions, assisted delivery, and pain relief in hospitals compared to home births.

Despite all maternity units participating in an initiative that recommends that newborns should not receive any food or drink other than breast milk unless medically indicated, hospital births have been associated with formula supplementation.

This may be due to busy, understaffed clinical settings, where formula feeding may be found to be a more convenient solution to feeding problems than diagnosis and treatment of breastfeeding issues, the study suggests.

The study, the largest of its kind, used more than 10,500 women from Growing Up in Ireland and 17,500 women from the UK Millennium Cohort.

The self-reported home birth rate in Ireland, at 1.48%, is similar the British rate of 2%.

The study notes that the official Government figure for homebirths in Ireland is only 0.2% as it only records planned home births attended by an independent midwife and excludes hospital-administered home births.
Philip OSullivan, chief economist at Investec Ireland, said working out all the details of the UKs new relationship with the EU as it plots to quit the bloc will take years.

Speaking in a personal capacity, Mr OSullivan told the Irish Examiner that tiny Greenland took several years to strike divorce terms with Brussels in the 1980s, and negotiating the UKs departure would take much longer.
Homeless mum, Erica Fleming, appealed this week to Social Protection Minister, Leo Varadkar, to reverse the changes that have seen her and others ineligible for his departments back to education allowance (BTEA).

She fears being unable to take up her place next month on the foundation course at Trinity College Dublin which would give her a strong chance to study for a degree at the university.

She is one of just 25 people selected from more than 120 for the programme  but because of reforms to the one-parent family payment from 2013, parents like Erica whose children are aged over seven moved to different payments under which they are no longer eligible to receive the BTEA.

Erica and her daughter, Emily, have been living in a hotel for more than a year and while they receive family income supplement, Erica has been told it is not an eligible payment for her to receive the BTEA.

Sarah Grimson, co-ordinator of the Trinity Access Programme course for mature students to which Erica had successfully applied, said hers is not the only case affected by one-parent family payment changes.

That reform had an impact on a number of students, and because of the change to the qualifying childrens age, they lost out, she said.

Ms Grimson said there were a lot of people with massive potential who they offer places to but every year some have to defer or drop out mid-stream because the financial support is not available to them.

Although recipients of the family income supplement, which Erica receives, can get a student maintenance grant from Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), those grants are not available to people on her course.

The foundation courses for mature students and young adults provide academic, social, and personal preparation for degree-level courses, for which 95% of participants later qualify and go on to take. However, Ms Grimson said, they have to support themselves and it can be unrealistic for people to study at this level while also having to work part-time and care for children: I would be absolutely supportive of changes on the BTEA. Its really rigid and a more personalised approach to how people are assessed would be a good thing.

The Union of Students in Ireland has also backed Ms Flemings plea for changes that would allow herself and others break the cycle of poverty and end their dependence on welfare payments.

Any rules that allow clearly deserving people like Erica Fleming to slip through the net are insufficient. Going to college puts people in a position to make a bigger contribution through taxation and skilled work, he said.
Noirin McAuliffe, 61, from Macroom, Co Cork, lost everything earlier this year when her home at St Colemans Park in Macroom went on fire. The fire claimed the lives of her son Kenneth, 27, and Noel OMahony, 62, who was visiting the house. Noirin, only escaped the blaze after jumping from an upstairs window.

Following the fire Noirin found herself staying with family as she lost four decades of family possessions and memories. Earlier this week, she moved into her new home following the tragedy.
Mishell Moloney was discovered dead under a duvet on the bedroom floor by her daughter and sister on February 7 after they smashed their way through a rear patio door to get in.

The 49-year-old died after being overcome by carbon monoxide fumes and smoke caused by a small fire in the tumble dryer in the downstairs kitchen.

Birmingham Coroners Court heard that dryer manufacturer Beko had received reports of 20 previous fires in the same model, but none had the defect thought to have caused the blaze that killed Ms Moloney.

Bekos director of quality, Andrew Mullen, said 38,000 units were sold in Britain and Ireland.

Recording a narrative verdict, Emma Brown, area coroner for Birmingham and Solihull, said: Its my conclusion Mishells death was due to smoke inhalation from a fire that was caused by the Beko tumble dryer within her kitchen.

The source within the tumble dryer was the printed control board (PCB).

Its not possible to identify the nature of the defect which caused the fire.

She added: Mishell was aware of a problem with the tumble dryer before the fire because she turned the machine off. She obviously thought shed dealt with it and went to bed intending to sort it subsequently.

Ms Moloney, who bought the appliance in October 2012, had been home alone on the night of February 6 and texted family just before midnight. It was the last time relatives heard from her, and shortly after 4pm the next day they found Ms Moloneys window blinds blackened with soot, and forced their way in.

An investigation at the house found the fire started in or around the area where the dryers PCB was.

Beko said the PCB had never been the identified cause of any blazes traced to the 8kg DCS 85W, the model Ms Moloney had. Mr Mullen said: In virtually all cases it has been the run capacitor  I cant think of any cases that werent.

Mr Mullen said a decision not to recall the model was taken after a risk assessment and consultation with trading standards.

He revealed two smaller 6kg and 7kg models had been recalled because of 100 incidents of reported faults with the capacitor, within the first three months.

Asked by the coroner why Beko had not decided to recall the larger model, he said: We looked at the number of incidents against sales, the severity of the incidents and circumstances, and in all those assessments they were all incidents that happened within 10 or 20 minutes of the tumble dryer being used.

Nearly all those were when the tumble dryer was in unheated buildings such as a shed or outhouse. In those cases the risk of injury was low.

He added the model was discontinued last year as part of a range change.
Mr Halligan also said Google, Facebook, and Apple do not pay enough tax here.

Speaking to Hot Press in the second part of an interview, the Independent TD for Waterford hit out at Republican nominee Mr Trump.

Hes nuts. I think hes homophobic. I think hes racist. I think hes extreme right wing. I think hes a clown. I think hes no knowledge of foreign affairs. And, I think, hes dangerous, said Mr Halligan, the junior education minister.

If I was walking around America now and there were kids in America not registered, Id say, Get registered quickly for the sake of your country and the sake of the world  and vote against this asshole.

The use of Shannon Airport by US military planes should also be stopped, said Mr Halligan . They shouldnt be using it at all. I mean, is there somebody serious telling me theres not munitions on board? We dont know, he said.

Were a contributing factor, to a degree, to innocent people being killed in Afghanistan, Iraq, and maybe Syria.

His comments come after he made equally controversial remarks in part one of the interview last week. He suggested opening HSE-run drug shops and decriminalising the use of drugs.

Prostitution should also be regulated, he said.
Mr Justice Richard Humphreys said the applicant and his wife, who is also South African, married in their home country and came to Ireland in the late 1990s. They had two children in the State.

The man had applied for and was refused refugee status and lost an appeal against the decision but had been granted leave to remain on the basis of being the father of an Irish citizen.

He had made two applications for a certificate of naturalisation, which had both been refused.

The judge said the man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was then convicted of the drug related offences following a trial and had been imprisoned.

The man had later been granted enhanced remission of sentence by the minister who had already issued a proposal to deport him. The deportation order was formally made against him later.

Judge Humphreys said the man had legally challenged his deportation claiming the justice ministers decision to deport him was in contradiction with the fact that she, through the Irish Prison Services, had granted him enhanced remission in recognition of a reduced risk of re-offending and in recognition of his efforts at rehabilitation. The judge said the minister had based her deportation order on a series of reasons, including the seriousness of the mans offence and his failure to acknowledge responsibility for it as he had maintained his innocence, contending there had been a miscarriage of justice.

The decision to deport him had also been based on the possibility that the economic difficulties caused by his conviction and imprisonment would create a potential for future criminality and obtaining a job, making him a burden to the State.

Judge Humphreys said it was legitimate for the State to take a hard line in respect of deportation of offenders convicted on indictment but it was not too much to ask that before a prisoner was afforded a rehabilitative benefit some step would be taken to ascertain formally if he or she accepted responsibility for the offence.

Nor is it too much to ask that before a non-national prisoner is released, some inquiry is made within the same department as to what his fate is in terms of deportation, the judge said.

The man had also claimed that his children should not be punished for his sins. The judge said that such a proposed rule of law would be a jurisprudential Indian rope trick where a rope was suspended in the air without any visible means of support. Sentiments of sympathy for affected children are all well and good but such sentiments do not warrant a transfer to the judiciary of the function of making executive decisions, he said.

Deportation had been a civil consequence of the applicants offending behaviour, he said.

It is a shame that the applicant will now be separated from his family but he should have thought about their rights and interests prior to his offending behaviour, the judge said.

The material submitted to the minister does not clearly set out why the family could not move to South Africa as a unit.
Researchers at NASAs Goddard Institute for Space Studies have found evidence that Venus could have been as habitable as Earth some three billion years ago, Sputnik International reported.

The atmosphere of Venus has a poor reputation for livability, due, in part, to its toxic thunderclouds, very high surface temperatures, and extreme atmospheric pressure.

According to a new study published in Geophysical Research Letters, however, Earth's closest planetary neighbor could have once sustained life, but turned grumpy as it grew older. In a so-called golden age, between 2.9 and 700 million years ago, Venus is thought to have looked very different, and much more welcoming to human life.

NASA researchers plugged topographic data and hydrogen isotope ratios in the atmosphere of Venus into climate modeling software and the results point to a scenario in which the planet may have had an average surface temperature of some 52 degrees

Fahrenheit and liquid water oceans up to 1,700 feet deep, before volcanic activity reshaped the surface.

These livable conditions would be possible only if the planet orbited the sun at a similar rate as in our time, about 225 Earth days per revolution. If Venus was orbiting the Sun significantly faster, it would have had much higher temperatures, and in this case "all bets are off," according to the lead author of the study, Michael Way.

Researchers hope that they can find signs of ancient shorelines on Venus, which would back up their theory.

"We really need more data before we can say much more but if you have a Venus-like world around a solar-type star with a slow rotation, it could be quite a reasonable place for life to exist, especially in the oceans," says Way. "You get temperatures almost like Earth. That's remarkable."

The theory of a historically habitable Venus opens up new possibilities about the origin of life on Earth.
The National Executive Council of the National Bus and Rail Union which represents 1,600 of the drivers at Dublin Bus, accused management of remaining silent on the issue of pay increases, in spite of the fact a Labour Court recommendation of 8.25% over three years has been emphatically rejected by its members.

NBRU is hoping to meet with the other unions in the company later this week to see if they are willing to engage in co-ordinated strikes later this month or early next month. Those stoppages are likely to be 24 or 48 hours long.
A survey conducted among 442 Ulster Farmers Union members has raised awareness about the sometimes forgotten issue of who is going to take over the family farm.

In somewhat concerning results, 48% of farm businesses contacted had no successor in mind.

Farmers were contacted by the Ulster Farmers Union and the Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster to assess the situation regarding succession.

Succession proves to be a really hard topic to discuss on family farms and is often overlooked by the older and younger generations.

However, the lack of succession planning is a risk to farm businesses and the industry as a whole.

The Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) and the Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster say they are continuing to work to establish a land mobility scheme to link young farmers with older farmers keen to retire but who have no succession plan.

Of those surveyed who had not identified a successor, 53% said they would be interested in a succession/inheritance planning advisory service.

The evidence suggests that farmers often rely on familiar short-term mechanisms, such as conacre, and largely overlook better options, such as partnership and long-term lease arrangements.

One in five farmer who had identified a successor have planned for the transfer of the farm via a will. However, delaying the transfer until death could discourage young farmers from investing fully in the farm.

UFU president Barclay Bell said: This does not come as a huge surprise but it does confirm that we are on the right track with our efforts to raise awareness about succession planning and a land mobility scheme that would link young farmers with older farmers seeking to retire.

Of those farmers who surveyed who had not identified a successor, 61% had not sought any advice or information. However, more than half (53%) said they would be interested in hearing what a succession/inheritance planning advisory service had to say.

Mr Bell added: More education and awareness around options for land mobility and land consolidation are needed.

The evidence suggests that farmers often rely on familiar short-term mechanisms, such as conacre, and largely overlook better options, such as partnership and long-term lease arrangements. This possibly reflects a lack of understanding and confidence.
Mr Coveney was speaking after environment commissioner Karmenu Vella told the Government that the EU is closely watching developments in Ireland in relation to water charges.

Mr Vella said Ireland should avoid becoming non-compliant with international water laws.

Responding to the warnings, Mr Coveney sought time and space to address the political dilemma around water charges.

In correspondence seen by the Irish Examiner, he promises that Ireland is fully committed to EU water laws and to finding an enduring funding model for water.

The warnings come as the recently established Expert Water Commission is bedding down after its original chairman Joe OToole resigned over comments he made in an interview in the Irish Examiner.

Previous criticisms of the commission include that its hands were tied due to Irelands obligations under EU law, specifically the Water Framework Directive.

Alan Kelly, the former environment minister, said last month that it does not matter who chairs this commission because charges will have to be reintroduced regardless of its recommendations, as a result of the Water Framework Directive.

Mr Vella wrote in a letter to Mr Coveney, sent on June 7, that Ireland could not be exempt from charging for water because it has now become the established practice to do so. Outlining the commissions legal opinion, he states: Consequently, if the established practice in Ireland is to have a system in place implementing the recovery of costs of water services, in accordance in particular with the polluter pays principle, the commission considers that the flexibility afforded to member states as outlined in 9.4 would not apply.

In his response, Mr Coveney outlines the reason for the contentious water charges suspension, stating that it was part of a deal with Fianna Fail which was needed in order to form a minority government.

He reassures Mr Vella that during the period of suspension of water charges, the Government will be providing Irish Water with additional exchequer funding to replace the domestic revenue forgone and ensure that planned investment in upgrading infrastructure remains on track.

He adds: The suspension period will provide the space for a more rational debate on the long-term funding of domestic water charges in Ireland.

The Department of Housing, which has responsibility for water charges, said Mr Coveney has set out the political realities to the European Commission and that Ireland is committed to the principle of charging for water.

A spokesman for Mr Coveney said the Government is committed to full implementation of the Water Framework Directive and recognises the principle of cost-recovery as an important environmental management measure across a range of sectors.
This is according to the latest relocation and resettlement report from the EU Commission.

Ireland signed up to the EU refugee relocation plan last year, aimed at giving international protection to people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria.

The pace of relocation of unaccompanied minors remains extremely slow. Since June 14, only six unaccompanied minors have been relocated from Greece (five to Finland and one to Ireland) bringing the total number of unaccompanied minors relocated to 29.

Only a few member states are willing to accept relocation transfers of unaccompanied minors, and the places offered continue to be insufficient to relocate all the unaccompanied minors who are eligible, reads the report.

Separately to minors, a total of 28 people were relocated to Ireland from Greece, under the plan between June 14 and July 11.

While large numbers of Syrians are fleeing to Italy and Greece to seek asylum both there and elsewhere, people from the Central African Republic, Eritrea, the Seychelles, Dominica, Bahrain, Laos, and Saudi Arabia are also eligible for relocation under the EU agreement.

According to the report, 3,169 unaccompanied minors arrived in Italy between June 1 and 30. This included approximately 500 Eritreans and a small number of Iraqis.

However, it is not possible for the EU Commission to confirm how many minors of similar status arrived in Greece.

In Greece, although it is not possible to know the number of arrivals of unaccompanied minors during the same period, the National Centre for Social Solidarity (EKKA) reports that 2,390 unaccompanied minors have been referred to EKKA for accommodation since the beginning of 2016, including 531 are accommodated in dedicated facilities and 911 are waiting to be accommodated, states the report.

The Irish Refugee Council (IRC) told the Irish Examiner that a simple way for the Government to assist in the humanitarian crisis is to step-up their efforts to relocate unaccompanied minors.

There are a large number of young people in Greece without a parent or a guardian.

The Government should consider looking at the situation for young unaccompanied minors and look at relocating some here, said Caroline Reid, communications officer of the IRC.

Ms Reid also said that the IRC receives calls from Irish families stating their willingness to foster unaccompanied minors seeking reloc- ation.

We get a lot of approved foster care families contacting us saying theyre more than happy to open up their home and care for these young people.

Its a simple thing for the Government to do, she said.

Refugee process

The Government, in response to the migration crisis in Europe, established the Irish Refugee Protection Programme in September 2015.

The programme is aimed at providing a safe haven for people seeking international protection.

A network of Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres were established as part of this programme.

These centres provide the initial reception area for those arriving under the EU relocation and resettlement programmes.

People arriving in Ireland, as part of the resettlement programme, will already have been selected under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees resettlement programme and granted refugee status.

However, people arriving here as part of the relocation programme do not have their status determined.

It is up to the Department of Justice to process their claims for international protection.

People in both programmes, are initially given accommodation in a centre.

Residents receive full-board, meals, and other services.

According to the Department of Social Protection, a person awaiting a decision on their status will receive a weekly allowance for personal incidental expenditure on the same basis as the direct provision allowance.

A person arriving here under the resettlement programme, is expected to remain in the residential centre for eight to 12 weeks after their arrival.

This gives them time to rest and adjust to their new environment and to learn about Irish life and culture. It is also a time of recovery, reads a statement on the process from the Department of Justice.

Refugees in the resettlement programme are also linked to local service providers and have time to visit a GP.

Furthermore, an orientation and language training programme is provided for adults, from 18-years and up, for a period of six to eight weeks.

Then children under the age of 18, take part in an induction programme to get them ready for entry into mainstream education.

People in the resettlement programme, once resettled in the community, are given a full language and training programme by the Education and Training Board for up to 20 hours per week for a period of one year.

Childcare is provided to ensure full participation by both parents in the training programme.

 Joyce Fegan
Mr Halligan also said companies Google, Facebook, and Apple do not pay enough tax and need to pay more.

Speaking to Hot Press magazine in the second part of an interview this week, the Waterford TD was critical of Donald Trump: Hes nuts. I think hes homophobic. I think hes racist. I think hes extreme right wing. I think hes a clown. I think hes no knowledge of foreign affairs. And, I think, hes dangerous.

If I was walking around America now and there were kids in America not registered, Id say get registered quickly for the sake of your country and the sake of the world  and vote against this asshole.

The use of Shannon Airport by US military planes should also be stopped, warned the junior education minister: They shouldnt be using it at all. I mean, is there somebody seriously telling me theres not munitions on board? We dont know. Were not allowed to get on the planes.

Were a contributing factor, to a degree, to innocent people being killed in Afghanistan, Iraq, and maybe Syria. I personally dont think that military personnel, armed, should be going out to fight a conflict and stopping in our country.

Asked why the Government turned a blind eye, he answered: Were afraid of the goddamn Americans  thats what it is!

Mr Halligan said a ban on US military planes is needed: [A] Total ban. Absolutely. If I had my way, I wouldnt let them land there at all.

Multinationals here do not pay enough tax, he said: Of course they dont. This is an old argument at this stage here. We dont even know if the 12% corporate tax is paid. Probably not.

Speaking after reports of a gay culture at Maynooths seminary, Mr Halligan said clergy should be allowed marry.

I dont think anybody should be forced into celibacy. I think that day is gone.

Its unrealistic and unnatural to have 20, 30 or 40 men together  or 20, 30 or 40 women together  and expect them not to have, if you like, some sort of sexual appetite or have feelings for sexuality.
Speaking at the Parnell Summer School in Rathdrum in Co. Wicklow this afternoon Mr Manning said the public were way ahead of the politicians at every stage of the 1916 commemorations.

"But the big test is coming up now, and that is when we come to look at the events after 1916, especially the way we handled the Civil War.
Growing up in a musical house, their unique and innovative approach to music and vocal harmonies in particular captured my imagination from an early age.

Their mesmeric performance at 1986s Self Aid concert at a windswept RDS has lingered long in my memory.

As one of six children who all sang, their influence on us was significant.

So, therefore the death of Clannad guitarist Padraig Duggan meant yesterday was a sad day for those musicians and fans of this group.

As part of the family musical troupe from Gweedore, Co Donegal, Duggan was a musician, songwriter, and a founding member of the Irish Celtic music pioneers.

He died at Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown, leading to a widespread outpouring of sympathy for his family and fellow band members he has left behind.

While many casual acquaintances of Clannad tend to focus in on the iconic voice and image of Moya Brennan, for me the fact that her twin uncles, Noel and Padraig Duggan, were also in the group was fascinating.

The fact they were identical twins merely added to the allure of this band that you would always struggle to define.

As genuine music innovators, Padraig and the band enjoyed international acclaim for creating the theme songs to the British TV series Harrys Game and Robin of Sherwood.

But my own association with the Duggans and Clannad goes beyond simple fandom.

Padraigs brother Noel and my late father were friendly and were social pals in the Mill House in Kilmacud.

I remember vividly Noel and others packing into our house in Stillorgan playing tunes at Christmas time.

My late father passed away suddenly in December 2003 and it was a genuine treat to have Noel and others play at the removal.

A short time later, in 2005, Noel and Padraig collaborated to produce the Rubicon album, whose featured guests included their friend Finbar Furey, which I still have to this day and play regularly, such was the impact of the connection.

The brothers also toured Germany with the traditional band Norland Wind before Clannad released Nadur in 2013.

Given yesterdays sad news, it is a genuine treat for me to recall his musical achievement.

Once the sad news was confirmed, tributes from the music world poured in to Padraig.

Moya Brennan posted a moving tribute to her dear uncle on social media yesterday afternoon.

My dear uncle and Clannad member Padraig Duggan passed away peacefully this morning. Rest in peace Padraig, she wrote.

Hot Press editor Niall Stokes paid his own warm tribute to Padraig.

He said: Padraig was an essential part of that great adventure, both personally and musically, along with Noel bringing a core solidity and wonderful, nuanced textures to Clannads extraordinary, melodic sound. He will be greatly missed.

Padraig passed away in Blanchardstown Hospital following a recurring illness.

He is survived by his wife, Jan, and extended family.

May he rest in peace.
A study of the special classes at 12 schools that run 800 classes, 150 of which have only been in place since last year, has found varying experiences for staff and students around the country.

The study was carried out by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

Most of the classes are sanctioned by the Department of Education, and their staffing approved by the NCSE for children with recognised needs. However, half of those run by second-level schools were created by the pooling of existing special education staff and their students are selected by teachers or the principal.

NCSE chief executive, Teresa Griffin, said that it was worrying that students in these informal classes, as well as those in classes for pupils with mild general learning disability (MGLD), felt a stigma about attending them.

The pupils also perceived that they were the lowest achieving group and that they were not popular with their teachers.

The ESRI researchers found evidence that, in second-level, these informal special classes are being used as a low stream class for those of lower academic ability. Some students in them had no identified learning difficulties, and the emphasis was on behaviour, life-skills, and school completion.

They are more likely to experience stigma and have an awareness of being different from their peers, said the report.

In some cases, parents were not even aware that their son or daughter had been placed in one of these special classes.

The report also examines speech and language classes, in which small groups get intensive support over two years from a teacher and speech therapist.

For MGLD classes, the emphasis was on getting students up to speed academically for when they returned to mainstream classes.

Children in autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) classes often had individual education plans and there was strong emphasis on social development, but there was little expectation that they would transfer to mainstream classes.

They were, however, more likely than those in other special class types to have positive attitudes to school, with less stigma attached to their classes, even at second level.

The NCSE has published guidelines for schools on establishing and maintaining different kinds of special classes.

The ESRI study suggests strong school leadership and teacher capacity are pivotal to improving social and educational outcomes for students in these classes.

Principals who adopted positive, whole-school approaches to inclusion, and teachers with appropriate skills, were most likely to create an environment in which students with special needs could thrive. However, principals were concerned about how some schools admissions policies resulted in reduced intake of children with special educational needs. They felt this led to students being concentrated in other, often disadvantaged, schools.

A new law proposed by Education Minister Richard Bruton would enable the NCSE to designate a school for a pupil with special needs who was unable to access a place.
Mr Justice Michael Twomey said it had been almost 40 years since the alleged abuses had taken place at Holy Family School, at Renmore, Galway, and the alleged sexual abuser had since died.

The judge said there was a substantial risk of an unfair trial if the mans claims were allowed to proceed.

The man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, sued the Brothers of Charity and the State for damages both for alleged sexual and physical abuse. The religious order, which denied the claims in a full defence, had applied to the court for the proceedings to be dismissed on the grounds of delay.

Judge Twomey said in a reserved judgment that the man claimed he was between eight and 12 years old when he was sexually abused by a brother at the school.

He had also claimed that he was then physically abused when he reported the matter to another staff member, who had used his fists and a bamboo stick on him.

The judge said the staff member who allegedly had committed the physical abuse was still alive, but the essence of the plaintiffs case was alleged serious sexual abuse.

The judge said the man had commenced legal proceedings 15 years ago and there had been a delay of almost 10 years in prosecuting the claim. The claimant was mildly mentally handicapped and was currently serving a sentence for assault.

He claimed his illiteracy, incarceration, psychological injuries, and addiction problems was responsible for the delay in proceeding with his case.

The judge said it was the mans case that the brother who allegedly sexually assault him might still be alive but there was no evidence produced to the court to suggest there was another brother with the same name at the time the claimant had attended the school.

Outside of these proceedings, the brother identified as the alleged perpetrator has not been associated with abuse of any sort, and no records exist in the Brothers of Charity files regarding any allegations or rumours of abuse, the judge said.

Judge Twomey said that his decision had been influenced by judgments of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, in which they stated it was the grossest imaginable prejudice in a disputed sexual assault action for the case to proceed when the alleged perpetrator was deceased.
The attack happened after the troubled 17-year-old got angry that care workers would not take him out for a drive because of his aggressive behaviour, the Dublin Childrens Court heard.

Judge John OConnor heard the incident took place at a residential care home for teens in Dublin last August.

The care worker said the teenager got up at 11am that day and was aggressive and constantly making demands for lifts in the facilitys car. However, because of his behaviour, they refused and he began threatening the staff.

He began cooking some food on a wok. Another staff member who had gone out for a little while returned and asked how he had behaved and the teen replied that he was okay. However, the victim told his colleague that the youth had not been okay and had been aggressive and threatening. The teen had previously had a lot of unauthorised absences from the unit.

He said the boy was 15 to 20 feet away from him holding the wok with a full fry, and he just lobbed it at me, I blocked it with my left arm. He said it happened so quickly I just had time to put my hand up, I was covered in boiling meat.

After losing the case, during which the victim faced cross-examination, the youth instructed his solicitor to apologise on his behalf. However, the judge had said: Im not buying it.

He said the victim was put under pressure, as if his behaviour had contributed to the incident, when there was no evidence of that.

The court heard the youth had seven prior criminal convictions for criminal damage and public order offences, and had been given a suspended sentence earlier this year. He is also awaiting trial for another alleged assault. He was accompanied to the hearing by his guardian ad litem and his parents.

At the end of the hearing, he issued a direct apology to the victim.

His voice was shaking as he spoke: Id like to say Im sorry, you shouldnt have been in that situation regardless how I was feeling at that time. I should not have thrown the pan at you and acted aggressively. I was going through a lot of stuff at the time, I was not thinking what I was doing, I wasnt thinking I would end up in a situation like this. Im honestly sorry, you took care of me when I was there and I did get on with you well.

The care worker said he accepted the apology and thanked the teen.

He was granted bail and sentencing was adjourned allow a probation report on him to be furnished to the court. The court heard he has been in care since early childhood and displacement issues. He has also been referred to a drug abuse counselling service.

Damian McKeone, defending, said the teen accepted he had anger management issues.

Sentencing adjourned as boy convicted of attack after he was refused lift in car due to aggressive behaviour
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

Trend:

A country like Azerbaijan is able to buy arms anywhere, said Russias President Vladimir Putin.

He made the remarks Aug. 10 at a joint conference with Armenias President Serzh Sargsyan commenting on the question of an Armenian journalist about the arms supply to Azerbaijan and Armenia.

As for weapons, we have a work program with Armenia, noted Putin. Armenia is a member of the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization]; we have mutual commitments, and Russia always adheres to and fulfills its commitments.

The Russian president added that any country can buy almost any weapon in the modern weapons market.

A country like Azerbaijan  an oil-producing country, a country with the rapidly growing economy, with a sufficiently large volume of gold and currency reserves  is, of course, able to buy it anywhere, said Putin.

He also noted that the existing problems should be solved by peaceful means.
They have already been shortlisted as three of the 20 people from which the 2016 Junior Chamber International (JCI) 10 Outstanding Young Persons of the World Honorees will be selected.

The Irish public can help by having their say in the final choice for the programme which honours 10 people under the age of 40 each year for extraordinary service to their communities, including Cork-born disability campaigner Joanne ORiordan last year.
AN EXHIBITION of Francis Bacons paintings anywhere in the world is always a major artistic event. In Paris he has approached the status which was once accorded to Picasso. Hardly a month passes without reading about the artist whose paintings sell for record millions.

Hes also appreciated further south. I was invited recently to view the summer exhibition at Monte Carlos Grimaldi Forum, entitled Francis Bacon, Monaco and French Culture.

The installation with sensitive lighting guides the viewer from one room to another, each room more exhilarating than the other with Screaming Pope, Triptychs, Heads by Bacon inevitably present, a portrait gallery of his friends, since the heads are always of people he knew, like Michel Leiris 1976; who was a close friend of the artist for many years.

For me it was a visual and emotional tour de-force  seeing the work that was so familiar to me for over 50 years and seeing others that have never been exhibited and were found by Martin Harrison who curated the Monaco exhibition and whose definitive five-volume catalogue raisonne (by the Estate of Francis Bacon, costing 1,000) was published in June, the most scholarly work on Francis Bacon now in print.

The extraordinary intense emotional charge in his works is still shocking and enthralling an ever- growing public, books about Bacon are constantly published with titles, Bacon and Picasso, Bacon and Henry Moore, Bacon and Rodin, Bacon and Nazi propaganda.

FIRST ENCOUNTERS

During the 1950s, Bacon lived in the south of France, and loved visiting his favourite city Paris, where he regularly visited the Musees Rodin. I first met and photographed the artist in 1971 outside the Marlborough Street Magistrates Court in London where he had just been found not guilty of possessing cannabis following a police raid.

He moved effortlessly from the high life to the world of the Colony Club in Dean Street, Soho. Hosted and founded by his friend Muriel Belcher, who created a refuge for Bacon along with petty criminals, actors, poets and those who were Beats of a certain generation. Sadly the Colony Club is no longer with us, those who knew Francis are diminishing in number, Soho is now very much a mixture of cafes and overpriced restaurants.

Attendees at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco look at paintings by Francis Bacon. Picture: Valery Hache/AFP/Getty

Like many others I was captivated by the Colony Club and spent much of my time there in the early 70s and 80s.

Those who frequented it went there in the hope that Francis Bacon would be there in his affable and abusive manner, Champagne for your real friends and real pain for your sham friends was his favourite toast.

As obstreperous and obnoxious as he could be to people at the Colony, he was always kind to me inviting me to his show in Paris in 1977 at the Claude Bernard Gallery. I have fond memories of Francis sitting alone a few years before he died, having lunch and liquid refreshment at the most exquisite Bibendum Restaurant in what was the Michelin Building on the Fulham Road, a 10 minute walk from the Bacon Studio at 7 Reece Mews, South Kensington.

By that time I had photographed the artist many times in London and in Paris. Bacon had given me his private home number.

TATE RETROSPECTIVE

I remember calling him on the day of his retrospective at the Tate Gallery in 1985 and asking what time he would arrive, as I wanted to photograph him outside on the steps of what was then the original Tate Gallery, now renamed Tate Britain.

As always, his manner over the phone was welcoming and he said I should be there about 2pm as he would be arriving with his friends Richard Chopping and Denis Wirth-Miller for what was then his second retrospective at the Tate.

The press pack were already in the gallery waiting for Bacon who gave me the exclusive outside this illustrious building.

His subjects were always a handful of friends and himself painted from photographs.

He would often visit the Victoria and Albert Museum, near his studio Mews home, and look at the Eadweard Muybridge photographs in the collection, very often stopping at the Auto-photo booth in South Kensington tube station to pose for a sequence of head shots, that he would paint from.

Bacon created his own legend well before he became a Sunday supplement name.

Born in Dublin in 1909, moving between England and Ireland in his childhood, receiving little formal education  his time in Ireland was marked by the violence in the early years of the Troubles.

I was aware of danger at a young age, Bacon would say. It was a world from which Francis Bacon had to escape in order to invent himself.

Bacon at the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo until September 4, 2016.
REPUBLICAN presidential nominee Donald Trump has laid out his economic plan. I want to jumpstart America, Trump announced, It can be done. And it wont even be that hard.

Is it a coherent plan? Dont kid yourself. Hes a dealmaker. Trumps stands on the issues are just starting positions. Everything is negotiable.

The property developer has already shifted his views on income taxes. Last year, Trump proposed four tax brackets, with a top rate of 25% for the highest income-earners. Now its down to three brackets with a top rate of 33%.

Trump used to call for a temporary ban on Muslim immigrants to the United States. Now he says he wants to ban immigrants from any nation that has been compromised by terrorism. Thats a broader ban (France?), but without a religious test that critics found offensive.

Trump changes positions all the time. But his supporters dont seem to care. Why? Because hes not a politician. He has no fixed ideology.

I like being unpredictable, he boasts.

If Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton changes her position on anything  the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, for example  she is instantly branded as untrustworthy. Shes a politician. She is expected to have convictions. Trump has only instincts.

His instincts pulled him in two different directions on Monday. On the one hand, his speech, which he read from a prepared text, was aimed at satisfying anxious conservatives.

Trump worries them because he deviates from the conservative line on issues like free trade and entitlements. Many of his poll numbers are so bad now that some conservatives are ready to write him off as a sure loser and instead focus their energies on saving the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and Senate.

There was a lot in Trumps Detroit speech to reassure these conservatives: Huge tax cuts including an end to the estate tax; a moratorium on new government regulations (I want to cut regulations massively); and a call for more fossil-fuel drilling.

On the other hand, Trump repeated his opposition to free trade and his support for more infrastructure spending, which horrifies conservatives because it sounds like an economic stimulus plan.

Nor did he call for any government spending cuts. Trump has no interest in an austerity programme. His base is populist, not conservative. His core support comes from white, working-class men. The populist impulse is conservative on social issues. Trumps supporters respond enthusiastically to his anti-immigrant message. But they tend to be fairly liberal on economic issues. Like his opposition to free trade deals, a position Trump shares with Clintons primary rival, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

In Detroit, Trump proposed giving parents a tax break for childcare expenses. That sounds pretty populist. Except that it will help mostly high-income taxpayers. Low-income families dont have a lot of tax liability to benefit from high childcare expenses.

Conservatives want to reduce spending on social security and medicare, the two biggest government spending programmes. But they are the two most popular government programmes. Trump doesnt talk about cuts for fear of angering his populist base. Nor does he talk about another cause dear to the right  reducing the national debt.

The man doesnt have a limited-government bone in his body, one conservative blogger complained a few months ago.

Trump proposed no way to pay for his proposals. Unless you want to believe he could do it by raising tariffs on imports  something that would shock conservatives.

Hes put social security and medicare in a lockbox, a University of Michigan economist told Politico, promised massive tax cuts  which he claims at his rallies are for the middle class but mostly go to the rich  and he claims hes going to balance the budget. These things are incompatible.

Trumps attitude: So what? Theyre just starting positions. Conservatives dont like them? Lets make a deal!

The gist of his economic message was change.

Ours is the campaign of the future, Trump insisted. All we have to do is stop relying on the tired voices of the past. Like that of Hillary Clinton, who is inescapably tied to the administrations of both her husband, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama.

Trump used Detroit as the symbol of failure. The city of Detroit is the living, breathing example of my opponents failed economic agenda, he told the Detroit Economic Club.

Hillary Clinton is scheduled to speak in Detroit tomorrow. The Obama administration bailed out the automobile industry in 2009, which saved some 5m US jobs. General Motors, then on the verge of collapse, is now thriving and has paid back the bailout loans. You think she might mention that?

Bill Schneider is a visiting professor in the communication studies department at the University of California, Los Angeles.
THINK of the refugee crisis and youll probably think of Greece and Italy. The dramatic increase in numbers of people crossing the Mediterranean in 2015 brought the reality of war to our doorsteps, as we saw images of people fleeing to countries and places we all know. With a fourfold increase in the numbers landing by sea last year, understandably many of us have asked, how will we cope?. At times, it has seemed as if everyone is coming to the EU.

However, the reality could not be more different. Yes, there is a refugee crisis; it is just not here.

As UNHCR figures show, 65.3m people were displaced by war, conflict, and persecution at the end of 2015, the highest figure since the Second World War; and 5.8m more people than just one year ago. If these people were part of one country, they would be the 21st largest nation in the world.

Turkey is the largest refugee-hosting country in the world today with 2.5m refugees at the end of last year, followed by Pakistan, Lebanon, and Iran. Of the remaining six countries, five are African  including Ethiopia, the largest refugee-hosting country on the continent with a refugee population of 736,100 people at the end of 2015. By the end of last year, the 10 countries hosting the largest numbers of refugees were all in developing regions. Not one was in the EU.

When one considers the size of these countries economies, the share of the burden is even more dramatically illustrated. By the end of 2015 the 30 countries with the largest numbers of refugees when measured against GDP per capita were all in developing regions. The only exception was the Russian Federation, which was in 30th place with 12 refugees per $1 GDP.

The scale of these statistics is shocking but not unexpected. The number of conflicts in the world has mushroomed over the past decade, forcing 24 people every minute to flee their homes in 2015. There is an urgent need for the international community to do all it can collectively to achieve diplomatic solutions to these conflicts. Many refugees dream of returning to their homeland one day when it is safe and we must strive to make this possible. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development also emphasises the need to address the drivers and root causes of conflict and violent extremism, including gross human rights violations, unaccountable institutions, and poor governance.

But while we wait for a kinder period of human history, we must do all we can to support those countries where most refugees have fled and to address the challenges posed by the unprecedented scale of human displacement.

Supporting countries of first asylum:

Means ensuring that countries of first asylum are adequately supported. After fleeing their homes people find themselves facing further challenges, including inadequate shelter and food insecurity. In Lebanon for example, which is host to 1.05m registered Syrian refugees, 70% live below the poverty line of US$3.84 (about 3.45) per person per day. There are no formal refugee camps meaning more than 1m registered Syrians live in over 1,700 communities and locations across the country, often sharing small basic lodgings with other refugee families in overcrowded conditions. With 300,000 Syrian children in the country out of school, it is little wonder that some refugees have paid smugglers so that they can offer their children a better future.

Yet the UNs refugee response plan for Syria is only 30% funded, underlining how much more needs to be done. Predictable, multi-annual funding, such as Irelands commitment to the UN World Food Programme of 60m over three years, is essential.

Legal Pathways:

If we are serious about tackling human trafficking, saving lives at sea, and protecting the most vulnerable, including women and children, we must be flexible and innovative in our approach by establishing and maintaining safe and legal pathways for them to find safety.

Increased resettlement, family reunification, humanitarian visas and study visas for people fleeing conflict and persecution are all important.

Ireland has made an important contribution and is on track to meet its quota of resettling 520 refugees by the end of 2016, but all countries will need to do more to ensure there is a more equitable distribution of refugees around the world. UNHCR expects to put 170,000 people forward for resettlement in 2017, but it is still a fraction of the 1.19m UNHCR considers in need of resettlement.

The job will not be made any easier by the divisive political rhetoric on asylum and migration that has found a home in some countries. Yet, there is cause for hope. In contrast to the toxic narrative played out in some quarters, we have witnessed an outpouring of generosity; by host communities and ordinary people everywhere.

Towns such as Portlaoise and Thurles have done tremendous work in welcoming people to their communities, and the support of local politicians and civil society leaders has never been more welcome. These ordinary people see refugees not as beggars, competitors for jobs, or terrorists, but as people whose lives have been disrupted by war. Welcoming refugees to a local Mens Shed might not seem extraordinary, but it is a simple act of solidarity that allows us to see refugees as ordinary people, just like you and I.

And it is in that spirit that we hope governments will also view refugees as we prepare for the historic UN high-level meeting on September 19 in New York, which Ireland is co-chairing, on addressing large movements of refugees and migrants. As wars spiral out of control, this meeting is a key opportunity for the global community to take collective responsibility and action for the millions of people whose lives have been destroyed by violence. Just as people have shown solidarity with refugees who have lost everything through no fault of their own, governments must make new commitments to share responsibility for refugees in a spirit of global solidarity, in line with the fundamental principles of international law.

Enda ONeill is interim head of office at UNHCR Ireland
Known as the Iron Lady of Manipur, Mr Sharmila has spent most of the last 16 years under judicial custody in a hospital and has been force-fed through a tube inserted into her nose.

Ms Sharmila had not eaten voluntarily since November 5, 2000, when she began fasting to protest an Indian law that suspends human rights protections in conflict areas, including her northeastern state of Manipur, which has long been plagued by uprisings by ethnic separatist militants and violent government crackdowns.

She had been charged with attempting suicide, a crime in India, allowing officials to force feed her.

Ms Sharmila, 44, began her hunger strike after 10 civilians were killed in Manipur by soldiers who enjoy wide powers to search, enter property, and shoot on sight.

They can do so under a colonial-era law that is still in existence in parts of India.

She will start eating on August 9 and change the entire strategy of her protest, said Babloo Loitongbam, a fellow activist and close associate of Ms Sharmila.

Yesterday, Ms Sharmila met reporters outside court premises, where she is required to report regularly and announced her plans to contest local elections from Imphal, Manipurs capital city.

Her decision to end her protest against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act comes at a time when the federal government has asked its forces to exercise restraint in responding to protests in disputed Kashmir, a northern state where the army has shoot-to-kill powers to fight militants.

At least 46 people have been killed, and more than 5,000 wounded, including security forces, since protests erupted after the killing of a commander of Kashmiri separatist group, Hizbul Mujahideen, on July 8, in Kashmir.

Despite calls from judicial authorities and human rights groups, the federal government has kept in force the anti-terror law in parts of northeast India and mainly-Muslim Kashmir, so as to contain insurgencies.

Ms Sharmilas hunger strike has won her worldwide recognition, with Amnesty International describing her as a prisoner of conscience.

Sharmila will fight the battle to free the state from the clutches of the army on the streets of Manipur, said Mr Loitongbam.

Abhirr VP of Amnesty International India said the fast was a testament to her passion for human rights.

The government arrested her, confined her to a hospital room, and force-fed her for 16 years, seemingly to break her will," he said.

There was zero dialogue. A peaceful protest was criminalised.
Jeni Stepien was escorted down the aisle by the man who received her fathers heart 10 years ago when her father was killed by a mugger.

His organs were donated after his death, and the recipient was Arthur Thomas, of New Jersey.

I was on deaths door when he was murdered, and I needed a heart or I was going to be dying in the next few days, Thomas said.

Stepien said she wanted her father to be a part of the ceremony at St Anselm church in Swissvale, and she felt that asking Thomas to walk her down the aisle was the perfect way.

After writing Thomas a letter, she met him on the eve of her wedding and felt her fathers heart beat for the first time in 10 years.

I was just so thankful that my dad could be here with us today in spirit and a piece of his physical being as well. That was really special for us, she said.

Its just like having my dad here and better because we get to share this story with people and other people see that organ donors do matter.

On September 29, 2006, 53-year-old Michael Stepien was murdered while cutting through an alley and being robbed at gunpoint. He would never get to see his children grow up and get married.

Both Stepien and Thomas beamed as they walked down the aisle together.

The gesture also moved the groom, Paul Maenner, who said he was overtaken with emotions when he saw Stepien walking down the aisle.

Thomas said he cant imagine a greater honour than escorting the daughter of the man whos given him his heart.

Thomas said the early notice gave him time to prepare himself so he wouldnt be blubbering as he walked her through the church.

The last 10 years, I watched my children graduate from high school and college and Im probably going to be able to see them get married, he said. And that same 10 years, Michaels family went without him.

I had a life to live because of him, and his family did not. It was important for me to do this very small thing for her.

Stepien said her father, Michael Stepien, was on his way home from work one night in 2006 when he was shot and killed by a teenager during an attempted robbery in Swissvale, a borough outside Pittsburgh.

Thomas, 72, told CBS affiliate KDKA he was on deaths door when he received Michaels heart. He said his own had been failing for years and, by 2006, he was suffering from congestive heart failure.

The last day in September, he said, Stepiens family gave him a gift.
The family judge who made the order in favour of the former Pirelli calendar model, now 54, said she hoped the lump sum would be paid without the need for enforcement action, despite Dr Juffalis sad death.

Ms Justice Roberts said: I think it is important to acknowledge that I am not dealing with a situation where the door has been slammed shut.
A Clinton campaign spokesman has rejected the accusations.

The wrongful death lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, attempts to tie Clintons use of a private email server while secretary of state to the deaths of four Americans, including ambassador Chris Stevens, in the attacks on September 11, 2012.

The plaintiffs are Pat Smith of San Diego and Charles Woods of Portland, Oregon. Their sons, state department employee Sean Smith and security contractor Tyrone Woods respectively, were among those killed in the Libyan attack.

As a direct result of defendant Clintons reckless handling of this classified, sensitive information, Islamic terrorists were able to obtain the whereabouts of ambassador Christopher Stevens and thus the US state department and covert and other government operations in Benghazi, Libya, and subsequently orchestrate, plan, and execute the now infamous September 11, 2012 attack, states the lawsuit.

Mr Smith and Mr Woods are also suing Clinton for defamation over public statements in which she denied telling the parents that the attacks were prompted by an anti-Muslim video on YouTube.

Clinton campaign spokesman Nick Merrill said the Benghazi attacks have been exhaustively investigated.

While no one can imagine the pain of the families of the brave Americans we lost at Benghazi, there have been nine different investigations into this attack and none found any evidence whatsoever of any wrongdoing on the part of Hillary Clinton, said Mr Merrill.

A special committee set up by House Republicans blamed the Obama administration for loose security in Benghazi, but did not level direct accusations of wrongdoing at Clinton personally.
In a case eerily similar to the Trayvon Martin shooting, the incident happened when 39-year-old Chad Cameron Copley fired a shotgun from inside his garage and hit the victim, according to Raleigh Police.

He was arrested hours later, and jail records show Mr Cameron was being held on a murder charge.

Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas, 20, suffered a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Police released an audio recording of a 911 call that came in shortly before 1am on Sunday in which a male caller told a dispatcher that he is locked and loaded and preparing to go outside.

Saying there are people outside with guns, he told the dispatcher he was on neighbourhood watch and asked them to send police.

Weve got a bunch of hoodlums out here racing, he said. I am locked and loaded. Im going outside to secure my neighbourhood.

The dispatcher then attempted to get a numeric address for the caller, but he declined and hung up.

About seven minutes later, an upset female caller gave the dispatcher an address authorities later identified as Mr Copleys house.

She then gave the phone to what sounded like the same male caller from earlier.

We have a lot of people outside of our house yelling and shouting profanity, said the male caller, presumedly Mr Copley.

I yelled at them please leave the premises. They were showing firearms so I fired a warning shot. And, uh, we got somebody that got hit.

After the dispatcher asked if someone was shot, the male caller responded: I dont know if theyre shot or not. I fired my warning shot like Im supposed to by law... They do have firearms and Im trying to protect myself and my family.

After the dispatcher aked who was outside, the caller says: Theres black males outside my freaking house with firearms.

A police spokeswoman said state law bars police from releasing the identity of emergency callers.

The incident was reminiscent of the 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin, who was gunned down by neighbourhood watchman George Zimmerman after a 911 call.
Henry and Jeanette De Lange died on July 31 at Platte Care Centre.

Their son, Lee De Lange, said his 87-year-old mother suffered from Alzheimers and had been in a nursing home since 2011. He said his 86-year-old father visited her daily before recently entering the same nursing home.

After his mother died peacefully, he told his father that moms gone to heaven. You dont have to fight anymore, you can go too if you want.

He said his father looked at his wife, closed his eyes, and died minutes after.

From tourist to refugee

GERMANY: A Chinese tourist who lost his wallet in Germany signed the wrong paperwork and ended up at a refugee home.

Christoph Schluetermann, an official with the German Red Cross  which runs the home  said the man set machinery in motion that he couldnt get out of.

The unidentified mans trouble started when he lost his wallet after arriving in the city of Stuttgart. Officials have figured out that, instead of going to police to file a stolen goods report, he somehow ended up at an authority that presented him with an asylum application. From there, he was sent to the refugee home in north-western Germany. Schluetermann said he had to wait for 12 days while officials put his story together.

No language barrier here

SCOTLAND: A schoolgirl has achieved seven straight As at higher level despite English not being her first language. Alishah Nazir grew up speaking Urdu at home and burst into tears when she got her exam results yesterday morning.

Her head teacher believes she could have the best results in Scotland.

She studied higher English, maths, chemistry, biology, and French during school hours at Eastwood High School, Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire, adding English as a second language through an after-school club and Urdu at nearby Woodfarm High in Thornliebank.

She said: I actually worked quite hard this year because obviously highers are really important, so the pressure was on from teachers, from parents, from friends around us trying to see who could get the best results and I think it just all paid off.

I was so overwhelmed when I got my results. I looked at them and started crying because I didnt expect my results to be as good as they were.

The 17-year-old speaks Urdu at home in Darnley, Glasgow, with her parents but said the hours of studying rather than language issues posed the greatest challenge. It was a little bit more challenging because there were more hours that had to be put in for these sessions, but overall it was fine.

It was all because of the huge amount of support from the teachers  I wouldnt have been able to do it without all the help with supported studies and after-school sessions that they ran.

Nazir is considering a career in medicine but will be returning to school for sixth year when she plans to study at least three advanced highers.

Dolphin an Apple fan

USA: A woman trying to take a picture of a dolphin at SeaWorld in Florida with an iPad apparently got a bit too close because it snatched the device right out of her hands.

Video shot by another parkgoer shows the dolphin reaching over the side of the viewing tank at SeaWorld Orlando, where visitors can touch the dolphins.

After the dolphin grabs the iPad and tosses it into the water, the woman retrieves the device and then quickly walks away.

A voice can be heard over a loudspeaker saying: As you can see, the dolphins can reach your loose items.

A Buddha-like state

ENGLAND: Tom Watson has revealed he tries to enter into a Buddha-like state during prime ministers questions to avoid his reactions being misinterpreted on social media.

The Labour deputy leader told The Guardian his aim during the weekly set-piece in the House of Commons is to keep a straight face when he sits next to Jeremy Corbyn on the frontbench.

He said: If I laugh at a Jeremy joke, two hours later on social media its either interpreted as me laughing at Jeremy, or laughing at an opposition joke.

Amputee scales heights

SCOTLAND: A mountaineer who lost his hands and feet after suffering frostbite is thought to be the first quadruple amputee to climb Switzerlands Matterhorn.

Jamie Andrew, 47, from Edinburgh, scaled the 14,692ft Alpine summit using prosthetic legs and specially adapted poles.

He was stranded in a storm when completing the North Face of Les Droites in the French Alps in 1999, and had his hands and feet amputated after being rescued.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkish Navy Admiral Zeki Ugurlu, who is accused of involvement in the military coup attempt in Turkey, has requested asylum in the US, the Anadolu Agency reported Aug. 10.

Currently, the admiral is in the US state of Virginia.

Earlier, Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said in his interview with Anadolu Agency that as many as 16,000 people were arrested in Turkey as a part of the fight against the movement of Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of organizing the military coup attempt in the country.

Istanbul court adopted a decision on Aug. 4 to arrest Fethullah Gulen.

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. Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the death toll as a result of the military coup attempt stood at 246 people excluding the coup plotters and over 2,000 people were wounded.

Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan blames Fethullah Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in rural Pennsylvania since 1999, and his followers for the coup on July 15 in which more than 240 people were killed and nearly 2,200 wounded.

Turkey has launched a series of mass purges of suspected Gulen supporters in its armed forces, other state institutions, universities, schools, and the media since the abortive coup, prompting Western concerns for the stability of a key Nato ally.

Mr Erdogan, who visited Russia yesterday, accused the US and the EU of lacking solidarity with Turkey over the coup, and of caring more for the rights of people he views as traitors.

There is a serious anti-American feeling in Turkey, and this is turning into hatred, justice minister Bekir Bozdag said in a live TV interview with state-run Anadolu Agency.

It is in the hands of the United States to stop this anti-American feeling leading to hatred.

Responding to Turkeys demand for Mr Gulens extradition, US president Barack Obama said Ankara must first provide clear evidence of wrongdoing.

Last week, a State Department spokesman said Washington was evaluating new documents it had received.

Mr Gulen, 75, who built up a network of schools, charities, and businesses in Turkey and abroad over decades, denies involvement in the coup and condemned it.

He also accused Erdogan of using the coup to amass greater powers.

Whether the US extradites Gulen or not this will be a political decision, said Mr Bozdag. If he is not extradited, Turkey will have been sacrificed for a terrorist.

A recent opinion poll showed two thirds of Turks agree with their president that Mr Gulen was behind the coup plot.

Turkey has been holding almost daily mass rallies since July 15 in support of democracy and the government and against the plotters.

Authorities have suspended, detained or put under investigation tens of thousands of people in the armed forces, the judiciary, civil service and elsewhere since the coup, in which a faction of the military commandeered warplanes, helicopters, and tanks in an attempt to topple the government.

Yesterday, Mr Bozdag put the number of people now formally arrested awaiting trial at 16,000, adding that a further 6,000 detainees were still being processed. Another 7,668 people are under investigation but have not been detained, he said.

Since the abortive putsch, pro-government papers have been awash with conspiracy theories accusing the US and the CIA of being the coup masterminds.
A traditional mourning ritual was held yesterday at the home of Sinphet Kruithong, whose grandmother was among scores of family and friends watching his event live on a big television screen set up especially for the occasion in his village in north-eastern Thailand.

The festive atmosphere  villagers cheering and clapping as Sinphet heaved the weights up turned sombre on Monday when people noticed that 82-year-old Subin Khongthap had collapsed.
Burma Burma Army Soldiers Confess at Court Martial to Killing Civilians

Seven soldiers, including four commissioned officers, accused of murdering five civilians in northern Shan State confess before a court martial in Lashio.

Seven Burma Army soldiers, including four commissioned officers, accused of murdering five civilians in Mong Yaw Village of Lashio Township in late June were brought before a court martial at North Eastern Command headquarters in Lashio, northern Shan state on Tuesday.

At the court session, the first in this high-profile case, the four commissioned officers admitted giving the orders to kill the villagers, while the lower-ranking soldiers admitted to carrying them out, according to a translator employed at the hearing.

Uncharacteristically for military tribunals in Burma, where even verdicts are generally not shared with the public, the session was open for family members of the murdered villagers to observe.

It is also rare to see commissioned officers brought before tribunals for abuses against civilians.

Sai Lao Pha, who translated into Shan for the family members in attendance, told The Irrawaddy that the three lower-ranking soldiers told the court that, while dressed in army camouflage fatigues, they used knives to kill the five local men.

These three soldierstwo sergeants, Sein Win Maung and Maung Ohn, and one corporal, Maung Maung Htwestated that they had been acting under orders from superior officers. Sgt. Sein Win Maung alone protested that this made him not guilty of murder.

The four commissioned officersone colonel, Myo Aung, two majors, Tin Myo Zaw and Aung Nay Myo, and one captain from Military Intelligence, Lin Naing Soeconfessed to being guilty.

Twelve people from among the murdered villagers families attended the session, where they were not asked to speak. The session lasted between 10 am and 6 pm. Although the trial will continue, no dates for future sessions have been set.

After the bodies of the five villagers were discovered by local residents buried near their village of Mong Yaw in Lashio Township, blame quickly fell on soldiers from the Burma Armys Light Infantry Battalion 362, who were seen leading the villagers away for questioning on June 25. The soldiers were in the vicinity due to reports than an ethnic rebel army was recruiting locals.

In an unprecedented admission, Lt-Gen Mya Tun Oo of the Burma Army confirmed at a press conference in Rangoon on July 20 that the army was responsible for the five civilian deaths, and said that action would be taken against the soldiers involved.

On July 3, the deputy commander of the Burma Armys North Eastern Command compensated the families of the five victims to the amount of 300,000 kyats (US$250) each.

The Burma Army also stands accused by locals of shooting dead two young men riding motorbikes not far from the village on the same day. The Burma Army have countered that they had died in the crossfire between the Burma Army and an unspecified ethnic rebel group.

Earlier this week, authorities in Lashio Township exhumed all seven bodies in Mong Yaw Village. Township police claimed to have opened their own murder case.
Burma Ethnic Armed Alliance Joins Political Framework Review Meeting

The United Nationalities Federal Council joins the political dialogue framework review meeting in Rangoon on Friday, just ahead of the Union Peace Conference.

CHIANG MAI, Thailand  The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) will join the two-day political dialogue framework review meeting in Rangoon beginning on Friday, just ahead of the Union Peace Conference scheduled for the end of this month.

Three weeks prior to the peace conference, stakeholdersfrom both the government and ethnic armed groupsare holding preparatory meetings with their respective groups in hopes of achieving all-inclusion in the peace process.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, representatives of the ethnic armed groupsboth signatories and non-signatories of last years nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) with the former governmentmet to find a common stance on the framework for political dialogue.

Khu Oo Reh, the secretary of the UNFC, confirmed to The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that the group would attend the review meeting.

We will review [the framework] and we will participate, he said.

But two of the UNFC member groupsthe Taang Nationalities Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Kokangs Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA)had been excluded from the process thus far, after they requested to leave the alliance earlier this year. They did not join previous meetings with UNFC groups or with State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi in July, and they have since actively engaged in conflict with the Burma Army in northeastern Burma, along with the Arakan Army (AA). The TNLA, MNDAA and AA reportedly plan to form a new alliance with the countrys largest ethnic armed group, the United Wa State Army.

The government is holding separate talks with these groups, and they will follow through on any agreement they reach, said Khu Oo Reh, referring to talks on Tuesday in Shan States Mongla between a government delegation from the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) and the three groups to sort out their participation in the peace process.

Tar Bone Kyaw, secretary of the TNLA, told The Irrawaddy that the governments delegatesformer lawmaker Thein Zaw, former Lt-Gen Khin Zaw Oo and former information minister Aung Kyidiscussed the groups participation in the peace process, the nationwide ceasefire agreement and the framework review.

The Burma Army had previously demanded that the three groups disarm before joining the peace process.

Tar Bone Kyaw said the negotiation was unsuccesful regarding disarmament, due to slight wording problems.

He said, We cant make a statement pledging that we will abandon the armed struggle but Khin Zaw Oo [the former Lt-Gen] told us that we will be unable to participate in the peace process if we dont.

The Irrawaddy was unable to reach Khin Zaw Oo for comment despite multiple attempts.

Meanwhile, Upper House parliamentarians have questioned the inclusion of ethnic minorities in the Union Peace Conference.

Kyaw Tint Swe, the Minister of the State Counselors Office, who is also the vice-chair of both the NRPC and the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC), responded that decisions would be made at the UPDJC meeting next week.

Some ethnic armed groups have said that the State Counselors plan to commence the peace conference on August 31 seems rushed, but Pado Kwe Htoo Win, a vice-chair of the UPDJCwhich represents eight ethnic armed organizationssaid the date allows for enough time to negotiate both in formal and informal meetings.

We have to begin national level talks, said Pado Kwe Htoo Win. This conference shows that peace talks are really happening under the new government.

Nang Lwin Hnin Pwint contributed to this report.
Burma Muslims Charged in Rangoon for Alleged Citizenship Violations

Six Muslim residents are charged for allegedly traveling from other regions without government approval and failing to return their white cards in 2015.

RANGOON  Immigration authorities have charged six Muslim residents of Rangoons Thingangyun Township under the 1982 Citizenship Law for allegedly traveling from other regions without government approval and failing to return their white cards last year, according to their defense lawyer.

The six were among 23 residents of Ward-3 in the township who were held at local government offices on Monday after members of the Myanmar Patriotic Monks Uniona hardline Buddhist nationalist activist groupthreatened local Muslims and pressured township authorities to scrutinize whether they were officially registered as living in the area.

Nay Phone Latt, who represents the township for the National League for Democracy in the Rangoon Division Parliament, told The Irrawaddy that he was aware of local Muslims, some holding white cards, who had failed to present adequate citizenship documentation to local authorities. He said that some might have come from Lashio in northern Shan State.

White cards are documents denoting temporary citizenship that were canceled by former President Thein Sein in February 2015, with bearers obliged to return them to local officials.

According to a report by Voice of America, the Patriotic Monks Union began its campaign against the resident Muslims after a local quarrel between a Buddhist young man and a Muslim young man fatally escalated.

The mother of the Buddhist young man reportedly tried to intervene but was stabbed. She died on August 4 after contracting a lung disease, pneumoconiosis, at the hospital. Police are still searching for the assailant. This incensed the Patriotic Monks Union, who decided on retribution against the local Muslim community at large.

On Tuesday, out of the 23 people held at local government officespurportedly for their own safety after receiving violent threats from the Patriotic Monks Unionseven were unconditionally released, 10 were fined under the 1949 Residents of Burma Registration Act, and six were charged with being in violation of Articles 62 and 63 of Burmas 1982 Citizenship Law, according to the Muslim defense lawyer, who asked not to be named out of fear for his safety.

The lawyer told The Irrawaddy, Everybody knows who is behind the scene. A group is interfering in the governments work.

The hands of Ma Ba Tha members are behind the curtain, he said, referring to Burmas most prominent Buddhist nationalist association, which is not formally linked to the Patriotic Monks Union.

Articles 62 and 63 of the citizenship law contains provisions against holding cancelled documents for naturalized citizenshipa category distinct from temporary citizenship as formerly denoted by white cards, which is not mentioned in the 1982 law. Penalties include prison sentences of 10-15 years, and fines of up to 50,000 kyats (US$42).

The Irrawaddy visited the offices of the Thingangyun Township administration, but immigration officers and those from other departments would not confirm the charges.

The township police commander, Thet Naing Htun, merely answered, Everything is fine and we released all of them.

Outside the township court on Monday, around 100 members of the local Muslim community gathered to publicly present a variety of documents purporting to prove the legal residence of those being scrutinized in the township. About 20 police were positioned outside government offices, bearing rifles.

Photographs of the scene were circulated on social media, accompanied by inflammatory statements to the effect that the assembled Muslims were insulting local authorities and disobeying court regulations.

This article has been changed from an earlier version, to specify that the ten who were fined had been deemed in violation of the 1949 Residents of Burma Registration Act.
Economy Central Bank to Appoint New Member

A member of the National League for Democracys economic committee is put forward for the board of directors of the Central Bank of Myanmar.

Rangoon  A member of the National League for Democracys (NLD) economic committee has been put forward for the board of directors of the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM).

Committee member Bo Bo Nges nomination came in a letter sent from President Htin Kyaw to Parliament on Tuesday. Upper House Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than welcomed discussion of the proposal.

Bo Bo Nge, 48, is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Financial and Management Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He recently joined the NLDs economic committee as a banking expert and is head of research and risk management at KBZ Bank.

Khin San Hlaing, Lower House lawmaker and secretary of Parliaments Banks and Monetary Affairs Development Committee, said that parliamentarians would discuss Bo Bo Nges eligibility on Friday.

Id welcome him to the board of the Central Bank because it seems like it could use energetic new members to drive change, she said.

The Central Bank is an independent body under the law, but as I see it, they cant work independently on some issues at this point, she said, adding that the involvement of fresh, young experts was a good sign for the future.

Nine members serve on the board of directors: one governor, three deputy governors, and five banking experts who are nominated by the government.

Kyaw Kyaw Maung, 75, has served as governor of the CBM since 2013, and will serve a five year term. The other board members serve four year terms.

Bo Bo Nge would fill the post left by Maw Than, who was appointed auditor-general when the NLD government assumed power in April.

Other members of the CBM who were appointed under the former administration will finish their terms unless the Central Bank of Myanmar Law is amended to allow for reshuffling.

Until the law is amended, the governor and deputy governors will continue to serve out their terms, even if the government doesnt like their performace, said an economist, who asked to remain anonymous.

The banking industry has welcomed Bo Bo Nges nomination, stating that because he is younger than the other members of the board, he can help the industry develop well into the future.

Zaw Lin Htut, chief executive officer of Myanmar Payment Union, said that it was good for the government to attempt to shake up the banking industry.

Getting younger generationswho know more about technology and modern banking servicesinvolved in the board of directors is a good move, he said.
Burma The UWSA and the Peace Process

For the United Wa State Army, statehood, territory and relations with China all play into the groups positions and goals throughout the peace process.

In the wake of senior delegations from the Wa Self-Administered Division and the Mongla group completing their trip to Naypyidaw to meet with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing in late July, it looks increasingly likely that the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and Mongla will participate in and support the 21st Century Panglong Conference scheduled for late August.

As the strongest ethnic armed group in the country, the UWSA is an inescapable issue in Burmas peace process. Without the UWSA, any peace agreement the government can achieve will be incomplete and unsustainable. Compared to other ethnic armed groups, such as the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the UWSAs position is less known to the outside world. This is not only because of its isolated nature but also because of its notoriety for drug-trafficking and associated US sanctions. Nevertheless, an accurate understanding of the UWSAs positions and aspirations is indispensable for the success of the Panglong Conference and peace process.

The most striking feature of the UWSAs relations with Burma is that the armed group never has and does not currently seek independence. In meetings with government officials and in private policy discussions, the UWSA always sees itself as part of the nation and hopes to remain so. This is fundamentally different from some other groups long-standing aspirations for independence. On the other side of the same coin, however, is that the level of autonomy that the UWSA seeks from the central government is exceedingly high. In the UWSAs view, unlike in Kachin State, Burmas central government has never exercised effective control of the Wa region throughout the past four decades and the region has always administered itself politically, economically and militarily. The UWSA boasts better economic and infrastructure development in the region than the rest of the countrya status and authority that the UWSA has no intention of relinquishing to the government.

Seeking Statehood

The UWSA seeks statehoodan upgrade from its current status of a Self-Administered Division to an ethnic statethat is believed to convey a greater sense of political legitimacy, autonomy and economic rights. It would also be a political symbol of the central governments recognition of the unique status of the UWSA and of a much coveted leadership status among other ethnic armed groups. However, from the UWSAs perspective, statehood is desirable but not indispensable. It would like to have the issue up for negotiation but it is unlikely to be a deal-breaker.

For the Wa, however, statehood is closely linked with something that is a deal-breaker, and that is the issue of territory. The UWSA currently holds two pieces of territory. One is centered on its capital Panghsang, its traditional northern base adjacent to China. The second is its 171 Military Region bordering Thailand, which the UWSA has only occupied since the mid-1990s after it defeated the Shan-Chinese drug kingpin Khun Sa in cooperation with the Burma Army.

The 2008 military-drafted Constitution stipulates that the Wa Self-Administered Division consists only of six townships in the north, leaving the status of the 171 Military Region open to question. The UWSA views its southern base as compensation by the military government for its bloodshed and hard-fought battles against Khun Sa, although such an arrangement does not explicitly exist in writing and has been challenged by the Burmese military in recent years. From the UWSAs perspective, one possibility is that the southern base could become the special region of a new Wa State. Otherwise, unless the government generously compensates the UWSA with a new chunk of territory in the north, it will not willingly give up the southern base.

The UWSA did not sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) under former President U Thein Seins government in 2015. Despite rampant suspicion about its intentions, the UWSAs logic is in fact quite simple: in its view, there has never been a conflict between the government and the UWSA since 1989. Since there has been no fire, why would they need a ceasefire? The UWSA believes the term ceasefire agreement conveys a grave mischaracterization of the relationship between the UWSA and the government and would feel more comfortable with the term peace.

The UWSAs lack of enthusiasm about the NCA is also due to a perception of fickleness and inconsistency on the part of Burmas government. The UWSA emphasizes the three-level peace agreement it had been negotiating with the previous government before the NCA was proposed. Since it had completed the first two levels of peace agreements (state and union), the UWSA believes that joining a ceasefire dialogue represents a regression. For the hardliners within the UWSA, because the government quietly abandoned the three-level peace framework without tying up loose ends or offering a proper explanation, it could also abandon any future agreement it negotiates. Whether Suu Kyi adopts the same terminology of nationwide ceasefire will greatly affect UWSAs participation in the Panglong conference.

Needless to say, the UWSA acknowledges that Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) represent a victory for democracy and a greater hope that the government will be just, fair and equal toward ethnic minorities. However, whether the military will fully cooperate with her on the issue of peace remains to be seen, especially given its likely impact on the militarys political capital and legitimacy. The UWSA, however, is also not alone in harboring doubts about Suu Kyis fairness toward ethnic minorities, as she herself is an ethnic Burman.

UWSAs Status

The UWSA enjoys a tacit leadership status among ethnic armed groups in northern Burma. It has maintained a traditional, de facto alliance with the Mongla due to geographical proximity and historical affinity. The two closely coordinate their positions on many issues, including the peace process. Both have supported the armed groups that were excluded from signing the NCA with the previous administration: the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, Taang National Liberation Army and Arakan Army. By hosting two summits in Panghsang in 2015, the UWSA rallied some support and consolidated its authority among the ethnic groups. The KIA is perhaps the only group that sees the UWSA as a peer. Although neither acknowledges it publicly, they do see each other both as partners and competitors. While the UWSA sometimes criticizes certain factions inside the KIA as too compromising, some in the KIA regard the UWSA as too content with the status quo and lacking a strategic vision for the future.

Looking ahead

Does the UWSA have a vision for the future? It does, although the vision hinges more on the status quo. More than anything, the UWSA aims to maintain what it currently enjoys: a high degree of autonomy. It wishes to obtain statehood, but will not go to war if that wish is denied. However, any expectation for the UWSA to give up its current territory or territorial authority without a fight is delusional.

The UWSAs economic future appears limited: its territory does not produce jade or much timber. Plummeting international commodity prices has discouraged the relatively nascent mining industry. Most of the groups economic ties are with neighboring China and Thailand. There are plenty of illicit economic activities going on, including drug-trafficking and casinos, although the locals dont seem to hold as high a moral standard as outsiders. The UWSA leaders seek ways to develop and diversify their economy, although compromise with the government on the peace process does not appear to be a likely choice.

Much of the groups economic development and trade relations are fueled by China. Among the ethnic groups in Burma, the UWSA appears to enjoy the closest ties and most sympathy from China. Some of the UWSAs leaders were young intellectuals from China who joined the Burmese Communist Party during the Cultural Revolution and fought the war to establish the Wa state. The Chinese border port of Menga (across the river from Panghsang) remains highly active as a trading center between Yunnan and the Wa region. Chinese crop substitution programs are also rather prevalent in UWSA-controlled territories.

China does not wish to see a conflict between the UWSA and the government, and will put pressure on both sides to refrain from such a disastrous scenario. However, the historical, emotional and substantive ties between China and the UWSA will form the foundation of any assessment about the UWSAs positions and strategies. China will not push the UWSA against the peace process, but China will not push it to embrace any settlement it is unwilling to accept either. In the views of both China and UWSA, such a settlement would be fragile, unsustainable and plant the seeds for future instability.

Yun Sun is a senior associate at Henry L. Stimson Center, a global security think tank based in Washington DC, and a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution. She has been working on Myanmar since 2008.

This is an updated version of this article, first published on August 10, 2016.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Russia is Turkeys important trade partner, TRT Haber news channel quoted Turkish Minister of Customs and Trade Bulent Tufenkci as saying Aug. 10.

Tufenkci said the normalization of relations between Moscow and Ankara will be beneficial not only for the two countries, but also for the whole region.

Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Russia Aug. 9.

This was Erdogans first visit to Russia after the crisis in the two countries relations and also after the attempted military coup in Turkey.

During the visit, Ankara and Moscow agreed on normalization of relations, the construction of the Turkish Stream pipeline and the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant.

The sides also discussed the settlement of the Syrian crisis.

Relations between Moscow and Ankara deteriorated when Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber with two pilots on board. On June 27, Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter of condolences to Putin over the death of a Russian Su-24 pilot and expressed regret over the incident. After the letter, the two countries relations began to improve.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Wednesday, August 10th, 2016 (8:04 am) - Score 746

The Local Government Association, which represents around 370 councils across England and Wales, has warned that the way broadband ISPs advertise their service speeds is particularly misleading for consumers in rural areas. Instead they want providers to promote average speeds and to also include upload speeds into their promotions.

The question of how ISPs advertise their speeds became a hot topic again earlier this year after the former Digital Economy Minister, Ed Vaizey MP, and a large number of other cross party politicians all called for the current approach to be reviewed by the Advertising Standards Authority (here). Now we can add the LGA to that list.

LGA Demands for Advertised Broadband Speeds * Switch from using up to to average advertised speeds. * Upload speed should also be a key measure of performance alongside download speed and clearly advertised to consumers. * Ofcom must monitor the performance of connections delivered under the proposed 10Mbps USO to assess whether providers are adhering to its specifications, especially during peak hours. * The USO minimum speed should be linked to the capability of current market speeds and lock in an obligation on Government to continue to raise broadband speeds amongst the hardest to reach. It should stipulate the USO minimum download speed as a percentage of average national download speeds.

At present the existing rules, which have been in operation since 2012 (here), require that the headline speed being promoted by an ISP must be achievable by at least 10% of their customers and that all speed claims are preceded with an up to qualifier. On top of that most ISPs already give consumers a more accurate estimate of performance during the sign-up process.

For example, a normal ADSL2+ line can technically deliver a download speed of up to 20-24Mbps and an upload rate of up to 1.4Mbps, but under the ASAs rule most of the major providers must instead advertise a download rate of up to 17Mbps (with some small variations) and sadly most dont even bother to show upstream performance. A few ISPs have also completely ignored the ASAs guidance and continue to show the peak theoretical rate, while others dont even bother to show any speed and that can also be confusing.

The above example is particularly important because most consumers in rural areas are currently still being served by old fashioned ADSL or ADSL2+ based copper lines, which suffer signal degradation over distance. As a result those in rural areas often suffer much slower speeds than their urban counterparts because they usually live further away from the local BT exchange. This is also true of many so called fibre broadband FTTC (VDSL) lines, albeit measured from the local cabinet rather than an exchange.

Mark Hawthorne, Chair of the LGAs People and Places Board, said: Councils are working hard to ensure everyone has good quality internet access. Good digital connectivity is a vital element of everyday life for residents and can help them cut household bills, shop online for cheaper goods, stay in touch with distant relatives, access their bank accounts and even run their own businesses. As central and local government services increasingly become digital by default, more people will need to have faster and more reliable speeds. The headline up to download speed, which can be advertised legally, is misleading and does not reflect the reality of broadband service received across the country. Broadband users deserve greater honesty and openness about the download and upload speeds they are likely to receive depending on their location.

The LGA goes on to note that one part of the problem is already being tackled by the on-going Broadband Delivery UK based roll-out of fixed line superfast broadband (24Mbps+) connections, which currently cover around 90% of the UK and should reach around 95% by 2017 and then hopefully push to 97% by around 2019. BT are playing a big part here via FTTC/P deployments.

On top of that the Governments proposal to introduce a 10Mbps Universal Service Obligation (USO) should, assuming they pick a strong set of technologies that can deliver the full Internet experience, help to improve connectivity for those in the final 3% of homes and businesses. We touched on one possible solution  Long Reach VDSL  only yesterday (here).

Never the less broadband is still a Best Efforts service for ordinary consumers, where capacity is shared and service quality can often be reduced in order to fit a lower price point; this is often particularly evident at peak times where some providers suffer a noticeable loss of performance. Hence the LGAs aforementioned demand for change.

The huge variability of most modern broadband lines, which can often suffer a detriment to performance due to a wide variety of different factors (slow wifi, poor home wiring, long copper lines etc.), ultimately means that no approach is ever going to deliver 100% accuracy of advertise speeds. Even FTTH/P ISPs can suffer problems, albeit not usually due to their physical fibre optic lines (network capacity and weak end-user hardware can be more of an issue here).

Never the less replacing up to with an average rate does appear to have growing support and a recent survey conducted by ISPreview.co.uk found that the vast majority of respondents wanted to see tougher rules (here). The ASA are currently reviewing the matter and have hinted that they too may preference an average speed approach (here) and we hope they also encourage upload speeds to be shown too.
Details added (first version posted at 12:13)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

By Orkhan Guluzade  Trend:

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict may be discussed within the Azerbaijan-Turkey-Russia trilateral format, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said, TRT Haber news channel reported Aug. 10.

He said the trilateral format would be beneficial to all parties.

We discussed this format during the meetings in Azerbaijan, Cavusoglu said. Azerbaijan positively appreciated the trilateral format with Russia. This initiative was also announced during the meeting of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia also praised this mechanism. We may cooperate in political, economic, transport and energy sectors.

On Aug. 9, Erdogan said Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia may create a trilateral mechanism of cooperation.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @o_quluzade
If youre an IT leader, the last thing you need is for your team to waste precious time getting into heated debates  if not an outright brawl  over political differences in the run-up to what has become an extraordinarily emotionally charged presidential election. So what can you do to help nip that nonsense in the bud?

Doug Walker, manager of HR services at Insperity, a human resources outsourcing services provider in Houston, has come up with a list of nine tips for helping organizations avoid the political landmines that can so easily damage productivity and camaraderie in the workplace.

Separate work life from personal life. Because many IT professionals work long hours, it is easy to forget the need for boundaries between employees personal lives and professional lives. Employees also should remember that workplace friendships are different from personal friendships. Workers should be careful about being too outspoken when it comes to their political views, even in cases where they believe coworkers might share some of the same opinions. Oversharing carries the risk of tainting opportunities for future advancement, alienating coworkers, or even current and future customers who do not share a similar ideology.

Keep the political gear at home. We advise employees to refrain from hanging campaign gear, such as posters or bumper stickers, in the office. Companies should also urge their employees not to display political materials. In fact, companies should consider banning political gear in all public spaces and in all areas where employees have direct contact with clients and vendors. In most cases, it is best for businesses to avoid taking an official stance on a particular candidate or political issue.

Be aware of office policies. Employees should be aware of any company policies that relate to political activity to ensure they are not breaking any rules. Workers also need to make certain their personal views are not incorrectly misunderstood to be the official company stance.

Consider changing the channel. While it has become commonplace for American offices to have TVs on so that workers can remain up to date on current events, consider changing the channel or turning off the TVs during political coverage. The partisan attacks may increase the risk of political oversharing in the office, or even cause unnecessary stress for employees.

Understand that its not OK to ask. While it may seem like a good idea to proactively ask a colleague or employee about his or her political stance so as to avoid uncomfortable conversations, the question itself can cause discomfort. In addition, there is also a risk that an employee may believe a future event, such as the failure to obtain a promotion, may somehow be linked to a previous conversation about personal political views.

Set the tone. IT leaders and managers should remember they often set the tone for the office. Company leaders may consider asking managers to be mindful about comments on political matters. Conversely, if a supervisor is highly vocal about his or her politics, staff will likely follow suit. It may not be a door you want opened.

Provide guidance. While a company cannot ban political discussion, leadership may consider asking employees to limit political talk or activity to the lunch hour or other work breaks. It is also important to remind staff to respect the views of others.

Be quick to respond. Companies should quickly investigate any employee complaints that may arise, but focus only on the workplace behavior and the impact it may be having on relationships and results and not on the differing political opinions.

Bottom Line: When in doubt, dont. Because issues like politics and religion can be so emotionally charged, the consequences for an employee and his or her career, as well as for the business, can be significant if one expresses a belief or opinion that varies from those of others. Talking politics can be a CLM  a Career Limiting Move.

A contributing writer on IT management and career topics with IT Business Edge since 2009, Don Tennant began his technology journalism career in 1990 in Hong Kong, where he served as editor of the Hong Kong edition of Computerworld. After returning to the U.S. in 2000, he became Editor in Chief of the U.S. edition of Computerworld, and later assumed the editorial directorship of Computerworld and InfoWorld. Don was presented with the 2007 Timothy White Award for Editorial Integrity by American Business Media, and he is a recipient of the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award for editorial excellence in news coverage. Follow him on Twitter @dontennant.
The intelligent Google Now personal assistant bundled into the Google search app and Android will become more personalized and adapted to each user's needs.

According to online publication Search Engine Land, the Google Now application will introduce a new feature that aims to give users more control over the information tracked on their behalf. This new Google Now feature was first reported on Monday, August 8, by the Android Police blog.

Tech Crunch reports that the Google Now personal assistant app is already good at bringing the information users need at the right time, whether they're sport scores, event reminders, traffic alerts, weather, stock updates, flight info and much more. However, Google Now is still not fine-tuned enough to customize the assistant more precisely according to users' needs.

Up to date, the customization process in the Google Now app is done via a series of on/off toggle switches in the app's settings, as well as by tapping on individual items where the users can inform the personal assistant app that they are not interested in a news source or card. But Google is testing now a new feature called "Explore Interests." This new feature is aiming to offer users more control over what sort of information the Google search engine will track on their behalf and will inform Google about the exact type of information users want to hear more about.

The "Explore Interests" feature in the Google Now personal assistant may be rolling out slowly. At the present, a Google spokesperson confirmed that this new feature is an experiment tested for the look-and-feel of the product.

With "Explore Interests," Google will offer a better way to track news and other topics. The app informs users they can choose movies, bands and more. A click-through takes users to a screen with sections like "TV," "People," "Sports," "Musicians," "Movies," "Stocks" and more.

Each section allows users to browse across a number of subcategories through cards of individual items. If plus (+) signs are clicked it is possible to add the item to the list of things the user is tracking. Google Now gets a bit of local flair, as users can also see which topics are "Popular in Your Area" when they browse through these sections.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 will soon be released on August 19 of this year. Product testers have been raving about its screen display although reports have emerged that the smartphone does have some deficiencies.

The phablet has one of the biggest screen displays out there, measuring at 5.7 inches across. The screen is Super AMOLED with a resolution of 2560x1440p. The curved edges and screen makes for easy viewing and control, according to CNET.

The quality of the Galaxy Note 7 screen display was praised by Raymond Soneira who is the President of DisplayMate. His company tested it and gave it a positive review on August 9. One of the notable superiority of the Note 7 over its competitors is the device's color modes.

Virtually all mobile devices only offer a one color mode but the upcoming Galaxy Note 7 has four. Users will now be able to watch videos with the latest 4K content. The test conducted also indicates that Samsung's newest Galaxy Note has minimal "reflectance". It means that the light or radiation reflection hitting the Note 7 screen presents minimal distraction to users watching a video on the device.

The only complaint so far about the Galaxy Note 7 is the battery, according to Forbes. Samsung made a bigger battery Note smartphone but neglected to increase the capacity of its battery which is only 3500 mAh. Fortunately, charging the Note 7 will become much quicker since Samsung has included a USB-C port in the upcoming handset. Prospective Samsung smartphone buyers should take note that not all new models have this new charging feature.

Another neglected feature is the camera. The upcoming Galaxy Note 7 will have the same camera specs and capabilities of its predecessor model. Many are disappointed on Samsung's decision not to upgrade the camera of the Note 7.

Of course, the price for this upcoming Samsung smartphone will most likely be as costly as the upcoming iPhone 7.
While the census website failed to load for millions of Australians last night, Revolution IT can take comfort in its $470K payment for load-testing services.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics claimed to have load-tested the census site at 150% of expected usage. What that "expected usage" figure might have been  clearly not millions of concurrent visitors  Australian government tender documents reveal that at least $140K was paid to Melbourne-based Revolution IT for "load-testing services for census 2016".

The money was paid in three payments of $325,000, $90,000 and $54,367.50 in standing order SON1225932.

Specifically, the publicly available information on these tenders is here, here and here.

The service provider, Revolution IT, ABN 32 107 913 342, states the business "provides you with total confidence with our enterprise grade QA and PPM solutions. Whether you're implementing enterprise applications, making an entire digital transformation or investigating outsource options, our experience, insight and rigour will help you move forward with assurance."

With $9.6 million paid to IBM to host the census, and $469,367.50 to Revolution IT for load-testing, some serious questions exist around why the census site could not sustain the load.

This morning's argument about "hacking" is potentially credible, but at the same time, remains a vague enough claim which the common person cannot disprove. If hacking was at play, and the ABS did make the decision to turn the site off, it is interesting its official Twitter feed and other accounts merely indicated there were problems afoot and asked people to keep trying.
Two days ago iTWire announced the Radeon RX 470  the next big thing (NBT) for impoverished gamers. Today we announce the Not Quite Next Best Thing (NQNBT) for gamers on the dole.

The RX 470 is an acceptable compromise  all you lose over the RX 480 is 4K gaming.

The RX 460 has less than 50% of the power of the RX 470  2.2 Teraflops to 4.9 (the RX 480 is 5.8). One could ask why a 2GB card starting at US$109 is needed  well, it is about $70 cheaper to start with and still produces very acceptable 1080p gaming for those in eSports titles such as League of Legends, Overwatch and DOTA 2.

The Radeon RX 460 delivers the perfect balance of price, power, performance and package size, the four key pillars of modern GPUs, said Raja Koduri, senior vice-president and chief architect, Radeon Technologies Group, AMD. The Radeon RX Series is built on architecture designed for extraordinary power efficiency and is especially well suited to desktop gaming PCs targeted at mainstream price points. Radeon RX 460 users will enjoy an optimised software and hardware graphics card solution ideal for both eSports and iCafe systems.

The card supports AMD FreeSync, DirectX 12 and Vulkan games. It should be fine for Web gamers and those who just want a better performance video card than Intels integrated graphics.

Features
News Story not available

This story has been published on: 2022-10-28. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.

This story is no longer available on our site.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

By Orkhan Guluzade  Trend:

A Turkish delegation will visit Russia to discuss the Syrian crisis, Milliyet newspaper quoted Ibrahim Kalin, a spokesman for Turkish President Tayyip Recep Erdogan, as saying Aug. 10.

Kalin said the delegation will include employees of Turkeys National Intelligence Organization (MIT), General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces, and Foreign Ministry.

He noted that members of the Turkish delegation will also discuss security issues during the visit.

Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has so far claimed over 500,000 lives.

Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops. The "Islamic State" and Jabhat al-Nusra are the most active terrorist groups in Syria.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @o_quluzade


Samsungs new Galaxy Note7 is the pinnacle of the Galaxy series  so much, in such a sexy package.

The Samsung Galaxy Note7 is a very sweet device. Samsung has taken all the good bits of the new Galaxy S7 series  camera; amazing AMOLED, always-on display, Edge screen; IP68 water resistance; wireless and fast charging; design cues; and thrown in a seriously upgraded S Pen and app; HDR video streaming, 4GB/64GB and microSD; USB-C connection; a light User Interface; and biometric iris scanning for extra security.

iTWire attended a press briefing and has had a first look at the Galaxy Note7. It is a desirable device that has packed a 5.7 screen into almost the same size as the 5.5 GS7 Edge  it is 153.5 x 73.9 x 7.9 mm and weighs 169g compared to the 5.5 GS7 Edge at 150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm and 157g. It achieved this by a record-breaking 78% screen to body ratio  the GS7 is 76.1%.

But enough of comparisons  the reason you will buy this is the S Pen. The aim is to make writing on glass as close to the experience of using a pen on paper. I had used its predecessor Note5, and that experience was a little overhyped. In the short time I used it yesterday, it seemed very good  the Wacom-based experience is enough to make me want to continue to use it. A full review will be done in a couple of weeks so check back then.

The Samsung Note app has been totally upgraded and offers additional pen styles, writing on the lock screen, annotation, translation, magnification, animated gif making, and a huge array of painting tools.

The Iris scanner adds a new level of security and over time apps will be able to use it as a login and password. I was impressed with the new Knox based Secure Folder concept that allows you to put sensitive information, apps and content into an IRIS protected folder  far easier than using different user profiles and logins.

It accepts a microSD card, and Samsung is giving away a 256GB card (value A$299) with all pre-orders from 5 to 18 August from its on-line store, Sydney store, major retailers, and telcos. This is a great incentive.

Philip Newton, corporate vice-president, Samsung Electronics Australia, said, In March, we unveiled the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, our most successful smartphone launch ever. Australians have embraced the design, functionality, and experiences our range offers. The Note7 builds on that with its beautifully crafted metal and glass design, incredibly fast and intuitive functions, and water and dust resistance. The Note7 supports the needs of the most demanding users - no other device does what it does.

Specifications

Comment

The most anticipated Android smartphone of the year has arrived. It costs $1349, and if you want those features, then it is the right price to pay.

What impressed me most is the emergence of the Samsung ecosystem. This phone works seamlessly with the Gear Fit 2, Gear 2, Icon X, S Health, new VR headset, 360 camera, and in harmony with other Samsung products like the Smart TV and music streaming.
Australian Bureau of Statistics chief David Kalisch may be a master in the art of using statistics. But he has shown to all and sundry that his knowledge of IT security is a big zero.

Kalisch has been left looking like the emperor in Hans Christian Andersen's famous fairy tale, talking of the wonderful robustness that the ABS had developed to handle the census online, and then having to take down the site as early as 7.30pm.

This time, we do not need a nine-year-old  as Andersen did  to point out that the emperor has no clothes.

As I write this, Kalisch is on ABC News 24, addressing the media and claiming that no data has been compromised. But how does he know? That little detail is missing as this unelected bureaucrat continues making claim after claim.

(It is also apparent from watching this media conference that the minister in charge of the census, Michael McCormack knows as little about IT security as Kalisch does.)

The contradiction does not seem to register with Kalisch: on the one hand he was claiming till he was blue in the face that the ABS website was so robust it could withstand anything thrown at it. Now he says the data is secure.

Police have just released this image of the person(s) behind the #Census2016 attacks. pic.twitter.com/C9YfKmWJNI  Nathan Cocks (@ElPrezAU) 9 August 2016

How can that be? If there was someone who pressed the submit button (or its equivalent) and saw a 404 page emerge as the response, is that person's data safe? Was it received by the ABS or not?

I know what the former host of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart, would call this: a glorious cluster****.

Every single ABS official, from Kalisch downwards, was the epitome of certainty when asked whether the website could handle the load. Indeed, one official claimed that the site could handle 1,000,000 submissions per hour!

The fact that the ABS could not even run an automated phone line 24/7 to handle requests for paper forms without it breaking down shows the level of competence that exists at this august organisation.

Kalisch himself has gone on the record in print, on TV and in many an online publication, refusing to entertain any doubt that the census would be anything but a grand success.

We now cross LIVE to the #Census2016 IT office... pic.twitter.com/wCBagYRJ3x  Chris Chamberlin (@popculturechris) 9 August 2016

In the run-up to the event, the ABS removed material from its website as the contradictions between claim and reality became evident.

It also refused to answer relevant claims made about the Census and Statistics Act by a reputed former ABS head, Bill McLennan.

The ABS has paid IBM and Revolution IT big sums to ensure the success of the census. Will there be some accountability demanded from these organisations now?

Kalisch has shown us that he has overtaken politicians like Attorney-General George Brandis and former prime minister, Tony Abbott, in one field: incompetence.

If he has any integrity, he should admit that he is unable to fulfil the responsibilities of his post and step down.
That is likely Brothers motto as it has added an industrial strength labeller to its P-Touch Range.

The new PT-D800W prints from 3.5mm to 36mm wide labels at 60mm/second. It has a detachable keyboard, Wi-Fi, USB, and and optional battery so it will print from a computer or smartphone. Now there is no excuse not to be excessively orderly and fussy in your life.

Users can design a label on a computer, then print using the USB or Wi-Fi connectivity. It also comes with Brothers mobile cable label tool, a free app developed specifically to create labels for telecom, datacom, and electrical installations. The app includes an extensive cloud-based hub of up-to-date design templates and electrical symbols.

Michael Morales, product manager at Brother Australia, said, In todays fast-moving industrial or manufacturing environments, high-quality, durable labels are a vital part of the landscape. Were excited about the functionality and capabilities of the new PT-D800W label printer  it is a fast workhorse, able to design, store and print industry-standard labels in a busy plant or site office.

Specifications include:

Direct thermal print head (thermal stock used)

20 languages supported

Cable label function

LCD four-line x 17 characters

360dpi, 32mm height, 1M maximum at 60mm per second

Inbuilt fonts to 90 point or computer select

Barcode, 2D Barcode, and QR code support

Repeat print to 99 copies

Auto tape cutter

Tape type: Tze, HGe laminated & HSe Heat Shrink

Windows and macOS P-touch Editor software

iOS and Android apps

Wi-Fi N and USB connection

338x173x188 x 3.3kg (with keyboard)

Three year RTB warranty

Price and Availability

The Brother PT-D800W label printer costs $849. Available immediately. Brother has a large range of labellers from domestic to commercial. For more information, click here.
A factor that enables the exploitation of one of the Quadrooter defects in Qualcomm chips is the disarming of SELinux, according to the advisory issued by security vendor Check Point.

It has led one sysadmin to ask whether SELinux should be reworked to make disabling impossible.

QuadRooter is a set of four vulnerabilities affecting Android devices built on Qualcomm chipsets. iTWire's Ray Shaw reported their existence on Monday.

According to an advisory from Check Point, which discovered the flaws and announced them at last week's Def Con security conference, "if any one of the four vulnerabilities is exploited, an attacker can trigger privilege escalations and gain root access to a device".

Every vulnerability affects a device's entire Android system. Android is built on the Linux kernel.

Qualcomm was informed about the vulnerabilities by Check Point in April. The company confirmed the seriousness of the flaws and released patches to OEMs that use its processors. The responsibility to patch now rests with the various OEMs.

SELinux is a patch for the Linux kernel to add security features and patches to applications to allow them to determine the security domain in which to run processes.

It was initially developed by the US National Security Agency.

In one of the flaws detailed by Check Point, the disabling of SELinux to gain root privileges affects a kernel module known as ipc_router. Introduced by Qualcomm, it provides inter-process communication capabilities for various Qualcomm components, user mode processes, and hardware drivers.

The module opens a unique socket that adds proprietary features to the normal IPC functionality, according to the advisory. Attackers can convert this to a monitoring socket. The goal of the exploit is to gain root privileges while disabling SELinux.

Peter Ross, a sysadmin who is a member of the Linux Users of Victoria, expressed surprise in a post to the organisation's mailing list that SELinux could be disabled.

"After years of using FreeBSD and securing systems, I was astonished when I saw someone disabling SELinux the first time. How could that be?" he asked.

Ross said chflags was used in FreeBSD "to harden access to files, with security level 1 or higher it is not possible to alter them either (in contrast to SELinux where I can change the security contexts of files on a running SELinux hardened system)".

He said the current exploit was a good example why this kind of approach was needed.

"No process should be able to disarm a hardened system," he said. "Linux containers do not seem to give too much additional security, so it is always recommended to use SELinux to increase the security. It sometimes feels like a 'better than nothing' trap, giving the false sense of security."

He ended by asking: "Should SELinux be reworked so that disarming is not possible?"
Macquarie Government has weighed into the debate on the census debacle, saying it has seen almost daily DDoS attacks on government systems, and all blame for the census failure should not be aimed at the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

In fact, according to Macquarie, poorly defended business and home computers have contributed to the ABS attack.

People should pause before casting all blame on the ABS for the reported cyber attack that brought down the census last night and ask themselves if they unwittingly played a part, says Aidan Tudehope, the managing director of Macquarie Government, the government business division of Macquarie Telecom

Tudehope says Macquarie provides frontline defence to more than a third of federal government agencies through its secure Internet gateway, and the attacks on government systems can be small and short, or big and sustained like the ABS attack, but all rely on poor security awareness among other people, allowing their computers to be weaponised."

According to Tudehope, while the people launching the attacks might be anywhere in the world, the computers they are using are increasingly right here in Australia, making it more difficult to respond.

And, as computing power and network bandwidth expands, the number of zombie computers needed to launch a damaging attack becomes fewer.

An attack on a scale that 10 years ago required tens of thousands of computers now might now be possible with a few thousand, Tudehope notes.

And, Tudehope says corporate networks are particularly attractive targets because they can have huge capacity and many connections to the Internet.

They are like the cyber equivalent of an aircraft carrier.

Distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks are launched from botnets, which are networks of computers that have been secretly infected and are under the control of hackers.

These can be individuals home computers or whole corporate networks.

The hackers can have set these networks up over a long period of time and wait patiently to launch an attack from an army of zombie computers, Tudehope warns.

Tudehope said the unfortunate episode (ABS/census) should serve as a clear message to the business community, in particular, that it needed to take seriously its responsibility to implement effective cyber security strategies.

You are not only protecting your systems when you do this, you are protecting the national institutions, he concludes.
LinkedIn has doubled its members in the Asia Pacific region over the past two years to 100 million, including eight million in Australia now signed up to the worlds largest professional network.

The increase has meant higher demand for access to the LinkedIn platform, and to meet that demand LinkedIn unveiled in April its S$80 million data centre in Singapore  its first outside the US  to enhance speed and reliability of access.

The Asia Pacific region now represents 22% of LinkedIns global member base of more than 450 million.

With 37 million members, India retains its spot as the second largest market in member-base terms, after the US, and the largest market in APAC.

These latest numbers show that China accounts for more than 23 million LinkedIn members, and the member base across Southeast Asia also continues to rise, hitting 18 million, including six million in Indonesia, four million in the Philippines, three million in Malaysia, and one million in Singapore.

The rapid pace at which we doubled our member base from 50 to 100 million members makes this milestone even more special, says Olivier Legrand, managing director, LinkedIn Asia Pacific and Japan.

It also reflects a growing understanding of the economic value of personal branding and a global professional network. At this scale, LinkedIn is in an even stronger position to help members connect to economic opportunity, whether its a new job, a promotion or other business opportunities.

And, according to Legrand, with 40% or 280 million of the worlds professionals living and working in Asia Pacific, theres still plenty of runway for us to grow, particularly in the segments related to students and young professionals, the fastest-growing demographic on LinkedIn.

As the region continues to gain momentum as a key economic driver, we cant wait to see our members become even more successful and extend their influence across the world.

LinkedIn also lists some of the Asia Pacific prominent thought leaders on its platform including Telstra chief executive Andy Penn, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, AirAsia group chief executive Tony Fernandes, DBS Bank group chief executive Piyush Gupta, Rakuten chief executive Hiroshi Mikitani and Biocon chairman and managing director Liramn Mazumdar-Shaw.

And, here are some insights into LinkedIn members in Asia Pacific:

 Global connections: Outside of the APAC region, the US and UK are among the top three countries that members are connected to, in addition to other professionals in their respective home countries.

 Social Selling: In APAC, professionals are using LinkedIn to grow their business and career. Across markets like Australia, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore, salesperson emerged as the most common occupation on LinkedIn, followed by business owners. Professionals avoid cold-calling and leverage social connections to initiate warm introductions, build relationships with prospects and customers to grow their businesses.

 Interest in content: Professionals in APAC are also consuming and engaging with content on issues and global challenges that are relevant to them professionally. For example, in the last 90 days in Singapore, China and Hong Kong, European Union emerged amongst the top 10 most popular topics in view of the Brexit. Topics on Recruiting and employee engagement are top-of-mind for professionals across the region.
Oracle's plans for the Java virtual machine include greater language support, as well as accommodations for microservices and a heavier reliance on Java programming itself.

"We want a VM that will continue to be polyglot, that will interoperate with unmanaged languages, implement well-managed languages," said John Rose, Oracle JVM architect, during the company's recent JVM Language Summit conference in Silicon Valley. "Maybe in the next decade or so we'll see C programs or C++ programs running in managed mode on top of the JVM. I wouldn't be surprised." In recent years, the JVM has become a home for a quite a few languages, including Scala, Clojure, JRuby, and Groovy.

Rose also cited a trend toward layered software implementations involving strong abstractions, a simplified data model, and Java-on-Java, in which Java is implemented on top of itself. The Graal Project, leveraging Java for writing JVM runtimes and compilers for other languages, and Project Panama, for interoperability between Java and C/C++, help drive Java-on-Java. Instead of having a lot of C++ code and a bytecode interpreter atop a stack, there would be various factored layers, perhaps low layers of C++, midlayers of low-level Java, specially compiled ahead-of-time Java, and Java components.

Java-on-Java "heals the rift between having to code in C++ and Java at the same time," according to Rose. "It lets you use one high-leverage point, the Java compiler and the Java JiT and the Java type system, to manage more of the important parts of your system."

Density and scaling goals for the JVM include enabling it to work with microservices. "We want those terabyte heaps," Rose said. "We also want to be able to do tiny microservices, maybe running a few of them in the JVM or maybe a million of them in the JVM but independently." Scaling will entail a fast startup, data sharing, and big heaps, making immutability more important. Aside from its JVM plans, Oracle recently cited work to retool Java EE for microservices and cloud deployments.

Honing in on language capabilities, Rose was bullish on value types, to mend a rift between classes and primitives. Value types enable huge changes through the stack and depend on parametric polymorphism, making generalizations across all values. "This is the last big thing that Java needs, in my opinion," unifying primitives and objects but with everything looking like a class, he said. Rose sees value types as comparable to the impact of generics or lambdas in Java.

Rose listed eight specific goals for the JVM for the next 19 years, saying they had been initially expressed in 2015. These include having a uniform model, with objects, arrays, values, types and methods looking similar; memory efficiency, with tuneable data layouts and efficient code; optimization, in which shared code is mechanically customized; and post-threading, with confined, immutable data and granular concurrency.

Oracle wants Java to be broadly useful for running languages like Scala and Clojure while maintaining the compatibility to run even 30-year-old "dusty" JAR (Java Archive) files. The company also is emphasizing performance and interoperability. "Our JVM is more slowly changing than the hardware over which it runs, which means that we are always getting the latest chips and trying to figure out how to do the trick again on the new chips," Rose said.
The Web Proxy Auto-Discovery Protocol (WPAD), enabled by default on Windows and supported by other operating systems, can expose computer users' online accounts, web searches, and other private data, security researchers warn.

Man-in-the-middle attackers can abuse the WPAD protocol to hijack people's online accounts and steal their sensitive information even when they access websites over encrypted HTTPS or VPN connections, said Alex Chapman and Paul Stone, researchers with U.K.-based Context Information Security, during the DEF CON security conference this week.

WPAD is a protocol, developed in 1999 by people from Microsoft and other technology companies, that allows computers to automatically discover which web proxy they should use. The proxy is defined in a JavaScript file called a proxy auto-config (PAC) file.

The location of PAC files can be discovered through WPAD in several ways: through a special Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) option, through local Domain Name System (DNS) lookups, or through Link-Local Multicast Name Resolution (LLMNR).

Attackers can abuse these options to supply computers on a local network with a PAC file that specifies a rogue web proxy under their control. This can be done on an open wireless network or if the attackers compromise a router or access point.

Compromising the computer's original network is optional because computers will still try to use WPAD for proxy discovery when they're taken outside and are connected to other networks, like public wireless hotspots. And even though WPAD is mostly used in corporate environments, it is enabled by default on all Windows computers, even those running home editions.

Lucian Constantin On Windows, WPAD is used when the "automatically detect settings" option is checked in this configuration panel.

A rogue web proxy would allow attackers to intercept and modify non-encrypted HTTP traffic, which wouldn't normally be a big deal because most major websites today use HTTPS (HTTP Secure).

However, because PAC files allow defining different proxies for particular URLs and can also force DNS lookup for those URLs, Chapman and Stone created a script that leaks all HTTPS URLs via DNS lookups to a rogue server they control.

The full HTTPS URLs are supposed to be hidden because they can contain authentication tokens and other sensitive data as parameters. For example, the URL https://example.com/login?authtoken=ABC1234 could be leaked through a DNS request for https.example.com.login.authtoken.ABC1234.leak and reconstructed on the attacker's server.

The researchers showed that by using this PAC-based HTTPS URL leak method, attackers can steal Google search terms or see what articles the user has viewed on Wikipedia. That's bad enough from a privacy perspective, but the risks introduced by WPAD and rogue PAC files don't end there.

The researchers also devised another attack where they use the rogue proxy to redirect the user to a fake captive portal page, like those used by many wireless networks to collect information about users before allowing them on the Internet.

Their fake captive portal forces browsers to load common websites like Facebook or Google in the background and then performs a 302 HTTP redirect to URLs that can only be accessed after the user authenticates. If the user is already authenticated -- and most people have authenticated sessions in their browsers -- the attackers will be able to gather information from their accounts.

This attack can expose the victims' account names on various websites, including private photos from their accounts that can be accessed via direct links. For example, people's private photos on Facebook are actually hosted on the site's content delivery network and can be accessed directly by other users if they know the full URL to their location on the CDN.

Furthermore, attackers can steal authentication tokens for the popular OAuth protocol, which allows users to log into third-party websites with their Facebook, Google, or Twitter accounts. By using the rogue proxy, 302 redirects, and the browser's page pre-rendering functionality, they can hijack social media accounts and in some cases gain full access to them.

In a demo, the researchers showed how they could steal photos, location history, email summaries, reminders, and contact details for a Google account, as well as all documents hosted by that user in Google Drive.

It's worth stressing that these attacks do not break the HTTPS encryption in any way, but rather work around it and take advantage of how the web and browsers work. They show that if WPAD is turned on, HTTPS is much less effective at protecting sensitive information than previously believed.

But what about people who use virtual private networks (VPNs) to encrypt their entire Internet traffic when they connect to a public or untrusted network? Apparently, WPAD breaks those connections, too.

The two researchers showed that some widely used VPN clients, like OpenVPN, do not clear the Internet proxy settings set via WPAD. This means that if attackers have already managed to poison a computer's proxy settings through a malicious PAC before that computer connects to a VPN, its traffic will still be routed through the malicious proxy after going through the VPN. This enables all of the attacks mentioned above.

Most operating systems and browsers had vulnerable WPAD implementations when the researchers discovered these issues earlier this year, but only Windows had WPAD enabled by default.

Since then, patches have been released for OS X, iOS, Apple TV, Android, and Google Chrome. Microsoft and Mozilla were still working on patches as of Sunday.

The researchers recommended computer users disable the protocol. "No seriously, turn off WPAD!" one of their presentation slides said. "If you still need to use PAC files, turn off WPAD and configure an explicit URL for your PAC script; and serve it over HTTPS or from a local file."

Chapman and Stone were not the only researchers to highlight security risks with WPAD. A few days before their presentation, two other researchers named Itzik Kotler and Amit Klein independently showed the same HTTPS URL leak via malicious PACs in a presentation at the Black Hat security conference. A third researcher, Maxim Goncharov, held a separate Black Hat talk about WPAD security risks, entitled BadWPAD.

In May, researchers from Verisign and the University of Michigan showed that tens of millions of WPAD requests leak out onto the Internet every single day when laptops are taken outside of enterprise networks. Those computers are looking for internal WPAD domains that end in extensions like .global, .ads, .group, .network, .dev, .office, .prod, .hsbc, .win, .world, .wan, .sap, and .site.

The problem is that some these domain extensions have become public generic TLDs and can be registered on the Internet. This can potentially allow attackers to hijack WPAD requests and push rogue PAC files to computers even if they're not on the same network with them.
Hortonworks Wednesday unveiled the latest version of its Hortonworks DataFlow (HDF) integrated system for dataflow management and streaming analytics. Together with Hortonworks Data Platform (HDP), HDF forms the core of the companys Connected Data Platforms offering.

Jamie Engesser, vice president of product management at Hortonworks, says the HDF 2.0 release reflects much increased interest in streaming analytics as customers wrestle with data in motion from Internet of Things (IoT) devices, clickstreams and sentiment analysis.

We have seen significant HDF adoption across our customer base, Engesser said in a statement Tuesday. Customers clearly want an integrated, real-time solution for streaming data and the new functionality of HDF 2.0 accelerates business value from data-in-motion for customers.

HDF was born in August of 2015 with Hortonworks acquisition of Onyara, creator and key contributor to the top-level Apache NiFi open source project. Onyara engineers formed the core of the team behind HDF, intended to make it easy for customers to automate and secure data flows and to collect, curate and analyze real-time business insights and actions derived from data in motion.

The latest release, HDF 2.0, adds new functionality around the user interface to simplify deployment and real-time operations, enterprise readiness (especially in the form of security policy management) and IoT at the edge:

Next-generation user experience. HDF 2.0 features a new graphical user experience and integration of Apache NiFi, Apache Kafka and Apache Storm into the Apache Ambari management console. Think of it as Google Docs for enterprise data movement, Engesser says.

HDF 2.0 features a new graphical user experience and integration of Apache NiFi, Apache Kafka and Apache Storm into the Apache Ambari management console. Think of it as Google Docs for enterprise data movement, Engesser says. Enterprise readiness. Hortonworks has integrated the new release with Apache Ranger for centralized and comprehensive security policy management of streaming dataflows across groups in an enterprise. Its really about the data, Engesser says. How do I operationalize it? How do I deploy it? How do I monitor it? How do I manage it? How do I secure it? Now all open source components get monitored and managed from one centralized console.

Hortonworks has integrated the new release with Apache Ranger for centralized and comprehensive security policy management of streaming dataflows across groups in an enterprise. Its really about the data, Engesser says. How do I operationalize it? How do I deploy it? How do I monitor it? How do I manage it? How do I secure it? Now all open source components get monitored and managed from one centralized console. IoT at the edge. HDF 2.0 features Apache MiNiFi, a new, lightweight edition of Apache NiFi. Engesser says MiNiFi delivers Apache NiFi in a much smaller form factor that can be installed on edge devices ranging from radio towers and power generation facilities to connected cars, providing data collection at the edge with enterprise-grade security and management at scale.

Our business depends on actionable insights from combining data-at-rest with data-in-motion at scale, Mike Bishop, chief systems architect for Hortonworks customer Prescient, a specialist in custom risk management solutions, said in a statement Tuesday. Prescient pulls information from 49,000+ sources to determine which physical, health and environmental threat factors are most relevant to the business continuity and personal safety of specific travelers. Connected Data Platforms allows us to create value for our customers and are powering our real-time business of keeping travelers safe.

Engesser notes that the release of HDF 2.0 coincides with the addition of a new HDF Product Integration Certification program to the companys existing Hortonworks Partnerworks program. The certification program provides validation of pre-built integrations between leading enterprise technologies and HDF. It also includes testing and certification of processes to help ensure that partner software integrates with HDF.

Were seeing a large partner ecosystem develop, Engesser says. Partners can get certified and build their own connectors.

Some of the key partners collaborating with Hortonworks to certify joint solutions include Attunity, HPE Security, Impetus Technologies StreamAnalytix, SAS and Syncsort.
Box has made no secret of its global ambitions, and on Wednesday it advanced them another step by announcing two new regional "Zones" in Canada and Australia.

"Our mission is to build out the most advanced social cloud," said Aaron Levie, cofounder and CEO of the California-based company, in an interview. "We want to make sure we can deliver no matter what your security, compliance or data-residency requirements."

Different countries have established different requirements for the treatment and storage of data, resulting in a complex landscape for companies to navigate. Delivered through partnerships with Amazon Web Services and IBM Cloud, Box Zones essentially allows companies to store data in the location of their choice. When the paid feature was announced in April, the first non-U.S. Zones were in Germany, Ireland, Japan, and Singapore.

Tokyo and Germany were particularly important growth areas for Box to address with the service, Levie said, given the sophistication of the business environments there and the presence of numerous multinationals. Demand in Canada and Australia has been growing rapidly, however. "This will be a major accelerant to our growth in those regions," he said.

Roughly half the activity on Box is from non-U.S. users, though the proportion of revenue deriving abroad is smaller, said Levie, noting that many of its U.S.-based customers use Box internationally with customers and partners. The company claims more than 62,000 corporate customers, including 59 percent of the Fortune 500.

Box competitor Dropbox has also been wooing international customers, including establishing regional data centers in Europe. But Box is building for a more diverse landscape, Levie said.

"We built Box Zones to be able to work with Amazon, IBM, or even future cloud providers," he said. "We want to be the service than runs on top of the infrastructure service providers."

In the meantime, the new Privacy Shield framework just recently took effect in Europe, altering the global landscape yet again.

"Our tech philosophies don't necessarily relate to how privacy laws are enacted," Levie said. "Our mission requires that we solve the problem regardless."

Further strengthening its global credentials, Box also announced on Wednesday that it has achieved compliance with ISO 27018, the international standard for protecting personally identifiable information in the cloud.

A significant speed boost for the Box Accelerator global data-transfer network, meanwhile, should make using Box faster.

Accelerator routes Box customer traffic so as to find the fastest path from end users to Box from anywhere in the world. With the enhancements announced on Wednesday, it now has network endpoints in more than 20 countries and 60 global locations, providing customers with upload speeds that are two to six times faster than before, depending on location, Box said. Australian users, for instance, will see average upload speeds that are four times faster, while those in the U.K. will see speeds triple.

The new Australian Box Zone will become available this fall, while the Canadian one is due later this year; both will be powered by AWS.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10

By Elena Kosolapova  Trend:

Russia and Turkey will resume strategic partnership after the recent crisis in relations, Paul Levin, director at Stockholm University Institute for Turkish Studies, believes.

Yesterdays meeting [between Russian and Turkish presidents] is part of a mutual effort to defrost relations, Levin told Trend by email.

The expert noted that the two states feel ostracized by the West in many ways.

Meanwhile, Levin believes there are still important differences in Russian and Turkish interests regarding Syria, which will complicate their efforts.

The relations between Moscow and Ankara deteriorated sharply in late 2015 when Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber with two pilots on board. In June 2016, Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter of condolences to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over the death of a Su-24 pilot and expressed regret over the incident. After that, the two countries relations began to improve.

On Aug. 9, Russian and Turkish presidents, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, held their first meeting after the Su-24 incident. Following the meeting, Putin said that Russia is interested in the full restoration of bilateral relations with Turkey.
Some city-funded broadband networks may be in trouble after a U.S. appeals court struck down Federal Communications Commission rules that prohibited states from restricting those projects.

The FCC has no authority from Congress to prohibit state laws that limit municipal funding of broadband networks, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit said in a decision released Wednesday.

In February 2015, the FCC voted to overturn laws in North Carolina and Tennessee that limited the expansion of existing municipal broadband networks. Many incumbent broadband providers have opposed municipal funding of competing networks and pushed for state laws prohibiting them. In some cases, those city networks are faster and cheaper than what the incumbents are selling.

The FCC cannot change state law without specific authority from Congress, Judge John Rogers wrote in Wednesday's decision.

The FCC has argued that the Telecommunications Act of 1996 authorities the agency to promote broadband deployment and that the 2015 vote does just that.

Wednesday's decision "appears to halt the promise of jobs, investment, and opportunity that community broadband has provided in Tennessee and North Carolina," FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said in an emailed statement. "I believe the commissions decision to champion municipal efforts highlighted the benefits of competition and the need of communities to take their broadband futures in their own hands."

In the last year and a half, more than 50 U.S. municipalities have taken steps to build their own broadband networks, Wheeler wrote. "The efforts of communities wanting better broadband should not be thwarted by the political power of those who, by protecting their monopoly, have failed to deliver acceptable service at an acceptable price."

The free-market think tank TechFreedom applauded the court's decision. "It took enormous chutzpah for the FCC to try to preempt state broadband laws, so this is a well-deserved rebuke for an agency run amuck," Berin Szoka, TechFreedom's president, said by email.

The court case has been a costly distraction from efforts to make broadband deployment easier, Szoka said.
This Week in Review

A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
After the opening day defeat involving a high-scoring game at Whitstable, Gravesend enter- tained RACS at the Bat and Ball Ground in Wrotham Road hoping to put that loss behind them.

But despiste a valiant and fine innings from Verinder Bhoombia, who made a superb 77, the hosts were dismissed for just 133. Andy Tutt was the main thorn in the Gravesend side, taking 5-52.
The ladies met Ashford Town in the decider at Welling United's ground in Park View Road, and they not ony won the trophy but slammed an amazing 12 goals past their beleaguered rivals.

From the moment that Emma Moore put Charlton ahead with a low shot after five minutes the writing was on the wall for Ashford.
From time to time, I receive an email from a reader asking me if it is safe to use drugs in Jakarta. The obvious reply is that it is extremely dangerous, as even carrying a small joint might land you in jail.





But Indonesia is much more complicated than that, hence the need for a longer article to explain you the subtleties of drug use in the country.



Why foreigners should be extra careful when using drugs in Indonesia

From my personal perspective, the law in Indonesia only exists to give a pretext to powerful people to extort some money or benefits. Most often, it is used when the authorities want to target someone in particular, with some categories that are more at risks than others. The most vulnerable are poor people, ethnic and religious minorities, foreigners, or anyone without a network among government officials.



The laws of Indonesia, including drug laws, will normally apply to them with greater severity, meaning they will either receive harsher sentences or pay a bigger bribe.









More importantly, there is a creeping racism/xenophobia among a large portion of the Indonesian population. From an early age, they are taught a one-sided story about the morally-corrupt West, whose influence must be limited. Alcohol, homosexuality, crime, rape, communism, atheism, porn, and of course drugs are all considered imported vices. As a foreigner, if you get caught using, or worse selling drugs, you are guaranteed to make national headlines and become a matter of national security. Once your name appears in the media, it becomes almost impossible to buy your way out.



The statistics speak for themselves: In 2015-2016, among 18 persons executed for drug offenses, only 3 were Indonesian. This is in spite the fact that there are over 125,000 Indonesians in prison for drug offenses (



Are some drugs more safe than others? Is there a risk if I have a very small quantity?

Indonesians do not see any differences between soft and hard drugs. They have no idea what drugs are, how they work, which ones are lethal and which ones are addictive. All they know is that it is a foreign-imported problem and that it is killing the youth of the country.



Judges will send heroin junkies to jail and people who take barely-addictive ecstasy and marijuana to rehabilitation center, depending on mysterious factors.



Even Budi Waseso, the head of the BNN (the Indonesian drug enforcement agency) once said that he



The quantity in your possession does not really matter as well: Marlon Eduardo Bezrutchaka was arrested with 0.13 grams of hashish and 0.14 grams of marijuana in 2014 and it



You won't be executed if you have small quantities, but you are still likely to go to jail.



Foreigners are particularly at risk for several reasons. They are considered rich (therefore prime targets), they don't know anything about the legal system and they rarely possess powerful connections.More importantly, there is a creeping racism/xenophobia among a large portion of the Indonesian population. From an early age, they are taught a one-sided story about the morally-corrupt West, whose influence must be limited. Alcohol, homosexuality, crime, rape, communism, atheism, porn, and of course drugs are all considered imported vices. As a foreigner, if you get caught using, or worse selling drugs, you are guaranteed to make national headlines and become a matter of national security. Once your name appears in the media, it becomes almost impossible to buy your way out.The statistics speak for themselves: In 2015-2016, among 18 persons executed for drug offenses, only 3 were Indonesian. This is in spite the fact that there are over 125,000 Indonesians in prison for drug offenses ( 70% of a total prison population of 180,000 inmates ) for less than 100 foreigners.Indonesians do not see any differences between soft and hard drugs. They have no idea what drugs are, how they work, which ones are lethal and which ones are addictive. All they know is that it is a foreign-imported problem and that it is killing the youth of the country.Judges will send heroin junkies to jail and people who take barely-addictive ecstasy and marijuana to rehabilitation center, depending on mysterious factors.Even Budi Waseso, the head of the BNN (the Indonesian drug enforcement agency) once said that he saved 21 million lives by seizing a 2-ton shipment of marijuana , obviously not knowing that it is not a lethal drug. For this reason, don't assume that you are taking less risks by smoking pot instead of crack.The quantity in your possession does not really matter as well: Marlon Eduardo Bezrutchaka was arrested with 0.13 grams of hashish and 0.14 grams of marijuana in 2014 and it made national news . A year after, Nicholas James Langan was sentenced to 1 year in jail for possessing 0.9 grams of marijuana. An American, Scott Wikoff O'Dowd was also sent to jail for 8 months for having 3 grams on his suitcase. There were several similar cases this year as well.You won't be executed if you have small quantities, but you are still likely to go to jail.

Why people still do drugs despite the risks?
Eighth people, including police officers, were martyred and several others injured on Wednesday in two separate PKK bomb attacks in southeastern Turkey, according to the country's transport minister, Anadolu reported.

At least 4 people, including one police officer, were martyred and 30 others, including five police officers, were injured when a handmade roadside explosive was detonated by PKK as a police vehicle was passing by in the Kiziltepe district of the southeastern Mardin province, said Transport Minister Ahmet Arslan.

The terrorist organization PKK also carried out a separate attack in the Sur district of the southeastern Diyarbakir province on Wednesday, targeting another police vehicle.

In Diyarbakir, four civilians were martyred and five police officers were slightly injured during the bomb attack, Arslan said.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.

Since then, over 600 security personnel, including troops, police officers and village guards have been martyred and more than 7,000 PKK terrorists killed or neutralized in operations across Turkey and northern Iraq.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday gave the U.S. an ultimatum following Ankara's repeated requests for the extradition of Pennsylvania-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, accused of orchestrating the July 15 defeated coup, Anadolu reported.

Addressing a mass crowd in front of the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Erdogan said: "Sooner or later the U.S will make a choice. Either Turkey or FETO.

"Either coup-plotting terrorist FETO or democratic country Turkey. It has to make this choice," the president said, referring to the Gulen-led Fetullah Terrorist Organization that Ankara says mounted the bloody coup attempt through rogue elements within the military.

Gulen is accused of leading a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.

Turkey's government said the foiled putsch, which left 240 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured, was organized by followers of Gulen, who has lived in a self-imposed exile Pennsylvania since 1999.

Erdogan also announced the end to weeks of "democracy watch" rallies across Turkey. The daily gatherings, which have attracted hundreds of thousands wishing to show their opposition to the foiled July 15 coup, culminated Sunday in an Istanbul rally that 5 million people are thought have attended, according to local officials.

The Turkish president warned citizens however to stay vigilant constantly as "betrayal can come from anywhere and anyone".

"We want to finalize it here [Ankara]. But, I see that our people do not want to leave the squares," Erdogan said

"Democracy watch cannot be only kept in certain hours, in certain places," he added.

Before Erdogan's speech, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim took the stage and told the crowd: "You are the hero of democracy."

Yildirim added: "Coup plotters believed that they would defeat the nation, but they were mistaken." He added the Fetullah Terrorist Organization will be held accountable before the public.

"We will certainly call the murderers to account [for their crimes]. We will impose the heaviest penalty," he added.

On the night of attempt, Erdogan called on Turkish citizens to hit the streets in opposition to the coup, a call that has met an overwhelming response from thousands who poured out to defy tanks and bullets in major cities and millions who took part in anti-coup demonstrations across the country.
About 30 percent of items sold on major Chinese e-commerce platforms fail quality standards. (Photo : Getty Images)

Based on a draft regulation, consumers in the country will soon be allowed to get full refund on unsatisfactory items they bought online even though they are already unsealed, China Daily reported.



Advertisement

The move is part of China's bid to intensify its protection of the rights of consumers.Public opinion on the latest draft issued by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce is until Sept. 5.



Under the document, consumers should receive their refunds within seven days since they returned their items. The goods must be intact; this category also includes packages that have been opened for inspection of quality and function.



Nonetheless, this new rule will not be applicable to other products such as those that are hazardous after they were opened or perishable items that are expiring soon.



The draft regulation is based on China's consumer rights protection law, whose revision in 2014, states that consumer can get refunds on returned goods with failing quality standards within seven days.



According to Wu Jingming, an economic law associate professor at China University of Political Science and Law and a participant in the draft formulation, the new document is the first one in China to specify that online purchases, even if packages are opened, can be returned to get a refund.



"The regulation is scheduled by the State Council to be adopted in October, though there are likely to be some changes made to the draft," Wu shared.



"The regulation was made because there have been a number of disputes in recent years involving businesses refusing to offer refunds for goods that they sold online, using the excuse that the packages have been opened," he added.



Meanwhile, Wang Li, a government employee in Beijing, expressed optimism on the draft regulation.



"I hope the regulation can be carried out so I will be able to buy more clothes online and not worry whether the sizes are OK before placing the order," the online buyer remarked.



Data from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine shows that around 30 percent of items sold via China's 10 major e-commerce portals failed quality standards. Counterfeit products are also considered as a major issue in the country's e-commerce sector.


Jackie Chan during the presscon for his latest flick "Bleeding Steel" (Photo : Twitter)

While taking a break from filming his latest film in Australia, international martial arts superstar Jackie Chan recalled the first time he came to the country, as well as his rise from humble beginnings.



Speaking to fans during a special event dubbed "Jackie Chan in Conversation" at the Sydney Opera House, Chan said that he first came to Australia when he was just 13 years old. The actor added that during that time, the country is still not as populous as it is now, the Global Times reported.



Advertisement

Chan also recalled how he struggled with trying to communicate with others, having to use hand gestures and facial expressions to "talk" with people around him, as he barely knew any English. It was his father, he said, who decided to have him enrolled at a government school to learn the language.



At the school, Chan said that his teacher found his Chinese name Chan Kong-Sang hard to pronounce and gave him the name Steven instead.



The 62-year-old actor revealed that it was a Taiwanese man he met during his time in Canberra who gave him his second, and eventually more famous, English name. The man, he narrated, had helped him to get a job at a construction site. The owner of the site asked Chan what his name was, and the man simply referred to him as Jack.



Chan said that he later added the ending -ie to make it Jackie after a Feng Shui expert said that it would bring him luck, SBS reported. From there, the actor has steadily climbed to the top, with his current net worth reaching $1.79 billion. His latest outing "Skiptrace" with American actor Johnny Knoxville proved to be a box-office success in his native country, raking in more than $60 million.



Chan is currently filming a new movie "Bleeding Steel" in Australia. The film will reportedly be his first foray into the science fiction genre and also stars Australian actress Tess Haubrich, China's Erica Xia-Hou and Show Luo, and Taiwanese actress Nana Ouyang.


Email

Links to our top local news stories of the day, Monday through Saturday.
North Carolina has received a D grade in a national study on how state laws help or hinder new or expecting parents with care options.

The fourth report, released by the National Partnership for Women & Families, is tied to the 23rd anniversary of the implementation of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. The group was instrumental in its advocacy with the act. It began providing the report in 2005.

The focus is on whether states have, and enforce, unpaid leave protections or have adopted other supports to assist expecting and new parents who are employed.

It measures 10 categories for private-sector workers and four for state government workers.

According to the report, N.C. legislators have not approved state laws that expand upon any federal rights or protections for private sector employees.

It was among 21 states that have no state expansions.

However, for state government employees, N.C. law allows for up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave for pregnancy disability or care of a new child if the worker has been a state employee for at least 12 months.

They also are eligible for up to 52 weeks over five years of job-protected leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition, including a spouse disabled by pregnancy.

When it comes to sick time, state government employees can use it for medical appointments or illness of a family member, including a spouse disabled by pregnancy or childbirth. They can use up to 30 workdays for the adoption of a child.

The state departments of Health and Human Services and Labor deferred comment to state legislators.

North Carolina was one of 15 states that received a D grade.

No Southern state received better than a D, and four states  Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina  were rated as failing.

Despite some meaningful progress, too many working families in this country struggle at the very time they should be focused on giving children their best possible starts in life, Debra Ness, the partnerships president, said in a statement.

At this time when women are both caregivers and breadwinners, and when voters want and need supportive workplace policies, too many lawmakers are letting them down. Americas families expect and deserve much better.

Ness said North Carolina and all Southern states have failed to adopt state-level workplace policies in the past 11 years that also includes requiring employers to provide pregnant women with reasonable workplace accommodations, and protecting the rights of nursing mothers in the workplace.

Peoples ability to meet the dual demands of job and family should not depend on where they live or work or what job they hold, said Vicki Shabo, the groups vice president.

Lawmakers at all levels and in every part of the country should commit to strengthening existing family-friendly policies and adopting new ones, and pressing for federal laws that will benefit all workers, families and businesses while strengthening our economy.

The situation is even more precarious for workers in low-wage jobs, which are disproportionately held by workers of color, because these jobs provide fewer benefits and workplace supports such as paid leave.
Mr. Gay China (Photo : Out.com)

In June, Blued, the number 1 gay social app in China, got a valuation of more than $300 million, indicating the growing number of gay men in the country starting to come out of their closets, at least on social media sites.



Another step in Chinese gay men being accepted in the conservative and repressive country is a Mr. Gay China was crowned over the weekend. The winner is 27-year-old Meng Fanyu, reported Advocate.



Advertisement

The male beauty pageant, the first to be held successfully in China after a failed attempt in 2010, is part of an international franchise. Kate Sun, who organized the event, said they provided HIV testing throughout the different stages of the contest, avoided links to politics and focused only on creating fun events.



The pageant run for four weeks with various performances. Wang said the contest is a great platform to raise awareness of Chinas LGBT community, reported Pink News.



He said, Many people dont really know what LGBT is, and coming out can still be difficult, so you really have to prove yourself to be an upstanding person.



The successful holding of Mr. China pageant is a bit unexpected because in March, the Chinese censor banned the airing on TV a gay-themed web series Addicted. Blued has 27 million users in China, but less than 5 percent were visibly out.






Reddit Email 0 Shares

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

Donald Trump said Tuesday there was nothing that his supporters could do if Hillary Clinton won and got to pick her judges. Then he thought a moment and amended his pessimism: Though the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know.

Former CIA director Michael Hayden suggested that the remark, which implied that an NRA member should assassinate Sec. Clinton, was a criminal offense and that the Department of Justice should look into it: if anybody else had said this, theyd be out in the parking lot in a police wagon being questioned by the Secret Service.

My own guess is that Trump is trolling the Obama Department of Justice and hoping to be harassed by the DoJ so that he can claim persecution and martyrdom in front of the public.

Otherwise, some people have gotten in trouble with the law for doing to Trump what he just did to Hillary.

An Egyptian student studying in the US was forced to leave the country rather than face formal deportation after he posted threats to Trump on Facebook.

Richard Deville Jr., 26, of Clarksville, Indiana was arrested on May 12 and charged with felony intimidation after he allegedly put up a video on social media menacing Donald Trump and members of his family. Keith Henderson, the Floyd County Prosecutor, said of the video, where the suspect was sporting loaded guns:

Thats not political speech, its not free speech, thats criminal speech because hes threatening someones life.

So maybe Mr. Henderson should express himself equally vehemently about Trump himself.

And, who talks and acts like this?

Moise Katumbi, an opposition politician, was arrested this spring for hiring mercenaries and threatening state security in the DR Congo. His critics say he was intent on making a coup.

Trump is literally acting like a tinpot dictator already!

=====

Related video:

The Young Turks: BREAKING: Donald Trump Threatens Hillary Clinton With Gun Violence 
The International Crimes Tribunal Bangladesh (ICTB) [official website] on Wednesday sentenced [judgment, PDF] a former member of parliament to death and seven others to life in prison for crimes committed during the 1971 war for independence. Sakhawat Hossain, a former lawmaker and member of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, was accused [AP report] of commanding a group that aided Pakistani soldiers. His lawyers have said they plan to appeal. One of the other defendants was present in court along with Hossain, and the remaining six defendants were tried and convicted in absentia.

The ICTB, established in 2009 under the International Crimes Act [text], is charged with to detaining, prosecuting and punishing persons responsible for committing genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and other crimes under international law committed during the 1971 conflict. Rights groups such as Amnesty International [advocacy website] have criticized [JURIST report] death sentences imposed by the ICTB, stating that trials of war criminals have, in the past, failed to meet international standards. In June the ICTB sentenced [JURIST report] Mohibur Rahman to death for his part in the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. In May the Supreme Court of Bangladesh upheld the death sentence issued by the ICTB [JURIST report] against Islamist leader Motiur Rahman Nizami. In March the Supreme Court upheld [JURIST report] the death sentence of a former opposition politician for allegedly committing war crimes during the 1971 war of independence. In February the ICTB sentenced [JURIST report] two men to death for crimes against humanity.
The Long March-7 carrier rocket arrives at the launch tower in June 2016 in Wenchang, Hainan Province. (Photo : Getty Images)

China is set to develop technologies for deep space, deep earth, deep ocean and the deep-blue cyber sector in a bid to gain strategic and broad advantages in technology, according to the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) for science, technology and innovation, released on Monday, Aug. 8, by the State Council.



Advertisement

The plan would include the setting up of space stations services, deep-ocean installations and Mars exploration by 2030, China Daily reported.



The new technologies are also aimed at more specific plans for moon exploration in 2018 and Mars in 2020, including plans to deep-ocean probe for mineral search and the observation of the polar regions.



The plan aims to develop sustainable ocean resources and preserve ecological balance, as well as enhance ways to predict natural conditions and disasters.



"The plan illustrates the strategic aims of the nation," Xu Jing, director of the Department of Innovation and Development at the Ministry of Science and Technology, said. "It addresses cutting-edge leading trends."



Xue Lan, dean of School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua University, expressed confidence for the role of China in the age of innovation.



"We have improved much in terms of national science capability in recent years," Xue said. "This is the first time China has been presented with a chance to lead an industrial revolution, and we have to grasp that chance."



Xue also noted that in recent years, the published works of Chinese researchers have increased. China is expected to move to second place in the world ranking by 2020, from fourth place in 2015, based on the master plan. The country will also pursue other less known projects that include quantum communication and brain science.



"Sometimes the lesser-known ones make great differences too," Xu said.



China was also able to improve its ability to combat infectious diseases as it was able to develop a vaccine for swine flu and made immediate action to control Ebola.



Xue added that the master plan also aims to promote applied science, with more emphasis on the national economy.



"Some of the breakthroughs are not in the technology, but in the commercial patterns that come with it," Xue said.


A judge for the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois [official website] ruled Tuesday that former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich must serve the rest of his 14-year sentence in a Colorado prison. Judge James Zagel ruled [Reuters report] that Blagojevichs sentence should not be reduced, rejecting his plea for leniency. Blagojevichs lawyers said that it was likely this ruling will be appealed.

In March the US Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from the former Illinois governor and upheld the ruling by the Seventh Circuit maintaining his 14-year sentence [JURIST report]. In 2015 five of the 18 convictions against the former governor were thrown out. In 2013 Blagojevich was retried and and sentenced to 14 years after being convicted of 18 charges of corruption. Blagojevich was initially found guilty [JURIST report] in 2010 of making false statements to the FBI, but the jury remained deadlocked on 23 additional charges. The prosecutors dropped some of the charges [JURIST report] to simplify the case for retrial, including charges for racketeering. In January 2009 the Illinois State Senate voted unanimously [JURIST report] to convict Blagojevich of abuse of power and remove him from office. Blagojevich and his former chief of staff John Harris were initially arrested [JURIST report] in December 2008 on corruption charges, including allegations that they conspired to sell the Senate seat left vacant by US President Barack Obama.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein [official website] on Tuesday urged [press release] the Maldives to abide by a decades-old moratorium on the death penalty. The country has operated according to the de facto moratorium for decades, but last November brought changes to the judicial climate, halting death sentences being commuted into life sentences. There are three prisoners who are considered in imminent threat of execution. Zeid commented that [t]he death penalty is not effective in deterring crime. Revenge must never be confused with justice, and the death penalty only serves to compound injustice.

Capital punishment [JURIST op-ed] remains a controversial issue worldwide. Last month Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that he would approve reinstating the death penalty [JURIST report] so long as the measure had sufficient support in the Grand National Assembly. In May a spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned [JURIST report] Iranian authorities for the sentencing of Nargis Mohammadi, an anti-death penalty activist. Also in May Zeid welcomed [JURIST report] the measures being taken by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to prevent the use of its drugs in state-sponsored execution by lethal injection. UN human rights experts expressed [JURIST report] grave concern earlier that month over Belarus death penalty practices after reports surfaced that a man was executed while his case was before the UN Human Rights Committee.
Track product launches by FMCG companies to get an understanding of the product-level strategies including geographic concentrations, innovation types, product claim, category focus and more

Monitoring the advertising strategies of various brands and gain insights into channel focus, regional focus, and more

Perform company-level analysis to understand business model, size, and geographic focus

Unilever product advertising is mainly through mainstream TV channels. Out of the products advertised so far at least 50% (over 850) of ads have been run on TV, while print media comes second with 496 ads. Unilever also utilizes social media platforms for advertisement. Unilever products are categorized by innovation ratings and tags in our product launch database. The North American region consists of almost 74 products with innovations related to the formulation of the product. Europe and other regions also have more products categorized under formulation-related innovation, followed by the packaging and positioning of the products. Most Unilever products are tagged with High Vitamins, Recyclable, and Natural tags to understand what the product differentiator is from other products available in the market. The majority of products belong to the personal care industry with a total of 5,788 products to date. This report, through the Unilever Example, illustrates how GlobalData Explorer enables you to:Dont miss out on key market insights that can help optimize your next investment  read the report now.
Scott Morrison underscores the importance of considering national security in the issue of China's Ausgrid bid. (Photo : Getty Images)

"National security will be my prime consideration."



This is what Australian treasurer Scott Morrison remarked on the Australian Agenda program, commenting on the crucial decision the Turnbull government has to make about China's Ausgrid bid, media reports stated.



According to a report from The Australian, the government is currently pondering "whether to allow a Chinese company to buy a 99-year lease on half of the major NSW power distribution network."



Advertisement

The issue is quickly escalating as China's claim on the South China Sea continues to intensify. Chinese media has previously warned that Australia "will be an ideal target for China to warn and strike" should it join naval patrols from the U.S. in the contested area.



The report added the Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) is looking into the possibility of allowing two Chinese bidders to lease the grid. The participating firms are the State-owned State Grid Corporation and the Hong Kong-registered Cheung Kong Infrastructure Group (CKI).



The deal is said to be worth over $10 billion.



According to Australian news items, knocking off one or both the Chinese companies the race could ignite a battle between the Liberal Party and the Baird government.



Last year, the Baird government fought in the New South Wales (NSW) election, vowing to use the proceeds of the deal to finance the country's biggest infrastructure building project.



The Australian meanwhile reported that the NSW government is having extensive talks with the bidders and other involved bodies including the FIRB, the tax office and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.



The anticipated decision follows the lease of Darwin's port to a Chinese firm, sparking controversies in the country's political scene.



Morrison believes that security factors and concerns will be the biggest factor in the decision.



"It is the prime consideration. It is the most important consideration and always is, the veteran Australian politician said.



"This is why I put David Peever (who headed a major review of the Defence Department) on the FIRB - to have the national security experience and input into these decisions and to assist me making these decisions," he added.


China will build another hydropower plant in the Mekong River. (Photo : Getty Images)

The project is called Xelanong 2 and is foreseen to generate 35 megawatts of power, or 140,700 megawatts of electricity annually.



The Chinese company is the one which built the giant Gezhouba Dam in the Yangtze River which produces 2,715 megawatts of power.



In the statement, Gezhouba said that Xelanong 2 will be located at one of the tributaries of the Mekong River. The hydropower station with the dam has a height of 55 meters.



Advertisement

Construction will take 41 months and the total cost is $7.86 million. It will be a build-operate-transfer (BOT) project.



Lin Boqiang, director of the Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, said that the hydropower plant will bring significant benefits to the Lao economy.



He added, "There is market demand and expertise in technology and operation is ripe, but there are potential risks in terms of relocation and environmental issues."



The construction of the power plant will also give way to the launch of other projects, especially the planned Chinese-Laos railway.



When Lao President Bounnhang Vorachit visited Beijing in May, the Chinese government expressed intentions of investing in the country's energy sector.



Vorachit welcomed the initiative and said that they welcome Chinese investments and their cooperation will help bring electricity to 98 percent of the country by 2020.



To reach this target, the Lao government intends to build power plants with installed capacity of 3.5 million kilowatts in operation and generating 30 million megawatt-hours of electricity every year.



There are already five hydropower plants in Laos that have been built by Chinese companies since 1998 to 2014 in the Mekong River. The river has a huge potential for hydroelectric power as it can produce as much as 30,000 megawatts.



Because of the immense potential of the Mekong River, Laos is considered as the "battery of Southeast Asia."


Chinese buns are a hit in NYC. (Photo : Getty Images)

Zhang Pengyi, the general manager of Tianjin Yi Chi Future Food Technology Co Ltd, said, "What's going to be the new street fashion in the world's financial nerve-center? Everyone eating Chinese baozi."



The company's owner was given a license by the City after several years of filing documents and fulfilling requirements. A business license is issued by the city government but is known to be a hard and tedious process.



Advertisement

"Besides the Chinese traditional fillings, such as pork and mushroom, we will produce more local flavors such as cheese fillings and sweet puree fillings to meet local New Yorkers' tastes," said Zhang.



The new items in his menu will be called "fancy buns."



Zhang said that his kitchen will have a see-through glass wall where customers can watch how the buns are being prepared.



"We will provide food," he said, "and we will also give a taste of Chinese culture. We will show American consumers how to make steamed stuffed buns, and help them understand Chinese food culture."



The food store was originally planned to be located in Manhattan's China Town, but the owner decided to set up shop in middle and lower ends of the city.



He said that they will also have food trucks that will sell to other points of the city.



"We are evolving a standard to ensure the buns bought from different shops or vending trucks taste the same. Even the manufacturing process will be standardized so that cooks' individual touch is minimized," said Zhang.



This is the first time that Zhang is venturing out to an international market. He has four stalls in Tianjin and one community center.


China is not a threat to global order, says an expert. (Photo : Getty Images)

China's stern rejection of the international ruling released in July does not necessarily constitute that the nation intends to threaten global peace according to an expert.



Professor of International Relations Zhu Feng who also serves as the executive director of Nanjing University's China Center for Collaborative Studies of the South China Sea explained in an article published in Bloomberg that China's recent actions do no constitute a threat to world order.



Advertisement

Instead, he said, the country merely wishes that other nations recognize and respect its position while maintaining global peace.



Exaggerated Response



According to Zhu, the conflict between China and its neighboring countries became worse because of the exaggerated reaction from the U.S. and other Westerners.



While he noted that bashing China during the election year is unavoidable, 2016 saw a great increase in such incidents that it is a wonder how the proud Middle Kingdom is able to tolerate it without launching a missile or two to the West.



He also explained that while they may have the right to defend their country, the Chinese right-wingers' reactions were not helpful at all.



In fact, Zhu pointed out that China is not the first to defy an international ruling as the situation has a couple of precedents that involved top-tier countries like U.K., Russia, and even the U.S.



The Americans' defiance of international court ruling had been featured in a Wall Street Journal article which highlighted how the U.S. ignored the decision of the court in a case filed in the 1980s by Nicaragua.



China's Intentions Clarified



With that said, Zhu pointed out that like other countries, China benefits from world peace and have no reason to destabilize it.



"China's critics are right about one thing: The country has benefited greatly from the rules-based order in place since the end of World War II -- and indeed, from the U.S. security presence in the Pacific, which has given China the space to concentrate on its economic development," Zhu explained.



Furthermore, China had continued to be a promoter of strict rules and constitutions so much so that it had won 21 out 36 World Trade Organization (WTO) arbitration cases since it joined in 2001.



According to Zhu, China's reaction to the arbitration case filed by the Philippines was merely natural for a nation that seeks respect and influence it thinks it deserves.



He also noted that while it may not have been that obvious, the Philippines may have been intending to increase its clout over the South China Sea when it decided to file the case in the first place.






Perseids Meteor Shower 2016: How to best view the rare meteor outburst; Where to watch online via live stream

A Perseid meteor streaks across the sky above desert pine trees on August 13, 2015 in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, Nevada. The annual display, known as the Perseid shower because the meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Perse (Photo : Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The much-awaited Perseid Meteor Shower is here. This year, it is predicted to be an event to remember. It will be a meteor outbursts of a sort when the astronomical event peaks on Aug. 11 & 12. Here is a guide to view the shooting star event. Also, find out where to watch online via live stream.



Advertisement

According to Earth Sky, the night and morning sky of August 11, 12 and 13 will put up a brilliant show for sky gazers. The annual shooting star event is a prolific meteor shower, producing 60 or more meteors per hour when reaches the peak. However, this year it is predicted to produce 200 meteors per hour on the peak night.



The website suggests that the best time to view Perseids is night of Aug. 11 and morning of Aug. 12. In addition, they recommend not to skip the mornings of Aug. 11, 12 and 13.



"Forecasters are predicting a Perseid outburst this year with double normal rates on the night of Aug. 11-12," Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office in Huntsville, Alabama said in a statement. "Under perfect conditions, rates could soar to 200 meteors per hour."



Perseid meteor shower is related to the comet Swift-Tuttle. Its radiant point lies in the comet constellation Perseus. It happens to be an annual event that runs from July 17 - Aug. 24.



"Here's something to think about. The meteors you'll see this year are from comet flybys that occurred hundreds if not thousands of years ago," Cooke explained. "And they've travelled billions of miles before their kamikaze run into Earth's atmosphere."



For those who want witness the spectacular light show, they must proceed to a dark location, away from city light for an uninterrupted view. No special equipment is required to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower.



As noted by Earth Sky, it is recommended to watch between midnight and dawn hours. It is the best time to view the meteor shower and it only gets better. Also, it is advised to sprawl out in a moon shadow if the moon is interfering the view.



The publication suggests noticing the speed and the colours of meteors during the shower. Also, watch out for "meteor trains." It is said to be "a persistent glow in the air, left by some meteors after they have faded from view."



For those who want to watch Perseid Meteor Shower online through live stream, it will be available via NASA's Ustream overnight on Aug. 11-12 and 12-13, beginning at 10:00 pm.


FILE - In this Thursday, July 30, 2015, file photo, First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon smiles during the opening ceremony of the Scotland Hong Kong Centre for Carbon Innovation in Hong Kong. On Tuesday, Sturgeon says Scotland should be able to remain part of the European Union without leaving the United Kingdom. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
Halloween customs from around the world Halloween is derived from some of the oldest customs in the world. The culture of these traditions are 2000 years old  during an age...

Spindle Items ..FUN WITH WORDS  Have you heard of the saying, to appear smart, be silent. It means if you dont open your mouth, people may...

Out of the Past 25 Years AgoOct. 29, 1997 A light industrial park is planned for the site of the abandoned grain mills on Military Road after their expected...

Make a plan to vote this November Election Day is less than two weeks away. Have you made a plan to vote yet? Midterm elections are often overlooked, but I urge everyone...
In October 2010, Amy Berman of Brooklyn, N.Y., was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal inflammatory breast cancer. Its a rare form of the disease, often caught in advanced stages as there is no lump to signal a warning. The median survival time is less than two years, according to the American Cancer Society. A world-renowned specialist told Berman she needed aggressive chemotherapy, a mastectomy and radiation.

Berman sought a second opinion from an oncologist who worked as part of a team of doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains and others trained in palliative care. She agreed that the cancer was terminal and asked Berman about her goals for treating and living with cancer. I want to feel as well as possible for as long as possible, she told him. At that, her team ditched the aggressive approach, instead prescribing a single nightly pill that works to depress the hormone that feeds the cancer and an occasional Tylenol and anti-constipation medicine. A year ago, she had a single dose of outpatient radiation when excruciating back pain flared. It turned off the pain like a light switch, says Berman, who was back at work the next day as senior program officer at The John A. Hartford Foundation.

Bermans cancer continues to spread, but at a very slow rate. I havent been hospitalized in the last five and a half years, Berman says. I do well, I feel fine, I do fun things, and I still work full-time.

Subscribe to Kiplingers Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. Save up to 74% Sign up for Kiplingers Free E-Newsletters Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplingers expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail. Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplingers expert advice - straight to your e-mail. Sign up

Fifteen years ago, palliative carespecialized medical care for people living with serious illnesswas considered niche. Today its mainstream, with 72% of the nations large and medium-size hospitals offering palliative care. It focuses on providing relief from the symptomsand stress of a serious illness, with the goal being to improve quality of life for both the patient and his or her family. Care is provided by a team of specially trained providers and others who work together with a patient, her family and other doctors to achieve the patients desired goals.

Palliative care is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided along with curative treatment, says Dr. Diane Meier, director of the Center to Advance Palliative Care and vicechair for public policy and a professor of geriatrics and palliative medicine at New York Citys Icahn School of Medicine. The care team focuses on improving patient health care quality by relieving physical and emotional suffering; strengthening patient-family-doctor communication and decision-making; and ensuring well-coordinated care across health care settings, with both curative care and palliative care providers.

One of the biggest myths about palliative care is that it is only for dying people. Thats not true, says Judith Skretny, director of palliative care for the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Whereas hospice care is only prescribed for those who have been deemed by two physicians to have no more than six months to live, palliative care is available to those with chronic conditionsnot necessarily terminal illnesses from cancer to congestive heart failure.

Another myth, says Skretny, is the idea that when you receive palliative care, you cant receive curative care. To qualify for Medicare or commercial insurance benefits, hospice care requires a decision to receive only palliative-focused hospice care. Standard, curative medical treatment must stop. But palliative care, says Meier, is not either/or like hospice care; its both/and.

If you get palliative care, you live longer, says Meier. Studies have shown the benefits for patients and families when palliative care is introduced as part of routine cancer care. These include reduced pain and symptoms, better family outcomes (survivors do better in bereavement and report less depression), reduced hospital costs and readmissions, and enhanced survival.

A palliative-care team works with a patient and family members to find out whats most important. People say different things, says Meier. A patient may need help at home, for example, or transportation. A care plan is designed to support patient and family. That could mean setting up home-based care, arranging food delivery or providing respite care to a caregiver.

For Bermans goal of feeling well for as long as possible, her care team arranged a less aggressive treatment regimen than many oncologists would prescribe and helped her complete advance medical directives. Her team is available to respond to any medical concerns, which have included severe flulike symptoms after a monthly infusion of medicine to keep her bones strong.

What You Need to Know

Because palliative care still is relatively new in our medical system, most doctors have not been trained in the approach. Although the majority of hospitals with 50-plus beds have palliative-care teams, the care may not extend after discharge. Medicare pays for inpatientpalliative services, but it is not a benefit in the same way hospice care is. Doctors and advance practice nurses can bill Medicare Part B for outpatient palliative care services, but others on the team cannot. That has limited its growth in the outpatient arena. But community-based palliative care is growing, thanks to the Affordable Care Acts expansion of alternative provider payment models and bolstering Medicare Advantage health plans.

Palliative care can be given to people anywhere, says Skretny, including in nursing homes, at rehab facilities, at home and in community clinics. Patient advocates stress that patients and their families should ask their health care providers about palliative care.

Berman is glad she did. Im not at the end of my life, says Berman, who is planning to vacation this summer in South Africa. She reckons she has saved as much as $1 million by using palliative care. Most of the savings go to her insurerby eliminating hundreds of thousands of dollars for rounds of chemo and radiation treatments, surgery, rehab, and medications. But Berman appreciates her personal savings from reduced coinsurance, deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs. I pay $5 a month for a pill I take each night, she says. Palliative care is the best friend of the seriously ill.

For more information, visit the Center to Advance Palliative Cares website (opens in new tab), check out the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organizations provider finder (opens in new tab), or ask any hospice about nonhospice palliative care services.
Aug 9 (Reuters) - Six weeks before Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc VRX.TO revealed plans to reorganize and pay down debt, similar ideas to improve the drugmaker's fortunes were discussed at a private shareholder dinner attended by top investor and board member William Ackman, according to a source who participated.

Bank of America hosted the June 29 event, billed as Valeant: a Bull/Bear dinner, at the Lincoln Ristorante in Manhattan, according to two people who saw the invitation.

Nearly two dozen mutual and hedge fund managers came to dine and brainstorm on Valeant, according to the source, who was not at liberty to speak publicly about it.

While Ackman had things to say, he came mostly to let others discuss their concerns, attending largely in "listen only mode," the source said.

Small dinners at which fund managers discuss the pros and cons of an investment bet are common on Wall Street. But one Wall Street analyst questioned the propriety of a private investor event with a board member before Valeant was due to release quarterly earnings on Tuesday.

Valeant's conduct is under particular scrutiny as it seeks to clean up an image tarnished by federal investigations into its drug pricing and accounting practices that cut its share price by more than 90 percent in one year.

The event was first disclosed by Wells Fargo analyst David Maris, a long-time critic of Valeant, in a note to clients on Monday. Maris did not attend and could not provide details.

Company officials cannot share material information about their business with a select group of investors, and are expected to not discuss significant issues in the so-called "quiet period" several weeks before they report earnings.

Bank of America told invitees that Ackman would attend. He is often a draw in investment circles and is an influential director on Valeant's board.

Ackman's $12 billion hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management is Valeant's biggest investor and owns 21.6 million shares or 6.3 percent of the company.

He came to the Bank of America event both as an owner and a board member, the person who attended the dinner said.

The discussion focused on major challenges facing Valeant.

In particular, investors said the company must avert the possibility of defaulting on its more than $30 billion in debt, the person said. The possibility of a default has been looming since March and is often discussed among investors.

The investors also raised more specific changes such as replacing longtime investor and public relations chief Laurie Little and making sure that Chief Executive Joseph Papa communicated better during quarterly conference calls with investors than his predecessor, the source said. Papa did not attend the meeting, the source added.

Valeant on Tuesday said it would sell billions of dollars of non-core assets and could accept buyout offers for its main businesses as it seeks to restore investor trust. Its shares rose more than 24 percent.

On Monday, Valeant announced new leadership for several key businesses, and said Little was stepping down from the company.

During a call with investors on Tuesday, Maris asked Papa about the evening, saying a Valeant board member held a dinner where selected Valeant owners were able to discuss things, adding that this sounded like "the same old Valeant" to him.

"I don't know the specifics so it would be speculation and I don't want to add to that," Papa said in response.

Bank of America representatives and Laurie Little did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

(Additional reporting by Caroline Humer in New York; Editing by Michele Gershberg and Jeffrey Hodgson)
Aug 10 (Reuters) - ** This Diary is filed daily **

---------------------------------------------------------------

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10

WELLINGTON - Reserve Bank of New Zealand announces official cash rate - 2100 GMT.

HELSINKI - Finnish center-right government kicks off budget talks for the next year amid pressure to cut spending in the stagnated economy. The budget talks are expected to increase tensions in the three-party government that was close to collapse last year, as support for co-ruling populist Finns party drops - 1100 GMT.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16

KNOXVILLE - Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart speaks before the Rotary Club of Knoxville - 1630 GMT.

SYDNEY - Reserve Bank of Australia will release the minutes of its August monetary policy meeting - 0130 GMT.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17



WASHINGTON - Federal Open Market Committee to publish the minutes of July policy meeting - 1800 GMT.

ST. LOUIS - Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard speaks on the U.S. economy and monetary policy before the Wealth and Asset Management Research Conference hosted by the WFA Center for Finance and Accounting Research - 1700 GMT.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 18

ANCHORAGE - Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President John Williams speaks on the economic outlook before an Anchorage Economic Development Corporation luncheon - 2000 GMT.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21

ALPBACH, Austria - European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker to speak at European Forum Alpbach - 1130 GMT.

--------------------------------------------------------------

NOTE: The inclusion of items in this diary does not necessarily mean that Reuters will file a story based on the event.
Aug 9 (Reuters) - Electric vehicle charging companies are calling for independent oversight of the $2 billion Volkswagen AG VOWG_p.DE is required to invest in clean car infrastructure, saying VW should not have the power to shape the nascent electric car charging space.

The German automaker agreed to invest the money, which includes $1.2 billion nationally and $800 million in California, as part of its penalties for equipping hundreds of thousands of its diesel vehicles sold in the United States with software designed to cheat tailpipe emissions tests.

While charging station companies called the money a potential "game changer," they worry that if it is misspent, it could hurt competition.

"The agreement shouldn't pick winners and losers, especially given that this emerging market transition will in no small part define 21st century transportation," twenty eight companies, including ChargePoint, EV Connect and Electric Vehicle Charging Association, said in a letter to the U.S. Justice Department on Friday.

The letter, seen by Reuters on Tuesday, said an independent administrator is key to ensuring that the program treats all industry participants, regardless of business model and technology, fairly.

VW did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"The program should be structured to benefit drivers in California and across the nation, not enable the settling defendants to enter or influence the markets for (zero emission vehicle) charging and fueling equipment and services," the letter said.

It said regulators should earmark some of the funds for a rebate program to incentivize employers, apartment owners, workplaces and other facility managers who want to install EV charging stations.

A shortage of charging stations at workplaces and multi-unit apartment dwellings is seen as a key hurdle to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

VW's plan for spending the $2 billion, which has yet to be released, will be overseen by the California Air Resources Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

(Reporting by Rory Carroll; Editing by Tom Brown)
Aug 10 (Reuters) - Indonesia's President Joko Widodo is considering cutting the corporate tax rate to 17 percent from 25 percent to match Singapore's tax rate, he was quoted as saying on the cabinet secretary's website on Wednesday.

"The thinking is simple. If Singapore's corporate income tax is 17 percent and ours is 25 percent, everybody will go there," Widodo told a tax amnesty roadshow on Tuesday night, according to the website.

The government is mulling whether to directly cut the current tariff to 17 percent or to do it in two stages, where the tariff is first lowered to 20 percent and then 17 percent, the website said.

(Reporting by Gayatri Suroyo; Editing by Michael Perry)
Aug 9 (Reuters) - Pacific Gas & Electric Co PCG_pa.A was found guilty on Tuesday of several federal charges stemming from a natural gas pipeline explosion in California that killed eight people and injured 58 others in 2010, a U.S. Justice Department spokesman said.

The utility was convicted of obstructing an investigation and violating pipeline safety regulations leading up to the deadly blast in San Bruno, a city of about 41,000 just south of San Francisco, spokesman Abraham Simmons said in an email.

The utility faces a maximum fine of $3 million, or $500,000 per guilty count, the unit of Pacific Gas & Electric Corp PCG.N said in a statement.

"While we are very much focused on the future, we will never forget the lessons of the past," PG&E said. "We have made unprecedented progress in the nearly six years since the tragic San Bruno accident and we are committed to maintaining our focus on safety." The U.S. Attorney's Office accused PG&E of knowingly relying on "inaccurate or incomplete" infrastructure management records and failing to investigate its high-pressure natural gas pipelines after potential hazards had been identified, according to court records.

The California Public Utilities Commission in 2015 levied a $1.6 billion fine against PG&E over the blast and other issues, which the utility did not appeal.

The fine ranks as its largest ever safety-related penalty, dwarfing a $38 million fine for PG&E over a 2008 natural gas explosion in the city of Rancho Cordova.

The company has also paid $500 million to settle civil lawsuits from people who had been injured or family members of those killed in the blast.

The utility said it has adopted new pipeline safety standards and spent some $2.7 billion in shareholder funds to improve its natural gas system.

(Reporting by Dan Levine and Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by James Dalgleish and Richard Chang)
SHARE

Virginia Lee Bartholomew

of Silverdale

Dec. 11, 1977

to Aug. 5, 2016

Veteran

Virginia Lee Bartholomew, 38, passed away with family by her side on Aug. 5, 2016. She was born to George and Janet Ahrens in Everett, Washington on Dec. 11, 1977.

Services will be held at Silverdale Lutheran Church, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016 at 9 a.m. For more details, please visit www.lewischapel.com.
SHARE

Every couple of years or so, I feel the need to whine about the plight of newspapers. It's August. I'm Trumped out. So today's the day.

Except that HBO's John Oliver beat me to it with the best defense of newspapers  ever. His recent "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" monologue about the suffering newspaper industry has gone viral in journalism circles but he deserves a broader audience.

Besides, it's funny.

Leavening his important message with enough levity to keep the dopamine flowing, Oliver points out that most news outlets, faux, Fox and otherwise, essentially rely on newspapers for their material. This includes, he says, pulsing with self-awareness, Oliver himself. He's sort of part of the problem, in other words, but at least he knows it, which makes it OK, sort of.

The problem: People want news but they don't want to pay for it.

Consequently, newspapers are failing while consumers get their information from comedy shows, talk shows and websites that essentially lift material for their own purposes.

But somewhere, somebody is actually sitting through a boring meeting, poring over data or interviewing someone who isn't nearly as important as he thinks he is in order to produce a story that will become news. As Oliver points out, news is a food chain, yet with rare exceptions, the most important members of the chain are at the bottom, turning off the lights in newsrooms where gladiators, scholars and characters once roamed.

Some still do, though most are becoming rather longish in the tooth. (You can actually get that fixed, you know.)

That any newspapers are surviving, if not for much longer in any recognizable form, can be attributed at least in some part to the dedication of people who really believe in the mission of a free press and are willing to work harder for less  tweeting, blogging, filming and whatnot in addition to trying to write worthy copy. Most of the poor slobs who fell in love with the printed word go unnoticed by any but their peers.

An exception is Marty Baron, the unassuming executive editor of The Washington Post, recently featured in the film, "Spotlight" about The Boston Globe's stories under Baron's leadership about sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

It's a good movie, not just because of great casting and acting but because it's a great tale about a massive investigative effort that led to church reform and the beginning of healing for victims. (Not to worry, my pay comes as a percentage of the money I make for the company. This won't make a dime of difference.)

My point  shared by Oliver  is that only newspapers are the brick-and-mortar of the Fourth Estate's edifice. Only they have the wherewithal to do the kind of reporting that leads to stories such as "Spotlight." What happens to the "news" when there are no newspapers left?

We seem doomed to find out as people increasingly give up their newspaper subscriptions and seek information from free-content sources. And though newspapers have an online presence, it's hard to get readers to pay for content.

As Oliver says, now is a very good time to be a corrupt politician. Between buyouts, layoffs and news-hole reductions, there's hardly anyone paying attention.

Except, perhaps, to kitties.

In a hilarious spinoff of "Spotlight" called "Stoplight," Oliver shows a short film of a news meeting where the old-school reporter is pitching a story about city hall corruption. The rest of the staff, cheerful human topiaries to the reporter's kudzu-draped mangrove  are more interested in a cat that looks like a raccoon.

And then there's Sam Zell, erstwhile owner of the Tribune Company, who summed up the sad trajectory of the nation's interests and, perhaps, our future while speaking to Orlando Sentinel staffers in 2008. When he said he wanted to increase revenues by giving readers what they want, a female voice objected, "What readers want are puppy dogs."

Zell exploded, calling her comment the sort of "journalistic arrogance of deciding that puppies don't count ... Hopefully we get to the point where our revenue is so significant that we can do puppies and Iraq, OK? (Expletive) you."

Yes, he said that.

Moral of the story: If you don't subscribe to a newspaper, you don't get to complain about the sorry state of journalism  and puppies you shall have.

Kathleen Parker's email address is kathleenparker@washpost.com. She writes for The Washington Post Writers Group.
The U.S. government has expressed concern over extrajudicial killings of suspected drug dealers and users in a bloody crackdown overseen by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and urged his government to ensure law enforcement efforts comply with human rights obligations.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau on Monday also criticized recent remarks by Duterte about the U.S. ambassador in Manila and said Philippine officials have been asked to clarify them.

The president recently referred to U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg with a profanity and accused him of meddling in the Philippine elections.

Duterte has had an uneasy relationship with America and has said he will chart a foreign policy that is not dependent on the U.S., his country's longtime treaty ally. Duterte has also tried to repair relations with China that have been strained over escalating territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

The drug crackdown has left more than 400 suspected dealers dead and more than 4,400 arrested since Duterte took office on June 30. Nearly 600,000 people have surrendered to authorities, hoping to avoid getting killed. The arrests have overwhelmed the country's mostly rundown and already-overcrowded jails.

"We are concerned by these detentions, as well as the extrajudicial killing of individuals suspected to be involved in drug activity in the Philippines," Trudeau said. "We strongly urge the Philippines to ensure its law enforcement efforts comply with its human rights obligations."

"We believe in rule of law. We believe in due process. We believe in respect for universal human rights. We believe, fundamentally, that those aspects ensure and promote long-term security," she said.

Roman Catholic Church leaders and human rights groups in the Philippines have also expressed alarm over the widespread killings in reported gunbattles with police or still-unexplained deaths of drug suspects, some of whom were abandoned with cardboard messages warning the public to stay away from illegal drugs or they would die next.

Several of the slain drug suspects were killed by motorcycle-riding gunmen in attacks similar to those carried out by so-called "death squads" which were blamed for years of killings in southern Davao city while Duterte was the longtime mayor.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno raised concerns Monday in a letter to Duterte about his publicly linking seven judges  among more than 150 other officials and law enforcers  to illegal drugs over the weekend. She said three of the judges he named have either died, were dismissed or have retired. She cautioned the rest not to surrender to police without any arrest warrants.

"It would matter greatly to our sense of constitutional order, if we were given the chance to administer the appropriate preventive measures without the complications of a premature public announcement," Sereno told Duterte in the letter, which she made public.

Duterte reacted angrily Tuesday by saying his aggressive crackdown was meant to save Filipinos from crime and danger sparked by illegal drugs, and added that he had issued no order to law enforcers to conduct illegal killings to fight the problem.

"Would you rather that I will declare martial law?" Duterte asked in a speech before army troops.

Duterte said he is ready to step down even before his six-year term ends once he has eliminated the drug menace and carried out a campaign pledge to shift the government to a federal system.

Trudeau also criticized Duterte for his comments about Goldberg.

"We've seen those inappropriate comments made about Ambassador Goldberg. He's a multi-time ambassador, one of our most senior U.S. diplomats," she said. "We have asked the Philippine charge to come into the State Department to clarify those remarks."

In a speech before army troops on Friday in the central Philippines, Duterte described a lunch meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at the presidential palace in Manila last month. Duterte said Kerry, who offered more than $30 million in aid for law enforcement training, was "OK" but he criticized Goldberg.

"I had a feud with his ambassador, his gay ambassador. Son of a bitch, I'm annoyed with the guy. He meddled in the elections, giving statements here and there. He wasn't supposed to do that," Duterte said, without giving details.

During the presidential campaign, the Australian ambassador in Manila criticized a joke by Duterte, who said he "should have been first" in line to rape an Australian missionary who was gang raped and killed during a jail riot in 1989. Goldberg expressed support for his Australian counterpart's statement.

Duterte reacted by asking the two ambassadors to "shut up."

Search Keywords:

Short link:


A huge thumbs up to the Wellington City Council who yesterday resolved:

Agree that Council reaffirms its position, following extensive consultation, for licensing in Wellington City  being to allow the District Licensing Committee to operate under the provisions as determined by Central Government in the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 without the guidance of a Local Alcohol Policy, (including within the default national trading hours for on and off license premises.

This is the Council asking Police to abide by position that the Council has arrived at following extensive consultation

Ive blogged many times on how the Police have been abusing their position and threatening license holders with objections unless they agree to the trading hours and one way policies the Police want.

This is and remains constitutionally repugnant. The job of the Police is to enforce the laws, not to make them. We dont live in Mega City One with Judge Dredd. The Parliament of New Zealand and the Wellington City Council have resolved what the licensing hours shall be, and whether a one way policy should be required. They both determined no. Yet the Police have been trying to overturn this, which is an abuse of their special position. Their advice on alcohol licenses should be confined to how well the licensee has complied with the law.

Stuff reports:

Wellington City Council has given a stern warning to police about their attempts to change bar hours, reminding them that 4am closing means just that. Councillors made the public declaration on Wednesday, against a backdrop of rising tensions between the police and bar owners in the Courtenay Place party zone. Wellington adheres to the national default trading hours for on-licence premises set by the Government, which allow bars and restaurants to sell alcohol until 4am. But some bars owners believe the police are trying to set new rules by opposing CBD liquor licences unless bars agree to more restricted trading hours. Councillor Paul Eagle, who chairs the community, sport and recreation committee, said there was a feeling the District Licensing Committee was being pressured by police and health officials, who were not acting in the spirit of the laws as they were currently written.

The Police and health officials have decided they they should determine the law, not elected officials.

Wellington area commander Inspector Chris Bensemann said there was little point in the council sitting on its hands, as it was plain to see there was a problem with drunk and disorderly people in Courtenay Place in the early hours.

I understand the Police showed a video to the Council of Courtenay Place at midnight. It didnt show a single fight, but as Deputy Mayor Justin Lester pointed out, just a lot of people having fun. The Police responded saying they edited out the fight scenes!!! Sure.

There needs to be an acceptance that there is alcohol harm in our community, he said. We have to move forward with this, and we have to be courageous. If we just throw our hands up in the air and say its too hard, that would be sad.

Of course there is alcohol harm in our community. But the aim of the law is not to eliminate harm, but reduce it  balancing that out with the huge amount of enjoyment people get from being able to have a drink at home, or on town.

If the aim is to eliminate harm, then wed have a speed limit of 20 km/hr. Wed ban sausages. Wed ban people doing home maintenance etc.

Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown asked Bensemann to back up his claim with statistics, saying the council preferred to base its decisions on good data. But Bensemann said statistics tended to be overanalysed. His officers were on the ground in Courtenay Place, and did not need stats to tell them that too many people were getting drunk and looking for trouble.

This is the Police admitting they had no data or evidence to back up their decision. I understand the Mayor several times asked for evidence and they got nothing from the Police. That is because of course almost every survey done shows youth drinking dropping, drink driving dropping etc.

Yes there are still a minority of people who cause trouble and harm. But public policy is about getting the balance right. The Police dont like the decisions made by the democratically elected law makers, so they have been trying to impose their own policy on license applicants.

Believe me, it is real, he said. Alcohol harm in Courtenay Place is real. I regularly experience it, and my staff experience it, every weekend. Wade-Brown replied that the council preferred to base its decisions on solid data.

Go Celia!

The fact that the Council voted unanimously to slap down the Police should ring warning bells to the Police Commissioner. His Wellington team are out of control and stepping well beyond their appropriate role. The Commissioner should tell them to get into line and stop trying to usurp law making from the Council and Parliament.

Share this: Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Reddit

WhatsApp

More

Pinterest

Print



Tumblr


Yehia Kalash, the head of Egypt's press syndicate, says the media landscape is more in need of overhaul than ever

The chief of Egypt's press union believes the country's media landscape is spiralling deeper into disarray as a result of political turmoil unleashed by the 2011 revolution, saying regulatory legislation is necessary to overhaul the industry.

Egyptian media outlets have in recent years been faulted by many observers for ethical decline, sponsoring propaganda and hyper-nationalistic fervour as well as bias against government critics.

Yehia Kalash, the veteran journalist who heads the 75-year-old press syndicate, has been at the forefront of efforts to draw up laws he says are necessary to put the brakes on "chaos" in the media by guaranteeing oversight and legal accountability while preserving basic rights and freedoms.

Kalash, 61, was part of a 50-strong committee of press leaders and law professors that drafted a major unified law that regulates press and media operation. The government is due to discuss the draft bill, completed in August 2015, to reach a final version that will then be submitted to parliament for approval.

While authorities say the bill will not be enacted without complete consent from the media community, Kallash remains sceptical.

"We're facing obstacles [from authorities] on the ground," Kalash, who has for almost two decades campaigned for broader press freedoms and better social conditions for writers, told Ahram Online.

The 213-article bill establishes a higher media council and two separate national authorities governing public and private media organisations. It includes provisions guaranteeing press independence and others banning monopoly of TV channels and papers, setting a maximum share of 10 percent for an individual.

The law imposes fines on violating news organisations, and subjects both private and public media to legal governance.

Kalash said officials have given no timeframe for passing the law.

The same 50-member assembly has drafted another bill which would establish the first union for media personnel working in TV, radio or for online outlets. The law was approved by the government late in 2015 and is planned to be referred to parliament for final endorsement.

"A key part of regulating a sphere as precarious and influential in shaping public opinion as media is having a union for its personnel," said Kalash, a former writer at state-run Al-Gomhouria newspaper.

TV and radio staffers have for decades operated without a union to safeguard their occupational rights or monitor performance.

The long-awaited syndicate will lay down professional standards, issue operation licences, establish an honour code and hold violators accountable, a role Kalash says will overhaul the media spectrum, and specifically unruly TV channels.

The press syndicate will look at the new draft legislation as well as other issues including press freedoms and rates of pay for journalists during a general assembly it will convene Friday morning at its headquarters in central Cairo.

Rights and freedoms

Establishing the much-needed legal mechanism for the industry is not the only major challenge facing Kalash.

An active unionist since the 1980s, Kalash lobbied hard under ousted president Hosni Mubarak against the jailing of journalists, a cause he has continued to support.

He says 27 journalists are currently behind bars in Egypt, with some sentenced to prison for publishing false news and belonging to the banned group the Muslim Brotherhood. Others are standing trial on similar charges or are still in pre-trial detention.

Several media figures have also received jail sentences in recent months for charges including "contempt for religion."

"We will continue to press towards banning jail over publishing-related charges in the new legislation," said Kalash, who in the past wrote against security crackdown on freedom of the press and expression.

"Press freedom is a tool of general freedoms; it doesnt belong to journalists alone."

Freedom of expression is enshrined in Egypt's 2014 constitution, which states that jounalists, writers and artists should not be imprisoned for their work.

In its report in December, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists said Egypt was the second-worst jailer of journalists worldwide in 2015, after China.

Kalash is pushing towards winning a presidential pardon for some of the imprisoned journalists, saying his union has pleaded with Egypt's top prosecutor and the interior ministry on the matter.

Most demoralising to Kalash is the fact that it is not only those behind bars whose freedom is crippled.

"A writer who cannot secure a living will not be able to secure his own freedom, that's the most dangerous part about journalism," he said, in reference to low pay for journalists.

He is worried that the economic grievances journalists harbour could open the field to wealthy businessmen or lead to harnessing media as a soft power via foreign funding from unknown-sources.

Kalash and other observers complain that while salaries in other sectors including the judiciary, army and police have been restructured following the 2011 uprising, those of journalists have been neglected.

The government has promised to revive in the coming months a committee of senior journalists and planning ministry experts tasked with drawing up a new scheme to set a higher minimum wage for journalists.

"Those shaping public opinion should not be struggling socially and financially," says Kalash.

"It is a matter of national security."

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egypts press syndicate officials say they are about to set to redraft the unions outdated legislation to set up new membership regulations and provide protections for the countrys journalists.

They say the current, 46-year-old law has failed to address developments in the profession and the press market.

It has become a necessity to draft a new law that tackles changes over the past decades and fulfil journalists calls for a free, independent union, Karem Mahmoud, the unions head of legislative commissions, told Ahram Online.

Mahmoud says the new legislation will adequately define the unions role, membership conditions and the syndicates clout over news organisations, both private and public.

This includes whether the unions role only has to do with services it provides to journalists or whether it has a public role through which it could practice its social and political responsibility.

Mahmoud says the new bill will look at means to grant the union power to hold accountable news organisations that violate journalists' rights.

Currently, if a reporter has been subject to arbitrary measures by their employers, punitive action can only be taken against individuals rather than organisations, Mahmoud explains, adding that penalties in such cases are deemed too lenient.

Many newspapers, mainly the privately-owned, have for years evaded accountability in case of violations by frequently naming new chief editors.

Syndicate chief Yehia Kalash called on journalists earlier this week to put forward their propositions for necessary amendments to the law, while Mahmoud says the union will start holding talks on the matter next month.

Key issues

Members aim to include provisions in the new bill guaranteeing immunity for journalists from police violations and freedom to work without pressure from the state.

Kalash said in March that 27 journalists were behind bars in Egypt, with some sentenced to prison for publishing false news and belonging to the banned Muslim Brotherhood group, while others are facing trial on similar charges or are still in pre-trial detention.

Mahmoud also says that under the current legislation, news organisations hold too much sway over who is allowed to join the syndicate; something he says should be changed in the new draft. Only journalists with permanent contracts whom their papers recommend to the syndicate can be members.

It should be up to the syndicate to decide who can be a member and who does not qualify.

With the evolution of online news and the struggle of print to survive in the age of technology, the future of online journalists and whether they can join the union is among the main issue that will be laid on the table.

The current law only allows journalists working for print papers to be members of the 75-year-old body.

Some members suggest restricting membership to graduates of media and press colleges in the new bill.

Other key issues include extending the syndicate chiefs term from two to four years and achieving financial independence for the union, as officials say the main source of income for the syndicate is member subscription, which hardly meets expenses.

Self-financing away from the state means more independence for the union, Mahmoud says.

Some suggest ways to provide adequate resources such as abolishing a ceiling placed on the 1 percent margin the syndicate obtains from papers ad profits and getting a percentage of advertisement taxes collected by the finance ministry.

Earlier this year, syndicate leaders co-drafted a long-awaited bill regulating media and press operations, which they say is much-needed to keep media "chaos" at bay by guaranteeing oversight and legal accountability while preserving basic rights and freedoms.

The legislation is currently being reviewed by the State Council, a judicial advisory body, and will later be referred to parliament for final consent. The 227-article bill establishes a higher media council and two separate national authorities governing public and private media organisations.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


A technician from the Chattanooga Electric Power Board installs high-speed broadband service at a customer's home in the city. EPB offers the fastest internet service in the state to its electricity customers at a residential rate of about $70 a month. EPB/SUBMITTED PHOTO

SHARE

By From Wire Reports

A federal appeals on Wednesday struck down the Federal Communications Commission's 2015 order that would have allowed public utilities such as Chattanooga's Electric Power Board to expand their high-speed broadband services beyond their regular service areas.

The ruling likely means that EPB won't be able to expand beyond the legal boundaries that define its electric service area unless allowed by Tennessee's legislature.

However, an effort by Tennessee Rep. Kevin Brooks to allow a "demonstration project" of municipal broadband expansion in the state was defeated in March by the House Business and Utilities Subcommittee on a 5-3 vote.

In the appeals court ruling, the FCC was told that it doesn't have the power to block state laws that critics say hinder the spread of cheap, publicly run broadband service.

The ruling marks a significant defeat for a federal agency that for the past several years has turned "competition" into a literal mantra, with its chairman, Tom Wheeler, repeating the word at almost every possible opportunity.

Under the court decision, large internet providers will continue to enjoy certain benefits that insulate them from the threat of popular city-owned broadband operators such as Chattanooga's EPB, the city of Tullahoma, Tenn., and the city of Wilson, N.C.

Through EPB, Chattanooga residents have access to download speeds of 1 Gbps at rates of about $70 a month. People outside of EBP's service area have "repeatedly requested expansions" from the public utility, according to Wednesday's ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, but due to a geographic restriction put in place by the state legislature, EPB is prohibited by law from reaching more customers.

Last year, EPB and other so-called municipal broadband providers asked the FCC to intervene on their behalf, and the agency agreed. Invoking a part of its congressional charter that it said would allow it to act against the states, the FCC tried to neutralize those state laws.

The states responded by suing the agency, claiming it had no right to interfere in the historical relationship between states and the cities lying within their jurisdictions. This week's ruling rolls back the federal government's attempt to intervene.

Wheeler, a Democrat, said Wednesday that the outcome of the case "appears to halt the promise of jobs, investment and opportunity that community broadband has provided in Tennessee and North Carolina. In the end, I believe the Commission's decision to champion municipal efforts highlighted the benefits of competition and the need of communities to take their broadband futures in their own hands."

Wheeler's opponents, including from within his own agency, said the outcome was an obvious one.

"In my statement last year dissenting from the Commission's decision, I warned that the FCC lacked the power to preempt these Tennessee and North Carolina laws, and that doing so would usurp fundamental aspects of state sovereignty," said Republican FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai. "I am pleased that the Sixth Circuit vindicated these concerns."

In Tennessee, large private broadband providers such as AT&T and Comcast opposed the city utilities' efforts to expand beyond their normal service areas, saying such moves would interfere with private industry.
SHARE This undated photo provided by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation shows Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Special Agent De'Greaun Frazier. The TBI says Frazier died during a drug investigation in West Tennessee on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation via AP)

By Maranda Faris, The Jackson Sun, a USA TODAY Network paper

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Special Agent De'Greaun Frazier was fatally shot in the line of duty Tuesday afternoon during an undercover drug operation in Jackson.

The shooting occurred on Brianfield Cove about 2 p.m.

The TBI said at a news conference at the Jackson Police Department on Tuesday night that its agents are investigating the circumstances surrounding Frazier's death, which occurred during the course of an ongoing drug investigation.

Continue reading at The Jackson Sun.
So who were the losers in the Aug. 4 election?

NASHVILLE TALK RADIO: The reason it matters to you is that these hosts have an inordinate influence on your legislators. Legislators listen to these people driving to session every day. To gin up calls the hosts talk about kooky bills and wedge issues. Legislators get a distorted view that this is something the general public cares about, no matter how hair-brained it might be. A talk show host went all in for Joe Carr in his race against U.S. Rep. Diane Black in the Republican primary. Black beat Carr by nearly a 2-to-1 margin. Carr had held U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander under 50 percent in the last senate race and was seen as a candidate who might give Black real trouble in the Age of Trump. Given the results, perhaps legislators will focus on what people in their districts want instead of having a knee-jerk reaction to whatever the drive-time issue of the day might be. Black's convincing performance also strengthened her hand in running for governor in two years, so it was a loss for other potential gubernatorial candidates.

VOUCHERS: Stand for Children, Federation for Children, Students First. It doesn't matter what they call themselves, it comes down to vouchers. Regardless of the topic of the particular attack ad, the purpose of these groups is to defeat legislators who oppose taking public education money and giving it to private schools. These out-of-state groups have been intimidating legislators in recent elections, spending outsized sums. The voters have evidently figured out they should trust the incumbent rather than believe cleverly worded and misleading attack ads. The propaganda merchants lost big time.

DEMOCRATS: The Democrats thought they might have a chance to unseat or at least weaken Republican House Speaker Beth Harwell, who has presided over state Rep. Jeremy Durham's sexual harassment scandal. The well-known and well-funded Sydney Rogers, the head of an educational non-profit in Nashville, joined other women on the Capitol steps to read from the lurid Durham investigation report, castigating Harwell for not protecting women on the Hill. The issue was expected to be a major component in Rogers' race against Harwell. But a funny thing happened on the way to a November brawl. Rogers lost the Democratic primary.

LIQUOR LOBBY: State Rep. Curry Todd, who takes his orders from the liquor lobby while contending he only listens to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, lost his Memphis House seat. He managed to do this with $100,000 unspent in his election campaign account. He was jailed just before election day for stealing his opponent's yard signs.

SPECIAL SESSION: House Caucus Chair Glen Casada failed in his effort to get 66 signatures to call a special session and expel Durham, subject of a sexual harassment scandal. When Casada added state Rep. Joe Armstrong, D-Knoxville, to the call, he ensured that most if not all 26 Democrats would not be signing, thus making it even harder to get to the magic number. Makes you wonder how serious he was about ousting his fellow Williamson County House member. Durham lost in a landslide, but will retain his pension since he wasn't expelled.
SHARE

On Sunday readers were treated to yet another leftist guest column on the front of the Perspective section. Former Clinton surrogate and superdelegate Elaine Kamarck claims presidents should avoid failure by "going beyond rhetoric." This permits you to use the word "failure" in the headline next to a color picture of George W. Bush. A smaller black and white photo of poor, feckless Jimmy Carter adds a false patina of objectivity. Kamarck claims that lofty rhetoric without understanding how government works is the culprit. I would say having a divided country where Congress does not have a supermajority to rubber-stamp presidential initiatives might have more impact. Still, I had to laugh at her gall criticizing the current primary system just as WikiLeaks has shown how fixed the Democratic nomination was and how easy it is to manipulate voting machines.

Speaking of silly rhetoric, Hillary Clinton has been on all sides of just about every important issue. In 2008, she whined about secret email accounts of members of the Bush administration, then conducted all her business on her own private server with less security than a Gmail account. She destroyed evidence. She repeatedly lied about it and the FBI told Congress she lied about it. Now, an Iranian she discussed on her unsecured server has been executed. We may never know if the Iranians had access to her emails, but it surely underscores the absolute seriousness of what she did and why she should never be president. She did the same thing years ago in failing to turn over subpoenaed documents, then later "finding" them in a closet after she had ample opportunity to remove anything incriminating. Those of us who hope to see remotely fair coverage anywhere in your paper know not to hold their breath.

John Woodward, Loudon
SHARE

Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero laments the Legislature's unwillingness to allow her to impose her liberal vision on the residents of Knoxville. It's time she comes down off her high horse and realizes that local control does not stop at the mayor's office. Simply because a person resides within a geographical boundary does not give an authoritarian bureaucrat the right to usurp the constitutional rights of that individual. I feel sorry for urban conservatives who must live under the thumb of someone like Rogero. She then goes on to tout the "successes" of her administration, like infrastructure improvements and job creation. Slurping up government grants to build bike trails or using taxpayer money to lure job creators to the city is dubious success at best.

Her contempt for the rural parts of our state is evident in her comment "no offense to rural areas, but the truth is (that) cities are the economic engines in our state and across our country." I suppose if you measure the economy in terms of consumption, she might be correct. Most urban liberals think their food comes from the grocery store and their fuel from the gas station. Stop those trucks from delivering goods from the rural areas and her "engine" would seize up in about two or three days.

There is a place for everyone. If you prefer being stacked like cordwood in a high-rise apartment or living 20 feet from your neighbor, if you like red light cameras and constant surveillance, if you feel you need the government's permission to cut down a tree on your private property, if you favor high taxes, then by all means, live in a municipality. All I ask is that you keep your liberal infection quarantined within city limits.

Joe Paige, Spring City, Tenn.
Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met on Tuesday the vice president of the Libyan presidential council Ahmed Maetig in Cairo where they discussed the latest developments in Libya, the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement.

According to the statement, Shoukry and Maetig mainly discussed how to implement the UN-sponsored Sukhairat declaration in Libya -- which was signed in December -- and to provide constitutional support to the Libyan House of Representatives and the national unity government.

During the meeting, Shoukry stressed that Egypt would continue its diplomatic role in order to reach solutions that suit all parties in Libya in a way that would preserve the unity of its state and institutions in order to fight terrorism.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Asbury Place Maryville celebrates 40 years of caregivers service







James Tucker, fourth from left, recently celebrated 40 years at Asbury Place continuing care retirement communities in Maryville. The staff and residents planted a tree in honor of his service. Pictured, left to right: Marge Shonnard, COO for Asbury, Inc.; Marsha Sellers, nurse mentor for Asbury Place; Ashley Youngberg, certified nursing assistant for Asbury Place; Tucker; Bruce Farrant, chaplain for Asbury Place; and Carolyn Pointer Neil, health care administrator and regional director of clinical services for Asbury Place.

MARYVILLE  James Tucker, a certified nursing assistant, recently celebrated 40 years of service with Asbury Place continuing care retirement community in Maryville, Tennessee.



His fellow staff members described Tucker as one of the nicest people on the team.



Its almost unheard of for people to spend 40 years of their career with one company, said Carolyn Pointer Neil, health care administrator and regional director of clinical services for Asbury Place. James can always put a smile on our residents faces with his dance moves and outgoing personality. We are so lucky to have him.



Staff and residents celebrated Tuckers dedication by planting a tree on the Maryville campus in his honor and marking it with a plaque.



Asbury Place has become a second home and the staff like a family over the past 40 years, Tucker said. Providing care to the Asbury Place residents is one of my greatest joys, and there is nowhere else Id rather work.



Asbury, Inc. operates Asbury Place, CARF-CCAC accredited continuing care retirement communities in Kingsport and Maryville, Tenn. For more information, visit www.asburyplace.org. Published August 10, 2016


















Summer work and travel participants visit the University of Tennessee, Knoxville





The Summer Work and Travel Program is part of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program,

governed by the U.S. State Department.





J-1 Summer Work and Travel program had attendees from Jamaica, China, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. Image courtesy of CENET.

KNOXVILLE  Cultural Exchange Network (CENET), a nonprofit based in Cape Girardeau, MO, partnered with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), to provide a one-day campus visit this summer for J-1 Summer Work and Travel participants spending their summer break in Gatlinburg. The event had attendees from Jamaica, China, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.



The itinerary was comprised of a university tour, access to on-campus museums and exhibits, and a lecture series provided by UTK faculty and staff, including: An Immigrant's Perspective of the U.S. Government presented by ESL instructor and writer, Anwar Accawi; Choosing and Applying to a Graduate Degree Program presented by Assistant Dean, Yvonne Kilpatrick; and lastly, The 2016 Presidential Race presented by International Student Recruiter, Andy Ray.



I have had the pleasure of addressing many groups before, but this particular one stands out in my mind because every single young man and woman impressed me with their attentiveness, open-mindedness, and desire to learn! It was a treat for me to be in the presence of such vitality and energy, stated Mr. Accawi.



The attendees also submitted positive feedback to CENET following the event. It was a great privilege for me to visit the University of Tennessee. This is an experience that will be well remembered for years to come, shared Nathaneal Brown, a Summer Work and Travel participant who attends college in St. Ann, Jamaica.



The event was coordinated between CENET and Dr. Jim Hamrick, Director of the English Institute at UTK. Ive been aware of the short-term, J-1 participants in the local resort/tourism sectorbut Ive never had a chance to meet many of them or learn how their experiences are arranged. Hosting the CENET group gave me an opportunity to learn more about this population of students and I think its a good way for our campus to reach out to the broader international community in our area, said Hamrick.



The Summer Work and Travel Program is part of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program, governed by the U.S. State Department. The program gives full time college and university students abroad the opportunity to come to the United States during summer break to exchange ideas and cultures with the people of the U.S. through temporary work and travel opportunities.



Cultural Exchange Network is a non-profit organization located on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, MO. CENET is a U.S. State Department authorized J-1 visa sponsor. In addition, CENET operates The Magellan Exchange, a consortium of universities worldwide providing student and faculty exchanges.



For more information on the program, visit www.culturalexchangenetwork.org.







Published August 10, 2016
First Families of Tennessee Reunion & Jubilee set for August 19-21





The East Tennessee Historical Society will commemorate the states 220th birthday with a First Families of Tennessee Reunion and Jubilee, August 19-21. The weekend will include a FFT dinner at Marble Springs, home of Tennessee Governor John Sevier, with period music, dances, and living history presentations, and tours of Marble Springs, with special time set aside for attendees to visit, compare research, and meet up with cousins.



A genealogy conference will focus on records and research methods for the pioneer period, as well as the history of the states early settlement, including the Watauga Association, the State of Franklin, county and state records, and more. The conference keynote speaker will be Troy Wayne Poteete, chief justice of the Cherokee Supreme Court, Tahlequah, Oklahoma, who will discuss the experiences of the Cherokee after they reached Oklahoma.



On Sunday, August 21, bus tours will travel to important pioneer sites in upper East Tennessee, such as Sycamore Shoals, Tipton-Haynes House, the site of the Battle of the State of Franklin, and replica of the State of Franklin log cabin capitol in Greeneville.



The First Families of Tennessee Reunion will be held in conjunction with the annual East Tennessee History Fair, which will take place on Saturday. The fair features traditional music, childrens games and activities, vintage films, living history presentations from the Cherokee to the Vietnam War, a History Hound costume competition, free admission to the Museum of East Tennessee History, bus tours to historic sites, and a birthday party for Davy Crockett, complete with cake.



First Families of Tennessee is a family heritage program of the East Tennessee Historical Society, with membership open to anyone who can prove descent from an ancestor who was in Tennessee by statehood in 1796. FFT has almost 16,000 members representing all fifty states and eight foreign countries.



All events are open to the public. Most East Tennessee History Fair activities are free. Pre-registration and a fee are required for participation in First Families of Tennessee events. For more information on the schedule of events, costs, and registration, see www.eastTNhistory.org/FFTReunion.

Published August 10, 2016
Students from Tennessee perform well at National History Day







Six Tennessee students finished among the top 10 in their categories at National History Day this summer.



In all, 58 middle and high school students represented Tennessee in the competition, in which students prepare documentaries, exhibits, papers, performances and websites with historical themes. The overall theme of this year's contest was "Exploration, Encounter, Exchange in History."



Tennessee's students, some working in groups and some working individually, submitted a total of 35 entries. The students earned the right to compete at National History Day by winning medals at the state contest, Tennessee History Day, which is organized by the Tennessee Historical Society and co-sponsored by the Tennessee Secretary of State's office and Humanities Tennessee.



Ten teachers accompanied the delegation to National History Day and participated in professional development opportunities.



The delegation began the week with a pizza party, followed by the opening ceremony. The students had the opportunity to meet with Senator Lamar Alexander and Senator Bob Corker and attend a private reception at the National Museum of American History. After all of the entries had been judged, National History Day culminated in the awards ceremony, when the six students from Knoxville, Maryville, Watertown and Memphis placed in the final top ten.



The finalists from Tennessee were:

Junior Group Performance, 8th place

Hannah Robbins, Eli Harrison

Maryville, Clayton-Bradley Academy

Entry: "Marconi: Changing the World Through the Exploration of the First Wireless"

Teachers: Liz Shugart, Cherie Miller



Senior Individual Paper, 4th place

Ibtihal Malley

Memphis, Pleasant View School

Entry: "The French Exploration and Occupation of Syria: Encounters and Exchanges that Left a Lasting Legacy"

Teacher: Andre Clarke



Senior Group Documentary, 9th place

Kenton Smith, Benjamin Hall

Knoxville, L & N Stem Academy

Entry: "Buying In: The Music of Vince Guaraldi"

Teacher: Derek Griffin



Senior Individual Documentary, 10th place

Deanna Upchurch

Watertown, Watertown High School

Entry: "Directing a War: Hollywood's Encounter with World War II"

Teacher: Barbara Marks



Hannah Robbins and Eli Harrison received the prize for Best Affiliate (State) Entry, Junior Division. Deanna Upchurch was awarded the prize for Best Affiliate (State) Entry, Senior Division.



Two students were selected to showcase their exhibit at the National Museum of American History. Rohan Gupta and Parker Norton presented their senior group exhibit to museum visitors. Rohan and Parker attend McCallie School in Chattanooga, where Duke Richey is their teacher. Their project, Excavating the Tennessee Valley: Thomas Lewis, Madeline Kneberg, and Explorations in New Deal Anthropology, examined the role of Tennessees first archaeologists in preserving the states history.



Kaylie Pomerantz and Laila Stempkowski of St. John Nuemann School in Knoxville were invited to attend a Congressional breakfast showcasing projects devoted to local history. Their junior group documentary, Tennessees Journey to Desegregate Schools, won first place at the state contest. Their teacher is Michele Tarricone.



Participating in History Day is just the beginning of their academic adventures, said Tennessee History Day coordinator Jennifer C. Core. History Day allows them to examine primary sources and interpret an event or time period for an audience. They become experts on school desegregation or the Hays Code or Zheng He. The skills that they acquire during this yearlong research project prepare them for college and the workplace.



I'm proud of our students for representing Tennessee so well, Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. Research has shown that students who participate in History Day tend to do better in their academic lives and their careers than peers who don't participate in the program. I'm sure we can expect big things from these students in the future.



Two teachers were recognized as Tennessee's Patricia Behring Teachers of the Year: Cindy Flynn of Pi Beta Phi Elementary School in Gatlinburg and Duke Richey of McCallie School in Chattanooga. Each received a framed certificate and $500.



Teacher Scott Johnson of Battle Ground Academy in Franklin was named a Behring Teacher Ambassador. Johnson has been asked to expand the role of National History Day in Tennessee. He will attend a training session in July and develop curriculum for Tennessee History Day teachers.



National History Day is a yearlong academic organization for middle and high school students focused on the teaching and learning of history. A recent study by Rockman et al found students who participate in National History Day develop a range of college and career-ready skills and outperform their peers on state standardized tests in multiple subjects, including reading, science, math and social studies. The program engages 7,000 students across the state of Tennessee.

Published August 10, 2016
Direct flights between Istanbul and Sharm El-Sheikh were suspended after the downing of a Russian airliner in October last year

Turkey's national carrier Turkish Airlines is set to resume flights to Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh in September following ten months of suspension, their office in the resort town confirmed to Ahram Online.

According to the carrier's office, the first flight from Istanbul to Sharm El-Sheikh will leave on 10 September at 23:30 local time.

The first flight from Sharm El-Sheikh back to Istanbul is scheduled on 11 September at 01:45 local time.

Turkish Airlines is set to operate four flights per week to and from the Egyptian resort.

Flights from Istanbul to Sharm El-Sheikh by the flagship carrier have been on halt since November 2015, following the downing of a Russian airliner over central Sinai in October that year, killing all 224 people on board.

A number of European airlines and governments introduced restrictions on flights to Sharm El-Sheikh over security concerns following the Russian airliner disaster.

While most of the countries have not yet overturned the ban, Germany decided in May to ease restrictions on air flights between its airports and Sharm El-Sheikh, allowing direct air trips to and from the popular beach town.

Tourism, which has taken a blow since the plane crash, is an important source of foreign currency for Egypt. The country has been seeking billions in foreign financing facilities to address a severe hard currency shortage with FX reserves down to $15.5 billion in July.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Violence resumed in South Sudan on the second anniversary if its independence day

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stressed on Wednesday Egypt's full support for efforts to restore peace and stability in South Sudan during a meeting with Festus Mogae, the Chairperson of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) for South Sudan, in Cairo.

The Egyptian presidency spokesman Alaa Youssef said that El-Sisi and Mogae discussed recent developments in South Sudan and regional efforts for peace. The topics included the Intergovernmental Authority on Development's (a trade bloc in Africa) proposal to deploy regional forces under the auspices of the United Nations mission in South Sudan, according to the statement.

El-Sisi also expressed Egypt's willingness to consult with South Sudan's government and African states in the UN Security Council on the proposal to push for a peace process and political settlement, Youssef said.

Mogae, who is also the former president of the southern African nation of Botswana, expressed appreciation for Egypt's efforts to ease the tension between the conflicting parties, particularly in the light of its membership in the Security Council and the African Union's Peace and Security Council.

On 7 July, violence erupted in South Sudans capital of Juba between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those loyal to his long-time rival and former deputy Riek Machar.

The resumption of violence on this day fell on South Sudans independence anniversary  which makes it the worlds youngest nation -- from North Sudan.

Days after, a ceasefire was signed between President Kiir and his Machar after the death of over 300 soldiers in deadly battles, according to government estimates.

South Sudan has been caught up in more than two years of civil war after Kiir sacked Machar as vice president in 2013.

The ensuing violence has killed more than 10,000 people and displaced more than 2 million, many of whom have fled to neighboring Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya and North Sudan.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


X

Yorum Yazma Sozlesmesi

Sayfamzn takipcileri suc teskil edecek, yasal olarak takip gerektirecek,hakaret ve kufur iceren, asaglayc, kucuk dusurucu, kaba, ahlaka aykr, mustehcen, toplumca genel olarak kabul gormus kurallara aykr, kisilik haklarna zarar verici ya da benzeri niteliklerde hicbir yorumu bu web sitesinin hicbir sayfasnda paylasamazlar. Bu tur iceriklerden dogan her turlu mali, hukuki, cezai, idari sorumluluk yorumu gonderen takipciye aittir. KONHABER yaplan yorumlar arasndan uygun gormediklerini herhangi bir gerekce belirtmeksizin yaynlamama veya yayndan kaldrma hakkna sahiptir. Konhaber basta yukarda saylan hususlar olmaz uzere kanun hukumlerine aykrlk gerekcesi ile her turlu adli makam tarafndan baslatlan sorusturma kapsamnda kendisinden Ceza Muhakemesi Kanununun 332.maddesi dogrultusunda istenilen yorum yapan takipcilerine ait ip bilgilerini ve yapms oldugu yorumlar paylasabilecegini beyan eder 
A display at the Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) office in Seoul, Wednesday, shows electric power supply and demand, as well as reserve rates. KEPCO has been on alert over soaring power demand amid the heat wave that continues to grip the country. / Yonhap



By Choi Sung-jin

Despite mounting outcries over excessive household electricity charges, the government made clear Tuesday it will stick to unreasonably steep progressive rates applied to ordinary families.

"If families turn on their air-conditioner for less than four hours a day, the cooling charge does not exceed 100,000 won ($90.90) a month," Chae Hee-bong, an assistant minister at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), told a news conference. "People saying they were bombed by power bills,' although they properly used air-cons, are exaggerating."

Internet users immediately struck back, saying: "Koreans have been suffering from sweltering heat during daytime and tropical nights for weeks," one netizen said. "Are ranking officials, including the MOTIE minister, using air-cons only for four hours a day, too?"

Assistant Minister Chae said only 4 percent of household consumers last August were affected by the highest progressive rate of 11.7 times by using more than 501 kilowatts (kW). "If we ease the progressive scale, that can be tantamount to tax cuts for the rich,' collecting more charges from families that consume less electricity to help large consumers," he said.

Aside from the inappropriate comparison of power charges to taxes, the ministry's logic is based on zero-sum thinking that households as a whole have to contribute a fixed share of power charges to the state utility's revenue, experts said.

Chae also tried to dispel a popular "misunderstanding" that the government is providing excessive support for industrial consumers.

According to ministry data, assuming OECD member nations' average power rate for households is 100, Korea's electric charge stood at 61 last year, far lower than the United States (70), Japan (142), and Germany (221). The level of household power charge against the industrial rate was also lower in Korea with 108, compared with Japan (135), the U.S. (178) and Germany (221).

But the private experts said the countries Chae cited for comparison were among the richest in the world, with per capita GDP nearly double Korea's.

Stressing that the government pushed up the industrial power rate 76.2 percent and raised the household rate only 11.4 percent between 2004 and 2013, Chae said: "It is far from the truth that the government slapped punitive rates on household consumers and excessively cut those for industrial users."

But what Chae did not say was that the share of families affected by the fifth progressive scale of 6.9 times by using 401-500 kW soared to 12.3 percent in August, compared with an annual average of 4.7 percent. That means more than 16 percent of families will be hit by more than seven times the progressive rate.

Given this summer's scorching heat is far worse than last year, a far larger portion of households are likely to be affected by the high progressive rate. A four-member family that uses an average of 342 kW (paying a power charge of 53,000 won) a month will have to pay more than 300,000 won a month if it uses air-conditioning for eight hours a day.

A recent International Energy Agency (IEA) report explains why Korea's power rate is unique.

According to the IEA's report on "core power trends," Korea's industrial sector accounted for 53.3 percent of the nation's total power consumption in 2014 while households took up only 12.9 percent.

That runs squarely counter to the overall trend in most OECD countries, indicating how the steep progressive rates for ordinary families have sharply reduced household consumption.

The OECD's average power consumption trends showed industrial consumption accounts for 32 percent and households use 31.3 percent. Particularly, the share of industrial consumption has gradually declined, from 48.8 percent in 1974 to 32 percent in 2014, while that of the household, commercial and public sectors rose from 48.4 percent to 62.9 percent.

Korea was the only OECD country the IEA report mentioned with respect to power consumption, showing the uniqueness of its system, although the report gave no explanations.
By Choi Sung-jin



As Chinese and Japanese steelmakers are busy growing through mergers and acquisitions, their Korean counterparts appear alienated from the regional scaling-up trend, industry experts say.



According to industry sources, China's Hebei Iron and Steel Group, the world's second-largest steelmaker, is pushing to merge with Shoudu Iron and Steel Works, the ninth largest, to emerge as another "steel dinosaur" with combined steel production of 76.3 million tons, as of last year.



The world's largest steel company is ArcelorMittal, the merger of Arcelor and Mittal in 2006, with annual output of 97.14 million tons. The outputs of ArcelorMittal and Hebei Shoudu (if the merger proves successful) are 2.3 times and 1.8 times larger than that of POSCO, which is fourth largest with 41.97 million tons.



In late June, the Chinese government announced the merger plan of Baoshan Iron and Steel (fifth largest) and Wuhan Steel and Iron (11th largest). The Beijing government reportedly plans to turn the merged company into the "South China Steel Group" and Hebei-Shoudu into the "North China Steel Group."



Japanese steelmakers are not much different.



Nippon Steel (third largest with 46.37 million tons) announced its acquisition of Nissan Steel in February, securing additional capacity of more than 50 million tons. The largest Japanese steelmaker took over Sumitomo Metal in 2012 and has since focused on steel plates for automobiles and steel pipes for the energy industry, increasing its sales by more than 200 billion yen (2.2 trillion won), the sources said.



Experts say the Korean steel industry's restructuring plan appears too passive in comparison.



The restructuring plan, as shown in the interim report recently submitted to the Korea Iron and Steel Association by Boston Consulting Group, focuses on merging small and midsize makers and reducing the output of some items rather than touching on large makers, such as POSCO and Hyundai Steel (13th largest with 20.48 million tons).



The report calls for, among other things, large makers to take over smaller pipe makers whose competitiveness has weakened because of declining domestic demand and slumping exports, and integrating the production of iron rods, which has fallen into crisis faced with Chinese makers' assaults, into the three bases of Incheon, Dangjin and Pohang.



This explains why experts criticize the report as being bent on dissolving supply gluts while failing to present ideas to enhance the industry's global competitive edge.



Some experts call for the industry to consider merging POSCO and Hyundai to compete shoulder to shoulder with global rivals. If it is difficult to push for the immediate merger of the two largest makers, at least they need to focus on their respective product with better competitive advantage, they said.



"If the Korean steelmakers remain passive in restructuring, the center of the industrial gravity will move to China even more rapidly than now," said Professor Kim Chung-shik of Yonsei University. "Sizing up may not be the only answer but the domestic makers can ill afford to waste any more time to recover their weakened competitiveness."




By Choi Sung-jin



"Korea, like Japan, could be exposed to secular stagnation' in a few years because of demographic and other problems."



Rhee Chang-yong, director of the IMF's Asia and Pacific Department, made the remark at an international symposium in Seoul Tuesday, delivering a lecture on major economic tasks for Asian countries in 2016.



For the Korean economy to get over its crisis, it is essential to shift from manufacturing to the services sector and reform the dual-structured labor market and other areas, he said. Particularly important are structural changes to the Korean economy through "political decisions," Rhee said.



The IMF official cited demographic structure -- such as the low birthrate and an aging population -- as the biggest problem facing the Korean economy and society.



"The biggest internal factor causing concerns about secular stagnation' (protracted structural slump) is demographic structure," said the No. 3 official at the International Monetary Fund. "More specifically, the fall of absolute population and rapid change in demographic structure are the main problems."



Citing the example of Japan, which is experiencing a population loss equivalent to the U.S. city of Baltimore (about 720,000) each year, Rhee said the drop of absolute population means the reduction of economically active people, and an increase in the aged population leads to the growth of elderly poverty.



The IMF economist stressed that Korea's current economic growth rate of about 3 percent is far from bad by international standards, and particularly those of industrial countries. "We should not cling to the previous framework anymore," Rhee said.



Noting that Korea's manufacturing industry has been developed sufficiently, Rhee said the nation should find opportunities in service sectors, including health care. Manufacturing accounted for 27.8 percent of total employment in 1989, but the comparable share fell to 16.8 percent in 2008, he said.



As the growth of global trade has continued to hover below the economic growth rate, exports cannot solve the problems of employment and economic inequality, Rhee said.



He suggested the business services sector based on manufacturing as a cure to this problem. "For example, Korea's medical services have reached the world's top levels but the industry is targeting only the domestic market," he said. "It is not difficult for Korea's developed manufacturing sector to shift to the services sector. What the nation needs is political determination."



Aside from a long-term structural slump, Rhee cited declining regional trade, expanded volatility in capital flows and widening income inequality as the economic challenges facing Asian nations.




Korean actress Bae Doo-na has the leading role in Netflix's TV drama "Sense 8." /Courtesy of Flickr



By Choi Ha-young

Filming of American TV drama series "Sense8" will limit access near Sangdong Subway Station on line No.7 in Bucheon city, next to Seoul, from August 14 to 17.



The sci-fi drama, directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski, is starting its second season and will film a large-scale car chase near the station. Police will mobilize about 200 officers to guide passers-by and prevent accidents.



"As the location is a commercially concentrated area, a large crowd is expected there to see the site," a Bucheon city official said on Tuesday.



Korean actress Bae Doo-na takes the leading role following her appearance in the first season that started airing in June 2015. Other stars, including Tuppence Middleton, Brian J. Smith and Daryl Hannah, also appear.



The drama has been shooting in London, Mumbai, Berlin, Nairobi and Amsterdam. Netflix will release the show next year.
By Jun Ji-hye



The military officially began a project Wednesday to develop active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for the nation's indigenous fighter jets.



The Agency for Defense Development (ADD), a defense ministry-affiliated organization, which will supervise the development of AESA radar, held the first meeting at its headquarters in Daejeon with relevant institutions, including defense firm Hanwha Thales, to check the development timelines.



Hanwha Thales, a defense arm of Hanwha Group, was selected in April as a preferred bidder to produce the AESA radar.



The development of the radar and its integration technology is part of the 8.5 trillion won KF-X project to build indigenous fighters by 2026 to replace the Air Force's aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s. The nation will invest an additional 10 trillion won to produce 120 jets by 2032.



AESA is essential equipment that helps a pilot identify friend or foe in battle and finds targets on the ground.



"The first radar will be released in the second half of 2020," the ADD said in a release. "We will put the radar on the prototype KF-X in 2021 and conduct test flights for five years to complete development by 2026."



The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), which orchestrates the KF-X project, noted that once development is completed, it will be integrated with the KF-X in cooperation with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the nation's lone aircraft maker that has signed a KF-X contract with DAPA.



The nation was originally planning to receive AESA radar technology from U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin through the offset deal in the 7.3 trillion won contract to purchase 40 F-35 stealth jets, but the plan foundered last year after the U.S. government rejected the firm's request to transfer four core technologies  infrared search and track, electronic optics targeting pod, radio frequency jammer and AESA radar  to Korea for security reasons.



Since then, Seoul said it will develop the four technologies domestically.



"We will make the most use of the nation's accumulated technology and relevant manpower to meet the deadline for the development," the ADD said.



The agency established a task force dedicated to the radar development in February.




By Kim Hyo-jin



The election of Rep. Lee Jung-hyun, a close confidant of President Park Geun-hye, as chairman of the ruling Saenuri Party is expected to allow Park to tighten her grip on the party and help strengthen her leadership.



The party is likely to work smoothly with the presidential office to advance President Park's key policies throughout the remainder of her term, according to pundits, Wednesday.



They said Park will now face few challenges in her relationship with the party.



"Considering the close ties Lee has with Park, the party is predicted to forge better relations with Cheong Wa Dae," said Choi Chang-ryol, a political professor at Yongin University.



"With Lee backing her up in state affairs, Park will feel less burdened in exercising leadership for the rest of her term."



Lee is a former presidential press secretary.



With expectations high that Cheong Wa Dae and the ruling party will enter a honeymoon period, Lee has vowed to put all his efforts into supporting the Park administration.



"I will channel all possible party resources into helping the administration focus on dealing with urgent issues," Lee told reporters, Wednesday, on a visit to Seoul National Cemetery. "It's even more important than preparing for the upcoming presidential election."



Park, for her part, called on the new leadership to follow Cheong Wa Dae's lead for deregulation in the services and labor sectors, and the planned deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.



On the first day of Lee's chairmanship, senior presidential secretary for political affairs Kim Jae-won delivered an orchid from Park to congratulate him on his new position.



During the meeting with Kim, Lee promised full support for Park, sending a warning signal to the party's rival factions.



"I think those who stand against the President as if it was an act following justice have no qualification to be ruling party lawmakers," he said. "The ruling party has a basic role. It should not treat the President as opposition parties do."



Park plans to meet the new leadership  Lee and the Supreme Council members  over lunch at Cheong Wa Dae, today.



Hwang Tae-soon, a political commentator, however, warned that such a tight relationship could do more harm in seeking cooperation from the opposition.



"Lee is expected to increase communication with the presidential office but the trouble is their one voice could cause more friction in partisan negotiations," he said.



Choi noted that Lee's daunting task will be how well he manages disgruntled lawmakers in the ruling party who are not Park loyalists.



"If Lee operates the party allowing pro-Park lawmakers to wield their power, non-Park followers could join forces, reigniting factional conflict," he said.



On Tuesday, Reps. Cho Won-jin, Lee Jang-woo, Kang Seok-ho and Choi Yeon-hye were picked to form the Supreme Council, with Yoo Chang-soo taking an additional slot allotted to a youth party member. Aside from Kang, all are regarded as loyal to President Park.



With the pro-Park lawmakers sweeping the key positions, analysts expect U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will gain steam in seeking a potential presidential bid with the ruling party. Ban is believed to be backed by the President.



"The party appears to have an advantageous landscape in a presidential election if Ban, who is from the swing vote Chungcheong provinces, launches a bid while the party chairman from the liberals' traditional stronghold South Jeolla Province is holding power, and with the party's loyal voters whose base is in the Gyeongsang provinces backing him," Choi said.



Possible presidential bids by former Chairman Rep. Kim Moo-sung and ex-Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, were, however, undermined by the results of the leadership election, he added.



Kim and Oh openly supported anti-Park lawmaker Rep. Joo Ho-young, who lost to Lee, during the chairmanship race.




By Lee Kyung-min



In shopping districts, it is common to see stores that keep their air conditioning running with their doors opened.



While shop owners say attracting customers with cool dry air is part of a marketing strategy to boost sales in the hot summer season, calls are growing for the government to take measures to root out the energy-wasting practice, such as a new electricity billing rate, stronger punishment for violators and random crackdowns.



These days such calls are especially high amid complaints about unfair electricity prices _ electricity is billed progressively only for residential use, so residents are forced to refrain from using air conditioners at home for fear of extremely high electricity bills, while progressive billing is not applied for commercial use, resulting in shops in popular tourist districts wasting energy by running air conditioners with the doors wide open.



The government said Wednesday that it will crack down on facilities that run air conditioning while doors are open starting today until Aug. 26. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, first-time violators will be given a warning, but second-time violators will be fined 500,000 won, 1 million won for the third time, 2 million won fourth time and 3 million won for fifth and more.



"People are frustrated because this sort of crackdown is nothing new. The shops close their doors only temporarily when the government officials visit them," said an official from Korea NGOs' Energy Network, a collective of energy-related civic groups.



"Many people in their homes do not dare turn on the air conditioners for a long time because of the high electricity bill, and wouldn't they feel that it is unfair that electricity costs for commercial use are so low that stores can even waste it?" she asked. "Also, such an insensitive attitude toward energy consumption is a major culprit of global warming."



Others called for stronger penalties for violators.



"Why does the government crack down on them only temporarily? It should do it all the time," a blogger said.



Another said, "Why are there warnings and gradual increases of fines? Violators should be slapped for 3 million won from the first violation."



One internet user, who previously worked at a shop in Myeong-dong, a popular shopping district, said, "Many shop owners say they would pay fines and keep the doors open. Fines are ineffective, and the government should suspend the violators' operations."




Shown in the photo are buildings running massage parlors. A female sex worker at a massage parlor in Sang-dong, Bucheon, was injured when she fell from a building while fleeing police, according to Bucheon Wonmi Police Station, Wednesday. / Korea Times photo by Park Seo-gang



By Hong Dam-young

A female sex worker was injured when she fell from a building while fleeing police, according to Bucheon Wonmi Police Station, Wednesday.

The sex worker, 51, was with a client at a massage parlor in Sang-dong, Bucheon, when three police officers broke in during a crackdown on prostitution. Police launched the crackdown the day before.

When they asked her to go with them to the police station, she asked them to leave the room so she could get changed.

"As we left her alone in the room to give her time to change, she attempted to get out of the building by using an emergency rope that was built inside the room," a police official said.

She started climbing down the rope from her room on the fourth floor. The fall happened about 11:50 p.m. when she reached the second floor.

She was taken to a nearby hospital. Her injuries are not life-threatening.

An owner of the massage parlor and two other female sex workers were taken to the police station for investigation.

Police have been criticized for disguising themselves as clients to catch sex workers because of the danger to the sex workers. In 2014, in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, a female sex worker in her 20s working in a teahouse died after jumping off a motel building after fleeing police.
British-born Canadian veterinarian Dr. Frank W. Schofield (1889-1970) is known for his role in making a photographic record of the Japanese invasion while he was teaching at the Severance Medical School in Korea. / Yonhap



Nine descendants of three foreign independence patriots during Korea's occupation by Japan (1910-45) will attend special events here from August 11 to 17 to mark Korea's 71st anniversary of independence.

Four descendants of British-born Canadian veterinarian Dr. Frank W. Schofield (1889-1970), including his granddaughter Lisa Gale Schofield, 54, are on the list, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs said Wednesday.

Schofield is known for his role in making a photographic record of the Japanese invasion while he was teaching at the Severance Medical School in Korea. He was buried in the Korean National Cemetery as the first foreigner to be honored in Korea.

A visit by Schofield's descendants is special because this year marks the 100th anniversary of Schofield coming to Korea, according to the ministry.

Also among invitees are three descendants of British journalist Ernest Thomas Bethell (1872-1909), who founded the newspaper "Daehan Maeil Sinbo", also known as "The Korea Daily News", to disclose Japanese soldiers' abuse of Koreans. Bethell's granddaughter, Susan Jane Black, 60, and grandson Bethell Thomas Owen, 57, are among the group.

David Norris Rass, 49, and William Norris Rass, 16, are the great-grandson and great-great grandson of the late United States Senator George Norris (1861-1944). Norris is known for having criticized Japan's brutal colonial rule of Korea while serving as a senator. He was posthumously awarded a state medal on May 9 in recognition of his contribution to Korea winning independence.





South Korea posthumously bestowed the state medal on late U.S. Senator George W. Norris in recognition of his contribution to Korea's efforts to win independence from Japan's colonial rule in the early 20th century. David Norris Rath, the great-grandson of Norris, is posing with South Korean Ambassador to the United States Ahn Ho-young (R) after receiving the National Medal on behalf of Norris at the ambassador's residence in Washington on May 9, 2016. / Yonhap



Other descendants include a great-granddaughter of Yi Wi-jong, who attended the Second Hague Peace Conference in 1907 as a delegate to deliver a letter written by Joseon Dynasty Emperor Gojong. The letter claimed the annulment of the Protectorate Treaty between Korea and Japan that was concluded in 1905. The invitee will be accompanied by her Russian husband.

The attendees will tour several historical sites to retrace the course of Korea's independence movement and the nation's modern progress after independence. The sites will include Seodaemun Independence Park in Seoul, Independence Hall in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, and the National Museum of Korea in Seoul.

"This year's event is meaningful in that the biggest numbers of descendants are going to visit since 1998," a ministry official said.

"We will make an effort to keep extending the value of Korea's independence movement to the next generation."
According to the new amendments, police officers are also banned from forming unions or joining political groups

New police law amendments that were passed on Tuesday by Egypts House of Representatives ban police officers from speaking to the media except after receiving permission, and also ban officers from forming independent unions and joining political parties.

The amendments that were proposed by the government relate to eight articles in the 1971 police authority law.

Among the new amended articles that created controversy in the media is article 42 from the law which prohibits police officers from issuing any statement about their work unless they have received written permission.

Article 42 also prohibits police officers from abusing their power by mistreating citizens in a way that violates the law and constitution.

The article further prohibits police officers of any rank from joining or forming political parties or founding and joining political parties or associations of any form.

Article 102 prohibits police officers of any rank from organising protests, sits-in or strikes that can block roads or endanger the welfare of the people.

In the last several years, the Ministry of Interior faced a serious challenge by some officers when a group of low-ranking police officers founded a union demanding better rights for their rank in the police force by organising several protests and strikes in governorates across Egypt.

The low-ranking police officers who led the movement are currently detained pending investigation on several charges including forming "an illegal cell" inside the police force.

The legislative amendments in the police authority law were suggested by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in February following the murder of an unarmed taxi driver by a low-ranking police officer in central Cairo.

Police officers who break the law would face prison terms or fines of up to EGP 20,000.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


China would hurt its own economic and strategic interests if it takes retaliatory measures against South Korea for Seoul's decision to deploy the U.S. THAAD missile defense system, a U.S. expert said Tuesday.



China has strongly protested the decision to place a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense unit in South Korea, claiming the system could be used against the country, despite repeated assurances from Seoul and Washington that the battery is aimed only at defending against North Korean missile threats.



"China does not have the capability to punish South Korea without damaging its own economic and strategic interests on the Korean peninsula," Scott Snyder, a senior Korea analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations, said in an article on the CFR's website.



Chinese threats of punishment are likely to alienate rather than win over the South Korean public, while risking damage to a vibrant economic relationship that has brought China and South Korea together, the expert said.



"Threats to cut off economic ties or discriminate against South Korean exports are inconsistent with China's World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations and will generate resentment among the South Korean public. China cannot hope to maintain friendly relations with its neighbors through economic threats or bullying," he said.



China might consider retaliation against South Korea by boosting its relations with North Korea and refusing to render full cooperation for efforts to rein in Pyongyang, but such measures are counterproductive to China's own strategic interests, Snyder said.



"China needs to retain good relations with South Korea as part of its long-term interest in ensuring that the Korean peninsula is friendly to Chinese interests, knowing that a unified Korea's future strategic orientation is far more likely to be shaped by Seoul than Pyongyang," he said.



"Closer Chinese relations with North Korea are not an effective means of punishment against South Korea given that it is in China's interests to do more to bring the North Korean nuclear threat under control," he said.



China's objections to THAAD both underscore Chinese sensitivity to the U.S. presence on the peninsula and make clear China's desire to limit the scope of the U.S.-South Korea alliance to North Korea in the near-term while hoping that it will disappear completely as part of any process that might lead to Korean unification, Snyder said. (Yonhap)




By Yi Whan-woo



China has refused to lend support for the United Nations to press North Korea harder due to its strong opposition to the planned deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here.



Such a refusal is deepening worries that international cooperation to prevent Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions will be at risk and North Korea will take advantage of a new Cold War rivalry stemming from THAAD-related issues.



The U.N Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday stopped short of adopting a formal statement against North Korea for its latest ballistic missile launches on Aug. 3, after China demanded the inclusion of a clause concerning THAAD, according to the U.N. sources, Wednesday.



Beijing said Pyongyang's military provocations should not be used an excuse to set up a new anti-ballistic missile base on the Korean Peninsula and a related clause should be inserted in the UNSC statement.



The United States rejected China's proposal and they failed to narrow their differences, the sources said. Both the U.S. and China are veto-wielding members of the UNSC.



Last week, the 15 UNSC members also failed to endorse a statement against North Korea for firing the two mid-range Rodong ballistic missiles.



Source said China and Russia  which opposes the deployment of THAAD as well  may have expressed reservations about adopting a statement.



The UNSC previously failed to come up with a statement in response to Pyongyang's firing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), July 9, and also three ballistic missiles  presumably two Rodongs and one Scud  July 22.



The series of missile launches violated UNSC Resolution 2270, which was adopted in March in response to North Korea's fourth nuclear test, Jan. 6, and firing of a long-range rocket, Feb. 7.



However, speculation has been rampant that China has remained lukewarm about Pyongyang's continued provocations while taking retaliatory moves against South Korea since July 8 when Seoul and Washington agreed on placing a THAAD battery in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province by next year.



Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University in China, warned that Beijing may stop pressing Pyongyang to protest THAAD.



In a media interview published, Wednesday, Shi said presence of a THAAD battery will affect China's national interest, destabilize security in Northeast Asia and trigger an arms race in the region. He also said China may bolster its military ties with Russia.



Some Chinese scholars speculated that Beijing may return to its "blood alliance" with Pyongyang, according to Rep. Shin Dong-kuen of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK).



"I've been told it will be the worst outcome that South Korea may face," Shin said.



He was among six MPK lawmakers who visited China from Monday to Wednesday to convey thoughts against installing THAAD. They held a discussion with security and diplomatic experts in Beijing.



Meanwhile, Vice Admiral James Syring, director of the Missile Defense Agency under the U.S. Department of Defense, will visit South Korea, Thursday, to discuss THAAD-related issues with the Seoul officials.



Syring is expected to cite technical information and assure the safety of THAAD amid lingering concerns over health and environmental risks associated with electromagnetic radiation emitted from the system's radar.




By Yi Whan-woo



Korea and Japan are expected to wrangle over semantic clarity on the latter's funding for a foundation dedicated to former wartime sex slaves, diplomatic analysts said, Wednesday, although the Korean government remains positive on the issue.



Under the Dec. 28 deal to end their dispute over imperial Japan's sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II, the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation was founded late last month in Seoul and the Japanese government is expected to provide funding to the tune of 1 billion yen.



However, the two sides have yet to agree on whether the money will be accepted as reparation or humanitarian assistance.



On Tuesday, the government said there was "significant progress" in working-level talks between Korea and Japan to discuss follow-up measures in line with the December agreement. It also said the officials "did not have much difference" over how 1 billion yen should be used.



"The matter is not that simple and the working-level officials are still likely to face a bumpy road ahead before reaching an agreement over the 1 billion yen," said Lee Myeon-woo, a Japan expert at the Sejong Institute.



He added that Korea insisted on money being paid to the victims in addition to setting up the foundation, implying that Japan will address its legal responsibility for the sexual slavery.



However, Tokyo has rejected Seoul's view, hoping that the 1 billion yen will be used in building future-oriented relations between the two countries through a funding project.



One of the experts assessed that the lingering dispute stems from ambiguity in interpreting the Dec. 28 agreement.



"It's likely the working-level officials will also draw out an ambiguous conclusion concerning the use of 1 billion yen," said An Shin-kwon, the director of Housing of Sharing, a shelter for former Korean sex slaves in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province.



Citing opposition from Japanese conservatives, An said there is no chance that Tokyo will acknowledge its liability over state-perpetrated sex crimes.



"Under such circumstances, the two neighbors are anticipated to come up with conditions that can be interpreted at their own convenience," he said.



Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong University, raised concerns that the Korean government will continue to face opposition from surviving victims and their advocates even after receiving the 1 billion yen. The critics of the Dec. 28 agreement have claimed Japan must be legally held accountable for its wartime actions.



"I fear that Japan will call it a day and will refuse to engage in any talks after offering 1 billion yen," Park said. "The government must clearly define the purpose of the money to avoid making things worse."




North Korea appealed to Angola earlier this year to resume their negotiations on bilateral cooperation which have been put on hold for the last 11 years, the African country said in a recent sanctions implementation report submitted to the United Nations.



The report, dated July 25 and posted recently on the website of the United Nations, was Angola's first submission of a formal document on how well the country is implementing a punitive U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolution against North Korea.



Before the latest implementation report on Resolution 2270 adopted in March, Angola, traditionally close to North Korea, did not submit any implementation feedback for the previous three U.N. resolutions against the communist country.



The sanctions resolution is the toughest-ever action taken by the UNSC to date against the reclusive country, and highlights the international community's resolve after Pyongyang detonated its fourth nuclear device and test fired a long-range missile early this year.



In its first implementation report, Angola said North Korea is eager to resume dialogue with the African country on bilateral collaboration.



"The Angolan executive branch interprets the political statements made by the ambassador of the DPRK in Angola as an appeal to the Angolan authorities to resume negotiations with a view to reconvening the work of the commission for bilateral cooperation between the two states, which has not convened since 2006," the report said.



It was referring to top North Korean envoy to Angola Kim Hyon-il's press statement issued after a meeting with Angola's interior state secretary on March 30. DPRK is the abbreviation of North Korea's full name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.



The report did not elaborate on whether Angola is positive about the North Korean appeal, only saying that the members of the U.N. sanctions committee on North Korea "may understand the underlying reasons for the absence of meetings to date," despite a cooperative North Korea-Angola agreement signed more than 30 years ago.



The African country also said North Korean diplomat Kim Hyok-chan, who is currently on the U.N. list of targeted individual sanctions, entered Angola in February with a multiple-entry visa.



"It was not necessary to expel any DPRK diplomats from the country, as they did not represent a threat to national security and were not outright affected by any of the previsions of Resolution 2270," it said, suggesting that the country has no plan to expel Kim.



Concerning the UNSC resolution's ban on exports of minerals, natural resources and jet fuel to North Korea, Angola has instructed related ministries to ensure strict compliance, the three-page implementation report said.



Angola's port and airport authorities as well as tax, customs and transport ministries have also been notified of the resolution's requirements of mandatory inspections of ships departing for North Korea and prohibitions of any North Korean ships trying to enter Angola, it said.



The first-ever Angolan implementation report, however, was followed by a North Korean delegation's official visit to the African country days later.



North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on Monday that a foreign ministry delegation led by deputy foreign minister Sin Hong-chol visited Angola before Sin held talks with Angola's secretary for external relations on Aug. 5.



The North Korean report did not provide details about the meeting, only saying that "The (North Korean) republic is walking vigorously toward the dual policy of developing economic and nuclear power together and the banner of building self-reliant power." (Yonhap)




South Korea on Wednesday said it is nonsense to talk about reopening the now-shuttered joint industrial park with North Korea, as the communist country is continuing to move forward with its development of nuclear weapons and missiles.



Six months ago, Seoul shut down the Kaesong Industrial Complex in the North's border city of the same name, the last symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation, in response to the communist country's fourth nuclear test in January and launch of a long-range rocket in the following month.



Seoul's unification ministry stressed that the closure of the complex was an inevitable decision as North Korea has never stopped its nuclear and missile development, and threatening South Korea's national security.



"At a time when North Korea poses (nuclear and missile) threats, it is nonsense to talk about the reopening of the factory zone," Jeong Joon-hee, ministry spokesman, told a regular press briefing.



Seoul said that the government places priority on making Pyongyang give up its nuclear weapons program over the resumption of any inter-Korean talks.



Critics and opposition lawmakers said the government should seek ways to resume the factory zone, saying that politics and economic activities need to be handled separately.



South Korea's decision to close the complex aims to prevent money generated from the factory zone from bankrolling the North's nuclear and missile programs, the government said.



Since the opening in 2004, a total of 124 South Korean firms had operated factories at the complex, some 50 kilometers northwest of Seoul, employing more than 54,000 North Korean workers to produce labor-intensive goods, such as clothes and utensils.



The companies claimed that the shutdown has incurred more than 1.5 trillion won (US$1.4 billion) in financial losses, saying that the government's financial support is not sufficient to cover their damage.



Seoul said that it has provided 336.9 billion won, or 66 percent, of earmarked support funds totaling 500 billion won to the firms.



"The government hopes that the companies could normalize their businesses within this year, aided by the government's financial support plan and their self-rescue efforts," Jeong said.



Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo visited the headquarters of two local companies that ran factories in the complex.



"I'd like to extend my thanks for your understanding and cooperation with the government's stance (on the factory zone)," Hong said.



He stressed that the government is making efforts to help the relevant firms normalize their businesses as soon as possible. (Yonhap)




By Ngovi Kitau

On the heels of Brexit are calls by some scholars to disband the African Union because it is modeled on the European Union, which has been ditched by Britain for failing in Europe.

The EU has not disbanded, so this yawp is a mere maneuver to curtail the ongoing and successful integration of Africa. This strategy is not new. It has been recycled in the Korean Peninsula for over six decades and has failed. Charles Park, a member of the North Korea study group calls it DISC  Demonize, Isolate, Sanction, and Collapse.

The gunner spearheading the gambit to demonize African heads of state is George B. N. Ayittey, a research fellow at the Independent Institute. Mid July, he released an unfathomably irresponsible commentary entitled "Disband the African Union" which was published by Foreign Policy Magazine.

The blitz is based on the premise "of the putrid carcasses of failed foreign systems that litter the continent, none is more rancid than the African Union, which, as it happens, was modeled on the EU."

During the last Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government held in Kigali, Rwanda, on July 10-18, three breakthrough achievements were celebrated. The AU launched a common passport. Secondly, the AU introduced a new funding model to levy a 0.2 percent tariff on imports and raise $1.2 billion annually. This will ensure that the continental body becomes self-reliant and less dependent on foreign donors. Finally, Morocco through the Chairperson of the AU announced its intention that the AU represents the whole region.

Another demonizing claim is that the AU is "famous for its annual summits, where unrepentant despots sip champagne and applaud their own longevity while issuing preposterous communiques that nobody else in the world pays attention to."

At its 2004 Summit, the Assembly decided to meet in ordinary session twice a year. A review of all the minutes of the five biannual summits for the period between 2014 and January 2016 shows no record of champagne consumption or the applauding of longevity.

Multilateral partners are happy with the way the AU is conducting its business.

In his foreword comments contained in the African Union Handbook 2016, Murray McCully, New Zealand's minister of foreign affairs, states, "Strong regional multilateral systems like the African Union are important We commend the Union's foresight and leadership as articulated in Agenda 2063, and support member states in their aspirations in making a road map for a prosperous, united and peaceful Africa."

As for the dictum, "issuing preposterous communiques that nobody else in the world pays attention to," it is wanting. Progress has been made as a consequence of measures taken pursuant to the October 10, 2013, AU Peace and Security Council communique on the AU/United Nations Joint Strategic Review of the AU Mission in Somalia.

Another zinger is that the AU "couldn't even afford to build its own headquarters, so China picked up the tab for its glitzy $200 million building in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia."

China is a major partner through the China-Africa Cooperation Forum (FOCAC). Other major partnerships include the Africa-Arab Partnership; the Sub-Saharan Africa-U.S. trade and investment policy, the African-European Union partnership; the Africa-South America summit; the Africa-India cooperation agreement; the Africa-Turkey partnership; the Tokyo International Conference on African Development; the Africa-Korea Forum; and the Africa-Australia partnership.

African Heads of State must continue to fast track African integration without equivocation. As Africans with hearts for Africa, we must never accept equating the challenges of managing African integration with abandoning it.

The writer was the first Kenyan ambassador to Korea from 2009 through 2014. Write to ngovikitau@yahoo.com.
By Keyu Jin

BEIJING  Much of the world is watching Chinese President Xi Jinping with concern. Not only has he been re-concentrating power in the hands of the central government; many believe that his radical anti-corruption campaign is a fig leaf for a political purge. They worry that Xi is building a cult of personality , much like the one that surrounded Mao Zedong and fueled the Cultural Revolution.

The truth is far less sinister. While it is true that Xi is, to some extent, amassing power, his motivation is the need to strengthen China  both its government and its economy. To succeed, he must bring a bureaucracy that has spun somewhat out of control back in line.

Over the last three decades, power in China has been decentralized considerably, with provincial and municipal governments receiving, in an incremental fashion, substantial autonomy to experiment and test reforms aimed at attracting foreign investment and spurring GDP growth. Moreover, they have been granted direct control over resources  such as land, finance, energy, and raw materials  and local infrastructure development. As a result, subnational governments accounted for an average of 71% of total public expenditure in 2000-2014  a far larger share than in the world's largest federal countries (US states' share of public spending, for example, is 46%.)

The goal was to spur overall economic growth by encouraging competition among regions. Local party bosses knew that their career paths depended on their municipalities' economic performance. And by working hard to spur growth, they have fueled China's rise to become the world's second-largest economy (by some measures, the largest) and secured the ruling Communist Party's legitimacy in the post-Mao era.

But decentralization has had its downsides. It has led to substantial waste, exemplified in local governments' massive debts. And it has spurred large-scale corruption, with local officials striking special deals with businesses to provide, say, tax breaks, cheap credit, or land at below-market prices.

In a country with stringent regulations and underdeveloped financial markets, private entrepreneurs face high barriers to starting and operating businesses. If illicit deals are what it takes to gain access to the resources and markets they needed, private firms have been more than willing to strike them, offering cash or other payments to officials who bent or broke rules on their behalf.

Such arrangements facilitated the entry of hundreds of thousands of growth-enhancing private firms into the market in the late 1990s. In an era when economic growth was the top priority, the corruption that fueled it was tacitly accepted, and even blithely condoned.

But corruption has spun out of control, and now threatens both China's stability and the Communist Party's legitimacy. Over three decades of lax governance, some local authorities have formed political cliques that work together to protect their illicit gains and economic interests. Embezzlement and misappropriation of astronomical sums of public funds would have been impossible without accomplices to provide protection and help one another ascend the political ladder.

These stealth political networks became virtually impenetrable, with many officials, by default, becoming the central government's rivals, fiercely defending their economic interests by safeguarding their official posts and perquisites. Unless it reined in the municipal satraps, the central government could essentially kiss its reform plans goodbye.

So Xi stopped turning a blind eye to corruption. He put some local-government powers back into the hands of the central authorities. And he launched his far-reaching anti-corruption campaign.

Over the last two years, officials from all China's provinces  ranging from low-ranking department chiefs in ministries to senior provincial leaders  have been incarcerated. Geographical considerations have sometimes been taken into account, with the arrest of an official from a peripheral province followed by the arrest of one from a central municipality.

Rounding up a large number of senior officials (and military officers) who are perceived to be political rivals may look like a purge. But the fact is that all those who have been prosecuted and sentenced to prison terms were found guilty, based on hard evidence. Present-day China, even with its imperfect judiciary, can no longer imprison officials purely on political grounds, as was the case under Mao.

Xi's efforts to rein in China's bureaucracy continues unabated. In the short term, economic activity could suffer, as local authorities delay decisions, so as to avoid attracting too much attention to themselves. But once the system is cleaned up, China will be in a much stronger position to achieve sustainable and stable economic growth.

Those who fear Cultural Revolution 2.0 need to understand that China is not the country it was 50 years ago. The soil for authoritarianism and a cult of personality has been plowed under by three decades of increasing openness and economic growth. No one understands this better than Xi.

Keyu Jin is professor of economics at the London School of Economics. Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate.
After abdication, Akihito needs to work for peace



At age 83 and in the 28rd year of his reign as the 125th emperor of Japan, Akihito recently appealed to his nation to let him retire. He is an old man weakened by a string of illnesses and wants to live in peace for the remainder of his life.



It may be too much to ask of the tired old man whose life is often compared to that of a bird in a gilded cage but there could be few better persons than he for the mission of helping put Japan back on the path of peace and become friendly with its neighbors  Korea and China.



For all its denials, Japan looks like it did when it was on the warpath leading to the start of World War II.



Hirohito, his father and predecessor, was taken advantage of by ultra-right expansionist warmongers who made him the lightning rod of the mad unity of the Japanese people to sustain the war machine that preyed on the region. Tragedies  comfort women, Unit 731, mass dislocations and other atrocities  were the consequences, with many of them unhealed after more than seven decades.



Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the grandson of Class A war criminal Nobusuke Kishi who was a member of the imperial War Cabinet, is trying to give life back to the devil in them under the ironic catchphrase of "normal" nation. Citing its alliance with the United States and condemning China's resurgence as a rival, Abe has been changing the pacifist Constitution, "freeing" it, among other things, to wage a war again.



The hawkish prime minister downplays Japan's chance of becoming the monster it was at the turn of the 20th century but its neighbors can only feel wary of what beast it will unleash and how much destruction it will wreak this time. Don't blame Korea and China for having a severe case of deja vu anxiety.



Hirohito couldn't stop that monstrous transformation but Akihito as former emperor may be able to do so. Already, he would do half of what is required for that task, when he has his way about abdication, by throwing a spanner into the works of Abe and his ilk for using him as the incumbent emperor to mobilize the nation behind their anti-peace causes.



If Akihito hits the trail for correcting Japan's past wrongs, it would rally his people around him, damage Abe's efforts and help make Japan truly normal again. Akihito already has shown his good-natured disposition  naming his era "peace and prosperity" and keeping up with his father's remorse and reflections toward the end of his life.



Despite the legal constraints, he bravely paid an unscheduled visit to a memorial for Koreans forcibly mobilized for Japan's war effort during his 2005 trip to Saipan, an act that other Japanese leaders were hard-pressed to emulate. In 1992, he also visited China and expressed his sadness about the war. Here in Korea, he enjoyed the rare level of affinity given to a Japanese public figure as he revealed a secret about his lineage, the birth mother of the 50th emperor coming from Baekje in the era of the Three Kingdoms.



As they saw footage of him speaking on TV Monday, some Koreans were reminded of a crackling radio address by his father to declare imperial Japan's surrender to the Allied forces on Aug. 15, 1945. We ask Akihito to act in order to spare Japan this disgrace and forego the neighboring countries' pain and sorrow. To deny history the pleasure of repeating itself, we need the help of the old emperor as well.




Park Chun-hwa, flower subscription service Kukka CEO, poses with a bouquet of flowers at his office in Gangnam, southern Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of Kukka



By Kim Hyo-jin





A bouquet prepared by the Kukka startup, delivered to a customer's home

Park Chun-hwa began the startup company, Kukka, in 2014 that sells fresh flowers online on a subscription basis  the first of its kind in the nation's flower business.



Business mentors, wholesalers in the flower market and even florists all said it would not work considering people's patterns of buying flowers, not to mention the delicate characteristics of flowers being delivered.



"Truly, few people buy flowers unless there are special occasions like anniversaries but that was why it captured my attention," Park told The Korea Times, Tuesday.



The 33-year-old startup founder noted that the flower market also seemed to lag behind other markets with no marketing strategies developed since the 1990s. Due to a lack of frequent customers visiting walk-in shops, they became dormant even in dealing with flowers.



Many aspects in the flower market inspired Park to work on creating new patterns of consumption. He thought it was something for young people like him to pioneer.



"I thought there should be ways for people to develop a more casual relationship with flowers like we drink coffee every day," he said.



Once he began the service of delivering fresh flowers to the home biweekly, people responded actively. The number of delivery orders was about 500 in the first month but over two years it has reached up to 40,000 a month.



He introduced sophisticated designs of bouquets by hiring florists who had studied overseas and set the price low enough so that the customers would be comfortable buying the flowers frequently. He also tries to anticipate the customers' demands and needs when designing flower products.



When a flower bouquet comes, a little message noting the characteristics of each flower comes with it. Kukka sends a daily message introducing the flowers through mobile messenger KakaoTalk.



While taking different approaches to customers, a fan base for his business started growing. Warmed to Park's efforts for a new trial, some people buy every edition of flower bouquets as a sign of support.



"People seem to be inspired by the value coming along with a product, not just the product itself. And I think we have been lucky in succeeding in reaching out to them with our own message," Park said.



He expanded his business to the delivery service of dried flowers last year and adding an online lecture of floral arrangements this year. While managing the business, Park has also engaged in social projects for single mothers and women forced into becoming sex slaves during the Japanese occupation.



"It all started after I felt uncomfortable contacting other CEOs focusing too much on earning money. I didn't want my values to be swayed and performing social projects helps me keep them straight," Park said.



Now he is working on creating a memorial park for the sex slaves at Namsan, in conjunction with KakaoTalk.



The young CEO expressed hopes of changing public perception about flowers, even describing this as a sense of responsibility for a pioneering startup.



"Like we used to drink mixed coffee from the supermarket but now look for brewed coffee every day, I dream of one day seeing every single household having flowers on the table, on the desk, or presenting them when guests are around," he said. "I think it's what Kukka should contribute in the course of doing business."
As Poland lifted a travel ban imposed last year on Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh, a plane carrying 183 passengers from the Eastern Europe country landed Wednesday morning in the South Sinai resort for the first time since an October 2015 deadly crash of a Russian airliner over the peninsula triggered bans on travel to Sharm.

The passengers were met with roses at the airport as a gesture to celebrate the resumption of flights, Emad El-Belasi, head of the Sharm El-Sheikh airport, was quoted as saying by state news agency MENA.

El-Belasi described the lifting of Poland's travel ban on Sharm El-Sheikh as a vital step to revive the ailing industry of hospitality in Egypt.

Poles comprise one of the larger tourist groups in Egypt, according to the tourism ministry.

Egyptian tourism, a pillar of the economy and a key source of hard currency, has taken a blow since the plane crashed after taking off from Sharm El-Sheikh.

The Egyptian affiliate of the Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the October crash, saying it had smuggled a bomb on board.

A number of European airlines and governments introduced restrictions on flights to Sharm El-Sheikh over security concerns after the October 2015 Russian passenger jet crashed which killed all 224 people on board, most of whom were holidaymakers.

Last May, Germany decided to ease restrictions on air flights between its airports and the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Three soldiers were killed and ten others were wounded in Turkey's southeastern Sirnak province on Wednesday in an attack believed to have been carried out by militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), security sources said.

Militants opened fire with rockets and long-range weapons from across northern Iraq into a road near the Uludere district, hitting a military vehicle as it passed, the sources said.

The security sources had initially said five soldiers had been killed and eight wounded.

Turkey's southeast has seen the worst violence in two decades since the PKK abandoned a 2-1/2-year ceasefire last year.

The PKK, designated as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the United States, took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984 and more than 40,000 people, mainly Kurds, have died in the ensuing violence.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The head of Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) said Wednesday the country did not need foreign troops on the ground in the fight against the Islamic State group.

"We do not need foreign troops on Libyan soil," Fayez al-Sarraj said in an interview with Italy's Corriere della Sera daily.

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that American special operations troops have for the first time started directly supporting Libyan forces battling the Islamic State (IS) group in their key stronghold of Sirte.

"Our men can manage alone once they have cover from the air. I only asked for US air strikes which must be very precise and limited in time and geographical scope, always carried out in coordination with us," he said.

Pro-GNA forces have been engaged in a military operation since May 12 to retake the coastal city located 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Tripoli. Sirte has been a stronghold of the militant group since June last year.

The United States has since last Monday been carrying out air raids on IS group positions in the city at the GNA's request.

According to the Post, the US forces are operating alongside British troops, and are helping to coordinate American air strikes and providing intelligence to partner forces.

Sarraj warned IS group "will use any means possible to send its militants to Italy and Europe" and said he "would not be at all surprised to discover that its men hide out on boats" of migrants headed for the Italian coast.

Rome has authorised the US to use its bases and air space for strikes in Libya against IS group. The head of the GNA said he "may go to Russia soon", adding that his government had "good relations" with Moscow, but without providing further details on the possible trip.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Related Libya says ready to resume oil exports

Western countries including the United States, France and Britain said in a joint statement on Wednesday they were concerned by mounting tension around the Zueitina oil terminal in Libya.

Washington, Paris, London and the governments of Germany, Spain and Italy urged a return to government control of all oil and gas installations and called on all parties "to abstain from any act of hostility and avoid all actions that could damage or disrupt energy infrastructure".

Zueitina is one of three eastern oil ports blockaded by Libya's Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG). The PFG has signed a deal to reopen the ports with the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli, but forces loyal to a separate government based in eastern Libya have threatened to block a resumption of exports.

Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) said on Sunday that it was concerned by reports of "imminent conflict" in the vicinity of Zueitina between the PFG and the Libyan National Army (LNA), which is loyal to the eastern government.

In a statement released by the French foreign ministry, the six Western powers expressed their support for efforts by the GNA to "find a peaceful solution to the disruptions affecting energy exports in Libya".

"The Government of National Accord must work with the National Oil Corporation to relaunch oil production in order to rebuild Libya's economy."

Fighting, political disputes and militant attacks have reduced Libya's oil production to a fraction of the 1.6 million barrels per day the OPEC member was producing before the 2011 uprising against Muammar Gaddafi.

"Restarting oil exports is crucial for generating revenues needed to provide for the essential needs of the Libyan people, notably electricity, healthcare and infrastructure," the statement by Western countries said.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Britains supercar season is back with a shiny bang as scores of flash Arab-owned cars once again descend on the capital and fill Londons most lavish streets with wheels of colourful bling.

From a chrome Mercedes-Benz McLaren to a silver Lamborghini Aventador, the stunning vehicles are among hundreds which have been flown into the UK from the Middle East for the summer.

The car owners, many of them from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait, will happily pay a small fortune  in excess of 20,000 for a return journey  for their metal marvels to be flown around 3,000 miles, and often leave them parked up on the streets of Knightsbridge and Chelsea.



Qatar Airways is one such airline that ships the luxury cars from Doha to Heathrow. Secured to the floor of one of their Airbus A330s, the precious cargo can either be accommodated in a single row or in a side-by-side configuration.

Using their main and lower deck, the airline offers 31 positions on each flight.

The supercars can already be seen lined up outside designer shops, such as Versace and Fendi, in the upmarket neighbourhoods of south-west London. May God also take us there, lol AMEN This is what i call being RICH!

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
Denmark's figurehead monarch Queen Margrethe is postponing a planned state visit to Turkey citing the three-month state of emergency declared after last month's attempted coup.



Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen says it is "regrettable," adding there is "need for an intensive political and commercial dialogue with Turkey."



In a separate statement, the royal household said Wednesday's decision was taken "in consultation with the Turkish government."

Critics of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been slated for the broad clampdown on opponents following the July 15 failed coup, had questioned the Oct. 17-18 state visit.



Margrethe and Jensen were to be accompanied by a Danish trade delegation. The visit was planned after the former Turkish president, Abdullah Gul, visited Denmark in 2014.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Syrian government forces and their allies recaptured territory from rebels in southwestern Aleppo on Tuesday, Hezbollah's Al Manar television and pro-Damascus Al Mayadeen reported.

The advance, supported by heavy air raids, seized an area of called Telat al-Snobarat on the southwestern outskirts of Syria's largest city, according to Al Mayadeen.

It cut off a rebel route into the opposition-held east of Aleppo that insurgents had opened just days before in a surprise advance against government forces, the channels said

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary

Read more
Bomb blasts in two cities in southeast Turkey killed at least three civilians and wounded dozens on Wednesday, security sources said, blaming the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) for the coordinated attacks on police targets.

Earlier in the day, three soldiers were killed and 10 wounded when militants opened fire with rockets and long-range weapons from across the border in northern Iraq. Security sources also blamed that attack, in Sirnak province, on the PKK.

Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast has seen its worst violence in two decades since the PKK abandoned a 2-1/2-year ceasefire last year.

The three civilians were killed when roadside explosives were detonated by remote control in the town of Kiziltepe in Mardin province, near the Syrian border, in an attack targeting a bus carrying police officers, the sources said.

Thirty other 30 civilians and 10 police officers were wounded.

In the region's largest city, Diyarbakir, a car bomb wounded many police officers, a senior Turkish official said. A security source said initial indications were that seven people had been wounded.

The PKK, designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the United States, took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984 and more than 40,000 people, mainly Kurds, have died in the violence

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Clover POS systems are a great solution if you want to streamline your internal services and want to replace an old kit like cash registers, payment terminals and other equipment. Clovers point of sale solution allows you to get rid of all that and replace it with a more integrated system with state of the
Police in southwest France arrested a 21-year-old man in connection with the militant killing of a priest in a Normandy church last month, judicial sources said Wednesday.

The man arrested Monday in the Toulouse area is the second to be held in connection with the murder of 85-year-old Jacques Hamel, whose throat was slit in front of worshippers while he was celebrating mass in the town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray on July 26.

A police source said he had been in contact with the cleric's killers, Abdel Malik Petitjean and Adel Kermiche, who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.

The pair, both aged 19, were shot dead by police after a hostage drama in which a worshipper was seriously wounded.

The grisly attack -- the first committed in the name of IS group against a church in the West -- came less than two weeks after a Tunisian ploughed a 19-tonne truck into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the Riviera city of Nice, killing 85 people and wounding more than 300.

A cousin of Petitjean named as Farid K. was remanded in custody on July 31 on charges of "criminal association in connection with terrorism".

The public prosecutor said the 30-year-old "was fully aware of his cousin's imminent violent action, even if he did not know the precise place or day."

Hamel's killing, which follows a string of attacks in France over the past 18 months, has raised questions about security failures.

Kermiche, who lived near the church, wore an electronic tag and was allowed to leave home on weekday mornings under his house arrest terms.

He met Petitjean through the encrypted messaging app Telegram.

Investigators have questioned several people over the killers' links with groups recruiting for militancy in Syria.

A 20-year-old man has been charged with trying to travel to Syria with Petitjean in June.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Its been almost 20 years since he made his debut, but it turns out J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter still has that magic touch.

The new book, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, sold more than 3.3 million copies in the U.S. and Canada, publisher Scholastic announced Wednesday. More than half of those sales, 2 million books, took place in the first two days of its release.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two is markedly different from the seven books that preceded it. Its not a novel, but rather the script to a play thats currently being performed in Londons West End.

Advertisement

Its the only Harry Potter story so far that wasnt written solely by Rowling. The script was written by Jack Thorne, based on a story he wrote with Rowling and John Tiffany.

That hasnt stopped fans from snapping up copies of the book, though.

Its currently ranked No. 1 among all books on Amazons American, Canadian and British sites.

In a news release, Scholastic Trade president Ellie Berger hinted that the company had seen increased sales of the previous Harry Potter books as well.

We are delighted to see the sustained enthusiasm for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two which has also sparked more interest in the seven previously published Harry Potter books, Berger said. More than 160 million copies of the Harry Potter series have been sold in the U.S., and more than 450 million have been sold worldwide.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child takes place 19 years after the events of the seventh book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The play follows Harry as an adult with three children, and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, now a married couple.

The popularity of the play hasnt been confined to the printed version.Tickets to the original run sold out almost instantly, and a batch of 250,000 tickets for the second half of 2017 were snapped up within hours.

Producers of the five-hour play havent committed to any performances outside London, but they have hinted at the possibility of Harry and his friends coming to America.

Sonia Friedman, one of the producers, told the New York Times that theyre starting to think about the plays future. Of course, it would be disingenuous to think New York and Broadway werent part of our thinking, she said.
In the traditional view, a felony conviction is a big deal. Typically it means jail time, maybe a big fine, the loss of voting privileges, a permanent black mark on ones reputation.

But that applies to human felons. When a corporation is convicted, the consequences often are wholly imaginary. Thats why the federal criminal trial of Pacific Gas & Electric Co., which resulted in a jury verdict finding the company guilty on six counts Tuesday, feels like such a waste of time and effort.

The verdict relates to the 2010 explosion of a PG&E gas pipeline, which leveled a neighborhood in San Bruno and killed eight people. Evidence presented by prosecutors indicated that the utility deliberately misclassified the pipeline, violated safety regulations and misled federal officials about its activities. As a result of the verdict, PG&E faces a maximum fine of $3 million, which is about as much as its parent company collects in revenue every 90 minutes.

Advertisement

[Federal prosecutors are] extremely reluctant to impose any significant criminal penalty on a corporation they regard as legitimate.  White-collar crime expert William K. Black

The company obviously cant be hauled off to jail. Nor can any of its executives, because none was named as a defendant by federal prosecutors. As for the other sentencing options available to a judge in a corporate crime prosecution, theyre probably impractical in this case.

As one survey of corporate criminal prosecutions observed, corporations can be fined. They can be placed on probation. They can be ordered to pay restitution. Their property can be confiscated. They can be barred from engaging in various types of commercial activity. Federal guidelines begin with the premise that a totally corrupt corporation should be fined out of existence, if the statutory maximum permits.

But some of those costs already have been imposed by state regulators: The company has been socked with $1.6 billion in penalties by the state Public Utilities Commission, and says it has spent $2.7 billion to upgrade its natural gas system. Even the maximum criminal fine will be barely noticeable by the corporations bean counters and shareholders, especially since prosecutors voluntarily decided not to pursue a maximum potential fine of $562 million.

That decision, which came after jury deliberations began, has not been explained, although it may have something to do with the stature of Californias largest utility company. The Department of Justice is extremely reluctant to impose any significant criminal penalty on a corporation they regard as legitimate, says William K. Black, a white-collar crime expert at the University of Minnesota law school and former prosecutor of bankers in the savings and loan scandals of the 1980s and 90s.

State regulators theoretically could strip PG&E of its franchise  its right to do business in California. As we explained last year, the company might have few defenders in such a case. After all, the San Bruno disaster is only its most spectacular misdeed.

Among other milestones in its sleazy history, PG&E squandered $46 million on an unsuccessful 2010 campaign to write a regional monopoly for itself into the state Constitution, via the ballot measure Proposition 16; engaged in allegedly illegal back-channel contacts with former Public Utilities Commission President Michael Peevey and other PUC officials, compromising the commissions regulatory work; and diverted some of the $5 million in ratepayer funds earmarked in 2007 for gas infrastructure upgrades into pay raises for top executives instead. The work was never performed, and subsequently, the gas line under San Bruno blew up. Evidence that corporate management really is focused on improving its safety culture remains sketchy and unconvincing.

Certainly the company doesnt exude much more than a lip-service level of remorse or shame. In a statement issued following the verdict, it spoke as though the San Bruno explosion is now old news and ancient history. While we are very much focused on the future, we will never forget the lessons of the past, the statement said. We want our customers and their families to know that we are committed to re-earning their trust by acting with integrity and working around the clock to provide them with energy that is safe, reliable, affordable and clean.

The company pointed out that, although it had been found guilty on six counts, it was found not guilty on six others, as though the final score ended up in a tie.

The real lesson of the PG&E case is that criminal prosecution of a corporation is usually a meaningless exercise. Overwhelmingly, the evidence is that the effect of deterrence comes from holding individuals responsible, Black says.

That hasnt happened at PG&E.

Of the executives in command at PG&E at the time of the San Bruno blast, Peter Darbee, the chairman and chief executive of PG&E Corp., the utilitys parent holding company, retired a year later, with a golden handshake of some $35 million. Christopher P. Johns, who was president of Pacific Gas & Electric Co., the utility subsidiary, in 2010, retired as its vice chairman last December with a pension package of $17.8 million, according to a corporate disclosure.

Amazingly, of the 11 directors in place at the parent holding company at the time of the blast, eight still are on the board, collecting a minimum of $239,000 a year in cash and stock. The federal jury has now determined that they were overseeing a criminal enterprise through 2010 and in the aftermath of the blast; is there some reason why they should be permitted to continue as directors of a public corporation?

Even with six criminal convictions on its record, PG&E is almost certain to continue in business as if nothing has changed. Thats the consequence of trying to tie wrongdoing to a faceless corporation rather than to the human beings who make crucial decisions that lead to destruction and death.

When prosecutors take that easy way out, they just end up obfuscating the truth for the jury. Individuals somewhere in the management chain of Pacific Gas & Electric decided to shortchange the safety provisions for its aging gas infrastructure, and then to interfere with the National Transportation Safety Board investigation of the lethal explosion that followed. Whoever those people were, they havent been brought to account, and it looks like they never will be. Is obtaining a criminal conviction of a faceless corporation enough in exchange?

Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com.

Return to Michael Hiltziks blog.
Natural gas inventories for Southern California have remained flat this summer instead of rising as they usually do as utilities prepare for winter.

But with the Aliso Canyon storage facility in Los Angeles County essentially taken offline, the normal inventory cycle has been upended. The sites 114 wells are going through a series of tests in the wake of a massive leak that forced the evacuation of some 8,000 households from the nearby Porter Ranch neighborhood.

That may have major implications when winter sets in and utilities have to deal with much heavier use by residential customers.

Advertisement

A report released Tuesday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration showed inventory at about half the level of capacity for Southern California Gas Co., the primary provider of natural gas for Southern California.

Were definitely not through summer. We still have the two generally hottest months in front of us, said Bret Lane, the chief operating officer for SoCalGas, a subsidiary of San Diego-based Sempra Energy. But were focusing a lot on winter.

Under normal circumstances, storage operators inject natural gas into their facilities during the summer to build up inventories in anticipation of heating needs during the winter.

SoCalGas has total capacity of 138 billion cubic feet, with Aliso Canyons capacity accounting for up to 86 billion cubic feet.

But Alisos wells are undergoing inspections after the leak that spewed the equivalent of 84,200 metric tons of methane from late October to February, and its inventory levels have been limited to 15 billion cubic feet.

Other SoCalGas storage fields have supplied natural gas inventory of about 46 billion cubic feet, but they have nearly reached their maximum combined capacity of 49 billion cubic feet.

The upshot is that the inventory for SoCalGas has remained flat, at about 61 billion cubic feet. Thats well below half of the utilitys total working storage capacity for natural gas.

Without Aliso Canyon, the ability of SoCalGas to meet demand this winter may be reduced, increasing the risk of curtailments  in particular for what are called non-core customers, such as manufacturers, hospitals, refineries and other large users.

What the EIA report is corroborating is what the insiders already know, which is weve got a problem this winter, said Dave Hackett, president of Stillwater Associates, an Irvine-based energy consulting company.

Inventory can be boosted by natural gas injections at Aliso Canyon, but the wells first have to get tested and approved by the California Public Utilities Commission and the Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources.

On Thursday, Dennis Arriola, chief executive of SoCalGas, said probably sometime in September well be ready to start injections into somewhere between 20 and 25 of Alisos 114 wells, provided they get approved.

If we could get another 20 or 30 billion in the ground to give us some flexibility  obviously the more, the better, Lane said Tuesday.

SoCalGas has been supplying information to a task force composed of officials at the PUC, California Independent System Operator, the California Energy Commission and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to help ensure system reliability this winter.

Aliso Canyon has the largest daily deliverability  the amount of gas that can be withdrawn from a storage facility each day  of all the storage facilities west of the Rockies, estimated at 1.9 billion cubic feet per day. Its limited operations during the well-testing period has strained the areas energy system.

No blackouts have been reported this summer but Cal-ISO, the agency that oversees the power grid for much of the state, issued a statewide flex alert urging conservation in June because of a heat wave in Southern California. Another flex alert was issued in late July, but Lane said that was mainly due to hot weather in Northern California.

But the pressure on the system can be even greater during winter, when peak demand for natural gas is highest.

For us, this just highlights once again the importance of [Aliso Canyon], Lane said. It plays a critical, pivotal role for us. Its like a shock absorber when we have sudden loads that hit us.

rob.nikolewski@sduniontribune.com

ALSO

PG&E is found guilty of obstructing investigators after deadly 2010 pipeline blast

SolarCity reports $250 million quarterly loss, projects sales growth

Olympic ratings fall short of expectations for NBCs TV advertisers
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick, who returned to the field earlier this month after missing the entire 2015 season, is again fielding offers on his home in Woodland Hills.

The contemporary-style house, built in 1965 and recently renovated, is listed for sale at $1.795 million, down from as much as $2.149 million a year ago. Scandrick bought the house in 2014 for $1.755 million, records show.

Sitting on about half an acre of grounds, the roughly 5,100-square-foot split-level has a clean look with glass accent panels, vaulted ceilings and dark wood floors. Rows of clerestory windows and walls of windows create volume while inviting natural light.

Advertisement

Among features of note is a chefs kitchen with light wood cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and a wide center island. A separate den/media room has built-in bookshelves and wine pantry.

The master suite, with his and hers vanities and a walk-in closet, has a ladder leading up to a lofted area. There are five bedrooms and four bathrooms in all.

Outdoors, a fenced patio surrounds a swimming pool with a circular spa. Elsewhere, a pathway leads down the edge of the property to a small courtyard with a river-rock pond and waterfall feature.

Justin Paul Huchel of Hilton & Hyland, an affiliate of Christies International Real Estate, holds the listing.

Scandrick, 29, returned to the practice fields in Oxnard earlier this month, nearly a year removed from tearing both the ACL and MCL ligaments in his right knee. The veteran defensive back previously started 29 games for the Cowboys from 2013 to 2014.

neal.leitereg@latimes.com

Twitter: @NJLeitereg

MORE FROM HOT PROPERTY

Comedian Russell Peters seeks $3 million for stylish home in Studio City

Former Trojan Taylor Mays is ready to part with his Runyon Canyon home

The high price of living next door to Donald Trump in L.A.: $30 million
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Cornerstone Theater Company. Judging by Ghost Town, which premiered at Oakwood Recreation Center in Venice over the weekend, the trailblazing troupe remains at the vanguard of community-based theatrical exploration.

Created in collaboration with community members and Cornerstones Institute Summer Residency, Ghost Town follows the time-tested approach of learning about a locale from within. Professional artists and residents were brought together to fashion an original work drawn from the areas topography, history and issues.



For the record: An earlier version of this article misspelled Angela Angel Collins first name as Angele.

That is certainly the case with Ghost Town, equal parts San Francisco Mime Troupe, Chautauqua Circuit tent show, chamber of commerce symposium and Mister Rogers Neighborhood.

Advertisement

SIGN UP for the free Essential Arts & Culture newsletter 

Playwright Juliette Carrillos sparely effective scenario concerned longtime Venetian Zelda (Bahni Turpin, vivid as ever) and her beloved Bungalow (represented by Shishir Kurup, who composed the serviceable tunes). After seemingly benign house hunter Vivian (Page Leong, having a field day) offered big bucks for Bungalow, ambivalent Zelda experienced three Christmas Carol-esque dreams of Venice past, present and future.

Aided by spot-on designers, director Rebecca Novick showed a clear-eyed grasp of company ethos. Her huge, diverse cast pulled historical facts, hard present-day truths and a proactive vision toward a climactic faceoff between development-welcoming hipsters and tradition-supporting hippies.

It was a jam-packed hour and 20 minutes that incorporated both the homeless and high-concept bistros. At Saturday nights post-show talk-back, when the audience was asked what Venice locals found missing, one person replied, Where were the politicians? to general assent. Yet the engaging merger of art and artlessness, goofy spontaneity and acute purpose was its own reward.

Company stalwarts Turpin and Leong warranted their own series. Kurup and fellow domiciles Craftsman (Raphael Spud Anderson), Box Modern (Sarah Gaboury) and Low Income 1 and 2 (Angela Angel Collins and Javi Contreras, respectively) turned designer Lynn Jeffries witty headgear into incisive demographic statements.

And so went the roster: Dov Rudnick as Venice founder Abbot Kinney, Shane Norman and Jason Simms as his allies, Preston Newman OConnell as cosmic Gondolier, and Ernestine Anderson and Jolie Nichole Brazile as older and younger versions of a venerable civic activist.

Ghost Town, staged for just one weekend, seemed a comprehensive example of what makes Cornerstone a cultural resource and treasure.

Follow The Times arts team @culturemonster.

ALSO

Steve Martins wild and crazy  and thoroughly implausible  ride

Seduced by Ayad Akhtars Junk, the new play that picks apart the Wall Street playbook

Why the Rio Olympics opening ceremony mattered
The last 18 months have seen a bonanza of museum openings around the U.S. There was the behemoth expansion of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in the spring. The Whitney Museums move to downtown Manhattan in 2015. And the new Broad, in Los Angeles, last fall.

But the biggest of them all is the Smithsonians National Museum of African American History & Culture, which opens in Washington, D.C., late next month.

For the record: An earlier version of this article stated that Smithgroup is a Washington architecture and engineering firm. It is a national firm with headquarters in Detroit

Designed by David Adjaye, the British Ghanian architect who also designed the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver and is currently at work on a new structure for the Studio Museum in Harlem in New York City, the 400,000-square-foot exhibition hall, covering the breadth of African American history and culture, occupies a prominent corner on the National Mall.

Advertisement

The building is a stark  and welcome  departure from the neoclassicism for which D.C.s architecture is known. And while it is not yet complete (scaffolding still covers the buildings broad entrance), the museum nonetheless cuts a daring profile on the Mall, where its stacked trapezoidal forms appear to erupt from a grassy plain between the obelisk of the Washington Monument and the columnar facades of the Herbert Hoover Commerce Department Building. (The museum literally emerges from underground: Roughly 60% of the buildings 400,000 square feet is below grade.)

Adjayes museum faces the neoclassical Herbert Hoover Department of Commerce Building, which was completed in 1932. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times )

During a trip to D.C. this last weekend, I was able to take in the exteriors of Adjayes design  which he has executed in collaboration with the Freelon Group, a design office based in North Carolina, as well as Davis Brody Bond, of New York and D.C. The architecture and engineering firm Smithgroup is also involved.

If the insides are as good the outside, there is reason to be excited about this unusual building.

The museum is veiled in a bronze-colored cast-aluminum lattice (evocative of iron work once done by enslaved craftsmen) that looks moody in cloudy weather and shimmers in sunlight. Its a building whose demeanor is constantly shifting.

Its not a story of a people that were taken down, but actually a people that overcame and transformed an entire superpower into what it is today.  David Adjaye, architect

The structure is solemn, respectful of the difficult history it must commemorate. (The National Mall itself once contained so-called slave pens, where individuals were held prior to auction.) But its triumphant silhouette also nods to African American achievement in areas of politics, society and culture. Among the 34,000 objects in the permanent collection wil be personal items belonging to abolitionist Harriet Tubman, a Jim Crow-era railroad car and the Parliament Funkadelic mothership. Groovy.

Sign up for our free Essential Arts & Culture newsletter 

As Adjaye told Smithsonian Magazine in 2012, Its not a story of a people that were taken down, but actually a people that overcame and transformed an entire superpower into what it is today.

I was unable to see the NMAAHCs subterranean insides, but I did get to visit another Adjaye project in D.C.: One of two public libraries the architect completed in 2012.

David Adjayes Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library, in Washingtons Southeast district, from 2012. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times )

The Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library in the citys Southeast district has been popping up in magazines and design blogs since it first opened four years ago  for good reason.

It is exceedingly photogenic, featuring a sleek glass skin and a checkered architectural motif, constructed out of economical plywood, that echoes  on a large scale -- the repeating patterns of terra-cotta screen blocks or concrete screens (of the sort employed in all kinds of architecture, from the Indo-Islamic to the Modernist American Cement Building in Los Angeles).

At Adjayes library, the dramatic wooden screen is made from inexpensive plywood. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times )

The building, blessedly, lives up to all the photography.

The wooden trellis design breaks up sunlight for a dappled effect that is quite cinematic. But it also maintains a sense of openness to the outdoors, which includes a leafy park to the librarys rear. And at 2,500 square feet, the building is intimate, an inspiring place to study, read or play educational video games (which is what a group of kids were doing when I popped in on a Sunday afternoon).

A child catches up with her reading in the window boxes created by Adjayes geometric screen. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times )

Descending from the second floor to the first  the geometric plywood screen bathes the interiors in dappled light. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times )

The ground floor, geared to adults, features high ceilings, rows of stacks, a quiet study area and a computer lab. The second story, built on a smaller scale, harbors the childrens library, which features a storytelling area and other gathering spots. All of it came together for the modest price tag of $13 million.

The library is nowhere near in scale to the $540-million museum Adjaye has in the works on the National Mall. But its plays on light and dark, and its generally thoughtful design  Washington Post critic Philip Kennicott describes it as a good place to sit and reflect and read  certainly have me looking forward to the museums imminent opening.

The second story, built at a smaller scale for kids, features this colorful storytelling area (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times )

The library offers a mix of public gathering areas and quiet study nooks  along with plenty of space in which to simply sit and read. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times )

At the rear of the library, a wondrous trick: The building, right, reflects the wooded slope to the left, making visitors feel as if they are on an elevated walkway amid forest canopy. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles times )

For more on the National Museum of African American History & Culture, see the Washington Posts photographic preview of the new building, plus Citylabs roundup of the most interesting details related to the new facility and its collections. Also, Kriston Capps has a pretty terrific story in the Atlantic about how the museum is rebuilding a former slaves cabin inside its galleries.

+++

National Museum of African American History & Culture

Where: National Mall, Washington, D.C.

When: Opens to the public on Sept. 24

Info: nmaahc.si.edu

Find me on Twitter @cmonstah.

ALSO

Lonnie Bunch reflects on journey to national African American museum

Why the Rio Olympics opening ceremony matters

What Dominique Moodys tiny Nomad house says about the environment and African American design

Tom Hanks lends a hand to Eisenhower Memorial in Washington
Danish police arrested a 22-year-old Iranian asylum seeker on Wednesday after he threatened to blow himself up on the roof of the building where he was staying.

The police said in a statement the man had wanted to commit suicide over "a broken heart", signalling it was over a private romantic affair, not intended as a political gesture.

A police negotiator persuaded the man to give up his plan, the statement said.

Police declined to comment further on the incident and would not say whether the man had carried explosives.

The incident occurred on the Danish island of Funen.

Denmark, like many other European countries, has seen a big increase in the number of people seeking asylum, many of them fleeing conflicts or poverty in the Middle East and beyond

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Like millions of Americans, Jeanne McCarthy vividly remembers the players who galvanized a nation when O.J. Simpson was tried 21 years ago in connection with the killing of his ex-wife and her friend. Unlike millions of Americans, McCarthy, a casting director for The People v. O.J. Simpson, had to find actors to re-create those real-life personalities.

Casting this show was challenging because youre talking about incredibly well-known, iconic characters who are kind of burned into the publics brain, says McCarthy. The trick was to figure out which actor could get close to the essence of each character.

Emmy nominated for O.J. with colleagues Nicole Abellera Hallman, Courtney Bright and Nicole Daniels, McCarthy began her nine-month immersion into doppelganger casting at the behest of series creators Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. Shed worked with the writing duo on their fact-based Margaret Keane biopic Big Eyes, but nothing prepared her for the sheer scale of their 10-episode television project.

Advertisement

 Sterling K. Brown talks about playing Christopher Darden in The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.

When she and Abellera Hallman read the scripts for the first two episodes and the writers bible outlining the entire series, McCarthy says, even though Id lived through the trial in real life, the story unfolded on the page in an even more compelling way. We knew this would be a bear of a project, but we had to do it.

O.J. casting accelerated into full gear once TV auteur Ryan Murphy joined the project as director and executive producer. It was Ryans idea to cast John Travolta, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Sarah Paulson to play Robert Shapiro, O.J. Simpson and Marcia Clark, McCarthy says. Co-creator/writer Alexander also weighed in with his suggestion that former Friends star David Schwimmer go dark to portray Simpsons best friend, Robert Kardashian. When Nicole and I went back to watch the footage, it seemed to me like Kardashian looked increasingly sad and uneasy as the trial went on, McCarthy says. We thought David could really evoke that.

For the pivotal role of Simpsons famously flamboyant lead attorney Johnnie Cochran, McCarthy championed Courtney B. Vance from the get-go, citing his live-theater prowess. Courtney did Fences on Broadway with James Earl Jones! she says. Just from having seen him on stage, I knew Courtney had technique and this really impressive ability to morph from character to character.

The casting directors pictured Sterling K. Brown as Cochrans nemesis, prosecuting attorney Christopher Darden. Abellera Hallman notes that this was a story not just about the trial, but for Chris Darden, it was also about his personal life and his family.

McCarthy, who earlier cast Brown as Paul Rudds parole officer in the movie comedy Our Idiot Brother, adds, Sterling was the first person we saw. He has a huge amount of heart and the kind of presence that I remember Chris Darden having during the trial. To me, Chris wasnt a showboat at all. He had emotional investment because he really believed Simpson murdered two innocent people.

Additional to the O.J. casting choices that ultimately led to six Emmy nominations in lead and supporting acting categories, more than two dozen other real people needed to be represented on screen. We had pictures of everybody up in the office to help us figure who would match, internally and externally, McCarthy says. It jars your thought process when youre trying to think of actors and suddenly you go, Oh my God, Rob Morrow would be an amazing Barry Scheck!

When Morrow showed up at McCarthys offices to offer his take on Simpsons DNA specialist, she says, we didnt have to fool around. Rob just nailed it.

The casting directors put together lengthy lists of candidates for some TV-famous characters, including Alan Dershowitz, the brilliant Harvard law professor known for his shock of frizzy hair. When you watch the tapes, Alan Dershowitz is so specific in the way he speaks that we werent sure who should play him, McCarthy says. Their uncertainty vanished the minute actor Evan Handler discarded his signature shaved-head look and auditioned in a wig. McCarthy recalls, It was pretty unexpected because Evan doesnt necessarily look like Alan Dershowitz, but when he put on that wig it was astonishing. McCarthy sent Handlers audition tape to the producers, who responded with the words casting directors everywhere long to hear: They said, Yep, thats our guy.

calendar@latimes.com
The heirs of a co-writer on Marvin Gayes seductive soul smash Lets Get It On have sued Ed Sheeran, saying he lifted fundamental elements of the Motown artists composition.

The family of Ed Townsend said that Sheerans hit Thinking Out Loud borrowed substantial core elements from Gayes hit. The Townsend family is seeking compensation for damages and a jury trial.

The melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic compositions of Thinking are substantially and/or strikingly similar to the drum composition of Lets,  the suit said. The Defendants copied the heart of Lets and repeated it continuously throughout Thinking. 

Advertisement

Thinking co-writer Amy Wadge, producer Jake Gosling, Sony/ATV Music Publishing and others are named in the suit.

Its not the first time Sheeran has been sued this year under similar circumstances. Songwriters Martin Harrington and Thomas Leonard sued Sheeran for $20 million, saying his hit song Photograph lifted major elements from their own composition Amazing, released in 2012 by X Factor contestant Matt Cardle.

The suit also has echoes of the March ruling in which the estate of Marvin Gaye successfully sued Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams over their smash Blurred Lines, alleging it borrowed from Gayes Got to Give It Up. Gayes heirs were awarded $7.4 million in the case.

Representatives for Sheeran did not immediately return a request for comment.

For breaking music news, follow @augustbrown on Twitter.

ALSO:

Ed Sheerans Photograph targeted in $20M lawsuit

Sound familiar? Stairway to Heaven, Taurus and other sound-alike songs

How the Blurred Lines case could have a chilling effect on creativity
From American Idol to Empire, televisions decades-long love affair with popular music seemed unshakable.

But this year, viewers and critics devotion was challenged with Vinyl and Roadies -- two major-budget, musical drama series by noted film directors that hit more bum chords than high notes.

Now Netflix is mining the burned-out tenements of 1970s Bronx for inspiration in The Get Down. Created by Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge, Great Gatsby) and Stephen Adly Guirgis, the 12-episode series follows a group of teens in 1977 as they come of age during hip-hops birth in New Yorks blighted outer boroughs.

Advertisement

A feeling of discovery permeates The Get Down, and its perhaps because Luhrmann picked a subject that hasnt yet been mined to death by film and TV. Rock biopics have told the story of everyone from Jerry Lee Lewis to Joy Division, but hip-hop has been less explored. Its a younger genre, therefore its beginnings have only just started to become the thing that we miss.

The series, which premieres Friday, comes on the heels of HBOs widely panned Vinyl. Co-created by Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger, it was a record moguls wide-lapelled stroll through the dawn of punk rock in 1970s New York. Vinyl cost a reported $100 million to make, and was canceled after one season.

Cameron Crowes Roadies on Showtime was also recently released to little fanfare. Its a starry-eyed look at the men and women behind the scenes who make the rock concert magic happen. Though set in the present, the backstage culture of Roadies curiously resembles that of Crowes film Almost Famous, a movie also based in the boomer-beloved rock scene of the 1970s.

Both shows were scorned by critics and social media alike for relying on old cliches -- groupies, drugs, mirrored sunglasses  rather than original story lines or complex characters. Plus no one really wanted to hear, Its all about the music, man!, one more time, and both of the shows couldnt stop saying it.

The assumption that there would be a demand for such shows, however, is understandable. Rock itself has been in an uninspired rut for some time as pop and EDM have replaced guitar, bass and drums as the music of choice for millennials, an both series tried to rekindle the fire. Rock was popular musics apex, they seemed to insist, so why move on?

Which brings us to hip-hop.

The Get Down has plenty of problems: pacing, messy story lines and stiff acting by new faces. But when it comes to capturing the spirit and essence of a critical era in musics evolution, it works where Vinyl and Roadies did not.

The success of films about rap history like Straight Outta Compton and shows on the industry like Empire signal a shift. FXs Atlanta, a series about two cousins climb to the top of that citys rap scene, premieres in September and Star, a musical drama featuring an all-girl R&B group, was picked up earlier this year by Fox.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour >> 

The Get Down cost a reported $120 million to make, and one has to wonder how much of that budget went to music licensing. As he did with Moulin Rouge and Gatsby, Luhrmann makes the soundtrack a crucial part of each episode. Hits by Earth, Wind & Fire and Donna Summer permeate the hot summer Bronx air, while songs such as Superfly and Turn the Beat Around inspire impromptu dance numbers by gangsters in clubs and girls at the hair salon.

The brilliance here is that many of the disco and soul songs played throughout The Get Down are tracks that were sampled over and over again by hip-hops pioneering DJs. They were cornerstones of early rap until sampling gave way to the production of original beats. Luhrmann does his own mixing and sampling here, splicing obscure funk and soul with AM disco hits and modern-day material.

Respected rap veteran Nas wrote songs and lyrics specifically for The Get Down (hes listed as an executive producer) and the shows lead character Zeke (played by Justice Smith) possesses a rap style and back story similar to that of Nas. Zekes lyrics are about the streets around him, his broken family life, his place in society.

Such stories have not been the mainstay of music dramas or biopics in the white-dominated industry of television, and creators have traditionally turned to genres they knew best  rock and pop.

Luhrmann is renowned for his varied music tastes, but as a white man growing up in Australia, he wasnt weaned on the music of pioneering acts like DJ Kool Herc or Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5.

So to get it right, Luhrmann sought the help of hip-hop historian Nelson George on The Get Down. George is to Luhrmanns series what Jagger was to Vinyl  an expert on the genres history. He helped provide context, nuance and detail beyond the old-school trimmings of Puma sneakers and big gold chains.

The Get Down is also willing to toy with the mythology of early hip-hop in ways that the recent failed rock dramas did not. Luhrmann paints Grandmaster Flash as an almost supernatural being, a Zen master in the eyes of his fans who cites Bruce Lee as a higher inspiration.

In one key scene, Flash (Mamoudou Athie) shows Zeke and his crew the new art of spinning two records at a time to produce one new groove. Manning two turntables, he shows his proteges how to pick and choose the beats they like. In essence, turning old, tired material into something exciting and new.

Find the beat you like best and forget the rest. Its history, he advises.

ALSO

Baz Luhrmann shows hip-hops origin in Netflixs The Get Down. Beats werent the only challenges

Nas and Grandmaster Flash give the lowdown on the music of The Get Down
Fans of Donald Glover know that hes much more than lovable nerd Troy Barnes from Community. He moved beyond the NBC/Yahoo Screen community college sitcom with his sharp-edged stand-up gigs and hip-hop-flavored music career, where he performs under the name Childish Gambino.

Still, his darkly comic new TV project is likely to surprise some. As executive producer/writer/director/executive music producer and star, Glover is the driving creative force behind FXs Atlanta, premiering Sept. 6.

The series is set in his old stamping grounds and details the comedy and drama surrounding two cousins navigating the music scene in Atlanta in an effort to improve their lives and the lives of their families. Viewers may find situations humorous even though they are serious.

Advertisement

The thesis with the show was kind of to show people how it felt to be black, and you cant really write that down. You kind of have to feel it. So the tonal aspect was really important to me, Glover said during a session promoting the show at the Television Critics Assn. press tour Tuesday.

When one reporter commented on the abstract feel of the series, Glover said, There really isnt a limit, I feel like, to how abstract you can get as long as you believe it. There has to be some sort of grounded nature to something so people dont start [saying], I dont believe this, and then they turn the channel. If you have something that is grounded on some level, you can go anywhere.

He is aware that viewers who know him primarily from Community may not quite get the shows vibe, while others will say, Hey, thats good, actually, he said.

Costar Brian Tyree Henry said that Altanta will illustrate the citys differing cultures. Its a different world. Whats absurdity for one person may be reality for another.

Glover also discussed why he didnt participate in the Community series finale on Yahoo Screen last year.

I just like endings, said Glover, who maintained he had a lot of fun on the critically-beloved show. I think everything should have death clauses in them. Like, humans have death clauses Im glad things end because it forces things to progress.

greg.braxton@latimes.com

Twitter:@GeBraxton
Baz Luhrmann has never been one to worry too much about the historical accuracy of the music in his films; think Jay Z in Roaring Twenties Manhattan (The Great Gatsby) or Elton John in turn-of-the-century Paris (Moulin Rouge).

But when it came to The Get Down, his hip-hop origin story premiering Friday on Netflix, the Australian director was less inclined to take liberties. Instead, he turned to Grandmaster Flash and Nas, two pioneering artists from different eras in rap, to lend the production authenticity.

Advertisement

The drama, opening in the South Bronx in 1977, depicts an era before hip-hop had a name, when young people were beginning to experiment with disco, funk and soul records.

Its a billion-dollar industry right now. We were a crew of people that had so little but did so much, said Grandmaster Flash, who was both an eyewitness to and critical player in the art forms creation. Likening rap music to a cake that, by the 80s was being enjoyed by millions, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer said The Get Down is a celebration of the bakers who made it from scratch.

Luhrmann initially asked Flash, the innovative early DJ who recorded the 1982 hit The Message with the Furious Five, to help fill in the gaps in his research. Luhrmann, an outsider to the world he was depicting, was an amazing listener, Flash said via telephone. Hes a perfectionist. He would ask me millions and millions of questions over and over again.

Flashs involvement with the project steadily grew. As a consulting producer, he weighed in on the music, timeline, wardrobe, locations and production design. Such input was especially important, he said, because early hip-hop was ephemeral and rarely recorded, and few early artists had disposable income to spend on cameras or other forms of documentation.

He also helped train cast members in the hip-hop arts (rhyming, spinning, dancing, graffiti) for several months in a massive rehearsal space in Queens. While the particulars of scratching might be lost on the average viewer, it was imperative to get the DJ scenes just right because, as Flash put it, Putting your fingertips on the records is the pillar that hip-hop sits on.

For Justice Smith, the 21-year-old actor who plays the shows brooding protagonist Ezekiel, a.k.a. Books, having expert guidance was crucial. It is this very peacocking art form, and I am not a rapper in any sense of the word, he said.

Luhrmanns goal was never to make a documentary, but to capture the spirit of the era, and he takes some considerable creative license in The Get Down. For instance, he eventually wrote Grandmaster Flash into the series  as not just as an influential DJ and hip-hop trailblazer, but as a kind of spiritual leader. (In a flourish inspired by the kung fu boom of the 70s, he refers to Ezekiel and his friends as grasshoppers.)

Mamoudou Athie, a graduate of Yale School of Drama and a dead ringer for his real-life counterpart, was cast in the role. With a mischievous snicker, Grandmaster Flash recalled their first meeting: I look at him and I ask him, Whos your mother? 

Luhrmann also relied heavily on Nas, a rapper, producer and entrepreneur who emerged during what might be called hip-hops fully baked stage in the 1990s.

Nas wrote original songs for the series, including the music performed by Books as a teenager in the 70s, and later as a (rather Nas-like) 90s hip-hop star played by Hamiltons Daveed Diggs. Nas describes the series as a great history piece.

A show like this polishes off the dust from a treasure. This is a time period that basically birthed this hip-hop moment that were in now, he said.

For Smith, who traces his first rap memories to Afromans 2000 hit Because I Got High, the series has been eye-opening.

I just hope that a lot of young kids who admire hip-hop can witness it being done for the love of it, he said. In this time period, they did not see any professional rappers. They were just trying to promote fun, unity and peace.

The Get Down

Where: Netflix

When: Anytime, starting Friday

Rating: TV-MA (may be unsuitable for children under the age of 17)
Bespectacled and slightly balding, Washington academic Henri J. Barkey hardly appears the type to mastermind political revolt and foreign intrigue.

But as Turkeys government seeks to cast blame for a recent failed military coup, Barkey  and the prominent Washington think tank where he works  have come into Ankaras cross-hairs.



For the record: An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to Turkey as the lone Muslim country in the NATO military alliance. Albania, which also is predominantly Muslim, joined NATO in 2009.

Now I plotted the coup, Barkey, director of the Middle East program at the nonpartisan Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, said sarcastically Tuesday.

Advertisement

Barkey, who was born in Turkey, was attending a long-planned academic conference on an island off Istanbul on July 15 when Turkish army, navy and air force units sought to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The failed putsch left about 250 people dead, hundreds injured and widespread allegations that a Turkish cleric living in rural Pennsylvania, the White House, the CIA  and now a widely respected U.S. think tank  secretly orchestrated the attempted overthrow of a key American ally.

In recent days, pro-government newspapers in Turkey have splashed Barkeys supposed CIA connections across their front pages  he worked on the State Departments policy planning staff from 1998 to 2000  all but accusing him of James Bond-like subterfuge.

The accusations have become more and more salacious, more and more outrageous, said Barkey, who is a keen and oft-quoted critic of his native lands politics.

The Wilson Center, which was established by Congress in 1968 as part of the Smithsonian Institution, has denied any involvement, and no proof has emerged suggesting otherwise. In a statement, the center expressed concern about possible reprisals against the researchers and scholars who attended the conference.

Not all that long ago, Turkey was an example of the possibility of democracy in the Middle East, Barkeys colleague Haleh Esfandiari wrote Tuesday on the centers website. But it has started down the slippery slope of its neighbors. Internal disorders are blamed on CIA machinations. Academic activity is being criminalized.

For its part, the Obama administration roundly condemned the attempted military overthrow of one of the two Muslim members of NATO. It also has criticized the Erdogan governments harsh crackdown since mid-July, sparking anger in Ankara.

More than 50,000 people, from generals to schoolteachers and journalists, have been arrested or fired for supposed complicity with the effort to overthrow an increasingly authoritarian government.

Erdogan has accused Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania, of fomenting the attempted coup. Turkish officials have publicly demanded Gulens extradition, but U.S. officials have given no sign of approving the request.

As anti-American fever has surged, U.S.-Turkish ties have increasingly frayed  a worrisome development for the Obama administration, which uses the Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey to launch airstrikes against Islamic State positions in neighboring Syria and Iraq.

In what appeared a snub of the White House, Erdogan flew to Russia and met Tuesday with President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, an effort to thaw relations with the longtime rival.

It was Erdogans first trip abroad since the coup attempt, and he peppered his remarks at a joint news conference with references to his dear friend Vladimir.

The two leaders pledged to mend a diplomatic rift that opened when Turkey shot down a Russian fighter plane last November on the Syrian border, an incident for which Erdogan had already apologized.

Russia and Turkey will continue our contacts at every level, and intensify them, Erdogan said, alluding to joint natural gas and nuclear power projects.

Turkeys effort to cozy up to Russia is alarming to European allies in NATO, especially given Putins aggressive actions in Ukraine and the upper hand he has taken in Syria against U.S. interests.

Turkeys relations with Europe have been fraught for a decade as its once-bright hopes to join the European Union faded away. And as Erdogans rule grew more authoritarian, European leaders and human rights groups have intensified criticism of the erosion of press freedoms and other liberties.

But last years migrant crisis  when more than a million asylum seekers headed to Europe  made clear that Erdogan remained a much-needed if vexing ally. Turkey agreed to stem the flow of humanity across part of the Aegean Sea, and to accept migrants turned back by Greece, in exchange for some powerful incentives.

That pact, together with raising physical barriers on the western Balkan route that hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees had used, has dramatically slowed the rate of arrivals to Europe this year, easing political pressure on leaders like Germanys Angela Merkel.

Under the migration agreement, European leaders offered visa-free travel for Turks to Europes so-called Schengen zone, but missed a June target for putting that provision into effect. Turkeys long-stalled EU accession talks were to have been expedited, and Europe also promised a significant infusion of cash to ease the burden of caring for refugees.

Last months attempted coup put sharp new stresses on the shaky accord. Erdogan has repeatedly accused European leaders  as he has Washington  of failing to provide wholehearted support as he seeks to purge his supposed enemies.

Erdogan doubled down on his crackdown by threatening to reinstate Turkeys death penalty. That is anathema to most European leaders and is an automatic bar to EU membership.

At a rally in Istanbul on Sunday, the Turkish leader told a vast and wildly cheering crowd that if reimposing capital punishment was the will of the people, he would abide by it.

NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >>

Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the nation, he told the flag-waving throng. Since you are demanding the death penalty  after our parliament takes such a decision  I hereby express that I will approve it.

The Turkish leader also stepped up threats to abrogate the migration deal and to refuse turned-back asylum seekers.

In an interview Monday in the French newspaper Le Monde, he accused Europe of not behaving in a sincere manner with Turkey, citing the failure to implement the visa waiver on June 1.

If our demands are not satisfied, then the readmissions [of rejected migrants] will no longer be possible, he said.

Despite the tensions, some analysts contend the migration accord will survive  if only because Turkeys economic woes have left Erdogan vulnerable to pressure.

Fundamentally he cannot afford a really big fallout with the EU, said Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, a senior scholar at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a nonpartisan research institute in Washington. The economic relationship is too important at this point.

Tracy.Wilkinson@latimes.com

Laura.King@latimes.com

ALSO

The worlds newest nation is on the brink of a new civil war

Breakaway Taliban faction claims responsibility for suicide bombing at Pakistan hospital

Philippine lawmaker wants to ban Trump from the country
Donald Trump roiled his tumultuous campaign once again Tuesday by suggesting supporters of gun rights could take action to stop Hillary Clinton from appointing judges as president, a remark that critics said hinted at the possibility of violence.

Trump often makes comments that can be interpreted with both benign and malignant connotations. Ambiguous statements that can be read as incitements or appeals to prejudice have been a core part of his rhetoric.

His remarks Tuesday at a campaign event in Wilmington, N.C., appeared an extreme example, although his campaign rushed out a statement blaming the media for suggesting he had urged attacks on his Democratic rival or on federal judges.

Advertisement

Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the 2nd Amendment, Trump said, referring to the constitutional protection of the right to bear arms. If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the 2nd Amendment people  maybe there is, I dont know.

As criticism of the remark surged, advisors to the Republican presidential nominee said that he had only urged gun-rights supporters to unite behind his campaign.

This is a strong, powerful movement  the 2nd Amendment, Trump told Fox News.

Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, who introduced Trump at a campaign rally later Tuesday in Fayetteville, N.C., said suggestions that the candidate had been encouraging violence were corrupt efforts by Clinton and her supporters to hurt Trumps image.

It proves that most of the press is in the tank for Hillary Clinton, Giuliani said. They will buy any lie, any distortion, any spin that the Clintons put out.

Even for an unconventional candidate who takes pride in breaching political protocol, Trumps comment marked an extraordinary turn. The fact that it could be interpreted as condoning violence against a presidential nominee broke a strict taboo in American politics.

Notably, no prominent elected Republicans stepped forward to defend him.

It sounds like just a joke gone bad, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, who has had a tense relationship with Trump, told reporters after he won his GOP primary in Wisconsin. I hope he clears it up very quickly. You should never joke about something like that.

The controversy came at a difficult time for Trump. His support has plummeted in recent polls among key voter groups, easing the way for defections by senior Republicans.

In an effort to stem the damage, Trump gave an economic policy speech Monday in Detroit that aides hoped would reboot his presidential campaign after more than a week of self-inflicted troubles.

But he ran into fresh resistance when 50 former top Republican national security officials released a letter vowing not to vote for Trump, arguing that his lack of self-control and erratic temperament would endanger the nation if he were commander in chief.

Susan Collins of Maine became the fifth GOP senator to publicly withhold support from Trump, writing a lengthy opinion column that denounced his intemperate language as a complete disregard for human decency.

Whatever his intentions, Trumps remarks on the 2nd Amendment seemed to reinforce that image. They eclipsed whatever positive attention his campaign gained from his economic proposals.

For nervous Republicans, they served as a reminder of how Trump struggles to keep the focus on his criticisms of Clinton rather than on his own temperament.

Democrats seized on the remark to reinforce a key theme of Clintons campaign  that Trump is dangerously unstable and cannot be trusted with the presidency.

A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way, Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said in a statement.

Other Democrats were more pointed.

Dont treat this as a political misstep, Sen. Christopher S. Murphy of Connecticut, who has called for stiffer gun laws, wrote on Twitter. Its an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy & crisis.

Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, herself a victim of gun violence, warned that Trumps words may provide inspiration or permission for those bent on bloodshed.

Democratic Senate candidates rushed out statements demanding that their opponents withdraw support for Trump.

Some Republicans also criticized the GOP nominee.

Michael Steel, who was a top advisor to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and former House Speaker John Boehner, said a president should never condone violence, apart from military protection of the United States.

The constant violent, brutish talk from Donald Trump, Steel said, is unworthy of the office he seeks.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Secret Service said the agency was aware of Trumps remark, but declined to comment further.

Political violence has long been an undercurrent of Trumps campaign. During the primaries, he openly endorsed retaliation against protesters who disrupted his rallies, many of whom accused him of racism.

At one Las Vegas rally, Trump pined for the old days when protesters would be carried out on a stretcher. At another, when a heckler was ejected, Trump told the crowd, Id like to punch him in the face.

In Iowa, Trump urged an audience to knock the crap out of anyone who might toss a tomato at him. He offered to pay the legal fees of a man arrested for slugging a protester in the face at a March rally in Fayetteville. Trump praised another supporter who punched a demonstrator at a rally in Tucson.

In Chicago, a near-riot broke out as protesters and Trump supporters took swings at one another at a rally that Trump was forced to cancel. In California, violence erupted outside Trump rallies in Costa Mesa, Burlingame and San Jose.

At the GOP convention last month in Cleveland, New Hampshire state Rep. Al Baldasaro, a Trump advisor on veterans issues, said Clinton should be put in the firing line and shot for treason, prompting a Secret Service investigation, according to ABC News. Trump called out to Baldasaro at a rally last weekend in New Hampshire, saying hed been a great supporter.

Times staff writers Lisa Mascaro in Washington and Michael A. Memoli in Edgartown, Mass., contributed to this report.

michael.finnegan@latimes.com

Twitter: @finneganLAT

ALSO

UC Davis chancellor resigns following probe on ethical violations

Justice Department report says Baltimore police use unlawful practices against black residents

Man shot to death by L.A. County deputy was not a carjacking suspect, officials say

UPDATES:

8:30 p.m.: This report has been updated with comments from House Speaker Paul D. Ryan.

The first version of this article was posted at 5:40 p.m.
Aug. 25, 2016, 10:40 a.m. Reporting from imperial beach, Calif.

We made it, Oregon to Mexico, along an 1,100-mile beach The drive began at the Oregon border. It ended five weeks later at the Mexican border. Where I almost got arrested. OK, thats an exaggeration. When photographer Allen Schaben and I got to the border of Tijuana and Imperial Beach, the party was much better on the Mexican side. Families were in the water and on the sand, a Mariachi band played, and the whole scene was rather festive compared with two people strolling quietly on the Imperial Beach side. I thought briefly about defecting. One man stood at the fence on the Tijuana side, so I walked up to say hello. I asked why he wasnt swimming and he said he didnt have a bathing suit, then he stuck his hand through the fence to shake my hand. A Border Patrol agent sped toward me in an SUV and yelled for me to stand back from the fence. I hesitated, because what was the big deal? But then I noticed a sign warning against contact or the passing of narcotics through the fence, etc. So I stepped back from the fence because I didnt know if Id be able to write my last road trip columns from a jail cell. Im going to wrap up the series on Sunday, but that wont be the end of my coverage of the California Coastal Commission on the 40th anniversary of the Coastal Act. Theres lots to keep an eye on. Legislation to ban private meetings between commissioners and developers could move forward later today. A vote has been delayed on the controversial proposal for a desalination plant in Huntington Beach, a project that doesnt make a lot of sense in my opinion but has big money backing it. The ever-controversial Newport Banning Ranch project -- a massive hotel/housing development on the last undeveloped plot of privately owned coastal property in Southern California -- will be up for a vote in early September. And the City Council election in Pismo Beach has gotten very interesting because Erik Howell, a councilman and coastal commissioner who ticked off Pismo residents by supporting a development that will block ocean views, now has challengers in his reelection campaign. Howell, if youve forgotten, accepted a $1,000 campaign donation from the domestic partner and business colleague of the lobbyist who represents the Pismo development. If he loses his council seat, he loses his Coastal Commission seat too. So stay tuned. The Coastal Commission will have a new director soon, a new chair and at least two new commissioners, and we need to watch closely because whats at stake is the greatest 1,100-mile coast in the world.



10:25 A.M. reporting from san diego

Lawmaker who led 72 coastal preservation bike ride from San Francisco to San Diego still has Schwinn that delivered win Former senator James Mills, 89, stands with the bike he rode from Sacramento to San Diego in 1972 to promote Prop 20, which created the Coastal Commission and led to the Coastal Act. The photo was taken overlooking the San Diego skyline from Mills Coronado apartment Wednesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) The bike. I wanted to see the bike, and meet its owner. Arriving in San Diego meant our coastal trek from Oregon to Mexico was coming to an end, and it meant that it was finally time to pay a visit to Jim Mills. Mills, a state legislator from 1962 to 1981, was Senate president pro tempore in 1972 when he decided to support Proposition 20, the coastal preservation act. Without it, conservationists feared, coastal development would run amok, Highway 1 would be widened, and a string of nuclear power plants would spring up on some of the greatest beach fronts in the world. But there wasnt much money to fight Prop. 20s foes, said Mills, who had grown up wading in La Jolla Cove and has a deep appreciation of the states greatest natural resource. So in September 1972, he hopped aboard his canary yellow Schwinn Super Sport and led a bike rally from San Francisco to San Diego. The number of riders swelled at times, Mills said, and bikers were greeted each evening by locals serving plenty of carbs. We ate a lot of weenies and beans, and spaghetti too, he said. He recalled PG&E executives following the cyclists in a chauffeur-driven Cadillac, doing their own spin on Prop. 20. The bike rally drew lots of publicity, Mills said, and whether it made the difference is anyones guess. But Prop. 20 won 55% of the vote and led in 1976 to the Coastal Act that to this day protects the coast for the benefit of fragile marine and land habitats and the enjoyment of everyone. Mills was 45 when he rode down the coast, and 89 now. He greeted me and photographer Allen Schaben at his Coronado condo and said he hasnt done any riding lately, but hes doing a lot of writing. Mills has written several books and is working on another. He leads us down to the basement, and there it is. The dusty, canary yellow Schwinn that Mills rode in 1972, and for many years after the Prop. 20 campaign. He was an avid cyclist. Mills also kept the helmet he wore in 1972. We took the bike upstairs, where Mills put on his helmet and posed next to the bike that is a piece of California history. The Coastal Act has done a great deal of good over the years, Mills said, and the cause is no less important now than it was when he rode south from San Francisco. We need to preserve the coast for the benefit of future generations, he said, and I thank him for his contribution.



Aug. 21, 2016, 10:50 p.m. Reporting from the Mexican border

Steve Lopez reflects back on his 1,100 mile trek down the California coast

6:57 P.M. Sometimes the sausage is good enough to eat Two things will happen soon. The last column from my 1,100 mile road trip down the California coast will be done. And the reform bill banning private communications between California Coastal Commissioners and developers, as well as others, could finally emerge from the factory. As Ive been saying, Hannah-Beth Jacksons bill sailed through the Senate and should have done the same in the Assembly, but it got pushed off into a dark corner after a very fishy report claimed that reform costs money. The thing has come back to life, though, with amendments that arent as bad as the original amendments. I dont see why we need the amendments at all, or why the wrangling has to take place behind closed doors and out of public view. While I was thinking about that, a reader emailed me a clever idea about how to keep coastal commissioners honest -- make them strap on body cameras, like cops. I like it, and why not do the same with legislators, so we can all see whats going on? Having said all this, though, Im hearing from supporters of Jacksons bill that they think theres actually a chance the legislation is going to be OK, once all the cooks are done tweaking the recipe. Sausage is full of awful stuff, but just about all of it is good on the grill. So as much fun as Ive had telling you to ping Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, @Rendon63rd, and Appropriations Chair Lorena Gonzalez, @LorenaAD80, and ask what gives, maybe we should try another approach. Im told that Rendon, Gonzalez and other Assembly leaders have done some decent work rescuing this much-needed bill from the trash. So go ahead and tweet them again, and tell them youre encouraged, and still watching -- to the extent thats possible -- and counting on them to do whats necessary to get the bill to Gov. Jerry Brown, which is when the real fun will begin.

8:46 A.M. When it comes to coastal protection, why does state Assembly have such a problem with transparency? The need to clean up the way the California Coastal Commission operates was obvious. Commissioners meet privately with developers more than with any other group, by far. They have repeatedly failed to fully explain the nature of those meetings, and have even failed to report them on occasion. State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) penned a bill to ban such meetings. It cleared the Senate and bounced over to the Assembly, which nearly killed it, but finally decided this week to merely beat it to a pulp. The toothless mess that emerged from the Assembly Appropriations Committee this week would allow private meetings to continue under certain circumstances, and now Sen. Jackson has the task of trying to put some punch back into her bill. And heres the irony: We dont know which Assembly members, or higher powers, conspired to water down Jacksons bill because there is no transparency in the process. You cant peer through a window into the sausage factory. These amendments were hammered out privately. One can guess that the development lobby and labor groups did not like Jacksons reform bill because it would get in the way of a process that gives an advantage to those who want to build on the coast. One can even guess that the Brown administration shares their view. But we dont know, because a bill to shine a light on important decision-making got pummeled in a dark room, and the perps left no fingerprints. See Dan Weikels story at latimes.com. Ive sent in a request for an explanation to Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount). He has appointing authority for four coastal commissioners and itd be nice to hear what he thinks about the handiwork by his Appropriations Committee. If youd like to ping him or Appropriations Chair Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) to ask what happened, try @Rendon63rd and @LorenaAD80. Or you can drop a line to The Silent One @JerryBrownGov, but Ive tried, and despite months of turmoil and controversy on the 40th anniversary of the Coastal Act he signed into law, the governor doesnt want to be disturbed.



7:36 A.M. Summer is in the rear-view mirror, end of journey just down the road 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) Carlsbad. Leucadia. Encinitas. Cardiff. Solana. Del Mar. Summer is disappearing in my rear-view mirror. Week Five of my trip from Oregon to Mexico will be over in just a few days, 1,100 miles after it began. Photographer Allen Schaben is farther down the road, waiting for me in San Diego. Soon well stand at the Mexican border and reflect on a deeper love of the California coast, a greater appreciation of the Coastal Act on the 40-year anniversary of protections that became law. Ill wish Id had a week to spend in places where I only had an hour or two. Ill thank the people we met along the way, and tell others well take up their offer the next time through. Californians are passionate about their coast. Theyre closely watching those in public office whose job is to protect fisheries and dunes, to limit development and maximize access. Ive got one eye on Sacramento myself. On legislative reforms that would serve all Californians. On coastal commissioners, some of whom seem to have forgotten their purpose. Im pulling into San Diego, where the air is warm, the water blue, Mexico in the near distance.



4:14 P.M. La Jolla The palm fronds of a palapa reveal a surfer, a couple and children taking in a warm summer sunset at Windansea Beach in La Jolla. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)



1:07 P.M. newport beach

Watts in a name? Find Amp-le answers in Newport Beach On Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach. (Steve Lopez / Los Angeles Times) Im driving south on the Pacific Coast Highway and spot the sign. The boat name of the week, it says, is Watt A Man. Thats not a mistake. This is the headquarters for Duffy, which makes the electric boats that are part of the culture in the Newport harbor. Many years ago, I wrote a column about a day of hobnobbing and bar-hopping, by boat, with local residents. I also wrote, at the time, about boat owners trying to out-do each other with clever names for the battery-powered boats. One of my favorites was Salt n Battery. So what are some of the newer ones? I walk into the office, and salesman Jim Drayton says one of the best ones this summer was Amp-ly Endowed. Not bad. Tyler Duffield, of the Duffy family, shows me a list with a few more recent winners. Your name here. (Steve Lopez / Los Angeles Times) Its a Ohm Run. Watt the Hey. Watta Yacht. Going back through the years, some of the better names include: Current Affair. Carry Us Ohm Watts the Hurry. Shock Cousteau. Ohmer Simpson. Knots and Volts. I could go on, but why dont you, instead? Send me your best names. Its not as easy as it looks, Duffield said. Its usually the hardest part, he says. Someone comes in and orders a boat, and they get the colors and everything figured out, and the last thing to do is come up with a name before the boat leaves the factory. Yeah, Its a Duff Life out here, where people are Ohm on the Watter, but It Is Watt It Is.



9:13 A.M. Going under in Laguna Beach A snorkeler looks for fish at Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Garibaldi swim and feed on rocks at Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

2:41 P.M. Catching waves in Huntington Beach



10:53 A.M. On our way toward Mexico 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) The site of the proposed Banning Ranch development now before the California Coastal Commission. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) The tide rolls in at twilight at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station located on the border of San Diego County and San Clemente. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

4:52 P.M. Laguna Beach

4:45 P.M. Laguna Beach



12:51 P.M. Dana Point 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)

10:37 P.M. sacramento

Profiles in courage: Legislators soften Coastal Commission reform, leave no fingerprints A perfectly sensible bill to clean up the way California coastal commissioners do business has been getting the waterboard treatment. First, Santa Barbara Sen. Hannah-Beth Jacksons SB 1190 was submerged by a ludicrous report claiming it would cost too much money to prohibit private conversations between developers and commissioners. Then it was tossed overboard and dragged like chum. Then on Thursday, legislators pulled SB 1190 back into the boat so badly decomposed its barely recognizable. As my colleague Dan Weikel reports at latimes.com, five amendments gutted the good intentions. The most egregious one allows commissioners to meet privately with developers during on-site visits. This comes just weeks after reports that Coastal Commission Chairman Steve Kinsey met twice with developers of the massive Newport Banning Ranch development and failed to properly report those confabs. Environmental groups, however, would not be able to have such meetings in the bills current form. On my best day, I could not have come up with a more Alice in Wonderland outcome. Details were still emerging, and it wasnt clear which legislators were responsible for the hatchet job, or whether they caved in to political, development or union pressure, or all three. No fingerprints on the body, in other words. Three environmentalists I checked with were livid, and understandably so. Stay tuned for updates on the autopsy, and dont stop letting @JerryBrownGov know how you feel about whats happening to coastal preservation on his watch. #SaveYourCoast



7:46 A.M. Sunset at Crystal Cove Beach Cottages Children run along the beach at twilight near the Crystal Cove Beach Cottages. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) The sun sets over the Crystal Cove Beach Cottages in Newport Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 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) Incoming tide rolls onto the beach at twilight at Crystal Cove Beach Cottages. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)



1:29 P.M. Column: Fighting for the California coast from a tiny office in her kitchen nook Susan Jordan, who created and runs the California Coastal Protection Network, is seen in her Santa Barbara office. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) If you were a coastal conservation activist in California, with 1,100 miles of shoreline to look after, how would you even decide where to begin? Theres always a battle somewhere, and let me give you just a couple of examples from one tiny section of the coast. Moss Landing is in the news again this week as the Surfrider Foundation and other activists try to stop Cemex, an international sand mining company, from trucking away the beach as it has done for decades, causing erosion that has begun to set off lots of alarms. Read more



8:49 A.M. Hermosa Beach

Remember when you could spend a night at a California beach motel for less than a weeks pay? A third-generation motel owner in this seaside town tells me he gets an offer, about every other day, from someone who wants to buy his property, bulldoze it and rebuild. But hes hanging on because three generations of families have been staying at his low-budget, no-frills motel since the 1960s, and he doesnt want to end those summer vacation traditions. Elsewhere on the California coast, motels and hotels have been bought out by chains and developers, driving up the cost of affordable family vacations. Look for my column on the Hermosa Beach motel in the coming days. And if you know of good low-budget beach lodging, or if youve seen your motel go from cheap to chic, drop me a line at steve.lopez@latimes.com Over the next two days, photographer Allen Schaben and I will be in Hermosa and Huntington Beach, reporting on the proposed desalination plant there. And, by the way, we should find out in the next day or two whether legislation banning private meetings between coastal commissioners and developers is released from legislative prison and put up for a vote in the state Assembly. Theres still time to weigh in at #SaveYourCoast and be sure to give a poke to @JerryBrownGov and Assemblywoman, Lorena Gonzalez @LorenaAD80. Read more
The star of an annual kickoff event for the new school year in Los Angeles was a number: 75%, the highest graduation rate ever tabulated by the nations second-largest school system.

That achievement, announced by L.A. Unified Supt. Michelle King on Tuesday at Garfield High School, brought acclaim from an audience of administrators and dignitaries, but also led some to wonder again whether such improvement is real.

The milestone represents a breathtaking turnaround between December and June.

Advertisement

In December, only about half of seniors were on track to graduate under new, more difficult requirements that were taking effect for the first time. But a controversial triage already was underway, employing a lengthy list of programs that specialize in credit recovery.

L.A.schools Supt. Michelle King gives a thumbs-up to cheer an audience of school district employees and a best-yet graduation rate. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times )

The aim was to allow students to earn credits for courses they had flunked. Seniors made up for past failures with astonishing speed, even as they also attended regular classes and completed their regular coursework.

I think theres always room for healthy skepticism, said Pedro Noguera, director of the Center for the Study of School Transformation at UCLA. When we see kids completing three years of high school in a year through credit recovery, that should raise alarms for people. Are these kids actually getting an education thats going to prepare them for something?

Even before the credit-recovery binge, many high school graduates  not just from L.A. Unified  were having to take remedial classes once they arrived in college, Noguera noted.

At the same time, we shouldnt be so skeptical that we dont know when to celebrate some real accomplishments, he added. And so I think you can do both. You can give credit to the hardworking educators and the kids who made this possible. At the same time you need to make sure this is genuine.

Although last years 72.2% rate also had broken a record, this years projected rate is especially notable because of new requirements that, for the first time, include such classes as intermediate algebra. (The state requires only first-year algebra as a minimum standard for a diploma.)

This is exceeding expectations of those who said our students couldnt do it, King said at Garfield High School during her first state of the district address. King rose to the top job in January, but had helped oversee the expanded credit recovery in her previous post, as the districts No. 2 administrator.

Reliable data on historic graduation and dropout rates is hard to come by because the formulas for tabulating them have evolved and improved over time.

LAUSD staff listen to Supt. Michelle Kings speech. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times )

The new graduation standard requires all students to earn a D or better in those courses required to apply to a four-year state college. Even that standard is not sufficient for these colleges, which mandate a grade of C or better in those classes. The set of courses is known as the A to G requirements. (Requirement A is two years of history/social science; B is four years of English; C is three years of approved college-prep math, etc.)

Besides second-year algebra, they include two years of foreign language and a year of a college-preparatory elective such as geography or statistics.

We know our kids and we know what they are capable of, school board President Steve Zimmer said during remarks before Kings speech at the East L.A. campus. We know 100% of all kids can graduate fully passing the A to G.

The narrative fits a commonsense precept among education reformers: that higher expectations lead to better outcomes. The rising graduation rate also keeps Los Angeles schools in step with the progress other school systems are claiming nationwide. Indeed, L.A. Unified has begun making greater use of credit recovery methods that other school systems have been using for some time.

Although officials have steadfastly defended the districts academic integrity, they present limited data to make their case. Officials still are trying to determine which students took advantage of which credit-recovery options.

Supt. Michelle King and school board President Steve Zimmer hug after her state of the district address at Garfield High School in which she praised the class of 2016 s record graduation success. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times )

They say they hope to have the data in the coming weeks, but the directive from King was first to focus on getting students to graduation. Although no one suggested that any cheating would be tolerated, keeping detailed records was secondary. In some cases, students were allowed to make up work to change recorded grades. All records of the prior grade then disappeared from the districts central data system, according to school site administrators, making it difficult to track such remediation in order to be fully accountable.

Not all the gains were instantaneous. The districts rising performance represents a subtle but ongoing shift from viewing graduation as the responsibility of the student and family to the responsibility of all district employees.

Fifteen years ago, some experts calculated that only half of L.A. Unifieds students were graduating, said John Rogers, a UCLA education professor. Since then, he said, there has been real progress, even if there is much more to accomplish.

L.A.s graduation rate still trails the state average, which in 2014-2015 was 82.3%. Current figures are not yet available.

One of the most commonly used credit-recovery options is Edgenuity, an online program that has gained favor in school systems across the country. Edgenuity classes have been approved by the University of California, but their rigor is not necessarily consistent from district to district.

L.A. Unified, for example, allows students to skip Edgenuity units with a pre-test set at a lower standard than in some other school systems.

Even students debate what kind of instruction works best and represents real learning.

Liliana Reyes, 16, said she found the Edgenuity program about as challenging as regular coursework, with certain advantages. The videos were interesting, and she could watch them more than once, at her own pace. And she could email a teacher with questions.

You log in when you have time and finish as much as possible, said Liliana, who also attended traditional summer classes at Banning High School in Wilmington to make up credits.

Joshua Depaz, 18, said hes grateful that an online option was available for him to quickly make up for academic mistakes he blames entirely on himself. But he wonders whether enough is being demanded of him and others.

Its pretty easy, he said, after a computer-based session earlier this year at Harris Newmark High School, just west of downtown. Everything is given to us.

Times staff reporter Anna Phillips contributed to this report.

howard.blume@latimes.com | Twitter: @howardblume

sonali.kohli@latimes.com | Twitter: @Sonali_Kohli

MORE EDUCATION NEWS

How LAUSD successfully tackled the racial divide in 1969

UC Davis chancellor resigns following probe into ethical violations

How did LAUSD spend $450 million? Not on the high-needs students the money was for, state officials say
Kelly Duenckel had something important to tell her son, so she sat him down at the kitchen table in their Burbank home.

It was early March, and the science lab that students rave about at John Muir Middle School was coming up. Many of Roberts seventh-grade classmates would get to dissect a cows eye, but he would not.

As a student in the Special Day class at Muir, Robert has learning disabilities, including short-term memory deficiencies stemming from a seizure disorder. Blinking back tears, he asked why he couldnt participate.

Advertisement

I didnt have a good answer for him, Duenckel said.

She had been told by school officials that there wasnt a credentialed special education teacher on hand to lead the lab, that there wasnt enough funding and that Special Day students hadnt participated in the cow-eye dissection for at least the last four years.

So Duenckel did what she said any mother would do: She complained, taking her concerns to Muirs administrators, then to Burbank Unifieds superintendent and school board.

Her action led to Robert being allowed to participate in the dissection lab. But Duenckel fought for his classmates to take part as well.

During an April school board meeting, Superintendent Matt Hill said: We are providing in areas whats required for special-ed, but thats not good enough. When we have a tagline of Excellence and Equity and we have situations where we have students not getting what they deserve, its not something Im going to tolerate.

Although Hill noted a need for improvement, his reference to the district fulfilling whats required ultimately pushed Duenckel to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights.

Federal officials have opened an investigation into her allegations, including that Robert was discriminated against because he was a student in a Special Day class.

I thought, You are not making the minimum [effort], Duenckel said. You need to have same or comparable labs, and no lab at all is not same or comparable.

This month, the California Department of Education also opened a compliance investigation to determine if the district had violated any special-education regulations.

Hill said he could not comment, citing the pending investigation.

Duenckel said she hoped the end result would be new policies at Burbank Unified regarding Special Day students.

The education that they receive should be just as valuable as the education that [general-education] students get, she said.

kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Corrigan writes for Times Community News

MORE LOCAL NEWS

Suspect shot dead by police in Boyle Heights was 14-year-old boy, coroner says

Navy aviator and nurse team up to stop a suicide on the Coronado bridge

The Grim Sleeper is sentenced to death for string of murders
Two buses collided head-on in Peru, leaving 17 people dead and 29 injured, police said Wednesday.

The cause of the crash on the Pan American Highway Tuesday night near the southern city of Ica is under investigation, Colonel Leandro Flores, chief of the highway police, told America TV.

"It was a head on type of collision," he said Among the dead were the two drivers and a Brazilian tourist on a bus traveling to Lima from the city of Cusco, police said.

Highway fatalities are common occurrences in Peru, many of them in accidents involving the country's many private bus companies.

In 2014, the last year for which official statistics are available, 2,798 people died in traffic accidents in the country.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


It was a life-or-death moment on the San Diego-Coronado Bridge when a Navy air crewman pulled over to stop a man from leaping into the bay.

As the two struggled, the 21-year-old screamed for someone to help. Dozens of motorists whizzed past, until a nurse stopped and calmed the man down until authorities arrived.

As Coronado police, paramedics and the California Highway Patrol took over, the sailor and the nurse were urged to get back in their cars and off the bridge. They didnt have time to exchange names.

Advertisement

It took a social media forum to reunite them hours later.

The nurse, who couldnt be reached for this article, posted a message to the unknown man on Reddit, an online bulletin board. She addressed her post to the Navy dude who prevented a suicide on the Coronado bridge today.

I was the nurse who stopped. After the police came, I felt like we were [shooed] away. I regret that I didnt get a chance to commend you for what you did today. She described his lack of hesitation in trying to help another person, despite the potential risk to himself, as extraordinary.

I want to be perfectly clear, you almost certainly saved someones life today. As a nurse and a human person, Im really grateful that you were there to help.

When the service members roommate saw her post and alerted the sailor, the mystery man sent a message back:

That was me! Hey Nurse! Ive been commending you all day! I had no idea what to say to this man except for holding him so he couldnt do it. When you came I was so relieved you knew how to talk to him and calm him down. With all the adrenaline pumping, I was glad to have someone like you there. Thank you so much for stopping to help when so many people just drove on by!

Petty Officer 3rd Class Nick Pisano told the San Diego Union-Tribune that there was no way he was going to let the man jump.

I made sure I had a good grasp on his arm so he couldnt make his way closer to the ledge, Pisano said. He was making it very clear that he wanted to end his life, and I did what I could to make sure that didnt happen.

Coronado police spokeswoman Lea Corbin said a 911 caller reported that an elderly man was attempting suicide about 8:20 a.m. Monday. He had gotten out of his truck mid-span on the bridge, some 200 feet above the San Diego Bay.

According to the CHP, the 82-year-old was taken to the hospital for a mental health evaluation.

I encourage anyone not to be a bystander, Pisano said. Its really important when you see something that doesnt look right to stand up and not keep going on with your life. Take a moment to understand the situation, and you might potentially save someones life.

According to the county medical examiners office and other organizations that track suicides, the San Diego-Coronado Bridge has been the site of roughly 300 suicides since its opening in 1969. Fifteen people died in jumps from the bridge in 2015. There have been nine bridge suicides so far this year.

The deaths have spurred a group of residents to explore the feasibility of installing some kind of barrier, such as netting, on the bridge to deter jumpers. The Coronado Bridge Collaborative was formed to push for a study on what type of barrier would be effective.

pauline.repard@sduniontribune.com

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com

Repard and Winkley write for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
A man approached Laura Moore at a bus stop in the spring of 1984 and offered a warning: You shouldnt be out here alone.

Bad guys will pick you up, he told her. Let me take you where you have to go.

Moore, then 21, agreed, reluctantly. As the man drove off, he told her to put on her seat belt. When she refused, she said, he reached under his seat, grabbed a gun and shot her six times. Wounded, she managed to escape, but turned back to study his face. That man, Moore said, was Lonnie David Franklin Jr., now better-known as the Grim Sleeper serial killer.

Advertisement

She recounted the story in court Wednesday at a hearing where Franklin was sentenced to death, capping a lengthy legal saga that centered on the gruesome killings of more than a dozen women in South L.A.

This is not a sentence of vengeance, Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy told Franklin as relatives of his victims looked on, some of them in tears. Its justice.

Franklin, 63, was convicted earlier this year of killing nine women and a teenage girl from 1985 to 2007. During the penalty phase of his trial, prosecutors connected him to several additional slayings. Detectives believe he may have killed at least 25 women.

The judge read the names of the 10 victims Franklin was found guilty of killing. In each case, Kennedy told him, You shall suffer the death penalty.

As she spoke, some of the victims relatives cried, others sighed. One man repeated: Amen, amen, amen.

 At a news conference after Lonnie Franklin Jr. was sentenced to death, family members of the victims and one woman who testified speak about the trials end.

Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter >>

The sentence came toward the end of an emotional hearing where more than a dozen family members and friends of victims read statements, many of them repeatedly asking why Franklin chose to attack members of his own community.

The defendant took my daughter, murdered her, put her in a plastic bag  a trash bag  like she was trash, Laverne Peters, whose 25-year-old daughter was found in a garbage bin in 2007, told the court before Franklin was sentenced. My hope is that he spends the rest of his glory days in his jail cell, which will become his trash bag.

Amen, other family members in the audience said.

Five of the jurors who convicted Franklin attended, occasionally nodding. Before the hearing, one of the victims sisters thanked a juror and said, God bless you. The juror winked at her.

During the hearing, a woman spoke of losing her best friend, but said she still hears her voice in dreams. A victims uncle said he remembered how loudly she used to cry when he babysat her as a child  a reminder, he said, of how she did everything in her life passionately. At one point, the nephew of Henrietta Wright, whose body was found under a mattress in an alleyway in 1986, addressed Franklin directly, saying, Youre a cold-hearted dude. Franklin nodded slightly.

When Moore, the surviving victim, addressed Franklin, her body began to shake.

Why, why, why? she asked. Really, why?

Moore wasnt listed in the criminal complaint against Franklin, but Los Angeles police Det. Daryn Dupree  the last remaining detective who worked on the task force that investigated the Grim Sleeper killings  said he is very confident that she is one of his victims.

1 / 1 Janecia Peters, a 25-year old woman, was found dead Jan. 1, 2007, in the 9500 block of South Western Avenue in Los Angeles. Laverne Peters, holds a photograph of her daughter, Janecia when she was a senior at Inglewood High School. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Franklin sat stoically as Kennedy sentenced him  just as he had throughout the trial. But earlier in the morning, he did react to statements delivered by some of the victims relatives.

Mary Alexander, whose 18-year-old daughter was murdered, spoke directly to Franklin.

Id like for Mr. Franklin to turn around and face me, she said.

Franklin turned his head slowly, locking eyes with Alexander.

Id like to know, why? Alexander asked, gripping the lectern.

Franklin whispered something in response.

She repeated her question, louder: Why?

Again, he whispered. (Dupree told reporters after the hearing that he saw Franklin mutter, I didnt do it.)

I know she didnt do anything to hurt you, Alexander told Franklin, I know that.

Franklins face softened and he nodded.

Alexander told Franklin that she had thought a lot about forgiveness but said she was finding the concept extremely difficult.

Im still battling that, Alexander said.

Franklin nodded once more and turned back toward the judge.

When another victims sister told Franklin that she recognized him, he got angry, shouting, Thats a bald-faced lie.

In imposing the sentence, Kennedy said she had struggled throughout the case to understand what motivated Franklin.

It doesnt matter why, she said. There could never be a justification for what you have done.

The killer, one of Californias most prolific, targeted victims who were generally young, vulnerable and, at times, ignored. The attacks failed to raise alarms the way other famous serial slayings by killers such as the Hillside Strangler or the Night Stalker did.

The deaths in the mid- to late 80s coincided with a surge in slayings linked to the crack cocaine epidemic. In addition, several other serial killers were operating in the same area in those years. Michael Hughes was convicted of killing seven women; Chester Turner of 14 women and a fetus. Both are on Californias death row.

But the Grim Sleeper proved to be the most persistent. He targeted women who were drug addicts or prostitutes and often dumped their naked bodies alongside roads or in the trash. Many of the women were initially listed as Jane Does. The deaths drew little, if any, media attention.

Police kept the slayings quiet despite suspicions that a serial killer was stalking black women  a decision that led to outrage and condemnation from many who attribute Franklins longevity as a killer to police indifference.

 More than 1,000 photographs were found in the home of Lonnie Franklin Jr., the serial killer known as the Grim Sleeper. Some were released to the public to help identify the women. Thirty-five women remain unidentified.

Authorities were able to link the slayings through ballistic and genetic evidence at the crime scenes that pointed to a single killer. But identifying the DNA proved difficult.

A break finally came in the case in 2010, when a search of state offender records turned up a partial match. The person wasnt the suspected serial killer, but a close relative was.

Before long, investigators focused on the convicts father, Franklin. After tailing him to a pizza joint in Buena Park during the summer of 2010, police collected a slice of partially eaten pizza. They tested it for DNA and, finally, had a match.

A search of Franklins home on 81st Street  not far from the South L.A. corridor where many of the victims bodies were found  turned up a .25-caliber semiautomatic handgun. Two criminalists testified at trial that it was same weapon that killed one of the victims.

Franklins attorney, Seymour Amster, told jurors that DNA from other men was found at some crime scenes  a sign, he said, that someone else could have played a role in the slayings.

In May, a jury convicted Franklin of 10 counts of murder. His victims, in order of death, were: Debra Jackson, 29; Henrietta Wright, 35; Barbara Ware, 23; Bernita Sparks, 25; Mary Lowe, 26; Lachrica Jefferson, 22; Alicia Alexander, 18; Princess Berthomieux,15; Valerie McCorvey, 35; and Janecia Peters, 25.

Most of the women were shot to death. Berthomieux was strangled.

Franklin was also convicted of attempted murder in connection with an attack on Enietra Washington, who survived and testified against him.

Youre truly a piece of evil, Washington told Franklin Wednesday. Youre a Satan representative Youre right up there with Manson.

Franklin initially earned the Grim Sleeper nickname because a gap in the killings between 1988 and 2002 suggested he had gone dormant. But detectives believe Franklin never really slept.

After the initial conviction, prosecutors presented more evidence against Franklin during the penalty phase of the trial. A woman testified that Franklin, as a U.S. Army private stationed abroad, was one of three assailants who gang-raped her in Germany in 1974.

The high-stakes trial devolved at times into bitter back-and-forths between attorneys, and the discord continued Wednesday.

Before the sentencing, Amster made two last-ditch efforts to keep his client off death row. Kennedy quickly shot down a motion for a new trial based on allegations of prosecutorial misconduct as well as a motion calling for a sentence of life without parole instead of death.

Hours after the sentencing, Amster released a written statement decrying the death penalty in California as a pointless waste of tax dollars.

Considering the outcomes are often the same since the inmates will almost certainly die from causes other than execution, Amster said in the statement, the only significant difference is the millions of dollars wasted on a death verdict.

Californias death penalty has been the subject of intense legal battles in recent years  there are 746 people on Californias death row, and no one has been executed in the state since 2006.

 Lonnie David Franklin Jr., better known as the Grim Sleeper, has been sentenced to death.

marisa.gerber@latimes.com

james.queally@latimes.com

Follow us on Twitter: @marisagerber, @JamesQueallyLAT

ALSO

Vietnamese comedian visiting O.C. is convicted of sexually assaulting boy

Suspect shot dead by police in Boyle Heights was 14-year-old boy, coroner says

2 attempted kidnappings of children in Glendale have police and parents on alert

UPDATES:

3:35 p.m.: This article was updated with more details from the hearing and some rewriting.

2:20 p.m.: This article was updated with a statement from Franklins attorney.

2:03 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details about Californias use of the death penalty and a statement from Franklins attorney.

12:55 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details about the sentencing hearing.

12:17 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details from the sentencing hearing.

11:40 a.m.: This article was updated with more details about the hearing.

11:15 a.m.: This article was updated with Franklin receiving the death penalty.

11:00 a.m.: This article was updated with more details about relatives of victims speaking at the hearing.

10:20 a.m.: This article was updated with a description of relatives of victims speaking at the hearing.

This article was originally published at 4 a.m.
The Rev. Henry Rodriguez left his sick bed and hurried to a crime scene. Then he drove to Mercy Hospital.

Although he was battling pneumonia, Rodriguez wasnt there for his own health. He was there as a San Diego Police Department chaplain, comforting the family of slain Officer Jonathan De Guzman.

He was in the hospital room, said Sgt. Edward Zwibel, one of Rodriguezs closest friends, attending to the needs of others even though he was very ill.

Advertisement

Rodriguez, 61, died Thursday  the same day as De Guzmans funeral Mass. When news of the priests death spread through the church, the police officers absorbed yet another blow. There was an audible sigh, Zwibel said.

A San Diego native, Rodriguez was the longtime pastor at St. Jude Shrine of the West. He also served as a chaplain to the police, Scripps Mercy Hospital and San Diego Hospice. He relentlessly advocated for the powerless  sometimes irritating bishops, mayors and police chiefs.

Yet friends and colleagues insist that he built more bridges than he burned.

He was dedicated to the community and to the police, former Chief Jerry Sanders said.

Rodriguez was born March 25, 1955, the second of six children. During Sunday Mass at St. Jude, where he had served as an altar boy, Jennie Rodriguez remembered her son as a good boy, smart and kind.

But he had a difficult adolescence, dropping out of junior high school. Rodriguez spent a few years on the streets before volunteering at Sharp Memorial Hospital.

You help out the nurses, lift patients, take them up to the X-ray department, said Steve Best, who met Rodriguez in 1973, when both were orderlies. Henry basically grew up at Sharp. He liked it and was really good at it.

The nurses there encouraged Rodriguez to get a GED. When he did, they helped pay his college expenses. After graduating from the University of San Diego with a bachelors degree in sociology, he entered St. Francis Seminary and was ordained a priest in 1986.

After graduate studies in Minnesota and Rome, he came home to San Diego and St. Jude.

Rodriguez also became a leader of the San Diego Organizing Project, protesting plans to push a freeway spur through the surrounding neighborhood.

At about the same time, he invited a young police captain to meet with residents.

Later, I called those the SDOP Pressure Sessions, Sanders said. They had it all orchestrated, a list of questions, people would line up and just hammer away.

Somehow, the captain got through the meeting. Boy, he recalled, I was stumbling. Afterward, the priest took him aside. We just need your help, he said.

Like Sanders, Rodriguez believed in community policing, seeing the cop on the beat as a neighborhood ally. And residents needed allies. The priests brother, Vincent, had been murdered in the area in 1987. Parishioners told their new priest that the streets around St. Jude were known for drugs and prostitution.

At protests, some who marched with Rodriguez saw police officers as the enemy. He didnt. In 1989 the priest volunteered as a Police Department chaplain, a position he would hold to the end of his life.

He was someone who was very comfortable representing his church, his community and the Police Department, said Kevin Malone, executive director of the San Diego Organizing Project, and holding everybody equally responsible.

Rodriguez remained as pastor at St. Jude until 2006, then added hospice duties to his list of ministries. He really found great meaning in caring for the terminally ill, Zwibel said.

On July 1, Rodriguez returned to parish life, becoming pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in the Hillcrest neighborhood.

He put everything into working with other people, said former Police Chief William Lansdowne, and took very little time for himself.

As one of his last official acts, Rodriguez  who last month contracted whooping cough that led to pneumonia  emailed the chaplains and officers involved in De Guzmans funeral. He expressed pride in the group, appreciation for their hard work and compassion.

Many of the same people are now preparing Rodriguezs services. They are pulling out all the stops to make this a nice celebration for him, Zwibel said. He was big in their life.

Rodriguez is survived by his mother, Jennie Rodriguez; his siblings, Jennie Rodriguez, Gloria Taylor, Linda Rodriguez and Jess Rodriguez; and 10 nieces and nephews.

peter.rowe@sduniontribune.com

Rowe writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The videotaped assault was so alarming, one Los Angeles police official called it horrific. The victim later said he was afraid he was going to die.

The LAPD and the civilian Police Commission came down hard on Officer Richard Garcia, saying he violated department policies when he kicked and punched Clinton Alford Jr. during an October 2014 arrest in South Los Angeles. The district attorney came down even harder, taking the rare step of filing a felony assault charge against an on-duty officer.

Garcia faced up to three years in jail if convicted.

Then the case quietly came to an end.

Under a plea agreement reached with prosecutors this spring, Garcia pleaded no contest to the felony charge as part of a deal with prosecutors that will see him avoid jail time if he completes community service and donates $500 to a charity by late May 2017. Under the agreement, Garcia would then be allowed to enter a new plea to a misdemeanor charge that would replace the felony and would be placed on two years of probation, a spokeswoman for the district attorneys office said.

Advertisement

Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey, whose office never publicly announced the plea, defended her offices decision to settle the case without any jail time, saying she felt the agreement was appropriate.

She declined to detail the reasons for the plea, but said prosecutors generally look at a range of information including the seriousness of the victims injuries, whether the defendant has a prior record and the credibility of the witnesses. Video, she cautioned, doesnt tell the whole story sometimes.

Lacey declined to say whether pending criminal charges filed against Alford influenced the decision. Court records showed Alford, 24, faces charges including pimping, rape and assault with a deadly weapon. He has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody.

I understand how in looking at the final result, someone may think that it wasnt a just sentence, she said. But they simply dont have all the information that we did when we made the final decision.

Lacey said that she believed filing the felony charge against Garcia signaled to both police officers and residents that people will be held accountable.

I do think it sends a strong message to any law enforcement officer who is thinking about violating the law, she said. If you talk to any officer about a felony on their record gotten in the course of their job, I dont think anyone would see this as light at all.

But others disagreed. Mac Shorty, the chair of the Watts Neighborhood Council, said the outcome was too lenient and another example of Lacey not holding police officers accountable during a time of increased scrutiny of how officers use force, particularly against African Americans.

Thats not justice, he said. If I do something wrong, I face prison time. Its not fair to the community that anybody coming into the community mistreats someone and gets a slap on the wrist.

Caree Harper, an attorney representing Alford in a federal lawsuit he filed against the city, said that for nearly two years, her client and his family have believed that Mr. Garcia would receive nothing more than a slap on the wrist and be back on the beat in no time.

Garcia, who has been with the LAPD for about a decade, is awaiting what is known as a Board of Rights hearing, where a three-person panel decides disciplinary cases for officers who usually face termination or lengthy suspensions.

The officers lawyer defended his clients actions, saying the LAPD and Lacey both overreacted to what he described as a reasonable level of force. Attorney Robert Rico said Garcia was ready and willing to go to trial but accepted a deal that he believed was in his best interest.

This case was overcharged from the start. It never should have been filed, Rico said. The only reason it was filed was because of the ongoing, negative berating that law enforcement gets. The D.A. and the chief politicized it.

Alfords arrest mirrored similar encounters with police across the country that have prompted criticism and concern: A black man, assaulted by a police officer, caught on tape. The video of the encounter  captured by a nearby security camera  was enough to raise alarm among police officials, but has not been made public.

In an earlier interview with The Times, Alford said he was riding his bicycle along Avalon Boulevard when a car pulled up and a man yelled at him to stop. Someone grabbed the back of his bike, he said, so he jumped off and ran.

Authorities later said police were investigating a robbery and that Alford matched the description of their suspect.

After a short chase, two police officers caught up to Alford. The video showed him getting on the ground and putting his hands behind his back, according to several police officials who saw the footage.

Seconds later, the sources said, a patrol car pulled up and a uniformed officer bailed out of the car, rushing toward Alford.

Garcia kicked, elbowed, punched and slapped Alford, according to a report from Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck made public last fall. The officers actions, the chief said in the report, were not reasonable given Alfords limited and unapparent resistance.

I was just praying to God that they wouldnt kill me, Alford told reporters. I felt that I was going to die.

Six months after the arrest, Laceys office announced that Garcia had been charged with felony assault under the color of authority. At the time, he was the third LAPD officer facing such a charge in connection with an on-duty incident caught on camera.

Jonathan Lai was charged in 2014 after prosecutors said he repeatedly struck a man  who was on his knees and had his hands on his head  with a police baton outside a restaurant near Staples Center. A jury acquitted him of two felony charges last year.

Mary OCallaghan was convicted last year in connection with a deadly 2012 incident involving a woman arrested in South L.A. Patrol car footage showed the veteran officer kicking Alesia Thomas in the stomach and groin while the woman was in handcuffs and leg restraints. Thomas, a 35-year-old mother, lost consciousness in a police car and died later at a hospital.

But Lacey has faced criticism over her handling of other cases involving law enforcement officers, including her decision not to charge a California Highway Patrol officer who punched a woman along the 10 Freeway  another encounter caught on video.

Activists have also questioned why prosecutors have not yet said whether they will charge the LAPD officers who fatally shot Ezell Ford, a mentally ill black man, as he walked near his South L.A. home. Thursday marks the two-year anniversary of Fords death.

She has hurt the community more than shes helped us by not holding these people accountable, Shorty, the Watts resident, said.

A judge approved the plea agreement with Garcia at a court hearing on May 26. News of the deal emerged this week, first reported by Jasmyne Cannick, a political consultant and commentator who also blogs about the LAPD.

Under the agreement, a D.A.s spokeswoman said, Garcia must complete 300 hours of community service, stay away from Alford and follow all laws before his next hearing in May. If he violates those terms, the felony will stand and he will be placed on three years probation. If he doesnt show up to court for the hearing, he could be sentenced to jail.

I am confident you will be here, Judge William N. Sterling told Garcia when the deal was finalized. But if you do fail to appear  the court can then sentence you to the maximum.

Do you understand and agree? the judge asked.

Yes, Garcia replied.

kate.mather@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter: @katemather

ALSO

Suspect shot dead by police in Boyle Heights was 14-year-old boy, coroner says

Earthquake: 3.7 quake strikes near Rancho Tehama Reserve

Shes fighting for the California coast from a tiny office in her kitchen nook
A toddlers body was found stuffed into a duffel bag when a Whittier couple  not the girls parents  tried to cross the border from San Diego to Tijuana, authorities said Wednesday.

Investigators in San Diego and Whittier are trying to figure out who the child was, how she died and who her parents are, San Diego police homicide Lt. Ray Valentin said.

Johnny Lewis Hartley, 39, and Mercy Mary Becerra, 43, were arrested after Mexican authorities made the discovery while screening the bag at a pedestrian crossing in San Ysidro before noon on Tuesday, Valentin said.

Advertisement

The man was carrying the duffel bag and Mexican authorities sent him to a secondary inspection area. There, officials put the bag through an X-ray machine and saw the small body, Valentin said.

Hartley was turned over to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, then to San Diego police homicide investigators. Valentin said when Hartley was detained, the woman ran off, but was caught a short time later and also detained. She, too, was handed over to U.S. authorities.

San Diego police investigators arrested them both on one count of murder, pending the outcome of an autopsy being conducted Wednesday. Valentin said the cause of death was not immediately obvious, but there was little chance she had died a natural death.

The San Diego County medical examiners office was conducting the autopsy.

Valentin said the San Diego County district attorneys office advised his investigators to arrest Hartley and Becerra in San Diego until authorities decide who will have jurisdiction over the case, based on where any crime occurred. San Diego and Whittier police are working the case together, he said.

Hartley has a violent criminal history, according to Orange County court records.

In 1999, he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and possessing, manufacturing or selling a deadly weapon. A gang enhancement was applied to the case, suggesting Hartley was a gang member or a gang associate. He was sentenced to 2 years and 8 months in prison.

Six years later he was convicted of possessing drugs with the intent to sell and possessing drug paraphernalia. He was again sentenced to 2 years and 8 months in prison.

Then in 2010, Hartley pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm with a gang enhancement. He received three years in state prison.

As for Becerra, she pleaded guilty in 1992 to a felony of selling or transporting a controlled substance, according to Orange County court records. She was sentenced to 180 days in jail and three years probation.

Repard and Winkley write for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

ALSO

The Grim Sleeper is sentenced to death for string of murders

Navy aviator and nurse team up to stop a suicide on the Coronado bridge

Volunteer shot and wounded while helping search for missing hiker in Northern California

UPDATES:

3:30 p.m.: This article was updated with addition information.

This article was originally published at 11 a.m.
Faulty readings on devices attached to automatic meters may have led to incorrect bills for tens of thousands of Southern California Gas Co. customers, utility officials said Tuesday.

While the gas companys 5.5 million meters correctly recorded how much gas each customer used, the modules on about 1% of the devices underreported those totals. Gas officials said they still were working to understand the scope of the problem, which was discovered July 25.

It is possible that as many as 60,000 customers may have been underbilled.

Advertisement

For years, officials said, gas crews have been aware that some of the modules that feed information back to Southern California Gas Co. were prone to false alarms  going off even when they had not been damaged or tampered with.

Weve been aware of these false alarms for several years, but our early testing did not show any issues with measurements, said Gillian Wright, vice president of customer services.

Its unknown when the devices first started underreporting, Wright said. However, a sampling of the systems meters  taken in July and August  showed the median difference between a customers actual usage and what had been reported was 20 therms. One therm costs a customer 80 cents.

Customers with the faulty devices, which are spread across the gas companys service area, could receive bills to make up the difference between the amount of gas they used and how much they were charged. However, the Public Utilities Commission limits how far back the gas company can go in adjusting what residential customers owe.

We actually have a very limited ability to go back and rebill, Wright said. We can only go back three months, and that means three months from July 25.

The PUC also prohibits the gas company from sending catch-up bills if there is less than a 25% difference between how much gas was used by customers and how much they were billed.

Large commercial customers could be rebilled for the previous 36 months.

The PUC has an ongoing investigation into the utilitys billing system, a spokeswoman said.

If rule violations are found, our staff could seek fines and penalties, the commissions Constance Gordon said in a statement.

Earlier this year, Southern California Gas customers complained of higher-than-average bills. Many believed the leak last fall at the companys Aliso Canyon storage facility had resulted in price increases, but gas company officials said at the time that cold weather and longer billing cycles were to blame. Those bills are unrelated to the problems discovered last month, Wright said.

alice.walton@latimes.com

Twitter: @TheCityMaven

ALSO

Toxic diet threatens reproduction of coastal California condors, study finds

L.A. County supervisors approve first stage of major Koreatown development

UC Davis chancellor resigns following probe on ethical violations

UPDATES:

7:10 p.m.: Updated with information from a Public Utilities Commission spokeswoman.

This story was originally published at 5:35 p.m.
A search team volunteer was in stable condition Wednesday after he was shot while helping look for a missing hiker in Northern California.

The Nevada County Sheriffs Office received a call about 6:35 p.m. Tuesday requesting emergency medical evacuation for a search and rescue team member who had been shot in the hip, officials said.

Authorities were still searching for the shooter and the motive for the attack remains unknown.

Advertisement

The volunteer was shot while helping hunt for Timothy Hansston, 75, of Tulare County, who has been missing since Aug. 4 and was last known to be hiking the South Yuba River near the town of Washington.

Three volunteers were searching a very steep canyon when two shots were heard. One person was struck and they all took cover, the sheriffs office said in a statement.

Special enforcement teams from Placer and Nevada counties were called in, as well as medical units, officials said. The shooting victim was transported to Sutter Roseville Medical Center around 10:20 p.m. for treatment.

He is reported to be in stable condition.

Authorities are warning the public to stay out of the area while they search for the gunman.

For more California news, follow @brittny_mejia

ALSO

Childs body found in duffel bag at border crossing

Navy aviator and nurse team up to stop a suicide on the Coronado bridge

Thousands of lives could be saved in California by stricter air pollution limits, study finds
L.A. County supervisors voted Tuesday to approve the first stage of a major planned development in Koreatown, including a community center for which neighborhood activists had lobbied heavily.

The so-called Vermont Corridor project will include three county-owned sites along South Vermont Avenue and will be built with a mix of public and private money.

The dilapidated headquarters of the county Department of Mental Health will be turned into a 172-unit residential complex. A new mental health headquarters will be built on a lot down the street, occupied now by an abandoned building and an office building for other county workers. A third site that houses offices for county parks and recreation staff will be turned into a 72-unit affordable-housing development for seniors, with a community center.

Advertisement

Plans to redevelop the county-owned sites on Vermont have been in the works for more than two years, but the community center is a relatively recent addition to the project.

Koreatown activists have long decried the lack of community gathering spaces in the neighborhood, which is by some measures the most densely populated in Los Angeles. They have been advocating for the inclusion of a community center in the planned Vermont Corridor development in public comments at supervisors meetings and in talks with county staff.

On Tuesday, more than 100 residents and community members  many wearing T-shirts and carrying signs reading Koreatown  filed into the county meeting room to voice support for the proposed center, while some advocated for it to be increased in size.

As a kid summer vacations meant hours in front of the TV, with no park or community centers to go to, Scarlett De Leon, an organizer with Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance, told the supervisors. De Leon said her younger brother and sister are growing up the same way, while her grandmother also spends her days in a one-bedroom apartment.

My grandma, my brother, my sister, like many, need a safe space in Koreatown, she said.

Organizers said the plans for a community center, committed to in writing for the first time last week after months of lobbying, marked a watershed moment for Koreatowns activism and empowerment.

In recent years, Koreatown has started voicing its demands as a united front, only to be met with one disappointment after another. The push for a much-needed park that started in 2009 fizzled to an end a couple years later. A redistricting fight in 2012 to get all of Koreatown in one council district ignited rancor and division and was ultimately unsuccessful.

The center, if constructed, would be a hard-won victory in an area with new developments cropping up left and right but scant community resources.

Its a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, organizer Caroline Sim told supervisors. Please include us in the process.

Representatives of the YMCA, which opened its newest location in Koreatown in 2014, told supervisors Tuesday they were bursting at the seams with the pent-up demand in the neighborhood. The YMCA is expected to manage the new community center.

Supervisors approved an initial agreement with a development team Tuesday and $10.5 million to be spent on pre-development work. Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who represents the area, pointed out that the community center is just one piece of the ambitious development plan.

There will no longer be those blighted buildings essentially discouraging development on the part of the private sector, he said. There will no longer be these terrible facilities where our county employees have to work and our constituents have to then seek services.

The county expects to spend about $270 million to build the new mental health headquarters, but probably wont pay for the construction directly. Instead, a nonprofit set up for the project is expected to issue tax-exempt bonds to build it, which the county would pay back through lease payments on the building. The debt service will cost the county an estimated $15.3 million a year.

The private developers on the project will be responsible for coming up with financing to build the housing and community center. They include Trammell Crow Co., which also recently broke ground on a major mixed-use project on county-owned land in downtown Los Angeles; and affordable housing developer Meta Housing Corp.

County Community Development Commission head Sean Rogan says the county expects to get about $500,000 a year in income from the market-rate housing once it is completed.

abby.sewell@latimes.com

Twitter: @sewella

victoria.kim@latimes.com

Twitter: @vicjkim

ALSO

For LAPD cops, walking the Koreatown beat filled with mystery, confusion, cultural minefields

Coyote attacks force closure of Montebello park: People are not food for coyotes

Pillowcase Rapist Christopher Hubbart back in custody after failing to meet release terms
Top Los Angeles County officials including Sheriff Jim McDonnell and Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey have joined a November election battle, announcing support for preserving Californias death penalty and reforming the states appeals process.

The death penalty should be for the worst of the worst, McDonnell said Monday night at an event dubbed, Mend, Dont End Californias Death Penalty.

We want to be in a position to be able to say that there is a disincentive for the most horrific of murders, McDonnell said.

Advertisement

Also speaking out at the event was Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens. The goal: opposing Proposition 62, which would abolish executions and replace them with life without parole, and supporting Proposition 66, which aims to speed up executions in California.

Voters will weigh the two competing measures on the Nov. 8 ballot. It wasnt clear what political or organizing muscle the law enforcement officials would put behind their stance on the propositions, which already have raised serious cash.

Both capital punishment initiatives would require current death row inmates to work and pay restitution to victims, but the measures take opposing approaches to what they both call a broken system. Proposition 66 would keep the death penalty, limiting the number of petitions prisoners can file to challenge their convictions and sentences, and providing new deadlines intended to expedite appeals.

Death penalty critics launch Prop. 62 campaign 

Lacey cited the recent death sentence of the Grim Sleeper serial killer and said the death penalty should be reserved for the few cases involving evil, reckless disregard for human life.

I think thats a different category of evil, she said at the news conference Monday night in Monterey Park, and the appropriate punishment is death.

One by one, high-profile opponents of the anti-death penalty propositions spoke, framed by large posters of victims and police officers who had been killed. They urged voters to support keeping the death penalty.

Los Angeles Police Department Chaplain Ferroll Robins, whose brother was shot and killed in Chesterfield Square in 2002, said the death penalty should be used for his killer.

My family has to live without my brother, she said. The only thing we have is a picture. I dont think thats fair.

The issue has sparked passionate debate, and not all county officials are on the same side.

Former Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti said in a statement to The Times that he had reversed his position on the death penalty because its a total waste of money and of no useful purpose.

Every attempt to change the failed death penalty system over the past 40 years has made it worse and more expensive, he said. Prop. 66 is no different.

shane.newell@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @journoshane.

Times staff writer Jazmine Ulloa contributed to this report from Sacramento.

ALSO

Competing death penalty ballot measures reel in $6 million

Critics of Californias death penalty launch campaign to pass Proposition 62
It was a case study in how a single remark can shake up a campaign before a speech is even over.

The cameras were rolling in Wilmington, N.C., as Republican nominee Donald Trump told his audience about how his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, would clamp down on gun rights.

Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the 2nd Amendment, Trump said Tuesday afternoon, apparently reading from notes on his lectern. Then he looked up to freestyle with his audience. By the way, and if she gets to pick  here, Trump paused as the crowd booed  if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks.

Advertisement

He added: Although the 2nd Amendment people -- maybe there is. I dont know.

Trump did not elaborate, and in the auditorium, the crowd did not seem to respond strongly. Some listeners clapped, one gaped, someone whistled.

Online, political chaos erupted.

ABC News campaign reporter Candace Smith, who was attending the rally, tweeted Trumps remark at 3:06 p.m. Eastern time  and her tweet got retweeted more than 2,500 times. Eddie Vale, the vice president of the liberal super PAC American Bridge, tweeted at the same time: ummmmm Trump just alluded to people shooting Clinton.

Hard to say if its a joke from delivery, Voxs Zack Beauchamp tweeted a few minutes later. But to a certain extent, it doesnt matter.

For the next half an hour, video of Trumps remarks spread online, earning thousands of retweets. One user tweeted a short video of an older man sitting behind Trump who was agape at the remark, adding, Guy behind Trump immediately realized what he said was a problem. The video got more than 4,000 retweets.

TRAIL GUIDE: All the latest news on the 2016 presidential campaign >>

The Guardian sent a news alert: Donald Trump hints at assassination of Hillary Clinton by second amendment people. 

Democratic Sen. Christopher S. Murphy of Connecticut, a gun-control advocate, tweeted a link to federal law, and said, Casual reading assignment tonight: federal criminal statute on threatening to kill a candidate for President.

Was @realDonaldTrump suggesting his supporters shoot Hillary? Shoot her nominee? Who knows. Its all so disgusting and embarrassing and sad, Murphy added in another tweet.

Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook then joined in with his own statement: This is simple  what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.

About an hour after Trumps remark  long after the horse had galloped out of the barn  his campaign issued its own response to the outrage. The statement said Trump was referring to gun advocates political power.

Its called the power of unification  2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power, Trump spokesman Jason Miller said in the statement. And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it wont be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump.

Soon after, the National Rifle Assn. came to Trumps defense, and the powerful lobbying group interpreted Trumps remark as calling for something other than armed insurrection.

@RealDonaldTrump is right. If @HillaryClinton gets to pick her anti-#2A #SCOTUS judges, theres nothing we can do. #NeverHillary, the NRA tweeted from its official account. It added in a second tweet: But there IS something we will do on #ElectionDay: Show up and vote for the #2A! #DefendtheSecond #NeverHillary

Trump soon went on Fox News and agreed with host Sean Hannity that he had been talking about voters, not violence. Nobody in that room thought anything other than what you just said, Trump said. This is a political movement. ... And there can be no other interpretation.

There was still one more key voice to be added to the conversation  that of the agency responsible for investigating threats to presidential candidates.

The Secret Service is aware of the comments made earlier this afternoon, the U.S. Secret Service tweeted from its official account  saying nothing further.

The Secret Service would have been immediately aware of Trumps remarks, of course. Its agents were there, part of their mission to keep watch over Trump.

ALSO

Trumps call for 2nd Amendment people to stop Clinton isnt helping his dropping poll numbers

Mike Pence says Donald Trump is not calling for violence with 2nd Amendment comments

Republicans call Trumps 2nd Amendment remarks dumb, reckless but not a threat
A lawmaker opened a tear gas canister in Kosovo's parliament and protesters hurled stones in the capital on Tuesday ahead of a vote on a deal to demarcate its border with Montenegro as the last hurdle to obtaining visa-free access to the European Union.

There have been violent protests in Kosovo for the last 10 months against reforms including this proposal, which the opposition says is illegal and would lose Kosovo 8,000 hectares of territory.

Local media cited officials as saying parliament may vote on the border deal on Thursday. The opposition has threatened to stop the vote by all means.

Driton Caushi, a member of the largest opposition party, openened the tear gas canister during a meeting of a parliamentary committee. There have been similar acts by other opposition MPs inside parliament in recent months.

"As long as there will be a criminal government in Kosovo that betrays the national interests, no one should hope that opposition resistance will be over," Caushi said as he was handcuffed and led away by police.

Washington and the European Union, who were the biggest supporters of Kosovo's independence, deny Kosovo would lose land as the opposition claims and say the deal with Montenegro is in line with international and local law.

Kosovo is well behind regional neighbours Serbia, Albania, Montenegro, Macedonia and Bosnia, who obtained visa-free access to the EU's border-free Schengen zone in 2010.

But opposition to the border deal has been fierce in Kosovo, a small state of 1.8 million, and tensions have been exacerbated by an EU-brokered accord with Serbia giving more autonomy to Serb-dominated municipalities.

Kosovo declared independence in 2008, nearly a decade after NATO air strikes drove out Serbian security forces accused of killing and expelling ethnic Albanian civilians during a counter-insurgency war. Kosovo's independence is now recognized by more than 110 countries, though not by Serbia.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Trump calls Obama the founder of Middle East terrorist group

(Chuck Burton / Associated Press)

Donald Trump called President Obama the founder of Islamic State on Wednesday, the latest in a series of remarks suggesting that Obama sympathized with Muslim terrorists in the Middle East.

ISIS is honoring President Obama, Trump told supporters at a rally in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., using an acronym for Islamic State. He is the founder of ISIS.

After making the allegation twice more, Trump added, And I would say the co-founder would be crooked Hillary Clinton.

Trumps charges came moments after he said that Russia had seized Crimea during the administration of Barack Hussein Obama, a rare use of Obamas middle name that was notable given Trumps past insinuations that the Christian president was secretly Muslim.

The Republican presidential nominee also falsely stated twice that he had opposed the Iraq war from the start, despite a 2002 recording of Trump saying that he would support a U.S. invasion.

Trump, whose inaccurate statement on Iraq is a staple of his campaign stump speech, criticized Clinton, his Democratic rival, for voting as a U.S. senator to authorize the 2003 invasion. Previous Clinton rivals, including Obama in the 2008 Democratic primaries, have used her support for the war to inflict political harm, but the audio proof of Trump taking the same position undermines that line of attack.

Trumps remarks on Islamic State were open to interpretation. They were part of his policy argument that Obamas withdrawal of U.S. forces in Iraq opened the way for the terrorist network to spread across Iraq and Syria.

After Omar Mateen killed 49 people in a mass shooting at an Orlando, Fla., nightclub in June, Trump questioned whether Obama was genuinely committed to stopping terrorist attacks by Islamic extremists.

He doesnt get it, or he gets it better than anybody understands  its one or the other, and either one is unacceptable, Trump told Fox News.

He said Obama was not tough, not smart, or hes got something else in mind. And the something else in mind  you know, people cant believe it.

When NBC asked for clarification, Trump said: There are a lot of people that think maybe he doesnt want to get it. A lot of people think maybe he doesnt want to know about it.
Wisconsin voters deciding House Speaker Paul Ryans fate

Voting day in Wisc., where insurgent Paul Nehlen hopes to take down House Speaker Paul Ryan. pic.twitter.com/VjnTBvOS4p  Seema (@LATSeema) August 9, 2016

House Speaker Paul Ryan is widely expected to beat insurgent Paul Nehlen in Tuesdays GOP primary in Wisconsin. Part of the reason is voters like Howie Jones, 39.

Ive known him for 20 years. Its a personal thing, said the auto mechanic, before casting a ballot for Ryan at a middle school in the speakers hometown. I think hes doing a good job. I know some [about Nehlen], but Pauls still my guy.

Howie Jones cast his ballot for Ryan. "I've known him for 20 years. It's a personal thing." pic.twitter.com/n02hagi7H7  Seema (@LATSeema) August 9, 2016

The race has attracted national attention because of support by some conservatives and Donald Trump backers for Nehlen, who says Ryan is a tool of the establishment, donors and corporations. The House speaker supports immigration and trade policies that harm American workers, Nehlen charges.

His backers are hopeful that Nehlen can pull off an upset similar to a Virginia election two years ago when insurgent David Brat beat House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.

Polls show Ryan crushing Nehlen. In interviews, voters who are supporting Ryan consistently bring up his enduring ties to his district as among the reasons for their support.

Hes a hometown guy, said Vickie Berg, 50, who said she has met Ryan and his family several times at her church. Hes sincere. Very down to earth, very personable.

Nehlens supporters are confident that the polling is wrong.

Nehlen's volunteers are out in full force and say the polls will be proven wrong if their people turn out. pic.twitter.com/N0B2UctOrA  Seema (@LATSeema) August 9, 2016

Weve been at the doors for three months. We know all about what the people are saying. Its a matter of whether our people come out or not, said Andy Stempki, a volunteer holding a Nehlen sign outside a Janesville polling place.

The 35-year-old sailboat captain said he once supported Ryan, but accuses him of failing to lead.

Americas at a crossroads, and either we can go down the path of globalist special interest, or we can go down the path of America first and empower the people that are actually doing the work in this country, he said. Thats why Im for Mr. Nehlen, and thats why I think Mr. Ryans time for retirement is coming soon.

Still, even some Nehlen voters acknowledged the uphill battle their candidate faces.

Asked if he was optimistic about his candidates chances, Bruce Yungerman replied: No, not at all.

The 58-year-old janitor and his wife, Jo, said their votes were a statement.

Ryan hasnt done anything, said Jo Yungerman, 60, adding that she wished Ryan had more actively fought Obamacare and same-sex marriage.

We need change, she said. We need fresh blood.
And you thought applying to college could be tough.

Take a look at the online application form for 2016-17 at Roseland Accelerated Middle School, a charter school in Santa Rosa. Its called a registration form, but the intimidating set of documents with a couple dozen pages must be completed before a student is accepted, not after, according to the website.

The Getting to Know You sections require would-be students to write five short essays covering two pages (use complete sentences) on a variety of topics (Tell us about your family). Then theres a third page calling for short responses on an additional six issues (The qualities and strengths that I will bring to school are .).

Wait, wait. Were just getting started. The parents have to write seven little essays of their own and then fill out the childs medical history, including medications (an intrusive request that some critics say violates federal privacy law)  and remember, this isnt for an accepted student to attend, but for a student to apply in the first place. Its capped by the would-be students minimum three-page autobiography, typed, double spaced and well constructed with varied structure.

Advertisement

This is for a taxpayer-funded public school that, by law, all students are supposed to be able to attend, regardless of background. If too many sign up, enrollment is supposed to be handled by a lottery. Thats supposed to keep charter schools from cherry-picking students so they can show the best testing results, as theyve long been accused of doing.

Roseland, which didnt respond to phone inquiries from The Times, isnt the great exception. The ACLUs Southern California chapter partnered with Public Advocates to examine the application policies of 1,000 of the states 1,200 charter schools. A fourth of them, Roseland included, had a policy that could be used to exclude some types of students in violation of state law, including those with lower incomes or poorer English skills, the report showed, whether it was requiring parents to volunteer, demanding students academic histories or failing to provide services for special-education students. On some applications, the obstacles were relatively minor and easily corrected, but others appeared aimed at keeping out low-performing students or those whose families werent in a position to handle the complicated forms.

Theres no central authority for charter schools, so we wanted to shine a light on it, ACLU attorney Victor Leung told a Times reporter.

No students should have to write lengthy autobiographies or divulge their medical histories to a school.

No kidding. California has liberal laws on charter schools that allow for large numbers of them to open. If a school district rejects a proposal for a new charter school for solid reasons, the operator can usually win approval by appealing to the county education department or the state. Dont get us wrong; well-run charter schools have been a lifeline for many families. But not all have been well run or welcoming to everyone, and the state has done a terrible job of requiring stringent oversight of these schools, or looking into problems itself.

Its interesting to note that in L.A. Unified, where conflicts over the growth of charters have led to increased district scrutiny, only 10% of charter schools were found in the report to have any irregularities with their admissions policies. Many of L.A.s charters were founded to help the districts most underserved students, with applications intended to draw their families in, not discourage them.

The apparent attempts to sift applicants shouldnt strike the state as new. In 2013, Reuters reported on charter schools nationwide whose applications presented unreasonable obstacles to the poorest and least educated families. The story specifically mentioned Roselands intimidating application, and those of several other California schools.

The ACLU and Public Advocates assert that charter schools shouldnt be able to do any kind of auditions or set any kinds of requirements. That goes too far; as with some public school districts magnet schools, there may be limited hoop-jumping required to identify the students in the region who have the specialized skills the school is designed to serve. Is it fair to say that the Orange County School of the Arts, a sought-after charter school in Santa Ana, shouldnt hold auditions for students? That negates the regional purpose of the school: top-level arts instruction for highly talented teenagers.

In some cases, though, charter schools  public schools  are clearly laying out obstacles bigger than those in the applications of private universities, with requirements that put low-income students, foster children and those from poorly educated or immigrant families at a disadvantage. No students should have to write lengthy autobiographies or divulge their medical histories to a school that could then decide their asthma or history of cancer makes them a bad bet. Their autobiographies might include information about parental ties to the community or immigration status  information that no public school has a right to know. Parents shouldnt have to volunteer on campus to get their kids into school  those who work two jobs, or have younger children to care for, probably dont have the time  or write essays of their own, especially when they might not be literate.

The state needs reasonable, clearly defined and well-enforced rules, but as with so many aspects of school accountability, it has none of these.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
Many gun advocates are opposed to the firearm restrictions passed by California lawmakers this summer, which include a ban on some semiautomatic rifles and a requirement that ammunition buyers undergo background checks.

They have vociferously criticized legislators and Gov. Jerry Brown for what they see as an assault on their 2nd Amendment rights and have launched efforts to repeal the laws. Whether or not you agree with them about the issue, thats certainly a responsible way to engage in the Democratic process.



For the record: An August 10 editorial about politicians loaded language incorrectly reported that Riverside County GOP official Nathan Miller used his own name when he tweeted out an image of a hooded hangman with the message Im ready for Hillary. In fact, he used @RPRC, the official Twitter account of the Republican Party of Riverside County, to tweet the image.

The irresponsible way was illustrated recently by an anonymous blogger, the Real Write Winger, who compiled the home addresses and phone numbers of 40 state legislators who voted for the gun control laws and posted them on the Web. Publishing the home addresses was creepy in itself, and the accompanying text was equally so. Calling the legislators tyrants and legisexuals (whatever that means) who had exercised violence against us, the post warned that if the legislation wasnt repealed, the only way off the list was upon the tyrants death.

Advertisement

The California Office of Legislative Counsel concluded that the blogger had violated the state law regarding online threats to elected officials and demanded that the blog host take down the post. WordPress complied, and the post is gone. At least for now. Last week, gun activists sued Legislative Counsel Diane Boyer-Vine saying the law violated the free speech rights of the blogger, referred to in court filings as Doe Publius.

In this case, the gun activists are right. The state law that the legislative counsel relied upon says that no one may post the home addresses or phone numbers of elected or appointed officials if their intent is to cause imminent great bodily harm  or even if officials only feel their safety is threatened. But while the language of the blogpost is faintly menacing  not to mention juvenile and reprehensible  it never actually calls for action. Furthermore, most of the names and addresses posted by the blogger were already publicly available.

While the language of the blogpost is faintly menacing  not to mention juvenile and reprehensible  it never actually calls for action.

The blogger even addresses the notion that someone might see this as a threat: Compiled below is [sic] the names, home addresses, and home phone numbers of all the legislators who decided to make you a criminal if you dont abide by their dictates. Isnt that dangerous, what if something bad happens to them by making that information public? First, all this information was already public; its just now in one convenient location.

The post treads near the line, to be sure, but does not advocate that something bad should be done to legislators. The Supreme Court has said that the legal test for criminally prosecuting someone for incitement is that the advocacy must be directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and also likely to incite or produce such action.

That doesnt excuse the Real Write Winger for engaging in irresponsible discourse. And he (or she) is sadly not alone. Nathan Miller, a Republican Party official from Riverside, at least had the courage to use his own name when he sent out a particularly offensive tweet of a picture of a hangman at the gallows saying, Im ready for Hillary. The outrage prompted him to resign, probably under pressure, from his job as an aide to a state Board of Equalization member. Perhaps Miller now understands that just because speech is legally defensible doesnt mean it is right or appropriate.

Donald Trump hasnt learned that lesson yet either. On Tuesday he seemed to hint that gun rights supporters might take matters into their own hands if Hillary Clinton were to appoint Supreme Court justices who opposed the 2nd Amendment. Nothing you can do, folks, he said, before adding: Although the 2nd Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know.

Maybe it seems like a clever joke to him to use such loaded language. Because  hint, hint, wink, wink  he doesnt really mean it, right? Still, it only takes one unhinged person to see a call to arms in such foolish remarks.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
A strange thing happened when I married a soldier. Whenever I mentioned my husbands occupation, my subsequent words, whether controversial or trite, would be greeted with the wide eyes and reverential nods Americans now reflexively offer members of the military community. Sometimes Id even get an awkward, earnest Thank you for your service, or That must be so hard.

Our worshipful national attitude toward the military has been on full display during this presidential campaign season, and both major parties have been eager to exploit it. The Republicans trotted out retired Army Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn to tell Americans they should vote for Donald Trump instead of Hillary Clinton. The Democrats countered with retired Marine Gen. John Allen, who urged Americans to do the opposite.

Then came the Gold Star family episode. Trump has spent the entire campaign season insulting one group after another  Women! Immigrants! Democrats! Muslims! African Americans!  without apparent consequence. But when he spoke slightingly about the parents of a Muslim American Army officer killed in Iraq, he instantly found himself on the receiving end of bipartisan public condemnation.

To GOP House Speaker Paul Ryan, Trumps comments were beyond the pale; to former Republican contender Jeb Bush, they were so incredibly disrespectful of a family that endured the ultimate sacrifice for our country. A coalition of military support and advocacy groups signed an open letter calling on Trump to apologize, declaring, Nothing is more sacred or honored than our Gold Star parents. We work in a sacred space, explained one of the signatories. A Gold Star family is a sacred family, added another.

Advertisement

This is the language of theology, not civics. And while only someone with a heart of stone could belittle the grief of parents who have lost a child, our national sanctification of the military makes me deeply uneasy.

To call something sacred is to insist that its beyond the realm of politics. But the military  and the wars we ask it to fight, and the human pain that inevitably accompanies those wars  cant be placed wholly outside the political realm. Nor should it be, if we wish to retain the ability to debate the questions most essential to a democracy: What wars should we fight? Why, how, and at what cost?

I ... worry that treating the military community as sacred tempts us to undervalue other forms of service and sacrifice.

At the same time, placing the military into the realm of the sacred paradoxically turns it into the ultimate partisan prize. The military is the only public institution still trusted by a large majority of Americans, which is why both parties now routinely seek endorsements not only from generals but also from veterans and military families, hoping the militarys consecrated aura will blind us to the tawdriness of campaign season attack ads and sound bites.

These endorsements are effective: Recent studies have found they can help a candidate or cause. But how long will that be the case? As former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey has pointed out, partisan military endorsements can erode the very professionalism that makes people respect and trust the military in the first place.

I also worry that treating the military community as sacred tempts us to undervalue other forms of service and sacrifice. When well-meaning strangers tell me that being a military spouse must be so hard, I often want to tell them that being married to an Army officer wasnt that hard  not really, not compared to what plenty of other people go through.

Yes, there were lonely times: separations and deployments when I had only his distorted FaceTime image on the computer screen. But I know dozens of families whove gone through similar separations, not because of military assignments, but due to the ordinary vagaries of life: a new job; a sick parent to care for; a loved one who cant get a green card. All over America, families are separated.

And all over America, men and women make sacrifices and take risks. Some, like my husband, choose the risks and rewards of a military career. Others choose less recognized but equally important public service careers, becoming police officers and social workers, emergency room nurses and public school teachers, firefighters and Peace Corps volunteers. And others still dont choose at all, but have sacrifice and sorrow thrust upon them: a child killed in a school shooting or a drive-by shooting, or a maybe just a traffic-stop gone terribly wrong.

There are many kinds of service, and many kinds of loss. Surely America can find ways to honor them all.

Rosa Brooks is filling in for Doyle McManus. She is the author of How Everything Became War & the Military Became Everything.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook

MORE FROM OPINION

Lets get our nuclear weapons out of Turkey

Conviction, but no real punishment, in San Bruno explosion case

The first company that wanted to connect the world wasnt Google or Facebook
To the editor: Hillary Clintons emails were investigated by the FBI, who found insufficient evidence for criminal prosecution. In response, Clinton took responsibility by acknowledging her mistakes.

Former students of so-called Trump University are suing Donald Trump for fraud. In response, Trump has denied responsibility and attacked the heritage of the judge hearing the case.

(Post convention bounce hits a familiar wall: emails, Aug. 6)

Advertisement

The bottom line is that Clinton has shown that she is capable of assuming the awesome responsibilities of the presidency. Trump has shown that he never will be.

John D. Kelley, Santa Barbara

::

To the editor: Honestly, I am plenty tired of hearing about Clintons damn emails (as Bernie Sanders once said).

The bottom line is that the FBI decided that there is no basis to go forward with an indictment.

FBI Director James B. Comey clarified his unclear, somewhat confusing, public statements when he later testified before a congressional hearing.

Now lets get serious about comparing Secretary Clintons candidacy with that of Donald Trump, a narcissistic adolescent-acting bully.

Marcia Herman, Los Angeles

::

To the editor: I read with amusement the article detailing the alleged classified status of many old Clinton e-mail messages.

As is well known, the federal government would classify Jeffersons nose on Mount Rushmore if it could get away with it.

The Clinton messages are doubtless about things everyone knows already, or wouldnt really care about anymore anyway. The so-called email scandal is a purely manufactured one targeting Clintons record largely because she is a woman who is presumably not tough enough to absorb this bullying. Lets all move on.

Daniel Loftin, Long Beach

::

To the editor: Really? What exactly does Secretary Clinton have to do to get past this issue?

She clearly believes that she has been exonerated (she has been) and that the FBI director concluded she did not intentionally transmit classified information (he did conclude this).

Inside the federal government, what can be sent via email is a very tough issue for all employees and contractors. It is easy to make a mistake or simply be unaware of the status of a piece of information. Thats why intent is the critical issue.

I defy any federal manager or, better yet, any member of Congress to allow their email to be scrutinized at the level Clintons has been, and come out without any issues.

This was a minor transgression for which virtually no other employee would be called to account on. All the facts are known and there is nothing new here despite the wild charges being hurled by Trump. It is time for the press to move on.

Scott Sewell, Marina del Rey

::

To the editor: I very seldom see anti-Hillary letters. Its hard to believe almost everyone is pro-Hillary when she repeatedly lied to Congress while under oath!

Isnt the truth important anymore? Wake up people!

Patricia Nash, Redondo Beach

::

To the editor: No rational person would equate what are labeled lies by Hillary Clinton to the outright fabrications from Donald Trump.

What Clinton, to her detriment, has done is offer facts in a way to favor her position.

She is accused of being too nuanced  even God forbid legal  in her statements. Interestingly, thats a quality I would want in a President.

Robin Hill, Mar Vista

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
Donald Trump is stuck in a destructive loop of his own making, his words increasingly at odds with his needs as the presidential campaign moves into its final phase.

Trump won the Republican nomination on his willingness to say things to primary voters that ordinary politicians wouldnt say. But going places where others wont is a dangerous strategy when speaking to a broader audience, as Trump found out  again  Tuesday.

His remarks were vintage Trump. They could be interpreted various ways, but even the most benign gloss did nothing to expand his electoral reach or give uncertain voters a reason to cast a ballot for him.

Advertisement

His exact words: A closer look at Donald Trumps 2nd Amendment comments 

Instead, his latest self-generated controversy represented, at best, another day on defense, another day explaining what he meant, another day in which Trump, himself, overrode whatever message might have cut into the advantages held by Hillary Clinton, the unpopular Democrat who has the great good luck to have him as an opponent.

Tuesday also marked another day in which Clinton had to do almost nothing to advance her argument that Trump lacks the temperament to be president because Trump did her work for her.

Were it not for Clintons own character difficulties, Trump might have entirely consumed his own campaign in the weeks since his convention, a period in which campaigns are supposed to propel themselves forward.

He fought with a Gold Star family, withheld his endorsement from key fellow Republicans, encouraged Russia to hack Clintons email, asserted without evidence that the coming election would be rigged, and made a questionable remark about a Purple Heart given to him by a veteran. And that was just in a two-week stretch.

His remarks on Tuesday at minimum breached a wall of propriety. At worst, they alluded to gun violence against an opponent.

At an appearance in North Carolina, he began by asserting that Clinton wants to abolish the 2nd Amendment. (Her proposals actually are limited to expanding background checks and controls on certain weapons.)

By the way, if she gets to pick, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks, Trump said. Then he added: Although the 2nd Amendment people -- maybe there is, I dont know.

Trump sounded, as he often does, as if he were trying to say something provocative to appeal to his committed supporters, but with just enough vagueness to offer deniability if his remarks blew up among a bigger audience. Navigating the differing desires of those groups has often gotten him in trouble in recent weeks.

As the Republican convention showed, with its frequent shouted refrains of lock her up!  in reference to Clinton  Trumps core supporters like their rhetoric superheated. Trump has previously spoken approvingly of violence against protesters who seek to disrupt his rallies, and his campaign has been suffused with rough and tough rhetoric, including a comment by the candidate that he could have shot someone without losing support.

For the rest of the electorate, however, that heat increasingly seems to be far too much to bear, as Trumps fast-dropping poll numbers indicate.

The latest remark just reinforced that pattern. With the country attuned to gun violence, and the attempted assassination of a member of Congress fresh in many memories, Clinton partisans seized on Trumps words as a suggestion that a weapon could silence the Democrat.

The controversy Trumps words generated had two immediate impacts: on Republicans running on the same ballot as Trump, and on Trump himself.

Mere minutes passed before a blizzard of emails struck GOP candidates, as Democrats tried to pressure them to either clearly repudiate Trump or endorse his language. The effort  meant to split the GOP electorate  was particularly pronounced in those states where the presidential election and control of the U.S. Senate will be decided.

What will it take for Darryl Glenn to stand up to Donald Trump? the Colorado Democratic Party headlined one such release aimed at the Republican challenger to incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet.

Its unclear how much impact Trumps stumbles will have on other GOP candidates. It is undeniable, however, that those stumbles have already cost Trump. A series of national and battleground state polls  all of which show Clinton gaining in recent weeks  demonstrate how profoundly he has injured himself.

The post-convention period of any campaign is when candidates normally hone their messages and hammer the basics daily, a repetition required to gain the attention of voters who only glancingly pay attention on any given day.

With the daily diversions, the Republican has given his campaign a muddled vision.

On Monday, Trump had unveiled an economic plan meant to address the issue at the forefront of voters minds as the November election nears. It was a rare dive into a few specifics by Trump, whose campaign has more often limited itself to believe me, itll be great.

But by Tuesday, no one was talking about his economic plan.

The absence of that typical discipline  not to mention the rhetoric he uses  is part of what has driven even Republicans away from Trumps candidacy.

As he was talking about the economy Monday, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a respected centrist Republican, announced that she could not vote for Trump. She cited the line of caustic remarks he has aimed at different groups of Americans.

Nothing that Trump did on Tuesday would have allayed any of her concerns, or the concerns of voters who are looking for reasons to vote for him.

At this point, Trump has a strong hold on his supporters, who have shown time and again that they will stick with him regardless of his rhetoric  and in some cases, because of it.

But in his desire to live outside the bounds of typical political behavior, Trump has given those who are not so sure about him little reason to justify supporting him in November. With each explosion of controversy, he more than anything pushes those voters away, and gives them reason to look more generously at Clinton.

For more on politics 

cathleen.decker@latimes.com

Twitter: @cathleendecker

ALSO:

In complicated Ohio, Clinton and Trump swap voters in a key state

Updates on California politics

Live coverage from the campaign trail
Many gauges measure the rapid drop in Donald Trumps support this summer: Polls show the Republican nominee losing nationally and in most battleground states, prominent Republicans have publicly defected, and GOP elected officials rarely rush to his defense.

Twenty women, mostly swing voters, sitting at conference tables in Columbus, Ohio, and Phoenix on Tuesday night, provide another.

Hes crazy, says one.

He kind of acts like a 2-year-old, says another. I have a 2-year-old. I see the similarities.

Advertisement

Asked to imagine a President Trump, the women in Phoenix call out in a cascade: doomed, scary, hang on and are you joking?

The women, participants in focus groups convened by pollsters Neil Newhouse, a Republican, and Margie Omero, a Democrat, talked about the major party candidates as reporters watched from an office in Washington.

Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | Sign up for the newsletter

The sessions were part of a project sponsored by Wal-Mart that for eight years has examined the attitudes of what the company calls Wal-Mart moms, women who shop at one of the giant retailers stores.

Its a group that includes about one in seven American voters and is replete with the swing voters and soft partisans who candidates normally seek to persuade or mobilize precisely because they can decide elections.

These were not voters who had much praise for Hillary Clinton, noted Newhouse. Even Democrats in the two groups used words like deceptive lies and dishonest when they were asked to describe the Democratic nominee, although others referred positively to her toughness and experience.

To many of these women, Clinton appeared distant, emotionless and closed off. Few had a clear view of what she stands for, Omero noted.

He kind of acts like a 2-year-old. I have a 2-year-old. I see the similarities.  Focus group participant

Trumps image appeared far more clearly etched in their minds, Newhouse said. Unfortunately for the GOP and its nominee, that image has become fixed in two tracks: foolish or frightening.

To some, Trump appeared as a buffoonish character. To others, he seemed dangerous  a hothead, authoritarian and inexperienced.

Those perceptions of the candidates character weigh heavily for these voters. Few on either side indicated that specific policies or issues were driving their choices.

Several, however, mentioned race and concerns about racism as a lens through which they were watching the campaign.

Asked to name an Olympic sport at which each candidate might excel, Anita M., a 43-year-old married Republican in Phoenix, responded with fencing for Clinton.

Shed stab you in the back, she explained, eliciting nods from around the table.

Dont count her as a Trump voter, however. Hes a racist, really, Anita said, noting later that she probably wont vote at all.

Asked to name an Olympic sport for Trump, several of the women in Phoenix cited diving, ski jumping or similar activities that involve, as one said, a leap of faith and an uncertain landing.

The focus group reactions add texture to one of the key findings of recent opinion polls, which have shown Trump losing ground among Republican women.

Several women in the Phoenix group said men in their lives were backing Trump: One cited her husband, another mentioned her father.

Africa C., a 40-year-old Latina business operations manager, said her son leaned toward Trump because he envisions himself a budding entrepreneur.

The women expressed far less enthusiasm, however. Several Republicans mentioned potential third-party candidates  an option none of the Democrats expressed interest in.

Stephanie C., a 38-year old, white, married Republican, was the most hostile to Clinton of the 10 women in Phoenix. She repeated conspiratorial allegations about mysterious deaths of people close to the former first lady that are staples of right-wing talk radio.

Yet even she hesitated about voting for her partys nominee.

Trump would get us right into World War III, she said.

In Ohio, Ivania L., a radiation-safety officer who listed her age as between 35 and 44, said choosing Trump would be like sending a painter to do a doctors job.

She listed herself as undecided, but seemed more accurately described as resigned to what she considered a poor choice.

Id pick Minnie Mouse right now, she said, but, in the end, Clintons experience wins me more.

Id pick Minnie Mouse right now.  Ivania L., focus group member

That quality and strength ranked high on the minds of most of the Clinton backers.

Clinton wont take ownership of her mistakes, complained Linda C., a 56-year-old African American business owner in Phoenix. The Democratic nominee tries to sweep scandals under the rug, she said.

Theres so much stuffed under there they cant even lay the carpet down flat now, she said. And yet Clinton had the knowledge to do the job, she added, while Trump was both inexperienced and disrespectful.

Lukisha H., a married African American teacher sitting across from Linda, expressed similar concern about what she called Clintons unwillingness to clearly acknowledge her errors. But she praised the former secretary of State on other grounds.

I think its a tough job, and you have to be tough at it, she said.

In Ohio, Mary H., a retired cable television service rep, referred to Clinton as cold-hearted and added an expletive. And yet, she said, she too would probably vote for her because of her experience.

On all sides, the women were virtually unanimous in calling the campaign stressful to watch, disconcerting and offering a set of bad choices. The decision is like choosing which arm to cut off, said a participant in the Phoenix group.

In the end, though, they had little doubt about how the contest would turn out or why.

I think Donald is going to say something that is going to scare everybody. And theyre just going to go with, Whoa, we better go with Clinton cause hes off the chain, said Gidget B., a white, married customer service representative in Columbus.

Asked to predict who will win the election, 18 of the 20 participants made the same call: Hillary Clinton.

David.Lauter@latimes.com

For more on Politics and Policy, follow me @DavidLauter

ALSO

Trumps call for 2nd Amendment people to stop Clinton isnt helping his dropping poll numbers

What do you think of Hillary Clinton?

Which Republicans are supporting Trump, and whos jumping ship?
US and Afghan forces killed about 300 Islamic State (IS, or Daesh) fighters during a joint operation launched in Afghanistans eastern Nangarhar province, NATO Resolute Support Mission Commander Gen. John Nicholson said on Wednesday.

"[US and Afghan forces] killed a number of top leaders of the organization and up to 300 of their fighters," Nicholson told reporters.

Nicholson explained that the death toll represents about 25 percent of the estimated 1,200 Islamic State fighters in Afghanistan. Additionally, he said that Afghan forces have been more successful in fighting the terror group than they were last year.

The operation against the Islamic State, Nicholson noted, began about two weeks ago.

The Islamic State, which is outlawed in the United States, Russia and many other nations, gained a foothold in Afghanistan after infighting between Taliban factions broke out in 2015.

The group occupies a small territory inside Afghanistan, but has carried out a number of attacks, including one in the capital Kabul last month that killed more than 80 members of the Hazara minority sect.

In July, President Barack Obama announced he would leave 8,400 troops in Afghanistan by the end of his term in office instead of his original plan to leave 5,500 soldiers.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Im Christina Bellantoni, and todays Essential Politics begins with a question: But what did he mean?

This has arisen countless times in our newsroom over the course of Donald Trumps candidacy.

What Trump actually said  and the context before and after  is important. We detailed that here, along with the full video.

Advertisement

Like a lot of things Trump has said or done over the course of the campaign, there is a benign interpretation and a malignant one.

Still, in some ways context didnt even matter, because the comments took on a life of their own before Trump even left the stage. Within minutes, the 63 words he said in Wilmington, N.C., provided new fuel for Trump critics, and a gallon of lighter fluid for a case that the media is trying to drum up controversy where none exists.

As Cathleen Decker writes in a front-page analysis, Trump is stuck in a destructive loop of his own making, his words increasingly at odds with his needs as the presidential campaign moves into its final phase.

His remarks were vintage Trump. They could be interpreted various ways, but even the most benign gloss did nothing to expand his electoral reach or give uncertain voters a reason to cast a ballot for him.

Instead, his latest self-generated controversy represented, at best, another day on defense, another day explaining what he meant, another day in which Trump, himself, overrode whatever message might have cut into the advantages held by Hillary Clinton, the unpopular Democrat who has the great good luck to have him as an opponent.

Get the latest from the campaign trail on Trail Guide and follow @latimespolitics. Check our daily USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times tracking poll at the top of the politics page and David Lauters handy explainer for how this poll differs from others.

OLYMPIC SPILLOVER

In their quest to bring the Summer Games back to Southern California, LA 2024 leaders have spent the last two weeks in Rio de Janeiro forging relationships with Olympic officials and gathering information for their impending bid. They have also spent a fair amount of time answering questions about Trump.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is leading the citys 25-person contingent in Rio, acknowledged Tuesday that he has heard complaints about Trump from IOC members. This does not depend on any election, no matter what the outcome, the mayor said of L.A.s bid at a press conference in Rio.

KAINE COMING TO TOWN

Vice presidential nominee Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine is headed to Southern California later this month to raise money for the Democratic ticket, according to invitations obtained by the Los Angeles Times.

Kaine will join donors the afternoon of Aug. 20 at the home of Marcy and Jeffrey Krinsk in San Diego. The event also is hosted by former U.S. Rep. Lynn Schenk, who represented San Diego in the mid-1990s. Contribution levels are $1,000 to be a fighter and $10,000 to be a co-host and take a photo with Kaine.

He also will attend what the campaign has billed as an evening conversation on Aug. 20 at the SLS Hotel in Los Angeles. The minimum contribution is $1,000. Donors who contribute or raise $10,000 get a photo with Kaine, and co-chairs with $33,400 worth of donations get a private reception with the senator.

PAUL RYANS RACE

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan crushed an insurgent challenger in his primary Tuesday because of his deep ties to his district. But as Seema Mehta reports from Wisconsin, even as he celebrated his victory, the speaker got drawn into the controversy over Trumps 2nd Amendment remark. Ryans take? It sounds like a joke gone bad.

But Ryan didnt budge from his support for Trump. Dont miss our interactive GOP endorsement spectrum.

WINDFALL FOR CALIFORNIA SIGNATURE GATHERERS

The clipboard-toting signature gatherers who helped qualify 15 of Californias 17 ballot initiatives this fall made a handsome sum out of the effort. Ballot measure campaigns spent nearly $46 million on signature gathering services to earn a spot on the ballot, an average of almost $4 a signature.

Christine Mai-Duc reports its a stunning increase compared to 2012, when the average cost per signature was about $2.50. The highest premium paid, $6.61 a signature, was by the proponents of Prop. 54, a transparency measure.

This year saw a political bidding war as prices were driven even higher while campaigns struggled to get the limited supply of signature gatherers to prioritize their measures.

Track whats happening in California politics and in the final weeks of Sacramentos legislative session on our Essential Politics news feed.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HILLARY CLINTON?

How is Clinton affecting American culture right now? Whether you do or dont support the Democratic nominee, we want to hear from you.

Your response may be used in our upcoming reports.

TODAYS ESSENTIALS

 A Philippine lawmaker is calling for Trump to be banned from the country, after he implied that Filipino immigrants pose a terrorist threat to the U.S., Alexia Fernandez reports.

 Evan Halper explains how Zika is popping up on the campaign trail.

 After saying he planned to vote for Trump, Sacramento County Sheriff and 7th Congressional District candidate Scott Jones now says, I dont know what I am going to do, to be honest with you.

 Some top law enforcement officials are getting involved in the debate over the death penalty on the November ballot.

 Faced with strong opposition from a member of the Board of Equalization, state Sen. Jerry Hill has watered down a bill that would have imposed tough new campaign contribution limits on board members to avoid conflicts of interest. The new bill simply calls for a study of possible new limits.

 There was something for everyone at lunchtime on Tuesday at the state Capitol. That is, if youre a legislator or a staffer. A number of politicians offices were stocked with great food for the statehouses annual potluck lunch.

 Who will win the November election? Give our Electoral College map a spin.

LOGISTICS

Miss yesterdays newsletter? Here you go. Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox daily. And keep an eye on our politics page throughout the day for the latest and greatest. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics?

Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com.
When Tim Ecker decided to leave his construction job and work full time as a signature gatherer six years ago, the $1 or $2 a signature he was paid by ballot measure campaigns meant he could make a decent living. He took every gig he could get.

But this year, when several of the 15 petitions he circulated fetched $5 a signature, he worked 10-hour days, six days a week outside farmers markets and grocery stores to ride the streak as long as he could.

By mid-May, Ecker, 55, was making $3,000 a week and saved up enough money to take the rest of the year off. He did something he never imagined he could do: He turned down a petition for a local measure that paid $3 a signature.

Im kind of spoiled now, he said at the time.

Tim Ecker collects signatures from grocery store patrons in Silverlake. (Christina House / For the Times)

Ecker and his colleagues have benefited from what consultants and petition-gathering firms are calling an unprecedented year in the signature business. The number of initiatives circulated combined with the top dollar that many campaigns were willing  or, in some cases, forced  to pay to get them qualified for the November ballot has stunned even veterans of the craft.

It was crazy. Absolutely crazy, said Angelo Paparella, president of PCI Consultants Inc., one of the biggest firms managing the signature-gathering process for statewide campaigns.

------------

For the record

9:46 a.m.: A previous version of this story identified Angelo Paparella as president of National Petition Management. He is president of PCI Consultants Inc.

------------

Paparella, whos been in the petition business for 22 years, said it isnt unheard of for a particularly deep-pocketed campaign to pay $5 a signature when the deadline to submit them nears. But to have so many campaigns compensating workers at that level  and several others paying $3 to $4 a signature  is rare, he said.

Paparella and his competitors, who often deal directly with campaign consultants, usually employ petition coordinator firms and contractors, who in turn recruit, train and manage street teams of signature gatherers.

Sign up for our FREE Essential Politics newsletter 

Carl Towe, who owns one such coordinating firm, said hes never seen pay like this in the 30 years hes worked in the field.

I knew that supply and demand would drive the prices up, he said. But I had no idea whatsoever that they would get up this high.

Toward the end, it became a price war, Towe said. When one campaign pushed a certain initiative to $3 a signature, another would ante up and pay $3.50, he said.

It got to the point where we wondered, when will it stop? he said.

In all, groups spent $45.8 million gathering signatures for the 15 measures that qualified by petition, an average of $4 a signature, campaign finance records show. Two others were placed on the ballot by the Legislature and therefore did not collect voter signatures.

In contrast, during the 2012 presidential election, an average of $2.50 per signature was offered for the 11 measures that ended up on the ballot.

Toward the end, it became a price war. It got to the point where we wondered when will it stop?  Carl Towe, owner of Carl Towe & Associates petition management firm

So why the uptick in spending for this crucial first step of the initiative process?

One answer is that dismal voter turnout in the 2014 gubernatorial election helped lower the threshold to qualify initiatives through 2018. To get a proposed statute on the ballot this cycle required only 365,880 signatures, and a constitutional amendment needed just 585,407, compared with as many as 1.2 million in previous cycles.

The prospect of spending less time and money to qualify a measure, and the possibility of a high  and potentially favorable  presidential year turnout, lured dozens of potential initiative efforts.

As a result, the number of proposed initiatives being put in front of voters jumped.

With so many issues vying for voter attention on the street, consultants say, some campaigns continually had to raise their per-signature rates to entice gatherers to push their proposals ahead of the pack. Multiple campaigns hit peak prices early after a bidding war was sparked over signature gatherers services.

Whichever one pays the most, you put that one at the top of your stack, said Ecker, who said his strategy involved gathering signatures in one place for an entire nine- or 10-hour day.

This election cycle, the cost per signature also largely depended on how long a campaign waited to begin its efforts and how soon the deadline was approaching.

Proposition 54, a transparency measure sponsored largely by Republican mega-donor Charles Munger Jr. that would require bills be published online for at least three days before legislative votes, paid the most: $6.61 per signature submitted to the secretary of state. The cost reflects not only the per-signature price paid to circulators, but also the fees campaigns pay to the signature-gathering firms and middlemen that manage them. The per-signature cost increases when considering only those signatures that were considered valid by the secretary of state, which were far fewer than the total submitted.

Gov. Jerry Browns parole initiative, which could make thousands of inmates eligible for early parole, was one of the last initiatives to hit the streets after being held up by a legal challenge. The measure, Proposition 57, wasnt cleared for signature gathering until a March 9 decision by the California Supreme Court. As a result, Browns campaign spent a premium: $5.6 million for a little over 1 million submitted signatures, with more than 60% of the money spent in April and June.

Towe said the parole measure started out as high as $4.50 a signature and quickly escalated to the highest number hes seen, $5.50 a pop.

Paparella said those campaigns that started earlier  such as Proposition 60, the measure to require adult film stars to wear condoms on set, and Proposition 61, related to drug pricing  paid as little as $2.40 per signature.

They saved a ton of money  in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, he said.

Advocates of Proposition 52, a constitutional amendment that would make it more difficult for the Legislature to divert funds from the Medi-Cal program, paid the least at $1.79 a signature.

Brush up on all 17 ballot measures coming to California voters this fall here 

Cost of gathering signatures for 15 ballot measures

Propositions 58 and 59 were placed on the ballot by the Legislature and did not require signature gathering.

PROP COST # OF SIGNATURES COST PER SIGNATURE 51 $1,352,534.01 570,791 $2.37 52 $2,192,811.85 1,223,888 $1.79 53 $2,669,093.95 933,054 $2.86 54 $6,622,935.93 1,002,037 $6.61 55 $4,346,924.11 988,466 $4.40 56 $5,735,055.00 992,750 $4.77 57 $5,266,308.76 1,008,321 $5.22 60 $1,409,273.68 556,664 $2.53 61 $1,300,416.97 542,798 $2.40 62 $3,192,775.30 601,239 $5.31 63 $2,228,384.05 608,052 $3.66 64 $2,101,668.10 606,521 $3.47 65 $2,214,363.54 591,997 $3.74 66 $3,282,098.96 593,293 $5.53 67 $2,930,361.62 809,810 $3.62 TOTAL $45,845,005.83 11,629,681 $3.94

The glut of measures led to a real problem for petition management firms like his, Paparella said: There simply werent enough petition gatherers to go around.

It was very, very stressful. And very difficult, he said. It really did affect us in terms of how hard we had to recruit and how much money we had to pay.

And with the economy improving, Paparella said, theres fewer people willing to do his type of work. The early months of El Nino weather also made it difficult for signature gatherers to reach voters, as have increasingly stringent rules at places like grocery stores and retailers, many of which now bar signature gatherers from approaching customers.

As an incentive, one of Paparellas competitors even promised a $20,000 raffle, with tickets distributed based on how many signatures a person submitted each week.

Signature gatherers did get paid quite a bit of money, Paparella said. But really, truly, while its not coal mining, its difficult work. And they worked very hard.

Ecker was able to take about three months off before boredom and another price jump lured him back this week to the 365 by Whole Foods market in Silver Lake. The same L.A. anti-development measure that hed rejected at $3 a signature in May was now paying $5 a signature.

I couldnt really afford to pass that up, Ecker said with a shrug.

Times staff writer Sophia Bollag contributed to this report.

For more on California politics, follow @cmaiduc.

ALSO:

Updates on California politics

What you need to know about the 17 propositions on November's statewide ballot

That blockbuster California ballot will be a $452-million battle
More than 200 students enrolled in Burbank and Glendale schools during the last school year were homeless.

While more than half of them doubled up with other families, almost 40% lived in temporary shelters or motels, while a handful in each city were living in cars or on the street, according to data released by the Glendale and Burbank Unified school districts.

While their individual circumstances are difficult for district officials and aid workers to pin down, many remain in the cities despite the lack of stable housing to keep their children in local schools, while others may avoid shelters that separate men and women to avoid being split up from their children.

Some homeless families, because of the quality of the school district, are averse to finding housing outside Burbank because they want their kids to be able to at least be ensured to have a good, solid education, said Barbara Howell, chief executive officer of the Burbank Temporary Aid Center, which provides meals, showers, laundry services, bus tokens and other resources to about 300 homeless people and 3,000 low-income Burbank households.

School districts, meanwhile, ensure that their homeless students have what they need to enroll, which may include tracking down school and immunization records that families may not have, while providing access to counseling and tutoring services, school supplies and transportation to and from school.

Theyre our kids, they deserve to be in our schools, said Brian ORourke, Burbank Unifieds director of safety and student services. Its our jobs to take the roadblocks away. We dont want our schools to be like the DMV.

Many of them are children of single parents who have lost their job or ability to pay rent, said Shanna Warren, chief executive officer of the Boys and Girls Club of Burbank, which offers free snacks and meals after school.

Its sad because its unstable for them, she said, adding that the students may spend weeks bouncing between couches of friends or relatives. A lot of them dont even know where their dinner is going to come from.

For a week before starting his senior year at Glendale High School last year, 19-year-old Jose Armas was homeless. His mom had just moved to Miami, but he wanted to stay, even if that meant crashing at his longtime church for a few days.

He had moved to Glendale in 2011 from the Crenshaw neighborhood of Los Angeles because he wanted to attend Glendale High School.

Eventually, his uncle found him a place to live alone in downtown Los Angeles for $500 a month.

Though he had a roof over his head, his struggles continued.

He missed the first day of school, and considered dropping out completely.

Working three jobs, without a car, as a high school student, he said it was tough to feel motivated to show up for school, let alone find the time to do homework.

Commuting from downtown Los Angeles to Glendale High School, then to a pet store in Monterey Park where he worked weekday afternoons before taking a bus to his security guard job in Koreatown, he wouldnt finish his shifts until 1 a.m. On Saturdays, he took a bus and two trains to get to another job as a security guard in Compton.

He earned enough to pay his rent and bus fare, he said.

For three weeks in October of last year, he just didnt show up for school.

A school counselor intervened and introduced him to Ilin Magran, a school psychologist and coordinator in the school districts Healthy Start office, who let him know about some of the services  like free bus tokens  the district offered to students in his shoes.

Because of her, I graduated, he said, later adding that he is now pursuing his dream of becoming a police officer.

--

Alene Tchekmedyian, alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @atchek
Kelly Duenckel had something important to tell her son, so she sat him down at the kitchen table in their Burbank home.

It was early March, and the science lab that students rave about at John Muir Middle School was coming up. Many of her sons seventh-grade classmates would get to dissect a cows eye, but her son Robert would not get to participate.

As a student in the Special Day class at Muir, Robert has learning disabilities, including short-term memory deficiencies stemming from a seizure disorder. Duenckel was told by school officials that Special Day students, many of whom have disabilities that impair their ability to learn, would not get to dissect the cows eye.

Robert, who had been looking forward to the lab ever since he heard about it from his older brother, blinked back tears and asked his mom why he couldnt participate.

I didnt have a good answer for him, Duenckel recalled later.

She had been told there wasnt a credentialed special education teacher on hand to lead the lab, that there wasnt enough funding and that Special Day students hadnt participated in the cow-eye dissection for at least the last four years, or for as long as Greg Miller has been the principal of Muir, and could confirm as much.

Duenckel did what she said any mother would do: she complained.

She took her concerns to Muirs administrators, then to Burbank Unifieds superintendent and school board.

She ultimately logged a complaint with federal officials, and the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into her allegations, including one that Robert was discriminated against by being denied an equal opportunity to participate in science labs because he was a student in a Special Day class.

The California Department of Education subsequently opened a compliance investigation early this month to determine if the district violated any special-education regulations, including an allegation that the district did not implement testing accommodations for Robert.

Meanwhile, Duenckel learned that Special Day students missed out on a few other labs that were held during the past school year, including a four-part microscope lab where general education students examined cells through microscopes and Special Day students looked at drawings of cells on a projector.

Her speaking up about the cow-eye dissection lab, however, ultimately led to Robert participating in the lab. But Duenckel refused to accept only her sons involvement in the lab when she was offered it, and she foughtfor Roberts classmates to be take part in the lab, as well.

Robert recalled recently while sitting at his kitchen table how he trimmed the fat off around the eye before puncturing it and watching liquid ooze onto a tray. When he picked up part of the eye with his gloves, it was too slippery to hold, and at the end of his examination, he cut the eye into several pieces with scissors.

More than once, a mom of a boy who participated in the lab with Robert thanked Duenckel for fighting for the Special Day students inclusion in the lab, Duenckel said. Later, the womans son told Duenckel the dissection was exciting and, at the same time, it was the most disgusting thing he had ever done, she recalled, when she gave him a ride home as part of a carpool arrangement.

By submitting a complaint for federal and state education officials to review, Duenckel said she hopes that Burbank Unifieds policies will change regarding Special Day students inclusion in science labs.

Overall, she said she feels Special Day students are viewed as second-class students, she said.

The education that they receive should be just as valuable as the education that gen-ed students get. It should be the same or comparable, she added.

Matt Hill, superintendent of Burbank Unified, said he could not respond to a request for comment, citing the pending investigation.

In an earlier response to Duenckels concern during an April school board meeting, Hill said, We are providing in areas whats required for special-ed, but thats not good enough. When we have a tagline of Excellence and Equity, and we have situations where we have students not getting what they deserve, its not something Im going to tolerate.

Despite Hill noting a need for improvement, his reference to the school district fulfilling whats required ultimately pushed Duenckel to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights.

I thought, You are not making the minimum, she said. You need to have same or comparable labs, and no lab at all is not same or comparable.

When federal and state education officials confirmed they would investigate her allegations, Duenckel said she felt her concerns were validated.

She said she hopes the investigation will lead to change.

This could be really good for all the [Special Day class] kids, she said.

ALSO

Crash course in credit recovery yields best-ever graduation rate of 75% for L.A. schools

UC Davis chancellor resigns following probe into ethical violations

Summer programs help prepare minority students for college STEM
A number of school districts across the country have indicated that the Satanic Temples plan to open after-school clubs would be in line with their policies.

This month, the Satanic Temple contacted several school districts proposing to open after-school clubs in elementary campuses that would focus on teaching reason and science, the Washington Post reports.

While one Maryland school district said it was reviewing a request to open a club, Temple leaders are making a point that religion should not be taught in public schools, according to the Post, specifically pointing out the Good News Club, a Christian program sponsored by the Child Evangelism Fellowship.

Jay Howard-Brock, a former PTA president of a Washington-area elementary school, told the Post that while she considered the Good News Club a positive thing, when she learned of a possible Satanic club, she said religious groups should be removed.

Q. Should school districts allow the Satanic Temple to establish after-school clubs? Or should religious clubs be removed from schools altogether?

Religion has no place in public schools except sociology or anthropology classes and only in the context of an analysis of all world cultural traditions and superstitions. If parents want to inculcate their children with blind faith as truth, they are free to do so and there are plenty of options, including home, places of worship and private schools. The only reason we are having this discussion is because of the desire of the religious community, and specifically the Christian community, to force their beliefs onto the rest of the country. How much more transparent could this be than the admission by some that its a good thing for certain religions to be present but unacceptable when other belief systems are represented?

Reason and science, on the other hand, belong in the mainstream curriculum of all public schools. Clubs that promote them would be a welcome addition to supplement classroom instruction. The idea that religion is somehow an alternative to teaching reason and science is irrational. Its a sad state that we are even entertaining this notion.

Joshua Lewis Berg

Humanist Celebrant

Glendale

..

If one faith-related organization is allowed to conduct after-school clubs, then it seems unreasonable to deny a different faith-related club to do so. But then, if the Satanic Temples objective is really only to keep any semblance of religious contact out of schools its purpose isnt the betterment of children but rather vengeance upon and discrimination against religious groups  which is hardly the kind of motivation wed like to see in groups that want to influence our children. Id put them in the same ranks as drug pushers or gangs  up to no good. I believe the vast majority of people will see through this groups nefarious motives. Who in the world would hand their child over to the hands of a group committed, at least in name, to the tempter, the adversary, the deceiver, the evil one? Jesus Christ gave his life on the cross to save humanity. Satan has done everything he can to steal from, kill and destroy humanity. Its time to see through this groups not-so-hidden motives and shut them down.

Pastor Jon Barta

Burbank

..

There is a discrepancy between what the Satanic Temple says and what it does. The real issue is whether its actions make it an organization that shouldnt be entrusted with the care and teaching of children.

The Satanic Temple website declares that the groups purpose is to encourage benevolence and empathy, reject tyranny and undertake noble pursuits. Yet its accomplishments so far include building a statue of a goat-headed idol, desecrating the grave of Westboro Baptist Church Pastor Fred Phelps mother, and creating a ritual in which nude acolytes are doused with wine. The organizations leaders operate under pseudonyms, keeping their actual identities secret.

These arent allegations made by the temples critics, but are drawn from largely sympathetic articles about the Satanic Temple published in not-so-conservative publications like the Village Voice, Vice and the Daily Beast.

So the Satanic Temples track record doesnt instill a lot of confidence in its claim that its after-school Satan clubs will provide children with a positive, beneficial experience. In interviews, Satanic Temple leaders talk of engaging in serious debate about the role of religion in society, child abuse and other important issues. Yet its actions consist largely of vulgar pranks. For example, according to the Village Voice, the temples national spokesman exposed himself during the protest against Westboro, posing for photos while standing over the tombstone of Phelps mother. Regardless of the disdain most people feel the late Phelps and his followers, stunts like that make it difficult to see the temple as an advocate for kids.

Personally, I dont see a great need for school-based religious clubs, but given that they are allowed, we have to accept the right of all faiths to establish them. However, this doesnt mean that anyone and everyone must be given access to the minds of our children just because they want it.

Michael White

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

La Crescenta

..

It is tragicomic that a Satanic cult would establish an after-school childrens program, let alone one to promote reason and science (as if clubs that focus on history and psychology are at odds with these). And I say history and psychology because the Bible is a recorded history which Christians gather to study and discuss, and the word psychology means soul study. Thats the purpose of Good News Club, to connect the historic text with the young human soul and inculcate good moral living and right relationship with God (the creator of reason and science). How is it reasonable or scientific for a group to exist only as a thorn to that good endeavor? Has anyone seen the promotional video put out by Satanic Temple regarding their elementary school intentions? Its twisted and frightening and hardly beneficial to any American good.

Satanism is hateful at its soul and should be opposed, and this may be a time to start evaluating what we mean when we talk about freedom and equal access in this country. We are established as One Nation Under God. So God is our default American belief which we affirm in myriad ways. I think we may have reasonable cause to deny a satanic club because it inherently denies this fundamental American affirmation. It could be regarded as treason, perhaps, as it undermines what has kept us relatively good in a sinful world and what has fostered charity and safety for our people. It seems to me that a Satanic Club would fall into the same category as an ISIS club, a pedophile club or a KKK club. Would these also be allowed, if free America is so open now to the symbolic master of all evils? I dont mean that Satan is merely a symbol, as the satanists are wont to assert, but that he is a symbol because he is evils epitome, and its the Holy Bible that first informs of him and the truth of this. There would be no Satanists if there were no Bible.

While I think a Satanic club and a Christian club are at opposite ends of the spectrum, it is likely that our nation has so lost its moral compass that it cant distinguish between right and wrong and will thus allow evil to prosper in this case. What will be the result? Foolish parents, ignorant and lost educators, and politicians hoping for their votes, will rubber stamp their childrens membership and further lead our nation down the primrose path, and there will be hell to pay, literally.

Rev. Bryan A. Griem

Tujunga

..

When In Theory respondents previously discussed the Satanic Temple (Feb. 16, 2016), Phoenix, Ariz., had ended prayers at City Council meetings rather than allow the group to participate, a good outcome in my opinion. There is no justification for officially sanctioned prayers in government proceedings in the U.S. The Satanic Temple has also forced jurisdictions to remove religious statues and other displays from government property by requesting that devil imagery also be included. Again, good for them.

The Child Evangelism Fellowship is a national group whose adult members have successfully made religion part of childrens public school experience in at least nine states. It is efforts such as the Fellowships that have directly led to the Satanic Temple seeking to maintain U.S. church-state separation. What an unfortunate waste of everyones time and energy!

Good News Clubs could easily meet somewhere else, or they can accept that groups with divergent views will also be allowed space. Better still, school districts should do their job of providing secular education without allowing themselves to be co-opted and distracted by religious fanatics. Part of that job is to eliminate religious clubs in public schools.

Roberta Medford

Atheist

Montrose
A construction worker was killed by a crane at a large commercial construction site in Irvine on Tuesday, authorities said.

Orange County coroners officials identified the man as Paul Nagle, 60, of Earp, Calif. He was found dead about 8:30 a.m. at the site at 15100 Barranca Pkwy., according to the coroners office.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating Nagles death but said it could not release many details Thursday.

Nagle was an oiler, responsible for maintaining cranes, for Orange-based company Mr. Crane, according to Cal-OSHA spokeswoman Erika Monterroza.

No one else at the building site was injured, Irvine police said.
While some may say a good education is worth its weight in gold, the weight of the price tag might leave others unsure whether its actually an investment.

But according to a study conducted for the Costa Mesa-based Coast Community College District, the districts students are receiving both an education and a return.

The $30,000 district-commissioned study was conducted for the 2013-14 school year by Economic Modeling Specialists International, an Idaho company that provides economic impact studies and labor market data to educational institutions. The study evaluated the spending of alumni, active students and the district and analyzed the return on investment for students, taxpayers and the community.

The Coast Community College District includes Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Golden West College in Huntington Beach and Coastline Community College, which has several locations in Orange County.

The average recipient of an associates degree from Coast will see earnings of $12,300 more per year than if he or she had only a high school diploma or equivalent, according to the study.

Other education experts share the belief in the benefits of college.

Generally speaking, more education has a large outcome for most students and society, said Rachel Baker, an assistant professor of higher education and economics of education at UC Irvine. There is evidence that points toward that greater return ... so it makes sense to think that.

For former student Jennie Gabira  who earned an associate degree in diagnostic medical sonography from Orange Coast College in 2012 in Costa Mesa  her investment meant a lot.

As a single mother of two teenagers, the San Clemente resident felt her earnings as a preschool teacher  about $20,000 a year  werent cutting it.

I love teaching, but I couldnt support my family on it, said Gabira, 41, who taught preschool for 16 years. I was looking for a career that was just as rewarding as teaching but could pay better.

Jennie Gabira says the cost of her two years working toward an associate degree in medical sonography from Orange Coast College was $2,500. Other Orange County programs she looked at cost around $38,000, she says. (Alex Chan / Daily Pilot)

Now that she is a diagnostic medical sonographer, she is earning three times the amount she made from teaching, she said.

Gabira said the cost for her two years at Orange Coast was $2,500. Other Orange County programs she looked at cost around $38,000, she said.

The current cost for California residents to study at Orange Coast is $46 per unit, the same as at Golden West and Coastline. A two-year program typically has 60 units.

Even at such a relatively low price, Gabira said she felt prepared after graduation.

By the time she left Orange Coast, Gabira had put in 1,750 clinical hours as part of the diagnostic medical sonography curriculum. The college also helped her find the clinics where she did the work.

With her degree, she quickly found work as a full-time sonographer in Oceanside. She does biopsies and diagnostic ultrasounds for pregnant women.

It was a great experience when I got my ultrasound for my kids, but I never new how great it would be to give that to other people, Gabira said. My goal is for patients to leave with a smile.

*

Moving, spending and earning

Besides their earning power, Coast Community College District students and alumni also are working and spending in Orange County, Economic Modeling reported.

Were not only an employer and buyer of goods and services  the living expenses of students benefit local businesses, Gene Farrell, the districts chancellor, said in a statement. Plus, Orange County employers look to CCCD-educated students to satisfy their workforce development needs.

The district is an economic engine, Farrell believes.

Alumni generated $1.6 billion in gross regional product for Orange County in the 2013-14 analysis year, according to the study.

Thousands of the districts former students are employed in the county, and many students move into the county to attend the districts schools, the study said.

In 2013-14, 37% of students attending a Coast college originally lived outside Orange County.

A portion of them made the move to attend school. Their spending on groceries, rent and transportation ultimately generated $313.3 million in gross regional product in the area during the analysis year, according to the study.

Roberto Orozco Jr., 34, moved from Long Beach to Fountain Valley to attend Coastline Community College so he could take his prerequisite classes before applying to medical and nurse practitioner schools.

Orozco left the Marines in January 2015 and started classes at the college in June.

Before setting his sights on Coastline, he looked at Long Beach City College, National University, Santa Ana College and an extension program at his previous alma mater, UCLA.

The Veterans Resource Center at Coastline sold him.

The classes hell complete in his two years at the college include physiology, anatomy, general chemistry and microbiology.

Though Orozco plans to apply for more schooling after Coastline, hell already qualify for opportunities with what he learns there, he said.

Because I have those classes, I could be a lab technician, a food safety inspector or other positions, Orozco said. Some of these start at 42 or 45 [thousand] minimum. Thats not crazy high, but even with a bachelors [degree] I didnt qualify for jobs like that.

At the end of the day, he said, youre definitely getting a greater return.

*

Benefits to taxpayers and society

The Coast Community College District is helping more than its students, according to Economic Modelings report. Its also helping taxpayers.

The study said lifestyle changes associated with education can generate savings for taxpayers in the areas of healthcare, law enforcement and unemployment benefits.

Some experts say that correlation can be difficult to determine.

We cant say for certain that if students go to college theyre guaranteed to be civically engaged and have better health, Baker said. But I think the general findings do align with what the study found.

According to a report by Lance Lochner, an associate professor of economics at the University of Western Ontario, incarceration and conviction rates worldwide are high among the least educated.

Lochner estimated that increasing high school graduation rates by 1 percentage point in 1990 would have resulted in nearly 100,000 fewer crimes in the United States, providing an annual social benefit valued at more than $2 billion.

Not only is there a potential to do well in a career, but because of the enrollment in one of our colleges, the students are putting money back into the economy and they are seeing a great return, Farrell said. The students attend school here, and we find that a good majority of alumni remain in O.C. Theyre contributing back to the county.
Costa Mesa resident and Hoag Hospital nurse practitioner Karen Herold joined two other Orange County women in being honored at Susan G. Komen Orange Countys annual Survivor Celebration and Awards luncheon last month at the Oasis Senior Center in Corona del Mar.

Herold was recognized with the Outstanding Breast Health Advocate award. She runs the Hoag Early Risk Assessment Program at the Newport Beach hospital, helping to provide breast cancer awareness and education.

Both of Herolds grandmothers had breast cancer, according to a news release.

Laguna Niguel resident Kathleen Miller was honored as the Most Inspirational Breast Cancer Survivor, and Huntington Beach resident Alley Perkins was named the Most Inspirational Co-Survivor.

Louise Hyland of Newport Beach, an author and breast cancer survivor, was one of the events keynote speakers.

Susan G. Komen is a nonprofit organization that provides funding for breast cancer research and support services.

Costa Mesa City Hall accepting dress donations for Marine Ball

Prom dresses, ball gowns and cocktail dresses in good condition can be donated at Costa Mesa City Hall for spouses of members of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines to wear at the annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball in October.

The Camp Pendleton-based battalion is adopted by the city of Costa Mesa.

The Marine Ball will celebrate the 241st anniversary of the Marine Corps founding.

Dresses and gowns can be donated until Sept. 10 at the concierge desk in the City Hall lobby, 77 Fair Drive.

Costa Mesa volunteer honored for 25 years of service

Costa Mesa Historical Society volunteer Mary Ellen Goddard was recognized for her 25 years of service during the recent Presidential Lifetime Achievement Awards luncheon at the Radisson Hotel in Newport Beach.

The event, presented by Orange County nonprofit resource center OneOC, acknowledged people who have contributed 4,000 or more hours of volunteering.

We are proud of these extraordinary older Americans who have demonstrated through their active volunteerism that age is as much a state of mind as it is a number, Daniel McQuaid, OneOCs chief executive, said in a statement.

Spot available on Costa Mesa Senior Commission

The Costa Mesa City Council is accepting applications to fill a vacancy on the citys Senior Commission, an advisory body to the council on subjects related to the Costa Mesa Senior Center.

The vacant seats term expires in February 2021. Those applying must live in Costa Mesa.

Application forms are available through the city clerks office or at costamesaca.gov/apply.

For more information, call (714) 754-5065.

Early College and Estancia students complete skills workshops

Nine students from Early College and Estancia high schools in Costa Mesa recently completed workshops presented by Costa Mesa nonprofit 5 Saturdays in which they got the chance to create websites and practice resume-writing and interviewing skills.

The biggest investment they will make in their lives is in themselves, and the 5 Saturdays program will help them expand and grow toward that end, Early College Principal David Martinez said in a statement.
Operators of a Costa Mesa medical marijuana dispensary that was raided by police in January sued the city and its Police Department on Tuesday, alleging that officers had no right to force their way into the Harbor Boulevard storefront.

The lawsuit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, claims that Costa Mesa police never presented a warrant during or after the search, in which they arrested employees and confiscated marijuana products.

According to attorney Matthew Pappas, who is representing the dispensary, Costa Mesa Collective, the city has refused to provide a list of the items the officers seized.

Its just been quite frustrating, Pappas said.

Although medical marijuana is legal in California, Costa Mesa bars dispensaries from operating within its borders.

On Tuesday, city spokesman Tony Dodero said police did have a warrant to inspect the dispensary, which was operating in the 2000 block of Harbor Boulevard.

Ive seen it, Dodero said. I have a copy of it.

He did not provide a copy to the Daily Pilot.

During an interview in February shortly after the raid, Dodero said police arrested five of the dispensarys employees. He also said officers found two large safes containing $6,000 cash and various marijuana products.

None of that property has been returned to the dispensary operators, though nobody arrested has been charged with a crime, according to the lawsuit.

The suit seeks return of the property or compensation for it.

Surveillance video provided by Pappas shows officers breaking through the dispensarys door on Jan. 27 and ordering a group of people to lie on the ground.

Pappas said police disabled security cameras that they could find, but a hidden recording system captured them questioning medical marijuana patients and unloading items from display cases.

Pappas showed portions of the recordings to the Daily Pilot.

Pappas alleges that even if police had a warrant to inspect the business, officers violated his clients rights.

He contends the raid was used as a backdoor mechanism to shut down the dispensary.

The lawsuit draws a distinction between a criminal search warrant and a warrant to inspect for health and safety violations.

If police used an inspection warrant to justify the raid, they had a duty to notify the dispensary 24 hours in advance and shouldnt have forced their way in, according to the lawsuit.

What they would normally do with any other business ... they go in and they dont have guns drawn, Pappas said.

Despite the citys assurances, Pappas said he doubts the warrant exists. More than six months after the raid, he said he still hasnt seen a copy of it.

Pappas has accused Costa Mesa of wrongdoing before.

In the days after the raid, Pappas said the storefront wasnt a dispensary but rather a Native American church authorized to use cannabis and other controlled substances in its ceremonies.

On Friday, Pappas backed away from that claim, saying the dispensary had planned to transition into a church but never made the conversion.

Pappas said he no longer represents the religious practitioners, known as the Oklevueha Native American Church.
Gabes Film Festival will honour the late iconic Egyptian director Mohamed Khan.

The festival, which will take place between 24 and 30 September, is headed by Egypt-based Tunisian actress Hend Sabry.

Director Mahmoud El-Jemni, who also heads the festival, announced that it will honour Khan by screening a number of his films, in addition to a lecture centered on him that will be attended by actor Khaled Abo El-Naga, director Ahmed Rashwan and Hend Sabry.

A short film directed by Ahmed Rashwan on the life of Khan will be screened, as well as a published book by critics and Khan friends in the cinema field.

El-Jemni added that this edition includes two competitions for feature and short films.

Dorra Bouchoucha will head an all womens jury for feature films, while Fatma Bin Saidan will head a jury for short films.

Born in Cairo in 1942 to an Egyptian mother and a Pakistani father, Khan was educated in Britain before beginning his film career in the Egyptian capital in the 1960s as a scriptwriter to go on to become one of Egypts most prominent directors.

Khan belonged to a generation of neorealist filmmakers that represented a hallmark in Egyptian cinema with his movies tackling social issues that often revolved around female central characters.

Among the most acclaimed films of Khan's two dozen motion picture productions are: El-Harreef (The Street Player, 1984), Zawgat Ragol Mohem (The Wife of an Important Man, 1987) and Ahlam Hind wa Camilia (Dreams of Hind and Camilia, 1988) which were named among the "100 Greatest Arab Films of all time" by the Dubai International Film Festival.

His latest (Before the Summer Crowds), premiered in Egypt at the 5th Luxor African Film Festival (LAFF).

In December 2015, Khan released a book titled Journey of a Director (Mokhreg Aala Al Tareeq), which comprises a selection of his articles between 1990 and 2014 published in different newspapers such as Al-Hayat, Al-Qabas and Al-Tahrir.

Khan acquired Egyptian nationality by a presidential decree in March 2014.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The first time she did it, she added $400.

Shawna Smith, 46, scribbled the number 4" in the space shed left on the amount line of a $91.30 check, adding hundreds of dollars to her reimbursement for a Costco run for an elderly Glendale woman who hired her to help around the house.

That was in April 2006.

Over the next decade, Glendale police said, Smith fudged the numbers on at least 55 checks, embezzling more than $150,000 from the victim.

It started with $400, then jumped up to $1,000, then jumped to $2,000, then jumped to $5,000, said Glendale Police Det. Matt Zakarian, who spearheaded the more than six-month investigation which involved pulling seven years worth of bank records.

During her arraignment Monday, Smith pleaded no contest to four counts of theft from an elder or dependent, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. The remaining six counts of the charge are expected to be dropped next month.

Ms. Smith readily acknowledged her wrongdoing, said her attorney Ray Fountain. Shes prepared to take responsibility. We agreed to make full restitution. Hopefully, the victim will be made whole, and my client can put this unfortunate incident behind her and just move on with her life.

Under a negotiated plea, Smith faces four years of probation, though if she fails to pay restitution, or commits any other crimes, shell spend the rest of her sentence in state prison, according to Fountain.

If she pays every dime back that she owes, thats one way of staying out of prison, Fountain said.

Smith, who was arrested last week, is slated to be sentenced next month.

According to police, the victim found Smith on Craigslist 16 years ago, and hired her to help unpack boxes and organize the garage after she moved to Glendale from Atwater Village.

Smith befriended the elderly woman, who is now 85 years old, and offered to handle her personal accounting when the victims husband, who previously handled the finances, fell ill, Zakarian said. He died in 2009.

The theft went undetected until January, when the victims daughter was searching for a missing deposit and stumbled upon numerous large checks to Smith. Most of them stemmed from reimbursements for trips to Costco.

Thats when the family called Glendale police.

Smith reportedly deposited the money into her own accounts, though it was not clear how she spent it.

She trusted her, Zakarian said, adding that people should continuously monitor their accounts and credit scores. Families need to make sure that whoever their elders are trusting, that theyre trustworthy.
The California Democratic Party on Wednesday will review the validity of contested delegate votes in favor of City Clerk Ardy Kassakhian to earn him the groups endorsement in his bid for state Assembly.

The party held a caucus over the weekend to determine who would win the endorsement between Kassakhian and Councilwoman Laura Friedman in the race for the 43rd Assembly District seat currently held by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Glendale).

Kassakhian reportedly received 49 delegate votes in his favor, compared to Friedmans 20, giving the city clerk the required 60% threshold to clinch the endorsement.

However, Friedmans camp claims 18 of those votes should be negated because they were made by individuals ineligible to vote.

Tossing out those votes would lower Kassakhians total below the threshold and leave the assembly race without an endorsement from the states Democratic Party.

Parke Skelton, a campaign consultant for Friedman, said Kassakhians 18 contested delegates were appointed by various elected officials in the 43rd district after the eligibility date.

He said that, as the partys bylaws state, that date would be eight weeks before the first caucus, meaning last December.

Kassakhian has had elected officials who have endorsed him force their appointed delegates from outside the district to resign and then reappoint them with Kassakhian supporters, Skelton said in a statement. This is a clear violation of state Democratic Party rules, and the party has stated that all of these ballots will be challenged.

The partys Compliance Review Commission is expected to announce its ruling on Wednesday.

Larry Levine, a campaign consultant for Kassakhian, said all of the delegates that voted for the city clerk were residents of the 43rd Assembly District and that the selection of their appointment abides by the same section of the bylaws to which Skelton referred.

In essence, what it boils down to is, we found out what the rules were, [Friedmans campaign] knew what the rules were and we played by the rules, Levine said in a phone interview. "[Friedmans campaign] opted to not participate or they tried to participate and failed and now theyre asking the party to reverse its position to rescue them from their own negligence.

Skelton said he also took issue with a press release Kassakhians camp issued, stating Ardy Kassakhian wins solid victory in 43rd assembly district endorsement vote.

However, in the body of the release the victory referred to receiving more votes than Friedman, but also acknowledged that he was shy of winning the endorsement.
A few weeks ago, I ran into Matt Hamo, a Glendale Unified teacher Im always glad to see, mainly because of the positive feelings I get from him about whats right with public education in Glendale.

Hamo is one of the teachers that parents especially want for their children, and I can understand why. Ive heard him present to the school board on more than one occasion  articulately and passionately  and Ive heard more than one parent sing his praises as their childs sixth-grade teacher. They especially appreciate how well he prepares their children for middle school.

Hamo is not teaching sixth grade this year. Hes one of a group of elementary and secondary math teachers on assignment to develop and help implement math curriculum to meet Californias state standards.

Hes very excited about whats happening in math because he wants more students to enjoy the subject as much as he does. He knows the way math has been taught in the past  with teachers directing instruction and students memorizing formulas  has left many students less than enthused, much less proficient at the level necessary for college and career success.

Hes a strong supporter of the problem-solving approach that is at the core of the Common Core, and he likes the deep involvement of local teachers in the process.

But he also knows there are teachers and parents who are not so well disposed toward the new curriculum, notwithstanding the years-long call from employers and parents alike to strengthen student problem-solving skills and improve their chances of competing in a global economy.

He encouraged me to contact Lisa Reed, coordinator of the districts professional development team for math, to learn more about whats happening.

Reed taught high school math at Crescenta Valley High for 25 years and then served as an assistant principal before taking this position. I first spoke with her about this issue on the day the team was introducing district staff to the first unit of lessons theyve assembled  using open-source materials from other states and education agencies rather than published textbooks.

Like Hamo and the other team members with whom Ive spoken, Reed is enthusiastic about the work theyve done. She shared the question shed heard from Juli Dixon, a math researcher and professor of mathematics education, in describing the revised teaching approach.

Whos making sense of the math? Dixon asked.

The goal now is to have students make sense of what theyre doing, as participants in the learning, not just rule followers. Teachers are encouraged to facilitate rather than stand and deliver. Reed grinned as she described watching students figure out for themselves the sum of the angles of any triangle. Shes convinced theyll remember that 180-degree sum more readily for having come to their own conclusion.

Val Henderson, another member on the team, has been teaching math at Rosemont Middle School and was eager to talk about the shift in instruction.

Its about getting students to be the center of their learning, she said. She spoke of the Standards for Math Practice that thread through all the grade-level standards and highlighted two of them: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them, and Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. Sounds like good advice for all of us.

I think both employers and parents will appreciate students working on problems like some I saw. If your weekly salary is, how much do you have left each week after paying for rent, cable TV, electricity, and groceries? Or, Why would it be useful to know the least common multiple of a set of numbers?

Why, in other words, does math matter, which is the question so often left unanswered.

Henderson and colleague Melanie Doody acknowledged the challenges teachers face in adjusting their teaching styles.

Its more management and not a lot of downtime for teachers, they explained.

But as Doody told teachers getting their first look at the teachers guide, the team is available for support. I want this to be easy for you, she told them. I want you to be happy.

Reed, knowing not everyone is happy with the shift to student-centered instruction, suggested parents and skeptical teachers give it a year. She said she hopes theyll agree by then with her conclusion that students will be further ahead than the kids I taught 10 years ago.

If youd like to hear from some of the teachers directly, tune in to a replay of the Sept. 1 board meeting.

--

JOYLENE WAGNER is a past member of the Glendale Unified school board. Email her at jkate4400@aol.com.
Michael Lundholm said he has always had a passion for helping others, so joining the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps seemed like a natural fit.

The 18-year-old Huntington Beach resident left last month to begin his 10 months of service to the Atlantic Regions FEMA Corps Class 23, which is part of AmeriCorps.

The organization offers aid to people after they have faced disastrous situations, like floods and fires.

Advertisement

The group may work with the Red Cross and other emergency management organizations, according to a news release from AmeriCorps.

We help communities recover after a disaster strikes, said Lundholm, who is one of 75 people chosen for the program this year. We help them get their benefits from disaster relief and stuff like that, as well as send water and resources when needed.

Lundholm, who graduated from Ocean View High School in June and participated in community service clubs, said he joined the organization to serve the community before heading off to college next year.

He said his older brother served with the AmeriCorps NCCC Traditional Corps a few years ago, which inspired him to join in a similar role.

Lundholm, whose role is to help manage resources, said he is currently stationed at an AmeriCorps office in Maryland until he gets his assignment next month.

After he graduates from the program in May, he will receive an education award of $5,775, which Lundholm said he would like to go toward an education in engineering at a local university.

--

Brittany Woolsey, brittany.woolsey@latimes.com

Twitter: @BrittanyWoolsey
La Canada Unified officials announced Tuesday one probationary teacher will not be rehired for the upcoming school year, and small cuts will be made to high school ceramics and culinary arts classes, due to a lack of student interest.

The decisions come before a March 15 state deadline, by which school districts must finalize staffing commitments to best cover the 2016-17 school year. LCUSD Supt. Wendy Sinnette explained the trimming of four periods of ceramic arts and period of culinary arts was the result of enrollment that was too low. She said adjustments could be made if student interest in the programs changed.

NEWSLETTER: Stay up to date with whats going on in the 818 >>

We may see as the master schedule bears out if the numbers are sustained, and we may be able to rescind this, Sinnette said. But its a protection thats guided by the deadline, which is the reason were putting this before you.

Roughly 100 members of the La Canada Teachers Assn. took advantage of Tuesdays special meeting to voice concern over teacher salaries as members of the unions bargaining team continue to negotiate with LCUSD officials over salary, benefits and aspects of the school calendar.

Wearing signature blue LCTA T-shirts, three appointed representatives spoke of the need for higher salaries to attract and retain high-quality educators to La Canada and bring teacher earnings up to par with similar districts in the area.

La Canada High School English teacher Tracey Calhoun referenced findings of a salary schedule survey conducted jointly by LCTA and the district, which showed beginning La Canada Unified teachers earn roughly $47,429 annually, compared to Palos Verdes starting teachers $52,571.

The gap widens at the higher tenure and education levels, where LCUSD teachers top out at $90,720, compared to $95,749 at South Pasadena Unified School District and $100,423 at San Marino Unified.

This impacts teachers both during our careers and in retirement, Calhoun said. A fair settlement will honor the work that educators do every day to continue to maintain the rigor required to be a top performing school. [It] also has the power of improving the low morale that is pervasive among our staff.

Join the conversation on Facebook >>

LCTA President Mandy Redfern said teachers have waited on the sidelines for years while the district weathered funding cuts from the state and relied on donations from the La Canada Flintridge Educational Foundation to maintain staffing and programs, and they believe now is a good time to talk increases.

Yet despite more dollars coming in from the state to make up for past funding gaps and an increase in revenue of about $4.5 million since the 2014-15 school year, no funds in the recently approved 2015-16 second interim budget were set aside for teacher raises.

"(The increased revenue) is great news, but none of it is being spent on increases to the salary schedule, Redfern said. After years of being told to hold out for one more year and assurances that we are valued, the second interim budget leaves teachers feeling a little forgotten and unimportant.

LCTA negotiations opened Feb. 4 and will continue as both parties engage in interest-based bargaining before finalizing an agreement.

--

Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com

Twitter: @SaraCardine

--

ALSO:

Court strengthens protections for CDE student data after its inundated by objections

Dining Review: A fun taproom worth exploring

Locals gets reprieve from temporary watering ban
Sky-gazers, take note: The Perseid meteor showers will be bigger than ever this year as the Earth passes through the tail of Comet Swift-Tuttle and its debris turns into fireballs in the sky. Space.com reports that its an outburst year for the annual light show that happens every August.

This year, instead of seeing about 80 Perseids per hour, the rate could top 150 and even approach 200 meteors per hour, NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke says on Space.com.

The show peaks  the time you are most likely to see the most meteors  early Thursday starting around 10 p.m. (after the moon sets is best) until about 4 a.m. Friday.

Advertisement

But you can continue to see shooting stars beyond. The Earth passes through the comet debris between July 17 and Aug. 24, so keep an eye out for the next few weeks.

You can see the shooting stars with the naked eye, provided its a clear night and you are in a dark place. Here are some good dark-sky venues:

Great Basin National Park near Baker, Nev., is hosting a Perseid meteor shower party. Show up at the Lehman Caves Visitors Center in the park around 9 p.m. Bring a lawn chair and look up  its one of the best places to see the show because of its remote location in east central Nevada.

Joshua Tree and Death Valley national parks are sweltering with triple-digit heat at this time of year. But they are excellent places for an after-hours look at the sky. Wait until the sun goes down and venture in to set up for the light show.

In Southern California, Big Bear Lake, perched at nearly 7,000 feet in the San Bernardino Mountains north of L.A., is usually a safe bet for good viewing. Overhead and to the east, stars typically are brilliant  so sky-gazers can see the Milky Way horizon-to-horizon most nights.

And why are they called the Perseids? Because the fireballs radiate out from the constellation of Perseus. So go find a dark spot, allow at least half an hour for your eyes to adjust and be patient for the show to begin.

MORE

Where to watch Kilaueas lava flow hit the ocean on Hawaii Island

Glaciers and peaks are the stars of this Patagonia hiking and camping adventure

Best Pokemon GO hunting places in California (60 stops in Disney parks!)

A kind of psychedelic Stonehenge in the desert near Las Vegas
Officials in the south of France forced a Muslim womens organization to cancel a pool party after protests over Islamic clothing rules.

Michel Amiel, the center-left mayor of the Provencal town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, persuaded the swimming park to annul the reservation for the private event, which he described as a provocation.

The controversy broke out after the group Smile 13, which describes itself as a social, cultural, sporting and professional association for women and children, privately booked the SpeedWater Park at the town of Pennes-Mirabeau, near Marseille, for September.

Advertisement

Its poster advertising the event stated it would be open only to women and children, including boys under 10, and requested that attendees wear clothing that covered from the chest to the knees.

It added that exceptional authorization had been obtained for women to wear burkinis and pool jilbab  swimsuits and poolside garments that cover most of the body  both of which are normally banned in public baths in France.

We are counting on you to respect the AWRA (Islamic rule requiring parts of the human body to be covered) and not come in a two-piece (chest to knees must be covered). The minimum is a one-piece swimming costume with pareo or shorts, the poster read.

On Smile 13s Facebook page, which has since been taken down, the organization explained the clothing request was necessary because the pool has mixed staff.

The wearing of veils and anything covering the face is banned in public places in France under a 2010 law that was upheld by the European Court of Human Rights. All visible religious signs are banned from schools and colleges and among public-sector staff, and there are strict rules on swimwear in public pools. Because this was a private event, the group was within its rights to demand a dress code, but local politicians saw it as contrary to Frances institutional secularism.

This is communitarianism, pure and simple, Amiel, a center-left senator from the Democratic and Social European Group, told Le Parisien newspaper last week, adding that he was shocked and angry when he learned of the dress code and was planning to have the event banned as a threat to public order.

Before the cancellation, Valerie Boyer, the local member of Parliament for Les Republicains, the center-right opposition party, feared the event would be divisive.

It is not an anodyne issue. The battle of the veil is a visible sign of fundamentalists wanting to mark their territory and subjugate women, Boyer said in a statement.

Burka, chador, abaya, niqab, hijab  it doesnt matter what you call them, they are a gender prison, a negation of the individual, an obstacle to equality, an obstacle to fraternity.

Frances far-right Front National said in a statement that the event was further evidence of the infiltration of Islamism into civil society, which it claimed was aimed at spreading an ideology that is fundamentally against the values of the republic.

In the end, town hall officials persuaded the SpeedWater Park to cancel Smile 13s reservation.

Neither SpeedWater Park, nor the town of Pennes-Mirabeau wish to be the theater for public order troubles caused by factors outside of their role and influence, said the park and the town hall in a joint statement.

The association said it had received bullets in the mail following the controversy, and that it had complained to the French Collective against Islamophobia.

On Saturday, when its Facebook page was still up, Smile 13 published a statement saying it regretted that there had been such a backlash and that it had provoked death threats to its organizers.

We are sad and concerned by the massive wave of racist hate, crude insults and threats we have been subjected to not just as an association but also as individuals, it read.

It added it was stunned and saddened by the level of controversy the planned event had provoked.

In March, Frances womens rights minister Laurence Rossignol sparked a public war of words when she criticized fashion labels including H&M, Uniqlo and Dolce & Gabbana for including Islamic clothing in their latest collections.

She described the fashion as irresponsible and accused the labels of promoting the imprisoning of the female body. Talking to RMC radio, she compared Muslim women who bought clothing linked to their religion to American blacks who were in favor of slavery.

Willsher is a special correspondent.

MORE WORLD NEWS

Brazil is struggling to keep the Olympics free of politics

Chinas crackdown on dissent is described as the harshest in decades

Did a U.S. think tank sponsor a military coup? Turkey thinks so.
Hundreds are dead after the worst earthquake in generations struck off the northeast coast of Japan on Friday, setting off a devastating tsunami that swallowed swaths of coastal territory and fanned out across the Pacific Ocean, threatening everything in its path.

The 8.9-magnitude earthquake -- the worlds fifth-largest since 1900 and the biggest in Japan in 140 years -- struck at 2:46 p.m. local time, shaking buildings violently in Tokyo for several minutes and sending millions fleeing for higher ground.

Nearby islands are bracing for the tsunami and warnings have been issued for 53 countries including ones as far as Colombia and Peru.

Advertisement

Photos: Scenes from the earthquake

The Kyodo News service reported police finding up to 300 bodies in the city of Sendai in Miyagi prefecture, a part of northeastern Japan believed to have been hit hardest by the tsunami.

The city of 1 million was struck by a wave 20 feet high, then another 33 feet high. A hotel collapsed and large ships in port were seen lying on their sides.

About 1,100 people were stranded and awaiting help in Sendais airport terminal, according to state-funded broadcaster NHK. The airport had no power and was dark. The runway and roads surrounding the airport were submerged under a layer of muddy water.

Videos of the earthquake

At least 80 fires have been reported across the country and large areas are without electricity submerged under water.

Japanese television showed aerial footage of an ominous 13-foot muddy wave washing across land along the northeastern coast of the main island of Honshu, which appears to have sustained the worst damage.

Kyodo News reported that a ship carrying 100 people had been carried away by the tsunami.

According to East Japan Railway, 14 bullet trains were between stations with passengers still aboard, after the quake triggered emergency safety systems. The whereabouts of at least one train near the coast in Miyagi prefecture was unknown late Friday, Kyodo News said.

In other locations, live TV coverage showed massive damage from the waves with dozens of boats and even buildings being carried along by waters. Cars could be seen futilely trying to speed away from the rolling wall of debris.

A large ship swept away by the tsunami rammed into a breakwater in Kesennuma city in Miyagi prefecture. Waves could be seen splashing into city streets and over bridges.

Further south in Chiba prefecture, firefighters battled an out-of-control oil refinery blaze that spewed fireballs into the sky. The Cosmo Oil Co.'s facilities produce about 220,00 barrels a day.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan in a press conference called for people to remain calm and reported that the nations nuclear power plants showed no signs of damage.

The government will make its utmost efforts to secure peoples safety and limit any damages to the minimum, said Kan, who was in parliament when the quake struck.

All trains were stopped in Tokyo where debris fell off many buildings and black plumes of smoke rose over the skyline. Tokyo Disneylands parking lot was reportedly flooded and the tip of the Tokyo Tower was bent. Office workers rushed out of their buildings. Subways were halted, trapping commuters underground. Millions were still trying to find their ways home by the late evening. In the nation with the worlds third-largest economy, all airports were closed for hours.

I thought I was going to die when it hit, said Megumi Ishii, 26, who was walking miles home in Tokyo. At first, it didnt shake that much. But then the shaking got more violent and everyone in my office got under their desks. The ceiling tiles came off and some things fell off shelves.

Anthony Weiss, a 29-year-old from Florida studying Japanese in Tokyo who was on a train when the quake hit, shaking his passenger carriage sharply back and forward.

People covered their heads with their bags as dust and small debris fell, Weiss said. Something sprung a leak, as there was a lot of water on the platform.

Many riders evacuated the train and headed for the archways, but not Weiss. I stayed on because I was concerned about the roof and hanging lights and ventilation systems, he said. Lights went on and off in the train. It felt a lot like the earthquake attraction at Universal, to be honest, but it wasnt stopping.

It was pretty scary, Weiss said in an e-mail to a friend. It felt pretty strong. People were scrambling for the doorways. The aftershocks are continuing even now.

People at Tokyos Narita International Airport were told to evacuate buildings and head for the tarmac.

It felt like a jet had come too close to the window and everything started shaking and rocking, and there was a huge rumbling noise, said David Pierson, a 32-year-old U.S. Army helicopter pilot who was waiting for a flight to Newark. All the signs started swaying and fixtures started popping out. When I saw the panic on peoples faces, I made a move for the exit.

The epicenter of the quake was 81 miles off the coast of Sendai, and it struck at a depth of 15 miles. The combination of its shallow depth and proximity to the coast made the temblor a perfect storm for the tsunami generation said Susan Hough of the U.S. Geological Survey in Pasadena.

Japan has a long history of large earthquakes, and its buildings are well-girded to withstand damage. Observers said this could help minimize casualties.

Photos: Scenes from the earthquake

barbara.demick@latimes.com

david.pierson@latimes.com
Two million people in Aleppo havent had access to running water since Friday, according to the United Nations. Fighting between government and opposition forces has damaged the electricity networks required to pump water throughout the Syrian city, the UNs childrens agency, UNICEF, said in a statement Tuesday.

Though city authorities restored an alternate electricity source, in less than 24 hours the backup power lines had also been destroyed in an attack, the agency said, cautioning that citizens may resort to contaminated and unsafe water sources if the issue is not resolved soon.

The UN called for weekly two-day humanitarian cease-fires to allow for the repair of civilian infrastructure.

Advertisement

The targeting of hospitals and clinics continues unabated, seriously jeopardizing the health and welfare of all citizens of Aleppo, the organization said in the statement.

The upsurge of fighting this weekend came as opposition forces fought to claim territories from pro-government troops. At least 250,000 people were trapped in opposition-held east Aleppo after the Castello Road, a key supply route and the last remaining point of access into the area, was blocked by the government early last month.

On Sunday, the Putin-backed Syrian government struck the rebels with Russian jets and ground support from Hezbollah. After heavy clashes, a major Syrian opposition body announced their fighters had broken the siege.

Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations Security Council special envoy for Syria, has struggled to restart talk of a cease-fire. The Aug. 1 deadline for a U.N.-supported peace process has long passed, though de Mistura aims for another attempt toward the end of August.

In the midst of heightened conflict, taps have run dry and medical supplies are running critically low. Drinking water is being dispatched by the UNICEF presence in the area, mostly toward the government-controlled Western side of Aleppo, where citizens are most vulnerable. UNICEF estimated that 325,000 people are receiving the emergency aid.

See the most-read stories in World News this hour >>

Humanitarian efforts are stemmed by the poor access, said Juliette Touma, a UNICEF representative. We are water trucking throughout the country, but the U.N. does not have fully fledged access to Aleppo, especially the eastern parts of the city.

Its important that there is a lull in the violence, to allow the UNICEF team to provide supplies. Touma said.

Beyond the deadly toll of gunfire and mortar shells, wars also kill through disease. Syria has seen the transmission of hepatitis, polio and meningitis among its citizens, according to a 2014 study published in the journal PLoS. The countrys civil war, now in its fifth year, may induce a health crisis in Syria for years to come.

The water shortage came during a heat wave, which is forecast to reach up to 100 degrees over the next week, putting citizens at added risk.

This is a difficult time of the year, so it made something bad much worse. Children will resort to unsafe water sources, and they are more likely to catch waterborne diseases. If this is not resolved soon, the citizens of Aleppo will be on the verge of a catastrophe. Touma said.

MORE WORLD NEWS

The worlds newest nation is on the brink of a new civil war

Spy saga comes to a close as Iran executes a nuclear scientist accused of giving info to the U.S.

China racks up 8 medals, and a list of perceived slights, at Rio Olympics
All material is subject to strictly enforced copyright terms & conditions and cannot be repurposed or reproduced.  19882022 Latin American Financial Publications Inc.
(Beijing- Police in a city in the eastern province of Jiangsu said they were detaining a man from July 22 after receiving a complaint from a dog owner, who said the man had killed his German Shepherd.

Lianyungang city police said August 3 that it had decided to detain the suspect for 30 days amid an ongoing investigation, a move criticized by a legal expert as being heavy handed.

Police in a statement said the suspect, identified only with his last name, Wang, had driven with a friend to a neighborhood in downtown Lianyungang with a knife on July 7, and he had stabbed a pet dog. The animal later died of its injuries at a hospital.

According to China's criminal code, police can detain any suspect for up to 14 days, but if the individual has a criminal record or is implicated in gang violence the detention can be extended for up to 30 days.

Police said they first detained Wang for "intentionally damaging private property" on July 22 and decided to extend his detention to 30 days because the attack was carried out by a pair, an act that can be interpreted as engaging in gang violence. However, police had not detained his alleged accomplice.

Zou Jiaming, a criminal lawyer at King & Capital Law Firm in Beijing, said the long period of detention was harsh, because the suspect has not threatened public security.

The police statement explaining the detention order came on the same day when the man's girlfriend posted an article on the twitter-like micro blogging site, Weibo, questioning the long period in custody.

The dog had bitten her two days prior to the stabbing, the suspect's girlfriend said. But the couple had decided to settle with the dog owner privately, and the owner had promised to give the dog away because it may pose a threat to others in the neighborhood, she said.

Pet owners in downtown areas in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai are banned from rearing large dogs including German Shepherds because they are perceived as more aggressive. It is not known whether the Lianyungang city government had a similar rule.

On July 7, the day of the stabbing, the couple had seen the dog owner with the pet and the suspect had confronted him over not honoring the promise to remove the dog from the neighborhood, the women told Beijing News.

The woman claimed on her online post that the suspect was acting in self-defense when he stabbed the animal, because it was about to bite him, but it is not clear whether she was present at the time of the incident.

Public opinion on the case is divided, with some animal rights activists criticizing Wang over cruelty to animals, while others endorsed his action saying it was a lesson for negligent pet owners who inconvenienced others in public spaces.

Under the country's penal code, defendants could face criminal charges for damaging private property worth over 5,000 yuan, said Zou, and they might get a jail term of up to seven years depending on the property value.

Police estimated the dog cost about 36,000 yuan.

Police said it has not decided if and when it would hand Wang to prosecutors to press formal charges.

(Rewritten by Li Rongde)
A wildfire is burning out of control in Southern California's San Bernardino County, having blazed through well over 7,000 acres of land since it sparked around noon on Sunday Aug. 7, between Pilot Rock Ridge and State Hwy 173 in Hesperia, Calif.

According to the most recent update from InciWeb, the Pilot Fire measured in at 7,736 acres as of Tuesday Aug. 9 at approximately 10:00 p.m. PST. Over 1,000 firemen, fire officials and other related personnel have been dispatched to battle the blaze, which is currently only six percent contained.

While the official incident description refers to this fast-spreading inferno as "Wildfire On The San Bernardino National Forest," authorities have pinpointed the location of the fire as "near Hesperia, Deer Lodge ark, Lake Arrowhead and Silverwood Lake Recreation Area."

While the cause of the fire is still under official investigation, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Bob Poole assures residents that firefighters have been working hard over the past few days to build fire containment lines and to keep flames at bay, the Los Angeles Times reports.

"Because the vegetation is so incredibly dry, all it takes is a little spark and it's just been chewing through it," Poole said. "That's been our difficulty."

EVACUATIONS

With 5,300 structures currently under threat from this wildfire, authorities have issued both mandatory and voluntary evacuations throughout many nearby communities, as well as school closures (due to smoke advisories warning of unhealthy air qualities), road closures and trail closures.

However, a number of shelters have been set up to accommodate evacuees as well as their pets (both large and small animals are assured shelter).

Beginning with mandatory orders, the entire community of Deer Lodge Park has been evacuated. Also included in this order is Aleutian Drive, Klondike Drive, Evergreen Lane, Yukon Drive, and Hwy 173 north and south from Hwy 138 to Arrowhead Lake Road.

"Because of the aggressive attack by our firefighters, we were able to protect homes," Poole said. "These guys - they're highly trained, they're highly motivated and they're doing an incredible job in difficult conditions."

However, as a precaution fire officials have suggested residents in the affected areas of Hesperia and Lake Arrowhead take into consideration the following voluntary evacuation orders:

In Hisperia, areas east of the Mojave River and south of Rock Springs Road to Kiowa Road, areas east of Santa Fe Road, south of Ranchero Road to Arrowhead Lake Road and north of the Spillway are included in the voluntary evacuation order. Also under this order are Lake Arrowhead residents living in the community of Grass Valley Lake as well as in the area north of Peninsula and North Bay Roads to Hwy 173, and south of Hwy 173 from North Bay Road to Grass Valley Road.

ADVISORIES & CANCELLATIONS

Both the South Coast and Mojave Desert Air Quality Management Districts have issued smoke advisories for much of the area surrounding the fire. As such, a number of area school districts have cancelled classes on Wednesday Aug. 10 for health and safety reasons. Among them are the Apple Valley United School District, the Hesperia Unified School District, and the Oro Grande Unified School District.

Apple Valley posted the following message on it's official website late Tuesday afternoon:

"Schools will remain closed on Wednesday, August 10, as we anticipate a similar weather pattern for tomorrow. The prevailing winds and the behavior of the Pilot Fire leaves many Apple Valley Unified district schools with unhealthful air quality in the afternoon. Therefore, schools will remain closed for another day on Wednesday, August 10.

The weather forecast is calling for reduced wind on Thursday and Friday. We plan to resume school on Thursday, August 11 with an early release schedule. The district has procured sufficient face masks for all students for both Thursday and Friday. Please monitor the website for further updates."

Officials are asking parents to check in with the appropriate school district websites in order to obtain additional information on this week's school closures and planned re-openings.

SHELTERS

Local residents who are under evacuation orders or who have been otherwise displaced by the Pilot Fire may opt to stay at one of two shelters that will remain open for the duration of this incident. The American Red Cross Reception and Care Center shelter has been opened at the Oaks Hills High School, located at 7625 Cataba Road in Hesperia, Calif. A second American Red Cross Reception and Care Center will be open at Rim Of The World High School, located at 27400 California 18 in Twin Peaks, Calif.

For displaced residents who own animals, two shelters have been opened in nearby communities to temporarily house both large and small pets. The Devore Animal Shelter, located at 19777 Shelter Way in San Bernardino will take in small animals. Larger animals can be boarded at the Victorville Fairgrounds, located at 14800 Seventh Street in Victorville, Calif. Authorities ask that all calls regarding animal control inquiries related to the Pilot Fire should be directed to the County Animal Care & Control at (800) 472-5609.

ROAD CLOSURES

For residents in both the affected and nearby communities who expect to be driving in the vicinity of the Pilot Fire, the following is a complete list of road closures, as of Aug. 9 at 10:00 p.m. PST:

- Hwy 173 is closed from the 138 to the forest gate

- Hwy 173 is closed at Grass Valley

- Arrowhead Lake Road is closed at Rock Springs Road

- Deep Creek Road is closed at Rock Springs Road

- Rock Springs Road is closed at Arrowhead Lake Road

- Grass Valley Road is closed at Brentwood

- Forest Roads 2N33, 2N17X, 2N36 and 2N37 remain closed

- Miller Canyon OHV Area remains closed (soft closure - residents only with identification)

FIREFIGHTING EFFORTS & FUNDING

There are currently 1,475 firefighting personnel assigned to battle the Pilot blaze. Included among the resources allocated to the wildfire fight at this time are 98 fire engines, 14 water tenders, one helicopter, 41 hand crews and 14 dozers.

Responding to this wildfire situation are a number of cooperating agencies. They include: the California Highway Patrol; California Office of Emergency Services; San Bernardino County Office of Emergency Service; Bureau of Land Management; CALTRANS; San Bernardino County Animal Control; American Red Cross; and Southern California Edison.

Press-Enterprise reports that the United States Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has already authorized the use of federal funds to aid firefighters in their efforts against the Pilot wildfire.

According to FEMA, California authorities submitted on Monday a request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant declaration for the Pilot Fire. The federal agency issued a statement upon immediate approval of Monday's request, detailing its determination that this fire has potential to cause destruction to such an extent that it would constitute a major disaster.

"At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 750 homes in and around the communities of Hesperia, Deer Park Lodge, and Summit Valley," the statement read.

According to a San Bernardino county fire spokesperson, the federal fire management grant will cover 75 percent of the cost to fight (single or cumulative) fires relating to the Pilot Fire, through federally-allocated dollars. The remaining 25 percent of the firefighting cost will be paid by state agencies.

PILOT FIRE UPDATES

Please check back with us at LatinPost.com in the coming days for out continued coverage on the Pilot wildfire. We will be sure to make any and all new information available to our readers as soon as it becomes public.
As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles.

Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services.

These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience  the local community.

It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times.

Close
Aug 10, 2016, 11:55am ET

Former Mexico governor faces charges for Kia's 'excessive' tax deal

Prosecutors reportedly accuse former governor Rodrigo Medina of extensive corruption, wasting nearly $200 million in state funds.

Former Nuevo Leon governor Rodrigo Medina reportedly faces prosecution for alleged corruption related to an 'excessive' incentive packages for Kia's new factory in Mexico.

Incoming governor Jaime 'El Bronco' Rodriguez accused his predecessor of drafting an illegal incentive package that allowed Kia to avoid taxes for 20 years. Medina's administration is said to have agreed on other controversial terms, including a provision that required the state to pay for Kia's inauguration party.

The dispute appeared to prompt higher-level diplomatic maneuvering when South Korea President Park Geun-hye visited Mexico earlier this year, reportedly joined by a delegation to help renegotiate a new deal.

Sources tell Reuters a judge will soon make a final decision on a potential trial. The alleged corruption scheme is claimed to have wasted nearly $200 million USD in state funds over several years.

The factory will eventually be capable of building 300,000 vehicles annually. Most of its output will be headed north to showrooms throughout the US.
A partial collapse Wednesday afternoon of the stucco facade on a mixed-used, commercial-residential building on South Side Bethlehem displaced 10 tenants and damaged four vehicles, according to the city fire department.

No one was injured in the incident that occurred about 1 p.m. at 18 W. Third St., across from Lehigh Pizza, fire Assistant Chief Gerald Huber said.

A representative of the owner was on site, and it was possible the American Red Cross was going to be called in to assist those displaced, Huber said.

City construction and permitting officials inspected the collapse of the stucco that left brick and cross beams exposed. There was concern more of the wall may fail, Huber said, prompting the evacuation of the building's four westernmost apartments and a first-floor printing business, Huber said.

"Hopefully that's all that falls," he said of the initial damage.

Kathleen Hoenle, of Easton, was among those with vehicles damaged. She works on South Side and drove her husband's car in to the city on Wednesday because hers is in the garage. As the registered owner, her husband got a call from city police about the damage and she headed over to the scene.

"I know I've got broken windows," she said of the damage to their Volvo XC90.

Yellow tape ringed the cars, preventing a closer inspection.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Judith Greenhalgh had spent enough time around Morris Metz that she knew persistence was one of his attributes.

And commitment. And kindness.

"When he was on a mission, he was on a mission," she said Tuesday. "Morris didn't rest until the mission was finished."

Metz, the driving force behind the Lehigh Valley chapter of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, died Monday at age 91.

A former Forks Township supervisor who lived more than 60 years in the township, Metz spent much of the last 18 years rounding up veterans for educational programs at Lehigh Valley schools, colleges, church groups and civic organizations.

The result was a living history lesson that enlightened young people about World War II and shed light for them on the sacrifices made in war, said Greenhalgh, a retired Palisades High School teacher who was director of education programming for the veterans group and a former vice president.

She met Metz in 1998 at the Terrace Restaurant in Walnutport, where the then-1-year-old Lehigh Valley chapter of the Bulge veterans met monthly.

"He was a special friend to everyone," said Greenhalgh, of Hilltown Township in Bucks County. "He was tireless in his leadership and spearheaded our local chapter and our education program."

Dwindling numbers

Metz, who served with the U.S. Army in the 94th Infantry Division and fought in Belgium and Luxembourg, headed the Lehigh Valley chapter from 2003 until 2015. Before that he was the group's treasurer.

The roster of veterans who gave presentations at schools once numbered in the 30s. Today it's down to about five -- and one fewer with the passing of Metz, Greenhalgh said.

"For many it was a catharsis," she said. "A lot of them had never spoken about their service. At the meetings there was this sense of camaraderie, and I think that's what they felt when they went out to speak to students."

Metz's son Doug said the group gave presentations to more than 100,000 students and other people in the nearly 20 years since their founding.

Born in Wind Gap, Morris Metz joined the service after graduating from Pen Argyl High School in 1943. He was a 1950 Lafayette College graduate and worked more than 30 years at Mack Printing in Wilson Borough.

He attended the last chapter meeting of the Bulge veterans three weeks ago, friends said.

"Something he said at almost every meeting: 'When the love of power is replaced with the power of love there will be peace.' I know he taught that to various groups," Greenhalgh said.

"Morris always said war was a curious thing," she continued. "One day you're taught to kill and the very next day the war is over and you have to turn all of that off."

Metz echoed that sentiment in a 2011 interview when he was asked about his friend Terry Calandra, a Vietnam War veteran who admitted he falsified records and made up stories in pursuit of a Medal of Honor.

"When you grow up, you're taught the sanctity of life," Metz said then. "But when you go in the military service and go into war, you learn to kill and destroy. You do that or you get killed.

"After you get back to a normal civilian life, you don't know if you're going to be affected by those experiences. Things may happen that cause you to take actions you normally wouldn't take. I think that's what happened."

Family man

Metz was a devoted family man who loved opera, classical music and his college alma mater. He was the patriarch who kept his immediate family and its various extensions in Baltimore and McConnellsburg, Pa., connected, said son Doug.

"He was also a great listener. He would listen first and see what he could do to make people's situations better," Doug Metz said.

Metz is also survived by his wife of 69 years, Dorothy; a daughter, Deborah Zarate; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; and two step-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren.

Doug Metz said his father was proud to deliver on a pledge he made in a European foxhole as a young man in combat.

"He said if he ever made it out alive he'd buy a farm in the country and raise a family. The farm I grew up on (in Forks) is that farm," he said.

"My sister and I both own that farm now and own businesses on that farm and his grandson will be moving into the farmhouse that we grew up on. It's a fitting propagation to his vision."

Jim Deegan may be reached at jdeegan@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @jim_deegan. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook.
Cattell Street and College Avenue were still soaked and slippery an hour after Wednesday morning's intense thunderstorm when a black Toyota Corolla tried to make the curve that leads toward Downtown Easton, city police report.

The southbound Toyota instead crossed into the northbound lane and collided with an RCN pickup truck heading up College Hill, police said.

The driver of the Toyota was checked out by the Easton Emergency Squad, but wasn't taken to the hospital.

The pickup had damage to the driver's side front while the Toyota hit head-on.

The truck was able to be driven away, but the Toyota, with significant front-end damage, was towed by Easton Auto Body.

No one will be cited, police said; the weather was to blame.

The crash was very near where a northbound Volvo on June 16 went through the fence and down the hill during a similar crash.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
When police first asked Caleb Barnes what happened the night of March 14, 2015, he claimed he was at a friend's house in Virginia.

Sitting in a South Whitehall Township Police Department interview room, the 20-year-old Barnes said he wasn't feeling good, went to see the friend and then headed to Jamie Silvonek's Upper Macungie Township house in the early morning hours of March 15, 2015.

Detectives didn't believe Barnes.

They had already discovered the body of Silvonek's mother in a shallow grave along a South Whitehall Township creek, her car dumped in a nearby retention pond. They had already spoken to Jamie Silvonek and had some details about what happened overnight.

Investigators had also spoken to Jamie Silvonek's friend about the pair reportedly plotting to kill Silvonek's parents in order to be together.

After repeatedly denying facts that investigators asked him about, Detective Richard Heffelfinger at one point told Barnes, "I'll hang you with your lies."

Testimony continued on the second day of Barnes' trial on homicide and related charges in connection with the killing of Cheryl Silvonek.

Prosecutors alleged the 22-year-old Barnes brutally stabbed Cheryl Silvonek as the woman tried to break up her daughter and Barnes. Barnes' attorneys claim it was Jamie Silvonek who killed her mother, not Barnes.

Jurors heard from neighbors, as well as Cheryl Silvonek's mother, Peggy Lynn.

But a good portion of the morning was spent on the recorded interviews between Barnes and police after Cheryl Silvonek's body was discovered.

After denying even being in the state at the time of the murder, Barnes then tells police the older Silvonek became enraged -- "snapped"-- after finding the couple having sex in her car.

"Her mom just freaked the f--- out," Barnes said, and attacked her daughter, Jamie.

Barnes said Cheryl Silvonek called her daughter a whore and choked the girl, and that he tried to stop the attack when Cheryl Silvonek began attacking him.

"She just wasn't stopping. I didn't know what to do," Barnes tells the investigators.

Barnes claimed the killing was not planned, and that Jamie Silvonek was not involved in the stabbing or disposing of the body. During the two separate interviews that day, Barnes denied the 14-year-old girl helped him in any way, and repeatedly asked if she would be charged in the case.

"She had no idea," Barnes said in the last interview. "She was in shock. She was disconnected. She was following me around, pretty much the whole night."

While Barnes showed a range of motions in the tape, he began crying during the interview and in the courtroom when he was talking about his family.

Barnes said he moved around with his family until he was 8, when they moved to Argentina. He was home schooled, and said he was taught Spanish and Farsi, which he speaks fluently.

Barnes said he enlisted in the Army, and that his father also served in the Army. Barnes was stationed at Fort Meade, Maryland, at the time of the killing.

"It must have been a pretty proud day when you enlisted," says Detective Adam Miller, with the Upper Macungie Township Police Department. Barnes starts to break down in the interview room, and could be seen wiping his eyes in the courtroom.

The day started with jurors viewing graphic photos from Cheryl Silvonek's autopsy, and a forensic pathologist detailing her numerous injuries from the attack.

Most notable were the three gaping wounds on Silvonek's right side of her neck. Forensic pathologist Barbara Bollinger testified the victim's carotid and jugular arteries were "cut in half" during the attack, and that it would have taken "a significant amount of force" to cut the veins.

The direction of the stab wounds are consistent with the attacker being behind the victim, Bollinger testified.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Christopher Line was looking at the 6-foot wooden gate that Joseph Myirski Jr. and his son, Jason J. Myirski, had built to fit between the hedges behind his Bethlehem home.

It was Tuesday afternoon. The shock had not dimmed in the hours since Line learned that morning that Jason Myirski allegedly shot his father to death in their Northampton home. If anything, the passage of the day deepened his confusion about what had gone wrong, and his anger at his friend.

"There's a kid that we're really great friends with, but also you need to look at the other side of the coin: He killed his own father, destroyed his own family and left his two brothers and his family without a father and a husband," Line said in an interview.

Joseph Myirski and Jason Myirski, who Line knows as Jay, bonded over woodworking. They'd make Americana arts and crafts to sell at area flea markets.

An American flag with one big star hung on Line's back porch, made by Jason Myirski along with his mother, Monica Myirski, and his father. Line posted a photo of the piece in August 2014 on Facebook.

Awesome handcrafted American Flag from my friend, Jason J. Myirski! Thanks buddy! Posted by Christopher Line on Friday, August 15, 2014

Line, who is 38, met the 36-year-old Jason Myirski about 10 years ago through Machs Gute Pub and Grille on Linden Street in Bethlehem. Myirski served with the U.S. Army in Iraq and was like a "second son" to Line's mother, he recalled.

Myirski fell out of the circle of friends maybe two, two and a half years ago, Line said. Rumors got around about what was going on with him, but he'd disconnected his phone. Myirski said at his arraignment Tuesday morning on a single count of homicide that he'd been taking the opiate blocker suboxone, suggesting a battle with addiction.

"I was talking with some friends earlier," Line said. "None of us have really spoken to Jay in about a year. I knew the Jay that I grew up with in the past 10 years that was funny, charismatic, would give you the shirt off his back."

Line said he knew it was cliche but the Myirski who is charged "isn't the Jay we knew."

"Something snapped and I don't know what it was," Line said.

Myirski worked at Nestle Purina Petcare Co. in South Whitehall Township, according to Line. He wasn't well known around the places in Northampton where a stranger might think to look for him.

Veterans at the bar Tuesday afternoon inside the American Legion Fred A. Snyder Post 353 on Dewey Avenue were talking about the shooting but didn't know him, according to the bartender. Nor could any light be shed by the bartenders at the Gin Mill and at the Alliance Hotel, just a few doors down from the Myirski home at 2350 Main St.

NJT Arms, a gun store at 2145 Main St., wasn't familiar with the veteran. Nor were staff at PACCO LLC, a suboxone clinic around the corner at 2030 Center St.

Neighbors weren't ready to talk to reporters about the family, or what happened.

Joseph Myirski Jr. leaves behind his wife and also their sons Eric and Kevin Myirski.

"They were sweet people," Line, from Bethlehem, said about his memories of meeting Jason Myirski's parents.

Line was clear that the allegations against Myirski had earned him his fate, held without bail and facing the possibility of life in prison:

"It's awful what happened and I'm in tears for Jay but at the same time, to have killed his own father ... I can't even explain to you what the emotion is. I don't even know if there's a word for it. ...

"The guy was in my wedding party. That's the Jay I know. The Jay that committed this horrible crime, I don't know who he is, and it breaks my heart. It breaks my heart that I couldn't help him."

Northampton last saw a homicide March 20, 2012, when Todd S. Lindenmoyer fatally shot his brother-in-law, Edward A. Kimak, in Lindenmoyer's 735 Washington Ave. apartment. Lindenmoyer pleaded guilty that September to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to three and a half to 10 years in prison.

Northampton was also the scene of a quadruple murder, on June 26, 2010, at 1917 Lincoln Ave. Michael E. Ballard pleaded guilty in April 2011 and was sentenced to death on four counts of first-degree murder for stabbing Denise Merhi, his ex-girlfriend; Dennis Marsh, her father; Alvin Marsh, her grandfather; and Steven Zernhelt, a neighbor. Ballard at the time had recently been released from state prison for an Allentown murder.

Earlier this year, on May 25, borough resident Joseph S. Sommer Jr., 48, was shot to death in Washington Township, Lehigh County, by 34-year-old Harry R. Bortz, also of Northampton, who then committed suicide, authorities said.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
An electrical fire struck a Plainfield Township home Tuesday afternoon, a fire official reports.

Firefighters were able to contain damage to the home at 1026 Cressman Road, and the two residents did not have to be displaced, township fire Assistant Chief Richard Johnson said.

The residents were home at the time, Johnson said. No one was reported injured.

The Plainfield Township Volunteer Fire Co. was dispatched shortly after 4 p.m. and found the small electrical fire in the basement, Johnson said. It was ruled accidental.

Also dispatched were fire crews from Pen Argyl and the Northampton County townships of Bushkill, Forks, Upper Nazareth and Washington, according to Johnson.

The fire companies cleared the scene about 7 p.m.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
An 18-year-old Bethlehem man likely fell asleep early Wednesday morning before crashing a Hyundai into a utility pole along Route 57 in Greenwich Township, police say.

He was driving a 2013 Velostar west when he crossed the eastbound lane, left the road and struck the pole, township police Lt. Dennis Cahill said. The wreck knocked out power to about 200 JCP&L customers; fewer than five each in Greenwich and Franklin Township remained in the dark as of 8:30 a.m., according to the power company's outage site.

The Hyundai ended up on its roof.

The road was closed for just less than three hours after the 3:45 a.m. crash. One lane was open for a time after that, but by 8:30, the road was fully reopened, Cahill said.

Christian Teasley suffered a hand injury and the township emergency squad took him to St. Luke's Hospital, Cahill said.

Lopatcong Township and Pohatcong Township police and New Jersey State Police along with the Stewartsville Volunteer Fire Company assisted at the scene, Cahill said.

Greenwich Patrolman Scott Moeller was investigating and the preliminary cause of the crash is Teasley falling asleep, Cahill said.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A new waste metal vehicle processing plant has got the green light in in Clonminam, Portlaoise, across the rail line from a housing estate.

The plant will be built next to Portlaoise halting site where a family of seven live, on land rezoned from 'community /educational use' by councillors for the plant.

It aims to scrap and strip about five cars a day. Every eight days a 24 tonne truckload of 40 cars will leave the plant to export to the UK.

Old car parts will also be accepted from small garages.

The application by a Mr Ammar Watfa, was approved by the council on July 27.

Gerard and Margaret Nevin and their five children are living on the derelict halting site for the past twenty years. He was unaware of a planning notice as he cannot read.

I was asked to move by the council, they said there was something going in but I wasn't told what. I feel very bad at the idea of moving, but it sounds like there will be no sleep for me if I stay, said Mr Nevin, who hopes residents of Rockview estate across the railtrack, might speak up.

TD Brian Stanley had made representations on behalf of the developer.

Mr Watfa has extensive experience in this industry in other countries in Europe and carried out a lot of research prior to locating his business in Portlaoise. It indicates a need for such an end of life facility. It will create jobs and has potential to expand. It will contribute to economic and environmental sustainability, he wrote.

Asked if he had consulted with residents, Dep Stanley said Its open to anyone to make a submission regarding any proposed development. This land has lain derelict for over ten years. The business will have to be run under strict planning conditions and under licence

An Taisce had raised concerns to planners over a danger of stockpiled tyres going on fire, as the site is in close proximity to a residential area.

There are enormous dangers associated with the highly toxic dioxens, sulphurs and heavy metals connected to tyre fires. They are proven to be extremely detrimental to human health, and have a pernicious effect on the environment, ie groundwater contamination, it said, urging no stockpiling.

Iarnrod Eireann also wrote to request the raising of a proposed boundary wall along the railway to 2.4 metres, built before construction starts, moving five soakaway manholes 15 metres away from the railway boundary, and a crash barrier along the railway boundary as there would be heavy vehicles on the site.

The applicant assured the council these will be done.

There was only one submission to the planners, by a Mr Karol Rydze who objected to all three current rezoning applications, warning of piecemeal developments.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley proposed the rezoning at the July council meeting, seconded by Cllr Jerry Lodge, withno discussion at the meeting on it.
The tale of Tommy Fletcher barring the Rolling Stones from his pub is one of the Naass most celebrated stories.

Only no one is quite sure what happened and how it went down.

Its one of those stories that changes with every telling and there must be 1,000 versions.

Recently the story got another spin when Niall Boland from Ballymore Eustace bumped into Ronnie Wood in central London.

Improbable as it sounds, the Rolling Stone was referred to by his christian name, the famed barring recounted and an amenable Wood listened attentively before laughing at a punchline that pitched the world famous rock band onto Naas Main Street.

Wood then wished the listening gallery well, made his excuses, and headed off.

With the warm aftertaste of the story settling, someone stood forward and said to the storyteller: You do know that was Rod Stewart dont you?!

This new add-on was recounted with much hilarity at a Kildare London night recently, along with different versions of the original

barring story.

The most popular version pitches Tommy on a collision course with Kildare resident Wood and his bandmates for flouting the pubs no singing rule.

According to legend, shocked punters waved failed appeals during a surreal exchange:

But Tommy ... its the Rolling Stones!

To which the proprietor is reported to have replied: I dont care if its Daniel ODonnell himself, theres no singing!

Another version places the late David Bowie strumming guitar beside Ronnie Wood. Another version again puts Van Morrison in the lounge.

And Im sure theres a version out there featuring both Wood and Mick Jagger.

The only true constant to this story is its ready and often telling.

Ive done it myself many times. I mean, its impossible to pass the place and not share the story with someone from out of town.

And now Ive cause to wonder just how far the reach of this story extends because in recent days a friend from Brixton, Sam Shaughnessy, walked into Fletchers when visiting relatives in Naas.

Within hours the text I expected landed.

Did you know about this place and the Rolling Stones?! it read.

This spike in interest encouraged me to get to the bottom of the story so I called Fletchers one evening after nine, told Tommy about the Ronnie Wood-Rod Stewart mix-up [both skinny with long, spiky hair] and asked what really happened?

Slightly bemused, Tommy explained that there was no Stewart or Jagger, nor any reference to Daniel ODonnell but Ronnie Wood was there certainly.

It must be over 20 years ago ... and you can add a bit more onto that too probably, he said. Ron Wood was there alright, there was a few in with him but, no, David Bowie wasnt there, he laughed.

He then succinctly recalled that when Wood started playing music he simply came from behind the bar to tell them all to stop. Yes he knew who they were. And, no, he didnt kick them out.

I think they stayed on for a while, as I remember, he said, declining to volunteer any further details other than: Youd be surprised how often Im asked about it; asked if I really barred the Rolling Stones?

FOOTNOTE: After this column was published in the Leader on February 2, 2016, we received the following email from Gus Fitzpatrick from Kerdiffstown, Naas casting further light on the town's most famous anecdote...

"Eric Clapton owned the Barberstown Castle Hotel at Barberstown Cross, Straffan for a number of years in the Seventies. in my capacity of md of the meat factory in Sallins I used Barberstown for entertaining customers and staff.

"Eric and his entourage, including his manager Roger Forrester, visited on a regular basis. As an aside Eric loved to fish both the canal and the Liffey as no one bothered him.



"Ron and Eric were very good friends. On a visit to Ireland Ron brought Eric into Fletchers one early evening. There was just one customer, an oldish man sipping his pint when the boys arrived.

"Ron and Eric were chatting about chords on the guitar and Ron told Eric that he thought that he had found a new one. Out to the car and two guitars were brought back to Fletchers. They were strumming away. Tommy had stepped out. When Tommy came back he heard the "noise" and informed the two boys, nicely, that he didn't allow anything "like that in here". The boys put away their instruments and ordered another drink. To the best of my knowledge, Eric was 'dry' at the time.





"The boys laughed, quietly, and Tommy disappeared again. The old man, the only other customer, came over to the two boys. He hadn't a clue who they were and said, ''don't mind Tommy lads for if it was Daniel O'Donnell himself he wouldn't let him sing.''

"In the late Eighties I was driving down the M1 from Birmingham to London listening to BBC radio and Ron Wood was being interviewed. He told the interviewer that he lived mostly in Ireland. He went on to recall the story of the bar owner and Eric and himself. My story is not quite verbatim but its near enough. You hit the crossbar with your details."

FINAL FOOTNOTE: Tommy Fletcher now allows music in his pub: http://www.leinsterleader.ie/news/arts-culture-entertainment/210706/music-returns-to-fletcher-s-pub.html

Robert Mulhern is a London-based journalist contracted to RTE Radio's Doc on One programme
It was announced yesterday that Leitrim will benefit 380,000 from the Town

and Village Renewal Scheme.

While Fine Gael Deputy Tony McLoughlin welcomed the news, Sinn Fein MEP Matt Carthy slammed it as a publicity stunt.

Matt Carthy said, I welcome this belated Government acknowledgement that urgent and special attention is needed for rural communities following the absolute devastation felt by them over the past decade. However this announcement will be seen by many of those communities as nothing more than a publicity stunt. 380,000 per county will go nowhere towards addressing the problems that exist in rural Ireland.

It is clear that there is a difficulty in keeping young people in these rural areas anymore. A genuine strategy with meaningful commitments is what is now needed to tackle issues faced by rural areas. This requires proposals to address the gaps in infrastructural development, job creation and public services in those areas that need the most support.

Sinn Fein has been calling for a focus on creating employment in rural towns through imposing an obligation on enterprise development agencies to do so. There must be an end to the closure of vital local services such as post offices, libraries and garda stations and end end to upward only rents for small businesses.

These are some of the elements of a genuine approach to tackling the problems of rural Ireland as opposed to gimmicks. While all available funding will be gladly seized by communities it will not be enough to address the real needs of rural Ireland.

Deputy McLoughlin said, I urge Leitrim County Council to apply quickly for the full allocation of funds available, in order to ensure that communities and businesses in rural Leitrim can benefit fully from this initiative.

The funding can be used to increase the attractiveness of the town or village as a local commercial and social centre, and increase its sustainability as a place in which to live and work. It will help to enhance the local environment and amenity in the interests of residents, businesses and visitors. It could also be used to enhance the culture and local heritage assets of the town/village and promote tourism. Another potential use for the fund is to tackle minor physical infrastructural deficits and land assembly issues.

The economic crash which occurred after years of Fianna Fail led Government really left its mark on small towns and villages across rural Ireland. We have seen the evidence of it here in Leitrim. Thankfully the economic recovery is underway, but many towns and villages in Leitrim are still feeling the after effects of the recession. This Government has made sure that rural development is a key priority in the Programme for a Partnership Government.
In the US, the non-partisan Commission on Presidential Debates has proposed three televised Presidential debates in September and October.

It is fascinating to imagine how these will go. On the one hand well have the ultimate cool-headed policy wonk in Hillary. On the other we will have the hot-headed, insult-firing Trump.

Take a look at some clips of Trump at the Republican nomination debates. If these are anything to go by, well have talk about building a wall with Mexico, getting rid of the lines between the states on healthcare and a lot of insults.

But will that really work with Hillary? If she is coolly focussing on policy substance, will the bluster of Trump work? Will he have the audacity to call Hillary crooked to her face? (He refers to as Crooked Hillary regularly). Will he come over as a bully (even more than usual)?

In the words of David Stewart on Quora.com:

Trump will have to change his style and brush up his game. His debate tactics in the past have involved trying to gain attention in a crowded field. Hes been on stage with others who have all been vying for focus and keen to interrupt. His style has involved trying to get in and get a soundbite, insult or zinger out so it makes the news edits while the debate rages around him. When hes up against Clinton, he wont need to fight for attention, he will have to deal with the spotlight. Questions are going to be addressed to him directly and the room will fall silent while they expect a direct answer. And Clinton will be next to him taking notes ready to rebut when hes finished. Its not a forum in which Donald is at his best. There will also be moments when difficult questions about domestic and foreign policy will be asked. That sort of stuff plays directly to Clintons strengths. She knows her stuff and can say things like I remember when I was meeting with David Cameron or I was addressing attending this trade conference She will be able to quote facts and figures and details and look like a woman who knows what she is talking about. Trump has shown that hes not a details guy and will flounder when pressed for details.

Hillary Clinton has already agreed to the debates. Trump has yet to agree to them. Could it be possible that he will just skip them, as some outsiders fear?

* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
We're sorry that the ministry you were looking for is no longer available on LightSource.com. However, below are some great ministries that offer related content. Enjoy the inspiration, encouragement, and Biblical challenge from these LightSource.com ministry partners!
MR GAY Limerick, a contender to take the title of Mr Gay Ireland, is among those calling for hate crime legislation to be introduced.

Speaking to the Limerick Leader, Dr Christian Moretti, a native of Italy and a secondary school teacher in county Limerick, said that just because gay people have achieved equality under the marriage referendum, that does not mean their fight is over.

We need a clear, unambiguous and strict law to combat any sort of hate crime, including homophobic and transphobic manifestations of hate crime.

"This law is urgently needed in order to protect all the individuals in this country, our young people and those who are afraid to be themselves. We need total freedom and we can only achieve that if the government decides to step in and safeguard every human being, he said.

We cannot wait any longer  every day, hour, minute and second a person is bullied, abused, insulted, isolated, assaulted physically and verbally and we are taking a huge risk in waiting.

Perpetrators [of hate crime] do not kill someone physically but they kill someones identity, their well-being, their mental health, their self-esteem. Isn't mental health as important as physical help?

Dr Moretti said while Ireland achieved a milestone last year under the marriage equality referendum, the road ahead is still long.

We need this law now, no delays are to be tolerated because our society may pay a very high cost. I feel that there is a discrepancy between politics and what people want and need, he said.

Dr Moretti, who is also a published novelist, will go forward to represent Limerick in the Mr Gay Ireland competition in April next.

As Mr Gay Limerick 2016 he 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, the 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, plans to use his reign to raise funds for Pieta House, the suicide prevention charity.

He also wants to highlight homophobic and transphobic issues in Limerick schools, and possibly across the country.

Limerick is home for me now. I absolutely love the city, the people, my school, my students. Ok, maybe I dont love the weather. When Im in Italy at times, I miss Limerick, and even miss the weather.

He said was delighted to win and wants 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.
LIMERICK councillors have given a mixed response by plans from Mr Binman to build a new waste transfer plant on the Dock Road.

As revealed by the Limerick Leader recently, the waste firm is seeking to construct the plant over two stages on a four acre site close to the Ballykeefe roundabout near the Irish Cement plant.

But the project is proving to be controversial, because of the fact up to 90,000 tonnes of waste will be handled each year, with Cllrs Daniel Butler, Sean Lynch, Malachy McCreesh and John Loftus already speaking against it.

Cllr James Collins has also expressed concerns, while Cllr Joe Leddin has been more conciliatory, welcoming the investment at a recent meeting of the authority.

Cllr Collins pointed out the presence in the area of the Bunlicky waste water treatment plant, light retail units, a currently-stalled plan for housing, and Mungret Cement, which is in itself the subject of controversial process changes.

It is very difficult to see how these can all operate together properly. Youre going to have people living nearby many industrial sites. Mr Binman will go in and say there will not be a foul odour, it will be treated and sealed. But how realistic is this? Will it always be the case?

However, Cllr Leddin believes the days of a mountain of rubbish piling up  as Cllr Butler fears  are at an end, claiming his constituency colleagues complaint is spurious.

I am a bit surprised [at the objections].It is not in a residential area. We are talking about a company creating 30 permanent jobs, and a lot more jobs in the construction stage. Where else would you locate it other than somewhere strategic on the outskirts of a city close to a motorway and transport links, he added.

But Patrickswell-based councillor Lynch said: It would not be fit for purpose, and it would pose a huge health risk.

Cllr McCreesh has called for a full public consultation on the scheme, while Cllr Loftus believes the land could be used instead for park and ride.

Mr Binman  which has 52,000 customers across the region  closed a similar facility at Luddenmore in 2012.
THE owner of a Limerick city taxi firm, whose plight was highlighted in the Dail earlier this year, says he may be forced out of business as a direct result of increases in his insurance costs.

Tom Hannon whose company, Tower Cabs, has a fleet of eight taxis has seen his insurance rise a massive 700% from 7,000 in 2013 to 56,000 this year.

While he did manage to secure a lower quotation last year, that insurer has since left the Irish Market.

Its crazy. I had eight cars insured for 7,000, then it went to 14,000, 16,000, and then last year, it went to 56,000. There was no explanation, he said.

The 62-year-old, who has not had a claim in almost 12 years, says he does not expect to be in business next year if his companys insurance premium continues to shoot up.

I cant see myself in the taxi business, if it continues like this Ill have to let the business go, its too hard,he said adding that he will try his best to keep going.

Speaking in the Dail before the summer recess, Deputy Niall Collins highlighted the plight of Tom Hannon and called for the re-establishment of the Motor Insurance Advisory Board, MIAB.

People must have certainty about what they will have to pay for insurance and business must have certainty about its insurance costs, he said, adding: I realise the taxi business is a high risk industry and that there have been many high-profile cases involving taxis, but this man has an 11-year no-claims bonus.

The Garryowen man, who has eight driver working for him, says his predicament is causing him great stress.

Its affecting my health. Im feeling miserable, stressed the whole time, and depressed, said the taxi driver who has more than 30 years of experience in the taxi industry.

As ordinary drivers across Limerick and up and down the country are aso being hit with significant increases in their insurance premiums, the motor insurance industry was the focus of a major investigation on UTV Ireland last night.

An increase in road fatalities, high legal fees and court orders are all being blamed for the increases as is the high number of motorists who do not have insurance.

Meanwhile, the highlighting of Tom Hannons predicament comes less than a week after another well-known taxi driver, Alfie Earls, revealed his insurance premium has increased by 2,000 this year.

Last year I paid 2,300 and I didn't have an accident so I was thinking that it might fall down again this year. I thought they would be rewarding good drivers, safe drivers I was totally wrong. It went straight up by 2,000," the former peacekeeper said.

While there are no official figures, it is estimated that around 90 taxi drivers in the Limerick area left the industry over the past 12 months.

Im working at a loss this year, between insurance, licence renewal, tax, service and maintenance, and radios, said Tom Hannon who says he will struggle to make a living this year.
LIMERICK-based indie musician, Annas Anchor, will release his long-awaited debut album, Nautical Miles via Never Meant Records, on September 23.

Annas Anchor, the alias of University of Limerick graduate Marty Ryan, welcomed the new release.

A nautical mile is a little bit longer than a mile. I find that with everything I do, be it academically, work or music related, I always have to work a little harder to get where I want to. Things generally dont fall into place for me, Im a grafter and struggle through, but I generally get there in the end and thats what Nautical Miles means to me, he explained.

He added that his longlist of compositions is a soulful amalgam of emo, indie and pop.

In the grand scheme of things, very few bands ever get to release an album. Everyone dreams of doing an one, its a mountain of a project that takes a certain work ethic, steel and resolve. You only get to release your first album once and its an opportunity Im very lucky to have worked myself into, he enthused.

This follows Martys single Signal Tower and eight-track The Islands EP. In 2015, Marty went to eight different Irish islands, and recorded and produced a track, inspired by each visit.

In a nutshell, last Summer I visited eight remote islands over an eight week period. I played a gig on each island, wrote a song on each and then returned home to record and release the song each week. eight weeks, eight islands, eight gigs, eight songs.

As part of the album launch experience, Marty will be touring with a full band to deliver the sound of his debut.

Touring with a full band is something Ive been reluctant to do just because the project for the most part has been mine. But my few close friends that Ive played the record for have been like: Marty, this sounds so full, you owe it to yourself to at least promote the songs the way they sound. So, with that, I decided to do a once-off full band tour to commemorate the release of the album.

Annas Anchor will start his album launch tour in Roisin Dubh Upstairs, Galway; on September 22, Bru Bar, Cork, on September 23; Stormy Teacup, on September 24; and Fibbers, Dublin on September 25. He will have support acts, Losing Sleep and Homecomings.
Woman narrates how she and her sisters were raped by their father for years until she had 5 kids for her dad (video)
May 1, 2021, 6 AM

An activist for civil rights and education, Anna Julia Cooper is honored on a 44 stamp from 2009.

By Michael Baadke

Anna Julia Cooper was born Aug. 10, 1858, in Raleigh, N.C. The noted educator was honored June 11, 2009, on a 44 stamp in the United States Postal Services Black Heritage commemorative series (Scott 4408).

On the back of the release paper for each self-adhesive stamp is printed: Anna Julia Cooper (c. 1858-1964) was an educator, author, and activist who challenged biased notions of racial and gender inferiority. Cooper fought for social justice and civil rights for African-American women, young people, and the poor through her scholarship, community outreach, and innovative educational leadership.

Cooper was born into slavery, but in 1887 she earned a masters degree in mathematics from Oberlin College following the 1879 death of George Cooper, her husband of two years.

Many years later, she would complete her university studies by earning a doctorate at the University of Paris, Sorbonne, in 1925. Her thesis, on the subject of slavery, was written in French.

In 1892 she published a collection of essays, A Voice from the South by a Black Woman of the South. After teaching for several years, Cooper became a public speaker and essayist, and spoke on The Negro Problem in America at the 1900 First Pan-African Conference in London.

During the 1930s she served as president of Frelinghuysen University in Washington, D.C.

Anna Julia Cooper died at age 105 on Feb. 27, 1964.
Pressemitteilung: Silvia Kuhn startet YouTube-Kanal Clever Money mit Silvi Die Tochter der Honorarberater und Stiftung Warentest Autoren Stefanie und Markus Kuhn startete Mitte Mai mit ihrem neuen YouTube Kanal Clever Money mit Silvi. Ziel ist es, jungen Menschen alles Wissenswerte rund um Geld und Finanzen auf einfache Art und Weise nahe zu bringen. Die Idee zu einem YouTube Kanal ist aus einem Schulerpraktikum in 2019 entstanden. Silvia Kuhn hat

[mehr] Die Tochter der Honorarberater und Stiftung Warentest Autoren Stefanie und Markus Kuhn startete Mitte Mai mit ihrem neuen YouTube Kanal Clever Money mit Silvi. Ziel ist es, jungen Menschen alles Wissenswerte rund um Geld und Finanzen auf einfache Art und Weise nahe zu bringen. Die Idee zu einem YouTube Kanal ist aus einem Schulerpraktikum in 2019 entstanden. Silvia Kuhn hat

Pressemitteilung: Buntes Wachstum: Ceresana untersucht den Markt fur Farben Farben und Lacke verschonern nicht nur, sie konnen auch schutzen. Die Wande von Krankenhausern zum Beispiel werden zunehmend mit antibakteriellen Eigenschaften versehen. Hauchdunne, aber sehr haltbare Lackschichten bewahren Fahrzeuge vor Rost. Ceresana hat bereits zum vierten Mal den gesamten europaischen Markt fur Farben und Lacke untersucht: Im Jahr 2019 wurden 9,1 Millionen Tonnen dieser Beschichtungen verbraucht. Farbenfrohe Hauser und Autos Bautenfarben sind

[mehr] Farben und Lacke verschonern nicht nur, sie konnen auch schutzen. Die Wande von Krankenhausern zum Beispiel werden zunehmend mit antibakteriellen Eigenschaften versehen. Hauchdunne, aber sehr haltbare Lackschichten bewahren Fahrzeuge vor Rost. Ceresana hat bereits zum vierten Mal den gesamten europaischen Markt fur Farben und Lacke untersucht: Im Jahr 2019 wurden 9,1 Millionen Tonnen dieser Beschichtungen verbraucht. Farbenfrohe Hauser und Autos Bautenfarben sind

Pressemitteilung: Altlasten 2.067 Mrd. Euro - Krisensubvention 1.000 Mrd. Euro Die Welt leidet unter der Corona-Pandemie, deren Kosten viele Staaten an den Rand der Exixtens bringen konnte. Wie konnte es in Deutschland dazu kommen? Die Welt leidet unter der Corona-Pandemie, deren Kosten viele Staaten an den Rand der Exixtens bringen konnte. Wie konnte es in Deutschland dazu kommen? Lehrte 29.05.2020 In Deutschland wurden in den letzten 50 Jahren 25 Steuerarten

[mehr] Die Welt leidet unter der Corona-Pandemie, deren Kosten viele Staaten an den Rand der Exixtens bringen konnte. Wie konnte es in Deutschland dazu kommen? Die Welt leidet unter der Corona-Pandemie, deren Kosten viele Staaten an den Rand der Exixtens bringen konnte. Wie konnte es in Deutschland dazu kommen? Lehrte 29.05.2020 In Deutschland wurden in den letzten 50 Jahren 25 Steuerarten

Pressemitteilung: 16. Juni und 18. Juni um 15 Uhr CEST europaischer Zeit Real-Time Innovations (RTI) organisiert zwei neue Webinare speziell fur den europaischen Markt. Hier geht es um die Themen Konnektivitat von Elektrofahrzeugen sowie Landfahrzeugplattformen in Kombination mit Software-Systemen und DDS. Sie finden zu europaischer Zeit um 15 Uhr CEST statt und sind im Anschluss on Demand verfugbar. Sunnyvale (USA)/Munchen, Mai 2020 - Real-Time Innovations (RTI) organisiert zwei neue Webinare speziell fur

[mehr] Real-Time Innovations (RTI) organisiert zwei neue Webinare speziell fur den europaischen Markt. Hier geht es um die Themen Konnektivitat von Elektrofahrzeugen sowie Landfahrzeugplattformen in Kombination mit Software-Systemen und DDS. Sie finden zu europaischer Zeit um 15 Uhr CEST statt und sind im Anschluss on Demand verfugbar. Sunnyvale (USA)/Munchen, Mai 2020 - Real-Time Innovations (RTI) organisiert zwei neue Webinare speziell fur

Pressemitteilung:

[mehr] MCM Investor: Wohnen in Deutschland bis 2060 teuer Laut einer aktuellen Untersuchung der Universitat Freiburg wird das Wohnen bis 2060 vorrausichtlich. Magdeburg, 28.05.2020. In dieser Woche analysiert die MCM Investor Management AG aus Magdeburg eine aktuelle Untersuchung der Uni Freiburg uber die zukunftige Entwicklung des deutschen Immobilienmarktes. Demnach gehe die Bevolkerungszahl hierzulande zwar tendenziell zuruck, die Nachfrage nach Wohnraum steige aber weiter an. In der Studie geht

Pressemitteilung: Latest in Electronic Test & Measurement Equipment MICHIGAN - May, 2020 - An international provider of electronic test and measurement equipment, AAATesters has announced that it now offers the INNO View 500 SM Fiber Optic OTDR w/ V20 Fiberscope (https://www.aaatesters.com/Inno_View_500_OTDR_Model_View500_Inno_500_1.html). This new addition to AAATesters expanding inventory of electronic test and measurement equipment, will assist consumers save time and money with greater testing proficiency and success. AAA

[mehr] MICHIGAN - May, 2020 - An international provider of electronic test and measurement equipment, AAATesters has announced that it now offers the INNO View 500 SM Fiber Optic OTDR w/ V20 Fiberscope (https://www.aaatesters.com/Inno_View_500_OTDR_Model_View500_Inno_500_1.html). This new addition to AAATesters expanding inventory of electronic test and measurement equipment, will assist consumers save time and money with greater testing proficiency and success. AAA

Pressemitteilung: Thomas May ist neuer Chefredakteur fur Perfect Eagle Thomas May ubernimmt mit 1. Juni 2020 die redaktionelle Leitung der fuhrenden multimedialen Golf-Lifestyle-Plattform im deutschsprachigen Raum. Bilder zur Meldung in der Mediendatenbank:  Mato Johannik https://leisure-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/office_leisure_at/Es4aLP2m5bhHtlEPowWj1SEB5hhgDDEv96D9i9Z_Ok9ajA?e=Xi0L1x Wien (LCG)  Perfect Eagle hat heuer allen Grund zum Feiern. Nachdem das Golf-Lifestyle-Magazin mit der Marz-Ausgabe seine erste Dekade feierte, begrut Herausgeber Thomas Wasserburger nun Thomas May als neuen Chefredakteur fur das multimediale Golf-

[mehr] Thomas May ubernimmt mit 1. Juni 2020 die redaktionelle Leitung der fuhrenden multimedialen Golf-Lifestyle-Plattform im deutschsprachigen Raum. Bilder zur Meldung in der Mediendatenbank:  Mato Johannik https://leisure-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/office_leisure_at/Es4aLP2m5bhHtlEPowWj1SEB5hhgDDEv96D9i9Z_Ok9ajA?e=Xi0L1x Wien (LCG)  Perfect Eagle hat heuer allen Grund zum Feiern. Nachdem das Golf-Lifestyle-Magazin mit der Marz-Ausgabe seine erste Dekade feierte, begrut Herausgeber Thomas Wasserburger nun Thomas May als neuen Chefredakteur fur das multimediale Golf-

Pressemitteilung: Frische fur den Sommer mit UNIKA Kalksandstein Frische fur den Sommer mit UNIKA KalksandsteinFur die einen ist es eine Wohltat, fur die anderen eine Herausforderung: sommerliche Warme. Keine Frage, Menschen lieben die Sonne. Aber nicht jeder mag hohe Temperaturen, schon gar nicht in den eigenen vier Wanden. ... Fur die einen ist es eine Wohltat, fur die anderen eine Herausforderung: sommerliche Warme. Keine Frage, Menschen lieben die

[mehr] Frische fur den Sommer mit UNIKA KalksandsteinFur die einen ist es eine Wohltat, fur die anderen eine Herausforderung: sommerliche Warme. Keine Frage, Menschen lieben die Sonne. Aber nicht jeder mag hohe Temperaturen, schon gar nicht in den eigenen vier Wanden. ... Fur die einen ist es eine Wohltat, fur die anderen eine Herausforderung: sommerliche Warme. Keine Frage, Menschen lieben die

Pressemitteilung:

[mehr] Humor und Lachen - ein ernstes Thema Humor und Corona Rechtzeitig zu einer Zeit, in der vielen das Lachen vergangen ist, mit oder ohne Corona, erscheint das 14. Buch von Jurgen W. Goldfu. Wahrend sich die bisherigen Werke des Autors mit Themen der Fuhrung (von sich und anderen) sowie Wirtschaftsthemen beschaftigten, geht es nun ums Lachen, die Welt und sich selbst mit lachenden Augen zu betrachten. Auf

Pressemitteilung: ...einfach, schnell und effizient ...einfach, schnell und effizientUberall da verkaufen, wo die Kunden sind, ist das Ziel aller Handler. plentymarkets bietet als Softwarehersteller eine E-Commerce-Losung, die genau diese Philosophie im Markenkern tragt. ... Uberall da verkaufen, wo die Kunden sind, ist das Ziel aller Handler. plentymarkets bietet als Softwarehersteller eine E-Commerce-Losung, die genau diese Philosophie im Markenkern tragt. Eine, die alle relevanten Marktplatze unterstutzt

[mehr] ...einfach, schnell und effizientUberall da verkaufen, wo die Kunden sind, ist das Ziel aller Handler. plentymarkets bietet als Softwarehersteller eine E-Commerce-Losung, die genau diese Philosophie im Markenkern tragt. ... Uberall da verkaufen, wo die Kunden sind, ist das Ziel aller Handler. plentymarkets bietet als Softwarehersteller eine E-Commerce-Losung, die genau diese Philosophie im Markenkern tragt. Eine, die alle relevanten Marktplatze unterstutzt

Pressemitteilung:

[mehr] Neuer Corona-Mitarbeiterschutz - digitaler Abstandshalter Auch nach den Lockerungen beeinflusst die Corona-Pandemie die Weltwirtschaft tiefgreifend. Die Betriebe sollen wieder sicher anlaufen. Die Schlusselrolle spielen dabei die Einhaltung der Hygieneregeln und des Mindestabstands fur Mitarbeitende. Auch nach den Lockerungen beeinflusst die Corona-Pandemie die Weltwirtschaft tiefgreifend. Die Betriebe sollen wieder sicher anlaufen. Die Schlusselrolle spielen dabei die Einhaltung der Hygieneregeln und des Mindestabstands fur Mitarbeitende. Dazu

Pressemitteilung: HUP aktiviert neuen Geschaftsbereich ready2boxx my-buddy-app  die HUP Reminder App. Schutzt vor Verlust des iPhones. Mit den ersehnten Lockerungsmanahmen rund um die Coronavirus-Pandemie steigt ein ganz anderes Risiko: der Verlust des iPhones auf Geschaftsreise, beim Einkauf oder etwa dem Besuch von Oma und Opa. Einfach, weil man das mittlerweile nahezu unverzichtbare Device schlicht und einfach liegen lasst. Das Braunschweiger Software-Entwicklungsunternehmen HUP hat fur Apple

[mehr] my-buddy-app  die HUP Reminder App. Schutzt vor Verlust des iPhones. Mit den ersehnten Lockerungsmanahmen rund um die Coronavirus-Pandemie steigt ein ganz anderes Risiko: der Verlust des iPhones auf Geschaftsreise, beim Einkauf oder etwa dem Besuch von Oma und Opa. Einfach, weil man das mittlerweile nahezu unverzichtbare Device schlicht und einfach liegen lasst. Das Braunschweiger Software-Entwicklungsunternehmen HUP hat fur Apple

Pressemitteilung: Das Lernen, wie wir es kennen, andert sich immer mehr. Online ist die neue Ara der Weiterbildung, die Freude macht und die viel leichter in den eigenen Lebens-Zyklus integrierbar ist! Ayurveda-Seminare und Ayurveda-Ausbildungen fordern ein gesundes Leben und geben viel Sinn-Erfullung. Viele Menschen sind wissbegieriger geworden und wollen ihr volles Potenzial durch Bewusstseinsveranderungen ausschopfen. Durch die digitale Welt ist es einfacher und schneller denn je geworden an Informationen zu kommen. Ich stelle

[mehr] Online ist die neue Ara der Weiterbildung, die Freude macht und die viel leichter in den eigenen Lebens-Zyklus integrierbar ist! Ayurveda-Seminare und Ayurveda-Ausbildungen fordern ein gesundes Leben und geben viel Sinn-Erfullung. Viele Menschen sind wissbegieriger geworden und wollen ihr volles Potenzial durch Bewusstseinsveranderungen ausschopfen. Durch die digitale Welt ist es einfacher und schneller denn je geworden an Informationen zu kommen. Ich stelle

Pressemitteilung:

[mehr] Gasnetz Hamburg pruft monatlich 1.200 Hausanschlusse  Arbeiten unter umfassenden Schutzmanahmen  Haushalte erhalten detaillierte Informationen zum Corona-Schutz  Sichere Gasanschlusse stehen im Mittelpunkt Hamburg. Ab sofort klingelt an vielen Hamburger Hausturen wieder der Gasanlagen-Prufer. Die turnusgemae Inspektion der Anschlusse in Kellern oder Wirtschaftsraumen von Ein- und Mehrfamilienhausern ist alle zwolf Jahre vorgeschrieben. Seit Marz hatte Gasnetz Hamburg die Hausbesuche unterbrochen. Nun schickt das Unternehmen wieder seine Fachleute zu den Anschlusskunden

Pressemitteilung: Wie COVID-19 unsere Kommunikation verandert Sprachexpertin Tatjana Lackner von Die Schule des Sprechens analysiert, wie sich das Kommunikationsverhalten in der COVID-19-Zeit verandert und welche Kommunikations-Trends daraus entstehen. Bilder zur Meldung in der Mediendatenbank https://leisure-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/office_leisure_at/EuP2VeRtjsdPpxlLUzBimIsB-GcG-m5aFr4de0hEQ_WCPw?e=s2GwN1 Wien (LCG)  Die Manahmen zur Eindammung der COVID-19-Verbreitung verandern durch Physical Distancing und zahlreiche neue Verhaltensregeln den personlichen Umgang miteinander. Korpersprache, Social Codes und Rituale bekommen eine wichtig Bedeutung in der neuen

[mehr] Sprachexpertin Tatjana Lackner von Die Schule des Sprechens analysiert, wie sich das Kommunikationsverhalten in der COVID-19-Zeit verandert und welche Kommunikations-Trends daraus entstehen. Bilder zur Meldung in der Mediendatenbank https://leisure-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/office_leisure_at/EuP2VeRtjsdPpxlLUzBimIsB-GcG-m5aFr4de0hEQ_WCPw?e=s2GwN1 Wien (LCG)  Die Manahmen zur Eindammung der COVID-19-Verbreitung verandern durch Physical Distancing und zahlreiche neue Verhaltensregeln den personlichen Umgang miteinander. Korpersprache, Social Codes und Rituale bekommen eine wichtig Bedeutung in der neuen

Pressemitteilung: Facebook diskutiert Strategie in der COVID-19-Pandemie Beim Moving Forward-Round-Table sprechen Facebook-Manager uber die Zusammenarbeit mit der WHO, die Intensivnutzung in Italien und andere Strategien gegen Falschmeldungen. Bilder zur Meldung in der Mediendatenbank:  JMC https://leisure-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/office_leisure_at/EsGAMdDUM2lNt4Jo2RfF_R4BhwzfZ8LXK305xeAAjGcAdw?e=EyC94A Video zur Meldung auf Facebook https://www.facebook.com/movingforwardconference/videos/973105823109354 Dublin/Wien (LCG)  Die Verbreitungsgeschwindigkeit der sozialen Medien war in den letzten Wochen essenziell, um Informationen zu COVID-19 zu streuen. Auch Fake News fanden in diesem Umfeld einen fruchtbaren

[mehr] Beim Moving Forward-Round-Table sprechen Facebook-Manager uber die Zusammenarbeit mit der WHO, die Intensivnutzung in Italien und andere Strategien gegen Falschmeldungen. Bilder zur Meldung in der Mediendatenbank:  JMC https://leisure-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/office_leisure_at/EsGAMdDUM2lNt4Jo2RfF_R4BhwzfZ8LXK305xeAAjGcAdw?e=EyC94A Video zur Meldung auf Facebook https://www.facebook.com/movingforwardconference/videos/973105823109354 Dublin/Wien (LCG)  Die Verbreitungsgeschwindigkeit der sozialen Medien war in den letzten Wochen essenziell, um Informationen zu COVID-19 zu streuen. Auch Fake News fanden in diesem Umfeld einen fruchtbaren

Pressemitteilung: Musikfestival Steyr: Kulturgenuss trotz Pandemie Als kultureller Impulsgeber fur die Region ermoglicht das Musikfestival Steyr auch heuer Kulturgenuss und wartet mit einem neuen Programm auf. Bilder zur Meldung in der Mediendatenbank https://leisure-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/office_leisure_at/EnbiYHVH3KNOg_ZakCqco3wBz529TPFExmEgRThtSEHHQA?e=fAzk1G Steyr (LCG)  In den vergangenen Wochen und Monaten haben die Manahmen der osterreichischen Bundesregierung zur Eindammung der COVID-19-Verbreitung die Kulturnation Osterreich in einen regelrechten Stillstand versetzt. Seit Anfang Mai 2020 setzt die neue Normalitat

[mehr] Als kultureller Impulsgeber fur die Region ermoglicht das Musikfestival Steyr auch heuer Kulturgenuss und wartet mit einem neuen Programm auf. Bilder zur Meldung in der Mediendatenbank https://leisure-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/office_leisure_at/EnbiYHVH3KNOg_ZakCqco3wBz529TPFExmEgRThtSEHHQA?e=fAzk1G Steyr (LCG)  In den vergangenen Wochen und Monaten haben die Manahmen der osterreichischen Bundesregierung zur Eindammung der COVID-19-Verbreitung die Kulturnation Osterreich in einen regelrechten Stillstand versetzt. Seit Anfang Mai 2020 setzt die neue Normalitat

Pressemitteilung: OstseeResort Olpenitz bei Kappeln/ Schlei Private Vermietung von ausgefallenen Ferienobjekten an der Ostsee - "Nie mitten drin, aber immer ganz nah dran!" ist hierbei die Devise. Auch wenn die Corona-Pandemie Urlaub und Ferienvermietung weltweit lahm gelegt hat  das Leben im OstseeResort Olpenitz ist trotzdem weitergegangen, und Ferienobjekte in diesem neuen Ferienresort bei Kappeln/ Schlei verkaufen sich weiterhin gut. Oder aber jetzt erst Recht? Das

[mehr] Private Vermietung von ausgefallenen Ferienobjekten an der Ostsee - "Nie mitten drin, aber immer ganz nah dran!" ist hierbei die Devise. Auch wenn die Corona-Pandemie Urlaub und Ferienvermietung weltweit lahm gelegt hat  das Leben im OstseeResort Olpenitz ist trotzdem weitergegangen, und Ferienobjekte in diesem neuen Ferienresort bei Kappeln/ Schlei verkaufen sich weiterhin gut. Oder aber jetzt erst Recht? Das

Pressemitteilung: Gut vernetzt: Ceresana-Report zum Markt fur Kunststoff-Rohre Die Nachfrage nach Kunststoffrohren steigt in vielen europaischen Landern. Besonders in Ballungsraumen werden derzeit neue Wohnungen gebaut. Allerdings boomt die Bauwirtschaft nicht uberall: Ausgelastete Kapazitaten, steigende Preise, Fachkraftemangel, fehlendes Bauland und zunehmende wirtschaftliche Unsicherheit bremsen die Dynamik. Dabei konnen sich Hochbau, Tiefbau und Infrastrukturbau sehr unterschiedlich entwickeln: Die verschiedenen Bausegmente sind in hohem Mae von den offentlichen Investitionen im jeweiligen

[mehr] Die Nachfrage nach Kunststoffrohren steigt in vielen europaischen Landern. Besonders in Ballungsraumen werden derzeit neue Wohnungen gebaut. Allerdings boomt die Bauwirtschaft nicht uberall: Ausgelastete Kapazitaten, steigende Preise, Fachkraftemangel, fehlendes Bauland und zunehmende wirtschaftliche Unsicherheit bremsen die Dynamik. Dabei konnen sich Hochbau, Tiefbau und Infrastrukturbau sehr unterschiedlich entwickeln: Die verschiedenen Bausegmente sind in hohem Mae von den offentlichen Investitionen im jeweiligen
We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.
South Korea will likely buy European long-range air-to-surface cruise missiles by 2014. Launched from the air above Daejeon, the Taurus KEPD 350s could hit an underground bunker in Pyongyang with precision.

A military officer said Wednesday price negotiations with Taurus Systems, a German-Swedish joint venture, will start soon since the missile has found favor with the brass here.

The Taurus would be the first strategic weapon Seoul has imported from Europe rather than the U.S.

The only long-range missiles in the Air Force's inventory are 40-odd SLAM-ER missiles with a range of 278 km, which were made by Boeing. An Air Force officer said, "We urgently need more long-range air-to-surface missiles due to the mounting nuclear threat and the increasing possibility of provocations from North Korea."

The Taurus has a range of 500 km. Launched from South Korean airspace that is not under threat from North Korean surface-to-air missiles, they could hit strategic targets like nuclear and missile bases in the rear with precision.

The country is expected to buy about 200 of them, to be mounted on F-15K or KF-16 fighter jets.

The Taurus has a dual-stage "blast/fragmentation" and/or "penetrator" warhead capable of penetrating up to 6 m of reinforced concrete. It is very accurate: despite a range of hundreds of kilometers, it has an error rate of a mere 2 to 3 m.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Defense Department said it has deployed another Aegis destroyer, the USS Decatur, to waters near the Korean Peninsula to guard against possible North Korean provocations.

Like the USS McCain, which was dispatched here earlier, the Decatur is an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyer armed with SM-3 and Tomahawk cruise missiles that can intercept incoming ballistic missiles. It arrived in the western Pacific to "perform a missile defense mission," U.S. Defense Department spokesman George Little said.


Across the U.S., there's been an uptick in the percentage of teens who are having episodes of depression, a new report finds.

From 2013 to 2014, about one in nine teens in the United States had a major depressive episode, up from about one in 10 teens from 2012 to 2013, the researchers found. Psychologists define a major depressive episode as having symptoms of major depressive disorder  such as depressed mood or feelings of emptiness, hopelessness or irritability  that last for two weeks or more.

In the report, the researchers looked at data from the government's National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, in which adolescents ages 12 to 17 were asked about their drug use and mental health. The researchers focused on questions about symptoms the teens may have experienced in the past year that would signal an individual had experienced a major depressive episode. [8 Tips for Parents of Teens with Depression]

Overall, the national percentage of teens who had major depressive episodes in the 2013-2014 report was 11 percent, up from 9.9 percent in the 2012-2013 report, the researchers found.

It's unclear if these findings mean that rates will continue to go up, said Myrna Weissman, a professor of psychiatry at Columbia University in New York. To figure that out, you'd have to look at trends over a longer time, she said.

However, the findings are in line with what experts would expect: Depression is very common among adolescents, Weissman told Live Science.

The teens included in the study were right in the age range at which you'd expect symptoms of depression to first emerge, Weissman said.

Ardesheer Talati, an assistant professor of clinical neurobiology in psychiatry at Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, agreed that one year isn't long enough to determine if rates are truly rising or if the reported increase is more of a blip.

However, three factors may explain the slight increase, Talati told Live Science.

First, increased awareness of mental illness could lead to more teens going to the doctor to be evaluated for depression. Or, in cases of younger adolescents, parents may pick up on changes in their kids' behavior, and bring them to the doctor, he said.

Second, there's a lot more pressure on teens than there was in the past, Talati said. These stressors  social, family and academic  may increase depression in teens, he said.

Finally, the way that depression is diagnosed has changed over time and has become more broad, Talati said. This means that more people will be diagnosed, he said.

Different rates in different states

The report also broke down the rates of major depressive episodes in teens in each state. While the national average was 11 percent, rates ranged from a low of 8.7 percent in Washington, D.C., to a high of 14.6 percent in Oregon, the researchers found.

In addition, out of the 10 states with the highest rates, four were found in the West (Oregon, Arizona, Utah and Washington), according to the report. Of the 10 states with the lowest rates, four were found in the South (Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky and Washington, D.C.).

Thirteen states had statistically significant increases in their rates; in the remaining states, the percentage of teens with a major depressive episode stayed the same between the two time points. [Infographic: Teens in 13 States Showed Increases in Major Depressive Episodes]

(Image credit: Purch Creative Ops)

A number of factors may contribute to the differences in the rates of major depressive episodes across states.

For example, depression is more common in females than males, said Weissman, who is also the chief of the division of epidemiology at New York State Psychiatric Institute. So if you have more females in one state, that'll do it, she said. [7 Ways Depression Differs in Men and Women]

Health care also plays a role, Weissman said. In states with fewer health care services, such as states with more rural areas, it can be much harder for people to get health care, she said. This means that a higher percentage of people who had a major depressive episode may experience another episode, later on.

Religion and economic status should also be considered, Weissman said. Some religious groups may not look favorably upon mental health care, she said. And in states where the economy is struggling, rates of depression can be higher if people are unable to find jobs, she said. Though the report looked at teens, this issue can affect older teens who do not plan to go to college and who want to find work, Weissman added.

Episodes versus disorders

In the report, the researchers focused on instances called major depressive episodes.

These episodes are a core feature of what doctors call major depressive disorder, Talati said. But a single episode does not indicate how the disorder will progress for a particular person. For example, for some adolescents a depressive episode might represent a lone event, triggered perhaps by a specific life stress; for others, it may reflect the beginning of a longer course of illness with more frequent or impairing episodes, he said. [10 Facts Every Parent Should Know About Their Teen's Brain]

Indeed, it's not clear from the new report if these major depressive episodes in teens are first-time occurrences, or re-occurrences, Weissman added.

Still, the rates that reach over 10 percent are problematic, said Talati, who is also an investigator at the Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology. Depression as a teenager can have an impact on the rest of a person's life, as well as that of their families, if it's not addressed, he said.

Depression in teens

Having a major depressive episode as a teen can increase a person's risk of having additional episodes later in life, Weissman said.

Moreover, part of being a teen is learning independence and autonomy, said Dr. Leslie Miller, an assistant professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. If a teen is feeling bad due to depression, he or she may miss out on important milestones, she said.

Depression can also affect how teens perform in school and in social settings, Miller said. Failing a semester due to depression can change a person's trajectory in life, she added.

Weissman agreed. "Depression in adolescence can really affect one's life," she said. A teen may drop out of school, get involved with people that he or she shouldn't, or find it difficult to get a job, she said. "It's not a fruitful illness for flourishing," she added.

What to look for

It can be difficult for parents to distinguish between depression and run-of-the-mill teenage moodiness.

But there are signs that parents can look out for in their teens, including changes in sleep or appetite, loss of interest in activities the teens normally enjoy, social isolation, and increasing irritability, Miller told Live Science. [10 Scientific Tips for Raising Happy Kids]

But concerned parents don't have to find a specialist right away, Miller said. A pediatrician is a good person to ask first about possibly seeking more specialized mental health care; he or she can advise parents as to whether it would be helpful to see a mental health specialist, she said. Parents who are more familiar with depression, or have personal experience with it, may go straight to the specialist, she added.

Miller added that increasing awareness of mental illness, including depression, can help teens recognize symptoms as well. If a teen knows the symptoms of depression, he or she may be able to recognize feeling off, or not enjoying activities anymore, she said.

Overall, recognizing symptoms is a good thing.

There are a lot of ways to treat depression, Talati said. Aside from medications, there are a range of different psychotherapy options that have been shown to work, he said.

Originally published on Live Science.
Shifting sands on a Hawaiian beach have revealed  and then concealed again  carvings that Hawaii's indigenous people made on the shoreline at least 400 years ago.

Two tourists from Texas stumbled across the petroglyphs last month on Oahu's Waianae Coast on the western side of the island.

"It was just a stroke of luck," Lonnie Watson, one of the visitors, said in a statement issued by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. A beam of light happened to hit one of the petroglyphs, which caught Watson's attention. [See Photos: Petroglyphs Discovered in Hawaii]

So far, 17 carvings have been found in the sandstone shoreline, including one measuring almost 5 feet (1.5 meters) long. Most are of human figures, and some include carvings of the figures' fingers, said Alton Exzabe, an archaeologist with the U.S. Army, which manages many of the archeological sites in Hawaii. Fingers and hands are somewhat unusual on Hawaiian petroglyphs, Exzabe said in a statement.

Also rare is finding petroglyphs directly on the shoreline. Some locals said that they've seen these carvings before, Exzabe said, but no one has recorded them scientifically. They've already been covered up again by the sands.

The petroglyphs "record our genealogy and religion," Glen Kila, a lineal descendent of some of the first aboriginal families of the Waianae coast, said in a statement. "Its very important to know about the lineal descendants of the area and their understanding of these petroglyphs."

The plan for the preservation of the petroglyphs is still in its infancy, a Department of Land and Natural Resources spokesman told Live Science. The agency's State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) will work with the Army to develop a plan. The petroglyphs are extremely fragile, and even brushing sand away from them can damage them, archaeologists said. [Stunning Sands Gallery: A Rainbow of Beaches]

"They are an important part of Hawaiis culture and while sands have covered them again, in time they will reappear and we want to make sure people know that they are fragile and culturally sensitive and should only be viewed; not touched," Alan Downer, SHPD administrator, said in a statement.

Petroglyph sites are scattered across the Hawaiian Islands. Among the most famous are the Pu`u Loa petroglyphs, which are easily accessible to visitors at Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii. According to the National Park Service, there are more than 23,000 petroglyphs at that site.

Early missionaries and anthropologists reported that aboriginal people made the petroglyphs to record travelers' passages. They also buried the umbilical cords of newly born babies at the site, a tradition meant to ensure long life.

Waianae Petroglphs Media Clips (opens in new tab) from Hawaii DLNR (opens in new tab) on Vimeo (opens in new tab).

Original article on Live Science.
The first humans to populate North America probably got there by traveling along the coast, new research suggests. The ice free passageway in the interior of the continent probably didn't support vegetation or wildlife necessary to sustain the long voyage.

The first Americans may have traveled to their new home along the coast, new research suggests.

The findings clash with long-held views that the first Americans traveled through the interior of the continent from Siberia into North America, as textbooks have taught for decades. The new study reveals that a huge chunk of the interior land route was either devoid of food or sunk beneath a forbidding lake for hundreds of years after people from the Clovis culture showed up in the Southwest.

"It would have been a real barrier to cross," said study co-author Eske Willerslev, an evolutionary geneticist at the University of Cambridge in England. [History's 10 Most Overlooked Mysteries]

Land bridge to Asia

The conventional wisdom has been that ancient ancestors of today's Native Americans were trapped in the region of the Bering Strait for millennia during the last glacial maximum, when two huge ice sheets blocked the passageway into the Americas. Then, around 15,000 years ago, the ice sheets began to recede, and some of this population threaded its way through the narrow strip of land that was free of ice, thus entering North America.

However, in recent years that story has been called into question. Ancient Americans reached a site in southern Chile known as Monte Verde by about 14,700 years ago, and the ice sheets had probably not receded enough by then to allow interior passage, according to the study. Still, it's possible that the ancestors of the Clovis culture, who appeared roughly 13,400 years ago in North America, migrated through the continent's interior, Willerslev said. [In Photos: New Clovis Site in Sonora]

To see whether the Clovis culture may have used this interior route, Willerslev and his colleagues drilled samples of sediments from the bottom of the Spring and Charlie lakes in far northern British Columbia, Canada. During the Ice Age, this region was smack in the middle of the proposed ice-free corridor and was the site of a large glacial lake known as Lake Peace.

No food, no route

The team analyzed DNA from pollen, plants and animals in the cores and found that, around 13,000 years ago, the ice-free corridor was either submerged under water or, even if it was above water, had no vegetation to burn for warmth and no bison. Given that, it's unlikely ancient people could have made the long trek into the heart of North America to found the Clovis culture, the researchers reported today (Aug. 10) in the journal Nature.

The first Americans were clearly curious explorers, but they were also realists, Willerslev said.

"We are talking [932 miles] 1,500 kilometers you have to pass with ice caps on each side. It's not like, 'Oh yeah, I'm just taking a three-day hike,'" Willerslev told Live Science. "Humans won't take the trip unless you have resources to sustain yourself along the way."

Instead, it's likely that the first people in America spread from what is now Siberia by hugging the coasts, Willerslev said.

Reasonable but not surprising

Though that finding may be a surprise for those who are wedded to their high-school history textbooks, experts have been leaning in this direction for years, said John Hoffecker, a paleoanthropologist at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research in Boulder, Colorado.

"It's not a big surprise," Hoffecker, who was not involved in the current study, told Live Science. The new paper "provides some hard evidence as opposed to mere speculation."

The ancient Americans probably both walked and used rafts or canoes to cover the distances they did in such a short period of time, said Justin Tackney, an anthropologist at the University of Kansas, who has analyzed the ancient Upward Sun River skeletons found in Alaska.

"Bouncing along the coast would move people much faster," Tackney, who was not involved in the current research, told Live Science.

Unfortunately, any archaeological evidence of these early migrations is likely submerged off the continental shelf in the ocean, Hoffecker said.

Original article on Live Science.
People who are hospitalized for infections may face an increased risk of dying from suicide, according to a new study that may suggest a biological basis for some suicidal behavior.

The researchers examined data in a Danish national registry, following 7.2 million people from 1980 to 2011. They found that people who were hospitalized for infections during that period had a 42 percent increased risk of dying by suicide compared with people not hospitalized for infection.

Though the study cannot prove causality, researchers found that 1 in 10 suicides could be linked to this infection-related risk, according to the findings published today (Aug. 10) in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. [5 Myths About Suicide, Debunked]

The research bolsters an idea that has been gaining more weight among psychiatrists, the hypothesis that suicide is linked to bodily inflammation.

"To find evidence confirming some of the current edge-cutting hypotheses in psychiatric research in an epidemiological study of this scale is highly significant," said Lena Brundin, a neurobiologist at the Van Andel Research Institute and Michigan State University, who was not involved in the research but wrote an editorial to accompany it in the journal. "This is a very impactful study."

How inflammation could affect behavior

Over the years, small studies have found a link between inflammation  which is essentially the result of the immune system going into attack mode  and suicidal behavior. A 2015 review published in the Annals of Gastroenterology found that a third to half of patients treated with drugs that spur inflammatory responses develop depression as a side effect of treatment. Inflammatory chemicals called interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 show up at high levels in the blood and brain tissue of people who have died by suicide, according to a 2015 paper published in Biological Psychiatry. And Brundin and her colleagues have found that the more suicidal a patient is, the higher the levels of quinolinic acid in their cerebrospinal fluid. Quinolinic acid is generated by inflammation and can interfere with brain signaling.

But no one had really addressed the origin of this inflammation, Brundin told Live Science. In the new study, a team led by researchers at Copenhagen University Hospital turned toward infections, an obvious immune-system trigger, as a possible cause of inflammation.

The researchers used the Danish Civil Registration System to gather data on the psychiatric diagnoses, hospitalization history and cause of death for residents of Denmark who were 15 or older in 1980. This cohort of more than 7 million people was followed until December 2011.The Danish registries are an unusually detailed data source, offering detailed information on aspects of people's lives such as unemployment, marital status and socioeconomic status, that can be difficult to gather in large studies.

During the study period, 809,384 people were hospitalized with infections. There were also 32,683 deaths by suicide. Of the people who had died by suicide, 7,892, or 24.1 percent, had been hospitalized with an infection.

The role of infections

The vast majority of people who had an infection serious enough to require hospitalization did not die by suicide. And likewise, the majority of people who did die by suicide did not have a history of serious infection. Nevertheless, after controlling for demographics, socioeconomics and other factors that might influence suicide rate, the researchers found that people who were hospitalized for infections were 42 percent more likely to die by suicide than people who were not.

"The numbers indicating an increased risk for suicide after severe infections are high, perhaps surprisingly high even for us working with this subject," Brundin told Live Science.

The longer or more serious a person's infection history, the higher their risk of dying by suicide. A hospital stay of four days or fewer translated to a 42 percent increased risk, but those who spent more than 94 days hospitalized had a 138 percent increase in risk of suicide. Likewise, a single infection raised the risk of suicide by 34 percent, but people who had seven or more infections had nearly three times the risk of suicide than those who had none. [7 Devastating Infectious Diseases]

The association held true for all infections except for ear infections or pregnancy-related infections. The risk was highest in patients with hepatitis (an infection of the liver) or HIV/AIDS, which come with their own risks of depression and suicidal ideation.

The association also held when the researchers limited their analysis only to people who'd never had a psychiatric diagnosis. Even without a mental health diagnosis, being hospitalized for an infection was linked to a 21 percent increase in suicide risk.

There are many mechanisms that could link infections and suicide, study leader Helene Lund-Srensen, of Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, told Live Science. The team controlled for factors like cohabitation, sex, age and the presence of chronic diseases to try to narrow their focus on psychiatric disorders, but weren't able to account for the fact that some psychiatric disorders might go undiagnosed. There might also be self-care issues that cause people with depression and suicidal behaviors to be more likely to come down with an infection.

However, Lund-Srensen and her colleagues wrote, the new findings fit with other results from the smaller psychiatric studies on inflammation and suicidal behavior, the researchers wrote.

"Provided that the association between infection and the risk of death by suicide was causal, identification and early treatment of infections could be explored as a public health measure for prevention of suicide," they wrote. "Still, further efforts are needed to clarify the exact mechanisms by which infection influences human behavior and risk of suicide." [7 Absolutely Horrible Head Infections]

Lund-Srensen and her colleagues are planning a study to investigate whether less severe infections that don't require hospitalization, might be linked with suicide.

There are many ways an inflammation-suicide link could affect how health care providers approach patients, Brundin said, such as increasing their focus on psychiatric symptoms when patients are in the hospital with an infectious disease. Clinical trials could attempt to eradicate chronic infections with antibiotics, Brundin said, and anti-inflammatory drugs could reduce inflammation. Currently, patients with suicidal behavior are excluded from most clinical trials, Brundin added, which gives a skewed view on how pharmaceuticals might affect them.

"Novel treatment studies in suicidal and depressive patients are highly warranted," she said.

Suicide is complex, study co-author Teodor Postolache, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, told Live Science. And translating the research on inflammation to treatment is similarly complex: Some patients may be vulnerable to certain inflammatory triggers, like allergies, that don't affect others. Other environmental factors, like sunlight exposure or even low oxygen levels from living at a high elevation, have been shown to be associated with suicide, too. And, of course, there are traditional risk factors for suicide, such as having an untreated mood disorder and access to firearms, which makes suicide attempts more deadly.

"Every layer is going to be important," Postolache said. "This is such a resilient epidemic worldwide."

The number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.

Original article on Live Science.
Although war, terrorism, and presidential elections may disguise the fact, humans are social beings, an evolutionary trait that helped separate us from other primates millions of years ago and led to our mostly chatty and cooperative ways.

These genetic underpinnings of human sociability, however, have remained a mystery. But in a study appearing today (Aug. 10) in the journal Nature, researchers report they have narrowed in on some of the genes responsible for social behavior by studying people who have Williams syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that makes them hyper-sociable.

Williams syndrome is caused by a deletion of a specific set of 25 contiguous genes on chromosome 7. The disorder affects about 1 in 10,000 people worldwide, and about 20,000 Americans currently have the condition, according to the Williams Syndrome Association, a patient-advocacy group.

People with Williams syndrome tend to crave social interactions. They can be overly trusting and drawn to strangers and often maintain an intense focus on a person's eyes during interactions. They also tend to possess below-average height, weight and IQ compared with the general population and are prone to heart defects.

In the new study, researchers at University of California, San Diego and at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in neighboring La Jolla, California, investigated the genes associated with Williams syndrome to study the underlying neurobiology of the human social brain. [6 Foods That Are Good For Your Brain]

"I was fascinated on how a genetic defect  a tiny deletion in one of our chromosomes, could make us friendlier, more empathetic and more able to embrace our differences," said the study's co-senior author, Alysson Muotri, an associate professor of pediatrics and cellular and molecular medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

In previous work, Muortri and his colleagues studied autism, which some doctors describe as being the opposite of Williams syndrome (people with autism tend to have great difficulty with social skills). By growing neurons from cells that were taken from the baby teeth of children with autism, a program called the Tooth Fairy Project, Muortri's group discovered an important gene associated with autism.

In the new study, Muortri took the same approach for Williams syndrome, harvesting cells from the lost teeth of children with this disorder. Using a technique called induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) reprogramming, the researchers turned the tooth cells into nerve cells, or neurons. They quickly noticed how different these neurons were compared to those from people without Williams syndrome.

First, the researchers found that many of the neural progenitor cells  cells that are to develop into neurons  failed to grow in the lab. This rampant cell death would explain the reduced cortex surface area in the brains of people with Williams syndrome. Muortri's colleagues, led by Eric Halgren, a professor of Neuroscience at UC San Diego, confirmed this finding using MRI scans of live study participants.

Next, the researchers found that some of the neurons that did flourish had more extensive tree-like branching than ordinary neurons, enhancing their connections with other neurons and possibly explaining the gregarious nature of people with Williams syndrome, Muotri said. They could confirm this finding, too, from brain tissue from a deceased person with the disorder.

"Why this [enhanced connectivity] is related to sociability and not intelligence [or] memory or any other benefit is still a mystery," Muotri told Live Science. "I speculate that this is because this seems to be restricted to a specific type of neuron related to the social aspect." [Top 10 Mysteries of the Mind]

The researchers wrote that their "brain-in-a-dish" cellular model of Williams syndrome could also be used to help better understand a variety of brain disorders, as well as the basis of human social behavior. The genes deleted in people with Williams syndrome, for example, appear to keep sociability from being too excessive.

Specifically, the researchers postulated that the gene named FZD9, missing in most people with Williams syndrome, helps to regulate cell death and neural branching.

"This is the first study to narrow down to FZD9 and to dissect the molecular and cellular mechanisms associate with this gene and the behavior phenotype," Muotri said. "This was only possible because we now have human iPSC that can be coaxed to recapitulate human neural development in a dish."

Because the human brain is so different from the brains of mice or other animals commonly studied in the lab, the group said their "brain-in-a-dish" model may serve as a better platform for studying human brain function than animal models.

Follow Christopher Wanjek @wanjek for daily tweets on health and science with a humorous edge. Wanjek is the author of "Food at Work" and "Bad Medicine." His column, Bad Medicine, appears regularly on Live Science.
Delta Air Lines said it canceled nearly 500 flights Tuesday as it tries to get operations back to normal following a computer systems failure Monday.

The company blamed the outage on a loss of power at its hub in Atlanta, saying some of its critical systems failed to switch over to a backup that would have kept them running.

Without a functioning computer network, Delta grounded all flights for hours Monday, eventually canceling about 1,000 flights across the United States and beyond. Thousands more flights were delayed.

Flights resumed by Monday night, but a Delta official said Tuesday the airline was "still operating in recovery mode."
Releases

In this section of the Lockheed Martin Newsroom, you'll find our news releases. The releases are listed in chronological order and are archived by year.
The family of a missing Manchester man have renewed their appeal for information, after it was revealed he travelled by ferry from Liverpool to Belfast.

Twenty-nine -year-old Curtis Higgins, who has relatives in Longford town as well as in Co Mayo, is described as being 64 in height with greenish blue eyes and short brown hair.

He was last seen by his mother Denise Higgins on Sunday morning, July 31 before he left for work. It is believed that Mr Higgins finished work at around 4.45pm on Sunday afternoon.

Just after 9pm that night, his mother received a text message from him, telling her that he was not coming home.

Mr Higgins phone has been turned off since sending the text message but its understood that he travelled to Belfast from Liverpool, not Holyhead as previously thought.

When last seen, Mr Higgins was wearing navy slacks, a pale green top with a Manchester Royal Infirmary logo, black trainers and a black backpack. He previously expressed a wish to visit his late grandmothers home in Westport and he also has ties to Northern Ireland.

Mr Higgins Longford relatives have been sharing his image on social media in the hope of gaining information on his whereabouts.
Residents of a city in eastern China have protested for a third day against possible plans to build a nuclear fuel reprocessing center, a protester and a city employee said Tuesday, as police announced a ban on public gatherings.

The protests in Lianyungang, north of Shanghai, reflect public unease about the safety of China's state-owned nuclear industry and growing willingness to oppose nuclear, chemical and other industrial projects.



The city government responded to the weekend demonstrations in a downtown square with an announcement that plans for the nuclear project were in early stages and no location had been confirmed.



Despite that, protesters gathered again Monday, according to a city hall employee who would give only his surname, Zhang, and man who gave his surname as Wang. Wang said he took part in one weekend protest and witnessed others.

About a dozen people who threw stones on Monday were detained by police, according to Wang. He said local residents were discussing plans for possible additional protests.



"We don't want this project," said Wang by telephone. "We worry about whether there will be a leak and whether the technology is good enough to protect people's health."



Also Tuesday, police announced a ban on unauthorized public gatherings and issued a statement calling on the public to disregard rumors.



There were no reports about the protests in Chinese media, suggesting censors ordered publications to suppress information about them.



China is the most active builder of nuclear power plants, with 32 reactors in operation, 22 under construction and more planned. The government has spent heavily to build up its ability to produce fuel and process waste.



The official Xinhua News Agency said in September that the state-owned China National Nuclear Corp. would build a nuclear fuel reprocessing center with French partner Areva starting in 2020, but no location has been announced.



Thousands of people took to the streets on Saturday when rumors spread that Lianyungang had been picked as the site for the facility.



Photos circulated on social media showed crowds in a central square. Some carried banners saying, "For the next generation, refuse construction of the nuclear waste plant."



A unit of CNNC and its French partner have looked at more than 10 potential locations for the reprocessing center, according to the official China News Service. It said the two did preliminary research last year on Lianyungang.



In 2013, similar plans to build a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility in the southern city of Heshan, near Hong Kong, were scrapped following protests by residents over possible safety risks.



Chinese authorities also have scrapped or postponed other petrochemical and other industrial projects elsewhere following protests, but in some cases works goes ahead after tensions die down.
The promise of a 10m grant scheme for towns and villages across Co Longford to tap into has been given the thumbs up locally.

Around 200 towns and villages across the country are expected to avail of the scheme in a government initiative to revitalise rural Ireland.

Longford Westmeath TD Kevin 'Boxer' Moran said the project was one of the key components of the Independent Alliance before they entered into government with Fine Gael.

Todays announcement shows how Independents can have a positive impact on how central funds can be delivered in areas that were previously being neglected, said Mr Moran.

The new scheme will have a particular focus on towns with populations of less than 5,000 and an allocation of 380,000 is to be made available to each county.

Under the plan, a maximum of eight separate projects in each county can receive a grant from the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs from September.
Press Releases

By Phil Andrews Published: August 10 2016

Both Newspapers and Communication Professionals are critical to chronicling the current history of African Americans. Kudos to LongIsland.com for serving as anchor for delivering news to diverse communities across Long Island.

New York, NY - August 9, 2016 - Black Newspapers and Communication Professionals in New York Critical to Chronicling Current History of African Americans. The first African American Newspaper in the United stated was published by Samuel Cornish and John Russwurm, and was named Freedoms Journal in 1827. Another newspaper developed around this time was The North Star founded by Frederick Douglass.

As Africans Americans started to relocate to major cities around the country others areas with large populations of African Americans more newspapers were published. Today we have a decreasing amount of African American Publications, but there is a push to bring newspapers back to the forefront in the African American Community.

Such publications such as the New York Trend Newspaper has persevered for more than two decades bringing quality news to the African American Community online and in print in one of the largest media markets in the world. Star Journal News is an up and coming leading publication online and in print which brings unique hard to find stories to the market and supplies a new format of digital advertising to small business owners, professionals, Authors, etc.

The Star Journal News also offers an opportunity for directory listings, authors special advertising section, and a visitors guide for those looking for unique things to do in the tourist capital of the world NYC. A call for diversity in advertising from institutions such as universities, colleges, government agencies, and private sector companies to support the concept of supporting newspapers is a wise choice to support a market of 30 Million African Americans in the United States whose budget is larger than some countries in the world.

Both Newspapers and Communication Professionals are critical to chronicling the current history of African Americans. A push to diversify the communications arena with more minorities will allow people who view their stories through different lenses to chronicle the news in a unique way based on what they see and how they are inspired to tell the story.

A couple of organizations are currently making a difference on a national and local level and they are the National Association of Black Journalist and National Black Public Relations Society and a local chapter of the Black PR Society called Black Public Relations Society of New York (BPRS-NY). Mainstream media is an important concept in America, but opening up the doors of opportunity is an even greater concept and speaks to a principle of making our society more fair and just for all Americans.



The Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. supports the growth of African American newspapers nationally and on a local level and the diversification of the Communications Industry to include minorities across the board on both a local and national level throughout America.

Kudos to the LongIsland.com for serving as a anchor for delivering news to diverse communities across Long Island.

Phil Andrews is the current President of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. is a member of the US Black Chambers, Inc. Mr. Andrews is also the business editor of Star Journal News. He has also appeared on WABC Here and Now. Follow Phil Andrews on Twitter.
School & Education, Local News, Crime, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 10 2016

Governor Cuomo announced that the NYS Police is launching a campaign to raise awareness about campus sexual assault as students head to college for the fall semester.

Albany, NY - August 8, 2016 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the New York State Police is launching a campaign to raise awareness about campus sexual assault as students head to college for the fall semester. The campaign builds on outreach efforts underway by the State Police Campus Sexual Assault Victims Unit, which has been attending college orientation sessions and providing training for stakeholders across the state.



The eight-week broadcast radio, billboard and social media campaign will kick off on Monday, August 8. The billboards can be viewed here and here . The radio public service announcement can be heard here .



New York State put into place the most aggressive laws in the nation to combat sexual assault on college campuses, Governor Cuomo said. This campaign builds upon our efforts and will help ensure students know their rights, and that they have the opportunity to earn a degree in a safe environment.



As students return to college in the coming weeks, this campaign is renewing our commitment to let people know that the culture has changed, said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. Under Enough is Enough, Governor Cuomo has put New York State at the forefront of the national conversation to show that campuses are no longer safe havens for sexual violence and that perpetrators will be caught and prosecuted. Were calling on everyone to help us spread this message far and wide.



The State Police CSAVU was created by the landmark Enough is Enough legislation, which Governor Cuomo signed into law in July of 2015. The mission of the unit is to reduce the incidence of sexual assault through a prevention education program, which includes orientation for college students, faculty and support staff, and training for stakeholders. The unit will also investigate campus sexual crimes that are reported to the State Police, and provide investigative support as requested by campus and local law enforcement agencies.



Eleven State Police Senior Investigators assigned to the unit have been placed in regions across the state, and serve as a resource for students, college and university staff, campus and local police, and victim advocates. The Senior Investigators have provided training for law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders, including the New York State Chiefs of Police, the SUNY Chiefs of Police, and SUNY Title IX coordinators.



The CSAVU has also held two regional training conferences in Syracuse and Buffalo. Additional training conferences are being scheduled, including a week-long conference in Albany that will be held on December 5.



State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II said, Our investigators are working closely with colleges and universities on training and education to help reduce sexual assaults on campus. They are also ready to investigate and assist our local law enforcement partners to help bring justice for victims.



Since the unit became operational last fall, it has investigated or assisted in more than 20 campus sexual assault cases. The State Police have also established a statewide hotline for victims to request State Police assistance: 844-845-7269.



To date, the CSAVU has partnered with the following colleges to provide sexual assault awareness outreach at summer and fall orientation sessions:
Local News, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 10 2016

Dr. Dean Hart, Democratic candidate for the 15th Assembly District, filed a complaint with Nassau County Comptroller Madeline Singas office today.

Mineola, NY - August 9, 2016 - Dr. Dean Hart, Democratic candidate for the 15th Assembly District, filed a complaint with Nassau County Comptroller Madeline Singas office today, requesting the Comptroller step in to investigate the misuse of taxpayer money by the Nassau County Board of Elections when one of its employees, Kathryn Weber, a registration clerk with the Nassau County Board of Elections, filed specific objections against Harts Independence Party petitions, claiming that a veteran, volunteering for the campaign, wasnt qualified to witness petition signatures.



"Everyone knows that the Board of Elections is a patronage pit for the politically connected, so I have asked Nassau District Attorney Madeline Singas to step in to investigate the Nassau Board of Elections to see if there was any political work that was done on taxpayer time, said Hart.



The New York State Constitution and the Nassau County charter strictly prohibit any use of government resources for political purposes.



I think its unconscionable that employees who work for the Board of Elections, and have access to candidates petitions through their regular work, can then use to those files to pursue a political agenda outside of work, said Hart. Not to mention that her political agenda ran right over the rights of a decorated U.S. Marine veteran.



The New York State Supreme Court recently upheld the validity of Harts petitions and struck down Webers desperate challenge. Hart will be running unopposed on the Independence Party line in the November general election.
The Hilarious Comedy Smash My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & I'm in Therapy! Opens at Landmark on Main Street in Port Washington

Music, Movies & Entertainment, Local News, Press Releases, Seasonal & Current Events

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 10 2016

The international hit comedy My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & Im in Therapy! opens at the Landmark on Main Street in Port Washington, NY for four weeks.

Port Washington, NY - August 9, 2016 - The international hit comedy My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & Im in Therapy! opens Wednesday night on August 10, 2016 at the Landmark on Main Street in Port Washington, NY for four weeks only through September 4th.

My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & Im in Therapy! is Steve Solomon's comedy smash, inspired by his wacky family and all the people in his life whose sole purpose was to drive him into therapy - and they succeeded! The author, whose mother is from Palermo and whose father hails from Russia, grew up as one of two siblings in Brooklyn. One part lasagna, one part kreplach and two parts Prozac, you don't have to be Jewish or Italian to love this show. All you need is to know what it feels like to leave a family dinner with heartburn and a headache! My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & Im in Therapy! is one of the longest running one-man shows in the history of New York theater and has toured internationally in more than 100 markets.

Hysterically funny! Non-stop laughs all the way. I cant recommend this show enough!  Regis Philbin

As heartwarming as comfort food. Everyone can relate to this!  Martha Stewart Living Radio

Amazing! Hysterical! I still hurt from laughing!  Broadway World

A 90-minute laugh-fest!  Hadassah Magazine

In a tour de force performance, Peter J. Fogel brings more than 30 different characters to life in My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & Im in Therapy! An award-winning comedian, actor and playwright, Fogel has more than 20 TV appearances to his credit including "Married with Children," "Unhappily Ever After" and "Men Behaving Badly." He is also the best-selling author of Reboot Your Career: 27 Ways to Reinvent Yourself in the Workplace (If You Still have a Job!) and If Not Now...Then When?

The production was named Favorite New Play by Broadway.com and won the Broadway Theater Fans Choice Award on BroadwayWorld.com.

The playing schedule for My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & Im in Therapy! is Wednesdays at 7 PM, Thursdays at 2 & 7 PM, Fridays at 8 PM, Saturdays at 2 & 8 PM, and Sundays at 2 PM at the Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main Street in Port Washington. Tickets are $40 - $55 and are available through www.playhouseinfo.com or by calling 855-448-7469. For group discounts (12 or more), call 888-264-1788.
Local News, Crime, Health & Wellness, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 10 2016

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the trial conviction of pharmacist Ira Gross, 63, and his shell company, Chaparral Services.

Pharmacist Ira Gross faces prison sentence of up to 25 years; the perpetrators of this complex scheme not only cheated the State Medicaid program out of millions of dollars, but preyed on some of NY's most vulnerable patients.

Riverhead, NY - August 9, 2016 - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the trial conviction of pharmacist Ira Gross, 63, and his shell company, Chaparral Services, LTD. Both defendants were found guilty yesterday in Suffolk County Supreme Court after a four week jury trial before Hon. Richard Ambro. Gross was accused of distributing HIV medication illegally obtained from the black market to patients, and faces a state prison sentence of up to eight and one-third to twenty-five years. Medicaid and others were illegally billed $274 million through this scheme, with Gross personally receiving a profit of $25 million. The convictions were part of the Attorney Generals Medicaid Fraud Control Unit longstanding Operation Black Market Meds investigations.

The perpetrators of this complex scheme not only cheated the state Medicaid program out of millions of dollars, but preyed on some of New Yorks most vulnerable patients just to make a quick buck said Attorney General Schneiderman. These convictions should send a clear message that my office will not tolerate these types of abhorrent schemes. If you seek to line your pockets at the expense of the health and well-being of New Yorkers, you will be punished.

In April of 2012, the Attorney Generals Medicaid Fraud Control Unit arrested Gross, the mastermind of the scheme, and three others for distributing HIV prescription medication obtained on the black market through MOMS pharmacy, a high-volume, online pharmacy located in Melville with satellite offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn and other states. MOMS, and its parent company Allion Healthcare, then dispensed the illegally obtained medication to Medicaid recipients, and billed the New York State Medicaid program for the tainted medication. Dispensing diverted medications endangers the lives of patients by exposing them to drugs of unknown origin and potency and, in some cases, drugs which were mislabeled or potentially expired. The Attorney General also froze millions of dollars from defendants and their cohorts in an asset forfeiture action.

Ira Gross was the architect and brains behind this scheme and served as the broker between the buyer and seller of the diverted medications, taking a massive cut of the profits. As a licensed pharmacist, Gross understood the regulations of pharmaceutical distribution and knew how to evade them.

In these types of black market schemes, medications are illegally obtained from a variety of sources, such as buying back drugs from patients, and are then often rebottled using fake labels and serial numbers, have broken seals, or contain different medications than whats indicated on the labels. As a result, the real patients are exposed to potentially adverse drug interactions, overdoses or a decline in their health from not receiving wholesome forms of medications they were prescribed.

Gross, his spouse Lois Gross of Babylon, and their adult children Dakota Gross and Chelsea Gross remain as civil defendants in the Attorney Generals forfeiture action, seeking return of the proceeds and substituted proceeds of the criminal scheme that are held in their names. That action continues.

Glenn Schabel, the supervising pharmacist and compliance officer for MOMS pharmacy, who pled guilty in March, 2016, admitted that over a four year period he accepted over five million dollars in bribes.

Stephen Manuel Costa, a Florida resident and another co-defendant who pled guilty on an earlier date, incorporated four separate entities as wholesale distributors in order to disguise the sale of the diverted medications to MOMS. Costa procured millions of dollars of black market HIV medications, and sold them to MOMS through his four shell companies, and MOMS in turn dispensed them to its patients, many of whom were Medicaid recipients. The prescription medications were obtained from the street using various illegal means and in batches which potentially included pills which had been previously dispensed to individuals, stolen from manufacturers, or had expired.

A fourth defendant, Harry Abolafia, who also pled guilty on an earlier date, created false invoices for Costas companiesSMC Distributors, Fidelity Wholesale, Optimus Wholesale, and Nuline Pharmaceuticalsin order to make the transactions appear to be legitimate. In total, on behalf of MOMS Pharmacy, Schabel purchased $274 million worth of black market HIV medications from Costa through Ira Gross. For brokering the deal, Ira Gross personally amassed over $25 million in illegal profits. For their efforts, Schabel and Abolafia were paid a smaller portion of the profit: over $5 million, and over $1 million, respectively.

In court today, a Suffolk County jury found Gross guilty of one count of Grand Larceny in the First Degree, a class B felony, one count of Criminal Diversion of Prescription Medications and Prescriptions in the First Degree, a class C felony, one count of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a class E felony, one count of Attempted Grand Larceny in the First Degree, a class C felony, one count of Attempted Criminal Diversion of Prescription Medications and Prescriptions in the First Degree, a class D felony, three counts of Money Laundering in the First Degree, a class B felony, one count of Money Laundering in the Second Degree, a class C felony, and one count of Commercial Bribing in the First Degree, a class E felony. Gross faces sentencing on September 8th. Chaparral Services, Ltd., the shell corporation Gross used to conceal and distribute his criminal proceeds, was found guilty of three counts of Money Laundering in the First Degree, a class B felony, one count of Money Laundering in the Second Degree, a class C felony, and one count of Commercial Bribing in the First Degree, a class E felony.

The Attorney General thanks the New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General, particularly its staff of pharmacists and other specialists, as well as the New York City Office of Special Narcotics Prosecutor. The Attorney General additionally thanks investigators from United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Food and Drug Administration, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation as well as investigators from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Assistant United States Attorneys from the United States Attorneys Offices for the Southern District of New York and the Southern District of Florida. All, individually and collectively, provided valuable information and assistance during the investigation.

Wiretap operations were supported by the Attorney Generals Organized Crime Task Force led by Deputy Attorney General Peri Kadanoff.

The criminal case was prosecuted by Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Special Assistant Attorneys General Adam Shlahet and Imran Ahmed, with trial support by Principal Auditor Investigator Patricia Iemma and with the assistance of MFCUs Chief of Criminal Investigations-Downstate Thomas OHanlon and NYC Regional Director Christopher M. Shaw; the forfeiture action was handled by Special Assistant Attorneys General Andrew Gropper and Diana Elkind. The investigation was conducted by MFCU Supervising Investigator Victor Maldonado, Lawrence Riccio and Special Investigator Denitor Guerra and Principal Special Auditor Investigator Cristina Marin and NYC Deputy Chief Auditor Jonathan Romano. The Deputy Chief Investigator for MFCU is Kenneth Morgan and the Regional Chief Auditor is Thomasina Smith. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is led by Director Amy Held and Assistant Deputy Attorney General Paul J. Mahoney. The Division of Criminal Justice is led by Executive Deputy Attorney General Kelly Donovan.
Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com

Columnists Press Releases
The Foreign Ministry in Tokyo issued a statement Tuesday saying Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida issued the warning Tuesday when he summoned Chinese ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua to issue a formal protest. The ministry says Kishida accused Beijing of trying to unilaterally "change the status quo" over the islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.

Japan says relations with China are "remarkably deteriorating" over the continued appearance of Chinese naval ships sailing near a group of disputed islands in the East China Sea.

Cheng told reporters after the meeting that he told Kishida that it was natural for the ships to operate in the waters near the islands.

"With regards to the current situation in relevant waters, both countries need to work together to control the situation, avoid escalating and complicating the situation and eventually resolve the problem properly, following the spirit of the four-point consensus that China and Japan reached in November 2014," said Cheng.

Chinese coast guard and fishing vessels have been spotted sailing near the islands over the past several days, despite Cheng's being summoned last Friday by Vice Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama over the issue.

Relations between Japan and China, two of the world's biggest economies, have been plagued for decades by territorial disputes, aggravated by China's lingering bitterness over Japan's aggressive behavior during World War II.
The United States summoned the envoy of its close Asian ally, the Philippines, on Monday to clarify insulting and "inappropriate comments" made by President Rodrigo Duterte about U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg, according to the State Department.

"We have asked the Philippine charge to come into the State Department to clarify those remarks," said Elizabeth Trudeau, the department's spokeswoman. She declined to elaborate on conversation details between senior U.S. officials and Patrick Chuasoto, the charge d'affaires of the Philippine Embassy in Washington.

Duterte, in his meeting with soldiers at a military base last week, was reported to have singled out Goldberg and lashed out with personal attacks. Goldberg has been critical of Duterte's remarks about sexual violence.

Meanwhile, Washington is alarmed by reports of extrajudicial killings as a result of Duterte's anti-drug campaign.
Seoul will buy scores of Taurus long-range air-to-surface missiles from Germany to deploy them warfare-ready late this year.

Carried by fighter jets, the bunker buster missiles have a range of 500 km and are capable of striking any target in North Korea from near the demilitarized zones.

The purchase can begin because the U.S. government recently approved the sale of military GPS receivers, which will be installed on the missiles, a military source said on Tuesday. Some 100 more will be purchased next year.

Some 5.1 m long and with a payload weight of 480 kg, the missiles can evade radar flying at a low altitude of 40 m. Their penetration capacity is better than that of U.S. air-to-surface missiles.

With a triple navigation system, including inertial and infrared, the Taurus can hit targets even if the GPS signal is being jammed.

The Taurus will be used as a key part of a so-called "kill chain" in an emergency whereby the military can detect signs of an impending enemy missile launch and preemptively destroy it, the source added.


UNICEF has been giving nutrition aid to some 1.7 million children in North Korea since January, Radio Free Asia reported on Tuesday.

UNICEF said it supplied supplements, vitamins and emergency medical supplies worth US$2.4 million to some 20,000 severely malnourished children and vitamins to about 1.55 million.

The organization also spent $1.52 million giving vaccine shots to about 168,000 children and delivering emergency medical supplies.

Some 250,000 North Koreans now have clean water through a water and sewage improvement project that cost about $200,000, the report says.

Eleven million North Koreans including six million children are thought to suffer from malnutrition and related diseases. And nearly half of North Koreans need food support, medical supplies and clean water.

The report says $18 million is needed to implement aid projects for the North this year but UNICEF managed to raise a mere $4 million in the first half of this year.


The Taliban continues to attempt to mend the rifts with a faction that broke away after the controversy surrounding the death of Mullah Omar and the naming of his successor. On Aug. 8, the Taliban announced that Mullah Baz Mohammad, who served as a deputy to Mullah Mohammad Rasul, and his followers have rejoined the Taliban.

The Taliban published a statement in Pashtu on Voice of Jihad, its official website, announcing that Baz Mohammad and a commander from Uruzgan known as Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Akhond, pledged allegiance to Mullah Haibatullah, the Talibans new emir. From a translation of the statement obtained by The Long War Journal:

Yesterday, [Aug, 8, 2016], senior officials of Islamic Emirate, religious scholars, members of Late Mullah Mohammad Omars family, comrades and representatives of Haji Mullah Mohammad Baz Mohammad Haris at a meeting after a detailed discussion recommended to carry out joint efforts to keep unity in the sacred ranks of Islamic Emirate and to make efforts in the light of sharia [Islamic law] for the protection of rights of every person and decided that all the decisions would be made in the light of Islamic Principles. Haji Mullah Mohammad Baz Mohammad Haris, who worked earlier as a deputy of Mullah Mohammad Rasul Akhund, along with his comrades and the persons attached to him, and Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Akhund, a resident of Chora District of Uruzgan Province, who was a military commander during the Islamic Emirates reign, on behalf of his comrades announced their pledge of allegiance to the leader of Islamic Emirate, Amir al Momineen [commander of the faithful] Sheikh al Hadis Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada Sahib and promised their complete obedience in the light of Islamic law. The meeting was ended after prayer by Alhaj Mawlawi Ahmad Rabbani Sahib.

Baz Mohammad has been involved with Taliban infighting long before Rasul split from the Islamic Emirate. In 2011, he was involved with a dispute with Mohammad Ismail, who served as the head of Quetta Shuras military council until 2010. Ismail, who was known to be a corrupt Taliban official, was one of 25 leaders who were assassinated in 2012.

Rasuls breakaway High Council of Afghanistan Islamic Emirate has served as the primary opposition to the Taliban, or the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. It was formed after Mullah Mansour and a cadre of leaders in the Quetta Shura hid Mullah Omars death between April 2013 and July 2015. Rasul and other Taliban leaders objected to the way Mullah Mansour was appointed as emir, and broke away. With Mansours death in a US drone strike in Pakistan this May, Mullah Haibatullah, who has previously served as the Talibans top sharia official, was appointed emir.

The Taliban has worked to reunite leaders who objected to the naming of Mullah Omars successor. Its greatest success took place in April of this year, when it brought Mullah Abdul Manan Akhund, a brother of Mullah Omar, and Mullah Mohammad Yaqoub, Omars eldest son, back into the fold. Manan was named the head of Dawat wal Irshad, the influential Preaching and Guidance Commission. Yaqoub was given a seat on the Quetta Shuras executive council, and appointed the military chief of 15 provinces within the structure of the Talibans Military Commission. They were again rewarded after Mansours death. Yaqoub was named one of Haibatulahs top two deputies.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
Hello gorgeous ones! Have I got the most beautiful mid-week treat in store for you *gleefully rubs hands together*. Now what do you think of when I say summer holidays? I dream of white-washed walls baked in golden sunshine, the soft scent of herbs drifting lazily on the heady air, tall iced drinks and melting ice creams, of bluest seas and even bluer skiesWell not only do I now desperately need a holiday, Im also just a little more infatuated with the summery, wonderful, incredibly elegant nuptials of Fay and Max. The beautiful couple married on 28th June 2014 on the gorgeous island of Skiathos, combining Greek and German traditions, an abundance of foliage and a whole lot of sunshine.

This intricately embellished Catherine Deane gown that Fay chose to wear combines cascading silk tulle and a statement sheer back; hand-beaded and hand-sewn with sparkling, glistening opals and crystals. Its not surprising it takes two days and over 6000 beads to create this utter beauty.

We wanted to keep it rather simple and elegant with references to Greece; olive branches, basil pots, sea shells, white and blue were all we used. Fay is from North Greece and we definitely knew we wanted to get married on a Greek island. Skiathos is beautiful, very green and not as touristy as some of the other islands; its more authentic and simple. It was also reasonably close and easy to reach for our Greek guests and had an airport for our international guests.

Photography by Sarah Gawler

The second I opened up this gorgeous set of images, beautifully captured by Sarah Gawler, I gasped. Not only due to the stunning location of this wedding I might add, but also because the beyond beautiful Fay is wearing my almost wedding dress.

Many brides whove already completed the heady task of purchasing their wedding dress (or favourite outfit ever as mine has come to be known) and you lovely newlyweds will know what I mean: the dress that almost was. I think it may have been my dad who first spotted this subtly glamorous creation, shimmering and dripping with embellishment in a boutique window, and I just knew I had to try it on.

My dress was Tallulah from the Catherine Deane collection. Though the fashion designer is based in London, I purchased my dress via BHLDN in the United States and wore it with Prada shoes. My hair and make-up were by Nikos Platys.

We decided to get married on the same weekend a year after our engagement, so our wedding and engagement anniversaries are the same. Also, it was a great timing to get married in Greece as the end of June isnt steaming hot.

Now if theres one thing I seem to be building up a bank of wedding knowledge in, its traditions. I adore elegant, modern weddings that effortlessly combine and incorporate these time-honoured rituals. From flower crowns with their origin in Swedish folklore, to wearing a sixpence in your shoe to bring good fortune, these little nods to the past have such interesting and often extremely meaningful back stories.

We had both Greek and German traditions throughout our wedding. In Greece, its customary for the bride and groom not to get dressed by themselves on their wedding day. The single girls need to help the bride get into her dress and the single men have to shave and dress the groom. But before they dress the bride, three of the single ladies have to try on her wedding dress to bring them luck.

All the single girls write their name on the sole of the brides shoes. The next day, the names that have been removed by all the Greek dancing, will be soon married too. As for the German traditions, we had speeches during dinner (which is not customary in Greece) and some guests wore traditional Bavarian outfits. At some point during the party, Max also changed in to his Bavarian Lederhosen.

I absolutely love the idea of writing the single girls names on your shoes; this sounds like the Greek equivalent of the bouquet toss. I have to say I think I might prefer Fays method; you get to keep your gorgeous bouquet and dance extra hard with the incentive of bringing future happiness to your favourite girls.

Groom Max wore a dapper suit and crisp white shirt made by Savile Row tailors Kent & Haste with a Brioni tie and John Lobb shoes while Fays maid of honour wore a blue frock of her own choosing.

In Greek weddings you only have a maid of honour and they are free to choose their own dress. The only guideline we had was that it had to be a blue dress.

At the end of Fays walk to the church with her very proud looking papa, Max stood waiting for her with a fresh green and white bouquet. This tradition is beyond cute. In some parts of Italy the groom delivers his brides bouquet before the wedding as the last gift he ever gives her before she becomes his wife. I wonder if this is a tradition from Maxs German heritage? I just love it and very strongly considered it for my own Italian nuptials.

There werent many flowers available on the small Greek island so we used mainly greenery and white flowers such as lisianthus and babys breath. It also matched our simple white decor, laden with Greek references. The flowers were provided by The Princess Hotel.

From the white-washed walls of the intimate Agios Nikolaos Church, through tree-lined streets, Fay and Max strolled hand-in-hand to the coast for some stunning couple shots with their photographer, Sarah Gawler. Sarah has captured the hazy summer heat and all round beauty of Skiathos while sensitively documenting the overwhelming love and joy positively vibrating between the newlyweds. After she documented the wedding of some of their friends, she was the obvious choice for Fay and Max to shoot their big day.

Sarah photographed the wedding of some friends of ours and we absolutely loved her and her style.

Under the dusky pink skies of impending sunset, Fay and Maxs lucky guests sat down to an al fresco dinner, catered by their venue, the Skiathos Princess Hotel. Providers of gorgeous flowers, tasty food and a fig-laden wedding cake? This hotel sounds like a dream.

I designed and handmade all the invitations, menus and place cards. I also sourced the seashells from the island the day before the wedding and used them as seating charts. We kept the decoration very simple and white, as we wanted the natural environment to stand out. We decorated the venue with white lanterns, basil pots and olive branches.

Doesnt this just sound like heaven? The soft golden glow from the many lanterns, strewn liberally across the seating area and dance floor, provided the perfect ambience for what looks like a blooming great party. Fays dad has some serious moves! And I just adore the look of absolute glee on Fays face as her brand new, very lovely husband made his speech. Im sure our bride must have been very glad she chose to include this particular tradition in her special day.

Im not sure Ive ever seen as gorgeous and blissed out a wedding party as this one. I love how the guests happily milled about in their sunglasses, kissed by the golden Green sunshine. And such a happy, vibrant array of colours and outfits too.

Words of Wedded Wisdom

We decided not to have a videographer as we felt it might be a bit intrusive

Aah Fay, if only you knew how much these words will inevitably stoke the embers of a long smouldering debate on our Love My Dress Group on Facebook! To video or not to video, that really is the question, and possibly the hottest topic for discussion amongst our brides and newlyweds. What are your thoughts? Id be fascinated to hear in the comments box below. Either way, we have a whole category dedicated to the most wonderfully talented videographers over on our Little Book For Brides wedding directory page.

And if you havent already joined our private Facebook group fellow brides-to-be, I advise you make it the very next thing you do, after staring at these beautiful images one more time. Oh and buying a pair of Fays fabulous Prada shoes of course. With all that imaginary money we have.

A huge huge thank you to Fay and Max for allowing us to bask in the love and sunny memories of your divine day, and a big thank you too to the talented Sarah Gawler Photography for making my day (and I hope yours too) just that little bit brighter.

Love, Em x
Luton is a large town, borough and unitary authority area of Bedfordshire. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 258,000. Luton is home to Championship team Luton Town Football Club, London Luton Airport and The University of Bedfordshire. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter. For all the latest news from Luton sign up to our newsletter here.
Culture / Art Republik

Art Republik speaks to Boo Junfeng about twice making it to Cannes with his second feature film.

Aug 10, 2016 | By Staff Writer

At only 32, Singaporean filmmaker Boo Junfeng has had two films selected for the prestigious A-list Cannes Film Festival. His debut feature film, Sandcastle (2010) made a splash as the first Singaporean film to be selected for the International Critics Week section and reviewed as a sensitive and personal work by international trade magazine Variety. His winning streak continued as he premiered his sophomore film Apprentice in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival in May this year.

Apprentice tells the story of a young correctional officer who learns the executioners trade from the chief. Beginning his research with the book Once a Jolly Hangman by author Alan Shadrake, the film has been five years in the making with Boo talking to retired hangmen and those who have lost their loved ones to death penalty charges to gain a better understanding into this complex subject. True to his nature, Boos film creates a compelling film that searches for human truth and stays away from sensationalizing the issue.

Boo has been no stranger to the arts scene in Singapore, building his portfolio as an award-winning filmmaker early on. Starting out making short films, the Ngee Ann Polytechnic and LASALLE College of the Arts graduate received recognition on home ground when his first short film A Family Portrait (2005) won the Best Singapore Short Film and Special Achievement Award at the Singapore International Film Festival. For his outstanding talent he was conferred the National Arts Councils Young Artist Award in 2009 and the Singapore Youth Award in 2011.

A leading figure in the local film community, Boo joined six other top Singaporean filmmakers including Eric Khoo, Royston Tan and Jack Neo in the omnibus film 7 Letters (2015). The film captured the hearts of Singaporeans and became the nations SG50 celebrations most anticipated film project. He has also brought his filmmaking expertise back to the Singapore International Film Festival last year as the head of the short film jury for the Southeast Asian and Singapore short film competition section alongside seasoned Malaysian actress Sharifah Armani.

Apprentice opened in Singapore at the end of June 2016 and will have its Australian premiere when it plays in competition at the Sydney Film Festival where it has been cited as a complex and rewarding film. It is slated to be in the cinemas in Hong Kong and countries in Southeast Asia later this year.

Art Republik speaks to Boo about his new film and his filmmaking journey.

You completed Sandcastle in 2010 and Apprentice in 2016. In between your two films, what else was keeping you busy?

I spent the next three years after Sandcastle writing and developing the script for Apprentice. We went to project markets and script labs around the world to make sure it is fully developed before going into production. After the shoot in 2014, we spent another year in post-production before finishing the film in late 2015.

Concurrently, Ive been keeping busy with art projects such as the Presidents Young Talent show and Singapore Biennale 2013, organising Pink Dot, putting together the films and multimedia for National Day Parade in 2014 and 2015, and directing TV commercials to make a living.

Tell us about the journey you took with Apprentice.

The whole process of making the film took five years. I spent a lot of time researching about the subject and reached out to people who have been, in one way or another, affected by the death penalty. It wasnt an easy topic to be working on, and the hardest part was in digesting the real stories Ive come across and work them into the characters I was creating for Apprentice.

There were many hard days. One of the most challenging scenes we had to shoot was the last scene of the film that I wanted to shoot in a single take lasting five minutes on a steady camera. It took us a whole day to rehearse and choreograph, and another day to shoot.

This is your second time premiering your film at the Cannes International Film Festival. It is many filmmakers dream to even have one film there. How different is it from the first experience?

The second time is no less overwhelming than the first. I was less wide-eyed, but it was just as intense. I realized while I was at Cannes speaking to other directors  some very experienced directors  that directors are probably the most vulnerable people at a festival like Cannes. The audiences reactions affect directors very much  and we all know how brutal the Cannes audience can be. I was extremely nervous on the day of Apprentices premiere. But it was somewhat comforting to know that every other director at his or her own premiere was probably going through the same emotions.

What advice would you give yourself making your first film having now completed your second?

Take your time to develop the film before going into production. And take your time in post-production to find the film in the footage that youve shot.

Where does the creative part of you meet the practical as a filmmaker?

Ive become a very practical person. I think it has to do with being conditioned over the years making short films on shoestring budgets. Ive learned to be resourceful and make do with what I have. With Apprentice, I challenged myself by expanding everything, and I must thank my producers for allowing me to do that. We made sure we worked with people who were artists in their own right, and that gave me a bigger canvas and more materials to create with. I really appreciated that.

Is it important that you receive support from Singapore now that you have established yourself as an international success at film festivals?

Yes definitely. The films that I make are ultimately Singapore films, and it is very important to me that people in Singapore get to watch them.

Whats important to you as you continue your filmmaking journey?

Its important for me to grow as a person and understand life. There are many things I still do not know and there are many things in life I want to explore. The attention I get from the films publicity can be distracting sometimes, but Ive learned not to let that get to me.

What are your thoughts on Singapore cinema and where we are heading?

I think theres a lot to look forward to. Many filmmakers have very interesting projects coming up, projects that have been germinating for years. I see myself as being a part of a larger community of filmmakers who share the same love for cinema.

To end off, tell us what are the three most important things to you today?

Family, good friends and great stories.

To find out more about the artist, visit Boo Junfengs official site.

Story Credits

Text by Wahyuni Hadi

This article was first published in Art Republik.
Most of the nation will keep sweltering in temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, 30 high schools in the southern port city of Busan sent students who had just returned from their summer vacation home again.

School authorities in Seoul, Incheon and Daegu also told schools that already finished their summer vacation to adjust classroom schedules and refrain from making students exercise outdoors.

The KMA forecast that the heat wave will still be in full swing on Aug. 16, when most middle and high schools end their summer vacation.
Properties / Homes

I cant resist reading, learning and analysing the patterns of the Chinese investor. More than a third of Chinas HNWIs have already bought property abroad

Aug 10, 2016 | By Alexander Karolik-Shlaen

I cant resist reading, learning and analysing the patterns of the Chinese investor. By Chinese I mean the PRC citizens. Their sheer quantity and quantum of spending are nothing short of mind-blowing and they change the market dynamics. Hence it is of great value for investors to watch, understand, follow and try to predict this amazing phenomenon.

Chinese tourists are snapping up luxury goods in billions of USD. Wherever these big-spending tourists travel to, the retail is booming and hence the rental returns go higher, benefiting the landlords. In this article I will concentrate on property per-se. Unsurprisingly, the massive spending of PRC citizens on overseas shopping extends to property as well, with many of them buying while holidaying abroad.

HOLIDAY HUNTING FOR OVERSEAS REAL ESTATE

Over a third of Chinas HNWIs have already bought property abroad, and 41% of them intend to invest in overseas real estate within the next three years  66% plan to invest in residential properties, according to Juwai site data. The top 10 countries most enquired about by Chinese buyers on their site are the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, Thailand, Spain, Germany, Japan, and France. In fact, six out of these 10 countries were on the list of top 10 holiday destinations for rich Chinese in the last couple of years.

Nothing is new about fly-and-buy behavior that we all experience sometimes. However, nothing transforms the property markets the way the Chinese travelers do and they are already the fastest-growing tourism market on our planet.

CASHING IN ON CHINESE TOURISM

The businesses around the world have realized that the value of Chinese holidaymakers is too lucrative to ignore. Hospitality business, retailers, even Chinese developers and corporate investors are joining the great money wave outside their country where Chinese globetrotters are flocking to for holidays. This is where the businesses and investors are seeking to invest to tap into the unprecedented demand for goods and services.

Chinese companies bought resorts in Hokkaido and duty free shops in Tokyo, basically to accommodate and cash in on their own holidaymakers and shoppers. They know to buy the best. Just an anecdote, in the last few trips we could not find a nice Japanese whiskey in many main stores around Tokyo, nor in duty free shops in the airport, all sold out to Chinese tourists!

Chinese nationals also became the largest foreign buyers of homes in the U.S.A. last year, as they buy American real estate in billions of dollars. A huge surge in Chinese buying of both residential and commercial real estate last year took their five-year investment total to more than $110 billion, according to the study from the Asia Society and Rosen Consulting Group. The sheer size of that total has helped the real estate market recover from the crash that began in 2006 and caused the 2008 economic crisis. Despite a slowdown due to Chinas attempt to suppress capital outflows, the figure for the second half of this decade is likely to double to $218 billion, the study said.

Very interesting to note the findings from my research and open sources  its astonishing that in 2014 China issued 16 million passports. As of 2012, around 38 million Chinese nationals held ordinary passports, comprising only 2.9% of the total population at the time. If even a total number of passport holders just doubled in the last three and a half years, it means weve currently only seen around 6% of the Chinese population travelling so far. We can only imagine how the property markets will look when there will be many more of these lucrative tourists coming to shop overseas.

AROUND ASIA

Now lets look closer to our home, what is going on in the cross-border buying of property. As I previously correctly predicted in this publication (thats Palace magazine in Singapore) a few months ago, the Australian market got most of the incoming money poured into their property. This is despite various property taxes and limitations on foreign buyers, such as a prohibition to sell secondhand property to foreigners. Most of the buyers are Chinese.

Meanwhile in Southeast Asia, Chinese tourists turned around the Thai economy, becoming the single biggest source of growth and giving a much needed push to Thailand, without which it would be in decline. The number of Chinese visitors swelled by more than 71% last year to 7.9 million. Thats a substantial portion of the almost 30 million international tourists visiting Thailand. I dont have enough info yet on their property buying in Thailand, but they really keep the 4-5 star hotels there busy.

What is seen though is that the majority of PRC tourists are still coming in groups and that limits their capacities to buy properties as they do in the U.S.A. and Europe. Its only a matter of time when more of them will be coming on their own and will turn the tide on a desirable resort property of the Kingdom.

In our region, not only the Chinese dominate the property markets. In Vietnam the easing of real estate laws and a thriving economy gave confidence to Vietnamese diaspora to send money in record numbers, adding steam to the property sector, now undergoing another boom after emerging from the depression. I can see foreigners moving in as well, but overall, the Vietnam property market is dominated by overseas Vietnamese. I also note lots of construction going on in places like HCMC.

My only hope is that the developers wont overbuild and together with buyers, wont create another bubble. Singapore and Hong Kong are in the grip of their governments imposed cooling measures, so the residential markets are in decline overall. Singapore remains a choice investment for local investors and foreign funds, given its triple A rating and safe haven status.

Buying activity in the Singapore real estate investment market is poised for a comeback. For now though, I see mostly the bottom-fishers who are back and looking for bargains in high-end residential property in Singapore which is quite underpriced compared to similar properties in Hong Kong, London and Manhattan.

The shophouse is a market segment in Singapore, which is attracting investment. It has also been one of my favorites for many years. I love them! Values of shophouses, especially in central areas, have jumped over the past three years, escalated by their scarcity and demand from funds and foreigners. Some recent deals by foreign investors went for over USD 2,700 per sq. ft. in terms of gross floor area. In the business districts, prices rose some 80% in the last 4 years. It seems like more foreign funds and private investors are buying as locals tend to look more at the yields and recently the yields are very low.

Sometimes as low as 2-3%. However, funds and foreigners see a great value in these scarce property gems as they are aggressively buying these houses, counting on capital appreciation. Once the shophouse is nicely renovated, there is a good leasing demand, as tenants still find these rents worthy when compared with shopping malls or higher end office buildings. I think looking forward, more buyers will be showing interest in this property segment. I also see more value at less central locations that can cater to offices as well as F&B in locations such as Kampong Glam.

Kampong Glam is one of the ethnic centres in a relatively central area of the city. Its prices did not increase as much as the hip corners of China town, such as Club Street. Being along the Victoria Street and the well-established exotic retail enclave of Arab Street, it is a promising investment location to have in ones portfolio.

Alexander Karolik-Shlaen EMBA, economist and real estate investor, is the CEO of Panache Management  a luxury brands and property investment advisory

This article was first published in Palace magazine.
The great Gold Rush Music Festival returns to the township of Waihi, with the first nuggets of gold dropping for the highly anticipated return of the 2023 festival.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > In our country these days, its not safe to think This new book makes you (...)

IMPRESSIONS

How green was my valley when patriotism meant loving my country and nationalism meant identifying with its civilisational essence. We were all patriots and nationalists when we fought foror read aboutour countrys independence. We were patriots and nationalists when we built the great edifice of our Constitution, perhaps the most egalitarian in the world, and gave unto ourselves a polity based on equality for all, justice for all. We had our differences, for we were a rainbow nation with a phantasmagoria of religions, races, languages, cuisines, attires and traditions. But we were a nation. And it was a wonderful feeling.

From those days of enlightenment, how and when and why did we redefine nationalism as a measure of partisanship? Who diluted nationa-lism with religiosity and gave the slogan Bharat Mata ki Jai a theological twist? That was a slogan everyone shouted with pride once upon a time. How and when and why was it reduced to an expression of narrow parochialism? Bharat Mata should have belongedand did belongto all her citizens. How was she hijacked by political partisans who manipulate religious emotions for political gain?

These and other disturbing questions are brought up by a handsome new book comprising three outstanding essays. On Nationalism by Romila Thapar, A.G. Noorani and Sadanand Menon (Aleph Book company) is a celebration and a lamentation at the same timecelebration of the India that was and lamentation over the India that is getting fissured by the day.

In a closely argued think-piece, Romila Thapar exposes the shadowlines of subnationalism which is based on separate Muslim, Hindu, Sikh assertions, and pseudonationalism which "exaggerates the importance of a single history of one religious community as being the pre-eminent history of the nation. Her historical account of the way the nation concept developed is masterly. She draws attention to British philosopher-historian Eric Hobsbawms observation that history is reconstructed in ways that suit the ideology of nationalismprecisely what we have been witnessing in recent years.

Thapar boldly asserts that India had no single sacred text since Hindu sects were not religions of the book. But today the Bhagvad Gita is being described as the national book which... conflates nationalism with religion, despite their being distinct.

Lawyer-historian-author A.G. Noorani starts by going for the jugular: India is witnessing today, he says, what America went through in the 1950s when Joseph McCarthy unleashed irresponsible attacks on the patriotism and nationalism of its citizens, condemning a great many honourable Americans as un-American.

Having set the stage, Noorani launches into an erudite exposition of the law of sedition and how it led to convolutions in Indian democracy. What Romila Thapar explainedthat criticising government cannot be considered seditious or anti-nationalis elaborated by Noorani who finds the law of sedition in an unholy mess. Citing a wide range of texts, from the famous Kedar Nath Singh vs State of Bihar (the Forward Communist Party leader had made an explosive speech in 1953 on the dogs of the CID" and Congress goondas) to Savarkars eulogy of Mother India as Pitribhu and Punyabhu (Fatherland and Holy Land), he is emphatic in his final pronouncement: The only nationalism that deserves our support is Indian nationalism.

Sadanand Menon says it all in the very title of his eminently readable essay, From national culture to cultural nationalism. He reminds us that ultra-nationalism had been there from the early days of the national movement. Also that devotion towards an abstract Bharat Mata is in sharp contrast to the violence inflicted on women during rapes, riots and caste retributions which is of an order seldom witnessed before in any part of the world. A grim picture emerges as he observes that a key component of the politics of cultural nationalism resides in its ability to create an enemy. Surveying a landscape crawling with enemies, Menon is tactful enough to take shelter behind Jean-Paul Sartre and indirectly imply a scary question: India was the name of a country; will we take care that it does not become the name of a nervous disease?

Questions arising from this book are scary not only because they concern the very survival of India as a modern, constitutional democracy, but also because they are raised by scholars in scholarly, academic tones. The absence of hyperbole somehow adds to the gravity of the dangers they point out. On Nationalism is an invitation to thinkat a time when thinking has become risky.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Looking Beyond Conventional Military Victory: Nigerias War Against Boko (...)

by Sanjal Shastri

In December 2015, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari mentioned that the Boko Harams ability to launch conventional attacks has been reduced significantly. Nearly a year after promising to defeat the Boko Haram, what success has Buhari achieved? Despite Nigerias significant conventional military victories, the Boko Haram still poses a significant security threat. Why is a conventional military victory not enough to guarantee peace and stability? Why is an internationally coordinated effort important to ensure long lasting peace? These are the questions this commentary would address. It would shed light on how the Boko Haram has transformed in the over past one year. It would also reassess the nature of the threat that the Boko Haram poses.

President Buhari has repeatedly stressed on the conventional military success that the Nigerian Army has achieved against Boko Haram. Looking the progress that has been made, Buhari has achieved considerable success. The Boko Haram has been driven away from large areas in Northern Nigeria, where a year ago they were able to roam freely. Today they have been confined to a small piece of territory along the border with Chad. Over the past year the Nigerian Army has successfully ensured the release of several hostages who were captured by Boko Haram. After nearly a year in office, Buhari has ensured that the ability of Boko Haram of capture and hold on to territory has been significantly reduced.

A conventional military victory over the Boko Haram is not enough to ensure peace in Northern Nigeria. 2016 has seen several attacks, suicide bombings and kidnappings for which the Boko Haram has claimed responsibility. As recently as on May 25, 2016, they have carried out attacks on five separate communities in the Borno Province. Curtailing the Boko Harams ability to fight conventionally will not have any impact on the groups ability to launch suicide bombings, carry out kidnappings and launch ambushes.

The Boko Harams history shows that even when they had control over large sections of the Borno State, the threat they posed came from kidnappings, suicide bombings and ambushes. The group made international headlines when they kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls in Chibok. The unconventional threats posed by them were always far greater than the conventional military threat that they posed. Therefore, when Buhari talks about defeating the Boko Haram, real success would come when its ability to carry out suicide bombings and kidnappings are diminished.



The Boko Haram has transformed over the past one year. They have been driven into the Sambisa Forest, from where they are able to plan kidnappings and suicide bombings. Operating along the international border with Chad, Cameroon and Niger the Boko Haram has tapped into cross-border smuggling that provides with the finances to sustain their movement. Looting and kidnappings are also important sources of income for the Boko Haram today. From being a radical insurgent group, demanding a separate state, they are turning into an organised group of bandits, taking part in cross-border smuggling. Along with this, there has been a change in the profile of fighters the group is attracting. While previously attracting radicalised individuals, today the Boko Haram attracts fighters who are more driven by the economic perks of the cross-border trade.

Boko Harams transformation calls for a reassessment of the strategy to tackle them. A conventional military victory will not cut off their income from the cross-border trade. It will also not prevent their ability to carry out suicide bombings and kidnappings. Since the Boko Haram is receiving more fighters motivated by economic benefits, de-radicalisation will not be effective in dissuading people from joining them. The answer lies in improving economic opportunities and providing employment. The current military campaign will not do much to hamper the groups recruitment drive. As the economic benefits of being members of the Boko Haram is greater than the other economic opportunities available, one will not be able to prevent people from joining them.

The Boko Haram over the past few years has been able to expand its operations to countries bordering Nigeria including Chad, Niger and Cameroon. In the beginning their operational base was limited to Nigeria. By spreading its tentacles to neighboring counties, defeating the Boko Haram calls for a internationally coordinated effort. The Abuja Summit saw the leaders of Chad, Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon meet to help coordinate their responses. The international borders between the four countries have several gaps, which make it easy for a group like Boko Haram to operate freely between countries. Nigerias military success might not be of any use unless similar coordinated efforts are also carried out in Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

May 29, 2016 marked the first anniversary of Buharis government. Defeating the Boko Haram was his key election promise. From the conventional military sense he has achieved remarkable success in this period. The Boko Haram has been driven out of large parts of Borno State where a year ago they were operating freely. The nature of the threat the Boko Haram has posed means that a conventional military will do little to bring peace. Boko Harams threat lies in its ability to launch suicide bombings, carry out kidnappings and ambushes. A conventional military victory will not prevent them from carrying out such attacks. The string of suicide bombings since the beginning of 2016 is evidence of this fact. The Boko Haram has transformed from a Jihadist group fighting for a separate state to a group of organised criminals responsible for kidnappings and tapping into the cross-border trade. This has also meant that the profile of members joining the Boko Haram has also changed. Tackling this transformed, yet dangerous, Boko Haram will mean moving beyond the conventional military victory. Along with the groups transformation, their operational base has expanded to Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Defeating the Boko Haram therefore, will require a coordinated effort from the various countries impacted by the insurgency.

The last one year has witnessed significant military gains, but it is time now to reassess the goals of the operation. Eliminating the Boko Harams ability to launch suicide bombings and kidnappings will mean dealing with the economic and developmental challenges that are attracting people to join them. While the work done so far is commendable, there is still a long way to go.

The author is a researcher at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore. He can be reached on sshastri93[at]gmail.com
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Domino Effect of Brexit

by Bharti Chhibber

The recent vote for Brexit has jeopardized seven decades of European integration. Many are already calling the then Prime Minister David Camerons election promise of a referen-dum a historic blunder which he initiated with no additional safeguard. It has resulted in a political uncertainty and negative impact on the global economy. It may alter the international scenario in the economic field with repercussions on the geopolitical space too. Brexit ushered in a major international change with many countries willing and demanding to leave the European Union (EU).

For many years the world was looking up to the EU as an ideal of regional integration. It was given as an example to be emulated across the world. Member-states have gained economically and politically as part of the EU. Starting with cooperation in coal and steel in 1952 in the form of the European Coal and Steel Community, in the later years the EU brought together two major powers, Britain and Germany, who fought three major wars earlier. In the post-Second World War phase from war-ravaged economies relying on US support, the EU has come a long way now giving economic competition to America. Membership of the EU has collectively provided the Western European countries an international standing.

In the economic sphere, Brexit resulted in shockwaves across the global economy with the pound falling to its lowest since 1985. David Cameron resigned as the British Prime Minister paving way for Theresa May to take over as the Premier of the United Kingdom. She has made it clear that Britain will commence the process of leaving the EU only next year.

Issues that have played a crucial role in Brexit include the anti-immigration sentiment representing an anti-globalisation tendency. David Cameron, in the 2015 general election campaign, had promised a referendum as many in his own Conservative Party believed that Britain has suffered economically as part of the European Union. Although David Cameron tried to persuade European leaders in the beginning of this year to review the terms of British membership of the EU, the end-result of the arduous negotiations was not good enough for the leave campaigners. Now the British Parliament will have to repeal the 1972 European Community Act under which it joined the EU and negotiate with the European Union for its exit. However, till then it will have to abide by the EU laws without being part of the decision- making.

Earlier in the 1975 referendum Britain voted in favour of membership of the European Economic Community (EEC) by more than 60 per cent vote. However, the present vote seems to have not only changed the ground realities of Europe with ripples across the world as its economy is the second largest in the European Union with a strong military strength.

An astounded world, especially the rest of European Union states, fear a domino effect with other members going for referendum in future threatening the unity of the EU as an organisation. Many have already raised their concerns in France and the Netherlands demanding vote on EU membership. It is ironical that in an age of globalisation, when countries are integrating, where the European Union is given as an example of economic success, Brexit has put it back in time. Also this is a moment for introspection for the European Union with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande calling for EU reforms.

It has generated a chain reaction. While Britain is on its way to leave the European Union, Scotland wants to leave Britain. Scotland is pro-EU and there may be a demand for another referendum in Scotland to leave Britain. Scotland voted by 62 per cent to 38 per cent to stay in the European Union. Scottish youth value the European labour market for employ-ment. Another critical issue is that of Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland also backed remain by 56 per cent to 44 per cent. If Scotland proceeds with another independence vote, it could prove consequential in the heightened demand for Northern Ireland to be merged with the Republic of Ireland as an EU member.

The domino effect could also be seen in countries like the US where a debate is already raging in California and Texas, which have high level of GDP and due to their economic strength they can be members of the G-8 on their own. The economy of California is large enough to be comparable to that of the largest of countries. Californias gross state product, GSP, is larger than the GDP of Russia, Italy, India, Canada, Australia, Spain and Turkey. Now many are asking if there can be Brexit why not Trexit. Texas also has economy larger than many countries. Texas $ 1.5 trillion gross state product puts it behind Australia. If given a chance many states would like to form a new country.

Brexit may have far-reaching impact on Britain itself. Already there are chances that Brexit may further hurt the British economy as it relies on the EUs migrant workers whose free movement would be curtailed. Moreover, foreign companies may relocate their headquarters if Britain moves out of the EUs single market. But Brexit would be a long process where under the Lisbon Treaty Britain has to notify the European Council about its decision initiating exit under Article 50. In two years time Britain and the EU leadership would negotiate the terms and conditions of exit. Even after two years talks could be further extended. Britain also has the option of following the Norway model which is a member of the European Economic Area. It has access to single market and contributes to the European budget but has stayed out of the European Union. This way Brexits reper-cussions could be minimised in the economic arena if Britain goes in that direction.

Dr Bharti Chhibber teaches Political Science at the University of Delhi. Her e-mail is: bharti.chhibber[at]gmail.com
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > A Page from Quit India Movement

As India prepares to commemorate 69 years of freedom from British imperial rule, it may be worth remembering a dusty town in Uttar Pradesh that suffered the consequences of declaring itself an independent country for a few days in 1942, that is, 74 years ago.

The sovereign Republic of Ballia, headed by Chittu Pandey, managed to survive for some seven days before the British-led military and police forces managed to regain control and unleashed a series of atrocities that are still remembered by the descendants of those who were raped, beaten and killed by shooting, firing and burning. At the orders of an English police officer, called Fletcher, an estimated 130 leaders of the local independence movement were hanged. Those who were not hanged were forced to climb trees where they were bayoneted. Those who managed to avoid the tree punish-ments were taken to local jails where they were suspended by their legs and starved. Those who avoided the leg suspension torture were forced to sit together on the floors of the jails where they were fed chapattis that gave them dysentery. Ballia offers a small insight into the realities of colonial rule where lesser breeds like the Indians suffered unimaginable miseries at the hands of their White rulers. Some of those tortures resulting in death, whether it involved bayoneting or being forced to lie on blocks of ice for hours on end, were not all that different from what the Jews endured at the hands of the Nazis.

The difference is that what happened in places like Auschwitz in Germany has been well documented and some of those responsible for what happened in the concentration camps have been brought to justice, if not by the allied powers and post-Nazi Germany at the Inter-national Court of Justice in the Hague, then certainly by the modern state of Israel.

Atrocities committed in places like Ballia that joined in the Quit India movement of 1942 are still not fully documented. As for the likes of Commissioner Fletcher, no one to this day knows what happened to him and whether he was ever held to account for the murders of so many innocent civilians.

In recent years it has become fashionable among some historians to suggest that 200 years of colonial rule were not all that bad and that India gained more than it lost from interacting first with the East India Company, a gang of thugs dressed up as so-called gentlemen traders, and then face-to-face with the British Government.

In practice there was not that much difference between the brutality and exploitation practised by the Company and the British Government. One small example should suffice. British Government representatives forced baptism on Maharaja Ranjit Singhs son and heir, Duleep Singh. And British Government officials, including Lord Dalhousie, after presiding over the looting of the Lahore treasury, persuaded young Duleep Singh to hand over the fabled Kohinoor diamond in person to Queen Victoria. Today that same Kohinoor forms the centre-piece of the British monarchs crown.

Back to the benefits of gora rule. It was the British after all, so the argument goes, who introduced Indians to the English language and helped to develop the countrys infrastructure, whether by bringing in piped water, electricity and sewerage facilities to urban areas, or laying the foundations both of the railways and the posts and telegraph services. And it was the British again who introduced key religious and social reforms such as the abolition of sati and child marriage in 1829 and the Widows Remarriage Act of 1856.

Yet the Indians were quite capable of behaving like gentlemen. When the East India Company established control in the name of trade in 18th century India, its officers duly went about trebling the taxes that the local peasants were obliged to pay. These taxes remained in places even during times of dire famine. How different it was when local rulers were in charge and dispensed with taxes during times of calamity.

In Ballia 200 years later it is instructive to recall just how the British administration was treated by the leaders of the independence movement. British officials and their local toadies were gathered together and peacefully ushered across the railway line that divided the civil and military lines of the town. None was harmed in any way.

Even more instructive was the unity that prevailed in those days between Hindus and Muslims. Inevitably, when they returned the British committed all kinds of atrocities. They did not want the national flag to be hoisted in Ballia and they shot and killed anyone who dared to do so. Emerging from the shadows of the town was a young Muslim who was killed when he tried to raise a flag that was not the Union Jack. It is still a matter of local pride in Ballia that before the flag fell to the ground, another volunteer took it upon himself to grab and support that symbol of national pride. Some 11 men were killed one after another by the soldiers of the Crown.

Significantly, this gesture of defiance by the citizens of Ballia was never reported in the British media. This was during the Second World War when Winston Churchill was Prime Minister. As the war was coming to a close he is recorded as saying that Britain would never give up its Indian Empire.

His recorded comments include: I hate Indians. They are a beastly people with a beastly religion. Just as shocking were his earlier comments about Mahatma Gandhi. It is alarming and nauseating to see Mr Gandhi, a seditious Middle Temple lawyer, now posing as a fakir of a type well-known in the East, striding half naked up the steps of the Vice-Regal palace, while he is still organising and conducting a campaign of civil disobedience, to parlay on equal terms with the representative of the Emperor-King.

Churchill did not and could not anticipate that Ballia would ignite the fire which five years later would engulf and destroy colonial rule both in India and beyond. Ironically, the statues of both Gandhi and Churchill today stand close to each other in a prestigious location opposite the British Parliament in London.

The author is a veteran journalist renowned not only in this country but also in our neighbouring states of Pakistan and Bangladesh where his columns are widely read. His website is www.kuldipnayar.com
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Is Zakir Naik Really Dangerous?

Around the autumn of 2009 when Khushwant Singh was working on his book Absolute Khushwant and I was putting together/compiling his views-cum-viewpoints, he looked towards me and quipped

What do you think of Zakir Naik?

Zakir Naik! Who Zakir Naik?

That Mumbai doctor who gives talks on Islam.

Havent heard him. Is he good?

No, no, unimpressive... he comes across as no great scholar. In fact, the mundane techni-calities he speaks of overshadow the real and actual essence of Islam. Anyway, hear him on one of the television channels and tell me what you think of him.

The very next day I did try and hear Zakir Naik on the small screen but found his talks mediocre and with that couldnt hear him for more than ten minutes or so.

And now with all the hue and cry against Naik, did try to once again hear his speeches /talks and once again found them to be below average and unimpressive. But not terrorising. No, definitely not. Not even indirectly relaying terror.

On the contrary there are several other television channels (together with their anchors) that can be termed blatant in their anti-Muslim tirade. Sudershan is one such channel. ...And there are hundreds of Right-wing creatures terrorising the minorities; their speeches and political onslaughts reek of hatred for the Muslims and Dalits and Christians; yet these hate-mongers sit untouched.

And blatantly communal incidents are on the rise where minorities are openly hit. One incident after another. This week two such incidentsI quote from a news report published in the Hindustan Times   A school in Haryana has been fined Rs 5 lakhs 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, 39 km 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 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. 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, namazpadharahe hain (they are teaching them to offer namaz), said Sharma.

The second communal incident came from Madhya Pradesh where two Muslim women were beaten on a railway platform on suspicion of carrying beef. Beaten and attacked out there in the open.

Why are these terrorising attackers not picked up by the State machinery and thrown behind bars? Why these double-standards? Why are the minorities getting attacked in these blatant ways?
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Kashmir, Zakir Naik, Attack on Minorities

MUSINGS}}

Though curfew has been lifted in most parts of the Kashmir Valley after 17 days of turmoil which has left 47 persons dead and over 2000 grievously injured, there is no trace of peace. In fact, fresh reports of nine more cases of pellet injuries. Pellet guns in use even after much hue and cry! Extremely confusing signalswhat, with several politicians quipping no pellet guns but the CRPFs top brass coming up with an additional one-liner: pellet guns only in extreme situations. Mind you, the very word extreme can be turned and twisted in a hundred directions; after all, it is a relative term.

Have the ground realities changed in the Kashmir region in these 17 or 18 days? No. The dead lie still in their graves. The injured lie battling for life in the various hospital wards. Victims of pellet injuries languish amidst hopelessness. Children have aged overnight as they sit surviving in an atmosphere where even the basics are failing. Theres little to hold on to, theres little to contain, theres little to consume except sorrow. A strange strain of despair spreading out in an atmosphere riddled with low connectivity; mobile-cum-internet services and train services remained suspended even as the curfew was lifted.

What are the political rulers doing in Srinagar and New Delhi to reach out to the masses of the Kashmir Valley? Pumping pellets and bullets will not help lessen the widespread anger and disgust. The mess lies compounded as the long list of the dead and dying surfaces...

Now what? Few options for the rulers of the day. Realise there exits a stark ground reality. The masses are angry and disgusted. Contain the anger of the masses. Start off a political dialogue with the Kashmiris amidst transparency and accountability. Also, instead of announcements of political packages of crores for the Kashmir region, it will be prudent if immediate relief is handed to each one of the Kashmiris battling for their lives in the various hospitals and in near destroyed homes. After all, a stretch of land is meaningless without its inhabitants.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > The three stages of truth

On my grandfathers sixtieth birthday on July 16th, 1945, the atomic bomb was tested in the USAs Nevada desert, and the world lost its nuclear innocence. Twentyone days later, on August 6th, the experiment was live-tested on Japanese people when the USA dropped a 15-kiloton Uranium-235 fission bomb on Hiroshima. The experiment was immediately hailed in The New York Times in an article titled, Day of Atomic Energy Hailed by President, Revealing Weapon, in which US President Truman said: What has been done is the greatest achievement of organised science in history. A second live-test was conducted three days later by dropping a 21-kiloton Plutonium-core bomb on Nagasaki. The NYT also reported on the hitherto secret July 16th test, writing: ... a group of eminent scientists gathered, frankly fearful to witness the results of the invention, which might turn out to be either the salvation or the Frankensteins monster of the world.

The Frankenstein monster released on the Day of atomic energy lives and prospers in the intimate relationship between bombs and nuclear power, because weapons-grade Uranium-235 and Plutonium are products or by-products of the nuclear cycle vital for the operation of the nuclear power plants (NPPs). The NYT report provides justification to shift the discussion from experiments with bombs on people to the NPPs, which are essentially controlled nuclear experiments, though the nuclear industry has self-certified it as proven technology.

In experiments, things can and do go wrong. In NPPs, whatever the triggering factor for accidents, the real effects on public health and safety are hidden from the public by the secretive, government-protected nuclear industry. The Frankenstein monster bared its fearsome visage when the world witnessed accidents that could not be hidden from the public, at Windscale (UK), Three Mile Island (USA), Chernobyl (USSR) and Fukushima (Japan). When nuclear accidents cannot be hidden, the nuclear industry downplays their effects with outright falsehoods, equivocating statements and technical-political verbiage. All this even while nuclear power continues to be promoted as the best combination of safe-clean-cheap-reliable (SCCR) energy, with the additional advantage of carbon-emission reduction to mitigate global warming.

Nations with nuclear capability have enacted laws to provide a secrecy-screen to the nuclear industry, because of the legislators blind trust in esoteric science and technology. The secrecy-screen is required precisely because of the intimate link between nuclear power and nuclear weapons. It makes the plans, projects and expenditures of the nuclear industry opaque to the public and law-makers alike. Thus the legislative body which legitimises nuclear secrecy effectively scores a self-goal. However, the nuclear industry selectively puts out information for public consumption, spends phenomenal funds on propaganda to advertise its SCCR-energy operations, and as part of the military-industrial complex, secretly builds nuclear weapons.

The truth of the matter

In 1948, US General Omar Bradley warned: We live in a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants, in a world that has achieved brilliance without wisdom, power without conscience. We have solved the mystery of the atom and forgotten the lessons of the Sermon on The Mount. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about dying than we know about living.

But opposition to nuclear bombs and nuclear power has been expressed right from 1946 onwards, and the arguments have become more comprehensive, cogent and forceful with the passing years. This has developed into a school of thought and peaceful action which the ruling political class, under thrall of the nuclear industry, pejoratively dubs anti-nuclear. However, those who oppose nuclear bombs and nuclear power are primarily concerned with the problems of life, livelihood, health and safety of the present and future generations of human and non-human life, and thus are pro-life rather than anti-nuclear.

The impossibility of keeping the present and future generations safe from nuclear pollution (contamination) created in the past and continuing with increased vigour in the present, is a truth which the nuclear industry has consistently denied and ridiculed. The denial and ridicule is changing, especially in recent times, into violent opposition by the nuclear industry to those who articulate these truths and call for shutdown of the NPPs. This is happening worldwide and exemplified in India by violence in support of the nuclear industry, by the Tamil Nadu Police against peaceful opponents of the Kudankulam NPP by lathi-force, bullet-force, jailing protestors, and charging protestors with sedition and waging-war-against-the-state.

This brings to mind Arthur Schopenhauers words: Any truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. Clearly, the truth about the undesirability of nuclear power is in its second stage. Transition of the nuclear industry into the third stage of this truth may happen when the questionable economic viability of nuclear power and the hollowness of the SCCR claim become apparent to the next generation of proponents of nuclear power. Sooner rather than later, the public is sure to recognise the awful reality of the nuclear Frankenstein. As the world touches the 71st anniversary of the nuclear bomb and protests against the nuclear industry multiply, Nicholas Walters words are apt: No one can tell when protest might become effective, and the present might suddenly turn into the future.

Major General S.G. Vombatkere, VSM, retired in 1996 as the Additional DG, Discipline and Vigilance in the Army HQ AGs Branch. He is a member of the National Alliance of Peoples Movements (NAPM) and Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL). With over 490 published papers in national and international journals and seminars, his current area of interest is strategic and development-related issues.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Politics of Polarisation is Recoiling on BJP

POLITICAL NOTEBOOK

The politics of communal and caste polarisation, relentlessly pursued by the BJP from the time it came to power on its own in 2014, is now recoiling on itself. First, the partys UP Vice-President Dayashankar Singh had to be expelled for his obscene comment in public that Mayawati, the Dalit leader and BSP supremo, was worse than a prostitute. Even if the so-called expulsion was meant for public consumption in a poll-bound State, it failed to cut any ice with the Dalit community not only in UP but the country as a whole.

Then came the flogging of seven members of a Dalit family in full public view at Una in the Gir Sommnath district of Modis Gujaratfor skinning a dead cow. It is the family profession of these people. They were falsely accused of skinning a living cow. The falsity of the charge was exposed in no time but the self-appointed vigilantes of the gau raksha samity had neither remorse nor regret. The attempt at suicide by several other Dalits immediately after the flogging incident, added fuel to fire. The State Government, headed by Anandiben Patel, did not react for the first few days. When Dalit anger had exploded in the streets of Gujarat, the State Government seemed to have been taken unawares. It was then that it stirred into action. By then the Muslims had come forward to express their solidarity with the Dalits,

The BJP had already alienated the influential patidar community by coming down heavily upon its movement for inclusion in the OBC category. The leader of the movement, 23-year-old Hardik Patel, was arrested and put behind bars. He was released only last month. By that time the Anandiben Government was in full retreat and had already withdrawn 90 per cent of the cases started in connection with the movement. But it was too little too late. The hot heads of the Sangh Parivar had by then queered the pitch for the BJP in yet another poll-bound State.

Faced with growing isolation from different sections of the people and fearing a defeat in the coming Assembly elections in a State which it had ruled for fifteen years at a stretch, the BJP started a belated damage control exercise. Chief Minister Anandiben Patel was quietly eased out. Till the time of writing, her successor has not been named, though the possibility of party President Amit Shah himself taking over the responsibility from Anandiben is not being ruled out.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar threatened to teach a lesson to actor Aamir Khan for saying some time last year that intolerance was growing in the country. Ironically, Parrikar did not notice that his comment was itself a corroboration of what Khan had said. It is clear that the BJP is indulging in anti-Dalit abuse deliberately as a matter of policy. Close on the heels of Parrikars comment, a BJP MLA of Hyderabad, Raja Singh, put out a video on his Facebook page, calling Dalits as galeez or filthy and justifying the flogging of the Dalits at Una. According to him, those who indulge in cow slaughter and take cow meat deserve to be beaten and what had happened at Una was a good thing.

The two-year rule of the BJP has brought Indian democracy face to face with a danger that it has never seen before. The democratic space is shrinking. The freedom of the democratic institutions and constitutional bodies is being constantly eroded. Now the freedom of the higher judiciary is also being sought to be curbed. If the attempt succeeds, the last resort of the people against arbitrary acts of the government will be gone.

On the economic front this governments perfor-mance has been a dismal failure. Prices of all commodities are sky-rocketing. There is no sign of economic recovery. Though the government has thrown open all sectors of the economy to foreign investors, very little FDI is coming. Recession continues. Unemployment, even of technically qualified people like doctors and engineers, is on the rise.

To cover up its failure, the government is blatantly resorting to jingoist and ultra-nationalist propaganda. An influential section of the electronic media is acting as the handmaiden of the ruling party. These mediapersons have gone to the extent of openly urging the government to take action against those sections of the media which have refused to fall in line with the ruling dispensation, to toe its line. For the first time a threat to the freedom of the press is coming from within the media.

There is time yet. If the democratic and secular forces unite, as they did in Bihar, the forces of intolerance, of parochialism, of communal fascism can be defeated. The huge public response that Sonia Gandhis road show evoked at Varanasi last Tuesday is indicative of the simmering mass discontent. As the procession, joined by ten thousand motor bikers, meandered through the lanes and bye-lanes of Varanasi, its size swelled. Hindus and Muslims in thousands came out to greet her. For a party which, till the other day, was said to be vying with the BJP for occupying the third place after SP and BSP in next years Assembly elections, it was an electrifying experience. The scorn and contempt for the road show that the BJP spokespersons later gave vent to in the TV channels proved that the message had gone home.

The UP experience underlines the need for forging an all-in unity of parties, organisations and individualsfrom the Congress to the CPI-Mthat transcends party barriers and identities. If the democratic and secular forces cannot unite at this hour of crisis, they will only pave the way for the eventual rise of an authoritarian Hindu Rashtra.

August 3 B.D.G.

On August 6Hiroshima Day

Atomic Bombs and Power
Counsel at Red Lobster, Atlassian and two other companies say its hard to register descriptive terms, but that it can be worth the slog in some cases
Dids Macdonald Dids Macdonald

Dids Macdonald began her career as an interior designer and later became a product designer  but things did not always go smoothly, as she recalls: Every time we brought out a new product range, it was knocked off.

In response, in 1996, Macdonald began to host meetings with designers who were experiencing similar challenges. Our main problem was getting an understanding from intellectual property lawyers about design itself, because at that time very little was known. It had a very little profile.

Those meetings led to the foundation of Anti Copying in Design (ACID) and several high-profile campaigns for designers. Macdonald says: Through the work that we have done over the last two decades, certainly in the UK and Europe, people have become more aware of design theft. I think they are also aware that there is an awful lot that one can do with the small claims track and the improved IPEC.

One of ACIDs services for members is the Design Databank, which contains over 300,000 designs. The organisation now plans to extend this protection to copyright work and introduce a bespoke brand protection and enforcement services for its members.

A breakthrough for designers

In a recent televised interview Macdonald spoke to journalists about the repeal of Section 52 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (CPDA), which came into force on July 28 2016. The repeal of Section 52 means that copyright protection for artistic works which are industrially manufactured is extended from 25 years after the first marketing to 70 years after the death of the creator.

During the broadcast, Macdonald said replicas is only really only a sanitised word for fakes.

On possible causes for the ostensible tolerance of replicas among todays consumers, Macdonald says: I dont think there has been enough focus on the fact that this is unauthorised or illegal use of licensed work. She continues: There is still a culture where it is okay to just free-ride on anothers creativity. People do not realise that design theft is the same as physical theft.

Regarding the repeal of Section 52, she says: There was a loophole in British law that meant that you could buy knock-off designs when the rest of Europe was supporting the whole premise of original design and iconic designers.

Macdonald and her fellow ACID members were among those campaigning for the revision of the CDPA and, later, a group of industry representatives pushing for the enforcement date, which was originally set for 2020, to be brought forward.

Brexit and EU relations

A recent survey found that 92% of ACID members were concerned that Brexit could lead to a loss of access to EU trade marks and registered Community designs. In another survey conducted by the Creative Industries Federation, 96% of members said that they wished to remain in the EU. First of all, says Macdonald, I think the word from everybody is not to panic, because nothing is going to change. Bureaucracy moves at snails pace; fortunately, businesses move very much faster. In terms of relations with Europe  thats not going to change.

To make most out of good relationships with Europe during Brexit consultations over the next couple of years, Macdonald says: I think its important that we are at the top table to negotiate the best possible transitional provisions.

We have already been to a round table meeting with the Minister (of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) on Brexit and we ought to see design represented in all these discussions both nationally and internationally.

Following UKs vote to leave the EU and subsequent uncertainty, Macdonald says that she sees lots of opportunity but also a great need for the government to clarify what happens to a member of the 27 member states wanting to register their [design and trade mark rights] in the UK. The IPO has recently issued new guidance about design and trade mark rights in the UK and announced plans to further harmonise these rights with the EU. Concrete terms remain to be seen.

Some of our members have said that they are very worried that copying will escalate and enforcement will become more complicated, because we havent got those single rights and harmonisation that other countries have worked so hard for.

Macdonald adds: I think a good outcome would be the best possible transitional relationship, creating bilateral agreements that are strong. There is an enormous opportunity for British government to strengthen unregistered design rights in a way that mirrors unregistered UK rights - not for just three years but 15 years.

She also hopes that the government will introduce criminal provisions for unregistered design right infringement, saying: I think this would give our designers competitive edge as well as strengthening unfair competition.

Supporting British design

Outlining priorities for ACID, Macdonald says that the organisation will continue campaigning and engaging with lawmakers about various causes including criminal infractions for intentional, unregistered design infringement. Most recently, ACID has been involved in talks with Alibaba and the Chinese-Britain Business Council (CBBC), with a focus on increasing awareness of anti-counterfeiting and promote tools such as digital fingerprinting.

On design theft and the sale of counterfeit goods, Macdonald says: There is a huge problem between micro and macro companies. I think retail has a responsibility to micro designers to respect intellectual property rights with an ethical approach and compliance, especially because of Brexit. She implores: Make British design and British manufacture a real USP by supporting it.

According to Macdonald, the music business serves as a cautionary tale about possible threats posed by emerging mediums: When the music business model changed from vinyl to digital and publishing changed to a status that allowed anybody to counterfeit anything  these changes caught people unawares.

We are very aware of the potential threat that 3D printing poses. And as the majority of UK designers rely on unregistered rights, it is really leaving the back door open for counterfeiting 3D products, with very little in place to stop this, so we want to accelerate talks on this.

Macdonald advises designers to become IP aware, IP savvy and have a proactive IP strategy. For the UK government, she underlinesthe need to deal with this matter from a pre-emptive position rather than a reactive position.
New Delhi : Amid growing strain in ties, India today summoned Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit and handed him a "strong demarche" over Pakistan's continued support to cross-border terrorism by pushing in trained terrorists to carry out attacks, particularly in Kashmir. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar called Basit to his South Block office and lodged a strong protest over the issue as he made a specific reference to LeT terrorist and Pakistani national Bahadur Ali, who was captured recently in North Kashmir during an encounter. "Jaishankar called in the Pakistan envoy and issued a strong demarche on continuing cross border terrorism from Pakistan.

"Demarche made specific reference to LeT terrorist and Pak national Bahadur Ali who was apprehended recently," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said. Ali, born in the Zia Bagga village of Lahore, was arrested by Indian authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on July 25 with weapons (AK 47 rifle, live rounds, grenades, grenade launcher etc) as also sophisticated communication equipment and other material of Pakistani/ international origin, according to the demarche issued to Basit "Bahadur Ali has confessed to our authorities that after training in Lashkar-e-Toiba camps, he was infiltrated into India. He was thereafter in touch with an 'operations room' of LeT, receiving instructions to attack Indian security personnel and carry out other terrorist attacks in India," it said.

The demarche mentioned that Ali, in a letter addressed to Basit, has requested legal aid and assistance to meet his family and India was prepared to grant the Pakistani mission consular access to him. The Government of India strongly protests against the continued infiltration from Pakistan of trained terrorists with instructions to carry out attacks. This is contrary to assurances given by the Pakistani leaders at the highest level," as per the demarche. Basit was summoned on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to people of Kashmir, which has been witnessing widespread unrest for over a month following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with the security forces. As many as 55 people have lost their lives in these incidents of violence.

The ties between India and Pakistan have seen growing bitterness after Pakistan and its Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made provocative statements on the Kashmir situation in the wake of Wani's killing on July 8. Not only did Sharif praise Wani and hailed him as a "martyr" but he also asserted "Kashmir will one day become Pakistan", a comment which evoked a sharp reaction from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who said his dream of the state becoming a part of his country "will not be realised even at the end of eternity".

PTI
Mumbai: The Mumbai police on Tuesday nabbed a Romanian national in connection with the hi-tech ATM robbery that rocked Kerala capital. Marian Gabriel, a Romanian was arrested in Mumbai. Earlier, the police had identified the three suspects, all of them Romanians, after the cops spotted them in a CCTV videos from ATM counters.

Once the images emerged online, a luxury hotel in the capital city informed the police that the suspects stayed in their hotel and handed over copies of their passports to the cops. And as many as 22 people lost their money ranging from Rs 7,000 to Rs 45,000.

The culprits installed a device in an ATM counter, above the machine and withdrew the money from the bank accounts of customers in Kerala. The police also sought the the help of Interpol to catch the culprits immediately.
Were New Here

The site design is new and the brand name is shorter. Find out who, what, where, when, and why in one handy little post.
China's COSCO Shipping , owner of the world's fourth largest container fleet, took a 51 percent stake in Greece's largest port on Wednesday.



The sale of Piraeus Port had been suspended by the leftist-led government when it won elections in January 2015 but talks resumed after Greece agreed an 86 billion euro bailout deal with its euro zone partners.



COSCO agreed to buy 51 percent of Piraeus Port (OLP) in April for 280.5 million euros ($312.51 million) under a deal signed with the HRADF, Greece's privatisation agency.



COSCO bought 51 percent of Piraeus Port (OLP) for 280.5 million euros ($312.51 million), acquiring a block of 12.75 million shares in OLP.



COSCO Shipping executive Wan Min rang the opening bell at the Athens bourse at a ceremony to mark the agreement.



Privatisation has been a priority of Greece's bailouts since 2010, but political foot-dragging and a highly unionised public sector workforce have slowed progress.



Shares in Piraeus Port, which has a current market value of 350 million euros, were down 0.4 percent to 13.90 euros as of 1016 GMT lagging a Athens share index up 0.46 percent.



COSCO is expected to increase its stake in Piraeus Port to 67 percent over the next five years, HRADF said.



"Should Cosco fulfil certain conditions set out in the agreement, including the successful completion of the mandatory investments up to 300 million euros, it will pay HRADF an additional 88 million euros and increase its stake by 16 percent to 67 percent," it said.



Greece's parliament ratified the sale in June, overcoming some last-minute snags which triggered complaints from the local COSCO representative.



Last month COSCO said it would invest up to 500 million euros in Piraeus Port to upgrade cruise and shipping container facilities.



Operator of one of Piraeus's container terminals since 2009, COSCO has boosted the port's competitiveness.



The port's container throughput stood at 3.36 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) last year, up from 880,000 TEUs in 2010.





Reporting by George Georgiopoulos
Singapore-based offshore marine group Otto Marine, which is in the midst of a takeover offer by its chairman, has taken a second legal action against payment default, reports Strait Times.

Otto Marine said it has commenced arbitration proceedings against Vettal Mega Services for failing to pay around US$6 million (S$8.05 million) in charter fees for tugboats Swordfish 5 and Go Enif.

Just last week, Otto also said it has started arbitration proceedings against Robert Knutzen Shipholdings Ltd (RKSL) for alleged default on charter parties.

RKSL allegedly took delivery of and operated two vessels under Otto Marine's fleet under bareboat charter parties dated Jan 15, 2009.

Otto Marine said RKSL has been in default of the charter parties for a sum of over US$2.8 million plus applicable interest for overdue payment.

Otto Marine said its latest legal action is not expected to have a material impact on its results for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2016.

The group's executive chairman, Malaysian tycoon Yaw Chee Siew, has made an offer of 32 Singapore cents per share to take the company private. If he succeeds, Otto Marine will become the first company from the hard-pressed sector to be delisted.
Successful shipboard testing has shown that Damen Green Solutions InvaSave mobile ballast water treatment solution is capable of providing an IMO type approved backup in a port in the event of a failure in a vessels on board treatment systems to uptake or discharge ballast water. The BWT solution can even serve as a port-based alternative for those ship owners that may not want to retrofit an onboard treatment system or be deployed in a port with a sudden outbreak of marine pests.

The testing was completed onboard the containership Henrike Schepers, during which ballast water was taken in untreated and the efficacy of the technology was validated upon discharge. The results of the InvaSave test meet the D2-Standard of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention on all aspects, including the test series conducted with the high sediment waters of the River Hull and the River Thames, U.K. All testing was conducted by MEA-nl, with test protocols in line with IMO BWMC test guidelines and additional requirements of the Dutch flag state.

More and more countries are ratifying the IMOs Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) and it could enter into force in 2017; in any case, it is only a matter of time, said Damen Green Solutions Product Manager Matthijs Schuiten. Damen is cooperating with the service providers in the ports to provide this ballast water treatment service. This is also relevant for all port authorities, who could face congestion problems if they dont have a contingency/emergency service in place.

Groningen Seaports is the first port to provide this ballast water treatment service. Our location on the Wadden Sea means that we have a responsibility to push forward the progress of sustainable shipping, said Groningen Seaports Sustainability Coordinator Bart van der Kolk. We are fully prepared for the ratification of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention. This project wouldnt have been possible without the effort of some frontrunners like Royal Wagenborg, Van Gansewinkel, Imares, MEA-nl and Damen.

Damen can deliver the InvaSave technology in a self-sufficient mobile container, which can be put onboard a service barge or moved around the port on a trailer or a pontoon. The system uses innovative filtering and UV technology and does not contain chemicals or hazardous substances. The system is robust, and works under all relevant circumstances, regardless of the composition of the ballast water, Damen said.

IMO type approval is expected to be obtained 2016, and a patent is pending.
Thales is set to play a key role in a major U.K. Royal Navy exercise later this year to understand how unmanned systems might add real innovative operational capability in a military maritime environment.

Exercise Unmanned Warrior will bring together the Royal Navy and 40 organizations from defense, industry and academia in October, representing the largest exercise of its kind.

More than 50 vehicles, sensors and systems from across defense and industry will be deployed the Ministry of Defense exercise centered around the U.K. coast of Scotland and West Wales.

As an industry leader in autonomous and unmanned systems, Thales will showcase its capability through the Watchkeeper Unmanned Aircraft System, Halcyon Unmanned Surface Vehicle and its collaborative work in the field of unmanned command and control research.

For the first time, Watchkeeper, currently in service with the British Army, will fly in a littoral naval environment operating alongside a Type 23 warship and a merchant vessel.

Watchkeeper will be integrated into a series of exercises varying from persistent wide area surveillance support up to 150 kilometers offshore, to landing forces and naval gunfire support.

Data collected by Watchkeeper will be streamed down remotely to the vessels and analyzed by trained operators to make better informed command decisions in support of the trials exercises.

Thaless Halcyon Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV), equipped with a Thales Towed Synthetic Aperture Sonar, will take part in a number of mine hunting challenges aimed at demonstrating the significant benefits of autonomous technology when operating in hostile environments, including the reduction of risk to life.

Missions using Halcyon will be planned and coordinated using Thales mission management software, providing comprehensive command and control of the USV operation.

Thales is the key sensor provider to the Royal Navys existing minehunting fleet through the operationally proven Sonar 2093 and Sonar 2193.

Thales, with industry partners is also involved in the U.K.s Defense Science Technology Laboratory (DSTL) innovative research program called MAPLE (Maritime Autonomous Platform Exploitation).

The MAPLE program is developing the future architecture for Unmanned Systems Command and Control, by enabling multiple unmanned platforms, such as unmanned air vehicles (UAV), unmanned surface vehicles and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), and their payloads to be innovatively commanded and controlled from a single control station.

Thales has been instrumental in the design of the multi domain architecture and has brought experience of operating USV, UUV and UAS into the design activity.

The MAPLE activity will form a key part of Unmanned Warrior, providing initial implementations of the Unmanned Systems control station, incorporating the Thales mission management software for the seamless command and control of the Halcyon USV.
Carl Fredrik Grosland has joined Nordic American Tankers as Vice President, working on analyses, projects and business development. Reporting to Chairman & CEO Herbjrn Hansson in a staff position, he will also work closely with others both in NAT and NAO (Nordic American Offshore Ltd.).



Grosland has 12 years of international banking experience as an analyst and broker, focusing mainly on the energy/offshore and the shipping sector. Working from out of New York at the time, he has played a key role in a number of major equity and debt transactions. For several years he was a partner and board member of the investment banking firm of Pareto Securities Inc. (New York).



Going forward, he will focus on the U.S., the Far East and Europe with base in NAT's Oslo office. Working from out of Oslo, he has recently been Vice President at Clarksons Platou Securites (head office in London), one of the largest international offshore/energy and shipbroking firms - also specializing in investment banking in these sectors. He has a BA (hons) in Business Management and German from the European Business School (EBS) in London.
Freight rates down 20 pct; CEO says to focus on costs cuts, merger deal with UASC.



German container shipping group Hapag-Lloyd said it dropped to a first-half operating loss as disappointing freight rates hurt its business.



The loss before interest and tax (EBIT) came to 39.7 million euros ($44.26 million), down from a year-earlier profit of 267.7 million, the company said on Wednesday.



Chief Executive Rolf Habben Jansen said the main focus in the second half would be to further improve the cost base and to get freights back to a more sustainable level.



Hapag-Lloyd signed a binding agreement with Arab peer UASC last month to form the world's fifth largest shipping company by the end of 2016 in response to the global industry crisis.



"In this difficult competitive environment, it is very important to complete the transaction with UASC as quickly as possible and to start the integration of UASC immediately after the completion of all pre-closing conditions," Habben Jansen said.



The integration is expected to bring annual net synergies of $400 million, some of which should take effect from next year.



Average freight rates fell by nearly 20 percent year-on-year to $1,042 per twenty foot equivalent unit (TEU) in the first six months of 2016, Hapag-Lloyd said.



Consequently, revenue was down 19 percent at 3.8 billion euros in the first half.



The company cut transport expenses by nearly 16 percent, or 600 million euros, in the period as it reduced the consumption of bunker fuel, where prices had fallen along with lower oil prices but then started going up again in the second quarter.



It also cited synergies from the integration of the container business of Chilean peer CSAV, with which it merged in 2014, and ongoing cost savings and efficiency programs.



Hapag-Lloyd shares were down 0.4 percent at 16.34 euros by 0722 GMT when the SDAX index was off 0.2 percent.



Reporting by Vera Eckert
1812 - The frigate USS Constitution captures and burns the brig, HMS Lady Warren, off Cape Race, off Labrador, Canada.

1831 - The U.S. flag gains the nickname of Old Glory from William Driver, master of the brig USS Charles Daggert.

1916 - The first naval aircraft production contract begins when the Bureau of Construction and Repair contacts Glenn H. Curtiss via telegram asking him to supply 30 school hydro aeroplanes. The N-9s become the Navy's most popular training aircraft during World War I.

1921 - The Bureau of Aeronautics is established by General Order. Medal of Honor recipient, Rear Adm. William Moffett is the first Bureau Chief.

1942 - Off Kavieng, New Ireland, USS S-44 (SS 155) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese cruiser, Kako, as she retires from the Battle of Savo Island.





(Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division)
Shell Petroleum Development Company has declared force majeure (FM) on gas supplies to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) export facility on Bonny Island, a spokeswoman said.



"The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) declared force majeure on gas supply to NLNG on 8 August 2016, following a leak on the Eastern Gas Gathering System (EGGS-1) pipeline through which it supplies the bulk of its gas to NLNG," a spokesman said in an emailed statement.



SPDC, Royal Dutch Shell's Nigerian unit, is a joint venture with state oil company Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. They supply gas to the LNG plant.



The declaration may impact exports from the facility.



Reporting by Oleg Vukmanovic
SBM Offshore has nominated D.H.M. Wood as a member of the management board and chief financial officer (CFO) to replace current CFO, P.M. van Rossum, who is set to retire.

The company will hold an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on November 30, 2016 where it will be proposed that Wood be appointed as a member of the management board for a period of four years until the 2021 AGM. Van Rossum will then step down as management board member and CFO.

Wood has worked at Royal Dutch Shell plc since 1993 in various financial and management positions, including as Vice President Finance & Planning Exploration (at Shell Upstream International) and most recently as CFO of Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K. in Japan, a company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Wood obtained his degree in Classics in 1993 at Oxford University (Wadham College) and became a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in 2006.

Wood will join the company per October 1, 2016.
Port of Huenemes first Post-Panamax ship was greeted by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Lines (WWL) company leaders and Port officials during an occasion marking a paradigm shift in how the widened Panama Canal will bring a new class of vessels to the Port of Hueneme.

This maiden voyage of the M/V Thalatta marks a new milestone to support the Ports and its industry partners agenda. Thalatta is one of the newest high efficiency Roll on Roll off (RoRo) HERO class vessels designed to increase capacity and flexibility while reducing emissions.

Harbor Commissioner Arlene Fraser celebrated the occasion remarking, We are most pleased to welcome the M/V Thalatta and keep the course of advancing our Board adopted environmental framework with the introduction of ships that improve the environment, increase efficiency and bring prosperity to the constituents we serve.

Thalatta is fitted with an Exhaust Gas Cleaning System that reduces sulphur emissions to below 0.1 percent in compliance with ECA regulations and removes 70 percent of particulate matter, which also reduces nitrogen oxide emissions. Using scrubber based technology, the vessel generates a steam based release at berth instead of diesel exhaust, making the vessel one of the greenest in the global Ro-Ro fleet.

Like the Thermopylae, the Thalatta measures almost 200 meters long, 36.5 meters wide and features five liftable car decks which allows for multiple configurations and a wide variety of customer cargo. The new vessel can transport up to 8,000 car equivalent units. With the increased beam (width), the Post Panamax vessels carry an additional 2,000 Ro-Ro units.

Thalatta is the second in a total of eight HERO Post-Pana Panamax vessels that commenced service for WWL in 2015 the final ship will be introduced in 2017.

Thalattas sister ship Themis is anticipated to arrive at the Port of Hueneme this September. Post-Panamax is the new standard vessel size based on the width of new locks now open at the Panama Canal.

Kristin Decas, Port CEO stated, We appreciate the business ethic of our customers as they strive to green their fleets and build market share for our Port, thereby achieving environmental benefit coupled with the creation of good jobs. We are proud that the high caliber customer of Wallenius Wilhelmsen Lines calls Port Hueneme home.
Oman's crude oil exports will drop by about 50,000 barrels per day when new refining capacity comes onstream in the northern city of Sohar by early 2017, Minister of Oil and Gas Mohammad bin Hamad al-Rumhy said on Wednesday.

Rumhy said the refinery project had been due to be commissioned by the end of 2016, but there had been a delay so the commissioning date would be in the first quarter of next year. The project would increase the Sohar refinery's capacity by between 65 and 70 percent.

"It will take an additional 70 to 90,000 bpd. And with the increase in Oman's average oil production to exceed a million bpd, we expect the drop in our oil exports to be 50,000 bpd compared to last year," Rumhy said in an interview.

He added that state-owned Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Co (ORPIC) would seek to refine different crude mixes.

"In the future I can see ORPIC go shopping for crude oil, which is not the case currently," Rumhy said. "Refineries tend to do better when they have the option to refine different mixes of crude.

"So we will be importing different crudes to have a better yield, and to look at the needs of the local market in petroleum products."





(Reporting by Fatma Alarimi; Writing by Andrew Torchia; Editing by Susan Fenton)
The Australian government has announced via the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that from June 16, 2016, new requirements for ships engaged in international voyages will be enacted under the auspices of the Biosecurity Act 2015.

A section of the Biosecurity Act 2015 concerns ballast water from ships on international voyages and has been so drafted as to ensure the implementation of the IMOs Ballast Water Management Convention (BWM Convention).

Consequently, from June 16, 2016 Australia will authorize the use of ballast water management systems which have been type approved via the IMO type approval process, as well as the currently accepted methods of ballast water management such as the ballast water exchange.

Vessels using a ballast water treatment system will need to carry an approved ballast water management plan and be surveyed and issued with a Ballast Water Management Certificate. These requirements match those in the BWM Convention.

Ballast Water Exchange Regulations: these new requirements also affect the manner in which ballast water exchanges may be conducted.

From June 16, 2016, ballast water exchanges must take place outside 12nm from the nearest land. Transfers will not be permitted within 12 nm of the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef or part of the Torres Strait.
Russia and Iran plan railway link through Azerbaijan that would aim to grab a share of the cargo now being shipped through the Suez Canal, reports Tasnim.

Russias transport minister, Maxim Sokolovm, said Tehran and Moscow are considering establishing a rail link that would foster trade connectivity through a less trodden path than the Suez Canal.

The International North-South Transport Corridor (NSTC), a multi-model route to link India and the Middle East to the Caucasus, Central Asia and Europe, is being nurtured for significantly reducing costs and travel time and boosting trade.

If the rail link to Iran is built, it can take some share of the cargo thats being transported via Suez, Sokolov said in an interview on Monday, Bloomberg reported.

He added that plans for the railroad may be completed next year.

For trade, India currently uses maritime transport to link with Russia. From St. Petersburg, the cargo has to sail around the entire western part of Europe and the Suez Canal which takes around 40 days to reach Mumbai.

Our talks will focus on a flagship project  the International NorthSouth Transport Corridor with a total length of 7,200 kilometers, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
A unique program of three specialist events for the sub IMO / sub 24 meter professional sector is being held back to back at the Grand Harbour in Southampton, U.K. this October. The fast moving workshop style program brings together an international group of experts armed with the latest knowledge to identify problems that affect the maritime sector worldwide  and highlight potential solutions.

Event organizer and workshop lead John Haynes said, We are really pleased with the diversity of high level presenters from military, commercial and SAR backgrounds. This program will give attendees an insight into the latest developments in fast craft design, manufacturing and operations. These workshop sessions will help to shape long term decisions that lead to improvements for in-service systems and procurement of next generation vessels.

Next Generation SHOCK MITIGATION Workshop on October 25 focuses on shock mitigation solutions. Attendees include professional and military organizations, boat builders, equipment manufacturers, service providers and classification societies.

Next Generation HIGH SPEED CRAFT Workshop on October 26 focuses on RIBs and high speed craft. Topics are relevant to workboats, pilot boats, patrol boats, search and rescue, survey vessels, superyacht tenders and the emerging market for unmanned surface vessels.

Next Generation HYBRID MARINE POWER Workshop on October 27 focuses on innovative power and propulsion. The objective is to identify efficiency by all means. Modular and scalable hybrid concepts are also relevant to offshore supply vessels, patrol vessels and superyachts.

The one day Workshops are being held at the Grand Harbour Hotel overlooking the port of Southampton.

Haynes added, There is a lot of knowledge about shock mitigation in the U.K. that has been driven by a need to comply with vibration directives. New seat testing and standards are coming that are relevant to professional organizations both sides of the Atlantic. The RIB concept was invented in the U.K. over 50 years ago and we are still proud of our maritime heritage alongside of cutting edge next generation solutions. Hybrid is here and now technology that is revolutionizing many forms of transport, until recently the marine sector has been running behind  but that is changing fast.

NEXT GENERATION Workshop PROGRAM





TUES 25 October: SHOCK MITIGATION SOLUTIONS Workshop:

Pete Sheppard  Naval Architect, RNLI

'Assessing WBV Exposure and Implementing Improvements on Small Craft'

Tom Coe  Senior Consultant, Frazer Nash / NDP

'Development of an International Standard for Comparing Shock Mitigating Boat Seat Performance'

Dr Tom Gunston  British Standards Institute, Whole Body Vibration Panel

'ISO Standards for Seat Testing and Seat Usage in Various Transport Sectors'

Commander RN (Rtd) Richard Finnemore  DES Ships CSS Boat

'Update on UK Ministry of Defense Whole Body Vibration Working Group'

James Taylor & Dave Parsons  SKYDEX Technologies

'High Performance Cushion Decking and Seating Solutions for RIBs & High Speed Craft'

Tim Rees  Analyst, SHOXS

'Shock Mitigation Solutions for Marine Vehicle Safety'

Alberto Calderon  Executive Director and Chairman, Transonic Hull Company

Evaluation of Transonic Hull for Shock-Free High Speed Operation

WEDS 26 October: RIB & HIGH SPEED CRAFT Workshop:

Commander Chris Pratt MBE (AFNI)  Border Protection Squadron, Border Force

'Blending Traditional Seamanship with New Maritime Roles and High Technology'

Hans van der Molen  Head of Technical Projects & Innovation, KNRM (NL Lifeboat) 'Integrating New Vessels and Technology into Established Maritime Organizations

Andrew Hughes  Business Development, SHOXS (former BAE Systems)

'Challenges for Small Companies Dealing with Prime Contractors and Defense Procurement'

Peter Foley & James Taylor  SKYDEX Technologies

'Utilizing Polymers & Geometries to Create Multiphase Springs for Commercial Military Applications'

Julian Morgan  Managing Director, KPM Marine

'Smart COTS Design can Reduce Time, Cost & Weight on New Build Vessels and Retrofit Projects'

Tom Coe  Senior Consultant, Frazer Nash / ND

'Measuring Noise and Vibration in Maritime Environments'

Stephen Beadsmoore  Managing Director, Wave Access Project

'Innovative High Speed Craft for Emerging Maritime Roles'

Andrew Branagh & David Kelly  WING Inflatables

Developing High Performance Inflatable Solutions for Commercial and Military Use

THURS 27 October: HYBRID MARINE POWER Workshop:

Captain Muhammad Shafique  Senior Lecturer Petrochem, Warsash Maritime Academy 'Combining Hybrid Marine Power with Alternative Low Emission Fuels'

Bernard Twomey  Global Head of Electrotechnical Systems, Lloyd's Register

'How Guidance Notices and Classification Rules assist Hybrid Designers'

Mel Lewis & Simon Churchill  Mainstay Marine Solutions

'Hybrid Systems for Workboats, Pilot Boats, Patrol Vessels and Passenger Vessels'

Dr Dennis Doerffel  Founder & Chief Technology Officer, REAP Systems

'Developing COTS Hybrid Solutions for Venice Water Taxis and Military Vessels'

Graeme Hawksley  Managing Director, Hybrid Marine

'Innovative Hybrid Systems for Small Workboats and Commercial Craft'

John Haynes  Managing Director, Shock Mitigation

The Hour of Power  Viable Hybrid Technology for Commercial & Military Applications

Presenter TBC

'Integrating Diesel Main Engines & Generators with Hybrid Power & Propulsion Systems'

'Next Generation Power including Lithium Ion and High Performance Battery Systems'
Western countries including the United States, France and Britain said in a joint statement on Wednesday they were concerned by mounting tension around the Zueitina oil terminal in Libya.



Washington, Paris, London and the governments of Germany, Spain and Italy urged a return to government control of all oil and gas installations and called on all parties "to abstain from any act of hostility and avoid all actions that could damage or disrupt energy infrastructure".



Zueitina is one of three eastern oil ports blockaded by Libya's Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG). The PFG has signed a deal to reopen the ports with the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli, but forces loyal to a separate government based in eastern Libya have threatened to block a resumption of exports.



Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) said on Sunday that it was concerned by reports of "imminent conflict" in the vicinity of Zueitina between the PFG and the Libyan National Army (LNA), which is loyal to the eastern government.



In a statement released by the French foreign ministry, the six Western powers expressed their support for efforts by the GNA to "find a peaceful solution to the disruptions affecting energy exports in Libya".



"The Government of National Accord must work with the National Oil Corporation to relaunch oil production in order to rebuild Libya's economy."



Fighting, political disputes and militant attacks have reduced Libya's oil production to a fraction of the 1.6 million barrels per day the OPEC member was producing before the 2011 uprising against Muammar Gaddafi.



"Restarting oil exports is crucial for generating revenues needed to provide for the essential needs of the Libyan people, notably electricity, healthcare and infrastructure," the statement by Western countries said.





Reporting by Michel Rose
In a development first reported by Forbes on Thursday, scheduled delivery of the first Offshore Patrol Cutter, Argus, from Eastern Shipbuilding in Panama City, Fla., may be affected by the discovery of
MARTINSVILLECrystal Jacobson said she could not be more proud of her daughters for the decision they made over the summer.

Nine-year-old Lillian Jacobson and 16-year-old Victoria Jacobson cut their hair and donated a total of 22 inches to Wigs4Kids.

I wanted to help cancer victims, Lillian said.

In 2013, Victoria suffered from an illness that caused her to lose some of her dark brown hair. When her sister recently decided to cut 12 inches of her hair off, Victoria decided to donate her locks to other children who experienced hair loss.

I never really do anything different to my hair, Victoria said.

Originally, Victorias mother said her teenage daughter merely wanted a shape-up. However, when she found out what her younger sister planned, she changed her mind.

She knew she wanted a trim, but she decided to donate 10 inches, Crystal said.

I figured its for someone who needs it, Victoria said.

With the plan in motion, Crystal started researching hair donation organizations.

We chose the Wigs4Kids in Michigan. We wanted it to go to a good cause. We didnt want anyone selling the hair. We looked up Wigs4Kids online and I didnt see any bad reviews, Crystal said.

Both girls received compliments from their friends about their new hairstyles.

I posted it on social media, Victoria said.

I told my neighbor across the street and showed one friend. They thought it was cool, Lillian said.

Maggie Varney, the founder and CEO of Wigs4Kids, expressed thanks to children, like Lillian and Victoria, who donated their hair.

They are more sensitive to children in need. They feel like they can help and make a difference, and they do, Varney said.

Varney spoke of the astronomical costs of wig production, which donations help manage. However, seeing a child smile after putting on a wig is priceless.

They dont want to be sick. They dont want to be bald. They want to be normal, Varney said. It gives them a sense of normalcy.

In 13 years, Varneys organization has gifted 3,000 children a wig at no charge.

Varney specifically thanked Victoria and Lillian for the commitment of these wonderful kids who are so kind.

The Wigs4Kids founder encouraged other children to consider making a donation.

It makes such a profound difference in the lives of these children, Varney said. Theres just so much good that comes out of it.

Amie Pickeral reports for the Martinsville Bulletin. She can be reached at amie.pickeral@martinsvillebulletin.com
Editors note: This marks the first of a regular column from the Martinsville SCORE chapter, which will run in the Bulletin every Wednesday. It will cover different questions people have about starting and running a business.

Rather than building a small business from the ground up, buying an existing company offers the opportunity to move along the path to entrepreneurship more quickly. With all of the startup tasks already taken care of, a staff in place, an established customer base, existing vendor relationships, and processes and procedures laid out, you have a head start.

But that doesnt diminish the importance of doing your research before making the decision to buy a business. Acquiring an existing small business requires substantial examination so you avoid the many pitfalls that befall eager entrepreneurs who leap before they look.

According to William Comiskey, a SCORE mentor at the Southwest Florida SCORE chapter, investing in a business is the same as investing your savings in a mutual fund or stock portfolio to secure both your future and possibly your retirement. You study and review the past performance and the current condition and seek help and advice from professionals on the prospects for the future.

Before purchasing an existing business, you need to get answers to some critical questions:

Why is the current owner selling the business? Seek the truth. If the business is in a declining neighborhood or the owner has caught wind of an upcoming market change that will negatively affect revenues or cost structure, you might put yourself at risk of failure from circumstances beyond your control. Uncovering the real reasons for a sale may be difficult. Be wary and realize that smart business owners dont often walk away from profitable endeavors unless they have strong personal reasons (illness, retirement, etc.), or they have received offers that are too good to refuse.

How is the business doing financially? If it has been losing money or hasnt been generating a satisfactory profit, youll want to dig deeper into the reasons why. Unless youre confident you can operate it more profitably than the current owner, you might end up with a sinking ship on your hands.

What sort of reputation does the business have? When you buy an existing business, youre getting the brand reputation along with it. That will either work for or against you. Turning around an existing businesss poor reputation will be difficult and could take yearsand it might even be impossible depending on how negatively the company is perceived by customers, suppliers, and the public.

If the business has a favorable reputation, find out what has made it so. A strong reputation based on personal relationships between the owner and customers might not easily transfer to you. Be particularly cautious of this if the business relies primarily on a few key customers or suppliers.

Are you getting everything you need to seamlessly take over running the business? Find out if the purchase will include essentials such as: leases and contracts; customer lists; patents, trademarks, service marks, and trade names; key employees who are vital to the business; and other important components.

As Comiskey suggests, you dont have to embark on the process alone. Consider tapping the expertise of professionals (such as SCORE mentors) who can help you assess the opportunities and risks of buying an existing business.

The Martinsville SCORE chapter is located at 115 Broad Street and officials can be reached at (276)-632-6401
This story follows "Springfield will spend $25,820 to split lone surviving Union Station antique bench into 4 refurbished pieces"

SPRINGFIELD -- The Massachusetts Department of Transportation will spend $5 million widening a train platform at Springfield's Union Station so it complies with modern handicapped accessibility standards.

Commissioners of the Springfield Redevelopment Authority approved the change order Tuesday at a special meeting. The Authority owns the station on Frank B. Murray Street and is managing its redevelopment into an intermodal rail and bus transportation hub, a project long championed by U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, a former Springfield mayor. The $88.5-million project is state and federally funded.

A six-inch discrepancy in the width of the platform, Platform C, forced a six-month delay in the opening of the platform for passenger use. Union Station will open in January as scheduled, however.

Passengers will access trains from the new terminal by passing through the renovated portion of a tunnel into the current Amtrak lobby and using the currently active boarding platform, Platform D, on the Lyman Street side as they do today.

The tunnel, which dates back to the station's original opening in 1927, will remain open even after Platform C has been renovated so that the rail platforms will be accessible from both Lyman and Frank B. Murray streets. People will be able to walk into the grand concourse and access offices, food service and amenities from Lyman Street and downtown Springfield.

The problem with Platform C is that there is only 5 feet, 6 inches of platform space on either side of the head house. The head house is the building that houses the top of the stairway to the platform and the elevator.

Americans with Disabilities Act standards call for there to be six feet of space between the wall and the edge of the platform.

The city and the Redevelopment Authority first made the delay public at the end of June after they were unable to secure a waiver and were forced to have the platform fixed.

Moskal on Tuesday told Redevelopment Authority Commissioners that the $5 million to fix the problem will come for m the Massachusetts Department of Transportation as part of the state's commitment to the project.

Platform C will be ready by 2018 when the state of Connecticut plans to launch its CTrail Hartford Line commuter service from Springfield through Hartford to New Haven.
SPRINGFIELD - GZA, a leading environmental and geotechnical consulting firm, announces that Guy Dalton has been promoted to Associate Principal in the Springfield, Massachusetts office.

A resident of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts Dalton joined GZA in 2010 with more than 20 years of engineering experience; his area of focus is on environmental assessment and remediation projects.

Dalton earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering from Syracuse University in 1988. He is a Licensed Site Professional (LSP) in Massachusetts, a Licensed Environmental Professional (LEP) in Connecticut and a Professional Environmental Engineer (PE) in New Jersey and Vermont.

Dalton is also a member of the MA Licensed Site Professionals Association, the Environmental Business Council, the Environmental Professionals of Connecticut, Business Networking International and the Springfield Regional Chambers of Commerce.
NORTHAMPTON - Food Marketing Institute (FMI) has chosen Big Y World Class Market Northampton, MA store director, Piotr Soja, as one of 5 top grand prize winners for 2015 in their 17th Annual Store Manager Awards.

This year, in Chicago, IL, Soja was honored among 10 finalists from 85 applicants across the industry. According to FMI, winners were chosen based on their ability to generate sales growth, provide exceptional customer service and/or community relations, execute in-store innovation and demonstrate team leadership.

"Our Store Manager Awards recognize the achievements of top operators who are truly invested in their local communities and we're so pleased to honor and celebrate the unique talents among these grocery heroes," said Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO of FMI.

Soja was chosen as the winner in the category representing supermarket chains with 50-199 stores. All winners each received a $1,000 prize and a crystal award.

Soja has been employed with Big Y for 21 years. He started off as a front end service clerk while he was still in high school before transitioning to the meat department. He held positions as a meat department manager as well as a meat and seafood merchandiser/trainer before working his way up to his current position as store director.

According to Soja: "Every morning as I prepare for work, I look forward to the challenges that await me. I feel that each challenge is an opportunity for me to continue to learn and grow in the retail grocery business. In my current location, the Northampton store, I put in the time and effort to look for ways to help support local businesses throughout the store."

Soja enjoys spending time at home with his wife, 2 kids, and their dog. Together they enjoy a lifestyle filled with sports, church and leisure activities shared with family and friends.

According to Donald D'Amour, the CEO of family owned Big Y, "Piotr exemplifies what we all value in our fellow employees. He works hard every day to delight our customers and lead his team to develop to the best of their abilities. He is very deserving of this honor and we are very proud of him."


051109_SCUDERI_ENGINE.JPG

The split cycle Scuderi Engine.

(File photo | The Republican)

SPRINGFIELD -- A lawsuit brought by angry investors in the Scuderi engine was settled out of court just weeks after a federal judge said he was likely to rule in favor of the plaintiffs and against the Scuderi Group Inc. of West Springfield.

But neither side is talking about the settlement, leaving the final disposition of the case a mystery to outside observers.

Meanwhile, the state in June terminated Scuderi's incorporation because of failure to file required annual reports, according to Brian McNiff, a spokesman for Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin. McNiff said Galvin's office does regular purges.

Online records indicate Scuderi filed annual reports for 2013, 2014 and 2015 on Tuesday. The company remains listed on Galvin's website as "involuntarily revoked."

U.S. District Judge Michael A. Ponsor encouraged both sides in the lawsuit to settle following a 75-minute hearing June 9. He said from the bench at that time that he was likely to grant summary judgement for plaintiff Paul Fournier and that he planned to rule before the end of summer. That ruling would have cleared the way for other investors in Scuderi to claim at least part of a monetary settlement.

At the hearing, Fournier's attorney, Thomas G. Shapiro of Boston, described how Scuderi has raised more than $80 million since its founding in 2002 and has yet to make $1 from its split-cycle engine technology.

The money was raised in amounts as small as $5,000 from many small-time investors unschooled in venture capital or startup technology companies and the financial risks they pose. Many of those investors were recruited by Scuderi associates who were paid finders' fees or were packaged together in investor clubs.

On Aug. 5, a federal court clerk field a one-page document in the court record saying there had been a settlement one day earlier on Aug. 4. No other new information was placed in the file.

Lawyers for both sides and Scuderi spokesman Bill Wrinn all declined to comment.

Fournier invested $197,000 in Scuderi from 2006 to 2011, according to court papers. He sued in June 2013 after Scuderi was disciplined by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

In 2013, company President Salvatore C. Scuderi settled a case brought by the SEC alleging that Scuderi took on too many investors who didn't have the wherewithal to suffer a loss. Scuderi paid a $100,000 civil penalty.

In that case, the SEC said The Scuderi Group used at least $3.2 million of investors' money to benefit the Scuderi family. The SEC found, according to court papers field by Fournier, that:

Family members who were Scuderi Group employees received $2.9 million in salaries from 2008 to 2011.

Family members received $1.6 million mostly in ad hoc bonuses to cover personal expenses.

From 2008 to 2011, Salvatore Scuderi also made $330,000 in payments to his mother and $240,000 to one of his brothers.

The company spent $230,000 in estate and trust planning expenses for Scuderi family members.

The Scuderi Group made $500,000 in loans to Scuderi family members for which no records were kept.

The Scuderi Group loaned $605,000 for premiums toward insurance policies for Scuderi family members. The policies were then canceled at a loss.

Also at issue in the Fournier litigation was whether Scuderi has been taking investment money from investors who are not wealthy or sophisticated enough to take the risk.

Scuderi's securities weren't registered with the SEC or with the state of Massachusetts like the securities sold by major corporations are. As such, the people investing in Scuderi should have been accredited investors, according to court papers.

To be accredited, investors must have a net worth of at least $1 million in addition to their primary homes or have incomes of at least $200,000 (or $300,000 together with a spouse) in each of the prior two years.

New Deal-era federal laws enacted after the stock market crash of 1929 and in the midst of the Great Depression limit small-time investors from putting money into risky investments. Bundling small-time investors together in clubs is one way to avoid that law.

Scuderi touts its engine technology as a major energy-saving breakthrough.

Family patriarch Carmelo J. Scuderi, father of Salvatore, patented his version of a split-cycle engine in 2001, about a year before his death at age 77. Scuderi's design links two cylinders: one for intake and compression and one for power and exhaust. In a traditional gas engine, each cylinder goes through four strokes: intake, compression, power and exhaust.

The two cylinders in the Scuderi design are connected with a crossover passage through which the fuel/air mixture moves from the compression cylinder to the power cylinder. The fuel mix is ignited as the second cylinder begins its downward stroke. This, in theory, saves energy compared with a traditional four-stroke engine.

In recent years, The Scuderi Group has also promoted Carmelo J. Scuderi's technology as a means of storing energy by means of compressed air.

In March 2015, Hino Motors, a subsidiary of Toyota, sued The Scuderi Group for $150,000. It was money Hino invested in a Scuderi research project that never happened. Hino and Scuderi settled that suit in October of that same year.

Scuderi lawsuit settled by Jim Kinney on Scribd
rs-yusuf-islam-ed9d21b6-4b04-4f00-821f-7e94b4d1e82e.jpg

Yusuf Islam

(Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty)

The artist formerly known as Cat Stevens has planned a fall tour that is coming to Boston.

Yusuf Islam will perform at the Wang Theatre-Citi Performing Arts Center on Sept. 17.

The tour, dubbed the "A Cat's Attic" tour coincides with the 50th Anniversary of Cat Steven's first single "I Love My Dog" which was released in 1966.

Tickets for the show will go on sale beginning Monday, Aug. 15 at 10 a.m. through Live Nation.
baker econ devt.JPG

Gov. Charlie Baker signs an economic development bill into law on Aug. 10, 2016.

(SHIRA SCHOENBERG / THE REPUBLICAN)

BOSTON -- Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday signed into law a nearly $1 billion economic development bill, which includes a mix of funding for infrastructure, housing, workforce training, business development and other projects.

"We're all about creating jobs, promoting vitality in communities, helping eliminate blight and creating a better quality of life for all residents of the commonwealth and businesses that operate here," said Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash.

The bill includes $500 million over five years for MassWorks, a program started under former Gov. Deval Patrick that gives grants to cities and towns for public infrastructure that promotes economic development.

Baker called MassWorks "an incredibly powerful tool for the commonwealth to use to help local communities and local developers on local projects."

State Rep. Joseph Wagner, D-Chicopee, chairman of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, said the public money leads to enormous private investment. In Chicopee, for example, a $2.6 million grant for water and sewer improvements to rehabilitate an old mill building led to a $55 million project to build 600 new market-rate housing units.

"That's the kind of shot in the arm a targeted investment can make," Wagner said.

Chicopee Mayor Richard Kos said in addition to the MassWorks grant, Chicopee may be able to use other initiatives in the bill, for example to help redevelop brownfields. "It's exciting to have these type of tools as we face the daily problems of running a Gateway City," Kos said.

The bill gives $45 million over three years to a transformative development initiative, which funds significant projects in Gateway Cities, struggling cities that have the potential to anchor their regional economy. It gives the same amount to a program that cleans up contaminated properties for development. Another $15 million over three years would be spent on a new program that pays municipalities to assemble sites to sell to developers.

There is $45 million over three years for a workforce training grant program to pay for equipment for career and technical schools. Several funds target assistance to specific industries -- such as manufacturing, scientific research and digital health care.

Tim Murray, a former Democratic lieutenant governor who is now president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, said the workforce skills training program will expand the pool of talent available to Massachusetts businesses "and create meaningful career paths for young people as well as those seeking to upgrade their skills."

The law includes $109 million to upgrade a shipping terminal in Boston to accommodate larger cargo ships. Another $6.4 million will go toward supporting rural agriculture and providing fresh food in low- and moderate-income communities. Other initiatives relate to tax incentives and zoning to develop housing in targeted locations.

Another new program would provide tax deductions to families who put money into college tuition savings accounts.

"College savings tax incentives open doors for children growing up in low- and middle-income families, as they are proven to encourage families to start saving earlier and more frequently for their children's education," said Richard Doherty, president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts.

There are some changes to state liquor laws, to allow farmers that have wineries or distilleries to both sell and serve alcohol on their premises, and to allow stores that sell alcohol to serve it at in-house cafes.

Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said provisions of the bill will catalyze private development throughout the state. "Each region has its own special opportunities, and by bringing these public dollars we'll be able to leverage private dollars and drive the economy in all these places," Polito said.

The money in the bill would be borrowed, as is typical for capital projects.

Baker vetoed two sections of the bill. One relates to the creation of "community benefits districts" in which property owners, with city approval, can charge a fee to businesses and individuals within a district to pay for benefits in the district. Similar "business improvement districts" are already part of state law and require businesses to pay taxes to cover area projects. Baker said the community benefit district provision was too broad because it did not provide exemptions for tax-exempt organizations like churches and government buildings and for homeowners who get tax abatements, like the elderly or veterans.

Baker also vetoed a section of the bill that would have given the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority the ability to offer driving classes for people looking to get a commercial license. Baker worried that this would give the RTA an unfair competitive advantage over small businesses.
By MATT MURPHY

Gov. Charlie Baker's chief economic development advisor Jay Ash has applied to become the next city manager of Cambridge, potentially making him the first major exit from the senior leadership team assembled by the governor after his 2014 election.

Ash, a Democrat who ran his home city of Chelsea for 14 years before joining the Baker administration as secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, has been a prolific traveler on behalf of the administration, visiting cities and towns across the state and playing a role in helping to lure General Electric's headquarters to Boston.

His interest in the Cambridge job was first reported by the Boston Globe on Wednesday, and was confirmed by his office. He was not immediately available for comment.

"Every time I go into a community, I hear what the community's wants and needs are. I want to stay there and help them solve those wants and needs - and I have to get to my next appointment," Ash told the Globe. "So the ability to focus more intensively on one place than a little bit of attention on a lot of places is something that is appealing to me."

In March, Richard Rossi announced his intention to resign after three years as Cambridge's city manager. The City Council posted for the job on July 12, and plans to fill the role in late September after a round of public interviews on Sept. 11 with three finalists, according to the city's website. It's not known how many people Ash might be competing against for the job.

Ash, who is in his mid-50s, began his government career as an aide on Beacon Hill to former Democratic House Majority Leader Richard Voke before going to work for the city of Chelsea.

His selection by Baker to lead the economic development secretariat was part of a concerted effort by the newly elected Republican governor to fill his Cabinet with a mixture of Democrats and Republicans.
albano.jpg

SPRINGFIELD - Hampden County sheriff candidate Michael Albano is shown here at a campaign event on July 15.

The labor union representing Trial Court officers from across the state has endorsed Michael Albano in the race for Hampden County sheriff.

The executive board of the Trial Court Local 458 unanimously endorsed Albano, a Governor's Councilor and former Springfield mayor, according to an announcement issued recently by the labor union.

"The entire executive board of Local 458 wholeheartedly support Michael Albano for sheriff," Local 458 President Dorianna Medeiros said. "His record of service for the commonwealth makes him an ideal candidate."

Albano is one of three Democrats vying for the seat; joining him in the Democratic field are Springfield City Councilor Tom Ashe and Nick Cocchi, assistant superintendent at the Ludlow jail.

The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican candidate John Comerford, a veterans services administrator, and James Gill, assistant deputy superintendent at the jail, in the November general election.

Albano, of Longmeadow, said he was honored by the nod from the trial court officers.

"They are hardworking public employees providing security and ensuring the administration of justice who receive little credit for their service," he said.

"Along with the correctional officers, my campaign has now been endorsed by the two unions with the most knowledge of the inner workings of the Sheriff's Department. I could not be more pleased."

He was referring to the June 28 endorsement of the majority of the members of the Hampden County correctional workers' union.
kimberly budd.jpg

Kimberly Budd, center, greets Supreme Judicial Court Justice Robert Cordy. Budd was announced as one of Gov. Charlie Baker's three pending nominees to the high court. To Budd's left is Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.

(Gintautas Dumcius/MassLive.com)

BOSTON -- The Governor's Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to confirm Superior Court Justice Kimberly Budd to become an associate justice on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

"She's eminently qualified, she's going to be a great addition to the Supreme Judicial Court," said Governor's Councilor Michael Albano of Longmeadow. "I expect and know there's going to be great decisions rendered by Judge Budd."

Budd's nomination was the subject of some controversy after state Rep. Shaunna O'Connell, R-Taunton, said Budd's "statements on the law should put her nomination in jeopardy." O'Connell was referring to comments Budd made during her confirmation hearing last week relating to the sex offender registry and driver's licenses for immigrants in the country illegally.

The councilors, including Jennie Caissie of Oxford, the lone Republican on the council, slammed O'Connell for her remarks.

"I think it is very unfortunate that there are some that will play political patty-cake and take answers out of context to benefit from the 24-hour news cycle," Caissie said.

Caissie said O'Connell did not attend Budd's confirmation hearing and "obviously didn't do her homework."

"(Budd) has been a law-and-order judge on the Superior Court, and she will continue to be a law-and-order judge on the Massachusetts Supreme Court," Caissie said.

After the vote, Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, said in a statement, "Judge Kimberly Budd's qualifications, temperament and confirmation today will ensure the Supreme Judicial Court is at full strength when they return for their first sitting in September."

Budd was the third of Baker's nominees to the state's highest court to be confirmed by the Governor's Council. The first two were judges Frank Gaziano and David Lowy.

Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, in a statement, called Budd "an exceptional addition to the commonwealth's Supreme Judicial Court, defined by a career of extensive legal experience, integrity and impartiality for those who have and will come before her."

Budd, who lives in Newton, has roots in Springfield. Her grandfather was Springfield's first black police officer, her aunt was assistant superintendent at Springfield public schools and her father, Wayne Budd of Springfield, was a former U.S. attorney.

"It's one of the great public service families in America today," Albano said.

Former Gov. Deval Patrick appointed Budd in 2009 as an associate justice in the Massachusetts Superior Court. Budd was appointed in January as regional administrative justice for Middlesex County criminal business, which means she oversees the management and administration of criminal cases that come before Middlesex County Superior Court.

She previously worked in private practice; as an assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting major crimes; as an attorney for Harvard University, where she dealt with labor and academic issues; and as director of the community values program at Harvard Business School, which teaches business students values and ethics and investigates complaints.

She was also an adjunct instructor at New England School of Law. In 1991, she clerked for Massachusetts Appeals Court Chief Justice Joseph Warner.

Budd graduated from Georgetown University and Harvard Law School.

She was a member of Patrick's task force on ethics in 2008 and 2009 and was on the Massachusetts Judicial Nominating Commission, which vets potential judges, between 2003 and 2005. She has served on the executive committee of the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association and is a member of several organizations of black professionals.

Budd is currently on an advisory committee on trial court race and bias, which focuses on finding ways to combat unconscious racial bias in the court system. She volunteers for a Middlesex Superior Court program where probationers read and discuss literature with professors and judges.

Budd is 49, so she can serve on the court for up to 21 years before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.

The only political contribution Budd or her family members have made over the past three years were two $100 contributions that her husband, William Thompson, gave to Newton Mayor Setti Warren, a Democrat, according to a questionnaire Budd submitted to the Governor's Council.

At her confirmation hearing, Budd said she does not see a constitutional reason why immigrants without legal status should not get driver's licenses. According to the State House News Service, under questioning by Governor's Councilor Robert Jubinville, Budd also said she thinks there are too many crimes included in the Sex Offender Registry, so there are some people on the registry who do not need to be listed.

O'Connell, on her website, called Budd's statements that there are too many people on the Sex Offender Registry "reckless and dangerous." O'Connell also criticized Budd's comments on driver's licenses.

Jubinville, of Milton, said O'Connell "misconstrued" Budd's response to his question, which related to whether a 16-year-old convicted of statutory rape for having sex with a 15-year-old he is dating belongs on the sex offender registry. "The representative got it wrong and misconstrued what she said about the sex registry," Jubinville said.

Governor's Councilor Marilyn Devaney, of Watertown, called it "unfortunate" that O'Connell had not called her or other councilors before going to the media. "It's unfair to a person to demean them and misrepresent what actually happened," Devaney said.

Albano, who is running for Hampden County sheriff, said O'Connell's comments relate to her own political ideology. "In Rep. O'Connell's world, a woman would not be able to chose, there would be no marriage equality, and there would be no affirmative action in Massachusetts," Albano said. "That's what elections are all about. That's what judicial philosophy is all about."
baker rosenberg deleo.JPG

Gov. Charlie Baker, Senate President Stan Rosenberg and House Speaker Robert DeLeo speak to reporters on July 18, 2016.

(SHIRA SCHOENBERG / THE REPUBLICAN)

BOSTON -- Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday signed a law mandating insurance coverage for a debilitating side effect of old HIV drugs.

HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome is a side-effect of drugs that were used to treat HIV in the 1989s and 1990s, before more advanced drugs were developed. It causes abnormal fat accumulation around the head or neck and fat loss in the face and limbs.

The treatment is generally surgery to remove the excess fat. But often, insurers deny coverage for treatment, arguing that it is a cosmetic procedure.

"Some of our longest-term survivors of the HIV epidemic have been suffering profoundly, silently and invisibly because of medications," said Ben Klein, senior attorney and AIDS law project director at GLAD, which provides legal services for gay rights issues.

The new law will require insurers to cover surgery, injections or other treatments for the disease. The copays will have to be comparable to copays for other similar services.

Massachusetts will be the first state to mandate this coverage.

Klein said lipodystrophy remains "one of the most unrecognized issues in the HIV epidemic." His organization has met people who refuse to leave their homes for fear of being ridiculed and people who are depressed, suicidal or living in pain due to the disfigurement.

A group of more than 100 doctors wrote to House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop, supporting the bill. The doctors wrote that lipodystrophy causes serious health problems, including head and neck pain, postural problems, depression and inability to sleep. It enhances stigma and discrimination against HIV patients, most of whom are now in their 50 and 60s.

"Treatment of lipodystrophy is basic medical care; it is not cosmetic," the doctors wrote. "It is also sound health policy. It is costlier to address the harm of untreated lipodystrophy (e.g., pain medications, physical therapy, psychotherapy) than it is to treat the underlying disease."

Lora Pellegrini, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, said insurers oppose the mandate because it will make insurance more expensive. "Mandates take away the ability for small businesses and individuals to have flexibly designed products," Pellegrini said. She added that larger companies that are self-insured are not required to abide by state mandates.

The independent Center for Health Information and Analysis estimates that the average individual's annual increase in monthly premiums to pay for lipodystrophy coverage will be one to 10 cents a year.

But Pellegrini said the Legislature keeps adding more insurance mandates. "Over time, they add up to real money," she said.

Also this year, lawmakers passed a mandate requiring insurance coverage for long-term antibiotic treatment of Lyme disease.

The insurers group joined several business groups in a letter to the Legislature that did not single out the lipodystrophy mandate but stressed the economic impact of mandates overall on the health insurance market.

"At a time when employers and the state are struggling with the high cost of health care, adopting new mandated benefits will exacerbate the challenge Massachusetts businesses face in finding affordable options, will add to the financial strain in the state budget, and run counter to efforts to address underlying health care costs," the business groups wrote.

The bill passed the Legislature on the final day of the legislative session. Baker took the full 10 days he is allowed by law to review the bill before signing it on Wednesday evening without any public fanfare.
Unlike our developed national parks, the Reserve has a truly rugged quality and a sense of uninterrupted nature. Discover the power of dark skies, quiet trails, and remote, unbroken land by staying at Buffalo Camp this fall.

https://www.americanprairie.org/plan-your-trip
Want to raise money for your new small business or entrepreneurial venture? Until now, its seemed easier for a twenty-something techie in San Francisco to raise millions of dollars than an experienced businesswoman in Ohio to raise thousands. Thanks to new equity "crowdfunding" rules that went into effect in May, that situation may have changed.

Rhonda Abrams, Special for USA TODAY

Full Story: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/abrams/2016/08/10/abrams-equity-crowdfunding-start-up/88477712/
Prospera Business Network is the lead non-profit organization advancing and supporting community-centered economic development in southwest Montana. Our focus is helping people start and grow their business  in turn strengthening our regions economy and communities.
Bozeman is a rapidly growing city with a high quality of life in part due to the easy access to the outdoors, burgeoning tech industry, and cultural experiences it offers.
Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, August 9, 2016

Comcast should stop bragging that it offers the "fastest Internet" in America, an ad watchdog said.

Comcast's ads, which were challenged by Verizon, included boasts like "XFINITY delivers the fastest Internet in America . . . Based on 2015 Speedtest.net testing, according to the National Advertising Division, a self-regulatory unit administered by the Better Business Bureau.

The NAD said Comcast's statements were problematic because they convey that Comcast is faster than Verizon for all customers -- regardless of which "tier" of service they purchase.

"Given that user-selected data plans vary widely in download and upload speed capabilities, one reasonable consumer may take away from Comcasts claim that 'XFINITY delivers the fastest Internet in America' is that in a head-to-head speed tier comparison XFINITY is fastest at any speed tier," the NAD writes.

advertisement advertisement

Comcast's ad claims are based on crowdsourced data from metrics company Ookla's Speedtest.net, which said last year that XFINITY offered the fastest Internet service.

But the NAD found that Ookla's methodology didn't support Comcast's ad claims. Ookla's conclusions were based on the speeds of the fastest 10% of an Internet service providers' customers, the NAD wrote.

"Ooklas award is based on the fact that XFINITY delivers its fastest internet download speeds (the top 10%) to more consumers in America than other ISPs," the decision states. "The fact that XFINITY delivers faster download speeds to more consumers may reflect the popularity of Comcasts top speed tiers....Thus, the Speedtest results are not consumer relevant to which ISP delivers the fastest speeds in each tier of service and may only reflect the popularity of an ISPs 'fastest' speeds."

Comcast plans to appeal the finding to the National Advertising Review Board, according to the NAD.

This isn't the first time Comcast and Verizon have battled over broadband ads. Last month, the National Advertising Review Board sided with Comcast in a dispute over Verizon ads that bragged "FiOS Internet is Rated #1."

That statement was based on PC Magazine's customer satisfaction survey. The NARB ruled that surveys measuring customer satisfaction "should not be used to show objective superiority with respect to measurable performance."
LIVE Razboi in Ucraina, ziua 247: Rusia spune ca a finalizat mobilizarea partiala / Ucraina spune ca Rusia a ramas fara rachete de inalta precizie / Trupele ucrainene au doborat peste 300 de drone iraniene kamikaze
by Thom Forbes @tforbes, August 10, 2016

Its open season on Deltas handling of the PR crises following its cancellation of more flights this morning on top of more than 1,800 yesterday and Monday after a computer problem in Atlanta stranded passengers around the world.

Consider the four-word lede on the APs Scott Mayerowitz story: We dont cancel flights. The next graf takes down that bit of hubris quicker than a glitch in a power control module can make a finely tuned system go kaflooey.

Thats been the message for the past two years from Delta Air Lines, he writes. Double-decker buses roamed the streets of New York, wrapped in ads proclaiming canceling cancellations. Delta executives boasted about the number of days without a single flight scrapped.

advertisement advertisement

Mayerowitz posits that the cancellations and delays, coupled with its own delay in explaining what really happened, threatens to wipe away all that trust that Delta has worked to build and has allowed it to proudly get 110 cents for every dollar charged by its competitors. Thats tempered, however, by S&P Global Market Intelligences Jim Corridore telling him the airline might get a pass if the incident proves isolated.

Then lets take a look at the growing flak over its apparently not-so-magnanimous offer of a $200 voucher to anyone whose flight was cancelled or delayed for more than two hours.

Travel experts said many should reject the offer because they are entitled to more than three times that amount, writes Alastair Jamieson for NBCNews.com. European regulation EC261 means passengers can claim 300 euros ($335) if their arrival at the final destination was delayed by between three and four hours. They can seek double that amount if the delay was longer than four hours or their flight was canceled  and can also submit receipts for the cost of a hotel and meals if the airline didn't provide those.

Thousands trying to reach the U.S. from cities such as London, Paris, Dublin, Madrid and Amsterdam were impacted, Jamieson reports.

Delta also offered a refund, or one-time no-fee change to the ticket to passengers whose flights were cancelled or delayed. But dont sit on it. The ticket must be reissued  and travel must begin  no later than Aug. 21.

And how do you deal with isolated stories like this lede on a story Tuesday by Jonathan Lloyd and Toni Guinyard for CNBC in Los Angeles: Todd and MoRaya Ferryman had hoped to be in Costa Rica Monday night celebrating their honeymoon at a five-star resort.

Yup. They spent it at LAX, where theyd been since Sunday night. And theres video to go with it, of course. I'm wearing the same thing that I've been wearing, Ferryman tells Guinyard. The only difference is I'm not as polite as I have been. And they had to spend $250 on food at Terminal 5 instead of eating at the five-star resort that theyd scrimped and saved to book.

Then theres the errant finger pointing. Delta at first blamed a power outage but Georgia Pacific said they would be the only customer who experienced it if that were the case. Turns out, Delta admitted in a statement yesterday, that a power control module at the airlines technology center malfunctioned early Monday morning, causing a surge to the transformer and a loss of power, reports Susan Carey for MarketWatch.

Deltas communications team has been under fire since the start of the crises. A PR Week hed Monday afternoon said: Delta lacks personal touch in early outage response based on an interview with Ashley McCown, president of Solomon McCown & Company, a firm that specializes in crisis communications. It was instead relying on its corporate newsroom and social media accounts to disseminate information to customers and the press, as Sean Czarneckis lede informed us.

Fitch, the credit rating company, saw fit to issue a release over Business Wire stating that the outage was not expected to affect the BBB- rating that it had upgraded Delta to in May. But, Fitch pointed out, outages can generate a material amount of negative press and ill will with passengers. More serious IT problems can have longer term effects, as illustrated by United's outages experienced in 2012 and its effects on customer loyalty.

CEO Ed Bastians relatively quick video apology to passengers Monday from the airlines operations and customer center was generally met with favorable reviews (even if he seems to spend as much time applauding the all hands on deck response of Delta's team to the disruption as he does empathizing with the passengers). That was followed by a this isnt who we are update yesterday that seemed more contrite: Were very sorry, Im personally very sorry, for what has happened to you , he says up front, ending with a sorry that we let you down.
by Sara Guaglione , August 10, 2016

The New York Times is taking advantage of the nail-biting last three months of the presidential election and launching "The Run-Up," a new politics podcast hosted by Times national political reporter Michael Barbaro.

"The Run-Up" is the Times first podcast to launch since hiring Lisa Tobin as its first executive producer for audio. Previously, she was at Boston public radio station WBUR.

In what has already proven to be a race unlike any weve seen before, this podcast will help Times readers (and listeners) better understand the major issues of this election with the help of some of The Times most insightful reporters and analysts, stated Carolyn Ryan, senior editor for politics at The New York Times.

advertisement advertisement

The podcast, which will run twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays, will feature news, analysis and input from NYT politics reporters, columnists, contributors and analysts. It will also include interviews with influential election figures.

The first episode, out yesterday, covers the odds of Hillary Clinton winning in a landslide  and what that would mean for the Republican and Democratic parties.

Guests include Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House; Amy Chozick, who covers Clinton for the NYT; and Nate Cohn from The Upshot, the newspaper analysis and data Web site.

Tobin helped produce the NYT's most popular podcast, Modern Love.

The New York Times isnt the only media outlet using the election as fodder for a podcast. In July, TV journalist Katie Couric and Brian Goldsmith, a political consultant at Yahoo News, launched the Katie Couric podcast, where they interview guests on American life and politics. One of their first guests was Democratic senator Al Franken.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, August 10, 2016

iProspect appears to be on a winning streak. Just months before its parent company Dentsu Aegis Network acquired a majority equity stake in Merkle, the search performance marketing agency hired a former Google executive to launch and oversee a programmatic business within the agency.

Vincent Rinaldi, director of programmatic at iProspect, has been dubbed by more than one as "a programmatic genius." He comes to iProspect from Google, where he held the position of senior programmatic account manager for DoubleClick Finance. Prior to that, he spent time at Adap.TV, ESPN, and AudienceScience

The term "programmatic" to many agencies translates into a line item on an insertion order, but Rinaldi said media buyers need to get out of that mindset, so he has begun to educate clients. He said the technology takes the controls from a publisher and puts it into the advertiser's hand, similar to what automation did for search advertising.

advertisement advertisement

"Search skill sets are unique and many that buy display and other media don't understand search at all, which is unfortunate," Rinaldi said. "As the industry moves more into technology it will give others the same skill sets and bring consistency to all media buys."

Rinaldi said advertisers need to focus on audiences rather than impressions. Following this rule, iProspect has begun to use some of the learnings through its audience data in programmatic display and video to power some search keywords in other media, depending on where the targeted consumers make a purchase.

In the future Rinaldi will have a team focused on programmatic. For starters, he needs to educate iProspect's internal agency team, but he has hired one employee now based in Texas who focuses on data to support media buys and has already begun to change the way Hilton's advertising team views programmatic, he said, which speaks to the benefits of the majority equity stake in Merkle.

"The data focus is not what you typically see in the agency world," Rinaldi said. "It's really changing the agency model."

Rinaldi declined to comment on Dentsu's majority stake in Merkle, but did say 'it speaks volumes to the way we find the right assets to build a network."

Merkle and iProspect will both be Global Network Brands within Dentsu's network, with Merkle being its newest addition and benefitting from collaboration with our other agency network brands.

Jerry Buhlmann, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network, said the company's business will become completely digital by 2020, where addressability and real time mean people focused marketing.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, August 10, 2016

More than 1,500 emails between the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Google employees show the relationship between the two entities and the extent to which the Mountain View, California company and its employees interact with the government.

Documents shared with The Verge by the nonprofit group Campaign for Accountability obtained through the Freedom of Information Act serve as a resource to show how Google maneuvered the relationships when facing a fight.

"Nothing in the documents suggests improper behavior, per the report, but rather provides a "window into "Google's high-level work on policy matters, and provide a case study on how deep the company's lobbying efforts go."

One email to Salar Kamangar from R. David Edelman, senior advisor for Internet Policy at The White House, thanks the former YouTube CEO for his time and apologizes for "the extra time at the gate."

advertisement advertisement

"I want to specifically note that OSTP would be delighted to work with you on ways in which online video could help advance Presidential priorities, such as STEM education, Grand Challenges, and high-speed networking," Edelman wrote.

While the emails provide insight into the daily banter, the more important topics within the emails provide a trail for the persuasive campaign that began in 2012, when Google identified a threat to the openness of the Internet, as thousands of representatives met at the World Conference on International Telecommunications to consider a proposed revision of the International Telecommunication Regulations, which govern how communication services are used worldwide.

A vote at the conference would determine whether to regulate more of the Internet. The US government and Google had a "seat at the table," which sent private industry delegates to the conference to advise the U.S.

The Verge did an interesting job mapping out the events through the emails that led Google to ultimately continue to "ring the alarm bells" that showed the government wanted to increase regulations and censorship of the Internet.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, August 10, 2016

Do machine-learning algorithms processing search engine queries bring on prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping in query results? Search results have been known to highlight these negative attributes in the past. Now researchers at Brazils Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais suggest it could be true when it comes to female physical attractiveness in images available across the Web.

The paper submitted to the International Conference on Social Informatics scheduled for publication analyzes how Google and Bing represent female beauty in their image search results, particularly when it comes to different age and racial groups.

Virgilio Almeida, Wagner Meira Jr., and Camila Souza Araujo scraped the top 50 images for "beautiful woman" and "ugly woman" across dozens of international versions of Google and Bing. They then passed the more than 2,000 images through a program, which estimates subject age, race and gender with an estimated 90% accuracy.

For nearly every country analyzed, white women appear more in the "beautiful" results, and black and Asian women appear in the "ugly" ones, per The Washington Post, which initially pointed to the study.

advertisement advertisement

Blackness is considered less attractive in 86% of the countries surveyed on Google, including Nigeria, Angola and Brazil, where most people have black or brown skin.

In some countries such as Japan and Malaysia, beauty is associated almost exclusively with extreme youth. Queries for "beautiful woman" return ladies not much older than 23.

In the United States, searches for "beautiful" women return pictures that are 80% white, mostly between the ages of 19 and 28. Searches for "ugly" women return images of those about 60% white and 20% black between the ages of 30 to 50.

Researchers admit they are not sure of the reason for the bias, but conclude that they may stem from a combination of available stock photos and characteristics of the indexing and ranking algorithms of the search engines.

The search engines may learn from the stock photos and reflect prejudices and bias of the real world that transferred from the physical world to the online world. Given the importance of search engines as source of information, the researchers suggest that they analyze the problems caused by the presence of negative stereotypes and find algorithmic ways to minimize the problem, according to the study.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, August 10, 2016

Siding against the Federal Communications Commission, an appellate court has reversed an agency order aimed at encouraging municipal broadband.

A three-judge panel of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that the FCC lacked authority to invalidate state laws hindering muni-broadband.

The appellate judges vacated the FCC's 2015 order on the ground that Congress never empowered the agency to trump states' ability to regulate how their "subdivisions" -- meaning cities and towns -- provide Web service. "Any attempt by the federal government to interpose itself into this state-subdivision relationship therefore must come about by a clear directive from Congress, and the FCC can only pick the decision maker here if there exists a clear statement to do so," the judges wrote.

advertisement advertisement

The FCC's 2015 muni-broadband order specifically invalidated state laws in North Carolina and Tennessee, but observers said the order could have affected around 20 other states that curb muni-broadband.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler criticized the appellate decision, which he said "appears to halt the promise of jobs, investment and opportunity that community broadband has provided in Tennessee and North Carolina."

He added that the agency "will consider all our legal and policy options to remove barriers to broadband deployment wherever they exist so that all Americans can have access to 21st Century communications."

The FCC's original order stemmed from requests by muni-broadband providers in Wilson, North Carolina and Chattanooga, Tennessee. In North Carolina, state lawmakers imposed curbs on muni-broadband in 2011 -- several years after the city of Wilson spent $28 million to create Greenlight, a muni network that allowed consumers to obtain triple-play Web-TV-phone service that was faster and cheaper than what was available from Time Warner, the local incumbent.

In Tennessee, Chattanooga's Electric Power Board decided in 2007 to move forward with a plan to build its own fiber-optic broadband network. The city ultimately developed the first 1 Gbps broadband network in the country. Soon afterward, Tennessee lawmakers limited other cities' ability to create similar networks.

Today's ruling is a blow to the Obama administration, which had urged the FCC to invalidate state restrictions on muni-broadband. Last January, the White House issued a report touting muni-broadband networks, which often result in faster and cheaper service for residents.

Consumer advocacy groups and Silicon Valley also supported the FCC's decision to preempt muni-broadband restrictions. States rights organizations countered that the FCC lacked authority to involve itself with local decisions.
Protein that helps newly born brain cells divide plays key role.

Long before Zika virus made it a household word, the birth defect called microcephaly puzzled scientists and doctors - even as it changed the lives of the babies born with it during the pre-Zika era.

But new discoveries reported by an international team of scientists may help explain what happens in the developing brains of babies still in the womb, causing them to be born with small brains and heads.

The findings may also help scientists who are frantically trying to figure out why the Zika virus causes the same issue in some babies born to mothers who catch the virus from a mosquito bite.

In two new papers in the American Journal of Human Genetics, the researchers report new findings about a key protein involved in the process that generates the many new cells required to build a normal size brain. Though the new studies didn't involve Zika-related microcephaly, they may provide clues that other scientists can use to investigate how Zika virus disrupts brain development.

Stephanie Bielas, Ph.D., a University of Michigan Medical School assistant professor of human genetics who helped lead the new research, says the findings also provide insight into what is required for brains to develop normally.

"There's so much we don't understand about human brain development that we're just starting to uncover," she says. "This shows the devastating impact of interrupting cell biology critical for this process."

Interrupted cell division

Both of the new papers focus on the role of citron kinase, a protein important during the process of mitosis, where one cell divides to make two cells. Cell division is the foundation of normal growth and development.

CIT, as the protein is called for short, helps in the final stages of cell division that separates the two "daughter" cells, called cytokinesis. That's when the two new cells, each with their own copy of the DNA from the original "parent" cell, sever the connections between them.

Years ago, research in animals showed that problems with the gene that contains the instructions for making the animal form of citron kinase could lead to microcephaly. But until now, that link hadn't been proven in humans. The researchers now say that CIT is critical to building a normally sized human brain.

To make this discovery, the researchers turned to families from Egypt, France and Turkey that had one or more microcephalic babies. Some of them died soon after birth, the others developed intellectual disabilities that result from having a too-small brain.

Studying these babies' genes and brain tissue gave clues to the importance of CIT, and the problems that arise when the CIT gene is mutated. Where normal brain cells have only one nucleus - the pouch containing the DNA and other important structures - many cells in microcephalic brain tissue had multiple nuclei. This suggested that something had happened to prevent new cells from dividing properly.

Another tool helped the researchers take the study even further: stem cells. With the parents' permission, they obtained skin cells from the surviving children and used relatively new techniques to transform them into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). This essentially turns back the clock on the cells, making them able to develop into nearly any type of cell.

The researchers then grew the iPSCs under special conditions that coaxed them to develop into neural progenitor cells - the kind of cells that in a developing embryo grow and divide rapidly to become the future child's brain.

"There's a lot of evidence now that in microcephaly, there aren't sufficient numbers of neural progenitor cells to build the normal-size brain," says Bielas. "Since the cells that form the structures of the brain, and develop into the different types of cells are born from this pool of actively dividing cells. This aspect of human brain development is a key issue to study."

Bielas points out that studying rare spontaneous cases of microcephaly - such as those in the families that took part in the study - offers a chance to identify genes important for brain development and understand the impact of deleterious small genetic mutations.

"Often in genetics, we identify seemingly obscure genes as the genetic basis of disorders; we don't know what they do or where and when they're active," she notes. "But in the case of citron kinase, we knew what a mutation in the gene did in animal models. These newly published findings confirm that CIT mutations are not only linked to severe microcephaly in humans, but are also associated with a smooth, unfolded brain surface - a condition known as lissencephaly - that isn't usually seen in brain disorders linked primarily to defects in neural progenitor cell mitosis."

Bielas and her colleagues are now growing brain "organoids" - balls of brain tissue grown from iPSCs or human embryonic stem cells with edited genes - to study this issue further. The hope is that by studying microcephaly's origins in human cells that mimic the developing brain, they can see what might be going on more clearly in human brain development that wouldn't be detected in animal models. Some Zika researchers are also using this promising model system to study the virus's effect on human neural progenitor cells.

Bielas is also seeking more families whose babies have been born with non-Zika microcephaly, to contribute skin and DNA samples that may yield even more clues about the condition's origins. "We need to know how microcephaly genes are contributing to such a profound human disorder," says Bielas. "It's a puzzle. So let's figure it out."

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health (HD069624) and several sources of funding in France.

Articles: Biallelic Mutations in Citron Kinase Link Mitotic Cytokinesis to Human Primary Microcephaly , Hongda Li, Stephanie L. Bielas, Maha S. Zaki, Samira Ismail, Dorit Farfara, Kyongmi Um, Rasim O. Rosti, Eric C. Scott, Shu Tu, Neil C. Chi, Stacey Gabriel, Emine Z. Erson-Omay, A. Gulhan Ercan-Sencicek, Katsuhito Yasuno, Ahmet Okay Caglayan, Hande Kaymakcalan, Bars Ekici, Kaya Bilguvar, Murat Gunel, Joseph G. Gleeson, AJHG, doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2016.07.004, published 21 July 2016.
Older adults in assisted-living facilities experience limits to their rights to sexual freedom because of a lack of policies regarding the issue and the actions of staff and administrators at these facilities, according to research conducted by the Gerontology Institute at Georgia State University.

Though assisted-living facilities emphasize independence and autonomy, this study found staff and administrators behave in ways that create an environment of surveillance. The findings, published in the Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences, indicate conflict between autonomy and the protection of residents in regard to sexual freedom in assisted-living facilities.

Nearly one million Americans live in assisted-living facilities, a number expected to increase as adults continue to live longer. Regulations at these facilities may vary, but they share a mission of providing a homelike environment that emphasizes consumer choice, autonomy, privacy and control. Despite this philosophy, the autonomy of residents may be significantly restricted, including their sexuality and intimacy choices.

Sexual activity does not necessarily decrease as people age. The frequency of sexual activity in older adults is lower than in younger adults, but the majority maintain interest in sexual and intimate behavior. Engaging in sexual relationships, which is associated with psychological and physical wellbeing, requires autonomous decision-making.

While assisted-living facilities have many rules, they typically lack systematic policies about how to manage sexual behavior among residents, which falls under residents' rights, said Elisabeth Burgess, an author of the study and director of the Gerontology Institute.

"Residents of assisted-living facilities have the right to certain things when they're in institutional care, but there's not an explicit right to sexuality," Burgess said. "There's oversight and responsibility for the health and wellbeing of people who live there, but that does not mean denying people the right to make choices. If you have a policy, you can say to the family when someone moves in, here are our policies and this is how issues are dealt with. In the absence of a policy, it becomes a case-by-case situation, and you don't have consistency in terms of what you do."

The researchers collected data at six assisted-living facilities in the metropolitan Atlanta area that varied in size, location, price, ownership type and resident demographics. The data collection involved participant observation and semi-structured interviews with administrative and care staff, residents and family members, as well as focus groups with staff.

The study found that staff and administrators affirmed that residents had rights to sexual and intimate behavior, but they provided justifications for exceptions and engaged in strategies that created an environment of surveillance, which discouraged and prevented sexual and intimate behavior.

The administrators and staff gave several overlapping reasons for steering residents away from each other and denying rights to sexual and intimate behavior. Administrators emphasized their responsibility for the residents' health and safety, which often took precedence over other concerns.

Family members' wishes played a role. Family members usually choose the home and manage the residents' financial affairs. In some instances, they transport family members to doctor's appointments, volunteer at the facility and help pay for the facility, which is not covered by Medicaid. They are often very protective of their parents and grandparents and are uncomfortable with new romantic or intimate partnerships, according to staff. Administrators often deferred to family wishes in order to reduce potential conflict.

Staff and administrators expressed concern about consent and cognitive impairment. More than two-thirds of residents in assisted-living facilities have some level of cognitive impairment, which can range from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's Disease or other forms of dementia. They felt responsible for protecting residents and guarding against sexual abuse, even if a person wasn't officially diagnosed.

The study was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health.

Article: Understanding Sexual Freedom and Autonomy in Assisted Living: Discourse of Residents' Rights Among Staff and Administrators, Christina Barmon, Elisabeth O. Burgess, Alexis A. Bender and James R. Moorhead Jr., Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences, doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbw068, published online 17 June 2016.
Malignant cancers strike certain organs, such as the colon or breast, more often than others. In an Opinion publishing in Trends in Cancer, researchers propose that this vulnerability in some organs may be due to natural selection. Humans can tolerate tumors in large or paired organs more easily than in small, critical organs, such as the heart, and so the larger organs may have evolved fewer mechanisms to defend against cancerous cells.

"The organs that are the most important to keeping you alive and capable of reproduction, such as the heart, brain, or uterus, may enjoy a better protection against cancer, all other things being equal," says Frederic Thomas, an evolutionary biologist at the Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Cancer Research in France. "We are not saying that this is the main factor to explain the different susceptibility of organs to cancer, but it is a factor that contributes with others."

Many oncologists have explained the difference in rates of organ cancer by looking at either external risk factors, such as smoking or UV light exposure, or internal factors, such as how often cells must divide in an organ. Thomas and his coauthors, including senior author Beata Ujvari, an evolutionary ecologist at Deakin University in Australia, now propose this evolutionary theory to supplement the current understanding.

The team suggests that natural selection has favored strong anti-cancer protection for small organs that are critical to human survival and reproduction. "Organs that are large or in pairs could potentially accumulate larger numbers of oncogenic manifestations without being impaired, whereas small and important organs like the pancreas could be easily compromised with only a few tumors inside," says Thomas. Therefore, so the theory goes, the pancreas should be better at defending against cancer compared to an organ like the kidney, if all other factors are equal. Anti-cancer protection mechanisms vary from organ to organ, but in general, they make an organ resistant to tumor formation.

The researchers also recommend that cancer biologists think of individual organs as specialized islands with their own environmental conditions (such as the level of oxygen, acidity, or water), where the survival of cancer cells depends on is the hospitality of the local environment. "Malignant cells are living entities - it's just impossible that they are not influenced by the ecological conditions," says Thomas. "It clearly means that certain organs are more favorable than others to malignant perturbation."

Thomas, Ujvari, and their colleagues are now working to test their hypothesis. "A complete analysis requires that we take into account all the possible confounding factors," emphasizes Thomas. "We cannot just look at existing statistics on cancer and the size of the organs and make a correlation to see if it works or not." Currently, the team is running a long-term experiment with mice to measure the accumulation of cancerous and precancerous mutations inside different organs. The research is part of a new international collaboration between Deakin University and the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).

"It's a novel hypothesis that deserves to be explored," says Thomas. "We hope this paper will stimulate research in that direction."


Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.
Advertisement

However, many modern targeted therapies do not immediately kill cancer cells. Instead, they interrupt a cancer cell's ability to grow and proliferate, often by immediate cessation of metabolic rates. Eventually these cells "interrupted" by targeted therapies die, but cell death and tumor shrinkage are not immediate, direct markers of a therapy's usefulness.Serkova points out that a recent article published in theshows that 15% of patients who are taken off clinical trials due to perceived lack of response to a trial medication aren't in fact non-responders - the drug may be working for these people in a way that is not captured by RECIST."With this criteria, it doesn't look like the new experimental drug is working. But it may be the criteria and not the drug that is failing in trials of these new targeted therapies," says S. Gail Eckhardt, associate director for translational research at CU Cancer Center, the Stapp Harlow Chair in Cancer Research at CU SOM, and the paper's senior author.One possible solution is to image a tumor's metabolic rate, such as glucose uptake. "Cancer are gluttons for glucose," Eckhardt says, meaning that in order to drive their growth, cancers burn glucose at many times the rate of healthy cells. Drugs including anti-EGFR therapies stop cancer cells' ability to over-use glucose."These new therapies stop a cancer cell's glucose uptake within 24 hours after the first dose, but changes in tumor volume happen months later," Eckhardt says. Is the drug working? Watching for changes in a tumor's use of glucose could answer this question months earlier than current RECIST criteria.Another metabolic aspect that can hint at a medicine's success is a tumor's uptake of "phospholipids". Boundless cell replication is a feature of cancer. This requires building new cell membranes at a breakneck pace. These membranes are made from phospholipids - a drug that slows a tumor's use of phospholipids in building new cell membranes is successful, even before it leads to a reduction in tumor volume.Finally, new criteria are desperately needed to determine the success of immunotherapies."With useful immunotherapies like PD1 and PDL1 checkpoint inhibitors, we can actually see an initial increase in tumor size. A successful immune response against a tumor is marked by inflammation which might mimic an increase in tumor dimensions. With RECIST criteria that prioritizes tumor volume, inflammation can make it look like these drugs have made the cancer worse," Serkova says."RECIST will remain the gold standard to measure the success of classic, cytotoxic therapies like chemotherapy and radiation - therapies whose singular goal is cell death," Serkova says. "And it remains useful in characterizing the response to these new targeted therapies after they have had months to eventually result in tumor shrinkage. But new measures are needed to show before months have passed whether these drugs are working."The immediate danger, say Serkova and Eckhardt, is that patients are missing out on successful treatments because current measures make them seem unsuccessful. In the researchers' opinion, the various forms of metabolic imaging could provide alternative tests of a patient's response to novel targeted therapies.Source: Eurekalert
On August 9, 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Konstantin Palace, 20 kilometers from St. Petersburg.[1] The meeting was described by media as "historic," since the two leaders were meeting for the first time since the Turkish air force shot down a Russian plane in November 2015.[2] The meeting focused on the normalization of economic and political relations.[3]

Prior to the meeting, Erdogan gave an extensive interview to the Russian news agency Tass.ru, in which he discussed economic relations with Russia and the core issue of the settlement of the Syrian crisis. Erdogan said: "As you know, in the context of Russian-Turkish relations we had planned to build up bilateral trade to $100 billion... A new page in Russian-Turkish relations will be opened. This new leaf to be turned over will include cooperation in the military field, in the economy, and in culture. Our countries are key players in the region and they are going to accomplish a great deal together."[4]

It is also worth noting that throughout his Russia visit, Erdogan did not stop flattering Putin. In both the interview with Tass.ru and the news conference, Erdogan referred several times to Putin as "my dear friend" and "my dear and respected friend"; Putin, on the other hand, referred more formally to the Turkish president as "Mr. Erdogan."[5]

In the news conference following the talks, the two leaders did not publicly tackle the Syria crisis, as this topic was discussed in a separate meeting. However, Putin mentioned that "everyone knows" that Russian and Turkish views on a Syria settlement "have not always aligned." In the interview with Tass.ru, Erdogan described Russia as the main key player in Syria, saying: "Russia is fundamentally the key and most important player in establishing peace in Syria. I believe it is necessary to solve this crisis with the help of mutual action by Russia and Turkey." He then stated that in order to settle the Syrian crisis Turkey should agree to Iranian involvement: "If the talk is about widening the circle of participants, then I already told my dear friend Vladimir [Putin] earlier: if necessary, we'll also involve Iran in the effort. We can invite Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and America. In this regard, we can form a wide circle of participants. If not, then the Russian Federation and Turkey, given our common 950-km border with Syria, can take some steps, without violating Syria's sovereignty."[6]

In contrast to Russia, that does not want the end of the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, Erdogan reaffirmed that Assad's removal from power is Turkey's main goal. Erdogan stated: "We want not Syria's disintegration, but the departure of Bashar Assad, who is guilty for the deaths of 600,000 people. This is the condition for preventing this scenario. Syria's unity cannot be kept with Assad. And we cannot support a murderer who has committed acts of state terror. Let the Syrian people themselves elect an individual they want to see in power."[7]

During the news conference following the talks, the two leaders focused on economic relations. Putin said that Russia and Turkey aim to pay special attention to building up investment and commodity flows, and to implementing projects. Among the major projects on the two countries' agenda for development are the construction of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant and the Turkish Stream gas pipeline system.[8] On July 29, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that the Turkish Stream gas pipeline system is becoming more attractive to Russia and Turkey, since the cost of gas transit through Ukraine is rising. Novak said: "Of course, if the cost of transit is higher, as our Ukrainian colleagues say, is will affect the cost of transportation and the final gas price for Turkey's consumers. Therefore, Turkey is interested in receiving gas directly, bypassing other transit countries." However, Novak added that the work can be started only on the line going to Turkish consumers, since the work on the line to EU consumers cannot be renewed without guarantees from the European Commission that it will not block the project.[9]

Concerning the news conference, the Russian liberal radio station Echo Moscow stressed that during the official opening remarks, Erdogan did not apologize for the downing of the Russian jet in November.[10]

Below are excerpts from the news conference that took place after the talks between Putin and Erdogan:



News conference following talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Source: Kremlin.ru, August 9, 2016)

Putin: 'Our Countries Have Every Opportunity To Restore Normal, Full-Fledged Relations'



Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands (Source: Kremlin.ru, August 9, 2016)

Putin: "Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen. We have just completed the main part of the talks with President Erdogan. Naturally, this meeting is very important for the future of Russia-Turkey relations...

The history of [Russian-Turkish] relations includes different periods, sometimes very uneasy and even dramatic ones, but the logic of mutual respect inevitably wins out.

"First of all, I would like to note that despite the complicated domestic situation in Turkey, Mr. Erdogan found the time to come to St Petersburg, and this step certainly shows the interest of our Turkish partners in restoring cooperation with Russia.

"Today we met first in a limited format and then in an expanded format - with the participation of the heads of ministries and departments and CEOs of large companies - and mapped out the future actions and initial tasks that are required to effectively restore the multifaceted ties between our countries. Our priority is to reach the pre-crisis level of bilateral cooperation.

"And this is really an urgent task because just in the first five months of this year Russian-Turkish trade fell by 43 percent. Considering that last year the decline was 23 percent, 26 percent, this trend is very regrettable. We have painstaking work ahead of us to revive our trade and economic cooperation. We have already begun this process but it will take time...We intend to pay special attention to building up investment, commodity flows and the implementation of promising projects. It is very important that we have the support of our business communities in these efforts. After the news conference we will have an opportunity to hold a detailed discussion with heads of major companies of the two countries. I am referring to the phased lifting of the special economic measures - restrictions - introduced earlier with respect to Turkish companies. The Russian Government is working on a draft mid-term program of trade, economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation for 2016-2019.

"President Erdogan and I have agreed to steadily resume the work of the main mechanisms of cooperation. A session of the mixed Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation is scheduled for September. The relevant departments of both countries have been instructed to conduct a meeting of a joint strategic planning group in the first half of 2017.

"I would like to note in this context that the energy industry has long occupied a key place in trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Turkey. We discussed major joint projects in this field, the continuation of which will require concrete political decisions. Incidentally, Turkey has already made decisions on a number of large projects that we discussed earlier. I am referring to such projects as the construction of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant and the Turkish Stream gas pipeline system.

"Bringing our tourists back to Turkish resorts is also on our agenda. The ban on selling package tours to Turkey to Russian citizens was lifted in late June. I believe reaching pre-crisis tourist levels is only a matter of time. Most importantly, the Turkish side must ensure safe conditions for Russian citizens, and we have received such assurances from our partners. In this regard, we considered the possibility of resuming charter air service. This is, perhaps, also a technical issue that can be resolved quickly.

"We touched on the issue of lifting restrictions on hiring Turkish citizens and companies in our construction projects. We are working on it, and we will resolve this issue soon. Notably, bilateral cooperation on certain large-scale projects didn't stop at all. For example, the opening of the central portion of the Western High-Speed Diameter Highway here in St Petersburg is scheduled for late 2016. It is being built jointly by a Turkish general contractor and an Italian company.

"We had a detailed exchange on pressing international issues. By the way, we agreed that following the news conference we will have a separate discussion of all issues related to the Syrian settlement. There is a general understanding. I am confident that fighting terrorism is a critical element of our joint efforts, and we'll discuss this in more detail later.

"In closing, I would like to thank President Erdogan for a candid conversation we have had today. The talks have confirmed that our countries have every opportunity to restore normal, full-fledged relations, which would help bolster stability not only in our region, but also throughout the world. Russia is ready to work toward this..."



Russian President Vladimir Putin at the news conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Source: Kremlin.ru, August 9, 2016)

Erdogan: 'We Are Determined To Restore Our Relations To The Pre-Crisis Level And Beyond'



Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Source: Kremlin.ru, August 9, 2016)

Erdogan: "Mr. President, my dear friend, ministers, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to express my heartfelt greetings and respect to you and, above all, to thank my dear friend Vladimir Putin for his invitation and for the warm welcome he gave me.

"Today, President Putin and I had meaningful and substantive talks. As you know, these were the first talks after the incident, and this is our first face-to-face meeting in a long time. In addition, my visit to Russia is the first I've made since the attempted coup on 15 July in Turkey.

"We are determined to restore our relations to the pre-crisis level and beyond. We have the political will to do so. I think that our respective societies expect us to do just that.

"As a result of today's talks, political, socioeconomic, cultural and humanitarian relations between Russia and Turkey will finally be restored to their rightful level, before the crisis.

"In addition, it is imperative to resume charter flights between our two countries, lift the restrictions on Turkish agricultural products, and open the way to Turkish building contractors. I hope that, step by step, we will take all the necessary steps towards this goal.

"Of course, I would like to note that we are willing to designate the Akkuyu Project as a strategic investment project. We have reached agreements on this matter. We plan to expand our cooperation in the defense industry.

"With regard to regional issues in Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan, we have launched a trilateral format, which we appreciate greatly. Furthermore, large-scale projects, such as the Akkuyu NPP, are important to us, and we should actively promote them. I hope that the Moscow-Ankara axis of friendship will be restored as a result of these steps.

"Speaking about friendship, I cannot ignore one fact. On July 15 and 16, our country lived through one of the most despicable and bloodiest coup attempts. Members of the Fethullah Gulen terrorist group carried it out with the intention of overthrowing our Government.[11] This was an attempted coup aimed at our democracy. We will continue to fight back in solidarity with our friends.

"In addition, the Turkish Stream will be completed. Together with the relevant ministries and departments of our countries, we will take the necessary steps to ensure Russian gas supplies to Europe via this gas pipeline.

"On the day after the attempted coup d'etat, President Vladimir Putin called us, which was really important for us psychologically - it was a kind of moral support and a display of Russia-Turkey solidarity.

"Esteemed members of the press, Turkish-Russian relations are not limited to trade and economic ties. We are also hoping that their restoration and normalization will bring peace and stability to the region, which is very important. In addition, we will soon meet in a very narrow format where we will have an opportunity to discuss these issues as well.

"Owing to the political will of the leaders of Russia and Turkey and the support of public opinion in both countries, our bilateral relations have indeed reached a level in the past few years that could serve as an example for other countries. We have a shared vision and potential for cooperation. These are our achievements.

"Today, my dear friend Vladimir Putin and I have confirmed the similarity of our positions on normalizing relations. We should use the capabilities of our countries to enhance regional stability. We believe Russian-Turkish relations are now much more stable than any time before and will help us counter all kinds of crises.

"In conclusion, I would like to thank my dear friend Vladimir Putin personally and on behalf of the Turkish delegation, and to express my love and respect to all members of the press and everyone listening."



Russia government funded TV channel RT posted on its Instagram account a video on Russian President and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's body language. (Source: Rt.com, August 9, 2016)

Q&As

Putin: 'Everyone Knows That [Russia's and Turkey's] Views On A Syria Settlement Have Not Always Aligned'

Q: "My question is for both presidents, first the President of Turkey, then Mr. Putin. In terms of resolving the situation in Syria, there have obviously been some differences between the two countries, between the two leaders. However, both countries are in favor of democratic changes in that country, and you talked about this. How much did you focus on Syria today? Will both countries perhaps develop a road map to resolve this issue?"

Erdogan: "First of all, I would like to say that we have not yet discussed this issue during today's talks. Following the news conference, we plan to discuss it thoroughly. So, I cannot say anything, since we did not discuss this issue."

Putin: "I can confirm what our guest, the President of Turkey, just said. Everyone knows that our views on a Syria settlement have not always aligned. We agreed that following this meeting we will meet separately with foreign ministers and representatives of special services, share information, and look for a solution.

"You mentioned democratic reforms. We believe that democratic change can only be achieved by democratic means. This is our principled position.

"With regard to harmonizing our views and approaches, I think this is also possible, if only because we have a common goal, which is to resolve the Syria crisis. I think that based on this platform and this general approach, we will start looking for a mutually acceptable solution."

Putin: 'Initially We Regarded The Turkish Stream [Gas Pipeline System] Not Even As An Alternative To The South Stream'

Q: "Mr. Putin, you spoke about the need to revive trade and economic relations between the two countries and, in part, about some of the agreements on major projects that have already been reached. If I may, I would like to ask you to specify which project is more important for Russia - the South Stream [a suspended pipeline project to transport Russia's natural gas through the Black Sea to Bulgaria and through Serbia, Hungary and Slovenia further to Austria], considering Sofia's statements [on August 8, Bloomberg reported that Bulgarian PM Boyko Borissov said that Bulgaria and Russia agreed to set up working groups that will seek ways to resume the South Stream, which was cancelled in 2014 in the face of EU opposition], or the Turkish Stream, considering your discussion today - and the general character of Russia-Turkey cooperation at the moment. Or is there a possibility of compromise on these two projects?

"And Mr. Erdogan, you expressed interest in implementing the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant project and even intend to grant it a new status. However, as far as I know, its continuation requires the adoption of several laws in Turkey and the acquisition of a number of permits. When will practical steps be taken to this end?"

Putin: "We have never politicized economic cooperation. In proposing the South Stream project initially, we assumed that our gas would go directly to EU consumers in southern Europe. However, at first the European Parliament made a decision that prevented the implementation of this project and then the European Commission sent a letter to the Bulgarian Government demanding that preparations for it stop, and ultimately we did not receive the permission of the Bulgarian authorities to enter Bulgarian territory.

"Yes, now we see that Bulgaria would like to resume this project, but we incurred some losses due to the refusal of our European partners to carry out this project. So now we will not settle for just intentions and need absolutely rock solid legal guarantees. They have not been forthcoming. Initially we regarded the Turkish Stream not even as an alternative to the South Stream but as an opportunity to expand our gas cooperation both with Turkey and Europe as a whole. One part of the Turkish Stream was designed exclusively for Turkey's domestic consumers given the growing economy of the Republic of Turkey. This is how we discussed the issue today. This part is beyond any doubt and its implementation may be launched very soon.

"The second part related to routing our energy to Europe depends, of course, on a third party. We should work out these issues with European countries and the European Commission in Brussels. Together with our Turkish partners and friends, we are prepared to work toward this, but again we need to have an agreement with all the participants.

"With regard to all manner of permits, we should give credit to our Turkish colleagues. Unlike the South Stream project in the past, even despite the crisis in our relations, the Turkish side has been working on it, and basic permits and issues related to the Turkish Stream have already been processed and issued. There are still some issues that require more work to obtain permits. We discussed individual issues today.

"As for the Akkuyu NPP, three Turkish laws have been amended. We raised the issue of designating it a strategic investment project, which met with a positive response today. All of this suggests that these major projects - and we are talking about projects worth tens of billions of dollars - are quite feasible. I hope they will be seen to completion."

Erdogan: "With regard to the Akkuyu project, what we were expected to do is designate the project a strategic investment. From this perspective, we talked with our friends, our colleagues, and we plan to adopt a decision and designate the Russian project as a strategic investment as soon as possible. That will allow Akkuyu to take its place among other projects in our country and enjoy all the necessary benefits that come with this status.

With regard to other issues, in particular, the Turkish Stream, as you may know, we buy 28 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia: 18 billion are bought by state-owned organizations and 10 billion by privately owned businesses. So, we plan to implement this project in two areas, one of which includes supplies of Russian gas to Europe, and to speed it up. This is one of our current tasks, and I believe it is the right thing to do..."

Putin: "I would add that our cooperation is not limited to energy, gas, or a power plant. It is quite diversified and includes mechanical engineering, metallurgical industry, and trade. We discussed at length the resumption of agricultural supplies. We will do all of that as part of the plans that we articulated today."

Erdogan: "In Russian-Turkish Relations, In Economic Terms, We Achieved A Turnover Of $35 Billion"

Q: "A question for both leaders. First, Mr. Putin, as we understand, you are resolved to restore relations to the pre-crisis level. Will this take time and if so, what timeframe do you have in mind? In addition, you mentioned the need to simplify visa requirements between the two countries. Are you going to return to this issue?

"I also have questions for the President of Turkey. We see that relations have entered a new stage but you also said you were very pleased and grateful to Mr. Putin for calling you on the phone after the attempted coup. So I would like to ask a question in the context of U.S.-Turkish relations: is it possible to describe relations between Turkey and Russia as strategic? Have you entered a new stage of strategic relations?"

Putin: "Regarding the full restoration of relations - do we want it or not? Yes, we want it and will do this. Life moves very quickly. Certain changes were caused by the introduction of restrictions. We must consider these changes as we implement plans to restore our trade and economic ties.

"In this context we adopted a Government decision to draft a medium-term program of trade, economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation for 2016-2019, which I have just mentioned. I am hoping this program will be adopted very soon. We will do this in the next few weeks on the issues that do not require much time for coordination between our departments. As for those issues that take longer to coordinate, we will include them in this medium-term program...We have just agreed that our colleagues will continue contacts on a daily basis without red tape. Decisions on some issues will be made in the near future.

"As for visa issues, yes, they should be resolved as well, considering that they are related to economic cooperation. We have quoted our Turkish colleagues today as saying that visa restrictions are causing economic problems in the field of transport - both for train and air travel. We should take all this into account as we unblock our economic cooperation."

Erdogan: "Thank you very much, Mr. President, in particular. You are suggesting that I draw a comparison, but I can tell you this: in Russian-Turkish relations, in economic terms, we achieved a turnover of $35 billion. We are the two countries that managed to do this. Of course, after last year's incident, trade fell to about $28 billion, and then even lower.

"We have a High-Level Cooperation Council in place, which provides for this kind of strategic cooperation. We have worked together within this mechanism. We hope to be able to hold another meeting of the council next year and to resume our partnership from where we left it here in St Petersburg.

"You may recall that we had a goal of reaching $100 billion in trade, and we will strive to achieve this goal. As of today, we are resuming the process, and we are moving towards this goal. Another conclusion I have made: from the point of view of tourism, Turkey did derive substantial income from Russian tourists, and tourism brought our peoples closer. I believe we should not leave this process unattended. During today's talks, the President said that the process of resuming charter flights between our two countries will be sped up. This process is an important sign that our rapprochement will go even faster..."

Putin: 'The U.S. Asked Us To Help Secure The Release Of An American Citizen Who Wound Up On The Territory Of The Syrian Republic'

Q: "Mr. Putin, recently the foreign media again raised the issue of the Americans paying Iran $400 million in cash. Officially, this money was supposedly paid for arms supplies in 1979. But some claim that it was ransom for the release of four Americans from Iranian prisons. I recall your recent meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at which you said that you had fulfilled Barack Obama's request to secure the release of Americans. Could you describe the details of this special operation and clarify whether aircraft with millions of dollars in cash have flown from Washington to Russia as well."

Putin: "Your irony is understandable to an extent. I would like to say that we do not deal with exchanges and ransom, but indeed, several months ago the United States asked us to help secure the release of an American citizen who wound up on the territory of the Syrian Republic. We did this after some work. This was not a special operation. We simply reached an agreement with the Syrian authorities on this issue, received the man and transferred him to the U.S. - of course, without any money or ransom. We were motivated exclusively by humanitarian considerations. That's all. If there is an opportunity to help people in such difficult circumstances as was the case with that American citizen, we will be ready to do this in the future as well for citizens of any country. We hope that our partners will reciprocate with our citizens.

"In conclusion, I would like to thank representatives of the media and the President for his visit, for bringing such a representative delegation, and to express my gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Turkey and the business community.

"I would like to say that we indeed went through a very difficult period in our relations, but we would very much like - and we feel our Turkish friends would like this as well - to overcome these difficulties in the interests of Turkish and Russian citizens. The supreme interests of our nations and countries demand the restoration of relations between our countries - and not only out of pragmatic considerations but also in the name of the long-term neighborly ties and friendship between the peoples of Turkey and the Russian Federation..."

Endnotes:
In his January 13, 2016 column in the Jordanian daily Al-Dustour, Maher Abu Tair warned of the damage done to children's psyches by the graphic images broadcast by media, even in countries where there is no war or conflict. He wrote that exposing children to such images shapes their consciousness and terrorizes them, so that they could grow into fearful and submissive adults too anxiety-ridden to stand up for themselves. Abu Tair went on to call on media to act responsibly and to choose images that can convey the story without causing damage to viewers.



Maher Abu Tair (Aljazeera.net, February 4, 2015)

The following are excerpts from his column:[1]

"Tens of thousands of video items and scenes of slaughter in Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, and many [other] places flow from the media every year. These images are not mere pictures; they connect people who do not experience disasters with those who do.

"However, we wonder about one specific group - the young people who absorb this blood-soaked media through the TV screens, social networks, and websites. This is because this generation cannot be kept away from these graphic images, encountered via its laptops, desktops, iPads, and even WhatsApp. There are numerous options available.

"If children in countries affected by a disaster are exposed to mental devastation, their souls plagued by fear and terror as a result of seeing death and slaughter with their own eyes - like the children of Gaza or Syria - ... what about the children who see such scenes from afar, and what about the impact those images have on them? This is not a comparison of the two situations - [such] comparisons are unfair - but we are discussing a certain situation that proves that the mental devastation of the Arab identity includes everyone - both those subject to bombing and those who view the bombing [in the media].

"We want [to hear some] professional opinions on the psychological impact [of such images] on children outside the devastated countries, millions of whom, especially Arabs, [are exposed] to this torrent of graphic media. What effects will could exposure have[?] Will it ruin their personality, and lead to emotional submissiveness and humiliation at an early age, so that the child will grow into a panicked, anxious, and subdued adult... who flees death at [any] cost? Or will [these images] accumulate in his [memory], and when he grows turn into a torrent of rage and a desire to retaliate against any element he considers responsible for the killing, orphaning, and terrorizing that he saw as a child?

"We want to openly state that the [negative] impact of graphic images in the Arab world is felt not only among peoples who suffered occupation, conflict, or civil war, but also spreads secretly, infiltrating [the minds of] millions, especially children, reshaping them in an unpredictable way.

"This is one kind of damage caused by these TV broadcasts and images, which document an event, but [at the same time] constitute a secret means of reshaping the consciousness in the region, because the excessive publication and broadcasting [of this content] without considering its long-term effects is aimed at sowing fear and submission in the hearts of children, to turn them into young people who do not take proper care of their own affairs because of the [fear of] death that was instilled in them at a tender age.

"Therefore, we call on all media, particularly Arab media, to deeply consider the significance of images and their collective consequences. While these sights cannot be ignored here, we can choose images that convey the story without becoming a tool to combat and destroy the psyches [of children] in countries not yet touched by devastation.

"These words are in no way aimed at dividing [the peoples] in the region into those who live comfortably and those who are experiencing catastrophes. But we do not want to increase [the damage caused by] these disasters so that they harm everyone. There is a very great difference between creating sympathy by broadcasting images and destroying people's emotional structure and subduing them by making them watch their own people dying or being injured."

Endnotes:
If you think of Goa, friends, fun, craziness, memories, and sentiments, and you add them all, what do you get? You get the cult cocktail called Dil Chahta Hai. As the most awesome sauce youth movie completes 15 years, there is nothing more any of us want from Farhan Akhtar but another Dil Chahta Hai!

 YouTube

Someone tweeted the actor/director, urging him for a sequel, and even though Farhan didnt acknowledge a yes, but guess what? He didnt even said a no either! So this has our excitement touching the roof.

@FarOutAkhtar If U had contested for d position of CM in Goa,just after d release of d movie,u wld hv been elected the CM. Alternate Career.  Suheil Merchant (@suheil_merchant) August 10, 2016

So, since Dil Chahta Hai spells nostalgia like no other, here are some BTS videos that will take you back to 2001!
Salman Khan gains fame from various sources. Be it his controversies, an uber controversial love life, him being human (or not) or his larger than life choice of movies, there is no escaping his presence. Another addition which Salman usually infuses in his movies is the introduction of a new beautiful face of his lady love in his movies. The recent pictures doing the rounds have Salman with a beautiful face, shooting for his upcoming movie Tubelight in Ladakh. The actress in question here is the gorgeous Chinese woman, Zhu Zhu. We did some digging, and we are already so excited!

? A photo posted by Zhu Zhu (@zhuzhuclubheaven) on Apr 19, 2016 at 12:20am PDT

She is a concoction of simplicity embedded in a grandeur of beauty. Yes, its that simple. No, seriously.

#longines ??? A photo posted by Zhu Zhu (@zhuzhuclubheaven) on Apr 3, 2016 at 9:05am PDT

She was born in a military family in Beijing and her grandfather was a part of the Peoples Liberation Army.

Read more, exercise more. A photo posted by Zhu Zhu (@zhuzhuclubheaven) on Mar 29, 2016 at 9:57am PDT

She pursued a degree in electronics and communication engineering from the Beijing Technology and Business University.

If you are as strong as a ? and as hard working as a ?, then you will be Niu Bee! ?bee bee! [][][]--? A photo posted by Zhu Zhu (@zhuzhuclubheaven) on Aug 3, 2016 at 11:53pm PDT

The nerdy beauty was finally absorbed by the glamour world when she turned a VJ for MTV China.

Couldn't think of a better place to read a script but also lots of distractions ?????????? A photo posted by Zhu Zhu (@zhuzhuclubheaven) on Jul 17, 2016 at 2:50pm PDT

She became an established name soon, and has even worked in movies like What Women Want, Shanghai Calling, The Man with the Iron Fists, and Last Flight.

A photo posted by Zhu Zhu (@zhuzhuclubheaven) on Jun 13, 2016 at 11:11am PDT

Zhu Zhu was previously dating Lapo Elkann, an Italian entrepreneur, but is now currently single. And hot. And sexy. AF!

#zhuzhu for #ELLE ? A photo posted by Zhu Zhu (@zhuzhuclubheaven) on Mar 22, 2016 at 7:07pm PDT

She looks like a piece of shiny diamond even when she wakes up.

???? # A photo posted by Zhu Zhu (@zhuzhuclubheaven) on Mar 10, 2016 at 5:42am PST

She will be seen with Salman Khan in the upcoming project, Tubelight.

And just like the handsome star, Zhu Zhu is a horse lover and an avid horse rider.

sweet darling? A photo posted by Zhu Zhu (@zhuzhuclubheaven) on Feb 24, 2016 at 11:40pm PST

We cannot wait to see her set our screens on fire with that smile!
There is nothing new about the images of Mars being released by NASA, but this time around its special because NASA has released as many as 1000 high-res images of Mars surface and you can now have a closer insight of the planets craters, dunes, mountains, ice caps and other features. NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiters (MRO) HiRise camera has been taking pictures of the planet since 2005.

 NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

The Director of the Planetary Image Research Laboratory, Alfred McEwen, told Popular Science that every 26 months Mars and Sun are on the opposite sides of the Earths surface, thus providing an amazing view and unobstructed communications between Mars and Earth for a few weeks (this year the date was May 22).

 NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

This means that during this time, the line of sight between Mars and Earth overlaps with Mars equinox due to which the sun shines directly on Mars equator, thus giving excellent opportunity to the MRO for clicking such amazing pictures. Otherwise, the rest of the year usually sees either the North or the South pole in darkness.

 NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

In fact, McEwen also said that the MRO is keeping a close watch on the active processes on Mars surface including the steep slope flows, dry ice jets in the polar regions and the migrating sand dunes. You can see all the stunning images of Mars here.

 NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Source: Popular Science
The state carrier and its employees had been at loggerheads with each other over a slew of issues, including the perpetual delay in disseminating salaries.
Farmers take a close look at some equipment Tuesday afternoon during the 22nd Annual Field Day. The event was hosted by Thumb National Bank and local farming equipment businesses, at the W.A. Herford and Sons Farm in Elkton. The bank puts together a customer appreciation day each year as a unique way to thank its customers as well as make the faces of local farmers and their equipment more noticeable in the eye of the public.
Despite Flipping in Surf 4 Times in a Year, Marines Say New ACV Is the Future of Amphibious Warfare

Some Marine veterans familiar with the vehicle and its operations have worried about the reliability of the ACV.
The Air Force is seeking to boost by $10,000 the retention bonuses for remotely piloted aircraft -- or drones -- from $25,000 to $35,000 as part of an overall plan to stem the exodus of pilots for better pay with the airlines, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said Wednesday.

James has previously said that she favored increasing the Aviator Retention Pay for manned aircraft pilots to $48,000 from the $25,000 cap, which has been in effect since 1999. "We're still working to update the retention bonuses for all," she said.

The Air Force is also looking to hire more contractors to fly unarmed UAV reconnaissance missions to make up for a current shortage of drone pilots, James said.

Both James and new Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein, an F-16 pilot, said the loss of pilots to the airlines was a looming "crisis" for the Air Force. The Air Force is projected to be short about 700 pilots in coming years, Goldfein said.

"Here's the reason I believe it's a crisis: Air superiority is not an American birthright," Goldfein said. "It's actually something you have to fight for and maintain. I'm hoping that if we take a balanced approach, we can get these folks to stay."

The retention bonus increases are subject to approval by Congress in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. Negotiations on final passage will begin next month in a House-Senate conference committee, but there is no guarantee that a deal can be reached in an election year.

In the House version of the NDAA, there is a proposal for a $60,000 pilot retention bonus. The Senate version lacks any Aviation Retention Pay proposals.

At a Pentagon news conference with Goldfein, James said she feared that Congress would be unable to reach agreement on an NDAA for FY17. She said that a six-month or one-year continuing resolution to keep the current NDAA in place was a possibility, which would be disastrous for the Air Force.

"We hope that won't be the case," James said, adding that failure to reach agreement on the NDAA would impact more than 60 acquisition programs and new starts, including upgrades for the B-2 and B-52 bombers, MQ-9 Reaper drones, and C-130 cargo aircraft.

Cutbacks would also impact plans to replenish stocks of JDAMS, or Joint Direct Attack Munitions bombs, James said.

In his first Pentagon news conference since taking command five weeks ago, Goldfein said, "We will be unable to execute the defense strategic guidance" if Congress fails to pass the NDAA, thereby threatening a return to the cost-cutting sequestration process.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
In the fallout from an embarrassing international incident in which two Navy riverine boats strayed into Iranian waters during a transit to Bahrain and were briefly captured, some half-dozen sailors have faced punishments, but one was recognized with a prestigious award for quick actions in the face of danger, Military.com has learned.

A Navy petty officer second class, the only female sailor among the 10 who were detained, received the Navy Commendation Medal on Aug. 3 in recognition of her efforts to summon help under the noses of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard members who captured the crews.

The number two gunner aboard the second riverine boat, she managed to activate an emergency position-indicating radio beacon, used to signal distress at sea, while in a position of surrender and at gunpoint.

A Navy spokesman, Lt. Loren Terry, said the sailor had asked not to be identified and had declined interviews.

Service commendation medals are presented for heroic service or meritorious achievement.

In a recommendation within the riverine command investigation released to reporters at the end of June, investigating officers found the riverine gunner should be recognized for "her extraordinary courage in activating an emergency beacon while kneeling, bound, and guarded at Iranian gunpoint, at risk to her own safety."

While one of the guards ultimately noticed the beacon and turned it off, help was not far off.

The Coast Guard Cutter Monomoy, which had been monitoring the journey of the riverine boats, notified Task Force 56.7, the parent unit in Bahrain, when the boats appeared to enter Iranian waters.

The investigation found the crews of the Monomoy and the guided-missile cruiser USS Anzio should also receive recognition for their efforts to track the captured boat crews and provide assistance for their safe return.

None of the riverine crew members involved in the incident has spoken publicly about the experience. They were returned to U.S. custody following a 15-hour period of detention, during which their captors filmed them and took photographs later used for propaganda purposes by the Iranian media.

Photos indicate the female gunner was made to wear a headscarf while detained.

A military source with knowledge of planning said the Navy's administrative personnel actions regarding the Jan. 12 riverine incident were nearing completion.

In all, three officers were removed from their posts and four officers were sent to admiral's mast, with two receiving letters of reprimand for disobeying a superior officer and dereliction of duty, according to a statement this week from Navy Expeditionary Combat Command and first reported by Navy Times.

One of the officers was found not guilty of dereliction of duty, and a fourth officer still awaits completion of "accountability actions."

Two enlisted sailors received letters of reprimand for dereliction of duty, according to the statement.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson said in June the Navy plans to implement better predeployment training and training on rules of engagement for sailors, as well as enhanced equipment checks and unit oversight.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at@HopeSeck.

Related Video:
Army Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland was set to brief the Pentagon on Wednesday on his tenure as commander of the anti-ISIS campaign in Iraq and Syria, which has seen a slow switch from defense to offense on his watch.

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has already settled on Army Lt. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as MacFarland's replacement at Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, headquartered in Baghdad.

Townsend, a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, was expected to be on the ground later this month or in early September.

Last September, when Carter named MacFarland to take over at CJTF, the campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria was in disarray. Ramadi, the provincial capital of Anbar province, had fallen to ISIS, and Carter was questioning whether the Iraqi Security Forces had the "will to fight."

The unruly effort U.S. effort lacked coordination among the often conflicting interests of the White House, State Department, intelligence agencies and the Pentagon.

MacFarland's job was to get it under control.

"Rather than three generals responsible for different aspects of the campaign, as had been the case, I have empowered Lt. Gen. MacFarland as the single commander of counter-ISIL activities in both Iraq and Syria," Carter said at the time, using another acronym for ISIS. "His efforts will be critical in the coming months as we continue to provide support for capable partners fighting on the front lines."

By the end of 2015, the ISF, backed by U.S. and coalition airpower and training on how to build floating bridges to get at the city's center, had taken back Ramadi. In the coming months, Fallujah would also fall, although the U.S. initially had urged the Baghdad government to bypass Fallujah to concentrate on northwestern Mosul.

Ramadi was familiar territory for MacFarland. As a colonel in 2007, he had a major part in securing the city and fostering what became known as the "Sunni Awakening" to get the cooperation of the Sunni tribes against the insurgents.

MacFarland told USA Today at the time that, "I was given very broad guidance -- fix Ramadi, but don't destroy it. Don't do a Fallujah." He referred to a previous campaign to take back Fallujah that left the city in ruins after fierce fighting.

MacFarland was due to brief reporters at the Pentagon from Baghdad two days after the second anniversary of the Aug. 8, 2014, start of the U.S. bombing campaign against ISIS. The targets of the airstrikes since then have charted a gradual shift from defense to offense.

The first U.S. airstrikes authorized by President Obama against ISIS two years ago were ordered to halt the march of the terror group on Baghdad and the Kurdish regional capital of Irbil.

On Monday, the second anniversary of bombing campaign, U.S. warplanes struck near Mosul, the last remaining major ISIS stronghold in Iraq, and hit four times near the Syrian city of Manbij to consolidate what appeared to be a crucial victory by U.S.-backed local forces against ISIS in taking back the city, U.S. Central Command reported.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
Anthony Deane was a young U.S. Army officer when he deployed to Iraq during the first Gulf War.

In 1990, he was among the 26,000 soldiers who served with the 24th Infantry Division during Operation Desert Storm and participated in the 96-hour battle that became known as the "left hook" attack and a major victory for then-Gen. Barry McCaffrey.

In 2006, Deane returned to Iraq as a colonel during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Given his previous tour of duty in the country, he felt like he had the necessary experience to carry out his orders to "take back Ramadi...but don't make it another Fallujah." He recalled thinking, "Well, I've been in combat, I understand how this works."

That changed when Deane and the incoming and outgoing company commanders drove in Humvees on a patrol around the city, which extends along the Euphrates River.

While the officers were conducting final checks to validate the company relief in place program, a suicide bomber rammed a dump truck carrying a 500-pound bomb into a security control point set up by Iraqi security forces in the southern end of town. Insurgents began mortaring the troops and shooting at them from across the river in a complex attack.

"[We] were the first three to show up for help," he said. "We find ourselves in this firefight...and we're getting attacked from two sides, and I was like, 'This ain't at all what Desert Storm was like.'"

Deane is the author of "Ramadi Declassified: A Roadmap to Peace in the Most Dangerous City in Iraq," which was published in May by Praetorian Books. He joins a growing list of authors who have written about the U.S. military's involvement in that strategic city.

This year, Kevin Lacz, a former Navy SEAL who in 2006 served alongside the late "American Sniper" Chris Kyle in Ramadi, penned, "The Last Punisher: A SEAL Team Three Sniper's True Account of the Battle of Ramadi," which was co-authored by his wife Lindsey and former Marine Corps combat correspondent Ethan Rocke and published by Simon and Schuster.

Five years ago, Jim Michaels, a reporter for USA Today who worked with Deane and then-Col. Sean MacFarland while they were in Ramadi, wrote, "A Chance in Hell: The Men Who Triumphed Over Iraq's Deadliest City and Turned the Tide of War." MacFarland, meanwhile, went on to become a lieutenant general who oversaw the U.S. military campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS.

Deane, who recently sat down with Military.com to discuss his experiences in Iraq, said he decided to write his own book in part to tell the stories of the soldiers with whom he served. During his tour, 17 American service members were killed in his unit and several dozen more were wounded, many with life-changing injuries, he said.

"I thought the story of my soldiers needed to be told," he said. "They just fought heroically...It sounds kind of corny to say uncommon valor was common, but it really was."

In just one example, Deane recounted how Sgt. 1st Class Jeffery Folks, a tanker assigned to the advisory team, left the safety of a forward operating base to join a firefight after hearing that a Marine, Chief Warrant Officer Jason Forgash, was injured while traveling with an Iraqi patrol that was ambushed by insurgents.

"Folks in one Humvee leaves the FOB, drives into the firefight, finds him in all this chaos, throws him in the back and gets him to the hospital within 10 minutes, which saved his life," he said.

In writing the book, Deane also wanted to explain the difficulty of the challenge to convince Sunni tribal shieks in Anbar province to stop fighting American and Iraqi forces, a movement that became known as the Awakening and, combined with the surge of U.S. troops into Iraq, was credited with helping turn the tide of violence in the country.

"The story of Ramadi has been told, but it's been told in pieces, especially the Awakening," he said. "There was really two groups fighting us: al-Qaeda and local mujahideen who were just angry that we were there and that the government in Baghdad wasn't Sunni anymore.

"We always thought if we could split the mujahadeen from al-Qaeda, things would go pretty well, he said. "I used to tell my guys, 'It's almost like some sort of weird Iraqi Red Dawn going on here," he added, referring to the 1984 movie about a Soviet invasion of the U.S. "They're just mad we're here. We just got to get them pointed in the right direction."

Deane pointed to difficulties, such as the deaths of sheiks who decided to collaborate with the Americans. After his deployment, one of the sheiks he worked with, Abdul Sattar Buzaigh al-Rishawi, who had recently met with then-President George W. Bush, was killed in a bomb attack in September 2007.

Deane also highlighted successes in recruiting local Iraqis to join the security forces, including one recruitment drive at a sheik's house that added 200 policemen to the ranks -- despite a mortar attack on the compound the same day. While the figure wasn't the 500 police as promised, it was "twice as many as we had the day before," he said.

Even so, Deane said he regrets the decision made at the time by the chain of command to compensate the fighters for their willingness to lay down their arms.

"When we started paying the Sons of Iraq, I think that might have been a huge mistake, instead of forcing them into reconciling among themselves," he said. "There's a lot you can do with military power, but until you get the political reconciliation between the people, you're just going to be out there killing people."

Deane also said he wishes the U.S. kept a larger military footprint in Iraq. American troops left the country in 2011 -- only to return a few years later amid increasing violence. To combat the rise of ISIS, President Barack Obama in 2014 authorized U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and, more recently, the deployment of up to almost 5,000 American troops.

"We had such an opportunity after the Awakening, after the surge," Deane said. "By 2010-2011, things were going pretty well and we just kind of let that go away."

Last year, nearly a decade after Deane's second tour in Iraq, Ramadi fell to Islamic militants. While the city center was retaken by Iraqi forces, it sustained heavy damage in the fighting and remains in dire condition.

"When Ramadi fell, I think most of us were pretty mad about it," Deane said. "We fought for it and Americans lost their lives on the ground. It just symbolized for me the opportunity that was lost.

"If you look at the recapturing of Ramadi, it's flattened," he added. "There's a humanitarian crisis down there. Buildings are booby-trapped. The whole town's rubbled. So it's gone for at least a few years until it's rebuilt -- if it's going to be rebuilt."

--Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry.

Related Video:
The outgoing commander of U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria said Wednesday that "the enemy is in retreat on all fronts" as local forces backed by U.S. and coalition airpower press offensives.

"You don't hear the world 'stalemate' anymore" to describe the anti-ISIS campaign, Army Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, the commander of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, said in a briefing from his Baghdad headquarters to the Pentagon.

After nearly a year as CJTF-OIR commander, MacFarland said he will be turning over the post in about 10 days to Army Lt. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

MacFarland called Townsend the perfect replacement. He cited Townsend's experience in a previous tour in Iraq in the northwestern Iraqi city of Mosul, which is the next major objective in the campaign against ISIS in Iraq.

MacFarland declined to give timeframes for coming offensives but said the campaign in Iraq was more advanced than the effort in Syria amid a civil war.

In either case, "I am 100 percent certain that Daesh will be eliminated as a governing entity in Iraq and Syria," MacFarland said, using an Arabic acronym for ISIS.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Mililtary.com.

Related Video:
Depending on your PT test, the order of swimming may best be determined by where it is in the order of events of that test.
T20 World Cup 2022 Points Table Update: The Latest Standings in Group 1 After Friday's Washout

T20 World Cup 2022: All to Play For After Australia-England Washout in Melbourne

Watch: Suryakumar Yadav Reacts After Ravi Shastri Calls Him a 'Three Format Player', Claims he Can Surprise in Test Cricket

T20 World Cup, IND vs SA: Lance Klusener Reckons Outcome Will Depend on How Well Indian Batters Can Handle South African Pacers
Illegal Chinese gold miners in Tanai district, Kachin State, are beyond the reach of government legal action, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation has admitted. U Than Daing, managing director of the ministrys No 2 Mining Enterprise, told The Myanmar Times that the zone in question was not under its jurisdiction.





He spoke after a series of raids had been carried out by the armed forces, in which a dozen foreign citizens, believed to be Chinese, were arrested and nearly 60 heavy vehicles and other equipment used for mining were seized. The equipment included rafts and drilling rigs used in gold mining.

The raid was reported in the military owned Myawady newspaper on August 6, which described the arrested individuals as foreigners. U Than Daing said the men were Chinese.

He described that part of Kachin State, near the Chinese border, as not peaceful, adding that transportation was very difficult. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation had therefore not designated the zone as a gold-mining site for those reasons, and any mining that was being conducted there was outside its control.

The ministry has granted permits to 10 firms for small-scale gold mining operations in Tanai township, including seven in Minekone village, two between Minekon and Nanpu village and one in Shinveyan area. None of those were involved in the seizures and arrests carried out by the armed forces, he said.

The companies targeted in the seizures are Chinese firms who have paid the Kachin Independence Army to mine gold unofficially along the border. The ministry did not grant them permits, and cannot take legal action against them, said U Than Daing.

In between the villages of Donban and Shaduzou, the armed forces arrested four foreign citizens and seized 13 backhoes, three 22-wheel vehicles, one 10-wheel vehicle and two rafts on July 28. Two more backhoes, three six-wheel vehicles, and two rafts were seized on July 30 and five rafts were seized on July 31. On August 2, two 10-wheel vehicles, 17 backhoes, three 22-wheel vehicles and 13 rafts were seized along with eight foreigners, according to military-owned Myawady newspaper on August 6.

Kachin State Chief Minister U Khet Aung invited local residents to report to the authorities any evidence of illegal mining or damage to the environment in the state. We will take action on any such report we receive, he said.





The chief minister said the authorities were working on a draft regional economic policy, and would take into account the views of local residents about the use of resources.

Translation by San Layy
A Mandalay trader is circulating a petition calling for an immediate but temporary halt to jade mining and a revamp of export procedures, warning the Mandalay market could be headed for disaster if business continues as usual.





The petition will shortly be submitted to a Regional and Union-level officials, with its main backer hoping it can sway the government, even if only a minority of jade traders signs on.

If they keep mining and exporting the jade as they are now, then within one year, two years, the local market will be finished, said U Aung Win Oo, a prominent Mandalay jade dealer.

He is the driving force behind the petition, which he said he began after a meeting with government officials shortly after the National League for Democracy took power on April 1.

U Aung Win Oo said that at the meeting the government officials sought businesspeoples opinions on the future of the jade market, which is an important part of Mandalays economy but has suffered enormously from falling prices in the last few years.

He claimed he was the only one of 16 jade dealers in attendance who wanted the temporary stop and reorganisation of the industry in an effort to improve its profitability for Mandalay.

U Aung Win Oo subsequently launched the petition, which calls for an immediate, temporary halt to jade mining at Hpakant. The effect will be to push up prices as supply becomes restricted, though U Aung Win Oo claimed the primary goal of the halt is to allow the new government to reorganise how the jade export market is conducted.





The previous government had passed an amendment to the Gemstone Law on January 29 2016 which he claimed made it easier for direct exports of jade. U Aung Win Oo said this will end up hurting the Mandalay and Sagaing markets, as traders can now cut out the middleman and take their products straight from the mines to China.

We have to amend this law again, he said in an interview at his home in Mandalay.

A mining suspension would also allow the new National League for Democracy administration time to improve the governments tax and revenue efforts from the miners, he added.

Traditionally, jade is mined at Hpakant in Kachin State, and then brought to Mandalay or Nay Pyi Taw where it is sold to foreign buyers. The Mandalay market operates every day, while the Nay Pyi Taw jade emporium is run by the government and only takes place once a year for a few days. A large quantity of jade is also smuggled directly to China, the major buyer of Myanmars jade.

Prices in Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw have dropped precipitously over the last two years, and traders have pointed to a range of causes.

U Aung Win Oo said the 2012-13 conflict in Kachin State between the Tatmadaw and the Kachin Independence Army somewhat restricted supply, keeping prices high. With a recently improved security situation in Kachin, more people have been able to enter the business.

The National League for Democracy victory in the November 2015 election also caused a flurry of activity at Hpakant, as miners pushed to extract as much as possible ahead of a potential change in policy brought by the new government, he said.

Other traders have blamed Chinas crackdown on corruption and its slowing economy for keeping that countrys buyers at home.

Whatever the reason, it is clear the Mandalay jade business is hurting. However, U Aung Win Oo admits it has been difficult to convince jade traders to support his proposed remedies.

His petition had only a few dozen names of traders when seen by The Myanmar Times, though at the Mandalay market the next block over from his house, there are thousands of buyers and sellers at the market every day.

Prices may be low, but the prospect of striking it rich with the precious stones keeps traders coming.

Traders there said that while they are aware of the petition  U Aung Win Oo ensured a booth was manned at the market from July 14 to 28  they are reluctant to put their names to it.

Im not interested in the petition, said one trader at the market, who declined to be named. Prices are less than half of what they were a few years ago, but I still need to sell for my business.

U Aung Win Oo said he is not sure if his petition will have any effect. However, he reckons the new government may be receptive to his views, and he plans to submit the appeal even if it has fewer names than he would like.

The petition comes at a crucial time for the jade industry. Mining practices in Hpakant have been the target of repeated criticism due to environmental and human rights concerns, complaints about the murky business practices and profiteering in the industry, and allegations that the resource fuels conflict and corruption in the region.

However, Myanmar faces a large and growing trade deficit, and jade is a major export industry. Assessments of its value have varied widely, with a study by the Ash Center at Harvard University estimating jade sales as worth US$7.9 billion in 2011, while Global Witness put 2014 production at about $30 billion.

Regardless of the trades actual value, it is clear the economic impacts are far-reaching. For instance, it is a popular refrain among Mandalays real estate brokers that the jade markets ups and downs affect the citys housing prices.

The National League for Democracy government has already signalled the potential for change in the troubled industry, though much of its approach remains to be seen.

Government officials said in July that mining permits will not be renewed for jade and gems when they expire. New permits will be issued once by-laws to the Myanmar Gemstones Law have been passed, an official from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation said.

For now, U Aung Win Oo claims he will continue with his somewhat unlikely petition.

Next week, I will send the petition to eight different government departments, he said. I dont know how they will respond.
The Ministry of Construction has already closed more than half of the 300 road and bridge tollgates it has built, and is looking for ways to make up the lost revenue that would result from plans to close the rest.





U Kyaw Lin, the permanent secretary of the ministry, told The Myanmar Times on August 8 that there were only 140 Ministry of Commerce-built gates left, and that number would be reduced further.

Since this government took office, 161 toll gates on roads and bridges have been removed, leaving about 140 gates. We are seeking a solution that would reduce that number further, he said.

Toll gates that were not built by the Ministry of Construction, but by firms as part of a build-operate-transfer project, are unaffected.

Under the previous government, there were 301 Ministry of Construction-built toll bridges and roads nationwide and a tender invitation was typically made to the private sector to collect the fees.

When the National League for Democracy government took office in April, the removal of tollgates began.

The remaining 140 gates will bring in K24 billion in revenue this year. In order to make up for that income, which would be lost if the remaining tollgates were closed, the ministry is seeking a solution that would allow it to maintain its budget for road and bridge renovations at current levels of state revenue.





Were looking at a gasoline tax, as many other countries have. In Japan, the tax is 15 percent of the price of fuel, while other countries levy 20pc, payable by any driver who uses the roads. If we collect K60 per litre, the revenue would be K200 billion. We are now doing research on the likely effects on commodity prices, to see if it would be advantageous and if people can accept it, he said.

The ministry is also calculating whether the fruits of a fuel tax could pay for the repair of roads and bridges. Any such decision would require a high-level government decision.

U Soe Tun, chair of the Myanmar Automobile Manufacturers and Distributors Association, said, I welcome the news that the government will reduce the number of toll gates. Levying a fuel tax is a common practice overseas, but I dont know what percentage they will assess. I think the tax should be collected to generate revenue for the country and to fund the repair of roads and bridges.

Translation by Kyawt Darly Linn and Thiri Min Htun
He pauses to wipe sweat from his brow, which drips in the heat of a Mandalay afternoon.





The respite is brief, and after just a few seconds to catch his breath, Zaw Win returns to the backbreaking work that is his livelihood  pounding gold leaf in Mandalays King Galon workshop.

The shop, not far from the legendary Mahamuni Buddha image, is one of few in the Golden Land, producing gold leaf for pagodas around the upper Dry Zone and as far away as Yangon. The painstaking process takes years of preparation and hundreds of man-hours.

It all starts, not with gold, but with a special bamboo treatment process to create the waxy paper on which the gold is laid. Farmers harvest younger-than-6-months-old bamboo because it is not yet hollow, slicing the wood thinly into strips. The strips are stored in ceramic jars for at least three years, where they stew and soften in lime water.

After three years, the soft bamboo is washed for around 36 hours and then ground by a wooden mortar and pestle for 15 days. Tin Aung, a tour guide with Heritage Lines Anawratha cruise ship who frequently leads groups to the King Galon shop, said this element of production is crucial  the resulting bamboo paste is thoroughly mixed with water and poured into a mould, where it dries into the paper used to layer between gold strips.





Women beat the paper for several hours, burnishing it to a waxy finish that prevents sticking, and finally  after all that  the gold process is ready to begin.

Three ticals (or about 2 ounces) of gold bullion is melted in a separate room, later cooling into a large flat mould. Using a press, the workers then feed the large mould through a crank, flattening it even further until they have a 20-foot-long ribbon of gold.

The long ribbon is cut into 5-foot-long strips, which are further sliced into 200 pieces. Each piece is placed between the aforementioned burnished bamboo paper, creating bricks of gold-paper-gold layers. Men like Zaw Win wrap the bricks in deer skin, and then the pounding starts.

With 6-pound sledges, the men pound the gold for about half an hour, spreading the gold out considerably. These flakes are then cut again, this time into six pieces, before being stacked between the bamboo paper and packaging the layers in deer skin once again.

What started as 200 pieces has now multiplied into 1200, and the men get back to work. Swinging away, they spend around five hours on one brick, often marking time by using an ancient time-keeping device known as a clepsydra, which is essentially half of a coconut floating in a bucket with a hole in the bottom. Zaw Win said he tries to finish 120 strokes before the cup fills and sinks, and added that they aim for 18 clepsydra cycles per hour. Thats approximately 2160 swings per hour.

By the time hes done, the gold has flattened and the deerskin-bound brick of layers has heated up from the kinetic energy. Women in the room next door untie the layers and package the gold for sale. Working eight hours a day, one woman joked that the job takes patience. Thats why its all women in here!

Using a tool made from buffalo horn, the women peel the gold off the bamboo paper. Talcum powder keeps the leaf from sticking to fingers, allowing them to stick the leaf to squares of paper bound around the country.

Devout Buddhists purchase the final product  a 2-inch-by-2 inch square of paper thin gold  for K1000-K2000. Applying it to a Buddha image or pagoda exterior is believed to help the patron gain merit, but some pagoda officials have begun limiting the locations where gold leaf may be applied.

At the Mahamuni image, a picture from 1901 shows the Buddha with thin, human-like fingers. But a visit in July revealed that the fingers have swollen after millions of pilgrims made their gold-leaf offerings. The caretakers, as a precaution, do not allow gold leaf to be applied to the Buddhas face, lest it too be swallowed by the donations of the well-meaning devout.
Every one of the six electable seats on the Mandalay City Development Committee has six candidates contesting for a chance to join.





There are 36 candidates for this years MCDC member election, which is a bit more than there were last year, said an MCDC official. It seems this years election has received more attention from the public.

Prior to last years election, held in May, 20 people filed applications to be considered for the six seats set aside for the six townships that hold direct elections. Some of those 20 MCDC hopefuls did not meet the requirements to run, so the actual number of candidates was even lower.

The commission has to scrutinise the candidates, the official said. At the moment, we are allowing the public to object to candidates who have submitted their paperwork. The public has from August 8 to 12 to voice objections.

Five of the six incumbents are seeking re-election. On July 7, the previous members were relieved of their posts in accordance with a decision from the regional government. The 13-member committee consists of the mayor and the associate secretary, five members appointed by the regional government, and six elected representatives.

Translation by Zar Zar Soe
The new government is trying to speed up the sluggish judiciary, but is faced with an enormous backlog of cases.





Of the more than 170,000 criminal cases filed from January 1 to June 30, nearly 50,000 have yet to go to trial, Union Supreme Court Chief Justice U Tun Tun Oo said at a public meeting on August 4.

Balancing the need to speed up the legal process while ensuring everyone receives justice, the Supreme Court will work together with local courts to distribute the cases and manage performance in order to boost public trust in the legal system, he said in his speech.

The Supreme Court worked through exactly half of its 1092 criminal cases, he said. State and regional courts got through a little more than half of their 5136 criminal cases. District courts did better, working through 6543 of their 11,290 criminal cases.

Township courts had the best rate of trial completion but were also responsible for a significant majority of the outstanding cases. They heard nearly 120,000 of the roughly 160,000 criminal cases filed, leaving about 40,000 pending.

Many civil cases are also still pending, with the Supreme Court faring the best in those suits, covering a bit more than half of the 2329 civil cases.

Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taws motor vehicle courts got through all of their more than 60,000 cases. Nearly all of Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taws 18,881 cases involving municipal offences under city development law are complete.

Advocate U Win Hlaing lauded the new government for handling trials more efficiently and trimming the number of unaddressed cases.





The delays are occurring because there are so many left-over cases that are not finished yet, he said.

Translation by Emoon and Thiri Min Htun
A Tatmadaw investigation into the death of a villager in Kachin State has found a soldier from within its ranks guilty, with a military tribunal ruling that he be stripped of his rank and discharged from the military, the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission said in a statement last week.





The commissions statement said it had received a complaint and request from Daw Mwai Hpu Htu, a Kamaing resident in Kachin State, seeking a probe into the death of Tu Jar. According to the complainant, her son-in-law Tu Jar and three other villagers were detained in June 2015 by the No 250 Infantry Regiment, and while the other three were released about one week later, Tu Jar was not.

After the request was passed on to the Ministry of Defence, the Tatmadaw investigated the case, determining that Tu Jar was a corporal in the Kachin Independence Armys Battalion No 6, and had been buried by Major Ye Kyaw Thu. According to the statement, the court did not go so far as to directly blame the victims death on Maj Ye Kyaw Thu.

For deception and secretly hiding the dead body of Tu Jar, Ye Kyaw Thu was found guilty by the court martial and dismissed from the military.

Colonel Naw Bu, a communications officer for the KIA, told The Myanmar Times that he could not confirm whether Tu Jar was a soldier in the KIA. He also declined to comment on the ruling.

A notable gap exists between the commission statements release date and the purported timeline of events surrounding Tu Jars death. The statement said he was detained and died in June 2015, and the court-martial trial began in January 2016, whereas the statement from the rights commission was released on August 5, some seven months later. The statement said the commission had been informed of the cases outcome by the Ministry of Defence on March 11, five months ago.

The rights commissions vice chair U Sit Myaing said he was not aware of why the statement was released several months after a verdict was communicated to the rights body.

Daw Mwai Hpu Htu could not be reached for comment yesterday.





The commission said in its statement that it had already informed Daw Mwai Hpu Htu about the investigation and outcome of the military tribunal. Asked if the complainant was satisfied with the ruling in the case, U Sit Myaing said he had not been in contact with her.

U Sit Myaing conceded that the commission did have limitations in cases related to the military. Asked if he thought the military ruling was fair or not, he said he did not have enough information about the case to pass judgement.

As we do not know the depth and details of the case  because the incident happened in an area where military tensions are high  it is difficult to comment on whether or not the court martials ruling was fair, he said.

He added that the commission does not have the authority to monitor military-led investigations and court proceedings, a privilege only afforded to the rights body in civilian trials.

The case resemblance that of the 2014 death of Ko Par Gyi, a journalist detained by the Tatmadaw and killed while in military custody. The Tatmadaw said the journalist was a member of the Klohtoobaw Karen Organisation, a political wing of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army. That assertion was denied by his wife, Daw Thandar.

Two soldiers admitted to killing Ko Par Gyi, but a military tribunal ruled in favour of their testimony, which claimed he was shot in self-defence. The two soldiers were acquitted in the case.

More recently, the Tatmadaw announced that it would be conducting a rare investigation into the abduction and deaths of seven villagers in Mong Yaw village, Lashio township, amid tensions in the area between the Tatmadaw and an ethnic armed group.

A military official said on July 20 that military personnel had wrongfully killed five villagers whom the Tatmadaw had detained. The official vowed that justice would be served in the case.
The evening curfew in two northern Rakhine State townships was extended on August 8, according to local officials.





The late-night clampdown has been in place since 2012 in Buthidaung and Maungdaw, where there appears to be little impetus to remove it, as local residents  both Buddhist and Muslim  say they fear a resurgence of unrest.

Police Lieutenant San Min from Maungdaw township said the latest curfew extension will hold for two months until October 8. The curfew has been moved from its previous 11pm start time to now take effect at midnight.

The order said civilians must not go outside between 12am and 4am, and cannot form congregations over five persons large in public areas or mosques, he said.

After the 2012 conflict, most of Rakhine State, including the capital Sittwe, instituted a dusk-to-dawn curfew that was lifted two years ago. But the curfew has remained in force in Buthidaung and Maungdaw.

Rakhine State Hlutttaw member U Tun Hla Sein (USDP; Maungdaw 1) said there is still a need to renew the curfew order in these two townships as they are near border areas.

He added that there is no plan to address the curfew in the state parliament, which he said has other, more pressing matters to discuss.

This is just an order of deterrence. People can move more freely around the town and can go to mosque without restraint except that they cant go outside late at night. And this order is in effect for both communities. Not only one, he said.





At the end of his term as president, U Thein Sein lifted the state of emergency put in place in Rakhine after deadly sectarian riots erupted between Buddhist and Muslim communities in 2012. However, the curfew order was allowed to linger in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships as the 2008 constitution grants local authorities the right to impose such restrictions.

U Kyaw Min, head of the Democracy and Human Rights Party, whose members identify as Rohingya Muslims, said the new government should lift all remnants of the curfew in the name of democracy.

We want better conditions without such control. There is no threat to peoples lives, he said.

The Myanmar Times called the Rakhine State government requesting comment about the curfew order extension, but was told no spokesperson was available.
The Kachin Independence Army has admitted to ambushing a police convoy on August 8 in an attack that wounded nine officers.





KIA spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Naw Bu alleged that the police convoy consisted of militia and military troops. He added that renewed fighting has erupted along the Moekaung-Hpakant highway, where the ambush was staged, and that the Tatmadaw and the KIA have been exchanging fire.

It is not an unusual attack because there is fighting in the area, he told The Myanmar Times yesterday.

However, the Kachin State police disputed the KIAs account. Police Lieutenant Colonel Myo Thura Naung said that over 200 people were in the convoy headed for Hpakant, where they were being deployed for security. He added that six people were injured in the attack, not the nine claimed by the KIA.

The injured people didnt suffer seriously. They will recover soon, said Pol Lt Col Myo Thura Naung. We plan to send another security force to Hpakant. The military will now have to take charge of security for the police force convoy.

According to the KIA, a series of clashes between the Tatmadaw and the KIA began on August 8 around Shaduzup village in Tanai township.

Over 800 civilians fled the village to Tanai town, and are in need of food and medical supplies, a local volunteer said.

Ko Mar Nuu, the volunteer assisting displaced villagers, said that while some people returned to their homes yesterday, more than 500 are still in the town because they are afraid of further fighting.





Tatmadaw mouthpiece Myawady reported that clashes also occurred on August 7 near Laiza, the KIAs headquarters.

On August 8, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing met in Nay Pyi Taw, where talking points including the ongoing clashes in Shan and Kachin states.

Colonel Naw Bu yesterday said the KIA would welcome a meeting with the state counsellor and the commander-in-chief.
A group of coders and political enthusiasts have launched a new way for the public to interact with parliament.





Hluttaw represents the people, and, You can communicate directly with parliamentarians who represent your constituency or township, says the new Open Hluttaw website, OpenHluttaw.com.

The website, initiated by Myanma Fifth Estate and the Open Myanmar Initiative, went online August 6. It aims to foster easy communication between MPs and the people, and to collect data and information about the parliament.

It is not enough for the government just to release more information [through press releases], said Ko Htin Aye, co-founder of Open Hluttaw. The information needs to be distributed and made available in different ways  in the way that people receive information and can use it without any [practical] limitations.

Currently, the website has profiles of MPs with their phone numbers, email addresses, Facebook profiles, and details about their involvement in committees. The goal is to progressively add more information about the day-to-day activity in parliament, according to a statement on the website.

Such information, organisers hope, will make parliament a more transparent process, a lofty goal when hluttaw is dominated by a party that has been cagey about interacting with the press.

Official websites for the hluttaw already contain a compilation of MPs, however, as does the Open Myanmar platform, one of Open Hluttaws main partners.

But ours is more about engagement  contact info is front and centre on our site, said Ko Soe Lin Htoot, one of the developers of the website. That information is tucked away on the official sites.





People will also be able to contact MPs directly via the website. Open Hluttaw was built as a collaboration between civil society organisations from across the civic participation sector.

The website has been running for a couple of days and it is available in both Myanmar and English. Tapping the representatives phone numbers from a smartphone opens the application to make a call. The same is true of email addresses. And the MPs information is nearly all correct. A few members have contacted Ko Soe Lin Htoot to correct their contact details.

One glaring problem however is the fact that Myanmar language is not yet working in the search bar.

We are fixing that now, and people will be able to search in the Myanmar language in about two weeks, Ko Soe Lin Htoot said.

Only the information of upper house and lower house MPs is available for now  the regional hluttaws will be added later on.

Funding for the site came from a US$5000 Tech Camp Grant. Ko Soe Lin Htoot said he hopes to secure more funding in coming weeks and months to expand and streamline the service.

Additional reporting by RJ Vogt
High waters along the Ayeyarwady River in Mandalay Regions Amarapura and Tada-U townships have begun to recede, but victims of flooding in the area say they are not out of the woods yet, as sanitation concerns linger and many remain displaced.





Food and clean water supplies are still needed by some affected populations, according to U Than Aung, a member of the local administration office of Shwe Kyat Yat village.

Mandalay City Development Committee is distributing drinking water via water tankers, U Than Aung told The Myanmar Times yesterday, adding that those in need were encouraged to contact the municipal authority by phone.

Public health also remains a concern, he said, as authorities have been unable to arrange enough mobile toilet units for displaced populations.

The secretary of the Maha Myat Muni Pagoda board of trustees, U Kyi Soe, said sanitation worries applied to most water sources, including standing water that remains in some homes despite the floodwaters receding.

In my opinion, water from wells and lakes is not pure, he said, adding that the pagoda board of trustees had collaborated with wards elders to form a group to address the needs of flood victims, from clean water and temporary toilet provision to helping house displaced flood victims.

The donators were so numerous when the waters were first rising, but they are fewer now, U Kyi Soe said.





While some people displaced by the high waters have been able to stay with friends or relatives, or seen temporary lodging arranged by humanitarian organisations, others have set up tents beside the roads linking the city of Mandalay to Sagaing and Tada-U townships. Ward elder U Soe Myint from Pan Chee village estimated that more than 100 households and 500 people had taken up shelter along the Mandalay-Sagaing road.

At my place [the water] is very deep. The water level is falling, but it still remains 7 feet [2.1 metres] in depth. We stayed by stacking our beds. The donations from the [government] departments have not reached here, said U Kyaw Maung from Shwe Lay Kywat Thit village in Amarapura township, adding that two non-governmental welfare groups had managed to reach his home by boat to distribute drinking water.

He told The Myanmar Times yesterday that with their toilet still underwater, his family was forced to defecate from a boat, adding to sanitation concerns in the region.

In this years flooding, the mosquitoes are very plentiful, U Soe Myint said. We want them to spray mosquito repellents. At the moment, dengue fever is not a problem but it could be as the mosquitoes are numerous.

U Win Myat Aye, the Union minister for social welfare, relief and resettlement, said the government is working to coordinate with civil society to address flood victims needs, seeking to make up for personnel shortfalls within his ministry.

The government has enough funding to continue to provide food until the people can return home, he said following a meeting with humanitarian and social welfare groups from upper Myanmar on August 6, though at the time the number displaced and receiving government rations stood at just 230,000.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, almost 360,000 people nationwide had been displaced by flooding as of August 8.

The Ayeyarwady River in Mandalay last week hit its highest water mark since 2004. At 1325 centimetres (43.5 feet), an August 1 reading was well above the 1260cm mark designated as the rivers warning level.

Yesterday, lower house MPs decided to forego their earnings for the day, donating them to flood relief efforts.

Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker U Win Myint collected K8.5 million from 426 representatives.

Translation by Khine Thazin Han
The Ayeyarwady and Dotehtawaddy river water that flooded the old city of Inwa has not dampened the interest of tourists. Some locals even say there have been more visitors since the high waters.





About two weeks ago, flooding swamped some distinct locations within the Tada-U township portion of the old city, in Mandalay Region. On August 1, a 20-foot portion of the citys wall broke, making the situation even wetter.

But stalwart visitors kept coming into the city during the flooding, Myin Hlae Association chair U Thein Htun said. After the floods subsided, there were more visitors than usual, he said.

Now, the water has been receding for almost four days, he said on August 8. There was an average of 100 visitors every day of the floods. Guests were arriving non-stop. After the flood, there were between 200 and 250 visitors each day. Today there might be almost 300 visitors.

The famous Bargayar Monastery was swamped by more than 2 feet of water after the dams could no longer hold the tides and the city wall was breached. Tourists could visit ancient pagodas, like Yadanar Si Mi and Wingapar, by boat.

You could say that visitors are arriving earlier this year than in previous years, said U Thein Htun. Visitors have gradually been arriving starting in July. Places like Mal Nu Oak Monastery and Nan Myint Towers are no longer flooded. We can see the road to Bargayar Monastery now so we are going there with a horse and cart.

The road from the Dotehtawaddy jetty in Oh-Tote Tan ward, where the horse cart gate is located, is bad, but most visitors arrive there. Drivers are charging K8000 for a horse and cart ride.





Translation by Emoon
School textbooks containing Asho literature will be printed soon for children who identify as Asho, commonly grouped as one of the ethnic Chin peoples many tribes, in Magwe Region, the regional Chin ethnic affairs minister said yesterday.





We drafted a curriculum that includes literature created by local Chin people and then submitted it to the regional education department, said the minister, U Hla Tun (NLD). The curriculum will be forwarded to the central [government] via the regional department. So school textbooks will be going to print when the exact number of students who will learn is available.

The textbooks will be jointly printed by Myanmars Education Directorate and the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), and sent to 10 townships in Magwe Region where ethnic Asho Chin populations reside.

Asho people who have passed their matriculation exam or university graduates interested in teaching the new literature curriculum will first be given instruction on the courses before they are allowed to teach the material to primary-school students.

A divide among ethnic Chin in the region may prove a sticking point, however, as some use the Roman alphabet and others write in the Myanmar-language script, according to Salai Hla Saung, an ethnic Chin.

Linguistic experts will decide which is correct. We are planning to discuss that with experts, said Salai Hla Tun.

Instructors teaching the Asho literature curriculum will be paid a monthly salary of K30,000 (US$25) by the Ministry of Education, he said.





It is good to teach Chin literature because our local people can only speak the Chin language and they dont understand Chin literature, said Maing Yin Yin Htwe from Byan Di village in Aunglan township. Only a few elderly people understand it.

There are 100,246 ethnic Chin people living in 26 Magwe Region townships, according to the office of the Chin ethnic affairs minister.

Myanmars 2014 census listed 53 different groups, the Asho among them, under the umbrella categorisation of ethnic Chin. The ethnic taxonomy employed in the census has proven controversial, however, and the release of data on the countrys ethnic composition has been delayed in part due to disputes over the system used.

Suppression of ethnic minority languages and cultures was long among the grievances these populations harboured toward successive military governments. Political reforms that kicked off in 2011 have led to a growing push to revive mother-tongue language instruction and other changes to public schools that would more appropriately reflect the nations ethnic diversity.

Translation by Zar Zar Soe
Bustling Botout Hein Street in Pyinmana has become a congestion hot spot because of undisciplined parking, administrators complain. It seems plans to speed the passage of traffic along the crowded street have been lost in the shuffle during the transition to a new city government.





U Min Min Aung, who works in the citys development committee administrative office, said vehicles double-parked or left at random reduce the effective width of the thoroughfare by half, from 30 feet to 15 (8 to 4 metres).

Cars, bicycles, trolleys, motorbikes and trishaws clutter the street outside the local market, not to mention the pedestrians attracted by gold shops, food markets, shops and showrooms there.

Local elder U Aung Cho said, Cars have to drive down the middle of the road because of all the cars and other vehicles parked there. The previous deputy mayor promised to designate proper parking spaces, but weve heard nothing more about that since the new government came in.

Officials from the Pyinmana general administrative office, township police, City Development Committee, Nay Pyi Taw road transportation administration, township fire brigade and town elders issue regular appeals for more discipline on the part of vehicle owners using the street, said administrator U Min Min Aung.

The road is restricted because of undisciplined parking. The traffic police clear the top of the road but they neglect the double-parking. Its a question of education. They think giving a speech at a school can make up for a decade of bad habits.

Shwechi ward resident U Khin Maung Zaw said, I blame the administration. The administrator from Mingalar ward has never been seen.





Translation by San Layy
It's time to stamp out illiteracy and strengthen peoples knowledge of the Myanmar's languages and literatures, MPs have been urged. Former Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker U Khin Aung Myint, proposing a measure to reduce illiteracy, said access to higher education should be broadened throughout the country, and ethnic-minority literature and language-learning tools should be developed.





Particular attention should be paid to the countrys more remote regions, using internet to overcome transportation difficulties, he said.

U Khin Aung Myint (USDP; Mandalay 8) told the Amyotha Hluttaw on August 5 that the government should consider a special project to reduce illiteracy, [so that students can] access higher education, and to develop ethnic literature for all ethnic races.

The former Speaker stressed the need to improve opportunities for hill communities, long considered to face restricted opportunities because of their remoteness. Information and communications are now advanced to the point where these problems can be overcome, he said.

Though it was difficult to assign teachers to remote regions, it would be possible for radio stations to broadcast educational programs supervised by the Ministry of Education to ensure effective distance learning.

National solidarity is the key to Myanmar politics. Each successive government has had to struggle for it, as armed groups were staging rebellions. Though there were negotiations and ceasefire agreements, there is no guarantee that the fighting will not go on, he said, adding, Only if all national races are united will the risk of further armed conflict vanish.

The Speaker proposed that translation services be expanded and dictionaries and encyclopaedias compiled in minority languages, Myanmar and English. Libraries should be established to encourage literatures spread.





In response, U Jay Yaw Wu (NUP; Kachin 1) told The Myanmar Times after the hluttaw session that the National Unity Party had submitted to the hluttaw a proposal to improve ethnic literature in the former governments term. In Kachin State, we printed books in six languages, including Jinghpaw, Lawon and Lisu. They were also taught in school in 2013-14.

U Kyaw Ni Naing (USDP; Kokang) said Myanmar literature and language schools should receive priority over the study of ethnic languages in their regions.

On February 9 last year, civil war broke out in Kokang. It emerged that our people cant speak Myanmar. That is a great pity. Its not just that they are not familiar with the literature, they cannot even speak our language. How can they talk to the Tatmadaw? No wonder there is conflict, he said.

Though many Kokang students matriculated with distinction, they had to leave Kokang to study. Myanmar-language schools should be established in the Kokang region, he said.

U Zone Hle Htan (NLD; Chin 3) said, We are still waiting for by-laws for the implementation of the National Education Law. When will this law be put into effect?

According to the 2014 census, the rate of literacy among the over-15 population is 89.5 percent. Of the over-five population of 45,807,770, 6,468,807 were unable to access education, while 20,692,609 had received primary, 9,916,261 middle-school, and 4,699,781 high-school education.

Those awarded diplomas stood at 115,002, 3,226,966 had college or university degrees, and there were 134,585 postgraduates, representing 0.3pc of the population. Vocational training was received by 60,270, and 493,489 had received other forms of education.

Translation by Emoon and Khine Thazin Han
Addressing the underfunded and ailing education sector must start with better provisions for teachers in rural areas, according to an NLD MPs proposal.





Lower house lawmaker U Kyaw Htay (NLD; Leshi) urged the government to fund the construction of education staff housing in areas where it is lacking, especially in rural, underdeveloped villages.

Teachers assigned to rural areas often do not have formal accommodation, but instead must rely on villagers finding them a family willing to house them.

It is essential to have staff housing for teachers because they are facing social problems in their villages and the school management has to negotiate conflicts over housing, he told the Pyithu Hluttaw on August 8.

He added that when teachers are not comfortable in their accommodations, or are placed in very remote areas without any sort of assistance, it is students who end up suffering the consequences of the high teacher attrition rates.

Where teachers face accommodation problems as well as transportation problems, it is the students who suffer as they lose out on their education, U Kyaw Htay said.

Chin State MP U Par Htan (NLD; Matupi) seconded the proposal, noting that in developed villages, local residents can arrange a basic wood house for teachers, but in poorer areas, such as the Naga self-administered zone, the options are extremely limited.





Mandalay MP U Hla Moe (NLD; Aung Myay Tharzan) put forward a separate education proposal requesting a rethinking of how schools assess students progress, and to move away from the high-stakes exam forms of evaluation.

Now what is happening is that students and parents are devoting their attention only to exam results, he said, bemoaning the perceived lack of real learning in the classrooms.

Students memorise their lessons to parrot them back during the exams, but do not internalise the information, he said. From kindergarten to the matriculation exams, the whole system is biased against critical thinking, he said.

In other countries, exams are not the only way to decide whether students move to the next class or not, said U Hla Moe.

The education system is not fostering outstanding citizens who can think logically, he added, and instead parents are wasting a lot of money on preparing for tests.

Last week, the state counsellor also voiced support for moving the education system away from rote learning.

A good memory is not enough, she said at an August 4 education seminar in Nay Pyi Taw.

Arakan National Party MP U Pe Than (Myebon) said he supports both education proposals, but encouraged parliament to monitor responses to the proposal, rather than adopt them and move on.

U Hla Moe said they hope education minister U Myo Thein Gyi takes the proposals seriously, and collaborates with parliament.

If we are not satisfied with his response, we will have to make a parliamentary decision because boosting the education sector is really needed for the country, he said.

Translation by Thiri Min Htun and Kyawt Darly Linn
Their patience has been tried, and now they have been pushed to sue. The 85 workers from the recently shuttered Hla Won Htet Tha garment factory say the owners once again failed to meet the agreed-upon deadline for compensation.





During a meeting at the Hlaing Tharyar township Labour Relations Department yesterday, officials pledged to help the workers file a lawsuit to claim the overdue money.

We are now planning not only to sue the factory but also to get the money back for workers. We will request permission from the Central Arbitration Council to sue the factory, said U Khin Maung Cho, Labour Relations Department director.

The Hla Won Htet Tha factory closed on June 25, and while the owner paid the workers their back wages in early July, he failed to offer them compensation for putting them suddenly out of a job.

Labour laws require factory owners to pay their workers an additional sum of money if they decide to suddenly close.

On July 18, the workers received partial severance pay, with a promise that the rest, in total another K5.9 million, would be paid on August 7. The date came and went without payment. The factory owners failed to arrive at the agreed-upon time and location, and did not answer repeated phone calls, labour officials told The Myanmar Times on August 9.

Daw Lwin Lwin Myint, a member of the Yangon Region arbitration body, advised the workers to report in writing the amount of unpaid severance they are still missing.





If we only sue the factory via the arbitration council, the case will result in only a fine of K500,000. But we need to cooperate with the labour ministry to get back the money the workers are owed, she said.

One of the former factory workers reiterated that the factory had initially been held to a July 18 deadline. But when the owner failed to show up with enough cash to cover the full compensation amount, drawn out negotiations resulted in the second deadline, August 7.

They failed us again. We cant believe the factory any more, said Ma Win Win Soe.

Although The Myanmar Times called factory manager Daw Ei Ei Swe several times, she did not respond to requests for comment.

Hla Won Htet Tha factory is owned by a Korean businessman and opened in Hlaing Thayar township in 2013.
[August 09, 2016] Dating.com Group's New Board of Directors Takes Key Decisions at First Ever Meeting

TA`XBIEX, Malta, Aug. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The newly appointed board of directors at the Dating.com Group and SOL Network companies has met for the first time in Malta where it took important decisions on its growth and progress. The Dating.com Group and SOL Network companies have appointed a new board of directors, which met for the first time on July 25, 2016 in Ta`xbiex, Malta. The new directors made a number of important decisions regarding recruitment, finance, marketing, customer support, and legal issues. The board reaffirmed its commitment to retaining and developing all of the online dating websites within its umbrella group including Dating.com, AnastasiaDate.com, AsianDate.com, AmoLatina.com, and AfricanDate.com. A New Strategy for Decision Making The first board meeting took place in Malta following a management decision by the chief shareholders in the Dating.com Group and SOL Network companies, Alla Gubenko and Alexey Negin. The shareholders decided to replace one solely responsible CEO with a board of directors consisting of six highly motivated experts who will act as joint decision makers. The new board of directors is expected to bring a competitive dynamic to the company, boosting creativity and helping the business to grow.



The first board meeting took place at Dixcart House, Ta`Xbiex, where the Dating.com Group has just opened a new office. All directors were satisfied that the new office will be a great asset to the development and progress of the business. The directors also discussed the future of the online dating industry and focused on those technologies that will be most in demand. The board decided to place high priority on mobile applications for its main projects Dating.com, AnastasiaDate.com, AsianDate.com, AmoLatina.com, and AfricanDate.com. Alla Gubenko, key shareholder in the Dating.com Group, explains the importance of Malta:

"Malta has already showed us that this country is a good source of highly-trained customer support, digital marketing professionals, and IT development experts. Now we hope that our new management strategy will increase the effectiveness of those experts to help us make further progress." About Dating.com Group The Dating.com Group includes Dating.com, AnastasiaDate.com, AsianDate.com, AmoLatina.com, and AfricanDate.com, which bring together over 20 million international users and more than 80 million online visitors annually. Additionally, over 1.5 million conversations are exchanged onsite daily. The Dating.com Group is a family of sites that offers the premium experience of international online dating to facilitate exciting and romantic companionship between members all over the world. The service increases the chances of members to meet someone new, discover unique places, explore new cultures, and do things they would never have had the chance to do before. Dating.com now covers over 32 countries and offers the technology to help members take communication further than ever.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[August 10, 2016] Georgia's Clayton County is Latest Police Department to Deploy Utility's BodyWorn Cameras

JONESBORO, Ga., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Utility, Inc. announced today that the Clayton County Police Departmentheadquartered in Jonesboro, Georgiawill officially deploy 200 of Utility's BodyWorn body cameras, as well as 200 Rocket IoT-X devices, for in-car communication. BodyWorn is the only product of its kind that enables policy-based, automatic recording triggers; state-of-the-art, automatic redaction software; real-time video offloading to a secure cloud server; and instant video playback. No other body camera provider offers these unique features. "BodyWorn was selected among several finalists to supply our Department with a wearable camera option, however it has standout features that we found best align with our needs," said Michael J. Register, Clayton County Chief of Police. "BodyWorn has an automatic recording feature which accurately archives any interaction in real-time, saving us both time and money that would have otherwise been wasted if we relied on manual operation. BodyWorn will further our commitment to professionalism and transparency. Our Department is dedicated to protecting our community and our officers while being economically effective; BodyWorn is the only solution that aligns with our philosophy and we are excited to equip our officers with the advanced technology." BodyWorn utilizes a smartphone embedded into the officer's uniform, ensuring the camera remains secure, does not become dislodged and always records the full scene in front of the officer. To maximize transparency, and eliminate human error, BodyWorn uses smart triggers to automatically initiate recording. For example, BodyWorn features an accelerometer that will automatically begin recording if an officer starts to run. Recording could also be initiated when the patrol car's sirens disengages and the officer exists the vehicle. This function is intended to keep officers safe and maintain transparency, ensuring an interaction is documented uninterruptedly. The software is fully customizable, so BodyWorn will adhere to each law enforcement agency's specific recording and privacy guidelines. In addition, Utility'sRocket integrated vehicle communication systems turn each patrol car into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot. By deploying 200 Rocket IoT-X devices as well, the Clayton County Police Department will also enhance officers' communication capabilities.



The BodyWorn Smart Offload feature, which automatically uploads recorded video content to a secure cloud storage system powered by Amazon Web Services as it is being recorded, is another key function that differentiates BodyWorn from manual body camera devices. This capability guarantees a secure chain of custody and accountability, as all video is tracked in real-time. Along with advanced smart recording technology, the Clayton County Police Department will also have access to BodyWorn's revolutionary automatic redaction software, Smart Redaction. A standard feature to its video management system provided at no added cost, Smart Redaction automatically identifies faces and other specified objects to be redacted easily and efficiently based on the department's specific privacy policies. This is intended to protect citizen and police officer privacy, as well as fulfil any media request in a timely and cost-effective manner.

"We are very pleased to add Clayton County to our list of departments deploying BodyWorn," said Robert McKeeman, CEO of Utility. "At Utility, Inc., we design technology with the mission to take away manual work from police officers so they can focus on protecting themselves and their communities. BodyWorn is a reliable device and the only product of its kind on the market that provides law enforcement agencies with the smart technology needed to meet today's transparency and accountability demands." For more information about Utility's suite of smart products, including BodyWorn devices and Rocket IoT, that enhance law enforcement agencies' ability to efficiently access the full evidence ecosystem using automated technology, visit http://www.Bodyworn.com. About BodyWorn

BodyWorn uses smart technology, incorporating real-time communications for the best situational awareness possible during the most critical times. Unlike other body cameras, BodyWorn has automatic recording triggers based on policies, officer down reporting and alerting, live video streaming, and secure automatic wireless offload to cloud storage. BodyWorn video, audio and metadata can be accessed through its cloud-based digital evidence management solution, AVaiL Web. BodyWorn's features continuously evolve to meet the demands of the industry and match the specific policies set by each individual law enforcement agency including the automated redaction application, Smart Redaction, for releasing video to the public. BodyWorn is one part of the smart technology solution product suit offered by Utility that focus on providing mission critical mobile intelligence. All of Utility's recording solutions, including Rocket IoT in-care video system, leverage Amazon Web Services cloud storage. About Utility

Utility is a venture-capital funded company headquartered in Decatur, Georgia (metro Atlanta). The company was founded in 2001, developing software for mission-critical field-work force operations for the electric and gas industries. This software evolved into AVaiL Web, Utility's premiere SaaS solution. The company also provides Mission Critical Communications and Real-Time Situational Awareness, through their Rocket IoT vehicle video routers, and BodyWorn video systems for Police, Fire, EMS, Electric and Gas Utility, and Public Transit customers across the US. Utility provides a unified operating platform for safely locating, tracking and supporting all aspects of mobile field operations. AVaiL Web delivers real-time access to virtually any mobile asset, and provides a cost-effective, enterprise-wide view of the location and status of mobile field operations. Utility owns US patents 6,831,556; 7,768,548; 8,781,475; 9,246,898; 9,282,495 and has numerous patents pending with the US Patent Office, the Canadian Patent Office, and the European Union Patent Office. For more information, visit www.utility.com and www.bodyworn.com. Contact: Jake Mendlinger

Office: 516-829-8374 / Cell: 516-639-3373

Email: [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160427/360504

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160427/360545LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/georgias-clayton-county-is-latest-police-department-to-deploy-utilitys-bodyworn-cameras-300311773.html SOURCE Utility, Inc.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
10.08.2016 LISTEN

One of the most known faces on the runway, Jennifer Amegbor-Smith has been reported dead after she went missing for about a month.

Parents of the runway and photo model with Spice Models reported her absence to the police when they could not find her. According to LiveFM, her parents recently discovered she was dead when they confirmed an unidentified body at the mortuary was hers.

According to the police, her body was found by them laying on an highway. The police reported her death as a hit and run. However, friends believe she was murdered. Jennifer Amegbor-Smith was last seen at a club in Kasoa with a friend, who eventually left her at the club later that night.

Here are some of the reactions from her good friends in the fashion industry!
Ghanaian model, Jennifer Amegbor-Smith, who was reported missing about a month ago is found dead.

The model, according to the police, was involved in what could be a hit and run on a highway.

Reports suggest that Jennifer Amegbor-Smith was last seen at Bedouin night club in Kasoa with a friend, who left Jennifer behind.

Her parents confirmed an unidentified body at the mortuary as hers after they heard an announcement on the radio.

Jennifer was a runway and photo model with Spice Models in Accra.

See some photos of Jennifer below:



Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL.
The 18th Emancipation Day celebration has been marked in Ghana, with a call on Africans to fully see themselves as emancipated and liberate their minds from Western idealism.

Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, said it was important that Africans worked together in the fight for emancipation and overcome barriers that seek to impede this course.

This year's event was on the theme: 'Emancipation, Our Heritage, Our Strength', with the sub-theme: 'Empowering the African Youth Through Pan-African Culture'.

The celebration started with wreath laying ceremonies at the Dubois Centre, George Padmore Library and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park.

The wreath laying ceremony, in memory of the three astute personalities who championed Black emancipation, brought together traditional rulers, participants from the Diaspora and students.

It is, therefore, ironic that a people who have been traumatised by slavery and suffered discrimination because of racial differences should easily forget their common bond of brotherhood and tragically tear each other apart in the name of religious extremism, different political ideologies or ethnic differences, she said.

Nana Kobina Nketia V, Omanhene of Essikado Traditional Area, who was the guest speaker, said the African fight for total emancipation would amount to nothing if the mind was not liberated and skewed towards Western idealism.

At the Palava Hall of the Cape Coast Castle, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Executive Governor of Osun State, Nigeria, charged Africans to speed up their efforts towards complete emancipation in every sphere of their life.

He said the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and colonisation had created a 400-year gap between Africa and the rest of the world for which there was the need for a catching-up.

Activities to climax the celebration include a procession by the seven Asafo Companies from Mfantsipim Junction to the Chapel Square, the reenactment of the crossing of River Pra and a grand durbar of chiefs and people of Assin Praso.

The reverential night was held on the eve of the declaration of Emancipation Day celebration at the forecourt of the Cape Coast Castle.

Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, the Paramount Chief of the Oguaa Traditional Area, said Emancipation Day celebrations should go beyond ceremonial events to putting structures in place that would bond Africans.
Ed Sheeran has been accused of copying elements of Marvin Gayes Lets Get It On for his hit single Thinking Out Loud.

The track, which became the first to spend a full year in the UK top 40 and has been streamed more than 1 billion times on YouTube, became Sheerans first number one single, and went on to top charts in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Denmark, the Netherlands, Slovakia and South Africa. It also won song of the year at the 2016 Grammy awards .

An infringement lawsuit has now been filed by Ed Townsend, who composed and co-wrote the lyrics to Lets Get It On in 1973, according to the complaint filed in federal court in the Southern District of New York. Townsend has requested the suit is assessed at a jury trial, and alleges the harmonic progressions, melodic and rhythmic elements central to Gayes track formed the structure of Sheerans hit.

The defendants copied the heart of Lets and repeated it continuously throughout Thinking, the lawsuit said according to Reuters . The melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic compositions of Thinking are substantially and/or strikingly similar to the drum composition of Lets.

A spokesperson for Sheeran has yet to respond to a request for comment.

Gayes family last year won $7.4m after successfully suing Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for copyright infringement over their single Blurred Lines . The attorney Richard Busch, who triumphed on behalf of Gayes family, is also representing Martin Harrington and Thomas Leonard in another case surrounding Sheeran.

The pop songwriters claim Sheerans Photograph note-for-note copies their 2009 song Amazing which was released as the third single by Matt Cardle, winner of the 2010 season of The X Factor. Sheeran has not publicly responded to that claim.
The age-long debate over hiplifes true creator was revived on Wednesdays Daybreak Hitz interview with music producer, Panji Anoff and hiplife artiste, Barima Sydney.

During the show, UK-born CEO of Pidgin Music, Panji Anoff said that the man believed by many to be the originator of hiplife, Reggie Rockstone, is merely responsible for the genres popularity.

Hes the Godfather of hiplife. It is foolish journalists who have translated Godfather into creator.

Mr Anoff explained the difference between the two, posing the question how can somebody who is influenced by others be the creator?

He listed the likes of Talking Drums, Azigiza, and Mahoney P as the real pioneers of the music genre that combines hip-hop and highlife and as major influences on Reggies involvement in what eventually came to be known as hiplife.

They convinced Reggie to start doing Twi, because [he] didnt do Twi before them. He was rapping in English. Reggie came to Ghana and saw thatthis Twi rap can work.

The question of who dubbed the genre hiplife is one that dates back quite far, having infamously taken over headlines in 2015 when renowned sound engineer and producer, Zapp Mallet, said in an interview that he invented the name hiplife in 1994.

Insinuating that queries into who first introduced the term should not be so controversial, Panji rhetorically questioned, Why does it have to be branded by somebody?

Without crediting anyone in particular for the name, Mr Anoff revealed that the existence of hiplife dates back farther than Reggie Rockstones initial attraction to the music category.

The word hiplife had been used to describe the movement before Reggie came to Ghana, he clarified.

Panji, who came to Ghana in 1991, recalls encounters with the Godfather/Grandpapa of hiplife during the early 1990s, when he says Rockstone was not yet interested in doing hiplife.

Despite his initial disinterest, after venturing into making music that combined hip-hop rapping and beats with aspects of highlife and a local Ghanaian language, Reggie Rockstone became known for popularizing hiplife after the 1997 release of his first hiplife album, Makaa Maka.

When asked whether he felt Reggie had done anything wrong by accepting the title of hiplifes Godfather or Grandpapa, Panji strongly disagreed, saying that the former deserves credit for what he has done for the genre.

Admitting to his personal use of the nickname, Mr Anoff reveal that Rockstone was responsible for making people understand what the aforementioned pioneers, amongst others, had been trying to relay for so long.

He expressed that he was happy about Reggies adoption of Twi in his music and the focus on hiplife, as he knew he would be crucial to the genres success.

Reggie, himself, does not believe he is the creator of hiplife, Panji confidently declared, despite Reggie Rockstones past claims of being the creator and originator of the music style and its name.

Reiterating that foolish journalists are to blame for the confusion, Mr. Anoff maintained, I dont believe that it is Reggie who wants to take all the credit.

Over the years, the topic of hiplifes origins has been a heated one, but the dialogue maintains an amicable tone when Panji affirms that he means no disrespect to his good friend, assuring that I love Reggie dearly.

In a related development, Barima Sidney, a long-time hiplife artiste and member of Nananom, added that he is very happy with hiplifes progression and current state, in comparison to the early 1990s when not many people had faith in the genre.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Selali Ayitey-Wallace
A T-54 tank belonging to forces loyal to Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) takes position in Sirte's Al-Giza Al-Bahriya district on November 21, 2016. By Mahmud Turkia (AFP/File)

05.12.2016 LISTEN

Tripoli (AFP) - Libyan loyalist forces have seized full control of the coastal city of Sirte from the Islamic State jihadist group, an official spokesman said Monday.

"Our forces have total control of Sirte," after more than six months of fighting, Reda Issa, a spokesman for pro-government forces, told AFP.
The Government of Federal Republic of Somalia is honored to welcome H.E. Ambassador Stephen M. Schwartz to his new post as the Ambassador of the United States to Somalia.

Ambassador Stephen M. Schwartz is the first Ambassador from the United States since 1991. His appointment is evidence of the further strengthening of bilateral relations between Somalia and the United States. It is also the clearest sign that Somalia has turned the corner towards stability and progress.

Somalia and the the United States enjoy historic bilateral relations. The Government and people of Somalia consider the American Government and people a true friend and ally who have stood by Somalia during the past periods of difficulty.

The Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia seeks to strengthen bilateral ties with the USA further and enhance cooperation in all areas of mutual interest.
FIDH, together with its member organisations, Lawyers for Human Rights in South Africa, DITSHWANELO  The Botswana Centre for Human Rights in Botswana and Zimrights in Zimbabwe, is holding, under the high patronage of Desmond Tutu, its 39th Congress in Johannesburg from 23 to 27 August 2016. This unique event will be attended by the 178 FIDH member organisations, gathering more than 400 human rights defenders from around the world.

It is the third time, after Dakar in 1997 and Casablanca in 2001 that FIDH has decided to hold its Congress in Africa. We didn't choose South Africa by chance. This country plays a growing and key role at the continental level and at the same time has to cope with major internal challenges, stated Karim Lahidji, FIDH President and added, Organising our Congress in Johannesburg means paying tribute to the South African civil society which, in a country marked by decades of apartheid, showed the courage and perseverance to restore the rule of law and which is still fighting to consolidate its achievements.

The year 2016 is also the African Year of Human Rights and a year of important anniversaries for South Africa - the first democratic constitution 20 years ago, the Soweto revolt 40 years ago, and the womens march against apartheid 60 years ago  but also for Bostwana - 50th Independence Anniversary. FIDH also will be paying tribute to these struggles and victories for human rights.

The Congress will begin on 23 August with a 2-day Forum  open to the press and the civil society  entitled: Fighting back for human rights: Enabling a vision, implementing a strategy and ensuring the space for civil society as the cornerstone of human development.

The theme of the Forum was decided upon, after the following assessment: through their work and efforts, civil societies have contributed to increasing the respect for human rights throughout the world, but for the past few years, they have been attacked on all fronts: stigmatisation, judicial harassment, threats, assaults, assassinations. These attacks go beyond people, for they target the universality of human rights, a universality that is being called into question by states that allude to specific cultural mores, the fight against terrorism, or economic interests. The purpose of the Forum will be to provide an opportunity for civil society representatives from around the world to meet and discuss how they cope with these attacks. It will bring out the extraordinary capacity of the world movement of human rights defenders to resist and fight.

Over 100 representatives of NGOs from Southern Africa have been invited to participate in the Forum. This region is often described as one of the most stable on the African continent. Yet it is faced with major challenges that are related to security, equality, and protection of human rights. In several countries repressive measures have been implemented to still the civil society while corruption and political racketeering contribute to increasing socio-economic disparities, and violence and discrimination are often directed at women, migrants and LGBTI persons. To respond to these difficult situations, the NGOs of Southern Africa have devised strategies and created tools to protect against arbitrariness and impunity.

FIDH Congress will be dedicated to all human rights defenders detained solely for their activities, including Nabeel Rajab, FIDH Deputy Secretary General (Bahrain), Abdolfattah Soltani (Iran), Razan Zeitouneh (Syria) to mention just a few.

Program of the Forum available here . For more information about the Forum and the Congress, please visit: https://2016congress.fidh.org/

The internal congress will be held from 25 to 27 August, following the Forum. During this important event for the NGOs, action strategies will be discussed and FIDH International Board,  composed of 1 President, 1 Treasurer, 15 Vice Presidents and 5 Secretaries General,  will be elected.
Theme: Youth Leading Sustainability towards the Realization of Agenda 2063

What: Africa Youth Day and Young African Thinkrs Convention

Who: Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology and Beza International

When: 10  12th August 2016

Where: AUC Headquarters, Addis Ababa

Participants: Youth networks, diplomatic corps, African Union Youth Volunteers, African Union Commission

Background: On the 12th of August 2016, the African Union Commission will join the world in celebrating International Youth Day (IYD). Since the year 2000, August 12th has provided key stakeholders with the opportunity to focus on the views, initiatives and challenges that affect young people across the globe.

Objectives: 10-11 August 2016  Young African Thinkrs Convention - To brainstorm and generate ideas on the on-going transformation towards youth development on the continent using Agenda 2063 as the key policy framework.

12 August -The International Youth Day commemoration will provide a platform for participants to creatively promote Agenda 2063 through art, music, video, poetry and drama.

Journalists are invited to cover the Event.
A breakaway party of South Africas ruling African National Congress (ANC) has emerged a kingmaker following last weeks hotly contested local government elections.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) led by former ANC youth league leader Julius Malema says it is yet to make a decision on whether to join a coalition with the ruling party or the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party in the two major metros of Johannesburg and Tshwane

Johannesburg was left with a hung council after the ANC received 44.55 percent of the vote and the DA got 38.37 percent.

EFFs 11.09 percent of the vote meant that both the ANC and DA would need Malemas party to gain control of the council.

A similar situation played out in the capital Tshwane where the DA got 43.11 percent of the vote against the ANCs 41.22 percent. The EFF claimed 11.7 percent of the votes.

EFF chairperson, Dali Mpofu told a local radio station that his party was considering all the political options on the table when he was asking about which party they would choose between the ANC and DA as a coalition partner.

The other option is not going into coalitions at all and we decide not to go into partnership with either the DA or the ANC, he said. We will put it to the leadership that there are all the options whether to work with the ANC or the DA, and we might change our minds.

Ideologically we are different from the ANC and the DA, in fact, these two parties are closer to their neo-liberal policies, Mpofu said.

EFF has said it is willing to work with the ANC on condition that President Jacob Zuma steps down. On the other hand, the DA has indicated it would engage EFF to form coalitions in the key metropolitan areas.

In a related development, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said it was disappointed that the ANCs share of the national vote had decreased dramatically in the just ended polls.

We also find it lamentable that the movement has failed to hold on to some of the big metropolitan municipalities across the country, the federation said.

Cosatu said the outcome was disheartening, adding that it would be insincere to pretend that there were no visible signs of a gradual decline of our movement. The federation is part of the ANCs ruling alliance.

Meanwhile, 15 296 746 South Africans voted in the August 8 local government elections, an increase of 1 631 832 compared to the 2011polls, according to statistics issued by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on its website.

The number of people on the voters roll has also increased to over 26 million compared to over 23 million in 2011.

Gauteng  which has the biggest pool of voters  saw the largest increase in voter turnout with 58% of registered voters casting their Ballots compared to 55.77 percent in 2011.

Source: theafricareport
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection signed a collaboration agreement on August 9 at the Ministry. U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Robert P. Jackson, Minster of Gender, Children and Social Protection Nana Oye Lithur, and USAID/Ghana Mission Director Andrew Karas were present at the signing, which marks the next phase in their partnership to protect Ghanas most vulnerable children.

Through the USAID Displaced Children and Orphans Fund, USAID will be providing $3 million to support the Ministry and the Government of Ghanas Child Care Reform Initiatives. Since 2006, the Care Reform Initiative has been central to protecting the countrys most deprived. The funding will support the Ministry to improve the quality of social work in Ghana. Formal gatekeeping structures will be developed to prevent the unnecessary admission and re-admission of children into orphanages and will strengthen the quality of child protection services at the community level, linking directly with the District Social Welfare Offices. A national child care reform monitoring and evaluation system will be developed so standards for orphanages are enforced.

USAIDs Displaced Children and Orphans Fund provides financial and technical assistance for the care and protection of vulnerable children, particularly those who are outside of family care or are at risk of losing family care and protection. USAID has given particular attention to children in institutional care, on the street, or with disabilities.

We will work alongside the Ministry so they can better protect Ghanas most vulnerable, said Ambassador Jackson at the signing ceremony. The partnership we are celebrating today will ensure that Ghanas future movers and shakers have the chance to thrive.

The signing of this agreement furthers the goals of USAIDs integrated Health, Population, and Nutrition Program, which works to improve the health and well-being of Ghanaians, particularly its most vulnerable populations. USAID partners with the Government of Ghana to achieve these goals, build leadership, improve governance, and build capacity in the health sector.
President John Mahama's referral of the Free Montie Petition to the Council of State is a needless and unnecessary sham, the Progressive People's Party (PPP).

The whole thing has been choreographed to appear that somehow, the President wanted to do something and he wants to formalize it and make it appear that some due process was activated, the PPP's Policy Analyst, Kofi Siaw Asamoah asserted.

The petitions imploring the president to actuate his prerogative of mercy under Article 72 of the 1992 Constitution were from lawyers of the jailed trio and a Civil Society Group, Research & Advocacy Platform were forwarded to the Council of State , through Chief of Staff Julius Debrah for advice.

But Mr. Asamoah rubbished the latest developments as much ado about nothing adding that the President of the Republic doesn't need the advice of the Council of State.

When somebody advises you and the council does so in this particular instance, the President can reject the advice. The President knows what is good for this country is not to pursue the line of the presidential pardon to the Montie 3.

We think the whole thing is needless, it is unnecessary but if the council needs to act on it, they should advise the President against the presidential pardon, Mr. Asamoah stated.

The PPP's petition to keep Montie 3 in jail

The PPP started a petition to keep the Montie three in jail as counter point to the free Montie three movement demanding a presidential pardon for the three pro-government communicators.

The PPP believe it will be wrong for the President to respond positively to the free Montie three petitions and essentially want their petition to reinforce the Supreme Court's decision to jail them.

The founder and flagbearer of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, himself endorsed the petition urging President John Mahama to respect the judgement of the Supreme Court against the Montie Three.

The three, Godwin Ako Gunn, Alistair Nelson and Maase Salifu were jailed four-months for criminal contempt of the Supreme Court after threatening the lives of Justices.



By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
10.08.2016 LISTEN

The official partner for Citi FM's Robben Island Experience, the South African Airways (SAA), has described the tour as a unique opportunity to tell the African story at a time that the African history is attracting global audience.

The Country Manager of South African Airways, Gloria Wilkinson believes patrons of the Robben Island Experience will be investing in a valuable venture as they will be exposed to the works of one of Africa's icon, Nelson Mandela.

People travel far and wide to Robben Island just to listen to the very inspiring stories and the legacy or struggles that Nelson Mandela went through. It is a good education and for anyone to invest in this kind of activity, I think he or she will find value in that kind of investment, she remarked.

Gloria Wilkinson was also of the view that the legacy of South Africa's first black President, Nelson Mandela, could best be told with a firsthand experience.

It is good for Africans especially now that Nelson Mandela is no more if we have to carry out the legacy and history, we need to expose people to Robben Island to get to hear of that story first hand.

As part of efforts to project the station's relevance in promoting the tourism industry, both domestically and internationally, Citi FM is organizing a week's tour which will take participants to five major tourist attractions in Cape Town.

Speaking to Citi Business News ahead of the memorable experience, Gloria Wilkinson also justified why you have to be part of this unforgettable experience.

On the continent, in South Africa Cape Town you will be very impressed and excited and South African Airways is the carrier of choice to take you there, she stated.

The trip which is open to persons 18 years and above comes off from the 20th to the 27th of September 2016.

Among the exciting packages for participants include Visa Fees, Flight Expense, 4 Star Hotel Accommodation, in land Transportation as well as Breakfast &Dinner.

Meanwhile the major tour sites for the Robben Island Experience are the Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Town City, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront as well as Cape Point.

Commenting on the motivation to partner with Citi FM on this memorable experience, the Country Manager for the South African Airways observed, For us at SAA, our aim is to be able to collaborate with any entity that comes up with such brilliant initiative to expose the country further to more people in Ghana so that they can discover a holiday destination in Africa.



By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
The Electoral Commission is unable to confirm bribery allegations leveled against vice presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, during the just ended voter exhibition exercise.

Dr. Bawumia has been accused by the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), of verifying his name at his residence in Walewale in the Upper West Region.

They further accused him of giving the two electoral officers who facilitated the alleged irregularity an amount of GHc10, 000.

However the Director of Communications at the EC, Eric Dzakpasu, has stated that the three-member committee which investigated that matter could not ascertain the claim of bribery.

What the committee came out with is what was in the release. What it means therefore is that we could not establish that there was indeed some motivation; money or material-wise which induced them to work outside the centre. No issue of bribery was reported to the Electoral Commission, Communications Director at the EC, Eric Dzakpasu said on Eyewitness News on Tuesday.

We did not receive any formal complaint of any monetary inducement of bribery, so that could not have been the term of reference for the committee, he added.

Bawumia wasnt verified at his home  EC

Mr. Dzakpasu also rejected claims that Dr. Bawumia was verified at his private residence.

All that we knew is that, they verified him outside, some distance away from the exhibition centre and certainly not the house but outside the exhibition centre.

NDC must apologise  NPP

Meanwhile, the NPP insists that the findings by the EC vindicates their running mate and has further charged the NDC to apologise to Dr. Bawumia.

I think they should bow down their heads in shame and also render an unqualified apology to Bawumia when they lied so clearly, wickedly, that he handed over GHc 10,000 to electoral officers. The Electoral Commission's own statement vindicates our position and we are very happy with work of the EC, Deputy Communications Director of NPP, Anthony Karbo said on Eyewitness News.

Police to investigate NDC's claims

The Police had told Citi News they will soon investigate the matter following a formal complaint lodged by the NDC.

The Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, disclosed that  complaint was lodged with the Walewale police, and the CID in the Northern Region has taken statements from the verification officer of the EC and one other officer.

As we speak, they are even in the jurisdiction doing further investigations. As and when we need to put anything out there, we will do so, he indicated.



By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin
The Writer

10.08.2016 LISTEN

Development strategies have been means that seek to cause the continuous progress of human beings and their societies. Over the years development practitioners have realised that development is incomplete if it is unsustainable.

Sustainability is in two ways: that, after an initiative is taken to share information for the progress of a people, it should be continued with the adopters leading the way; then, whatever development initiative and knowledge is shared among stakeholders, it shouldnt endanger future generation.

National Sanitation Day, an initiative that was launched as part of measures to get our environments clean to prevent the repetition of the cholera epidemic that took over this nation in 2014. This initiative received much hype at birth; the story is no longer the same. This is because the whole initiative was mooted at the national level and there hasnt been a link to ensure that the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) lead the way.

In an interview on GBCs current affairs programme, Behind the News, Mr. Ben Arthur, former executive secretary of CONIWAS, the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation, stated that the National Sanitation Day begun without the consideration of mechanisms to enhance its adoption and sustainability by the MMDAs.

The above assertion reveals how this initiative has been focused only on the efforts of ministers and policy makers at the national level  an evidence of top-downism. The MMDAs are supposed to lead the way in issues that concern sanitation. The genesis of the filth that has engulfed our cities and towns is a consequence of negligence of duties and responsibilities by the MMDAs.

The MMDAs have been collecting revenues and also have access to District Assembly Common Fund which has a provision for sanitation; therefore, it isnt the lack of financial resources. The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Government must begin to put its acts together and ensure that MMDAs and the Environmental Health Directorate dont slack in performing a duty that they have been mandated to undertake.

Sanitation is a crucial matter. Its one of the development issues that have been specified in the Sustainable Development Goals, 2015. Sanitation is captured in Goal Six (6) with its accompanied targets, ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. The only way to achieve this goal is to mount the needed pressure on MMDAs to achieve this nationally and at the grass root level.

National Sanitation is a laudable idea; it is one thing to bring a laudable idea, and another, to ensure its implementation by the relevant agencies. Since its launch, the day  the first Saturday of every month, has been graced by a Minister for Local Government and Rural Development or the deputy.

This trend since its inception has not helped its sustainability; the day and the activity revolves around the minister or the deputy, instead of the Mayors and Chief Executives who live in the towns and cities. Consequently, in the absence of the minister or the deputy, there is no show  a clear evidence of eye-service.

Its high time the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development took a second look at the National Sanitation Day, and compel the Mayors and Chief Executives to deliver. This is an initiative that must not die because of the ineptitude of Mayors and Chief Executives of the MMDAs. This is a national matter and must be taken on with all the seriousness that it deserves.

One of the challenges that have bedeviled development initiatives is inconsistency of communication strategies. In every Communication for Development Strategy theres the need to consider the possibility of a relapse in the adopters. Thus, communication for development must be deepened to ensure total participation of the citizenry in the National Sanitation Day.

In fact, development can be summed as, sharing information and acquiring knowledge, adopting the acquired knowledge and practicing this knowledge.

Another issue that defeats this initiative is, the MMDAs collect revenues to ensure that public places are kept clean, yet the citizenry are made to clean those public places that the MMDAs are supposed to clean. This is illogical. It is true that sanitation is a shared responsibility; the MMDAs must lead the way in this shared responsibility, because theyve been mandated by law to take up such responsibilities.

Sanitation is a development issue; it must attract all needed attention. Mayors, Chief Executives and the Environmental Health Directorate must be up and doing to ensure a clean Ghana.

A clean Ghana is a healthy Ghana; a healthy Ghana is the one where SDG Six becomes a reality.

The writer is a freelance journalist with interests in human and social development, and sustainable development. Email: [email protected]/ [email protected]
The UK Minister for the Department for International Development (DFID), James Wharton, will be in Kenya from 10-12 August, on his first visit to Africa in his new role.

Minister Wharton, who oversees development aid in Africa, will hold meetings with representatives from national and county government to discuss areas of mutual interest for the UK and Kenya relationship including trade, investment and how Kenya can create the conditions for increased private sector investments in tackling poverty.

As well as meeting leaders, the Minister will also have an opportunity to visit UK aid funded projects in Marsabit, where the UK is helping some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in Northern Kenya. Here he will meet with people benefiting from the Hunger Safety Net Programme and Arid Support Programme and discuss the progress and impact of the programmes, which has already helped 1.5 million people.

Mr Wharton will also visit the Olkaria Geothermal Power plant and witness how UK aid is contributing to improved energy access for the people of Kenya by providing technical support on policy and strategy in developing geothermal power.

Ahead of his visit Mr Wharton said: I am looking forward to visiting Kenya and seeing first-hand the positive impact of the UKs support through its aid programme and the strong partnerships weve built over the years. Kenya remains a key bilateral partner for an outward looking and globally engaged UK and will continue to engage in matters of international cooperation and development.

Tackling poverty, boosting economic growth and improving security and stability in Kenya is building a safer and more prosperous world which is in both Kenya and the UKs national interest.

This is the first official visit to Kenya by the Minister Wharton since he was appointed on Saturday 16 July under the new UK Prime Minister Theresa May.

The UK is one of the largest bilateral donors delivering aid to help the poorest Kenyans, improve health and education, tackle conflict and create jobs. We work closely with the Government of Kenya through joint donor-government Sector Working Groups to ensure alignment with Kenyas priorities.

In the last five years UK support has: enabled 550,000 children to access primary education; provided 450,000 women with family planning services; helped 1.1 million people cope with the effects of climate change; improved access to clean energy for 476,000 people; and, distributed over 11.2 million bed nets to prevent malaria.
Every criminal offence is bailable in Ghana now. The Supreme Court of Ghana on May 5, 2016 declared Ghanas law on non-bailable offences as unconstitutional. Before the ruling, suspects facing charges such as treason, subversion, murder, robbery, hijacking, piracy, rape and defilement or escape from lawful custody could not be admitted to bail according to section 96 (7) of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ghana as amended.

Martin Kpebu, the plaintiff in the case described it as one of the most oppressive laws on our statute books. Many have hailed this judgment by the Supreme Court as likely to reduce the huge number of remand prisoners. On the contrary, the legislation was designed to promote national and international security by offering protection against violent crimes and by striking down the legislation, others believe it will expose the country to grave risk.

In this piece, I would comment briefly on the judgment and assess its effect on our criminal justice system.

Let me first highlight certain important facts about bail. Bail is the release of an arrested person on the condition that the person would appear before the court when required at a future date and that they would abide by any restrictions imposed upon them. It flows from the definition that the main purpose of granting bail to an accused person is to ensure that the accused is present in subsequent proceedings whiles he is not in custody. In the old English case of R vs. Broome [1851],18 L.T O. S.19, it was said that the object of bail is to secure by a pecuniary penalty, the appearance of an accused person at his trial.

In the famous Indian Supreme Court case of Gudikanti Narasimhulu Vs. Andra Pradesh AIR 1978 1 SCC 240: 1978 2 SCR 371, Justice Krishna Iyer (as he then was) stated  Bail or Jail? at the pre-trial or post-conviction stage belongs to the blurred area of the criminal justice system and largely hinges on the hunch of the bench, otherwise called judicial discretion.

This point was reiterated by Charles Crabbe JSC (as he then was) in the case of Republic Vs. Registrar of High Court; Ex-parte Attorney-General [1982-83] GLR 407 when he stated thus  The grant of bail was an exercise of a discretionary power and the main consideration was the likelihood of the person concerned failing to appear for further proceedings Bail can be obtained at both pre-trial and post-conviction stages and it is entirely at the discretion of the court. The Courts shall not withhold or withdraw bail merely as a punishment as provided for under Section 96(4) of Act 30.

In Martin Kpebu v. The Attorney-General, the plaintiff sought a single relief from the Supreme Court of Ghana, namely: a declaration that section 96(7) of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure)Act, 1960 (Act 30) as amended by the Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Act, 2002 (Act 633) and Section 41(1)(a) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2008 (Act 762) contravenes Article 15(2) and 19(2)(c) of the 1992 Constitution and is therefore null, void and of no effect.

The defendant filed their statement of case and argued that by virtue of Article 14(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the liberty of the individual could be curtailed in certain situations and Section 96(7) of Act 30 had this constitutional backing.

The Supreme Court of Ghana by a 5-2 majority declared Section 96 (7) of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ghana as amended as unconstitutional. After perusing the judgment I gathered the following to be the reasons for the decision (ratio decidendi):

Firstly, that section 96 (7) of Act 30 as variously amended is inconsistent with Article 19(2)(c) of the Constitution and for that reason is null and void and no effect. That Article 14(1)(g) does not justify the continued existence of Section 96(7) of Act 30 as amended. Article 14(1)(g) either standing on its own or when read together with Article 14(4), leaves room for the court to consider a release of a person detained under that provision. Section 96(7) of Act 30 as amended is clearly inconsistent with it and that extent is null, void and of no effect.

Secondly, that Article 14 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 96 (1)-(6) of Act 30 are sufficiently elaborate, weighty and far-reaching enough to assure simultaneously a healthy balance between the two important competing rights and interest which the constitution has a burden to uphold, namely; the personal liberty rights of accused persons and national and international security and stability. They contain sufficient substantive and procedural safeguards for the protection and preservation of society.

Thirdly, that section 96(7) of Act 30 is purposefully designed to curtail the discretionary powers vested in the courts by the Constitution to the end that persons charged with offences under Section 96(7) of Act, 30 are not entitled to be admitted to bail.

Furthermore, that the granting of bail is an illustration of the presumption of innocence until proven guilty which is a constitutional guarantee under Article 19 (2)(c) of the 1992 Constitution. The Supreme Court in Republic Vs. Court of Appeal, Ex-Parte, Attorney-General (Frank Benneh) case[1998-99], SCGLR 559,at 568, held (whiles refusing an application for certiorari to quash the decision of the court of appeal in granting bail to the accused, Frank Benneh in a narcotic related case) that it is the right of every person in Ghana to enjoy his liberty, freedom of movement etc. as enshrined in the 1992 ConstitutionIn the instant case, the accused is presumed to be innocent until it is otherwise established.

Moreover, there is certainty about the effect of the provisions of Article 11(1) of the 1992 Constitution which puts the Constitution at the apex of the laws of Ghana. In that scenario, Article 19(2)(c) being a constitutional provision is superior to an Act of Parliament, which Section 96(7) of Act is.

Again, that the decision by the Supreme Court in Gorman vs. the Republic (2003-2004) SCGLR 784, cannot be said to be an authoritative decision on the applicability of Article 19(2)(c) of the 1992 Constitution. This is because, that was not the primary focus of the appeal. The core issue before the court in the Gorman case was whether or not to grant the applicants bail in the face of the Court of Appeals refusal to grant them same. Whatever pronouncement that was made in the Gorman case regarding Article 19(2)(c) of the 1992 Constitution vis-a-vis section 96(7) of Act 30 was made per incuriam.

It is important to consider some of the dissenting opinions by the justices in this piece at this juncture as such opinions in most cases become the law in the future. Among some of the opinions expressed in dissent in the judgment were:

Firstly, that under the 1992 Constitution, the right to personal liberty is derived from Article 14, which at the same time provides limitations to the enjoyment of the right under Article 14(1).

Secondly, that section 96(7) is consistent with Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution. The problem is not the wording of the section, but with the attitude of some of the courts refusing to grant bail in the offences listed therein despite the clear wording of Article 14(4).

Thirdly, that the calls for the striking down of Section 96(7) were not made on any solid legal arguments except the sweeping invocation of the supremacy of the Constitution and of fundamental human rights.

Furthermore, that section 96 (7) co-exists with Article 14(4) with each playing its role in the administration of criminal justice in the country.

Again, it was pointed out that other common law jurisdictions like the U.S, UK and India have legislations that prohibit bail for capital offences, crimes for violence etc. The criteria specified in Section 96(5) and (7) of Act 30 are similar to what pertains in the penal laws of other countries. Section 96(5) and (6) would require some pre-trial evidential hearing akin to what pertains in some other jurisdictions mentioned supra.

More so, that the provision of non-bailable offences is a necessary law despite the perceived evil, designed to promote national, regional and international security in terms of narcotic trade, acts of terrorism and serious crimes.

Furthermore, that a person may even be denied bail in a bailable offence because the public confidence in the administration of justice may be disturbed by letting the individual, still legally innocent, go free pending the investigation and completion of the trial or passing of sentence due to the circumstances of the case.

Finally, the mandatory meaning of the word shall in section 96 (7) of Act is mechanistic and fails to take account of the context in which it is used. The learned Judge thought that the words shall refuse to grant bail means that the court is prohibited from hearing an application. No proper interpretation could be made without reference to the context.

Will the judgment have any serious consequences on our criminal justice system? I interviewed some lawyers for their views. The majority of the lawyers I interviewed believe that the attitude of the court in bail matters will not change much in spite of the judgment as the granting of bail is purely at the discretion of the court. Even though every offence has been rendered bailable by the judgment, it does not mean that any tom, dick and harry would be admitted to bail when he commits an offence by the court. The courts were even denying bail in the so-called bailable offences even before this judgment.

Section 96(5) and (6) of Act 30 contains provisions that guide the courts in the exercise of their discretion whether to grant bail or not in every case. Section 96(5) of Act 30 states that the court shall refuse to grant bail, it is satisfied that the defendant may not appear to stand trial; or may interfere with a witness or the evidence or hamper with police investigations; may commit a further offence when on bail; or is charged with an offence punishable by imprisonment exceeding six month which is alleged to have been committed while the defendant was on bail. Section 96(6) of Act 30 further states that, in considering whether it is likely that the defendant may appear to stand trial the court shall take into account: the nature of the accusation, the nature of the evidence in support of the accusation, the severity of the punishment which conviction will entail, whether the defendant had previously failed to comply with bail conditions, whether the defendant has a fixed place of abode in the Republic and is gainfully employed and whether the sureties are independent, of good character and of sufficient means.

In conclusion, the plaintiff in the Martin Kpebu case must be commended for bringing the action before the Supreme Court. This landmark judgment is good for our criminal justice system. However, the problem still remains that, the courts grant bail to these suspects with very harsh bail conditions and they end up not meeting the conditions and languish in jail. There are also allegations of the police extorting monies from suspects before approving sureties. Trials are protracted in Ghana. The Attorney-Generals Department delay in giving its advice on dockets. Cases are adjourned many times, exasperating accused persons on remand. Sometimes, the state does not have evidence to prosecute, leaving the accused in police cells until a time when the state wants to continue the case. Dockets also get missing and police also delay their investigations. The police arrest before conducting investigations and not vice-versa and many of the times conduct arm-chair investigations. In my view, until these bottle-necks are removed we cannot realize a perfect criminal justice system.

The writer is a Human Rights Advocate and works with Helplaw Ghana (a private Legal Aid Provider)

[email protected]

0205827490
The morbidly desperate leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has begun their red-herring games again, exposing themselves for what many of us avid students of Fourth-Republican Ghanaian political culture have maintained for quite a while now.

To wit, that the National Democratic Congress leadership is in cahoots with their surrogates at the so-called Independent Electoral Commission (EC) to rig Election 2016, if the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) fails to keep an eagle-eyed perspective on the upcoming polls.

The latest game by the Asiedu-Nketia Gang has been to taunt Team Bawumia to submit the names of the 76,286 foreigners that the latter claimed had been illegally tacked onto Ghanas National Voters Register (NVR)  (See Submit 76K Togolese Names for Deletion  NDC Dares NPP Starrfmonline.com / Ghanaweb.com 8/3/16).

You see, what we ought to be discussing presently is the criminally culpable malpractice of over-voting, which is widely known to be more rampant in the Volta Region than any of the ten regions of the country. I have said this several times in quite a slew of columns, that what we need to be doing from now until the December 7 general election is to ensure that no constituency returns polling numbers far in excess of 35,000 or thereabouts, in accordance with the constitutional stipulation that the maximum number of people that any parliamentarian may represent ought not to be far in excess of 50,000.

What I have not been able to ascertain is whether the figure of 50,000 is entirely composed of voting-eligible adults or a combination of voting-age adults and minors. Which, at any rate would make the promises of parliamentary representatives like Mr. Fiifi Kwetey to deliver a minimum of 100,000 votes for the National Democratic Congress indisputably suspicious.

As for the lame and jaded challenge for Team Bawumia to make good on its alleged discovery of some 76,000-plus foreigners on our National Voters Register, that judgment call entirely belongs to the key operatives of the Electoral Commission.

Indeed, I vividly remember that at the time that such discovery was allegedly made, the then-newly appointed EC Chair, Mrs. Charlotte Kesson-Smith Osei, told the nation that all attempts to authentic, or rather verify, the findings of Team Bawumia from the Togolese election authorities had met with prompt rebuff.

But there was also quite a tricky aspect to this matter because the Electoral Commission had adamantly refused to grant full access to Ghanas National Voters Register, about the same time that the EC operatives were demanding copies of Team Bawumias allegedly forensically sustainable evidence vis-a-vis the purportedly irreparable contamination or compromising of the NVR. And, needless to say, Team Bawumia was squarely with its rights to refuse to provide copies of its finds to the EC, while it had practically no way of determining whether its copies would be covertly used to purge or sanitize the existing voters register, only for the ECs operatives to turn around and accuse Team Bawumia of taking the country on a wild-goose chase.

The EC leaders would later appear with some dubious narrative claiming that Team Bawumias purported evidence was not authentic, after all; and that the composition of Ghanas NVR was such that no foreign register of names and photographs could be successfully scanned onto Ghanas NVR, or some such curious narrative, as yours truly vividly recalls the same.

Ultimately, what all democracy-loving Ghanaians ought to be worried about is the quite reliable testimony by Mr. Sydney Casely-Hayford, the renowned and respected financial analyst, that there may be a significant number of eligible voters who voted by the use of their recently proscribed National Health Insurance Scheme-issued cards whose names have still not been expunged from the NVR, including himself, as ordered by the Supreme Court in the Ramadan-Nimako Vs. the Electoral Commission. In essence, Ghanaians have a lot to be worried about since, figuratively speaking, we are still not out of the woods yet.

*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs
Accra  August 10, 2016: Colours Ghana, a team of talented, like-minded individuals, has officially launched its WHATS YOUR COLOUR? campaign, an exciting, fresh, new youth-targeted election campaign that plans to take the country by storm. From now to Election Day, Colours Ghana will capture the minds and hold the attention of Ghanaian youth, through its carefully planned, creative initiatives.

Already making waves is the teams first video release, which you can check out on the Colours Ghana Instagram page .

Over the next couple of months, WHATS YOUR COLOUR?, by entertaining, provoking, informing, and engaging with young people, will encourage Ghanas future leaders to do something truly revolutionary; make their voices heard, and make an unwavering stand for positive change.

The young citizens of Ghana need to realize that policies affecting their own futures will be determined by the outcome of the elections, and that its simply not enough to complain about our economy, about our education and healthcare systems, about unemployment, or about the lack of basic social amenities. Its time for the youth to make their voices count for something, and thats what the WHATS YOUR COLOUR? campaign is here for; to inform young people that they must vote for the revolution they crave.

When you wake up in the morning, what thoughts go through your mind? What are your worries and fears? What motivates you to get up and go to work or school? Is what youre being taught in school enough? Is it preparing you for the kind of future youve dreamed of? Are you being conditioned to succeed in life? Do you enjoy your job, and is it what you planned on doing? If the answer is no, why are you still there? Is it the crippling fear that you might not find another job? What kind of future are you building for yourself and your children? Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? How about 10 years from now? Are your goals within reach? Whats stopping you from achieving them? What impact do you want to make on the world, and what do you want to be remembered for?

These are hard hitting questions that we the youth must reflect on to get that reality check weve so desperately needed. Changing our circumstances begins with making a conscious decision to act.

Your vote is your voice, and the time to use it is now.

ABOUT COLOURS GHANA

Colours Ghana is a team of young, talented, like-minded creative on a mission to engage, inspire, and challenge the minds of the Ghanaian electorate. With a simple message of positivity, the team has embarked on a mission to push an agenda of unity, self-reflection and change.

Over the next couple of months, Ghana will see, feel and connect with an array of visual stimuli that will engage the electorate in every aspect of their lives.

For more information on WHATS YOUR COLOUR? and Colours Ghana, you may contact the team through any of their social media properties.

Twitter: @ColoursGhana

Instagram: Colours Ghana

Facebook: Colours Ghana
The African Network of Entrepreneurs (TANOE), a leading social enterprise in the development and support of Entrepreneurs & Businesses in Ghana has congratulated City Investment Company Limited, headline sponsor of the Ghana Startup Awards, for acquiring a banking license to book their place amongst the league of leading banks in Ghana.

TANOE believes Premium Bank will set a new standard in innovation, customer care, service delivery excellence and general banking operations and looks forward to a continued partnership in the promotion of SMEs and Startups in Ghana.

In a short message from the CEO of TANOE, Ekow Mensah; he said that, knowing the vital role that banks play in the socio-economic development of a country, he is optimistic that with the tremendous track record of City Investments since their incorporation in 1992 till date and through their successful transition from Vanguard Investments to City Investments; Ghanaians in general and SMEs in particular should expect nothing but the very best in banking from Premium Bank.

TANOE is a strong advocate of entrepreneurship as a sustainable solution to unemployment and serves as a resourceful social enterprise for the provision of capacity building, business support services, accelerator programs and networking initiatives geared towards the creation of an enabling environment for entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs to thrive in Ghana and Africa.

TANOE serves as a hub of hope for entrepreneurs who desire to live their dreams and are passionate about gaining the requisite knowledge, support and networks to better position them to build globally competitive businesses right from Africa. Some flagship projects of TANOE include: The SME Hospital, The Startup Network, WomanRising, GirlEmpowered, Students and Youth Entrepreneurs Network, TANOE Institute & TANOE Hub.
I listened to the Director of Communication of the Electoral Commission during TV3 news at 10:30pm on August 9, 2016.

It was in respect with an alleged investigations the EC said it had conducted into an alleged verification of Alhaji Dr. Bawumia outside of the verification center at Kperiga in Walewale. The EC made some facts clear. For instance the EC stated that its investigation did not uncover Dr Bawumia giving 10,000Ghc to temporary officers to get verified. The investigations by the EC also made it clear that Dr Mahamudu Bawumia was not verified in his house as alleged by intoxicated Communicators of the NDC. The NDC should be ashamed by now.

I sincerely, however, do believe that the EC in releasing their investigative findings could have made some things clearer to Ghanaians. The following questions will need more answers: 1. When was the said committee set up? 2. Who were members of the Committee? 3. Did the said Committee invite Dr Bawumia to hear his version? 4. If Dr Bawumia was allegedly verified outside the polling station what is the name of the specific place he was verified? 5. Did the said committee listen to other witnesses in this matter?

My opinion is that this is a rat race. Dr Bawumia is a genuine, honest and law abiding citizen who will always operate according to the law any day. This is yet another new strategy to dent the image of Dr Bawumia. It is dead on arrival though.

Nothing reasonable would come out of this. The NDC which has been the loudest on this matter must rather get busy with how to stabilize the economy and create employment for the teaming unemployed Ghanaians. We are solidly behind Dr Bawumia and believe that this too will fade into oblivion.

Nice day to all.

Akilu Sayibu

Tamale North
Nana Akufo-Addo, the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has reiterated his party's resolve to focus on industrialization to create more employment opportunities for Ghanaians.

You have heard me speak about our policy of '1-District-1-Factory'. It is an integral part of our policy of rapid industrial development. We have identified over 300 projects across the 216 districts of the country to bring this policy into fruition. We are going to do it, and in so doing, we will give a major boost to the activities of micro and small-scale enterprises in the country.

Nana Addo was speaking on Monday in Tamale when he addressed an extraordinary general meeting of the Association of Small Scale Industries (ASSI).

He said his administration planned to emulate advanced countries which had succeeded in building their economies through nurturing and supporting the activities of micro and small-scale enterprises.

Nana Akufo-Addo gave examples of economies such as the United States of America, the European Union, United Kingdom, China, Japan, India, Korea and South Africa, which have established small and medium-scale enterprises to create more jobs for the people.

Referring to Germany, for example, which is currently the world's fourth largest economy, Nana Addo stated that practically all German businesses were small to medium-scale industries, adding that about 3.6 million small industries currently provide more than 60 percent of jobs in that country.

We will follow this example by expanding opportunities for small businesses in agro-processing, agribusiness, light manufacturing and industrial activity.

He further said the 1-District-1-Factory policy would go hand-in-hand with the party's resolve to stimulate private sector investment into a number of strategic, anchor industries, including iron and steel, cement, bauxite and aluminum, petrochemical industry, vehicle assembly and the manufacture of machine parts and equipment.

Nana Addo was accompanied by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and other regional executives of the NPP in Northern Region.

Dependence on oil

Government has consistently relied on the oil sector and high taxes to mobilize revenues.

With the country's exposure to oil revenue volatility from oil production and the decline in prices recently, government is hard-pressed for money.

According to ACEP, This is what happens when government plays the ostrich with the oil boom period. For an estimated $484.79 million in petroleum revenues for the first half of the year, government only got $87.15 million.

This is the lowest revenue Ghana has ever realized since oil production started in 2010. There is no other time to appreciate the signal than now that oil revenues should be invested as capital to aid economic diversification, failing which the budget continues to be revised on account of oil revenue shortfalls.

High taxes

Government's introduction of the 'killer' taxes has forced many businesses to relocate to neighbouring countries which have rendered many people jobless.

This is because a lot of companies cannot compete on the local market owing to the influx of imported goods whose prices are cheaper than locally made goods.
Four persons, including two police officers, have been dragged before an Accra circuit court for allegedly defrauding two businessmen of the sum of $90,000.

They are Detective Lance Corporal Jerome Amuzu; ASP John Tawiah Kuadey; Clement Agbaglo aka Sky, businessman and Ganiyu Alhassan Danjuma, trader.

The police officers and their civilian accomplices are said to have taken the said amount of money from one John Peprah in April 2009 at Nii Boye Town in Accra, under the pretext of supplying him with gold.

The prosecutor, Winifred Sarpong, a senior state attorney, told the court that Clement Agbaglo and Danjuma conspired and defrauded the complainant while the two police officers abetted them to commit the offence.

The court, presided over by Aboagye Tandoh, admitted the accused persons to bail in the sum of GH90,000 with two sureties each, while the case has been adjourned until August 29, 2016.

The facts of the case are that the complainants, John Peprah and Eric Agyemang, are businessmen who work together.

Agbaglo and Danjumah are a businessman and a trader respectively while Amuzu and Tawiah are police officers who at the time of the offence, were stationed at the CID headquarters, Accra.

Sometime in the month of April 2009, John visited his business partner at his residence at Nii Boi Town in Accra.

When he got there he met Danjuma already in the company of his business partner and in a conversation with him (partner), the complainant expressed interest in going to Obuasi to buy gold.

Danjuma overheard this and told them it was too dangerous for them to travel to Obuasi and that he knew one Alhaji who could supply them with the mineral.

Based on this information from Danjuma, they decided to abandon their trip to Obuasi and buy the gold from the said Alhaji.

A meeting was arranged and they all met at Abrantie Spot, Lapaz, where Danjuma introduced Sky as the Alhaji who could supply them with the gold. They negotiated the price and arrived at $30,000 per a bar of gold.

The complainants ordered for three bars of gold from Sky and as such, Danjuma called them on April 28, 2009 and informed them that the gold was ready and the complainants requested that they should meet at Eric Agyemangs house at Nii Boi

Town.

Danjuma and Sky arrived at Erics house with a wrapped substance which he (Sky) claimed to be one bar of the gold with Sky explaining to them that he only brought part of the gold because he wanted to be sure they had the money to do business.

At that point, according to the facts, the complainants brought out the $90,000 and showed it to Sky, demanding that the complainants gave him the money to be given to Danjuma to go and bring the rest of the gold from his wife, and the complainants obliged.

While waiting for Danjuma to bring the rest of the gold, some police officers, including Amuzu, came in to arrest them for trading in narcotics.

Amuzu, who is a brother to Sky at the time of arrest, gave him a nudge for him to run away, which he did with the complainants money.

It came out during investigations that the whole arrest was a sham, which in the language of the police, is a close beat.

The arrest was authorised by Tawiah, who after the operation received his share of the booty.

By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson

[email protected]


The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) has rejected a truce called by the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Haruna Iddrisu, on behalf of the government, to call off their strike.

Members of the association, who have been on strike since last week, are saying that if the government, through the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), does not include their inputs in the payment of premium to qualified personnel in the services, they would not return to work.

The minister, at a crunch meeting with the National Executive Committee (NEC) of CLOGSAG, impressed on the workers to return to work because it is illegal to negotiate whilst on strike, but the more the minister impressed on them the more agitated the workers became.

In fact, the meeting became chaotic as the workers demanded that the minister should withdraw a statement to the effect that CLOGSAG members were not going to be paid salaries if they did not return to work; but he did not comment on that issue.

The minister however, made it clear to them that the 2016 National Budget presented by the finance minister, did not 'contemplate' the payment of market premium for the workers and said the government was going to launch a new market premium for 2017.

Give us one week truce for me to engage higher authorities and get back to you on your demands, Mr Iddrisu said before adding that he was heading for Kumasi to attend a conference of the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

Immediately he left, Isaac Bampoe-Addo, Executive Secretary of CLOGSAG, who was chairing the meeting, was asked if the association was going to accede to the demands by the minister. He replied, NEC has made it clear that we are still on strike. Salary or no salary, we are on strike!

At a news conference last week, CLOGSAG accused the government of refusing to include it in the process to determine the Interim Premium; and ordered its members to stay at home, if it (government) failed to respond to its demand by the assigned date.

The national secretariat of CLOGSAG wishes to state that negotiations with government on Interim Premium have not been conclusive and because of that all our members are supposed to be on strike, Mr Bampoe-Addo underscored.

According to the association, it sighted a draft report of the presentation of a sub-committee of the FWSC on the 'Transition from Interim Market Premium to implementing Market Premium' but they were not included, even though the committee had made some findings in relation to the association.

By William Yaw Owusu
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, Kennedy Agyapong has explained his claim that the Electoral Commission's (EC) chairperson Mrs. Charlotte Osei offered sex for her position was "a joke."

I said a lot of things on that day, even this one, I was joking, I immediately took my seat after making those comments...yes, I was joking, the controversial legislator said on Adom FM on Tuesday.

His backtrack comes two months after he made the claim while addressing supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at Asokwa in Kumasi.

His comments attracted widespread condemnation as majority of Ghanaians called on him to substantiate his comments. He further vowed to expose more dirt on the EC boss if he was dared.

Some prominent Ghanaians including the Gender and Social Protection Minister, Nana Oye Lithur, Foreign Affairs Minister, Hanna Tetteh and several women groups also condemned his comments.

Some women groups and Queenmothers also petitioned Parliament to sanction him.

But speaking on Dwaso Nsem Tuesday, Mr. Agyapong blamed the Gender Minister, for instigating the numerous demonstrations and wave of criticisms that followed his comments.

There is an element of hypocrisy in this country. Nana Oye Lithur was organising and paying persons GHC20 to go and demonstrate against me because I have made comments against Charlotte Osei, he claimed.
A 58-year-old man from Ghana has been jailed in Canada after accepting responsibility for child pornography found on his cellphone as he entered the North American country.

Thomas Aboagye Acheampong was arrested Monday at Halifax Stanfield International Airport after arriving on an Air Canada flight from London.

Acheampong told a Canada Border Services Agency officer he planned to visit for 17 days but gave inconsistent answers when pressed for details.

During a secondary examination, a border officer discovered three videos on Acheampongs cellphone showing children having sex with one another.

Crown attorney Perry Borden told Dartmouth provincial court the six children in the videos appeared to range in age from five to 13.

Acheampong pleaded guilty to a Criminal Code charge of possessing electronic media depicting the sexual exploitation of children and a Customs Act charge of smuggling prohibited goods.

Judge Timothy Gabriel accepted a joint recommendation from lawyers and sentenced the Ghanaian national to eight months in jail on each count, with the term to be served concurrently.

Acheampong will almost certainly be deported after he gets out of the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth, the judge said.

If it wasnt for people like you, sir, who possess this kind of material, there would be no incentive for the monsters doing this to the children, Gabriel told the offender. And youre bringing it into Canada!

Let me be very direct. If youre the type of person who doesnt care that children are treated this way, that is prepared to contribute to the perpetualization of an industry that treats children this way, youre not the type of person we want in Canada in any event.

The judge said the aggravating features were too many to mention and deserved strong condemnation.

No society in the world accepts this kind of conduct, Gabriel said. I dont purport to speak for all of them, but I speak for Canadian society. We dont tolerate it and we punish it severely.

We express societys revulsion and contempt for individuals who participate in that kind of activity, and the sentence must reflect that.

He said the only mitigating feature was the early guilty plea, which saved the court some time.

Borden said he asked for more than the minimum sentence of six months for possession of child pornography because Acheampong had a previous conviction in Maryland in 2004 for conspiracy to traffic heroin.

So hes not coming to court with clean hands, the prosecutor said.

The judge also ordered Acheampong to provide a DNA sample for a national databank and register as a sex offender for 10 years.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) says President John Dramani Mahama has failed to implement policies to resolve the numerous challenges facing the country.

Communications Director of the party, Nana Akomea said it would be sarcastic for President Mahama to be described as the best candidate in the presidential race for this year's elections because the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has not offered credible leadership.

According to him, President Mahama has failed to fulfill his promises to tackle the energy crisis, which has affected many businesses and individuals for the past four years.

In September 2012, President Mahama promised to fully implement the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS). Here we are today CLOGSAG members are on strike about their pay. Dumsor has been with us for four years now, and as we speak many places in Accra have no power, Nana Akomea told Hello Fm, a Kumasi-based radio station, yesterday.

The NPP Communications Director stated that CLOGSAG members would not be on strike if the President had been prudent in the management of the scarce resources of the country by not doling out monies, cars and buildings to his cronies, including Akua Donkor of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP).

How do you get money to do important things when you are busily showering goodies on Akua Donko, buying her cars and renting expensive apartments for her, he quizzed.

Nana Akomea disclosed this while reacting to comments made by the NDC Deputy General Secretary, Koku Anyidoho that President Mahama's achievements were unprecedented.

Is it infrastructure? Every government undertakes infrastructural projects, and even colonial government built infrastructure for this country and Koku wants to use this as the yardstick. That's a pity, he noted

According to the NPP Communication Director, the President has disappointed Ghanaians by failing to address the challenges of the country to improve the lives of the citizenry.

Mr Anyidoho said despite the numerous crises, President Mahama had executed massive infrastructural projects to the admiration of Ghanaians.

According to him, the NDC leader had created an atmosphere of peace and tranquility and implemented a lot of policies and programmes to improve the lives of the citizens in the country.

The NDC member said the President had exhibited quality and inspiring leadership which is unparalleled in the country.

He argued that President Mahama had calmly delivered on his promises to revive the country's economy and preached against violence.

From Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi
The recent survey of the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) has revealed that the majority of Ghanaians believe the country is heading in a wrong direction.

The survey captured the mood of the respondents who were disillusioned about the state of hopelessness in the country, with a good majority of them holding unemployment, power crisis and education as key priorities that should drive the policy direction of candidates in this years elections.

The mood of the electorate going into the 2016 polls is broadly negative. Seven in 10 Ghanaians believe the country is going in the wrong direction; and nearly half blame this 'completely' or 'mostly' on the government. Only a quarter think the country is headed in the right direction, Senior Research Fellow at CDD, Daniel Armah Attoh, told journalists in Accra yesterday during the presentation of the report on 'Popular opinions on issues at stake in the 2016 election.'

CDD said opinions of 2,400 adults of voting age were sampled between July 2 and 18, 2016.

The respondents claimed that although the economic conditions are not the best, their voting pattern would not be swayed by gifts from politicians.

They were spread across 163 districts and 291 towns and villages in the country.

The survey also indicated that a little over one-third of Ghanaians are of the opinion that their living conditions are better than that of others.

Majority of the respondents, Mr Attoh said, are optimistic that their living conditions would be improved at least a year from now.

This category of respondents claimed that the hardship was largely because the government had performed poorly in the delivery of a range of social goods.

To improve their living conditions, a narrow majority of Ghanaians still believe that a new government would do a better job when voted into power.

Indeed a narrow majority believe that another political party can do a better job and factors such as bad roads, government corruption, high prices of goods and others would influence the outcome of the votes, Mr Armah Attoh said.

Assessing the performance of President John Mahama, his approval rating took a dip.

Nonetheless, Ghanaians are split in their evaluation of the job performance of the president and Members of Parliament (MPs). Nearly half approve the overall job performance of the president and their respective MPs, but the rest disapprove, Armah Attoh said.

Influential Factors

According to the survey report, the majority of Ghanaians have said factors, including candidates' offer of gifts, their religious faith, or the region a candidate comes from, will not influence the way they will vote during the December 7 general elections.

According to them, they would rather concentrate on candidates who would offer to fix bad roads, power crisis, high prices of food, among other national problems.

Nearly four in every 10 Ghanaians say they vote on the basis of the merits of the candidate, and that party affiliation is secondary, it said, adding, A majority of Ghanaians 'strongly agree' or 'agree' with the statement that they vote for the parliamentary candidate of the political party that advances ideas they share.

The survey findings which respondents were selected nationally said, Solid majorities of Ghanaians claim the following factors would have a great deal of or some influence on their choice of candidates and parties in 2016: bad roads, government corruption, power outages, high prices of food, access to medical care, use of abusive language, posture of politicians, etc.

Priority Issues

The report said Ghanaians place unemployment, electricity and education on top of policy priorities they want the 2016 polls to address.

And yet, a clear majority assesses government's performance in addressing their policy priorities negatively, it said, adding, Indeed, a narrow majority seems to believe that another political party can do a better job of addressing their first most important problem.

The report said, Nearly half approve the overall job performance of the president and their respective MPs, but the rest disapprove.

Economic situation

According to the report, Majority of Ghanaians offer highly negative evaluation of national economic (7 in 10) and their own living conditions (65 percent), adding, However, more are optimistic rather than pessimistic about the prospect of improvement a year from now.

It said the government received poor grades from a clear majority of Ghanaians across a range of macroeconomic indicators: narrowing income gaps, keeping prices down, creating jobs, improving living standards of the poor and managing the economy.

It continued, Majorities rate the government as 'very' or 'fairly' bad in the delivery of a range of economic and social goods: providing reliable electricity, combating corruption, ensuring enough food for everyone, providing water and sanitation, improving basic health services and maintaining bridges/roads and addressing educational needs.

Government performance is somewhat positive with respect to crime and violence prevention, where a minority (4 in 10) offers negative assessment.

By William Yaw Owusu


The Government of Ghana has failed to pay royalties which have been in arrears to the tune of about GH120 million to chiefs in mining communities of the country.

The money is an accumulation of nine percent share of receipts by central government on behalf of beneficiary chiefs in the mining communities.

According to the Mining Act, communities are entitled to nine percent of total royalties paid to government but for some time now, the government had allegedly failed to pay traditional rulers and the various district assemblies their share of the royalties.

Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, Omanhene of Sefwi Anhwiaso, one of the biggest beneficiaries whose money government is keeping, revealed this at the Ghana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GHEITI) 2014 report dissemination workshop in Takoradi.

The traditional ruler explained that the situation was adversely affecting the smooth running of the affected traditional areas.

Nananom use part of the monies they collect as royalties to grant scholarships for brilliant but needy students in the mining companies and so where the money is delayed it affects the students, he added.

The chief pointed out that the percentage of royalties given to the traditional areas and the district assemblies was not enough and indicated that the amount should be increased to 30 percent.

In DR Congo, mining companies pay 35 percent of their revenue to chiefs as royalties and in Nigeria it's 30. Unfortunately, even the nine percent in Ghana is not released on time and as I speak right now the government owes about GH120 million.

He stated, I am told government released GH4 million about two weeks ago. What can we do with that money?

It is stated clearly in the Mining Act that a certain percentage must go to chiefs and the district assemblies. I am therefore appealing to the Ministry of Finance to release the money.

The chief suggested that royalties meant for traditional leaders should be paid directly to the chiefs rather than government.

He accused multinationals operating in Ghana of promoting illegal mining by buying tailings from 'galamsey' operators whose activities had polluted water bodies and degraded farm lands.

In an address read on his behalf, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, noted that his outfit had adopted the aims of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) to improve transparency and accountability in the management of revenues from natural resources.

He, however, mentioned that the ministry expected that the EITI would champion programmes that would digest the complex and intricate financial systems operated by some mining companies.

From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi
Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) recently opened a branch at Sakaman, a suburb of Accra. Located off the Sakaman Dansoman High Street, near the Allied Oil Filling Station, the new branch brings the bank's total branch network to 29.

Chairperson of UMB, Elizabeth Zormelo, in a remark, commended the bank for its achievements over the past two years, adding that the Sakaman branch was opened to enhance the experience of customers.

Mrs. Zormelo also assured the bank's partners, especially customers that the bank would continue to improve its performance and competitiveness.

CEO of UMB, John Awuah, stated that the new branch was part of the bank's strategy to enhance customer convenience by investing in the expansion of both physical and digital channels.

He further said the expansion of the bank's physical presence was critical for meeting the current needs of customers, stating that the bank had taken steps to take advantage of technology to lead the market in digital banking.

In the next few years, you can expect to see a UMB that is more technology oriented and that takes even more innovative steps to meet and shape customer experiences, he added.

Lawrence Appiah-Baiden, UMB's Director of Retail, also said since its rebranding in 2014, UMB had been strengthening its presence in the retail banking space.

We will be opening branches in locations where we are underrepresented to remain within close proximity to our clients. This aggressive expansion of our retail presence is a key part of our strategy to become one of the top tier banks in Ghana by the year 2020.

Mr. Appiah-Baiden further expressed the hope that individuals and business in Sakaman, Dansoman, Mallam and its environs would take advantage of the superior customer service and quality banking products that UMB has to offer.

Director of Marketing and Communications at UMB, Yvonne Botchey, said UMB was poised to continue translating its strong brand into relevant benefits for customers, especially residents of Sakaman and its neighbouring areas.

A business desk report
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has raised concerns over the recent uncontrolled take-over of cocoa farms and farmlands by small-scale miners and warned that could affect the crop's production levels.

Rev Emmanuel Ahia Klotey, Deputy Executive Director of the Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED), said the situation whereby chiefs, landowners and farmers keep releasing lands and cutting down farms to give way to gold mining could have serious consequences for the cocoa industry.

Efforts at attaining production targets would prove futile if this went unchecked, he added.

He was addressing the annual conference of the Kookoo Pa Farmers Association held in Nyinahin in the Atwima-Mponua District.

The event, held under the theme, 'Increasing sustainable cocoa production in Ghana  the role of the youth' was also used to pay a premium to farmers.

Rev Klotey underscored that the youth eager to go into cocoa growing must to be assisted to gain access to land to help not only to boost production but enable them to create wealth for themselves.

He made reference to the youth in cocoa production programme introduced by the Cocobod, and said the goal was to entice the young people into the crop's cultivation to revamp the sector.

That, he indicated, was the way forward to maintain the country's position as leader in quality cocoa production.

He reiteirated the determination of COCOBOD to create opportunities and provide incentives to farmers to increase yield and returns, citing free distribution of seedlings and inputs supply.

Stephen Yeboah, the District Chief Executive (DCE), praised cocoa farmers for their immense contribution to the socio-economic development of the nation.

He appealed to the youth in the area to take advantage of the interventions by COCOBOD to go into cocoa farming to transform their living conditions.

Vincent Frimpong Manu, Board Chairman of the Kookoo Pa Farmers Association, said it would continue to help and encourage farmers to adopt modern agronomic practices to raise production.

He counseled farmers to adhere strictly to the advice by extension officers.

Fred Amponsah, Executive Director of the Association, said all of its 7,260 members had passed the external audit process and therefore certified as quality cocoa beans producers.

The farmers received a premium payment of GH10 on each bag of cocoa sold.

-GNA
Indigenous construction firm Berock Ventures has been commended for its efficient and timely execution of its projects.

The company, which has been in existence for close to 25 years, has won both national and international competitive biddings to undertake major building, water and civil engineering projects in Ghana.

It recently constructed the seven-storey Ghana Civil Aviation Authority Training Academy which was recently commissioned by President John Mahama.

Cutting the tape to commission the new training academy, President Mahama, who had previously commissioned projects constructed by Berock, commended the firm for its professionalism, saying it was one of the best in the country and urged its management to continue to excel.

Berock Ventures is currently constructing the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, among others.

The company also constructed the 12-storey Shippers Council building, the first-ever ICT Park, the National Blood Bank and several projects on public university campuses.

It has won a number of awards, locally and internationally, as a result of its project delivery.

It was adjudged the Construction Company of the Year 2015.

A Life Time Achievement award in the Construction Industry was presented to its Executive Chairman Rockon Dogbegah.

Mr. Dogbegah, who has been promoting professionalism and excellence not only in Berock but at the national and international stage, in an interview, urged government to prioritize the establishment of a Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA) to develop the local capacity and the industry in general.

The Berock Executive Chairman, who has launched a campaign to promote the initiative, believes it is also a panacea to solving the country's security and unemployment issues.

Chief Executive of Berock, Courage Dogbegah, expressed gratefulness for the commendation and said such recognitions motivates the company to aspire to do more.

He encouraged the government and private sector organisations to be confident in the capabilities of indigenous firms and give them the opportunity to undertake major projects.

A business desk report
Is not surprising that 3 people who have spoken and insulted the justices of this land are seen as heros. Is only in a sick country that this will happen. What kills my heart is that we have ministers of state and people at highly place positions signing petition to twist the president's hand to release the 3 nation wreckers

In my country Ghana (GYEEDA LAND), politician flouts the law, either he is left of the hook or he is tried just to put dust in the eyes of the ordinary and later discharge and acquitted, the few who do not belong to a government of that time of the trial are jailed BUT on getting to Nsawam, his "sickness comes" and he is rushed to KORLE-BU or 37 MH Hospital. From the Hospital, he goes straight back home, having either secured a presidential pardon or a "fake" bail on health grounds!

If you think I am lying, ask Adamu Dramani Sakande, The Bawku MP! In fact, I am very disappointed in the "law" that frees the "big men" as soon as they get to Nsawam. What is there in Nsawam that inflates the Hernia of the politician but nourishes the health of all other categories of prisoners?

On 10th October 1960, when Nsawam Prisons received its first in-mates, Dr Kwame Nkrumah made it clear that the Prison was not going to be a home for only the petty thieves and bullies but for people like Aggudey, Tsatsu and their likes almost as if Nkrumah anticipated their births.

I mention these two because the difference between Tsatsu and Aggudey is that while Tsatsu stole from the people through government, Aggudey connected his stealing tube directly to the people. Nkrumah prophesied that people like these will be born in Ghana and we should be ready to imprison them as they can act sick more than Akrobeto & John Dumelo combined. I dont know how the CPP will take this, but then I am of the conviction that the pursuit of truth is not about how who takes what--it is correct-- how who takes what.... I was in Nsawam Gov't hospital once to visit a sick relative and chanced upon a very, very sick prisoner who was under extremely painful conditions. A very elderly man whose crime I know not, but even if murder, cannot be equated to the live of GYEEDA genocide.

Internal Revenue Authority and National Health Insurance thieving syndicates subject us to on daily basis, should not have been one-wrist handcuffed to an hospital bed in that condition I saw him especially with a drip and those hospital machines all over him!

Follow me: Tsatsu Tsikata's (he rejected a pardon?) asthma "came" in Nsawam, Adamu Sakande's "NKUI"-if you know what "nkui" means-also "came" only when he was taken to Prison.

Some dont act sick, they just sprinkle some political powder on their judgment sheets and presto, you have a "FREE so-so and so movement! If the law did not free you, who should free you? Dan Abodakpi is one such example! Sipa Yankey! Typically, Ghanaians do not criticize the dead even if such individuals were cantankerous (I mean no offense please) and would not have a single monument, or any miserable grandchild named after them, so dare I mention V. Salomey? May his soul rest perfectly in the bosom of the Lord. Mallam Yahaya, Kwame Pepprah etc etc...

Please let us be fair here; what about those jailed for an average of 2-3 years for stealing (some with a value of less than 50 Ghana cedis), mobile phones, malt bottles, ECG cables( as if ECG puts the cables to any proper use), goats, scraps etc etc? Are we not the same people advocating for a judicial system that is firm, proactive, and unbiased? The politics of it is malodorous, I must say- that is why people alleged judgments to have been written at the then Castle but read in Court.

BUT THAT IS NOT MY BEEF! -- My problem is that what is good for goose is good for the gander.

The writer is an investigative Journalist.

www.oseiview.blogspot.com

[email protected]
The Member of Parliament for Assin North says comments he made about the Electoral Commission's Chairperson which earned him widespread condemnation, were made in jest.

Kennedy Agyapong explained on Adom FMs morning Show Dwaso Nsem the comments were blown out of proportion especially by the media which took his light-hearted comments out of context.

The Assin North legislator, noted for fiery speeches and controversial statements, refrained from saying anything further when host of 'Dwaso Nsem' Captain Smart probed further.

'I don't want to talk about it,' he stated.

While addressing some New Patriotic Party faithful at a campaign launch in Asokwa in Kumasi, Mr. Agyapong was reported to have suggested that the EC Chairperson, Mrs Charlotte Osei was behaving as if she traded sexual favours for her job.

He has been panned by many womens groups some of which have petitioned Parliament to sanction the legislator for making such unsavoury comments about the EC boss.

After over a month of silence on the comments, Mr. Agyapong says the statement was meant as a joke.

If anything bad will ever happen in this country, the media should be blamed, not politiciansOn that day, I jokingly made that statement after my submission and the media picked that portion and played it all over the airwaves as if that was the only thing I said but these things do not help this country, he clarified in his native language, Twi.

Kennedy Agyapong indicated that he has nothing against the EC Chair, provided she does the right thing in the organisation of the upcoming elections.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | AA
10.08.2016 LISTEN

Christian Service University College (CSUC), Kumasi, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with two reputable international universities.

President of CSUC, Prof. Sam Afrane, who signed the MoU with Boesoek University in South Korea, said the agreement was in the areas of student exchange, faculty exchange and collaboration, academic and research information dissemination.

Prof. Afrane, on behalf of CSUC, also signed another MoU with the University of Electronic Science and Technology Education of China. The agreement focused on computer science, information technology and business management.

Prof. Afrane explained that these collaborations were expected to contribute to the growth and development of CSUC in the areas of teaching, research and administration and extend the frontiers of CSUC.
"Violence in the Oromia and Amhara regions of Ethiopia, including reports of killings of protesters as well as of members of the security forces, is deeply worrying.

We express our condolences to all those affected.

Everyone must refrain from the use of force as further violence can only be an obstacle to peaceful solutions.

The Federal Ethiopian constitution offers mechanisms which should be used by all sides to address the grievances behind the recent protests through constructive dialogue and engagement, without delay.
10.08.2016 LISTEN

On his first visit to Sub-Saharan Africa as President of the United States of America, President Barack Obama in his remarks to the Ghanaian parliament on 11th July, 2009 said:

In my father's life, it was partly tribalism and patronage and nepotism in an independent Kenya that for a long stretch derailed his career, and we know that this kind of corruption is still a daily fact of lifeDevelopment depends on good governance. That is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places, for far too longAfrica doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions

These statements by President Obama, especially the last sentence in the quote above have been quoted severally by several people at several places and in several forms. Listening and reading around, empirical evidence suggests that many social commentators, political scientists and experts in the field of Public Administration agree that Africa and for that matter Ghana lacks strong institutions.

Pregnant in Obamas statements too are a vivid description of who we are as a people (i.e. Corrupt) though he was euphemistic or if you want, politically correct (the new crab in town) about it. This is not any different from the words of Tony Blair when he said Africa remains a scar in the conscience of humanity. Obama was only being diplomatic or politically correct and Blair was blunt as it needed to be. We are a laughing-stock when it comes to the affairs of this world today several years after we agreed that we are capable of managing our own affairs (Nkrumah should be turning in his grave by now).

I said today because I am not oblivious of the achievements of our forebears and maybe and just maybe one day one crazy man sitting at the apex of the pyramidal power structure we call Government will get annoy with the system so much so that he will decided to do what is right and needs to be done in the manner in which it should be done.

Several years after all these statements, what are we doing as a country to ensure that we have the strong institutions we all desire in this country? If you ask me, I will say virtually nothing. Did I hear someone say some laws like Public Financial Management Bill, Consolidated Local Government Bill, Education and Health bills etc etc are being finalised and some passed by parliament? My simple take is that if laws, in and of themselves, were a panacea to our myriad of problems, then we should not be complaining now. We should be leaving in paradise by now. What laws dont we have? Is it a law on mosquitoes or bushfires or what? Just name them! Before 2000, we didnt have a procurement Act, Financial Administration Act, Financial Memorandum, Internal Audit Act etc. All these Acts were passed post 2000 and we prided ourselves illusively of taking the necessary actions to curb corruption.

Apart from us constantly being described as corrupt as referenced above, my experience tells me nothing has changed when it comes to corruption. I am one of those who believe that as we change the governments over the years from 1993 to date, corrupt practices have been on the ascendency because the system is continuously creating more thieves and we keep getting sophisticated at that. Despite the existence of a Procurement Act, it is not the competitiveness or responsiveness or the competence of the bid/bidder that wins contracts; it is who the institution (be it MMDAs or MDAs) wants to win, that wins. I have been in the public sector for more than sixteen (16) years, eight (8) years of which have been in the District Assemblies and it is only once that I have seen a contract go to one whom it was not intended partly because the contract evaluation process was not conducted at the entity level. Even with this, sabotage was suspected and people got transferred because of this lapse.

As for the financials, take a glimpse at the Auditor-Generals annual reports and I can tell you that, even that is a tip of the iceberg when it comes to financial malfeasance in the public sector because all we do as auditing in this country is examine documents on records which mostly are intelligently cooked and maybe once in a while, whiles auditing, call numbers on the receipts to authentic the record. And dont be shocked, there are times such calls end up on the cell phones of key officers of the institution. There are even cases where audit findings are traded for cash if they are damning enough and/or clearly criminal. This is the case of weak institutions and how we are failing in this country.

And how did we get to this nadir as a country? I have been thinking also. It has been my contention that over the years, the reforms we have taken in the public sector have failed to touch the fundamental structure of the old Traditional Administration (tall and very bureaucratic) since independence and even if we have, it has not been far enough. All we do is just change nomenclature. Today, you hear human resource management in the public sector but in truth, what is practice there is personnel management. You will hear performance management but in truth, it is performance appraisal. You will hear monitoring and evaluation (very lofty ideals) but in truth it is no more than supervision or just checking. You will hear stakeholder consultation but in truth a lecture- Hire a consultant; he puts one or two things together. A meeting is called, they present their stuff; any questions? Yes, what is A for? How would B be applied? etc. Thank you for coming. Bingo, stakeholder consultation has been done! No wonder we fail woefully when it comes to implementation.

Again, we have failed to own most of these reforms and only see them as opportunity for someone to bring in money for us to chop. The last time I heard something concrete about reforming the public sector, it was from the chairman of NDPC, Nii Moi Thompson (Dr or is he now Prof?). He was impressive and as always, a delight to listen to but I had my reservations. He was unequivocal on the need to have a modernised public service (Not the Personal Service that we have today  my words) and said the forty (40) year development plan has elaborate provisions to ensure that and that is where I shuddered. I only hope that that will be the first elements in the plan to be tackled else even that whole plan will be a farce as in the case of its predecessors. And with our Acquired Infectious DEPENDENCY Syndrome (AIDS), I wonder if no donor or so-called development partner comes with money to say do this or that, we will ever see the urgent need to go through with the needed reforms (what I prefer to call a total overhaul).

And Obama was right; we have been having too many strongmen in our public institutions for far too long. In most of our institutions, if certain one or two key individuals are not present in the office, then everything grinds to a halt because the system has been so structured. And like the speaker of our Parliament, everybody in and out of the institution is always trying to catch the eye of such a person thereby creating demagogues and demigods. This leads to the breeding of hypocrites and sycophants who will go at arms length to stay in the good books of these strongmen thus created.

These strongmen become power drunk and the words of Lord Acton Power tends to corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely becomes the order of the day. The institution becomes the ultimate victim  no vision or direction, inertia, non-fertilisation of ideas, inept policies, with many of the staff who could not catch the eye of the strongman resigning themselves into apathy (after all they would be paid) and only waiting for their time to come. This is where a more collaborative structure with shared leadership would come in handy rather than this current bureaucratic tall organisational structure with top-down authority and control which has outlived its usefulness.

The need for strong institutions cannot be overemphasised. It takes strong leaders to build strong institutions and not strongmen. And who are these strongmen? The strongmen are the bossy people; those who steer rather than serve; those who believe that because they are up there, they necessarily know more than everybody else in the institution; those who take the public office as their own and all must necessarily work up to his/her interest and not that of the state; those who will not readily accept their faults but quickly justify their ineptitude with words like I know my work; those who will set the rules and still be the first to break them; those whom when faced with facts by their subordinates, rather than addressing the facts seek to use their positions to intimidate and harass; those who have thrown morals and ethics to the dogs and virtually sold their souls; those who rule rather than lead; those who dictated rather than guide; those who sideline, frustrate, neglect and extort from their subordinates rather than mentoring them etc. These I think are some of the strongmen and if the institutional frameworks are right and functioning as they should, most of these people would have been automatically weeded out because they cannot fit in. Too many square pegs in round holes.

Today, anybody you talk to would tell you systems are not working. Even the political elite do admit when they are not wearing their party political lenses. There is no day passing without you hearing about a failure in one institution or the other. Only God knows what we are waiting for before we take the needful action. Just at time of concluding this write-up, Centre Democratic Development (CDD) is reported to have released a report which says 70% of Ghanaians say Ghana is moving in the wrong direction. I agree and prefer to say Ghana is on the wrong footing and will disagree vehemently with those who will say or think it started today or with this government.

To conclude, I will illustrate how we managed to weaken our institutions and brought ourselves into this quagmire with real life examples. Policemen on duty at a checkpoint in the night intercepted some contraband. The owner tried bribing them and they refused the bribe and made one of them to escort the vehicle to their station.

The next morning they came to meet the goods being driven away. When they inquired, they were told that it was for some bigman. Then the police friend who narrated this to me concluded that we (3 of them) just lost GH3,000.00 like that because that is what they were offered as bribe which they rejected. He did not go further but by his body language, one could tell that the next time he will be the first to encourage them to take the money and let the contraband pass. They have been taught a lesson - doing what is right in your line of duty is not right. And this has become the norm rather than the exception.

There are cases where Audits are done with serious findings. Failing to induce and convince the Auditors to drop some of the findings, the strongmen go a step higher to the bosses of the auditors to see another strongman and such findings are dropped. Next time such an auditor goes for an audit exercise, what do you think will happen? Thus in Ghana today, Audit findings have become a bargaining chip for those who have been taught that doing the right thing in your line of duty is wrong. Were there systems to check this kind of call from above, it is almost certain that systems would work better in the Public Sector.

An institution that is strong would not allow such a thing to happen because the one who ordered the release would be found out and punished accordingly. In other jurisdictions, it is even the officers who ceased the goods who will report but in Ghana try it and see. You will smell paper. With all your good intentions, you will suffer dire consequences. I used to also be tempted to believe that even if Jesus or Mohammed (SAW) comes to sit at the Presidency, he will not be able to solve our problems.

But no, knowing what I know today, we can do it. We only need the right inspiration and signals from the top. It is not for anything that the power structure is Pyramidal  so that when the right message is sent from above, it will easily resonate with the people. Let us forget about the niceties and sweet-talks in diplomatic circles that tell us that we are doing well and wake up from our slumber. That is an age old sales strategy. I rest my case.

Charles A. Akurugu

[email protected]
A Senior lecturer at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), and Economist, Dr. John Gatsi, has refuted assertions that his Doctorate Degree received from the Swiss based SMC University is fake.

According to Dr. Gatsi, he worked hard for a period of six years between 2008 to March 2014 for his doctorate in finance from the university, which he says is duly accredited by the universal Accreditation Body for Business Schools and Programs.

Dr. Gatsi's reaction follows news reports that suggested that some prominent Ghanaians including him, may have paid to be conferred with honorary doctorates degrees in different disciplines.

What has happened in the SMC is that they had multiple accreditation as at the time they came to Ghana and that was acceptable to the National Accreditation Board (NAB) as a foreign institution to offer their programs here and during that period that they were registered here, some Ghanaians including myself had faith in the NAB's acceptance of that institution to operate in Ghana and for that matter we had our doctoral degree from there,'' he said.

According to him, the compliance of the university's compliance with their registration has nothing to do with him as the NAB has emphatically indicated that the doctoral degree he (Dr Gatsi ) and others obtained are genuine, valid and comparable and equivalent to any doctoral degree offered in Ghana''

Speaking further, the Economist and Lecturer said his awarding university was duly recognized by the National Accreditation Board as at the time he completed his doctoral course in 2014.

Accreditation board withdraws SMCs registration

Meanwhile, the National Accreditation Board (NAB) says The Swiss Management Centre (SMC), which runs courses in Ghana as a foreign university, can no longer enroll fresh students as the Accreditation Board has withdrawn its registration.

However, continuing students can still go ahead and complete their courses since the NAB has maintained the registration of the SMC for such students in the next three years.

This was disclosed by the Executive Director of the NAB, Mr. Kwame Dattey, who says the credentials of graduates from the SMC who obtained their degrees during the period the NAB registered it are still valid.



By: Lorrencia Nkrumah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
The U.S. government, through its Agency for International Development (USAID) announced today that it will be providing more than $37 million in additional humanitarian assistance to people affected by the ongoing conflict and severe food insecurity in Nigeria and throughout the Lake Chad Basin.

The savagery of Boko Haram has triggered a humanitarian crisis in Nigeria and surrounding countries in the Lake Chad Basin region. Families have been driven from their homes, millions are left without enough to eat, and human rights abuses are widespread. Despite gradually improving security conditions, the humanitarian situation remains dire. Throughout the region, approximately 5 million people need emergency food assistance, and 2.5 million people are displaced.

This new funding to United Nations and NGO partners will help tens of thousands of people receive critically needed humanitarian assistance, including food, water, shelter, and services to address acute hygiene, protection, and nutritional needs.

The food assistance will be delivered to conflict-affected communities in the Diffa Region of Niger, including populations who fled their homes following the recent attacks in Bosso. This new food assistance will be coordinated with the humanitarian community in Nigeria to scale up the overall regional food response.

Three senior USAID officialsNigeria Mission Director Michael T. Harvey, U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance Director Jeremy Konyndyk and Office of Food for Peace Deputy Director Matt Nimsmade the announcement following a trip to the countrys northeast, where the humanitarian needs are the most acute. With this announcement, the United States is providing more than $318 million in humanitarian assistance since FY 2015 to the Lake Chad Basin region and continues to be the single largest humanitarian donor to the region.

In addition to humanitarian funding, USAID provides targeted assistance that seeks to reduce extreme poverty and improve the quality of life for Nigeria's most vulnerable communities through improved governance and civic participation at the federal, state, and local levels; reduced corruption; a strengthened private sector as a source of job creation; and improved quality of social service delivery.
10.08.2016 LISTEN

Dante Alighieri, a poets and a great philosopher once said that the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintained their neutrality. Our own very distinguished Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka also said, the man died in him who remained silent in the face of tyranny. I am absolutely convinced this is the appropriate time to speak out so as not to partake in the aforementioned retribution. We are indeed in a time of great moral crisis in our great country Nigeria no doubt, as infraction with impunity is being perpetuated against the Constitution. Specifically, President Muhammadu Buharis parochial appointments violated chapter 14 Sub-section 3 of the 1999 Constitution as amended with nepotism and sectionalism. The systematic Islamization of secular Nigeria; the State of the economic in recession, and more worrisome, is the plight of Pensioners and Local council workers, who are facing injustice and widespread tyranny in Edo State, attest to this fact.

The predicament of the unpaid Local Government Council workers and Pensioners in Edo State, whom are in Service and those whom have served the State meritoriously in their distinguished carriers without blemish deserves the urgent attention of the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole. For the Holy Scriptures says in 1Timothy 5:18 the worker is worthy of his wages form the basis of my comments.

Nigeria adopted and practiced the presidential system of Government in its second Republic of 1979. Till date in its Fourth Republic, the system has been in place. Principally, the system revolves around the Doctrine of Separation of Power amongst the three arms of Government (the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary) and the autonomy of the three tiers of Government (Federal, States and Local Governments). Since 1999 after the military interregnum, the abuse of the system has been the order of the day. Worse hit is the gagging and usurpation of the autonomy, status and functions of the Local Governments by successive State Governments through the appointment of Caretaker Committees, and the operation of Joint Allocation Accounts Committee to control funds accruable to Local Governments. All of these not only erode the independence of the Local Government Councils, but stunt the growth and development of the Local Government Areas. Thereby denying the grassroots populations the derivable dividend of democracy inherent in the Presidential system of Government.

In 2007 when Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole was elected as governor of Edo State, the Edo people shouted Uhuru; with jubilation for the dawn of a new political vista, freedom and political Eldorado, given his perceived advocacy for the downtrodden as a foremost labour leader. True to his electioneering promises, Oshiomhole transformed Edo State to the best available resource through his Urban Renewal & Infrastructural Development Projects, where new roads were constructed and existing ones expanded. The Prompt payment of State workers salaries was not left despite dwindling Federal allocation, where other States have requested and received financial bailouts. He invoked and implemented relevant tax laws leading to the Increment in the State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). Massive Investment in Educational sector (Red Roof Revolution) was not left out. The Health sector also received a boost. The auspicious investors friendly environment in the State has attracted huge investment.

However, in Edo State, the infraction on the constitution and the autonomy of Local Government Administration is abuse in progress. Wherein the third tier of Government has been relegated to an appendage of the State Government through unnecessary interferences.

The recent protest embarked upon by Pensioners and Local Government workers Edo State, under the aegis of Nigerian Union of Pension (NUP) and Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) respectively, is a reference point. The protesters are protesting the non-payment of their salaries arrears, gratuities and pension accordingly. According to them, no Edo Local Government worker has been paid in 2016, with the worst hit being Egor LGA workers who are being owed 18-months salaries. Also, Retired Civil Servants, under the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, staged a protest in Benin, the Edo State capital, against the non-payment of their pension arrears by the State Government.

The retirees are protesting the non-payment of arrears of pension ranging from 10 to 42 months. A Spokesman of the pensioners, Mr. Gabriel Osemwenkhai, said pensioners in the State had been experiencing hard times over the non-payment of their pension and gratuity by the Government. He said that some pensioners had died as a result of hardship. Osemwenkhai said pensioners involved comprised public servants, who retired in 2011 and owed by the State Government. The spokesman alleged that the State Government had refused to commence payment of the pension with effect from the date of retirement as stipulated in the Civil Service Pension Law. He said that the Governments refusal to adhere to pension laws had led to a backlog of arrears owed to pensioners in Edo. Osemwenkhai said that their problem was further compounded by the dissolution of the State Pension Board. At the moment, public servants retiring after the dissolution of the Pension Board are again stranded due to Governments delay in processing their retirement papers; more than six months after their names have been removed from the payroll. Rather than creating avenue for retirees to process their pension papers, Government has left this category of senior citizens in limbo, he said. The State Chairman of NUP, Pullen Noruwa, said that members of the union had been made to live on a meager payment of N2,000 monthly, due to the non-harmonization of their pensions.

It was in the midst of the protest march that a middle-aged male protester, Peter Ayewoh, from Esan North-East local Government council slumped and gave up the ghost.

During the protest, labour leaders and members took turns to condemn the actions of the Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, a former union president. He came from us but he has used and dumped us, said Comrade Edward Young Ilenikhena, the State chairman of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), to the protesters. But there will be no retreat, no surrender until he pays us.

Oshiomhole has said he will not pay the Local Government workers because Local Government Councils in the State are autonomous and not his responsibility. He also accused Local Government employees of corruption. Oshiomhole said that workers are being sponsored by the Opposition to stage protests at this time because of the upcoming governorship poll in the State.

The workers however debunked the Governors claims, describing him as wicked and a liar. The State and Local Governments shares a Joint Account from which the Governor made deductions in the time of boom but refuses to take responsibility now that there is a shortfall in revenue.

Oshiomholes claim of Local Government autonomy is unfounded. No Local Government Area in Nigeria has autonomy. In 2015 a move to amend the constitution and grant them autonomy failed as majority of State Governors through their Houses of Assembly opposed it.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole cannot deny responsibility for the precarious situation of the State of finances of the Local Government Councils in Edo State. Firstly, the Governor should be reminded that he constituted the Edo State Independent National Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) as a body that successfully conducted elections in all the 18 Local Government Councils of Edo State in 2013, without an opposition party in a single Local Government Council. With his landslide victory during the polls, the Governor through his political elected or selected APC Chairmen was in charge of the administration of Local Government councils. Vicariously, he is liable to all that transpired during this period under review. He appointed the Commissioner for Finance and various commissioners for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs as the supervising Ministry of Local Governments whom were also members of the Joint Allocation Accounts Committee. The re-constitution of the Local Government Civil Service Commission and Local Government Pension Board was done by the Governor. All these various administrative organs Government including the State House Assemble dominated by APC Members directly supervise the Local Governments council in Edo State. It is in this nexus, one can conclude Governor Adams Oshiomhole liability to the State of Local Government Councils in Edo State.

Recently, National President of National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Ibrahim Khaleel, was also in Benin in solidarity with the Edo workers. He slammed the inhuman policies of Oshiomhole and said that the national secretariat of the union has been relocated to Edo State. Khaleel disclosed that a meeting between labour leaders and Government officials ended in deadlock because of the blackmail, intimidation and lies by Gov. Oshiomhole.

In the same vein, Comrade Ilenikhena expressed disappointment with the Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, for the non-payment of their salaries arrears, adding that as a former labour leader, he should not be associated with such.

Paradoxically, Governor Oshiomhole approved the release of the sum of N120 million for market women, for supporting his administration, assuring them that his administration would continue to boost their businesses through soft loans. It is unfortunate and insensitive for a Governor to deny the workers of their salaries, while he receives his own as at when due to care for himself and his families. And yet, the welfare of Government workers means nothing to him. This is beyond absurdity.

No evil is greater than denying a man the reward of his labour. Only time will tell...

Clifford Ogbeide

Public Affairs Analyst
President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe is expected in Ghana for a four-day state visit next week.

The Zimbabwean Ambassador to Ghana, Pavelyn Tendai Musaka who confirmed this to Joy FM said Mr Mugabe will be in Ghana from August 18 - 22 for a visit that is expected to open corporate Ghana to opportunities in Zimbabwe.

President John Mahama is expected to confer on Africa's longest serving President, the Millennium Life Time Achievement award for his role in Zimbabwe's liberation struggle from British colonial rule.

Ambassador Musaka said President Mugabe has "a special soft spot" for Ghana. His first wife Sarah Francesca ( Hayfron ) Mugabe was a Ghanaian who was much loved in Zimbabwe. She was the First Lady of Zimbabwe from 1987 until her death in 1992. She was popularly known as Amai (Mother).

The ambassador touched on the influential role that Ghana's first president Kwame Nkrumah played in shaping the minds of African political elite in the 60's.

She said at the height of the Zimbabwean struggle "...what we held on to was the teaching of Kwame Nkrumah".

The 92-year-old president will also meet with the Zimbabwean community in Ghana. President Robert Mugabe's last visit to Ghana was in 2007.

Mugabe rose to prominence in the 1960s as the leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) during the conflict against the conservative white minority government of Rhodesia now Zimbabwe.

He has been President of the country since 1987.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has described government's plans to order 2017 presidential diaries, as just another avenue to siphon money from the state coffers.

The Chief of Staff , Julius Debrah recently signed a contract with JIT Services Limited to publish next year's diaries for the government even though it is not certain that the NDC and President Dramani Mahama will be in power after the December polls.

It was the same company that was contracted to print the 2016 edition of the presidential diary which was said to have cost the state about $10 million.

Speaking to Citi News, the Deputy Communications Director of NPP, Anthony Abayifa Karbo wondered why the NDC is planning to order presidential diaries when the next President is unknown.

He believes the move is just an attempt by the governing NDC to make money.

Well I am not surprised that they have gone ahead to order 2017 diaries. This is breathtaking arrogance. You are not even sure of your fate in election. You do not even know whether this President will be the President in 2017 but I am sure this is a desperate measure and someone is just seeking to make some quick money and we cannot even have the patience for Ghanaian people to make this decision before they go ahead to print these diaries.

He therefore cautioned the EC to come clear on issues regarding presidential diaries since such contracts in the past have caused a number of challenges.

The EC has to be very clear about the situations surrounding presidential diaries. You recall that in time past there was some brouhaha in connection with how much government had spent on the diary and whether there was any competitive bidding process that led to the award of the contract and how much was involved in the xecution of the contract.

CPPs take

Meanwhile the Convention People's Party (CPP) has also expressed concerns about government's decision.

The party is rather proposing that the funds for diaries should rather be re-channeled into more beneficial projects for the citizenry.

There are so many things that are not going right like giving reasons and explanations to the current deplorable nature of the economy of the country so the CPP would have expected that government should be mindful and prudent with their expenditure but it appears that government has taken a certain expenditure pattern which doesn't actually resonate with common sense. Yes the printing of diaries may not be necessarily bad but what good is it going to serve at this critical juncture in the national economy of this country.

About the diary

The 2017 diary is expected to be a 'Special Edition' as stated by the company because according to it, It will catalogue the achievements of H.E. John Dramani Mahama.



By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @EfeAnsah
10.08.2016 LISTEN

Before I get into what I want to write, I would first like to preface this article with few remarks. I will begin by thanking the First Vice President H.E Gen. Stephen Taban Deng Gai and the entire SPLM-IO political bureau membership for choosing hope over despair; peace and congeniality over a boomerang of war; rebuilding a prosperous country over destruction of the country, to continue implementing the armistice contrary to what is on Riek Machars mind.

This is a great marque decision ever and it will go down the history of this great nation as one of the most momentous event. Though some political and tribal antagonists are firing brads and drats against this decision and branding the SPLM-IO members under Gen. Taban as Machiavellian schemers, I personally believe that it is a right decision taken at the best interest of peace and harmony and many South Sudanese have applauded it irrespective of their political affiliations and ethnicities.

It is very courageous and steadfast decision with one aim of living up to the peace agreement for South Sudanese to live in harmony and peaceful co-existence once again.

Mr. Minister, I know you have already received a lot of congratulatory notes and advice following your appointment but I felt that I should communicate to you by writing an open letter. This open letter purposely serves to alert you on the enormity of the job at vanguard and more importantly to explain some iotas of anger that most youth have regarding how the Oil sector is being managed.

You are beginning your first week in the office as a minister for Petroleum who is in charge of oil and gas industry in the country. It is a normal tradition that you are going to be briefed by Director Generals of various departments about what is pending and what is going on; you will too be briefed by the Presidents or managers of Oil companies plausibly on the renewal of their contracts, how the production is going on and many other things.

Mind you Mr. Minister, it is true that you have had a remarkable diplomatic career, however this job you have just recently acquired would be your Waterloo if you are not prepared to take the bull by its horn.

Mr. Minister, The Oil and Gas industry in South Sudan which I had loved to hate is being faced by serious challenges that need urgent and possible solutions. It is unfortunate that your predecessors starting from Hon. Albino Akol Akol hadnt a plan on how to nationalize the oil sector in South Sudan. We are now witnessing its repercussion in fuel shortage across the country and the foreigners domination of the oil fields.

Mr. Minister, I can vividly remember the speech which the President Salva Kiir Mayardit gave in October 2012 in Bilpham after he returned from 40th anniversary of Uganda independence celebration.

He said there are two things which we discovered when we shut down the oil production: The Oil wells which were producing oil since 2005; there were some wells which were not counted and we had never been taking profits share on them, President Bashir was the only one who use to divide the profits share with those Operating Oil Companies. We just discovered this after the production shut down and we are going to sue them (Bashir and Companies) in the International court. The second one is that; within the wells which we had a profit share on them with Bashir, the Operating Oil Companies were not telling how much crude is produced from those well; they didnt tell us how many barrels per day are produced. They just give us something little and say this is what we have produced and the remaining huge quantity of Crude is exported to Khartoum. We are also going to take them to court also because there was no transparency

Having quoted the president above, one may ask questions like, what did the ministry of petroleum and mining do to prevent oil theft in the Oil fields again? Did the government sue the Operating Companies implicated in this crude theft scandal? Did the government train and employ nationals in the oil fields to preclude reoccurrence of crude theft? Regrettably, the state of affairs is hitherto characterized by employment of more foreigners in the oil fields than ever before with the same companies operating in the oil fields.

The possible preventive solution which is supposed to train and employ the nationals in oil fields to prevent crude thievery was taken otherwise by government. In other words, it is visibly seen as sheer ministrys negligence and complacency to nationalize the oil sector by training and employing nationals in the oil fields. It beats logic and common sense for a country like South Sudan which is dependent on Oil to have few tens nationals working in the oil fields and hundred thousands of foreigners.

Mr. Minister, if, as former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson once said, a day is a long time in politics, then few weeks or months that you will spend in this ministry before Riek returns to sack you with Gen. Taban is more than a lifetime to do something tangible and memorable to remain in the history of the oil and gas industry in South Sudan. As a diplomat by career, methinks you will not turn out to be like Juba-made politicians who enter high offices with a bang but exit with whimper claims that they were inhibited by financial constraints from performing their duties to expectation.

I know it is unfair to gauge how you will perform by others performances, however I will be on wait-and-see mood. The reform or nationalization of oil sector doesnt need decades to happen but it needs a serious nationalist and I have a belief in you that you will bring about some reforms. There are well trained oil and gas technicians already at your disposal who are now loitering in the streets of Juba for one reason or another.

If you load these trained nationals into your back pocket, definitely you will nationalize the oil and gas industry very fast.

Mind you Mr. Minister, the ministry you are heading is not only the house where dollar follows out as some people assume, but it is a house which is supposed to be inhabited by more nationals than foreigners which is now the vice versa. Dont let your gate open to people with individual interest to derail you from your plans that you vow to achieve.

Mr. Minister, I want to appeal to you to take note on these two issues: The issue of fuel crisis in the country and absence of National Workers Union in the Oilfields. It is shameful for oil producing country like South Sudan to have fuel crisis. This fuel crisis can only stop if the ministry of petroleum speed up the opening process of local refineries in Bentiu and Malakal.

If you take this issue as your first priority to alleviate fuel crisis in the country, believe you me, you will be on the right track of leaving a great mark.

It is unfortunate that there is no National Workers Union in the oil fields to charter for the welfare of nationals working in the oil and gas industry. The reverberation of the absence of this body is that there are now thousands of positions which are supposed to be occupied by nationals are being occupied by foreigners. The few tens South Sudanese who are currently working in the oil fields even dont enjoy all rights and privileges that their co-workers enjoy. They are underpaid and overworked.

Therefore, if there is National Workers Union in the oilfields, I believe that it will help you a lot in nationalizing the oil sector very quickly. If all oil and other minerals producing countries like South Africa, Kuwait and Iraq have such body, why not South Sudan?

Mr. Minister, if this status quo doesnt change very soon; I am afraid that sooner or later the young qualified South Sudanese in Oil and gas industry whose their jobs are being taken up by foreigners will wage xenophobic fight against these foreigners. Because it is perplexing for nationals to be deprived from their rights to employment and nevertheless they have the same academic credentials which the working foreigners have.

If South Africans can fight trading foreigners in their country for taking up their business jobs, I think we have good reasons to fight these foreigners who are occupying our positions in the oil and gas industry.

In conclusion, Mr. Minister, one thing you should remember to observe at all time is that, ambition is made of sterner stuff. You cant achieve goals of your vow if you will take instructions and advises from people with individual interests. You will never succeed if you fear taking risk in leadership. To leave a mark, no mountain is too high to scale or stone too big to turn.

If you can commit yourself to pay any price, to bear any burden, meet any hardship, make friends or foes in whatever decision you think is right to undertake for the national interest and furtherance of Oil Nationalization Policy, then your place in the history is assured.

Simon Yel Yel is the co-editor of the book of the President Salva Kiirs speeches and essential writings published as Salva Kiir Mayardit: The Joshua of South Sudan He can be reached via [email protected] or 0955246235
President John Dramani Mahama has pleaded with striking workers of the Civil and Local Government Service Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSSAG), to return to work.

According to him, any attempt to yield to the demands of CLOGSAG will throw the budget completely off track, and make nonsense of the sacrifices we have made together over the last year.

CLOGSSAG a fortnight ago declared a strike to force government to pay its members their interim premium allowances, and has refused to rescind the decision until the demands are met.

A meeting organized by the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations on Tuesday aimed at resolving the issue, failed to produce the needed result to compel CLOGSAG to call off the strike.

President Mahama while speaking at the 10th Quadrennial Delegates Congress of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at Kumasi in the Ashanti Region today [Wednesday], said government will only consider CLOGSAGs demands in 2017, since it has resolved not to overspend in an election year.

The three year extended credit facility struggles in an election year. Election year over expenditure has been the bane of our economic stability. I'm happy to note that this year even though its an election year, expenditure targets are still on track and I intend to stay strictly to the budget and the appropriations act as approved by Parliament. And this is why I appeal to CLOGSAG members to return to work.

I wish to assure you that, it is government's intention to implement a comprehensive policy on payment of premiums starting from next year, and I've asked the Minister of Employment and Labour relations to enter into an MoU with CLOGSAG to this effect, he added.

Breakaways in labour front not necessary

The President also used the opportunity to advise labour unions to resolve issues of breakaways in the labour front.

Workers of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) few months ago broke away from the mother union, the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), explaining that they took the decision because all efforts aimed at uniting the two groups over labour related issues have proved futile.

But President Mahama said such breakaways weaken their bargaining power.

The mark of effective trade unionism is no longer measured by strikes and militancy; but by how many jobs are protected or created and how many more workers are drafted into our unions during our tenure. It should be today a balance of carrots and sticks. In job creation and job preservation, we share the same objective and we are therefore enjoined to work together. Our 1992 constitution guarantees the right of freedom of association, while this right enables us to leave or join any union of our choice, we must exercise this right with circumspection. Lately many groups have attempted to form workplace unions at the expense of larger mother unions. We must remember that the cardinal principle of trade union organization is strength in unity, President Mahama added.



By: Godwin A. Allotey and Hawa Iddrisu/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin
Khartoum (AFP) - Sudanese authorities on Wednesday warned people living near the banks of the Nile to be wary of flooding, after two weeks of heavy rainfall killed dozens across the country.

Authorities said water levels were rising on the Blue Nile along border with Ethiopia after continuous rainfall in that country.

The Blue Nile flows to Khartoum where it meets the White Nile and they become the Nile, which flows into Egypt.

"The Blue Nile is rising because of continuous heavy rainfall in Ethiopia," Mohameddin Abu al-Qasim of the interior ministry told AFP.

"We warn residents living on both sides of the Nile to be cautious."

The water levels were rising particularly rapidly in the state of Blue Nile bordering Ethiopia, the official news agency SUNA reported.

At least 76 people have been killed due to flooding elsewhere in Sudan, Interior Minister Ismat Abdul-Rahman said last week.

The United Nations aid agencies had warned of flooding in Sudan between July and November this year.

A downpour in August 2013 was the worst to hit Khartoum in 25 years, affecting tens of thousands of people, the UN said.

Those floods had killed about 50 people nationwide, most of them in the capital.
President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe is expected in Ghana for a four-day state visit next week.

The Zimbabwean Ambassador to Ghana, Pavelyn Tendai Musaka who confirmed this to Joy FM said Mr Mugabe will be in Ghana from August 18  22 for a visit that is expected to open corporate Ghana to opportunities in Zimbabwe.

President John Mahama is expected to confer on Africas longest serving President, the Millennium Life Time Achievement award for his role in Zimbabwes liberation struggle from British colonial rule.

Ambassador Musaka said President Mugabe has a special soft spot for Ghana. His first wife Sarah Francesca ( Hayfron ) Mugabe was a Ghanaian who was much loved in Zimbabwe. She was the First Lady of Zimbabwe from 1987 until her death in 1992. She was popularly known as Amai (Mother).

The ambassador touched on the influential role that Ghanas first president Kwame Nkrumah played in shaping the minds of African political elite in the 60s.

She said at the height of the Zimbabwean struggle what we held on to was the teaching of Kwame Nkrumah.

The 92-year-old president will also meet with the Zimbabwean community in Ghana. President Robert Mugabes last visit to Ghana was in 2007.

Mugabe rose to prominence in the 1960s as the leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) during the conflict against the conservative white minority government of Rhodesia now Zimbabwe.

He has been President of the country since 1987.

-myjoyonline
10.08.2016 LISTEN

From Samuel Agbewode, Volo, Volta Region

Superstition has taken centre stage at Volo, in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region, as residents have linked rapid development of deep gullies in most parts of the town to the resurface of a cannon bomb allegedly fired by the Danish in 1886, but which they claimed was forestalled by the gods of their land.

According to the people, the bomb, fired with the intention of destroying the community, could detonate at anytime, even though it had been decades ago, hence their fear.

Explaining further, they said the failed bombs, which landed in front of the two shrines in Volo, led to the celebration of their annual traditional

Tu Gbedzo festival in September and so found it strange to witness the development of gullies in the town. They, thus, want to invite the military and experts to re-examine and determine whether they still have the potential to explode.

Speaking to the media on the development, however, the Vice Chairman of the Tu Gbedzo Festival Planning Committee, Mr. Samuel Netse, remarked that since the gods put their hands on the two bombs, there was no way those bombs could explode.

He, instead, suggested the construction of modern drainage in the town to prevent the danger posed by the negative development which had created health problems to the people.

For him, the desperate attempt by the people to fill the gullies by disposing of rubbish into them created a severe situation, where the rubbish found its way into the Volta Lake  the main water source for the people  anytime it rained.

Mr. Netse, therefore, appealed to the government, to as a matter of importance, construct modern drainage systems at Volo and also provide them with potable water,to be drawn from the Volta Lake.

It is economically viable, he noted, for government to develop a water system that would have the Volta Lake as its source because it would be cost effective, compared to any other water system, due to the location of the community  a few meters from the lake.

As part of efforts to promote the Tu Gbedzo festival and as well educate tourists, both local and foreign, on the historical antecedents of the celebration of the festival, Mr Netse disclosed that plans were far advanced to develop the area the two bombs landed into a tourist site.

He continued by saying that, the old palace of the traditional area, where Queen Elizabeth was hosted together with the first President of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, when the Queen visited the country, formed part of interesting places that tourists would visit to learn more about the Volo Traditional Area.

Mr. Netse said the old stool used by the first paramount chief, Togbe Abliza had been kept safe, as well as the chairs offered to Queen Elizabeth I and Dr. Nkrumah, when they first visited Volo. For him, they all remained important objects in the old palace for people to see for themselves during and after the festival.

The Vice Chairman of the festival used the opportunity to commend government for the ongoing construction of the Juapong-Volo-Adidome road which, for him, would open up the area to tourists.

The people of Volo, according to oral history, invested largely in education, what the people literally referred to as cocoa farm. They have thus produced quality human resources, who are contributing in various aspects of the economy; including agriculture, health and education among others.
10.08.2016 LISTEN

From Inusa Musah, Tema

Nii Amarh Somponu II, Tema Traditional Council (TTC) Stool Secretary, says the ruling government's investments in infrastructure are an enviable feat that no government can match.

According to him, the evidence of the government's provision of infrastructure was everywhere for Ghanaians to attest to, adding that the Mahama administration had not been wasteful in its spending.

He said: The Tema Traditional Council can see what the government is doing, and there is no doubt that this NDC government has justified itself as a government Ghanaians can depend on for infrastructural revolution.

Nii Amarh Somponu II, who is also known as Nii Shipi, said this when the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) visited the TTC to present some items to it for their Homowo festival. The items the TMA boss, Isaac Ashai Odamtten, presented to the TTC, included assorted drinks and a cash of GH5,000.

Mr. Odamtten was accompanied by Robert Kempes Ofosuware, Tema East NDC parliamentary candidate, who presented a bull to the TTC for the festival, and the Tema West NDC parliamentary candidate, James Enu.

Addressing his guests in Ga, Nii Shipi said the Mahama administration had left an indelible mark in Tema and the TTC, further saying he would continue to wish his government well.

Nii Adjei Kraku II, Paramount Chief for Tema, on his part, said the government should give the area a Chief Executive whose track record could beat that of Isaac Asahi Odamtten, if it had the intention of substituting the MCE.

Like President Mahama, Nii Adjei Kraku II said Isaac Odamtten had no competitor in the area of developments, humility and respect for customs and tradition.

You and your father the president have no equal in Ghana today, and I want to urge you on to greater heights in your political careers, he encouraged his main guest and Mahama.

On behalf of Isaac Odamtten, Kempes Ofosuware and James Enu presented a framed picture of President Mahama and Nii Kraku II to the Paramount Chief, as a gesture from the President's visit to the Canoe Basin, where he commissioned a couple of projects.
10.08.2016 LISTEN

The Member of Parliament for Assin Central in the Central Region, Mr Kennegy Agyapong came under public criticism recently, following the uncomplimentary comments he made against the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Madam Charlotte Osei.

The alleged uncomplimentary remark is already in the public domain and The Chronicle does not want to repeat it.

It is, however, important to note that when the issue cropped up, the Assin Central MP went to extent of saying that if he was provoked, he would divulge more information about Madam Osei.

Women groups, under the alleged influence of some bigwigs in the ruling National Democratic Congress, took up the matter and organised a series of demonstrations against the MP.

Apart from these politically motivated women group, other notable women in the country, including even some prominent men condemned the statement made against the EC chair by the firebrand politician.

In the face of all these criticisms, the MP insisted that there was no need for him to apologize for his sudden outburst. In an interview he granted to Adom FM yesterday, however, Mr Kennedy Agyapong appears to have swallowed back the harsh words he used against the lady.

That comment about Charlotte was made on the sideline; it was even at the tail end of my speech when I was about to sit down, but you media chose to focus on that. I dont think it was something serious, he reportedly told the radio station.

The Chronicle does not know when the MP realized that the comment that has been condemned by prominent people in our society was not a serious one and that it was just a joke. The Chronicle nevertheless is happy that he has showed at least, a little sign of remorse over the issue.

It is important to note that the alleged statement was made on political platform. It is a trite knowledge that when politicians mount political platforms, they are always carried away by the reaction of their audiences to make certain statements that ought not to have come from them. We believe this is exactly what happened to Kennedy Agyapong, because the statement was needless and could have been avoided.

Charlotte Osei, as head of Ghana's electoral body is not above criticism, especially when one looks at the way the 2012 polls were conducted by the same body, resulting in the eight months that the country had to sit on tenterhooks when the case was sent to Supreme Court.

During yesterday's interview, Kennedy Agyapong pointed out that, the fact that he says his words against the EC boss were not serious, did not in any way mean that he has confidence in the EC Chairperson.

He insisted that Madam Charlotte Osei has to do more to prove that she is being fair and transparent. He alleged that the ruling party has hatched several plans in connivance with the EC to rig the elections and that it is only strict vigilance by the NPP that can help prevent the plans of the NDC from coming true.

The MP, to us, is entitled to his opinion, which has already been publicly supported by some right thinking people in the Ghanaian society. What Mr Agyapong and other firebrand politicians should avoid is the direct attack on her person.

The MP should also not lose sight of the fact that he is a member of the NPP and that whatever he says in one way or the other affects the fortune of the party as well.

Some leading members of the NDC had in the past made similar derogatory statements, but when Kennedy Agyapong's issue came up, they were the same people hoping from one radio station to the other condemning him and that is the politics of it.

It is the hope of The Chronicle that he has learnt useful lessons out of this and would properly conduct himself the next time he mounts a political platform.
The Convention Peoples Partys (CPP) parliamentary candidate for the Okaikoi South constituency and some newly graduated students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have launched a project to equip the youth with vocational skills.

The Team Anita Skill Development Initiative is aimed at creating a critical mass of young professionals in various fields of endeavour for the creation of alternative livelihoods.

Another goal is the encouragement of entrepreneurship, the promotion of speedy sustainable development and the building of a vibrant economy that works in the interest of the poor and the marginalized.

The project seeks to target and train market women, local potters, street children, school dropouts and migrant youth in the production of fresh yoghurt, liquid soap and rabbit farming.

According to Mr. Kwesi Otuahene, the leader of the team, fermented cow milk or milk powder dissolved in water, with induced fermentation by a culturing agent could be used in the production of fresh and nutritious yoghurt for the general public.

He added that plans were far advanced for the commercial production and supply of liquid soaps and yoghurt for senior high schools, corporate job sites, and churches within Avenor, Atico, Bubiashie, Kaneshie and Awudome areas of the Greater Accra Region.

As part of the project, computer instructors from the All Tech Training Institute of Technology, who are partners on the project will lead prospective candidates with both formal and informal education into divers courses in information communication technology customized to enable them generate revenue through the skillful use of the internet to support themselves and their families.

Madam Anita Baidoo, said Team Anita would soon embark on a programme to create awareness about the health and economic benefit of rabbit meat and rabbit farming by the application of modern and indigenous technology through workshops, training and campaigns.

The former Minister of Local Government and Cooperatives in the Nkrumah and Limann regimes, Mr. Baffour Kwabena Senkyire, who chaired the function, expressed excitement about the decision of the students of the KNUST to partner the parliamentary candidate in the Okaikoi South constituency in bringing about tangible change in the lives of the youth of the area.

According to him, the rationale behind the establishment of the KNUST was not just to educate young men and women with a long list of degrees and certificates who would be dressed in suits and walking the corridors of offices in search of mostly non-existent jobs, but it was to raise educated and skilled masses for the technological development of industry.

He noted with delight the fact that the KNUST had began the production of traffic lights for the roads of the country, and were gradually making in-roads into others sectors of the economy.

He called on the Government of Ghana to allocate more resources to the KNUST and other tertiary institutions of the country for research into technological needs of the people; he expressed the hope that the government or state would use the findings in order to meet the needs of the people and create jobs for the rising jobless youth across the country.

Team Anita is a project built around the vision and aspirations of Madam Harriet Anita Abaidoo, parliamentary candidate of the CPP in the Okaikoi South constituency. The members of the team believe that through her commitment, dedication and advocacy for development initiatives for the marginalized, the constituency will begin to witness growth and a better standard of living for all irrespective of tribe or political party affiliation.
Johannesburg (AFP) - Thousands of workers at South Africa's state-owned power utility Eskom on Wednesday embarked on a strike over wage negotiations, defying a court order against the stoppage, a union said.

About 15,000 workers in power stations across the country were said to be participating in the strike.

"The employer obtained an interdict against the strike late last night, but our members decided to go ahead with the stoppage," said Livhuwani Mammburu, the spokesman for the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).

"They believe their demands are valid," he said.

The union is demanding a 10 percent increase for the lowest paid workers, 8.5 percent for the highest earners and a housing allowance worth 3,000 rand ($226).

Eskom is offering a hike of between seven to nine percent.

The union accuses the utility of structuring wages according to race, with white employees said to be paid more than their black colleagues.

"The NUM members are very disturbed and angry with the attitude of Eskom in refusing to close the apartheid wage gap," said a statement.

"White employees are still being paid more than black employees."

Eskom said talks were underway to try end the strike, adding that the country's electricity supply had not been disrupted.

The firm said in a statement power station workers were prohibited by law from striking as they provided a critical service.

On Wednesday, workers picketed outside power stations in the eastern Mpulamanga province, where several Eskom plants are located.

The union was adamant that its members would continue the illegal strike until their demands were met.

Eskom generates most of its electricity from coal and exports some to neighbouring countries.

The utility was last year hit by shortages that caused nationwide blackouts, as its ageing facilities struggled to meet a rising demand.
By Kwamina Tandoh, GNA

Accra, Aug 10, GNA - The second edition of the Ghana Construction Awards has been launched in Accra to honour companies and individuals for their accomplishments and strides in Ghana's construction industry.

The event, organised by InstinctWave, comes off on October 8, 2016 at the Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel in Accra.

Mr Akin Naphtal, the Chief Executive Officer of InstinctWave, said the awards would help showcase how the construction industry was pivotal to the economy whiles recognising and rewarding companies who were pushing new frontiers and had been exceptional in the past years.

'The construction sector plays an important role in economic growth, for instance the industry contributed about 11.8 % to Ghana's overall GDP in 2013.

'However, the construction sector has been overlooked in terms of rewarding innovation and creativity.

'Our goal is to celebrate the achievements of those construction companies who have made it their responsibility to transform the construction industry and advance the country's infrastructural development,' he said.

Mr Napthal said in recent times the construction and housing industry had played a significant role in national development.

He said Ghana's infrastructural agenda was possible due to the massive investment and contribution by players in the industry and though challenges like private sector development, growth and sustainability of professionalism still persisted, the impact of the sector could not be overlooked.

'There is, therefore, the need for a concerted effort to reward and celebrate industry players bracing the challenge and fostering new infrastructural projects across the length and breadth of the country.

'What we want to achieve with the Ghana Construction Awards is to celebrate and reward hard work, exceptional leadership and innovation in the industry. We are bringing together clients, stakeholders, investors, industry players and experts to network and celebrate in a relaxed atmosphere,' Mr Naphtal said.

The Ghana Construction Awards will also provide the platform for stakeholders to advocate for the industrialisation of the country by way of investments in civil engineering, building, industrial and residential construction.

As part of the programme, the organisers unveiled the various categories of the awards that reflect a better representation of the industry.

Mr Naphtal indicated that the new award categories were admitted after careful research based on market intelligence and submissions by industry experts.

GNA
10.08.2016 LISTEN

By Paul Achonga Kwode, GNA

Tamale, Aug. 10, GNA - Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has assured business enterprises in the country of boosting their trade through stabilising the cedi to ensure economic growth and prosperity.

He said the economy is in a bad shape because of mismanagement by the ruling National Democratic Congress, saying: 'It is incontrovertible fact that our economy is not doing wellwe will restore hope through fiscal discipline.'

Nana Addo was addressing members of the Association of Small Scale Industries in Tamale, upon invitation by the association to interact with aspirants of political parties about their vision for the micro and small scale enterprises.

The flagbearer was accompanied by bigwigs of NPP and parliamentarians including the party's running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

The interaction, which brought members of the association across the country, was part of activities making the 30th anniversary of the body.

Nana Addo said prime rates have been increased from 25 per cent in 2008 to 35 per cent and made things difficult for businesses to borrow from the banks to expand their activities.

He said due to high cost of lending rates, many enterprises are collapsing.

He indicated that the party is going to re-engineer the economy through industrialisation when given the nod and noted that 'We are very much committed to the one district, one industry policy'.

The Presidential aspirant said the NPP would increase investment in domestic industries to produce adequate goods for local consumption and for export to boost the economy.

Nana Addo said the NPP would initiate a deliberate policy to ensure the consumption of Ghanaian goods by citizens saying, 'Politics is not all about propaganda, it is about doing things to change the circumstances of our people'.

He stated that his administration would involve small scale enterprises in its economic decision since the sector was the engine of growth.

Mr Saaeed Moomen, Acting President of the Association, commended the NPP for being the only political party to honour the invitation though invitation was sent to all the political parties.

He appealed to political parties in the country to implement policies that would propel growth of the industry to create jobs and increase productivity.

Mr Moomen said the association has more than six million members across the country and is therefore a force to reckon with in choosing a political leader for the country.

The Association also convened its Emergency General Meeting, to review its constitution and move for its adoption as a guiding document for smooth running of its activities.

GNA
Accra, Aug. 10, GNA - An Accra Circuit Court, on Tuesday granted four persons GH 90, 000 bail each, with two sureties for alleged conspiracy, defrauding by false pretense, and abetment of crime.

The persons are Clement Agbaglo, Businessman, Ganiyu Alhassan Danjuman, Trader, Jerome Amuzu and Jonh Tawiah Kuadey, both police personnel.

The accused persons are to reappear in court on August 29.

Presenting the facts, Madam Winifred Sarpong, a Senior State Attorney told the court presided over by Aboagye Tandoh that somewhere in the month of April, 2009, the complainant John Peprah visited his business partner, Eric Agyemang.

She said when the complainant got to Eric's residence, he met Alhassan already with him.

She said during conversation, John expressed interest in buying Gold, and Alhassan, who overhead the discussions, said it was too dangerous for them to travel to Obuasi and that he knew one Alhaji, who could supply them with the commodity.

The Prosecutor said based on this information from Alhassan, they decided to abandon their trip and buy the gold from the said Alhaji.

'They asked him to arrange a meeting between them and the said Alhaji,' she added.

She said the meeting was arranged and they all met at Abrantie Spot in Lapaz and at that meeting he introduced Clement as the Alhaji, who could supply them the Gold.

She said the complainant and his partner negotiated the price and arrived at $30,000 per a bar of Gold.

Madam Sarpong said the complainants ordered for three bars of gold from the said Alhaji and it was ready by April, 28, 2009.

She said they arranged to meet at the complainant's partners house, where Clement and Alhassan arrived with a wrapped substance which they claimed to be one bar of the gold.

Clement explained to them that he only brought part of the gold because he wanted to be sure they had the money to do business.

The Prosecution said at that point the complainants brought out the $90,000 and showed it to them, after seeing the money they demanded for $30,000, so Alhassan could go and bring the rest of the gold bar to, which the complainants obliged.

She said the complainants together with the accused persons were in the room waiting for Alhassan to bring the rest of the gold, when some police officers, including Amuzu came into the room to arrest them for trading in narcotics.

She said Amuzu, who is a brother to Clement, at the time of arrest gave him a push for him to run away and he did with the complainants' money.

It came out during investigations that the arrest was fake which in the language of the police is called a 'close beat."

The arrest was authorised by John and after the operation he received his share of the booty.

GNA
10.08.2016 LISTEN

By A GNA Reporter

Accra, Aug. 10, GNA - Lancaster University Ghana (LUG), is in the process of developing continuous professional development programmes in Health Leadership, Management and Public Health.

A statement issued in Accra by Ms Anita Asante, a Representative of the University, said it is for this reason that Lancaster is hosting a Health Conference in September.

It said it was the perfect platform to share its interest in Health and Medicine in West Africa.

The statement said although Lancaster University hosts medicine and health related conferences regularly in the UK, this was the first conference of its kind in West Africa.

It said once LUG's purpose-built, multi-disciplinary campus is completed in the next few years, the university would significantly expand its current rate of programme offerings to include new ones like health, engineering, environment and eco-innovation.

The university also intended to host a variety of conferences in Ghana across its disciplines highlighting the centres of excellence.

The purpose of the conference was to bring together leading academics, policy makers, clinicians, practitioners and students from the UK and West Africa, with the view to assess current and future challenges for medical management in West Africa.

It also serves as a platform for students in Africa who are undertaking PhD programmes in LUG and elsewhere to showcase and receive feedback on their work.

'It is the only British University to have a fully-fledged branch campus in West Africa and is set to grow into a major regional teaching and research university of international standing in the near future,' it added.

It said by attending the conference, individuals would have the opportunity to learn about contemporary research in health and medicine, share research ideas and network with practitioners and researchers from the UK and Africa.

The scope of the conference includes challenges from the spread of infectious diseases to the management of health services in the region

Some of the keynote speakers of the conference include Dr Gilbert Buckle - CEO of Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Jemima Dennis-Antwi-Rector, Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, Professor Roger Pickup - Professor at Lancaster University, Dr Derek Gatherer -Lecturer at Lancaster University and Dr Luigi Sedda -Lecturer at Lancaster University.

GNA
The General Secretary of the incumbent National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, and the partys National Chairman, Kofi Portuphy, has visited the Montie trio, who are serving their four-month jail term at Nsawman prison in the Eastern Region.

Also part of the delegation was the NDCs Director of Elections, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.

The Host of Accra-based Montie FMs Pampamso political show, Salifu Maase, alias Mugabe, together with his two panelists, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn, were jailed four months each by the Supreme Court in July, after they were found guilty of contempt charges.

This was after they had threatened to kill justices of the Supreme Court over their handling of the suit on the credibility of Ghanas voters register.

They were also fined GHc10, 000 which they have paid.

The sentence has however been received with mixed reactions, with largely members of the NDC claiming it is too harsh.

Top officials of the NDC both in government and out of government, have since signed a petition aimed at forcing President John Mahama to pardon the three, since in their view, they have shown remorse for their actions.

Top government officials who have not signed the petition which has since been forwarded to the Council of State, have also visited the prison, to commiserate with the trio.

They include the Minister of Trade and Industry, Ekow Spio Garbrah and the former Transport Minister, Dzifa Attivor among others.



By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin
The deputy ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Hajjia Hawaw Boya Gariba has donated items Worth Gh 5570 to the Tamale regional prison

The items which included ten bagd of rice, toileteries, some galons of oil,Tooth brashes,and detergents to help to cushion the plight of the inmates in the prison.

Addressing media after the presentation, she appealed to the youth to desist from any act that will lead them into imprisonment.

According to her, being in prison is not a course, but a mistake which are sometimes inevitable, noting that, anyone can find himself or herself in prison so the need to support prisoners.

And blamed society for failure to guide the youth to lead a good life, and appealed to parents, guidients and teachers to teach children the dos and donts in life.

She called on politicians, NGOs and other personalities to always remember inmates in all the prisons since they are also part of the society.

On government's commitment, Hajjia Boya said the government of President John Dramani Mahama is doing all it can to ensure that, prisoners in the country have conducive environment to live.

And called on the people to continually support the NDC government to bring the best development to the country.

She advised her colleagues politicians to do away from politics of insult, adding that, politics is not a game of insults, but what you can offer the people.

The Northern regional deputy Director of the Ghana prison services, Mr. Abundant Awulugutu who received the items on behalf of the Ghana prison service thanked Hajjia Boya for the kind gesture and called on others to do same.
10.08.2016 LISTEN

 Peace Council Warns Ghanaians

From Richard Owusu-Akyaw, Kumasi

The Chairman of the National Peace Council (NPC), Most Rev Prof Emmanuel Kwaku Asante, has noted that even though Ghana is a humongous society with diverse cultural background, Ghanaians must still avoid an eye-for-an-eye mentality, which could make all of them blind.

It is like we are leaving in 'an eye-for-an-eye' situation, but 'an eye for an eye' will leave us all blind, he said, adding violent conflict comes into being when conflict has not been managed. I will say that conflict is inevitable so long as we are individuals, belonging to different political and religious persuasions, ethnic background and so on, he said.

Most Rev Prof Emmanuel Kwaku Asante bemoaned at the inauguration of the Regional Elections Early Warning and Response Group (REEWARG), ahead of the December 7 general elections, that the emerging 'equalisation' syndrome is creating problems for us as a country.

REEWARG is a preventive measure intended to facilitate management of electoral process that can degenerate into violence if it is left unmanaged. It is mandated to study and analyze possible conflict situations.

Explaining the rationale behind the formation of REEWARG, he said during the electioneering period, it offers the appropriate intervention for peaceful elections in the country, especially in the regions, in consultation with the National Election Warning Response Group.

According to the NPC boss, conflict in its self is not the issue, but the management of conflict in such a way that conflict does not degenerate into violence, stressing that violence comes about when we have failed to manage conflict.

He was emphatic that REEWARG will be spearheaded by the Regional Peace Council (NPC), and key stakeholders involving CSOs and some government agencies, including the security agencies.

The idea, he explained, is to put our ears down and open our eyes, do proper analysis of situation and take quick measures to ensure that hot spots do not really catch fire before we run into that place.

Prof. Asante indicated that the program is made possible with the financial logistic and technical support from the USAID, AIC, UNDP and West Africa Network for Peace building. (WANEP).

Touching on the collective role of Ghanaians preaching peace to all and sundry, the Chairman of the NPC said We believe peacemaking cannot be the sole effort for any individual or a group and it is not a one man show or one group show.

He said those who preach violence must be educated and given some lessons in peace from the Sierra Leone experience, where a whole generation of young people has been destroyed because of violence and conflict.

People's hands have been chopped off -what they call short sleeve and long sleeve, extensively because people didn't want people to have fingers to vote and all of them have become beggars on the streets of Freetown.

He warned that It is easy to destroy, but it is not easy to reconstruct  Prof. Asante noted that peacemaking involves all stakeholders, saying all have a role to play and Ghana will be the winner at the end of it all.

In this 2016 election, the winner must be Ghana and not a party or a person, because Ghanaians will rise up and say we have made it again.

Touching on Justice, the peace preacher said Justice is the condition for the possibility for harmonious living and that justice can be achieved in the contest of peace, since without peace there will be no justice.

It is only in times of peace that people are able to sit and then talk about things that we need to do, he indicated.

When people were fighting in Hohoe in the Volta Region, people wanted the Peace Council (PC) to go there. We didn't go at a time bullets were flying. The soldiers and the Police went there first to calm the situation, before PC went there. He, therefore, urged all Ghanaians to rise up and stand for peace.

The PC, Armed Forces, Police Service, and you the Press, teacher, the clergy and every Ghanaian have a role to play, he said and promised that, the NPC will make peace prevail.

Mr John Alexander Ackon, the Ashanti Regional Minister delivering his Keynote address said the conduct of a peaceful national election requires concerted efforts from all stakeholders for its realization.

He explained that REEWARG would promote the access to information and risk factors that has the potential to threaten the peaceful conduct of the upcoming polls in the Ashanti region.

Minister Ackon noted: It is my anticipation that good people of this region will support the work of the group, as no society can flourish in a climate of violence and conflict.

A representative from the United State of America (USA), Nana Serwaa Amoako, stated the US government is committed to supporting Ghana and to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections that represent the will of Ghanaian people.

The US government is also providing $2.4 million dollars to enhance Ghana's peace architecture, improving its ability to respond to electoral conflict. Through these efforts, we will strengthen the capacities of the National and Regional Peace Councils and other civil society groups to disseminate peace messaging

Nana Serwaa also emphasized that, REEWARG will work closely with the West Africa Network for Peace building (WANEP), through whose extensive network of civil society organisations will appoint community monitors across Ghana to identify potential risk of election violence. Prof S.O. Asiamah, the Ashanti regional peace council Board Chairman, said the launch of REEWARG was very significant to the Ashanti regional peace council.
Lagos (AFP) - The United States on Wednesday pledged $37 million in aid for victims of Boko Haram, government officials said, as fears of a famine mounted in the ravaged Lake Chad region.

Despite Boko Haram losing swathes of territory in the northeast as a result of a renewed military offensive, millions are still going hungry after years of attacks disrupted farming and supplies.

The UN children's agency UNICEF said on July 1 that 250,000 children under five in Borno state were at risk from severe acute malnutrition this year and 50,000 could die if nothing was done.

The US government will provide "more than $37 million in additional humanitarian assistance" the United States Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria in Abuja said. "Approximately five million people need emergency food assistance."

The money for food would be directed to communities in the Diffa region of Niger and is part of a coordinated effort to get more food into the area.

Returning this week from a trip to Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon, the regional director of the World Food Programme, Abdou Dieng, told AFP that "the crisis of Boko Haram is just beginning."

"There are many places where humanitarian aid can't reach because of insecurity," Dieng said, adding that Boko Haram attacked a UN convoy just last week. "But we are even more determined to stay."

Dieng estimated that around $600 million is needed to address the crisis but that so far "less than a third of that money has been received".

The Boko Haram insurgency has claimed more than 20,000 lives since it began its quest for a independent, fundamentalist Islamist state in 2009 in northeast Nigeria. The conflict has spread to Niger, Chad and Cameroon, forcing more than 2.6 million people from their homes.
When a father promises to do something for a child, the child relies hugely on that promise and expects that the adult will deliver on the promise made to him or her. When the time frame for that promise approaches, the childs expectation will be that the father will fulfill his promise and as such, the child goes to his or her father in anticipation of the fulfillment of that promise. When this promise fails to materialize, the child at first becomes disappointed and heart broken. If the promise fails continuously to materialize, the child may utterly lose confidence in the father and probably in all other adults who may make similar promise to him or her.

This is the story of the Ghana Right to Information Bill. The Bill has become the oldest Bill in Parliament and is currently reckoned to be the only Bill that has seen several failed promises at both national and international levels. Governments past and present have made several promises to pass the Bill but this promise is yet to be realised. The Coalition on the Right to Information, like a child whose father keeps breaking his promises is asking our MPs whether it was a mistake trusting them .

Ghanaians will recall that in 2010, the then Majority Leader of Parliament, Hon. Cletus Avoka, assured the Coalition that the RTI Bill will be passed into law before Parliament goes on recess at the end of July 2010. However that year, the Bill was neither reviewed nor tabled for discussion in Parliament. Following that development the Coalition issued a press statement showcasing how Parliament has failed to deliver on its promise See Link .

On March 4th, 2016, the current Majority Leader, Hon. Alban Bagbin, who was then the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee that was tasked to review the Bill and present its report to the House, categorically stated that Statements made to the effect that this honorable House is not committed to passing the bill are false, However, during that sitting which ended on 23rd March, Parliament considered only one clause of the Bill, despite the fact that the Committee submitted its report as far back as December 2014. The Majority Leader again assured the Coalition in various engagements that the RTI Bill will be passed in the second session which was supposed to start in May and end in July 2016. At the commencement of the second session in May, the Speaker of Parliament, Right Hon. Doe Adjaho in his opening remarks in Parliament on May 17th stated that the RTI Bill will be prioritized for passage into law during the session; however, the consideration of the Bill was suspended in June 2016. Even with extended sittings, Parliament did not prioritse the consideration of the RTI Bill as promised by the Speaker. The RTI Bill was set aside for other so called equally important Bills.

The failure to pass the RTI Bill despite a myriad of assurances is yet another failed promise that Ghanaians and in particular the Coalition has to deal with. Do we still have any reason to repose our confidence in our MPs? The Speaker in his concluding statement to Parliament on 5th August stated again that the RTI Bill will be passed in their next (third) session starting in October. Specifically, the Speaker stated as follows: The house is committed to critically examining the 52 pages of amendments to the Right to Information Bill before concluding its work at the end of its next meeting so that we can pass a bill that can stand the test of time,.

Should Ghanaians take this as yet another promise?, is Parliament committing to Ghanaians that this time the RTI Bill will be prioritized for passage irrespective of other so called equally important Bills that may arise during the next session? By December, Ghana will be going for elections and all the attention of our MPs are currently on their constituencies to ensure that they retain their seats, will our MPS be committed to dedicating time to consider the Bill in the face of the impending elections?, According to the Vice Chair of the Select Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. George Loh, the problem with the RTI Bill is the lack of capacity of Parliament, only very few of us can lead discussion on the Bill, , if I and the Chair are not there nothing will happen. The question then is; in the midst of the current election distractions , does the Speaker have a way of compelling members to attend Parliament to enable discussions on the RTI Bill ?,

The Coalition has observed that some Parliamentarians including the Vice Chair of the Committee have argued that the Bill has delayed because of the numerous amendments from CSOs and other interested parties but the Coalition would like the public to know that we have long gone pass that stage. The proposed amendments on the RTI Bill were captured in the Select committee final report tabled in Parliament as far as December 2014.

The Coalitions main concern is for Parliament to pass a robust RTI Bill which means incorporating all the amendments that has been proposed by the Select committee. The Coalition hopes that Parliament will no longer drag its feet on the passage of the RTI Bill and that this time, our hope, just like the child will not be in vain.
The founder of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Professor Kwame Karikari, has called on the Council of State not to give in to political pressure in advising the President on whether or not to pardon the jailed Montie FM trio.

According to Professor Karikari, it would be unwise for the Council to recommend the release of the Alistair Nelson, Godwin Ako Gunn and Salifu Maase, alias Mugabe  host and panelists of the Accra-based radio station who were convicted of contempt and jailed for four months by the Supreme Court.

I can only hope that the Council of State will be as wise as they are expected to be. If they advise the President to release these people, I would consider that to be a very unwise advise to the President by an Institution that is supposed to be wise, he told Citi News.

We are hoping that the Council of State will provide the wisdom that the institution is supposed to exhibit and to advise the president on. We're hoping that they'll be level-headed enough and not behave as if they are an appendage of a political party and that they are members of an institution that is Supra-political parties. That is what we can hope for .I hope they will not come forward and advise the president wrongfully.

According to Professor Karikari, the pressure which has been put on the president to pardon the trio was unfair and described calls from supporters of the NDC for him to sanction their release or lose their votes as misplaced.

What is going on appears to be blackmailing the president. There are people who are saying if he doesn't, they won't vote for him. They won't vote for a president because he won't pardon someone who has threatened the lives of people in public office? We are hoping that the Council of State will come out with a perspective that will bring sanity to the atmosphere. It is unfortunate that the misdeeds of people who have no regard for ethics of journalism and good manners of public speech would bring this country to the brink of crisis of sort, he added.

He expressed disappointment with the Ministers of State and government officials who also signed the petition for the trios release, stating that their pressure could provoke some dissension between the Executive and the Judiciary.

It is unfortunate that leaders of a [governing] political party would provoke tension between the executive and the judiciary. It's quite unfortunate and I do hope that the Council of State, being what it is and what it is supposed to be will help bring sanity in this whole atmosphere which is a great and useless diversion of our attention from important national issues, he said.

Several Ministers have already signed a petition, which was presented to President Mahama and subsequently forwarded to the Council of State for their consideration.

Education Minister, Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, Deputy Education Minister, Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare and Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur and the Foreign Affairs, Hanna Tetteh all endorsed the petition.

Other Ministers including Trade Minister, Ekow Spio Garbrah and Transport Minister, Fiifi Kwetey have visited the trio in jail.

Professor Karikari

No serious president would free trio

Professor Karikari has previously suggested that it would a bad political decision for the president to pardon the three men as his chances in the election could hinge on his choice.

According to him, no serious president would grant them their freedom following their unwarranted attack on the Judiciary.

There's no serious president in a democracy that will cede to a call like that under our circumstances. It will be politically suicidal for the president to accede to the call of his party, he told the media.



By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana
The General Secretary of the incumbent National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, and the party's National Chairman, Kofi Portuphy, has visited the Montie trio, who are serving their four-month jail term at Nsawman prison in the Eastern Region.

Also part of the delegation was the NDC's Director of Elections, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.

The Host of Accra-based Montie FM's 'Pampamso' political show, Salifu Maase, alias Mugabe, together with his two panelists, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn, were jailed four months each by the Supreme Court in July, after they were found guilty of contempt charges.

This was after they had threatened to kill justices of the Supreme Court over their handling of the suit on the credibility of Ghana's voters' register.

They were also fined GHc10, 000 which they have paid.

The sentence has however been received with mixed reactions, with largely members of the NDC claiming it is too harsh.

Top officials of the NDC both in government and out of government, have since signed a petition aimed at forcing President John Mahama to pardon the three, since in their view, they have shown remorse for their actions.

Top government officials who have not signed the petition which has since been forwarded to the Council of State, have also visited the prison, to commiserate with the trio.

They include the Minister of Trade and Industry, Ekow Spio Garbrah and the former Transport Minister, Dzifa Attivor among others.

-citifmonline
Tripoli (AFP) - Key dates since the Islamic State group moved into Libya in late 2014 amid the chaos that followed the ouster of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

Pro-government forces said they had seized control of the IS's headquarters in Sirte on Wednesday as they push to oust the jihadists from the coastal city.

First jihadist attacks

- November 19, 2014: The US says it is "concerned" by reports that radical extremists with avowed ties to IS are destabilising eastern Libya, having already seized vast swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.

- December 27, 2014: A car bomb claimed by IS explodes outside the diplomatic security building in Tripoli without causing casualties.

- January 27, 2015: IS claims an attack on Tripoli's luxury Corinthia Hotel that kills nine people, including five foreigners.

Since then IS has carried out multiple suicide attacks, including in February 2015 in Al-Qoba, near the eastern town of Derna, that killed 44 people and in January 2016 at a police school in Zliten, east of Tripoli, which killed more than 50.

IS videos of killings

- February 15, 2015: IS releases a video showing the beheading of 21 Coptic Christians, all but one Egyptian, captured in Libya, that it says was filmed in January. Egypt carries out air strikes on IS in its then stronghold of Derna.

- April 19, 2015: A new video shows the execution-style killing of 28 Christians originally from Ethiopia.

Sirte seized

- June 9, 2015: IS announces it has captured Sirte, hometown of Kadhafi, east of Tripoli.

- July 12, 2015: The group acknowledges it has been pushed out of Derna after weeks of fierce fighting with the town's Mujahedeen Council.

First US strikes

- November 13, 2015: The US bombs IS leaders in Libya for the first time and says it killed Abu Nabil, an Iraqi also known as Wissam Najm Abd Zayd al-Zubaydi. Libyan officials identify him as the IS chief in Derna.

- February 19, 2016: A US air strike on a jihadist training camp near Sabratha, west of Tripoli, kills about 50 people.

- February 24, 2016: Some 200 jihadists briefly occupy central Sabratha, before being ousted by militias.

Offensive on Sirte

- March 30, 2016: The head of Libya's UN-backed unity government, Fayez al-Sarraj, arrives in Tripoli, despite the hostility of rival authorities.

- May 12, 2016: A vast offensive begins by forces loyal to the unity government to retake Sirte. On June 9 government forces enter the centre of Sirte and besiege the jihadists.

- June 4, 2016: Unity government forces say they have retaken a jihadist air base south of Sirte.

- July 23, 2016: Loyalist forces say they have seized a building used by IS to manufacture explosives.

- August 1, 2016: The US carries out its first air strikes on IS positions in Sirte, at the unity government's request.

- August 10, 2016: Pro-government forces say they seized the IS's headquarters at the Ouagadougou conference centre in Sirte. Some parts of the town remain in the hands of the jihadists.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is asking government to discontinue the Ghana's programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Secretary-General, Kofi Asamoah, says the deal has failed to address socio-economic needs of Ghanaians.

He wants government to revert to home-grown fiscal policies of the Senchi Consensus.

Mr Asamoah points out that policies introduced under the IMF programme since last year are not working, leaving ordinary citizens poorer by the day.

At the 10th quadrennial delegates congress in Kumasi, he said even the Single Spine Salary Structure is unable to cushion workers of current hardships in the face of rising cost of living.

Government introduced the IMF-sponsored Extended Credit Facility in 2015 to deal with these challenges. But your Excellency, these policies are not working. Ghanaians are getting poorer every day under the IMF programme, we urge you and your government to abandon the IMF programe and revert to the home-grown Senchi Consensus. IMF programmes have never worked anywhere and they will not work here, he said.

According to him, Ghanas economy has been weak, with its attendant effect being high living standards affecting all socio-economic groups in the country with increasing high levels of poverty and destitution.

The weak economy has had very negative effects on living standards across all socio-economic groups in the country. A very significant number of our compatriots are suffering extreme levels of poverty and destitution, Mr Asamoah said.

However, in response to the TUC, President John Mahama has defended the IMF bailout, saying it is the ultimate for the country.

He told workers government will resort to home-grown policies only upon completion of the IMF program, which according to him, may be the last one for Ghana.

I wish to reiterate my earlier statement that is our ultimate IMF programme. We are almost there. We will finish hard. Next year is the last year of the programme and we will go back to Kofi [TUC Secretary General] home-grown fiscal policies," President Mahama said.

"I wish to reiterate my earlier statement that this is our ultimate IMF programme. This is the ultimate IMF programme to end all IMF programmes, he added.

Meanwhile, President Mahama says Ghana is reaping from investments in public infrastructure such as the ports, roads, water, healthcare and electricity which he says has created an estimated 400,000 jobs over the last 4-years.
Some five million Ghanaians are reported not to have access to any toilet facility and in the Central Region town of Elmina this reality is playing out with a lot of concern and risk to life.

Salt produced in the town is thought to be laced with faecal matter. This is because one of the main factories is sited at a location where hundreds of residents attend to nature's call.

At the Nyame na Ose Salt Industry situated at Teterkessim near Elmina.

A few meters away from the factory is faecal matter splashed all over the stretch of land. Not even the sight of the Joy News' Felix Akoyam could deter some people from attending to natures call.

There is also a dustbin near the factory as well as a pool of stagnant water from a pigsty in the squalid.

This is a very big disaster. We are eating the salt and at the same time easing ourselves here, Stephen Mensah, who has been the Assemblyman for the past 10 years said.

However, just like most of the residents, he said there is little he can do about the problem.

Mr Mensah said they need the security agencies to help them curb the rampant open defecation in the area.

Municipal authorities once closed the factory down for failing to stop the residents around from defecating.

The factory was reopened later but according to the Environmental Officer for the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirim municipality, Alex Damptey, even his attempts to prosecute some offenders did not deter them.

We set up a task force to arrest them, send them to court, and some of them have even been sent to prison but it is still not scaring them, he said.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Abubakar Ibrahim | Email: [email protected]
Ghana needs a regulatory body for the building and construction industry.

Thats the proposition by Technical Director of Nickseth Construction, Charles Essel.

The call follows disasters poorly constructed buildings have caused including flooding and collapse of buildings.

The challenge of poor workmanship and shoddy construction could be solved by the institution of a regulatory body in the industry.

Mr. Essel says reliance on local assemblies and consultants to monitor projects have outlived its usefulness.

He points out the absence of an independent institution for supervisory responsibility stagnating industry growth.

There should be in an independent body who will work in the interest of the publicthere should be a policing body which will cause everybody to sit up. He emphasized.

President of Ghana Institute of Construction, Professor Joshua Ayarkwa observes rampant house fires can be attributed to use of low quality electrical materials by professionals in the industry.

Through regular seminars, the institute believes contractors and artisans will be equipped with necessary knowledge to improve services.

The president of the institute is encouraging construction firms to take advantage of the opportunity to update their personnel on best construction practices.

Meanwhile, the Nickseth Construction Company donated ten thousand cedis towards annual conference of the institute.

This is expected to help the institute deliver on its mandate.

Professor Ayarkwah is charging players in the building and construction industry to support the institution financially.
The Paramount chief of Sefwi Anwhiaso Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi, has asked the presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akuffo-Addo, to consider bringing back the four-year duration for Senior High Schools if hes given the nod in the December general elections.

The Chief made the appeal on Wednesday, when Nana Addo commenced his 5-day visit in the northern part of the Western Region.

According to him, the recent results released by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), for the WASSCE, paints a picture of an ailing senior high school system.

In the view of the Chief, the three year duration is too short to guarantee success and churn out the quality of graduates needed.

Background on SHS duration

The NPP administration started the 4-year Senior High School programme in 2007, after claiming that a thorough research conducted by respected educationists had recommended an extension of the duration.

But this was short-lived as it was reverted by the National Democratic Congress which took over power in 2009. This could be blamed on the lack of political will to implement any national development plan that makes continuity compulsory.

The NDC's action was touted by the then opposition as a fulfilment of a campaign promise and not a desire to pursue a genuine course. But the party just like the NPP then, also backed its decision with a research which concluded that quality education had nothing to do with the extended duration.

But Ogyeahohuo Yaw Gyebi believes a return to the four-year system is in order following recent concerns about poor WASCCE results .

I was so sad when I heard the results this morning. Can you imagine that those who had between A1 and C6 were just 53 percent those who failed terribly represented 38.9 percent, he lamented.

How can we move forward as a nation with these results; so I plead with you to revert to the 4-year system if you are elected president.

The reason is that, the timetable for the SHS is approximately 2 years and some three months. If we need to take the four-year policy, lets do it, if it is the 3 years too, lets resource the schools. Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi added.



By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana
The saying, Monkey de work, baboon de chop is manifesting in the lives of many an NDC foot soldier. NDC teems with foot soldiers that will do the bidding of their few superiors no matter what. It suffice to receive a command from people like Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, Koku Anyidoho, Kofi Adams and Ofosu Kwakye and they will be all over the place like headless chicken doing the masters bidding.

Most of them do not get anything from these masters who live affluent lives out of misappropriating public funds and obvious commitments of acts of corruption of all sorts. Simply put, their mentioned masters and the few well-placed in NDC take them for complete imbeciles who cannot use their gumption to decipher between deception and the truth, to better their wretched lives.

While the foot soldiers go out to do all the dirty silly jobs; molesting and beating people, threatening the lives of innocent ordinary Ghanaians, sprinting or hurtling away with stuffed ballot boxes, raining insults on their political opponents and insanely signing petitions to release better-off but incarcerated NDC criminals from their prison sentence etc., they get nothing commensurable for their actions or work.

However, those who do little but are obviously well-positioned in NDC get all the reward. A classical ongoing case is where President Mahama has given two brand new Pajero vehicles and a 3-bedroom house in a posh area in Accra to Madam Akua Donkor of the Ghana Freedom Party. What has Akua Donkor been doing for NDC that is so special and different from the lies all the other NDC foot soldiers do perpetrate? Why has she been given two cars and a house whereas most of the foot soldiers have not been given anything worth the price of a cars tyre or a bag of cement let alone, an old cheap car?

How much is the price of one Pajero vehicle like those given to Madam Akua Donkor? How much is the cost of the house given to her? Do they not run into hundreds of thousands of Ghana Cedis?

Will an NDC foot soldier indeed not be a FOOL SOLDIER if they allow themselves to be baited by say, GHC50, to go out doing more difficult, but absolutely stupid and criminal tasks for NDC of which Akua Donkor will not do one-hundredth of same tasks but earns a million times more money reward or praise?

Check the following web link; watch the video to see one of Akua Donkors cars.

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Akua-Donkor-is-a-liar-NDC-460643

Does the situation of the foot soldiers not be a perfect case resemblance of monkey de work, baboon de chop, when considering the volume of the criminal or foolhardy work they do with no, or small, remuneration, and the comparatively small work done by Akua Donkor, Koku Anyidoho, Sam George et al but who as individuals get cars, houses and huge sums of money in their home and foreign Bank accounts?

To me personally, all those claiming to be NDC foot soldiers going about causing mess and threatening innocent people while they still remain destitute, but continue to be happy with deceptive or never-to-fulfil promises by their party leadership are absolutely fools.

Similarly, there are two persons from my own hometown, Kumawu, who are alleged to have accepted a total of between GHC15, 000 to GHC20, 000 from Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to drop a lawsuit they brought against Kumawuhemaa and the Kumawu Traditional Council for dubiously assisting Asantehene to lease/sell hundreds of thousands of hectares of Kumawu Afram Plains stool lands to a Norwegian Company.

As Asantehene and Kumawuhemaa including the currently alleged, but a complete puppet, Kumawuhene Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua, stand to gain millions of American dollars, these two mentioned individuals only got a total of about US$4,000.

Check the following two web links for further details.

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/Is-Asantehene-Indeed-Above-the-Law-333545

https://www.modernghana.com/news/666207/kumawuman-citizens-are-shocked-to-discover-a-dodgy-stool-lan.html

How intelligent are the said two individuals who have sold their birth-right and the future of Kumawuman for a pittance? Are they not in the same boat as the NDC foot soldiers who are now crying foul?

Continue to cry, my beloved, but completely out of normal, NDC foot soldiers. Do not allow yourselves to be fooled by those people who have robbed the nation in broad daylight to enrich themselves. Do not be fooled by the Montie 3, especially Salifu Maase, alias Mugabe, who has three Pajeros, a house and more money. When he incites you to insult people or go on rampage, you do it. You are at his beck and call. For all that he gets by supporting President Mahama and the NDC, but having one vote as you do, what do you get in reward compared to his?

Please, dont act foolish so that you are not called FOOL SOLDIERS! Wise up!!!

Madam Akua Donkor has come back to insult the intelligence of the foot soldiers when they reacted angrily. She now says the cars and the house were bought and built, respectively, with her own money but just that she was pulling a fast one on Paa Kwesi Nduom for seizing his car from her. Who is Akua fooling if not herself? Her current attempts to diffuse the tension within the NDC foot soldiers is even inflaming the situation further; adding insult to injury.

Change is coming to make all people in Ghana prosperous without ever having any foot soldiers that will by their senseless acts be called Fool soldiers.

Rockson Adofo
The President of Groupe Ideal, Dr. Nii Kotei Dzani, joined the people of the Ada to celebrate the 50th Asafotufiami Festival at Ada.

In his address, Dr. Nii Kotei Dzani said, Groupe Ideal is committed to promoting Ghana's rich culture and heritage. Our support to this special festival stems from the fact that it celebrates the achievements of our ancestors through their victories in battle. Groupe Ideal is honoured to be part of this success story.

Dr. Dzani who was the chairman of the occasion entreated the traditional leaders to be agents of change by investing in the education of the youth in order to empower and promote development.

He used the occasion to advise the youth to focus on their education and eschew violence especially during and after the 2016 elections.

The traditional leaders expressed their appreciation for the support given by the President of Groupe Ideal and asked for Gods protection and guidance in driving the brand to greater heights.

The Ada Asafotufiam festival is celebrated annually by the people of the Ada Traditional Area which is made up of Big Ada, Adafoah, Addakope, Kasseh, Hwakpo, Tsalekope, Ayamaame, Pute, Totoe, Adadetsekope, Gorman, Atotokope to remember the achievements of their ancestors.
Accra, Aug.10, GNA - Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has expressed concern over the numerous chieftaincy disputes in the country, which he noted had become a huge drain on government resources.

He said the enormous resources that are spent to maintain law and order in those areas could have been channelled into the provision of basic infrastructure to improve the lot of the people.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur expressed the worry when a delegation of chiefs from the Gonja Traditional Area, called on him to announce the passing of the Kpembewura, Abubakari Sulemana Nyen-Churo Ebore II, at the Flagstaff House.

The late Kpembewura who died on August 2, this year was 92years and he is expected to be buried in-line with the Islamic custom.

There would be a seven -day funeral ceremony for him at Kpembe near Salaga in the Northern Region.

Besides, the delegation also informed Vice President Amissah-Arthur of the selection of a new successor for the late Kpembewura.

The group invited Vice President Amissah-Arthur to the enskinment of the successor; Haruna Dare at Kpembe on August 14, while the outdooring would be on August 21

Vice President Amissah-Arthur sympathised with the people of the Gonja Traditional area for the great loss.

He also commended the people of Gonjaland for the smooth transition and asked other traditional areas to emulate their example.

He assured the delegation that the government would be fully represented at the funeral of the late chief.

Alhaji M.N.D. Jawula, the Lepowura and Leader of the delegation described the late Kpembewura as unifier and diplomat.

He said late chief was a great farmer, reconciler and ensure peaceful co-existence in the traditional area.

As custom demands the queen mother of the area presented cola nuts to the Vice President Amissah-Arthur to formally informed him of the passing of the Kpembewura.

GNA
By GNA Reporter

Accra, Aug. 10, GNA - The Africa Media and Democracy Institute has announced the fourth edition of the Africa Media and Democracy Conference, which would take place from August 25 - August 26.

The conference, which would be held at the Accra International Conference Centre, is on the theme: 'Media, Democracy and Security,' would be addressed by President John Dramani Mahama.

A statement signed by Barima Adu Asamoa, Executive Director of Africa Media and Democracy Institute, and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the conference, would bring together delegates from around the world including politicians, parliamentarians, media owners broadcasters, print, online and community journalists; academics/students and members of the nongovernmental community.

It said the conference would also have a major training workshop for journalists and media practitioners on: 'Reporting Terrorism and Media Crisis Management.'

The statement said the media training workshop is a joint initiative by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the Africa Media and Democracy Institute.

It said the two organizations signed a memorandum of Understanding to further strengthen their relationship with the objective of enhancing quality and professionalism in journalism and media practices in the country.

It said the certified training programme aims to equip participants with the skills and know-how in responding to terrorist attacks and threats and provides a forum for stakeholder to interact and recognise the respective context from, which they are likely to operate when there is an occurrence.

It said participants would share, critique and appraise techniques and critical challenges that faces journalists, PR and corporate executives in either reporting or responding to the media on terrorism.

It would also provide perspective that places professional and ethical issues vis-A -vis the larger society at the fore front of reportage.

Dr Affail Monney, the President of GJA highlighting on the significance of the training said: 'I think we live in an era where terrorism and the threat of terrorism is not a figment of imagination; hence those at the front of such occurrence must update their skills and techniques.

'Media practitioners are part of those at the fore front, when there is an occurrence, so I believe our members will immensely benefit from such trainingWe hope to work with the Africa Media & Democracy Institute in other areas of our work.'

Barima Adu Asamoa, Executive Director of the organisation said: 'We welcome the joint initiative of Africa's current effort in consolidating its democracies and the rule of law, which is potentially threatened by the phenomenon of terrorist attacks.

'It must therefore be supported by an effective and engaging media practitioners adequately equipped without escalating often highly volatile situations.'

GNA
10.08.2016 LISTEN

Mobole, Aug. 9, GNA - Mrs Sheila Osei Boakye, Founder, Literacy for Life, has called for regular health screening of children to cure or manage their intellectual deficiencies.

According to her, most children who are described as "dull" have impairments with sight, ear, speech and even confidence.

Mrs Ose Boakye was speaking on the sidelines of a health screening and reading clinic for basic school children organised by Tema Lions Club in collaboration with Literacy For Life at Mobole in the Ningo Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region.

She therefore called on the Ghana Education Service to collaborate with the Ministry of Health and Non governmental Organisations (NGO) which have the expertise to detect and help children with learning difficulties.

"We come across these sad situations anytime we interact with deprived children. Most parents are ignorant as their teachers so the children through no fault of theirs struggle through insignificant and curable health issues into permanent impairment in adulthood.

We need to wake up as a nation and save these huge human resources. Let's do the simple tests, apply the simply cures and teach the basic skills in reading."

Mrs Osei Boakye disclosed that her NGO trains teachers as well as teaches children to enjoy the pleasure of reading. GNA
10.08.2016 LISTEN

Mobole (GAR), Aug. 9, GNA - The Tema Lions Club has in collaboration with Literacy for Life, organised a health screening and reading clinic for over 100 children in Mobole in the Greater Accra Region.

The basic school children had their eyes examined and taken through the basic techniques of reading.

Mr William Abakah Junior, Tema Lions Club President, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that "We want to contribute meaningfully to a better future for deprived Ghanaian children through reading which is the foundation of education."

According to him, the club would organise such programmes for all deprived communities in and around Tema to improve the reading and writing skills of children.

He said the Club has set up an evaluation and monitoring group to track the progress of beneficiaries.

According to him, due to financial constraints, the programme would be organised quarterly and hoped that corporate bodies would support the Club in the right direction.

On eye related issues, he said the screening is done free of charge and when problems are detected, the children are treated free of charge.

"It is better and cheaper to detect eye problems in children. You save them the agony of pain and the inability to read and more importantly, visual impairment in adulthood."

GNA
business VSNL land demerger: Tata Comm, minority shareholders to gain Tata Communications had bought a 45 percent stake in VSNL for around Rs 1,500 crore, as part of a government asset-sale programme in 2002. However, the land assets belonging to VSNL were not part of the transaction.
business RBL Bank IPO to open on Aug 19, price band at Rs 224-225/sh The company is planning to raise aroud Rs 1212 crore. The issue comprises fresh issue of equity shares by the bank aggregating up to Rs 832.5 crore and an offer for sale up to 16,909,628 equity shares.
you are here:
world Trump's economic plans to benefit only the rich: Hillary Democratic residential nominee, Hillary Clinton whille addressing a rally in Florida dismised Trump's economic plans which will only benefit the rich. Hillary Clinton says it's a plan for the wealthy.
Listed below are some of the incidents Morgan Hill police responded to in recent weeks.

Fire

Wood chips in the median of Cochrane Road at Sutter Boulevard caught on fire about 2:30 p.m. Aug. 3. No major damage was reported.

Animal control

Six chickens were loose in the creek on Preservation Way about 10:50 a.m. Aug. 2. The caller complained the poultry were eating the landscaping in her yard.

Illegal RV parking

A large RV was parked on the 300 block of Noble Court for at least two days, and the caller worried that the occupants intended to stay there long-term. The municipal code violation was reported 5:40 p.m. Aug. 1.

Vehicle vs. bicyclist

A Honda Fit and a bicyclist collided in a traffic accident near the intersection of Llagas Road and Del Monte Avenue July 25. The bicyclist was transported to hospital with pain to his ribs and an abrasion to his right elbow. He was not wearing a helmet. Responding authorities also determined the bicyclist had a $3,000 warrant for his arrest out of Morgan Hill. The accident was reported 3:16 p.m.

Auto burglary

A thief or thieves broke into a black Ford Flex in front of Starbucks, 17015 Walnut Grove Drive. A window was smashed and stolen was a backpack that contained a laptop computer. The crime was reported 3:55 p.m. July 27.

Petty theft

Someone stole a Vitamix blender, worth about $520, from Target, 1061 Cochrane Road. The crime was reported 8:36 p.m. July 24.

A thief or thieves stole the rear license plate from a GMC that was parked on La Sierra Court. The crime was reported 12:37 p.m. July 25.

All subjects are innocent until proven guilty. Information is compiled from public records.
It seemed like his clients would be unable to find financing for an assignment deal, but a little research by Jake Abramowicz  and the hard work of a mortgage insurer  helped get it done.Jake Abramowiczs clients, a couple purchasing a 400 square foot condo as an assignment deal in Toronto, were originally turned down by a big bank.They went to their bank, who said they would [only] finance the new pre-build purchase price [of] $268,000, he told MortgageBrokerNews.ca. The couple bought for $340,000 because thats todays value. The bank would only give 5% on $268,000 and then an extra $72,000 as a personal loan.This, despite the fact that the couple had low debt servicing ratios, sufficient income and the required 5% down payment, according to Abramowicz.Assignment deals are tricky; lenders are often wary about lending on the current value amount, instead offering to finance the original, pre-build purchase price.The couple refused the banks offer and contacted Abramowicz, who had his own trouble finding financing.We went to [another big bank]. Here was the first problem: Its a very small unit. [The second problem was that] the clause in the agreement stated clearly the builder is allowed to rent any unsold unit in the building to a commercial or residential tenant, he said. Because of that, Genworth wouldnt do the deal. They said its a mixed-use zoning property, based on the purchase clause.A little digging on Abramowiczs part helped uncover some useful information, however.I Googled and I did research on the zoning application of this exact building. In the zoning application it clearly showed that the builder was asking for 268 residential only units  no commercial application, he said. I also went to the city and the building planning department, showed them this clause, and they said, even if the builder has that, there is no way we would allow the builder to rent it to a commercial tenant.With that information, Abramowicz contacted Genworth and pleaded his case.The insurer eventually approved the deal and the file was completed.Genworth was instrumental. My BDM was on holiday and her colleague wanted to take a crack, Abramowicz said. It went from an auto-decline to an approval in five days.Have you recently completed a tough file? Share it in the comments section below.
Equifax Inc. has just released its June 2016 National Consumer Credit Trends Report. This monthly report analyzes data from over 220 million consumers in the United States. According to the report, the first mortgage write-off rate is 3.3 basis points (100ths of a percentage point) of outstanding balances. Meanwhile, the total number of first mortgage defaults in June 2016 was 17,909, the lowest it has been since January 2007.



While the overall US first mortgage write-off rate has returned to historic lows, it remains high in some parts of the country. Puerto Rico, which is dealing with a major debt crisis, has a write-off rate thats three times higher than the national average (12.9 basis points). Nevada has the second highest write off rate at 6.6 basis points, which is twice as high as the national average.



Other states that have high write-off rates include Florida (6.2), New Jersey (6.2), Delaware (5.1), and Mississippi (5.0).



"The backlog of foreclosures from the financial crisis finally appears to be waning and write-offs are returning to historically-normal levels," said Amy Crews Cutts, senior vice president and chief economist at Equifax. "Rising home values have helped significantly, as have improving labor markets. Given the low inventory of homes for sale and the overall improving credit profile of the US consumer, we expect home sales to maintain the upward trend we've seen in the first half of the year and for mortgage default performance to continue its downward path."



As for first mortgages, the severe delinquency rate was 1.40% in June 2016, down from 2.07% in June 2015.

Meanwhile, as of June 2016, the total number of first mortgages outstanding was 49.8 milliona 0.7% increase from June 2015. Lastly, the total balances outstanding on first mortgages was $8.33 trillion as of June 2016, a year-over-year increase of 2.8%.


Saudi Arabia and Iran are giving no ground in their market share war, just days after OPEC announced an informal meeting to discuss ways to stabilize falling prices.

Oils return to a bear market last week prompted a flurry of words from members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. The groups president Mohammed Al Sada announced plans on Monday to hold an informal meeting in Algiers next month to discuss stabilizing the market, while Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Tuesday he spoke to Saudi Arabias king about boosting prices.

The actions of some of the groups biggest producers, however, were distinctly bearish. Saudi Arabia, the worlds largest crude exporter, boosted oil output to a record 10.67 million barrels a day in July, according to OPEC data published Wednesday. In Iran, production has risen to 3.85 million barrels a day -- the highest since 2008 -- according to comments from Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh reported by the Fars news agency.

It only gives one signal to the markets, that the Saudis are not here to scale back, especially in the face of Iranians bringing more oil to the market, Abhishek Deshpande, an analyst at Natixis in London, said in a Bloomberg television interview. When OPEC meets in September I doubt theres going to be any concrete agreement.

Saudi Arabia typically pumps more oil in the summer to meet higher domestic energy demand from air conditioning. The kingdom is also engaged in a battle for market share with rival Iran and has cut prices to its customers in Asia, the biggest market for both exporters. Kuwait on Wednesday also cut its pricing to Asia, widening the discount to the regional benchmark to $2.65 a barrel for September from $1.70 a barrel in August.

Iran is pushing for a longer-term increase in its output following the loosening of international sanctions in January. The nation approved a new model for oil contracts on Aug. 3 and the government hopes foreign companies will invest as much as $50 billion a year in its oil industry. Production will expand to 4.6 million barrels a day in five years, Oil Minister Zanganeh told parliament, according to Fars.

OPECs smaller members have driven calls to cap the groups output after prices began to slump in 2014. President Maduro of Venezuela, the sixth-largest producer in the group, is reaching out to the heads of state of fellow producers Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran and Qatar to stabilize prices that fell to a four-month low last week.

A similar effort to freeze output in April collapsed after Saudi Arabia demanded that Iran be part of the deal. At the groups June meeting, another proposal for production targets went nowhere. Iran opposed any limits on its production then and is still seeking to reclaim its pre-sanctions share of OPECs total output before joining any freeze, according to an OPEC delegate who asked not to be identified.

OPEC nations arent pushing to revive the aborted April proposal, two delegates from the group said last week, and analysts dont expect any deal to be reached in September.

The interventions from Maduro and Al Sada, who is also Qatars energy minister, were prompted by renewed weakness in global oil markets. This market lull may persist as demand slows seasonally and fuel inventories remain abundant, OPEC said in its monthly report Wednesday.

Brent futures traded at $44.26 a barrel on the ICE Futures Europe exchange in London at Wednesday afternoon, erasing this weeks increase. The international benchmark fell as low as $41.51 a barrel last week.

These planned OPEC discussions may be viewed by some as a cheap possibility to try and stabilize the market, said Eugen Weinberg, head of commodities research at Commerzbank in Frankfurt. Its more likely to be a way of further destroying the markets confidence in OPEC, as the organization cries wolf once again.
Just as energy-related companies large and small have touted efficiency gains as the two-year industry downturn continues, efficiency gains are also a goal of the Railroad Commission.

At Tuesdays open conference of the three Railroad Commissioners, Commissioner Christi Craddick unveiled the Texas Oilfield Relief Initiative, a nine-item agenda designed to reduce the regulatory burden on the energy industry while improving the effectiveness of the agencys oversight.

I applaud Commissioner Craddicks work on this initiative, Commissioner Ryan Sitton told the Reporter-Telegram by email following the conference. The Railroad Commission needs to constantly be evaluating its processes and procedures to ensure that our regulations are necessary to protect the public and the environment. When we have outdated rules or unnecessary requirements, we need to fix those. This initiative is one of the ways we are doing that.

The initiative is expected to be rolled out in phases over the coming months.

Technology in the industry has changed quite a bit over the past several years and its important we keep up, Craddick said Tuesday afternoon in a phone interview from her Austin office.

The direction weve given the executive director is we want this to be an ongoing process, Craddick said. We have nine parts of this initiative but our goal is to continue, both for the staff and for the industry, bringing to this agency additional places where we can find efficiencies, cost savings and continue improving rules and best practices. This will be ongoing.

Q. What is the timeline for implementing these items laid out in the press release? What is the first rule amendment to be rolled out?

A. We hope to have the initial phase of all were working on with this initiative complete by January 2017. We will obviously do it in pieces. Phase one that was rolled out today is the definition of an active oil well and revising stripper well/marginal well rules for gas and oil wells.

Those are issues, talking with operators small and large, they have been talking about for some time. We hope to get comments back on the rule amendment, hopefully in a month, and, depending on the comments, we hope to get it implemented as early as September or early October. (Commission) staff, industry and my office have been working on this since the first of the year. The staff has really spent a lot of time and given us good ideas; industry has given us good ideas, too.

The first rule amendment to be rolled out under the initiative was an effort to revise Statewide Rule 15, the definition of an active oil well and active natural gas well. Under the proposed change, the definition of an active oil well (is) from 10 barrels per month for three consecutive months to five barrels of oil per month for three consecutive month and from 100 Mcf per month to 50 Mcf per month..

Q. What was the driving force behind identifying these items and how long did it take to develop the list?

A. It was early in the spring when we began working on this. Were not as busy in one part of the agency as we have been, so it gives us the chance to take a pause, reset and look at what we can do better as an agency.

Also, we want o figure how to have an active, vibrant industry, where we have costs that can be cut. Over-regulating companies, and us as an agency asking for more paperwork  Ive gotten complaints on that since I ran for Railroad Commission. Thats been on my mind and weve had time to dive in and look at those issues.

This is an opportunity for us to look at places we can maximize our time, save staff time, hopefully help industry save dollars in testing that we ask for, without  and this is key  affecting environmental safety or public safety. We think we have good balance.

Q. Do you anticipate resistance to your proposals?

A. Weve had industry really look at this and we look forward to additional comments as we put the rules out. This is a good starting point.

Q. What assurances can you give someone, say someone you meet on the street, that implementing these items will continue to protect the public and the environment?

A. As we look at different rules and initiatives, that was priority one. To ensure we do things environmentally safe -- thats our mandate and to protect correlative rights. Too, we have really good staff at the agency and as theyre looking at issues, we didnt follow through with certain rules because they felt we shouldnt change that philosophy. We feel weve done a good job and look forward to additional feedback.

Q. Is there an estimate on the benefits both to the commission and the industry of this streamlining effort, in terms of manpower and/or cost?

A. We know it will save time for our staff, just filing reports. We also believe and know its going to save industry tens of millions, we think even with these first rules. I think its a win-win for both industry and the commission.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

The day before her wedding, Jeni Stepien said she met the man who would walk her down the aisle -- the man who had received her fathers heart.

When Arthur Tom Thomas arrived Friday at the church just outside Pittsburgh, he took Stepiens fingers and put them on his wrist.

He said, Here, feel my pulse, Stepien told The Washington Post. It was so amazing. I could feel his heartbeat -- it was so strong.

The next day, Thomas gave Stepien his arm and led her to the church altar, where she touched his chest right before he gave her away.

Stepien, 33, said her new husband, 34-year-old Paul Maenner, first suggested that Thomas stand in for her father. I thought he would be the perfect person because he has a piece of my father living within him, she said.

So she penned a letter to a man in Lawrenceville, N.J. -- one she and her family had spoken to over the past 10 years but had never met.

She said, Is there any chance youd consider walking me down the aisle? Thomas told The Post. I said, Oh, theres a big chance.

Thomas said the early notice gave him time to prepare himself so he wouldnt be blubbering as he walked her through the church.

The last 10 years, I watched my children graduate from high school and college and Im probably going to be able to see them get married, he said. And that same 10 years, Michaels family went without him.

I had a life to live because of him, and his family did not. It was important for me to do this very small thing for her.

Stepien said her father, Michael Stepien, was on his way home from work one night in 2006 when he was shot and killed by a teenager during an attempted robbery in Swissvale, a borough outside Pittsburgh.

Thomas, 72, told CBS affiliate KDKA he was on deaths door when he received Stepiens heart. He said his own had been failing for years and, by 2006, he was suffering from congestive heart failure.

The last day in September, he said, Stepiens family gave him a gift.

I remember telling them how grateful I was for this new lease on life and that I realized the sacrifice they made was extraordinary, Thomas said of his first letter to the Stepiens.

Since then, Thomas, who is married with four grown children, said the two families have exchanged many handwritten letters and phone calls. Every holiday, he sends Stepiens wife fresh flowers.

On Saturday, Jeni Stepien said, when the door to St. Anselm church in Swissvale swung open, she felt my dad was right there with us.

This wasnt just about me, she told The Post from the airport Monday morning, moments before the couple headed out for their honeymoon. It was also about making my mom and my sister and Tom see everything had come full circle.

And when it came time for the first dance, Thomas once again took her hand.

He did my father-daughter dance with me and then handed me to my mom, she said, adding that he made this dream come true.

She wrote on Facebook: It truly was the best day of MY ENTIRE LIFE!

To be able to bring my dad home and have him at my wedding was an absolute dream COME TRUE! she wrote. Not to mention that being married to the best person that was hand picked just for me was beyond words the best thing that has ever happened to me.

In 2014, more than 29,500 people received organ transplants in the United States and an average of 22 people a day died waiting for them, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services.

More than 120 million people are registered as organ donors.

Stepien wrote on Facebook that she hopes her familys story will inspire others. If I helped just one person change their mind to become an organ donor, my wish in sharing my story has come true, she said.

Thomas said he hopes that the gift he received from Stepien and her family will impact others as much as it has impacted him.

This young woman had such wonderful motivations -- to say to the world, Organ donation is really important. We want you to be aware of it.
About 2,200 Americans die every day because of cardiovascular disease -- thats one person every 40 seconds. This means that by the time you finish reading this article, at least two more people will be gravely affected. Heart disease includes numerous conditions and problems, many of which are related to atherosclerosis, a condition caused when plaque builds up in the walls of arteries -- narrowing the passage ways for blood.

The smaller these passage ways become over time the harder it is for blood to flow, causing clots and the stoppage of blood altogether. The end result is a heart attack or stroke.

If the condition is caught early enough, your survival rate improves dramatically. It is important to speak with your medical provider to know your risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. They will be able to help you look at conditions that put you at risk such as blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, age, gender and race. They might also be able to recommend a test called a CT Coronary Calcium Score for those who dont have heart disease or are at medium risk for heart disease.

Coronary Calcium Scans use X-rays along with a specialized computer to check for the buildup of calcium inside the plaque on the walls of arteries. This allows medical providers to check for early signs of heart disease and evaluate the severity. The CT Coronary Calcium Scan is non-invasive (which also means painless), simple and affordable.

The exam is performed quickly -- in 10 minutes or less.

First, all removable metal objects from the neck and chest area are taken off and a gown is put on. A nurse will then take a set of vital signs before walking down to the CT room. A technologist positions the patient on the CT examination table flat on their back. Pillows, cushions and sometimes straps are used to help the patient maintain proper position during the scan. There may be slight discomfort having to remain still for several minutes but there isnt any pain. Three small electrodes are placed on the chest area that records the hearts electrical activity, which is an ECG, or electrocardiograph.

The patient is then moved in and out of a small circular opening of the CT machine several times while being instructed to hold their breath for a little over 20 seconds. The patient can expect to see special lights that assist the technologist while positioning. Also, there will be slight buzzing, clicking and whirring sounds as the internal CT parts move around your body. The patient will remain by themselves in the room during the procedure but the technologist can see and hear them as well as speak to them through an intercom.

Once the exam has been completed, a radiologist (a physician who specializes in supervising and interpreting radiology examinations) will analyze and interpret the images. A finalized report will be sent to the medical provider, who will then discuss the results with you.

This test is used as a screening tool and does not foresee what can happen tomorrow or next year. Living a healthy lifestyle means beginning a conversation with a medical provider about this test. If the medical provider recommends it, you will receive an order requesting a CT Calcium Score.

Then you can schedule an appointment by calling the Radiology Scheduling Department at 682-9729. There is a $100 fee that is due at the time of the appointment.

Kelly White is director of radiology at Midland Memorial Hospital.
By the fall of her sophomore year at the University of Houston, Mariellee Aurelio had already thought of several ways to kill herself. Getting a gun, jumping off a building and overdosing on over-the-counter pills were options she considered.

It was time to get help. But when Aurelio called the college counseling center in December 2014, she was told to call back later; all appointments for the day were booked. With winter break just around the corner, she couldnt meet with a counselor before the end of the semester.

Her struggle mirrors those of countless college students across the state who are battling depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses but are often forced to wait weeks for a counseling appointment, according to interviews with several university students and counseling center directors.

Understaffed counseling centers at Texas universities say they are frustrated by their inability to reach students, but the state doesn't earmark money for mental health services, and lawmakers want to limit tuition hikes. That leaves universities strapped for funds to hire more counselors and improve services.

Counseling centers at six of the largest public universities in Texas are funded primarily by student fees or tuition. While all the centers say they could use more staff, they dont want to overburden students or run afoul of politicians, such as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who have excoriated universities for increasing tuition.

We need more staff to help our students, said Norma Ngo, director of University of Houstons counseling center. But having them put more money forward causes stress as well. We cant just put it on our students.

Some university administrators are exploring corporate sponsorships and private donations to expand counseling services. While they seek a solution, it is often the students who suffer.

The thought of ending her life loomed over Aurelio during winter break. She finally got an appointment when she returned to school the next semester, but it was a scary time.

That was a setback because I was very suicidal, and I needed that help, she said.

Students and counseling center directors say the wait time for an appointment can often range two to three weeks at the University of Houston, Texas A&M University, the University of Texas Austin, Texas State University, Texas Tech University and the University of North Texas, particularly during high-stress times like midterm and final exams. (If a student is in crisis, they can be seen immediately, all the universities said.)

Each school is understaffed by the standards of the International Association of Counseling Services, which recommends college counseling centers have at least one full-time professional staff member for every 1,000 to 1,500 students. Those staff members should be counselors providing therapy, rather than interns or psychiatrists, who primarily write prescriptions, said Paul Polychronis, the groups president. While the ratio is a general guideline, it helps ensure high standards of care, he added.

A Tribune review found the University of Houston is farthest from this mark, with about one full time equivalent professional staff member for every 3,200 students. UT-Austin had the best ratio of the six universities: about one staff member for every 1,800 students. The other four universities have ratios ranging from one staff member for every 2,000 to 3,000 students.

With too few counselors, students may drop out  or hurt themselves  waiting for an appointment, said Amy Lenhart, former president of the American College Counseling Association and a counselor at Collin Colleges Frisco campus.

Youre unfortunately going to have people drop through the cracks, she said.

To meet the recommended staffing ratio, the University of Houston would have to hire about 15 more counselors. At the salary of the universitys lowest-paid counselor (based on the Tribunes database of government salaries), that would cost more than $750,000 per year.

But half the challenge in hiring a counselor is matching salaries in the private sector, said Ngo. The average salary for an entry-level psychologist in Texas is about $62,000, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. At that rate, it would cost the university more than $900,000 per year to hire 15 more counselors.

That type of funding leap is hard to imagine for many universities, especially since Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus have suggested the Legislature try to limit tuition growth when it reconvenes next year. Earlier this year, Patrick noted that total academic charges at the state's universities have grown 147 percent since 2002 while the nation's median household income has grown just 32 percent. He called on universities to tighten their budgets and save money by reining in administrative salaries and bonuses.

While the state does not provide funds specifically for mental health services, universities can put funds allocated for instruction and operations toward counseling centers, said Kelly Polden, a spokeswoman for the Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Officials at Texas A&M and UT-Austin said state money mostly goes toward paying faculty salaries and funding particular colleges.

It all comes down to balancing priorities, said Daniel Pugh, vice president for student affairs at Texas A&M. He said the university tries to keep student costs low while providing needed services.

We want to be responsible stewards of student dollars and the people of Texas dollars, he said.

The A&M counseling center, which sees about 700 students each week, has a budget of $4.4 million for the upcoming academic year, Pugh said. That budget has increased nearly 60 percent in the past 10 years  one of the fastest-growing budgets at the university. But it is still not enough to hire additional staff or create a facility large enough to fit them.

With the number of students coming in and the severity of their conditions, yes, I could use more staff, said Maggie Gartner, director of the universitys counseling center. But even if I could hire 15 more counselors, there isnt space for that.

Rather than increase the $1,300 fee students pay each semester to help fund the center, the university is looking to donors and sponsorships, Pugh said.

The counseling center is also trying new strategies like online counseling to increase its speed and turnover.

At UT-Austin, the counseling center has seen a 45 percent increase in students seeking services over the past six years, Director Chris Brownson said. Its hard to keep up with that demand, so many students are now referred to off-campus providers, he said.

The centers budget, which was $3.9 million this past year, is funded through tuition, endowments and a service fee students pay when attending counseling, said Mary Knight, associate vice president for finance at the university. No state funding is allotted to the counseling center.

Theres a lot of competing needs at the university, Knight said. Counseling and mental health is definitely a priority. But, she added, it would help if the Legislature set aside funding specifically for counseling and mental health on college campuses.

Students like Aurelio say a solution to fully staffing counseling centers cannot come soon enough. She knows the difference it can make to see a counselor.

About a month after her first counseling session, Aurelio nearly attempted suicide twice in one night. After speaking with her University of Houston counselor the next day, she agreed to go to a hospital for treatment.

It was at that hospital, after years of thinking she just wanted to die, that Aurelio got some peace. She knew, she said, that it was going to be OK.
A Midland oil man is the first to announce his intention to run for the District 4 seat on the school board.

John L. Kennedy, who has 36 years of experience in oil and gas and holds a degree in finance and accounting from the University of Texas, will run to replace Jeff Robnett, who said he will not seek re-election. District 4 is a region from central to southwest Midland. It includes the areas around Bowie Fine Arts Academy and Houston, Lamar, Long and Burnet elementaries.

Kennedy ran for an at-large seat on the city council in 2008; he came in a close second to Jerry Morales. He said his motivation to run for school board is the same -- to help the community.

I truly believe a great community has to have a great school system, Kennedy said. Right now, we dont and we have to come up with a way to fix it.

Kennedy, who was vice president and CFO of LPC Crude Oil from 2008 through 2013, said education has become a business issue as Midland is losing talent because of a school system that is ranked near the bottom of the largest districts in the state in terms of academic achievement and performance. He said people in Midland and people looking to move to Midland demand a good school system.

Midland has trouble attracting as much talent as they can because the school system is not exemplary and high-performing, Kennedy said.

He said performance is not a new issue. Kennedys family moved to Katy in 2000 and his two youngest children were still in school at the time. He said his children were so far behind other students at Katy at the time. Luckily, they were able to catch up.

Kennedy wants to see greater discipline in the classroom as the teacher has to have the ability to keep disruptive children from keeping others from getting the best education possible.

He said the next permanent superintendent will need to be open-minded and willing to try new things.

The MISD board has decided to wait until after Novembers elections to begin the search for a new superintendent. Four of the seven seats on the board could end up on Novembers ballot.

We should have a goal of every campus in MISD being high- performing, Kennedy said. I want to help the school board and the school district to achieve this goal.

Kennedy is a native Midlander and attended Henderson and Rusk elementaries before his family moved. He is married with three grown children, all of whom attended MISD schools. He is an elder at First Presbyterian Church and is a member of the board at the Petroleum Museum.
The tax rate election many Midlanders have seen coming for weeks is likely to become official tonight.

The Midland ISD board of trustees at its regular monthly meeting is set to adopt a $261 million total budget, adopt an increased tax rate and then call a tax rate election for Oct. 8.

The meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Bowie Fine Arts Academy.

The idea of an increased tax rate for maintenance and operations (M&O) has been talked about for months since Midland ISD officials learned it would be required  as a chapter 41 or property-rich district  to send more than $50 million to Austin to be distributed to poorer districts.

The details were ironed out after the Scharbauer Foundation committed $10 million toward the districts deficit. The end result will be a budget that requires $232.3 million for M&O, including a $53.7 million recapture payment. To balance the budget, MISD officials still have plans for $6 million in cuts and around $2.5 million from the districts reserves.

Trustees will then vote to increase the M&O tax rate from $1.04005 (per $100 valuation) to $1.09005  a 5-cent increase. Trustees, however, said Midlanders can expect a net increase of 3 cents as district officials are also planning to adopt a resolution to refinance debt, which would lower the interest and sinking tax rate (from $0.10 to $0.08). The raising of the M&O rate past $1.04005 requires voter approval, which the board will call for during a special October election.

With all the other races on the November ballot, I wanted the community have an opportunity to consider this as a stand-alone item, board President Rick Davis said. I hope they consider it a priority.

The net 3-cent increase in the total tax rate would translate to an additional $60 on the tax bill for a home appraised at $200,000 (about as much $2,280 to $2,340 with the proposed budget and bond refinancing).

MISDs chief financial officer, David Garcia, said the increase wouldnt impact taxpayers over 65 who have had their taxes frozen.

We have been working all summer on this thing, board member James Fuller said. We have been up front and transparent.

Fuller said voters will have all the information they need to make an educated decision when they go to the polls in October.

Today is the deadline for the district to call an election in October. For whatever reason a tax rate not be set, an election would have to wait to November, when the number of voters would certainly grow.

In 2012, MISDs $163 million bond election was held in November and appeared on the same ballot as the presidential race. Still, more than 61 percent of the more than 38,000 voters approved the largest bond in the citys history.

We will have to work quickly to supplement the efforts we have already engaged in, Davis said. We can make our case and get out the information.

We think the tax rate proposal and the budget that goes along with it reflects a proper balance of budget cuts, and at the same time it reflects a commitment to invest in the future of our children, he said.
#Justice Party Former Justice Party leader Lee Jeong-mi elected for 2nd term Lee Jeong-mi, a former chief of the minor progressive Justice Party (JP), was elected Friday for a second term to lead a major reform of the party reeling from recent election rout...

#KBO Heroes reach Korean Series after eliminating Twins in KBO postseason For the first time in three years, the Kiwoom Heroes will be playing in the South Korean baseball championship series. Former big leaguer Yasiel Puig homered and knocked in two ...
We were not bribed to drop ...
A man wanted in connection with a 2012 vehicular homicide has been captured in Spain.

Fatal crash occurred in 2012; William Angel killed

Christopher Ponce was on house arrest when he fled in 2013

Local authorities working on extradition of Ponce



Florida Highway Patrol confirmed that Christopher Ponce was taken into custody.

Authorities say Ponce was driving the wrong way on Interstate 275 and crashed head-on into William Angels vehicle.

William died from his injuries. He was 20 years old.



William Angel, 20, was killed by a wrong-way driver on I-275 in Tampa in 2012. (file)

Ponce, who was 22 at the time of the crash, was on house arrest when he removed his ankle monitor in May 2013 and fled.

William's father, Wade, created a website dedicated to finding Ponce.

I made a promise to my son at his funeral that I was going to make sure justice was done, said Wade Angel.

Wednesday morning, Angel received an email from the State Attorneys Office notifying him about Ponces capture.

I saw that and I just yelled. My wife was in her car in the garage with the motor running on the way to work. I guess I yelled so loud she heard me, Angel said.

Angel says Spanish police noticed Ponce in a bus station acting strangely. Angel says Ponce gave them a fake passport and a fake name. When they fingerprinted Ponce, they realize he was a wanted man.

Ive never for a moment thought we wouldnt get him. It was just a matter of when, said Angel.

Angel now knows he can keep the promise he made to his son when Ponce returns to stand trial.

Authorities say it could take months for Ponce to return to the states if he decides to fight extradition.

The crash also badly hurt two men in the car with William in 2012.

Christopher Ponces escape was recently featured on CNNs The Hunt with John Walsh.

Williams father says it appeared the police officers in Spain did not question Ponce because they saw the show. He says it appears to be good old fashioned police work.

I will find those two officers and thank them, Angel said.




Tens of thousands of students returned to class Wednesday on the first day of school for much of Central Florida.

Most Central Florida counties returned to school Wednesday

Some districts have new superintendents and policies

Orange, Volusia start class Monday



Students in Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Marion, Osceola, Seminole and Sumter counties kicked off the school year.

Brevard County

For the district's more than 70,000 students, there are new protections for LGBT students and teachers. Last month, the school board amended their anti-discrimination policy to add sexual orientation and gender identity, which already prohibited harassment against students, teachers and employees based on race, color, ethnicity, among others.

I see a lot of bullying, and the teachers dont really step in and a lot of times they want to, but I can see there isnt a lot of support from the school district before now. So hopefully more people will be willing to take a stand, said Brianna Finnk, a Bayside High senior.

Opponents of the LGBT protections are concerned that the policy change will make it easier for students to use any bathroom they want.

Meanwhile, Brevard Schools Superintendent Desmond Blackburn, who is entering his second year, plans to reorganize the district and reduce the number of departments from 11 to 10. He also hopes to improve teacher morale.

We cannot, we will not create and maintain optimal learning environments without our teachers, principals and other staff members feeling a strong sense of belonging, nurturing and support from our system, Blackburn said.

Osceola County

The district has a new schools chief. Superintendent Debra Pace previously held the position of associate superintendent for the human resources services division of Brevard Public Schools. She was also the deputy superintendent for secondary administration in Osceola and also a former principal at Poinciana and Harmony High.

"Being a high school principal was tremendously rewarding. But then you see that you can have even a greater impact on even more children, more teachers, more staff members and a larger role. So thats really what brought me to want to be the superintendent, Pace said.

Seminole County

Elementary school students will see something new across the district: Deputies will be stationed at each elementary. Middle and high schools in the county have always had a dedicated deputy, but elementary schools previously had to share school resource deputies.

Its important to us that we establish relationships at an early age, because if we can provide that positive impact with them, theyll be approachable to law enforcement," Seminole County Sheriffs Sgt. Celines Rios said. "It will just help reduce crime in the future because we have established that relationship with them."

Said parent Tabitha Ramos: It's just the state of the the world that were in  you just never know whats going to happen. So I know that theres someone here already thats going to look out for him.

To know theyre here everyday, it makes me feel good. I feel the kids are safe, she said.

Superintendent Walt Griffin says the district is in the process of developing a smartphone app for safety information or to report anything suspicious that could be up and running by the end of the school year.

Lets teach our students, if they see something say something. Our school resource officers will be giving exactly the same message. If students are concerned about something, if students see something, (we want) to make sure they know who to go to to report something.

Meanwhile, some parents at Sterling Park Elementary in Casselberry say they're mindful of cleaning precautions after almost two dozen workers at the school were sickened last week by a suspected case of norovirus.

"It's the first week back to school. You don't want your kids being sick, and you learn all the teachers are sick. It's a little bit worrisome," Kristina Powers said.

Symptoms of the norovirus can last up to two days. The highly contagious virus causes the stomach or intestines to get inflamed.

However, a Seminole County Schools spokesperson says a cleaning crew cleaned everything from door handles to desks and floors after the outbreak happened.

The district says they're allowing infected staff to return only after they're no longer showing symptoms. Parents who have more questions on the norovirus should contact the school.

"The Seminole County School District wouldn't open up the school if it wasn't safe," parent Morgan Davis said.



Flagler County

Flagler Sheriff's deputies were out directing drivers through new traffic patterns near Matanzas High.

Students and parents going in and out of the high school can no longer access Forest Grove Drive connected to Old Kings Road North. Instead, drivers are being asked to follow the detour signs, because workers closed off the area for good.

New signs, temporary message boards, and signals are already up.

"We like to tell everybody be patient so to help make sure we're more efficient day one," Flagler Superintendent Jacob Oliva said. "We had our folks come in early, such as transportation staff, bus drivers, have already driven their routes, so they know the patterns what to expect and where they're going."

Lake County

The district has changed the bell schedules for most schools, giving some students longer days.

Now, high schools will now start at 7:20 a.m. and end at 2:20 p.m. Elementary schools will start at 8:30 a.m. and end at 3 p.m., and middle schools will start at 9:20 a.m. and end at 4 p.m.

School officials say they wanted to give teachers more preparation time.

"That was something that they said they definitely needed to make sure they provided the best learning environment for our students, and so we listened to that and we have changed the bell schedule to make sure that those teachers get the preparation time that they need," Lake County Schools Communications Officer Sherri Owens said.

A few schools have slightly different schedules, so check with your child's to make sure.

The district also will expand personalized learning to eight new schools this year.

Sumter County

Superintendent Rick Shirley says they're moving toward a one-to-one initiative in technology so that all of their 5,400 students will have a computer.

There is also a new ninth-grade transition class to get students ready for high school and to get them to think about the future.

"We want our kids to be successful when they get out of high school and either find employment or get a college degree or a technical degree and move onto the next level," Shirley said.

Also new this year: Sumter high schools got new score boards, and South Sumter Middle added eight new classrooms.



Orange and Volusia schools open Monday.

Reporters Jeff Allen, Stephanie Bechara, Brittany Jones and Jerry Hume contributed to this report.


LUBBOCK -- With its 2016 dividend payout, Farmers Cooperative Compress (FCC) will celebrate the unprecedented milestone of having distributed $1 billion to its producer-owners. Texas is the countrys No. 1 cotton-producing state and the cotton industry has a $3.5 billion impact on the Texas economy.

The continued success of Farmers Cooperative Compress is a direct correlation to the hard work performed by our producer-owners, said Ron Harkey, president of FCC. We are proud to be a part of such a significant achievement. This cash return on our producers investment will help ensure the viability of farms across West Texas and shows the strength of U.S. cotton in the domestic and global markets.
Aug. 11, 1946: Rev. G.D. Nornhold has resigned as pastor of the Four-Square Gospel Church after 1 1/2 years. He and Mrs. Nornhold will leave soon for California to be with his ill mother. A successor has not been named.

--Harry McCain of Plainview has been employed as Hale County veterans service officer, succeeding Ralph Griffitts who resigned Aug. 1 to accept a district post with the Veterans Administration. A World War I veteran, McCain will fill out Griffitts term, which expires Jan. 1.

--A small amount of hay was destroyed by fire at the Douglas Dairy outside the city limits beyond West 16th Street on Quincy. The blaze started from a tractors exhaust when it was driven over loose hay, reports Fire Chief A.M. Hamilton.

Aug. 11, 1956: Leading the PHS Band on the field this school year as it encourages the Bulldogs on to victory will be Drum Major Clifton Martin and twirlers Jeanie Ellerd, Betty Sue Meinecke, Audra Watson and Martha Mae Hampton.

--J.D. Watts, who farms a mile east of Plainview on the Lockney Highway, was pictured pointing to an open boll of cotton which is among the first reported in the area. The cotton was planted April 15.

--Mr. and Mrs. Harold Waldo Wesley are now at home at 1207 Denver St., following their wedding trip to Red River, N.M. They were married July 21 in the home of the brides parents. She is the former Laquita Lowayne England, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Bo England.

Aug. 11, 1966: Marine Lance Cpl. Albert G. Norris, son of Thelma R. Norris, 2619 Wood Ave., is serving in Vietnam with the Tank Battalion Maintenance Section of the Da Nang-based Third Battalion. He entered the service in February 1964.

--A Vocational Rehabilitation Office of the Texas Education Agency will be established in Plainview this fall, Royce L. Vernon, vocational counselor in Lubbock, told Hale County Commissioners on Monday. An office location has not yet been determined.

--Five local teachers attended the fourth annual State Conference of Texas Classroom Teachers Association in Austin last weekend. They include PHS counselor Betty Buford, president of the 37,000-member organization; Amelia Bishop, president of Plainview Classroom Teachers Association; Bea Peterson, president-elect; Rollie Rinker, treasurer; and Mrs. Rollie Rinker. Also attending was Joyce Kite, representing Lockney CTA as a past president.

Aug. 11, 1986: After a 22-2 league record, Plainviews Our Lady of Guadalupe Padres finished fourth in the Texas State ASA Mens Church Slow Pitch Softball Tournament in San Angelo to qualify for the national tournament later this month in Burlington, N.C.

--Laura K. Jordan has been awarded a $1,000 college scholarship by the Cargill Foundation. A 1986 PHS graduate and daughter of Earl and Glynda Jordan, she is studying nursing at Angelo State University.

--Today marks the ninth anniversary for the monthly Laymens Prayer Breakfast, which meets the second Monday of the month at the Nu-Griddle. Joe Ruiz, a founder of the monthly program, will be speaker at Mondays gathering.

Compiled by Doug McDonough
It didnt take long for the first aggrieved condo owner to go to court once word got out about the case of the sinking, leaning Millennium Tower in San Francisco.

Four law firms said Tuesday they were teaming up with John Eng, a resident in the 58-story tower, in a lawsuit against building owner Millennium Partners and the Transbay Joint Powers Authority  the public entity behind the Transbay Transit Center under construction next door.

And theyre seeking a big pile of cash: $500 million at least, if a judge grants the lawsuit class- action status on behalf of the buildings 400-plus residents.

The suit in San Francisco Superior Court claims that Millennium Partners is responsible for construction defects and an improper design that are causing the building to sink into the landfill beneath it and lean to the northwest. The transbay authority contributed to the problem by digging a huge hole for a rail station that destabilized the condo palace, the suit says.

The result is a diminution in value of all the units in the building at 301 Mission St., said the lead law firm in the case, Foreman and Brasso of San Francisco.

The lawsuit was filed eight days after we revealed that the Millennium Tower has sunk 16 inches and has tilted at the base by at least two inches.

A geotechnical engnineer hired by the condo towers homeowners association  which is not a party to the lawsuit  warned residents in May that the building was still sinking at a rate of about an inch a year and showed no signs of slowing down. Cracks and water intrusion have appeared in the buildings underground garage.

P.J. Johnston, a spokesman for Millennium Partners, said the company would not comment on the suit. We are focused on working with the homeowners association to monitor the situation and take appropriate next steps, he said.

Representatives of the transbay authority did not respond for to requests for comment. The agency  made up of representatives of San Francisco, AC Transit, Caltrans and Caltrain  has denied its to blame for the Millenniums troubles. It pointed out that it spent $58 million to shore up the condo tower before excavation began on the bus and rail terminal.

Homeowners association spokesman Charlie Goodyear said the lawsuit doesnt change what we are focused on  identifying the repairs that are appropriate for the Millennium Tower and how best to recover the costs for those repairs.

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

The devastating wildfire that killed four people and destroyed more than 1,300 homes in Lake County last year was caused by faulty electrical wiring rigged for a hot tub, authorities said Wednesday.

Investigators with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection traced the ignition point to a home in the mountain community of Cobb, about 100 miles north of San Francisco, where they said one of two property owners ran wiring that was not up to code, nor properly permitted, to a tub on a porch.

There, investigators said, a spark from a poorly insulated copper wire ended up igniting dry grass and leaves, setting the 76,067-acre Valley Fire in motion.

Lake County District Attorney Don Anderson, who learned only Wednesday of the states findings, said hell now look into whether a crime was committed and whether arrests would be made.

First thing in the morning, Ill be turning this over to my investigative staff, he said.

Earlier Wednesday, before the results of the probe were made public, one owner of the home with the alleged electrical problem told The Chronicle that his property was not the cause of the fire, but that his two-story house had suffered minor damage  and that a toolshed near the alleged origin had burned.

That shed was the victim of the fire, said Parker Mills, who noted that when the blaze started no one was at the property on High Valley Road, a rural area marked by grassy hills and oak forest.

Cal Fire investigators say the second owner and primary occupant of the parcel, John Alfred Pinch, admitted installing a circuit to power his hot tub on a covered deck. Officials concluded the actions amounted to a misdemeanor, negligently starting a fire, and a building code violation for not having proper permits, though the district attorneys office is responsible for filing any official charges.

Pinch, whom investigators identified as a retired painter, could not be reached for comment.

The announcement of how the blaze started came nearly 11 months after the fire broke out Sept. 12. Fanned by high winds and a landscape dried by four years of drought, the flames raced through wooded communities south of Clear Lake to Middletown on Highway 29, just north of Napa County.

The inferno, the third most destructive in California history, forced tens of thousands to flee their homes, many at a moments notice, as it razed a total of 1,955 structures, including Middletown shops and apartment buildings and the nearby Harbin Hot Springs retreat.

Sheriffs deputies sped through Lake Countys mountainous areas warning residents on loudspeakers to immediately pick up and go. Firefighters and residents banged on doors. But the wall of fire was so fast and cruel that four people were burned in their homes or consumed while trying to outrun the flames.

Total damages are estimated to be greater than $1.5 billion, rivaling the ruin of the Oakland hills fire in 1991 and San Diegos Cedar Fire in 2003.

Nearly a year later, many in Lake County remain homeless because of the blaze, staying in rentals or with family and friends until they come up with the money and permits to rebuild. The county is one of the poorest in the state, and financing has slowed the recovery effort.

Several of the mountain communities that burned  built decades ago as vacation homes but more recently turned into permanent dwellings  lack adequate water and sewer systems to handle new development, and the cost to replace them is high.

Still, dozens of new homes have emerged across what is largely a charred moonscape free of trees that is just beginning to turn green with the new grass and saplings that came with spring.

Its a lot of activity. A lot of rebuilding is going on, said Jan Coppinger, a compliance coordinator for the county.

The Valley Fire, which also burned parts of Sonoma and Napa counties, followed two other scorchers in the region last summer. The Rocky Fire, which ignited July 29 east of Clear Lake, burned nearly 70,000 acres and 43 homes, and the Jerusalem Fire kicked up Aug. 9 northeast of Middletown, blackening 25,000 acres and leveling six homes.

Fire officials say the drought, which has dried up forests and killed tens of millions of trees, and a slowly warming climate have raised the threat of more severe blazes not only in Lake County but also across the state. Already this year, seven people have died in California wildfires.

Those killed in the Valley Fire were Barbara McWilliams, 72, of Anderson Springs; Leonard Neft, 69, of Anderson Springs; Bruce Beven Burns, 65, of Hidden Valley Lake; and Robert Fletcher, 66, of Cobb.

The property with the supposed bad electrical connection is near High Valley Road and Bottle Rock Road, about 15 miles northwest of Middletown. Investigators pinpointed the area within days of the fires start but took longer to work out what happened.

Lake County Supervisor Rob Brown, who lives nearby, said he hadnt prepared himself for hearing the states finding. He had expected a more nefarious cause after hearing the many rumors of exploding drug labs and arson.

To find out something as anticlimactic as faulty wiring put in for a hot tub ... dang, Brown said. I cant imagine what the owners of the property are going through. I cant imagine living with that.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

She came to the U.S. 21 years ago, a struggling Ethiopian refugee who would rise to become one of the most beloved restaurateurs in Richmond, not only for her food but for her generosity.

Now Menbere Aklilu is facing eviction in what some city officials say is political retaliation by a landlord who has long sparred with the city. Four days ago, Aklilu received a notice giving her 30 days to vacate Salute e Vita Ristorante, the Italian restaurant that she has operated for 14 years in Richmonds sleepy Marina Bay neighborhood.

The building itself  sprawling and gabled, with windows overlooking the sun-dappled harbor  was constructed in 1985 by Robert and Jacqueline Poe, who own it through their real estate firm, Penterra Co. Inc. Jacqueline Poe has accused Aklilu of neglecting the property and allowing sewage to leak beneath the kitchen and bathrooms  complaints that Contra Costa Health Services inspectors dismissed last week.

I want to correct the problem, Poe told The Chronicle on Tuesday, noting that she needs to empty the building to fix the sewage leak. Aklilu can take her license for Salute any (other) place.

Mayor Tom Butt and other officials are fighting to save what they say is a treasured business. They say the Poes son, Richard Poe, is behind the eviction as payback against the city after voters defeated two ballot measures he pushed in June that pit him against Butt and other city officials.

Richard Poe owns acres of land in Marina Bay. One of his ill-fated ballot measures would have let him build tony single-family homes along the waterfront, even though the citys general plan calls for high-density apartments in that area. The other would have limited the salary of Richmonds city manager.

Jacqueline Poe says her son has little to do with the restaurant or with Penterra Co., although state records list him as the companys registered agent.

A spokesman for Richard Poe did not return calls.

At a hastily called organized news conference Tuesday outside Salute e Vita, Aklilus supporters waved signs saying Protect Good Tenants and Poe out of Richmond!

The news conference was attended by reporters, housing activists and civic leaders, as well as 94-year-old park ranger Betty Reid Soskin. Aklilu handed out coffee, pastries and trays of handmade chocolate confections.

The city of Richmond has been involved in a number of disputes and lawsuits with Poe over the years, Butt told the crowd, referring to an incident last year in which the city shut down an illegal bingo and blackjack parlor operating out of one of Richard Poes properties.

At least two women had tears streaming down their faces as Aklilu, dressed in sleek pants and stilettos, turned to address the crowd.

In my life, I fall, I get up, I become stronger, she said, describing the pending eviction as yet another hurdle in a life already marked by tragedy and hardship. She relayed some of those stories to reporters later  how as a young girl she saw an angry customer in Ethiopia kill her mother, who also ran a restaurant; how she gave birth to her son at a womens shelter in Rome; how she came to the U.S. penniless, lived in government housing and took her first job as a $7-an-hour hostess at Salute e Vita in 1995.

Today Aklilu is well known in Richmond for her philanthropy. She hosts an annual Thanksgiving meal for 1,500 homeless people and veterans. She gives low-income single mothers a free Mothers Day brunch every year. To date, she has donated more than $60,000 to schools and nonprofits.

In my mind, as important as Henry J. Kaiser is to the history of Richmond, Menbere has become the present symbol of Richmond, said Soskin, the nonagenarian ranger.

Longtime community organizer Kathleen Sullivan was blunt.

This whole conversation as it relates to a woman of color who is a business owner in this city is a tragedy, Sullivan said, as the crowd murmured in agreement Tuesday.

Sullivan shook her head. God is not pleased, she said.

Aklilu says shes always had an amicable relationship with the Poes, who she said doubled her rent two years ago and have kept her on a month-to-month lease for years.

This came out of the blue, she said of the eviction.

Butt said he sent the Poe family an email Tuesday asking it to withdraw the eviction or consider selling its building to another local business that might keep the restaurant going. Hes waiting for a reply.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @RachelSwan
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

A new members-only service will take off Friday at Stinson Municipal Airport.

For a price, Texas Air Shuttle offers unlimited travel in the Lone Star State each week. Flights include routes to the McKinney National Airport, north of Dallas, Conroe/North Houston Regional Airport, Austin Executive Airport, and now, the Stinson Municipal Airport here in San Antonio, the company announced in a news release Tuesday.

RELATED: Delta shutdown strands 1,000-plus at Narita airport in Japan

Together, Stinson Airport and Texas Air Shuttle will provide the regions business travelers with unmatched convenience, service and value, District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca J. Viagran said in the release. The airports location provides direct access to Brooks City Base, Joint Base San Antonio, downtown, and other industry centers in the region. We look forward to a long and prosperous partnership with Texas Air Shuttle. 

RELATED: Video: Vanilla Ice loses his cool during airport meltdown after missing flight

According to the companys site, two plans are available -- the super commuter and the executive. For $1,895 a month, you get one seat on an unlimited number of flights, and one free guest pass every month. The super commuter plan is $2,850 each month and includes a seat on an unlimited number of flights, a free guest pass, and six flight passes which gives users the option to immediately book a new reservation after a flight.

RELATED: TV star Erik Estrada spotted at the San Antonio International Airport after attending Texas Comicon

Both plans can be made for two members as well and more information can be found on the company's site at: http://www.txairshuttle.com/

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
Uber is rolling out scheduled rides in Houston, the company announced Wednesday.

Instead of calling an Uber at the time it's needed, users can schedule their ride for as little as 15 minutes to as many as 30 days in advance.

Scheduled rides will be immediately available to Business Profile and Uber for Business users. It will be expanded to all riders in Houston in the coming weeks.

Uber first announced scheduled rides in June. Seattle was the first city to receive the scheduled rides, and the company said it would then proceed to other top business travel cities.
This article was first published on NerdWallet.com.

By Megan Terzian

Learn more about Megan on NerdWallets Ask an Advisor

Are you a new graduate who just landed your first real job? Congratulations! Chances are youre excited and focused on learning everything you can to get off to a great start. But theres one thing you shouldnt forget as you begin this new chapter: your workplace benefits.

If youve never had to deal with benefits before, the unfamiliar terminology and dizzying number of options might tempt you to just close your eyes and check boxes  but thats not the best way to choose.

Heres some basic information about benefits your employer is likely to offer, as well as a few that are less common but still valuable.

Benefits youll typically see

Retirement: Most employers offer an individual retirement plan, such as a 401(k). Theres typically a brief waiting period after youre hired and before you can begin contributing, but once the option is available, you can divert some of your paycheck toward retirement savings pretax.

Many companies even match a portion of your contributions. The match can either be capped at a percentage of your salary  usually between 2% to 5%  or a dollar amount. Thats free money  and a pretty sweet deal!

In most cases, your companys contributions vest  or become yours  after youve worked there for a certain number of years. The money you contribute is always yours, even if you leave before the vesting period ends.

Health/medical: If your company employs more than 50 people, its required by law to offer health insurance. Carefully review your employers plan options and understand the costs. Look especially for each plans co-premium, which is the amount that would be taken out of your check each month to pay for coverage, and your copays, the amount youd pay out of pocket for health services.

Flexible spending accounts: At many employers, you can divert some of your paycheck into a tax-advantaged account called a flexible spending account. There are two main types: Health FSAs help pay for expenses that arent covered by health insurance, and dependent care FSAs help pay the costs of child care for kids under the age of 13. FSA contributions are capped at $2,550 per person for 2016. You lose unspent contributions when the plan year is over unless your employer offers a retention option.

Health savings accounts: If your employer-sponsored health plan has a high deductible, youre eligible for a health savings account. HSAs are like FSAs in that they allow users to save money tax-free against medical expenses, but the 2016 HSA contribution limit is $3,350 for an individual. And unlike FSA funds, money in an HSA doesnt expire when the plan year ends.

Vacation and sick time: Some companies offer paid time off, which is a pool of sick days, vacation days and personal days that you can use as you need. Others offer a traditional leave plan with separate vacation and sick days. In this case, your vacation hours are yours to keep: They accrue from year to year up to a cap, and youll be reimbursed for the vacation you havent taken when you leave the company.

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 also entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons.

Commuter benefits: These benefits let you deduct money from your paycheck before taxes to defray your monthly commuting expenses, such as transit or parking costs. If travel is an integral part of your role, your mileage or public transit costs should be partially or totally reimbursed by your company  and if so, it should cover the premium for travel accident insurance.

Benefits you might see

Dental and vision: These benefits arent covered by standard health insurance, and few dental and vision plans pay for everything  but they still help with the costs of routine preventive care, such as yearly exams and dental cleanings. Your employer might pay the entire premium or a portion.

Life insurance: Some employers provide term life insurance benefits, which pay out if you die while working at the company  usually to your family members. Your employer can offer up to $50,000 in coverage on a tax-exempt basis, at no cost to you.

Disability: According to the Council for Disability Awareness, more than 1 in 4 of todays 20-year-old workers will become disabled at some point in their lives. For that reason, you definitely dont want to be without a disability policy. They come in two forms: Short-term disability provides benefits for up to six months; long-term disability covers you past that point. If youre disabled, youll typically receive 60% to 66% of your salary  but every policy is different, so read the details carefully. And remember that if youve accrued enough work credits, youll qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance as well.

Employee assistance programs: These subsidized training and counseling programs can come in handy for employees struggling with issues that could impact their job performance, health or well-being. You might sign up if youre worried about money management, concerned about work-related stress, or mourning a loss, among other circumstances.

Professional development: If youre interested in continuing education coursework that applies directly to your role, your company might pay all or part of the cost. It might also pay for you to attend related conferences and seminars.

Volunteer hours: Its fairly common for bigger companies to give employees a certain amount of hours or days each year to volunteer. Some even have the office volunteer together.

Supplemental insurance: Your employer might offer group rates on other voluntary insurance benefits, though it probably wont kick in for the premiums. These policies might include auto insurance, homeowners insurance, supplemental insurance for dependents or limited forms of life insurance, such as accidental death and dismemberment. In some cases, AD&D is included in group life insurance.

Benefits you can hope to see

Student loan repayment: Some employers help employees pay off student loan debt. Maximum benefits vary by company.

Fitness club allowance: To encourage employees to stay healthy  and hopefully reduce health insurance costs and sick leave requests  some employers provide allowances or reimbursement for gym memberships.

Pet insurance: This benefit helps you take care of your four-legged best friend. Just like your health insurance, however, its important that you understand what the insurance covers and what youll owe each month and each visit.

Unlimited paid time off: You read it right: unlimited! This is a big benefits trend right now. Some companies let their employees take paid time off whenever they want for as long as they want. People reportedly take the same amount of time off, regardless of limit, but still value the trust that this benefit exemplifies. After all, your employer is putting its faith in your self-management and self-awareness when it lets you control the time you spend away from your desk.

Review your options

There are a lot of benefit options an employer may offer you, so set aside time when you start to consider the choices. And be prepared to review your selections during your offices yearly open enrollment period. As your life progresses, your benefit needs might change.

Benefits exist to enhance your life. Understanding your choices will help you take advantage of your total employee package.

Megan Terzian is an associate financial planner with Mosaic Financial Partners.

The article Benefits 101 for Millennials: What You Need to Know originally appeared on NerdWallet.
A Russian-Swiss model, actress and blogger Xenia Tchoumitcheva showed a little more than her love for the movie 'Suicide Squad' at a recent premiere in London.

She spun for the cameras revealing what she was or rather was not wearing under her dress.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- It isn't easy following Mel Gibson.

However, TV's "Lethal Weapon" star is doing his best to make Gibson's volatile police detective Martin Riggs his own by giving him an authentic Texas flavor.

Actor Clayne Crawford doesn't have to go far to find inspiration. He said his wife is a native Texan and her family lives in the Hill Country.

He shared the info after "Lethal Weapon's" writer/creator Matt Miller told TV critics how he was distinguishing the series' cop character from Gibson's of the '80 and '90s films.

"(The show is) putting Riggs in Texas so that maybe he would have a little bit of a drawl or a lilt to his speech, something that would distinguish him a little bit from the way that Mel played the role," Miller said at a Fox press session this week.

Pressed for more details on the character, Miller said Riggs is from El Paso.

"We wanted him to be closer to the border and the drug trade," Miller said, adding his investigations into these crimes eventually spread to the California-Mexico border.

The pilot shows how a horrific personal tragedy takes him out of the Lone Star State and into California.

Grief-stricken after the sudden and violent loss of his young wife and unborn child, ex-Navy SEAL-turned-detective Riggs relocates to Los Angeles in an effort to start over. He's paired up with Det. Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover's character in the movies, who's played by Damon Wayans here).

He'll bring plenty of Texas touches with him, however. "You'll see Riggs in a cowboy hat and boots," Miller said. "He's a little bit of a fish out of water in L.A."

Crawford (Sundance TV's "Rectify") may be from Alabama, but he is surrounded by enough Texas folk to draw from for his character -- including his wife, who's originally from Houston.

Moreover, her family now lives right outside of San Antonio, Crawford said, "in that little country town, Bandera."

"I borrowed her father's sensibility," Crawford said of his chief inspiration for his Texas character.

"There's a wide openness to Texas," he continued, "part of the state's personality. Riggs is a 12-year-old trapped in a man's body."

jjakle@express-news.net
The San Antonio bar scene will go mobile this month when CycloSocial Co. rolls out on August 20, offering the chance for revelers to sip and spin.

Juan Leon and Rafael Veraza decided to introduce the "group cycle" concept to the city late last year after each of the friends experienced the fun in other countries and cities. The mechanism is a sort of tandem cycle engineered as a bar on wheels, which uses pedaled power with a low-power motor operated by a company employee to get the vehicle moving.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

STAMFORD  With fewer than 800 votes cast, Democrat incumbent Terry Adams won the primary for a state House of Representatives seat in a race that drew fewer than 20 percent of eligible voters to the polls.

The Democratic Party can now become a stronger unit with this primary race behind us, Adams said in a statement after the vote.

Adams, the party-endorsed candidate for the 146th District, won with 499 votes to petition candidate Dan Dauplaises 263 votes  securing a spot on the ballot in the Nov. 3 general election. Voter turnout climbed to barely more than 17 percent of registered Democrats.

The Democrats of 146th have spoken and they have resoundingly supported Terry Adams, said Josh Fedeli, chairman of the Democratic City Committee. Terrys record speaks for itself and the Stamford Democrats congratulate Terry on his win and look forward to electing him to a second term this November.

Dauplaise conceded to Adams shortly after polls closed.

I am extremely proud of both my campaign staff and the Stamford Democratic Party as a whole, he said. Both sides ran vigorous campaigns of ideas that ultimately strengthened the party. I am excited to support Terry Adams in the general election  and grateful to the voters that came out to express their preference.

This was Stamfords only primary, and one of 10 Democratic and two Republican primaries that took place statewide Tuesday.

The 146th District  which encompasses parts of the downtown, Shippan and the South End  has about 22,000 residents. Nearly 4,400 people in the district are registered Democrats.

Democratic Registrar of Voters Ron Malloy said Tuesday morning he would be surprised if turnout were higher than 20 percent.

We expect this to be a low turnout day, he said, because theres only one seat being contested and it only involves a few districts in Stamford.

Adams, a longtime Pitney Bowes assembly-line worker, was first elected to state office in 2014  beating Republican Kieran Ryan by fewer than 400 votes. Adams is also a member of the citys Board of Representatives and president of the South End Neighborhood Revitalization Zone.

The South End resident, who moved from South Carolina, has lived in Stamford for 41 years.

His opponent, a 31-year-old attorney and Stamford native, collected in June the 250 signatures needed to force a primary against Adams.

This was Dauplaises second bid for state office. In 2012, he unsuccessfully ran for state Senate in the 36th District against Republican L. Scott Frantz.

If elected, the downtown resident had said he would focus on transportation infrastructure and education, while Adams cited senior housing and education.

Earlier this year, Adams sponsored a bill that was signed into law this spring by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy that stiffened the penalty for striking a pedestrian with a vehicle in a crosswalk.
On this date in ...

1916: Troy police were investigating the explosion of a bomb in the doorway of a Rafio Pusatere's Fourth Street produce store at 3:50 a.m. while Pusatere was off premises at the marketplace. The windows in front of the building were shattered, but no other damage was done. No warnings or notes had preceded or accompanied the crudely made bomb, and police had no leads.

1966: One hundred Peace Corps trainees would begin eight weeks of training in Albany for their service in India. Their first four weeks would be at the University at Albany to help them acclimate to India's climate and the last four would be field work at Camp Orinsekwa Sonikwa at East Berne. They would serve as youth club extension workers in Uttar Pradesh in northern India.

1991: In May 1981, the distinguished former U.S. Defense Secretary Clark Clifford, then a Washington attorney, came to Albany to deflect criticism over the pending takeover of a small bank that had been operating downtown on State Street for more than 60 years. Clifford tried to assuage critics in the state Legislature, assuring them that Arab investors seeking to buy Financial General Bancshares Inc. (corporate parent of Albany-based Community State Bank) were up to no harm. That visit 10 years ago presents a vivid picture of just how closely the worldwide scandal involving the Bank of Credit and Commerce International had touched the Capital Region.

Want to read more about the Capital Region's past? Have any memories or thoughts about how our history relates to today's events? See http://blog.timesunion.com/history/
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

NORWALK  The Norwalk Department of Health is hosting a weekly farmers market every Wednesday, offering fresh produce to the community to encourage a healthy and nutritious lifestyle.

The goals of the farmers market include increasing the health of the community by encouraging them to eat fresh fruits and vegetables and make sure the community has access to fresh and affordable Connecticut-grown produce, said Theresa Argondezzi, a health educator and head of the Health Education Department.

This year, the markets produce is coming from a new farm, Plaskos Farm in Trumbull. The health department has had several different farms participate over the past eight years.

Plaskos is currently offering zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, green beans, peppers and a variety of baked goods. Tomatoes and corn are the current popular items, Argondezzi said.

This week also marks National Farmers Market Week, which is celebrated across the country from Aug. 7-13. This 17th annual celebration highlights how farmers markets play a key role in local and regional food systems and in sustaining family farms.

Argondezzi works to provide information on nutrition and physical activity wherever the community is in need. She works closely with the school district to secure nutritional education and implement health-related policies.

The new farm was found by a group of sanitarians doing city health inspections, Argondezzi said. In order to include a new farm in the market, it must first be approved by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture as a certifiable, Connecticut-grown farm.

The market is a small piece of a much larger plan to keep the community healthy, said Argondezzi.

Each farmers market that the department hosts must also accept Women, Infants and Children, also known as WIC, vouchers. Argondezzi said Norwalk has a very active WIC department with 1,500 to 2,000 families total, and the nutritionists seeing up to 30 families a day.

The WIC program is a federally funded program for low income families with infants and small children that provides educational material on nutrition throughout pregnancy, breast-feeding as a healthy feeding option and healthy habits for children through toddler-hood.

The WIC vouchers help to provide this healthy lifestyle by providing women with fresh produce available at the farmers market, Argondezzi said.

Argondezzi said the market is always open to new vendors and all profit goes directly to the seller.

The market will run through the last week of September on a weekly basis and a list of additional farmers markets in the area can be found on the health departments website at norwalkct.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1241.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

NORWALK  Pieter Spijkers takes a step back, examines the curve of his clients bicep and makes another mark with a hot pink Sharpie.

He pauses again, and continues in this routine until Eric Monacos arm is covered from wrist to collar bone in puzzle piece-like outlines.

This is the easy part, at least for Monaco, who will spend the next five hours sitting in a chair at Bad Fish Tattoo, listening to the buzz of a tattoo needle and trying not to flinch while Spijkers fills in the freehand tribal-style tattoo with black ink.

When I do this type of tattoo I dont have a set design in mind, I kind of just go with the flow, Spijkers said. I start with one shape and then grow from there. You have to make sure you go with the flow of his muscle.

While the tattoo is relatively simple compared to the rest of Spijkers body of work, its this type of custom attention that has helped put Bad Fish on the map in a new age of tattooing where custom art and the individual style of the artists is more appreciated than ever before.

Anthony Neave, owner of Bad Fish Tattoo, has been tattooing for 12 years and opened Bad Fish almost three years ago. In that time, he said hes seen tattoos become more accepted as a result of popular culture. No longer are tattoos reserved for military men, criminals and carnies, a trend thats as good for business as it is for cultural acceptance. A study by the Pew Research Center estimates more than 92 million Americans have at least one tattoo in 2016, compared with 41 million in 2010.

It doesnt stick to one class of people anymore, Neave said. Ive tattooed doctors, moms, everyone. One time a pastor came in with his whole family and they all got tattoos. Thats how much its changed.

Neaves shop has been consistently busy for five months, even though summer isnt what he considers the busy season for tattooing because a fresh tattoo must be protected from the sun and other elements, which is easier to do in the spring and fall.

Tattoo studios becoming more clean, friendly and open definitely helps people feel more comfortable when theyre going to get a tattoo, which has helped as well.

Neave has considered himself an artist for as long as he can remember, skipping classes in school to go to the art room so he could draw.

Ive been an artist since I could finger paint, Neave said. Its my calling.

Both Neave and Spijkers specialize in realism, an artistic technique first developed by French painters in the 1850s that depicts objects, individuals and settings as they appear in real life. The style creates an effect more akin to a photograph than an imagined piece of art, and is a complex technique to emulate in tattooing.

I specialize in black and gray realism, Spijkers said. Ive always loved the look of real things, and the small detail work is what I really enjoy.

Neaves specialty is color realism, and unlike traditional tattooing, he rarely uses black outlines in this type of tattoo. Though his expertise now lies in this complex method, he said using the body as a canvas didnt always come easy for him.

Its using different contrasts and colors instead of making lines ... Its definitely an advanced technique, Neave said. When I first started tattooing, I used to shake like a leaf ... Now its easier to tattoo than it is to draw on paper.

Neave said 60 to 70 percent of the work he does involves covering up an old tattoo, whether the original was done poorly or the client simply doesnt like it anymore. Last week, Neave sketched over a photo of a womans side covered in a large mermaid tattoo. Neave was working on turning it into a geisha.

I like the challenge and I enjoy cover-ups because its nice to help people get something theyre happy with because a lot of times they come in and theyre almost ashamed to let people see what they had before, Neave said. It does take a lot of imagination and skill, and its definitely more challenging.

Neave and Spijkers each keep a personal sketch book, from which many of their clients have chosen original work. On their website, Spijkers even has a separate portfolio non-tattoo artwork. Additionally, Bad Fish doesnt do any flash work, or tattoos chosen from a book.

Even if someone comes in with a sketch of what they want, I try to make it original, Neave said. We strive to do more custom work ... More and more people are starting to look at it as an art form.

KKrasselt@scni.com; 203-354-1021; @kaitlynkrasselt
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz leveled fresh criticism at the Obama administration but didnt mention the Democratic or GOP presidential nominees in remarks to the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday.

The vanquished GOP presidential candidate criticized federal regulations on business and health insurance and Obama foreign policies in his politely-received comments, which included a call for a return to common sense in national politics.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

SAN ANTONIO  An SAPD officer was honored with awards Wednesday by the chiefs of the police and fire departments after he saved three children from a burning apartment home in mid-July.

Officer Tim Bowen received a commendation of Uncommon Valor from SAFD Chief Charles Hood and a commendation of Life Saving Event from SAPD Chief William McManus during a ceremony on Wednesday morning.

RELATED: SAFD: 'Hero' officer catches 3 young children who jumped from burning second-story apartment

Bowen helped save those three children by catching them as they jumped to safety from the second-story unit on the morning of July 18 at an apartment complex in the 9500 block of Lorene Lane.

Hood and McManus both commended Bowen for his work during the fire, with Hood saying the officer could have broken his back catching the kids.

For him to be standing up without being hurt, without breaking his back, Hood said. He could have been seriously injured.

RELATED: SAPD chief gets award from mental illness advocates

Bowen remained humble during the award ceremony, saying that hes glad the children made it out of the apartment safely. He said he still thinks about the kids and hopes their family is recovering following the fire.

It feels really good knowing that you can actually do something positive, Bowen said.

Bowen and his partner were on patrol when they saw smoke in the sky, prompting them to go to the scene. They were the first to arrive, and Bowen heard noise coming from the second floor. He saw a child in the window and later learned there were four kids inside the residence, SAFD spokesman Woody Woodward said in a news release.

Over the next five minutes, Bowen convinced three of the children to jump from the second floor into his arms. The fourth child was later rescued by firefighters, according to previous reports.

RELATED: SAPD officers, citizens receive awards

No major injuries were reported in the blaze, but a dog inside one of the apartments died.

The San Antonio Express-News shared live video on Facebook at the ceremony.

twhite@mysa.com

Twitter: @tylerlwhite
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

An adopted cat is recovering from third-degree burns with its new owner after a 21-year-old San Antonio man who initially adopted the cat from a Bandera animal shelter allegedly boiled water and poured it on the cat to teach it a "lesson" for biting him.

The Animal Welfare Society of Bandera posted photos of Joseph Lupardus, the man who first adopted a black cat named KitKat from the society, to their Facebook page detailing the incidents leading up to the cat being placed in ACS' care, then the AWS of Bandera and finally, into a new, permanent home.

RELATED: Man sentenced to 15 years for beating puppy to death with metal rod in 2014

According to the society's director and founder Sandy Bowman, four people witnessed Lupardus pour the boiling water on the male cat for biting him, prompting witnesses to contact San Antonio Animal Care Services.

When ACS arrived, Lupardus allegedly admitted to officers that he had boiled water and poured it on the cat to teach the cat a "lesson," Bowman said.

According to the Facebook post, which has been shared several times, the cat "didn't want to be held any longer but the man wanted to keep holding him," and eventually bit Lupardus.

Bowman said ACS officials will press charges on Lupardus for animal cruelty.

RELATED: Man who badly burned Rosie the pit bull with acid gets 4 years in prison

Bowman said she has received "nasty" emails from Lupardus' mother, also stating that Lupardus' mother believes the situation was exaggerated, however, Bowman said the post contains factual information given to her by ACS  an organization Bowman's society is partners with.

Lupardus adopted KitKat in February from a La Cima PetSmart partnered with AWS of Bandera and was 20 years old at the time  just months shy of being allowed to adopt KitKat per society regulations, Bowman said. Noticing Lupardus expressed substantial interest in KitKat, Bowman said she spoke with Lupardus' mother prior to releasing KitKat into Lupardus' care to make sure it was okay with his mother.

Bowman said she "felt like it was a good adoption," until she received a phone call from ACS last Thursday informing her KitKat was recovering from burns to one of his hind legs and that KitKat had finished his 10-day quarantine at ACS for biting his former owner. Bowman said she became ill upon the news and ended a vacation early to care for the cat.

RELATED: Rosie the pit bull, now recovered from acid attack, will spend Christmas with her new family

Although Bowman has received emails from Lupardus' mother, she said it's not a personal attack and that in her 20 years of operating the AWS of Bandera, she's never seen anything like KitKat's situation. She said she would consider taking the post down if Lupardus sought therapy.

"We aren't trying to lambaste this young man," Bowman said. "But, he needs help. This was just not the right thing to do."

Lisa Norwood, ACS spokesperson, said she could not confirm details as the office works to establish a case against Lupardus, however, she noted that Lupardus did not sustain significant injury from KitKat.

KitKat was re-adopted yesterday evening.

MMedina@mySA.com

Twitter: @MMedinaNews
SAN ANTONIO  The Lone Star Fugitive Task Force has been looking for a 57-year-old alleged pedophile for nearly two years and needs assistance from the public in finding him, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Jose Carmelo Lara, who was born in Mexico, currently has an active warrant out for a sexual assault of a child charge for allegedly fondling and sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 14, USMS spokesman Chris Bozeman said Wednesday during an interview with mySA.com.
SAN ANTONIO  The Bexar County Medical Examiners Office has released the name of the 18-year-old man who was shot and killed over the weekend during a drug deal gone bad with a man the victim and two other teens met on Snapchat.

Joseph Rene Macias died of multiple gunshot wounds at 11:50 p.m. Sunday at University Hospital.
AUSTIN  Texas' voter ID law, cast as the strictest in the nation, will be substantially watered down during November's election after a federal judge Wednesday approved a deal that allows those lacking required identification to cast a ballot by signing an affidavit.

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos agreed to terms worked out between Texas and several minority groups, which requires the state to spend $2.5 million on a voter education campaign. Ramos also ordered that Texas allow the groups suing have input on the state's outreach efforts.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a temporary fix to the law that required voters to show government-issued IDs such as a driver's license, passport or concealed handgun license before casting a ballot. The appeals court found Texas' law discriminated against minorities and the poor.

An estimated 600,000 registered Texas voters lacked required identification under the measure.

Under the approved deal, acceptable identifications were expanded to include voter registration cards, birth certificates, utility bills, paycheck stubs and government documents with the voter's name and address.

Along with one of the alternate IDs, voters also will have to sign an affidavit and check a box saying why they were unable to obtain one of the identifications required under the law. The deal also provides safeguards to prevent poll workers and election officials from questioning Texans lacking identification at the ballot box.

Democrats said the Republican-controlled Legislature could have provided protections for voters lacking necessary identification to still be allowed to cast ballots but opted instead to pass a bill that has been mired in litigation for years.

"This fix will provide welcome relief to the 600,000 Texas voters who have been disenfranchised by the state's discriminatory voter ID law," state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, a San Antonio Democrat and the chairman of the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus, which is a plaintiff in the case, said in a statement. "Unfortunately, we need not have waited three years or spent millions of taxpayer dollars to get to this point."

Attorney General Ken Paxton's office has said the deal to dilute the law is only temporary. Paxton has not ruled out asking the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene.
Decapitated bodies line the streets of Acapulco, Mexico, a once-popular destination spot now a place where beach-goers carry small bags containing with weapons for their protection as cartels fight for turf.

The former tourist haven, with a population of 810,000, ranks as one of the most violent cities in the world. In 2015, a year that saw 1,170 killings, the city had a murder rate of 111 per 100,000 inhabitants. Even before that, Acapulco was dubbed Guerreros Iraq in 2012..
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Some people cut the bad things out of their lives, but one Israeli man just cut out the things that could identify the bad things  his fingerprints.

A 21-year-old Israeli motorist with a deep history of traffic violations cut off his fingerprints to avoid being identified for yet another traffic violation last Sunday, the Times of Israel reported.

RELATED: Man tells police he doesn't 'give a f---, I'm 90-years-old' after charged with soliciting prostitute

The biker was stopped for speeding last week in Jerusalem and produced a fake ID to authorities who weren't easily duped and identified the man as an individual involved in a previous hit-and-run who had his license suspended, a release from the Israel Police said.

Police released dashcam footage of the arrest on their Facebook page.

"It became clear that the driver had been sentenced to eight months' imprisonment and had his license revoked for five years after he was found guilty of causing a car accident and fleeing the scene," police told the Times of Israel.

RELATED: Did you lose some crack pipes at a Seguin truck stop? The local police department is here to help

Police told the publication the individual was driving his motor scooter too fast and putting others, and himself, in danger. The scooter rider allegedly attempted to evade police until he crashed into another car and had to be taken to the hospital, the Times of Israel said.

Once the man was treated for minor injuries at the hospital, officers noticed his fingers had been injured and questioned the man on where the injuries came from, the publication said.

RELATED: Texas man with 'Warning: I Do Dumb Things' T-shirt jailed for 9th DWI

The man, once again, attempted to foil police and stated the cuts came from the crash but other officers refuted the claim and the man told police during interrogations that he "cut his 10 fingers in order to prevent his identification and to interfere with the police's work," the Times of Israel reported.

A name for the man has not been released. It's unclear what charges he will face for the traffic violation, or for cutting off the pads of his fingers.

MMedina@mySA.com

Twitter: @MMedinaNews
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Rios surrounding waters are infested with all sorts of nastiness, ranging from raw human sewage to dangerous strains of superbacteria to actual corpses.

The repulsive water was only supposed to affect competitors who waded into the seas off of Rios polluted shores, but it now appears even those who compete in treated pools arent safe.

The situation inside the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center has taken a strange turn in recent days. Both the diving pool and water polo pool have turned a sinister, swamp-like shade of green since Tuesday.

It (was) so green, British diver Tonia Couch, who finished fifth with Lois Toulson in the womens 10-meter platform, said, per USA Today. As the sun went down it looked worse.

Rio spokesman Mario Andrada said Tuesday the waters new shade was caused by a proliferation of algae due to heat and a lack of wind.

But then Swamp Thing apparently decided to expand his lair to the water polo pool Wednesday morning, prompting Andrada to find a new culprit.

"There was a sudden decrease of alkalinity," Andrada said during a Wednesday press conference. "We probably failed to note that with more athletes the water could be affected.

"There is absolutely no risk to anybody. The independent group (charged with checking the water quality) confirmed the measures to bring the pool back to its normal color,"

FINA, the international governing body of aquatics, also issued a statement:

FINA can confirm that the reason for the unusual water colour observed during the Rio 2016 diving competitions is that the water tanks ran out some of the chemicals used in the water treatment process.

As a result the pH level of the water was outside the usual range, causing the discolouration. The FINA Sport Medicine Committee conducted tests on the water quality and concluded that there was no risk to the health and safety of the athletes, and no reason for the competition to be affected.

Apparently, FINAs efforts to return the waters to a more pleasant shade of blue seem to have worked: Los Angeles Times reporter Nathon Fenno noted earlier Wednesday that the pools had returned to their correct color.

nmoyle@express-news.net

Twitter: @NRmoyle
By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

TPP/TTIP/TISA

Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Robert Holleyman [is] scheduled to visit Atlanta on Monday for a TPP event hosted by Atlantas World Affairs Conference. The event  which will also feature UPS CEO David Abney and former Sen. Saxby Chambliss, now a partner at DLA Piper  is sponsored by UPS and YKK Corporation of America, the Marietta, Ga.-based subsidiary of Japans YKK Group, which makes everything from its iconic zippers to aluminum building products [Politico]. The Atlanta visit comes after Treasury Secretary Jack Lew stopped in Minneapolis on Monday. Lew met with Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton and Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges for a roundtable that also included the CEOs of three Minnesota-based Fortune 500 companies  U.S. Bank, Ecolab and Land OLakes  and other company executives and academic leaders, according to a Treasury readout. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker last week said the administration is planning at least 30 trade events by the end of the month. That effort, similar to last years all of Cabinet push for trade promotion authority, is expected to shift to Capitol Hill in September when lawmakers return from their summer break. If TPP is dead, the adminstration certainly isnt acting like it. Maybe all those Repubicans Clintons bringing into the Democrat Party will help him push it over the top.

No TTIP Deal This Year [Handelsblatt]. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. President Barack Obamas goal of ironing out a trade agreement between the United States and the European Union by the end of the year has no basis in reality, according to Handelsblatts sources in the German economics ministry. Negotiators in Brussels and Washington havent finalized a single chapter of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP, according to an internal ministry report obtained by Handelsblatt.

Tim Kaine: The deal thats on the table now, the TPP, which has to be voted up or down, its not enforceable in so far as the environmental and the labor standards. If a company doesnt like an action the trade partner takes, then the company can file a lawsuit in a private court against the nation seeking billions of dollars. But if a labor union says a nation has violated the labor standards of the deal or an environmental group says wait a minute or environmental standards of the deal, theyre not even allowed to go into the tribunal to challenge it. So a deal is only as good as it can be enforced and there is a huge and fatal flaw in this deal in terms of the environment and for that reason I cannot vote for it' [KERA]. So, labor and environmental groups (too bad I cant just say the left) are to be allowed into the rigged tribunals? Is that the shape of the lame duck deal?

 [Wisconsin Challenger Paul] Nehlens attempts to paint [Paul] Ryan as a soulless, globalist snake because of his support for TPP seemed to have fallen on deaf ears  he received 15 percent of the vote to Ryans 85 percent [Politico]. Factory manager Nehlen was right, of course, but that didnt help. Neither, apparently, did Trumps (temporary) support.

Also in Wisconsin, Ron Kind won his 11th term in Congress. But, his opponent, newcomer Myron Buchholz, got close to 20 percent of the votes in a campaign aimed at challenging the status quo and slamming Kind for supporting the TPP trade deal [WIZM]. Kind was a superdelegate that ignored the vote of his district in the Democratic presidential election. Bernie Sanders defeated Hillary Clinton by 13 points in the district, yet Kind remained in support of the now Democratic presidential candidate.

Is anybody encouraged by Stiglitzs body language on TPP in this video? I wasnt [Democracy Now]. Stiglitz starts at 1:36:23.

If the point of the TPP was to advance U.S. strategic goals in the region, President Obama should not have had Pfizer, Disney, and other major corporations determining the framework for the agreement. He may be able to sell this strategic concerns story to the Washington Post editorial board, but not to serious people [Dean Baker, CEPR]. Dean, Dean, Dean: The goals of Pfizer, Disney, and other major corporations are U. [sic] S. strategic goals! Think!

2016

Corruption

Lambert here, tl;dr: Its all true. Donors to the Clinton Foundation got special treatment at State. Emails released by State, showing this, were not released by Clinton, even though they werent about yoga lessons and Chelseas wedding. Shocked, shocked, I know, but the Clinton Dynastys effrontery continues to amaze. Even though Judicial Watch isnt on my side of the ideological prism, kudos to them for their patience and persistence in getting this material released. (The headlines, incidentally, show far too much deference.) Cue the no quid pro quo therefore no corruption crowd. (The irony of liberals accepting the doctrine of Citizens United to save their corrupt candidate is corrosive. Or not ironic at all. At this point, Im not sure.) The new emails, released by the group Judicial Watch, offer fresh examples of how top Clinton Foundation officials [on behalf of big donors] sought [and gained] access to the State Department during Mrs. Clintons tenure. (Ive helpfully added some clarifying material in square brackets.) [Wall Street Journal, Newly Released Emails Highlight Clinton Foundations Ties to State Department ]. Humas three hats are interesting, too. The State Department has turned over 44 previously-unreleased Hillary Clinton email exchanges that the Democratic presidential nominee failed to include [attempted to conceal] among the 30,000 private messages she turned over to the government last year. They show her interacting with [pedding influence] lobbyists, political and Clinton Foundation donors and business interests as secretary of state. (Here too, Ive helpfully added some clarifying material in square brackets.) [AP]. UPDATE New Emails Appear to Show Clinton Foundation Donors Called In Favors to State Dept [LawNewz]. Newly released State Department records, including previously unreleased emails from Huma Abedin, appear to show Clinton Foundation donors calling in favors from then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. UPDATE Good, low-key summary from The Young Turks:

The Voters

This campaign could get worse  a lot worse. Heres why. [ Eugene Robinson, WaPo]. I expect Trump to double down not just on his attacks against Clinton but also on the two issues that won him his white working-class following: immigration and trade. That means more bigotry, more xenophobia and more totally unrealistic promises about the miracles that he and his team of rich-guy economic advisers will magically perform. Saint Garrison Keillor [genuflects], fuckhead [WaPo]. And so a large contingent of people who sat way in back in high school history class and now need to blame foreigners for their lack of progress in the world have nominated a bloated megalomaniac for president, running on a platform of contempt and fantasy. It seems to make them happy, judging from the crowds who attend the gentlemans performances. As I keep saying: If you want to see real hate, get a liberal talking about the working class. Nice going, Garrison. Maybe you should tell your friends in Copenhagen about the Case-Deaton study. Lambert here: 2016 isnt my first rodeo. And one of the advantage of being an old codger is memory (and I have a long one, especially for grudges). So lets look at the record: 2016: What Trump said [Guardian]. [TRUMP:] Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the second amendment. If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the second amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know. But Ill tell you what, that will be a horrible day. (WaPo, interestingly, omits the qualification that it will be a horrible day.) 2008: What Clinton said [New York Times]. [CLINTON:] My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. Both Trumps statement in 2016, and Clintons statement in 2008, provoked a moral panic  [She|he] wants her opponent assassinated!!!  in the dominant faction of the Democrat Party, and in an ironic twist of fate, that faction supports Clinton today (which is, perhaps, why nobody in that same faction wants to bring forward the 2008 episode). I will leave it to readers to discern which gaffe is the worst. (I thought then, and think now, that Clintons remark was at most due to fatigue, and I think now that Trumps trying to juggle the flaming torches and edged weapons of our many political tropes, and hes not good at it, since he has no experience doing that. Of course, this should not be interpreted as support for either candidate today.) Now, the Democrat faction of 2008 is far more dominant in the political class today than it was then, and Republicans are joining it, or at least becoming fellow travelers, and so the panic is more pervasive. But to me, its the class nature of the panic thats more interesting than its trigger: Apparently, somewhere in the depths of the hive mind of the dominant faction of the political class, the thought leaders think somebodys coming to kill them and take their stuff. And they have good reason to fear blowback, not merely from failed imperial adventures, but from  to pick an example at random  a working class population undergoing an AIDS-level death rate caused by the neoliberal policies that same political class has espoused since the first Clinton administration, and before. So there you have the reason for the panic: Liberal guilt, the hysteria and double standards being the exact measure of its repression.

The Parties

19 percent [of registered Republicans] think [Trump] should drop out, 70 percent think he should stay in and 10 percent say they dont know, according to the Aug. 5-8 poll of 396 registered Republicans. The poll has a confidence interval of six percentage points. Among all registered voters, some 44 percent want Trump to drop out [Reuters].

Squillionaires and Establishment Republicans for Clinton

[Trump] described the [50 top GOP former national-security official] signers of the declaration as nothing more than the failed Washington elite looking to hold onto their power, and thanked them for coming forward so everyone in the country knows who deserves the blame for making the world such a dangerous place' [RealClearPolitics]. I hate it when Trumps right. But what other word is there than failed for losing the Iraq war, losing the Afghanistan war (that was the smart one), and setting the Mediterranean and Black Sea littoral on fire, thereby creating a refugee crisis thats eating away at the foundations of our largest military protectorate?

Stats Watch

MBA Mortgage Applications, week of August 5, 2016: Purchase applications for home mortgages were up 3 percent [Econoday].

JOLTS, June 2016: Job openings rose 2.0 percent [Econoday]. The quits rate, which offers indications on worker confidence to shift jobs, is once again unchanged, at 2.0 percent. This report shows new punch on the hiring side and favorable conditions on the breakup side in what is the latest good news out of the labor market. If workers were all that confident, the quits rate would be up, not flat.

Household Debt: Very modest household credit expansion coincided with very weak growth for the last several quarters [Mosler Economics].

ETFs: Over the last year or so, weve seen more large financial institutions enter the ETF industry as issuers, names like Goldman Sachs, John Hancock; Principal Financial Group; Oppenheimer, Legg Mason, USAA and Franklin Templeton [ETF.com]. Next: Wells Fargo, Nuveen, Prudential Financial, and Voya.

Shipping: The USPS says its revenue is growing but the postal operator is struggling to handle the flood of online goods efficiently Postal revenues for the quarter ending June 30 rose 7% to $17.72 billion, driven by e-commerce demand, but operating expenses increased by 12% in the same period [Wall Street Journal]. As more profitable letter mail fell the shipping and package segment increased by 14%, pushing transportation and compensation up because the package business is much more labor intensive and air freight use has increased to meet the delivery demands, says USPS CFO Joe Corbett. Its a problem facing a range of businesses: retailers and private parcel operators have struggled to manage the push by consumers to online sales while maintaining profit margins. So the public is covertly financing Amazons robot build-out?

Shipping: Following unprecedented low container volumes in the first six months of 2016, analysts have been forced to slash their full-year growth forecasts even further.According to Alphaliner, total volumes handled by the worlds box ports will increase by just 0.3% this year [Lloyds List].

Productivity:  U.S. Productivity: Is there a Crisis? [DC Velocity]. This is a concise statement of the conventional wisdom, well worth a read.

The Bezzle: Your Smart Thermostat Is Now Vulnerable To Ransomware [Tech Dirt]. 
Yves here. This post discusses how the way Austrian businesses moved operations that involved high skill levels offshore to Eastern Europe. Over time, that resulted in a loss of competitive advantage as those countries developed both more technically capable workers and invested in R&D while Austria fell behind.

Its not hard to see that this example applies to the US, although the effects are not as easy to discern because the US has such a large internal market that growth in services has somewhat offset the erosion of US know-how in other areas. A second advantage the US has had is being able to maintain a strong position in some sectors in the absence of much innovation, such as pharma. where the US and other major pharma players have become experts in rent extraction from intellectual property monopolies/oligopolies. And we also have a very large arms export business via client states, but as Russias recent performance showed, decades of feather-bedding has made the military-industrial complex a high cost vendor. Experts were apparently shocked at the performance of Russian hardware, which was clearly produced at much lower cost than ours.

Contrast this with the sectors where the US has been eating its seed corn. The denizens of the Acela corridor keep prescribing that more college students need to major in the STEM disciplines. Yet for over a decade, any reader of Slashdot will tell you that a staple of that site is forlorn computer sciences majors, either about-to-graduate or newly minted, who have found out that there are pretty much no entry level jobs in the US. India is growing the next generation of computer professionals, not the US, Similarly, the pay levels in most engineering jobs are not high enough to justify the cost of getting a degree.unless you go to law school and become a patent or other sort of intellectual property attorney. And how many IP lawyers does the US need? And even though many of them do do useful work, its not the end result that the DC policy wonks had in mind when they pump for college students to focus on careers that they fantasize both lead to better employment options and add to Americas economic prowess.

By Dalia Marin, Chair in International Economics at the University of Munich. Originally published at Project Syndicate

Austrian firms invested heavily in Central and Eastern Europe. They offshored the parts of the value chain that required specialized skills and produced valuable research. This resulted in lowered growth in Austria.

Austria was once lauded as Germanys more successful neighbor, one of Europes fastest-growing countries. But its economy has been sputtering since 2012, with GDP up last year by a meager 0.7%; only Greece and Finland performed more poorly. And Austrias unemployment rate has soared, from 5% in 2010 to 10% today.

These developments have their origins in how Austria engaged with Central and Eastern Europe after the fall of communism. At first, Austria benefited from the European Unions eastern enlargement. International trade soared, Austrian firms invested heavily in the region, and Austrian banks opened subsidiaries there, financing these countries modernization. All of this was good for business, and the Austrian economy grew rapidly.

But a hidden dynamic ultimately turned the tables on this success. Central and Eastern European countries had low per capita income, but were rich in skills. Austria, far wealthier, was not. In 1998, 16% of Central and Eastern Europeans (including Russia and Ukraine) had academic degrees, compared to just 7% of Austrians. So, when Austrian firms invested in Eastern Europe, they did not just relocate low-skilled manufacturing jobs; they also offshored the parts of the value chain that required specialized skills and produced valuable research.

According to my research, from 1990 to 2001, Austrian subsidiaries in Eastern Europe employed five times as many people with academic degrees, as a percentage of staff, as their parent firms did. They also engaged 25% more research personnel in their labs.

This relocation of research activity lowered growth in Austria and boosted growth in Eastern Europe. Research spills over to the rest of the economy, as new knowledge diffuses into commercial activities. Tapping the knowledge produced by Austrian subsidiaries was one of the ways Eastern European economies were able to grow so quickly.

Today, Bratislava, Prague, and Warsaw  the location of most Austrian subsidiaries  have higher per capita incomes than Vienna. Indeed, according to the Hungarian economist Zsolt Darvas, in terms of purchasing power parity, all three cities surpassed Vienna in 2008. This is a remarkable development, given that Vienna has served as a reference point for these capitals for centuries.

Germanys growth was not similarly affected, for three reasons. To begin with, after the fall of Communism, Austria reoriented its foreign direct investment almost exclusively to Eastern Europe, which accounted for nearly 90% of its FDI outflows. In Germany, just 4% of FDI moved to Eastern Europe in the 1990s, reaching 30% at the turn of the century. As a result, Austria became much more integrated with Eastern Europe.

Second, Germany was richer in skills than Austria. In 1998, the share of the German population with academic degrees was 15%, more than double the Austrian level. German firms did relocate high-skilled work to the east, but not to the extent that Austria did. As a proportion of the workforce, German affiliates in Eastern Europe employed three times as many people with academic degrees as their parent firms did. And German subsidiaries employed 11% more researchers than their parent companies.

Finally, many of the Austrian parent companies were themselves subsidiaries of foreign firms, while German firms were German multinationals, which transplanted their corporate culture to their Central and Eastern European subsidiaries. They employed more German managers relative to local managers, which gave them more control over innovation. Furthermore, most German investments were based on the transfer of an established technology; only 8% of the countrys FDI in the region involved cutting-edge research.

By contrast, Austrian firms adapted their business to the regions environment and employed more local managers than Austrians. As a result, their subsidiaries were more autonomous in their innovation decisions. There was no mechanism that guaranteed that the knowledge created in a subsidiary also benefited the parent company.

If Austria is to return to its previous growth path, it will have to become more attractive as a location for innovation. And to do this, Austrian firms must employ highly qualified people in their research labs.

Educating a highly skilled workforce takes time, of course. But fortunately, Austria has another option: immigrants. Austrian policymakers could choose to follow Canadas example and introduce a selective immigration policy that welcomes highly skilled migrants and refugees.

Austrians nearly closed the door on that option. Now they must recognize that what populists call a weakness could be Austrias best hope for reviving growth.
Silicon brings more color to holograms (Nanowerk News) We cant yet send holographic videos to Obi-Wan Kenobi on our droid, but A*STAR researchers have got us a little bit closer by creating holograms from an array of silicon structures that work throughout the visible spectrum (Laser & Photonics Reviews, "Silicon multi-meta-holograms for the broadband visible light").

Many recent advances in hologram technology use reflected light to form an image; however the hologram made by Dong Zhaogang and Joel Yang from the A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering uses transmitted light. This means the image is not muddled up with the light source.

Circularly polarized light passed through silicon nanorods creates a multilayer image. Lower right inset: SEM image of the material. ( Wiley)

The team demonstrated the hologram of three flat images at wavelengths ranging from blue (480 nanometers) to red (680 nanometers). The images appeared in planes 50 microns apart for red and higher spacings for shorter wavelengths.

In principle, it can be tuned to any wavelength, says Yang.

Holograms can record three-dimensional images, which mean they can store large amounts of information in increasingly thin layers.

Recently, holograms that are mere hundredths of the thickness of a human hair have been made from metal deposited onto materials such as silicon. The holograms are created by nanoscale patterns of metal that generate electromagnetic waves that travel at the metalsilicon interface; a field called plasmonics.

Silicon holograms are slightly thicker than the metal-based ones, but have the advantage of being broadband. Plasmonic holograms only operate in the red wavelengths because they undergo strong absorption at blue wavelengths.

A disadvantage of the silicon holograms is their poor efficiency at only three per cent; however Dong estimates this could easily be tripled.

The losses can be lowered by optimizing the growth method to grow polycrystalline silicon instead of amorphous silicon, he says.

The hologram is an array of tiny silicon skyscrapers, 370 nanometers tall with footprints 190 nanometers by 100 nanometers. Unlike a city grid, however, the tiny towers are not laid out in neat squares but at varying angles.

The hologram operates with circularly polarized light, and the information is encoded on to the light beam by the varied angles of the skyscrapers. These alter the phase of the transmitted light through the PancharatnamBerry effect.

Whats interesting about this hologram is that it controls only the phase of the light by varying the orientation of the silicon nanostructures. The amplitude is the same everywhere; in principle you can get a lot of light transmitted, says Yang.
What makes the spin flip over? (Nanowerk News) The Einstein-de-Haas effect shows that magnetism results from the angular momentum of electrons and is considered as the macroscopic evidence of electron spin. Researchers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and at the Institut NEEL at the CNRS in Grenoble were the first to investigate this effect for an individual spin and formulated it as the new Quantum Einstein-de-Haas effect. In Nature Communications, they report on their work ("Quantum Einstein-de Haas effect").

The mechanical properties of the carbon nanotube (black) cause the spin (orange) of a molecule (green and red) to flip over. (Illustration: Christian Grupe)

Quantum objects have properties that distinguish them significantly from macroscopic objects. Thus, electrons behave like tiny magnets where one pole points upwards. Under specific conditions, the spin may flip over with the effect that the particle changes its direction of rotation. At the beginning of the 20th century, scientists formulated the laws that describe the behavior of objects in quantum physics compared to objects in classical physics.

In 1915, Albert Einstein, together with the Dutch physicist Wander Johannes de Haas, conducted an experiment where a magnetizable bar surrounded by an electric coil experiences a rotation when an electric current is applied. This observation proves that the generated magnetism is due to the intrinsic angular momentum, i.e. spin, created by the inherent electrons of the bar material. It is considered the macroscopic evidence of the electron spin and has been known as Einstein-de-Haas effect.

But what happens if the magnetic material, which consists of a large number of electron spins in the experiment described above, is reduced to a single spin  the spin of a quantum magnet?

This question was addressed by the scientists of KIT and the Institut NEEL at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in Grenoble/France: They attached a magnetic molecule to a carbon nanotube and measured the current flowing through this arrangement while changing the external magnetic field. As the scientists now described in Nature Communications, this proves the assumption that the reversal of the magnetic moment of the quantum magnet is determined by the mechanical properties of the carbon nanotube.

Only if the spin couples to a phonon carrying a suitable amount of energy, it can flip over, explains Professor Mario Ruben, director of the workgroup on molecular materials at the KIT Institute of Nanotechnology (INT) and Institute for Inorganic Chemistry (AOC).
Morgan Stanley has completed $10.5 million in consumer relief, according to the independent monitor of the company's mortgage-backed securities settlement with New York State.

It received the credit for the forgiveness of debt on 19 first-lien mortgage loans, monitor Eric Green said. Altogether, the credited relief represents 3% of Morgan Stanley's $400 million in consumer relief obligations as part of the $550 million settlement reached in February.

Eleven of the 19 mortgage loans were located in "hardest hit areas" as identified by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and 18 were underwater on their loans before the forgiveness.

Green called the initial batch of relief a "test drive" for him and his team of legal, finance and accounting professionals. He also noted that the initial review showed that Morgan Stanley is "employing a logical and appropriate approach to seeking credit for its consumer-relief efforts."

"In the coming months, we should get a clearer picture of how quickly Morgan Stanley is delivering on its consumer-relief obligations and how much of what kind of relief is being delivered," said Green, a professional mediator and retired Boston University law professor, in a news release.

The settlement between New York State and Morgan Stanley was reached to resolve claims against the bank that it or its affiliates violated state law in its activities involving mortgage-backed securities.
In view of speculative press reports regarding NATO's stance regarding the failed coup in Turkey and Turkeys NATO membership, let me stress NATO's very clear position.

Turkey is a valued Ally, making substantial contributions to NATO's joint efforts. Turkey takes full part in the Alliances consensus-based decisions as we confront the biggest security challenges in a generation. Turkeys NATO membership is not in question. Our Alliance is committed to collective defence and founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty, human rights and the rule of law. NATO counts on the continued contributions of Turkey and Turkey can count on the solidarity and support of NATO.

The NATO Secretary General spoke to the Turkish Foreign Minister on the night of the attempted coup and later with President Erdogan, strongly condemning the attempted coup and reiterating full support for Turkeys democratic institutions. He expressed support for the elected government of Turkey and respect for the courage of the Turkish people. He also conveyed his condolences for those who had lost their lives during the coup attempt.
(NaturalHealth365) Sandalwood has long been known for its cancer-healing effects, especially when it comes to breast cancer. But the exact means through which this potent essential oil effects cancer cells has remained a mystery  until now.

Research published just a few months ago points to how sandalwood heals breast cancer cells at the deepest level. The research is stunning!

University of Texas Researchers discover why sandalwood can help breast cancer patients

The findings of this groundbreaking U of Texas study was published in the 2016 edition of the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine and was a joint effort between Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine in Puerto Rico and UT- San Antonio. The focus was on -santalol, one of the main components of the hardwood genus Santalum, i.e. sandalwood.

Sandalwood has been used for centuries as an anti-inflammatory, expectorant, aphrodisiac, memory booster and cure-all for dozens of other conditions. -santalol is a sesquiterpene and terpenoid can be found in other healing herbs as well, such as to black pepper and clove.

In laboratory trials at UT-San Antonio, MCF-7 breast cancer cells as well as non-tumor producing breast epithelial (MCF-10A) cells were exposed to commercial-obtained, high-purity sandalwood for 24 hours. The results were remarkable.

Three specific proteins have a positive effect on cancer cells

In the published report, the researchers named three proteins in particular  Ku70, Ku80, EPHX1, and 14-3-3  as producing single and double strand breaks in the MCF-7 breast cancer cells. This was the first study to claim that sandalwood has not only cytotoxic effects, but also a genotoxic effects as well and the first to name the specific molecular pathways through which this genotoxicity could be expressed.

In this study, the DNA of the healthy cells was left unharmed.

Although the University of Texas study is considered groundbreaking, it is actually not the first to point to the unique way sandalwood effects cancer. The study dovetails on a previous project that occurred at the University of Oklahoma in 2014 which compared the different ways that sandalwood and frankincense oils affected human bladder cancer cells. The U of O researchers acknowledged that both were potent against cancer in general, but in drastically different ways.

The effects of frankincense and sandalwood essential oilsinvolved different mechanisms leading to cancer cell death, their report states. While frankincense essential oil elicited selective cancer cell death via  oxidative stress, sandalwood essential oil induced non-selective cell death via DNA damage and cell cycle arrest.

Sandalwood has long been known as a tool for helping to heal breast cancer

Sandalwoods effect on hormones is also important for breast cancer healing and prevention since breast cancer risk is associated most with hormonal imbalance, in particular too much estrogen and/or progesterone. Again, most research in this regard has focused on a-Santalol and have pointed to its ability to balance testosterone levels in particular in both men and women.

Although more research can be done about the connection between sandalwood and hormones, the woody, aromatic oil of sandalwood has been used for centuries to calm nerves and anxiety conditions, help with both the physical and emotional symptoms of PMS and as an aphrodisiac.

Here are the other ways sandalwood has proven to effect breast cancer:

It has the ability to create apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Besides effecting DNA, sandalwood can also create tumor shrinkage and stop growth through cell apoptosis and through its general chemo-protective properties. A 2015 study conducted by Wilkes University in Pennsylvania found that a-Santalol in sandalwood had the ability to down-regulate survivin, a molecular substance which helps cancer cells to survive and thrive.

It is a powerful antioxidant. Indian sandalwood has been used for centuries in that country for its antioxidant anti-aging properties, mostly through application on the face and other external skin surfaces. A 1997 report proved its chemo-protective efficiency against skin cancer.

It is a proven anti-inflammatory. A 2014 Canadian study found that a-Santalol helped to decrease cytokines in the body in a similar way to NSAID medications, minus the side effects of these pharmaceuticals. High levels of circulating cytokines can indicate inflammatory responses that can lead to cancer

Beware of counterfeit sandalwood

Sandalwood essential oil comes from the heartwood of trees of the Santalum genus. These include Indian sandalwood (Santalum album), considered the most potent, and Australian sandalwood (Santalum spicatum). Varieties are also found in Hawaii and French Polynesia, although they are consider of slightly lower quality.

Keep in mind, Indian sandalwood is rare  since most of the older trees with the densest heartwood have already been cut down.

Because of this, Indian sandalwood oil is also the most expensive essential oil on the market today. Beware of counterfeits and dilutions  make sure that you buy from a quality source you can trust. Some efforts for sustainable foresting of sandalwood trees are currently occurring in Australia, but because these trees are still fairly young, the oils gathered from them are not as potent as those gathered from Indian sandalwood trees.

About the author: Dr. Veronique Desaulniers (Dr. V) is a best-selling author and specialist in Chiropractic, Bio-Energetics, Meridian Stress Analysis, Homeopathy and Digital Thermography. After 30 years in active practice, she decided to retire and devote her time to sharing her personal, non-toxic Breast Cancer healing journey with others. Her years of experience and research have culminated in The 7 Essentials , a step-by-step coaching program that unravels the mystery of healing the body. Her website and personal healing journey have touched the lives of thousands of women around the globe. To get your F.R.E.E. 7-day mini e-course and to receive her weekly inspiring articles on the power of natural medicine  visit: BreastCancerConqueror.com

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26026073

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2016/3696232

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4086286

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24318647

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26408696

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9370104

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24318647
"The article in the Journal of Immunotoxicology is entitled "Theoretical aspects of autism: CausesA review.[1]" The author is Helen Ratajczak, surprisingly herself a former senior scientist at a pharmaceutical firm. Ratajczak did what nobody else apparently has bothered to do: she reviewed the body of published science since autism was first described in 1943. Not just one theory suggested by research such as the role of MMR shots, or the mercury preservative thimerosal; but all of them."



Vaccines and autism: a new scientific review[2] By Sharyl Attkisson CBS News April 1, 2011



And she cites the anti-vaccine blog Child Health Safety[3] as one of her references? The date of the CHS entry cited is June 30, 2010. All I could find was this entry[4], which purports to argue that both Merck's Director of Vaccines and the U.S. government have admitted that vaccines cause autism all based on the long known science showing that a maternal case of rubella while carrying a fetus can result in autism in the child, something that's been known for several decades and is in fact one reason why vaccination against rubella is so important. How on earth did this get through peer review. Obviously, the peer reviewers of Dr. Ratajczak's article were either completely ignorant of the background science (and therefore unqualified) or asleep at the switch."



"all based on

"all based on"

They were not based on that at all

(NaturalNews) It is a serious matter when a medical doctor abuses the trusted status of a licensed medical professional to abuse bully disparage and attack others. It is worse when he uses that status and trusted position to lie about published medical research to make false claims intended to mislead and actively spread deliberate misinformation about medical knowledge whilst doing so to make false claims about others. It is even worse when he does it so publicly and routinely, publishing to mislead people worldwide and on a daily basis on the internet.(Article by ChildHealthSafety, republished from https://childhealthsafety.wordpress.com Here on CHS we examine just one deliberate intentional lie by Dr Gorski, the circumstances in which he made that lie and look at some implications. The lie we are interested in is published on the website sciencebasedmedicine.org. It is in an attack blog directed against investigative reporter Sharyl Attkisson for her work exposing the scandal of vaccines causing autism in hundreds of thousands of US children. Dr David Gorski engages in his dishonest bullying conduct against a number of other people in the same blog post.But first some background and we also invite readers to post comments here with other examples of Dr Gorski's sciencebasedmedicine.org's lies which they believe they have found to see if they can better our example.Dr Gorski's behavior reveals him as a pseudoscientist and quack. And it indicates Dr Gorski may not be of good moral character  which is what his dishonesty suggests.This kind of behavior also brings all of modern medicine into disrepute and taints all medical doctors. Government health officials are able to avoid answering difficult questions hiding behind bloggers like Gorski who distract attention whilst spreading blatant misinformation and attacking wrongfully the characters and credibility of independently minded people who ask and even sometimes answer the questions health officials prefer to avoid.It of course also tells the world about the website sciencebasedmedicine.org. Dr David Gorski is its Managing Editor. What are the other editors doing about Gorski's deliberate lies and online bullying? Do they condone Dr Gorski's behavior? Have they done anything to stop it? Do they intend putting matters right? Gorski has been doing this kind of thing for many years.The other editors are: Stephen P Novella; Kimball C. Atwood IV, MD; Mark A. Crislip, MD; Harriet Hall, MD; and Paul Ingraham [a former Registered Massage Therapist in Vancouver, Canada].Are they liars too? We do not know about that because we have not considered any of their work. But if they do nothing then that tells you something about them.Dr David Gorski seems to lie as a matter of routine. Worse still he asserts he relies on science when he is just lying. Gorski of course is not the only liar . On CHS we have highlighted other liars who have been caught lying blatantly, in some instances having to apologize and pay compensation.So what are the implications of Gorski's cyber bullying and lying under the requirements to be met by a licensed medical practitioner in the State of Michigan? [Dr Gorski practices medicine in Michigan].The Michigan Board of Medicine appears to be responsible for enforcing for the practice of medicine the Public Health Code under Public Act 368 of 1978, as amended. Section 16221 contains a multitude of behaviours but lying appears to fall under a "lack of good moral character". After all, if a licensed medical professional lies about medical knowledge to mislead others and so publicly that does not sound like someone of good moral character, does it?But that is not all. If Dr Gorski advises and treats patients on the basis of the kind of defective untrue and misleading information he published on his blog then he may violate other requirements. Violations include negligence or failure to exercise due care as well as any conduct or practice that impairs, or may impair, the ability to safely and skillfully practice medicine. And it may also indicate a lack of competence to advise and treat patients in accordance with his obligations. Incompetence can be a violation. A mental inability reasonably related to and adversely affecting the licensee's ability to practice in a safe and competent manner can also violate the Code. That raises the question of whether Dr Gorski's psychological profile as revealed by his blogging activities and specifically his inability to be truthful about medical scientific matters makes him psychologically unfit to treat patients. That is not a question for CHS to answer but it would seem an appropriate question to ask.So what did the liar Dr David Gorski do? He published one of his usual rambling articles on the sciencebasedmedicine.org website. It was 3333 words entitled "Anti-vaccine propaganda from Sharyl Attkisson of CBS News" published on April 4, 2011.You can see this was not a trivial matter. Gorski attacked a prominent US journalist along with a number of other people and he lied to do it. Ms Attkisson reported for CBS News on a peer reviewed journal paper published by Dr Helen Ratajczak. Ms Attkisson's report included:This is the part of Dr David Gorski's article in which the lie appears and it is a significant lie:Notice our emphasis added to just three words". Dr Gorski chose those words to make sure his lie would be all the more convincing. Those three words show how deliberate and calculated Dr Gorski was being in his lying and dishonesty.And just to make sure we are comparing apples with apples, this is the CHS article Dr Gorski lied about Vaccination Causes Autism  Say US Government & Merck's Director of Vaccines[5] as it appeared when Dr Gorski wrote his blog post in April 2011.Notice how in his article Dr Gorski admits he found and read the article. There is no mistake. And of course Dr Gorski was making claims intended to damage the reputations of Ms Attkisson and Dr Ratajczak among others. So it was deliberate, intentional and to cause harm to others. And it was bullying cyber abuse.Now what you can also see here is that Dr Gorski not only lied about the CHS article but he also lied about a number of other things [and this is just looking at the one paragraph] and all for the purposes of attacking Ms Attkisson and Dr Ratajczak.Most people do not click on links in blog posts. But this particular Gorski lie would be one CHS would know to be a lie without needing to refer to the CHS article concerned. But we make sure you can refer to it to so you can see just how dishonest Doctor David Gorski MD is.Contrary to Dr David Gorski's contrived and dishonest claims, the admissions by Merck's Director of Vaccines and U.S. government agencies that vaccines cause autistic conditions were notautism caused by rubella infection.. And that is perfectly clear from the CHS article. So Gorski despite having found and read the CHS article clearly lied and did so deliberately and intentionally with a remarkable degree of dishonesty.It is also plain for all to see that not only did the CHS article cover several known causes of autism and not just one [as the liar Dr Gorski claimed], but also the quotes admitting vaccines cause autism were in relation to further separate mechanisms by which that can happen.In addition to that the CHS article quoted, cited and linked to original sources including a number of peer reviewed medical journal papers.What is also notable is the causes of autism which Dr Gorski omitted are causes which he steadfastly has avoided referring to. It is difficult for him to deny the admissions made because they were made and the CHS article cited and linked to original sources showing that. That is another aspect of his dishonesty. He ignores completely evidence which goes against the political commercial views he publishes under contract on sciencebasedmedicine.org to support the drug industry and to support government officials in pressurising parents into giving dangerous unnecessary vaccines to their children.But what it does show is that Dr Gorski knows those admitted causes are known real causes of vaccine-caused-autism. If he were to contradict that he would also have to claim Merck's Director of Vaccines and US Government agencies were lying when they made those admissions  admissions which were against their interests [but definitely in the public interest]. So Gorski avoids acknowledging the admissions, but in doing so tacitly confirms he knows they are true.But Gorski did not stop there. He lied also about it being improper of Dr Ratajczak to cite CHS in a peer reviewed journal. But it would have been improper for Dr Ratajczak to take the benefit of the work of others without citing CHS as the source. To do that would have been plagiarism.Dr Ratajczak properly cited the source of the information, which itself cited original sources. So Gorski lied again. And of course Dr Gorski knows that.This also addresses a further lie by Dr Gorski, that the peer review system of the journal concerned was in some way defective by allowing such a citation. Clearly, it was not and could not have been.And that brings us to a final point. That one Gorski paragraph is comprised of 133 words, yet it contains at least 3 lies. So on that basis one might estimate 75 Gorski lies in just that one blog post of 3333 words. And he blogs 6 days a week under contract, so that could be around 450 Gorski lies a week. And over the course of a year it could be 22,500 lies p.a. making Dr Gorski quite an impressive liar by quantity. And if sciencebasedmedicine.org contains that many lies from just one author, how many other lies might there be, if any?You should not hold your breath waiting for the Michigan Board of Medicine to do anything. But what this information does is raise the question: if one doctor can lie that much in one year and so blatantly and publicly and get away with it, how many other doctors and "scientists" are lying too? How many in the US Centers for Disease Control for example?Read more at: https://childhealthsafety.wordpress.com Sources:[1] http://tinyurl.com/nxjncxd [2] http://www.cbsnews.com [3] https://childhealthsafety.wordpress.com/ [4] https://childhealthsafety.wordpress.com/ [5] https://childhealthsafety.wordpress.com/
9 ounces of organic lemons (approximately 3 lemons)

9 ounces of parsley root (cleaned and scraped)



9 ounces of raw organic honey

9 ounces of extra virgin olive oil

1 cup of pure maple syrup

Cut the organic lemons into chunks with the skin still on. Process in a blender or food processor. Cut the scraped parsley root into chunks and process with the lemon. Add the raw organic honey, extra virgin olive oil and pure maple syrup and blend thoroughly.

Lemons are incredibly beneficial to kidneys

Parsley cleanses and alkalizes

Honey is a soothing, natural antibiotic

(NaturalNews) Many people who have had kidney stones report that passing them was the greatest pain they had ever experienced. Many women claim that it easily beats childbirth on the pain scale, and men can suffer even more due to the long length of their urethras.Everybody hopes it won't happen to them, but the National Kidney Foundation reports that one out of every 10 Americans will develop a kidney stone during their lifetime, leading more than 500,000 people to seek emergency medical treatment each year. It is also worth noting that men are at a higher risk than women. Kidney stones sometimes form without people realizing it, but when they become lodged on their way out, they make their presence known quickly and painfully.If you happen to be part of that unlucky 10 percent  or are hoping to avoid becoming a member of this group  a powerful remedy can help you dissolve kidney stones on your own. Doctors typically suggest waiting for the stone to pass while dosing up on analgesics to minimize pain and drinking plenty of fluids to push the stone out. Some bigger stones might require surgery, however. If you want to keep yourself out of the hospital and avoid risking the infections that hospitals are infamous for, this potent natural solution should be your first course of action.You'll need:Putting it together is easy:You'll want to take one tablespoon of this concoction each morning on an empty stomach. You can store it in an airtight glass container in your refrigerator. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids through the rest of the day.Lemons work to inhibit the growth of kidney stones because of their high content of citrates. This boosts your urine's acidity, enabling it to dissolve kidney stones naturally. Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine urology expert John Milner said: "[Real] lemonade, not the powdered variety that uses artificial flavoring, actually slows the development of kidney stones for those who are prone to the development of kidney stones."The parsley root is another crucial component of this remedy, as it serves to increase your urinary output, thereby flushing out the kidneys and creating an alkaline environment that is unfriendly to the stones. It also helps cleanse the kidneys, remove toxins and dissolve uric acid.The honey in this mixture will help soothe the irritation in the urethral lining and also provides antibiotic protection. Olive oil is included for its lubricating qualities, which will enable the stones to glide through your system more smoothly. The maple syrup is used to improve the taste of the liquid, making people more likely to stick with it long enough for it to dissolve the stones.No matter what course of action you choose to take in approaching a kidney stone, you must make a point of drinking as much water as possible.This simple remedy can also be used as a preventive measure, and even adding a squeeze of lemon juice to your water every day can help maintain kidney health . Keeping your kidneys in top shape is vital as they are responsible for filtering toxins and waste from your blood and regulating your body's fluid levels. They also keep blood minerals such as phosphorous, sodium and potassium in balance. In fact, your kidneys actually filter all of the blood in your body every half hour! With so much hard work to do, the importance of keeping your kidneys in good condition cannot be overemphasized.
(NaturalNews) In August 2010, as much of Russia's cultivable land was being consumed by flames, then-Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin issued an order halting all grain exports, choosing instead to preserve what could be harvested for his own people.The out-of-control wildfires spread quickly amid a punishing drought that produced conditions leading to the destruction of more than one-third of Russian farmland used to grow crops.Orthe drought to blame? Some suspected something much more sinister.As reported by, a UK-based newspaper, the Russian tabloid press openly posited at the time that the United States may have been behind temperatures and drought not seen throughout Russia in 140 years. They speculated that the U.S. government was orchestrating the heatwave in order to give American farmers an advantage in the global marketplace while sticking it to an old nemesis. They speculated that a controversial experiment built and funded by the military and civilian institutes of higher learning was to blame.How would such weather control be possible? From an array that had long been based in Alaska, where "harmful rays" were being directed at Russia's harvest land, the Guardian said, quoting the Russian tabloids.The writers undoubtedly were referring to HAARP -- High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program, a little-known U.S. military project some believe is used for electronic warfare, weather modification and other deviant uses.Or, at least, it. In May 2014,reported that the U.S. military notified Congress it would be shutting HAARP down HAARP  a collection of 180 antennae spread over 40 acres  is still around today, though.First, some background. Many theorize that the array has been  and may still be  used to control or modify weather patterns, perhaps strategically, as in directing energy from the array to affect weather and food production of potential enemies and others that Washington wants to dominate.Still others, like Global Research, a Canada-based think tank, believe that HAARP is designed to help the U.S. military achieve its goal of "full spectrum dominance" by 2020 . Full spectrum dominance is described by the Defense Department as ensuring the military has the capability, alone or with allies, to "defeat any adversary and control any situation across the range of military operations." That encapsulates four separate areas: precision engagement, dominant maneuver, full-dimensional protection and focused logistics.But that's not to say that the Pentagon does not want to learn how to control weather. An Air Force research paper published in 1996 by several officers proposed exactly that: Developing technology to own the weather and turn it into a "force multiplier" by 2025. The paper states:One of the biggest fears is that our country could be hit with an electromagnetic pulse weapon  a high-altitude airburst of a nuclear device that would fry nearly all unhardened electronic devices and much of our power grid. Similar concerns have been voiced about a massive solar flare from the sun that would essentially do the same thing. Was HAARP really designed to be the ultimate second-strike electronic warfare weapon?As for whether the facility remains in operation, this local Alaska media report said the project shut-down would be postponed for a year, while investigative news site reported in July 2015 that the facility was to be transferred to civilian control  the University of Alaska, which had always partly funded it  the following month."...That agreement allows access for two years which will provide the university and the Air Force time to negotiate an agreement regarding the transfer of the land," Marmian Grimes, a university of spokesperson, toldin an email.Sources:
You're supposed to be scared of Zika so that you'll buy into getting a Zika vaccine

(NaturalNews) From the way the news media keeps harping on about the Zika virus, one would think that it's right up there with the plague in terms of its threat to humanity. But truth be told, Zika is typically no more serious than a mild fever, and those who contract the virus end up developing natural immunity to it for the rest of their lives.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains on its website that the vast majority of people who contract Zika. Among those who do, the symptoms are generally mild, the most common among them being a small rash, red eyes (conjunctivitis), joint and muscle pain, mild fever and headaches.These symptoms can last for up to a week, but generally aren't serious enough to warrant a trip to the hospital. And very few people, if any, actually die from Zika, despite all the fear-mongering from public health officials and vaccine hawks pushing experimental jabs on pregnant women.Though Zika infection is believed to cause birth defects such as microcephaly and even Guillain-Barre syndrome, a type of nervous system infection, the risk of one developing these conditions is exceptionally low. Meanwhile, the unknown risks of experimental DNA vaccines, the latest "solution" to Zika's spread, are potentially worse than the virus itself.The CDC's advice if you contract Zika? Firstly, don't panic, because Zika isn't as nefarious as we've all been led to believe. Just be sure to rest, drink plenty of clean water and use pain management interventions  preferably non-drug options  if necessary.Zika is so unassuming, generally speaking, that people who contract it often mistake it for something else equally mild in nature. The CDC admits that Zika symptoms are "similar to those of many other diseases," which is why "many cases [of Zika] may not have been recognized."So why, all of a sudden, are we seeing all this panic over Zika? Why is the U.S. military actively testing mosquitoes all around the world, with some factions now calling for all female service personnel to be moved out of countries where Zika is present?The answer seems to lie in all the potential profits to be made from a Zika vaccine , and not necessarily in a need to protect the public. Again, Zika is relatively mild in most cases, and once a person gets over it they earn lifelong protection from the virus. In other words, ZikaBut, just as the government has repeatedly tried to do with Ebola, H1N1, avian flu and other diseases that it claimed "pandemic" status for that weren't nearly as threatening as they were made out to be, it's about selling fear over Zika in order to sell future vaccines for Zika.In Florida, for instance, some families are investing hundreds of dollars in anti-mosquito equipment to keep Zika away from their homes. Pregnant women in particular, are, as one woman put it, filled with "stress and concern" over possibly contracting Zika.Zika testing is also being offered for free to all pregnant women throughout Florida  this the result of an "explosion of demand" by Floridians panicked over Zika. This, folks, is how government agencies set the stage for getting people to line up, roll up their sleeves and practically beg for a vaccine injection to make everything better.
Farm bill: Tell congress to STOP subsidizing chemicals, GMOs, start funding sustainable agriculture

(NaturalNews) Farmers throughout the Midwest are having to battle a new pest that's not a weed or an insect, but an illegal chemical manufactured by the Monsanto Company as a pairing for "2 Xtend," the next generation of genetically-modified organism (GMO) that requires even more and harsher chemicals than first generation Roundup Ready crops.Known as dicamba, the new chemical hasn't been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use with glyphosate on Monsanto's Roundup Ready 2.0 seeds. But because the multinational corporation has already begun selling 2 Xtend seeds to farmers, some of them are bootlegging older versions of dicamba to keep their crops in check, and many of their neighbors are suffering as a result.That's because the type of dicamba farmers are mixing with glyphosate to try to match the glyphosate-dicamba cocktail that Monsanto hopes to eventually release, pending EPA approval, is a heavy drifter, meaning it easily spreads to nearby crop fields. Monsanto claims that its patented formula doesn't do this, but the old one does, and it's wreaking havoc all over the place.More than 100 complaints have been filed thus far by farmers in both Missouri and Arkansas, claiming that dicamba drift from nearby farms is destroying their crops. Dicamba is an ultra-potent herbicide, and unless a crop has been genetically-engineered to resist it, it kills almost anything with which it comes into contact.According to the Environmental Working Group's Monsanto has already sold some 2 million acres' worth of 2 Xtend seeds, despite the glyphosate-dicamba formula needed to grow them not even being legal. This has created a situation in which farmers have been given a weed-killing tool that they can't legally use, which basically incentivizes them to break the law.Some of the farmers who've bought into 2 Xtend are seeing their own crops destroyed as well. Farmers with 2 Xtend fields planted near Roundup Ready 1.0 crops and/or conventional crops are watching as dicamba spreads through the air and kills their other crops, leaving them at a loss as to how to avoid massive crop failures."They're afraid that they're not going to be able to grow what they want to grow," Tom Barber, a scientist at the University of Arkansas, toldabout the dilemma. "They're afraid that they're going to be forced to go with that technology."Technically speaking, federal pesticide laws prohibit the use of drift-prone dicamba. But because the federal government actively subsidizes chemical-intensive farming, the result of longstanding farm bill legislation that incentivizes farmers to grow chemical-intensive crops, corporations like Monsanto are getting away with murder in their quest for world domination.Very little taxpayer money is awarded to farmers who grow crops using sustainable methods. Only a very small fraction of federal money  less than 1 percent  is invested in growing methods that reduce, rather than increase, pesticide and herbicide use.That's why many people around the world are choosing to grow their own clean, chemical-free foods at home using products like the Food Rising Mini-Farm Grow Box system , which is both a conservational feat and a boon for sustainable living.Others are pushing for major reform in how farm bill money is disbursed and spent. You can help in this area by contacting your congressmen and urging them to incentivize weed management practices that rely more on harmonious congruency with nature rather than environmentally-destructive chemicals.After all, it was Monsanto's first generation Roundup Ready crops that got us into this mess in the first place. Is it really prudent to plow full-steam ahead into phase two of this chemical holocaust?
The Ukraine government is planning to transform the radioactive wasteland Chernobyl to a large-scale solar farm.

It has been 30 years since the catastrophic event and the government, with its constant need for energy, thinks the uninhabitable zone around the Chernobyl power plant has the potential to serve as a site for renewable energy production.

According to a Bloomberg report, Ukraine seeks to install $1.1 billion of solar panels zone and investors in the U.S. and Canada have already shown interest in the project.

"The Chernobyl site has really good potential for renewable energy," Ukraine's Environment Minister Ostap Semerak told the news site in an interview in London.

"We already have high-voltage transmission lines that were previously used for the nuclear stations, the land is very cheap and we have many people trained to work at power plants."

The Guardian cites that the 6,000 hectares of idle land could provide more than 1,000 megawatts of solar power and 400 megawatts of other renewable energy.

It added that the potential for building a solar farm is high in the area because the Chernobyl's land is cheap and plentiful. Also, the area receives sunshine as strong as in southern Germany.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) already said they are willing to participate in the project by proving loan "as long as the investment proposals and all other environmental matters and risks can be addressed to the Bank's satisfaction."

More important than putting the abandoned site back in business, the Ukraine government said it aims to finally be less dependent on Russia, which had been their source of natural gas for years.

There had been tensions between Ukraine and Russia lately. Thus, energy security is the top most priority of Ukraine.

Oilprice.com said the plan of Ukraine to turn Chernobyl to a solar farm is part of their overall renewable ambitions -- to invest $3 billion in the development of solar power farms in Ukraine by 2020.
A total of 50 two-kilogram satellites are being set to launch to the International Space Station later this year to study the layer of the Earth's atmosphere found between 200 and 380 kilometers above the ground.

The mini-satellites, dubbed as "cubesats", are part of the European-led QB-50 project participated by 48 universities and research institutes from 28 nations, including United States, China, Canada, Italy, France, Australia, Korea and United Kingdom.

According to The Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research, the cubesats will carry a set of standardized sensors for multi-point, in-situ, long-duration measurements of key parameters and constituents in the largely unexplored lower thermosphere and ionosphere.

Thermosphere is the interface between the Earth and the space. It is the region of the atmosphere where much of the ultraviolet and X-ray radiation from the Sun collides with Earth, generating auroras and possible hazards that can potentially affect power grids and communications.

"The thermosphere affects us in many ways," said Dr Elias Aboutanios from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and project leader of UNSW's E-co CubeSat satellite, in a report from ABC News. "[The Thermosphere] affects our weather here on the ground. It's very important for our understanding of our entire atmosphere,"

The cubesats will be launched by an Orbital ATK Antares rocket from Wallops Island, Virginia, inside a Cygnus cargo freighter in December. A month or so after its arrival in the International Space Station, it will be deployed from the ISS's orbit of 380 kilometers and drift down towards the target region.

The mini-satellites are believed to operate for three to nine months, orbiting the thermosphere, before atmospheric drag decays its orbit. The cubesats will continue to explore the lower layers of the thermosphere as it progressively goes down, re-entering the atmosphere and burn up.

The re-entry process will also be evaluated by measuring a number of key parameter during descends, including the on-board temperature and deceleration of the cubesats.


The U.S. government has granted Apple the approval to sell their surplus energy.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved on Thursday an application from Apple's energy subsidiary to sell renewable electricity.

"Based on your representations, Apple Energy meets the criteria for a Category 1 seller in all regions and is so designated," Steve Rodgers, director of FERC's Division of Electric Power, said in a letter to Apple.

Apple formed Apple Energy LLC in June with the purpose of selling the company's excess solar energy. According to Clean Technica, 93% of Apple's facilities worldwide are powered by renewable electricity. The company's solar farms are producing enough energy that it decided to venture into clean energy business and put surplus energy up for sale.

Apple owns a 20-megawatt (MW) solar farm in Nevada, a 50-MW facility being constructed in Arizona and another 67.5-MW facility in North Carolina, Clean Technica reports. The company also generates 18 MW on its California campus.

In 2015, Apple acquired 130 MW from First Solar, which is known as the "largest-ever solar procurement" by a non-utility company, as reported by Bloomberg Markets.

According to UtilityDive, the FERC approval means that the tech giant could now have the authority to influence power prices in regions where it owns and controls power generation facilities.

"When you own power production facilities then you would typically want to have authority to sell power," Kit Konolige, analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, said in a report by Bloomberg Markets.

"It is indicative of a number of related trends that are lowering demand for power produced by utilities."

Other companies are now getting in on the race towards sustainability and renewable energy. Google, for instance, formed Google Energy and secured the same federal approval in February 2010. According to Inhabitat, major tech companies Amazon and Microsoft are also supporting solar farms and wind turbines.

Apple runs entirely on power generated from the sun, wind or water in facilities in 23 countries, including the U.S. and China.
NASA is preparing for the launch of the world's most powerful rocket the new Space Launch System (SLS) in 2018 or in 2019. In line with that, Lockheed Martin finalized a deal with NASA to launch its payload called SkyFire, a 6U CubeSat that can take high-resolution images of the moon.

NASA's SLS is set to launch the Orion spacecraft into the moon's orbit. The Orion can also carry 13 CubeSats bays that can house shoebox size payloads. Payloads this many haven't been carried into deep space until SLS. Lockheed Martin managed to finalize a deal with NASA to carry its payload, a tiny cube satellite or a 6U CubeSat called SkyFire. SkyFire will take high-quality images of the moon during the mission. Reports say that in an exchange with Lockheed Martin's CubeSat ride to the moon, NASA will receive images from the mission.

"The CubeSat will look for specific lunar characteristics like solar illumination areas," James Russell, Lockheed Martin SkyFire principal investigator, said in a statement. "We'll be able to see new things with sensors that are less costly to make and send to space," Russell added.

Due to the limitations in space, Lockheed Martin needs to develop a more compact camera that will fit into the shoebox-sized payload. The smaller and innovative gears that can deliver good science might also work for future NASA missions alleviating the weight concerns and promoting cost-effectiveness as well.

Aside from Lockheed Martin's CubeSat, other companies are included in the upcoming NASA Exploration Mission-1 like the IceCube that was built to locate water ice on the lunar surface and the BioSentinel that is capable of measuring the effect of space radiation on living things.

The mission is set to launch in 2018 but the potential of delay are also recognized by the agency. Also in line with the SLS launch, NASA assisted in the testing of one of the rocket boosters that will be used for the launch.
A bacterial structure could provide clues on life in another planet, a study found.

Existing studies about stromatolites, which are heaps of calcium-carbonate rocks that are formed through lime-producing cyanobacteria, are said to offer some fossil evidence of life on other planets, Mars in particular.

Erica Suosaari, a science fellow for Bush Heritage Australia, which is a non-profit conservation and land management organization, have studied the "life-giving" potential of stromatolites.

"Looking for evidence of life in the rocks is like finding a needle in the haystack," Suosaari told AstroBiology.

"If stromatolites have definitive bio-signatures - such as self-organized morphologies that are indicative of life processes - then it may be possible to look for that 'signature' in rocks on the surface of other planets and significantly reduce the size of that haystack."

Suossari is based at the 500,000-acre Hamelin Station Reserve in Western Australia, which houses the Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve - one of the world's most diverse and abundant examples of marine stromatolites.

Modern and ancient stromatolites

Bacterial communities that created stromatolites are responsible for making Earth life-friendly. These cyanobacteria were among the first living organisms to generate energy from the Sun through photosynthesis and creating oxygen as a byproduct. As the planet evolves, cyanobacteria have changed the Earth's atmosphere from 1 percent oxygen to over 20 percent, AstroBiology reports.

Suosaari and her colleagues conducted a research on stromatolites or "living fossils" in Hamelin Pool, and a paper based on this research was published in the journal Scientific Reports.

In the study, Suosaari and her colleagues found that modern stromatolites have more similarities with ancient stromatolites than previously thought.

The researchers discovered that the microbial communities in Hamelin Pool produce a fine-grained limestone known as micrite (microcrystalline calcite), which is responsible for creating stromatolite structures that are similar to the ancient ones seen in the fossil record.

Hamelin Pool stromatolites are also dominated by a coccoid cyanobacterium that traces back 2 billion years to an ancient version of the microbe called Eoentophysalis.

The study suggests that stromatolites provide a "window" to ancient Earth, with microbes of the same ancient lineage living and creating oxygen for billions of years.

Microbial communities in Mars

While Suosaari's research focuses on stromatolites in a small region in Australia, she said that it is possible to export similar microbial communities to other places - other planets in particular.

Because stromatolite-building microbial communities produce oxygen, Suosaari said that they could also be exported to Mars - as well as to other planets in the solar system - to make it habitable for humans.
Scientists have discovered a new type of fire tornado called the "blue whirl." But unlike its counterparts, which pose a threat to life and property, the "blue whirl" is surprisingly eco-friendly and can even help in pollution and oil spills.

According to the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists discovered the new type of flame while combining rising heat and turbulent winds.

The "blue whirl" flame is a refined flame that consists of a core flame while rotating columns of air surround it. The result looks like a mini blue tornado spinning like a top.

Blue whirls evolve from traditional yellow fire whirls. The yellow color is due to radiating soot particles, which form when there is not enough oxygen to burn the fuel completely, said Elaine Oran, co-author of the study, via UMD Right Now.

Oran further explained that the fire's blue hue is an indication that the flame has enough energy to complete combustion in a cleaner way without any soot and lower carbon emission.

To investigate the blue whirl's combustion property on water and, for the first time, its practical application, the researchers created a lab-simulated oil spill. Results showed that using blue flame is more efficient than current practices, such as corralling thick layers of crude oil on the water surface.

"In our experiments over water, weve seen how the circulation fire whirls generate also helps to pull in fuels. If we can achieve a state akin to the blue whirl at larger scale, we can further reduce airborne emissions for a much cleaner means of spill cleanup, said co-author Michael Gollner.

Huahua Xiao, assistant research scientist in the Clark School's Department of Aerospace Engineering, adds that the "blue whirl" flame is "very quiet and stable without visible or audible signs of turbulence."

A fire tornado has long been seen as this incredibly scary, destructive thing. But, like electricity, can you harness it for good? If we can understand it, then maybe we can control and use it, Gollner said.

The study says the new discovery could lead to better and more efficient ways in cleaning oil spills as well as added understanding of fluid mechanics.
A bench warrant was issued Tuesday for the arrest of rapper Tyga after he failed to appear at a court hearing in Santa Monica.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Nancy Newman issued the warrant when 26-year-old Tyga, whose legal name is Michael Ray Stevenson, was a no-show at the hearing to discuss his alleged failure to pay $480,000 in back rent and damages.

The landlord of the rented Malibu home, Gholamreza Rezai, went to court in 2012 claiming that Tyga missed a rent payment, skipped out on his lease and left the home in need of repairs. Earlier this year, Newman approved a roughly $480,000 judgment against the rapper, which has not been paid.

Tyga, who has been dating Kylie Jenner, was ordered to appear in court Tuesday to discuss his finances and his failure to pay the judgment.

According to TMZ.com, the landlord's attorney noted in court Tuesday that media outlets recently reported that Tyga bought Kylie Jenner a $200,000 car for her birthday. The plaintiff's attorney alleges the purchase was illegal and should have been used to satisfy the outstanding judgment.
What to Know Lonnie Franklin Jr. was sentenced to death for the killings of nine women and a teenage girl.

The killings spanned from 1985 to 2007.

They were dubbed the "Grim Sleeper" killings after an apparent 14-year gap in the violence.

A former Los Angeles city garage attendant and sanitation worker was sentenced to death Wednesday for the "Grim Sleeper" serial killings of nine women and a teenage girl in South Los Angeles.

More than 15 family members of victims spoke during sentencing to the court and 63-year-old Lonnie David Franklin Jr., who was seated at a table in an orange jumpsuit and glasses, about their loved ones and the pain they've endured for decades. In her remarks at Wednesday's sentencing, Judge Kathleen Kennedy talked about what family members should expect.

"Closure is not what this trial is about," said Judge Kennedy. "At the end of the day ... your loved one is still gone."

Kennedy earlier rejected a defense motion to set aside the death penalty verdict.

In a tense moment, the mother of one victim asked him to face her and he did. She asked him why he killed her daughter and he appeared to say the words, "I didnt do it." It took some by surprise, including one of Franklins surviving victims, Enietra Washington.

"I was totally shocked," she said. "All this time he never showed a reaction."

Though Franklin continued to show now remorse, several family members said they forgive him, one even offering compassion.

Franklin was convicted May 5 of 10 counts of first-degree murder for the killings of nine women and a 15-year-old girl between 1985 and 2007. Jurors also found him guilty of the attempted murder of Enietra Washington, who survived being shot in the chest and pushed out of a moving vehicle in November 1988.

During the penalty phase of the trial, the prosecution presented evidence that it contends links Franklin to four other killings for which he was not charged.

In a court filing this week, Franklin's attorneys contend that two sets of victims' families were created by presenting evidence about the charged killings during the trial's guilt phase, and then waiting to present evidence about the uncharged killings until the trial's penalty phase. The defense lawyers contend that jurors heard about the uncharged killings for the first time during the penalty phase, saying that any "reasonable juror would feel sympathy" for the victims' family members "with only one course of action available to the jury to acknowledge their pain."

"That was a finding that the death penalty was the proper sentence," the attorneys said in their filing.

In their court filing, Deputy District Attorneys Beth Silverman and Marguerite Rizzo countered that "a death sentence is clearly warranted based on the evidence and the law."

"The defendant is a serial killer who intentionally targeted victims who were easy to exploit," the prosecutors wrote. "The staggering number of murders in this case and the pattern displayed across these violent crimes highlight the defendant's goal-directed behavior. He routinely manipulated others to achieve his goal: doing evil."

The killings for which Franklin was convicted occurred between 1985 and 1988 and 2002 and 2007. The assailant, who was arrested in July 2010, was dubbed the "Grim Sleeper" because of what was believed to be a 13-year break in the murders. The uncharged killings occurred in 1984, 1988, 2000 and 2005.

He was not charged in the other killings because proceedings would have delayed a case that took nearly six years to bring to trial.

The killings terrorized communities in South Los Angeles and took police years to solve. Residents complained detectives didn't give the slayings enough attention because the victims were black and many were prostitutes who used crack cocaine.

Franklin was arrested on July 7, 2010 after a task force took over the investigation after the most recent killing. Franklin came under suspicion in the final slaying in 2007, and DNA from his son showed similarities to genetic evidence found on some of the victims.

A detective posing as a busboy at a pizza parlor collected utensils and crusts while Franklin was attending a birthday party. Lab results connected him to some of the bodies and led to his arrest.

He denied any role in the killings to investigators, but did not utter a word during the trial.

Franklin was convicted in the following killings:

Debra Jackson, a 29-year-old mother of two who was found dead from three gunshot wounds to the chest in an alley in South Los Angeles on Aug. 10, 1985

Henrietta Wright, a 34-year-old mother of five who was shot twice in the chest and found in an alley with a cloth gag stuffed in her mouth in South Los Angeles on Aug. 12, 1986

Barbara Ware, 23, shot once in the chest and found under a pile of debris and garbage in an alley in South Los Angeles on Jan. 10, 1987

Bernita Sparks, 26, shot once in the chest and found in a trash bin with her shirt and pants unbuttoned in Los Angeles on April 16, 1987

Mary Lowe, 26, shot once in the chest and found in an alley with her pants unzipped behind a large shrub in South Los Angeles on Nov. 1, 1987

Lachrica Jefferson, 22, found dead from two gunshot wounds to the chest  with a napkin over her face with the handwritten word "AIDS" on it  in an alley in South Los Angeles on Jan. 30, 1988

Alicia Alexander, 18, killed by a gunshot wound to the chest and found naked under a blue foam mattress in an alley in South Los Angeles on Sept. 11, 1988

Princess Berthomieux, 15, strangled and discovered naked and hidden in shrubbery in an alley in Inglewood on March 9, 2002

Valerie McCorvey, the 35-year-old mother of one, strangled and found dead with her clothes pulled down at the entrance to a locked alley in South Los Angeles on July 11, 2003

Janecia Peters, 25, shot in the back and found naked inside a sealed plastic trash bag in a trash bin in an alley in South Los Angeles on Jan. 1, 2007

Some of the most emotional testimony during the trial came from a victim who Franklin left for dead on the side of a road nearly 30 years ago.

Washington described getting a lift from Franklin in his orange Ford Pinto. He then shot her in the chest while she sat in the passenger seat. As she was losing consciousness, he sexually assaulted her and she remembered seeing the flash from a Polaroid camera.

"That's the person who shot me," Enietra Washington said as she pointed at Franklin in the courtroom.

A photo of a bleeding and partly nude Washington was later found hidden behind a wall in Franklin's garage. Police found photos of other victims in the home, providing key evidence leading to the arrest and conviction.
Authorities discovered an American couple carrying a dead toddler in a duffel bag while trying to walk across the border into Mexico.

Mexican border officials stopped the couple on Tuesday, according to San Diego Police Department's Lt. Ray Valentin. The couple attempted to cross into Tijuana around 11:30 a.m. PT via the pedestrian border crossing at the San Ysidro port of entry.

The man was carrying a bag.

Officials scanned the mans bag using an X-ray machine and discovered the body of the small girl inside the bag. According to Valentin, the child was approximately two years old.

Valentin said the man's companion tried to run away, but she was quickly apprehended and taken into custody. The man was also arrested.

Mexican officials deported the couple back to the United States. According to Valentin, the pair are residents of Whittier, California.

The SDPD Homicide Unit is now leading the case. On Wednesday afternoon the SDPD identified the man and woman as Johnny Lewis Hartley, 39, and Mercy Mary Becerra, 43, both of Whittier.

Both Hartley and Becerra were booked into jail in San Diego and are facing counts of first-degree murder and child cruelty. They are both scheduled to appear in court Friday.

At this point, it is unclear if the couple has retained an attorney.

After interviewing the suspects, SDPD Homicide Unit detectives have determined that whatever happened to the girl may have occurred in Whittier. The SDPD is now working closely with detectives of the Whittier Police Department.

Valentin said Hartley and Becerra are not the toddler's parents but investigators believe they knew her and her parents prior to her death. He says that organ trafficking is not a factor in this case.

The toddler's parents live in the Whittier/Greater Los Angeles area.

NBC 4 Los Angeles confirmed Becerra's Instagram account; her bio on the social media page says she's a mother of nine.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's office took custody of the toddler's body and will determine the cause and manner of the girl's death.

No further details were immediately available. The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information on the case can call the SDPD Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

Whittier is located approximately 127 miles north of Tijuana.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Jim OBrien reliable little car created quite the quagmire.

He bought a 2009 Honda Fit new, back in 2009. That same day, he paid an extra $1,499 for a service contract that would extend the life of the manufacturers warranty.

What made it unusual was that the protection package included a "reimbursement guarantee." Its outlined on the flip side of OBriens invoice.

The reimbursement guarantee says that if the vehicle has zero claims in the first seven years, the owner will be refunded the purchase price, minus a $50 processing fee.

O'Brien says his Honda Fit never needed service. So, when the contract recently ran out, he applied for reimbursement.

And was denied.

"I felt ripped off," he wrote us. "The contract clearly states a return of the money."

O'Brien asked us to help.

We contacted Manly Honda of Santa Rosa but did not get a response.

Next, we inquired with Hondas corporate office. A short time later, O'Brien told us he got a check from Manly Honda for the full $1,499.

Honda did not want to make a statement regarding the case. We never heard back from Manly, the dealer that sold the extended warranty to OBrien.

We checked with the California Department of Insurance. A spokesperson said the states files dont contain any complaints about this dealer or that unusual reimbursement guarantee.

The department stressed that consumers who are considering an extended warranty should make sure it is backed up by a licensed insurance company before signing up.
MIAMI  Bruce Bochy watched every pitch of Monday nights game from a hospital bed and loved what he saw. The view from the bench Tuesday wasnt anywhere near as enjoyable.

The Giants managed just three hits in a 2-0 loss to the Marlins that was as lifeless as this sentence makes it sound. They walked off the field with a half-game lead over the Dodgers, who were set to play the Phillies later Tuesday night.

Matt Moore walked six Phillies in his Giants debut and the first Marlin he faced  Dee Gordon  got a free pass on four pitches. Martin Prado followed with a single and Giancarlo Stanton hit a broken-bat double to the track in left, pushing a first run across. A groundout made it 2-0 after one.

A night after the bullpen pitched nine innings, Moore needed 46 pitches to get through the first two. But he settled in and pitched six innings, allowing just the two early runs.

Moores counterpart, Tom Koehler, never faced much trouble. He allowed just two hits in his seven innings, both of which were singles.

The Giants put two on in the eighth for Brandon Crawford, but a night after tying an NL record with seven hits, he was shut down. Crawford ended the eighth with a fly to left.

Starting pitching report: Through two starts and 12 innings as a Giant, Moore has allowed just six hits. On the other hand, he has walked 11.

Bullpen report: Jake Peavy came out of the bullpen for the third time in four games. He gave up a hit and walked one, but got two outs.

At the plate: Hunter Pence was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. He has three hits in his last 24 at-bats, with 15 strikeouts.

In the field: Moore has a quick pickoff move, and he nabbed Gordon after a leadoff walk in the fifth. Moores sidearm throw to first was perfectly placed, low and close enough to the bag that Brandon Belt had a short distance for the tag.

Attendance: The Marlins announced a crowd of 19,636 human beings who gave thanks that Marlins Park has a roof.

Up next: Jeff Samardzija, who nearly came in as a reliever Monday night, will face David Phelps.
SAN FRANCISCO  A federal jury found California's largest utility guilty on Tuesday of misleading investigators about how it was identifying high-risk pipelines after a deadly pipeline explosion in San Bruno.

The jury found PG&E not guilty of six of 11 remaining counts that alleged pipeline violations.

The blast of a Pacific Gas & Electric Co. natural gas pipeline six years ago sent a giant plume of fire into the air, killing eight people and destroying 38 homes in a quiet San Bruno neighborhood.

During the investigation, prosecutors say, the San Francisco-based utility misled federal officials about the standard it was using to identify high-risk pipelines.

PG&E pleaded not guilty and said its employees did the best they could with ambiguous regulations they struggled to understand.

The stakes in the case dropped dramatically, however, when prosecutors made the surprising decision several days into jury deliberations not to pursue a potential $562 million fine if PG&E was found guilty of any of the counts.

The decision, which was approved by a judge, reduced the company's maximum liability to $6 million, prompting criticism that prosecutors were not holding PG&E accountable.

San Bruno City Attorney Marc Zafferano said it's not about the money.

"We want the judge to send a message that its not OK for PG&E to risk lives my manipulating data and not having federal investigations," he said.

According to prosecutors, the standard PG&E used to identify high-risk pipelines violated safety regulations and led to a failure to classify the San Bruno pipeline and others as high risk and properly assess them.

The company also did not subject the pipelines to appropriate testing, choosing a cheaper method to save money, prosecutors told jurors.

"The motive was profits over safety," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Schenk said during his closing argument in the more than monthlong trial.

PG&E engineers did not think the pipelines posed a safety risk, and the company did not intend to mislead investigators, PG&E attorney Steven Bauer said during the trial.

The utility inadvertently sent officials a draft policy about its standard for identifying high risk pipes, not one the company was actually following, he said.

"Nobody at PG&E is a criminal," he said during his closing argument. He accused prosecutors of engaging in an "elaborate second-guessing exercise."

Investigators have blamed the blast in part on poor PG&E record-keeping that was based on incomplete and inaccurate pipeline information.

NBC Bay Area's Mark Matthews contributed to this report.
New charges were filed Tuesday against a San Francisco Fire Department paramedic who was arrested last week in connection with an explosion outside an Excelsior District home.

James Novello, 32, was arrested in connection with the detonation Wednesday morning of a homemade bomb outside a home on the 100 block of Madrid Street, which may have been connected to a neighborhood dispute.

Novello, who was out of custody on bail, was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon on charges including possession of a destructive device, possession of a destructive device in a public place, explosion of a destructive device with intent to injure, possession of means to make an explosive device and attempted arson.

However, shortly before his scheduled appearance he was arrested again and taken back into police custody.

Prosecutors said they are filing additional charges including 20 counts of possession of a destructive device.

A fire department spokesman has said the department is aware of the arrest and working with the police department in the investigation. Novello has been placed on non-working status since the arrest.

Novello's arraignment was postponed to Wednesday.
San Jose city leaders are putting the fate of the police department, and possibly the city's economic future, in the hands of voters.

The City Council on Tuesday approved an alternative pension reform proposal for the November ballot to replace the controversial Measure B approved four years ago.

The main impact from Measure B has been a massive staffing problem in the police department, which has seen a steady decline in its number of officers.

But Tuesday, all the former political enemies seemed to be on the same page with a new proposal to repair some of the damage.

Now all they need to do is sell it to taxpayers.

"This is at the same time we are seeing homicides and violent crime rise," said James Gonzales, vice president of the Police Officers Association. "This really is a critical piece."

The new proposal restores some pay and benefits, which the officials hope will help the department recruit.

The City Council approved the new proposal Tuesday, with Mayor Sam Liccardo basically saying what is bound to be the message to voters if it doesn't pass.

"We'll be in litigation for several years more, and frankly we're going to have a very difficult time hiring a police officer in this city," Liccardo said.

The lone dissenter, Councilman Pierluigi Oliverio, said the proposal gives too much back, including a pension bump for 1,100 employees. He said new employees should be on a lower, revamped benefits level.

"I believe the original measure passed by nearly 70 percent of the vote was the right thing to do," Oliverio said.

The Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association agrees, saying retroactive pension benefits will drive up costs of pensions for new hires and also creates higher than average pensions for managers and department heads, compared with neighboring cities.

Both sides are encouraging voters to extensively examine the new proposed measure.

The measure will need a simple majority by voters to pass.
Authorities say a 69-year-old man killed his estranged wife in their home in the exclusive gated Blackhawk community outside nearby Danville over the weekend.

Contra Costa County sheriff's deputies were called to the home Sunday afternoon and found the body of 69-year-old Linda Tercheria there, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Her husband, John Tercheria, was booked Monday morning on suspicion of murder at the Martinez Detention Facility. Sheriff's spokesman Jimmy Lee says he was released later in the afternoon after posting $1 million bail.

Court records show Linda Tercheria had filed for separation in April 2015.

Lee says the county coroner's office determined that she died of blunt force head trauma.

It was not immediately known if John Tercheria has an attorney. A motive in the killing was not released. The case remains under investigation.
SWAT teams were scouring a remote canyon in northern California early Wednesday after a search-and-rescue volunteer was shot while looking for a missing hiker, officials said.

NBC News reports the volunteer was shot in the hip while searching for a 75-year-old hiker in Nevada County, around 65 miles northeast of Sacramento.

The victim was airlifted to the hospital, Sgt. Bob Jakobs of Nevada County Sheriff's Office said. The patient's condition was not immediately clear and police did not release the victim's identity.

The Nevada County Sheriff's Office has been searching for the missing hiker for the past five days, Nevada County Sheriff Keith Royal told NBC station KCRA.
The number of cases of Zika has risen in Miami-Dade County a day after a suspected case of non-travel related Zika was reported in Palm Beach County.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott announced Tuesday four new locally transmitted cases in the Miami area.

This brings the total number of people with locally transmitted Zika to 21.

"All four cases are located in the same, small area of Wynwood that is less than one square mile," Governor Scott said at a news conference in Live Oak, Florida.

The Florida Department of Health believes active transmissions are only taking place within the identified Zika zone in Wynwood.

During the news conference, Governor Scott also called on Congress and President Obama to come to an agreement on Zika funding.

Congress is currently in recess. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, who visited Zika-stricken Wynwood Tuesday, has urged Congress to reconvene to push through a Zika bill.

"This is not only an issue affecting us here in Florida -- this is a national issue," Scott said.

More than $26 million in state funds have been allocated to fight Zika in Florida.

Meanwhile, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton visited a medical clinic in Wynwood Tuesday, where she pushed for emergency funding in the Zika fight.
The Chicago Bears announced a change on their offensive line Wednesday, as they signed veteran lineman Mike Adams and waived Nick Becton.

Adams, who previously played with the Pittsburgh Steelers, is a swing tackle that is an effective run blocker, and thats something the Bears could certainly use as they look to get Jordan Howard and Jeremy Langford going out of the backfield.

Adams appeared in 41 games in three seasons with the Steelers, but missed the entire 2015 season because of a back injury.

As for Becton, he appeared in five games for the Bears during the 2015 season. He also appeared in one game for the San Diego Chargers in the 2013 campaign before joining Chicagos practice squad before the 2014 season.

On the Bears first depth chart of the preseason, Becton was listed as the back-up left tackle behind Charles Leno, Jr., but an elbow injury forced him to miss the Bears final training camp practice in Bourbonnais.
The Democratic Party of Illinois launched a blog Thursday highlighting controversial statements made by Sen. Mark Kirk, who is facing a tough bid for reelection against Rep. Tammy Duckworth.

The blog, which is called "$#*% My Senator Says," looks to remind voters of Kirks past gaffes.

Republican Mark Kirks Trump-like tendency to make offensive comments isnt just embarrassing  his frequent gaffes belittle the office he holds, DPI spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement. They are a good reminder of why its hard to take anything he says seriously.

The blog, which is not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee, highlights a series of quotes from the Republican senator accompanied by GIFs featuring pop culture icons like Amy Schumer, Stephen Colbert and Taylor Swift, among others.

The DPIs blog features Kirks quote about Lindsay Graham being a bro with no ho from June of last year, as well as his claim that tens of thousands of people in the Middle East are gonna lose their lives because of last year's Iran nuclear deal pushed by President Barack Obama.

The blog also includes criticism of Kirks statements from publications like the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times and People magazine, among others.

Additionally, the blog features false statements made by Kirk, including his claim that he earned the Navys Intelligence Officer of the Year award in 2010.

Kirks campaign responded to the blog Thursday afternoon, faulting Duckworth for the hiring of a convicted felon during her time as head of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.

Duckworths campaign has been called a race to the bottom and her most recent attacks have been called underhanded, Kirk spokesman Kevin Artl said in a statement. The reason for Duckworths desperation is simple: shes facing mounting inquiries and criticism for allowing a three-time convicted felon into a veterans home and abuse a veteran under her watch, and instead of provide answers, she has resorted to false attacks and negative campaigning.

Illinois voters can see through her unseemly attacks and will continue to demand answers, Artl added.
A Park Ridge father and son claim they witnessed a collision last fall between an Arlington Heights Park District trailer and their 2000 Cadillac Deville, and they have the police report and other evidence to prove the damage left behind was not their fault. Months later, however, they say the process that led to their $2,300 claim being denied was anything but fair.

Our vehicle was parked and we were a couple hundred feet walking towards our car as the accident happened, Michael Bajno wrote to NBC5 Responds. We shouted but they did not hear us and it was already too late. We confronted the driver and he came to look at our car and he said he did not hit our car. The rest of the occupants in his car also said the driver did not hit our vehicle. We then called the police and explained both sides of the story to the officer. I explained my side of the story and I told the officer I have been a body man for 12 years I see this stuff every day, all that damage is from that trailer. Her direct response was, "You don't have to be a body man to figure out that damage came from the trailer" (and) citing the park district trailer hit our Cadillac. The responding officer flat out told me the driver knows he did it but wont admit to it.

Bajno shared the police report, which shows a diagram of the AHPD trailer colliding with the Bajnos car. The report indicates the trailer is red and the Bajnos light-colored car suffered red paint transfer.

Michael Bajno says he and his father sent a claim to the Park District Risk Management Agency (PDRMA), which handles claims for AHPD and dozens of other park districts and recreation facilities across Illinois. PDRMA denied the Bajnos claim, saying, Based on the accounts given by park district employees, as well as review of the photos you provided, our member denies causing the damage to your vehicle.

Michael Bajno says PDRMA did not interview him or his father in any detail. He also learned the state of Illinois has no regulatory oversight over self-insured risk pools, like PDRMA, and says consumers hit by self-insured drivers are on their own in a system tilted against them.

Spokesperson for PDRMA and Claims Supervisor Eric Hohenstein, told NBC5 Responds the agency doesnt discuss pending liability matters with anyone other than the claimant themselves or their legal representatives.

PDRMA later added that neither the physical evidence nor the witness statements appear to support Mr. Bajnos assertions that the Park Districts trailer made contact with his parked vehicle or caused the damage he claims. 

PDRMA and AHPD say both Michael Bajno and his father were interviewed during the investigation of this claim. The Bajnos say that is an outright lie.

AHPD said in a statement that neither agency aims to trivialize claims.

Both PDRMA pride themselves on objectively evaluating all claims and conducting a fair, expedient and balanced investigation, a statement from Executive Director Stephen Scholten read. Understandably, there are times when versions of events are conflicting- as we have here. Based on our investigation, Mr. Bajnos claim does not appear to be supported by the physical evidence nor by several witnesses. We understand that Mr. Bajno does not agree with our investigative findings. We suggest that Mr. Bajno pursue this claim with his insurance company and have the insurance company discuss the claim with PDRMA.

The Bajnos carry only liability auto insurance, so cannot pursue coverage though their own policy. Their last option is to sue the park district and its driver, which they say they are considering.
One person is in custody after a vehicle fleeing police officers in Chicago's East Garfield Park neighborhood struck two pedestrians, sending them to the hospital, authorities said.

One victim, a 72-year-old woman, sustained an ankle injury and a laceration to her head. The second victim, a 51-year-old man, received bruising to his lower left leg and shoulder. Both were taken to Stroger Hospital and are in good condition, authorities said.

Charges are pending against the person in custody.
A federal judge on Tuesday declined to lower former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's prison sentence, maintaining his original 14 years, despite an appeals court tossing five of the 18 counts the jailed ex-governor was convicted on.

"I am sympathetic to [his family], but as I said four years ago, the fault lies with the governor," U.S. District Judge James Zagel said before making his ruling.

In his first public appearance since entering prison, Blagojevich was shown on a courtroom camera as he learned his fate during his last attempt at early release.

He shook his head and stared stoically into the camera as Zagel, the same judge who sent Blagojevich to prison in the first place more than four years ago, ordered he remain in prison for his original 168-month sentence. His daughters could be heard crying in the courtroom, knowing their father won't be released until 2024.

Appearing via a video conference from his Colorado prison, an emotional, fidgety and gray-haired Blagojevich addressed the court before the ruling, saying he's "trying to be the best man I can."

"I recognize that my words and actions have led me here," he said. "I've made mistakes. I wish I had a way to return the clock back."

Speaking for nearly 18 minutes, Blagojevich thanked Zagel for giving him the chance to apologize and noted that time away from his family has taken a toll on him.

"I experience very real sadness when I think of my family and I blame myself for that...Trying to make amends for that," he said.

The resentencing hearing followed a decision from the United States Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which tossed five of the 18 counts on which Blagojevich had been convicted and ordered the former governor be resentenced.

Attorneys for Blagojevich asked for a reduction in his 14-year sentence for extortion and bribery, but the government urged Judge Zagel to keep his full sentence intact.

In his final words to the judge Tuesday, Blagojevich's attorney asked for a 5-year sentence saying, "We believe he's ready to come home."

Prosecutors argued, however, that Blagojevich "is the same man who appeared before [Zagel] in 2011."

Both of Blagojevich's daughters spoke in court Tuesday, detailing the difficulties they've faced without their father present.

"We speak every night, he helps me with my homework, he knows everything," Annie Blagojevich said.

"I almost don't want to grow up because I want to wait for him," she added.

Blagojevich pursed his lips, weeping as his daughters spoke in court.

"He has never given up on us and we will never give up on him," Amy Blagojevich said.

Blagojevichs wife, Patti, who wrote a two-page letter pleading with Zagel for leniency ahead of the hearing, called the ruling a "profound disappointment."

"From our point of view, and from the point of view of thousands of people that have reached out to me in the past four years, we find his sentence unusually cruel and heartless and unfair," she said outside the courtroom Tuesday. "I would like to express our thanks to everyone who has reached out to us with well wishes and prayers and thoughts hoping that today was going to go differently than what it did. Somehow we will get through this. We love Rod and we will be here for him as we continue to fight through this legal system that has unfortunately disappointed us over and over again... I dont really have anything else to say. Im dumbfounded and flabbergasted at the inability for the judge to see that things are different than how they were 4.5 years ago and his unwillingness to bestow even the smallest amount of leniency, or mercy, or kindness.

His brother, Robert Blagojevich, was seen walking into the courtroom Tuesday.

Hes my brother, I love him. Hes my only remaining blood relative. I want to be here and see how he is, he said outside the Dirksen Federal Courthouse. My brother has a lot of potential. Hes got a lot to give back to his community and Im hopeful that Judge Zagel will determine that hes got a lot of potential left to give back. So Im hoping for the best for my brother.

The resentencing was ordered by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals last summer. The counts that were thrown out dealt directly with his alleged efforts to swap the appointment of Valerie Jarrett to the Barack Obama senate seat, in exchange for position in the new Presidents cabinet. Prosecutorssaid at the time they would not seek to re-try the former governor on the overturned counts.

In tossing those counts, however, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals also noted that it is not possible to call 168 months unlawfully high for Blagojevichs crimes.

The former governor, who once appeared on Donald Trumps Celebrity Apprentice, has already served more than four years in prison.

In his strongest statement of remorse to date, Blagojevich conceded last month that he was not blameless in his fundraising efforts, that he regrets his conduct, which was distasteful or worse and showed extremely poor judgment."

In a sentencing memorandum filed in July, Blagojevichs attorney Leonard Goodman declared that his clients pursuit of a challenge to his conviction does not in any way lessen the remorse that he feels for his behavior. But the former governor noted that he never collected any fraudulent monies, and that he had spent his time behind bars improving himself as a person, through hard work, while also being of service to other inmates.

Attached to the memorandum were more than 100 letters from prisoners, who called Blagojevich "The Gov," and wrote about the positive impacts he has made during his time behind bars.

He never snubs anyone and is very humble," one inmate wrote. "I believe he would be an upstanding citizen and doing much more for our society out there than in this prison."

In arguing against a reduction in Blagojevichs sentence, prosecutors noted that the defendant remains convicted of the same three charged shakedowns of which he stood convicted at the original sentencing: the Senate seat shakedown, the racetrack shakedown, and the hospital shakedown.

That sentiment was echoed by Zagel in his ruling.

"I don't dispute [the governor] may be a model prisoner," Zagel said. "[Inmates] think of him as a good man, but they don't know him, don't know him in the context of a powerful politician."

As court ended, a visibly upset Blagojevich was seen on camera grabbing his court file and walking out of view.
The last Republican to represent Connecticut in Congress appeared to surprise very few in the political world with his endorsement of Hillary Clinton Wednesday morning.

Chris hasnt really been supporting Republicans, said JR Romano, the Chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party. He ran for Senate against Linda McMahon and was burned a little bit by it.

Chris Shays, who represented Connecticuts Congressional District that encompasses mainly Fairfield County from 1987 to 2009 before he was defeated by Democrat Jim Himes, made the announcement on MSNBCs Morning Joe Wednesday Morning.

Shays said, "Donald Trump lost me a long time ago. He says everything my mom and dad taught me never to say and do. He doesn't understand the basic requirements to be President of the United States and frankly he's dangerous."

Shays has been quiet in state political circles for some time. He did endorse Ohio Governor John Kasich for president in the run-up to Connecticuts GOP Presidential Primary back in Ohio. Shays even introduced Kasich at a pair of town hall events in Fairfield and Glastonbury.

"He was my first choice, my second choice, my third choice, Shays quipped.

Romano said the party has moved on from the influence of Shays.

I dont think there are Republicans around the state waiting with baited breath for what Chris Shays thinks, he said.
A Meriden, Connecticut man who drunkenly fired shots into a local mosque on the night of the deadly November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris has admitted to marijuana possession charges.

Ted Hakey Jr. pleaded guilty to charges of possession with intent to sell on Monday in Connecticut Superior Court.

Police said Hakey was arrested following a March 1 raid at his home, according to Hartford Courant reports.

Sgt. Christopher Fry said Meriden officers and federal agents seized more than 163 grams of marijuana from Hakey's residence, along with several rifles, handguns and ammunition. A sandwich bag that police believe contained psychedelic mushrooms was also found.

Hakey was sentenced to serve six months in prison for the mosque shooting in June and will turn himself in to begin serving time on Monday.

After firing shots into the mosque, Hakey apologized to members of the mosque.
Shelton police are investigating after a resident reported being followed home from Bridgeport and robbed outside his home Wednesday.

Police said they responded around 1 p.m. to the Avalon Condominiums at 915 Bridgeport Avenue for a reported armed robbery.

The victim said a gold Honda Odyssey followed him from a Bridgeport business back to his home. When the victim exited his car, a man with a handgun jumped out of the minivan and demanded his money.

The victim told police he turned the money over and the vehicle left the area.

Police are investigating. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at (203) 924-1544.
Fourteen days has passed since NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters first paid a visit to a high-rise in Waterbury where the elevators remain broken.

"Were tenants, we pay rent, seems to me we should have an elevator. Especially in a high rise," Debra Aston, a resident, told the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters on Tuesday.

Residents say they've been without any elevator service for about a month, however, they did spot an elevator company on the property for the first time this week.

"I havent gone to a doctor. And I cant make my doctors appointment to make follow-ups on my condition, so theres a lot of things I cant do," Aston's mother, 85-year-old Marion, said about feeling too sick to climb up and down nine flights of stairs.

The mother and daughter feel their complaints have fallen on deaf ears but theyre hopeful to see someone from the Elevator Service Company of Torrington stop by on Monday, and they believe the city needs to get involved.

"Im concerned it can get very bad," Marion Aston said. "Im worried about that- if they can get me out in time."

City officials tell NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters the building owner is in violation of housing code  and theyve been given orders to repair the elevators.

On July 25, David Kay with Hillside Heights LLC said they were modernizing both elevators and hopefully one should be running that week.

But on Tuesday, he said, "We've been working on it for a few weeks and were doing everything we can to get it back up and running asap."

Aston said she walks up the nine flights of stairs almost four times a day and she's worried that she needs to keep canceling her mother's medical appointments.

Steven Roth, president of Elevator Service Company, told the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters, "Were currently under contract to repair one elevator to start. Were ordering parts for that elevator and we hope to begin the installation of those parts by Thursday."

Theres still no time frame on when the work will be done, but everyone says theyre moving as quickly as they can.
Police said a driver was killed and a passenger injured after a car crashed into a stalled 18-wheeler on Interstate 45 in Dallas late Tuesday night. [[389707582,C]]

Dallas police said the driver  later identified as Daylnn Brown  was headed north on I-45 when he came upon the 18-wheeler in a active construction zone at about 11:30 p.m.

The occupied 18-wheeler was stalled in the left lane of traffic with the rear hazard lights illuminated.

Brown was driving at a unsafe speed, according to police, and crashed into the 18-wheeler.

Police said Brown was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in the front seat was transported to Baylor University Medical Center in critical condition.

I-45 was shut down while authorities investigated the crash. Police said the road had been reopened by 4:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Dallas police held a high-intensity active shooter demonstration Tuesday afternoon, with U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in attendance.

The training happened at the Lamar School, an old school building on North Corinth Street near downtown Dallas.

Cornyn said he's proud of a new law, called the "Police Act," he wrote that allows federal money to be used by local police, fire and paramedic departments for joint training such as this.

Previously federal policing grants couldn't be used by fire and EMS departments to train for active-shooting scenarios.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said violence is on the rise, and the risk is great for police and first responders who rush into the gunfire. That's why more money and more training is always a good idea, he said.

Dallas Police Chief David Brown supports equipping more patrol officers with better equipment, especially better bullet-proof vests.

Each of the five Dallas police officers killed in the July 7 ambush shooting were wearing body armor, but it can only stop pistol rounds  not rifle fire, like what Micah Xavier Johnson was using.

Brown said he is also glad to see bi-partisan political support for increased funding.

President Barack Obama signed the Police Act into law on July 22, just two weeks after the Dallas shooting.

The rounds fired in Tuesday's training session were made up of make-up and paint that can leave a bruise but don't do more damage than that.
Battles are brewing across Dallas over the $1.6 billion in school repair bond money voters approved in November.

One example is 50-year-old Edna Rowe Elementary School in the Buckner Terrace neighborhood of East Dallas.

Younger couples with small children have been moving into the established neighborhood near Interstate 30 and Jim Miller Road, according to homeowners association co-chairman Daniel Wood. To keep them there, Wood said Rowe Elementary needs big improvements.

"It's old. They haven't maintained it. It's falling apart. Even though academically they've performed very well at the school, we can't get the young couples in the door to stay in the neighborhood," Wood said.

Korey Mack, chairman of the Buckner Terrace homeowners association, works for Uplift Education Charter Schools. He said his young children will likely attend a new Uplift campus planned nearby instead of Rowe Elementary.

"Folks in the community have tried to reach out to the district to see if we can make it more esthetically pleasing," said Mack. "We feel like it would really be a feature that our neighborhood deserves."

Rowe Elementary is slated to receive $11,492,000 as one of 30 schools in the first round of bond money spending. Wood said the Dallas Independent School District currently plans to spend that money on a 12-classroom addition to Rowe Elementary. It would replace a 20-room modular building constructed many years ago, but Wood said it would overlook problems with the main building on the campus. Wood said the addition is too small and the entire school should be replaced or completely renovated.

"There's just not enough money to go around. I realize that. But when we do have the money we should be spending it wisely. And absolutely it's the key to the future," Wood said.

Parent Daniel Olivas said he has seen building problems at the neighborhood school while attending community meetings there. But his 4-year-old son will still begin Pre-K at Rowe this year after the family recently moved to Buckner Terrace.

"I'm more for supporting the public school because I'm a product of the public school," Olivas said. "The school is within walking distance so I was like, why not support the public school, even though my wife is a little bit reluctant to do so."

However, Olivas said he strongly supports improvement at the school.

"I want to see the neighborhood improve, get better," Olivas said.

Dallas ISD Spokesman Andre Riley said officials are still refining plans for all 30 campuses in the first round of spending and nothing is final yet.

"We look forward to bringing a proposal to the community that will be in the best interest of kids," Riley said.
The Florida retiree who was fatally shot during a citizen police academy drill was playing the part of an intruder when she was hit, her son said Wednesday.

Mary Knowlton, 73, was taking part in a "shoot/don't shoot" exercise when she was struck by a live round while almost three dozen other participants looked on, police said.

Knowlton's son, Steve Knowlston, tells NBC News that he forgives the Punta Gorda police officer who fired the fatal shot, adding his mother "taught us never to hate."

Punta Gorda Police Chief Tom Lewis said the fatal shot was fired from a revolver that the officer had used before in "earlier exercises."

"We were unaware that any live ammunition existed for this kind of weapon," Lewis said. "We thought only blanks were available."
Of art's many subjective roles, purposes, and functions, one truism is that each piece, even those hailing from centuries ago, possesses a thread, one that runs through the present day (whenever the present day happens to be).

These subtle yet strong threads connecting we modern viewers to the long-ago past are a pronounced feature in the nature-filled artworks currently on exhibition in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's Resnick Pavilion.

"Alternative Dreams: 17th-Century Chinese Paintings from the Tsao Family Collection," which includes dozens of stately scrolls, as well as painted fans and album leaves, features pieces by masters such as Dong Qichang, Bada Shanren, Luo Mu, and Wu Weiye.

Jung Ying Tsao was both an art dealer and a passionate collector and connoisseur of the period, compiling the many works on view over a number of decades.

Mr. Tsao passed away in 2011, but his dedication to saving and sharing the pieces created in "one of the most turbulent and creative eras in the history of Chinese art" finds a powerful legacy in "Alternative Dreams." (Disclosure: This writer is a friend to the Tsao family.)

That turmoil arose from the abutting of two dynasties, the Ming (which came to a dramatic end in 1644) and the Qing (China's final imperial dynasty, which reigned into the early 20th century). The artists witnessing these major shifts found inspiration in the ripples, and often huge waves, caused by the changes in power and ultimately society as a whole, as so often happens in times of upheaval.

The answer to that change, for the many masters featured in the show, was nature and its enduring elements, the mountains and rivers that ably weather human affairs. Birds, berries, blossoms, and towering trees are also seen throughout the scrolls and fans, while people, too, make appearances in the wondrous settings.

Above all, the landscape dominates, offering serenity and light. Poetry further enriches many of the works, as does calligraphy (the museum offers a helpful primer on the five types of Chinese calligraphy near the entrance).

Monks and scholars are among the artists featured in the exhibit, which brings a reflective, inner-looking/inner-knowing quality to the collection as a whole.

Perhaps the strongest thread of all, in an artwork fashioned centuries back, is that of nature, something that's intimately known by both artist and contemporary viewer. Trees and mountains and birds are a connective thread, as is our current knowledge of what the artists were encountering, and finding inspiration in, during their lifetimes.

"Alternative Dreams: 17th-Century Chinese Paintings from the Tsao Family Collection" is on view at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art through Dec. 4, 2016.

Pictured: Dong Qichang 1555-1636, "Winter Landscape in the style of Li Cheng & Calligraphy, Ming Dynasty, Wanli reign, 1613. Handscroll; ink on silk. 26.4 x 257.8 cm (10 3/8 x 101 1/2 in.) The Tsao Family Collection, photo by Michael Tropea
Pasadena is one of Southern California's most storied and historic burgs, no doubt about it. And the city has had the necessary time to develop some charming quirks over the years, including many that have become treasured local fixtures.

It's home to the annual Doo Dah Parade, one of the most outlandish struts in this state or any other. And on New Year's Day some truly whimsical vehicles, all covered in flowers, roll down Colorado Boulevard to the delight of people around the planet.

And over at the Crown City's local Humane Society & SPCA? Why that's where Tina has resided for quite a long stretch.

Tina is not a cuddly pooch nor a purring feline; she's all alligator. She just happens to be an alligator who has called the Raymond Avenue pet shelter home for the better part of two decades.

Pet shelters, of course, don't typically house alligators, but Tina has been a special resident, indeed. But her Humane Society residency is now completed: The 7-footer has a new address as of Wednesday, Aug. 10: the Los Angeles Zoo.

Her story, detailed on the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA web site, intrigues. The American Alligator "was one of the many wild and exotic animals that came to PHS in 1998 when a traveling wildlife education program closed due to permitting issues."

The 100-pound reptile lived in an enclosed pond area on the property, soon becoming a "beloved local icon," per the society. People arriving to adopt a new puppy or cat often knew to make a minute or two to visit the center's most singular tenant.

But Tina's "singular" days are done. She was never meant to live forever and always at Pasadena Humane, and a dream of a roomier habitat is a reality: She's settling in at the LA Zoo, alongside enclosure mate Reggie, another rescue.

"Tina and Reggie will be sharing an enclosure," says the society on Facebook. "Reggie has lived with a female alligator before, and LA Zoo staff will closely monitor and take care of the pair."

"(S)afe placement outside of the shelter may have been difficult to obtain," says the shelter, but that goal is now a happy reality.

As is the fact that the alligator hasn't gone too far. Staffers and volunteers of the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA, as well as visitors who came to expect a Tina sighting, can now make for the Griffith Park destination to admire the reptile in her more spacious home.

As for finding your next furry friend or lending support to the Pasadena-based animal agency, which marked its first centennial in 2003? Tails are a-waggin' this way.
Betty Braddom thought she had won $1.2 million. But then the calls started coming telling her she had to pay money before she could claim her prize.

"These people are just so convincing," says Debbie Lynch, Braddoms daughter.

Braddom sent about $35,000 in two months  mostly overseas to someone in Costa Rica. Lynch found out about her mothers secret after receiving a call from police.

"Here I have the police calling you about your parents," Lynch says.

It turns out a manager at Braddoms bank became concerned and called police, after seeing the 80-year-old withdraw thousands of dollars. Lynch even intercepted an envelope addressed to a man in South Florida.

"I opened the envelope to see what was inside," she says. "There was another envelope addressed to him. It had five $500 money orders inside of there. I just lost it."

Braddom believed the man  Michael Richey  worked for American Sweepstakes.

"He was supposed to be the agent that was gonna bring me my million dollars,"she says.

NBC 6 Responds tracked down Richey  a 67-year-old living in Margate. He assured us he was not an agent for the sweepstakes.

"If I was, I wouldnt be throwing my own money into it," he says.

His living room was full of receipts and letters associated with his attempts to claim his prize. He, too, was told he needed to send money to get his $1.7 million. When we asked him how much he was told he had to pay in order to release that money, he responded: "Well, I got $70,000, $70,000 something in it."

Richey says he wired most of that money abroad  also to Costa Rica. When he told the scammers he didnt have any more money to send, he started receiving checks from so-called "sponsors"  people he thought were going to help him claim his prize.

"I probably had, I dont know, 15, 20 sponsors," he says, adding that they sent him different amounts from all over the country.

At first, Richey didnt seem to believe that the scammers were using him to steal money from other victims  until we told him about Braddom.

"I sure didnt think of it that way, that theyre going to use me like that," he says. "Evidently, thats what theyre doing."

He added: "I hate to be involved in anything like that. If I had any knowledge of it, I wouldnt have been involved in it."

Richey says he did as he was told and sent the money he received from others to Costa Rica.

"I got receipts not only [for] my money and every money these people sent, too," he says.

Lynch, meanwhile, thinks about the money her mother lost. She says her dad worked hard to make sure Braddom would be taken care of before he died of cancer at age 55. She hopes her story serves as a warning.

"Do not think this cannot happen in your family," Lynch says. "If you had told me a couple of years ago that this was going to happen, I would have never believed it."

American Sweepstakes is a real company. But, on their website, they specifically note that they do not run any sweepstakes under their name and that criminals are using their logo and name to deceive people like Braddom and Richey.

The owner of the company tells NBC 6 they get anywhere between 5 and 15 calls a day from people who have been scammed.

He says this has been going on for nearly 10 years and that hes reported this scam to the Federal Trade Commission.

Remember, sweepstakes winners are never required to pay anything before receiving a prize.
A Florida woman who was part of a citizen police academy at the Punta Gorda Police Department died after she was accidentally shot by an officer Tuesday night, officials said.

The woman, identified as 73-year-old Mary Knowlton, was participating in a "shoot or don't shoot" scenario when the shooting happened, Police Chief Tom Lewis told WBBH.

She was taken to Lee Memorial Hospital where she later died. The officer involved was placed on administrative leave while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

"I am devastated for everyone involved in this unimaginable event. If you pray, please pray for Mary's family, and for the officers who were involved. Everyone involved in this accident is in a state of overwhelming shock and grief," Lewis said.

Authorities didn't immediately say how a gun with a live round came to be used at Tuesday evening's demonstration, noting blank rounds are typically used in such classes.

"We were unaware that any live ammunition was available to the officer,'' Lewis said at a news conference Wednesday. "The officer involved is grief stricken. We've got officers assigned to him to make sure he's psychologically stable.''

Knowlton, a well-known community volunteer, was shot after being randomly selected to take part in the role-playing scenario illustrating the split-second decisions an officer must make about firing. It was part of a popular citizens academy attended by 35 people, including her 75-year-old husband.

Her son, Steve Knowlton, said his father was "devastated."

The younger Knowlton said in an interview Wednesday at his parent's home that, on his mother's behalf, he was forgiving the officer who fired.

"There's too much hate in this world, in America, we always feel like we need revenge and it doesn't solve anything,'' he said. "I obviously can't say it's easy to forgive, but it needs to be done. She's watching me now."

Punta Gorda Police Lt. Katie Heck said officers in such demonstrations normally use "simunition guns," which are real-looking weapons that fire a non-lethal projectile with reduced force. But Knowlton was mistakenly struck with a live round, officials said.

Later Wednesday afternoon, Heck identified the officer as Lee Coel and said he has worked for the department since 2014. She said Coel frequently gave department presentations and tours, "specifically role-playing in these shoot/don't shoot scenarios."

The class put on by the Chamber of Commerce and the Punta Gorda police station, was just one stop during the weeks-long curriculum.

Officer Oscar Vasquez of the Jacksonville, Illinois Police Department, who is president of the National Citizens Police Academy Association, said he had never heard of anyone taking part in such courses being fatally shot. He said most departments do not use weapons in "shoot/don't shoot" scenarios that are capable of firing a live round.

"When we run scenarios, we will use starter pistols," Vasquez told The Associated Press. "You can't even put live ammunition in them."

Some departments use video simulators or other non-lethal devices, he said. Officers involved in most citizen academies don't typically even bring service weapons into classes, he added. Citizens are told beforehand that live weapons won't be used.

"We put them in the shoes of the officers so they can see, real time, the decisions we have to make and the time frame we have to make them."

With suspicions running high between police and many citizens in recent years, particularly in minority communities, Vasquez said a death like the one in Punta Gorda is extremely unfortunate.

"It just breaks my heart. It's such a tragedy," he said.

Mary Knowlton attended the class with her husband and it was supposed to be "a fun night," her son said.

Steve Knowlton tearfully told reporters Wednesday that he used to tease his mother about how much she worked in retirement. She helped with the local Chamber of Commerce, was active in a program for at-risk kids where she made lunch for the students, loved the library and spent hours there volunteering.

Mary Knowlton moved to Florida after living for many years in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota.

Books and magazines lay scattered on tables of the home she shared in Florida with Gary, her husband of 55 years. The couple split their time between Minnesota and the small Gulf Coast community. She had two sons.

Steve said that his father hadn't yet been able to see his wife's body, more than 12 hours after the shooting.

"To see your wife shot and killed, and not be able to see her..." Steve Knowlton said, his eyes filling with tears.

And yet, Knowlton said his mother would have wanted him to forgive the officer who pulled the trigger.

"I forgive him. My mom was very spiritual. She brought us up right," he said. "He without sin casts the first stone."

Carolyn Hartwigsen, of Edina, Minnesota, told The Associated Press she was a longtime friend of Knowlton. She said Knowlton had a love of books and tried to instill that in young readers.

"So much is on the internet now. But, books are so important to have in children's hands. That was important to her," Hartwigsen said.

Hartwigsen said Mary and her husband would come back to Minnesota periodically to visit.

"She was the salt of the earth, a beautiful soul and the kindest women you would know," she said.
A man charged with shooting his ex-girlfriend at a Denny's restaurant in Miami withdrew his request for a Stand Your Ground hearing.

Sean Barnes appeared in court Wednesday after sending the immunity request to the judge.

However, his defense attorney decided to withdraw the motion and instead prepare for the criminal trial.

Barnes claims he acted in self-defense in the 2013 shooting of his ex-girlfriend, Brooke Tuchinsky.

Police say he shot Tucinsky in the face inside the Denny's women's bathroom. The victim survived the shooting.

The trial is now scheduled to begin on November 14th. Barnes could face between 25 years to life in prison, if convicted.

He is being held in jail without bond pending the trial.
Surveillance video of an armed robbery at a Miami Little Caesars Pizza was released by police Tuesday.

Security cameras captured a man, with his face partially covered, robbing an employee at gunpoint.

The heist happened Tuesday afternoon at the Little Caesars Pizza located on 827 Southwest 8th Avenue.

Miami police say the crook walked into the store demanding cash while threatening the male employee.

The clerk complied and gave the thief money from inside four cash registers.

The armed robber grabbed the money, ran out of the store and fled in an unknown direction. The clerk was not hurt.

Detectives describe the suspect as a slim-built light-skinned black male, approximately 5-foot-10.

He was last seen wearing a black shirt/sweater around his face, a long sleeve black shirt and black pants.

Anyone with information on the case is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne may not have been the sharpest tools in the box, but my God those dudes had a nice set of wheels. The 'Mutt Cutts' vans took the lads most of the way to Aspen (until of course Lloyd traded it for a moped) but the van also made a re-appearance in the sequel, Dumb and Dumber To.

Turns out, there's an exact replica of the van here in Ireland, and it could be yours for the tidy sum of 7,500. The replica of the 'Shaggin Wagon' is currently available on Donedeal, and was originally imported from the USA (so it's a left-hand drive).

Underneath all that fur, the van is a 1986 Ford Econoline and is classed as a vintage car. The owners do mention that the outer dog part can be removed, but why would you want to?

The van was previously used for promotional purposes and has front seats that can swivel round to face the rear, where there is a table and a double bench seat.

Fancy.

Via DoneDeal
Theres a flash of skin for every flash of gunfire in director Daniel Sullivans modernized take on Troilus and Cressida, one of the Bards rarely produced problem plays - so called for the way it lurches from romance to comedy and tragedy.

The sweaty end to The Publics Shakespeare in the Park season runs through Sunday at the Delacorte Theater, after an opening delayed by injury to one of the lead actors  the fellow playing Achilles, no less.

Troilus and Cressida is set during the seventh year of the Trojan War, as a prince vies for the affections of a strong and eventually willing woman. The romance between the title characters is largely subplot. Most of what transpires concerns the heroes of the Iliad, as they debate whether to return the captive Helen, or continue to fight.

Clearly, Sullivan (Proof, Cymbeline) has considered that his Troilus would run in sweltering August, assembling not just a cast of fine Public Theater vets, but a gaggle of buff and oiled up guys who look as if they strutted out of an Equinox gym.

Troilus and Cressida may not have made your college syllabus, and the director makes a key move that resolves any potential difficulties with familiarity: Troilus has been naturalized into 2016 idiom, making it delightfully easy to follow, if you dont mind all the mugging that comes along with it.

We have a Cressida (Ismenia Mendes, playing hard-to-get) who downloads videos of hot soldiers alongside her leering uncle (the ever-marvelous John Glover, as Pandarus, the mischievous old rogue). Trojan fighters are clad in solid black police gear, while the Greeks don desert camouflage, when theyre wearing shirts at all.

The final 20 minutes of the second act are almost non-stop smoke and gunfire. My sole gripe with the production was an over-reliance on hand-to-hand combat sequences, which are difficult to pull off for extended periods without calling attention to their staginess.

For star wattage, Troilus offers up stage vet Corey Stoll as a suit-clad Ulysses (Netflix buffs will remember him being left to suffocate in a garage by Frank Underwood as the first season of House of Cards drew to a close).

Stoll, alongside John Douglas Thompson and Edward James Hyland, as older Greek fighters, shrewdly manipulate Achilles (Louis Cancelmi, with enough scruff to be confused for Adam Levine) into returning to the battlefield. How? By ignoring him, and focusing their attention on Ajax (played with lunkheaded dopeyness by Alex Breaux).

Andrew Burnap, as Troilus, nails the ideal of the noble but impetuous prince, accusing brother Hector (the excellent Bill Heck) of being a failure as a warrior for not routinely finishing off his enemies with a death blow.

Max Casella provides comic relief as Thersites, the vulgar and cynical Greek left to beg for his life in more situations than he probably prefers.

The LGBT elements of Greek mythology -- at least, what 21st century New Yorkers would call the gay subtext -- have been brought to the surface, particularly between Achilles and his companion, Patroclus (Tom Pecinka), whose murder at the hands of the Greeks dispels any possibility of a peaceful ending.

Troilus and Cressida, through Aug. 14 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Free tickets are distributed on site beginning at 12 p.m. on the day of each performance.

Follow Robert Kahn on Twitter@RobertKahn
What to Know Karina Vetrano's body was found face-down in a marsh hours after she was reported missing Aug. 2

Police say she had been beaten and sexually assaulted

Authorities are hoping a partial DNA sample will generate leads in the case

The family of a 30-year-old runner whose body was found in a Queens marsh last week is trying to raise $100,000 for a reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.

Philip Vetrano said Wednesday that his family has created a GoFundMe fundraiser to increase the reward for information leading to an arrest in the killing of his daughter Karina Vetrano.

The 30-year-old woman normally exercised with her father but disappeared after leaving for a run on Aug. 2. Her father, 60, reported her missing and was with the search party when her body was found later that week. Authorities said that she had been sexually assaulted and strangled but put up a "ferocious" fight.

No arrests have been made in the case, and authorities are reviewing digital evidence and DNA samples found at the park. Authorities have said it appeared that Vetrano was killed in a random attack.

Philip Vetrano, a retired firefighter who responded to ground zero after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, said that the family's hope in raising the money is to create a large enough incentive for someone who knows who killed his daughter to come forward.

"I need your help," he said. "Whatever you can give -- $5, it doesn't matter -- we need to raise this money and we need to raise it quickly."

So far, donors have contributed more than $27,000 toward the family's $100,000 goal. The money will be added to a $20,000 reward being offered by Crime Stoppers.

The fundraiser comes three days after Cathie Vetrano said she hoped her daughter's killer a "pathetic, puny, weak piece of filth" who would "f---ing burn in hell."

On Wednesday, Philip Vetrano and a fellow firefighter also called on the federal government to take action to cut overgrown weeds along the section of park where Karina Vetrano disappeared. Federal parks administrators have said they plan to add additional security measures at the park but that it would be costly to chop down the overgrown grass.

Vetrano's death has similarities with the killing of Vanessa Marcotte, a New York City Google employee who was found dead after leaving for a run at her mother's house in Princeton, Massachusetts, over the weekend. Her body was found in the woods about a half-mile from the home and she appeared to be the victim of a homicide.

No arrests have been made in that killing, either, and police have said that there is nothing to indicated the two killings were connected. Philip Vetrano, likewise, said the deaths were "totally unrelated."

Anyone with information about Vetrano's death should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
A homeowner whose 12-foot-tall "patriotic lawn T" was torched over the weekend has replaced the ruined work with an even larger tribute to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Crowds cheered as Sam Pirozzolo's raised a 16-foot, star-spangled "T" outside his home on Staten Island, less than two days after an arsonist torched a similar tribute.

"By putting up a 'T', I'm not just exercising my first amendment right, I'm saying, 'You are not going to scare me away,'" Pirozzolo said.

Pirozzolo's tribute was painted by local artist and fellow Trump supporter Scott LoBaido. The pair said that they decided to paint a new sign as soon as the old one was destroyed and said as much when Trump surprised them with a phone call on Monday.

"I said, 'Don't worry Donald, I'm going to make another one tomorrow and it's going to be yuge,'" LoBaido said. "He liked that."

Police, meanwhile, are continuing to search for the arsonist who torched the original sign on Sunday.

Pirozzolo said over the weekend that the "T" stands for tolerance of all political views as much as it does his political views.

"If it were a big 'H' That was burned down I wouldn't be happy about it," he said. "You don't like my 'T?' Put up an 'H' on your property."

Anyone with information on the arson should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, installed Americas first pizza vending machine, NBC News reported.

Open 24/7, Pizza ATM dispenses fresh pizza within three minutes of ordering. The 12-inch pies cost $9 to $10, depending on the toppings. The vending machine holds 70 pizzas at a time. The pizzas will be made by staff in the dining hall, but will be heated by the machine at 475 degrees.

"We were looking for a cost-effective way to solve this problem of having a late-night pizza option on campus," Xavier Assistant Vice President Jude Kiah told NBC News. "We liked the idea of being the first school to have this high-quality machine."

The machine is made by Paline, a company based in France. The dispensers are popular in Europe.
New Castle County officials say a picnic turned painful for a dozen children who were stung by wasps during an outing by about 200 summer campers at a local park.

Authorities say three children visiting Rockwood Park were treated at nearby A.I. duPont/Nemours Children's Hospital and released, while nine others were treated on site Wednesday by county paramedics.

County workers cordoned off the area with caution tape and monitored the wasp nest pending the arrival of an exterminator.

County executive Tom Gordon said officials were planning to bring ice cream to the children on Friday.
A Delaware County man is gearing up to watch his son compete in the 2016 Rio Olympics after a GoFundMe campaign raised over $7,500 for his trip.

Ellis Hill will fly to Brazil to watch his son go for gold in the track and field competition of shot put next week.

As an Uber driver, Hill met Liz Willock who made it her mission to get Hill to Rio after finding out his son was competing and that the father could not afford to go. After Willock created a GoFundMe that NBC10.com reported on it, Hills dream to go to Rio became reality.

Ellis Hill is going to Rio! After a successful GoFundMe campaign raised over $7,500, Ellis is set to see his son compete in the 2016 Olympic Games.

On Monday, Hill will catch a flight before Darrells Track & Field events begin. As Hill cheers in the stands, look out for Darrell in his first event on August 18 at 8:50 a.m.

I got everything together and I am ready for Rio. I am excited because I will be with the Kovacs the whole time I am there. We are meeting up there and when I get off the flight I will be right with them, Hill told NBC10.com Wednesday.

Former Nittany Lions, Joe Kovacs and Darrell Ellis, will compete next to each other in the Track & Field Shot Put events.

Ellis Hill is extremely excited to watch his son because it has been years since he saw him compete in person.

I havent really seen him compete because hes been all around the country. Hes been in Kansas and places like that, but Im not going to those places. But to have my son be an Olympian and go to it the first time around and I finally get to be there to watch him compete is everything to me, Hill said.

Hill is extremely grateful to Willock and everyone who supported the GoFundMe campaign.

The most important thing about this trip is that I want to really give a shout out to the people that donated to the cause because I think they are the greatest people that I have ever come in contact with. People like Liz and everyone else. There are so many things going on in the world and they came and gave me their attention, money, and support and they didnt even know me. So it is an amazing feeling to go to Rio, Hill said.
A New Jersey teenager with Autism is getting the help he needs thanks to a successful GoFundMe campaign and now his family is hoping they may be able to pay it forward.

Jack Morgan, a 14-year-old from Princeton, New Jersey, has been battling a complex case of Autism in which he injures himself, sometimes severely, with bruises, black eyes and internal bleeding. He was diagnosed as a toddler and as he's gotten older, has become more of a danger to himself, his mother Laura Morgan said.

Recently Jack was offered admittance to a highly-regarded program at the Kennedy Krieger Institute (KKI) in Baltimore, Maryland. Treatment at the facility would help "address these behaviors so he and our family can start to live a happy and productive life," Morgan writes on the GoFundMe page. But it comes at a hefty six-figure price tag -- one the Morgan family's insurance company initially would only cover a fraction of.

The GoFundMe campaign raised over $52,000, exceeding by a slight margin the $51,900 goal set. The page said 594 people gave in the last nine days.

With the help of local lawyer, Jodi Bouer, the insurance company has now agreed to cover the treatment and Jackson was admitted to KKI on Friday. However, the Morgans and Bouer caution the fight is not over.

"We can expect that our insurer will deny coverage for continuing services within the next few months of even weeks, hit us with uncovered and out-of-network medical expenses requiring another legal battle and potentially leaving us with a bill of hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical expenses, Morgan writes on the GoFundMe page.

The money raised will help pay for expenses during Jack's treatment at KKI, if any issues should arise.

"We have a long road ahead," Bouer said. "We're hoping for the best case scenario."

The Morgans are "thrilled and humbled" by the amount of people who helped donate to the page and said they are happy the cause has highlighted the shortage of facilities like KKI. Should any crowdfunding money be left over, the Morgan family "plans on donating it to an autism-related charity to help other kids like Jackson get the help they need."

"Jackson's future is already looking a lot brighter because of your help," Morgan writes. "We thank you from the bottom of our heart for all that you have done for our family!"
HERE WE GO AGAIN

Weve already had four heat waves in Philadelphia this summer season (1 in May, 3 in July), combining for 25 days with 90+ degree temperatures. In short: a pretty hot summer. Now, another heat wave is about to start.

Were not the only place about to get some excessive heat. Heres the map of temperatures compared to normal for late Thursday and then late Saturday:

The darker the reddish color, the hotter its going to be than normal.

Here are our predictions for high temperature/highest heat index:

THUNDERSTORMS, TOO?

Moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, combined with Atlantic moisture will lead to a LOT of rain over parts of the Eastern half of the country. Unfortunately, the prime rain areas wont be moving a lot. So that adds up to some flood threats-especially near the Gulf Coast, and a zone from Southern Indiana to Northern PA.

The way the pattern is setting up, there should be a lot more rain in the Lehigh Valley, Berks County, and the Poconos than in the Philadelphia area. And there should be even less south of Philadelphia, in southern Delaware and the Jersey Shore. In fact, when you combine the heat relief with ocean breezes PLUS more sunshine, the shore will be a great place to be during this heat wave. And, as an added bonus, the ocean temperature is near 80 degrees, which is about as warm as it gets around here. Thats about 8 degrees warmer than the average ocean temperature in August.
Authorities have arrested a convicted child molester caught illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

The incident happened at approximately 4 p.m. Tuesday when U.S. Border Patrol agents saw three men climb over the border fence near Jacumba Hot Springs.

When agents responded, they found three men hiding in thick brush.

The men were subsequently arrested for illegally entering the country and were taken to a nearby border station for processing.

One of the men arrested had previously been deported after he finished serving a six-year prison sentence for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14.

The 43-year-old felon was taken to the Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego. He now faces federal charges for reentering the U.S. as a previously deported foreign national.

To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.

No other information was immediately available.
A woman was injured after being hit by an SUV in City Heights on Tuesday evening, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) confirmed.

The incident happened at approximately 6:29 p.m. on the 4300 block of University Avenue near Fairmount Avenue.

University Avenue between 44th Street and Fairmont Avenue was closed off while police investigated the incident.

According to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), the driver, a 46-year old woman, did stay at the scene.

The victim, believed to be between 35-40 years old, was transported to Scripps Mercy Hospital. She suffered a laceration to her head and bleeding in her brain. Her injuries are considered to be life-threatening.

SDPD says she had been crossing outside of the pedestrian crosswalk when she was hit.

Drugs and alcohol were not considered to be a factor.

No other information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this developing news story.
The principal of a San Diego-area high school who was accused of falsely claiming to hold a doctorate degree is being reassigned to the central district office, NBC 7 has learned.

The Serra High School principal signed the email using the title that caused controversy and prompted teachers to demand his removal.

"Sadly, my last day at Serra will be Friday, August 12th," Vincent Mays wrote Wednesday in an email to parents of Serra High School.

He explained that the San Diego Unified School District extended an offer Tuesday for a new position.

"The position is so attractive that I could not refuse it. It will expand my role regarding equity initiatives," Mays wrote.

In a statement, the district said Mays will work to support commitments to improve student achievement.

In particular, his work will support commitments to improve student achievement and close the achievement gap for African, African American and Latino students. The district will follow normal protocol in replacing Principal Mays at Serra," the statement reads.

"It is our hope to have a new principal in place before the start of school. In the interim, qualified, experienced administrators will be put in place to provide a smooth transition. Last year, Serra students achieved an estimated 97 percent graduation rate. Working together, we are confident Serra High can achieve new levels of success in the future," the statement says.

Mays was accused by one group of teachers of being a bully and claiming to have a doctorate degree from a university that does not exist.

"From the beginning the issues with Mr. Mays were about his leadership, his treatment of female staff members, and his personal academic record. Every claim we brought forward was supported by data, survey results, witness reports, and careful research," Ralf Ubel, one of the teachers who filed the complaints, told NBC 7 in a previous interview.

The district's Office of Quality Assurance launched an investigation into the teachers' claims after they filed a complaint in May.

According to his resume found online, Mays says he received his Ph.D. from Stamford Hill University.

NBC 7 Investigates found there was no record of the school from the U.S. Department of Education, no record of the school from the Florida State Department of Education and no business licenses, now or in the past.
San Diego-area school children toured a police station Wednesday as part of a pilot program designed to improve the relationship between community members and the San Diego Police Department.

Students taking part in "Readers in the Heights" were selected to fingerprint officers in SDPDs Mid-City Division. They also interviewed officers about their jobs.

The kids were also able to witness a demonstration with police K-9 officers and climb through some vehicles used by officers to patrol the streets of San Diego.

Once the students finished their tour, they received a stick-on police badge and a certificate to take home.

The event, which was also attended by Chief of Police Shelley Zimmerman, was planned to encourage positive relationships and prevent future tensions between police and communities.

"This is extremely important for Mid-City because we are so tied in with our communities here," SDPD Capt. Mike Hastings said at the event. "A lot of people just think police officers just answer radio calls, when really were out in the communities, at community meetings and working with all the schools to integrate within our communities."

Hastings said the event gave the group of second-graders a chance to see what it's like to be a police officer, and maybe even inspire them to some day be officers themselves.

"To be a police officer is a calling and I think these kids are identifying now that they have that calling to serve others. I think thats important for them to identify now and to be able to work on and to grow on," Hastings added.

Zimmerman said interacting with kids eager to learn about police work was endearing, especially in light of difficult times for the police department as San Diego continues to mourn the death of SDPD Officer Jonathan "JD" De Guzman.

"Its been a tough few weeks and to see the bright smiles of the children as they approached our officers and gave everyone a high-five as they entered the station here and really, they felt at home and we were just so thrilled, thrilled to have them here," Zimmerman told NBC 7.

In the end, the chief said events like this will help make our communities safer.
A Serra Mesa family called NBC 7 Responds after they say their turf lawn was shrinking before their eyes.

I loved it for years and after about two years it started shrinking on me, John Willard said, describing the artificial turf in his front yard.

Looking at Willards lawn, you could see clear gaps between the turf and the sidewalk, some an inch wide.

Willard said he has been spending lots of energy trying to get the people who installed his lawn, Home Turf in San Diego, to call him back.

Willard said the warranty on the installation was for two years but the lawn is guaranteed for ten.

I want them to fix it and make it look good, Willard said.

Willard called NBC 7 Responds and things began to change.

Home Turf came out to replace Johns lawn and the company apologized for being so hard to get a hold of.

Cale Abramson, a Home Turf employee, said, Theres not somebody whos answering the phone at all times. Were working on that, were trying to make things better.

Abramson says the gaps in Johns front yard arent caused by shrinking turf but instead by expanding soil from this seasons El Nino rains.

Unfortunately its not our installation that was the problem, it was ground movement, Abramson said.

After NBC 7 Responds spoke with the Owner and President of Home Turf Kris Grant, Willard has a lawn he can be proud of.

Since the warranty on the installation had passed, Willard paid for the labor but didnt have to pay for the new turf.

In fact, Home Turf told us they installed a more expensive grade of lawn for free.
A woman was accused of slamming her vehicle into the side of a San Diego-area bar, apparently in an attempt to run over a man following an argument.

Charetta Evans, 33, was arrested under suspicion of assault with a vehicle following the crash at 2:38 a.m. outside the Last Call Bar on El Cajon Boulevard in Talmadge.

Evans got into a fight with a man when she walked away, according to witnesses.

San Diego Police say the man was standing on the patio outside the bar when a vehicle slammed into the area.

The man jumped out of the way, and Evans crashed into the patio instead, police said.

No one was injured.

A man who will be taking ownership of the bar on September 1 talked with NBC 7. He said the damage done "might make things easier" with his planned remodel.
A woman convicted of first degree murder for her role in the slaying of a U.S. Marine Corporal shortly before midnight on Christmas Eve in 1991 has been sentenced.

Kimberly Andrews, 40, was sentenced to 26 years to life behind bars Monday by Superior Court Judge Blaine Bowman for her role in Cpl. Lindell Mitchell's cold case death.

Mitchell was spending time with some of his fellow Marines at a gathering at his apartment on Christmas Eve when the crime happened, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. Andrews and her friends were invited to the get together and were at the apartment that night.

Andrews and Mitchell's roommate got into an argument at the gathering and Andrews threatened the Marines, saying she would be back with others to shoot up the home, the U.S. Attorney said.

Later that night, a group of men stormed into Mitchell's apartment, breaking down the door and ultimately shooting Mitchell in the back. He died as a result of his injuries.

Investigators could not identify most of those responsible for the crime at first and the case went cold for more than two decades.

However, in 2012, the case was cracked open when a joint investigation by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSO) and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) found new leads. New signs pointed detectives to Andrews, who was later arrested in Louisiana in July 2014.

Prosecutors say Andrews had Mitchell killed in his home.

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis praised the cold case homicide unit in their role in bringing closure to the victims' loved ones.

It took more than two decades for the defendant to be held responsible for her actions, but ultimately justice was served, Dumanis said in a statement.

In the process of their investigation, detectives also arrested James Wesley Noble, 59, in October for his role in the crime. Noble has been charged with first degree murder. His case is set to go to trial on Oct. 17.
Federal agents will keep possession of a mysterious bundle of $17,900 in cash found in a backpack by a passenger aboard an Amtrak train at Washington, D.C.s Union Station, after a months-long court battle over the cash.

A federal judge has ruled two New York City women who made formal claims for the cash were not credible enough to be given possession of the money.

The cash that an Amtrak passenger found when he walked off a train with the wrong backpack will remain in the custody of the Drug Enforcement Agency.

The DEA formally sought possession of the money from the Metropolitan Police Department, which recovered the cash from the good Samaritan that turned it in.

The DEA said there was reason to believe the money was intended to be furnished by a person in exchange for a controlled substance, according to court filings.

The saga of the cash began in 2014, when the good Samaritan notified police he had found $17,900 in a backpack that he mistakenly carried off a train.

According to a report from investigators obtained by the News4 I-Team, the man discovered the cash tucked inside the bag. The man, who is referred to in court records only as M.M.A., notified Amtrak police.

According to paperwork filed by federal prosecutors in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the money was linked to another passenger aboard the train, a man named Peter Rodriguez, who remained on board until the Amtrak train reached New York City. Rodriguez acknowledged being the owner of the bag, but denied carrying money in it, according to court filings.

In the following months, Rodriguez was arrested for selling controlled substances in New York.

Rodriguezs mother and her domestic partner formally claimed ownership of the money and asked a court to order officials to hand over the cash to them. The women, Angela Rodriguez and Joyce Copeland, argued they had placed the bag of cash in Peter Rodriguezs bag without notifying him.

Copeland told investigators she had sold a mink coat to raise some of the cash, according to court filings. The couple said they pooled the cash to purchase a car for a planned move from New York to North Carolina.

A federal judge, in an opinion reviewed by the I-Team, dismissed Rodriguez and Copelands claims for the cash. The judge said the couples story defies common sense.

The claimants allegedly stored thousands of dollars in cash for months on end despite having access to interest-bearing Citibank and JPMorgan Chase accounts," the judge said in his formal opinion.

Lastly, and most decisively, the Court rejects as outlandish that Claimants would have left a bag containing $17,900 in Peters backpack -- or anywhere else in his apartment -- rather than keep it in their protective custody until it could be spent as intended," the ruling also said.

The good Samaritan who reported finding the cash has not been identified.

News4 was not able to reach Rodriguez or Copeland for comment.
Brian Murphy and his employees started a multimillion-dollar baking company in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay, hoping it would bring tourism and jobs to an island struggling to survive. But its been a tough sell.

Karen Coulbourne makes it look so easy when she plops on just the right amount of icing, spreading layer after layer to create the iconic Smith Island cake.

Its relaxing, she said. I just love making them.

Karen grew up on Smith Island, a remote community of about 200 people living on the last inhabited island in Maryland not connected by a bridge.

Its all family, she explained. I would not change it for the world. It is the most awesome place to me.

She said theres no crime, no police department and no government in the community where everyone knows everybody, and every woman knows how to carefully stack as many as ten layers of yellow cake between gooey frosting using recipes passed on since the 1800s.

I stood under my grandmas apron, to learn how to make her version of the cake, Karen said.

Murphy is not from Smith Island.

The former commodities trader grew up on the Eastern Shore about 50 miles away and said he was visiting the island as a tourist when he had his first bite of Maryland's official state cake. "I ate a cake and I said, Wouldn't it be fun to start a business in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay?"

Murphy originally set up shop on the island in 2009, creating taller cakes to satisfy out-of-state customers paying $55 per creation.

But he said the reality of shipping ingredients by boat finally caught up with him when he started to become a victim of his own success. "The roof was leaking, the power wasn't reliable, the phone doesn't work and the ferry sometimes isn't realiable because of weather. And you're moving tens of thousands of pounds of butter and milk."

When he could no longer get enough dry ice to the island to ship all his cakes, Murphy moved into a former seafood restaurant back on the mainland in Crisfield.

He said he offered to pay to ferry all of his employees from Smith Island to Crisfield. Its a 45-minute ride each way.

The offer still stands, he said. Any employees that want to come over, I will pay their ferry to and from."

But no one took him up on the offer.

Except for Coulbourne and her sister Donna Smith, who decided to follow the company and live full-time in Crisfield.

It was kind of hard for me to make a living in the winter time, so I moved over here," Coulbourne explained. "If I could have found a job over the winter months, I would still be there. I would never have moved."

The sisters are now busier than ever.

Even though Murphy just purchased high-tech machines to grease, flour and pour out just the right amount of batter, the icing and stacking are still done the old fashioned way.

"On average, we probably do around 300 cakes a day, Coulbourne said. Sometimes more around the holidays, it might be 400 to 450."

But Murphy said they can do even more, the only thing holding them back is space. We could do ten, twenty thousand cakes at Christmas if we could actually have a building."

After three years securing financing, Murphy is now transforming a former grocery store into a state of the art cake factory in Crisfield.

When asked about how his relationship with folks still living on the island, he said, "There are still some that are very skeptical. But I always say you can't fake showing up. When I put a million dollars in this building, they see that."

Murphy said he hopes tourists from the D.C. region will drive the three hours to Crisfield to visit his new factory, where they can see their food being made.

He plans to offer discounted ferry tickets back to where it all started. People will start saying, 'Wow, Smith Island is a really cool place to go.' Maybe they should buy a second home there or go fishing there or spend time, and that's how you really build an economy."

The centerpiece of his vision? A giant glass window at the front of the factory, with Karen Coulbourne and Donna Smith sitting up front, showing everyone what it takes to frost Marylands most famous cake.

Reported by Tisha Thompson, produced by Rick Yarborough, and shot and edited by Jeff Piper.
When Justin Callahan first arrived on Poplar Island, there wasn't much to see.

"There was literally nothing left out here," he said.

A project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Callahan explained how the once-inhabited island had eroded away from 1,140 acres in 1847 to less than five in 1993.

But the island is now bigger than ever because the government needed a place to put thousands of gallons of dredge.

"We're actually taking something that doesn't really have any particular use and we're using it to restore a vanishing habitat here in the Chesapeake Bay, Callahan said.

They pull the dredge out of the bottom of the Bays shipping channel just north of the Bay Bridge to a make room for the new mega-ships that are starting to come through the Panama Canal and into the Baltimore Harbor.

A lot of the employees on the island call the dredge when it first arrives chocolate milk because its about 90 percent water and about 10 percent solids, Callahan said.

Starting in 1993, the Army Corps first rebuilt the islands outer edge with heavy stone and created pods to pump the dredge into. Each pod divvied up by enough landfill to allow cars and heavy machinery to move around the island.

Once a pod fills up, it sits and dries out about three years until it becomes a wide, flat plain with large fissures crisscrossing the surface.

Bulldozers literally sculpt this barren land by creating carefully engineered channels and hillsides, before punching a hole in the pods dyke to allow water to flow in.

Once the bay water arrives, contract employees hand-plant marsh grasses. Callahan estimates theyve already planted two million plugs and have another two million to go.

"We're actually rebuilding a vanishing land," he said.

And as nearby islands testify, the threat of vanishing is very real here in the Chesapeake, with at least a dozen islands disappearing within the past 100 years.

"We know that we've already seen a foot of sea level rise over the last century," said Zoe Johnson of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration.

Shes spent her career studying the impact of sea level rise on the Bay.

"We could see in the next 50 years about one-and-a-half to two feet of sea level rise in the Chesapeake Bay, she said. And over the next hundred years, anywhere from four to six feet."

Johnson explained that along with Louisiana and Florida, the Chesapeake coastline is considered one of the most vulnerable areas in the nation because not only is the water rising, but the bottom of the bay is actually sinking, meaning some experts predict the water here could rise twice as fast as other parts of the country.

"What really strikes me are the significant amounts of land on Maryland's Eastern Shore and the Eastern Shore of Virginia that are vulnerable to even one or two feet of sea level rise, Johnson said. There are enormous expanses of land throughout the Chesapeake that are very low-lying, and those are the areas that are most vulnerable."

Johnson said marshes make terrific buffers between towns and flood waters because they naturally build up sediment that can keep up with sea level rise.

But Callahan said building marshland from scratch requires some complicated engineering. "It's rather difficult for a project when you're constructing marshes because marshes are designed to be inundated frequently by the tides, so you can't necessarily build a marsh so high to protect against sea level change without making the marsh ineffective."

He designed each pod to flood at least twice a day, and it appears to be working.

"We've been monitoring these things for years and we're seeing the ground surface of the marsh is rising, Callahan said. So, we know we're at least keeping up and in some cases outpacing sea-level rise. That's how we know we think these marshes are going to be around for a while."

Because the completed pods are now accreting sediment naturally on their own, Its very possible to build an island if you can find a financial benefit for it, Callahan said.

Before theyre done, they will spend more than $1 billion bringing the island back from the brink, because billions more depend on ships getting through to Baltimore, Callahan said.

And they've got to put all that dredge somewhere.

Reported by Tisha Thompson, produced by Rick Yarborough, and shot and edited by Steve Jones.
Montgomery County police say the man charged in the death of a 72-year-old Wheaton, Maryland, woman spoke with the victim's former tenant around the time the murder allegedly took place.

Kwasi Sadler, 23, of Northeast Washington was arrested Tuesday and admitted to killing Linda Cheryl Johnston, police say. He was charged with first-degree murder and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Sept. 2.

Johnston's body was found wrapped in a sheet inside her Arcola Avenue home Aug. 3. Police believe Johnston was murdered sometime between July 31 and Aug. 1, the same day the suspect was in contact with Johnston's former tenant, charging documents state.

Johnston's former tenant told police she moved out of the victim's home on or about July 29. The woman said she had to move because Johnston wanted her out by July 30, according to charging documents.

Johnston's friends and neighbors told News4 that Johnston rented out the basement of her home to help ends meet and had some concerns after asking a tenant to leave.

"She did mention renting her basement out and that she had a renter who had given her a lot of trouble as far as back-rent," Johnston's longtime friend Deborah Evans told News4.

Police say Sadler and Johnston's former tenant spoke multiple times around the time of Johnston's death. Three of the calls were placed on Aug. 1, the same day a neighbor reported seeing a man standing outside Johnston's home, charging documents state.

Immediately after Johnston's death, police say Sadler and his girlfriend used the victim's credit cards to make a series of purchases. A call was also placed from the suspect's phone to Johnston's bank, requesting that the victim's personal identification number be changed, police say.

Sadler was seen in surveillance footage driving the victim's gold Prius, according to charging documents. After his arrest, Sadler told police where they could find Johston's car, police say.

A police spokeswoman says neither Johnston's former tenant or Sadler's girlfriend have been charged at this time.
What to Know Sigma Gamma Rho teamed up with USA Swimming to start Swim1922, giving swimming and water safety lessons to children in minority groups.

Black children 5 to 19 years old are 5.5 times more likely to drown in swimming pools than white children of the same age, according the CDC

Alia Atkinson, a Sigma Gamma Rho member and Olympic swimmer, has advocated for the issue.

A historically black sorority is working with USA Swimming to make sure children, particularly those from minority groups, know how to swim.

Seventy percent of black children and 60 percent of Hispanic children have little or no swimming ability, compared to 40 percent of white children, a study by the University of Memphis for the USA Swimming Foundation says.

To help fight that statistic, Sigma Gamma Rho teamed up with USA Swimming in 2012 to start Swim1922, a project that teaches swimming and water safety to children.

We knew we needed to get involved, said Deborah Catchings-Smith, the national president of Sigma Gamma Rho. That was really an awakening for our organization.

Since it began, Swim1922 has hosted clinics throughout the country to help people of all ages get comfortable in the water.

The sorority reasoned that with more mothers and grandmothers swimming, they could "get more kids in the water."

"It starts with the parents, said Secenario Jones, the Swim1922 partnership liason for Sigma Gamma Rho.

Jones said she has watched women who previously had bad experiences gradually overcome their fears and learn to swim during clinics. She said she has enjoyed getting to see that progression, and know you are changing lives.

Catchings-Smith said it is particularly rewarding to teach senior citizens to swim -- something they have always wanted to learn but havent had time to do.

It is so rewarding because you can actually be a part of their history and their journey, Catchings-Smith said.

After learning to swim, Catchings-Smith said the seniors (make) a difference in their own communities and their own families by encouraging others to join in.

Since the projects beginning, Jones said she has watched the program evolve to focus on a local scale instead of a national one. The changes have proven effective, and USA Swimming announced in February, 2015, it would extend the program for several years.

Jones said local branches have "come up with their own way of implementing this program.

In Washington, D.C., that came into the form of a free clinic in April where Swim1922 worked with Howard Universitys swim team -- the only division one swimming program at a historically black college or university -- to give children a in-water swimming lesson and a water safety talk.

The sorority is working to plan another clinic between September 15 and 19 to align with the Congressional Black Caucus. Jones said the sorority is still working to figure out timing for the event.

USA Swimming has its own organization, Make a Splash, that works to make swimming more accessible. Along with the Swim1922 clinics, you can search online for a Make a Splash partner in your area for free swim lessons.

Jones said the clinics have given young people access to swimming that they wouldnt have had otherwise. And with that access, she said more people are starting to love the sport.

We started creating fans of the sport of swimming, she said.

Maritza McClendon, Olympic silver medalist and the first black woman to swim for Team USA, has become an ambassador for Swim1922, Catchings-Smith said. She said McClendon, a Sigma Gamma Rho member, has traveled the country to teach at swim clinics and share how she started swimming -- as medical therapy for scoliosis. Now, shes an Olympian.

It was not intentional, Catchings-Smith said.

Young swimmers can also find inspiration in Alia Atkinson -- a Sigma Gamma Rho member who broke the world record for the 100m breaststroke in 2014 and competed for Jamaica in the Rio Olympics. Jones said Atkinson spoke at two Swim1922 conferences in the Baltimore area on how she started swimming, why it is an important skill to learn and what opportunities swimming gave her.

But the program has a wider impact than the potential to teach the next Alia or Simone, Jones said.

Its a life skill, you know, Jones said. It can save your life.
In an alleged attack the head of Metro called "sickening," a man who drove a Metro van for people with disabilities was arrested Tuesday on charges he committed a sex offense against a passenger.

Derrick Lamont Bowen, 44, is charged with assaulting an adult female MetroAccess passenger Tuesday morning in Laurel, Maryland, Metro Transit Police said Wednesday morning.

The woman has an intellectual disability, police said.

A witness saw a sex act occurring in the van and called 911, police said.

Bowen, who drives a MetroAccess van as an employee of the contractor Transdev Corporation, parked his van about 8 a.m. Tuesday in a church parking lot on the 12700 block of Claxton Drive, police said.

A witness told police Bowen walked to the rear of the van and engaged in a sex act with a passenger, police said. No other passengers were on board at the time.

Prince George's County police responded and arrested Bowen, a Southeast D.C. resident. The woman was taken to a hospital to be evaluated.

Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld called the alleged attack "sickening." He said that all MetroAccess drivers are vetted and expected to be professional, whether they work for Metro or contractors.

Bowen was charged with third-degree sex offense, a fourth-degree sexual contact and second-degree assault.

The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are possible.

Information on Bowen's lawyer was not available immediately.

GPS data confirmed the van he was driving was stopped in the parking lot in Laurel at the time of the 911 call, police said.

Anyone with information that may help detectives is asked to call Metro Transit Police at 202-962-2121.
Two people were killed in a mobile home fire in Brattleboro, Vermont on Tuesday night.

Brattleboro Fire was called to the scene of the 2-alarm fire in a mobile home at 3 Record Drive in Mountain Home Park shortly before midnight. The caller said people were still inside.

Two occupants of the home met firefighters outside and told them that two people were still inside the mobile home. Firefighters attempted to douse the flames but were unable to enter the structure due to the amount of fire and heat.

Twenty firefighters from two towns helped battle the blaze. Several other stations provided station coverage for Brattleboro.

Once the fire was knocked down, a search was done and two victims were located inside.

They have been identified as Glen Euber, 42, and Michelle Blake, 52, according to necn affiliate NBC 5.

The mobile home was destroyed in the fire, and one of the other occupants suffered a second-degree burn to the back of his neck.

The origin and cause of the fire remains under investigation by Brattleboro Fire, Brattleboro Police, Vermont State Police's Fire Investigation Unit and the Vermont Division of Fire Safety.
Police have identified and obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect involved in a Bridgewater home invasion and Waterbury car break-ins.

Dustin Holst-Grubbe of Millterton, New York, is accused of home invasion, assault of an elderly person, first-degree assault with a deadly weapon, stealing a firearm, two counts of burglary and larceny and credit card theft.

Last week, police said Victor Compe, 64, was shot during a home invasion early Thursday morning. His wife, Samantha Moore, 63, was also home at the time but was not injured.

State police said they received the 911 call around 3:40 a.m. to respond to 606 South Main St. because a male resident, identified as Compe, had been shot. The caller, Moore, was administering aid to her husband.

Compe was alert when troopers arrived and he was rushed to Danbury Hospital. His wound does not appear life-threatening, police said Friday.

During the search, police shut down a mile-long stretch of road after the home invasion and found a shotgun and a vehicle on South Main Street that had been reported stolen out of New York.

A resident near the home invasion scene also reported a vehicle was stolen and officers later recovered a vehicle in Waterbury reported stolen from Bridgewater.

Police were able to determine that the car recovered in Waterbury and multiple other stolen cars in New York were linked to the Bridgewater home invasion, Connecticut State Police said.

The day before the home invasion, Holst-Grubbe allegedly stole money from the Oakhurst Diner in Millerton, New York.

On Aug. 7, Holst-Grubbe turned himself into Millerton Police.

On Aug. 8 and 9, multiple arrest warrants were being prepared for Holst-Grubbe by Western District Major Crime, Middletown (NY) Police Department and the Duchess County Sheriff's office (NY) for crimes committed in their respective jurisdictions, Connecticut State Police said.

Dustin Holst-Grubbe is currently being held in New York for charges determined through their investigation. The Connecticut warrant will be served upon the authorization of the courts and Holst-Grubbes transfer to Connecticut.
What to Know Vanessa Marcotte's body was found naked and burned on Sunday about a half-mile from her mother's home in Princeton, Massachusetts

Police are asking residents to be remain vigilant and pay attention to their surroundings

Authorities have not ruled out connections to similar killings involving joggers in other states

As officials continue investigating the murder of a jogger in Princeton, Massachusetts, hundreds of tips are pouring in.

Vanessa Marcotte, a 27-year-old New York City resident who was reported missing after she went for a jog while visiting her mother in Princeton, was found dead earlier this week. Her body, according to a law enforcement source, was naked and burned.

The Worcester County District Attorney's Office is looking for any information that can help solve Princeton's first murder case in three decades.

"We're asking the citizens of Princeton to use an abundance of caution," DA Joseph Early Jr. said.

Officials are not ruling anything out when it comes to finding the person responsible. That includes looking into connections between this tragedy and the murder of another runner, Karina Vetrano in Queens. That woman's father, however, told reporters he doesn't see a connection to the Princeton killing.
The Boston Red Sox cancelled the David Ortiz bobblehead giveaway that was scheduled for Tuesday night's game.

The team released a statement Tuesday afternoon that said, "the bobbleheads were unacceptable to the new club and not appropriate for distribution."

A statement from the #RedSox regarding tonight's David Ortiz bobblehead giveaway: pic.twitter.com/btKRFyvDIE  Red Sox (@RedSox) August 9, 2016

Team president Sam Kennedy spoke with the Boston Globe and told the paper the bobblehead "doesn't really look like David...I personally thought it seemed to be an offensive portrayal of him and racially insensitive."

Some fans who attended the game were disappointed to go away empty handed.

"My husband and my son and his friend stood in line and then they found out they couldn't get them," said Char Farman.

A few fans told necn that despite the quality of the bobblehead, they would have taken it regardless.

"I don't think it came out bad," said Meko Washington. "It looks nice to me. I don't see the racial problem with it. People look too into race with these things."

The manufacturer of the bobblehead, BDA Inc., released a statement Tuesday evening:

"We value our decades-long relationship with the Red Sox organization and its decision to postpone Tuesday's David Ortiz bobblehead giveaway. We're currently working closely with the Red Sox to ensure the team and its fans receive a quality product."

Fans at Tuesday's game will be given instructions on how to receive the new Ortiz bobblehead in the near future.
For the last eight years, the Nini Bambini Maternal Wellness Center has been supporting families from pregnancy through preschool, but in two weeks it will become the first and only place in New Hampshire where women can walk through the doors and donate their breast milk to families in need.

Grace Hoffman turned one month old on Wednesday. She's just a tiny thing who had to spend five days in the NICU because of a breathing problem.

"She was up there before my milk had actually come in and so I couldn't give her any nutrition," explained Grace's mom Heather Hoffman of Goffstown.

Dairy allergies run in their family, so Hoffman turned to donated breast milk for her little girl.

"That was such a weight off of my shoulders to know she could get breast milk, because that's what is best in my mind," Hoffman said.

Women can donate to human milk banks across the country, but right now, there is no convenient way to do so in New Hampshire.

That's where Nini Bambini comes in.

"Human milk is amazing in it's healing properties and how it support their tiny bodies," said Educational Director, Amy Menec.

By the end of August, the Bedford location will become the very first breast milk depot in the state.

"They collect the milk, and freeze it, and bring it to us to collect and ship it out," Menec said.

A non-profit called Mother's Milk Bank will then screen it and distribute the milk to NICUs across New England.

"To be able to facilitate that is amazing," Menec said.

Saving little lives, like Grace's, and giving moms a special way to give back.

"It's exciting to know that I could give my milk to someone else's baby that was in NICU," Hoffman said.

In order to donate you have to go through a lengthy screening process.

The breast milk depot will open in Bedford on August 23.
The daughter of a Vermont woman charged with killing a social worker and three relatives is in custody after disappearing when she was released from jail on furlough.

Barre Police said Tuesday 21-year-old Desiree Herring was taken into custody on Monday in Burlington. Police did not describe her capture.

Herring is the daughter of Jody Herring. Jody Herring has pleaded not guilty to charges she shot and killed social worker Lara Sobel and three of Herring's relatives on Aug. 7, 2015.

Desiree Herring was jailed earlier this year for multiple convictions. A person on furlough must abide by strict conditions or be returned to jail.

Her disappearance around the anniversary of the shootings prompted the state to increase security at some state offices.

It's unclear if Herring has a lawyer.
Description

New Choir Members Welcome!

Do you find yourself inspired by the richness and beauty of Jewish music? If you enjoy singing liturgical hymns, then why not consider joining our Jewish choir family?

Come observe a rehearsal or a performance. If you are moved by our unique rich warm sound and wish to be enfolded into a loving and supportive group who are as caring as they are committed, our choir maybe the right place for you.

Interested? Reach out to us! For details, contact Cantor Guy Bonne or Choir Representative Joanne Neff. We would love to speak with you. Your voice could be our blessing.

Temple Tikvah

3315 Hillside Avenue ~ New Hyde Park ~ NY 11040

(516) 746-1120 ~ http://www.templetikvah.org/

Contact Cantor Guy Bonne' ~ cantorguy@templetikvah.org

Contact Choir Representative Joanne Neff ~ drjneff@hotmail.com
The reported former head of the Springfield, Massachusetts, chapter of the Latin Kings street gang has been sentenced to serve a little over a year and a half in prison for heroin distribution.

Thirty-eight-year-old Jose "King Black" Cartagena was sentenced to serve 20 months in prison Tuesday in Springfield federal court.

Cartagena pleaded guilty in May after he was granted a new trial following the state crime lab's drug evidence tampering scandal.

Federal prosecutors say investigators launched an initiative two years ago to "disrupt and dismantle" the Latin Kings' drug empire in Springfield in Holyoke. As a result of the investigation, Cartagena and 11 fellow Latin Kings were arrested in November 2015.

Cartagena's attorneys say their client wasn't an active member of the gang at the time of the heroin sale.
Former mob boss "Cadillac Frank" Salemme has been arrested on charges related to the murder of a witness, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Appearing in court in Boston Tuesday afternoon, Salemme is being held without bail in connection to the 1993 murder of Boston nightclub owner Steven A. DiSarro.

The victim disappeared on May 10 of that year. This March, his remains were found buried behind a mill building in Providence, Rhode Island.

An indictment against another high-ranking mafia member released in June said that Salemme and his son, Frank Salemme Jr., participated in DiSarro's killing. It also said the elder Salemme took DiSarro's body to Providence.

Earlier in his life, Salemme was one of New England's most feared mafia hitmen and later the boss of the region's crime family.

Now 82, Salemme was taken into Boston Federal Court in handcuffs, telling a judge he had trouble standing up when asked.

Salemme is believed to have been in the federal Witness Protection Program since he was charged and convicted on racketeering charges in the mid-1990s, testifying for the government after realizing his former backers, James "Whitey" Bulger and Steven "The Rifleman" Flemmi had informed the FBI of his activities. At the time of his arrest, he was living under the alias Richard Parker in Atlanta, Georgia.

If convicted, Salemme could face the death penalty. He and his attorney, Steve Boozang, decided to waive a probable cause hearing and will be held.
A Worcester, Massachusetts, man faced a judge on Wednesday on charges of rape, armed robbery and carjacking.

Police say Antonio Damon, 35, of Worcester, began his spree around 5:15 p.m. Tuesday on Main Street.

A woman called officers, telling them a man entered her office and raped her at knife-point.

Less than 15-minutes later, a man approached an officer on Grove Street and reported that his girlfriend had been carjacked as she was leaving work on Main Street. The suspect had the woman drive off with him in the car.

At the same time, a driver also reported being involved in a hit and run with the same kind of vehicle that was stolen.

The three incidents sparked a search for the vehicle, which was found abandoned on North Ashland.

Police say the carjacking victim jumped out after she was sexually assaulted.

Officers then received a report of an armed robbery at a Denny Street business just around the corner from where the vehicle was located.

A 38-year-old man ran out from the porch and said the suspect was inside. Officers found Damon crouched in the corner. As officers were taking Damon into custody he allegedly began to resist arrest, telling officers he had an assault weapon and would "spray" them.

Damon was charged with Two Counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Aggravated Rape, Strangulation, Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Carjacking, Indecent Assault and Battery on a Person over the Age of 14, Breaking and Entering into A building in the Daytime Placing a Person in Fear, Two Counts of Armed Robbery and Assault with the Intent to Rape.

The female victims were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.

Damon is due back in court August 22 for a dangerousness hearing.
One man is dead after an altercation over beer in Winchendon, Massachusetts, and his friend has been arrested.

Police arrived at a home around 7 p.m. Tuesday to find 32-year-old Don O'Malley unresponsive. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he died.

"It was just a very unfortunate accident that happened here last night," said JoAnn Ilinitch, who said she is best friends with O'Malley's mom.

Ilintich says O'Malley and Thomas Maxwell were drinking behind a house on Spruce Avenue Tuesday evening.

"Donald had a few drinks and he started pushing around at Tom, and Tom said to him 'I'm not going to get into it,' sat him down to the ground and something happened," she said.

Maxwell appeared in court Wednesday. He is charged with aggravated assault and battery.

"From what it looks like now, this is just a tragic accident between two friends who were having an argument over apparently a beer," said Adam Narris, Maxwell's defense attorney.

O'Malley's family members say they want the charges against Maxwell dropped.

"When everything comes to court, the family is going to be going and asking for them not to press charges against Tom," Ilinitch said. "It is a very unfortunate thing that happened."

The investigation is ongoing.
Police in Sanford, Maine, have arrested a New York man they say used stolen credit card numbers to purchase gift cards.

Karl Jacques, 25, of Brooklyn, is accused of using the credit cards to purchase $4,800 in gift cards.

Police say the scam usually begins when skimmers are placed on ATMs. The numbers are then sold online and fake credit cards are made using these numbers. These cards are then typically used until the spending limit is reached or the bank shuts the card off.

On Tuesday, the Hannaford supermarket in Sanford reported the credit card fraud to police. Upon investigation, police found similar incidents happened at the Hannaford markets in Wells, North Berwick and York.

Jacques was arrested outside the Hannaford in Waterboro and seized the gift cards and 40 credit cards bearing his name.

Jacques was held on $25,000 bail and is expected to appear in court Wednesday.

It was not immediately clear if he has an attorney.
Norwalk police continue to search for the man with a cane who robbed a Webster Bank on Aug. 5.

The man robbed the Webster Bank at 402 Connecticut Avenue around 10 a.m. Friday and fled to Stop & Shop, where he got into a black sedan with New York plates, according to police.

The man is described as being in his 50s, around 5-foot-6, with a medium build and a gap between his top front teeth.

Police said the suspect passed a note and indicated he had a weapon, but no weapon was shown. No one was injured and police are investigating.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Det. Fitzmaurice at (203) 854-3180, email dfitzmaurice@norwalkct.org or call the Norwalk police tips line at (203) 854-3111.
People in Princeton, Massachusetts, turned out Tuesday to mourn the young woman who was killed two days ago while out jogging.

The community held a vigil at First Presbyterian Church of Princeton for 27-year-old Vanessa Marcotte.

"When one falls in our town it hurts. It hurts. It hurts big," said resident Holly Clemence.

Marcotte grew up in nearby Leominster and was home from New York visiting her parents when she was murdered near her mother's house Sunday afternoon.

"It couldn't have happened to a nicer person," said Justine Popkik, who went to high school with Marcotte. "I'm 27 and things like that shouldn't happen to people my age."

Investigators are still pouring over hundreds of clues and tips in the case.

"We've had hundreds of tips that have been coming in with regard to this," said Worcester District Attorney, Joseph Early.

Police said they completed the autopsy today but at this time, cannot release a cause of death.

Meanwhile, residents are now being vigilant, locking doors and looking out for one another.

"She's everybody's daughter," said one mourner. "Whoever this individual is he's going to have the whole town that's going to be looking for him."
A naked man broke into a Hampton, New Hampshire, home early Saturday morning and fought with the residents, according to Hampton Police.

Clay Greenberg, 19, of Boxford, Massachusetts, is accused of breaking into the home on Fieldstone Circle just before 2 a.m.

He then allegedly fought with the residents, causing some damage to the home in the process.

Greenberg suffered serious injuries to his face during the incident.

He has been charged with Burglary, Simple Assault, Criminal Mischief, Resisting Arrest and Indecent Exposure.

It is not clear if he has an attorney.
Connecticut state police have arrested a man accused of flashing a fake gun at drivers while driving on Interstate 84.

Police said on Tuesday around 7 a.m. they received reports of a driver on I-84 in the Southington/Cheshire area showing a handgun at other drivers. Troopers responded and pulled over a vehicle matching the description of the offending vehicle near exit 18 in Waterbury.

A fake handgun was found inside the vehicle.

The driver, Jason Brian Marek, 35, of Southington, was arrested and charged with illegal use of a facsimile firearm and breach of peace. He was released on a $1000 bond and expected in Meriden Superior Court on Aug. 22.
Senator Tim Kaine, vice presidential running mate to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, will be campaigning in Manchester, New Hampshire, Saturday to discuss their job plan.

The event will be held at Saint Anselm College at 12:30 p.m.

In a press release from Clinton's campaign, the stop will be to discuss the "plan to create an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top, including passing the largest investment in job creation since World War II."
A Norwegian tourist accused of threatening to kill police officers in Portland, Maine, has been denied bail.

Espen Brungodt, 28, of Norway, appeared in federal court in Portland Tuesday afternoon. He is charged with sending threatening interstate communications last Wednesday.

According to police, Brungodt sent multiple emails and tweets threatening to shoot and kill police officers and blow up a Portland parking garage, using the hashtag "Black Lives Matter."

In court, Brungodt's attorney said his client has Asperger's and became obsessed with the idea of being arrested in the United States. He said the suspect did not intend to carry out the threat, and had no ability to do so.

Prosecutors argued that Brungodt created a serious risk to the community when he sent those threats. Multiple buildings had to be evacuated in the city, and police were on high alert, providing armed escorts and working in pairs while the FBI investigated.

When he was arrested, Brungodt allegedly told police that he got an adrenaline rush watching the police response, and he got the "desired" effect of his threats.

According to FBI Special Agent Patrick Clancy, Brungodt said if he had known Donald Trump was coming to Portland the next day, he would have referenced it in his threats to increase their impact. He also said Brungodt threatened to use the Sig Sauer MCX .223-caliber rifle because it was the same weapon used by the Orlando shooter.

U.S. Attorney Michael Conley asked the judge to deny bail because Brungodt posed a flight risk if he was to return to Norway. Conley said an extradition treaty between Norway and the U.S. affords Brungodt the right to refuse to return to the U.S. for trial.

Brungodt's father testified that his son has never been in trouble before, and promised to bring him back for his court dates, but the judge granted the government's motion.
A woman and her puppy were struck by a vehicle Wednesday afternoon while in a crosswalk in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Police said the accident happened just before 2:30 p.m. on Concord Street, near Cherry Street.

The 55-year-old driver, who is hearing impaired, told police that he was signing to his passenger and didn't see the victim in the crosswalk.

Witnesses said the driver did not break when he drove into the victim and the puppy.

The 34-year-old victim was taken to UMass Medical Center in Worcester with serious injuries. Her dog was transported to a local vet, examined and released to a friend.

The driver, a Framingham resident, was cited with failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk and impeded operation.
Reduction in sales and damage to brand are potential bottom line impacts that auto manufacturers need to be concerned about when it comes to security risks and connected cars.

According to a newly released IOActivereport , "Commonalities in Vehicle Vulnerabilities", authored by senior security consultant Corey Thuen, "39 percent of vulnerabilities are related to the network. This is a general category that includes all network traffic, such as Ethernet or web."

Using security best practices publications to design connected cars can mitigate up to 45 percent of vulnerabilities, yet OBD2 adapters, telematics systems and other embedded devices remain security problems in the modern vehicle.

System design, engineering problems, and problems in deployment mechaninsms and testing are the root causes of what IOActive identified as the top eight vulnerabilities: Vendor-introduced backdoors, vulnerable dependency, incorrect utilization of the principle of least privilege, authentication systems requiring hardcoded credentials, accidental information disclosure, coding logic errors, buffer overflows, and web vulnerability implementation problems.

[ MORE ON CSO: 6 high-tech ways thieves can steal connected cars ]

The embedded nature of these vulnerabilities minimizes their likelihood of exploitation to some degree because hackers need to be highly skilled and sophisticated in order to know where to look for them. However, Thuen said, "Many of the IoT devices use the same types of technologies, and as more people interact with IoT, the more they will understand how to interact with the vehicles."

While there are incredibly innovative capabilities being designed, these systems are also exposing cars to a lot more connectivity because every added feature adds an additional attack vector to the car.

Most people don't want to take control of a car and crash it. "Although vehicles themselves don't align well with traditional hacker goals, like money, there have been attacks in the wild," Thuen said. The most notable are those thieves who use key fobs to hack the remote keyless entry system.

Those motivations are different. The goal is to steal a car. If malicious actors are gaining control of vehicles with the intent of causing harm, these events remain unreported. What we have seen from notable automotive security researchers, Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek, are demonstrations of third parties being able to gain control of a vehicle after extensive hours of research.

Sam Abuelsamid, senior research analyst at Navigant Research, said there are two of those demonstrations that are most likely to cause a problem. "A lot of OBD2 adapters are often equipped with cellular radios that transmit your driving behavior back to insurance companies. Not all of these adapters are made with the same level of security and care," Abuelsamid said.

An additional vulnerability common in connected cars is the vehicle telematics systems, like OnStar or UConnect. "Most manufacturers now offer cellular radio built into the car for remote locking and unlocking or stolen vehicle recovery. That was the big story last year. They figured out how to remotely access the built in cellular model in the vehicle," Abuelsamid said.

The trick for connected cars is that in order to enable the features customers want, "The communication system has to be able to talk to the rest of the vehicle network," Abuelsamid said. Depending on how the security is set up, attackers would use the same attack vectors as they would when compromising any other network.

"The systems are publicly facing, so it's not like a website. Vehicle connectors are not easy to find in the first place. They are typically trying to find an IP address or phone number for the data system in the vehicle to determine where the communication device is on the network," Abuelsamid said.

Where a few years ago, manufacturers had all systems for anything computer run made on the same package, they now understand the vulnerability in these major points of entry and are making greater efforts to harden their security operations systems.

The responsibility lies with the manufacturers to design software systems to be secure and protected.

Nathan Wenzler, principal security architect, AsTech Consulting

"The problem," said Nathan Wenzler, principal security architect at AsTech Consulting, "is that the industry is not known for moving quickly. They are redesigning with software that they aren't really familiar with."

To be fair, auto manufacturers are burdened not only with manufacturing a vehicle, but also with being security experts. "They are asked to be software developers, database managers, SaaS managers. They go from making a car to being a Google," said Thuen.

There is no turning back from that demand now, so Wenzler said, "The responsibility lies with the manufacturers to design software systems to be secure and protected. They are internet able or internet connected. A lot of developers think that because it's a stripped down version of an operating system that makes it secure. No, you need a lot more than that."

While there is quite a bit of consumer driven angst that has motivated car companies to build systems that are secure, there is still much that needs to improve. "The key thing to stress, though, is that there is no terrible panic. I don't see this as a massive public safety issue," said Wenzler.

[ RELATED: 4 simple ways to secure your Internet-connected car ]

"They need to write proper code and build security teams to test the product, to get in and try to break these things to build systems that are secure," Wenzler said.

Richard Wallace, director, transportation systems analysis at the Center for Automotive Research, also noted that poorly written code allows easy access for malicious actors. "If your network (CAN) is protected, then you might avoid additional vulnerabilities, but CAN was not designed with network security in mind. Many vulnerabilities result from poorly written code. Other vulnerabilities could be in the supply chain: components or subcomponents supplied that lacked adequate security or such security was not even a requirement from the OEM," Wallace said.

Because there will always be vulnerabilities, the automotive industry needs a detection and reporting system in the loop, as well as over-the-air (OTA) update capability for fast response.

Experts agree that the best solution is to build stronger security upfront. But, if installing better cybersecurity is the best way to mitigate risks, why isn't that happening?

"Much of it is organizational culture," Wallace said. "They never had to before recently, thus there is no history. They are dealing with complex supply chains in which components with software and ECUs are designed and made by tier-2 and tier-1 suppliers, not the OEMs."

To Thuen's point about the demands on modern car manufacturers, Wallace said, "There are large amounts of code in new vehicles. They expect an error every so often, but it is almost impossible to find them all--even if you tried--due to near-infinite permutations in possible commands."

Continued efforts to instill a culture of security by design, rather than security as an afterthought will help to mitigate current and future security risks. "The automakers have set up an automotive info sharing and analysis center (ISAC) to share information about vulnerabilities and develop best practices," said Abuelsamid.

While they cant guarantee a complex system is 100 percent secure, they are working on being resilient. If they can better detect a threat and bring it to a stop, they can avoid an accident.

Fortunately for auto manufacturers, "There are a number of startups that are developing solutions to firewall the vehicle and to detect any incoming messages and anything malicious going on inside the vehicle network," said Abuelsamid.

In the past, the auto industry as a whole seemed to be in a state of denial about security being an issue. "The attitude has really changed inside the industry," said Abuelsamid, "and they are now taking security very seriously."

This story, "When will car manufacturers secure your vehicle?" was originally published by CSO .
Box has made no secret of its global ambitions, and on Wednesday it advanced them another step by announcing two new regional "Zones" in Canada and Australia.

"Our mission is to build out the most advanced social cloud," said Aaron Levie, cofounder and CEO of the California-based company, in an interview. "We want to make sure we can deliver no matter what your security, compliance or data-residency requirements."

Different countries have established different requirements for the treatment and storage of data, resulting in a complex landscape for companies to navigate. Delivered through partnerships with Amazon Web Services and IBM Cloud, Box Zones essentially allows companies to store data in the location of their choice. When the paid feature was announced in April, the first non-U.S. Zones were in Germany, Ireland, Japan, and Singapore.

+Related Audio: Q&A with Aaron Levie, Box CEO +



Tokyo and Germany were particularly important growth areas for Box to address with the service, Levie said, given the sophistication of the business environments there and the presence of numerous multinationals. Demand in Canada and Australia has been growing rapidly, however. "This will be a major accelerant to our growth in those regions," he said.

Roughly half the activity on Box is from non-U.S. users, though the proportion of revenue deriving abroad is smaller, said Levie, noting that many of its U.S.-based customers use Box internationally with customers and partners. The company claims more than 62,000 corporate customers, including 59 percent of the Fortune 500.

Box competitor Dropbox has also been wooing international customers, including establishing regional data centers in Europe. But Box is building for a more diverse landscape, Levie said.

"We built Box Zones to be able to work with Amazon, IBM, or even future cloud providers," he said. "We want to be the service than runs on top of the infrastructure service providers."

In the meantime, the new Privacy Shield framework just recently took effect in Europe, altering the global landscape yet again.

"Our tech philosophies don't necessarily relate to how privacy laws are enacted," Levie said. "Our mission requires that we solve the problem regardless."

Further strengthening its global credentials, Box also announced on Wednesday that it has achieved compliance with ISO 27018, the international standard for protecting personally identifiable information in the cloud.

A significant speed boost for the Box Accelerator global data-transfer network, meanwhile, should make using Box faster.

Accelerator routes Box customer traffic so as to find the fastest path from end users to Box from anywhere in the world. With the enhancements announced on Wednesday, it now has network endpoints in more than 20 countries and 60 global locations, providing customers with upload speeds that are two to six times faster than before, depending on location, Box said. Australian users, for instance, will see average upload speeds that are four times faster, while those in the U.K. will see speeds triple.

The new Australian Box Zone will become available this fall, while the Canadian one is due later this year; both will be powered by AWS.
Wheels turning and forklifts filledthats one measure of success in any warehouse. If you can increase the amount of product picked up and put away, the more productive and cost efficient you are.

For Pittsburgh-based retailer Giant Eagle, the key to making that happen is to operate vision-guided, autonomous vehiclesrobotsin its distribution centers.

+ Also on Network World: How IoT helps transplant surgeons track organ shipments +

By eliminating manned travel of pallet trucks in its Pittsburgh and Cleveland grocery distribution centers, Giant Eagle increased productivity between 10 percent and 30 percent, said Joe Hurley, senior vice president of supply chain at Giant Eagle.

The company operates between two and four Seegrid vision-guided vehicles in each facility per day, per shift. Theyre used to haul freight from the front dock (inbound freight) to the particular aisle where a manned high-lift vehicle then puts the product into a reserve rack. And they do this continually 24/7.

Each warehouse is like a mini city, Hurley explained, with robots, manned vehicles and pedestrians (105 to 120 workers, depending on the shift) all working in the same space.

In Pittsburgh, its a 440,000-sq.-ft. distribution center that has 28 aisles, about 32,000 pick and reserve slots and holds about 8,000 stock keeping units, he said. And the robots are integrated with our different team members. There are no segregated aisles. Theyre integrated into the workflow with the team members operating double-pallet jacks, single-pallet jacks or high-lifts.

Further, each center does outbound distribution the same time it does inbound. It does not have dedicated receiving shifts or dedicated selection shifts.

Its almost like controlled chaos, Hurley says.

Controlling the chaos while maximizing productivity

The functionality of the Seegrid vehicles helps keep the order and allows for maximized productivity, said Jeff Christensen, vice president of product and services at Pittsburgh-based Seegrid. Unlike traditional, automated guided vehicles that use in-ground guide wires, paint on the floor, or reflectors and are restricted to specific paths, Seegrids vehicles can travel anywhere in a warehouse. Companies do not have to modify their infrastructure to operate them.

Weve taken a different approach. We take pictures, he said.

Each vehicle has five stereo-pair cameras that operate similar to human eyes. With each pair, the cameras are a known distance apart from each other, and they take pictures at the exact same time. The slight differences between the two cameras (its eyes) tells the vehicle how far away something isgives it depth perception.

Taking pictures from these five pairs of cameras allows us to have thousands of points in three-dimensional space at every moment along the way as the vehicle drives, Christensen said.

In a vehicles initial use, a worker guides the truck through the facility and the vehicle takes pictures all around it, including the floor and ceiling. It finds data from those images and records it. It maps the facility.

Theres nothing you have to put in the facility. You dont have to change the infrastructure at all. You just take pictures, Christensen said. Then when you effectively hit play, from what youve recorded, it takes those pictures again and compares what the camera sees to what the cameras saw earlier. And that is how it can navigate and drive autonomously.

This video shows how Seegrids autonomous, vision-guided vehicles operate in one of Giant Eagles distribution centers:

Because of the amount of data the cameras pull in, the vehicles are able to adjust to most changes, Christensen said.

We have sufficient data that allows us to be very robust to a lot of changes in the environment, he said. On average, half of everything in an environment can change, and we can still navigate.

If an environment changes enough that the robot wont work, customers can retrain the vehicle in the segment where the change is and the vehicle rebuilds the map from there.

Maximizing productivity and reducing costs

Each vehicle has sensors to gather data. And all of the datasuch as the size of the load picked up, how long it takes to deliver the load, where the vehicle is in the facility, vehicle downtimeare uploaded to the Seegrid Supervisor application. Hosted on site or in the cloud, the app allows customers to track metrics, issue alerts if theres a problem with the vehicle and adjust the environment if needed.

For example, factory managers need to know how many items vehicles moved. They use takt times, such as The loop to move from my warehouse to the start of the assembly line and back needs to be completed every 43 minutes to keep my production standard. Managers need to know if the vehicle is within that accepted timeframe. The Seegrid Supervisor can help them track that.

Those operation metrics are really important, Christensen said. Once you go from manual movement and manual driving to autonomous, you gain in predictability of whats being moved when. Its a huge economic benefit.

Hurley confirmed that his facilities have seen improved productivity using the vision-guided vehicles and the data they gather.

We know everything about what the robots are hauling, how theyre hauling it, the number of routes they do per day, he said. We know that when wheels are turning and forks are filled, were taking manned travel out of the facility. Our high-lifts alone travel about 600 miles a day. So, as much as we can take that 600 miles and make them automated miles, with improved productivity, its good for us.

The data also helps ensure the robots operate in the most efficient ways possible.

You dont want to flood the robot, nor do you want to starve the robot. So, for example, the data taught us how to  keep the robot fed in a steady pace to prevent downtime, Hurley said.

Hurley was also able to prevent congestion in aisles.

We did that with our high-lifts because you dont want to have 10 high-lifts in a certain aisle because youre receiving paper all day, he said. The robots allow us to define that even more.

Preventing accidents

Sensors on robots also prevent accidentssomething Giant Eagles workers were particularly concerned with when the company decided to bring in the vision-guided, autonomous vehicles, Hurley said.

They have a laser-based sensorthe failsafe sensor near the floorto detect personnel. And another laser-based sensor specifically for other obstructions that come into play.

We call it a light curtain, Christensen said. We bounce a laser off of some mirrors to bend the light down, creating a curtain around the truck, so it sees other obstructions in addition to a person who is walking to it.

The vehicles also sound a horn at the end of an aisle to alert workers that it is entering the main aisle of the warehouse.

Hurley said Giant Eagles workers, which are part of the Teamsters Union, needed convincing that the freely roaming vehicles were safe. The company had previously used a system in which guide wires were put into the concrete floor and vehicles traveled a specific path.

We had to make the workers feel comfortable working with unmanned vehicles that werent in a tight environment, Hurley said. We had to get the workforce to understand that the safety curtains would work."

Workers had to get comfortable knowing that if a person gets into that zone, or if the vehicle is programmed to take a turn, it will reduce its speed. And if anything gets into the vehicle's path, it will stop.

Hurley said the robots are very predictable, and their controlled features make them safer than human-operated vehicles.

The robot doesnt make decisions like a human where it will veer off path to pass someone or take a shortcut to beat the labor standard, he said. When something gets in front of it, it will stop. It wont try to think and make an alternative move that may hurt someone.

After thousands of hours operating the Seegrid vehicles, Giant Eagle hasnt had one injury caused by them, Hurley said.

Future-proofing their environment

Its a six-figure investment to purchase a Seegrid vehicle, but the economic payback in large factories and warehouses is well under two yearsoften under one year, Christensen said. Its flexible automation that reduces the cost of materials handling and allows customers to keep using the vehicles should their manufacturing process and facility change.

If you are investing in a tool that could be used in the process today and could be used for the process tomorrowwhatever that isthen you are future-proofing automating your environment. Thats another future economic benefit, he said.

The vehicles also help reduce costs for things that are considered non-value-added, such as material handling, Christensen said.

If manufacturers can be more cost-effective in their material handling, then that is healthier for the whole plant, he said.

Hurley said some workers were initially concerned their jobs might be replaced with automated vehicles. But they saw what the robots were doing to protect the interest of the company in the long term. Also, they have learned new skills, such as how to maintain the robots.

We have an interesting workforce, Hurley said. Were a large regional player, but our folks understand if we dont introduce new technology, well go by way of the dinosaurs.
The war between content providers and ad blockers in browsers just got raised a notch with the news that Facebook is going to modify the digital signatures of ads on its site, thus circumventing ad blockers.

It's a better strategy than either nagging users to whitelist the site or worse, blocking all access to the content in the first place, which other sites have done. And for the firms blocking access to content all together, the strategy has backfired.

The company also made an announcement on its blog, with a lengthy explanation from Andrew "Boz" Bosworth, vice president of Facebook's ads and business platform, of why it's making such a move.

The company said it has begun offering "more powerful tools" that let users control the content of advertisements they see, so ads can be tuned toward their interests. This is not unlike the Trending Now news segment, which will show you more articles based on the ones you've shown interest in in the past.

+ Also on Network World: Sites that prevent ad blockers lose readers +

"Weve designed our ad formats, ad performance and controls to address the underlying reasons people have turned to ad blocking software. When we asked people about why they used ad blocking software, the primary reason we heard was to stop annoying, disruptive ads. As we offer people more powerful controls, well also begin showing ads on Facebook desktop for people who currently use ad blocking software," it wrote.

Bosworth told the Wall Street Journal that the issue is a matter of principle.

"Facebook is ad-supported. Ads are a part of the Facebook experience; theyre not a tack on, he said. "This isnt motivated by inventory; its not an opportunity for Facebook from that perspective. Were doing it more for the principle of the thing. We want to help lead the discussion on this."

Interestingly, 84 percent of Facebooks ad revenue came from mobile users in the most recent quarter, but Facebook said it has lost some desktop ad revenue as a result of ad blockers. The Journal noted that ad blockers pose enough of a threat that Facebook added it as separate risk factor in its annual securities filing this year.

But to Bosworth's credit, he said the company has invested heavily in ensuring advertising on Facebook is "uninterruptive" and relevant and that the ads don't force their way onto users. Recently, I posted on a survey that found users don't necessarily want to block all ads, but they hate being bombarded with them. If Facebook recognizes that, they will be well ahead of many competitors.

Eyeo GmbH, the company behind Adblock Plus, wasn't thrilled at the news.

This is an unfortunate move because it takes a dark path against user choice, Eyeo said in a blog post. But its also no reason to overreact: cat-and-mouse games in tech have been around as long as spammers have tried to circumvent spam filters.
One reason the Raspberry Pis runaway success has been a fun story to cover is that its very non-corporate  theres relatively little branding silliness or careful PR stage management involved, and journalists like me instead get to write about an inventive little tool that is letting normal people around the world accomplish interesting and creative things.

Yet the business side does, occasionally, rear its ugly head  late last month, U.S.-based electronics vendor Avnet purchased Premier Farnell, one of two licensed manufacturers of the Raspberry Pi, for about $900 million.

+ ALSO ON NETWORK WORLD: How a 96-year-old company modernized its infrastructure by embracing innovation | Oracle says it didnt ask employee to cook cloud accounts+

Avnet, which outbid the Swiss company Daetwyler Holding AG for the privilege of owning U.K.-based Premier Farnell, is the latest overseas company to take advantage of the relatively weak British pound in the wake of the Brexit vote, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Mergers and acquisitions can make some people nervous, certainly, but the Raspberry Pi Foundation was bullish on the news when contacted by Network World. Liz Upton, communications director for the foundation, said that the deal should mean good things for hobbyists.

[I]n particular, Avnet have distribution networks in places where neither of our partners currently operate, Upton said via email. (The other partner is RS Components, also based in the U.K.)

Dolphin-drone device

Do you want a sleek, agile dolphin-drone device that glides through the water with the greatest of ease and is powered by a Raspberry Pi? I think you do:

Trident is the second underwater drone made by OpenROV, the first being an eponymous device released in 2012. Its powered by a Raspberry Pi 3, annihilated its $50,000 Kickstarter goal to the tune of more than $815,000, and will set you back $1,200 if you pre-order it.

Seriously, just look at this thing  its like the offspring of an Xbox and a mini submarine. Very cool.

You'd rather a surface vessel?

Or if surface vessels are more your thing, a gentleman by the name of Ufuk Arslan has taped his Raspberry Pi to Amazons Alexa to create a voice-control module for his sailboat. According to the Raspberry Pi Foundations blog, he got the idea because he kept forgetting to turn the boats lights off at night, which drains the batteries.

Now, the system can do things like move the anchor chain, in addition to controlling the lights. With a bit of expansion, Im betting this becomes able to control some of the complicated winches and maybe even steer the boat. Heck, connect it to a proper GPS and it could do the navigation for you! (Although theres probably some kind of safety rule about letting computers drive boats.)

Rather be up in the skies?

Perhaps youre not an aquatic person at all, and youd rather keep an eye on the skies. For $115, you can turn a Raspberry Pi into an ADS-B receiver that pushes data to your smartphone about the aircraft in the sky near you.

Network Worlds got the story from IDG News Service reporter Magdalena Petrova, who built the receiver from plans provided by Gediminas Ramanauskas, a pilot and engineer who participated in the latest Maker Faire Bay Area. Its really pretty simple  the ad hoc ADS-B receiver takes in signals from nearby aircraft and sends them via Wi-Fi to any one of several apps on your phone or tablet that can interpret the information and plot it onto a map.

Magdalena Petrova\IDGNS

Personally, Id like a version of this that can map aircraft onto your phones camera, like Pokemon Go for planes.

Related video: 5 cool Raspberry Pi projects
Councillor says that evidence proved of 'little or no use'

A THATCHAM police officer has criticised the decision to switch off the towns CCTV.

Pc Jon Bradford told Thatcham town councillors at a meeting last week that a vital tool to help him police the town had been taken away.

Thatchams four cameras were switched off in March after West Berkshire Council withdrew its 224,930 contribution for 40 cameras in the district.

Thatchams cameras cost 19,888 (4,972 per camera) with monitoring costing 14,636.

Pc Bradford described the cuts as a massive loss and said that the police didnt have the personnel numbers to be in the Broadway all the time.

He said that he had CCTV evidence from a break-in at the Kingsland Centre to move the investigation forward.

If it had happened in the Broadway I would have nothing to go on, he said.

I cant understand how thats not funded.

They can do stuff before I arrive and behind my back that I cant see, and get away with it.

Town and district councillor Dominic Boeck (Con, Thatcham South and Crookham) said that the council had had to make some difficult decisions when setting its budget.

He said that the decision was not taken lightly but the councils experience showed that evidence from CCTV had little to no use.

The leader of West Berkshire Council, Roger Croft (Con, Thatcham South and Crookham), added: We did request funding from Thames Valley Police and they refused, so we have to assume they see no value in it.

Mr Croft added that the Police and Crime Commissioner, Anthony Stansfeld, believed that CCTV was no longer as relevant because of the rise of smartphones.

Im not at that level, Pc Bradford replied, Im at the level that I feel I need something to back me up.

Pc Bradford said that the removal of CCTV had watered down the impact that the police could have in the town.

He also said that residents had told him that they didnt like going to the Broadway because gangs of youths were hanging around cash points.

Sheila Ellison (Con, Thatcham North) added that CCTV had not helped in the past as the cameras had been facing the wrong way.

I understand and hear what you are saying but our experience is we have had CCTV and when we have had problems there hasnt been the evidence, Mrs Ellison said.

Pc Bradford replied: That can happen but cameras in a fixed position are going to give you more than nothing.

The town council decided to not take on the costs of running the towns cameras, much to Pc Bradfords disappointment.

Even Hungerford have got it and I know the differences between Hungerford and Thatcham, he said.

There may be hope though, as the Newbury Business Improvement District (BID) is working with Newbury Town Council on a replacement CCTV service.

Thatchams cameras could link in to that system, which would be monitored from the Kennet Centre.

Police officers, councillors and members of Thatchams business community will discuss how to tackle problems of anti-social behaviour in the town at a meeting next week.
TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - August 10, 2016) - Avenza Systems Inc., producers of MAPublisher cartographic software for Adobe Illustrator and Geographic Imager geospatial tools for Adobe Photoshop, has announced that it has officially changed the name of the PDF Maps app, its market-leading, award-winning mobile mapping app, to Avenza Maps, effective immediately. The rename increases the company's popular brand into a more recognizable global presence and better reflects the functionality and use-cases for the application. Along with the rebrand, the Avenza Maps app features a refreshed app icon and website that aims to cater to various users-both consumer and commercial-that currently use the app for personal and business use.

"This rename from PDF Maps to Avenza Maps comes at a defining moment in the continuation of the product and brand," said Ted Florence, President of Avenza Systems Inc. "We created the app at a time when geospatial PDF files were just becoming popular and have since changed how more than a million people around the world use mobile maps with it. Today, our users obtain maps directly from the Avenza Map Store and directly from their own mapping and GIS workflows, not just as geospatial PDF files but also as GeoTIFF and JPG files. We have created a marketplace and platform that redefines mobile mapping and now is the right time to simplify and adopt the Avenza Maps name."

The rebranding coincides with the release of a revamped subscription model to accommodate every level of user. The Avenza Maps app and the ability to download as many maps as desired from the in-app map store will remain free for personal-use consumers. New subscription tiers will be introduced to cater to avid users that require more functionality, including the ability to import an unlimited number of maps, to suit enthusiasts and power users who like to import their own maps. The upcoming "Pro" subscription is tailored to commercial and professional users and will include more powerful features needed to conduct work in various industries.

Story continues

"Helping people produce and use maps is our passion," Doug Smith, Sales Director of Avenza Systems Inc., "We plan to not only grow the Avenza Maps brand, but also to make it even better. The Avenza name is synonymous with high cartographic quality and efficient workflows and many of the maps we provide through the app are created by map publishers who already use our software. Speaking with our customers and industry professionals who use the Avenza Maps app daily helped us understand that the app was not a stand-alone product, but an extension of Avenza's passion-helping people produce, distribute and use maps in the most effective way possible. Rebranding will allow us to have clearer brand marketing strategy moving forward."

The Avenza Maps app is an all-inclusive mapping platform for iOS, Android, and Windows mobile devices. Consumers can download the app for free, get georeferenced maps from the Avenza Map Store, and use them completely offline with a variety of tools. Map publishers can register as a vendor in the Avenza Map Store and generate revenue by pricing their maps and making them available for purchase. Businesses and organizations can upgrade to a cost-effective Pro subscription which allows for commercial use, includes enhanced tools and features, as well as enhanced support. For more information, visit the Avenza Maps website at www.avenzamaps.com.

About Avenza Systems Inc.

Avenza Systems Inc. is an award-winning, privately held corporation that provides cartographers and GIS professionals with powerful software tools for making better maps as well as the Avenza Maps mobile mapping platform. In addition to software offerings for Mac and Windows users, Avenza offers value-added data sets, product training, and consulting services. For more information, visit the Avenza website at www.avenza.com.

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/8/4/11G109343/Images/mta-on-iphone-da80e77be985ab90b69e1c002274b912.jpg

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/8/4/11G109343/Images/get-maps-0c2848df8905919aa5b9885d49ba11db.jpg

Embedded Video Available: https://youtu.be/8lMLv-I4_0A


What if one blood test could screen for more than 50 types of cancer?
Reporter/Columnist

Julie Wurth is a reporter covering the University of Illinois at The News-Gazette. Her email is jwurth@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@jawurth).
Columnist

Tom Kacich is a columnist and the author of Tom's Mailbag at The News-Gazette. His column appears Sundays. His email is tkacich@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@tkacich).
One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021
A bird species that does a poor job spreading West Nile virus (WNV) but is particularly likely to get mosquito bites may explain why human infections with the disease are relatively uncommon in Atlanta, Georgiadespite evidence of high rates of virus circulating in the local bird population, according to a new study published online today in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Researchers at Emory University, University of Georgia, Texas A&M and the Georgia Department of Transportation set out to find clues explaining why Georgias infection rate for WNV since 2001 is quite low (about 3.3 per 100,000 people), even though evidence showed that about one-third of birds in the Atlanta area have been exposed to the disease. They noted that a similar pattern is seen throughout the American southeast, where a large amount of WNV in birds and mosquitoes has not translated into a large number of human cases. In urban areas in the northeast and midwest, the situation is frequently the oppositeinfection rates in Chicago, for example, are six times higher than Atlantas, even though less than 20 percent of Chicago birds show evidence of WNV infection.

Disease experts often refer to human cases of WNV as spillover infections, because they happen when disease circulating between birds and mosquitoes spills over into nearby human populations via mosquito bites. While most human infections cause few, if any symptoms, some cases can result in headaches, joint pain, and fatigue that linger for weeks. In rare instances WNV produces potentially fatal brain inflammation. Since the disease arrived in the continental United States in 1999, there have been over 780,000 human infections and 1,700 fatalities documented.

The Emory University researchers were particularly interested in the role of American robins, considered super-spreaders of the disease because they efficiently pass the virus along to mosquitoes that bite them. Those mosquitoes in turn can feed on humans, potentially infecting them. Over three years they collected mosquitoes and birds across Atlanta, tested them for WNV, and ran a DNA analysis of the mosquitoes blood meals to see which birds they had bitten.

What we found is that, for some unknown reason, around the middle of July, mosquitoes in Atlanta seem to decide that they have had their fill of robins and they switch to feeding on cardinals, said Rebecca Levine, PhD, the lead author of the study who conducted the research while at Emory University. But cardinals, even though they can be infected with West Nile virus, are much less likely to have enough virus circulating in their blood to transmit the disease back to feeding mosquitoes. That is why we called them supersuppressors.

The shift occurs just as mosquito populations are rising, which typically should mean more WNV circulating in the area and hence a greater risk of human infections, said Levine, now an epidemiologist and entomologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She said its not clear what prompts the shift in feeding behavior in Atlanta but that this shift may be what is protecting Atlantans from WNV spillover.

Also, throughout the city, researchers found a high rate of exposure to WNV among mockingbirds, brown thrashers and gray catbirds. There is evidence from previous studies that gray catbirds and brown thrashers also act as suppressors slowing the transmission of WNV.

Levine said there could be many factors that determine how WNV is spread between birds and mosquitoes and how that in turn affects human risk. Changes in roosting behavior of birds are one possibility, defensive behavior is another, and there are other possibilities. For example, they found less evidence of WNV among bird populations in small patches of old growth forest. Thus, original forest cover may reduce transmission.

So, we might find that keeping old growth forests intact, even in urban areas, can provide more than just an interesting piece of history, she said. Ultimately, if we can identify certain features of the local ecosystem that help prevent disease transmission, then we can consider preserving and enhancing them.

Overall, Levine said the findings point to the complex role of many factors in the local environment interacting to determine the risk of human infections. For example, she said the study should not prompt officials in Chicago to start releasing flocks of cardinals across the city because the same species may perform different roles in different ecosystems.

As new mosquito-borne diseases enter and spread in America, we need to better understand all aspects of pathogen transmission cycles, said Stephen Higgs, PhD, president of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. By shedding light on the reasons behind a curious discrepancy in West Nile virus human infection rates in different regions of the United States, this study has the potential to better protect Americans health while continuing to demonstrate the link between animal and human health.
The International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT), the global society of clinicians, researchers, regulatory specialists, technologists, and industry partners dedicated to the translation of cellular therapy into safe and effective therapies to improve patients lives, today announces they have awarded London as the host city for the landmark ISCT 2017 Annual Meeting to be held on May 3-6, at ExCeL London Exhibition and Convention Centre, UK to celebrate the Societys 25th silver jubilee year. More than 1,600 international delegates are expected to attend.

The event will be led by Dr. Catherine Bollard, MBChB, MD, the newly elected ISCT President, with the support of ISCT 2017 Co-Chairs Mark Lowdell, PhD, FRCPath, FRSB , Royal Free Hospital & University College London, UK, Miguel Forte, MD, PhD, TxCell, France and Katy Rezvani, MD, PhD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA. Dr. Bollard is currently Professor of Pediatrics, Microbiology and Immunology at the George Washington University and Childrens National Health System, Washington, DC, USA. She will use her extensive experience as an award winning researcher, hematologist and immunologist with an extensive professional background spanning three continents, and multiple international committees to further advance ISCTs mission and vision. She was elected by ISCT members in 2014 from a competitive slate of nominees and has served two years as President-Elect. She assumes the presidency from Massimo Dominici, MD, University Hospital of Modena & Reggio Emilia - Modena Policlinic, Modena, Italy. John Rasko, MBBS, PhD, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia will serve as the new President-Elect.

The ISCT Annual Meeting in 2017, celebrating our 25th year as a Society, will be a critical event for the entire international cell therapy industry. Given the number of recent developments in the cell therapy industry in London and the UK, it is very important for ISCT to mark its silver jubilee year by meeting in the capital of the UK, said Catherine Bollard, MBChB, MD, ISCT President. 2017 will be a transformative year for the cellular therapy industry, and it will be imperative to take advantage of opportunities to deliver therapies to an increasing number of patients. There are barriers to remove, regulatory pathways to smooth, and manufacturing decisions to be taken. This will require the collaborative efforts of everyone involved in academia, industry, and regulators where we need to come together with governments worldwide to realize the potential of the cellular therapy industry. London 2017 will be the perfect venue to discuss these critical developments in our field.

The ISCT Annual Meeting will be a key highlight in a critically important year for the maturing field of cell therapy and an opportunity to benchmark the achievements in the cell therapy industry over ISCTs 25 years. Internationally, there will be a considerable number of changes to the regulatory environment in 2017, specifically in the US, with the proposed REGROW legislation, as well as in the EU and Japan. Clinically in 2017, there will be a range of major filings of cell and gene therapy data, including in CAR-T, MSC and bone marrow modification. The London meeting will thus be a central venue for the industry to discuss these developments and shape an environment aimed at faster effective patient access to therapies.

This is the first time ISCT has awarded the host venue status for its annual meeting to a city in the UK. A key reason London has been specifically selected from the shortlist of international cities for its silver jubilee meeting is because London plays a vital role in the cell therapy industry and has a long record of cellular research. It was in London in 1665 that Robert Hooke, a founding member of the Royal Society, was the first to identify the cell as the basic unit of life. Today, there is a broad range of preclinical and clinical cell therapy research currently taking place in the UK and specifically London. An important reason for this growth of cell therapy is the extensive support for the cell therapy industry by the UK government. In 2017, there will be a number of cell therapy developments in London, including the scheduled launch of the GBP 55 million, 7,200m2 manufacturing centre by the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult and funded by Innovate UK, the UKs innovation agency.

The ISCT silver jubilee year Annual Meeting is a unique global event for the cell therapy industry. It is set up to discuss and generate solutions to challenges of all areas of the international cell therapy industry, from preclinical to translational development to delivery of therapies to patients. The objective of the meeting is to help change the environment to move promising cell therapy research into practice and product via clinical trials, market access and commercialization. Plenary sessions will cover groundbreaking clinical studies and multiple tracks whilst smaller sessions will focus on commercialization, regulatory affairs, quality and operations, and technical challenges facing the field such as manufacturing, reimbursement, commercialization, market access and patient access.

The meeting will be led and contributed equally by all three main ISCT stakeholder groups - academia, industry and regulatory. It will be designed to cover all those involved in the cell therapy sector - including clinicians, researchers, regulators, technologists and industry partners. In addition, because of the potential importance of the cell therapy industry to the future of healthcare delivery and new treatments, representatives from international governments and leading healthcare industry figures will also be invited to attend and participate at the conference.

"It is an honour that London has been chosen to host next year's landmark conference. It is a testament to the UK's commitment to ground-breaking cell and gene therapies, said Nicola Blackwood, Public Health Minister, UK Government. "Our world-leading research expertise, thriving cell therapy industry and NHS' unique ability to turn new therapies into patient benefit makes the UK a perfect testbed for the innovators of the future. Our reputation for the development and production of therapies in world-class facilities mean we are the perfect location for accessing markets globally."
Dr. Jason James, Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baptist Hospital in Miami, called on travelers to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines while maintaining perspective on the risk of Zika for those who are not pregnant. His advice supports the Puerto Rico Tourism Companys (PRTC) ongoing efforts to educate visitors about Zika.

A board certified gynecologist in private practice at FemCare Ob-Gyn, Dr. James has received numerous awards, including the Patients' Choice Recognition in 2008 through 2012, as well as being named as one of the Best Physicians in the Consumers' Guide to Top Physicians. A frequent world traveler himself, Dr. James encouraged those who are not pregnant or planning to conceive soon to continue exploring, while taking common sense precautions, If youre pregnant, dont travel where Zika is active. But if youre not pregnant, I would encourage you to take your vacation, take your business trip, and live your life. Just be sure to follow the CDC guidelines, apply bug spray with DEET, wear proper clothing and take other common-sense precautions.

Dr. James comments echoes the advice of leading epidemiologist Dr. D.A. Henderson, MD, MPH, who recently called for common sense precautions as well as avoiding over-reaction and hype about Zika. We greatly appreciate the efforts of medical experts like Dr. James to educate travelers about the facts of the Zika virus, said PRTC Executive Director Ingrid I. Rivera Rocafort. We realize people have concerns about Zika, but travelers need to know they can have a worry-free experience when visiting Puerto Rico.

PRTC is working closely with the CDC and the local Department of Public Health to ensure visitors are informed about Zika in Puerto Rico. The PRTC and the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association (PRHTA) are taking every precaution possible to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds at hotels and resorts, and educate visitors about preventing mosquito bites. For more information about the Zika virus in Puerto Rico, visit PuertoRicoNow.SeePuertoRico.com.
Researchers from Aalto University and the University of Wisconsin utilised a TMS-EEG device, which combines transcranial magnetic stimulation and EEG, to examine how the brain activity of people in the restful non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep is affected by whether they dream or do not dream.

When the NREM sleep of subjects had lasted at least three minutes, researchers gave magnetic pulses that induced a weak electric field and activated neurons. After a series of pulses, the subject was woken with an alarm sound, and they were then asked whether they had dreamed and to describe the content of the dream.

'It is traditionally thought that dreaming occurs only in REM sleep. However, as also our study demonstrates, subjects woken from NREM sleep are also able to give accounts of their dreams in more than half of cases,' Post-doctoral Researcher Jaakko Nieminen from Aalto University explains.

'EEG showed that the deterministic brain activity produced by magnetic pulses was notably shorter in people who did not dream, i.e. were unconscious, than in people who had dreamt. We also observed that the longer the story about the dream, the more the subject's EEG resembled that measured from people who were awake,' Dr Nieminen explains.

Assessment of consciousness may help in treatment of brain injury patients

Dr Nieminen performed the measurements with his research colleague Olivia Gosseries at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Sleep and Consciousness, which is headed by Giulio Tononi one of the world's most renowned researchers of consciousness. The measurements were carried out during a period of over 40 nights and a total of 11 subjects participated. Due to sleeping difficulties and other challenges, reliable measurements could only be acquired from six subjects. During the night, subjects were woken a maximum of 16 times.

'Consciousness in different physiological states (e.g. during wakefulness, sleep, anesthesia and vegetative state) has previously been researched with TMS-EEG measurements. We wanted to eliminate all other differences related to the different states as thoroughly as possible, and for this reason we focused on the narrow physiological state of NREM sleep,' Dr Nieminen notes.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation is already utilised in such things as the treatment of depression and pain. According to Dr Nieminen, in the future the precise data provided by TMS-EEG measurements on the state of consciousness may also help e.g. in the treatment of those brain injury patients who are unable to communicate.
Bisphenol S, a chemical used to manufacture polycarbonate water bottles and many other products such as epoxy glues and cash receipts, is an increasingly common replacement for bisphenol A, the of which was discontinued because of concerns about its harmful effects on the reproductive system. In a new study, UCLA researchers have found that BPS is just as harmful to the reproductive system as the chemical it replaced. BPS damages a woman's eggs and at lower doses than BPA.

BACKGROUND

While looking for replacements to toxic chemicals, manufacturers tend to choose substitute chemicals that, while technically different, often share similar physical properties. Due to increasing consumer pressure, companies have replaced BPA with other related compounds now found in many "BPA-free" products. However we do not know how safe these substitutes are. These uncertainties led the researchers to ask whether BPS could impart detrimental effects on reproduction similar to BPA's.

Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today

METHOD

The researchers exposed a common laboratory model, the roundworm, to several concentrations of BPA and/or BPS that approximate the levels of BPA and/or BPS found in humans. They followed the worms through the duration of their reproductive periods and measured their fertility.

The researchers observed that compared to the controls, worms exposed to either BPA or BPS, or combination of the two, had decreased fertility. Surprisingly, these effects were seen at lower internal BPS doses than those of BPA suggesting that BPS may be more damaging to the reproductive system. This was especially significant when they examined the viability of young embryos.

IMPACT

These findings are also a cause for concern in humans as the same reproductive processes that are disrupted by BPS in roundworms are found in mammals. Furthermore, as noted above BPS products are already found in a plethora of consumer products.

"This study clearly illustrates the issue with the 'whack-a-mole' approach to chemical replacement in consumer products," said Patrick Allard, assistant professor of environmental health sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, and the study's senior author. "There is a great need for the coordinated safety assessment of multiple substitutes and mixtures of chemicals before their use in product replacement. But the good news is that a number of governmental programs and academic labs are now moving in that direction".
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the U.S. With one in every four deaths occurring each year, the five-year survival rate after a heart attack is worse than most cancers. A big part of the problem is the inability of the human heart to effectively repair itself after injury. A team of University of Houston researchers is trying to change that.

Physicians and biologists are developing strategies to help regenerate heart muscle cell formation. Among them are developmental biologists in UH's College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, whose work has added novel, powerful tools to achieve this. Their findings are published in the Aug. 8 early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), one of the world's most-cited multidisciplinary scientific journals.

The human heart is an organ that doesn't regenerate, and the number of heart muscle cells drops as a person ages. Cells lost during injuries, such as from a heart attack, are gradually replaced by connective tissue, a process called fibrosis. This leads to the loss of pump function, which is the underlying reason cardiovascular diseases are as deadly as cancers.

"We have uncovered new regulators of heart formation," said assistant professor of biochemistry Yu Liu, one of the lead authors of the study. "Compared to most others, these new regulators, which are a small RNA species called microRNAs, act early in the multistep heart formation process. They are easier to deliver into human bodies, and thus have a shorter path to clinical use."

In trying to find a solution, Liu and his colleagues focused on learning how a heart is formed in an embryo. Specifically, they are curious as to whether the new regulators they uncovered will convert an abundant cell type, called human fibroblasts, into heart muscles. Robert Schwartz, Cullen Distinguished Professor of biochemistry and also an author on this study, is a pioneer in making heart muscle cells from fibroblasts, which is now a widely adopted strategy.

Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today

"We were the first in converting human fibroblasts into cardiomyocytes," Schwartz said. "I expect these microRNA regulators to be potent, either acting alone or in combination with the existing agents we have."

In a project with NASA's Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, Schwartz is exploring how the unique environment in space can assist in the creation of heart muscle cells out of fibroblasts. The microRNAs they uncovered will add substantially to his toolbox in this effort.

Once considered genetic junk, microRNAs have emerged as a major player in gene regulation. Using mouse genetic tools, Liu and his team were able to track the process of heart muscle cell formation in a dish. Their work involved several screening steps. Most importantly, they first identified approximately 140 microRNAs in the earliest ancestor cells of the heart. Next, they screened for the ones that function in driving heart muscle cell formation, and the miR-322/503 cluster emerged as the top finding in both screenings and laid the basis for their work.

Supported by multiple grants from the American Heart Association, Liu hopes to be able to use these microRNAs to treat human heart attack and subsequent heart failure within the next five to 10 years. Beyond this manuscript, they have developed several mouse models in house and hope to make more exciting discoveries down the road.
Toyota Innova Crysta from the back. (Photo: Toyota India/Altered by News18.com)

Toyota has launched the petrol variant of their popular MPV  Innova Crysta at a starting price tag of Rs 13,72,800 and the top model will cost Rs 19,62,300 (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi).The decision to come out with a petrol variant will help the Japanese automaker to sell the Innova Crysta in Delhi NCR as the sale of diesel vehicles with engine capacity of over 2000 cc is currently banned.The petrol engine is a new 2.7 litre Dual VVT-i motor that delivers 164 horsepower and 245 Nm of torque and will be available with both automatic and manual transmission option.Akito Tachibana, Managing Director of Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, The Innova is an iconic brand and has long established itself as the number 1 MPV in the Indian market. This can be further reiterated with the overwhelming success of the new Innova Crysta which was launched earlier this year. Often referred to as the segment creator, the brand Innova has proved itself again by being the first in the segment to offer a vehicle with a petrol variant. N. Raja, Director & Senior Vice President (Sales & Marketing), Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd said, We have already sold more than 24,000 units in a short span of two months and have a pending order of over 9,000 units for the Innova Crysta. This for us reiterates the success of the product.What remains to be seen is what kind of a response the petrol variant of the Innova Crysta gets and whether the company goes on to come out with a petrol version of the Toyota Fortuner as well.
The newest Netflix to have taken the world by storm is Stranger Things. A science fiction tale based in the 80s, the show is full of Steven Spielberg and Stephen King nostalgia and countless homages to a number of science fiction movies from the 70s and 80s.



Set in a sleepy American town, the show revolves around 3 pre-pubescent nerdy kids who try to find their friend trapped in another dimension.



The show, that has received critical acclaim for its writing, cinematography and characters, has paid homages to a tonne of movies like The Goonies, Alien, E.T the Extra-Terrestrial, Firestarter, Poltergeist, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Explorers, The Shining, Stand By Me, Carrie, Commando etc.



French director Ulysse Thevenon created a supercut of all the homages in the series and from where they have been inspired and it is a thing of beauty. And seen juxtaposed to the original scenes, a lot of subtle references come out clearer than day. This is one video every fan of the series should definitely watch!




A woman trying to take a picture of a dolphin at SeaWorld in Florida with an iPad apparently got a bit too close because it snatched the device right out of her hands.The incident took place on Sunday, August 7th and was captured on video by another park goer Kuadiel Gomez. The video shows the dolphin reaching over the side of the viewing tank at SeaWorld Orlando, where visitors can touch the dolphins. After the dolphin grabs the iPad and tosses it into the water, the woman retrieves the device and then quickly walks away.A voice can be heard over a loudspeaker saying, "As you can see, the dolphins can reach your loose items.""I couldn't believe what was happening right in front of me. They're usually kind of friendly and just swimming around. They go on the ledge every now and then, but that day, I don't know, they seemed like they didn't want to get petted that much or touched" Gomez told Fox13 Gomez, who waiting to record a video of his son petting the dolphins, had noticed one of the dolphins peering up at a woman. Anticipating something to happen, he started recording immediately.Gomez's video, since he uploaded it on Facebook has gone massively viral, and has been viewed millions of times, since it has been shared by Fox13.(With Inputs from AP)
Mumbai: Outgoing Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan on Tuesday strongly defended his controversial public speeches as "perfectly legitimate" ones within the remit of a central bank head and asserted that he was never critical of the government in any instance.



"These are perfectly legitimate speeches. You can interpret them any which ways you want," Rajan said at an interaction with select news agencies in the evening.



"In none of those speeches that I have made has there been an explicit criticism or an implicit criticism of the government. There are people who read the interpretation of what is the speech I have given," he added.



After his decision to return back to academia, there have been voices suggesting that his candid public speeches were one of the aspects which made the government uncomfortable about reappointing Rajan for another term.



The academic-turned-central banker spoke a lot across the country and abroad in the three years at helm, and had a special liking for educational institutes.



Some of the controversial speeches made by him include the one where he quoted American political philosopher Francis Fukuyama to question whether strong governments can really help a country or in defence of tolerance in the middle of a debate started by the killing of a Muslim man over suspicion of storing beef, or questioning the premise of the high-octane 'Make in India' campaign.



Rajan, who refused to accept a second term at helm of the Reserve Bank, on Tuesday sought to defend his stance in all these instances and stressed that he was within his remit as the central bank governor while making those remarks.



"Some of those speeches have been on economic issues but outside the monetary policy. But those economic issues are perfectly within the remit of the central bank because ultimately we have a remit of macrostability," he said.



Rajan also said his concerns on the Make in India campaign -- wherein he had pitched for 'make for India' given the fragile economic conditions the world-over -- have come true.



"There was lots of criticism like you are being defeatist etc. Passage of time suggests that advice to look internally for demand at least for the short to medium term even while strengthening our manufacturing and service sector productive capabilities, which I thought was the central point of making in India, was extremely important," Rajan, who will go back to the Chicago University, said.



In case of the post-Dadri speech at his alma mater IIT-Delhi, Rajan reiterated the need to be open for ideas as a service-sector driven economy.



"That speech was about the fact that in order to grow as a country which is largely a service economy, we have to be open to ideas. Once you reach the frontier, the only way you can grow is by ideas. And in order to get those ideas, you have to have tolerance for unorthodox ideas because those unorthodox ideas is how we move forward," he said.



"As a society which is developing, which in some places is near the frontier, we have to have an open dialogue," Rajan added.



"I haven't in a sense talked about (things like) dance and music. That would be exceeding my remit," he quipped.



Asserting that none of his speeches has caused any market fluctuations, the central banker also conceded that every speech cannot be on the monetary policy.



"Every speech if I give on monetary policy, I will commit a gaffe sooner or later. None of the speeches has moved the markets, which is an important criteria for a central banker," he said, adding markets have to be moved with policy announcements and not off-the-cuff remarks.



"As a central banker, whatever you say has to be calculated," he said, adding at times when the market requires clarity like the post-Brexit vote, the central bank head has to be reassuring, which he did.



In context of the Make in India speech, Rajan said, "we need growth at a measured pace" which is consistent with what the economy can support and depend on fundamental reforms to fasten the process.



"I still maintain that the world doesn't look different than it looked three-four years ago. So the focus should be on having a platform of economic stability. Only then can we have sustainable domestic demand," he said.



Noting that every economic problem stems from people looking for magic bullets which have no pain, Rajan said most our problems are orthodox, which need orthodox solutions.



"When the problem is orthodox, its reasonable that their solutions are also orthodox."



He concluded by stating that "we need to have a measured pace of growth consistent with what the economy can support in a sustainable as the real oomph to growth will come from domestic reform like GST and the Bankruptcy Code. This will help elevate the growth rate."
Vijaywada Meat Ban faces flak as it renders meat traders in Andhra Pradesh disgruntled and helpless. Meat vendors are questioning the corporation's decision which they claim will hamper their earnings for over 2 weeks.
Andhra Pradesh Minority Commission questioned the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation over its order banning meat sale for 16 days during the Krishna River festival. The Commission has asked the civic body to justify its order.



Meat vendors have also questioned the corporation's decision which they claim will hamper their earnings for over two weeks.



The corporation's decision has drawn flak from traders and residents who are livid at the attempt to curb the freedom to eat.



The corporation had said the notice has been rolled out in "interest of public health" and has also threatened strict action against offenders.



In 2015, Mumbai saw a similar ban on meat sale for a Jain festival.




New Delhi: Pakistani terror suspect Bahadur Ali, who recently captured in Kashmir, has given details of Lashkar e Taiba camps training cross-border terrorists, his interrogation report has revealed.



According to his interrogation report by the National Investigation Agency, Ali confessed to LeT training terrorists in his country to push them into the Valley.



Ali, in the interrogation video which was accessed by CNN-News18, has given out the names and locations of Lashkar terror camps in Pakistan.







He said that all though this year the LeT has been sending across terrorists to India with specific directions to mix with local people to create disturbance and attack the police.



The NIA has evidence to show that military experts helped modify Japanese communication sets to cover the whole of Kashmir.



According to NIA sources, the coded grid reference for routes to be followed showed he was trained by highly qualified people, possibly someone trained in military tactics.



The NIA found out that LeT control centre Alpha 3 communication machine was connected to the communication sets carried by Ali and other terrorists who infiltrated into India. Alpha 3 guided them on where to get food and how to mix with the crowd.



Bahadur Ali, who reached India a month before he was nabbed, was apparently told by Alpha 3 that LeT cadre were successful in creating huge unrest in the Valley after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.



Security agencies recovered an Icon set (communication equipment made in Japan,) Indian currency, Unicode sheet, GPS and compass from Ali when he after he was captured a month ago.



He also led police to the spot where he had hid his AK-47 ammunition and grenades. NIA sources said he was part of a large group which infiltrated into India and that after his disclosure four heavily-armed terrorists were spotted and gunned down by security forces.


Thiruvananthapuram: Romanian national Gabriel Marian has been arrested in Mumbai in connection with the hi-tech ATM robbery case. Marian along with two other foreigners is suspected to be involved in the robbery in which a number of people lost money in Thiruvananthapuram.



Kerala Police had on Tuesday zeroed in on three foreign nationals, who are suspected to be the key players behind the hi-tech ATM robbery, and decided to seek Interpol's help.



A team of the Kerala Police is in Mumbai to seek his custody. Police said Marian does not know English and is not cooperating with the investigation.



Two other suspects fled the country. Their visa had expired in July.



The trio, found installing an electronic device inside an ATM kiosk of a public sector bank at Vellayambalam, had been caught in the CCTV installed there.







According to police, the three foreign nationals were from Romania and had come to India on June 25 and reached Kerala on July 8.The three had come on tourist visas and had taken rooms in a hotel for two days.



Police also seized from the hotel two scooters and three helmets, suspected to have been used by the trio.



The state police shared their photos and other available details with their counterparts in other states which led to the arrest of one among them. So far, more than 20 people had lodged complaints saying money was withdrawn from their account.



It is suspected that the electronic device at the ATM counter enabled the fraudsters to collect the secret pin code and card details.



Many of the customers who were duped came to know about the fraud after they received a text message on Monday, informing that money was withdrawn from their accounts.




Trump Hannity

Donald Trump attempted to clarify a controversial statement he made in reference to Hillary Clinton at a campaign rally in North Carolina on Tuesday.

Trump's remarks seemed to suggest that proponents of the Second Amendment could take violent action to prevent his Democratic rival from selecting new justices to sit on the US Supreme Court.

In making the suggestion, Trump repeated his claim that Clinton would appoint judges who back policies meant to take away Americans' guns.

"Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the Second Amendment," Trump said. "By the way, and if she gets to pick  if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people  maybe there is, I don't know."

Prominent lawmakers quickly picked up on Trump's comments and questioned whether the Republican presidential nominee had, in fact, suggested that gun owners take violent action against Clinton.

Trump later told Fox News host Sean Hannity he was alluding to political action, not violent action, saying: "This is a political movement. This is a strong, powerful movement, the Second Amendment."

He added that the NRA agreed "100% with what I said, and there can be no other interpretation."

"Even reporters have told me," he said. "I mean, give me a break."

In a Tuesday-night tweet, Trump accused the media of trying to "distract" from what he called "Clinton's anti-2A stance."

Robby Mook, Clinton's campaign manager, issued a statement denouncing Trump's words:

"This is simple  what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way."

Clinton's press secretary, Nick Merrill, added that Trump's claim that Clinton was against the Second Amendment was false.

You can watch Trump's explanation to Hannity here:





More From Business Insider


A 22-year-old female model and her driver were arrested on Wednesday on charges of duping customers at ATM counters during the time of withdrawals, Delhi Police said on Wednesday.



Deepali, 22, a resident of Delhi, and Shakil Malik, 29, of Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, were arrested from Indira Vihar in West Delhi after a woman complainant accused them of duping her on the pretext of helping her to withdraw cash.



They were arrested after the complainant identified her, Deputy Commissioner of Police Vijay Singh told reporters here.



The officer said the accused had fraudently exchanged the ATM card of the complainant on July 15 during the time of withdrawal after engaging the victim in small talk.





The victim realised the fraud after she received a message on her mobile phone that Rs 25,000 was withdrawn from her bank account, police said.



Police said Deepali was involved in five cases of ATM fraud and that their main target included people who were not aware of how to operate ATM machines.



Explaining the modus operandi of the accused, Singh said: "Deepali used to target ATM kiosks which didn't work properly. After identifying potential targets, she approached them and swapped their ATM cards on the pretext of helping them. Shakil would then drive her away in his car."



The arrested woman said she committed the fraud as she needed considerable money to get her portfolio shoot done by a professional photographer in Mumbai.





According to the police the main accused was previously involved in a similar case in east Delhi's Shahdara in 2014.



(With inputs from IANS)
New Delhi: Bacteria from Antarctica are being used in bio-toilets developed by the Defence Research Development Organisation, Rajya Sabha was told on Tuesday.



Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said in a written reply that the bacteria from Antarctica was used in anaerobic microbial consortium that is used for seeding (inoculation) bio-digesters.



"The consortium is composed of bacteria belonging to four groups, which work in sequential manner. The Antarctic bacteria which are cold active (work in wide temperature range) constitute the first two groups, i.e., hydrolytic and acidogenic. Cow dung, being abundantly available at low cost, has been used for multiplication of bacteria used in the bio-digester," he said.



Once cow dung is consumed by the bacteria and converted into a form that does not have any fly attractant property but rather detract them, the final bacteria which fed into the bio-digester do not have any unpleasant odour and get washed away within few days, he said.
New Delhi: The Tourism ministry has banned visitors from clicking selfies in front of national monuments during Independence Day week. The Tourism Ministry has issued an advisory to all states restricting tourists from taking selfies in front of important monuments and memorials from August 12-18.



The advisory issued to all states is a part of security measures being taken in view of Independence Day and "Bharat Parv" events.



The police and other security establishments believe that terrorists can launch attacks in the guise of tourists during Independence Day week. They have asked Tourism and Archaeological Survey of India to impose certain restrictions on the movement of visitors at all important monuments and memorials.
Two weeks before the country was to celebrate its 69th year of independence, it came face to face with a grim reality. The desperate plea of a school girl in Madhya Pradeshs Salichauka village resonated across India. All she asked for, was education  the availability of proper roads and infrastructure so ease her access.



Ashna Kauravas plea was heard after CNN-News18 aired her story. The Narsingpur district administration has now decided to send Rs 2-crore proposal for the construction of a road and a bridge in the village of Palera. At a time, when the country is abuzz with projects favouring the girl child, Kauravas story touched the masses. The girl, who only wanted to study, could not go to school owing to the poor condition of roads and the absence of a bridge. She had even appealed to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to elevate her village so she could study.









I am hopeful that the minister will do something because we face a lot of problems. We are not able to go to school every day. We cannot commute because the roads are flooded; they are marshy, Kaurava said.



I want to study but my father is not able to support me financially. My own sister had to quit school, she said. Calling the chief minister her uncle, Kaurava hopes things will change for better once he visits their village and sees their abysmal living conditions.



Hoping against hope for a better tomorrow, her father said he was very happy that the road will be built finally. I am grateful to CNN-News18 that made our voices heard. All we want is a proper road so children can go to school. The whole village is thankful to the local administration; this is all we wanted, he said.










Mumbai: The Mumbai Police on Tuesday arrested the Chief Executive Officer and four other doctors of the LH Hiranandani Hospital in Mumbai in connection with an alleged kidney racket which came to light in July.



Thirteen people have been arrested so far in connection with the case. The arrests were made on the basis of the reports of a 3-member health inquiry committee.



The racket came to light when the police were tipped off that a kidney transplant operation had been scheduled on July 14 at the privately-run hospital where donor and recipient were not related.







The operation on Brijkishor Jaiswal, the recipient, was stopped as police found that the woman who was donating him the kidney was not his wife, contrary to the papers submitted by the duo.



The woman had pretended to be his wife only to be able to donate the kidney to Jaiswal, according to the police.



Police then started probing if anybody else had received kidney using similar subterfuge and if the hospital authorities were involved.



Earlier this year, doctors and staffers from Delhi's Indraprastha Apollo hospital were held in connection with a suspected kidney racket.


Imphal: Amid reports that some militant groups were unhappy with her for breaking her 16-year-long hunger strike against AFSPA, Irom Sharmila on Tuesday said let them clear their doubts with her blood.



"(Some) people can't be convinced right now. Let them kill me the way people killed Gandhi and accused him of being anti-Hindu. People also killed Jesus," Sharmila told reporters when asked to comment on any pressure or threat on her over the decision.



"With my blood let them wash their doubts and emotions,"she said after being released on bail.



She was surrounded by a posse of policewomen who escorted her from the hospital, a room of which was converted into jail.



The activist has, however, refused any security and said she wants to settle down in an ashram.



Manipur's 'Iron Lady' ended her 16-year-long hunger strike, the world's longest such campaign, and declared that she wants to become the chief minister so that she could repeal the contentious Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).



Outside a government hospital, a room of which was turned into a jail for her, the 44-year-old iconic rights activist turned emotional as she licked honey from her palm to end the fast that she undertook in protest against the AFSPA.



During her fast she was force-fed through a nasal tube to keep her alive. Now the familiar Ryles tube hanging from her nose was missing as she broke the fast.



"I want to be the chief minister of Manipur to make positive changes.. If I become chief minister, the first thing I will do is to remove the AFSPA," she said.


"Kashmir is an inseparable part of India. No power on earth can separate it from India," Singh said while replying to a debate in the Rajya Sabha on the current situation in the Kashmir Valley.



"When I visited Srinagar and Anantnag on July 23 and 24, I met about 30 delegations from different walks of life and discussed the Kashmir issue," he said adding that the separatists have been calling for shutdowns in the Kashmir Valley.

Rajnath said an all party meeting to discuss the situation in Kashmir will be held on August 12 and will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday told Rajya Sabha that slogans like "Pakistan Zindabad" that are chanted in the valley "won't be tolerated" on Indian territory and appealed to Kashmiris to stop such elements.Lashing out at Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's comment on Kashmir, Rajnath said that no power on earth can separate Jammu & Kashmir from India.Rajnath added that talks would not be held with Pakistan regarding Kashmir but on the issue of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.Rajnath also blamed Pakistan for "whatever is happening in the Kashmir Valley" adding that he has no hesitation in admitting it."I am not saying that people living in Kashmir are leading a normal life," but the state government is trying its best to provide basic facilities," Rajnath added.Rajnath also reiterated to the house that the security forces have been told to exercise maximum restraint and a decision will be taken soon on an alternative to pellet guns adding that all efforts will be made to instill faith in the valley.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday ordered criminal action against 20 officials who allowed illegal constructions along lake-beds in Bengaluru, while his government ruled out compensation for those who lost their homes in the demolition drive.



The CM also asked the Bengaluru Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) to carry out drive across the city to demolish the buildings that have been constructed illegally .



He said orders were given for immediately suspending 13 officials while criminal action was ordered against seven others who had retired. We cant suspend them. We are ordering a criminal action against them, he said.



Across the city, hundreds of people who lost their homes in the demolition drive, were yet to come to terms with their loss.



Young lavanya and her family have lived in their home since the 1970s and are now preparing for a bitter relocation back to their village, due to demolition drive. Speaking to News18 she said The chief minister may not be responsible for it, but he should be. It is a collective mistake due to which people are suffering. I am really sorry but we dont have hopes in the government.



Pathankot martyr Lt Colonel Niranjans home in north Bengaluru for instance, has been demarcated as encroaching upon 5 feet of drain area. The pillar of their home is set to go soon. A home that the family doesnt want to lose, as it was expanded just before Niranjans wedding and has fond memories.



E K Shanshank, Lt Col Niranjans brother said, Six months ago, we lost him. Now we are in the same state. Its not good for a national hero. Niranjan was a national hero and demolition of his house is a shame for the country. Its okay if they give us time. If they give us time, we can build another pillar.



The residents who are suffering demolition of their homes also wonder why they shouldnt be allowed compensation now that they are homeless. But officials say giving them compensation would mean the government compensates them for doing something illegal  this would not only leave it open to many court cases, it would also be a bad precedent, as encouraging anyone who can encroach today and seek compensation tomorrow.



And the man who was tasked with identifying the officials responsible for allowing illegal layouts says only the first batch of officials are facing action so far. The government is in the process of identifying more officials who are culpable  since some of the homes have been in existence for over ten years. Additional chief secretary to state government Mahendra Jain ruled out compensation, but says the government will go after more officials who allowed illegal plan sanctions.
"Ali has confessed that he was assured of cover fire from Pakistani army during the infiltration bid," Singh added.

"Articles recovered from him show that he was provided references in codes which clearly indicates highly trained people provided training to him," NIA officer told the media.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday claimed that the arrested Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Bahadur Ali was trained by military experts in Pakistan to foment trouble in the valley during the month long unrest following the death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.NIA Inspector General Sanjeev Kumar Singh said that the Arms and ammunition training was given to LeT terrorist Bahadur Ali and clearly shows the involvement of military experts.According to the investigators the Lashkar control centre was in constant touch with Ali through Japanese communication sets worth 3500 dollars, and they even arranged food for Ali when he was in Jammu and Kashmir adding that a man named Haider pushed Ali into India.Singh said that the captured terrorist underwent all three training processes organised by LeT, was recruited by Jamaat-ud-Dawa and subsequently radicalised by LeT.The officer also claimed that Bahadur Ali, who was recently captured from North Kashmir, was regularly guided from "control rooms of terrorist groups in Pakistan occupied Kashmir with the help of Pakistani forces"."At Manibal four heavily armed terrorists were spotted after Bahadur Ali's disclosure and killed in an encounter," Singh said and added that Bahadur Ali was in India for a month before his arrest.The NIA has said that this is an ongoing investigation to gather details about the role of LeT in the current situation in Kashmir.Following the encounter of Burhan Wani, a 22-year-old social media savvy Hizbul Mujahideen commander on July 8, Kashmir has witnessed a total lockdown in the valley for more than a month now.(With inputs from IANS)
Lucknow: A Dalit man and his daughter have been beaten up for drawing water from a handpump at an ashram in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district, two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a fervent appeal to stop attacks against the community.



The 13-year-old girl who was working in the fields had gone to drink water from a handpump installed outside the Dunda Ashram in Gunnor area when she was beaten up.



Later, when her father raised the issue, he too was mercilessly thrashed allegedly by the priest and his aides.



Both sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment at a district hospital. Two men have been arrested in this incident.







The attack comes two days after PM Modi, at a function in Telangana, spoke out against increasing incidents of attacks against Dalits.



Making an emotional appeal, he had asked people to protect and respect Dalits who have for long been neglected by the society.



"I would like to tell these people that if you have any problem, if you have attack, attack me. Stop attacking my Dalit brethren. If you have to shoot, shoot me, but not my Dalit brothers. This game should stop," he had said.



The Modi government has been facing flak over incidents of violence against Dalits and Muslims by cow vigilantes in various states including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.


The last question of my interview with Irom Sharmila was, where would she put up, now that she can leave the hospital.



Sharmila's answer was brief "Checking, checking, let me see". In captivity in this room for the last 16 years, Sharmila today has no place to go.



Sharmila's family has 7 houses (they are 9 siblings) in Imphal, but when she was released from the hospital a little after 4 pm, she didn't get a place to stay in any one of them.



Her elder brother Irom Singhajit, has been unhappy about the decision, ever since Sharmila had announced it. He said his mother wanted Irom to come home only once the goal (removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act) is achieved. This virtually meant doors are shut for her, at least for now.



Shortly after the press conference, Sharmila was taken out of the hospital in a police gypsy. Her first stop was the residence of a former health director and activist Thiyam Suresh's house. But, the word got out before she got in. Women activists, often called Imas (mother) blocked the way. They did not want her. Imas are upset too. They did not want Irom to break her fast.



During her hunger-strike days, they were her closest allies. Somewhere it appeared Imas were angry at not been consulted, before she took the decision. Her stand on marrying an outsider, took her further from them. And Sharmila is angry, she said some in the civil society just want her to become a martyr and not take proactive steps



Her next attempt was at the local Iskcon temple. She offered her prayers, but they refused to offer her a place to stay. Sources say that the reaction of the civil society and the perceived threat by the underground group, were the reasons why the temple authorities backed out.



Sources in both the administration and the civil society say that this is not a spontaneous protest.



While there is a sense of disappointment and anger amongst some section of the civil society, it hasn't reached such epic proportions that all doors would be shut for her. People close to Sharmila, now say a change in strategy is essential. She has a security threat and cannot be allowed to live at unsecured locations.



Thus all options are being evaluated. Has Imphal suddenly become too small to accommodate Irom Sharmila? This even as a short exile to Delhi or elsewhere is being examined by people close to her. After all 16 years is a long time, as Irom Sharmila realizes, surprisingly it is long enough to isolate, the Iron Woman.


Mumbai: Director Shoojit Sircar says that he is repaying Amitabh Bachchan with films such as Piku and Pink for the film Shoebite which could not be released.



At the trailer launch of Pink, Amitabh, asked about the status of Shoebite, quipped: "He (Sircar) is still cutting the shoes" but Sircar said: "When a film does not release, it is very saddening and you feel really bad for it. But we have moved on.



"We are making films and we are still trying if something can happen but I think that I am repaying back Mr. Bachchan with Piku or even Pink as we could not do that film and that film could not release. So this is my debt that I am repaying him."



Sircar had taken Shoebite to production house UTV after it could not release with Percept Picture Company. Percept Picture Company had filed a lawsuit against UTV to stall the release which was later dismissed. Sircar later had blamed the producers of the film UTV Disney for the way they had handled the film and for insulting a star like Amitabh.



While Sircar's directorial Piku saw Amitabh winning the National award for Best Actor, Pink - which Sircar has presented - sees him in an interesting avatar of a lawyer.



About his look in the film, Amitabh said: "Whatever is given to me to do, to say or wear, I leave it to the director. Shoojit said that this should be the look, the hair, the beard and the clothes I would wear should be this way.



"The mask on the face is mine, that was because one of the days I was training with it, and Shoojit liked it and said that we will use it in the film, also because there is a problem of pollution in Delhi so I roamed around with the mask. And except for that, whatever weapons I got was given to me by Shoojit."



Pink, directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, also stars Taapsee Pannu among others.
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad took a swipe at the treasury benches during a Parliament debate on the Kashmir unrest, metaphorically suggesting it was the government which provoked the unrest in Kashmir.



This was when Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan intervened during Azad's speech. The Congress leader from Kashmir hit back saying, "Aap minister hai, aap baith jaiye. Aap petroleum department chalaiye. Aapka kaam aag lagana he raha. Aapka kaam aur kuch nai raha aur yeh aakhiri aag lagate lagate he ja rahe hai. Jabse aapke kadam pade, aag lag gayi wahan. Jahan bhi aapke kadam padte hai, aag nikal aati hai wahan se (You are a minister, please sit down. Please run the petroleum department. Your job is is to start a fire and and you have been doing that. The day you stepped in, a fire broke out there. Wherever you go, a fire breaks out there)."



Azad hit back on another occasion when Pradhan objected to his allegation that the government was playing votebank politics.



"Aap toh vote ke liye, desh ke liye statement dete rahe. Lekin hum physically unse ladte rahe. Kashmir ke log Army ke sath.... (You (government) make statements to garner votes. But we are the ones who have fought with them)," Azad said.



Curfew in some parts and restrictions in rest of Kashmir remained in force for the 33rd day on Wednesday. As many as 55 persons including two cops were killed and several thousand others were injured in the clashes between protesters and security forces.







Schools, colleges, business establishments, petrol pumps and private offices were closed while public transport remained off the roads.



The attendance in government offices and banks was also thin, the official said.



Mobile internet services remained snapped in the entire Valley where the outgoing facility on prepaid connections is also barred.



The separatist camp has extended the shutdown call in Kashmir till August 12.
Moscow: Apple Inc on Tuesday rejected allegations from Russia's state competition watchdog it may have been involved in fixing prices for iPhones, saying resellers set their own prices.



Apple reacted a day after Russia's Federal Anti-Monopoly Service (FAS) said it had opened a case into the allegations after a consumer had pointed out that identical prices had been set for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus models, which appeared in Russia in October 2015, at 16 major resellers.



Apple, in emailed comments, said it did not oblige Russian resellers to fix prices for its products.



"Resellers set their own prices for the Apple products they sell in Russia and around the world," the company's press office said.



FAS said it was looking into the idea that Apple had somehow obliged Russian resellers to treat its recommended product prices as mandatory. It said an investigation had shown that retailers had set identical prices and kept them at that level for a certain time period, including for other models.



FAS has the power to fine firms it finds guilty of price-fixing.
Bomb threats were reported on two aeroplanes due to land shortly at Brussels airport in Zaventem, Belgian state broadcaster VRT reported on Wednesday.



Federal prosecutors are taking the threats seriously, VRT added.



VRT.com later added that the two planes have now landed safely in Brussels, the other in the southern French city of Toulouse, although the medical emergency is in force and has reached the airport.



Eric Van der Sypt, spokesman for the federal prosecutor was quoted by VRT that the threats have been taken seriously although he didn't reveal the full details or the exact extent of the threat.



Dutch journalist Bart Raes was quoted by ITV.com that he was on a flight from Oslo that received one of the bomb threats.



He said the plane had received the threat around 20 minutes before landing and that it has now landed safely and the passengers are being evacuated, the report added.



Brussels has been on high alert after a series of attacks in Belgium and across Europe in the past few months.



More details are awaited.


London: An elderly woman in the UK with a 100-year-old kidney donated by her mother is still going strong, defying medical predictions over the organ's lifespan. Sue Westhead was 25 when she was diagnosed with kidney disease in 1973.



When told a transplant was her only chance of survival, her mother Ann Metcalfe, then aged 57, donated her kidney to her daughter.



Now Sue, 68, and her kidney are "still going strong". She said: "I think it's down to my mother's good genes. She must have come from good stock."



Sue, of Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham, had only one tenth of normal renal function when she was diagnosed. Recalling the time, she said: "I could hardly walk, I was a different colour - I was yellow and all of a sudden I had a rosy glow.



"It was a pretty scary time, even when I was still on the ward people were dying. "My mum literally gave me life because I wouldn't have lived much longer."



Doctors usually estimate a transplant from a living donor will last 20 years at most, the BBC reported. But Sue said hers is "still going strong" 43 years on, adding she has looked after herself and taken 20 pills a day to make sure the kidney was not rejected.



She said: "I remember thinking 'if I get five years I'll be happy'. That was 43 years ago and my kidney is heading for 101 years old in November.



In 1973, only between 30 per cent and 40 per cent of transplanted kidneys lasted for five years. Every three weeks Sue spends two hours arranging her pills for the days ahead - a task she does not enjoy, but one she realises must be done. And she is delighted with the results.



"I think [my mother] would've been astounded that it's lasted so long," says Sue. "Neither of us could possibly have imagined this longevity.



"Each year when I get to the transplant date I think, 'Well, there's another year'.



Long may it last." Commenting on Sue's case, Prof Derek Manas, president of the British Transplantation Society, said: "It's an amazing story of encouragement and hope for people on dialysis and for encouraging people to donate as living donors or to join the Organ Donor Register. "I think Sue must be one of the longest survivors," Manas said.
Campbell County Schools is hosting student registration from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at each county school. The 2015-2016 school year begins Monday for Campbell County Schools. At registration day, parents or guardians will have the chance to: meet their childs teachers; review the school schedule; update contact or medical information; receive information about the school year; confirm the bus number for their student and ask questions of their childs teachers.
Tim Kaine reported $34,132 in gifts in 2009, his last year as governor, mostly funding from the Democratic National Committee for political travel. Kaine was then the DNC chairman.

Kaines office recently gave the Virginia Public Access Project a copy of his Statement of Economic Interests for 2009, which was due in January 2010.

VPAP says it did not request a copy of Kaines disclosure form at the time from the Secretary of the Commonwealth, because it was then VPAPs procedure to request forms filed by the incoming governor. Bob McDonnell was inaugurated Jan. 16, 2010.

Kaine is now a U.S. senator from Virginia and the Democratic nominee for vice president.

The report of his 2009 disclosures does not alter the narrative on Kaine and gifts. The gifts were legal under state law, and there is no indication that Kaine accepted gifts he did not report. But the report rounds out the portrait on the gifts he accepted and reported as lieutenant governor and governor.

The $34,132 in gifts Kaine accepted in 2009 bring his tally from 2002 to 2009 to $195,165. That compares with the $452,707 that McDonnell accepted as attorney general and governor, including about $170,000 in gifts and loans that Jonnie R. Williams Sr. gave to Bob and Maureen McDonnell, which Bob McDonnell did not disclose.

In January 2009, just ahead of his presidential inauguration, Barack Obama named Kaine chairman of the DNC, a post Kaine held until he stepped down in 2011 in order to run for the U.S. Senate seat Jim Webb gave up after one term.

The $34,132 in gifts Kaine reported for 2009 included $25,502 from the DNC for political travel and lodging; $2,119 from Kaines leadership committee, Moving Virginia Forward, for political air travel; $1,839 in air travel paid by the state for Kaine to fly to a National Governors Association meeting in Biloxi, Miss.; and $1,821 for political travel and lodging paid for by the campaign of R. Creigh Deeds, the 2009 Democratic nominee for governor.

Gifts Kaine listed also included a $1,000 Moroccan Berber rug; embroidered table linens valued at $100; a box of oil and bath salts, valued at $50; and a large decorated box, valued at $50. All were given to Kaine during an April 2009 marketing trip to Morocco.

Kaine also listed $558 for lodging at Obamas inauguration, paid for by the Democratic Party of Virginia; and an enamel box valued at $225 and a crystal bowl, valued at $93  gifts from the British ambassador.

Other gifts Kaine reported included baseball tickets valued at $100; a chess set valued at $100; and a sculpture and a crab statue with an estimated total worth of $100, from then-state Sen. Ralph S. Northam, D-Norfolk, now the states lieutenant governor.

Kaine, like other governors, reported an array of trinkets valued at less than $50 each. They included books, boating safety flags, DVDs, pens, ball caps, clocks, framed pictures, a wooden box, a necktie, wine and olive oil, a die cast metal truck, a reproduction of a train, a polo shirt, T-shirts, travel mugs, chocolates, duffle bags, a shaving kit, a paperweight, a silver dollar, even pajama pants  a gift from Virginia Girls State.

Gifts Kaine reported in 2009 valued at less than $50 included a coffee mug, book and umbrella from The Times-Dispatch.

In an effort to provide a complete record, VPAP, a nonpartisan tracker of money in state politics, says it recently asked the Secretary of the Commonwealth if it still had a copy of Kaines January 2010 report on file. A spokesman told VPAP the document had been destroyed after five years, in keeping with a longtime document retention policy.

VPAP says it then asked Kaines staff, which voluntarily provided the document.
Hawk Claus spreads Christmas cheer in DC's Grifter Got Run Over By a Reindeer first look

Take a look at two stories from the DC holiday special including the titular chapter and a Hawkwoman and Hawkman tale
Is the apprehension of Mr Big truly a priority

In my opinion the FIU has been fulfilling its mandate and has been submitting its Annual Reports to the Minister of Finance , and the Intelligence Reports generated from the Suspected Transactions Reports and the Suspected Activities Reports received ,to the Commissioner of Police ,the Chairman of the Board of the Inland Revenue ,the Comptroller of Customs and Excise, and to the Chief Immigration Officer. in a timely manner.

However,to the best of my knowledge,no further action has been taken by any of these Law Enforcement Agencies. No person mentioned in the numerous Intelligence Reports submitted since 2011 has been charged and brought to justice.

Who is responsible for this long delay in taking action? Is it the Commissioner of Police,the Chairman of the Board of the Inland Revenue, the Comptroller of Customs and Excise or the Chief Immigration Officer or is it the Director of Public Prosecutions,the Minister of Finance or one of our Prime Ministers since 2011? Someone must be responsible for this unacceptable delay and I call on the Prime Minister to initiate immediate action on the 581 Intelligence Reports submitted to the Law Enforcement Authorities from October 1, 2011 to September 30, 2015.

Hereunder are some extracts from the 2015 Report of the FIU : For the period 2011 to 2015, 2,341 Suspect transactions were received as follows : 2011 (303 STRs/ SARs) ;2012 (258); 2013(554); 2014(617) and 2015(609) .

During the period, the above STRs/SARs generated a total of 581 Intelligence Reports which were submitted to the appropriate Law Enforcement Authorities as follows : 2011 (16 Intelligence Reports); 2012(31); 2013 (128) ; 2014 (228) and 2015 (178).

The total value of the STRs/SARs received for the period was TT $ 3.7 billion.

These involved 216 incidents of Tax evasion; Fraud -81 incidents ; Drug Trafficing -78 incidents; Money Laundering -67 incidents ; Financing of Terrorism - 16: Misbehaviour in Public Office - 6 ; Extortion - 5; Other offences-6 Of the 277 persons who were suspected of participating in suspicious transactions in the 2015 Report ,126 were bankers, senior company officials, consultants, and teachers ; 82 were business traders ; 64 were unskilled workers ; and five were politically exposed persons.

In an unrelated matter, several millions of taxpayers dollars have been expended on numerous Commissions of Enquiry but to date, to the best of my knowledge, only in the enquiry into the construction of the Piarco Airport Terminal have any charges been made. Why no action has been taken on the recommendations of the Commissioners with respect to the Enquiry into the Hindu Credit Union and into Clico. The report on the Enquiry into the Hindu Credit Union was made public but the report of the Commission of Enquiry into Clico has never been released for public information despite several requests from numerous interested persons.

Another matter which disturbes me is that on August 25 ,2005 , 1,749 kilos of cocaine,valued at TT$700 million together with seven firearms and ammunition, were seized by the Coast Guard on Monos Island and handed over to the Police. The six small fish who were caught in possession,and who could never own such a large quantity of cocaine ,were used as sacrifical lambs found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. Apparently the Police,the DPP and the Judiciary were satisfied that the matter had been successfully concluded.

But why was the Big Fish, the owners of the cocaine, not relentlessly pursued ,and brought to justice? I was never satisfied with the level of investigations since the Big Fish was never caught. Why would six men be prepared to serve their lives in prison rather than give information that would have led to the Big Fish. What became of plea bargaining?
Missing mom found

Relatives of 38-yearold labourer Rhonda Kelly Hinds contacted Newsday indicating that the mother of three was found unharmed early yesterday morning. Reports are that at about 3 am, Hinds who is a labourer and who had been missing since two Tuesdays ago, walked into a police station in Police North Eastern Division .

The woman was questioned as to her whereabouts for the past week by officers .

After being interviewed, Hinds was allowed to leave and made her way to her Caura home and into the arms of her relieved, weeping children sons Rhondelle, ten, and Kylon, 14, and daughter Bridgette, 14 .

The woman preferred not to speak with Newsday yesterday .

Two Tuesday ago, Hinds who is a labourer with the Community- based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) left home to go out. When she failed to return, a Missing Person report was filed a day later at the Tunapuna police station. Relatives searched high and low for her but Hinds was nowhere to be found .

Her worried brother- in-law Ian Hunte brought her children to Newsdays Port-of- Spain head-office on Monday, seeking assistance in having a story published calling on members of the public to assist in locating her .

In an unrelated incident, Symiya Morris, a 17-year-old student of the Barataria North Secondary School, who went missing on Sunday night when she left her St Joseph home to attend a church service in Morvant, is still unaccounted for, her worried relatives said yesterday. Morris is of African descent, four feet eleven inches in height and was last seen wearing a long black dress. Newsday spoke to one of the investigating officers yesterday and said that there were no leads into the investigation, but urged members of the public who may have any information on Morris whereabouts to contact the police by E999, 911 or to visit any police station .
Rowley hails commitment to TT

A funeral service is to be held for Daaga on Saturday at 9am at the Queens Park Savannah followed by burial at the Lapeyrouse Cemetery.

In a statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Rowley said, Mr Daaga made his mark as a political activist in the 1970s as leader of the Black Power Movement. He was not afraid to challenge the status quo, speak up against injustice and advocate for equality. Rowley said, Even in the latter years of his life, he continued to be a presence on the political landscape of TT, which undoubtedly attested to the fact that his interest in the development of our twin-island State, never waned. He concluded, I join the rest of the national community in mourning the loss of Mr Daaga and hold up his loved ones in prayer. May he rest in peace. The Prime Minister, is in California on vacation and is undergoing some medical examinations at a clinic there. Government officials yesterday said they have received no updates regarding those examinations.

In a separate statement, Finance Minister Colm Imbert, who is acting Prime Minister, said, Daaga brought about far-reaching changes which have helped to shape the social and political reality of T&T. Imbert said, Whether adopting the role of revolutionary, rebel leader, visionary or Chief Servant, Makandal Daaga always had at the heart of his beliefs, the empowerment of the people of TT, particularly those he felt to be unjustly denied avenues to prosperity and opportunity. Acting PNM public relations officer Stuart Young extended the partys condolences to Daagas family. Young, who is also Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, said, Mr. Daagas contribution to the political landscape of TT and offers its prayers at this time of grief to his family, friends and associates. San Fernando Mayor Kazim Hosein said, He was an astute, principled and patriotic Trinidadian, and we as a nation should recognise his efficacy as an activist and a political figure. Congress of the People (COP) political leader Dr Anirudh Mahabir said, The COP has lost a good friend. Our nation has lost a great leader and builder.
Take personal responsibility for safety at beaches

Noting that over the weekend, four persons drowned off the beaches in Mayaro and Manzanilla, the ministry extended condolences to the families affected by the tragic incidents. In a release, the ministry noted that the Lifeguard Services Division (LSD) has lifeguards on duty at ten beaches, from 10 am to 5.30 pm. The beaches are at Maracas Bay, Tyrico Bay, Las Cuevas, Salybia, Toco, Mayaro, Manzanilla, Los Iros, Vessigny and Quinam.

The ministry is encouraging the public to use the guarded beaches only during the times specified, and when a lifeguard is present to advise on safe bathing conditions and to keep a watchful eye on sea bathers.
Divorces on the rise

Dwight Gonzalves, half of Regional Couple, Teams of Our Lady (Trinidad) group says, while there is no ideal couple out there, couples need to pray together in order to stay together.

Gonsalves and his wife, Christine, along with Transatlantic Super Regional Couple, Piotr and Dzidzia Chodzko-Zajko, hosted a press conference yesterday at Aria Lounge, Ariapita Avenue, Port-of-Spain, to highlight the seminar which starts at 9 am and is designed to help couples partake of the fruits of the tools we use in our marriage, Christine said.

The purpose of the seminar is to give people hope, said Christine, who, along with Dwight, has been with Teams of Our Lady for 26 years.

When asked for statistical data to back up his statement about the increase in divorces, Dwight said he had no statistics to back his claim but the evidence was out there. However, he stressed that being in Teams of Our Lady helped him see how many marriages were suffering.

He encouraged proper dialogue and enforced the art of listening while Christine emphasised the importance of spirituality and allowing God to have His way in a marriage.

Dzidzia Chodzko-Zajko, of the Transatlantic Super Regional Couple from the United Kingdom said that one out of three marriages in the UK ends in divorce.

Her husband, Piotr, spoke of the importance of communication within a marriage. The Chodzko-Zajkos will be facilitators of the seminar in Arima.

The upcoming seminar is open to all married couples and will deal specifically with the topic of marriage and divorce in the world today.

The local Teams of Our Lady, run by the Catholic Church, holds a meeting once a month in which about five to seven couples attend. The group is encouraging any couple to join, despite their religious beliefs or concepts.
Get the news faster.

Tap to install our app. Access Newser even faster.

Click here to install our app on your desktop.

X
(Newser)  A former Olympic wrestler was charged with more than 90 counts of animal cruelty after authorities found "piles of dead horses" on his property in Australia, the Age reports. Police discovered the horrible scene at the home of 63-year-old Bruce Akers back in April, but a judge ruled Monday the details of the case could be released to the media. According to the Herald Sun, Akers wrestled for the Australian Olympic team in 1972 and 1976 and is also a former racehorse trainer. Police say 22 dead horses were found on Akers' property on April 3. Their bones and decaying bodies were found stacked in multiple locations around the 100-acre property.

Of the 23 horses found alive, 20 were "severely starved" and two had to be euthanized. Authorities say there were only eight bags of feed on the propertynot even enough to feed the horses for a dayand none were accessible to the horses. "Don't imply that I can't handle what I am doing," the Age quotes Akers as allegedly saying during his arrest. "I'm capable of handling 60 to 70 horses at a time and caring for them quite easily." Authorities were warned of an extreme case of malnutrition in one of Akers' horses back in 2007, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. New homes are being found for Akers' 21 still-living horses. (Another case out of Australia: A driver mowed down 17 kangaroos.)
(Newser)  A Subway employee in Utah has been arrested on accusations he put methamphetamine and THC into the drink of a uniformed police officer, the AP reports. A probable cause statement filed Tuesday says the Layton police sergeant immediately felt impaired after getting the drink Monday. He struggled to find the brake pedal of his patrol car at a red light and couldn't answer questions at the police station. Police Lt. Travis Lyman says the officer has been released from a hospital and is OK.

Tanis Ukena was arrested on suspicion of surreptitiously giving a poisonous substance. He denied the allegations. Lyman says police don't know why Ukena drugged the drink. Subway spokesperson Shawn Cook says the company is shocked and is cooperating with police. (Read more Subway stories.)
(Newser)  As Laurel Cohen, 38, and her husband Dave Cohen, 40, looked forward to the birth of their first child last spring, they and their doctors dismissed Laurel's abdominal pain, shortness of breath, and constipation as normal symptoms of pregnancy. But in May, five weeks before the London woman's due date, Laurel's pain got so bad that she was admitted to a hospital where scans revealed a massive tumor on her liver, reports the Telegraph. Four days later their daughter, Ruby, was delivered by caesarean, at which point Laurel was rushed to another unit to biopsy her tumor. That's when the occupational therapist who worked in oncology learned she had terminal bowel cancer that, undetected, had spread to her liver.

In spite of four rounds of chemotherapy, Laurel's body eventually stopped responding to treatment and she was transferred to hospice. Her husband spent the first weeks of Ruby's life "running between neo-natal to be with Ruby and the cancer ward to be with Laurel," and says in her final days he was allowed to stay the night with Laurel and could "hear her crying out in pain." She died on July 26, 2015, when Ruby was just 10 weeks old. Says Dave: "After her death I so wanted someone to blame, but the doctors did everything they could. Every symptom she had was so easily explained by her pregnancy." And while "there are no words" to describe losing the woman he met at a youth summer camp in 1990, he says he finds strength in their daughter. These days he's busy doing fundraising runs in Laurel's memory, reports the Jewish Chronicle, pushing sleeping Ruby in a stroller all the way. (This mom died 10 days after delivering triplets.)
(Newser)  More ugliness in Mexico's troubled Sinaloa state: Hugo Ruben Castellanos, the national director of the Miss World beauty pageant, was kidnapped and murdered on Sunday, hours after he crowned the winner of the Miss Sinaloa contest, the Guardian reports. Police say he was shot dead after being kidnapped by gunmen near a bar. Two other people kidnapped with Castellanos were later freed, the BBC reports.

Police say they haven't determined the motive, but it is possible there is a link to the pageant. In 2008, Miss Sinaloa lost her title after being arrested along with leaders of the Juarez drug cartel and in 2012, the winner of the Woman of Sinaloa contest died in a gun battle between the military and drug traffickers. (Read more Mexico stories.)
(Newser)  More than 2,000 leaked incident reports from Australias detention camp for asylum seekers on the Pacific island of Nauru reveal what the Guardian describes as "routine dysfunction and cruelty," including assaults, rape, and incidents of self-harm. About half of the incident reports from May 2013 to October 2015 involve children, who made up just 18% of the 442 people held at the camp in tents crawling with cockroaches. In one case, a child said a male asylum seeker "cut her from under," pointing to her vagina. Another child "gouged at her own face consistently and pulled her own hair," while a third swallowed a cup of cleaning fluid, the reports state, per CNN. Yet another reportedly sewed her mouth shut, drawing laughs from a guard.

Guards are accused of asking to watch children in the shower, slapping children across the face, and uttering death threats. Bus drivers on site are accused of taking voyeuristic photos of women. Amnesty International accuses the Australian government of a "mass cover-up," per CNN. "They've repeatedly said this kind of abuse has not been going on. They've been lying," a rep says. The Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection says it is working to "confirm all of these matters have been previously and appropriately reported." However, it adds "many of the incident reports reflect unconfirmed allegations" since all incidents at the camp are recorded. Criminal claims, it says, are reported to the Nauru Police Force. (Child abuse allegations have also hit this Australian center.)
(Newser)  In what's being described as a "horrible accident" by Punta Gorda Police Chief Tom Lewis, a 73-year-old Florida woman was mistakenly shot dead while participating in a citizen police academy designed to better relations between officers and the community they serve. The "shoot or don't shoot" role-playing session was part of Punta Gorda's eight-week academya "series of interactive sessions designed to provide insight into city government and to develop ... civically engaged residents." Mary Knowlton was one of 35 participants who was on Tuesday night touring the police station; she was chosen at random to play the victim to an officer's "bad guy" during a session about when officers decide to use lethal force, reports WBBH. The weapon used should have been fake or empty; instead, Knowlton was hit.

The Washington Post reports by way of her Facebook page that Knowlton was a long-time librarian in Minnesota who had relocated to Punta Gorda, where she was part of the Friends of the Punta Gorda Library board of directors. The name of the officer who shot her has not been released, but he is on administrative leave pending an investigation. The Post reports that for three decades, citizen police academies have been offered throughout the US; per decade-old Justice Department stats, about 15% of surveyed police departments had such academies. Said Lewis of the "unimaginable event": "If you pray, please pray for Mary's family, and for the officers who were involved. Everyone involved in this accident is in a state of overwhelming shock and grief." (Read more Florida stories.)
(Newser)  Much has been written about America's heroin problem, but a new piece in Esquire offers what might be the most provocative explanation yet: "Okay, I'm going to say it," writes Don Winslow. "The heroin epidemic was caused by the legalization of marijuana." When states began making pot legal a few years ago, it was disastrous for the Mexican cartels, which were unable to compete with much better and easier-to-transport American product. The dominant Sinaloa Cartel, for example, suffered a 40% drop in marijuana sales, which translates into billions of dollars, writes Winslow, the author of three novels about the Mexican drug world. That's when leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and his cohorts took note of America's growing addiction to prescription painkillers.

Winslow describes their line of thinking thusly: "We have some of the best poppy fields in the world. Opium, morphine, Oxy, herointhey're basically the same drug so ..." Poppy fields replaced pot fields, and the result is written in the tales of addicts around the US. He warns that we can expect things to get much worse with the rise of fentanyl, a hugely profitable and potent synthetic opioid, combined with the recapture of El Chapo, who is no longer around to keep the relative peace among cartels. In fact, Winslow draws a parallel to him and Saddam Hussein keeping Iraq's various factions in check, albeit brutally. He even asserts that Mexican authorities let Guzman escape in the first place for just that reason. As for that infamous tunnel in his cell: "Gentle reader, the man is worth $1 billion," writes Winslow. "He went out the front door." Click for the full, fascinating story. (Read more Longform stories.)
(Newser)  Emma Raine either has the worst luck with men, or she'sas prosecutors suggesta "serial husband killer" and "black widow." The 52-year-old woman, widowed three times, face charges of second-degree murder in the death of her second husband, Ernest Smith, shot to death in Louisiana in 2006 by a man allegedly hired by Raine so she could benefit from an $800,000 life insurance policy, reports the AP. It's a twisted tale: Prosecutors say the man who pulled the triggerAlfred Everette, convicted of murder in 2014was promised a cut of the insurance money from Raine and her future third husband, James Raine, before James' own murder in Mississippi in 2011. Police say Emma Raine is also a suspect in that case, though no charges have been laid.

Raine has pleaded not guilty in Smith's death and faces a mandatory life sentence if convicted. The trial could begin as soon as Wednesday. Police allege Raine hired Everette, James Raine's adoptive brother, to shoot Smith, 38, outside his New Orleans home. Police say his wife was likely inside and witnessed the shooting, but called a friend instead of 911, per the Inquisitr. James Raine was similarly shot inside his home in 2011 while his wife was apparently out of town. During Everette's trial, prosecutors also described the death of Raine's first husband, Leroy Evans, in 1994 as suspicious. Hospitalized after being hit by a car, he reportedly choked after his feeding tube was somehow removed, reports the Sun Herald. (This woman has seven dead lovers.)
(Newser)  Last year, student protesters stormed the chancellor's suite at California's UC Berkeley, staging a sit-in outside Chancellor Nicholas Dirks' office and later marching to his actual residence. In a response that may have made student-administration relations worse, the university has now installed an emergency exit near Dirks' office, campus newspaper the Daily Cal reports. The $9,000 door, paid for using a UC-wide pool of money allotted for risk prevention, is between Dirks' office and his conference room, and will "provide egress to leave the building," a campus spokesperson says. But the senator-elect of the associated students organization (ASUC) says this just makes Dirks seem "elitist and out of touch and inaccessible to the students."

Previously, Berkeley spent almost $700,000 to build a fence around Dirks' residence, University House, though officials say that was built in response to an increasing amount of vandalism and trespassing. "There has to be other ways to handle student concerns and protests than simply building ways to avoid them," the ASUC senator-elect says with regard to the emergency exit door, adding that no chancellor has ever been harmed during campus protests. The protests last year had to do with students' "criticism of the planned Berkeley Global Campus and its potential effect on the Richmond community," said the Daily Cal in an editorial earlier this month that slammed both the emergency exit and the fence. Another Daily Cal article last month referred to the exit as an "escape hatch," but a university spokesman flatly denied that to the Guardian: "It's a door." (Read more UC Berkeley stories.)
(Newser)  Two law enforcement officers have been shot by a gunman in Sebastian County, Arkansas, reports 4029tv.com. Their conditions are not known, nor are details about what led to the shooting, which took place around 7:15am local time. KFSM identifies the two men shot as the chief of police in Hackett and a Sebastian County deputy. The shooting reportedly took place outside a residence while the officers were responding to an unspecified call. The gunman is not in custody, and authorities have converged outside a house where he is believed to be holed up, reports Arkansas Online. (Read more police officers stories.)
KENORA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Aug 10, 2016) - IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) is a unique research facility and is the only place in the world where scientists can conduct research on real lakes and ecosystems for the most accurate and comprehensive results.

Research conducted at IISD-ELA supports Canada's long-term understanding of our freshwater ecosystems and leads to better decision-making on the use and protection of our freshwater resources for the benefit of all Canadians and future generations.

That is why, as committed in Budget 2016, Member of Parliament, the Honourable Bob Nault (Kenora), on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, today confirmed the Government of Canada's investment in freshwater research at IISD-ELA, situated in Northwestern Ontario.

Joined by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister, MP Nault announced that Fisheries and Oceans Canada will be providing $1.7 million over the next two years to the facility's operator-IISD-ELA. This investment builds on the provinces' support to ensure the continuation of the facility's almost 50 years of ongoing research on how contaminants, climate change and other factors are affecting our freshwater ecosystems that we all depend on.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada and the International Institute for Sustainable Development share a common commitment to understanding and protecting our freshwater fisheries and the ecosystems that support them. We are pleased to provide federal funding to IISD Experimental Lakes Area and to support its legacy of informing important policy decisions in Canada and around the world."

The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

"The unique environmental research being done at the Experimental Lakes Area is a crucial source of insights into some of the most important issues of our time. It is why, when the previous federal government cut its support for the ELA two years ago, the Ontario government stepped forward to keep the ELA going and support this essential research. Today I am delighted that the federal government is renewing its partnership in the ELA and once again investing in this vital scientific work."

Story continues

Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario

"Manitoba is proud to provide IISD its largest, stable grant. The IISD Experimental Lakes Area has the potential to achieve breakthroughs in the science around sustainable solutions to many of our province's water issues. Our lakes and waterways are more than a source of drinking water, they are a significant component of our province's economic, recreational and tourism potential. Working in partnership with organizations like IISD, we will ensure that future generations are able to rely upon and enjoy our waterways."

The Honourable Brian Pallister, Manitoba Premier

"IISD Experimental Lakes Area, situated in beautiful Northwestern Ontario, is internationally known for its unique, whole-ecosystem research and its influence on policy decisions, such as the removal of phosphorous from household cleaners. This government recognizes the value of this important research facility and is committed to protecting our environment. It's also very encouraging to see Premiers and Ministers from Ontario and Manitoba attend this important event, which demonstrates their commitment to science and the ELA."

The Honourable Bob Nault, Member of Parliament (Kenora)

"We welcome this funding from the Government of Canada. With other partners, notably the Government of Ontario, IISD Experimental Lakes Area will continue to protect fresh water for future generations. Since the International Institute for Sustainable Development assumed operation of the Experimental Lakes Area two years ago, we have expanded its research and reach, from tracking the effects of pollutants in our lakes to assessing the impacts of climate change. For the first time, we have opened the facility to local communities and students, and are proud to have established a dialogue and partnership with local First Nations."

Scott Vaughan, President and CEO, International Institute for Sustainable Development

"This support along with our existing partnerships with the governments of Ontario and Manitoba is vital to maintaining IISD Experimental Lakes Area's unique repository of nearly 50 years of ecological experimentation and research. We are grateful to the federal government for recognizing the value of expanding our research capacity to provide evidence-based insight into the effects of pollutants, climate change and other threats to our lakes of rivers. "

Matthew McCandless, Executive Director, IISD Experimental Lakes Area

Quick Facts

This funding comes from the $197.1 million investment in ocean and freshwater sciences, which was announced in May 2016.

The federal funding to IISD-ELA will cover the salaries of researchers and technicians and contribute to the facility's maintenance, data management, and equipment costs.

The research will cover the long-term study of freshwater ecosystems; fisheries productivity; and, aquatic invasive species and other stressors influencing freshwater fisheries.

For almost 50 years, IISD-ELA has pioneered research into threats to our freshwater supplies such as phosphorus, nanosilver, acid rain, climate change and more, influencing water-management policies in Canada and around the world.

The Government of Ontario provides up to $2 million each year to IISD-ELA, and the the Province of Manitoba has committed more than $6 million over six years to support and advance IISD's operating costs, including the advancement of freshwater science and policy research.

Associated Links

IISD Experimental Lakes Area [https://www.iisd.org/ela/]

New Science Investments at Fisheries and Oceans Canada [http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?mthd=tp&crtr.page=1&nid=1063539]

Internet: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Follow us on Twitter! www.Twitter.com/DFO_MPO
(Newser)  Someone has been shooting at cars along a busy street in San Jose, and police are stumped, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Cars driving on Blossom Hill Road have been fired on a reported 10 times since May. According to the Mercury News, the most recent shootings, which were announced by police this week, took place last Thursday and Friday. Authorities believe all 10 shootings are connected. While police aren't releasing many details on the shootings, including the type of gun or guns used, all 10 shootings have occurred between midnight and 3:30am in the same general area, KRON reports.

So far no one inside the cars has been struck by the bullets. But two people have suffered minor injuries from being grazed by either bullets or broken glass. There appear to be no connections between the victims other than when and where they happened to be driving. Police have assigned a number of detectives and officers to the case. And authorities are asking for the public's help identifying possible suspects. In the meantime, police are interviewing residents and handing out flyers. (Read more shooting stories.)
(Newser)  In 1912, an ambitious lawyer named Charles Dawson discovered a fossilized skeleton with the skull of a man but the jaws of an ape in a British gravel pit, the Telegraph reports. For the next three decades, Eoanthropus dawsonibetter known as Piltdown Man, named for the location it was discoveredwas seen as an important step in human evolution, a "missing link" between apes and humans. In reality, it was "arguably the greatest scientific crime ever committed in Britain," paleoanthropologist Isabelle De Groote writes in Scientific American. In a study published Wednesday in Royal Society Open Science, De Groote and her team believe they've finally solved once and for all who faked Piltdown Man by combining, carving, and dyeing human and orangutan bones.

After new scientific methods proved Piltdown Man was a fake in 1953, blame was placed alternately at the feet of Dawson, a British paleontologist, a priest who helped with the excavation, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmesor some combination thereof, Science reports. An expert says Conan Doyle's motivation would have been to get revenge on "the scientists who mocked him for expressing a belief in spiritualism." But De Groote's research puts the blame solely on Dawson, who likely worked alone. She says Piltdown Man shows "evidence of one hand, one maker, one signature." That maker is probably Dawson, who was found to have committed at least 38 forgeries and desperately wanted to be recognized by the scientific community. (These real-life hobbit fossils are almost certainly not hoaxes.)
(Newser)  New emails released by a conservative group Tuesday are stoking claims Hillary Clinton gave access to her State Department in exchange for donations to the Clinton Foundation, NPR reports. Judicial Watch says 44 pages of emails from Clinton's private server that weren't handed over to the government include damning evidence. Chief among that evidence is a 2009 exchange between Clinton aide Huma Abedin and Clinton Foundation staffer Doug Band, according to Bloomberg. Band tells Abedin it's "important to take care of" someone whose name has been redacted from the email. Abedin responds that "personnel has been sending him options."

That the Clinton Foundation was calling in favors barely three months into Hillary Clintons tenure at the State Department is deeply troubling," Bloomberg quotes an RNC spokesperson as saying. The Clinton campaign responds that the emails were regarding a young person who worked for Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign and who was neither a Clinton Foundation donor nor employee. "The fact remains that Hillary Clinton never took action as Secretary of State because of donations to the Clinton Foundation," NPR quotes a Clinton spokesperson as saying. Hillary Clinton wasn't officially involved in the Clinton Foundation, which was founded by Bill Clinton, during her time as Secretary of State, the Wall Street Journal reports. (Read more Hillary Clinton stories.)
(Newser)  An Arkansas deputy died Wednesday after being shot while responding to a call at a house, authorities say. Sebastian County Deputy Bill Cooper was pronounced dead at a hospital around 1:15pm, Sheriff Bill Hollenbeck said during a news conference. Hackett Police Chief Darrell Spells was also shot and suffered superficial wounds, the AP reports. Hollenbeck said the suspect, 34-year-old Billy Monroe Jones, who is now in custody, wanted to cause a "ruckus" ahead of a court appearance. The sheriff said Jones was due in a Fort Smith courtroom Wednesday for a hearing on whether a previous suspended sentence should be revoked. Court records show he has had a drug conviction along with a handful of minor charges.

After the shooting, the suspect barricaded himself inside the house for more than 4.5 hours before being arrested. Authorities said the injured officers went to the home, about 6 miles from the Oklahoma border, after Jones pointed a weapon at his father, who called 911. After the shootings, dozens of police vehicles, including a SWAT truck, quickly descended on the area, a rural, wooded area near Hackett, a town of about 800 residents. Police say Jones also shot a police robot and a police dog, the AP reports. Hollenbeck says the suspect shot and disabled the robot that was being used to confirm Jones was inside the home where he was holding officers at bay. The police dog was shot during the gunfire and ran from the scene as its handler and other officers scrambled for cover. The sheriff said the dog apparently ran into a heavily wooded area nearby and had not been found as of Wednesday afternoon. (Read more shooting stories.)
Kolkata:

A joint team of the West Bengal CID and Bihar police today arrested the kingpin of the racket in connection with the Bihar intermediate exam scam.

Acting on a tip off from those arrested in the case, the joint team today arrested absconding Vikash Kumar (39) from Jinjinjirabajar area in South 24 Parganas district.

According to DIG CID (Operations) Dilip Adak, Kumar, who was a clerk-cum-storekeeper of the Bihar Vidyalaya Pariksha Samiti was in-charge of the whole gang.

He used to take around Rs five to ten lakh from each students for changing their answer sheets. This he was doing in a very innovative manner, Adak said, adding the Bihar police had approached them to help in nabbing the culprit.

The tender of printing question papers and blank answer sheets for exams conducted by the Samiti, were given to a Mathura-based press cancelling the earlier order given to a Gujarat-headquartered company.

Kumar had sent a letter asking the Gujarat company to print blank answer sheets and received 28 lorries of them, Adak said.

He then, when contacted by parents as well as candidates, used to provide them with blank answer sheets.

And after they fill up the answers, Kumar used to replace their original answer sheet with this one, the officer said.

Kumars name surfaced after the Gujarat-based printing press lodged a complaint with the Bihar police when their bills shot up close to Rs nine crore.

Kumar, a resident of Bihars Patliputra, had recently bought a flat at Kolkatas Phoolbagan area spending nearly a crore.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Washington:

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said the Second Amendment people - gun owners or those backing gun rights - could stop his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton from winning the White House and picking new US Supreme Court justices.

Trumps intended message was not immediately clear, but lawmakers advocated that the 70-year-old billionaire tycoon had given an assassination threat to Clinton.

The Trump campaign quickly refuted any such inference and asserted that Trump meant political power to stop Clinton at polls.

Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the Second Amendment. By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks. Though the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know, Trump told a cheering crowd at an election rally in Wilmington, North Carolina yesterday.

The Clinton campaign immediately expressed its outrage at Trumps remarks.

This is simple what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way, said Robby Mook, Hillary for America Campaign Manager.

The Trump Campaign refuted the allegations and charged the dishonest media on trying to extract his Wilmington statement as inciting violence.

Its called the power of unification 2nd Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power. And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it wont be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump, said Jason Miller, senior communications advisor to the Trump Campaign.

In an interview later to a local television channel, Trump refuted such an allegation.

If Hillary Clinton gets elected, I think shes going to decimate the Second Amendment, if not abolish it. And shell do that through judges, through the justices of the Supreme Court. But the Second Amendment people have tremendous power because they are so united, he told WNCN-North Carolina in an interview.

Several of Trumps supporters came out in his defense.

What he said very clearly was that if Hillary Clinton were elected president, she would get to appoint judges to the Supreme Court, and among the other things that they would do to destroy us, would be to do away with the Second Amendment and your right to bear arms, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said at an election rally later in the night.

Now, is there anybody here that doubts that. And then he said, and you have the power to do something about it. And what he meant by that was you have the power to vote against her. You have the power to campaign against her. You have the power to speak against her. You know why, because youre Americans, Giuliani said.

However, Senator Chris Murphy in a series of tweets alleged that Trump had given an assassination threat to Clinton.

Dont treat this as a political misstep. Its an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy and crisis, Murphy said.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Nagpur:

A group of pro-Vidarbha activists, demanding statehood for the region, today protested outside Union minister Nitin Gadkaris residence here.

The activists took out a rally, under the leadership of former Legislator Wamanrao Chatap of Vidarbha Rajya Andolan Samiti, which ended at Gadkaris residence located in Mahal area in the eastern part of the city.

A large number of farmers, students, women and youngsters from across various districts of Vidarbha took part in the protest march, which was aimed at reminding Gadkari of his promise on a separate Vidarbha state, Ram Neole, a leader of Samiti said.

Before being elected as an MP from Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency, Gadkari had openly espoused the cause of separate Vidarbha. However, he has been maintaining silence on the issue since his induction into the Union cabinet, Neole alleged.

If Gadkari decides, he can deliver on the demand for separate state. The Centre has the discretion to carve out a new state without the consent of the Maharashtra Legislature, he added.

A memorandum in support of the separate statehood was submitted to Gadkaris staff as he was away in New Delhi to attend the ongoing Parliament session.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi :

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has directed the Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan to seek consular access to an Indian prisoner who was attacked at least thrice by inmates in a Peshawar jail. Hamid Nehal Ansari, a Mumbai resident arrested in 2012 for illegally entering Pakistan from Afghanistan reportedly to meet a girl he had befriended online, suffered injuries after he was attacked by inmates in the Peshawar Central Prison.

I am very much disturbed to read about repeated attacks on Hamid Ansari who is detained in Peshawar jail since 2012. It is inhuman.

I have asked our High Commissioner in Pakistan to seek Consular access to Hamid Ansari in hospital/Jail and report, Swaraj tweeted.

31-year-old Ansari was sentenced to three years imprisonment by a military court for possessing a fake Pakistani identity card.

Ansaris lawyer lawyer Qazi Mohammad Anwar told Peshawar High Court bench on Thursday that his client was attacked at least thrice by jail inmates in recent months.

Anwar also told the court that Ansari had been kept in a death cell with a hardened criminal awaiting execution for a murder.

Ansari was attacked and injured three times over the last couple of months and shifted to the hospital for treatment, the counsel said. He said even the head warden would subject him to brutality and slap him on a daily basis without any reason.

Ansari had gone missing after he was taken into custody by intelligence agencies and local police in Kohat in 2012 and finally in reply to a habeas corpus petition filed by his mother, Fauzia Ansari, the high court was informed on January 13 that he was in custody of the Pakistan Army and was being tried by a military court.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Dubai:

India's Consul General in Dubai met the family of the fire fighter who lost his life while rescuing passengers on board the Emirates plane that crash landed here and lauded the valour shown by him.



Jasim Elsa Al Baloushi died during firefighting operations after the Emirates aircraft carrying 300 people, including 226 Indians, caught fire while landing at Dubai International airport on August 3.



282 passengers and 18 crew members had a miraculous escape when flight EK521 from Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai made the crash-landing.



The Boeing 777-300 aircraft caught fire on the runway shortly after landing. All 300 people on board escaped the aircraft before it was destroyed by the fire.



Consul General of India, Dubai, Anurag Bhushan, visited the house of Jasim Elsa Al Baloushi yesterday.



Bhushan, who was accompanied by Deputy Consul General Muraleedharan K, extended deepest condolences to his family on behalf of the Indian community in the UAE.



The two diplomats met Elsa Al Baloushi, the father of the fire fighter, his close relatives and friends to convey their condolences.



According to a statement released by the Consulate, Baloushi's family members also expressed their gratitude for the visit of the Indian diplomats. "Consul General conveyed his gratitude and appreciation on behalf of the Government of India and all Indians for the invaluable service provided by Mr Jasim Elsa Al Baloushi (late) in rescuing the 282 passengers, including 226 Indian nationals," the statement said.



He also conveyed that the Indian community in the UAE is highly appreciative of the valour shown by Baloushi. Bhushan said Baloushi will be remembered for his brave deed.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Mumbai:

In an effort to bring about smooth governance, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said a co-ordination committee would be formed to look into various the work proposals submitted by Shiv Sena MLAs.



The decision was taken at a meeting of Fadnavis with a Shiva Sena delegation led by its chief Uddhav Thackeray, in Mumbai on Tuesday.



We had been contemplating over the issue for quite some time. The Sena delegation came and we had a good interaction. We have decided to form a co-ordination committee and I will review developments periodically, Fadnavis said.



We also agreed to meet formally once every three months to sort out outstanding issues between the allies, he said.



Minister Eknath Shinde said the meeting yielded a major project for the Thane city in the form of extended railway station between Mulund and Thane on the central line.



The extended Thane station project needs 14-acre land of the mental hospital in the city. chief minister assured us during the meeting that the land would be handed over to the Central Railway within a month, Shinde said in a release here.



Fadnavis also gave instructions to Health Minister Deepak Sawant in this regard.



The co-ordination committee would comprise an equal number of legislators and ministers from both the alliance partners, he said.



According to Shinde, Thackeray told the chief minister that the development works proposed by Sena are not being implemented by the government.



Thackeray also gave a list of grievances and works to the chief minister.



The delegation comprised all Shiv Sena ministers in the state government, senior Sena leaders and partys whips in both the Houses of Legislature.



This is a systematic way to sort out issues. We have started working on it, Fadnavis added.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Lt Governor Najeeb Jung is using the language of Winston Churchill who as British Prime Minister had strongly opposed granting Independence to India, Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain said, a day after the LG ordered review of all decisions by AAP government which were not cleared by him.



Jain, whose department has had confrontations with the LG over a range of issues, said Jung doesnt have faith in democracy and that he has been using language of former British viceroys and Churchill.



The Home Minister also criticised Jungs directive yesterday to heads of all departments to review orders and identify files for which his approval was required but not taken by the AAP government, saying he cannot directly communicate with the bureaucrats and must route the directions through ministers.



The bitter war of words between AAP government and LG continued, days after the Delhi High Court ruled that the national capital is a Union Territory despite having an elected government and LG is the administrative head of the city. The AAP government is challenging the order in the Supreme Court.



LG sahab doesnt have faith in democracy. He has never contested an election and (is) holding the top position without peoples mandate. British viceroys used to say that India doesnt need independence. Churchill said that India cannot be given independence as the people cannot govern themselves.



He (Jung) is using the language of former Viceroys and Churchill, the Delhi Home Minister told reporters.



Let him (Jung) review all our files and decisions. But instead of directing officers, he should have communicated it to the ministers concerned. LG has the right to seek any file, but it should be done through proper channels, he added.



The minister said that the Delhi government will obey the High Court order holding that the LG is the administrative head of the capital.



An order issued by Vijay Kumar, Secretary to LG had said, The secretaries, principal secretaries and heads of all the departments, autonomous bodies, boards, corporations and institutions concerned should immediately review all such orders and identify by August 17 those cases where prior approval of the LG was required but not taken.



All such cases may immediately be placed with appropriate proposal before the LG through proper channel and with the opinion of the Law department, wherever required, the order said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday discussed the issue of unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, a day after the Upper House witnessed noisy scenes during the Zero Hour with the Opposition demanding a discussion.

Raising the issue on Wednesday in Rajya Sabha, the opposition parties expressed serious concern over situation in the Valley.

Kashmir debate in Rajya Sabha: As it happened on Wednesday

Highlights of Home Minister Rajnath Singh's speech-

# If there will be any talks with Pakistan, it will only be on PoK and not Kashmir.

# Some LeT militants are trying to threaten our security personnel and their families in J&K.

# All-party meeting to be held on Kashmir issue on August 12; the prime minister will also attend it.



# As many as 4,515 security personnel and 3,356 civilians injured in Kashmir.



# Discussion on Kashmir sign of healthy democracy; people should be proud.



# I am not trying to justify the use of non-lethal weapon but it has been used before.



# Security forces have been told to exercise as much restraint as they can.



# State government is trying its best to provide basic facilities amidst unrest situation created by some vested interest & misguided elements.



# I'm not saying that people living in Kashmir are leading a normal life, but state government is trying its best to provide basic facilities.



# Have no hesitation in saying that whatever is happening in Kashmir is sponsored by Pakistan.

# When I visited Srinagar and Anantnag on July 23 and 24, I met various delegations and J&K CM there to discuss the Kashmir issue.





Highlights of MoS Jitendra Singh's speech-



# The youth of Kashmir wants to be the beneficiary of India's success story.



# Those who motivated these children to come forward in the name of Jihad have safely kept their own children in safe havens in India's metro cities and abroad.



# We all are worried about Jammu and Kashmir. Time has arrived to rise above political lines.



# Most of these children who got killed, were the children of the poorest of the poor sections of the valley.



# J&K is unique in the sense that it has its own constitution. Constitution of J&K itself says 'I am an integral part of India'.



# The Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir says that it is an integral part of India. The House unanimously says so. Then why do we still have to debate on what model to follow?



# It appears like there is a premimum on anti-India debate, an intellectual terrorism.



# There are statements being made that ever since BJP came into power, situation in Kashmir has deteriorated. But what about Amarnath Yatra tragedy that killed so many people?



# Amarnath Yatra killing happened during the Congress rule. Let's not compare how many died in Kashmir under which government's rule.



# The youth of today is an awakened youth and we have to facilitate that. The youth of Kashmir is our asset.





Highlights of Congress leader Karan Singh's speech-



# We say Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. No doubt about it.



# Kashmir issue is extremely complicated. There is no simple solution. There is no magic bullet. We need to put our heads together and see what consensus can be reached.





Highlights of J-K PDP MP Nazir Ahmad Laway's speech-



# Why do we remember Kashmir only when it is burning?



# Why wasn't there any problem in Kashmir until 1987?



#Why do we only remember Kashmir when it is burning? Guns will not solve any problem," he said. "The people of this country should understand what the problem in Jammu and Kashmir is.



# I wish people in this Parliament talked about sending a delegation to AIIMS, where a girl injured by pellet guns is admitted.





Highlights of nominated member Swapan Dasgupta's speech-



# The threat in #Kashmir is not just about autonomy but also about orchestrated terrorism.



# While we try to evolve a consensus on this issue, we should sometimes be brutally frank about what we are dealing with.



# The problem we face in Kashmir today is somewhat different from the problems we have faced earlier.



# Three months ago, Kashmir was peaceful. We had a unique political experiment. It was an alliance between the Valley and

Jammu, something which was unique and encouraging. And then something broke loose.



# That was the death of Burhan Wani. The death of any Indian should be a source of anguish. But Burhan Wani never considered himself an Indian. And what do you say about a person who glamourises terrorism?.



# A lot of the people who have taken to the streets may be spontaneous. But there is also a large degree of pre-meditation in the protests.



# We have been talking about development and healing hearts and unfortunately, we have come across a rather big emotional divide. At an earlier time, it was thought that Article 370 would facilitate the process of integration. But we may have actually hardened the emotional divide.



# While I agree with Sitaram Yechury that we need a form of political approach, the form and time of that approach should be different.



# Today, there is an attempt to create dual power in Kashmir.



Highlights of CPM leader Sitaram Yechury's speech-

# Why is there trust deficit in Kashmir?



# If there is a trust deficit, you have to create an atmosphere of trust.



# I urge government to discuss this issue (Kashmir unrest) with open mind, listen to all ideas, confidence building is required.



# Are you creating trust when you talk of Gau raksha, or when you say we will abrogate Article 370?



# Blood spilled in Kashmir drawing vultures from Pakistan.



# Pakistan may be taking advantage of situation but a vulture comes down only when there is a carcass to feed on.

# I suggested that pelleting should stop, that all shades of opinion should be soght.



# We have not come close to a solution even after 30 days of curfew.

Kashmir debate in Rajya Sabha: Who said what

2pm:

Debate begins again in RS





1 pm:

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 PM



Highlights of JD-U leader Sharad Yadav's speech-



# Kashmiri people are angry with us, but we need to talk to them with love and bring them back in the mainstream. Otherwise, the history will never fogive us.



# We've to strive hard to win hearts of Kashmiris, using force is not the way, use of pellet guns must be stopped immediately.





Highlights of Trinamool leader Derek OBrien's speech-

# It is very important at this stage not to make a distinction between Kashmir - the land and Kashmir - the people.



# Burhan Wani was more dangerous on internet than on streets. He's more dangerous dead than alive.

# Pakistan should not meddle in (Indias) matters.





Highlights of Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav's speech-



# Pakistans ISI and terrorist organisations are misleading Kashmiri youth to attack their own people. Until Pakistan is dealt with, the Kashmir issue will not be resolved.





Highlights of J-K BJP leader Shamsher Singh Manhas'speech-



# The high turnout during assembly polls in Kashmir reflected their trust in democracy. But he alleges that separatist leaders have put stones instead of books and laptops in the hands of children. This turn of events, he says, should be examined.



#Kashmir cannot be discussed without also talking about Jammu and Ladakh.



# 55% of the states population resides in Jammu, and despite widespread unemployment, they have not picked up the gun. It is a matter of nationalism.





Highlights of Ghulam Nabi Azad's speech in Rajya Sabha-

# There should be an all party delegation and a meeting that needs to be sent to J&K, should be announced during the Parliament.



# J&K has a curfew, many people have been injured. Civilians have faced losses. And as Parliamwent is on, we all need to share their pain.



# There needs to be integration between Centre and state government. That is not seen, else what PM said wouldnt have come from MP but Parliament.



# You call J&K an integral part of India, but there needs to be integration of heart between people of India & J&K.

# Law & order is not sole responsibility of Kashmir police, paramilitary forces are also involved.



# There is a difference between communalism and separatism.



# Everyone in Kashmir is a victim of militancy. Many of us have lost their near and dear ones due to this militancy in Kashmir.



# Militant militant hota hai, chahey woh Kashmir ka ho ya Punjab ka.



# J&K is facing a sensitive situation today, there's a need for all of us to speak in one voice, Arun Jaitley said in a reply to Azad's speech.



# Don't just love Kashmir for its beauty, love Kashmir for its people, love the children and people who lost their eyes (in protests).



# We have been repetitively demanding that PM should come &make statements on such issues (Kashmir & Dalit issues) in the Parliament.



# We did not hear PM's statement on Dalit issues here in the Parliament. We got to hear about his views from Telangana



# I want to thank HM on behalf of the opposition for allowing discussion on Kashmir issue, today in the Parliament.



For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Imphal:

A seven-year old girl was injured in a bomb blast this morning near the BSF camp at Moirangpurel area in Manipur's Imphal East district, a police officer said.

The bomb, believed to be an improvised explosive device (IED), went off at about 9 AM. The injured girl, identified as Tinoi (7) of Moirang Purel Village, was taken to an Imphal Hospital.

Earlier reports said the injured child was a boy.

The BSF had come under attack on previous occasions as well. Two BSF personnel were injured at Kangpokpi area in Senapati district on Monday last.

On May 20 last, a BSF convoy on foot patrol was ambushed by militants armed with rocket launchers and sophisticated automatic weapons in Thoubal district of Manipur but there was no casualty.

Security forces deployed in Manipur are on alert ahead of Independence Day. Underground outfits operating in the entire northeast region including the state have been boycotting the Independence day celebration for several years, said an officer of the state home department.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Srinagar:

The first batch of 340 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir left for Saudi Arabia today to perform the annual Haj pilgrimage, with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti urging them to pray for peace and progress in the state.

Mehbooba accorded a warm send off to the first batch of Haj pilgrims from the state and wished them a safe journey and a smooth Manasik-e-Haj (Haj rituals), an official spokesman said here.

As many as 6,457 Hajis from J-K are scheduled to perform Haj this year, the spokesman said, adding they would be flown to Medina from Srinagar International Airport in 20 flights, with two flights operating each day.

He said the Chief Minister reached Srinagar International Airport this morning from where the first group of 340 Hajis left for the holy city of Medina on a direct Air India flight.

The pilgrims included 238 from Anantnag, 56 from Srinagar, 11 from Baramulla, eight each from Kulgam and Shopian, six from Pulwama, four from Budgam, three from Jammu and two each from Kupwara and Ganderbal districts, the spokesman said.

While interacting with the pilgrims, she urged them to pray for peace and progress in the state as well as safeguarding its people from the tragedies and miseries of violence and bloodshed, the spokesman said.

He said the pilgrims thanked the Chief Minister for making elaborate arrangements at the Haj House and Srinagar Airport.

All arrangements of transportation, boarding and lodging at Srinagar Haj House and distribution of travel documents and issuance of boarding passes at the Srinagar Airport are in place for the pilgrims, he said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

It is end of an era for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obamas friendship. The two premiers may meet for the last time in Hangzhou, China on September 4-5 before the US president leaves office early next year. They are expected to hold meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit, due next month.

This will follow the next edition of the Indo-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue in Delhi on August 30-31 when the two sides are expected to sign a key cyber relationship document that had been agreed during Modi's trip to Washington in June.

While Modi is not travelling to New York for this year's United Nations General Assembly meeting, he will be in Laos for just over 24 hours during the September 7-8 East Asia and India-Asean summits, making it difficult to squeeze in a meeting with Obama on that occasion.

The two sides are therefore trying to organise a meeting in China to review measures Obama and Modi have initiated to revitalise bilateral ties since mid-2014 besides discussing geopolitics and the geo-economic situation amid China's posture in the South China Sea and elsewhere.



Besides travelling to the US four times since becoming Prime Minister and hosting Obama for India's Republic Day celebrations in 2015, the two have met a number of times on the sidelines of various multilateral events.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Kerala:

One person lost his life after MP Jyotiraditya Scindia's car hit a two wheeler at National Highway 66 at Thanki, Junction near Cherthala on Wednesday.



Scindia was at the passengers seat when the incident was reported at 11:30 am on Wednesday morning. He was travelling from Kochi to Alappuzha for attending an award distribution ceremony.



The diseased has identified as Sasidharan 62, a native of Pattanakad.



He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital by the locals and MP himself. But, doctors declared him brought dead.



Pattanakad police has registered a case in this regard.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday started discussions over unrest in Kashmir. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed serious concern over situation in the Valley. Mumbai Police has nabbed 5 doctors including the CEO of Hiranandani hospital in Mumbai. Here are other five big stories of the day.



1: Debate in Rajya Sabha over Kashmir Unrest



The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday discussed the issue of unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, a day after the Upper House witnessed noisy scenes during the Zero Hour with the Opposition demanding a discussion. Raising the issue on Wednesday in Rajya Sabha, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed serious concern over situation in the Valley.



2: Hiranandani hospital kidney racket: Cops arrest CEO, 4 others in Mumbai



The Mumbai police today arrested the Chief Executive Officer and four other doctors of the L H Hiranandani Hospital in connection with an alleged kidney racket which came to light last month. Mumbai Polices spokesperson DCP Ashok Dudhe said the five doctors were arrested late this evening.



3: Rio 2016: Michael Phelps clenches 20th and 21st gold medals



Michael Phelps has won his 21st Olympic gold medal in 4x200 freestyle relay. This is his second gold medal on the same day. Earlier, the swimming champion had taken his individual medal tally to 20 by dramatically winning 200 meters butterfly title.



4: AAP MLA in tax trouble: IT Department recovers Rs 130Cr from Kartar Singhs home



The Income Tax Department on Tuesday recovered unaccounted income and investment worth Rs 130 cr from Aam Adami Partys MLA from Mehrauli Kartar Singh Tanwar. This recovery could result in a major embarrassment for AAP ahead of Punjab assembly elections, as the party vouches on the honesty of its candidates.



5: Kerala: Man dies after being hit by car with Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia in passenger seat



One person lost his life after MP Jyotiraditya Scindia's car hit a two wheeler at National Highway 66 at Thanki, Junction near Cherthala on Wednesday. Scindia was at the passengers seat when the incident was reported at 11:30 am on Wednesday morning. He was travelling from Kochi to Alappuzha for attending an award distribution ceremony.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Kudankulam:

The controversial nuclear power plant in Kudankulam, Kerala finally got inaugurated today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa jointly inaugurated Unit 2 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Kerala.

The new unit of plant will further revolutionise nuclear power generation in India. But the plant did not reach this stage in one smooth passage. The nuclear power plant has remained riled in controversies from the start.

Here are the 10 facts about rocky journey of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant:

1. The reactors at Kudankulam - India's largest  has been built jointly by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India and a subsidiary of Russia's nuclear regulatory body Rosatom.

2. The project was signed by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and then Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev in 1988 but construction started only in 1997 due to the turmoil after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

3. Both units of the Russian technology Kudankulam plant have been made at a cost of over Rs. 22,000 crore and are 10 years behind schedule.

4. The first unit started generating electricity in 2013. It produces around 1,000 mw of power, half of which feeds Tamil Nadu.

5.Villagers in coastal areas allege that the Russian technology is flawed and untested and the plant is like a live bomb in their backyard which would destroy fishing.

6. Local anti-nuclear activists call the facility unsafe but plant engineers suggest it is one of the safest in the world.

7. SP Udhayakumar, the face of the anti-nuclear protests, alleges: "The first plant tripped 32 times in the last two years and is still limping along its way to credible power generation. Video conference seems to be the best hi-tech solution for the Russians and the Indian government to duck and dodge all kinds of disturbing questions."

8. The second unit of the Kudankulam plant is also expected to generate 1,000mw.

9. The atomic reactor will provide electricity to Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and Karnataka. Four more similar atomic reactors are expected to come up at Kudankulam in future.

10. Further construction for Unit 3 and 4 was started in April 2016. Due to operators and suppliers requirement to insure the two following units, at Rs39,747 crore (US$5.91 billion), the cost of units 3 and 4 is twice the cost of units 1 and 2.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Congress on Wednesday raised questions over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks about 'insaniyat', 'jamhooriyat' and 'Kashmiriyat' and said appeal should go out to Kashmiris from the "heart" rather than "lips" only to enable "integration of minds and heart".

Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress

As the Rajya Sabha took up a discussion on the prevailing situation in Kashmir, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad pitched for sending an all-party delegation to the valley besides an appeal by Parliament for end to violence which is being witnessed there for the last 33 days.

Read more: Live coverage of debate on Kashmir issue in Rajya Sabha

"We should appeal for peace and tranquility from here for better future of Kashmir. This kind of unison voice should go from Parliament. That apart, an all-party delegation should go there," the Congress leader said, adding the announcement regarding it should be made immediately as the session is coming to an end in two days.

Initiating the discussion, Azad said criticised the Prime Minister for his "delayed" comments on the Kashmir situation and said even those were made at a rally in Madhya Pradesh rather than in Parliament.

"We are discussing the Kashmir issue for the fourth time. The Prime Minister should come. The Prime Minister chose Madhya Pradesh to speak on Kashmir. He did not come to this House," he said, adding "Since when has Madhya Pradesh become the capital of the country?"

Azad took a swipe on Modi regarding his statement on 'Insaniyat (humanity), Jamhooriyat (democracy) and Kashmriyat, saying such statements only suited former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

"Such words sound weird if it comes from someone who does not believe in them," he said.

The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir said such words should come from the "heart" and not only from the lips.

Taking a dig at the Prime Minister, Azad said, "He tweets if something happens in Africa. Even if something happens in our enemy country, Pakistan, he issues condemnation. It is not wrong to show sympathy if humanity is hurt anywhere in the world. But in our own country, when the 'Crown of India' is burning, does the heat not reach...he should have spoken."

Citing media reports, he said Modi spoke on Kashmir on insistance of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. "Had the CM not spoken. Even today, PM would not have spoken," he added.

Referring to Modi's comment that all Indians love Kashmir, the Congress leader said, "One should not love Kashmir for its beauty and nature alone. One should love people out there as well."

"Love the people who live there. Love the children who lost their vision due to pellet injuries...," he said while insisting on a political solution.

Talking about the 33-day-old unrest, Azad said things are not flowing from democracy but through the barrel of "guns, pellet guns".He said there has been curfew for the last 33 days and thousands of people including civilians and security forces have been injured in the violence.

The problem in Kashmir is not a "normal law and order issue" like in any other state, Azad said, while underlining that the Centre should come forward to help the state as it is dependent on New Delhi for everything, including security, development and even salaries.While talking about the continuing problem of Kashmir, he said a lot needs to be done to strengthen the relationship between the Centre and the state.

He wondered what happened to reports of various committees, including one headed by late Justice Shabir Ahmed, which made several recommendations for strengthening the integration.

"The report was submitted in 2009-10. Still nothing has been done," he said.

Earlier, Azad associated himself with the views of BSP leader Satish Mishra on Dalit issue and took a jibe on the Prime Minister for making statement on the issue from Telangana and not in Parliament.

Shamsher Singh Manhas, a BJP leader (J-K)

Shamsher Singh Manhas, a BJP member from Jammu and Kashmir, criticised Azad, saying instead of talking about the real problems of Kashmir, he spent most of his time on criticising the Prime Minister.

He said he felt that pain of Kashmiris who were suffering as he contended that only a handful of people of the valley are playing in the hands of separatists.

Referring to the contention that the trouble in Kashmir is because of unemployment, Manhas said youth in Jammu and Ladakh, two other regions of the state, are also unemployed but they have not picked up guns and raised anti-India slogans.

"Jammu shares 500 km border with Pakistan. Everyday Pakistan does one or the other thing. ...55 per cent of population of the state lives in Jammu. More than 7 lakh youth are unemployed. Could they not have picked up the gun? Could not they have raised anti-India slogans? There is a difference between nationalism and separatism," he said.

Manhas said the same was true for Ladakh region.

To stress his point that only handful of people are influenced by separatists, he said 61 per cent of people voted in elections, which proves they have faith in democracy.

Insisting that locals in the Valley would have to fight the menace, Manhas said, "What is the reason behind turmoil? We should go into reasons."

Talking about the incidents of stone-pelting, the BJP leader wanted to know from where stones come and who provides them to youth. He said huge amount is spent on stone pelting.

He said the Modi government had taken a number of initiatives over the last two years, including announcement of a package of Rs 80,000 crore and decisions to set up institutions like AIIMS, IIT, IIM.

"Entire Kashmir is not in turmoil. You have Gujjars..... they are living peacefully. Separatists are creating entire turmoil. ...Handful of people are working on behest of separatists. Kashmir is not burning," he said.

He said Modi is following former Prime Minister Vajpayee's path for development of Kashmir.

"Every effort is made for development of J&K. Our government is constantly on the job," he said.

He also questioned Azad as to why people who came from West Pakistan in 1947 have not been given citizenship of India even though Congress ruled the country for nearly 55 years.

The BJP member called upon political parties to sit together and find a solution to the problem

Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav

Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav targeted Pakistan and "poison is being injected in the hearts and minds of the people" of Kashmir and that "no solution will be effective till the time the source of this venom is blocked".

He said the central government has been extending many facilities and the highest per capita support to Kashmir but it is not proving to be effective because of this poisoning.

He sought to trace the problem to "some past mistakes" including partition and failure to extract strong commitments from Pakistan after India's victories in the wars of 1965 and 1971.

"A number of princely states had become a part of India under Sardar Patel but Kashmir was handled by Pt Jawaharlal Nehru," Yadav noted and suggested that the country was suffering because of it now.He pointed out that Nehru had approached the UN in 1947 even when Indian forces were pushing back Pakistani troops from Kashmir.

"Had Nehru waited for a few more days before going to UN Security Council when Indian forces were repulsing Pakistan army-backed raiders from what is now Pak-occupied Kashmir, these areas would have been with India," he said.

He said even during the 1965 war, when Indian army had reached the doorstep of Lahore, or during the 1971 war when thousands of Pakistani troops surrendered, "we could not ensure a situation where the neighbouring country would no longer foment trouble".

Yadav said Pakistan is misleading the youth in Kashmir by showing them mirages. The people of that country want good relations but Pakistan army wants to keep tension on to keep a grip on Pakistan, he said.

He also referred to Pakistan TV, which glorifies and encourages terrorism, and can be seen in Kashmir and asked the government why it is not being blocked.

"A terrorist was killed by our forces on July 8 and look at what happened... Pakistan will always try to create trouble in Indian affairs. Till the time Pakistan is not taught a lesson, the Kashmir problem can't be solved," Yadav said.

He questioned why India does not raise the issue of Pakistan returning Kashmir occupied by it as he noted that Pakistan has ceded parts of that territory 'Aksai Chin' to China.

In his speech, Yadav also asserted that the use of pellet guns must be discontinued. He said if there is a compulsion to use force, other measures should be taken.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi :

Terrorist Bahadur Ali who was arrested during Kupwara encounter by security forces on July 26 was remanded to National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody for 12 days by a Special NIA court.

Two of Alis accomplices were killed in the encounter. Army had recovered three AK-47 rifles, two pistols and Indian currency worth Rs. 23,000 from his possession.

Ali has confessed that he had received terror training at Lashkar camp in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

NIA on Wednesday addressed a press conference in Delhi on the captured terrorist Bahadur Ali:

#We have collected all kinds of evidences. Bahadur Ali was directed to take advantage of current situation in Kashmir.

#Recovered articles show that terrorist was provided great refs in codes. It shows very highly trained people trained him: NIA on Bahadur Ali.

# Future investigation is continuing in regards with Bahadur Ali's disclosure of the role of LeT in the current unrest in Kashmir.

# Bahadur Ali was recruited by Jamaat-ud-Dawa, subsequently LeT radicalised him.

# Bahadur Ali underwent all three training process organised by LeT.

# Bahadur Ali said that there were 30-50 trainees at training camps of LeT from different parts of the countries including Afghanistan, Pak.

#Bahadur Ali said that there were a few army officers in civilian clothes who checked their preparedness with a check-list.

# Bahadur Ali crossed into Indian side on either 11th or 12th June along with two LeT cadres.

#When Haider was approaching LOC, barbed wire fencing, he was constantly communicating with somebody.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Imphal:

Manipur has witnessed 10 bomb blasts in past three months. Attacks, mostly attributed to local militants have left seven people, including security personnel and children, injured. Inspired by separatists motives, the blasts come at a time when Irom Sharmila ended her 16-year-long fast against Armed Forces (Special Powers) Acts in the state.

Here is a look at recent incidents which have disrupted normal life in the Northeastern state

10 August 2016

A 7-year-old child was reportedly injured in a bomb blast that was targeted at a Border Security Force (BSF) camp in Manipur on Wednesday morning. The incident took place at Moirang Purel village near state capital Imphal.

Barely two hours later another bomb blast was reported outside Manipur University, though further details were yet to emerge. According to reports, authorities believe that the first blast was the handiwork of local militants of the region.

8 August 2016

On Monday, two BSF jawans were injured when three bombs exploded at Kangpokpi in Manipur's Senapati district. No organisation or individual claimed responsibility for the attack. Security was beefed up and extra forces were deployed in the state, especially in wake of Independence Day.

5 August 2016

A suspected IED blast took place near Manipur State Museum, near Imphal Polo Ground on August 5. One CRPF personnel and one boy were injured in the explosion. The CRPF personnel belonged to 109 Battalion Echo Company and was on a daily routine duty guarding Raj Bhavan.

20 July 2016

Three Assam Rifles personnel were injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast at T Minou village near the Indo-Myanmar border July 20. The blast took place at 7.30 am, when the Assam Rifles personnel were on foot patrol in the vicinity of the village which has a large presence of underground outfits, a police officer said.

11 July 2016

Unidentified miscreants exploded a bomb in the headquarters of the hill district of Senapati in Manipur, the police said on July 11. The explosion took place on Sunday around 7.30 PM at a room of the Planning office located in the premises of the Deputy Commissioners office, a police officer said.

26 May 2016

A BSF jawan was on injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded at Moirangpurel, around 20 km from Imphal, police said. The incident occurred at around 4.30 PM when jawans of the Border Security Force (BSF) were on a patrol on foot.

15 May 2016

An employee of a two-wheeler retail outlet was injured after unidentified miscreants exploded an IED in the city's commercial hub. The blast occurred last night at Khoyathong locality in the Manipur capital, in front of the Honda Scooters outlet.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Armed with the confessional statement of an alleged Pakistani LeT operative, NIA today blamed the banned terror organisation for fuelling the continuing unrest in Kashmir.

The anti-terror probe agency also said it is gathering further evidence regarding the role of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba in the ongoing turbulence in the Valley for the last 33 days. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said the questioning of Pakistani terrorist Bahadur Ali, who was captured recently in North Kashmir, had thrown up leads showing involvement of LeT in aggravating the situation in the Valley.

The NIA's comments came a day after India handed over a "strong demarche" to Pakistan over its continued support to cross-border terrorism in India. "NIA is further investigating the role of Lashkar in the present unrest in Kashmir," Inspector General of NIA Sanjeev Singh told reporters here.

NIA also showed to the media a video of Ali alias Saifullah, a Punjabi-speaking man, talking about his family, the time he spent in the terror outfit and his crossing over to the Indian side of the border. He was arrested on July 25 by the state police from a village in Handwara after he had managed to give Army the slip at the Line of Control in June this year.

Ali told his interrogators that he was informed by his handlers from a control room code-named 'Alpha-3', believed to located at a high altitude somewhere in PoK, about the unrest in the Valley following the killing of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen militant on July 8.

His handlers from the control room asked him to throw grenades at the security forces and also informed him that other cadres of the terror group had managed to sneak into the Valley, mingled with protesters at other places and were fuelling tension in the Valley.

This is for the first time that NIA has shown a video statement of a captured militant. Pakistan had earlier this year shown a video statement of Kulbhushan Yadav, an Indian national arrested in Balochistan in March over charges of spying for the Indian intelligence agency.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Weeks after an international court struck down its claims over the disputed South China Sea, a high resolution satellite has been successfully launched by China on Wednesday. Satellite aims to provide seamless view of seas inorder to protect its maritime rights besides land borders and global hotspots.

Gaofen-3 is the new high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging satellite that was launched off on the back of a Long March 4C rocket from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in northern Shanxi Province. It was the 233rd flight mission by a Long March carrier rocket, the work horse of Chinas space launches.

As Chinas first SAR imaging satellite that is accurate to one meter in distance, it covers the globe with an all-weather, 24-hour observation service and will be used for disaster warning, weather forecasting, water resource assessments, and the protection of maritime rights.

The satellite was launched amid Chinas efforts to firmly establish its control over the South China Sea, after last months tribunal verdict quashing Beijing expansive claims over all most all of the disputed area also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

China, which rejected the verdict has already launched air and naval patrols over the area to firmly establish control. Since the inception of the Gaofen project in 2013, China has had an increasingly clearer view of the planet, the state-run Xinhua news agency report said.

This also means China has better view of its land borders including its boundary with India. Compared with optical imaging satellites, Gaofen-3 will better perform disaster monitoring as the SAR imaging satellite is capable of imaging in severe weather conditions as it uses microwave transmission.

The launch of Gaofen-3 is expected to reduce dependence on data provided by foreign microwave imaging satellites, Jiang Xingwei, deputy chief engineer of Gaofen satellite application system, said. The new satellite is able to provide high-definition remote sensing data over long periods of time. It can capture continuous imaging for nearly one hour during ocean observation.

With 12 imaging modes, Gaofen-3 has the most imaging modes in the SAR imaging satellite family. The high-definition observation satellite is capable of switching freely between various imaging modes, taking wide pictures of both earth and sea, and detailed photographs of specific areas.

Gaofen-3 is also Chinas first low orbit remote sensing satellite to have a lifespan of eight years, longer than other China-built satellites, which have a lifespan of three to five years, and that of foreign models between six to seven-and-a-half years.

For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
St Louis :

Viswanathan Anand was held onto his fourth draw in five games and slipped to joint second position after the conclusion of the fifth round of Sinquefield Cup, a part of the Grand Chess Tour, now underway here.

Playing white against Wesley So, Anand encountered a new idea that was known to him but the Filipino turned American had done some excellent homework. The draw cost Anand his joint first place but the Indian ace is well-placed in the last four rounds.

Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria finally put an end to the draw-streak that did not see one decisive games in the last two rounds. On the receiving end was China's Ding Liren who found to his astonishment, his king trapped for checkmate in the end game.

Topalov nosed ahead of the field with his second victory in the tournament and moved to 3.5 points out of a possible four. As this was the lone decisive game of the day, Anand, Wesley So and Levon Aronian of Armenia remained on the heels of the leader a half point behind.

American duo of Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura share the fifth spot on 2.5 points a piece, a half point ahead of Ding Liren, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France and Anish Giri of Holland. Russian Peter Svidler is at the last spot on 1.5points in the USD 300,000 prize money tournament.

In the other games of the day, Vachier-Lagrave survived some difficult moments before he used Caruana's time trouble to steer to safety while Anish Giri split the point with Aronian. Hikaru Nakamura also had his third draw in the event, signing peace with Svidler.

Anand employed the Italian opening that has been finding favours from the Indian off late and found Wesley finely prepared to counter the same.

The American sacrificed a pawn early in the opening to get active piece-play and was without a worry when Anand liquidated to a level endgame.

"I'm very glad to be able to compete with Vishy in the opening," So said. "He has some of the deepest openings as you can see from his matches."

Praising his opponent for the pawn sacrifice, Anand said, "It's a very good try," "You get something close to a Marshall Gambit. It's a pawn, but it's a fraction of a pawn."

Speaking about his chances in the tournament Anand was practical, "Clearly I am well positioned. Having said that its too early to think along those lines," he said.

Results round 5: V Anand (Ind, 3) drew with Wesley So (Usa, 3); Peter Svidler (Rus, 1.5) drew with Hikaru Nakamura(Usa, 2.5); Veselin Topalov (Bul, 3.5) beat Ding Liren (Chn,2); Fabiano Caruana (Usa, 2.5) drew with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra, 2) Anish Giri (Ned, 2); drew with Levon Aronian (Arm, 3).
Jaipur:

Rajasthan Congress today demanded a judicial inquiry into the alleged irregularities in Hingonia cow shelter leading to deaths of several hundred cows.

Hundreds of cows are dying in the Hingonia gaushala. The government is claiming of providing crores of budget for fodder, medicines but it appears to be on papers only, PCC President Sachin Pilot said. He alleged that in the name of fodder and medicines, the budget was siphoned off by officials.

The government is doing nothing but flourishing corruption. After the deaths, changes in the gaushala arrangements have been made just to mislead and the actual situation remains grim, he said. Pilot demanded that a judicial inquiry be set up to probe the irregularities in the gaushala.

The PCC chief has also asked the party district presidents to organise Gaay Bachao March in their respective districts on August 13 to apprise people across the country about the governments apathy towards the cow.

The Congress has earlier alleged that 100 cows had died due to mismanagement and lack of facilities at the state-run cow shelter and VHP had claimed that more than 500 cows had died.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Moscow:

Russian President Vladimir Putin today blasted Ukraine over an alleged attempted incursion into the disputed Crimea region that Kiev fiercely denied.

This is very alarming news. In fact, our security services prevented an incursion into the territory by a sabotage-reconnaissance group from Ukraines defence ministry, Putin told Russian news agencies.

Putin accused the authorities in Kiev of practising terror and pledged not to leave the deaths of two Russian officers in alleged clashes unanswered.

From the Russian side there were lossestwo soldiers killed. We obviously will not let such things slide by, Putin said. The attempt to provoke an uptick in violence, to provoke conflict is nothing but an attempt to distract public attention.

This is a very dangerous game. We will of course do everything to assure the security of infrastructure, citizens and will take additional measures to provide security, including serious additional measures.

Russias security service said it had thwarted terrorist attacks at the weekend in Crimea by Ukrainian military intelligence and beaten back an armed assault.

The FSB said in a statement that one of its officers was killed in armed clashes while arresting terrorists on the night of August 6-7 while a Russian soldier died in a firefight with sabotage-terrorist groups sent by the Ukrainian defence ministry on August 8.

The allegations will fuel further tensions in the feud between Russia and Ukraine, sparked when Moscow annexed Crimea from Kiev in March 2014 after Kremlin-backed president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted.

Ukraines national security council chief Oleksandr Turchynov blasted the claims as hysterical and false and said Moscow was trying to stoke fear in Crimea.

Ukraines defence ministry dismissed the allegations as nothing more than an attempt to justify the redeployment and aggressive actions of Russian forces in the region.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

A former Assistant Project Engineer of Noida was today arrested by the CBI in connection with a corruption case, involving suspended Chief Engineer Yadav Singh, after he failed to appear before a Ghaziabad court.

J P Singh, the then Assistant Project Engineer, who has been named in the charge sheet by the agency was taken into custody after he did not appear before the court in Ghaziabad despite summons served on him, sources said. A special CBI court had issued non-bailable warrant against him.

The CBI team executed the non-bailable warrant today apprehending J P Singh from Jasola village in Noida and producing him before the court, they said. The agency had filed charge sheet against Yadav Singh, his wife Kusumlata and colleagues in March. Keeping the option for further probe open, CBI had said investigation into 1,280 contract bonds amounting to Rs 959 crore signed during Saingh's tenure at Noida was still going on.

Besides Singh and his wife, CBI had also named in the charge sheet Project Engineer (PE) Ramendra Singh, APEs Devi Ram Arya and J P Singh, JEs Rajeev Kumar, RD Sharma and Om Pal Singh, company Tirupati Constructions and its Managing Partner V K Goel, JSP Construction and its partner Pankaj Jain, NKG Infrastructure and its Managing Director Pradeep Garg.

Yadav Singh was arrested on February 3 last year while Ramendra on December 19. The agency has charged them with criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery under various sections of IPC, besides abuse of official position and bribery under Prevention of Corruption Act.

They said the charge sheet was filed in connection with alleged corruption in laying of underground electric cable in Udyog Marg and MP-1 Marg in Noida.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Rio de Janeiro:

Archers Laishram Bombayla Devi and Deepika Kumari advanced to the pre-quarterfinals of the womens individual recurve event. Indian archers rounded off a good day in office at the Olympic Games on Thursday.

Competing in her third Olympics, the 31-year-old Bombayla, who finished 24th in the ranking round, dished out a dominating show to get the better off Chinese Taipei s Lin Shih-Chia 6-2 in the 1/16 elimination after beating Austrias Laurence Baldauff in 1/32 elimination round.

Deepika also put up an excellent show as she comprehensively defeated Italys Sartori Guendalina 6-2 in the 1/16 elimination after prevailing over her opponent from Georgia, Kristine Esebua, 6-4 in the 1/32 elimination round.The 22-year-old from Jharkhand, who had lost in the first round in London Games four years ago, came back strongly from a set down to register a dominating 24-27, 29-26, 28-26, 28-27 victory in the end.

Deepika lost the first set before hitting two consecutive 10s and a nine in the second set to aggregate 29 as compared to 26 by the Italian.After the first two 10s, Deepika sealed the set in her favour after her opponent hit a seven and a nine in her first two attempts.The Indian once again started with a 10 in the third set, while two 9s in the next two arrows gave her a total of 28. The Italian, on the other hand, managed just 26.

Heading into the fourth set with a 4-2 advantage, Deepika tightened the noose. While both the archers began the round with an eight each, followed by 10, the last attempt made all the difference. While the Italian shot a nine, Deepika hit the bulls eye to eke out a one-point win.Earlier, in the round of 1/32, Deepika beat her Georgian rival 27-26, 29-29, 30-27, 27-29, 29-29 to enter the next round.

In the first set, Deepika won by just one point as she managed to hit a 10 with her second arrow as compared to none by the Georgian girl.After a 29-29 tie in the second set, Deepika hit the bulls eye in her all three attempts in the third set to surge ahead 5-1.However, she lost the rhythm in the fourth set, going down 27-29. Deepika bounced back and kept her nerves in the deciding set to tie the scores 29-29 and clinch the issue in her favour.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

BETHEL - The police department held its first Coffee with a Cop event Wednesday morning at Jacquelines Restaurant and Bakery.

About 15 residents and six officers sat around the tables at the restaurant to ask questions, share their concerns and show their support for Bethel police, all while eating breakfast and drinking coffee.

I think people have the urge just to talk to us, to get to know us, the same way we want to get to know them, Captain Stephen Pugner said.

This type of event started at a station in California and has since spread around the country, Pugner said. He talked to officers in Norwalk who have held the event before, and then planned one for Bethel.

Sgt. Bob Durkin was one of the officers who attended. He said while some may be hesistant to go up to the police if they see an officer on the street, people are more comfortable in the Coffee with a Cop setting.

Sometimes people are afraid to approach us, he said. The idea is to get us sitting down here and if they have a concern or want to ask us a question they can.

Pugner fielded questions about how to get officers to do speed enforcements on their road or how to go about making a complaint. One man was frustrated about a procedure that required him to show identification when going into the station, but Pugner explained the reasoning behind the rule and said the man understood it better.

The officers said they did not mind getting these concerns. In fact, Durkin said it was one of the benefits of the event.

We want that feedback and response, Durkin said. Sometimes you live in a bubble.

Bethel residents Paul and Alycia Matchen read about the event in the newspaper and attended to show their appreciation for the police.

I think especially now with so many people who, with police brutality and being against police, I think its important for [police] to know there are people for them too, Alycia said.

The Matchens used to serve as EMTs in the Westchester, New York, area and often worked with police.

So we have seen another side of how to interact with them, Alycia said. We know how important they are.

But Paul said people sometimes forget this.

We were discussing how often times people dont think of the police until they need them and dont really appreciate all that they do behind the scenes, he said. We all benefit from having them doing their jobs even if we dont directly see [it]

This will not be the only Coffee with a Cop meetup. Pugner said the department will continue to host the event, but will switch up the time and location.

Its been great, Pugner said. Its nice for them to get to know us and what were about.
RIDGEFIELD - Communities can prevent the devastation of opioid overdoses among the young if elected officials would take the lead, a statewide coalition said Wednesday.

The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities is calling on towns to implement a 10-point plan to combat the alarming rise in opioid abuse, which is linked to nearly 2,000 deaths statewide from 2009 to 2014.

The rate at which Connecticut is seeing overdose deaths is staggering, said Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi, the chair of the CCMs Drug Abuse Prevention Work Group, writing in the report. Local officials have the capacity and the obligation to lead their communities through this epidemic by providing practical responses to combat this crisis.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton agrees.

Too often these steps are driven by crisis, said Boughton, president of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities. Its unfortunate that it takes a crisis to happen to dedicate the time to understand this, so we are trying to get people to think proactively.

The 10-point plan is part of a 25-page report entitled How Local Officials Can Combat Drug Abuse.

The points include:

 Making time to understand the drug abuse epidemic

 Taking the lead to increase public awareness

 Promoting intervention and prevention programs

 Advocating for policy change

The heart of the problem is addiction to prescription pain killers such as morphine, methadone and oxycodone that can lead to a deadly dependence on cheaper opioids such as heroin, the report says.

Elected leaders can help by raising awareness about the addictive dangers of opioids, particularly in the schools.

It is crucial to engage students about prevention as early as appropriate, and municipal and school leaders can collaborate to make sure initiatives are available to accomplish that goal, the report says.

Roxbury First Selectman Barbara Henry, an EMT and a member of the CCM Drug Abuse Prevention Workgroup, said prevention was key to changing the landscape.

The DARE program stops in the 5th grade, Henry said, speaking of the nationwide Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. You need something to carry these kids through middle school and high school.

Another gap that needs to be closed, Henry said, is making sure people who survive an overdose are referred to treatment before they are released from the hospital.

They need to go someplace where they can get help, Henry said. If you just release them, you havent helped them, and it is just a vicious circle.

The CCM report is part of a convergence of efforts in Connecticut to deal with a problem that advocates have called a public health crisis.

The state has already set up Regional Substance Abuse Action Councils to coordinate education and intervention efforts across town lines.

And the state legislature has recently required new procedures for doctors who prescribe opioids, and new procedures for municipalities to make the overdose-reversing medication Narcan available to first responders.

The CCM report puts the onus on local leaders themselves.

We are the natural ones to do this because we have the soap box, Boughton said. We need to make people aware of what is happening and help them understand what we need to do.

rryser@newstimes.com; 203-731-3342
Saying Donald Trump could cause great damage to the nation, former Republican U.S. Rep. Chris Shays on Wednesday declared hes voting for Hillary Clinton.

Earlier in the day, former U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut Democrat turned Independent, also said he will vote for Clinton.

Shays, who represented Connecticuts 4th Congressional district for 13 years, said his vote for Clinton will mark the first time he has voted for a Democrat for president or governor.

I think many Republicans know Donald Trump could cause great damage to our country and the world at large and still plan to vote for him, Shays wrote in an op-ed piece published by CNN.

He represents practically everything I was taught not to be, and everything my wife and I taught our daughter not to be, Shays said.

Lieberman, during an interview on Fox News on Wednesday, also said hes voting for Clinton. Lieberman served as a Connecticut Democratic senator from 1989 to 2013, and was the partys nominee for vice president in 2000, running with Al Gore.

Connecticut Republican Party Chairman JR Romano said hes not surprised both Shays and Lieberman went for Clinton.

Chris Shays and Joe represent the establishment and they think the status quo is OK, Romano said. The world is not safer and the economy is not strong. Clinton will just continue the disaster that Barrack Obama has been.

Shays said he knows some want to reject the status quo, but noted Trump does not have the temperament, knowledge or experience to be president.
Sam Beaudin, Bryan Birsic and Dave Riess, who were doing well for themselves employed in various roles at tech startups, all harbored an underlying angst. They realized that if the companies they worked for suddenly disappeared, not much would change. The Earth would continue to spin on its axis, albeit with slightly less efficiency in a few niche markets.

This was back in the fall of 2013, and the friends wanted to break out on their own. But they still needed to pick their problem. Despite their heady, slightly crunchy-sounding idealism, the three were obsessively measured in investigating options for their potential startup. During regularly scheduled Google Hangouts, they discussed the idea of overhauling remote healthcare and helping seniors with technology. They conducted field research in both of those areas. Birsic spent days in a nursing home watching folks try to type on touch screens with shaky fingers.

But the trio wanted to think bigger. They decided that they should put their efforts into solar energy. If climate change wipes out humanity, they reasoned, then elderly people wont be texting with their grandchildren anyway.

My experience with the world is that, the levers of power, if you want to move them, capitalism is a pretty good route, Birsic tells Entrepreneur. If we thought a nonprofit was the best way to have this impact, we would have started a nonprofit. What we have seen is, the largest Archimedes Lever that you can get your hands on is a small group of really high-performance people who can attract a lot of capital.

Wunder Capital is born.

Companies such as SolarCity have circumvented the discouraging high upfront cost for residential solar construction by eating it. SolarCity Chairman Elon Musk decided that he could get Americans to be open to solar energy if they didnt have to come up with $20,000 to $25,000 in installation costs. It worked.

Related: You Can Fly Around the World and Drink Your Own Urine Thanks to the Power of the Sun

Basically, if you are below a Fortune 1000 company and you are not willing to pay cash up front, you pretty much cannot go solar, Birsic says. Its not profitable for lenders to make small loans for solar installation, especially when they are doing the due diligence and compliance with paper forms. These guys would hire temps to pound out these mounds of forms. Every damn form is the same.  And we are sitting there like, 'you guys know that software exists, right?'"

Birsic and his co-founders built the solution.

Image credit: Joel Blocker

Using algorithms, Boulder-headquartered Wunder Capital automates the process of lending out funds for solar installations with money from individual investors who not only want to see a return on their investments, but also want to contribute to a cause. The idea of collaboratively funding solar is more common in Europe, especially in Germany, than it is here in the U.S., says Ben Compton, a solar industry veteran who currently works as a business development manager at Enphase Energy.

The trio graduated from Techstars Boulder in 2014. Since then, Wunder Capital has grown to a team of 12. It has raised more than $3 million from investors to go toward more than two dozen solar projects. The average loan size is $100,000. Investors are told to expect returns of anywhere between 6 to 11 percent on their investments, and though Wunder Capital cant guarantee those returns due to federal regulations, they have hit their target return to investors every month so far.

Three tech dudes dig into solar.

As the trio started to investigate solar energy, they learned a few things. First, its a booming industry. In the first three months of this year, enough solar equipment was activated in the U.S. to power 5.7 million homes, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, the leading trade group. Thats more new energy-generating capacity than coal, natural gas and nuclear industries combined saw in the same time period. The solar industry is on pace to double this year, according to the organization's most recent report.

In the last four years, residential solar installation has more than tripled, growing at 318 percent. Solar installation for giant, utility-sized projects has grown by 400 percent in the same time. Meanwhile, solar installation projects of nonresidential commercial, mid-sized businesses has grown by only 25 percent, according to calculations based on SEIA data.

The dramatically lower adoption rate of solar by mid-sized businesses was exactly where the trio zoomed in. As an entrepreneur, you are always looking for a pain point that you can go solve, Birsic says. We want to be the company that unlocks solar for U.S. business. Full stop.

Related: Who Needs Venture Capitalists When You Can Crowdfund?

Attracting investors.

Right now, Wunder Capital can only accept investments from accredited investors, or those individuals in the U.S. who hit certain thresholds of wealth and assets. So far, investors in Wunder Capital are individuals working in the tech space, doctors and lawyers.

I dont have many ways I can personally combat climate change and its ostrich-with-head-in-the-sand skeptics, so investing in alternative energy gratifies an itch in some small way, Andrea McNaughton, an investor in Wunder Capital, writes in a testimonial.

Wunder Capital investors are contemplative, considered and thoughtful. But they are also not willing to give their money away.

For the vast majority of our investors, the ideological stuff is the whipped cream, cherry on top, whatever analogy you like, Birsic says. What we don't see a lot of is, I want to sacrifice a lot of return, or, 2 percent sounds great. Most investors want to know that they are making as much as they could elsewhere and they are also doing good. Its an 'and.'

The fact that Wunder Capital has found a way to offer both a socially beneficial and profitable investment vehicle has caught the attention of some notable venture capital firms. In March, Wunder closed a $3.6 million series A from the likes of Techstars Ventures, Fenway Summer Ventures and FinTech Collective. The round brought the total raised by Wunder to $4.7 million.

Ideally, Wunder Capital is an appealing investment even for those who dont identify as environmental sustainability enthusiasts. Not only is the return on investment competitive, but companies with a social bent have a leg up in storytelling, branding and hiring top talent, particularly of the millennial set.

Even if you dont care about impact, its smart to back impact companies because they have these inherent hiring and marketing advantages," Birsic says. "Even you, Mr. Machiavellian, coin-counting Scrooge, you should want impact companies, because they will do better."

Can Wunder really change the world?

Individual investors cant crowdsource enough capital to convert enough businesses to solar to make an impact on the shrinking polar ice caps. To make a large-scale difference, Wunder Capital has to start raising money from institutional investors such as Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan. Right now, however, the Wunder team is trying to prove that their concept works with individual investors.

Related: Big Solar Is Leaving Rooftop Systems in the Dust

But even if Wunder doesnt single-handedly stop the climate crisis, it is chipping away at the problem, and thats what matters, Compton says.

If you have 1,000 firms like that or 10,000 firms like that, for 1,000 or 10,000 projects that they make happen that wouldnt have happened otherwise, then thats a positive impact, Compton says. And, no one is going to solve it on their own unless they are president of the United States -- and even then they are going to have trouble!

Related:

This Firm Is Fueling Investors' Wallets and Desire to Do Good With the Power of the Sun

Under Tesla's Wing, SolarCity's Future Remains Uncertain

SolarCity Agrees to $2.6 Billion Buyout Offer From Tesla



Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
CALGARY, Aug. 10, 2016 /CNW/ - Crown Capital Partners Inc. ("Crown" or the "Corporation") (TSX: CRN), which provides growth capital to successful mid-market companies, today announced its financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016. Crown's complete financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the second quarter of 2016 are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Q2 2016 Financial & Operating Highlights

Revenue of $5.0 million , including fees and other income of $0.8 million , interest revenue of $2.6 million , and net change in unrealized gains in fair value of investments of $1.6 million .

, including fees and other income of , interest revenue of , and net change in unrealized gains in fair value of investments of . Adjusted EBIT 1 of $3.0 million .

of . Total comprehensive income, net of non-controlling interest, of $1.7 million , or $0.18 per common share (basic).

, or per common share (basic). Total equity per common share (basic) of $10.68 at June 30, 2016 .

at . Total assets of $138.2 million at June 30, 2016 , up from $130.1 million at December 31, 2015 .

at , up from at . Cash and cash equivalents of $36.3 million , compared with $43.6 million at December 31, 2015 .

, compared with at . On May 20, 2016 , paid second quarterly dividend of $0.11 per common share.

, paid second quarterly dividend of per common share. Crown Capital Fund IV, LP (" CCF IV LP " or the " Fund ") completed a $15 million , five-year term loan with Bill Gosling Outsourcing Holding Corp., a global provider of call center solutions to blue-chip clients.

" or the " ") completed a , five-year term loan with Bill Gosling Outsourcing Holding Corp., a global provider of call center solutions to blue-chip clients. Subsequent to quarter end, completed a $25 million closing for CCF IV LP, bringing the current total capital committed to the Fund to $125 million .

"It was a solid quarter for Crown as we made progress on a number of fronts. We completed a loan with Bill Gosling Outsourcing, bringing us to six investments in the portfolio," said Chris Johnson, President and CEO of Crown. "We were also pleased to achieve our milestone of upsizing CCF IV LP last month, adding two new limited partners, which provided a further endorsement of the quality of our portfolio. The conditions for our alternative financing solutions remain strong. Based on our robust transaction pipeline, we are confident we will achieve our annual capital deployment targets in 2016. As we put this available capital to work in growing mid-market companies, we expect to generate increasing earnings and cash flows for Crown shareholders."

Q2 2016 Financial Results Summary

Crown's financial position at June 30, 2016 and its financial results for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2016 are not comparable to the same period in the prior year due mostly to the initial public offering of Crown's common shares and the acquisition of a 69.75% interest in Norrep Credit Opportunities Fund II, LP, both in July 2015, and the establishment of CCF IV LP in September 2015 and Crown Capital Private Credit LP in December 2015.









Selected Quarterly Information Three Months Ended June 30 Six Months

Ended June 30 2016 2016 Revenue:





Fees and other income $ 813,702 $ 1,368,312

Interest revenue 2,567,688 4,953,385

Net realized gain on sale of investments

1,741,260

Net change in unrealized gains in fair value of investments 1,602,591 2,012,906 Total Revenue $ 4,983,981 $ 10,075,863 Total comprehensive income, net of non-controlling interests $ 1,748,565 $ 3,387,331 Weighted average shares outstanding - basic 9,492,045 9,492,699 Total comprehensive income per share - basic $ 0.18 $ 0.36 Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted 9,744,369 9,743,724 Total comprehensive income per share - diluted $ 0.18 $ 0.35 Adjusted EBIT1 $ 2,968,082 $ 5,712,582 Investments, at fair value through profit or loss

$ 99,414,291 Total assets

$ 138,225,938 Total non-current liabilities

$ 34,365,380 Total equity

$ 101,368,403 Common Shares outstanding at June 30, 2016

9,495,210 Total equity per share - basic

$ 10.68













Reconciliation of Earnings before Income Taxes to Adjusted EBIT Three Months Ended June 30 Six Months Ended June 30 2016 2016 Earnings before income taxes $ 3,578,348 $ 6,964,305 Add: financing costs - - Add: non-cash share-based compensation 473,263 848,012 Deduct: net income and comprehensive income attributable to non-controlling interests



(1,083,529) (2,099,735) Adjusted EBIT $ 2,968,082 $ 5,712,582







1. Adjusted EBIT is not a measure of financial performance (nor does it have a standardized meaning) under IFRS. In evaluating this measure, investors should consider that the methodology applied in calculating this measure may differ among companies and analysts. Adjusted EBIT is calculated by Crown as earnings before non-cash share-based compensation, finance costs and income taxes less net income and comprehensive income attributable to non-controlling interests. The Corporation has provided a reconciliation of earnings before income taxes to Adjusted EBIT in this news release. The Corporation believes Adjusted EBIT is a useful supplemental measure that may assist investors in assessing the financial performance and the cash anticipated to be generated by Crown's business. Adjusted EBIT should not be considered as the sole measure of Crown's performance and should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, analysis of the Corporation's financial statements.

Conference Call & Webcast

Crown will host a conference call to discuss its Q2 2016 financial results at 10:00 a.m. EDT on August 10, 2016. The call will be hosted by Chris Johnson, President & CEO, and Lyle Bolen, CFO. To participate in the call, dial 647-427-7450 or 1-888-231-8191 using the conference ID 57686877. The audio webcast can be accessed at www.crowncapital.ca under Investor Relations or at http://bit.ly/2axt0xE. Listeners should access the webcast or call 10-15 minutes before the start time to ensure they are connected.

ABOUT CROWN

Crown (TSX: CRN) is a specialty finance company focused on providing capital to successful Canadian and select U.S. companies that are unwilling or unable to obtain suitable financing from traditional capital providers such as banks and private equity funds. Crown also manages capital pools, including some in which Crown has a direct ownership interest. Crown originates, structures and provides tailored special situation and long-term financing solutions to a diversified group of private and public mid-market companies in the form of loans, royalties and other structures with minimal or no ownership dilution.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains certain "forward looking statements" and certain "forward looking information" as defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements, management's beliefs, expectations or intentions regarding the alternative financial market and the general economy, transaction pipeline, Crown's business plans and strategy, including anticipated capital deployments and the timing thereof, and Crown's future cash flow and shareholder value. Forward-looking statements are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions that while believed by management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors identified in the Crown's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. See Crown's most recent annual information form for a detailed discussion of the risk factors affecting Crown. In addition, Crown's dividend policy will be reviewed from time to time in the context of the Corporation's earnings, financial requirements for its operations, and other relevant factors and the declaration of a dividend will always be at the discretion of the board of directors of the Corporation. Crown undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

Additional information relating to Crown is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com

SOURCE Crown Capital Partners Inc.

For further information: Christopher A. Johnson, CFA, President & CEO, [email protected], (416) 640-6715; Craig Armitage, Investor Relations, [email protected], (416) 347-8954
OTTAWA, Aug. 10, 2016 /CNW/ - The Energy Council of Canada is very pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2016 Canadian Energy Person of the Year Award is Elyse Allan, President and CEO, GE Canada

Speaking on behalf of the Energy Council of Canada, Colin Andersen, Chair, congratulates Mrs. Allan and adds: "We're pleased to once again recognize a truly deserving individual. She joins 16 other outstanding Canadians that the Energy Council has honoured. Mrs. Allan demonstrates a passion for driving Canadian competitiveness in the global economy. She is an advocate for the advancement of Canadian science and technology applied to energy sector issues, and is a supporter of competitive fiscal policy''.

"I am honoured to receive this recognition from the Energy Council of Canada", commented Elyse Allan, President and CEO, GE Canada. "I am most appreciative of this opportunity to join an outstanding group of previous recipients who have worked to advance Canada's energy opportunities."

Graham Campbell, President of the Energy Council of Canada further commented "Mrs. Allan is recognized for her leadership in providing innovative solutions to the operational and environmental challenges in Canada's energy sector."

The Canadian Energy Person of the Year Award was established by the Energy Council of Canada in 2001 to recognize and pay tribute to a Canadian energy leader who has made a significant impact at the national and international levels within the energy sector.

Nominations are based upon the nominee's remarkable accomplishments in the business or public sectors and the community at large. A foremost characteristic of the nominee is their strong sense of social responsibility and their commitment to give back to the community. Their forward thinking and innovative spirit enable these leaders to promote, inform and contribute to the Canadian energy sector. These distinguished individuals play an ongoing role supporting the aims and activities of the Energy Council of Canada.

The 2016 Award Ceremony will be held on November 10 at the Fairmont Royal York, Toronto, Ontario. A charitable donation will be made by the Energy Council of Canada to Actua in honour of this year's recipient. Actua is a national charity that is preparing youth to be innovators and leaders by engaging them in exciting and accessible science, technology, engineering and math experiences that build critical skills and confidence.

For further information about the award and the ceremony, please contact Brigitte Svarich, Director of Operations, [email protected], 613-323-1254.The Energy Council is Canada's national energy association made up of 74+ member organizations representing all forms of energy, the federal and provincial governments, all major energy industry associations, and companies providing legal and business services to the energy industry. Its events and activities can be found at www.energy.ca. The Energy Council is the Canadian Member Committee of the 95-country World Energy Council.

SOURCE Energy Council of Canada

Image with caption: "Logo: Energy Council of Canada (CNW Group/Energy Council of Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160810_C7546_PHOTO_EN_750642.jpg

For further information: about the award and the ceremony, please contact Brigitte Svarich, Director of Operations, [email protected], 613-323-1254.
Government of Canada committed to doing more for Veterans

SASKATOON, Aug. 10, 2016 /CNW/ - The Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, joined Veterans and their families in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, today to announce that the previously closed Veterans Affairs Canada office will reopen in November 2016.

The new Saskatoon office will be located at 5th floor, 101-22nd St. East, Saskatoon, SK, and once opened, will employ approximately seven staff who will serve approximately 2900 Veterans. Staff at the Saskatoon office will answer questions about VAC services and benefits; arrange pension medical examinations; and assist Veterans to complete and submit applications and receipts. Case-managed Veterans will also be able to meet with their case manager.

The Department is continuing to hire up to 400 new employees to help ensure that Veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members, RCMP personnel, and their families are provided with the best possible services when and where they need them. Hiring new employees will permit the Department to reduce case managers' caseloads to a maximum of 25 Veterans.

As part of today's announcement, Minister Hehr reaffirmed the Government of Canada's commitment to do more for Veterans. Budget 2016 committed $5.6 billion to improve Veterans' benefits and services, including increased payments under the Disability Award and the Earnings Loss Benefit, and expanded access to the Permanent Impairment Allowance. Veterans Affairs Canada has also expanded its Commemorative Partnership Program to allow funding for the building of new war memorials, and increased the survivor estate cash exemption under the Funeral and Burial Program.

Quote

"I am extremely proud to be reopening doors that were previously closed to Veterans and their families here in Saskatoon. They have selflessly answered the call to serve our country, and now we are answering their call by enhancing financial benefits, restoring and expanding access to critical services, expanding service in British Columbia and the territories, and hiring more frontline staff. This was part of our commitment to Canadians, and we stand by this promise."

The Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence

Quick facts

Reopening the nine Veterans Affairs offices that closed is a top priority in the Minister of Veterans Affairs' mandate letter.

The office in Saskatoon will reopen November 2016 at 5 th floor, 101-22 nd St. East, Saskatoon, SK .

will reopen at 5 floor, 101-22 St. East, . Until the Saskatoon office is opened, Veterans and other clients can receive in-person services at the Service Canada location at 101-22 nd St. East, Saskatoon, SK .

office is opened, Veterans and other clients can receive in-person services at the Service Canada location at 101-22 St. East, . The Veterans Affairs Office in Corner Brook reopened to Veterans July 5, 2016 .

reopened to Veterans . By May 2017 , offices will reopen in Charlottetown, PE ; Sydney, NS ; Windsor and Thunder Bay, ON ; Saskatoon, SK ; Brandon, MB ; and, Prince George and Kelowna, BC . A tenth office will open in Surrey, BC , and outreach will be expanded to Veterans in the territories.

, offices will reopen in ; ; and ; ; ; and, and . A tenth office will open in , and outreach will be expanded to Veterans in the territories. As of May 2016 , more than 250 new frontline employees have been hired.

Associated links

SOURCE Veterans Affairs Canada

For further information: Media Relations, Veterans Affairs Canada, 613-992-7468; Sarah McMaster, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs, 613-996-4649
Russia has connected its first VVER-1200 nuclear power unit to the grid. Unit 1 of the Novovoronezh II nuclear power plant in western Russia connected at 240 MWe.

Also known as Novovoronezh 6, the unit is a VVER 1200/392M pressurised water reactor (PWR) unit with a design net capacity of 1114 MWe. It is the first of two units at Novovoronezh II  the lead project for the deployment of the AES-2006 design incorporating a Gidropress-designed PWR, an evolutionary development from the VVER-1000. Construction of Novovoronezh II units 1 and 2  or Novovoronezh units 6 and 7  began in June 2008 and July 2009, respectively. The original Novovoronezh site nearby already hosts three operating reactors and two that are being decommissioned.

Grid connection of Novovoronezh 6 followed turbine start from rest, Rosatom said, and its trial operation in idle mode. The units operators completed a large set of checks and tests at different power build up stages, as well as inspection of the various equipment, the state nuclear corporation added. These measures were necessary to confirm the reliability and safety of the power unit in its further operation, it said.

Launch of the unit will increase the total capacity of the Novovoronezh plant 1.5 times, Rosatom said, and give strong impetus to the economic development of the Voronezh region.

Key new safety improvements

Double protective envelope (containment), the internal containment has the controlled system of preliminary loading

Passive heat removal systems

60 year operating life

Generation 3.5 reactor design will next be modified for a supercritical water VVER-SCP gen 4 design

After commissioning, additional estate tax revenues are expected to be equal to RUB2 billion ($3 million) in the first year, the corporation said.

The new Novovoronezh units will have a passive heat removal system that, in the event of loss of on-site power supply, will provide long-term heat removal from the reactor core to the atmosphere using natural circulation.

Russian regulator Rostechnadzor issued the operating licence for Novovoronezh 6 on 23 March, thus permitting first criticality and eventual commercial operation of the unit. The first fuel assembly was loaded at the unit on 24 March, while the active phase of the loading process began the following day.

In June, Rosatom announced installation of the outer shell of the containment building dome at Novovoronezh 7. The dome, which was installed in November 2014, forms part of the units double-walled containment structure  a major component for protecting the reactor and preventing the release of radioactive materials into the environment in the event of a serious accident. It is a key feature of the AES-2006 design.

SOURCES- World Nuclear News, Slideshare (Advanced Designs of VVER Reactor Plant V.A. Mokhov VVER-2010)
Boko Haram camps in the North-East have been hit with food scarcity thereby forcing indoctrinated members of the militant sect to contin...

Boko Haram camps in the North-East have been hit with food scarcity thereby forcing indoctrinated members of the militant sect to continue to move out in droves, intelligence sources have said.According to a Tuesday Daily Mail report, while some Boko Haram suicide bombers and militants were seen heading for Europe, others had begun to travel to join and fight for the Islamic State in Syria.A source linked to Nigerias National Intelligence Agency was quoted as saying that, They (Boko Haram refugees) will soon start showing up on the Mediterraneans shores.Some of these people are trained suicide bombers and fighters, including children as young as 10. They have all been indoctrinated by Boko Haram and they could soon turn up in Europes capitals.Intelligence sources also reported that human traffickers from the ISIS-backed terror group were transporting girls and young men across the Sahara into Libya.The situation, they said, was even more worrisome because five children are dying an hour with 250,000 at risk of starvation while parliament remains hamstrung in a political wrangle.The crisis is being blamed on the instability in the Senate attributed to the criminal charges pressed by the Federal Government against the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.Daily Mail quoted an intelligence source as saying that Sarakis prosecution had been obstructing his attempt to get the Senate to pass a motion to grant 215m in aid to tackle the emergency in the North-East.He said, This case needs a swift conclusion for the country to unite and tackle the very serious issues of famine, security and a stumbling economy.This famine must not happen on our watch. I have seen the plight of these people with my own eyes and it is desperate. The government is making every effort to ensure money is available to fully address this issue.He said the situation was not justifiable after Britain had committed to spending 860m foreign aid to Nigeria, to help support the countrys efforts to crush Boko Haram terror group.The report quoted a British public health expert who has just returned from Borno region, Dr. Yodi Alakija, as describing the situation as an international crisis.The UN requires Nigeria to declare it a humanitarian disaster to get relief. This is not a time for politics or game playing. Five children are dying an hour every single day.This requires urgent action. We need people to drop their political differences and come together. They can fight later when the children are ok.The medic, who works for UNICEF, warned, If we do not make adequate provision for these people there could be an exodus. Thats when Europe will panic and it will happen when people have nothing and take desperate measures.
Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, evacuated its workers from the Escravos Tank Farm, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, on W...





Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, evacuated its workers from the Escravos Tank Farm, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, on Wednesday, as the protest by elders, leaders, youths and women of host Ugborodo, an Itsekiri community, who laid siege to the company since Tuesday, worsened.A security staff confirmed to Vanguard at about 4.00 pm, An Aero plane just landed like 40 minutes back to continue evacuation of top staff from the tank farm. This is in addition to other staff, earlier evacuated with the choppers. But junior staff is not going in or out company because of the tense situation.The protesting villagers, who alleged neglect and discrimination by the multinational oil conglomerate set bonfires and occupied the companys premises, refusing all entreaties by security agencies to vacate the premises until the authorities addressed their demands.Reports from the area said that the villagers cordoned the main entrance preventing access in and out of the company. While the villagers were protesting outsiders, some of affected workers complained inside, raising fears among the management officials.Contacted, General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, CNL, Mr. Deji Haastrup, simply stated: We are engaging them.
Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, yesterday stormed Edo State alongside All Progressives Congress (APC) women across the country i...





Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, yesterday stormed Edo State alongside All Progressives Congress (APC) women across the country in support of Mr Godwin Obaseki, saying that victory for the party in the forthcoming election is non-negotiable.The women shortly after a courtesy visit to Obaseki, also visited the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp at Uhogua community, Ovia North East, where they donated food stuff, writing materials and toiletries.According to DailySun, the President's wife was represented by the APC Women leader in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Mrs Hailmary Aipoh, Mrs. Buhari said they were in the state in solidarity with the Obaseki campaign organization and to equally remind the candidate that he must remember our women and children when he wins because he will win.He added: Governor Oshiomhole is our great brother who has done us proud in Edo with his developmental projects, so we are always with him. APC has done well for Edo people and that is why we are saying continuity.The South South zonal woman leader of the APC, Mrs Racheal Akpabio, who commended the wife of the President for her assistance in the provision of writing materials and food stuff for the IDPs.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, commenced a formal probe into alleged padding of the 2016 federal budget, w...





The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, commenced a formal probe into alleged padding of the 2016 federal budget, with the former chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jirbin being grilled for seven hours.The EFCC moves, corresponding with a financial audit of the accounts of the National Assembly, came as the Presidency affirmed that it was not implementing a padded budget. The Presidency also reassured Nigerians that there was no cause for alarm over the controversy, given the decision of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to handle the matter as a domestic issue.Exonerating itself from allegations of padding the 2016 national budget, the Presidency further affirmed that the budget signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari was the copy passed and sent to him by the National Assembly. Meanwhile, supporters of Speaker Yakubu Dogara were, yesterday, basking in the assurance of having collected more than 200 signatures in the 360-member House to drum support for the speaker.Jibrin, who raised the allegations of padding of the budget against Speaker Dogara and four other principal officers of the House, was the first to be quizzed in what EFCC officials claimed would be a thorough investigation to get to the root of the matter.EFCC operatives reportedly asked him to authenticate his claims about the alleged improprieties and also questioned a petition written against him by some aggrieved youths that he (Jibrin) used his position to loot N418 million through fake contracts from the National Refugees Commission.Jibrin, who arrived the EFCC premises around 10 a.m., did not leave until 5 p.m. yesterday. Before leaving, Jibrin reportedly filed more allegations against Dogara and his principal officers, accusing them of maintaining guest houses at the expense of government.He also alleged that Dogara and others were collecting rents from their homes and pretended to be staying in rented quarters in breach of extant financial rules.It was learnt that the EFCC has written two letters to the Permanent Secretary in the Budget & National Planning Ministry to furnish it with the details of the budget presented to the NASS and that returned to the government by the lawmakers. The letter was dated August 3, 2016.Similarly, the agency has despatched another letter to the Clerk of the National Assembly, requesting him to provide the EFCC with a comprehensive list of all contracts awarded since inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, last year. In addition, the commission asked the National Assembly to forward the list of contract beneficiaries and accounts into which payments were made by the legislature within the period under review.It also requested for total amount already paid to each of the contractors and the outstanding balances for each. A top source in EFCC confirmed the probe, saying they were ready to get to the root of the alleged padding and bring culprits to book.
The Ekiti State House of Assembly on Wednesday conducted a public hearing on a bill seeking restrictions on cattle rearing in the state.

The Ekiti State House of Assembly on Wednesday conducted a public hearing on a bill seeking restrictions on cattle rearing in the state.Governor Ayodele Fayose had placed restrictions on movement of cattles in the state following the May 20 night attack on Oke Ako, a town in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State, by criminals suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.Two persons died from the attack while three others were rushed to separate private hospitals in Ikole Ekiti and Ado Ekiti.Fayose had during his visit to the town said that every cattle dealer in the state must own a ranch, ordering the villagers to start killing cattle sighted within their premises or farmlands.Stakeholders, who participated in the public hearing on the bill tagged, Prohibition of Cattle Grazing Bill, 2016 were security agencies, traditional rulers, officials of the Ministries of Justice and Environment, Fulani herdsmen and other stakeholders.The Deputy Speaker, Segun Adewumi, who presided over the hearing, said it was organised to seek opinions of critical stakeholders on the matter.Adewumi added that the bill when passed into law would protect the lives and property of Ekiti residents.This forum is for us to aggregate the opinions of stakeholders to address sensitive areas of the bill. The major assignment before this gathering is to critically examine the bill from all sides and angles for possible amendments.Our hope is that the public hearing will help the quality of the bill and enhance its quick passage into law.The Legal Adviser, Jamu Nate Fulbe Association of Nigeria, Mr Umar Imam, said though the body was not opposed to the passage of the bill, he urged the lawmakers to reconsider its stand on the banniing of night grazing.He disagreed with section 2(1) and 2 which suggested that designated ranches will be provided by the government to restrict the cattle to a portion, saying this will lead to the death of the cattle of his clients.Imam said the country had enough laws guiding the carrying of firearms, saying enacting another law could run contrary to the provision of the Constitution.The Secretary of Ekiti Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Mohammed Zayyannu, urged the lawmakers to consider a joint vigilance group, comprising farmers, herdsmen and security agencies to arrest those destroying farmlands.The Elemure of Emure Ekiti, Oba Emmanuel Adebayo, who represented theCouncil of Traditional Rulers, said what the monarchs were interested in peaceful co-existence between the farmers and the cattle rearers.The chairman of the Committee on Information, Gboyega Aribisogan, said ranches will be created in the senatorial districts under the proposed law.
The Niger Delta crisis worsened yesterday, as a new militant group, Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate (NDGJM), threatened to attack...

The Niger Delta crisis worsened yesterday, as a new militant group, Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate (NDGJM), threatened to attack oil and gas facilities in the upland of the oil-rich region.The new group, which decried what it called Federal Governments and multinational oil companies neglect of the region, gave oil companies 48-hours to evacuate their personnel from the region, especially in the upland.In an online statement by its spokesman, Aldo Agbalaja, NDGJM threatened to attack Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) at Ekpan in Uvwie Local Government of Delta State as well as the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) at Eleme in Eleme Local Government of Rivers State.The statement said its decision to change from peaceful approach to violence followed what it called Federal Governments failure to appreciate and consolidate the peaceful disposition of the people in the upland part of the region.NDGJM said: We are asking all oil multinationals still in the upland of our region  Agip, Total, Shell, Mobil, Shorelines, Neconde, E. D. Western, Seplat and others  to commence the evacuation of their personnel from the region, especially in the Ogba/Egi axis of Rivers State, Urhobo/Isoko/Ndokwa axis of Delta State and other upland oil producing areas, within 48 hours.We also want to bring it to the attention of the Federal Government and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that the refineries in Warri (Urhobo land) and Port Harcourt (Eleme) and the gas plant at Otorogun will come down in a few days.We have come at this point to ensure that our oppressors, being the Federal Government, the state governments in the six core Niger Delta states, who have received billions of dollars in the past years but have brought little or no development to the region, and the so-called super-ethnic nations, who have yielded to greed and wickedness and have exposed the rest of us in the oil-rich but deeply impoverished region, to crippling squalor.NDGJM is a coalition of forces across the Niger Delta, fighting for the interest of the region. The Federal Government and the oil multinational companies have been making a grave mistake by equating the interest of the Ijaw as that of all the tribes of the region. Indeed, this is a mistake that is about to take a more devastating toll than has ever been seen or experienced in the history of Nigeria.Any moment from now, we shall be making a loud statement, which we believe should be loud enough for all to hear and take seriously; afterwards, we will state our demands. We have considered this coming statement reluctantly inevitable because of the recalcitrance of federal authorities as well as oil giants. They have decided to ignore calls to reason and have made violence the only option.The people of the upland Niger Delta, under whose watch the largest and most critical oil assets are located, have been ignored over the years. The government and the oil companies pander to every whim and cough of those who have violently engaged the state. Just as in the 2009 experience, the Federal Government and oil companies have started yet another round of negotiation with the Ijaw front, in the name of all the people of the Niger Delta.This will not work. Since they do not regard the assets in our areas important enough to be protected, we shall root them all out of Niger Delta. We dont want to make this mistake any longer: violence pays, as it has become the only voice the government hearkens to.
Since launching his White House campaign in June 2015, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has several times walked back commen...

Since launching his White House campaign in June 2015, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has several times walked back comments that got him in hot water.Here are nine times when Trump distanced himself from his own comments:1. John McCainIn July 2015, Trump said Republican senator and former prisoner of war John McCain was not a war hero, adding: Hes a war hero because he was captured. I like people that werent captured, OK?The remark sparked immediate consternations among Republicans. The next day, Trump  then embroiled in a primary battle with a host of challengers  said, Four times, I said he is a hero. But you know people choose little selective pieces.2. Megyn KellyAnnoyed by the questions that Fox News reporter Megyn Kelly asked him in the first Republican presidential primary debate in August 2015, Trump said the following day: You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her wherever.Was he referring to Kellys menstrual period? Many believed he was.Trump told CNN: I didnt even finish the thought. I was going to say nose and/or ears, because thats a very common statement, blood flowing out of somebodys nose.3. ViolenceIf you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you? Seriously. Just knock the hell  I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees. I promise. I promise, Trump told his supporters in February.The next month, after one of his supporters hit a protester, Trump said: I dont condone violence, and I didnt say I was going to pay for the fees.4. Nuclear weapons for JapanShould Japan have its own nuclear weapons to defend themselves against North Korea?In a March interview with The New York Times, Trump said: Would I rather have North Korea have them with Japan sitting there having them also? You may very well be better off if thats the case.After criticism from his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, Trump said: She was saying last night so many things. Donald Trump wants to see Japan get nuclear weapons. I never said that.5. Cruzs dad and Oswald(Cruzs) father was with Lee Harvey Oswald prior to Oswald being, you know, shot, Trump said in May of the father of his primary rival Ted Cruz, citing an article in the tabloid National Enquirer. Oswald was the man who assassinated US president John F. Kennedy in 1963.The allegation about Cruzs father stirred up a media firestorm. This time, Trump did not deny he made the comments, but denied any responsibility for them, saying he was just quoting the Enquirer.I just asked about stories that were appearing all over the place, not just in the National Enquirer, about the fact that a picture was taken of him and Lee Harvey Oswald. They didnt deny that picture, he told NBCs Today show.6. Disabled journalistIn November 2015, Trump criticized a statement by journalist Serge Kovaleski, who suffers from a congenital disorder that limits the functioning of his joints, forcing his arm to be curled in front of him.The candidate flailed his arms and shook his head as if to imitate Kovaleski, saying: Now, the poor guy, you ought to see this guy, Ah, I dont know what I said, I dont remember.In June on Twitter, in response to a Clinton ad using the video sequence, Trump said: Clinton made a false ad about me where I was imitating a reporter GROVELING after he changed his story. I would NEVER mock disabled. Shame!7. Vladimir PutinI got to know him very well because we were both on 60 Minutes. We were stablemates, and we did very well that night, Trump said of Russian President Vladimir Putin, sparking waves on the US political left and right.Later, the notion that they met on the set was debunked, as they were in different cities when their interviews were taped.In July, Trump said: I have no relationship with him.8. Russian hackersRussia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing, Trump said in July, referring to Clintons private email server which she used during her time as secretary of state.The remark was interpreted as an invitation to Russian intelligence services to hack his rival.Of course, Im being sarcastic, he said the next day.9. Second Amendment and ClintonHillary wants to essentially abolish the Second Amendment, Trump told a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina on Tuesday, referring to the US Constitutions clause that enshrines the right to bear arms.If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks, Trump said. Although the Second Amendment people  maybe there is, I dont know.His meaning was ambiguous, but the remark was seen as a possible threat of violence against Clinton or her Supreme Court nominees.Later the same night, on Fox News, the candidate rejected that interpretation, saying: This is a political movement. This is a strong powerful movement, the Second Amendment. () There can be no other interpretation.AFP
There was a time we were all Nigerians. Then came a time we were either Muslim or Christian. Now we do Southern Christian or Northern Musl...

There was a time we were all Nigerians. Then came a time we were either Muslim or Christian. Now we do Southern Christian or Northern Muslim. If the government does nothing we will soon be Southern Moderate or Northern Extremist.Interestingly, these divisions are not as compartmentalized as the media, often the Western media highlight them to be. What happens in the north eventually affects the whole of the country and all Nigerians. It matters not that you are Christian, Muslim, Animist, Atheist, resident in the south or the north.For too long we watched with disinterest as the north came under the heavy influence of radical Islam without voicing our concerns or lifting a finger to stop it. The end result was Boko Haram, whose reign of terror was programmed to stretch from the Sahel to the Atlantic Ocean. We did defeated Boko Haram terrorists but with collateral damage and a heavy price we are still paying.The north is again breeding another terror sect in the Islamic Movement in Nigeria. From its online videos of members getting combat training to their actual application of those skills in fighting the military, it is now very clear the group is not the peaceful corporate group it pretends to be.Beneath the veneer of a civil seeming group is a killer machine being assembled; worse than Boko Haram is its strategy of infiltrating all sectors of the Nigerian state while running corresponding ministries and departments internally to build the capacity for when it can overthrow the government. Like Boko Haram, it has outside help in the Islamic Republic of Iran, which throws in funding, expertise and international connection.All these treasonable activities go on under the cover of religion that incapacitates any efforts to counter IMN members. It is easy for them to cry religious persecution when security operatives have cause to clamp down on them and it has proven even more effective to plead sectarian intolerance when Muslim are among the troops. Yet, a couple of decades ago the rest of us down south or even all over the nation only knew the peace preached by Islam without consciousness of Sunni, Wahhabi, Shia or any other rendering.The north kept quiet and allowed this toxic sect to indoctrinate, radicalize and militarize its youths. The political elite are interested in the next election and it matters not if hate preaching demagogic clerics are the ones to make wins at the polls possible. IMN festered. Even with Boko Haram defeated the region continues to be on edge as the sect remains a constant threat. Because IMN gets support from the northern population and certain leaders it became bold to the point of being able to fight the military.This boldness now borders on insanity as the sects militants began a trek, read code word for march on the country. The claim is that they are trekking to Abuja to demand release of their leader, Sheik Ibraheem Al-Zakyzaky from custody but there are worrisome developments. In the rank of the trekking IMN members are persons that have been flagged as potential terror threats. Under the cover of the trek they are able to leave their enclave and head south without being stopped from spreading their reach to southern cities. Any attempt to stop them would trigger uproar about religious intolerance and sectarian repression. Many of those making the trek will chose not to return to the enclave in Zaria, they either stay on to establish more cells in Abuja or sneak into other cities to build similar cells. Boko Haram did it before in the wake of the founders death. Now the rest of us are now in the crosshair of this emerging terror sect.This underscores why states and the federal government must act in unison. They must come to the rescue of the masses by regulating the activities of preachers, including itinerant clerics. There is nothing wrong for instance in registering anyone  irrespective of faith  that has to preach any religion or doctrine. The country should also by now begin to demand that would be clerics show proof that they underwent requisite training that qualifies them to be licensed for their roles. This is because of the various sects that have re-written the holy books based on false inspiration that have no bearing with their mother religion.Government must provide training for security operatives and media practitioners in dealing with the scenario we now face so that terror in the making can be recognized for what it is. Additional counter terrorism measures must be put in place to reduce the workload on security agencies thereby increasing their efficiency.The truth is bitter but the fact remains that government must give special attention to the north, in cities where extreme doctrines are preached freely, as this is where the toxic IMN operates from. The north, as a geo-political bloc and as component states, has flatly refused to deal with the problem of religious extremism as proven by the rise of IMN and it is important the rest of us save ourselves from the meltdown these sect would bring upon the area and those that provided the enabling environment for it to thrive. When this happens the rest of us want no part in it.We were once Nigerians, then Muslim or Christian; later Southern Christian or Northern Muslim, Moderate or Extremist; and now they want us to become Shiites.Jam, a forensic psychologist writes from Katsina-Ala, Benue State.
A group of researchers at the University of Porto, in Portugal, have said that barbecued meat, popularly known as suya, in Nigeria is...

A group of researchers at the University of Porto, in Portugal, have said that barbecued meat, popularly known as suya, in Nigeria is healthier when cooked and eaten with beer.The lead author of the study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Dr. Isabel Ferreira, said the recommendation was given following the results of various experiments conducted by the scientists.According to Ferreira, cancer-causing chemicals and molecules such as The PAHs are formed through the process of grilling or barbecuing meat and some chemical in beer could neutralise these free radicals.She said, One way of stopping PAH-formation might be to apply chemicals called antioxidants that mop up free radicals. And beer is rich in these, in the shape of melanoidins, which form when barley is roasted.In one of the experiments, Ferraira and her colleagues prepared some beer marinades, bought some meat and headed for the griddle.One of their marinades was based on Pilsner, a pale lager. A second was based on a black beer, since black beers have more melanoidins than light beersas the name suggests, they give it colour. The meat steeped in the black-beer marinade formed fewer PAHs than those steeped in the light-beer marinade, which in turn formed fewer than the control meat left unmarinated in beer, she stated.She noted that the meat that was not cooked with beer when cooked had an average of 21 nanogrammes (billionths of a gramme) of PAHs per gramme of grilled meat, while those marinated in black beer averaged only 10 nanogrammes of PAH.Ferreira, however, cautioned against over consumption of barbecued meat with beer or other forms of alcohol that may not have been sourced from barley.
The Philippines renewable energy sector is booming (and could get even bigger)

The Philippines 's transformation into a unlikely regional powerhouse in renewable energy hasn't been easy.

Juan Miguel Zubiri, a Philippine senator who authored the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, laughingly describes how the Bureau of Internal Revenue wanted to pick a fight with him when the Act was passed because of its generous incentives.

These included an income tax holiday for the first seven-years of commercial operations, low corporate tax of 10 percent for the subsequent 25 years, duty-free import of machinery and zero value added tax (VAT).

"So I said "you know what, it will come back to the economy anyway"," Zubiri says.

"I'm very proud to say that since we passed the law in 2008, from what used to be just 22 renewable energy projects, we now have 406 projects, either already built or being constructed," he says.

"In the last four years, we produced about 3 million jobs for engineers, construction workers all over the country. It's a booming industry."

Long reliant on fossil fuels, The Philippines now meets over a third of its energy needs through renewable sources.

The frenetic growth has attracted the attention of investors including David Russell, the chief executive officer of Equis, Asia's largest independent infrastructure fund manager. The company has commissioned the largest solar farm in Southeast Asia in Cadiz City.

"In the Philippines we've seen over last couple of years, over 1100 megawatts of renewable energy, just in the wind and solar space installed. That's about two billion dollars just flying into what was an industry that didn't exist till three years ago," Russell says.

"What we're seeing going forward is, over the next ten years, and expectation that that market will grow by about 20 times," he adds.

Still, the growing push towards cleaner energy hasn't been come without detractors.

Some complain that the country's feed-in tariff, offered as an incentive for developers of clean energy projects, actually made electricity in the archipelago more expensive.

Story continues

"We have been subsidizing renewable energy," says George Chua, President of the Federation of Philippine Industries. Chua says as rates for clean energy projects are locked in for 20 years, users in the country won't be able to enjoy the fall in prices, even if renewable energy technology gets cheaper.

"We're not against renewable energy, but why do we need to go into technologies that are not fully developed? We could wait a few more years when they become commercially viable," Chua says.

However, 23-year old Leandro Leviste, founder of Solar Philippines is convinced that renewable energy, particularly solar, can be an affordable source of energy for the Philippines today, even without subsidies.



"The cost of electricity in the Philippines is twice the cost as it is other countries, while the cost of a solar panel is the same cost here as it is in other countries. You take the solar panel costs in other countries, put them here, and solar is just significantly cheaper than even coal," Leviste says.

"I think that it's just obvious, that solar is in fact going to disrupt the entire power industry in Philippines, which is the most expensive and inefficient in Asia," he says.

Leviste's company already has a solar farm in Batangas province, and wants to prove solar energy's viability by building a new 150 megawatt solar farm in the north of Manila, by the first quarter of next year.

"The solar farm will have batteries, to smoothen the output of intermittent renewable energy plants, and it will be cheaper than coal. Our claim is that, rather than strapping our country's energy supplies to 20 more years of dirty fossil fuel, we have a cleaner alternative," he said

Zubiri, who recently returned to the Philippine senate after his resignation in 2011, wants to continue to push his green agenda in his next six years in office.

"After a few years of its actual implementation, we see a lot of bottlenecks for the developers and the consumers. There are agencies with overlapping functions, so coming back as a senator, I'm going to look at the amendments to the law, or to the rules and regulations, because there's still a lot of tweaking that can be done," he says.

Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.





More From CNBC


Udom Emmanuel, Governor of Akwa Ibom State, has explained that his visit to the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday was to brief...

Udom Emmanuel, Governor of Akwa Ibom State, has explained that his visit to the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday was to brief President Muhammadu Buhari on the security situation in Akwa Ibom state.Speaking with State House Correspondents after the meeting, he stressed that the President is father to all irrespective of party affiliations.I am still serving a state and the state is within the country and the president is the father of the whole country. I think it is part of my responsibility to let the president know from time to time how things are being done and how we are faring. We discussed some issues bothering on security, he said.When asked if he had any request to make of the president, Emmanuel said, Not really a request, but feedback. At times, feedback could be even very effective than request. Because feedback is necessary for further actions and the rest of things you want to do.He continued that, We are all running one project which is project Nigeria adding that if we are running project Nigeria, all hands must be a deck to move the country to the level we all expect and dream of and that is the essence of the whole thing.Emmanuel noted that it was time everybody joined hands to work for the country and see what can be done both from the state to the local government level to at least support the vision of making Nigeria reach where it should be.On the restiveness in the Niger Delta, he said, Well, I dont know whether you want me to redefine that word restiveness, but permit me to also say, you are still pushing me to discuss security which we dont discuss on camera. Spare me that today, but rather than calling it restiveness, I will say everything we discussed is about the wellbeing of Nigerians.
CCTEC and Rowan agreement, Aug. 10, 2016002.JPG

Officials from Cumberland County Technical Education Center and Rowan University signed an agreement on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, that would allow engineering students to go directly to Rowan University. (Don E. Woods | For NJ.com)

VINELAND -- Incoming engineer students at Cumberland County Technical Education Center are already getting a head start on their future -- with a new agreement between the school and Rowan University.

Officials from CCTEC and Rowan University's College of Engineering signed the transfer agreement Wednesday at the tech school's new 200,000-square-foot facility. The facility has classroom space made specifically to teach engineering, with help from Rowan in designing the classrooms and curriculum.

"We want to make sure that any student in southern New Jersey that wants an engineering degree and has the capacity to pursue it -- we want to have a seat for you," said Dr. Anthony Lowman, dean of the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering. "Signing agreements like this are really important to us."

This is the first year that CCTEC is offering engineering courses but it is already one of the school's flagship programs. Out of the incoming 241 students for the Class of 2020, 40 of those students signed up for engineering.

"All of our freshman engineering students are now eligible with this signing to go straight from our doors to the rowan college of engineering -- upon successful graduation from CCTEC," said Dr. Dina Rossi Elliott, superintendent of the tech school.

Students in the engineering program will receive college credit for some of their coursework. If they complete all four years of the program and achieve a 3.5 GPA, they will be eligible to go to Rowan. There is also another track for engineering students to go through Cumberland County College before getting to Rowan.

Cassius Garcia, 14, of Vineland, took a tour of Rowan's engineering building before and it helped convince him to go for engineering at CCTEC. Rowan's partnership with the tech school just makes his decision to attend that much easier.

"It makes me feel good because that's what I was thinking before I was even accepted into the school -- that I wanted to go into the program," Cassius said. "Now that they are partnering up and I can go right into it its even better."

For Martin Adame, 14, of Bridgeton, doing the engineering program will help him decide if it's what he wants to do for a living.

"You've got to just go into it first ad see how you like it, what you want to do, just get a good feel for it and see what you want to do with your life and after high school is done," Martin said. "I thought engineering would be a good choice."

Rowan University has similar signing agreements and partnerships with Gloucester County Institute of Technology and Glassboro High School, however, this is the first times making this specific agreement with another school and its first time going into Cumberland County.

"We're reaching out to a whole set of students that we might not have been able to reach before or may not have been able to come to Rowan engineering in the past," Lowman said.

Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
NEWARK -- In May 2013, then 20-year-old Jaworski Sneed was sentenced to serve at least 63 years in prison for the 2010 murder of a Newark grocery store owner. Under the sentence, Sneed would be 83 years old before being eligible for parole.

Sneed, who was 17 at the time of the killing, was convicted of the Dec. 24, 2010 murder of store owner Darryl Logan, 47. He was sentenced to serve at least 63 3/4 years in prison, a term that raised eyebrows among legal experts, who said juveniles convicted in homicides usually receive sentences of up to 30 years.

Last week, a three-judge appeals court panel ordered that Sneed be re-sentenced and given a realistic chance at parole. Noting Sneed's age, the Appellate Court judges said that "the trial court must insure that his sentence does not amount to a life sentence without parole ..."

Was the 63-year sentence appropriate? Vote in our poll, and let us know why in the comments section below.

Here are some reader reactions to the Appellate Court judges order to re-sentence Sneed.

When somebody is on the ground and shot in the back, it amounts to an execution. He's lucky he wasn't in a state like Texas. He would've been given the death penalty for a crime this horrible.

The age of the criminal at the time of the crime does not make the victims any less dead. Life in jail, the trial court judge got it right.

He is a kid....differentiating right from wrong has yet to fully develop in his brain yet....20-30 years should suffice....60 plus years is in fact way too harsh.

I knew murder was wrong way before I was 17.

Tom Haydon may be reached at thaydon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
IMG_0587[3].jpg

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and daughter Alicia Jacobsen Menendez. She is now pregnant and lives in Miami, where Zika is now present in the mosquito population. (Photo courtesy of Menendez family)

Like most Jersey politicians, Sen. Bob Menendez is rarely at a loss for words.

That is, until someone asks him about his daughter: The one who's five months' pregnant with his first grandchild, and lives in Miami, where the Zika virus is now spreading.

Alicia Jacobsen Menendez cried five times last week when she heard that Miami mosquitoes were now transmitting the disease, said her father.

He spoke about her briefly at a pond-side press conference in Edison in which he urged an emergency session of Congress to approve funds to battle the mosquito-borne infection. Zika can cause devastating birth defects if a woman is bitten during pregnancy.

But when asked later to elaborate about his own reaction to word Zika was now present in Miami's mosquitoes, he paused as if perhaps he hadn't heard the question. He cleared his throat as if preparing to speak, but remained silent.

It turns out to have been a largely successful attempt to regain his composure.

Sen. Bob Menendez stands by a pond near the Dismal Swamp in Edison, preparing to make remarks about Zika funding. (Photo by Kathleen O'Brien | NJ Advance Media)

"When she first told me she was pregnant, we were elated and overjoyed," he said. When she announced her news, the only Zika cases in the mainland United States were among travelers who had been infected elsewhere.

That changed with word that a mile-square neighborhood in Miami had been the site of local transmission of the virus - by mosquitoes that survived the first bombardment of insecticide.

"My first reaction was concern for her, for the health of the baby. I know how much it means to her," Menendez said. "I've had the blessing of two kids that were born healthy, that were healthy their whole lives. And I've also had many friends who have not necessarily had that blessing. So thinking about how that blessing could potentially be such a challenge for the child is very emotional."

He has told his daughter she's welcome to come live with him until her due date in December, and she is contemplating it - although her doctor told her that may be a bit of an overreaction, he said. Alicia Menendez is a television host and commentator on Fusion, a Miami-based cable channel. She and her husband do not live in the neighborhood currently under CDC scrutiny for Zika.

While there are more than 80 cases of Zika illness in New Jersey so far, none have been acquired locally. And the main species of mosquito that transmits the virus hasn't been detected in New Jersey yet, according to a spokesman for the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection.

As a senator, Menendez has been joining the chorus of largely Democratic legislators pressuring the Congressional leadership to summon lawmakers back for an emergency session to approve President Obama's scaled-back request for $1.1 billion to fight Zika.

The request passed the U.S. Senate, but hit a roadblock in the House when Republicans inserted a provision banning Planned Parenthood from receiving any of the funds. The president has said he would veto that version, so the stand-off continued until lawmakers took their traditional August recess three weeks early to attend their party conventions.

Beyond holding press conferences and Googling insect repellant clothing, though, Menendez said there isn't much more he can do to help his daughter.

"I almost feel somewhat helpless in finding a way to protect her," he said, his voice breaking. "When she was growing up, that was part of what I would do, or try to do. But at the end of the day, I don't have the wherewithal to protect her."

Kathleen O'Brien may be reached at kobrien@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @OBrienLedger. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- A Jersey City man who served a five-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting a teenage girl in 2006 once again pleaded guilty today as a new trial on the same charges loomed.

Shiron Cooper, 43, risked an additional 15 years behind bars by getting his previous plea vacated and accepting a new trial, but will likely only receive time served when he's sentenced next month. He took on that risk with the hope of reuniting with his wife and small child, whom he was previously barred from living with under Megan's Law.

Cooper, 43, admitted in court today that he forcibly touched the 15-year-old's breast while she slept and said under oath that he was pleading guilty because he was, in fact, guilty. Asked if he had done it "for the purpose of his own sexual gratification," Cooper said "Yes."

Cooper said in court papers that he wanted to take his chances with a new trial not only to prove his innocence, but also ensure that he would be allowed to live with his wife and small child, which he could not do at that time due to Megan's Law restrictions, his current attorney said.

"I chose the avenue with the least risk of exposure where my freedom and future are concerned," Cooper said of today's plea, while being careful not to contradict what he had admitted in pleading guilty to fourth degree criminal sexual contact.

In January 2007, Cooper was indicted on two counts of sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child and child abuse of the teen, with whom he was familiar. But as jury selection was to begin June 11, 2008, Cooper pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault. He was later sentenced to five years and he finished his prison term in 2013.

Cooper, whose also known as Shiron McNeil, said he sat in jail for two years awaiting trial before pleading guilty. He said he was told by his prior counsel that if he pleaded guilty to the charges, he would be unable to live with his wife and child.

But a stand-in lawyer and the judge both said there was a possibility he could stay with his family after serving his time. At the first plea hearing, the judge told him "in this case, there is no problem because there's no evidence that it involved your own child."

However, that would not be the case.

After discovering that he in fact would not be allowed to live with his wife and child upon release from prison, Cooper filed a petition contesting his plea on Nov. 5, 2009. He then went to the appellate court and on July 1, 2015, the trial judge's decision was reversed, the plea vacated and the case remanded for trial.

The appellate court wrote that Cooper "has proven not only that his counsel was ineffective, but that there is reasonable probability he would not have entered a plea if he had been properly informed of the consequences." Since having the plea vacated, Cooper has been living with his family again.

At one hearing before the trial judge, a parole officer testified that when Cooper was released from prison, one of the conditions was that he could not reside with a minor. The parole officer said there was, however, a procedure to request approval to reside with your family. It involved evaluations and therapy, but the process could not begin while there was a petition pending.

Regarding that issue, the appellate court said it was unreasonable to blame Cooper for not abandoning his petition to withdraw his guilty plea in order to navigate the process and "possibly" obtain the privilege of returning home to his family.

After pleading guilty today, Cooper said he knows better than most that life isn't always fair and the system isn't always just.

"My desired objective here today was primarily to preserve whatever peace I can for my loved ones while ensuring myself another day to pursue justice," Cooper said.

He continued saying, "As a lay person, a common civilian in the criminal justice system, I have very few tools to choose from in order to carve out a path to justice, so I must utilize what's available to me to create a path to get the justice I know is well deserve and overdue."

Cooper will be sentenced Sept. 23 by Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City.

Cooper said he was very unhappy at having taken the plea deal today but said "For now I prefer to leave this battle bruised rather than broken and explore opportunities to illuminate truth another day."
steve fulop august 2016.JPG

Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop speaks to the media on Aug. 10, 2016 regarding new emails that show the effort made by Gov. Chris Christie allies to get Fulop's endorsement in 2013.

(Caitlin Mota | The Jersey Journal)

New emails released as part of the ongoing Bridgegate case shed light on Gov. Chris Christie's 2013 re-election campaign's effort to win the endorsement of Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, an effort that appeared to center around Fulop's pre-mayoralty gig with a Port Authority tenant.

The emails between Bill Stepien, Christie's 2013 campaign manager, and David Wildstein, then a Port Authority executive, show the effort to nab Fulop's endorsement began more than eight months prior to Fulop's May 2013 election as Jersey City's mayor.

They also reveal that Christie's team believed even then that a Fulop endorsement would be a longshot and that the Republican governor's allies did not think much of then-Councilman Fulop, a Democrat who ended up not endorsing Christie in October 2013.

"Quite the snake," Stepien emailed Wildstein about Fulop on Nov. 28, 2012.

The emails are included in a brief filed this morning by lawyers for Bill Baroni, the former Port Authority deputy executive director facing federal charges in the Bridgegate probe. The motion also includes text messages that show a Christie aide said the governor "flat out lied" to the press when he said in December 2013 that senior staff members were not involved in the Bridgegate affair.

Fulop today had little to say about the details in the new court filing, saying he hasn't read it. He added that he has been called to testify on behalf of the prosecution in the Bridgegate case.

"I have no idea what the filing says," said the mayor, who is expected to run for governor next year. "I have no idea."

Fulop's employment with FAPS, a car importer/exporter and a Port Authority tenant he worked for before he was elected mayor, appeared to be central to the efforts to get Fulop's endorsement of Christie, the emails show. Fulop said today he worked in the finance department for FAPS (Foreign Auto Preparation Service), which has operated at Port Newark since 1956. A request for comment from FAPS was not returned.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3010120-Baroni-Aug-10/annotations/313509.html"&amp;amp;amp;gt;View note&amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;gt;

The emails between Wildstein and Stepien begin in September 2012 and deal with a lease extension FAPS wanted with the Port Authority. On Sept. 25, Stepian tells Wildstein to "continue throwing the Gov/my name around when discussing this with him," presumably Fulop, then adds, "it's important he associate a successful conclusion to this with us."

On Oct. 17, 2012 Wildstein told Stepien in an email, "We have a deal with FAPS, Fulop owes you big time." Stepien responded: "I hope it's voidable....pending what happens next year." Later that day, Wildstein emailed Stepien, "I expect to be disappointed but worth taking a shot." One month later, on Nov. 15, Wildstein emailed someone whose identity is redacted -- the subject line is "Text from Fulop" -- "built a few emergency exits into deal and can screw him in less than an hour."

That day, Port Authority commissioners approved amending FAPS' lease, which was set to expire in 2019. The change extended the lease until 2024.

The Christie campaign's efforts to get Fulop's endorsement did not work. On Oct. 15, 2013, three months after he became mayor, Fulop offered lukewarm public support for Christie opponent Barbara Buono, then a state senator. Without saying Buono's name, Fulop said he would vote for "the whole Democratic ticket."

Fulop has alleged the non-endorsement led Christie's office to retaliate by keeping state officials from meeting with Fulop after he became mayor in July 2013.

Asked to respond to the emails released today, Stepien attorney Kevin Marino said U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman investigated the Bridgegate case for 16 months and "never at any time suggested that Bill Stepien was in any way involved.

"Without seeing all those emails and having a better understanding of how you're piecing them together, I will tell you that Bill Stepien never in any way misused his position as campaign manager for Gov. Christie and never engaged in wrongdoing of any kind involving either the Bridgegate affair, the campaign nor anything else that might have been in some way involved."

Alan Zegas, Wildstein's attorney, said his client "has been cooperating with the government and will be testifying at trial about all aspects of the case."

Spokesmen for Christie and the Port Authority declined to comment.

City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill this afternoon issued a statement saying Fulop is "proud" of his work at FAPS, which he said helped "save a 50-year-old company and hundreds of union jobs.



"The documents released today via Bill Baroni's attorney are nothing short of disturbing with regard to their comments on FAPS," Morrill said. "Mayor Fulop has been subpoenaed as a prosecution witness and will answer all questions at that time."

Baroni and Bridget Anne Kelly, Christie's former deputy chief of staff, were indicted in May 2015 on charges of fraud, conspiracy and civil rights violations. The brief filed by Baroni's attorneys today argues that prosecutors' allegations regarding the effort to get Fulop's endorsement should not be introduced at trial because they are "simply not relevant to a single element of a single count in the indictment."

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- Mayor Steve Fulop today proposed a Jersey City open trust fund that he said would provide $1.2 million annually to preserve park space in New Jersey's second largest city.

Standing inside Berry Lane Park, Fulop said the proposed fund, which would be paid for by a new tax up for approval by voters in November, would represent an ongoing commitment to rebuild and replenish city parks for decades into the future.

"For a nominal $20 a year, enjoyment of the park space in Jersey City and enjoyment of newly renovated, expanded parks is a smart investment and a commitment I believe most are willing to make," he said from the new 18-acre municipal park on the city's south side.

The tax would amount to two cents per $100 of assessed value. The City Council next week is scheduled to approve placing the trust fund plan as a ballot initiative in November.

Over 250 New Jersey public entities have similar local open space trust funds, according to Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. Tittel said today that even in a state with the highest property taxes in the nation, residents have approved ballot questions hiking their taxes to pay for more open space, which he said illustrates how important parks and open space are to neighborhoods.

"Parks are infrastructure for a city just like roads and water systems," he said.

Hudson County has its own open space trust fund, as does Hoboken. Tittel said they can pay for a variety of items (the county allows its fund to pay for improvements to historic buildings like the Landmark Loew's Jersey Theatre). According to Fulop, the city's fund would pay only for building and renovating parks.

Jersey City has more than 60 municipal parks.

Councilman Rich Boggiano, who frequently votes against Fulop's signature initiatives, said he hasn't made up his mind on whether to support the proposed open space trust fund. But his comments indicated he wasn't a fan of Fulop's new proposal, which he called part of Fulop's "grandiose" plan to seek the Democratic nomination for governor next year.

"This is another political gimmick," he said. "Forget about all this ideal stuff, let's take care of the problems we have now."

Today's announcement attracted many of the administration's top officials, plus five City Council members and representatives from organizations around the state who lauded the city's move.

"Urban open spaces provide neighbors with incomparable benefits compared with other forms of development," said Ed Potosnak, executive director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters. "Open space provides recreational opportunities, they promote ecology awareness for our children and future generations, they increase the biodiversity and they improve the aesthetic value of our communities."

If approved by the council as expected, the open space trust fund referendum would be one of at least two local ballot questions on November's ballot. The other seeks voter approval for Fulop's plan to move city elections from May to November. A third referendum, to eliminate runoff elections, is also possible.

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
A ferry sails past an advertisement of Prudential Assurance under foggy weather at the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, China March 9, 2016. REUTERS/Bobby Yip/File Photo

By Carolyn Cohn

LONDON (Reuters) - Insurer Prudential (PRU.L) could shift more funds from its asset management business to Dublin or Luxembourg to maintain access to the European Union's single market after Britain's vote to leave the bloc, its asset management boss said on Wednesday.

Prudential, like other British insurers, has experienced volatility in its share price from the uncertainty caused by the Brexit vote at the end of June. But the life insurer is concentrating its growth efforts on Asia, which contributes around a third of its operating profit.

"At the group level, the immediate impact of Brexit will not be material," chief executive Mike Wells told reporters on a conference call.

"Asia has been and will continue to be the growth engine of this group."

But Prudential said in a statement accompanying its first-half results that its UK-domiciled operations, including fund management division M&G, could be hit by Brexit.

M&G chief executive Anne Richards told reporters the company could increase the number of its funds domiciled in Dublin and Luxembourg, depending on the outcome of Brexit negotiations.

"What we are trying to do is...give ourselves options so we are in a position to react and adapt."

M&G said shortly after the Brexit vote that it was looking at expanding its operations in Dublin.

Under current rules, asset managers need an EU base to sell investment funds to continental European retail investors but it is not clear how this will work post-Brexit.

Wells said Prudential could look to buy firms in the United States and Africa, after completing a purchase in Zambia, marking its entry into a fourth African market.

The company reported a forecast-beating six percent rise in first-half operating profit to 2.06 billion pounds earlier on Wednesday, led by Asian growth.

Analysts had expected group operating profit of 1.88 billion pounds, according to a consensus forecast compiled by the company.

Progress in Asia helped to offset lower profit from M&G.

Story continues

Operating profits in Asia rose 15 percent to 743 million pounds. M&G's operating profit fell 10 percent to 225 million pounds, and Prudential said M&G continued to experience "significant net outflows" in the first half.

Prudential's shares rose 1.5 percent to 1,412 pence by 1042 GMT, making it one of the top gainers in the FTSE 100 index (.FTSE). They earlier touched a 3-1/2-month high.

Barrie Cornes analyst at Panmure described the results as "excellent", reiterating his "buy" recommendation on the stock. He raised his target price for Prudential to 1610 pence a share from 1545 pence.

Prudential said it increased its interim dividend by 5 percent from a year earlier, to 12.93 pence per share.

(Additional reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain; editing by Keith Weir and Jane Merriman)
JERSEY CITY - A 34-year-old Newark man has been charged with the rape and the attempted murder a 31-year-old woman he had a dating relationship with in Kearny on Friday.

Richard A. Perez-Andia, of the 500 block of Market Street, was arrested today and charged with attempted murder, aggravated sexual assault, aggravated assault, criminal restraint and making terroristic threats, the criminal complaint says.

He is charged with raping the woman while physically assaulting her and causing severe injury, the complaint says, adding that he choked the woman until she was unconscious while striking her in the head and face while telling her "he needed to kill her."

The complaint says he knelt on the woman's chest to prevent her from escaping as he continuously struck her, causing injuries including a fractured eye socket.

Finally, Perez-Andia is charged with making terroristic threats for telling the woman he had to kill her while choking her, the complaint says.

The defendant's bail was set at $300,000 cash or bond by Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mark Nelson, he was ordered to have no contact with the woman and must surrender all travel documents.

An official said Perez-Andia is from Bolivia and is an undocumented immigrant when he made his first court appearance on the charges this afternoon in Central Judicial Processing court in Jersey City. He was wearing street clothes and had his hands cuffed behind his back during the brief hearing conducted through a Spanish translator.

Probable cause for the charges is listed at the sworn statement of the victim and her injuries.

A CJP official said Perez-Andia makes too much money to qualify for a public defender. When asked by CJP Judge Margaret Marley if he wanted the Bolivian embassy notified of his arrest, Perez-Andia said he would decide after speaking to an attorney.
UPDATE: Authorities release ID of 17-year-old shooting victim

JERSEY CITY -- A 17-year-old boy was carrying a loaded gun when he was fatally shot at a "back to school" event being held at a church hall Tuesday night, officials said.

During a press conference at Berry Lane Park this morning, Mayor Steve Fulop and Jersey City Public Safety Director James Shea said the 17-year-old victim -- whose identity has not been released -- was shot twice in the head at about 11:30 p.m. at the Holy Ghost Tabernacle Ministries church hall.

Shea said two girls, ages 12 and 14, were injured during the shooting, though it's unclear whether the girls were hit by bullets or bullet fragments. When asked for their conditions, Shea said "they're fine." Jersey City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said the two girls were not targets of the gunfire.

The church hall was rented out for a private event that was not sponsored by the ministry group, Fulop said. A witness at the scene this morning told The Jersey Journal she saw a young man run inside the building and shoot the victim at point-blank range.

Fulop, who said a loaded gun was found on the victim's body, emphasized that the incident took place at a "crowded party" and was not random -- a similar point he has stressed following several fatal shootings recently. Questioned if that was supposed to make residents feel better, the mayor said "that's where the facts are today."

"Whether it makes people feel safer or not safer, the facts don't point to a random act and I'm just conveying the fact that the victim was deceased with a loaded handgun on him and in the past two years we have had several similar charges with this individual," he said.

Shea said multiple surveillance videos of the incident have been retrieved. He did not confirm if the city's closed circuit televisions on the corner near the shooting were operational.

Additional information has not yet been made available by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office.
PRINCETON -- Jorge Narvaez Jr. travels to his native Nicaragua every two years or so to visit his father and relatives.

The 22-year Princeton police officer does as much humanitarian work as possible too, helping police there with their computers and expertise, and coordinating donations.

"I have always been inclined to help because I know the needs they have," he said.

Two years ago, Narvaez received a pretty large request during a visit to a fire station in the capital of Managua - firefighting equipment, and maybe even a fire truck?

Narvaez said he would do what he could, but made no promises. When he got back to the states, Narvaez was quickly able to get some old fire hoses and gear from the Princeton Fire Department.

But during a conversation with Princeton volunteer firefighter and former fire chief Ray Wadsworth, Narvaez learned the Ivy League town was replacing two trucks, and they had an idea.

On Wednesday, a year-long effort to deliver a former Mercer Engine Co. 3 truck to the volunteer corps in Nicaragua takes a major step forward when the truck - a 1982 Mack pumper - drives onto Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst to await a ride to Central America on a U.S. Air Force Reserve military plane.

"I am really glad that it worked out," Narvaez said Tuesday. "It's going to be put to good use."

Narvaez, who is also a member of the 108th Security Forces Squadron, an Air National Guard unit at the joint base, said it was an amazing journey of paperwork and luck.

First, he said, they wrote letters to the town council and emergency management officials with the idea. The town liked it and set up a symbolic auctioning of the truck, which Wadsworth won for $1.

"Then it became, how do we get it there?" Narvaez said.

He researched driving it to a port and shipping it himself. The cheapest way was to put it on a flatbed truck and haul it to Baltimore, for $1,300, but getting it to Nicaragua would tally $8,000.

Then he had to move it within the country once there, he said.

So Narvaez started working to ship it via the Denton Program, a government program that allows U.S. citizens and organizations to use space available on military cargo aircraft to transport humanitarian goods to countries in need.

More paperwork, an inspection and measuring of the truck by Air Force officials followed, so they could assign possibly assign it to a flight.

This spring, Narvaez got word that the mission was a go.

But then the Air Force realized the fire truck would not roll onto a cargo plane like a tank or military vehicle, so they had to build special, wood ramps specifically for loading a 33,000-pound fire truck.

That job was assigned to the 108th's Traffic Management Office, which built two ramps and six pedestals with plywood that created a gradual climb for the truck.

The flight that will take the plane to Nicaragua has not officially een scheduled, but Narvaez said it could be at the end of this week.

Once delivered, the truck will go in service to a group of firefighters who are in constant need of supplies and whose building was damaged in a 1972 earthquake.

"They were in dire need," he said, recalling how he toured the building in 2014.

"But this was not just me," Narvaez said of the effort. "There was a whole bunch of people supporting this."

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
WALL -- Patrolman Frank Kuhl promised a South Carolina man he would soon be reunited with his dog, Bella.

On Thursday, Kuhl fulfilled that promise when he and another officer, Patrolman Michael Tancredi, drove 650 miles to return Bella to her family.

The fairy-tale ending started with a call to police around 4:16 p.m. on July 15. Kuhl responded to the Allaire Corporate Center on Route 138 for a report of a person in need of assistance.

Kuhl found a man, only identified as a 34-year-old from Myrtle Beach, S.C., who needed medical attention in a disabled vehicle.

But the man wasn't alone.

He had Bella, a female basset hound, by his side. Kuhl assured the man that he would soon be reunited with his dog.

Bella was taken to the Monmouth County Humane Society. The Humane Society's general manager, Veronica Ehrenspeck, told Kuhl that Bella would be held for seven days, but then, she would go up for adoption.

Unable to make the trip back to New Jersey, the South Carolina man feared he would lose his dog.

"Patrolman Kuhl then took it upon himself to begin making arrangements so that Bella could get back to Myrtle Beach, S.C.," Wall Township police Chief Robert L. Brice Jr. said in a statement.

The Monmouth County Humane Society released Bella to Kuhl, who then cared for the dog at his home for two weeks.

With the assistance of Tancredi, Kuhl drove down to Myrtle Beach with Bella and returned her back to her family.

"The owner expressed gratitude and thanks to Patrolman Frank Kuhl and Patrolman Tancredi for all the work and assistance they provided in returning Bella to (him) from New Jersey," Brice said.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
MORRISTOWN -- The Mountain Lakes man accused of killing a Kentucky couple and toddler in a DWI crash on Route 80 in July 2015 allegedly had morphine and alcohol in his bloodstream at the time of the crash, the Daily Record reported.

As previously reported by NJ Advance Media, Bhavuk Uppal has been offered a plea deal of 36 years in exchange for pleading guilty to three counts of aggravated manslaughter.

Uppal entered a not guilty plea in June to the criminal charges lodged against him.

State Police have said Uppal's Cadillac Escalade struck a Kia stopped in front of him in traffic near a highway construction area in Rockaway Township shortly before 2 a.m. on July 11, 2015.

Briana Mae Anderson, 21, her fiance, Edward Russell Hitt, 24, and their 18-month-old daughter, Charlotte Reagan Hitt, all of Jeffersontown, Ky. were killed. Anderson was also pregnant, officials have said.

Uppal, who remains in custody at the Morris County Correctional Facility on $750,000 bail, was previously charged in a summons with possession of a hypodermic needle in connection with this crash.

"It is alleged that (Uppal) operated his vehicle recklessly, and under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life," Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp previously said in a statement. "It is also alleged that at the time of this incident, (Uppal) was operating a vehicle recklessly, in part, by speeding, driving while having a suspended license, and being under the influence of alcohol and narcotics."

Police have said the impact of the collision sent the Kia into a Jeep located in front of it, causing the Kia to burst into flames. The three occupants of the Kia were pronounced dead at the scene and two men in the Jeep suffered minor injuries.

Records showed Uppal had his license suspended 12 times and had received 19 motor vehicle violations between 2012 and 2014. Those included three for speeding, two for unsafe operation of a motor vehicle and one charge for reckless driving.

Family members previously told NJ Advance Media the family was returning from a vacation trip to New York, which included a visit to East Islip on Long Island, where Anderson grew up.

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
CHATHAM -- An arrest warrant was re-issued for former Chatham school board member John Nonnenmacher Tuesday night after he missed a rescheduled court date on an impaired driving charge, a court official said.

Nonnenmacher, a 52-year-old personal injury attorney, was charged with driving while impaired on prescription medication on June 28 when an off-duty officer stopped him on Fairmount Avenue in Chatham Township after he was unable to maintain his lane, Chatham Township police have said.

Nonnenmacher was scheduled to make his first appearance at the Joint Municipal Court in Madison on July 12, but he didn't show up in person or contact the court until the next day.

Madison Joint Court Judge Gary Troxell issued a warrant for his arrest but recalled it when Nonnenmacher contacted the court saying he was in the hospital and couldn't make his first appearance due a medical emergency, Madison Court Administrator Frank J. Ciampi said last month.

Nonnenmacher's case was rescheduled for Aug. 9, but he, again, didn't show up or let the court know he wouldn't be there. Ciampi told NJ Advance Media the judge reissued the warrant Tuesday night, and, as of early Wednesday afternoon, Nonnenmacher still hasn't contacted the court.

Nonnenmacher's wife, Laura, said in an email Thursday her husband has been hospitalized since July 9 and she failed to reschedule the court date due to the recent death of her mother-in-law. Laura Nonnenmacher also provided a copy of the death notice for her mother-in-law and disputed the DUI charge against her husband, saying "breathalyzer recorded a zero and there was no further blood test conducted to suggest anything other than he was driving in bad weather conditions."

According to reports by the New York Post, John Nonnenmacher was taken to task earlier this year by a federal judge in New York for allegedly lying about his mother's death to delay a trial in one case, and for purportedly claiming he couldn't show up for another court date because he tripped on a dog bone.

John Nonnenmacher was listed as a partner at the New York-based law firm, Bader, Yakaitis and Nonnenmacher last year, but the firm is currently known as Bader & Yakaitis. He presently has a website providing counsel in personal injury matters.

John Nonnenmacher resigned from the school board in December over a hit-and-run crash weeks earlier. His vehicle apparently ran off the roadway, struck a hydrant and knocked it off its base, police said.

He then left the scene of the crash but pieces of his vehicle were left behind including a part that contained a tag with the Vehicle Identification Number, police said.

When police were able to contact him, John Nonnenmacher told them he swerved to avoid hitting squirrels in the roadway. He also allegedly said he knew he hit something but he didn't know he hit a fire hydrant, police said.

He was issued motor vehicle summonses for leaving the scene of an accident, failure to report an accident, driving while suspended and careless driving for crashing into a fire hydrant.

According to the state Motor Vehicle Commission, John Nonnemacher's had his license suspended 16 times in the past two decades. The suspensions were mostly incurred because he failed to pay surcharges. None of those suspensions stemmed from alcohol-related violations, a MVC spokeswoman said.

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Bridgegate: The key players

Christina Genovese Renna, former Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Christie administration, testifies at the Statehouse before the New Jersey Legislative Select Committee on Investigation looking into the George Washington Bridge scandal. (Tony Kurdzuk | The Star-Ledger)

NEWARK -- A former aide to Gov. Chris Christie said in a text message that the governor "flat out lied" about senior staff members not being involved in the Bridgegate scandal, according to court filings released early Wednesday.

Christina Genovese Renna, the former director of Christie's Intergovernmental Affairs office, texted a Christie campaign staffer during the governor's Dec. 13, 2013, press conference about the lane closures at the George Washington Bridge. Christie said senior staffers, including campaign manager Bill Stepien, "assured" him they were not involved in closures.

"He just flat out lied about senior staff and Stepien not being involved," Renna, 35, said in the text, according to the filing. "If emails are found with the subpoena ... in discovery, if it comes to that it could be bad."

The exchange between Renna and Peter Sheridan, a campaign staffer, was revealed in a court filing by ex-Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni.

Speaking outside a New York City radio station Wednesday, Christie said the allegation that he lied was not true.

"I absolutely dispute it. It's ridiculous. It's nothing new," Christie said after appearing on a sports-talk radio show. "There's nothing new to talk about."

Brian Murray, a spokesman for the governor's office, said Renna's text messages do not contradict what Christie has said previously.

"The governor's statements have been clear," Murray said. "Nothing contained in this text message changes that in any way. He stands by those statements completely and unequivocally."

Renna's attorney, Henry Klingeman, said she would not comment immediately about the texts.

"Ms. Renna will answer questions publicly when she testifies at the upcoming trial, not before," Klingeman said.

A lawyer for Stepien, Kevin Marino, said the allegations against Stepien are false.

"Ms. Renna testified before a legislative committee for more than four hours and did not implicate Mr. Stepien," Marino said in an email. "The suggestion that Mr. Stepien was nonetheless involved in a conspiracy to close access lanes to the George Washington Bridge based on a text message exchange that has been in the government's possession for literally years is categorically false and irresponsible."

Sheridan, the campaign staffer who received the text from Renna, did not return a message seeking comment.

The filing also said Renna deleted the text messages after the state Legislature began issuing subpoenas in the matter.

She did not testify about the exchange when she appeared before a special legislative committee in the spring of 2014. At the time, Renna testified ex-Christie Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Anne Kelly ordered her to delete messages revealing Kelly's alleged satisfaction at Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich's exasperation with the bridge lane closures.

Baroni's brief also notes that the evidence "indicates" that Renna deleted texts from Sheridan -- and no one else -- for a period between Oct. 26-Dec. 19, 2013.

"Thus," it says, "there are 54 days of texts missing from Ms. Renna's response to the legislature's and the federal grand jury subpoenas."

Access lanes from Fort Lee to the bridge were closed in September 2013, causing massive traffic tie-ups in the area. Prosecutors say Baroni, Kelly and ex-Port Authority official and Christie ally David Wildstein planned to have the lanes closed to punish Sokolich for failing to endorse Christie's re-election.

Baroni later told a state investigative committee that the lane closures were part of a traffic study. He said afterwards that he was duped.

Wildstein pleaded guilty in the case and is expected to testify against Baroni and Kelly.

Christie has long denied knowing about the scheme to close the lanes to the bridge. A report commissioned by his office cleared him of any involvement in the matter.

During the December 2013 Bridgegate press conference, Christie said his re-election campaign manager, Stepien, had assured him no one in his senior staff had acted on the governor's behalf to close the bridge access lanes for political retribution.

According to court filings, Renna sent a text message to Sheridan as Christie was speaking at the press conference: "Are you listening? He just flat out lied about senior staff and Stepien not being involved."

Sheridan responded that he was, in fact, listening to the governor's answer, and reassured that her, "Gov. is doing fine. Holding his own up there."

Renna then answered, "Yes. But he lied. And if emails are found with the subpoena or CCFG (Chris Christie for Governor) emails are uncovered in discovery if it comes to that, it could be bad."

In June, Renna became the first employee of the Office of the Governor under Christie's administration to be fined by the State Ethics Commission for sharing emails that contained information "not generally available to the public" with members of her family.

The emails were shared with her husband, Michael Renna, the president and chief operating officer of South Jersey Industries, the parent company of South Jersey Gas, which had sought to build a pipeline through the environmentally sensitive pine barrens area.

NJ Advance Media staff writers Matt Arco and Claude Brodesser-Akner, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Tim Darragh may be reached at tdarragh@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @timdarragh. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
The Perseid meteor shower is here again, and the 2016 cosmic display may be one of the best shows in recent history, according to NASA. The best time to set up outside for the Perseid shower 2016 will be the nights of August 11 and 12, when the bright meteor shower will be at its peak. Although stargazers might spot a few shooting stars after sunset, the best time to watch is between 10 p.m. and the early morning. (Tip: Allow about 45 minutes for your eyes to adjust, according to NASA experts.)

For the best views, move away from areas with heavy light pollution. You can use these maps to find the best spots. If you can't, don't worry. You'll still be able to see a slew of shooting stars as long it's a clear night. If it's cloudy, check out the live stream of the shower here.

Last year, experts expected the shower to dazzle New Jersey residents, with up to 100 meteors an hour forecasted to shoot across the night sky during peak viewing. And it didn't disappoint.

But the current conditions for this year's Perseid meteor shower could lead to an outburst of activity, doubling the rate of 2015's shooting star show.

"Forecasters are predicting a Perseid outburst this year with double normal rates on the night of Aug. 11-12," said Bill Cooke with NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office in Huntsville, Ala. "Under perfect conditions, rates could soar to 200 meteors per hour."

The last outburst occurred in 2009. (Fun fact: The meteors in the Perseid shower are about the size of a grain of sand.)

The annual meteor shower is one of the most anticipated stargazing events of the year. It occurs every August when the Earth passes through debris left by an ancient comet, the Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the sun every 133 years.

"The meteors you'll see this year are from comet flybys that occurred hundreds if not thousands of years ago," said Cooke. "And they've traveled billions of miles before their kamikaze run into Earth's atmosphere."

This year, the night sky is expected to be especially active, as the Earth passes through more of Swift-Tuttle's trail than normal, according to NASA. The shower generally produces 80 meteors per hour.

Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
NEW YORK -- A convicted felon from New Jersey was one of two workers who harassed a Manhattan couple trying to drive their sick dog to a veterinarian last fall, according to a lawsuit filed against a construction company.

Jair Freire and Angela Cuce later sued Plaza Construction for $1 million, NYDailyNews.com reported.

Anthony Pate of Belleville was working as a flagman when he and Bienvenido Rodriguez stopped Friere's BMW as it traveled along East 22nd Street between Park and Lexington avenues on Sept. 24, 2015.

Although Freire and Cuce frantically explained to the workers their bulldog was having trouble breathing, Pate allegedly laid on top of the car, the report said.

Pate also allegedly kicked both passenger side doors on the luxury vehicle, causing thousands in damage.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, climbed onto the BMW, slammed his hand on the hood and used threatening language to the couple.

The workers eventually let the couple pass and they made it to the vet on 15th Street in time to save the dog. Bruiser ended up dying several months later of heart failure, NYPost.com said.

Plaza Construction told the Daily News that a subcontractor doing work at the site hired Pate. A 777-foot building that will house condominiums is being built there.

Pate, 40, has a long rap sheet, including convictions for aggravated assault, kidnapping, and armed robbery from 2006-2013, according to the Post.

In 2014, he was one of six men arrested for allegedly taking part in a bloody brawl inside and outside a South Hackensack go-go bar that saw one man bludgeoned in the head with a hammer, another stabbed in the torso and two struck by a car.

Pate, who was stabbed in the torso during the altercation, was charged with aggravated assault and weapons offenses.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Chris Christie,David C. Hespe

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, right, listens as David C. Hespe, Commissioner of New Jersey Department of Education, addresses a gathering at the Statehouse Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016, in Trenton, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

(Mel Evans)

On July 28, Gov. Chris Christie put meat on the bones of his ''Fairness Formula'' tax-relief plan. To Democrats and poor Abbott school districts -- including Jersey City, Harrison, Hoboken, Union City and West New York -- it is grotesque.

Those schools, some of the poorest and worst-performing in the state, would lose billions of dollars under Christie's proposal to give each New Jersey pupil a level $6,599. It would be a jackpot of a property-tax break for suburban towns, which typically receive a fraction of the funding.

Christie touted his plan at seniors center in Fair Lawn, arguing, ''You're paying $20,000 per kid to educate them, and the state is only picking up less than $3,000 of that cost.''

Fair Lawn's graduation rate was almost 95 percent, he said, while Asbury Park's was 66 percent. ''You know how much they get?'' the governor said of that Jersey Shore town. ''Twenty-nine thousand dollars per pupil per year.''

Critics, Christie said, complain that ''if he takes away aid from urban districts, it's going to ruin them. Here's my question: How will they know?''

He singled out Sen. Bob Gordon, D-Passaic/Bergen, saying he was too ''timid and frightened'' to cross the New Jersey Education Association, the teachers union that opposes his plan.

Gordon countered: ''His proposal offers a false promise because it will never be enacted, and he knows that.'' What Christie wants, he said, is ''blatantly unconstitutional.''

The governor is counting on a constitutional amendment in 2017 to put his plan in place. To reach the ballot, the Legislature would have to approve by a three-fifths majority in each house -- out of reach. The alternative is just as bad: passing the plan by a simple majority this year and next.

Over the centuries, music geniuses wrote ''unfinished'' symphonies. For Christie, it's an unfinished school-aid proposal.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Joseph Albright's column appears every Thursday in The Jersey Journal.
By Edward Buttimore

Tough negotiations are the trademark of New Jersey politics.

Accusing a group of committing bribery and extortion because they are seeking an official action which supports the group's priorities will only invite more complaints from un-endorsed candidates whose positions differ from the groups.

Withholding something of value to your political opponent is called leverage, not extortion.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney called for criminal investigations of union leadership for threatening to withhold campaign contributions if he didn't put up for a Senate vote the November ballot measure that would ask residents if the state should be forced to pay public employee pensions.

So let's be clear: Withholding voluntary political campaign contributions is not a crime -- even if it's said publicly why the contributions are being withheld.

Sweeney contacted the N.J. Attorney General and the federal U.S. Attorney's Office -- which is outside the political process -- to investigate the leaders of the New Jersey Education Association and Fraternal Order of Police for bribery and extortion.

Individuals and groups are free to donate or not donate to candidates and parties based on their positions. What Sweeney failed to understand is that both he and the unions are free to do whatever they see fit.

The N.J. Election Law Enforcement Commission identifies the union's political donations as lobbying and states on their website:

"Lobbying occurs when there is an attempt to influence legislation, regulations, or governmental processes by communicating with, or providing a benefit to, a high level State official".

Political support has to be earned. Unions have every right to support those elected officials who have demonstrated through their actions they deserve that support. Public employees have a lawful right to having their pensions adequately funded and protected.

It is not likely the state Attorney General or U.S. Attorney will agree with Sweeney.

If Sweeney is claiming that public employee union leadership was attempting to bribe him with the monetary donations they are now withholding, does that now bring into question any donations he previously had accepted?

Should every single donation by a union now be suspect?

Or if you turn the tables, was Sweeney extorting the governor when he refused to give any Supreme Court nominee a hearing unless it was a Democrat? The Democratic senator was withholding his official action -- scheduling a hearing -- until he got the official action he wanted from the Gov. Chris Christie. It took six years to get the official action Sweeney wanted.

Does that rise to a criminal act?

Are senators committing extortion when they exercise Senatorial courtesy -- the unwritten rule that allows a a state senator to block without any explanation the nomination of any nominee requiring Senate approval who happens to live in the same Senator's home county?

For years, and with the tacit approval of the senate president, we have had numerous Senators block the nominations of prosecutors and judges until they got the official action they wanted from the governor on either another nomination or movement on a bill. Many of these Senatorial courtesy blocking actions were allowed to go on for years and caused great stress on the court system short of judges. Was that extortion or bribery?

Voluntary campaign contributions from unions are not an entitlement, they have to be earned with trust. And every year we delay fully funding the pensions just makes them more expensive. Sen. Sweeney said so last week. Because the unions are fighting back hard he has resorted to criminal intervention.

Now who's extorting who?

Edward Buttimore is a former supervisor of criminal investigations in the N.J. Attorney General's Office, Criminal Division.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
It's hard to know whether there's a line that Donald Trump won't cross, but until Tuesday he had managed to avoided suggesting assassination as the way in which his opponent's policy position could be subverted.

By now, you've heard the context of his remarks, which were mostly about the Supreme Court's influence on gun laws, though he lied about Hillary Clinton's position on the latter:

"Hillary wants to abolish, essentially, the Second Amendment," Trump said. "By the way, and if she gets the pick - if she gets the pick of her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dunno."

"It would be a horrible day."

Essentially, his point is that only gun owners can stop Clinton while she is already in the process of appointing justices - that's not an unreasonable interpretation, given Trump's appetite for reckless drivel.

Michael Hayden, the former NSA Director, said if anyone else had made that remark, "He'd be in the back of a police wagon now, with the Secret Service questioning him."

The problem is that no one knows whether Trump is in earnest, because much of what he says is extemporaneous and vacuous, but we know this much: He has already shown that he has a coy and promiscuous and casual attitude toward violence that one typically associates with the criminally insane, so he hasn't exactly earned a pass here.

His campaign differs. A spokesman said the "dishonest" media had misinterpreted these remarks, and pointed out that Trump was merely celebrating the "power of unification" and "Second Amendment people" who have "amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power."

He still didn't explain why these frisky gun owners would be locking arms and march to the polls while Clinton is already appointing justices.

As this story marinates, Trump's campaign is expected to dig out a Joe Biden clip from 2008, when he "warned" running mate Barack Obama that he had better not "try to pull my Baretta, or we'll have a problem."

The contexts are worlds apart. Biden was talking about policy debate with a running mate. Trump was recommending something prescriptive to defeat a rival.

And this level of vitriol isn't rare for the Trump campaign, as many of his surrogates have been daydreaming about acts of violence against Clinton.

A New Hampshire state rep who advises Trump on veterans' issues called for Clinton to be "put in the firing line and shot for treason." A West Virginia delegate said Clinton should be "should be tried for treason, murder, and crimes against the US Constitution. . . .and then hung on the Mall in Washington, D.C." A county commissioner in Ohio said "Hillary should be hanging from a tree." All that happened in a 48-hour period in July.

Mitt Romney made this point about Trump recently: "Presidents have an impact on the nature of our nation, and trickle-down racism, trickle-down bigotry, trickle-down misogyny, all these things are extraordinarily dangerous to the heart and character of America."

That extends to trickle-down fanaticism, which is the Trump campaign ethos.

Thankfully, the day will soon arrive when we don't have to parse every syllable, but one should at least expect a presidential candidate to express himself like an adult.

That's where Trump is lacking, and on a global stage, that makes him dangerous. He doesn't belong here, that much is clear. As author Charles Pierce puts it, Trump is "one small step from a milk crate in Washington Square."

He began the week still in post-convention freefall, dropping behind in the polls by double digits, losing badly in some key swing states, hemorrhaging endorsements, and getting pummeled after giving a nonsensical policy speech on economics and mentioning debt exactly once.

This was the week Trump needed to get through without throwing up on himself. He failed miserably. Somehow, we're not surprised.

More: Recent Star-Ledger editorials.

Follow NJ.com Opinion on Twitter@NJ_Opinion. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
Christina Renna

Former aide to Gov. Chris Christie, Christina Renna.

(Mel Evans/AP Photo)

TRENTON -- A new court briefing filed in federal court early Wednesday morning quotes a former Chris Christie aide accusing the governor of having "flat out lied" during a press conference in the fallout from the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal.

But who is the former aide, Christina Genovese Renna?

Renna, 35, didn't work on Christie's 2009 election. She joined the governor's office during his first term, in 2010.

Prior to that, Renna worked as a business lobbyist for the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey after she spent time as a a legislative district aide in District 1 in South Jersey.

Renna joined the governor's office in 2010 as director of business affairs within the Department of Legislative & Intergovernmental Affairs, or IGA. She held the position for about nine months and then became the IGA's legislative liaison in the winter of 2011.

About a year later, Renna was named director of departmental relations for IGA and held the job for about a year. Ultimately, she was named director of IGA after Bridget Anne Kelly, the former Christie staffer who sent the infamous "time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee" email, was fired.

In early 2014, Renna resigned her position and returned to work for the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey.

In May 2014, she was called to testify before at a legislative hearing investigating the lane closures.

She said in sworn testimony that she feared the governor's team would fire her if she reported suspicious activity by her boss, Kelly, in the wake of the bridge controversy.

In more than five hours of questioning from state lawmakers investigating the scandal, Renna described Kelly as erratic and unstable, saying she was "enormously overwhelmed and enormously stressed with day-to-day life."

In 2015, Renna became the first employee of the Office of the Governor under Christie's administration to be fined by the State Ethics Commission.

Renna agreed to pay a $500 fine for sharing emails that contained information "not generally available to the public" with members of her family -- including her husband, Michael Renna, a top executive of a company which was tyring to build a controversial gas pipeline through the environmentally sensitive Pinelands region.

Earlier that year, NJ Advance Media reported Christina Renna traded emails about the pipeline with her husband. The messages, including one about how the Pinelands Commission members would vote on the project, were sent the same day a member who opposed the pipeline said he was told the State Ethics Commission had ordered him to recuse himself.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or on Facebook. Follow NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
TRENTON -- Establishment Republican donors who gave money to GOP candidates during the 2016 primary elections are now more likely to support Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton instead of their own party's candidate, Donald Trump, according to a report in the New York Times.

While Trump only started raising money in earnest last month, the fact that such donors are considering Clinton at all is significant. The report noted that "in a typical election year, donors whose candidates have dropped out of the race funnel additional contributions to another candidate in the same party."

This, of course, is anything but a typical year, with Trump increasingly making controversial statements, as he did yesterday, when he seemed to suggest that gun rights activists might want to assassinate Clinton over her picks for the U.S. Supreme Court.

On Monday, 50 top Republicans, including former CIA director Michael Hayden and former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, signed their names to an open letter warning that Trump would be the "most reckless" president ever.

The report analyzed Federal Election Commission filings through June, finding that more of the donors who gave at least $200 to former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida, Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, Gov. Chris Christie or U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina in the Republican primaries had since contributed to Clinton than to Trump.

Former backers of Bush, in particular, appear to be supporting Clinton over Trump by a ratio of two to one, the report said.

Overall, the former Secretary of State has received $2.2 million from people who donated to GOP candidates who later dropped out of the Republican presidential contest, some $600,000 more than Trump, the report found.

In March, 100 leading Republican defense intelligence experts had also penned a similar open letter, warning that Trump was "wildly inconsistent" in his military policies, that his "advocacy for aggressively waging trade wars is a recipe for economic disaster" and that the GOP candidate was "fundamentally dishonest."

Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
TRENTON -- Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto on Wednesday said his joint strategy with Senate President Stephen Sweeney to override the governor and end a month-long transportation funding impasse "does not appear viable."

The Assembly and Senate Democratic leaders cut a deal last month on a Transportation Trust Fund tax plan that required enough votes in each house to override an expected veto by Gov. Chris Christie.

That deal came as negotiations between the Senate president and Republican governor faltered.

But Prieto (D-Hudson) on Wednesday called for the three leaders to simply get in "the same room and hash this out once and for all."

"No one is going to enjoy the solution to this crisis, but New Jersey cannot go without transportation funding. It's not an option. It's time for a TTF summit," he said in a statement.

"Everyone is going to have to put ego and politics aside, quit casting blame and get to work on finding a solution that can become law. I've shown myself to be open to compromise. Let's get to work before the economic damage is too deep."

After several unsuccessful proposals, that is the only path forward, Prieto said. The impasse already snuffed out a highly anticipated voter referendum constitutionally guaranteeing state pension contributions for public workers.

Sweeney responded Wednesday he's surprised Prieto "appears to be giving up again."

"This would be the second time he is waving the white flag. I'm working hard with others to get the votes in the Senate for the TTF plan that we developed and the speaker agreed to," he said. "I hope he isn't backtracking on his agreement and I certainly hope that he isn't reverting to the bill he agreed to with the governor ... "

The Transportation Trust Fund expired at the end of July and is expected to run out of money for new projects next week. Shortly before the expiration date, the Legislature seemed on track to passing a bipartisan proposal to raise the gasoline tax 23 cents to funding road, bridge and rail projects, while cutting taxes on estates, retirement income and income for the working poor.

That proposal struggled to get enough lawmaker support for an override, creating an opening for the governor to step in and strike a deal with the Assembly to cut the sales tax from 7 percent to 6 percent over two years.

After Sweeney (D-Gloucester) refused to hold a vote on that plan, which he said would bust the budget and lacked support in the upper chamber, he and Christie exchanged counteroffers that flopped.

The Democratic legislative leaders banded together again with a tax proposal resembling the original to eliminate the estate tax over a few years, raise the Earned Income Tax Credit, increase the retirement income exclusion and create tax breaks for commuters and veterans.

Christie derided the Democrats' latest effort and called it "dead on arrival." He may have been right, as they once again have come up short mounting votes for an override.

In the meantime, New Jersey is in its second month of a statewide construction freeze that Christie ordered to ration what money remains in the trust fund.

Industry experts say idling job sites is costing municipalities tens of millions of dollars and kicking thousands of workers off the job. They warned about the quickly evaporating construction season and the permanent loss to workers' incomes.

"My frustration with this Transportation Trust Fund stalemate continues to grow, but that's nothing compared to the economic distress out-of-work laborers, business owners and others impacted financially by this unacceptable situation are experiencing," Prieto said.

For his part, Sweeney has accused the governor of stalling until after the November election, saying Christie is "still auditioning for Donald Trump's cabinet and signing any kind of tax increase or being overridden on a tax increase won't be popular in his party."

Sweeney is "dead wrong," a spokesman for Christie said, adding "the Senate dropped the ball and created this crisis."

"Only Senator Sweeney has failed to muster support for a TTF solution -- not the governor or the speaker," spokesman Brian Murray said.

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has issued a subpoena to Donald Trump. The nine-member panel sent a letter to the former president's lawyers on Friday, demanding his testimony under oath by mid-November and outlining a series of corresponding documents. The decision by lawmakers to exercise their subpoena power comes a week after the committee made its final case against the former president, who they say is the "central cause" of the multi-part effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. It remains unclear how Trump and his legal team will respond to the subpoena, if at all.
Community

Its now easier than ever to connect and chat with others in your local area. You can connect with your community by asking general questions, give area updates and recommendations and even let your community know about local events that are taking place.
Apple Infinite Loop 1

There was a burglary at an Apple compound in Cupertino, California, at about 4:20 in morning on Wednesday, ABC7 Bay Area reports and KPIX confirms.

Three people were believed to have tried to break into an Apple office on Bubb Road and Results Way to steal laptops.

According to ABC7, police chased the suspects off, who fled in a car. The police then arrested one suspect and chased two others east of Cupertino to San Jose. Residents are reporting a heavy police presence in the area.

Window smashed at #Apple building that was burglarized overnight. Laptops were recovered by SCC deputies. pic.twitter.com/jer9QMQlkn  Matt Keller (@MattKellerABC7) August 10, 2016

We've contacted the Santa Clara Sheriff's Department and Apple and will update when we know more.

Huge perimeter in Cambrian in San Jose in area of Camden & Leigh. SJPD & Sheriff looking for 2 burglary suspects. pic.twitter.com/uXS8ox7xac  Matt Keller (@MattKellerABC7) August 10, 2016

Sheriff's department say they spotted 3 people burglarizing #Apple building on Bubb Rd & Results Way in Cupertino. pic.twitter.com/mkUSHjdPSe  Matt Keller (@MattKellerABC7) August 10, 2016

Car involved in chase with SCC Sheriff deputies. 1 burglary suspect arrested. 2 on the loose in Cambrian in San Jose pic.twitter.com/vnAXSIyvxu  Matt Keller (@MattKellerABC7) August 10, 2016

Developing...

NOW WATCH: The most annoying thing about the iPhone isn't changing anytime soon





More From Business Insider


Roosters forward Kane Evans has entered an early guilty plea to a dangerous contact charge but will escape a suspension this week.

Evans was charged over a 58th-minute incident involving Panthers hooker Peter Wallace on Monday night, and will recieve 90 carry-over points but no suspension for the charge.

Earlier, Josh Starling, Damien Cook, David Nofoalum and Christian Welch all pleaded guilty to Round 22 charges and also escaped bans.

All do risk a suspension if the face any further charges this season.
With four rounds remaining in the NRL Telstra Premiership, the team at NRL.com has used Ladder Predictor to come up with their final top eight for 2016.

The Melbourne Storm and Cronulla Sharks appear to have the top two spots sewn up and could be playing for the minor premiership when they meet at AAMI Park in Round 26.

Canberra, Canterbury, North Queensland and Brisbane are fighting it out for the remaining two spots in the all-important top four, but all four clubs look assured of playing at least some part in the finals. The Round 25 clash between the Bulldogs and Cowboys at Belmore Sportsground could be crucial in deciding a top four spot.

The Penrith Panthers, Warriors, Wests Tigers and Gold Coast Titans are the teams in a four-way battle for the last two finals spots, while the Sea Eagles and Dragons are only mathematical chances of playing finals footy.

Here's how the NRL.com team sees the top eight finishing:



Do you agree with the NRL.com team?

Use NRL.com's Ladder Predictor to find out what your top eight will be.
As Caribbean countries work to transition to green economies the role of the private sector is receiving increased scrutiny. The United Nations Environment Programme, for instance, defines a green economy as one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. It is low carbon, resource efficient, and socially inclusive. A crucial question therefore, is how Corporate Social Responsibility platforms can be used more effectively as a development tool that not only supports broader environmental standards but also helps alleviate poverty, ensure environmental justice, and improve standards of living for all.

A study recently published in the journal Sustainable Development finds that while governments and civil society have a large role to play, to be sure, building a green economy relies in many ways on the core business philosophies of the relevant private sector players. Building a green economy wont happen overnight and wont happen without private sector commitment, Indiana University Professor Kalim Shah, the studys lead author, said in a statement. Well need the business sector to commit now and stay the course over a long term horizon. According to Shah, our research shows that the strongest indicator of such commitment is a well entrenched, internally driven core green business philosophy and this does not spring forth overnight either.

Shah and his team analyzed survey data from more than three hundred firms in five different Caribbean countries that are pursuing green economy initiatives - Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago. The companies examined were from a broad range of industries, including energy, financial services, manufacturing, tourism, and transportation. They found a clear trend emerging, regardless of country or economic sector  namely, that firms that embrace sustainability as a core business philosophy are, perhaps unsurprisingly, the most dependable partners in building a truly sustainable economy.

Buts whats even more interesting is that this is opposed to firms the researchers characterized as merely checking a box by adopting an environmental policy on paper only, or those that are driven primarily by external regulatory pressure and are not intrinsically interested in actually being green.

There are essentially three main components of CSR: internal responsibility, or the actions a company takes in relation to its employees, suppliers, and product quality; external responsibility, which refers to a companys relationships with community stakeholders and support for community-related development goals; and environmental responsibility, or a companys efforts to pro-actively manage its impact on the natural environment.

By breaking down environmental responsibility down into a companys environmental practices and policies the study found that environmental policies were one of the most more reliable indicators of how a company would perform within the context of a green economy. Statements of environmental policies were found either embedded in broader corporate policy statements or as singular policies articulated along with other high level corporate commitments, Shah and his co-authors write. Whichever was the case, what appears to matter is that the commitment and support for environmental objectives are clearly embedded within the firms core business philosophy in the form of policy. It is from the corporate environmental policies that the host of strategies, plans, tactics and activities are operationalized.

Second in importance were external responsibilities, the researchers found. This includes a firms relationship with its shareholders, the local community, non-governmental organizations, customers, suppliers and the government. This speaks directly to the objective of the green economy promoting socially inclusive development. When a firm has good relations with a broad cross-section of its key stakeholders, it aligns itself with this objective. Companies that want to improve their external relationships should focus on investing in external CSR-related activities in order to gain acceptance and legitimacy with stakeholders and on implementing mechanisms to receive feedback and information from stakeholders on key issues that might affect business operations.

Anton Edmunds, an expert on US-Caribbean business investment with The Edmunds Group International who was not involved in the study, says it makes good sense for Caribbean leaders to incentivize their investment promotion strategies in ways to attract environmentally proactive investors because these are the more innovative entities that you want to infuse into your domestic business network.

Edmunds added, Shahs study gives credence to the argument that government policy has to allow for both the new and entrenched investor to embrace environmentally sound practices, including the possible incentivizing of such practices and the lowering of tariff and non-tariff barriers related to the implementation of green economy best practices.

Were seeing clear environmental and economic business success working with small and medium businesses, Ariana Marshall, Managing Director of the Caribbean Sustainability Collective in Barbados, said in a statement. Shahs study confirms that this works across many countries and sectors. What we need now is for governments to heed studies like this to scale up green public-private partnerships.

Lastly Shah adds, There are a number of ways for public policy makers to bring CSR platforms into alignment with sustainable development goals, the study suggests, and understanding these different dimensions of a companys commitment to sustainability can help in crafting those policies.

Kalim U. Shah is a professor at the School of public & Environmental Affairs, Indiana University Northwest. His expertise includes environmental policy and government-business relations, climate change policy and environmental sustainability in organizations, particularly in emerging economies.

CITATION

Shah, K. U., Arjoon, S., & Rambocas, M. (2016). Aligning Corporate Social Responsibility with Green Economy Development Pathways in Developing Countries. Sustainable Development. doi:10.1002/sd.1625
Raw steel production in the Great Lakes region rebounded to 663,000 tons last week, rising 1.06 percent to gain back the 7,000 tons in output it lost the week prior.

Nationally, steel output so far this year continues to trail the anemic 2015 pace by about 519,000 tons, a decline of 0.9 percent. In 2015, steel production in the United States declined by 10.5 percent from the year before, according to the World Steel Association.

Overall U.S. steel output rose by 16,000 tons or 0.95 percent last week, according to an American Iron and Steel Institute estimate. Total U.S. raw steel production last week was about 1.697 million tons, up from 1.681 million tons a week earlier.

Most of the raw steel production in the Great Lakes region takes place in the Chicago area, mainly in Lake and Porter counties. Indiana, which also has steelmaking operations in Fort Wayne and Crawfordsville, has led the nation in steel production for 35 straight years, largely because of the big local mills on the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Production in the Southern District, which spans mini-mills across the South, increased to 603,000 tons last week, up from 600,000 tons the previous week.

Year-to-date steel output in the United States has been 54.28 million net tons, at a capacity utilization rate of 72.5 percent, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. It was 54.8 million tons at a capacity utilization of 72.3 percent at the same point in 2015.
Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading.

Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy
HAMMOND  Two former St. John residents were sentenced Tuesday for making false claims over several years with the federal government.

Barbara Gasich, 54, and George Gasich, 55, who now reside in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, were both sentenced to 36 months in prison, according to a U.S. Attorneys office news release. There were also fined $50,000 apiece.

According to court filings, the Gasichs had a 20-year dispute with the IRS, which included filing false tax returns and numerous false documents seeking large refunds.

The Gasichs, as independent contractors who self-reported their incomes, used almost every play in the tax protestor playbook during two decades, the federal government stated in a July 29 sentencing memorandum.

That included filing zero returns, electing not to file, seeking massive refunds based on fraudulent returns, purporting to pay off their debts with fraudulent documents, threatening those who challenged their returns, and hiding millions of dollars from the government.

At the sentencing hearing, an IRS agent testified that the Gasich couple earned more than $3 million since 2000, but had only voluntarily paid $7,458 in federal income tax. The Gasichs owe more than $1.28 million dollars in outstanding tax, interest and penalties.

The couples criminal conduct and tax protesting activities date back to at least 1997, according to the federal government. The IRS began investigating the Gasichs filings in September 2004.
PORTAGE  A man was arrested Tuesday night after voices told him to kill his girlfriend, police said.

Travis Henley, 36, of Portage, was charged with felony counts of domestic battery, criminal confinement and battery and misdemeanor resisting law enforcement.

The victim told police that Henley was intoxicated, entered the bedroom and told her they said to kill her before he stabbed her in the arm with a small kitchen knife. The woman, who fled the home with her two children and called police, was not seriously injured and refused medical attention.

Police said Henley denied the incident and was arrested. He was taken to Portage Hospital for medical clearance and transported to Porter County Jail.

During the trip to the jail, Henley managed to get out of his seat belt twice.

Once at the jail, he became combative, at one point causing an officer to fall to the ground, police said. Henley was then restrained.
CENTER TOWNSHIP  A 34-year-old Valparaiso man faces a felony burglary charge after allegedly borrowing a pickup truck from a friend and stealing items from a home that were later recovered at the vehicle owners residence.

A couple told Porter County police they returned home around 8 p.m. Tuesday to the 2100 block of Clifford Road and found a man rummaging through their bedroom.

The man fled, but was later located with a tracking app installed on an iPad stolen from the house, police said. The iPad and other stolen items were found at the vehicle owners Center Township home.

The vehicle owner told police he had loaned his truck to the suspect, who said he was helping a friend move some items. When he returned it a short time later, the suspect appeared very nervous and asked the vehicle owner if he wanted to buy some jewelry, police said.

The suspect, who was carrying a backpack, then asked to use the bathroom, during which time it is believed he left the stolen items behind, police said.

Police were yet unsure if the vehicle owner played a role in the crime.
CROWN POINT  The Lake County Council has put a 3 percent pay raise in the pockets of more than 900 full-time county government employees.

The council voted 5-0 Tuesday to give increases, beginning this week, to all except elected officials, part-time employees and hundreds of other employees already receiving increases through collective bargaining agreements. It will cost taxpayers $1.3 million a year.

Council President Ted Bilski, D-Hobart, said the council will consider additional pay raises, especially for employees receiving the lower salaries, when it begins deliberations next month over the 2017 budget.

The council earlier voted to raise its pay scale for E-911 dispatchers and supervisors by $2,000 this year to attract and keep public safety communications specialists, who have been leaving for higher pay in Illinois and elsewhere in Indiana. They also are in line for an additional pay boost next year.

Council members have argued compensation for county employees was depressed for years by a decline in property tax revenues. Those revenues have recovered with the economy. The council also passed a personal income tax in 2013.

Thomas Dabertin, the countys human resources consultant, said last month Lake County employees are in line with other county government employees in the state.

Council members Bilski; Christine Cid, D-East Chicago; Dan Dernulc, R-Highland; David Hamm, D-Hammond and Elsie Franklin, D-Gary, voted for the raises.

Councilmen Eldon Strong, R-Crown Point, and Jamal Washington, D-Merrillville, were absent, delaying votes on several appropriations until next month.

Strong, who was reached by telephone after the meeting, said is undergoing frequent chemotherapy for cancer. He had argued for reduced pay raises.

Washington was summoned to Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Thodes courtroom for a pre-trial hearing on domestic violence charges.

Washington, 43, is pleading not guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges alleging he assaulted his wife and a second woman living at the Washington home Dec. 3, 2015. The women told police it wasnt the first time Washington abused them. His wife is seeking to dissolve their marriage.

Special Prosecuting Attorney Stanley Levco said Washingtons trial, which was to take place later this month, was rescheduled for Dec. 8.

The county council voted 4-1 to approve a Lake County Parks Departments $12 million capital improvements project, which will fund maintenance to a number of deteriorating county park structures and build a new slide at the Deep River Water Parks where riders seated in mats will race down a chute.
INDIANAPOLIS  The Republican and Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor are both pledging, if elected, to use their role as Indianas secretary of agriculture to support and protect Hoosier farmers, their livelihoods and rural communities.

A State Fair debate on agricultural issues Tuesday, between GOP State Auditor Suzanne Crouch and state Rep. Christina Hale, D-Indianapolis, showed the candidates have similar visions for maintaining and growing the states $11.2 billion agricultural sector.

Crouch and Hale stressed the need for state investment in local roads and bridges to ensure agricultural products can easily make it to market, while also promoting expanded broadband internet access to better connect rural producers and entrepreneurs to potential customers.

However, Crouch sent mixed signals by simultaneously dismissing the need for government involvement in agriculture with promises to ask the Republican-controlled General Assembly to fund infrastructure, ethanol plants, agricultural education, soil conservation programs, Indiana Grown marketing and tourism promotions.

She also diverged from the national Republican America First platform championed by Donald Trump and Gov. Mike Pence to enthusiastically endorse farm exports.

We should be doing whatever we have to do to ensure that we have free trade and open markets for our commodities, Crouch said.

Hale, who has been running for lieutenant governor for 11 weeks compared to Crouchs one, was more specific in her prescriptions for rural development.

She repeatedly touted the $200 million low-interest loan fund that her running mate, former House Speaker John Gregg, wants to make available to rural communities for infrastructure or economic development investments, and promised not to ignore opportunities for federal grants to the state or its residents.

Were not afraid to take money from the federal government, Hale said. Those are our tax dollars that weve already paid. Wed like to bring them back to Indiana so we can put them to work where it really counts.

The Michigan City native also urged action to reduce rural methamphetamine production, encourage energy diversification, promote collaboration with industry leaders to limit the impact of state regulations and rethink how Hoosiers understand privacy on the farm and everywhere in the state.

John Gregg and I bring a tremendous enthusiasm for agricultures role in our economy and you can count on that, Hale said.

Curiously, Crouch never once in the hour-long debate mentioned her running mate, current Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb, instead claiming her experience as a Vanderburgh County officeholder, state representative and state auditor will help her help farmers.

Debate organizers said the Libertarian candidate, Porter Countys Karl Tatgenhorst, did not respond to their invitation to participate.
CROWN POINT  Want to go for a spin? Crown Point now has just the place.

The citys first roundabout at Chase Street and 93rd Avenue opened to traffic Monday. An official opening isnt planned until the trail head and the west leg of the roundabout leading to the trail head are finished, probably by late September.

The roundabout solved several different issues, Mayor David Uran said. There was flooding in that area that was a traffic hazard, and you had the four lanes leading into two at the intersection that was a concern. With the new sidewalk connecting Main Street to the trail head, it will be an improved amenity for the city for both motorized and nonmotorized traffic.

The project cost close to $2 million when the trail head improvements are included, but it provides an enhanced entry to the city with the citys name and establishment date carved into a stone in the wall around the soon-to-be landscaped center of the roundabout.

The city received 80 percent funding for the project through the state Department of Transportation and the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission. Local matching funds were provided by the citys Redevelopment Commission, and the Canadian National Railroad provided a $35,000 grant toward the trail head work.

Its a nice entry/exit to the city, and, with the trail head coming together at that location, it will spark other development, Uran said.

The county donated a portion of the land for the project, and Merrillville made some improvements to Chase. Uran said the city is working with INDOT to try to get 93rd repaved from Main Street to the roundabout.

This will be a very simple maneuver for anybody who is used to making the 90-degree turn in that corridor, he said.
EAST CHICAGO  The School Board of the School City of East Chicago on Tuesday officially approved the transfer of students from Carrie Gosch Elementary School to West Side Middle School.

High levels of lead and arsenic were discovered in the neighboring West Calumet Housing Complex and an elevated level of lead was found in a portion of the Carrie Gosch School grounds.

Superintendent Paige McNulty said the school has been cleared as safe by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, but the district has chosen to err on the side of caution and Carrie Gosch Elementary will be closed the entire 2016-2017 school year.

The board approved the transfer of students by a vote of 8-0.

Board President Joel Rodriguez said West Side Middle School is vacant due to a recent consolidation with Block Middle School.

McNulty said the district will now have to scrap plans to use the West Side building for programs such as after-school tutoring and mentoring.

It has not been decided if Carrie Gosch will be closed beyond this coming school year.

That we dont know, Rodriguez said.

McNulty thanked community members during Tuesdays board meeting for their support regarding the transfer of students.

We also appreciate the state board forming a task force on our behalf, McNulty said. Theyre going to be meeting with us tomorrow and hopefully releasing some emergency funding for us.

McNulty said 430 students were enrolled at Carrie Gosch School last school year and the same number was anticipated for the 2016-2017 school year.

She said only about 150 students had enrolled as of Tuesday, but late registration in the district is not out of the ordinary.

Monday is the first day of school in the district.

McNulty said plans for busing students to West Side School were solidified Tuesday afternoon and robocalls would go out to parents the following day. She said the information would also be available on the district website.

The board also voted 8-0 to allow state Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago, and the EPA to use Carrie Gosch School to host a community meeting at noon Saturday to address the environmental issue.
HAMMOND  Rates may soon be going up for wastewater customers in Hammond, Munster and possibly elsewhere as an agreement nears on a consent decree to prevent raw sewage from entering the Little Calumet and Grand Calumet rivers.

The Hammond Sanitary District board Tuesday approved a resolution committing to entering into the consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to reduce combined sewer overflows.

The consent decree relates to a long term control plan to reduce overflows and improve water quality, which the district submitted last year and that could cost up to $240 million over 17 years. Some work has already been completed to prevent overflows so future costs are anticipated to be less than $200 million. The work includes a $50 million basin in Hammond that can retain up to 38 million of overflow until it can be treated,

Hammond City Engineer Dean Button, who also chairs the sanitary board, said he expected the board to give final approval to the consent decree at its August 23 meeting. Officials are still working on the wording of the document.

Button said the board was under an Aug. 11 deadline, however, to commit to agreeing to the the consent decree.

Button said an initial rate increase could occur by the end of the year to help pay for the improvements related to the long term control plan. Hammond and Munster councils would have to approve any rate increase for their communities.

Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., who appeared at closed session prior to the regular meeting, said if the district did not enter into a consent decree and went to litigation then it could be subject to civil penalties for past violations of the Clean Water Act. He said the consent decree resolves those issues and allows all the money to go toward improving the system.

While costly, McDermott said the goal is a noble goal of stopping raw sewage from going into the waterways that feed into Lake Michigan and provide the region with its drinking water.

Commissioner Michael Hawkins said the consent decree is a huge financial impact on the communities of Hammond and Munster who own the district and that participation from customer communities is needed. The customer communities include Highland, Griffith, and Whiting.

Button said negotiations are ongoing with Whiting and Griffith who have both made settlement offers with the district regarding past and future costs. He said Highland has also made an offer, but it was rejected because the sides were so far apart in areas ranging from compensation to the amount of flow from the community that the district would treat.

District officials contend Highland regularly exceeds the amount of flow the district is contracted to treat for the community. An emergency action plan announced by the district Tuesday could restrict the flow of water being treated from that community to its contracted limits during periods of heavy rain if necessary to prevent back-ups in Hammond and Munster. While the regulations potentially could apply to other customer communities as well, Button and other officials indicated these communities rarely exceed their contracted limits and have storage basins to handle overflow during heavy rain.
HOBART  Hobart has broken ground on the Lake Park Senior Apartments, a new affordable development for senior citizens.

The apartments, at 10th Street and Lake Park Avenue, are being constructed by RealAmerica Companies, a construction company that specializes in building affordable housing in Indiana. The complex will be six buildings consisting of 56 apartment units and 39 villas as well as other facilities.

The complex replaces a failed and foreclosed office building. Units will be one- to two-bedrooms each, and will contain a washer and dryer, a kitchen with a refrigerator, dishwasher, stove, oven and garbage disposal, and a patio area. Villas will contain this as well as an attached single car garage. The complex is set to be completed by fall of 2017.

Ronda Shrewsbury Weybright, president of RealAmerica Companies, spoke at the groundbreaking about her hopes for the future with the city of Hobart.

Throughout the years, weve been asked to return to communities weve worked with, so were hoping to build that same relationship with Hobart, Shrewsbury Weybright said.

The complex will also include a fitness center, computer lab, community room with kitchen, a dog park and dog washing station, an arts and crafts room and a guest suite.

Residents have to be at least 55 years old. The complex will have on-site property management, and a list of community rules for the residents to abide by. All residents will have to have a background check done before being allowed residency at the complex.

We dont want to turn anyone away, Shrewsbury Weybright said. The only reason we would want to turn anyone away is if were full.

Mayor Brian Snedecor attended the groundbreaking and was happy to see Hobart residents signing up to live in the complex once completed.

This is a huge celebration for the city, Snedecor said.  I hope this is just a stepping stone for many great days ahead.

RealAmerica Companies received equity from the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program, a necessity for companies creating affordable housing, according to Jacob Sipe, executive director of the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority.

Without the credits, we wouldnt be able to build this complex or affordable housing across the country, Sipe said.

Aaron McDermott, president and founder of Latitude Commercial, chose the site for the complex and presented it to Snedecor.
A Merrillville-based attorney said Tuesday he put East Chicago, its housing authority and its health department on notice that he intends to file a lawsuit on behalf of four children and their mother, who once lived at a public housing complex where the soil is highly contaminated with lead and arsenic.

State law requires a tort claim notice be filed before suing a government agency.

Barry Rooth, of the Merrillville firm, Theodoros & Rooth P.C., held a meeting with his client, Paris Smith, of Hammond, who said she lived at the West Calumet Housing Complex from November 2013 to November or December 2015 and received no information from the city, the housing authority or the health department about lead contamination at the site or its associated risks.

East Chicago City Attorney Carla Morgan said, From the moment the city and the mayor became aware of the lead levels, we have been working night and day to protect the residents safety.

Smith, who became pregnant during her time at the complex, said housing authority employees did not mention the lead contamination found in the soil by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during sampling in 2009 and 2010.

When she signed her lease, housing authority employees did not provide her with any written materials regarding the contamination, she said.

Rooth said he thinks case law requires the city, which owns the property where the complex sits, to disclose hazardous and dangerous conditions.

City officials this week released documents showing that lead in the soil at nearly every property in the West Calumet Housing Complex exceeds the EPAs threshold for emergency cleanup. The city also accused the federal agency of being slow to act.

Smith has four children, ages 3 months to 8 years old. Shes still waiting on blood-lead level test results, but an employee at her 3-year-old sons preschool recommended he receive a mental evaluation because hes hyperactive, she said.

All kids are hyperactive, but his hyperactiveness is a little more extreme, she said.

She doesn't have any particular health concerns about her other children, but their tests results also are pending, she said.

Children, especially those younger than 6, are particularly at risk when exposed to lead, according to the EPA.

East Chicago Housing Authority attorney Jewell Harris Jr. on Tuesday declined to comment because he had not yet seen the tort claim.

The West Calumet Housing Complex and Carrie Gosch Elementary School sit on about 50 acres of the roughly 400-acre USS Lead Superfund site. Testing of soil in the area began decades ago. The Superfund site is named after USS Lead, which operated on land south of the West Calumet complex.

The School City of East Chicago said Monday it will close Carrie Gosch this year and send students to another school.

Two lead smelter operations also once operated on the site of the public housing complex and the school, according to EPA documents.

East Chicago Mayor Anthony Copeland notified residents in a letter last month that it would be in their best interests to relocate. The housing authority at an Aug. 3 hearing outlined plans to secure U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development vouchers for residents. The vouchers were requested as part of a proposal to demolish the complex.

East Chicago officials also on Aug. 3 released a timeline in response to public records requests that said EPA first sampled soil at nine properties within the complex in 2009 and 2010. EPA sought funding for an emergency removal action in 2011 and remediated five of those properties.

EPA again began sampling soil in November 2014 without giving notice to East Chicago, and the federal agency released results to the city in May after city officials made repeated requests during meetings at the EPAs offices in Chicago, according to the city's timeline.

Rooth said sampling results from 2009 and 2010 should have been enough for the city to relocate West Calumet residents.

EPA documents say the agency has posted notices at the West Calumet community center over the years warning of the dangers of lead. Smith said she did not notice any warnings about the contamination posted by the EPA or other agencies at public buildings within the complex.

It warrants the time and effort of going house to house and telling them there is a problem or, better yet, shutting it down," Rooth said. "Dont let them live there.
WASHINGTON  Young people in America overwhelmingly support LGBT rights when it comes to policies on employment, health care and adoption, according to a new survey.

The GenForward survey of Americans ages 18-30 found that support for those policies has increased over the past two years, especially among young whites. But relatively few of these young adults consider rights for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender to be among the top issues facing the United States.

According to the findings, 92 percent of young adults support HIV and AIDs prevention, 90 percent support equal employment, and 80 percent support LGBT adoption. Across racial and ethnic groups, broad majorities support training police on transgender issues, government support for organizations for LGBT youth and insurance coverage for transgender health issues.

GenForward is a survey by the Black Youth Project at the University of Chicago with The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The first-of-its-kind poll pays special attention to the voices of young adults of color, highlighting how race and ethnicity shape the opinions of the countrys most diverse generation.

In the past two years, support has increased from 69 percent to 84 percent among young whites for policies such as allowing gays and lesbians to legally adopt children. Support among this group for employment equality for LGBT individuals rose from 84 percent to 92 percent. The poll also suggests support for allowing adoption by gays and lesbians has increased among Hispanics over the past two years, from 65 percent to 75 percent.

Christie Cocklin, 27, a self-identified multiracial American from Providence, Rhode Island, says that LGBT rights are just common sense.

People who dont identify as heterosexual are human like we are, and should be entitled to the same kind of rights, she said. I have friends who are LGBT and I feel that its discrimination to not allow them adoption or employment or whatever.

Young Asian-Americans, African-Americans and Latinos are more likely to support insurance coverage for transgender health issues in general than when certain specifics are mentioned.

Eighty-three percent of Asian-Americans support insurance coverage for transgender health issues, but only 63 percent say so when gender reassignment surgery and hormone treatments are specifically mentioned. Similarly, support for insurance coverage drops from 69 percent to 57 percent among African-Americans, and from 74 percent to 57 percent among Latinos. Sixty-two percent of young whites favored insurance coverage of transgender health issues regardless of whether that specifically included gender reassignment surgery and hormone treatments.

While young Americans favored LGBT rights on every issue in the poll, only 6 percent, including fewer than 1 in 10 across racial and ethnic backgrounds, consider the LGBT rights one of the top issues facing the country. Among those who self-identified as LGBT, 17 percent said it is one of the countrys top issues.

The poll of 1,940 adults age 18-30 was conducted July 9-20 using a sample drawn from the probability-based GenForward panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. young adult population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

The survey was paid for by the Black Youth Project at the University of Chicago using grants from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Ford Foundation.

Respondents were first selected randomly using address-based sampling methods, and later interviewed online or by phone.
In a political climate of regular horn locking, Hammond leaders seem to have found a compromise that could pay major dividends for its residents.

After long consideration, and even some skepticism, the Hammond City Council cast a conditional 7-1 vote Monday to join the South Shore Line commuter train expansion.

We can only hope this move prompts other communities not yet on board to purchase their tickets to ride.

Hammond leaders should be congratulated for gleaning a fantastic deal for their community while allowing this important Northwest Indiana development project to steam forward.

Our Regions largest city is no longer stranded at the station.

Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., once a skeptic of the expansion, urged the council Monday to consider the return on investment awaiting the city by getting on the train.

Do you want to be on the train, or do you want to be on the sidelines complaining? McDermott asked the council members before their vote.

Youre not going to find too many places where you can get a 10 to 1 return on your money, the mayor added.

Hes right.

Hammond joined the expansion effort given several conditions, including the construction of a new Gateway Station, a maintenance facility and a South Hammond station.

The Hammond resolution approved Monday estimates a $300 million investment in the city as a result of the project. That total investment would be seeded by a $27 million investment by the city in what is being called the West Lake Extension of the South Shore Line, laying track from Hammond to Dyer.

Hammond leaders saw the immense value an investment in the train will bring their city.

But the value doesnt end in Hammond. Lake County government and other municipalities along and well outside the proposed route also have pledged skin in the commuter rail game.

The proposed eight-mile extension and other improvements to the commuter line are estimated to cost about $571 million to build and another $9.6 million annually to operate the trains.

In return, the Region will earn development and business that crops up around such train assets and an increased quality of life factor to lure more commuters to live in, pay taxes in and shop in Region cities and towns.

The promising sound of train whistles are beginning to drown out vocal naysayers bent on saying no to the expansion but offering no alternative plans for development. Kudos to Hammond for shoveling in more coal from the tender.
There's been an enormous response to a Queens man who's raising reward money to find the person who killed his daughter in a Howard Beach park. After reaching his initial goal of $100,000 in less than a day  he is now trying to raise a total of $200,000. Our Michael Herzenberg has the story.

"I'm pleading with the public with the country, five dollars, ten dollars, whatever," said Phil Vetrano, who found his daughter's lifeless body, strangled in a park near his home. "We need to raise a lot of money quickly."

A determined Vetrano appealed for donations Wednesday, announcing a page on the website Go Fund Me, to raise reward money for information leading to his daughter's killer.

"There was a predator, a vicious killer that came here and took a life of a brilliant, bright, beautiful young girl while she was just out there enjoying herself in what she called her happy place," Vetrano said.

Karina Vetrano went out for a run last week in Spring Creek Park near her Howard Beach home. Two hours later, her father became worried and called a friend in the NYPD. Cops and her father found her off the running path in the park. She had been sexually assaulted and strangled.

Phil Vetrano says that every day since then, he's walked to the location where his daughter died.

"I need to stay involved I'm involved then I feel I'm accomplishing something if I wake up and there's nothing for me to do then the bottoms gonna drop out," he said.

Phil Vetrano says police have been tirelessly following leads, but need someone to step up with a tip to help catch his daughter's killer.

He has a message for the person responsible.

"I'm sorry for you because you will pay," the grieving father said. "You will pay here and you will pay now and you will pay in eternity. There's nowhere to hide we will find you."

The NYPD has separately offered up $20,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.

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
A towering new letter "T" for presidential candidate Donald Trump has been placed outside a Staten Island home  to replace another Trump display that was set on fire a few days ago, an incident the Fire Department is investigating as an arson. Our Amanda Farinacci has the story.

Artist Scott LoBaido put the finishing touches on a huge "T", a 16-foot tribute to Donald Trump on the lawn of this Castleton Corners home Tuesday.

It's the second T LoBaido has put up here this summer, the first was set on fire over the weekend.

"I even maybe expected them to throw eggs at the sign, maybe write graffiti on it," LoBaido said. "A message or something. But to burn this down, the man's house is right here."

Firefighters put out the fire at Sam Pirozzolo's house early Sunday, after a neighbor noticed flames and rang Pirozzolo's doorbell.

No one was hurt and there was no damage to the home.

The Fire Department is investigating the incident as arson.

"From what I've seen these guys do, from taking soil samples; they're gonna be checking for DNA all over the place," Pirozzolo said.

Staten Island is the heart of Trump country, at least in New York.

Trump won 80 percent of the vote here in the New York primary, his best showing in any county in the state.

After hearing about the fire, Trump called Pirozzolo and LoBaido on Monday to thank them for their support.

They spoke with the Republican nominee for 15 minutes, talking up their plans to put up a new Trump "T."

The replacement is four feet taller and two feet wider  made with flame-resistant paint and cardboard.

LoBaido is no stranger to controversy, he once hurled manure at the Brooklyn Museum to protest its display of a painting of the Virgin Mary adorned with elephant dung.

He's used his artwork for years to express his political opinions.

Still, he says, this incident surprised him.

"I've never set anybody's artwork on fire," said LoBaido. "Or anybody's message."

The unveiling also drew voters who don't support Trump. And even they say this type of vandalism is unacceptable.

"It's a violation of his First Amendment rights," said Rich Florintino. "As obnoxious and ugly as it is, God bless him."

LoBaido says the "T" is not his last word on the election.

He's says more art projects are in the works.
Dear Diary:

The last time I was in New York City, I arrived at La Guardia Airport early for my return flight home. I then thought I would try to get onto an earlier flight.

Delta customer service representatives told me I had to pay an extra $50. I declined.

Then a traveler asked them if they spoke Spanish. They said, Oh, not at all! I then said: I do. But itll cost you $50. We all laughed, and I said I was just joking. Then I helped the traveler anyway; she just wanted to know where to claim her baggage.

When I turned around to the Delta counter, the representatives were smiling and told me that because I had helped them they were going to give me the seat free! New Yorkers never fail to surprise me with their kindness and sense of humor.
LONDON  In the early hours of Sept. 2, 1666, a small fire broke out in a London bakery owned by Thomas Farriner. Stoked by easterly winds, the blaze engulfed timber-framed houses and warehouses stocked with brandy, wine and oil. By the time it was extinguished four days later, about 13,000 buildings had been destroyed  including the 500-year-old St. Pauls Cathedral  and nearly 80 percent of the ancient city of London had been wiped out. As many as 100,000 people were left homeless.

The Museum of London is commemorating the 350th anniversary of the conflagration with an exhibition (Fire! Fire!) that traces the events surrounding it and how it shaped the citys future. Historic objects and archival material are presented in an interactive show that includes sound effects, animation and even a makeshift campsite for those left homeless. (London will take note of the event in other ways, too: a domino-like kinetic sculpture will trace the fires path through the streets, and a floating sculpture of the city will be set alight on the Thames, in a program starting Aug. 30 by the Artichoke arts collective.)

The blaze left such a deep impression that 100 years later popular prints of it were still being sold all over Europe. A lot of other cities in Europe had fires and traumatic events, but by the 18th century, London is by far the biggest city in Europe, and virtually the whole of the walled city is destroyed, said Alex Werner, the Museum of Londons head of history collections.

The fire had constructive as well as destructive consequences. In the decades after, London was rebuilt with a new St. Pauls Cathedral designed by Christopher Wren at its heart, which Mr. Werner called an incredibly powerful symbol.
Celebrate World Lion Day with Animal Planet, then stream the enchanting wildlife tear-jerker Born Free. American swimmers, meanwhile, continue their quest for gold at the Rio Olympics. And Javier Bardem plays a Brazilian to great effect in Eat Pray Love.

Whats on TV

CLASH OF AFRICAS GIANTS 9 p.m. on Animal Planet. A lion pride tries to build an empire in the Kalahari Desert of Africa by taking advantage of elephants weakened by drought. Expect gorgeous, tawny scenery juxtaposed with images designed to break hearts in this World Lion Day special. Its the centerpiece of all-day programming that begins at 6 a.m. with Big Cat Diary, followed at 1 p.m. by Into the Lions Den; at 3 by Into the Pride; and, at 8, A Lion Called Christian, about the viral video star who, after being born in captivity, bought at Harrods in London and reintroduced into the wild by the conservationist George Adamson, remembered his original owners when they went in search of him.

RIO OLYMPICS 8 p.m. on NBC. The swimmers Missy Franklin and Katie Ledecky lead the American womens 4x200-meter freestyle relay team. Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte try to advance in the preliminaries of the mens 200-meter individual medley. And the beach volleyball duo of Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross face off against a Swiss team in the early rounds. A complete schedule is at NBCOlympics .com.
Jefferies is also linked to Lending Club, the peer-to-peer lender that has been in turmoil since an internal investigation revealed improprieties in the sale of loans and a separate disclosure issue, which resulted in the ouster of its chief executive in May. About $22 million in loans sold to Jefferies did not meet the investment banks criteria, and the company bought them back.

But Jefferies did end up leading a deal that packaged Lending Club loans for investors. On Monday, Lending Club announced that the near-prime $134 million deal had three times as much investor demand as needed. This heavy interest came about even though the entire marketplace lending sector has also been hit with turbulence this year as rates for new loans rose to reflect rising delinquencies.

Leucadias other non-Jefferies-related assets remain a grab bag, including an Italian broadband company, a plastic net maker, auto dealers, timber and real estate. And the jury is out on more than $500 million in postmerger investments in energy and gold mining, and another $500 million in hedge funds.

Mr. Kotowski of Oppenheimer is bullish, but some investors shun the stock. Ted Hart, who follows financial stocks at Tufton Capital Management in Baltimore, said the new Leucadia with Jefferies as its core was highly correlated with the high-yield debt market. In its former life as a multi-industry conglomerate, If one business wasnt doing well, you had another that was picking up the slack, Mr. Hart said.

But now, he added: The outlook for Leucadia is kind of the outlook for the high-yield market, which isnt too rosy. With oil prices remaining low, Leucadia may continue to struggle in high-yield debt underwriting and trading. It looks cheap on a price-to-book-value basis, but its an entirely different company.

Jefferies stock swooned in late 2011 after the collapse of the commodities broker MF Global raised some concerns about its exposure to European debt, which it quickly got off its balance sheet. MF Globals fate had raised similar questions about investor exposure at Jefferiess commodity business, Bache.

The son of a tax preparer from Fair Lawn, N.J., Mr. Handler, 55, sold vacuum cleaners door-to-door and life insurance at a bank before graduating from the University of Rochester. After a stint as a junior analyst at First Boston during its Wasserstein Perella mid-1980s heyday, he got an M.B.A. from Stanford and worked in the Los Angeles office of Drexel Burnham Lambert before that firms demise in 1990. He built the Jefferies junk-bond desk before he became chief executive.
You have a lot of options, is what Im suggesting. And Cooking has thousands of other recipes for you to explore. (Im currently amped to make this recipe for tomato chili jam that Julia reported on a few years ago, in part because of the deliciousness of her prose: If ketchup put on $300 Japanese cult-brand jeans, this is what it would taste like: global, hip, sexy. Nice!) Go take a look and see what you like.

And dont forget to save the recipes you want to cook so you can find them again more easily than writing me here at The Times to ask for help. Its easy. Weve even redesigned our recipe pages so that when youre looking at one  when youre looking at, say, Melissa Clarks recipe for a panzanella with mozzarella and herbs  youll see a nice fat button just above the photograph: Save to Recipe Box. Click it! A recipe box is an excellent thing to have. (As an example, take a look at mine.)

If you run into trouble with anything to do with our technology or words, recipes or instruction, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Weve got ace people standing by to help: cookingcare@nytimes.com. Its really no problem. Its why were here.

Now, youve got to read Kim Seversons amazing look at the wife and children of the chef, restaurateur and hotelier Sam Beall of Blackberry Farm in Tennessee, and how they have fared in the months since his death in a ski accident. Anne Diebel on Jeffrey Meyerss Robert Lowell in Love in The London Review of Books is also worth a look. And theres another amazing police report up from the city of Unalaska, Alaska. Enjoy dinner. See you on Friday.
Todays task is to write a brief for a case we have against the C.I.A. Our reporters are seeking the release of three classified documents about the old chemical warheads that were found in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Its a bizarre dance, litigating with the C.I.A. The agency says it can neither confirm nor deny that the documents even exist  despite our asking for them by name and date. I write my brief as if there is no question that the documents exist; the C.I.A. writes its briefs as if it has no idea what I am talking about.

Few in-house lawyers actually litigate cases, but I never wanted to be the stereotypical in-house counsel: a lawyer who calls lawyers. So I take on as many cases as I can. I am probably the only lawyer in New York who has argued cases this year before both the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the Small Claims Court of the City of New York. (I won at the Second Circuit. As for small claims: Never tangle with an angry Times subscriber who says she didnt get her paper.)

As always, my brief gets written in fits and starts. The emails and the phone calls keep coming. A reporter in Washington wants to know whether we can sue the federal government to get some Guantanamo documents. (We can, and we do.) An editor in New York is concerned about calling someone a crony in a story. (We can live with that.) Someone else wants me to look at an article that recounts a series of unsuccessful business deals. (All is good.)
Robert Kiley, who oversaw the revival of long-neglected subway and bus lines that carry millions of commuters daily in Boston, New York and London, died on Tuesday at his home in Chilmark, Mass. He was 80.

The cause was complications of Alzheimers disease, his family said.

In Boston, Mr. Kiley expanded rail service; in London, he was the citys first commissioner of transport. But in his three decades as a transit overseer, he may have left his greatest legacy in New York, where he served for more than seven years  longer than in the other two cities  and ran the nations biggest mass transit and regional commuter rail system.

As Gov. Mario M. Cuomos chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority beginning in 1983, Mr. Kiley introduced the MetroCard to replace the subway token, imposed a zero-tolerance policy against fare-beaters and graffiti vandals, and approved the merger of the transit police force with the citys Police Department.

He also lured William J. Bratton from Boston, initially as chief of the Transit Police. Mr. Bratton later became the citys police commissioner.
Three months from the presidential election, and one day after his running mate promised specific policy proposals for how we rebuild this country at home and abroad, Americans find themselves asking whether Donald Trump has called for the assassination of Hillary Clinton.

On Tuesday at a rally in North Carolina, Mr. Trump falsely charged, as he has before, that Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the Second Amendment. Then he added: If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know.

Directly behind him, a supporters jaw dropped. Afterward, Mr. Trumps campaign issued an utterly mystifying statement about the power of unification, suggesting that Mr. Trump was referring to the political power of Second Amendment supporters, and was not advocating violence. The National Rifle Association, which has endorsed Mr. Trump, concurred with his statement on Supreme Court justices and did not specifically address the rest of his remarks.

Was it a threat? Mr. Trumps campaign has been marked by extraordinarily combative rhetoric. At another rally, he said he would like to punch a protester in the face and see him leave on a stretcher. His supporters have shouted kill her when he mentions Mrs. Clinton. The Republican convention heard cries of lock her up. A New Hampshire delegate, Al Baldasaro, called for Mrs. Clinton to be put in the firing line and shot for treason.
Heres one good thing about having a new police commissioner to succeed William Bratton: Maybe New York can finally stop arguing about broken windows policing.

It is no knock on Mr. Bratton to welcome a change of subject. There is no disputing the successes of his late-career stint in Mayor Bill de Blasios administration. On his watch, a safe city got even safer, and police-community relations started getting better. But Mr. Brattons stature and close identification with that more-than-30-year-old, often-misunderstood catchphrase  and his stubborn need to continually defend it  became a source of unnecessary friction.

Broken windows, a shorthand term for the strategy of aggressively policing minor violations to prevent serious and violent crimes, came to mean different things to different people. To Mr. Bratton, an early adopter, it is a byword for law-and-orders tactical victory over urban chaos. To his critics, it is a euphemism for oppressive policing, particularly in minority neighborhoods, particularly against young black and Latino men.

But now Mr. Bratton wont be here to cling to it, critics cant demand his resignation over it, and no one needs to be trapped in the pointless debate over whether hating broken windows and demanding reform means hating the police. The next commissioner, Chief of Department James ONeill, a career cop who is to take over in mid-September with Mr. Brattons blessing, can move beyond it. He can focus on a task he was assigned before his promotion: developing the Police Departments revamped and expanded program of neighborhood policing, which Mr. de Blasio hopes will keep crime low while defusing the broken windows debate.
For millions of Syrian civilians trapped for five years by a relentless war, mere lifesaving aid, let alone refuge, is out of reach. But for the 75,000 displaced people caught on Jordans desert frontier with Syria, salvation is only yards away. Unlike many of their fellow citizens, they can be saved. So why have they been effectively abandoned?

They are assembled in a kind of buffer zone on an inhospitable strip of land, much of it within Jordanian territory, just north of the official Jordanian border. But that border is closed, which prevents aid from reaching these desperate refugees and at the same time prevents them from seeking safety. If they move, they risk being pushed back into Syria or perishing in the harsh desert. Both options are morally intolerable and completely avoidable.

The refugees have amassed in makeshift camps in an area known as the berm, so named for its distinctive raised barrier of sand, which marks a mileslong no mans land between Syria and Jordan. Military bases, checkpoints and patrols dot the area, along with various Syrian armed groups, some of whom mix among the refugees.

Since the start of Syrias war in 2011, the area around the berm has served as an entry point to safety in Jordan from the unremitting violence in Syria. But on June 21, Jordan closed its northern border after a car bombing that day at a nearby Jordanian military base.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin got assassinated.

His right-wing opponents just kept delegitimizing him as a traitor and a Nazi for wanting to make peace with the Palestinians and give back part of the Land of Israel. Of course, all is fair in politics, right? And they had God on their side, right? They werent actually telling anyone to assassinate Rabin. That would be horrible.

But there are always people down the line who dont hear the caveats. They just hear the big message: The man is illegitimate, the man is a threat to the nation, the man is the equivalent of a Nazi war criminal. Well, you know what we do with people like that, dont you? We kill them.

And thats what the Jewish extremist Yigal Amir did to Rabin. Why not? He thought he had permission from a whole segment of Israels political class.

In September, I wrote a column warning that Donald Trumps language toward immigrants could end up inciting just this kind of violence. I never in my wildest dreams, though, thought hed actually  in his usual coy, twisted way  suggest that Hillary Clinton was so intent on taking away the Second Amendment right to bear arms that maybe Second Amendment enthusiasts could do something to stop her. Exactly what? Oh, Trump left that hanging.
The visual component is equally vital to the magazine, the first issue of which will be released this October. And Goldsteins awe of what her Emmy-award winning colleagues, the art director Daniel de Graaf and ZPZs director of design Mike Houston, have brought to Cured is unchecked. She lovingly describes the heavy paper stock, gorgeous photography, art that sort of pushes the boundaries of what people might expect. Its their way of manipulating time, on the page, that amazes her. Were living in a very fast world where everything happens instantaneously, but fermentation and curing are very slow processes, so its about conveying a slow approach to life. Theyre really visionary in the way theyre thinking about how you capture something as aloof as time. She points to the artwork for a story on the process of making persimmon vinegar as a prime example: The fruit is shot in progressing stages of decay, its fiery orange skin thinning, its pumpkin-tinged flesh foaming as it slowly deteriorates into a mushy pulp. Set against a black background, the fruits vivid sunset colors leap off the page, revealing a stunning montage of putrefaction.

Image Darra Goldstein Credit... Stefan Wettainen

I wanted to make sure I covered different categories and looked through different lenses, she says, discussing the overall structure of the magazine and its table of contents. In addition to Persimmon Vinegar, chef Edward Lees story thats accompanied by the aforementioned photos, the debut issue includes a profile on Kwang Uh, the chef at L.A.s latest culinary groundbreaker Baroo, where fermentation is the kitchens preferred technique. Hes taking these old Korean traditions and turning them on their head  if you can turn a tradition on its head, Goldstein says. I wanted to make sure there was science  I mean, really hard science, but accessible  in every issue.

History is another area of emphasis. If you think about the stereotype of the Brooklyn hipster thing with everyone making pickles, she muses, addressing the obvious marketing potential of the magazine, I think its wonderful theres this DIY urge thats so prevalent now. If it can come with an awareness of how many millennia are behind this practice, then it becomes all the richer.
When you find yourself marveling that Troilus and Cressida makes sense, it means you are at a very special show, indeed.

The new Public Theater production of this relatively obscure Shakespeare play gets many things right, but its biggest triumph is to make us reconsider the reputation of a work derided for haphazard jumps from romantic declarations to military strategizing, from bawdy banter to moral questioning. There is all that at the Delacorte Theater, but also a rare cogency  plus incredibly loud gunfire.

By the time the shooting happens, the three-hour-long show is near its conclusion and the war that had hovered in the background, dictating the course of events yet distant, has become scarily real.

As has this much-maligned drama, here given a vivid, fleet-footed rendering by the director Daniel Sullivan (The Merchant of Venice with Al Pacino) and his adept cast, who weave the plays disparate strands into a surprisingly effective whole.
SAN FRANCISCO  A federal jury on Tuesday found Californias major utility company, Pacific Gas and Electric, guilty of safety violations at the time of a 2010 gas pipeline explosion that killed eight people and destroyed a neighborhood in a San Francisco suburb.

It was one of the countrys deadliest gas explosions and underscored glaring weaknesses in Americas aging infrastructure.

Pacific Gas and Electric had faced 12 criminal charges of negligence and obstructing an investigation into the fiery pipeline rupture in San Bruno, a city of 42,000 just south of San Francisco. The jury found the company guilty of five counts of safety violations and the one count of obstruction, according to Jim Ruane, the mayor of San Bruno. The company was found not guilty on the remaining counts.

Pacific Gas and Electric, a private company, had initially faced a maximum fine of $562 million but, in a move that puzzled many court observers, federal prosecutors reduced their demands to $6 million. The change was made Aug. 2, when the jury was in its fourth day of deliberations. Prosecutors have yet to explain the change.
The Chicago Police Department has alerted its officers that gang members are plotting to shoot police officers in retaliation for the killing last month of Paul ONeal, a black man who was chased by the police through a residential neighborhood before being shot by an officer whose body camera was not recording.

The department issued an alert Friday to its officers that leaders from three West Side gangs had met Thursday and discussed plans to attack police officers, The Chicago Sun-Times reported. The alert said that one of the gangs had provided guns and had a sniper in place, though the snipers location was not known, according to the newspaper.

Such a threat against the police signaled a frightening new escalation in the already heightened tensions between the police and blacks in many cities after a rash of police killings of unarmed black people over the last two years. Chicago, awash in guns and reeling from incidents of police-related violence, has been an epicenter of those tensions.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel issued a statement Tuesday that said, We can have a reasonable conversation about the need for police accountability reform, but the idea that a bunch of gang members would threaten violence against the men and women every Chicagoan relies on for their own safety is absolutely unacceptable.
Of all the tribulations facing Donald J. Trump, perhaps none is stirring as much anxiety inside his campaign as the precipitous decline of support from Republican women, an electoral cornerstone for the partys past nominees that is starting to crumble.

In a striking series of defections, high-profile Republican women are abandoning decades of party loyalty and vowing to oppose Mr. Trump, calling him emotionally unfit for the presidency and a menace to national security.

But even more powerfully, his support from regular Republican women is falling after Mr. Trumps provocative remarks about everything from the silence of the mother of a slain Muslim soldier to how women should respond to sexual harassment in the workplace.

For people like me, who are Republican but reasonable and still have our brains attached, its hard to see Trump as a reasonable, sane Republican, said Dina Vela, a project manager in San Antonio who said she had always voted Republican and remained wary of Hillary Clinton. But to her own surprise, she has started visiting Mrs. Clintons campaign website and plans to vote for her.
Mrs. Clintons presidential campaign, which has been shadowed for 17 months by the controversy over the private email server she used exclusively while at the State Department, said that the emails released Tuesday had no bearing on the foundations work.

The State Department turned the new emails over to a conservative advocacy group, Judicial Watch, as part of a lawsuit that the group brought under the Freedom of Information Act.

The documents included 44 emails that were not among some 55,000 pages of emails that Mrs. Clinton had previously given to the State Department, which she said represented all her work-related emails. The document release centers on discussions between Mrs. Clintons aides and Clinton Foundation executives about a number of donors and associates with interests before the State Department.

Tom Fitton, the president of Judicial Watch, charged that Mrs. Clinton hid the documents from the public because they appeared to contradict her official pledge in 2009 to remove herself from Clinton Foundation business while leading the State Department.

The documents indicate, he said in a telephone interview, that the State Department and the Clinton Foundation worked hand in hand in terms of policy and donor effort.
WASHINGTON  The House speaker, Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, easily won his Republican primary on Tuesday, defeating a political newcomer who had received a late surge of attention after being praised by Donald J. Trump.

With more than three-quarters of precincts reporting, Mr. Ryan had 84 percent of the vote, and his rival, Paul Nehlen, had 16 percent.

Mr. Nehlen rose from obscurity in the campaigns closing days when Mr. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, offered kind words to him on Twitter and later said that he was running a very good campaign.

Those gestures thrust Mr. Nehlen into the middle of an intraparty feud between Mr. Trump and Mr. Ryan, the Republican vice-presidential nominee in 2012.
Miami is the first United States city affected by Zika, but it is unlikely to be the last unless an intensive effort is made to curb the virus, Mrs. Clinton said. Wynwood is the first neighborhood to receive a federal travel advisory warning pregnant women, whose babies can experience birth defects from Zika, to stay away. This is one of the canaries in the mine, she said of the area.

The news of the four new cases was especially unwelcome for Wynwood businesses, many of which have seen a sharp drop in foot traffic. At a meeting Monday night, several owners said they were frustrated that visitors were staying away even though the problem is not widespread. Tourism officials are working to reverse that trend, even though the federal travel advisory will not be lifted for at least 35 days.

This is a very unusual case, and we are hoping those businesses can get some relief, said Miami-Dade Countys mayor, Carlos A. Gimenez. First thing we need to do is lift the travel advisory.

At Tuesdays emergency commission meeting, Mr. Gimenez emphasized that 2.7 million people live in Greater Miami and only a handful from one small area in Wynwood have been infected with Zika. And the number of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the area has plummeted as a result of aerial spraying along a 10-mile stretch with the chemical Naled, as well as aerial spraying and hand-held spraying of larvicide, Mr. Gimenez said.
MOSCOW  In a mass public protest with a rare permit, hundreds of critics of the Russian government gathered in Moscow on Tuesday evening to demonstrate against a new set of so-called antiterrorism laws.

Signed into law by President Vladimir V. Putin in July, the legislation introduced what critics have called intrusive measures, including requirements to store all communications data for six months, and phone and texting records for one to three years.

Protesters decried the legislation as an assault on privacy and internet freedom. They gathered in a secluded section of Sokolniki Park, a location chosen by the city government after it rejected more central sites, including one near the Kremlin, proposed by the rally organizers.

For just over an hour, speakers at the rally  activists, politicians and technology experts  called on Russians to resist government attempts to tighten control over the internet, which many view as the last safe space for dissent in Russia.
A. No one wants to come out and say these things even though people talk about them all the time behind closed doors. In the sheds, in the ghettoes, theres not a person who doesnt know that Mandela did some wrong, that he sold us out, that he sometimes did things only to benefit himself and the ruling party. Im just taking my canvas and saying that we have to document this conversation, that it should be taken into the public sphere.

Q. Do you feel like youre winning by getting such intense reactions from the people you target?

A. No, man, Ive got a son and a daughter  all I want to do is spend as much time as I can with them and my wife. Any time Im being questioned or having to defend myself, it takes me away from them. But I feel like I have no choice. The conversation must be brought up. Its like we have this giant elephant in our house which is the president and the ruling party. And the elephant is breaking everything. And I need to force us to talk about it. As for the president, he doesnt make my skin shiver. I know he cant stand me, but he has to understand that hes in the position hes in because Ive employed him as a citizen of this country.

Q. Was it difficult for you to find a place to exhibit your painting of Zuma?

A. Theres not a gallery or art museum in the country that would display a painting like this, which is why we did it at the Constitution Hill, a place where our constitution was written, where every citizen should feel safe to express himself. Still, it was brave of the curator and the manager of Constitution Hill to support me. I locked myself in my studio when I was working on it and no one knew I was going to show anything of this nature. Ive really given up on most galleries in South Africa. They cater to a certain elite. Going to them is like going to McDonalds or Nandos. You know youre going to be fed junk  but its junk thats just packaged in a way thats meant to convince you that its good.
Hillbilly Elegy, in my mind, divides into two components: the family stories Mr. Vance tells  most of which are no doubt better experienced on the page than they were in real life  and the questions he raises. Chief among them: How much should he hold his hillbilly kin responsible for their own misfortunes?

Image Credit... Patricia Wall/The New York Times

In Mr. Vances estimation, the answer is: a lot. Economic insecurity, hes convinced, accounts for only a small part of his communitys problems; the much larger issue is hillbilly culture itself. Though proud of it in many ways, hes also convinced that it increasingly encourages social decay instead of counteracting it.

His frustration with the nonworking white poor is especially acute. He recalls being a cashier at a Middletown grocery store and watching resentfully as his neighbors, who had creatively gamed the welfare system, jabbered on their cellphones as they were going through the checkout line.

He could not afford a cellphone.

Political scientists have spent millions of words trying to explain how Appalachia and the South went from staunchly Democratic to staunchly Republican in less than a generation, Mr. Vance writes. He suspects those cellphones have a lot to do with it. I could never understand why our lives felt like a struggle while those living off of government largess enjoyed trinkets that I only dreamed about.

Time and again, Mr. Vance preaches a message of tough love and personal responsibility. He has no patience with an old acquaintance who told him he quit his job because he hated waking up early, only to take to Facebook to blame the Obama economy. Or with a former co-worker at a tile warehouse who missed work once a week though his girlfriend was pregnant.

Squint, and youll note the incendiary nature of Mr. Vances argument. Its always treacherous business to blame a group for its own misfortunes. Certainly, an outsider cannot say what Mr. Vance is saying to his kin and kind. But he can  just as President Obama can say to fellow African-Americans, brothers should pull up their pants, as he did on MTV.

The difference is that President Obama believes poverty, though it may have a cultural component, is largely a structural problem, one the government can play a large role in fixing. Mr. Vance, a conservative, takes a far dimmer view.
The worlds biggest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, said it had resolved a harassment claim filed against it by an employee who recently left the firm.

Christopher Tarui, 34, who worked as an adviser to several large institutional investors in Bridgewater, filed his harassment complaint in January and had been on paid leave since the beginning of the year. He took a job this week as a director with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Company, the large private equity firm, a move it confirmed on Wednesday.

Mr. Tarui also is dropping any claims he has against Bridgewater, and the hedge fund agreed to waive his employment restrictions, allowing him to move to his new job, a Bridgewater spokesman said on Wednesday.

Bridgewater, like many financial services firms, includes noncompete clauses in some of its employment contracts.
Self-service checkout technology may offer convenience and speed, but it also helps turn law-abiding shoppers into petty thieves by giving them ready-made excuses to take merchandise without paying, two criminologists say.

In a study of retailers in the United States, Britain and other European countries, Professor Adrian Beck and Matt Hopkins of the University of Leicester in England said the use of self-service lanes and smartphone apps to make purchases generated a loss rate of nearly 4 percent, more than double the average.

Given that the profit margin among European grocers is 3 percent, the technology is practically a nonprofit venture, according to the study, which was released this month.

The scanning technology, which grew in popularity about 10 years ago, relies largely on the honor system. Instead of having a cashier ring up and bag a purchase, the shopper is solely responsible for completing the transaction. That absence of human intervention, however, reduces the perception of risk and could make shoplifting more common, the report said.
Bomb-blasted roads, frequent blackouts, shortages of basic equipment and an untested consumer market are hardly conditions that make for natural entrepreneurial opportunities.

But three Army veterans and one civilian who all served in Afghanistan have taken on those challenges in their new venture. Their company, Rumi Spice, buys saffron from Afghan farmers and sells it to international customers.

Their business is part of a small crop of efforts to help develop Afghanistans resource economy.

We wanted to create something to empower everyday Afghans long after we left, said Kimberly Jung, one of Rumi Spices founders, who said the companys name was inspired by the 13th-century Persian poet.

Started two years ago, Rumi Spice now sells saffron that is used by chefs in renowned restaurants like the French Laundry in California and Daniel in New York. It appeared on the shelves and website of the luxury food seller Dean & DeLuca this month.
Openings and Events

On Friday from 4 to 7 p.m., meet the designer Jonathan Simkhai at the East Hampton pop-up of Tenet, the Southampton boutique known for its cool mix of up-and-coming labels like Ellery, Lisa Marie Fernandez and Soludos. Mr. Simkhai, a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winner, will show pieces from his pre-fall collection, like a neon-pink bubble dress in artfully embroidered organza ($845). At 51 Newtown Lane, East Hampton, N.Y.

The next day, head around the corner to Figue East Hampton, where, from 4 to 7 p.m., the local jewelry designer Susan Nieland will show her designs inspired by the light and beauty of the East End, like a double stone lariat with a small black freshwater pearl found on the beach in Sagaponack ($525). At 55 Main Street, East Hampton.

On Tuesday, Westfield will celebrate the grand opening of its World Trade Center mall with a family day from noon to 6 p.m. There will be hourly stage performances in the Oculus, including the Harlem Gospel Choir and the School of Rock cast, hands-on workshops at Eatalys newest marketplace and, of course, shopping. Youll find goods from more than 100 fashion, beauty, lifestyle and technology labels. At 85 Greenwich Street.

Hitting the Racks

Missed the annual Piaget Hamptons Cup benefiting the Robin Hood Foundation? Through the end of the month, Piaget will make a $1,000 donation from each sale of its new Piaget Polo S 42-mm timepiece ($9,350) to New Yorks largest poverty-fighting organization. At 730 Fifth Avenue.
It was a bright and sunny Wednesday afternoon in August, the kind that calls for a relaxing glass of rose, enjoyed at an Instagram-worthy spot at your vacation hotel.

But at the Out Hotel in New York last week, not a sipper was to be seen lounging at the hotels outdoor courtyard, with its white couches set on kelly-green AstroTurf and its look-above cityscape views.

Down on the ground floor, someone at the Lindeman, the restaurant and bar that can be accessed directly through the hotels lobby, must have agreed it was a pink-wine sort of moment: The bar was offering a rose-and-oysters happy hour special.

There were a handful people at the bar  including a woman in sneakers and shorts who ate oysters as she skimmed Facebook on her phone, with the help of a magnifying glass she laid over it  and about five employees of the hotel and bar.
An urgent bulletin (well, email) came in the other day from Madeline Weeks, the fashion director of GQ. While in Los Angeles for a shoot, Ms. Weeks had dropped into Barneys New York in Beverly Hills for some occupational reconnaissance and got a jolt when she stepped off the escalator at the third-floor shoe department only to find that it had disappeared.

Where once she could count on spotting the latest spiked Venetian slippers from Christian Louboutin or taper-toe mules from Tomas Maier, Ms. Weeks wrote, suddenly there was a sea of uber-cool designer small leather goods.

Uber-cool or otherwise, designer small leather goods is euphemistic retail-speak for handbags. And the allocation of prime real estate to a category once relegated to a sad corner of department store basements points to shift in the way men consume.

Dont take my word for it. Ask the retail analysts at the NPD Group, which this year reported that, just as sales of womens handbags slumped 5 percent in 2014, growth among bags for men leapt by double digits. Among men, sales of tote bags increased by 11 percent.
ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y.  It is a nightly ritual. Men and women head to the rooftop bar at Kaseys Kitchen and Cocktails here on Long Island, only to be turned away because they are not old enough. But there is a quirk in the establishments policy for its rooftop bar, which states men must be at least 30 and women, just 25.

The motivation behind the disparity might be fairly transparent to the average bar patron. But is it legal?

A co-owner of Kaseys, Anthony Geraci, said that in his bar he could set whatever policy he liked.

If you build a house, you decorate it the way you want, said Mr. Geraci, who opened Kaseys with Tom McNicholas in 1999. I could open a bar tomorrow and it could be an over-40s bar.

Mr. Geraci was partly right, according to Donna Lieberman, the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, but she said separate policies for men and women amounted to gender discrimination. Mr. Geraci could open an over-40s bar, Ms. Lieberman said, as long as everyone, man or woman, was allowed in at the same age.
Mr. Davidson has managed to preserve his bookselling street business, outlasting many cycles of local elected officials and police commanders who have tried to oust him with summons after summons.

By his own admission  or really, boasting  Mr. Davidson has received nearly 200 summonses over the years for violations that include occupying excessive sidewalk space and leaving books unattended as well as more serious crimes involving fights with other vendors.

In July, the police started their latest crackdown, deploying a team of officers and trucks to seize books from 10 tables on the block, which included a couple of tables kept by smaller vendors. Officers issued Mr. Davidson a summons for leaving more than 2,000 books unattended on the sidewalk.

They showed up on the Fourth of July, Mr. Davidson said. That makes it an American story.

The recent seizure hardly deterred Mr. Davidson, who put out two new folding tables and hired people to help tend them and to fill in when he headed to the room in the Bronx that he rents mostly to sleep.

At a recent administrative hearing, the summons was dismissed after Mr. Davidson pointed out to the hearing officer that it cited the wrong section of the citys administrative code.

Mr. Davidson, an Army veteran, said he wore his dog tags outside his shirt in plain view at the hearing. The hearing officer saw them and discussed his own Army service and then told Mr. Davidson he was familiar with that cluttered stretch of sidewalk.
LONDON  Last week, two reporters for a small Scottish newspaper left Fleet Street for good. Their departure means that the London home of Britains unseemly press since 1702 now no longer houses any newspaper offices at all. A neighborhood once dominated by printers and reporters, all working and (more often) drinking within half a mile of one another, has become the haunt of lawyers, insurers and other soulless creatures.

Britains decision to leave the European Union was, from one angle, a final, Pyrrhic victory for British print journalism. Its fiercely partisan, predominantly right-wing newspapers had come out in support of Brexit. This was only to be expected: The mood of the country, outside of its cosmopolitan capital and Europhile Scotland, was stridently anti-immigration and pro-nationalism. Newspapers were both feeding and responding to that phenomenon.

The British statesman Stanley Baldwin, who as prime minister battled with The Daily Mail in the 1930s, once said that what the proprietorship of these papers is aiming at is power, and power without responsibility  the prerogative of the harlot through the ages. The harlotry of Fleet Street, in the summer of 2016, had spread to the politicians themselves.

Two of the most prominent Brexit politicians were themselves journalists: Michael Gove, a halibut-faced former columnist at The Times; and Boris Johnson, an antic columnist for The Telegraph who is now baffling the world as foreign secretary. Mr. Johnsons first major pronouncement as victor came, indeed, in the first column he wrote after the referendum.
The study is a follow-up to the discovery in 2012 that the ability to amble can be traced to a single gene mutation. Its called DMRT3 or, colloquially, the gaitkeeper mutation.

In the new study, the researchers analyzed DNA from the remains of 90 ancient horses. They found the gaitkeeper signature in horse samples from England dating back to the 9th century. They also found the mutation in early Icelandic horses from the 9th to 11th centuries. When they looked at horses from the same time period in mainland Europe, however, they failed to find the gene.

In the 9th century, Vikings occupied parts of England that had ambling horses, said Arne Ludwig, an evolutionary geneticist at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin, and an author of the paper.

He believes Vikings pillaged English horses and sailed to Iceland with them. There, horses with the ability to amble became dominant as people bred animals that were easy to ride for long distances across terrain without roads.
Two teams of scientists have succeeded in dating the opening of the gateway to America, only to disagree over whether the Clovis people  one of the first groups from Siberia to reach the Americas  ever used the gateway to gain access to the New World.

About 23,000 years ago, in a period of intense cold that preceded the end of the last ice age, glaciers from west and east merged to cut off Alaska from North America. With so much of the worlds water locked up in ice, sea levels were much lower and a now-lost continent, Beringia, stretched across what is now the Bering Strait to join Siberia to Alaska. But people who had trekked across Beringia to Alaska could go no further because of the ring of glaciers that blocked their way south.
Jupiters large gravitational pull is constantly influencing the meteor streams, according to Dr. Cooke. Sometimes it tugs them toward Earth, and sometimes it pushes them farther away. The last time a special Perseids shower like this one occurred was in 2009.

The Perseids zoom through the atmosphere at around 133,000 miles per hour and burst about 60 miles overhead, according to Dr. Cooke. Most of the meteors are about the size of a grain of sand, but some can be as large as a silver dollar. You should be able to see many of the small bursts, but its the handful of large ones that create jaw-dropping fireballs when set ablaze.

It scares you to the bone when you see it coming across, said Jackie Faherty, an astronomer from the American Museum of Natural History. If you get just one, it will be embedded in your vision for all time. I dont think you forget things like this.

The best way to see the Perseids meteor shower, according to Dr. Faherty, is to go to a location with a clear view of the entire night sky. Ideally you would go somewhere with dark skies, but she said the main thing to look for is a spot that offers a wide, unobstructed view. She said that even in a crowded city like New York you could still spot some of the flashes by going to a rooftop. The best time to watch is before dawn on Friday.

Before getting their hopes up, stargazers should be warned that the weather and moonlight can obscure the show. If that happens, there are several livestreams of the event to watch, like one hosted by NASA and one hosted by Slooh, a global system of cameras and telescopes pointed at the sky. Still, Dr. Faherty suggests people get outside and try to see it for themselves.

It is worth waiting out there for an hour, two hours, three hours, four hours even to catch a glimpse of something like this, she said. When you get a good one, it will rival the stars in the sky.
Laptop Versus Tablet

The students I polled were split on whether a laptop or tablet would be the best study tool. In general, students in science-oriented fields would probably benefit from a laptop, which can handle multitasking more easily and run more powerful apps than tablets. For designers and liberal arts majors who are using more lightweight apps for writing essays or drawing sketches, a tablet may be a better fit.

Image MacBook Air laptop. Credit... Apple, via Business Wire

For students in science-oriented fields, like Ms. Arreola, the $899 MacBook Air stood out as the most versatile and convenient computer. It can run both the Mac and Windows operating systems, weighs only 2.4 pounds and has at least nine hours of battery life. It also has an excellent keyboard and ports for plugging in accessories like a display, mouse or phone charger.

For those seeking a tablet, devices like the $599 iPad Pro or $499 Microsoft Surface 3 should work well. The ability to remove the keyboard for reading digital books or to use a stylus to make drawings would come in handy on either of these devices.

Smartphones

Chances are that your son or daughter already has a smartphone, given that on average, children are getting their first smartphones at age 10. But if they have a hand-me-down, four-year-old iPhone or Android device, it may be a good time to get a speedier, more capable phone.

Image Samsungs Galaxy S7 smartphone. Credit... Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters

The best ones on the market come from Apple and Samsung Electronics: the iPhone 6s and Samsung Galaxy S7. Which one you pick should partly depend on your childs computing device, since iPhones are more tightly integrated with Apple devices and Android devices generally mesh better with Windows computers.

There are two caveats. First, Apple is expected to release a brand-new iPhone this fall; so if you go the Apple route, it would be wise to wait a few months. Second, these are high-end phones that cost roughly $700, which could easily blow your budget.
Amazon is the most obscure large company in the tech industry.

It isnt just secretive, the way Apple is, but in a deeper sense, Jeff Bezos e-commerce and cloud-storage giant is opaque. Amazon rarely explains either its near-term tactical aims or its long-term strategic vision. It values surprise.

To understand Amazon, then, is necessarily to engage in a kind of Kremlinology. Thats especially true of the story behind one of its most important business areas: the logistics by which it ships orders to its customers.

Over the last few years, Amazon has left a trail of clues suggesting that it is radically altering how it delivers goods. Among other moves, it has set up its own fleet of trucks; introduced an Uber-like crowdsourced delivery service; built many robot-powered warehouses; and continued to invest in a far-out plan to use drones for delivery. It made another splash last week, when it showed off an Amazon-branded Boeing 767 airplane, one of more than 40 in its planned fleet.

These moves have fueled speculation that Amazon is trying to replace the third-party shipping companies it now relies on  including UPS, FedEx and the United States Postal Service  with its homegrown delivery service. Its logistics investments have also fed the general theory that Amazon has become essentially unbeatable in American e-commerce  no doubt one reason Walmart, the worlds largest retailer, felt the need this week to acquire an audacious Amazon rival, Jet.com, for $3.3 billion.
If you looked only at the blue states, you probably wouldnt think that Donald J. Trump was in huge trouble. The recent 10-point polling deficits in states like Michigan or Pennsylvania may sting but arent jaw-dropping.

But the red states are a totally different story. Polls show him trailing or barely ahead in reliably Republican states like Georgia, Arizona and Utah, even Kansas. He has even trailed in some of these states when the national polls were more favorable to him than they are now.

Its not a straightforward demographic story. Despite his struggles in some states neighboring Nevada, Mr. Trump still seems competitive in the state, perhaps the most diverse of the Obama-era battleground states.

Whats going on?

He is still expected to hang on and win most Southern states, but his strategy just doesnt work as well in all the red states, especially in the South.
BALTIMORE  As a black man and a lifelong resident of this city, Ray Kelly has been stopped by the police more times than he can count. And as a community organizer who tried to document police bias after the death of Freddie Gray, Mr. Kelly, 45, had always expected that a federal investigation would uncover a pattern of racial discrimination.

Even so, the scathing report that the Justice Department unveiled here on Wednesday  a data-rich indictment of how Baltimore police officers have for years violated the Constitution and federal law by systematically stopping, searching (in some cases strip-searching) and harassing black residents  gave him a jolt.

Hearing the actual numbers, like on the traffic stops, is blowing my mind, Mr. Kelly said.

Release of the 163-page report, at a packed City Hall news conference here, was another wrenching moment of self-examination in this majority black city. Even as Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and the police commissioner, Kevin Davis, accepted the findings  both vowed to turn the Baltimore Police Department into a model for the nation  there was relief, but also rage and skepticism among black residents here who wondered if anything would change.

Mere words by officials mean little when its people on the ground who are living with these material conditions every day, said the Rev. Heber Brown III, a Baptist pastor who was among a small group of community leaders who met privately last year with Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch. From the streets to the suites, everybody is skeptical and furious.
A Los Angeles man whose sporadic murders of nine young women and a teenager over a three-decade period earned him the nickname the Grim Sleeper was sentenced to death on Wednesday.

The man, Lonnie D. Franklin Jr., 63, was convicted earlier this year in the killings, which took place between the mid-1980s and 2007. It was the long breaks between killings  he appeared to stop in 1988, then began again in 2002  that earned him the sobriquet.

Before the sentencing, the mother of one of the victims asked Mr. Franklin why he did it, The Los Angeles Times reported. Twice, he whispered a response, but it could not be heard.

Mr. Franklin was arrested in 2010 in front of the home he shared with his wife, not far from the South Los Angeles alleyways where the bodies had been found. It was a DNA sample gathered from his son, Christopher Franklin, after an arrest in 2008, that tipped off the police to a familial link in the case.
The report also says that the Seattle police escalate situations and use unnecessary or excessive force when arresting individuals for minor offenses. This trend is pronounced in encounters with persons with mental illnesses or those under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This is problematic because S.P.D. estimates that 70 percent of use-of-force encounters involve these populations.

 Chicago

In January, the Justice Department found reasonable cause that Chicago police engaged in a pattern or practice of unreasonable force in violation of the Fourth Amendment and attributed the deficiencies to a number of things, including training, supervision and accountability.

 Baltimore

In interviews with the Justice Department, Baltimore residents said that even when they believe they have done nothing wrong, they flee from interactions with officers, believing that it is better to run at the sight of an officer rather than take the risk that an interaction with the officer will result in unnecessary and excessive force being used against them, according to the report. The report added:

The Baltimore Police Department uses unreasonable force against people who present little or no threat to officers or others. Specifically, B.P.D. uses excessive force against (1) individuals who are already restrained and under officers control and (2) individuals who are fleeing from officers and are not suspected of serious criminal offenses. Force used on restrained individuals: We found many examples of B.P.D. officers using unreasonable force on individuals who were restrained and no longer posed a threat to officers or the public.

 Cleveland

In May 2015, the Cleveland Police Department agreed to accept close federal oversight of its practices, including how and when its officers were allowed to use force.

The Justice Department found that the Cleveland police routinely used stun guns inappropriately, punched and kicked unarmed people and shot at people who posed no threat. The episodes were often unreported and not investigated, the inquiry found.

A case from 2012, described in the report, illustrates the problem.

An officers gun discharged when he struck a suspect in the head with it. The officer, who was off-duty and dressed in civilian clothes, observed what he believed to be a drug transaction take place involving two vehicles and about six suspects. The officer approached them without calling for backup and told them to leave. When Eric got out of one of the cars, the officer drew his handgun, pointed it at Eric, and ordered Eric to the ground, identifying himself as a C.D.P. officer but not showing a badge. A witness reported that she saw a man, later identified as the officer, holding a gun to Erics face while Eric asked repeatedly for the officer to show his badge and expressed disbelief that he was an officer.

 Ferguson

The Ferguson police used Tasers and dogs in excess on African-American suspects, according to the Justice Department report. In 2013, one black man was chased down and bitten by an officers dog even though the officer had frisked him and knew the man was unarmed. The officers supervisor later justified the use of force with a patently untrue statement, suggesting that the officer feared that the subject was armed, the report said.

 Albuquerque

The police used lethal force in 37 cases s from 2010 to 2014. In them, 23 people were killed and 14 were wounded, an usually high number for a city of about 550,000, the Justice Department report said.

Among the cases cited in that report: Police officers once fired a stun gun at a deranged man who had doused himself in gasoline, setting him ablaze. Another time, they fired one at a man who yelled, Bang, bang, as the officers approached. They also fired a stun gun at a 75-year-old homeless man for refusing to leave a bus stop, at a 16-year-old boy for refusing to lie on a floor covered in broken glass and at a young man so drunk he could not get up from a couch.
But that assertion did not satisfy some of the mayors critics. What is the mayor doing playing strip poker with 18-year-olds? said Michael Blower, 48, a City Council member and lifelong resident of Stockton. Whether or not hes guilty of all the crimes hes charged with, hes certainly guilty of poor judgment. And I just want my city to be able to heal, move on from this.

In an interview, a lawyer for Mr. Silva, Mark Reichel said that his client would ultimately be cleared of the charges. They forced these kids to say this stuff, Mr. Reichel said, accusing local and federal investigators of pressuring minors into saying they were naked and drinking as Mr. Silva recorded. They are drunk with power.

Image Anthony Silva, the mayor of Stockton, Calif., was arrested on charges he secretly recorded teenagers at a camp he operates for disadvantaged youths, provided alcohol to minors and child endangerment. Credit... Amador County Sheriffs Department

In an affidavit filed in the superior court of Amador County, investigators said that they had confiscated Mr. Silvas cellphone in 2015, and that they found 23 pictures and four videos from the camp. According to the document, one video features a clothed Mr. Silva being accompanied by four teenagers, including a 16-year-old boy, in various stages of undress.

Mr. Silva was elected in 2012, calling himself the peoples mayor and pledging to restore the citys reputation. A former chairman of the school board in Stockton, he also led the local Boys & Girls Club and has been active in a nonprofit organization called the Stockton Kids Club.

Known for less-than-typical political activities, Mr. Silva wore a gladiator helmet to deliver his first State of the City address, telling residents that he was ready to fight for them. This year, he was photographed in his bathrobe, hanging campaign signs around Stockton at 2 a.m.

Mr. Silva has run a sleep-away camp for a number of years, inviting at-risk youths for a week of bonfires and water sports. Campers, ages 7 to 17, sleep in cabins and can participate in a talent show. Parents pay on a sliding scale, with support from the Stockton Kids Club.
Hillary and Bill Clintons shift over the years from middle class to multimillionaires has been perhaps most pronounced in the places they have called home.

For 18 consecutive years, the Clintons lived in government-provided housing, from the Arkansas governors mansion to the White House. Should Mrs. Clinton win the presidency in November, they would become the first first couple to swap roles and return to the White House.

Heres a look at the Clintons homes over the years:

West Clinton Drive, Fayetteville, Ark.
On the campaign trail, Mr. Trump makes a show of embracing the association and its leadership, while accusing Mrs. Clinton of seeking to do away with the Second Amendment.

Were going to help the N.R.A., who are great people, he said on Tuesday in Fayetteville, N.C. Theyre fighting hard, theyre fighting hard. Chris and Wayne and all their people at the N.R.A., these are people that love our country.

The alliance with Mr. Trump comes at a moment of peril for the N.R.A. and its agenda, as Democrats threaten to take control of the Senate and polls show the public increasingly supportive of at least modest new limits on the sale and possession of firearms.

Mrs. Clinton and other Democrats have run explicitly against the N.R.A. in this election, attacking the gun lobby for opposing laws intended to restrict gun sales to people with mental illnesses or whose names are on the federal terrorism watch list. They have held up the N.R.A. as a uniquely sinister organization, and cast themselves as opponents of the group rather than of gun owners in general.
A federal appeals court on Wednesday blocked a lower court from allowing voters in Wisconsin to cast ballots without photo identification, stating that the lower court had been too lenient in loosening a state voter ID law that had already been declared discriminatory.

The injunction, issued by a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago, adds a new measure of confusion into a fierce battle over the 2011 law in a battleground state, three months before the presidential election.

But it did not affect a second federal court ruling in July that loosened Wisconsins photo ID law in a different manner: allowing any registered voter struggling to get one of the accepted forms of ID to obtain voting credentials at any state motor vehicle office. The July ruling also broadened the types of ID that college students can present at polling places.

The second ruling , which additionally struck down a host of other voting prerequisites as discriminatory, is also being appealed to the Seventh Circuit. It was unclear when the court would rule on that challenge.
Mary Knowlton knew that the key to enjoying retirement in Punta Gorda, Fla., was to stay active, her friends say, and they had no idea how she kept so busy. When she signed up for a citizens academy held by the local police department, she and her husband were among 35 people hoping to learn more about law enforcement tactics.

During the training on Tuesday, which drew community leaders, business employees and even the chief of the Punta Gorda Police Department, Ms. Knowlton was selected to participate in a shoot/dont shoot role-play exercise. But the session went terribly wrong.

Ms. Knowlton, 73, was accidentally shot and killed by a police officer, according to the authorities.

The police chief, Thomas P. Lewis, said at a news conference on Wednesday that Ms. Knowlton had been killed by an officer who fired a revolver that had been used before in the role-play exercise intended to teach people how to make decisions when confronted with lethal force.
CAIRO  The last days of the government of Hosni Mubarak and the turbulent revolution that followed were tense, occasionally gut-wrenching times for many in Egypt. But for gay and transgender Egyptians, it was also a period of unaccustomed freedom.

They socialized in bars and sidewalk cafes and met partners over cellphone dating apps with a greater degree of openness and comfort than they had known.

But that era came to an abrupt end with the return of military rule.

Since the 2013 military intervention that established former Gen. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as the countrys ruler, at least 250 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people have been arrested in a quiet crackdown that has shattered what had been an increasingly vibrant and visible community. Through a campaign of online surveillance and entrapment, arrests and the closing of gay-friendly businesses, the police have driven gay and transgender people back underground and, in many cases, out of the country.

Before the crackdown, there was no deliberate campaign of arrest and monitoring, said Dalia Abdel Hameed, a researcher at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights. But now the police are going out of their way to arrest gay men and trans women.
PRINCETON, N.J.  On summer days at Princeton University, children splash in a fountain next to an unlikely piece of art: 12 large bronze heads of animals sitting atop poles in a line.

The heads are arrayed between the fountain and the hall of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. The 10-foot installations range from the mythic (a dragon) to the prosaic (a rabbit and a snake). They are the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac, and the Chinese tour groups common here in the summer often stop to take photographs. Visitors delight in posing with the animal for their birth year.

The heads were designed around 2010 by the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, a frequent critic of his countrys Communist Party, and are replicas of the famous zodiac heads looted in the sacking of the Old Summer Palace, or Yuanmingyuan, by British and French soldiers in 1860. The originals were part of a water clock and were arranged around a fountain that European Jesuits had designed a century earlier for the court of the Qianlong Emperor.

Those original heads are now scattered around the world, with a handful kept in Beijing after being bought or recovered from their foreign owners by the state-owned China Poly Group Corporation, which has ties to the Chinese military. For many Chinese, the original heads symbolize the century of humiliation that China endured at the hands of Western and Japanese invaders starting in the late Qing dynasty.
We dont really have that here, said Fu Tianjiao, a stylist to the stars whose clients include Li Bingbing, Zhou Xun and Li Xiaolu, referring to the debate over whats appropriate to wear.

Image Nanci Zhang only wears these heels when she knows shell be able to sit. Credit... Kan Chaoqun/The New York Times

Maybe its because high heels didnt originate in China, Ms. Fu said.

Maybe in Britain there are traces of tradition like, We have always done this, so you have to do this,  she said. But in China its impossible, because so many of our fashions come from the outside.

And yet, historically, China saw the worlds greatest crimp on a womans feet: foot-binding.

For hundreds of years into the 20th century, families crushed a girls feet to achieve a golden lotus (about four inches long), a silver lotus (just over five inches) or the comparatively big iron lotus (more than six).

Today, Chinese names for heels are still colorful.

Extreme heels  about eight inches high and often with a platform at the front  are known as heaven-hating heels, or hentian gaogenxie ().

Stilettos, the heels named for an assassins knife, are lethal weapons, or xiongqi (). As in the West, they are sometimes associated with sexual fetishism.

Platform shoes are called water-prevention platforms, or fangshuitai (), a practical description  if a wearer can avoid falling over entirely.
BEIJING  Bowing to days of passionate street protests, a city government in eastern China said Wednesday that it had halted any plans to build a nuclear fuel plant there. The reversal was the latest indication of how public distrust could hold back Chinas ambitious plans for expanding its nuclear power industry.

The government of Lianyungang, a city near the coast of Jiangsu Province, announced the retreat in a terse message online. The peoples government of Lianyungang has decided to suspend preliminary work for selecting a site for the nuclear cycle project, it read, referring to a proposed plant for reprocessing used fuel from nuclear plants.

No reason was given, but it appeared clear enough. In recent days, residents have taken to the streets to oppose any decision to build the plant nearby. The main urban area of Lianyungang is just 20 miles southwest of a large and growing nuclear power plant on the coast, but the idea of a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility also being built in the area seemed to push public unease to a new height.

A 21-year-old Lianyungang resident with the surname Tang said Wednesday that demonstrators had been chanting Oppose nuclear waste, defend our home. Like other people contacted there, she did not want her full name used, citing fear of reprisal for talking to reporters.
Australia has halted online collection of national census data after a website where citizens could upload information was subjected to repeated cyberattacks.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics said its website had experienced four denial-of-service attacks, in which a torrent of automated requests is sent to overwhelm a site. The last attack, just after 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, contributed to the overloading of a router, which led to the decision that night to close down online data gathering.

The census, which occurs every five years, has been the subject of intense criticism and questions this year over whether the introduction of online data collection could leave Australians personal information at risk.

Australian officials said on Wednesday that the census system had not been infiltrated and that no data had been compromised.
Leaked documents published Wednesday reveal extensive details about the harsh conditions faced by asylum seekers who have tried to reach Australia by boat and are being held on the remote Pacific island of Nauru.

More than 2,000 incident reports, written by detention-center staff members and published by The Guardian, describe episodes of violence, including sexual assault, and self-harm. Most of the cases involved children, the newspaper said, although children made up just 18 percent of the people in detention at the time of the reports. The files extend from May 2013 to October 2015.

While the difficult conditions in the island nation have long been known, the documentation will give new evidence to opponents of Australias policies toward asylum seekers.

Under those policies, migrants who try to reach Australia by boat without a valid visa are held offshore in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Even if given refugee status, they are prevented from resettling in Australia.
Belgium has had repeated terrorism threats, as well as attacks and attempted attacks, in the last 18 months. On March 22, attackers connected to the Islamic State detonated at least three bombs targeting Brussels Airport in Zaventem and a nearby Metro station close to European Union offices in the city. The attack left 32 dead and more than 300 injured. On Saturday, a man attacked and wounded two police officers with a machete in the central Belgian town of Charleroi. The Islamic State said that the attacker, who was shot and later died from his wounds, was one of its soldiers.

While most news media reports suggested that the flights suspected of having bombs on them were operated by Scandinavian Airlines and originated in Oslo and Stockholm, the vice president for communications for Scandinavian Airlines, Karin Nyman, denied that was the case.

According to the airport in Belgium, the threat was directed at all incoming flights to Zaventem, Ms. Nyman said.

The reports that one of the flights was from Oslo appeared to surface after Bart Raes, a well-known Belgian journalist, who was on the flight from Oslo, posted a message on Twitter about the threat as soon as the plane landed.

In his Twitter posts, he wrote that about 20 minutes before landing, passengers were told that the pilots had received the bomb alert. The passengers were put in the picture and told that they would have to wait on board for 10 minutes after the plane landed, Mr. Raes wrote.
WROCLAW, Poland  Mayor Rafal Dutkiewicz of Wroclaw has presided over city hall in the magnificent old center since 2002. As he watches Polands politics take a rightward and nationalistic turn  a phenomenon playing out to varying degrees across much of Europe  Mr. Dutkiewicz, an early supporter of Solidarity, cites history ancient and modern to argue that Europe is good for Poland.

It makes everybody bigger, he said in an interview. We dont need to be alone  we are Europe.

In Poland, the biggest former Communist nation in the European Union and NATO, the question is whether the liberty and European identity that meant so much to those who toppled Communism carry the same value today. The question applies especially for young people with no memory of divided Europe and Soviet bloc oppression.

The debate is playing out in various ways across the country. It has a special resonance in Wroclaw, a city of 630,000 that brims with tourists, Polish and foreign, and is home to more than 130,000 students. This year, it is a European capital of culture, a title bestowed by Brussels on one or two cities each year that brings publicity, hundreds of millions of euros in subsidies and scores of special events.
MOSCOW  President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia accused the Ukrainian government on Wednesday of plotting terrorist attacks in Crimea, and threatened to respond. His Ukrainian counterpart called the accusations fantasies.

Mr. Putin, speaking at the Kremlin, said two Russian servicemen had been killed while confronting people he described as the plotters.

There is no doubt that we will not let these things pass, Mr. Putin said in remarks broadcast on state television.

But I would like to turn to our American and European partners, he said. I think it is clear now that todays Kiev government is not looking for ways to solve problems by negotiations, but is resorting to terror. This is a very worrying thing.
CAIRO  Pro-government Libyan militias backed by American air power said Wednesday that they had seized the Islamic States last stronghold in the country, in the seaside city of Surt.

If confirmed, the capture would be a severe blow to the militant organizations expansion into North Africa, and extend the string of territorial retreats it has suffered this year in Syria and Iraq.

Militia announcements quoted by Libyan news agencies and television outlets said the militia fighters were still hunting remnants of the Islamic State forces hiding in residential neighborhoods in Surt.

But the militias claimed to have taken the heavily fortified Ouagadougou Center, which the Islamic State had used as its headquarters.
MOSCOW  Russia said Wednesday that there would be daily three-hour cease-fires in the Syrian city of Aleppo starting on Thursday to allow aid convoys to enter the city safely, a proposal that the United Nations said it would consider.

The Syrian government and rebel forces control different portions of Aleppo. The rebel-held east, where about 250,000 people are thought to be living, was surrounded in early July after government forces cut the main supply route into the district.

On Friday, rebels staged a major assault southwest of Aleppo to break through the siege. Fighters managed to pierce the ring of government-controlled territory, but a safe corridor for civilians and aid has not yet been established as fierce fighting continues.

Speaking at a televised briefing, Lt. Gen. Sergei F. Rudskoi, a senior Russian Defense Ministry official, said the cease-fire would run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. local time.
Baldwin, dead since 1987 and an expatriate for many years before that, remains a talisman in the midst of American racial chaos. We keep digging him up whenever theres a crisis, laying eyes on his words for spiritual healing and affirmation. Even as someone who came to Baldwins work much later than most, I find that his thoughts are not only inescapable, but also seductive in their naked truth. It is a positive thing, then, that writers like Ta-Nehisi Coates and Jesmyn Ward have sought to follow Baldwins lead as they translate race in America in their own works.

Ward, the author of the National Book Award-winning novel Salvage the Bones and the memoir Men We Reaped, sought out Baldwins words after the teenager Trayvon Martin was shot to death by George Zimmerman in Sanford, Fla., in 2012. As news outlets covered Zimmermans trial on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges, Ward eventually put aside the catharsis of Twitter for The Fire Next Time and Baldwins Notes of a Native Son, where she found the relief and comfort she truly needed. She also found inspiration there.

Ward writes of it in the introduction to The Fire This Time, a stirring anthology that takes more cues from Baldwin than just its title. Inspired by the chronological structure of the two sections of The Fire Next Time, Ward organizes the poems, columns, essays and other ruminations in this collection into three sections confronting the past, present and future of blackness in America. I say blackness more than race or racism; the anthology cannot avoid these last two uglier constructions, but the joy and pain of existing while black is whats celebrated here. That is to the credit of Ward, and the writers (like Edwidge Danticat, Kiese Laymon and Isabel Wilkerson) whose works she arranges in this volume. Wrestling with her feelings about Zimmermans acquittal gave her the idea to gather new voices in one place, in a lasting, physical form, and provide a forum for those writers to dissent, to call to account, to witness, to reckon.

The first call to account, appropriate given the name of the volume, is for Baldwin himself. The journalist and essayist Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah, through the lens of her visit to Baldwins abandoned expatriate homestead in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France, explores her past reluctance to revere him in her essay The Weight. Ghansah had once been inclined during her youth to view Baldwin as a patron saint for black writers who seek to chronicle black experiences in a mostly white media universe. But soon, Ghansah writes, I quietly felt repelled by him  as if he were a home I had to leave to become my own. Its a healthy approach to take to heroes, and its the best way to plunge into this anthology. It seeks not to repeatedly dig up Baldwins legacy, but to provide a model for contextualizing and building upon it so that, perhaps, the man can finally rest in peace. This volume has found a new generation to carry the weight, hence the title of Ghansahs contribution.

The essay appeared earlier online, and about half of the work in this volume has also been previously published, like Wendy S. Walterss ponderous Lonely in America and Carol Andersons powerful White Rage. Yet what matters is not the amount of original material, but the books arrangement. As she describes biting into the bitter oranges from the tree on Baldwins property and writes about his black death at 63, Ghansah puts his humanity at the forefront. Thats a common theme throughout an anthology that deals with everything from the Charleston church shooting to OutKasts influence to Rachel Dolezals chicanery, all through a black lens that is still too rare in literature and elsewhere. The pain of black life (and death) often inspires flowery verse, but every poem and essay in Wards volume remains grounded in a harsh reality that our nation, at large, refuses fully to confront. In the spirit of Baldwins centering of black experiences, they force everyone to see things our way.
Kubo and the Two Strings (in theaters Aug. 19) may be the most ambitious film the stop-motion animation company Laika has made. It is a sweeping tale of a young Japanese boys adventures, featuring fierce samurai warriors battling evil spirits and journeys across oceans and harsh winter landscapes.

But the adventures begin with a little origami. The paper-folding art form is the centerpiece of a storytelling show that Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson) performs for his village.

If you must blink, do it now, he says as he begins. Then, using a guitar and a little magic, he brings sheets of paper to life as characters that act out a story. That narrative is a miniature version of the movies plot, which is the first of Laikas films to be directed by its president and chief executive, Travis Knight.

Using one frame from the film, here is a closer look at how the origami sequence came together, including commentary from Mr. Knight and one of the animators, Kevin Parry.
Last year was the 125th anniversary of his birth and its clear that Lovecraft is more studied and more hip than ever, certainly far more than during his relatively short life (he died at 46 in 1937). More than 2,000 people from around the world came last summer to a four-day NecronomiCon (named after a fictional book Lovecraft created) with more than 100 programs; the next convention is already being planned for Aug. 17 to 20, 2017.

Image H.P. Lovecraft was not widely appreciated during his brief writing career in the early 1900s, but his reputation has risen recently in the worlds of horror and science fiction literature.

This summer will see the city host the first H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival-Providence Aug. 19 to 21 (the weekend of his birthday), showing short and feature-length films based on his life and work, along with walking tours and Lovecraft-inspired gaming.

Lovecrafts higher visibility has come after a radical reassessment by literary critics. He has gone from an eccentric minor author of fantasy and horror tales for the pulp magazines of the 1920s to one of the seminal figures in the development of the horror and science fiction genres. He is credited as an influence on many writers, including Stephen King and Robert Bloch, best known as the writer of Psycho. As Lovecrafts reputation has grown in recent years, so has the recognition that some of his writing was racist; as a result, the World Fantasy Awards last year stopped using his face as a model for their trophy.

In his lifetime, Lovecrafts work gained little attention. He worked ceaselessly, spending his days and nights writing stories with layered and complicated prose, and he was paid a pittance to rewrite the fiction of others. On top of that, he spent many hours each day writing letters to fans and favorite correspondents. Estimates are that he wrote a staggering 80,000 letters in his lifetime.

When he wasnt writing, Lovecraft was known for taking long walks. His fiction, full of high-styled descriptions based on many Providence places, shows that he must have been looking and thinking hard on those rambles.
NYTimes.com no longer supports Internet Explorer 9 or earlier. Please upgrade your browser.
Panel discussion on gagging of education, science and medical professionals

The growing pressure on professionals such as teachers, scientists and doctors to toe the party line is being discussed at forums in Auckland tomorrow and Wellington on Friday.NZEI Te Riu Roa has brought together a group of medical, scientific and teaching professionals to discuss the importance of being able to speak out on behalf of patients, children, asylum seekers and other vulnerable groups.Deputy Principal and Queensland Teachers Union representative Jessica Walker will be joining outspoken professionals from New Zealand to talk about the rights and responsibilities of professionals to speak out on issues affecting key issues such as human rights, equity and the environment.Weve seen a number of cases in recent times where there have been very real attempts to muzzle professionals when findings have not supported government policy, said NZEI National President Louise Green.This has been obvious in the scientific community where a large number of projects and research areas are reliant on government or corporate funding.As a teacher, Jessica Walker has been outspoken in supporting refugee or asylum-seeking students, despite legislation such as the Border Force Act that prohibits workers from speaking out about atrocities in detention centres in Australia.Professionals in Australia, including doctors, have been prepared to flout this law and are now challenging it in the High Court.Any attempt to gag professionals erodes our democracy and means that the public misses out on important information, said Ms Green.It is vitally important that we remain vigilant and do not allow the rights and responsibilities of professionals to be undermined.The public is welcome to attend the discussions:
Jimmy Baker has been appointed the acting chancellor of the Alabama Community College System.

Bakers temporary promotion, from chief-of-staff to chancellor, was approved by the two-year systems board of trustees at a meeting Wednesday at John C. Calhoun Community College in Tanner.

Chancellor Mark Heinrich formally requested to be placed on medical leave in a letter written Tuesday because he is suffering from an autoimmune disorder associated with the onset of Shingles.

My prognosis for a full recovery is yet to be determined and no time frame for my return can currently be medically determined, Heinrich wrote in the letter. At this time, the combination of the medication therapy and the symptoms of this severe health condition have simply rendered me incapable of performing my duties and responsibilities as chancellor.

Baker, a former lobbyist for the two-year system, takes on Heinrichs duties after a planned merger between Southern Union, Central Alabama, and Chattahoochee Valley community colleges were halted in July. Meanwhile, the board approved the next step in a merger of Alabama Southern Community College based in Monroeville, Jefferson Davis Community College based in Brewton and Falkner State Community College in based in Bay Minette with the new institution to be called Coastal Alabama Community College.

During his absence, and through these weeks, there have been so many situations that have come up this week that are too important not to be handled properly by the office of the system, said Al Thompson, board of trustees vice president. We hope this will be short term, but I think its very necessary to provide proper leadership.

Before the vote, Thompson asked Roger Bates, a lawyer with the law firm the two-year system has paid more than $3.5 million in legal fees since 2007, Hand Arendall LLC, if appointing Baker as acting chancellor was appropriate.

Oh, yes sir, Bates said.

Baker told the board at first he had some second thoughts about taking the position.

But Im willing to do what the board pleases that I do, Baker said. Im not good at going to bed and sleeping. I think theres so much that can be done and must be done for the system. That we need to move forward and with your help and support in that process as diligently as I can.

At the end of the meeting, Thompson thanked Baker for stepping into the chancellors office while Heinrich was recovering.

I believe were so fortunate to have someone of Dr. Bakers experience and good judgement to fill in in the chancellors absence, Thompson said.
The city of Laguna Niguel has banned new sober-living homes in residential neighborhoods  at least for now.

The City Council recently voted to place a 45-day moratorium on the opening of new congregate living facilities that arent licensed by the state, while city staff explores ways to regulate them. The temporary ban applies only to residential zones and could be extended up to two years.

Existing facilities arent affected unless they want to expand their buildings, said Assistant City Manager Daniel Fox.

The city has actively been monitoring the situation regarding congregate living facilities, Mayor Laurie Davies said in a prepared statement. Based upon the knowledge we have acquired recently, we had no choice other than to institute a moratorium on such facilities while our staff provides options for future consideration.

Orange County has seen a spike in the number of alcohol and drug addiction treatment facilities in residential neighborhoods, and cities are seeking ways to regulate them.

The county accounts for more than 15 percent of state-sanctioned rehab facilities, according to figures from the Department of Health Care Services. In addition, there are sober-living homes that dont provide treatment and dont need licenses or approval to open anywhere in California, as long as the occupants operate as a single housekeeping unit.

Over the past year, Laguna Niguel has received an increasing number of complaints about such non-licensed facilities in residential neighborhoods, according to a city staff report. Residents complain about overcrowding, second-hand smoke, noise, loitering and drug overdoses by facility members and discarded drug paraphernalia.

The legality of cities to regulate these types of facilities is unclear and complex.

Cities cannot regulate state-licensed residential care and treatment facilities serving six or fewer residents, nor can they regulate living arrangements in which the occupants operate as a single housekeeping unit, according to the city staff report. However, the report says cities can regulate quasi-commercial living arrangements in residential zones.

Newport Beach and Costa Mesa gained attention after they passed laws regulating sober-living homes in residential neighborhoods.

Newport Beach in July ended up paying a $5.25 million settlement, plus $4 million in legal fees, after three sober-living facilities sued the city.

Costa Mesa shut down 33 sober living homes and counseling centers after the city reached a settlement with operator Solid Landings Behavioral Health. A judge has upheld the city law that asks for a 650-foot buffer between sober living homes and keeps them out of residential neighborhoods.

The Laguna Niguel City Council voted 5-0 in favor of approving the moratorium during the Aug. 2 meeting, saying the action gives city staff time to study, review and draft ordinances regarding the issue.

Staff will explore distance requirements between sober-living homes, a code of conduct, nuisance definitions and a registration process including fees, officials said.

Then the Planning Commission will study the item and draft the proposed ordinance for the City Council to consider. The council is expected to extend the moratorium for at least 10 months and 15 days to give enough time for city staff, Fox said Monday.
IRVINE  The citys review last year of more than $250 million spent developing a small portion of the Orange County Great Park lacked transparency and fairness in overseeing the consultants who worked on it, according to a report released Tuesday by the state auditors office.

The scathing 69-page report says the standards under which Irvine chose to conduct the review were less rigorous than industry standards that ensure independent analysis.

Also, the city didnt follow its policies for awarding a key contract related to the review and allowed consultants to start work without final approvals, which led to excessive costs, according to the report.

As a result, Irvine spent about $1.7 million related to the park review in a manner that compromised the reviews credibility, the state auditor writes in the report titled, Poor Governance of the $1.7 Million Review of the Orange County Great Park Needlessly Compromised the Reviews Credibility.

In a response letter to the state auditor, however, Irvine officials point out that the audit shows the city didnt violate any state laws and regulations. And some of the reports conclusions go outside the scope of the audit goals and lack evidence, they said.

Councilwoman Christina Shea said Tuesday that auditors didnt find any flaw with the park review itself and instead criticized the citys policies without knowledge on how local government works.

I think their title was very inflammatory, nothing close to the conclusions brought forward, said Shea, who oversaw the citys park review. The report wasnt as negative as it appears. A lot of it was subjective, opinion-based.

The audit was initiated by Democratic Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez of San Diego in August 2015 on behalf of Gafcon, a project management firm in her district that was a Great Park contractor. The company said it was unfairly vilified in the citys audit.

THE FIRST AUDIT

Irvines decade-long effort to develop the Great Park on the former U.S. Marine Corps Air Station El Toro base came under scrutiny during the 2012 election cycle, which shifted the City Council majority from Democrats to Republicans.

The newly elected council retained Hagen, Streiff, Newton & Oshiro, Accountants in 2013 to find out how money had been spent developing 88 acres of the 1,347-acre site. The city brought in law firm Aleshire & Wynder and a retired judge the following year to assist the investigation.

The council created an advisory subcommittee and appointed Shea and Councilman Jeff Lalloway to oversee the review.

The consultants reported in 2015 that a lack of a realistic, detailed budget was among the factors that doomed the Great Park project as it was originally envisioned.

The firms didnt find any criminal activity after deposing more than 23 people and reviewing the parks finances. But they said personal connections between former Councilman Larry Agran and some of the contractors and consultants on the project have raised the appearance of impropriety.

Agran has accused Shea and Lalloway of directing the process for political purposes, an assertion they have denied.

The citys spending on the audit rose to more than $1.5 million from the initial cost of $240,000.

STATE AUDITORS FINDINGS

After nearly a year on Tuesday, the state auditors office released its findings, as well as the citys response to them. Here are additional highlights:

 In selecting a consulting firm, the city increased the scores for Hagen, Streiff, Newton & Oshiro toward the end of the process. The city based a big portion of its evaluation on the bidders interview performance, even though the request for proposal did not list it as a criterion.

 The city structured its request for proposal so that it nearly ensured the winner would receive another contract without having to undergo a competitive bidding process. Hagen, Streiff, Newton & Oshiro received a $400,000 contract partly based on recommendations from its own initial report.

 The city should have discussed and decided the park review at open council meetings, instead of the advisory subcommittee, to ensure transparency.

Greater transparency could have increased public confidence in the process of selecting and monitoring the consultants that conducted the review and in the results, the report states.

Irvine officials said the report presented no evidence to demonstrate that the citys handling of the review diminished public confidence in it. The city broadcast presentations by the consultants on TV and published documents on the website, they said.

Also, many of the reports recommendations lack sources and supporting data why they are best practices, city officials said.

The citys response letter was approved by four of the five council members with Councilwoman Beth Krom dissenting.

The (state) auditor may not have liked the process, but there was nothing wrong about the review, Shea said. We did follow the proper process, and Im pleased with our effort.
Costa Mesa-based Karma Automotive will debut the Revero, its new luxury plug-in sedan, Sept. 8 in Laguna Beach.

The automaker, formed from the failed Fisker Automotive, this week revealed some of its sales strategy, which will use a company-owned brand experience store along with 10 third-party dealerships to sell and service the Revero across the U.S.

The companys first store will be in Orange County, although the location has not been revealed.

Dealerships for the car are in Pasadena; Atlanta; Chicago; Fort Worth, Texas; Palm Beach, Fla.; Miami; Philadelphia; Detroit; Montreal; and Toronto.

There are advantages to both dealer and company-owned locations. There are also a multitude of regional, legal and business considerations that make one or the other more attractive, Joost de Vries, vice president of Karma sales and service, said in a statement.

More details about the Revero, in production in Moreno Valley, are expected to be released later this week.

No images of the car have been revealed by the company.

Jim Taylor, the companys chief marketing officer, told Automotive News the luxury plug-in sedan would be priced above $100,000. The exact price will be announced at the cars invitation-only launch event.

Fisker, founded in 2007, was funded in part with $528 million in U.S. Department of Energy loans. It sold 1,800 Karmas in the U.S. and Europe before battery problems, recalls and the bankruptcy of its battery supplier led to its own bankruptcy in 2013.

Original production plans called for the sale of 10,000 Karmas annually  a target that was never met, despite high-profile sales to celebrities such as Justin Bieber and Leonardo DiCaprio.

The company was acquired by Chinese auto parts company Wanxiang Group Corp. for roughly $150 million in 2014.

Wanxiang Group is planning to produce electric cars in Hangzhou, China. The company is spending about $375 million to build a factory capable of manufacturing 50,000 cars a year. Cars produced will include the Karma and Atlantic.

Bloomberg News

contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: hmadans@ocregister.com or Twitter: @HannahMadans
SANTA ANA  Three people have been convicted in a pair of Orange County prostitution cases.

Kurtis Chappell, 23, Fresno, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of pimping and pandering by procuring, and a misdemeanor count of driving a motor vehicle without a license, according to the Orange County District Attorneys Office.

Chappell was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison for pimping two women he drove from Fresno to Orange County to solicit commercial sex. He was arrested at a Costa Mesa motel on July 26, prosecutors said.

On Friday, an Orange County Superior Court jury convicted Jarrod Neil Cross, 29, of Sacramento, and Saquila Collete Osborne, 32, of Rancho Cordova, of one count each of human trafficking, kidnapping to commit robbery, first-degree robbery, and assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury.

Cross was also found guilty of one count of pimping and one felony count of pandering, prosecutors said.

Between September 2014 and August 2015, Cross pimped a woman for sex and kept the money she received, prosecutors said.

In addition, Cross and Osborne trafficked another woman for prostitution in Stanton.

Osborne and Cross face a maximum of life in prison when they are sentenced Sept. 30.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7767 sschwebke@ocregister.com Twitter: @thechalkoutline
One of three inmates accused of breaking out of Orange County Jail this year had photos and video on an iPhone showing the planning and actual escape, his lawyer says in court records.

Also recorded were activities during the eight days the defendants were on the run and footage of a taxi driver who allegedly was commandeered to drive them around, the attorney says in a four-page filing.

In the court document, attorney Salvatore Ciulla and his client, Hossein Nayeri, contend there is a lot more content from the seized cellphone that has not been turned over to the defense in a proper format.

It appears to defendant that some content may have been deleted prior to or during the examination process, or at least not transferred and copied, Ciulla says in his filing.

The content in the phone, in the form of photographs and video, has a tendency to show the Orange County Sheriffs Department in a less-than-favorable light, and is at best embarrassing to the department, and may provide a motive to conceal some of the content, he adds.

However, in a statement Tuesday, the Sheriffs Department says it has provided every piece of discovery requested by the defense and the Orange County District Attorneys Office and will continue to comply with any discovery requests and/or court orders.

Nayeri, 37, Bac Duong, 44, and Jonathan Tieu, 20, escaped from the Orange County Central Mens Jail on Jan. 22 after they crawled through jailhouse pipelines and repelled off of a roof using a rope made of bed sheets.

A week later, Duong turned himself in, while Nayeri and Tieu were captured in San Francisco the following day.

Nayeri, a former U.S. Marine suspected by authorities as the mastermind, apparently had documentation of the escape on an iPhone seized from him by authorities after his capture.

The contents of the phone include photographs and video of defendant and others inside the jail prior to the escape, escape preparations, and the actual escape itself, Ciulla says in the document filed July 18 in Orange County Superior Court.

A judge has granted Ciullas request to appoint a digital forensic expert to examine the phones contents for the defense. The forensic expert, Mark Eskridge, a former Fountain Valley police officer, was to help determine whether any files were deleted and, if so, whether they could be recovered.

Ciulla, who could not be reached for comment Tuesday, says in his filing that it was believed the escapes planning lasted several months.

Nayeri, Duong and Tieu face charges of kidnapping and escape from custody. The trio are due back in court for a pretrial hearing Sept. 23.

All three were also accused of violent crimes prior to their escape.

Duong was charged with attempted murder; Tieu was charged with murder and attempted murder; and Nayeris charges, which included torture, aggravated mayhem and two counts of kidnapping, stemmed from accusations that he kidnapped a marijuana store owner and severed his penis.

Two men, both acquainted with Duong, have been charged with helping the inmates escape: Loc Ba Nguyen was accused of smuggling tools that aided in the escape, while Tung Nguyen was accused of giving the men beer and money after their breakout.

Contact the writer: kpuente@ocregister.com; 714-834-3773
SAN BERNARDINO  The $275,000 in life insurance policies taken out by San Bernardino terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook naming his mother as beneficiary are subject to government seizure, a federal judge has ruled.

Instead of going to Rafia Farook, the money has been deposited with the court clerk, where it will be held until further orders.

The Los Angeles U.S. Attorneys Offices civil asset forfeiture lawsuit said the government wanted to use the insurance money for the surviving victims of the attack and the family members of those who died.

In June, Minnesota Life Insurance alleged in a federal lawsuit that Rafia Farook knew of her sons attack plans and should not be entitled to the $275,000 in benefits. She was the prime beneficiary for the two policies.

The judges order in the forfeiture case did not address the insurance companys lawsuit claim that Rafia Farook knew of the attack.

She lived in the Redlands apartment with her 28-year-old son, a San Bernardino County health inspector, and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, at the time of the Dec. 2 attack at the Inland Regional Center that killed 14 and wounded 22. The couple died in a shootout with law enforcement later the same day.
SAN FRANCISCO  A federal jury has found Californias largest utility guilty of obstructing investigators about how it was identifying high-risk pipelines after a deadly gas line explosion in the Bay Area.

The jury returned its verdict Tuesday against Pacific Gas & Electric Co.

The blast of the natural gas pipeline six years ago killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes.

During the investigation that followed, prosecutors say, the San Francisco-based utility misled federal officials about the standard it was using to identify high-risk pipelines.

PG&E said its employees did the best they could with ambiguous regulations they struggled to understand.

The stakes in the case fell dramatically when prosecutors recently decided not to pursue a potential $562 million penalty if the company was found guilty.
LOS ANGELES  A serial killer known as the Grim Sleeper was sentenced to death Wednesday for the murders of nine women and a teenage girl that went unsolved for years as the body count grew in a poor section of Los Angeles haunted by the scourge of crack cocaine.

Lonnie Franklin Jr. was sentenced in Los Angeles County Superior Court after emotional family members of his victims spoke about the pain they had endured for decades.

I cant think of anyone Ive encountered in all my years in the criminal justice system that has committed the monstrous crimes that you have, Judge Kathleen Kennedy told Franklin.

The killings occurred over more than two decades during the crack epidemic, and community members complained that police didnt seriously investigate because the victims were black and poor and many were drug users and prostitutes.

Franklin, 63, a former trash collector and onetime garage attendant for Los Angeles police, denied any role in the killings to investigators but didnt utter a word in his defense during his lengthy trial.

Prosecutors connected him to the crimes through DNA, ballistics, photos and the words of the sole known survivor, who managed to get away after being shot. A Polaroid photo of her partly nude and bleeding from her wound was found in Franklins garage after his arrest.

Nearly three decades after the attack, the survivor, Enietra Washington, pointed out her assailant in court, saying, Thats the person who shot me.

Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman said Franklins motive was doing evil, and his degrading, calculated and brutal crimes had destroyed many lives.

This defendant is completely irredeemable, Silverman wrote in her sentencing brief. He is a psychopathic, sadistic serial killer who takes joy in inflicting pain on women and killing them.

Franklins attorneys had suggested a mystery man was the real killer and asked jurors to spare the defendants life.

Defense lawyer Seymour Amster said in court filings that the death verdict should be set aside because prosecutors introduced evidence that Franklin killed four other women, though he was never charged with those crimes.

Amster also asked for a new trial because he said Silverman engaged in prosecutorial misconduct by rolling her eyes in a way that mocked the defense in front of the jury and elicited snickers from family members of the victims.

Silverman said they were unsubstantiated allegations and accused Amster of bullying tactics, name-calling and dishonesty.

Petty sniping and name calling between Amster and Silverman were on display long before the jury was seated and continued throughout the long-running case.

The exasperated judge said the two seemed to have a vendetta against each other and she feared World War III would break out in her courtroom.

I want you to stop it, she blurted at one point. Im sick and tired of it.

Franklin sat upright and attentive throughout the trial, rarely speaking with his lawyers and showing no emotion as the verdicts were read. None of his family showed up in court.

He was convicted of killing seven women between 1985 and 1988 and the 15-year-old girl and two women between 2002 and 2007. Most of the women were fatally shot at close range, though two were strangled and two were shot and choked.

The killer earned his moniker because of the apparent hiatus, which police once theorized was due to being imprisoned or laying low.

Now, though, authorities say they dont think he ever rested and may have committed far more than the 14 killings they outlined in court, which included the four deaths he wasnt charged with committing.

When a task force re-examined the old cases following the 2007 killing, DNA from Franklins son showed similarities to genetic evidence found on some of the victims.

A detective posing as a busboy at a pizza parlor collected utensils and crusts while Franklin was attending a birthday party. Lab results connected him to some of the bodies and led to his arrest.
In the wonderful but sometimes wacky world of the internet, rumors that too often masquerade as fact spread with the speed of thumbs.

This Saturdays Solidarity March in Irvine is too significant to fall to such a fate. Its also too important for you to miss.

The march is a key effort to help lead Orange County and this nation away from suspicion and fear and toward peace and understanding.

Yes, coming together for peace may sound like a bunch of hippie malarkey. But make no mistake, its time to step up and out.

Even after the false rumor that the march was headed up by Black Lives Matter, every police chief in Orange County voted to support the effort.

Yes, in an era of troubling videos of police shootings and the assassination of at least eight officers this summer, all lives matter.

A few days ago, I attended the memorial service for a San Diego police officer shot and killed while on duty. Along with more than 4,000 men and women in uniform, Officer Jonathan De Guzmans wife was there. His children were there.

Big, tough cops cried.

But that was then. This is now. Instead of crying, its time to march together  regardless of the color of your skin or uniform.

COALITION OF FAITH

The diversity of Saturdays 1.2-mile march promises a painters palette. I have talked to Asians, Caucasians, Latinos and African Americans who will be there.

The Rev. Mark Whitlock of Christ Our Redeemer Church, a mostly black church in Irvine, heads up the effort. He expects to be joined by other Christians as well as Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, Sikhs and educators such as UCI Vice Chancellor Thomas Parham.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange has gone so far as to throw its considerable weight behind the effort and has encouraged the public to attend by quoting a statement from U.S. bishops: Any politics of human dignity must seriously address issues of racism.

Bishop Kevin Vann said he is uniting with Whitlock in solidarity through the streets of Irvine in a show of commitment to end racism and senseless violence.

RockHarbor Church, with ministries in Costa Mesa, Mission Viejo, Fullerton, Huntington Beach and Orange, banners the march on its website. It would be so powerful to see all of our communities out there together, it says.

Of the march, RockHarbor says, Recently, many have felt burdened and saddened by the recent events in our country but without clear direction of what to do beyond prayer. This is an easy yet powerful action step we can take.

Other leaders and organizations supporting the march include The Cloud Church with pastor Jason Aguilar, Orange County Interfaith Network, Japanese American Citizens League and the Anti-Defamation League, as well as Bishop Thomas Thorkelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The list keeps growing.

LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT

Last week, the Orange County police chiefs association had its monthly meeting. In an unprecedented move, the heads of law enforcement unanimously decided to support the march.

Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, Huntington Beach police Chief Robert Handy and Irvine police Chief Mike Hamel are among the chiefs who have indicated they will come.

Personally, Hamel said, I believe my participation in this march is important to demonstrate my genuine desire to work in cooperation with our diverse communities.

Los Alamitos police Chief Eric R. Nunez said he has a scheduling conflict in the morning but expects to attend the post-march dialogue at Christ Our Redeemer Church.

Nunez is the head of the chiefs association and reported a swell of support at the meeting. Its not supporting any group or church, he said. Its truly a solidarity march.

We want to make sure our lines of communication are open in Orange County. This is a perfect opportunity to build unity across our diverse communities.

Nunez allowed there were some initial concerns about security, but those have been resolved. This is a well-managed and secure route, he said.

ALL LIVES MATTER

The idea for the Irvine march was born more than a month ago. Early on and in an effort for inclusivity, Black Lives Matter, among other organizations, got a shout-out on a flier.

Fingers flew, and suddenly and incorrectly, the movement was dubbed by some as a Black Lives Matter march.

In some respects, that shouldnt matter. Black Lives Matter has served America well. Three years ago, it pointed out that injustice remains a half-century after the civil rights movement and that much work needs to be done.

Still, after bullets last month pierced the thin blue line in Dallas and again in Baton Rouge, La., I called for the Black Lives slogan to be updated to All Lives Matter.

Rusty Kennedy is a longtime, tireless and dogged advocate of human rights and is chief executive of the nonprofit OC Human Relations. He said the early flier was embryonic and the message quickly evolved.

My own take on Black Lives Matter, Kennedy said, is of course all lives matter  blue lives matter.

The only reason to call one out in particular, he continued, is because if you look at police shootings and you start to look at these deaths and unemployment and poverty together, its not too big a leap to say, Hey, dont forget.

The current flier for the march states that its a peaceful response to acts of violence against disenfranchised communities; restores and affirms trust in public servants; builds solidarity across color and faith lines.

TOWN HALL

At Christ Our Redeemer, Whitlock made a special effort this week to emphasize that the message of the march is simple: Orange County solidarity.

The church, the reverend noted, stands firmly behind the police agencies of Orange County and our country. These men and women sacrifice life and limb to protect us.

At the same time, he said, there are challenges in the midst of celebrations of their service. We need dialogue about mistakes made by some police officers against African American men.

Whitlock offered: There is an implicit bias that we all have toward different people. The question is, How do we have this discussion about working together?

Answering his own question, Whitlock said that is the purpose of the town hall-style meeting after the march.

See you Saturday.

Contact the writer: dwhiting@scng.com
Costa Mesa Sanitary District officials say they oppose the Orange County Board of Supervisors decision Tuesday to allow its customers not in the Mesa Water District to vote in November on a possible merger of the two agencies.

The boards 5-0 vote will add 8,000 sanitation district customers not serviced by Mesa Water to a non-binding ballot initiative to see if the public supports the consolidation.

Mesa Water made the request so it could receive a broader consensus of opinion, said Stacy Taylor, external affairs manager for Mesa Water.

We found out that we could only ask our service area within our jurisdiction and we thought that doesnt tell the full story, Taylor said. In order to get the full opinion of all impacted stakeholders, we wanted to broaden the audience.

Sanitary district officials said after the meeting they will discuss possible legal action over the ballot initiative and proposed merger at their Aug. 16 meeting.

The board is considering next week if were going to seek judge approval striking the bulk of the language out of the ballot, said district General Manager Scott Carroll.

Mesa Water first proposed the idea of a merger in an April letter. A study commissioned by Mesa Water said ratepayers would save $15.6 million, which they would received in the form of $650 rebates.

Carroll said his agency is willing to discuss consolidation, but felt the process has moved too fast and that the study was flawed.

Do you want a $650 rebate, a 20 percent reduction in your rates? Whos going to say no to that? Carroll said. Now we know why they were moving so fast. They have until Aug. 12 to get this on the ballot.

Taylor has said that Arcadis U.S., the company hired to perform the study, used public documents, financial reports and the sanitary districts website to gather their financial and organizational information.

In a memo to Carroll last month, a sanitary district treasurer highlighted what sanitary district officials said were several flaws and inaccuracies in the study.

The Costa Mesa Sanitary District provides trash collection and sewer services to around 116,700 people. The Mesa Water District provides water to 110,000 customers in Costa Mesa, parts of Newport Beach and a portion of unincorporated Orange County.

Taylor said Mesa Water felt it was only fair to allow customers living in the sanitary district area to have a voice on the matter.

We went before the board to not support or refute the ballot measure, but just to allow the broader full population to weight in the question beyond the water service area, she said.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2478 or lcasiano@ocregister.com
Few people can resist the allure of stargazing on a beautiful night, when you can feel the universe stretch infinitely before you and enjoy a Milky Way that isnt covered in chocolate.

Everyone knows that you need really dark skies, away from light pollution, to see the stars most clearly. But another crucial factor is dry air, because the atmosphere is thinner, allowing you to see farther. And, of course, clear skies, with no cloud cover.

Thats why desert sites tend to be the best for stargazing, especially at higher altitudes where the air is even thinner. Its also nice to have a 360 degree panorama, so you can see the most sky.

And note that, right now, Perseid meteor showers are flaming through the night sky until Aug. 24, with colorful flare displays nightly. Its peak is Aug. 11-13. (Try to avoid Aug. 18, when the full moon will interfere with your viewing.)

You might miss the meteor showers, but all national parks will be free to visit four days, Aug. 25-28, so still a good chance to get in some free stargazing.

Here are some affordable places to go only a short drive away.

Joshua Tree National Park

Only two hours away, stargazers flock to Joshua Tree for its dark, clear skies. Sadly, the San Bernardino County supervisors arent doing what they should to protect the dark skies here, despite pleas from locals, but its still a great accessible place to go, especially for special events like meteor showers, which attract visitors from the entire region.

Joshua Trees Night Sky Festival this year will be held Oct. 28-30, bringing together astronomy buffs, scientists, artists and more. And note that the isolated Joshua Tree Lake RV Campground, out on the flat terrain north of town, offers a series of Astronomy Arts Theater nights for only $5. Check their website or sign up for advance notice.

Lodging: My favorite affordable place to stay is the Pioneertown Motel in nearby Pioneertown, which also has the advantage of being next to a great roadhouse. I also like the Travelodge Inn in adjacent Yucca Valley, which used to be the Yucca Inn. Simple but decent. Cheapest options in town include the High Desert Motel and the Safari Motor Inn, both of which are clean but very basic. Beware of getting a room next to Marines from the nearby 29 Palms marine base, who occasionally rent rooms to party. Love you, Marines, but you party too hard.

Camping: I once arrived at a site in the Black Rock area late at night, only to find campers with a huge telescope already there, waiting to watch a meteor shower. They grumpily moved on after I pointed out their telescope was parked on the space I needed to pitch my tent. You can reserve two different campgrounds here in advance  Black Rock and Indian Cove  up to six months in advance at Recreation.gov. Winter and spring reservations are essential. Other park campgrounds are first come, first served, but dont show up on Friday night expecting to get a spot.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

These parks are internationally recognized for their stargazing, and even have an annual night skies festival presented by the National Parks Service, including viewings with telescopes, constellation tours, activities for kids, model rocket building, nature walks and more. This years festival is over, but check back for next August.

Meanwhile, the Wuksachi Lodge is a good spot for stargazing, and is co-sponsoring events including a free Wonders of the Night Sky event on Aug. 17, 19, 20, 24, 25 and 27 that includes stories about the constellations and guided viewing. Show up at the lodge lobby at 9 p.m., its not limited to lodge guests. Visit their website.

I also like the modest, rustic family-friendly Montecito Sequoia Lodge outside the park, where rates include three meals a day and activities too.

Death Valley National Park

This isolated desert park is one of the best places for stargazing in the United States. In fact, it was the third park ever designated as an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark-Sky Association.

You probably dont want to go in summer, when its often 120 degrees, but in winter and spring, park rangers hold moon and star programs, including setting up telescopes on dark nights when theres little moon.

Theres a free Star Party coming up Oct. 28-29 at the Furnace Creek Inn, in partnership with the Las Vegas and Ventura County astronomical societies. You dont have to be a guest to enjoy. Their winter Star Party is scheduled for Jan. 27-28, if you want to stay at the inn, reserve now.

Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles

This free observatory in Griffith Park hosts free public star parties monthly from 2 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. Note that the city lights of Los Angeles below hamper the stargazing, so youre not going to see an amazing show with the naked eye, but astronomy buffs set up telescopes where the whole family can see interesting astronomical objects and planets. Get there early to get in line. Upcoming star parties are Sept. 10, Oct. 8, Nov. 5 and Dec. 10. And, of course, the observatory has interesting exhibits and programs every day. Most things are free, planetarium shows cost a few bucks. Learn more: griffithobservatory.org.

Outside of California

Want to stargaze in other locations?

We saw some great meteor showers in New Mexico, where the thin air makes for great viewing. The Chaco Culture National Historical Park might be the most interesting place you never heard of, weve been there three times. Not only is it an ancient archeological site, but it has an astronomical observatory and numerous viewing parties throughout the year, including at each equinox. Learn more: Call 505-786-7014 or visit Nps.gov/chcu/planyourvisit/nightsky.htm

And Utah has several certified IDA Dark Sky Parks, including Canyonlands and Capitol Reef national parks, Dead Horse Point State Park, Natural Bridges National Monument and Weber County North Fork Park.

Got a good travel tip for me? Or a suggestion? Email me at mfisher@ocregister.com. I love to hear from readers.
Strong evidence shows several arms of California government are in urgent need of major ethical fixes, beginning with the Public Utilities Commission, the Energy Commission and the Coastal Commission, to name just three powerful agencies.

But even the smallest and most obvious reforms are consistently met with vetoes, legislative detours and other obfuscation despite the pious rhetoric of powerful politicians from Gov. Jerry Brown down to back-benchers in the Legislature.

The pattern began last year, when Brown vetoed a batch of proposed changes for the PUC, including creating an inspector general for the almost untouchable agency that oversees electric and natural gas safety and prices. Brown nixed a ban on private contact between PUC commissioners and executives of the big utility companies they regulate, while often acting like rubber stamps. These are known as ex parte communications.

The drive for a ban on ex partes for the PUC followed revelations of a secret deal between a former PUC president (now under criminal investigation) and officials of Southern California Edison that stuck consumers with the bulk of costs for shutting down the San Onofre nuclear power plant. There were also private contact between PUC commissioners and Pacific Gas and Electric on both rates and the consequences of the fatal 2010 San Bruno gas pipeline explosion.

This year, legislators proposed a similar ban on ex parte communications by the Coastal Commission, which rules on virtually all development along the states scenic coastline. This came after several commissioners admitted having secret meetings, emails and phone calls with developers on whose projects they were to vote.

For months, passage of a ban seemed assured; it easily cleared the state Senate. If passed, the bill would prohibit ex parte communications between commissioners and anyone else with a financial stake in agency business.

This would be a nice start, many consumers believe, with similar bans also needed for many other state boards and commissions. So far, not one such ban has been signed by Gov. Brown.

Now the Coastal Commission ex parte ban has run afoul of an analysis by the state Natural Resources Agency that found the commission would need six new employees at a yearly cost of about $150,000 each. That department, under Gov. Browns direct authority, also backed the contention by some commissioners that ex parte communications help greatly in their work.

Two facts are relevant here: One is that the expense  $900,000  for six new employees who would presumably police their bosses is a fraction of the building cost for just one typical new coastal home. Its a pittance for keeping commissioners honest and fair. The other fact is that wealthy coastal developers can hire lobbyists whose fees are usually beyond the means of conservationists. Thats why most Coastal Commission ex parte communications are one-sided renditions of property owner interests.

Nevertheless, allegedly because of its financial impact, the bill has been placed in the state Assemblys suspense file, which usually delays votes on proposed laws by about a year. If this bill isnt resurrected by Thursday evening, it cant be reintroduced until next year. Democratic Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon of Lawndale, sponsor of last years vetoed PUC reforms, refused to say whether he will try to break it loose.

Meanwhile, theres no prospect for an ex parte communications ban for any other agency. A package of PUC changes agreed to by Gov. Brown and key legislators would require commissioners to reveal the contents of any such contacts. But there are no significant penalties for anyone who doesnt comply.

Theres no effort to impose even that much on the Energy Commission or other panels.

All of which means it will likely be business as usual in California government for at least another year, despite rhetoric from Rendon and other legislators who have advocated ex parte and other reforms to prevent regulators from favoring the very interests theyre supposed to rein in.

Coming almost two years after revelations of the extent and consequences of PUC ex parte communications, this raises major questions about politicians who talk a good game on this but may not really mean it.
BALTIMORE  The Justice Department on Wednesday will release a blistering critique of racial discrimination by Baltimores police department, the latest example of the Obama administrations aggressive push for police reforms in cities where young African-American men have died at the hands of law enforcement.

The long-awaited findings, coming more than a year after Baltimore erupted into riots over the police-involved death of a 25-year-old black man, Freddie Gray, are sharply critical of policies that encourage officers to charge people with minor crimes to inflate police statistics.

The report, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times, found that the Baltimore police for years has hounded black residents who comprise most of the citys population, systematically stopping, searching and arresting them, often with little provocation or rationale, and in doing so, destroying the trust and confidence of residents.

To show how officers disproportionately stopped black pedestrians, the report cited the example of a black man in his mid-50s who was stopped 30 times in less than four years. None of the stops led to a citation or criminal charge. Black residents, the report said, accounted for 95 percent of the 410 individuals stopped at least 10 times in the 5 1/2 years of data reviewed.

The most pronounced racial disparities were in arrests for the most discretionary offenses: For example, 91 percent of those arrested solely for failure to obey or trespassing were African-American, even though the city is 63 percent black, the report found.

In one telling anecdote from the report, a shift commander provided officers with boilerplate language on how to write up trespassing arrest reports of people found near housing projects. The template contained an automatic description of the arrestee: A BLACK MALE.

The supervisors template thus presumes that individuals arrested for trespassing will be African-American, the report stated, describing the sort of detentions the language was intended to facilitate as facially unconstitutional.

The report indicated that the frequency of arrests without probable cause was reflected in the fact that booking supervisors and prosecutors had declined to file charges, after arrests by their own officers, more than 11,000 times since 2010.

Also cited were systemic deficiencies of department policies and training that fail to equip officers with the tools they need to police effectively.

Two weeks ago, Maryland prosecutors dropped charges against the last of six police officers charged in the April 2015 death of Gray, who sustained a fatal spinal cord injury while in custody. With that, Baltimore joined a growing list of cities where police-involved deaths sparked outrage, and even riots, yet no one was held accountable in court.

Now accountability may come in a more far-reaching form. The findings are the first formal step toward the Justice Departments reaching a settlement with Baltimore  known as a consent decree  in which police practices would be overhauled under the oversight of a federal judge.

No such agreement has been reached, but the report states that the city and the Justice Department have agreed in principle to identify categories of reforms the parties agree must be taken to remedy the violations of the Constitution and federal law described in this report.

I dont think at this point, its about justice for Freddie Gray anymore, said Ray Kelly, a director of the No Boundaries Coalition, a West Baltimore group that provided its own report on police abuses to the Justice Department. Now its about justice for our community, for our people.

Baltimore is among nearly two dozen cities that the Obama administration has investigated after they were accused of widespread unconstitutional policing. Using its broad latitude to enforce civil rights laws, the Justice Department has demanded wholesale change in how cities conduct policing. In several cities, including Seattle; Cleveland; and Ferguson, Mo., those investigations began in the aftermath of a high-profile death that sparked protests and in some cases riots.

Police chiefs, prosecutors and experts say the investigations have forced cities to address long-standing, entrenched issues far beyond the targeted cities.

Chiefs are constantly looking at these reports, not just to learn lessons and best practices from each other, but also what pitfalls we can avoid, said Scott Thompson, the police chief in Camden, New Jersey, who is also the president of the Police Executive Research Foundation.

But court-ordered reform can take years, which does little to ease the frustration of activists who say that police officers too often go unpunished for deadly encounters with unarmed people.

Dayvon Love, 29, a founder of the Baltimore advocacy group Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle, said that changes would come only when civilians have a say in whether officers should face punishment. Love described frustrating meetings with Justice Department officials  including Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch.

I was very skeptical and not really that enthused about meeting with them, Love said. At one point, he said, he asked Lynch what she could do to change state law and give civilians more power over the police. She said what I figured shed say, which is that from her position as attorney general, she cant really do anything about it.

In Baltimore, black residents have been complaining for years of systematic abuse by the department. When the citys top prosecutor, Marilyn Mosby, failed to get any convictions, many in the citys poorest African-American neighborhoods were not surprised.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake of Baltimore, who invited the Justice Department in, had no comment on the report.

City Councilman Brandon Scott, vice chairman of the council committee that oversees the department, predicted a police overhaul could cost $75 million to $100 million over a period of years. The next fight, he said, could be over how to pay for it.

Baltimore is already a cash-strapped city, Scott said. Its going to be tough, but we have to do whats right.
SANTA ANA  Police on Tuesday said they arrested a Long Beach man suspected of stabbing another man to death outside a Santa Ana convenience store.

Logan James Cunningham, 27, was arrested by Long Beach police in the stabbing of 40-year-old Jason Paul Torres of Costa Mesa, said Santa Ana police.

Torres was stabbed about 9:10 p.m. Sunday near a Circle K at 710 E Dyer Rd. in Santa Ana and was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

During the course of their investigation Santa Ana police determined Cunningham was suspected of killing Torres, police said.

Police have not disclosed a possible motive, but said the victim and suspect were acquainted.

On Monday, Long Beach police responded to a domestic disturbance call where they found Cunningham and discovered he was wanted in the slaying, police said.

He was arrested and turned over to Santa Ana detectives. Cunningham is being held on suspicion of homicide in lieu of $1 million bail.

Police ask that anyone with information call the Santa Ana Police Departments homicide detail at 714-245-8390.

Contact the writer: lawilliams@scng.com
WASHINGTON  The House speaker, Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, easily won his Republican primary on Tuesday, defeating a political newcomer who had received a late surge of attention after being praised by Donald Trump.

With three-quarters of the precincts reporting, Ryan had 84 percent of the vote, and his rival, Paul Nehlen, had 16 percent.

Nehlen rose from obscurity in the campaigns closing days when Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, offered kind words to him on Twitter and later said that he was running a very good campaign.

Those gestures thrust Nehlen into the middle of an intraparty feud between Trump and Ryan, the Republican vice-presidential nominee in 2012.

Trump said last Tuesday that he was not ready to endorse Ryan, who months earlier had vacillated over his own endorsement of Trump before finally offering it. Three days later, Trump, under pressure to unify the party, reversed course and endorsed Ryan.

Ryan, 46, has represented his southeastern Wisconsin district since he was 28 and remains popular there, with approval ratings among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents above 80 percent.

But with memories of the 2014 primary defeat of the House majority leader, Eric Cantor, still fresh, Ryan had worked in recent weeks to avoid any electoral surprise. Drawing on his nearly $10 million in campaign funds, he ran a series of television ads, and he spent last weekend appearing at events like Corn and Brat Days in Elkhorn and the Armenian Fest in Racine.

While Cantor was viewed by some constituents as having neglected his Virginia district, few would say the same about Ryan, who spends most weekends at his home in Janesville, Wisconsin, with his wife and three children.

Nehlen, 47, who moved to Wisconsin in 2014, is an executive at a company that makes water-treatment products. He raised significant sums of money from outside Wisconsin and was endorsed by Tea Party luminaries like Sarah Palin. In a campaign video, Nehlen rode a Harley-Davidson with his tattooed arms exposed, offering to arm-wrestle Ryan in lieu of a debate.

Running well to the right of Ryan, Nehlen tried to take advantage of voter discontent with Republican leaders in Washington, saying Ryan favored the interests of donors over those of voters.

He also suggested that the country should consider deporting all Muslims. We should be monitoring every mosque, he said in a Chicago radio interview.
Whale watching enthusiast Marsha Devot has seen a wide range of wildlife in the past two years, as shes taken 60 or so ocean trips off Dana Point.

But one creature has eluded her.

I still have not seen the elusive great white shark, the 61-year-old marine life fanatic said.

So, last weekend, she was first in line aboard on a new type of ocean charter  shark tours.

Run by Dana Wharf Whale Watching, the tours are a new response to a huge jump in the number of shark sightings reported by whale tour captains, fishing boat operators and others.

And this summer, as long as the ocean remains overheated from El Nino conditions in the Pacific, the company will test to see if there are enough sharks in the ocean off Orange County to be tour-worthy.

Sharks arent as easy to find as whales or dolphin. Theyre fish, for one thing, so they dont have to breach the waters surface for air.

For some observers, thats part of the intrigue.

Theres always anticipation, Devot said. Sometimes you get disappointed. These are wild animals.

Go to the drop-off

On a recent day, the boat left Dana Point Harbor for a two-hour tour to search for sharks. They headed out toward the continental shelf, about three miles from the shore, where the ocean deepens abruptly and an abundance of wildlife lives.

When youre looking for biodiversity, you go to where the drop-off is, Devot said. The current brings nutrients up, which brings animals that feed.

Dana Wharf captain Frank Brennan dropped chum in the water, eventually luring a 5-foot hammerhead shark close to the boat.

Brennan said hammerheads are shy creatures.

You have to  creep up on them if you want to get a good look.

Devot, among others, was pleased.

It was fun, she said. We stayed with the hammerhead for a little while. It came up a few times.

Hammerhead sharks are a tropical species and arent often seen near Orange County. But in the past two years, as El Nino conditions have warmed the water, theyve become semi-regulars.

Brennan said that last year, when the water reached the mid- to upper 70s in late summer  a few weeks later than this summer  hammerheads were seen almost daily.

Eventually, the animal spotted during the recent tour disappeared into the deep.

As often happens during charter tours, the trip to see sharks included a sea encounter that wasnt expected  a glimpse of a rare-to-the-area pelagic stingray, the only species of stingray that lives in the open ocean.

Something new

Those pelagic rays arent that common, said biologist Eric Yee. Im always excited when I see something new. Sometimes, quality outweighs quantity.

Pelagic stingrays typically live in open ocean waters at 66 degrees or more. Yee said there have been reports of other warm-water species  mako sharks up and down the coast and thresher sharks near Laguna Beach.

Ryan Lawler, owner of another tour boat company  Newport Coastal Adventure  came across two hammerheads while on a fishing trip about two weeks ago.

He captured one of the sightings on video, showing an 8-foot-long animal about 10 miles offshore.

They are definitely filtering in, Lawler said of the hammerheads. It seems like they are coming back.

In past years, not including the warmer El Nino years, hammerheads have come only as close as San Clemente Island. They come into local waters when temperatures get about 75 degrees.

Lawler predicted the number of sightings will continue to rise this month through September, when local ocean temperatures typically peak.

Great whites

Other sharks arent so shy. Last April, Brennan got drone video of a great white lingering near San Clemente Pier. And for the past two years, great whites have been spotted from Seal Beach through San Onofre.

Its unclear whether warm water is why the region suddenly is a go-to spot for great whites.

Typically, great whites are born nearby and linger in parts of Southern California for several months, then move to deeper, colder water as they grow, usually by the start of winter.

But theyve been sticking around locally over the past two years, getting bigger and eating more  and changing what was believed to be the normal pattern for the species.

Recently, a 15-foot female great white was tracked traveling from San Francisco to Newport Beach.

Local lifeguards have put out sonars to detect tagged sharks (such as the animal from San Francisco), something that is helping scientists learn more about great white behavior.

In mid June  the same month a shark, probably a great white, bit a woman swimming off Corona del Mar  an estimated 10- to 12-foot great white was spotted a few miles off Dana Point by passengers on a Dana Wharf boat.

Observers were thrilled to see the big fin slice the oceans surface.

Not so scary

That sighting sparked an idea.

Dana Wharf manager Donna Kalez said she sent out an e-mail to customers about a month ago hinting at shark tours.

She was surprised by the high response; about 50 people wrote back, some with the subject line I love sharks!

Thats how we knew we were onto something, she said.

It could mean a new business venture for the whale watching and fishing charter company. If all goes well, if passengers like the outings and, of course, if enough sharks come out to be seen, the company might offer four-hour excursions.

A mako shark made news last weekend after it leaped out of the ocean near a fishing boat. And thresher sharks have become a common site off Orange County.

Brennan said a longer trip would make his job of finding the sharks easier. Hed like to have the time to travel down to San Onofre to see if they can get up close to great whites known to live in the area.

Devot hopes the new adventure will educate the public about sharks  and maybe dispel some of the myths generated by shark-as-enemy movies like Jaws.

The upside of Jaws, it has everybody curious about sharks. That led to research and that led to funding, Devot said.

If there is a good side to what resulted from Jaws, is that it got us thinking and concerned about the role sharks play.

That intrigue was apparent from those who got a glimpse of the hammerhead that popped up for a few minutes into that inaugural trip.

Its just not something you think youre ever going to see, at least not close, Devot said. Im hoping that as they continue this project, well get a little more familiar with where the hot spots are for sharks, and well try it again.

Contact the writer: lconnelly@ocregister.com
NEW DELHI  By licking a dab of honey from her palm, one of Indias most prominent activists ended a nearly-16-year hunger strike on Tuesday as she pledged to run for political office in her restive home state of Manipur.

The activist, Irom Chanu Sharmila, was held for years in judicial custody, refusing to eat in protest of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act of 1958, a law that shields members of the military from prosecution in conflict-ridden parts of India.

A judge granted her bail on Tuesday after she said she intended to end her strike, releasing her from the hospital where she had been force-fed through a tube in her nose to keep her alive.

Politics is so dirty and everybody knows it, she told reporters at a news conference in Imphal, the state capital.

For a woman whose fast largely spoke for her for more than 15 years, she articulated extraordinary ambition on Tuesday, announcing a run for chief minister of the conflict-scarred and corruption-ridden state of Manipur, which borders Myanmar.

I know nothing about politics and nothing about academia. My education is very, very low, she said. But she called herself the real embodiment of revolution, offering herself as a rare honest political voice in the state.

Sharmila, 44, began her hunger strike in November 2000, after soldiers killed 10 people in the village of Malom, near Imphal, in northeastern India. She was detained for attempting suicide, a crime in India.

Hunger strikes as a tool of nonviolent political activism are common in India, employed most famously by Mohandas K. Gandhi, who regularly fasted as a means of protest during Indias struggle for independence.

Sharmilas strike raised the profile of the campaign to oppose the law, and Amnesty International has called her a prisoner of conscience, but the government has not budged on repealing the legislation.

Babloo Loitongbam, a human-rights activist and an associate of Sharmila, said that Sharmilas decision to end the strike was an attempt to bring her fight to a new arena.

Dr. Lokeshwar Singh, an associate professor at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal, the hospital where Sharmila was held, said that because she had been fed through a nasal tube, her body could tolerate only light solid food at first before working up to full meals.

Though Sharmila is considered by many the embodiment of Manipurs conscience, some wondered if she could handle the rough-and-tumble nature of Indias politics.

Politics is altogether a different game, said Pradip Phanjoubam, the editor of The Imphal Free Press. She is not prepared. She is inexperienced in politics. Politics in India is a different ballgame. You may have right call but still you may lose.

At Tuesdays news conference, one reporter called her the goddess of Manipur, a nickname she rejected.

I dont like that very identification, she said. I am a human being, and why should they remain keeping me in their own version? As a human being I feel everything. Why should they remain trying to isolate me?

Sharmila said that she did not know where she would live now that she has been released, but that she might like to go to an ashram. She said she would file the necessary paperwork to run in the Manipuri assembly elections, expected to take place next year. Her next court hearing is on Aug. 23.

In addition to protesting the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Sharmila also called for the right to self-determination in Kashmir, the site of a longtime separatist movement. And she had a message for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Oh, Mr. Prime Minister, you remain indulged in violence, she said. Without this draconian law you can connect with us, you can govern us with fatherly affection, without discrimination.
Too Good to Go is a smartphone app that allows users to order leftover food that restaurants would otherwise throw away at discount prices. Originally launched in Denmark, the service has recently been introduced in the United Kingdom by a couple of young entrepreneurs, after returning from the Nordic country.

The main purpose of this newly launched service is to cut food waste. Millions of tonnes of food are thrown in the trash every year in the UK alone, with restaurants accounting for fairly large chunk, so eco-entrepreneurs Chris Wilson and Jamie Crummie came up with a more profitable alternative. It costs restaurants on average 97p for every meal they throw away so we are saving them that expense and giving them extra, Wilson said. And we provide them with all packaging so they have recyclable and eco-friendly boxes. As for Too Good to Go users, they get the chance to order fancy dishes at low prices ranging between 2 to 3.80 per meal.

Photo: Too Good to Go

Using Too Good to Go is fairly straightforward. You can browse the available dishes on your smartphone, pay for them using a credit card and go pick them up in a set time slot, which usually during closing hours or after lunch or dinner. The service has so far been launched in Brighton and Leeds, and is set to roll out in London this month. Wilson says they have already struck deals with over 95 London restaurants, most of them independent or small chains, as big players are very hard to talk to. Most of the places tend to be independent or just small chains because it is really hard to crack the big companies, Wilson said. It is the bigger chains that have the large amounts of food waste but it is hard to even speak to the right people there.

Photo: Too Good to Go

Although Too Good to Go does take a fee from restaurants for each sale,, its creators say the end goal is not to make a profit, but put a stop to food waste. All their income is apparently reinvested into expanding the project nationwide. The ultimate goal is to use it for restaurants to solve their waste management problem, rather than it being about making profit, Wilson claims. The idea is that restaurants stop producing the extra food so they dont need to throw it away in the first place, so really we want to put ourselves out of business by stopping food-waste.

Charities do really good work with restaurants but they keep it at a low level, the young co-founder added. By creating an app and involving the customers we are hopeful that it will have a bit of a bigger impact. According to a 2010 report, UK restaurants throw away about 600,000 tonnes of food per year.

Source: The Evening Standard
Southampton Press/27east.com reporter Erin McKinley interviewed this reporter on the steps of Westhampton Beach Village Hall Aug. 8 on our demands that Wi-Fi routers in the Library and Village Hall be shut down.

McKinley noted that our advice has been ignored for several months by officials at both the library and WHB.

Southampton Press/27east.com reporter Erin McKinley and Jack O'Dwyer on the steps of Westhampton Beach Village Hall Aug. 8

Her 812-word piece has drawn nine replies thus far including one from David Ashton of ukelectrosensitives, based in London, who has compiled extensive research on the issue and who is quoted below.

The McKinley article noted we have quoted Cindy Sage, Ph.D., and Dr. Martha Herbert, Harvard professor who specializes in pediatric autism and neurology, on the dangers of radiation.

WHB Deputy Mayor Ralph Urban told McKinley that WHB would have to further vet the information that has been shared by Mr. ODwyer before considering any action.

I am not sure that his statistics merit any kind of action, basically, Urban told McKinley. We would have to look into it a great deal more rather than just taking his word for it.

Also quoted in the article is Westhampton Free Library Director Danielle Waskiewicz who noted the library board, headed by Tom Moore, husband of WHB Mayor Maria Moore, has said at several public meetings that it has no intention of removing its routers unless it is determined that they pose a serious threat to people. Tom Moore has noted that the Federal Communications Commission has found that Wi-Fi radiation does not heat human tissues and is therefore harmless.

Mayor Moore is not quoted in the article.

Routers are in the ceiling throughout the library on both the first and second floors (childrens area). The room on the first floor where 64 seniors play bridge each Tuesday and where the library board meets once a month shows six volts per square meter of pulsed radiation, the highest possible on an Acoustimeter.

Stony Brook Medical Doctor Sees No Danger

Dr. Samuel Ryu, chair of the Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Stony Brook Medicine and deputy director, Clinical Affairs, Stony Brook University Cancer Center, told McKinley there are no recognized studies linking the radiation emitted by Wi-Fi systems to diseases like cancer.

Dr. Samuel Ryu

He said the strength of radiation emitted is far too weak to alter human DNA. Frequent exposure to much stronger rays such as X-rays or gamma rays would be needed to harm a person.

Ashton posted on the McKinley story as follows:

Credit to Mr O'Dwyer for his persistence on this crucial issue, and for his coverage on his website.

Anyone in an environment with wi-fi who sees the radiation readings on a meter for themselves, or who hears the audible racket on an acoustic setting, would probably have a problem resting easy about the subject again.

With respect to Dr. Samuel Ryu, he seems to be unaware of a few facts, which he might like to look into.

1) Radiofrequency/microwave radiation is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a Group 2B carcinogen, along with lead, DDT, and exhaust fumes. This doesn't automatically mean that exposure to wi-fi radiation causes cancer, but nor does it give it a clean bill of health, despite what Dr Ryu says. Incidentally, IARC recently confirmed that their classification wasn't restricted to cellphones, but applied to all wireless technologies emitting radiofrequency/microwave radiation, such as wi-fi.

2) France has banned children under 3 being exposed to wi-fi in nurseries and public places on health grounds, and restricts the exposure of older children.

3) Turin is planning to restrict wi-fi on health grounds.

4) The insurance industry refuses to cover risks associated with exposure to this radiation. I wonder why.

5) Last year, the International EMF Scientist Appeal was signed by 190 experts on the biological effects of this radiation, and the number of signatories has since grown to 221. It was sent to the UN, all UN member states, and the World Health Organisation. It warned of an "...emerging public health crisis related to cell phones, wireless devices, wireless utility meters and wireless infrastructure in neighborhoods".

The Appeal also noted that:

"Numerous recent scientific publications have shown that EMF affects living organisms at levels well below most international and national guidelines. Effects include increased cancer risk, cellular stress, increase in harmful free radicals, genetic damages, structural and functional changes of the reproductive system, learning and memory deficits, neurological disorders, and negative impacts on general well-being in humans. Damage goes well beyond the human race, as there is growing evidence of harmful effects to both plant and animal life."

6) The preliminary results of the National Toxicology Program, just released, appear to confirm that non-ionising radiation can promote cancer - in rats at least. If true, this would mean that the regulatory concensus that the radiation is safe so long as it doesn't heat the body by more than a certain amount is fatally undermined.

There is so much more information out there - the Bioinitiative Report summarises thousands of scientific studies, and proposes new, biologically-based, exposure levels.

It's somewhat surprising that we don't already have these, of course, and that the technology has proliferated before it has been proven to be safe...



Health Advocate Doucette Adds Advice

Cecelia Doucette, a resident of Ashland, Mass., who has created a 23-minute video that tells people how to lessen dangerous radiation in their homes, posted as follows on the 27east.com story:



Hopefully residents will take the time to become educated on this important issue. Three years ago an electrical engineer friend tipped me off there could be potential harm from wi-fi. I had run many campaigns to raise funds to bring technology into our schools so I asked our school leaders about it. They too had never heard of the health impact, but after investigating and reading the fine print that comes with each device, our school committee in Ashland, MA put into place Best Practices for Mobile
Loading... OilVoice will be with you shortly...
Theres no doubt the cost of prescription drugs is increasing and increasing dramatically. Next time you have a prescription filled, take a look at the paperwork that comes along with your medicine. Notice the line that says how much the drug costs.

The biggest increases are coming from a small number of drugs in a category called specialty drugs. The most common specialty drugs are those that treat cancer, inflammatory conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, hepatitis and HIV.

They are expensive drugs that can have life-changing benefits when used to correctly treat serious conditions. Its important that they are accessible and affordable for people who need them.

Its important other prescription drugs are affordable, too.

For the rest of us, taking some simple steps to educate ourselves can reduce our non-specialty prescription drug spending.

>> Ask your doctor if you can take a drug that is on your insurance companys preferred drug list, sometimes referred to as a formulary. These typically have lower copays or out-of-pocket expenses. Many doctors are able to access your health plans preferred drug list online.

>> Ask for generics when available for your condition. Even though generics havent been immune from price increases, overall they are still a great value.

>> Know your pharmacy benefits. That knowledge can lead to lower costs.

>> If it makes a difference under your health plan, make sure you use a preferred pharmacy. More and more insurance plans offer lower copays at preferred pharmacies.

>> If it works for your treatment and is an option under your plan, get a prescription for a 90-day supply of your drug.

A Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association report points out that drug spending is projected to rise faster than overall health care spending over the next several years and could quadruple by 2020 from $87 billion to about $350 billion.

Thats a lot of money. So its to your benefit to learn more about the prescription drugs you are taking and how you can save money on them.
NORTH PLATTE, Neb.  Faith Cleveland had two normal pregnancies, but this one was different. She seemed to be bleeding constantly, with no explanation. However, her baby appeared healthy and was growing normally. She and her boyfriend, Harley Smith, were looking forward to her March 6 due date.

On Nov. 5, Smiths mom, Tammy Scott, rushed Cleveland to the emergency room at Great Plains Health.

When Dr. Bianco got there I was already 7 centimeters dilated, Cleveland said. I was only 21 weeks and five days.

Cleveland felt her heart break as she was told that her baby likely wouldnt survive, but she asked Dr. Michael Bianco to do everything he could to save her little boy.

At 22 weeks, theres a very low rate of survival, said Dr. Soogandaren Naidoo, a pediatrician at Great Plains Pediatrics. I was called in. The delivery was very fast  I think I got there 30 seconds before the baby was born.

Monitors had detected a heart rate before the little boy made his arrival, but as Cleveland awaited the cry parents instinctively expect, she heard nothing  not even a beep from the heart monitors.

He had no heart rate and he was not breathing, Naidoo said. The baby was thought to be dead. They couldnt pick up anything with the monitors.

The world stopped for Cleveland, who admits that she doesnt remember much of what happened next. She caught a brief glimpse of her son  he was purple because of his underdeveloped skin, and he was tiny. She named him Harley Wade Smith, after his dad.

He could have fit in the palm of my hand, Scott said.

Harley weighed just 1 pound, 9 ounces and was 12 inches long.

I felt a very small heartbeat, Naidoo said. It was very, very faint.

Naidoo intubated the little boy, a task that was nearly impossible due to his size, and began performing chest compressions. His oxygen levels slowly began to rise. Doctors stabilized his heart rate until a flight team arrived to transfer him to St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Lincoln. Staff say hes likely the youngest baby to be stabilized and transferred to St. Elizabeth.

The doctors in North Platte did an excellent job, said Dr. BJ Wilson, a neonatologist at St. Elizabeth. That was not a routine day in the office for them.

It wasnt routine for the doctors at St. Elizabeth, either. Wilson said in the last 10 years theyve only had about 30 babies in similar situations. Wilson said the survival rate for babies around 22 weeks old at St. Elizabeth is approximately 20 percent.

He was able to quickly transition from IV nutrition to a feeding tube, but it was unclear what kind of long-term health issues Harley may have. On Super Bowl Sunday, Harley fought through a near-deadly bout of pneumonia, caused by his chronic lung disease.

Hell likely have chronic lung disease his whole life, Cleveland said.

Wilson said the staff takes things day by day with babies like Harley.

Hes at risk for having [developmental] problems, the doctor said. Its hard to predict. Weve seen babies this small that we thought werent going to live and they did.

Lil Harley was transferred to Omaha Childrens Hospital & Medical Center before being moved to Ambassador Health in Omaha. Hes been through spinal taps, blood transfusions and surgeries to correct a hernia and to place a G-button for feeding as well as a tracheotomy.

Lil Harleys heart is healthy; his hearing and vision seem to be normal. Scans of his brain havent detected any abnormalities that indicate mental or physical disabilities, although Cleveland said that could change as he grows and continues to develop.

Although his condition has improved consistently, hes still far behind where he should be.

He wont walk when a 1-year-old should  he might be crawling, maybe, Cleveland said. We know hell have trouble reaching his milestones.

She said that he developed after birth the way he would have if she had been able to carry him to full term, with the exception of his lungs, which have remained weak and a barrier to his release from the hospital.

The journey has been challenging and completely different from those of Clevelands other two children, but the family has gotten through it.

He weighs 17 pounds, 12 ounces now, Cleveland said proudly.

Lil Harleys medical team says hell probably be in the hospital another three to six months, although hes making progress. His oxygen saturation levels are better than ever, but Cleveland said he needs to be able to breathe with home oxygen or independently through his trach before hes allowed to go home. He currently uses a specialized ventilator.

For the first month at Ambassador, Harley was confined to his room. Now, he can be put into a specialized stroller that his ventilator hooks up to and be taken around the hospital for 30 to 45 minutes at a time. He also receives physical therapy every day.

Hes come a long way, Cleveland said. Hes more alert now. He smiles a lot more.

If the family lived in Omaha, Harley would likely be able to go home, because there would be home health nurses available to help care for him. Cleveland said the family couldnt afford to move, so they continue to travel back and forth.

Earlier this summer, the family was informed theyd be the beneficiaries of The Telegraphs Diamonds and Divas  A Night of Giving event. Cleveland said she was grateful for the help because they hadnt been able to visit their son after the transmission in their van failed.

Cleveland was left calling the hospital several times a day and receiving photos of her son from nurses.

Those photos really kept me going, Cleveland said.

The North Platte Telegraph worked with Janssen Auto Group, a Diamonds and Divas sponsor, to get the van fixed so the family was able to visit their little boy again.

They hope to make a trip back to Omaha next weekend, before the Diamonds and Divas event on Aug. 19.

Cleveland said shes grateful for the help the family will receive from the event. It will allow them to get caught up on bills and to cover the expenses related to visiting.

Harleys dad will be able to take a couple of days off for an extra-long visit, Cleveland said.

Well be able to get the training were lacking because we cant get up there as much as wed like, Cleveland said. The more training we have, the sooner he can come home.
The memo that the U.S. car market is finally slowing down apparently didnt make it to Coventry, England. From its British headquarters, Tata Motors Jaguar brand has rocketed to the front of an increasingly listless crowd of vehicles.

In the first seven months of this year, Jaguars U.S. sales surged 59 percent, handily outpacing every other brand. Volvo was a distant second, with a 29 percent increase. Most of Jaguars luxury rivals  including Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Lexus and Mercedes  have reported a dip in sales for the year to date.

We couldnt be more tickled, said Chris Marchand, executive vice president of operations at Jaguar Land Rover North America. Foot traffic in dealerships has more than tripled.

Still, the sales surge is a bit deceiving. For one, Jaguar had quite a bit of room for improvement. While the industry boomed in recent years, Jaguars sales had largely been stagnant for a decade. With fewer than 15,000 cars sold in the U.S. last year, the brand lived almost purely on provenance  its storied history and the occasional Bond film. It takes Ford less than three days to move that much metal.

Jaguar engineers, however, werent idle. They were busy overhauling the lineup.

Car executives typically try to spread out big and exciting new looks to smooth demand and design resources. Jaguar did the opposite.

The brand overhauled its entire lineup in less than a year, rolling out a new version of its midrange XF sedan in November, followed a few months later by an updated XJ, its most expensive sedan. In May, U.S. dealers started selling two all-new models, the entry-level XE sedan and the F-Pace, Jaguars first SUV.

It was a blitz of metal-based marketing that appears to be working handsomely.

What were trying to do here is grab the attention of the marketplace, Joachim Eberhardt, the North America units chief executive, said last year.

Demand has also been primed by some price cuts. The XF now starts at $51,900, 9 percent less than it used to.
A French company with about 400 local employees is blaming low commodities prices for recent job cuts that affected 15 positions in Omaha.

Schneider Electric, which owns DTN/the Progressive Farmer, recently restructured its agriculture division in Omaha in response to the commodities slump and changes to the global, geopolitical landscape, according to spokesman Dave Smith.

Smith did not respond to a request for more information.

The Omaha location provides support products and services for companies that rely on agriculture and weather-related data, as well as products for commodities trading, Smith said in a statement.

The Progressive Farmer is an agriculture publication that publishes monthly. DTN has a suite of products and technology that provides information including weather, markets and ag finance to people like farmers and traders. The companies have an office near 90th Street and West Dodge Road.

Schneider Electric has more than 160,000 employees around the world and had revenue of about $30 billion in fiscal 2015. Its business expertise includes energy management, electric car charging, data center support products and services and building automation.
MIAMI (AP)  Accounting giant PricewaterhouseCoopers squared off Tuesday in court with lawyers for a defunct mortgage companys creditors and investors over a $5.5 billion lawsuit, which claimed the Big Four firm failed through years of audits to uncover massive fraud at a failed Alabama bank.

The estimated $21 billion fraud at Colonial Bank of Montgomery, Alabama, was orchestrated by top executives at the shuttered mortgage firm Taylor, Bean and Whitaker of Ocala, Florida. Six Taylor Bean senior executives and two Colonial employees were convicted of federal fraud crimes and went to prison. Colonial was shut down in 2009.

Steven Thomas, attorney for a trustee representing Taylor Bean creditors and investors, said PricewaterhouseCoopers did seven audits while the scheme was ongoing and failed to find it. That means, he told a jury in opening statements, the firm should be held liable for billions of dollars in damages.

PricewaterhouseCoopers had a job: detect fraud. And the second thing Im going to prove to you is that PricewaterhouseCoopers failed to do its job, Thomas said. When you dont do your job and people get hurt, it matters.

PricewaterhouseCoopers attorney Beth Tanis countered that the lawsuit was essentially an attempt to get the firm to pay for money stolen in the fraud scheme by Taylor Bean, now represented by the trustee. She said the perpetrators, who were insiders, took elaborate steps to cover up their crimes and that other audits at the bank and mortgage company also missed it.

The criminals were so successful at hiding these transactions that nobody found the fraud, Tanis told jurors. You can do an audit just right and not detect a fraud.

The scheme didnt come to light until a Colonial employee went to the FBI in July 2009, she added.

The trial before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Jacqueline Hogan Scola is expected to last about six weeks. The plaintiffs seeking $5.5 billion in damages, plus possible punitive damages, include government-backed mortgage enterprises Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae.
NEW YORK (AP)  Several private universities are boosting stipends and benefits ahead of a federal ruling that could clear the way for graduate students to form unions. To some grad students, its an attempt to convince them that they dont need collective bargaining to get a raise.

Union backers say pay hikes are nice but what they want most is more control over their work as teaching and research assistants.

The message isnt that graduate students need more money, said Ben Cohen, who studies biomedical engineering at Cornell University, which recently raised stipends by 2 percent and increased child care subsidies for graduate students.

The message is that graduate students deserve to have a voice in their representation, he said.

Thousands of graduate students at public universities are already unionized, but New York University is the only private university in the U.S. where graduate students now have union representation.

That could change in the months ahead. The National Labor Relations Board, which ruled in 2000 that grad students had a right to collective bargaining only to reverse itself in 2004, has been revisiting the issue yet again in cases involving Columbia University and the New School, both in New York City.

Both pro- and anti-union forces say they expect the current board, appointed by President Barack Obama, to again declare that grad students have a right to organize. A ruling is expected before Obama leaves office.

Last month, Columbia announced it would raise the standard nine-month graduate stipend of $26,286 by 17 percent over the next four years. That came after the university acted last May to increase child care subsidies and paid parental leave.

Among other universities that have increased pay and benefits for graduate students, the University of Chicago announced a $2,000 graduate student stipend increase over two years last December. Brown University raised stipends and added money for dental coverage and travel to conferences.

Brian Carlson, a Massachusetts-based law lawyer who represents educational institutions, said the increases in pay and benefits are likely intended to dissuade graduate students from unionizing. When graduate students are happy they are less likely to be receptive to calls to organize, Carlson said.

University administrators argue that graduate students are not employees, even though they help teach and conduct research.

The seven other Ivy League institutions plus Stanford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology filed a brief with the NLRB on Feb. 29 supporting Columbia against the union effort. They warned that allowing graduate students to unionize would represent an inappropriate intrusion into long protected areas of academic freedom and autonomy.

Unionization, they warned, also has the potential to transform the collaborative model of graduate education to one of conflict and tension.

Labor organizers at Columbia, where grad students have been considering an affiliation with the United Auto Workers union, have both celebrated the recent boost in pay and benefits and characterized them as an attempt at appeasement.

Olga Brudastova, a Columbia graduate student in civil engineering, called the four-year raise package a classic tactic for an anti-union campaign, so that at the end of the day they are able to say, Oh, we are doing everything for you, even for the future, not just for now. 

A Columbia spokesman declined to comment.
A 43-year-old man was arrested Tuesday in Sarpy County on suspicion of felony animal abuse, accused of biting his dogs and depriving them of water, among other complaints.

Jeremy A. Franks is charged with five counts of intentional cruelty to an animal. On July 20, the Sarpy County Sheriffs Office took a 4-month-old Great Dane named Grace, a 4-month-old German shepherd named Osirus and a 7-year-old Norwegian elkhound named Sequoia from Franks home after several people told officials that they witnessed Franks abusing the dogs, according to a search warrant. The dogs were handed over to the Nebraska Humane Society.

No water was found for the dogs at Franks home, near 156th and Harrison Streets, Capt. Dan Shukis of the Sarpy County Sheriffs Office said. One of the dogs had fractured ribs and an old fracture on a leg, one of the dogs had bite marks and another dog had some pellets or BBs under its skin that showed up on an X-ray, Shukis said.

The search warrant said that Franks was seen biting Sequoias ears, nose and neck when he got mad. A criminal complaint lists the alleged time of abuse from February 2014 through July 2016.

A woman also told investigators that Franks had tied cats to a tree, gotten a dog that later disappeared with no explanation and tied a Rottweiler to a tree with a chain so tightly that the dogs eyes bulged out and it could not swallow, the search warrant said. The search warrant said the dog died on the kitchen floor about three weeks later after Franks refused to let a veterinarian treat it.

The woman also said that Franks enjoys shooting animals that come into his yard with his bow and arrow, the search warrant said.

A woman who answered the phone Wednesday at the office of Liam Meehan, Franks attorney, said he had no comment about the case.

Franks is due back in court later this month. He is also facing several misdemeanor domestic assault charges in Sarpy County Court.

Contact the writer: 402-444-1192, emily.nitcher@owh.com
As Trevor Bare lay facedown in front of his home last August with his intestines spilling out, a man with a shotgun walked down the street unhurried, witnesses testified in the first day of the first-degree murder trial.

James Cotton had shot once into Bares abdomen on August 7, 2015, prosecutor Chad Brown said in opening statements Tuesday. The single shot came during a morning fight that wasnt fair, he said. In that fight, Bare, 24, had held a fencepost, Brown said, and Cotton had a gun.

He brought the shotgun to a stick fight, Brown said.

Cotton was once a roommate of Bares mother, Wanda Bare, but that arrangement ended in argument not long before the shooting, a relative of the Bares said.

Defense attorney Travis Penn argued in his opening statement that Cotton, 61, is an old man with many physical disabilities who acted in self-defense against Bare, a scary, out of control man.

Penn said Cotton had to make a quick and extremely difficult decision when Bare held the fence post menacingly.

(A decision) that you have to do for your protection, Penn said.

Cotton is charged with murder and three other felonies in connection with the August 2015 shooting of Bare. He decided to proceed with the trial with Penn as his attorney, even though Penn had been scrutinized for hiring a potential witness in Cottons case as a receptionist.

In Tuesdays opening statements, both attorneys acknowledged a volatile history between Bare and Cotton, but they described Cotton differently.

Brown nodded to the wheelchair that Cotton used to enter the courtroom and told jurors that he looked different a year ago.

He wasnt in a wheelchair back then, Brown said. Hes not the same man.

Penn listed many of Cottons physical ailments  severe spinal stenosis, a right hip replacement, nerve damage, pins in shoulders, several surgeries, unstable vertebrae and knee problems  and argued that Cotton was not a threat.

It was painful for James Cotton to move around, Penn said.

After opening statements, a police officer, a paramedic, neighbors and a crime lab technician offered testimony about the scene of the shooting at 4301 Marcy St.

Officer Patrick McElligott arrived at the scene and saw blood and innards lying on the ground but not Bare, who had been taken to Nebraska Medical Center, where he later died.

McElligott canvassed the scene and spoke to witnesses. He testified that he found a green-and-black camouflage shotgun in the bushes behind the house at 4313 Marcy St. Evan Moppin, a crime lab forensic technician, said it was a sawed-off Mossberg shotgun.

Two witnesses who live near 4301 Marcy St. testified that they heard a loud sound that they thought was a car backfiring or a gunshot.

Naomi Smith testified that she went to her south-facing window and saw a man in what appeared to be jeans and a dark shirt. The man didnt appear that he had trouble walking, and Smith took a few cellphone photos of the man.

Contact the writer: 402-444-1068, alia.conley@owh.com
WASHINGTON  Fevered political conspiracy theories about the death of Seth Rich have been swirling through online comment sections and websites ever since the Omaha native was gunned down early on July 10 close to his home in northwest Washington, D.C.

All indications from police have been that Richs death was most likely the result of a botched robbery  a sadly too-common case of a promising young man cut down simply by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But that hasnt stopped wild Internet speculation from going viral, based in part on the fact that Rich worked at the Democratic National Committee. Internet commenters have suggested that Rich was behind the disclosure of DNC emails to WikiLeaks that helped force the resignation of Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida as chairwoman. The conspiracy theorists got new ammunition Tuesday when WikiLeaks announced a $20,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in Richs death.

Never mind the evidence in favor of a robbery, the fact that the leaked emails were released well after his death or even that WikiLeaks itself stressed that the reward should not be taken as an implication that Rich was involved in the email leak.

Richs friends and family had largely shrugged off the Internet chatter previously, even suggesting that he might have gotten a kick out of the absurdity of it all.

But Tuesdays reward offer suddenly gave a boost of credibility to the theories and threatened to overwhelm the story of a gregarious individual who touched many lives with his commitment to including everyone, be it a social function or a political process.

Were grieving the death of our 27-year-old son, Joel Rich, Seths father, told The World-Herald Tuesday night. The police are trying to investigate whats happening.

As the WikiLeaks story spread into the mainstream outlets, Joel Rich said the family was not prepared to comment on bizarre speculation about Seths death and referred questions to family spokesman Brad Bauman.

In a written statement, Bauman said the family has been heartened by the outpouring of love and support over the past few weeks.

Seth Richs family flew to Washington last week to settle his affairs and attend a memorial gathering at his favorite D.C. bar. Loved ones shared stories well into the night about a caring soul who loved politics and fun.

The family is in constant contact with authorities and thank them for their extremely thorough investigation, Bauman said. The family believes this matter is being handled professionally and with the seriousness that it requires.

The family welcomes all information that could lead to the identification of the person or people responsible, he said.

That said, some are attempting to politicize this horrible tragedy, and in their attempts to do so are actually causing more harm than good and impeding on the ability for law enforcement to properly do their job, Bauman said. For the sake of finding Seths killer, and for the sake of giving the family the space they need at this terrible time, they are asking for the public to refrain from pushing unproven and harmful theories about Seths murder.

WikiLeaks $20,000 reward adds to a $25,000 reward offered by D.C. police, customary in all District homicides.

Assistant D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said that at this time we dont have any information to suggest a connection between Richs killing and the WikiLeaks data or other theories raised online.

Rich was shot twice in the back as he walked to his townhouse at 4:19 a.m. on July 10. Nothing was taken, but police have said attempted robbery is their leading theory, noting a recent spike in robberies in the neighborhood.

WikiLeaks released the trove of DNC emails on July 22.

Rich had worked for the DNC for two years and helped develop a computer program to make it easier for people to find polling places on Election Day. After his death, Wasserman Schultz, then still the DNC chairwoman, attended a vigil for Rich, and Hillary Clinton, before she became the Democratic presidential nominee, evoked his name during a speech in which she advocated for limiting the availability of guns.

A spokesman for the DNC did not comment on WikiLeaks or the speculation about Rich. Wasserman Schultz did not respond to questions given to her spokesman. An official with Clintons campaign and some cybersecurity experts have said Russia may be behind the email hack.

The editor of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, said in a statement issued through an intermediary that he would not confirm or deny whether Rich or any person was a source for the organization, which over the years has obtained and released massive amounts of internal emails and other documents from the military, the State Department and other agencies.

We treat threats towards any suspected WikiLeaks sources with extreme gravity, the statement says. This should not be taken to imply that Seth Rich was a source to WikiLeaks or that his murder is connected to our publications. We hope our efforts will contribute to the familys calls for information and to the separate reward issued by police. We have a history of obtaining information that has significantly contributed to many legal proceedings, including successful prosecutions.

This report contains material from the Washington Post.
Wearing backpacks about half as big as their bodies, the kindergartners led the promenade down the red carpet.

As kids and parents  some of each a bit nervous  arrived Wednesday morning at Mari Sandoz Elementary School, the Millard school rolled out the carpet to welcome them.

The school hosted a celebration in a parking lot next to the school as more than 100 parents, kids and staff arrived for day one of the 2016-2017 school year. Students lined up by their new teachers and classmates in preparation for the walk to begin their school day.

Music teacher Shelly Smith had music by Pitbull, One Direction and Smash Mouth going loud to get the kids revved up for the new year.

This one goes to 11, she said.

Tyson Hug-Webber, 6, posed in his baby blue Royals shirt by a tree for his mom. She snapped a picture on her phone, and they high-fived before he walked to the line forming for Mrs. Nivers first-grade class.

His mom, Stacey Hug, 31, said he likes to read books like the Berenstain Bears series. Hes excited about the school year, if still a bit upset his summer is over.

Its bittersweet for both of us, Hug said, because I know he likes summer, and I sure love that hes growing, but Im also sad.

The school, near 120th and Q Streets, had a superhero theme for the back-to-school kickoff. Superman  well, assistant principal Tyler Hottovy dressed as Superman  was on hand taking pictures and urging students to find their own superpower and create their own education destiny.

Three metro-area school districts  Millard, Ralston and Westside  started classes for all or some of their students Wednesday.

The Aug. 10 start date is among the earlier start dates in the past few years, but not unprecedented.

Omaha Public Schools are starting on Aug. 17. Last year, the first day was Aug. 12.

Samira Hernandez, 42, said goodbye as her son Oscar Rodriguez, 9, walked toward his fellow fourth-graders. Hernandez said Oscar likes to draw, play and make jokes.

He doesnt like to read too much, she said with a laugh. I have to push him.

Last year was Oscars first at Sandoz, she said, after their family came to Omaha from Honduras. Honduras is dangerous, she said, but Oscar and her other son, Samir, a 16-year-old Millard South High School student, can grow in Omaha and its schools.

We feel safe here, Hernandez said. I want that for my sons.

Tysons and Oscars families can fall back on experiencing previous first days of school.

Joseph and Chelsea Dolton, both 38, cannot.

Their 5-year-old son, Guy, wiped away tears as he stood in line for Mrs. Persigehls kindergarten class. His dad walked over to comfort him. Guys camouflage backpack matched Chief Warrant Officer 3 Joseph Doltons attire. He flies helicopters out of the Lincoln Airport for the Army National Guard. He arranged with his superiors to come see off Guy for his first day of kindergarten.

Im excited for him, Joseph Dolton said. I think hes going to have a wonderful year, and hes going to knock it out of the park.

He smiled and looked over at Chelsea Dolton, who was taking pictures of Guy.

I think Moms having a little separation anxiety, he said.

Guy is the oldest of their four children, and they joked hed be in his 20s before they knew it.

Hes a man of the world now, you know? Chelsea Dolton quipped.

Contact the writer: 402-444-1304, michael.shoro@owh.com
BROKEN BOW, Neb.  Sophie Eberles love for helping people overflows into every area of her life.

Whether it is her church, school or community, if there is a need, chances are Eberle, 16, will be one of the first in line to help meet that need.

The Custer County branch of The Salvation Army had a book bag and school supplies giveaway Aug. 3, and though she is not part of the organization, Eberle was there to help.

I needed more community service hours for the pageants Im involved in, so I just decided to help, Eberle said.

Eberle was selected to participate in the National American Miss and Americas National Teenager Scholarship Association pageants.

They are really based on trying to better yourself, Eberle said about the pageants. They both require a lot of volunteer hours. In ANTSA, you go to a homeless shelter in Omaha and volunteer there for a few hours, and that was really cool because I got to see a lot of stuff there that I would have never gotten to see in Broken Bow. And in National American Miss, we donate books and school supplies for kids in need.

Eberle said the pageants she is involved in are not the typical beauty pageants seen on TV.

They focus more on building your confidence in doing what youre doing and trying to better yourself. We are given an on-stage question based on you individually and what you are involved in, she said. Then, for the interview, you have six different judges with 30 seconds apiece, and they ask you questions based on the resume you turn in.

Her next competition will be the first weekend in November in Omaha. However, her scholarship pageants are far from the only thing Eberle is involved in.

She has been a member of 4-H for eight years, and for the past six of those years has ridden and shown horses. However, she sold her horses in May.

I just didnt have enough time to ride them, and they started getting sick, so I thought it would just be better if someone else could use them. One of them went to live with a vet, so that was good, she said.

Though she did not compete with horses at this years Custer County Fair, she still found a way to remain involved as a ring steward, which Eberle said is an assistant for the judges.

I have a lot of friends that were doing horse this year, so that gave me a chance to watch them, Eberle said.

Because she is busy with other projects, Eberle cut back her involvement with the fair this year, and her only entries were in baking.

With the county fair concluded, Eberle is looking forward to starting her junior year at Broken Bow High School. Her desire to help people has carried over to school, where as a freshman she started the Safe Zone Project.

The project helps prevent bullying, self-harm and suicide.

The junior high doesnt have this kind of project, so there are a lot of junior high kids in it and about four high school kids, Eberle said. We put on presentations for the junior high and high school designed to raise awareness for these issues. We also host dances with positive music that isnt pushing anything, and we have meetings.

Eberle said the idea behind the Safe Zone Project is to give students an atmosphere where they feel comfortable sharing about a problem or negative experience with their peers rather than talking with an adult.

Then if someone is bullying another student we pull that person in with our principal and we talk to them, she said.

She said though there are lifeline and safe-line phone numbers posted in the bathrooms, nobody really uses the resource because the students are scared. She sees the Safe Zone Project as a way to help.

Eberle said bullying is more of a problem in schools than most people are aware.

Nobody ever tells anybody about it, but theyre more likely to tell a student than an adult if they are not comfortable in a situation, she said. It happens a lot more than you think.

Eberle said she hopes the Safe Zone Project will continue after she leaves high school.

Im actually very confident in some of the junior high kids picking it up, she said.

Eberle also plays the trumpet in band and has been on the flag team for two years. She is a member of the student council, Youth Offering Alternatives to Drugs and Alcohol, and choir.

Though she still has two years of high school, Eberle already has plans set for college.

I want to go to UNK and become a psychologist. Then go back and get my doctorate and be a psychiatrist, she said.

Eberle is the daughter of Tom and Jenny Eberle and has a younger brother Roy, who will be in eighth grade this year. She said her family is an integral part of her life.

My brother doesnt really like to talk to me at school because he thinks hes too cool, Eberle said with a laugh. But were really good friends at home. And my mom and dad are just the best parents ever. My mom is like my best friend.
LINCOLN  A group of Nebraskans living in State Sen. Bill Kintners legislative district have launched a petition drive seeking his immediate resignation.

Mary Harding, a Plattsmouth resident, said the idea for kintermustresignnow.com grew out of discussions among some neighbors in Cass County who were unhappy that Kintner had been using his state computer for cybersex.

The group realized that they would not have a chance to choose their next state senator unless Kintner stepped down soon.

If he resigns this month, then his seat would be subject to election this November, two years earlier than usual. Anyone interested in running for his legislative seat would then have until Sept. 1 to file petitions to get on the Nov. 8 ballot.

If Kintner were to resign later in the year, Gov. Pete Ricketts would appoint someone to fill the vacancy for the next two years.

Harding said the petition is aimed at residents of Legislative District 2, which includes Cass County and parts of Sarpy and Otoe Counties. Organizers will be gathering signatures at the Cass County Fair and online, she said.

The plan is to present the signatures to Kintner, to Ricketts and to the Legislatures Executive Board next week.
LINCOLN  Gov. Pete Ricketts renewed his call for State Sen. Bill Kintner to resign while lawmakers on the Legislatures Executive Board pondered their choices Wednesday.

Most board members said they have not decided yet about how to deal with the Papillion senator, who has admitted to using a state computer for cybersex.

They split, meanwhile, over whether the matter should be handled in special session or during the regular session that begins in January.

Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha, the board chairman, said hes asking each Executive Board member to talk with other senators in their geographical area before the board meets on Aug. 19.

"If we dont have the votes for impeachment or expulsion and no one is serious about doing anything at this point, well find out on the 19th," he said. "Coming together in special session and not getting anything done is not the goal."

Board members contacted Wednesday said their hope is that Kintner will step down on his own, rather than put his colleagues in the position of either forcing him out of the Legislature or continuing to work with him under the cloud of a scandal.

"I think its a very serious matter, extremely serious," said Sen. Kathy Campbell of Lincoln. "Most people in the course of this would have resigned."

So far Kintner has rejected calls for his resignation, including a renewed push from the governor.

Ricketts said Wednesday that he met with Kintner after the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission approved a settlement with the senator last week. In the settlement, Kintner agreed to pay a $1,000 fine for misusing his state computer.

The governor said he told Kintner that he could no longer be an effective lawmaker with the cybersex scandal hanging over his head.

"I dont believe he can be an effective advocate for his constituents and that he ought to do the right thing and step down," the governor said. "He listened, he left the meeting, and hopefully hes considering the words that I gave him."

Kintner did not respond to messages seeking comment. He has said previously that he intends to stay in the Legislature.

Krist declined to say what he believes the Legislature should do if Kintner continues refusing to resign, citing his role in presenting senators with options. So did five of his eight voting colleagues on the board.

They were Sens. Colby Coash of Lincoln, John Murante of Gretna, Dan Hughes of Venango, Tyson Larson of ONeill and Campbell. They said they want to gather more information before making a decision.

"There are a lot of hard questions to be answered," Murante said, adding that its a "tragedy" that lawmakers are dealing with this issue instead of public policy for Nebraskans.

Two members have said they favor action to remove Kintner.

Speaker of the Legislature Galen Hadley of Kearney has said he would support expulsion. Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha said he would back either expulsion or impeachment, both of which would force Kintner out of the Legislature.

Sen. Dan Watermeier of Syracuse could not be reached Wednesday.

Whatever action the board may decide to pursue, Hadley and Campbell said lawmakers should take it up in special session rather than leave it for the 2017 session. Both are term-limited and will not be in the Legislature come January.

Campbell said the issue should be handled by the current senators rather than left for those who are newly elected.

But Hughes, who is finishing his second year as a lawmaker, said he does not want to return to Lincoln this fall. He believes lawmakers can deal with the matter next year if Kintner has not stepped down by then.

Sen. Heath Mello of Omaha, who chairs the Appropriations Committee and sits on the Executive Board as a non-voting member, said there is a possibility lawmakers may have to come back for a budget-cutting special session anyway.

If so, action on Kintner could be dealt with then, as long as the governor included that issue in the reasons for calling a special session. Lawmakers will get a clearer picture of the states fiscal condition in a couple of months.

Ricketts, meanwhile, deferred to lawmakers on the question of a special session.

"This is really a legislative matter. The legislative branch is a separate branch of government and Sen. Kintner is their member, and its really up to the legislative branch to decide how they want to discipline their own member," he said.

Kintner has been under fire since last week, when he admitted that he had used a state computer to have cybersex with a woman he met online.

In July 2015, the two exchanged Facebook messages, then engaged in a masturbation session via Skype. He reported the matter to the Nebraska State Patrol after the woman tried to extort money from him.

By law, state resources, including state computers and networks, must be used for state business. The only exceptions are for "essential personal business," such as contacting children at home, teachers, doctors, day care centers and family members.

Along with calls for resignation from state officials, residents of Kintners legislative district have launched a petition drive demanding that he resign immediately. Organizers plan to present the signatures to Kintner, the governor and the Executive Board next week.

The district encompasses Cass County and parts of Sarpy and Otoe Counties. Kintner, 55, was elected to represent the district in 2012 and re-elected in 2014. He could run for re-election in 2018.

Contact the writer: 402-473-9583, martha.stoddard@owh.com
LINCOLN  Two questions loom as Nebraska lawmakers wrestle over what to do about State Sen. Bill Kintners admitted use of a state computer for cybersex.

What is the standard by which senators decide to discipline their colleagues? And did Kintner violate it?

There are no clear answers, and it remains to be seen whether an apology that Kintner sent to colleagues on Tuesday will affect their positions.

In the recent past, three state senators have been convicted of drunken driving without facing discipline from colleagues.

Two charged with other offenses stepped down or lost their re-election bids before any action might have been considered.

The Nebraska Constitution allows for senators to be expelled but provides no guidance about when to use that option.

The Constitution also allows state officials to be impeached for any misdemeanor in office, which the State Supreme Court has interpreted to mean for violating laws related to their office, for neglecting their duties for corrupt purposes, or for gross or flagrant neglect of their duties.

Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha said Kintners behavior clearly crosses the line and should mean the end of his legislative career.

When a senator masturbates using state equipment, anybody and everybody knows that is beyond the pale and inappropriate, he said.

He compared the situation to that of Anthony Weiner, the Democratic congressman from New York who resigned in 2011 because of public outcry over his sexting.

Chambers argues that the state senator from Papillion should be forced out of the Legislature for his behavior if he does not resign voluntarily.

Speaker of the Legislature Galen Hadley of Kearney came to the same conclusion.

He said each situation with each state senator has to be judged individually, taking into account such things as the senators actions and level of remorse.

Last week, Kintner questioned why he would need to apologize to his colleagues. He changed his position in messages sent to fellow lawmakers on Tuesday. He said he was not sending the messages to the media.

I have embarrassed the institution in which we serve, and I have put you in an uncomfortable situation, Kintner said. I want you to know that I am sorry for that.

I apologize for placing you and the Legislature in a difficult position.

Publicly, Kintner and his supporters have had a defiant response to those who are calling for his resignation, impeachment or expulsion.

They have pointed to other Nebraska lawmakers who have had missteps, public or otherwise, and have continued serving out their terms. Some even later won re-election.

Along with senators convicted of drunken driving, they cite allegations of senators having extramarital affairs or affairs with staff, being habitually drunk or using inflammatory rhetoric.

Whats the standard? Kintner asked. What standard are all 49 senators held to that I violated and embarrassed this institution?

Hadley said such questions amount to finger pointing and an attempt to claim everyone does it.

Last week, Kintner admitted that he had used a state computer to have cybersex with a woman he met online.

In July 2015, the two exchanged Facebook messages, then engaged in a masturbation session via Skype.

He reported the matter to the Nebraska State Patrol after the woman tried to extort money from him.

On Friday, the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission approved a settlement with Kintner, under which he agreed to pay a $1,000 fine for misuse of public resources.

By law, state resources, including state computers and networks, must be used for state business. The only exceptions are for essential personal business, such as contacting children at home, teachers, doctors, day care centers and family members.

Kintner has rejected calls for his resignation from Gov. Pete Ricketts as well as other lawmakers, including Hadley and Omaha Sen. Bob Krist, who chairs the Legislatures Executive Board.

His stance has legislative leaders looking at their options, including impeachment or expulsion. Either would break new ground.

No lawmaker in the states history has been impeached or expelled.

Only one has been censured: In 1955, Sen. Sam Klaver of Omaha was condemned on a 37-2 vote for seeking compensation to defeat a bill.

A mere handful of other state officials have been impeached, and only two have been removed from office through that means.

University of Nebraska Regent David Hergert was removed in 2006 for violating state campaign finance laws. The states first governor, David Butler, was removed in 1871 for taking federal money intended for the state.

In recent decades, at least, state lawmakers have been tolerant of colleagues convicted of drunken driving.

There were no calls for the resignation of State Sens. Scott Lautenbaugh and Kermit Brashear of Omaha and Danielle (Nantkes) Conrad of Lincoln after their convictions. All remained in office.

Lautenbaugh was term-limited, but voters re-elected Brashear and Conrad. Brashear went on to be elected Judiciary Committee chairman and later Speaker of the Legislature.

But Papillion Sen. Ray Mossey faced calls to resign after he was charged with prescription fraud in June 2004. Among those urging him to step down were Gov. Mike Johanns, State GOP Chairman David Kramer and Chambers.

Mossey got pretrial diversion on the charge and initially refused to step down. But he dropped his 2004 re-election bid  effectively ending his legislative career  after the accountability commission launched an investigation into his misuse of campaign funds.

Senators largely held their fire after the Attorney Generals Office revealed that Omaha Sen. Brenda Council had used campaign funds to gamble. She pleaded guilty to abuse of public records based on falsifying campaign finance statements.

But the revelation came just two months before Council stood for re-election. She lost to Chambers, who had become the biggest critic of her actions.

Questions of impeachment never arose in the case of another top state official who got in trouble for misusing state resources.

Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy resigned abruptly in 2013 after The World-Herald began questioning his use of a state-issued cellphone to make more than 2,000 calls to women other than his wife. At least one said she had an affair with Sheehy.

In Kintners case, Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte and other supporters have said that his computer misuse has been dealt with by the system and any other consequences should be up to his wife and his constituents.

Kintner said he already has apologized to his wife, Lauren, and she has forgiven him.

But his constituents will not have a chance to weigh in until 2018, when Kintner could seek re-election.

World-Herald staff writer Emily Nohr contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: 402-473-9583, martha.stoddard@owh.com

* * *

Legislator misdeeds

Sen. Kermit Brashear of Omaha: Charged with drunken driving in 1996, pleaded guilty and received probation, remained in office and was re-elected

Sen. Ray Mossey of Papillion: Charged with prescription fraud in 2004, received pretrial diversion (later convicted and received two years probation), audit of campaign funds launched (later fined $14,000 for misusing funds), urged to resign, ended re-election campaign in October 2004

Sen. Danielle (Nantkes) Conrad of Lincoln: Charged with drunken driving and refusing a breath test in 2007, pleaded guilty to reduced charges and fined $1,000, received 12 months probation, remained in office and was re-elected in 2008

Sen. Brenda Council of Omaha: Accused of using campaign funds to gamble in 2012, pleaded guilty to abuse of public records and fined $500, (Later pleaded guilty to federal mail and wire fraud and received 3 years probation; disbarred), lost bid for re-election in 2012.

Sen. Scott Lautenbaugh of Omaha: Charged with aggravated drunken driving in 2013, oleaded guilty and fined $500, received one year of probation, remained in office
The Omaha City Council has again delayed a vote on whether to expand the restaurant tax to apply to food trucks.

The council is now scheduled to take up the matter on Sept. 13.

The vote was 5-2 in favor of the delay.

Council members Franklin Thompson and Garry Gernandt, who sponsored the ordinance, voted in favor of the delay along with Ben Gray, Chris Jerram and Aimee Melton.

Pete Festersen and Rich Pahls voted no.

Thompson said he wants to see the matter resolved, particularly because of a pending lawsuit against the city.

Michael Henery, owner of Michaels Cantina at the Market and The Diner, filed a lawsuit against the City of Omaha earlier this year, objecting to the citys treatment of food trucks. In particular, he wants food trucks to have to collect the restaurant tax like brick-and-mortar restaurants do.

Jerram and Melton said they dont want to vote for the restaurant tax ordinance before they see a separate proposal from Mayor Jean Stotherts Office on what regulations should apply to food trucks.

Kelly Keegan of Chicago Dawg House and president of the Omaha Food Truck Association, said his organization doesnt oppose the restaurant tax ordinance.

He and Cassie Paben, Stotherts deputy chief of staff for economic development, said the two sides are close to agreement on those regulations.

They both said the final sticking point is how late food trucks should be allowed to operate in the city.

Contact the writer: 402-444-1084, roseann.moring@owh.com
Hot and humid conditions will dominate the weather forecast through Thursday before a strong cold front moves into the region, bringing a good chance of thunderstorms Thursday afternoon and Thursday night.

Forecasters said the Omaha area can expect a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday and a 70 percent chance of precipitation Thursday night.

Cooler and less-humid conditions also will follow the front for Friday into the weekend, according to the National Weather Service office in Valley.

Today, the weather service issued a heat advisory until 7 p.m. for extreme northeast Nebraska, northwest Iowa and southeast South Dakota. Temperatures in the mid-90s and high humidity will combine for heat index readings, or feel-like temps, approaching 105 in those areas.

Residents of eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa will experience daytime high temperatures today and Thursday in the low to mid-90s and a heat index of 95 to 105.

The latest Omaha-area forecast, according to the weather service:

Today  Patchy fog before 7 a.m., then mostly sunny with a high near 92 and south wind gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tonight  A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11 p.m. with a low around 75.

Thursday  A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 p.m., with a high near 94.

Thursday night  Showers and thunderstorms likely (70 percent) with a low around 71.

Friday  Partly sunny with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms and a high near 85.

Friday night  Mostly clear with a low around 65.

Saturday  Sunny with a high near 83.

Saturday night  Mostly clear with a low around 62.

Sunday  Sunny with a high near 84.

Sunday night  Mostly clear with a low around 64.
The writer, who works for the Illinois Policy Institute, wrote this for the Chicago Tribune.

If youre going to vote for Hillary Clinton for president, dont do it because shes a woman. In fact, ask yourself: If a man had the same policy platform, track record and resume as Clinton, would you vote for him?

There. I said it.

Cue the onslaught of outrage from actress Lena Dunham, homemaking guru Martha Stewart and the rest of Clintons plank of prominent campaign surrogates urging women everywhere to rally behind the first female presidential nominee.

But hear me out: Im a woman, a wife and a mom. And Im not excited about Clintons candidacy.

Clinton isnt a political outsider, breaking through some thick swamp of corrupt men to stand up for women like me. I dont think she represents the issues women care about, and I wont be voting for her.

Yet women like me are being told what a historic moment this is. That Clinton is about to break the proverbial glass ceiling, and we can help her do it by casting a vote this November. Some are even trying to make us feel guilty for not joining the #imwithher fad.

At a speech in Brooklyn, New York, this summer, Clinton said: This campaign is about making sure there are no ceilings, no limits on any of us, and this is our moment to come together.

Martha Stewart said in the Wall Street Journal: We as women should be so proud that there is a strong and viable candidate, yet there are women who are not even thinking about her as a woman. They are just listening to criticisms of her that she is a liar.

Sorry. I guess Im not feeling the sisterhood.

Choosing a presidential candidate based on his or her gender is like voting for someone because you like the candidates hair color. It has nothing to do with a persons leadership abilities.

In fact, voting for Hillary solely or in large part because shes a woman isnt an exercise in open-mindedness at all. Its sexist, and its divisive. Worse, it ignores the progress women have made over the past few decades.

Today, women graduate from college at a higher rate than men. There are more female managers today than at any point in history. And with the rise of telecommuting and virtual offices, its becoming increasingly easier for many women to balance careers and motherhood.

The Pew Research Center recently studied Americans attitudes toward the sexes in political and business leadership positions. Only 9 percent of Americans surveyed think men are better at forging compromise in a business or political leadership role, while most Americans think women and men have equal ability when it comes to this skill set.

On many fronts, Americans think women have an edge over men. For example, Pew found that female leaders are perceived as more honest and ethical. (Fortunately for Clinton, the poll did not ask specifically about her.)

So its perplexing why Clinton has made her gender a centerpiece of her campaign this time around.

Obviously there was discrimination against women once upon a time, but the feminist movement has kind of clung to that, said Carrie Lukas, managing director at the conservative Independent Womens Forum. Theyve been allowed to get away with this idea that the sexes are interchangeable, but at the same time claim its a legitimate idea that we need a woman to change things.

The Clinton campaign seems to want things both ways. Either women should be treated the same, and we are just as good  if not better  than men, or we are inferior and in need of special consideration to reach the same milestones as our male counterparts. But we cant be both.

Id argue theres also a moral hazard in Clinton pushing her gender so aggressively. This extreme focus on her gender sends the message that as women, we cannot succeed on the merit of our ideas alone.

Other Clinton supporters, such as historian Nancy L. Cohen, have said women shouldnt vote for Clinton because of her gender  but because she best represents the interests of her gender.

But even that argument is narrow-minded because it assumes women are monolithic and all have the same needs, interests and political positions.

News flash: Not every woman wants the government to be more hands-on in their health care, child care or employee-employer relationship.

What it comes down to is this: Those who still see a glass ceiling today always will because thats how they view the world: black versus white, women versus men.

Unfortunately, these people will never see  or enjoy  all the progress thats been made and how diverse and intelligent women really are.
Dont drink the tap water.

Traditionally advice for Americans traveling to the Third World, that is now a sentiment that resonates domestically, too.

More Americans are opting for bottled water over what comes out of the tap because of concerns that aging pipes are leeching lead that sooner or later ends up at the faucet.

Scandals in Flint, Michigan, and Newark, New Jersey, are partly responsible for heightened consumer concern. But crumbling infrastructure is a national problem.

Years of negative publicity about sugary drinks and industry marketing also help to explain why bottled water may overtake soda in popularity this year.

Still, the faltering public trust in public water systems is a sad commentary on the nations priorities. The worlds lone superpower cannot provide safe drinking water for its own citizens? This is the price we pay for allowing our water systems, roads and bridges to deteriorate even as we have wasted money on wars and other entanglements overseas, while allowing contractors to milk the insufficient number of projects that are let for domestic infrastructure improvements.

The national, state and local governments must infuse money into water systems and work to win back Americans trust. Regulators also must keep a close eye on bottled water manufacturers to make sure consumers get the level of purity theyre promised.
LINCOLN  The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will consider proposed fee increases to some permits and stamps when it meets Aug. 18 in Broken Bow. Public hearings for the proposed fee increases will be held at the meeting.

The meeting will begin at 8 a.m. at the One Box Convention Center in the Cobblestone Inn and Suites, 2750 S. 27th Ave.

Fee increases will be considered for several permits, including hunting, big game, fishing, paddlefish and park, as well as for habitat, aquatic habitat and Nebraska migratory waterfowl stamps. Increases to some issuing and application fees also will be considered.

The commissioners also will consider recommendations:

 for wildlife management area regulations concerning definition of motorized vehicles, use of float tubes, scuba diving and potential area closures.

 to add fur harvest to hunt/fish combination permits for resident deployed military, veterans, and seniors.

 to redefine the process for obtaining a replacement park permit.

 to approve the operating and capital improvement budget request for fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019.

 to allow hunting in some state parks and state historical parks.

In addition, the commissioners will hear a preview of the Lake McConaughy/Lake Ogallala Master Plan and a recap of a recent public information meeting for the plan.

Also, Game and Parks staff will give a presentation on the new online interactive Missouri River Outdoor Recreation Access Guide, and the 2016 bighorn sheep lottery permit will be drawn at random.

A complete meeting agenda may be found at: OutdoorNebraska.gov/commissioners.
It was an enormous undertaking, said John Gottschalk, longtime chairman of the board for Omaha Performing Arts, the group created to build and manage the facility. There was considerable concern that Omaha wasnt big enough for this much product.
Karnataka to survey all Arabic schools to check if on same page as state board

Demolition drive in Bengaluru to continue: Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Bengaluru, Aug 9: Undeterred by a public outcry, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday directed the city Municipal Corporation to go ahead with the demolition of illegal structures on lakebeds and stormwater drains.

"I have told the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) officials not to spare any builder or developer, howsoever influential or powerful, in demolishing their illegal structures on lakebeds or stormwater drains, as we don't want Bengaluru to turn into Chennai during heavy rains," Siddaramaiah said.

Heavy rains on December 2 last year flooded Chennai, leaving behind a trail of death and destruction with several low-lying areas inundated for days due to encroachments and illegal structures on lakebeds and stormwater drains.

Denying the charge by affected residents and corporators that the government was targetting only the poor and middle-class families, the Chief Minister said the demolition drive was against illegal structures blocking the natural flow of rainwater in the suburbs from lakes and drains through feeder canals in the landlocked city.

"If we don't demolish them (illegal structures) now, the repercussions will be disastrous for everyone, as evident from the overflowing of the Madiwala lake and flooding of several areas in the suburbs from July 28-30," Siddaramaiah said.

The laidback BBMP has swung into action since August 5 to demolish structures built on lakebeds and stormwater drains in the city's southern and eastern suburbs, where builders and citizens have built houses, villas and flats with approvals from its officials over the years.

"Action will be taken against civic officials who approved such illegal structures and gave occupancy certificates to secure water and power connections. I have ordered an inquiry to identify the officials, serving or retired," Siddaramaiah said.

Urban Development Department's Additional Chief Secretary Mahendra Jain will head the inquiry panel to study the files containing approvals, identify the guilty officials and initiate criminal action against them.

IANS
Lack of development in J&K for decades was one of the reasons behind rise of terrorism: Rajnath Singh

How Kashmir's separatists used Burhan Wani to stay relevant

India

oi-Vicky

Srinagar, Aug 10: There is a large majority in Jammu and Kashmir today which says had Burhan Wani-the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist been caught alive, they would have personally burnt him. The growing resentment towards this person who was dubbed as the poster boy is due to a host of reasons with many believing that he was a mole.

There are also a considerable number of people who today feel that he was never a real Mujahid and only propagated the ideology on social media. Questions about why he was never stopped are also being raised.

If this is the reaction now, then one is forced to wonder how did his death snow ball into such a major issue.

The separatists, Syed Geelani in particular was clearly jealous of him. Both Geelani and Yasin Malik who actually do not see eye to eye wondered how this boy in his 20s had become the face of Kashmir and attained a status that they were not able to in the past several decades.

Being relevant in the Valley

Geelani and Yasin Malik were becoming irrelevant in the state. Moreover Malik's perception was that Geelani was getting closer to the establishment in Jammu and Kashmir. Both Geelani and Malik never made any statement regarding Wani when he was alive.

However, after his death, Malik ensured that he fanned passions and urged his men to take to the streets. Geelani did not react to Wani's death on the first day. His statement in support of Wani came in two days after his death.

To add fuel to the fire, there was a statement from Pakistan also condemning Wani's death. This led to Geelani quickly changing sides and with Malik he went on to form the Joint Resistance Group.

In this context one must also look at the statement issued by Mushtaq Ahmed Shah, a PDP legislator. While terming Wani as a pious man, he goes on to say that his death has given a new lease of life to the separatists and their ideology.

Who is protesting Wani's death?

Many in Jammu and Kashmir have cast aspersions about Burhan Wani. People say that he was never involved in any operation physically and all he did was propagate on the social media. Also there is growing resentment that he had indoctrinated several youth through his Facebook posts.

A majority are also unhappy that in death there was mindless violence which has led to militants parading on the streets. Militants in both the Valley and from Pakistan have made Wani the face of the Kashmir issue.

One source informed that militants in the South of Kashmir are seen approaching homes and telling people to keep the Wani issue alive. This is a dangerous trend which one had witnessed on a large scale during the 1990s.

On the other hand the separatists who had lost relevance want to keep this issue alive. Officials say that the people of Kashmir took to the streets only for a day after Wani's death.

However, there was realisation that a big deal was being made out of him. It was these separatists who control hardly 10 per cent of the population who through their paid stone pelters continue to keep the issue on the boil.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 10, 2016, 11:50 [IST]
Kerala CM accuses Gov of 'acting as RSS tool' on his order to VCs to resign

Jyotiraditya Scindia's car hits man; latter declared dead

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Alappuzha, Aug 10: Former union minister and MP Jyotiraditya Scindia's car met an accident on NH66 in front of Bishop Moore School near Thanki Junction of Pattanakadu Police station limits. His car hit an elderly man-70 year old Sasi who was riding his electric scooter.

Although he was rushed to the hospital, he was declared brought dead. Scindia was on his way to attend a merit evening function that was organised by Alappuzha MP K C Venugopal.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 10, 2016, 14:56 [IST]
Kalhiko Pul's note titled 'My Thoughts' will give clarity on death

India

oi-Vicky

Bengaluru, Aug 10: 'My Thoughts' was the title of the note written by former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Kalhiko Pul who was found dead at Itanagar on Tuesday. There are 60 pages of notes prepared by Pul which was titled My Thoughts.

The contents of the notes have not been revealed and the same would be opened before a Magistrate. Following his death which is an apparent case of suicide, there have been protests and rumours doing the rounds.

Kalikho Pul: A rise from humble beginnings to CM's chair

On Tuesday, his close aides had stated that he was depressed and stressed. Former Chief Minister of the state, Mukut Mithi informed the media that, Pul had spoken with him a few days back. "I think he was stressed," Mithi also said.

Rumours of financial problems

Apart from talk of Pul being stressed, there is also talk that he had financial problems. He is said to have sold off three of his houses recently and this according to many indicated that he had financial problems.

Police officials of the state when contacted refused to divulge into any details. Let us not speculate anything a senior officer informed while also adding that the contents of his notes titled My Thoughts will give a fair idea of why Pul may have taken the extreme step.

Former Arunachal Pradesh CM Kalikho Pul commits suicide

He was under lot of stress several of his supporters say. The state had witnessed hectic political activity and there was also talk that attempts were being made to destablise the Pema Khandu government.

In Delhi, BJP leader Sudanshu Mittal said that he had spoken to Pul a day before his death. He was to file a review petition in the Supreme Court against the order that dismissed his government Mittal also said.

OneIndia News
Who is Yasin Malik? The Kashmiri separatist sentenced to life in terror funding case

Should Kashmir be given to Pakistan: Row erupts after this question appears in MP civil service exam

From hijab to Kashmir, Zawahiri was Al-Qaeda's voice for everything anti-India

Kashmir unrest: Here is what Ghulam Nabi Azad said in Rajya Sabha

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, Aug 10: Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not speaking on ongoing unrest in Kashmir Valley.

Dozens of people lost their lives in the violence erupted in the Valley after Hizbul commander Burhan Wani and two other terrorists were killed on July 8 in an encounter at Bumdoora village of Kokernag in Jammu and Kashmir by a joint team of police and Army.

Curfew was imposed in the valley on July 9 to control large scale violence following the death of Burhan Wani, 22.

Burhan Wani killing: Here is what he did before his death

Militant militant hota hai, chahey woh Kashmir ka ho ya Punjab ka: GN Azad in RS  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

Everyone in Kashmir is a victim of militancy. Many of us have lost their near and dear ones due to this militancy in Kashmir: GN Azad in RS  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

There is a difference between communalism and separatism: Ghulam Nabi Azad, Cong in Rajya Sabha pic.twitter.com/pn69HhHyay  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

Law & order is not sole responsibility of Kashmir police, paramilitary forces are also involved: GN Azad in RS  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

You call J&K an integral part of India, but there needs to be integration of heart? Between people of India & J&K?: GN Azad in RS  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

There needs to be integration btwn Centre & State Govt. That is not seen, else what PM said wouldnt have come from MP but Parl: GN Azad  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

J&K has a curfew, many people have been injured. Civilians have faced losses. And as Parl is on, we all need to share their pain: GN Azad  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

There should be an All Party Delegation & a meeting that needs to be sent to J&K, should be announced during the Parl: GN Azad in RS  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

OneIndia News
After Centre's ban, Nagaland govt declares PFI and its affiliates as 'unlawful association'

AFSPA in parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland extended for 6 months from today

Lok Sabha approves bill to include Nagaland under Imphal-based CAU

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, Aug 9 The Central Agricultural University (Amendment) Bill, 2016 that provides for bringing the northeastern state of Nagaland under the jurisdiction of Imphal-based Central Agriculture University in neighbouring Manipur was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Piloting the legislation, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said the bill only shows the commitment of the Modi government towards northeastern states.

"The Modi government is fully committed to the development of the northeastern region. At the instructions of Prime Minister every month now you find one central minister or the other visiting northeastern region. This only reflects the commitment for those states," he said.

The bill in effect seeks to amend the Central Agricultural University Act, 1992, that was enacted for the establishment and incorporation of a university for the northeastern region.

The 1992 Act provides for the establishment of a University in the northeastern region for the development of agriculture, and advancement of research in agriculture and allied sciences.

It also states that the university will be responsible for teaching and research in the field of agriculture for the northeastern states.

The premier institute in Manipur capital Imphal has been working towards promoting agro economic development and research in agriculture and allied sectors.

"The 1992 Act defines the north eastern region as comprising the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura.A The new bill now amends this definition to include the state of Nagaland," sources said.

The amendment bill ultimately becoming a law in due course would help Nagaland get all the facilities that other north-eastern states get under this Act.

After inclusion of Nagaland under jurisdiction of the Central Agricultural University, the College of Veterinary Sciences in Nagaland would produce the much-needed professional manpower in the fields of animal husbandry.

The new college would help familiarise the farmers with new techniques, thereby contributing to the production and productivity of domestic animals in the State of Nagaland.

Replying to a debate on the bill, Agriculture Minister Singh said Nagaland has been devoid of the advantages of agriculture and allied education for the last 20-21 years.

The law will now change the scenario, he said adding agro economy of the state will get a major boost.

IANS
What is Anti-doping bill? Does India really have a doping crisis?

Lok Sabha to debate Dalit issue, flood situation

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, Aug 9 After a series of incidents against Dalits across the country, the Lok Sabha is now likely to take up for debate the issue of atrocities against Dalits on Thursday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said.

The Business Advisory Committee of the House which met on Tuesday decided that the debate may be taken on Thursday, he said.

Earlier in the house, Congress floor leader Mallikarjun Kharge and others had raised the issue and sought chair's intervention to allow early debate, but Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said that the decision on debate time and rule can be decided by the business advisory committee only.

The business advisory panel also favoured a debate on the flood situation in the country on Friday, the last day of the Monsoon Session, which largely saw success on the part of treasury bench in ensuring passage a number of important bills including the long-delayed Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill.

"The issue of Dalit atrocities will be taken up on Thursday," Kumar later said adding the government is never hesitant to discuss any issue including the anti-Dalit violence.

The government, sources said, is now not against a debate on violence against Dalit after Prime Minister Narendra Modi has slammed self-styled "gau rakshaks (cow vigilante groups)".

On August 6, the Prime Minister broke his silence on cow vigilante and asserted that he felt "anguished" over incidents of vigilantism and asked state governments to prepare a dossier of such "self-styled gau rakshaks".

The Modi government at the Centre and BJP governments in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have come under strong criticism for attacks on Dalits and Muslims by vigilante groups amid the charge that the law enforcement agencies remained mute spectators.

IANS
Riyadh to allow non-Muslims to enter 4 mosques in Jeddah

Man from UP stranded in Jeddah; appeals for help from Indian govt

India

oi-Preeti Panwar

Jeddah, Aug 10: At least 7,700 Indians are reportedly stranded in Jeddah, who are anxiously waiting for the day when they will return to their homeland.

Rustam Azad is one among thousands of stranded Indians. He hails from Padrauna town of Kushi Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh. [Helpline for family of UP natives stuck in Saudi- +91-8005140000]

Rustam got in touch with OneIndia through the socail networking website Facebook and narrated the horrific ordeal that stranded Indians are going through since last six months.

[Crisis related to Indians in Saudi Arabia resolved: Swaraj]

He alleged that the Indian government has reached out to limited people only and many like him, have not been even approached by the Indian embassy officials.

Rustam is currently employed with Jeddah-based Inma Utilities Contracting company.

[Saudi King assisting stranded Indian workers: Sushma Swaraj]

Minister of State for External Affairs, Retd Gen VK Singh had visited Jeddah last week, where he met stranded Indians in a camp.

On being asked, why didn't he met Singh, Rustam responded saying, "I didn't had enough money to meet him", while adding that "Singh only met Indians of a single construction-based firm (Saudi Oger) in a camp".

[Indian consulate in Saudi distributes over 15k kg food among crisis-hit workers]

Rustam also alleged that his tweets to the Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and to Gen VK Singh went unanswered.

He said that alongwith his fellows approached the Indian consulate, where he was not offered any kind of help.

[India to bring back 10,000 workers from Saudi Arabia: Sushma Swaraj]

Rustam and his friends got to know about VK Singh's Jeddah visit through social media and TV news channels.

According to Rustam, around 800 Indians are stranded in seven buildings. Indian embassy is situated approximately 30 kms away from Rustam's firm.

Presently, a Karnataka based NGO-NRI Forum is providing food to Rustam and other stranded Indians.

The food that is being supplied to them can last upto three to four days.

Rustam's parents and his elder brother lives in Padrauna. Last year, he visited his family and then returned to Jeddah, as his leaves were over. He said that he has not received salary from last six months.

He, along with many Indians stranded like him, are desperately hoping that the Indian government approaches them soon and they return to their country safely.

Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh had travelled to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and held extensive talks with Saudi Labour Minister Mufrej Al Haqbani who promised urgent action to resolve the problems of around 7,000 Indians.

As per Saudi Arabia's kafala system, which is applicable to foreign workers, employees are not allowed to move to a new job without approval of their bosses.

Some 7,700 Indian workers employed with a company in Saudi Arabia are facing a financial crisis after it shut down and laid off workers.

On Tuesday, Aug 2,External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said 4,072 workers belonging to construction company Saudi Oger in Riyadh are in 10 camps: nine in Riyadh and one in Damman.

OneIndia News
Blow to Nitish Kumar as 5 of 6 MLAs from JD(U) join BJP in Manipur

One injured in twin blasts in Manipur

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Imphal, Aug 10: A child was injured in an IED explosion near a BSF camp while a low-intensity blast caused panic near the Manipur University gate in Imphal East and Imphal West districts respectively.

A senior police officer said a suspected Improvised Explosive Device went off at about 9 AM near o a BSF camp at Moirangpurel area, injuring a seven-year-old girl Tinoi in Imphal East district.

According to reports came earlier, five people were injured in another low intensity blast occured outside Manipur University. The bomb was planted in a drum by some unidentified persons.

The back-to-back blasts come at a time when security forces have stepped up vigil ahead of Independence Day.

Minor injured in explosion targeting BSF camp in Manipur

On Monday last, two BSF personnel were injured at Kangpokpi area in Senapati district.

#FLASH Bomb blast at the gate of Manipur University in Imphal, More details awaited  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

OneIndia News

(With inputs from PTI)
PM to flag off South India's first 'Vande Bharat Express' on Nov 11

India's steel industry now 2nd biggest, target is to double crude steel output in 10 years: PM Modi

Narendra Modi calls Kudankulam Unit-I another historic step in India-Russia ties

News

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa jointly dedicated the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project's first unit to the country.

PM Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and TN CM jointly inaugurate the Unit 1 of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant pic.twitter.com/ttFVJkpr5M  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

The three leaders partook in a video conference from New Delhi, Moscow and Chennai respectively. The fourth point for the conference was the plant site in Tirunelveli where the main function was organised.

Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa spoke at joint inauguration of Unit 1 of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project and said that, "Nuclear power is clean and green power, the dedication of the Kudankulam power plant is a major milestone in Indo-Russian friendship."

"An expert committee was formed to address the concerns of the citizens and based on the report the government of Tamil Nadu agreed to take steps for the early commissioning of the and allocate Rs 500 crore."

Russian President Vladimir Putin then addressed the audience in India.

Russia President Putin speaking at inauguration of Unit 1 of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant via video conference pic.twitter.com/8Cwxotl6tj  ANI (@ANI_news) August 10, 2016

"It is a big event for our Indian partners and for all of us. The power plant is updated with most modern Russian technologies. It is not just construction and commissioning of the power plant. It is well known that Russia is one of the world leaders in nuclear technology and we are glad to share with our Indian colleagues our technology."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi too addressed the elite audience. He first congratulated Russian President. He said, "Today is indeed a special day. I am particularly grateful to President Putin for his presence at this event."

He further added that, "Kundankulum 1 is an important addition to India's continuing efforts to scale up production of clean energy in India."

"Kudankulam 1 also signals our joint commitment to build pathways of partnership for green growth."

"I have always deeply valued our friendship with Russia & it is fitting that we jointly dedicate Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1."
Only 10 civilians die in extremist attacks in 2015: Report

India

oi-PTI

Guwahati, Aug 10: Assam witnessed the lowest civilian casualties in 25 years due to extremist violence in 2015 with only 10 persons losing their lives, while 58 militants were killed in encounters with security forces.

The 13th Report of the Standing Committee on Home Department, which was tabled in the assembly today, said the state witnessed improvement in overall law and order situation last year.

"One of the most significant achievements under the Unified Command structure is that the total number of civilians killed in extremist violence in 2015 in the state is 10, which is an all-time low since 1991," it said. According to the report, 58 militants belonging to different organisations were killed in encounter with security forces in last year.

"During 2015, the security forces apprehended 1,449 cadres, including many top leaders of militant groups," the Standing Committee Report said. In 2016, 608 cadres of militant groups have been apprehended from across Assam till July 21, the report said.

A total of 31 militants of various groups have been killed in encounter with security forces in this year so far.

The report pointed out many deficiencies of the Assam Police such as improper housing for personnel, lack of man power in Bodoland Territorial Area Districts, insufficient equipment at forensic science laboratory, lack of CCTV cameras and absence of sufficient modern arms among others.

PTI
Gap between rich and poor has widened, needs to be bridged: Gadkari

Protest outside Nitin Gadkari's house over separate Vidarbha

India

oi-PTI

Nagpur, Aug 9: A group of pro-Vidarbha activists, demanding statehood for the region, today protested outside Union minister Nitin Gadkari's residence here.

The activists took out a rally, under the leadership of former Legislator Wamanrao Chatap of Vidarbha Rajya Andolan Samiti, which ended at Gadkari's residence located in Mahal area in the eastern part of the city.

"A large number of farmers, students, women and youngsters from across various districts of Vidarbha took part in the protest march, which was aimed at reminding Gadkari of his promise on a separate Vidarbha state," Ram Neole, a leader of Samiti said.

Separating Vidarbha is like mother-child separation: Shiv Sena

Before being elected as an MP from Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency, Gadkari had openly espoused the cause of separate Vidarbha.

However, he has been maintaining silence on the issue since his induction into the Union cabinet, Neole alleged.

"If Gadkari decides, he can deliver on the demand for separate state. The Centre has the discretion to carve out a new state without the consent of the Maharashtra Legislature," he added.

A memorandum in support of the separate statehood was submitted to Gadkari's staff as he was away in New Delhi to attend the ongoing Parliament session.

PTI
Punish those who take law in their hands: Home ministry on cow vigilantism

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, Aug 9 Two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern over cow vigilantism, the Home Ministry on Tuesday issued an advisory to the states asking them to punish those taking the law in their hands in the name of protecting cattle.

"Recently, some incidents have been reported where certain persons or groups have taken law into their own hands in the name of protecting cows and have committed crimes in pursuance thereof. This is not an acceptable situation," said the advisory.

"The states are, therefore, enjoined upon, and expected, to ensure that any person who takes law into his/her own hands is dealt with promptly, and punished as per law. There should be no tolerance at all for such persons and full majesty of law must come to bear on them, without exception," it added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called for protecting Dalits and for isolating and punishing fake "gau rakshaks" (cow protectors), saying they were destroying the country.

The advisory further said: "No person can, under any circumstances, take the law into their own hands."

"In states where slaughter of cows is prohibited by law, such slaughtering would be in violation of law, and an offence. However, that does not entitle any individual or group of persons to take action on their own to prevent the alleged slaughter or punish the alleged wrong doers," it read.

The advisory also said that "any person, or persons, doing so have to be dealt with strictly under the relevant laws, and brought to justice in the quickest possible fashion, for the strictest punishment."

IANS
Dalit man in Kerala beaten up by wife's brother allegedly for not converting to Christianity

In UP, ex-pradhan thrashes Dalit girl, throws her out of school over uniform

In Rajasthan, Dalit man thrashed for using water from pot 'meant' for upper castes

UP: Dalit girl denied drinking water at temple, father attacked with trident

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Lucknow, Aug 10: In a shocking incident, a Dalit girl was denied drinking water from a handpump in temple premises and her father was also attacked by the temple priest in Uttar Pradesh.

The incident took place in UP's Sambhal district when a 13-year-old girl who was drinking water from a handpump in the temple premises was stopped by the priest from doing so as she was a Dalit.

Not only the girl, even the girl's father was attacked with a trident when he tried to confront the priest.

According to a Zee news report, "Police have registered a case against the priest under SC/ST Act after the Dalit family protested. The temple priest has been arrested."

This incident has come to fore when already a number of incidents highlighting discrimination and atrocities against the Dalits are taking place in the country.

Recently, Gujarat witnessd a spate of sporadic protests and violence, allegedly after killing of a cow by Dalit community members in Una district.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday came down heavily on the perpetrators of violence on Dalits, telling them, "if you have to attack, attack me" but stop attacking "my Dalit bretheren".

Facing increasingly bruising opposition assault on him and BJP over attacks on Dalits and on the issue of cow vigilantes, Modi also lashed out at "fake cow protectors", denouncing them for the second day running for trying to create "tension and conflict" in the society and asking the states to take stringent action against them.

Making an emotional appeal at a meeting of BJP workers in Hyderabad, Modi asked people to protect and respect Dalits who have for long been neglected by the society.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from agencies)
EAM Jaishankar holds 'warm and productive' talks with Saudi counterpart in Riyadh

Houthi rebels fire missiles at Saudi cities

International

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Riyadh, Aug 10: Yemen's Shia Houthi rebel group said it fired two ballistic missiles against military targets in Saudi border cities on Wednesday, according to the Houthi-controlled Saba news agency.

One missile struck an air defence base in Saudi Arabia's Khamis Mushait city, while the second destroyed a military camp in Abha city, Xinhua news agency cited the rebel group as saying.

The attack comes only two days after the Saudi-led military coalition supporting the Yemeni exiled government stepped up its air campaign against Houthi rebels, following the collapse of the US-sponsored peace talks in Kuwait between the warring factions.

Houthi rebels said that Saudi warplanes launched over 50 sorties on Wednesday targeting the Nehem district, northeast of the capital city of Sanaa.

Riyadh-based coalition spokesman Ahmed Aseeri said air operations supporting Yemeni government troops advanced into the district of Nehem, in preparation for advancing into Sanaa next.

Houthi rebels and allied forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh have controlled Sanaa since 2014, after forcing the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile.

The Saudi-led coalition intervened in March 2015 to help restore the internationally recognized Hadi government.

Coalition airstrikes and fighting on the ground had left more than 6,400 persons dead, the majority of which were civilians.

IANS


Russia, Turkey promise resetting of ties

International

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Moscow, Aug 10: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday (Aug 9) pledged to reinvigorate ties following their first meeting since a Russian fighter jet was brought down by Turkey in November last year, AFP reported. [Post coup, is Turkey getting close to Russia at West's expense?]

Erdogan's trip to Russia is also his first foreign one since the failed coup in his country on July 15 which saw the authorities hitting back at the opponents and blaming the West for the attempt to topple Erdogan.

"We lived through a very complicated moment in the relations between our states and we very much want, and I feel our Turkish friends want, to overcome the difficulties," Putin told a joint press conference after his meeting with Erdogan, the AFP added.

While Putin said it would take some time to see the earlier period of trade between Russia and Turkey returns after Moscow imposed a series of economic sanctions against Ankara following the aircraft incident but both countries said they aimed to restart major energy projects that were hit by the fallout.

Erdogan, on the other hand, said the relation between Russia and Turkey would become "more robust" and stressed Putin's support for him after the coup attempt in which nearly 300 people were killed.

Turkey accused Fethullah Gulen, a cleric who lives in Pennsylvania in the US in a self-imposed exile, of backing the coup which the latter denied. Turkey also sought Gulen's extradition but the US demanded clear evidence.

Oneindia News
At UNSC, US calls on world to tell Russia to stop its nuclear threats

US slams Turkish press accusation against think tank

International

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Washington, Aug 10: The allegation in Turkish press that the Washington-based think tank Wilson Center was behind a failed coup in Turkey is "absolutely not helpful", US State Department has said.

"I think this sort of conspiracy theory, inflammatory rhetoric ... is absolutely not helpful," Xinhua news agency quoted State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau as saying on Tuesday. "Conspiracy theories get us nowhere."

The July 15 coup attempt in Turkey has left more than 200 people dead. The authorities have since detained more than 18,000 people.

Pro-government Turkish newspapers have implicated a group of academics who were attending a conference organised by the Wilson Center on the island of Buyukada near Istanbul at the time of the coup.

"There was nothing clandestine or sinister about the conference, which brought together specialists on Iran, Turkey, and the Middle East," Haleh Esfandiari, a senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson, wrote in an article published on Tuesday on The Wall Street Journal.

Turkish authorities have accused US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen of orchestrating the coup attempt in coordination with a faction within the military.

An Istanbul court recently issued an arrest warrant for Gulen over his suspected role in the coup attempt, and Turkey has already sent its request to the US to extradite Gulen.

Turkey-US ties were strained by the failed coup amid Turkey's indication of US involvement in it. President Barack Obama denied any involvement in the coup attempt.

Turkey, a NATO ally for the US, is a major member of the US-led coalition in the fight against the Islamic State terrorist group.

IANS
9th Kerala Travel Mart will play host to 57 countries

Kochi

oi-PTI

Kochi, Aug 10: The 2016 edition of the Kerala Travel Mart (KTM), billed as the largest gathering of tourism stakeholders in the state, is set to host 57 countries with 10 first-time participants.

The biennial meet's ninth edition, to be held in Kochi by September end, will see the biggest-ever delegate contingent from 10 prized traditional markets  including the US, Canada and Australia.

The new participants include China, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Georgia, Chile, Greece, Iran and Botswana. As many as 57 countries and 20 Indian states will explore tourism opportunities in 'God's Own Country' at the three-day event organised by the Kerala Travel Mart Society in association with the state government's Department of Tourism.

The number of registered international delegates attending KTM 2016, to be inaugurated on September 27 -- World Tourism Day, has swelled to 560, organisers said in a release here. Domestic participation has been buoyed as well with around 1,300 domestic buyers expected to participate this year.

"The KTM has always placed as much emphasis on the identification of quality buyers from new countries as on retaining participation levels from conventional markets. With 10 new nations confirmed to participate this year, our efforts have borne fruit," KTM Society President Abraham George said.

"Moreover, the increase in registrations from the 10 conventional markets including United States, Canada and Australia is further proof of the KTM's growing profile," he added.

An array of products, services and packages from around 261 sellers including hotels, resorts, houseboats, Ayurveda resorts, homestays and tour operators, will be showcased at the event, which will run till September 30 at the Samudrika and Sagara Convention Centre on Willingdon Island, Kochi.

KTM will witness 25,000 business meetings apart from other non-scheduled meetings. The mart is designed to facilitate B2B networking and interactions among travel industry professionals and entrepreneurs from Kerala and across the world, thereby providing a vehicle for business linkages between the state's tourism fraternity and the international travel market.

Organisers said KTM 2016 will focus on the themes of 'Responsible Tourism' and the 'Muziris and Spice Route'.

In an attempt to promote the 'Muziris and Spice Route' theme, UNESCO together with Kerala Tourism and the Union Tourism ministry will host a 'Spice Route Culinary Festival' from September 23-26, in which leading chefs from the 31 member countries on the historic Spice Route will participate. The event is organised as a prelude to the Mart.

PTI

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 10, 2016, 11:41 [IST]
Zakir Naik and the wide spread conversion racket that attracts many

Mumbai

oi-Vicky

Mumbai, Aug 10: Conversions to Islam taking place at Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000, fanning religious sentiments and an extreme view about religion- this is how one can sum up the 72 page report that the Maharashtra police have filed on Dr Zakir Naik.

The report that was prepared following interviews with various people and also questioning of some accused, has led the police to state that conversions to Islam would attract money of Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000

Ban on Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation proposed

OneIndia had reported on July 26, 2016 that the Islamic Research Foundation run by Naik would pay Rs 50,000 for conversions to Islam (Did Zakir Naik's aides pay Rs 50,000 for every conversion?). Investigations had shown that people were lured with money to convert to Islam. Some were paid Rs 25,000 while the rest were given Rs 50,000.

Money for conversions

The police have not been able to spell out why there was a disparity in the amount that was paid for conversions. However, officials say that the person who was capable of bringing in more people for conversion to Islam would be paid a higher sum.

When one Ebin Jacob from Kerala had complained that Zakir Naik's aid Arshi Qureshi had converted his sister from Christianity to Islam, the police probed into this in-depth. It was found that Qureshi now arrested by the Kerala police had paid Ebin's sister, Merrin to convert to Islam.

Further the marriage bureau run by Naik's associates was also under the police scanner. The police suspect that the bureau was just a front to run a conversion racket.

Extreme views

According to the report of the Maharashtra police, Naik had extreme views about religion. Once his audience gets attracted to him, he justifies terror calling it as Jihad. He has exceptional oratory skills which attracts many towards him, the police report also states.

Naik openly condemns terrorism. However, he has a knack of saying the obvious without actually saying it. For instance if he is asked about Osama Bin Laden, he would say he is the one who is fighting America the biggest terrorist.

He states that Islam condemns killing of innocent people, but on the other he justifies violence in the name of Jihad.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 10, 2016, 9:15 [IST]
Mysuru explosion: Bomb wrapped in a Malayalam daily

Mysore

oi-Vicky

Mysuru, Aug 10: An IED wrapped in a Malayalam daily is now a subject matter of investigation in the Mysuru blast case. Last week, a bomb exploded in a toilet near the court premises at Mysuru in which one person was injured. The police say that this could be the handiwork of a group known as the Base Movement.

The name of this terrorist outfit, Base Movement cropped up first when it undertook blasts at Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh and Kollam in Kerala. The al-Ummah which has taken this name derived it from the al-Qaeda in the Sub-Continent which has the official name, Organisation of the Base of Jihad in the Indian Subcontinent or the Jamaat Qaidat al-jihad fi'shibhi al-qarrat al-Hindiya.

In Mysuru blast probe, new terror outfit Base Movement emerges

Bomb wrapped in Malayalam daily

The evidence that has been recovered from spot shows that the Improvised Explosive Device was wrapped in a Malayalam paper. The same has been sent for forensic analysis now by the Karnataka police.

Further there are several similaritiesbetween the blast at Mysuru and the ones that took place outside the courts at Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh) and Kollam (Kerala) on April 7 and June 15 respectively.

To begin with the blasts were all outside the courts. Further the timers and the explosive material are identical in all three cases.

While studying the motive behind the blasts, the police say that it could be possible that the group is sending a message to the courts. Five SIMI operatives including the dreaded Vikarrudin Ahmed who were facing trial in the court were killed in an encounter. There is a mention of this in one of the letters written by the Base Movement in the aftermath of the Chittoor blast.

The Karnataka police is contemplating seeking the government's nod to hand over the probe to the National Investigation Agency. It has inter-state ramifications and hence the NIA is the best agency to probe the case, the police feel.

Mysuru blast: Explosives were placed in a pressure cooker

The birth of the Base Movement

The al-Ummah which has been notorious in South India has rebranded itself as the Base Movement, both police and intelligence bureau officials say. The al-Ummah owes allegiance to the al-Qaeda.

In the aftermath of the Chittoor court blast, a letter had been sent out in which a group called as the Base Movement had claimed responsibility. In the letter a photograph of Osama Bin Laden too had been pasted.

When the al-Qaeda in the Sub-Continent was launched in 2014, it had stated that its official name would be Jamaat Qaidat al-jihad fi'shibhi al-qarrat al-Hindiya. This translated into English would mean Organisation of the Base of Jihad in the Indian Subcontinent. The name Base Movement appears to be derived from this, officials feel.

The al-Ummah operatives who largely operate in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were under immense heat from both the police and the Intelligence Bureau. The renaming of the outfit as Base Movement only appears to be a ploy to lower that heat and confuse investigators.

OneIndia News
I-Day: Police deployed for every tree near Red Fort

New Delhi

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, Aug 9: Security is at an unprecedented high at the Red Fort where Prime Minister, Narendra Modi would address the nation on the occasion of Independence Day. From trees to balconies everything is being guarded by an army of police personnel who have ensured that no stone has been left unturned to ensure that security is top notch.

The highest threat perception this year is from fringe ISIS elements and also militants who may try and make a point on the Kashmir issue.

The police have already collected details of the 9,000 families living around the Red Fort areas. In addition to this every visitor to the Red Fort will be checked by two security personnel.

There is also one police personnel who has been posted for each tree in and around the venue to avoid any sort of security breach. There are around 2,500 trees in and around the Red Fort area and all of them will be guarded.

The police have also installed 500 CCTV cameras in and around the venue which would be monitored in real time from the control room. Further police personnel will be stationed at the balconies of each home around the Red Fort area.

Grade A Intelligence

The threat perception is exceptionally high this year. The intelligence that has been received has been treated as Grade A. Fringe ISIS elements and militants from Kashmir pose the highest threat, an Intelligence Bureau official told OneIndia.

There is a possibility of some people trying to breach security as a fall out of the Kashmir issue. Further ISIS operatives who have been trying to set up shop may try and make an announcement in the form of an attack, the officer also noted.

"We have also not ruled out the threat perception from the al Qaeda in the Sub-Continent too," IB officials have said.

Terrorist groups may try and indulge in sniper attacks, drone strikes, bomb blasts and fidayeen attacks, the intelligence bureau has warned.

Further the alert has also been sounded at the Indo-Pak border which suggests that infiltration bids may be attempted. The alert also speaks about a possible strike in Jammu and Kashmir.

OneIndia News
ISIS had prepared a list of govt officials it could target

New Delhi

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, Aug 10: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) probing a case relating to an ISIS module has learnt that the operatives were told to make a list of Government officials who could be targeted.

The details of this plot which are part of the chargesheet filed by the NIA suggest that Shafi Armar, the handler of the Indian outfit had told the recruits to prepare a kill list of government officials.

Has ISIS infiltrated the schools in Kerala and Maharashtra?

Armar explains to his cadres that targeting government officials would send a very strong message that the ISIS is opposed to Indian democracy. It is the government officials who implement the law and the policies of the government.

The ISIS believes only in the implementation of the Sharia law. Hence targeting government officials would send a very strong message to the Indian establishment, Armar felt.

In another transcript, Armar says that in the future, the ISIS recruits must also begin targeting Shias. There is a dire need to cause a sectarian clash in India and for this the Shias must be targeted, he said.

He reminds the cadres that they should not lose sight that the ISIS is keen in wiping out the Shias who they consider to be anti Islam.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, August 10, 2016, 10:22 [IST]
Pakistan army officers inspected our training, says terrorist Bahadur Ali

New Delhi

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, Aug 10: Some members of the Pakistan army were present at the Lashkar-e-Taiba camp which was planning on launching terrorists to take advantage of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. These details were revealed by Bahadur Ali, the Pakistani terrorist who was captured in Jammu and Kashmir recently.

Ali during his questioning said that there were some army personnel at the training camp who came in at the last stage. They were in civilian clothes when they came to the camp and they checked our preparedness, he also added.

I am a Pakistani, I came here to kill Indians: Captured terrorist tells NIA

"He was a highly trained operative," Inspector General of the National Investigation Agency, Sanjeev Kumar said. He had entered Kashmir to take advantage of the unrest and kill security personnel.

The National Investigation Agency has found during its investigation that Ali had been highly trained and was communicating with his handlers in codes.

Ali's arrest has given the NIA vital information about the role played by Pakistan in infiltrating terrorists. India had issued a strong warning to Pakistan on Tuesday about cross border infiltration, a charge that the country denied.

The NIA IG also said that Ali had undergone three levels of training organised by the Lashkar-e-Taiba. He was recruited by the ideological wing of the Lashkar-e-Taiba which is the Jamaat-ud-Dawa.

The Lashkar then trained him, the IG also added. The IG further added that Ali had said that there were at least 50 persons training at the same camp that he was and they were from different parts of Pakistan. There were also people from Afghanistan, he added.

Taking advantage of the unrest

The NIA has also learnt that Ali is a member of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. He was trained by the outfit and was specifically sent into Jammu and Kashmir to take advantage of the unrest. Ali has also told the NIA that he was told to stand behind the stone pelters and fire at the security forces. He had even confessed that he is from Paksitan.

J&K protests: Terrorist was told to stand behind stone pelters, fire at police officials

After capturing Ali, the security forces recovered from him three AK-47 rifles, two pistols and Rs 23,000 in cash. He says that he was to head towards a protest in the state and stand behind the stone pelters and then open fire on the police and security forces.

The Lashkar-e-Taiba has several such persons ready in Muzzaffarabad, he also says. He said that they were being sent in batches to join the stone pelters and kill security personnel. "We were told by our handlers to take full advantage of the commotion in Kashmir. We were a team of three who were fully equipped with guns and grenades," Ali.

Ali told his interrogators that he was being handled by a Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Walid who was based at Muzzaffarabad, Pakistan occupied Kashmir. After my two accomplices were killed by the security forces in J&K, I stayed in touch with Walid. The stone pelters were supposed to be my cover, Ali said.

The Lashkar-e-Taiba has several such persons ready in Muzzaffarabad, he also says. He said that they were being sent in batches to join the stone pelters and kill security personnel. "We were told by our handlers to take full advantage of the commotion in Kashmir. We were a team of three who were fully equipped with guns and grenades," Ali said.

Ali says that after his two associates Dadra Bai and Saad Bai were killed, he was told by his handlers to go ahead with the plan. I was told that there would be two persons who join me and we could go ahead with the plan, he adds. However Ali was arrested by the security forces in Kashmir.

OneIndia News
The LeT terrorist, Bahadur Ali confessed that he was trained in Pakistan and infiltrated J&K to "mix with locals and create trouble". NIA said it is investigating the role of Lashkar in the unrest in Kashmir Valley in the aftermath of the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani.
AIADMK wants special category status for Puducherry

Puducherry

oi-PTI

Puducherry, Aug 9: Opposition AIADMK today demanded that the Centre grant special category status to Puducherry so that "the current tussle" between Chief Minister Narayanasamy and Lt Governor Kiran Bedi could come to an end.

AIADMK Legislature wing leader A Anbalagan said although Narayanasamy had been claiming often that there was no tussle between the Ministry and the Lt Governor, "the government is now in coma condition." He said if Narayanasamy's claim that relations between his ministry and the Lt Governor were cordial, were true, why did the Chief Minister and Lt Governor camp separately in Delhi and meet separately the Prime Minister and other Ministers recently.

"They should have met the Central Ministers together and made out a case for financial assistance from the Centre to Puducherry," he said. "There is no clear picture of the allocations the Centre had released for Puducherry as the budget session of the Assembly, already due, is yet to be held," he said.

The new Assembly after the May 16 polls was constituted three months ago."But budget session is yet to be convened," he said.

PTI
Visakhapatnam: More than half of Jana Sena workers released but situation still tense

People's help needed to make Vizag world-class city: Naidu

Visakhapatnam

oi-PTI

Visakhapatnam, Aug 9: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today sought cooperation from people to develop Visakhapatnam as a city of international repute.

"People's cooperation is essential to develop the port city as a world-class urban centre. The TDP-led Government is committed to achieve this goal," he said after launching the website of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Urban Forum' meeting to be held here from September 14.

The three-day conclave would discuss challenges faced by cities and rapid urbanisation. Naidu said 600 delegates--500 from India and 100 from abroad--besides representatives of States will take part in the meeting.

The Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority is organising the conclave which has been sponsored by Union Ministry of Urban Development. Smart cities, greenfield cities, water and sanitation management and urban development, among other issues, will be discussed at the gathering.

Before leaving for Vijayawada, the Chief Minister also held discussions with farmers on the issue of land acquisition for the proposed international airport at Bhogapuaram in Vizianagaram district and relief and rehabilitation package for the project.

PTI
 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd.

All rights reserved.

One News is a registered trademark

of One News Page Ltd.
by  Graham Pierrepoint



Elon Musk is regarded as one of the worlds leading engineers and is the CEO behind SpaceX and Tesla  and at one time, he was even involved with bringing PayPal to the masses  but hes since been widely involved with a number of technological breakthroughs and inventions, and is also at the heart of the process for the construction of Teslas Model 3  a vehicle which will likely cost over $30,000 on the market. However, the Tesla Model 3 is no ordinary vehicle  as Musk has revealed that its construction will take place in a center that will be completely devoid of people  and has advised that the factory will likely look like an alien dreadnought.

Teslas plans to move production on the Model 3 away from the companys Gigafactory come as a result of a want to optimise production speed as much as possible  with Musk advising that human intervention could slow processes to human speed. While batteries for the Model 3 will continue to be produced and constructed at the Gigafactory, the proposed Dreadnought will see all human personnel banned from its production line, instead emphasizing mechanical construction at optimal speed.

Tesla have yet to make the mark that they wish to make upon the world of motoring and are therefore hoping that the proposed new factory  which is said to be measuring in at 10 million square feet of pure production space  will finally elevate their status in production of electric cars into the mainstream. Certainly, Musk has worked hard to help innovate with Teslas engineers and inventors to attempt to make the electric car more viable, more user-friendly and more appealing to the wider public. The Model 3, which will undergo production once the colossal new workspace is finished, is just the latest vehicle from a firm which is constantly pushing itself to provide viable alternatives to traditional motoring.

Regardless of whether or not Musks vision for an entirely autonomous workspace will allow the firm to produce their best vehicles yet, the desire to remove people from assembly and production is a move that will likely have been unheard of even a handful of years ago  while production lines have turned to automation to save on staff overheads, time and to allow for as many products to roll out as possible, the idea of humans being banned from a factory entirely apart from basic maintenance may be considered somewhat revolutionary  and its not the first time that Musk has challenged technological preconceptions. How will the Model 3 fare? We will have to wait and see!
Write to our experts for help!

Teletext's experts on investment, tax, pensions and property can help *YOU!*



Send..

teletext 24 Oct 2022
Rumble 28 Oct 2022

The Florida Medical Board is finally doing something about harmful transgender surgeries and puberty blockers being used..
Mediaite 11 Jul 2022

A new book says former House Speaker Paul Ryan was "sobbing" as he watched the U.S. Capitol come under attack by Donald Trump's..
Opalesque Industry Update - Mediatrix Capital Inc. and Alternative Asset Management Ltd. has announced the formation of a strategic partnership to create an expanded platform offering investors the opportunity to profit from a global currency trading system utilizing artificial intelligence based algorithms. Under terms of the new agreement, Mediatrix Capitals trading system will provide an operative baseline for Alternative Asset Managements multi-award winning account strategies. Based in London, Alternative Asset Management is an established hedge fund manager, fully Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, specializing in absolute return strategies that utilize systematic automated trading systems coupled with advanced asset management techniques. The firms trading structures employ powerful algorithms based on a top down neural network study that produces high alpha trading programs. These sophisticated automated trading models operate in the worlds major Forex markets as well as futures on the world's major equity indices. The overall objective is to deliver absolute returns within a carefully risk assessed and controlled environment. BarclayHedge has recognized Alternative Asset Management with numerous performance awards. Mediatrix Capitals managed account strategy is based on a sophisticated, proprietary algorithmic approach coupled with artificial intelligence in the Spot Markets that concurrently trades 34 different precious metal pairs and currency pairs based on signals that indicate the highest probability of market direction for profitable trades. Statistically, there is a greater probability of achieving maximum profits while using less equity when there are more currency pairs. The algorithmic navigator developed over nine years also employs a very sophisticated strategy that behaves like a hedge when positions dont go as expected and zone recovery is required. The firm has achieved world-class results with minimal risk for clients consistently since 2013. As of August 1, 2016 Mediatrix Capital has completed its 32nd straight month of positive client gains -- an achievement of excellence. "The new strategic partnership with Alternative Asset Management Ltd. combines two perennial powerhouses in the world of algorithmic trading. Collectively, we have decades of trading experience and numerous long term established relationships with both institutional and high net worth clients. Our intent is to create a pathway for tremendous success in a broader international scope that is consistent with our long-term success plan for all of our clients, said Mediatrix Capital Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder Michael S. Young. Todays financial and economic climate is difficult and fraught with anxieties. Investors have substantially reduced exposure to certain funds and projects due to fears of a repeat of the turmoil in world markets of 2008 and subsequent losses in their portfolios. Indeed, we have evolved from an era of wealth creation to one of wealth preservation, particularly in that there is limited yield in the broader markets. With this opportunity at hand, we are pleased to partner with Mediatrix Capital to offer investors a compelling opportunity to profit from an investment in an innovative and time proven asset class. said Alternative Asset Management Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Nicholas Edwards. Mediatrix Capital, Inc. provides Managed Account services for an elite clientele seeking to benefit from trading the Foreign Exchange Market. The founding partners of Mediatrix Capital are respected traders and published FX Spot and FX OTC Options strategists with a track record of exceptional operations, trade management, technology/algorithm development, risk mitigation, and overall funds management. The firm uses a very sophisticated suite of algorithmic technology and artificial intelligence to achieve exceptional results while more importantly managing the downside risk of trading. The firm offers qualified investors access to one of the finest high rate investment funds available anywhere in the world with 100% transparency, 100% liquidity and world class, dependable monthly returns that most firms only hope for in any single years time. Alternative Asset Management Ltd. was established in January 2004 as an independent corporate financial advisory business and specialist Forex investment management company that specialises in absolute return strategies using leading edge systematic automated trading systems coupled with disciplined asset management techniques focusing on strong risk control. The team has spent 12+ years designing, developing and testing various hybrid trading structures employing totally unique and powerful algorithms, some of which employ top down neural network studies that combine to produce high alpha trading programs used for profit. The Alternative Currency Management Program delivers low frequency trading, leveraged and high alpha returns using an automated FX trading system designed and tested over 17 years.


Bernie Sanders

(Image by twitter.com) Details DMCA



VERMONT SENATOR BERNIE Sanders yesterday denounced in harsh terms the impeachment of Brazil's democratically elected president. As the Brazilian Senate heads toward a final vote later this month, Sanders described his position, set forth in a statement posted on his Senate site, as "calling on the United States to take a definitive stand against efforts to remove Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff from office." He added: "To many Brazilians and observers the controversial impeachment process more closely resembles a coup d'etat."

Sanders also condemned the unelected center-right coalition under Michel Temer that has seized power during Rousseff's suspension and is now trying to install themselves through 2018. "After suspending Brazil's first female president on dubious grounds, without a mandate to govern," he said, "the new interim government abolished the ministry of women, racial equality and human rights" and "replaced a diverse and representative administration with a cabinet made up entirely of white men." They are now attempting to implement radical policies that could never be democratically ratified: "impose austerity, increase privatization and install a far right-wing social agenda."

Sanders' statement comes as Brazil's elites -- virtually unified in favor of Dilma's impeachment -- have taken extraordinary (and almost comically futile) measures during the Olympics to hide from the domestic public, and the world, how deeply unpopular Temer is. Brazil's largest newspaper, Folha de Sao Paulo, last month was caught manufacturing polling data when it claimed that 50% of Brazilians want him to stay (in fact, their own poll showed a large majority (62%) want Temer out and new elections held and the paper's Ombudsman harshly criticized them). Brazilian media spent months hyping the prospect of Temer's election in 2018 without mentioning the rather significant fact that he's been banned by a court for running for eight years because he violated election law (they were forced to mention that last week when the Sao Paulo prosecutor called attention to this fact in the wake of a new media movement to have Temer run).

Click Here to Read Whole Article


(Image by Egberto Willies) Details DMCA



In 2014 I wrote a story about Charles Belk's false arrest. I wrote the following.

Charles Belk is a graduate of Hillside High School in Durham, North Carolina, completed his BS degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Southern California and received an MBA from Indiana University and a Executive Management Certificate from Harvard University School of Business. On his way to put money in his parking meter he was arrested by several police officers. He was handcuffed tightly. He spent north of 6 hours in the Beverly Hill's jail. Why? Because he fit the description of a tall bald black male who was possibly involved in a bank robbery. He was not told why he was arrested. He was treated with disrespect as his pleas went ignored and unanswered. You see to the cops, he was not a person. He was a Black man. Think about it. Would cops arrest the first blue-eyed blond White man that fit a description and was not acting suspiciously? Even if they did, would they be more careful and listen to his pleas to be sure they had the right person? How many stories have been heard of White criminals released just because the cops were not sure? The Beverly Hills cops did not even have the decency to validate his picture with available videos in the six hours he was held. Charles Belk said generally he would have been running to the meter. A text turned out to be his angel. One knows a running Black man as a bank robbing suspect is likely a shot dead black man. It is not only inner city pants sagging Black men that are harassed by law enforcement. It was easy for many to immediately feel comfort after Darren Wilson's execution of Michael Brown in Ferguson Missouri because Brown was seen in a store video shoplifting and roughing up the store owner. How many consoled their guilt by assuming Michael Brown could have been a bad Black man and brought it on to himself -- as if shoplifting was punishable by death.

While attending the Democratic National Convention as a Bernie Sanders delegate, I got an IM from a friend at KPFT 90.1 FM who told me that Charles Belk was also there. She asked if I wanted to connect with him. I had not heard about him in a while and wanted to chat about what had happened since the horrid event. We met that evening and arranged for an interview the next day.

I was intrigued by Mr. Belk's calm even under the bizarre circumstances of his arrest. I understood why while speaking to him. He understands the systemic nature of the problem that afflicts the vast majority of men (and women) of color when they have a police encounter. What he also understands is that after the encounter, the effects can linger in many forms. A false arrest does not end upon release. An arrest record remains. Charles found that out by chance a week or so after his arrest.

The problems from a false arrest do not end upon release. An arrest record remains. A background check will indicate an arrest for any individual detained and booked by the police. It affects job applicants, school applicants, credit applicants, rental property applicants, and much more. Mr. Belk knew he could do something.

Mr. Belk started the #AutoErase petition at change.org. The petition demands the following of all local, state, and federal entities.

This petition requires all local, state and federal agencies to automatically erase and destroy all information pertaining to arrest records of innocent individuals wrongfully arrested, immediately after the innocent individual is no longer being detained by the arresting agency, and insure the arrest record appears in no local, state or federal agency's database. It also requires that, under such circumstances, the innocent individual's record appears as it did before the wrongful arrest ever occurred, at no expense or actions required by the innocent individual that was incorrectly arrested. Finally, it requires that, under such circumstances, the innocent individual can proceed in the future and be legally and factually allowed to deny the arrest under ALL circumstances, including, but not limited to, applying for a state-issued professional license, applying for a law-enforcement job, applying for a school-related job, buying a firearm or applying for a concealed carry permit, running for public office, or candidate for state bar.

Next Page 1 | 2 | 3

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
Reprinted from Mike Malloy Website

Yesterday we talked about Trump's base. The rabid, redneck, woman-hating bigoted and racist rabble that comprise 99.5% of his rallies. They are an itchy bunch and don't need much provocation to be spurred to physical violence (witness the many fights that occur inside and outside his public events.)

Knowing this, you would think the mean tangerine would exercise care when addressing the teeming horde.

But there he was today, inciting his minions to shoot Hillary Clinton. What -- he was just joking you say? How could we have misinterpreted his words -- "Hillary wants to abolish, essentially, the Second Amendment," he said. "By the way, and if she gets the pick -- if she gets the pick of her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dunno."

Now that's a knee-slapper...

I cannot recall a political race in modern American history when one candidate joked about murdering his or her opponent. Letting "Trump be Trump" is one thing, but letting him jest about assassinating somebody is another. Can you imagine a President Trump "joking" about shooting Angela Merkel? Or his buddy Vlad?

And now how will the secret service react? Will they amp up their protection of Hillary Clinton? They should, given the nature of his audience. If the Secret Service decides they need to investigate the comments, at least they won't have far to look.
This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.



Vancouver Pride Parade: Trudeau Becomes First Sitting PM To Take Part

(Image by huffingtonpost.ca) Details DMCA



As Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dances and sways to the music and jubilation of Vancouver's Pride parade, many Canadians swell with pride, secure in the knowledge that we represent freedom, generosity of spirit, and cultural/religious pluralism. Surely, we possess all the attributes of a mature, democratic society.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Beneath the "liberal" veneer, our government supports Wahhabism, misogyny, terrorism, madrassa/Wahhabi schools, death squads, death cults, and civilian massacres.

Instead of furthering the causes of knowledge, growth, humanity, and civilization, we are fostering barbarity and ignorance.

These are the forces growing in the Middle East, thanks to Canada's complicity in NATO, its support for Wahhabi Saudi Arabia, and its support for the mercenary terrorists invading and occupying Syria.

Islam is not the root of the destruction in the Middle East; we are.

All of this has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt, and yet Canada remains transfixed by fabricated mainstream media (MSM) stories that serve as the propaganda apparatus for Western-supported terrorists, including ISIS and all the terrorists invading Syria. The author writes in "The West's Establishment Lies And Crimes Are Leading Us To The Unthinkable":

"Ostensibly 'neutral' information sources are not neutral at all. So-called "Non-Governmental Organizations" (NGOs), including very governmental sources such as the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the CIA, Mossad, etc., as well as oligarch- (ie, Soros) funded foundations, are all embedded with the terrorists, and these are the sources that are the foundation for corporate/mainstream media (MSM) 'news' stories.

"The White/al Qaeda Helmets, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), and Avaaz are just a few of the many corrupt NGOs lying abot the War on Syria. Add to this Qatari-based Al Jazeera, and Western media's modus operandi of trotting out 'experts' who have conflicts of interest but who nevertheless pose as 'neutral' sources of information, and we see that the media serves as an agency for imperial war, rather than as an agency for truth and justice."

Most Canadians, captured by the propaganda, are immune to publicly available, evidence-based research, as they passively accept the comforting lies and illusions.

We are taught to hate Islam, and tacitly embrace Saudi Wahhabism, even as the truth resides in the genuine teachings of Islam -- and all the world's religions -- as best represented by the culture of Syria and its peoples, our fabricated "enemy".

The voice of truth and evidence-based reality is an enduring, slow-burning flame, not easily extinguished; unlike its counterpart, the voice of lies and deceptions, which burns intensely for a time, but then devours itself.

The truth in Syria is that there are no "moderate rebels", and that the "opposition" does not include gun-toting terrorists who occupy sections of Syria, murder civilians, launch Hell-Cannon ordnance, launch toxic/poison gas rockets, and attempt to impose Wahhabist teachings in occupied areas. Professor Chossudovsky correctly explains:

"(The) US counterterrorism bombing campaign under "Operation Inherent Resolve" does not target terrorists.

Quite the opposite. Both ISIS-Daesh and Al Nusra are protected by the US led coalition.

Next Page 1 | 2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
Reprinted from Robert Reich Blog

"Without a border, we just don't have a country," Donald Trump says repeatedly. For him, the biggest threats to American sovereignty are three-dimensional items that cross our borders, such as unwanted imports and undocumented immigrants.

He's wrong. The biggest threats to American sovereignty are invisible digital dollars wired into U.S. election campaigns from abroad.

Yet Trump seems to welcome foreign influence over our democracy.

Sovereignty is mainly about a government's capacity to govern. A government not fully accountable to its citizens won't pass laws that benefit and protect those citizens -- not just laws about trade and immigration but about national security, the environment, labor standards, the economy, and all else.

To state it another way: Without a functioning democracy, we just don't have a country.

Trump's recent public request that hackers connected to the Russian government sabotage his opponent Hillary Clinton is the tip of a Trumpian iceberg of foreign influence.

He's also been actively soliciting campaign funds from officials of foreign governments -- in the United Kingdom, Iceland, Australia, and elsewhere.

Terri Butler, a member of the Australian parliament was surprised to receive fundraising solicitations from Trump at her official government email address, asking her to make a "generous contribution" to the Trump campaign.

Bob Blackman, a member of Britain's House of Commons, who has also received fundraising requests from the Trump campaign, says "I did not sign up, these are sent unsolicited."

Another member of the U.K. parliament, Peter Bottomley, has received three such solicitations. "Neither [Trump's] sons nor anyone else has answered my questions about how they acquired my email nor why they were asking for financial support that I suppose to be illegal for [Trump] to accept," he says,

In Iceland, Katrin Jakobsdottir, chair of the Left-Green Movement, a democratic socialist party, has "no idea" how she got on Trump's fundraising list.

Someone should let Trump know it's illegal for candidates for federal office to solicit foreign money, regardless of whether the donations ever materialize. In addition, foreign individuals, corporations and governments are barred from either giving money directly to U.S. candidates or spending on advertising to influence U.S. elections.

Why hasn't Trump been held accountable? Because the Federal Election Commission, charged with enforcing the law, is gridlocked by its Republican appointees.

So we're left with a presidential candidate screaming about threats to American sovereignty from trade and immigration, who's simultaneously urging officials of foreign governments to compromise American sovereignty.

Next Page 1 | 2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
Reprinted from Wallwritings

How long, O Lord, must we suffer outbursts of dangerous rhetoric from Donald J. Trump? The latest example, this time in Wilmington, North Carolina, is reported in the New York Times:

The Republican nominee, reports the Times, "appeared to raise the possibility that gun rights supporters could take matters into their own hands if Hillary Clinton is elected president and appoints judges who favor stricter gun control measures to the bench."

The candidate then "warned that it would be 'a horrible day' if Mrs. Clinton were elected and got to appoint a tie-breaking Supreme Court justice."

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks," Mr. Trump said, as the crowd began to boo. He quickly added: "Although the Second Amendment people -- maybe there is, I don't know."

Kayleigh McEnany, a surrogate for Trump, spoke with CNN with her "spin," saying her candidate was referencing the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Here is her "spin" and the clip of Trump's threat:

During the reign of England's King Henry II, in December 1170, Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered.

A United Kingdom Learning site records that history this way:

"When Becket asked the pope to excommunicate the Archbishop of York who had taken sides with the king [Henry II], it was a very serious request and a very serious punishment for someone who could claim that he was only being loyal to the king. "Henry was furious when he found out what Becket had done. He is said to have shouted out 'will no-one rid me of this troublesome priest?' "Four knights heard what Henry had shouted and took it to mean that the king wanted Becket dead. They rode to Canterbury to carry out the deed. "The knights were Reginald FitzUrse, William de Tracey, Hugh de Morville and Richard le Breton. On December 29th 1170, they killed Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. After killing him, one of the knights said 'Let us away. He will rise no more.'"

History never repeats itself in precise ways. But history sends echoes through the centuries to remind us of consequences that flow from men of power speaking irresponsibly, carelessly and foolishly.

Next Page 1 | 2 | 3

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
Progressive Content Not Found

Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing.



To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here.
The past three decades have seen an exponential growth in the understanding and treatment options for depression, despite the fact that for much of that time, mental illness has remained a taboo subject in popular discourse. This was indeed the case, even as almost two-and-a-half million prescriptions were written for Prozac in the U.S. in 1988, the year after its FDA approval. But much has changed since then. For one thing, weve seen a full-on backlash against the pharmaceutical revolution in mental health treatment, leading to the popularity of non-drug treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy and meditation for less severe forms of depression.

Weve also seen a popularization of candid discussions about the illness, leading to a spate of clickbait-y articles like 20 Celebrities Who Battled Depression and serious, seemingly weekly features on social media depression. We can credit actor and writer Stephen Fry for a lot of our current familiarity and comfort level with the disease.





Ten years ago, Fry came out in his BBC documentary The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive, and since then, hes openly discussed his struggle with his illness and his suicide attempts. In the videos here, you can see him do just that. At the top, in an interview immediately after the documentary came out, Fry discusses the morbid seriousness of his disease, which he compares to having your own personal weather. In dealing with it, he says, there are two mistakes to deny that its raining and to say, therefore my life is over. Its raining and the sun will never come out.

Since making his diagnosis public, Fry has always sounded a note of hope. But his story, which he tells in more personal detail in the clip further up, illustrates the incredible travails of living with depression and mental illness, even under treatment that has brought him stability and success. Like the weather, storms come. He revealed his black stages in his 2006 documentary. Now, ten years on, Fry has revisited the struggle in a follow-up piece, The Not So Secret Life of the Manic Depressive, in which he opens up about more recent incidents, like his suicide attempt after interviewing Simon Lokodo, Ugandas Minister for Ethics and Integrity and sponsor of the countrys notorious Kill the Gays bill. (Fry, who is gay, describes Lokodo as a foaming frothing homophobe of the worst kind.)

The message of his most recent film, writes The Independent, was clear across the board: there is no quick fix for mental health and no catch-all solution. As Fry says, Its never going to get off my back, this monkey, its always going to be there. But as he re-iterates strongly in the Big Think interview above, if the weathers bad, one day it will get better. This cant happen in a sustained way, as it has for Fry, if we personally deny were depressed and dont get help, or if we publically deny the disease, and force people living with it into a life of shame and needless suffering. The stigma of mental illness, argues clinical psychologist Michael Friedman, is making us sicker. But Fry, who has in the last ten years become the president of a mental health non-profit called Mind, is optimistic. Its in the culture more, he says, and its talked about more. One hopes we see that talk turned into more action in the coming years.

Related Content:

Stephen Fry Launches Pindex, a Pinterest for Education

Stephen Fry: What I Wish I Knew When I Was 18

Stephen Fry Hates Dancing: Watch Frys Rant Against Dancing Get Turned into a Wonderful Interpretative Dance

Josh Jones is a writer and musician based in Durham, NC. Follow him at @jdmagness
Global Paint Sprayer Market 2016 Industry Trends, Sales, Supply, Demand, Analysis & Forecast to 2021

Paint Sprayer

http://www.qyresearchgroup.com/market-analysis/global-paint-sprayer-market-2016-industry-trends-sales.html

http://goo.gl/nTa3ee

Global Paint Sprayer Market 2016The Global Paint Sprayer Industry report gives a comprehensive account of the Global Paint Sprayer market. Details such as the size, key players, segmentation, SWOT analysis, most influential trends, and business environment of the market are mentioned in this report. Furthermore, this report features tables and figures that render a clear perspective of the Paint Sprayer market. The report features an up-to-date data on key companies product details, revenue figures, and sales. Furthermore, the details also gives the Global Paint Sprayer market revenue and its forecasts. The business model strategies of the key firms in the Paint Sprayer market are also included. Key strengths, weaknesses, and threats shaping the leading players in the market have also been included in this research report.The report gives a detailed overview of the key segments in the market. The fastest and slowest growing market segments are covered in this report. The key emerging opportunities of the fastest growing Global Paint Sprayer market segments are also covered in this report. Each segments and sub-segments market size, share, and forecast are available in this report. Additionally, the region-wise segmentation and the trends driving the leading geographical region and the emerging region has been presented in this report.Get Complete Report with TOC :The study on the Global Paint Sprayer market also features a history of the tactical mergers, acquisitions, collaborations, and partnerships activity in the market. Valuable recommendations by senior analysts about investing strategically in research and development can help new entrants or established players penetrate the emerging sectors in the Paint Sprayer market. Investors will gain a clear insight on the dominant players in this industry and their future forecasts. Furthermore, readers will get a clear perspective on the high demand and the unmet needs of consumers that will enhance the growth of this market.Table of ContentChapter One Paint Sprayer Industry Overview1.1 Paint Sprayer Definition1.1.1 Paint Sprayer Definition1.1.2 Product Specifications1.2 Paint Sprayer Classification1.3 Paint Sprayer Application Field1.4 Paint Sprayer Industry Chain Structure1.5 Paint Sprayer Industry Regional Overview1.6 Paint Sprayer Industry Policy Analysis1.7 Paint Sprayer Industry Related Companies Contact InformationGet Sample Copy of Report @About Us:QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651
High Occurrence Of Cardiovascular Diseases Drives Demand For CRT Pacemakers

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/756244

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/pressrelease/2066

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/

MarketResearchReports.biz has announced the addition of a new market study to its offering. The report provides a study of the market for cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemakers (CRT- P) across the globe. The report talks about the existing market scenario and how it will influence the future of the CRT- P market. The report, titled Global Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Pacemaker Market 2016-2020, offers a comprehensive study with in-depth analysis of the market landscape, present trends, and the markets growth prospects over the forecast period.CRT-P is an implantable device that resynchronizes (re-coordinates) the contraction of two ventricles at the same time, apart from its regular functions as a pacemaker. CRT-P helps improve the contraction of the left ventricle in particular, improving the overall efficiency of the heart. These advantages of a CRT-P over a conventional pacemaker have helped the former in registering a high growth rate in the last few years. According to the report, the global cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemaker market is anticipated to rise at a CAGR of nearly 8% between 2016 and 2020.The report offers a comprehensive study of market drivers and restraints and their impact on the growth of the market. The rising incidence of cardiovascular diseases such as sick sinus syndrome, cardiac arrest, and bradycardia is primarily driving the market for CRT-P.In order to reduce the mortality rate of cardiovascular diseases, physicians have started using minimally invasive surgeries for CRT-P implantation for managing heart failures. CRT-Ps are safe and reduce hospital stays, the need for blood transfusions, and the risk of infections, leading to better healing and recovery. These benefits give a great push to the sales of CRT-Ps. Additionally, the growth in demand for CRT-Ps is backed by various government-aided awareness campaigns, which has augmented the popularity of cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemakers amongst the patients.For Sample Copy, click here:However, the lack of professionals in this field poses a great threat to the growth of the CRT-P market. Furthermore, these devices are not designed to cater to young patients. This reduces the scope of CRT-Ps in a market full of alternatives. Moreover, in recent times, the hike in the number of patients facing complications due to implanted CRT-Ps is likely to hinder the growth of the global cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemaker market.To control the threats posed by the application of lead-based conventional pacemakers, researchers are working on leadless pacemakers that offer several advantages such as maintaining a steady heartbeat and thus ensuring safety. The shortage of skilled personnel has also led to a rise in the popularity of robot-assisted cardiac surgery.The report presents a detailed study of the market based on various criteria. By geography, the market has been segmented into the Americas, Europe and the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. The Americas are the leading regional segment of the CRT-P market and will represent approximately 54% of the total market by the end of 2020. In the Americas, the demand for cardiovascular diseases has increased owing to the growing occurrence of diabetes and hypertension. Growing investments in research and development and reduction in cost will further propel the sales of CRT-Ps in this region.View Press Release atThe report provides meticulous insights into the competitive landscape of the market. Some of the key vendors in the market are LivaNova, Boston Scientific, BIOTRONIK, Medtronic, andSt. Jude Medical. As per the analysis, stiff competition prevails in the global cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemaker market as the vendors are trying new strategies to expand their presence in the market. The growing strength of the leading companies is, however, making it more difficult for new players to enter the market.MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Performance Chemicals Market To Exhibit 5.36% CAGR 2016-2020 On Account Of Rapid Urbanization In Developing Nations

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/751780

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/

A research report, titled Global Performance Chemicals Market 2016-2020, has recently been added by MarketResearchReports.biz to its huge database of research studies. The 73-page research report presents insights into the key growth drivers, restraints, product segmentation, geographical segmentation, and the competitive landscape of the global market. According to the research report, the global market for performance chemicals is projected to register a 5.36% CAGR between 2016 and 2020. The past performance and projected figures of the global performance chemicals market have also been presented in the report with the help of tables, charts, and infographics.Performance chemicals are being widely used for specialized applications, focusing on industry-specific requirements. Performance chemicals offer several benefits, due to which they have been gaining popularity across diverse industries. Rapid urbanization in BRICS countries is projected to bolster the growth of the global performance chemicals market in the coming few years. In addition, the growing investments in infrastructure development and construction projects in developing nations are expected to boost the demand for performance chemicals in the next few years. However, the rising environmental and regulatory issues are estimated to hamper the growth of the overall market through the forecast period.The global market for performance chemicals has been classified on the basis of type into textile chemicals, agrochemicals, polymer additives, industrial and institutional cleaners, surfactants, construction chemicals, food additives, electronic chemicals, specialty coatings, and lubricant and oilfield chemicals. Among these, the agrochemicals segment is estimated to remain in the leading position and account for a 16% share in the global performance chemicals market by the end of 2020. The growing need to improve the crop yield, decreasing arable land, and rising population are some of the key factors anticipated to boost the growth of the market in the forecast period.For Sample Copy, click here:The global performance chemicals market has been categorized on the basis of geography into EMEA, the Americas, and APAC. In terms of revenue, APAC is projected to hold a 41% share in the global performance chemicals market by the end of 2020. The rapid growth of this region can be attributed to the growing industrial activities across diverse sectors such as agriculture, cosmetics, food, and other manufacturing sectors in developing economies. India and China are estimated to contribute extensively toward the growth of the performance chemicals market in APAC through the forecast period.The research study further offers a detailed vendor analysis of the global performance chemicals market, emphasizing on the company profiles, contact information, business policies, financial overview, product portfolio, and recent developments in the market. The leading players operating in the global performance chemicals market are Dow Chemical, Akzo Nobel, Arkema, BASF, and Evonik Industries. Some of the other prominent players mentioned in the research study are Huntsman, Solvay-Rhodia, Clariant, Ashland, and Bayer. A SWOT analysis of these players has been provided in the research study to give a clear understanding of the market.MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Rise In Use Of Business Processing Outsourcing To Drive Life Insurance Market In South East Asia

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/741701

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/

MarketResearchReports.biz has announced the addition of a new report to its repository. The report, titled Life Insurance Market Southeast Asia 2016-2020, examines the existing market scenario of the market in the region and forecasts the markets growth rate and market size by 2020.According to the report, the South East Asia market for life insurance will rise at a CAGR of 8% between 2016 and 2020. The study is titled Life Insurance Market in South East Asia 2016-2020. It offers a complete overview of the current trends, future growth prospects, and the performance of the South East Asia life insurance market in the past years.Growth of the life insurance market in South East Asia is expected to be supported by the advent of new distribution channels. Many life insurance sellers are coming up with innovative marketing strategies in order to attract more customers. Many customer-friendly packages are being clubbed together and integrated workplace marketing tools- machine for a customer friendly approach are being implemented in this process.The report highlights that the financial crisis of 2007 shattered many economies worldwide and triggered a negative shift in consumer demand for life insurance. Moreover, it also reduced the industrys market penetration. Due to this the companies in this sector started opting for new approaches to make up to the set back the crisis caused them.For Sample Copy, click here:Currently promising new underwriting capabilities taken up by companies will remove the need for the time-consuming processes in this sector, for example the need for the policy holders to go through a medical checkup. In this process, Singapore took the lead with a market share of 48% in the year 2015 by providing customers with integrated life insurance plans as customers seek more exposure and extra benefits. Meanwhile, due to this breakthrough in the life insurance market in South East Asia, the customers will have new experiences in the process of buying life insurance products.The report states that the compilation of life insurance companies to provide customers with a complete package will inspire many working policy holders to save for their retirement and gain tax benefits. The report analyses the markets position in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand. The report uses the gross life premium value to calculate the market size in these regions. Other regions covered in the report are Brunei, Laos, Burma, Cambodia, and Timor-Leste.The key vendors in the market are The Manufacturers Life Insurance (Manulife), AIA, Great Eastern Life, Prudential Financial, Aviva, NTUC Income, AXA, , HSBC, and Tokyo Marine. The recent developments in the market by the core companies has also been mentioned in the report.MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Climatic monitoring ensures optimal farm management with minimal manpower

www.tandd.com

www.webstorage-service.com

Wireless data logger solutions with free of charge cloud services support smart farming economically and effectivelyT&D Corporations RTR 500 series provides a wireless data logging system that makes cultivation easier and helps to optimize harvesting in agricultural businesses. The cloud-connected data loggers are available with sensors for several different parameters, such as temperature, humidity, illuminance, UV, voltage, 4-20mA, pulse and CO2. They can be flexibly combined to fit individual needs and are therefore ideal for crop management in fields and inside greenhouses, as well as for use in cattle sheds and storage facilities, including cold storage. The system takes the hard work out of monitoring and documentation by taking care of these via mobile devices and by app.Each of the robust DIN EN 12830-approved loggers are about the size of a matchbox and are resistant to both dust and water. They can be easily fixed wherever control is necessary  even on the move during transportation. Up to 100 data loggers can be wirelessly connected to a base station. Thanks to their automated technology, which forwards measurements via WLAN, wired LAN, USB or GSM to T&Ds cloud-based WebStorage Service, all documentation is stored safely in neatly arranged graphs and tables without the need for manpower. Each free of charge registration comes with 20 MB of storage space, which is sufficient for comprehensive archiving. A newly added auto archiving function makes sure that data files are zipped and archived before this limit is reached. Data can be managed remotely from a PC, smartphone or tablet, independent of time and location. Should a critical value be reached, the system relays an alert by SMS and e-mail. Besides optical and acoustic signals via the T&D app, an external alarm device on site can be activated, allowing appropriate action to be taken before damage occurs. If a device moves out of range, a watchdog alert will be sent by e-mail.About T&D Corporation: The Japanese T&D Corporation was founded 1986 in Matsumoto. The company name derives from try and develop and emphasizes the companys ambition to create innovative products with a high degree of practical usefulness. Having started out developing electronic products mainly for the automotive aftermarket, today the company is the Japanese market leader for data loggers. A team of about 50 specialists are engaged in developing data logger systems for industrial, public and private demands. Production takes place in a high-tech site in Matsumoto, Japan, and since 2003, T&D Corporation has been exporting its wireless data loggers worldwide. The company is represented through a European Sales Office located in Niddatal near Frankfurt and a sales office in the USA.For further information, please visit:or Facebook T&D Corporation EuropeT&D CorporationEuropean Sales OfficeGronauer Str. 161194 NiddatalGermanyPress contact:akp public relationsChristina FahrtmannTannenstr. 1a69469 WeinheimGermanyTel.: +49 6201 188 98 10fahrtmann@akp-pr.de
Development In Embedded Telematics Solutions To Fuel Connected Car M2M Connections And Services Market In US

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/751785

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/

MarketResearchReports.biz has added a new report, titled Connected Car M2M Connections And Services Market In The US 2016-2020, to its offering. This study presents an in-depth evaluation of the market and throws light on the prime factors impacting the development of this market. These factors include the opportunities, challenges, drivers, and trends observed in the market.The report also uses Porters five forces analysis and provides a comprehensive understanding of the suppliers and buyers in the market. It also describes the competitive scenario of the connected car M2M connections and services market in the US. Furthermore, recent developments regarding the key players dominant in the market and their SWOT analysis is also an integral part of this study.The first section of the report throws light on an overview of the market. The current size of the market and its projected state by the end of the forecast period have been presented under this section of the report. As per the report, the connected car M2M connections market in the U.S. is poised to exhibit a whopping CAGR of 32% from 2016 to 2020. On the other hand, the connected car M2M services market in the U.S. is predicted to expand at a CAGR of 28% between 2016 and 2020.Moving further, the report provides insights into the key segments of the market. In terms of usage, the report categorizes the market into aftermarket and OEM. Amongst these, on the basis of revenue, the segment of OEM held a significant share of approximately 70% in the connected car M2M connections and services market in the US in 2015. The reason for the dominance of this segment is the increasing inclination toward advanced value-added services in the market within the U.S.For Sample Copy, click here:By application, the report segments the market into driver assistance, safety and security, vehicle management, infotainment, and insurance-based telematics. Among these, the segment of safety and security led the market in 2015 and is predicted to stand at US$17 bn by 2020. On the basis of revenue, the safety and security connected car M2M services market is poised to maintain its superiority all through the forecast period.In the following section of the study, the dynamics shaping the growth of this market have been highlighted. The development in embedded telematics solutions, the soaring number of tech-savvy customers, and the growing dependence on technology will boost the growth of the market in the U.S. In addition, the increasing demand for constant connectivity will also augment the growth of this market. The launch of V2X technology within vehicles is a prime trend seen in the market. However, the skyrocketing prices of connected car M2M equipment and services may negatively impact the development of this market.In the last section of the study, the vendor landscape of the market has been presented. The chief vendors operating in the connected car M2M connections and services market in the U.S are Audi Connect, Gemalto, BMW, Sierra Wireless, General Motors, and Verizon Telematics, among others.MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Whats a big-league about 15th August for Jaipurites, this year?

15th August, Happy Independence day. The age old saga we have known past 55 years. So whats more on this day, which keep the Jaipurites on their toes early morning?Is it a flat 90% sale Or A Celebrity walk-in at some store?The answer is Big NO.It something much bigger and better this time!Yes, for the first time in the history of Indian newspaper, Dainik Bhaskar in association with YePaisa.com would bring forth an unimaginative newspaper, entwined with augmented reality.The 15th august newspaper edition published in Jaipur, would bring life to print media by dint of YeppAR app. YeppAR is an ultramodern app that scans images and brings them live along with inducing additional quirks like video, 3D view, website button, contact information etc.Steamed up, Thrilled, Hysterical, Enthusiastic, Fervent are just few words to describe the zealous wait of 15th August newspaper this year in pink city. This move would be a step ahead in redefining the freedom of press and freedom of being imaginative and informative in context of media.The augmented reality-based newspaper is designed for offering an active and like-like experience to one of our daily routine activities. With AR in place, the images speak more and proffer a stupendous amount of information via interactive stories. Text-t-speech, a yet another feature of AR would sweep the readers from reading the news rather they can hear it via their handheld device. Wouldnt it be an amazing experience?Hold on your breath. Get set for a ravishing and completely new experience of reading an AR-based newspaper on 15th august 2016.Dont miss the chance, the world is becoming digitized, join and become a digital native now.Download you YeppAr app soon.Stay tuned for more updates!!With our superior social augmented-reality application, users will able to make markers for keeping their memories, sharing their memories to world .And brands for connecting their targeted consumers. This application will be open self-service platform for users and brands owners around the world. This will be the new revolutionary medium for converting personal memories into real world through "marker image recognition. App recognizes memories, products, images and this recognition then triggers a response on a mobile device.Rams Creative TechnologiesC-61, Road No 1 C, Vishwa KarmaIndustrial Area,Jaipur, Rajasthan 302013info@yeppar.comyeppar.com
Central And Eastern Europe Pharmaceutical Market Forecasts To 2018

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/179635

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/

The global pharmaceutical market is forecast to be worth over US$1,250 billion by 2018 - but where are the key opportunities? And how does Central and Eastern Europe fit into this global outlook?This analysis report, Central and Eastern Europe Pharmaceutical Market Forecasts to 2018 (published November 2013), is an essential resource for business forecasters, marketing planners, the investment community and anyone looking to understand the future outlook for the challenging pharmaceutical industry within this region.You will benefit from:Growth forecasts to 2018 for 11 key country marketsComparative data on a regional basisRankings by indicators allowing at a glance benchmarking of countriesDetailed information on each marketPDF delivery with Excel data packEasily exported data to enhance your business plansDownload Sample Copy atEach individual country market provides detail and forecasts at a national level, with focus for key pharmaceutical product areas.This report will show you growth forecasts to 2018 for 11 key country markets and across Central and Eastern Europe - allowing you to compare and assess the opportunities and challenges that will arise for your business. With an in-depth look at this regional market, you can better assess the region (and each countrys future potential and reflect this with strategic planning and investment decisions.MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Enhance Customer Service Experience Using Self-service

Nidal Kamouni, CEO, PCCI Group

Opinion Piece by Nidal Kamouni, CEO, PCCI GroupThe essence of customer service can be traced to time immemorial. On the other hand, the method of delivery of the customer service experience needs to be continually updated to match the desires and expectations of an ever-changing customer base and that is why we believe that the customer experience landscape is ripe for disruption with companies slowly making progress toward more seamless and simpler customer experiences.The biggest change in customer service is the sheer number of channels through which people can contact your business. Instead of just phone calls and snail mail, consumers can now reach you by email, social media, text message, video call and live chat. Mobile technology has also enabled constant connectivity, giving customers 24/7 access to public forums in which they can talk  or complain  about your company. Only organizations that are willing to adapt and respond to this shift in business-consumer dynamics will survive.We believe that businesses will focus on making self-service easier. In fact, we are already seeing companies start to address the desires of many consumers for automated self-service to improve by evaluating their core systems, investing in knowledge management and exploring virtual assistants. Some of the initiatives that we can already see in place, include Connecting conversations with context where companies have removed the need for consumers to explain, sometimes repeatedly, why they need service which goes a long way in making self-service easier. Another initiative is when businesses make secure authentication easy with some introducing voice biometrics to meet demands for easy, secure authentication instead of consumers having to use PINs and passwords to authenticate their identity. And finally, businesses have understood the value of their websites and have taken steps to improve their website effectiveness. Customers are increasingly beginning their self-service journey on the web, only calling the contact center when they cant find an answer online. Websites today have employed virtual assistants that are powered by language understanding and conversational capabilities, streamlining and speeding up the digital service experience, minimizing a customers time and frustration while saving the business money.No one likes to wait. By making self-service easier, businesses will automatically help empower customers control their time if they improve if they offer consumers more control when customer service extends to the field. In the recent Trends 2016: The Future of Customer Service by Forrester, it was found that 73% of consumers say that valuing their time was the most important thing a company could do to provide them with good service  whether on a call, in a chat, or while waiting for a service technician to troubleshoot and fix their product. Think about it, would you not prefer to wait for a delivery to arrive within a timeframe rather than listening to that annoying hold music that some businesses insist on playing as you wait. To this end, businesses continue to explore ways to offer self-service scheduling, providing an easy means of rescheduling appointments and actively seeking feedback on the service experience.For me personally, waiting for a service or delivery person to arrive within a set window of time, far outstrips the annoyance I feel listening to hold music. The Forrester report forecasts this year companies will explore ways to offer self-service scheduling and better inform and prepare their employees to provide effective field service. For businesses who would like to improve their customers field service experiences while differentiating themselves on this aspect of customer service in the near future, we recommend a few suggestions. For a customer to have a good field service experience, the businesses should successfully engage with the customer before arriving and it is important to use multiple channels of communication to raise your engagement rates. Help make your customers ability to reschedule or communicate with you is fast and easy that can be accomplished from every message they receive, on every channel, with a simple click, tap or spoken request. With all the knowledge gained through the field data, businesses must leverage it to predict needs of its customers delivering faster, easier and a more personal experience.In the age of fierce competitiveness, companies that deliver a great end-to-end experience that makes them stand out from the clutter will attract and retain customers. This is a universal truth no matter which industry a business is in and businesses who choose to make superior customer experience its core business strategy will continue to thrive.As a leading customer experience and operations outsourcing provider in Africa, Europe and the Middle East , PCCI Group is a recognized key player in delivering consistent and branded customer experience. PCCI Group offers its clients a full portfolio of customer experience services including consulting & full operations outsourcing. PCCI Group has multiple Fortune 500 companies as clients including European, Middle East and African leaders in telecommunications, media, BFSI, energy, retail and tourism. PCCI is part of Teyliom Global Capital.Conrad Offices19th FloorSheikh Zayed RoadDubai
Global Hospital Beds Industry Report 2016

Global QY Research

http://globalqyresearch.com/global-hospital-beds-market-research-report-2021

http://globalqyresearch.com/download-sample/86844

http://globalqyresearch.com/checkout-form/0/86844

https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-qy-research

The recently published report titled Global Hospital Beds Industry 2016 Market Research Report is an in depth study providing complete analysis of the industry for the period 2016  2021. It provides complete overview of Global Hospital Beds market considering all the major industry trends, market dynamics and competitive scenario.The Global Hospital Beds Industry Report 2016 is an in depth study analyzing the current state of the Global Hospital Beds market. It provides brief overview of the market focusing on definitions, market segmentation, end-use applications and industry chain analysis. The study on Global Hospital Beds market provides analysis of market covering the industry trends, recent developments in the market and competitive landscape. Competitive analysis includes competitive information of leading players in market, their company profiles, product portfolio, capacity, production, and company financials. In addition, report also provides upstream raw material analysis and downstream demand analysis along with the key development trends and sales channel analysis. Research study on Global Hospital Beds market also discusses the opportunity areas for investors.View Full Report With Complete TOC, List Of Figure and Table:With 153 tables and figures, the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Download Sample this Report:6 Global Hospital Beds Manufacturers Analysis6.1 Paramount Bed6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Hospital Beds Product Type and Technology6.1.2.1 Type I6.1.2.2 Type II6.1.2.3 Type III6.1.3 Medical Devices Production, Revenue, Price of Hospital Beds (2015 and 2016)6.2 Hill-Rom6.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.2.2 Hospital Beds Product Type and Technology6.2.2.1 Type I6.2.2.2 Type II6.2.2.3 Type III6.2.3 Hill-Rom Production, Revenue, Price of Hospital Beds (2015 and 2016)6.3 Stryker6.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.3.2 Hospital Beds Product Type and Technology6.3.2.1 Type I6.3.2.2 Type II6.3.2.3 Type III6.3.3 Stryker Production, Revenue, Price of Hospital Beds (2015 and 2016)6.4 Linet Group6.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.4.2 Hospital Beds Product Type and Technology6.4.2.1 Type I6.4.2.2 Type II6.4.3 Linet Group Production, Revenue, Price of Hospital Beds (2015 and 2016)6.5 Stiegelmeyer6.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.5.2 Hospital Beds Product Type and Technology6.5.2.1 Type I6.5.2.2 Type II6.5.3 Stiegelmeyer Production, Revenue, Price of Hospital Beds (2015 and 2016)6.6 Joerns6.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.6.2 Hospital Beds Product Type and Technology6.6.2.1 Type I6.6.2.2 Type II6.6.3 Joerns Production, Revenue, Price of Hospital Beds (2015 and 2016)6.7 ArjoHuntleigh6.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.7.2 Hospital Beds Product Type and Technology6.7.2.1 Type I6.7.2.2 Type II6.7.3 ArjoHuntleigh Production, Revenue, Price of Hospital Beds (2015 and 2016)6.8 France Bed6.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.8.2 Hospital Beds Product Type and Technology6.8.2.1 Type I6.8.2.2 Type II6.8.3 France Bed Production, Revenue, Price of Hospital Beds (2015 and 2016)6.9 Pardo6.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.9.2 Hospital Beds Product Type and Technology6.9.2.1 Type I6.9.2.2 Type II6.9.3 Pardo Production, Revenue, Price of Hospital Beds (2015 and 2016)6.10 Guldmann6.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.10.2 Hospital Beds Product Type and Technology6.10.2.1 Type I6.10.2.2 Type II6.10.3 Guldmann Production, Revenue, Price of Hospital Beds (2015 and 2016)6.11 Merivaara6.12 Med-Mizer6.13 Bazhou Greatwall6.14 SjzManyou6.15 HbYangguang6.16 BjKangtuo6.17 HaohanTo Purchase this Premium Report:About Us:Global QY Research is the one spot destination for all your research needs. Global QY Research holds the repository of quality research reports from numerous publishers across the globe. Our inventory of research reports caters to various industry verticals including Healthcare, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Technology and Media, Chemicals, Materials, Energy, Heavy Industry, etc. With the complete information about the publishers and the industries they cater to for developing market research reports, we help our clients in making purchase decision by understanding their requirements and suggesting best possible collection matching their needs.Contact Us:Unit1, 26 Cleveland Road, South Woodford, London, E182AN, United KingdomEmail: sales@globalqyresearch.comFollow us:
We value your privacy.

Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy.
Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Aseptic Packaging Market to witness moderate growth over 2015 to 2021

www.knowledge-sourcing.com/products/europe-middle-east-and-africa-emea-aseptic-packaging-market-forecasts-from-2016-to-2021

Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence announces the publication of a new report on Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Aseptic Packaging Market - Forecasts from 2016 to 2021 " report to their offering.Aseptic packaging is a means of ensuring that food remains sterile and free from bacteria or other harmful microorganisms. Aseptic packaging is the final step in aseptic food processing, in which food products are continuously sterilized, confirming that no microorganisms which cause either food decay or food poisoning are present. Aseptic packaging ensures that the containers for food are sterilized continuously and is inserted into it in a completely sterile environment.This report provides forecast and analysis of the Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Aseptic Packaging Market which was valued at US$ 11.208 billion in 2015 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.44% during the forecast period to reach the market size of US$15.256 billion by 2021. Rising demand for processed food and dairy products is further boosting the market growth. Another factor boosting the growth of aseptic packaging market in the regions is growing pharmaceuticals and healthcare industry. Moreover, inter-regional connectivity in Europe helps in the effective delivery of products throughout the supply chain. Growing environmental concerns and stringent EU laws and regulations with regards to packaging solutions for ensuring the quality of products will augment the demand for aseptic packaging solutions in the region over the next five years.Some of the major players covered as part of this report are Amcor, Bemis, Bosch, Tetra Laval and CFT Group among others.Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Aseptic Packaging Market has been segmented into following categories:By packaging material: Paper Plastic Glass MetalBy Product: Bottles Cartons and boxes Bags Pouches Ampoules Syringes Vials Cans OthersBy applications: Food packaging Beverage packaging Pharmaceutical and healthcare OthersBy geography: Europeo UK,o Germanyo Italyo Franceo Spaino Others The Middle East and AfricaPurchase complete report or request sample:Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence is a market research and consulting firm based out of India. Driven by industry experts, the company provides syndicated reports, custom research and consulting services. Our proprietary data analytics model blended with quality primary and secondary research data, assists in generating quality reports providing crucial insights to managers and decision makers. The services offered by us helps companies to gain required competitive edge. Our expertise across 10 industries such as ICT, Chemicals, Semiconductors, Healthcare among others caters to diverse client needs.Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence LLPH-38, Sector 63 Noida, U.P., IndiaPhone: +1-866-714-4587E-mail: sales@knowledge-sourcing.com
This year Rosatom plans to start work on 2 and 3 nuclear units of NPP Bushehr

http://www.rosatominternational.com/

"Rosatom can start to work on the construction of the second and third nuclear power units of NPP Bushehr in Iran this year", said Alexander Novak, Minister of Energy."The contract for implementation of the second and third units of NPP Bushehr is already singed. Right now the preliminary works are underway as well as coordination of certain aspects. Iranian colleagues reconfirmed that participation of Rosatom in the realization of this project is very important for the Iranian side, - said the minister."The successful experience of the first unit has shown that Russian technologies and Russian competence are at the highest level. In fact, Russia is ready to continue to build unit 2 and 3. I think that in some short term we will start construction these units. I hope this year", he said.Earlier, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin reported in an interview with the Azerbaijani state news agency "AzerTaj" that Russia and Iran have agreed on the construction of eight new nuclear units.In the beginning of April, the Iranian news agency Mehr reported that the head of the Organization of Atomic Energy of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said during the meeting with his colleagues that the start of construction works of the second stage NPP Bushehr postponed due to technical issues and different views on some of the indicators.In the middle of March, A.Novak informed the journalists that after negotiations with members of the Iranian government, the construction of the second and third units in Bushehr could begin in the next 1-2 months.In January, Iranian media reported that Iran plans to start the construction work on the site of the second unit of NPP Bushehr in March, and the works on the third unit are scheduled to begin in next two years. The construction of two units, each with capacity of 1050 MW, will cost $11 billion.On November 11, 2014, it was reported that Russia and Iran signed a protocol to the intergovernmental agreement on the construction of nuclear power plant in Iran. According to the document, the sides intend to cooperate in the construction of 8 power units with VVER reactor "turnkey" in Iran (4 power units at the site of NPP "Bushehr" and 4 blocks at another site). At the same time, the contract on the construction of the second stage of NPP Bushehr, comprising the construction of two nuclear power units with the possibility of extension up to 4 units, was signed.On September 23, 2013, Russia handed over the first unit of NPP Bushehr with capacity of 1,000 MW to Iranian customer. The act of acceptance of the provisional station been signed. At the end of June 2013, NPP Bushehr has been put in 100% power.The construction of the station been launched in 1974 by German concern Kraftwerk Union A.G. (Siemens / KWU). On 8 of January, 1995 a contract for the completion of the first unit of NPP Bushehr with VVER-1000 reactor was signed on the basis of an agreement between Russia and Iran. According to the supplement to the contract of 29 August 1998, Russian side has committed to complete the construction of power unit on a "turnkey" conditions and to train Iranian operational stuff. License to input nuclear power plant in operation been received in October 2010. Since 2012, the combined company NIAEP  ASE, implements the project.ROSATOM is the Russian Federation national nuclear corporation bringing together circa 400 nuclear companies and R&D institutions that operate in the civilian and defense sectors. With 70 years' expertise in the nuclear field, we are a global leader in technologies and competencies offering cutting-edge industry solutions. We work on a global scale to provide comprehensive nuclear services that range from uranium enrichment to nuclear waste treatment.One Raffles Place, Tower 2 #19-61Singapore 048616
Accsense Versalog Releases New Software Version

VersaLog TC Temperature Data Logger

www.DataLoggerInc.com

www.dataloggerinc.com

Versatile 8-Channel Data Loggers for Many ApplicationsCAS DataLoggers is pleased to announce a new software upgrade for Accsense VersaLog dataloggers. Released in July, SiteView 3.1.1 extends functionality while adding various bug fixes. Accsense VersaLog products are ideal to capture and record your crucial data. If you need a cost-effect device to collect data and for local alarming, call CAS DataLoggers today at (800) 956-4437!Powerful Software:SiteView is a PC-based application that works with Accsense VersaLog data loggers for downloading data, configuration and data analyzing/plotting. Its user-friendly graphic interface and powerful functionalities allow users to get a quick and detailed view of data and trends.Additionally, the versatility of custom equations and custom-line equations handle complicated measurement requirements. SiteView works under Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10 operating systems.Data Sent Directly to Your Desktop:With Accsense Versalog you only have to setup the download schedule once, and SiteView then downloads your data automatically whenever you choose. These schedules can be set for a one-time job or on a regular basis. All downloaded data is saved in its own session database, making it easy to manage the data in your system. SiteView also includes utilities allowing you to explore and graph databases.SiteView 3 Features:SiteView includes the following convenient features:1. Automatic Data Download function2. Database file format downloads data to the system database3. Database Explorer and Database Graph Explorer browse data in the system database4. Linear equations save linear parameters to the data logger5. Monitors and records the on-board battery and the external power supply.8-Channel Data Loggers with Alarm Notification:Accsense VersaLog dataloggers are a powerful low-cost solution for data recording applications that also require a local alarm notification. These standalone recorders commonly feature 7-8 channels with models to log Temperature, Humidity, Current or Voltage.All VersaLog data loggers support USB, Serial port and Ethernet connections for easy local and remote access. All models also have a 4-Megabyte memory for storing up to 2 million measurements. An optional USB device server allows multiple VersaLog loggers to be connected to a single Ethernet port allowing remote, network access.Software Overview: Real-time viewing and chart recording replaces your old chart recording device Fast communication speed up to 115200 bps allows fast downloads Zoom in/zoom out and annotation/label of graph functions provide detailed view of data Multiple file loading allows easy data comparison Dynamic statistics provide detailed information of the current zoomed view Automatic data backup based on the scheduled intervalFor more info on Accsense VersaLog loggers, or to find the ideal solution for your application-specific needs, contact a CAS Data Logger Applications Specialist at (800) 956-4437 or visit our website atComputer Aided Solutions, LLC. dba CAS Data Loggers is a distributor of data loggers, paperless recorders and data acquisition equipment.CAS DataLoggers Inc8437 Mayfield Rd. Unit 104Chesterland, Ohio 44026(440) 729-2570(800) 956-4437sales@dataloggerinc.com
Smarter Antenna Systems will Enhance Network Performance in 5G Technology

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-antenna.html

http://bit.ly/29Ovd7F

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/

When compared to normal antennas, smart antennas offer the advantages of capacity enhancement, coverage extension, increased transmission bandwidth, reduction of multipath fading. These antennas have two basic functions, namely: estimation of direction of arrival (DOA) and beam forming. Smart antenna systems estimate the DOA of a signal by using techniques such as multiple signal classification (MUSIC), matrix pencil method or estimation of signal parameters via rotational invariance techniques (ESPRIT)Rising Smart Antenna Market -Several factors will drive the global smart antenna market; these include: the rising demand for smart antennas in wireless communication and the growing application of smart antennas in smart phones. Besides these trends, the global smart antenna market is also expected to benefit from its use in 5G technology. Ongoing research points towards the use of smart, smaller antennas, which could play a crucial role in the development of 5G technology.5G Technology and Role of Smart Antennas4G technology is an IP-based technology, providing data up to 1 Gbps. 5G is expected to offer significant gains as compared to previous systems. The peak data rate of 5G is 10 Gbps and a network capacity 10,000 times more than that of the current network.Many industry experts agree that the 5G technology will arrive by the end of this decade. Hence, new network operators will need additional spectrum. Operators can invest in more radio spectrum or install more cell sites to meet the demand for wireless broadband data. In such a scenario, smarter antenna systems will help enhance network performance and capacity beyond what has been achieved with todays standard 2x2 and 4x4 MIMO deployments observed in 4G LTE.Deployment of Smart Antennas in 5G ResearchThere are several novel techniques and technologies that are being experimented with for creating a 5G cellular system. These include pervasive networks, cognitive radio technology, group cooperative relay, wireless mesh networking, and smart antennas. By using smart antennas to deploy the 5G cellular system in the future, it will be possible to alter beam direction and provide more direct communications as well as limit interference and improve overall cell capacity. Many of these new technologies and techniques for 5G are still being developed and their standards are yet to be defined.Technology Behind Smart Antenna's:Qualcomms Experiment with Smart AntennasRecently, Qualcomm demonstrated tiny smart antennas with a 27 db gain, which is approximately 10-12 db higher than conventional cellular base station antennas. This higher capacity puts ten times more signal power on a mobile as compared to a legacy cellular antenna. This focused approach is projected to drive the development of 5G technology instead of using several antennas to boost signal power.These experiments show that smart antenna will form a key component of the upcoming 5G network. This trend is expected to drive the global smart antenna market significantly in the foreseeable future.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
LED Market to Benefit from Improved Controllability and Energy Efficiency of LED Lamps

http://bit.ly/1Updmih

http://bit.ly/1re6XyS

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Defined by improved controllability and energy efficiency, the arrival of light-emitting diodes (LED) is considered to be revolutionary. By 2014, LED lighting constituted a major share of the global lighting market and the trend is expected to continue during the period between 2016 and 2024. LED is a two-lead semiconductor light source, which emits light when activated. The recent advancements in LEDs allow them to be extensively used in environmental lighting. Over the past few years, LEDs have been registering growing demand owing to the many advantages they offer. Low energy consumption, longer life, improved physical robustness, smaller size, and faster switching are some of the advantages offered by LEDs.Free PDF For Full Details with Technological breakthroughs is @Applications of LEDs are as varied as headlamps, aviation lighting, forensic, general lighting, healthcare, signals and signage, advertising, camera flash, electronic devices, and mobile devices. Over the past few years, LEDs have emerged as a very powerful lighting source; however, they require more precise electricity and heat and remain more expensive as compared to compact fluorescent lamps.Initially, the application of LED was limited to specific purposes. The introduction of LED in the mainstream market and in generic lighting applications has helped the global market to gain momentum. Considering its rapid proliferation, the global LED market is predicted to surpass the conventional CFL market. Factors such as the rising awareness among people about LED lamps, the energy saving benefits offered by LEDs, and their widespread adoption are expected to propel the global LED market in the near future. Going forward, the global LED market is expected to benefit from the declining prices of LEDs and their increasing application in display backlighting.Market Insight of LED can be Viewed @Considering the long lifespan of LEDs, the number of people investing in LED lamps is expected to increase. The increasing application of LED in digital signage and display lights is expected to benefit the global LED market. Further, technological advancements are expected to assist leading players in introducing new LED lights in the global market.By region, the global LED market is divided into the Middle East and Africa, Latin America, North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Key companies in the global LED market are strategically diverse and operate at different levels. Some of the key companies focus on manufacturing different LED chips and their components. Many others manufacture LED lamps and luminaries. Philips, LG, Samsung, and Panasonic are some of the top companies operating in the global LED market.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Transparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Surging Air Travel for Leisure, Business to Boost Global Car Rental Market, says TMR

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1633

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

The global Car Rental Market is highly consolidated with the presence of a handful of companies, observes Transparency Market Research (TMR). The top five companies, namely Enterprise Rent-A-Car, The Hertz Corporation, Europcar, Avis Budget Group Inc., and Sixt collectively held more than 75% of the market in 2013.Expanding into new markets partnering with local players is the key growth model that top companies in the car rental market are adopting, says a TMR analyst. The objective is to strengthen their global presence, which in turn will help increase business revenue. An excellent example is Avis Budget Group. With a presence in 175 countries, the company is strategizing for further expansion in new rental locations such as India, China, and Brazil due to the increasing demand for car rentals in these regions.Get Free Sample Report Copy :Strategically accelerated growth is the focus of key companies in the global car rental market. Companies are formulating plans for increasing the fleet size and incorporating a mix of vehicles to their fleet to keep up with customer demand. Offering differentiator services is also a key growth model that top companies in this market are focused on.Asia Pacific to Emerge as Key Regional Market in FutureAn expeditious increase in air travel is one of the major factors driving the growth of the global car rental market, points out a TMR analyst. In the last decade, surging air travel for both business and leisure has led to an increasing demand for reliable and high-quality car rental services for comfort and safety reasons. Thus, top players in the car rental market are striving to leverage this trend by offering services across all major airports worldwide.At present, Asia Pacific is witnessing a high growth in the tourism industry. Post the global economic slump of 2007-2008, global car rental companies are expanding their operations in China and India to serve both international and domestic tourists.The increasing number of Internet users that carry out online travel bookings is also boosting the growth of the car rental market. This is because the process is reliable, easy and can be customized as per the need. Online booking is convenient for both customers and car rental providers as it saves times and is cost-effective as well.Concerned About Environmental Degradation Hamper Market GrowthStrict regulations for curbing emissions and volatility in crude oil prices are hampering the growth of the global car rental market. The high utilization of non-renewable energy sources for power generation releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. To counter this, environmental regulations are in place in several countries for lowering emissions from vehicles and industries. In this regard, the International Energy Agency have laid out mandates for generating green energy in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and control environmental pollution. Consequently, top companies such as Enterprise Rent-A-Car are adopting green car rentals.The global car rental market is expected to reach a valuation of US$79.46 bn by 2019. On the basis of car type, executive cars and multi-utility vehicles are anticipated to display a faster growth rate than other segments due to rapid globalization. The airport transport segment by category is expected to be valued at US$34.48 bn by 2019. The dominance of this segment is mainly due to the increasing number of air travelers for both business and leisure reasons.About Us :Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact Us :-Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
The China-U.K. Business Centre offers support for Blackpool, Wyre Fylde firms

http://www.thechina-ukbusinesscentrenw.co.uk

As it prepares for overseas trade visits to China in August and September, The China-U.K. Business Centre, based in Lancaster House Blackpool, is offering support to companies across Blackpool. Fylde and Wyre who want to find out more about the opportunities available to them.Building on the trade links established earlier in the year, with a delegation from a Chinese Province, the size of the UK, The China-U.K. Business Centre is looking to establish further connections with a number of Chinese provinces who have expressed an interest in investing in the North West. To put things in perspective population-wise, there are over 23 UKs in one China!Comments CEO Barrie Thompson, This is definitely an exciting time for Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre as the initial interest we are receiving from China is extremely promising for the region. Back in March, the first trade agreement with the Chinese Province was signed and now, just 4 months later we are in the latter stages of agreeing manufacturing and licensing agreements for our region. We have been invited back to China later this month to discuss further initiatives and new product lines with this company for launch in mid-2017.Throughout my sixteen years experience in dealing with China, in the trading, education and manufacturing sectors, I can honestly say I have never seen such enthusiasm for developing new trade links with the North West. The last few months especially have been a whirlwind for The China-U.K. Business Centre, so we are already making plans to increase our office space!To make the most of our business trips to China in August and September we are inviting local companies to contact us with their enquiries or requirements so we can investigate further and report back later upon our return to local government. We are of course happy to sign non-disclosure agreements and MOUs with any company wanting to dip their toe in the water with China. We base our business and personal values on transparency, confidentiality, honesty and trust.We have a VIP visit from China already planned for October, and are delighted to have the renewed support from Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde councils. The initiatives and investment deals offered by the Councils to overseas companies looking to invest in the three Enterprise zones are without doubt a major incentive to Chinese companiesAny company based in Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre who would like to discuss possibilities of dealing with China is invited to contactBarrie Thompson , Carole Houston at The China-U.K. Business Centre by email on TCUKBC@email.com or by telephone on 07957 635015. Or, text : #ASK to +44 [0]7903 157250.Website:For several years, The China UK Business Centre has been the main provider of news on China, home and away, to the local BBC News each week. We look forward to reporting more good news about Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde Coast development in the coming months.The China-U.K. Business CentreLancaster House,Amy Johnson Way,Blackpool,FY4 2RPEmail: TCUKBC@email.com
GEN Z CLASSROOMS- A SMART BOARD OR A SMART TEACHER

I am an enthusiastic mom who loves to involve myself in my childs learning process. Before my daughter could start her schooling, there used to be relevant questions and dilemma in my mind such as,  What makes a classroom more active- a smart board or a smart mentor? How should a Gen Z classroom look like, where I understand that the modern schools are expected to use digital tools in active ways. I reflected on the thought that is the new generation pattern of learning digressing from the gurukul learning environment which I experienced.Today, I am happy to share with this generation parents, that I am no more confused. I cherish the way my daughter is learning in her school, which is a true international and child centric place w.r.t its learning environment with the same Midas touch of the gurukul system.Ive seen that the lingo digital classroom, many a times, is wrongly perceived as a student can learn better with a tablet in hand than pen-paper. What it actually should signify is how proactively technology can be integrated in the learning process so as to complement the hands-on tools. No technological device has brains to comprehend and analyse my childs specific needs. The device needs a master to program it so well that it can be rightly used at the right point of time to give the apt exposure to children, according to their subjective needs. And..the master is none but the mentor. Coming to a very common scenario now-a-days children are reluctant to learn spellings, write on paper to express their thoughts but rather type in word pad where there is a spell check option. Students should introspect that the automated script for this option is also programmed by the human brains.I believe that it is the smart mentor whose enthusiastic presence, involvement and attachment with the class adds life to the lessons and help students have a long lasting knowledge. Smart use of smart boards facilitate the process just like a tool as peer group learning, experiential hands on and so on. Each student is unique and magical in his/her own way. It is the expertise of the mentor to move the wand in the right direction to get the magic out of the child!Sukanya PalParent at Treamis World School BangaloreAbout Treamis World SchoolTreamis World School, recognized as one of the top international schools in Bangalore, is authorized to offer CBSE program from the Central Board of Secondary Education of India. Treamis International School is authorized to offer IGCSE and International A Levels from the University of Cambridge International Examination Syndicate and is an IB candidate for primary years programmeTreamis World SchoolNear Electronics City, Hulimangala Post, Bangalore South 560105
MR Solutions receives Queens Award from Lord Lieutenant of Surrey

www.mrsolutions.com

MR Solutions has received the prestigious Queens Award for Enterprise from the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey at their Guildford headquarters in July to mark their achievement for innovation. MR Solutions received the accolade for the development and commercial success of its preclinical cryogen-free MRI scanning technology and new multi-modality innovations where two or more imaging modalities are combined within the same system.Michael More-Molyneux, Her Majestys Lord Lieutenant presented the award on behalf of The Queen to David Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, at MR Solutions, with Sir Adrian White, Deputy Lieutenant who read the citation. The award was formally conferred with a Grant of Appointment and presentation of a crystal bowl. There was a great sense of employee pride at MR Solutions who were happy to participate in the award win by sharing a celebratory cake and a glass of champagne.Dr David Taylor, CEO & Chairman, MR Solutions said: We are delighted to be presented with the Queens Award for Innovation. It is an incredibly prestigious award and there was an overwhelming sense of pride at our offices when the Lord Lieutenant presented us with the Award. Our business is built on innovation; the fact that we are still the only company to have installed a range of cryogen free scanners is testament to that. However, it is very satisfying to have our efforts endorsed by an award which is only presented for the highest levels of business excellence.MR Solutions also attended a winners reception at Buckingham Palace hosted by Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh on 14 July, 2016. Representing MR Solutions was the director, Nicky Doughty, and finance director, Ben Withinshaw, who stood in the receiving line ready to receive the Queens congratulations.MR Solutions is the only company in the world to offer a range of commercially available scanners from 3T to 9.4T (T is for Tesla - the power of the magnet) which does not require liquid helium. MR Solutions scanners, which are the size of a desk, can be wheeled into a lab compared to the helium cooled models which usually need their own room and substantial building modifications.The Queens Award for Enterprise is valid for five years and is the most prestigious business award in the UK which is presented to a select group of businesses having been recognised for outstanding business achievement. Now in its 50th year, the awards are made annually by HM The Queen and are only given for the highest levels of business excellence.MR Solutions has over 30 years experience and in excess of 1000 installations across the world. This includes sales of their MRI spectrometers. Its head office is at Ashbourne House, The Guildway, Old Portsmouth Road, Guildford, Surrey GU3 1LR; tel: + 44 1483 532146; information@mrsolutions.com;with offices in the USA and distributors world-wide.Leonie OnslowVane Percy & RobertsRobert Denholm HouseBletchingley RoadNutfieldleonie@vanepercy.com
Global Hydraulic Pumps Market Forecast & Analysis(2016-2021)

http://www.marketintelreports.com/report/allied0001/world-hydraulic-pump-market--opportunities-and-forecasts-20152022

http://www.marketintelreports.com/pdfdownload.php?id=allied0001

http://www.marketintelreports.com/purchase.php?id=allied0001

www.marketintelreports.com

World Hydraulic Pump Market is expected to reach $10.4 Billion, by 2022  MarketIntelReportsAccording to a new report published by MarketIntelReports, titled, "World Hydraulic Pump Market" the global hydraulic pump market is expected to garner $10.4 billion by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 4.7% during 2016 - 2022. In the year 2015, the Asia-Pacific region accounted for the largest market share of 36.7%, followed by North America. Growth in developing countries including China and India would primarily be supplemented by increasing usage of hydraulic pumps in manufacturing industry, construction activities and in automobiles.Browse 120 pages World Hydraulic Pump Market - Opportunities and Forecasts, 2015-2022 Market Research Report @Hydraulic pump works on displacement principle. The pump converts mechanical energy into hydraulic energy, which is utilized to perform various tasks such as lift, lower, open, close or rotate components in various mobile and industrial application areas. The pumps are manufactured depending on different functional and hydraulic system requirements.Increase in construction activities globally, rising sales of automobiles and increasing application in mining industry are the major factors propelling the demand for hydraulic pumps. In addition to this, government regulations focused towards reduction of CO2 emission and increased awareness about energy saving has led to the expansion of this market. However, high cost of manufacturing is a major challenge faced by the players operating in the market. Increasing pace of infrastructural improvement and increasing demand for renewable energy offers promising opportunity for players in the hydraulic pump market. Moreover, up-gradation of existing machinery would also provide lucrative business opportunity to the players.Based on type, hydraulic pumps are classified as vane, piston, and gear pumps. Among all product types, gear pumps dominated the market in 2015, accounting for over 50% of the overall market revenue owing to their compatibility with varied fluid types and lower cost as compared to other product types. Piston pump is expected to be the fastest growing product category, on account of its high efficiency, reliability, and increasing usage in high pressure application areas such as mining, construction, and others.Market by application comprises mobile and industrial application. Sub-segments of the mobile application segment includes construction, agriculture, mining and others. In the year 2015, the mobile application segment occupied a major share of the overall market. However, the industrial segment is anticipated to grow at a faster rate during 2016 - 2022, owing to increasing application of hydraulic pumps in manufacturing activities in the developing economies.The Asia-Pacific region was estimated to be the largest market in terms of revenue owing to higher usage of hydraulic pumps in the manufacturing industry. The region is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 5.5% during the forecast period on account of increase in utilization of hydraulic pumps in manufacturing industry, construction equipment and in automobiles. LAMEA is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 4.8% due to increasing application of piston pumps in oil extraction and mining activities.Get Sample Brochure of Report @KEY FINDINGS OF THE STUDY In the year 2015, Asia-Pacific was the highest revenue-generating region for hydraulic pumps, followed by North America Growth in LAMEA is likely to be supplemented by increasing usage of hydraulic pumps in mining and oil extraction activities Gear pumps are the most commonly used hydraulic pumps worldwide Mobile application was the major revenue-generating application segment in 2015 The industrial application segment would grow at a faster CAGR of 5.5% during 2016-2022HYDRAULIC PUMP MARKET SEGMENTATIONThe hydraulic pump market is segmented on the basis of product type, application and geography.BY PRODUCT TYPE Gear pump Vane pump Piston pumpBY APPLICATION Mobile applicationo Constructiono Agricultureo Miningo Others Industrial applicationBY GEOGRAPHY North Americao U.S.o Canadao Mexico Europeo UKo Germanyo Franceo Russiao Rest of Europe Asia-Pacifico Chinao Indiao Rest of Asia-Pacific LAMEAo Latin Americao Middle Easto AfricaThe key market players profiled are Bosch Rexroth Ltd., Eaton Corporation Plc, Danfoss Power Solutions, Parker Hannifin Corporation, Actutant Corporation, Bailey International LLC, Linde Hydraulics, Dynamatic Technologies Ltd., Hydac International and Toshiba Machine Co. Ltd. Manufacturers have launched innovative hydraulic pumps to strengthen their foothold in the market. For instance, Eaton Corporation Plc introduced a new series of piston pumps for mobile applications, called X 20 open system piston pumps to strengthen its position in the market.Access World Hydraulic Pump Market - Opportunities and Forecasts, 2015-2022 Research Report @About us:MarketIntelReports (MIR) aim to empower our clients to successfully manage and outperform in their business decisions, we do this by providing Premium Market Intelligence, Strategic Insights and Databases from a range of Global Publishers.A group of industry veterans who are well experienced in reputed international consulting firms after identifying the sourcing needs of MNCs for market intelligence, have together started this business savior MarketIntelReports.Contact us:Sales ManagerMayur S2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400,Wilmington,Delaware,19808United Statessales@marketintelreports.comTelephone: 1-302-261-5343
To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below.

Taipei, Aug. 10 (CNA) There is great potential for Taiwan and Germany to cooperate in such fields as smart machinery and energy, which are among the five innovative industries President Tsai Ing-wen () has vowed to focus upon during her term, the executive director of the German Trade Office Taipei (GTO) said Wednesday.
Project Skills Solutions welcomes new electrician, Lee Spinks, to the team

http://projectskillssolutions.com

http://projectskillssolutions.com

http://projectskillssolutions.com

Essex-based installation company Project Skills Solutions has announced the welcoming of a new electrician to the team.Project Skills Solutions has made the decision to expand their growing team and welcome Lee Spinks on board as the companys new fully-qualified electrician.Lee, who has already hit the ground running by getting straight into electrical and data works onsite, hasmany years of experience through his previous job roles carrying out electricaland data cabling across London (), Essex and the Home Counties.With Lees help, Project Skills Solutions will strengthen its capability for delivering electrical and data cabling works in the local area.The team have been very welcoming since I officially started in my role in early August, said Lee. I have already began working on projects and it is great to have the opportunity to work within such a professional, friendly and forward-thinking environment.I am very happy to be part of the company and excited to see what my future holds here.If you require more information about Project Skills Solutions and the services they provide do not hesitate to get in contact.Based in Essex, UK, Project Skills Solutions is a trusted provider of office installation services () in the UK, delivering a professional service to a wide range of industry sectors. The company has provided its huge range of project management and installation solutions to large corporations, such as Clintons Cards and the National Health Service. For more information, please call Sam Barton on 0800 0213 264.Press Contact: Sam BartonTelephone: 0800 0213 264Website:Email: sam.barton[at]projss.co.uk
While Australia Suffers #censusfail One Survey Shines Through

www.beercartel.com.au

One survey has not suffered the same fate as the Australian Census with over 6,500 Australian beer drinkers taking part in the largest survey ever undertaken for craft beer.Created by craft beer retailer Beer Cartel, the 2016 Australian Craft Beer Survey is the most comprehensive, publicly available research ever undertaken with Australian craft beer drinkers.Richard Kelsey, Director of Beer Cartel said the results of the survey to be released Friday 12th August provide an excellent insight into the Australian craft beer landscape.Before getting into craft beer, my former working life was in market research. This is my opportunity to give back to a young and vibrant industry, said Mr Kelsey.We have designed the research to provide a fantastic birds eye view of the growing Australian craft beer scene, in the only segment of the beer market which is in continuous growth. This inaugural study will provide a clear understanding of consumer trends towards craft beer.The research will reveal:- Australias best craft brewery- Australias most consumed beer style- Australias favourite beer style- The number one beer producing nation in the world- Craft beer purchase and consumption habits- Attitudes to craft beerChris McNamara, Executive Officer of the Craft Beer Industry Association (CBIA) of Australia said that the study was a fantastic initiative at better understanding the Australian craft beer drinking landscape.This study by Beer Cartel will help reveal a lot of perceptions we have towards the Australia craft beer market, while building upon these further, said Mr McNamara.To learn more about the 2016 Australian Craft Beer Survey contact Richard Kelsey +61 405251864.Beer Cartel is Australias leading craft beer retailer, stocking over 1,000 craft beers from Australia and overseas. Purchases can be made through the Beer Cartel website () and its Sydney store.Richard KelseyDirectorBeer Cartel9/897 Reserve RdArtarmonNSW 2064Australia
Sales of Medical Education to reach US$38.4 bn by 2024, reports TMR

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=517

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/

The global market for medical education has a handful of players such as Apollo Hospitals, TACT Academy for Clinical Training, Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. (Zimmer Institute), Olympus Corporation, Gundersen Health System, GE Healthcare, and Medical Training College. Transparency Market Research identifies Apollo Hospitals as the leading contributor to the growth of the overall market owing to its extensive course portfolio, strong market penetration in countries in Asia Pacific, and vast scope for practical hospital experience.Geographical expansion in several developing countries has been Apollo Hospitals leading growth strategy, in addition to the acquisition of smaller local players, finds the lead author of the TMR study.In July 2016, Apollo Hospitals Group signed MoUs with Kenyatta National Hospital and Airtel Kenya to not just focus on capacity building in the Kenyan healthcare sector but to also conduct educational lectures and training programs in the country. In the same month, the company signed an agreement with Hainan Ecological Smart City Group in China to develop a highly integrated modern healthcare service facility in the Hainan province, which is likely to lend nursing, medical, and paramedical colleges in the island city tremendous support.Advantages of Online Training over Traditional Modes of Education a Driving FactorThe demand for medical education is primarily driven by the growing preference for online education. Online education is a highly lucrative investment avenue, a TMR analyst observes. The exposure to modern technologies around the world and the increasing penetration of the internet has greatly fueled the preference of students for online education. Moreover, online training presents several advantages over traditional modes of education, including variation in training and educational programs, lower cost, comfortable and flexible learning programs, and opportunities for improved technical skills.In line with this growing trend, TMR predicts that the emergence of e-learning markets in several developing countries will be a major opportunity for players in the medical education market.High Tuition Fee a Major RoadblockThe cost of higher education, especially in developed countries, continues to pose a key challenge for low-income students. Medical education is one of the most expensive fields and the tuition fee for classroom courses as well as on-campus training is extremely high. This acts as a major barrier for the medical education market, the author of the study says.In addition to this, the declining preference for distance education in medicine and paramedical training is likely to restrict the growth of the medical education market to an extent.For more info on this research:Steady Growth in Store for Medical Education MarketExpanding at a 4.3% CAGR over the course of the forecast period, the global medical education market is poised to rise from a value of US$25.9 bn in 2015 to US$38.4 bn by 2024. By mode of education, the medical education market is led by on-campus training. Changing student preferences will restrict the demand for distance training by 2024, TMR predicts. However, online training is fast emerging as a lucrative mode of medical education and this segment is likely to register the highest CAGR of 7.29% from 2016 to 2024.By type of training, the demand for cardiothoracic training has surpassed the rest, while training in radiology presents the highest scope for growth. By geography, North America led the overall medical education market with Asia Pacific as the most rapidly expanding regional segment through the forecast period.This review is based on the findings of a TMR report titled Medical Education Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024.Global Medical Education Market, by Type of TrainingCardiothoracicNeurologyOrthopedicOral and MaxillofacialPediatricRadiologyLaboratoryGlobal Medical Education Market, by Mode of EducationOn-campusDistanceOnlineGlobal Medical Education Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeGermanyU.K.Rest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaIndiaJapanRest of Asia PacificRest of the WorldBrazilSouth AfricaRest of Rest of the WorldTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
PharmaPoint: Heart Failure - Global Drug Forecast And Market Analysis To 2025

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/analysis/774307

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/774307

PharmaPoint: Heart Failure - Global Drug Forecast and Market Analysis to 2025Access Full Report:SummaryGlobalData estimates sales of Heart Failure (HF) therapeutics to be approximately $3.2B across the 7MM in 2015, encompassing the US, 5EU, and Japan. The HF market will grow at a strong CAGR of 13.5% over the forecast period, reaching sales of $11.5B by 2025. The 7MM chronic HF market size in 2015 was $3.1B, and is expected to increase to $10.1B by 2025 at a CAGR of 12.7%. The US was the largest market for chronic HF therapies, contributing 61.2% of total sales in the base year. GlobalData expects uptake of Novartis Entresto to be the strongest driver of the chronic HF and total HF markets in the 7MM, reaching peak sales of $5.9B in 2022. The acute HF market is expected to increase from just $188.1M in 2015 to $1.5B in 2025, at a CAGR of 23.0%. Japan dominated the acute HF market in the base year, 2015, accounting for 86.0% of market share. However, with the launch of several acute HF add-on therapies in the forecast period, the US will take over as the acute HF market leader, contributing 68.7% of sales to the acute HF market by 2025.HighlightsKey Questions Answered- The level of unmet needs in the HF market is significantly high. Will the pipeline drugs fulfil these unmet needs of the market? Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) interviewed by GlobalData provide insights and highlight opportunities for drug developers.- The HF market is crowded with cheap, generic, me-too drugs, making it a particularly difficult market to penetrate. The current late-stage pipeline consists of several chronic HF therapies, and three novel acute HF therapies. How will the market be impacted by the launch of these drugs? Which of the marketed and pipeline drugs will have the highest peak sales at the highest CAGR, and why?- Will Entresto become the new standard-of-care in the chronic HF market? What are the main barriers a new therapy faces when entering the HF market?Get Sample Copy Of Report:Key Findings- The major drivers for growth across the 7MM in the HF market during the forecast period will be the launch of the first-in-class angiotensin receptor blocker/neprilysin inhibitor (ARNi), Entresto, marketed by Novartis, as well as the launches of two acute HF therapies, Cardiorentis ularitide and Novartis serelaxin.- KOLs interviewed by GlobalData opined that Entresto has potential to replace ACE inhibitors as the first-line therapy for HF, however they expect this to occur towards the end of the forecast period.- In other interviews, KOLs highlighted that the greatest unmet need in the HF disease space is the need to develop efficacious therapies for HF with preserved ejection fraction (HF-PEF) and acute HF.- High cost of new drugs and the reluctance of cardiologists to prescribe these new drugs are the major barriers for growth in the HF market during the forecast period.Scope- Overview of HF, both chronic and acute, including epidemiology, etiology, pathophysiology, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment guidelines.- Annualized HF therapeutics market revenue, annual cost of therapy and treatment usage pattern data from 2015 and forecast for ten years to 2025.- Key topics covered include strategic competitor assessment, market characterization, unmet needs, clinical trial mapping and implications for the chronic and acute HF therapeutics markets.- Pipeline analysis: comprehensive data split across different phases, emerging novel trends under development, and detailed analysis of late-stage pipeline drugs.- Analysis of the current and future market competition in the global HF therapeutics market. Insightful review of the key industry drivers, restraints and challenges. Each trend is independently researched to provide qualitative analysis of its implications.Reasons to buyThe report will enable you to -- Develop and design your in-licensing and out-licensing strategies through a review of pipeline products and technologies, and by identifying the companies with the most robust pipeline. Additionally a list of acquisition targets included in the pipeline product company list.- Develop business strategies by understanding the trends shaping and driving the HF therapeutics market.- Drive revenues by understanding the key trends, innovative products and technologies, market segments, and companies likely to impact the HF therapeutics market in future.- Formulate effective sales and marketing strategies by understanding the competitive landscape and by analysing the performance of various competitors.- Identify emerging players with potentially strong product portfolios and create effective counter-strategies to gain a competitive advantage.- Track drug sales in the 7MM HF therapeutics market from 2015-2025.- Organize your sales and marketing efforts by identifying the market categories and segments that present maximum opportunities for consolidations, investments and strategic partnerships.Marketresearchreports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. Marketresearchreports.biz services are especially designed to save time and money of our clients.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Food Packaging Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2023

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=7283

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Food packaging market is by far the largest application segment of the packaging industry, accounting for more than one-third of the global packaging market. From a global perspective, the food packaging market is at a very interesting situation, where the market has almost reached a plateau in terms of technology in the more developed nations in North America and Europe, while the emerging countries of Asia Pacific region are playing catch up to the packaging technologies and food supply chain management. Different types of food products require varied packaging types according to their individual usage and perishability.The sea change in food habits and preference for processed food has propelled the food packaging market in the past. The market for packaged food has already reached a holistic level in North America and Western Europe, while rapid lifestyle changes and economic growth, coupled with rising population in Asia Pacific countries such as China and India, has spiked the growth rate of food packaging in the region. The growth rate in South America and the Middle East is also on the higher side compared to the developed economies. The main reason for increasing preference for processed food is the shifting population dynamics towards urban centers from rural areas. This has resulted in the advent of dual income urban families, who prefer processed food due to time constraints. Packaged food has evolved from super markets to neighborhood stores in countries such as China, India, Brazil and Thailand among others. The market dynamics in North America and Europe however, is governed by branding activities undertaken by food processing companies.Tremendous opportunity exist in the food packaging market in emerging economies as the food packaging technology is in its growth phase in this region. Antimicrobial packaging technique is of particular interest as it helps to improve the shelf life of perishable food products. The market is however, slightly restrained by the declining growth in North America and Europe.Get Free Sample Report Copy :The food packaging market can be segmented into application segments such as convenience foods, confectionary items, dairy items, fruits and vegetables, meat and sauces and dressings. The popularity of the different food applications is different across the globe. For instance packaged meat is making foray into Asia Pacific region while it is mainstream in North America and Europe. Materials used to package food can also be segmented into plastic, paper & board, metal and glass. They may also be classified as rigid, semi-regid and flexible by type of packaging material. The preferences for different packaging materials also vary with regions due to the food habits specific to the regions. Flexible packaging accounts for the largest share of food packaging.North America is the largest food packaging market followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. However the growth rate exhibited by these regions has subsided considerably as the market is close to its peak. The growth parity is however, restored by the high growth regions of Asia Pacific and South America. China and India have exhibited exceptional growth potential and is expected to overtake the market leading position from North America in the near future.Some of the major players in the food packaging market are American Packaging Corporation, Anchor Packaging, Crown Holdings, Inc. and Bemis Company, Inc., among many others.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Globally, Sales of De-aromatic Solvents is Expected to Reach US$ 2,918 Mn by 2022, Driven by Steady Growth of Paints and Coatings Industry

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/dearomatic-solvents-market/toc

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/9926

According to the latest market report published by Persistence Market Research titled Global Market Study on De-aromatic Solvents: Increasing Demand for Paints and Coatings, Metal Working Industries to Drive the Growth of Market During the Forecast Period 2016 - 2022, globally, the revenue generated from sales of de-aromatic solvents has been estimated to be valued at US$ 1.56 Bn by 2016 end, and is expected to increase at a CAGR of 5.9% during 2016 - 2022.Use For to: Download TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:Major players in de-aromatic solvents market have channelized efforts towards developing eco-friendly or green product offerings that employ bio-based raw materials for their synthesis and, thus, eventually do away with the use of conventional solvents in certain applications. Owing to the increasing demand for greener alternatives, the bio-based solvents market is slated to register a steady CAGR of around 67% over the forecast period. Another major factor that is projected to impede growth of the de-aromatic solvents market, especially in paints & coatings application segment, is increasing demand for water-based paints & coatings, powder coatings, among others across the globe. Consumption of de-aromatic solvents is expected to increase from 1,718,100 metric tons in 2015 to 2,230,972 kilotons by 2022, increasing at a CAGR of 3.8% during the forecast period.Asia-Pacific accounted for the largest revenue share of the global de-aromatic solvents market in 2014, and the market in the region is anticipated to increase at the highest CAGR over the forecast period. Consumption of de-aromatic solvents in Asia-Pacific is projected to increase by 1.4X between 2014 and 2022. Mature markets, i.e. North America and Europe, are expected to register relatively slower growth during the forecast period.Browse Full Report@Exxon Mobil Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell plc., Total S.A., and Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. are among the leading players in the global de-aromatic solvents market. Other market players include CEPSA, Gandhar Oil Refinery India Ltd, Neste Oyj, and SK Global Chemical Co., Ltd.The global de-aromatic solvents market is segmented as follows:By flash pointHigh flash pointMedium flash pointHigh flash pointBy Boiling PointType 1 (1500C-2000C)Type 2 (2000C-2400C)Type 3 (>2400C)By ApplicationPaints and coatingsMetal workingIndustrial cleaningDrilling fluidsAdhesives and sealantsConsumer productsOthers (crop protection, chemical intermediates)By RegionsAsia PacificEuropeNorth AmericaLatin AmericaThe Middle East & AfricaAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Latin America Market for Industrial Explosives is Estimated to be Valued at US$ 1,319.7 Mn by 2022

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/latin-america-industrial-explosives-market/toc

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/9893

According to a new market report published by Persistence Market Research titled, Latin America Market Study on Industrial Explosives: Metal Mining Sector to be the Largest Consumer during the Forecast Period 2016 - 2022, theLatin America industrial explosives market is estimated to be valued at US$ 1,319.7 Mn by 2022.Industrial explosives are an important part of mining and mineral extraction operations around the world. Due to their high stability, industrial explosives are used in applications with higher torque by mining and tunnelling companies. Two types of industrial explosives, high explosives and blasting agents, are used in numerous applications across Latin America.Use For to: Download TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:Among countries in Latin America, the market in Chile is expected to account for 29.8% volume share of the overall Latin America industrial explosives market, followed by Peru and Brazil, by 2022. Due to increased mining activities in Brazil, the industrial explosives market in the country is projected to expand at a higher than average CAGR of 8.6% between 2016 and 2022 in terms of revenue. The market in Columbia, which is anticipated to account for 16.5% revenue share of the overall Latin America market by 2022 end, is expected to be driven by the rise of the mining sector in the country. The industrial explosives market in Argentina is estimated to witness an average increase in revenue due to lower GDP growth in the country.The high explosives market in Latin America is expected to expand at a lower than average CAGR of 4.5% in terms of volume between 2016 and 2022 when compared to blasting agents, which is expected to expand at a CAGR of 5.6% during the same period. Application of blasting agents is expected to be the highest in Chile due to their cost effectiveness as well as increasing demand for high stability in the transportation of explosives. Use of blasting agents in Brazil is expected to witness the highest growth of 6.8%, in terms of value, during the forecast period.Browse Full Report@By end use, mining segment is expected to expand at a higher than average CAGR as compared to other end-use segments such as construction and others, both in terms of value and volume. The increase in GDP output is one of the major factors driving the market. The industrial explosives market in Brazil, with the exponential increase in GDP, is expected to witness high revenue growth during the forecast period. Meanwhile, the market in developed economies is expected to decline in the near future due to lower GDP growth, thereby implying lower consumption compared to other economies.By Product Type:High ExplosivesBlasting AgentsBy End-use IndustryMiningMetal MiningNon-Metal MiningQuarryingConstructionOthersBy CountryChilePeruBrazilMexicoColumbiaArgentinaRest of Latin AmericaAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Global Behenyl Alcohol Market to Reach 54,200.9 Metric Tons by 2021

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/behenyl-alcohol-market/toc

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/6976

According to the latest market report published by Persistence Market Research titled  Global Market Study on Behenyl Alcohol: Asia Pacific to Witness Highest Growth by 2021, the global behenyl alcohol market to expand at a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period, 2015 - 2021.Behenyl alcohol (CAS: 661-19-8), often referred to as docosanol, is a saturated fatty alcohol used to thicken and stabilise formulations. It is categorised on the basis of purity level. Behenyl alcohol with the purity level of 70% is most commonly used. However, behenyl alcohol with purity over 80% is very rarely used. Behenyl alcohol accounted for a mere 1.4% share of the overall fatty alcohols market, and for 14% share of the overall C16+ fatty alcohols market in 2014.Use For to: Download TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:Global behenyl alcohol market is projected to account for 54,200.9 metric tons by the end of 2021. In terms of value, the global behenyl alcohol market accounted for US$ 119.4 Mn in 2014. It is projected to witness the increase in volume due to rising demand from end-use segments.The report analyses the global behenyl alcohol market in terms of market value (US$ Mn) and market volume (metric tons), by end-use segment, region and application; and provides information regarding market dynamics, value chain, competitive landscape, current trends, market estimations and forecast.Globally, Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the market throughout the forecast period and is projected to witness a 1.4X increase in its volume production by the end of 2021. While Japan and India are two major exporters of behenyl alcohol chemicals globally, South Korea is one of the key importers of behenyl alcohol in Asia Pacific. In Asia Pacific, India is the largest producer of rapeseed and behenyl alcohol. A large number of companies based in the country export rapeseed to North America, Europe and other parts of Asia. Sun care products are widely used in Asia Pacific. It accounted for nearly US$ 2.2 Bn in 2014. The increase in demand for sun care products, in turn, is expected to boost overall demand for behenyl alcohol globally. Though the market is gaining traction in Asia-Pacific, low presence of Chinese players in the behenyl alcohol market has significantly reduced price competitiveness among the companies based in Japan, India and Europe. As a result, manufacturers are expected to generate high-profit margins in the Asia Pacific region. Europe is the next lucrative destination for behenyl alcohol manufacturers.Among the end-use segments, behenyl alcohol finds the largest application in the cosmetics industry, followed by pharmaceuticals and others. The pharmaceuticals end-use segment is expected to gain traction in the near future due to increasing demand for behenyl alcohol in ointments. Increasing demand for high-quality cosmetic products is influencing manufacturers to opt for high-quality ingredients such as behenyl alcohol, which has a relatively non-sticky property as compared to other ingredients.Globally, per capita consumption of cosmetics is increasing at a rate of 3.4% per year. Per capita consumption of cosmetics is expected to grow exponentially in the near future due to a significant rise in geriatric population, especially in Japan and China.Browse Full Report@By application type, the behenyl alcohol market is segmented into emollients, emulsifiers, thickeners and others. The emollients segment is expected to dominate the overall behenyl alcohol market by the end of the forecast period, i.e. by 2021. The segment is projected to register an above average growth rate over the forecast period. Global consumption of emollients stood at 130,000 metric tons in 2014. Consumption of behenyl alcohol as an ingredient in emollients accounted for a significant proportion of the total emollients consumed globally.Key market participants covered in the report include BASF SE, Kao Corporation, VVF Chemicals Limited, Godrej Industries Ltd., Sasol Ltd. and Nikko Chemicals Co., Ltd.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Cellulose Paints Market: Value Chain, Dynamics and Key Players 2015 to 2021

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/4276

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/4276

Cellulose paints are plant based coatings which carry the advantage of being painted in layers as compared to conventional distemper paints. Cellulose paints have a mixture of pigments which exhibit their aesthetics due to the ability of the pigments to show light refraction. These paints are easy to remove during the coating of another paint as its temporary in nature. It is not high in opacity or hiding power. Large scale corporations such as AkzoNobel N.V. are significantly involved in the production of cellulose paints through their product Bermocoll. These paints contain a range of non-ionic cellulose ethers which are use as water retaining agent, stabilizers, and thickeners for water based paints for decorative applications. During the production of these paints, cellulose reacts with various substituents such as ethyl, methyl and hydroxyethyl or hydrophobic groups, which is called etherification that makes Bermocoll water soluble in nature. Cellulose paints are regarded as active agents with polymeric surface and exhibit the ability to contribute to disperse the pigments by enhancing the flow during grinding. Cellulose paints are manufactured in a broad range of viscosities which enable consumers to choose the specific viscosity required for the application of the paint. In order to avoid the lump formation during addition of water to cellulose paints, manufacturers treat all the paint grades with a controlled amount of glyoxal.Use For to: Download TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:The global market for cellulose paints has been witnessing a significant increase on account of growth from its well established end user industries such as automotive, construction and industrial. Significant investments from certain large scale companies such as BASF SE, AkzoNobel, and Eastman Chemical Company among others to expand in quite a few countries of Asia-Pacific and Latin America have been witnessed. Demand for green coatings in these regions have still been in the development and are anticipated to have a huge potential in the near future. Moreover, focus on R&D activities for developing low VOC coatings industry coupled with product innovation has also contributed to the growth of the market. Asia Pacific currently dominates the global market for cellulose paints, with emerging economies such as China and India dominating the region. It was followed by North America where demand for these paints has been witnessing a noticeable increase with the presence of the large automotive industry in the region. Future market growth is expected to be from Asia Pacific as well owing to several new renovation and construction projects in South Asia, specifically in China thereby boosting the demand for cellulose paints.Growing demand for non-hazardous, low VOC green paints from various end-user industries are expected to boost the demand for cellulose paints over the next few years. In addition, growth of the automotive and construction industry has also been the current growth factors for cellulose paints. However, increasing use of other better performing green substrates such as powder coatings is expected to hamper the growth of the cellulose paints market. Focus on product innovations to manufacture non hazardous paints with low VOC content is expected to provide new opportunities for the growth of the market.Browse Full Report@AkzoNobel N.V., BASF SE, Eastman Chemical Company, PPG Asian Paints, and The Dow Chemical Company are some of the key players present in the cellulose paints industry.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Power Rental Market worth USD 20.30 Billion by 2020, Globally

http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/power-rental-market

http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/power-rental-market

http://www.zionmarketresearch.com

Zion Market Research has published a new report titled Power Rental Market by End-User (Oil & Gas, Industrial, Construction and Others) For Peak Shaving, Base Load/ Continuous Power and Standby Power Applications: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2014 - 2020 According to the report, The global power rental market was valued at approximately USD 10.02 billion in 2014 and is expected to reach approximately USD 20.30 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of over 13.0% between 2015 and 2020.Power is generated by burning fossil fuels such coal, oil or gas to generate steam that drives large turbines that produce electricity. Power rental is referred as plant hire which provide flexibility, reliability, speed and cost-effectiveness. Power on rent can deliver complete operating power packages as well as provide scalable components within large power station installations to various industrial applications.Browse the full "Power Rental Market by End-User (Oil & Gas, Industrial, Construction and Others) For Peak Shaving, Base Load/ Continuous Power and Standby Power Applications: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Segment, Trends and Forecast, 2015  2021" report atThe global power rental market is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period on account of increasing demand for power across the globe. The increasing power consumption, development of power infrastructure, and increasing construction & development is anticipated to boost the demand of power rental in the coming years. Furthermore, increasing demand for power from oil & gas industry is also a major driving force of the power rental market. However, presence of stringent regulations coupled with rising environmental awareness may hamper the market growth in the near future. Nonetheless, increasing demand for power in emerging economics is expected to open up new growth avenues for the power rental market in the years to come.Oil & gas, industrial, construction and others are the key end-users of the power rental market. Industrial segment emerged as the leading application segment by accounting for over 22 % of the total revenue generated by the power rental market in 2014. Construction is another key outlet of power rental market and it held over 20% share of overall market in 2014. This is mainly due to growing infrastructural development in the emerging economics. Oil & gas is also expected to exhibit substantial demand within the forecast period.Based on application, the power rental market can be segmented into peak shaving, base load/continuous power and standby power. Base load/continuous accounted for 45.56% share of total revenue generated in 2014. Base load/continuous segment are expected to exhibit a significant rise in light of the increasing demand from various sectors such as oil & gas, mining and construction and others. Peak shaving is another leading application segment owing to rising awareness among energy intensive industries in order to control the charged over high energy demand during peak hours.Free Request Sample @In terms of geography, Middle East & Africa dominated the global power rental market and accounted for 31.63% of total revenue in 2014. This growth is mainly attributed to growing construction and developmental activities in this region. North America was the second largest regional market with 21.32% share of total revenue generated in 2014. Asia Pacific holds immense potential for the industry growth over the forecast period. Recently, emerging economies including India, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia have been contributing significantly to the demand for power rental in industrial sector owing to rapid industrialization.Some of the key players include in power rental market such as Atlas Copco, United Rental, Cummins Inc, APR Energy Inc, Caterpillar Inc and Power Electrics.This report segments the global power rental market as follows:Global Power Rental Market: End-Users Segment Analysis Oil & Gas Industrial Construction OthersGlobal Power Rental Market: Application Segment Analysis Peak shaving Base load/ Continuous power Standby powerGlobal Power Rental Market: Regional Segment Analysis North Americao U.S. Europeo Germanyo Franceo UK Asia Pacifico Chinao Japano India Latin Americao Brazil Middle East and AfricaAbout UsZion Market Research is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Zion Market Research experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants uses proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact US:4283, Express Lane, Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803 GMTTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Beverage Packaging Market Is Expected To Reach Around USD 138.7 Billion in 2021: ZMR

http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/beverage-packaging-market

http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/beverage-packaging-market

http://www.zionmarketresearch.com

Zion Research has published a new report titled Beverage Packaging (Bottle, Can, Pouch, and Carton) Market, By Material (Glass, Plastic, Metal, and Paperboard), for Alcoholic, Non-Alcoholic, and Dairy Applications: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Segment, Trends and Forecast, 2015  2021. According to the report, global demand for beverage packaging market was valued at USD 108.4 billion in 2015, is expected to reach USD 138.7 billion in 2021 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% between 2016 and 2021.Packaging plays an important role in beverage industry. Proficient packaging solutions offer advantages such as disposability, ease of use and improved user experience. These advantages have lead to increase in demand of beverage packaging solutions. The main purpose of packaging is to preserve, protect, and promote the product.Browse the full "Beverage Packaging (Bottle, Can, Pouch, and Carton) Market, By Material (Glass, Plastic, Metal, and Paperboard), for Alcoholic, Non-Alcoholic, and Dairy Applications: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Segment, Trends and Forecast, 2015  2021" report atBeverage packaging market is directly proportional to growing demand for various types of beverages. Beverage packaging market is driven by several factors like increase in beverage consumption, and the growing demand for long shelf life of product. Light weight packaging material has become an essential factor in the market, and having significant influence in beverage bottles and cans segment. This is further driven by environmental pressures from government, and low material usage for packages means low costs, which are always beneficial for both brands and retailers. Moreover, stringent government regulation for environmental safety may affect the market growth.On the basis of packaging type market is divided into bottles, cans, pouch, and carton. Bottles and cans represented significant share in global beverage packaging market. Material segment includes glass, plastic, metal, and paperboard. Plastic continue to represent the highest growing beverage packaging material due to rising consumer demand and portability. Alcoholic, non-alcoholic, and dairy are key application segment of beverage packaging market.Beverage packaging market in Asia Pacific is expected to show massive opportunities for market owing to rapidly growing beverage consumption in the region. Large population coupled with increasing income levels in developing economies such as China and India are expected to drive the beverage consumption in the region. Furthermore, availability of skilled workers, low cost of production and government funding are expected to further boost the market growth in the region. North America was the leading market player in 2015 owing to presence of large number of key players in the region.Ball Corporation, Rexam PLC, Amcor Limited, Reynolds Group Holdings Limited, Saint-Gobain S.A., Tetra Laval International S.A. and Owens-Illinois, Inc. are some of the leading players in the beverage packaging market.Request Sample Report @The report segments the global beverage packaging market asBeverage Packaging Market: Type Segment AnalysisBottleCanPouchCartonBeverage Packaging Market: Material Segment AnalysisGlassPlasticMetalPaperboardBeverage Packaging Market: Application Segment AnalysisAlcoholicNon-AlcoholicDairyBeverage Packaging Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeUKFranceGermanyAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilMiddle East and AfricaAbout UsZion Market Research is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Zion Market Research experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants uses proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:
Market Research on Fungicide Active Ingredients Market 2016 and Analysis to 2026

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1687

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1687

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/fungicide-active-ingredients-market

www.futuremarketinsights.com

Fungicides are first found chemical compounds utilized by people to preserve the plants from infections and pollutions. This chemical compound reduces the fungal growth in crops and thus plays a significant role in protection of crops. It has been observed that, diseases are the key source for damage of crop and plant that can be caused by number of organisms. Fungi is the topmost cause for infection of plants all across the globe. Apart from this, other diseases that hamper the growth of crops include nematodes, bacteria and viruses. Fungicides have become a significant component for the management of plant diseases for agrarian crops. Fungicides are utilized both in agriculture as well as to kill fungal infections in animals. Fungicides are utilized as a formulated product comprising of an active ingredient and as well as inert ingredients that enhance the functioning of the product. The global fungicide active ingredients market has grown at a rapid pace over the past few years and is anticipated to expand at a significant CAGR over the forecast period.Global Fungicide Active Ingredients: Market SegmentationGlobal Fungicide Active Ingredients market is segmented on the basis of type of active ingredients such as azoxystrobin, boscalid, chlorothalonil, cyazofamid, etridiazole (ethazole), fenarimol, fludioxonil, fluoxastrobin, flutolanil, fosetyl-Al, iprodione, mancozeb, mefenoxam, metconazole, myclobutanil, PCNB (quintozene), phosphites, polyoxin D zinc, propamocarb, propiconazole, pyraclostrobin, tebuconazole, thiophanate-methyl, triadimefon, trifloxystrobin, triticonazole and vinclozolin. The global fungicide active ingredients can also be bifurcated on the basis of application in crops such as cereals, grains, pulses, oilseeds, vegetables, fruits and others.Request Free Report Sample@Global Fungicide Active Ingredients Market: Growth DriversRising population leading to increase in food production which encourages the farmers to adopt optimum type fungicide for protection of crop in order to maximize the production and to minimize the risk related to crop infections. This is anticipated to expand the growth of global fungicide active ingredients market over the forecast period. Apart from this, robust demand for fungicides in major applications such as vegetable and fruit crops and in ornamental and turf grass is also likely to foster the growth of worldwide fungicide active ingredients market from 2016-2026. Expansion in population especially in developing countries such as India and China is expected to impel food related security concerns in the region which is likely to fuel the growth of global fungicide active ingredients market during the forecast period.Global Fungicide Active Ingredients Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the Global Fungicide Active Ingredients industry can be divided by major regions which include North America, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific region, Japan, Middle East and Africa. Europe captured the maximum market share in the total revenue of global fungicide active ingredients market in 2015. Rising population along with increasing the education level in developing countries is anticipated to bolster the growth of Asia Pacific fungicide active ingredients market over the forecast period. Besides this, Latin American fungicide active ingredients market is also expected to observe robust growth during the next few years.Visit For TOC@Global Fungicide Active Ingredients Market: PlayersSome of the leading players identified across the value chain of the global Fungicide Active Ingredients market include BASF, Bayer Cropscience, DuPont, Dow AgroSciences, Syngenta and Monsanto. In 2015, BASF marked the highest market share in terms of revenue in global fungicide active ingredients market. Most of players also function regional research and testing centers across all the geographic locations in order to keep the product market oriented as per the need. The companies are entering into widening their product portfolio and focusing on merger and acquisition in order to gain the competitive edge in global fungicide active ingredients market. Significant investment in research and development activities is expected by the companies over the coming few years in order to maintain the dominance in global fungicide active ingredients market in future.Full Report Analysis@About Us:Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.Contact Us:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Angioedema Treatment Market Shares, Strategies and Forecast Worldwide, 2016 to 2026

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1712

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1712

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/angioedema-treatment-market

www.futuremarketinsights.com

Allergies affect about 30% of the adults and 40% of children and are increasing day by day. It is the fifth leading cause of chronic diseases affecting approximately 50 million people in the United States. Angioedema is one of the common condition caused due to allergies and show sudden swelling under the skin surface. It is also sad to be the most dangerous form of hives and can affect hands, feet, lips, eye lids and genitals. There are four different types of angioedema as allergic angioedema, idiopathic angioedema, drug-induced angioedema and hereditary angioedema. The treatment of angioedema may include a normal physical examination, even though with proper medication angioedema cannot be completely cured but regular drugs can help in preventing the attacks in the patients. Allergic angioedema and idiopathic angioedema can be treated using combination drugs and helped relieving swelling. In case of severe cases of angioedema steroid injections may be needed.In the United States it was reported that in 2010 the total spending on allergies was $17.5 billion from which food allergies cost about $25 million, thus people having severe allergies and changing life-style can be the major factors contributing the growth of the angioedema treatment market. The increasing rate of angioedema in the United States and other regions has triggered the demand for hospitalization and advancements in the treatment of angioedema. Though angioedema can be treated, it cannot be completely cured and rapidly increasing allergic conditions can give rise to epidemiology, such factors are responsible for hindering the growth of the market. The crucial challenge for the pharmaceuticals is enhance and advance the treatment for angioedema and come up with better drugs.Request Free Report Sample@The global market for Angioedema Treatmentis segmented on basis of treatment and end use:Segmentation by treatment for Angioedema TreatmentDrugs ClassAntihistaminesCorticosteroidsAntigonadotropic agentsVasopressorSegmentation by end use for Angioedema TreatmentHospitalsClinicsResearch OrganizationsGlobally the number of allergies and allergy conditions as angioedema are rapidly increasing, thus the angioedema treatment market is estimated to have an enormous growth during the forecast period (2016-2026). Pharmaceuticals and research organizations are working to develop novel drug and treatments for angioedema. Improving medical facilities and health insurances along with advance technology the market for angioedema treatment will boost in coming years.Visit For TOC@On the basis of region presence, Angioedema Treatment market is segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.Currently, North America dominates the global market for Angioedema Treatment due to high prevalence rate of sinusitis, followed by Europe. According to the epidemiology took place in America in 2010 had increased the hospitalization rate and increasing allergies in adults and children have triggered the growth rate of angioedema. However factors such as climatic conditions inappropriate for angioedema patients and lack of awareness among people about angioedema will hamper the market growth in regions like Asia-pacific and RoW.Some of the key market players in the manufacturing of the treatment products (drugs) for angioedema treatment includes AstraZeneca plc, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, GlaxoSmithKline plc, AstraZeneca Plc, Sanofi S.A and Merck & Co., Inc.Full Report Analysis@About Us:Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.Contact Us:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Baby Food Packaging Products Market : Opportunities and Forecasts, 2015 - 2021

Baby Food Packaging Products Market, Baby Food, Baby Food Packaging

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/6418

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/6418

Baby food packaging products are designed to target the manufacturers dealing with baby and toddler food products. It is also designed to provide convenience to consumer in terms of carrying food products form one place to another. Increased consumer preference towards spending on packaged baby food product is expected to drive the demand of baby food packaging product market in the near future.Request TOC :Baby food packaging product market is segmented on the basis of raw material which includes glass packaging material, rigid plastic packaging material, flexible plastic packaging material paperboard packaging material, and metal packaging. Among all these segment flexible packaging material is expected to occupy major market share followed by rigid plastic packaging material during the forecast period.Baby food packaging product market is further segmented on the basis of type which includes bottles, cans, liquid cartons, pouch/sachet and others. Among all these segment pouch/sachet is expected to contribute major share in terms of revenue. Pouch/sachet packaged products are easy to use and convenient to carry which is predicted to support the growth of pouch/sachet packaging segment in baby food packaging product market. Moreover, liquid cartons is also expected to show a substantial growth in the near future. Increasing demand of flavored milk and juices for toddlers is predicted to support thre4 growth of liquid cartons segment in baby food packaging market.Baby food packaging product market is also segmented on the basis of application which includes, milk formula, dried baby food, prepared baby food, ready to feed baby food and others. Among all these segment milk formula is expected to contribute the major share in terms the usage of baby food packaging material. Moreover, ready to feed product is also expected to show a substantial growth in the near future. Increasing urbanization and rising disposable income has led the consumer to get inclined towards more convenient product which is supporting the growth of ready to feed baby product market. Thus is expected to simultaneously support the growth of baby food packaging material market across the globe.On the basis of geography, Europe is expected to contribute to the highest in terms of market share in baby food packaging product market. Moreover Latin America is expected to show a substantial growth in the near future. In Latin America Brazil is expected to contribute the major share in terms of revenue. Increased demand of baby food products especially prepared baby food across the country is expected to support the demand of baby food packaging product market within next five to six years. Whereas, Asia pacific is concerned it is expected to register a healthy double digit growth by 2020. In Asia pacific region China is expected to be the most dominant market for baby food packaging product market followed by Japan and India. Increasing awareness regarding the nutritional benefits for packaged baby food product is predicted to drive the growth of baby food packaging product market across the region. Moreover, rising demand for convenience baby edible products due to increased number of working women is predicted to drive the growth of baby food packaging product market in Asia Pacific region.Rising disposable income coupled with increased number of working mother has raised the demand of baby food which is expected to support the growth of baby food packaging material across the globe. However, packaging manufacturers need to consider food perishability, which is expected to restrict selection of packaging material, and thus predicted to restraints the overall market growth.Buy Full Report @Some of the major player operating in baby food packaging material market includes Prolamina Packaging, Tetra Laval, RPC Group, Silgan Holdings, Rexam PLC, CAN-PACK S.A, Winpak among others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United StatesUSA - Canada Toll Free: +1 800-961-0353
A property that had been dedicated to a sprawling industrial site. Prime downtown real estate. Massive public investments in infrastructure. Visions of luxury apartments, trendy restaurants and hotels, and new public open spaces.

Not the Pearl District. Not the South Waterfront, either. Vancouver.

After a decade of debate and planning, crews have broken ground on 32 acres of waterfront land along the Columbia River. They're making way for 21 city blocks' worth of development, including 3,300 new residential units, more than 1.25 million square feet of office space, a luxury hotel and retail space. The total investment is estimated to reach $1.5 billion, the biggest development project in the city's history.

City officials are also building a $30 million public park that will occupy about seven acres along a half-mile of shoreline.

"There's not very many opportunities for this sort of thing around here," said Barry Cain, president at Tualatin-based Gramor Development, the developer and lead investor on the project. Gramor had previously specialized in suburban retail projects like Happy Valley Town Center and Sherwood Market Center.

It has taken a long time to get to this point. The land, previously home to a Boise Cascade paper mill, had been inaccessible to the public for more than 100 years, until the city in 2014 spent nearly $45 million to dig under a railroad berm and build roads underneath it, connecting the waterfront with downtown streets.

When Gramor purchased the land in 2008 from Boise Cascade for $19 million, Cain said, he was counting on public officials to build the Columbia River Crossing, the proposed new Interstate Bridge that came with a $3.4 billion price tag and was supposed to include light rail. The plan died amid a swarm of controversy in 2014.

Eventually, Cain said, a new interstate bridge "needs to be done," noting the congestion problems that still plague the Portland-to-Vancouver commute. "And it will."

In the meantime, downtown Vancouver is enjoying a fresh wave of optimism as the long-awaited development at the waterfront becomes reality. New restaurants have opened. More have been announced. Portland's nationally renowned beer scene has moved north of the Columbia River, with at least 12 breweries opening in Vancouver in recent years.

"We're going through a pretty massive renaissance," said Chris "Salty" Reed, a former manager at Portland's popular Screen Door restaurant who opened The Grocery Cocktail & Social restaurant in downtown Vancouver with his wife, Cindy, in 2014. "I definitely think it is the way we should be going." Reed has lived in Vancouver for 13 years.

The prospect of the waterfront development  and all the new workers and residents it will bring  was part of the calculus when Reed was devising his business plan several years ago.

"There's a lot of new bars and restaurants opening," Reed said. "There still isn't a huge population for all of us right now. ... I think to have more residents in the area is definitely going to be better for all the businesses."

The new residents will also come with new competition for Reed. Cain envisions between eight and 10 new restaurants, including WildFin American Grill, which was announced as an official tenant last month and already has Washington locations in Tacoma, Renton and Issaquah. A 120-room boutique hotel, which will also include ground-level restaurants, was announced in June.

In addition to the public investments in infrastructure and the park, Gramor's multifamily buildings will also be eligible for an eight-year property tax break courtesy of the city, Cain said. (Gramor donated $7 million worth of land and improvements to facilitate the park.) Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt and officials from the city's economic development department didn't return phone calls.

For downtown boosters like Lee Rafferty, executive director of Vancouver's Downtown Association, the investment is already paying off.

"It's a very good time to be in business in downtown Vancouver right now," Rafferty said. "And the waterfront only makes it better."

-- Luke Hammill

lhammill@oregonian.com

503-294-4029

@lucashammill
403 Forbidden 403 Forbidden Code: AccessDenied

Message: Access Denied

RequestId: 8C6615D558516299

HostId: QfzrhdHlT+t9uoHXhsb+MznANzb50BRkUwvnv0MH9vF631LNqW5MfueA686b6Q+vq8zzcKeFdBM= An Error Occurred While Attempting to Retrieve a Custom Error Document Code: AccessDenied

Message: Access Denied

Jeffrey Giddings

A 45-year-old man suspected of shooting a Gladstone police sergeant and holding an employee hostage inside a Subway was listed as missing from a federal halfway house for a week before the standoff.

Jeffrey Giddings' apparent escape followed a successful appeal to reduce his 15-year sentence on a federal gun conviction.

A judge resentenced him in May to a four-year, nine-month sentence and he was released to the Northwest Regional Re-entry Center in Northeast Portland in late July, said Supervisory Deputy Eric Wahlstrom for the U.S. Marshals service in Portland.

At some point, Giddings violated the terms of his three-year supervised release, Wahlstrom said, but he didn't know the details of what Giddings did. The Federal Bureau of Prisons put Giddings on "abscond" status last Tuesday, records show.

Giddings was released Tuesday from a Portland hospital after he was shot by at least one SWAT officer during Monday night's standoff in Gladstone. He was booked into the Clackamas County jail on allegations of attempted murder, first-degree kidnapping and possession of heroin.

The wounded officer, Sgt. Lee Jundt, is recovering at home after a bullet from Giddings' pistol went into his patrol car and struck the back shoulder of his ballistic vest, said Gladstone Police Chief Jeff Jolley. Jundt wasn't seriously injured.

"I think he's more than grateful to be OK," Jolley said.

Giddings has a lengthy criminal history and an extensive array of tattoos that include "Aryan Pride" and an iron cross on his face and the University of Oregon logo and mascot on his neck. At the time of his arrest, he had an outstanding warrant on a heroin possession allegation in Klamath County, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.

The chaotic confrontation began about 6:30 p.m. Monday when Gladstone Police Officer Mark Herkamp tried to stop Giddings for a traffic violation while he was riding a bike, but Giddings rode away, Jolley said.

Jundt, a 20-year Gladstone police veteran, found Giddings in the nearby parking lot of a Subway along McLoughlin Boulevard and pulled up in his patrol car ahead of Giddings.

"Before he even had a chance to exit his car, the suspect opened up, shooting at him and the car," Jolley said. "Who knows where (the bullet) would have went had it not deflected off his vest."

Giddings fired a pistol several times at Jundt, Jolley said. The shots broke a window and damaged plexiglass that divides the front and back seats.

Giddings ran into the Subway, with two employees but no customers inside. One of the workers fled and Giddings held a female employee hostage, authorities said. Two SWAT officers fired at least one shot each each at Giddings after he made demands and refused to surrender, sheriff's officials said.

Giddings was hit in the upper torso and on his fingers, Jolley said. The Subway employee was shaken up but unhurt.

Giddings has about two-dozen criminal convictions dating to 1991, court records show, including robbery, identity theft and drug and gun possession. The majority of the crimes occurred in Klamath County.

Giddings was indicted in February 2012 in U.S. District Court in Medford on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty two months later and was sentenced that June to 15 years in prison, the mandatory minimum under the Armed Career Criminal Act.

The provision applies to anyone who has three prior convictions by any court for a violent felony, a serious drug offense or both.

At the time, Giddings had been convicted in June 1995 for first-degree burglary and delivery of a controlled substance and was convicted in January 1998 for first-degree burglary.

Prosecutors argued that the burglaries were violent felonies, but Giddings later appealed the sentence, challenging the career criminal designation. The Oregon Court of Appeals sided with Giddings.

The federal gun conviction stemmed from a 2011 arrest in Klamath Falls. According to a sentencing memorandum, Giddings' girlfriend reported to police that she suspected he had stolen her 9 mm pistol. She showed them cellphone video of Giddings previously firing the pistol and a shotgun.

Giddings initially denied possessing any weapons when confronted by police and later claimed the firearms were paintball guns when they showed him the cellphone video, the memo said.

He later told an agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that he had been in and out of prison over the last 20 years and attributed it to drug addiction, the memo said. He admitted using methamphetamine, marijuana, cocaine and heroin.

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com

503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey

Correction: Sgt. Lee Jundt should have been identified as a 20-year-veteran of the Gladstone Police Department in an earlier version of this report.
By Rich Lowry

The Obama administration is entering its final months, but it's never too late to further diminish U.S. influence and discomfit our allies.

President Barack Obama is considering adopting a policy of "no first use," i.e., declaring that the United States would never use nuclear weapons except after a nuclear attack on itself or its allies. From Obama's perspective, this change would have the dual advantage of being something he can legitimately do on his own and representing a radical departure in the country's nuclear doctrine.

For 70 years, presidents of both parties have maintained a posture of nuclear ambiguity. We wanted enemies to have to contemplate the possibility of a U.S. nuclear response to acts of aggression. This added an extra element of uncertainty and risk to potential attacks on us or our friends, in the hopes of deterring them in the first place.

For the advocates of no first use, the very fact that ambiguity has been our policy for so long is a reason to abandon it. They urge that we get beyond "Cold War thinking," a favorite line of President Obama's as well. The end of the Cold War indeed changed the strategic environment, but it didn't make nuclear weapons obsolete, or render age-old concepts like deterrence inoperative, or eliminate international conflict.

The paradox of nukes is that they are weapons of cataclysmic destructive force at the same time that they have proven to be a guarantee of peace. As the strategist Bernard Brodie wrote at the dawn of the nuclear age: "Thus far the chief purpose of our military establishment has been to win wars. From now on its chief purpose must be to avert them." It is thanks in part to the advent of nuclear weapons that we have averted the total wars between great powers that made the first half of the 20th century a vast killing field.

Declaring no first use would kick away an element of our nuclear deterrent. Yes, we no longer have to worry about deterring a massive Soviet army facing west. But Vladimir Putin has already changed the borders of Europe through force, and there's no reason to think he's necessarily done. A RAND Corporation study says that Russian forces could reach the capitals of the Baltic States in less than 60 hours.

Why would we make Putin's calculation any easier in considering such a move, or ease the minds of other potential aggressors like China and North Korea? We might never use nuclear weapons in response to a conventional attack, no matter how brazen. Obviously the risks in resorting to nuclear weapons would be mind-boggling, but taking the possibility off the table serves no purpose. If we are going to have nuclear weapons, we should take advantage of their deterrent effect.

Relying entirely on conventional forces for deterrence would require more military spending and more forward-deployed assets by us and our allies. Of course, the analysts and activists who argue for no first use tend to be the same ones who think we spend too much on defense. One of these things does not go along with the other.

Our allies are freaked out about the prospect of no first use. They have long relied on our nuclear umbrella, and if it is being pulled back, countries like South Korea and Japan will need to reconsider their decisions to forswear nuclear weapons. This is why no first use would contradict President Obama's opposition to nuclear proliferation, and make Global Zero -- the disarmament movement's goal of a world free of nuclear weapons -- even more of a pipe dream.

In short, there is nothing to recommend no first use unless you are a lame-duck president heedless of strategic reality and looking to make a gesture of anti-nuclear righteousness. No first use would make the world, at the margins, a more dangerous place -- and be a perfect parting shot for President Obama.

Rich Lowry can be reached at comments.lowry@nationalreview.com

(c) 2016, King Features Syndicate
Hillary Clinton.JPG

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida, looks on as Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks at her campaign headquarters Tuesday in Davie, Florida.

(Getty Images)

By Dan Balz

Hillary Clinton offered a predictable and comfortable response to Donald Trump's economic speech: It's just more Republican trickle-down economics. What she has yet to address fully are Trump's non-Republican views on trade and whether she agrees or disagrees with his sharp critique of globalism.

Trump's economic speech at the Detroit Economic Club was policy in two parts. The first was orthodox Republican economics. Among other things, he called for tax cuts on individuals and businesses, tax simplification and the paring back of federal regulations.

This was the easiest target for Clinton as a way of drawing traditional distinctions with her Republican rival. She said Trump had "tried to make these old, tired ideas sound new," adding, "His tax plans will give super-big tax breaks to large corporations and the really wealthy. . . . He wants to basically just repackage trickle-down economics."

Trump's tax and regulatory proposals played well with the Republican establishment and in particular with those in the congressional wing of the party. The speech was a bow to those in the party who continue to hope that their nominee will sound and act more like a conventional Republican - even though his views on issues such as entitlement reform and the size and scope of government appear at odds with their views.

The second part of Trump's plan, which repeated his views about trade, offered the other side of Trump. It was far from GOP orthodoxy. The headline on a Wall Street Journal

editorial

about the speech said, "Progress on taxes and regulation but his trade policy is a jobs killer."

Yet trade policy, more than tax policy, has animated Trump's thinking for decades. It was part of his first speech as a candidate and has been a core economic message throughout the campaign. His Monday speech was another full-throated assault on the trade policies of presidents from both parties that date back decades.

At one level, Trump and Clinton are in agreement on trade. He opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and after championing the idea of such a pact while she was secretary of state, Clinton, too, opposes it. Her opposition represents a clear break with President Barack Obama, who noted last week that, wherever she stands, he still wants to see it approved before he leaves office.

Clinton came out against the agreement last year to put herself in alignment with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders during the primaries - and also to associate herself with the views of liberal activists, whose hostility to trade agreements is a long-standing policy and whose influence in the primaries represented a threat to her candidacy.

But in doing so, she put herself at odds with the views enunciated by her husband, Bill Clinton, when he was president, and raised questions about whether her change of heart was mere political expedience.

Which is why her position on trade and global economics has remained suspect to those on the left - so much so that, when Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe suggested during the Democratic convention that she would reverse herself and find a way to support the TPP after the election, her team rushed to squash the controversy.

She's anti-TPP now and anti-TPP after the election, they said, and McAuliffe, long one of the Clintons' closest friends, retreated. That got her safely through the convention, but it did not answer all the questions about her views about trade and globalism.

Before the conventions, Trump delivered a speech devoted almost solely to issues of trade and global economics. Coverage focused heavily on his break with Republican policy, but it was notable for another reason. It was not simply an anti-trade message but one of the most direct assaults on the net effect of globalism delivered by a major party candidate.

Trump denounced globalism as something that has benefited Wall Street and elites but that has left workers behind. "Globalization has made the financial elite who donate to politicians very, very wealthy," he said.

The view of most politicians who support big trade agreements is that, on balance, globalism is good for the world economy and nations. According to this view, there are winners and losers in a global economy, but the benefits outweigh the costs, and there can and should be policies to cushion the effect on those who have been harmed by the movement of jobs and capital.

Trump seems to take the opposite view, that on balance globalism has produced more losers than winners, or at a minimum that those who have gained the most have ignored those who have been harmed. He has tried to turn the debate upside down, seeming to reflect the views of his core constituency of white, working-class voters whose wages have stagnated and many of whom have seen their jobs moved elsewhere.

What does Clinton really think about this aspect of economic policy? How do her views today square with what she has thought and advocated during her public career? If there is a difference, how substantial are the changes in her views and what produced a change of heart?

Those are issues about which she has so far been relatively silent. She found a safe zone during the primaries by putting herself close to Sanders and was not pressed to articulate broader views about trade and international economics much beyond that. Trump has presented her with a challenge; is she is prepared to take it up?

Her husband never shrank from this challenge, either as a candidate campaigning in favor of the North American Free Trade Agreement in front of union audiences bitterly opposed to it, or as a president who needed Republican votes to pass the agreement over the opposition of many in the congressional wing of the Democratic Party.

Obama too has been a strong advocate of trade and globalism, as his comments about the TPP last week indicated, just as Sanders and Trump have been consistent opponents of a string of trade agreements and of the overall effect of globalism. Where exactly is Clinton in this debate?

In her responses to Trump's Detroit speech, Clinton did not address what the GOP nominee said about trade. It's difficult to believe that was an oversight. Her comments instead focused on taxes and regulation and included criticism of his team of economic advisers as a bunch of wealthy financiers who would benefit from the tax policies he outlined.

No doubt Democrats believe there is much to question about Trump's economic views. Clinton will make the most of the areas where she thinks he is most vulnerable. On his assertion that he will make sure goods are produced here at home, she has chosen to belittle him over how, as he complains about jobs being shipped overseas, the clothing that bears his name has been manufactured abroad.

But she has not said whether she think his overall views about trade and about globalism are as abhorrent as she thinks his tax and regulatory policies are, even if they are currently in the same place on the TPP. Nor has she indicated whether she believes that, on balance, the benefits of globalism significantly outweigh the costs.

Trump has put down a clear marker on these issues, however controversial. Does Clinton not owe the public a fuller explanation of her views on a topic that her rival has made central to his candidacy?

(c) 2016, The Washington Post
homeless downtown.JPG

In this file photo from last year, homeless people bedded down in the park space between Naito Parkway and the Willamette River near the Japanese American Historical Plaza in Portland.

(Beth Nakamura/Staff)

By Marlene Nowotny

My first Monday morning in Portland, I grabbed a cup of coffee and a sandwich and went to a nearby park. There were lots of homeless people sleeping on the lawn, lying on the benches and looking for shelter at the children's playground. Maybe not a lot for Portland standards, but for Viennese standards and from my own experience, the park was packed. I did not want to look scared, and I did not want to look judgmental, so I stayed.

Sitting on a bench with a view to a parking lot with space for at least 50 vehicles, I saw police arrive, then the ambulance. Three men were standing around one man who was on the ground, motionless. They shook his arms, moved him a little, checked his arms for track marks. Nothing. I thought he was unconscious. But a minute later they zipped him into a body bag and collected the man's few belongings. He had been sleeping, and he had died between parked cars.

"Portland and Vienna are quite alike.''

I have heard that a lot since I have arrived here. Yes: They both are green, there is a lot of great beer in both cities. The majority of the people are liberal -- also true.

But when it comes to public transportation, the comparison breaks down. Vienna has 29 streetcar lines alone, not to mention the bus, the underground or the city railway. In Vienna we can go most anywhere at most anytime without a car. What we don't have in Vienna is this astonishing number of parking lots and high-rise parking structures that I find all over Portland. Those are most surprising to see in downtown Portland, where public transport seems quite efficient. And given the fact that Portland has a housing and homeless problem, all these car accommodations seem to me to be a ridiculous waste.

There is an aspect of car ownership we do share in Europe and in the United States: Cars are parked 95 percent of the time. So on average, a car moves for one hour every day and is not being used for 23 hours. People here in Portland are willing to pay a lot of money to keep their cars safe during these 23 hours of non-use: safe from the rain or intense sun exposure, safe from traffic or people prowling the streets. So it feels obscene seeing so many cars amid all the homeless people.

Portlanders, you have cars you do not use. You have parking structures that occupy lovely real estate. And: You have a housing and homeless problem. With rents rising and so many homeless people crowding the city and being evacuated from public spaces, these enormous parking lots are waiting to be part of the answer. At least there could be higher taxes for such garages and parking lots, or a restriction on permits for new places designed solely to store cars.

Since I arrived, I have learned a lot about Portland. Often I hear the city competes at the top, nationwide, for its number of breweries, yet has among the fewest number of churches. Portland is among the whitest cities in the U.S., too.

Maybe now Portland can come in first. It could become the first city to reduce high-rise parking from the city center and instead house its homeless in at least one house of cars.

*

Marlene Nowotny, a reporter specializing in science for Austrian public broadcasting, is participating this summer in a storytelling workshop at the University of Oregon's Turnbull Center in Portland.
In the wake of a more than $18 million Ponzi scheme conviction involving a Midland man and his brother, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is offering tips to protect consumers.

The attorney generals office encourages Michigan citizens to exercise caution before investing their money with those who promise exorbitant returns. It said to do your homework before handing over your money, and to take your time, ask questions and be sure to confirm your broker is in good standing before signing on the dotted line.

RELATED: Midland man, his brother guilty in $18M Ponzi scheme

Key tips to avoid falling victim to a Ponzi scheme or investment fraud include:

 Check out your broker or adviser.

 Confirm that your broker or financial adviser is registered and in good standing. Contact the Bureau of Commercial Services with the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, at (517) 241-6345, to check out your broker or adviser.

 Beware of strangers touting strange deals. Trusting strangers is a mistake anyone can make when it comes to their personal finances. Almost anyone can sound nice or honest on the telephone. Say no to any investment professional who presses you to make an immediate decision, giving you no opportunity to check out the salesperson, firm and the investment opportunity itself. Beware of anyone who suggests investing your money into something you dont understand or who urges that you leave everything in his or her hands.

 Take your time  dont be rushed into investment decisions. Salespersons who use high-pressure tactics to force an investor into an immediate decision are almost always pitching frauds. They dont want you to think too carefully or find out too much because you may figure out that its a scam.

 Keep tabs on your investments. Be wary when a financial planner says leave everything to me, or the plan is too complicated to tell you. Everything should be clear and explainable to you.

 Monitor the activity on your account. Insist on receiving regular statements.

 Ask Questions. Never be embarrassed or apologetic about asking questions for trading activity that looks excessive or unauthorized. Its your money, not your brokers.

 Keep Diligent Records. Keep all of your records relating to your investments, including notes of conversations you have with brokers, salespeople, and financial advisers.

Consumers can find helpful advice and a list of questions to consider in Schuettes Consumer Alert for Ponzi Schemes, available at http://1.usa.gov/AGPonziAlert

The attorney general also offers specialized consumer advice for Michigan seniors on how to avoid investment fraud through the Senior Brigade website, http://bit.ly/investmentfraud
Thousands of people, including those affected by restructuring at The Dow Chemical Co. and Dow Corning, are anticipated to log online for a virtual career fair Wednesday and connect with at least 38 businesses.

The Pure Michigan Talent Connects MiVirtual Career Fair runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, and requires a computer and internet access for users to connect with potential employers from around the state. There is no cost to participate; those interested can register at www.mitalent.org/virtualcareerfair

Participants can explore virtual employer booths, interact one-on-one with employers and both search and apply for job opportunities. The Media Center and Resource Lounge can also be accessed for information about career development programs and resources.

This years companies include Consumers Energy, Hurley Medical Center, IBM, Verizon Wireless and Xeratec.

David Murray, communications director for the Michigan Department of Talent and Economic Development, said between 3,000 and 4,000 people are expected to participate and have access to 38 companies and two service providers. It is not limited to workers affected by the Dow and Dow Corning restructuring.

This is a statewide event, but weve been working closely with Dow to promote this opportunity to people in the company who might be affected by the layoffs, Murray wrote in an email. There are many talented, highly skilled people who are going to be looking to transition to new careers. Many will be highly sought-after. We want them to be able to stay in Michigan and work for Michigan companies.

Wanda Stokes, director of the Michigan Talent Investment Agency, described MiVirtual Career Fairs as a convenient, cutting-edge way to bring employers and job-seekers together.

Employers are always seeking high-quality talent and this is an excellent tool to help address that need. Whether youre an employer looking for the right talent or a job-seeker looking for the right position, MiVirtual Career Fairs are a great way to reach your goals, Stokes said in a press release.

While interviews are not guaranteed during or after the virtual career fair, job openings remain open for participants for 30 days afterward. Employers will also have access to detailed analytics including candidate resumes, applications, chat transcripts and booth visit data, according to the press release.

Last years virtual career fair in May featured 21 employers and about 250 job openings.

On June 28, Dow announced it was cutting 4 percent of its global workforce, and 700 of those jobs would stem from the Great Lakes Bay Region as the company transitions into full ownership of Dow Corning. The company also has an impending merger with DuPont Co. The company also said it was closing two manufacturing facilities in Greensboro, N.C., and Yamakita, Japan.

Howard Ungerleider, Dow chief financial officer and the newly appointed chairman of Dow Corning, previously told the Daily News that the first goal for company officials is to let employees know of their job status as soon as possible.

At the end of September, the goal is to have everyone who is working for Dow and Dow Corning in the Great Lakes Bay Region to know their status, Ungerleider said. The tough reality is when youre dealing with two companies that have acted standalone as many years as theyve had ... you just dont need two of everything from a back-office perspective.

Ungerleider predicted those employees would know whether they had weeks, or possibly months, by the end of September.

To see a full list of companies and to register for the virtual job fair, go to www.michiganvirtualcareerfair.com/about
There are less than 50 permanent members in the congregation, but as many as 150 students populate the college ministry.

Feet away from the campus of Indiana University, the Korean United Methodist Church of Bloomington comes alive each week with a demographic you dont typically find in church: college students.

And though there are less than 50 permanent members in the congregation, as many as 150 college students populate the Sunday worship services, Bible studies and community programs the church offers each week. These transient members are the face of the churchs student outreach program, which offers a home to international students who otherwise may have trouble finding a community in a new town.

One of our main goals is to reach out to Korean students and to help them not feel alone in Bloomington, says Eunbong Chang, president of Korean UMCs college ministry. They rarely have Korean friends. But that is made right when our church reaches out to them and invites them to join our church. We help each other, feed each other and take care of each other.

Chang says that the church supplements the well-attended Sunday service with small groups, retreats, mentor programs, holiday activities and community outings. Following the first service each Sunday, the long-term members of the church cook an enormous Korean meal for college-aged attendees.

Still, in having a thriving college ministry, there are specific challenges to ministering to this crowd. One of the rewards we see is the change in their lives through God in a short period of time, Chang says. Once they open their minds and start to worship God, they are drawn to participate in a small group Bible study on Friday instead of being drunk on Friday night.

They become leaders so that they can experience growth and influence others through Gods love. However, some college-aged students make mistakes inside and outside of church: dating issues, bullying or drinking with other church members. We try to minimize these issues by discussing church leadership and the pastors sermon.

Find more youth outreach ideas 
For the first time, U.S. Air Force F-16C aircraft have deployed to Exercise PITCH BLACK 16 (PB16) in partnership with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport.



On July 19, a RAAF KC-30A flew non-stop with six F-16Cs from Kadena Air Base, Japan to RAAF Base Darwin in just over six hours.

RAAF Group Captain (GPCAPT) Adam Williams, Officer Commanding of No. 86 Wing, said it was the first time that a RAAF air-to-air refuelling tanker deployed in support of U.S. Air Force fighter aircraft to Australia.

The KC-30A conducted 35 contacts with the six F-16Cs, transferring a total of 55.8 tonnes of fuel to the F-16Cs, or nearly 70,000 litres, GPCAPT Williams said. The air-to-air refuelling boom on the KC-30A performed well, with no significant issues.

Despite some periods of moderate turbulence en route, they completed the 5,400-kilometre journey safely, Williams said.

Return trips saw the KC-30A deploy a total of 12 F-16Cs with the 14th Fighter Squadron in the week prior to PB16.

Commander of the 14th FS, Lt. Col. Mark Heusinkveld, said the support provided by the KC-30A was a testament to the interoperability between partner nations at PB16.

The refueling not only provides mutually beneficial training between U.S. and Australian air forces, but also demonstrates the close military ties between our nations, Lt. Col. Mark Heusinkveld said.

It's always advantageous when training opportunities like these present themselves, Heusinkveld added.

This strengthening of our multilateral relationship will only continue as we train and improve our alliance capabilities in the upcoming weeks.

The deployment builds on successful refuelling trials between the RAAF KC-30A and U.S. Air Force F-16s assigned to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., conducted in late 2015 and early 2016.

To refuel the F-16Cs, the RAAF KC-30A used its 18-metre-long Advanced Refuelling Boom System (ARBS), controlled by an Air Refuelling Operator in the KC-30As cockpit through the use of fly-by-wire controls and 3D Glasses.

As each F-16C flew in close formation behind the KC-30A, the ARBS would plug into a fuel receptacle on the F-16C and commence refuelling.

GPCAPT Williams said the KC-30A would refuel U.S. Air Force F-16Cs during PB16, as well as the E-7A Wedgetail and F/A-18s participating in the exercise.

This deployment is a significant milestone for the RAAFs KC-30A, as it demonstrates our ability to refuel international F-16s within the Asia Pacific region as well as during operations further abroad, said Williams. This will further reinforce the close bonds between our Air Forces in the field of air-to-air refuelling.

PB16 is scheduled from July 29-19 Aug, 2016, and is the RAAF Chief of Air Forces biennial capstone international engagement activity with forces drawn from a wide range of regional, coalition and allied nations. PB16 allows participant nations to exercise deployed units in the tasking, planning and execution of Offensive Counter Air (OCA) and Offensive Air Support (OAS) while utilizing one of the largest training airspace areas in the world.
Finding a camouflaged enemy to find, fix and finish, can be difficult even in the best conditions. Add in the element of 14,000-foot peaks, dense vegetation and a 67,000 square-mile battlefield, it takes a trained warrior to pick out the needle in this haystack.

With no GPS to guide a fighter pilot, finding the enemy or even the way home, makes locating that needle near impossible.

The first-ever Army Space Aggressor soldier integrated with Airmen from the 527th Space Aggressors Squadron (SAS), and their Air Force reserve component, the 26th SAS, from Schreiver Air Force Base, Colorado, to sharpen pilots skills by degrading aircraft GPS during RED FLAG-Alaska (RF-A) 16-3.

Losing GPS in the air fight is like being in a physical altercation and getting punched in the jaw, said Maj. Shauna Huber, the 26th SAS chief of mission support. Losing perspective and orientation can have a dizzying effect. Any GPS-guided weapon is disabled and finding the target becomes a massive challenge. Being a Space Aggressor, you are that ninja in the dark waiting to strike and disable your foe. Unless you know what you are looking for, we are invisible.

For Army Spc. Angel Mendoza, 4th Space Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, assigned as an operator to the 527th SAS, serving as one of these ninjas is one of the best things that has ever happened to him.

This is one of the only opportunities for hands-on space operations in the Army, Mendoza said. Being the first in this capacity is a life accomplishment for me and makes me feel like Im part of a family. Whether you are a colonel, captain, [noncommissioned officer] or a specialist, we are all operators taking care of each other and learning constantly. I watch their backs, they watch mine.

Using a vehicle filled with a helical antenna, two modems and an amplifier, these ninjas cause havoc for flying units visiting RF-A, teaching pilots to defend and attack in the simulated large-force deployed air operation.

Billions of dollars go into putting a GPS satellite into orbit, and with minimal cost, an enemy can take it away, Huber said. Even an employee who isnt looking to be tracked in their work vehicle has been known to block the corporate GPS tracking system. Its a simple and effective tactic any enemy can use.

During RF-A, pilots are put through an exercise designed to simulate the first 10 combat sorties of a surge operation during a conflict. Training starts intensely and progresses into more dangerous scenarios with increased threats daily.

This isnt an exercise to take away the pilots chances of completing training; its an opportunity to place them in a situation they are likely to experience in a combat situation, Huber said. Knowing that we are providing a safe environment for pilots to learn to mitigate a bad situation is the best part of the being a Space Aggressor. We know we are giving them a tool that could potentially save the mission and their lives.

Having the first Space Aggressor soldier enhance the exercise pinpoints one of the main focuses of RF-A: integrating a multinational, joint team to work together to win the fight.

One force, one fight, Mendoza said. Teaching people who rely on our expertise and doing it in a crawl, walk, run fashion is pretty cool to put it simply. I get to meet people who are unique and learn something new everyday, creating a trusting bond between nations and services. This is certainly something Ive never seen, a bond-building exercise I hope to continue seeing in the future.
ATLANTA  When Rene Daubenfeld travels the United States, he visits as many small towns as he can. A native of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg, a landlocked country in western Europe, he likes to travel in Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin  areas where Luxembourg immigrants often settled.

On Tuesday, he led a group of 25 Luxembourg tourists through portions of Illinois, concentrating on historic Route 66 and making a 2-hour stop in Atlanta.

For me, the small towns are what the United States are all about, he said. I like these small towns. People know each other and are so friendly.

Two years ago, Daubenfeld and his family were on a trip through Illinois and stopped in Atlanta where they were introduced to local resident Bill Thomas.

I was just overwhelmed by the friendly people here, Daubenfeld said. I made it a goal to bring a tour through here and make sure we stop.

Thomas served as tour guide on Tuesday, showing them the Seth Thomas clock, which Thomas explained, dates back to 1909. The clock was restored and a tower was completed in 1982 and now sits on the property of the Atlanta Public Library.

The clock has four faces, each with a slightly different time.

That way, we like to say that we have options, especially if we are running a little late, said Thomas.

Its that type of history that intrigued tourist Annett Leis, a retired teacher.

This town is very interesting, and it has a lot of feeling, she said. It feels like we are actually walking in the footsteps of the immigrants from Luxembourg and it is most interesting.

Luxembourg is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France to the south. The repeated invasions by its neighbor countries, especially in World War II, resulted in the countrys strong will for mediation between France and Germany and led to the foundation of the European Union.

It has a population of more than 500,000 people, but still, the tourists said they could relate to the small rural towns of Illinois.

The immigrants wrote and told stories which were handed down from generation to generation, Daubenfeld said. Actually seeing these small farming communities makes me believe that these are the kinds of towns they settled in when they arrived in America.

The primary purpose of the groups trip is to attend the Luxembourg Festival of America, held annually in Belgium, Wis.

When I met Rene two years ago, I told him that in order for the group to get a true taste of America, they should spend some time traveling on Route 66, Thomas said. From what I have seen, they really enjoyed their time in Central Illinois. Its a group that seems to be really fascinated by history and local traditions.

The group flew into Chicago and went sight-seeing for a couple of days before heading to Central Illinois.
BLOOMINGTON  An October trial date has been set to determine if a Bloomington woman serving eight years for child endangerment in the death of her son will keep custody of a daughter born several months before she went to prison.

Danielle Bagley, formerly known as Danielle Fischer, was in McLean County Circuit Court on Tuesday with her husband, Kam Bagley, for a hearing related to the state's petition to permanently remove their daughter from their custody.

The child, who will soon be a year old, has been in a foster home since birth.

Bagley pleaded guilty in December to child endangerment in connection with the 2013 death of her 3-year-old son, Robbie Cramer. The toddler died as a result of multiple beatings by the mother's then-boyfriend, Nicholas Compton.

He is serving life in prison for the boy's murder.

The initial murder charges filed against Bagley were dismissed after a judge ruled the state had violated her right to a speedy trial on the charges.

An Oct. 25 trial is scheduled on the state's request to terminate the parental rights of both parents.

In February, Judge Kevin Fitzgerald ruled that Bagley is not fit to care for the child based upon her conduct with her deceased son.

Assistant State's Attorney Madeline McLauchlan said Tuesday that Danielle Bagley attempted, but did not complete, counseling before she was incarcerated.

Kam Bagley missed numerous counseling sessions he was ordered to attend between May and July, said the prosecutor.

The father also has not made progress in his understanding of the mistakes his wife made with her son, said McLauchlan, citing Bagley's "steadfast resolve to stay with mom."

Kam Bagley's lawyer, Rob Keir, said his client has resumed counseling, and he has been allowed to visit his daughter.
PEORIA  An 18-year-old Bloomington man accused of taking a loaded gun to the YouthBuild school in April now faces federal weapons charges in the case.

Johnnie T. Jones was initially charged in McLean County Circuit Court with unlawful use of weapons and possession of a firearm without a firearm owner's identification card.

Those charges were dismissed on July 26 after Jones was indicted by a federal grand jury in Peoria.

The new federal charges allege Jones possessed a .45 caliber Ruger semi-automatic handgun while he was on bond for another criminal charge, a McLean County burglary. He also is charged with possession of a firearm in a school zone.

If convicted of the federal weapons offenses, Jones could receive up to five years in prison on each count  a sentence that exceeds the two to five years he could have received on the state charges.

At the time of the incident, Jones was attending YouthBuild, a charter school for at-risk youth in Normal. School officials said an anonymous tip alerted them to the possibility that Jones had brought a gun to the campus.

Jones talked with two staff members for about an hour before he handed over the semi-automatic handgun loaded with eight rounds, said police.

At the time, authorities said Jones was a member of a local hybrid gang, a group of youths who are involved in criminal activity. They also said Jones had been deemed delinquent in 10 juvenile cases in the past three years,

An Aug. 29 arraignment is scheduled for Jones who remains in federal custody.
Come and enjoy Read more [...]
Case Paper Hires Yvonne Blessing as Sr. Account Manager in Charlotte, NC

Aug. 9, 2016 - Case Paper Co. announced that Yvonne Blessing recently joined the company as Senior Account Manager in Case Paper's Charlotte, North Carolina office.

Blessing has 30 years' experience in the paper and paperboard industry, along with skills in converting, inventory management, and logistics. She will be serving the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast markets.

We welcome Yvonne to our growing team of board experts, says Simon Schaffer, CMO/Vice President of Business Development at Case Paper Co. Her many years of experience selling paperboard  and her technical expertise in converting  will be a boon for customers that need assistance determining the right board to use for any given project.

Established in 1943, Case Paper Co. is one of the largest privately held distributor and converter of paper and board for the packaging and printing industries. The company has divisions in California, Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, Texas, Florida, and North Carolina. To learn more, please visit: www.casepaper.com.

SOURCE: Case Paper Company
Valmet to Supply Moisturizer System to Zhejiang Dongda Paper in China

August 10, 2016 - Valmet will supply a moisturizer system to Zhejiang Dongda Paper Co. Ltd. in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. The new system, Valmet IQ Moisturizer, will enable the mill to improve board quality on its paper machine PM2.

The delivery will take place in September 2016.

"IQ Moisturizer is very important for our PM2. Before our decision, we visited another mill where it has been installed and were very impressed by its performance. We expect the solution to solve our current curl issue and help us to increase the machine speed to the targeted level," says Sun Guanfa, General Manager, Zhejiang Dongda Paper Co. Ltd.

Guo Zhutuan, Sales Director, Automation for Valmet, noted, IQ Moisturizer will now provide the mill with easy and fast curl control without any other curl control measures.

Valmet IQ Moisturizer is a moisturizing system with applications for moisture cross-direction profiling, curl control and smooth moisture level increase. It features an air atomized spray nozzle, a linear water control valve and a mist removal system.

Zhejiang Dongda Paper Co. Ltd is a major producer of coated white cartonboard and paper in Zhejiang Province. The company was founded in 1999 and its annual production capacity is 400,000 tons.

Valmet is a leading global developer and supplier of services and technologies for the pulp, paper and energy industries. To learn more, please visit: www.valmet.com

SOURCE: Valmet
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are still rumored to be having marital problems and that the two may be divorced before the year ends. Speculation over Angelina and Brad's divorce come to view as the two have been constantly been busy with their careers. Recent reports even have it that Angelina Jolie is busy teaching at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

According to Us Weekly, Angelina Jolie has taken up a teaching position at Georgetown University. Us Magazine even said that Angie is looking forward to teaching the students in Georgetown. However, Gossip Cop debunked the quote made by Angelina Jolie as she said, "I am looking forward to teaching and learning from the students, as well as to sharing my own experiences of working alongside governments and the United Nations."

Gossip Cop reported that Angelina Jolie's quote is about her visiting professorship at the London School of Economics and not about a teaching position at Georgetown. Angelina Jolie is in fact, not going to teach but is busy filming her movies.

The divorce rumors between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are still on though although the couple has been seen a couple of times in July when their twins celebrated their birthdays. According to reports, Brad Pitt has been flying without his family while Angelina takes care of their six kids.

Reports further suggest that Brad Pitt is having an affair with his "Allied" co-star which indicates why he is flying without his family whenever he is shooting his films. Other reports are also saying that because Angie is also busy with her films and teaching career that she is not that interested with her husband.

However, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are still together amidst the growing divorce rumors and are just busy filming their respective films. As the two are A-list actors in the industry, it is just normal for both of them to be busy with their current films. Angelina Jolie is busy filming "Maleficent 2" and "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers. Brad Pitt is also busy with his upcoming movies "Allied" and "World War Z 2."
A clothing company aligned with Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, has no paid maternity leave policy. The G-III Apparel Group, which holds the license in the design and distribution of Ivanka Trump's clothing label, follows only the minimum maternity leave requirements set by the federal government and critics of the Trumps have been lapping up this fact.

According to Fortune, G-III Apparel Group allows for "12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave" as this is the minimum federal requirement for a company with 50 employees at most. It brings to fold what critics observe about Ivanka Trump's previous statements regarding women in the workplace.

"Policies that allow women with children to thrive should not be novelties," Ivanka Trump said in her speech during the Republican National Convention held in July, per Vanity Fair. She also told the crowd her father would ensure that women are valued in the workforce if Donald Trump wins as president.

She insisted her father upholds the rights of working women, despite the many criticisms that he's sexist. However, critics note that Ivanka Trump couldn't even push the same improvements in companies that hold her business.

An employee with G-III Apparel Group attested that when she got pregnant, she used up her vacation days and the family's savings during her maternity leave because the company didn't offer such benefits. The employee lamented that post-pregnancy recovery is already hard for many mothers, but having unpaid maternity leave makes it worse. "Returning to a company that doesn't value your choice to be a mother makes it harder," the anonymous employee said, per The Hollywood Reporter.

However, a spokesperson for Ivanka Trump clarified that G-III Apparel Group is only the licensee of Ivanka Trump's label and she doesn't even own the company. In fact, her own brand actually has an 8-week paid maternity leave in place and they are open to flexible work hours with mothers who have babies, as per Business Insider.
News about Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson cheating on Amelia Warner has not stopped even though Jamie Already has his second daughter. But reports that during the "Fifty Shades Darker" filming and the presence of Amelia Warner guarding her hubby has indicated that Dornan and Johnson is having an affair.

During the shoot of "Fifty Shades Darker" and "Fifty Shades Freed," Amelia Warner started visiting the set even during the shocking love-making scenes Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson were doing. Insiders claimed that Dakota Johnson felt uneasy with her while Dornan watch them and apparently even Jamie Dornan felt the same way.

Rumors are indicating that Dornan's marriage is in trouble as Warner has become more possessive of her husband and guarding his every move. According to Inqusitr, the action of Amelia Warner guarding her husband all the time while filming "Fifty Shades Darker" just indicates the distrust of Warner to Jamie Dornan.

According to reports, Jamie Dornan and Amelia Warner have only great things to say to each other. This leads to more speculations that the two are more than involve than just their "Fifty Shades Darker" movie.

"We had a lot of fun together. Dakota's funny and we've been through this mad sort of journey together and I'm very thankful that I've done it with someone who is easy to do it with," Jamie Dornan said. "It could have been very different experience had we not go on."

Jamie Dornan was also asked if the actor and Dakota Johnson bared all during filming of "Fifty Shades Darker" and the actor admitted that he could not remember if he went nude. However, Dakota Johnson definitely went topless when she and Jamie Dornan filmed the honeymoon scene in France where wife Amelia Warner was also been seen around.

While there is no confirmation that Jamie Dornan and Amelia Warner is really having an affair, talks linking the two "Fifty Shades Darker" stars will not die down until the film has been shown. Fans want to see Christian Grey and Anastacia Steele together and that is only possible on screen for now.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3XfPCI8aT8U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
goddamn lunaticCincinnati, OH - Video footage of what Chief Eliot Isaac called "a vicious, violent attack" against a Cincinnati police officer was released Monday afternoon.The man attacking the officer was shot and killed by the officer, police said.Two separate scenes show a man, who police identified as 25-year-old Jawari Porter, encountering a security guardin the Over-the-Rhine Kroger located at 1420 Vine St. and later police on Government Square in Downtown.The footage shows the security guard appearing to block the exit of the store as Porter approaches with a knife in his right hand. Porter points the knife at the neck of the guard repeatedly as he makes his way out of the store.The second video from a camera on Government Square shows Porter crossing the street. As a police cruiser approaches, Porter turns around and walks directly toward the driver's side door.As the Porter reaches the now open door with what appears to be a knife in his hand, officerAnthony Brucato appears to open fire. Porter enters the driver side door on top of the Brucato, a 25-year veteran of the department.Officer Patrick Galligan circles the car and pulls Porter out onto the sidewalk.The officer was forced to defend himself, Isaac said during the press conference. Brucato suffered minor injuries during the incident.knives ain't no joke kids
This is Larung Gar a year ago. It is a vast monastic complex in eastern Tibet (in Chinas Sichuan Province) housing as many as 40,000 Tibetan Buddhist monks and nuns (10,000 being a more likely number). Recently, it has come under scrutiny by the Chinese government and demolitions have recently begun, threatening up to half of the monastics living there.

The town has grown rapidly, from just a handful of disciples of the Tibetan teacher from the Nyingma tradition, Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, in the 1980s to its current size. It currently attracts Buddhists from both Tibet and China as a site for the study and practice of Buddhist teachings. Radio Free Asia has one photo of an unspecified hillside, now mere brown rubble, claimed to have once been home to dwellings like those shown above; BBC has several more images of the destruction. They report that cell phone and internet use has been curtailed by authorities since the destruction began July 20th. Armed security forces have been present to quell any kind of formal protest, and foreigners have been denied access to the area. This has led to the blackout of information on the suicide, which occurred as demolition began on July 20.

The suicide, by hanging, appears to be the first sign of the despair felt by Tibetans in the city. Reports state that structures are being destroyed at a rate of 200 per day, and exiled Tibetans have urged various UN agencies to intervene, with no results yet. Human Rights Watch has called on China to halt the demolition.

RFA reports on the nun, Rinzin Dolma:

She lived on Pema Khado Road inside the Larung Gar complex, he said. Rinzin Dolma was from the Dege region, and she was studying at the complex as a regular student, the source said. She left a note behind in which she wrote about how she could not bear the pain of the endless Chinese harassment of innocent Buddhists who quietly studied at the institute. She also left some money that she requested in the note to be handed over the institute, he said. Strict controls on communication in the region prevented news of the suicide from reaching the outside world at the time.

While suicide is generally considered immoral (as with the taking of any life) in Tibetan Buddhism, most Buddhists will refuse to condemn acts seen as heroic self-sacrifice. The practice of self-immolation has been particularly widespread in the face of Chinese oppression in Tibet, with about 138 reported self-immolations between February 2009 and April 2015. The Dalai Lamas words on the topic were:

This is a very, very delicate political issue. Now, the reality is that if I say something positive, then the Chinese immediately blame me. If I say something negative, then the family members of those people feel very sad. They sacrificed their own life. It is not easy. So I do not want to create some kind of impression that this is wrong. So the best thing is to remain neutral.

Stay in touch with American Buddhist Perspectives on Facebook:
Earlier today, the Washington Post published an article by Jeff Guo titled Donald Trump is teaching the GOP a different way to embrace gay rights. I read the entire article through, and I am so not on board. There is absolutely nothing in the article to suggest that either Trump or the GOP are embracing gay rightsunless one believes that the real threat to gay rights comes from radical Islamic terrorism, as Trump seems to. Have a look at this line, for instance:

It would be a stretch to call Trump a gay-friendly candidate  he still opposes same-sex marriage  but he supports other LGBT rights and has publicly declared himself a real friend to the community.

Nope. So much nope. What other LGBT rights does Trump support, pray tell? Guo mentions that Trump came out against trans bathroom bills during the primary, but even Guo admits that quickly backtracked that. Heres Guos take on this:

Though he has tried to walk back some of his statements recently, his liberal reputation on social issues endures.

Im sorry, what? Is this what the Washington Post has come to? It doesnt matter if a candidate has a liberal reputation on social issues if his positions are avowedly conservativeisnt it the medias job to cut through misinformation and present the facts? How hard would it be to mention that Trump has pledged to nominate anti-gay justices to the Supreme Court? Or that Trump has pledged to sign legislation that would permit businesses to discriminate against LGBT individuals? Or that Trump has embraced far-right religious leaders and radio personalities who call for the death penalty for homosexuals? Trump has been cozying up to anti-LGBT activists for some time now. A simple google search would have let Guo know this.

Guo next talks about Millennial Republicans support for marriage equality and other LGBT rights, which is genuinely interesting. But then he writes this:

These trends stand in stark contrast to the Republican Party platform, which continues to champion traditional marriage and family, based on marriage between one man and one woman. To be fair, the Democratic Party platform technically did not support same-sex marriage until 2012; but the party has opposed discrimination against sexual orientation since 1980. Yet the latest Republican platform, freshly ratified in Cleveland last month, omits any mention of LGBT people. Its section on tolerance condemns discrimination by race, sex, religion, creed, disability,  even national origin  but remains silent on discrimination against gay, lesbian and transgender Americans. Despite another round of lobbying efforts this year from LGBT Republicans, the party did not budge on this stance.

The platform does not in fact remain silent on discrimination against gay, lesbian, and transgender Americans. Sure, if you search those specific terms youre not going to find anything, but the platform nevertheless comes down resoundingly in favor of discrimination against LGBT people. Have a look:

We endorse the First Amendment Defense Act, Republican legislation in the House and Senate which will bar government discrimination against individuals and businesses for acting on the belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman.

That doesnt look like silence to me. It looks like a pretty sound endorsement of allowing businesses and individuals to discriminate against LGBT individuals.

Its also not all there is in the platform. Look at this, for instance:

We support the right of parents to determine the proper medical treatment and therapy for their minor children. That is a reference to state bills banning the use of gay conversion therapy on minors. And then theres this in the platform too: Every violation of state sovereignty by federal officials is not merely a transgression of one unit of government against another; it is an assault on the liberties of individual Americans.  In obedience to that principle, we condemn the current Administrations unconstitutional expansion into areas beyond those specifically enumerated, including  school restroom policies. We pledge to restore the proper balance and vertical separation of powers between the federal government and state governments  the governments closest to, and most reflective of, the American people. We encourage states to reinvigorate their traditional role as the laboratories of democracy, propelling the nation forward through local and state innovation. And that is a stance against new federal guidelines that grant transgender students access to bathrooms that match their gender identity, and in favor of allowing states to pass bills like North Carolinas HB2, which bars transgender individuals from using public bathrooms that match their gender identities and is currently being challenged in court by Obamas justice department.

There are two problems here. First, a partys presidential candidate typically has a decent amount of influence over the partys platform. Trump, for his part, chose to stay out. His guys have not shown up and said, Change this, change that, one platform author reported to the New York Times in the article linked above. Guo does not address this. If Trump were indeed pushing the GOP to change its approach to LGBT rights, you would have expected to see him influencing the platform committee to reflect that change. He most expressly didnt.

Second, Guo fails to mention that this was in fact the most anti-gay platform in the history of the Republican Party. Instead, he writes that despite lobbying from LGBT Republicans, the party did not budge. This is simply not true. The party did budgea lotand all of it toward more forceful GOP opposition to LGBT rights.

But were still not done. Toward the end of Guos article, theres this:

At the state level, meanwhile, the culture wars have never been more raucous. Recent legislative fights over religious freedom, the rights of Christian bakeries and transgender people in public bathrooms have created the impression that hot-button social issues still command the political discourse around the nation. LGBT activists characterize these trends in state lawmaking as part of the conservative backlash to the Supreme Court decisions legalizing same-sex marriage. But Trump has given us a hint of what that future party might look like. In the wake of the shooting at an Orlando gay nightclub, where a man pledging allegiance to the Islamic State killed 49 people, Trump connected his sympathy for the LGBT community with his suspicion of immigrants and Islam.

My jaw is on the floor here. For one thing, the national Republican Party platform absolutely did include all of these issues. This isnt just a state level thing. Its a national level thing. Its not just growing more raucous at the state level, its also affecting the national platform, which is far to the right on LGBT issues than any other platform ever. For another thing, this very week Trump is speaking at a Rediscovering God in America conference in Florida, alongside these speakers:

Thats right, Trump is speaking alongside some of the most virulent anti-gay voices in the nationand granting them legitimacy by doing sothe very week Guo published his article on Trump showing the GOP a different way to embrace gay rights, and Guo doesnt even mention this. How much research did Guo actually do for this piece, exactly? This just seems sloppy!

And what exactly is this different way to embrace gay rights that Guo says Trump is teaching the GOP? Its this:

Trump alluded to this idea again last month in Cleveland, where he apparently became the first Republican presidential nominee to reference gay people in his acceptance speech. As your president, I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBT citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology, he said at the GOP convention.

Do you see the problem here? Trump says hell do everything in his power to protect LGBT people from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology while doing utterly nothing to protect LGBT people from the violence and oppression of a hateful domestic ideologythat of his own party.

Reading Guos article was frustrating because he could have written a very interesting and insightful piece with the same basic information if hed taken a slightly different direction. He could have used his statistics on Millennial Republicans to argue that the GOP needs to change its position on LGBT rights or it will lose voters. He then could have suggested that Trump could have found a way to do this, had he stood up against the GOPs anti-gay positions rather than caving to absolutely all of them. Then, he could have closed out his article by presenting the Trump phenomenon as a lost opportunity for the GOP to move away from unpopular political positions that will dog the party in the futurean opportunity Trump blew when he chose to cosy up to anti-gay activists and give the platform committee free reign. Now that is an article I would have actually gained something from.

But who am I kidding? Even the title of Guos article is misleading. After all, Trump cant teach the GOP a different way to embrace gay rights when the GOP has never embraced gay rights to begin with. Thats how English works.
The Strange Bedfellows of U. S.-Iranian Animosity

08/10/16

By Mansour Farhang (source: LobeLog)



Mohammad Reza Naghdi, the commander of Basij (Irans militia organization)



A semi-irony of the 37-year-old animosity between Iran and the United States is the repeated convergence of short-term interests between hard-liners in the Iranian theocracy and right-wing political forces in America. The latest example is the dispute over the U. S. governments $400 million payment to Iran. This money belonged to Iran as part of a $1.7 billion settlement to resolve a disagreement concerning Irans pre-revolutionary deposit in U.S. banks for the purchase of arms. After the 1979 hostage-taking at the U. S. embassy in Tehran, Washington froze the funds and the issue was finally resolved in 2015 along with the nuclear agreement.

The first man to refer to the settlement payment as ransom for release of U.S. spies was Mohammad Reza Naghdi, the commander of basij (Irans militia organization). His purpose was to discredit President Hassan Rouhani and the negotiations that resulted in the nuclear agreement. Virtually every hardline newspaper, website, and Friday prayer leader in Iran confirmed Naghdis assertion.

Now, six months later, right-wing politicians in America, including Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Paul Ryan, have decided to echo Naghdis words. Both in Iran and in the US, these men have misrepresented the truth in order to discredit their domestic political rivals.

A History of Convergence

This convergence of interests is not new. When Ayatollah Khomeini made the slogan Carter has to go as the goal of occupying the U. S. embassy in Tehran, the Reagan-Bush campaign team was pleased to hear it. Khomeinis objective was to marginalize anti-American leftists at home and portray himself as an uncompromising opponent of U. S. influence in the Islamic world. The release of the hostages on January 20, 1981, minutes after President Reagans inauguration, created such suspicion about the possibility of collusion that both the Senate and the House decided to look into the story; and after four years of investigation, they concluded that the allegations lacked supporting documentation. I testified before both the House International Relations Committee and the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee that the coincidence of common short term interests between Khomeini and the Reagan-Bush campaign team was so obvious and mutually appreciated that there was no need for direct contact between them. Gary Sicks All Fall Down: Americas Tragic Encounter with Iran offers the most comprehensive and contextual treatment of this controversy.

During the 1980s, both Iran and the United States opposed the pro-Soviet government in Kabul. Iran assisted the Hezara fighters (the Farsi-speaking Twelver Shia Muslims) to fight the invading Soviet troops while the U. S., through Pakistan, armed and trained the Sunni mujahideen. When the Soviet Union withdrew its soldiers from Afghanistan in 1990, the civil war in the country intensified. At this time, Washington ended its involvement in Afghanistan, but Iran continued to help the Hezaras, who later joined the Northern alliance under the leadership of Ahmad Shah Massoud. After 9/11, Iran and the U. S. renewed their unwritten cooperation in ousting the Taliban regime.

The Iran-Contra Affair of 1984-1987 was an exposed case of secret cooperation between the Reagan Administration and Ayatollah Khomeini. The decision to sell arms to Iran (at inflated prices) in exchange for the release of American hostages in Lebanon with the profits going to anti-Communist Contras in Nicaragua was illegal on both counts, but Iran was delighted. The Iranian official who exposed the transaction was executed, and to this day criticism of Irans decision to cooperate with Washington against the Sandinistas earns a jail term if not a death sentence.

Cooperation on Iraq

On August 2, 1990, the day Iraq invaded Kuwait, Tehran and Washington began to move toward unspoken cooperation. A year after the ceasefire in the eight-year-long Iran-Iraq war, Saddam Husseins Baathist army was the main security concern of Irans ruling ayatollahs. If the Iraqi annexation of Kuwait was going to be tolerated, then the recalibration of power in the Persian Gulf could threaten Irans territorial integrity as well as its position in the Gulf region. That is why Operation Desert Storm to expel Iraqi troops from Kuwait was a gift of the Hidden Imam to Irans theocrats. Ironically, even during this period Irans anti-American propaganda did not diminish. When President George H. W. Bush decided against regime change in Iraq, Irans leaders used the decision to claim, as they did during the Iran-Iraq war, that Saddam Hussein was an American puppet.

In early February 2003, when it had become clear that the U. S. invasion of Iraq was imminent, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi declared, Iran is basically against war and is not going to support either side. At the same time, American officials and Iranian representatives were meeting in Europe to discuss the role Iran could play in the war. In fact, as early as November 2002, Tehran and Washington were engaged in secret talks to deal with military emergencies and the flow of refugees in the event of the US attacking Iraq. When President George W. Bush claimed that God had instructed him to invade Iraq, Irans Friday Prayers had a field day. The Great Satan had overthrown Saddam Hussein, the man they feared the most and portrayed as an American agent in their propaganda. The fundamentalist preachers explained the unexpected benefits in the usual way: God, in his magical way, used the Great Satan to eliminate the enemy of his viceroys on earth, the ruling ayatollahs of Iran.

Ayatollah Mohammad Baqer al-Hakim, the leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq who represented the largest dissident group of Iraqi Shiite Muslims based in Tehran, was involved as intermediary between America and Iran. He had been living in Iran since 1980 and was closely tied to Irans ruling clerics. He received US funds for mobilizing anti-Saddam Shiites. The well-known Iraqi dissident as Ahmad Chalabi, leader of the Iraqi National Congress, regularly consulted with al-Hakim. He visited Iran to meet, according to Elaine Sciolino, The New York Times correspondent in Tehran, with senior officials in agencies like the Revolutionary Guards and the security and intelligence apparatus. Chalabi and his associates were democracy advocates for Iraq, but they did not mind using and being used by a ruthless theocratic regime that had its own agenda for post-Saddam Iraq. Al-Hakim was the nominal leader of the Shia militias stationed on Iranian soil near Iraq. In reality, these 12,000-plus forces known as the Badr Brigade were trained and equipped by Irans Revolutionary Guards. What Iranian leaders could not imagine was the U. S. willingness to let the Badr Brigade, under the leadership of the Quds Force, enter Iraq to support the Shia groups engaged in ethnic cleansing of Sunnis in Baghdad and elsewhere in the country.

It is understandable that President Bush and his foreign policy team had no knowledge of the historic and highly emotional Shia-Sunni dispute in Iraq and, thus, were oblivious to how Iraqi Shia militias armed, trained, and led by Irans Revolutionary Guards would inevitably instigate a sectarian war in Iraq. But their knowledgeable advisers Bernard Lewis and Fuad Ajami should have known that Irans military and sectarian influence in Iraq was bound to frustrate Washingtons plan to make Iraq a stable client state.

Hardliners in Iran and right-wing politicians in America have very different long-term goals in the Middle East. And they both claim that the short-term convergence of interests is a way for them to pursue their ultimate goal. In reality, however, the ultimate goal of Iranian or American policies in the Middle East is a surreal fiction. Given the multifaceted crises plaguing the region, both regional and international players must deal with unfolding events without being able to predict the consequences of their own actions. Both Irans religious/ideological goal of leading a Shia-dominated Middle East and Americas imperial nation-building design for the region are bound to run up against the implacable realities of the region.



About the author:
The best 2-in-1 laptop 2022: our picks of the best convertible laptops

These are the best 2-in-1 laptops you can buy right now
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO)  Rochester police say a 25-year-old man was knocked unconscious and suffered a serious eye injury after a bar fight Saturday.According to CBS affiliate KIMT in Iowa, the victim was assaulted outside of Top Shots bar around 1:30 a.m. Saturday after saying All lives matter to a group of people. The group became agitated and a suspect punched the victim, knocking him unconscious.Medical personnel who helped the victim told police that his eyes werent responding properly and the man said he couldnt see.The suspect, whos described as a 6-foot black man with dreadlocks wearing a red ****, reportedly fled north after the incident.Police are investigating and searching for the suspect.
Lenovo is developing an SSD storage board with a monstrous 48TB capacity, and the company plans to release it by the middle of next year.

The board is basically a collection of high-capacity SSDs. It provides an efficient way of cramming more SSD storage into computer slots, instead of using individual drives.

The 48TB storage capacity will fit in a space for two standard 2.5-inch storage drives. Thats significantly more storage than available in two Samsung PM1633A SSDs, which are now the largest capacity SSDs at 15.36TB and will fit in the same slots.

Lenovo, known more as a PC and mobile device maker than a storage company, is developing the board in its research labs. Companies like Seagate, Toshiba, NxGn Data, and Amphenol are helping Lenovo develop the technology, part of a program called Project Spark.

Theres a race among storage SSD companies to raise the capacity. Before Samsung released its 15.36TB drive in March, Akitio shipped a 13TB SSD in January.

An early prototype of a Project Spark SSDthe size of a DRAM module with 6TB of storage capacityis being shown at the Flash Memory Summit in Santa Clara, California, this week.

The board is not targeted at desktops but at servers that run applications like databases and analytics, said Jonathan Hinkle, senior researcher at Lenovo.

Lenovo and its partners are researching ways to tune performance and power consumption of multiple SSDs on the card for server applications.

A database application may require faster performance, which could drive up SSD thermal requirements. SSDs are power efficient, but an excessive number of drives could overwhelm the cooling resources of a server. The goal is to slow down the performance and power consumption of a drive so more storage could be put on the SSD boards and servers.

It may be possible to add more storage capacity beyond 48TB on these boards, depending on their design and types of flash chips, Hinkle said.

Theres a growing demand for more storage in servers and flash arrays. SSDs are used for long-term storage or for cold storage, temporary storage where data is held until it is sent for processing.

The Project Spark SSD performance has measured at higher than 1 million IOPS (input output per second) for read and write capabilities, but that number could drop depending on the power consumption. The power requirements fluctuate depending on the performance, and its important that the storage controller be designed to meet application requirements, Hinkle said.

Lenovo is achieving 12GBps (gigabytes per second) for data transfers in all the drives via PCI-Express 3.0 slots, Hinkle said.

Lenovo couldnt provide a price for the 48TB SSD card.
Now that the next-generation graphics card war is being waged in full force, Nvidias helping its partners clear house with an indie game giveaway bundle. Anyone who buys an Nvidia GeForce GTX 950 or GTX 960 (or a notebook rocking the 950M or 960M) will get their choice of either Flying Wild Hogs Hard Reset Redux or Behaviour Interactives Dead by Daylight for free.

Taking a look at Newegg reveals the free offer bundles are already live. The GTX 950 is currently selling for around $150, while the GTX 960 is in the neighborhood of $175 and up. Rebates and short-lived discounts sometimes push prices lower for both models; the other day, we spied an EVGA GTX 950 selling for just $105 once all the discounts were added up.

Both games are delivered via Steam after redeeming a coupon code on Nvidias site.

Hard Reset Redux is a cyberpunk single-player shooter that first rolled out in 2011. The updated version with improved graphics and new content debuted in June. Dead by Daylight, which also rolled out in June, is a multi-player horror game where you can play either a crazed serial killer or one of the survivors trying to escape the carnage. Its huge on Twitch.

The impact on you at home: Bundled games are great, but the hard question with buying a GTX 950 or GTX 960 is whether its worth it even with a free game. We liked both cards as mid-range options for 1080p gaming when they first rolled out in 2015, but the graphics card landscape has changed drastically since then. The latest generation of cards from AMD and Nvidia are offering ridiculous performance for similar price ranges as the GTX 960. (The GTX 950 still holds up favorably against the Radeon RX 460 for traditional gaming, on the other hand.)

If you dont mind switching to Team Red you can pick up a 4GB AMD Radeon RX 480, which offers performance that falls between the GTX 970 and GTX 980, for between $200 and $250. Youll definitely spend more on the RX 480 than on a GTX 960, but not by muchor you could save a few bucks by picking up a Radeon RX 470. The return on your investment will be miles ahead of the GeForce cards if you can stomach leaving Team Green and its free games in the dust, that is.
Oracle has denied in a California federal court charges leveled by a former manager that she was sacked after she refused to cook accounts in the companys cloud business and threatened to blow the whistle on the accounting practices.

The software and cloud computing giant appears to be fleshing out its original stand that the employee had been terminated for poor performance and not as a whistleblower, which would give her a number of protections under securities laws.

In a filing in June in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Svetlana Blackburn, a senior finance manager for North America SaaS/Cloud Revenue, alleged that her superiors had instructed her to to add millions of dollars in accruals to financial reports, with no concrete or foreseeable billing to support the numbers, an act that she had warned was improper and suspect accounting.

Oracle denied the charge in its reply on Tuesday to the complaint and also denied that Blackburn had ever told her supervisor that she would blow the whistle if ordered to proceed in the fashion.

The companys lawyers wrote that the actions Blackburn complained of were not in retaliation, but based upon legitimate, non-discriminatory, job-related reasons, including Plaintiffs ongoing performance issues and failure to address same. The filing refers to Blackburns alleged improper conduct while working at Oracle and her choice to file false and scurrilous allegations in this case.

The former employee was not a whistleblower under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which protects employees from discrimination, because she did not make a report to the Commission as required by the language of the DFA, according to the filing.

Blackburn, whose employment was terminated after what she describes as a positive performance review in August 2015, accuses Oracle of unlawful retaliation under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Dodd-Frank Act, which are laws that aim to prevent corporate accounting fraud and errors, and offer protection to whistleblowers.

Oracle has also denied Blackburns charge that her employment at the company came to an abrupt end because she resisted, refused to engage in and threatened to blow the whistle on accounting practices she reasonably believed to be unlawful. In her complaint, Blackburn had also charged that upper management was trying (and trying to push her) to fit square data into round holes, in an effort to bolster ORACLE Cloud Services financial reports that would be paraded before company leadership as well as the investing public. Oracle has denied this allegation as well in its filing.

There is some dispute about the date on which Blackburns employment was terminated, with her complaint claiming in some places that it was Aug. 26, though in other places it mentions Oct. 15. Oracle has stated that she was terminated on Oct. 15.

After Blackburn sued Oracle, company spokeswoman Deborah Hellinger said it was confident that all its cloud accounting is proper and correct. This former employee worked at Oracle for less than a year and did not work in the accounting group. She was terminated for poor performance, and we intend to sue her for malicious prosecution, she added.

Blackburns lawyer could not be immediately reached for comment late Tuesday.
Google is getting serious about ending the reign of Adobe Flash on the web.

The company recently detailed a timeline for bringing Flash on Chrome to an endkind of. Even in these late stages of Flashs life on the web you still cant kill it off entirely. Instead, Google says it will de-emphasize Flash to the point where its almost never used except when absolutely necessary.

Behind the scenes

The first major change to Flash on Chrome will land in September with Chrome 53, when Google plans to block all page analytics that rely on Flash. Instead of seeing a visual element, Flash-based analytics happen entirely behind-the-scenes and load in the background. Even so, its still Flash usage as far as your computers concerned. Once Chrome starts blocking background-loading Flash, Google says it will save you more battery life, as well as bring faster page loads and improve site responsiveness.

Finally in December, Chrome will default to HTML5-based media instead of Flash. Most major sites offer their video in both Flash and HTML5 formats, often defaulting to Flash when its available. For Googles browser, that ends in December when Chrome 55 rolls out.

When Chrome comes across a site that only offers Flash video users will have to click to enable it.

Why this matters: With this announcement, Google is providing more details about an announcement it made in May to make Chrome default to HTML5 by the end of the year. Once Chrome 55 rolls out, Googles browser will only be using Flash when absolutely necessary, which will be a boon for battery life, browser responsiveness, and overall stability. Chromes changes to how it deals with Flash are similar to what Apple has planned for Safari. When macOS Sierra rolls out this fall, Safari 10 will also default to HTML5 by telling sites that the browser does not have Flash installed. On those sites that only offer Flash video, Safari will also allow users to activate it via click-to-play.
Some city-funded broadband networks may be in trouble after a U.S. appeals court struck down Federal Communications Commission rules that prohibited states from restricting those projects.

The FCC has no authority from Congress to prohibit state laws that limit municipal funding of broadband networks, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit said in a decision released Wednesday.

In February 2015, the FCC voted to overturn laws in North Carolina and Tennessee that limited the expansion of existing municipal broadband networks. Many incumbent broadband providers have opposed municipal funding of competing networks and pushed for state laws prohibiting them. In some cases, those city networks are faster and cheaper than what the incumbents are selling.

The FCC cannot change state law without specific authority from Congress, Judge John Rogers wrote in Wednesdays decision.

The FCC has argued that the Telecommunications Act of 1996 authorities the agency to promote broadband deployment and that the 2015 vote does just that.

Wednesdays decision appears to halt the promise of jobs, investment, and opportunity that community broadband has provided in Tennessee and North Carolina, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said in an emailed statement. I believe the commissions decision to champion municipal efforts highlighted the benefits of competition and the need of communities to take their broadband futures in their own hands.

In the last year and a half, more than 50 U.S. municipalities have taken steps to build their own broadband networks, Wheeler wrote. The efforts of communities wanting better broadband should not be thwarted by the political power of those who, by protecting their monopoly, have failed to deliver acceptable service at an acceptable price.

The free-market think tank TechFreedom applauded the courts decision. It took enormous chutzpah for the FCC to try to preempt state broadband laws, so this is a well-deserved rebuke for an agency run amuck, Berin Szoka, TechFreedoms president, said by email.

The court case has been a costly distraction from efforts to make broadband deployment easier, Szoka said.
Donors braved the afternoon heat Monday to help save lives during the Guns and Hoses blood drive and bone marrow screening at the Redlands Community Center.

The center and Redlands police and fire departments partnered with LifeStream to hold the drive, which also gave donors an opportunity to check out some of the citys specialized equipment, including the ballistic rescue vehicle.

LeAnn Moore and Patty Baker took a moment from their jobs with the city of Redlands to donate blood.

My dad for years had medical issues, and Im just donating on behalf of all the people that donated for him, said Baker, an analyst with the citys Municipal Engineering and Utilities Department.

Moore, a technical services clerk, said she was due to donate and wanted to show support for the police and fire departments.

I hadnt done it in a while and it helps with the low blood supply, she said.

The goal of Mondays drive was to collect blood from 40 donors, said Carmen Borrero, a registered nurse with LifeStream.

Borrero said all blood types are needed. One unit of blood can save the lives of up to three adults or eight babies, she said.

Essentially what youre doing is youre allowing someone to live longer. Youre allowing a family member to stay with their family longer, she said. Its just such a selfless task. People are heroes. They really are.

Borrero said working with the mobile team for the past four years has been fun, especially when seeing the excitement among high school students when they donate.

Theyre so excited about donating and its really neat to see them when they graduate from school and keep coming to donate, she said.

LifeStream also partners with Be The Match, operated by the National Bone Marrow Program. Donors 18 to 44 years old can sign up for the bone marrow screening program.

Its another way to donate and help sustain someones life and give back to the community, Borrero said.

For more information on donating blood or bone marrow screening, go to lstream.org.

Contact the writer: semerson@scng.com or @TheFactsSandra on Twitter
After five people were killed in the Lake Elsinore area over a period of less than a month, people in the city were divided over whether their town was becoming less safe.

Some said the recent killings were proof that crime was becoming more of a prevalent issue in the city and said issues with homelessness and drug use were to blame. Others said that homicides can happen anywhere, and the city has just been unfortunate in recent weeks.

The first of the five slayings happened just east of the city. Jesus Antonio Gallo, 36, of Perris died in the hospital July 17. The day before, police were told that he had been assaulted in the 27000 block of Highway 74 in the unincorporated community of Meadowbrook.

Javier Montero, 36, of Wildomar was shot and killed in the early morning July 17, along the 300 block of Avenue 5 in city limits.

Three people  two men and a woman  were found shot to death about 10:30 a.m. Aug. 2 after police responded to a home in the 31000 block of Winsconsin Street in the city. Their names and ages werent being released because of a law enforcement hold, but a relative identified one of the victims as Cameron Craven, 56.

The Riverside County Sheriffs Department has not made arrests in any of the three cases.

Violence not part of a greater trend, residents say

Jeanie Corral, a local historian, said that while she found the homicides troublesome, she didnt think they warranted any more concern than normal.

Most of the people I have known here have been really good people who work hard and try to do things the correct way, she said. Weve had our fair share of gangs and drug problems, but I dont know that they are any greater or lesser than in places the same size as what we are.

Others, such as 20-year-old Leeza Gomez, said safety is more dependent on the company you keep.

I think its one of the safest cities out there, its honestly just about who you associate yourself with and what crowds youre hanging around. I dont think Elsinore is in a crime wave, this couldve happened anywhere, wrote Gomez in an email.

Issues with drug use and homelessness

Some people, such as 51-year-old Pierre Cobbaert, said the most recent slayings were a long-time coming in an area that has frequently suffered from crime and drug use with what he said was little police intervention. He said he believes those things are attracting more violent crime.

Its a no brainer, Cobbaert said. You have to be stupid to think that there is a part of the city that the police does not patrol, that the police does not come, that there is no law and order, that something is not going to happen.

Cobbaert said that for years, there have been homeless encampments along the lake shore near Riverside Drive and that people could frequently been seen doing drugs. He said some of the encampments have periodically been cleaned out, only to have the same people return to the same area. He said he rarely, if ever, has seen law enforcement patrol there.

Cobbaert said he would like to see the city invest in more deputies to patrol. He said he would also like to see more resources for the homeless  a place where they can stay, get a hot shower, and work on bettering themselves.

If you want to stop people from parking in the street, you cannot go around fining people if they have no other place to park, he said. But if you build a parking lot for them then you can say go there.

Desiree Gutierrez, 31, said she has also seen issues with drug use and homelessness, something she thinks is the direct result of Lake Elsinores growth as a city.

We need more resources if (Lake Elsinore) is going to keep growing like that, she said.

City officials say city is safe, violence was targeted

Councilman Steve Manos said that city officials have received some concern from the public in the aftermath of the triple shooting.

We have to reassure the public in this particular instance, he said. The neighbors nearby were concerned there was random violence.

But Manos said the homicide appears not to have been random, but rather targeted, and that the community does not need to be afraid of becoming victims.

In the long term, were trending downward in crime in Lake Elsinore, he said. In violent crime, were trending low. Its the property crimes that are a problem for us.

2013 saw the lowest crime rate for Lake Elsinore in a decade. Violent crimes fell 21 percent from 2012 to 103 instances, while property crimes declined 23 percent to 1,494 instances, according to the FBI figures.

In 2014, the latest years for which FBI statistics are available, violent crime went back up 24 percent with 128 incidents and property crime went up 11 percent with 1,662 incidents.

Still, the violent crime rate was far lower than 2006 levels, when there were 201 incidents.

City and sheriffs officials stressed that people need not be concerned, but that they should always let law enforcement know if they see something bad happening.

Absolutely, yes, you should feel safe in Lake Elsinore, said Lake Elsinore Mayor Bob Magee in a voicemail to The Press-Enterprise. But if you see something  if you see illicit, illegal or suspicious behavior or activities, you need to say something. You need to call law enforcement; you need to bring it to the attention of our sheriffs department so we can take action.

Magee did not return later calls requesting comment.

Riverside County Sheriffs Sgt. Chris Durham echoed that sentiment.

We definitely want to cooperate with the citizens concerns but to me theres no reason for cause or concern as far as panic, he said.

He encouraged members of the public to always be aware of their surroundings and that they should call local law enforcement if they see something thats cause for concern.

We definitely want a good working relationship with the public and the community we serve, he said.

Staff writer Michael J. Williams contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9693 or agroves@scng.com
The $275,000 in life insurance policies taken out by San Bernardino terrorist shooter Syed Rizwan Farook naming his mother as beneficiary are subject to government seizure, a federal judge has ruled.

Instead of going to Rafia Farook, the money has been deposited with the court clerk, where it will be held until further orders.

The insurance company that had separately challenged payout of the claims deposited the money in June, the court document said.

The forfeiture can be disputed with a claim filed within 35 to 60 days, depending on the type of notice received about the order, U.S. District Judge Jesus G. Bernal ruled on Aug. 5.

In June, Minnesota Life Insurance alleged in a federal lawsuit that Rafia Farook knew of her sons planned terrorist attack and should not be entitled to the $275,000 in benefits. She was the prime beneficiary for the two policies.

Bernals ruling was not on the Minnesota Life lawsuit, but on a separate filing in May by the government to seize the assets of the policies.

The Los Angeles U.S. Attorneys Offices civil asset forfeiture lawsuit said the government wanted to use the insurance money for the surviving victims of the attack and the family members of those who died.

The judges order in the forfeiture case did not address the insurance companys lawsuit claim that Rafia Farook knew of the attack.

She lived in the Redlands apartment with her 28-year-old son, a San Bernardino County health inspector, and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, at the time of the Dec. 2 attack at the Inland Regional Center that killed 14 and wounded 22. The couple died in a shootout with law enforcement on the same day.

During a search of Farooks and Maliks Redlands apartment following the shootings, FBI agents seized pipe bombs, bomb-making materials and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Minnesota Life is informed and believes that Ms. Farook had material knowledge of, and/or participated in, the planning of the terrorist attack executed by the insured, according to the six-page lawsuit, which named Rafia Farook, Syed Rizwan Farooks sister Saira Khan, and the U.S. government as defendants. Khan was named as contingent beneficiary on the policies.

Rafia Farook has not been charged during the course of the FBIs ongoing investigation into the attack. The government declined comment at the time the lawsuit was filed.

Clad in black tactical gear and armed with assault rifles, Syed Rizwan Farook and Malik entered the IRC conference center about 11 a.m. on the day of the attack and opened fire.

Thirteen of the 14 people killed and most of the wounded were Farooks coworkers at the countys environmental health services division, who were attending a training seminar and holiday party the morning of the shooting.

Contact the writer: rdeatley@scng.com or 951-368-9573
Chinese companies are showing interest in coming to the Inland Empire, including two major undisclosed Chinese airlines that could potentially land at Ontario International Airport.

The Beijing Yunjiang Management and Consulting Services Co., an investment firm, signed a letter of intent to drum up interest in helping fund and bring airlines to a planned international terminal at the airport.

Representatives of the firm met with Curt Hagman, an Ontario International Airport Authority commissioner and San Bernardino County supervisor, during a recent nine-day trip he made to China as part of ongoing efforts to bolster international trade and business for the Inland Empire and toward expansion and growth of the airport.

We immediately went to work in negotiating with the top airlines for this project, and had some very substantial discussions with the related investment entities and construction of the air terminal project and the auxiliary development with the terminal project, according to a letter to Hagman from Jinjiang Yu, president of the investment firm.

Hagman has traveled to China on trade missions since his days as a state assemblyman, from 2008 to 2014.

Ive been to six cities in eight days, and were basically letting people know in Asia what to do to locate businesses in San Bernardino County, Hagman said.

In the letter, Yu also said his company intends to form a U.S.-based company to handle the venture, and added, We look forward in working with you in this tremendous opportunity of building our relationship and to create jobs and investment opportunities in San Bernardino County.

Hagman said the airport authority vision for the next few years includes a new international terminal, an upgrade of terminals 2 and 4, a parking structure, hotels, restaurants and shops.

Its everything on a grand scale, Hagman said. We want to make it a first-class international airport.

Hagmans trip also resulted in a tentative discussion with a Chinese construction company to potentially handle infrastructure and facility expansion at the airport, potential for a TISCO steel factory to open in the region, and development of an economic relationship between the manufacturing city of Taiyuan and San Bernardino County. Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in northern China.

TISCO is the largest stainless steel manufacturer in China, Hagman said.

They were just reaching out to us in San Bernardino County to find out how to get a location and what the rules and regulations are, Hagman said.

John Husing, chief economist for the Inland Empire Economic Partnership and major proponent of local control for the airport, said Asian investors and companies choose to do business in the Inland Empire because of cheaper land and space costs, a large workforce and cultural ties to large Asian immigrant populations in the region.

We would like to get some Chinese manufacturers into the Inland Empire no question, and I know Curt has been working with some of those issues, Husing said. They would very much like to have a relationship with California and the best place to be is out here because the cost of space is lower, the availability of workers is strong and it puts them inside one of the largest markets in the United States in terms of Southern California.

Contact the writer: nnisperos@scng.com or @ReporterNeil on Twitter
Corona police officers are looking for a man who they believe crashed a stolen car within city limits Tuesday and then ran into a neighborhood.

The man, whose identity Sgt. Paul Mercado could not confirm, crashed a silver Volkswagen stolen out of San Diego at the intersection of Ontario and Mangular avenues and then ran from police officers.

Officers swarmed the neighborhood and searched for him in the 1400 block of Ontario Avenue, according to a Facebook post on the departments page.

They ultimately terminated the search and are asking for the publics help in finding him.

The suspect is described as a 25-year-old Hispanic man, standing about 5 feet 8 inches tall, the post said. He has a stocky build and was wearing a white t-shirt and gray pants.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Corona Police Department at 951-736-2330 and press 3.
Sum 41: The Canadian pop punk band best known for the snotty-yet-catchy single Fat Lip is fresh off the Warped Tour and has booked a show for the Riverside Municipal Auditorium on Wednesday, Nov. 2. The Dont Call it a Sum-Back tour will include openers Senses Fail and As It Is. Tickets are $23.50.

Also headed to the Muni is 80s hair metal parody band Steel Panther on Friday, Nov. 11. Tickets are $20.

However, the most notable of the just-added crop of shows is up-and-coming country act Brothers Osborne, who will stop at the venue on Wednesday, Dec. 14. Tickets are $22.50.

Passes for all of the newly announced shows at the Muni go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 12. Visit riversidelive.com for tickets and more information.

Good Charlotte: In another blast from pop-punk days past, the band behind The Anthem, Girls & Boys, Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous and more will stop at the Fox Theater in Pomona on Wednesday, Oct. 26. Tickets are $29.50 and go on sale Friday, Aug. 12, at 10 a.m. Visit foxpomona.com for more information.

Tony Bennett: He just turned 90 last week, but the crooner is still going strong, whether hes singing with pal Lady Gaga or working on his art masterpieces. Bennett has booked a show at Harrahs Resort Southern California for Friday, Nov. 4. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 12 via Ticketmaster. They are $86-$156 and the show is open to those 21 and older only.

Martina McBride: The country star will stop at Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula on Friday, Sept. 30. Tickets are $65-$90 and will go on sale at 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12. Visit pechanga.com for more information.

Boz Scaggs and Michael McDonald: If you like Yacht Rock, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio has the perfect show. Scaggs pretty much wrote the Yacht Rock manual with the classic album Silk Degrees. McDonalds smooth vocals not only brought the Doobie Brothers to their best work, but he also has had a vibrant solo career. Together, you can ride away into the sunset. Tickets are $29-$69 and go on sale Friday, Aug. 12 via the casino. Visit fantasyspringsresort.com for more information.

WWE Live: Calling all wrestling fans, WWE is headed back to Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario with a show on Sunday, Oct. 2. Tickets, which go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 12, are $20-$105 and include parking. Visit ticketmaster.com for more information.

Contact the writer: vfranko@scng.com or @vanessafranko on Twitter
There was the Khan family controversy, the reluctance to endorse House Speaker Paul Ryan, the sagging poll numbers in swing states and more prominent Republicans seemingly endorsing Hillary Clinton with increased frequency because they fear a Donald Trump presidency.

But Friday, Trump finally endorsed Ryan in his re-election bid after days of refusing to do so, and some of the die-hard backers of the reality television star and real estate magnate hoped it signaled the beginning of the end of what has been a tumultuous several days since he accepted the partys nomination for president.

Erik Laykin, executive director of LA Trump, said Trump needs to get on track soon or risk losing in November badly.

Still, he thinks theres time for Trump to correct course and hes definitely sticking with him.

I would like to see less controversy, Laykin said. I think there are many  myself included  who wish hed stayed clear of the Khan family and taken the high road as opposed to the low road in that dispute.

The rough patch for Trump ignited after Khizr Khans speech at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia about his sons service in Iraq. He said his son dreamed of being a military lawyer, but enlisted in the Army and served in Iraq. U.S. Army Capt. Humayun Khan was killed in 2004 by a roadside bomb and posthumously received a Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

Khan spoke to the cameras at the convention and questioned what Trump had ever given up. He also ripped Trumps suggestion about imposing restrictions on Muslims entering the country in the wake of terrorist attacks.

If it was up to Donald Trump, he never would have been in America, Khan said during the speech. Donald Trump consistently smears the character of Muslims. He disrespects other minorities  women, judges, even his own party leadership. He vows to build walls and ban us from this country.

Trump criticized Khan, saying he didnt let his wife talk, instead having her stay silent on stage and suggesting it was the familys Muslim faith that didnt allow her to speak. Ghazala Kahn later said she didnt speak because it was still too painful to talk about her sons death.

However, Trump didnt let it go and tweeted: Mr. Khan, who does not know me, viciously attacked me from the stage of the DNC and is now all over T.V. doing the same  Nice!

And then: This story is not about Mr. Khan, who is all over the place doing interviews, but rather RADICAL ISLAMIC TERRORISM and the U.S. Get smart!

Trumps reaction drew rebukes from several prominent Republicans, including Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina.

Mike Madrid, a Republican strategist and USC Unruh Institute Fellow, said the missteps by Trump this late in the campaign season could be crippling to his chances in November.

He has a very narrow road, Madrid said. Four or five weeks to get this thing turned around and moving in the right direction if hes going to have a chance. It looks increasingly difficult.

The key, he said, remains battleground states such as Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Trump has floundered in recent polls in Pennsylvania, trailing Clinton by an average of 8 points, according to Real Clear Politics. In Florida, the average spread is about 3 points while Ohio is barely a point in favor of Clinton.

Madrid said Trumps post-convention bounce didnt last long and that he needs to shore things up quickly. But even if Trump loses, Madrid said he doesnt see him being a drag on down-ticket candidates.

Paul Chabot, who is running for Congress in San Bernardino County, said he was dismayed with Trumps reaction to the Khan family but still supportive of the GOP presidential nominee.

Chabot is a naval reservist running against Pete Aguilar, the incumbent Democratic congressman. He said he believed the Democrats exploited the Khan family by having them speak at the convention.

For military veterans, regardless of political party, they are off-limits, Chabot said. But I also think that Hillary Clinton shouldnt have paraded them around at the convention. Im disappointed in both sides.

But Chabot said he didnt think Trump would be permanently damaged by the recent spate of controversies.

I never thought hed make it this far, Chabot said. What we do know is we cant bet against Trump because he constantly finds a way to bounce back.

Contact the writer: dmontero@scng.com or @DaveMontero on Twitter
A rear-end, hit-and-run crash along a San Bernardino freeway killed a 53-year-old Victorville woman and sent a 29-year-old San Bernardino man to jail, according to California Highway Patrol and San Bernardino County coroners investigators.

Rhonda Rochelle Casey died at the scene of the 2:35 a.m. wreck Saturday, Aug. 6, along the westbound lanes of I-210 just east of Del Rosa Avenue.

About two hours later, Michael Steven Padilla was arrested along the 3300 block of Del Rey Drive and booked for investigation of drunken driving, gross vehicular manslaughter, and felony hit-and-run driving, jail records show.

Padilla was driving a red Volkswagen Jetta that rear-ended a 2004 Toyota Corolla driven by 45-year-old San Bernardino resident Kenya April Gaddis, Officer Brian Alvarez said in a written statement released Tuesday.

Casey was a passenger in the Corolla, which spun out of control and overturned, according to the statement. Gaddis  the Corollas driver  was hospitalized with what were described as major but non-life-threatening injuries.
Perhaps, Williams Shakespeare was right when he said that hell is empty and all the devils are here. History and antiquity bear ample testimonies to the paradoxical and enigmatic nature of some individuals.



For example, Queen Victoria (1819-1901) who hitherto loathed individuals who used cannabis dressed marijuana up in a new garment and renamed it as medical marijuana when Sir Russel Reynolds prescribed the drug for her in 1890 to relieve her of menstrual cramps. This means that human beings have a penchant to change things to suit their own parochial whims and caprices.

1992 Constitution gives too many powers to the executive



I cannot really fathom why Ghanas 1992 constitution that was supposed to compel the PNDC regime to adopt a more conciliatory form of government ended up legitimising dictatorship of the executive against the other two branches of government, the legislature and the judiciary. The aim of this article is to identify the association between Article 72 of Ghanas 1992 Constitution and the Machiavellian concept of new principality from criminals perspective.



What Machiavelli says about leadership



The Italian renaissance historian and philosopher, Niccolo di Bernardo dei Machiavelli, (1469-1527), and best remembered for his famous dictum: the first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him, asserted that there are four main ways of becoming a prince.



These are hereditary principalities: which are inherited by the ruler, mixed principalities, territories that annexed to the rulers existing territories, New principalities which may be acquired by several methods such as ones own power, by the power of others, by criminal acts or extreme cruelty or by the will of the people (civic principalities) and last but not least, ecclesiastical principalities referring to the papal states belonging to the Catholic Church.



What is stated in Article 72



The Article 72 of the foregoing constitution states among other things that: (1) The President may, acting in consultation with the Council of State- (a) grant to a person convicted of an offence a pardon either free or subject to lawful conditions; or



(b) grant to a person a respite, either indefinite or for a specified period, from the execution of punishment imposed on him for an offence; or



(c) substitute a less severe form of punishment for a punishment imposed on a person for an offence; or



(d) remit the whole or part of a punishment imposed on a person or of a penalty or forfeiture otherwise due to Government on account on any offence.



(2) Where a person is sentenced to death for an offence, a written report of the case from the trial judge or judges, together with such other information derived from the record of the case or elsewhere as may be necessary, shall be submitted to the President.



This means that the executive president regulates the judiciary: an affront to the tool of judicial review which gives power to the court to declare unconstitutional acts of executive and legislature as null and void.



Is it not quixotic for the president to wield powers to revoke the decision of the court through Article 72?



I must concede that constitutions all over the world somewhat bestow to the executive president the prerogative of mercy even so the excessive powers given to the president by the aforesaid constitution is inimical to the well-being of citizens of Ghana.



The doctrine of separation of powers



The doctrine of separation of powers which states that the three arms of government must differ in terms of function and personnel was propounded by the French philosopher, Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755). Montesquieu erroneously studied the British system of government.



During his visit to Britain, he observed that the three organs of government (Legislature, Executive and Judiciary) differed in terms of functions and personnel.

It was revealed to Montesquieu that contrary to his convictions, the British attorney general and minister for Justice was an elected member of House of Commons, and as an attorney general he belonged to the executive arm of government and as a minister of justice he was the head of judiciary.

Montesquieu amends the doctrine of separation of powers



Montesquieu reportedly propounded a new political concept known as checks and balances to amend his flaws. Checks and balances empower each arm of government to check and limit the activities of others.



Montesquieus theory and Ghanas 1992



Looking at the 1992 Constitution from the lens of Montesquieus drawbacks regarding the doctrine of separation of powers, the president of Ghana is vested with powers to appoint about 50% of his ministers from the legislature.



For example, in 2006, Mr. Joe Ghartey, was a Member of Parliament for Essikado/Ketan constituency in the Western Region of Ghana, he was also appointed the Attorney General and Minister for Justices. As the minister of justice he was the head of the judiciary, as a minister he belonged to the executive arm of government and as an elected Member of Parliament he was a member of legislature.



How could he check and limit his own powers per the dictates of checks and balances? How can the court take decision against their own head of judiciary? Why cant we as a country be mindful of Lord Actons assertion that power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.



The Montie 3 Petition



The Montie 3 petition is a necessary evil in the sense that it accentuates to us some major takeaways: the tyrant of the executive over other arms of government. The fact that the BNI initially white-washed the Montie 3 reveals that the executive cannot be trusted with excessive powers it is inundated with.



The president will not violate any law if he pardons the Montie 3 which depicts the extent of inequality in our constitution. J.J Rousseau, best remembered for his famous saying, men are born free, yet everywhere are in chains in his theory of natural inequalities intimated that the only natural inequalities are difference in physical strength, because these are inequalities that arise in the natural state.



The need to reduce powers wielded by the executive president



In contemporary society, man is corrupted, and the inequalities that result from laws and property are not natural and should not be tolerated. By this article, I am humbly calling for a national debate if not a referendum (if applicable) to reduce some of the powers wielded by the executive president. Such an amendment will assure the safety of all and sundry. God bless our homeland Ghana and help us resist oppressors rule.



I know that I am intelligent because I know that I know nothing. (Socrates)





Source: Today









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A mother and son whose forbidden love affair could land them each a lengthy jail sentence have declared they are 'madly in love' and nothing will tear them apart.

Monica Mares, 36, and her son Caleb Peterson, 19, face up to 18 months in prison if found guilty of incest at a trial later this year in New Mexico. But the mother and son couple have vowed to fight for their right to have a sexual relationship and are appealing to the public to donate to their legal fund.

In an exclusive individual interviews with Daily Mail Online, they told how they are willing to risk everything to be together - and have decided to go public with their affair in a bid to raise awareness of Genetic Sexual Attraction (GSA) relationships.



Read Full Story .... dailymail.co.uk >>> :

















Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Vodafone Ghana has taken its leadership in enterprise telecommunications a notch higher following a ground-breaking deal with Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).



Under the GHS14m agreement spanning five years, the telecommunications company will provide an enhanced high speed internet and Wi-Fi connectivity to all faculties across the University's campuses in Ghana.



Additionally, KNUST will benefit from a comprehensive package from Vodafone that will immensely transform the nature of research and learning in the University whiles empowering the future of Ghana's educational landscape.



The magnitude of the agreement is the first of its kind across West Africa and will set a standard for how telecom companies play a crucial role in revamping education and projecting leadership in the sector. The advancement of technology across the world makes this era the best yet.



It can be argued that there has never been any period in history where knowledge has become as easily accessible as the present time due to the power of digitalisation.



Commenting on the partnership, Angela Mensah-Poku, Head of Vodafone Business Solutions, the enterprise arm of Vodafone Ghana, said:



It is an exciting time for us at Vodafone. This partnership breaks every scale in terms of the magnitude and we are excited to be leading this. The package and the level of connectivity that will benefit KNUST is unprecedented and it confirms what we stand for as a company  to empower our customers and stakeholders with the appropriate technology to make them work faster, smarter and efficiently.



The two institutions have enjoyed a very fruitful partnership over the years. Currently about 90% of the leadership team at Vodafones Technology department are products from KNUST.



Moreover, Vodafone consistently invests over GHS20,000 each year to develop selected engineering students in a scholarship and mentoring initiative at the University.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management Public Administration (GIMPA), Prof. Stephen Adei is not ready to apologise over his nepotism comment.



Speaking at Prempeh Colleges Pearson Osae lectures, Prof Adei said research findings indicate that one out of every four public sector appointment comes from the Presidents area of origin and that such practice must stop immediately.



His comments has attracted criticisms from government officials who are calling on him to apologise.



A Deputy Minister of Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, says Prof Adei must come out and apologize to Ghanaians and also retract his comments, saying as an elderly person with much experience he should not have made such divisive utterances.



But Prof Adei refused to comment on the issue when Atinka News reached him and rather asked Ghanaians to "Google the number of government appointees and those coming from the north to verify for ourselves.



Please dont waste your breath; Im not talking about it. I said one of all his appointees are from his place. Count the ministers and confirm for yourself, he charged.





Source: atinkaonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Matilda Amissah-Arthur has urged traditional authorities to continue to use festivals as a platform for peace and development.



The Wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Matilda Amissah -Arthur made the statement on Monday when she joined the chiefs and people of British Accra in James Town-Ingleshie -Alata to celebrate their Annual Odwira festival.



She further called on them to maintain the peace and unity that they are enjoying as we enter the election year, since we are all one people. Mrs. Matilda Amissah-Arthuralso extended warm greeting from President John Mahama and the Vice President Kwesi Amissah  Arthur to them for a successful celebration.



She was met by the Paramount Chief of Ingleshie Alata Traditional Area Obrempong Kojo Ababio V. Mrs. Matilda Amissah-Arthur said her joining them in the celebration was a promise, she made to them last week Friday when she donated assorted food stuffs for the celebration of their annual Homowo festival.



She said apart from showcasing the rich culture and traditions of the people, festivals offered opportunity for chiefs and people to plan development projects for their communities.



The Odwira festival celebration drew a number of people, both residents and non-residents, to the durbar grounds. Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio V- James Town Mantse  Eminent Pioneering Dental Surgeon thanked the Second Lady and her delegation for their support towards the Odwira celebrations.



He gave an assurance that the festival would be celebrated peacefully and called on the youth to show unity and love before, during and after the occasion.

Source: Maxwell Okamafo Addo









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
National Organizer of the ruling National Democratic Congress [NDC] Kofi Adams says the flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party [NPP], Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is shallow-minded when it comes to the use of smart gadgets and its applications.



He argued that the NPP leader does not manage his various social media accounts [specifically twitter] which is often used to criticize government.



Nana Addo on his twitter handle panned the Mahama-led administration for their inability to resolve the frustrating power crisis.



The country has been reeling under severe power crisis for some time now. Even though the situation appears to have eased up, there is often uncertainty about the supply of power among Ghanaians.



But the NPP Flagbearer, in a series of tweets Monday, said the crisis is not a technical problem but financial one and promised to fix the power crisis in the country if he is elected President in the December 7 polls.



According to him, the Mahama-led administration is embarrassed to admit that the power crisis still prevails in spite of the numerous assurances by the President.



The Mahama government, after claiming to have fixed the problem, is today embarrassed to admit that DUMSOR is still with us. The evidence is clear to all of us. We have evidence-based DUMSOR.



I would like to assure you all that we will end DUMSOR by resolving the financial problems facing our utilities. The dumsor problem is ultimately a financial problem, Nana Addo noted.



But Kofi Adams on NEAT FMs morning show dubbed Ghana Montie doubted if the tweet was put out personally by the NPP flagbearer. He insists Nana Addo is not tech-savvy.



Nana Addo I know cannot tweet. Someone tweeted that for him. If he indeed did tweet that, I would be surprised



No one can compare Nana Addo to President Mahama because President Mahama is an IT person. He [President Mahama] is on top of IT issues. No one can challenge the president, he added.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The National Youth Wing of the New Patriotic Party will tomorrow hold the first of its regional public forums to highlight and address the concerns of the Ghanaian youth. The activity to be commenced by partys young wing, is in line with its policy of prosecuting an issues-based campaign.



In a statement copied to Peacefmonline.com and signed by the National Youth Organiser of NPP, Mr. Sammi Awuku, he pointed out that the forum would offer the Ghanaian youth, a platform to voice out their concerns.



The event would also highlight the destiny-changing solutions the NPP ticket of Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has for the youth of the country.



Full statement below...



NPP Youth Wing Holds Public Forum



The 2016 general elections is more about the worsening issue of unemployment crisis in the country today and the distressful struggle of the young people of Ghana to find jobs, earn an income and secure a brighter future for themselves.



In line with its policy of prosecuting an issues-based campaign, the National Youth Wing of the New Patriotic Party will tomorrow, Thursday, 11th August 2016, hold the first of its regional public forums to highlight and address the concerns of the youth.



This public forum, which will be held at Agbogbloshie in the heart of the Greater Accra Region, is also timed to mark this years International Youth Day, which falls on 12th August 2016.



Themed, Arise Ghana Youth...Lead the Change, the forum will offer a platform for the voiceless, young people of Ghana to voice out their concerns in an atmosphere of solidarity.



Barbers, shoeshine boys, tailors, dress makers, porters, commercial drivers, students, unemployed graduates, nurses, etc. will give real life testimonies on issues arresting youth development under the Mahama administration. The forum will start at 10am prompt.



It is also a platform for the NPP to talk about the destiny-changing solutions the NPP ticket of Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has for the youth of the country.



Come one, come all. This election is about us, about our dire situation, about our future. Let us lead the change that we need, the change that we seek and the change that we desire and deserve.







...signed...



Sammi Awuku



National Youth Organiser, NPP

Source: Chris Joe Quaicoe/ email: [email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Central Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwamena Duncan says Ghanaians should vote for the party's flagbearer Nana Addo and his Running mate Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, saying they are "our best pair to handle the affairs of this country.



Contributing to Peace FM's political discussion programme 'Kokrokoo', Kwamena Duncan noted that Nana Addo is a man of integrity and has no track record of corruption.



He was commenting on a recent survey by policy think tank, Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) revealing that Ghana going the wrong direction, under President Mahama's administration.



The mood of the electorate going into the 2016 polls is broadly negative. Seven in 10 Ghanaians believe the country is going in the wrong direction; and nearly half blame this completely or mostly on the government. Only a quarter think the country is headed in the right direction, Senior Research Fellow at CDD, Daniel Armah Attoh, told journalists in Accra yesterday during the presentation of the report on Popular opinions on issues at stake in the 2016 election," the CDD stated.



According to the NPP Central Regional Secretary, political parties should be concerned with surveys by policy think tanks in the country.



You cannot place a finger on one single event to prove this man is corrupt. He comes with a strong character . . . Integrity is not just a value in itself. It is a value that guarantees all the other values. Integrity; and that is what Nana Addo comes on board with.



He also advised the parties to be "concerned about the needs of the people. You must be concerned about the prudent management of the resources of the country. It must be your watch word that you wont come into power to steal and enrich ourselves. Were in government for people to have confidence in us, to serve and manage affairs well to improve lives. A political party, you must be concerned . . . Our party is concerned.









Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi /Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Central Regional Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs, has described think-tanks in the country as political and intellectual tricksters.



Allotey Jacobs alleged that members of these think-tanks are all top-most people in the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), who do not want any good for the nation.



The educated fisherman was reacting to the report by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) that seven out of 10 Ghanaians believe Ghana is retrogressing. CDD-Ghana in its pre-election survey conducted reveals seven out of 10 Ghanaians says the government is steering the country in the wrong direction.



The NDC Regional Chairman told Onua FMs Yen Sempa that CDD has always been a political wing of the NPP just like the IEA. They are all NPP intellectuals who come with camouflage faces but they are spokespersons for the NPP. Mr. Allotey Jacobs said: CDD, IEA, IMANI are wolves in sheep skin and we know them. They think they are fooling Ghanaians and we will expose them at the right time.

Source: 3news.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
If you were one of the thousands were unable to complete your online Census form because the website was absolutely bloody rooted last night  which has this morning been attributed to attacks from international hackers  then never fear.

It appears that action is commencing, compadre.

The Office of Australian Information Commissioner has released a statement about the Titanic-esque story of the 2016 Census.

Timothy Pilgrim, Australias Privacy Commissioner and Acting Australian Information Commissioner, has stated that he is opening an investigation into the Australian Bureau of Statistics over the attacks that caused them to shut down at around 7:30pm yesterday.

In a statement sent out to media, Pilgrim said,

I am aware of the denial of service attacks on the Census 2016 website last night and my staff have been in contact with ABS this morning. Based on these reports I am commencing an investigation of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in regards to these cyber attacks, under the Australian Privacy Act 1988. My first priority is to ensure that no personal information has been compromised as a result of these attacks. ABS have confirmed that a decision was taken last night to shut down the website in order to protect personal data.

Yesterday I noted that the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has been briefed by the ABS on the privacy protections put in place for the Census. My office will continue to work with the ABS to ensure they are taking appropriate steps to protect the personal information collected through the Census.

Well update this story as more information arises.

Source: Supplied.

Photo: ABS/AIC.
PEDESTRIAN TV has partnered with La Trobe University to explore some of the big issues their researchers are looking at right now. Head over HERE to learn how La Trobe are working to solve some of the biggest issues of our time.

You might have noticed that the world isnt in particularly great shape right now. Were dealing with one of the biggest refugee crises in history, driven by a devastating civil war in Syria. So, its worth asking why we havent worked out a way to create and maintain peace in areas like the Middle East, which have been mired in war and civil conflict.

After civil war, many of the standard peace processes dont seem to do much. Blokes in suits signing a peace treaty thousands of kilometres away dont do much for the people still living in warzones.

Researchers at La Trobe University are investigating exactly why peace processes like this fail. They want to find out how people are affected by war on a human level, and use this information to influence policymakers to take real action to address those problems on the ground.

Dr Jasmine-Kim Westerndorf, Lecturer in International Relations in the Department of Politics and Philosophy at La Trobe, is investigating why instability returns pretty quickly in countries after civil wars, often within 10 to 15 years, and why the lives of many regular people are still defined by violence and mistrust.

Civil wars are enormously complex, especially when they have been going on for a long time, says Westendorf. Its really difficult to bring them to an end and establish the sorts of institutional systems that you might expect in a peaceful state.

Imagine somewhere absolutely obliterated by war, and torn to shreds by warring factions. Even if the war finishes, and the tension is over, a return to what wed consider a normal life isnt an easy road. Its not as simple as people just going about their normal lives as you might in a peaceful country  theres just nothing to support that.

For example: imagine Australia running as it does every day, except without a parliament, or a health system, or a judicial system, or basic infrastructure. Its basically inconceivable this could happen in Australia  however these are the issues warn torn countries face time and time again post-conflict.

Now, imagine that these kind of institutions do exist. Like in Syria, for example, which had a very successful healthcare system prior to its continuing civil war. Even if so called peace has been achieved and systems restored, its hard to reintegrate soldiers and combatants into a society where they must once again contribute like everybody else.

Its hard to get formally warring groups to participate together in governance structures, says Westendorf. Not only are there tensions that often arent ironed out, even though the war has formally finished, soldiers and combatants often arent huge fans of not being at the top of the heap.

They may feel emasculated because they no longer have that power in society and dont know what to do with themselves.

So given these problems, whats the solution?

La Trobe researchers are working on new solutions that throw out the old, technocratic ways of thinking about peace processes  they think we need to start thinking more about people. Maintaining peace is less about getting government right, and more about what peace means to people living in the former warzone.

Not everyone sees peace the same way. Whether its soldiers who may feel emasculated, or citizens who might find themselves in a less stable situation after the war ends, everyone will have a different take on what peace actually should look like.

Working with people and finding out what peace means to them  helping them to build it themselves  offers a reliable way forward.

Learn more about why instability often returns after civil war and how La Trobe is working on solutions that offer a reliable way forward HERE.

Photo: Jordan Pix / Getty.
A super depressing new study out of the UK has found that sexual harassment in the workplace is alive and bloody thriving.

The study, conducted by TUC and the Everyday Sexism project, spoke to over 1500 women and found that over half of them (52%) had been sexually harassed at work (which btw can include anything from jokes about your sex life to inappropriate hugging, suggestive remarks, displaying porn in the office or even requests / demands for sexual favours).

The rest of the stats are equally as damning:

Over a third (35%) of women had heard comments of a sexual nature being made about other women.

Just under a third (32%) had been subject to unwelcome jokes of a sexual nature.

Over a quarter (28%) had been subject to comments of a sexual nature about their body or clothes.

One in five women had experienced unwanted sexual advances.

One in ten women had experienced unwanted sexual touching or attempts to kiss them.

^ NONE OF IT, M8.

In most cases (90%) the perpetrator was male (shocking) and either a colleague (7%) or a direct manager (17%). So just to put that in perspective, almost 1 in 5 women in the survey had been sexually harassed by their manager. Cool.

As is all too familiar with these stories, the majority of incidences went unreported (79%). Reasons for this included women being afraid it would affect either their relationships at work (28%) or their career prospects (15%), or that they would either not be believed (24%), or worse, blamed (8%).

And look, they werent wrong  of the minority who DID report, only 6% said it had a positive outcome.

SIX PERCENT. Thats 6% of 79% of 1500 people, which is basically nothing.

One woman included in the study even said that when she complained about sexual harassment, she was told boys will be boys.



Everyday Sexism have been retweeting stories of sexism and work all day in response to the report being published, some of which you can read below.

@EverydaySexism bending to get floor cleaner, joked at by boss standing at sink, while youre down there #harassedatwork  Dr Nicola Moffat (@NicolaMoffat) August 10, 2016

@EverydaySexism @guardian when I wa 16 and worked in a cafe a man older than my Dad repeatedly asked me to go out with him.  Kathryn Black (@kathrynblack07) August 10, 2016

A man at work once groped my bum. Colleagues told me to not to take it seriously. #HarassedAtWork @EverydaySexism  Sassy (@cupventure) August 10, 2016

@EverydaySexism at a part time job where male workers would openly discuss physical attributes of female workers #HarassedAtWork  tea no sugar (@teagreens111) August 10, 2016

Gross.

One important thing  among the many important things  that the report makes note of is that sexual harassment, like other types of violence against women, is inextricably linked to power.

That doesnt mean the perpetrator is automatically in a position of power (like a boss), although that can and sadly does occur. It also includes total fuckknuckles who are feeling powerless and therefore try to assert their own dominance by sexually harassing others.

Either way, if you are experiencing sexual harassment, particularly from someone in a position of power, it is absolutely not okay and nor is it your fault.

And this writer in particular would like to say to those people: you can get absolutely bloody fucked. And not in the way you want.

Source: TUC.

Photo: Mad Men.



If you are experiencing sexual harassment at work, ReachOut has some great resources available.
In a monster effort to expose the devastating trauma inflicted on detainees held by Australia on Nauru, The Guardian Australia has today published over 2,000 leaked incident reports detailing the assaults, sexual abuse, self-harm attempts, child abuse and living conditions experienced by asylum seekers.

Over half of the incidents in the Nauru Files involve children (51.3%), despite children only making up about 18% of those in detention. The reports are as sobering as they are confronting, and range from incidents of self-harm by detainees to Wilson Security Officers abusing both their power and their charges.

A few examples of the incidence reports include:

October 2014. A security officer approached a female detainee hospitalised after swallowing washing powder. Left alone with the woman, he stroked her leg and face and said her problem was that she hadnt had sex in two years. Why dont you have sex with me?

A security officer approached a female detainee hospitalised after swallowing washing powder. Left alone with the woman, he stroked her leg and face and said her problem was that she hadnt had sex in two years. September 2014. A young girl was laughed at by officers after she sowed her lips together. When her father demanded an apology from the ringleader the following night, he was told that the officer in question was at the airport, information that allegedly caused him to  significantly  self-harm later.

A young girl was laughed at by officers after she sowed her lips together. When her father demanded an apology from the ringleader the following night, he was told that the officer in question was at the airport, information that allegedly caused him to   self-harm later. January 2015. A detainee reported that another detainees young son had been sexually assaulted by an officer while they were being transported in the back of a car.

A detainee reported that another detainees young son had been sexually assaulted by an officer while they were being transported in the back of a car. October 2015. A pregnant detainee told a case worker that if she couldnt have her baby in Australia, she would use a razor blade to perform her own cesarian and kill herself. If I am made to have my baby on Nauru, I will have my baby in my tent and kill myself and my baby. I will not raise another child on Nauru.

A pregnant detainee told a case worker that if she couldnt have her baby in Australia, she would use a razor blade to perform her own cesarian and kill herself. June 2014. A young girl wrote in her school book that she was tired, didnt like the camp, and wanted to die.

In a truly astounding piece of digital journalism by The Guardian, every single one of the incidents are available to be seen in a sophisticated interactive here, and are colour-coded into yellow (minor), orange (major) and red (critical).

Paul Farrell, one of three Guardian journalists who worked on the Nauru Files, said that each of these reports are direct eyewitness testimony.

The Nauru files are the accounts of the guards, caseworkers, teachers and children protection officers. Its direct eyewitness testimony  Paul Farrell (@FarrellPF) August 9, 2016

The Guardian has even set up a page advising people on how to contact the reporting team more securely.

Amnesty Internationals Senior Director for Research Anna Neistat accused the Australian government of one of the most successful mass cover-ups Ive witnessed in my career of documenting human rights violations. Theyve repeatedly said this kind of abuse has not been going on. Theyve been lying.



She said the leak has laid bare a system of routine dysfunction and cruelty that is at once dizzying in its scale and utterly damning for the Australian authorities who tried so hard to maintain a veil of secrecy, and that Australia must resettle all refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island immediately.

GetUps Human Rights Director Shen Narayanasamy said that the leak showed the level of child abuse was worse than we previously knew and echoed Amnestys call to bring all detainees to Australia immediately.

Neither Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull nor Immigration Minister Peter Dutton have yet to make an official statement.

Source: The Guardian.

Photo: Facebook / Free The Children NAURU.
Donald Trump appears to be in the middle of testing a theory that he could say whatever the hell he wants, and would still get the votes.

Were referring to his recent comments at a campaign stop in Wilmington, North Carolina, where it sounded very much like he told the crowd to go out and assassinate Hillary Clinton.

Hillary wants to abolish the Second Amendment, he said, getting into the hotly debated topic of gun control.

By the way, if she gets to pick her [Supreme Court] judges, nothing you can do folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I dont know.



Its not like America has a history of presidents getting shot ah. Hang on a tic.

As you could imagine, this is not going down well. Trump is getting crucified across the board  except for his media team, whore taking breaks from repeatedly smashing their faces into nearby hard surfaces to issue statements explaining that he didnt actually mean what we think he means.

Donald Trump was obviously talking about American voters who are passionate about their Second Amendment rights and advocating they use that power at the ballot box, his media advisor Jason Miller said, which is kinda weird considering that either candidate would only be able to pick the judges *after* being elected president.

The Clinton campaign is desperate and is obviously throwing all sorts of outrageous charges. I am surprised so many reporters are falling hook-line-and-sinker for what is obviously a ridiculous charge.



Miller also appeared on CNN to claim that sometimes [Trump] says things that the way they come out are not the way that he means he misspeaks a lot. Christ.

Its a common refrain of Trumps to blame the dishonest media whenever he sticks his foot in it, but as this vine clearly shows, its not just the media whove picked up on this whole assassination thing.

The idea that only the dishonest media thought that Trumps comments were notable is debunked by this rallygoer.

https://t.co/Dweyc9ER0J  Candace Smith (@CandaceSmith_) August 9, 2016

Hmmmm.

US Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren and Martin Luther King Jr.s daughter Bernice King are among those slamming Trumps comments on Twitter.

.@realDonaldTrump makes death threats because hes a pathetic coward who cant handle the fact that hes losing to a girl.  Elizabeth Warren (@elizabethforma) August 9, 2016

As the daughter of a leader who was assassinated, I find #Trumps comments distasteful, disturbing, dangerous. His words dont #LiveUp. #MLK  Be A King (@BerniceKing) August 9, 2016

Even the former head of the CIA, retired General Michael Hayden, told CNN that if someone else had said that outside the hall, hed be in the back of a police wagon now with the Secret Service questioning him. Youre not just responsible for what you say. You are responsible for what people hear.



Clintons campaign manager Robby Mook issued a two sentence statement, which is really all this shit-show needs.

This is simple  what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way.

Cant fault you there.

Photo: Getty / Sara D. Davis.
Unless youre impervious to wistful nostalgia, youd have noticed all of your favourite mid-90s cartoons are having a bit of a moment. Hey Arnold! is getting itself a reboot, while the original broadcasters of Arthur The Aardvark have earnestly asked the internet to stop pilfering the series for smutty memes.

Doug  reliable, relatable, bulbously-nosed Doug  is no exception. While current rights-holders Disney havent expressed any interest in a reboot, creator Jim Jinkins has recently spoken about that series future permutations.

Talking to EW, Jinkins (what a perfectly Doug name, BTW) said the residents of Bluffington havent been forgotten. In his mind, theres enough material on the current lives of Doug, Patti Mayonnaise, Skeeter, Porkchop et al. to comprise a book, or even a play.

Thats cause Doug is somewhat autobiographical, with the creator saying many scenes from the series were lifted directly from his own life. Of course, that means the constant will-they tension between the protagonist and the ever-sweet Patti was plucked from reality too.

And thats a reality Jinkins opened up on, when he discussed the time he met up with Pattis IRL inspiration in the Big City, years after the series ended:

Shes like, I was at the reunion! You werent! and I was like, YeahsorryI had to work. And she goes, I found out you live in New York. Guess whatI do, too! And she told me where she lives. We lived across Central Park from each other. And she says, Why dont you come over for dinner?

So now were in a Doug show. Im like, what do I wear? What will she look like!? All thats happening as Im walking across Central Park to her apartment, just wondering and just hoping, all those things. I was, at the time, very available.

She opens the door, and shes perfect. Just perfect. She just looks spectacular and shes so happy, and her arms fly up and we hug, and Im just like [frightened guttural gasping noises] And she was just funny and fun and innocent, but its like Doug and Patti together again, ten years later, right?

So this is all wonderful, right? And then she wheels and goes, Oh, Jimmy, I want you to meet my husband. And I dont even remember the rest of the evening.



If youre still reading this, that means your heart has recovered sufficiently to hear Jinkins realistic appraisal of the sitch. He explained Doug + Patti doesnt happen because, really, most people dont end up with their first love.

That doesnt mean Doug never welcomes another love into his pure little heart. Jinkins explains that in his reckoning, removed from the grounding of his lived experiences, its possible Doug and his ovoid noggin find happiness with another cartoon cutie.

Still, that story has yet to be written. All weve got for the moment is the cruel, canonical, crushing reality of unrequited love.

Doo do do, do do do doo, do do, do do.

Source: EW.

Photo: YouTube.
Harrisburg Skyline.jpg

The Fulton Bank sign, a fixture of the Harrisburg skyline for over 30 years dimmed its lights in December for a makeover. The sign was re-lighted Tuesday May 6th. complete with 20,000 LED lights that will use 10 amps of power as opposed to the previous 200 amps and will cost approximately $860 per year as opposed to the former price of almost $14,000 per year. May 6th 2008 Sean Simmers The Patriot-News

(Sean Simmers)

AskPA, PennLive's newest column, wants to answer your questions about Pennsylvania. It could be about local history, how something works or even that thing on the corner of whatchamacallit street.

Find out how you can send us your questions at the bottom of this story or through this link.

Harrisburg has a distinctive skyline, from the dome of the Pennsylvania Capitol to the red letters above the Fulton Bank building. One reader, however, wanted to find out what's the next structure to make its mark on the outline of the city.

The question that got nearly 50 percent of the votes in last week's AskPA voting round was whether there are any plans for new skyscrapers or high rises in Harrisburg. Here's what we found out.

Jackie Parker, director of the Department of Community and Economic Development, said there are currently no plans for commercial or mixed-use structures filed with the city at this time. She said there are only "inquiries right now."

The Harrisburg city council and planning bureau, though, has approved Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency's plan to construct an eight-story building that'll be connected to their current offices near the intersection of Front and Locust streets, according to director of communications Scott Elliott. The agency only needs a building permit right now.

Construction on the building has a tentative start date of Oct. 1, 2016, and completion date of Dec. 21, 2017, Elliott said.

That new structure is located in one of Harrisburg's nine zoning districts, which each have height restrictions for new structures, according to the city's zoning code. The only two categories that do not have maximum height restrictions for upcoming developments are the downtown center and industrial districts. The highest maximum height restriction is 200 feet for institutional districts.

There's another step when developing taller structures in the city to make sure that it's not in the flight path of planes landing or taking off from Harrisburg International Airport, according to the zoning code. Harrisburg is situated within the Airport Zoning Overlay District, which means there are certain requirement of new developments within that area. Any developer who wants to build a new structure that's higher than the surrounding buildings or alter an existing one has to run it by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's Bureau of Aviation. The only exception to this rule are buildings that are less than 200 feet, though that also depends on how the ground elevation affects its height.

Before the changes to the zoning code in 2014, Harristown Enterprises president Bradley Jones said it was difficult to develop certain structures within the city limits. The organization has developed a number of properties within downtown Harrisburg, including Strawberry Square and the Hilton Harrisburg and Towers.

The city was previously divided into 29 zoning districts, which a PennLive.com article published July 9, 2014, stated "confused residents and deterred investment." As Jones explains it, Harrisburg was a "patchwork quilt of uses" with different restrictions on new developments.

"Now, with the changes that were made in 2014, those changes have been given a much broader and more flexible mixed-use environment here for downtown, which would allow for very tall high rise structures," he said.

Parker and Jones also said that the introduction of property tax breaks under the state's Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance law would promote the development of such buildings in the future. It would allow for 100-percent tax breaks for improvements to residential properties and a minimum 50-percent tax break for improvements or new constructions for commercial properties in the city over 10 years, according to previous reporting by PennLive.com.

"That was a strong step in the right direction, and I think that program will certainly be a good incentive to help developers make their numbers work a little better to get that project started, Jones said.

One of the benefits would be that developers can construct taller buildings on smaller lots within the downtown center district, Parker said. That's more space for more jobs needed for higher tax breaks under the program.

John -- he didn't give a last name -- submitted this week's question to AskPA. Is there something you'd like to know about Pennsylvania? Let us know.

Email your questions to PennLive.com life and culture reporter J.C. Lee at jlee@pennlive.com.

Mail your question to 2020 Technology Parkway, Suite 300, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 (attn: J.C. Lee)

Tweet your questions to PennLive.com at

Send us a snap of your question through Snapchat. Just add "Pennlive" to your friends list or scan our code

Type your question in the form below and click "Submit."
Baltimore police

FILE - In this April 29, 2015 file photo, police stand in formation as a curfew approaches in Baltimore. Baltimore police officers routinely discriminate against blacks, repeatedly use excessive force and are not adequately held accountable for misconduct, according to a harshly critical Justice Department report being presented Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016.

(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

BALTIMORE (AP) -- The Justice Department and Baltimore Police agreed to negotiate reforms that can be enforced by the courts after a scathing federal report released Wednesday criticized officers for using excessive force and routinely discriminating against blacks.

The report, the culmination of a yearlong investigation into one of the country's largest police forces, found that officers make a large number of stops -- mostly in poor, black neighborhoods -- with dubious justification and unlawfully arrest citizens when officers "did not like what those individuals said."

"These violations have deeply eroded the relationship between the police and community it serves," Vanita Gupta, the head of the Justice Department's civil rights division, said during a news conference alongside the city's mayor and police commissioner.

The report represents a damning indictment of how the city's police officers carry out the most fundamental of policing practices, including traffic stops and searches.

Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said officers who committed egregious violations have been fired. He and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake promised the report would serve as a blueprint for sweeping changes.

The court-enforceable consent decree will force the police agency to commit to improving its procedures to avoid a lawsuit. The decree likely will not be finalized for many months, Gupta said.

The federal investigation was launched after the April 2015 death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man whose neck was broken while he was handcuffed and shackled but left unrestrained in the back of a police van. The death set off protests and the worst riots in decades.

The Justice Department has undertaken similar wide-reaching investigations into the police in Chicago, Cleveland, Albuquerque and Ferguson, Mo., among other cities.

The report went far beyond the circumstances of Gray's death to examine a slew of potentially unconstitutional practices, including excessive force and discriminatory traffic stops.

Federal investigators spent more than a year interviewing Baltimore residents, police officers, prosecutors, public defenders and elected officials, as well as riding along with officers on duty and reviewing documents and complaints.

"Nearly everyone who spoke to us ... agreed the Baltimore Police Department needs sustainable reform," Gupta said.

Among the findings: Black residents account for roughly 84 percent of stops, though they represent just 63 percent of the city's population. Likewise, African-Americans make up 95 percent of the 410 people stopped at least 10 times by officers from 2010-15.

During the same time period, officers stopped 34 black residents 20 times, and seven African-Americans 30 times or more. No individuals of any other race were stopped more than 12 times.

One man who spoke to investigators said he was stopped 30 times in less than four years. At least 15 of those stops, he said, were to check for outstanding warrants. None of the stops resulted in charges.

In addition to pat-downs, Baltimore officers perform unconstitutional public strip searches, including searches of people who aren't under arrest.

Officers routinely use unreasonable and excessive force, including against juveniles and citizens who aren't dangerous or posing an immediate threat, the report said.

"BPD teaches officers to use aggressive tactics," the report said. "BPD's trainings fuel an 'us vs. them' mentality we saw some officers display toward community members, alienating the civilians they are meant to serve."

The report partially blames the department's unconstitutional practices on a "zero tolerance" policy dating back to the early 2000s, during which residents were arrested en masse for minor misdemeanor charges such as loitering.

Although the department has publicly denounced these practices after a 2010 settlement with the NAACP, which sued the department over the policing strategy, "the legacy of the zero tolerance era continues to influence officer activity and contribute to constitutional violations," the report said.

Officers also routinely stop and question individuals without cause or a legitimate suspicion that they're involved in criminal activity, the report says: No charges were filed in 26 of every 27 pedestrian stops. The directives often come from supervisors. In one instance, a supervisor told a subordinate officer to "make something up" after the officer protested an order to stop and question a group of young black men for no reason.

State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, the city's top prosecutor, said she expected the report to "confirm what many in our city already know or have experienced firsthand."

"While the vast majority of Baltimore City Police officers are good officers, we also know that there are bad officers and that the department has routinely failed to oversee, train, or hold bad actors accountable," she said in a statement.

Six officers, three white and three black, were charged in the death of Gray. Three were acquitted, another officer's trial ended in a mistrial and the charges against the others were dropped.
Donald Trump Campaigns at Cumberland Valley High School

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump campaigns at Cumberland Valley High School on Monday August 1, 2016. Daniel Zampogna, PennLive

(Daniel Zampogna, Pennlive)

This was supposed to be the week Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump rebooted his campaign, starting with his economic plan Monday.

But Trump is having trouble staying on message.

In the latest controversy surrounding his campaign, Trump is being accused of inciting violence against his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

The words came Tuesday during a campaign stop in Wilmington, North Carolina, while Trump was talking about how the next president would appoint Supreme Court justices.

"Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the second amendment," Trump said.

"If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the second amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know," he said.

Donald Trump: "2nd Amendment people" could deal with Hillary Clinton https://t.co/r4VRPVq5r3 https://t.co/o6NXoMZhf0  CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 10, 2016

Nevermind that Clinton has never said or implied she wants to abolish the right to bear arms. She has, however, called for tighter gun controls, such as keeping people on the no-fly list from buying guns.

The focus here is on the extraordinary words of a presidential candidate most political analysts say have never been uttered by someone seeking the nation's highest office.

David Gergen, who has worked for Democratic and Republican administrations, said Trump's words were a dog whistle to mentally ill people who may hear this as a nudge to shoot the woman Trump has previously described as "crooked" and a "criminal."

At Trump's rallies, including a recent one in Mechanicsburg, the crowds chant, "Lock her up! Lock her up! Lock her up!"

During the Republican National Convention, a Trump adviser said Clinton should face a firing squad.

Trump's latest words continue the demonization of Clinton and could inspire "a crazy person out there" to do harm, Gergen said on CNN Tuesday night.

The Trump campaign said the candidate was motivating Second Amendment supporters to vote in November and stop Clinton. Trump later touted the same message, saying the media was twisting his words.

Media desperate to distract from Clinton's anti-2A stance. I said pro-2A citizens must organize and get out vote to save our Constitution!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2016

However, many political analysts said they don't believe him, especially because he was talking about what would happen after Clinton was elected.

Democrats especially expressed outrage.

Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said, "This is simple - what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way."

"A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way." pic.twitter.com/Uu55CBCqdK  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 9, 2016

Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, where the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting took place in Newtown in 2012, said in a tweet: "Don't treat this as a political misstep. It's an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy & crisis."

Don't treat this as a political misstep. It's an assassination threat, seriously upping the possibility of a national tragedy & crisis.  Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) August 9, 2016

Several columnists for national newspapers are also saying Trump has gone too far. Here are some of their reactions:

The Washington Post: The GOP must dump Trump

The New York Times: Further Into the Muck With Mr. Trump

Los Angeles Times: Was Trump's 2nd Amendement reference clumsy phrasing, or a call to violence?

What do you think? Tell us in the comments.
Mary Knowlton arrived at the Punta Gorda, Fla., police station Tuesday night to learn how to be a community steward.

The 73-year-old was there as a student in the citizen academy, a free, eight-week class intended to give an "up-close and personal look" at what makes government in the quaint Florida town work. On this night, the group of 35 would tour the station and talk with officers, an essential part of the academy curriculum that has gained popularity cross-country amid a heated national debate about police violence.

When it came time to get that up-close look, Knowlton volunteered.

The hosting officers chose two students to role-play in a lethal force simulation, a scenario intended to demonstrate how and when officers decide to pull the trigger. Knowlton played the victim, Charlotte Sun photographer Sue Paquin told the newspaper, and a Punta Gorda police officer played a "bad guy." These scenarios are usually safe, acted out with either fake or empty weapons.

But when the officer's gun was fired, Knowlton - a mother, wife and career librarian - was hit with live ammunition.

She was rushed to a local hospital and pronounced dead.

The tragedy has rocked the historic waterfront town on Florida's east coast, home to 17,500 people and a popular destination for retirees. In a live press conference Tuesday night, Punta Gorda Police Chief Tom Lewis called the shooting a "horrible accident," and said that everyone involved in the incident is in a "state of overwhelming shock and grief."

"Our entire police department and all of our city leaders are absolutely devastated for everyone involved in this unimaginable event," Lewis said. "I am asking that if you pray, you pray for Mary's husband and family and for all of the officers and witnesses involved in this incident."

Knowlton's Facebook page says she worked at the public library in Scott County, Minn., where she is from. In recent years, she and her husband moved south to Punta Gorda, where she continued her librarian work and served on the Friends of the Punta Gorda Library board of directors.

Authorities have not yet released where Knowlton was shot, why there were bullets in the officer's gun or explained how exactly the tragedy unfolded. The officer, whose name has not been released, was placed on administrative leave, police said. The chief asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to conduct an independent investigation.
Ed Marsico Jr., DA

Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico

Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico said Wednesday that his office is participating in the probe of a shooting that injured a 15-year-old boy at a youth center in Harrisburg.



His investigators are coordinating with city police, Marsico said, but will go beyond making a determination on whether criminal charges should be filed over the boy's shooting by a counselor at the Alternative Rehabilitation Communities facility in the 2800 block of Penn Street.



His office also will "see if there are any recommendations we can make to assure the safety of the children," Marsico said. He said President Judge Richard A. Lewis has voiced concern over the incident.

Lewis said Wednesday that, "Our primary concern is for the well-being of the youngster who was injured in this most unfortunate incident. Whether it rises to a criminal matter is the DA's decision, but we will evaluate the results very closely as we review all policies and procedures of agencies entrusted with the care and supervision of juveniles on behalf of our court system."

ARC is a private facility the county uses for treatment of juvenile criminal offenders.



Initial indications are that the counselor accidentally shot the boy in the leg Tuesday afternoon while showing the weapon to a group of teens, police said. The injured boy is expected to recover.



Daniel Elby, the CEO of ARC, told PennLive on Tuesday that the shooting was accidental and the part-time counselor, a local minister, is on unpaid leave while the matter is investigated. The counselor is licensed to carry a gun, Elby said, but he noted that ARC bars firearms from its properties.



An attempt to reach Elby for additional comment on Wednesday wasn't immediately successful.



On its website, the 41-year-old Harrisburg-based ARC states, "Our service philosophy supports a home-like, community-based focus for our students." The nonprofit agency accepts at-risk clients ages 11 to 19 who have been adjudicated by the court. Four years ago, county commissioners leased the former Schaffer Youth Center to ARC as a cost-saving measure.

This story has been updated with comment from Dauphin County President Judge Richard A. Lewis.
NORRISTOWN -- One key component of Kathleen Kane's defense strategy Wednesday was the prospect that the attorney general simply forgot that she was sworn to uphold grand jury secrecy.

On cross-examination, Kane's attorneys asked two prosecution witnesses about the grand jury oaths they were sworn to uphold and the events of the day she -- and many other staffers -- signed the first oaths of her new administration in 2013.

One of the perjury charges facing the attorney general was derived from a statement she made that she was not sworn into the 2009 grand jury that investigated former Philadelphia NAACP President J. Whyatt Mondesire. Prosecutors allege that Kane leaked information from that probe -- which did not result in charges against Mondesire -- as part of a revenge plot against former AG's office prosecutors and lied about.

"No one goes through life without making honest mistakes," Kane's lead attorney, Gerald Shargel, said during opening arguments on Tuesday.

To illustrate the point, another Kane attorney -- Douglas Rosenblum -- called up two grand jury oaths that were signed by Kane's former First Deputy Bruce Beemer in 2015. One was signed on May 28, the other on June 30, and both required Beemer to keep any information related to the state's 39th investigating grand jury secret.

"You must have forgotten," Rosenblum offered.

"I don't," Beemer said, then paused. "If someone came to me and said 'we have more grand jury oaths to sign -- we do them routinely. I probably don't even look at the numbers."

"So you just forgot?" Rosenblum pressed.

"I can't say why I signed the second one," the veteran prosecutor replied. "I don't know that, on June 30th of 2015, if I forgot or not or if they handed me one and I didn't really look."

Yet another Kane attorney, Seth Farber, asked David Peifer a series of questions about the signing of the grand jury oaths in 2013 when Kane originally took office. Who was there? Did you sign them quickly?

Peifer recalled a number of people who were in the room, but he conceded that he may have missed a few holdovers from the outgoing administration of Kane's predecessor, Linda Kelly, who stepped in when Tom Corbett was elected governor.

As for the pace of the signing, Peifer said, "well, you signed them."

But Beemer pointed out that he never operated under the mistaken idea that he wasn't bound to protect the secrecy of historical grand juries. Signing the same oath twice doesn't negate the fact that it was signed, he said.

Earlier in his testimony on Wednesday, Beemer said there was no doubt that the materials at the heart of the Mondesire leak were protected by state grand jury secrecy laws.

"The contents of that 2009 memo constitute material that cannot be released," he said. "If the material that's in that document can be released, we might as well do away with grand jury secrecy."

With all the attention on grand juries this week, it's worth remember what they do and why their deliberations are kept secret: They help determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence to pursue criminal cases and, until the 1970s, often also indicted criminal defendants. Today, they serve a mostly advisory capacity as so-called "investigative grand juries."

Since the burden of proof for a grand jury is much lower than at trial, their work has always been sacrosanct -- with investigators, jurors and even legal clerks sworn to secrecy. Depending on the supervising judge's prerogative, witnesses are often allowed to discuss their own testimony. If charges are filed, judges can also permit grand jury materials to be used at trial.

The reason for that level of secrecy, Beemer said, is that the subjects of investigations--including Mondesire--are not always charged. They are still entitled to due process.

"We don't want that to get out into the public because it could adversely affect someone's reputation," he said, during testimony on Tuesday, "or have devastating consequences if the public were to find out."
Screen Shot 2016-08-10 at 9.54.36 AM.png

Eric Martin

(Bloomberg, screen shot)

An act of well-informed risk-taking has paid off big for Eric Martin of York County.



It led to the 30-year-old York Township resident getting in on the ground floor of Jet.com, an online shopping venture and would-be rival of Amazon.com.



Now, Walmart's purchase of Jet for $3.3 billion has made Martin rich.



More than a year ago, Martin had won a contest prize of 100,000 shares of Jet common stock. Now, his stake is worth between $10 and million and $20 million, according to news reports.



According to Business Insider, "Martin says that he has no big celebration plans today, besides perhaps buying some snow crab legs to eat with his family for dinner. He doesn't know yet what he'll do with the money long-term either, but says he's already received a couple of texts joking that he'll need to get a new security system."



Business Insider quoted Martin as saying, "I've told my wife in the past that someday we'll go to Thailand again, because she grew up there, so now that will definitely happen eventually ... Our kids are one and three right now, so it's kind of awkward timing. Other than that, I'll have to think about it."



According to a 2015 profile by ydr.com, Martin works in IT and has a self-professed "history of having wild ideas and trying them."



Last January, Martin saw a news story about Jet.com, and wound up participating in a program that offered stock options to people who got others to sign up for membership in Jet.com. He spent about $18,000 on online ads that led to 8,000 referrals and the top prize of 100,000 stock options, according to ydr.com.



Martin's previous "wild ideas" include an unsuccessful run for U.S. Congress in the race eventually won by Scott Perry, according to ydr.com.
HARRISBURG--About 300 people packed a Harrisburg church Tuesday night for a community meeting, less than 48 hours after a police officer fatally shot a 20-year-old man.

The man's mother, Kim Thomas, spoke for more than 30 minutes at the start of the meeting at Goodwin Memorial Baptist Church, which is about a block away from the home she shared with her son, Earl Shaleek Pinckney.

Thomas directly addressed Police Chief Thomas Carter, asking him to train his officers to get to know residents personally.

"We need police officers in our community to know who is in their neighborhoods," she said. "They need to know who's who. I want this. You can make it happen."

Harrisburg Police Chief Thomas Carter hugged Kim Thomas during a community meeting Aug. 9, 2016, after she addressed him directly about better policing in the city.

She later hugged him on stage and said she would hug him again, twice, if he could deliver on her request.

Thomas called for peace and condemned any planned violence, especially by people outside of the city who may come in looking for trouble after the police shooting.

"If we just stick together, we don't need somebody else," she said. "I don't want you here. I got this."

Carter addressed the crowd after Thomas and asked the community to heed Thomas' words.

"We can demonstrate, but do it peacefully," he said. "We can be angry, but express it in a way so that it is heard. Please, please let the criminal justice system run its course and the truth will be shown."

An officer shot Pinckney about 9:15 p.m. Sunday after Pinckney put a knife to his mother's neck and refused to drop it, according to authorities. Thomas disputes the police version.

"He don't want to kill his mom because I would have been dead," she said during her remarks. "Not only me but somebody else."

Carter said he would not overlook or hide bad behavior by his officers. He asked residents to report any problems to him so he could take action.

"I will not tolerate anything that is not right," he said. "And I'm not going to say anybody did anything wrong without all the facts."

After his remarks, Carter--in an impromptu move-- asked if a basket could be passed around to collect donations for Pinckney's four-week-old baby girl. Carter then personally presented the basket to Thomas, who was seated with other relatives.

The respect between Thomas and Carter represented the highlight of the night for Kevin Dolphin, who runs a community outreach group called Breaking the Chainz. Dolphin helped emcee the meeting.

"I felt that the mom, Ms. Kim and the chief of police, their dialogue and their ability to hug, that showed unity," Dolphin said. "From what I know, this has not been done before after a tragedy, that police are able to come together with the community and there was no arguments."

More than a dozen members of the audience asked questions or posed solutions during the meeting, with several suggesting better police training. One woman said officers should look at residents with whom they interact, even in volatile situations, as if they were family members.

"You would have more leniency if it were your family," she said.

Many people advocated for more unity and collaboration among churches, nonprofits and residents instead of each person or entity "trying to be the boss."

One man asked if police had body cameras, and if not, why not.

The department doesn't have body cameras, Carter said, because the digital storage of all the video is cost-prohibitive. The city is looking for ways to find the money to start such a program, he said.

Council President Wanda Williams helped to close out the meeting by asking for prayers for Pinckney's family and the family of the officer who shot Pinckney because "they are also affected by this tragedy."

Councilman Cornelius Johnson said Tuesday's meeting would launch a series of future meetings planned by city officials to get public input and ideas.

"We want to take the information we got today and from these meetings, to help up prioritize the community's needs," he said.

Monique Govan said she was glad the community had a chance to come together.

"We are all coming together for this family and our family. It doesn't matter whose child it was," who was killed," she said. "Because we are a city. We are a family."
When police officers encounter an armed suspect, they must use their judgment and training to determine the kind of threat the suspect poses, according to policing experts.

How close is the suspect to other people? What threats did the suspect make? Is the suspect being cooperative?

Those are some of the questions an officer may consider when weighing the use of deadly force, said Isaac Suydam, director of training at the Municipal Police Officers Education Training Center in Pennsylvania, which is responsible for developing the curriculum used to train police officers in Harrisburg and across the state.

There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer for what officers should do when they encounter someone with a weapon, Suydam said. Each 911 call presents differing facts and circumstances, leaving only case law, an officer's tactical training and the officer's judgment to decide what action is justified.

"What counts as justification?" Suydam said. "You have to make a judgment call, in each situation: is your life or someone else's life is in danger?"

In a fatal police shooting Sunday in Harrisburg, relatives had called 911 to summon police after Earl Shaleek Pinckney, 20, reportedly threatened to kill his mother with a knife.

Police say Pinckney had a knife against his mother's throat and that he refused to drop the knife, according to District Attorney Ed Marsico. Pinckney retained his grasp on his mother while holding the knife, but at a lower level than her neck, Marsico said. At that time, an officer fired a single shot, killing Pinckney

Police recovered a knife with a four-inch blade at the scene in the 2300 block of Green Street.

Marsico said the mother initially reported to police that her son had a knife, but later changed her story to reporters saying he didn't have a knife. The mother, Kim Thomas, also retained an attorney who said that relatives dispute the police version of events.

Marsico provided an outline of the fatal police shooting at a news conference Monday but didn't get into specifics because the case is still being investigated. Court records showed Pinckney had pleaded guilty three months ago to threatening his mother with a knife and threatening to kill her in December.

Lacking specifics and an agreed-upon set of facts makes Sunday's shooting in Harrisburg difficult to analyze for appropriate use of force, said Steve Ijames, a retired deputy police chief from Springfield, Mo., and respected expert on less-lethal force options, including pepper spray and stun guns. He writes policies for the International Association of Chiefs of Police as a national policy center board member.

The IACP's guidelines, or best practices for police departments across the nation, spell out the priorities officers should consider when facing armed suspects at volatile scenes, Ijames said.

"The hostage, or person in jeopardy, is the number one priority," he said.

Next on the prioritization list are bystanders, then police officers and lastly, the suspect.

Officers are taught to rescue a hostage as soon as is safely possible, Ijames said.

"If a hostage is in immediate deadly jeopardy, once that knife comes off the throat, if the officer has a chance, the IACP model policy says you will move to neutralize that threat," Ijames said.

Less lethal options such as batons, pepper spray and stun guns aren't appropriate for a potentially deadly situation involving a knife, Ijames said.

"The reason less-lethal is never appropriate is because those methods aren't effective in stopping a potentially deadly threat," he said.

Bean-bag rounds fired from special shotguns and stun guns aren't guaranteed to work, especially on the first attempt.

Trying a less-lethal method is "literally rolling the dice on the hostage's life," he said.

Deadly force is the only option when a hostage is in danger, Ijames said.

"We really don't have anything better," Ijames said. "Could the officer have stood there and talked to him, 'Please don't' and all of that? Sure, and during that conversation he plunges that knife into her neck."

An officer can choose not to act to rescue a hostage, Ijames said, but that would be "completely outside of contemporary policing and practice."

Harrisburg has its own example of a situation where an officer chose negotiation over gunshots with a knife-wielding man in an apartment in February 2000.

The man, Herbert Blakeney had stabbed a woman in the chest and refused to drop the knife. The officer didn't shoot, but instead continued to issue demands that were ignored. The man then retreated down a hall, grabbed a 14-month-old baby, and killed the baby by nearly decapitating him in front of the officer.

"It's a very tough call to make," Ijames said of shooting an armed suspect. "If you're going to err, it's going to be on the side of the innocent person with a knife to their throat every time."

Since the facts of Harrisburg's shooting are being disputed by relatives, one has to consider two general versions, Ijames said: Either the suspect had a knife or he didn't.

If what Harrisburg police say is true about Sunday's incident, "its' not even a close call," whether the shooting was justified, Ijames said.

But "if that's not factual," he said, meaning there was no knife, "then standards would of course not justify shooting."

"It becomes a matter of weight and credibility," Ijames said. "If the officer shot him and lied about him having a knife, I'll be the first one to come testify against him."

Without a knife in the scenario, "then there is room for beanbag, Taser, everything changes," Ijames said.

A suspect's mental health status doesn't factor into an officer's decision when a hostage's life hangs in the balance, he said. But it would come into play if the suspect were standing alone or 10 feet away from the closest bystander.

"The question is, 'Gosh, could we have done something else?' and I get it," Ijames said.

But he said officers must make split-second decisions without the benefit of hindsight.

"You can't get tangled up on things you absolutely can't predict," he said. "You have to act on reasonable appearance. That's it. You don't look any deeper than that."

Some people, including Pinckney's girlfriend have suggested that Harrisburg police should have approached Pinckney differently, more slowly, to talk things out or let his mother handle things before resorting to shooting.

"Everything you're talking about is relevant when an innocent life doesn't hang in the balance," Ijames said. "None of that applies if an innocent person hangs in the balance. Nothing. Not that you're mentally ill. Not that you're a family member.

The single most critical aspect is the severity of the crime involved, and if you're threatening someone with death there is nothing higher."

Police officers in Pennsylvania get about 20 weeks of training at one of 25 police academies across the state before becoming certified as officers. Included in that training is 44 hours on defensive tactics and use of force, according to Suydam, who helped create the curriculum.

There are eight hours of classroom study on use of force, four hours of classroom study on tactical self-defense, which covers striking, control grips, and pressure points and 32 hours of hands-on exercises to deal with deadly and less than lethal force.

In addition, police cadets get four hours training on crisis intervention and behavioral management, four hours on conflict management and dispute intervention, 11 hours recognizing special needs and four hours for hostage or barricaded situations.

The training is set up to discuss various scenarios that could occur and what officers should consider, but because each situation is unique, there isn't a one-size-fits all answer to every 911 involving a man with a weapon, Suydam said.

"We teach a lot about it, and we talk a lot about it," he said. "But in the end, the police officer has to make the judgment call."

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was updated to clarify the events before the fatal shooting
NORRISTOWN -- Bruce Beemer initially assumed the secret grand jury materials leaked to the Philadelphia Daily News came from a source inside the attorney general's satellite office in Norristown.

That changed after several heated exchanges the former aide had with Kathleen Kane herself in the months following an article detailing the defunct 2009 probe of former Philadelphia NAACP President J. Whyatt Mondesire.

"You know, Bruce, if I get taken out of here in handcuffs, what do you think my last act will be?" Beemer recalled the attorney general telling him in an October 2014 conversation, as a grand jury was in the midst of investigating Kane.

The veteran prosecutor testified during Kane's criminal trial on Wednesday that his boss' reluctance to investigate the leak and her cryptic remark forced him to reassess the situation.

When asked by prosecutor Michelle Henry about whether, following that exchange and others, he still thought Norristown was the source of the leak, he replied: "I feared that it was not."

Earlier in 2014, Beemer -- who was chief of the office's criminal prosecution section at the time -- had discussed the Mondesire case in a meeting with two other AG's office staffers, Michael Miletto and David Peifer. Material from a 2009 memo he was shown at the meeting and from a transcribed interview between Miletto and Peifer appeared months later in the Daily News.

On June 6, 2014, the day the article appeared, Beemer testified that he called Kane on his lunch break to tell her that it was clear the material had come from the office and that he wanted permission to investigate the source.

Her response, according to Beemer, was: "Don't worry about it. It's not a big deal. We have more important things to do."

In his handwritten notes about the day's events, which were entered in as evidence Wednesday, he wrote: "Isn't this a GJ leak??"

Kane's criminal prosecutors allege that she orchestrated the Mondesire leak as a response to a prior Philadelphia Inquirer report about a legislative sting the attorney general shut down. Kane, they argue, assumed her rivals -- and specifically Frank Fina -- leaked the sting information, arranged one of her own and then lied about it.

At the time, however, Beemer did not suspect Kane herself.

"I was convinced it came out of the Norristown office," he recalled. "We had some issues and problems with the office down there and I thought we have to get this under control."

Former First Deputy AG Bruce Beemer

Beemer, who now serves as inspector general, was not asked to elaborate on what those issues were, but he noted that Miletto, a special agent, worked out of the Norristown office.

Later that summer, it became clear that a supervising judge had appointed a special prosecutor to assist with a grand jury investigation of the leak. Beemer took it upon himself, without Kane's instruction, to pledge the office's cooperation.

"I was relieved, to be perfectly candid about it," he recalled. "I was convinced the leak had to have come out of our office and I thought it would have been difficult for us to conduct our own inquiry into it."

On July 28, 2014, the attorney general called her aide during his lunch break and the pair discussed the Daily News article and the leak probe in a 44-minute conversation. He left his colleagues -- and his half-eaten meal -- at MoMo's restaurant in Harrisburg and carried on the conversation in a nearby alley.

Kane asked Beemer to "try to file something," either in the state Supreme Court or with the supervising grand jury judge, to challenge the leak investigation.

"My heart sank a little," Beemer said, adding: "I had been operating under the belief that this was the right course of action that we really should get to the bottom of all of this."

During that phone call, Beemer said his boss went item by item, saying she didn't believe the material was covered by grand jury secrecy. In his mind, Beemer thought his boss was reading directly from the 2009 memo, although under cross examination by Kane counsel, he admitted he did not know for sure.

Kane also raised the issue that the possible leaker may not have signed a grand jury secrecy oath for the 2009 grand jury that investigated Mondesire, according to Beemer. The aide, however, said he didn't think that mattered.

"It's really irrelevant whether somebody has actually signed the oath if they are inside the office," Beemer said. "If somebody's within a position in the criminal division with access to this material and they haven't signed a grand jury oath . . . it doesn't change the fact that you cannot disclose that information."

By the end of the conversation, the aide had grown frustrated.

"Quite frankly, general," Beemer recalled saying. "I would think you'd want to know who in your office released this information and I can't understand why you wouldn't want that information."

Kane's response, according to Beemer: "O.K., well, fine, stay on top of it and keep me apprised of what's going on."

From the defense table, Kane remained firmly planted in her seat during Beemer's testimony, her left hand held upright against the table, gripping a pen.

Beemer said he had no doubt that material in the Daily News article was covered by grand jury secrecy laws. Its release was problematic because no charges had been handed down in the case.

Several months later, in October, Beemer and Kane were once again discussing possible responses to the leak investigation. After a "back and forth" between the two, Kane issued her cryptic statement: "You know, Bruce, if I get taken out of here in handcuffs, what do you think my last act will be?"

That remark concerned Beemer.

"I knew she was unhappy with me," he testified Wednesday, but he was more concerned for the other prosecutors who agreed with his perspective on the situation. "I was concerned about it, but we moved on."

Beemer would later get a call from Wanda Scheib, the secretary who brought the secrecy oaths Kane signed to the attention of prosecutors. After meeting in person, Beemer brought the content of their discussion to the attention of Kevin Steele, the lead prosecutor in the Kane criminal case and now the Montgomery County district attorney.

READ MORE: Live coverage from Kane trial Day 3

According to prosecutors, the oaths that Scheib brought to Beemer's attention contradicted Kane's prior testimony under oath that she hadn't signed an oath for the materials that were the subject of the alleged leaks. That, in turn, formed the basis for one of the perjury charges against Kane.

In his cross-examination, Kane attorney Douglas Rosenblum asked about the limits of an attorney's responsibility to protect grand jury secrecy. He showed a screenshot of a press conference in which Kane discussed the legislative sting, with Beemer standing -- his face emotionless -- behind his boss.

"You didn't pull her off the stage and shout . . . 'Stop! Stop!'?" The defense attorney asked.

Beemer replied: "I don't think anybody can stop the attorney general from doing what she wants to do."
NORRISTOWN - Much of Wednesday afternoon's testimony in the trial of Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane dealt with the secret documents she is accused of leaking.

And the agents who wondered how that information got in the paper.

Kane is accused orchestrating the leak of secret grand jury documents from a 2009 investigation to the Philadelphia Daily News in retaliation for what she believed was another leak from former prosecutor Frank Fina that spawned an earlier story in the Philadelphia Inquirer that was critical of her.

A former agent for the attorney general's office, Michael Miletto, already testified Wednesday that when he read the article about the 2009 investigation that netted no charges against former Philadelphia NAACP president J. Whyatt Mondesire, he was surprised and concerned because it was based on secret grand jury information.

Beyond that, it also included details from an interview between special agent David Peifer and himself after Peifer was directed to review the case.

"I was kind of angry that this taped statement that was supposed to be used for notes went out to the newspaper," Miletto said.

And when Peifer took the stand later on Wednesday, he had a stronger word than "angry."

"I was pissed to say the least," Peifer said.

Peifer, who was granted immunity for his testimony, said he was also wondering where the leak could have come from.

"Our names are associated with that and it's grand jury material," Peifer said. "That statement was attributed to me. I wanted people to know I didn't leak that statement."

Then who did?

Right away, Peifer reached out to Kane, his boss, whom he said told him, "I would never suspect you of leaking a document. Don't worry about it."

Also shocked to see the story was William Davis, a deputy attorney general at the Norristown office who had been involved with the Mondesire case, too. Just before the story ran, he got a call from the reporter, Chris Brennan, asking about the investigation that had been dropped.

Davis said he did not comment, but it seemed that Brennan was reading from a memo that he had sent his superiors, outlining the reasons he believed they should further investigate Mondesire on suspicion of the misuse of money intended for the NAACP.

And on cross examination, defense attorney Seth Farber used the cases of Garrett and Gimenez to show that information about the grand jury investigation had already been out in the public prior to the leak Kane is accused of committing.

But Davis pointed out that Mondesire's name may have been mentioned at that time, but those earlier stories did not contain the level of information that came from his memo.

Follow the Kathleen Kane trial this week at PennLive.
UPDATE:

NORRISTOWN -- It was a closed case.

A 2009 investigation by Agent Michael Miletto of the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office had come to an end with no charges being filed against J. Whyatt Mondesire, former Philadelphia NAACP president.

That's why the agent was a little surprised when one of his superiors from the attorney general's office started asking him questions about the case five years later.

And he was upset when he read his recorded statements from that discussion in the newspaper.

Miletto took the stand Wednesday in the case of Attorney General Kathleen Kane, who faces charges that include false swearing, perjury and obstruction after she was accused of leaking secret grand jury materials about the Mondesire investigation to embarrass her political and professional rivals and then trying to cover up that leak.

Miletto testified that he looked into Mondesire for about a year, and in that time, he obtained many of the records in that case through a secret grand jury investigation. No charges were filed, but investigators believed Mondesire was using NAACP money for his personal spending.

The case came back into Miletto's life shortly after a March 16, 2014 article ran in the Philadelphia Inquirer about an unrelated investigation into Philadelphia lawmakers that Kane had dismissed.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele has been building the case that the Inquirer article set the stage for Kane retaliating against Frank Fina, the former prosecutor she believed leaked that information about the Mondesire case that was never prosecuted.

After that article, attorney general special agent David Peifer and Bruce Beemer, a former top aid who testified against Kane earlier, began asking Miletto about the Mondesire investigation, which Fina had been involved with.

"Mr. Beemer was asking me about the case and asking me if it was possible to regenerate it," Miletto said. "In my opinion, I believe was out of our time jurisdiction."

The statute of limitations to prosecute had expired, he said, but shortly afterwards, he sat down for another interview - this one recorded - with Peifer.

And it was in June 2014 - two months after the Inquirer article - that a story about the Mondesire investigation ran in the Philadelphia Daily News.

And that article included some of Miletto's recorded interview.

"What was your reaction?" Steele asked.

"I was kind of angry that this taped statement that was supposed to be used for notes went out to the newspaper," Miletto said. "I was very concerned because the information there was something that shouldn't be in the newspaper."

Secret grand-jury information, he said.

Through trial, Steele has been arguing that the leak came from the top of the office - the attorney general herself.

But was that information already out there in the public? That's what the defense was trying to show.

Defense attorney Seth Farber asked Miletto if he had been contacted by another reporter from AxisPhilly.org in February - a month before the Inquirer article that prosecutors say kicked everything off was ever published.

Miletto acknowledged he did get a call. He gave no comment, but there were articles about another arm of the Montesire investigation. And that reporter said he had documents from the grand jury, Miletto testified.

Farber pointed out that Miletto took the initiative to email Peifer expressing concern back in March of 2014 about these earlier articles.

But on redirect, Steele pointed out that other arrests had been made in connection with the Mondesire investigation, and information about those arrests had been in the media.
alleged animal cruelty incident ephrata.png

(Ephrata police)

An Ephrata man has pleaded guilty to cruelty counts after police say he beat an overburdened horse on the side of a country road, ultimately leading to the animal's death.

The man, 20-year-old Marvin Sensenig of Ephrata, pleaded guilty to two summary counts of animal cruelty in front of a borough district judge on Monday.

The charges carry more than $700 in fines and court costs, online records show. No jail time has been ordered.

The case drew widespread attention and provoked widespread outrage after a bystander posted her account of the incident to Facebook.

The post belonged to Tawn Crowther of Lancaster and has been shared tens of thousands of times since it was posted to her page last week.

Today my friend Mimi and I watched as an Amish criminal beat a horse to the point it collapsed. The horse was unable to... Posted by Tawn Crowther on Tuesday, August 2, 2016

According to Crowther's account, she watched as Sensenig "walked beside the horse and beat it until it fell to the [ground]," adding "At that point he continued to kick, hit and pull on the poor seemingly dying animal. I pulled over and called the police."

Her post includes still frames from a video that appears to show a man in Plain Sect clothing, likely Sensenig, leaning over a horse in a roadway.

According to a police account, "Sensenig used one horse to pull a farm wagon with a burden too great for a single horse. The horse became overheated due to the hot temperatures and collapsed onto the asphalt."

It continues: "Sensenig then was seen kicking the horse in the abdomen and the back of the head, and punching the horse in the head."

The incident was reported at Bethany Road near Brossman Road in the borough around noon on Tuesday, Aug. 2.

Officers arriving at the scene said they found the horse lying in the roadway and a bystander claiming the horse's handler, later identified as Sensenig, had beaten the animal after it failed to pull a load of watermelons and two grown men up the road.

Fire officials sprayed the animal with water in an attempt to keep it cool, but the decision was ultimately made to euthanize the horse. Court documents say the animal died "as a result of the conditions created by [Sensenig]."

With Sensenig's guilty plea entered there is no further action scheduled in the case. It is not clear if his guilty plea will impact his ability to own animals in the future.

In Pennsylvania, a summary offense carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $300 fine, while an animal cruelty summary count carries up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $750, the SPCA reports.

The Lancaster County District Attorney's Office gave the following response when asked why no jail time was sought for Sensenig, saying the decision was left to the discretion of a local judge instead.

"There is nothing inappropriate about the disposition in this case. The legislature has determined these crimes are among the lowest graded offenses - summary citations. Summaries can carry maximum 90-day prison sentences, but prison is rarely ordered, particularly when dealing with first-time offenders who take immediate responsibility. We did not request prison; rather, left it at the discretion of the judge."

UPDATE: This article has been updated to include comment from the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.

Correction: This article has been updated to correct information concerning the maximum penalties for summary counts of animal cruelty.
Director of U.S. Office of Indian Education visits East Jordan schools

Julian Guerrero Jr. visited the district to discuss their Title VI policies and see their Native American education opportunities.
Oil fall on oversupply; calls for OPEC vs non OPEC meeting met with scepticism

SINGAPORE

Petroleumworld.com 08 10 2016

Oil prices dipped on Wednesday as a global supply overhang weighed on markets, while talk of a potential producer meeting to discuss propping up prices lent some support but was met with scepticism by analysts.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures CLc1 were trading at $42.69 per barrel at 0207 GMT, down 9 cents from their last settlement.

International Brent crude futures LCOc1 were at $44.93 per barrel, down 5 cents.

Traders said that markets were being weighed down by an ongoing supply overhang in crude and refined fuel products, while a suggested meeting by oil producers was unlikely to result in a significant market tightening.

"Oil eased lower as another round of proposed production freeze talks by OPEC failed to excite investors. An upgrade in U.S. oil production forecasts by EIA also weighed on sentiment. EIA is now expecting U.S. output to reach 8.31 million barrels per day in 2017, up from its forecast of 8.2 million barrels per day in July," ANZ Bank said on Wednesday.

Venezuela, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), is trying to drum up support for a producer meeting to decide measures that would buoy oil prices.

"We are actively promoting a meeting of producers, which we estimate could take place in the coming weeks, so that OPEC and non-OPEC countries can sit down to see what the scenario for the winter looks like," its oil minister Eulogio del Pino said this week.

The last time producers met to discuss measure to tighten oil supplies and prop up prices, in April, OPEC members were not able to agree on any measures.

Analysts said they did not expect more success from a potential future meeting.

"Renewed attempts at verbal intervention by OPEC will help bolster oil market sentiment, although the group will struggle to rebuild its role as a backstop to Brent," said oil analysts at BMI Research in a note to clients.








Zero barrels of U.S. crude oil has Pemex imported

The aim to produce better-quality gasoline and diesel by blending Mexican heavy crude with U.S. light oil has run into a snag, refinery woes, smaller profit margins said to stall plans.

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld.com 08 10 2016

Ten months after Mexico won special dispensation to import U.S. crude oil, it has yet to take in a single barrel.

Petroleos Mexicanos successfully petitioned the U.S. Commerce Department in October for permission to swap its own heavy oil for the lighter crude produced in shale formations. The effort was part of the state-owned oil company's plan to increase fuel quality at its refineries, and came months before the government removed all prohibitions on U.S. oil exports.

But the oil hasn't come, according to the latest reports from the U.S. Census Bureau and Mexico's Energy Ministry. Pemex says it doesn't make economic sense to bring in U.S. crude at current prices. Even if the potential for profits improves, though, the question remains whether Mexico's infrastructure would be able to handle the imports and if its ailing refineries would be able to take it. Roberto Montes, Pemex's operational manager for refining, said in an interview last year that the necessary infrastructure wasn't in place to import U.S. crude by large tankers.

The aim to produce better-quality gasoline and diesel by blending Mexican heavy crude with U.S. light oil has run into a snag at a time when Pemex's refineries are struggling with continued operating losses, reduced investment and frequent outages. Mexico, which for years requested supplies from the U.S., has had to cut 162 billion pesos ($8.7 billion) from Pemex's budget in the past two years to weather an oil market rout, compromising the efficiency of units that would process the imported crude.

It wouldn't surprise me if the refineries were not in a condition to receive the shipments, John Padilla, Managing Director of IPD Latin America, said in a phone interview. The company is in a full-blown liquidity crisis, which means less and less money can be dedicated to refining and crude processing."

Refining Woes

Start your day with what's moving markets. Get our markets daily newsletter. Sign Up When Pemex received a license from the U.S. last October to import as much as 75,000 barrels a day in exchange for heavy Mexican crude, the state-owned producer said it would begin welcoming U.S. light oil to lower the sulfur content of its fuel. But Mexico's six refineries are running at about 60 percent of capacity and had 35 unscheduled stoppages in the first quarter, prompting the country to boost fuel imports. The units have amassed annual losses of more than 100 billion pesos as refining fell last year to the lowest since at least 1990.

Pemex said it would reevaluate the purchases if potential margins improved, and that the company already has the proper infrastructure in place. The imports have been postponed because they would no longer be as profitable, the company said in an e-mailed response to questions. The producer is continuing to use its own light crude to mix with heavier oil, according to the statement.

Economic Attractiveness'

At the time of the approval of the U.S.-Mexico crude swap, replacing some local Maya oil with imported West Texas Intermediate would provide good returns, but the broader lifting of U.S. crude trade restrictions in December elevated WTI prices and diminished the potential profits from imports, Pemex said.

"Due to the reduction of its economic attractiveness, it was decided to postpone crude imports until the economic and operating conditions merit reconsideration, Pemex said.

The import of U.S. light crude was deemed "very positive for our crude oil processing operations" and said to "generate additional value for the company," Pemex Treasurer Rodolfo Campos said on the day of the announcement.

Since lifting the international trade limits on Dec. 18, the U.S. shipped its crude to 16 countries through May, including Colombia, Nicaragua, Panama and Peru in Latin America, according to 2016 data from the U.S. Census Bureau. WTI futures have gained more than $8, or about 24 percent, since then and is hovering around $43 a barrel.








West Philadelphia's Lee Daniels (Empire, The Butler) has walked a lot of red carpets and taken plenty of stages, but nothing, he says, prepared him to deliver his emotional speech on gun violence at the Democratic National Convention last month.

"I didn't really want to speak, and I was nervous. I was on vacation when I got the call" and his first thought, was " 'Oh, no,'" said Daniels during a Fox network press party at West Hollywood's Soho House on Monday night.

"I was like, 'Have they vetted me? Do they really know who they're asking?' And then I was like, 'Oh my God. I don't really think I want to speak.' I was on the treadmill, and it really hit me like a load of bricks -- of course they know me. They know exactly who I am, they know everything about me, and they want me to speak to that voter who comes from where I come from. I broke down sobbing, because I thought about all of the mass incarcerations, all of my neighbors, all of the friends I had growing up, my entire family, the irony of gun violence, that my dad was killed -- shot -- and that when he was killed -- he was a police officer -- and when he was killed, his death destroyed my family. They all went to jail."

Daniels' father, 34-year-old Philadelphia police Cpl. William L. Daniels, was killed on Dec. 16, 1975, while trying to stop a holdup at a restaurant.

"Hillary [Clinton] understands our right to bear guns but wants to keep guns from getting into the wrong hands," Daniels had told delegates at the convention.

"I think that jails are another form of slavery. I had only a little bit of time to speak about it, so I didn't really go into detail. I was terribly nervous. Nothing could [compare]. No Oscars, no Golden Globes can prepare you" for speaking at a convention, said Daniels, who had two Academy Award nominations for his film Precious.

He said he was told, "'whatever you do, don't look out at the audience because if you look out at the audience, you'll be thrown by the crazy people.' And what do I do? I look at the audience," Daniels said, laughing. "And I took my eye off the TelePrompTer!"

In the end, though, "It was an event that was magical."

Daniels said he first met the Democratic presidential nominee "through her husband," former president Bill Clinton, who'd recruited him to do public-service announcements.

"I met him when I lived in Harlem," after Clinton's terms in office ended. "He was on a stoop, next door to a church, is how I met him. And I said, 'What? You're sitting on my stoop?' And it's the [former] president of the United States...He had all the Secret Service and everything and he was speaking at a church. And he said, 'Do you want to do some public-service announcements to get kids to come out to vote?' And since then I've been an avid sort of supporter."

_______________________________

Read more Ellen Gray on Television
On Tuesday, police released surveillance footage of the second car - a black, late 1990s model Honda Accord - in hopes of identifying the motorist. Read more

A 17-year-old may have been drag racing Monday in North Philadelphia when the car he was driving slammed into another from which a 3-year-old girl was ejected, killing her, police said Tuesday.

The teen, whose identity was not released, and an unknown motorist were southbound at high speeds on the 2400 block of North Second Street about 7:15 p.m. when the 1999 Honda Accord driven by the 17-year-old hit a 2012 Honda Civic that had just entered the intersection at York Street. The Civic then struck a light pole, police said.

The child, identified by police as Esther Palmer, was riding in the Civic with her 43-year-old mother driving and her 64-year-old grandmother in the front passenger seat. Esther had massive head and abdominal injuries, police said. She was taken to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, where she was pronounced dead at 7:51 p.m.

Esther's grandmother was listed in critical but stable condition Tuesday at Temple University Hospital. The child's mother was not hospitalized.

The 17-year-old remained at the scene and submitted to a blood test, Accident Investigation Division Capt. Patrick Kelly said. The teen was treated for minor injuries at Temple University Hospital.

On Tuesday, police released surveillance footage of the second car - a black, late-'90s Honda Accord - in hope of identifying the motorist.

The light pole hit by the Civic fell on the second car, damaging its roof and windshield, Kelly said. Still, the motorist drove off west on York, Kelly said.

Investigators are limited in what they can ask the teen, who has retained an attorney but has not been charged with a crime, Kelly said.

Kelly said Esther's mother told police that the child had been strapped into a car seat in the backseat of the Civic.

"The mother was so distraught, she was very hard to talk to," Kelly said. "The mother did say that the child was buckled in."

Kelly said that in addition to surveillance video of the crash, numerous witnesses were in the area.

farrs@phillynews.com

215-854-4225 @FarFarrAway
CHAH-E ANJIR, Afghanistan -- A small remote Afghan village looks a lot like a World War I front line a century ago.

Uniformed Afghan forces and turbaned Taliban insurgents are now fighting over every house, wall, field, and orchard in Chah-e Anjir, a nondescript agricultural village in southern Afghanistans volatile Helmand Province.

Chah-e Anjir is part of Nad-e Ali district, where rapid Taliban advances this month have put the provincial capital Lashkar Gah under a virtual siege by insurgents.

The ongoing fighting is part of a Taliban push to overrun Helmand, Afghanistans largest province. The region is the global epicenter of poppy cultivation and the drug trade. After nearly 18 months of fighting, the Taliban now control or contest 12 of its 14 districts. This week, the Taliban closed the major highway linking Lashkar Gah to the rest of the countrys main road network.

Exhausted Afghan soldiers have made few advances after days of intense fighting that has seen constant small and heavy weapons firing.

We are here to defend our homeland. We have pushed the Taliban back, said an Afghan Army soldier who requested not to be identified.

The Taliban, however, appear far from being defeated. While the Afghan special forces have been able to reclaim one police check post from the insurgents, the Taliban are fighting back everywhere. The whole village has turned into a venue for trench warfare.

Even the trees and the maize and cotton crops are wilting -- all the farmers fled last week.

The reinforcements who have arrived from the capital, particularly the special forces, are reclaiming lost territories, provincial spokesman Omar Zhwak told Radio Free Afghanistan on August 10. We have seen some advances, but the enemy is also resisting.

There are hardly any reliable casualty figures as both sides claim to have killed a large number of their opponents. But one Afghan Army soldier said the Taliban snipers are deadly.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to talk to journalists, he said nine of his colleagues were killed or injured by enemy snipers during the past three days. Everyone in Chah-e Anjir has been warning about the Taliban snipers.

I think the enemy is taking much more casualties both from ground fire and airstrikes, he said.

A tribal leader in Chah-e Anjir said there have been at least 11 civilian casualties since the beginning of the month. Like the government soldiers, he too was reluctant to be identified by name.

As they faced government reinforcements in Nad-e Ali, the Taliban quickly moved their sights to the neighboring district of Nawa-e Barakzai, where they overran outlying villages before entering a pitched battle late on August 9.

District police chief Ahmad Shah Saleh warned that without reinforcements the district is likely to be overrun by the Taliban.

We demanded help but have not received any, he told Radio Free Afghanistan on August 9. The enemy is now completely focused on Nawa. Without quick reinforcements, we will be backed in a corner.

The Taliban appeared to be in control most of Nawa-e Barkazai late on August 10. There were some reports of intense fighting around the district center.

On August 10, the Afghan government sent fresh reinforcements to boost Lashkar Gahs defenses. But civilians there are concerned over the Talibans rapid advances.

We are worried because were not sure whether the government will prevail or this city will fall to the insurgents, one resident said.

Abubakar Siddique wrote this story based on Mohammad Ilyas Dayee's reporting from Chah-e Anjir, Helmand.

fg/
After tough racing in Colorado, the Enduro World Series returns to Whistler for the intensity its crowds and one day of racing always provide.
Must-Read Travel Guides

EAST ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Featured Articles

Contact

Copyright

Disclosure

If you wish to contact me for questions, collaboration inquiries, comments, suggestions, reviews or just about anything, please send an email to. I will try my best to reply quickly! Unless, of course, I'm on a trip! :D All rights reserved. All photos and content in this blog are owned by(unless otherwise stated). Parts of the articles may be excerpted (a link to this site should be provided), but not reproduced as a whole. Photos may not be used without permission. Thank you very much!Unless otherwise stated, I personally write my blog posts and it expresses my own thoughts and opinions. I pay for all the expenses of my trips (unless otherwise stated). I welcome collaborations and reviews as long as they are beneficial to my readers. All reviews on collaborations contain my own views and opinion and were not influenced by anyone. For inquiries, you may contact me here . Thank you very much!
Tabbouleh Recipe

The hardest part of starting a recipe series on Girl vs Globe wasnt cooking, writing or even taking photos. It was finding the perfect recipe.

Ive eaten so much delicious food on my travels that I had absolutely no idea where to begin. Should I take your taste buds to the Moroccan des(s)ert? Or would they prefer a quick dip in the cold waters around Finland?

My research eventually led me to my Instagram gallery. I was searching for something  what, I wasnt quite sure. So imagine my surprise when I found it, in the form of a quick snap from Lebanon!

As you may already know, last October I went on a round-the-world trip to film a cinema ad for the European Commission. If you havent watched it yet check it out here  its a short video full of wonderful development projects and inspiring people.

The countries I went to  in just ten days  were Ethiopia, Tanzania, Philippines, Dominican Republic and Lebanon. In that short time I obviously didnt get to explore much, but I did get to eat.

I was excited to try all those new flavours, but the country whose food I was most curious about was Lebanon. I already knew I liked Middle Eastern food but had never been to the region before, save for a quick trip to Jordan and Israel when I was 15. Would it be different? Would it be better? Spoiler alert: the answers are yes and yes.

I ate at two wonderful restaurants in Beirut  one near Zaitunay Bay (first photo) and one on Rue 78 in Hamra (second photo). I spent an hour trying to find their names and still havent cracked the case Bad blogger and bad detective, I know. I promise to update this post if I do!

Their names arent too important though. What matters is how delicious the food was. I obviously tried some new dishes  makanek sausages with pomegranate sauce, kibbeh fried balls and fatayer meat pie.

But it was the classics that really blew my mind  the hummus and tabbouleh. Ill be posting a delicious hummus recipe in the near future, but for now lets focus on tabbouleh.

Oh, tabbouleh. What a delightful bowl of crisp parsley, ripe tomatoes and zingy lemon! Who knew a bunch of leaves could turn into something so delicious?

Whenever I tried tabbouleh back home, it was far from the lush green mixture I was served in Beirut. It was a bowl full of grains with a few sad wisps of parsley thrown in. And I still liked it, so you can only imagine how much I enjoyed the real tabbouleh!

Tabbouleh Recipe

large bunch fresh flatleaf parsley

small bunch fresh mint leaves

25g bulgur wheat

2 large tomatoes

2-5 spring onions

onions 2 lemons

2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp baharat spice mix*

pomegranate arils (optional)

salt

1. Rinse bulgur in a sieve until water runs clear. The pour over 200ml boiling water, cover with cling film and leave to soak for 30 mins or so.

2. Meanwhile, finely chop the tomatoes and spring onions and add to your bowl of bulgur.

3. Add the juice of 1  lemons and 1 tsp baharat spice mix (see * for all the ingredients) to the bowl.

4. Wash fresh flatleaf parsley and mint cold water. Pick the leaves off and chop them up as gently and finely as possible. This takes time and patience but its definitely worth it.

5. Add parsley and mint to the bowl along with olive oil, and toss well. Taste and add more salt, lemon juice or spice mix to taste. Scatter with pomegranate, if using, just before serving.

*paprika, pepper, cumin, cassia, cloves, coriander seed, cardamom & nutmeg

Have you ever tried tabbouleh or made it at home? What did you think? Let me know if you try this recipe and dont forget to rate it!
If I understand this correctly, Yutu's current hibernation (inactivity during lunar night) is therefore no different than any of the previous 32 lunar nights that it has survived. To be clear, just surviving is not scientifically useful; Yutu has been incapable of any motion since 2014, and none of its science instruments work anymore. But it's not dead yet, according to Chinese space officials! It could still wake up in the lunar morning and communicate with the ground again, as it has done 33 times before.

What happened -- how did the premature news of Yutu's death spread through English-language media? The stories circulated last week, while I was on vacation. When I returned to work yesterday, I sat down to write a short blog post on the demise of Yutu. But when I read the Google-translated Chinese-language sources (like this one on China Spaceflight), I couldn't find the date of last contact with Yutu, a detail I really wanted in my story. That seemed odd to me, because if there's one detail that typically survives machine translations, it's calendar dates. The best English-language media source on Yutu's death, this article on Spaceflight Now, said that the death date was July 28, the very beginning of the lunar night -- but how could mission controllers have confirmed Yutu's death after sunset, at a time when the rover would ordinarily have been incommunicative due to hibernation anyway? The source of that information seems to have been a post on Weibo, China's Twitter. Confused, I quit writing and sent an email to Andrew, who regularly reports on Chinese space news, asking him if he'd noticed the last-communication date in any Chinese-language websites. He began to dig and came up empty. Thus his call to the SASTIND media center this morning -- and the confirmation that Yutu is not known to be dead, just hibernating as usual, as is the lander.

Andrew wrote an article for the gbtimes correcting the spread of the misinformation about Yutu: "So it turns out China's Yutu Moon rover could still be alive." Check it out, and don't be surprised if Yutu wakes up again next week!
2016 News Archive

This page includes links to all the news articles published on pokernews.com during 2016. For your convenience, the articles are segmented by month.
Online Poker Negotiations Going Down to Wire in California

August 10, 2016 Mo Nuwwarah Editor

The fate of online poker in California may be decided in the next few days.

Jesse Marx of The Desert Sun reported Monday evening that "a bill that would legalize online poker in California was pulled off the Assembly floor Monday, buying more time for negotiations."

The bill from Assemblyman Adam Gray has gained support from a number of key factions, including the powerful California horse racing industry, but there continues to be a sticking point over operator suitability concerns.

Specifically, an influential tribal faction has staunchly opposed any legislation that would seemingly open the door for PokerStars to return to California. Gray's bill calls for PokerStars and other operators who acted in violation of U.S. law to pay a $20 million fee or wait five years before entering the market, but the opposing coalition calls for a penalty of both $60 million and a 10-year waiting period.

At USPoker.com, Dustin Gouker outlined the numerous hurdles that must still be cleared before even an agreed-upon bill can come into law. It must still get through an Assembly vote with two-thirds majority and then pass the Senate, with the legislature set to adjourn at the end of August.

"Still, the fact that the bill is being negotiated, even at this late hour, at least signals it is not dead," Gouker wrote. "And if it doesnt pass in August, it could mean the heavy lifting has been done for 2017."

Gray's chief of staff said the hope is to reintroduce the bill Thursday.

2:51 p.m. update: Sources tell us negotiations are still ongoing, and a vote is unlikely to occur this week.

Stay tuned for more as this story develops.

Be sure to complete your PokerNews experience by checking out an overview of our mobile and tablet apps here. Stay on top of the poker world from your phone with our mobile iOS and Android app, or fire up our iPad app on your tablet. You can also update your own chip counts from poker tournaments around the world with MyStack on both Android and iOS.
Deputy Nicholas Tullier (Photo: Facebook)

An East Baton Rouge Parish deputy who was in critical condition after being shot by a gunman in a July ambush on police officers is now breathing on his own.

In a statement on Facebook, the father of 41-year-old Nicholas Tullier, James Tullier, says his son is off his breathing machine and is breathing well with an oxygen feed, but doctors still have concerns about his abdominal areas.

Tullier was shot along with five other law enforcement officials, three of whom were killed. He was admitted to the hospital in critical condition and had been on a breathing machine until this weekend.
Deputy Bill Cooper (Photo: Sebastian County Sheriff's Office)

One of two law enforcement officers shot while responding to a call in western Arkansas has died, Gov. Asa Hutchinson confirmed Wednesday afternoon.

Sebastian County sheriff's deputy Corporal Bill Cooper and Hackett Police Chief Darrell Spells were hit shortly before 7:20 a.m. outside a home in the 4700 block of Arkansas 253, according to authorities.

In a statement shortly before 3 p.m., Hutchinson said Cooper died of injuries sustained in the shooting, offering condolences to his family and the law enforcement community, reports the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Spells was released from a local hospital later in the morning and is expected to be fine, a Hackett Police Department spokesman said.

Information released by the Sebastian County Prosecuting Attorney's Office states that Deputy Cooper was shot in the head and Chief Spells was shot in the leg, reports Arkansas Matters. KFSM 5 News reported that a K-9 that was inside a car when the incident began was shot and ran away from the scene. The police dog, K-9 Kina of the Greenwood (AR) Police Department, had not yet been found as of late Wednesday afternoon.

Pevehouse told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that the two were hit while responding to an unspecified call for service. He said the shooter, identified as 34-year-old Billy Jones, then barricaded himself in the residence for several hours.

Sheriff Bill Hollenbeck said Jones wanted to cause a "ruckus" ahead of a court appearance to determine whether a previous suspended sentence should be revoked.

Authorities said the injured officers went to the home, about 6 miles from the Oklahoma border, after Jones pointed a weapon at his father, who called 911.

Law enforcement surrounded the home and the SWAT team was on scene as authorities attempted to communicate with Jones throughout the morning. He was taken into custody around noon.

Related:

Arkansas Officers Shot, Suspect at Large
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

Donald Trump took to Twitter to whine about the media focusing on his threat to have Hillary Clinton assassinated.

Tonight we got extra excuses from Donald Trump, after his campaign blamed the media and then his spokesperson announced that Hillary Clinton would only be shot if Trump lost, so all is well.

Here we go, starting off with Trumps typical whine about the media not paying attention to Clintons emails or policies, when they have in fact investigated her emails more than any other politicians and shes had plenty of her policies examined  because she actually has policies, unlike Trumps comfort with reliance on general claims to bigly greatness.

When is the media going to talk about Hillarys policies that have gotten people killed, like Libya, open borders, and maybe her emails? Trump asked.

When is the media going to talk about Hillary's policies that have gotten people killed, like Libya, open borders, and maybe her emails?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2016

Trump really seemed lost in the tin foil weeds, trying to blame Clintons policies for killing people as some kind of excuse for what he said tonight. So Trump whines, why are they talking about Trumps death threats and craziness? What about Clintons emails? Wah. Whats a new death threat to emails that have been read by practically every journalist covering the election.

Then Trump tried to distract the media with another lie. Media desperate to distract from Clintons anti-2A stance. I said pro-2A citizens must organize and get out vote to save our Constitution!

Media desperate to distract from Clinton's anti-2A stance. I said pro-2A citizens must organize and get out vote to save our Constitution!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2016

Donald Trump is misleading people knowingly when he keeps repeating that Hillary Clinton wants to get rid of the second amendment. This has been fact-checked by PolitiFact and found false, way back in May.

Donald Trump is also misleading people when he claims he was merely cheering on an organizing effort by second amendment people. He did not say people must organize. He said people should use the second amendment to fix the problem of Clinton winning.

None of these attempts at distraction, seeping self-pity as they are, excuse what Donald Trump said today. Heres what he said, By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks. Although, the Second Amendment people maybe there is. I dont know.

There is no excuse for what Donald Trump said. It doesnt matter if he has poor grammar (another excuse floated by his surrogates) or he didnt mean it or he meant she would die after the election  none of these things matter. A President needs to be able to speak clearly so they dont start WWIII.

A President cant run around telling North Korea he didnt mean to say he was going to nuke them, it was poor grammar.

A Presidents people cant threaten that there will be bloodshed if they lose.

Donald Trump cant handle losing and so our country is being brought down to Trumps basest level, where he is apparently quite comfortable. Nothing makes Donald Trump more angry than being called out for something that he said. Accountability is not in his wheelhouse. Too bad for him, his threat didnt go over well and hes not getting out of it with lame attempts at distraction.

Donald Trump is not only a horrible, frightening candidate for president, he is simply not fit to be around civilized people.
Alliant Energy and Iowa DNR Forestry Bureau team up to offer eight Operation ReLeaf events this fall

DES MOINES  A popular program offering landscape quality trees at a deep discount to Alliant Energy customers will be held at eight locations across Iowa this fall. Residential tree distributions will be held in Winnebago, Clinton, Dallas, Des Moines, Dubuque, Linn, Marshall and Washington counties this September and October.

Alliant Energys Operation ReLeaf helps Alliant Energy customers save energy in their homes using trees to create summer shade and winter windbreaks. For maximum energy efficiency, shade trees should be planted within 30 feet of the east and west sides of the house. Evergreens should be planted as a windbreak on the north and west sides.

Through the program, Alliant Energy residential customers may purchase high quality landscaping trees for $25 each, on a first-come, first-served basis. These trees typically retail for between $65 and $125.

Planting a diverse mix of trees on your property and in your neighborhood will reduce the likelihood of losing a large number of trees to forest health threats, said Paul Tauke, state forester and chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Forestry Bureau, in a news release.

Tauke said they are encouraging homeowners who do not intend to treat for emerald ash borer to plant a replacement tree within 30 feet of the existing ash tree.

Foresters have been working with local partners to create a state tree inventory that will guide future tree planting efforts to keep a healthy mix of tree species.

Operation ReLeaf has 35 species of trees from which they select eight to 12 species for each event. The species are based on the local tree inventory, and will include shade trees, ornamentals and conifers. Shade trees are six to eight feet tall in five- to 10-gallon containers and conifers are three feet tall.

Just a few of the advantages of yard trees are:

Decrease in household heating and cooling costs

Increase in property values

Decrease in storm water runoff, which may reduce flooding events

Beauty and personal enjoyment

All trees are purchased through a bidding process to promote local nurseries, said Tauke. This is a great way for homeowners to get a quality tree at an affordable price.

Customers are encouraged to order early as these trees sell out quickly. Advance purchase is limited to two trees per household. In the event there are extra trees available on distribution day, those trees will be released for purchase at that time. Order forms are available online at www.alliantenergy.com/releaf.

Workshops led by DNR district foresters discussing tree planting and care will be held at most tree distributions. Topics covered will include root flare and proper planting depth, correcting encircling roots, proper mulching and watering, corrective pruning to reduce future storm damage, planting around buildings for energy efficiency and emerald ash borer. As part of a state/federal pollinator grant, workshop participants in Des Moines and Washington counties, who have one-quarter acre or larger planting area, will be eligible to receive a pollinator tree/shrub seedling packet with 200 bare-root seedlings. Pollinator seedling packet order forms will be available to participants at the end of each workshop. One lucky workshop participant will receive a free landscape tree to be raffled off at the end of the following workshops: Clinton, Dallas, Dubuque, Linn and Marshall counties.

Operation ReLeaf is administered by the Iowa DNRs Forestry Bureau with assistance from local partners, like county conservation boards, municipalities and county extension offices.

Operation ReLeaf participants must be Alliant Energy residential customers.

Hooking summer catfish

Start a new family tradition this summer  go fishing for catfish. Bring along two coolers with ice, one to keep your bait firm and fresh and another to keep your catch cold and preserve that great taste.

Catfish tend to be more active in warmer weather, explained Joe Larscheid, chief of the Iowa DNRs Fisheries Bureau, in a news release. They are in every stream of any size and in all lakes and many farm ponds.

A catfishs sense of smell and taste is tremendous. Try prepared dip baits, chicken livers, minnows or chubs, green sunfish, bluegill, crawdads, frogs, night crawlers or dead, but fresh, gizzard shad.

Lakes stratify, or form layers, this time of year, with cool, oxygen-deprived waters sinking to the bottom. Do not fish in water deeper than 8 to 10 feet. Look for areas with vegetation, brush piles or rock. Fish the upper ends of the larger reservoirs where the water is shallower and baitfish like gizzard shad gather. Fish baits on the bottom or suspended off the bottom with a bobber and let current or breeze move the bait to find active catfish.

Rivers in Iowa are loaded with catfish. Look for fish around downed trees and brush piles, but dont overlook rock piles or other objects that deflect water and form a current seam. Position your bait just upstream of brush piles so the scent of the bait is carried downstream into the structure drawing the catfish out. Use a heavy weight to anchor the bait so it doesnt drift into snags. If fishing the big rivers, try upstream and on the tips of wing dykes and wing dams on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.

Find more tips for catching catfish on the DNR website at fishing.iowadnr.gov.

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) Sept. 16-18 at Springbrook Ed Center

The fall Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) workshop is Sept. 16-18, at the Springbrook Conservation Education Center, adjacent to Springbrook State Park, north of Guthrie Center.

While the focus of BOW is primarily for women, the workshop is an opportunity for anyone 18 years or older to learn outdoor skills. Workshop courses include basic fishing, Dutch oven cooking, birdwatching, kayaking, deer hunting, wild edibles, basic camping, intro to archery, intro to firearms, canoeing and more.

This workshop is an excellent opportunity to try activities under the guidance of our top-notch instructors, said Rachel Ladd, with the Iowa Departments of Natural Resources.

Our workshop is popular because we keep our class sizes small and the setting at Springbrook is beautiful, particularly in the fall.

The cost for the workshop is $150 before Sept. 4, and $180 beginning Sept. 5. The fee includes program materials, equipment, lodging and meals. Enrollment is limited to 100 participants. A limited number of scholarships are available that can reduce the fee by $75.

Go to www.iowadnr.gov/bow to download a registration form, select classes and for more information on applying for a scholarship. Lodging is in dormitories with eight people per room.

Hawkeye Shooting Range reopens after repairs completed







The Tim Dorr Rifle/Handgun Shooting Range at the Hawkeye Wildlife Area in Johnson County reopened on July 30. Shooting hours are sunrise to sunset.

The range had been closed for repairs on May 2 to address issues with erosion above the range covering the lanes with dirt and mud. The range reopened briefly in mid June but was closed again after a nearly six inch rainfall damaged the recently completed renovation.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

Donald Trump is a pathetic coward who makes death threats because he cant handle losing to a girl.

So says Senator Elizabeth Warren, the Democrat from Massachusetts, who seems to know just how to get under Donald Trumps very thin skin.

Warren was responding to Trump saying, By the way, if she (Clinton) gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks. Although, the Second Amendment people maybe there is. I dont know.

.@realDonaldTrump makes death threats because he's a pathetic coward who cant handle the fact that hes losing to a girl.  Elizabeth Warren (@elizabethforma) August 9, 2016

Warren also accused Donald Trump of sounding like a two-bit dictator, which seems right on:

Your reckless comments sound like a two-bit dictator, @realDonaldTrump. Not a man who wants to lead the greatest democracy on the planet.  Elizabeth Warren (@elizabethforma) August 9, 2016

Donald Trump is using the same tactics that have been allegedly successful for him in the building world, but of course the development world is quite different from politics. You are supposed to hide your thuggery in politics.

Donald Trump seems to be freaking out ever since it became clear that Hillary Clinton was beating him. Maybe Warren is right and the Bigly Macho Thug cant stand the idea of losing to a girl. Seems right up his alley.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

Monday was supposed to be a pivotal turning point for Donald Trumps flagging presidential campaign when he delivered a major economic address to the Detroit Economic Club.

In the Motor City, the Republican nominee spent an hour reading right-wing, trickle-down talking points from a teleprompter, likely at the direction of the same establishment political figures he spent an entire primary season attacking.

Beyond the usual conservative suspects, it wasnt that well-received, but it reassured the right people that Trump is still a serious candidate for president (although the rest of us know better).

Newt Gingrich, who has been critical of Trump recently, praised the Republican nominees speech:

Trump hit a home run today with his economic speech. This should end media complaints about lack if details. A vivid pro growth speech.  Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) August 8, 2016

So, relative to the last couple of weeks, Monday wasnt all that bad for the Trump campaign. He avoided inflicting any further damage to his already-struggling campaign.

Then, today at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, real Trump showed up and essentially called for gun rights advocates to assassinate Hillary Clinton over her potential Supreme Court nominations.

If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks, Trump spewed from the podium. Although the Second Amendment people  maybe there is, I dont know.

Of course, the Trump campaign has since tried to rewrite what their candidate said, claiming he was only explaining how pro-gun Americans will turn out in record numbers for Trump in November. The candidate himself rushed to cable news to defend himself:

Donald Trump responds to Second Amendment people comment: Give me a break https://t.co/YZ32bCBsdM https://t.co/bF7tM0AT4c  Anderson Cooper 360 (@AC360) August 10, 2016

In any case, Trump pretending to be an adult with serious economic proposals is no longer the story. Real Donald Trump was having none of that.

Instead, were now talking about the latest despicable thing he has said without the guidance of a carefully-crafted campaign speech.

Trump may not shoot himself in the foot during a 45-minute hostage video address written by right-wing political strategists, but when he shows up at a rally the next day and decides to go off the cuff and say everything that goes through his twisted mind  like he did today in North Carolina  then all bets are off.

Teleprompter Trump is simply no match for the real man.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

Supporters of Donald Trump truly think they are part of some secret, silent majority that the media is trying to cover up, whether its through skewed polling or intentionally not filming Trumps large crowds.

At Trump rallies, youll often see those in the audience holding signs that read, The Silent Majority Stands with Trump.

But as Trump continues to bleed support and Hillary Clinton extends her leads in virtually every recent public opinion poll, its becoming pretty obvious that the majority of Americans does not stand with the Republican nominee. In fact, theyre running from him.

Just take a look at the head-to-head polling that came out today:

Remember, these are just todays numbers.

For the past week, the story has been the same or worse for Trump in national and swing-state surveys. The Republican nominee has even trailed Clinton in several polls out of Georgia and Arizona  states that wouldnt even be on the table if not for an unstable GOP nominee.

And its not just Democrats and Independents that arent buying what Trump is selling  its Republicans.

A list of 50 GOP national security experts came out in opposition to the Republican nominee on Monday, saying he would be the most reckless President in American history. Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine also declared her opposition to Trump this week, calling Trump unworthy of the presidency.

This is not what a silent majority looks like.

In fact, its increasingly clear that Trump supporters are neither silent nor do they represent a majority. Instead, they are a loud sliver of America who cant fathom the idea that most people in this country are turned off by their candidate  a know-nothing who has proudly built his candidacy on a foundation of bigotry and bombast.

Big crowds full of angry mobs chanting lock her up may be fun, but those things dont make up a majority  votes do.

On that measure, it is Hillary Clinton and her supporters who are much closer to a majority than Donald Trump ever will be.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) is suggested that Donald Trump should be denied national security briefings after he attempted to incite violence against Hillary Clinton.

Sen. Boxer tweeted:

Given his threats of violence, Donald Trump has forfeited his right to top secret briefings.  Barbara Boxer (@BarbaraBoxer) August 9, 2016

Given the fact that Trump told his supporters that assassinating Hillary Clinton is a viable option if she wins the White House, I would expect the calls for Trump to be denied national security briefings to grow louder by the minute.

Nothing about Trumps behavior suggests a man who can be trusted with a top secret national security briefing. Trump doesnt appear to be stable enough to be trusted with classified information.

Republicans tried to claim that Hillary Clinton should be denied national security briefings because of her emails, but Donald Trump could be facing FBI and Secret Services investigations into his death threat against Hillary Clinton.

For the safety and security of the United States of America, it is obvious that Sen. Boxer is correct. Donald J. Trump should be denied all national security briefings through the remainder of the presidential campaign.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

Donald Trumps spokesperson, Katrina Pierson, went on CNN and clarified that Trump meant that Hillary Clinton will only get shot if he loses the election. Somehow, this explanation is even worse than Trumps initial threat.

Video:

https://youtu.be/Vz8ycXEATc0

On CNNs The Lead With Jake Tapper, Trumps history challenged spokesperson Katrina Pierson tried to clarify Donald Trumps call for violence against Hillary Clinton, but only made things worse.

Pierson said that Trump wasnt talking about wanting Hillary Clinton to be shot, but that she would be shot if she won, Well, thats actually not what he was talking about. Because he was saying what could happen, as you said, what could happen. He doesnt want that to happen. And in order to stop that, people that support their Second Amendment rights need to come together and get out there and stop Hillary Clinton from winning in November.

Just to make it crystal clear, the Trump campaign is suggesting that Hillary Clinton will be shot if she wins the election. Donald Trump doesnt want her to be shot, but if Trump loses one of his right-wing supporters is going to try to shoot her because Donald Trump is not the president.

In other words, if America doesnt want Hillary Clinton to be shot, the country needs to vote for Donald Trump. The Trump campaign just moved from threatening the life of Hillary Clinton to using Clintons future welfare as a hostage to blackmail the country into supporting Trump.

The Trump campaigns explanation of what they think Trump meant might be worse than his initial threat.

The more they say, the worse this story gets for Donald Trump.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

Donald Trump seems to be making up his own poll numbers, as he told supporters at a rally in Virginia that the polls are tightening when Clintons lead is growing.

Video:

During his rally in Virginia, Trump was complaining about his media coverage, when he said, They give her a pass on everything. Give her a pass. Its so sad when I watch that, and it was point after point after point after point, and everybody was saying wow, theyre really going to do it, and then they go however. As I heard, you know when you hear the word however, but its just so incredible that a thing like that could happen. So, lets see what happens. Lets see what happens. In the meantime, were doing very well. You saw the polls over the last day or two have really tightened up a lot.

The polls over the last two days have shown Hillary Clinton leading by 6-10 points. Trump is inventing his own reality.

In fact, Trumps campaign is in such a bad place that red states like Georgia, Arizona, and Utah are in danger of turning blue for the first time in decades. Trump is showing that he is not acknowledging the reality of his situation.

The Republican Titanic is sinking while Captain Trump continues to insist that the iceberg doesnt exist.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

Hillary Clinton rebuttal to Donald Trumps call for violence against was an effective devastation that simultaneously supported her argument for why she should be the next president.

Video clip of Clinton in Iowa:

Clinton said:

Hillary Clinton has taken another reckless and dangerous Donald Trump statement and used it as proof of why the Republican nominee is unfit for the White House. On top of everything that Hillary Clinton said, imagine Donald Trump as president starting a war with one of his unscripted off the cuff comments.

Donald Trump is not fit for the office that he is seeking. Clinton didnt try to play the victim. She used Trumps own words as evidence to support her case for why the American people cant trust him with the responsibility of the presidency.

Clintons rebuttal was devastating because it was backed by more than a year of examples of Trumps own behavior. This isnt the Clinton spin machine,  or any other excuse that Trump wants to make for the negative fallout from his remarks. These are Donald Trumps own words, and as Hillary Clinton said in Iowa, words matter.

A person who is reckless with his words will also be reckless with his power.

It is a simple point that destroys the entire basis for Donald Trumps campaign.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

Hillary Clinton is serious about winning Utah. The Democratic nominee reached out to states overwhelming Republican supporting Mormon population with an op-ed in an LDS Church owned newspaper.

Clinton wrote in the Deseret News:

Every day, Trump continues to prove he lacks the morals to be our commander-in-chief. In just the last couple of weeks, hes attacked the parents of an American soldier who gave his life for this country. Hes all but proposed abandoning our NATO allies, and we recently learned he even mused about the possible first-use of nuclear weapons.

.

With a new, outrageous headline seeming to pop up every day, its easy to forget that Trump showed us his true colors early on, when he proposed banning all Muslims from our shores.Trumps Muslim ban would undo centuries of American tradition and values. To this day, I wonder if he even understands the implications of his proposal. This policy would literally undo what made America great in the first place. But you dont have to take it from me. Listen to Mitt Romney, who said Trump fired before aiming when he decided a blanket religious ban was a solution to the threat of terrorism.

.

Americans dont have to agree on everything. We never have. But when it comes to religion, we strive to be accepting of everyone around us. Thats because we need each other. And we know that it so often takes a village  or a ward  working together to build the change we hope to see.



There is no Republican-leaning electorate in the United States that has bigger issues with Donald Trump than Utah. Trump is an insult to the beliefs of the states Mormon population, and his candidacy has caused angst with the states Mormon electorate. Libertarian Gary Johnson has been surging in the state, and the entry of conservative Mormon Independent candidate Evan McMullin could peel more support away from Trump.

It seems unfathomable, but for the first time since 1964, Democrats may have a chance to turn Utah blue in November. A Utah win for Clinton would likely signal a historic landslide victory nationally for Democrats. Even with Trumps unpopularity, Utah will be an uphill climb for Democrats, but the fact that the state is even being discussed as potentially in play speaks volumes about the state of Donald Trumps campaign and the Republican Party.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

The New York Daily News blasted Donald Trump for his suggestion that Hillary Clinton should be shot if she wins the election, calling for Trump to end his campaign.

Trump must go: Hinting at assassination is too much, even for him, they write, under the front page calling for Trump to quit the race and if he wont, for Republicans to abandon him for toying with political bloodshed.

Donald Trump must end his campaign for the White House in a reckoning with his own madness, while praying that nothing comes of his musing about an assassination of Hillary Clinton.

On Tuesday, Republican nominee Donald Trump said, By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks. Although, the Second Amendment people maybe there is. I dont know.

You can watch it here:

While many Republicans have come out against Donald Trump, Republican leadership remains cowardly backing the know-nothing birther who relies on intimidation and threats to get his way in the world of development and is now applying those same skills to his run for the White House.

Donald Trump is still denying he said anything wrong, and instead is blaming the media for his comments. The NRA is dropping millions to attack Hillary Clinton, having Trumps back with disingenuous spin that leaves off the last part of what Trump said.

So its highly unlikely Trump will drop out. To drop out would require integrity and personal responsibility, and these are two traits sorely missing in Donald Trump. With the NRA clinging to Trumps depravity as their last hope for continuing to make crazy profits for gun manufacturers and keeping Hillary Clinton from appointing Supreme Court justices who might find that gun ownership also comes with responsibilities like not being a suspected terrorist, Republican leadership will fall in line with the NRA.

Courage and principle are nowhere to be found in the high offices of the Republican Party.

Image: NY Daily News cover
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

The Trump campaign is blaming Hillary Clinton for the Republican nominees comments that assassination would be an option if Clinton won the presidential election.

Here are the talking points that you can expect Trump surrogates to be using all over cable news today:

The talking points blame Hillary Clinton for the fact that Donald Trump called for her to be shot. Trumps own words are now referred to as the Clinton spin machine,  and people who quote Trumps own words are Clinton lackeys.

Trump surrogates will be repeating their gibberish about the Second Amendment, which makes absolutely no sense because Trump was talking about his supporters using the Second Amendment to prevent Hillary Clinton from appointing Supreme Court justices.

Nowhere in the talking points does the campaign disavow violence as a part of the political process. Instead, Donald Trump is inventing a new reality by pretending like his comment suggesting violence never happened.

It is almost sad that the Trump campaign is so delusional that they think they can use his remarks to help themselves with voters in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia. For the record, Trump is trailing in Ohio, and getting crushed by double-digits by Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania and Virginia. The talking points reveal a candidate who is incapable of meeting the lowest thresholds for civilized human behavior.

Instead of taking responsibility for his statements, Trump is blaming Hillary Clinton. The Trumps campaign is extending the negative publicity and making the fallout worse by sticking to this ridiculous Second Amendment cover story.

Hillary Clinton is not to blame for Donald Trumps statements, but the voters should punish the Republican Party for giving their presidential nomination to this dangerous train wreck of a human being.
CLEAR LAKE  A burnout-induced crash during a classic car cruise around Clear Lake last weekend could lead to discussion of how to prevent such incidents during the annual event.

During the Clear Lake Auto Social Society (CLASS) Summer Dance Cruise Aug. 5, Clear Lake Police Lt. Deb Ryg said a Corvette driver lost control after squealing his tires in the 4600 block of North Shore Drive.

The Corvette, which was participating in the cruise around the lake before a concert at the Surf Ballroom, struck two vehicles parked in the street and a third parked in a driveway. No one was injured.

The driver, Aeric R. Younge, 46, Hayfield, Minnesota, has been charged with careless driving, a simple misdemeanor.

Ryg said although a lot of people do burnouts  in which drivers apply the brakes to spin their rear wheels and create smoke  during the annual cruise, this is the first time she recalls it resulting in an accident.

However, Its bound to happen, she said.

Greg Madsen, president of CLASS, said the club hasnt officially discussed the accident yet, noting their next meeting isnt until the first week in September.

He did say the club might make an example of (the accident) next year.

Madsen said it is hard to police burnouts during the event, but club officials will try to get the message to participants that this is what happens when you do burnouts.

He also said he wants to discourage people in the community from putting water on the street during the cruise.

He said they do this because it makes it easier for (burnouts) to get started.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

Horror entered the 2016 presidential campaigns when Donald Trump suggested Hillary Clinton be shot.

At a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, Trump told the crowd Clinton would abolish the Second Amendment and that, theres nothing you can do, folksalthough the Second Amendment people, maybe there is. I dont know.

This is something so far outside our experience that it is difficult to know how to react. Candidates usually hurl insults, not personal threats, and certainly not bullets. The reaction of Mother Jones Mark Follman speaks for many of us:

Did Trump actually seriously just threaten that his supporters might shoot Hillary Clinton?? Good God.

People for the American Way (PFAW) president Michael Keegan said in a statement that though There has been no shortage of inexcusable rhetoric from Trumpsuggesting gun violence is truly abhorrent.

Larry Klayman suggested only Obamas blackness has saved him from impeachment, which is ridiculous. But awful as this sounds, it it is likely that very position Trump occupies saved him from being treating like any other person suggesting a presidential nominee be shot.

Media Matters Eric Boehlert asked, when does Secret Service open a file on Trump?

Yes, the Secret Service says it is aware of Trumps comments:

The Secret Service is aware of the comments made earlier this afternoon.  U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) August 9, 2016

However, there is aware and there is doing something about.

Former NSA Director and retired Lt. General Michael Hayden told CNNs Jake Tapper Tuesday that,

If someone else said that outside of the hall, hed be in the back of a police wagon now, with the Secret Service questioning him.

Watch courtesy of Media Matters for America:

Hayden added that, I used to tell my seniors at the CIA, you get to a certain point in this business, youre not just responsible for what you say, you are responsible for what people hear.

Another former high ranking military officer, General Barry McCaffrey, told MSNBCs Chris Matthews yesterday, I object to the notion that his problem is hes going off script. We are actually hearing Trump and his actual views.

Trump has been rewriting his campaign as he goes, saying outrageous things he then pretends he never said (in this case, an explanation The New York Times editorial board calls mystifying) and blaming the media instead, but he said them, and he meant them, and there is no taking back the threat he made against his opponent Tuesday.

What Trump was saying, and what we all heard was, Im not saying somebody should shoot Hillary Clinton. Im just saying maybe somebody could do that. All the spin in the world isnt going to change this, and as Hayden said, youre not just responsible for what you say, you are responsible for what people hear.

And as Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) warned in a tweet, This isnt play. Unstable people with powerful guns and an unhinged hatred for Hillary are listening to you, @realDonaldTrump.

Unfortunately, as The Daily Beasts Samantha Allen points out, Donald Trump reading from a teleprompter sounds like a fifth-grader giving a book report. And its worse when there is no teleprompter, because then he says things like titties and, oh, I dont knowshooting Hillary Clinton.

Yesterday proves Trumps lack of respect for our political process and his belief that behavioral norms do not apply to him. It demonstrates that Trump does not have to win to destroy our country: win or lose, if he gets away with these threats without repercussions, he further weakens the framework of the Constitution he has never bothered to read.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

Just a day after Donald Trump said that Hillary Clinton should be shot, Trump supporter Carl Higbie told CNN Wolf Blitzer that the Trump Tower climber should be shot with a tranquilizer dart and allowed to fall dozens of stories.

While appearing on CNNs The Situation Room, Higbie said, Hes climbing a building. Its clear he doesnt have any sense. Shoot him with a tranq dart and let him fall onto the bouncy pad below, and then take him into custody.

Blitzer said that there was no guarantee that the climber would survive getting shot with a dart. Higbie then called the climber a stunt and said that people who do Hollywood stunts survive falls like this and that a man recently jumped out a plane without a parachute and survived.

Higbies comments came less than a day after Trump called for Hillary Clinton to be shot. Trump and his supporters appear completely incapable of learning anything.

This shouldnt have to be said out loud, or written, but shooting the Trump Tower climber with anything is a very bad idea. Common sense and simple public safety rules suggest that the best course of action is to try to talk the climber down. If he doesnt give up his quest, arrest him when he either reaches the top of Trump Tower or quits.

Shooting the Trump Tower climber is a reckless and dumb idea that is par for the course for the Donald Trump campaign.
Growing up, I don't remember much about my birthdays. I don't recall parties, but I do know my mom would always make a cake of my choice with quarters, dimes and nickels hidden in the cake. I thought that was pretty neat.

The day I turned 30 years old, in 1983, my wife threw me a surprise birthday party. It was great fun. The problem was the next morning I had to hit the road at about 5 a.m. to drive up north for a softball tournament. If I remember right, the first time I batted I hit into a double play. You have to be pretty sluggish for that to happen in slow-pitch softball.

My birthday is this week and I was having trouble with the thought. I'm guessing quite a few baby boomers have that same sentiment. I feel there are times when we don't worry about our age, but there are other times we do.

As I begin this column, I'm watching a Twins game and rookie outfielder Max Kepler has stroked three home runs. That is a remarkable feat and Dick Bremer, Twins television announcer, mentioned that Kepler is 23 years old. If I do my math right, it means I was already 40 years old when young Mr. Kepler was born.

Ponder the future

ADVERTISEMENT

Sometimes this age thing gets to me. Especially for those of us who have traveled down the difficult path of caring for or being involved in overseeing an aging parent. We have discovered it is a stressful, brutal, complex, difficult, rewarding, tender experience. We witness the nursing home environment, come to understand the cost, and feel for the loss of dignity in a sense for our mom or dad.

When you are involved in that world, when you observe the many aspects of it, you can't help but ponder your own future. You hope that a nursing home room will never have your name on it. Most of us want to go with our boots on, not in one-size-fits-all non-slip gripper socks.

Fortunately, friends on my boomer council have prodded me out of this birthday discouragement after I sent them an SOS. At times, my wife calls me  let me see, what is it? Oh yes: "High maintenance."

Nancy from Lake City reminded me you can't focus on what could happen as we age. She works to stay positive and focused on the present. She also reminded me of the proverb, "Man plans, God laughs."

Steve, my former co-worker from Rochester, said we can't predict the future, but only play the hand we are dealt. His mantra is "Every day is a holiday, every meal is a feast and every paycheck is a small fortune." Anyone who knows Steve Hanson knows he truly believes this.

Steve expressed that it is important to stay strong and positive for our children and grandchildren. His worries are for their future with the current state of the world. I think most of us have that very same concern.

Just another number?

Sandra, another friend from Rochester, tells me her faith is strong and her outlook positive. She enjoys this stage in her life and feels pretty fortunate each day surrounded by her family.

ADVERTISEMENT

Colleen, also a Rochester acquaintance, told me her 5- and 6-year-old grandsons keep her very active. Colleen said age is just a number and she just doesn't think about it.

Let's admit it, at this point in our life, a lot of boomers are obituary readers. I'm not sure when that started with me, but I do read these short stories of people's lives. I'm a history nut, so I am amazed when I read of exploits of those that served in World War II, Korea or Vietnam.

I still get my small hometown newspaper, and when I peruse the obits there's a good chance I knew them or their family. I find the stories of someone who was a lifelong farmer, country school teacher or worked in a factory for 40 years remarkable. When I think of how the world has changed in the past 100 years, it is extraordinary.

I think our generation will stay out of the rocking chair more than any generation before us and possibly even after us. Inactivity, reliance on technology, could have a detrimental impact on many from the new Generation Z.

Active generation

Many in our age bracket will stay working, volunteering or active in some way. The oldest of the boomers turn 70 this year. The world we grew up in was so different  we can tell our stories.

We are smarter and shrewder now than we were earlier in our life. We have seen and experienced much  we can give advice.

We truly understand that life is a gift. Our devotion and affection to our children and grandchildren makes us whole  we can show that love for family.

ADVERTISEMENT

Overall, I guess I do feel pretty content about this time in my life. For example, this past Friday I had the pleasure of picking up my 10-year-old granddaughter from a week-long camp at Good Earth Village in Spring Valley. On the way home, we stopped and had an A & W root beer float.

We might as well settle in and accept these birthdays. As the great Mark Twain said, "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter."
With news channels dominated by talk of the upcoming presidential election, it's easy to feel like your vote will be lost among the 129,085,403 other people who voted in 2012. We are bombarded by advertisements, articles, commercials, and social media posts that tell us who we should be voting for in the big race.

But many of us forget that there are other races that will be culminating this November. Some argue that our local elections are, in fact, more important than those held on a national level. While the president has the power to sign international trade deals, your local county commissioner's board is in charge of nearby parks and road construction. When the president is meeting with foreign leaders abroad, your state senator is fighting for more funding for your child's school. As the president appoints Supreme Court justices, your state house representative is voting on new farming regulations.

Local elections matter. The people your vote appoints have a direct impact on your daily life. In 2012, an estimated 235 million people were eligible to vote, yet less than 55 percent turned out on Election Day, or voted absentee. Only 4 in 5 U.S. citizens of voting age are even registered to vote.

The first step towards having a voice in your community is registering to vote. If you are at least 18 years old and a citizen of the United States you may be eligible to vote. With the help of technology, you can now register online using a valid driver's license at www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/register-to-vote .

If you are unable to access a computer or don't have a valid driver's license, you can register on paper at the Government Center downtown. Although it is possible to register on Election Day, it is strongly recommended that you do so beforehand. The deadline to register in Minnesota, both online and in person, is Oct. 18.

ADVERTISEMENT

Haven't paid much attention to local politics? No worries! By visiting www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/whats-on-my-ballot , you can enter your address to see what positions you will be voting for and who is running. With candidates' names linked to their websites, you can also read up on their positions and decide who will earn your vote.

For college students and snowbirds, don't forget to request an absentee ballot. You must know your fall address to do this. Check out: mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us/ABRegistration/ABRegistrationStep1.aspx to learn more about alternatives to voting in person and absentee ballot registration.

Finally, don't forget to mark Nov. 8 on your calendar! All polling places are required to be accessible to those with all kinds of disabilities, and "every employee who is eligible to vote in an election has the right to be absent from work for the purpose of voting during the morning of the day of that election, without penalty or deduction from salary or wages because of the absence."

To find your local polling station, visit pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us . Happy voting!
PUNTA GORDA, Fla.  A police "shoot/don't shoot" demonstration in Florida went shockingly awry when an officer shot and killed a 73-year-old former librarian from Austin with what police said was real ammunition used by mistake at an event designed to bring police and the public together.

Authorities didn't immediately say how a gun with a live round came to be used at Tuesday evening's demonstration, noting blank rounds are typically used in such classes. The officer, who wasn't immediately identified, has been placed on administrative leave, and the Florida Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating.

"We were unaware that any live ammunition was available to the officer," Punta Gorda Police Chief Tom Lewis said at a news conference Wednesday. "The officer involved is grief stricken. We've got officers assigned to him to make sure he's psychologically stable."

Mary Knowlton, a well-known community volunteer, was shot after being randomly selected to take part in the role-playing scenario illustrating the split-second decisions an officer must make about firing. It was part of a popular citizens academy attended by 35 people, including her 75-year-old husband.

Her son, Steve Knowlton, said his father was "devastated."

ADVERTISEMENT

The younger Knowlton said in an interview Wednesday at his parent's home that, on his mother's behalf, he was forgiving the officer who fired.

"There's too much hate in this world, in America, we always feel like we need revenge and it doesn't solve anything," he said. "I obviously can't say it's easy to forgive, but it needs to be done. She's watching me now."

Punta Gorda Police Lt. Katie Heck said officers in such demonstrations normally use "simunition guns," which are real-looking weapons that fire a non-lethal projectile with reduced force. But Knowlton was mistakenly struck with a live round, officials said.

The class put on by the Chamber of Commerce and the Punta Gorda police station, was just one stop during the weeks-long curriculum.

Officer Oscar Vasquez of the Jacksonville, Ill., Police Department, who is president of the National Citizens Police Academy Association, said he had never heard of anyone taking part in such courses being fatally shot. He said most departments do not use weapons in "shoot/don't shoot" scenarios that are capable of firing a live round.

"When we run scenarios, we will use starter pistols," Vasquez told The Associated Press. "You can't even put live ammunition in them."

Some departments use video simulators or other non-lethal devices, he said. Officers involved in most citizen academies don't typically even bring service weapons into classes, he added. Citizens are told beforehand that live weapons won't be used.

"We put them in the shoes of the officers so they can see, real time, the decisions we have to make and the time frame we have to make them."

ADVERTISEMENT

With suspicions running high between police and many citizens in recent years, particularly in minority communities, Vasquez said a death like the one in Punta Gorda is extremely unfortunate.

"It just breaks my heart. It's such a tragedy," he said.

Mary Knowlton attended the class with her husband and it was supposed to be "a fun night," her son said.

Steve Knowlton tearfully told reporters Wednesday that he used to tease his mother about how much she worked in retirement. She helped with the local Chamber of Commerce, was active in a program for at-risk kids where she made lunch for the students, loved the library and spent hours there volunteering.

Mary Knowlton moved to Florida after living for many years in Minnesota.

Books and magazines lay scattered on tables of the home she shared in Florida with Gary, her husband of 55 years. The couple split their time between Minnesota and the small Gulf Coast community. She had two sons.

Steve said that his father hadn't yet been able to see his wife's body, more than 12 hours after the shooting.

"To see your wife shot and killed, and not be able to see her ..." Steve Knowlton said, his eyes filling with tears.

ADVERTISEMENT

And yet, Knowlton said his mother would have wanted him to forgive the officer who pulled the trigger.

"I forgive him. My mom was very spiritual. She brought us up right," he said. "He without sin casts the first stone."

Carolyn Hartwigsen, of Edina, told The Associated Press she was a longtime friend of Knowlton. She said Knowlton had a love of books and tried to instill that in young readers.

"So much is on the internet now. But, books are so important to have in children's hands. That was important to her," Hartwigsen said.

Hartwigsen said Mary and her husband would come back to Minnesota periodically to visit.

"She was the salt of the earth, a beautiful soul and the kindest woman you would know," she said.

Knowlton graduated from Austin High School in 1961 before attending St. Olaf College in Northfield, the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State University in Mankato. She served as a librarian for the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Egan Public Schools and the Scott County Public Library in Savage.

Knowlton was the sister-in-law of Richard Knowlton, former board chairman of the Hormel Foundation in Austin.
My sister and her boyfriend have gotten into kayaking. By "gotten into," I mean they took an introductory class and then, the very next day, went out and bought two kayaks.

I can appreciate that level of enthusiasm. It sounds like something I'd do. Similar to the time, years ago, I took my boys to an outdoor carnival -- and then bought our very own inflatable bouncy castle that night. Because how fun are bouncy castles?!

At any rate, the kayak thing seems to be working out for Angie and Chris. They're so jazzed about their impulse buy that they've hit the river nearly every day.

In fact, when we visited last week, they asked if we'd like to try their first long trip with them  paddling the Red Lake River from my hometown, Thief River Falls, to the next town, St. Hilaire. It's about 6 miles by car, but 9 miles by river, they figured, once we got through all the twists and turns.

"That sounds awesome!" I answered, when they asked.

ADVERTISEMENT

And it was. For a while.

5 p.m.: We gather sunscreen, bug spray and water and rent extra kayaks. The process takes longer than we'd planned, but we're still on schedule. Someone told Chris it takes about an hour to kayak three miles, so as long as we're on the water by 6:30, we should be golden.

6 p.m.: We unload the kayaks at our starting point, then leave half our group to watch them while we drop a car off at our end point in St. Hilaire.

6:20 p.m.: Chris and I wait for Angie to show up to take us back to the kayaks, then realize she's been parked across the road the whole time.

6:35 p.m.: We reunite with our group in Thief River. Dig out sunscreen, bug spray, water. Realize bug spray is nearly empty. There's enough for three of us.

6:45 p.m.: Push off. We're behind schedule, but we'll make up for it on the water. No worries.

7 p.m.: This is the life. With no one else on the river, we're able to take in the scenery and wildlife undisturbed.

7:30 p.m.: There are plenty of exposed rocks on the route, but we've managed to avoid most of them  until now. Angie hits a massive rock hidden just below the surface, and her kayak tips on its side. She's able to right herself  but not before collecting water. She'll spend the rest of the trip in what is essentially a floating bathtub.

ADVERTISEMENT

8 p.m.: Now that we've been on the water for over an hour, Chris pulls up his GPS to check our progress. He can't get a signal, but it doesn't matter  there's nowhere to go but forward.

9 p.m.: "That's the highway," Angie says, as we hear cars passing in the distance. "We're not as far as I thought."

9:15 p.m.: We spot a man up on the bank. He's the only other human we've seen in three hours. "How far to St. Hilaire?" my nephew asks. "I don't think you're going to make it before dark," the man answers.

10 p.m.: Chris' source on the whole three-miles-per-hour thing must've been drunk. The night is closing in, the mosquitoes are out  and they've found the poor suckers who didn't get bug spray.

10:15 p.m.: We can't see where we're going. We can't see each other. We certainly can't see any landing. Christian turns on his phone's flashlight to scan the bank for an opening. Instead, his beam illuminates a galaxy of flying bugs. He turns it off.

10:20 p.m.: Chris' GPS is working  and it tells us we're near the landing. We see nothing.

10:30 p.m.: A fish  which sounds roughly the size of a great white shark  nearly jumps into Christian's kayak. We're now in a horror film.

10:35 p.m.: "Rocks!" someone yells. "Rocks ahead!" Oh, for Pete's sake.

ADVERTISEMENT

10:45 p.m.: "It's an adventure!" I say to the kids. "And now we'll have a story to tell when we get home!" What I don't tell them is that I'm pretty sure that story's going to include sleeping in our kayaks until dawn.

10:47 p.m.: Chris yells, "We found the landing!"

10:48 p.m.: If I could get to him, I'm pretty sure I'd kiss my sister's boyfriend full on the lips.
AUSTIN  The Mower County Board passed a local option, half-cent sales tax during a special session Tuesday morning. However, the tax won't take effect until next year.

On a 3-2 vote, the county board failed to approve the motion to implement the half-cent sales tax immediately, with commissioners Mike Ankeny, Tony Bennett and Jerry Reinartz voting against and commissioners Tim Gabrielson and Polly Glynn voting to approve.

But Ankeny introduced a resolution calling for enactment of the tax starting Aug. 1, 2017. That would give the Legislature another year to come through with adequate funding for transportation infrastructure. While the tax would be enacted next August, the board said it reserves the right to revisit the resolution and could rescind the tax after a public hearing.

"We're gonna have to discuss whether we would want to retract it," Glynn said. "There's just no funding, and we need help to get these roads back in shape."

Many of the board members said they were fed up with the lack of funding from the state. Mower County faces more than $100 million in road-and-bridge needs for the next decade, according to the county engineer.

ADVERTISEMENT

Despite the county implementing a wind tax on the Pleasant Valley Wind Farm project and a wheelage tax on vehicles, "that alone won't be enough," Glynn said.

Once the half-cent sales tax is implemented, it would be enacted for 10 years, or until project revenues are sufficient to finance projects. The half-cent sales tax can only be used for roads and bridges and cannot be used for any other purpose such as the general fund or to pay administrative salaries.

This resolution didn't come without some mixed responses. Reinartz said this potentially could backfire if the state legislators were given false perceptions that government funding wouldn't be needed once the sales tax was enacted.

"It's sending them a wrong message," Reinartz said. "That we would possibly implement (the tax) if they don't do anything. ... We're not going to get this work done by straining the citizens of our county. ... That's not the way to fund our roads and bridges."

Gabrielson insisted it was important the county take action in combating against the deteriorating state of rural roads and bridges, as opposed to waiting for the state to provide adequate funds.

"We've been told it's our job to take care of this," Gabrielson said. "State and federal government is not funding (transportation) the way it should be. ... If we don't start taking care of ourselves, we're going to be in deep trouble."

The road-and-bridge budget for Mower County has been about $10 million to $12 million annually. But costs have increased significantly for road repair.

For now, the county has a year before enacting the sales-tax. An ultimatum of sorts before taking matters into its own hands.

ADVERTISEMENT

"I understand both sides of the issue," Ankeny said. "Both have legitimate arguments. I understand the need for the roads and don't feel that we can neglect them for a long period of time. I'm very disappointed with the state Legislature; we've waited two years for an answer and gotten none. I feel that this is a compromise."
MINNEAPOLIS  The Latest on primary voting in Minnesota (all times local):

10:15 p.m.

A Somali activist has unseated one of the Minnesota Legislature's longest-serving members in a Democratic primary.

Ilhan Omar defeated 22-term Rep. Phyllis Kahn in Tuesday's DFL nominating contest. Omar's victory in the heavily Democratic Minneapolis district makes it likely she'll be the first Somali-American lawmaker in the nation after the November election.

The district spans the University of Minnesota and is home to a large population of immigrants from Somalia and other East African countries. Omar argued the district needs a fresher face that better represents the diversity and needs of the area.

ADVERTISEMENT

Omar is a political activist and former aide to the Minneapolis City Council.

Kahn has spent 44 years in the Legislature.

9:30 p.m.

Longtime conservative radio host Jason Lewis has captured the Republican nomination for Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District.

Lewis entered Tuesday's primary as the favorite and the party's endorsed candidate. He defeated businesswoman Darlene Miller, former state legislator John Howe and consultant Matt Erickson to get the GOP nod.

His victory sets up a fiercely contested battle with Democratic candidate Angie Craig, who has raised nearly $2 million for the election. The southeastern Minnesota district is viewed as a toss-up. The winner will succeed retiring Republican Rep. John Kline.

It's Lewis's second run for a congressional seat. He previously launched a congressional bid in Colorado before moving to Minnesota

___

ADVERTISEMENT

9:20 p.m.

A leading Minnesota Republican legislator on outdoors issues has lost in a GOP primary.

Rep. Tom Hackbarth lost in Tuesday's primary to Calvin Bahr for the central Minnesota House district. The loss ends his tenure of nearly two decades at the Legislature.

Hackbarth had served the last two years as chair of a House committee handling outdoor and mining issues. He was in the spotlight in recent legislative battles surrounding walleye fishing limits on Mille Lacs Lake and unemployment on Minnesota's Iron Range.

But he entered Tuesday's primary facing steep odds as he challenged Bahr after losing the party's endorsement.

Hackbarth was first elected to the House in 1994 but lost a re-election bid. He's been in the Legislature since winning back his seat in 1998.

8:50 p.m.

Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt has defeated a GOP challenger in a primary.

ADVERTISEMENT

Daudt beat retired Army major and former Isanti County Commissioner Alan Duff in Tuesday's primary. His heavily Republican district all but ensures he'll return to the Legislature for a fourth term.

The Zimmerman Republican ascended to the House's top leadership spot when Republicans won control of the House in 2014. He's charged with managing a diverse Republican caucus and negotiating with Gov. Mark Dayton and other top Democrats.

But his leadership spawned complaints among conservative activists who took issue with additional spending approved in the Legislature under his watch. Outside political groups spent heavily on both sides.

With the primary challenge out of the way, Daudt will focus on retaining control of the House.

4:45 p.m.

The Minneapolis suburb of Lakeville is in the epicenter of the state's primary action, falling inside the 2nd Congressional District and the fight to replace retiring GOP Rep. John Kline. But just a few voters trickled into a Lakeville polling place throughout the afternoon.

Among them was Todd Laubach, who voted for Jason Lewis, saying the candidate's radio career, fiscal conservatism and party endorsement won him over.

Lewis supporter Sandy Scipioni was puzzled by the lack of energy surrounding the primary. She never had candidates knocking at her door and couldn't remember a single piece of political mail.

Matt Schiefelbein, a 20-year-old from Lakeville, was the only one among his group of friends to vote, calling it his civic duty. He chose Darlene Miller, citing Kline's endorsement as the clincher.

3 p.m.

Minnesota voters are trickling into the polls for what officials are calling a very quiet primary election.

One of the few high-profile races is in southern Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District, where GOP Rep. John Kline's retirement set up a four-way Republican primary fight for his open seat. But election officials say that hasn't drawn out many voters.

Scott County's elections coordinator, Lisa Shadick, describes the voting there as "pretty uneventful."

In Goodhue County, elections official Amy Hove says turnout has been a little higher in a couple cities with mayoral and city council races, but there's been "very minimal turnout" elsewhere. Hove says the congressional race and a state Supreme Court race are the only contests on the ballot for most of her county's cities and townships.

7:30 a.m.

Polls are open for Minnesota's primary election.

The only statewide race is a seat on the Supreme Court, where Associate Justice Natalie Hudson is the incumbent in a three-party field. Two candidates advance to November.

Ramsey County elections chief Joe Mansky, a former state elections official, estimated 5 percent turnout in his county, the state's second-most populous. The secretary of state's office doesn't predict turnout.

How many voters go to the polls could be a major factor in Tuesday's elections. Candidates in every corner of Minnesota concede that anything can happen when few voters turn out.

12:50 a.m.

Minnesota voters have only a handful of primaries Tuesday, but there's still plenty at stake.

The biggest prize is in southern Minnesota, where GOP Rep. John Kline's retirement set off a scramble for a swing seat in Congress. Four Republicans crowded into Tuesday's primary.

Conservative radio host Jason Lewis had the party's endorsement. Businesswoman Darlene Miller, former state lawmaker John Howe and consultant Matt Erickson were also running.

Longtime state Rep. Phyllis Kahn was defending her Minneapolis seat against two Somali-American candidates. And House Republican Speaker Kurt Daudt faced a primary challenge from a former county commissioner who says Daudt hasn't done enough to curb state spending.
MASON CITY  Bob Klocke has been named 2016 campaign chairman for the United Way of North Central Iowa.

Klocke is chief credit officer for First Citizens Bank in Mason City. He has been involved in many civic activities in Mason City and has been a United Way volunteer and donor for nearly 30 years.

I have seen directly the impact of the programming United Way supports, Klocke said in a statement. The North Iowa area is the best it can be because of a number of reasons, not the least of which is strong and passionate giving to help those in need.

My goal is to help exceed last years campaign total and to involve even more companies and people in our efforts to help our neighbors right here in north central Iowa, Klocke added.

United Way Executive Director Jodee OBrien said, Bobs career in banking will help bring awareness to the investment banking model of United Way, and how we are helping to connect and strengthen community resources to inspire change in the lives of all North Iowans.

For more information on the United Way of North Central Iowa, visit www.unitedwaynci.org.
WINONA  The Winona County Planning Commission on Monday postponed making a recommendation on a proposed ban on silica sand mining because only eight of the planned 12 speakers were able to make their presentations before the mandated three-hour time limit.

In June, the Winona County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 to accept a modified ordinance based on a silica mining ban written by the Land Stewardship Project, a private, nonprofit organization that focuses on promoting sustainable agriculture and developing health communities. The proposal was modified by the Winona County Attorney's Office.

The proposed ordinance would prohibit the mining, processing, storage and transportation of silica sand for industrial uses. Industrial uses could include hydraulic fracturing by the oil industry.

Following the board's vote, the proposed ordinance was subject to public review for 60 days. Citizens had until Aug. 1 to express their opinions and concerns. The proposal then went to the planning commission on Monday for a recommendation.

In addition to the planned 12 speakers, the commission heard presentations at the Monday night meeting, along with presentations from the Office of Planning, the Winona County Attorney's Office and the County Engineer. The speakers expressed their concerns about the ban, as well as their support, and gave evidence as to why they believe that the planning commission should approve, disapprove or modify the proposed ban.

ADVERTISEMENT

Concerns for the ramifications if the ban were to be put into place ranged from road damage to possible legal action to negative impacts to other industries and the economy. Jason George, who presented on behalf of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local Union 49, said that the banning of industrial use of silica sand "would be banning jobs," saying that keeping the industry local would allow workers to stay within the county rather than going to where work is.

Arguments supporting the ban included the possible health concerns that silica sand could have on the people in surrounding communities and how mines would affect the amount of tourism in individual towns and counties. Wayne Feyereisn, a doctor at the Mayo Clinic, spoke independently, laying out the possible health ramifications of silica sand mining. In his presentation he stated that exposure to the small, airborne particles of crystalline silica can be damaging, especially to children, possibly leading to silicosis, lung cancer and kidney disease.

With a pre-planned three-hour time limit to the meeting and with many speakers giving in-depth presentations and answering questions, the planning commission was unable to vote on whether or not to approve the proposed ban, which would then be sent back to the Winona County Board of Commissioners. The planning commission also wished to hear the remaining four presentations in order to gain more information on the subject before making a decision.

The discussion will be continued into Winona County Planning Commission meeting, which will be on 7 p.m. Thursday. The discussion on the proposed ban may possibly continue on the Monday, Aug. 15, meeting, which will also take place at 7 p.m.
First District DFL Rep. Tim Walz and Republican Jim Hagedorn will face off once again in November.

Hagedorn easily fended off a primary challenge from Brownsdale farmer Steve Williams. Hagedorn won nearly 76 percent of the vote compared to Williams' nearly 24 percent. Williams had previously run as an Independence Party U.S. Senate candidate.

This is Hagedorn's third run for Congress. In 2014, Walz beat Hagedorn by a vote of 54 percent to 46 percent. In 2010, Hagedorn dropped out of the race after failing to get the Republican endorsement. In a written statement, Hagedorn said he would seek to challenge the status quo if elected in November.

"I will fight to take power from the national politicians, bureaucrats and interest groups and send authority back to the states and the American people," Hagedorn said.
We see that you have javascript disabled. Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801.
Radio talk show host Jason Lewis fended off last-minute campaign attacks, beating out three Republican challengers Tuesday night to advance to the general election.

Lewis will take on Democrat Angie Craig, a former executive at St. Jude Medical, in November. The two will be battling for the chance to replace retiring 2nd District Rep. John Kline. The race is expected to be one of only 20 competitive U.S. House races nationwide.

Lewis, who won the Republican endorsement, cruised to victory over his GOP rivals. Taking on Lewis were former Sen. John Howe, businesswoman Darlene Miller and Minnesotans for Trump spokesman Matthew Erickson. With 93 percent of precincts reporting, Lewis won 49 percent of the vote. Miller came in second with 31 percent, followed by Howe with 14 percent and Erickson with 7 percent.

In an interview, Lewis said the last-minute attacks against his campaign backfired.

"The voters are a bit more wise than some politicians give them credit. I think that people are way past that. The old gotcha politics doesn't do anything to lower health insurance premiums. That doesn't do anything to reform the tax code. All it does is to take people's words out of context," he said.

ADVERTISEMENT

While Lewis had the party's endorsement, Miller enjoyed the support of Kline. In a written statement, the Burnsville Republican thanked the congressman for his support.

"When I entered this race, I knew I was the political outsider and it would be tough to win," Miller said.

Howe, of Red Wing, said Lewis benefited from having the Republican "political machinery" working in his favor.

"I hope I am wrong about Lewis's vulnerabilities, and I am going to work hard for our down-the-ticket candidates. It will be important to hold the state House and try to pick up some state Senate seats," he said

While Howe placed third overall, he did win both Goodhue and Wabasha counties.

Democrats see the 2nd District seat as a pick up opportunity and are expected to aggressively go after Lewis for statements he has made on the radio during his career. Minutes after Lewis was named the victor, Craig went after the Woodbury Republican for some of his past statements.

"What's disturbing about Jason's time on the air isn't just the shock value of his soundbites  it's the strength of conviction he shows in standing by his opinions. From calling you women 'non-thinking,' to suggesting victims of natural disasters are a bunch of 'whiners,' to his twisted logic on slavery, it's no surprise that he wants to join the group of extremists in the Freedom Caucus who shut down the government," Craig said.

In a statement, Lewis called Craig a "radical liberal" who would be a "radical departure from our shared values." In the coming months, he said he will be looking to draw a sharp contrast between himself and Craig by talking about his support for across-the-board spending cuts and reforming the tax code.

ADVERTISEMENT

Lewis added, "We've got to get the economy going again so that the rising tide can lift all boats. You can't continue to grow at 1 percent growth and satisfy the need of 2nd District families or, for that matter, balance the budget."
MINNEAPOLIS  A Somali activist could become the first Somali-American lawmaker in the nation after unseating one of the Minnesota Legislature's longest-serving members in a Democratic primary.

Ilhan Omar defeated 22-term Rep. Phyllis Kahn in Tuesday's nominating contest in the heavily Democratic Minneapolis district.

The district spans the University of Minnesota and is home to a large population of immigrants from Somalia and other East African countries. Omar argued that the district needs a fresher face that better represents the diversity and needs of the area.

Omar is a political activist and former aide to the Minneapolis City Council.

Kahn has spent 44 years in the Legislature.

ADVERTISEMENT

4th District: Ryan wins GOP primary to face McCollum

MINNEAPOLIS  Republicans have chosen a St. Paul businessman to take on Democratic Rep. Betty McCollum.

Greg Ryan won Tuesday's GOP nominating contest in a three-way field for the 4th Congressional District. He beat Nikolay Bey and Gene Rechtzigel.

Ryan owns and runs Ryan Plumbing and Heating in St. Paul, a longtime family business. He took over the operation as a young man when his father was shot and killed during an armed robbery.

McCollum has represented the eastern Twin Cities metropolitan area in Congress since 2001. She's the clear favorite to win a ninth term in the heavily Democratic district in November.

5th District: Ellison eases to primary victory in 5th

MINNEAPOLIS  U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison has won the Democratic nomination for another run in Minnesota's 5th District.

Ellison defeated challengers Lee Bauer and Gregg Iverson in Tuesday's Democratic primary. Ellison has represented Minneapolis and its western suburbs in Congress since 2007.

ADVERTISEMENT

Iverson previously ran for Minneapolis mayor and challenged Ellison in 2012. Bauer ran against Ellison in 2014 as an Independence Party candidate.

Ellison will face Republican nominee Frank Drake in the November election as he seeks a sixth term in Congress.

6th District: Snyder wins Dem primary to face Emmer

MINNEAPOLIS  Democrats have chosen an iron worker and Army veteran to challenge U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer in November.

David Snyder won the DFL nomination in Tuesday's primary by defeating Bob Helland. Snyder had the party's endorsement heading into the race.

Emmer is the heavy favorite heading into the general election as he seeks a second term. The 6th District stretches from St. Cloud and east across the state and leans conservative.

7th District: Hughes wins GOP primary to tackle Peterson

MINNEAPOLIS  U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson has a Republican challenger for November.

ADVERTISEMENT

Dave Hughes won Tuesday's GOP primary to face the longtime Democrat lawmaker in the general election. Hughes beat Amanda Hinson to capture the party's nod for the seat.

Hughes is a political newcomer and retired Air Force officer who served in the Middle East and eastern Europe. He won the party's endorsement in April over Hinson.

Though the northwestern Minnesota district leans Republican, Peterson has easily weathered GOP challengers since taking office in 1991.

Legislature: Moran turns back challenge from Black Lives activist

MINNEAPOLIS  One of Minnesota's few black lawmakers has defeated a primary challenge from a Black Lives Matter activist.

Rep. Rena Moran beat St. Paul Black Lives Matter leader Rashad Turner in Tuesday's DFL primary. Moran is a St. Paul Democrat and one of three black lawmakers at the Legislature.

Persistent racial economic gaps and racially charged encounters with law enforcement have fueled the rising political power of groups like Black Lives Matter. Turner, who is also black, argued Moran hasn't done enough to address those issues during her three terms at the Capitol.

Moran expressed dismay that Turner would focus on one of Minnesota's few black legislators. She won the Democratic party's endorsement for the St. Paul seat.

Turner has been a visible figure in Black Lives Matter rallies and protests.

Legislature: No fourth term for GOP Sen. Nienow

MINNEAPOLIS  Republican state Sen. Sean Nienow (NEE'-now) has lost his bid for a fourth term.

Nienow lost Tuesday's primary to challenger Mark Koran, a sales manager from Chisago County.

Nienow, of Cambridge, had a reputation as a fiscal conservative but filed for bankruptcy in 2014.

Supreme Court: Hudson advances in race

MINNEAPOLIS  Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Natalie Hudson has advanced to the November election after winning a primary.

Hudson was the top vote-getter in Tuesday's non-partisan primary for the state's highest court. She faced attorney Craig Foss and failed 2014 Supreme Court candidate Michelle MacDonald. The top two candidates move on to the general election.

Gov. Mark Dayton appointed Hudson to the bench last year after serving more than a decade on the state's Court of Appeals. The state constitution requires appointees to face voters for re-election to a six-year term.

MacDonald lost a 2014 election to the court after a drunken driving arrest came to light. She had been endorsed by the Republican Party.
My name is David Palmquist. I worked for 39 years as Whitewater State Park naturalist, sharing this area's amazing natural resources and environmental education with park visitors and area residents. I'm convinced that frac-sand mining operations in Winona County should be banned.

We live in a beautiful and fragile portion of Minnesota. The 3 percent of the state that is the blufflands, which includes Winona County, is rich in life forms. There are more kinds of plants and animals in the blufflands than in any other landscape region in Minnesota. Forty three percent of the state's rare species live with us here in the blufflands. Many of these are vulnerable to changes in the landscape.

I believe the majority of county residents support a ban on frac-sand mining operations. Their reasons include concerns about water quality. Karst topography makes this an significant concern. Other concerns are threats to air quality, community and individual health, property values and impacts of truck traffic, including fumes, dust, congestion, and road wear.

Short-term profits for a few do not justify the long-term impacts on the many. Scars of frac-sand mining will remain on the landscape for generations. What do we want to leave our children?

To protect this precious place we live in, a ban on frac-sand mining operations is the right thing to do.

ADVERTISEMENT

Dave Palmquist

Winona
Rochester's streets aren't necessarily showing their age.

While nearly a third of the 467 miles of city streets are have reached or surpassed their 50-year life expectancies, it's unlikely many of us can point to many surfaces in drastic need of being replaced. An ongoing series of repair and resurfacing efforts have left most neighborhood streets in seemingly good shape.

In a sense, the street department's success may be working against it.

The real problems lurk underneath the smooth surfaces, Public Works Director Richard Freese told Rochester City council this week, noting problems are expected to grow.

In order to maintain the city's current streets, Freese said about 10 miles should be replaced each year, with more being repaired and resurfaced along the way. Ideally, $32 million would be spent each year.

ADVERTISEMENT

The city's annual street budget is $9 million,

It's not a new problem. Freese told council members he offered similar warnings to their predecessors 19 years ago. He repeated the warning last year, when the council asked for more information.

The council appears to be listening. Council members Ed Hruska and Nick Campion have asked for maps of 68 miles of streets rated to be in poor to fair condition.

We applaud the council members effort to check conditions for themselves. We hope all council members do some roadwork in the weeks leading up to an Aug. 22 meeting to discuss possible short-term and long-term options for funding work on our aging streets.

At the same time, we hope they heed Freese's warning that Rochester streets receiving the lowest grades aren't necessarily falling apart. They are smooth due to years of hard work, but problems are brewing under the surface.

Those are problems we don't want to see suddenly emerge without adequate funding to respond.

The council has hard decisions to make regarding funding options. There's not a simple solution.

While the city can assess nearby landowners for replacing streets, state law makes it difficult to collect more than 20 percent, Freese said. The rest comes from local tax dollars, meaning property owners throughout the city fund the bulk of work on neighborhood streets.

ADVERTISEMENT

Other options include fees, which have caused property tax-paying residents to balk in the past, even though it spreads the expense over a greater number of residents, including renters. Borrowing could be an option, but it simply pushes the financial burden down the road.

Continuing to do nothing will likely be a tempting option, especially for those who simply look at the surface to judge the issue.

Doing nothing, however, won't ensure our streets are usable and safe for years to come. It will simply be putting off even bigger problems and creating a bumpier ride down the road.

It's time to make the difficult adjustment and map out a realistic plan for the long haul.
MASON CITY -- The state auditor's office is in the "late work stages" of re-auditing Mason City School District finances.

The re-audit began in July. A public report will be issued once the review is complete, Deputy Auditor Tami Kusian said.

She could not confirm if the office had expanded its scope to review the district's books for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015.

State audit may have followed concerns on Mason City schools vacation payouts MASON CITY  A pending state audit of Mason City School District finances may have begun aft

The district will respond, after review of the findings, to make any recommended changes found needed through this re-audit process, School Board President Janna Arndt and Interim Superintendent Mike Penca said in a June statement.

Board member Jodi Draper confirmed to the Globe Gazette in June she had requested the state review the district's finances. Draper said she was concerned about purchase orders approved by former Superintendent Anita Micich to two outgoing administrators for vacation pay.

It is not known whether Draper's concerns are included in the state's review. Neither Micich nor the former administrators have been accused of wrongdoing.

 Meredith Colias
The 2017 Miss Universe pageant is scheduled to take place in January, somewhere in the Philippines. The Philippines have long been home to an Islamic insurgency, and ISIS reportedly is calling on its followers to bomb the pageant:

Terrorists from the Islamic State group have allegedly called for attacks at the upcoming Miss Universe competition set for January 2017 in the Philippines. A string of threats recently posted to the messaging app Telegram have called for local jihadi proponents of the extremist group known as ISIS to carry out attacks at the beauty pageant, Fox News reported Monday. Unverified reposts of the messages shared on the social media channel used by the jihadis in the Philippines called on everyone who can to launch attacks at the event. The thread of posts encouraging violence at the global beauty competition also reportedly included a call to create a bomb for miss universe. The threatening posts also offered an online video tutorial on how to assemble a suicide belt, along with a guide in English on how to produce explosive devices.

***

In January, Reuters reported that fighters from four terror organizations operating in the Philippines released a video in which they pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and announced the establishment of ISIS province in the Philippines.

This is no idle threat. In 2002, the Miss World pageant was scheduled to be held in Nigeria. Muslims rioted, killing hundreds of Christians, and the pageant fled to London. In 2013, Miss World was in Bali, Indonesia, and the pageant organizers made a cowardly (in my view) decision to eliminate the swimsuit competition, out of fear of radical Muslim attacks. As though no one in Bali wears swim suits! Since then, Miss World has abandoned the swimsuit competition permanently.

The current Miss Universe, Pia Wurtzbach, is from the Philippines, which I believe is the reason the pageant is to be held there. Lets hope the pageant organizers dont do anything stupid or cowardly. If beauty pageant contestants wear burkas, the terrorists have won!
It was just one week ago that the Wall Street Journal published the story by Jay Solomon and Carol Lee about the Obama administration sending Iran $400 million in cash while the Iranians released some American hostages, triggering criticism that the payment had been a ransom. The Obama administration has denied this characterization of the payment and President Obama has himself mocked it in his patented style.

It turns out, however, that the appearances of the $400 million payment makes out the case for ransom in Marx Brothers style. Who ya gonna believe, President Obama or your lyin eyes?

As Omri Ceren put it in an email yesterday: There are two flights in play: the plane with the hostages leaving Iran and the plane with the money arriving in Iran. If the hostages were held until the money arrived, it would strongly suggest a ransom. Last Thursday pastor Saeed Abedini, one of the freed hostages, told [FOX Business News] that the hostages plane was indeed held up until the Iranians confirmed a second plane had arrived. Video of the interview and the related FBN story is posted here.

Omri noted that reporters have asked about the planes coming and going at the press briefings since the Journal story came out. Yesterday State Department press office director Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau signaled the end of the road on this particular line of inquiry (video below). Responding to the APs Matt Lee, Trudeau deadpanned: I appreciate the question. On the nub of the question, Trudeau announced: As weve said, were not going to get into a tick-tock. Weve explained what the delay was for the plane with the Americans leaving, and Ill leave it at that.

Andy McCarthy asks the obvious questions: [I]f everything is on the up and up, why is it so hard to get information about this transaction? Why has the administration stonewalled Congress on the details of this wholly legitimate transfer of untraceable cash via an unmarked cargo plane in the dark of night? (Do read the whole thing.)

One could observe in his sarcastic defense of the ransom payment last week how evasive and thin-skinned Obama is about the ransom. In his New York Sun editorial Barack Obamas Munich, Seth Lipsky relates this interesting story on Israels qualms about the Iran deal despite Obamas representation to the contrary last week:

Israels defense ministry, now headed by Avidgdor Lieberman, put out a statement noting that the Munich pact didnt prevent the Second World War and the Holocaust precisely because its basis, according to which Nazi Germany could be a partner for some sort of agreement, was flawed. It marked the fact that the leaders of the world then ignored the explicit statements of Hitler and the rest of Nazi Germanys leaders. Those things, the ministry said are also true about Iran, which also clearly states openly that its aim is to destroy the state of Israel. This reportedly infuriated the President  so much so that, according to dispatch in the Jewish Press, the American envoy in Jerusalem, Dan Shapiro, told Mr. Lieberman directly that unless he wants his name on the failure of the American military aid deal, he must apologize ASAP. The result was an apology, of sorts, from Mr. Lieberman, who claimed that his ministrys earlier statement was not intended to make a direct comparison, neither historically nor personally with the Munich pact. We are sorry if it was interpreted otherwise, the statement said, adding that the dispute does not diminish Israels deep appreciation for America.

Seth concludes:

To us, at least, it is shocking that the Obama administration takes such umbrage at criticism of the Iran pact. Mr. Obama started this latest imbroglio by trying to palm off on a noble public the idea that Israel supports the pact. It doesnt support it. And the degree of umbrage he took over the analogy to Munich is an over-reaction. The President protests too much.

Why so stingy with the facts? Why so generous with the lies? And why so sensitive? As we used to say, the truth hurts.
Hoo-boy, Trump has really done it now: hes called for assassinating Hillary Clinton, or her Supreme Court nominees, and probably pulling the ears off the Easter Bunny, too. Heres the wire service copy anyway:

Donald Trump seemingly joked about shooting Hillary Clinton during a speech Tuesday in North Carolina. If she gets to pick her judges nothing you can do folks, Trump said, referring to Clinton getting to nominate Supreme Court justices if she were elected president. Although, the Second Amendment, people, maybe there is.

And you didnt even need a three-count before the collective freakout began, including among many of my friends critical of Trump, like John Podhoretz:

Now I am as frustrated at the next person with Trumps rhetorical imprecision on so many things, but I think his remark can bear a much different and more sound construction. The purpose of the Second Amendment is not to protect the right of deer hunters to have hunting rifles: its to enable the people the means of asserting their sovereignty in an extreme case. It bears a direct connection to the right of revolution in the Declaration of Independence (whenever any government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right, it is the duty, of the people to alter or abolish it).

Liberals utterly reject this idea, and to be sure it is not practical in the modern world, or perhaps we might say that it is paradoxical: if things get so bad that actual armed rebellion against our own government is the only remedy left, it will probably be too late. And regular remedies at the ballot box will probably suffice to overturn any gun confiscation decision of a left-wing Supreme Court, if gun-grabbing justices arent impeached first. (One workaround: have pro-gun states pass statutes declaring that every citizen of the state is now a member of the state militia, and issue a single page of simple regulations [Be sure to shoot straight] to satisfy the liberal reading of guns only being allowed to a well-regulated militia.)

The point is, the principle of the Second Amendment lurking in the background of Trumps provocation is entirely sound. I wish he and his campaign had the moxie to articulate this properly, instead of this mush:

In a statement, Trumps campaign blamed the dishonest media for overblowing his remarks. Its called the power of unification, Jason Miller, senior communications adviser for Trumps campaign, wrote in an emailed statement. Second Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power. And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it wont be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump.

Cmon, Trumpers; you can do better than this.

JOHN adds: As is so often the case with Trump, it is hard to tell what he was trying to say. Here is the video, the first clip is the Second Amendment riff. I really dont think he was suggesting that Hillary should be assassinated, but when Trump goes off-script and starts free associating, he is inept. It is one fiasco after another, with the consequence that Hillary is able to skate with regard to all of the legitimate issues that Trump raises in his more coherent moments.
Have you ever wondered why people love eating at buffets?

Its not because all-you-can-eat options are better for your wallet; in fact, economists have proved ordering traditional dishes is actually cheaper.

People crave variety. With a buffet ticket, you can try the dumplings, the salad, the spare ribs, Brussels sprouts and the pastaand that variety makes you feel good.

This principle of variety definitely applies to social media content: Its easier to surprise and delight your followers when youre not always serving up the same things. By continually introducing new content types into your social media lineup, youll keep your audience members on their toes and engaged.

If youre eager to explore, but not sure where to start, check out this list of seven awesome types of social media content you can be creating right now.

1. Custom GIFs
Attacks by Fulani herdsmen in the North-central Nigerian state of Benue has led to the killing of at least escalated 1, 269 persons, investigations by PREMIUM TIMES have shown.

Out of the 23 local government areas in the state, the rampaging herdsmen have invaded and occupied 14 and may invade the remaining nine unless urgent measures are taken to curb the menace, authorities said.

Our findings, confirmed by residents, security officials and the state governor, also showed that in the North-east Senatorial District of the state, the herdsmen have invaded Katsina-Ala, Kwande, Logo, Ukum; leaving out Vandeikya, Konshisha and Ushongo.

In Benue North-east Senatorial District, the killer herdsmen have attacked all the other local government councils except Gboko.

The council areas invaded and occupied by the killer herdsmen include Guma, Gwer-West, Gwer-East, Buruku, Tarka and Makurdi local government councils.

The invasion of Ogbadibo, Agatu and Apa local government areas in Benue South Senatorial District are however believed to be the most brutal.

On February 29, for instance, the herdsmen invaded several Agatu villages and farm settlements in broad daylight, gunning down children, women, men and the elderly.

At the time the gunshots subsided, over 500 villagers were reportedly massacred and over 7000 were displaced in 10 villages including Aila, Okokolo, Akwu, Adagbo, Odugbehon and Odejo.

The Paramount Ruler of Logo Local Government Area, Jimmy Memme, told this newspaper that between July 1 and 16, the herdsmen murdered over 85 persons, including women and children, from six out of the 10 wards in the area.

The affected communities include Nengev, Turan, Ukemberagya/Tswarev, Mbagber, Yonov and Tombo wards.

Many Benue indigenes, who spoke to this newspaper, expressed sadness that while the herdsmen had been killing residents and plundering their communities, the federal government recently commissioned a military task force to protect herdsmen and their cattle in Zamfara State.

They call on President Muhammadu Buhari to expeditiously set up a special military task force to check the menace of herdsmen, not only in Benue but across the country.

Below is a timeline of herdsmen attacks on communities and the resultant killings in the state between 2013 and July 2016.

The statistic of the killings was obtained from local journalists, community leaders and the Movement Against Fulani Occupation, MAFO.

See timeline on Benue attacks below:

Infographics were prepared by Adedeji Adekunle and David Ndukwe.
The senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, has said Nigerians are groaning under serious hunger and poverty and therefore unable to meet their basic needs.

He stated this on Sunday during the launch of his interactive forum in Nasarawa, a suburb of Kaduna metropolis.

We know that Nigerians are facing hunger, no money for school fees and no jobs, the senator said while addressing the residents of the area during the event tagged Street Parliament.

A chieftain of the APC in Kano, Hussaini Mairiga, had recently said President Muhammadu Buhari who assumed power last year had failed because Nigerians were undergoing unprecedented hardship.

Mr. Sani, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, however blamed the hardship Nigerians are currently facing on the 16 years of Peoples Democratic Partys rule.

The lawmaker, who received complaints from residents about the terrible condition of the road leading to the area, poverty, joblessness and lack of portable drinking water, regretted the neglect of the community by government, noting that it is as if this community is not in Kaduna.

He however assured the residents that the APC-controlled state government would redress the ugly situation.

But it is not our (APC) fault. For the past 16 years, the PDP government did not do anything to you, but this present government will do something for your community, he said.

Mr. Sani also told residents of the area, most of who are former workers of the numerous textile companies in Kaduna that the federal government had earmarked N50 billion to revive the moribund textile industries.

He said during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan about N70 billion was given to some people he did not name to revive the textile industry but that they squandered the money.

According to him, the current federal administration had already earmarked N50 billion to revive the textile sector. He warned that caution should be taken on how the money would be disbursed so that it would not fall into the wrong hands.

Now the government has promised to give N50 billion to revive the textile companies. The Governor of Central Bank was the one who said this, he said.

A meeting has been held with the textile companies. It is important to ensure that those who were working in the textile should be there when the funds are being released so that the money will not be diverted to other things.

During the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, some people collected about N70 billion in the name of reviving the textiles.

This time around, such mistake must not be repeated, so it is important that people in this community and Kakuri in general, should select representatives to the CBN and request to witness the disbursement of the funds for textile companies.

Mr. Sani explained that the objectives of the Street Parliament was to provide a platform which he and his constituency could interact and share ideas that would bring about development.

He said, I decided to come to Nasarawa community to launch what I called Street Parliament. I know that you are facing many problems in this community.

Street Parliament is a new concept of bringing the government closer to the people. It is a concept of reaching out to people and giving the people a platform to talk to their elected representatives.

Unlike in the past, when you see your elected representatives from a distance or on television screen, now I am introducing this forum to serve as a medium for interaction with you.

The Street parliament is a new idea aimed at carrying the masses along in the process of law making. It is to afford the people express their feelings, ideas and those things you think should be a priority to those of us in the National Assembly.
The Nigeria Armys 7 Division in Maiduguri, Borno State,on Wednesday, set up a general court martial to try four officers and 16 soldiers for offences which include criminal sales of arms to non-military persons as well as abuse of human rights during the ongoing war against Boko Haram in northeast Nigeria.

The 20 accused persons, according to the Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, Victor Ezugwu, were found wanting in the discharge of their duties in the volatile northeast.

Speaking during the inauguration of the general court martial (GCM), Mr. Ezugwu, a Brigadier General, said he issued a convening order for a General Court Martial following the directives from Army Headquarters that a standing GCM be set up for Operation Lafiya to try offences committed by personnel within the Theatre of Operation.

This GCM is therefore convened to try a total of 4 officers and 16 other ranks of the Nigeria Army who have committed various offences within the Theatre of Operation Lafiya Dole, he said.

Mr. Ezugwu urged the court to achieve a timely dispensation of justice, nd to avoid frivolous adjournments.

He charged the president of the 8-man court martial panel, Oluseun Adeniyi, to dispense the assignment in accordance with the appropriate laws and devoid of bias, external pressures or by extraneous factors.

Speaking to journalists after the inauguration, the GOC said the soldiers to be prosecuted were accused of illegal sales of arms and abuse of human rights.

Some of them have committed offences that have to do with stealing and selling of ammunitions; some have committed offenses that are contrary to the ethics of professional soldiers; and there are cases of murder that are going to be tried, said Brigadier General Ezugwu.

Some of them that have committed offenses that are weighty in nature are the ones we have referred for court martial; while some of them that are within the control of the Brigade commanders and the COs, that can be handled at that level, have been dispensed off.

The essence of the court martial is that while fighting the insurgency we are mindful of the fact that we have to be above board; we have to be extremely professional, he said.
Abubakar Usman, a pro-government blogger detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over a story he posted on his website, on Wednesday slammed the Buhari administration for allegedly enabling acts that contradicted the spirit of his campaign.

Mr. Usman, an ardent supporter of the ruling All Progressives Congress, vowed to pursue causes that would help engender a Nigeria in which citizens were not punished for exercising their freedom of expression.

This is a government that I fought for. But occurrences like these are not the experiences that myself and millions of Nigerians have fought for, Mr. Usman said. Moving forward, I will be pursuing all legal and constitutionally established avenues to ensure that this does not repeat itself.

Mr. Usmans remarks came hours after he was released from detention, where he spent nearly two days.

Mr. Usman was taken from his home by operatives of the EFCC on Monday morning and his arrest and confinement sparked widespread outrage, with people of divergent political affiliations rising in unison to condemn the development.

Sources within his family said he was arrested over a story he ran on his blog on August 2, which EFCC deemed critical of its chairman, Ibrahim Magu.

A statement later issued same day by the agency said Mr. Usman was wanted for cyberstalking, an offence that allegedly breached provisions of Cyber Crime Act.

Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC spokesman, did not list the specific sections that were contravened. He, however, noted that Mr. Usman had been given administrative bail subject to fulfilment of its conditions.

On Tuesday afternoon, his attorney raised the alarm over the draconian bail conditions set by the EFCC two directors in the federal civil service with landed properties in Abuja pleading with the agency to soften them.

The agency obliged the request and Mr. Usman was released shortly afterwards without presenting any bail bond, his lawyer told PREMIUM TIMES.

News of Mr. Usmans release spread quickly, and he thanked all his followers and others who lent their voices to his ordeal in a statement he posted on his blog shortly before 5:00 a.m. Wednesday.

Mr. Usman urged Nigerians to see his unpleasant experience as a stepping stone towards the attainment of a more sustainable democracy.

The Cyber Crime Act was signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 and many Nigerians had been accused of trespass under it. Two bloggers in Abeokuta and Lagos were arrested last year in separate cases.
The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has announced the call for nominations for prizes in Science and Technology and Women Contribution to Development.

Winners of the prizes for 2017 will receive cash awards in different amounts totaling US$450,000, during the Annual Meeting of the IsDB Board of Governors to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in May 2017.

The prizes in Science & Technology and Women Contribution to Development are in different categories. The categories under the Science & Technology Prize, are:

(a) Outstanding scientific or technological contribution to the socio-economic development of a member country, (b) Outstanding contribution to any of the following scientific disciplines: Engineering; Agriculture; Medicine; Biotechnology; Information Technology; Optronics; Material Sciences; Pharmaceutical; Industrial Microelectronics; Nanotechnology and alternative Energy Sources, and (c) Scientific research institutions in IDB least developed member countries (LDMCs).

Winners of the three categories under the Science & Technology Prize will each receive US$100,000.

The prize for Women Contribution to Development consists of two cash awards of (a) US $50,000 for a woman or a group of women, and (b) US $ 100,000 for an organization.

The president of IsDB, Ahmad Ali, said, Supporting high quality research in Science & Technology will go a long way in positioning our member countries to compete in the global economy. IsDB will continue to support universities, research institutes and individual researchers in their effort to make the world a better place.

IsDB recognizes the contribution of women in development. Our role is to support and inspire them in their effort to reduce poverty, inequality, promote education and give hope to the hopeless, Mr. Ali added.

The deadline for the submission of applications is November 30.

Application forms and details about each prize are available on the IsDB website: www.isdb.org
OSAGE | Mitchell County Supervisors have voted to remove a "Suicidal Deer" sign in Osage, but declined to remove the signs anywhere else.

Another of the signs is on Route 105 north of St. Ansgar, but the board says it hasn't received any complaints from other towns.

The signs -- which gained national attention -- were placed with the hope motorists would notice the unusual wording and pay attention in high-traffic deer areas, the supervisors said.

The sentiment from Osage residents, including Mayor Steve Cooper, was the sign brought up bad memories for those who were affected by or lost someone to suicide.

These signs dont say 'commit suicide,' Supervisor Joel Voeklander said during a recent meeting. When a TV says suicide bombing, do you turn off the TV?

Supervisor Shannon Paulus said the deer arent suicidal, theyre just crossing the road.

 Ethan Stoetzer
The Federal Government has banned the collection of development levies by Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA) in the 104 unity colleges across the country, the Federal Ministry of Education says.

The ministry in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, said the ban, aimed at alleviating the sufferings of parents, would take effect immediately.

The statement was signed by Bem Goong, deputy director, press, in the ministry.

No PTA of any unity college is allowed to initiate any development project in any of the unity colleges without the express or written authorisation of the Federal Ministry of Education.

The new measures are aimed at arresting the shocking trend where development levies imposed on parents by PTAs are becoming higher than the school fees charged by government which established the unity schools, the ministry said.

The ministry said that the Minister, Adamu Adamu, had noted excessive PTA levies in Kings College, Lagos, and Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba, Lagos.

It said that in the two schools, fees charged for JSS1 in the first term was N69, 400 while the PTA collection was N70, 000 at Kings and N74, 000 at Yaba.

This brings the total paid by parents in these two schools to N139, 400 and N143, 400 respectively.

With the reduction on development levies and ban on charges for new projects as well as pegging of the development levy to a maximum of N5, 000, parents of JSS1 in these two schools will now pay N88, 000.

I acknowledge the complementary roles played by parents and the support provided by the PTA to the colleges but I will not allow the PTAs to constitute themselves into a government within a government at the level of unity schools and at the expense of parents, the ministry quoted Adamu as saying.

It said that Adamu expressed concern that PTAs in unity colleges had formed themselves into national associations and said that running additional organisations, such as National Parents and Teachers Association of Federal Government Colleges (NAPTAFEGC), increased the burden on parents.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that NAPTAFEGC recently rejected an alleged 300 per cent increase in school fees of unity schools.

Gabriel Nnaji, National President of NAPTAFEGC, had told journalists that the alleged increase from N20, 000 to N75, 000, was unacceptable to parents.

He said that an average parent with more than a child in unity schools would not be able to afford the cost.

However, Adamu on Tuesday denied knowledge of the increment in fees.

(NAN)
In an effort to solve the manpower needs in the health sector especially in the North- Eastern part of Nigeria, the Federal Government has approved the establishment of School of Nursing and Midwifery in Nguru Local government of Yobe State.

The Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre Nguru, Abubakar Musa, said this while briefing the Minister of State for Health, Osagie Ehanire, who was on assessment tour of the hospital.

The Federal Medical Centre, Nguru, in its efforts to fulfil one of its given mandates of health manpower training, got the approval of its then Board of Management, the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to establish a School of Midwifery. This is in order to address the growing shortage and imbalance in the availability of skilled manpower that is prevalent in the NorthEast and most especially in Yobe State which is viewed as among the worst in the country Musa said.

The School is to be situated at the former Federal Medical Centre old site as the Medical Centre has moved to a newly built permanent site.

Mr. Ehanire, however, expressed optimism that the school when fully operational would drastically reduce the manpower challenge, not only within the catchment areas but the entire Yobe State.

I fully approve and support the efforts to develop human resources based staff, especially the School of Nursing and Midwifery to start as quickly as possible because we need those resources based officers urgently, Mr. Ehanire said.

He encouraged the people living within the area to fully participate in the school activities so that at end of their studies they can be retained in order to support the health sector in their communities.

The Minister called on the staff of the hospital to put in their best at least to work for 40 hours per week.

While we are struggling to ensure that FMC Nguru gets its fair share from the federal government, you should also work with dedication and humility for at least the number of hours expected of you per day, he added.
Gov. Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa on Wednesday sacked the state Commissioner for Land, Housing and Urban Development, Adamu Sarki.

The Secretary to the State Government, Abdulkadiri Fanini, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse.

Mr. Fanini, who did not give reason for the action, said Mr. Badaru could terminate appointment of any political appointee if his service was no longer needed.

He said the governor had already directed the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ahmed Mohammed, to oversee the ministry.

He said Mr. Mohammed would double as commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs and that of land, housing and urban development.

(NAN)
The controversy over the performance of Osun State in the 2016 senior secondary school WAEC examinations is still raging as the state government has rebuffed calls for a review of its polices in the education sector.

Osun State was ranked 29th among the 36 states and the FCT in this years results released by WAEC.

The Peoples Democratic Party in the state believes that by the rating, the states education sector showed signs of decline.

The party in a statement said the states passing rate in the 2016 WAEC published on the website of the organisation made it the least ranked state in southern part of the country coming behind Kogi and Benue states.

It noted that all the efforts of the governor in the sector had come to naught with the massive failure recorded by most public school students in the state in this years WAEC result.

Structures are being erected and noise is reaching heaven because of this, is 29th position among 36 plus FCT states a good advert for all the razzmatazz over learning tablet opon imo and other educational policies introduced by Aregbesola? Definitely no, the statement read.

To lend Aregbesola a helping hand, one of the hindrances we have noticed undermining his efforts is lack of motivation, none payment of salaries and entitlements of teachers among other equally serious challenges.

But the government on Wednesday disagreed with those criticizing it on the performance rating, arguing that the state instead has improved in its educational performance.

The Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor of Osun described those calling for the resignation of Governor Rauf Aregbesola over the last ranking of the state in the West Africa Examination Council as naive and ignorant of statistics.

The bureaus statement signed by its Director, Semiu Okanlawon, said the call stemmed from the usual lack of knowledge of performance charts and attention to details that the opposition elements were notorious for.

According to him, records and statistics of students put forward by the state in the past years have shown that there is improvement in percentage of overall results.

It added that critics had forgotten that to get the true performance of a student, a mere look at the position of the student in a class is not as important as the percentage of total scores.

The Bureau noted that the downward trend in education in the country in general should make all worrisome due to the role of education in development.

Those who say Osun is declining are not being honest. The following data will show their claims to be totally unfounded. The performance of pupils has not gone down under the watch of Aregbesola, he argued.

In 2007, the state government put forward 36,171 candidates for WAEC examination out of which 2,483 representing 6.86 per cent had credit pass in five subjects, including English and Mathematics.

In 2008, it was 37,715 candidates with 3,813 pass, representing 10.11 per cent. In 2009 it was 39,676 candidates, with 5,545 pass, representing 13.98 per cent. In 2010 it was 43,216 candidates, with 6,777 pass, representing 15.68 per cent. If you put these four years together, you will get an average of 15.68 per cent.



Put side by side when Aregbesolas administration started sponsoring candidates for WAEC in 2011. That year, it fielded 53,293 candidates, had 11672 pass, representing 21.98 per cent. In 2012, it fielded 51,463 out of which 11,431 passed, representing 22.21 per cent. In 2013, it also fielded 47,013 candidates, recorded 9,301 pass, representing 19.78 per cent.

In 2014, government sponsored 47,672 candidates, 9,316 of them passed, representing 19.54 per cent. The average performance for Aregbesolas first four years was 20.88 per cent. Compared with the average performance (13.26 per cent) of the three years that preceded it, the percentage improvement in performance during Aregbesolas tenure is a huge 57.46 per cent.

In 2009 under PDP government, Osun ranked 9th in the WAEC passing rate and before we achieved that feat, a lot of efforts went into reviving education sector which we met in comatose due to mass retrenchment of teachers by Chief Bisi Akande led administration, he said.
4K TV channel travelxp HD (India) is officially releasing in Europe this month, after confirming a partnership with Telekom Austria Group for distribution in Central and Eastern Europe.

With its DTH platform, the European group will act as technical contributor for the travelxpHDs Balkan CEE feeds over the Eutelsat 16A satellite. This tie up is aimed at expanding the channel presence in the CEE countries like Croatia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Serbia, Macedonia and eventually the whole of Europe to further contribute to its global presence.

travelxp is also a pioneer in using 4K technology and already filmed more than 100 hours of UHD travel content and also the first channel to do so. The channel is all set to launch in 4K by February 2017 globally.

Commenting on the development, Franz Bader, interim- director Wholesale, Telekom Austria Group, said: We are delighted to announce this partnership that reflects the strong and reliable position Telekom Austria Group Wholesale achieved to obtain within the industry.

He added that the partnership will help the company to efficiently use their own infrastructure while thanking his Groups existing backbone network as well as the teleport Aflenz: An infrastructure that enables the continuous delivery of high quality and state-of-the-art technical services.

Prashant M. Chothani, CEO, travelxp HD, remarked: It is the right time for us to create its edge in the European travel & lifestyle television market. We have a strong foothold in Asia, Middle East, Africa and North America and foresee this tie-up as a reliable extension to our ever-expanding partnerships with service providers in potential markets.

The European Pay TV market has added 10 million subscriptions in the last 10 years. The growth of HDTV Channels has increased over 240% and continues to grow, he concluded.

travelxp is a leading travel & lifestyle brand originating out of India and globally distributed out to over 40 million homes in Asia, MENA, North America and Europe with planned launches in UK and Latin America in the near future. Filmed in English, it is localized in seven (Indian & foreign) language feeds across the globe.
Federal rules protecting farmworkers from pesticide exposure will be strengthened next year, improving New Jersey's already good standards and practices. The biggest single change will be increasing the minimum age for applying pesticides from 16 to 18.

New Jersey has been ahead of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. When the federal rules on pesticide exposure last were toughened 24 years ago, the state took the opportunity to provide better protections to those working on farms.

Among the improvements then, which are included in the new nationwide EPA standards, were pesticide education and safety-training requirements. Since many of the 13,000 N.J. workers on farms have come from nations where pesticide awareness is weak, knowing the risks and how to minimize them is essential.

Here's one example: Fruits or vegetables might have been recently treated, so they need to be washed before being consumed, which makes eating them in the field while working dangerous.

New Jersey already required farms to post lists of when fields were sprayed, what pesticides were used and when it is safe to return to those fields. The state also required farms to provide water, soap and towels close to the fields. And its record-keeping requirement remains stronger than the new EPA rules.

Besides increasing the age of pesticide handlers and those entering treated fields early, the EPA's Worker Protection Standard is mandating training annually instead of every five years; requiring training before working in the fields, as opposed to within five days; and establishing better respirator practices and medical evaluations when using the riskiest half of the 3,500 pesticides in agriculture today.

This all makes for added work and costs for farms, which in fairness are more reasons for not keeping the family farm going. Of New Jersey's 9,000 farms, only about 1,500 are large commercial enterprises.

The need for pesticide education and oversight has long been apparent in South Jersey's agricultural industry. In the past 20 years in the region, handling pesticides without training has been suspected in cases ranging from worker dizziness to birth defects in workers' children.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension's state Pesticide Safety office will work with county agricultural agents to distribute educational materials and offer workshops for farmers on the updated regulations. Other education efforts will be handled by the N.J. Farm Bureau and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency.

This newspaper supported the state's strengthening of the rules two decades ago. It now welcomes the new incremental improvements. We believe the benefits continue to outweigh the added burden on farms.

With the EPA estimating that there are 2,000 to 3,000 preventable cases of pesticide exposure each year nationwide, stronger rules that are uniformly applied across the country are another step toward a healthy harvest.

Our view
SIOUX CITY  As Britt deals with backlash from its pit bull ban, another Iowa city has been sued by two women who claim that communitys ban on such dogs is unconstitutional.

Two Sioux City dog owners want that citys ordinance banning pit bulls declared unconstitutional, claiming it violates their right to due process.

Jennifer Frost, who had to place her dog, Jake, with family in New York to comply with the ordinance, and a woman referred to as Jane Doe want an injunction prohibiting Sioux City from enforcing the ordinance in the meantime.

Plans to enforce a pit bull ban in Britt caused controversy, leading officials there to form a committee last week to study its ordinance.

Several North Iowa cities have similar bans, including Manly, Lake Mills, Fertile and Forest City.

Rottweiler dogs are also outlawed in Lake Mills.

The two women said in their lawsuit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Sioux City, that Sioux Citys ordinance, passed in 2008, is enforced in an arbitrary, inconsistent and discriminatory manner, bans animals that are not harmful and does not ban animals that do pose a risk to harm other animals or humans.

According to the lawsuit, Frost and her family have lived in Sioux City since October and they obtained Jake, a purebred Staffordshire bull terrier, in 2006 and Reba, a mixed-breed dog, in 2014.

Animal-control officers picked up Jake near the Frost home earlier this year and informed the family that his breed was one of those banned in Sioux City and that the dog would be subject to impoundment and being euthanized if the family kept him. Frost said that she gave Jake to relatives in New York after failing to find someone closer to Sioux City to take him.

Frost said in the lawsuit that she has concerns that the city could take similar action against Reba. Neither of her dogs has ever bitten or harmed anyone, the lawsuit said.

Doe, who is seeking anonymity for herself and her dog, Daisy, said in the lawsuit that her mixed-breed dog looks similar to Jake, and she is concerned that Daisy also could be subject to the pit bull ban. Doe and her family moved to Sioux City in June 2015 and obtained the dog in February.

The Sioux City Council passed the ordinance banning pit bulls and pit bull mixes within city limits in September 2008 because at that time a high number of dogs that had been declared vicious or at risk were pit bulls or mixes.

The ban prohibits city residents from having dogs that are at least 51 percent pit bull, but allowed owners to keep the dogs they already owned at the time of the ordinances passage as long as they registered them with the city.

The ordinance describes a pit bull as an American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier or any dog that looks like or has characteristics of being one of those breeds.

Britt has had ordinances banning pit bulls on the books for some time, but officials admitted in public meetings last month that the ban was not being enforced.

Several dog owners lobbied against the ban at last weeks Britt City Council meeting, saying pit bulls were not inherently dangerous and should not be singled out.

As a result, city officials formed a committee to examine the ordinance. It may seek input from other communities with bans and insurance companies.

The committee is to present recommendations at the Britt City Councils Sept. 6 meeting.

In Sioux City, the womens lawsuit said the American Veterinary Medical Association has said that national statistics on fatalities and injuries caused by dogs do not prove any breed is more dangerous than another.

The lawsuit said the citys ban relies on visual identification of pit bulls and mixes and that the ordinances identification of the animals is overly vague.

North Iowa humane society against breed-specific bans MASON CITY  Cities adopting breed-specific bans only increases the stigma attached to certa

The Sioux City suit also says an owners seven-day time limit to request a breed-determination hearing is too short and doesnt give them enough time to respond to allegations.

The ordinance in Sioux City also places the burden on the owner to prove that a dog is not a prohibited breed and does not provide owners with a way to receive a breed determination before the dog is seized. Only after the city impounds a dog can an owner contest the citys breed determination, the suit said.

The threat of impoundment of their dog and associated fees keeps many dog owners from exercising their due process rights, the lawsuit said.

City Attorney Nicole DuBois said Tuesday that the city had yet to be served with notice of the lawsuit, and she declined to comment because she had not yet seen it.

Sioux City City Manager Bob Padmore and Cindy Rarrat, owner and manager of Sioux City Animal Adoption and Rescue, which has a contract to provide the city with animal-control services, were also named in the suit. Rarrat declined to comment. Padmore did not immediately return a call.
CHARLES CITY  Can a name be destiny? In the case of DeRailed, a bar at 1130 N. Grand Ave., it appears so.

A Canadian Pacific railroad car tipped over on the adjacent tracks early Tuesday and crushed a corner of the metal storage shed at the back of the bar. Chief Hugh Anderson of the Charles City Police Department said the derailment occurred about 4 a.m. while crews were moving cars and changing hook-ups.

Kind of ironic that it derailed, said Lori Eckenrod of Charles City, as she sat at the bar in DeRailed shortly before noon. Kind of been the talk of the town and everywhere else, from what I heard. Her husband, Tom, is one of four co-owners of the bar.He got called at 4:15 in the morning, she said. No one really knows what happened.

Eckenrod added, At least it happened at the end of the bar. Thats all storage.

Anderson was alerted by a patrol officer that a train car had derailed into DeRailed. Its not every day you get to say that, the police chief quipped.

He said it appeared the track separated, and a grain car rolled into the bar caving in the back corner. The owner estimated damage at $10,000. No one was in the bar and no injuries were reported.

Workers were on the scene throughout the morning assessing the situation. Heavy equipment arrived at 12:15 p.m. and workers began attaching cables to the railroad car. About 35 minutes later, the car was pulled upright.

Despite the accident, DeRailed was open for business Tuesday. Patrons were stopping in and the seats at the bar near the front of the building were full around noon.Lucky it didnt hit the bar, or we wouldnt be in here, Teresa Smith of Osage said with a smile. She and Starla Tindell of Floyd stopped in for a drink following a business meeting in town.

A quarter after 8 this morning, I caught it on my Facebook, Tindell said of the derailment. She didnt believe me, Tindell added, pointing to Smith.I just found out about it when I got here, said Fuzzy Hollander of Floyd. Like other patrons, he seemed unconcerned about the incident.

Outside, there was a little more interest. A steady stream of people was driving by or stopping in the parking lot to get a look at the damage.

Howard Iverson of Charles City made his second stop during the noon hour, taking some pictures. He first learned about it in the morning over coffee with a friend. He went to get a look around 8:30 a.m. but was chased away by railroad employees after taking a few photos.

That building didnt have much of a chance, did it? he said. I mean, hell, thats all the excitement we have in a small town.
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.




A divided Congress  obsessed with assessing blame rather than solving problems  went on a seven-week recess in late June after failing to fund legislation to combat the Zika virus, the mosquito bite that causes babies to be born with malformed heads and damaged brains.

The $1.1 billion legislation stalled because Democrats objected to poison pill provisions inserted by Senate and House Republicans in a conference committee that would have:

 Cut $540 million in Obamacare financing.

 Restricted the role of Planned Parenthood in providing contraceptive services related to fighting the virus.

 Eliminated a House provision banning the Confederate battle flag from flying at federal cemeteries.

The impasse didnt advance a solution, but produced a great campaign slogan, seemingly the political end game for both parties.

The Democrats are more focused on protecting the mosquito than they are protecting people, said Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyoming.

Then the Zika virus became a reality on the U.S. mainland last week  an unprecedented health threat, according to Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Florida officials confirmed local mosquitoes had caused 14 Zika cases 12 men and two women  in the same Miami neighborhood dating back to mid-June despite intense mosquito-control efforts.

Previously, the CDC reported the overwhelming majority of the 1,600 U.S. Zika cases involved people traveling abroad or through sexual transmission upon arrival. Thousands of cases  a silent epidemic  were reported in Puerto Rico, a U.S. commonwealth.

The Zika virus, transmitted primarily by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, can result in microcephaly, a rare and incurable condition that causes babies to be born with abnormally small heads and damaged brains if miscarriages dont result.

Five infants were born in the U.S. with microcephaly caused by Zika, including one recently in Florida.

Zika also can cause Guillain-Barre immune disorder, a temporary weakness or even paralysis in the extremities.

Zikas symptoms are mild  fever, joint pain and red eyes  affecting only one of five people infected. Detection requires a blood sample at an advanced lab. The virus does not linger in the body for more than few days.

Pregnant women now are being urged to take precautions, including those who have visited the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area since June 15. The CDC has issued travel warnings to that area.

Politicians are pointing fingers but could have taken action to hasten preparedness, although even the best efforts would not have eradicated the threat overnight.

In February, at the behest of the CDC, the Obama administration requested $1.9 billion to fight Zika, which had quickly displaced the Ebola virus as the globes latest plague. The World Health Organization had declared Ebola, which killed 11,300 people in West Africa, as dormant two weeks earlier.

Brazil had become the epicenter for Zika, which was spreading explosively, according to WHO, in tropical areas of Latin and South America and the Caribbean, and would affect 24 countries and four million people this year.

In the United States, the Aedes aegypti mostly lives in warm, humid climates such as Florida, Texas and the Gulf Coast but has not made its way to Iowa. The Aedes albopictusis, which can possibly transmit the virus, is listed as uncommon by the Iowa Department of Public Healths Center for Acute Disease Epidemiology.

The funding battle following the Obama request followed expected party lines with budget-conscious Republicans wanting the remaining $600 million in Ebola funding redirected and other money found from federal programs.

In May, Obama administration approved redirecting the Ebola money, although concerns lingered the disease had not disappeared. In fact, Zika was first reported in Uganda in 1947, then appeared in Micronesia in the Pacific in 2007, eventually involving 30,000 cases in Polynesia.

After the Senate approved $1.1 billion, the House countered with $622 million by cutting federal programs, which Democrats opposed. The Senate version prevailed with Democratic support  until the Republican-controlled conference committee inserted the poison pills.

Meanwhile, the CDC is scrounging for funds wherever it can find them, including malaria research. When Congress returns from vacation, a budget impasse is expected, resulting in a continuing resolution. So no new funding is likely, despite CDC pleas.

There is no margin for error, the CDCs Frieden said. If we start seeing babies with microcephaly seven, eight or nine months from now in Miami that will be unacceptable.

We would echo the statement by Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, that Congress refusal to approve funding is outrageous.

Let the voters decide in November if Obamacare and Planned Parenthood are worthy of continued funding. The Confederate flag? Really? That battle was lost long ago.

Its time to address the real threats we face now.

-- By the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier,

another Lee Enterprises newspaper.
LONDON, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

anyoption is a global leader in the binary options industry, constantly pushing the boundaries of innovation and going above and beyond its peers when it comes to regulation and platform security. Keeping in vein with this tradition, they have recently implemented Keesing Technologies' "AuthentiScan" system.

This latest upgrade to the anyoption platform puts the company firmly in front of the pack providing traders a fully encrypted environment to upload sensitive documents without having to use vulnerable methods such as email and other non-encrypted channels. It enables it to stay ahead of anticipated regulatory body directives while at the same time offering their customers a securer, faster and more transparent application process. One that is on par with the security standards of the world's leading banking institutions.

Keesing's AuthentiScan system offers secure authentication of official documents such as passports, ID cards and driving licenses within seconds. This allows the organization to determine almost instantly whether a document is genuine or counterfeit.

AuthentiScan is used by government agencies, central banks, financial institutions and commercial organizations all over the globe. Every day, thousands of public and private organizations rely on Keesing's ID checking solutions in their fight against ID fraud.

About anyoption

anyoption's trading platform is operated by Ouroboros Derivatives Trading Ltd., a registered European investment firm authorized and regulated by CySEC under License number: 187/12. anyoption's license is a regulated full market maker, enabling the company to offer the highest level of financial services on par with licenses issued by the British FSA, French AMF and Italy's CONSOB. It is the only binary options platform regulated by the FSB, the South African institution for non-banking financial services.

Contact:

Elise Blanford

+44(0)20-8099-7262

pr@anyoption.com



SOURCE anyoption
LONDON, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

New stats show low public awareness of devastating long-term effects of FGM

Alesha Dixon, Katherine Kelly, and Joanne Froggatt and a host of other well-known UK actors, comedians, performers and YouTube stars are backing a new digitally innovative campaign, launched by international development charity ActionAid, to raise awareness of the thousands of girls at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) in Kenya this summer.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/396780 )



Coinciding with the start of Kenyan school summer holidays when the risk to girls is at an all-time high, the charity is launching an urgent appeal to provide funding for safe centres for girls most at risk.

New statistics released by ActionAid show that only a third of the UK public are aware of the long-term effects of FGM, including child marriage and higher rates of complications at birth. The YouGov poll, of 2,040 UK adults aged 18 and over, highlighted that while the UK public are better informed about the more immediate effects of FGM, such as severe bleeding, there remains large gaps in public understanding about how the procedure can continue to affect girls for the rest of their lives.

To help raise awareness, celebrities are backing the Brutal Cut campaign, and asking the UK public to get involved by disrupting a selfie on social media with powerful 10 second messages from Kenyan girls who face the threat of FGM.

Britain's Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon has interrupted her own Instagram video with a message from Kenya. She said:

"I have met many inspiring women and girls living in extreme poverty so I feel passionately about supporting ActionAid's FGM campaign. Now that I have my own daughter too I feel even more strongly that stamping out FGM in Kenya is crucial - let's give it a final push, and together, if we all take action, we can save the lives of so many girls and end FGM for good."

"FGM is ruthless. It can cause severe bleeding and lasting health problems. When you look at the faces of young innocent girls who are helpless and are afraid of undergoing the cut - you feel very sad and angered.

"In Kenya, ActionAid is working directly with local communities and through local women's rights organisation in the worst affected areas to train them in the damaging impacts of FGM. Public awareness is also a vital tool to help unpick traditional cultural reasons for subjecting women and girls to FGM.

"But we urgently need more support so that we can stamp it out for good. It is a journey we have started. We will not relent until we see the results."

ActionAid is launching an appeal to raise funds for community safe centres in Kenya where local women's groups can work to bring an end to FGM over time and girls at risk of the procedure can access urgent support.

Girish Menon, Chief Executive of the charity ActionAid said;

"FGM is one of the most serious violations of human rights and a horrific form of violence against women. In Kenya, FGM can rob girls from a lifetime of choices, they may be forced to drop out of school, marry early and face significant long-term health problems.

"Every day, women's rights groups work tirelessly to bring an end to FGM for good - through educating communities, supporting victims and bringing legal cases to court. And we all have a role to play in supporting them.

"That's why ActionAid is raising awareness of the effects of FGM and calling on the public to support our work providing safe centres for local women's rights groups and girls at risk of FGM in Kenya."

ActionAid's Brutal Cut appeal aims to alert people to the short and long term dangers of female genital mutilation and raise vital funds to provide safe centres for girls fleeing FGM in Kenya. Find out more at BrutalCut.org.

Notes to Editors

1. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2040 UK adults females. Fieldwork was undertaken between 13th -14th July. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

2. Only a third (30%) are aware that early child marriage and less than a quarter (23%) are aware that early childbirth are an indirect effect of FGM.

3. ActionAid's centres for girls are a space where girls can rebuild their lives free from fear and stay in school. They are also an essential space for local women's groups that ActionAid supports to campaign against FGM in their communities. In the centres, they train people in the dangers of FGM, particularly those living in remote areas where FGM is still widely practiced; setup and run business, so that they can fund their own campaigning work and support the girls living in the safe centres throughout the year; and report cases of FGM and work with authorities to bring perpetrators to justice.

4. FGM is a form of violence against women and girls. One in three women experience such violence in their lifetimes. Ultimately, ending all forms of violence against women and girls requires tackling its root cause: gender discrimination and inequality between women and men.

Juan Leahy | Senior Media Officer | ActionAid UK

Tel: +44-(0)20-3814-4942

Mob: +44-(0)7834-216-458

Email: Juan.Leahy@actionaid.org



SOURCE ActionAid
DUBLIN, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Gastric Cancer" report to their offering.

Pipeline therapies will look to fulfil many areas of high unmet need left by the lack of targeted therapies approved for the treatment of gastric cancer.

This report addresses the following questions:

- What impact will the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor class of drugs have on the gastric cancer market?

- How will pipeline immunotherapies be positioned in the gastric cancer treatment space?

- Which targeted therapies are expected to experience the greatest growth over the forecast period?

- How will Eli Lilly look to maintain Cyramza's first-to-market advantage?

- What are the key drivers of the rapidly expanding gastric cancer market?

Key Topics Covered:

FORECAST: GASTRIC CANCER

- Avelumab

- BBI

- (napabucasin)

- Cyramza (ramucirumab)

- GS-57

- Herceptin (trastuzumab)

- Keytruda (pembrolizumab)

- Lynparza (olaparib)

- Nimotuzumab

- Opdivo (nivolumab)

- Perjeta (pertuzumab)

TREATMENT: GASTRIC CANCER

- Disease Definition and Diagnosis

- Patient Segmentation

- Country Treatment Trees

- Current Treatment Options

- Prescribing Trends

EPIDEMIOLOGY: GASTRIC CANCER IN THE US, JAPAN, AND 5EU

- Forecast

- Epidemiologist Insight

- Strengths and Limitations

MARKETED DRUGS: GASTRIC CANCER

- Product profile: Cyramza

- Product profile: Herceptin

PIPELINE: GASTRIC CANCER

- Product profile (late stage): BBI6

- Product profile (late stage): GS-57

- Product profile (late stage): Keytruda

- Product profile (late stage): Lynparza

- Product profile (late stage): Opdivo

- Product profile (late stage): Perjeta

- Product profile (late stage): avelumab

- Product profile (late stage): nimotuzumab

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/j8lnrz/gastric_cancer

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com



SOURCE Research and Markets
GUANGZHOU, China, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Guangdong has launched its annual global talent-hunting project named 2016 Guangdong "Pearl River Talents Plan", looking for innovative and entrepreneurial teams and leading talents. Application acceptance will end on August 31st, and all applicants should submit applications on the official website (http://rc.gdstc.gov.cn).

It is aiming to implement the innovation-driven development strategy of the province, by recruiting top domestic and overseas talents for Guangdong's innovation and entrepreneurship.

According to the notice, innovative and entrepreneurial teams and leading talents shall apply and be reviewed in two categories including "Technology R&D and Industrialization" and "Applied Basic Research". And "Global Young Talent Team Project" is especially established for innovative and entrepreneurial teams.

World topnotch teams will get up to 80 million RMB subsidy, and leading talents will get 6 million yuan subsidy, including 5 million yuan special work fund, and 1 million yuan (after tax) housing subsidy.

The talents should work in Guangdong for at least five consecutive years after being introduced, leading talents should work full time in Guangdong and teams must meet relevant requirements on working method and working time in Guangdong.

Contact Information:

Special Office of Innovative and Entrepreneurial Teams Introduction, Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Department

Tel: +86-020- 83163919, 83163358, 83163355

Fax: +86-020- 83163914

Office of Leading Talents Introduction, Guangdong Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security

Tel: +86-020- 83134790, 83134791

Fax: +86-020- 83134793

For more information please click the following:

http://www.newsgd.com/news/2016-08/03/content_152976079.htm

Related Links

http://rc.gdstc.gov.cn



SOURCE News Office of the Guangdong Provincial Government
Among the award winners was Tsinghua University's intelligent transportation system LinkTravel, which uses new technologies such as the Internet of Things and cloud computing to transform traditional transportation models.

One aspect of LinkTravel is a new "intelligent city" system that connects public transport passengers, city centers and transportation resources with artificial intelligence technologies that collect and analyze passenger data. By offering a new solution for green and sustainable transportation, the project attracted attention because of its business value and potential to improve passenger experiences and management efficiency.

The competition attracted 69 teams and robotics enterprises from more than 40 colleges around the country, with top projects announced and awards presented at the end of the three-day event. The highlight among all the awards is the Special Award that went to Jingda Intelligent Technology Co. Ltd. of Tsinghua University, and the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) project at Beihang University.

During the ceremony, HRG signed agreements with four contestant teams including Jingda. The four contestants will receive support from HRG in the future and a range of cooperation projects will be carried out.

"The competition provides a stage for young talent and outstanding projects in robotics, and further promotes robotics innovation in China," said Qiao Hui, senior vice president of HRG. "As an innovation-oriented company, HRG has contributed a lot to social and technological development. By sponsoring the competition and cooperating with such high potential teams, we demonstrate HRG's commitment to encourage college students to practice what they have learned, and help start-up companies with financial and technological support."

Zhao Liang, vice president of HRG, said during the contestants' tour to the HIT Robot Group that HRG will continue offering financial and service support for entrepreneurs, and building a better platform to incubate more projects. "Our team is a young and energetic one. We are always looking for young talent to join us," said Zhao.

About HIT Robot Group

HIT Robot Group (HRG), founded in 2014, is one of China's high-tech and robotics leaders. With joint investment from the Heilongjiang provincial government, the Harbin municipal government and the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), the Group's major businesses include manufacturing of a range of robots and robotics equipment for different industries. HRG also provides solutions and services for technology companies and has a presence in 13 major Chinese cities in addition to offices in Maryland, California, Frankfurt, Seoul and Tokyo.

SOURCE HIT Robot Group
With its ancient ruins, unspoiled beaches, chic boutiques and rich melting pot of cultures, Vietnam's central coast is a must-visit Southeast Asian destination. The exquisitely preserved trading port of Hoi An is the jewel in its crown, but the whole region is an intoxicating mix of natural beauty, historical charm and thriving street life, from the bustling coastal metropolis of Danang to Hue City, the Cham Islands, the Marble Mountains and My Son.

The ideal base to explore these sights is the area's premier beach resort, the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa. Offering a choice of room types, all with gorgeous sea views, the VIE spa and world-renowned dining, this luxurious hideaway provides the perfect setting for a relaxing beach holiday. Conveniently located just 15 minutes from Danang International Airport, 30 minutes from Hoi An, and two hours from Hue City, Hyatt Regency Danang is the perfect gateway to all the central coast has to offer.

The resort's Explore package includes accommodation, daily breakfast at the Green House restaurant, and a visit to magical Hoi An, including a private car, English-speaking guide and entrance to tourist attractions.

Guests can book the package directly with the resort, via the website www.danang.regency.hyatt.com or by contacting the resort reservation department at reservation.danang@hyatt.com or on +84-511-398-1234.

ABOUT HYATT REGENCY

The Hyatt Regency brand prides itself on connecting travellers to who and what matters most to them. More than 160 conveniently located Hyatt Regency urban and resort locations in over 30 countries around the world serve as the go-to gathering space for every occasion  from efficient business meetings to memorable family vacations. The brand offers a one-stop experience that puts everything guests need right at their fingertips. Hyatt Regency hotels and resorts offer a full range of services and amenities, including notable culinary experiences; technology-enabled ways to collaborate; the space to work, engage or relax; and expert planners who can take care of every detail. For more information, please visit www.hyattregency.com.

Contacts:

Nguyen Thi Hoang Anh

Marketing & Communications Manager

+84-511-398-1234

anh.nguyen@hyatt.com

Related Links

http://www.danang.regency.hyatt.com



SOURCE Hyatt Regency Danang
NEW DELHI, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Calls for Indian Higher Education Institutions to Break Into World Rankings

Addressing a gathering of more than 2000 at the 5th Convocation and Founder's Day celebrations of O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), Mr. Arun Jaitley, Indian Finance Minister, said, "In most developed countries population is reducing while we are increasing in numbers; human resource becomes a very important economic resource."

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160808/396317 )



He further noted that "to shape these minds, make them globally competitive, make them true global citizens, you need institutions of excellence. The Jindal Global University, I have no doubt is certainly going to be one of such institutions."

The Minister further referred to his budget speech and reinforced that India must now concentrate on at least 20 higher education institutions, 10 run by the state and 10 by the private sector, and upgrade them so that they can become world global institutions. "JGU is now a part of that competitiveness and you have to strive to come within the category of the top ten, which then acquire the global rankings," said the Finance Minister.

Congratulating the graduating batch, Mr. Naveen Jindal, Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University, said, "Today, JGU is being accepted as an exceptional private university in India that has produced high-quality research. At JGU, we are striving to develop world-class research and teaching that is socially beneficial and globally relevant."

Defining the future vision for the university, Mr. Jindal said, "Our strategic goal is for some schools of JGU to break into the top 200 of the world universities in the next 5 to 10 years."

In his address, Professor (Dr.) C Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University, lamented the lack of incentives to promote research excellence in Indian universities. He pointed out that a very small number of Indian universities have pursued internationalisation as a core strategy to promote deep institutional partnerships with universities across the world, and reap the benefits of international collaborations for teaching, research and the student experience.

Speaking on internationalisation at JGU, Professor Kumar said, "We are proud that more than 80 percent of our faculty members have international qualifications from the leading universities of the world and nearly 20 percent of our full-time faculty members are international. This is significant given that we are a very young university."

Media Contact

Kakul Rizvi

krizvi@jgu.edu.in

+91-8396907273

Additional Director

O.P. Jindal Global University



SOURCE O.P. Jindal Global University
Icelandic English

Consolidated Condensed Interim Financial Statements for the six months ended June 30, 2016 of HS Orka hf. (the Company) were approved at a Board of Directors meeting on 9 August 2016. The financial statements of HS Orka hf. are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union and are stated in ISK. The financial statements can be found on the Companys website: http://www.hsorka.is

Company profit for the period was ISK 1,278 million (YTD 2015: ISK 142 million) and operating revenue was ISK 3,507 million (YTD 2015 ISK 3,824 million). The reduction in revenues is largely due to decreases in generation, and sales to fish smelters due to a poor fishing season.

Net finance income was ISK 874 million (YTD 2015: expense ISK 1,568 million). The major driver for the variance was due to an increase in aluminum prices since year-end which drove up the fair value of the embedded derivatives and resulted in a gain of ISK 841 million (YTD 2015: loss of ISK 1,239 million). In addition, net exchange rate differences were positive of ISK 150 million (YTD 2015 negative of ISK 282 million).

A total comprehensive profit of ISK 1,193 million was recorded in the period against a profit of ISK 75 million in 2015.

The Companys equity ratio is 62.3% compared to 58.6% at year-end 2015.

Further information can be provided by Asgeir Margeirsson, Managing Director of HS Orka hf., tel. 520 9300 / 855 9301.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES (INCLUDING ITS TERRITORIES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA) OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL

LONDON, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Navig8 Chemical Tankers Inc. (the "Company") (N-OTC: CHEMS), an international shipping company focused on the transportation of chemicals, today announced that it has taken delivery of the Navig8 Sky, a 25,000 DWT stainless steel chemical tanker, from Kitanihon Shipbuilding Co., Ltd ("Kitanihon").

The Navig8 Sky is the second of six vessels contracted at Kitanihon to be delivered to the Company and is the second and last vessel to be part financed under the secured loan facility with Credit Suisse AG announced on June 22, 2016.

The Navig8 Sky will be entered into and operated in Navig8 Group's Stainless8 commercial pool.

About Navig8 Chemical Tankers Inc.

Navig8 Chemical Tankers Inc. was established in 2013 as a joint venture between the Navig8 Group and funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management L.P. to capitalize on significant structural changes in the petrochemical industry and the continuing development of long-haul chemical trades. Its best-in-class newbuilding fleet is comprised exclusively of large, fuel-efficient vessels with modern eco-designs to take greatest advantage of these shifts. The fully delivered fleet will feature a complementary mix of primarily Interline-coated and stainless steel vessels that are capable of servicing the full range of conventional and specialized chemicals cargoes.

The Company has taken delivery of 24 chemical carriers to date and anticipates full delivery of its fleet by mid-2017. The Company's fleet is contracted to operate in various chemical tanker pools managed by the Navig8 Group, the world's largest independent pool and commercial management company.

The Company is listed on the Norwegian OTC market under the symbol CHEMS.

Visit our website at www.navig8chemicaltankers.com

Forward-Looking Statements and Distribution

This press release contains forward looking statements. These statements are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including the Navig8 Chemical Tankers Inc.'s management's examination of historical operating trends. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond its control, the Company cannot give assurance that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or intentions.

Important factors that, in the Company's view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in this press release include the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions including fluctuations in charter hire rates and vessel values, changes in demand in the chemicals market as a result of changes in OPEC's petroleum production levels and worldwide oil consumption and storage, changes in the Company's operating expenses including bunker prices, dry- docking and insurance costs, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, and other important factors described from time to time in the reports filed by the Company on the Norwegian OTC trading support system.

This communication is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into any state or jurisdiction into which doing so would be unlawful. The distribution of this communication may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions and persons into whose possession any document or other information referred to herein comes, should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdictions. The Company assumes no responsibility in the event there is a violation by any person of such restrictions.

Related Links

http://www.navig8chemicaltankers.com



SOURCE Navig8 Chemical Tankers Inc.
LONDON, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

48% of UK respondents anticipate that trade with U.S. will grow by more than 10% over the next five years

The US is a key trading partner for the majority of British companies, according to research conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit on behalf of American Express.

The research, which includes a survey of 531 companies worldwide, explores the global trading relationships, looking at how companies trade, the challenges they face and how they expect international trade with the US to change based on recent trends and upcoming political and regulatory shifts.

The research found that British companies are highly optimistic about trade growth with the US, indicating a continued strong relationship between the US and the UK:

Companies ranked the US as their top trading partner by revenue, followed by domestic trade within the UK and trade with Mexico and Canada taking joint third place

The majority (82%) of British companies expect an increase in trade with the U.S. over the next five years, versus the global average of 65% of companies and a European average of 77%.

While 8% of British companies anticipate a general decline in overseas trade over the next five years, only 2% expect trade with the US to decrease in the same time period. Against this backdrop, British companies were broadly satisfied with the quality of trade related infrastructure in the U.S. and 54% of respondents stated that trade infrastructure was either 'very good' or 'excellent'.

Jose Carvalho, Senior Vice President of American Express Global Commercial Payments, Europe, commented: "It is hugely encouraging to see the US as a major trading market for British companies, with the appetite continuing to rise year on year. Post referendum the international playing field is even more important and these results show that there is a clear opportunity to grow revenue through international trade. The availability of flexible finance solutions will be critical for companies that are looking to grow their international trading footprint."

International trade also brings with it a number of complexities and while the challenges in trading with the U.S. were less pronounced than with other countries, a number of specific pain points were identified. Globally 41% of respondents ranked exchange rate volatility as their most significant challenge when trading with the U.S, Meanwhile, in the UK, where the research was conducted ahead of the UK referendum, 42% of British companies cited exchange rate volatility as a trade barrier. While UK trade is balanced equally between goods and services, transportation costs and delivery delays in the US are a significant issue for 36% of British companies who say they rely on a fairly even combination of road, air and rail for transporting goods between the two countries. Third in the list of challenges, and most surprising, given the clear advantage of doing business in the same language, was the fact that 30% of companies listed insufficient market knowledge as a barrier to trade.

Trade regulation, an issue for the vast majority of countries surveyed was not a significant cause for concern amongst British businesses, and was mentioned by only 14% of respondents as a trade pain point. However, costs associated with these changes have had a clear impact, with 70% of UK companies saying they have seen an increase in the cost of doing business with the US due to trade-related regulatory and compliance activities.

The final most pronounced pain point for companies in the global survey related to payments. 32% of respondents cited 'making payments' as among the top challenge with issues chiefly arising from currency fluctuation, process inefficiency, limited payment visibility and bank fees. Within the UK making payments was mentioned by only 26% of companies as a challenge, and 28% of respondents said there was a shortage of external finance available for trade with the U.S. Other obstacles to accessing finance included 'lack of dollar liquidity' and 'high transaction costs', which was mentioned by 20% and 16% of respondents respectively.

Study Methodology

Research was conducted ahead of the UK Referendum, between March and May 2016, by The Economist Intelligence Unit. The findings are based on survey of 531 companies that trade with the US Companies surveyed had revenues of between $250million and $1billion and it was carried out across 35 markets.

About American Express Global Commercial Payments

Through its Global Commercial Payments division, American Express offers a suite of payment and lending products that help businesses and organizations of all sizes gain financial savings, control and efficiency. Global Commercial Payments provides solutions for travel and everyday business spending, cross border payments, global currency solutions, and business financing.

To learn more about Global Commercial Payments visit, visit http://www.americanexpress.co.uk/corporate.

About American Express

American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/ and connect with us on https://www.facebook.com/AmericanExpressUK, linkedin.com/company/american-express, https://twitter.com/AmexUK.

SOURCE American Express
SINGAPORE, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- New Silkroutes Group Limited ("NSG" or "the Group") has formed a joint venture with the owners of London-based consulting firm Rubeus Limited ("Rubeus") to provide bespoke solutions for risk and security-related matters in Asia, adding to its portfolio of businesses following its exit from the SGX Watchlist in November 2014.

Incorporated in September 2011, Rubeus offers risk management solutions to corporations, government agencies and ultra-high-net-worth families globally. Its scope of work includes providing insights into entering emerging or frontier markets, monitoring on-site conditions throughout the life cycle of an investment and the operational management of projects, as well as offering crisis management services and advice on the security of critical national infrastructure. Its clients include oil, gas and mining companies, private banks, hedge funds, maritime firms, the media, as well as family offices.

Rubeus was founded by Mr John Davidson and his partner, Dr Jessica Lincoln. Mr Davidson is a former British Special Forces soldier with over 25 years of experience in high-intensity crisis situations. He has worked with governments to develop training programmes to enhance security, and has been involved in ending the operations of certain groups in armed conflicts.

Dr Lincoln is an expert in open-source intelligence and a former member of staff at the Department of War Studies in King's College London and the Defence Studies Department at the UK's Joint Services Command and Staff College. She and Mr Davidson are supported by a team of experts in fields such as technology and research.

The Singapore-based joint venture, Rubeus Silk Pte Ltd ("Rubeus Silk"), is 51% owned by NSG. Mr Davidson and Dr Lincoln own the remaining 49%. The new partnership will seek to expand across Asia and develop local expertise in each of the markets it sets foot in.

"Rubeus exists to protect people and assets. In Asia, we believe our services will be useful in helping companies, ultra-high-net-worth families and their businesses better manage and safeguard their resources and investments," said Mr Davidson.

Dr Goh Jin Hian, Group Chief Executive Officer of NSG, said: "Rubeus Silk is the latest addition to NSG's security and governance business, which has so far centred on big data analytics and enterprise software solutions. The joint venture will not only widen the scope of this business but also complement NSG's other divisions."

"For example, as our oil and gas business grows, we eventually want to get involved in activities beyond trading. These could include managing and owning oil storage facilities in Asia and Europe. Rubeus' experience in evaluating energy assets, particularly in frontier markets, will be invaluable."

NSG currently gets most of its revenue from oil and gas trading. It also has a joint venture with the government of Malta to develop the Southern European island into an energy trading hub between Europe and Asia.

Digiland Pte Ltd, the Group's wholly owned technology arm, provides consultancy services and solutions in data analytics, cloud-based e-government services, and IT infrastructure for the management of public housing, real estate and facilities.

About New Silkroutes Group Limited

New Silkroutes Group (Bloomberg: NSG SP) is a Singapore-incorporated company (established on 25 Jan 1994) listed on the Mainboard of Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Ltd (SGX). It is evolving into an investment holding company with core competencies in Capabilities Enablement, Capital Allocation and (Policy) Analysis. The group, through its subsidiaries and associate companies, has exposure to key sector verticals, including Energy/Resources, Healthcare and Infocomm Technology with a focus on Security & Governance.

Contacts:

New Silkroutes Group Limited

ipr@newsilkroutes.org

WeR1 Consultants

Frankie Ho -- frankieho@wer1.net

+65-6737-4844

SOURCE New Silkroutes Group Limited
NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Students will soon be resident at Tatu City, the satellite city development near Nairobi, Kenya.

Nova Academies, a leading Kenya-based education provider, has announced that it will establish its flagship East African campus at the 2,500-acre mixed-use development.

Nova Academies will begin construction of its 25-acre site this year, with plans to open its Girls High School to over 120 students in 2017.

"We have found the ideal location for Nova Academies' flagship campus," said Chris Khaemba, Director, Nova Academies. "We're delighted to be the first school to open at Tatu City and to widen the offering of our unique learning model to even more future innovators and leaders of Kenya."

Nova Academies' first school in Kenya launched in 2016, as a secondary boarding school for young men that uses the Kenyan national curriculum (8-4-4) integrated with methods from top schools from around the world. The same curriculum will be used at the Tatu City campus. Nova Academies also operates three schools in South Africa, ranging from pre-primary to secondary.

"Providing an education platform for residents is vital to the Tatu City community," said Nick Langford, Kenya Country Head for Rendeavour, Tatu City's owner and developer. "It is clear that Nova Academies' leadership team has decades of experience working with some of the leading educational institutions and companies, both in Africa and around the world. Nova Academies is a perfect fit with the ethos of Tatu City."

By 2019, the campus will welcome pre-school, primary and high school students. School fees will be affordable to middle class Kenyan families.

Tatu City has continued to roll out its mixed-use development in recent months, announcing new residential areas, as well as well-known local, regional and international companies moving to Tatu Industrial Park.

About Nova Academies (www.novaacademies.com/)

Nova Academies is a rapidly growing education company developing and operating world class, affordable secondary, primary, and pre-primary schools across the African continent. Nova Academies is currently operational in both Kenya and South Africa and will have five school campuses by 2017. The schools learning approach prepares students to be globally competitive innovators and leaders in the 21st century. Their signature pedagogy weaves together techniques used by the most forward-thinking schools globally to develop critical thinking, problem solving and other 21st century skills, in addition to the exceptional exam results students need to secure top university places.

About Tatu City (www.tatucity.com)

Tatu City is a 2,500-acre, mixed-use and mixed-income development with residential, commercial, industrial, tourism, social and recreation amenities for more than 100,000 residents and 30,000 day visitors. Underlying Tatu City's design is a visionary concept aiming to shift urban development in Kenya from the familiar single node model to a decentralized urban environment. By doing so, Tatu will significantly de-congest the City of Nairobi by offering a unique live, work and play environment.

Contact

Tim Beighton

Email: tbeighton@rendeavour.com

Phone: +234 8070 992 935

+234 8094 000 065

Related Links

http://www.tatucity.com



SOURCE Rendeavour
LONDON, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- PTC, provider of ThingWorx, one of the most widely deployed software platforms for networking remote devices in industrial applications known as the Internet of Things, has joined the trade association the IoT M2M Council, whose mission is to educate those deploying connected devices in the field. PTC will use its membership in the IMC  now with over 18,000 members the largest and fastest-growing trade group in the IoT sector  to show enterprises the benefits of integrated systems that can collect and synthesize data from sensors in the field.

"We see the membership as an opportunity to educate enterprises and OEMs about what connectivity can do for their business," says John Schaefer, PTC's SVP of Development, who will sit on the IMC Board of Governors. "Our ThingWorx platform is designed to make it easier than ever before to deploy connected devices remotely and to collect meaningful data from them. IMC Adopter Members list software platforms as one of their highest priorities, so our membership a natural extension of that education effort," he says.

The IMC has just completed its third Quarterly IoT Buyers' Index, which tracks 6- to 24-month buying plans for IoT adopters, and tracks those plans according to vertical markets served, size of deployment, and types of vendors used. "We know of no other group that is capturing this kind of data on this scale," says IMC Executive Director Keith Kreisher, "And the IMC is now leveraging resources as a group to produce new surveying tools that will provide crucial data for both IoT adopters and the Sustaining Members on our Board."

The IMC is also in the process of forming its Connected Leadership Committee, a quarterly focus group of senior IoT buyers from its member rolls, primarily from Fortune 500 companies, that deploy the technology. That group will hold its first meeting in 18 August 2016.

About IoT M2M Council (IMC)

The London-based IMC is the largest and fastest-growing trade group dedicated to the global IoT/M2M sector  with over 18,000 members joining since February of 2014. Board Member-Companies include Aeris, AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, Digi International, Ingenu, Inmarsat, Intel, KORE, Nighthawk Control, ORBCOMM, PTC, Semtech, SIGFOX, Telecom Italia, Telit, Verizon, and Wipro. For more information, visit www.iotm2mcouncil.org.

Related Links

http://www.im2mc.org



SOURCE IoT M2M Council
PRAGUE, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Czech Premier Payment Institution Takes Another Step in Transforming Banking Services

Worldcore, in July, began signing marketers to its Worldcore Affiliate Program. With this all-new program, Worldcore becomes the first digital banking service in the Czech Republic to offer its clients the ability to leverage their web presence to earn revenue from any transactions the client drives to Worldcore platform.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160810/818004 )

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151021/279191LOGO )



"Worldcore Affiliate Program is an additional income source for our clients, the top drivers of e-commerce," says Worldcore CEO Alex Nasonov. "We have created a zero-risk, win-win program where Worldcore shares our success in providing best-in-class payment solutions with our affiliates who provide world-class online experiences."

Upon signing up for a Worldcore account, account holders fill out a short application and, once approved, are assigned a custom affiliate link, which is used to track new client signings. Worldcore Affiliate Program members will also be paid for each high-value client they enroll in Worldcore payment platform.

Social Media Marketers also stand to make money based on social interactions, including:

Social media posts on Twitter, Facebook, etc.

Article posts on blogs and portals

Forum posts

YouTube/Vimeo video posts

Original content posts

Banner advertising from the banner code/integrated affiliated link

Any other marketing activities offered by affiliate program member

"There is limitless upside," says Nasonov. "The more traffic you drive to Worldcore via Worldcore Affiliate Program, the more money you will make."

Worldcore's Affiliate Program pays 20% of "net profit" from transactions of corporate clients attracted (15% of "net profit" for individual accounts). The program outlines "net profit" as the revenue Worldcore generates after transactional fees are paid. Earnings are paid with no holds upon request to your bank account.

"The program is fully automated and transparent," according to Nasonov, whose Worldcore team is passionate about making payments and affiliate program "easier than you think."

"Helping others grow a successful business is a nice side benefit to what we do here," according to Nasonov, who has led Worldcore to tremendous growth and innovation since the company's start less than two years ago.

Worldcore's Affiliate Program is the latest in a string of innovative programs to come from the FinTech industry leader. Recent developments have included the introduction of Worldcore Ultimate MasterCard, VoiceKey biometric authentication, and an advanced shopping cart interface and API for automated corporate payouts to all supported directions.

About Worldcore

Worldcore is the world's first EU-regulated payment institution that started offering voice biometrics authentication for account access and payment confirmation.

Worldcore platform offers a wide range of global payment solutions including access to bank transfers, e-currency payments, prepaid debit cards, virtual debit cards, mass payments, payouts to any Visa/MasterCard/ChinaUnionPay credit/debit cards and international payment processing for both individuals and businesses.

Worldcore and VoiceKey are registered trademarks of EUPSProvider s.r.o., a Czech Republic-based licensed payment institution regulated by Czech National Bank.

Video

For Worldcore's latest video, see: "Worldcore Ultimate MasterCard - Industry-leading prepaid debit card."

Company Contact:



Sean Patterson

PR/Marketing

Worldcore

pr@worldcore.eu

+420.777.878.985 (CZ Mobile/FaceTime/iMessage)

Kremencova 186/7

110 00 Praha 1-Nove Mesto

Czech Republic



SOURCE Worldcore
NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. (NYSE: ANW) ("Aegean" or the "Company") today announced financial and operating results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2016.

Second Quarter Financial Highlights

Compared to prior year period:

Increased sales volumes by 29.9% to 4,092,789 metric tons.

Increased gross profit by 19.0% to $93.4 million compared to prior year.

compared to prior year. Increased operating income by 95.3% to $28.9 million . Increased operating income adjusted for a loss on sale of non-core vessels by 111.5% to $31.3 million .

. Recorded GAAP net income attributable to Aegean shareholders of $13.5 million or $0.27 basic and diluted earnings per share. Net income adjusted for a loss on sale of non-core vessels was $16.0 million or $0.32 basic and diluted earnings per share.

or basic and diluted earnings per share. Generated record adjusted EBITDA of $37.9 million .

. Sold two non-core vessels, enabling $5 million in debt pay down, which is expected to result in operating cost reductions of approximately $6.4 million on an annual basis.

Second Quarter Operational Highlights

Ramped-up operations in Algoa Bay, South Africa , further expanding global platform.

, further expanding global platform. Further optimized operations through the sale of two non-core vessels.

Strategically relocated certain vessels from lower-activity markets to higher-growth regions.

E. Nikolas Tavlarios, Aegean's President, commented, "We generated strong operational and financial results in the quarter and are pleased with the momentum we have going into the second half of the year. During the second quarter we increased sales volumes and improved performance in many key markets, including our new operations in South Africa and Brazil. Our top- and bottom-line results benefitted from our initiatives to strengthen our global platform and optimize our geographic footprint. Our decisions to sell non-core vessels will result in cost reductions and align with our focus on strategically allocating our resources to swiftly respond to fluctuations in demand and capitalize on opportunities in markets where we see the most potential."

Mr. Tavlarios concluded, "We are seeing strong indications of continued growth for the full year 2016 and remain confident in our ability to drive profitability and increase volumes across our platform to deliver enhanced shareholder value."

Generating Solid Financial Results

Revenue  The Company reported total revenue of $987.6 million for the second quarter of 2016, a decrease of 18.2% compared to the same period in 2015, primarily due to the drop in oil prices. Voyage and other revenues decreased to $19.8 million or by 8.8% compared to the same period in 2015.

for the second quarter of 2016, a decrease of 18.2% compared to the same period in 2015, primarily due to the drop in oil prices. Voyage and other revenues decreased to or by 8.8% compared to the same period in 2015. Gross Profit  Gross Profit, which equals total revenue less directly attributable cost of revenue increased by 19.0% to $93.4 million in the second quarter of 2016 compared to $78.5 million in the same period in 2015.

in the second quarter of 2016 compared to in the same period in 2015. Operating Expense  The Company reported operating expense of $64.5 million for the second quarter of 2016, an increase of $0.8 million or 1.3% compared to the same period in prior year. Adjusting for the sale of non-core assets, operating expense was $62.1 million , a decrease of 2.5% compared to the same period in the prior year.

for the second quarter of 2016, an increase of or 1.3% compared to the same period in prior year. Adjusting for the sale of non-core assets, operating expense was , a decrease of 2.5% compared to the same period in the prior year. Operating Income  Operating income for the second quarter of 2016 adjusted for the sale of non-core assets was $31.3 million , an increase of 111.5% compared to the same period in the prior year.

, an increase of 111.5% compared to the same period in the prior year. Net Income  Net income attributable to Aegean shareholders adjusted for the sale of non-core vessels was $16.0 million , or $0.32 basic and diluted earnings per share, an increase of $8.9 million or 125.4% compared to the same period in 2015.

Operational Metrics

Sales Volume  For the three months ended June 30, 2016 , the Company reported marine fuel sales volumes of 4,092,789 metric tons, an increase of 29.9% compared to the same period in 2015.

, the Company reported marine fuel sales volumes of 4,092,789 metric tons, an increase of 29.9% compared to the same period in 2015. Adjusted EBITDA Per Metric Ton of Marine Fuel Sold  For the three months ended June 30, 2016 , the Company reported adjusted EBITDA per metric ton of marine fuel sold of $9.26 . Adjusted EBITDA per metric ton of marine fuel sold in the prior year period was $7.63 per metric ton.

, the Company reported adjusted EBITDA per metric ton of marine fuel sold of . Adjusted EBITDA per metric ton of marine fuel sold in the prior year period was per metric ton. Gross Spread Per Metric Ton of Marine Fuel Sold  For the three months ended June 30, 2016 , the Company reported gross spread per metric ton of marine fuel sold on an aggregate basis of $20.9 . Gross spread per metric ton of marine fuel sold in the prior year period was $22.5 .

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Net cash used in operating activities was $60.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2016 . Net income as adjusted for non-cash items (as defined in Note 9 below) was $37.1 million for the same period.

for the three months ended . Net income as adjusted for non-cash items (as defined in Note 9 below) was for the same period. Net cash provided by investing activities was $7.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2016 , primarily due to the sale of two non-core vessels.

for the three months ended , primarily due to the sale of two non-core vessels. Net cash provided by financing activities was $44.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2016 , mainly due to the drawdown of short-term debt.

for the three months ended , mainly due to the drawdown of short-term debt. As of June 30, 2016 , the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $127.8 million and working capital of $387.6 million . Non-cash working capital, or working capital excluding cash and debt, was $581.6 million .

, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of and working capital of . Non-cash working capital, or working capital excluding cash and debt, was . As of June 30, 2016 , the Company had $867.8 million of undrawn amounts under its working capital facilities and $127.8 million of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents to finance working capital requirements.

, the Company had of undrawn amounts under its working capital facilities and of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents to finance working capital requirements. The weighted average basic and diluted shares outstanding for the three months ended June 30, 2016 , was 48,117,508. The weighted average basic and diluted shares outstanding for the three months ended June 30, 2015 was 47,366,134.

Spyros Gianniotis, Aegean's Chief Financial Officer, stated, "During the quarter, we achieved strong adjusted EBITDA per metric ton of marine fuel sold of $9.26, a 43.8% increase quarter over quarter. While we achieved strong results across the board, we believe adjusted EBITDA per metric ton of marine fuel sold best reflects our operational improvements. In the second quarter we also reported a 29.9% year over year increase in volumes and improved performance without increase in operating expenses. Financial flexibility and a strong balance sheet remain important differentiators for our business. The two vessel sales during the quarter enabled us to pay down $5 million of debt and is expected to help eliminate approximately $6.4 million in operating costs on an annual basis. We have and intend to continue to actively manage our business while de-levering and strengthening our balance sheet to drive results for all Aegean shareholders."

Summary Consolidated Financial and Other Data (Unaudited)





For the Three Months Ended June 30, For the Six Months Ended June 30,



2015

2016



2015

2016



(in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise stated) Income Statement Data:

















Revenues - third parties $ 1,203,100 $ 982,337

$ 2,214,056 $ 1,730,853 Revenues - related companies

4,607

5,219



8,754

9,635 Total revenues

1,207,707

987,556



2,222,810

1,740,488 Cost of revenues - third parties

1,078,112

876,495



1,970,384

1,538,121 Cost of revenues related companies

51,114

17,682



93,323

28,120 Total cost of revenues

1,129,226

894,177



2,063,707

1,566,241 Gross profit

78,481

93,379



159,103

174,247 Operating expenses:

















Selling and distribution

52,744

49,943



102,561

100,715 General and administrative

10,602

11,823



20,908

23,319 Amortization of intangible assets

375

297



749

597 Loss on sale of vessels

-

2,437



130

2,437 Operating income

14,760

28,879



34,755

47,179 Net financing cost

(8,813)

(12,477)



(18,139)

(21,838) Foreign exchange gains / (losses), net

658

(1,922)



692

(1,683) Income tax benefit / (expense)

543

(947)



2,064

1,645 Net income

7,148

13,533



19,372

25,303 Less income attributable to non-controlling interest

-

8



-

8 Net income attributable to AMPNI shareholders $ 7,148 $ 13,525

$ 19,372 $ 25,295 Basic earnings per share (U.S. dollars) $ 0.15 $ 0.27

$ 0.40 $ 0.51 Diluted earnings per share (U.S. dollars) $ 0.15 $ 0.27

$ 0.40 $ 0.51



















EBITDA(1) $ 24,052 $ 35,459

$ 51,859 $ 62,606



















Other Financial Data:

















Gross spread on marine petroleum products(2) $ 71,773 $ 86,504

$ 143,383 $ 161,572 Gross spread on lubricants(2)

949

1,031



2,188

1,765 Gross spread on marine fuel(2)

70,824

85,473



141,195

159,807 Gross spread per metric ton of marine fuel sold (U.S. dollars) (2)

22.5

20.9



23.3

19.2 Net cash used in operating activities $ (59,301) $ (60,441)

$ (83,052) $ (49,497) Net cash (used in) / provided by investing activities

(4,784)

7,878



(7,628)

(877) Net cash provided by financing activities

11,822

44,515



6,671

38,491



















Sales Volume Data (Metric Tons): (3)

















Total sales volumes

3,150,950

4,092,789



6,066,400

8,305,425



















Other Operating Data:

















Number of owned bunkering tankers, end of period(4)

49.0

47.0



49.0

47.0 Average number of owned bunkering tankers(4)(5)

49.0

48.4



48.5

48.7 Special Purpose Vessels, end of period(6)

1.0

1.0



1.0

1.0 Number of operating storage facilities, end of period(7)

15.0

14.0



15.0

14.0

Summary Consolidated Financial and Other Data (Unaudited)





As of December 31, 2015 As of June 30, 2016











(in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise stated) Balance Sheet Data:



Cash and cash equivalents

139,314 127,751 Gross trade receivables

317,152 405,399 Allowance for doubtful accounts

(7,278) (8,604) Inventories

114,531 168,170 Current assets

730,950 857,570 Total assets

1,450,011 1,558,961 Trade payables

72,417 108,572 Current liabilities (including current portion of long-term debt)

389,109 469,928 Total debt

710,015 758,596 Total liabilities

828,485 909,546 Total stockholder's equity

621,526 649,415







Working Capital Data:





Working capital(8)

341,841 387,642 Working capital excluding cash and debt(8)

477,594 581,642









Notes:

1. EBITDA represents net income before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. EBITDA does not represent and should not be considered as an alternative to net income or cash flow from operations, as determined by United States generally accepted accounting principles, or U.S. GAAP, and our calculation of EBITDA may not be comparable to that recorded by other companies. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, vessel and investment impairments, gains/losses on vessel disposals and other non-recurring exceptional items. EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are included herein because they are a basis upon which the Company assesses its operating performance.

Adjusted EBITDA per metric ton of marine fuel sold represents the net income before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, vessel and investment impairments, gains/losses on vessel disposals and other non-recurring exceptional items the Company generates per metric ton of marine fuel sold. The Company calculates adjusted EBITDA per metric ton of marine fuel sold by dividing the EBITDA by the sales volume of marine fuel. Marine fuel sales do not include sales of lubricants.

The following table reconciles net income attributable to AMPNI to EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA per metric ton of marine fuel sold for the periods presented:



For the Three Months Ended June 30, For the Six Months Ended June 30,

2015 2016 2015 2016

(in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise stated) Net income to AMPNI shareholders 7,148 13,525 19,372 25,295









Add: Net financing cost including amortization of financing costs 8,813 12,447 18,139 21,838 Add: Income tax (benefit) / expense (543) 947 (2,064) (1,645) Add: Depreciation and amortization excluding amortization of financing costs 8,634 8,510 16,412 17,118









EBITDA 24,052 35,459 51,859 62,606









Add: Loss on sale of vessels - 2,437 130 2,437 Adjusted EBITDA 24,052 37,896 51,989 65,043









Sales volume of marine fuel (metric tons) 3,150,950 4,092,789 6,066,400 8,305,425 Adjusted EBITDA per metric ton of marine fuel sold (U.S. dollars) 7.63 9.26 8.57 7.83

2. Gross spread on marine petroleum products represents the margin the Company generates on sales of marine fuel and lubricants. Gross spread on marine fuel represents the margin that the Company generates on sales of various classifications of marine fuel oil ("MFO") or marine gas oil ("MGO"). Gross spread on lubricants represents the margin that the Company generates on sales of lubricants. Gross spread on marine petroleum products, gross spread of MFO and gross spread on lubricants are not items recognized by U.S. GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to gross profit or any other indicator of a Company's operating performance required by U.S. GAAP. The Company's definition of gross spread may not be the same as that used by other companies in the same or other industries. The Company calculates the above-mentioned gross spreads by subtracting from the sales of the respective marine petroleum product the cost of the respective marine petroleum product sold and cargo transportation costs. For arrangements in which the Company physically supplies the respective marine petroleum product using its bunkering tankers, costs of the respective marine petroleum products sold represents amounts paid by the Company for the respective marine petroleum product sold in the relevant reporting period. For arrangements in which the respective marine petroleum product is purchased from the Company's related company, Aegean Oil S.A., or Aegean Oil, cost of the respective marine petroleum products sold represents the total amount paid by the Company to the physical supplier for the respective marine petroleum product and its delivery to the custom arrangements, in which the Company purchases cargos of marine fuel for its floating storage facilities. Transportation costs may be included in the purchase price of marine fuels from the supplier or may be incurred separately from a transportation provider. Gross spread per metric ton of marine fuel sold represents the margin the Company generates per metric ton of marine fuel sold. The Company calculates gross spread per metric ton of marine fuel sold by dividing the gross spread on marine fuel by the sales volume of marine fuel. Marine fuel sales do not include sales of lubricants. The following table reflects the calculation of gross spread per metric ton of marine fuel sold for the periods presented:



For the Three Months Ended

June 30,

For the Six Months Ended June 30,

2015

2016

2015

2016

(in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise stated) Sales of marine petroleum products 1,189,488

967,808

2,184,033

1,702,623 Less: Cost of marine petroleum products sold (1,117,715)

(881,304)

(2,040,650)

(1,541,051) Gross spread on marine petroleum products 71,773

86,504

143,383

161,572 Less: Gross spread on lubricants (949)

(1,031)

(2,188)

(1,765) Gross spread on marine fuel 70,824

85,473

141,195

159,507















Sales volume of marine fuel (metric tons) 3,150,950

4,092,789

6,066,400

8,305,425















Gross spread per metric ton of marine fuel sold (U.S. dollars) 22.5

20.9

23.3

19.2

3. Sales volume of marine fuel is the volume of sales of various classifications of MFO and MGO for the relevant period and is denominated in metric tons. The Company does not include the sales volume of lubricants in the calculation of gross spread per metric ton of marine fuel sold.

4. Bunkering fleet comprises both bunkering vessels and barges.

5. Figure represents average bunkering fleet number for the relevant period, as measured by the sum of the number of days each bunkering tanker or barge was used as part of the fleet during the period divided by the cumulative number of calendar days in the period multiplied by the number of bunkering tankers at the end of the period. This figure does not take into account non-operating days due to either scheduled or unscheduled maintenance.

6. Special Purpose Vessels consists of the Orion, a 550 dwt tanker which is based in our Greek market.

7. The Company owns two barges, the Mediterranean and Umnenga, as floating storage facilities in Greece and South Africa. The Company also operates on-land storage facilities in Las Palmas, Fujairah, Tangiers, Panama, the U.S.A., Hamburg and Barcelona.

The ownership of storage facilities allows the Company to mitigate its risk of supply shortages. Generally, storage costs are included in the price of refined marine fuel quoted by local suppliers. The Company expects that the ownership of storage facilities will allow it to convert the variable costs of this storage fee mark-up per metric ton quoted by suppliers into fixed costs of operating its owned storage facilities, thus enabling the Company to spread larger sales volumes over a fixed cost base and to decrease its refined fuel costs.

8. Working capital is defined as current assets minus current liabilities. Working capital excluding cash and debt is defined as current assets minus cash and cash equivalents minus restricted cash minus current liabilities plus short-term borrowings plus current portion of long-term debt.

9. Net income as adjusted for non-cash items, such as depreciation, provision for doubtful accounts, restricted stock, amortization, deferred income taxes, gain/loss on sale of vessels, impairment losses, unrealized loss/(gain) on derivatives and unrealized foreign exchange loss/(gain), net, is used to assist in evaluating our ability to make quarterly cash distributions. Net income as adjusted for non-cash items is not recognized by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and should not be considered as an alternative to net income or any other indicator of the Company's performance required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The following table reflects the calculation of net income as adjusted for non-cash items for the periods presented:



For the Three Months Ended

June 30,

For the Six Months Ended

June 30,

2015

2016

2015

2016

(in thousands of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise stated) Net income 7,148

13,533

19,372

25,303 Add: Depreciation 6,375

6,353

12,636

12,792 Add: Provision for doubtful accounts 765

640

1,409

1,421 Add: Share based compensation 2,304

2,179

4,965

4,588 Add: Amortization 4,530

4,585

9,014

9,151 Add: Net deferred tax expense / (benefit) (531)

920

(2,548)

(1,959) Add: Unrealized loss on derivatives 8,230

6,566

17,239

34,194 Add: Loss on sale of vessels -

2,437

130

2,437 Add: Unrealized foreign exchange loss / (gain) 146

(118)

(539)

89 Net income as adjusted for non-cash items 28,967

37,095

61,678

88,016

Second Quarter 2016 Dividend Announcement

On August 10, 2016, the Company's Board of Directors declared a second quarter 2016 dividend of $0.02 per share payable on or about September 9, 2016 to shareholders of record as of August 24, 2016. The dividend amount was determined in accordance with the Company's dividend policy of paying cash dividends on a quarterly basis subject to factors including the requirements of Marshall Islands law, future earnings, capital requirements, financial condition, future prospects and such other factors as are determined by the Company's Board of Directors. The Company anticipates retaining most of its future earnings, if any, for use in operations and business expansion.

Conference Call and Webcast Information

Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. will conduct a conference call and simultaneous Internet webcast on Wednesday, August 10, 2016 at 4:30 P.M. Eastern Time, to discuss its second quarter results. Investors may access the webcast and related slide presentation, by visiting the Company's website at www.ampni.com, and clicking on the webcast link. The conference call also may be accessed via telephone by dialing (800) 524-8850 (for U.S.-based callers) or 416-204-9702 (for international callers) and enter the passcode: 2586478.

If you are unable to participate at this time, a replay of the call will be available for two weeks at 888-203-1112 or 719-457-0820. Enter the code 2586478 to access the audio replay. The webcast will also be archived on the Company's website:

http://www.ampni.com.

About Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc.

Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. is an international marine fuel logistics company that markets and physically supplies refined marine fuel and lubricants to ships in port and at sea. The Company procures product from various sources (such as refineries, oil producers, and traders) and resells it to a diverse group of customers across all major commercial shipping sectors and leading cruise lines. Currently, Aegean has a global presence in over than 30 markets and a team of professionals ready to serve our customers wherever they are around the globe. For additional information please visit: www.ampni.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts.

The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words "believe," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "project," "forecast," "plan," "potential," "may," "should," "expect" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, our management's examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although we believe that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections.

In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include our ability to manage growth, our ability to maintain our business in light of our proposed business and location expansion, our ability to obtain double hull secondhand bunkering tankers, the outcome of legal, tax or regulatory proceedings to which we may become a party, adverse conditions in the shipping or the marine fuel supply industries, our ability to retain our key suppliers and key customers, material disruptions in the availability or supply of crude oil or refined petroleum products, changes in the market price of petroleum, including the volatility of spot pricing, increased levels of competition, compliance or lack of compliance with various environmental and other applicable laws and regulations, our ability to collect accounts receivable, changes in the political, economic or regulatory conditions in the markets in which we operate, and the world in general, our failure to hedge certain financial risks associated with our business, our ability to maintain our current tax treatments and our failure to comply with restrictions in our credit agreements and other factors. Please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties.

SOURCE Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc.

Related Links

http://www.ampni.com


(under IFRS and all amounts in US dollars unless otherwise stated)

VANCOUVER, Aug. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Alterra Power Corp. (TSX: AXY) ("Alterra" or the "Company") is pleased to report its financial and operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016. For further information on these results please see Alterra's Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis.

At June 30, 2016, Alterra consolidated 100% of the results of operations from its Icelandic subsidiary HS Orka, while Alterra's interests in the Toba Montrose, Dokie 1 and Shannon renewable power projects were accounted for as equity investments. In certain statements in this news release, Alterra's results are disclosed as Alterra's "net interest", by which the Company means the effective portion of operating results that the Company would have reported if each of HS Orka (66.6%), Toba Montrose (40%), Dokie 1 (25.5%), and Shannon (50% sponsor equity interest) had been reported in accordance with Alterra's actual share of ownership at June 30, 2016 and for the three and six months then ended. Management believes that net interest reporting provides the clearest view of Alterra's performance.

Highlights for the quarter and subsequent period include:

Continued strong generation at Toba Montrose: Toba Montrose achieved record second quarter generation at 121% of budget, an increase from the comparative quarter (118% of budget).

Toba Montrose achieved record second quarter generation at 121% of budget, an increase from the comparative quarter (118% of budget). Deep drilling project at HS Orka: The last major contract was signed for a 5,000 meter deep drilling program at the Reykjanes plant in Iceland . The rig has been deployed to site and drilling will commence in August.

The last major contract was signed for a 5,000 meter deep drilling program at the Reykjanes plant in . The rig has been deployed to site and drilling will commence in August. Jimmie Creek project completion: Construction of the 62 MW hydro project was completed on time and within budget with first test power generated on June 10, 2016 . Jimmie Creek commenced commercial operations on August 1 and began selling power to the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority under a 40-year power purchase agreement.

Construction of the 62 MW hydro project was completed on time and within budget with first test power generated on . Jimmie Creek commenced commercial operations on and began selling power to the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority under a 40-year power purchase agreement. Flat Top wind development project: On June 15, 2016 the Company acquired the 200 MW Flat Top wind project for consideration of $0.9 million , with further payments to be made on completion of agreed milestones. The project, located in the counties of Comanche and Mills in Texas , is currently under development with construction expected to begin in late 2016 or early 2017. Concurrent with closing, the Company placed a $1.5 million security deposit with the project's transmission service provider.

On the Company acquired the 200 MW Flat Top wind project for consideration of , with further payments to be made on completion of agreed milestones. The project, located in the counties of and in , is currently under development with construction expected to begin in late 2016 or early 2017. Concurrent with closing, the Company placed a security deposit with the project's transmission service provider. Solar development portfolio: In July the Company reached an agreement to acquire an 80% ownership interest in a two-project 20 MW DC portfolio of solar farms under development in the Midwestern USA . Both projects are contracted under long-term, investment-grade power purchase agreements.

In July the Company reached an agreement to acquire an 80% ownership interest in a two-project 20 MW portfolio of solar farms under development in the Midwestern . Both projects are contracted under long-term, investment-grade power purchase agreements. Distributions: The Company received distributions during the quarter from equity investments of $3.6 million from Shannon and Blue Lagoon hf (plus a separate $0.3 million return of capital from Shannon). Subsequent to the quarter, the Company received distributions of C$9.4 million from Toba Montrose GP and Dokie GP and $0.4 million from Shannon.

The Company received distributions during the quarter from equity investments of from Shannon and Blue Lagoon hf (plus a separate return of capital from Shannon). Subsequent to the quarter, the Company received distributions of from Toba Montrose GP and Dokie GP and from Shannon. Adjusted EBITDA and revenue: Consolidated revenue increased by 2% to $13.8 million and net interest revenue increased by 5% to $18.5 million , respectively. The increase in revenue is primarily due to increased generation at Dokie 1, generation from Shannon and the strengthening of the Icelandic Krona. Consolidated and net interest Adjusted EBITDA decreased by 8% to $10.8 million and 10% to $8.5 million , respectively, primarily due to increased development spend on new early-stage projects and the weakening of the Canadian dollar.

Financial Results

The following table shows Alterra's net interest in select operating and financial results for the quarter, in addition to key financial information extracted from the consolidated results.

















For the three months ended HS Orka Toba Montrose Dokie 1 Shannon Development and Head Office Net Interest Total Consolidated Results June 30, 2016(a) (66.6%) (40%) (25.5%) (50%) Generation (MWh) 184,011 110,014 16,841 76,205  387,071 276,293 Total revenue 9,189 6,900 1,368 1,088  18,545 13,797 Gross profit (loss) 2,392 5,028 466 (1,111)  6,775 3,591 Adjusted EBITDA(b) 4,465 5,550 807 (67) (2,228) 8,527 10,765































For the three months ended HS Orka Toba Montrose Dokie 1 Development and Head Office Net Interest Total Consolidated Results

June 30, 2015 (66.6%) (40%) (25.5%)

Generation (MWh) 204,814 108,051 15,700  328,565 307,529

Total revenue 9,005 7,398 1,258  17,661 13,522

Gross profit 2,588 5,498 298  8,384 3,887

Adjusted EBITDA(b) 4,378 6,011 650 (1,554) 9,485 11,679



















(a) Here and elsewhere, all tabular amounts (except generation) are expressed in thousands of US dollars. (b) Here and elsewhere, adjusted EBITDA ("Adjusted EBITDA") is defined by the Company as earnings before interest, taxes, foreign exchange, depreciation and amortization, as well as adjustments for changes in the fair value of holding company bonds (Sweden) and derivatives, write-offs of development costs, other income (expense) except business interruption insurance proceeds, amortization of below market contracts, value assigned to options granted, share of results of equity investments, the Company's proportionate interest in Adjusted EBITDA of its equity investments, research and development costs for deep drilling program and non-recurring items (insurance deductibles, litigation and arbitration costs). Adjusted EBITDA has been calculated on a consistent basis with the comparative quarter. The Company discloses Adjusted EBITDA as it is a measure used by analysts and by management to evaluate the Company's performance. As Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS measure, it may not be comparable to Adjusted EBITDA calculated by others. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA is not a substitute for net earnings. Readers should consider net earnings in evaluating the Company's performance. Readers should also consider the risks and assumptions in estimates of Adjusted EBITDA discussed under the heading "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Information". For a reconciliation of consolidated Adjusted EBITDA to Alterra's condensed consolidated interim financial statements refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.





Consolidated Results

Revenue was $13.8 million for the quarter, up 2% from the comparative quarter primarily due to the strengthening of the Icelandic Krona.

The Company recorded net income of $3.4 million, down from the comparative quarter ($6.8 million), resulting primarily from changes in non-cash items such as the change in fair value of holding company bonds (Sweden).

Consolidated cash and cash equivalents at June 30, 2016 was $11.7 million of which $9.1 million is held in the Company's Icelandic subsidiary ($10.3 million and $6.4 million respectively at December 31, 2015).

The Company's consolidated working capital deficit at June 30, 2016 was $153.2 million compared to a working capital deficit of $123.3 million at December 31, 2015. The working capital deficit is primarily due to the fair value of the holding company bonds (Sweden) being classified as short-term (the bonds mature within twelve months).

Net Interest Results

Alterra's net interest revenue increased by $0.9 million to $18.5 million primarily due to increased generation at Dokie 1, generation from Shannon and the strengthening of the Icelandic Krona. Net interest EBITDA decreased 10% to $8.5 million due to development spend on early-stage projects along with the weakening of the Canadian dollar.

The net interest cash position at June 30, 2016 was $14.8 million.

Operating Results

The Company achieved 94.3% of its budgeted generation for the quarter, led by Toba Montrose.









Q2 2016 Generation (MWh)



Total



Net Interest





Facility Budget (a)

Actual

Budget (a)

Actual

% of Budget Reykjanes 148,840

144,378

99,127

96,156

97.0% Svartsengi 134,645

131,915

89,674

87,855

98.0% Toba Montrose 226,971

275,034

90,788

110,014

121.2% Dokie 1 68,131

66,043

17,373

16,841

96.9% Shannon 226,698

152,410

113,349

76,205

67.2% TOTAL 805,285

769,780

410,311

387,071

94.3%

(a) Includes planned maintenance outages.

"We are pleased with the continued solid performance of our operating assets in the quarter as well as the recent achievement of commercial operations at Jimmie Creek," said Lynda Freeman, CFO of Alterra. "We are now fully geared towards our next phase of growth with the advancement of Flat Top as well as a solar development portfolio and other development projects."

Alterra will host a conference call to discuss financial and operating results on Wednesday, August 10, 2016 at 11:30 am ET (8:30 am PT). North American participants dial 1-888-390-0546 and International participants dial 1-416-764-8688; the conference ID is 17047515 The call will also be broadcast live on the Internet at http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=1235231&s=1&k=5FFBEFA29195B7323A9D2B993ADE39F9 The call will be available for replay for one week after the call by dialing 1-416-764-8677 and entering replay PIN 047515#

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Information

Certain of the statements and information included in this news release constitute forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements or information. This information may involve known and unknown risks, assumptions and uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the future results, performance or achievements implied by such statements or information. Specifically, forward-looking statements within this news release relate to, among other things: success of the deep drilling program at Reykjanes, successful development and construction of our pre-operational projects and properties, including Flat Top and our solar development portfolio, and the timing of the same, marketing of power and ability to secure power purchase or offtake agreements in respect of the same; success, timing and receipt of future payments and financial milestones, our ability to successfully refinance certain bonds, results of operations, and financial position.

These statements and information reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant operational, business, economic and regulatory uncertainties and contingencies. These assumptions include, among others, the expected power generation from our operations, the success and timely completion of planned development, expansion and construction programs, and modeling and budgeting based on historical trends, our ability or inability to obtain financing or refinancing to pursue our growth strategy and business plans, current conditions and expected future developments. Forward-looking statements and information also involve known and unknown risks that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed by such statements or information, and the Company has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. These risks include volatility of renewable energy resources, inherent risks in operating and constructing power plants and development programs related to the same, contractual risks related to credit facilities, partnership and power purchase agreements, prospective power, currency and commodity price fluctuations, health, safety, social and environmental risks and risks related to reliance on third parties. Additional risks, assumptions and influential factors are set out in the Company's management discussion analysis and Alterra's most recent annual information form, copies of which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, given the inherent uncertainties in such forward-looking statements and information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described or intended. Investors are cautioned against undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements or information, which apply only as of their dates. Other than as specifically required by law, Alterra undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information to reflect new information.

SOURCE Alterra Power Corp.

Related Links

www.alterrapower.ca/


VANCOUVER, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - American Lithium Corp. (TSX Venture: LI, OTCQB: LiACF) ("American Lithium"; or, the "Company") is pleased to announce several additions and changes to its management and board.

Effective immediately, Karl Kottmeier will join the board and assume the role of President and Chief Executive Officer and Douglas Ford will join the board and assume the role of Chief Financial Officer. Michael Kobler will transition to Executive Chair, and Chief Operations Officer. Karl and Doug bring with them their Pacific Equity Management (PEM) team who will also provide a number of support positions.

Mike Kober, American Lithium's President commented "I am really pleased to welcome Karl and Doug, and the whole PEM Group. Their addition to the American Lithium team will round out management. PEM Group has a great deal of experience in all facets of corporate management and their professionalism and ability will allow me to focus on the technical execution of our projects."

Mr. Kottmeier is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Rockgate Capital Corp., which was acquired in 2013 by Denison Mines. A former Investment Advisor and member of several brokerage firm Corporate Finance teams, Mr. Kottmeier has over 20 years of practical experience in listing, financing and administering junior exploration and development companies listed on the TSX and TSX Venture Exchanges. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia.

"I am excited to bring our group together with the American Lithium team. I think the team of technical experts and the high quality and district scale projects in the portfolio make this Company one of the most compelling Lithium investment opportunities in the market today." remarked new CEO Karl Kottmeier.

Mr. Ford is the former Chief Financial Officer and director of Rockgate Capital Corp. He has been the General Manager of Dockside Capital Group Inc. a private merchant banking and venture capital firm from 1987 to the present. He has been a director and officer of a number of public companies over the past 20 years and he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia.

In connection with the appointments of Messrs. Kottmeier and Ford, each of Peter Born (Director), Anita Algie (Director and President) and Richard Ko (Chief Financial Officer) have resigned their positions with the Company. The Company would like to thank them each for their years of services and wish them success as they focus on their other business interests.

Pacific Equity Management brings a high level of experience in mineral exploration corporate development, administration and finance. PEM Group team members all have relevant experience as officers and or directors of TSX and TSX Venture listed companies and have substantial securities industry experience in previous endeavors. Since inception in 2006, the PEM Group management team has raised over $100,000,000 in equity capital, sourced from retail and institutional investors world-wide, for PEM Group companies and successfully completed IPO's, RTO's, Take Over bids, and numerous joint ventures among other corporate transactions. PEM Group has operated components of its businesses in over a dozen countries and in numerous languages. The PEM Group principals and administrative staff are headquartered in Vancouver, Canada and maintain a strong network of internationally located technical and financial consultants.

American Lithium Corp. is actively engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of lithium deposits within mining-friendly jurisdictions throughout the Americas. American Lithium holds options to acquire Nevada lithium brine claims totaling 22,332 acres (9,038 ha), including 18,552 contiguous acres (7,508 ha) in Fish Lake Valley, Esmeralda County; 2,240 acre (907 ha) San Emidio Project in Washoe County; and the 1,540 acre (623 ha) Clayton-Valley-1 Project. The Company's Fish Lake Valley lithium brine properties are located approximately 38 kilometers from Albemarle's Silver Peak, the largest lithium operation in the U.S.

On behalf of the Board,

American Lithium Corp.

Karl Kottmeier, Chief Executive Officer

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE American Lithium Corp

Related Links

www.americanlithiumcorp.com


KANSAS CITY, Mo., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Angel Capital Association (ACA), the world's leading professional association for angel investors, today announced the election of new Board members Elaine Bolle, Angela Jackson, and Kevin Learned to three year terms. Additionally, three ACA Officers were re-elected for the fiscal year, including Christopher Mirabile (Chair), Linda Smith (Vice Chair), and Parker MacDonell (Secretary-Treasurer).

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160810/397233LOGO

"ACA is committed to seeking leadership with demonstrated experience and understanding of angel investor needs because we rely on their support and guidance to help us deliver the highest level of professional development and networking opportunities to our 13,000 active, world-class angel investor members and 250 angel groups and platforms," stated Marianne Hudson, ACA executive director.

Elaine D. Bolle is an active angel investor, board director and advisor leading domestic and global organizations from start-ups to $750M+ enterprises. She has built and successfully exited several early stage venture backed companies including Achex, a payment processor, sold to First Data Corp. She currently focuses on early stage entrepreneurial ventures serving as a Director and past president of RTP Capital Associates, an angel investing network in North Carolina. In addition to her work with ACA, Bolle serves on the Board of Directors of the Council for Entrepreneurial Development and Dress for Success Triangle NC. She is an Entrepreneur in Residence at First Flight Venture Center one of the nation's largest high science incubators.

Angela Jackson is co-founder and managing director of the Portland Seed Fund, a private/public seed fund with $10 million+ under management, and also oversees the award-winning Portland State University Business Accelerator. Jackson has made angel investments in multiple sectors and advised entrepreneurs and seed-stage companies across a broad spectrum of industries. She is a past president of the Portland chapter of Keiretsu Forum, and served as Chair of one of the nation's largest angel investment competitions, Angel Oregon. Jackson was recently named the 2015 Woman of Influence/entrepreneur category by Portland Business Journal. In addition to her work with ACA, she serves on the boards of Crowd Supply, the Oregon Film Board and TIE Oregon.

Kevin Learned is a partner in Loon Creek Capital Group, which assists communities in creating angel funds, and is past president of the Boise Angel Alliance. Learned has been involved with the angel funding of more than 30 companies and invested in and was administrator of three angel funds. He is also an entrepreneur and cofounded LearnedMahn, a Boise software company that supplied software nationwide to the banking and hospital industries. Dedicated to education, he earned a doctorate in entrepreneurship, was a college professor and associate dean of the business school at Boise State University; past president of the College of Idaho; a counselor in the Idaho Small Business Development Center in the Boise State College of Business and Economics; and founding director of Venture College at Boise State, a co-curricular program in entrepreneurship.

Visit ACA Leadership for photos and more details.

About the Angel Capital Association (ACA)

As the voice of the angel investors, ACA offers professional development, public policy advocacy and significant benefits and resources to its membership of more than 13,000 accredited investors, who invest individually or through its 250 angel groups accredited platforms and family office members. Since its founding in 2005, ACA has built the world's largest collective of angels across North America, and aligns like-minded angels to build their early-stage investment skills and share innovative ideas and practices. More information is available at: ACA events and Forbes and Inc. columns, and at www.angelcapitalassociation.org @ACAAngelCapital; #TheAmericanAngel.

Contact:

Cheryl Isen, Media Relations for Angel Capital Association

425-222-0779 or Email

SOURCE Angel Capital Association

Related Links

http://www.angelcapitalassociation.org


VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MX Gold Corp. (TSX-V:MXL) (FSE:ODV) (OTCQX:MXLGF) (the Company or MX Gold) announces that, further to its news release dated August 5, 2016, it is increasing the size of its private placement financing. The Company previously disclosed that it would issue up to 4,000,000 units (each, a Unit) at a price of $0.25 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $1,000,000. The Company today announces that it has increased the number of Units to be issued, such that it may issue up to 5,200,000 Units for gross proceeds of up to $1,300,000 due to significant interest. The terms of the Units remain as announced on August 5, 2016. Closing of the financing remains subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.



Proceeds of the financing are anticipated to be used towards advancing the Companys WillaMax project and for general working capital.

All securities issued in the financing will be subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months and one day after closing of the financing.

None of the securities issued in the financing will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act), and none of them may be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state where such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful.

About MX Gold

MX Gold Corp. is a junior mining company focused on the mining, exploration and development of advanced projects located in the Kootenay region of British Columbia. The Companys primary focus is its high-grade Willa gold and copper project located 12 kilometers south of Silverton, B.C. In 2015, MX Gold Corp. completed the accretive acquisition of the Willa project and the Max Molybdenum Mine and Mill Complex. This acquisition removed major costs and shortened timelines typically associated with mine project development with planned ore shipment from Willa to the Max Mill. The Willa mine is located 135 kilometers south of the Max Mill. MX Gold Corp. can also elect to reopen the Max Molybdenum mining operation once world Moly process improve.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Akash Patel

Vice President and Director, MX Gold Corp.





For further information, please contact

SkanderBeg Capital Advisors

604-687-7130

Ext 104 or Ext 105

Dan Omeniuk, CEO

Email: dano@trapperstransport.com

Ron Birch

Phone: 250-545-0383

Toll Free: 1-800-910-7711

Fax: 604-926-4232

Or by email to:

info@mxgoldcorp.com

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are projections and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this press release include those concerning MX Gold Corp.s intent to undertake a private placement financing, the amount and timing of that financing and the approval of that financing by the regulatory authorities (including the TSX Venture Exchange), and the anticipated use of the proceeds of the financing. There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and MX Gold Corp.s plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information, including: (i) adverse market conditions; (ii) risks inherent in the mineral exploration industry in general or otherwise disclosed in MX Gold Corp.s periodic disclosure documents filed on SEDAR; and (iii) the possibility that TSXV or other regulators withhold approval of the private placement. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. These forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management which management believes were reasonable on the dates made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Except as required by law, MX Gold Corp. does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange Inc.) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
ATLANTA, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- MedShare has appointed Angeline Fife as new Chair of its Board of Trustees. She will serve as Board Chair effective July 1, 2016, succeeding former Board Chair Charlie Evans. Ms. Fife is the co-founder and Chief Financial Officer of Project Development Services, Inc. (PDSI). As Chief Financial Officer for PDSI she has co-led the organization from its inception to a firm which has deployed over $4 billion in capital investment in the hospitality industry. Ms. Fife has responsibility for formulating the company's future direction and supporting its tactical initiatives including the development, direct implementation and monitoring of the company's overall strategic business plan as well as building and managing effective and streamlined systems, including financial, accounting, legal, information technology, human resources, and physical infrastructure for the firm. As a founding member of the senior management team, Ms. Fife has led the charge as PDSI has evolved into the premier project management and development company that consistently sets standards for its industry.

As Board Chair, Ms. Fife is charged with working closely with Charles Redding, the CEO/President, responsible for carrying out the Board's policies. She is passionate about MedShare's mission and often travels with the Board to observe the impact of MedShare's programs on impoverished communities around the world.

Ms. Fife is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a degree in Finance and Economics. Throughout her career, Ms. Fife has been actively involved with several civic and nonprofit organizations, especially those supporting women both locally and globally. She currently serves on the Boards of Trustees of the YWCA of Greater Atlanta and MedShare.

About MedShare

MedShare is a 501c(3) humanitarian aid organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people, communities and our planet by sourcing and directly delivering surplus medical supplies and equipment to communities in need around the world. For more information, please visit the organization's website at www.medshare.org.

Contact: Caitlin Fisher

Phone: 404-537-5074

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160810/397104LOGO

SOURCE MedShare

Related Links

http://www.medshare.org


FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BioTrackTHC, a leading provider of seed-to-sale cannabis traceability technology received the highest overall score in the competitive procurement to earn Puerto Rico's cannabis seed-to-sale software government contract. BioTrackTHC's system would enable the Puerto Rico Department of Health to track and monitor the cultivation, production, and sale of medical cannabis throughout the island.

"The Puerto Rico Department of Health faces the incredibly challenging task of launching a new regulated industry from scratch," said Patrick Vo, CEO, BioTrackTHC. "We are thankful for the Department's vote of confidence in BioTrackTHC, and we look forward to partnering with them and supporting the island's efforts in building a healthy and transparent medical cannabis program that provides safe access for patients and generates an entire industry of jobs."

Puerto Rico will be the first government body in the Caribbean and Latin America to procure a software solution to manage their medical cannabis program. The medical cannabis industry is expected to create hundreds of jobs on the island: jobs directly in cannabis and jobs that support the cannabis sector such as legal, industrial, agricultural, medical, financial, and marketing positions.

"We assembled an amazing team of project managers, trainers, and technical specialists to provide the highest level of support possible," said Rafael Sabbagh, Operations Manager at BioTrackTHC. "We look forward to sharing the experience we've gained from deploying similar systems in other states while learning from the local operators during this exciting time."

Puerto Rico would be BioTrackTHC's seventh government contract.

About BioTrackTHC:

BioTrackTHC develops and provides effective cutting-edge technology solutions for the emerging medical and adult use cannabis industry. BioTrackTHC's seed-to-sale traceability system has been awarded six government cannabis tracking contracts for cannabis industry oversight, and is currently being utilized or in the process of being implemented by the states of Washington, Illinois, New Mexico, New York, Hawaii, and the City of Arcata, California. Visit www.biotrack.com for more information, email [email protected] or call 1-800-797-4711 to order software.

Media Inquiries:

Cynthia Salarizadeh

Salar Communications Group

[email protected]

(856) 425-6160

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/396993LOGO

SOURCE BioTrackTHC

Related Links

http://www.biotrack.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Boomtrain, a marketing platform that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to drive relevant interactions with users at every touchpoint, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire partner, India-based Nudgespot. Nudgespot has built a best-in-class messaging platform that will integrate into Boomtrain's technology to deliver a seamless experience for businesses to communicate with customers and visitors on websites and in mobile apps. Boomtrain and Nudgespot initially partnered nine months ago, and have been co-developing a product that combines Nudgespot's platform with Boomtrain's AI technology. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

"The acquisition of Nudgespot will accelerate our strategy to enable AI-powered communications between businesses and their customers," said Nick Edwards, CEO and founder of Boomtrain. "This is the first productized messaging application that will be fully integrated into a marketing suite. This gives marketers the ability to incorporate multi-channel chat functionality, combined with our artificial intelligence platform, to facilitate personalized, scalable conversations with their customers."

"Nudgespot and Boomtrain are pushing the envelope when it comes to bi-directional messaging technologies," said Raveen Sastry, co-founder of Nudgespot. "Teaming up with Boomtrain will continue to extend our offering to more businesses in need of advanced, easy-to-use B2C messaging solutions, powered by advanced artificial intelligence." Sastry was previously a founder of Myntra Design Pvt Ltd, which was acquired in 2014 by Flipkart for $330M.

With the addition of Nudgespot, Boomtrain significantly expands its APAC business. Together, Boomtrain and Nudgespot will have 70 people in offices located in San Francisco and Bangalore, and will continue to expand its footprint globally. Integration of operations began on August 1, 2016. The teams will continue to collaborate to add more functionality to Boomtrain Messenger during its beta program.

About Boomtrain

Boomtrain is an artificial intelligence powered marketing platform that drives relevant interactions with your users at every touchpoint, increasing engagement with your brand. Founded in 2012, the company is headquartered in San Francisco and is backed by top-tier VC firms including Cota Capital, Crosslink Capital, Lerer Ventures, Sierra Ventures, and Streamlined Ventures. To learn more about Boomtrain, visit http://boomtrain.com.

About Nudgespot

Nudgespot is a messaging platform that was built to help businesses communicate with their customers personally, and at scale. For online businesses and apps to truly connect and create great customer journeys, communication needs to be contextual and relevant. Nudgespot's event tracking and multi-channel messaging capabilities enables businesses to create messages and trigger them to users on the right channel at the right time.

SOURCE Boomtrain

Related Links

http://www.boomtrain.com/


DEWITT, Mich., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- DENTCO President Scott Milnes announced today the appointment of long-time DENTCO consultant Sue Bosscher to the title of Director of Human Resources.

Bosscher began working for DENTCO on a part-time basis in 2008. During her journey with DENTCO, she has seen the company grow from 50 people to over 150 people. As the office personnel grew, so did her time and experience.

"I have always enjoyed working with DENTCO, the people are great, and I am excited to be a full-time team member during such tremendous growth," Bosscher said.

Coming off another strong year, DENTCO reported a double digit sales increase of 25 percent, and is once again in the running for one of Michigan's coolest places to work by Crain's Detroit Business.

"Our focus is to continue reinvesting funds in infrastructure, technology and most importantly, our people. Sue is just one of those people that every company looks for and we are extremely lucky to have her for so long. We expect great things with her heading up our HR Department," said Milnes.

As the DENTCO HR Director, Bosscher hopes to continue her work overseeing DENTCO's personnel, as they continue managing snow removal, landscaping, parking lot maintenance and various other Exterior Services Management (ESM) services to retailers nationwide.

Bosscher was born and raised in Grand Rapids, MI. She moved with her family to Atlanta, GA, for seven years before moving back to the Grand Rapids area in 2000. She currently lives with her husband Steve and they have two grown sons. Bosscher enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as biking, reading and cooking.

If you will be attending the PRSM 2016 Mid-Year Conference in Schaumberg, IL, from September 28-30, please stop by booth #42 and visit the DENTCO Team.

For more information on DENTCO please visit www.dentco.com or call 800-993-3689.

SOURCE DENTCO
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Prospect Silicon Valley (ProspectSV) is looking for innovative energy startups for two exciting new projects that will shape the way we use and operate buildings in the future. Promising submissions will receive visibility among world-class designers who are developing a suite of new technologies to achieve Zero Net Energy (ZNE) for the San Francisco-based retrofits, funded by two $3M grants from the California Energy Commission. Interested applicants may download the Request for Information at prospectsv.org/zne-call-for-innovators.

The MarketZero project will convert a Whole Foods Market to ZNE and showcase advanced strategies in energy efficiency. The project will include pre-commercial technologies and will serve as a case study for grocery stores throughout California. The ZNE benefits for the store range from lower operating costs to greater reliability and energy security. The Whole Foods Market that will receive the upgrade is located at 3950 24th street in San Francisco. Project partners include: Whole Foods Market, Arup, SF Environment and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.

The InnovateNetZero project will retrofit a historic building in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood, which houses ninety-one, low-income residents and is owned and operated by the Chinatown Community Development Center. The project will apply the same cost cutting strategies that high-end commercial buildings use, while at the same time passing those savings to the nonprofit that runs this housing facility. Project partners include Chinatown Community Development Center, RMW Architects, Integral Group, National Renewables and Energy Laboratory and the San Francisco 2030 District.

The combined efforts of government, nonprofit and business partners in these projects are all aiming toward the goal of achieving ZNE buildings. These two projects will not only convert these different building types to ZNE, but also showcase what can be done for all grocery stores and mixed-use buildings. Apply now for your chance to have your company's ideas and tech featured in these groundbreaking projects for the future of sustainable and efficient buildings.

About ProspectSV

ProspectSV is a nonprofit urbantech innovation hub focused on solutions for sustainable, smart cities. For more information, visit prospectsv.org.

Contact:

Pamela Crouch

408-796-1665

[email protected]

SOURCE Prospect Silicon Valley

Related Links

http://prospectsv.org


MELVILLE, N.Y., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is proud to congratulate Ellen Pitchford, vice president and general manager, digital marketing services division, Canon U.S.A., Inc., on the honor of being named as a recipient of the 2016 SmartCEO Brava Award, which aims to recognize top female business leaders in the Long Island region. In her role at Canon, Ellen Pitchford is responsible for corporate internet strategies, including company websites, e-commerce, social media platforms, and mobile applications. Ms. Pitchford is among forty other women in business who were chosen for this honor based on their contributions to company growth, promoting mentorship and creating a positive impact on the surrounding community by an independent committee consisting of business leaders.

"With her tremendous leadership and record of accomplishments, Ellen Pitchford is the definition of a valued member of the Canon team," said Yuichi Ishizuka, president & chief operating officer, Canon U.S.A., Inc. "Ellen's leadership is shown day-in and day-out as she helps grow our digital footprint, whether it's by working to drive online sales or expanding our presence on social media. Ellen Pitchford is a true leader who is completely deserving of this honor and we congratulate her on her success."

In 1994, Ellen Pitchford joined Canon as a purchasing manager for Canon Computer Systems, Inc. in California and was promoted to director of procurement in 1997. In 2005, she transferred to Canon U.S.A. in New York to become director of internet marketing, managing this division for ten years. Following the creation of the digital marketing services division in 2015, Ms. Pitchford assumed her current title of vice president and general manager for this department. Since its inception, the division has grown from four employees to more than forty under Ellen's leadership, highlighting the significance of their team's work.

Ms. Pitchford, a graduate of University of Redlands, is also an enthusiastic member of the Long Island Women's Collaborative, where she helps promote the advancement of professional women in our area and to support economic growth and development on Long Island.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean (excluding Mexico) markets. With approximately $31 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranks third overall in U.S. patents granted in 2015 and is one of Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies in 2016. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest level of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. In 2014, the Canon Americas Headquarters secured LEED Gold certification, a recognition for the design, construction, operations and maintenance of high-performance green buildings. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA. For media inquiries, please contact [email protected].

Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Canon U.S.A. Web site:

http://www.usa.canon.com

For sales information/customer support:

1-800-OK-CANON

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160119/323578LOGO

SOURCE Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Related Links

http://www.usa.canon.com


INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Charlie Morgan has been named Senior Vice President/Market Manager of Emmis-New York, which includes Hot97, WBLS and WLIB. Morgan has been serving as Interim Emmis-New York Market Manager since January 2016.

"Charlie is one of radio's truly gifted leaders," said Patrick Walsh, Emmis President and Chief Operating Officer. "His inspirational leadership has been a catalyst in improving our results in Indianapolis and his deft skills are already having an impact in New York. I'm thrilled he's decided to focus this next exciting stage of his career on ensuring Hot97, WBLS and WLIB continue to play an important role in the lives of listeners in the tri-state area and these brands deliver on their enormous potential."

A Butler University graduate, Morgan has more than 35 years of experience in the radio industry, including VP/Market Manager at Susquehanna (now Cumulus) Radio, which includes WFMS/WJJK/WISG. In 2007, Morgan joined the team at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, serving as President and Chief Operating Officer of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Productions. In 2009, he was lured back to radio and joined the Emmis team as SVP/Market Manager of Emmis-Indianapolis, where he served until he was named Interim Market Manager in New York earlier this year. At Emmis-Indianapolis, Morgan was responsible for leading a turnaround effort that resulted in Emmis becoming the market leader. Morgan will remain connected to the Indianapolis Market as new Emmis Indianapolis Market Manager Chuck Williams will report to Morgan.

Morgan serves as chairman of the board of Country Radio Seminar, vice chairman, Classical Music Indy, and sits on the Boards of Heartland Film Festival, Indiana Repertory Theatre, and Woman's Fund. He is a member of the Country Music Association Board of Directors and serves as First Vice Chair/Radio for the Indiana Broadcaster's Association. He is the Past Chairman of the Indianapolis 500 Festival. Morgan has won numerous awards in his career including the Country Music Association Air Personality of the Year, Radio Ink's Ten Best Managers in Radio, and Radio Wayne Market Manager of the Year in 2010.

"When a 35+ year radio veteran can honestly call his most recent seven years the most fun and most rewarding of his career, you know you are talking to one very fortunate man," Morgan said. "That statement is true for me thanks to the company and the culture that Jeff Smulyan, Rick Cummings and Pat Walsh have built and nourished at Emmis. Add to that the all-star team of talent I've worked with in Indianapolis and you begin to understand my good fortune. But for the past seven months I've had the rare privilege of working with the talented team at Emmis New York. WBLS, Hot 97 and WLIB are legendary brands in the most vibrant city in America and I have fallen in love with the people, the passion and the opportunity to build on the legacy in New York."

Emmis Communications  Great Media, Great People, Great Service

Emmis Communications Corporation is a diversified media company, principally focused on radio broadcasting. Emmis owns 19 FM and 4 AM radio stations in New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Austin (Emmis has a 50.1% controlling interest in Emmis' radio stations located there), Indianapolis and Terre Haute, IN. Emmis also developed and licenses TagStation, a cloud-based software platform that allows a broadcaster to manage album art, metadata and enhanced advertising on its various broadcasts, and developed NextRadio, a smartphone application that marries over-the-air FM radio broadcasts with visual and interactive features on smartphones.

SOURCE Emmis Communications

Related Links

http://www.emmis.com


DALLAS, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CCJ Market Movers is a conference held in the Truckstop.com Theater on the show floor of The Great American Trucking Show on Thursday, August 25, 2016, from 1-5 p.m. Titans of the trucking industry will discuss how e-commerce is changing the transportation landscape in a town hall format hosted by Morgan Brennan of CNBC, Donald Broughton of Avondale Partners and Jeff Crissey of Commercial Carrier Journal.

Leaders of three of the most-respected businesses in trucking will be on the stage: Alain Bedard, chairman & CEO of TransForce; Scott Malat, chief strategy officer of XPOLogistics; and David Parker, chairman, president, founder and CEO of Covenant Transportation Group.

CCJ Market Movers allows attendees to ask questions and hear first-hand how these trucking leaders are dealing with the quickly changing demands of the marketplace brought about by e-commerce.

CNBC will cover the event Thursday and will broadcast live from the show floor on Friday. This coverage will bring national attention to the important role trucking plays in our economy.

For those who want to be a part of moving the trucking industry forward, this is an event that cannot be missed. For more information on how to attend, visit www.ccjmarketmovers.com.

About Randall-Reilly

Randall-Reilly offers comprehensive marketing solutions through a complete network of data and research, publications, online content, online advertising programs and events. Randall-Reilly serves its clients by providing insights into specific market segments, and then providing the targeted platforms and marketing services to engage those audiences.

SOURCE Randall-Reilly

Related Links

http://www.randallreilly.com


SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Public interest group Consumer Watchdog today reported that twenty-six energy companies including the state's three major investor-owned utilities, Occidental, Chevron, and NRGall with business before the statedonated $9.8 million to Jerry Brown's campaigns, causes, and initiatives, and to the California Democratic Party since he ran for Governor. Donations were often made within days or weeks of winning favors. The three major investor-owned utilities alone contributed nearly $6 million.

An exhaustive review of campaign records, publicly-released emails and other documents at PUCPapers.org, court filings, and media reports, shows that Brown personally intervened in regulatory decisions favoring the energy industry, and points to Brown and his operatives having used the Democratic Party as a political slush fund to receive contributions from unpopular energy companies in amounts greater than permitted to his candidate committee. Between 2011 and 2014, the energy companies tracked by Brown's Dirty Hands donated $4.4 million to the Democratic Party, and the Democratic Party gave $4.7 million to Brown's re-election. Earmarking to the Democratic Party is illegal. Consumer Watchdog is forwarding its report to the Fair Political Practices Commission.

"The timing of energy industry donations around important legislation and key pro-industry amendments, as well as key regulatory decisions in which Brown personally intervened, raises troubling questions about whether quid pro quos are routine for this administration," said consumer advocate Liza Tucker, author of the report, Brown's Dirty Hands. "While Brown paints himself as a foe of fossil fuels, his Administration promoted reckless oil drilling, burning dirty natural gas to make electricity, and used old hands from industry and government, placed in key regulatory positions, to protect the fossil fuel-reliant energy industry."

Download Brown's Dirty Hands at www.consumerwatchdog.org/dirtyhands

View a video on the report here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t0ZgT-ahLg

Evidence strongly suggests that the timing of certain donations may have elicited or rewarded legislative or regulatory action on behalf of these companies. Among the most egregious examples detailed in the report:

Southern California Edison donated $130,000 to the California Democratic Party, its largest contribution up until that time, on the same day PUC President Michael Peevey cut a secret deal with an SCE executive in Warsaw, Poland to make ratepayers cover 70 percent of the $4.7 billion cost to close the fatally flawed San Onofre nuclear plant. Brown backed the dirty deal, telling Edison's CEO personally, according to an email from the CEO uncovered by the Public Records Act, that he was willing to tell the media on the day of the plant's shuttering that the company was acting responsibly and focused on the right things. Three days prior to SCE's announcement that it would close San Onofre permanently, the company donated $25,000 to the California Democratic Party.

to the California Democratic Party, its largest contribution up until that time, on the same day PUC President cut a secret deal with an SCE executive in to make ratepayers cover 70 percent of the cost to close the fatally flawed San Onofre nuclear plant. Brown backed the dirty deal, telling Edison's CEO personally, according to an email from the CEO uncovered by the Public Records Act, that he was willing to tell the media on the day of the plant's shuttering that the company was acting responsibly and focused on the right things. Three days prior to SCE's announcement that it would close San Onofre permanently, the company donated to the California Democratic Party. Emails from PG&E's top lobbyist Brian Cherry to his boss claim that Brown personally intervened with a PUC Commissioner to persuade him to approve a natural gas-fired power plant called Oakley for the utility. In a January 1, 2013 email, Cherry described a New Year's Eve dinner with Peevey where Peevey reminded him "how he and Governor Brown used every ounce of persuasion to get [Commissioner Mark] Ferron to change his mind and vote for OakleyJerry's direct plea was decisive." PG&E donated $20,000 to the California Democratic Party the day after the PUC voted for the project. An appeals court would later strike down the decision because PG&E had not proved its necessity.

to his boss claim that Brown personally intervened with a PUC Commissioner to persuade him to approve a natural gas-fired power plant called for the utility. In a email, Cherry described a dinner with Peevey where Peevey reminded him "how he and Governor Brown used every ounce of persuasion to get [Commissioner to change his mind and vote for OakleyJerry's direct plea was decisive." PG&E donated to the California Democratic Party the day after the PUC voted for the project. An appeals court would later strike down the decision because PG&E had not proved its necessity. While PG&E's lobbyist and then-PUC President Michael Peevey fed names to Brown's executive secretary, former PG&E vice president Nancy McFadden , to appoint the critical swing-vote PUC commissioner who would cast pro-utility votes, PG&E donated $75,000 to the California Democratic Party. The same day that Brown appointed ex-banker Mark Ferron to the commission, PG&E donated another $41,500 . The appointment lifted the value of PG&E's stock and the PG&E stock held by McFadden and valued as high as $1 million .

fed names to Brown's executive secretary, former PG&E vice president , to appoint the critical swing-vote PUC commissioner who would cast pro-utility votes, PG&E donated to the California Democratic Party. The same day that Brown appointed ex-banker to the commission, PG&E donated another . The appointment lifted the value of PG&E's stock and the PG&E stock held by McFadden and valued as high as . Chevron donated $135,000 to the California Democratic Party the same day lawmakers exempted a common method of well stimulation from legislation meant to regulate fracking. After the bill passed with an amendment dropping a moratorium on fracking permits, Occidental gave $100,000 to one of Brown's favorite causes, the Oakland Military Institute. Brown signed the weakened bill. On December 23, 2013 , Chevron donated $350,000 to the Democratic Party. On December 30 , the Democratic Party donated $300,000 to Brown for Governor 2014, while Chevron donated the maximum to Brown's campaign, $54,400 , on the same day. Less than two months later, Brown came out publicly to oppose a proposed oil severance tax. The weakened fracking bill also helped Nancy McFadden who held up to $100,000 in Linn Energy that would acquire Berry Petroleum and its 3,000 California fracking wells.

to the California Democratic Party the same day lawmakers exempted a common method of well stimulation from legislation meant to regulate fracking. After the bill passed with an amendment dropping a moratorium on fracking permits, Occidental gave to one of Brown's favorite causes, the Oakland Military Institute. Brown signed the weakened bill. On , Chevron donated to the Democratic Party. On , the Democratic Party donated to Brown for Governor 2014, while Chevron donated the maximum to Brown's campaign, , on the same day. Less than two months later, Brown came out publicly to oppose a proposed oil severance tax. The weakened fracking bill also helped who held up to in Linn Energy that would acquire Berry Petroleum and its 3,000 fracking wells. Occidental's attorney, former Governor Gray Davis , successfully pressured Brown to fire two oil and gas regulators who wouldn't grant oil waste injection permits without proof that aquifers would not be contaminated. Two months later, when Brown's new interim oil and gas supervisor granted Occidental a permit without an environmental review, Occidental contributed $250,000 to Prop 30, Brown's ballot measure to raise taxes, then another $100,000 two weeks later to his favored Oakland Military Institute. Seven months later, Occidental made a second $250,000 donation to Prop 30.

, successfully pressured Brown to fire two oil and gas regulators who wouldn't grant oil waste injection permits without proof that aquifers would not be contaminated. Two months later, when Brown's new interim oil and gas supervisor granted Occidental a permit without an environmental review, Occidental contributed to Prop 30, Brown's ballot measure to raise taxes, then another two weeks later to his favored Oakland Military Institute. Seven months later, Occidental made a second donation to Prop 30. Brown's climate change bill, SB 350, gave utilities a monopoly on electric vehicle infrastructure and large-scale renewable energy projects by excluding rooftop solar from the state's renewable portfolio standard. Three weeks after a last-minute amendment granting utilities access to a regional grid, PG&E donated $80,000 to the Democratic Party. The utility donated another $50,000 three weeks after the bill was chaptered. Utility stocks increased by at least 14 percent within two months.

to the Democratic Party. The utility donated another three weeks after the bill was chaptered. Utility stocks increased by at least 14 percent within two months. Power plant developer NRG wasn't a Brown donor until the company cut a sweetheart deal with the PUC to settle the state's case over its 2001 electricity price manipulation, touted as a win by the Governor's office. Rather than paying back the state, the company was allowed to spend $100 million of its $120 million fine to build electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Two months later, NRG began donations to Brown, his causes, and his party that would come to $105,000 . A lawsuit against the PUC, filed by electric charging station competitor Ecotality, called the deal illegal because it awarded a monopoly to an out-of-state company.

of its fine to build electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Two months later, NRG began donations to Brown, his causes, and his party that would come to . A lawsuit against the PUC, filed by electric charging station competitor Ecotality, called the deal illegal because it awarded a monopoly to an out-of-state company. Lawmakers sent Brown a package of six PUC reform bills in 2015 which would have increased oversight, transparency and accountability at the PUC, and received unanimous, bipartisan support. Brown vetoed the reform bills on October 12, 2015 . One week later, PG&E donated $50,000 to the Democratic Party. In December, PG&E donated another $175,000 to the Party.

Brown's top staffersExecutive Secretary Nancy McFadden and former Cabinet Secretary Dana Williamsonboth former PG&E executives, were paid roughly $100,000 each by the California Democratic Party for consulting and fundraising services at various times between 2013 and 2016.

Jerry Brown's family and other personal ties to industry insiders also appear to play a role in his Administration's decisions to promote the interests of the utilities and the oil and gas industry at the expense of consumers.

Brown's sister, Kathleen, was given a seat on Sempra's board of directors in June 2013, just as lawmakers amended fracking legislation to drop a moratorium on fracking permits. As of April 2016, Kathleen Brown had earned $691,300 for her board service at Sempra, parent company of Southern California Gas which is responsible for the massive Aliso Canyon natural gas well blowout that caused the biggest methane leak in U.S. history. Governor Brown issued an emergency order that ensured secrecy around the blowout investigation, has waged a campaign through his energy regulators to keep Aliso open and has kept information and data involving the blowout secret from the public. Sempra stock has increased by 116% since Brown took office, more than any other utility.

Kathleen Brown also served on the board of real estate and oil company Forestar Groupwhich owns 700 acres next to Porter Ranch, a community drastically affected by the leak, where Forestar plans to build luxury homes, and another 1,000 acres of oil and gas interests in California. Kathleen holds $749,000 worth of Forestar stock. She now sits on the board of Renew Financial, a private funder of renewable energy projects that stands to benefit from SB 350. She stepped down from Forestar one month after Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency at Aliso Canyon.

Governor Brown supported, appointed and hired a group of old hands from previous administrations and the energy industry that have played a role in policies promoting the fossil-fuel natural gas system. Brown's Dirty Hands details how the revolving door of industry insiders, including former PUC President Michael Peevey, now under criminal investigation for corruption at the PUC, was supported and installed by Brown and his top aides. The report details crucial moments for the energy industry contributors through the Administration's course and how Brown sided with them.

The report is released just as ratepayers dodged a bullet in the last month of the legislative session in Sacramento, where the legislature stalled for the year efforts by Brown and his hands to enact a Western regional grid and federalize energy regulation in California.

SOURCE Consumer Watchdog

Related Links

http://www.consumerwatchdog.org


NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Aug. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Daniel Alain Life Science, a new biotech company under The House of Daniel Alain, announced today that it has acquired the intellectual property rights for a revolutionary patented technology that reduces that amount of hair that is shed during washing and styling procedures.

The intellectual property rights were acquired from Applied Biology, Inc. a biotechnology incubator focused on developing novel dermatological therapies. Professor Dr. Andy Goren, founder of Applied Biology, is the original inventor of the technology. While researching different treatments for traction alopecia  a form of hair loss acquired by applying forces that pull on hair follicles such as when hair brushing or flat-ironing, Prof. Goren discovered that the small muscle connected to each hair follicle when contracted "holds stronger" the hair and thus reduces the shedding associated with cosmetic styling procedures. Prof Goren explains: "the contraction of the errector pili muscle attached to each hair follicle is familiar to everyone as the phenomena of goosebumps. Trying to pull hair from a goosebump requires much more force then when the skin is smooth. This innovation uses the same techniquie to prevent hair shedding from mechanical styling procedures."

Daniel Alain Life Science intends to introduce a commercial product based on this technology in the first half of 2017. According to the CEO, Daniel Hafid: "we are excited to work with Applied Biology to bring to market an innovative treatment for a large unmet need."

For more information, please visit www.DALifeScience.com or follow the brand on Instagram (DanielAlain_LifeScience), Facebook (Daniel Alain Life Science), and Twitter (DA_LifeScience).

About The House of Daniel Alain

The House of Daniel Alain is the destination for brand superiority. Our mission is to innovate, create and manufacture the most premium products available to the hair and beauty industry. Everything we do is driven by our passion to make women look and feel beautiful and confident, always. At The House of Daniel Alain, we're truly passionate about hair and beauty, and we're proud to share our love of the industry with you.

www.DanielAlain.com

About Applied Biology

Applied Biology, headquartered in Irvine, California, is a biopharmaceutical company paving the way to radically new therapies in dermatology. Our research spans novel compounds ushering a paradigm shift in phototherapy to transformation of microbial organisms to deliver dermatological therapy.

Applied Biology is poised to brighten the future of dermatology patients.

www.appliedbiology.com

PHONE: +1 (949) 387-4526

17780 Fitch

Irvine, CA 92614 USA

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/396991LOGO

SOURCE Daniel Alain Life Science

Related Links

http://www.dalifescience.com


HAMILTON, Bermuda, Aug. 10, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

We are pleased to inform you that Carl Fredrik Grosland (36) has agreed to join our companies as Vice President, working on analyses, projects and business development. Reporting to me in a staff position, he will also work closely with others both in NAO and NAT (Nordic American Tankers Limited).



He has 12 years of international banking experience as an analyst and broker, focusing mainly on the energy/offshore and the shipping sector. Working from out of New York at the time, he has played a key role in a number of major equity and debt transactions. For several years he was a partner and board member of the investment banking firm of Pareto Securities Inc. (New York).

Going forward, he will focus on the US, the Far East and Europe with base in our Oslo office. Working from out of Oslo, he has recently been Vice President at Clarksons Platou Securities (head office in London), one of the largest international offshore/energy and shipbroking firms - also specializing in investment banking in these sectors. He has a BA (hons) in Business Management and German from the European Business School (EBS) in London.

Commented Carl Fredrik Grosland: I am very proud and honored to get the opportunity to work for some of the smartest people in the industry. Nordic American has a unique business model and the best track record in both the industry and capital markets. I look forward to learning a lot. I shall work hard to assist in developing the companies further together with highly professional teams.

With Carl Fredrik Grosland, our competence organization will be further strengthened.

Herbjrn Hansson

Nordic American Offshore Ltd.

Chairman

Herbjrn Hansson

Nordic American Tankers Limited

Chairman & CEO

Copy: Marianne Lie Executive Vice-Chair, NAO Tor-yvind Bjrkli Managing Director, NAO Turid M. Srensen CFO & EVP, NAT Erik Tomstad Head of chartering, NAT

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts.



The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "plan," "potential," "may," "should," "expect," "pending" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, our management's examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although we believe that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand in the PSV market, as a result of changes in the general market conditions of the oil and natural gas industry which influence charter hire rates and vessel values, demand in platform supply vessels, our operating expenses, including bunker prices, dry docking and insurance costs, governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities as well as potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, the availability of financing and refinancing, vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hire and other important factors described from time to time in the reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts:

Herbjrn Hansson, Chairman

Nordic American Offshore Ltd.

Tel: +1 866 805 9504 or +47 90 14 62 91

Web-site: www.nat.bm

Press release PDF: http://hugin.info/159489/R/2034253/757570.pdf
BOULDER, Colo., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Naropa University today announced that Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor will deliver the keynote address in Denver, Colorado, on October 7 in celebration of the anniversary of Naropa's Transpersonal Counseling Psychology program. Dr. Taylor's keynote address is titled, "My Stroke of Insight: Compassion and the Brain."

Dr. Taylor is an internationally recognized neuro-anatomist, a New York Times' best-selling author and TED speaker, and was named as one of TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. Her extraordinary and personal story is designed to inspire and educate those who are interested in how compassion, science, and transformational wellness aid in the road to brain injury recovery.

Dr. Taylor's keynote address will formally launch "Compassion Without Limits," a three-day event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Naropa's Transpersonal Counseling Psychology program. More than 2000 people are expected to attend, and participants include prominent members of Colorado's medical, psychology, and therapeutic communities. Naropa University will offer special discounts for practicing physicians, clinical therapists, mental health professionals, caregivers, veterans, and educators.

Two (2) NBCC Continuing Education (CE) hours are available for full attendance to this event. Naropa University has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 4330.

This event is made possible through the generous support of Yoga Journal and other sponsors.

Tickets for Dr. Taylor's keynote address and the Compassion Without Limits weekend are available at www.naropa.edu/events.

About Naropa University (www.naropa.edu): Located in Boulder, Colorado, Naropa University is a private, liberal arts institution offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Naropa University is a leader in contemplative education, an approach to learning and teaching that integrates Eastern wisdom traditions and traditional Western scholarship. Naropa University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

CONTACT: Bill Rigler, 303-546-3533, [email protected]

SOURCE Naropa University

Related Links

http://www.naropa.edu


DENVER, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading travel goods and school backpack retailer eBags announced today that it has teamed up with the non-profit organization DonorsChoose.org to help support public teachers and their students in the back-to-school season. Founded in 2000 by a public high school teacher in Bronx, New York, DonorsChoose.org helps teachers bridge the gap between their students and the wider world by making it easy for anyone to support classroom projects.

eBags CEO Mike Edwards is passionate about what's happening around the country with DonorsChoose.org. "As the go-to source for school backpacks and a leader in the travel space, this is a truly meaningful way for us to give back to communities and help ensure that our next generation receives an excellent education. We are committed to donating $1 for each school backpack purchase on eBags.com during this peak back to school season."

Denver's McGlone Elementary, a historically low-performing school that had declining enrollment and high teacher turnover, credits DonorsChoose.org with helping them to turn their institution around. Not only do they rely upon their donors for basic supplies, they have also used it to launch a new Google Expeditions programenabling inner-city kids to travel the world using disposable virtual reality goggles.

"For the most part, travel is pretty much out of their reach. These kids live an hour from Rocky Mountain National Parkarguably one of the most beautiful places on Earthand they've never been," says George Moore, a technology teacher at McGlone. "When I started to explain to the students that you could go to the pyramids or the White House, it didn't occur to them that those options were available." Today, McGlone is enjoying the highest literacy growth in the state. A portion of the eBags funding will go toward expanding their Google Expeditions program.

Peter Cobb, eBags co-Founder, commented, "Helping elementary kids create their own journeys throughout the world through virtual reality is perfectly aligned with our mission and values as a company. We genuinely believe that travel creates better world citizens, so we're thrilled to be involved in helping these kids learn about the world beyond their doorsteps."

To date, DonorsChoose has raised more than $400 million nationwide, impacting more than 19 million students in 70,000 schools. In addition to donating $1 for every school backpack purchased during their busy school backpack season, eBags is launching a DonorsChoose.org landing page that encourages millions of their back-to-school shoppers to learn more about the non-profit's programs.

About eBags: With more than 17 years in travel and over 26 million bags sold, eBags is the leading online retailer of luggage, backpacks and accessories. The company is devoted to helping its customers find the perfect travel gear for any journey. Ranked a top luggage retailer in 2016 by Consumer Reports. eBags features 80,000 products from 800 brands, including TUMI, Samsonite, Kenneth Cole, Patagonia, The North Face and more. For more information, visit eBags.com.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160203/329613LOGO

SOURCE eBags

Related Links

http://www.ebags.com/


SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Memebox, the fastest growing beauty brand in the world, today announced that it has closed $65.95 million in Series C funding led by new global investor Formation Group and previous investors Goodwater Capital and Pejman Mar Ventures. The latest round brings the company's total funding to nearly $100 million -- among the highest of any beauty startup. Funding comes as Memebox achieves record growth fueled by the launch of its own branded products. Memebox will use its latest funds to continue its aggressive expansion into new markets, fuel innovative product development, and link its digital platform to additional offline retail experiences.

"Memebox has redefined how beauty companies operate in order to respond to the needs of today's mobile and product-conscious consumers," said Brian Koo, founder and CEO of Formation Group. "It represents the future of the digitally powered consumer brand revolution. Businesses like Dollar Shave Club, Warby Parker, and Memebox all benefit from the ability to use data and technology that offline incumbents cannot. The result is that women all over the world have fallen for and continue to fall in love with products from Memebox."

Origins of Growth

The Y Combinator graduate started by introducing Korean beauty products to new demographics through its online platform, which now sells over 170,000 of Korea's most popular products to women primarily in the U.S. and across Asia. Memebox's sales in China have grown by 1200% year-over-year, while U.S. sales represent 490% year-over-year growth. As Memebox's sales have flourished, the company has proven that there are no boundaries for its products, as it now sells to more Spanish-speaking customers than Chinese, Korean, and Japanese combined, with emerging U.S. hotbeds in New York, Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Antonio.

And by prioritizing mobile from the start, 83% of Memebox's online sales come from its mobile platform. Since launching, the Memebox app has been downloaded more than 4 million times.

Additionally, more than 50% of Memebox's traffic comes from tens of millions of 18-24-year-olds. The company has effectively reached this much sought after audience by heavily investing in digital initiatives and developing engaging content. For example, Memebox has received more than 70 million Facebook video views so far this year-- more than L'Oreal, Benefit Cosmetics and H&M have combined in Asia and the U.S. -- and it retains twice the industry average of people who watch videos to completion. Memebox has more than 4 million followers globally, as well as over 2 million followers on Weibo, not to mention its massive and devoted YouTube following.

Building Its Own Brand

Memebox has used tech not only to promote the products it sells, but also to predict, create, and market its own branded products. The company analyzes millions of data points to identify emerging beauty trends and the need for new products 12-18 months before consumer demand becomes apparent. The company then takes these data insights and product concepts to the best beauty manufacturers in the world, with whom Memebox has secured strong strategic partnerships. The result is the launch of a new, high quality product line under a Memebox brand within a few months, a process unheard of in the beauty world where the typical product development cycle takes an average of 18-24 months. Memebox's data-centric private-label model has translated to explosive growth, with sales increasing by 60% per quarter.

To date, Memebox has launched four highly successful branded product lines within the last year, resulting in 540 SKUs under its brand portfolio. One example is its line, "Pony Effect," developed in conjunction with YouTube beauty sensation, Pony. Memebox's first eyeshadow released with Pony sold 20,000 units in the first 45 minutes of availability. Memebox has plans to launch two more new brands by the end of the year.

In addition to utilizing social media darlings, Memebox has secured numerous celebrity partnerships. Song Joong-Ki, star of the wildly popular drama "Descendants of the Sun" (which has nearly 4 billion views) is just one example. Others include a sponsorship of the drama "Uncontrollably Fond" which features Suzy Bae, Woobin Kim, and Hui Ryoung Jang. Memebox has also struck key marketing, content and distribution partnerships with Chinese ecommerce giant, JD.com, one of China's largest online video and streaming service platform, Youku and other major players including T-mall, Jumei, and Viki to ensure that it reaches its target audience through multiple channels.

Merging Online and Offline for a Beautiful Experience

While Memebox has garnered enormous popularity online, it recognizes that women like to touch and test beauty products offline as well. The company recently introduced its first stand-alone shop in Korea, which has consistently reached over $1,095 in sales per square foot by embracing and pampering its online customers. And in Korea, its products are out-performing leading American brands -- Memebox has topped Maybelline in the drugstore category and in the department stores that Memebox has launched in, the brand has outperformed Benefit.

"We approach our stores as an extension of our online environment, which is why we created spaces with makeup booths and unique seating areas where they can have conversations with our beauty experts. We've proven that we can generate even more sales on mobile or online when customers enjoy their experiences at our offline stores," said Hinges Dino Ha, co-founder and CEO of Memebox.

"The new stores cap off the amazing ride we've taken over the past year," added Ha. "While Memebox was well-known in Korea, we have experienced hyper growth in the U.S. and China as we continue to introduce the magic of beauty to a larger, global audience."

To discover all that Memebox has to offer, please visit www.memebox.com.

About Memebox

Memebox graduated as one of Y Combinator's top companies in Winter 2014 with a distinctive beauty platform powered by mobile and unique data science capabilities. With offices in San Francisco, Shanghai, Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong and Singapore, Memebox is determined to deliver high quality, trend-leading, beauty experiences for customers all around the world.

For more information, please visit http://www.memebox.com/

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160808/396616LOGO

SOURCE Memebox

Related Links

http://www.memebox.com


LONDON, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Peer Funding Limited is pleased to confirm that the Financial Conduct Authority has granted us full permission to operate an electronic platform in relation to lending under Part 4a of the Financial Services Marketing Act.

Peer Funding Limited joins only a handful of fully authorised peer-to-peer business platforms. Unlike many existing platforms, Peer Funding Limited has not been trading under interim permission and has been granted this authorisation after completing a full application process.

This authorisation allows Peer Funding to launch a new and differentiated platform in the UK peer-to-peer business debt funding sector in the autumn of 2016.

Peer Funding Limited will offer new choice to both investor and borrower with a range of products on a single platform, to include:

Business Loans 6 - 60 months Secured Business Loans 12 - 60 months Selective Invoice Finance 30 - 120 days Selective Debtor Finance 30 - 120 days Property Bridging Loans 3 - 12 months Property Development Loans 3 - 18months

Peer Funding Limited is backed by a management team with over 100 years experience in UK financial services, predominantly in the business and alternative finance sectors.

Risk and Compliance Director, Roger Smith, says

"Gaining full authorisation from the FCA to operate a p2b platform is a significant milestone and achievement for Peer Funding Limited. It has taken considerable effort to get to this stage. Unlike many of the existing players in this market who are trading under interim permission, the service offering from Peer Funding Limited has been built from the outset with regulation in mind giving the company a solid base from which to operate and setting up a well-defined framework from which to grow.

Peer Funding welcomes regulation and the integrity to it brings to our market. We look forward to bringing our wide ranging products and compelling service to both business borrowers and investors alike."

The website http://www.peerfunding.co.uk is currently displaying in "coming soon" format, allowing interested parties to register for early bird investor offers and to download both investor and borrower brochures.

Contact:

Ian Byers - Marketing & Business Development Director

[email protected]

Peer Funding Limited

St John's House

St John's Street

Chichester

PO19 1UU

Tel: 01243 850604

email [email protected]

http://www.peerfunding.co.uk

https://twitter.com/peer_funding

Company no 8773883

FCA Authorisation no 668078

SOURCE Peer Funding Limited
NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- General Assembly (GA), a global education-to-employment company specializing in the most in-demand skills across data, tech, design and business, today announced the company's largest expansion news to date. The company will grow its physical campus presence from 15 to 25 campuses by end of year, expanding into new, high demand markets. The company also announced its acquisition of Toronto-based tech and design career accelerator, Bitmaker.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160810/397097LOGO

"We are seeing incredible demand among employers -- outside of the traditional urban hot spots more commonly associated with the tech sector -- as they struggle to fill jobs that require 21st century skills like web development, data science and UX design," said Jake Schwartz, co-founder and CEO of General Assembly. "This demand outstrips the capacity of conventional education which is why we are scaling to an entirely new level, adding resources for people and companies in these additional cities around the world."

GA Enters New International Market: Canada

Originally launched with the mission of bridging the gap between the growing demand for talent from technology companies and the existing pool of developers, Bitmaker has become the country's leading career accelerator with over 1,000 course graduates and more than 15,000 community members.

Bitmaker's team, including CEO & Founder Andrew Mawer, will remain in place and continue to lead Bitmaker's growth, as a subsidiary of General Assembly.

"We are incredibly enthusiastic about what this means for our students and community given General Assembly's strong reputation and ability to deliver quality education and outcomes at scale," Mawer said.

Schwartz continues, "as Canada's first tech and design accelerator, Bitmaker has built an outstanding foundation. Now, combined with General Assembly's global resources, we can take that foundation and our shared values as mission-driven companies, to make an even bigger impact."

Expansion in U.S. and Australia

More than 350,000 students have come to one of GA's existing 15 campuses to either attend an event or acquire new skills through any one of the company's educational offerings. Earlier this year, GA opened its 15th campus in Denver and to make these skills even more accessible. GA will now be offering events, classes, workshops and opportunities for GA's online students to engage with the GA community in the following cities:

Arlington , Virginia

, Virginia Brisbane / Sunshine Coast , Queensland

/ , Queensland Brooklyn, New York

Dallas , Texas

, Texas Geelong, Victoria

Irvine / Orange County , California

/ , California Raleigh, North Carolina

San Jose, California

An additional U.S. market will be announced before end of year, bringing General Assembly's physical campus count to 25 total campuses.

"From small businesses and startups to Fortune 500 brands, digital skill sets have never been more in demand. It is no coincidence that the skills helping companies to evolve - mobile development, data analytics, product management and user experience design - are the skills that we teach at General Assembly," said Anna Lindow, GM Campus Education & Operations, General Assembly. "By expanding into new markets like Canada, and furthering our presence in existing Australian and U.S. regions, General Assembly will be able to empower even more individuals and add value to even more employers."

About General Assembly

General Assembly (GA) is a global educational company on a mission to empower a global community to pursue work they love. Focusing on the most relevant and in-demand skills across data, design, business and technology, GA is confronting a skills gap through best-in-class instruction and providing access to opportunities.

GA works with students online and in person across 25 campuses in 6 countries. GA also works with employers to help companies source talent, assess talent and transform talent. Additionally, GA's focus on affordable and accessible education combined with our education-to-employment approach is helping to create a diverse talent pipeline.

Related Images

image1.jpg

image2.png

Related Links

Follow @GA

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE General Assembly

Related Links

https://generalassemb.ly


"BodyWorn was selected among several finalists to supply our Department with a wearable camera option, however it has standout features that we found best align with our needs," said Michael J. Register, Clayton County Chief of Police. "BodyWorn has an automatic recording feature which accurately archives any interaction in real-time, saving us both time and money that would have otherwise been wasted if we relied on manual operation. BodyWorn will further our commitment to professionalism and transparency. Our Department is dedicated to protecting our community and our officers while being economically effective; BodyWorn is the only solution that aligns with our philosophy and we are excited to equip our officers with the advanced technology."

BodyWorn utilizes a smartphone embedded into the officer's uniform, ensuring the camera remains secure, does not become dislodged and always records the full scene in front of the officer. To maximize transparency, and eliminate human error, BodyWorn uses smart triggers to automatically initiate recording. For example, BodyWorn features an accelerometer that will automatically begin recording if an officer starts to run. Recording could also be initiated when the patrol car's sirens disengages and the officer exists the vehicle. This function is intended to keep officers safe and maintain transparency, ensuring an interaction is documented uninterruptedly. The software is fully customizable, so BodyWorn will adhere to each law enforcement agency's specific recording and privacy guidelines.

In addition, Utility's Rocket integrated vehicle communication systems turn each patrol car into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot. By deploying 200 Rocket IoT-X devices as well, the Clayton County Police Department will also enhance officers' communication capabilities.

The BodyWorn Smart Offload feature, which automatically uploads recorded video content to a secure cloud storage system powered by Amazon Web Services as it is being recorded, is another key function that differentiates BodyWorn from manual body camera devices. This capability guarantees a secure chain of custody and accountability, as all video is tracked in real-time.

Along with advanced smart recording technology, the Clayton County Police Department will also have access to BodyWorn's revolutionary automatic redaction software, Smart Redaction. A standard feature to its video management system provided at no added cost, Smart Redaction automatically identifies faces and other specified objects to be redacted easily and efficiently based on the department's specific privacy policies. This is intended to protect citizen and police officer privacy, as well as fulfil any media request in a timely and cost-effective manner.

"We are very pleased to add Clayton County to our list of departments deploying BodyWorn," said Robert McKeeman, CEO of Utility. "At Utility, Inc., we design technology with the mission to take away manual work from police officers so they can focus on protecting themselves and their communities. BodyWorn is a reliable device and the only product of its kind on the market that provides law enforcement agencies with the smart technology needed to meet today's transparency and accountability demands."

For more information about Utility's suite of smart products, including BodyWorn devices and Rocket IoT, that enhance law enforcement agencies' ability to efficiently access the full evidence ecosystem using automated technology, visit http://www.Bodyworn.com.

About BodyWorn

BodyWorn uses smart technology, incorporating real-time communications for the best situational awareness possible during the most critical times. Unlike other body cameras, BodyWorn has automatic recording triggers based on policies, officer down reporting and alerting, live video streaming, and secure automatic wireless offload to cloud storage. BodyWorn video, audio and metadata can be accessed through its cloud-based digital evidence management solution, AVaiL Web. BodyWorn's features continuously evolve to meet the demands of the industry and match the specific policies set by each individual law enforcement agency including the automated redaction application, Smart Redaction, for releasing video to the public. BodyWorn is one part of the smart technology solution product suit offered by Utility that focus on providing mission critical mobile intelligence. All of Utility's recording solutions, including Rocket IoT in-care video system, leverage Amazon Web Services cloud storage.

About Utility

Utility is a venture-capital funded company headquartered in Decatur, Georgia (metro Atlanta). The company was founded in 2001, developing software for mission-critical field-work force operations for the electric and gas industries. This software evolved into AVaiL Web, Utility's premiere SaaS solution. The company also provides Mission Critical Communications and Real-Time Situational Awareness, through their Rocket IoT vehicle video routers, and BodyWorn video systems for Police, Fire, EMS, Electric and Gas Utility, and Public Transit customers across the US. Utility provides a unified operating platform for safely locating, tracking and supporting all aspects of mobile field operations. AVaiL Web delivers real-time access to virtually any mobile asset, and provides a cost-effective, enterprise-wide view of the location and status of mobile field operations. Utility owns US patents 6,831,556; 7,768,548; 8,781,475; 9,246,898; 9,282,495 and has numerous patents pending with the US Patent Office, the Canadian Patent Office, and the European Union Patent Office.

For more information, visit www.utility.com and www.bodyworn.com.

Contact: Jake Mendlinger

Office: 516-829-8374 / Cell: 516-639-3373

Email: [email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160427/360504

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160427/360545LOGO

SOURCE Utility, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.utility.com


Revenue increased to a record $79.9 million , representing 31.9% year-over-year growth.

, representing 31.9% year-over-year growth. Non-IFRS Adjusted Gross Profit was $34.1 million (42.6% Non-IFRS Adjusted Gross Profit Margin), an increase of $10.7 million compared to $23.4 million (and an increase of 390 basis points compared to 38.7% Non-IFRS Adjusted Gross Profit Margin) in 2015.

(42.6% Non-IFRS Adjusted Gross Profit Margin), an increase of compared to (and an increase of 390 basis points compared to 38.7% Non-IFRS Adjusted Gross Profit Margin) in 2015. Non-IFRS Adjusted Net Income was $10.2 million (12.7% Non-IFRS Adjusted Net Income Margin), an increase of $1.6 million , or 18.6%, compared to a profit of $8.6 million for the second quarter of 2015.

(12.7% Non-IFRS Adjusted Net Income Margin), an increase of , or 18.6%, compared to a profit of for the second quarter of 2015. Non-IFRS Adjusted Diluted EPS was $0.29 per share (based on an average of 35.2 million average diluted shares during the second quarter), an increase of $0.04 compared to Non-IFRS Adjusted Diluted EPS of $0.25 for the second quarter of 2015.

Six months ended June 30, 2016 highlights

Revenue for the period increased to $153.3 million , representing 33.1% year-over-year growth.

, representing 33.1% year-over-year growth. Non-IFRS Adjusted Gross Profit was $67.1 million (43.8% Non-IFRS Adjusted Gross Profit Margin), an increase of $22.6 million compared to $44.5 million (and an increase of 520 basis points compared to 38.6% Non-IFRS Adjusted Gross Profit Margin) in 2015.

(43.8% Non-IFRS Adjusted Gross Profit Margin), an increase of compared to (and an increase of 520 basis points compared to 38.6% Non-IFRS Adjusted Gross Profit Margin) in 2015. Non-IFRS Adjusted Net Income was $18.6 million (12.1% Non-IFRS Adjusted Net Income Margin), an increase of $2.4 million , or 14.8%, compared to a profit of $ $16.2 million the first six months of 2015.

(12.1% Non-IFRS Adjusted Net Income Margin), an increase of , or 14.8%, compared to a profit of $ the first six months of 2015. Non-IFRS Adjusted Diluted EPS was $0.53 per share (based on an average of 35.2 million diluted shares during the first six months of the 2016), an increase of $0.06 compared to Non-IFRS Adjusted Diluted EPS of $0.47 for the first six months of 2015.

Reconciliations between Non-IFRS / adjusted financial measures and IFRS operating results are included at the end of this press release.

"We are very pleased with our second quarter performance. We continue to experience strong momentum in the business. Our revenues increased to a record $79.9 million, a solid 31.9% year-over-year growth," said Martin Migoya, Globant's CEO and co-founder.

"The market continues to rely on the growth of digital services' demand, where we maintain our positioning as leader. This can be seen in the latest IDC MarketScape report, which recognized us as a worldwide leader of digital strategy consulting services," Migoya added. "To reinforce our positioning and focus on strategy and digital transformation, we announced the acquisition of WAE, an innovative service design company with operations in the UK and the US. We are confident that our portfolio of services is well positioned to continue creating innovative digital journeys for our customers".

"I am very pleased with our financial performance for this quarter. We delivered solid revenue growth, strong gross and operating income margins, and a healthy net income. These positive numbers, coupled with increased diversification in terms of customers and delivery centers, are extremely important to enable us to achieve our financial and operational targets," explained Alejandro Scannapieco, Globant's CFO.

Globant completed the quarter with 5,380 Globers, 4,932 of whom were IT professionals. The geographic revenue breakdown for the second quarter was as follows: 81.1% from North America (top country: U.S.), 10.7% from Latin America and others (top country: Chile) and 8.2% from Europe (top country: UK). 90.9% of Globant's revenue for the second quarter was denominated in U.S. dollars, and the remaining 9.1% was denominated in other currencies.

During the 12 months ended June 30, 2016, Globant served 366 customers, 57 of which accounted for more than $1 million of Globant's revenues. Globant's top customer, top 5 customers and top 10 customers represented 10.0%, 34.2% and 46.4% of the second quarter revenues, respectively.

Cash and cash equivalents and investments as of June 30, 2016 decreased to $55.7 million from $62.4 million as of December 31, 2015, while borrowings amounted to $0.3 million. Current assets as of June 30, 2016 amounted to $124.8 million, accounting for 49.1% of total assets. Finally, as of June 30, 2015, 34.4 million common shares were issued and outstanding.

2016 Third Quarter and Full Year Outlook

Based on current market conditions, Globant is providing the following estimates for the third quarter and for the full year 2016:

Third quarter revenue is estimated to be in the range of $80-$82 million .

. Third quarter Non-IFRS diluted EPS is estimated to be in the range of $0.27-$0.31 (assuming an average of 35.4 million diluted shares outstanding during the third quarter).

(assuming an average of 35.4 million diluted shares outstanding during the third quarter). Fiscal year 2016 revenue is estimated to be between $318-$322 million

Fiscal year 2016 Non-IFRS diluted EPS is estimated to be in the range of $1.14-$1.20 (assuming an average of 35.6 million average diluted shares outstanding during 2016).

Conference Call and Webcast

Martin Migoya and Alejandro Scannapieco will discuss the three and six-month results in a conference call today beginning at 4:30pm ET.

Conference call access information is:

US +1 (888) 346-2877

International +1 (412) 902-4257

Webcast http://investors.globant.com/

Additionally, a replay will be available via the same dial-in number and on our investor relations website after the call.

About Globant

Globant (NYSE: GLOB) is a digitally native technology services company that creates digital journeys for its customers, which impact millions of consumers. Globant is the place where engineering, design, and innovation meet scale.

Globant has more than 5,350 professionals in 12 countries working for companies like Google, Linkedin, JWT, EA, and Coca Cola, among others.

Globant was named a Worldwide Leader of Digital Strategy Consulting Services by IDC MarketScape Report (2016), and its client work has been featured as business case studies at Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Stanford University. For more information visit www.globant.com.

Non-IFRS Financial Information

Globant provides non-IFRS financial measures to complement reported IFRS results, in accordance with IAS 34 "Interim Financial Reporting". Management believes these measures help illustrate underlying trends in the company's business and uses the measures to establish budgets and operational goals, communicated internally and externally, for managing the company's business and evaluating its performance. The company anticipates that it will continue to report both IFRS and certain non-IFRS financial measures in its financial results, including non-IFRS results that exclude share-based compensation expense, depreciation and amortization, acquisition related expenses and impairments of tax credits. Because the company's non-IFRS financial measures are not calculated according to IFRS, these measures are not comparable to IFRS and may not necessarily be comparable to similarly described non-IFRS measures reported by other companies within the company's industry. Consequently, Globant's non-IFRS financial measures should not be evaluated in isolation or supplant comparable IFRS measures, but, rather, should be considered together with its Unaudited interim consolidated financial statements, which are prepared according to IAS 34.

Forward Looking Statements

In addition to historical information, this release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed future results of our business and financial condition, as well as the results of operations, liquidity, plans and objectives. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "believe," "may," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "should," "plan," "expect," "predict," "potential," or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the persistence and intensification of competition in the IT industry; the future growth of spending in IT services outsourcing generally, application outsourcing and custom application development and offshore development services; the level of growth of demand for our services from our clients; the level of increase in revenues from our new clients; the resource utilization rates and productivity levels, the level of attrition of our IT professionals; the pricing structures we use for our client contracts; general economic and business conditions in the locations in which we operate; the levels of our concentration of revenues by vertical, geography, by client and by type of contract in the future; the continuity of the tax incentives available for software companies with operations in Argentina; Argentina's regulations on proceeds from the export of services; our expectation that we will be able to integrate and manage the companies we acquire and that our acquisitions will yield the benefits we envision; the demands we expect our rapid growth to place on our management and infrastructure; the sufficiency of our current cash, cash flow from operations, and lines of credit to meet our anticipated cash needs; the high proportion of our cost of services comprised of personnel salaries; and other factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in our most recent 20-F and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

These forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties. Although the registrant believes that its expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, its expectations may turn out to be incorrect. The registrant's actual results could be materially different from its expectations. In light of the risks and uncertainties described above, the estimates and forward-looking statements discussed might not occur, and the registrant's future results and its performance may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements due to, inclusive, but not limited to, the factors mentioned above. Because of these uncertainties, you should not make any investment decision based on these estimates and forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this press release whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Globant S.A.

Condensed Interim Consolidated Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income

(In thousands of U.S. dollars, except per share amounts, unaudited)



















Six months ended

Three months ended







June 30, 2016

June 30, 2015

June 30, 2016

June 30, 2015























Revenues



153,252

115,116

79,926

60,604

Cost of revenues



(88,521)

(73,007)

(47,163)

(38,393)

Gross profit



64,731

42,109

32,763

22,211























Selling, general and administrative expenses



(38,088)

(33,418)

(20,319)

(17,961)

Impairment of tax credits, net of recoveries



-

1,820

-

-

Profit from operations



26,643

10,511

12,444

4,250























Gain on transactions with bonds



-

8,351

-

4,367

Finance income



11,089

6,500

4,203

3,943

Finance expense



(13,133)

(5,103)

(5,686)

(2,367)

Finance (expense) income, net



(2,044)

1,397

(1,483)

1,576























Other income and (expenses), net



654

(3)

651

-

Profit before income tax



25,253

20,256

11,612

10,193























Income tax



(8,399)

(5,178)

(2,674)

(2,620)

Net income for the period



16,854

15,078

8,938

7,573























Other comprehensive income, net of income tax effects



















Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit and loss:



















- Exchange differences on translating foreign operations



1,151

(429)

742

175

- Net fair value loss on available-for-sale financial assets



(20)

-

(948)

-

Total comprehensive income for the period



17,985

14,649

8,732

7,748























Net income attributable to:



















Owners of the Company



16,863

15,078

8,923

7,573

Non-controlling interest



(9)

-

15

-

Net income for the period



16,854

15,078

8,938

7,573























Total comprehensive income for the period attributable to:



















Owners of the Company



17,994

14,649

8,717

7,748

Non-controlling interest



(9)

-

15

-

Total comprehensive income for the period



17,985

14,649

8,732

7,748













































Earnings per share



















Basic



0.49

0.45

0.26

0.22

Diluted



0.48

0.43

0.25

0.22

Weighted average of outstanding shares (in thousands)



















Basic



34,270

33,788

34,317

33,952

Diluted



35,182

34,735

35,230

34,899



Globant S.A.

Condensed Interim Consolidated Statement of Financial Position

(In thousands of U.S. dollars, unaudited)

















June 30, 2016

Dec 31, 2015 ASSETS









Current assets









Cash and cash equivalents



18,765

36,720 Investments



36,973

25,660 Trade receivables



51,820

45,952 Other receivables



16,335

18,570 Other financial assets



900

900 Total current assets



124,793

127,802











Non-current assets









Other receivables



25,885

20,122 Deferred tax assets



8,440

7,983 Investment in associates



800

300 Other financial assets



1,186

1,221 Property and equipment



33,481

25,720 Intangible assets



10,557

7,209 Goodwill



49,081

32,532 Total non-current assets



129,430

95,087 TOTAL ASSETS



254,223

222,889











LIABILITIES









Current liabilities









Trade payables



7,347

4,436 Payroll and social security taxes payable



25,306

25,551 Borrowings



249

280 Other financial liabilities



6,456

6,240 Tax liabilities



5,656

10,225 Other liabilities



10

9 Total current liabilities



45,024

46,741











Non-current liabilities









Borrowings



90

268 Other financial liabilities



24,780

15,045 Other liabilities



20

- Provisions for contingencies



788

650 Total non-current liabilities



25,678

15,963 TOTAL LIABILITIES



70,702

62,704











Capital and reserves









Issued and paid-in capital



41,300

41,050 Additional paid-in capital



56,955

51,854 Other reserves



(881)

(2,012) Retained earnings



86,106

69,243 Total equity attributable to owners of the Company



183,480

160,135 Non-controlling interests



41

50 Total equity



183,521

160,185 TOTAL EQUITY AND LIABILITIES



254,223

222,889

Supplemental Non-IFRS Financial Information

(In thousands of U.S. dollars, unaudited)

















Six months ended

Three months ended





June 30, 2016

June 30, 2015

June 30, 2016

June 30, 2015



















Reconciliation of adjusted gross profit

















Gross Profit



64,731

42,109

32,763

22,211 Adjustments

















Depreciation and amortization expense



1,929

2,274

1,015

1,167 Share-based compensation expense



448

72

304

67 Adjusted gross profit



67,108

44,455

34,082

23,445 Adjusted gross profit margin



43.8%

38.6%

42.6%

38.7%



















Reconciliation of selling, general and administrative expenses















Selling, general and administrative expenses



(38,088)

(33,418)

(20,319)

(17,961) Adjustments

















Depreciation and amortization expense



2,767

2,472

1,433

1,277 Acquisition related costs



-

337

-

337 Share-based compensation expense



1,286

675

935

666 Adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses



(34,035)

(29,934)

(17,951)

(15,681) Adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses as % of revenues (22.2)%

(26.0)%

(22.5)%

(25.9)%



















Reconciliation of Adjusted Profit from Operations

















Operating Profit



26,643

10,511

12,444

4,250 Adjustments

















Impairment of tax credits, net of recoveries



-

(1,820)

-

- Acquisition related costs



-

337

-

337 Share-based compensation expense



1,734

747

1,239

733 Adjusted Profit from Operations



28,377

9,775

13,683

5,320 Adjusted Operating Profit margin



18.5%

8.5%

17.1%

8.8%



















Reconciliation of Net income (loss) for the period

















Net income for the period



16,854

15,078

8,938

7,573 Adjustments

















Share-based compensation expense



1,734

747

1,239

733 Acquisition related costs



-

337

-

337 Adjusted Net income



18,588

16,162

10,177

8,643 Adjusted Net income margin



12.1%

14.0%

12.7%

14.3%



















Calculation of Adjusted Diluted EPS

















Adjusted Net income



18,588

16,162

10,177

8,643 Diluted shares



35,182

34,735

35,230

34,899 Adjusted Diluted EPS



0.53

0.47

0.29

0.25

Globant S.A.

Schedule of Supplemental Information













Metric Q1 2015 Q2 2015 Q3 2015 Q4 2015 Q1 2016 Q2 2016













Total Employees 4,040 4,512 4,724 5,041 5,285 5,380 IT Professionals 3,694 4,121 4,327 4,613 4,847 4,932













North America Revenue % 84.1 85.2 84.1 81.7 82.2 81.1 Latin America and Others Revenue % 10.1 9.7 11.5 12.2 10.8 10.7 Europe Revenue % 5.8 5.1 4.4 6.0 7.0 8.2













USD Revenue % 95.0 94.6 93.3 90.8 91.9 90.9 GBP Revenue % 1.0 0.8 1.4 2.4 0.4 1.2 Other Currencies Revenue % 4.0 4.6 5.3 6.8 7.8 7.9













Top Customer % 10.2 12.3 13.4 12.7 11.6 10.0 Top 5 Customers % 30.8 32.8 33.2 34.4 36.4 34.2 Top 10 Customers % 47.8 47.7 45.9 46.4 48.4 46.4













LTM Customers Served 292 344 343 344 359 366 LTM Customers with >$1M in Revenue 43 43 47 51 49 57

Investor Relations Contact:

Juan Urthiague, Globant

[email protected]

(877) 215-5230

Media Contact:

Wanda Weigert, Globant

[email protected]

(877) 215-5230

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120802/MX50844LOGO

SOURCE Globant

Related Links

http://www.globant.com


During this time of growth the Honest Buildings' team, led by Riggs Kubiak, CEO and Co-Founder, Geoff Lewis, Vice President of Product, and Adam Fleming, Vice President of Engineering, have been fervently working side by side with industry leaders including Beacon Capital Partners, SL Green Corp., Invesco, JBG Companies, Related Companies, Parkway Properties, Rudin Management Company, Inc., Milstein Companies, and Kushner Companies. As a result the product has now matured into an enterprise grade platform, setting a new standard in project management with capabilities including centralized cost tracking, unlimited document sharing and vendor invoice processing. The product has become what customers are calling a necessity for savvy commercial real estate owners.

"The people and companies who use our software are changing the world building by building, project by project," says Kubiak. "Working alongside many of the most innovative owners in the business who see the real estate industry evolving from outdated pen and paper processes, Honest Buildings has become the solution to unlock value through faster project completion on or below budget."

Kubiak spent more than 10 years in CRE, including five years at Tishman Speyer specializing in acquisitions, asset management and global sustainability. He built the Honest Buildings team by recruiting a passionate group of veterans from both the technology and the commercial real estate/finance industries whose former companies include Goldman Sachs, Skanska, McKinsey & Company, Deutsche Bank, Tishman Construction, CoStar, CBRE, Sperry Van Ness, WPM Real Estate Management, Seamless, Colliers International, and Compass.

"As the CRE industry continues to consolidate, and the importance of buildings and cities continues to escalate, it becomes mission critical to create efficiencies for owners and developers," says Proenza, who spent seven years at Colliers, most recently as Director of Public Relations on the US and global marketing teams. She began her career in CRE as an editor and and writer at GlobeSt.com. She is a graduate of Columbia University in New York City.

"Honest Buildings is taking owners and managers out of cumbersome manual tracking processes into a collaborative online platform and puts project teams, including senior executives, asset managers and project managers, in a position to make better, more cost and time effective decisions," says Landsman, a former Seamless leader who has spent the past 15 years driving sales and business development efforts for technology companies. He earned his BBA from the University of Wisconsin and his MBA from New York University.

Over the next few months Kubiak and his leadership team plan to scale Honest Buildings' product and team to integrate with multiple accounting and invoice workflow systems and to serve its expanding customer base. "Expanding the product with Adam and Geoff and bringing on leaders like Adam and Crystal signifies our commitment to our customers in progressing the efficiency of projects, buildings and ultimately doing our part in the industry to contribute to urban progress."

About Honest Buildings

Honest Buildings is the leading intuitive, data-driven project management and procurement platform built for commercial real estate owners and managers. Founded in 2012 by Riggs Kubiak, the platform serves industry leaders like SL Green Realty Corp., Related Companies, Invesco, Parkway Properties, and The JBG Companies, which use Honest Buildings to centralize project data, increase transparency, automate bid management, and standardize reporting. To learn more about Honest Buildings visit honestbuildings.com.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160810/397244

SOURCE Honest Buildings

Related Links

http://www.honestbuildings.com


In the story, Zhi Nu and Niu Lang fall in love, but Zhi Nu's mother -- the Queen of Heaven -- forbids the star-crossed lovers from being together. In an act of benevolence however, she relents, allowing the lovers to meet once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month, when a bridge of magpies forms connecting the heavens and the earth.

Performances of the tale by actors in traditional costumes on Huangling's famous Tianjie Street attracted many visitors, with further reenactments also staged in the nearby Shimen Mountain gorge.

Wu Xiangyang, CEO of Wuyuan Rural Culture Development Co., Ltd., the organization that oversees Huangling's Qixi Festival, commented, "Qixi is special to Chinese people, so we adopted an original approach to bring back that real Qixi experience to our visitors, providing an opportunity to celebrate love in a different way."

This year's Qixi Festival is also part of Huangling's annual Shaiqiu Festival, which not only presents shaiqiu tradition to the world but also encourages visitors to interact with locals and join fun activities.

During the Qixi Festival celebrations, visitors participated in the Chinese Valentine's contests of traditional festival customs like stringing chilies, threading needles and floating needles on the water to pray that they meet their Mr. Right.

"I can feel love is in the air," said one visitor from Shanghai. "It's an amazing and unique journey to travel back in time and experience how the Qixi Festival was celebrated historically. I participated in the three contests and won first prize; it's the best Chinese Valentine's Day I've had."

In the next five months, the Shaiqiu Festival will feature a peculiar fruit and vegetable exhibition on August 12, the Shuoxi Creek Festival on August 13, Mid-Autumn Festival mountain climbing on September 15 and Winter Festival feast on December 21.

About Huangling

Located in Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province, China, Huangling attracts visitors from all over the world. The quaint and elegant village has preserved and maintained its ancient Hui-style architecture and offers an authentic Chinese countryside travel experience. Praised as the most beautiful countryside in China, the unique view of shaiqiu can only be found in Huangling, where baskets of colorful harvest bask in the sunshine.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160810/397080

SOURCE Wuyuan Rural Culture Development Co., Ltd.
In addition to the expansion in storefront locations, Icelandic Glacial is expanding its natural footprint in Atlanta, where their Whole Foods division will now carry the brand after successful partnerships with west coast Whole Food stores. This exciting news comes on the heels of Icelandic Glacial Sparking being added to the current line-up, and the launch of glass bottles in sparkling and still, all nationwide.

"It has been a sensational year for Icelandic Glacial," said Chairman and Co-Founder, Jon Olafsson. "Our team is dedicated to seeing the brand grow, and their efforts are truly paving the way for continued success."

"We are pleased to see the brand growing rapidly across all channels," said CEO, Reza Mirza.

For additional information, please visit www.IcelandicGlacial.com, and for all press inquiries and product samples, please contact John Filizzola at [email protected].

About Icelandic Glacial

Icelandic Glacial is the super-premium natural spring water, bottled at the source from Iceland's legendary Olfus Spring, which was formed more than 5,000 years ago and is shielded from pollution by an impenetrable barrier of lava rock. The spring produces water so pure that nothing is added or taken away. As a result, Icelandic Glacial possesses exceptional balance featuring a naturally low mineral content and a naturally alkaline pH of 8.4. Icelandic Glacial is further distinguished as the world's first certified carbon neutral natural spring bottled water for product and operation. Icelandic Glacial uses 100% natural green energy to fuel its production delivering a premium bottled water to discerning consumers around the world while maintaining a "net zero" carbon footprint.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/397016

SOURCE Icelandic Glacial
HAMILTON, Bermuda, Aug. 10, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

We are pleased to inform you that Carl Fredrik Grosland (36) has agreed to join our companies as Vice President, working on analyses, projects and business development. Reporting to me in a staff position, he will also work closely with others both in NAT and NAO (Nordic American Offshore Ltd.).

He has 12 years of international banking experience as an analyst and broker, focusing mainly on the energy/offshore and the shipping sector. Working from out of New York at the time, he has played a key role in a number of major equity and debt transactions. For several years he was a partner and board member of the investment banking firm of Pareto Securities Inc. (New York).

Going forward, he will focus on the US, the Far East and Europe with base in our Oslo office. Working from out of Oslo, he has recently been Vice President at Clarksons Platou Securites (head office in London), one of the largest international offshore/energy and shipbroking firms - also specializing in investment banking in these sectors. He has a BA (hons) in Business Management and German from the European Business School (EBS) in London.

Commented Carl Fredrik Grosland: I am very proud and honored to get the opportunity to work for some of the smartest people in the industry. Nordic American has a unique business model and the best track record in both the industry and capital markets. I look forward to learning a lot. I shall work hard to assist in developing the companies further together with highly professional teams.

With Carl Fredrik Grosland, our competence organization will be further strengthened.

Herbjrn Hansson

Nordic American Tankers Limited

Chairman & CEO

Herbjrn Hansson

Nordic American Offshore Ltd.

Chairman

Copy: Marianne Lie Executive Vice-Chair, NAO Tor-yvind Bjrkli Managing Director, NAO Turid M. Srensen CFO & EVP, NAT Erik Tomstad Head of chartering, NAT



CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts.



The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "plan," "potential," "will," "may," "should," "expect," "pending" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, our management's examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although we believe that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand in the tanker market, as a result of changes in OPEC's petroleum production levels and world wide oil consumption and storage, changes in our operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for our vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessels breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other important factors described from time to time in the reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the prospectus and related prospectus supplement, our Annual Report on Form 20-F, and our reports on Form 6-K.

Contacts:

Herbjrn Hansson, Chairman & CEO

Nordic American Tankers Limited

Tel: +1 866 805 9504 or +47 90 14 62 91

Web-site: www.nat.bm

Press release PDF: http://hugin.info/201/R/2034252/757565.pdf
PUNE, India, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The report "Insulation Products Market by Insulation Type (Thermal, Acoustic, and Vacuum), Material (Mineral Wool, Fiberglass, and Foamed Plastics), End-use Industry (Residential, Commercial, and Industrial, HVAC & OEM), and Region - Global Forecast to 2021" published by MarketsandMarkets, The market is projected to grow from USD 43.85 Billion in 2016 to USD 62.84 Billion by 2021, at an estimated CAGR of 7.46%.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )



Browse 170 market data Tables and 58 Figures spread through 228 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Insulation Products Market"

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/insulation-product-market-76188343.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.

The market for insulation products is growing due to increasing demand in end-use industries such as construction, automotive, and aerospace & defence.

Thermal insulation type to gain maximum traction during the forecast period

Thermal insulation is highly preferred because of a variety of reasons such as it conserves energy by reducing heat loss, reduces greenhouse emission, controls surface temperatures for personnel protection, and increases comfort. Additionally, thermal insulation products deliver excellent performance in extreme conditions such as high temperature, cold, and humidity.

Make an Enquiry: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=76188343

Commercial construction segment is projected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period

The Insulation Products Market is segmented on the basis of end-use industry into commercial; residential; and industrial, HVAC & OEM equipment. In 2015, the commercial construction segment accounted for the largest share of the end-use industry segment and it is also projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The increasing demand in construction industry, increasing urbanization & industrialization in emerging countries, and governments' initiatives to propel FDI are the main drivers for the Insulation Products Market.

Asia-Pacific to play a key role in the market for insulation products

On the basis of key regions, the market for insulation products is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World (RoW). Low labor costs, increasing industrialization, a large scope for FDI, emerging economic conditions, stable government scenarios, and an excellent hold on industries such as construction, automotive, marine, and aerospace have played a crucial role in the growth of the market for insulation products packaging in the Asia-Pacific region.

The key players considered in the report are:

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont) (U.S.)

Trelleborg AB ( Sweden )

) Sika AG ( Switzerland )

) Avery Dennison Corporation (U.S.)

Owens Corning (U.S.)

BASF SE ( Germany )

) DUNMORE Corporation (U.S.)

3M Company (U.S.)

Knauf Insulation (U.S.)

Johns Manville, Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway) (U.S.)

Browse Related Reports:

Insulation Coating Market by Type (Acrylics, Epoxy, Polyurethane, YSZ, Mullite, and Others), End-Use Industry (Aerospace, Automotive & Transportation, Industrial, Marine, Buildings & Construction and Others), & by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America) - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2021

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/insulation-coatings-market-26484290.html

Building Thermal Insulation Market by Insulant Material (Glass Wool, Stone Wool, EPS, XPS, PU Foam, Polyisocyanurate, Phenolic Foams), Application (Flat Roof, Pitch Roof, External Walls, Internal Walls, Cavity Walls, Floor) - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2021

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/building-insulation-materials-market-510.html

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets is the largest market research firm worldwide in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors.

M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers.

We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository.

Contact:

Mr. Rohan

Markets and Markets

UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ

Magarpatta city, Hadapsar

Pune, Maharashtra 411013, India

1-888-600-6441

Email: [email protected]



Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets

SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
"Our team's passion for impacting overall health and the wellbeing of others is reflected in our continued support of children's charities," said Kathy Coover, Isagenix Co-Founder and Executive Vice President. "We enjoy coming together every August to bring happiness and positive experiences for children battling life-threatening medical conditions."

During the past 14 years, Isagenix has raised more than $8 million for children's charities. This includes more than $5 million for Make-A-Wish since 2012, which has helped to grant more than 580 wishes to deserving children throughout the seven countries where they partner. This year alone, Isagenix has raised more than $2 million for Make-A-Wish. More than 520,000 Isagenix customers and staff have the opportunity to contribute to Make-A-Wish on an ongoing basis.

"Isagenix customers and employees remain committed to positively impacting and improving world health through our support of Make-A-Wish children to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy," said Travis Garza, Isagenix Chief Sales and Marketing Officer.

For additional information about Isagenix's Make-A-Wish sponsorship, please visit Isagenix.com, wish.org or worldwish.org.

About Isagenix International:

Isagenix is an innovative health and wellness company with 14-plus years of proven success providing people with personalized solutions for weight loss, energy, performance, healthy aging and wealth creation. Founded in 2002 and privately owned, the company helps transform lives by developing and marketing these solutions through independent customers. With more than $500 million in global annual revenue, Isagenix currently operates in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Mexico, Singapore, Malaysia, Colombia and Indonesia. For additional information, visit www.Isagenix.com.

About Make-A-Wish International:

Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the world's largest wish-granting organization, serving children in nearly 50 countries on five continents. With the help of generous donors and more than 32,000 volunteers worldwide, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the world every 21 minutes on average. Since 1980, it has granted more than 350,000 wishes to children around the world. For more information about Make-A-Wish America, visit wish.org and for more information on Make-A-Wish International, visit worldwish.org.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160810/397327

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150518/216724LOGO



SOURCE Isagenix International

Related Links

http://www.isagenix.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The IVD and laboratory industry met in Philadelphia for the American Association for Clinical Chemistry last week in Philadelphia, but not everyone interested could make it. To accommodate interested IVD market-watchers who could not attend, healthcare market research firm Kalorama Information has released a White Paper tying together some of the top events, noticeable trends and new diagnostic science evident at the meeting. These included a focus on automated solutions, musings about new strategies, a slew of new products and new developments in the science of testing. The white paper, What You May Have Missed at AACC 2016 is available at http://content.marketresearch.com/white-paper-aacc2016. Kalorama Information routinely reports on the in vitro diagnostics industry and is soon to publish the tenth edition of its comprehensive report on the industry.

This year's meeting was particularly important as the AACC said that its attendance had reached 20,000 and was 14% up from the previous year's meeting. It featured national news publicity and talk of industry disruption. There was also a focus on automated solutions, dealing with Zika and new scientific discoveries.

"If you did not get a chance to come to Philadelphia this year, or if you were there but looking for a broad perspective on the meeting, our analysts did attend and we share their insights," said Bruce Carlson, Publisher of Kalorama Information. "We also attended press conferences and held meetings with vendors, learning about their opportunities, their strategies and their concerns in the marketplace. The White Paper sums up these findings."

The meeting has grown and is so vast that even attendees might benefit from a broader perspective on the meeting, according to Kalorama. There are hundreds of exhibitors selling to lab professionals, and often companies were giving press conferences at the same time. Nonetheless, Kalorama's team uncovered useful highlights. That Roche was presenting the new CLIA-waiver on its cobas Liat for flu A/B, and RSV, and aiming at new venues like retail clinics, while bioMerieux aiming to assist busy microbiology labs with an automated solution, that Siemens Healthineers launched a new improved-workflow analyzer, and Ortho Clinical Diagnostics promoted its strength in immunohematology, while Bio-Rad aimed at simplifying quality control in molecular HAI testing. There was science discussed at the meeting  from concern over cannabis DUI testing to new applications for liquid biopsy. As well as several Zika tests, as the industry confronted the scourge.

"Theranos brought attention to the AACC meeting and quite likely the news media focused on diagnostic testing for a few days in a way they need to do more," said Carlson. "But it would be a mistake to say the one session dominated the meeting. The big takeaway from AACC 2016 was about productivity improvements in existing technology that are, in reality, just as game-changing as the disruptive new technologies suggested at the first session. Our White Paper covers those developments."

About Kalorama Information

Kalorama Information, a division of MarketResearch.com, supplies the latest in independent medical market research in diagnostics, biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and healthcare; as well as a full range of custom research services. Reports can be purchased through Kalorama's website and are also available on www.marketresearch.com and www.profound.com.

We routinely assist the media with healthcare topics. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and our blog at www.kaloramainformation.com.

Contact:

Bruce Carlson

(212) 807-2622

[email protected]

www.KaloramaInformation.com

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150831/262422LOGO

SOURCE Kalorama Information

Related Links

http://www.kaloramainformation.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- KEMP Technologies today announced a strategic partnership with rhipe, the cloud channel company. This is KEMP's first strategic partnership with a 'cloud-first' distributor as it unveils innovative consumption and licensing options for cloud service providers looking to deliver highly available, scalable and resilient enterprise applications leveraging virtual load balancers and Application Delivery Control (ADC) technology.

Pioneering cloud channel company rhipe has added KEMP to its portfolio of cloud software and services to give service providers access to powerful Layer 7 load balancing and ADC technology for optimizing application availability, scalability, security, management and performance.

KEMP's new flexible licensing offerings include SPLA (Service Provider Licensing Agreement), application user 'per-seat' and a variety of metered and tiered consumption-based options. This enables Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) to deploy vital cloud IaaS application delivery without having to make costly up-front investments in traditional legacy hardware or virtual ADC appliances.

"rhipe is a Microsoft CSP Tier-2 distributor and represents a new generation of cloud-first distributors moving away from traditional hardware and software channel models as the market gravitates towards cloud adoption," said Peter Melerud, Chief Marketing Officer, KEMP Technologies. "As a software-focused company with the experience of more than 40,000 deployments, KEMP is ideally placed to help MSPs and their customers to get the most from a cloud infrastructure and deliver a reliable and optimized user experience, every time."

"We provide partners with a complete end-to-end cloud solution, helping them grow and thrive in the emerging cloud economy," said Dominic O'Hanlon, CEO at rhipe. "Our latest strategic partnership with KEMP Technologies enables more than 1,800 rhipe service providers across Asia Pacific to get access to advanced technology that optimizes application delivery in the cloud  giving them yet another layer of sophistication and functionality to add to their toolsets."

Recognized by Gartner as the only visionary in its 2015 Magic Quadrant for ADCs, KEMP's software delivers the same powerful application delivery services and functionality across virtual, cloud, bare metal, and purpose-built hardware appliances.

"Application delivery in the cloud is increasingly in demand by partners and KEMP stood out as a company with advanced cloud-ready technology and an innovative approach to consumption and licensing," O'Hanlon said. "The biggest challenge is to stay ahead of emerging technology trends while navigating complex licensing structures and infrastructure requirements. MSPs can use our partner portal, to purchase licenses and services, as well as get access to billing, provisioning, management and support through a simple dashboard."

In addition to its full range of Virtual Load Masters (VLMs) optimized for hybrid and public cloud environments, KEMP Technologies has also announced the release of KEMP360 Central, designed to help customers simplify and streamline application delivery management across the traditional enterprise, while also supporting organizations migrating to virtualized and hybrid cloud environments.

"As built-in load balancing capabilities are extremely limited in Azure and other public cloud services, it is simply not feasible for many enterprises to move their workloads at scale to public cloud environments," said KEMP's Melerud. "KEMP virtual ADC products have all the rich features, functionality and performance that you need to be able to truly enable and harness the benefits of these environments."

About rhipe (www.rhipe.com)

rhipe (ASX: RHP) is the cloud channel company. rhipe is recognized as the leading expert in subscription-software licensing in Asia Pacific, with vendor partnerships with Microsoft, IBM SoftLayer, VMware, Citrix, Red Hat, Trend Micro and others. The Cloud first, channel first company, rhipe provides channel partners across APAC with complete end-to-end cloud solutions, helping them to grow and thrive in the emerging Cloud economy. In addition, rhipe's multi-award winning services and support division is the industry leader in Microsoft Office365 implementation. Formerly known as NewLease, the company rebranded to rhipe in 2014 and has offices has in Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Singapore, Bangkok, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and New York.

For more information, contact: Carolyn Agombar, VP Marketing, [email protected]

About KEMP Technologies (www.kemptechnologies.com)

With over 40,000 worldwide deployments and offices in North America, Europe, Asia and South America, KEMP Technologies is the industry leader in advanced Layer 2  7 Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) and application-centric load balancing. Recognized by Gartner as the only Visionary in the ADC Magic Quadrant, KEMP is changing the way modern enterprises and service providers are building cloud-enabled application delivery infrastructure. Over the past decade, KEMP has been a consistent leader in innovation with a number of industry firsts, including high performance ADC appliance virtualization, application-centric SDN and NFV integration, innovative pricing and licensing models and true platform ubiquity that can scale to support enterprises of every size and workload requirement.

For more information, contact: Erin Jones, Avista Public Relations for KEMP, 704-664-2170, [email protected].

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/397018LOGO

SOURCE KEMP Technologies
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Procopio recently announced the addition of Kevin Wilson to the position of Director of Business Development and Client Relations. He brings over 20 years of business development, marketing and client relations experience working most recently as the Director of Client Relations at Warner, Norcross & Judd, a Michigan-based business law firm with over 240 attorneys. In his new role at Procopio, Kevin will focus on a variety of business development projects including creating and executing client development strategies, building new service offerings and managing and implementing a client service feedback program.

"As Procopio enjoys its 70th year in business, our positive momentum and growth in multiple sectors continues," said Tom Turner, Managing Partner. "Kevin joins us during a very exciting time for our firm, and his impressive experience will play a key role in driving our business forward. We are delighted to have him join our team."

Prior to his work in the legal industry, Mr. Wilson was a brand manager for a $10B revenue food service company; a vice consul in international business development for Invest UK (the British government's trade and investment operations in the Midwest); and a sales manager for West Africa for British American Tobacco. He earned his Bachelor's degree in International Business Studies from Newcastle University UK and his MBA from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business.

About Procopio

Procopio is a full-service business law firm committed to thoughtful problem solving and improving your bottom line. With more than 150 attorneys based in San Diego, Silicon Valley, Phoenix and Austinwe're passionate about knowing your business, helping you grow, and protecting it for the long term. Procopio has the cost efficient and flexible infrastructure to support both small to mid-sized companies and large multinationals at every stage of the business life cycle. Our global reach across Asia and Latin America further expands our international partnerships and cross-border capabilities. At Procopio, we are focused on what is important to youproviding smart, innovative and practical solutions in a cost-effective manner to help your business thrive. Learn more at Procopio.com.

Media Contact: Angela Giombetti

Communications and Public Relations Manager

Phone: 619.906.5740

Email: [email protected]

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP

Related Links

http://www.procopio.com


This streaming version includes new ProQuest search capabilities that enable users to locate specific terms and related ProQuest  content -- a billion searchable items spanning dissertations, news, periodicals, scholarly journals and ebooks -- thereby improving contextual discovery. For libraries, a dedicated Internet2 connection and cache server is no longer required for Visual History Archive access, reducing costs and eliminating download delays.

Visual History Archive encompasses more than 112,000 hours of testimony from survivors and witnesses of the Holocaust and other genocides, including Armenia, Rwanda, and Nanjing. Interviews have been conducted throughout 63 countries and in approximately 40 languages, exploring life before, during and after genocide. The archive's scope is immense: streamed non-stop 24/7, it would take 13 years to watch all the testimonies in their entirety. However, with 62,000 manually indexed search terms, researchers can refine results to the minute-per-segment level.

ProQuest's partnership with USC Shoah Foundation aims to broaden the use of the Visual History Archive. As part of its commitment to add value, ProQuest is transcribing English-language testimonies; this complements existing indexing methods, and will help users retrieve testimonies about specific points of interest.

Additionally, the Visual History Archive will grow yearly. In 2016 alone, 1,000 testimonies from the Cambodian and Guatemalan genocides as well as the Holocaust will be added.

In late 2017, ProQuest will enable the video testimonies to be fully cross-searched with the breadth of ProQuest content  including its vast historical collections, such as historical newspapers, periodicals, magazines, government records, and other primary source materials. For example, libraries that subscribe to ProQuest Historical Jewish Newspapers or History Vault, with its extensive content about World War II, can provide a richer experience for their students and researchers by adding the Visual History Archive to their collections.

"The USC Visual History Archive is an unparalleled resource that empowers researchers to learn history first-hand from the people who were there," said Susan Bokern, ProQuest Vice President, Product Management. "We are honored that the USC Shoah Foundation has entrusted ProQuest to add value to this important primary source and make it more widely accessible and discoverable to students and researchers globally."

The Visual History Archive is available for trial or purchase now. For more information visit proquest.com.

About ProQuest (http://www.proquest.com)

ProQuest connects people with vetted, reliable information. Key to serious research, the company's products are a gateway to the world's knowledge including dissertations, governmental and cultural archives, news, historical collections and ebooks. ProQuest technologies serve users across the critical points in research, helping them discover, access, share, create and manage information.

The company's cloud-based technologies offer flexible solutions for librarians, students and researchers through the ProQuest, Alexander Street, Bowker, Dialog, Ex Libris and SIPX businesses  and notable research tools such as the RefWorks citation and reference management platform, the Pivot research development tool and the Ebook Central, ebrary, EBL and MyiLibrary ebook platforms. The company is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with offices around the world.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160810/397111

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120620/DE27948LOGO-a

SOURCE ProQuest

Related Links

http://www.proquest.com


WASHINGTON, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Federation of Government Employees, the nation's largest federal employee union, is proud to endorse New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan in her race for the U.S. Senate.

Hassan, who was elected governor in 2012 and previously served in the New Hampshire State Senate, will be a strong advocate for federal employees and working people across the country, AFGE National President J. David Cox Sr. said.

"Maggie Hassan believes in creating good-paying jobs here at home and closing tax loopholes that encourage businesses to outsource jobs," Cox said.

"She also wants to raise the minimum wage and will oppose cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and other critical federal programs and services."

Hassan supports the public sector workers who keep us safe at home and abroad, care for our veterans, protect our environment, teach our children, build and maintain our infrastructure, and deliver the services that taxpayers expect and deserve, said Vincent Castellano, AFGE National Vice President for the 2nd District, which includes New Hampshire.

"She believes federal employees deserve a meaningful pay raise after years of frozen wages and cuts to their benefits. And she will fight attempts to make further cuts federal employees' retirement, health care, and other benefits," Castellano said.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 670,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131120/MM21150LOGO

SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

Related Links

http://www.afge.org


DAYTON, Ohio, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Reynolds and Reynolds Company today announced that Reynolds Document Services has released the Reynolds LAW Hawaii F&I Library, a comprehensive catalog of standardized, legally reviewed finance and insurance (F&I) documents available to automotive dealers in the state of Hawaii.

"We are pleased to announce the availability of the LAW Hawaii F&I Library," said Jerry Kirwan, senior vice president and general manager of Reynolds Document Services. "Dealers will continue to face growing expectations from consumers for a more engaging and smoother car-buying experience. The documents in the LAW Hawaii Library are written in consumer-friendly language to help create a more efficient, transparent and understandable F&I process in every transaction. By increasing the efficiency of the F&I process, dealers can deliver a better customer experience for buyers at the dealership."



Kirwan also noted LAW brand documents can help dealers keep pace with regulatory developments because the documents in the LAW Hawaii F&I Library are regularly reviewed and updated for legal sufficiency. Reynolds' industry-leading forms specialists manage the review alongside Reynolds' outside legal partners.

In addition, the LAW Hawaii F&I Library also can help facilitate the conversion to laser-printed transactions and e-contracting, since the documents are available in both paper-based and electronic formats. Reynolds Document Services maintains licensing agreements with all major providers of electronic F&I (e-F&I) solutions.

About Reynolds LAW Brand Documents

The Reynolds LAW brand is well established as one of the most trusted brands in the automotive industry. LAW documents are available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and have been endorsed by a number of state automobile dealers associations and leading automotive finance institutions.

The flagship product of the LAW brand is the Reynolds LAW 553 Universal Retail Sale Contract, the most widely accepted document in auto finance. The Reynolds LAW 553 is available in a variety of languages and is regularly reviewed by industry experts to help keep pace with new legislative and regulatory developments.

Reynolds and Reynolds was founded in 1866 as a business forms printing company. Since the 1920s, Reynolds has been known as the leader in serving automobile dealerships nationwide with standard and custom business and vehicle sales documents to help dealers manage their operations more efficiently and serve their customers more effectively.

About Reynolds

Reynolds and Reynolds is a leading provider of automobile dealership software, services, and forms to help dealerships deliver better business results and transform the customer experience. The company is headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, with major operations in Houston and College Station, Texas, and Celina, Ohio. (www.reyrey.com)

SOURCE The Reynolds and Reynolds Company

Related Links

http://www.reyrey.com


HOUSTON, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- LENSEC, the manufacturer of Perspective VMS, has recently been acquired by JValley Software Solutions. The companies have a long history of working together. JValley software engineers have worked on software code with the team at LENSEC for many years. The teams have been developing Perspective VMS into an enterprise-level video management software for application in the IP security video market. JValley Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of LENSEC, Basheer F. Al Ghazawi, believes the companies have many strengths that will be built into a strong global presence in the physical security industry.

JValley Software Solutions

Al Ghazawi says, "I see this step as a natural move that will aid in the continuous growth of both companies. LENSEC has secured a number of notable projects within the United States. JValley Software Solutions is a successful distributor of Perspective VMS in the Middle East and North Africa region. I believe as a cohesive team we will extend the global reach of Perspective VMS."

LENSEC was established in 1998 and pioneered IP security video in the early days of video management software. The company built a reputation as a trusted security partner with experience in the United States and around the world. LENSEC has strong expertise working with commercial properties, government agencies, healthcare, K-12 schools, higher education, airports, oil & gas, critical infrastructure, shipping ports and more.

JValley was established in 2007 and has become a proven partner to businesses needing software products, services, and solutions. The company maintains a professional team with an uncompromising spirit of technical leadership and customer support.

LENSEC contracted JValley Software Solutions in 2008 to provide ongoing development resources. The result is a better video management software with powerful features. Perspective VMS is marketed internationally by LENSEC with JValley serving as a key distributor.

Marianna Leybovich, LENSEC Chief Executive Officer, says, "JValley and LENSEC have long been partners with a matching focus on product innovation and excellence. Working together for more than eight years with a united vision has resulted in an appealing new affiliation. With the two organizations joining together, I am excited for our teams, clients, and partners as we advance Perspective VMS globally."

Perspective VMS is an intuitive and flexible video management software that supports multi-site monitoring of live or recorded video. The browser-based software gives the user flexibility to view essential information on any computer workstation. Perspective VMS is currently deployed in physical security projects in the United States, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, and India.

LENSEC and JValley Software Solutions will be attending the ASIS International 2016 Exhibit in Orlando, Florida in September. Security specialists will be demonstrating the power of Perspective VMS for security integrators and customers. The team will be available at Booth #3051 to answer questions about the software or the merger between the companies.

Contact: Keith Harris, Marketing Manager, (512) 913-3907, Email, www.lensec.com

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/397001

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/397002LOGO

SOURCE LENSEC

Related Links

http://www.lensec.com


CANTON, Mass., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), the state's largest union and professional association for registered nurses, announces its endorsement and strong support for Julian Cyr, Democratic State Senate candidate for Cape Cod and the Islands.

"Julian Cyr respects and supports the work registered nurses do every day to protect our patients and our profession," MNA President Donna Kelly-Williams said. "From his experience working in public health, Julian clearly understands the vital role nurses play in delivering safe, high-quality patient care and will advocate for efforts to improve that care."

State Representative Denise Garlick (D-Needham), past president of the MNA and House Chair of the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs, is also a strong supporter of Cyr.

"In my six years in the Legislature, I have worked with Julian Cyr on a myriad of issues: Services for our seniors, containing health care costs, anti-bullying for LGBTQ youth, and racial justice," Rep. Garlick said. "As a registered nurse, I know that Julian is exactly the sort of champion we need for nurses and working families. I enthusiastically support his candidacy."

Cyr, a Truro native, has exceptional experience in public service. He was most recently the director of policy and regulatory affairs in the Bureau of Environmental Health at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). At DPH, Cyr worked to safeguard the public health of Massachusetts residents by protecting them from potentially harmful environmental problems. His commitment to affordable health care that meets people's needs and his proven record of results makes him the right candidate for the MNA to endorse.

"Having spent much of my career working in public health, I strongly believe that nurses are the key to improving health care in Massachusetts," Cyr said. "From tackling the opioid epidemic to ensuring dignified care for our seniors and keeping health care affordable, I plan to work hand-in-hand with the MNA to solve the most pressing public health issues in our state. I'm humbled and honored to receive this endorsement."

MassNurses.org  Facebook.com/MassNurses  Twitter.com/MassNurses

Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 23,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160810/397107LOGO

SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association
NCC has sold its share of the Matinkyla Shopping Center project in Espoo, Finland, to its business partner Citycon. The purchase price for NCCs portion of the jointly owned project company is approximately SEK 750 M. The project includes extensions to the already established Iso Omena Shopping Centre and to the new Matinkyla Metro Center, comprising approximately 25,400 square meters of leasable retail space and about 600 parking spaces. On the transaction date, the leasing rate was above 90 percent. Although leasing has proved successful in a difficult market, the project company needed to invest more than normal to satisfy its tenants requirements. This successful project demonstrates how our partnership with Citycon has enabled productive urban development, and is testament to how effective collaboration with such stakeholders as the City of Espoo and Lansimetro has generated added value for all parties, says Carola Laven, Business Area Manager, NCC Property Development. With the new extension, Iso Omena will become one of Finlands largest shopping centers. In cooperation with the City of Espoo and Lansimetro, NCC has also constructed a new bus terminal and commuter parking adjacent to the shopping center, which are planned to open when the new metro line is expected to become operational in January 2017. We are pleased to have completed this significant and complicated development project in partnership with NCC. For Citycon, Iso Omena has represented an investment in a first-class shopping center in a growing urban area in the metropolitan region. We have found this type of partnership with NCC to be very rewarding and are also looking forward to the opening of our next joint shopping centre project  the Molndal Galleria in Gothenburg, says Nils Styf, Chief Investment Officer at Citycon. The new extension to the Iso Omena Shopping Center, with more than 60 new stores, will be inaugurated on August 11. H&M, Gina Tricot and Brothers are some of the new stores that will open, and the shopping center will also receive several new restaurants and a new library. Earlier this year, the extension received a Platinum rating in the LEED global certification system. Platinum is the highest-possible environmental classification, and means that the property exhibits outstanding energy, material and water efficiency and excellent indoor environmental quality. The project is now complete and Citycon acquired NCCs share of the project company on August 10. The sale will have a positive impact on earnings in the NCC Property Development business area in the third quarter of 2016. For further information, please contact: Carola Laven, Business Area Manager, NCC Property Development, +46 (0)8 585 516 74 Mika Soini, Country Manager, NCC Property Development Finland, tel. +358 10 507 8711 Anna Trane, Head of Corporate Media relations, NCC +46 708 84 74 69 NCCs media line +46 8 585 519 00 or press@ncc.se This is the type of information that NCC could be obligated to disclose pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was provided by the above contact persons for publication on August 10, 2016 at 11:30 CET. About NCC. Our vision is to renew our industry and provide superior sustainable solutions. NCC is one of the leading companies in construction, property development and infrastructure in Northern Europe, with sales, excluding Bonava, of SEK 53 billion and 16,000 employees in 2015.
Wineries are very unique to assess and have many variables that affect the value. In BVR's new special report, readers will get advice from top experts who work with wineries and study valuation issues associated with this industry on a daily basis. These experts walk through the factors involved in winery valuation and examine the top value drivers including real estate, wine clubs, ancillary product sales, and production capacity.

Highlights of the special report include:

Unique methods and techniques of winery valuation: Readers will learn the most effective approaches and unique factors when valuing a winery including inventory, product life cycle, capacity considerations and distribution methods

Readers will learn the most effective approaches and unique factors when valuing a winery including inventory, product life cycle, capacity considerations and distribution methods Benchmarking data from over 2,700 businesses: Readers can see where their subject company falls in its financial performance compared to other wineries with benchmarking data including revenue, liabilities, and operating ratios

Readers can see where their subject company falls in its financial performance compared to other wineries with benchmarking data including revenue, liabilities, and operating ratios Key insights and trends on top value drivers to ensure a successful transition for an owner: Readers will gain insights on all aspects of a succession plan and major considerations to think about for an exit strategy

Readers will gain insights on all aspects of a succession plan and major considerations to think about for an exit strategy Three important court cases to easily navigate the legal landscape of winery valuation: This report includes lessons from the courts on how they view different valuation methods related to wineries. Cases include marital dissolution, distribution, and estate and gift tax

To learn more or download an excerpt of the report, please visit bvresources.com/publications or contact Sarah Andersen at (503) 291-7963 ext. 123 or [email protected].

About BVR

Top business valuation firms depend on BVR for authoritative market data, continuing professional education, and expert opinion. Our customers include business appraisers, certified public accountants, M&A professionals, business brokers, lawyers and judges, private equity funds and venture capitalists, owners, and CFOs, among others. For more information, please visit bvresources.com.

Contact:

Sarah Andersen, Publisher

Business Valuation Resources, LLC

1000 SW Broadway, Suite 1200

Portland, Oregon 97205

Phone: (503) 291-7963 ext. 123

Email: [email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/396937

SOURCE Business Valuation Resources

Related Links

http://www.bvresources.com


MENLO PARK, Calif., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Menlo Therapeutics Inc., (Menlo Park, CA) announced today that it has entered into an exclusive license agreement with Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT) (TSE:2914) and Torii Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Torii) (TSE:4551) for the development and commercialization of serlopitant in Japan. Serlopitant is a firstin-class, once-daily oral NK-1 receptor antagonist candidate for the treatment of pruritus. Serlopitant has demonstrated antipruritic effects in a Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with severe, chronic pruritus conducted by Menlo Therapeutics.

Under the terms of the agreement, JT and Torii will jointly develop serlopitant in Japan and Torii will commercialize it, once the development and necessary approval procedures have been completed. The companies will pay to Menlo Therapeutics upfront licensing fees and payments upon the achievement of certain milestones, and royalties based on future sales in Japan.

Serlopitant has been evaluated in a 257-patient randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled dose-finding Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of severe chronic pruritus. All serlopitant treatment groups demonstrated reduced pruritus as compared with the placebo group, with statistically significant improvement seen at the two higher dose levels. Based upon this successful Phase 2 study, Menlo Therapeutics in partnership with JT and Torii is expanding development to multiple clinical populations in which severe pruritus represents a significant unmet clinical need.

"We are delighted to have JT and Torii as our partner in Japan. JT and Torii have significant pruritus development and marketing experience in Japan, and they are the current market leader in pruritus therapy for patients on hemodialysis. Torii also has a strong established position in the Japanese dermatology market. These dual market capabilities make JT and Torii an excellent partner for serlopitant development and commercialization," said Steve Basta, CEO of Menlo Therapeutics.

ABOUT Menlo Therapeutics Inc.

Menlo Therapeutics Inc., formerly Tigercat Pharma, Inc., is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of serlopitant, a once-daily oral NK1 antagonist, for the treatment of pruritus. Menlo Therapeutics is funded by leading healthcare investors Vivo Capital (http://vivocapital.com), Presidio Partners (http://presidiopartners.com), Remeditex Ventures, LLC (http://www.remeditex.com) and F-Prime Capital (http://fprimecapital.com). More information is available at http://menlotherapeutics.com/.

SOURCE Menlo Therapeutics Inc.

Related Links

http://www.menlotherapeutics.com


WASHINGTON, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today marked the official launch of Nahwa, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, focusing especially on the needs of women, children, and families.

The semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) division of Iraq is currently host to more than 3,000,000 refugees from neighboring countries, mostly Syria and IDPs from various conflict zones in Iraq. Refugees and IDPs make up more than one-third of the present-day population of the northern Iraq. The KRG has been a welcoming host to these victims, providing a safe haven and some assistance. The United Nations High Commission on Refugees along with other NGOs have been contributing to the relief effort, but there is a critical shortfall. Nahwa wants to fill that gap.

"It is Nahwa's mission to provide aid and organize assistance programs for women and children who have been displaced by the cruelties of war and other conflict in the region, regardless of their religion, nationality, or ethnicity," explains Ms. Zubeida Al-Alawi, Founder and President of Nahwa. "We see humanitarian aid to these populations not only as absolutely necessary for immediate relief, but also as providing a foundation for the long-range. This is reflected in our motto, Amidst Adversity, Eyes on a Better Future."

Nahwa's programs center around three major areas:

Providing lifeline essentials such as hygiene products, medical support supplies like first-aid kits and ointments, drinking water, and weather protection, including coats and blankets for winter snow and sunscreen for summer heat that could exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

A signature set of child-focused initiatives, including specialized services in support of medical teams, and a cornerstone program called "Let Children Be Children" which aims to construct playgrounds, provide toys, art supplies, and other items to children.

An assistance program that centers on providing education and skill training specialists to empower women; many of whom now find themselves in the unfamiliar role of being a single parent and the head of household.

In addition to Ms. Al-Alawi, Nahwa's executive team includes Dennis Reynolds, Vice President of Strategy and Programs. Mr. Reynolds has held leadership positions in a number of child-focused organizations, including as a Vice President at KaBOOM! and as Executive Director of the Child Life Council.

Take action and learn more by visiting www.NahwaNow.org. Echo your voice on twitter @NahwaNow, or join our team: [email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/396760LOGO

SOURCE NAHWA

Related Links

http://www.NahwaNow.org


LOUISVILLE, Colo., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Books Are Fun, a Colorado-based company which conducts nearly 10,000 local flash sales nationally each week through 450 independent, locally based fundraising partners, today officially rebranded as Collective Goods to showcase the company's dedication to giving back to local causes.

"Books Are Fun has been operating for more than 20 years on a business model that was built around the concept of giving back to support the local community," said Ben Kaplan, CEO of Collective Goods. "The rebrand to Collective Goods effectively communicates our mission of providing value to our customers by offering great products at outstanding values while empowering our community fundraising partners to give back by supporting local causes."

Since the company's founding in 1990, more than a half a billion dollars in cash, products and books has been raised for local causes throughout the U.S.

Collective Goods flash sales are held in local schools, hospitals and businesses, and a portion of the proceeds benefit a local cause. Unlike many fundraising operations that sell only one or two products  like wrapping paper or prepared cookie dough and typically at higher prices than options from local retailers  Collective Goods offers a wide variety of products including consumer electronics, games, home and outdoor products and books. Further, Collective Goods doesn't rely on parents, students or local volunteers to sell the products and collect the funds. Collective Goods flash sales are fully staffed by local Collective Goods fundraising partners, with the exception of school fundraisers where items are left on display for school teachers and staff to review and order.

"This rebrand is a conscious effort to place our company value  giving back  at the forefront of everything we do," continued Kaplan.

"It's exciting to be able to sell unique products at great prices while raising money for local causes," said Shawn Ross, a Collective Goods community fundraising partner based in West Virginia. "Once I introduce our service, the same organizations welcome us back year after year. In my market alone, we were able to raise more than $230,000 for local causes in 2015."

In addition to the rebranding, Collective Goods is upgrading its website and introducing mobile ordering apps to expand access to their products while still providing the benefit of raising money and other support for local schools or organizations.

"Our purchasing group evaluates literally thousands of products every year, and only a fraction of those make it into a Collective Goods flash sale," said Kaplan. "We bring unique items that people want while raising money to benefit the communities we serve."

If you would like to schedule a Flash Sale fundraiser at your office or public location, please visit www.CollectiveGoods.com to find an independent representative in your area.

About Collective Goods:

Collective Goods, headquartered in Louisville, Colo., conducts nearly 10,000 pop-up flash sale fundraisers throughout the U.S. each week. The company brings the store to the customer, offering a narrowly focused and thoughtfully curated assortment of innovative and popular consumer goods often not available from other local sources. Up to 20 percent of all proceeds generated go to support philanthropic causes in participating communities, and the exact amount varies by event. Since its founding as Books Are Fun in 1990, Collective Goods has raised more than a half of a billion dollars in cash and merchandise to local schools, hospitals and other charitable organizations. Collective Goods, a DBA of Imagine Nation Books Ltd., has 125 employees and more than 450 independent, locally based representatives. -For more information, please visit www.CollectiveGoods.com.

SOURCE Collective Goods

Related Links

http://www.CollectiveGoods.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The New York Genome Center (NYGC) will host the first DNA.Land User Group Meeting on September 16, 2016. DNA.Land is a nonprofit website developed by academic research scientists at NYGC to crowd source genomic information. Within 24 hours of its launch in October 2015, 1,500 participants had signed up and contributed their DNA to the website. Currently, 26,000 people are active participants in DNA.Land, rendering DNA.Land one of the fastest growing crowd sourcing scientific projects. The September 16 event is open to all participants of DNA.Land, as well as to the public.

Developed by Yaniv Erlich, PhD, and Joseph Pickrell, PhD, Core Members and Assistant Investigators at NYGC and Assistant Professors at Columbia University, DNA.Land was designed to help users know more about their genome and heritage, while enabling them to donate their data to not-for-profit science. It was recently named one of the best genealogy websites by Family Tree Magazine. What distinguishes DNA.Land is the key role genomic researchers play in the website. DNA.Land connects existing data from three direct-to-consumer companies, 23andMe, Ancestry.com and FamilyTreeDNA. To encourage users to join, the website identifies matches of the participants' relatives, analyzes ancestry and provides the option to connect family trees to the website. Currently, 98 percent of the DNA.Land user group has found at least one relative matching, up to a fifth cousin, within the DNA.Land community.

The DNA.Land user group has contributed important feedback on many different aspects of the website, which has enabled NYGC scientists to strengthen their relative-matching algorithms, as well as improve the accuracy of their ancestry reports.

"DNA.Land is a truly unique research project, by encouraging an ongoing relationship with research subjects. It empowers them to give feedback and become active participants, and learn more about their own genomes while contributing to scientific research," said Dr. Erlich.

Featured speakers at the September 16 event will include: Dr. Erlich, Dr. Pickrell and noted author and journalist A.J. Jacobs. Additional speakers include NYGC scientists and their collaborators, Dina Zielinksi, Itsik Pe'er, PhD, Sophie Zaajer, PhD and Jie Yuan; and Nathan Pearson, PhD. Speakers will educate users of DNA.Land on relevant topics:

DNA.Land, Where are We Going?

Sequence DNA in Your Kitchen

Ancestry and Medical Genetics

The Genetic Heritage of Ashkenazim

Bring Your Digital Persona to DNA.Land

"The user group meeting is a great way for participants to meet each other and share their stories, and for scientists at NYGC to talk about the important role their genomic data will play in advancing precision medicine," noted Dr. Pickrell.

Participation in DNA.Land is available at no cost to people who have received their genome data from 23andMe, Ancestry.com and FamilyTreeDNA. The website has instilled a true sense of community among its users who are located across the globe. One of the users in England created a Facebook page called DNA.Land Users Worldwide, which currently has 900 participantsall of whom have used DNA.Land as a tool to explore their own genealogy. This forum has provided a safe space for users to meaningfully discuss a whole spectrum of sensitive issues, and underscores the enormous interest people have in exploring their genealogy. To become a member of DNA.Land please visit this link.

The event will be held from 9:00 a.m.  1:00 p.m. at NYGC, 101 Avenue of the Americas, between Grand and Watts Streets, in Manhattan. To view the DNA.Land User Group Meeting event program and to register, please visit this link.

About the New York Genome Center

The New York Genome Center (NYGC) is an independent nonprofit at the forefront of transforming biomedical research and clinical care with the mission of saving lives. Comprised of renowned academic, medical and industry leaders across the globe, NYGC focuses on translating genomic research into clinical solutions for serious diseases. Our member organizations and partners are united in this unprecedented collaboration of technology, science and medicine. We harness the power of innovation and discoveries to improve people's lives  ethically, equitably, and urgently. Member institutions include: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, American Museum of Natural History, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Columbia University, Cornell University/Weill Cornell Medicine, Hospital for Special Surgery, The Jackson Laboratory, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, The New York Stem Cell Foundation, New York University, Northwell Health (formerly North Shore-LIJ), Princeton University, The Rockefeller University, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Stony Brook University and IBM.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Karen Zipern, Director of Communications

646.977.7065 / [email protected]

Website: www.nygenome.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/nygenome

Twitter: @nygenome

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140122/NY50334LOGO

SOURCE New York Genome Center
TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AACSB International (AACSB) announced today that Northeastern Illinois University has earned accreditation for its College of Business and Management. Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master's, and doctorate degrees in business and accounting.

"AACSB congratulates Northeastern Illinois University and dean Michael Bedell on earning accreditation," said Robert D. Reid, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB International. "AACSB Accreditation represents the highest achievement for an educational institution that awards business degrees. The entire Northeastern teamincluding the administration, faculty, directors, staff, and studentsare to be commended for their roles in earning accreditation."

AACSB Accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education, and has been earned by less than five percent of the world's business programs. Today, there are 777 business schools in 52 countries and territories that maintain AACSB Accreditation. Similarly, 185 institutions maintain an additional specialized AACSB Accreditation for their accounting programs.

Achieving accreditation is a process of rigorous internal review, engagement with an AACSB assigned mentor, and peer review. During the multi-year process the school focuses on developing and implementing a plan to align with AACSB's Accreditation standards. These standards require excellence in areas relating to strategic management and innovation; student, faculty, and staff as active participants; learning and teaching; and academic and professional engagement.

"Northeastern Illinois University is proud and honored to join AACSB's exclusive club of world-class business schools," President Sharon Hahs said. "This prestigious accreditation represents the hard work, community engagement and dedication to excellence that our students, faculty, staff and alumni demonstrate every day. We will continue to rise to fulfill the University's mission to prepare a diverse community of students for leadership and service in our region and in a dynamic multicultural world."

"It takes a great deal of self-evaluation and determination to earn AACSB Accreditation, and I commend Northeastern Illinois University for its dedication to management education, as well as its leadership in the community," said Reid. "Through accreditation, Northeastern has not only met specific standards of excellence, but has also made a commitment to ongoing improvement to ensure that the institution will continue to deliver high quality education to its students."

AACSB International also announced that Chang Gung University (Chinese Taipei), Chung Hua University (Chinese Taipei), ISCTE Business School (Portugal), King Saud University (Saudi Arabia), Kingston University (United Kingdom), MCI Management Center Innsbruck (Austria), Nankai University (China), Nottingham Trent University (United Kingdom), Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (Japan), the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) at the University of Pretoria (South Africa), the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg (Sweden), The University of Newcastle (Australia), Universiti Utara Malaysia (Malaysia), University of International Business and Economics (China), and XLRI Jamshedpur (India) have earned accreditation in business.

About AACSB International

As the world's largest business education network connecting academe with business, AACSB provides business education intelligence, quality assurance, and professional development services to more than 1,500 member organizations across 91 countries and territories. Founded in 1916, AACSB Accreditation is the highest standard of quality in business education, with over 775 business schools accredited worldwide. AACSB's global headquarters is located in Tampa, Florida, USA; its Asia Pacific headquarters is located in Singapore; and its Europe, Middle East, and Africa headquarters is located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.aacsb.edu.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160711/388301LOGO

SOURCE AACSB International

Related Links

http://www.aacsb.edu


NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Project Orbis International, Inc., the NGO whose mission it is to eliminate avoidable blindness throughout Asia and around the world and operates the world's only Flying Eye Hospital, has ended its affiliation with the independent legal entity known as Orbis Taiwan. The action was prompted by the refusal of Dr. Ray Tsai to step down as Executive Director and Chairman of the Orbis Taiwan Board of Directors. Orbis International had requested that Dr. Tsai step down after he pled guilty in November of 2015 to violating Taiwan pharmaceutical laws by diluting eye drops and administering the impermissibly diluted eye drops to patients in his private ophthalmology practice. After an investigation, the Orbis International Board of Directors determined that this serious breach of law, and clinical and ethical standards, disqualified Dr. Tsai from remaining as part of the Orbis International family. Accordingly, the independent legal entity that was affiliated with Orbis International and known as Orbis Taiwan will not be involved with Orbis programs and activities in Asia and around the world.

"Orbis International will continue our work in Asia and around the world to eliminate avoidable blindness. We sincerely thank our many donors in Taiwan who have supported Orbis since 2003. We also want to assure them that the Orbis organization remains strong, continues to do outstanding work and is committed to the highest standards," said Bob Ranck, President and CEO of Orbis International. Supporters who want to support Orbis's sight-saving efforts can make their donations directly at www.orbis.org.

Dr. Tsai pled guilty to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office in November of 2015 to violating Taiwan pharmaceutical laws after an investigation by the Taipei Department of Health and the Taipei Department of Investigation. The Taipei District Prosecutors Office accepted his guilty plea and deferred indictment of Dr. Tsai. Orbis International requested that Dr. Tsai have no further role with Orbis Taiwan believing that his conduct made him unfit to participate as an Orbis Volunteer Faculty member or to lead Orbis Taiwan.

Because of these unfortunate events, regretfully we have had to cancel the Flying Eye Hospital's Taipei visit planned for October 14-23. Supporters who want to see the aircraft during its initial launch tour can visit the MD-10 in Hong Kong (September 27  October 2) or Macau (October 6  10) by contacting Lawrence Lee at [email protected].

About Orbis

Orbis is a leading global non-governmental organization that has been a pioneer in the prevention and treatment of blindness for over 30 years. Orbis transforms lives by delivering the skills, resources and knowledge needed to deliver accessible quality eye care. Working in collaboration with local partners including hospitals, universities, government agencies and ministries of health, Orbis provides hands-on ophthalmology training, strengthens healthcare infrastructure and advocates for the prioritization of eye health on public health agendas. Orbis operates the world's only Flying Eye Hospital, a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft. To learn more about Orbis and to get involved, please visit Orbis.org and follow the organization's work on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Media Contact

Silvana Vivas

[email protected]

646-674-5507

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130730/DC55542LOGO

SOURCE ORBIS International

Related Links

http://www.orbis.org/


CORNUCOPIA, Wis., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The proposed acquisition of WhiteWave Foods by French dairy giant Groupe Danone is anti-competitive and a threat to the U.S. organic dairy market, according to a complaint filed with the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission by The Cornucopia Institute, an organic industry watchdog group. It has also launched a petition calling for federal regulators to investigate the proposed merger.

Danone (Dannon in the U.S.) owns Activa, Oikos, Dannon and the world's largest organic yogurt brand, Stonyfield. Its proposed $10 billion purchase of WhiteWave would combine Stonyfield with Wallaby, a rapidly growing organic yogurt label, and with Horizon, the nation's largest organic milk brand, giving Danone a larger share of the U.S. organic dairy market than a single company has ever controlled.

In its complaint to DoJ and FTC, The Cornucopia Institute argues this "will have a chilling impact on both competition in the consumer marketplace and the wholesale market for organic milk.We have specific concerns that this acquisition would have a serious anti-competitive effect on the organic yogurt and organic fluid milk markets in the U.S."

"These are important considerations for determining whether this acquisition violates the Sherman Act and the Clayton Act for anti-competitive and anti-trust reasons," said Marie Burcham, a livestock policy analyst and attorney with The Cornucopia Institute, who signed the complaint letters. "With this acquisition we are concerned that Danone will easily be able to beat out any competition by lowering prices beyond what farmstead dairies, and more moderate size milk processors and marketers, can withstand."

The market for organic dairy already has less competition than other agricultural sectors and is more susceptible to monopolization. If, after its acquisition, Danone decides to dump Organic Valley, a Horizon competitor, as a supplier, it could leave only one major purchaser of organic farm milk in some regions of the U.S.

"Mergers like this one could eventually reduce options and raise prices for consumers," said Mark A. Kastel, Cornucopia's Codirector. "With less competition, big companies commonly underpay independent farmers for their products, undermining the economic viability of small, family-scale farms."

NOTE TO EDITORS AND PRODUCERS: The FTC and DoJ complaint letters, petition and full press release are posted here. Marie Burcham, Mark Kastel and other experts are available for interviews.

Contacts:

Mark Kastel, [email protected], 608-625-2042

Stephen Kent, [email protected], 914-589-5988

SOURCE The Cornucopia Institute

Related Links

http://www.cornucopia.org


LOS ANGELES, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- OriginClear Inc. (OTC/QB: OCLN), a leading provider of water treatment solutions, today announced that an OriginClear licensee will unveil a complete, modular system ("ECOPOD")  now in operation at an oil field near Bakersfield, California  to clean up produced water. The ECOPOD pilot scale system uses OriginClear's Electro Water Separation (EWS), requires no chemicals and reliably processes 340 barrels per day of oilfield produced water with minimal operator supervision.

Talbott Howard, CEO and Founder of OriginClear licensee ECT Services & Solutions (ECT), will unveil ECOPOD System 1.0 at today's "Tackling the Drought: Exploring Safe, Innovative Water Sources" conference at California State University at Bakersfield (CSUB), sponsored by the California Independent Petroleum Association and the California Energy Research Center.

Mr. Howard will show how ECOPOD System 1.0 can successfully and competitively treat produced water and recycle it into irrigation quality water for local beneficial reuse.

"Our own Dr. Cabrales of the Department of Physics and Engineering began working with OriginClear to research and validate its technology for oil and gas water cleanup," said Robert M. Negrini, Ph.D., Director of CSUB California Energy Research Center School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering. "We are eager to see how it all came together in the field."

ECT developed the compact ECOPOD System 1.0 (photo) to transform produced water into clean water for use in irrigation and potable water applications. The centerpiece is OriginClear's commercial-scale P3000, designed to treat up to 3000 barrels per day. The ECT team implemented additional scrubbing and polishing steps to achieve potable grade water. The entire process is chemical-free and is extremely energy-efficient while reducing the rate water evaporates during re-use.

"Drilling yields up to 13 gallons of wastewater for every gallon of petroleum," said Talbott Howard. "Federal and state pressure on the oil industry to recycle that water  potentially increased by Proposition 1 spending  is creating a major business opportunity for ECT to treat up to 42 billion gallons a year in Kern County. There's also a possible bonus in recovering more valuable crude oil and rare earth minerals. Prospective customers are now visiting the site and we are ready for commercial deployment on a (Just-In-Time) schedule."

"My hat is off to the ECT team for succeeding under intense deadlines," said Jean-Louis (JL) Kindler, President of OriginClear's Technology division. "I especially want to thank Nicholas Eckelberry and Michael Green who have spent many hours on this project."

Follow us on Twitter

Like us on Facebook

Signup for our Newsletter

About OriginClear, Inc.

OriginClear is a leading provider of water treatment solutions and the developer of a breakthrough water cleanup technology serving the rapidly growing $500 billion world market. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, OriginClear provides systems and services to treat water in a wide range of industries, such as municipal, pharmaceutical, semiconductors, industrial, and oil & gas. To rapidly grow this segment of the business, we strategically acquire profitable and well-managed water treatment companies, which allow us to expand our global market presence and technical expertise. To enable a new era of clean and socially responsible water treatment solutions, we invented Electro Water Separation, a breakthrough high-speed water cleanup technology using multi-stage electrolysis, that we license worldwide to water treatment equipment manufacturers. Water is our most valuable resource, and the mission of the "Family of OriginClear Companies" is to improve the quality of water and help return it to its original and clear condition. To learn more about OriginClear, please visit our website at www.originclear.com.

OriginClear Safe Harbor Statement:

Matters discussed in this release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this update, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "may," "intend," "expect" and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations of the Company and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with our history of losses and our need to raise additional financing, the acceptance of our products and technology in the marketplace, our ability to demonstrate the commercial viability of our products and technology and our need to increase the size of our organization. Further information on the Company's risk factors is contained in the Company's quarterly and annual reports as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.

Press Contact:

Antenna Group

415-977-1914

[email protected]

Investor Relations OriginClear:

Tom Becker

Toll-free: 877-999-OOIL (6645) Ext. 3

International: +1-323-939-6645 Ext. 3

Fax: 323-315-2301

[email protected]

www.OriginClear.com

SOURCE OriginClear, Inc.

Related Links

http://originclear.com


TORONTO, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Pacific Exploration & Production Corp. (the "Company") announces extension of the Proxy/Election Deadline from 10:00 a.m. (Toronto Time) on August 10, 2016 to 5:00 p.m. (Toronto Time) on August 12, 2016, in connection with the Company's meeting of affected creditors scheduled for August 17, 2016 (the "Meeting"). The extension, made with the consent and agreement of the PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc., as court appointed monitor (the "Monitor"), is being given to allow affected creditors additional time to participate in the Company's previously announced plan of compromise and arrangement (the "Plan") pursuant to the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada) (the "CCAA"). The extension does not affect the timing of the Meeting which is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, August 17, 2016 at the offices of Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, 200 Bay Street, Suite 3800, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5J 2Z4.

The extension extends until 5:00 p.m. (Toronto Time) on August 12, 2016 the deadline for:

beneficial holders of the Company's notes to submit their voting instructions to their participant holder or intermediary and, if applicable, to submit a cash election through ATOP;

the general creditors to submit their General Creditor Proxy and, if applicable, their General Creditor Cash Election Form to the Monitor; and

beneficial holders of the Company's notes who validly signed and returned the support agreement or a joinder thereto ("Supporting Noteholders") to submit the Application for Early Consent to its participant holder or intermediary.

Supporting Noteholders are reminded that their signing of the support agreement or a joinder thereto does not constitute a vote in favour of the Plan and that, in order to receive any additional consideration they would otherwise be entitled to, such Supporting Noteholders must strictly comply with the procedures as set out in the Plan and various orders of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List), including by voting in favour of the plan and returning the Application for Early Consent Consideration prior to the revised deadline of 5:00 p.m. (Toronto Time) on August 12, 2016. Failure to strictly comply may result in Supporting Noteholders not being entitled to such additional consideration.

Affected creditors who have not yet voted are encouraged to submit their votes and complete the related forms (as more particularly described above) using the instructions provided on the proxy materials mailed last month, or by contacting Kingsdale Shareholder Services at 1-877-659-1821 toll-free in North America or call collect at 1-416-867-2272 outside of North America or by email at [email protected].

Shareholder Contact Information

Shareholders are reminded that any questions or concerns can be directed to the Company at [email protected].

Noteholder Contact Information

Noteholders with questions about the Plan or the Creditors' Meeting are encouraged to contact Kingsdale Shareholder Services at 1-877-659-1821 toll-free in North America or call collect at 1-416-867-2272 outside of North America or by email at [email protected].

About Pacific:

Pacific Exploration & Production Corp. is a Canadian public company and a leading explorer and producer of natural gas and crude oil, with operations focused in Latin America. The Company has a diversified portfolio of assets with interests in more than 70 exploration and production blocks in various countries including Colombia, Peru, Guatemala, Brazil, Guyana and Belize. The Company's strategy is focused on sustainable growth in production & reserves and cash generation. Pacific Exploration & Production is committed to conducting business safely, in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

Translation

This news release was prepared in the English language and subsequently translated into Spanish. In the case of any differences between the English version and its translated counterparts, the English document should be treated as the governing version.

SOURCE Pacific Exploration and Production Corporation

Related Links

http://www.pacific.energy


This announcement contains inside information 10 August 2016 14:35 ASTRAZENECA ANNOUNCES INVESTMENT IN MODERNA AstraZeneca today announced that it has increased its equity interest in Moderna Therapeutics (Moderna) with a $140 million investment as part of Moderna's preferred-stock financing. AstraZeneca previously acquired an equity stake in Moderna following a collaboration agreement, announced in March 2013 (https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2013/astrazeneca -moderna-therapeutics-cardiometabolic-diseases-cancer-treatment -21032013.html), to develop messenger RNA medicines for the potential treatment of selected areas of cardiovascular, metabolic and renal diseases as well as oncology. AstraZeneca and Moderna also entered into a further collaboration agreement in January 2016 (https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press -releases/2016/AstraZeneca-and-Moderna-Therapeutics-announce-new-collaboration -to-co-develop-and-co-commercialise-immuno-oncology-mRNA-therapeutics -11012016.html), to discover, co-develop and co-commercialise medicine candidates for the treatment of a range of cancers. As a result of today's investment, AstraZeneca's ownership of Moderna will be approximately 9% on a fully diluted basis. The additional contribution will be recorded as an equity securities investment. About Moderna Therapeutics Moderna is a clinical stage pioneer of messenger RNA Therapeutics (http://www.modernatx.com/mrna-expression-platform), an entirely new in vivo drug technology that produces human proteins, antibodies and entirely novel protein constructs inside patient cells, which are in turn secreted or active intracellularly. This breakthrough platform addresses currently undruggable targets and offers a superior alternative to existing drug modalities for a wide range of diseases and conditions. Moderna is developing and plans to commercialize its innovative mRNA drugs through its own ventures and its strategic relationships with established pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Its current ventures are: Onkaido (http://www.modernatx.com/our -business-model/ventures/onkaido), focused on oncology, Valera (http://www.modernatx.com/our-business-model/ventures/valera), focused on infectious diseases, Elpidera (http://www.modernatx.com/our-business -model/ventures/elpidera), focused on rare diseases, and Caperna (http://www.modernatx.com/our-business-model/ventures/caperna-llc), focused on personalized cancer vaccines. Cambridge-based Moderna is privately held and currently has strategic agreements with AstraZeneca (http://www.modernatx.com/news-events/press-releases/astrazeneca-and -moderna-therapeutics-announce-exclusive-agreement-develop), Alexion Pharmaceuticals (http://www.modernatx.com/news-events/press-releases/alexion -pharmaceuticals-and-moderna-therapeutics-announce-exclusive), Merck (http://www.modernatx.com/news-events/press-releases/moderna-announces -license-and-collaboration-agreement-with-merck) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (http://www.vrtx.com/). To learn more, visit www.modernatx.com. About AstraZeneca AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in three therapy areas - Respiratory & Autoimmunity, Cardiovascular & Metabolic Diseases, and Oncology. The Company is also active in inflammation, infection and neuroscience through numerous collaborations. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. For more information please visit: www.astrazeneca.com CONTACTS Media Enquiries Neil Burrows UK/Global +44 203 749 5637 Vanessa Rhodes UK/Global +44 203 749 5736 Karen Birmingham UK/Global +44 203 749 5634 Rob Skelding UK/Global +44 203 749 5821 Jacob Lund Sweden +46 8 553 260 20 Michele Meixell US +1 302 885 2677 Investor Relations UK Thomas Kudsk Larsen +44 203 749 5712 Craig Marks Finance, Fixed Income, M&A +44 7881 615 764 Nick Stone Respiratory & Autoimmunity +44 203 749 5716 Henry Wheeler Oncology +44 203 749 5797 Christer Gruvris Infection & Neuroscience +44 203 749 5711 US Lindsey Trickett Cardiovascular & Metabolic Diseases +1 240 543 7970 Mitchell Chan Oncology +1 240 477 3771 Toll free +1 866 381 7277 Adrian Kemp Company Secretary AstraZeneca PLC -ENDS-
Panda's highly anticipated version of General Tso's Chicken is made with all-white meat chicken, freshly prepared green beans, red and yellow bell peppers, and onions, then tossed in a sweet, spicy and tangy sauce. Like each of Panda Express' menu items, this new dish will delight guests by providing them with an elevated and delicious version of a familiar American Chinese comfort food.

"As authors of American Chinese cuisine, it seems only natural for Panda to offer a deliciously crafted take on an iconic American Chinese original, General Tso's Chicken," said Andrea Cherng, chief marketing officer of Panda Restaurant Group. "Our culinary focus is to build on the foundation paved by classics like General Tso's Chicken and our Original Orange Chicken and continuously introduce dishes rooted in Chinese cuisine that become celebrated as new American favorites."

Panda Express revealed the addition of General Tso's Chicken today at the Glendale Galleria in Glendale, California  home of the restaurant's first location. The exciting event featured a 13-foot-tall Chinese takeout container that welcomed guests inside to taste Panda's version of General Tso and view art highlighting the inspiring story of American Chinese cuisine created by Los Angeles artist Steven Wong.

On Aug. 20, Panda Express will also host a culture-driven panel at Los Angeles' Chinatown Summer Nights titled "Beyond the (Takeout) Box: The Culture, Community and Comfort behind American Chinese Food." The insightful discussion will be moderated by journalist, filmmaker and entrepreneur Jennifer 8. Lee, and fueled with commentary from influencers including award-winning journalist Lisa Ling, author of "American Born Chinese" Gene Luen Yang and Andrea Cherng. It will be followed by a cooking demonstration to continue celebrating the countless variations of General Tso's Chicken  not only showing how the dish varies from coast to coast, but also how it empowers chefs to create something unique based on their own Chinese inspired flavor preferences and memories.

Panda Express invites guests to try the new General Tso's Chicken at any of its 1,900 locations. The classic American Chinese dish can also be ordered online at www.PandaExpress.com/Order or through the restaurant's mobile app.

About Panda Express

Panda Express, America's favorite Chinese kitchen, is best known for its wide variety of original recipes including its Original Orange Chicken, SweetFire Chicken Breast, award-winning Honey Walnut Shrimp and Shanghai Angus Steak. Founded in 1983 and now with more than 1,900 locations throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam, Canada, Mexico, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Korea, Panda Express is part of the family owned and operated Panda Restaurant Group, the world leader in Asian dining experiences that also includes Panda Inn and Hibachi-San. For more information, visit PandaExpress.com, or follow on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160810/397178

SOURCE Panda Express

Related Links

https://www.pandaexpress.com


BALTIMORE, Aug. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Patricia L. Highcove, CRC, CCM, CVE, is recognized by Continental Who's Who among Pinnacle Professionals in the field of Vocational Counseling. Pat is a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with Highcove Consulting.

Nineteen years ago, Pat started her own consulting business. Highcove Consulting offers services such as vocational counseling, career exploration, job placement services, life transition seminars, desensitization, ergonomic assessments, and Pat acts as an expert witness in workers compensation, general liability, LTD, divorce, social security cases and more.

A seasoned professional with decades of industry experience, Pat 's areas of concentration include business development, career counseling and assessment, case management, staff and team development, internal budgeting, program management and coordination, disability management, resume writing, placement services and more.

Recognized by the National Association of Professional Women as a VIP Woman of the Year, she holds certifications as a Rehabilitation Counselor, Case Manager and a Vocational Evaluator.

Furthermore, Pat is a Board Member of the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals  Chesapeake Chapter, as well as Kid's Chance of Maryland, and enjoys spending time with family in her time outside of work.

Heavily trained in her field, Pat earned both her Master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and Bachelor's degree in Rehabilitation Services from Syracuse University.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]

SOURCE Continental Who's Who

Related Links

http://www.continentalwhoswho.com


ROCHESTER, N.Y., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- PepsiCo and Tops Friendly Markets are partnering with Feed the Children today to provide 800 families in need with a week's worth of food and essentials  enough supplies to fill two large semi-trucks. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. at Parking Lot 40, 1650 Lake Avenue.

"We know families are beginning to prepare for a new school year and we want to help them get off to a great start by providing for some of their needs," said Mike Farmer, sales zone director, west New York, PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division. "Families should never have to wonder where their next meal is coming from and we're proud to continue our partnership with Feed the Children and Tops Friendly Markets to help the great people of Rochester."

Each qualifying recipient, identified and preselected by Catholic Family Center, will be given:

one 25-pound box of nonperishable food items

one 10-pound box of personal-care items

one box of AVON products

products One 20-count Frito-Lay Smart Mix snacks

snacks One 20-count Frito-Lay Baked & Popped Mix snacks

Quaker Chewy Granola Bars

Quaker Standard Grits

Rice a Roni Value Chicken

Aquafina

Lipton Iced Tea

Produce and nonperishable food items provided by Tops Friendly Markets

"Tops is committed to eradicating hunger in the communities we serve. We're thrilled to partner with our friends at PepsiCo and Feed the Children on this initiative. The way we see it, we're simply neighbors helping neighbors," said Andrew Brocato, director, community and public relations, Tops Friendly Markets.

This is the second annual event PepsiCo, Tops Markets and Feed the Children have hosted in the Rochester community, where 33 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. Similar events will be hosted in other major U.S. cities throughout the remainder of the year.

"Feed the Children strives to provide hope and resources to those without life's essentials," said J.C. Watts, Jr., Feed the Children president and CEO. "We are honored to partner with PepsiCo and the Catholic Family Center in the fight to end hunger in America."

About Tops Markets

Tops Markets, LLC, is headquartered in Williamsville, NY and operates 171 full-service supermarkets along with an additional five supermarkets operated by franchisees under the Tops banner. Currently Tops employs over 16,000 associates. Tops is a leading full-service grocery retailer in upstate New York, northern Pennsylvania, western Vermont, and north central Massachusetts. For more information about Tops Markets, visit the company's website at www.topsmarkets.com.

About Feed the Children

Established in 1979, Feed the Children exists to end child hunger. It is one of the largest U.S.-based charities and serves those in need in the U.S. and in 10 countries around the world. It provides food, education, essentials and disaster relief. Domestically, it operates 5 distribution centers (located in Oklahoma, Indiana, California, Tennessee and Pennsylvania).

In fiscal year 2015, Feed the Children distributed 107 million pounds of food and essentials valued at $302 million to people in the U.S., and internationally, it sponsored nearly 24,500 children, addressing the root causes of poverty through child sponsorship and school sponsorship. It is accredited by GuideStar Exchange and the BBB Wise Giving Alliance as well as maintains a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator.

Visit www.feedthechildren.org for more information.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $63 billion in net revenue in 2015, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose  our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com/.

SOURCE PepsiCo

Related Links

http://www.pepsico.com


NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq. and the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") are investigating the proposed sale of Press Ganey Holdings, Inc. ("Press Ganey" or the "Company") (NYSE: PGND) to EQT Equity fund EQT VII. Under the terms of the proposed transaction, shareholders of Press Ganey will receive only $40.50 in cash for each share of Press Ganey that they own. KSF is seeking to determine whether this consideration and the process that led to it are adequate, or whether the consideration undervalues the Company.

If you believe that this transaction undervalues the Company and/or if you would like to discuss your legal rights regarding the proposed sale, you may, without obligation or cost to you, e-mail or call KSF Managing Partner Lewis S. Kahn ([email protected]) toll free at any time at 855-768-1857.

To learn more about KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General, visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

206 Covington St.

Madisonville, LA 70447

SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Related Links

http://www.ksfcounsel.com


MENLO PARK, Calif., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the World Food Programme, one out of six children in developing countries (roughly 100 million) is underweight, and 12.9 percent of developing countries' populations are undernourished. In an effort to help fight world hunger, global consulting firm Protiviti (www.protiviti.com) announced it has now provided a cumulative total of three million meals through its 'i on Hunger' initiative. Launched in November 2014 with the goal of providing one million meals through meal-packing events and other activities in which its employees volunteer to help, the initiative surpassed its original goal in June of 2015.

Leading up to today's milestone, Protiviti conducted 204 meal-packing, delivery, cooking and other food-related events in 55 cities where it has offices, which stretch across 21 countries: Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, The Netherlands, Oman, Peru, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, the UAE, U.K. and U.S. Almost all of Protiviti's employees, together with volunteers from 187 of the firm's clients, have packed, cooked or delivered meals since the beginning of the i on Hunger program. The meals have been delivered to people in 31 countries.

"We set out to have an impact on the fight against hunger about 20 months ago, and I could have never anticipated the level of dedication of our employees and many of our clients around the globe. I'm proud of our firm for the heart they have put behind this initiative, and the teamwork they've shown in providing meals for the hungry," said Joseph Tarantino, president and CEO, Protiviti. "Three million meals is a milestone that demonstrates the passion of Protiviti people, and together, we'll continue to fight global hunger."

"We greatly appreciate the work done by the 81 non-profit organizations we've partnered with to provide over three million meals. Their support has been a key factor in impacting the lives of so many people in need," said Dan O'Keefe, a senior managing director with Protiviti and the firm's i on Hunger leader. "Our motto is 'Hunger doesn't stop, and neither do we.' Now, on to the next million meals!"

During the i on Hunger campaign, Protiviti has collaborated with non-profit organizations such as: Capital Area Food Bank, Caritas, City Harvest, Feed My Starving Children, Feeding Children Everywhere, Food Lifeline, Harvester's Foodbank, Philabundance, Ronald McDonald House, Stop Hunger Now and World Vision.

"I'd like to recognize Protiviti for this exciting achievement, and to thank them for their ongoing commitment to ending hunger worldwide. Protiviti is a true champion in the fight to end hunger," said Rod Brooks, president and CEO of Stop Hunger Now.

On Monday, August 8th, Protiviti conducted a meal-packing event in Chicago, packing 55,088 meals with Protiviti executives and local employees. Together, 162 Protiviti volunteers worked with non-profit Stop Hunger Now (www.stophungernow.org) to pack nutritious meals bound for people in need in Uganda. The Chicago team's efforts helped push the firm's grand total to 3,029,627 meals.

To track Protiviti's progress in continuing to provide meals for those struggling with hunger, please visit: ionhunger.com.

About Protiviti

Protiviti (www.protiviti.com) is a global consulting firm that helps companies solve problems in finance, technology, operations, governance, risk and internal audit, and has served more than 60 percent of Fortune 1000 and 35 percent of Fortune Global 500companies. Protiviti and its independently owned Member Firms serve clients through a network of more than 70 locations in over 20 countries. The firm also works with smaller, growing companies, including those looking to go public, as well as with government agencies.

Named to the 2016 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list, Protiviti is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Half (NYSE: RHI). Founded in 1948, Robert Half is a member of the S&P 500 index.

Protiviti is not licensed or registered as a public accounting firm and does not issue opinions on financial statements or offer attestation services.

Editor's note: photos available upon request.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090115/AQTH541LOGO

SOURCE Protiviti

Related Links

http://www.protiviti.com


MIAMI, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Republic Metals Corporation has announced the addition of the 5oz cast silver bar to its line of fine silver products.

The 5 ounce cast silver bar, cast from .999 fine silver, is IRA and RRSP acceptable. Republic Metals' logo is displayed on the top center of the bar with the weight, fineness, and Republic Metals' assay mark located on the bottom center. The bar is one of the pioneer bars of what will be a larger line of cast silver products.

Click on the link below for more information on Republic Metals' 5oz cast silver bar. http://www.republicmetalscorp.com/5-oz-cast-ag-bar

Headquartered in Miami, Republic Metals was established in 1980 and has since grown to become one of the largest and most respected primary precious metals refineries in the world. Throughout its illustrious history, Republic Metals has displayed excellence in precious metals refining in a manner that is considered environmentally friendly, as demonstrated through its long-standing ISO14001 registration. Republic Metals, an ISO9001:2008 registered company, holds listings on the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME group), and the Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE) with certified memberships from the Responsible Jewellery Council, Conflict Free Smelter Initiative, and Ethical Alliance. As an LBMA-designated "Responsible Gold Party," all business conducted by Republic Metals is performed in accordance with its stringent Patriot Act compliance and supply chain policies.

Contact:

Republic Metals Corporation

12900 NW 38th Avenue

Miami, FL 33054

1-888-685-8505

www.republicmetalscorp.com

[email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140218/FL66405LOGO

SOURCE Republic Metals Corporation

Related Links

http://www.republicmetalscorp.com


CHICAGO, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Salar Ahmed Khan, MD, MBA, is recognized by Continental Who's Who among Pinnacle Professionals in the field of Healthcare. Dr. Salar is a Research Compliance Officer at Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

A 200-bed acute care facility with four community based outpatient clinics, the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center offers a variety of healthcare services to over 62,000 veterans across the City of Chicago and Cook County as well as within four counties in northwestern Indiana.

Salar Ahmed Khan, MD, MBA is recognized by Continental Who's Who This link is not currently active.

Possessing over thirty five years of hands on medical experience, Dr. Salar has been at the medical center for sixteen years. Throughout the course of his illustrious career, he has held positions varying in many facets of healthcare. His expertise lies within internal medicine, cardiology, psychiatry, pulmonology, VA merit grant, VA research, VA Research Compliance, Consultant on VA federal regulation, and health policy.

The recipient of several prestigious awards over the course of his career, Dr. Salar is a true expert in his field. To date, his most prominent honor is being recognized as the 2006 Chicago Federal Employee of The Year in the Outstanding Program Specialist Category and he was recently again recognized as the 2016 Chicago Federal Employee of The Year in the Category of Management Excellence Finalist.

Having exceled in this position with a 100% success rate that even astonished auditors in the federal government, Dr. Salar prides his success on his absolute dedication to his career and says he sets his goals two weeks in advance. He states: "my target is my work."

Initially Dr. Salar was planning to study engineering but upon his father's request, decided to become a doctor. Dr. Salar was admitted to medical school and earned his medical degree. Dr. Salar started medical residency in "General Surgery" and in the meantime, met Professor Dr. Syed Adibul Hasan Rizvi, the Founder/Chairman of the Sind Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) at the Civil Hospital Karachi in Pakistan. Dr. Rizvi offered one year paid residency in his "Genito-Urinary Surgery Department." Throughout the course of his residency, Dr. Salar learned surgical procedures, hemodialysis, and critical care under Dr. Rizvi and says it was he that helped him gain the confidence needed to not only treat patients; but to also be able to work well independently. It was his advice and confidence boost which has led Dr. Salar to years of success; in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.

In looking back on his career and accomplishments, Dr. Salar believes he would not be the person he is today if it weren't for his parents. He would like to thank his father for all of his hard work and dedication towards his education. Dr. Salar's father would come home after working a long day to sit down and practice Mathematics and English with his son. "Thanks for showing me what hard work looks like, for showing me that nothing comes easy, and that countless hours of hard work really does pay off." Dr. Salar would like to thank his mother for teaching him how to become a respectable, professional and well-rounded individual. Whether he was helping her with cooking or cleaning, he states: "Thanks to my mother for making me realize that I'm worth everything in this world."

Dr. Salar says: "My parents gave me the strength to stand up for myself and expect nothing less than the very the best, showing me true love in its rarest form, what it feels like, and how it can extend beyond life's obstacles and challenges." He now looks forward to leaving his legacy to his two sons.

A graduate of Dow Medical College at the University of Karachi in Pakistan, Dr. Salar earned his medical degree following his MBA in Healthcare Management from Century University Graduate School of Business in Albuquerque, NM.

For more information, please visit www.va.gov

Contact: Katherine Green , 516-825-5634 [email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160804/395787

SOURCE Continental Who's Who

Related Links

http://www.continentalwhoswho.com


HOUSTON, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI), the largest provider of deathcare products and services in North America, today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend of thirteen cents per share of common stock. The quarterly cash dividend announced today is payable on September 30, 2016 to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 15, 2016. While the Company intends to pay regular quarterly cash dividends for the foreseeable future, all subsequent dividends, and the establishment of record and payment dates, are subject to final determination by the Board of Directors each quarter after its review of the Company's financial performance.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements have been made in reliance on the "safe harbor" protections provided under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be accompanied by words such as "believe," "estimate," "project," "expect," "anticipate," or "predict," that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. These statements are based on assumptions that we believe are reasonable; however, many important factors could cause our actual results in the future to differ materially from the forward-looking statements made herein and in any other documents or oral presentations made by, or on behalf of us. There can be no assurance that future dividends will be declared. The actual declaration of future dividends, and the establishment of record and payment dates, is subject to final determination by our Board of Directors each quarter after its review of our financial performance. Important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, among others, restrictions on the payment of dividends under existing or future credit agreements or other financing arrangements; changes in tax laws relating to corporate dividends; a determination by the Board of Directors that the declaration of a dividend is not in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders; an increase in our cash needs or a decrease in available cash; or a deterioration in our financial condition or results. For further information on these and other risks and uncertainties, see our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Copies of this document as well as other SEC filings can be obtained from our website at http://www.sci-corp.com. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or any other forward-looking statements made by us, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Service Corporation International

Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is North America's leading provider of deathcare products and services. At June 30, 2016, we owned and operated 1,525 funeral homes and 469 cemeteries (of which 262 are combination locations) in 45 states, eight Canadian provinces, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Through our businesses, we market the Dignity Memorial brand which offers assurance of quality, value, caring service, and exceptional customer satisfaction. For more information about Service Corporation International, please visit our website at www.sci-corp.com . For more information about Dignity Memorial, please visit www.dignitymemorial.com .

For additional information contact:

Investors: Debbie Young - Director / Investor Relations (713) 525-9088 Media: Jay Andrew - Managing Director / Corporate Communications (713) 525-5235

SOURCE Service Corporation International

Related Links

http://www.sci-corp.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Flower Foods, Inc. ("Flower Foods" or the "Company") (NYSE: FLO). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888-476-6529, ext. 9980.

[Click here to join a class action]

The investigation concerns whether Flower and certain of its officers and/or directors have violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

On August 10, 2016, pre-market, the Company announced that the U.S. Department of Labor had notified Flower Foods that it has been scheduled for a compliance review under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

On this news, Flower Foods stock fell $1.60, or 9.01%, to close at $16.15 on August 10, 2016.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com

CONTACT:

Robert S. Willoughby

Pomerantz LLP

[email protected]

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP

Related Links

http://www.pomerantzlaw.com


These NZ Snapper are unique as they represent both responsible and personalized advancements in fishing practices.

Everyone in Leigh has a relative who works in some capacity for the company. From the forty independent fishing boats to the thirty factory employees, everyone takes great pride in sustaining the quality of the fish to ensure it stands up to the "Lee" brand.

These small artisanal fishing boats brave harsh New Zealand winter waters for 12-24 hours at a time to catch these fish using the longline method, where a single line with baited hooks is used to selectively pick the fish. This sustainable fishing method is also a preferred alternative to putting out a net or trawl due to the substantial difference in the quality of the fish.

Then the Japanese Iki-Jime method is applied which humanely kills the fish instantly preserving the freshness and taste. Practiced on a small scale, Ike-Jime is usually only performed to meet the demands of high-end sushi markets in Japan. It's rare for U.S. consumers to be able to buy fish that is truly sashimi-grade and of a quality suitable for the most discriminating chef.

NZ Snapper meets Whole Foods' sustainable standards under both Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Safina Center as an inshore fish which is managed under the world leading New Zealand quota management system.

Shoppers across the U.S. can feel comforted knowing they are supporting this small sustainable fishing community from the other side of the world  while enjoying one of the best tasting fish around.

ABOUT LEE FISH USA

Lee Fish USA is America's leading importer of the finest fresh seafood from around the globe with emphasis on Australia and New Zealand. Adapting a philosophy of respect which encompasses a deep regard for the sea and the environment, Lee Fish USA also imports from Spain, Italy, Tahiti, Japan and Malaysia.

For more information contact Myles Bowker 310.642.0680

[email protected]

www.leefishusa.com

Instagram. Twitter. Facebook.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160810/397215

SOURCE Lee Fish USA

Related Links

http://www.leefishusa.com


DANBURY, Conn., Aug. 10, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today Ethan Allen (NYSE:ETH) announced that its much-anticipated Disney-inspired furniture and home decor collection will launch on ethanallen.com/disney and in select Ethan Allen Design Centers on November 18, 2016, coinciding with the anniversary of everyones favorite character, Mickey Mouse.



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/247a3ef7-e158-4ce3-abe1-481a2730dfae

There couldnt be a better collaboration of two iconic American brands, said Ethan Allen chairman, president and CEO Farooq Kathwari. As an 84-year-young brand, we are excited to launch our very first collection of this kind. Without giving too much away, Ill just say that youll see something very unexpectedfrom Ethan Allen and Disney.

The collection will launch during the holiday season and will include a range of offerings for the nursery, kids rooms, and family living spaces. In addition to the quality-crafted furniture that Ethan Allen is best known for, look for all the finishing touches, from lighting to artwork, bedding, pillows, area rugs, and everything in-between.

We've all grown up with Disney, and that emotional connection and magic lasts a lifetime, said Josh Silverman, executive vice president of global licensing, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media. The Ethan Allen Disney-inspired collection allows families to incorporate Disney into their lives and homes in a beautiful and elegantly functional way.

The two celebrated brands have come together to offer a fantastic collection of sophisticated yet whimsical styles that will capture the imaginations of consumers of all ages. Designed by Ethan Allen and inspired by the rich storytelling and classic characters of Disney, these exciting products promise to deliver an unprecedented selection of fun, fashionable, and functional styles for the home.

To complement the launch, Ethan Allen will release a Magical Home style book so all can see the inspiration for the collection and how the products can make every home magical. The book will take readers on a journey through the imaginative and chic world of the Disney-inspired collection with colorful, lifestyle-inspired style stories and easy-to-shop product previews.

To learn more, consumers can sign up for exclusive emails on the Disney-inspired collection by Ethan Allen at ethanallen.com/disney.

About Ethan Allen

Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (NYSE:ETH) is a leading interior design company and manufacturer and retailer of quality home furnishings. The company offers complimentary interior design service to its clients and sells a full range of furniture products and decorative accessories through ethanallen.com and a network of approximately 300 Design Centers in the United States and abroad. Ethan Allen owns and operates nine manufacturing facilities including six manufacturing plants and one sawmill in the United States plus one plant each in Mexico and Honduras. Approximately seventy percent of its furniture products are made in its North American plants. www.ethanallen.com. Follow Ethan Allen: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Houzz, You Tube, Instagram, Google Plus

The photo is also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com, and via AP PhotoExpress.
SHANGHAI, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (NYSE: SMI; SEHK: 981) ("SMIC" or the "Company"), one of the leading semiconductor foundries in the world, today announced its consolidated results of operations for the three months ended June 30, 2016.

Second Quarter 2016 Highlights

Revenue was a record high of $690.2 million in 2Q16, an increase of 8.8% QoQ from $634.3 million in 1Q16 and an increase of 26.3% YoY from $546.6 million in 2Q15.

in 2Q16, an increase of 8.8% QoQ from in 1Q16 and an increase of 26.3% YoY from in 2Q15. Gross margin was 31.6% in 2Q16, compared to 24.2% in 1Q16 and 32.3% in 2Q15.

Profit from operations was $115.4 million in 2Q16, compared to $66.1 million in 1Q16 and $60.7 million in 2Q15.

in 2Q16, compared to in 1Q16 and in 2Q15. Net profit for the period attributable to SMIC was $97.6 million in 2Q16, as compared to $61.4 million in 1Q16 and $76.7 million in 2Q15.



Third Quarter 2016 Guidance:

The following statements are forward looking statements which are based on current expectations and which involve risks and uncertainties, some of which are set forth under "Safe Harbor Statements" below. The Company expects:

Revenue to increase by 8% to 11% quarter over quarter.

Gross margin to range from 28% to 30%.

Non-GAAP operating expenses excluding the effect of employee bonus accrual, government funding and gain from the disposal of living quarters to range from $140 million to $145 million .

. Non-controlling interests of our majority-owned subsidiaries to range from positive $4 million to positive $6 million (losses to be borne by non-controlling interests).

Dr. Tzu-Yin Chiu, SMIC's Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director commented, "Q2 was another excellent quarter: with record-high revenue, gross profit, and operating profit, marking our 17th consecutive quarter of profitability. Revenue reached a historical high of $690.2 million, growing 26.3% YoY and 8.8% QoQ. Gross and operating profits hit all-time highs, growing 23.5% and 90.2% YoY and 41.7% and 74.5% QoQ, respectively. On a quarterly basis, our Q2 return on equity reached 10% and our utilization was 98%. In 2015, our EBITDA margin was around 35%; we now target EBITDA margin to increase for the full year of 2016 compared to 2015.

Wafer revenue from 40nm grew 92% YoY and 27% QoQ. Our revenue from China grew 28.7% YoY and 20.1% QoQ. There are 3 components to this large growth from China. 1) Chinese system houses are winning end-product market share, 2) Chinese fabless growth is robust, and 3) SMIC is increasing market share. With our technology readiness, being the preferred foundry partner in China, and strong China positioning, SMIC has effectively captured many opportunities.

We are guiding another strong quarter of growth in Q3. We target continued growth in Q4, contrary to seasonality, and another record year for 2016. Demand continues to be exceedingly strong. With this great demand and our recent acquisition of LFoundry, we now raise our annual revenue growth percentage target to mid-to-high 20's this year.

All-in-all, we are doing our best to expand shareholder value, through profitable growth, cash generation, and careful funding selection. We are witnessing strength across the board, with robust growth, strong cash position, advantageous market positioning, enormous demand, and great opportunities. We are working hard to balance our profitability, growth, building shareholder value, and serving our customers for the benefit of all stakeholders."

Conference Call / Webcast Announcement

Date: August 11, 2016

Time: 8:30 a.m. Shanghai time

Dial-in numbers and pass code:

China +86 400-620-8038 (Pass code: SMIC) Hong Kong +852 3018-6771 (Pass code: SMIC) Taiwan +886 2-2650-7825 (Pass code: SMIC) United States, New York +1 845-675-0437 (Pass code: SMIC)

The call will be webcast live with audio at http://www.smics.com/eng/investors/ir_presentations.php or http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/urm96zku.

An archived version of the webcast, along with an electronic copy of this news release will be available on the SMIC website for a period of 12 months following the webcast.

About SMIC

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation ("SMIC"; NYSE: SMI; SEHK: 981) is one of the leading semiconductor foundries in the world and the largest and most advanced foundry in mainland China. SMIC provides integrated circuit (IC) foundry and technology services at 0.35-micron to 28-nanometer. Headquartered in Shanghai, China, SMIC has a 300mm wafer fabrication facility (fab) and a 200mm mega-fab in Shanghai; a 300mm mega-fab and a second majority owned 300mm fab for advance nodes in Beijing; and 200mm fabs in Tianjin and Shenzhen. SMIC also has marketing and customer service offices in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Taiwan, and a representative office in Hong Kong.

For more information, please visit www.smics.com.

Safe Harbor Statements

(Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995)

This press release contains, in addition to historical information, "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, including statements under "Third Quarter 2016 Guidance", "CapEx Summary" and the statements contained in the quotes of our CEO are based on SMIC's current assumptions, expectations and projections about future events. SMIC uses words like "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "project," "target" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks, both known and unknown, uncertainties and other factors that may cause SMIC's actual performance, financial condition or results of operations to be materially different from those suggested by the forward-looking statements including, among others, risks associated with the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry, changes in demand for our products, competition in our markets, our reliance on a small number of customers, orders or judgments from pending litigation, intensive intellectual property lawsuits in semiconductor industry and financial stability in end markets, general economic conditions and fluctuations in currency exchange rates.

Investors should consider the information contained in SMIC's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including its annual report on 20-F filed with the SEC on April 25, 2016, especially the consolidated financial statements, and such other documents that SMIC may file with the SEC or The Hong Kong Stock Exchange Limited ("SEHK") from time to time, including current reports on Form 6-K. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on SMIC's future results, performance or achievements. In light of these risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release may not occur. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date stated, or if no date is stated, as of the date of this press release. Except as may be required by law, SMIC undertakes no obligation and does not intend to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Non-Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("Non-GAAP") Financial Measures

To supplement SMIC's consolidated financial results presented in accordance with IFRS, SMIC uses in this press release non-GAAP measures of operating results that are adjusted to exclude finance cost, depreciation and amortization, income tax expenses, the effect of employee bonus accrual, government funding and gain from the disposal of living quarters. This earnings release also includes third quarter 2016 guidance for non-GAAP operating expenses. The presentation of non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with IFRS. This earnings release includes EBITDA margin and non-GAAP operating expenses which consist of total operating expenses as adjusted to exclude the effect of employee bonus accrual, government funding and gain from the disposal of living quarters. These non-GAAP financial measures are not calculated or presented in accordance with, and are not alternatives or substitutes for financial measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, and should be read only in conjunction with the Group's financial measures prepared in accordance with IFRS. The Group's non-GAAP financial measures may be different from similarly-titled non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies.

SMIC believes that use of these non-GAAP financial measures facilitates investors' and management's comparisons to SMIC's historical performance. The Group's management regularly uses these non-GAAP financial measures to understand, manage and evaluate the Group's business and make financial and operational decisions.

The accompanying table has more information and reconciliations of each non-GAAP financial measure to its most directly comparable GAAP financial measure. A reconciliation of non-GAAP guidance measures to corresponding GAAP measures is not available on a forward-looking basis because the effect of these adjustment items excluded for the purpose of non-GAAP operating expenses guidance are subject to some unpredictable conditions that cannot be estimated with reasonable certainty.

For the full announcement see: http://www.smics.com/eng/investors/ir_filings.php.

Contact: Investor Relations +86-21-3861-0000 ext. 12804 [email protected]

SOURCE Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation

Related Links

http://www.smics.com


PURCHASE, N.Y., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 129 Americans die each day from a drug overdose; more than 78 of these deaths are a result of opioids, half of which were prescribed. In response to this growing crisis, Solo Technology Holdings, LLC will soon launch the iKeyp, the first Internet of Things integrated personal safe designed to disrupt the cycle of prescription drug theft and abuse.

Designed to disrupt the cycle of prescription drug theft and abuse, the iKeyp will launch this fall on Indiegogo as the first Internet of Things integrated personal safe.

"The abuse of prescription medication, particularly pain relievers such as opioids, is rampant in America and must be abated. It is destroying families and communities, and at the same time significantly increasing healthcare costs across the country. It is imperative that we do all that we can to stop the problem where it often begins: in the home," said Jeffrey I. Hermann, founder and CEO of Solo Technology Holdings, LLC.

The patent-pending iKeyp safe provides a simple and effective way to safeguard medications that seamlessly fits into existing daily routines. Unlike other safes on the market, the iKeyp is easy to install, connects to the Internet and provides owners with real-time security alerts and intelligent medication reminders.

"The path leading to prescription drug abuse is clear and personal medication security is essential to stopping the epidemic," Hermann said. "Ninety-seven percent of the population does not secure their medications. The problem is that no one has until now offered a simple solution for consumers to safely store their medications and at the same time easily access them to maintain medication adherence. This is our intention with the iKeyp."

Key features of the smartphone-enabled iKeyp include:

Real-time alerts and reminders via text, email or mobile app

Audible and visual alerts for non-smartphone users

Water-resistant digital combination keypad

Installs securely, without tools, in minutes

Fail-safe physical key access

The statistics surrounding the prescription drug abuse epidemic are staggering. Two hundred and fifty million opioid prescriptions are written each year. More than seventy percent of Americans misusing painkillers obtain them from friends or relatives. Eighty percent of heroin addicts report abusing prescription opioids first.

"The iKeyp is a modern, intelligent and convenient product that can serve as one solution in helping break the chain of prescription drug theft and addiction," said Mitch Danzig, president and COO of Solo Technology Holdings, LLC. "We are aware that we can't single-handedly solve the epidemic and are dedicated to collaborating with communities and coalitions throughout the United States to tackle all facets of this issue."

As part of this commitment, Solo Technology Holdings has partnered with The Stutman Switalski Group, LLC, which provides substance abuse prevention programs throughout the country, to educate the public on the importance of drug security. The company is led by Robert M. Stutman, a former Special Agent with the U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration who ran the largest DEA office in the world and is considered one of the nation's top experts on drugs, and Judge Jodi Debbrecht Switalski, a former Metro Detroit felony prosecutor who, upon her appointment to the bench by the Governor of Michigan, became a leader in the fight against synthetic drugs and the opioid epidemic.

"From DXM cough syrup to benzos to Oxycodone, some of the most commonly abused drugs are the most prescribed in America and are likely sitting in your medicine cabinet," said Robert M. Stutman. "Drugs are devastating our communities, homes and workplaces, and I believe we are failing as a country to deal with this in a way that will make any substantial change. The iKeyp is an example of a simple solution that could have substantial results in combating opioid abuse."

Stutman and Switalski also serve on iKeyp's Board of Advisors as Drug Enforcement Advisor and Prescription Drug Compliance Advisor, respectively.

The iKeyp will launch this fall on Indiegogo, the largest global site for fundraisers. For more information on the iKeyp, including details on the launch and how to sign up for early bird discounts, visit http://www.ikeyp.com or contact [email protected]. Follow iKeyp on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and updates.

About Solo Technology Holdings, LLC

Solo Technology Holdings, LLC is an "Internet of Things" company focused on creating innovative and easy to use technology products and services to address the growing prescription drug abuse problem in America, while at the same time conveniently improving adherence for those taking prescription medication. Solo Technology Holdings, LLC works with advocacy groups, parents, doctors, pharmacies and members of the healthcare industry to break the cycle of addiction and educate communities about the safe storage of prescription drugs. The company is headquartered in Purchase, NY.

Press Contact:

Kelly Lee

Co-Communications

914-666-0066

[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/397000

SOURCE Solo Technology Holdings, LLC

Related Links

http://www.ikeyp.com


CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SPX FLOW, Inc. ("SPX FLOW" or the "Company") (NYSE: FLOW) today announced the expiration and results of its previously announced tender offer to purchase for cash (the "Tender Offer") any and all of its outstanding 6.875% Senior Notes due 2017 (the "Notes"). The Tender Offer expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on August 9, 2016 (the "Expiration Time"). At the Expiration Time, valid tenders had been received with respect to approximately $486.6 million of the $600 million aggregate principal amount of the 2017 Notes outstanding.

The Company has accepted for payment all Notes validly tendered prior to the Expiration Time pursuant to the Tender Offer. On August 10, 2016, such tendering holders will receive the purchase price in the amount of $1,061.48 for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes tendered, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the payment date. In addition, the Company will accept any additional Notes properly tendered by means of the guaranteed delivery procedures provided.

The Company intends to redeem approximately $113.4 million of the Notes remaining outstanding following the completion of the Tender Offer pursuant to the redemption provisions of the indenture governing the Notes. The Company intends to deliver an irrevocable notice of redemption to the trustee following the consummation of its previously announced notes offering. Neither the Offer to Purchase nor the accompanying Letter of Transmittal pursuant to which the Tender Offer was made constitutes a notice of redemption.

About SPX FLOW, Inc.:

Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, SPX FLOW, Inc. (NYSE: FLOW) is a global supplier of highly engineered flow components, process equipment and turn-key systems, along with the related aftermarket parts and services, into the food and beverage, power and energy and industrial end markets. SPX FLOW has more than $2 billion in annual revenues, operations in over 35 countries and sales in over 150 countries. To learn more about SPX FLOW, please visit our website at www.spxflow.com.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are subject to the safe harbor created thereby. Please read these results in conjunction with the company's documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings identify important risk factors and other uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from these statements. The words "expect," "anticipate," "project," "believe" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. In addition, estimates of future operating results are based on the company's current complement of businesses, which is subject to change. Statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release, and SPX FLOW disclaims any responsibility to update or revise such statements.

Investor and Media Contact:

Ryan Taylor, VP, Communications and Finance

Phone: 704-752-4486

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE SPX FLOW, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.spxflow.com


PEMBROKE PINES, Florida, Aug. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- Anyone looking to supply products to cruise lines has a prime opportunity at the 23rd annual FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show. The new Purchasing Initiative will put suppliers direct to customer: decision-making procurement executives from the FCCA's 19 Member Lines. Participation in the Initiative will include a trade show booth within the first-ever Purchasing Pavilion, specialized one-on-one meetings and networking events with supply chain and purchasing cruise executives, and a workshop focused on sourcing and purchasing.

"The Purchasing Initiative will offer opportunities for both suppliers and the cruise industry," said Micky Arison, Chairman, Carnival Corporation & plc and the FCCA. "The FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show has traditionally been one of the best ways for cruise tourism stakeholders and key cruise line decision makers to interact and develop mutual understanding and benefits, and this initiative is the perfect extension to increase success for this crucial sector."

"We could not be prouder to offer the Purchasing Initiative at our keynote event," said Michele Paige, President, FCCA. "Our primary mission is to develop bilateral relationships between the cruise industry and destinations and stakeholders, and this will help improve synergy and success between cruise lines and destinations' local suppliers."

The Initiative represents the FCCA's efforts to strengthen its purchasing efforts within cruise destinations, under the direction of Michael Jones, Vice President, Supply Chain Management, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and chairman of the FCCA Purchasing Committee, who will participate at the event, meetings, and workshop along with a number of other procurement executives from the 19 FCCA Member Lines, including Julia Brown, Chief Procurement Officer, Carnival Corporation & plc and Carl Robie, SVP, Supply Chain & Logistics Management, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.

Taking place in San Juan, Puerto Rico from September 26-30, the Purchasing Initiative will add the opportunity to improve suppliers' business with the cruise industry onto the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show's traditional series of one-on-one meetings, workshops and exhibiting and networking opportunities between about 1,000 attendees and 100 influential cruise executives, presidents and CEOs.

To learn more and/or participate in the Purchasing Initiative, please e-mail [email protected]. To register and/or learn more about the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show, please visit: https://www.regonline.com/fccapuertorico.

About the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA)

Created in 1972, the FCCA is a not-for-profit trade organization that provides a forum for discussion on tourism development, ports, safety, security, and other cruise industry issue and builds bilateral relationships with destinations' private and public sectors. By fostering an understanding of the cruise industry and its operating practices, the FCCA works with governments, ports and private sector representatives to maximize cruise passenger, crew and cruise line spending, as well as enhance the destination experience and increase the amount of cruise passengers returning as stay-over visitors. For more information, visit F-CCA.com, the FCCA on Facebook, and @FCCAupdates on Twitter.

Related Links

http://www.f-cca.com



SOURCE Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association
AURORA, Ohio, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- TCP International Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: TCPI), a leading global manufacturer and distributor of energy efficient lighting technologies, today announced that Chief Executive Officer K.R. "Kaj" den Daas has resigned for personal reasons, effective October 3, 2016.

The Board of Directors named Brian Catlett, currently Chief Financial Officer, as interim CEO and Zachary Guzy, currently the Company's Global Corporate Controller, as interim CFO, as of October 3. The Board will engage a national search firm to identify qualified candidates for the CEO position.

"We appreciate the stable leadership Kaj has provided during his tenure with TCP and thank him for his many efforts in building and maintaining our business and vendor and customer relationships during a particularly challenging time for the Company," said Lead Director Ralph Della Ratta Jr. "We believe that Kaj's efforts have been instrumental in positioning us for future growth."

Mr. den Daas, a Dutch native who came out of retirement to become CEO on June 30, 2015, informed the Board that he intends to return to Europe to be closer to his family in the Netherlands. His resignation is unrelated to the Audit Committee investigation underway since late last year.

"I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with the talented and hardworking team at TCP, and I am proud of where we have positioned the Company in the marketplace," said Mr. den Daas. "However, I feel that stepping down at this time is something that I must do for my family."

Mr. Catlett has served as Chief Financial Officer since January 2014 after serving as Senior Vice President of Global Finance since 2012. He has served in various executive capacities for over 25 years, including chief financial officer and managing partner of a private equity fund. From 2004 until 2012, Mr. Catlett was a partner in Consumer Innovation Partners, a consumer products private equity fund. He holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Iowa.

Mr. Guzy, who has served as Global Corporate Controller since June 2012, is responsible for directing the Company's global accounting activities, including SEC reporting and the relationship with external auditors. He holds a bachelor's degree in Accountancy from Miami University and is a certified public accountant.

Separately, the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors stated that it is in the process of obtaining what it believes are the last pieces of information from banks in China and Hong Kong necessary to allow it to complete its investigation into certain payments made by the Company's Chairman, Ellis Yan, and into potential related party transactions involving Ellis Yan and the Company's Vice Chairman, Solomon Yan. Pending the review of this information, the Audit Committee anticipates completing its investigation by the end of September 2016.

Based upon the investigative procedures to date, the Company has not identified any material adjustments to its financial results. However, the investigation is still ongoing and there can be no assurance that material adjustments to previously issued financial statements will not be required. The Company is taking the actions necessary to enable it to complete its financial statements and prepare its delinquent reports as soon as practical once it has obtained the necessary information to issue its financial statements.

At present, the Company is unable to state when it will be in a position to issue its financial statements for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, the three months ended March 31, 2016, or the three and six months ended June 30, 2016. It is also is unable to state when it will be able to regain compliance with its SEC reporting obligations. TCP's common shares may be subject to delisting by the New York Stock Exchange if it does not regain compliance with its obligations by September 30, 2016. The Company does not believe that it will be able to regain compliance by that date, and intends to request a further extension from the New York Stock Exchange. Under applicable New York Stock Exchange rules, the date by which the Company would have to be compliant with its reporting obligations could be extended until no later than November 24, 2016.

About TCP

TCP is a leading global manufacturer and distributor of energy efficient lighting technologies. TCP's extensive product offerings include LED and CFL lamps and fixtures and other energy efficient lighting products. TCP has the largest combined number of LED and CFL ENERGY STAR compliant lighting products. TCP's products are currently offered through thousands of retail and C&I distributors. Since TCP's inception, it has sold more than one billion energy efficient lighting products. For more information, visit http://www.tcpi.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this release may constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 based on management's current opinions, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or projections regarding future events or future results. Forward looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, the Company's expectations regarding its future profitability, its ongoing Audit Committee investigation and its ability to comply with SEC reporting obligations and New York Stock Exchange listing requirements. These forward-looking statements are only predictions, not historical fact, and involve certain risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions. Actual results, levels of activity, performance, achievements and events could differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied by such forward-looking statements. While TCP believes that its assumptions are reasonable, it is very difficult to predict the impact of known factors, and, of course, it is impossible to anticipate all factors that could affect actual results. There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements made herein. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release. TCP expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

Contacts

Brian Catlett

Chief Financial Officer

330-954-7689

[email protected]

Mike Funari

Sapphire Investor Relations, LLC

617-542-6181

[email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150103/166768LOGO

SOURCE TCP International Holdings Ltd.

Related Links

http://www.tcpi.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- "Increasing demand for technical ceramics in medical end-use industry is a prime factor for the growth of the technical ceramics market"

The global technical ceramics market size (20162021) is estimated to reach USD 8.49 billion by 2021 at a CAGR of 6.43%. The demand for technical ceramics is increasing due to its increased usage in the manufacturing of medical devices and implants that are used for bone and tooth replacements. With the growing electronics & semiconductor industry, the increased demand for high temperature stability, low thermal expansion, and robust products drives the market for technical ceramics.



"Electronics & semiconductor: the largest end-use industry of technical ceramics"

Technical ceramics are used in various end-use industries such as electronics & semiconductor, automotive, energy & power, industrial, medical, military & defense, and others. In 2015, the electronics & semiconductor segment accounted for the largest market share among all the applications, in terms of value as well as volume, followed by automotive, energy & power, and industrial industries. Among all the applications, medical end-use industry is estimated to register the highest CAGR between 2016 and 2021, in terms of value as well as volume.



"Rising demand for technical ceramics from the developing markets of Asia-Pacific is the major driver for the technical ceramics market"

In 2015, Asia-Pacific is estimated to account for the largest market share, in terms of value as well as volume, and is estimated to remain the market leader during the forecast period. High industrial growth resulted in an increased demand for technical ceramics in different applications such as in the electronics & semiconductor and medical industries. This growth is further supported by the growing military & defense industry in Asia-Pacific due to the increased governmental investments in the defense sector. China accounted for the largest market share in this region due to the increased demand for military & defense equipment over the last 23 years. Other emerging economies, such as India and Brazil, are the markets which are projected to grow rapidly.



In the process of determining and verifying the market size for several segments and subsegments gathered through secondary research, extensive primary interviews were conducted.

The breakdown of primary interviews is given below.



- By Company Type - Tier 1 - 33%, Tier 2  60%, and Others - 7%

- By Designation - C level - 56%, Director level - 33%, and Others - 11%

- By Region - North America - 13%, Europe - 47%, Asia-Pacific - 20%, the Middle East & Africa - 13%, and South America - 7%



The key companies profiled in this market research report are CeramTec GmbH (Germany), Kyocera Corporation (Japan), Morgan Advanced Materials (U.K.), Saint-Gobain Ceramic Materials (U.S.), McDanel Advanced Ceramic Technologies (U.S.), Ceradyne, Inc. (3M Company) (U.S.), Rauschert Steinbach GmbH (Germany), Dyson Technical Ceramics Limited (U.K.), Superior Technical Ceramics (U.S.), NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd. (Japan), and other local players.



The report will help the market leaders/new entrants in this market in the following ways:



1. This report segments the technical ceramics market comprehensively and provides the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall market and the subsegments across the different verticals and regions.



2. It will help stakeholders to understand the pulse of the market and provide them information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities.



3. It will help stakeholders to understand the competitors and gain more insights to better their position in the business. The competitive landscape section includes new product developments, partnerships, and mergers & acquisitions.





Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04010946-summary/view-report.html



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



http://www.reportlinker.com

__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

Related Links

http://www.reportlinker.com


LONDON, August 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

- 1st for Overall Student Satisfaction - 97% (Joint 1st)

- 1st for "Staff are Enthusiastic About What They are Teaching" - 99%

- 1st for "Staff are Good at Explaining Things" - 100% (Joint 1st)

- 2nd for "Teaching on my Course" - 97%

- 3rd for "Academic Support" - 91% (Joint 3rd)

- 3rd for "Organisation and Management" - 92%

- 3rd for "As a result of the Course, I Feel Confident in Tackling Unfamiliar Problems" - 92%

The University of Law (previously The College of Law), has the highest student satisfaction rate among private and public universities in the United Kingdom, it was announced today. According to the results of this year's National Student Survey, The University of Law (ULaw) had an overall student satisfaction score of 97% - the highest among all higher education institutions in the country[1].

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160810/817960 )



In a year when the average student satisfaction levels were largely unchanged across the country, ULaw bucked the trend and improved its score by 9% over 2015.

The result reflects the student experience of undergraduates in the final year of the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programme. Developed in partnership with leading employers, ULaw's LLB, building on over a century of providing excellent legal education, adopts an innovative approach to learning, encouraging students to think and act like professional lawyers from day one. It is taught by tutors who are all qualified lawyers with experience of legal practice, and includes a fully integrated employability programme to maximise students' employment prospects.

As well as overall satisfaction, ULaw's tutors received the sector's highest ranking for enthusiasm about what they are teaching and for being good at explaining their subjects[2]. Students also showed satisfaction with the overall programme delivery, giving the second highest score (97%) in the country for teaching quality. 'Academic support' and 'organisation and management' were also impressive results, with ULaw ranking third for both categories[3].

Professor Andrea Nollent, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer at ULaw, said: "At The University of Law we place enormous value on feedback from our students, so this is a wonderful result for us. Our mission is always to place the quality of our teaching at the heart of all that we do as a university.

"We know that students respond extremely positively to the law being taught in a practical, applied and highly dynamic way. Having extremely motivated and hugely enthusiastic staff who have all practiced law adds a depth of understanding and excitement to the learning process, which our students clearly enjoy and appreciate."

--------------------------------------------------

[1] Joint first with the University of Buckingham

[2] Joint first with The Courtauld Institute for "Staff are good at explaining things explaining things."

[3] Joint third with the University of Buckingham for "academic support"

Under the ownership of international education group Global University Systems since 2015, the university has established a new board and robust governance which helped it enhance the quality and level of support offered to students whilst maintaining its academic excellence and independence. Earlier this year, ULaw unveiled its '100% for You' initiative, highlighting its focus on academic excellence, student support and lifelong commitment to students and alumni.

The National Student Survey, which is commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and has 23 questions covering the main aspects of the learning experience, is conducted among nearly half a million final year undergraduates in publicly funded higher education bodies in the UK as well as other providers of higher education.

The results of the survey, conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of UK funding bodies, provide valuable information for prospective students, and help universities and colleges to further improve the education they provide.

The University of Law LLB (Hons) programme

Launched in 2012, the ULaw LLB programme has a remarkable track record for a relatively new course. In addition to the NSS results, official data published in 2015 by HEFCE suggests that 95% of students are in work or postgraduate study six months after graduating, with 60% in a professional or managerial job at six months[4].

Commenting on the NSS results, Jayne Jeffcott, National Director of Programmes and Student Affairs for LLB at ULaw said: "I am delighted that ULaw has come out as the top university for student satisfaction in the country. At ULaw, we are dedicated to giving our students an excellent learning experience and to help prepare them for their future careers. The results demonstrate that our students value our focus on outstanding teaching and student support and on teaching a relevant curriculum."

The programme is delivered full time in seven locations nationwide (Birmingham, Bristol, Chester, Guildford, London, Manchester and Leeds), as well as part-time in London, Birmingham, and Chester, and from 2016 also available as an online course - i-LLB. Students looking to fast-track their careers can also take an accelerated, two-year option, which is delivered exclusively at the ULaw London Bloomsbury campus.

According to Ms Jeffcott, the programme is constantly revised to reflect the feedback from both students and employers. "We are constantly seeking feedback from our students as to what they value about our LLB and how we can enhance their experience. Our students have consistently told us that they value the high quality of the teaching they receive and the fact that their tutors are professionally qualified lawyers," she added.

--------------------------------------------------

[4] http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/subjects/overview/10039956FT-LLB3/ReturnTo/ [http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/subjects/overview/10039956FT-LLB3/ReturnTo ]

To find out more about The University of Law's LLB, visit: http://www.law.ac.uk/undergraduate/

The official results of the National Student Survey 2016 are available at: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/lt/nss/results/2016/

Notes to editors

The University of Law (ULaw) is the largest and longest established provider of professional legal education and training in the UK with centres in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Chester, Guildford, Manchester and Leeds, as well as offering some courses at The University of Exeter. Previously The College of Law, it was granted university status in November 2012.

Earlier this year, ULaw unveiled its '100% for You' initiative, highlighting its focus on academic excellence, student support and lifelong commitment to students and alumni. As part of the campaign, the university launched its 100% Employment Promise offering its Legal Practice Course (LPC) students starting in July and September 2016 half of their tuition fees back in cash if they do not secure employment nine months after graduation, and a further 50% in credit towards another course run by ULaw and its partners.

ULaw works with 90 of the top 100 law firms and offers an award-winning legal careers and employability service, as well as one of the UK's largest and most varied pro bono programmes. The university offers over 2,900 opportunities for students to put their skills into practise, helping them to prepare for the job market.

SOURCE The University of Law (ULaw)
CHICAGO, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President Michele Nealon-Woods, Psy.D. of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Tiffany Masson as the new campus dean of its Chicago Campus, the University's oldest campus. Since 1979, The Chicago School has been one of the leading nonprofit institutions devoted exclusively to psychology, and related behavioral health sciences.

As Campus Dean, Dr. Masson is responsible for the oversight and strategic direction of the campus.

"I am excited to continue to work with Dr. Masson, who has served in several leadership roles including Interim Chicago Campus Dean for more than a year. Having joined the University in 2007, Dr. Masson brings valuable knowledge and insight to The Chicago School community," said Dr. Nealon-Woods. "She is an asset and I have the utmost admiration and respect, not only for her competencies and skills, but for her deep passion and commitment to our institution, and our global community."

Since joining The Chicago School in 2007, Dr. Masson has held several leadership positions including Department Chair of International Psychology, Dean of Online Programs, and Vice President of E-Learning and Global Innovation. As a global innovator, Dr. Masson co-developed the Global HOPE (Healing Opportunities through Purposeful Engagement) Training Initiative in Rwanda that includes a comprehensive curriculum designed to aid teachers to effectively recognize, assess and intervene with traumatized children as the country continues to deal with the effects of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. Her work in Rwanda and ability to develop government and private partnerships has proved successful in the expansion of the Global HOPE Training Initiative to Zambia and South Africa.

"I am honored to have been asked to assume the role of campus dean," said Dr. Masson. "I believe strongly in The Chicago School's mission and am excited to be able to continue to work with leadership, faculty and staff to further that mission, as we continue to offer students an excellent education in psychology, and behavioral health that will serve them well as they take their place as leaders and innovators in our society."

About The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Founded in 1979, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP) is a nonprofit, private university devoted exclusively to psychology, and related behavioral and health sciences. The Chicago School is an affiliate of TCS Education System, a nonprofit system of colleges advancing student success and community impact. The university serves nearly 4,500 students across campuses in Chicago; Southern California (Los Angeles and Irvine); and Washington, D.C., as well as through online programs. The Chicago School is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, (WSCUC), and its Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program in Chicago is accredited by the American Psychological Association. With more than 20 graduate degree programs, thousands of hours of real-world training, and a wealth of international opportunities, TCSPP is the leader in professional psychology education. To learn more, visit www.thechicagoschool.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Lisa Riley

312.410.8963

[email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150707/233084LOGO

SOURCE The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Related Links

http://www.thechicagoschool.edu


SINGAPORE, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Trendlines Group Ltd. (the "Company" and, together with its subsidiaries and associated companies, the "Group"), an Israeli company focused on developing technology-based companies in the medical and agricultural fields, announced its financial results for the three months ended 30 June 2016 ("2Q2016") today.

Total income decreased from US$5.9 million in 2Q2015 to a loss of US$2.9 million in 2Q2016, primarily due to the loss from changes in the fair value of the portfolio companies. The change in the fair value of investments in portfolio companies resulted in a loss of approximately US$4.7 million in 2Q2016 compared to a gain of approximately US$4.5 million in 2Q2015, mainly due to (i) a decrease of approximately US$2.6 million in the fair market value of various portfolio companies; (ii) the write off of four portfolio companies during the second quarter in the amount of US$1.8 million; (iii) and a reduction in the quarter of approximately US$1 million in the fair value of our Most Valuable Portfolio Company1 due to a delay in a product launching, as the purchaser needs additional time to make minor changes to an accessory. These losses were partially offset by an aggregate gain in fair value of approximately US$0.8 million during the second quarter for some portfolio companies as a result of the completion of fund raising exercises at higher valuation and general commercial and technological progress in 2Q2016.

Financial Highlights



2Q2016 2Q2015 Change 1H2016 1H2015 Change

US$'000 US$'000 % US$'000 US$'000 % Gain(loss) from change in fair value of investments in Portfolio Companies (4700) 4,472 N.M (5,692) 5,674 N.M. Income from services to portfolio companies 863 994 (13.2) 2,144 2,225 3.6 Income from contracted R&D services 308 92 234.8 638 194 228.9 Total income (2,907) 5,912 N.M. (1,767) 8,996 N.M. Total expenses 2,561 1,525 67.9 5,194 3,667 41.6 Net income (loss) and total comprehensive income (loss) (4,610) 2,770 N.M. (5,380) 3,350 N.M.

*N.M.: Not meaningful

Income from services to portfolio companies decreased by approximately US$0.1 million to US$0.9 million mainly due to fewer portfolio companies under the incubators during 2Q2016, as compared to 2Q2015.

Income from contracted R&D services increased by approximately US$0.2 million to US$0.3 million due to a new collaboration agreement in relation to R&D between Trendlines Labs and a third party.

Total expenses increased by 67.9% to US$2.6 million, primarily due to the higher operating, general and administrative expenses following its listing on the Catalist Board of SGX-ST.

The Company maintained a strong financial position as at 30 June 2016. It had cash and cash equivalents of US$17.8 million (31 December 2015: US$7.0 million). The actual fair value of all the portfolio companies ("portfolio value"), including the fair market value of the associated company, E.T.View Medical Ltd., was approximately US$84.7 million, compared to US$85.8 million as at 31 December 2015. The Company would also like to highlight that the Loans from the Israeli Chief Scientist of US$4.0 million is a debt of different nature, as it's a contingent, non-recourse debt that only needs to be repaid if the Company has exits from specific companies.

In June 2016, the Company announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of Trendlines' 26.5% stake in its associate company, E.T.View Medical Ltd. ("E.T.View"), with a gain of approximately US$2.0 million before tax. The gain is expected to be recognized in the financial results for the second half of 2016 ("2H2016"), upon completion of the disposal.

Commenting on the financial results, Mr. D. Todd Dollinger, Co-Chairman and CEO of the Group, said, "In each quarter following our IPO, we see that the investment community is better able to understand the nature of our business and the changes in portfolio value from quarter to quarter. As the fund raising process and the pace of technological / commercial development tend to vary at different portfolio companies, portfolio value fluctuates over short time frames. However, in the long term, we expect the portfolio value and income to become less volatile as the number of companies increases, and the total portfolio value continues to grow as they make business progress.

Our goal is to assist portfolio companies to achieve a relatively smooth growth path to commercialization, and to eventually exit from these investments with optimal returns. In June, we announced the sale of our stake in E.T.View, as the first exit since Trendlines' listing on the Singapore Exchange. We look to materialize more exits at appropriate times."

Mr. Steve Rhodes, Co-Chairman and CEO of the Group, added, "Despite the quarterly numbers, we made encouraging progress on multiple fronts during the past few months. Further to Trendlines Medical's incubator license being extended to 2023, we received the approval from the Israeli Office of the Chief Scientist to expand Trendlines Medical's Mandate and include agtech investments. We introduced the ADR program to support the expansion of the Company's investor base in the U.S.. We established 3 new companies, and brought 7 portfolio companies to meet hundreds of Asian investors across 5 cities.

As planned, we announced the establishment of Trendlines Medical Singapore Pte Ltd., a platform for investment in and incubation of early-stage healthcare companies in Singapore. Trendlines has been proactively building up the platform and stimulating the advancements at portfolio companies, through which driving towards our mission of improving the human condition."

About The Trendlines Group

The Trendlines Group is an innovation commercialization company that invents, discovers, invests in, and incubates innovation-based medical and agricultural technologies to fulfill its mission to improve the human condition. As intensely hands-on investors, Trendlines is involved in all aspects of its portfolio companies from technology development to business building. The Trendlines Group is traded on the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX:42T). Pending FINRA approval, the Company's ADR will trade on the OTCQX under the symbol TRNLY.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] As defined in the Company's offer document dated 16 November 2015

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151125/290970LOGO

For further information

Trendlines IR (Israel): Judith Kleinman

Telephone: +972-72-0260-7258

Email: [email protected]

US contact

PCG Advisory Group: Adam Holdsworth

Telephone: +1-646-862-4607

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE The Trendlines Group Ltd.

Related Links

http://trendlines.com


"We are thrilled to expand our reach to the European Union and to collaborate with Servaas," said Meg O'Connell, President of Global Disability Inclusion , referring to former Paralympian and Gold Medalist, Servaas Kamerling, founder of In-Fusion . "Servaas has been active in disability inclusion work for some time. We have similar approaches to our collective work for creating greater opportunities and inclusion of those with disabilities. Our partnership with In-Fusion is a milestone, and we are excited about the road ahead."

"We are very excited to support each other's efforts in helping companies make disability inclusion a part of their culture, and a common practice in the workplace," Kamerling said. "The inclusion gap is a global phenomenon and to cooperate at a multi-national level with Global Disability Inclusion will benefit corporations and their employees worldwide."

The partnership allows Global Disability Inclusion and In-Fusion to further expand its reach globally, while thinking locally in responding to opportunities for those with disabilities and assisting companies in becoming disability competitive.

Global Disability Inclusion LLC is a boutique consulting firm offering disability inclusion strategies and solutions to Global 500 companies and federal contractors.

In-Fusion is a consultancy company that aims to approach disability inclusion holistically, with pragmatism and with a business sense, driving optimal return on investment.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/397003

SOURCE Global Disability Inclusion

Related Links

http://www.globaldisabilityinclusion.com


NASSAU, Bahamas, Aug. 10, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Bahamas Ministry of Health has confirmed one case of the Zika virus in The Bahamas, noting that the single documented case was contracted outside of the country.



Minister of Health Dr. Perry Gomez said the patient, a Bahamian man, contracted the virus during a recent visit to Jamaica. Bahamian health officials confirm that no locally transmitted cases have been confirmed.



Gomez said a sample was taken from the patient and he tested positive for Zika on August 9. The patient is being monitored by health officials.



He added, "The patient has been treated for associated symptoms and is recovering."



Director General in the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism Joy Jibrilu said the health and safety of visitors to the country remains a high priority. To date, no visitors to The Bahamas have been infected.



"We are working with our industry partners and local health officials to ensure that every effort is made to monitor the virus and prevent further cases," she said.



Among those initiatives, is the Tourism and Health Safety Program, which was recently launched in six major hotels on New Providence and Paradise Island.



The program aims to monitor guests and provide information to those who feel they may have symptoms of any illness.



Gomez said heightened surveillance activities for the Zika virus continue and that the required public health and environmental protocols are being conducted.



Additionally, source reduction and activities to decrease the mosquito population such as treatment of water sources and fogging are ongoing.



Other activities include conducting Zika educational sessions for public and private health care providers.



Family Island visits with associated town meetings, school presentations, radio and television appearances and airing of public service announcements in both English and Creole are also occurring.



The Zika virus is transmitted primarily through the bite of the aedes aegypti mosquito. However, the virus is also spread from mother to baby during pregnancy and during sexual intercourse.



Health Officials advise anyone travelling to The Bahamas who feel they may have symptoms of the virus to contact the National Disease Surveillance Unit at 502-4776, 502-4790, 376-3809 or 376-4705.



Visitors to The Bahamas receive educational pamphlets about the virus at all ports of entry. The pamphlet includes symptoms, prevention tips and contact information for the Ministry of Health.



Hotels and guest properties throughout The Islands of The Bahamas are also continuing their proactive measures.



Proactive measures include:

Providing staff and guests with information on ZIKV so that they are aware of the signs and symptoms, how ZIKV is transmitted and how it can be prevented.

Having insect repellant available to visitors.

Avoiding storing water in outdoor containers to prevent them from becoming mosquito-breeding sites.

Covering water tanks or reservoirs so that mosquitoes do not get in.

Avoiding the build-up of garbage, which can act as a breeding site for mosquitoes. Putting garbage in closed plastic bags and keep it in closed containers.

Uncovering and unblocking gutters and drains to release stagnant water.

All travelers are advised to:

Stay informed about the ZIKV situation in countries they are travelling to.

Use insect repellents on exposed skin. Insect repellents that contain DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or IR3535 are the most effective and safe when used according to the label. If also using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.

Where possible, wear light colored long-sleeved shirts and long pants, socks and shoes to minimize exposed skin.

When indoors use air conditioning and keep the doors and windows closed, unless they are screened, to keep out mosquitoes. If this is not possible, sleep under mosquito nets to prevent bites.

What should you do if you feel sick and think you may have Zika?

Consult a healthcare professional if you are feeling ill, especially if you have a fever. If you have returned home, make sure to tell them about your travel.

Use acetaminophen or paracetamol to treat fever and pain.

Get lots of rest and drink plenty of liquids.

Get lots of rest and drink plenty of liquids. A person infected with ZIKV will have the virus in their blood for the first week of infection. The virus can be passed on to other mosquitoes if they bite you while you are carrying the virus. Therefore, be especially careful to prevent mosquito bites during the first week to avoid spreading the disease.

Travelers are encouraged to visit Bahamas.com for any updates on Zika.
HAMILTON, ON, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - U. S. Steel Canada Inc. ("U. S. Steel Canada" or "the Company") became aware yesterday of an unsolicited, purported offer for U. S. Steel Canada by Ontario Steel Investments Limited, a consortium led by Essar Global Fund Limited ("Essar").

Earlier this summer, Essar was eliminated from the Company's Sale and Investment Solicitation Process ("SISP"), following the receipt of a proposal and detailed discussions between Essar, the Company and other stakeholders, including the Province of Ontario. The Unions and representatives for both active and retired employees and Essar were made aware of the reasons for Essar's elimination from the process at that time. The Company is not considering any further proposals from Essar.

Among other reasons, Essar was eliminated from the SISP due to its:

Failure to provide satisfactory evidence of its financial ability to own and operate the Company  As part of the SISP, Essar was asked to provide evidence of its ability to meet financial obligations associated with its bid and failed to satisfy the Company and the Monitor of its ability to do so. In addition, among other things, other affiliated entities of Essar continue to experience difficulties. On March 31, 2016 , the second largest credit rating agency in India , gave Essar Steel India Ltd. a rating assigned to instruments in default or expected to be in default soon. Essar's Canadian steel asset, Essar Steel Algoma, is currently under a court-supervised restructuring and Essar was eliminated from the sales process in that restructuring. Essar Steel Minnesota failed to satisfy certain requirements of the State of Minnesota and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on July 8, 2016 .





As part of the SISP, Essar was asked to provide evidence of its ability to meet financial obligations associated with its bid and failed to satisfy the Company and the Monitor of its ability to do so. In addition, among other things, other affiliated entities of Essar continue to experience difficulties. On , the second largest credit rating agency in , gave Essar Steel India Ltd. a rating assigned to instruments in default or expected to be in default soon. Essar's Canadian steel asset, Essar Steel Algoma, is currently under a court-supervised restructuring and Essar was eliminated from the sales process in that restructuring. Essar Steel Minnesota failed to satisfy certain requirements of the and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on . Inability to gain the support of all stakeholders  Essar requested certain relief and accommodations from the Province of Ontario . The Province conveyed to U. S. Steel Canada and Essar that it was not prepared to accommodate Essar's requests or to participate in further negotiations with Essar.

Yesterday's communication from Essar's consortium includes terms that are substantially similar to what was previously rejected by the Company and the Province. U. S. Steel Canada will avoid any distraction that could be detrimental to the Company, its employees and pensioners, at a time when the restructuring process is progressing, and negotiations with the current bidders continue. U.S. Steel Canada will provide further updates as developments warrant.

About U. S. Steel Canada, Inc.

U. S. Steel Canada's operations are located at Lake Erie Works, a fully integrated steelmaking facility and at Hamilton Works, home to cokemaking and finishing operations including our premier zinc-coating facility, the world-class Z-Line. U. S. Steel Canada has the capability of producing approximately 2.6 million tons of steel annually and employs approximately 2,200 people.

SOURCE U.S. Steel Canada
SAN FRANCISCO, CA and TORONTO, ON, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - VersaPay Corporation (TSXV: VPY) ("VersaPay" or the "Company"), a leading provider of cloud-based invoicing, accounts receivable management and payment solutions, today announced that R. Torre & Company, maker of the iconic Torani brand flavouring syrups, has chosen VersaPay ARCTM as the platform to automate its invoice to cash processes.

"We ship our products all over the globe and are growing rapidly so we have to be progressive in automating processes to keep up with demand. The VersaPay platform allows us to offer our customers self-service options to provide them with greater flexibility to review their account with us and make payments 24/7," said Sylvie Mwila-Jonath, Head of Information Technology at R. Torre & Co.

"The VersaPay platform will provide our accounting team with a better view of our customer accounts and facilitate greater collaboration with our customers", noted David Cannon, Controller at R. Torre & Co. "Our team can receive payments on-line and automatic reconciliation will save us a great deal of time."

"Torani is a great example of a brand name company that is expanding their business all over the world and we are pleased to be able to support them in their expansion," offered Craig O'Neill, CEO of VersaPay. "By delivering a better way to automate their financial operations, I am confident we will onboard many more manufacturing and distribution companies in the coming months."

About Torani (R. Torre & Company, Inc.)

R. Torre & Company, Inc., maker of Torani, is a San Francisco based family-owned company that produces flavoring syrups, sauces and blended drink bases. Torani can be added to coffee, espresso beverages, cocktails, soda and other beverages.The R. Torre & Company was founded in 1925 by Rinaldo and Ezilda Torre and is still owned and operated by the Torre family.

About VersaPay

VersaPay is a leading cloud-based invoice presentment and payment provider for businesses of all sizes. VersaPay's ARC software-as-a-service offering allows businesses to easily deliver customized electronic invoices to their customers, to accept credit card and EFT payments and automatically reconcile payments to their ERP and accounting software. VersaPay is headquartered in Toronto, Canada and also has operations in Montreal.

More information about VersaPay can be found on the Company's website at www.versapay.com or under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Forward Looking and Other Cautionary Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Such forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words and phrases such as "plans," "expects," "is expected," "budget," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "intends," "anticipates," or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.

These forward-looking statements, and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith and reflect our current judgment regarding the direction of our business. Management believes that these assumptions are reasonable. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks related to the speculative nature of the Company's business, the Company's formative stage of development and the Company's financial position.

Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE VersaPay Corporation

Related Links

www.versapay.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Wellspring Capital Management LLC ("Wellspring") today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its portfolio company National Seating & Mobility ("NSM") to Court Square Capital Partners. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Founded in 1992, NSM has grown into North America's premier Complex Rehab Technology provider, with client service facilities and Regional Processing Centers from Hawaii to New England. NSM designs and assembles customized wheelchairs and adaptive seating systems that play an essential role in improving the lives of patients by enhancing their functionality, maximizing their independence and providing an ability to participate in the community.

Since acquiring NSM in December 2012, Wellspring has worked with management to leverage their combined expertise to grow the business into a market leader, adding 35 branches by growing organically, executing 5 strategic add-on acquisitions and numerous smaller tuck-in acquisitions.

Alexander Carles, a Managing Partner of Wellspring, said, "We are pleased with the success NSM has achieved over the past few years. Under our ownership, NSM has substantially grown its footprint and improved operationally in order to provide the best complex rehab technology solutions to the people who need them most. The company is well-positioned today to continue serving as an industry leader for many years to come."

Seth Pearson, a Principal of Wellspring, said, "In NSM, we were able to identify a well-positioned company with strong prospects. It has been a pleasure working with our Chairman Mike Ballard, our Chief Executive Officer Bill Mixon and the rest of the senior leadership team. NSM's success is a testament to our strong partnership."

It is expected that the transaction will be completed within the next sixty days.

Piper Jaffray & Co. and Cain Brothers & Company are serving as financial advisors to Wellspring and NSM with respect to the transaction, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is serving as legal counsel.

About Wellspring Capital Management

Wellspring Capital Management, founded in 1995, is a leading middle-market private equity firm that manages more than $3 billion of private equity capital. The firm's objective is to bring partnership, experience and value creation to each investment. By teaming up with strong management, Wellspring is able to unlock underlying value and pursue new growth opportunities through strategic initiatives, operating improvements and add-on acquisitions. The firm functions as a strategic rather than tactical partner, providing management teams with top-line support, M&A experience and financial expertise, and access to resources. For additional information, please visit www.wellspringcapital.com.

Contact:

Mark Semer or Ross Lovern

Kekst

(212) 521-4800

SOURCE Wellspring Capital Management LLC

Related Links

http://www.wellspringcapital.com


MILWAUKEE, Aug. 10, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via PRWEB - Designing workflows that improve efficiency and technology adoption should be a top priority to help health care organizations strengthen the quality of their technology implementation, according to a new poll of U.S. health care quality improvement professionals conducted by ASQ.

ASQ, celebrating 70 years in 2016, is the leading global authority on quality in all fields, organizations and industries, including health care, and is the world's largest network of quality resources and experts.

According to the online poll of more than 170 ASQ members in the health care quality profession, 78 percent said improving workflow efficiency is the No. 1 way organizations can improve the quality of health care technology implementation. Seventy-one percent say the priority should be nurturing strong organizational leaders who champion health care technology initiatives.

The North American health care information technology market is forecast to reach $31.3 billion by 2017, increasing from $21.9 billion in 2012, according to recent studies.

Survey participants also ranked the following technologies as having the most impact on patient experience and care coordination:

Incorporation of wearable sensors, remote patient monitoring and other caregiver collaboration tools (71 percent)

Smart phones, tablets and applications providing a wealth of information for physicians and other clinicians (69 percent)

Online communications along every step of patient process (e.g., website, registration, payment) (69 percent)

Hurdles to Technology Implementation

Many of the factors that improve health care technology also have hurdles that make implementation prohibitive. Survey respondents said the following hurdles are "very difficult" to overcome by health care organizations as they work to implement technology that will improve quality, efficiency and reduce cost.

Resistance to change from physicians and staff due to perceived impact on time/workflow and unwillingness to learn new skills (70 percent)

High costs of implementing IT infrastructure and services and unproven return on investment (64 percent)

Problems with complex new devices, poor interface between multiple technologies and the haphazard introduction of new devices that could cause patient errors (61 percent)

"We in health care know that there are always drawbacks to technology. While not a panacea, technology can help engage patients, increase access to care, help improve safety, and make data collection easier," said Susan Peiffer, chair of ASQ Healthcare Division and performance improvement specialist at Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) Western Wisconsin Division.

Respondents surveyed ranked the following aspects of health care technology as having the greatest impact on reducing the overall cost to the organization and maximizing the organization's return on investment.

Remote patient monitoring reducing the need for office visits and improving patient compliance (69 percent)

Patient engagement platforms that encourage patients to get more involved in the long-term management of their own health conditions (68 percent)

Electronic medical record/electronic health records that eliminate time-consuming tasks (68 percent)

Other possible quality improvement solutions offered by respondents to strengthen the use of technology within health care organizations include:

Embed a quality expert into every department in order to learn user needs before determining what type of technology is implemented. If users are involved, they are more likely to have a positive view of the change instead of feeling like it's another problem added to their workload.

Improve available software with easier navigation, more detailed organization of medical record types, more widespread use of file transfer protocol (FTP) servers and the ability to upload records to requesting facilities as well as a universal notification system indicating the status of a medical record.

Create healthcare apps for the use of professionals, e.g., a medication calculator, implementing clinical pathways on mobile apps that can be easily used by doctors, and medication reconciliation can also be done via technology.

Use voice of the customer techniques to better fit improvement approaches to the stakeholders who are being asked to change.

"Just as technology continues to evolve, we will continue to improve how we use technology and how we integrate it into our interactions with patients," Peiffer said.

ASQ quality improvement experts work in a diverse range of healthcare organizations from hospitals to public health departments. Quality improvement methods have proven increasingly successful in health care organizations.

About ASQ

ASQ is a global community of people dedicated to quality who share the ideas and tools that make our world work better. With millions of individual and organizational members of the community in 150 countries, ASQ has the reputation and reach to bring together the diverse quality champions who are transforming the world's corporations, organizations and communities to meet tomorrow's critical challenges. Celebrating 70 years in 2016, ASQ, with its world headquarters in Milwaukee, Wis., USA, operates regional centers in the U.S. and Canada, North Asia, South Asia, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. Learn more about ASQ's members, mission, technologies and training at asq.org.

This article was originally distributed on PRWeb. For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/08/prweb13606137.htm
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
WESTBOROUGH, Mass., Aug. 10, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zensar Technologies, a leading provider of digital solutions, software and infrastructure services, announced today it has been positioned by Gartner, Inc. in the Niche Players quadrant of the 2016 Magic Quadrant for Data Center Outsourcing and Infrastructure Utility Services, North America [G00309913] authored by Gartner analysts David Edward Ackerman, William Maurer and Christine Tenneson.



The Magic Quadrant focuses on management services for mainframe, centralized servers, public cloud brokering, SAP hosting and Oracle hosting environments. It evaluates the abilities of 19 top service providers to deliver data center managed services across North America  including data center outsourcing (DCO) and infrastructure utility services (IUS), which are often enabled by remote infrastructure management (RIM) services and increasingly based on managed virtual private cloud services."

According to Sandeep Kishore, CEO and Managing Director, Zensar Technologies, We believe this inclusion is a significant recognition for us. Finding a mention in the prestigious Gartner Data Center Outsourcing and Infrastructure Utility Services, North America Magic Quadrant for the second time in a row, we feel reflects our capability and expertise. We value the trust reposed in us by our customers based in North America. We will continue driving digital transformation needs of enterprises by offering, both infrastructure and digital solutions.

Pinaki Kar, Chief Executive and Head, Global Infrastructure Management Services & Cloud Solutions, Zensar Technologies added, Zensar partners with our clients to provide Next Generation Infrastructure Management services that transform their environments from reactive to dynamic, enabling them to better support their core business goals and derive higher return on their digital initiatives. We are pleased to be positioned once again in the Data Center Outsourcing and Infrastructure Utility Services, North America Magic Quadrant. We believe this inclusion is reflective of our continued commitment to deliver innovative and flexible global delivery models, built on the tenets of hyper automation, agile orchestration and ultra-efficiency, to all the clients we work with."

Zensars Next Generation Infrastructure Management Services include Hybrid IT, End User Computing, Security and Compliance, Unified IT, Multi-Vendor Services and Software Defined Networking.

Gartner Disclaimer

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose

Source: Gartner, Inc. Magic Quadrant for Data Center Outsourcing and Infrastructure Utility Services, North America, Analysts David Edward Ackerman, William Maurer and Christine Tenneson. July 7, 2016

About Zensar (www.zensar.com)

Zensar is a leading digital solutions and technology services company that specializes in partnering with global organizations across industries on their Digital Transformation journey. A technology partner of choice, backed by strong track-record of innovation; credible investment in Digital solutions; assertion of commitment to clients success, Zensars comprehensive range of digital and technology services and solutions enable its customers to achieve new thresholds of business performance. Zensar, with its experience in delivering excellence and superior client satisfaction through myriad technology solutions, is uniquely positioned to help them surpass challenges around running their existing business most efficiently, helping in their legacy transformation, and planning for business expansion and growth through innovative and digital ways.

Follow Zensar via:

Zensar Blog: http://www.zensar.com/blogs

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Zensar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zensar-technologies

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Zensar

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, withdrawal of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company.




New Delhi, Aug 4 : Some of the major Indian passenger carriers on Thursday cancelled their scheduled operations to Dubai due to the unavailability of runway at the Dubai International Airport.

The announcements by the Indian carriers came a day after an Emirates flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai caught fire after it crash-landed at Dubai airport.

"Dubai airport has announced limited operations up to August 5, 2016. As a result, for August 4, 2016, Jet Airways has cancelled four flights from India to Dubai along with their corresponding return flights," a Jet Airways spokesperson said in a statement.

"In addition, Jet Airways will re-route two Dubai-bound flights to Sharjah and is awaiting slot approval from Sharjah Airport to re-route four additional flights."

Budget passenger carrier SpiceJet, too, cancelled all its flights to Dubai which were to be operated on Thursday.

"In the wake of the Emirates aircraft crash-landing at Dubai airport yesterday and in accordance with the instructions from the Dubai Airport Authorities, all our flights to and from Dubai scheduled for today have been cancelled," SpiceJet said in a statement.

"Post the runway closure at Dubai airport yesterday, our yesterday's flights to the city had been diverted to Al Maktoum International Airport, Ras Al Khaimah International Airport and Sharjah International Airport."

The budget carrier further said that it had arranged alternate mode of travel for passengers of the diverted flights to reach Dubai city.

Another low cost carrier (LCC) IndiGo also cancelled its flights to Dubai for August 4, due to the unavailability of runway at the Dubai airport.

"From August 05 till 0730 IST August 07 - limited flights will be allowed to operate from Dubai airport," IndiGo said in a statement.

The airline said that it has already notified passengers about their respective flight status through various channels.

On Wednesday, Emirates flight EK521, ferrying 282 passengers and 18 crew, caught fire when it crash-landed at Dubai International Airport.

All passengers and crew were evacuated safely. After the incident, Dubai International Airport was closed for about six hours.

"Emirates cancelled 27 flights yesterday, and there were delays and rescheduled flights across the network," an Emirates spokesperson said.

"(In all) 23 flights were diverted to alternative airports -- Sharjah, Al Maktoum International (DWC), Fujairah, Al Ain, Muscat and Bahrain. In total, over 23,000 Emirates passengers were impacted by the disruption."
New Delhi, Aug 4 : Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung on Thursday said the High Court judgement confirming his primacy over the Delhi government was not about anyone's triumph or defeat.

"It's just about the validation of the Constitution by the court, and not about anyone's victory," Jung told media here.

Referring to the timing of the press conference, he said that it was a historic verdict and he though it to be appropriate to talk to the media.

Noting when people asked him why he was not interacting with media, he said he used to cite a famous Urdu couplet by freedom fighter Ram Prasad 'Bismil': "Waqt aane par bata denge tujhe ae aasman, hum abhi se kya bataye kya hamare dil me hai" but "today, I think is the time to clear many things as today's verdict is so important that it can be referred as historical".

Denying the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's allegation that the Lt Governor's Office was working against it, Jung said: "We want to help the elected government without interfering in its functioning. We will continue to extend constitutional support to the government."

Citing the oath he took when sworn in, he said: "The Lt. Governor takes the oath to follow the Constitution of India. I followed it too."

He also said his office would review all decisions and orders taken by the Delhi government in the last one and half years.

As for Delhi government's charge that he (Jung) worked at the behest of the central government, the Lt. Governor said he was "not ashamed" of reporting to the central government.

"I was appointed by the President (of India); I report to the central government. Why should I be ashamed of it? But we will have to confine ourselves within the constitutional framework," he said.

Asked about the remarks of the Kejriwal government over his decisions in past, Jung said: "I don't get affected by abusive language."

The Delhi High Court on Thursday said the Lt. Governor is not bound by the aid and advice of Delhi's Council of Ministers and that Delhi government notifications must be issued after consulting the Lt Governor.

Meanwhile, Jung said that an order by a sub-divisional magistrate to ban protests outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence here was invalid.

"The SDM has no authority to give such orders," he said.
New Delhi, Aug 4 : The Delhi government and the AAP on Thursday came out strongly against a Delhi High Court ruling giving primacy to the Lt. Governor in the affairs of the administration and said they will move the Supreme Court for "justice".

"We fully respect the Delhi High Court but we have a constitutional right to disagree with their verdict and will approach the Supreme Court," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told the media.

"We will appraise the Supreme Court that the High Court ruling has put a question mark on our democracy," said Sisodia, speaking in the absence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who is away attending a meditation course in Himachal Pradesh.

"The verdict says that the LG is not bound the advice of the Council of Ministers," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said. "If that's so, why were elections conducted then?"

Delhi government spokesman Nagendar Sharma said the High Court had erroneously given primacy to Article 239 over Article 239AA and that only the Supreme Court can settle a Centre-state constitutional row.

Sisodia clarified that the tussle over the Delhi government's powers was not a fight with the central government or Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung. "This is about whether a government will be run by LG or elected representatives of the people?

"So who should the people go to if they have problems? To the elected representatives or the LG?" the Deputy Chief Minister asked. "The (Delhi) government is working and will keep working for the people."

The AAP was harsher in its criticism of the High Court. It called the ruling "anti-people".

"The High Court verdict has made a mockery of Indian democracy," party leader Ashish Khetan tweeted. "It is an anti-people judgement.

"Would Narendra Modi have agreed to (President) Pranab Mukherjee running the central government after winning 282 seats in the Lok Sabha?" he asked in reference to the AAP's equally sweeping win in Delhi in 2015.

Another party leader, Raghav Chadha, said: "A democratically elected government cannot be undermined. This isn't a fight for supremacy but for democracy."

AAP spokesperson Ashutosh said the Delhi government will move the Supreme Court seeking "justice".
Patna, Aug 5 : Authorities in Bihar plan to impose collective fines on nearly half a dozen villages for repeated violation of the ban on liquor in the state.

Four days after the Bihar assembly passed a law to implement the ban effectively, excise officials in Shekhpura, Bhagalpur and Nawada districts forwarded a proposal to impose collective fines on residents of different villages in their jurisdiction for breaching the liquor ban.

According to officials, the villages which may face fines include Murarpur village in Shekhpura, Lauhsingha village (Nawada) and three villages in Bhagalpur.

The Bihar Prohibition and Excise Bill 2016 allows the district collector to impose collective fine on a village or a locality in a town if a group of people are found to have violated the liquor law repeatedly.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said the new legislation was required to plug gaping holes in the previous Act that facilitated the liquor ban with effect from from April 1.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha on Monday demanded a discussion on the ongoing unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, and also asked the government to call an all-party meeting on the issue.

"Today it's one month of curfew, everything has stopped. I don't think any state had curfew for 30 days after Independence. School, colleges are shut, there is almost nil attendance in Secretariat,' Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha.

"The government, and specially the Prime Minister, are mute spectators. India's crown is on fire but the heat is not reaching the government in Delhi," he said.

Azad accused the government of being silent on the issue.

"People are eager to hear what the Prime Minister has to say on Kashmir. This is not an ordinary situation. I urge the government to call an all-party meeting, and an all-party delegation should go to Kashmir," Azad said.

Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury questioned the use of pellet guns against protesters in Kashmir.

"There has been curfew since 30 days. In such a situation how can we remain silent? Why are we using pellet guns? It's inhuman, it's criminal, even Israel does not use it against Palestinians," Yechury said.

He also slammed the government for remaining silent on the issue.

"By choosing to remain silent, the Prime Minister is sending a message that this government does not care," he said.

D. Raja of the Communist Party of India also said the use of pellet guns should be stopped.

Samajwadi Party member Neeraj Shekhar said: "The youths killed were Indians or not? There is no statement from the Prime Minister or Home Minister... What message are we sending?"

Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav added: "The government's silence on this issue is hurting."

Following this, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the government is ready to debate the issue.

"We want peace in Kashmir... and people of Kashmir have repeatedly defeated powers that have tried to disrupt peace. We are ready to debate on the issue," Naqvi said.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : Former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Swamy Prasad Maurya on Monday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP supremo Mayawati is no longer running a political party but a "business house".

"Now BSP is no more a political party, but it has become a business house," Maurya told reporters here.

"In the name of Dalits Mayawati is selling party tickets. She has sold the dreams of Dr B.R. Ambedkar," Maurya said, adding, "And now even the names of the candidates are replaced if someone offers more amount, which is not an insult to only Dr B.R. Ambedkar and party founder Kanshi Ram but also to the Constitution."

Attacking Mayawati, Maurya said, "Mayawati wishes to project backward candidates only on 26 to 27 seats out of the 403 seats."

"Even during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections she gave only 16 tickets to the backward candidates, while on the other hand the BJP gave 29 seats to the candidates from backward community," he said.

Maurya also thanked the BJP leadership and said that several other colleagues will join the BJP in Lucknow, including former minister Vinay Shakya.

Maurya also accused Mayawati of keeping the interest of the Dalits at bay. He asserted that the development of the state is possible under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose government believes in "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas".

He was welcomed in the party by BJP national president Amit Shah, party General Secretary Om Mathur, who is in-charge of the party's affairs in Uttar Pradesh, state unit chief Keshav Prasad Maurya, senior leaders Rameshwar Chaurasia and Shrikant Sharma, and others.

Maurya, who was Leader of Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, quit the BSP on June 22. He had accused Mayawati of "selling" party tickets and giving up the principles and ideology of party founder Kanshi Ram.

"His joining BJP would help us in countering the corrupt rule of the Samajwadi Party and the BSP," Keshav Prasad Maurya said.

The BJP state chief asserted that there will be no corrupt rule in the state and the party will come to power in 2017.
Ranchi, Aug 9 : The ruling BJP in Jharkhand is sharply divided over Chief Minister Raghubar Das's government's decision to make changes in two land legislations through ordinance.

Not just the Opposition but a section of the Bharatiya Janata Party legislators along with state BJP President Tala Marandi has expressed concern over the move.

The Das government has proposed changes in two land acts -- Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act (CNT) and Santhal Paragana Tenancy (SPT) Act. Both acts -- the CNT of 1908 and the SPT of 1949 -- protect the land rights of the tribal people and local residents.

Once the ordinance is signed by President Pranab Mukherjee and the changes are incorporated and made effective, the land now used only for mining and industries could also be used for roads, power, development work and other things.

State BJP President Tala Marandi said: "The ordinance was brought in a hurry. There is no need to amend the land acts. If proposed changes are made, then the identity of the tribals and Moolvasis will come under threat. I do not think that development work is hampered by either of the land acts".

Marandi's statement has put the state government in an embarrassing position.

Another BJP legislator, Shiva Sankar Oraon earlier said: "We were kept in the dark during Tribal Advisory Council meetings."

The main opposition party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's Executive President and former Chief Minister Hemant Soren said: "The land will be acquired for malls, cinema halls and other purposes. We cannot be mute spectators as this is a question of identity of the people of the state."

In July when the Opposition disrupted the monsoon session of assembly, a group of tribal BJP legislators had met the Chief Minister to express their concern.

The tribal and Moolvasi leaders within the BJP are also unhappy with Ragubar Das over the Domicile Policy brought in April this year and now this ordinance. Four Lok Sabha members had written letter to the Governor, demanding changes in the Domicile Policy.

A BJP tribal legislator told IANS: "Raghubar Das is playing with the sentiments of the Advasis and Moolvasi. He doesn't belong to either communities. His move will hurt the party as the opposition parties have united on both issues. The central leaders should intervene. The Chief Minister should focus on the governance."

The opposition parties and BJP alliance partner All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) have stepped up their agitation. The AJSU has launched 'Jan ki Baat', alleging that the state government is ignoring the party.
New Delhi, Aug 9 : The AAP on Tuesday branded Lt Governor Najeeb Jung as a threat to democracy after he reportedly suggested he could consider doing away with the Delhi assembly.

The Aam Aadmi Party also said that it smelt a larger "conspiracy" behind the continuing attacks on the Delhi government and said Jung would not have spoken this way without Prime Minister Narendra Modi's backing.

"This is definitely the voice of Modi," AAP leader Kumar Vishwas told the media.

Jung reportedly told an interviewer that he was willing to consider a proposal to do away with the Delhi assembly following a Delhi High Court ruling to give the Lt Governor the final say in matters of administration in the national capital.

"On the one hand, Modiji talks about cooperative federalism while on the other (LG) talks about dismissing the assembly. Such people are a threat to democracy," Kumar Vishwas said.

Kumar Vishwas, who rarely addresses the media despite being a confidant of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, said the LG had no power to scrap any legislature. This lay with parliament.

"We challenge the Modi government to get the proposal scrapping the Delhi assembly passed in parliament," he said. "Jung's threat to dissolve the Delhi assembly is tantamount to overriding the constitution."

The AAP leader said Modi was rattled by the party's expanding base in Punjab, Goa and Gujarat.

"It is a litmus test being done in Delhi by the Modi government to impose Emergency in the country," Kumar Vishwas said.

But he expressed confidence that just as the Supreme Court did in the case of Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, it would favour the elected government in Delhi too.

The AAP government is set to challenge the high court verdict in the apex court.

Kumar Vishwas also took objection to Jung's reported suggestion to Kejriwal to apologize to Modi for repeatedly attacking the Prime Minister.

Both Modi and Kejriwal, he said, were political personalities and one could always debate if the verbal attacks they have launched against each other was right or not.

But the Lt. Governor held a constitutional post and it was demeaning for him to make such a suggestion to Kejriwal, he said.

Asking Jung to shed his hatred for Kejriwal, the AAP leader said the Lt Governor must meditate to calm himself.

"Or if he wants to take on the AAP, he must resign as the LG and fight elections from any seat in Punjab," Kumar Vishwas said. "Or he can contest from any safe seat in Goa or Gujarat."

Earlier, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain accused Jung of "speaking the language of the Viceroy and Churchill" by suggesting that the Delhi assembly can be scrapped.

Jain also opposed Jung's reported order to senior officials in the Delhi government to send to him files that needed his signature.

Jung "has never fought any election, yet he has reached the top. It is but natural he will say this.

"The (British) Viceroy also used to say that India cannot be given complete independence," Jain said. "Winston Churchill used to say Indians cannot govern themselves.

"The Lt Governor is speaking the language of the Viceroy and Churchill."

Referring to Jung's order to senior officials in Delhi asking them to send files directly to him, Jain said this was "unconstitutional".

"In no way can the LG communicate directly with any officer. We will certainly abide by the (Delhi High) Court order. And the LG has the right to seek any file.

"But the files have to go through proper channels. He cannot order for any file directly and take any decision on his own," Jain said.
New Delhi, Aug 9 : With India-Africa trade turnover standing at $70 billion, India is now looking for inward investments from Africa, a senior official said on Tuesday.

"Total trade turnover between India and Africa is $70 billion," Amar Sinha, Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said at a curtainraiser here of the "I for Afrika" business networking event.

"We are not only looking at investing in Africa, we are also looking at African investments in India," Sinha said.

Organised by the Indo-African Chamber of Commerce (IACCI), the eighth edition of "I for Afrika" is also supported by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce and will be held in Mumbai from September 27 to 30.

The event is aimed at strengthening business partnerships between India and Africa with focus on sectors of high priority and enhancing capacity building initiatives and resources mobilisation programmes.

Sinha said that India was taking many steps to reinvigorate and re-energise ties with Africa.

In this connection, he referred to the high-level visits to nine African countries in the last six months -- to three countries by President Pranab Mukherjee, to two by Vice President Hamid Ansari and to four by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

With food security being one of the major areas of focus in India's ties with Africa, Sinha said that India would see if it could replicate the pulses import agreement it has signed with Mozambique.

During Prime Minister Modi's visit to Mozambique last month, India signed a memorandum of understanding with Mozambique to import 3.75 lakh tonnes of pulses over three years from the southeast African country.

Sinha also said that India expected a large number of African countries to join the India-initiated International Solar Alliance.

Manoj Dwivedi, Joint Secretary (Africa) in the Ministry of Commerce, said that Africa has 50 percent of the world's arable land but less than 10 percent was under cultivation.

He also said that India has offered duty-free access to its markets to 34 African countries.

Alem T. Woldmariam, Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Eritrea, said that Africa has a lot to offer to India in terms of investments.

"All sectors of the African economy are open for investments," he said.

According to Sunanda Rajendran, Secretary General of IACCI, in this year's "I for Afrika" event, over 400 business delegates will be brought together under one roof.
Srinagar, Aug 9 : Mobs attacked security forces with stones in three districts of the Kashmir Valley on Tuesday but there was no major injury to anyone in the clashes, officials said.

Police said that barring three incidents of stone pelting, the overall situation was normal.

"Except for three incidents of stone pelting by miscreants on police at Awantipora in Pulwama, Lalpora in Kupwara and Ajas in Bandipora, the overall situation in the valley remained under control," a police statement said.

But curfew was imposed in some parts of Srinagar and Anantnag town.

More than 55 people have been killed and thousands injured in street clashes that engulfed the Kashmir Valley since security forces shot dead a rebel commander on July 8.

Police said some people assembled near village Chursoo in Awantipora and tried to block the Jammu-Srinagar highway by pelting stones on vehicles.

Security forces reached the spot and chased the miscreants away.

A mob of 3,000 assembled near Jamia Masjid Lalpora in Kupwara and started stoning the security forces.

"Some militants were spotted in the mob," the statement said, adding that two persons were injured while dispersing the mob.

One of those injured in a stampede was referred to the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science (SKIMS) in Srinagar.

About 70 miscreants pelted stones on security forces at Ajas.

Authorities on Tuesday continued restrictions in south Kashmir while heavy deployment of security forces was made at other places to maintain law and order in the valley.

"The restrictions shall remain in force in Anantnag, Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama towns," a senior police officer told IANS.

"Heavy deployment of security forces has been made in Srinagar city, Badgam, Baramulla, Sopore, Kupwara and Handwara towns to maintain law and order."

The officer said bonafide movement of the civilians including officegoers, medical emergencies and travellers would not be covered by the restrictions anywhere in the Valley.

Businesses, markets, public transport, educational institutions and public transport, however, remained suspended for the 32nd consecutive day on Tuesday.

Protesters during the night resorted to heavy stone pelting on vehicular traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar highway.

The government has requested the army to secure highways and corridors leading to the valley to ensure safety of travellers and vehicles.

Train services between Baramulla and Jammu's Bannihal town have also remained suspended since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed, triggering widespread protests.
Estimados amigos,

Les doy cordialmente la bienvenida a este Blog informativo con articulos, analisis y comentarios de publicaciones especializadas y especialmente seleccionadas, principalmente sobre temas economicos, financieros y politicos de actualidad, que esperamos y deseamos, sean de su maximo interes, utilidad y conveniencia.

Pensamos que solo comprendiendo cabalmente el presente, es que podemos proyectarnos acertadamente hacia el futuro.

Las convicciones son mas peligrosos enemigos de la verdad que las mentiras.

There are decades when nothing happens and there are weeks when decades happen.

You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out.

No soy alguien que sabe, sino alguien que busca.

Only Gold is money. Everything else is debt.

Las grandes almas tienen voluntades; las debiles tan solo deseos.

Quien no lo ha dado todo no ha dado nada.

History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.

If you know the other and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.
Aden, Aug 9 : At least 15 workers of a food factory including six women, were killed and eight wounded in a series of Saudi-led airstrikes in Sanaa on Tuesday.

The airstrikes destroyed two food factories in Nahda quarter near the information ministry in downtown Sanaa, Xinhua news agency reported.

Sanaa is under the control of the Shia Houthi group and allies of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The main mountain bridge road linking Sanaa and the southern provinces was destroyed, cutting off travel and food supplies between them.

Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen's conflict in March 2015, nearly six months after the Houthi group and Saleh forces stormed Sanaa and drove out the internationally recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to exile.

The intervention triggered a more devastating civil war that has so far claimed over 6,400 lives and displaced more than two million people.

The deadly military escalation came four days after the UN peace talks in Kuwait between Yemeni parties broke down.
Ranchi, Aug 9 : Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das and state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Tala Marani were summoned by the central BJP leaders to discuss issues related to the organisation and government, a party leader said on Tuesday.

Deep resentment is prevailing in BJP after Marandi announced his team on Sunday.

Four BJP leaders nominated to key posts have resigned. They include Meera Munda, wife of former Chief Minister Arjun Munda who quit as the party's vice president and Ganesh Mishra and Ajay Nath Sahdeo, who quit as general secretaries.

The state BJP president announced the team without approval of the central party leaders. Jharkhand BJP in-charge Trivendra Singh Rawat has also termed the development unfortunate.

"Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das and party president has been summoned by the central party leaders to discuss the organisational issues. The central leaders of the party are also unhappy with the party president's statement over change made in two land acts through ordinance," a BJP leader told IANS.

Raghubar Das went to New Delhi on Tuesday afternoon.

Sources in the party said that the team announced by state president may be dissolved.
New Delhi, Aug 9 : Miffed with his BJP MPs for not taking his directives "seriously", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked them to put in efforts to make the Tiranga Yatra a success and send a daily report card of their activities, sources said.

Speaking at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary party meeting here, Modi expressed his "unhappiness" over MPs not submitting report cards of their work during the last two years.

Sources said Modi had last month asked party MPs to submit the report card of their work during the last two years but more than 25 percent of them didn't respond.

According to sources, the MPs were asked to give details of the work done by them in their respective constituencies, details of the beneficiaries of different central government schemes, status of Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, matters raised in parliament related to their constituencies and expenditure through MPLAD scheme.

"Now, take this Tiranga Yatra seriously. Send online report to party president everyday. Don't give excuses," a source quoted Modi as saying at the meeting.

Modi asked the BJP MPs to highlight the contributions of freedom fighters and martyrs among school children during the fortnight-long celebrations of India's 70th Independence Day.

He also released a theme song "70 Saal Azadi, Yaad Karo Kurbani" for the Tiranga Yatra being organised to mark the 70th anniversary of India's Independence from British rule.

"Prime Minister has asked the party MPs to highlight the contributions of freedom fighters and martyrs among school children. He said the Yatra will spread the message of harmony and MPs need to work hard to make it successful," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters after the meeting.

Kesiraju Srinivas, popularly known as Ghazal Srinivas, who holds the record for singing in most languages, has composed the song, he said.

The CD of the song will be released soon in all the regional languages.

Modi also urged party MPs to publicise the legislative work accomplished during the monsoon session of parliament so far, including the passage of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, Ananth Kumar said.
Kiev, Aug 10 : Igor Plotnytsky, the leader of independence-seeking insurgents in Ukraine's eastern Lugansk region, said he came back to work three days after surviving an assassination attempt.

"The work of the authorities continues in the usual mode and I participate in the meetings and conferences on a regular basis," Plotnytsky said in a statement published by the insurgent-run Lugansk information centre.

In his statement, the leader of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic (LNR) urged the public not to trust the "toxic rumours" about the deterioration of his health.

Plotnytsky was injured on Saturday morning when an explosive device went off near his car and he was hospitalised in Lugansk.

The Ukrainian security authorities suggested that Plotnytsky was in serious condition, while the self-styled Health minister of the self-proclaimed LNR Larysa Airapetyan said that the wounds were not life-threatening.

Plotnytsky has blamed the Ukrainian government for the explosion, while Kiev has denied the charges, saying it was not implicated in the blast.

Since April 2014, the Ukrainian army and rebels have been engaged in a military conflict in eastern Ukraine that has killed some 9,400 people so far.
New Delhi, Aug 10 : The Embassy harks to a time gone by and narrates a culinary journey of recipes ranging from Karachi in what is now Pakistan to India's national capital. It is this legacy that the restaurant promises to offer every time you step in.

As Savar Malhotra, the brand's Managing Partner, put it, The Embassy is "not a restaurant but a museum for stories".

There is love and friendship tempered with various spices in the food story of The Embassy, which came into existence after two friends travelled from Karachi to India following independence.

"This place was started by my grandfather who came to India from Karachi with his friend. They came here and opened it; so it is based on friendship," Malhotra told IANS.

Tucked away in a corner of central Delhi's Connaught Place, The Embassy has stood the test of time and is a part of the capital's food culture since 1948.

Soft and subtle music greets you as you take your table, set in a stylish dAcor with arched colonial windows.

The culinary sojourn for me started here on a patriotic note with the signature paneer tikka -- an ode to the national flag with tikka splashed with the three colours. It's been a part of the menu since 1992.

The cottage cheese melts in your mouth with minimal marination and is low on spices. Considering I am not a big fan of paneer, it fared well on my 'tasteometer'. You can also dig into a fresh cheese cutlet, which is sinful but worth every nibble.

Also try the Embassy Samosa, a part of the menu since it opened its doors.

Non-vegetarians need not be disappointed. There is an array of options for you -- tandoori chicken, chicken papad, murg mussallam, dal meat, chicken masala and tomato fish.

If we talk about fish, then it is soft and succulent, but the dish can be a disappointment for many. The sauce can be too tangy (if you are not a fan of tomatoes), and chips can be soggy. Murg mussallam offers you chicken in thick gravy and is bland and creamy.

One thing that you cannot miss is the channa bhatura. The bhaturas are soft, and channa flavourful and dry.

Dal meat is another hit item here. There is a bit of a crunch in the dish, and it goes well with the softness of the meat. It gets a zing from 'garam masala'.

Since the restaurant's name carries a legacy, Malhotra says it is not easy to maintain it as patrons don't enjoy any customisation to the taste of the food they have been serving for years.

He admits this restriction may be hindering their creativity as, for them, it's not just about "serving food, but memories".

Malhotra says patrons have come and gone over the years.

"With time, many seats keep on getting empty. That is the most depressing part. For instance, there was a table for four, it became three and now it is down to two people (as the rest passed away)."

Now Malhotra is planning to take the legacy of the restaurant across the country.

"We will expand soon in Lucknow, Hyderabad and in Delhi's Janakpuri. There are three models in our mind -- cafe, QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) and fine dining with lounge.

"We don't want to replicate this place, but take some dishes and introduce them to other places. We plan to open one branch in every state in the next five years," he said.

FAQs:

Address: 11 D Connaught Place, on the radial road

Price: (for two) Rs 1,200 plus taxes

Timings: 11 am to 11 pm

(The writer's visit was at the invitation of The Embassy. Sugandha Rawal can be contacted at sugandha.r@ians.in)
Islamabad, Aug 10 : Islamabad has issued an alert for a possible attack at the India-Pakistan border in Punjab province.

Pakistan's National Counter Terrorism Authority on Tuesday, in a letter to Home Secretary of Punjab, said: "Reportedly, Tehreek-e-Taliban, Fazal Ullah group is planning to target parade at Wagah border in Lahore or Ganda Singh Border in Kasur on August 13, 14 or 15."

It also said at least two suicide bombers have been dispatched to carry an attack on the border.

"Extreme vigilence and heightened security measures are suggested to avoid any untoward incident," it said in a statement.

Security have been heightened in Pakistan ahead of August 14, the country's Independence Day.

Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will chair a high level security meeting on Wednesday to discuss the National Action Plan.

Talking to Dawn, a government official privy to the meeting, said a point-wise discussion was expected with the top brass.

"Everything under the sun which has something to do with NAP implementation will be taken up and discussed," said the official.
New Delhi, Aug 10 : The Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) has collaborated with the Development Commissioner (DC) Handlooms to reinvent indigenous crafts executed by handloom weavers through effective skill development.

The Ministry of Textiles, headed by Textiles Minister Smriti Irani, announced a revival strategy for the handloom industry on National Handloom Day, observed on August 7.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will facilitate designer intervention at selected Weavers Service Centers across India was also signed between Alok Kumar, Development Commissioner Handlooms, and FDCI President Sunil Sethi, read a statement.

FDCI designers Rajesh Pratap Singh, Anju Modi, Rakesh Thakore, Rina Dhaka, Rahul Mishra, Abhishek Gupta, Samant Chauhan and Shruti Sancheti were present for the function in Varanasi.

They were allocated their Weaver Service Centers/handloom clusters in selected parts of the country.

Designers will impart professional training in design development at various Weaver Service Centers across the country.

The strategy has been devised with the long-term goal of making the handloom weaver an entrepreneur, through knowledge sharing and resource optimisation.
New Delhi, Aug 10 : A Delhi woman in her 30s was gang-raped in Gurgaon by two of her friends while returning from a party, police said on Wednesday. One of the accused has been arrested.

The incident took place on the night of August 7-8, a police officer told IANS here.

"The woman went to a party in Gurgaon with two friends who started molesting her on their way back to Delhi. When she resisted, they became violent and thrashed her and threw her out of the moving car after which she became unconscious," the women informed police.

The woman was then raped while she was unconscious and dumped along the Delhi-Gurgaon road, the officer said.

The culprits, however, came back, picked her up and took her to a private hospital in Delhi. They then dropped her at her house in Ambedkar Nagar in south Delhi at 4 a.m. on Monday.

They threatened her with dire consequences if she revealed she had been raped.

The woman approached the police on Monday evening. The police arrested one of the accused on Tuesday while the other was absconding.
Washington, Aug 10 : A solar storm that jammed radar and radio communications at the height of the Cold War could have led to a disastrous military conflict if not for the US Air Force's efforts to monitor the Sun's activity, say US researchers.

On May 23, 1967, the Air Force prepared aircraft for war, thinking the nation's surveillance radars in polar regions were being jammed by the Soviet Union.

Just in time, military space weather forecasters conveyed information about the solar storm's potential to disrupt radar and radio communications.

The planes remained on the ground and the US avoided a potential nuclear weapons exchange with the Soviet Union, researchers added.

Retired US Air Force officers involved in forecasting the storm collectively describe the event publicly for the first time in a new paper accepted for publication in Space Weather, a journal of the American Geophysical Union.

"The storm's potential impact on society was largely unknown until these individuals came together to share their stories," said Delores Knipp, space physicist at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

On May 18, 1967, an unusually large group of sunspots with intense magnetic fields appeared in one region of the Sun.

As the solar flare event unfolded on May 23, radars at all three Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS) sites in the far Northern Hemisphere were disrupted.

These radars, designed to detect incoming Soviet missiles, appeared to be jammed.

Any attack on these stations - including jamming their radar capabilities - was considered an act of war.

The geomagnetic storm, which began about 40 hours after the solar flare and radio bursts, went on to disrupt US radio communications in almost every conceivable way for almost a week, according to the new study.

It was so strong that the Northern Lights, usually only seen in or near the Arctic Circle, were visible as far south as New Mexico.

Knipp was set to make a presentation about the event at the High Altitude Observatory at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, this week.
Beijing, Aug 10 : Myanmar Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi will on August 17 visit China for four days, her first one to Beijing after taking office, a media report said on Wednesday.

Suu Kyi will be welcomed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang, Efe news reported.

Suu Kyi, currently the de facto leader of Myanmar, remained under home detention for 15 years during the three decades of military rule which had China as its practically only supporter.

Beijing's support is considered crucial to end Myanmar's ethnic conflict that often spills over across the border to China.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie "flat out lied" when, during a December 2013 press conference, he told reporters that his aides weren't involved in closing two of three George Washington Bridge access lanes in Fort Lee, New Jersey, according to text messages between staffers disclosed as part of the federal prosecution of some of them.

At the press conference, this is what the Republican governor was telling journalists about the act of retaliation against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich for failing to endorse him:

Reporter: Governor, can you say with certainty that someone else didnt, on your staff or in your administration, act on your behalf for the lane closures for political retribution? Christie: Yeah, I have absolutely no reason to believe that, Angie, and Ive made it very clear to everybody on my senior staff, that if anyone had any knowledge about this that they needed to come forward to me and tell me about it, and theyve all assured me that they dont. Reporter: Your campaign chief? Christie: Oh, yeah. Ive spoken to [Bill] Stepien, whos the person in charge of the campaign, and he has assured me the same thing.

According to lawyers for William Baroni, a former top Port Authority official being prosecuted for his alleged role in the lane closures, Christie aide Christina Renna was watching the presser and texting fellow staffer Peter Sheridan the following:

Renna: Are you listening? He just flat out lied about senior staff and Stepien not being involved. Sheridan: Im listening. Sheridan: Gov is doing fine. Holding his own up there. Renna: Yes. But he lied. And if emails are found with the subpoena or ccfg emails are uncovered in discovery if it comes to that it could be bad.



Former Port Authority deputy executive director William Baroni (Getty)

Baroni's lawyers wrote that Renna apparently deleted 54 days of texts with Sheridan, including this exchange, after she had been subpoenaed, and falsely testified before the legislature that she had not held back anything from state investigators even though she had failed to turn over the messages. The exchange came to light through the material that Sheridan turned over, according to the filing.

The motion seeks to spread the blame around rather than, as Baroni's lawyers put it, "lay the actions of everyone at Mr. Baroni's feet." Baroni is charged alongside former Christie deputy chief of staff Bridget Anne Kelly, with conspiracy, fraud, and other crimes related to the bridge closure scheme.

Another former Port Authority official, David Wildstein, has already pleaded guilty to two conspiracy counts and admitted that the lane closures were meant to "punish" Sokolich, and were timed for the first day of school for greater impact.

Federal prosecutors are also seeking to include evidence that Baroni and others sought to punish Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop for disloyalty. In one email to an unknown person, subject line: "Re: Text from Fulop," Wildstein wrote, "Built a few emergency exits into deal and can screw him in less than an hour."

Lawyers for Baroni want the evidence related to the Jersey City maneuvering excluded, claiming it's irrelevant to the charges. They also want evidence kept out regarding children being late for school as a result of the four days of lane closures, the effects of the bridge closure on the efforts to find a missing child, and records of ambulance responses during that period. Video of Baroni's testimony before the New Jersey legislature should also be excluded, they say, because it's "political theater" and "unduly prejudicial."

Here's a clip of what they're talking about:

Here's more of that hearing.

The lawyers argue further that prosecutors are ignoring incriminating evidence, such as the "flat out lied" text, that point to other people's culpability. Renna has resigned, but not publicly been charged with a crime.

The Port Authority has said that Baroni deleted key records relating to former Port Authority chairman David Samson shaking down United Airlines to keep running a money-losing flight to South Carolina, where he has a home. Samson pleaded guilty to taking bribes last month.

Christie called Samson's crime "one lapse in judgement," and said, "David Samson's my friend and always will be."
New Delhi, Aug 10 : An extended weekend around Independence Day has many Delhiites planning short holidays -- with the quaint towns of the Himalayan foothills proving to be favoured destinations, though some are even venturing abroad.

Easily accessible hill stations in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh top the list, with most preferring road trips instead of the overnight trains and buses.

"I am going to Manali in Himachal Pradesh with my friends. This is a perfect extended weekend for such a trip," Chetan Jaiswal, a government employee, told IANS.

And he is, of course, driving. "It is always an amazing experience to drive on serpentine roads, so I have decided to drive myself to Manali," Jaiswal added.

The extended, three-day weekend, which starts on Saturday (August 13), is followed by Sunday and Independence Day on Monday (August 15). All government as well as most private offices will remain closed on Saturday, a second Saturday.

For government employees, the break can be made even longer if they take a day's leave on Friday (August 12), or add two days leave on Tuesday and Wednesday -- August 16 and 17 -- as August 18 is Raksha Bandhan, a restricted holiday.

For those in the private sector, a four-day leave request (from Tuesday, August 16, to Friday, August 19) can result in an impressive nine-day break from August 13 to August 21.

According to those in the travel trade, apart from the hill stations, other hot destinations include Jaipur, Udaipur and Goa. Some are also choosing to fly to foreign countries like Sri Lanka, Thailand, Hong Kong and Malaysia that are short flights away.

A bank professional, Yashwardhan Verma says that he is planning to spend the weekend in Sri Lanka.

"I am visiting Sri Lanka with friends. Hill stations would be very crowded and the pristine beaches of Sri Lanka are always a favourite destination for me, so I chose it over the hills," Verma told IANS.

Akshay Gupta, a quality control analyst, says that though his first choice was Kashmir, he decided instead to visit the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu.

"I wish I could visit Srinagar and Gulmerg, but unfortunately due to the unrest in the valley I had to leave this idea. I have decided to visit Vaishno Devi shrine during the extended weekend," Gupta told IANS.

In view of the demand, travel operators are offering an array of holiday packages for the long weekend.

They say bookings are heavy for nearby hill stations such as Lansdowne, a tranquil place in the Garhwal hills; Manali, a pretty alpine hill station in Himachal Pradesh; Dalhousie, a postcard-pretty destination; and others like Mcleodganj, Tirthan, Nainital, and Shimla, the Queen of Hills.

Rohit Garhwal, Associate Vice President (Sales and Operations) of online holiday operator TravelTriangle.com, says that the days when travelling was restricted to a once-a-year activity are gone. More and more people prefer long weekends to break the monotony of their hectic daily schedules.

"We have received a tremendous response for our weekend trips so far, which provides our travellers with an extremely cost-efficient adventure-filled weekend getaway."

"Weekend vacations are practical, economical, and do not require tedious planning and they provide instant satisfaction too. With the upcoming long weekend, we are offering travellers not one but numerous short weekend getaway options which include a mix of popular and hidden destinations," Garhwal added.

Ashok Thakur of Himachal Yatra Tours says that the extended weekend is witnessing a 70 per cent surge in the number of tourists opting for hill stations.

"This time we are witnessing 70 per cent increase in the number of tourists who wish to visit hill stations this extended weekend. Seeing huge demand, we are offering special tour packages for places like Kullu-Manali, Mcleodganj, Kasauli, Shimla, etc.," Thakur told IANS.

(Ashish Mishra can be contacted at ashish.m@ians.in)
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 10 : The Kerala government will celebrate Onam festival on September 3 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Addressing reporters here, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the list of invitees would include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Hamid Ansari and senior political leaders.

"Ministers, legislators and MPs from Kerala will also take part," he said.
Ranchi, Aug 10 : Jharkhand BJP President Tala Marandi seems to have again rubbed his party's central and state leaders the wrong way, this time by his opposition to an ordinance and announcement regarding his team in the state party unit.

Both Marandi and Chief Minister Raghubar Das were summoned to Delhi by the central BJP leadership on Tuesday, where they met party president Amit Shah, apart from other party leaders.

"The party's image has suffered a huge blow due to Tala Marandi. He has failed to work in coordination with the Chief Minister and win the hearts of party leaders. The central leaders are unhappy with Marandi. His new team may be dissolved and he could also be replaced," a senior BJP leader told IANS.

Marandi, a tribal leader, was earlier in the news after his son Munna Marandi allegedly married a minor girl in June.

Munna was also accused by a tribal girl of sexual exploitation, following which the girl with whom his marriage was fixed refused to tie the knot with Munna.

Tala Marandi, who was appointed the BJP state unit chief as a counterbalance to Raghubar Das' appointment as the non-tribal Chief Minister of Jharkhand, is said to have miffed the central party leadership with his working style.

Marandi has opposed the state government's decision to amend the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act and Santhala Pargana Tenancy Act to facilitate land acquisition for certain development projects. The state government has sent an ordinance to this effect to the President of India for approval.

These Acts were originally formulated to protect the land rights of the tribals and local residents.

Marandi had said: "The ordinance was brought in a hurry. There is no need to amend the land Acts. If the proposed changes are made, the identity of the tribals and moolvasis will come under threat. I do not think development is hampered by both the Acts."

Deep resentment is said to prevail in the Jharkhand BJP after Marandi announced his team on Sunday. Four BJP leaders appointed to key posts resigned, including Meera Munda, who is the wife of former Chief Minister Arjun Munda, as state unit vice-president and Ajay Nath Sahdeo as secretary.
Moscow, Aug 10 : Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier have exchanged views on Syria and Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

The two ministers spoke on phone and discussed the situation in Syria and international efforts to settle the country's conflict, Xinhua news agency reported.

The ministry said on Tuesday that their discussion focused on ways to resume the inclusive dialogue between the government and the Opposition within the framework of the Geneva process.

They also discussed the Minsk-2 package of measures designed to implement the Minsk agreements for settling the Ukraine crisis.

"They stressed the need to synchronise steps on the way to a political settlement of the intra-Ukrainian conflict with the solution of security issues," the ministry said.
New Delhi, Aug 10 : Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said that "whatever is happening in the Kashmir Valley is sponsored by Pakistan".

Singh said this after a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the situation in Kashmir.

"When I visited Srinagar and Anantnag on July 23 and 24, I met about 30 delegations from different walks of life and discussed the Kashmir issue," he said.

He also said that the separatists have been calling for shutdowns in the Kashmir Valley.

"I am not saying that people living in Kashmir are leading a normal life but the state government is trying its best to provide basic facilities," Rajnath added.
Srinagar, Aug 10 : The first batch of 340 Haj pilgrims left for Saudi Arabia on Wednesday on a direct flight from summer capital Srinagar.

They left Srinagar on an Air India direct flight to Madina.

State Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti saw off the first batch of pilgrims at the Srinagar international airport.

Mehbooba Mufti asked the pilgrims to pray for peace and prosperity in the trouble-torn state.

State Haj and Auqaf Minister Farooq Andrabi and senior civil and police officers were present when the Chief Minister saw off the pilgrims.

In the evening another flight left with 341 pilgrims for Saudi Arabia.

This year, 6,457 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir are scheduled to perform the holiest Muslim pilgrimage.

Two fights will operate daily for 20 days to carry the pilgrims to Madina.

Arrangements for transportation, boarding and lodging, luggage check in and security have been made for the pilgrims at Srinagar Haj House.

At the airport arrangements have been made for smooth and prompt screening of baggage, refreshment, food, Nimaz, distribution of travel documents and issuance of boarding passes.
Riyadh, Aug 10 : Yemen's Shia Houthi rebel group said it fired two ballistic missiles against military targets in Saudi border cities on Wednesday, according to the Houthi-controlled Saba news agency.

One missile struck an air defence base in Saudi Arabia's Khamis Mushait city, while the second destroyed a military camp in Abha city, Xinhua news agency cited the rebel group as saying.

The attack comes only two days after the Saudi-led military coalition supporting the Yemeni exiled government stepped up its air campaign against Houthi rebels, following the collapse of the US-sponsored peace talks in Kuwait between the warring factions.

Houthi rebels said that Saudi warplanes launched over 50 sorties on Wednesday targeting the Nehem district, northeast of the capital city of Sanaa.

Riyadh-based coalition spokesman Ahmed Aseeri said air operations supporting Yemeni government troops advanced into the district of Nehem, in preparation for advancing into Sanaa next.

Houthi rebels and allied forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh have controlled Sanaa since 2014, after forcing the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile.

The Saudi-led coalition intervened in March 2015 to help restore the internationally recognized Hadi government.

Coalition airstrikes and fighting on the ground had left more than 6,400 persons dead, the majority of which were civilians.
Ankara, Aug 10 : Turkey and Russia have agreed to build a mechanism on Syria which includes officials from the intelligence services, foreign ministries and armed forces, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said here on Wednesday.

Cavusoglu said the first bilateral meeting of this mechanism will be held in St. Petersburg on Thursday, Xinhua news agency cited from Anadolu news Agency.

The formation of the mechanism was agreed during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.

"We are building a strong mechanism with Russia regarding Syria, " Cavusoglu said. "We think alike on the cease-fire, humanitarian aid and a political solution."

Turkish National Intelligence Organisation Chief Hakan Fidan and representatives from Turkey's Foreign Ministry and the Turkish Armed Forces will depart for Russia on Wednesday, Cavusoglu said.

He said the pilots involved in the downing of a Russian jet on November 24, 2015, which led to a crisis in bilateral ties, were in custody for their ties with the so-called Gulen Terrorist Organisation, a reference to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Turkey accuses Gulen of masterminding a July 15 coup attempt and had called for his extradition from the US.

The shooting down of the Russian jet led to a freeze in relations of the two countries, including economic sanctions and a bar on Russian tourism to Turkey, which thawed in June after Erdogan wrote to his counterpart and the two later spoke on telephone.

Putin gave his support to Turkey over the coup attempt and said he stood by the elected government, offering his condolences to the victims of the failed coup.
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 10 : The mood was sombre as the top brass of the Congress-led United Democratic Front met here on Wednesday minus the presence of one of its founders K.M. Mani -- for the first time in 34 years, after the party bid goodbye to the alliance on Sunday.

"We never ever thought Mani would leave us without even airing his grouse. Since they had said that they will have no qualms to share power at the local bodies with us, we also have decided to maintain status quo. We have nothing against him (Mani). We wish he had discussed whatever issues he had with us," said UDF chairman and leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala.

Mani, whose party Kerala Congress (Mani) -- the third biggest ally of the UDF, on Sunday shocked many by deciding to quit the alliance, saying they were feeling suffocated.

"Since Congress is leading the UDF, we will sit down with each of our allies later this month to discuss all issues," said Chennithala and dropped enough hints that they really miss Mani. And despite a volley of question, he never disowned Mani.

The Indian Union Muslim League - the second biggest ally of the UDF - blamed the internal bickering of the Congress party for the issues in the UDF and asked them to sort out it.

While Mani has categorically said that his party will maintain an equidistant policy with the three fronts, the general impression in the UDF is that efforts should be taken to mollify Mani and get him back into the UDF, which faced a massive drubbing in the assembly polls.
Agartala, Aug 10 : Ruling CPI-M in Tripura on Wednesday said West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee indulged in complete falsehood against Tripura and Left Front government.

"Mamata Banerjee in her speech in Agartala on Tuesday indulged in total falsehood against Tripura and Left Front government. We challenge her to prove her bogus claims against Tripura," Communist Party of India-Marxist state secretary Bijan Dhar said.

"Without knowing anything, Mamata Banerjee provided false information on health, agriculture, education, social welfare, tribals, scheduled caste people and other aspects. She insulted the people of Tripura," he said.

Dhar, a CPI-M central committee member, said Banerjee had no role in expansion of railway line in Tripura, even when she was the railway minister.

On Tuesday, Banerjee urged the people of Tripura to oust the Left Front government in the state in 2018 assembly election. She also claimed that as the railway minister in 2010, she had sanctioned railway projects for Tripura, while the CPI-M, Congress and BJP did nothing in this regard.

"After a long struggle since 1949, the meter gauge railway line got extended up to Agartala in October 2008," the Left leader said, adding that Banerjee falsified facts when she said that the Left Front government came to power with a tacit understanding with the central leaders of the Congress.

"Banerjee claimed that she has established 41 super speciality hospitals in West Bengal. But in reality not a single such hospital was set up during her rule so far," Dhar said.

He said the Left Front government in Tripura is the first in India to enact a law dealing with the illegal chit fund companies.

"However, Banerjee portrayed different picture to malign the Left Front government in Tripura," Dhar added.

"In literacy, Tripura is the number one state in the country with the current literacy rate of 96.82 per cent. The state has huge made huge progress and got awards from the central government in the fields of health, agriculture, education, social welfare, panchayati raj, tribals and other sectors," he stressed.

He said the Left Front government has introduced 25 social schemes benefiting 312,000 persons and giving rice at Rs 2 per kg to 25 lakh persons since September 2015.
We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2022. Donate today
New Delhi, Aug 10 : The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved foreign investment under the automatic route in non-banking finance companies (NBFCs)/Other Financial Services.

The Cabinet meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

As per the government's decision, the Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of Security by the Person Resident Outside India) regulations on the NBFC will be amended to allow inflow of foreign investments under the automatic route.

However, such entitites shoud be governed by financial sector regulators like the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Securities and Exchang Board of India (SEBI), the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) and others.

"Foreign investment in "Other Financial Services", which are not regulated by any regulators/government agency, can be made on approval route," the government said.

The government has also eliminated minimum capitalisation norms stipulated under the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy as the limit has been prescribed by financial sector regulators.

"This will induce FDI and spur economic activities. It will cover the whole of India and is not limited to any state/districts," the government said.

The Cabinet decision came after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his 2016-17 Budget speech announced that the FDI will be allowed beyond the 18 specified NBFC activities in the automatic route in other activities which are regulated by the financial sector regulators.

The present regulations governing the NBFCs stipulates that the FDI would be allowed through the automatic route for only 18 specified NBFC activities after fulfilling prescribed minimum capitalisation norms.
Bali (Indonesia), Aug 10 : Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said that there was need for an international legal framework to combat terrorism.

"In order to address the menace of terrorism, a strong international legal framework is the need of the hour," said Rijiju at the International Meeting on Counter Terrorism.

He also said that the nations must expedite finalisation of Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism under the United Nations.

He added, "There is a need for increasing the effectiveness and transparency of procedures for effective implementation and better coherence between various UN counter terrorism structures."

He said that the will and the mandate of international community against wanted terrorists and their organisations must be respected and implemented.

"If the world community is to rid themselves of the terrorism, we will have to rid ourselves of the notion of making distinctions between good and bad terrorists."

"No type of terror activity or support to it can be justified on any grounds whatsoever. Only then justice will be delivered for the victims of terrorist attacks," Rijiju said.

He asked for action against those who support terrorists or any terrorist organisation.

"A terrorist anywhere is a terrorist everywhere. Those who provide support, encouragement, sanctuary, safe haven or any assistance to terrorism or terrorists must be isolated," he said.

He added: "Strongest possible steps need to be taken not only against terrorists and terrorist organisations but also against those individuals, institutions, organisations or nations that support them."

He said that India has adopted multi-pronged approach to counter cross-border terrorism.

"India, which has been a victim of cross-border terrorism for decades. The government (of India) has strengthened border management through multi-tired deployment along international borders/Line of Control and international routes," he said.
Islamabad, Aug 10 : Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told the National Assembly on Wednesday that his government will pursue the fight against terrorism with more vigour, two days after a suicide bomber killed at least 74 people in the southwestern city of Quetta.

Islamic State and a breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack on August 8 that also prompted high level security meetings to explore ways to counter the threat by terrorists who are now killing civilians.

Sarfaraz Bugti, Home Minister of Balochistan, of which Quetta is the capital, claimed the involvement of a "foreign hand" to destabilize the natural resources-rich province.

The Prime Minister, delivering statement on the Quetta terrorist attack in the lower house of Parliament, called for national unity to defeat terrorists "who are targeting innocent people in sheer frustration".

"I want to announce in the parliament that the nation is united in the war against terrorism and this war will be taken to its logical conclusion at all costs."

Opposition leader, Syed Khurshid Shah, and other lawmakers who spoke on the occasion said the Quetta carnage has shocked the whole nation and underlined the need for effective implementation of the anti-terror National Action Plan.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali informed parliament about the progress in investigation into the attack.

"We have found some clues regarding the terrorist bombing that have been shared with the Prime Minister," he said.

"I am confident to reach the perpetrators soon," the minister said, adding that the terrorists conducted the blast in a very scientific manner.

A suicide bomber detonated his vest when lawyers gathered outside the city's main hospital to receive the dead body of their president who was killed by a militant group just hours earlier. Police say over 20 lawyers were among those killed in the attack.

Sharif told the lawmakers that terrorist incidents cannot deter the resolve of the nation in the fight against terrorism.

"We will move forward with full strength and completely eliminate terrorism from the country. We will have to defeat this ideology because they are the enemy of the country," he said.
New Delhi, Aug 10 : SpiceJet on Wednesday said that it will only use domestic MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) facilities for it fleet in the very near future.

This comes after the budget passenger carrier entered into a MoU (memorandum of understanding) with Air India on Tuesday to use its MRO facility at Nagpur.

Under the agreement, Air India will provide support to SpiceJet for maintaining its Boeing 737 aircraft and landing gear replacement at Air India Engineering Services Limited's (AIESL) MRO facility at Nagpur.

"It is expected that, we will be able to send our aircraft to Air India's MRO facility within 2-3 months," Arun Kashyap, Vice President, Engineering and Maintenance, SpiceJet told IANS.

"After this MoU comes into effect, SpiceJet will not require to send its aircraft for MRO purposes abroad."

According to Kashyap, the budget passenger carrier will use India-based MRO facilities of Air India, GMR and Air Works for its fleet of 42 aircraft.

"This MoU will allow us to make substantial savings," Kashyap said.

"Not just our current fleet but also our new aircraft are expected to be serviced in India."

Kashyap disclosed that the airline is in active discussion with global manufacturers to acquire around 100 or more aircraft.

Indian passenger carriers send their aircraft abroad for MRO purposes due to lack of domestic capacity in the sector. However, the government has been actively promoting domestic MRO sector.

Currently, the MRO business of Indian carriers is pegged around Rs 5,000 crore, 90 per cent of which is spent abroad.

In the budget for 2016-17, customs duty on parts consumed by the sector was rationalised and the procedure for clearance of goods simplified.

The recently passed National Civil Aviation Policy also proposes to promote the sector.

Air India on its part said that the MoU will result in generation of additional revenue.

H.R. Jagannathan, Chief Exceutive of AIESL said that Air India is always ready to be a part of the Make in India programme.
New Delhi, Aug 10 : The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the transfer of land belonging to the Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation (IISWC) Research Centre at Chandigarh to Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA).

The land would be utilised for constructing a 60-metre peripheral master road at the Mansa Devi Complex in Panchkula town.

A decision to this effect was taken at the Cabinet meeting here chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an official statement said.

The transfer of 13,290.30 square meters of land was done at the rate applicable as on date.

The decision is also part of the government's plans to boost infrastructure in key sectors for pushing the overall economic growth, it added.

The transfer of land for construction of peripheral master road in the Mansa Devi Complex, Panchkula, will usher in growth and development in the region and thus lead to more employment generation, it added.
New Delhi, Aug 10 : Delhi government will start tests for dengue at all its mohalla clinics from next month, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Wednesday.

"Dengue tests will begin at all our 105 mohalla clinics in the city from September 1. Dengue tests will be performed at 255 places including mohalla clinics, Aam Aadmi Polyclinic and government hospitals," Jain told reporters.

Giving an account of the patients attending the mohalla clinics till July 31, 2016, Jain said that as many as 7,99,701 patients were attended to at 105 mohalla clinics.

"We are committed to provide world class health amenities to the residents of Delhi. We will open total 1,000 mohalla clinics by the year end. Through mohalla clinics we are successfully providing better medical facilities at the grassroot level," Jain added.

He further said, "We set a target of attending one crore patients at all our mohalla clinics in the year 2017."
Los Angeles, Aug 11 : Actor Robert Downey Jr has welcomed Tom Hiddleston to Instagram with a post related to the "Thor" star's girlfriend Taylor Swift.

Downey Jr posted a shot of Swift's beau from his Fourth of July vacation (during which he was clicked wearing a I heart T.S. tank top) and wrote a hilarious caption, reports eonline.com.

"Join me in welcoming the biggest T. Stark fan of them all to Instagram!"

Hiddleston recently joined the social media platform and posted his debut shot in his Marvel character Loki.

"He's back," he wrote presumably from the set of "Thor: Ragnarok", currently shot in Australia.

Hiddleston has already garnered almost a half of a million followers on Instagram.
An NYPD pilot project that will eventually outfit 1,000 beat officers with body cameras is several months behind schedule, according to the latest update from the police department's federal monitor. Court documents filed Tuesday in Manhattan [PDF] show that the NYPD has yet to pick a contractor for the cameras, even though the project was scheduled for implementation this fall. The approval process is expected to take four-to-six months, and ordering and delivery will take longer still.

"The [body camera] procurement process is taking longer than the NYPD initially anticipated," wrote Peter Zimroth, the NYPD's court-appointed federal monitor, in a status report this week. "The Department currently foresees choosing a vendor in mid- to late August 2016. It then estimates an additional four to six months before a contract is officially registered."

"Once a contract is in place, delivery will not be instant, as the vendor will have to prepare and deliver cameras and software to meet NYPD specifications," he added.

Zimroth said that the NYPD received 50 proposals from different body camera manufacturers last September, a larger-than-anticipated applicant pool. He said that the NYPD is carefully assessing the cost of implementation.

The NYPD plans to pick its vendor in the coming weeks, and will then seek approvals from city departments and agencies including the Mayor's Office of Contract Services, the Mayor's Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Investigation, the Deputy Mayor, and the Comptroller's office.

The NYPD's body camera pilot program debuted on a much smaller scale in December 2014, as part of the five-year oversight and reform plan outlined in the landmark federal stop-and-frisk trial, Floyd v. City of New York. That winter the NYPD outfitted a handful of officers in one precinct per boroughspecifically, precincts with the highest concentration of stop and frisks.

A public survey on the NYPD's proposed body camera policy closed on August 7th, and the results are expected this fall. Respondents were asked to weigh in on how often body cameras should recordduring home searches, stop and frisks, traffic stopsand when they should be turned off.

The survey also asked how and when body camera footage should be made available to the public. Currently, civilians and the media have to file a FOIL request for body camera footage under most circumstancesa frustrating and largely fruitless endeavor.

Last week a group of protesters calling for the abolishment of the NYPD took up occupation of City Hall Park, decrying what they deem inadequate police reform efforts.

"We fight for the abolition of policing and prisons and will not be fooled or derailed by fake reforms like body cameras and so called community policing, which further increase the budget and power of the racist and brutal NYPD," the group, organized by Millions March NYC, stated.
Landmark Partnership Improves Access to Eyewitness Accounts of Genocide

ProQuest has partnered with USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education to distribute a streaming version of the Visual History Archive.

ANN ARBOR, MI, August 10, 2016  ProQuest has partnered with USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education to distribute a streaming version of the Visual History Archive, dramatically improving access to 53,000 video testimonies of genocide survivors and witnesses.

This streaming version includes new ProQuest search capabilities that enable users to locate specific terms and related ProQuest content  a billion searchable items spanning dissertations, news, periodicals, scholarly journals and ebooks  thereby improving contextual discovery. For libraries, a dedicated Internet2 connection and cache server is no longer required for Visual History Archive access, reducing costs and eliminating download delays.

Visual History Archive encompasses more than 112,000 hours of testimony from survivors and witnesses of the Holocaust and other genocides, including Armenia, Rwanda, and Nanjing. Interviews have been conducted throughout 63 countries and in approximately 40 languages, exploring life before, during and after genocide. The archive's scope is immense: streamed non-stop 24/7, it would take 13 years to watch all the testimonies in their entirety. However, with 62,000 manually indexed search terms, researchers can refine results to the minute-per-segment level.

ProQuests partnership with USC Shoah Foundation aims to broaden the use of the Visual History Archive. As part of its commitment to add value, ProQuest is transcribing English-language testimonies; this complements existing indexing methods, and will help users retrieve testimonies about specific points of interest.

Additionally, the Visual History Archive will grow yearly. In 2016 alone, 1,000 testimonies from the Cambodian and Guatemalan genocides as well as the Holocaust will be added.

In late 2017, ProQuest will enable the video testimonies to be fully cross-searched with the breadth of ProQuest content  including its vast historical collections, such as historical newspapers, periodicals, magazines, government records, and other primary source materials. For example, libraries that subscribe to ProQuest Historical Jewish Newspapers or History Vault, with its extensive content about World War II, can provide a richer experience for their students and researchers by adding the Visual History Archive to their collections.

The USC Visual History Archive is an unparalleled resource that empowers researchers to learn history first-hand from the people who were there, said Susan Bokern, ProQuest Vice President, Product Management. We are honored that the USC Shoah Foundation has entrusted ProQuest to add value to this important primary source and make it more widely accessible and discoverable to students and researchers globally.

The Visual History Archive is available for trial or purchase now. For more information visit proquest.com.

About ProQuest (http://www.proquest.com)

ProQuest connects people with vetted, reliable information. Key to serious research, the companys products are a gateway to the worlds knowledge including dissertations, governmental and cultural archives, news, historical collections and ebooks. ProQuest technologies serve users across the critical points in research, helping them discover, access, share, create and manage information.

The companys cloud-based technologies offer flexible solutions for librarians, students and researchers through the ProQuest, Bowker, Coutts information services, Dialog, ebrary, EBL, and SIPX businesses  and notable research tools such as the Summon discovery service, the RefWorks citation and reference management platform, MyiLibrary ebook platform, the Pivot research development tool and Intota. The company is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with offices around the world.
Sunbelt Business Brokers  Midwest, the place to go to buy or sell a business, is pleased to announce the hiring of its newest business broker, Chad Behling for its new satellite office in Duluth, MN.

The new Duluth office is located at 5019 Airport Road, Hermantown, MN 5581. Sunbelt Business Brokers  Midwest chose to open this satellite office after brokering over 22,000 business deals in northern Minnesota and in the Indianhead.

Behling comes to Sunbelt Business Brokers  Midwest with many years of business experience under his belt. At 21, Behling started a technology company in Duluth, specializing in niche communication solutions. 10-years later it was acquired by a foreign owned public company with offices worldwide. Previous clients included several Fortune 500 organizations, gas pipeline companies, power companies, gold mines, and the motion picture industry. Behling brings the experience of starting a business from scratch, designing and sourcing products overseas, building revenue and successfully exiting.

As a Certified Main Street Business Broker (CMSBB), he is committed to assisting other business owners with the complex task of selling their business while maximizing returns. In addition to working with buyers and sellers throughout Minnesota, Behling specializes in transactions in both Duluth and Northern Minnesota.

Behling can be reached at Sunbelt Business Brokers-Midwest Duluth at 651-843-0077, on his cell at 218-270-9675, or via email at cbehling(at)sunbeltmidwest(dot)com.

About Sunbelt Business Brokers-Midwest

We are an elite division of Sunbelt, the largest organization of business brokers and M & A Professionals in the world. With our 6 offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota; St. Paul, Minnesota; Chicago, Illinois; Las Vegas, Nevada and Milwaukee, and now Duluth, our local experts put Sunbelts global reach to work for you. The business brokers and M & A intermediaries in Sunbelt Midwest consistently ranks in the top performers of Sunbelt International. Because of this interaction, Sunbelt Midwest has a unique ability to market businesses throughout Sunbelt internationally. As part of your trusted team, our experienced Business Brokers and M & A Advisors work with you to navigate the complexities of buying and selling a business. Our interests are the same as yours as we know business transactions dont close unless all parties feel there is a win-win. We are committed to confidentiality, integrity and professionalism. When you choose Sunbelt, you save time and money with an authority in

business sales you can trust.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Patti Wenzel, PR and Marketing Manager for Sunbelt Business Brokers-Midwest at 262-901-0086 or 715-360-0407.
International Document Systems (IDS), a nationwide provider of mortgage documents and compliance, and LendingQB, a loan origination software (LOS) solutions provider, announced today that they are among the first mortgage vendors to successfully implement the MISMO 3.3 data standard for document compliance. The two companies emphasized the importance of utilizing the MISMO 3.3 data standard for TRID compliance and meeting the future needs of the mortgage industry.

The Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization (MISMO) was created to provide the mortgage industry with a common language to exchange information in order to streamline processes, improve accuracy and boost investor confidence in mortgages. Through utilization of MISMO standards, the industry has been able to improve access to data exchange between vendors, ultimately benefiting the borrower by lowering the cost to obtain a mortgage loan.

The MISMO 3.0 standard was originally released in 2009, but was updated to version 3.3 in 2014 in order to reflect federal mortgage regulations and reporting requirements implemented by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) TILA RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID). The impact of MISMO 3.3 is by and large not visible to lenders, but it provides the framework and backbone for companies like IDS and LendingQB to operate efficiently in the TRID environment.

"Utilizing the latest MISMO standard makes it easier for lenders to produce accurate and compliant mortgage documents," said Daniel Miller, Vice President of Business Development at IDS. "There is a tremendous amount of data that needs to be transferred between an LOS system and IDS in order to make sure lenders can render an accurate disclosure document. TRID introduced not only new fields, but an entirely different way of tracking fees."

The previous Good Faith Estimate (GFE) was a document that provided a static list of fees, each with their own defined data element. MISMO 3.3 is fundamentally different because fees are created dynamically, effectively requiring an infinite number of data elements. Miller commented that many LOS vendors chose not to upgrade to the MISMO 3.3 standard and instead relied on awkward workarounds in order to generate closing documents.

"Many vendors claim they are MISMO 3.3 compliant when in actuality they're just packaging TRID data inside their existing MISMO 2.6 transmissions," Miller said. "It may work in the short term, but it will create a cascade effect when there are any changes in the future. It will require us to fix each instance of an LOS vendor's workaround in order for us to accurately generate documents. This creates an added layer of complexity and is antithetical to the purpose of MISMO."

LendingQB and IDS worked well in advance of TRID to ensure that the MISMO 3.3 standard was developed and tested, which resulted in a faster and more streamlined TRID implementation process. "MISMO 3.3 is critical for lenders to stay compliant because it allows their technology providers to respond to changes in the regulatory framework more quickly and cost effectively, said Binh Dang, President of LendingQB. LendingQB and our best-of-breed technology partners are dedicated to ensuring that our clients have access to the latest technology available."

Miller revealed that LendingQB is the only non-proprietary LOS system that has successfully implemented the MISMO 3.3 standard with IDS, an achievement that reflects both company's commitment to ensuring compliance and technology innovation. "LendingQB and IDS made significant investments to ensure that our clients are using the latest technology and data standards," Miller said. "MISMO 3.3 is essential to TRID, Qualified Mortgage (QM) rules, and any future regulatory changes, such as the new 2018 HMDA reporting requirements. Our efforts are aimed at making it fast and easy for lenders to adapt to industry changes, now and in the future."

About LendingQB

LendingQB is a technology solutions provider for residential mortgage banking organizations, offering a comprehensive approach for independent mortgage bankers, credit unions and community banks to optimize mortgage lending processes. LendingQB's Lean Lending loan origination solution consists of a core loan origination technology platform, best-of-breed technology partnerships, Lean Lending Playbooks and a dedicated customer success team. LendingQB is based in Costa Mesa, California and can be found online at http://www.lendingqb.com or by phone at (888) 285-3972.

About IDS, Inc.

IDS, a Reynolds and Reynolds company, was founded in 1986 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is a nationwide provider of mortgage documents and compliance. IDS services include electronic signatures, closing documents, initial disclosures, document fulfillment and integration with leading loan origination systems and eClosing platforms. The IDS flagship doc prep solution, idsDoc, is recognized in the industry for its ability to be customized to meet specific lender needs, particularly in regards to major industry compliance changes. (http://info.idsdoc.com/)
sweetFrog is open again in Towson, MD. We'll be giving every local elementary school student a free yogurt card in September as a back-to-school gift.

sweetFrog Enterprises, LLC. is pleased to announce the reopening of its location in Towson, MD. sweetFrog offers a wide selection of premium frozen yogurt flavors, along with fresh topping choices within a self-serve model and was recently named Best Frozen Yogurt in the USA by The Daily Meal.

This sweetFrog store, located at 28 Allegheny Avenue, Towson, MD 21204, will re-open its doors on August 10 with a variety of opening festivities that will continue every day until their Grand Opening on August 18. During this time, t-shirts will be given out to the first 25 guests each day and a sweetFrog party for six will be given to a lucky guest through a Like and Share Facebook contest.

The grand opening celebration on August 18 will feature prizes, balloons, stickers, lots of giveaways and appearances by the ever-popular sweetFrog mascots, Scoop and Cookie. The first 100 guests receive will t-shirts and every purchase comes with a return-visit BOGO card. In addition, guests can get their frozen yogurt free if they can guess the weight of their cup and there will be a drawing for one lucky guest to win FROYO for a year.

"We invite the entire community to join us for a sweet treat," said Patrick Galleher, sweetFrog CEO. "In fact, we'll be giving every local elementary school student a free yogurt card in September as a back-to-school gift. From birthday parties to fundraisers, we want sweetFrog to be the place our friends in Towson choose to gather and celebrate.

The celebrating will not stop after the grand opening. From August 22-26 , sweetFrog will honor Towsons medical professionals, schools, fire and rescue, local businesses and churches with 50% off purchases on their designated day. In addition, there will be a 50% donation of sales to non-profit organizations who book benefit nights and 50% discounts on birthday party bookings by August 27, 2016.

About sweetFrog Frozen Yogurt:

Sweet Frog (http://www.sweetfrog.com) is the fastest growing premium, all natural, self-serve frozen yogurt restaurant company in the country. Sweet Frog currently has 344 stores including both company-owned, franchise and independently licensed locations either open or under contract in twenty-four states in the U.S, Dominican Republic, United Kingdom and Egypt. The company was founded in 2009 and is based in Richmond, Virginia. Sweet Frog prides itself on providing a family-friendly environment where customers can enjoy soft-serve frozen yogurt, gelato and sorbets with the toppings of their choice. The company was founded on Christian principles and seeks to bring happiness and a positive attitude into the lives of the communities it calls home.

Contact:

Matt Smith, Chief Marketing Officer

matt.smith(at)sweetfrog(dot)net

(804) 835-6796

10800 Midlothian Turnpike, Suite 300

Richmond, VA 23235
About 25 percent of Atlanta-area children have a surprising reason to be glad school is starting: they will get to eat lunch, and maybe breakfast too. But school meals dont cover dinner, weekends or school breaks. Now theres an app for that. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/foodfinderga/id1120680132?mt=8

Apps are the best way to reach children who are food-insecure, meaning they sometimes do not have enough to eat, because three out of five low-income teens have access to a smartphone,

The FoodFinderGA phone app shows the closest food resources on a map along with hours of operation and contact information, and solves key problems in the process.

First and foremost, its private and anonymous. Hungry children dont want to announce that three meals a day isnt a given for their families. Aside from parents and guardians, its often teachers, counselors and food bank staff who are in-the-know about whos at risk. The app is free to download for iOS and Android, and requires no contact information to install or use.

Second, food banks are typically open only a few hours a day a few days a week. Figuring out when and where is a challenge for a child, but not for FoodFinderGA. The app instantly pinpoints nearest resources on a map. Tap once to check hours and again to engage the phones navigator to direct the user to it via walking, biking or driving. The website app, http://www.foodfinderga.org, allows children to search for food using just the name of their school.

Hunger can go unnoticed in our communities, said Jack Griffin, 18-year-old founder of FoodFinderGA. Many kids are afraid or embarrassed to ask for help, but they can rely on FoodFinderGA. Everyone deserves access to a meal when and where they need it.

With 1.8 million food-insecure people, Georgia has the 5th highest rate in the nation.

About FoodFinderGA

FoodFinderGA is the fastest way to find free food resources in Georgia. Founded in 2014 as a web app, the nonprofit 501c3 launched a mobile app in July 2016 with a grant from the Arbys Foundation. It uses geo-location technology and 3,000+ food resource sites to generate one-click maps and directions. The app is set to expand nationally. Learn more at FoodFinderGA.org.


Some sensitive guys try to impress a lady by standing outside her bedroom window holding a boom box blasting music by former Genesis members or stealing a letter from the Hollywood sign. But real men have no patience for such romantic flourisheswhen you want to keep a woman interested, sometimes the only thing to do is call 911 and tell whoever answers that your special lady is about to take a bomb on a plane.

This was the approach allegedly favored by 33-year-old Queens resident Danesh Gomanie, who called 911 on the morning of July 27th to warn authorities a woman was planning to board a flight to Guyana out of JFK with a bomb. Specifically, Gomanie said the woman would be carrying "a bomb and/or drugs" on a flight on July 29th, according to a criminal complaint provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District.

Gomanie, who works as a mechanic, allegedly made the call from his cell phone using the name "Singh," and provided his girlfriend's real name and flight number to 911. But FBI investigators traced the call to the address associated with the phone, which is Gomanie's father's address in Jamaica, Queens. His father allegedly told investigators that the woman named by "Singh" had the same name as his son's girlfriend.

Later that day, FBI investigators interviewed Gomanie's girlfriend at her home, where he has also been residing, and they say she admitted they had gotten into lover's quarrel over her impending trip to Guyana. During questioning the next day, investigators say Gomanie confessed that he called in the fake bomb threat because her ex-husband resides in Guyana, and he was afraid they would get back together.

Setting aside the utter waste of law enforcement resources, this sad sack story does have a silver lining. Gomanie's girlfriend apparently canceled her trip, and the couple has mended fences after their fight. She was even waiting for him after he was released from jail on $20,000 bail on Tuesday, and told Daily News, "It's just jealousy. We're back together. I forgive him."

Sadly, Gomanie's father refuses to recognize the power of true love that not even bomb threats and federal criminal charges can thwart. "I don't know what they see in each other," he told the tabloid. "I told him to find someone younger and have children."
Advance Acceptance Standardizes on DocuSign eSignature "Customers can now conduct business on-the-move, quickly and easily with Advance Acceptance and DocuSign, said Conrad Magalis, Advance Acceptance marketing manager.

Advance Acceptance announced today it has standardized on DocuSign, Inc. (DocuSign) for eSignature and Digital Transaction Management to offer its customers an easier, faster, more convenient and secure way to secure equipment financing  100% digitally.

An essential part of the value we bring to customers is handling transactions with accuracy, speed and convenience. As the global standard for eSignature and Digital Transaction Management, DocuSign helps us deliver a great customer experience thats fully digital, said Fred Kuhnen, general manager of Advance Acceptance. In addition to a vastly improved customer experience over manual paper processes, DocuSign ensures our employees have complete visibility into the exact status of a document package, so we can spend more time serving more customers  rather than chasing paperwork.

DocuSign helps Advance Acceptance deliver industry-leading electronic documentation to:

Close more deals faster: DocuSign offers advanced features, such as automatic reminders to encourage customers to complete requested documentation  a critical function for equipment finance lenders who operate in a highly time-sensitive industry.

Enhanced security: Industry-leading encryption practices provide a secure method for equipment finance customers to submit confidential information.

Improve compliance: Every DocuSign document comes complete with a legally-enforceable audit trail that shows who signed what, when and where.

Increase customer satisfaction: Customers are able to DocuSign paperwork from their mobile device whenever, wherever convenient.

Electronic documents are becoming an expectation across the banking industry. DocuSign saves time and eliminates unnecessary busy-work, such as hand-signing, scanning and faxing paper documents. Customers can now conduct business on-the-move, quickly and easily with Advance Acceptance and DocuSign, said Conrad Magalis, Advance Acceptance marketing manager.

DocuSign is pleased to have Advance Acceptance join the DocuSign Global Trust Network, said Neil Hudspith, president of Worldwide Field Operations at DocuSign. Through its standardization on DocuSign for eSignature and Digital Transaction Management, Advance Acceptance is leading the equipment financing industry into the digital age.

Founded in 1972, as an in-house finance division of Advance Machine Co., Advance Acceptance provides national equipment finance services for leading brands across the United States. Advance Acceptance was acquired by First Western Bank & Trust, of Minot, North Dakota in 2002. For more information about Advance Acceptance, please visit: AdvanceAcceptance.com
Its always interesting to see how each company develops with the resources we provide. I know this is the start of great beginnings for Hyr, Telennium & Step. -Jonathan Kestenbaum

From the beginning of July to August 1st, Talent Tech Labs (TTL), Talent Acquisition technology incubator, signed three startups specializing in: AI worker/company connections, accelerated recruitment data analysis, and a new salary discovery platform. Hyr, Talennium, and Step each plan to bring their own compelling angles to the Talent Acquisition sector through the boost of TTLs mentorship and networking process.

I speak for the whole TTL team when I say were thrilled to introduce three talented companies into our incubator said Jonathan Kestenbaum, Executive Director of Talent Tech Labs. "Its always interesting to see how each company develops with the resources we provide. I know this is the start of great beginnings for Step, Hyr, and Talennium.

Where TTL is taking Hyr, Talennium & Step:

Hyr: TTL is deploying its mentors, connections and beta testers to bring this artificial intelligence program to market and expand its networks.

Talennium: TTL plans to accelerate Talennium's existing recruitment platform's offerings and garner early client acceptance to scale.

Step: The partnership will combine Steps fresh outlook on salary compensation with TTLs expertise in technologies that foster growth in the Talent Acquisition field.

About Talent Tech Labs:

Located in the heart of Manhattan, Talent Tech Labs (TTL) engages in investigation, research, validation, and acceleration of Talent Acquisition technology by fostering and connecting early stage companies with forward thinkers in the industry. Visit the website to learn more.

About Hyr:

Based in New York, Hyr connects traditional companies and workers who have an intent and a skills match to fill shifts on-demand. Whether you are a worker who needs to make extra income, today; or a company who has your worker call off sick, Hyr is here to help. Hyrs revolutionary AI technology  Hyr's recruit bot named Madison - acts as a recruiter for hourly paid shift work. Hyr's hyper-efficient model connects quality workers with companies who need them, in real time. Visit the website to learn more.

About Talennium:

Talennium, Inc. is a Charlotte, NC based technology and data analytics company focused on accelerating sales, recruiting, and operations performance. Our mission is to transform the staffing and recruiting to become more data driven. At Talennium, we firmly believe that the industry is ripe for transformation and Talennium will lead the change! Visit the website to learn more.

About Step:

Step is a new salary discovery platform that lets software engineers and product managers anonymously crowdsource their market value from NYC startups and experts. Step members receive ongoing, personalized compensation estimates and other feedback from real decision makers. Sign up takes less than one minute at Step.com. Visit the website to learn more.
This is a very exciting step for both Sensiba San Filippo and The Resultants team, said John Sensiba, Managing Partner at Sensiba San Filippo.

Sensiba San Filippo LLP (SSF), a leading San Francisco Bay Area accounting and business consulting firm, is pleased to announce the acquisition of The Resultants, Inc., a boutique sized consulting firm specializing in internal audit and SOX compliance services. The acquisition looks to expand Sensiba San Filippos consulting practice and grow their presence in the publicly held company space.

The Resultants team will be integrated into the Corporate Governance and Compliance Consulting Practice led by SSF Partner, Frank Balestreri. As a part of SSFs expanding consulting practice, the group will maintain its existing emphasis on turn-key, custom and scalable solutions for small to medium sized public companies. Legacy professionals of The Resultants, including founder Kevin Shives, will continue to serve their existing clients as well as SSFs growing client base in internal audit and SOX compliance.

We are pleased to welcome The Resultants to Sensiba San Filippo and welcome Founder, Kevin Shives, to SSF as a Partner, said Frank Balestreri, Partner at Sensiba San Filippo. As a firm, we believe that in order to strengthen the level of value we bring to clients we must grow both organically as well as by acquisition of impeccable talent. This newly combined team will blend a robust consulting practice with established SOX and internal audit specialists, making us the solution of choice for small to mid-size public companies and companies contemplating going public in the Bay Area.

Joining the Sensiba San Filippo team will allow us to expand our offerings beyond traditional internal audit and SOX compliance, said Kevin Shives, Founder of The Resultants and newly named Partner at Sensiba San Filippo. We have already experienced tremendous synergy and partnership, and we look forward to expanding our reach and offering our clients additional services and expertise.

This is a very exciting step for both Sensiba San Filippo and The Resultants team, said John Sensiba, Managing Partner at Sensiba San Filippo. I have great confidence in Frank, Kevin and their team to bring expanded valuable services to the market place.

About Sensiba San Filippo

With over 35 years of experience, Sensiba San Filippo LLP (SSF) ranks among the regions top 10 public accounting firms. Offering comprehensive assurance, tax and consulting services, the Firm has global expertise with a regional focus. As a member of Morison KSI, SSF is a part of an international association of affiliated accounting firms that supports their clients global business needs in over 88 countries. Headquartered in Pleasanton, the Firm has offices in Oakland, San Mateo, San Jose, Morgan Hill and San Francisco. For more information, visit http://www.ssfllp.com.
Together4Hope welcomes San Diegans of all ages, and also features kids activities, music, a lively wellness marketplace with more than 25 vendors, and a celebration for cancer survivors. Proceeds from the event go directly to research, treatment and education programs at City of Hope, aiding the centers efforts to expand awareness of the importance of physical activity for cancer prevention.

In some ways, City of Hope operates as a grassroots organization, said Robyn Hima, regional director of philanthropy for City of Hopes San Diego office. We provide opportunities in the community to showcase the dedication of everyday folks who are passionate in their desire to find a cure for cancer.

Media are invited to film and photograph this family-friendly event. Interview opportunities are available both before and during the event with cancer survivors, fitness professionals, large teams and Hima. Contact anixon(at)coh(dot)org.

Together4Hope Details:

Date: Saturday, September 24, 2016

Time:



Opening Ceremony and start of 2-day walk, 7:30 a.m.

5K Walk, 8 a.m.

SUP, 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m.

Wellness Marketplace, 7  11 a.m.

Location: 3000 North Mission Bay Drive, San Diego, CA 92110

Registration Fee: Advance Registration: $35; Youth $25

Website: http://www.together4hope.org

About City of Hope

City of Hope is an independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Designated as one of only 47 comprehensive cancer center, the highest recognition bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, City of Hope is also a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, with research and treatment protocols that advance care throughout the nation. City of Hope is located in Duarte, California, just northeast of Los Angeles, with community clinics throughout Southern California. It is ranked as one of "America's Best Hospitals" in cancer by U.S. News & World Report. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation, diabetes and numerous breakthrough cancer drugs based on technology developed at the institution.

For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube or Instagram.
Acculynk is committed to provide industry leading, flexible payment products to our financial institutions

Acculynk, a leading technology driven payment processor, has added international remittance capabilities to its Payzur P2P solution. Payzur now allows Banks and Credit Unions to offer international P2P payments to their customers via their existing P2P solution. There is no longer a need to use outside suppliers to provide international remittance capabilities to their customers. Now, a customer can send payments to US or international recipients. The Financial Institution can offer the expanded capability by signing up for the service.

Financial Institutions can now play a key role in the lucrative international remittance market with minimal investments in time and money. The FI can choose the International option, and choose the specific international remittance market they are interested in. The solution rolls out with India and the Philippine Islands as the first remittance markets, with plans for China, Mexico, Canada and Brazil in development. The Acculynk Payzur P2P solution offers built in compliance monitoring for Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), and a number of US and foreign watch lists. The Financial Institution does not need to worry about compliance, foreign exchange, or dealing with additional service providers.

Acculynk is committed to provide industry leading, flexible payment products to our financial institutions, said John Beisner, General Manager, Payzur P2P Solutions. Banks and Credit Unions need end user products that help them provide great services and build stronger customer relationships. Financial Institutions can add the international remittance capability by contacting their account representative.

About Acculynk

Acculynk secures online transactions with a suite of software-only services backed by a patented authentication and encryption framework that provides greater security for issuers, EFT networks, merchants and payment processors. Acculynks PaySecure utilizes a graphical PIN-pad for the secure entry of a consumers PIN online and is available to merchants through existing acquirer relationships, enabling speedy implementation. PaySecure is currently enabled on over 6,000 merchant websites. Acculynk has partnerships with 11 EFT networks to process PaySecure transactions and with six leading payment processors, and is certified with PULSE, First Data and MasterCard, among other key industry leaders. Additionally, Acculynk solutions include PayLeap, a gateway and acquiring and card processing services, and Payzur, the only debit-based real time and 100% white labeled P2P solution enabling US and now International P2P payments. Visit http://www.acculynk.com.
Televerde, the global sales and marketing solutions provider, has appointed Morgan Jones as General Manager of its European office headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland. Highly skilled in growing multi-national business-to-business (B2B) demand generation programs, Mr. Jones will be responsible for expanding Televerdes presence across Europe, attracting new B2B clients and helping existing customers enter or broaden their reach in the European market.

Mr. Jones is an accomplished B2B sales, marketing and demand generation leader, bringing a keen understanding of inside sales and demand generation to Televerde. Most recently he was the Senior Director of Demand Generation for SAP, and has held demand generation and inside sales roles at IBM, Vignette Inc., and CA, Inc.

To further support its international growth, Televerde has hired Kirsty Lawrie to join Mr. Jones as European Sales Director. Ms. Lawrie, an experienced sales and marketing executive will advise and offer demand generation strategies for Televerdes prospects and clients.

Generating demand and increasing revenue is a global need for all B2B businesses. Marketing technologies have tremendous power to help in these areas, but many companies dont know how to get the most from their investment, especially in Europe where utilization of these solutions is still in its infancy. From being a client of Televerdes at SAP, Ive seen first hand how well it effectively partners with its customers to operate effective demand generation programs that accelerate sales on their behalf, said Mr. Jones. Im honored to lead Televerdes growth in Europe and look forward to enhancing the companys market share by combining my inside sales and demand generation expertise and Kirstys market knowledge with Televerdes world class solutions.

Companies understand the importance of strategically leveraging marketing technology and integrated teleservices to drive greater revenue. As we continue our expansion into Europe, we believe that Morgans drive, focus and knowledge of demand generation and inside sales perfectly complement Televerdes services. Kirstys intimate knowledge of the European market and impressive B2B sales and marketing background further support Televerdes mission, said James Hooker, CEO at Televerde. Together Morgan and Kirsty have it all  a skilled approach to designing demand generation and teleservices programs, a strong understanding of our market, and leadership and team-building skills. With them leading the way in Europe, we expect to do great work for Televerde and our clients.

Televerde announced Glasgow, Scotland as its European headquarters in March of this year, has moved into its headquarters and contact center location, and recruited and trained the first of its European employees. The company runs B2B demand generation and sales development campaigns with native language support for Dutch, English, Finnish, Flemish, French, German, Italian, Polish Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and Ukrainian.

To select Glasgow, Televerde worked close with Scottish Development International, the international branch of Scotlands enterprise agencies, which focuses on creating an innovative and highly productive economy in Scotland. The investment is supported by 670k of Regional Selective Assistance (RSA).

About Televerde

Televerde is a global marketing and sales solution provider dedicated to acquiring new business and accelerating revenue for our clients. By offering proven solutions in the areas of marketing technology services, strategic engagement planning, data intelligence, demand generation, teleservices and inside sales, Televerde has helped a host of large and mid-sized companies generate over $6.5 billion in revenue. To learn more, visit http://www.televerde.com.
Momentum Solar (http://momentumsolar.com) looks forward to a new milestone within their New Jersey-based business  preparing to move from their current Edison office to a newly renovated, more spacious headquarters in Metuchen. To celebrate the move as a reflection of company growth and milestones achieved over the last year, leadership at Momentum has decided to host a river cruise for their employees around Manhattan on Saturday August 13th.

Arthur and I look forward to treating the Team to a night out on the Hudson, said SVP of Sales, Alex Sheikh. Weve come a long way in the solar industry so far, and we want to do something to show our appreciation for their hard work. They give their all every day, so its the least we can do.

The yacht leaves Lincoln Harbor Marina in Weehawken at 6:00 PM. Dinner will be served to all attendees while enjoying an amazing view of Manhattan. This will be an opportunity for all Momentum employees to come together, experience a unique company culture, and celebrate whats in store this coming year.

Solar panels for the home are on the rise as more and more people are installing arrays on their roof or on their property. Momentum has successfully offered affordable system installations for the average New Jersey resident, and continues its steady, continual growth. 267,000 New Jersey homes are currently generating solar electricity, ranking the state fourth in the U.S. for solar capacity installed.

About Momentum Solar

Momentum Solar is a privately held NJ solar company headquartered in Metuchen. The company is committed to making solar panels affordable and providing immediate savings for their clients while helping the environment. Their team of in-house professionals has an extensive wealth of knowledge in custom designing solar power systems for both residential and commercial properties. Momentum Solar manages the entire customer life cycle from the initial sale to design, permitting, installation and activation of the system to make the process simple and easy for homeowners and business owners.
Andreini & Company (Andreini), one of the top 50 independently owned insurance brokers and in the top 100 of all U.S. Insurance Brokers across the country, announced a partnership with Maxwell Health (Maxwell) pairing extensive benefits expertise with state-of-the-art benefits technology.

Founded in 1951 by John Andreini and Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Andreini & Company remains one of the largest privately owned insurance brokerage firms in the United States.

Today, their premium writings are in excess of $500 million and continue to rise as the company grows. With over 200 insurance professionals and 12 offices strategically located throughout California, Oklahoma, Texas and North Carolina, Andreini and Company is considered a generalist in the types of business they write; however, over the last 60 years they have developed specialized expertise in industry niches that include, Agriculture, Transportation, Technology, Oil & Gas, Construction, Furniture Manufacturing, RV Dealers, Equine Mortality and more. As a full-service insurance brokerage, Andreini & Company offers a complete spectrum of insurance products and solutions in the areas of Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, Aviation, Risk Management, Employee Benefits, Claims and Loss Control Services.

Andreini has a long legacy of excellence in the insurance and employee benefits industry, and their reputation in the market is unparalleled as a result. They are dedicated to customized solutions and the highest level of customer service for their clients. With this in mind, Andreini and Company is committed to innovation in their insurance solutions. said Veer Gidwaney, CEO and Co-Founder at Maxwell Health. This partnership will position them well to grow their employee benefits business, and take their agency to a new level. Were so excited for what we will accomplish together.

Maxwell Health is an employee benefits technology platform and innovative marketplace solution that makes benefits and HR simple for employers and their employees.

With Maxwell, companies working with Andreini and Company will get a customized benefits storefront where their employees can enroll in all their benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life, short and long-term disability, and financial benefits such as HRA/HSA/FSA. Maxwells comprehensive HR and benefits administration system supports complex benefit strategies and integrates with leading payroll solutions for streamlined HR processes. Andreini and Company also offers Maxwell's integration to health care concierge service Health Advocate, and telemedicine provider Teladoc.

Maxwells beautiful shopping interface makes it easy for employees to choose benefits for themselves and their families. After enrollment, employees are able to access their benefits through a mobile app (available on iOS and Android) that includes virtual insurance ID cards, a turnkey wellness program to incentivize healthy actions, and convenient access to support for health and benefits-related questions.

"Maxwell Health's client-centric focus and family approach to why the business was started dovetails nicely with Andreini and Company's commitment to bringing the best and brightest of solutions to our clients business challenges. said Jim McCabe, Employee Benefits Practice Leader at Andreini and Company Our clients are forward thinking, and we want our partnerships, like the one we have initiated with Maxwell Health, to reflect that thinking, and allow our focus and energies to be geared to exceeding our client's needs and expectations."

For More Information, Please Contact:

Jim McCabe Employee Benefit Practice Leader

220 W. Twentieth Ave

San Mateo, CA 94403

650-378-4387

http://www.andreini.com

About Maxwell Health

Maxwell Health simplifies benefits and HR for small-to-mid-sized employers. The platform includes a marketplace that makes buying benefits intuitive for employees, tools that streamline HR processes including benefits administration and payroll, and a mobile app that makes using benefits easy. Our purpose is to help American families achieve health and financial well-being by modernizing how employees experience insurance, financial, and wellness benefits. The platform is provided by benefits advisors as well as insurance and retirement companies that license our technology. To learn more about Maxwell Health, please visit http://www.maxwellhealth.com.

About Andreini and Company

Andreini and Company is a California based Business Insurance Broker founded in 1951 with headquarters in San Mateo, California. We are one of the largest privately owned Insurance Brokers in the US, consistently ranking in the top 50 independently owned Insurance Brokers and top 100 of all US Insurance Brokers. Andreini & Company is a $500 million brokerage with 200 insurance professionals and twelve regional offices in California and Oklahoma.
Bay Area Appreciation Comparison The Oakland median house price is up a staggering 178 percent since 2011, partly because it crashed so low. San Francisco, more expensive and affluent, had a much smaller bubble and crash.

Paragon Real Estate Group announces the release of its Bay Area Real Estate Market Survey, which reveals median home prices have surged 50 to 178 percent since 2011, depending on location.

There are significant differences in how these events played out in distinct markets, says Patrick Carlisle, Chief Market Analyst of Paragon Real Estate Group, For example, Oakland had a very large subprime bubble, a huge crash, and then a sensational recovery highly pressurized by being just across the bridge from SF (and much more affordable). The Oakland median house price is up a staggering 178 percent since 2011, partly because it crashed so low. San Francisco, more expensive and affluent, had a much smaller bubble and crash. Then the high-tech boom then supercharged its recovery: Its median house price is up 93 percent from the bottom hit in 2011.

The survey also considers issues such as housing affordability trends, demographic changes, competitive overbidding, and the luxury home segment in counties around the Bay Area. Another factor beginning to impact local markets is the increasing amount of new home construction, perhaps illustrated best by the surge of new luxury and ultra-luxury condo projects in San Francisco.

For the full report, please visit: http://paragon-re.com/Bay_Area_Market_Survey

About Paragon Real Estate Group

Paragon is a locally owned and managed real estate company in the Bay Area that conducts business across all market segments  residential and luxury home sales, investment and commercial property sales and leasing, new home sales and rentals. Having completed its 11th year in business, Paragon currently brokers over $1.9 billion in annual Bay Area real estate sales.

Visit: http://www.Paragon-RE.com , 1400 Van Ness, San Francisco, CA. 94123. 415-738-7000
"By integrating FTNIs ETran to NCRs CRM Solutions, our clients will manage the full lifecycle of an order seamlessly and electronically, helping to improve collections and customer satisfaction." -- Susan Boyme, Director of Solutions at NCR

Financial Transmission Network, Inc. (FTNI) announced today that it will sponsor and exhibit at NCRs Synergy customer conference, August 15-18, 2016, at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Dallas, Texas.

A bronze-level sponsor, FTNI will also exhibit at the event (booth #208). FTNI representatives will be onsite meeting with participants to discuss and showcase FTNIs Integrated Receivables platform, ETran. New online payment solutions available to NCRs Wholesale and Foodservice Distribution customers as a result of a new partnership between FTNI and NCRs Global Enterprise, Merchandising, and Supply Chain (GEMS) business unit will also be highlighted at the FTNI booth during the event.

FTNIs ETran platform is used by numerous distribution companies across the U.S. and Canada, including multiple top-twenty broadline foodservice distributors and industry-leading independent foodservice and beverage distributors. ETran accepts, processes and posts any payment method (check, single/recurring ACH, credit/debit card, cash) via any payment channel (mailed-in, called-in, in-person, online, mobile) on a single, secure, SaaS platform. Its easy-to-deploy modular design seamlessly integrates current business processes, bank and processor relationships, and back-office systems to deliver increased efficiencies and cost savings through true straight through processing.

ETran will deliver NCRs Wholesale and Foodservice Distribution customers the capability to securely accept, process and post online payments directly with NCRs CRM Solution Suite, including Power Net and Power Mobile. Fully compliant (PCI, HIPAA, SSAE16 and more) and easily tailored to each companys unique business needs, ETran automates AR processes and workflows, helping organizations accelerate exception handling, decrease DSO and increase cash flow.

FTNI is excited to be a part of Synergy 2016 and have the opportunity to raise awareness of the new receivables processing solutions NCRs Distribution customers will have access to as a result of this new partnership, said Zac Robinson, Director, Sales and Marketing at FTNI.

NCRs Distribution clients provide premier service to their customers by leveraging NCRs comprehensive and industry-leading suite of omni-commerce CRM Solutions, Power Mobile, Power Net and Power Sell, stated Susan Boyme, Director of Solutions at NCR. By integrating FTNIs ETran to NCRs CRM Solutions, our clients will manage the full lifecycle of an order seamlessly and electronically, helping to improve collections and customer satisfaction. We are excited to launch this relationship at Synergy 2016.

---------------------------------------------

About FTNI

Financial Transmission Network, Inc. (FTNI) accelerates the way businesses accept, process, post and manage payments. Processing millions of transactions monthly, FTNIs integrated receivables hub, ETran, streamlines AR operations by accepting any payment method, via any payment channel  on a single, secure, cloud-based platform. A flexible plug-n-play platform, ETran enables efficient integration with any back-office accounting system and works with existing banking and merchant processor relationships. Founded in 2007, FTNI serves more than 18,000 corporate users from leading organizations such as the American Red Cross, Benchmark Senior Living, DirectBuy, Five Star Senior Living, Home State Bank, Independence Bank, Mutual of Omaha Bank, Penn Mutual, Physicians Mutual Insurance, Proxibid, RealPage, Shamrock Foods, The McClatchy Company and many more. For more information, visit http://www.ftni.com.

About NCR Corporation

NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) is a leader in omni-channel solutions, turning everyday interactions with businesses into exceptional experiences. With its software, hardware, and portfolio of services, NCR enables more than 550 million transactions daily across retail, financial, travel, hospitality, telecom and technology, and small business. NCR solutions run the everyday transactions that make your life easier.

NCR is headquartered in Duluth, Georgia with over 30,000 employees and does business in 180 countries. NCR is a trademark of NCR Corporation in the United States and other countries.

Website: http://www.ncr.com

Twitter: @NCRCorporation

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ncrcorp

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/ncr-corporation

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ncrcorporation
Opportunities are never lost. They are taken by others.

The unwelcome news about the shortage of housing and a downturn in construction activity in the UK continues, despite much talk and government efforts to improve the situation. Restrictions of finance available from UK banks and institutions has hindered the progress of builders and developers to produce the volume of new residential properties required, especially affordable homes, that are so badly needed in this country.

However, this situation is attracting the attention of some foreign investors, who see growing opportunities for investment in the UK. One of them is the Property Direct Group, who are the sole representatives/partner of The Maestro Residential Real Estate Fund, and have identified the UK as a positive area in which to invest their funds. Based in Paris, they have been investing successfully in residential developments in partnerships with builders in the USA, France, Spain and Scandinavia for many years.

"We can see the need for more funding to UK builders for residential developments," says the groups spokesperson. "We have allocated an initial sum of 500m for Joint-Venture partnerships with builders throughout the UK to increase the supply of housing. We would prefer to partner in projects for affordable and starter homes which will have the greatest impact on supply, but will consider all residential developments."

In addition to partnerships with builders, the Maestro Fund can assist prospective home-owners too with 100% rent-to-buy "in-house" loans.

http://www.propertydirectgroup.com
Marc Boom, M.D., President and CEO, Houston Methodist Having our own hospitals and ambulatory centers connected enables us to integrate patient information captured through the HIE into our clinical workflow.

Houston Methodist (HM) has marked a key milestone in its commitment to advancing quality patient care through innovation in health information technology. By facilitating coordinated care, Greater Houston Healthconnect (Healthconnect) provides a critical tool to expand HMs population health management strategy aimed at controlling chronic disease. Connecting all providers within their patient-centered medical home model, the health information exchange (HIE) will enhance HMs population health program, which has recently drawn national attention for success in dramatically improving key diabetes measures.

Since Healthconnect became operational in 2012, the hospital system played a leadership role at the Board level in the development of the HIE. Dr. Marc Boom, President and CEO of Houston Methodist, commended Healthconnect for the creation of critical healthcare infrastructure, We know that better communication and access to more comprehensive information substantially improves coordination of care. Since the inception of Healthconnect Houston Methodist sought to encourage adoption of the HIE and its broad use, not only within our system, but also in the community at large. Having our own hospitals and ambulatory centers connected enables us to integrate patient information captured through the HIE into our clinical workflow. It gives us the opportunity to innovate using health information technology for the welfare of our patients.

The creation of Healthconnect was founded on the recognition by numerous collaborating health systems that a neutral health information exchange was a necessity in a medical community as large and complex as Houston and the world famous Texas Medical Center, where the Houston Methodist Hospital operates its flagship hospital. The original charter for the HIE included just 14 counties immediately surrounding Houston, but the HIE quickly expanded through mergers with neighboring, smaller HIEs. It has continued to grow geographically and now covers 23 counties. Healthconnect is governed by a 21 member community board of business and healthcare leaders, which includes Dr. Boom and Dr. Nicholas Desai, Chief Medical Information Officer at Houston Methodist.

Healthconnect CEO Nick Bonvino remarked on the growth of the Southeast Texas HIE, This go-live represents another quantum increase in the volume of clinical information exchanged through Healthconnect. The foresight and vision of organizations such as Houston Methodist has enabled us to build something unique in Houston that can be sustained for the long term benefit of our communities. We appreciate the leadership Marc and his organization provide in driving care coordination and efficiencies with our HIE.
The SemaConnect Smart Personal Charging Station "The White House made it clear that leadership is ready to embrace electric vehicles, added Mr. Reddy. At SemaConnect, we understand that drivers need the infrastructure to go electric."

SemaConnect has expanded its Electric Vehicle (EV) product line offering to include a Smart Personal Charging Station for drivers living in apartments and condos with dedicated parking. The Personal Charging Station adds to the current Multifamily Community product, which allows two or more cars to share a station.

We are responding to a need that has been communicated to us by our Class A clients. said Mahi Reddy, CEO at SemaConnect. Property managers love the way the Community Charging Stations compliment their properties, but they needed Smart stations at a lower price point for drivers with dedicated parking. The new Personal Charging Station provides the same futuristic design and function as the Community, but without many of the sharing capabilities.

The Personal Charging Station will provide property managers at multifamily apartment buildings and condominiums the ability to easily offer EV charging as a service. Property managers are busy enough, continued Mr. Reddy, they require solutions that are turn-key. We developed our Multifamily products so that they are easy to install and easier to manage. And because our stations are Smart, property managers can take advantage of off-peak pricing and also be ready for Demand Response Programs.

"The White House made it clear that leadership is ready to embrace electric vehicles, added Mr. Reddy. At SemaConnect, we understand that drivers need the infrastructure to go electric. Thats why our stations are open to other driver programs  we are all about providing EV drivers the most choices when it comes to charging."

The new Personal Charging Station is designed specifically for multifamily apartments and condos where just one driver uses the same space. It enables property management the ability to easily control access, set usage fees, monitor energy use and benefit from utility incentive programs such as off-peak pricing. In addition, tenants will be able to use their smart card passes from EVgo and leading automakers such as Nissan and Ford to access their home charging station. Now multifamily properties will have two great options for providing charging services, the Multifamily Personal for tenants with dedicated parking and the Multifamily Community for residents with shared parking. For more information and to see a list of features or to download a brochure on the Personal & Community EV Charging Stations, please visit: http://www.semaconnect.com/.

About SemaConnect:

SemaConnect is the leading provider of electric vehicle amenities to the North American commercial and residential property market. A complete EV support partner, SemaConnect delivers a truly modern property experience through innovative, elegantly designed charging stations and a robust and open network. The company has helped maximize property value and appeal through thousands of successful Class A deployments since its founding in 2008 for companies like CBRE, JLL, Hines, Greystar, Cisco Systems, and Standard Parking. SemaConnect remains the preferred charging solutions partner to municipal, parking, multifamily, hotel, office and retail customers across the United States and Canada. For more information, visit http://www.semaconnect.com.
Stolen Overproof Rum A distinctively smooth 123 proof dark bronze rum.

Where theres smoke theres fire. Stolen Spirits, creators of the worlds first smoked rum, is releasing an overproof rum, now available in key markets across the USA.

STOLEN discovered this juice at a historic, family-run distillery in Jamaica thats over 250 years old, renowned for making some of the best heavy pot still rums in the world. It is the last of a 6-year aged, pot still rum made using hand harvested sugar cane grown by local farmers. The sugar cane mash is fermented using a proprietary yeast strand that is cultured in outdoor wood vats. The mash ferments for seven days in a selection of the distillerys 50 different traditional cedar tanks. Utilizing mountain rain water collected by the estates own rain water retention system, the rum is distilled using very old, traditional pot stills the same as those found in Scotland to make high flavor single malt whiskies. The distilled rum is then carefully matured in ex-whiskey barrels.

The result is a distinctively smooth 123 proof dark bronze rum with a flavor and profile that is nothing short of amazing. The nose is not the wet grass one might expect but rather offers a dose of white and black pepper spice married with charred oak and ripe banana. On the palate, there is a hint of charred vanilla along with notes of tangerine, banana, and pear. The rum has medium viscosity and lovely long legs, leaving a luscious light coat in your mouth.

We consider ourselves to be extremely fortunate to have discovered this remarkable product. Its rare to find a handcrafted rum of this proof and quality thats been aged for six years, said Samira Seiller, Global Managing Director of Stolen Spirits.

This is a limited release, with only 5000 cases of twelve x 375ml bottles. When its over, its over. And out.

About STOLEN

http://www.thisisstolen.com

The STOLEN plot was hatched in 2010 when two rum-loving New Zealanders gave up the corporate grind to pursue their passion. They launched STOLEN out of their flat in Auckland, New Zealand, and introduced award-winning rums to Australia, New Zealand, and the US. STOLEN grew to a cult following of drinkers and bartenders from Auckland to Austin. Staying true to our craft, STOLEN unearths unique spirits of uncompromising quality that break with convention.
We are thrilled and honored to again be recognized by the ITA as one of the top innovators driving growth in the technology industry and in Illinois. ~Craig Vodnik, co-founder, cleverbridge

cleverbridge, a global subscription billing provider, announces that the Illinois Technology Association (ITA) has named cleverbridge a finalist for two 2016 ITA CityLIGHTS Awards. cleverbridge is a finalist for the Lighthouse Award and Outstanding Technology Development Award. Now in its 17th year, the ITA CityLIGHTS program honors companies and individuals whose innovation and success drive growth in the technology industry and in Illinois. Winners for each of the eight award categories will be announced at a gala event on September 15 at Morgan Manufacturing in Chicago.

The Lighthouse Award recognizes a growth-stage company, which through innovation in products, services or business approach, has grown to become a serious competitor in the marketplace (i.e. greater than $25 million in revenue). The Outstanding Technology Development Award is presented to the company or organization that utilizes or has developed a technology tool, process or service that has made a substantial improvement on business metrics. All award finalists are selected by a panel of accomplished judges representing the Whos Who in Illinois technology. The public can contribute to the selection of this years winners by voting from August 8-19 at http://www.itacitylights.com. Winners will be determined by a compilation of the judges' scores and voting by the public at large in all categories except the Industry Champion, which is determined solely by the ITA Board of Directors.

Year-over-year we have seen that the CityLIGHTS Awards is a barometer for success in the community, often predicting who or what will be the next big thing, said Fred Hoch, CEO, ITA. I can say with confidence that this year, with these finalists, we are setting the stage for tech greatness for years to come.

We are thrilled and honored to again be recognized by the ITA as one of the top innovators driving growth in the technology industry and in Illinois, said Craig Vodnik, co-founder, cleverbridge. I view the Lighthouse Award and the recognition for Outstanding Technology Development as testaments to our entire organization. Our achievements would not be possible without the collective efforts of every cleverbridge team member and the community we support.

In 2015, the cleverbridge front-end development team designed a new online shopping cart that would become the basis for all new checkouts moving forward. Created using Sass (Syntactically Awesome Style Sheets) and the modern front-end build systems that support it, the teams work streamlined the cleverbridge front-end code base, improved clients site performance and reduced style sheet lengths from 10,000+ lines of code to just around 2,400. The project effectively cut development time for a shopping cart in half, increasing the efficiency of the entire front-end development team by 200 percent. Most recently, the team leveraged the modularity of Sass in developing a ReactJS app, aptly called Swapify, which gives clients full control of a shopping carts Sass variables and partials. Swapify can power over 50 million unique cart design variations, giving clients the freedom to pick out their own style combinations. The development effort also led to cleverbridge front-end developer Steph Milovic being named a finalist for the 2016 V3 Digital Technology Leaders Awards in the Product Manager of the Year category.

This is the third consecutive year cleverbridge has been named a finalist in the ITA CityLIGHTS Awards; the company was named a Lighthouse Award Finalist in 2015 and co-founder Craig Vodnik was named a CEO of the Year Award Finalist in 2014.

To view the 2016 ITA CityLIGHTS list of finalists or cast your vote for the award category winners, visit http://www.itacitylights.com between August 8-19. To learn more about cleverbridge, please contact inquiry(at)cleverbridge(dot)com or visit http://www.cleverbridge.com.

About cleverbridge

cleverbridge provides global subscription billing solutions that help companies build long-term customer relationships and grow recurring revenue streams. With its flexible, cloud-based billing and monetization platform, cleverbridge integrates seamlessly with client systems, simplifies subscription business models and delivers an optimized online customer experience. Leveraging cleverbridge expertise, technology and services, clients monetize products and services more effectively, rapidly expand their global subscriber base and maximize customer lifetime value. Headquartered in Cologne, Germany, cleverbridge has offices in Chicago, San Francisco and Tokyo. For more information, visit http://www.cleverbridge.com.

About ITA

The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) scales Illinois tech companies. With innovative resources that allow members to collaborate with each other, build their talent networks and elevate their local and national presence, ITA is the regions strongest advocate for fostering innovation and growth. Founded in 2005 and supporting 500-plus growth-stage tech companies, ITA has a rich history of driving the business forward. For more information, visit illinoistech.org, follow @ITAbuzz on Twitter or find us on LinkedIn.
Interim HealthCare Inc., the nations leading home health care, senior care, hospice and healthcare staffing franchise, announced today that it has launched a new stand-alone franchise offering for hospice services. The growth in demand and demographics for hospice care at home to care for those facing the final stages of their life, spurred the development of the new franchise offering.

Interim HealthCare was the first health care franchise company in the United States, so it makes sense that we are the one to now offer the full continuum of franchise offerings, said Kathleen Gilmartin, CEO and President of Interim HealthCare Inc. We are the most experienced healthcare franchise company with a national hospice support team that is beyond compare.

Interim HealthCare Inc. has successfully guided hospice growth within the Interim home health care network since 2008 with 16 franchisees operating 35 hospices across the country today. Current trends support the companys strategic expansion program, with hospice ranked one of the fastest growing segments in the health care continuum. Spending for hospice care was $9.5 billion in 2006, $15.1 billion in 2013 and is projected to increase to $45 billion by year 2020. The United States Census Bureau projects the population aged 65 and over will rise to 53.7 million or 16.5% of the total population by year 2020. The growing number of Medicare Beneficiaries will be a driving force for end of life care provided at home, ensuring a strong market for Interim HealthCare Hospice.

Today, a hospice franchise program from Interim HealthCare can enhance an existing Medicare Certified Home Care business or provide an outstanding opportunity for new health care entrepreneurs, comments Michael Bohannon, Vice President of Franchise Development. We provide our franchise partners with one of the strongest programs available in the industry. Helping business owners leverage their experience with our unequaled corporate support is why the average tenure of our franchise owners is 20 years.

About Interim HealthCare

Interim HealthCare Inc., founded in 1966, is a leading national franchisor of home care, hospice and healthcare staffing. It is part of Caring Brands International which also includes UK-based Bluebird Care and Australia-based Just Better Care, both well-known franchise brands in their countries. With more than 530 franchise locations in seven countries Caring Brands International is a global health care leader.

Interim HealthCare in the United States is unique in combining the commitment of local ownership with the support of a national organization that develops innovative programs and quality standards that improve the delivery of service. Franchisees employ nurses, therapists, aides, companions and other healthcare professionals who provide 25 million hours of home care service to 190,000 people each year, meeting a variety of home health, senior care, hospice, palliative care, pediatric care and healthcare staffing needs. For more information about an Interim HealthCare hospice or home care and staffing franchise visit http://www.interimfranchising.com or call Michael Bohannon at (954) 858-2699. (email: mbohannon(at)interimhealthcare(dot)com) To locate an Interim HealthCare office visit http://www.interimhealthcare.com

Media Contact:

Linda Shaub

press(at)interimhealthcare(dot)com
The monthly meeting of Upstate CREIA (Carolina Real Estate Investors Association) takes place on the third Monday of the month, landing Augusts meeting on Monday the 15th. This month, Traci MurdockVice President of Compliance at American IRAwill be in attendance.

This will be a great opportunity to talk to some like-minded people about real estate IRA strategy, and real estate investing in general, said Jim Hitt, CEO of American IRA. Traci is one of the people who best knows the ins and outs of using a Real Estate IRA in a market like North Carolinas.

The meeting doesnt solely focus on Real Estate IRA investing. It also includes information about flipping houses, investing for passive rental income, rehabilitating houses, or buying up rentals. The event advertises itself as a way to get familiar with these topics while meeting like-minded individuals in the local real estate market.

This month, the meeting is taking place at the Embassy Suites on Verdae Blvd. in Greenville, S.C. The meeting officially starts at 7 p.m., but there will be an added hour beginning at 6 p.m. for networking and coffee. The meeting is expected to last until 9:00 p.m.

These meetings are great ways for us to reach out with other people and find those who are interested in real estate investing, said Jim Hitt. And for those who are just going for the first time, its always great to meet other people who had the same good ideas you had. Its not only a way to learn, but its a way to see that there are experts out there who really know the market well and can share that knowledge and experience with you.

About American IRA, LLC:

Click here to claim one of our 7 Self-Directed IRA guide(s).

American IRA is committed to providing every client with gold-level service, regardless of account size. Experience their expertise through their certified IRA services professionals. Enjoy the value with one low annual fee of $285 with unlimited assets and unlimited account values. American IRA clients love the benefit of no charge for "All Cash" accounts. The performance of the American IRA staff is unmatched, with quick and efficient processing within 48 hours.

American IRA services thousands of clients and has over $300 million in assets under administration.

American IRA was built by investors for investors, and brings their successful investment experience to the table, providing excellent educational material showing the public that their Self-Directed IRA account can invest in a variety of assets such as real estate, private lending, limited liability companies, precious metals and much more.

American IRA is conveniently located in Asheville, NC and Charlotte, NC, and serves clients nationwide.
Delta Dental Insurance Company announced today that it has awarded a $10,000 grant to First Refuge Ministries dental clinic to improve access to oral health.

The Denton Dental Mission, owned by First Refuge Ministries, offers dental care to those who are not able to afford services in Denton County.

The grant, awarded by the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation, is one of several given in the state to help improve the oral health of underserved children and adults, particularly in rural locations where access to dental care may be limited. Launched in 2011, the foundation has given a total of $9.5 million in grants in several states, including more than $800,000 in Texas.

"As a leader in the dental industry, we take seriously our duty to reach out to communities to help improve access to dental care," said Belinda Martinez, president of Delta Dental Insurance Company. "We are pleased to further extend the ability of clinics and organizations already providing dental care to those in need and who might otherwise go without, due to financial barriers."

This grant will help our ministry serve more people in the Denton community, said Paul Juarez, executive director of First Refuge Ministries. We were delighted when we heard the good news.

About Delta Dental Insurance Company

Delta Dental Insurance Company and its affiliates collectively provide dental benefits plans to 34.5 million people in 15 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The group of companies donated $6.9 million in 2015 in support of programs focusing on prevention of dental disease, access to care, advancement in dental science and exploring the connections between oral and overall health. All are part of the Delta Dental Plans Association, the nations largest dental benefits system.

About First Refuge Ministries

First Refuge Ministries is located in the heart of Denton, Texas. The ministrys goal is to minister to the entire person, including physical, emotional and spiritual needs, and to offer essential services to the underserved in the community. The ministry provides people with free dental, medical, counseling and access to a food pantry. The Dental Clinic exists to advance dental health and provide access to dental care for the underserved in Denton through professional and community support. The clinic is the only free dental clinic in Denton County. The Medical Clinic provides medical care (including chiropractic) for those in Denton without insurance. Counseling services are for individuals, couples, families and groups. Counselors and clients work together to identify goals for counseling and to move toward meeting those goals. Food Pantry assists people in the Denton community who are hungry and in need of food during a financial crisis.

##

Follow Delta Dental on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
Cuhaci & Peterson has teamed with the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Foundation to create The Lonnie G. Peterson Scholarship in Architecture, as a way to honor the tremendous career accomplishments of Lonnie Peterson, co-founder of Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, Engineers and Planners. As Peterson is planning to retire in the next year, President of Cuhaci & Peterson, James E. Downs wanted to do something to commemorate the impact that Lonnie has had on the commercial architecture industry. Downs said, "As someone who has known Lonnie for a while, I know this gesture will touch his heart; additionally it will make a huge impact on the future career of many young students, excited about this industry that we all share."

A catalyst in making a name for Cuhaci & Peterson over the years was Petersons substantial involvement in ICSC and the numerous developers, corporate retailers, commercial real estate professionals and many others that regularly participate in conferences around the United States. Over the course of more than 30 years, Peterson has served as Chapter President, committee chair for various functions and sat on numerous panels, in addition to frequently attending regional and national conferences.

The fact that Cuhaci & Peterson is headquartered in Orlando, Florida was a pivotal factor when the decision was made to have the scholarship designated for architecture students at the University of Floridas CityLab-Orlando program.The initial endowment period for the scholarship will run through December 31, 2016 and was officially kicked off by the firms President at the ICSC Florida Conference & Deal Making.

More information on how to participate is available on the Cuhaci & Peterson website.

About Cuhaci & Peterson

Cuhaci & Peterson is a national A/E/P firm specializing in commercial design. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida since 1978, the firm also has offices in Philadelphia, Boston and South Florida and is registered in 49 states. Cuhaci & Peterson offers Architectural, SMEP Engineering, Fire Alarm/Protection, Landscape and Planning services as well as, In-House Government Relations and Interior Design on a variety of project types.
Torres del Paine National Park in Chile The "hornos' of Torres del Paine National Park

Class Adventure Travel celebrates twenty years hosting guests in Latin America with a Big Date to Patagonia  the birthplace of the regions adventure travel. This experience will begin in Argentinas bustling capital of Buenos Aires before you head south to discover the magnificent landscapes of Patagonia in both Argentina and Chile. This itinerary is available for bookings through December 31, 2016.

Class Adventure Travel began with a dream - to share with others the incredible experience of discovering South America, and to do so with heart, providing unique adventures and authentic experiences to each and every person. Theyve grown, learned and added destinations to their portfolio which allow travelers to experience the iconic places of Latin America  Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Galapagos, Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala.

In planning vacations, Class Adventure Travel stay true to their priorities of building relationships both with guests and local providers. They attain authenticity by crafting incredible itineraries customized to the travelers desires while balancing this with ensuring both travelers and locals have a good experience. These relationships assure a sustainable and memorable trip.

Traveling to Patagonia with Class Adventure Travel, takes guests to two countries united at the far southern end of Latin America. As well as taking you to the world-class capital cities of Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile, it is the huge creaking glaciers of El Calafate and the wild, untamed landscape of Torres del Paine National Park that will capture the heart of all those who visit this magical corner of the world with Class Adventure Travel.

Destinations on this Big Date to Patagonia include Buenos Aires, El Calafate and Perito Moreno Glacier, Torres del Paine NP and Santiago. For full details: https://www.classadventuretravel.com/tour/highlights-chiles-patagonia/

For complete info on all itineraries check out https://www.classadventuretravel.com/

Class Adventure Travel

Media Contact: Nancy Harrison

Adventure Media

nharrison(at)adventuremedianews(dot)com

307.421.4473

About Class Adventure Travel

Class Adventure Travel is headquartered in Austin, Texas, where theyre big believers in supporting local business. Class Adventure Travel has been partnered with Global Encounters for close to 15 years, who has grown to have 6 regional offices throughout Latin America, almost 20 years experience, and providing customized vacations for over 160,000 travelers. Class Adventure Travel brings you the experience of over 60 passionate travel experts throughout the region, ready to help plan your tailor-made vacation. Working together to bring the traveler closer to authentic experiences and local people. Their mission, to share with others the incredible experience of discovering Latin America, and to do so with heart, providing unique adventures and authentic experiences to each and every person trusting them with their dream.


Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump are tied in the crucial swing-state of Florida, according to a Quinnipiac University Swing State Poll released on Tuesday.





The latest poll has Clinton at a statistical tie of 46% to Trump's 45% in the Sunshine State , compared to 47 - 39% back in June.



Florida women back Clinton 53 % - 40%, while men back Trump 51 % - 39% . Republicans back Trump 91 % - 5 % , while Clinton leads 89 % - 8 % among Democrats. Independent voters are divided with 42 % for Clinton and 41 % for Trump. White voters back Trump 57 % - 36 % , as non-white voters go to Clinton 68 % - 21 % .



"This Swing State Poll shows a mixed result for the presidential candidates, although certainly with an overall edge for Secretary Hillary Clinton. She has a double-digit lead in Pennsylvania and the narrowest of edges in Ohio, but Florida, with the largest cache of Electoral College votes is a tie," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.













In a campaign driven by negatives, most Trump supporters say they mainly are voting anti-Clinton while many Clinton supporters say they are voting anti-Trump.





Florida voters give Clinton and Trump negative favorability ratings, 39 % - 55 % for her and 39 % - 54 % for him.



Among Clinton supporters, 42% say the main reason is pro-Clinton, while 41% say their main motive is anti-Trump and 13% say they back the Democratic nominees.



Among Trump supporters, only 29% say they are pro-Trump, while 54% are anti-Clinton and 10% say they back the Republican nominee.



"The closeness of the Florida race is seen inside the numbers. Independent voters are split 42 - 41 percent; she leads by 13 percent among women, while he is up 12 points among men. They have the same favorable rating among voters, 39 percent," Brown said.

Margin of Error





From July 30 - August 7, Quinnipiac University surveyed:



1,056 Florida likely voters with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points;




Azusa Business, QMH, Shows Support to Police & Fire Department

Quality Material Handling, Inc. (QMH) honored local fire and police department service men and women during its second annual QMH Gives Back event last week. Showing appreciation with some of the best burgers in town, QMH brought in a seventy-foot In-N-Out truck to mark such hard work, dedication and excellent service.

"California fire season has been especially brutal this year -- and in our own backyard," said QMH President Hector Pinto. "And with all that is happening nationally to unite our police officers with the community following recent events, we see it as an honor and privilege to be able to give something back to those who put themselves on the line for us every day."

The Azusa Police Department's officers and administrative staff, as well as the Azusa Fire Department's local crews came out to enjoy 150 hamburgers, cheeseburgers and double doubles. Attendees shared a meal, putted on the greens and posed for photos, bringing everyone together for fun and appreciation.

Family-owned and operated, QMH recently celebrated 25 years in business as an active member of the Azusa community. This year also commemorates Pinto's appointment as President of the Azusa Police Foundation, which supports fallen officers and their families. With Police Chief Sam Gonzalez retiring this year, this designation further strengthens QMH's community to the Azusa community.

About QMH

Quality Material Handling, Inc. was founded in 1991 specializing in products and services in the material handling industry. QMH offers warehouse management services and solutions including warehouse layout and design, permit acquisition, shelving and racking system design and installation, warehouse equipment, installation & relocation, and warehouse consultations. As a family-run, Women- and Minority-owned Business Enterprises (WMBE) certified business in California, QMH has made multiple appearances in LA Business Journals top 100 businesses, winning the publications Latino Business of the Year Award.
Centegra Hospital-Huntley's Aug. 9 opening makes it the third new hospital in Illinois in 35 years. The community has already embraced our hospital, which has added to our team's excitement.

The first baby born at the new Centegra Hospital-Huntley sped into the world in a flurry of excitement Aug. 9 when her parents arrived at the hospital 30 minutes before the hospitals official opening. As Centegra Hospital-Huntley employees lined up to take historic photos to mark the hospitals opening day, Heather and Shane Doty of Hampshire, Ill. arrived in the final stages of labor. At 7:02 a.m., Gianna Doty was welcomed into the world. She weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces and was 17 1/2 inches long.

We received a call from the patients doctor that the mom was in labor and she didnt think she could make it all the way to Centegra Hospital-McHenry, said Sheila Senn, chief operating officer of Centegra Hospital-Huntley. Our team was ready to receive patients and when the family arrived it wasnt long before the baby was born. The entire hospital celebrated when we heard Brahms Lullaby played over the intercom.

The hospital already had a Cesarean section scheduled for later in the morning, and another familys delivery meant three babies were born by 2 p.m. Teams had performed a cardiac catheterization procedure, several surgeries and endoscopic procedures and the emergency department had received five patients via ambulance within hours of opening.

The community has already embraced our hospital, which has added to our teams excitement, said Peggy Norton-Rosko, chief nursing officer of Centegra Health System. Everyones careful planning has prepared us for today, and we take great pride in knowing weve already brought high-quality care right here to the Huntley region.

Centegra Health System is committed to meeting the health care needs of the residents of greater McHenry County and to making services available in multiple and convenient locations, including hospitals in McHenry, Woodstock and Huntley, Immediate and Physician Care Centers, Centegra Sage Cancer Center, Health Bridge Fitness Centers and the highly anticipated Centegra Hospital-Huntley.

As the regions leading health care provider, Centegra Health System continues to bring the latest treatments and technology, along with the skills of nearly 4,500 associates, to meet the needs of the growing McHenry County community. For more information about Centegra Health System visit centegra.org, search Centegra Health System on Facebook and Twitter or call 877-CENTEGRA (877-236-8347).
Manhattan, KS Land The property location in western Manhattan is ideal for both college students (4 miles from KSU campus) and the military (14.4 miles from Fort Riley).

Buyers have the opportunity to bid on prime development land in the growing community of Manhattan, Kansas. United Country  Crossroads Auction and Realty will offer 11 acres to the highest bidders during a live and online event August 30 at 10 am. The live event will be held at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, 530 Richards Dr, Manhattan, KS 66502.

We believe auctions are one of the best ways to bring properties to the public, said Curt Marshall auctioneer with United Country  Crossroads Auction and Realty. The auction format allows qualified buyers the opportunity to see the available properties and determine their current fair market values through the bidding process.

We are excited to present this amazing investment opportunity to the public, Marshall said. This land is located on North Scenic Drive in Manhattan, KS, just south of the Scenic Woods Apartment Community and consists of 11 acres of development land that is zoned and entitled as part of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) for 168 multi-family units. The property location in western Manhattan is ideal for both college students (4 miles from KSU campus) and the military (14.4 miles from Fort Riley).

Property details, photos, as well as terms and conditions can be found at http://www.UCCrossRoads.com. Curt Marshall can be reached at 785-826-0824 or by email at cmarshall(at)uccrossroads(dot)com or contact Terry Zimmer at 785-822-7780 or by email tzimmer(at)uccrossroads(dot)com.

About United Country

United Country Real Estate  a division of the United Real Estate Group  is the leading, fully integrated network of conventional and auction real estate professionals. The company has been an innovator in lifestyle and country real estate marketing since 1925. United Country supports nearly 500 offices and 5,000 real estate professionals across four continents, with a unique, comprehensive marketing program that includes the highest ranked and largest portfolios of specialty property marketing websites, the largest real estate marketing services company, an extensive buyer database of more than 550,000 opt-in buyers and exclusive global advertising of properties.
The Avitus Group Reasonable Accommodation Law for Pregnant Employees Compliance Guide is designed to help business owners within the state of Colorado easily understand the new regulation.

Avitus Group is releasing a compliance guide to businesses across Colorado in an effort to educate employers impacted by the new Reasonable Accommodation Law for Pregnant Employees that takes effect on August 10th, 2016. The new law is called the Colorado Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and is an amendment to the Colorado Anti Discrimination Act or CADA. It requires employers to accommodate medical conditions and limitations stemming from pregnancy that may not separately qualify as disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It protects individuals with conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or a related condition without requiring that the conditions be disabling. All Colorado employers are required to make reasonable accommodations and accommodate employees unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship to the employer.

The Accommodation Law focuses on protecting individuals with pregnancy related conditions and will allow for women who are pregnant to have more frequent or longer break periods, as well as restroom, food and water breaks. Modified work schedules, assistance with manual labor, modification of equipment or seating and limitation on lifting is also addressed in this new law. There are many factors to consider with this new regulation and Avitus Group makes sure our Colorado clients are trained so that they can be in compliance with the new changes," says Avitus Group's Denver-based Regional Human Resources Manager Dawn Wilson.

The Reasonable Accommodation Law for Pregnant employees also calls for a temporary transfer to a less strenuous or hazardous position if available. For more information on the Reasonable Accommodation Law, Avitus Group invites businesses to review the Avitus Group Reasonable Accommodation Law for Pregnant Employees Compliance Guide.

Avitus Groups goal is to help businesses simplify, strengthen and grow, and when it comes to government regulation and HR law, simplify is the key. The Avitus Group Reasonable Accommodation Law for Pregnant Employees Compliance Guide is designed to help business owners within the state of Colorado easily understand the new regulation so that they can provide a safe and fair environment for their employees to work in, says Avitus Group Public Relations Manager Dianne Parker.

Avitus Group is a worldwide company that simplifies, strengthens and grows businesses by providing 'back office' support (Payroll, accounting, taxes, recruiting, information technology, human resources and much more.) When a business uses Avitus Group, all of the necessary yet burdensome functions of the business become Avitus Group's responsibility, so the business can focus on what it does best. Avitus Group serves clients nationwide through regional office locations from coast to coast. The company also serves international clients through partner locations in Europe, Canada, China, England, India, Japan and Singapore.
The motorcycle market is constantly changing as new technologies and materials are developed, and consumers often follow in suit reaching for the latest and greatest. However, many motorcycle enthusiasts are sticking to their older air-cooled, carbureted motorcycles in spite of the industry. While many write such riders off as stubborn, Triumph veterans British Customs delves into why many of the leading custom motorcycle builders prefer to work with air-cooled carbureted models.

British Customs technical series "Wrencher's Digest" highlights the distinguishing features, differences, benefits, and disadvantages of both carbureted and fuel injected platforms in easy to follow terms for their readers.

The first of the series examines the differences of the mechanical aspect of physically working on an air-cooled carbureted motorcycle, an air-cooled EFI motorcycle, and a liquid-cooled EFI motorcycle.

Carbureted Triumph motorcycles, British Customs found, are considerably easier to work on than their fuel injected counterparts, and are especially easier to work on than Triumphs new liquid-cooled motorcycles.

The design of air-cooled motorcycles is much simpler than that of liquid-cooled motorcycles. Air-cooled motorcycles require considerably less wiring to run, for example. Less wiring and electronics means riders dont have to deal with them whenever they want to change something on their motorcycle, and that a greater range of customization is possible since riders arent constrained by the black box dictations of electronics suites or their placement inside the motorcycle.

A second major point of difference is that everything on the liquid-cooled models is more exact, such as the brake lines, clutch cables, and throttle cables. British Customs attempted to put a tracker handlebar on a custom Street Twin recently and found that all the stock cables were too short, keeping them from being able to put the controls on the new bars. That inspired British Customs to create a new control cable kit designed to allow riders to install whatever kind of handlebars they want, but on an air-cooled Triumph modern classic, riders can swap out handlebars with much greater ease.

In the end, all the motorcycle platforms available from Triumph are great, but each is meant for a very different kind of rider. To find out which platform is right for what kind of motorcycle enthusiast, visit the British Customs blog every Wednesday throughout this month for new articles covering the differences between the various types of motorcycles made by Triumph.

About British Customs:

British Customs is a Southern California-based lifestyle brand and designer of aftermarket motorcycle parts. They are known for making the highest quality factory-spec bolt-on parts that only require common tools and minimal technical knowledge to install. With any of their parts upgrades, the average rider can completely customize his or her motorcycle in a weekend.
Justice Marilyn Kite, who most recently served 15 years as a justice on the Wyoming Supreme Court, rejoined Holland & Hart LLP, where she will provide strategic legal counsel to the firm's clients, primarily focused on commercial law, natural resource law, and other complex litigation.

Previously a partner with the firm, Kite and attorney Jack Palma, assisted in opening the Holland & Hart Cheyenne and Jackson Hole offices prior to her appointment to the Wyoming Supreme Court. She rejoined as of counsel in the Jackson Hole office as a member of the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources practice group.

With Marilyns experience in the Wyoming judicial system, legal community, and her extensive experience practicing law, we are excited to welcome her back as a colleague and a friend, said Joe Teig, administrative partner of the firms Jackson Hole office.

Prior to joining the Court, Justice Kite served on the faculty of the Western Trial Advocacy Institute, University of Wyoming, and the Denver Regional National Institute of Trial Advocacy. She has also served as a member of the Wyoming Judicial Nominating Commission and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals Advisory Board. Justice Kite was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2000 by Governor Jim Geringer. Justice Kite was Wyomings first female Supreme Court Justice. She served as Chief Justice from 2010 to 2014. While on the bench, she served on numerous boards, including the Board of Judicial Policy and Administration, the University of Wyoming College of Law Advisory Board, and the Access to Justice Commission. As Chief Justice, she successfully advocated for improvements to court security, expansion of civics education, and promotion of women interested in the law.

###

About Holland & Hart

Established in 1947, Holland & Hart is a full service, national law firm that today has more than 500 lawyers in 15 offices across the Mountain West and in Washington, D.C. delivering integrated legal solutions to regional, national, and international clients of all sizes. Holland & Harts attorneys have consistently been recognized by leading national and international peer and industry review organizations for innovation and dedication to the practice of law. The firm was recently ranked No. 16 nationally among 300-plus law firms on BTI Consulting Groups BTI Client Service 30 2016 and for the sixth consecutive year was named to BTI Consulting Group's BTI Most Recommended Law Firms 2016 by corporate counsel. For more information, visit http://www.hollandhart.com.
Vizor is excited to be part of the first CIAT Technology Meeting.

Vizor, the world leader in FATCA and CRS software for tax authorities, today announced it will be sponsoring the 1st Biennial International Technology Meeting of the Inter-American Centre of Tax Administrations (CIAT). The conference will be held October 10th to October 12th at the Hilton Miami Downtown, in Miami, Florida, USA.

On Tuesday, October 11th, attendees of the conference will have the opportunity to attend a presentation by Conor Crowley, Vizor Joint CEO and co-Founder on the topic of FATCA, CRS and AEOI Solutions for Tax Authorities.

Visitors to Vizors exhibition space will learn:



Why leading Tax Authorities such as the Cayman Islands Tax Information Authority, the New Zealand Inland Revenue Department, The Department of Zakat and Income Tax Saudi Arabia, and the Financial Services Commission (FSC) British Virgin Islands, have selected Vizor Software.

How Vizor simplifies FATCA & AEOI for tax authorities with a solution that can be implemented in less than 6 weeks.

How to comply with U.S. FATCA requirements and OECD standards for AEOI, such as the Common Reporting Standard.

How to provide automated exchange of information with the Internal Revenue Service and other jurisdictions.

Vizor offers a multitude of features to assist Tax Authorities in meeting FATCA and AEOI obligations including:

Financial Institution self-registration and account creation.

Financial Institution upload facility for FATCA and CRS data in XML format, as well as manual data entry via web forms for smaller FIs that lack the capabilities to produce XML.

Configuration options for running in fully automated mode so that little or no manual interaction with the system is required for the Tax Authority.

Management reports for monitoring, tracking, and reviewing information within the system.

For more information about the 1st Biennial International Technology Meeting of the Inter-American Centre of Tax Administrations (CIAT) visit ciattechmeeting.com/home/

@vizorsoftware will tweet from the conference using the #CIAT2016 hashtag.

About Vizor

Vizor Software has been the standard for financial regulatory technology since 2000. Leading the way in regulatory supervision software, Vizor is trusted by Central Banks and Financial Regulators from around the globe for the collection and validation of highly complex data from Financial Institutions. Serving the needs of financial regulators in more than 20 countries, Vizor is a trusted partner of large consulting firms and leading XBRL toolset providers. Employing a collaborative, agile approach to implementing regulatory solutions, Vizor simplifies and strengthens financial regulation systems. You can learn more and visit Vizor at http://www.vizorsoftware.com or by following Vizor on Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and Pinterest.
Coolpad Summer Snow Day promotion "Coolpad is a global smartphone brand known for making affordable, full-featured smartphones that do not sacrifice the functionality or performance that people want to see in their smartphones, said Brandy Kang, CEO of Coolpad Americas.

Coolpad  a global, top-10 smartphone manufacturer  today announced plans for delivering 32 tons of snow to downtown Miami as part of its Summer Snow Day promotion that will celebrate the companys global launch and efforts to expand its market presence in the United States. Coolpad invites the public to come out and play in the snow during this unique event and learn more about the company and its line-up of high-power, affordable smartphones. This exciting event is scheduled from noon to 3 p.m. this Saturday in front of the Bayside Marketplace at 401 Biscayne Blvd.

Coolpad is a global smartphone brand known for making affordable, full-featured smartphones that do not sacrifice the functionality or performance that people want to see in their smartphones, said Brandy Kang, CEO of Coolpad Americas. We selected Miami as the venue to hold the Summer Snow Day promotion because we believe the Miami vibe embodies the essence of Coolpads brand strategy. The Summer Snow Day matches Coolpads desire to deliver sophisticated, incredibly affordable products that empower people to do more in a fun and vibrant way. Just like people are amazed to see snow in Miami, we believe the masses will be amazed at how Coolpad has created a new dynamic in what people can expect and want in their smartphones.

Coolpads Summer Snow Day promotion is open to the public and will include the following features:



32 tons of snow for the public to sled and play on

Two 15 sledding slopes that stretch 120 feet

A 20 x 20 snow play area

A life-size snow globe

Coolpad phones and representatives on site

In addition, Coolpad will hold a special press event at 11:45 a.m. where company officials will host City of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado and representatives from Miami Childrens Health Foundation to make a special donation to support the Foundations efforts to improve pediatric care in the area.

# # #

About Coolpad:

Coolpad was recently named to Forbes Asias Fab50 list as one of Chinas largest 4G smartphone producers and vendors. Coolpad was founded in 1993 and has been a cellphone technology leader for over 20 years. Coolpad launches over 50 smartphones a year with revenues exceeding $1.8 billion in 2016 globally. Coolpad believes technology should be simple in the way that it enhances every aspect of your life, and so instinctive that it becomes a natural part of you. For more information, please visit https://coolpad.us.
mHUB physical product development and manufacturing hub "MHUB will unite the manufacturing sector with our vibrant technology-focused entrepreneurial scene..." Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel

Mayor Rahm Emanuel today announced MHUB, a collaboration among Chicagos leaders in business, innovation and research designed to galvanize the manufacturing ecosystem by generating innovative ideas, attracting world-class talent and driving greater productivity. A joint effort of World Business Chicago and the MHUB board of directors, the center will open in late 2016 and offer Chicagos burgeoning product manufacturers access to state-of-the-art facilities and support to develop and bring their products to market.

MHUB builds on Chicagos history as a home for hard-working men and women with bold vision and big ideas, Mayor Emanuel said. MHUB will unite the manufacturing sector with our vibrant technology-focused entrepreneurial scene, and will encourage new and existing manufacturing as a driver of growth for our city thanks to new applications in product development and manufacturing.

Located at 965 West Chicago Avenue, MHUB will bring a full product development environment to the 63,000-square-foot former Motorola Mobility, a Lenovo company, prototyping and testing lab. Equipped with a 3D-printing lab, electronics labs, a metal shop and more, MHUB will partner with manufacturers, business accelerator programs, venture capitalists, engineering and product development consultancies, universities and providers of business services. Members and community participants will have access to these services in the state-of-the-art facilities.

We are excited to introduce MHUB to the manufacturing community, World Business Chicago President & CEO Jeff Malehorn said. MHUB will help spark innovation and growth in the industry, and encourage the development of cutting-edge manufacturing products for the future.

To jumpstart the center, the MHUB board is joining with Catalyze Chicago. Founded in 2014, Catalyze has helped companies grow from prototype to product. MHUB will build on the success of Catalyze, which has served as a prototype of a member-supported product development community and prototyping space. MHUB will offer an expanded mission to build connections between entrepreneurs and manufacturers. Since inception, Catalyze has fostered 56 companies generating $57 million in revenue and launched nearly 60 successful products.

MHUB has begun accepting membership applications for prospective community members at http://www.mHUBchicago.com. Membership rates start at $145 per month for part-time access to the prototyping lab. MHUB offers several packages for early stage entrepreneurs up through established enterprises, including shared co-working space and private office rentals within MHUB. All memberships include access to MHUBs mentor network, community events and affiliate discounts, as well as classes and support services designed to help innovators accelerate company growth.

Additionally, MHUB will serve as a connection point to the larger community with a robust calendar of educational programs, networking events and workshops. Meeting space will be available to professional and neighborhood groups. MHUB will also serve as a supportive gateway for those who are underrepresented in Chicagos innovation ecosystem.

As chairman of MHUB, I see real value here for many stakeholders, Hugh Sullivan, senior adviser of Morgan Stanley, chairman of MHUBs Board of Directors and Executive Committee and a former manufacturer said. MHUB will act as a convener for innovation, collaboration and growth in order to fill the gaps between the entrepreneurial, manufacturing and applied innovation sectors.

MHUB was incubated by World Business Chicagos Advisory Council for Chicagoland Manufacturing, along with community partners UI Labs, the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center (CEC), the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition and Catalyze Chicago. MHUB will be led by Haven Allen as the centers executive director and Catalyze Founder Bill Fienup as managing director.

Im looking forward to being a part of the team that will ensure that the Midwest achieves its full potential to innovate and lead the country in manufacturing and entrepreneurship, Allen said.

The maker-entrepreneurs of Chicago are building companies, securing patents and selling products. With access to the robust facilities and resources like MHUBs network of mentors, investors and manufacturing partners, this is a game-changer for Chicago, Fienup said.

Cook County recently received national recognition as a top digital county due to our noteworthy performance and technological innovations, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said. We take pride in creating an environment that will support MHUB and position Cook County at the forefront of innovation and job creation.

MHUBs initial founding industry partners include Chase Foundation, GE Ventures and Marmon; along with partners Ask Power; Autodesk; Chamberlain Group; Comcast; Kirkland & Ellis; MINIMAL, who also designed MHUBs visual brand identity; TMA Education; UL; and Wiegel Toolworks.

Breakthrough products are sure to result thanks to MHUBs ability to attract designers and engineers who are eager to apply the latest research in this resource-rich facility, Karen Kerr, senior managing director of advanced manufacturing at GE Ventures said. The blend of intellectual and physical capital will be transformational.

For more information, visit http://www.mHUBchicago.com and follow @mHUBChicago. Sign up for newsletter at http://eepurl.com/b-t7DH.

###
The SAE International G-28 Committee, , will define standard test requirements and manufacturing criteria for simulants such as artificial birds utilized for development and certification impact testing for aircraft and engines.

SAE International is seeking members for a new technical committee that will establish international standards for artificial birds utilized for the development and certification of structures and engines for bird strike testing. Aircraft and engine OEMs, as well as some organizations in the rail and automotive sectors, face regulatory requirements for bird strike capability.

The SAE International G-28 Committee, Simulants for Impact and Ingestion Testing, will define standard test requirements and manufacturing criteria for simulants such as artificial birds utilized for development and certification impact testing for aircraft and engines.

Issues to be covered by the committee will include:



Definition of test requirements for approval of artificial simulants (e.g. birds).

Means of correlation of artificial simulant test results with real object test results.

Substantiation and definition of manufacturing procedures for artificial simulants and guidelines for usage.

The SAE G-28 Committee plans to hold its first meeting August 31  September 1 at SAE Internationals World Headquarters in Warrendale, PA, USA. Julian Reed, Engineering Fellow  Impact, Rolls-Royce, will serve as the committee chair.

The committee is seeking members who are familiar with bird-strike testing or have an interest in developing test requirements and manufacturing criteria for artificial birds. Subject matter experts from operators, aircraft OEMs, engine OEMs, pilots, testing laboratories as well as civilian and military aviation regulatory authorities are encouraged to participate. Anyone interesting in joining the committee should contact, Laura Feix, Aerospace Standards Engineer, SAE International, at 724-799-9198 or laura.feix(at)sae.org.

SAE International is a global association committed to being the ultimate knowledge source for the engineering profession. By uniting over 127,000 engineers and technical experts, we drive knowledge and expertise across a broad spectrum of industries. We act on two priorities: encouraging a lifetime of learning for mobility engineering professionals and setting the standards for industry engineering: SAE maintains over 8,500 technical standards used by global aviation industry, government and research stakeholders.

http://www.sae.org
UNCFs Michigan office will host Michigans Building Better Futures Weekend on August 27-28. The weekend features the 28th Annual 5K Walk for Education and UNCF Sunday, our national faith and education initiative where UNCF supporters will join together to make an impact in the lives of Michigan students. For 72 years, UNCF has been changing lives for generations by enabling more than 430,000 minority students to attend college. Last academic year, thanks to the commitment of our UNCF stakeholders and sponsors, Michigan students received more than $2.5 million in scholarships.

We are so thrilled to expand the UNCF footprint in the Michigan area and to work with top business and religious leaders to make this years event a major success, said Barbara Patton, UNCF area development director. The loyalty of individuals and corporate employees is key to our continued success. UAW-GM and General Motors Company have held the top fundraising trophy for the past 19 years, followed by UAW-Ford and Ford Motor Company; key examples of sustained commitment to hundreds of deserving college students from Michigan receiving needed scholarships. Local alumni continue to play an integral role in supporting the UNCF mission and most importantly, our students.

Ford Motor Company is a proud 2016 co-presenting sponsor of the UNCF Walk for Education. Our support spans 28 consecutive years, raising over $1 million to provide advanced education opportunities to students attending HBCUs and traditional colleges, said Frederiek Toney, president of the Ford Customer Service Division. UNCF is a facilitator of one of the most powerful tools for students to lift themselves and their families to higher economic equality. We know that many of the students who receive financial assistance are first-generation college students, making our efforts even more important. We look forward to continuing our partnership with UNCF to support this worthwhile cause.

Tammy Golden, General Motors director of manufacturing support and North America manufacturing staffs stated, The UAW and GM are proud to support the UNCF in its quest to provide education to students in this competitive landscape. We know that education is the price of entry to the workforce and every student that wants an education should be afforded one. The UAW-GM Team is committed to ensuring the mission of the UNCF.

Major sponsors of the UNCF 28th Annual 5K Walk for Education include UAW GM and General Motors Company, UAW Ford and Ford Motor Company along with Delphi Foundation, Bridgewater Interiors/Johnson Controls, UAW Chrysler and FCA.

UNCF Michigans Building Better Futures Weekend

Saturday, Aug. 27, 2016

UNCF 28th Annual 5K Walk for Education, Belle Isle Casino, Detroit, 8 a.m.-noon

Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016

UNCF Sunday, Presenting Host Church  Perfecting Church, 7616 E. Nevada, Detroit 10:45 a.m., 3 p.m.

Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, 18700 James Couzens Fwy., Detroit 7:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m.

Oakgrove AME, 19801 Cherrylawn St, Detroit, MI, 8:00 a.m.

In a world where our students have to compete globally we must prepare them. Education is the most important way we can leave a legacy for the next generation, said Bishop-Elect Marvin Winans pastor of Perfecting Church. Historically black colleges and universities are important to the African American community because theyre taught in a way that is unique to the African American experience. UNCF has been the conduit to which many African American children have been able to access their goal of a college education. Perfecting Church has decided to lead the church community in supporting the UNCF Sunday because we see ourselves as a church of the city.

For more information or sponsorship opportunities of the UNCF Michigans Building Better Futures Weekend, visit http://www.uncf.org/detroit or contact angela.bingham@uncf.org at 313.873.1500.

Follow Michigans Building Better Futures Weekend: @uncf @uncfmichigan #laceup4UNCF

About UNCF

UNCF (the United Negro College Fund) is the nations largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 21 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF.
Drs. Gallardo and Lamas

John Paul Gallardo, D.D.S., P.A. and William P. Lamas, D.M.D., M.S. are excited to announce that Gallardo & Lamas Periodontics and Implant Dentistry will be hosting the Miami Study Club on September 8th at CIBO Wine Bar in Coral Gables. These educational events bring together the areas most respected professionals in restorative and general dentistry. Septembers Study Club will begin with a live webinar discussion on optimal dental implant treatment planning from Italys Dr. Francesco Mintrone at 7 p.m.

Four times a year, Gallardo & Lamas Periodontics and Implant Dentistry host the Miami Study Club. Authorized to provide continuing education credits for doctors, each session is led by some of dentistrys most respected educators, researchers and practitioners. A relaxed setting encourages discussions, questions and peer collaboration. Without traveling far from home, the Study Club also provides a casual time for dental professionals to increase their confidence through skill-building activities.

Im at the point in my career and in life where giving is more meaningful than receiving. To be able to share knowledge knowing the impact it could have on the multitude of patients is priceless to me, said Dr. Gallardo.

The Miami Study Club is part of Dental ED, an international organization bringing together a wide range of dental professionals to further their educational interests. Each session begins with an in-depth talk regarding current dental technologies, trends, and cutting-edge research. Started in 2004, Dental ED has become a leader in dentistry training, offering a variety of study clubs and courses for professionals across the globe. Each session connects with the worlds most respected educators using live, interactive-web conferencing technology.

The Miami periodontics and implant dentistry office was founded in 1994 by Dr. Gallardo. Drs. Gallardo and Lamas bring more than 25 years of experience to their patients in southern Florida. Dr. Gallardo attended the University of Miami, New York University, and Boston University. Dr. Lamas is an alumnus of Barry University, the Florida College of Dentistry, and Baylor College of Dentistry-TAMUS. Both doctors are highly respected in the fields of periodontics and implant dentistry. The office offers patients same-day dental implants, sedation dentistry, the innovative All-on-4, as well as gummy smile correction and wisdom teeth removal.

Septembers Study Club will be held at the CIBO Wine Bar, located at 45 Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. Dinner and social hour begins at 6 p.m. The live webinar presentation runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dental professionals attending will be awarded 1.75 continuing education credits for their attendance. Anyone interested in attending can subscribe by visiting Dental ED. For additional information, or to RSVP for Septembers Study Club, contact Amelia (amelia(at)miamiperio(dot)com) at Gallardo & Lamas Periodontics and Implant Dentistry at 305.447.1447.
Philipp Plein goes live with Centric 8 PLM in record time We selected Centric Software because we share a passion for innovation. Centric knows the luxury industry and has a wide portfolio of high end brands. They understand our business and values.

Centric Software announces that Philipp Plein, the luxury fashion house, successfully implemented Centrics product lifecycle management (PLM) solution on time and on budget. The successful, fast growing fashion company is using Centric 8 PLM to develop its Spring/Summer 2017 collection only 3 months after the kick off of its PLM project. Centric is the leading PLM solution for fashion, retail, outdoor, luxury and consumer goods companies.

Founded in 1998 by German fashion designer Philipp Plein, the luxury brand Philipp Plein develops menswear, womenswear, childrenswear as well as jewelry, accessories and a home collection. Today the Swiss company, headquartered in Lugano, counts more than 100 employees worldwide, has showrooms in Milan, New York and Hong Kong, and enjoys a significant global presence.

To support the brands fast paced expansion and booming success, Philipp Plein decided to look for a PLM solution.

We selected Centric Software because we share a passion for innovation. Centric knows the luxury industry and has a wide portfolio of high end brands. They understand our business and values, explains Corinna Barton, COO at Philipp Plein.

Philipp Plein is renowned for its creative and innovative designs as well as attention to detail. The designer uses expensive materials such as metal hardware and crystals to make the labels creations unique. The company was looking for a way to better estimate these material costs, as they are significant.

According to Production Manager Daniele Montaguti, We needed a better way to track and calculate material costs. With Centric 8 PLM our product development teams are able to precisely evaluate material costs and send very accurate requirements for prototyping and production; this is real a time saver, he continues. Negotiation with suppliers is also facilitated due to accurate information tracking.

Philipp Pleins teams are using the full Centric 8 PLM suite across the design, product development, sourcing and production departments in Lugano, Switzerland.

We are happy to have met the challenge of implementing Centric 8 PLM in only 3 months at Philipp Plein. Our partnership is already resulting in streamlined operations and reduced time to market for this wildly successful brand,  says Chris Groves, president and CEO of Centric Software. We are proud that Centric will continue to support this high-end brands amazing expansion across the globe.

PHILIPP PLEIN (http://www.philipp-plein.com)

PHILIPP PLEIN is present in the most prestigious boutiques and department stores across the globe and boasts over 80 mono brand stores worldwide including flagships in Paris, Milan, New York and Los Angeles.

PHILIPP PLEIN is continuing its retail expansion strategy with openings in London, Atlanta and other major cities expected by the end of 2016.

Centric Software, Inc. (http://www.centricsoftware.com)

From its headquarters in Silicon Valley and offices in trend capitals around the world, Centric Software builds technologies for the most prestigious names in fashion, retail, footwear, outdoor, luxury and consumer goods. Its flagship product lifecycle management (PLM) platform, Centric 8, delivers enterprise-class merchandise planning, product development, sourcing, business planning, quality and collection management functionality tailored for fast-moving consumer industries. Centric SMB packages extended PLM including innovative technology and key industry learnings tailored for small businesses.

Centric Software has received multiple industry awards, including the Frost & Sullivan Global Product Differentiation Excellence Award in Retail, Fashion and Apparel PLM. Red Herring named Centric to its Top 100 Global list in 2013 and 2015.

Centric is a registered trademark of Centric Software. All other brands and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Media Contacts:

PHILIPP PLEIN

Jennifer Leppla, j(dot)leppla(at)philipp-plein(dot)com

Centric Software

Americas: Jennifer Forsythe, Centric Software, jforsythe(at)centricsoftware(dot)com

Europe: Maria teresa Rubino, Simply MOD, +39 389 457 3163, mariateresarubino(at)simplymod(dot)it

Asia: Emilie Gao, Centric Software, +86 186 1651 9769, egao(at)centricsoftware(dot)com
The UNCF fundraising campaign in Birmingham is flying high with its 2017 campaign chair, Al Denson, president and CEO of Birmingham Airport Authority and graduate of UNCF-member Stillman College.

Its an honor to serve the mission of UNCF, and we are excited about continuing our partnership with the Birmingham community to invest in students and help them go to and through college, Denson said. Denson along with the UNCF corporate chair and PNC regional president, Brian Bucher, and the other UNCF Leadership Council members, have already raised more than $400,000 of their $1 million goal for the year.

The Birmingham Airport Authority has been a strong supporter of the UNCF fundraising campaign for many years and hosted the 2017 UNCF Appreciation and Campaign Kick-off in June at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. Other major sponsors that have committed to the 2017 campaign include PNC Bank, Regions Bank, BBVA Compass and Mercedes-Benz U.S. International.

Last years annual UNCF fundraising campaign raised more than $891,000 in Alabama and Mississippi and over $360,000 at the annual Birmingham UNCF Mayors Masked Ball. The 2017 UNCF Mayors Masked Ball is scheduled for Saturday, February 25, 2017, at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex East Ballroom. We are extremely grateful to the many people, companies, organizations, civic and community organizations, the faith community and volunteers for their support and cant wait to celebrate another successful year for students, said UNCF Area Development Director Cheri Wilson.

For more information about the local Birmingham office of UNCF or the Birmingham Mayors Masked Ball, please contact Wilson at 205.322.8623 X8620 or at cheri.wilson(at)uncf(dot)org.

To follow the work of UNCF Birmingham, visit UNCF.org/Birmingham.

About UNCF

UNCF (the United Negro College Fund) is the nations largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 21 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF.
Udayan Madathilkovilakam, COO at Access Healthcare Im looking forward to working with a team that places such value in quality and efficiency. The technology and programs already in place will serve as a foundation to further those values and ultimately better serve Access Healthcares customers.

Access Healthcare, a leading provider of end-to-end healthcare revenue cycle services, today announced the addition of Udayan Madathilkovilakam as Chief Operating Officer. Udayan has over two decades of professional experience in the Healthcare and Outsourcing industry.

Udayan comes to Access Healthcare from Hinduja Global Solutions where he served as SVP and Business Unit Head of Healthcare Payer Operations. While at HGS, Udayan managed nearly 4,000 employees and played a major role in improving its operational margin. Under his leadership, his team received the top customer satisfaction scores at the company and performed well above industry standards.

Udayan has a proven track record of creating a high performance culture, said Anurag Jain, Chairman of Access Healthcare. His deep experience in the industry and in managing large operations will further Access Healthcares mission to bring efficiency and excellence to the revenue cycle so our customers can focus on creating great patient experiences.

Prior to HGS, Udayan served as Director Operations- Financial Management Services at RR Donnelley and was responsible for back-office operations for a large US client. He has also held leadership positions at Fidelity and IBM. While at IBM, he is credited with setting up the first healthcare build-operate-transfer (BOT) client.

Im looking forward to working with a team that places such value in quality and efficiency, Udayan explained. The technology and programs already in place will serve as a foundation to further those values and ultimately better serve Access Healthcares customers.

About Access Healthcare

Exceptional healthcare organizations compliment the highest standards of care with a commitment to excellence in revenue cycle management. Billing companies and healthcare provider systems use Access Healthcare to bring excellence to their back office Revenue Cycle Management enabling better focus on strategic priorities, like profitability and creating great patient experiences. By leveraging the Access Healthcare Best Practice Engine for Revenue Cycle Management, our focus on creating results enables not only improved profitability, but opportunity to cultivate growth through reduced costs, better productivity, and higher quality. For more information, check out accesshealthcare.org.
Angelica Pineda, Veronica Pineda, Alicia Campbell Every month we have a cause that we support through education, fundraising and community participation, an internal initiative called the Institution for HOPE (Helping Other People Endure). Past News Releases RSS Allen School of Health Sciences...

Allen School of Health Sciences...

The Allen School of Health Sciences, one of the nations most dedicated institutions in training graduates to become successful healthcare professionals, recently announced it is raising funds for its cause of the month.

Every month we have a cause that we support through education, fundraising and community participation, an internal initiative called the Institution for HOPE (Helping Other People Endure), said Jason Teich, President of Allen School of Health Sciences. For August, we are raising funds for immunization awareness.

To date in 2016, Allen School of Health Sciences has raised funds and awareness for Alzheimers, the heart, Multiple Sclerosis, Autism, AIDS, mental health and skin cancer. Future campaigns will include Sickle Cell (September), breast cancer (October) and Diabetes (November) awareness, as well as a pediatrics toy drive in December.

In addition to our institutional causes, each of our classes picks a cause they are dedicated to as they progress through their education with us, and research and present educational pieces on their cause, said Teich. They find local organizations that are dedicated to their cause and raise funds in various ways to then support these causes, including Diabetes, healthy living, Multiple Sclerosis, the Lymphoma Society, child abuse, homelessness, Autism and depression.

In the last year alone, Allen School of Health Sciences students have raised approximately $10,000 via bake sales, penny wars, car washes, toy drives, food and hygiene item collections, T-shirt sales, sales of items branded for a particular cause (e.g., red bracelets for Heart Month) and more. Additionally, funds raised were matched by Teich.

We also host guest speakers, conduct blood drives and attend community events, including walks and runs, and take part in popular challenges, such as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, said Teich.

About Allen School of Health Sciences

Since 1961, the Allen School of Health Sciences has provided quality Health Science programs in the Greater New York City area, including Medical Assistant, Nursing Assistant and Medical Insurance Billing and Coding. It seeks to educate students on how to think critically, analyze, solve problems, and communicate effectively through an enriching academic experience. Allen School of Health Sciences has campuses in Jamaica, Queens and Brooklyn, NY, and Phoenix, AZ. For more information, please call (888) 620-6745, or visit http://www.allenschool.edu.

About the NALA

The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALAs mission is to promote a business relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361.
Douglas A. Crowder These seminars will be geared toward beginning attorneys desiring to start their own law practice, but more experienced attorneys, as well as non-attorneys, will be welcome to attend, space permitting. Past News Releases RSS

Douglas A. Crowder, founder of Crowder Law, recently announced he will be giving two seminars that will provide a total of four hours of Continuing Legal Education credit for California attorneys. The tentative dates are August 27 and September 10, 2016.

Both will take place from 9 a.m. to noon at my office in downtown Los Angeles, 350 S. Figueroa Street, Suite 190, or, depending on the turnout, at another location in or near downtown Los Angeles, said Crowder, a bankruptcy and debt-settlement lawyer. These seminars will be geared toward beginning attorneys desiring to start their own law practice, but more experienced attorneys, as well as non-attorneys, will be welcome to attend, space permitting.

The first session will cover how to sign up a debt-relief client. Topics will include ways to attract new clients, while complying with California ethics rules; the four options when faced with a collection lawsuit; a summary of Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy; a summary of alternatives to bankruptcy; and drafting attorney-client agreements.

These meetings will include networking as well as education, said Crowder. One of the purposes of these seminars is to find and provide training to attorneys to whom I can refer cases. Several attendees of past seminars have obtained temporary contract work or case referrals, and two received full-time employment as a result of attending the seminar.

Mr. Crowder has been practicing debt relief and other areas of law in California since 1989, and has been approved by the California Bar to provide Continuing Legal Education to attorneys (Provider Number 13474). Those interested in attending (attorneys and non-attorneys) can contact Mr. Crowders office at (213) 325-3040, or by email at dcrowder(at)crowderlaw(dot)com.

About Douglas A. Crowder

Douglas A. Crowder has been practicing law in California since 1989. His career has spanned many fields, including criminal defense, business and corporate law, divorce and family law, various types of civil litigation, as well as bankruptcy and its alternatives. He has published two nonfiction books, Lawsuit Survival 101 and How to Start Your Own Debt Relief Practice, as well as several science fiction short stories. For more information, please call (800) 455-1592, or visit http://www.crowderlaw.com. The law office is located at 350 S. Figueroa Street, Suite 190, Los Angeles, CA 90071.

About the NALA

The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALAs mission is to promote a business relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361.
Monsoon rains have flooded a church in one of the districts in Assam, India. Please pray the Lord will comfort the hearts of those who lost their homes and belongings and enable us to be His hands and feet to them during this time.

Workers supported by Gospel for Asia (GFA) are distributing supplies, including food, mosquito netting, hygiene products and blankets, to villagers fleeing widespread monsoon flooding across certain parts of Asia. The monsoons have killed more than 42 people and driven millions more from their homes in Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal and India.

Flooding has inundated Kurigram, Bogra and Lalmonirhat districts of Bangladesh, where more than 50,000 people have lost their household items, domestic animals and crops. GFA-supported workers report that some are living in boats.

The Kathmandu Post reports that in Nepal rains and landslides have killed at least 39 and that an additional 28 are missing as homes, crops, roads and other buildings are damaged or swept away.

In Bihar, GFA-supported workers gave tarps for shelter, as well as food supplies to 800 needy villagers, and elsewhere, a Bridge of Hope center, which tutors 141 children, has been flooded, along with the childrens homes.

In one district of India, GFA-supported workers supplied about 1,000 families left homeless by flooding with 1,000 mosquito nets, about 650 pounds of beaten rice, 600 packets of biscuits, 300 bars of antibacterial soap, 300 tubes of toothpaste and 300 toothbrushes.

Workers also visited stricken Kabu Sapori Island in the Dhemaji district, providing blankets and food for 300 families. We will never forget your good work in our lives, said the village president. I, on behalf of [this island], would like to thank each of you and all the leaders for your extended helping hand. Thank you so much.

GFA-supported workers are organizing relief trips to a number of refugee camps and isolated villages to help care for stranded villagers. More flooding in the region is expected as the monsoon season, which began in May, continues into November.

We need to pray for the protection of the precious people living in these villages, said Yohannan. Please pray the Lord will comfort the hearts of those who lost their homes and belongings and enable us to be His hands and feet to them during this time.

Gospel for Asia has  for more than 30 years  provided humanitarian assistance and spiritual hope to millions across Asia, especially among those who have yet to hear the Good News. Last year, this included more than 75,000 sponsored children, free medical services for more than 180,000 people, 6,000 wells drilled, 11,000 water filters installed, Christmas presents for more than 400,000 needy families, and spiritual teaching available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry. For more information, go to http://www.gfa.org.

PHOTO CUTLINE: Monsoon rains have flooded a church in one of the districts in Assam, India.

To schedule an interview with a Gospel for Asia representative, contact pressrelations(at)gfa(dot)org or call 972-300-3379.
Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) announced today on National Smores Day, in celebration of 100 years of Girl Scouts selling cookies, that the organization will introduce two new commemorative Girl Scout Smores cookies.

Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) announced today on National Smores Day, in celebration of 100 years of Girl Scouts selling cookies, that the organization will introduce two new commemorative Girl Scout Smores cookies.

Girl Scouts of Californias Central Coast (GSCCC) will add one of the newly introduced cookies to its 2017 lineup, where it will join classics like Thin Mints, Caramel deLites, and Shortbread. GSCCC will offer a smores-inspired crispy graham cookie double-dipped in a creme icing and enrobed in a chocolatey coating. This clever take on the time-honored campfire treat was developed in response to popular consumer trends. It is vegan and free of artificial colors, preservatives and partially hydrogenated oils. The last new Girl Scout Cookies, including the gluten-free Trios, were introduced in 2015.

We are excited to introduce the new smores cookie to our customers, said Gina Jaeger, CEO of Girl Scouts of Californias Central Coast. Smores has strong ties to Girl Scouts history and is a much loved all-American recipe that consumers will love. We are so pleased to bring it to market and help girls raise money for worthy community-based causes!

To celebrate the new Girl Scout Smores cookies, GSCCC plans to roast Smores at its Castroville service center in Monterey County and at Camp Arnaz, GSCCCs own camp program facility in Ventura. Located on 36-acres near the Ojai valley, Arnaz is the only campsite of its kind to serve different age-level troops to engage in outdoor education, place-based learning and environmental education through a variety of activities.

The tradition of making and enjoying smores in the outdoors was popularized by Girl Scouts as early as the 1920s. The organization was one of the first to publish the iconic recipe under the name Some More in a 1925 issue of Girl Scout Leader magazine and, then, as somemores in an official 1927 Girl Scout publication. The popular smores recipe is just one component of Girl Scouts longstanding commitment to the outdoors, a cornerstone of the organization that plays a vital role in girls leadership development. According to the Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI) More Than Smores report, there is a clear connection between outdoor experiences and girls' understanding of their leadership potential. Girls who spend time outdoors through Girl Scouts eclipse their peers in environmental stewardship, more readily seek challenges, and are better problem solvers.

When consumers purchase a box of Girl Scout S'mores cookies or any other variety of Girl Scout Cookies, they are investing in a girls future and can feel good that their Girl Scout Cookie purchase powers amazing experiences for girls. Girl Scout Smores gives consumers another delicious way to support all the positive ways girls impact their community with cookie money, like donating time and resources to worthy local causes. To learn more about the new cookie varieties and find out when Girl Scouts will be selling cookies near you, visit http://www.girlscoutcookies.org or use the official Girl Scout Cookie Finder app, free for your iOS or Android phone or mobile device. For more information about Girl Scouts and how to join or volunteer, visit http://www.girlscouts.org/join.

About Girl Scouts of Californias Central Coast

Girl Scouts of California's Central Coast serves over 10,700 girls across six counties and is committed to making Girl Scouting available to girls in ways that impact their lives both in the moment and into the future. Girls participate in troops, individual projects, council events, day camps, and more. A variety of leadership, outdoor skills, and Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) based programs and events provide girls with opportunities to learn and explore in fun and informative ways. To join or volunteer in Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara or Ventura County, visit: http://www.girlscoutsccc.org.
homecast online real estate technology for home sellers Our listing syndication technology multiplies and broadcasts [your home listing] out to the various real estate sites where your property will be positioned to attract the most attention.

Homecast is an online real estate marketing service that saves homeowners time and money by helping them market and sell their homes using professional online tools and resources  without a real estate agent. The purpose of homecast is to forge a new home selling model, designed to better align the costs associated with the sale and marketing of a home with the actual work, effort and compensation paid. On Thursday, the Suburban Philadelphia company announced they are officially open for business.

Were currently supporting customers in Southeastern Pennsylvania where, in beta testing, weve already saved homeowners significant sums of money, said Joe Lashinger, homecast CEO and co-founder. By offering our service in another major market every few months, homecast eventually plans to reach and assist independent home sellers nationwide."

We started this company because we were tired of seeing people lose their hard earned money when selling their home, says Lashinger.

Traditionally, home sellers are responsible for agent commissions of up to 6% of the homes selling price. For the average $350,000 home in the U.S., that equates to more than $21,000 in real estate agent commissions paid at closing. By comparison, homecast charges a flat fee of $799 for its paid service, which includes listings in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), and syndicated featured listings across the top real estate sites such as Zillow, Trulia, and many more. The homeowner already controls all of the required information to create an accurate listing; they merely need a conduit for marketing and distributing the property data to reach prospective home buyers.

The manner in which house hunters search for properties has become increasingly digital. According to a study by the National Association of Realtors and Google, over 93% of home buyers begin their search online, Lashinger said. We are giving sellers professional tools to find buyers where theyre actively searching. We collect your propertys important details and help you to craft a compelling home listing that looks great. Our listing syndication technology then multiplies and broadcasts it out to the various real estate sites where your property will be positioned to attract the most attention.

Once prospective home sellers register with homecast, they can create a listing and get their home online in just a few minutes. At the website, homecast.io, sellers can:

1. Determine whether homecast makes sense for them. Homeowners can enter a selling price along with their outstanding mortgage balance, and homecast will estimate closing costs and calculate how much money they might save over using a traditional real estate agent.

2. Create a powerful real estate listing. Sellers are guided through a Listing Creation Wizard that allows them to easily create a powerful home listing that generates maximum buyer interest. Customers using homecasts premium service have their home distributed as a Featured Listing to the MLS and 85+ major commercial real estate sites including Trulia.com, Zillow.com and Realtor.com.

3. Find the right price. Homecast provides sellers access to data that shows the most recent selling prices for homes comparable to theirs, as well as recent selling prices for nearly every home in their area. For recent sales, it also shows how long the houses were on the market and whether they sold above or below the asking price. More comprehensive pricing tools and data are set to rollout in late 2016.

4. Assemble a professional support team. Homecast is building a network of high-quality professionals to help independent home sellers through every stage of the process. Some common partnerships include: real estate attorneys, appraisers, stagers, cleaning services, and photographers and videographers.

5. Market and conduct an open house. Homecast provides tools for sellers to schedule and promote an open house in real time through the user dashboard. Open house information is then seen wherever the listing appears across real estate networks.

6. Talk directly to buyers. Homecast advises sellers on how to interact with potential buyers, and also allows for safe and anonymous messaging with interested buyers, without exposing personal information or emails.

The digital world is dramatically changing the way consumers buy everything, and the real estate industry is no different, said Mr. Lashinger. What sets homecast apart is that it is updating what has become a very outdated real estate model. The person most familiar with a homeowner's property is placed in charge of the process  the homeowner. Homecast can then layer service and support over top of the listing syndication technology, all without overcharging."

About homecast:

Founded in 2016, homecast was developed by Joe Lashinger and Partners at Think it First LLC, (http://www.thinkitfirst.com) a digital marketing, design and technology firm based in Wayne, PA. Homecast is an online real estate technology platform built to allow home sellers to sell their houses without an agent. For more information or to create a free listing on homecast, visit http://homecast.io.
Implementix donates vehicle graphics for MedStar Health's cancer patient shuttle We want to thank Implementix for donating to our new Patient Transportation program. Having our bold MedStar Health vehicle graphics on the outside of the shuttle will make it easy for patients to spot their ride. Past News Releases RSS

Implementix recently donated its services to MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center to support its Cancer Philanthropy Council in its efforts to help cancer patients in need get to their appointments.

We want to thank Implementix for donating to our new Patient Transportation program. Having our bold MedStar Health vehicle graphics on the outside of the shuttle will make it easy for patients to spot their ride, said Kristi Rasmussen, CFRE, Director of Philanthropy for MedStar Health Cancer Network. Overall, the MedStar Franklin Square Cancer Philanthropy Council raised more than $260,000 to fund the program for its first three years.

Weve worked with MedStar Health on branding projects for several years. When we learned a shuttle intended to transport cancer patients without means to treatment was in desperate need of repair, donating our services was an easy decision, said Scott McLean, CEO of Implementix.

A special gathering was held to celebrate the successful establishment of the Patient Transportation program on June 30, 2016 at MedStar Franklin Square. After bodywork and mechanical repairs were completed on the shuttle (also donated), Implementix made sure the shuttles new vehicle graphics were ready to display at the June 30 celebration. The shuttle is now transporting eligible cancer patients without means or access to transportation to their appointments.

About Implementix

Implementix is a nationwide rebranding company that streamlines complex brand implementation projects to help corporations complete brand rollouts on time and on budget. Whether launching a new brand or rebranding after a merger or acquisition, Implementix provides project management services, ensuring the new brand identity looks professional in the marketplace. The Denver-based company works with national, regional and local companies in industries such as hospitality, telecommunications and cable/satellite, healthcare, financial services, food and beverage, and energy. To learn more about Implementix, visit http://www.implement-ix.com.
We are excited to welcome Laurier as Keypaths first OPM partner in Canada and look forward to working with faculty to enhance the universitys ability to educate distance learners.- Nirmeen Hasan, Keypath's Group President for OPM Global

Wilfrid Laurier University, a Top 10 school in its category for highest quality and reputation in Macleans Rankings of Canadian Universities, has chosen Keypath Education as its online program management (OPM) partner. A public comprehensive university with campuses in Waterloo and Brantford, Ontario, Canada, Laurier is working with Keypath on a Bachelor of Arts in Policing, a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology/Policing and a Master of Applied Computing. Lauriers online B.A. in Policing launched in January 2016, and the B.A. in Criminology/Policing and Master of Applied Computing are scheduled to launch at a later date.

Keypath Education partners with postsecondary institutions worldwide to launch and grow degree programs through online program management. OPM is a strategic relationship between universities and external partners entailing market research, capital investment, marketing, and student recruitment and retention. Keypath builds on full-service OPM partnerships with Seelio, a proprietary technology used to enhance career readiness and student outcomes.

Lauriers partnership with Keypath Education comes at a new juncture in our universitys history. Our online B.A. in Policing  the first of its kind in Canada  has shown us potential in online education and in recruiting working professionals to further their careers in a competitive labor market, said Bruce Arai, assistant provost of strategy for Wilfrid Laurier University. Keypath demonstrated its deep experience in recruiting nontraditional students and scaling online programs.

The online B.A. in Policing is designed exclusively for working or retired police officers, while the forthcoming B.A. in Criminology/Policing will be designed for students interested in becoming police officers or working in related fields, such as corrections, customs, probation and parole.

Wilfrid Laurier University has made great progress in distinguishing its program offerings, especially in developing relationships with policing organizations to design this unique program and ensure students are receiving relevant instruction, said Keypath Education Group President for OPM Global Nirmeen Hasan. We are excited to welcome Wilfrid Laurier University as Keypaths first OPM partner in Canada and look forward to working with faculty to enhance the universitys ability to educate distance learners.

For more information, please contact Chris Williams, director of marketing, at chris.williams(at)keypathedu.com or 913.254.6771.

About Keypath Education

Keypath Education partners with higher education institutions worldwide to launch programs, grow enrollment, improve learning and connect education to careers, using a proprietary technology suite. The company has helped more than 4,000 higher education institutions better serve students and graduates, resulting in a strong reputation for its education mission and quality in the United States, Canada, the U.K. and Australia. Since its beginning more than 25 years ago, Keypath Education has been dedicated to changing lives through education. Visit keypathedu.com to learn more.

About Wilfrid Laurier University

Wilfrid Laurier University is a leading Canadian university known for academic excellence and a culture that inspires lives of leadership and purpose. Laurier has a distinct commitment to teaching, research and scholarship, combined with a strong student focus, high levels of student satisfaction and a deep sense of community. Lauriers innovative educational model purposefully integrates the academic learning experience with an experiential learning component.

The university has more than 19,000 students throughout its campuses in Waterloo and Brantford and locations in Kitchener and Toronto. The university celebrated its centennial in 2011. http://www.wlu.ca
Keller Williams Office Rendering Were grateful such an established presence in the real estate industry has turned to Tellus for our expertise and custom flare.

Tellus Design + Build announces they are near completion on the new Keller Williams office space in Los Angeles. In two weeks, pedestrians will be viewing this completed project through the office visual display along the Sepulveda Boulevard public corridor near LAX.

The design and build-out of the office space, approximately 5,000 square feet, focuses on a sense of home and community, loyal to Keller Williams real estate foundation and residential brand. Tellus designed large open areas to allow for a flexible work environment, suitable for real estate educational presentations, client meetings, and daily work responsibilities. Through a carefully selected materials palette, bold and modern wall graphics foster a sense of identity and comfort in the workplace.

Were grateful such an established presence in the real estate industry has turned to Tellus for our expertise and custom flare, states Matt McGrane, LEED AP, VP of Design at Tellus. From concrete finishes to London-style telephone booths at the request of our client, this is a truly exceptional office space the folks over at Keller Williams will enjoy for years to come.

About Tellus Design + Build

Founded in 2005 as Orange Countys first Green Design and Build firm, Tellus Design + Build now performs Residential and Commercial Design and Construction Projects in Orange County, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara. From construction consultation to design services, remodels to new builds, Tellus is a full-service general contractor. A recognized industry leader by Houzz and featured on HGTV and The Discovery Channel, the Tellus mission is to defy industry norms and deliver a perfect finished product. To learn more, visit tellusdesignbuild.com. Design Reimagined, Construction Redefined.

Follow us on Houzz

Like us on Facebook
SwatFuelStore.com 9mm Fat Burn Formula and 9mm+P Endurance Formula Optimizing Human Performance

When Dr. Dan Olesnicky developed SWAT Fuel, he had one goal in mind  meeting the exceptional physical demands of the police force, having served as S.W.A.T. team physician and police officer. After years of training fellow officers on nutrition and fitness tactics to support the superhuman endurance requirements of police, fire and rescue squads, it became clear that there was no supplement on the market powerful enough to do the job. Dr. Olesnicky was urged to create a special formula to promote optimal human endurance and energy throughout a grueling shift on the streets or on the battlefield.

When developing SWAT Fuel, it was important to create a formula that delivers energy and focus without the jitters that most other pre-workout and weight loss supplements bring, Dr. Olesnicky explained. The men and women in uniform that this product was created for have to perform under life and death circumstances that require nerves of steel.

Thats why it came as some surprise when bikini models, moms, and office workers embraced SWAT Fuel as their own secret weapon to achieve their daily goals. Because SWAT Fuel is safe and effective for anyone who needs to maintain energy and stamina throughout the day, its become a mainstay for those in the know.

It became clear that the need for an easy way to fight fatigue, utilize stored fat as energy and help maintain focus for a full 8 hours or more was a mainstream necessity in modern life.

To meet that need, Dr. Olesnicky ramped up production of SWAT Fuel and expanded the line to include SWAT Fuel 9mm, SWAT Fuel 9mm + P for increased endurance, and SWAT Fuel 40 caliber to nourish the body with essential multivitamins. This complete regimen is available on SWAT Fuels new Shopify website, http://swatfuelstore.com. SWAT Fuel 9mm, the most popular product in the line, is sold for a very affordable price of $34.95 for 60 capsules. The thermogenic formula is the go-to pre-workout supercharger supplement for bodybuilding pros who need to power through extreme workouts and burn off excess fat stores. Thanks to Dr. Olesnicky and S.W.A.T. Fuel people from all walks of life, from teachers to construction workers, can benefit from these Special Weapons and Tactics for the Body once reserved for military and law enforcement professionals.

ABOUT SWAT FUEL

SWAT Fuel, Inc. is a nutrition company producing professional-grade supplements designed to optimize human performance. SWAT Fuel supplements were originally formulated to support endurance needs of military and law enforcement elite special operations groups. Founder and CEO of SWAT Fuel, Dr. Dan Olesnicky, is a renown international lecturer and expert on weight loss, fitness, nutrition and emergency medicine.
If you are new to iQ you can schedule a demo and learn more about this opportunity.

PSFK iQ - Where Innovators Turn for Research. Our professional-grade research platform is designed specifically for Retail and CX leaders who want to know whats next. Whether youre staying current on trends or need a real-time research partner to help you get ahead, count on PSFK iQ to deliver the info you need to make your next move.
For All U of U Health Patients & Visitors
In our care

TODAY

McLEES, Gary E., age 74, of Helena, passed away on August 3, 2016. A funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m. on today, August 10th at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home. A graveside service with military honors will follow at Resurrection Cemetery, 3700 N. Montana Ave. A reception will follow the burial in the social hall of the funeral home. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Gary.

SMITH, Sgt. Kevin M., age 25, of Butte, Montana passed away on Thursday, August 4, 2016 in Miles City. Visitation will be held on today, August 10, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Fairmont Resort, 1500 Fairmont Rd, Fairmont, MT. Funeral services will follow the visitation at 11:00 a.m. at the Fairmont Resort. Military graveside services will be held today, August 10, 2016 at the Sunset Memorial Cemetery, Highway 10, Butte, Montana. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Kevin.

THURSDAY

COLE, Teri M., age 44, of Helena, passed way Wednesday, August 3, 2016. A rosary will be prayed at 7:15 p.m. today, August 10th at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, August 11th at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church, 1502 Shirley Rd, Helena, MT 59602. Rite of Committal will follow the Mass at Resurrection Cemetery. A reception will follow the committal service in the social hall of the church. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that contributions in Teri's name be made to the Iron Disorders Institute: http://www.hemochromatosis.org/give/ Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Teri.

FRIDAY

STROMBERG, Walter A., age 91, of Helena passed away November 11, 2015. Graveside services with military honors will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, August 12th at the Montana State Veterans Cemetery at Fort Harrison. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Walter.

SATURDAY

TARMINA, David F., age 78, of Townsend passed away Thursday, July 11, 2016. The family will receive friends beginning at 10:00 a.m. with a funeral service to be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 13th at the Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 212 Broadway, Townsend, MT. Burial will follow the service at the Deep Creek Cemetery. A reception will follow the service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in Davids memory to the Broadwater Health Foundation at http://www.broadwaterhealthfoundation.org/. Please visit www.stevensonwilkefuneralhome.com to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of David.
Cookies

What are cookies ?

How do we use cookies?

How to control cookies?

Managing cookies in your browser

see what cookies you have got and delete them on an individual basis

block third party cookies

block cookies from particular sites

block all cookies from being set

delete all cookies when you close your browser

X

A cookie is a small text file that a website saves on your computer or mobile device when you visit the site. Cookies are widely used in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site.Website use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. ("Google") to help analyse the use of this website. For this purpose, Google Analytics uses"cookies", which are text files placed on your computer.The information generated by the cookies about your use of this website - standard internet log information (including your IP address) and visitor behaviour information in an anonymous form - will be transmitted to and stored by Google including on servers in the United States. Google will anonymize the information sent by removing the last octet of your IP address prior to its storage.According to Google Analytics terms of service, Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website and compiling reports on website activity.We not use, and not allow any third party to use the statistical analytics tool to track or to collect any personally identifiable information of visitors to this site. Google may transfer the information collected by Google Analytics to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google`s behalf.According to Google Analytics terms of service, Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google.You may refuse the use of Google Analytics cookies by downloading and installing Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on. The add-on communicates with the Google Analytics JavaScript (ga.js) to indicate that information about the website visit should not be sent to Google Analytics.Cookies are also used to record if you have agreed (or not) to our use of cookies on this site, so that you are not asked the question every time you visit the site.You can control and/or delete cookies as you wish. You can delete all cookies that are already on your computer and you can set most browsers to prevent them from being placed.Most browsers allow you to:If you chose to delete cookies, you should be aware that any preferences will be lost. Also, if you block cookies completely many websites (including ours) will not work properly and webcasts will not work at all. For these reasons, we do not recommend turning cookies off when using our webcasting services.
Randy Cecil has been illustrating picture books since 1996, with 20 titles to his credit, and several more that hes both written and illustrated. When he got a spunky rescue dog named Lucy, he thought that she deserved a book of her own, but he couldnt make it work: he knew the story would be long, but the artwork required was daunting. Then, one day, the solution came to him. When he finished drafting it, Lucy was well over 100 pages  a picture book with the scope of a novel. In it, the lives of three characters intertwine in gentle black-and-white vignettes. Theres Lucy, the ever-hopeful stray; Eleanor, the girl who sneaks her tidbits every morning; and Eleanors father, Sam, an aspiring vaudeville juggler who is paralyzed by stage fright. Cecil spoke with PW from his home in Houston, about Pomeranians, Charlie Chaplin movies, and why some paintings have to be thrown away.

What kind of dog is Lucy?

Shes a Pomeranian. Shes pretty much exactly like exactly like the fictional Lucy. Shes full of energy, and shes incredibly motivated by food! It didnt take long for me to get attached to her. I work at home, so shes right beside me nearly all the time. So when I realized that someone had essentially thrown this amazing little creature away, it was mind-boggling.

How did you start writing her story?

I had always aspired to do an epic wordless picture book. So in the original story, Lucy started off in Paris, and then she got on an ocean liner... but as I started doing it, I saw how many pages it was going to take. It was such a simple story, but it took a lot of time to draw for the amount of story that you were getting. I felt frustrated with it and put it away.

But I liked the Lucy character being lost, and I liked the length of it. You have time to grow attached to the characters, which is very hard to do in a 32-page picture book. You have time to develop that attachment.

It sat in my brain for several years. And then, one morning, I had almost the entire story pop into my head. Just a complete gift. I scrambled to write it down as fast as I could. I remember that I had no food and I had to go to the grocery store and I thought I was going to lose it. Then I ran into a friend at the store  I hadnt seen the guy in 10 years! But in the back of my mind Im thinking ...then this happened, and then this happened, and then this happened... Im driving in the car repeating it to myself, telling the story over and over so I dont forget it.

So you essentially worked the entire book out before you showed it to a publisher?

Well, if I were to go to Candlewick and say I had an idea for a picture book thats 100-odd pages long, I cant imagine any publisher would have gone for that! But I thought, if I could show it to them, they would see it could work.

I can remember the parts I had to work out later. I knew that in the mornings Lucy has to run past Bertolts, and past the one-eyed cat, and past the pigeons in the park; theyre part of her everyday life. But when I drew it all out, it felt sort of empty. So I added the street band that grows instrument by instrument. And the first time you see the park, theres a woman on the park bench, and a flower in the grass next to her, and then the next time theres a man on the bench, and then the time after that, theyre sitting together, and hes giving her the flower.

When you did bring it to Candlewick, what was their reaction? Who did you work with?

I worked with Joan Powers; she was the editor, and Maryellen Hanley was the art director. It took a little time for them to come back because of the logistics of it, but eventually they said, Yeah, wed love to do it!

There were some things we tried to do that didnt work so well. We tried to vary the size of the images instead of having them all the same, but that didnt work. The double-page spreads at the openings of the sections were a really good idea; Im very happy with those.

Its kind of hard for me to remember now because its been several years since I worked on it! It was a year of sketching and drawing on my own, and then I sent it to them, and then it was a year of painting after that.

The paintings took a year?

Yes  a year, almost exactly a solid year, of painting almost every day. I end up throwing half of the paintings out and doing them again.

Why? What was wrong with them?

Oh, it could be any number of things. If the composition isnt right in the initial sketch, then it wont be right down the line in the painting. You dont feel the humor in it, you dont feel the charm in it. Its not balanced. And when that happens, you think, This is a very important moment! And if this doesnt work, then the whole book wont work.

For want of a nail the shoe was lost, for want of a shoe the horse was lost...

Right. But it can go the other way, too  a drawing can look good, and you think, OK, this book is going to work.

The writing is quite restrained  it feels like you let the story tell itself.

I was definitely conscious of trying to keep it that way. Each line has to be from one of the characters perspectives. If I ever fell out of that, the writing seemed bad. I have no idea why it works, but I discovered that thats the way for me.

And the pacing is restrained, too; the story advances at a steady, reassuring speed.

Thats why the varied image sizes didnt work. Its very measured, and shifting to larger images or smaller images felt contrived.

Where does the silent-film setting come from?

Amy Ehrlich, my former editor at Candlewick, referred to my characters as Chaplinesque. She was talking about Gator [the title character of one of Cecils earlier books], and I enjoyed that comparison. I think Ive seen almost every Charlie Chaplin movie by this point. I think the sensibility is very similar. His later stuff especially, where theres more, sort of, gentle farce. In Lucy you can see it in when characters buck authority in a funny way, like when Sam juggles when his boss turns his back, or when Eleanor sneaks food to Lucy, or Lucy steals food from Bertolt. Its a very gentle kind of subversiveness.

The architecture of the book is all Brooklyn, where I lived for three years. Its beautiful and it stuck in my head. Now [in Houston] I live in a townhome complex. Its still like a neighborhood  we run into the same people every day in the same way  but setting the story in a townhome complex just wouldnt work at all (laughs).

Were you one of those kids who drew all the time?

That was definitely me. I drew nonstop. I remember my mother would drop my sister off or bring her to her dance classes and I would just sit and draw, or Id draw wherever I happened to be. Always either with pencil or black marker.

With a Flair?

No  remember those sets of markers you used to get, the boxes with all the colors in them? I would burn through the black marker first, then move on to brown, then the dark gray....

So you were more interested in line than in color, it sounds like. When did you start painting?

At RISD [the Rhode Island School of Design]. Thats when I switched from illustration to painting. I had this one professor who taught both. I came in fairly cynical about the art world  you know... all those things people say about contemporary art. And in just one lecture, this professor completely changed my outlook. He expressed his enthusiasm for painting, and suddenly it all made sense to me. At the end of your first year you have to declare your major. This professors workload got too heavy and he decided to stop teaching illustration and just teach painting. So I switched to painting. It was a very difficult decision. I had wanted to be an illustrator since the age of four. But my mind was being opened up to so many things!

What are you working on right now?

I have about a month of painting left to go on the third installment of [Barbara Joosses] dragon books [following Lovaby Dragon and Evermore Dragon].

Thirty paintings in thirty days?

I wish it was like that. If its a double-page spread, it can take three to four days to paint. But Im so close now that a month seems pretty safe to say.

Color is the difficult thing for me. I can repaint once to correct the drawing, but color is just juggling so many more things. If I dont like a picture it just eats away at me. When it gets really bad, I start dreaming about going into ceramics....

Lucy by Randy Cecil. Candlewick, $19.99 Aug. ISBN 978-0-7636-6808-2
Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri dished out heaps of humor in their 2012 picture book, Dragons Love Tacosand fans will be treated to a second course next May, when the ravenous, tacos-devouring dragon clan returns in Dragons Love Tacos 2: The Sequel. Its a companion to the original from Dial, which has more than one million copies in print in North America. Lauri Hornik, president and publisher of Dial Books for Young Readers, negotiated the deal for world rights with Jennifer Joel of ICM Partners representing author Rubin, and Rebecca Sherman of Writers House Literary Agency representing illustrator Salmieri. Executive editor Kate Harrison will edit the book, which has an announced first printing of 250,000 copies.

The dragons situation is considerably grimmer in the follow-up tale. While things get disastrously heated in Dragons Love Tacos when the beasts accidentally consume tacos embellished with spicy salsa, in their second outing they are faced with a calamity: tacos have become extinct. Rather than living in a taco-less universe, the young protagonist and his trusty dog fire up their time machine to travel back to an era when tacos are still plentiful.

Rubin, whose other collaborations with Salmieri include Robo-Sauce and Secret Pizza Party, initially resisted the idea of creating a second tale starring the hungry dragons. I look at a lot of companion picture books and see people trying to replicate success of an earlier booksometimes over and over, he explained. And I think when that happens, the books become, in a sense, a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy, and eventually the quality starts to suffer. It wasnt necessary to do a sequel to Dragons Like Tacos, since there werent fully developed characters kids would wonder about. It is a premise-driven, silly book, and Dan and I knew that to do a companion, we needed a good, solid story that played off the idea of the first book.

Though Rubin noted that it took him quite some time to concoct a storyline that felt fresh, worthy, and not entirely derivative, he finally landed on the notion of a world without tacos and the dragons need to travel back in time to save them. So much of the humor comes from revisiting tropes from the first book and twisting them, he said. Kids will still get it if they havent read Dragons Love Tacos, but if they have, theyll even have more fun reading it.

Still, the redundancy of the title, Dragons Love Tacos 2: The Sequel, underscores both collaborators inherent skepticism about sequels. Salmieri, who shared Rubins hesitancy about doing a second book just because of some kind of pressure to keep rolling on with a successful story, said that when the premise for the follow-up did emerge, they ran with it with abandon. We definitely approached it with a carefree attitude, and decided to make it fresh and fun. So we came up with a title thats a bit tongue-in-cheek that shows we arent trying to take ourselves too seriously.

Cool Rather Than Fiery Collaborating

Salmieri, who has completed almost half of the pictures for the second book, noted that his approach to creating art has changed somewhat since he illustrated Dragons Love Tacos. I knew if I did the art exactly the same, it wouldnt be as fun as taking some freedom with the new illustrations, he observed. I changed the way I made the dragons, and am planning on adding the tacos to the art afterwards on the computerI dont really want to paint thousands of tacos again!

The most entertaining challenge for Salmieri was designing the time-travel machine for the sequel, which entailed drawing tons and tons of different sketches with some cool new technology, to come up with a crazy-looking piece of machinery. And a brilliant one, according to Rubin, who said, Dan has made the coolest time-travel machine everhe really knocked it out of the park!

Addressing their successful collaborative process, the author and illustrator both credit their mutual respect for the others skill sets, their candor in offering feedback and advice, and their shared creative sensibility and humor. Hornik emphatically agreed. Adam and Dan have a great synergy, and do a lot of bouncing of ideas off each other, she said. They are so in touch with each other, and so well matched. Adam will tweak the text so that if fits alongside the art better, and they are both willing to take leaps and make changes.

The publisher attributed the success of Dragons Love Tacos to its fresh zaniness and kid-focused humor as well as to widespread word-of-mouth recommendation. Buzz about the book traveled quickly, because the book works so well with kids, Hornik said. We loved the book here from the very start, and it was not a total surprise that it was such a hit, but we hadnt really anticipated the extent of its success, or its growing popularity in its second year. Its rare to find a book that gets so many belly laughs so universallyit has that fun special sauce.

While awaiting the arrival of Dragons Love Tacos 2: The Sequel, fans have an opportunity to get their Dragons fix. On October 18, Dial will release a book-and-toy package including a smaller trim-sized copy of Dragons Love Tacos and a plush dragon. And, luckily for kids who share the dragons culinary tastes, there are still plenty of tacos to be had in the real world.

Dragons Love Tacos Book and Toy Set by Adam Rubin, illus. by Daniel Salmieri. Dial, $17.99 Oct. ISBN 978-0-7352-2823-8

Dragons Love Tacos 2: The Sequel by Adam Rubin, illus. by Daniel Salmieri. Dial, $18.99 May 2017 ISBN 978-0-525-42888-6
John Briggs, president of Holiday House, announced today that he has sold the independent childrens publishing house to a new company formed by growth equity investment firm Trustbridge Partners. The transaction, which was completed on August 5, allows Briggs to retire and offers ongoing employment for all Holiday House staff.

Going forward, Holiday House will operate autonomously from its current offices in New York City under the leadership of a management team headed by Holiday House v-p and editor-in-chief Mary Cash, who has been with the company for 20 years and has held the top editorial role since 2006. There are plans to soon add a few staff members to support the companys expanding publishing program, but no other personnel changes are in the works.

Briggs and his wife, Kate, who was Holiday Houses marketing and publicity director until her retirement in 2005, will focus on volunteer work and philanthropy involving children.

Founded in 1935 by Helen Gentry, Holiday House was the first American company to produce only childrens books. Briggs acquired the business in 1965 and has overseen publication of titles by such noted creators as Russell Freedman, Tomie dePaola, Trina Schart Hyman, Ann M. Martin, Eric Kimmel, Leonard Everett Fisher, Gail Gibbons, and Glen Rounds.

In a letter to authors and illustrators, Briggs assured them that they will receive the same care and attention we have always served to offer. Briggs went on to note: This was not an easy decision to make, and certainly not one I ever for a moment looked forward to. Nonetheless, Kate and I couldnt be more grateful for how meaningful our authors and illustrators have been in our lives.
By the 1980s, personal computers and numerous commercial gadgets were rapidly reshaping the way people worked, played, and lived. Unprecedented possibilities loomed ahead as writers and artists began to imagine a future infested with technology like cybernetic implants, androids, and virtual reality. Novels like William Gibsons Neuromancer and movies like Ridley Scotts Blade Runner provided a language and look to the nascent genre which, due to its common anti-authority themes, became known as cyberpunk. Comics the world over quickly took to the cyberpunk aesthetic, and over the years a rich library of works has formed. So boot up, jack in, and enjoy part one (read Part 2, Part 3)of what will be a three-part cyberpunk comics list.

2020 Visions Jamie Delano, Frank Quitely, Warren Pleacem James Romburger, and Steve Pugh. Vertigo, 19971998 British author Delano addresses rampant consumerism and inequality with four loosely connected stories that take place in a hypothetical America in 2020. By then the countrys depravity has reached all levels of society, which Delano and crew satirize with four stories (each drawn by a different artist) that borrow from genres like crime, horror, western, and romance.

Appleseed Masamune Shirow. Kodansha, 19851989 Before his more well-known Ghost in the Shell, Shirow wrote and drew Appleseed, a mecha manga that also dealt with themes of politics and technology. The comic takes place in a world ravaged by World War III, where non-nation-affiliated organizations uphold the law. The comic follows ex-LAPD agent Deunan and her mechanized partner Briareos after they join ESWAT, a law enforcement outfit for the largely-cybernetic city of Olympus. The series was adapted into an animated miniseries in 1988, as well as three CG features (in 2004, 2007, and 2014) and a CG anime series.

Biomega Tsutomu Nihei. Shueisha, 20042009 Zoichi Kanoe, a synthetic human and agent of TOA Heavy Industries, and his AI companion search the world for people with a natural resistance to a fast-spreading disease that turns people into mindless Drones. In addition to TOA, a handful of corporations are also interested in the virus and its cure, though for more dubious reasons.

Channel Zero Brian Wood. Image, 1998 Jennie 2.5, a New York-based performance artist/hacker begins hijacking television stations, urging viewers to stand up and take action against injustice and unchecked authority. Woods debut combined comics, design, and activism in ways that were startlingly fresh for when it was published in the 1990s, with many motifs and ideas that proved to be ahead their time. A sequel, Channel Zero: Jennie One, illustrated by Becky Cloonan, was released in 2003.

Elephantmen Richard Starkings et al. Image, 2006ongoing A spinoff from the series Hip Flask, Elephantmen takes place two-hundred years in the future and follows the lives of a handful of human-animal hybrids. Originally bred for war, the hybrids now lead normal lives such as information agents Hip Flask (a hippo) and Ebony Hide (an elephant), and business magnate Obadiah Horn (a rhino). Due to their controversial conception and wartime past, the hybrids often find assimilating into society difficult and their pasts inescapable.

Fluorescent Black M.F. Wilson and Nathan Fox. Heavy Metal Magazine, 2008ongoing By 2085, advances in genetics have split society into two groups: "superiors"those who can afford to breed out imperfectionand "inferiors"everyone else. In Singapore and the Malaysian Peninsula, an inferior gang and its leader, Max, is hired by a biotech company to attack a rival firm. In the process of the raid, however, they wind up kidnapping a highly advanced clone whos worth more than they could imagine.

Heavy Liquid Paul Pope. Vertigo, 19992000 S, a detective in New York City, comes into possession of a sample of heavy liquid, a rare substance that can be used as an explosive or, as S discovers, a mind-altering drug. But having stolen the sample, S finds himself in the sights of some very dangerous people. In the meantime, an enigmatic benefactor commissions S to track down a famous sculptor in Paris (who happens to be Ss ex) so she can make a sculpture entirely out of heavy liquid.

Nathan Never Various. Sergio Bonelli Editore, 1991ongoing Nathan Never is an Italian monthly comic that follows an agent of Agenzia Alfa, a corporate law enforcement agency. Nathan Never patrols The City, a towering urban center thats home to all classes of people, mutants, and robots. The series is largely made up of episodic stories, although there are recurring plotlines and an overall continuity. Legs Weaver, Nathans first partner, starred in her own eponymous spinoff comic that ran from 19942005, and graphic novels about various Agenzia Alfa members have been published biannually since 1994.

Ronin Frank Miller. DC Comics, 19831984 A 13th-century samurai finds himself 800 years in the future where he must battle an ancient evil spirit he once vanquished. The spirit, Agat, has possessed the head of the Aquarius Corporation, a biocircuitry company that wants to use its technology for weapons. Through the psychic powers of a limbless man who works for Aquarius, the Ronin is summoned and must wield a bloodsword once owned by his master to destroy Agat for good.

The Surrogates Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele. Top Shelf, 20052006, 2009 By 2054, all physical interaction is performed by remote control artificial humanoids known as surrogates. After multiple surrogates are mysteriously destroyed, a police lieutenant begins the hunt for the perpetrator. He soon discovers the suspect (known as Steeplejack) is out to rid the world of surrogates due to societys superficial use of them. A prequel, The Surrogates: Flesh and Bone, and a live action Hollywood adaptation were released in 2009.
For the second time in two years Greystone Books, the Canadian small press that began as an imprint of D&M Publishers, is poised to hit the bestsellers list. On September 13, it will publish the English-language edition of German forest ranger Peter Wohllebens The Hidden Life of Trees, which has topped Germanys Der Spiegel list for the past year, often at #1.



The Hidden Life of Trees will launch with a minimum of 45,000 copies in North America, the biggest first printing in the publisher's 23-year history. Greystone will publish another 5,000 copies of its English-language edition in the U.K.





Its building to be our biggest book," said Greystone publisher Rob Sanders. Thats no small feat, given that Giulia Enderss Gut, which Greystone published last year (and was also originally published in Germany), has 80,000 copies in print in North America. A look at digestive health, the book has hit the New York Times bestseller list and continues to sell a few thousand copies a month.Because Greystone has an editorial consultant in Germany, it was able to scoop up both books early. In the case of the Wohlleben, Greystone was in the midst of contracting for English-language rights to the book last August, just as The Hidden Life of Trees was being prepped for publication in Germany. Sanders said that he wasnt interested in the book because he thought it was going to be a bestseller. Instead, he was drawn to the book because it fits squarely into Greystones publishing program, which is built on nonfiction titles about humans' relationship to the planet and the natural world.The books strong sales in Germany have helped propel advance orders. There has also been a notable uptick since January, when a profile of Wohlleben ran in the New York Times

Greystone marketing director Jen Gauthier added that pre-orders got a boost from another plug The Hidden Life of Trees got in the Times. In July, in a Q&A with primatologist Frans De Waal that ran in the paper's Sunday Review section, he said he was currently reading Wohlleben's book. De Waal noted that the work gives "the impression there is sentience all around us.



Last week, the American Booksellers Association announced that The Hidden Life of Trees is a September Indie Next Pick. The book is also a September pick at Powells Books in Portland, Ore., the German Book Offices book of the month in September, and an October book of the month selection at University Bookstore in Seattle. Stephen Sparks of Green Apple Books on the Park in San Francisco said that the book features "the kind of writing that can profoundly affect the way we live on this planet."



Wohlleben will do a brief five-city North American tour in early October, with stops at McNally Jackson in New York City, Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle, and the Vancouver Writers Festival. Gauthier said she has received a number of requests from stores in rural communities, but was unable to fill them since Wohlleben has to be back in Germany for the German Book Fair.

Greystone will publish Wohlleben's latest book, The Emotional Life of Animals, in fall 2017, which is also on Germany's bestsellers list.
There are currently 402 housing units in Mountain View Meadows. The developer expects to add another 400 within the next five to six years and eventually top off with about 1,200.
Marking the first time self-published authors made PWs Religion Bestsellers list, the husband and wife duo Aaron and Jennifer Smith took #4 and #9 respectively in Nonfiction with their books 31 Prayers for My Wife and 31 Prayers for My Husband. Encouraging readers to intentionally pray and petition for their spouses, the prayer books have sold 50,000-60,000 copies since publication in 2014 and 2015, respectively, according to Aaron. Around the same time that they launched their ministries five years ago (Unveiledwife.com and husbandrevolution.com), the Smiths began building up their audience through social media. Today, Jennifers Facebook page has nearly one million followers, averaging 8,000-10,000 new followers each week, while Aarons has about 180,000. Book sales are driven by Facebook ads, giveaways, word of mouth, and Amazonespecially through sites rankings and its people have also bought feature. We [also ]give away a lot of free content, to promote the brand, said Aaron. We arent just selling books.

Also on the Religion Nonfiction list is Broadstreet Publishings Be Still and Know: 365 Daily Devotions, which came in at #2 after the publisher gave exclusive selling rights to Family Christian Stores. The chain bookstore bought every copy of the devotional, and it will not be sold elsewhere until September 1.

Doctors Henry Cloud and John Townsend are on PWs Nonfiction list for the third consecutive month, this time at #7, with their 1992 book Boundaries. HarperCollins Christian Publishing aggressively promotes the Boundaries brand through the launch of BoundariesBooks.com, social media pages on Facebook and Twitter, as well as in email marketing, including a dedicated Boundaries e-newsletter that goes out weekly.

Joyce Meyersa perennial bestseller for Hachettes FaithWords divisioncharted at #10 with her June release, Worry-Free Living: Trading Anxiety for Peace. Rolf Zettersten, senior v-p at Hachette, cited word-of-mouth as well as Meyers fan base as driving forces for the sales.

Wanda Brunstetter maintained her #1 perch on the Religion Fiction Bestsellers list from last month, this time with The Divided Family, the fifth title in her Amish Millionaire series. Amy Cliptston made her debut at #4 with The Courtship Basket, an Amish romance. According to Zondervans senior marketing director Paul Fisher, Clipstons sales are being driven by her engagement on social media, including Facebook chat parties and giveaways, as well as support from her team of followers known as the Bakery Bunch. The team promotes Clipstons books within Amish readership circles through their individual social media accounts.

This article has been updated to reflect Aaron and Jennifer Smith's correct ministries. A previous version of this article stated their ministry was called Nurturing Marriage.
Del Amo's Latest Sells in Spain

Jean-Baptiste Del Amo's latest, Animal Reign, will be published by Gallimard this month. The fourth novel by the French author (Une education libertine), who's known for writing about identity and sexuality, has been acquired by Barcelona-based publisher Cabaret Voltaire. Rights to the book are controlled by Gallimard. The novel focuses on two time periods--a point right after World War I and a time 60 years later--and is about five generations that live on a plot of land which will one day become a pig farm.

Italian Pokemon Book Draws Interest

In September, Italian publisher Antonio Vallardi Editore will release The Unofficial Guide to Pokemon Go: Secrets, Tricks and Suggestions About the App That Is Driving the Whole World Crazy. The book aims to teach people the basics of the mega-hit app. The publisher controls rights to the book, which has various authors. So far, deals for the title have closed in France, Turkey, Lithuania and Poland, with Antonio Vallardi Editore noting that there is "strong interest" from houses in a number of other territories. The book was an in-house idea and evolved after director Marcella Meciani reached out to what she called a "group of geeks" to start writing the book. They began work on the title at the beginning of July; the app became available for download in Italy on July 15.

Escobar Book Sells in U.S.

In anticipation of the 2017 film based on the backlist Spanish book Loving Pablo Hating Escobar, a flurry of international deals for the title have closed. Escobar, which will star Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, uses journalist Virginia Vallejos 2008 Spanish-language memoir as the basis for its story about the infamous Colombian drug lord. (Vallejo, in addition to covering Escobar, was one of his lovers.) The book is being shopped by Spanish agency Casanovas & Lynch, and a deal has now closed in the U.S., where Anne Messitte at Vintage acquired the work for six figures. Additionally, the book has recently sold in France (Jai Lu); Italy (Giunti, after an eight-way auction); the U.K. (Canongate); and Russia (Eksmo). The film is being financed, distributed and co-produced by Luc Besson's company, EuropaCorp.

French Novel Sells in Korea

Michael Uras' Take Two Chapters and Call Me In the Morning, a French novel about a "biblio-therapist" that we previously reported on, has now sold to Korean publisher Chaekpung. The book is about a therapist who helps his patients using literature, and will be published in its native France in September by Preludes Editions. The book sold in an earlier deal to Italian publisher Nord. The 2 Seas Literary Agency, which is handling world rights on behalf of Preludes Editions, brokered the Korean deal.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect the correct spelling of the Korean publisher, Chaekpung.
Submitted press release

The Rock Island Police Department announces the Lock Your Doors campaign reminding residents to lock the doors to their vehicles, homes, and garages to prevent thieves from entering and stealing valuables.

A recent crime trend involves suspects travelling to random residential neighborhoods where they target multiple unlocked vehicles, garages, and homes. The vast majority of these burglaries involve crimes of opportunity in which thieves simply case neighborhoods, looking for unlocked vehicles and open garages. The trend also reveals that the thieves are stealing vehicles during the commission of these burglaries, which they will utilize to travel from neighborhood to neighborhood or city to city, where they will commit another series of burglaries and abandon the stolen vehicle for another. In all recent cases, each stolen vehicle has involved the owner leaving the vehicle unlocked and the keys in the vehicle.

In response to these burglaries, the Rock Island Police Department has been increasing foot, bicycle, and motorized patrols, conducting surveillance details, and canvassing neighborhoods with informational flyers to increase awareness.

The public can better safeguard themselves by ensuring their vehicle doors are locked when parked, removing all keys from inside of their vehicles, and securing any valuables out of view or in the trunk of the vehicle so as to not provide a better target for thieves. Additionally, be sure to call immediately if you see any suspicious subjects or activity to better allow for a prompt response.

If anyone has information related to these types of cases, please contact the Rock Island Police Department at 309-732-2677 or Crimestoppers at 309-762-9500.
Wisconsin prosecutors have filed charges against a semi driver in relation to the Friday deaths of Dr. John Hansen, 69, and his wife, Francine, 66, of Moline.

Eugeniu Caraus, 27, of Lombard, Ill., is charged with homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle, according to court documents from Grant County, Wis.

The collision happened just before 9 a.m. Friday near Lancaster, Wis., about 20 miles northwest of Platteville, the Grant County Sheriff's Office has said. The Hansens' SUV and a semi driven by Mr. Caraus collided at the intersection of Highway A and Highway 129. Mr. Caraus is accused of failing to stop at a stop sign.

Dr. Hansen operated Hansen Family Dentistry LLC in Moline and was president of the Rock Island District Dental Society. After 41 years, he retired in 2012. Mrs. Hansen taught at Denkmann Elementary School in Rock Island before her children were born and continued to volunteer at school through the PTA.
Investigators are trying to figure out who the child was, how she died and who her parents are, San Diego Police Homicide Lt. Ray Valentin said.

Johnny Lewis Hartley, 39, and Mercy Mary Becerra, 43, of Whittier were arrested after Mexican authorities made the discovery while screening the bag at a pedestrian crossing in San Ysidro before noon on Tuesday, Valentin said.

The man was carrying the duffel bag and Mexican authorities sent him to a secondary inspection area. There, officials put the bag through an X-ray machine and saw the small body, Valentin said.

Hartley was turned over to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, then to San Diego police homicide investigators. Valentin said when Hartley was detained, the woman ran off, but was caught a short time later and also detained. She, too, was handed over to U.S. authorities.

San Diego police investigators arrested them both on one count of murder, pending the outcome of an autopsy being conducted Wednesday. Valentin said the cause of death was not immediately obvious, but there was little chance she had died a natural death.

The San Diego County medical examiners office was conducting the autopsy.

Valentin said the San Diego County district attorneys office advised his investigators to arrest Hartley and Becerra in San Diego until authorities decide who will have jurisdiction over the case, based on where any crime occurred. San Diego and Whittier police are working the case together, he said.
The 15-month Justice Department probe was prompted by the death of Freddie Gray, the black man whose fatal neck injury in the back of a police van touched off the worst riots in Baltimore in decades. To many people, the blistering report issued Wednesday was familiar reading.

Danny Marrow, a retired food service worker, said that over the years, he has been stopped repeatedly by police for no good reason.

"It started when I was 8 years old and they'd say, with no probable cause, 'Hey, come here. Where are you going?'" he said. "No cause, just the color of my skin."

"Bullies in the workplace," he said. "They don't want you to get angry or challenge their authority, so they'll use force, they'll put the handcuffs on too tight. And if you run, they're going to beat you up when they catch you."

The Justice Department looked at hundreds of thousands of pages of documents, including internal affairs files and data on stops, searches and arrests.

If found that one African-American man was stopped 30 times in less than four years and never charged. Of 410 people stopped at least 10 times from 2010 to 2015, 95 percent were black. During that time, no one of any other race was stopped more than 12 times.

With the release of the report, the city agreed to negotiate with the Justice Department a set of police reforms over the next few months to fend off a government lawsuit. The reforms will be enforceable by the courts.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Police Commissioner Kevin Davis acknowledged the longstanding problems and said they had started improvements even before the report was completed. They promised it will serve as a blueprint for sweeping changes.

"Fighting crime and having a better, more respectful relationship with the community are not mutually exclusive endeavors. We don't have to choose one or the other. We're choosing both. It's 2016," said Davis, who was appointed after the riots in April 2015.

Six officers, three white and three black, were charged in Gray's arrest and death. The case collapsed without a single conviction, though it did expose a lack of training within the department.

Calvin Void, 45, said Wednesday that he was once tackled by a police officer who was convinced he had just participated in a drug deal. But when the officer checked his pockets, he found no cash or drugs. Still, Void was arrested.

"He smacked me in the head with his walkie-talkie," Void said, motioning to a patch of discolored skin on his scalp. "And he said if I reported him I couldn't come around here anymore because he'd jump out and whip my ass. It made me frightened."

Anthony Williams, a 27-year-old father raising young children in Sandtown-Winchester, the neighborhood where Gray was arrested, said he was once with his kids and saw officers chasing a teenager for smoking marijuana.

"There was five of them. They jumped on him. I had to tell my kids they were just playing," he said.

The government report represented a damning indictment of how the city's police officers carry out the most fundamental practices, including traffic stops and searches.

It found that officers make a large number of stops  mostly in poor, black neighborhoods  with dubious justification and unlawfully arrest citizens when officers "did not like what those individuals said."

"These violations have deeply eroded the relationship between the police and community it serves," Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department's civil rights division, said at a news conference alongside the mayor and police commissioner.

The Justice Department has undertaken similar investigations of the police in Chicago; Cleveland; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Ferguson, Missouri, among other cities.

Federal investigators interviewed Baltimore residents, police officers, prosecutors, public defenders and elected officials, rode along with police on duty and reviewed documents and complaints.

"Nearly everyone who spoke to us ... agreed the Baltimore Police Department needs sustainable reform," Gupta said.

Among other findings: Blacks account for 63 percent of the city's population and roughly 84 percent of all police stops.

From 2010 to 2015, officers stopped 34 black residents 20 times, and seven African-Americans 30 times or more.

In addition to pat-downs, Baltimore officers perform unconstitutional public strip searches, even of people not under arrest, the report said. It said officers routinely use unreasonable force, including against juveniles and people who aren't dangerous.

The direction often came from the top: In one instance, a supervisor told a subordinate to "make something up" after the officer protested an order to stop and question a group of young black men for no reason.

Baltimore police are trained in aggressive tactics that foster am "us vs. them mentality" toward the community, the report said.

Eugene O'Donnell, a former New York City police officer and a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said the report failed to take into account the complicated realities of being a police officer in Baltimore.

"They have huge unresolved problems, huge festering problems," O'Donnell said. "And the Justice Department has nothing to say about that at all."

He said the Justice Department criticized officers for making unlawful stops, when "it's absolutely impossible to articulate what is and what is not a lawful stop. It's a minefield."
Almost 50 Illinois counties have filed lawsuits against Democratic Governor, JB Pritzker, and the ill crafted SAFE-T Act. Introduced in the General Assembly by the Illinois Black Caucus, the Act passed the Democratic-led General Assembly in the wee hours of Jan. 13, 2021. Amongst many of its weaknesses and deficiencies, the Act eliminates cash bail, emboldens criminals, and makes it even more difficult for law enforcement to keep offenders off our streets. Public Safety personnel and States Attorneys across our great State have decried the legislation, noting that it was drafted and written with very little constructive input from Public Safety leadership, from either party; potentially impacting every Illinois community with dangerous consequences. Allowing perpetrators to bail out of jail, based on their good word that they will be glad to return to court is laughable, at best, and both ludicrous and dangerous, at worst. Soon after the SAFE-T Act was passed at the State level, the Republican-led Henry County Board drafted a resolution, requesting that the General Assembly repeal and replace the SAFE-T Act with a new criminal justice bill, this time with input from professional law enforcement, States Attorneys from across the State, and other Public Safety officials. We unanimously passed our resolution on May 19, 2022, and encourage all County Boards in Illinois to follow our lead. Our Republican-led Board in Henry County believes we all, Democrats, Independents, and Republicans, deserve effective and fair law enforcement in our communities.
CALDCs Halloween Celebration A Real Treat! The Central Astoria LDCs 7th annual Batty Over Halloween Celebration held on Sunday, October 23rd was a real treat for everyone who came out. Despite...

Meng Brings NASA Astronaut To Queens On October 17, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) brought NASA astronaut Dr. Jonny Kim to Queens where he met and spoke with students at Francis...

Celebrating Columbus The Federation of Italian-American Organizations of Queens (FIAO) held their annual Columbus Day parade in Astoria, on Saturday, October 8, during Italian Heritage Month. The...
WEST GLACIER  Even in the busiest month of its busiest years, Glacier National Park had never hit 700,000 visitors.

It still hasnt, in one sense.

Its gone way past that.

The park, barreling toward a third straight year of record visitation, welcomed 818,481 people last month. As recently as 1964, Glacier didnt get that many visitors in an entire year.

The previous record for July, meantime, set in 2014, was 699,650.

The big question is next year, Glacier spokesman Tim Rains said. Is the number so high because its the (National Park Service) centennial? Is it because gas prices are lower this summer than theyve been? What is driving the increase?

The upsurge -- 17 percent above the previous July record -- is being felt inside and outside the park.

***

Rains confirmed reports that people are showing up at the Many Glacier Campground as early as 4 a.m. in hopes of snagging a camping spot for that night, and ones who wait until 6 a.m. are sometimes being turned away.

For the first time, the park has made 41 of Many Glaciers 103 campsites available for advance reservations this summer. The other 62 are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

A lot of what were hearing is anecdotal, Rains said, but the stories indicate that inside the park, the increase is most noticeable at places that were already crowded before the July upturn, such as Logan Pass, at the top of Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Were seeing more people in popular spots, not in quieter parts of the park, he said. Theyre not spreading out, theyre becoming more concentrated.

The increase translated into 500 more vehicles per day entering Glacier through its West Entrance alone than in previous Julys, Rains said.

Even with all that, at the West Entrance we only had to flush the system once in July, he said. Thats pretty amazing, given the numbers.

Flushing the system means waving vehicles through an entrance station without stopping them to collect entrance fees. Last year, when it had a record 4.1 million visitors, Yellowstone National Park had to do it several times when lines at entrance stations grew too long.

At Glaciers West Entrance, they do it when the line of vehicles waiting to get in backs up to the bridge crossing the Flathead River. The reason, Rains said, is to keep the traffic from backing up all the way into the town of West Glacier.

***

Its the fourth month this year -- and the third in a row-- that Glacier has broken visitation records.

The park also welcomed its largest crowds ever in January (15,674), May (178,218) and June (429,909).

Through July 31, Glacier had attracted 1,516,986 visitors this year. By comparison, the total at the same point last year was 1,331,502.

And last year, Glacier finished with 2,366,056 visitors, its most ever.

In other words, the park could potentially  maybe even easily  exceed 2.5 million visitors in 2016, which would be a third straight record.

Before 2014, it Glacier had gone 31 years without breaking a visitation record.

***

The surge is both a boon to Glacier-area businesses dependent on tourism, and a worry to people who think that when the national parks get so crowded, they cant protect their resources and provide the experiences visitors expect.

Its been as busy as they can remember at San-Suz-Ed Montana RV Park, Campground and Bed & Breakfast near West Glacier.

The RV park always stays pretty full, said the office manager, who asked that her name not be used, but weve seen a huge influx of tenters and small campers  a huge difference.

In addition to the National Park Service Centennial and lower gas prices, she said the owners believe an NPS promotion called Every Kid in a Park has drawn more people. The yearlong campaign, which ends Aug. 30, allows any fourth-grader in America who participates in a National Park Service online activity to print out a voucher that gets them  and their entire family  into national parks for free.

Thats the other thing we noticed, she said. A lot more families.

Montana state parks are also experiencing a major increase in visitation  up 23 percent through the end of June, the last time figures were totaled.

Spokesman Pat Doyle said at least some of the nearly 1.3 million people who visited state parks in the first six months of 2016 is probably attributable to the surge in national park visitation.

People who travel long distances to visit national parks often use state parks as a safe, easy place to camp and recreate on the way, Doyle said. The amount of people traveling to national parks probably has a trickle-down effect on state park visitation.
Hartford Speedway welcomes short-course off-road racing to southwest Michigan with the inaugural Hartford Off-Road Challenge presented by Allstar Performance. The high flying wheel to wheel action of Midwest Off-Road Racing (MORR) special-built trucks and buggies will compete Friday, August 12 and Saturday August 13 on and inside Hartford Speedways Wide-Wide Oval.

The two-evening event will feature three divisions of trucks; Super 44, Super Truck, and Super Stock Truck as well Super Buggy and 1600 Buggy. Competitors from seven states as well as Canada will make to trek to reintroduce Short-Course Off-Road Racing to southwest Michigan.

Hartford Speedway was looking to bring additional forms of motorsports to our 2016 schedule and off-road truck racing is a perfect fit for our facility and fans, noted track owner Tim Dibble. What makes racing event unique is that its all in front of the spectators and the ticket is all access. Theres been an incredible about of buzz surrounding this two-day event as local businesses like Puhrman Excavating have added support to the race.

Midwest Off-Road Racing is a group of 140 off-road competitors that compete in Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota andunderstands the importance of finding new venues.

MORR is not just about racing, comments MORR, vice-president Don Demeny. Our group understands the importance of supporting the community, the best way to say

thanks to the track beyond creating a great show for the fans, is to spend money at local businesses. We have two facilities that have hosted off-road races for over 40 years and we think Hartford is the start of something really big!

The Hartford Off-Road Challenge presented by Allstar Performance at Hartford Speedway in Hartford, Michigan opens the gates both evenings at 5:00pm as racing starts at 7:30pm.

Ticket prices are $25 for a one-day ticket and $40 for a two-day pass.

For more information please visit: www.hartfordspeedway.net
G'day! It's Murray here. I've put together a little quiz to test your musical knowledge. Think you can score top marks in Murray's Magic Music Quiz? Give it a go now!
The media watchdog, the Australian Communications and Media Authority has cleared KIIS Networks The Thinkergirls for their Sex School segment, which went full on around the use of dildos On-Air back in May.

It may have got a few offside and it appears one official complaint was investigated by the regulator. The complainant in part said:

I am a 36 year old male, I live in Melbournes northern suburbs with my wife (36) and my two children (6) and (3). My family and I were travelling home from a dinner out at approx. 7:40PM on the evening of Thursday 12th May, 2016 when two female presenters from KIIS FM (101.1) proceeded to discuss in finite detail their preferred sexual aids, including the differences between a dildo and vibrator.

One presenter stated that her favourite dildo had an extra bit on it that didnt go inside her like the rest of the dildo but stayed on the outside to stimulate. The second presenter asked a multitude of questions about this, she then proclaimed that she doesnt like things inside her and they both agreed that she was more of a bullet vibe girl, although she did admit that she had put a bullet vibe inside herself once, but didnt like it.

Push comes to shove, ACMA found that there had been no breach of the rules on general decency and rules on sexually explicit content, they also mentioned that ARN had put an adult warning at the start of the segment as it was about to go to air.

The full transcript of what transpired can be found here.

The Thinkers Girls  Stacey June and Kristie Mercer are well-known in industry circles for having a bit of an edge to their content  its their point of difference in the space, but did they to too far On-Air?
If you have ever stopped and wondered what music was playing in-store at Woolies or Safeway today, then youll never have to wonder again. Pandora has partnered with Woolworths to bring you Woolworths Radio, the ultimate in-store music experience.

Curated. refreshed and updated on a regular basis so shoppers will have an updated listening experience each time they drop in to do some shopping, they will be able to download the Pandora app to access the dedicated Woolworths Radio station 24/7.

Woolworths is very focused on delivering a great in-store experience for our customers, and we are delighted to have partnered with Pandora and Mood Media to provide our customers with songs and music they enjoy and can relate to, said Woolworths General Manager for Marketing Operations, Rod Evenden. Music plays an important role in setting our mood, whether its in a Woolies store, travelling in the car, or cooking dinner at home. Now customers can tune into great music via Woolworths Radio on the free Pandora app.

Pandora ANZ Director of Business Development Rick Gleave said: This partnership extends Pandoras ability to bring a unique selection of music experiences to every listener in Australia, whether through their own earbuds on the go, in their car, or when they are shopping for the family at Woolworths. As we continue to scale, this illustrates the joy Pandora can bring to every listener in the country no matter where they are. Woolworths provides a unique and new environment for music from Pandora.

Woolworths Radio  Powered by Pandora goes live today across their 970 stores and is not the retail giants first forary with Pandora, their BWS liquor outlets have been running a Pandora branded station for a while.

Overall the retail radio space follows in the similiar footsteps that saw Nova Enterainment craft a dedicated retail radio brand for Coles Radio. Its footprint transcends to include in-store and DAB+ channels in metro markets. Similiar to ARN who is also in the space with branded iHeartRadio channels as well.
KIIS 1065s Kyle & Jackie O heard how super fan Sophie Saunders loves Selena Gomez  she has been to all her shows in Australia, even going to Dallas to see Selena perform. K&J asked Sophie to is record a selfie-vid singing Selenas Kill Em With Kindness, so they can send it to the superstar. The moment Sophie realises her idol is looking right at her is priceless. Take a look.
Sad news that Peter OCallaghan has died at age 67. Poco, a legend of Australian radio and an icon of the Melbourne radio market, is believed to have suffered a stroke on Wednesday afternoon.

Think of any number of iconic Melbourne radio brands of the past and Peter was part of their success  3XY, 3KZ, 3MP and EON FM are just a few and until 2015 Peter was part of Magic 1278 on mornings.

Peter has been described as having a real passion and love of radio and his listeners.
BUTTE -- Former longtime state Sen. Beatrice Bea McCarthy, 81, of Anaconda, died on Monday. She was part of a solid Democratic pocket of Anaconda-Butte legislators who held major clout in Helena during the 1990s.

If her husband Eddy was the King of Anaconda, Bea was certainly the Queen, said Nancy Keenan, former legislator and Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction who taught with Bea McCarthy in Anaconda schools and served with her in the House of Representatives before Bea worked in the state Senate.

Beas husband, Ed McCarthy, died last October at age 86. Both were well known locally and throughout the state.

Bea previously served two terms in the House, from 1991 to 1993. Due to redistricting, she lost her house seat for the 1995 Legislature.

Then at age 64, she was elected to the state Senate in 1996. She served two Senate terms, from 1997 to 2003.

She was a member of a strong Butte-Anaconda delegation comprised of former state senators J.D. Lynch, Judy Jacobson and representatives Joe Quilici, Bob Pavlovich, Fritz Daily and Debbie Shea.

Delegates who have passed on are representatives Dan Harrington and William Red Menahan and state senator Henry McClernan.

Shea considered Bea a mentor who exemplified a relentless work ethic and who placed the good of Anaconda over partisan squabbles.

She didnt go right down the party line, said Shea. She did what was best for the community. She was an outstanding Democrat, but her community always came before that.

It was a unique thing with the Anaconda-Butte delegation. They worked closely and together.

Bea McCarthy noted in a 1994 Montana Standard article how tight the Butte-Anaconda delegation was in those days:

We dont always agree, Bea McCarthy said. But we work together.

Beas regular session legislative committee assignments included business and industry, natural resources, plus fish and game. She served on the environmental quality council, education and local government committees.

She chaired the water policy subcommittee and a separate subcommittee studying revisions to the Montana Environmental Policy Act.

Raised in Bozeman, McCarthy lived in Anaconda for most of her life. She attended Montana State University and received a degree in elementary education. She taught elementary school for many years in Anaconda.

Keenans family grew up with the McCarthys in the Ancient Order of the Hibernians. Then later, Keenan and Bea became teaching colleagues.

Wife, mother, teacher and civic leader, Bea was an inspiration to me and countless others, Keenan said via email. I am proud to have known her since I was a child, work with her as a colleague and counted on her as a friend.

The McCarthys were known for throwing wildly popular nonpartisan St. Paddys Day parties for 40 years in Anaconda.

Open to everyone, from high-ranking governors to laborers, the bash drew former governors Tom Judge and Ted Schwinden, former legislators Pat Williams and Max Baucus  and everyone in between.

John McNay, a Montana Standard reporter at the Anaconda Bureau in the early 1980s and later in Butte, knew Bea because his family grew up in the same new addition Anaconda neighborhood on the west side.

Bea was warm and friendly and many Anacondans first memories of her might be the annual community St. Patricks Day open house that she and Eddy would put on, said McNay.

She welcomed literally hundreds of people into her home, where everyone had a wonderful time.

Debbie Shea served from 1993 to 2005 overall, first in the House, then the Senate for two terms. But it was Bea McCarthy who took her under her wing.

Bea has quite the history, added Shea. She was one fine lady.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 6, at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church in Anaconda.
Pershing Square Capital Management L.P. principal Bill Ackman has sold all his shares in Canadian Pacific, walking away with a cool $1.5 billion.

Ackman sold off his stake in CP9,840,890 shares, about 6.7% of the companyon Aug. 3, 2016. He had once held as much as 14.4% of CP. According to Antoine Gara of Forbes (I cover the good, the bad and the ugly of finance), Ackman needed the money:

Between the collapse of Valeant Pharmaceuticals and completion of the regulatory investigation into Herbalife, the past 12 months have been the busiest and most challenging in Bill Ackmans career. Shares of Ackmans public investment pool, Pershing Square Holdings, have plunged 46%, and the billionaire investor was hauled in front of the U.S. Senate to explain Valeants price-gouging ways.

One thing the controversial activist hasnt done? Invest. Pershing Square Capital Management has made no new large public investments for roughly a year. On [Aug. 3], Bill Ackman was once more doing something hes become accustomed to: Selling.

After dumping most of his position in animal health company Zoetis this spring, Pershing Square is now exiting Canadian Pacific after a five-year investment during which Ackman oversaw one of the great corporate turnarounds in recent memory. Ackman first invested in Canadian Pacific in the fall of 2011 with a plan to unseat the companys management and bring in new leadership that could make the Calgary-based railroad more efficient. The play was a watershed for Ackman and hedge fund activists broadly.

CPs new leadership was Hunter Harrison, who led a remarkable turnaround at CP, earning him Railway Ages Railroader of the Year Award in 2015. CPs stock price tripled over the course of four years. Canadian Pacific has completed an incredible transformation since our initial investment in 2011, Ackman said in a statement. He said he intends to continue to serve on CPs board until the next annual meeting, and added that Pershing Square plans to use the proceeds of the sale to fund one or more new investments.

Said Steve Hansen, a Vancouver-based analyst with Raymond James, Ackman was selling because of troubles with some of his other investments, including Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., the Canadian drug maker. At the same time, theres this debate about what inning CP is in its evolution. The big heavy lifting has been done, and now were into more incremental gains as opposed to wholesale step changes. So, hes probably looking to move on.

Ackman also attempted a merger with CSX, then went after Norfolk Southern. That attempt failed as well, with Ackman throwing in the towel on April 11, 2016.
Welcome to Railway Gazette. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of these cookies. You can learn more about the cookies we use here.

OK
As a global hegemon, the United States is a leader in the market of international security. Its military is the best funded, trained and equipped in the world, and should therefore be abundantly ready to manage a range of actual and potential threats to national and international security. It is nonetheless sometimes underprepared for the challenges the country faces once it decides to commit forces to a conflict.

Why is this the case?

The remainder of this commentary is available on defensenews.com.

Chad C. Serena and Colin P. Clarke are political scientists at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation.

This commentary originally appeared on Defense News on August 10, 2016. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
Following the same plan as it did for series, Netflix is to kick off full-length film production in Latin America through a partnership in Brazil.





Entitled O Matador, the movie will be co-produced with Gatacine with shooting due to start by the end of August.The film - which is will be distributed to all 190 countries in which the subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service is available - will be directed by Marcelo Galvao with a cast including Diogo Morgado (O Filho de Deus), Marat Descartes (2 Coelhos, Trabalhar Cansa), Nill Marcondes (A Frente Fria que a Chuva Traz), Deto Montenegro (A Despedida) and Maria de Medeiros (O Quarto Proibido).O Matador is a great add-up to our programming strategy, as its a story set to work for a global audience, stated Ted Sarandos, chief content officer, Netflix . We keep investing in local talent and this film will make our latest addition to our original portfolio shot in Brazil.The US SVOD company also started its Latin American series production through A Toca in Brazil, although its first LATAM success with worldwide distribution was Narcos, shot in Colombia.As a film-maker, this is a unique opportunity. Netflix has given me total creative freedom, in addition to a global distribution platform which will take my story around the world, said Galvao.
The Venezuelan telecoms authority Conatel has ruled that if there are any increases in telecoms rates, including for pay-TV, subscribers will be compensated by the operators.





The decision is an attempt to control a crisis which has put Venezuelans access to telecoms at risk.Price increases are suspended, therefore any increase will be paid back to subscribers as part of one of the agreements reached in the negotiation board, stated William Castillo, president, Conatel . The said board includes both public and private companies, with most telcos and pay-TV providers represented.According to Castillo, telecoms services are going to be protected by the state, as the sector doesnt work as a traditional business. Telecoms work 24/7 and access has to be guaranteed.We are now trying to find a balance between user protection and the companies financial needs, so the telecom system is sustainable, pointed out Castillo.A few days ago, Nicolas Maduro, Venezuelas President, stated that the Government was even considering the nationalisation of telcos as a last resort if a solution couldnt be found.For now though, the telecom crisis situation looks to be contained, even though its causes  low oil prices and a lack of foreign currency  are far from being resolved.
Moscow school shooters parents appeal against compensation to victims family

MOSCOW, August 10 (RAPSI)  Parents of school student Sergey Gordeev, who took his classmates hostage and shot two people in February 2014, have appealed the courts ruling that ordered them to pay compensation to family of Gordeevs victim, geography teacher Andrei Kirillov, lawyer for the suffering party Igor Trunov told RAPSI on Wednesday.

Earlier the Butyrsky District Court of Moscow ordered Gordeevs parents to pay 2.5 million rubles ($38,400). They have to pay 936,000 rubles ($14,400) in material compensation as well as 700,000 ($10,700) rubles to mother of the victim and equal sum to his widow. Additionally, Gordeevs parents are to pay 36,000 rubles ($553) to the victims son each month, until he reaches the age of 18.

The incident took place on February 3, 2014, when Sergey Gordeev, 15, brought a rifle and a carbine to school. He killed a police officer and a teacher, injured one more person and took hostages.

The Investigative Committee found that the student had fired at least 11 rounds from a small caliber rifle before he was arrested.

Initially Gordeev has partially admitted his guilt while psychiatric evaluation showed that he is mentally fit, but last summer, the Moscow City Court confirmed the original courts ruling that the student should undergo a compulsory medical treatment.

In late September, relatives of victims filed a cassation appeal with the Presidium of the Moscow City Court. In their appeal, they requested that the original ruling of the Moscow Butyrsky District Court be overturned, as well as the ruling of the Moscow City Court. On November 13, the Moscow City Court Presidium revoked a ruling ordering Gordeev to undergo psychiatric treatment.

On February 8, 2016, the Moscow Regional Military Court ordered that the case be closed because of absence of elements of crime in the act, the defendant be discharged from liability and sent for forced medical treatment.

On March 30, 2016 Moscows Butyrsky District Court ordered the parents of Gordeev to pay over 2 million rubles ($30,000) in compensation to the victims in the case.
MOSCOW, August 10 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul)  The Tula Regional Court on Wednesday upheld refusal to release Alexei Gaskarov convicted of participation in the Bolotnaya Square riots in 2012 on parole, his lawyer Svetlana Sidorkina told RAPSI on Wednesday.

The court thus dismissed an appeal filed by Gaskarov against a lower courts ruling.

Over 400 people were arrested and scores injured in the Bolotnaya Square protest that turned violent in May 2012. Dozens were later charged with inciting mass riots and using violence against law enforcement officers.

Gaskarov has been sentenced to 3.5 years in prison.

Riot organizers, Sergei Udaltsov and Leonid Razvozzhayev, were sentenced to 4.5 years in prison. Other participants received prison terms ranging from suspended sentences to four years. Several defendants were pardoned; one is undergoing compulsory mental treatment.
We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on the website. The purposes of using cookies are defined in the Privacy Policy of RAPSI

If you agree to continue using cookies, please click the "Confirm" button. If you do not agree, you can change your browser settings.
The China Shock: Learning from Labor Market Adjustment to Large Changes in Trade, a scholarly paper that examines the impact of U.S. trade with China, has made quite a splash in policy circles. Media outlets hail it as influential, famous, excellent, and a real bombshell. And the Paulson Institutes Damien Ma is right when says that China Shock has driven a lot of the trade debate in this [election] cycle.

The paper spotlights the alleged negative effects of trade with China. But are its findings accurate? Given the stakes of this years election  and the centrality of debates over free trade  that question is especially relevant. As it turns out, China Shock doesnt prove that trade with China has made Americans worse off, nor make a compelling case for locking American workers and their offspring into low-wage manufacturing jobs in perpetuity.

If we compare China Shocks central claims with undisputed facts from other sources, we can see that trade with China is, on the contrary, a net plus for Americans.

China Shock claim: Views on how trade affects wages and employment turned less sanguine in the 1990s. As wage inequality rose, low-skill wages and employment fell, and manufacturing employment contracted in the U.S., globalization was seen initially as a prime suspect.

The facts: Low-income U.S. households have been getting richer. In the 1990s, according to the Congressional Budget Office, real income increased by 17.9 percent for the lowest quintile of U.S. households. By 2013 real household income for the lowest quintile was 30.3 percent higher than in 1990.

China Shock claim: At the national level, employment has fallen in U.S. industries more exposed to import competition, as expected, but offsetting employment gains in other industries have yet to materialize.

The facts: Offsetting employment gains have definitely materialized. From 1991 to 2007, the period analyzed in China Shock, the economy added 29 million net new jobs  an employment increase of 27 percent.

China Shock claim: China's rise has provided a rare opportunity for studying the impact of a large trade shock on labor markets in developed economies.

The facts: The sharp rise in imports from China was accompanied by a big drop in the share of imports coming from other Pacific Rim countries. In 1991, 40 percent of U.S. imports came from Pacific Rim countries, including China. In 2007, just 35 percent of U.S. imports came from the Pacific Rim. Not much of a shock there.

China Shock claim: In trade theory, it is standard to assume that trade is balanced.

The facts: When all financial transactions with China are accounted for, trade is balanced. If a U.S. family spends $100 on shoes made in China and those dollars are used to invest in U.S. companies or to buy government treasury bonds, the result is reportedly a $100 trade imbalance. But Americans still benefit, and U.S.-China financial flows balance.

China Shock claim: Suppose that policy distortions in China  such as the excess absorption of credit by state-owned enterprises  induce the country to run a trade surplus and the U.S. to run a trade deficit.

The facts: Suppose that policy distortions in the United States induce the U.S. to run a trade deficit. From 1991 to 2007 the U.S. government ran cumulative budget deficits totaling $2.4 trillion. These deficits were partially financed by investment from China. Hundreds of billions of dollars from China were used to purchase exports of U.S. treasury bonds instead of privately produced goods and services.

This was an entirely predictable result of deficit spending by the U.S. government. As the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) explained at the time: [Trade] deficits are not caused by either U.S. or foreign trade policies. Rather, they are determined by the balances between saving and investment in the United States and in other countries and the effects of those balances on international flows of capital.

China Shock claim: When looking within manufacturing, Tennessee, owing largely to its concentration of furniture producers, is far more exposed to trade with China than is Alabama, which has agglomerations of relatively insulated heavy industry. [Regions] that were more exposed to increased import competition from China experienced substantially larger reductions in manufacturing employment.

The facts: Tennessee displays no sign of being harmed by imports from China. During the period measured in China Shock, the states real manufacturing GDP increased 77 percent  even more than the concurrent 65 percent increase in Alabama. Looking at the big picture, total real GDP increased even more in Tennessee (131 percent) than in Alabama (110 percent) or in the U.S. as a whole (123 percent).

Although both states lost manufacturing and farm jobs as workers and farmers became increasingly productive, overall employment increased. Job growth was higher in Tennessee (34 percent) than in Alabama (27 percent).

China Shock claim: Applying the direct plus the indirect input-output measure of exposure increases estimates of trade-induced job losses for 1999 to 2011 to 985 thousand workers in manufacturing, and to 2.0 million workers in the entire economy.

The facts: Did trade with China result in any net job loss in the U.S.? No. From 1999 to 2011, the U.S. economy added over 3 million net new jobs.

Trade destroys some jobs and creates others, just as technology does. As economist Scott Sumner put it: why focus on jobs lost by the China shock, but not German exports or robots replacing workers?

Money saved buying a made-in-China product is money that can be spent or invested in other parts of the economy, creating U.S. jobs. Moreover, the Chinese can use the money they earn from exports to import U.S.-made products or invest in the U.S. economy, also creating U.S. jobs. According to Nobel economist Paul Krugman, this process should be seen as jobs shifted out of manufacturing to other sectors, not total job loss.

China Shock claim: It is incumbent on the literature to more convincingly estimate the gains from trade, such that the case for free trade is not based on the sway of theory alone, but on a foundation of evidence that illuminates who gains, who loses, by how much, and under what conditions.

The facts: China Shock attempts to illuminate the impact of trade on those who lose, but it also obscures the impact of trade on those who gain. Since China joined the WTO, the United States undoubtedly lost some low-wage, low-skill jobs. But thats not the whole story. Since that time:

 Real U.S. GDP has increased by 27 percent

 Real U.S. manufacturing GDP has increased by 23 percent

 Real income for the lowest quintile of U.S. households has increased by 12 percent

 Employment has increased by 10 percent

The facts suggest not that trade with China costs jobs but that we need a more dynamic and growing economy so that Americans who lose their jobs  for whatever reason  have ample opportunities to find new work and continue their pursuit of the American Dream.

Bryan Riley is the Jay Van Andel Senior Trade Policy Analyst in The Heritage Foundations Center for Trade and Economics.
Brexit is not just an event, its a process. The decision to hold a referendum on leaving the European Union took years of debate to materialize. Likewise, the decision to leave will take years to work itself out in negotiations on the final status of Britains relationship with the Union.

Brexit, however, is not just about Britain. Momentous as it is, Brexit also represents a long-term trend in the development of Europe as a whole. The British decision to leave has to be seen in the context of the rise of nationalist, anti-integration, anti-immigration parties in many EU countries.

Britains exit doesnt mean that the European Union is falling apart, but its now likely to be remodeled into something less ambitious than some of its more ambitiously Europeanist founding fathers had hoped. The future Union without Britain may be weaker in some respects, but removing the British Problem from EU politics may result in greater coherence and strength in other ways.

Beyond practical issues of economics and finance, what Brexit represents is, at bottom, the end of the founding fathers exalted idea of Europe. Brexit is the end of the post-WWII European project as a vision of a new European economic, political, and even moral superpower in the world order.

This is paradoxical because the European Union is in historical perspective a young institution, a mere seven decades old. Historians may write up Brexit as part of European integration sorting itself out.

Spurs to integration

Contemporary European integration, along with rise and eventual collapse of Communism, was the major consequence of World War II. During the Cold War, Europe was divided into Communist Eastern Europe and liberal democratic Western Europe. Communism in Europe, including the Soviet Union, imploded in just a few years, 1989-91. With the end of Soviet control of Europes east, as the first president Bush put it, Europe had become whole and free.

At the core of Cold War Europe, the calamitous century-old German Problem was resolved. East and West Germany were reunited and the new Germany became a pillar of European stability. The formerly Communist countries of Eastern Europe soon joined NATO and the European Union. A weakened Russia became all that remained of Moscows empire -- the rump state of the USSR.

The EU developed in stages over a half-century. It took in new member states and expanded its authority over significant parts of European economics and politics. At first, it was the six-nation European Coal and Steel Community, then the EEC/Common Market, then the European Communities, then the European Community.

Only in the Maastricht Treaty ratified in 1992 was the European institution renamed as the European Union. The new name expressed new ambitions for integration: deeper economic union (including the euro) and broader political union with reduced national sovereignty in many policy areas. But Maastricht Europe was still not what Europeanist idealists wanted, a full United States of Europe.

In fact, two visions of integrated Europe had always competed with each other; two conceptions of what the final product of European unification should be. The one was based on treaties uniting the nation-states toward a set of shared purposes, the other was the goal of a larger European framework, in effect a new European super-state.

Frances great leader Charles de Gaulle (president of France from 1958-1969) insisted that any coherent Europe had to be a Europe of nation-states, in which national sovereignty would always control the European institution. Another Frenchman, Jean Monnet, was the godfather of the federalists, those who wanted a truly new Europe, a Europe beyond the nation-state. The idea was that the European continent should become ultimately a single European federation, something like the United States but based on Europes historical countries.

De Gaulle (and later British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher) believed that a strong and legitimate Europe could only be the product of cooperation amongstates -- such legitimacy would not result from merging them. The federalists argued that European civilization needed a renewed dynamism and sense of purpose. To be competitive in an era of superpowers required that Europes patchwork of medium- and small-sized states become a United States of Europe.

Gaullism, which could be called the first Euro-skepticism, is the idea that the fundamental unit of international life can only be nation-states built on historic peoples. A state is the national institution of a people, as in the French, German, or Polish people. To De Gaulle, the nation-state was genuine; a factitious European Union could never replace them. It could only be a shell organization run by faceless bureaucrats.

British Gaullists

Brexit is in this sense an extreme Gaullist reaction. But Brexit is a complex issue because Britain is really the United Kingdom of four countries. Only England and tiny Wales voted to leave, whereas Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain inside. The latter two dont want to be dragooned out of the European Union by a modest anti-EU majority in England. So Brexit is not simple.

Nevertheless, its important to understand that De Gaulle was not anti-European. He wanted a Europe of nation-states with their own histories, cultures and sovereignty. He never wanted to pull France out of the European Union. Never Frexit.

The federalists, once thought of as bright, shiny idealists, have been frustrated in their idea of Europe. Now Brexit seems to have turned the tide of history against them.

The high-water mark for federalism came a decade ago when a draft constitution was written and put up for ratification in 2005. The federalists who wrote it had to be canny, because so many opposed setting a goal of eventual full European federation. The constitution, in an attempt to make everybody happy, proposed a federation of nation-states. But ratification required unanimous approval and when the Dutch and the French voted it down, it became impossible. Ideological federalism received a mortal blow.

British Prime Minister David Camerons ham-handed referendum produced the exact opposite of what hed intended. He wanted the personal glory of settling Britains relationship with the European Union permanently (because he thought hed win). But he lost, and new Prime Minister Theresa May has to deal with the consequences of Camerons blunder.

Britains exit from the European Union means that the old contest between Gaullism and federalism has been outflanked by a tendency to genuine fragmentation.

But whether the idea of Europe is gone forever and the European project a dead letter remains to be seen. External events and trends intervene. In any case, the future lasts a long time, as de Gaulle once wrote disputing the supposed permanence of Communism and the division of Europe.
Turkey is no stranger to tumultuous times. As the Republic of Turkey and as the Ottoman Empire before that, the country has weathered foreign invasion, military coups and civil strife. Today, Turkey has found itself once again in a trying time. The country faces significant militant threats in its territory and on its borders at the same time that instability and declining tourism jeopardize its economy. While Turkey's military undergoes a massive reorganization, the country must contend with a hostile government in neighboring Syria, whose powerful Russian ally is just now beginning to mend ties with Ankara. What's more, the July 15 coup attempt and its aftermath have strained Turkey's relations with NATO.

Some of Turkey's problems may appear arduous  and they are. But the troubles Turkey is grappling with today pale in comparison with those of previous eras. Time and again, history has shown that Turkey's geographically advantageous position and its martial tradition ensure its continued consequence in European and Middle Eastern geopolitical developments, regardless of the challenges it faces.

The Rise and Fall of the Ottomans

Geography has determined the course of Turkey's history since long before the country emerged in its current form. In 1453, the Ottoman Empire, having finally defeated and supplanted the Byzantine Empire, assumed control of the crucial geographic space at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Its powerful army, sustained by a well-developed economic, bureaucratic and technological base, enabled the Ottomans to conquer vast swaths of Europe and the Middle East. Before the death of Suleiman the Magnificent in 1566, the Ottoman Empire was one of Europe's greatest powers, and it did not relent in its conquest of the Continent until the Battle of Vienna in 1683.

Much as geography played a central role in the Ottoman rise, it also facilitated its decline. With the discovery of new maritime trade routes from Europe to the Americas and the Far East that skirted the empire's territory, its influence and economic might diminished. At the same time, its position on the Bosporus and the Dardanelles and around the Black Sea, however strategic, attracted the attention of other aspiring empires, particularly the Russians. The two juggernauts fought at least 11 wars (including the Crimean War), cementing their long-standing rivalry.

null

Between the Ottoman Empire's entry into World War I and the end of the Turkish War of Independence (1919-1923), Turkey endured the gravest period in its history, and its very survival as a sovereign entity was in doubt. Still, the country prevailed: Victory in the struggle for independence, and the subsequent establishment of the Republic of Turkey, brought it back from the brink. And though the Turks lost an empire in the process, they retained their strategic position on the Bosporus and Dardanelles, buffered to the east by the Anatolian heartland.

A Strategic Ally

During World War II, the country's location, along with its large army (despite a lack of armored vehicles), moved the Axis and Allied forces alike to seek an alliance with it. As Axis forces began invading Russia in 1941, the Turkish army  positioned within striking distance of the oil fields responsible for 90 percent of Russia's oil production that year  could have helped to deal the country a devastating blow. Turkey, moreover, would have provided the Axis a springboard from which to attack British and other Allied interests in the Middle East. At the time, Commonwealth forces were stretched too thin to heavily defend the territories, where German-backed uprisings were already occurring.

The Allies, too, were eagerly courting the Turks. Ankara's cooperation would have facilitated the dispatch of supplies to Moscow and siphoned German troops away from the invasion of Russia to try to contain Turkish forces. Winston Churchill was so keen to bring in the Turks that he ordered British Gen. Archibald Wavell to divert the bulk of his troops from Libya, where he was staging a highly successful offensive against the Italians, to Greece on Feb. 12, 1941. Churchill reasoned that Turkey would be more likely to intervene if a reinforced Greece could hold the Germans at bay for a while, but this proved to be a miscalculation. The move instead gave the Axis powers time to fortify North Africa (prolonging the war there until 1943) while doing little to prevent the Germans from overpowering the Greeks. Turkey, perhaps heeding the lessons of World War I, sat out the conflict until the final months, when it joined the side of the winning Allied powers.

In the years immediately after World War II, Turkey's position on the Bosporus and Dardanelles once again ignited tensions with Russia. The Soviet Union pressed Turkey to allow it free access through its straits, but its plan yielded unintended consequences. While Russia had long coveted control of the Dardanelles and had fought numerous wars to expand its borders to Turkey's detriment, NATO saw Turkey as a means to block the Soviet Union's reach into the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Moscow's advances caused Ankara to turn toward the alliance, and the United States and United Kingdom responded favorably. In 1947-48, the Americans established the Truman Doctrine, which devoted significant aid and support to the Turks.

In light of Russia's actions and its long-standing interest in Turkey's territory, Ankara's choice was clear enough. Turkey joined NATO in 1952, just three years after its creation. For the rest of the Cold War, Turkey remained a key part of the bloc through periods of crisis and instability, including numerous coups, the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and enmity with fellow NATO member Greece.

A Major Power, Despite Its Problems

Now Turkey is back in the throes of instability. Conflict with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, a deep-rooted insurgency that began more than three decades ago, is in full swing. Between that and the recent coup attempt, Ankara's attention is focused inward. Meanwhile, dangerous threats at its borders are compounding the country's domestic upheaval. Though these problems will inevitably hinder Turkey in the years ahead, it will nonetheless maintain its strategic role in the region.

Turkey derives much of its enduring leverage from its membership in NATO. Since the most recent coup attempt, the Turkish government has leveled accusations against the West, mostly at Germany and the United States, alleging their complicity in the uprising. (Given the United States' reputation for meddling in Turkey's affairs  for example, in the country's 1980 putsch  the allegations, however paranoid, are understandable.) Notwithstanding the tension, NATO's interest in Turkey will not wane any time soon. Much as the specter of the Soviet Union pushed NATO to support Turkey throughout its various crises during the Cold War, NATO's recent frictions with Russia have reinforced Turkey's importance to the bloc. In fact, with Russia building up its presence in the Black Sea after reclaiming Crimea, Turkey's role in NATO has not been so crucial since the end of the Cold War. And for the United States, Turkey is critical to the air campaign against the Islamic State. Because much of the campaign focuses on the northern regions of Syria and Iraq, access to Turkish air bases is vital.

Engulfed in and surrounded by conflicts, Turkey is relieved that its membership in NATO is secure. After all, its involvement in the bloc allows it to engage with Russia from a position of strength, even as it tries to mend ties with Moscow. (To that end, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 9.) Moreover, Ankara can use its influence in NATO to exact concessions from Moscow, for instance by offering to curb its support for the NATO Black Sea initiative if Russia will accommodate its interests in Syria. Even so, understanding the limits of its influence, Turkey will be careful not to abuse its membership in NATO. Therefore, Ankara is unlikely to take any drastic measures, such as expelling the U.S. military from the country, with its allies.

The coup attempt in Turkey has exacerbated a number of Turkey's problems, especially where its internal stability is concerned. For Ankara, the coup came at a bad time, disrupting the military at the height of a fight against insurgents and external militant threats. Nevertheless, as history has demonstrated, it would be a mistake to discount Turkey. Though Ankara may be distracted with its own troubles in the short term, its geographic advantage will ensure its continued importance in the world.
Russian internet daily Lenta.ru recently published an analysis on why Russia is and will remain concerned about various threats emanating from the underbelly of the former Soviet region -- Central Asia.

Says the article:

"Russian military and security officials generally do not like the Central Asian region, since it is the main sources of military threats for Russia, and no effective countermeasures to these threats exist to this day.

The main type of military threat to Russia is diffused guerrilla operations generated by an explosion of religious extremism, an explosion which would be almost inevitable after a hypothetical failure of one or several of the Central Asian regimes."

The analysis lists other potential headaches for Russian military and policy planners. These include Russias long and still largely indefensible border with Kazakhstan, as well as the difficulty of trying to influence the situation in the region if crisis escalates in any of the Central Asian stans. The analysis confirms that Russian troops in Tajikistan, and its aircraft deployed at the Kant airbase in Kyrgyzstan, are able to intervene in the fight against armed extremists at the request of the legitimate regional governments, but "if such a war is accompanied by political crises (and even revolutions), the room for military maneuvers becomes very limited.

Says Lenta.ru:

"Security weakness in the Central Asian countries, which are increasingly penetrated by a radical form of Islam and by international terrorist networks, will lead to a condition where serious resistance to the radical Islamic threat can be made only on the Russian-Kazakh border -- and the length and penetration of this border does not grant Russian policy planners any additional optimism."

Nor would the hypothetical introduction of Russian military forces in the region bode well for such a crisis -- such a move might lead to a whole set of "purely internal Russian problems, ranging from popular discontent with such a move to placing Russian forces in the poorly equipped and logistically difficult region of Eurasia."

The analysis singles out a couple of terrorist attacks in Kazakhstan in June and July -- in Aktobe, where 17 people were killed, and in Almaty, where an attack resulted in law enforcement and civilian casualties. "What if next time (and there is no reason to believe that these are the last events of this kind), the planning and execution of an attack is on a qualitatively different level? Will the Kazakh security forces be up to the task?"

Moving south, the analysis identifies a major long-simmering source of conflict -- the Fergana Valley, where the many conflicts of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan intertwine -- these states have shared the valley since the creation of the Soviet Union. The valley, Lenta.ru reminds us, is a transport hub, an aggregator of drug trafficking from the southern regions, and a place where trouble smolders at the surface -- there are ethnic conflicts between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks, and interstate troubles due to water ownership."

Hinting at Moscow's preference for strong autocratic regimes in Central Asia capable of controlling internal tensions, the analysis points out that "any significant weakening of the political regimes in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan may cause an explosion of local dissent, provoked by religious and ethnic extremists - as happened in 1999 during the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan crisis.

The analysis concludes that growth of internal tensions in these states could lead to weak governments exporting instability through war, and it recommends Moscow undertake various projects in the former Soviet space to manage the situation. Despite changes in the level of Moscow's involvement in Central Asia due to economic and geopolitical pressures elsewhere, it is to be expected that Russia will continue its range of security, political, and economic relationships with Central Asian states through bilateral and multilateral ties it has been strengthening since the dissolution of Soviet Union.
Property details:

Land for sale in San Bernardino, California (Cedar Glen) Straight Sale, Clear Title. $2,950.00 buy it now or make an offer. Payment in Full, No installments The purchase price: Purchase price for the property. Plus there is an additional document processing fee of $189.00 The property is being sold AS-IS, WHERE-IS. Please perform your due diligence and bid only if you are able to follow through on your purchase. Cedar Glen, CA 92321 The lot located a short distance down a dirt road. Views across...

Price: $ 2,950 Seller State of Residence: California Property Address: Track No 1921 Larchmont Lot 141 Block 3 State/Province: California City: San Bernardino Type: Homesite, Lot Zoning: Residential Zip/Postal Code: 92321 Location: 924**, San Bernardino, California

You will be redirected to eBay



Nearby 92321
Property details:

Club Wyndham Access 126,000 Club Wyndham Access Points, Allocated January 1 Every Year Annual usage beginning in 2017. Maintenance fees are approx. $60 every month and will be billed to you for your usage. WINNING BID IS ALL YOU PAY! SELLER HAS PAID CLOSING COSTS AND TRANSFER FEES! NOTE: ALL TRANSACTIONS WILL BE HANDLED THROUGH EMAIL AND USPS. LOCAL PICK-UP IS NOT NECESSARY. Contact Information Club Wyndham Access 6277 Sea Harbor Drive Orlando, FL 32821 Resort telephone number: 800/251-8736 TC #...

Price: $ 760 Seller State of Residence: Michigan Property Address: 6277 Sea Harbor Drive Orlando, FL 32821 State/Province: Florida City: Orlando Zip/Postal Code: 32821 Location: 656**, Branson, Missouri

You will be redirected to eBay



Nearby 32821
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 08/09/2016



ADVERTISEMENT

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 08/10/2016



ADVERTISEMENT

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.
,



We're sorry, this article is not currently available
We live in scary times with an increasing number of people who do not value human life. The awesome people at CTOMS recently came out with an online course called POD or Police Officer Down. I previously did an interview with the owner of CTOMS that you might find enlightening on why it is they do what they do. You will likely hear more about this course at a later date, once I have the time to take it. For now we've received the following information.

POD: CTOMS Police Officer Down

With the recent tragedies of Paris, Brussels, Istanbul, Orlando, Nice and Dallas, the subject of civilian casualty care has leapt to the forefront of the tactical medicine industry again. Everyday courses are appearing on the internet in response to this need.

CTOMS Police Officer Down (POD) Survival Course has been a solution to this threat for many police forces and federal agencies internationally for a few years now. These courses are not simply repackaged military TCCC programs with different pictures. They have been designed from the ground up with medical professionals and end-users to meet the specific needs of the civilian high threat environment. The PODS has an 8 hour online didactic filled with lessons, videos and cutting edge treatment protocols that address the uncontrolled and chaotic realities of the Tactical Trauma Care (TTC). The POD Survival course is intended to be delivered in an online format to the front line officer with a series of practical confirmations directed under the watchful eye of specially-trained agency level POD Survival Facilitators. CTOMS has a whole series of different Law Enforcement Programs that prepare the front line officer, SWAT operators, LEO tasked Paramedics and, even, the Command Post

How does this help the regular Joe non-LEO? The Police Officer Down (POD) Survival Course is an OPEN access training program. Open to LEOs, Paramedics, First Responders, Security Professionals, First Aiders and Civilians.

Canadian, eh?! At the Special Operations Medical Association Conference in Tampa, Florida in 2012, retired Navy Captain Frank Butler presented his annual update on TCCC, making the statement that only the U.S. Army Rangers and the Canadian Armed Forces have established an estimated 100% capture of preventable combat deaths.1 This was due, in no small part, to the partnership between CTOMS and the Canadian Armed Forces during the War in Afghanistan.

That same experience, ingenuity and innovation is available online to you. High threat environments are chaotic, scary and unforgiving for the untrained. Control the Chaos. Leave Nothing to Chance.

*Use WDG-PODS20 for a twenty percent discount.

You can check out more from CTOMS at their website, Facebook, or Instagram. You should probably like them on both and join their 3k contest for a chance to win a free code for the course.
OAKLEY  Dennis Bork wants to find the best way to improve soil health on his farm and, in the process, boost crop productivity.

He is working on a 5-year study with the Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District to test different methods of farming, including planting cover crops. In the past 2 years on his family farm near Oakley, Bork has planted annual rye and cereal rye, which is proving to be one of the most popular cover crops among area farmers.

We're up to whatever we can learn, Bork said Tuesday during a field day organized by the University of Illinois Extension Macon County office. We're willing to try some different things out here.

Bork said he is interested in seeing what the yield difference for corn and soybeans will be as cover crops are grown, primarily during the winter.

Some of the changes to the soil are becoming noticeable but it can be slow to change, said Roger Windhorn, a soil health consultant. The soil has been developing into the condition it is in now for thousands of years, which Windhorn said shows why changes aren't instantaneous.

Change is needed to break up the soil and avoid compaction, Windhorn said while standing in two 44-inch pits dug in the middle of a soybean field.

Cover crops can add organic matter to the soil, Windhorn said.

I do like the effect they have on the soil, Windhorn said. Anytime you can add organic matter to the soil, you're going to improve soil health.

Soil that is broken up can provide openings for plant roots, water, insects and nutrients to move through the ground as needed, Windhorn said.

Seeing how plants are growing above ground provides just half the picture, said Doug Gucker, a local foods systems and small farms educator with the Extension. Gucker said farmers should dig into their fields for a clearer idea of what is happening that can affect crop production.

We need to be working on this and see what's going on in the soil, Gucker said.

The use of cover crops is one method that is being studied through the Soil Health Partnership, an initiative of the National Corn Growers Association, said Jim Isermann, the Illinois field manager for the partnership.

We can look at different management types, Isermann said. Cover crops are primarily what farmers are looking at. The best way to do this is for farmers to voluntarily want to do the practices.

The Soil Health Partnership will take part in a field day with the University of Illinois Extension in Christian County scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19 at the Dudley Smith Farm between Taylorville and Pana. More information can be found by contacting Gary Letterly at letterly@illinois.edu or calling (217) 287-7246.
SHARE

By The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP)  Don't buy tickets quite yet for a luxury sail on the SS United States.

Plans to return the historic ocean liner to the high seas are being abandoned for a second time after a cruise company concludes it's not feasible.

Los Angeles-based Crystal Cruises will instead make a $350,000 donation to the conservation group that owns the ship, which has been sitting idle at a Philadelphia wharf for two decades. The company had pledged to spend at least $700 million to return the ship, which is bigger than the Titanic, to its glory days as a luxury ocean liner. But the task proved too great, even though they found the ship structurally sound.

"Unfortunately, the hurdles that would face us when trying to bring a 65-year-old vessel up to modern safety, design and international regulatory compliance have proven just too great," Crystal Cruises President Edie Rodriguez said in a statement.

Norwegian Cruise Lines announced a similar overhaul in 2003 that did not materialize for similar reasons.

Susan Gibbs, executive director of the conservancy, said the ship could still be turned into a waterfront attraction, perhaps with a museum component, in New York or elsewhere.

In the 1950s, the ship carried everyone from royalty to immigrants across the Atlantic Ocean, accompanied by three on-board orchestras. It was the biggest and fastest ocean liner that had ever been built in the United States at the time.

On its maiden voyage in 1952, the liner crossed the Atlantic in three days, 10 hours, 42 minutes, a record that stood until 1990. The ship was decommissioned in 1969.
Donna Nickerson spent her last working years as the activity and social services director at a Turlock, Calif., nursing home.

But when she developed Alzheimers disease and needed that kind of care herself, she and her husband couldnt afford it: A bed at a nearby home cost several thousand dollars a month.

Im not a wealthy man, said Nickersons husband Mel, a retired California State University-Stanislaus professor. Theres no way I could pay for that.

Experts estimate that about half of all people turning 65 today will need daily help as they get older, either at home or in nursing homes. Such long-term care will cost an average of about $91,000 for men and double that for women, who live longer.

In California and across the U.S., many people cant afford that, so they turn to Medicaid, the nations public health insurance program for low-income people. As a result, Medicaid has become the safety net for millions of people who are unable to pay for nursing home beds or in-home caregivers. That includes middle-class Americans, who often must spend down or transfer their assets to qualify for Medicaid coverage.

About 1.4 million people are in nursing homes nationwide, and about 62 percent of those beds are paid for by Medicaid.

Medicaid was never intended to cover long-term care for everyone. Now it pays for nearly 40 percent of the nations long-term care expenses, and the share is growing. As baby boomers age, federal Medicaid spending on long-term care is widely expected to rise by nearly 50 percent by 2026.

The pressure will intensify as people age, so both state and federal officials are trying to control spending.

State Medicaid directors are closely watching as long-term care spending takes up larger shares of their budgets and squeezes out other programs, said Matt Salo, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors.

There isnt a day that goes by they are not thinking about long-term care, Salo said. It makes up a huge portion of the entire budget and its growing.  It is absolutely not sustainable.

In the meantime, people who need long-term care are depleting their savings or transferring their assets to others so they can qualify for Medicaid. Long-term care insurance rates are rising, and many seniors find they can no longer afford policies they purchased long ago.

In California, seniors typically can qualify for Medi-Cal, as Medicaid is called in that state, if their yearly incomes are under $16,395. To get long-term care through Medi-Cal, they also must show a need for assistance with certain activities of daily living, such as dressing or bathing. Incomes can be higher if seniors can demonstrate medical need and have spent much of their savings, with some exemptions for homes and other assets.

About 21 percent of the states over-65 population is enrolled in Medi-Cal, according to the state Department of Health Care Services. Medi-Cal paid for long-term care for an estimated 716,000 people who were elderly, blind or disabled in 2013, the most recent year for which data are available. In 2014, nearly a quarter of Medi-Cals money went to pay for long-term care  about $14.7 billion, according to the California Health Care Foundation.

When Mel Nickerson, 85, realized a nursing home bed was too expensive, he sought guidance from an attorney, who helped him take his wifes name off their home and take her name off their assets. Then Nickerson applied for her to receive Medi-Cal, and he helped her move into a nursing home.

Now, Nickerson said he pays about $1,700 a month from her Social Security, and Medi-Cal picks up the rest of the cost, he said. Nickerson said his wife, now 84, is getting the care she needs, and he cant imagine having her anywhere else.

It is absolutely the best place for her, he said. She needs help 24 hours a day.

If more middle-class Californians like the Nickersons seek help from Medi-Cal, however, the program could be overwhelmed and unable to help the people who need it most, said Joanne Handy, CEO of LeadingAge California, an advocacy group that represents nonprofit nursing homes.

The pressure on the state Medicaid budget, not only here in California but across the country, is just going up, up, up, she said. If you put on top of that more and more what we call middle-income Californians spending down and then going onto Medi-Cal, it is just a crazy policy.

Salo, of the National Association of Medicaid Directors, said people shouldnt have to impoverish themselves to get financial help paying for long-term care, but states cannot afford to cover the care for everyone who needs it and are trying to come up with ways to control spending.

More than a dozen states are contracting with managed care companies to provide both medical care and long-term care services to their Medicaid beneficiaries.

States are hoping that contracting with managed care plans will help save money, improve care and better coordinate services for seniors. But some health care advocates say managed care organizations, traditionally geared toward providing only medical care, arent necessarily prepared to offer other forms of care such as bathing or cooking and could end up restricting services or providers to save money.
Greg Barnette/Record Searchlight

Cal Fire firefighters prepare to stop the progression of a fire near Keller Lumber Sales on Iron Mountain Mine Road on Tuesday afternoon.



SHARE Greg Barnette/Record Searchlight A Cal Fire firefighter helps fight a fire near Keller Lumber Sales on Iron Mountain Mine Road on Tuesday afternoon. Greg Barnette/Record Searchlight Fire and inmate crews work Tuesday to stop a fire near Keller Lumber Sales on Iron Mountain Mine Road on Tuesday afternoon.

By Joe Szydlowski of the Redding Record Searchlight

Update 4:25 p.m.

Firefighters have fully contained the Mountain Fire which burned 35 acres on Iron Mountain Road near Keswick Dam Road.

Damages are estimated at $2,500 and two firefighters were treated for minor injuries, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation2.

Update 7:20 a.m. Wednesday:

Firefighters gained more containment overnight on a fire that scorched 35 acres in the Keswick area northwest of Redding.

The Mountain Fire also didn't grow overnight, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

#MountainFire [update] at Iron Mountain Rd & Keswick Dam Rd in Keswick (Shasta County) is now 35 acres and 80% contained.  CAL FIRE SHU (@CALFIRESHU) August 10, 2016

Original story:

A wind-whipped fire scorched 35 acres near Keswick Tuesday afternoon before firefighters brought it close to containment.

The Mountain Fire was 50 percent contained and had stopped spreading by 1:30 p.m., a little more than an hour after it was reported on the side of Iron Mountain Road near Keswick Dam Road at 12:15 p.m., said Cheryl Buliavac, spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The evacuations and closures were lifted for residents at about 5:10 p.m. and the closure to the public was expected to end at about 7 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.

Late Tuesday evening, fire officials said the size and percentage containment had not changed and that three fire engine crews were assigned to remain on the fire overnight.

Winds carried the blaze's embers to the southwest after the fire ignited  the cause is under investigation  Buliavac said.

"The winds were really challenging firefighters," she said.

As it spread, it spurred firefighters to call for the closure and evacuations of Iron Mountain Road between Highway 299 just outside Redding and the Keswick Dam.

No structures were damaged, Buliavac said. However, two firefighters suffered minor injuries. She credited firefighters' "really aggressive attack"  they numbered 140 total  with quickly stopping the fire's spread.

Joining them was Jim Wright, 78, and his son John, 49, who had been doing yardwork at their home near the fire's origin. Jim Wright said he spotted it under power lines on the west side of the road, heading toward a home further down the street.

"I told John, 'Let's go help those people,'" he said.

They rushed there and told the woman living there to get out with her three children.

They then stayed behind, along with the woman's mom and dad, and fought the fire with hoses, Jim Wright said while still spraying plants and surrounded by flame-charred earth.

When the fire broke out, he said he saw black smoke billowing  indicating a strong possibility of the fire burning something man-made, he said.

Nonetheless, no buildings were reported destroyed, Buliavac said. However, some fence lines burned. The fire caused about $2,500 in damages.

The fire was one of several Cal Fire dealt with Tuesday. Later, a fire burned almost an acre near Grace Lake in Shingletown before it was contained.

Another blaze broke out on the side of Interstate 5 near Factory Outlets Drive. It burned a spot before being contained, said firefighters at the scene.

The Redding Fire Department and Bureau of Land Management helped Cal Fire on the Iron Mountain Mine Road fire, Buliavac said.

She said the Iron Mountain Mine Road fire should serve as a reminder that fires can spread quickly and asked people to be careful about sparks and flammables.
SHARE

UPDATE 12:30 p.m.

A Cal Trans crew later said they had a small spot fire but extinguished it.

Original post:

Firefighters are heading to the area of Pollard Flat after receiving reports of a vegetation fire along Interstate 5 just after noon today.

They were called out at about 12:01 p.m. to the area after receiving reports of a fire burning grass along the freeway near the guardrail.

A California Department of Transportation crew also reported the fire.

Traffic is still moving smoothly in the area, according to the Cal Trans quickmap.
County clerk says she won't tolerate election interference

Cathy Darling Allen, the county clerk and registrar of voters, said she will answer questions from anyone who wants to observe the vote tally.
Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight Jon Thompson, from left, Cami Thompson, Natalia Thompson and Sofi Thompson celebrate Natalia Thompson becoming a U.S. citizen Tuesday as the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services held a Special Naturalization Ceremony at Lassen Volcanic National Park at the base of Lassen Peak. Thompson is from Argentina, where she married Jon Thompson and has lived in the U.S. for 24 years.

SHARE Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight Ruben Mejia Lopez of Happy Valley participates in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Special Naturalization Ceremony Tuesday at Lassen Volcanic National Park at the base of Lassen Peak. As part of his process to become a U.S. citizen, Lopez had to go back to Mexico for several years, leaving his wife and three children in the U.S.

By Andreas Fuhrmann of the Redding Record Searchlight

With a U.S. flag in one hand, an official document in the other and Lassen Peak behind him, Ruben Mejia Lopez walked with a smile toward his family and friends.

"I did it, Mama," Lopez said to his mother-in-law, Jenny Santana-Castro.

Lopez, of Happy Valley, was one of 106 people from 21 countries who became United States citizens during a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Special Naturalization Ceremony Tuesday at Lassen Volcanic National Park at the base of Lassen Peak. It was the second time the agency has held a ceremony in the park, and this year's coincided with the park's 100th birthday.

As Lopez rejoiced with his friends, his wife and three children, Jon Thompson and his two daughters waited for his wife, Natalia Thompson, to be called up to receive her certificate. The two were married in Natalia's home country of Argentina 24 years ago and have lived in the U.S. since.

"I never imagined living here and growing a family, that's very special," she said. "Like they say, you get to write your own dreams. Living in this country has been amazing."

For Lopez, the process to become a citizen had him leave his family here in Happy Valley and return to Mexico for several years while his wife worked for his return.

"We've been through a lot, " Lopez said. "I did it for my kids and my wife. It's a day I will never ever forget."
SHARE

When President Barack Obama in 2010 issued a plan to end veteran homelessness, Chicago Army veteran Johnnie Mims was among the more than 74,000 men and women who'd once worn a military uniform but were without a permanent home. Like too many veterans, he had lost his way after the military and spent almost two decades without a place to call home.

Obama's plan urged the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, along with our community partners, to take a fresh, urgent look at how we could support Mims and the thousands of other veterans who'd fallen on hard times. The president asked us to envision an America in which no veteran had to sleep on the street, one where every veteran had access to permanent housing.

Six years later, that vision is coming into clearer focus: New national data show that the number of homeless veterans is down by nearly half. Mims, safely housed and gainfully employed at age 60, is among thousands of veterans across the country who've exited homelessness since that call to action was issued by a determined president.

Just-released data from HUD reveal a 17.4 percent decline in the number of homeless veterans since the department's 2015 count  quadruple the previous year's rate of decline. That's 8,000 more veterans safely housed on a single night. And those 8,000 are representative of tens of thousands more who have been helped over the course of the year and who are no longer on the streets or in homeless shelters but now have a safe place from which to start getting back on their feet. Since 2010, we've seen a 58 percent decrease in the number of veterans who are living on the street for lack of shelter.

The data are fresh signs that the nation can reach the goal of permanently housing every veteran in need. But it would be a mistake to attribute these results to happy accidents or to a rising economic tide lifting all boats. In fact, these outcomes are due to a concerted effort by HUD and the VA to focus community implementation of strategies proven to reduce homelessness among veterans nationwide, community by community.

Here's just some of what we've done to drive up the numbers of veterans housed:

We set goals and encourage strong leadership. The president called on all federal agencies to think big about ending homelessness among veterans. First lady Michelle Obama encouraged local officials to do the same by issuing the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness, which nearly 900 officials have accepted. This challenge is unleashing creative actions to find, house and serve every veteran who is homeless or on the verge of homelessness.

We target high-need communities. The VA and HUD make efforts nationally but also focus intensely on 25 cities that historically have tended to have the highest number of homeless veterans  places like Los Angeles, Boston and New York City, all of which have dramatically reduced homelessness among veterans; and Philadelphia, Houston and Las Vegas, which have ended homelessness among their veteran populations.

We provide funding. Congress plays an essential role in funding VA's many specialized homeless, health and outreach programs, which serve hundreds of thousands of homeless and at-risk veterans each year. This meant that in 2015, VA medical centers around the country could hire more staff to reach more veterans and connect them to VA or community assistance, an effort that directly contributed to 2016's gains. Congressional funding also made possible HUD's awarding of more than 85,000 rental vouchers through the HUD-VA Supportive Housing program since 2008. In 2015 alone, that funding provided the means to let us award grants to local nonprofits to house or prevent homelessness of more than 157,000 veteran families  including 34,000 children  through the VA's Supportive Services for Veteran Families program.

We promote best practices. Our work is guided by best practices such as Housing First, which calls for veterans to be housed rapidly, without preconditions like sobriety. As we learned from those who've worked in this field for years and from our own successes, this is the most effective, least costly way to end homelessness  period.

Yet even as we laud our gains, we aren't stopping to pat ourselves on the back  in fact, just the opposite. We recognize that with all the progress, there were still nearly 40,000 veterans experiencing homelessness in January of this year, and we know one homeless veteran is one too many. Letting up now is not an option.

Mims says of his own situation, "I'm living proof that you've got to keep going, and keep trying."

We echo this sentiment, and see it as our guiding light: To do everything we can, for as long as it takes, until we end veteran homelessness.

Robert A. McDonald is the U.S. secretary of Veterans Affairs. Julian Castro is the secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Michael Cera hasn't seen "Ghostbusters" yet. The 28-year-oldwhose obsession with the original at age 3 apparently inspired him to be an actorhas been too busy to see much of anything lately. You may know him as the awkward kid from "Arrested Development," "Juno" and "Superbad," but he looks a little different in the upcoming "Sausage Party." As in, he's playing a hot dog.

The movie is the first R-rated CG animated movie and was thought up by Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen, the team responsible for the likes of "Superbad," "Pineapple Express" and "This Is the End." Much of the star-studded cast of "Sausage Party," including Cera, have worked on previous projects with Goldberg and Rogen, making this something of a reunion.

Advertisement

"You go into a little recording studio, and everyone's there and it's incredibly relaxed and you just laugh," Cera told RedEye during a recent phone interview. "You just try to make each other laugh. There's not a crew around. It's infinitely more relaxed than if you were on a set and running out of time and there's a lot of people around doing manual labor."

Comedy has made up the bulk of Cera's career, but he admitted that working on an animated film is a bit of a different animal: Facial expressions and movement go out the window, and all you have to work with is your voice.

Advertisement

"You're just much more conscious of your voice," he said. "You kind of have to be bigger than you're used to. If you're just talking like I'm talking nowwhich is sounding sort of meek and ill or somethingit's very flat on screen. So you have to be broader than you're used to."

Accepting new challenges has been a theme for the actor as of late; in 2014, he did a 20-week run in the Broadway production of "This Is Our Youth," which took the stage at the Steppenwolf Upstairs Theatre in Chicago before moving to New York. After years on sets and in front of the camera, Cera called the experience more rewarding and less frustrating as an actor, adding that he'd love to do it again.

"On sets, [you have to be] ready when it's your momentthe 1 percent of the day when you're needed," he said. "With a play, you show up to rehearsals, you get there in the morning and everyone gets a coffee and then you have a whole day to work on it and your hands are really in there, and that really is the workall of the performing."

Coming up, Cera will play Robin in "The Lego Batman Movie," and he was recently cast in David Lynch's continuation of the 1990 "Twin Peaks" series, a project that he's excited to see just as a fan. He called the fact that he'll actually be acting in it "very trippy."

"I'm a giant fan of David Lynch's career, actually. I don't think of it as a series or a reboot," Cera said. "To me, it's kind of uncanny that he did a series. It's sort of an extension of his whole career instead of a show that was on TV. I think of it as this is the next project in his career."

@lchval | laurenchval@redeyechicago.com
Patti Blagojevich reacts to the upholding of a 14-year prison sentence for her husband, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, on Aug. 9, 2016. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

Moments after learning his bid to reduce his 14-year sentence had failed, Rod Blagojevich stood alone in a stark prison room in Colorado on Tuesday while his family sobbed in a Chicago courtroom a thousand miles away.

Dressed in blue prison garb and with his famously jet-black hair now grayish-white, the former governor, appearing on a flickering closed-circuit television screen, shook his head and collapsed in his seat. He could hear his wife, Patti, and young daughters crying in the courtroom gallery, but he couldn't see them because the camera was still pointed at the judge's bench.

Advertisement

Finally, after the courtroom cleared of spectators, the camera was swiveled so the family could talk briefly face-to-face. A haggard-looking Blagojevich managed a smile and thanked his daughters for their impassioned pleas for mercy to U.S. District Judge James Zagel.

"I heard what you said," he told them. "Thank you. You looked so nice."

Advertisement

The gray-haired former Gov. Rod Blagovich is seen in a courtroom sketch Aug. 9, 2016, on TV from prison in Colorado at his resentencing hearing at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago. (Cheryl A. Cook / Chicago Tribune)

The moment marked a quiet conclusion to a legal saga that began when FBI agents rousted Blagojevich from bed on a December morning nearly eight years ago. The well-chronicled story has included his dramatic impeachment, a bizarre turn on Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice," two criminal trials, an appeal and now a sentencing do-over.

Saying Blagojevich's corruption diminished the public's "already taxed faith" in its elected leaders, Zagel put an emphatic point on the end of the case by imposing the same sentence he had in 2011. The judge did so even though Blagojevich apologized for his "mistakes," claiming to be a changed man and model prisoner.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 10 Patti Blagojevich, left, speaks to the media along with daughters Annie, center, and Amy after the resentencing of her husband on Aug. 9, 2016, at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

"I do not doubt that he is a loving father and that his children miss him deeply in his absence," Zagel said in announcing his decision in a packed courtroom. "But as I said four years ago, the fault lies in the governor."

The decision means Blagojevich, 59, will almost certainly remain in prison until May 2024. It appeared to stun the ex-governor, whose face sunk into a deep frown once it became clear from the judge's remarks what the outcome would be. As Zagel spoke, Blagojevich's older daughter, Amy, 20, first rolled her eyes and then furiously shook her head. Seated on the other side of their mother, his younger daughter, Annie, 13, burst into tears.

After court had adjourned, Amy cried out, "He stole my childhood!" and gestured toward Zagel's now-empty bench. Later, in the lobby of the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, Blagojevich's wife, Patti, shook with anger as she spoke.

"Quite frankly, I'm dumbfounded and flabbergasted," she told reporters. "This was unusually cruel and heartless and unfair. ... Somehow, we will get through this. We love Rod. And we'll be here for him as we continue to fight."

Blagojevich was convicted in 2011 of misusing his powers as governor in an array of wrongdoing, including most notably his attempts to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama after his 2008 election as president. The conviction came less than a year after an initial trial ended with a jury deadlocked on all but one count of lying to the FBI, forcing the retrial.

Last year, an appeals court threw out five counts involving the Senate seat sale on technical grounds. But the three-judge panel tempered the small victory for Blagojevich by calling the evidence against him "overwhelming" and making it clear that Zagel's original sentence was not out of bounds.

Advertisement

Legal experts had predicted that Zagel  if anything  might shave a year or two off the original sentence. But the judge was clear Tuesday that he gave little weight to arguments by Blagojevich's legal team that the case had fundamentally changed after the appellate court's ruling.

"In the end, Judge Zagel remained steadfast in his view of the crimes and this defendant," said Jeffrey Cramer, a former federal prosecutor.

Blagojevich's long-awaited day in court came nearly 4 1/2 years after he reported to the federal prison in suburban Denver. As reporters and spectators filed into Zagel's courtroom Tuesday, the video feed popped up on large screens showing Blagojevich sitting in a chair in a room with cinder block walls.

Signal problems caused the image to flicker and blur, making it difficult at times for a clear view of Blagojevich's face. As he waited for the hearing to begin, he fidgeted with his hands and glanced nervously from side to side.

As he had argued in court filings, Blagojevich's lawyer, Leonard Goodman told the judge that without the five counts, the remaining charges against the ex-governor were "significantly different," emphasizing that Blagojevich never profited from his actions.

"We believe he is ready to come home," said Goodman, who asked Zagel to reduce Blagojevich's sentence to just five years, essentially meaning he would go free with time served.

Advertisement

Both of Blagojevich's daughters then read emotional pleas to the judge to let their father come home. Annie, now in eighth grade, said she talks every night with her father by phone, but it can't replace him being present in her life. When he went to prison, she said, she could barely play "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on the piano. Now she's playing Beethoven.

"I almost don't want to grow up because I want to wait for him to come home," Annie said.

Amy, who is in college, said it was difficult to stay connected with her dad or even to have private conversations with him during visits to prison. She said it "kills him" that he's never even met important people in her life, from new friends to college professors.

"The longer my father is gone, the more and more estranged my sister and I become from him," she said.

As his daughters spoke, Blagojevich appeared to choke up, putting a fist to his mouth and wincing. He smiled sadly as Annie spoke of her longing for the days when they "can be a big, happy family together again" eating popcorn while watching movies at night.

In his 15 minutes of remarks, Blagojevich apologized for his "mistakes" but never specifically mentioned the crimes for which he was convicted. He said he wished he could turn back the clock, "but I know this is not possible."

Advertisement

"I recognize it was my actions and my words that led me here," Blagojevich said in a soft voice. "This can be a beginning to make amends for the past."

The former governor also said it pains him that his actions have hurt his family and blamed himself for putting his loved ones in that predicament. Over the last 4 1/2 years behind bars, he said, he's become closer to God and found solace in helping fellow inmates. A history buff, he spoke specifically about President Abraham Lincoln and how his steady resolve leading the nation through the Civil War has been a source of inspiration for him.

"In times of trouble and disaster, they don't have to be the end of things, they can also be the beginning," Blagojevich said.

But prosecutors were not impressed, saying Blagojevich had not changed. In asking the judge to reimpose the 14 years, Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Bonamici emphasized that he has never taken responsibility for the tarnish he brought to his office or shown true remorse. She pointed to federal wiretaps that captured Blagojevich as governor over and over talking about what he stood to gain from his crimes, including one conversation in which he talked about a lucrative deal that would get him "f------ out of Illinois."

"As long as the defendant is unable or unwilling to accept responsibility for what he actually did and what he actually meant when he did it, there can be no rehabilitation," Bonamici said.

Zagel said that he realized the suffering of Blagojevich's family and applauded him for being a model prisoner, but he noted that the former governor's conduct in prison was not as big a factor as the wrongdoing he committed while in office.

Advertisement

The judge referred to dozens of letters from fellow inmates praising Blagojevich but said the prisoners "know him only from the inside."

The judge also rejected the argument that the case against Blagojevich was any weaker because of the five counts thrown out on appeal. Zagel said the governor engaged in a clear pattern of corruption that benefited him personally and politically.

"He sees himself as less morally culpable, but I don't draw such a clear moral distinction," Zagel said. "As in many cases, political and personal gains were very much intermingled here."

In making the case for a reduced sentence, Blagojevich's attorneys submitted a letter from Patti on the eve of the resentencing that said her husband calls every night from prison and that the family has visited him more than 20 times during his time in custody. Also writing letters of support were Blagojevich's sister-in-law, 33rd Ward Ald. Deborah Mell, who sat with Patti and the rest of the family during the sentencing, and former state Sen. Carol Ronen, D-Chicago.

Blagojevich's brother, Robert, attended the sentencing hearing, traveling from his home near Nashville, Tenn., to support Rod, despite the fact the two have not spoken or seen each other for six years. Robert Blagojevich, who ran fundraising for his brother's campaign for four months during 2008, initially faced three corruption charges alongside his brother, but prosecutors dropped the charges after the first trial ended in a hung jury.

After the hearing, Robert Blagojevich told reporters he was disappointed Zagel had decided to reimpose the 14-year term, then left the courthouse before the rest of the family came down to speak to the media.

Advertisement

Goodman said that Blagojevich could still ask the U.S. Supreme Court to take up his case now that the resentencing is over.

A federal judge Tuesday imposed the same 14-year prison sentence on Rod Blagojevich. After the hearing, his brother Robert told reporters he thinks the sentence was too severe. Aug. 9, 2016. (WGN-TV) (Chicago Tribune)

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

The move would be a long shot at best, however, especially considering the high court already declined to hear Blagojevich's case in March.

Goodman was still addressing reporters when Patti Blagojevich and her daughters quietly stepped away from the microphones, weaving their way through the crowd to the courthouse exit and a horde of TV camera crews on the sidewalk before climbing into a waiting sedan.

Across the street, attendees of the farmers market on the federal plaza turned to find the source of the commotion.

"Let Rod go!" one man who realized what was happening yelled out.

Chicago Tribune's Kim Janssen contributed.

Advertisement

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com

poconnell@chicagotribune.com
Have you heard? We only have three seasons now: fall, winter and rose. At least that's what one would think after scrolling Facebook or Instagram, where the #roseallday hashtag is pretty much the only thing you see between April and September.

But while the world is all #yeswayrose, the city's sommeliers, beverage directors and restaurateurs are, frankly, a little tired of it. They've been drinking the stuff since at least January, when they were building their spring and summer wine lists. For some of them, the rose rut is real.

Advertisement

"They're great, but you can get a little bored with them," says Michael Nahabedian, co-owner and head of front of house operations of Naha and Brindille in River North. "There are times that I just want something else."

Hear hear. Escape your own rose rut with help from these Chicago pros, who recommend four other styles to fill your glass.

Advertisement

Island whites

More than one somm I spoke with sang the praises of "island wines," those bottles coming from vineyards scattered throughout the Mediterranean.

"Naha is Mediterranean," Nahabedian says, "so I do a lot of Greek wine, like moschofilero and assyrtiko." Native to Greece, both grapes are known for their light, thirst-quenching acidity and aromatic profiles. Since they're low in alcohol, they pair well with food, and both  especially the assyrtiko  have a nice saltiness, he says.

At Ema, switch up your drink with island white wines like Bodega Tajinaste from the Canary Islands and Terrazze dell Etna's Ciuri from Sicily. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)

These Greek grapes are simple and made for sharing around the table, he adds, but don't confuse that for lack of flavor: "These are very versatile wines and have interesting textures and flavor profiles." His pick? Domaine Sigalas' Santorini assyrtiko, with tastes of lemon peel, grapefruit, sea salt and white peaches. "It's all about tasting the sea."

Ryan Arnold, divisional wine director for Lettuce Entertain You restaurants, had island wines specifically in mind when he created the wine list for the group's newest concept, Ema, also in River North. The bottles featured under the "Islands" section of the list hail from places like the Canary Islands, Sardinia and Santorini, among others. Light and fresh, these wines have increasingly become available in the U.S. and pair perfectly with chef C.J. Jacobson's California take on Mediterranean fare.

"Check out Bodega Tajinaste from the Canary Islands, which focuses on the varietal listan blanco," says Arnold. Made from native grapes, the wine is nutty and dry, with a squeeze of lemon zest and a dry finish. Arnold also recommends Terrazze dell Etna's Ciuri, a white wine from Sicily made from the red grape nerello mascalese. (Grape juice, whether extracted from red or white grapes, is clear; red wines get their hue from contact with the grape's skins. Avoid that skin contact, and you can make a white wine from red grapes.)

"It is one of my favorite whites by the glass," says Arnold, noting the wine's minerality and freshness. "It just might be the closest thing to Chablis you'll find in southern Italy."

Orange wines

Advertisement

For Charles Clark, head bartender of Mott Street in Wicker Park, the rose rut "definitely hits close to home." Rather than simply switch up roses for white wine, he is more interested in exploring production methods and interesting winemaking.

"It's not wildly original, but orange wine really excites me," he says. "It's white wine that's treated like red, with skin contact." This time, it's skin from white grapes that stains the wine, turning it an orange-ish hue.

Charles Clark, head bartender at Mott St., pours orange wine as an alternative to rose. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)

"I've been really featuring the Pullus 2015 pinot grigio from Slovenia," says Clark. "It has a salmon-colored hue from 72 hours of skin contact. The skins impart bitterness and tannin, but since it's still pinot grigio, it is still lighter-bodied with savory strawberry notes. It's great with our kimchee dishes, like the stuffed cabbage, and it represents the restaurant's philosophy. Classic but experimental and playful."

Lula Cafe's former beverage director, Diana Hawkins, also reaches for orange wine in lieu of rose. "It's hard to imagine getting totally sick of rose, but people are also looking for refreshing whites," she says. "It's going to sound nerdy, but I like introducing them to something new, like orange wines." Specifically, she does not seek out orange wines that have been amphora-aged, an ancient method that can impart funky, very savory flavors. Like Clark, she reaches for an orange pinot gris, but one created by New Zealand's Supernatural Wine Co. "Aged for a few weeks on its skins, this wine is not your mom's pinot gris," she says. "It's something else entirely, fuller bodied and more complex."

Bubbles

When not sipping orange wine, Hawkins indulges in another wine-geek pour du jour. "I'm a sucker for pet nat," she says. Short for "petulant natural," pet nat is a cousin to modern Champagne. Fermented once in bottle (as opposed to twice) with naturally occurring yeast and little to no aging, it's a rustic bubbly wine full of friendly, fruity flavors. It's low-alcohol, and meant to be drunk young. Hawkins recommends Belle Casale Cofundo's prosecco, which is unfined and unfiltered  that is, the winery does not clarify the wine, yielding a pleasant cloudiness in the glass. "It has this super sour apple note. It tastes like a very tart apple pie, even pie crust. It's fun."

Advertisement

"I'm more of a red wine girl," says Kim Hrejsa, beverage director of Old Town's The Vig. "I love Lambrusco, because it's unexpected. Is it red, is it a bubbly? It has a softer bubble than other sparkling wines, but you get more complex layers of flavors, darker flavors like red berries and dark cherries." She recommends Fiorini's 2015 Becco Rosso lambrusco grasparossa di Castelvetro. "Red drinkers can bond with their bubbly- and white wine-drinking friends but still enjoy a dry, tannic wine with hints of rich, dark fruit."

Classic whites

"I think, at its lowest, rose is just a tutti-frutti thing," says Belinda Chang, director of wine and service at fun-loving Gold Coast steakhouse Maple & Ash. "But Americans get it now, and they're asking for dryer wines."

For Chang, roses are great for lighter foods, but considering Maple & Ash's beef-focused menu, they don't hold up. "We know that people love rose, and it's refreshing. And what looks prettier in a sweating wine glass than something bright and pink?" she says. "But we have a menu of richer stuff, and you need something to stand out, to go with the steak or the seafood. Rose can feel wimpy."

She recommends a white burgundy: Domaine Matrot's 2013 "Les Chevalieres" from Meursault. "It's my happy place. Besides, I try not to eat heavy during warm weather. White Burgundy has weight to it, and with cheese or crudites, it's basically a meal in a glass."

Lisa Fosler Kelly, co-owner and wine director of Bread & Wine in Irving Park, is in the same camp. "When I begin to yawn in the face of my glass of rose midsummer, I opt for really cold white varietals that have notes of summer fruit, nice minerality and balanced acidity," she says. "My favorites are chenin blanc, a nice Sancerre (Sauvignon Blanc without the heavy green-grass notes), pinot blanc and gruner veltliner."

Advertisement

In particular, she recommends Domaine des Baumard's 2012 chenin blanc from Savennieres, a storied region in France's Loire Valley, for its "notes of quince, fresh citrus and pear. (It has a) pure, mineral-framed finish and nice acidity and length." Also seek out Patient Cottat's 2014 old vine Sancerre, which is "complex and intense, with modest acidity and notes of red currant and citrus."

The rose trend isn't going anywhere any time soon, and that's not a bad thing. It's just nice to shake up your palate once in a while. "Summer is a great time to venture out of your comfort zone," urges Hrejsa.

Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. >

Ema, 74 W. Illinois St., 312-527-5586, www.emachicago.com

Lula's Cafe, 2537 N. Kedzie Ave., 773-489-9554, www.lulacafe.com

Maple & Ash, 8 W. Maple St, 312-944-8888, www.mapleandash.com

Mott Street, 1401 N. Ashland Ave., 773-687-9977, www.mottstreetchicago.com

Advertisement

Naha, 500 N. Clark St., 312-321-6242, www.naha-chicago.com

The Vig, 1527 N Wells St., 312-982-2186, www.thevigchicago.com

jbhernandez@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @joeybear85
DECATUR  The Adult Education Department is back up and running at full speed again.

At the Tuesday meeting of Decatur's school board, Rocki Wilkerson, executive director of adult education, told the board that, thanks to the stopgap budget passed by Illinois legislators, classes are again scheduled and the families and employers who depended on adult education's work are back in business.

We are a second chance for students to complete their education goals, Wilkerson said.

For adults who lack a diploma, are unemployed or underemployed, and in many cases also lack the academic skills to enroll in classes that will lead to job training, the department's bridge classes and job skills training classes are their only opportunity. When Illinois didn't have a budget, and adult education was suspended statewide, it was a blow. Classes were canceled and the staff was laid off.

When I had to tell my students (classes were canceled), it was the saddest day in my 25 years (of adult education), Wilkerson said. I felt like I was taking their last piece of bread off the table.

With the return of state funding, federal funding will also be allocated, she said, and a new partnership with the Department of Rehabilitation is in the works.

In other business, the school board approved the employment of Beth Poynton as assistant principal at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, renewed the dual credit agreement with Richland Community College, a data sharing agreement with the Decatur Teacher Education Pipeline and ratified the contract with the A team custodians.

The Teacher Education Pipeline is a cooperative agreement among the Education Coalition of Macon County, Illinois State University and Decatur schools, training student teachers to work in urban districts with redesigned courses, summer immersion programs, student teaching in Decatur schools and mentoring of new teachers if they are hired by Decatur, said Shannon Mittleman, director of the program. The U.S. Department of Education grant to fund this program requires documentation through data, and students who agree to that also agree to have teacher appraisal data, standardized assessment data, classroom observation data and employment data shared with the program. All personally-identifiable information is confidential.

During board discussion items, board member Fred Spannaus said he is concerned about the plight of fine arts programs in the schools. With the loss of two instrumental music teachers to other districts, he said, he fears that the music programs will suffer.

Fine arts programs are built around teachers who are here for the long haul, he said.

Co-interim Superintendent Bobbi Williams said she, too, is worried about fine arts, as well as other hard to fill positions.

We've been checking other districts, she said, and it does boil down to money.

In some cases, the difference between what Decatur pays and what other districts pay is as much as $10,000 a year, she said.

Another concern, this time voiced by board member T.J. Jackson, is the departure of Director of Student Services Rochelle Clark. He suggested reviewing the job description for that position before hiring someone to fill it, to maximize the benefit to the district.
'We are allowing FDI on the terms of the investors, multinationals.'

'We bow down to whatever they say.'

'When they say you open this sector, we open that sector.'

Dr Ashwani Mahajan, co-convenor of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch and an associate professor at Delhi University, is totally opposed to the National Democratic Alliance's government's Foreign Direct Investment policy.

The SJM protested in all district headquarters on August 9, the day Indians stood up against the British and Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India movement.

Dr Mahajan, below, left, spoke exclusively to Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier from Delhi on why the SJM is against the FDI policy in its present form.

FDI played a major role in China's growth story. Today, India is a favoured destination for foreigners, attracting around $63 billion (about Rs 422,100 crore) as FDI, ahead of China.

You have expressed 'deep anguish' over India's FDI policy. Why?

This example of China is misplaced because China allowed FDI on its own terms, that too long time back. We are allowing FDI on the terms of the investors, multinationals, etc.

We bow down to whatever they say. When they say you open this sector, we open that sector.

If you send them income tax notices, they blackmail you by saying they will bring the market down.

Recently the income tax department sent notices to companies where Rs 30,000 crore (Rs 300 billion) was due from an MNC, but no action was taken because they didn't want to spoil the investment climate of the country.

Yes, we are getting FDI, but we are getting it on their terms, and not the way it is required for the country.

You mean you are not against FDI per se, but you are against the way it is done?

No. This is the theoretical aspect of it and practically, in the last 14, 15 years, we got FDI of around $345 billion (about Rs 23 lakh crore<). And the amount of foreign exchange that went from the country during the same period was around $287 billion (about Rs 19 lakh crore)!

This is only one part of the story.

Shekhar Swamy, the CEO of R K Swamy, did a study of 28 MNCs and found out that these MNCs with a share capital of Rs 1,954 crore (Rs 19.54 billion), brought in Rs 10,696 crore (Rs 106.96 billion) worth of foreign exchange, but transferred Rs 26,334 crore (Rs 263.34 billion) worth of foreign exchange, which he calls FDO (Foreign Direct Outflow).

Therefore, he said that it is not how much FDI has been brought in by MNCs that is more important, but how much FDO happened.

We are getting FDI only by opening new and new sectors. After a point, it will stop coming because you don't have any more sectors to open, but the outflow of money will continue.

In 2014-2015, we got an FDI of $31 billion (about Rs 207,700 crore) but the outflow due to income transfer due to royalty, income, etc was $36.5 billion (about Rs 244,550 crore).

The nation is losing money on this account. Also, we are losing money because the import by these companies is too high.

Then, thousands of cases are pending in the courts in the income tax department on transfer pricing, which is evading tax by over invoicing imports and under invoicing exports.

MNCs have branches all over the world and they send out profits without paying any tax. It is not that the government is not aware of this; they are very well aware of this.

The mindset of all regimes is such that the development of the country is possible only with the help of FDI.

That's why we have been telling all governments to come out with a white paper if they really believe that it will help the country and improve the condition of the people. Why are they shying away from it?

When the Congress was in power, they said FDI was such a good thing for the country and that the BJP was opposing it. Now that the BJP is in power, I heard former Union minister Jairam Ramesh saying exactly the opposite. In fact, he was saying the same argument the SJM is giving.

If somebody is pumping in money into the country, although it is to make money, if it helps the country's economy and provides more jobs, is there anything wrong in it?

The fact is FDI drains India's resources and does not supplement them.

Whenever foreign investment comes, it has to go to the Reserve Bank of India and what does the RBI do? It prints more currency notes and gives them to you.

The only purpose FDI is serving is filling the gap of imports and exports. The gap is there because various governments have not taken enough steps to make imports and exports balanced.

And we have been constantly saying that by adopting this free import policy, it has created an imbalance in imports and exports.

Why is it that all the governments, all over the world, are obsessed with FDI?

The argument for FDI is not that of various governments; it is by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the US treasury department, the European Union and those who have vested interests.

You just go back to 1989-1990, and read what the Washington Consensus (external link) is.

FDI is not for supplementing resources, it is only about helping the MNCs. Then the governments believe that if the import-export gap is not filled by FDI, the rupee will be devalued.

What the government should do is not to go after FDI, but restrict imports. China did not have this problem because they were exporting to the entire world.

Remember in his last budget, P Chidambaram said, FDI and Foreign Institutional Investors are not a matter of choice; it is a compulsion. This government is also living with the same compulsion.

What we are saying is, stop thinking about FDI and restrict the imports of third grade Chinese goods. We have a trade gap of $45 billion (about Rs 301,500 crore) with China.

What exactly is the compulsion of various governments?

Instead of taking a difficult route, they think that let the FDI come and bridge the gap between imports and exports. But import of goods is killing our small scale industry and also our economy.

We have to come out of this vicious circle.

You said it would be the deathknell for shopkeepers and vegetable vendors if FDI enters food processing and agriculture. We have been hearing for two decades about setting up food processing units in the villages but even today, 25 to 30 per cent of our fruits and vegetables go waste.

These figures are not at all dependable and these are all lies put forward by the MNCs. Just because the government agencies are saying this, it need not be the official figures.

The truth is no official study has been done on food products. Per capita wastage of food products in the USA is 290 kg, it is 280 kg in Europe and in Asian countries, it is 125 kg.

The wastage is mainly because the MNCs go to the farms and select only the best produce and reject a big portion of the produce. Then the shelf life of many of them is also fixed. The United Nations says that food wastage is more in developed countries than in developing countries.

If you go to a vegetable market in India at night, you see that they give away the remaining vegetables almost free and they are bought by the poor.

I would say each gram of vegetable is used in India. So what they call unorganised is the most organised retailing.

And if you are going to have food processing units, they have to be in each village unit. The government should encourage this and this is what we told the finance minister too.

If you open this sector to FDI, foreign companies will come and take over everything. This will affect the small farmers as they do not offer good price to them.

We have seen that in Punjab. Even in the US, farmers are not getting even 25 per cent of the total share.

In the case of the pharma sector also, do you think with FDI, the prices of medicines would go up?

That's the most dangerous thing that is going to happen. You go to any government cancer hospital and see the condition of the patients.

Also, we are giving medicines to 200 countries and the poor people of those countries depend on that. Even America depends on medicines supplied from India.

When Barack Obama came, he had negotiations with Indian companies to supply phrama products. If we give the pharma sector to the MNCs, 99 per cent of people in India will not be able to afford medicines.

The question that we ask is, don't you understand what brown field pharma is? Are you going to allow MNCs to take over Indian companies just for a few dollars?

This way, they are going to hurt the supply of cheap medicines for poor people. They should realise that pharma is a handle with care sector.

Why do you say that FDI in defence is dangerous? The government talks about the need to have advanced technology to make products in India.

We are not against FDI in defence per se. If new technology transfer takes place, and we are able to make products here instead of importing, our imports will come down, which is one of our objectives.

But what they are allowing is doing away with the state of the art technology. The US companies are not allowed to transfer technology even if they are investing outside the country.

If they cannot transfer technology, you will again be dependent on their mercy.

We need to allow FDI in defence, but there should be a transfer of technology. We are happy that the government is allowing the private sector here but they have to be cautious about FDI.

You are for FDI in defence, but you are against FDI in retail, agriculture, etc.

That is because we don't need any technology in retail or agriculture, but we need modern technology in defence.

We, at SJM feel that the FDI policy is a new kind of imperialism. We will not allow this to happen, and that's why we are going to give a memorandum to the prime minister and state ministers all over the country.

We are expressing our protest and anguish on the policy of the government.

ALSO READ
'Even if you drop prices below a certain level, you cannot increase demand. You are not going to make more people fly; you are only going to reduce your yields.'



'There is something called consumer surplus - pricing below what customers are comfortable paying. Airlines in India are taking the concept of consumer surplus to an entirely new level.'

Unplanned, last-minute pricing is hurting the aviation sector, as is evident from the balance sheets of Indian carriers. Sanjiv Kapoor, chief commercial and strategy officer at Vistara, tells Arindam Majumder and Sahil Makkar that Vistara prices its seats at a premium, in line with the experience the airline offers. Excerpts:

Why are airlines engaged in a pricing competition?

Mismatch between demand and supply. Most of the demand is limited to a few metro cities and all players are competing there. Capacity at big metro airports such as Mumbai is already at saturation, while smaller but popular airports such as Dharamsala or Shimla cannot accommodate large aircraft and, hence, cant absorb the overcapacity. So, airlines are fighting over whatever is left.

But, arent low fares necessary to avoid wastage of seats?

Suppose an airlines capacity is 85 per cent and wants to make it 90 per cent. It will need to price attractively to sell the extra seats, but those should be sold in advance, and not at the last minute.

Attempts to build advance base loads are not working anymore, as passengers now expect fares to drop close to the date of travel. As a result, a virtual bank run happens close to departure as all airlines try to dump excess seats at steep discounts, given the less-than-normal advance build-up. Also, there is no incentive for passengers buying tickets.

How sustainable is the fare war? Will it lead to increase in volumes?

There was sufficient ability in the past two or three years to stimulate the market to fill empty seats and to add capacity at major airports such as Mumbai, which were not fully slot-constrained. The growth in the sector that has occurred is due to the pent demand and capacity addition, stimulated by low fares. But, I think demand has been taken to its limit now.

Even if you drop prices below a certain level, you cannot increase demand. You are not going to make more people fly; you are only going to reduce your yields. What we are witnessing is a fare war to steal share to fill up the planes, with all airlines fighting for the same pool of passengers.

In a lean season, it will only lead to destruction of yields and it is difficult to recover operational costs with such low fares. Airlines need to bring in some pricing discipline.

A flyer is not going to change his mind about flying from Delhi to Bengaluru tomorrow if the fare changes by Rs 500 or Rs 1,000. If he has to fly, he will fly. It has come to such a pass that sometimes even a meal at the airport restaurant might be costlier than air fares!

There is something called consumer surplus - pricing below what customers are comfortable paying. Airlines in India are taking the concept of consumer surplus to an entirely new level.

Are you saying Vistara will never join the price war?

We will from time to time come out with promotional offers but in a manner not destructive to the bottom line. On an average, we price our product at a premium to other airlines, and people are willing to pay a reasonable premium for the Vistara experience.

We are looking at ways to incentivise our customers to buy in advance and build up our loads, rather than offer unsustainable fares at the last minute.

But, the difference between low-cost carriers and full-service carriers is blurring and even Vistara is sometimes pricing close to the level of other airlines...

Tactically, at the last minute, pricing is very competitive. Across the world, the economy class is considered a commodity. We are trying to change that. Our pricing has a premium but there is a limit to the premium that people will pay for economy class.

The domestic market is very price-sensitive. We are positioning ourselves right in terms of branding, services and pricing. We are glad to see customers prefer to fly with us at a premium for the experience we offer.

Vistara recently added locations such as Srinagar and Andamans to its route. Is the focus shifting away from busy routes?

We recently added Port Blair, Srinagar, Jammu, Kochi and Chandigarh to our network. We have also added Kolkata. While the focus is still very much on corporate routes to cater to the growing demand of our customers, it is the obligation of airlines to fly in more non-trunk routes as mandated by RDG (Route Dispersal Guidelines). So, our new routes are a balance of the two.
The company brings its global campaign to India, looks for trust and a way to grow its business in the country

For close to a month, Airbnbs multimedia campaign Dont go there. Live there has stared down billboards and the front pages of national media in the country. Part of its global campaign, this is the first time since the California-based company set up shop in India in 2011 that it has flexed its advertising muscle in the country.

While the company says it was waiting to get the timing right, market and industry sources believe that Airbnb is kicking up the dust to get its business going in a country that has been lax in jumping on to the homestay opportunity.

And now with established players such as MakeMyTrip too jumping on to the bandwagon with their own homestay options, it was imperative to take the Airbnb brand into peoples homes.

Airbnb says that India is a priority market and its listings have seen a 115 per cent increase from last year; they add 9,000 hosts a week and outbound business (Indians travelling abroad to Airbnb homes) has grown by 185 per cent. There were cultural issues when Airbnb launched in the US and then in Europe, people questioned if it could be replicated, said Amanpreet Bajaj, country manager, India for Airbnb.'

He points out that the campaign is the brands reassertion of its faith in the Indian market. It helps that the company has entered a strategic partnership with a national media group which gives it much needed marketing clout in the country.

To be clear, the popularity of the company, valued at $30 billion, is not in doubt. But few would dispute the fact that India does not follow a global template when it comes to travel. The company has listings in 191 countries. But India could be its Achilles heel.

The biggest hurdle, Airbnb has, is trust, said Aloke Bajpai, founder and CEO, iXigo, which lists Airbnb on its platform. Bajpai explained that the company has enormous potential but currently despite Airbnbs efforts, it is difficult to get hosts to let their rooms to strangers and for travellers to live in someones home. Indians are more comfortable using Airbnb outside India than within, it is just culture, Bajpai said.

The ongoing campaign seems to address this too. The campaign pegged itself solely on the experiential aspect of home stays. It is the same tool they used when launching their services eight years ago in the US.

Also by using the same message in all the countries that Airbnb has taken the brand campaign to, the company is hoping that travellers who trust its services in Europe will also do so in Asia. The company has been in India since 2011 and has listings in 100 cities.

It has been tough winning over the trust of the Indian travellers. Most hesitate to buy into a homestay at home even if they are open to the option while travelling abroad. There is a deficit of trust that the brand therefore needs to address.

Bajaj believes that the idea of homestays may not be intrinsic to the Indian way of travelling but the country is ready for change. And that is why, he said, We dont want it to be just a metro phenomenon, we want it to go to the smaller towns as well.

That however is easier said than done. Bajaj acknowledged there is a challenge in getting hosts to list their properties, but he hopes the current marketing campaign will help them make inroads.

We also organise events, where we get hosts together and educate them on the amenities expected by travellers, Bajaj said. This, he hopes, will encourage more customers to list on the platform. However the challenge is getting potential users to trust the system.

Bajaj said that Airbnb uses the same standards for India that it uses internationally implying that there is no reason for mistrust. But that doesnt cut it always, Bajpai said.

Uber, too, had tried to weed out the bad apples but the sexual assault case a few years ago in Delhi, brought the risks in sharp focus.

The other problem is price, said Bajpai. In Europe and the US, where Airbnb is popular, there is a price arbitrage. The hotel price appreciates but rentals stay constant, which means it becomes an economical option for budget travellers.

It, however, does not translate to India. MakeMyTrip, GoiBibo and Oyo discount heavily and it isnt difficult for budget travellers to get a three-star property. This means Airbnb loses out on the budget traveller in India, he said.

According to Bajpai, over 40 per cent of intra-country travel is business. Out of the other 60 per cent, almost all of it is budget travel. It leaves around 10-15 per cent of leisure travellers who may want something different, he said. And very few of them would let go of something like room service.

A majority of our users are leisure travellers, Bajaj said, refusing to comment on the exact split. He said that Airbnb was looking to launch a tool for corporate travellers too.

While there is enough reason for doom and gloom among the homestay players in the country, hope floats among them too as mobile penetration increases and with it, the acceptance of a new concept. Airbnb may well be able to carve a niche for its brand yet. But as the big boys of the travel business familiar with the ways in which Indians travel jump into the fray, it definitely has its task cut out.

Photograph: Baz Ratner/Reuters
Retailer bodies to demand govt action against I-Day sales offers, threaten legal action for breach of FDI rules.

Premium jacket advertisements in newspapers, constant pop-ups on computer monitors and a stream of notifications on mobile phones.

Amazon, Snapdeal and Flipkart, the three big e-commerce companies, have again with their Independence Day sales started a discounting war.

While the online sales could continue through the upcoming festivals and stretching to the new year, trader bodies plan to complain to the department of industry policy and promotion that these companies are flouting the foreign direct investment norms.

However, till there's any government crackdown, the portals are outdoing each other in gaining traction and customer stickiness.

But Biyani is unfazed Kishore Biyanis Future Group is expecting to double its sales from a five-day shopping event called Maha Bachat. This coincides with a discount bonanza from top online players. The group is aiming for Rs 1,000 crore of sales from the event, scheduled for August 13-17, up from last years Rs 500 crore, a source said. About 300 brands are participating in the discount fest. The group has come out with ad campaigns where chief executives of brands such as Paper Boat, Delmonte and Prestige are featured. We have back-to-back holidays for three days, unlike in the previous year, said a Future group executive. He said Futures sales were different from online retailers, as we offer a wide assortment. It has tied up with Axis Bank, which will give five to 10 per cent as cashback. And, with Paytm which will give 15 per cent cashback and Bajaj Finserv which will offer free shopping to 100 winners a day. Hypercity, owned by Shoppers Stop, has an Annual Home and Happiness Festival which will focus on food, home and fashion. It will offer a flat 60 per cent off on a wide range of apparel and footwear and 50 per cent on home products. It expects high double digit sales growth during I-day sales. This independence month festival at Hypercity is not just about special deals but all about offering a great experience to the customer by coupling exemplary service with exciting deals and new launches, said Manoj Jain, head of marketing. Reliance Retail and Aditya Birla More also say they expect to show significant growth at I-Day weekend sales. -- Raghavendra Kamath

Amazon.in was the first one to announce I-Day sales, offering discounts of 20 to 60 per cent on all its product ranges. It is also promoting its newly launched Prime service, providing various deals if one opts for those.

After 24 hours of sales, the company said Day 1 of the Great Indian Sale was the biggest ever for Amazon India. Customers flocked Amazon.in to grab deals right from the word go, with the first 100,000 units sold at midnight. Several categories celebrated their biggest day ever, including large appliances (5x), software (10x), computer accessories (4x), toys (2x), kids apparel (5x), among others, it stated.

Gurgaon-based online marketplace Snapdeal also launched its Wish for India sale, offering an almost 80 per cent discount on products. Its biggest rival, Flipkart, would start its Freedom Sale on Wednesday and would have a slew of product launches as well.

Irked by these massive sales and alleging gross violation of FDI norms, which clearly state online entities cannot influence pricing in any way, trade bodies are planning to approach the government on this issue on Wednesday.

Praveen Khandelwal, secretary general, Confederation of All India Traders, said: They are openly flouting DIPP guidelines. We have asked our legal team to prepare a complaint, which we will submit tomorrow. They are supposed to be technology providers but are they not influencing price with these full-page advertisements? If DIPP does not do anything, we will start a long-drawn legal battle with these firms.

Nowhere in these advertisements does it give the name of the sellers who are giving discounts. The government knows what is happening and sooner or later, these companies will be investigated. If they are flouting rules, the Enforcement Directorate or the Economic Offences Wing should look into it, said Kumar Rajagopalan, chief executive, Retailers Association of India.

Sellers are being forced to toe these marketplaces line and offer discounts. Or suffer with no visibility. The sellers who are getting visibility are paying through their noses, said a spokesperson of All India Vendors Association.
If Jatin Singh is right in the long run and his morphed business can help reduce farmer distress, Skymet will provide a service of far more value from where it began

Where you start, where you want to go, and where you finally end up can be different in life and in business. When Jatin Singh (bottom, left) started weather data and prediction platform Skymet back in 2004, he had no idea his business would morph into something quite different by 2016.

When Singh started his journey in 2004, he was working with Aaj Tak when he realised that television channels were looking to improve their presentation of weather. The only weather predictor in India was the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which was more often than not wrong with its predictions.

Weather made sense to young Singh as hed been exposed to it from childhood. His father was one of the vendors for IMD, so weather was a subject he was familiar and comfortable with. I knew where the data was; I just had to package it better, he says.

Thats precisely what he did.

Sahara Samay gave him a Rs 20-lakh contract to provide well-packaged weather information. His next client was a weather infographic for Hindustan Times print edition. By 2007, he was earning Rs 1 crore a year just providing well-packaged weather data, information and graphics to people.

Around the same time, Singh noticed another thing. Every time the temperature in the national capital region went up from 41 to 42 degrees Celsius, there would be a lot of power cuts. At 41 degrees, there wouldnt be any.

For some reason, even a one-degree Celsius increase changes the quality of life, he says. Thats when he realised he could sell his weather data to the power utilities to more effectively manage their weather trading (they buy power like stock and trade on a daily basis). He wrote to Reliance Power, Tata Power and others.

By 2007-09, he had a healthy business, supplying data to all private utilities in India.

In 2008, he came across Nokia, which was looking for someone to supply them with reliable weather data for one of their services. He started supplying weather data to Nokia. During 2008-10, he did a lot of business with agri-input companies such as Monsanto and others.

It was around this time that Singh got his first grant of Rs 25 lakh from Villgro. The grant helped him build technology and invest in computing. In 2010-11, he ran into Omnivore Capital, which took a third of his company in return for $1 million.

By then, the environment around Singh - after the 2008 financial crisis - had begun to change. By 2012-13, private companies stopped spending and his power utility business dried up (utilities were bankrupt and the media had stagnated - still at Rs 1 crore). His business fell like a crashing building.

But, Singh now had 40 high-value employees (some had left secure government jobs to join him) and investors on board. Failure was no longer an option, he says. He remembers how he was in Goa for a break around that time and hed gone for a morning walk on the beach. I remember wishing that the ocean wave would just come and take me away. The pit before me looked bottomless.

But, Singh said he decided to hit the wave right back. He pulled himself together and started looking for new opportunities. And sure enough, one came along. A chance conversation with one of his employees made him realise something.

In India, there were two sections. One was the urban user to whom weather was a not a crowd puller but merely something of passing interest. But for the rural user - farmers and others in the agri business - weather was key. It was in rural India that his market lay, not urban.

Weather-based crop insurance schemes need reliable weather data to allow insurers to settle claims. The business needed sensors to gather data and the entry costs - barring the cost of setting up sensors - was low. But, it was the only game in town.

I started planting sensors like theres no tomorrow, says Singh. He invested heavily and realised that yield data is also valuable. Today, he has around 3,000 sensors (his closest competitor NCML has 2,000), a fleet team that collects primary data, and the biggest civilian drone fleet.

Most of his initial work was with the Maharashtra government but now other state governments have also started coming to him. We have morphed into this agri-risk weather solutions company that collects every bit of data set, he says. He now sells data to companies such as Cargill and Bungee, which trade in agri commodities.

Thats when he had another realisation. That Skymet can use weather data as a de-risking mechanism for Indian agriculture. And, thats where he sees its future. One can observe ones risks, forecast them and then insure the risk. India should not see the kind of rural distress it does because money is not the issue.

Are investors worried that Singh seems to be stumbling from one business to the next? Is he holding the steering or is the car in self-drive mode? P R Ganapathy, the Villgro chief who gave Skymet its first grant, is not overly concerned. He says that is the nature of start-ups. You may begin with something in mind but environmental, circumstantial and legislative changes along the way can lead you elsewhere. In fact, you need to be nimble on your feet, he says.

Omnivore Capitals Mark Kahn echoes the same views. I think it's very common for a start-up to modify its business model over time, especially as it relates to monetisation. Skymet started out in pure weather forecasting and now also manages one of the largest networks of weather stations in India, primarily serving the insurance sector.

Likewise, Skymet has developed capabilities in remote sensing and crop-yield forecasting to support the financial services sector.

If Singh is right in the long run and his morphed business can help reduce farmer distress, Skymet will provide a service of far more value from where it began. And, all the ups and downs and life storms that Singh has had to face will be worth the effort.

Photographs: Reuters, PTI
'The viral video from Una aroused something that Hindu chauvinists and cow-botherers never take into account: Numbers,' says Mitali Saran.

Indian society has an absurdly high tolerance for suffering -- one's own suffering, as much as that of others -- and our tolerance for casteism is Exhibit A.

It must require a mind-bending fatalism to accept imposed deprivation, hardship, and humiliation as your lot, for thousands of years.

It also requires dehumanising emotional callouses to violently maintain the pecking order so that the lowly never get too big for their boots. This stuff we do very well.

Some people say that caste is a sophisticated social mechanism, too subtle for the rootless heathen to understand. It's certainly too subtle for me.

All I see is a grotesque rationalisation of cruelties that would curdle your eyeballs; socially approved torture and murder; and a billion pollution certificates. All that tends to kill my interest in the subtleties.

Dalits can still be murdered over Rs 15, as a couple was in Mainpuri. They are still raped and destroyed for sport. They are still locked into the most unpleasant and most necessary jobs, freeing up higher caste Hindus to pour scorn on them for doing those jobs.

Just recently, an institute in Ahmedabad conducted a social experiment. It advertised jobs for sanitation workers, and said it would give preference to high-caste Hindus.

The invitation alone, the very idea being floated, was met with so much rage, threat, and physical violence, that the director had to go into hiding.

That there hasn't yet been a caste revolution in this country is inexplicable. But it's something to hope for. It would restore my faith in natural justice if the tireless promoters of exclusivist Hindu nationalism were to cause the complete cave-in of exclusivist Hindu culture.

I like to think that that process has begun, and that the Sangh Parivar's naked, unelected, anti-Constitutional push to saffronise India has started it.

The July 11 atrocity, in which four Dalit men were beaten and paraded half-naked in Una for skinning a cow, wasn't particularly special. Another day, another violent humiliation.

The fact that the assailants themselves posted a video of the assault on social media tells you everything you need to know about how such an event makes normal, social sense to both oppressor and oppressed.

It's the ancient message that the top of the caste pyramid constantly sends down the line: This is how it has always been, and this is how it will always be; we can mess you up anytime we feel like it, so behave.

It's the message that the Sangh Parivar is thrilled to finally be openly drilling into India with government backing: Don't allow the promise of 'economic development' confuse you about who you are.

From the time the Bharatiya Janata Party government took office at the Centre, its representatives have either silently allowed, or openly encouraged, cultural and religious vigilantism -- the Gujarat Animal Husbandry Department has actually called for volunteers to be the eyes of the government's in monitoring the beef ban, and it has gotten a healthy response.

There is great support for 'ancient Hindu values' from people who have a voice, and money, and power, and a very personal interest in maintaining the status quo.

But this time, the viral video from Una aroused something that Hindu chauvinists and cow-botherers never take into account: Numbers.

Upper caste Hindus are a tiny minority in this country and are vastly outnumbered by Dalits. This time, Dalits staged huge protests: They refused to work, dumping cattle carcasses in front of government buildings instead.

The fact that the media reported these protests somewhat anaemically only tells you what castes tend to dominate the media, and what they fear.

Could it be that in its zeal to reinforce the tenets of its most beloved fantasy -- a Hindu nation bristling with temples and a ridiculous obsession with pollution and cows, and textbooks designed to dumb kids down -- the Sangh Parivar and its affiliates, including the central government, could provoke a cultural revolution from the inside?

Can you imagine what would happen if Dalits all over the country refused to work at their traditional jobs, or refused to accept scorn and revulsion on account of their jobs?

What if the hundreds of millions at the bottom of the caste pyramid rejected caste en masse?

We should all be rooting for it -- rooting for the day, some day, when the large majority of suffering Indians will decide that they are, literally, done taking shit.

That would make a hell of a viral video.

REDIFF RECOMMENDS
A 65-year-old man was on Wednesday killed when his two-wheeler was allegedly hit by a car in which Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia was travelling near Alappuzha in Kerala, police said.

The accident occurred at Puthiyakavu on the Kochi-Allapuzha stretch of a national highway when Scindia was going in a chauffeur-driven car to attend a function at Cherthala after arriving at Kochi from New Delhi, they said.

After the incident, the Congress leader said in a tweet, Devastated -- sad loss of life -- unfortunate accident betw Cochin-Allepy. Arranged for hospital immediately -- on way to meet bereaved family!

Police identified the deceased as Sasi, a resident of Puthiyakavu locality.

Though Sasi was rushed to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to injuries, police said.

After handing over the car to the police, Scindia left in another car, K C Venugopal, the Congress MP from Alappuzha, said adding his colleague would later call on the bereaved family.

Besides the former Union minister, three other Congress workers were in the car when the mishap occurred, Venugopal said.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad came down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not addressing the concerns of the Kashmiris in Parliament.

Sharing the pain of the suffering Kashmiris, Parliament Wednesday unanimously appealed to people of the Valley to restore peace and harmony even as the government expressed readiness to hold talks with moderate groups and others and decided to call an all-party meet on Friday.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh declared that there is no question of handing over Kashmir to the Army, quashing rumours that are being spread deliberately.

He also promised to consider sending an all-party delegation to Kashmir, responding to demands made in the Rajya Sabha which discussed the prevailing situation in the valley for over six hours.

Singh, while asserting that he was speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said an all-party meeting will be held in New Delhi on Friday on the Kashmir situation. It will be attended by the prime minister.

While replying to the debate during which demands were made for stopping the use of pellet guns, Singh said instructions have been issued to security forces to exercise maximum restraint but there will be no compromise on national security and pro-Pakistan slogans on the Indian soil will not be tolerated in any case.

With regard to dialogue with Pakistan, he said any talks on Kashmir will be about the territories under the occupation of that country.

No power on earth can snatch Kashmir from us, he declared, while referring to letter of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the United Nations seeking plebiscite in Kashmir.

At the end of the debate in which 29 members from across the political spectrum spoke, the Rajya Sabha unanimously adopted a resolution, saying: This House expresses its serious concern over the prolonged turbulence, violence and curfew in the Kashmir valley.

It added that the House conveys its deep sense of anguish and concern over the loss of lives and critical injuries caused by the deteriorating situation.

The resolution asserted that the House is of the firm and considered view that while there cannot be any compromise on national security, it is equally an imperative that urgent steps are taken to restore order and peace for the alleviation of the sufferings of the people.

The House earnestly appeals to all sections of the society in Jammu and Kashmir, to work for the early restoration of normalcy and harmony and unanimously resolves to restore the confidence among the people in general and youth in particular, it said.

Responding to demands for initiating a political process in Kashmir, the Union home minister said the government is ready to have talks with mainstream parties, moderates and others. We are ready. I will ask the chief minister where to start the process and with whom to talk, on which issues, he added.

"We will also talk, you also talk, we all are ready to talk. That is why there is talk of sending all-party delegation.. Once the ground work is done, then we will talk to the chief minister that if the delegation has to go, whom all to meet there, he said.

Singh referred to the remarks made by the prime minister about insaniyat, jamhooriyat and Kashmiriyat on Tuesday while invoking Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said the government is walking on that path.

We have decided that on August 12, we will hold an all-party meeting at 12 pm soon after the Parliament session ends and the prime minister will be present," he said.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad referred to the word going round in Kashmir that the valley will be handed over to the Army after the completion of Amarnath Yatra next week.

We cant even think of it. These rumours are being spread deliberately. Nowadays, anything can be said on social media, Rajnath Singh replied.

Whatever is happening in Kashmir is not because of people of Kashmir. Whatever is happening is Pakistan-sponsored, he said.

He lauded Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, saying she and her government had done a good job in this difficult situation. In this regard, he gave details about how much ration, milk and other daily essentials have been distributed in Kashmir even during the curfew.

He insisted that only some parts of Kashmir, and not the entire valley, are under curfew and that in rest of the places, markets are closed due to fear owing to strike called by separatists.

I cant say Kashmris are living normal life but despite all odds, state government is making efforts to minimise their inconvenience, Singh said.

He blamed vested interests for the trouble and said the state government was trying to normalise the situation.

Responding to demands for stopping use of pellet guns which have caused most injuries, the Union home minister said such weapons were not used for the first time but earlier also.

I am not justifying its use by arguing that these were used earlier also, he said, adding\ he had reviewed the situation to explore other options. A committee has been formed in this regard which has been asked to give report in two months, he added.

He said instructions have been issued to the security forces to exercise maximum restraint and added that because of this, 4,515 security personnel have suffered injuries compared to 3,356 civilians.

Giving details of the injuries caused during the unrest that started after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8, he said 100 were still hospitalised, 51 with eye injuries, while 2,564 have been discharged.

The people of Kashmir should realise that our hearts beat equally for Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh (three regions of the state), as any other part of the country, the home minister said.

Responding to questions by some members as to why the prime minister had spoken outside and not in Parliament, Singh said he has made me the home minister and I have rights. He has confidence in me and whatever I say reflects the same sentiments as his.

Contending that he keeps discussing the Kashmir issue with Modi, Singh said, One can feel his (PMs) sentiments by what he said yesterday (on Tuesday in Madhya Pradesh).

Suggesting the gravity of the situation, Singh said 100 ambulances were damaged due to stone-pelting, despite which 400 ambulances are still working.

The home minister said even during curfew, hospitals have treated five lakh normal patients in OPDs and 8,000 surgeries were conducted. Some of the injured were brought to All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi and another hospital in Mumbai.

Rejecting the notion that the trouble in Kashmir is because of unemployment, Singh noted that at times, flags of Islamic State and pro-Pakistan slogans are raised in Kashmir.

He condemned the IS, saying it is anti-Muslim and has killed those believing in Islam. I want to tell people of Kashmir that Islam does not allow killings. Those who raise such IS flags are trying to defame Islam, he said.

Pro-Pakistan slogans will not be tolerated on this soil... Raising slogans against the country is not right. I want to appeal to people to stop those indulging in such things, Singh said.

He said somebody may praise Islam, Hinduism or any religion but raising slogans praising Pakistan wont be allowed.

Lashkar-e-Tayyaba terrorists are trying to threaten the families of security forces, the home minister said.

Talking about effective steps taken by the state government, he said these include recruitment in central paramilitary forces and 10,000 as Special Police Officers.

Besides two AIIMS and Indian Institute of Management are being set up and scholarships are being distributed.

With regard to security of Kashmiris studying in other parts of the country, the home minister said he will write to all state CMs and tell them, if necessary, develop a system of building relationship between locals and Kashmiris.

Singh praised all parties for speaking in unison on Kashmir during the high quality discussion, saying it reflects the spirit of healthy democracy.

In 20 years, I have seen for the first time such a lengthy discussion on Kashmir... We should be proud of such a Parliament, he said.
The Madras high court on Wednesday directed the Principal District Judge, Coimbatore, to visit the premises of Isha Yoga Centre near that city to conduct an inquiry with the inmates about their willingness to stay there and submit a report on Thursday.

A division bench comprising justices S Nagamuthu and V Bharathidasan gave the direction on the Habeas Corpus petition filed by parents of two women living in the premises of Isha yoga centre, 27 kms from Coimbatore.

The Principal District Judge, Coimbatore, who is also the Chairman of District Legal Services Authority, is directed to visit the centre by 3 pm on Wednesday and conduct an inquiry with the inmates and other detainees and submit a report to the court on Thursday, the order said.

On August 1, a retired professor Kamaraj and his wife had petitioned the Coimbatore Collector alleging that their two daughters had been held captive at Isha Yoga centre near Coimbatore and were made 'sanyasins'.

However, on August 5, Isha Foundation issued a press release refuting the allegations. "We would like to clearly state on record that all the above allegations of holding captives, brainwashing, and forcing individuals into sanyas or brahmacharya are absolutely false," the foundation, running the Centre, had said in the release.
The Mumbai police on Tuesday arrested the chief executive officer and four other doctors of the L H Hiranandani Hospital in connection with an alleged kidney racket which came to light last month.

Mumbai Police's spokesperson DCP Ashok Dudhe said the five doctors were arrested on Tuesday evening.

CEO Dr Sujit Chatterjee, medical director Dr Anurag Naik, Dr Mukesh Shetye, Dr Mukesh Shaha and Dr Prakash Shetye were arrested under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, he said.

The racket came to light when the police were tipped off that a kidney transplant operation had been scheduled on July 14 at the privately-run Hiranandani Hospital where donor and recipient were not related.

The operation on Brijkishor Jaiswal, the recipient, was stopped as police found that the woman who was donating him the kidney was not his wife, contrary to the papers submitted by the duo.

The woman had pretended to be his wife only to be able to donate the kidney to Jaiswal, according to the police.

The police then started probing if anybody else had received kidney using similar subterfuge and if the hospital authorities were involved.
DECATUR  After riding in a school bus filled with a dozen-plus soon-to-be kindergarteners and the sound of several loud pops, Jaclyn Wiseman added one more rule to the list she shared with the group before setting out.

Next time we're not going to let them bring their balloons on, she resolved.

Wiseman, an instruction coordinator/teacher, was among staff members from the Education Coalition of Macon County on hand for a culminating event Tuesday evening of its Knowing, Growing, Going to Kindergarten! program at nine Decatur-area preschools.

Community Projects Manager Kathleen Mueller said 184 children completed the program this summer compared to 127 last year.

Celebrations this week at the Children's Museum of Illinois were designed to let the children practice riding a school bus and eating school lunch.

Tucker Tate and Owen Frazier together enjoyed a meal of chicken nuggets like the best friends they've been at the Adele P. Glenn Early Childhood Center at Richland Community College.

But in a week's time, Tucker will be heading off to McGaughey School in Mount Zion for kindergarten, while Owen will go to Muffley School in Decatur.

Tucker was accompanied by his mother Jennifer Tate and grandmother Peggy McLean, while Owen had his little sister Hazel, who will turn 4 Aug. 22, and his parents, Dawn and Steve Frazier, with him. He's been talking about riding a school bus for three years, his mom said.

A few minutes later, the boys were model passengers for a 10-minute ride with bus driver Tara Robinson, while other children showed more excitement.

Oh my gosh, this is cool! Emmy Clark exclaimed as she waved to people through the window, forgetting to stay seated a time or two as she also tried to look over the back of her seat and the one in front of her.

We don't stand up on the bus, Wiseman reminded her.

The daughter of Chad and Erin Clark, Emmy has been going to Discovery Depot and will attend kindergarten at Maroa-Forsyth Grade School.

Other activities available for the children and their families included face painting, ice cream and a balloon artist.

Enrolled at Decatur Day Care, Deontae Ingram already knew how to open his milk carton while his friend Gabe Van needed a little help from his mom, Patricia Quick. Deontae will go to Durfee School in Decatur, while Gabe is headed for Muffley.

Deontae's mom, Amanda Fowler, said she thought Tuesday's event was good preparation for the real thing. He's my youngest, she said. Next Wednesday's the big day.
The Enforcement Directorate, probing money laundering charges against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his family members, on Tuesday recorded the statement of his wife Pratibha Singh, who is also an accused in the case.

Official sources said the investigating officer recorded her statement in New Delhi under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act during the questioning which lasted over four hours.

They said she was also confronted with the statements made by other accused in the case, including LIC agent Anand Chauhan, who was arrested by the agency last month.

The agency had earlier issued summons to her to appear before the investigating officer.

Pratibha, who is an accused in the case, had twice sought exemption from appearing before the agency citing personal reasons even as she moved the Delhi high court seeking protection from arrest till the next hearing of the case on August 24.

The ED had on Monday told the HC that it has no intention as of now to arrest Pratibha.

Sources had earlier said the questioning of the CM's wife was "essential" to thoroughly probe the case after some "revelations" were claimed to have been made by Chauhan.

The agency had attached assets worth about Rs 8 crore of the chief minister earlier this year. Singh has denied allegations of any wrongdoing by him and his family.

The ED had filed a case under criminal provisions of the anti-money laundering law after taking cognisance of a complaint filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation in this regard in September last year.

It had also conducted searches in this case last year in Delhi, Maharashtra and West Bengal.

The agency is probing allegations against Singh and his family members of having amassed wealth of Rs 6.1 crore disproportionate to his known sources of income between 2009 and 2011 when he was the Union minister of steel.

The CBI's first information report had named Singh, Pratibha, Chauhan and his brother C L Chauhan, who were all accused of violating the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The CBI FIR said that during 2009-11, Singh bought life insurance policies worth Rs 6.1 crore in his and his family members' names through Chauhan claiming it came from his income from agriculture.
Pakistan has rejected India's charge of infiltration in Kashmir, after its envoy Abdul Basit was summoned and handed over a "strong demarche" over Pakistan's continued support to cross-border terrorism.

"We strongly reject Indian claim of any cross-LOC infiltration. Pakistan remains committed to the policy of not allowing its territory for any terrorist activity against anyone," the foreign office said in statement last night when asked about India summoning the Pakistani high commissioner.

It said that it is necessary to establish "veracity of the Indian claim".

"Details in this regard will be gathered," it said.

Amid growing strain in ties, India on Tuesday summoned Basit and handed him a "strong demarche" over Pakistan's continued support to cross-border terrorism by pushing in trained terrorists to carry out attacks, particularly in Kashmir.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar called Basit to his South Block office and lodged a strong protest over the issue as he made a specific reference to LeT terrorist and Pakistani national Bahadur Ali, who was captured recently in North Kashmir during an encounter.

Ali, born in the Zia Bagga village of Lahore, was arrested by Indian authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on July 25 with weapons (AK 47 rifle, live rounds, grenades, grenade launcher etc) as also sophisticated communication equipment and other material of Pakistani/ international origin, according to the demarche issued to Basit.

The ties between India and Pakistan have seen growing bitterness after Pakistan and its Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made provocative statements on the Kashmir situation in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with the security forces on July 8.
Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday appointed Jitu Vaghani, a member of legislative assembly from Bhavnagar West constituency and a Patel, as its state unit president in place of Vijay Rupani who became the chief minister recently.

Jitu Vaghani has been appointed as president of state BJP, party spokesperson Harshad Patel said.

Vaghani, 46, a relatively young Patel face of the BJP, was earlier state units youth wing president.

He has also worked as secretary of the party state unit in the past.

Vaghani belongs to Leuva Patel community among Patels.

His name was finalised by party president Amit Shah on Wednesday, and central party communicated it to the state unit, which declared it in Ahmedabad.

Vaghani won the election as an MLA for the first time in 2012. In 2007, he had lost against Congresss Shaktisinh Gohil.

Vaghani has apparently been chosen as party state unit president as BJP has made non-Patel leader Rupani the chief minister. Rupani belongs to the Jain community.

While the newly-appointed Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel belongs to Kadva sub-caste of Patels, Vaghani is from Leuva Patel sub-caste.

The BJP has chosen Vaghani apparently to give a message to Patel community, who are agitating for reservation in the state for last one year.

IMAGE: Jitu Vaghani. Photograph: @BJP_Gujarat/Twitter
Rescue personnel on Wednesday braved high water current and crocodile hotbeds in Savitri River to trace those missing after the bridge collapse near Mahad in Raigad district even as anxious relatives expressed anger over the pace of the search operation.

So far, 26 bodies have been recovered while nearly 14 are still missing and feared dead after two state transport buses and some other vehicles fell in the river following the bridge collapse on Mumbai-Goa Highway on August 2.

The search teams have decided to continue the operation till they recover all the bodies and remains of swept away vehicles.

"Search operation is on like before with same positioning and deployment of the security forces. The crew of NDRF, Navy, Coast Guard and local divers are at work," Raigad's Residential Deputy Collector Satish Bagal told PTI.

"We are not going to call off the (search) operations and will continue it," Bagal said, adding that the District Collector and SP are monitoring the situation.

"As and when our agencies trace and recover a body or remains of vehicles, we are reporting about it to the disaster control room set up in Mumbai," he said.

Senior officials as well as chief minister are keeping a close watch on the developments, he said.

On the reasons why security agencies failed to trace or recover more bodies and swept away vehicles, Bagal said the high current of muddy water was posing a challenge for the crew members.

Also, a few search areas are homes to crocodiles, therefore they have to take extra caution during their operation, he said.

"Once the water level recedes, the divers would be able to do their job at the best," he said.

NDRF's 5th battalion commandant Anupam Srivastava said his four teams, comprising 40 crew members each, were at work since morning.

Meanwhile, the Raigad administration has made arrangements for the lodging of nearly 100 kin of the victims who are camping at the site of the collapsed bridge.

Few relatives of the missing persons on Tuesday expressed anger over the failure to recover more bodies and vehicles swept away in the water.

"Yes, their anguish and despondency is obvious. That is why the senior officials of security agencies involved in search operation on Tuesday met the anxious kin of the victims and apprised them of the various efforts and techniques being used in the operation," Bagal said.

IMAGE: NDRF personnel in the Savitri river after their boat tumbled during their rescue work following the collapse of Mahad-Poladpur bridge on the Mumbai-Goa highway, near Mahad in Raigad district last week. Photograph: Santosh Hirlekar/PTI
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has said he wants to debate very badly with his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton but will first see terms and conditions of the three presidential debates scheduled for September and October.

I will absolutely do three debates. I want to debate very badly. But I have to see the conditions, Trump told The Time magazine.

The debate is considered the most significant part of the US presidential elections, which very often decides the fate of a candidate.

The three presidential debates scheduled this time are September 26 (Hempstead, New York), October 9 (St Louis) and October 19 in Las Vegas.

The one vice-presidential debate is scheduled for October 4 in Farmville, Virginia.

The non-partisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which conducts the debate, had last September announced the dates, venue and terms and conditions for the debate. The format of each 90-minute debate has already been set.

Trump said that he had haggled with television networks over the terms of debates held during the Grand Old Party primary and might do so again.

I renegotiated the debates in the primaries, remember? They were making a fortune on them and they had us in for three-and-a-half hours and I said thats ridiculous.

I am sure theyll be open to any suggestions I have, because I think theyll be very fair suggestions. But I havent (seen the conditions) yet. Theyre actually presented to me tonight, he said.

Trump also said he reserved the right to object to the commissions choice of moderators, which have not yet been announced.

Ill have to see who the moderators are. Yeah, I would say that certain moderators would be unacceptable, absolutely. I did very well in the debates on the primaries. According to the polls, I won all of them. So I look forward to the debates. But, yeah, I want to have fair moderators. I will demand fair moderators, he said.

Meanwhile, Politico reported that the Commission is preparing for a third seat on the podium of the debate in case any of the third party candidates get more than 15 per cent in recent national polls.

Did Trump threaten Hillary?

Meanwhile, Trump has come under severe criticism for his controversial Second Amendment remark which many in the media have interpreted as a threat of violence against his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

At an election rally in Wilmington, North Carolina on Tuesday, Trump said the Second Amendment people  gun owners or those backing gun rights -- could stop Clinton from winning the White House and picking new US Supreme Court justices.

This is simple -- what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to be the President of the United States should not suggest violence in any way, said Robby Mook, Hillary for America Campaign Manager.

Senator Tim Kaine from Virginia, who is the running mate of Hillary Clinton, Democratic presidential nominee, said that he could not believe the comments made by Trump, while a former spymaster said that but for the Republican nominee such a remark would have landed him behind bars.

In the American political system, there has been an unwritten protocol and zero tolerance to any statements that could be even interpreted as inciting violence.

If Trump were not a major-party presidential nominee, his comment yesterday might have earned him a stern visit from the Secret Service. Instead, it will simply be added to the ever-growing list of Trumps disqualifiers -- and to the ever-growing burden of Republican leaders who continue to insist that their candidate is suitable to serve, The Washington Post said in an editorial.

As is often the case, Trump was incoherent enough to permit more than one plausible interpretation of his words. If he had not so often celebrated violence and wielded dark innuendo against political opponents, minority groups, journalists and others, it would be easier to give him the benefit of the doubt in this case, it said.

Seldom, if ever, have Americans been exposed to a candidate so willing to descend to the depths of bigotry and intolerance as Trump, The New York Times said in a lead editorial.

That he would make yesterdays comment amid sinking poll numbers and a wave of Republican defections suggests that when bathed in the adulation of a crowd, Trump is unable to control himself, it said.

Image: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump holds babies at a campaign rally in Colorado Springs. Photograph: Carlo Allegri/Reuters
Three expelled Congress MLAs on Wednesday joined the Bahujan Samaj Party ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections due early next year.

A Samajwadi Party MLA and a Bharatiya Janata Party leader too joined Mayawati's party, BSP General Secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui told a press conference in Lucknow.

The MLAs are Nawab Qazim Ali Khan, Muslim Khan and Dil Nawaz Khan (all expelled from Congress) and Nawazish Alam Khan (SP).

BJP leader and former minister Awadhesh Verma also joined BSP, giving the party a boost after some senior leaders, including Swami Prasad Maurya and R K Chaudhary, quit accusing Mayawati of auctioning party tickets for the 2017 assembly polls.

Maurya, who was leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, has joined the BJP. He belongs to OBC while Chaudhary is a Dalit, communities which are considered a significant votebank of BSP.

The leaders who joined the BSP expressed confidence in the party's policies and programmes.

Asked whether the BSP will give them tickets for the upcoming elections to the 403-member assembly, Siddiqui said it would be decided later.

On Maurya's claim that several BSP MLAs were in touch with him, he dared him to disclose the names.

UP PCC Vice-President Satyadeo Tripathy downplayed Wednesday's development, saying it would not harm the prospects of Congress in any way as the party had already expelled them for indulging in anti-party activities.

The Congress is trying hard to regain its lost moorings in the state which was once its favourite hunting ground.
The woman whose lone fight against the establishment all these long years has only the state machinery to keep her safe from the public whose cause she championed all this while.

Rediff.com contributor Chitra Ahanthem reports on Irom Sharmila's decision to break the world's longest hunger strike and its aftermath.

IMAGE: A day to remember: Irom Sharmila breaks her 16-year fast with a dab of honey in the glare of the media. Photograph: PTI

When it came to the moment where Irom Sharmila was to break her 16-year-old fast in the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences complex, a few metres away from the hospital room where she had been kept in custody, it was an emotional moment, one she described as "a moment I will never forget in my life."

She asked for honey, which she put in her palm that she looked at for a long while, the tears streaming down her face even as she haltingly brought her face near to it.

As the cameras went into a frenzy, she took a drop of honey from her palm and put it in her mouth, making a face as she felt the taste.

Much before the moment of breaking her fast, unending drama unfolded at the complex of the court of the chief judicial magistrate (Imphal West). The first part of the drama was, of course, the media frenzy which swooped down to get the best pictures and visuals of Irom Sharmila being taken inside the court.

The frenzy was such that she had to be physically lifted inside the court complex by women personnel of the state police once she alighted from the ambulance that had brought her.

Inside the court room, when Lamkhanpau Tonsing, the chief judicial magistrate (Imphal West), brought up the case of the State of Manipur vs Irom Sharmila, she stood up and in a determined voice reiterated her decision to stop her 16-year-old fast, mentioning that her fight against the imposition of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act would continue, but that she had decided to change her strategy by breaking her fast and making a foray into politics.

When she was told that she would have to plead guilty to the charge of suicide against her, she said, "How can I plead guilty if I am not wrong?"

Sharmila also sought the magistrate's permission to address the media. Her only rider was that the media be seated in a room so she could speak to everyone. She was then asked to furnish a personal bond following which the proceedings went on for more than an hour as witnesses were still to depose.

At some point of time, two batches of four people who were involved in criminal cases ranging from murder to being caught with arms in their possession were also brought into the packed court room while medical and police personnel gave their testimonies.

When a restless Irom Sharmila requested a speedy process, the defence lawyer asked her in a curt demeanour, "Do you want to be free today or do you want to come back another day?"

When Sharmila replied, "I want to be free today," he shot back, "Then you will have to wait for all of this to be over."

By the time the court was in the process of preparing the formalities of freeing Irom Sharmila, it had been agreed that she would address the waiting media.

The second act of the drama unfolded as she was brought before the media which literally pounced and stepped on one another to be in 'breaking news' mode.

She was to speak while seated on a bench with 'table' that had been literally assembled from its old broken version placed before her. The 'table' had mikes and recorders placed on it, but in a matter of a few seconds, everyone was climbing and leaning on it, making the 'table' groan and creak ominously besides tilting towards Sharmila.

Seated beneath the table and less than an arm's length from Irom Sharmila I could not hear the few sentences that she was able to speak while the assembled media nearly came into blows.

Irom Sharmila had to be whisked off, which meant that thanks to the media behaviour, her freedom and the moment of her fast coming to an end was postponed some more.

'If the public is angry with my decision and resent it, you can kill me like Gandhi and Jesus Christ was killed. Let my blood wash away all their dark emotions and negative feelings.'

The third act of the drama was when representatives of women's groups in Manipur, who have rallied around Irom Sharmila every time she was released every year, started venting their anger and unhappiness over her decision.

'She should have continued her protest.'

'She should have consulted us.'

'She should have thought about the struggle that we have undertaken against AFSPA before she even took her fast.'

By this time, journalists reporting the story had taken the brief address Irom Sharmila had given to the media and taken it out of its context. Her statement that she would want to contest elections against Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi and that she would repeal AFSPA when she became chief minister was reported as 'I want to be chief minister and repeal AFSPA.'

By 3 pm, the next act had moved to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences where security was tight but the media throng was a bit more organised. News then started to trickle in that the formalities for Irom Sharmila's release were being completed and she would address the media.

So she came, appearing in public for the first time without the nasal tube that had been her constant companion for the past 16 years. Surrounded only by the media and security personnel, she first addressed the gathering repeating that her fight against AFSPA would continue and that breaking her fast was a change in strategy.

"I am a true revolutionary. I do not want to be kept on a pedestal. Sixteen long years, I have been given the name Iron Lady while everyone else stays content that I am on my fast," she said.

"Many are saying that politics is dirty, so why should I take it up? I ask you this -- can politics be dirty on its own? Isn't society a part of the dirt associated with politics?" she asked.

"If 20 like-minded people emerge as candidates for the elections, we can bring about a change. I want to contest the elections against Chief Minister Ibobi. I want to be CM so I can repeal AFSPA," she added.

IMAGE: Journalists thronged to listen to what the Iron Lady had to say when she broke her fast.

Many of them asked her to repeat the act of breaking her fast so they could get 'proper visuals' and 'proper bytes.' Photograph: PTI

Commenting on her earlier statement that she had not got the kind of support that she was expecting for her cause, Irom Sharmila said, "Every year when I am set free for sometime, people come to greet me. It is like I am a spectacle to be seen with curiosity and then forgotten. When I first started my fast, the public said I was insane to do it. These long years, I remained cut off from everybody. I have to be free now."

Her statements included the following:

'If there had been a massive public support over my fast, AFSPA would have been repealed then. The narrative of my fast has in fact been misinterpreted. While I was fasting till the time AFSPA would be repealed, it is being described as an indefinite fast.'

'The martyrdom of Irom Sharmila is not what I want. I have become akin to Abhimanyu caught in the chakravayuh, unable to find a way out. If the public is angry with my decision and resent it, you can kill me like Gandhi and Jesus Christ was killed. Let my blood wash away all their dark emotions and negative feelings.'

'I do not want to be seen as a goddess. I am human and I want to be treated like one.'

In response to media queries on her future course of action, including where she would stay, Irom Sharmila replied that she would not go back to her house as she wanted to honour her earlier promise to her mother that she would come back only after AFSPA was repealed.

"I want to stay at an ashram, but it will take a few days to take a final decision," she said.

Asked what she had to say to the people of Kashmir who have been protesting against AFSPA, she said, "Let the people of Kashmir get their right to self determination."

For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Irom Sharmila had this to say: "His governance deals with violence and his only concern is for the happiness index of nations. He is a native from the place of Gandhi. Why cannot he govern with non violence?"

"Are you a woman in love?" one journalist asked. "Isn't that a matter of my personal choice?" she responded. "Isn't that normal?"

When it came to the moment of Irom Sharmila breaking her fast, there was no one to do the honour of the symbolical act of offering her the honey even though she had announced her desire for young students to be present when she broke her fast.

When she did beak her fast she did it alone just as she was alone when she first began her fast in 2000. The only difference was the media scrum that asked her to speak in Hindi and English or repeat the act of breaking her fast so they could get 'proper visuals' and 'proper bytes.'

The last bit of the drama is yet to unfold even as this report is being written. When Irom Sharmila was being escorted to the home of a former health official under whose care she had been (the official has since retired), angry residents of the neighbourhood stormed the ambulance she was in and forced her to change her plans.

Last heard from sources, she was being escorted to the JNIMS to stay under police protection, free at last from the State, but not free from the anger of the public.

What irony that the woman whose lone fight against the establishment all these long years has only the state machinery to keep her safe from the public whose cause she championed all this while.

REDIFF RECOMMENDS
 Rita Hodge and Red Pepper Quilts

All photos and content are my own unless otherwise noted. Please DO NOT use or reproduce ANY content from this website without my written permission.Permission is not required if you wish to pin images to Pinterest. Please take care to link correctly to the original blog post.
DECATUR -- Malcolm Beasley will never forget the moment his wife, Iris Lewis-Beasley, told him she was planning on giving him one of her kidneys.

Both of the 39-year-old Beasleys kidneys were failing and he needed a transplant. He was on dialysis three days a week for four hours a day to keep him alive.

The Beasleys had been told by Springfield Memorial Medical Centers Transplant Services team that a kidney from a blood relative would work best. Malcolms family put out text and Facebook blasts asking relatives to be tested as possible donors, but donating a kidney isnt an easy life decision.

Its a burden -- both giving up a kidney and financially because you its a lot of time not working, Iris said. I honestly wasnt too optimistic.

Thats when Iris called Memorial and asked them to test her. It turned out their blood types were a match. At that point, Iris told Malcolm she was donating her kidney to him.

I was just like, Wow, sweetie, you dont have to do this, Malcolm said.

But Iris pushed forward. Two more tests had to be done, tissue typing and serum cross-match.

I wasnt a perfect match, but close enough that they were willing to proceed, Iris said.

On July 26, Malcolm and Iris entered Memorial Medical Center with tears streaming down their faces and the faces of their children.

Its emotional. Im crying just thinking about it, Iris said the day before the surgery. There are certain things you dont have control over.

Were optimistic. When you look at their success rate with this surgery, the odds are in our favor. But there can be complications with surgery. We can only pray everything works out like it should.

Two weeks after surgery, its working. Malcolm, with one of Iris kidneys now in his body, actually left the hospital before Iris, who had a minor complication. But both are home now and recovering.

His body is accepting the kidney, Iris said. He has to take medicine that lowers his immune system so it doesnt attack his kidney and cause his body to reject it, but his creatinine levels, blood pressure and urine output are normal and falling into place. Hes doing exceptionally well.

Malcolm and Iris were high school sweethearts. They began dating during their sophomore year in 1993. Iris got pregnant and had a baby while still in high school, but Caylin died at three months old.

Still, Malcolm and Iris stuck together.

Weve been through a lot. Were like Bonnie and Clyde, Malcolm said, laughing. We got in trouble together and did everything together. Malcolm and Iris. Its like its one word now.

Malcolm and Iris have three children -- Ilaina, 19, Malcolm Jr., 15, and Ilyjah, 2. Life was good in Oct. 2015 when Malcolm told Iris he was having trouble with his vision.

It was later in the week, and he told me, Babe, I need some new glasses, and said he was going to make an appointment soon, Iris said. But then that weekend it kept getting worse and worse, and on Monday he called me from work and said it was so bad he couldnt even see the numbers on his cellphone.

Iris took Malcolm to Central Illinois Vision Center in Decatur, where bleeding and swelling was found in Malcolms retina. His blood pressure was 270-over-163, so Malcolm was immediately taken to the emergency room. Once admitted, he was put in the intensive care unit.

They checked him and found that his kidneys had failed and he was put on dialysis, Iris said.

Malcolm was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy, also known as Berger's disease, which is a kidney disease caused when an antibody called immunoglobulin A (IgA) gets stuck in kidneys, causing inflammation that keeps kidneys from being able to filter blood.

Hed had it for years and had no idea what was going on, Iris said. He was absolutely healthy. He worked out at the YMCA all the time. But the damage to his kidneys was advanced. He had less than 9 percent function.

The process that led to Iris donating her kidney to Malcolm didnt exactly go smoothly. First, the hospital had to agree to do the surgery. An ethics committee met and said it was comfortable with the procedure. Then Malcolm and Iris had to decide if it was the right thing to do as parents.

Im a perfectly healthy person opting for an elective surgery. I never had any reservations, but there are a lot of Is to dot and Ts to cross, Iris said. We had to consider genetics. Is this something that could be passed on to the kids? Because then I wouldnt have one I could donate to them.

And we also had to consider the danger of having two parents on an operating table. What if something happened to one or both of us? We had to consider it, and we had to have things lined up just in case.

Just to give Malcolm the kidney, Iris had to undergo surgery to have a mass removed from her bladder that turned out to be harmless.

Then, just days before the surgery, Malcolm was let go as facility support manager for at a bank, which left him without insurance.

He didnt have anymore FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) time, Iris said. They said they have the intention to hire him back when he recovers, but it left him without any coverage.

Iris was able to get Malcolm on her insurance through her employer, Accutech Systems out of Muncie, Ind., but the deductible is high.

To help with expenses, Iris started a gofundme account: gofundme.com/beasleytransplant. The site has a picture of the Beasley family with a short description of their plight and updates post-surgery. So far, the site has raised $2,295.

I was a little upset about it at first. It hurt my pride, Malcolm said. But I had to put my pride aside. And to see that people have donated, Im forever in debt to them.

Malcolm and Iris have had to get comfortable with accepting help. Two nights before the surgery, several neighbors, including some they had never met, stopped by the Beasleys home to wish them luck and offer help. Their daughter, Ilaina, a criminal justice major at Ball State University, has taken time off from school to help. Iris sister Tracy came from Tampa Bay, Fla., for the surgery.

(Ilaina) has been carrying the brunt, but my older kids are very self-sufficient, Iris said. Having a 2-year-old makes things more complicated. But we have a great support system.

This journey has had its challenges, but waiting time for organs is three to five years at best, so it was worth it to get to this point.

There are still challenges ahead. The body can reject new organs for the first several months, but Malcolm is happy to be alive and never forgets who he has to thank for that.

Every time someone hears our story, they cry.They think my wife is an angel, and she is, Malcolm said. Not too many people are trying to give you one of their kidneys.

When you get married, they say, In sickness and in health. She went to bat for me. Shes amazing. But thats just the type of person she is. Shes always there for me and my kids.
Children paying 'heaviest price' of Yemen conflict, UNICEF warns amid reports of escalating violence

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 9 August 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Children paying 'heaviest price' of Yemen conflict, UNICEF warns amid reports of escalating violence, 9 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57aac79c40c.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

9 August 2016 - Four children were reportedly killed and three were injured on 7 August in the Nihm District, east of the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said in a statement today.

"Children are paying the heaviest price of the conflict in Yemen," said Julien Harneis, UNICEF representative in Yemen, who added that UNICEF deplored such acts and urged all parties to exercise maximum caution and avoid civilian infrastructure.

He said that since the escalation of the conflict in March 2015, UNICEF was able to verify that 1,121 children had been killed and another 1,650 were injured. "The actual numbers are likely to be much higher," he added.

"UNICEF urges all parties to the conflict in Yemen to adhere to international humanitarian law and keep children out of harm's way," said Mr. Harneis.

Meanwhile at UN Headquarters in New York, Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, responding questions from reporters, told the daily press briefing that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is deeply concerned about reports of increased fighting between various parties in Hajjah, Sa'ada and Sana'a provinces, including over the past few days.

"We are unable at this time to independently verify reports of civilian casualties. What is clear, however, is that the reported escalation in fighting exacerbates the already dire humanitarian and human rights situation and the suffering of the Yemeni people," he added.

Following nearly a year and a half of conflict in Yemen, the cessation of hostilities was declared on 10 April and has since continued to provide relief from violence in many parts of the country. But serious violations have occurred in Marib, al Jawf, Taiz and in the border areas with Saudi Arabia.
Sudan: Ban welcomes signing of peace roadmap by opposition groups

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 9 August 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Sudan: Ban welcomes signing of peace roadmap by opposition groups, 9 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57aac7dd40c.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

9 August 2016 - Welcoming the signing by Sudanese opposition groups of an African Union-brokered roadmap for ending conflicts in the country, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called the parties to "maintain this positive momentum" and work towards agreement on cessation of hostilities.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban welcomed the signing of the Roadmap Agreement for Ending the Conflicts in Sudan by the Sudanese opposition groups on 8 August.

The agreement was proposed by the African Union High-level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) and was signed by the Government of Sudan on 21 March 2016.

"The Secretary-General is encouraged by this valuable step towards ending the war and resolving the crises in Sudan," said the statement, adding that the UN chief called on all Sudanese parties to maintain this "positive momentum" and urged them to continue working towards an agreement on cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access to conflict-affected areas and the process for reaching a final, political settlement through an inclusive national dialogue.
Ban welcomes election timetable in Somalia, says 'milestone' process must be fair and transparent

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 9 August 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Ban welcomes election timetable in Somalia, says 'milestone' process must be fair and transparent, 9 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57aac83b40e.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

9 August 2016 - Welcoming today the announcement by Somalia of a timetable for the 2016 electoral process, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that process for the upcoming polls, which sets October for presidential elections, is an important milestone in the country's journey towards democracy.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban welcomed the announcement by Somalia's Federal Indirect Elections Implementation Team (FIEIT) of a timetable for the 2016 electoral process.

According to the statement, this decision, which sets out the process to choose a new federal Parliament between 24 September and 10 October and President by 30 October, has today been endorsed by Somalia's National Leadership Forum.

"The Secretary-General trusts that the agreed timetable will be adhered to, and urges all parties to refrain from any action that would cause further delay," the statement continued, adding that the UN chief noted that the 2016 electoral process is an important milestone in Somalia's journey towards democracy.

In that regard, he further welcomed the National Leadership Forum's commitment to ensure transition towards a multi-party system by 2018, ahead of elections in 2020.

"The Secretary-General emphasizes the importance of Somalia's 2016 electoral process being conducted in a transparent, credible and inclusive manner, and in a climate of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms," the statement said, adding that in this regard, Mr. Ban commended in particular the renewed commitment of the NLF to ensure that one-third of Parliamentary seats are set aside for female candidates.

This is an "important signal" of the country's progress towards inclusive political governance that will allow all Somalis to enjoy the benefits of peace, the statement concluded.
UN rights chief urges Maldives to retain decades-long death penalty moratorium

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 9 August 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN rights chief urges Maldives to retain decades-long death penalty moratorium, 9 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57aac8c340d.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

9 August 2016 - Voicing concern over a number of worrying developments regarding capital punishment in the Maldives, the United Nations human rights chief today called on the Government to refrain from carrying out planned executions and to uphold the de facto moratorium that has been in place in the country for over six decades.

"The Maldives has long provided important leadership on global efforts to bring an end to the use of the death penalty, so it is deeply regrettable that a series of steps have been taken to resume executions in the country," Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a press release.

Since last November, the High Court decided that the President may no longer exercise the power of commuting death sentences to life imprisonment; in June this year, capital punishment regulations were further amended to allow for hanging in addition to lethal injections as methods of execution.

Further, in July, the Supreme Court swiftly issued an order cancelling the stay order issued by the High Court and reiterated that its decisions on death sentences are final.

"The death penalty is not effective in deterring crime," said Mr. Zeid, adding that "a judiciary that is unable to consistently apply fair trial standards and is marred by politicisation must not be allowed to have the final say in matters of life and death."

There are currently 17 individuals on death row in the Maldives. Some cases raise serious due process concerns, with three of them at imminent risk of execution.

"Maldives has upheld the right to life for more than 60 years," said the High Commissioner, also urging "the leaders and the people of the Maldives to continue to uphold the moratorium on the death penalty and work towards prohibiting the practice altogether."
DR Congo: Human Rights Watch Researcher Barred

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 9 August 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, DR Congo: Human Rights Watch Researcher Barred, 9 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57aac91e4.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has blocked a senior Human Rights Watch researcher from continuing to work in the country, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities' revocation of Ida Sawyer's work permit is the government's latest attempt to curtail human rights reporting during a period of increased government repression.

"The Congolese government's move to bar an experienced Human Rights Watch researcher under the guise of a work permit matter should fool no one," said Kenneth Roth, executive director at Human Right Watch. "This is about more than forcing Ida Sawyer out of Congo, but is a brazen attempt to muzzle reporting on the government's brutal repression of those supporting presidential term limits."

Immigration authorities renewed Sawyer's three-year work permit in May 2016, before it expired on August 9. On July 3, immigration unexpectedly and without explanation annulled the new permit when Sawyer passed through Kinshasa's main N'djili International Airport following a trip abroad. Human Rights Watch wrote to immigration authorities raising concerns about the unusual action and requested reinstatement of the permit. The authorities told Sawyer to submit a new work permit request.

On August 8, immigration authorities informed Sawyer that her request was denied and that she was to leave the country within 48 hours. No reason for the denial of a new permit was provided. Sawyer will leave Congo within the allotted time frame, Human Rights Watch said.

Human Rights Watch is an independent international organization that has conducted research on the human rights situation in Congo for over 25 years. Sawyer has lived and worked in Congo for Human Rights Watch since January 2008. She has conducted research and advocacy on a wide range of human rights abuses by the government and by non-state armed groups such as the M23 and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

Since January 2015, the Congolese government has imposed a brutal crackdown against those who have spoken out against or opposed attempts to extend President Joseph Kabila's stay in power beyond his constitutionally mandated two-term limit, which ends on December 19. Preparations for presidential elections have stalled and senior government officials say elections cannot be held before the end of the year because of technical, logistical, and financial constraints.

During this period, government security forces have arbitrarily arrested scores of opposition leaders and activists, fired on peaceful protesters, banned opposition demonstrations, shut down media outlets, accused peaceful pro-democracy youth activists of plotting terrorist acts, and prevented opposition leaders from moving freely around the country. At least 14 activists and political opponents remain in prison on trumped up charges.

The government should credibly and impartially investigate alleged government abuses and hold those responsible to account, regardless of their position or rank, Human Rights Watch said.

In recent months, the government has broadened its suppression of criticism by forcing international officials and human rights monitors to leave Congo. In October 2014, the government expelled the director of the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office in Congo, Scott Campbell, following publication of a report about summary executions and enforced disappearances during a police operation in Kinshasa. The director of the Congo Research Group, Jason Stearns, was forced to leave in April 2016, following publication of a report about massacres in the Beni region of eastern Congo. In July, the authorities forced two researchers from the international organization Global Witness to leave Congo while they were investigating logging practices.

"Locking up Congolese activists and forcing international rights monitors out of the country are the tactics of abusive governments," Roth said. "The government should get serious about improving human rights by freeing all political prisoners and allowing Congolese and international rights defenders, including Sawyer, to continue their vital work."

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Philippines: A Rights Agenda for President Duterte

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 9 August 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Philippines: A Rights Agenda for President Duterte, 9 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57aac9cb4.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The Philippines' new president, Rodrigo Duterte, should focus efforts on tackling the country's persistent human rights problems, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to the president.

Human Rights Watch makes specific recommendations concerning extrajudicial and summary killings, the lack of accountability for abuses by the security forces, the protection of indigenous peoples and ethnic and religious minorities, internal displacement, reproductive health, children's rights, and the worsening HIV epidemic.

"President Duterte has an opportunity to reverse the failings of previous administrations by giving priority to the human rights problems that have persisted in the country," said Phelim Kine, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Duterte needs to act decisively to signal that his government will protect the rights of all Filipinos and roll back the country's culture of impunity."

During his presidential campaign and his first weeks in office, Duterte has encouraged the use of lethal force against drug dealers and users  and there has been an alarming increase in killings of suspected drug dealers and users by unidentified gunmen and police. Duterte should publicly disavow vigilante violence and excessive or unnecessary use of force by police, urge respect for human rights and due legal process, and launch an immediate and impartial investigation into the upsurge in killings since he took office.

Widespread impunity for members of the state security forces involved in serious human rights abuses remains a problem, Human Rights Watch said. Duterte should direct the military to stop targeting leftist activists, including indigenous and labor leaders, and press for full investigations and prosecutions in killings and enforced disappearances.

Duterte should also address health issues that remain a major concern, Human Rights Watch said. In January 2016, the Philippine Congress eliminated funding for contraception guaranteed under the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law, cutting vital support for lower-income Filipinos who rely on state assistance for safe birth-spacing and family planning, and for protection from sexually transmitted infections. Some local governments have sought to pass ordinances or adopt policies to derail full enforcement of the law. Duterte should press Congress to restore funding for family planning and make clear that the government will overturn any local ordinance that would prohibit the sale and distribution of contraceptive supplies.

The Philippines currently has the fastest growing epidemic of HIV/AIDS in the world. Duterte should instruct the Department of Health to launch a national condom-use promotion program that targets vulnerable populations and reinstate the national harm reduction program that empowered municipal governments to provide clean hypodermic syringes to intravenous drug users to discourage HIV transmission from needle-sharing.

"The Philippines faces a range of serious human rights problems, from killings and torture to public health," Kine said. "For Duterte's presidency to be successful, he needs to dispense with his rhetoric of brutality, and instead press for laws and policies that advance human rights."

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Thailand: New Charter Enshrines Military Rule

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 9 August 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Thailand: New Charter Enshrines Military Rule, 9 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57aaca574.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The new constitution approved in Thailand's August 7, 2016 referendum strengthens and prolongs military control of the government, Human Rights Watch said today. The vote followed a crackdown by the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) against "Vote No" campaigners and others opposed to the proposed charter.

"The Thai junta's campaign of repression against opponents of the proposed constitution ensured that the referendum wouldn't be fair," said Brad Adams, Asia director. "Instead of the long-promised return to democratic civilian rule, the new constitution facilitates unaccountable military power and a deepening dictatorship."

Approximately 55 percent of eligible voters cast ballots on two referendum questions. The first was whether to accept the NCPO's draft constitution. The second was whether during the first five years after the constitution takes effect to allow senators appointed by the junta to vote in parliamentary proceedings to choose a prime minister.

With 94 percent of the vote counted nationwide, the Election Commission of Thailand reported that about 15.6 million people (61 percent) supported the proposed constitution, and about 9.8 million (39 percent) opposed it. On the second question, 13.9 million people (58 percent) voted yes, and 10 million people (42 percent) voted no.

Key elements of the new constitution seek to entrench military control at the expense of political parties. As the junta has indicated, the new constitution contains provisions that will make it extremely difficult for a single party to win a majority in the 500-member lower house. This will allow the 250 junta-selected senators to play a critical role in parliament, including by choosing a prime minister, who will no longer be required to be an elected member of parliament.

In addition, the NCPO will reserve Senate seats for its key members, including the permanent secretary of defense; the supreme commander-in-chief; the commanders-in-chief of the army, navy, and air force; and the police commissioner-general. Under the constitution, both the new government and parliament will be required to adhere to the junta's "20-year reform plan."

Since the May 2014 coup, the NCPO has severely repressed fundamental rights and freedoms. The 2014 interim constitution permitted the junta to carry out policies and actions without any effective oversight or accountability, including for human rights violations. The newly adopted constitution under section 279 provides that all announcements, orders, and actions of the NCPO will be considered constitutional and will continue to be in force.

"The new constitution ensures that the military junta will not be held accountable for the long list of rights violations committed since it took power in 2014," Adams said.

Human Rights Watch has repeatedly raised concerns that many internationally recognized elements for a fair referendum process were missing  particularly the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. The government sharply curtailed these rights through the Referendum Act, the Computer Crime Act, and article 116 of the penal code on sedition, as well as junta orders censoring the media and preventing public gatherings of more than five people. The government also failed to provide equal access to government media for opponents of the draft constitution, or ensure that the election commission acted in an impartial, independent, and accountable manner.

The National Council for Peace and Order, chaired by Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha, ignored concerted calls from the United Nations and foreign governments for Thai authorities to respect people's rights to freely express their views on the draft constitution. The junta arbitrarily interpreted criticisms and dissenting opinions about the proposed constitution as "false information" under the Referendum Act and a threat to national security.

The authorities arrested at least 120 politicians, activists, journalists, and supporters of political movements who had criticized the draft constitution, announced publicly that they would vote "no," urged voters to reject the draft constitution, or sought to monitor the voting. Those found guilty of violating the Referendum Act could face up to 10 years in prison. These cases are expected to be heard by military tribunals, not civilian courts.

The junta's intolerance of opposition to the draft constitution raises concerns of heightened repression prior to the next general election, now tentatively scheduled for late 2017. Instead of paving the way for a genuine democratic transition, the NCPO used the referendum process to foster a climate of fear and tighten its grip on governmental powers.

"The new constitution will entrench the abusive and unaccountable military rule that Thailand has endured since the May 2014 coup," Adams said. "The UN and Thailand's friends need to step up their calls for an end to human rights abuses and for genuine democratic reforms."

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Angola: Military Fatally Shoots Boy at Protest

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 10 August 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Angola: Military Fatally Shoots Boy at Protest, 10 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57aacabf4.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Angolan authorities should promptly and impartially investigate the shooting death of a 14-year-old boy during a peaceful protest in Luanda on August 5, 2016. The government's deployment of military police during a demonstration against the demolition of homes for a development project raises serious concerns about the security forces' unnecessary use of lethal force.

"Angolan soldiers fired live ammunition during a peaceful protest and the unsurprising result is the death of a teenage boy," said Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "The authorities need to promptly investigate why the soldiers opened fire, prosecute those responsible for any wrongdoing, and take steps to avoid such bloodshed in the future."

By about 3 p.m. on August 5, military police had arrived to help demolish homes for a commercial project in the Walale, Zango II neighborhood of the capital, Luanda, according to two witnesses and media reports. The soldiers were met by a group of residents peacefully demonstrating against the demolitions. Without warning, the witnesses said, the soldiers fired live ammunition in the air and at protesters' feet to disperse the crowd.

"I think they [the military police] got irritated by the number of people who were waiting for them," said one of the protesters, Dinho, whose surname is not being used for his security. "They loaded the guns and started firing at our feet. We ran away."

One bullet fatally struck 14-year-old Rufino Antonio in his neck. No other demonstrators were reported injured by gunfire.

"One of the soldiers was listening to us as we begged them not to demolish the houses," said Lucas, another protester. "Then, this other soldier just pointed his gun at me. The boy was right behind me and I told him to run. We ran to hide behind a mango tree. That shot was directed at me. It missed me, it missed the mango tree, and unfortunately struck the boy."

Rufino's uncle, Rui Domingos, told Human Rights Watch that his nephew was playing with other children when the military police arrived, and that Rufino went to join the demonstration. Domingos said that neighbors who witnessed the shooting called him and Rufino's parents to the scene at about 5 p.m. When they arrived, Rufino was already dead.

"The neighbors told us that a military officer had shot him." Domingos said. "We immediately called the soba (local chief) and police."

Domingos said that minutes after the local police came, army officials arrived, threatening the police commander and removing Rufino's body without explanation. The family located the boy's body in the morgue of Maria Pia Hospital the following day.

A graphic video taken just after the shooting and posted on social media by Angolan activists shows Rufino lying on the ground under a mango tree with blood flowing behind his head or neck. A crowd is gathered around, and a man says, "Get their mother, get their mother." Shortly thereafter a shot is heard but no security forces are visible.

The protest was organized by local residents against the planned demolition of about 625 houses in the neighborhood for a commercial, industrial, and agriculture development project by the Luanda-Bengo Special Economic Zone.

An activist from OMUNGA, an organization that monitors forced evictions in Angola, told Human Rights Watch that the demolitions began on July 31, and were met by repeated protests, none of which involved violence. The law enforcement operation was being conducted by a military unit of the Posto Comando Unificado (PCU), a new force consisting of construction inspectors, army soldiers, and the police, tasked with protecting government infrastructure and land.

A lieutenant-general leading the PCU operations, Simao Carlitos Wala, told Voice of America that the incident was under investigation, but he declined to provide details.

"The Angolan authorities should be using police, not soldiers, for law enforcement during demonstrations," Bekele said. "Soldiers, including military police, are trained to use their guns first."

The United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials state that nonviolent means should be used as far as possible before resorting to the use of force. Whenever the lawful use of force is unavoidable, the authorities should use restraint and act in proportion to the seriousness of the offense. Law enforcement officials should not use firearms against people except in self-defense or defense of others against the imminent threat of death or serious injury.

Angolan law permits security forces to use lethal force only as a last resort to counter a threat to life or serious injury. However, Human Rights Watch and other groups have documented many cases in which security forces have unjustifiably killed or injured protesters.

In April, police gunfire wounded at least three people during a student demonstration against an increase in school fees in Caluquembe, Huila province. The police initially denied firing live ammunition but later admitted that one officer had opened fire and said he would be punished. It is not known what steps were taken to punish this officer or others for their role in the incident.

"Angolan authorities should demonstrate that they are serious about curtailing excessive use of force by fully investigating the death of Rufino Antonio and bringing those responsible to justice," Bekele said. "The government should ensure that its security forces abide by international standards and respond nonviolently to peaceful protests."

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP)  Donald Trump ignited a fresh political firestorm Tuesday by declaring gun rights supporters might still find a way to stop Hillary Clinton, even if she should defeat him and then name anti-gun Supreme Court justices. Democrats pounced, accusing him of openly encouraging violence against his opponent.

The Republican presidential nominee has been working this week to move past distracting campaign disputes, but once again he put himself at the center of a blazing controversy.

First, he falsely claimed that Clinton, his Democratic opponent, wants to "essentially abolish the Second Amendment." She has said repeatedly that she supports the Second Amendment right to own guns, though she does back some stricter gun control measures.

Trump then noted the power Clinton would have to nominate justices to the high court.

"By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people  maybe there is, I don't know," Trump told supporters at a rally in Wilmington, N.C. "But I'll tell you what. That will be a horrible day."

His reaction later as the uproar grew: "Give me a break."

Interviewed by Fox News' Sean Hannity, he said everyone in his audience knew he was referring to the power of voters and "there can be no other interpretation."

Trump's campaign sought to quell the controversy with a statement that blamed the "dishonest media" for misinterpretation. And Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, said he was talking about the election choice for pro-gun voters, not encouraging violence.

Yet Trump's foes were unconvinced and unforgiving.

Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, said "of course" the Republicans were trying to explain away Trump's comments, but "I think it was just revealing ... and I don't find the attempt to roll it back persuasive at all."

Priorities USA, a super PAC supporting Clinton, said Trump had "suggested that someone shoot Hillary Clinton." Across the country, Democratic House and Senate candidates piled on, working to tie Trump's comments to their GOP opponents.

And the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, which has endorsed Clinton, said Trump was encouraging gun violence "based on conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton."

Tweeted Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat: "@realDonaldTrump makes death threats because he's a pathetic coward who can't handle the fact that he's losing to a girl."

The National Rifle Association, the gun lobby that has endorsed Trump, came to his defense. The group wrote on Twitter that "there's nothing we can do" if Clinton is elected while urging voters to defeat her in November.

The controversy immediately overwhelmed Trump's intended campaign-trail focus: the economic plan he unveiled just a day earlier and was promoting during a series of rallies in the most competitive general election states. It also reinforced the concern, voiced by many worried Republicans, that he cannot stay disciplined and avoid inflammatory remarks that imperil not only his White House prospects but the re-election chances of many GOP lawmakers.

At another rally later Tuesday in Fayetteville, Trump was careful with his words. He repeated his argument that Clinton poses a threat to gun rights but avoided any talk about advocates taking matters into their own hands. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, introducing him, blamed the controversy on "disgusting" journalists.

Clinton's supporters are hoping the latest Trump trip-up will lead yet more of his fellow Republicans to defect. A day earlier, Maine Sen. Susan Collins became the latest to declare she won't vote for her party's nominee, explicitly pointing to his "constant stream of cruel comments."

The U.S. Secret Service, responsible for both Clinton's and Trump's protections, said it was aware of what Trump had said but declined to say whether it planned to investigate.

Contrary to Trump's remarks, Clinton has made her support for gun rights a key piece of her stump speech in a bid to pre-empt attacks from Trump and groups like the NRA. Still, she supports reinstating a federal assault weapons ban, expanding background checks and barring purchases by domestic abusers, among other steps.

"I'm not here to repeal the Second Amendment," she said in her Democratic National Convention speech. "I'm not here to take away your guns. I just don't want you to be shot by someone who shouldn't have a gun in the first place."

Clinton spent Tuesday in Florida calling for emergency public health action on the Zika virus while visiting the Miami area dealing with the first U.S. outbreak. At a local health clinic, she urged Congress to cut short its summer recess and immediately pass funding for a Zika response. She blamed congressional Republicans for inaction.

"Everybody has a stake in this. And that's really why I'm here," Clinton said. "We don't want to wake up in a year and read more stories about babies like the little girl who just died in Houston."

It's an issue that could affect votes in this crucial swing state where she has held a small advantage in recent polls. So far, Trump has not addressed the issue in depth, though he told a Florida television station last week that Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, "really seems to have it under control in Florida."
Disclaimer

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
IS involvement in people smuggling is a red herring

Publisher IRIN Author Melissa Phillips Publication Date 10 August 2016 Cite as IRIN, IS involvement in people smuggling is a red herring, 10 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57aad2904.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

As the number of migrants and refugees arriving by boat from Libya to Italy continues to grow, the Italian government has announced it is investigating whether so-called Islamic State is profiting from people smuggling in Libya. But should the Italian government, which has a dubious record of cooperation with Libya on migration matters, be praised for raising concern about the possible link between IS and people smuggling or treated with suspicion given its interest in preventing these arrivals by sea to its territory?

It is no secret that organised criminal groups, including the Sicilian mafia, make large amounts of money from people smuggling and trafficking. These profits actually exceed the contributions made by Western governments to address irregular migration. Cathryn Costello from Oxford University's Refugee Studies Centre has estimated that smugglers' revenues in Turkey alone last year were as much as 800 million euros, while a joint report published in May by Interpol and Europol estimated that migrant and refugee smuggling networks earned between $5 billion and $6 billion in 2015. For comparison, the entire EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund is 3.137 billion euros for seven years.

Smuggling has a long history in Libya. For many marginalised southern tribes, it is their main livelihood in a part of the country where few other economic opportunities exist. The lucrative and inter-connected smuggling of drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and migrants by Tuareg tribes and the Tubu ethnic group operating in the south has been well documented by groups such as the Small Arms Survey for some years now, with the smuggling of weapons a more recent and even greater concern. Heading further north to where boats depart for Europe, there is a similar story of exploitation of migrants and refugees at the hands of people smugglers, corrupt state officials, and locals who all profit from their presence in the country. For example, coastguards are paid to look the other way when boats depart, detention centre guards are bribed to allow migrants and refugees to be released and local Libyans benefit from the informal labour of migrants and refugees who may be working to pay for their passage to Europe.

Similar patterns of exploitation have been identified in other transit countries such as Indonesia and in Turkey, where a whole micro-economy emerged last year in coastal towns selling items such as life-jackets to migrants and refugees. This more locally oriented profiteering may be less obvious and less reported than large-scale people smuggling but it is equally entrenched and just as lucrative.

Both these micro-economies and the people smuggling market have emerged and flourished as a direct result of increasingly restrictive asylum policies and harsh border regimes initiated by the EU and its member states. As long as there are no legal routes to Europe, people profiting from irregular migration effectively have the sole market share in this booming business.

If meaningful resettlement pathways were opened up (not just from Libya but also from other countries along the routes from sub-Saharan Africa), or if schemes for temporary labour migration were piloted, migrants and refugees would have viable alternatives to risky and unsafe irregular migration by boat. The EU could also support Libya in establishing an immigration department that could provide migrants and refugees with access to documentation as a first step towards taking irregular migration out of the hands of militia groups and placing it under the control of the government.

The EU-Turkey migration deal has set a dangerous precedent whereby international protection can be disregarded in order to reduce irregular boat arrivals. Italy has a history of making agreements with Libya to stop irregular migration, such as its 2008 Treaty on Friendship, Partnership and Cooperation with the Gaddafi regime. By voicing "concerns" about IS involvement it could now be paving the way for a similar migration-focused intervention. Irrespective of large-scale people smuggling, the micro-economies of smuggling in Libya and elsewhere will continue to thrive until realistic plans are implemented to regularise migration. Rather than blaming extremist groups for people smuggling, EU governments should look at the role their own policies play in boosting irregular migration and smuggling networks.
Caucasus Faces Fallout from Turkey's Failed Coup

Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Author Samira Ahmedbeyli, Suren Deheryan & Giorgi Kupatadze Publication Date 5 August 2016 Citation / Document Symbol CRS 822 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Caucasus Faces Fallout from Turkey's Failed Coup, 5 August 2016, CRS 822, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57aad44f4.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The failed military coup attempt in Turkey on July 15 has caused great concern in the neighbouring South Caucasus region.

Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are closely watching developments in Turkey, which has seen mass arrests, the declaration of a state of emergency and a slide towards authoritarianism.

Turkeys government has accused Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic cleric residing in the United States, of masterminding of the coup and demanded his extradition. Gulen and his supporters have also been active in the South Caucasus, particularly in Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, as relations between Turkey and the United States soured over the last two weeks, Ankara has worked on renewing its friendship with Moscow.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on August 9 in St Petersburg - the first meeting between the two leaders since Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 fighter jet over Syria last year.

This may have geopolitical and security repercussions for the three countries in the region, especially in western-leaning Georgia.

Kakha Gogolashvili, director of EU Studies at the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies (GFSIS), said that these developments could harm democracy in the South Caucasus, weaken NATOs presence in the Black Sea region and thereby impair Georgias security.

"Decreasing the level of cooperation between Turkey and West and the possible establishment of relations with Russia will harm the whole region," Gogolashvili told IWPR.

Azerbaijan and Georgia have close ties to Turkey and its leaders were among the first to express their support for Erdogan, as the elected head-of-state, over the coup plotters.

Azerbaijans president Ilham Aliyev strongly condemned the coup attempt and welcomed Erdogan's actions to stabilise the situation in Turkey, according to presidential aide Ali Hasanov.

"Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev followed the events happening in Turkey all night long with anxiety and was deeply concerned about the ongoing processes," Hasanov told the Trend news agency on July 16.

Aliyev, the region's most authoritarian leader, spoke to Erdogan over the phone on July 18. Georgias Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili met the Turkish president in Ankara two days later.

"ONE NATION, TWO STATES"

Turkey has the closest relationship with Azerbaijan amongst all the countries of the South Caucasus. Ankara was the first to recognise Azerbaijani independence in 1991 and has been a staunch supporter of its territorial integrity in the conflict over Nagorny Karabakh.

Both are Turkic countries with shared cultural and linguistic ties on which they have built a strong political, economic and military partnership. Their relations are often described as "one nation, two states".

In addition, all major energy projects involving Azerbaijan pass through the territory of Turkey. As a result, Turkey has considerable influence over Azerbaijan.

The Gulen movement, which runs over 2,000 educational institutions worldwide, also developed a notable presence in Azerbaijan from the early days of independence. But in 2014, at Erdogan's urging, all its schools were closed and the Gulen-affiliated Caucasus University in Baku was transferred to the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijani Republic (SOCAR).

(See Azerbaijan Closes Gulen Schools and Senior Azeri Official Sacked in Spillover From Turkish Internal Strife).

On July 18, Azerbaijans National Council for Television and Radio ordered the independent television station ANS TV, which had planned to screen an interview with Gulen, to stop broadcasting for one month. The official reason given was "to prevent provocation" and "to not allow the open propaganda of terrorism".

This was also the day Erdogan and Aliyev spoke by phone.

On the following day, on July 19, ANS vice president Mirshahin Agaev called a press conference to apologise to the Turkish and Azerbaijani people and ask Aliyev not to close down the channel.

Then, on July 20, Azerbaijans education ministry announced that the Caucasus University had been shut down.

Azer Ismail, advisor to the chairman of the opposition Musavat party, expressed dismay at the sequence of events.

"The process has just started and Azerbaijan has already closed the station and the university, by the way, the best university in the country. I am even afraid to think of what might happen next," he said.

A BRIDGE BETWEEN EAST AND WEST?

Like Azerbaijan, Georgia has long-standing political, economic and military relationships with Turkey.

Georgia is a transit country for two pipelines running from Azerbaijan to Turkey - the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the South Caucasus gas pipeline, also called the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline.

It is also involved in the ongoing construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, a regional rail link connecting Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Moreover, there are also educational institutions linked to Gulen in Georgia.

Turkeys consul general in Batumi, Yasin Temizkan, released a statement on July 18 calling on Georgian parents not to send their children to these schools.

Later that day, the Turkish ambassador to Georgia Levent Gumrukcu claimed that Temizkans statement had been misinterpreted, although Georgian TV stations then published a video of the consuls full statement.

One of Tbilisis main concerns in the aftermath of the coup is the future of relations between Turkey and Russia on the one hand and Turkeys relations to Western partners on the other.

"For Turkic-speaking countries, Turkey has been an example of a successful secular state and a bridge between East and West," said the GFSIS's Gogolashvili. "If the bridge collapses, it has an adverse impact not only on the Caucasus, but also on the Caspian region and Central Asia. This can lead to the increasing isolation of the region.

"Most international projects here have passed through Turkey and it has been an important factor of their safety," he continued. "If trust in Turkey declines, it may result in a decline of trust in the entire region."

On July 15, the day of the coup attempt in Turkey, Russian defence minister Sergey Shoygu caused concern when he said that Syria-like crises could be triggered in any country, including the post-Soviet republics of Central Asia and the Caucasus.

"In these circumstances, Russia will be forced to adequately respond to potential threats," Shoygu said, according to the state news agency Russia Today

Soso Tsiskarishvili, president of the Club of Independent Experts in Tbilisi, said his comments highlighted the importance of the upcoming meeting between the Turkish and Russian presidents.

"As we have seen harsh rhetoric against the United States, we can suppose that the Russian president is boundlessly happy," he said.

"Shoygu's statement that Russia views the South Caucasus as a potential Syria presents a direct threat. Neither Shoygu, nor [Russian foreign minister Sergei ] Lavrov make such statements, if there is no text from the president administration on the table," Tsiskarishvili told IWPR.

HOSTILE RELATIONS

The relationship between Armenia and Turkey has been complicated due to the dispute over the recognition of the Ottoman-era Armenian genocide as well as Armenias refusal to ratify the Treaty of Kars and Turkeys support for Azerbaijan in the Karabakh conflict.

The two countries have no diplomatic relations and their joint border has been closed since 1993 on Turkeys initiative.

Officials in Yerevan have refrained from commenting on the recent developments in Turkey.

But July 16 saw the border service of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, which guards Armenias border with Turkey and Iran, stepping up security along the 300 kilometre Armenian-Turkish section.

There are about 4,500 Russian border troops in Armenia, with costs shared equally between Russia and Armenia.

According to Ara Papian, a political analyst and president of the Centre Modus Vivendi in Yerevan, Armenia has failed to respond adequately to the developments in Turkey.

"In the early days there was no reaction, and after July 17, due to internal problems in Armenia [following the armed seizure of a police station in Yerevan that led to a two-week standoff], this question was sidelined," he told IWPR.

But Papian said the events in Turkey were important for Armenia, and may have both a positive and negative impact.

"I call it positive that Azerbaijan without the backing from Turkey has become more modest in its actions on the front line. Although it seemed that Azerbaijan could benefit from the ongoing situation in Yerevan," he said.

"Negative for us is the Turkish-Russian rapprochement. All these recent apologies of Erdogan to Putin have not been made at random. When the Turks and Russians find a common language, it is not for the benefit of the Armenians," Papian concluded.

One way to counter possible security threats to the South Caucasus would be to boost cooperation between the three countries, according to Tsiskarishvili of the Club of Independent Experts.

"Georgia should strengthen its role to maintain the peace in the region. The Karabakh issue should also recede into the background, however complicated it may be, as we stand to lose much more," he said.

"Shoygu's words indicate that Russia could contribute to the escalation of tension, and then, under the guise of peacekeepers, enter its ministry of attack in the region," he said, referring to Russias ministry of defence.

However, most observers agree that the idea of closer trilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia is unrealistic. It would be unpopular within the countries themselves and fail to benefit Russia, with which Azerbaijan and especially Armenia maintain a strategic partnership.

Samira Ahmedbeyli is IWPRs editor for Azerbaijan, Suren Deheryan is IWPR's editor for Armenia and Giorgi Kupatadze is IWPRs editor for Georgia.

Copyright notice:  Institute for War & Peace Reporting
Making Sense of Armenia's Crisis

Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Author Arshaluis Mghdesyan Publication Date 8 August 2016 Citation / Document Symbol CRS 823 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Making Sense of Armenia's Crisis, 8 August 2016, CRS 823, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57aad5414.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Experts have warned that the public demonstrations in support of gunmen who initiated a two-week hostage crisis in a Yerevan police station must serve as a wake-up call to the Armenian government.

The armed group, called Sasna Tsrer or Daredevils of Sassoun - the name of an Armenian epic poem - was coordinated by several veterans of the Nagorny Karabakh war of the early 1990s.

(See also Hostage Crisis Continues in Armenia).

Consisting initially of 31 people, the group had demanded the release of opposition figure and fellow Karabakh veteran Zhirayr Sefilian, who was arrested in mid-June for the illegal acquisition and possession of weapons.

Sefilian heads the opposition movement Founding Parliament, which was set up in 2008 and has previously organised dozens of peaceful rallies to promote regime change.

Sasna Tsrer, who also demanded the resignation of President Serzh Sargsyan, described their actions as "the beginning of an armed coup" aimed at "eradicating corruption and restoring justice".

Seven police officers were taken hostage during the course of the siege, including Armenias deputy police chief Vardan Yegiazaryan and Yerevans deputy police chief Valerii Osipyan.

The standoff finally came to an end on July 31 when the 20 remaining gunmen were convinced to lay down their arms and surrender.

By the end of the siege, two policemen had been killed and several members of the armed group injured.

Sasna Tsrers actions and demands seemed to strike a chord with a swathe of the population dissatisfied with the government.

During the first days of what has become to be called the July Crisis, several dozen people began gathering near the safety cordon set up around the police station.

Within a few days, well over 1,000 people had turned out to support the gunmen, leading to clashes with the police that resulted in injuries and hundreds of arrests.

Protests in the capital continued even after the end of the siege, although they have been moved to Liberty Square in central Yerevan.

Freedom House said the two-week occupation of the police station "drew unexpected public support, raising questions about the countrys future stability."

A DESPERATE SITUATION

"A full analysis of these events will take a long time," Sargsyan said on August 1, a day after the surrender, adding that the priority was that "the very existence of the disastrous tendency to solve problems through violence must be eradicated."

Sargsyan, who also raised the possibility of the formation of a government of national consensus, continued, "Anyone can dislike the authorities, or the government, or the president, [and] can be categorically against our policies.

"However, dislike cannot be a reason for glorifying those who attempt to solve problems with arms. Authorities come and go. Encouragement of terrorism will remain as a cancer and will spread. It will ruin everything our nation has created."

Stepan Danielyan, head of the Cooperation for Democracy Centre in Yerevan, said that popular sympathy for the armed group could be attributed to the lack of political mechanisms to influence those in power.

"In this connection, the actions of the armed group are not a simple criminal act, but the result of political processes going on in the country," Danielyan told IWPR. "There is such a desperate situation in the country that ordinary people took to the streets and supported the actions of the group. This is a political assessment of the authorities by society. It turns out that part of society already advocates armed struggle or approves an armed struggle against the government."

The protests also reached Gyumri, Armenias second largest city, where demonstrators shut down one of the main streets.

Protesters called for Sargsyan's resignation and Sefilyan's release as well as an end to corruption and economic monopolies.

Throughout the standoff, the ruling Republican Party of Armenia as well as the majority of the parliamentary opposition made no official comment.

Despite calls from some politicians and NGOs to hold an extraordinary session of parliament to discuss the situation in the country, no action was taken.

Sargsyan's only public statement, five days after the crisis began, was to say that country was going through "difficult times" and the members of the armed group "should lay down their arms and surrender".

Stepan Grigoryan, chairman of the board of the Analytical Centre on Globalization and Regional Cooperation (ACGRC), said that the political response to the crisis had been pathetic.

"The political elite, especially parliament, showed its utter helplessness during the days of the crisis and its detachment from public sentiment," he continued. "The political system was just in a stupor, which highlights the question of a change of political generation."

Artak Kirakosyan, chairman of the Civil Society Institute in Yerevan, agreed that the events of recent weeks should serve as a wake-up call for the government.

"These problems must be solved, and the authorities should learn a lesson from all that has happened," he said. "This is a crisis of the entire political system and a crisis of confidence. Most importantly, the ruling party has lost the upcoming parliamentary elections."

Parliamentary elections will next be held in spring 2017. In early 2018, under the new constitution passed last December, the country will switch from a semi-presidential to a parliamentary form of government.

"THE STORY IS NOT OVER"

A week after the police station takeover began, after all the hostages were released as a result of negotiations, the police changed tactics and began to use snipers to shoot at the gunmen's lower limbs.

Eight members of the armed group were injured and subsequently hospitalized, while several others were arrested during the transfer of the wounded.

In the latter days of the siege, police also began to apply force against pro-Sasna Tsrer demonstrators and arrest some political activists and opposition politicians.

According to Human Rights Watch, Armenian police used excessive force against peaceful protesters on July 29, when they beat dozens of demonstrators and journalists and used stun grenades to forcefully disperse them.

Some people claimed that among those doing the beating were police officers in civilian clothes. One teenager had one of his eyes knocked out.

Sargsyan apologized to the media in his speech on August 1 for these events, describing them as "our greatest blunder".

According to a National Security Service report on August 1, 47 people were arrested or detained in connection with the seizure of the police station. Twenty-four of them face criminal charges for hostage-taking.

Many activists remain in jail and have been charged with organizing mass disturbances, which they reject.

Grigoryan stressed that the authorities needed to strenuously pursue reforms so as to avoid further political excesses.

"The story is not over," he said. "If the authorities delay their reaction, there may well be undesirable scenarios for a forceful change of the political leadership. If it is more responsive, then we will have a chance for a change of the power paradigm without so much stress - through elections. So everything depends on the authorities."

Arshaluis Mghdesyan is a freelance journalist in Armenia.

Copyright notice:  Institute for War & Peace Reporting
Sierra Leone: Seeking Justice For Rape Survivors

Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Author Bintu Conteh & Regina Pratt Publication Date 8 August 2016 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Sierra Leone: Seeking Justice For Rape Survivors, 8 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57aad6824.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Large numbers of rape cases, especially of minors, are going unreported in Sierra Leone, with few survivors of sexual violence willing or able to approach the authorities.

Many families are deterred from pursuing legal cases by social stigma, a lack of faith in the justice system and an inability to afford legal representation or even transport costs to the court.

Instead, people turn to traditional justice mechanisms following such cases of abuse.

Sitting in a makeshift hut in her home village of Towama in Bo province, Saffie Kay (not her real name) wept as she related how her uncle had raped her.

She said she would never get justice for the attack. Issues of family honour meant that the issue had been dealt with through arbitration.

"My dad did not want to involve the police, so that my future would not be affected," Saffie said.

Under Sierra Leonean law, rape carries a prison sentence of a minimum of five and a maximum of 15 years.

Although there is a legal and investigative infrastructure in place that in theory supports victims and ensures justice, in practice this process often does not work.

After a rape is reported and basic evidence collected, the complainant is referred to the local Rainbow Clinic, state centres that treat victims of sexual abuse and are supported by the International Rescue Committee of the Red Cross.

A case is then opened and statements taken before court proceedings are initiated.

Attacks against those under the age of 18, the age of consent in Sierra Leone, are prosecuted as sexual penetration. The crime of rape is applied to only those cases where the victim is aged over 18. The penalties are the same in either instance.

The cases are then sent to a magistrate's court for preliminary investigation and then committed to a High Court for further investigation, sentence and discharge.

Rita Kamara is the administrative officer of the Family Support Unit (FSU) the police division that deals with cases of sexual abuse, in the capital Freetown.

"We conduct preliminary investigations into cases of rape and sexual penetration by obtaining a statement from the victim and then preparing a medical report for one of our line partners, the Rainbow medical clinic, before we continue further investigation against the perpetrator," Kamara said.

"As a unit, we are doing all we can to ensure that justice is given to the victims, after the medical reports are received from the Rainbow medical clinic. The medical reports help us to conclude our investigations before the files are taken to the director of public prosecution to peruse them and make recommendations on the report," Kamara added.

Abortion is banned in Sierra Leone, and Theresa Vibbie, the Paramount Chief of Kenema's Kandu Lekpeyama chiefdom, said that some rape survivors were forced to seek illegal procedures. These were often botched, leading to long-term health problems.

Rape survivors who do not report their cases and gain access to appropriate treatment also risk severe health complications including sexually transmitted disease.

In Kenema, Patrick, the father of a young girl who was raped, said that his daughter had suffered appalling physical consequences.

"My six-year-old daughter was raped; she developed horrific complications including a fistula and was hospitalised for almost about three months, and the case took five months before it was concluded at the High Court in Kenema, where the rapist was sentenced to eight years," he said.

"I WILL NEVER IN MY LIFE FORGIVE"

Sandialu, a remote village in the west of Kenema district, is a tight-knit community where most marriages take place within extended families. This means that cultural sensitivities make reporting cases of sexual abuse even more difficult.

Jamatu Ansumana (not her real name) was assaulted two years ago aged 14 by a 39-year-old man as she walked to the family farm after school. Now 16, Ansumana recalled that the man threatened to kill her if she told anyone about the rape.

"It was a bitter day for me, as I was still a virgin and felt so much pain," she said.

After the rape, she got dressed and continued on to the farm where her parents were already working. Despite being in extreme pain, she decided not to tell them about what had happened to her.

A week later, she finally confided in her mother who advised her not to tell her father or anyone else about what had happened.

"There was a similar case with our neighbour's daughter who was treated unfairly at the police station, by the community and by the magistrate," Her said, adding that that girl had become pregnant as a result of the rape and subsequently died after seeking a backstreet abortion.

Ansumana's mother, Sombo Jaward, said that she feared the police and local leaders would derail any investigation even if she and her daughter reported the rape.

"I started treating her with traditional medicinal herbs to help her recover from the pain and I did not report this issue because I don't have money to pursue the case, to pay transport from here to Kenema or to even hire the services of a lawyer," she said.

Jaward said that she knew of four cases of sexual violence in which the complainants finally abandoned legal proceedings because of the social stigma as well as endless delays in the judicial procedures.

After two months, when Ansumana could no longer bear living in the same village as the perpetrator, she moved to live with her aunt. Ansumana also kept the assault secret from her.

"At times I do get flashbacks about the day I was raped and this incident contributed greatly to me dropping out from school when I was 14 years old. I will never in my life forgive that man who raped me," she said.

WHY RAPE PROSECUTIONS FAIL

The 2014 National Crime Statistics recorded 77 cases of rape and 2,124 of sexual penetration.

There is no national data available for 2015 due to the Ebola epidemic, although some statistics were collected on a provincial basis.

For instance in Kenema, FSU data collection officer Gbondo Morison Aruna said that 14 instances of rape had been reported locally in 2015.

Of these, five were prosecuted and the perpetrators are currently serving prison terms of seven years each. Four other cases collapsed due to a lack of prosecution witnesses while another three were abandoned by the complainants. Two men are still in remand while their cases proceed at the Kenema high court.

However, Aruna emphasised that many cases of rape were never brought to the attention of the authorities.

"The major reason why people fail to report rape is that the vast majority of cases were resolved by traditional justice mechanisms by negotiating with both the victim's parents and the perpetrators, either by paying money or other means," he said.

Ordinary people were put off by the slow nature of the court system in Sierra Leone, Aruna explained, and preferred to find solutions themselves.

However, he explained that lengthy preparation was often necessary to avoid the case being thrown out of court. Many people were reluctant to provide the police with information, especially when this meant they might be called as a witness.

This further delayed proceedings, he continued.

"We always have a problem with the issue of witnesses, but if all the evidence needed are available and the perpetrator is arrested, it will only take us 24 hours to present the matter to the court," he said.

Kenema FSU manager Matty Tarawallie agreed that the police were only informed as a last resort.

"No crime is taken to the police without first informing local leaders and heavy fines are levied on those who fail to comply with societal or customary practice. This is not only inefficient and corrupt but also risks destroying the victim's health."

Dafie Benya, the Paramount Chief of Kenema's Small Bo Chiefdom, argued that people often turned to traditional justice processes because the legal system seemed to favour the perpetrator over the victim.

Convicted rapists sometimes only served five to eight months of their prison sentence before they were released back into the community, he continued.

"Victims and parents often abandon the case after they attend court more than three to four times, with frequent adjournments, as a lot of money will be spent on transportation to attend court with no positive result. Many will decide to abandon the case," he added.

Aruna emphasised that his force would not agree to criminal cases being resolved through mediation, citing section 12 in the domestic violence act of 2007, which states that only the magistrate's court can investigate such cases.

And most cases taken to court were won by the prosecution, he added.

"The cases we lose in court are mostly as a result of the people themselves failing to make a follow-up visit to court to give evidence. Witnesses don't show up and such cases are always thrown out of court for lack of evidence," Aruna said.

An FSU officer from Bo, Sierra Leone's second largest city, said that victims were often unwilling to pursue formal cases and preferred to turn to local chiefs for arbitration.

"You cannot prosecute a case when the principal witness is not prepared to give evidence..." said the officer, who asked to remain anonymous. "At times, even when some of them do make statement to police and a medical report is issued, they do not return with the signed reports."

Jamir Dumbuya, who works at Legal Access through Women Yearning for Equal Rights and Social Justice (LAWYERS), agreed.

"The police use whatever investigation and statement they get from the victim to take the perpetrator to court, [but] in some cases the victims do not appear to prosecute the alleged perpetrator," he said.

Dumbuya said that a dedicated forensic expert would be a major help in successfully pursuing cases. Although there are some forensic specialists working within the justice system, there were none who specialise in cases of sexual violence.

In turn, some victims and their families have accused police officers or prosecutors of taking bribes from the accused in return for endlessly delaying the justice process.

Mary Conteh is the founder of the Women's Centre for Good Governance and Human Rights (WOCEGAR) in Makeni, the largest city in Sierra Leone's Northern Province.

"Our own opinion about some of these cases is that are not properly investigated due to interference by the prosecution using money or political affiliation," she said.

Kenema FSU's Tarawallie strenuously denied such allegations.

He said that the FSU was professional and well-trained and did not engage in any such practice, noting that they also came under the scrutiny of the Anti-Corruption Commission, a regulatory police body.

Aruna added that it was often the families that were willing to accept payment in return for dropping charges, he added.

"Parents of victims have been known to ask for a ransom of around Le500,000 (130 US dollars) from the accused persons so as to drop the case rapists comply in order to avoid a potential jail sentence of a minimum of five and a maximum of 15 years, according to the judge's discretion," Aruna said.

WORKING TOWARDS RECOVERY

Alhaji Osman Smith is a gynecologist who works at the Kenema Government Hospital and heads the Rainbow Centre. He said that he saw about six rape cases a year In which the victims suffered severe medical complications that could lead to life-long disability and even death.

Smith added that victims needed to seek immediate treatment to avoid such long-term effects. Many of these patients had contracted a sexually transmitted disease in the course of their ordeal and most went on to develop mental health issues. Some had clearly been subject to a lengthy period of abuse.

"I encountered clear cases of sexual violence against women, children and minors in which parents or family members were unwilling to explain what had happened to the patients," he continued.

"During examinations, I found that some victims had been sexually abused for a long time. Some parents refused to answer, but many confessed and accepted the fact that my patient had been raped or molested," he said.

While doctors have the right to report such incidents, they have to follow community protocols and first contact the local authorities who then make the decision as to whether to pass the case to the police.

Smith explained that parents often told him that they could not report such assaults for fear of social stigma and the lack of money to pursue a legal case.

But Jeneba Koroma, assistant director of the ministry of social welfare, gender and children's affairs, said that she believed more victims of sexual abuse were coming forward.

She said that her department, together with other partners, was trying to raise funds for victims of gender violence in the Kenema district.

The aim was "to aid and fast track the cases of victims of reported rape and this will also help encourage people to report their cases to the appropriate authorities," she continued.

But Aruna said that the whole justice process was so fraught with difficulties that they needed help from both local and international NGOs to help it work more efficiently.

Others called for sentences to be increased as a deterrence measure.

"Courts need to be resolute in such cases and sentences need to be severe to deter reoffending," said Augustine Sannoh, the chairman of Kenema's civil society coalition.

Kamara, of the Freetown FSU, also argued that a sentence of between five and 15 years in prison was not enough.

"The penalty should be life imprisonment because of the stigma on the victim [which] causes some of them to shy away from prosecution," she said.

But Benya, from Kenema's Small Bo Chiefdom, said that legislation alone was no use without an accompanying support structure.

Ordinary people felt they had little choice but to try and resolve cases of sexual violence extra-judicially, he said, adding, "The laws are in place, but the system to help them is not put in place."

Copyright notice:  Institute for War & Peace Reporting
Sierra Leone: Pastors Face Abuse Allegations

Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Author Martha Kargbo Publication Date 9 August 2016 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Sierra Leone: Pastors Face Abuse Allegations, 9 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57aad7ce4.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Amie, 16, lives with her five-month old daughter, parents and siblings in a one-bedroom apartment in a hilltop slum in Freetown.

Her baby, she said, was the child of a local pastor who had repeatedly raped her since the age of 14.

Amie (not her real name) described how her family's spiritual advisor, who ran an unregistered church in the New England-Dwarzak community, had made her suffer through years of abuse.

After the first assault, which took place on February 1, 2014, in a local graveyard, Amie discovered she was pregnant and confided in her mother who helped her secretly arrange an abortion.

"I refused to tell my parents that [the pastor] was responsible for the pregnancy because he once threatened me that if I ever attempt to tell anybody about what has been happening between us, I will die or my life will become miserable," Amie said.

In August of that year she again discovered she was pregnant. Her mother arranged another abortion with the help of Le100,000 (25 US dollars) from the pastor, although he did not admit he was the father.

In March 2015, Amie said she was again raped by the pastor and became pregnant. This time, she kept the baby and told her family the whole story.

Her father is a baker and her mother helps sell bread, but they found the money to seek legal advice and her case went to court in April 2016.

However the case was dismissed by the magistrate who said that there was insufficient evidence to refer it to a higher court.

Experts say that incidences of sexual abuse against minors by religious or community figures are on the rise in Sierra Leone. Victims of such attacks rarely get access to justice.

Legal processes are lengthy and expensive, while issues of family honour mean many cases are resolved extra-judicially.

(See also Sierra Leone: Seeking Justice For Rape Survivors).

When the alleged perpetrator is a religious leader, it is even harder for victims and their families to pursue the case. Sierra Leone is largely a Muslim country, but around a fifth of the population is Christian and there is little oversight of religious institutions.

Amie's mother said that she herself had come under pressure to not press charges.

"In 2015 [the pastor] called me to say that if my daughter decided to make any statement against him, he will ensure her life becomes miserable," she said Amie. "But while investigations were on, [the pastor] sent some of his church members to me to plead on his behalf for me to tell the police to close the matter but I refused because of the harm he has cursed my daughter and family with.

The family also alleged that the police refused to take a statement from a key witness whose phone the pastor used to communicate with their daughter. In addition, there was no forensic investigation.

"The court threw out my case stating that there is lack of sufficient evidence, without ordering any medical or DNA testing on my baby and the man who I believe raped and impregnated me, so that the court could confirm my allegations," Amie said.

Although there are no DNA testing facilities in Sierra Leone, in some cases officials have ordered the procedure via a laboratory in Freetown that has partnerships with centres in Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa.

VULNERABLE GROUPS

In Sierra Leone, rape is punishable by a term of imprisonment of between five and 15 years.

Attacks against those under the age of 18, the age of consent, are prosecuted as sexual penetration and carry the same penalty.

Superintendent Mira Koroma is the director of the Family Support Unit (FSU), the police department tasked with investigating crimes of sexual abuse.

"Presently, reports about sexual penetration against children below 18 are on the increase," she said. "We do receive reports from communities where people in authority, such as community leaders, pastors and imams engage in sexual activities with girls under the age of 18."

Koroma said that nationwide there had been 2,353 reported cases of sexual penetration in 2015, up from 1,485 in 2013.

She said that most instances had involved girls aged between 12 and 16, noting that this group was particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation.

Ethel Noldreld, lead paralegal for Legal Access through Women Yearning for Equal Rights and Social Justice (LAWYERS), said that many cases they dealt with involved abuse by a religious or community leader.

She added that her organisation had recorded 100 cases of rape and 30 cases of sexual penetration in the Freetown/Western Urban, Kono and Kenema areas alone between January and March 2015.

Religious figures acknowledge that the problem is real.

The general secretary for the Evangelical Fellowship of Sierra Leone (EFSL) Jonathan Titus Williams, agreed that reports of pastors abusing members of their churches were on the rise.

"One of the reasons why religious leaders are involved in cases of sexual abuse is because the respect given to them by people makes [nearly] impossible for them to face the law," explained Naasu Fofanah, the founder and chief executive officer of United for Humanity, a Sierra Leonian NGO.

Fofanah said that she herself had been raped by a member of the clergy when she was a teenager.

Victims needed psychological counseling to help them deal with the trauma, something that was rarely available in the country, she continued.

"Staying in the same community where the incident took place makes the traumatic situation worse for its victims, so psychological therapeutic intervention is critical for victims," she said.

The ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children's Affairs (MSWGA) is responsible for overseeing the operations of the country's religious institutions. The ministry did not respond to questions on what officials were doing to regulate the activities and conduct of religious leaders.

DISTANT HOPES FOR JUSTICE

There are multiple challenges involved in bringing cases to court.

Long delays in the judicial system mean that alleged perpetrators often go free because poorer families can simply not afford to continue with the case.

As well as the expense of legal advice, many are unable to meet the costs of repeatedly travelling back and forth to the court.

Koroma agreed that many cases of alleged abuse were being swept under the carpet or resolved informally.

"I believe women and girls are not safe from any form of sexual offence because of the manner in which sexual offence cases are compromised at community level by people who must ensure the law is enforced," she said.

"Our leaders at all levels need to stand firm to ensure that our laws are fully implemented to ensure the safety of women and girls across the country."

Ebun James-Dekam, secretary general for the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone (CCSL) said that a lack of oversight of religious leaders had allowed abusers to take advantage of their positions.

There are no set criteria for people to become pastors or imams in many of the country's churches or mosques, leaving poor and illiterate people vulnerable to exploitation.

Cases of abuse often involved recently established churches under the control of one man and which had not been registered with the authorities, he continued.

"I have recommended to the ministry of social welfare that they should close down churches where their leaders are engaged in sexual offences," he said. "Those religious leaders who are involved or caught in the act of sexually abusing women and young girls must be punished."

Williams, of the EFSL, said that action was urgently needed to kick such offenders out of the church as they were damaging the reputation of entire religious communities.

"This is affecting the church negatively because lots of immoral issues that are now been reported about pastors are being generalised," he said.

Williams also recommended that there should be set requirements for founding or operating a church in Sierra Leone.

Campaigners also argue that more needed to be done to support the operations of the legal system.

Fofanah said that she had long campaigned for the establishment of a sex offenders' register, which does not exist in Sierra Leone. This would help coordinate actions across all religious groups in the country.

"We want the report of those cases and once they are convicted, we will take them to the inter-religious council for further discipline and if possible expel the perpetrators," she said, "because people of such a nature should not serve as religious leaders."

Copyright notice:  Institute for War & Peace Reporting
Freedom in the World 2016 - South Sudan

Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 9 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - South Sudan, 9 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ab13e424.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Freedom Status: Not Free

Aggregate Score: 14

Freedom Rating: 6.5

Political Rights: 7

Civil Liberties: 6

Quick Facts

Capital: Juba

Population: 12,152,000

GDP/capita: $1,097.30

Press Freedom Status: Not Free

Net Freedom Status: N/A

OVERVIEW

After seven broken cease-fires, the main protagonists of South Sudan's civil war signed a deal in August 2015 to end the fighting. Riek Machar, the former vice president whose dismissal by President Salva Kiir in 2013 presaged the fighting, was the first to sign the agreement. Kiir added his name to the deal after stalling for a week, but made it clear he was acting under pressure from the international community. The agreement essentially returned South Sudan to the status quo ante, with Machar taking up the position of first vice president under Kiir in a transitional government of national unity, to expire in 30 months.

There were reported violations of the cease-fire by each side in the latter part of 2015. In November, the United Nations said the two factions were actively amassing weapons and ammunition in preparation for a resumption of hostilities. Despite these reports, the UN Security Council decided against imposing an arms embargo.

In October, the full horrors of the conflict became clearer when the African Union (AU) made public the findings of its long-delayed investigation into human rights abuses in the early months of the war. The report said both sides committed grave offenses such as rape, murder, torture, dismemberment, forced cannibalism, and looting, largely targeting civilians. The commission submitted a confidential list of alleged perpetrators to the AU's Peace and Security Council and called for the creation of a special court to try them. It also recommended the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

South Sudan's conflict has contributed to one of the most serious humanitarian crises in the world. According to a UN report from October, around 2.2 million people have been displaced and more than 4.6 million people were severely food insecure, partly as a result of the fighting. As of August, almost 200,000 people were taking shelter at bases of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) throughout the country.

POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES

Political Rights: 2 / 40

A. Electoral Process: 3 / 12

Kiir was elected president of the semiautonomous region of Southern Sudan in 2010, and became president of South Sudan when it achieved independence in 2011. A revised version of Southern Sudan's 2005 interim constitution, adopted at independence, gives sweeping powers to the executive, which dominates all other institutions of the state. The president cannot be impeached and has the authority to fire state governors and dissolve the parliament and state assemblies. Kiir was quick to use these wide powers, notably dismissing his entire cabinet and the vice president, Machar, in 2013. He also fired two state governors and missed constitutional deadlines to elect permanent replacements.

A permanent constitution was due to be passed by 2015, but work was hampered by administrative delays, budget shortfalls, and the civil war. The National Constitutional Review Commission has yet to produce a draft. Some opposition politicians boycotted the constitutional consultation process, claiming it was insufficiently inclusive and was dominated by members of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).

South Sudan's bicameral National Legislature was reconfigured after independence. The SPLM exercises almost total control of the lower house, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), holding 90 percent of the 332 seats. In addition to members of the old, preindependence Southern legislature  who were elected in 2010  the chamber includes 96 former members of Sudan's National Assembly and 66 additional members appointed by the president. The upper chamber, the Council of States, includes 20 former members of Sudan's Council of States, plus 30 members appointed by Kiir. In principle, significant powers are devolved to the 10 state assemblies, but there have long been complaints that power is too centralized. In October, Kiir announced that South Sudan's 10 states would be replaced by 28 new states with boundaries that largely reflected ethnic divisions. The plan raised some concerns that federal level political tensions would merely be transferred to a lower level of government.

Preparations for the country's first national elections, originally scheduled for 2015, were derailed by the outbreak of the civil war. Under a new timetable established by the August 2015 peace deal, elections will be held at least 60 days before the 30-month mandate of the national unity government expires.

B. Political Pluralism and Participation: 1 / 16 (+1)

Although the peace agreement reached in August set a timetable for elections, in practice opposition parties have no chance of winning real political power. Five opposition parties are represented in the NLA, but they lack both the resources to operate effectively and the experience to formulate policy and set party platforms. The SPLM is intolerant of opposition. The derailment of electoral preparations by the civil war removed what little opportunity there might have been for the opposition to gain power.

The SPLM is also deeply intolerant of internal dissent. The civil war was preceded by Kiir's decision to marginalize a significant portion of South Sudan's political leadership, his refusal to convene a meeting of the SPLM's executive body to discuss complaints about his governing style, and his failure to promote internal party democracy. Kiir has been accused of allowing his decisions to be led by a group of close advisers, described by his opponents as "regional and ethnic lobbies and close business associates." Accusations persist that members of the country's largest ethnic group, the Dinka, dominate the SPLM's leadership and the security services to the detriment of others.

South Sudan's military, the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), exercises an overbearing influence over political affairs and public life.

C. Functioning of Government: 1 / 12

Endemic corruption has shattered public confidence in the state. South Sudan is ranked 163 of the 168 countries and territories surveyed in Transparency International's 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index. Government appointments are typically handed to SPLM loyalists or potential rivals with little regard for merit, and corrupt officials take advantage of inadequate budget monitoring to divert public funds. The vast majority of the state's revenues remain in the capital, Juba, where they are shared among a tiny elite. Ghost workers are used to artificially inflate the public payroll, allowing corrupt officials to steal the surplus.

Opaque management of South Sudan's oil wealth, which accounts for the largest share of government revenue, allows some SPLM officials to line their own pockets without consequences.

The civil conflict has engendered a war economy where well-connected military elites have flourished while formal economic activity has ground to a halt. Military spending takes up at least 40 percent of the budget. In addition, the president's office operates its own, entirely opaque, security budget.

Institutions set up to promote accountability are weak and underfunded. According to the Enough Project, in the first quarter of 2015 the Anti-Corruption Commission and the National Audit Chamber received only 64 and 17 percent of their budgets, respectively.

Discretionary Political Rights Question B: 3 / 0 (-1)

In both government-controlled areas and parts of the country occupied by Machar loyalists, combatants have engaged in targeted killings against opponents based on their ethnicity in order to pursue vendettas and seek political gain. Civilians have been murdered, raped, tortured, and had their homes and livestock destroyed because of their ethnicity. While some of these atrocities were the result of poorly disciplined fighters acting on their own initiative, others appear to have been officially planned and coordinated.

The AU report on South Sudan relayed estimates from exiles and the opposition that mass killings of up to 20,000 members of the Nuer ethnic group took place in the opening days of the civil war, in December 2013. It said the killings were carried out by members of the state security forces and the Presidential Guard. The AU commission found that systematic gross violations of human rights were committed by both sides and that in some cases, these crimes were planned and coordinated. Neither side has made any attempt to hold its forces accountable for the widespread abuses that mostly targeted civilians.

Civil Liberties: 12 / 60 (-1)

D. Freedom of Expression and Belief: 4 / 16

The operating environment for journalists has deteriorated since independence. Conditions became even more difficult with the outbreak of the civil war, which prompted a government crackdown on reporters, including some foreign correspondents, who tried to interview rebel leaders or provide balanced coverage of the conflict. As a result, many reporters exercise self-censorship, while others have left the country altogether. The government's attitude toward the media was summed up by Kiir in August, when he said that "freedom of the press does not mean you work against the country."

Events in 2015 underlined the risks faced by the media. In the worst incident, five reporters were killed in January when their convoy was attacked in Western Bahr el Ghazal state. Two other journalists were shot dead in separate attacks in May and August. These incidents made South Sudan the deadliest African country in which to practice journalism in 2015, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). No suspects have been arrested in connection with any of the attacks, nor has there been any progress in the investigation into the 2012 murder of online journalist Diing Chan Awuol.

Members of the National Security Service (NSS) have ordered the closure of newspapers with coverage they disliked in recent years. In February 2015, the independent Nation Mirror was shut down for printing antigovernment articles. In August, two newspapers and a radio station were shuttered indefinitely.

Although parliament has passed bills to govern public broadcasting in South Sudan, to set up a media oversight authority, and to guarantee the public right of access to information, none of the bills have been implemented.

The interim constitution guarantees religious freedom, but places of worship became targets for attack by both sides in the conflict after the civil war broke out. During the fighting in Malakal, Bor, and Bentiu, thousands of people taking refuge in churches and mosques were attacked because of their ethnicity.

There are no government restrictions on academic freedom, but basic access to education is limited outside state capitals. The education system has been seriously disrupted by the civil war. Some 70 percent of schools were closed in the three most conflict-affected states  Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile  and some schools were commandeered for military use.

Public discussion of political issues is muted for fear of harassment by authorities. The government uses the NSS to track and intimidate perceived critics and is believed to use telephone surveillance to monitor opponents.

E. Associational and Organizational Rights: 3 / 12

Freedoms of assembly and association are enshrined in the interim charter but have been seriously eroded in practice. Protests do occur but have faced excessive governmental force. South Sudan is highly dependent on assistance from foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), yet the government has taken an increasingly confrontational approach toward them. In May, South Sudan's parliament passed a law that included a provision to limit the number of foreign workers organizations could hire. Kiir refused to sign the bill and sent it back to parliament for further consideration; it had not been enacted by year's end.

South Sudan is a dangerous place for humanitarian workers, who have been targeted by combatants on numerous occasions. At least 29 aid workers were killed during the civil war through August 2015, according to the United Nations. Four World Food Programme staff who had gone missing in 2014 were declared presumed dead in August 2015. Armed groups have singled out UNMISS personnel and civilians in their care for attack. Both sides in the civil war have interfered with the delivery of humanitarian supplies, especially to areas near South Sudan's second largest city, Malakal.

Domestic civil society organizations, including unions, remain nascent. A Workers' Trade Union Federation, formed in 2010, has 65,000 members. Legislation to codify labor rights has stalled in the NLA.

F. Rule of Law: 1 / 16

The rhetorical commitment to an independent judiciary in South Sudan's interim constitution is "unmatched by practice," according to the October AU report. Judges are few in number, the mechanism for appointments is unclear, and the court system is under huge strain. According to the U.S. State Department, pretrial detainees were estimated to account for between one-third and two-thirds of the prison population. Inefficiencies in the justice system have led to indefinite detention.

The president was accused of using the outbreak of fighting in December 2013 as a pretext to detain prominent political rivals. Eleven current and former senior SPLM officials were arrested on suspicion of involvement in an attempted coup. All members of the group were released in 2014 following pressure from the international community and were reinstated to the SPLM in June 2015.

There is a culture of impunity within the security forces, with serious abuses carried out against civilians, reportedly with the full knowledge or on the orders of senior commanders. The NSS, which reports directly to the president, has been responsible for arbitrary arrests and abuses. Under the National Security Service Law, which came into force in early 2015, the NSS has almost unlimited powers to detain and interrogate suspects.

Members of the SPLA, the South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS), and the NSS have played a central role in the violence that has engulfed South Sudan since 2013. UNMISS, the AU, and human rights organizations have accused members of the security services of involvement in extrajudicial killings, attacks on civilians, enforced disappearances, destruction of property, and sexual violence. Internal investigations into their conduct were announced in recent years, but there have been no public reports on their progress.

While there have been modest improvements to the penal system, prison facilities are poor, with unsanitary conditions and insufficient food for inmates. Children and the mentally ill are routinely detained with the general prison population.

Civilians, including children, the elderly, and the infirm, have been terrorized by both sides in the civil war. The AU report outlined multiple cases of murder, rape, mutilation, and even forced cannibalism committed by armed combatants against civilians, and said war crimes had taken place in the cities of Juba, Bor, Malakal, and Bentiu. Control of Malakal changed hands a dozen times during the fighting, leaving it virtually destroyed. Residents, including women and children, were targeted for attack by combatants from both sides, even as they took refuge in churches and hospitals.

Since the war for independence from Sudan ended in 2005, more than two million refugees and internally displaced people have moved back to the South. The government encouraged their return but has largely failed to provide them with even the most basic assistance.

Same-sex sexual conduct is not explicitly illegal in South Sudan, but "carnal intercourse against the order of nature" is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) individuals face widespread discrimination and stigma.

G. Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: 4 / 16 (-1)

South Sudan's interim constitution enshrines the rights of free movement and residence, as well as the right to an education. In reality, poverty, poor to nonexistent service delivery, and conflict have restricted the ability of most citizens to exercise these rights.

Land use and ownership are frequent causes of conflict in South Sudan, and returning refugees have exacerbated the problem. Unclear or nonexistent laws have been exploited by SPLM officials and overseas investors to uproot people from their land. Foreign workers in South Sudan have complained of harassment and discrimination. Both sides in the civil war have reportedly looted foreign-owned businesses.

The interim constitution guarantees the rights of women to equal pay and property ownership. Women hold a quarter of the posts in the NLA, fulfilling a constitutional gender quota. Nonetheless, women are routinely exposed to discriminatory practices and domestic abuse. The prevalence of child marriage contributes to low levels of educational attainment among girls. Official figures suggest that almost half of girls aged 15 to 19 are married. Systematic and widespread sexual and gender based violence against women was committed with impunity by both sides during the civil war.

Sex and labor trafficking is widespread, with rural woman and girls, the internally displaced, or migrants from neighboring countries being the most vulnerable to exploitation. The use of child soldiers is widespread, with both the SPLA and other armed groups forcibly recruiting children as combatants.

Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)

X = Score Received

Y = Best Possible Score

Z = Change from Previous Year

Copyright notice:  Freedom House, Inc.  All Rights Reserved
Freedom in the World 2016 - Slovakia

Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 9 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - Slovakia, 9 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ab13e652.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Freedom Status: Free

Aggregate Score: 89

Freedom Rating: 1.0

Political Rights: 1

Civil Liberties: 1

Quick Facts

Capital: Bratislava

Population: 5,424,051

GDP/capita: $18,416.50

Press Freedom Status: Free

Net Freedom Status: N/A

OVERVIEW

In 2015, Slovakia's prime minister, Robert Fico, joined a number of other Central European leaders who responded to Europe's refugee crisis by pushing back against the mandatory resettlement quotas prescribed by the European Union (EU). In December, Slovakia filed a lawsuit with the European Court of Justice, challenging the refugee redistribution scheme.

Domestically, the ruling Direction-Social Democracy (Smer-SD) party maintained its single-party majority in 2015, with opinion polls showing its popularity rising in the latter half of the year as the standoff with the EU continued.

POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES

Political Rights: 36 / 40 (-1)

A. Electoral Process: 12 / 12

Voters elect the president for up to two five-year terms. Members of the 150-seat, unicameral National Council are elected for four-year terms through nationwide proportional representation. Parties must obtain at least 5 percent of the vote to win seats. The prime minister is appointed by the president but must have majority support in the parliament to govern. The presidency is mostly ceremonial, though the president has the power to name judges to the Constitutional Court, appoints 3 of the Judicial Council's 18 members, may veto legislation, and approves any proposal by the prime minister to recall a member of the government.

Early parliamentary elections in 2012 resulted in a landslide victory for Fico's Smer-SD, which won 83 seats. The two main parties in the outgoing center-right government, the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union-Democratic Party (SDKU-DS) captured 16 and 11 seats, respectively. Most-Hid (Bridge), which advocates for better cooperation between the country's ethnic Hungarian minority and ethnic Slovak majority, took 13 seats, and the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party won 11 seats. A new party composed of former SaS members, the Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OLaNO), secured 16 seats.

Andrej Kiska  an independent candidate without previous political experience  won the presidency in 2014, beating his primary competitor, Fico, by a significant margin.

New electoral legislation came into effect in July 2015 that unified voting procedures across the country, set new campaign spending limits and finance regulations, and prescribed fines for violating election rules. The changes also included a moratorium on campaigning for two days before an election and a ban on publishing opinion poll results for two weeks before the first round of voting. A 14-member committee, appointed with input from political parties and members of the judiciary, will now oversee elections and campaigning.

Slovakia's next parliamentary elections will take place in March 2016.

B. Political Pluralism and Participation: 15 / 16

Slovakia is home to a competitive multiparty system. Since the country joined the European Union in 2004, power has shifted between center-left and center-right coalitions. The left-leaning Smer-SD, then in opposition, won the 2012 parliamentary elections by a margin large enough to form Slovakia's first-ever single-party government.

Relations between Smer-SD and the opposition center-right parties remained confrontational throughout 2015, with the opposition accusing Smer-SD of using its majority to rush through legislation or block other factions' proposals. Analysts interpreted Kiska's landslide victory in the 2014 presidential election as a reflection of growing concern that Fico and Smer-SD  which controls more than half of seats in Slovakia's National Assembly  are developing a monopoly on political power in the country. However, both Fico and his party remained popular throughout 2015. Meanwhile, the popularity of the nationalist Slovak National Party (SNS) rose.

Oligarchs, some of whom have ties to the political class in Slovakia, have seen their influence grow in recent years through purchases of large media companies.

Slovakia's first-ever Romany representative, Peter Pollak, was elected to the legislature in 2012 and later became the plenipotentiary for Romany communities, the government's top policy coordinator for the Roma.

C. Functioning of Government: 9 / 12 (-1)

Corruption remains a problem, most notably in public procurement and the health sector.

In late 2014, Pavol Paska resigned as parliamentary speaker over allegations that he had helped to rig public contracts in the health care sector. Paska denies wrongdoing and he appears unlikely to face charges, but most anticorruption groups believe such practices are widespread. In late 2015, a contract worth 25 million ($27.6 million) for managing ferry transport across the Danube River came under scrutiny over questions about the transparency and fairness of the bidding process.

A full decade since the emergence of the so-called "Gorilla file"  a leaked document concerning government surveillance of allegedly corrupt relationships between politicians and prominent businessmen  prosecutors are still reluctant to confirm the authenticity of the transcripts. In May 2015, special prosecutor Dusan Kovacik twice refused to attend parliamentary committee hearings where he was meant to update deputies on the status of the investigation.

Controversial revisions to Slovakia's public-procurement rules, adopted in 2013, introduced an electronic marketplace designed to increase competition and transparency in procurements, but included exemptions that would allow ministries and offices to award contracts without a tender process. A nine-member council was established to serve as an appeal body for the Public Procurement Office (UVO) to accelerate appeal proceedings and unify UVO decision making. The council is headed by the chair and vice chair of UVO. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) will nominate candidates to serve as the remaining seven members, who are appointed by the cabinet.

In the wake of a health care procurement scandal involving Paska, the parliament drafted more revisions to the public-procurement law in 2014 and 2015 intended to bar shell companies from involvement in the public procurement process. Critics in the opposition claimed that the legislation is still too easy for such companies to circumvent. In December, Kiska returned the bill to parliament for further consideration.

Legislation is frequently passed with little opportunity for public discussion. Statements and recommendations of Slovakia's human rights ombudswoman, Jana Dubovcova, rarely receive close consideration by the government; fewer than a dozen parliamentary deputies attended the presentation of her 2014 annual report. Her November 2015 report about unlawful police practices was not approved by a parliamentary committee on human rights and ethnic minorities.

According to Transparency International, many state-owned companies still do not publish even basic information, such as annual reports. Slovakia was ranked 50 out of 168 countries and territories surveyed in Transparency International's 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index.

Civil Liberties: 53 / 60

D. Freedom of Expression and Belief: 15 / 16

Freedoms of speech and the press are protected by the constitution, but media outlets sometimes face political interference. Journalists continue to encounter verbal attacks and libel suits by public officials. In general, government relations with the independent and opposition media are tense. In May 2015, opposition-oriented daily Dennik N ran an appendix of cartoon stickers that lampooned Prime Minister Fico and portrayed him as a thief. In retaliation, the prime minister's entire cabinet declared that they would no longer respond to questions from Dennik N journalists. The same week, two Dennik N reporters who were supposed to have traveled to Russia with Fico had their accreditations revoked by the cabinet.

Under the criminal code, persons convicted of libel can face up to eight years in prison. Though no journalists have been imprisoned in recent years, courts have awarded inappropriately high compensations to public officials in such suits. In early 2015, Milan Knazko, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Bratislava in 2014, launched a defamation suit against the publisher of the Tyzden weekly, demanding an apology and 100,000 ($112,000) in damages over a pair of critical articles the paper had published ahead of the election. Separately, recent years have seen a number of media buyouts by prominent Slovak individuals and firms. The government does not restrict internet access.

The government respects religious freedom in this largely Roman Catholic country. Registered religious organizations are eligible for tax exemptions and government subsidies. However, religious groups must have at least 20,000 members to register, effectively preventing the small Muslim community and other groups from claiming government benefits. Academic freedom is respected. Outside of restrictions on what the government deems to be extremist speech, people are free to engage in private discussions without fear of punishment.

E. Associational and Organizational Rights: 12 / 12

Authorities uphold freedom of assembly and association. NGOs generally operate without government interference. Labor unions are active, and organized workers freely exercise their right to strike.

F. Rule of Law: 12 / 16

The constitution provides for an independent judiciary. However, the court system continues to suffer from corruption and a significant backlog, and public trust in the judiciary is low.

In 2014, then-Supreme Court chairman and Judicial Council head Stefan Harabin, an ally of Smer-SD, lost reelection to his dual post, but stayed on as a judge on the high court. Throughout his tenure, he had been accused of cronyism and intimidation in the selection and appointment of judges. In 2015, Supreme Court President Daniela Svecova sought Harabin's ouster, in her third attempt to bring disciplinary action against him, but the panel of judges assigned with evaluating the charges did not rule on his dismissal in the allotted time.

A 2014 constitutional amendment introduced new screening procedures for judges, including background checks conducted by the National Security Office (NBU) with Judicial Council oversight. Critics denounced the new procedure as a potential channel for political influence on the selection of judges and a threat to their public accountability. In the second half of 2015, the first two rounds of judicial candidates screened by the NBU were submitted to the Judicial Council for approval.

Prison conditions in Slovakia meet most international standards, but overcrowding remains a concern. NGOs and members of the Romany community report that Romany suspects are often mistreated by police during arrest and in custody.

LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people continue to report discrimination. A 2014 constitutional amendment defines marriage as a union of a man and a woman, effectively banning same-sex unions and adoptions. In February 2015, a referendum intended to cement these changes was held as a result of an energetic campaign by the Alliance for Family, an umbrella organization linked to over 100 conservative and religious groups. More than 90 percent of referendum participants voted in favor of constitutionally limiting marriage and adoption to heterosexual couples, but turnout was so low that the referendum failed. Slovakia does not allow same-sex couples to register as partners.

Minority groups in Slovakia  including sizable Hungarian and Romany populations  have the right to develop their own culture, the right to information and education in their mother tongue, and the right to use their language in official communication. Nevertheless, some groups  most notably the Roma  experience widespread discrimination. The Roma have reported forced evictions and de facto segregation of Romany children in schools. A 2015 report by the United Nations Committee against Torture (UNCAT) expressed concern about cases of excessive use of force by police against Roma, including minors, noting that investigations into allegations of such ill-treatment are carried out by a department within the Interior Ministry  the same body that employs and supervises the alleged perpetrators. The UNCAT report noted that no charges have been brought against the police officers who participated in a violent 2013 raid on a Roma settlement in the Kosice region.

In February 2015, policemen accused of physically abusing six Roma juveniles in Kosice in 2009 were acquitted after a district court refused to admit as evidence a video appearing to show the incriminating acts.

The governor of the Banska Bystrica self-governing region, Marian Kotleba, is the head of the extremist People's Party-Our Slovakia (L'SNS). When the Ministry of Foreign Affairs allocated about 7,000 ($7,100) in 2015 to a local theater project aimed at educating high school students in tolerance of minorities, Kotleba refused to accept the allocation. The project ultimately received funding from other sources, but the governor still insisted that it should be rescheduled outside of school hours to make time for a regional beauty pageant. In November, L'SNS filed a criminal complaint against a World War II remembrance organization for publishing the memoirs of a woman who saved thousands of Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust. The woman was a member of a Jewish defense organization founded by Zionists; Zionism, says L'SNS, is an ideology that suppresses human rights.

In a televised debate in November, Prime Minister Fico blamed recent terrorist attacks in Paris on Europe's ongoing refugee crisis, characterizing the influx of Muslim migrants as a threat to European security. Fico added that Slovak citizens' security is more important than the rights of migrants and that his government will "monitor every single Muslim in Slovakia." Slovak police searched several hotels and guesthouses that month, apparently looking for illegal migrants. A September 2015 report from the ombudswoman's office criticized police for conducting violent searches of refugees earlier that month at the Medvedov refugee camp. Also in September, L'SNS organized a protest against the placement of asylum seekers in Gabcikovo, a town on Slovakia's Hungarian border, where a local referendum had been held on the issue. In the vote, 97 percent of participating residents had backed keeping the migrants out. Police broke up the demonstration.

G. Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: 14 / 16

The government respects the freedom of movement and does not arbitrarily interfere with citizens' rights to own property, establish private businesses, or freely choose their residence, employment, and educational institution.

Although women enjoy the same legal rights as men, they continue to be underrepresented in senior-level government and business positions. Currently, 20 percent of parliamentary deputies are women. Domestic violence is punishable by imprisonment but remains widespread. The U.S. State Department's 2015 Human Trafficking Report found that the Slovak government complies with international standards for combatting human trafficking, but noted that certain populations, including the Romany community, were particularly vulnerable to trafficking in Slovakia.

Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)

X = Score Received

Y = Best Possible Score

Z = Change from Previous Year

Copyright notice:  Freedom House, Inc.  All Rights Reserved
Recently, while packing up files and expense records I came across a file for a business trip that could have been very expensive but was so cheap. I am still amazed.

I traveled from Los Angeles to Denver to be the speaker for the Department of Interior Employee Book Forum. I had plenty of notice, making it possible to book everything well in advance. Check out how I cut the cost of airfare, hotel and rental car by more than half.

FLIGHT: I try to travel with the same airline to build up my frequent-flier miles, and usually that works pretty well. I've found that American Airlines is very competitive. But the cheapest American Airlines fare for roundtrip flights that fit my schedule for this particular trip was $755. Wow. At first I was sure I'd made a mistake. But no, that was indeed the airline's best price. I put the reservation on hold to give me time to shop around. Most airlines will do this for 24 hours.

I went straight to Kayak.com and input the very same flight information. Within 30 seconds the site pulled up many options. The cheapest rate was $196 roundtrip on United Airlines, including all fees and taxes, with just one small twist. I would have to depart from Los Angeles International, but return to John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. That was perfect for me given that at the time I worked closer to LAX, but lived closer to John Wayne. Realizing I was about to spend $559 less on these tickets, I booked the reservation on the spot.

HOTEL: I mostly rely on the name-your-own-price option from Priceline.com for hotels. It's so easy to use. I input "Denver," and it pulled up a map showing regions of the Denver metropolitan area. I selected the region closest to the Federal Center, where I would be speaking, and chose the 2.5-star hotel. (I know that Courtyard by Marriott, Homewood Suites and the Country Inn are all considered 2.5 stars in Priceline's world, and that is my favorite kind of accommodation when I travel on business.)

Next, I named my own price. Here's the tricky part: Priceline hinted that I'd better input $70 per night or more to have a prayer of my deal being accepted. Phooey. I know better. Fifty dollars is my target (knowing they will add tax and other fees on top of whatever price I name).

I decided to lowball my usual $50 and typed in $40. Of course I got a pop-up message from William Shatner saying I must be out of my mind with such a low offer and needed to increase my bid. I laughed and hit submit. Ten seconds later a message appeared: "Congratulations, your offer has been accepted!" The site revealed which hotel I would be staying at. My favorite hotel for $55 per night, all inclusive.

CAR: I thought if Priceline is good enough to name my own price for a hotel, it's gotta be great for a rental car. And, yes, it is. My boldness now surging, I went straight to Priceline Rental Car (the name-your-own-price option) and opted for an economy model for, get this, $20 a day. Poor William. At this point he was very put out by my low bids. Did I care? No. All it took for him to see things my way is another 10 seconds. Yep, I got the car, too. With fees, it cost $32 a day.

They don't call me the queen of cheap for nothing. If there's one thing I know how to do (and love doing) it's booking my own business travel. It gives me great practice for when I book personal travel. Because I make a point to join every frequent-flier/point program out there, no matter how little I pay for hotels, airfare and cars, I rack up lots of rewards. Harold and I get to go on fabulous vacations that are mostly paid for with all of the points and miles I rack up.
Freedom in the World 2016 - Somalia

Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 9 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - Somalia, 9 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ab13e69.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Freedom Status: Not Free

Aggregate Score: 2

Freedom Rating: 7.0

Political Rights: 7

Civil Liberties: 7

Explanatory Note:

The numerical ratings and status listed above do not reflect conditions in Somaliland, which is examined in a separate report.

Quick Facts

Capital: Mogadishu

Population: 11,123,000

GDP/capita: $145.10

Press Freedom Status: Not Free

Net Freedom Status: N/A

OVERVIEW

In 2015, Somalia was plagued by much of the same political and security pitfalls that have characterized the country for the last quarter century. The government continued its halting progress toward transition in 2016, when the current administration's mandate expires. Critical transition-related legislation was largely ignored as lawmakers wrestled over an impeachment motion against the president. In July, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced that national elections planned for 2016 would not be contested under a one-person, one-vote system. Despite broad skepticism, the administration and its international partners had previously remained publicly committed to holding national elections in 2016, as well as a constitutional referendum in 2015. In December, the government and its international partners held a National Consultative Forum to discuss transition options for 2016.

The Shabaab, an extremist group that once controlled most of southern Somalia, remained an active presence in the country despite significant gains made by the combined efforts of the Somali army and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). In March, Shabaab fighters took siege of the Makka al-Mukarama Hotel in Mogadishu for more than 12 hours, killing at least 21 people. In September, the Shabaab targeted an AMISOM base 55 miles southwest of Mogadishu, killing dozens. The group also attacked another Mogadishu hotel, the Sahafi Hotel, in November, killing at least six people. In December, the Shabaab executed five men accused of assisting U.S. intelligence.

POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES

Political Rights: 0 / 40

A. Electoral Process: 0 / 12

Following the collapse of the Siad Barre regime in 1991, the Somali state had largely ceased to exist and had no governing authority. In September 2012, Somalia established a new government and drafted a provisional constitution in an attempt to usher in the country's first permanent government in more than 20 years. The constitution established a 275-member House of the People (HOP), with members to be directly elected to four-year terms. Because direct elections could not be held in 2012, Somali traditional elders appointed provisional members to the HOP. The provisional legislature then elected Mohamud to a four-year term. An Upper House of Parliament, which would have 54 members, has yet to be formed. The final communique of the December 2015 National Consultative Forum committed to forming the Upper House during the 2016 transition. The provisional constitution outlines the expectation that women be included in all branches of government and includes a nondiscrimination clause that specifically mentions women.

After dismissing two prime ministers in as many years, Mohamud appointed Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, then Somali ambassador to the United States, to the role in December 2014. Sharmarke previously served as prime minister during the Transitional Federal Government.

Mandates for the current administration and for parliament end in August 2016. The central government acknowledged in July that the security situation will make it impossible to organize a one-person, one-vote election. An alternative transition mechanism has yet to be determined.

In August, 115 lawmakers leveled a motion of no-confidence against Mohamud, citing incompetence and calling for his impeachment. Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawari dropped the motion in September on the grounds that the dispute with the president could instead be resolved through negotiations.

The 2012 provisional constitution calls for the establishment of a series of federal member states on the subnational level. Though progress was made toward establishing these states throughout the country, the administration struggled to maintain good relations with newly formed administrations in Puntland, Jubbaland, South West State, and Central Regions State. Relations between Puntland and the government in Mogadishu wavered as the regional administration threatened to cut ties with the central government over border disputes in the newly created Central Regions State. In July, Prime Minister Sharmarke traveled to Puntland for negotiations with the administration. Following a week of meetings, the two governments signed a cooperation agreement, committing to the provisional constitution and support for federalism and national unity. Also participating in the negotiations were representatives from Jubbaland, which was also at odds with the central government.

B. Political Pluralism and Participation: 0 / 16

No effective or legally recognized political parties currently exist. The current political process is largely driven by clans: traditional kinship networks that are the pillars of Somali social and political organization. The four largest clans  Darod, Dir, Hawiye, and Digil-Mirifle  exercise outsized influence.

The provisional constitution calls for the creation of legislation governing the administration of elections and creation of political parties. A special parliamentary sub-committee has drafted legislation to create regulations for a political party system, but the draft has been awaiting approval for several months. Among the considerations that faced the sub-committee was whether political parties can be formed on the basis of clan identity.

Representation in nearly all government bodies, parliament included, is determined by the so-called 4.5 formula, a quota system under which the four majority clans each receive 61 delegates while the remaining minority clans receive 31 delegates combined. Critics of the formula point out that it codifies the dominant role of majority clans in the political system. The process by which clan leaders doled out parliamentary seats in 2012 was opaque and reportedly rife with bribery and nepotism. Under the agreement signed at the National Consultative Forum, Somali leaders vowed to develop a mixed electoral process, where some regions allow clan leaders to select government representatives, while others are selected by district representatives.

C. Functioning of Government: 0 / 12

Although the new parliament was highly regarded when it took power in 2012, lack of member commitment and political infighting have stifled its effectiveness. The parliament has largely been a platform for squabbling between rival political and clan factions.

Corruption is rampant in Somalia. Although Somali auditor general Nur Jumale Farah said in March that his office would present parliament with a report detailing financial irregularities within government ministries, he never did so. The UN Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea, in a September 2015 report to the Security Council, alleged that the "impunity enjoyed by those who have engaged in misappropriation of public finances perpetuates a culture of corruption in Somali politics." It also alleged that at least six officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources accepted bribes from British firm Soma Oil & Gas Holdings Limited, which was seeking to explore hydrocarbon reserves off the coast of Somalia. The payments  totaling nearly half a million dollars  were made for a purported capacity-building program, though there was no evidence that such a program existed. Soma Oil has rejected the claims. The Somali government and British fraud office have both said they will open investigations into the matter. Somalia was tied for last out of 168 countries and territories surveyed in Transparency International's 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index.

Somali citizens have little power to exert influence over the system, either as individuals or through civil society. Citizens rarely have relationships with or access to their local members of parliament. There are few accountability mechanisms for government officials; to the extent that these mechanisms exist, they largely come from the international community.

Civil Liberties: 2 / 40

D. Freedom of Expression and Belief: 1 / 16

Radio is the primary news medium in Somalia. Internet and mobile telephone services are widely available in large cities, but poverty and illiteracy limit access. While the provisional constitution calls for freedom of speech and the press, the government has taken a heavy-handed approach toward the media.

In October, National Intelligence and Security Agency forces raided the offices of Universal TV, suspended the station, and arrested the outlet's regional director and producer. The incident occurred after the station aired a debate during which members of parliament discussed security matters; the intelligence agency accused to the outlet of inciting violence. The journalists  Abdullahi Hersi and Awil Dahir Salad  were released six days after their arrest. In April, security forces had raided the Shabelle Media Network and arrested 20 journalists after the outlet aired footage of a Shabaab representative taking responsibility for the siege of a university in northeastern Kenya where nearly 150 students were killed. The network had been closed between August 2014 and March 2015 after another government raid on its offices for allegedly inciting violence.

In 2014, the Somali cabinet passed a controversial draft of a media law that permits censorship by the Ministry of Information, requires broadcasters to seek permission to air foreign media, prohibits the dissemination of material "harming the country, the people or the religion," and levies hefty fines for breaching an undefined code of ethics. Domestic and international rights organizations characterized the legislation as overly restrictive. The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) successfully lobbied parliamentarians to reform the draft. In December, parliament approved the revised legislation.

Somalia remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. At least three journalists were killed in 2015 in connection with their work. In one high-profile killing in April, Daud Ali Omar, a producer for Radio Baidoa, and his wife, Hawo Abdi Aden, were murdered in their home by unidentified gunmen. Omar worked for a progovernment radio station. Local journalists suspect that he was killed by gunmen affiliated with the Shabaab.

Nearly all Somalis are Sunni Muslims, but there is a very small Christian community. Somalia's provisional constitution recognizes Islam as the official religion and forbids the promotion of any other faith, but also includes clauses promoting religious freedom and forbidding discrimination on the basis of religion. However, the constitution also requires that any candidate for the presidency be a Muslim. The Shabaab often takes a heavy-handed approach toward religious practice in areas it controls. Anyone accused of apostasy risks execution. Between March and May, suspected Shabaab militants killed three moderate clerics in the southern city of Baidoa. The Shabaab imposes crude versions of Sharia (Islamic) law in areas under its control, banning music, films, and certain clothing.

Limited funding and infrastructure, lack of qualified instructors, and unregulated private education all pose challenges to the country's educational system.

Free expression of political views and private discussion of politics is curtailed by the prevailing sense of insecurity and political instability in the country, especially in areas controlled by the Shabaab.

E. Associational and Organizational Rights: 0 / 12

Freedom of assembly has not been respected amid ongoing instability and violence in Somalia. Many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and UN agencies operate out of Kenya and have limited activities in the country. In April, four international aid workers were killed by a roadside bomb in Garowe, Puntland, and four others were abducted in Gedo region in southern Somalia.

Labor unions are beginning to expand their operations. In 2014, the government ratified the International Labour Organization's conventions on the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize, the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining, and the Worst Forms of Child Labor. However, few improvements have been seen regarding working conditions or workers' rights. The Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU) hosted an International Labor Day celebration in May during which 200 union leaders and supporters discussed the need to mobilize around ongoing abuses.

F. Rule of Law: 0 / 16

A weak judicial system functions at the national level. The provisional constitution outlines a judicial framework that includes the creation of a Constitutional Court, Federal Government courts, and Federal Member State courts, but these institutions have yet to be established. An independent expert commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council found that the judicial system was ineffective, thus denying Somalis the right to justice and equal protection under the law. The harshest codes are enforced in areas under Shabaab control, where people convicted of theft or other minor crimes are flogged or have their limbs amputated, often in public.

In March, President Mohamud dissolved the constitutionally mandated Judicial Service Commission, claiming that the appointment of the body did not fit constitutional requirements. Critics claim the move was made so the president could appoint his allies. In May, the cabinet approved a newly appointed slate of commissioners.

The Somali government had faced allegations of utilizing the military's court system to administer judgments against civilians. In October 2015, the European Union said most of the 29 executions it documented in Somalia for the current year had been ordered by military courts.

The absence of functional democratic institutions over a period of many years has given way to a lawless environment. Residents must also contend with abuses committed by warlords, clan leaders, and the Shabaab in the absence of government control in several areas of the country. Despite losses since the 2012 transition, the Shabaab continues to control large swaths of the south-central region. In September, the group took over two towns in southwest Somalia.

Most Somalis share the same ethnicity, but clan divisions have long fueled violence. The larger, more powerful clans continue to dominate political and economic life.

Same-sex sexual activity is illegal and punishable by up to three years in prison. LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) individuals are subject to broad social stigma and hostility.

G. Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: 1 / 16

Although all Somalis have constitutionally protected freedom of movement, the Shabaab, warlords, armed militias, and others often inhibit this freedom. The autonomy and individual rights of Somali citizens are severely restricted by the insecurity in the country, both in government and Shabaab-controlled areas.

The provisional constitution protects the right to own and use property. While the economy is a relatively bright spot in Somalia, it is largely informal and severely restricted by the conflict. Despite the challenges, Somalia exported five million livestock in 2014, for its highest annual total in more than two decades. In 2015, parliament approved legislation seeking to address the country's high rates of youth unemployment by discouraging companies from hiring foreign workers.

Women in Somalia face considerable discrimination. Of the 275 seats in Somalia's parliament, women hold 38, or 14 percent. The final communique for the National Consultative Forum committed to a "fixed number of seats reserved for women in both houses (of parliament)." Although outlawed under the new constitution, nearly all Somali girls undergo some form of female genital mutilation. Sexual violence is rampant, perpetrators enjoy impunity, and rape victims are often stigmatized. A 2014 Human Rights Watch report documented rape, abuse, and sexual exploitation of local women and girls by AMISOM troops. Although the African Union promised to investigate the report's findings, no soldiers had been prosecuted as of the end of 2015.

More than 40 percent of Somali residents rely on remittances, which total an estimated $1.6 billion annually. In February, the U.S. bank Merchants, which manages 80 percent of remittance transfers out of the United States to Somalia, closed the accounts of remittance organizations over fears of some funds being diverted to the Shabaab or other illicit actors.

In January, Somalia ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Despite this, an estimated 40 percent of children aged 5 to 14 are employed in the economy, half of them while also attending school. The Shabaab and clan militias have reportedly recruited child soldiers as young as eight years old. In 2016, Somalia was categorized as a special case in the U.S. State Department's Trafficking in Persons Report for the 14th straight year, given the various groups in control of different areas of the country, with the report noting the difficulty it had in gathering accurate information about trafficking in Somalia. It did point out that a lack of understanding by Somali officials of the difference between trafficking and smuggling was a common problem across the many groups with authority in the country.

Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)

X = Score Received

Y = Best Possible Score

Z = Change from Previous Year

Copyright notice:  Freedom House, Inc.  All Rights Reserved
Freedom in the World 2016 - Paraguay

Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 9 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - Paraguay, 9 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ab13e84.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Freedom Status: Partly Free

Aggregate Score: 64

Freedom Rating: 3.0

Political Rights: 3

Civil Liberties: 3

Quick Facts

Capital: Asuncion

Population: 7,020,000

GDP/capita: $4,728.70

Press Freedom Status: Partly Free

Net Freedom Status: N/A

OVERVIEW

President Horacio Cartes of the Colorado Party vowed to root out corruption following his election in 2013, but little appeared to have changed in 2015. The drug trade continued to flourish, particularly in the border areas, and critical journalists were subject to violent retaliation. A major protest in October, led by campesinos, called for the president's resignation due to corruption and unfair land policies.

Cartes also drew international attention in 2015 for his handling of a high-profile case in which a 10-year-old girl became pregnant after being raped by her stepfather. Authorities refused to ease the country's strict abortion ban, and the girl was forced to give birth despite the high-risk nature of pregnancy in such a young child.

The government continued a military and publicity offensive against the Paraguayan People's Army (EPP), a nationalist guerrilla group that murdered three farmers and abducted and killed a German couple, among other attacks during the year.

POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES

Political Rights: 27 / 40

A. Electoral Process: 10 / 12

The 1992 constitution provides for a president, a vice president, and a bicameral Congress consisting of a 45-member Senate and an 80-member Chamber of Deputies, all elected for five-year terms. The president is elected by a simple majority vote, and reelection is prohibited. Congress is elected by proportional representation.

The 2013 presidential election brought Cartes to office with 46 percent of the vote, against 37 percent for his principal opponent, Efrain Alegre of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA). In concurrent legislative elections, Cartes's Colorado Party captured 19 Senate seats and 44 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, while the PLRA won 12 and 27 seats in the respective bodies. Several small parties also hold a handful of seats. The elections were marred by allegations of vote buying.

B. Political Pluralism and Participation: 12 / 16

Paraguay's system is generally open to the rise and fall of different political parties, although before President Fernando Lugo and the Patriotic Alliance for Change (APC) came to power in 2008, the center-right Colorado Party had ruled Paraguay for over 60 years. The left-leaning Lugo was abruptly impeached by Congress in 2012, and the Colorados returned to power in 2013. The liberal PLRA is now the main opposition party and has the second-highest number of representatives in Congress. Smaller parties include the National Union of Ethical Citizens and the National Encounter Party. The constitution bans active-duty military personnel from engaging in politics.

Indigenous people and ethnic minorities are legally able to participate in politics, but in practice very few members of such groups hold positions in Congress or the administration.

C. Functioning of Government: 5 / 12

Although elected officials determine government policy, decision making and implementation are compromised by organized crime and widespread corruption. Corruption cases languish for years in the courts without resolution, and offenses often go unpunished due to political influence in the judiciary. During a July 2015 visit to Paraguay, Pope Francis specifically denounced these problems. Corruption is particularly acute in the eastern part of the country around Ciudad del Este, where politicians and government officials are accused of colluding with drug traffickers.

In 2014, Paraguay passed the Access to Public Information and Transparency Law, guaranteeing public access to the financial records of all branches of government and state-owned companies. The government issued implementing regulations for the law in September 2015. Paraguay was ranked 130 out of 168 countries and territories surveyed in Transparency International's 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index.

Civil Liberties: 37 / 60 (-1)

D. Freedom of Expression and Belief: 12 / 16

The constitution provides for freedoms of expression and the press, but these rights are undermined in practice. Direct pressure by criminal groups and corrupt authorities leads journalists to censor themselves, especially in remote border areas. Threats against journalists are common. The government does not restrict access to the internet.

Throughout 2015, journalists in Paraguay continued to work under dangerous conditions. In March, Paraguayan broadcast journalist Gerardo Ceferino Servian Coronel was killed on the Brazilian side of the two countries' border. Servian likely became a target because of his condemnation of corrupt politicians and drug traffickers. Perpetrators often enjoy impunity for such attacks.

The government generally respects freedom of religion and academic freedom. Citizens can for the most part engage in free and open private discussion, though the presence of armed groups in some areas may serve as a deterrent.

E. Associational and Organizational Rights: 8 / 12

The constitution guarantees freedoms of association and assembly, and these rights are respected in practice. While some nongovernmental organizations involved in human rights work have faced harassment and threats, there are few formal restrictions on such activity. In September 2015, the National Federation of Campesinos protested the Cartes government's land distribution policies, which the organization criticized for benefitting agribusiness rather than workers. Also that month, students launched a protest against corruption at the Universidad Nacional de Asuncion, leading to an extended occupation of the president's office. Cartes supported the students, despite the fact that many of the university administrators were members of his Colorado Party.

There are a number of trade unions operating in the country, and they are legally permitted to bargain collectively and strike. However, registration procedures are cumbersome, and the government often fails to protect workers from antiunion retaliation and other abuses by employers. The Cartes administration has generally been hostile to unions; after a bus company fired workers who attempted form a union in June, the Labor Ministry backed the employer's right to do so. At a related August protest by union members, more than two dozen protesters were injured in clashes with police.

F. Rule of Law: 7 / 16

The judiciary is nominally independent, but in practice corruption contributes to trial delays and extended pretrial detention. Illegal detention by police and torture during incarceration still occur, particularly in rural areas. Overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and mistreatment of inmates are serious problems in the country's prisons.

The trial of a dozen campesinos for their alleged role in a deadly 2012 clash with police continued to encounter delays in 2015. The landless farmers had been occupying private land when they were confronted by police; six officers and 11 campesinos were killed. While the defendants were charged with the police deaths, authorities never investigated the deaths of the protesting farmers.

Paraguay is a regional hub for money laundering, drug trafficking, and organized crime. The government continued to clash with the EPP  an armed leftist guerilla group  in 2015. Over the past two years, the EPP has killed at least 25 people and used tactics such as kidnapping and attacks on electrical towers. Meanwhile, the government has deployed a task force of police officers and soldiers to counter the group.

In March 2015, the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture expressed concern about human rights violations taking place in Paraguay, particularly with respect to the task force's tactics against the EPP. Cartes subsequently fired the head of the task force, Ramon Benitez. The subcommittee also criticized the case of three minors who had been accused of terrorism, arrested, and held for six months without trial.

The constitution provides Paraguay's more than 100,000 indigenous people with the right to participate in the economic, social, and political life of the country. In 2014, after a 20-year legal battle, Cartes signed a law that returned more than 55 square miles of land to the traditionally marginalized Sawhoyamaza people. The Supreme Court upheld the law in June 2015, after a challenge by a company using the land for cattle grazing. Despite these advances, a UN report released in August noted that while Paraguay has a "solid legal framework" to ensure the rights of indigenous peoples, in practice they often lack control over their land and resources, as well as access to justice and adequate social services.

While same-sex sexual activity is legal, members of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community face legal and de facto discrimination. However, the LGBT organization SomosGay participated in a July 2015 meeting between Pope Francis and representatives from various civil society organizations. Many in the community hoped the meeting might spur renewed efforts to pass an antidiscrimination law that addresses sexual orientation and gender identity. Violence against the LGBT community continues to be high.

G. Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: 10 / 16 (-1)

The law protects freedoms of movement and travel, which are generally respected in practice. Although there are few major restrictions on private business activity and property rights, land disputes  often involving wealthy landowners, corporations, or the government on the one hand and local residents, campesinos, or indigenous people on the other  remain a problem. False or overlapping land titles are reportedly common.

Sexual and domestic abuse of women continues to be a serious problem. The country's strict legal ban on abortion  which is allowed only when the mother's life is at risk  drew criticism in 2015 when a 10-year-old girl was impregnated by her stepfather. International organizations called on Paraguay to amend its abortion laws and for the girl to be granted access to the procedure as requested by her mother. However, the government refused, and the baby was born in August. The government's stance contravened the positions of UN agencies and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

The Paraguayan government has worked to combat the worst forms of child labor, but children continue to work in agriculture, domestic service, and other fields. Children, women, and indigenous people are especially vulnerable to human trafficking and sexual or labor exploitation. Corrupt government officials reportedly abet human trafficking.

Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)

X = Score Received

Y = Best Possible Score

Z = Change from Previous Year

Copyright notice:  Freedom House, Inc.  All Rights Reserved
Freedom in the World 2016 - Montenegro

Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 9 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - Montenegro, 9 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ab13e859.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Freedom Status: Partly Free

Aggregate Score: 70

Freedom Rating: 3.0

Political Rights: 3

Civil Liberties: 3

Trend Arrow: 

Status Change, Ratings Change, Trend Arrow:

Montenegro's civil liberties rating declined from 2 to 3, its status declined from Free to Partly Free, and it received a downward trend arrow due to restrictions on the freedom of peaceful assembly, including clashes between police and opposition demonstrators and the repeated postponement of an LGBT pride parade, in the context of years of harassment and discrimination against LGBT people.

Quick Facts

Capital: Podgorica

Population: 622,421

GDP/capita: $7,370.90

Press Freedom Status: Partly Free

Net Freedom Status: N/A

OVERVIEW

Police took efforts to limit antigovernment demonstrations that erupted in the fall of 2015. Protests were banned in 14 towns, while in the capital a number of people were injured in clashes between antigovernment demonstrators and police. Separately, an LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) group reported that authorities in Niksic banned a local pride march three times over the course of the year, citing security considerations each time.

Despite the ongoing concerns of the European Commission (EC) about the independence of the judiciary and the public broadcaster, as well as numerous failures to effectively prosecute past attacks against media workers, Montenegro is steadily progressing toward European Union (EU) membership. In December 2015, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) formally extended a membership offer to Montenegro, with accession talks set to open in 2016.

POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES

Political Rights: 27 / 40

A. Electoral Process: 9 / 12

Members of the unicameral, 81-seat Parliament  the Skupstina  are directly elected for four-year terms. The president, directly elected for up to two five-year terms, nominates the prime minister, who requires legislative approval. International observers have deemed past national elections generally free and fair.

In 2012, legislators dissolved the Skupstina and called early elections to allow the government to begin talks with the EU with a fresh mandate. A coalition led by Prime Minister Milo ukanovic's Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) won the polls with a simple majority of 46 percent, or 39 seats. The Democratic Front (DF) took 20 seats, followed by the Socialist People's Party with 9, Positive Montenegro with 7, and the Bosniak Party with 3. The Croat Citizens' Initiative and two Albanian parties won 1 seat each. The DPS-led coalition took power with support from Albanian and Croatian minority parties, and ukanovic, who has served as Montenegro's prime minister or president for most of the last two decades, was elected to his seventh term as prime minister.

In 2013, President Filip Vujanovic was reelected with 51 percent of the vote. Miodrag Lekic of the Democratic Front followed with 49 percent. Numerous violations were reported during local elections in May 2014, prompting reruns in some locations. The EC noted a lack of trust in the electoral process among voters in its progress report that year. Ultimately, DPS won the majority of seats in 11 of Montenegro's 12 municipalities. A caretaker government administered Podgorica until a coalition between the DPS and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was struck in September 2014.

The conduct of elections in Montenegro is facilitated by a comprehensive legal and administrative framework.

B. Political Pluralism and Participation: 11 / 16

Numerous political parties compete for power, though the opposition is weak. The DF, Montenegro's biggest opposition faction, comprises the reform-minded Movement for Changes and the New Serb Democracy. The current coalition government includes the DPS, its ally, the SDP, and a handful of lawmakers from parties that represent Montenegro's ethnic minorities. The Roma ethnic minority is underrepresented in politics.

C. Functioning of Government: 7 / 12

Corruption remains a widespread problem. Legislative frameworks to improve transparency in party financing and public procurement, among other anticorruption efforts, are in place, but implementation is mixed. A new anticorruption agency is scheduled to open in 2016, but local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have complained that its framework fails to include adequate protections for whistleblowers or effective requirements that public servants disclose assets. Graft and misconduct remain widespread in areas including health care and public procurement. Organized crime groups have significant influence in both the public and private sectors.

Law enforcement traditionally has not taken an active approach toward corruption investigations, particularly those involving top officials. However, several high-profile arrests took place in 2015. The former mayors of Bar and Budva were indicted on corruption-related charges toward the year's end, and the former president of the now-defunct state union of Serbia and Montenegro was arrested on similar grounds in December. The developments were widely described as a response to EU pressure, but some observers suggested that they were just as much a product of infighting within the DPS. Montenegro was ranked 61 out of 168 countries and territories surveyed in Transparency International's 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index.

Civil society participates in state and local government, though the EC has urged closer cooperation.

Civil Liberties: 43 / 60 (-1)

D. Freedom of Expression and Belief: 12 / 16

A variety of independent media operate in Montenegro. The government does not explicitly censor media outlets, and libel was decriminalized in 2011, but indirect censorship exists. Journalists who are critical of ukanovic or the governing party have faced costly civil defamation suits. Attacks against journalists continued in 2015, but the number of such instances decreased compared to 2014. Investigative journalist Zorica Bulatovic's car was severely damaged by an unknown attacker in May 2015; at the time, she was writing an article on corruption in local government. A commission devoted to investigating violence committed against journalists, established by the government in 2013, continued to operate in 2015. Investigations have thus far led to some arrests amid growing international concern about a culture of impunity.

The DPS-led government frequently denies opposition media outlets advertising contracts from publicly owned or controlled entities. The public broadcaster is under reform but still lacks sustainable funding, and favors the government; it offered limited coverage of the antigovernment protest movement that emerged in the fall of 2015. Internet access is unrestricted.

The constitution guarantees freedom of religious belief. However, the canonically recognized Serbian Orthodox Church and a self-proclaimed Montenegrin Orthodox Church continue to clash over the ownership of church properties and other issues. Academic freedom is guaranteed by law, and private discussion is open and vibrant.

E. Associational and Organizational Rights: 9 / 12 (-1)

While citizens generally enjoy freedoms of association and assembly, in 2015 authorities took efforts to limit opposition protests organized by the DF that began in September. In October, authorities banned antigovernment protests in more than a dozen towns, saying organizers had filed their applications late and that the paperwork was incomplete. The protests went forward in any case; officials threatened legal action but it was unclear at the year's end whether they had followed through. At times, antigovernment demonstrators in Podgorica clashed with police who tried to disperse them, with police on one occasion firing tear gas and stun grenades at protesters demonstrating in front of the Skupstina. Separately, organizers of an LGBT pride parade in Niksic said police banned the event three times over the course of the year on security grounds.

NGOs that investigate corruption or criticize the government face pressure, and NGOs critical of the ukanovic administration risk having their online activities monitored. In April 2015, the Podgorica high court ruled that employees of one such group, the Network for Affirmation of the NGO Sector (MANS), be compensated 500 ($550) each over illegal police surveillance of their online activities. MANS, which in 2014 publicized information implicating ukanovic and the DPS in electoral violations, has faced pressure from the government and harassment in the press.

Most formally employed workers belong to unions, and the right to strike is generally protected. However, trade union members sometimes face discrimination, and dismissals of striking workers have been reported.

F. Rule of Law: 10 / 16

The EC cited some progress on judicial reform in its 2015 progress report on Montenegro, but nevertheless continued to express concern about the implementation of programs designed to ensure judicial independence. The country's intelligence service has faced sustained criticism from international observers for a perceived lack of professionalism. Legal proceedings are lengthy and often highly bureaucratic, particularly when involving business dealings. Prison conditions do not meet international standards for education or health care.

Approximately 16,000 refugees, most of them displaced in the 1990s Balkan conflicts, live in Montenegro, but only about 1,000 have gained full citizenship. Roma, Ashkali, Egyptians, LGBT people, and other minority groups face discrimination.

An LGBT pride parade took place peacefully in Podgorica in December 2015, though the event took place two months later than originally scheduled in the wake of the fall opposition protests. About 300 people participated in the march, which due to security concerns followed a different route than in previous years.

G. Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: 12 / 16

The freedom of movement and the right of citizens to choose their residence, employment, and institution of higher education are generally respected in practice. The state sector dominates much of Montenegro's economy, though the tourism industry has thrived, with significant foreign investment to develop coastal towns. Official unemployment has hovered between roughly 15 and 19 percent in recent years. However, many workers officially counted as unemployed work in Montenegro's sizeable gray economy.

Women in Montenegro are legally entitled to equal pay for equal work, but patriarchal attitudes often limit their salary levels and educational opportunities. Women are underrepresented in government and business. Reforms to the electoral law in 2011 aimed to increase gender equality and minority representation in the Skupstina. Among them was a 30 percent electoral gender quota, which was implemented for the first time in 2012. The quota yielded a greater percentage of woman candidates, but due to a loophole regarding the placement of names on party lists, only 15 percent of Skupstina members are women. Domestic violence remains problematic. Although gender-selective abortion was outlawed in 2009, it has been a growing trend over the past dozen years. Same-sex marriage is constitutionally banned.

Trafficking in persons for the purposes of prostitution and forced labor remains a problem, but the government has taken steps to address the issue, adopting an antitrafficking strategy through 2018. Authorities provide some services for victims of trafficking, who include Roma children subjected to forced begging, and women and girls from Montenegro and other countries in the region who are forced into sex work.

Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)

X = Score Received

Y = Best Possible Score

Z = Change from Previous Year

Copyright notice:  Freedom House, Inc.  All Rights Reserved
Freedom in the World 2016 - Mauritania

Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 9 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - Mauritania, 9 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ab13e915.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Freedom Status: Not Free

Aggregate Score: 30

Freedom Rating: 5.5

Political Rights: 6

Civil Liberties: 5

Quick Facts

Capital: Nouakchott

Population: 3,641,288

GDP/capita: $1,275

Press Freedom Status: Partly Free

Net Freedom Status: N/A

OVERVIEW

The political climate in Mauritania remained tense in 2015. Major opposition parties, which boycotted the 2014 elections, continued to denounce President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz as illegitimate even as they attempted to negotiate with the government on the terms of their reentry into the political process. Among their demands were the release of political prisoners, greater respect for civil liberties and the rule of law, and a reduction in the power of the security services. New rounds of dialogue between the government and opposition took place in April and May, but they failed to achieve concrete results.

The government also continued its pattern of passing legislation meant to appease international partners while undermining personal freedoms and civil liberties in practice. Though Mauritania adopted new laws that ostensibly addressed abuses such as slavery and torture, authorities also jailed antislavery activists and harassed journalists who reported on politically sensitive topics.

POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES

Political Rights: 9 / 40

A. Electoral Process: 3 / 12

Under the 1991 constitution, the president has the power to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and cabinet. A 2006 amendment imposed a limit of two five-year terms on the presidency.

President Abdel Aziz first came to power through a military coup in 2008. A coalition of four political parties that supported ousted president Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi formed the National Front for the Defense of Democracy (FNDU) and refused to participate in the junta-led government.

After winning the presidential election in 2009, Abdel Aziz won a second term in June 2014, taking 82 percent of the vote. The FNDU, currently comprising about a dozen opposition groups, boycotted the election, claiming that Abdel Aziz would not engage in meaningful dialogue to resolve governance and electoral issues. The antislavery activist Biram Dah Abeid ran as an independent and captured 9 percent of the vote. His allegations of misconduct and fraud were dismissed by the authorities, and the international community deemed the election satisfactory. Turnout lagged at 56 percent, which opposition parties cited as a sign of their boycott's success.

Mauritania's bicameral legislature consists of a 147-seat National Assembly, elected by popular vote to five-year terms, and a 56-seat Senate, with 53 members elected by mayors and municipal councils and 3 members chosen by the chamber to represent Mauritanians living abroad. One-third of the Senate is meant to be elected on a rotating basis every two years, but voting has been repeatedly postponed in recent years amid opposition boycott threats. After repeated delays, Mauritania held a first round of National Assembly and municipal elections in November 2013, and a second round in December. The president's Union for the Republic (UPR) party won 76 seats, and about a dozen allied parties gave the governing majority a total of 108 seats. Most major opposition parties boycotted the elections, claiming the results were predetermined and the process nontransparent. An exception was the Islamist party Tawassoul, which is associated with North Africa's Muslim Brotherhood and won 16 seats.

Under a 2005 law, party lists for the National Assembly elections must include district-based quotas for female candidates, and 20 percent of all municipal council seats are reserved for women.

B. Political Pluralism and Participation: 2 / 16

Political parties are free to operate, but Mauritania's party system is poorly developed, and clan and ethnic loyalties, as well as the military, strongly influence the country's politics. Most opposition parties boycotted the 2014 presidential and 2013 parliamentary elections, citing a system dominated by the president and the UPR  both of which won by large margins.

Although Haratin make up about 40 percent and Afro-Mauritanians about 30 percent of the country's population, Bidhan Mauritanians dominate the political sphere and occupy most elite government and military positions. According to a November 2014 report by the Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement in Mauritania (IRA Mauritania), they held 30 of 35 ministerial, 52 of 54 prefectural, and 12 of 13 gubernatorial posts.

The most recent legislative and presidential elections were conducted before the completion of the national census. As a result, Mauritanians without a newly issued identity card were unable to vote. Though the government was forced to implement reforms in 2012 in response to protests over extraordinary obstacles faced by Haratin and Afro-Mauritanians when trying to enroll in the census and register to vote, critics cite ongoing discrimination against these groups in the electoral process.

C. Functioning of Government: 4 / 12

Corruption and lack of fiscal transparency are serious problems, especially in bank loans, fishing licenses, land distribution, government contracts, and tax payments. Mauritania has been compliant with the standards of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) since 2012, and EITI officials have made headway in improving transparency in some areas of the country's mining and hydrocarbon industries. Nevertheless, abuses persist. In October 2015, it was reported that the U.S. government was investigating allegations of corruption involving the Canadian mining corporation Kinross and Mauritanian government officials. Mauritania was ranked 112 out of 168 countries and territories surveyed in Transparency International's 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index.

Civil Liberties: 21 / 60 (-1)

D. Freedom of Expression and Belief: 9 / 16 (-1)

Despite constitutional guarantees of press freedom, journalists practice self-censorship, and private newspapers face closure for publishing material considered offensive to Islam or threatening to the state. In 2011, the government ended a 51-year monopoly on broadcast media, allowing the formation of private outlets. Defamation was decriminalized in 2011, though fines can still be levied. No civil defamation suits against journalists have been reported since 2013. The government does not restrict internet access; about 15 percent of the population used the medium in 2015.

Journalists and other writers can still face criminal charges and harassment for their work. In December 2014, a court in Nouadhibou sentenced Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mohamed M'Kheitir, a 28-year-old independent blogger, to death for apostasy in an expedited judicial process. In an anonymous online article published on the news website Aqlame in January of that year, Ould M'Kheitir had criticized the unequal social order in Mauritania and the prophet Muhammad. He appealed the sentence, but his court-appointed lawyers resigned in February 2015 for fear of reprisal from religious conservatives who had vocally denounced their client. Ould M'Kheitir remained in prison at year's end pending his appeal.

Several journalists were summoned for questioning by the authorities during the year. In April 2015, for example, the editor of the online newspaper Al-Bayan El-Souhoufi was summoned to a police station and interrogated after he published an article on the strained relations between Mauritania and Morocco. In December, a journalist with the website Mushahid received death threats and was interrogated by authorities after he reported on corrupt dealings between a member of parliament and a businessman connected to the ruling party.

The 1991 constitution identifies Mauritania as an Islamic republic. Proselytizing by non-Muslims is banned, non-Muslims cannot be citizens, and those who convert from Islam lose their citizenship. In practice, however, the small non-Muslim communities have not been targeted for persecution. Individuals perceived as anti-Islamic are frequently threatened by leading religious figures. Combined with the government's hostility toward independent antislavery activism, such threats have increasingly hampered Mauritanians' ability to address sensitive topics in free and open private discussion. Academic freedom is largely respected.

E. Associational and Organizational Rights: 4 / 12

While the constitution guarantees freedom of assembly, organizers are required to obtain consent from the authorities for large gatherings, and such permission is often denied. Gatherings of individuals seen as opposed to the government are sometimes subject to surveillance.

The environment for civil society groups and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) is often marked by intimidation, violence, and repression. In January 2015, a court sentenced two leaders of IRA Mauritania, Biram Dah Abeid and Brahim Bilal Ramdhane, and the leader of a similar organization, Kawtal, to two years in prison on charges related to their participation in antislavery demonstrations in 2014. Protests demanding the release of the activists following their conviction were violently dispersed by police, leading to at least four injuries. Their sentences were upheld on appeal in August, though the Kawtal president, Djiby Sow, was released on medical grounds in June.

Workers have the legal right to unionize, but unions require approval from the public prosecutor and often face hostility from employers. Although only about a quarter of Mauritanians are formally employed, about 90 percent of workers in the industrial and commercial sectors are unionized. Nevertheless, workers are often wrongfully terminated, and organized workers are sometimes subject to pressure to withdraw their union membership or forgo legal processes. The right to strike is limited by notice requirements and bans on certain forms of strike action. In late January 2015, mineworkers in Zouerat went on strike over the state-owned mining company's failure to deliver on promised pay increases. The action ended in April after the company agreed to reinstate fired strikers, pay back wages to cover the strike period, and hold negotiations on wages, though management was still resisting a pay increase as of late 2015.

F. Rule of Law: 4 / 16

The government heavily influences the judicial system. Many decisions are based on Sharia (Islamic law), especially in family and civil matters, which discriminates against women. Suspects are routinely held for long periods of pretrial detention, and security forces suspected of human rights abuses operate with impunity. Prison conditions are harsh, torture is prevalent, and children are sometimes held with the adult prison population. In August 2015, the National Assembly adopted a law that would establish a commission to monitor prisons, border crossings, medical facilities, and other installations to prevent torture and other state abuses, though it was unclear at year's end how effective this body would be.

Members of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) have carried out a number of terrorist attacks in Mauritania in recent years. In December 2015, AQIM released a video showing the execution of a Mauritanian man and two Malian men whom it accused of spying for Mauritania and France. A 2010 antiterrorism law removed previous restrictions on wiretaps and searches, allowed for individuals under age 18 to be charged, and granted immunity to terrorists who inform the authorities of a plot. The U.S. and European governments view President Abdel Aziz as a crucial partner in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region.

Racial and ethnic bias persists in all spheres of political and economic life, with discrimination almost exclusively targeting Afro-Mauritanians and Haratin.

Same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Mauritania and punishable by death for men. LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) individuals generally hide their sexual orientation or gender identity.

G. Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: 4 / 16

While the Bidhan population is relatively free to make personal decisions about residence, employment, and education, the choices of Afro-Mauritanians and Haratin are often constrained by racial and caste-based discrimination.

Discrimination against women persists. Under Sharia, which is widely applied, a woman's testimony is given only half the weight of a man's. Legal protections regarding property and pay equity for women are rarely respected in practice. Female genital mutilation is illegal but common. Abortion is legal only when the life of the mother is in danger.

Despite a 1981 law banning slavery, significant numbers of black Mauritanians are believed to live in hereditary slavery-like conditions, and many more suffer from some degree of continuing labor exploitation or economic deprivation as a legacy of past slavery. The government's official stance is to deny the existence of slavery within its borders. In August 2015, the National Assembly passed a law that doubled prison sentences for those convicted of practicing slavery to 20 years, and expanded the definition of slavery to include other forms of servitude, such as forced marriage. While the measure also allows NGOs to file complaints on behalf of slavery victims, they must first be registered for at least five years, effectively disqualifying groups for which the government has denied registration, including IRA Mauritania. Victims often lack awareness of their legal rights, and both investigating agencies and courts are seen as biased against victims. No successful prosecutions for slavery had occurred by the end of 2015.

Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)

X = Score Received

Y = Best Possible Score

Z = Change from Previous Year

Copyright notice:  Freedom House, Inc.  All Rights Reserved
Freedom in the World 2016 - Canada

Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 9 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - Canada, 9 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ab13eae.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Freedom Status: Free

Aggregate Score: 99

Freedom Rating: 1.0

Political Rights: 1

Civil Liberties: 1

Quick Facts

Capital: Ottawa

Population: 35,833,000

GDP/capita: $50,271.10

Press Freedom Status: Free

Net Freedom Status: Free

OVERVIEW

The Liberal Party, led by Justin Trudeau, won a clear majority in federal elections held in October 2015. When Trudeau took office as prime minister in November, he ushered in a cabinet composed equally of men and women, an unprecedented step in Canada's political history. Outgoing prime minister Stephen Harper resigned as leader of the Conservatives following his party's loss.

During the election campaign, the Liberals pledged to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees in Canada before year's end, a commitment that Trudeau defended in the face of criticism and security concerns following a November terrorist attack in France by the Islamic State (IS) militant group. That month, the government extended the timeline for resettlement to February 2016, and the plan was ongoing at year's end. Separately, at the G20 summit in November, Trudeau announced plans to withdraw Canadian jets from a bombing mission led by the United States against IS targets, although no firm timeline was announced by year's end.

POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES

Political Rights: 40 / 40 (+1)

A. Electoral Process: 12 / 12

Canada is governed by a prime minister, a cabinet, and Parliament, which consists of an elected 338-member House of Commons and an appointed 105-member Senate. Lower-house elections are held every four years, with early elections called only if the government loses a parliamentary no-confidence vote. The British monarch is head of state, represented by a ceremonial governor general who is appointed on the advice of the prime minister.

General elections must be held on the third Monday in October every four years. The most recent elections were held in October 2015. Trudeau's Liberal Party captured 39.5 percent of the vote and 54.4 percent of electoral districts, taking 184 seats. The party was able to form a majority government, and Trudeau was sworn in as prime minister in November. The Conservative Party, which held power under Harper for close to ten years, captured 31.9 percent of the vote but only 29.3 percent of electoral districts, winning 99 seats. The New Democratic Party (NDP) took 44 seats, Bloc Quebecois (BQ) captured 10, and the Green Party won 1.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) conducted a needs assessment mission before the election as well as a mission during the vote. The OSCE reported that the elections were free and fair but noted the need for some improvements, including to minority participation.

In 2014, the Fair Elections Act  a broad and controversial set of measures promoted by the government to address voter fraud and update campaign finance laws  came into force. An open letter signed by 465 academics vehemently argued that the act would "undermine the integrity of the Canadian electoral process." Critics have expressed concerns that the legislation could place indigenous peoples at a disadvantage due to its stringent requirements about voter identification and addresses.

B. Political Pluralism and Participation: 16 / 16

Canadians are free to organize in different political parties, and the system is open to the rise and fall of competing parties. While two parties have traditionally dominated the political system  the Conservative Party, espousing a center-right to right-wing political position, and the Liberal Party, espousing a center to center-left position  recent years have seen the rise of new groups. A total of 23 political parties were registered in the 2015 elections. The center-left NDP lost its status as the official opposition party in the House of Commons after the vote, and the Conservatives became the dominant opposition to the Liberal government.

Critical issues facing Canada's indigenous peoples, including high rates of suicide, violent victimization, and murder, received little attention in the 2015 electoral campaign. The Liberals proposed investment into education for indigenous communities, and the NDP pledged to initiate an inquiry into problems facing indigenous women. No party offered comprehensive solutions or strategies, however. After the October vote, parliamentary representation of indigenous and other "visible minority" groups, who together constitute nearly a quarter of Canada's population, increased to approximately 17 percent.

C. Functioning of Government: 12 / 12 (+1)

Canada has a reputation for clean government and a record of vigorous prosecution of corruption cases. The country was ranked 9 out of 168 countries and territories surveyed in Transparency International's 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index. Several administrations have been criticized for failing to effectively combat bribery of foreign officials in international business transactions, but the government has made efforts to improve in this area, including by strengthening the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act in 2013 to facilitate prosecution of Canadian entities that bribe foreign officials.

No major corruption revelations emerged in 2015, and authorities continued efforts to adequately process ongoing cases. The trial of Mike Duffy, a senator from Prince Edward Island, began in April and was ongoing at year's end. Duffy was charged with 31 criminal offenses in July 2014 in connection to evidence that emerged in 2012 about exorbitant expense claims by Senate members. There was also considerable focus on corruption in Quebec during the year. The Charbonneau Commission, a public inquiry into public construction contracts in the province, issued its final report in November. The lengthy publication detailed 60 recommendations for the Quebec government, and concluded that corruption in the province was a more serious problem than originally perceived. The report also voiced concerns about the role of organized crime in Quebec's construction sector.

Despite the existence of the Access to Information Act, there are some challenges to obtaining information, including delays and excessive costs. An investigation by the magazine Maclean's revealed in September 2015 that a federal cost-saving plan had led to the loss of significant amounts of public data since 2012, including information from census, environmental, and socio-economic studies. Watchdogs voiced concerns about the situation's negative ramifications for transparency and public information management.

Civil Liberties: 59 / 60

D. Freedom of Expression and Belief: 16 / 16

Canada's media are generally free; journalists are mostly protected from violence and harassment in their work and are able to express diverse views. However, defamation remains a criminal offense, punishable by up to five years in prison. No statutory laws protect confidential sources, and the courts often decide whether or not to respect source confidentiality on a case-by-case basis. Media ownership has become more concentrated in recent years.

In June 2015, legislators passed a controversial antiterrorism law following prolonged and heated debate. The legislation grants the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) wider authority to conduct surveillance and share information about individuals with other agencies. Its passage elicited considerable public uproar and led to a petition calling for its repeal. Canadian intellectuals as well as both domestic and foreign civil liberties watchdogs warned that the bill undermined the concept of privacy and could harm freedom of expression. Separately, a 2014 law against cyberbullying came into force in March. Critics have warned that the law's standards for granting access to internet and telecommunications user data were too low and threatened the right to privacy.

The constitution and other legislation protect religious freedom. However, there have been cases of societal discrimination based on religious affiliation, including acts of violence and vandalism against Canada's Jewish and Muslim communities. In November, a mosque in Ontario was subject to arson. The police categorized the incident as a hate crime, and an investigation was ongoing at year's end. In recent years, there has been controversy over the legality of wearing religious clothing, particularly veils, in public. In 2011, the immigration ministry banned the wearing of any kind of face coverings at citizenship oath ceremonies. However, a Federal Court judge found in February 2015 that the ban unlawfully contradicted the federal Citizenship Act, and supported the right of individuals to wear face-covering veils for religious reasons. The ruling generated controversy during the election campaign, with Harper pledging to challenge it.

Academic freedom is generally respected. In May, several public sector unions staged demonstrations on behalf of federally funded scientists who voiced opposition to government interference in their work, particularly restrictions on sharing information about research. The scientists themselves did not protest for fear of losing their jobs. In November, Prime Minister Trudeau scrapped the restrictions, which had required federally funded academics to receive authorization before speaking to the press, among other things. An investigation into the scientists' allegations by Canada's information commissioner, launched in 2013, was ongoing at year's end.

E. Associational and Organizational Rights: 12 / 12

Freedoms of association and assembly are generally respected. However, in November 2014, four UN special rapporteurs reported that they had received information that the National Energy Board (NEB), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and the CSIS were engaged in systematic monitoring of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) slated to participate in NEB hearings about an oil pipeline. The rapporteurs voiced concerns that these activities did not have an adequate legal basis and could jeopardize the NGOs' independence and safety. In January 2015, the Canadian government replied to these concerns, stating that the agencies had acted in accordance with legal standards. The UN special rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association requested to make a country visit, but one had not been scheduled at year's end.

Trade unions and business associations enjoy high levels of membership and are well organized. The outgoing Harper government had adopted a tough line with unions representing public workers, and had somewhat restricted the rights of workers to organize, strike, and bargain collectively. In January, the Supreme Court delivered two rulings in support of organized labor. In one case, the court declared a constitutionally protected right to strike; in the second ruling, it found that the RCMP had a right to unionize as part of their constitutional right to freedom of association.

F. Rule of Law: 15 / 16

The judiciary is independent. Canada's criminal law is based on legislation enacted by Parliament; its tort and contract law is based on English common law, with the exception of Quebec, where it is based on the French civil code.

A 2012 anticrime law increased mandatory minimum sentences, provided for harsher sentences for young offenders, and eliminated conditional sentences such as house arrest or community service for some crimes. The 2013-14 Annual Report of the Office of the Correctional Investigator noted that the country's prison population had increased by 17.5 percent since 2005. The number of visible minorities in prison has risen significantly in the last decade; while the indigenous population comprises about 4 percent of Canada's population, they represent close to one-quarter of all inmates.

The government had made increasing efforts to enforce equal rights and opportunities for minority groups, although some problems persist. Members of Canada's indigenous population remain subject to discrimination and have unequal access to education, health care, and employment. There are legal protections for the human rights of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people, although some reports of discrimination and hate crimes persist.

Immigration and asylum were widely discussed issues in the lead-up to the October 2015 elections, and the Liberal Party's platform included a plan for the resettlement of 25,000 Syrian refugees by 2016. Trudeau prioritized resettlement after taking office, although he extended the deadline for completion until February 2016. Efforts to fulfill the plan were ongoing at year's end.

G. Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: 16 / 16

Freedom of movement is constitutionally protected and upheld in practice.

Property rights are not constitutionally protected, and a 2012 survey published by the Fraser Institute found that Canadian property rights were significantly weak in comparison with peer Western states. In a landmark ruling delivered in June 2014, the Supreme Court of Canada held that, unless they signed a treaty with the government, Canada's indigenous populations still held title to their ancestral lands. The ruling also provided long-awaited details about the nature of indigenous title. However, the ruling may not necessarily afford indigenous communities a veto against government decisions on land where title claims have yet to be proven, which is the case for communities in much of British Columbia. In September 2015, the British Columbia Supreme Court rejected a First Nations challenge to a dam project, concluding that the government had fulfilled its obligations by providing the challengers with an opportunity to make their opposition heard.

Canada legalized same-sex marriage in 2005. Women's rights are generally well protected in law and in practice. Women hold approximately 26 percent of seats in the House of Commons, 39 percent in the Senate, and one-half in the cabinet. However, some problems persist. Indigenous women and girls face racial and economic discrimination, high rates of gender-based violence, and mistreatment by police. In a June 2015 report, the RCMP concluded that the number of indigenous women and girls murdered between 1980 and 2012 was 4.5 times higher than the number of all other female homicides.

In 2012, Canada enacted the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, and the government continued efforts in 2015 to hold perpetrators accountable and to improve resources available to victims.

Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)

X = Score Received

Y = Best Possible Score

Z = Change from Previous Year

Copyright notice:  Freedom House, Inc.  All Rights Reserved
Australia: Reaction to The Guardian's damning 'Nauru files' on refugee abuse

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 9 August 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, Australia: Reaction to The Guardian's damning 'Nauru files' on refugee abuse, 9 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ab198d4.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Responding to The Guardian's "Nauru files" leak today, Amnesty International's Senior Director for Research Anna Neistat said:

"This leak has laid bare a system of 'routine dysfunction and cruelty' that is at once dizzying in its scale and utterly damning for the Australian authorities who tried so hard to maintain a veil of secrecy.

"When Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch went to Nauru against the odds and saw with our own eyes the appalling and systemic abuses taking place, the Australian government tried to roundly deny our findings.

"The exposure of just how appalling the conditions on Nauru are - and the impact of this on refugees - has to end the government of Australia's denials.

"Australia's offshore processing of refugees must end, and all of the refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island must be resettled immediately and given the medical and psychological support they need. It is clear from these documents, and our own research, that many have been driven to the brink of physical or mental breakdown by their treatment on Nauru.

"The Australian government has engaged in one of the most successful mass cover-ups I've witnessed in my career of documenting human rights violations. They've repeatedly said this kind of abuse has not been going on. They've been lying."

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Iran: Women's rights activists treated as 'enemies of the state' in renewed crackdown

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 10 August 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, Iran: Women's rights activists treated as 'enemies of the state' in renewed crackdown, 10 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ab19fb4.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Iranian authorities have intensified their repression of women's rights activists in the country in the first half of this year, carrying out a series of harsh interrogations and increasingly likening any collective initiative relating to women's rights to criminal activity, Amnesty International said today.

The organization's research reveals that since January 2016 more than a dozen women's rights activists in Tehran have been summoned for long, intensive interrogations by the Revolutionary Guards, and threatened with imprisonment on national security-related charges. Many had been involved in a campaign launched in October 2015, which advocated for increased representation of women in Iran's February 2016 parliamentary election.

"It is utterly shameful that the Iranian authorities are treating peaceful activists who seek women's equal participation in decision-making bodies as enemies of the state. Speaking up for women's equality is not a crime. We are calling for an immediate end to this heightened harassment and intimidation, which is yet another blow for women's rights in Iran," said Magdalena Mughrabi, Interim Deputy Middle East and North Africa Programme Director at Amnesty International.

"Rather than addressing Iran's disturbing record on women's rights the Iranian authorities have once again opted for repression, accusing women's rights activists of collusion in western-orchestrated plots in a bid to maintain their discriminatory practices towards women."

The women summoned for interrogation were given no reason for the summonses they received, but once inside the interrogation room they were bombarded with accusations of espionage and collusion with "foreign-based currents seeking the overthrow of the Islamic Republic system". Amnesty International understands that the Revolutionary Guards subjected the women to verbal abuse, including gender-related slurs. The activists were not allowed to be accompanied by their lawyers during the interrogations, which lasted in some cases up to eight hours.

Amnesty International understands that the interrogations focused, in particular, on two local initiatives: a website called "Feminist School", which posts reports and articles on issues related to feminist theories and practices and the state of women's rights in Iran and globally; and the Campaign to Change the Masculine Face of Parliament, launched ahead of the February 2016 parliamentary elections in Iran to push for the increased presence of pro-women's rights candidates in parliament.

Members of both initiatives have been pressured to close or suspend their activities and practice heightened self-censorship. In its final statement, the Campaign to Change the Masculine Face of Parliament explained how its achievements in terms of generating a five-fold increase in the number of women seeking candidacy, highlighting the demands of women for equality, and naming and shaming candidates with a history of making sexist remarks, have attracted the wrath of security bodies, leading to repeated summons, threats, prolonged interrogations, and the opening of new national security-related cases against the campaign's active members. The Feminist School website has not been updated since the middle of February 2016.

The latest target of this intensified crackdown is the renowned women's rights magazine Zanan-e Emrooz (Today's Women) which announced it was suspending its activities on 26 July.

"The Iranian authorities should be under no illusion that harassing women's rights activists by carrying out interrogations and forcing them to close their publications silently will go unnoticed. They should be supporting women's rights activists, not persecuting them," said Magdalena Mughrabi.

The renewed assault on those working on women's rights has been manifested most extremely by the arbitrary arrest and detention, since 6 June, of Dr Homa Hoodfar, a Canadian-Iranian national and prominent anthropology professor renowned for her decades of academic work on women's issues. Except for one brief meeting with her lawyer, Dr Homa Hoodfar has been held largely incommunicado since her arrest and is currently held in Tehran's Evin Prison.

She had worked with WLUM (Women Living Under Muslim Laws), an international feminist network whose stated aim is to strengthen women's struggles for equality and their rights in Muslim contexts.

The Prosecutor General of Tehran stated in a media interview on 24 June that Dr Homa Hoodfar's "criminal" case is in connection with "her entry into fields concerning feminism and national security offences". Days earlier, media outlets affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards ran articles claiming that

Dr Homa Hoodfar was "the Iran agent of a feminist network building operation" and the Campaign to Change the Masculine Face of Parliament was "her latest project".

The articles also claimed that her work with WLUM to promote feminism and women's equality in Muslim countries and enhance women's bodily autonomy was aimed at "disrupting public order" and "prompting social-cultural changes that can ultimately pave the ground  for a soft overthrow".

"It is appalling that the Iranian authorities are equating Dr Homa Hoodfar's valuable work relating to feminism and women's rights in Muslim contexts with national security offences. This distressing development highlights the absurd and chilling extremes to which Iran's authorities are willing to go to crush those who challenge state-sanctioned discrimination," said Magdalena Mughrabi.

"The Iranian authorities must release Dr Homa Hoodfar immediately and unconditionally and stop their relentless harassment of all women's rights activists in the country."

Tens of thousands of Amnesty International members and supporters have called for her immediate and unconditional release as she is a prisoner of conscience held solely for the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of expression.

Background

Women in Iran are subject to pervasive discrimination both in law and practice, including in areas concerning marriage, divorce, child custody, freedom of movement, employment, and access to political office. Women and girls are inadequately protected against domestic and other violence, including early and forced marriage and marital rape. Compulsory "veiling" (hijab) laws empower police and paramilitary forces to target women for harassment, violence and imprisonment regularly.

Public Document

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Killing the music: Buskers ensnared by Russian protest laws

Publisher Amnesty International Author Alexander Artemyev Publication Date 10 August 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, Killing the music: Buskers ensnared by Russian protest laws, 10 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ab1a6a4.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The first notes of a traditional Russian folk melody were drifting across central Moscow's Manezhnaya Square when the police car pulled up.

Lyubov Startseva and Violetta Mikhaylova, award-winning students at St Petersburg's Mussorgsky Music Academy, exchanged a worried glance over their instruments. They had been busking plenty of times back in St Petersburg without being bothered by the authorities.

Two policemen stepped out of the car and inspected their identity cards. The musicians were ordered into the vehicle. Their domra and gusli, ancient stringed instruments, went into the boot.

"What have we done?" asked the young women, shocked.

"Article 20.2.2," replied the policeman. "You can check it on the internet Haven't you seen what happens to street musicians in Moscow?"

At the capital's Kitay-Gorod police station, Lyubov and Violetta discovered for themselves what the policeman meant. After spending three hours in custody with drunk men, they were charged with an administrative offence. They will now go on trial on 10 August, charged with a public order violation against "Organization of mass simultaneous gathering and (or) moving citizens in public places".

If found guilty, they could be fined up to 20,000 roubles (US$300) or sentenced to 15 days' detention. They told Amnesty International they do not plan to retain a lawyer since, as they see it, in Vladimir Putin's Russia, being charged is in itself akin to an indication of guilt.

The public order offence they are being charged with was introduced in in June 2012, in the aftermath of large-scale protests against the parliamentary elections the previous winter.

Lawmakers from the ruling United Russia party were primarily concerned with outlawing unregulated 'protest walks' and all kind of political flash mobs. But the blanket definition of 'simultaneous gathering' paved the way for the law to be invoked against any everyday get-togethers, however impromptu or harmless. Street musicians and artists have subsequently become among the favourite targets for Moscow's police to apply the law.

The unofficial campaign to clean Moscow's streets of buskers began in summer 2014. Since then, dozens of artists were arrested, with repeat offenders facing a fine of 150.000 roubles (USD$2,250) and having their instruments confiscated as accessories to a crime.

"Muscovites noticed with horror how their main cultural street, Arbat, became deaf and blind," Moskovskyi Komsomolets newspaper starkly stated last November. It was a departure from its normal stance of steering clear of criticism of the federal or local authorities.

Moscow's street performers reacted to this blow by organizing a protest: in June last year they taped over their mouths, wrapped their musical instruments and donation tins with tape, and tied their hands in symbolic defiance of their lack of freedom to perform. Their efforts were in vain. The city administration decided to designate 15 official sites for street performances and established a licensing procedure for artists.

Lyubov plays the gusli, a Russian type of psaltery, and Violetta is a skilled performer on the domra, a three-stringed lute. Both are in their early 20s, and they have already collected numerous awards, including on the international level. They are just the latest victims of this campaign even though for them, performing on the streets is much more a hobby than a way to earn a living.

The young musicians are far from feeling solidarity with those who had been arrested for this offence in the past.

"We did not have any gut feeling that something bad would happen to us in Moscow," Lyubov told Amnesty International. "We aren't brawlers, we haven't held any demonstration in Moscow, none at all."

"When we played [in St Petersburg], people stopped and observed. Many had never seen Russian folk instruments before. They thanked us."

At their trial on 10 August, Ljubov and Violetta will find out how the Russian justice system intends to thank them for their performance. In the meantime, their instruments will remain in police custody.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Pakistan: More than 50 people killed in horrific bomb attack on hospital in Quetta

Publisher International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Publication Date 8 August 2016 Cite as International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Pakistan: More than 50 people killed in horrific bomb attack on hospital in Quetta, 8 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57ab1dc74.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is deeply saddened by the horrific attack on Civil Hospital Quetta today that has killed over 50 people and injured many more.

Reto Stocker, head of ICRC delegation in Pakistan, said: "We are shocked to see so many innocent people killed in cold blood today just outside the casualty department of the Civil Hospital in Quetta. Hospitals are places where lives are saved - there can be no justification for such horrendous acts. We share the grief and pain of the bereaved families at this difficult time."

Diminishing respect for hospitals, medical staff and ambulances is at the heart of the ICRC's concerns globally and in Pakistan. The sanctity of healthcare facilities must be respected at all costs. Together with Pakistan's medical fraternity, the ICRC has been working for the last two years to promote the safety of healthcare services in all circumstances.
A number of downstate public universities might consider changing policies to avoid an expensive lesson learned by Chicago State University.

CSU, like Illinois State, University of Illinois, Eastern Illinois and Southern Illinois, is a state-supported public university. Like its brethren, the university also received less state money in the last year because of the state's financial problems.

Unlike most of its brethren, however, CSU trimmed its expenses with a wide swath of personnel cuts meant to stem the flow of red ink.

A recent investigation by the Chicago Tribune, using documents sought under the state's open records law, shows the layoffs resulted in high expenses because of notification laws similar to those also in place at Illinois State, U of I, Eastern and Southern.

"The mass layoffs, unusual in higher education, came with a cost: $2.2 million, the bulk of it in severance pay mandated by a long-standing school policy that requires up to a year's notice of being terminated or a payout for the time. It's a policy common at Illinois public universities but generous compared with what is provided by most schools in other states," the Tribune reported on Aug. 2.

For the nearly 400 workers who were laid off, Chicago State spent nearly $1.6 million on severance and another $650,000 to pay out unused vacation time, the Tribune reported.

Under the CSU policy, the Tribune wrote, administrators receive anywhere from three to 12 months' notice before a layoff. The university also paid out accrued vacation time, which in one instance tallied $20,000.

Such extensive advance notice is uncommon among private employers. The newspaper cited several people who explained such niceties are more common in higher education settings, because they help with staff recruitment and retention.

The university's human resources director said that while the payout was high, the layoffs also would bring cost savings from employees who no longer must be provided benefits.

That's true for any reduction in force: when someone is laid off, the company saves money simply by not paying benefits like health and life insurance.

But in having such generous policies for state-supported universities " ... the question becomes, can you afford them anymore?" state Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, vice chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, told the Tribune.

Rather than learn the lesson of CSU, we urge the various university boards to instead study Western Illinois University, another state-supported university.

Two years ago, the Tribune said, Western changed its notification policy to give administrators a maximum of six months' notice as a way to bring the policy more in line with private business.

That sounds like a lesson worth learning.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

A few clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 54F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 54F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph.
Mayor Costin provides council district update & talks about other city projects

A town hall was held at Martinsville City Hall Thursday evening where residents were encouraged to attend and discuss their concerns or questions with Martinsville Mayor Kenny Costin.
WEDNESDAY

Fish fry fundraiser

ASPERMONT  A fish fry fundraiser will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Stonewall County Senior Citizens Center, 536 S. Washington. The cost is $10. Takeout will be available.

Dog Days at the Mall

Dog Days will be open from 5-8 p.m. at the Mall of Abilene. Participants are encouraged to bring their dog for a costume contest and other activities. Dogs must be well-behaved and leashed. Dog Days will continue each Wednesday in August.

Square dance workshop

TYE  The Wagon Wheel Squares will conduct a square dancing workshop at 6:30 p.m. at the Wagon Wheel.

Other ...

Overeaters Anonymous, 8 a.m., Hinds Square Building, Room 112, 100 Chestnut St.

Abilene Cactus Lions Club, 11:45 a.m., Cotton Patch Cafe, 3302 S. Clack St.

Abilene Wednesday Rotary Club, noon, Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway. $12 for lunch. Jo Ann Wilson, 325-677-6815.

Kiwanis Club of Abilene, noon, Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway Blvd.

Clearly Speaking Toastmaster Club, noon, Westgate Church of Christ, 402 S. Pioneer Drive. 325-795-5570.

Blood drive, 1-6 p.m., Jones County Courthouse, Anson.

Diabetes Support Group, 2-3 p.m., Stonewall County Library.

Free swim class for people with multiple sclerosis, 5:30 p.m., YMCA, 3250 State St.

Veterans Peer Support Group, 6 p.m., 765 Orange St. 325-670-4818.

Mid-week Al-Anon Family Group, 6-7 p.m., Open Door Building, 3157 Russell Ave. 325-698-4995.

Advanced Square Dancing, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Wagon Wheel.

Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 1501 N. Broadway, Ballinger. 817-689-2810 or 325-977-1007.

DivorceCare support group, 7 p.m., Hillcrest Church of Christ, 650 E. Ambler Ave. 325-691-4200.

THURSDAY

Women's luncheon

A Christian Women's Connection luncheon will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway Blvd. Tomi Calmes will be the guest speaker. Tickets are $16. For reservations, or for more information, contact 325-370-6567 or AbileneCWC@aol.com.

ArtWalk

ArtWalk, a program of the Center for Contemporary Arts, will take place from 5-8 p.m. in downtown Abilene. The theme will be 'DogWalk.' Participants are encouraged to bring their dogs; a variety of activities for dogs, including a costume contest and swimming pool, will be available.

Diaper drive

A diaper drive benefiting the St. Mark's Episcopal Church Baby Room will be 6-8 p.m. at Mezamiz Coffee, 3909 S. Seventh St. Diapers may be dropped off before the drive.

Dance

OLD GLORY  A dance will be 7-10 p.m. at the Old Glory Community Center. A live band will perform and refreshments will be available. For more information, call 940-989-2816.

Grace After Dark

Screenings of several short films will be presented during Grace After Dark at 8:30 p.m. on the roof of The Grace Museum, 102 Cypress St. Food trucks will open at 6:30 p.m., and a cash bar will be available. Admission will be free, but will be limited to 100 viewers. Participants must be 18 or older.

Movie at the park

A free showing of the movie 'Inside Out' will begin at 9 p.m. at Rose Park, 2910 S. Seventh St. Participants are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs and snacks.

Other ...

Abilene Garden Club, 10 a.m., 300 Westwood St.

Chronic Pain and Depression Group, 11 a.m. to noon, Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St., 325-673-2300.

Abilene Founder Lions Club, 11:30 a.m., Al's Mesquite Grill, 4801 Buffalo Gap Road.

Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene, noon, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St. 325-695-0092.

Mental Illness Open Support Group, 1-2 p.m., Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St. 325-673-2300.

Blood drive, 1-6 p.m., First Baptist Church, Albany.

Abilene 42 Club, 6 p.m., Rose Park Senior Center.

PEP (People Enjoying People) Club, 6 p.m., Wylie Baptist Church, 6097 Buffalo Gap Road 325-692-4909.

Teen Recovery Group, 6-7 p.m., Mission Abilene, 3001 N. Third St.

Free certified nurturing parent class (all ages), 6-8 p.m., Mission Church, North Third and Mockingbird streets. 325-672-9398.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly, 6:30 p.m. Brook Hollow Christian Church. Weigh-in begins at 5:30 p.m. 325-665-5052.

Free swim class for people with multiple sclerosis, 6:30 p.m., YMCA, 3250 State St.

Gambler's Anonymous, 6:30 p.m., Unity Spiritual Living Center, 2842 Barrow St. 325-338-2575.

West Texas Genealogical Society, 6:30 p.m., Rose Park Senior Citizen Center.

Round Dancing, 7 p.m., Wagon Wheel. 325-829-1517.

Tea Party Patriots of Eastland County, 7 p.m., Myrtle Wilks Community Center, Cisco.

South Pioneer Al-Anon Group, 8 p.m., 3157 Russell Ave.

Unity Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander St.

Hendrick Hospice Care sponsors a 'Gone But Not Lost' support group the second Thursday of each month for any bereaved parent who has lost a child of any age. Information: 325-677-8516 or 1-800-622-8516.

FRIDAY

Trade Days of West Texas

An opening celebration of Trade Days of West Texas will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 2501 E. Highway 80. Crafts, antiques, food trucks and more will be available.

Alumni meeting

DESDEMONA  An annual alumni and community meeting will begin at 5 p.m. at the Desdemona Activity Center. Doors will open at 2 p.m. A meal will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Concert

A concert featuring the Booth Brothers will begin at 7 p.m. at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, 701 Pioneer Drive. Admission is free, but an offering will be taken.

'Giant'

As part of the Paramount Film Series, 'Giant' will be shown at 7:30 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre, 352 Cypress St. Film historian Robert Holladay will give a lecture on the film at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $6 for adults and $5 for students, seniors, military and children. For more information, visit paramount-abilene.org.

Dance

OPLIN  A dance featuring Midnight Blue will be 7:30-10:30 p.m. at the Oplin Community Center. Admission is $5. Information: www.grandoleoplin.com.

Other ...

Blood drive, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Hendrick Medical Center, Tom Roberts Conference Center.

Abilene Chinese Corner, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Abilene Christian University library. lld09a@acu.edu.

Disabled American Veterans and Auxiliary, 6 p.m., 2555 Grape St. 325-793-9699 or 325-480-6175.

Mid-City Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First Christian Church. 325-670-4304.

SATURDAY

Back door garage sale

ASPERMONT  A 'back door best offer' garage sale will be open from 8 a.m. to noon at the Stonewall County Senior Citizens Center, 536 S. Washington.

Trade Days of West Texas

An opening celebration of Trade Days of West Texas will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 2501 E. Highway 80. Crafts, antiques, food trucks and more will be available.

Heirloom care workshop

Erika Parker will present a workshop, 'Preserving Home: Caring for Your Heirloom Textiles, Garments, and Fabrics,' from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Grace Museum, 102 Cypress St. Registration is $40 for members and $45 for nonmembers, with all supplies included. To register, or for more information, go to www.thegracemuseum.org.

Movie at the library

A showing of a recent PG rated animated movie will begin at 11 a.m. at the South Branch of the Abilene Public Library, 1401 S. Danville Drive. Popcorn and drinks will be provided. Admission is free.

Chautauqua

BUFFALO GAP  The Chautauqua Learning Series will continue with a presentation by Robert F. Bluthardt, 'Fun and Frolic on the Frontier,' from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday at Buffalo Gap Historic Village, 133 N. William St. Admission is free.

Portraiture demonstration

BROWNWOOD  Ken Dees will give a demonstration of the art of portraiture 1:30-3 p.m. at the Brownwood Art Association, 215 Fisk Ave. Admission is free.

'Giant'

As part of the Paramount Film Series, 'Giant' will be shown at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre, 352 Cypress St. Tickets are $6 for adults and $5 for students, seniors, military and children. For more information, visit paramount-abilene.org.

Benefit concert

Yanstock, featuring Happy Fat, Collector's Edition and other artists, will open at 5 p.m. at Play Faire Park, 2300 N. Second St. Admission is $15. Proceeds will go to medical bills incurred by Yan Hartman.

Other ...

Overeaters Anonymous, 10 a.m., Shades of Hope, 402A Mulberry St., Buffalo Gap. 800-588-4673.

Abilene Society of Model Railroaders, 10 a.m. to noon, 2043 N. Second St.

Abilene Creative Arts Club, 1:30-3:30 p.m., Buffalo Gap Historic Village, Rode Gallery. 325-514-0665.

Aglow International, 6 p.m., The Crossover, S. First and Poplar streets. 325-829-8826.
Incident reports released by the Abilene Police Department on Tuesday:

Driving while intoxicated, 600 block of North First Street, Monday

Police arrested a 61-year-old man after his friend called to report the man was supposedly driving while intoxicated and had been involved in a hit-and-run wreck. Police reported the man had a blood alcohol content of 0.292 and 0.285 upon taking breath tests. A blood alcohol content of 0.08 is considered legally intoxicated.

Driving while intoxicated, 2700 block of Industrial Boulevard, Monday

Police arrested a 33-year-old woman after an officer found her parked in oncoming traffic. When asked why, the woman replied she did not know.

Driving while intoxicated, 4400 block of Danville Drive, Tuesday

Police arrested a 25-year-old woman after pulling over the woman for allegedly driving without headlights on. The police reported they also had received calls the woman was driving the wrong way on Winters Freeway. Police say she has three prior convictions for driving while intoxicated.

Assault, 1300 block of Chestnut Street, Tuesday

A 32-year-old woman reported to police that her boyfriend choked her.

Terroristic threat, 1600 block of State Highway 351, Sunday

Retail store personnel reported to police that they received a bomb threat from an unknown female caller. Police found nothing unusual upon a search of the store.
By Ani Tadevosyan

The Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women rallied outside the Yerevan studios of A-TV on August 9 to protest how the media portrays women and the excessive violence that appears in many TV broadcasts.

The protesters singled out A-TVs series Half-Opened Windows and the program Dangerous Silence, arguing that it incited the murder of a Yerevan family a month earlier, on July 8.

Vladik Martirosyan took an axe to his estranged wife and her parents. The mother was killed and the wife and her father are in hospital.

Before viciously attacking the family, Vladik Martirosyan appeared on the TV program Dangerous Silence and was treated like the victim, according to protesters.

The panel of experts urged Martirosyan to keep the family intact and to bring his estranged wife back into the fold.

The Coalition says that the TV program revealed intimate personal information about the wife without her consent and never broached the fact that Martirosyan had a history of beating his wife.

The Coalition argues that all these ethical violations, coupled with the programs attitude that violence against women is acceptable, sends the wrong message to society and leads to tragic consequences, as evidenced by the actions of Vladik Martirosyan.

The protesters demanded to see Hrach Mouradyan, moderator of the Half-Opened Windows series, but were told that he is on vacation.

Photos: Ani Tadevosyan
Nellie Doneva/Reporter-News

Vicki Daniel, right, whose sons are a firefighter and a police officer, bought a Back the Badge yard sign from Lisa Maikranz, left, who is married to a firefighter, at the Law Enforcement Center Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016.

SHARE

By Staff Report

People have an opportunity to get a "Back The Badge" yard signs or car magnets from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Abilene/Taylor County Law Enforcement Center.

Profits from the sale will go to the "Texas Wheels of Justice," a statewide organization which includes local law enforcement officers who travel to Washington D.C. each May. The officers take part in the "Police Unity Tour," a 300-mile bicycle ride held in memory of fallen law enforcement officers from across the country. The local group also continues to serve as Abilene's representatives during the observance of "National Police Week" held simultaneously in our nation's capital. Each Police Unity Tour officer must collect donations for the National Police Officer Memorial Foundation as part of the registration requirement, as well as pay their own costs of travel, food and lodging.

Last year's fundraiser featured signs reading "Back The Blue," which encouraged support of police officers specifically. This year's title of "Back The Badge," is meant to encompass a spirit of support for all local First Responders.

"We want all first responders to know the citizens care and have their back," said Lisa Maikranz, founder/director of Back The Blue Abilene, in a news release.

"All Taylor County first responders are extremely appreciative of the continued support we receive from our citizens," said Sheriff Ricky Bishop. "By supporting this project through a purchase, it helps law enforcement honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice."

Yard signs and magnets were also sold last Wednesday.

"Last week's support through sign and magnet sales was overwhelming," said Lt. John Cummins, of the sheriff's office. As officers, we see and are extremely grateful to know that the citizens are with us and appreciate the difficult jobs we have. From our TDCJ officers, to our First Responder police, firemen, sheriff's deputies, and paramedics, we all agree that public support lifts our spirits in even the darkest hours. The citizens are reaching out to us in a thankful way by displaying these signs, and we want them to know that their actions are sincerely appreciated."

Signs will sell for $20 each, while car magnets are $10 each. People wanting to purchase the items can park in either the east or south lots of the LEC, at 450 Pecan. Anyone interested in getting a sign or magnet after the event, can contact sheriffsoffice@taylorcountytexas.org, or Maikranz through her Facebook page, "Back The Blue Abilene."
Richard O'Shields letter: What have Republicans done for us?
UPDATE:

As of 1:22 p.m. the fire has been successfully extinguished.

The fire department is still on the scene.

ORIGINAL STORY:

The Abilene Fire Department is fighting a grass fire off of Beltway South.

The fire, to the east of Wylie Junior High and a residential neighborhood, was called in just after noon.

Traffic control was requested on Beltway South.

Firefighters are working to keep the fire from spreading into the neighborhood.

A power outage in south Abilene might have been related to the fire. AEP Texas reported more than 750 customers were without electricity for a short time. Power has been restored, according to AEP.
Khizr Khan at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia spoke from the heart, on behalf of himself and his wife, Ghazala, regarding their late son, Capt. Humayun Khan of the Army. Capt. Khan was killed in Iraq in 2004 in a suicide bombing.

Mr. Khan expressed understandable outrage at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's declared intention to ban Muslims from entering the United States, and chastised the media celebrity for having made no sacrifices.

Trump, true to form, immediately responded by emphasizing that he has 'made a lot of sacrifices,' noting job creation. Previously, Trump denigrated Sen. John McCain's military service, including years as a POW in the notorious Hanoi Hilton during the Vietnam War.

Baiting Trump was doubtless the reason why cynical Democratic Party strategists chose to invite Mr. and Mrs. Khan to address the delegates. Honoring the memory of a warrior was lower on their list, if present at all. The mass media enthusiastically fan the resulting flames.

Simultaneously, other warrior news is largely ignored by our media.

Decorated Vietnam War combat veteran and former Sen. Bob Kerrey is the chairman of the new U.S.-supported Fulbright Vietnam University, and that has sparked some intense debate among Vietnamese. President Barack Obama highlighted the university during a May visit to Vietnam.

In 1969, Lt. Kerrey commanded a Navy SEAL team during a raid in which unarmed civilians, including children, were killed. He and team members testified the killing was inadvertent.

A team member and a Vietnamese witness challenge this. Overlooked in most media focus on this incident is that the nature of the Vietnam War made clear distinction between enemy and innocent civilian often impossible.

In different ways, the Khan and Kerrey incidents underscore the distance between our military and wider civilian society. The integration of these two societies remains as important today as in ancient times.

Homer, the poet of ancient Greece, presented his saga of war and recovery in two parts. 'The Iliad' focuses on the fighting and related interchange between Greeks and Trojans. 'The Odyssey' describes the very long voyage home of Greek leader Ulysses and his men. They traverse allegorical geography, struggling to put the horrors of killing, and the dangers of being killed, behind them.

Gen. George S. Patton Jr., a very great American combat leader, was extremely mindful of this dimension, despite being accurately described by both admirers and critics as the personification of a 'pure' warrior. He and Gen. James Doolittle, who led the first air raid on Tokyo, were featured in a special ceremony in the Los Angeles Coliseum after the surrender of Nazi Germany.

Patton celebrated the accomplishments of our U.S. Third Army in the victorious drive across Europe. In honoring his troops, he emphasized in particular the 40,000 who lost their lives in that final year of the war. He repeated the theme in the few months remaining until his own death. Patton sensed the vital importance of celebration for reintegration, and personal renewal.

Encourage veterans to run for public office. We won the Cold War in part because members of Tom Brokaw's 'Greatest Generation' who served in the military also served in government. Every U.S. president from Harry Truman through George H.W. Bush was a veteran.

Kerrey years ago publicly confessed to both guilt and anguish over the killing of civilians in Vietnam. That public debate is permitted in Vietnam is encouraging.

Email Arthur I. Cyr, Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College, at acyr@carthage.edu
One Texan who knows the Democratic vice presidential nominee, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, pretty well and favorably, is state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin.

While mayor of Austin, Watson first met Kaine in April 2000 in Richmond.

Both were in a group of mayors from across America invited to Israel for a week by the mayor of Jerusalem, the state of Israel and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

They spent days together on a sight-seeing tour bus, hearing speakers, and talking with other mayors and each other. Almost exactly the same age, both had celebrated their 42nd birthday just weeks earlier  Kaine on Feb. 26, Watson on March 18.

'I was immediately struck by Tim,' Watson wrote in Watson Wire, his periodic newsletter. 'He's very smart. He has a deep spiritual sensitivity that he was very open about. He was funny with a quick ability to see the fun in something. And he looked for fun. He was a good, good guy.

'We joked, talked about our backgrounds, including his time as a missionary in Honduras,' (where Kaine honed his fluency in Spanish, during a year off from Harvard Law School) 'compared law practices and told stories about our families.

'We also discussed politics, being mayors, how we loved our cities, and what might lie ahead for our political futures,' Watson wrote.

Kaine went on to be elected Virginia's lieutenant governor in 2001, and governor in 2005, Watson quit as Austin's mayor to become the Democratic nominee for attorney general in 2002.

Texas Democrats hoped for a comeback from losing every statewide race in 1998, but Republicans again had a complete sweep. Watson lost to Greg Abbott,who 12 years later became governor.

Four years later, Watson won Austin's Texas Senate seat, and has been easily re-elected since.

Virginia limits its governors to a single four-year term. After leaving office, Kaine served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and taught part-time at the University of Richmond.

When U.S. Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia decided not to seek re-election in 2012, Kaine was urged by Democrats, including his predecessor as governor, now-U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, to run. Kaine was unopposed for the Democratic nomination, and beat Republican George Allen, Virginia's former governor and U.S. senator, in the general election.

Watson had stayed in touch with Kaine over the years. During that senate race, Watson and wife, Liz, hosted a fundraising reception for him at their Austin home.

On Tuesday, they co-hosted an Austin fundraiser for his vice-presidential run. Kaine also was scheduled for fundraisers Wednesday in Dallas and Fort Worth.

Watson wrote that Kaine considers his creed to be 'Do all the good you can.'

'That's a shorthand version for the affirmation, 'Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can,'' Watson wrote.

'That sums up what I'd seen in him and sensed about him for years,' Watson wrote. 'It's really cool and exciting to see my friend running for Vice President. I'm proud for him and proud for our country.'

IS IT MILLER TIME?

While Sen. Ted Cruz has drawn some fire for speaking at the Republican National Convention but not endorsing Donald Trump for president, Republican Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is stepping up to help the New York billionaire.

He's about to be named a co-chairman of Trump's agriculture policy team, according to  well, Sid Miller.

Miller, who has raised Texas political eyebrows nearly off the heads of Texas political watchers, said on The Chad Hasty Show on KFYO-AM radio in Lubbock on Friday morning that his new post should be announced soon.

The eyebrows are flapping because Miller has called attention to himself in so many ways:

Hiking state salaries for campaign workers added to his staff.

Texas Rangers investigating whether he was actually on state business on a rodeo trip to Mississippi.

Changing the ag department's gasoline pump inspection stickers, to increase the size of the commissioner's name, and move it to the top of the sticker.

Dramatically increasing fees for several industries his agency regulates.

Lifting a ban on deep fryers and soda machines on school campuses.

Comparing Syrian refugees to rattlesnakes on social media.

'Of course, my emphasis will be carrying Texas for the ag industry for Trump,' Miller said in the interview. 'Personally, I think Donald Trump will be great for agriculture' and cut 'good deals.'

Email Dave McNeely at davemcneely111@gmail.com.
Despite what you might read on Donald Trump's twitter feed, the Iranian execution of a nuclear scientist who defected to the United States and then changed his mind was not caused by Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server. The scientist outed himself; it wasn't Clinton's fault.

The Iranian government announced Sunday it had executed Shahram Amiri, a nuclear scientist who spent about 14 months in the United States in 2009 and 2010. Senator Tom Cotton, R-Ark., noted on Sunday's Face the Nation that Amiri's case had been discussed by top Clinton State Department officials on emails that passed through her private server.

'I'm not going to comment on what he may or may not have done for the United States government, but in the emails that were on Hillary Clinton's private server, there were conversations among her senior advisers about this gentleman,' Cotton said. 'That goes to show just how reckless and careless her decision was to put that kind of highly classified information on a private server.'

The Drudge Report ran the story with a banner title, 'Clinton email led to execution in Iran?' which Trump promptly retweeted without comment to his 10.7 million followers.

The Clinton campaign Monday told me that Republicans and the Trump campaign went over the line by trying to try Clinton's email server to Amiri's execution.

'The Trump campaign has never met a conspiracy theory it didn't like. He and his supporters continue to use increasingly desperate rhetoric to attack Hillary Clinton and make absurd accusations because they have no ideas for the American people,' said Clinton campaign spokesman Jesse Lehrich. 'It's pretty remarkable to baselessly claim that Hillary Clinton is responsible for this tragic death.'

Asked for clarification, Cotton's office pointed to The Associated Press coverage of Amiri's execution, which noted that Clinton's staff at the State Department seemed to discuss Amiri's case in two emails last year. The emails were released last year.

'We have a diplomatic, 'psychological' issue, not a legal one. Our friend has to be given a way out,' Richard Morningstar, a former State Department special envoy for Eurasian energy, said in one July 5, 2010 email. 'If he has to leave, so be it.'

Another email, sent by deputy chief of staff Jake Sullivan on July 12, 2010, appears to notify Clinton that Amiri has gone to the Pakistani embassy, which hosts an Iranian interests section, as part of his attempt to go back to Iran.

'The gentleman ... has apparently gone to his country's interests section because he is unhappy with how much time it has taken to facilitate his departure,' Sullivan wrote. 'This could lead to problematic news stories in the next 24 hours.'

In 2010, I covered Amiri's strange case for Foreign Policy magazine and watched in real time as the Clinton State Department struggled to deal with Amiri's story. When Amiri arrived at the Pakistani embassy, he was asking to be sent back to Iran. He had an elaborate story for how he had gotten there.

According to what Amiri told Pakistani and Iranian officials, he was kidnapped in Medina, Saudi Arabia in 2009, on his way to the mosque, thrown in a van, drugged, and taken the United States. He claimed he never gave any information to the U.S. government and that he was moved around a lot, staying mostly in Arizona and Washington, DC.

For some unknown reason, 14 months into his capture, the U.S. government put Amiri in a cab and had him shipped back into Iranian hands, according to the story Amiri told just before he returned to Iran. He never explained how or why he was able to record YouTube videos during his alleged capture, each of which had different accounts of what happened to him.

U.S. officials at the time told me and many other journalists that Amiri had defected to the United States of his own free will and had helped the U.S. for many years while he was in Iran by providing essential intelligence information about Iran's nuclear program. The Washington Post reported at the time the U.S. government had paid Amiri $5 million.

Clinton talked publicly about the case at the time. 'He's free to go. He was free to come. These decisions are his alone to make,' she said on July 13, 2010.

There are several possible explanations as to why Amiri decided to go home and face the judgment of the Iranian justice system, which concluded he was a traitor. The Iranian government may have threatened his wife and 7-year old son. He may have hated life on the run. He may have had a change of heart.

But there's no reasonable connection between the discussion of Amiri's case on email by Clinton's staff to Amiri's eventual execution. There's no evidence her server was hacked. The Iranians knew all about Amiri well before the emails were released publicly. His kidnapping story never held water and his fate was sealed long before his sentence was carried out.

Add Shahram Amiri to the list of deaths Trump has carelessly speculated that Clinton is responsible for with no real evidence. At least he can't blame her for the Kennedy assassination; he's already got a conspiracy theory for that one.

Josh Rogin wrote this for The Washington Post.
Today in history: On Aug. 10, 1821, Missouri becomes the 24th state and the first located entirely west of the Mississippi River. The state is named for a Native American tribe. It became a U.S. territory through the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The Missouri Territory applied for statehood in 1817 but that decision was delayed while it was determined if it would be a slave state. It was admitted as a slave state but future states to the north from the Purchase would be free. Missouri did not secede in 1861.
Features

It's so much more than just a "truly f**ked up ride".
I am person who is uncompromisingly black and unapologetically gay. Deal with it.

I am person who is uncompromisingly black and unapologetically gay. Deal with it. Alvin McEwen

[image: 650452 profile 1]Published by New York Daily News A prominent Thai businesswoman has purchased the Miss Universe Organization for $20 million, her ...

The Atlanta Journal Constitution and Atlanta Civic Circle, have partnered to publish a nonpartisan guide that allows voters to compare political candidates...

Far-right activist Laura Loomer appeared on Ethan Ralphs Killstream program Wednesday, where she accused her one-time friend and ally Milo Yiannopoulo...

Users are left to wonder where the line between free speech and hate speech will be drawn.

Alana McLaughlin is the subject of an upcoming documentary in production and hopes that her next fight is also in the works. | Karleigh Webb The trans MM...

The trial of Donald Trump and his crime family in New York for fraudulent business practices has revealed a a great deal about Trump and his deteriorating ...

The Insider reports: A jury found former Capitol police officer Michael Riley guilty Friday of obstructing the investigation into the January 6, 2021, at...
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

This just in...
Opposition lawmaker Um Sam An (R) and another man hold up a disputed map in this undated photograph from his Facebook page.

Prime Minister Hun Sens government is expanding its efforts to muzzle speech as it prohibited a Cambodian-born Australian lawmaker from entering the country and escalated its legal war against its domestic political opponents.

On Wednesday the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs classified Victoria lawmaker Hong Lim as persona non grata after he referred to the Hun Sens government as a savage regime.

While the Australian Embassy in Phnom Penh defended Lims freedom of speech, saying in a statement that Australia has a robust tradition of different views being aired, it also pointed out that Lim is MP for the state of Victoria and does not speak on behalf of the Australian Government.

We recognise the concerns this particular matter has raised, the embassy wrote in a statement. Australia values its strong and enduring relationship with Cambodia and we look forward to this continuing.

Australia and Cambodia have a deep diplomatic relationship that includes the large role Canberra played in the Cambodian peace process in the 1980s and the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia in 1990s. Both countries work together to combat human smuggling trafficking, child sex tourism, narcotics trafficking and terrorism.

In 2014 the two countries signed a controversial agreement allowing refugees from Australia to resettle in Cambodia. The deal was met with protests as Cambodians wondered how their country could afford to take care of the refugees when a rich country like Australia cant or wont.

The deal was also widely condemned by human rights organizations and Antonio Guterres, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees at the time, called it a worrying departure from international norms, adding that countries must not shift their refugee responsibilities among themselves.

Australia agreed to supply Cambodia with $35 million in aid as part of the deal, but there are worries that most of the money would get siphoned off by corrupt officials before it reaches the refugees.

Legal effort takes on domestic politicians

While Hun Sens government was busy keeping a foreign lawmaker critical of the regime out of the country, it is also ramping up legal pressure on domestic lawmakers critical of the regime.

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday re-issued a summons for opposition party Senator Thak Lany, ordering her to appear before the court on August 17. She did not appear in court on August 8 in response to an earlier summons.

Her attorney, Som Sokong, told RFAs Khmer Service that he will show up for the court hearing, but is unsure if Thak Lany will attend.

Hun Sen has sued Thak Lany and Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) leader Sam Rainsy for defamation over remarks they allegedly made that tie the July 10 murder of critic Kem Ley to the prime minister.

Thak Lany denies she made the remarks, saying that her comments were edited to make her look like she was lodging the criticism.

While Hun Sen hasnt been shy about bringing the force of the Cambodian legal system to bear on his opponents as a way to mute their criticisms, they often attempt to speak out when they can.

Constitutional coup

Jailed CNRP Lawmaker Um Sam An accused Hun Sen of staging a constitutional coup on Wednesday as he was being ushered to a prison vehicle following a supreme court hearing on his request for provisional release.

Hun Sen and his Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) have staged a constitutional coup by putting me behind bars while I am protected by parliamentary immunity, he told reporters. Ironically, he who fights to reclaim the ceded land is incarcerated while he who cedes the land is at large.

Um Sam An was jailed after Hun Sen ordered police to arrest anyone accusing the government of using fake maps to cede national territory to neighboring Vietnam.

The lawmaker says he found a map in the United States Library of Congress that he claims is different from the one Hun Sen and the government used to represent the final say on the border issue.

On April 12, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court officially charged Um Sam An with two criminal offenses over his accusations that the government had conceded land to Vietnam along its border.

Um Sam Ans counsel Hem Socheath told RFA that he has the right to speak his mind as an elected official with parliamentary immunity.

Cambodian lawmakers have immunity from prosecution for opinions expressed in the exercise of their duties. A two-thirds vote of the legislature is necessary to strip a lawmaker of his immunity unless the legislator is caught in the act of committing a crime.

As an elected MP, my client enjoys his parliamentary immunity and freedom of expression. This right is guaranteed in the constitution, Jem Socheath said. He did not commit an in flagrante delicto crime as accused. He was arrested in 2016 for a Facebook comment he made in 2015.

Reported by Heng Sun, Samnang Rann and Sereyvuth Oung for RFA's Khmer Service. Translated by Nareth Muong. Written in English by Brooks Boliek.
The map shows the city of Lianyungang in eastern China's Jiangsu province.

Authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu have promised to shelve a planned nuclear waste-processing plant after several days of protests by thousands of residents, who clashed with riot police.

Preparatory work for the Sino-French nuclear project will be halted, the government of Jiangsu's port city of Lianyungang said in a statement on its official social media account.

However, the suspension would be "temporary," the statement said.

Local residents told RFA the announcement came as the government sent in large numbers of security personnel, who told protesters on the ground that the demonstrations were "illegal."

The police have issued a ban on unauthorized public gatherings, while around a dozen people have been reportedly detained.

Photos sent to RFA by local residents showed long rows of green-uniformed, helmeted security personnel armed with truncheons on the city's streets.

"The protests have been going on this whole time [since the weekend], but the city government won't allow people to take to the streets en masse; they say that it's an illegal gathering," a resident surnamed Sheng told RFA on Wednesday.

"A lot of people are pretty frightened right now ... there has been an ongoing crackdown by armed security forces," Sheng said.

"That's why there aren't as many people protesting in total as there were at the start," he said, adding that the numbers had fallen on Wednesday from thousands to hundreds.

A second local resident said the demonstrations have continued every evening at around 6 p.m. since the weekend.

"They don't happen during the working day. People come out in the evenings," the resident said.

Sheng said not many people believe that the government will really halt the project, in spite of the recent statement.

"People here don't really trust what the government says, because they have repeatedly tried to obscure what is going on, and deny the public's right to information," Sheng said.

"It's very hard to say where this will go in future, because people don't trust the government's promises," he said.



Fears among boom



Lianyungang has been earmarked as a potential location for a nuclear fuel-reprocessing plant agreed in principle by French nuclear fuel group Areva and the state-run China National Nuclear Corp. (CNNC) in 2012.

CNNC currently has a large new nuclear power station under construction nearby.

The nuclear-fuel reprocessing plant has also sparked fears of nuclear arms proliferation in Washington.

U.S. officials have warned the plant would harm efforts to limit the spread of weapons-grade nuclear materials.

Local people say they fear that government safety controls will be inadequate to protect their children from the effects of long-run radiation from materials at the plant.

China is in the middle of a nuclear power station boom, with 34 nuclear power reactors in operation, 20 more under construction, and more in the pipeline, according to the World Nuclear Association.

But a series of meltdowns that followed an earthquake and tsunami at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant in March 2011 have heightened public fears around such projects.

Environmental rights lawyer Li Shusen said citizens are barred from bringing environmental cases as individuals, leaving them with little choice but to organize public protests.

But he said a "very large number" of cases were brought under the Environmental Protection Law that came into effect on Jan. 1, 2015.

"[Protests like Lianyungang] are essentially nimbyist movements," Li said, in a reference to an acronym based on the phrase "not in my backyard."

"Movements like this one, and the [anti-PX] protests in Xiamen happen because the government hasn't been transparent enough about the projects beforehand," he said.

"With the technology we have today, the pollution and environmental risks of such projects should be controllable," Li said.

"The government should be open with the public about all these projects at the planning stage," he said.

Reported by Yang Fan for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Ha Si-man and Gok Man-fung for the Cantonese Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie.
The Obama Administration criticized China for the nations restrictions on religious practices that have caused the demolition of Christian churches, contributed to the self-immolation of Buddhist monks, and abuse and harassment of Uyghur Muslims.

In its comprehensive annual look at the state of religious freedom in more than 200 countries in 2015, the U.S. State Department said that the Chinese government ignores its constitutional mandate allowing citizens the freedom of religious belief and instead restricts religious practices it deems a threat to the nation or the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Over this past year, there continued to be reports that the government physically abused, detained, arrested, tortured, sentenced to prison, or harassed adherents of both registered and unregistered religious groups for activities related to their religious beliefs and practices, the report states.

In its International Religious Freedom Report for 2015, the State Department said it was difficult to tell exactly what constitutes discrimination based on religion alone because religion and cultural identity are closely entwined.

Of Tibetan Buddhists and Uyghur Muslims

Because religion, culture, and ethnicity are often closely linked, it was difficult to categorize many incidents of societal discrimination as being solely based on religious identity, the report said.

Religious and ethnic minority groups, such as Tibetan Buddhists and Uyghur Muslims, experienced institutionalized discrimination throughout the country both because of their religious beliefs and their status as ethnic minorities with distinct languages and cultures, the State Department found.

In particular it found that tensions between Uyghur Muslims and Han Chinese migrants continued, exacerbated by government policies discriminating against Uyghurs as many hospitals and businesses would not provide services to women wearing veils.

The report also found that similar tensions also continued among ethnic and religious groups in Tibetan areas, particularly between Han Chinese and Tibetans, and, in some areas, between Tibetans and Hui Muslims.

While it appeared that Tibetan Buddhists and Uyhgur Muslims often bore the brunt of religious persecution in China, Christians are also suffering.

Some Protestant Christians reported employers terminated their employment due to their religious activities, the State Department said. A Christian lawyer in Zhejiang Province was fired by his employer due to his religious activities, and that some unregistered churches reported that their property leases were broken by landlords pressured by the government.

The State Department was also critical of laws in Myanmar and proposed laws in Vietnam that could lead to religious persecution.

It singled out four laws the previous military-led government of Myanmar adopted that appear to target members of the countrys Muslim minority. The new government has not taken any steps to reverse these laws, it noted.

In Vietnam, the Committee for Religious Affairs released a draft of the Law on Religion and Belief for public comment in April 2015.

Despite representations by Vietnamese officials that the new law would begin to bring the country into compliance with its international obligations, the draft law appeared to make only minimal changes to the deeply problematic current regulations on religion, the State Department found.

Nonexistence in North Korea

While the State Department found problems with religious freedom in those countries, among others, they pale in comparison to North Korea where there is no religious freedom.

The exercise of religious freedom continued to be nearly nonexistent in North Korea, the report said.

The government continued to deal harshly with those who engaged in almost any religious practices through executions, torture, beatings, and arrests, the report said.

An estimated 80,000 to 120,000 political prisoners, some imprisoned for religious reasons, were believed to be held in the political prison camp system in remote areas under horrific conditions.
Ta'ang National Liberation Army soldiers march to mark the 51st anniversary of Ta'ang National Resistance Day in Homain, Nansan township, in northern Myanmar's Shan state, Jan. 12, 2014.

Three of Myanmars armed ethnic groups have refused to agree to lay down their arms in order to participate in the governments Panglong Peace Conference at the end of the month, a leader from one of the armies said.

Representatives from the Arakan Army (AA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and the Palaung State Liberation Front/Taang National Liberation Army (PSLF/TNLA) met on Tuesday with Thein Zaw, vice chairman of the governments Peace Commission, in the town of Mongla in the northern part of Shan state to discuss their participation in the conference which begins Aug. 31, said Colonel Ta Phone Kyaw, general secretary of the TNLA.

The three groups, which have been involved in skirmishes with the Myanmar military in the Kokang region of Shan state along the border with China, did not sign a nationwide cease-fire agreement (NCA) with the previous government last October.

We didnt have any results from the meeting, Ta Phone Kyaw told RFAs Myanmar Service. The government team asked us to release a statement with some wording that we could not accept. It asked us to include statements that we desire to lay down our arms.

Government peace negotiators told the three ethnic armies that they would be allowed to attend the Panglong Conference if they first released a statement agreeing to stop fighting the Myanmar army, he said.

Thein Zaw said they could work with other groups during the peace negotiations if they agreed to the governments offer, he said.

We didnt agree on it, and thats why we didnt issue the statement, Ta Phone Kyaw said.



Still hope for an agreement

Though the armies did not reach an agreement with the government team, Ta Phone Kyaw said he believes they all will meet again after the delegation teams inform military commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing about the discussions.

Reuters reported on Friday that the Myanmar military was no longer requiring that the three armed ethnic groups disarm before joining the conference, but the Myanmar army had not issued an official announcement confirming this.

Sate Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmars de facto national leader and chairperson of the peace conferences central committee, has made peace and national reconciliation between Myanmars armed ethnic groups and the government military a priority of the countrys National League for Democracy (NLD) government.

She is leading the effort to organize the 21st-Century Panglong Peace Conference, which takes its name from the original Panglong Conference in 1947 during which her father, General Aung San, granted autonomy to the Shan, Kachin, and Chin ethnic minorities before Myanmar gained its independence from colonial rule by Britain. Panglong is a town in southern Shan State.

On Monday, Aung San Suu Kyi met with Min Aung Hlaing to discuss the Panglong Conference and ending the ongoing clashes between armed ethnic soldiers and national army troops in northern Myanmars Kachin state and the northern Shan state.

We hope State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi can negotiate with the military chief to include us in the Panglong Conference, Ta Phone Kyaw said.

700 delegates to be invited

Panglong Conference organizers will invite 700 delegates from the Myanmar government, military and armed ethnic groups to the negotiations, said Kyaw Ting Swe, minister of the State Counselors Office, during a session of the upper house of parliament on Wednesday.

According the latest peace talk policy, there will be 75 people from parliament, 75 from government, 150 from the military, 150 from the armed ethnic groups, 150 from legal political parties, 50 ethnic representatives, and 50 other people who should be invited to the 21st-Century Panglong Conference, Tint Swe said.

Organizers will invite ethnic armies that have signed the NCA and those that have not to review the political framework for the negotiations prior to the conference, he said.

The government will announce the exact number of invitees after the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) meeting that begins next week.

Aung San Suu Kyi heads the 18-member UPDJC, composed of armed ethnic groups that signed the NCA, political party representatives, and government representatives, which is overseeing the drafting process of the framework for political dialogue.

Even we, the members of parliaments Ethnic Affairs Committee, dont yet know what our roles will be and how we have to work together during the 21st-Century Panglong Conference, said lawmaker Naing Thiha of the Mon National Party.

What ethnic lawmakers want

Whats most important for some lawmakers is that the Panglong Conference be open and all-inclusive when it comes to the armed ethnic groups.

We want a transparent system that includes all ethnic groups in the peace conference, said lawmaker Oo Hla Saw of the Arakan National Party. This is very important.

Others said they hope that the outcome of the Panglong Conference goes beyond its goals of forging national reconciliation and peace.

I hope that the push from the 21st-Century Panglong Conference will result in the amendment of the 2008 constitution, because we cant get what we want without amending this constitution, said lawmaker Pu Gin Kam Lian of the Zomi Democratic Party.

The constitution, drafted by a former military junta that ruled the country for a half-century, gives considerable power to the Myanmar military and fails to satisfy the aspirations of the countrys ethnic groups for a democratic federal union.

The government also will allow five delegates from 70 political parties whose candidates didnt win in the countrys national elections last November to attend the Panglong Conference, said Khet Htein Nan, a member of the conference organizing committee.

The political parties must agree on whom to send, he said.

The government also has invited representatives from the United Nations and international organizations to attend both the meeting on the political framework and the Panglong Conference, Khet Htein Nan said.

Reported by Tin Aung Khine, Win Ko Ko Latt and Kyaw Thu for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Afghan security forces were being deployed to the southern city of Lashkar Gah on August 10 amid an intensified fight against the Taliban and fears that the capital of Helmand Province could fall under the control of militants within days.

Kareem Atal, the head of Helmands provincial council, said on August 10 that Taliban fighters had completely surrounded Lashkar Gah and that security forces have been pulled back from checkpoints outside of the city as reinforcements.

Atal also said new forces were arriving in the city on August 10.

The fighting has closed all highways leading into Lashkar Gah, causing food prices to rise inside the city.

Two of the Lashkar Gahs previously stable districts -- Nawa and Garmser -- were the scene of heavy fighting on August 10.

Afghan forces reportedly were struggling there to hold off Taliban fighters who have gained ground since the end of July -- despite air strikes by U.S. and Afghan warplanes.

Fighting also has been reported in the citys Nad-e Ali district.

Based on reporting by AP and dpa
Ukrainians have increasingly woken up to the sound of suicide drones as Russia turns to Iranian-made imports to destroy civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Now they may have another deadly Iranian weapon to worry about -- ballistic missiles.

Cheap but effective, Shahed-136 and Shahed-131 "kamikaze" drones have already made a deadly impact in Ukraine.



If U.S. intelligence assessments pan out, Russia will soon be able to supplement its use of Iranian suicide drones and its own cruise and ballistic missiles with powerful short-range Iranian Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar ballistic missiles.



Coming as the Kremlin is reportedly struggling to maintain its depleted stockpile of aerial weapons as it ramps up strikes, the missiles would potentially boost Russia's ability to continue its costly air campaign.



Jeremy Binnie, a Middle East defense specialist at the global intelligence company Janes, said having more missiles gives Russia the ability to sustain the bombardment against Ukraine."



Going Ballistic



The Fateh-110, which was unveiled in 2001 and has a stated range of 300 to 500 kilometers, was developed from a heavy artillery rocket dating from the 1980s. To increase the weapon's accuracy, the Fateh-110 was given a guidance system and movable fins that allow it to be steered as it approaches its target.



The Zolfaghar, which debuted in 2016 and also has guidance capabilities, comes from the same family as the Fateh-110 but boasts a much longer range due to its use of a lighter carbon-fiber airframe and a smaller warhead.



Binnie said the Zolfaghar's use against the Islamic State (IS) extremist group in eastern Syria confirmed that the missile was capable of reaching at least 650 kilometers, which he said is "a statement of how much the Iranian tactical missile program has really advanced over the years."



Iran's claim that the Zolfaghar can travel even farther -- up to 700 kilometers -- would put the western Ukrainian city of Lviv within range of strikes launched from Russian territory, while the more powerful Fateh-110 could potentially hit the city from Belarus, which has served as a staging ground for Russian attacks.



While there has been no indication that Russia plans to purchase launching systems from Iran, Binnie suggests that the Russian military could pair the missiles with existing equipment because the Iranian launchers were adapted from a Soviet-era system.



"It might be possible for the Russians to quickly adapt some old equipment they have lying around into launch systems," Binnie said.



The Iranian military, he added, fitted the Soviet system to trucks, allowing for mobility and concealment.



"Those civilian trucks can be covered over to make it hard to spot that they're actually missile launchers," Binnie said.



'Lawnmowers' And 'Mopeds'



Iranian military drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have been homing in on targets across Ukraine since late August, according to the United States.



The buzzing sound of the Iranian Shahed-136 and Shahed-131 drones, built with off-the-shelf components, have earned them derisive monikers such as "lawnmowers" and "mopeds." But the slow-moving, low-flying drones, which are maneuvered to crash into their target, have proven themselves capable of hitting their mark both in terms of military effectiveness and cost.

It is capable of extracting or delivering attrition and damage when launched, but it costs little compared to other UAVs that Russia has in its own arsenal," said Samuel Bendett of the Virginia-based Center for Naval Analyses (CNA).

Ukraine alleges Russia has ordered 2,400 of the Iranian suicide drones, and its military has claimed to have shot them down in great numbers, often using conventional anti-aircraft guns or even small-arms fire. But their ability to be launched in bunches of five -- often from the cover of civilian trucks -- improves their chances of reaching their target.



"The Ukrainians are stopping most of these, but the whole point of these drones is that they fly in a large mass," Bendett said. "The air defense does not always catch all of them. All it takes is for several or even one to make it through."

The estimated range of the Shahed-136 varies, but Iran says it is capable of traveling 2,500 kilometers. The slightly smaller and older Shahed-131, which has been used by Huthi rebels in Yemen to attack Saudi targets in the Arabian Peninsula, has been estimated to have a range of 900 kilometers, according to tests conducted by the Ukrainian military.



Ukraine's Defense Ministry has published multiple images of downed Shahed-136 drones in recent weeks, and the Ukrainian National Guard on October 19 claimed to have shot down a Shahed-131.



Ukraine has also claimed to have shot down a more advanced Iranian combat UAV, the Mojer-6 drone capable of carrying out both reconnaissance missions and aerial strikes within a range of 200 kilometers. There have also been reports of Russian interest in obtaining Irans Shahed-129 and Shahed-191 combat drones.



"When launched from any territory that Russia controls or is allied with -- anywhere from the south, from the Donbas, from Belarus -- they're able to strike a lot of Ukrainian targets," Bendett said.

In addition to the U.S. intelligence assessment that Russia will soon boost its arsenal with Iranian ballistic missiles, as first reported by The Washington Post on October 16, the White House on October 20 said that Iranians are now "directly engaged on the ground" in Moscows war against Ukraine after sending "a relatively small number" of personnel from the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to assist Russian forces in using the Iranian drones.

Iran has denied sending combat drones to Russia, and Moscow has rejected claims that it is using Iranian UAVs.

Images of downed Iranian drones appear to show that they have been rebranded to look Russian-made, experts say, with the markings in Cyrillic naming them as the Geran-1 (the Shahed-131) and Geran-2 (the Shahed-136).

Observers are widely skeptical of Russia's denials, noting that the drones are essentially identical right down to the font of the serial numbers. Even Russian Defense Ministry experts have unwittingly admitted that the suicide drones are Iranian.



But the rebranding of the drones to make them appear to be Russian has opened the possibility that Moscow could, if it is not already doing so, seek to manufacture or assemble the Iranian drones on its own territory.



Sustaining A Campaign



The new aerial weaponry fits well with the Russian military's renewed focus on striking military and civilian targets far from the front lines in southern and eastern Ukraine. The air assault has ratcheted up following the October 8 appointment of Colonel General Sergei Surovikin, a former Aerospace Forces commander, to lead the Russian war effort.



Just days after Surovikin's appointment, Russia launched the biggest air strikes since the beginning of its invasion of Ukraine in February. Moscow said the drone and missile strikes, which targeted civilian areas and infrastructure in cities throughout Ukraine, were in response to a bomb blast that damaged a key bridge linking Russia to the occupied Crimean Peninsula.

While the Kremlin has accused Ukraine's intelligence services of carrying out the "terrorist" attack on the Crimea Bridge, Ukraine has denied responsibility.



Since the initial air assault in response to the bridge blast, Russia has continued to pound Ukrainian infrastructure, often targeting power plants in what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said is a deliberate effort to wear down the Ukrainian people by denying them heat and electricity as winter approaches.



"Civilian infrastructure is obviously the new layer in this war. The Ukrainian economy is now the target, the Ukrainian population is now the target," Bendett said.



Hard To Stop



The hypersonic speed and high trajectory of Iran's Fateh-110s and Zolfaghars, should they arrive, would be extremely difficult for Kyiv to counter without a network of high-tech and costly antimissile batteries it currently does not possess.



Ukraine has repeatedly requested more advanced missile-defense systems from the West, and in the face of the threat of the delivery of Iranian ballistic missiles reportedly sent an official request to Israel this week for components of its "Iron Dome" system.



While the United States has said that it is seeking to expedite the process of sending two U.S. air defense systems known as NASAMS, Washington has appeared reluctant to provide more advanced Patriot missile systems.



Janes' defense expert Binnie is skeptical that the delivery of the Patriot system, which has proven to be successful in shooting down ballistic missiles, is realistic for Ukraine.

"It's eye wateringly expensive and it's probably not really practical because each [missile] battery only covers one city," he said. "You would never get enough batteries to get the coverage you would want. You just wouldn't be able to find them, produce them, and train enough Ukrainians."
TBILISI -- Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili has rejected a petition for a referendum on defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Announcing his decision late on August 9, Margvelashvili said that the referendum on the issue cannot be held as it is already defined by the Georgian Civil Code that marriage is a voluntary union of a man and a woman

The referendum was initiated by a group that in July presented the signatures of more than 200,000 citizens to the Central Election Commission -- the number of signatures required for a referendum application to move ahead.

Earlier in 2016, Georgian citizen Giorgi Tatishvili petitioned the countrys Constitutional Court to legalize same-sex marriage.

In March, the ruling Georgian Dream coalition said marriage between a man and woman must be enshrined in the constitution to prevent the legalization of same-sex marriage.

Antigay sentiments are strong in the former Soviet republic.
Kazakh authorities say they have detained six officials from the Defense and Finance ministries on embezzlement and corruption charges.

The Committee for National Security (KNB) said on August 10 that the leader of the group, "Colonel T. Zhumqaziev" of the armed forces' directorate for technical and material support, had been arrested while accepting a bribe of 20 million tenges ($57,200) on August 8.

Zhumqaziev's arrest led to the detention of five officials from the Defense and Finance ministries, the KNB said.

Four private businessmen have also been detained in the case.

In recent years, several Kazakh officials have faced prosecution on suspicion of graft, with some sentenced to lengthy prison terms.

Based on reporting by Tengrinews and Kazinform
Kyrgyzstan's Izzat Artykov and Kazakhstan's Karina Goricheva earned bronze medals in Rio Olympics men's and women's weightlifting contests, respectively, on August 9.

It was Kyrgyzstan's first medal of the 2016 games and only its fourth medal in any Olympics.

"It's great news for me and for everyone in Kyrgyzstan," Artykov said after the 69-kilogram lifting event as he sported a traditional Kyrgyz kalpak hat.

"Do you like it? I am proud to wear it," he said.

China's Shi Zhiyong took the gold medal in the event, while Turkey's Daniyar Ismayilov, who used to represent Turkmenistan, won the silver.

The weightlifting competitions were hit hard by doping bans on Russia, Bulgaria, and several Kazakhs.

Kazakhstan's Goricheva conceded she felt the pressure.

"Of course, these events happening around doping and weightlifting...we were nervous. But still, we were hoping...we would come and tell the world that we are clean and honest," she said.

Defending champion Maiya Maneza of Kazakhstan missed the Olympics after failing a drug test.

The International Weightlifting Federation had threatened to impose a total ban on Kazakhstan and Belarus, but failed because various doping cases were not processed in time for the Olympics.

Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP


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."
Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minister Theresa May have agreed to meet "in the near future" to try to improve poor relations between Moscow and London, the Kremlin said.

Relations between Russia and Britain have been strained by differences over Ukraine and Syria, as well as by what London says is a sharp increase in flights by Russian bombers near British airspace.

The Kremlin said the leaders in a phone call on August 9 agreed to meet, possibly at the Group of 20 summit in China next month, while working to improve air safety and ensuring that their intelligence services communicate with one another.

Both leaders expressed "dissatisfaction" with souring relations, the Kremlin said, adding that London initiated the phone call.

A May spokeswoman said the leaders agreed that Britain and Russia faced common threats from terrorism and that cooperation on aviation security was a vital part of the counterterrorism effort.

"The prime minister noted the importance of the relationship between the U.K. and Russia, and expressed the hope that, despite differences on certain issues, they could communicate in an open and honest way about the issues that mattered most to them," she said.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP


The rapprochement between Russia and Turkey has happened fast  from "backstabbing" to backslapping in the blink of an eye.



But not too fast to allow for the settings at a luncheon during Recep Tayyip Erdogan's fence-mending visit to St. Petersburg to feature a memento honoring his on-again relationship with Vladimir Putin: a plate showing the two presidents shaking hands.



Photographs from the mealtime meeting on August 9 show a setting with elegant black-and-gold dinnerware featuring the Russian two-headed eagle symbol -- and in the corner, a commemorative plate with a picture of Putin and Erdogan standing side-by-side during a June 2015 visit to Baku, Azerbaijan.



Dmitry Smirnov, a Kremlin correspondent for the Russian daily Moskovsky Komsomolets, reported that "nobody risked putting food on 'Putin and Erdogan' and some even took the plates as souvenirs."



Relations between historical rivals Russia and Turkey had been relatively warm under the two authoritarian leaders, but they were dogged by disagreements over the war in Syria and soured badly after Turkish jets shot down a Russian warplane near the Syrian border in November.



In response, Russia imposed trade sanctions on Turkey and cut off the flow of Russian vacationers to its Mediterranean beach resorts. Putin called the downing of the warplane a "stab in the back" and demanded an apology from Erdogan, who pointedly refused.



But the Turkish leader abruptly changed tack in late June and the countries moved to mend ties, an effort that gathered force following a failed coup, attempted on July 15 against Erdogan -- whose crackdown in its wake has strained Ankara's relations with the United States and European Union.



LifeNews, a tabloid-style Russian news website with links to state security services, said that few visiting leaders are honored with such plates. It said the most recent such tribute was to Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, who visited Russia in August 2015.



Reuters photographs of souvenirs in Damascus show plates bearing portraits of Bashar al-Assad and Putin, a key ally in the Syrian president's war against opponents and rebels.


Ana Brnabic is making waves. She is one of six new ministers in the Serbian government, but has been getting all the public attention, as she is poised to become the first openly gay minister to serve in any Balkan country.

The 40-year-old Brnabic speaks English and Russian. She was educated in the United States and United Kingdom. An expert in public administration, she established the National Alliance for Local Economic Development (NALED) in 2006. Until her appointment to the Serbian government she served as the president of the executive board of NALED. Thanks to her position at NALED, she worked as a coordinator of the USAID program for the economic development of local communities in Serbia, which meant that she worked closely with the government. In 2013, she was declared businesswoman of the year in Serbia.

She has made headlines around the world, however, as she prepares to be sworn in this week as the first openly gay minister in Serbia. She has no party affiliation. This is just one out of many tweets saluting the decision to appoint Brnabic:

Speaking to reporters during a parliamentary recess on August 9, Brnabic expressed hopes that the public attention would eventually fade after she is sworn in.

"Hopefully this will blow over in three or four days and then I won't be known as 'the gay minister.' I'll be known as the minister of public administration and local government," she told reporters.

Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, who made the appointment, is being singled out for praise by members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in Serbia.

According to the Belgrade based Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), choosing Brnabic as a minister is historic because it raises the hope that Serbia can become a society in which everyone has equal opportunity. "It's important to recognize the skills and qualities of people in high positions regardless of their sexual orientation," the GSA said in a statement.

Important Step

Among the first to react was Boris Milicevic, the first LGBT activist to enter politics in Serbia. He is a high-level official in the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), the junior partner of Prime Minister Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in the new government. He sees the Brnabic appointment as important for the entire LGBT community.

"I hope that the prime minister's decision will encourage more LGBT people to take part in politics, as well as encourage many who already hold positions in the government to come out," Milicevic said.

Serbia is still struggling to become a more inclusive society. Homophobia is widespread, as in any Balkan society. Belgrade has been under pressure since the start of its EU-accession talks to improve its protection of minorities, including the LGBT community.

Memories of the violence surrounding the 2010 Pride Parade are still fresh. Hard-line nationalists and radicals attacked participants and clashed with police, wounding 150 people. Because of security concerns, the parade was cancelled for the next three years. Last year, the Pride Parade went ahead without incident, although there were more police officers than members of the LGBT community in the streets.

There are still many influential voices preaching discrimination. When Serbia was hit by heavy floods in the summer of 2014, Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Irinej proclaimed the disaster a clear warning from God just as Belgrade was getting ready to host another pride parade, which in the Patriarch's view was "something that is against God and the law of nature."

Asked about the Brnabic appointment, Vucic claimed that he was simply being faithful to his promise to put together a government that would deliver results.

"Her personal choices do not interest me, she is welcome in the Serbian government", the prime minister told a press conference on August 9. "I told her that what interests me is the work that she can do."

He had at least one more surprise for journalists and the public, promising that he will be more open to criticism in his second term in the office. Are these signs that we can expect to see a new Vucic?


Ukraines chief anticorruption prosecutor said on August 10 that a judge who served under ousted pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych has been caught accepting bribes.

Prosecutor Nazar Kholodnytskiy said Mykola Chaus, a judge in Kyivs Dniprovskiy district court, was caught by anticorruption detectives accepting a $150,000 bribe on August 9 from an unnamed figure.

But Kholodnytskiy said Chaus cannot be detained because he has immunity from prosecution under Ukraines constitution.

Kholodnytskiy said physical evidence was seized at the scene of the bribe transfer, including a glass jar full of cash that Chaus allegedly used to accept bribes.

If convicted, Chaus could face a prison sentence of up to 12 years.

Kholodnytskiy called on Ukrainian lawmakers to revise the old legal system, saying that it was helping so-called untouchables in Ukrainian society.

Chaus had worked on some of Ukraines most sensitive cases under Yanukovych -- including numerous cases against pro-European protesters whose Maidan rallies led to Yanukovychs ouster from the presidency.

Based on reporting by AFP and Unian
U.S. soldiers helping Afghan troops fight the Islamic State extremist group in Afghanistan were forced to abandon equipment and weapons when their position came under fire, the U.S. military said on August 9.

IS fighters have circulated photographs of a rocket launcher, grenades, ammunition, identification cards, an encrypted radio, and other equipment they seized.

U.S. military spokesman General Charles Cleveland said the loss happened during fighting in Nangarhar Province in eastern Afghanistan in July during which five Special Forces soldiers were wounded. But he denied that any American positions were overrun.

Cleveland said a location set up to deal with casualties -- a routine step in any operation -- came under enemy fire and the soldiers moved to a safer position.

"In the course of moving...some equipment was left behind," he said.

Despite the sensitive nature of some items, Cleveland said there would be no "measurable impact" from the loss.

"For understandable reasons, the lives of soldiers were not put at risk to recover the equipment," he said.

U.S. troops have been taking a more active role against IS since President Barack Obama authorized more military support for the Afghan government.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
The U.S. women's gymnastics team blew away the competition and won a gold medal for a second straight Olympics, while Russia bested China in a surprise development and took silver.

Led by phenom Simone Biles, the American team in a closely watched competition on August 9 won with a huge 8.209-point lead over Russia, which barely squeaked out a win over China with scores of 176.668 and 176.003, respectively.

Russia's good showing came despite booing from the audience, a reminder of the nation's massive doping scandal that has overshadowed Russian participation at nearly every event in Rio de Janeiro.

Vasily Titov, the president of the Artistic Gymnastics Federation of Russia, told TASS that the Russian team got lucky when a top Chinese gymnast fell during her floor exercise.

"To be honest, we did not expect silver, rather a bronze medal," he said.

Based on reporting by Reuters, dpa, and TASS
Soviet sculptor Ernst Neizvestny died on August 9 at the age of 91 in his adopted home of New York. The artist was well-known for clashing with the Soviet authorities, but his combative relationship with Nikita Khrushchev had a storybook conclusion.
Gov. Terry McAuliffes administration had few answers Tuesday for a room full of Richmonders frustrated by a court ruling that threw out the governors order that restored voting rights for more than 200,000 felons.

At a town hall event held in a church on Richmonds North Side, McAuliffe appointees and Del. Jennifer L. McClellan, D-Richmond, told attendees to stay involved in the issue, but offered little concrete information about when and how felons affected by the order will have their rights restored again.

Dont give up hope. The governors committed to doing this, said Secretary of the Commonwealth Kelly Thomasson.

The No. 1 marching order for tonight is to stay tuned, McClellan said.

McClellan said the event, held at Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, was intended to clear up confusion about the Supreme Court of Virginias ruling last month that threw out the blanket restoration order McAuliffe announced in April. The Supreme Court order, sparked by a challenge from Republican leaders in the General Assembly, also forced the cancellation of roughly 13,000 voter registrations by felons covered under McAuliffes action.

Some misinformation has come straight from McAuliffe, who is on vacation this week. Speaking at the Democratic National Convention after the court ruling, McAuliffe promised hed restore the rights to all 200,000 felons by the end of last week. The governors political action committee wrongly suggested last week that he had already restored the rights of the 13,000 felons who registered to vote.

Thomasson said Tuesday that the administration is working on an online form that will allow Virginians to apply for individual rights restorations, but was unable to go into detail about the new process for reviewing rights restorations on a case-by-case basis. The goal, she said, is to craft a process that will withstand any future legal challenge.

I know Im being super vague tonight and its annoying to everybody, Thomasson said while taking questions from the audience. I understand that. I apologize. But again, were putting that process into place.

The details of that process will determine if McAuliffe can swiftly work around the 4-3 court opinion to achieve the sweeping impact he desires, or whether hell be forced to create a slower, more deliberative system that looks more like the process in place prior to his blanket order.

The registration deadline for Novembers presidential election is Oct. 17.

Some attendees at the forum worried a prolonged delay might dampen ex-offenders enthusiasm to go through the voter registration process a second time.

In my mind, I always thought it wasnt going to happen anyway, said Gilbert Howard, a 45-year-old maintenance technician who had registered to vote under the governors order. Getting official paperwork and then having it declared void, he said, has frustrated him and others who followed the process laid out by the McAuliffe administration.

Eva Agee, a 64-year-old administrative assistant attending to gather information and report back to her church, asked why the governor couldnt just sit down and sign 13,000 orders for the people who have shown they want to vote. In an interview, Agee said she found the answers vague but said she understood why.

These people want to dot every i and cross every t, Agee said.
More felons registered to vote in the city of Richmond than any other locality in Virginia under Gov. Terry McAuliffes now-overruled executive order that restored political rights to more than 200,000 ex-offenders, according to a list of canceled voters released Wednesday.

Of the 12,832 voter registrations canceled because of a Supreme Court of Virginia ruling last month, 1,075 had Richmond addresses, followed by 965 in Norfolk and 871 in Henrico County. Chesterfield County saw 572 voters affected, while Hanover County had 138.

Voter registration groups focused much of their efforts in Richmond neighborhoods immediately after the governors April 22 news conference. Richmond mayoral candidate Levar Stoney has also been closely involved in the issue after overseeing rights restoration as McAuliffes former secretary of the commonwealth.

Combined, roughly one-fifth of the people who gained and lost the right to vote under McAuliffes blanket clemency orders live in the Richmond regions four most populous localities.

State elections officials released the names and addresses Wednesday of nearly 13,000 felons recently removed from voter rolls to comply with the Supreme Courts July 22 order. Until Wednesday, the McAuliffe administration had kept the felons identities confidential.

At a State Board of Elections meeting Wednesday morning, Edgardo Cortes, McAuliffes appointed elections commissioner, said he is required to release the list because of a federal law that defines voter-cancellation records as public information. The partial list, which elections officials posted online Wednesday evening, includes names and addresses, but no information on would-be voters criminal history.

The elections board voted 2-1 to certify that the state has fully complied with the court order. The ruling, a result of a Republican-led legal challenge, required the elections department to cancel the invalid voter registrations and add roughly 214,000 felons back to the prohibited voter list.

Clara Belle Wheeler, the boards lone Republican, opposed the resolution, saying she could not verify compliance without having a complete list of all felons being made ineligible again.

I think that it would behoove us to not pass judgment on something that we cant verify, Wheeler said.

Cortes said he wasnt sure if the complete list could be shared with the board members who oversee his agency.

The department would have to consult with counsel to determine whether or not thats allowable to release or how that process would work, Cortes said.

McAuliffe officials have been vague when asked whether a separate list exists showing who was covered under the governors April 22 order and subsequent renewals.

At the meeting, Cortes told the board that its not a matter of just printing out an Excel file. Documents obtained by the Richmond Times-Dispatch suggest thats exactly how the list has been passed among state agencies.

On April 27, an IT staffer in the elections department sent an Excel spreadsheet to the Virginia Department of Corrections as an email attachment to allow corrections officials to perform a demographic analysis on felons covered by the order. A summary of that analysis was later released publicly.

The corrections department refused to release the underlying Excel file to The Times-Dispatch, saying it was exempt from public records law as both protected voter information and working papers of the governor. When asked about the Excel email after Wednesdays meeting, Cortes told reporters he wasnt aware of it.

Cortes assured the board that the department has fully complied with the Supreme Courts directives, and board members thanked him for completing the work before the Aug. 25 deadline imposed by the court.

Board Chairman James B. Alcorn said he saw nothing in the Supreme Court opinion ordering outside access to the full felon list.

I dont read this as saying that the board or the general public is to have a public list of the prohibited voters, Alcorn said.

Wheeler also said she would have liked to hear feedback from local registrars, who were unable to attend Wednesdays meeting because of a conference in Roanoke.

In a 4-3 opinion, the Supreme Court found that the governor does not have the authority to issue a blanket clemency order without case-by-case review. Such a step, the court majority said, effectively undermines the states constitutional policy of lifetime disenfranchisement for felons.

McAuliffe, who has characterized his efforts as an attempt to end a restrictive voting policy that prevents rehabilitated felons from fully reintegrating into society, has vowed to restore voting rights on an individual basis for all people covered by his previous order. He has signed no such orders since the Supreme Court decision.
This Friday, advocates for a $15 minimum wage will convene in Richmond to press their cause. They have chosen Richmond, they say, to knit together the economic issue with questions of racial justice, from immigration to the treatment of minorities by law enforcement. Its fusion politics, says the head of the North Carolina NAACP.

Theres a lot to unpack here, and more than can be digested in a single sitting. But its important to hit some of the more salient points, even if we cant dissect every one to the degree each deserves.

First, if Richmond really was chosen for symbolic reasons, the choice seems odd. It has not been the scene of controversial killings of black men by police officers that have occurred in Baltimore, Chicago, Baton Rouge, Milwaukee, Ferguson and other cities. Nor is it the locus of anti-immigrant fervor that has cropped up in cities closer to the border  and in Northern Virginia, home to the anti-immigrant Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of Supervisors and chairman of Donald Trumps campaign in Virginia.

Moreover, Richmond has a strong record of black civic leadership stretching back through several mayors, city managers, and police chiefs. So when the Fight for $15 activists march upon the Confederate statues that line Monument Avenue this weekend, they will be taking issue with a part of history that Richmonders themselves have left behind.

Regarding the minimum wage itself, the case is straightforward: A government-enforced hike to $15 is a bad idea, particularly during the weakest economic recovery in decades and at a time when the labor force participation rate is also at a four-decade low.

You dont have to take our word that sharp and indiscriminate wage hikes will hurt the very people they are meant to help. Several major cities, from Washington to Chicago to San Francisco, have mandated wage hikes recently  and in every instance, hiring in affected industries (principally restaurant, leisure, and entertainment) has come to a screeching halt, even while employment in the rest of the respective regions has continued to climb.

Seattle, for instance, saw job gains fall from 4.6 percent to 1.8 percent, while restaurant employment in the rest of the state grew by 6.3 percent. And Seattles new minimum is only $10.50, not $15.

Advocates of a higher mandated wage occasionally trot out a handful of tendentious studies purporting to show that higher minimum wages dont hurt employment. The vast majority of economic scholarship says otherwise.

So does the liberal approach to other economic goods, such as gasoline, cigarettes, and carbon dioxide: In every instance, progressives argue that society should raise the price of those goods through taxation to make people buy less of them. Different economic goods have different price elasticities  which is to say that demand is sometimes more or less responsive to price fluctuations  but labor is not uniquely exempt from the law of supply and demand that governs the rest of the economic universe.

Empirical questions aside, there is also a moral argument that undercuts the claim that the Fight for $15 is about justice. Truly just relationships are governed by mutual consent. If an employer offers a job at $5 an hour and a worker is willing to take it, a third party has no business stepping in and insisting that the agreement is invalid  especially if doing so means that the employer might decide he is better off buying a machine that can do the job for $7 per hour, 24 hours a day, without any health-care costs thrown in.
As home to eight Fortune 500 companies, the Richmond area punches above its weight when it comes to creating jobs. According to the Virginia Employment Commission, Richmonds employers added over 24,000 jobs from May 2015 to May 2016  a 3.7 percent growth rate that is more than double the national average.

Thats great news, but a group of protesters gathering in Richmond this week has a different view of how the economy should work  one that has nothing to do with creating jobs for area residents and more to do with self-interest.

Since 2012, a group calling itself Fight for $15 has staged street theater protests in cities around the country. These protests are billed as strikes, although only a handful of individuals seem to have actually walked off their jobs. Instead, one typically sees small groups of protesters outside a local restaurant who, after a brief demonstration, are bused off to another city to repeat the process. To keep up media interest in these overhyped demonstrations, Fight for $15 has decided to host a convention in Richmond this week, hoping to piggyback on press attention from the presidential conventions in July.

Fight for $15s alleged purpose is to push for a higher minimum wage. Debate over the subject is certainly fair, but there is more than meets the eye to this group. While cleverly packaged as a genuine grassroots movement, the campaign is  in reality  a front organized and funded by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the countrys largest labor union. In fact, according to U.S. Department of Labor reports, the SEIU has spent roughly $55 million on these activities.

Ironically, the SEIU itself fails to walk the walk on $15. It isnt hard to find SEIU contracts that pay workers as little as $9.75 an hour, what the union itself calls a poverty wage. This suggests that the SEIU has something else in mind besides the altruistic goal of higher wages. And indeed it does. The organization has made it clear that its real objective is to unionize the fast food industry, and preferably through the undemocratic card check procedure  where workers must publicly sign a card for or against a union  rather than secret ballot elections.

While the SEIUs campaign may be more about dues than wages, Fight for $15 can claim some credit for recent increases to $15 an hour in places like California and New York as well as in several cities. But even here, unions have promoted membership first when push has come to shove.

For example, in cities like Los Angeles where unions have convinced politicians to raise the minimum wage, they have then lobbied furiously to get unionized workplaces exempted. Such a carve-out may seem like a head-scratcher, but it makes complete sense for unions. If an employer can avoid new wage mandates by agreeing to unionize, unionization becomes the low-cost option, making it easier to garner new members and dues money. This tactic has played out in numerous cities.

So far, the SEIUs mega-investment in Fight for $15 has yet to result in any new members. In fact, organizers havent filed an election petition at a single fast food restaurant nationwide  and the unions ranks have actually gone down since the effort began.

SEIU members may fairly question spending tens of millions of dollars on something that has yet to grow the union, so how many people will actually attend this weeks convention is anyones guess. Regardless of attendance, the event is certain to witness more made-for-media hoopla. Unfortunately, the goal behind the hype has more to do with the SEIUs interests than those of workers.
It looks like nothing was found at this location. Maybe try a search?

Search for: Search
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump returned to Virginia for a pair of events in and around Abingdon on Wednesday.

A day after sparking a fresh and unwanted campaign controversy with comments about the Second Amendment, Trump appeared subdued Wednesday. Accusing Democrat Hillary Clinton of wanting to close coal mines, he quizzed a group of mining executives and foremen about whether government rules were choking their industry.

Youve been put in an impossible position, as far as mines are concerned, Trump said, with little of the bombast his supporters have come to expect. In a nod to environmental concerns that Clinton has been voicing, Trump added: We want clean water. We want clear air, obviously. We also want jobs.

Trumps intimate discussion with miners at an industrial garage was a rare departure from the massive rallies and speeches that have characterized his campaign. He returned to the rally setting shortly after in nearby Abingdon and lamented that coal workers dont vote in larger numbers.

You just dont vote. I think its because youve been beaten so badly as an industry, Trump said. But, he said, you have absolutely nothing to lose.

Many of those on stage at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon wore miners hard hats and carried signs that said Trump Digs Coal.

I know youre discouraged, Trump said near the end of his remarks, which lasted nearly an hour. Give it one more chance.

If youre not feeling good, if youre so sick you cant move, if your wife got angry at you and you dont want to get out of the house ... say Im sorry, Im just sorry Charlotte, Im going out to vote for Trump. 

Trump also asserted that Virginia has lost 1 in 3 manufacturing jobs since President Bill Clinton signed the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1993.

Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, said on Twitter on Wednesday that We can be the clean energy superpower of the 21st century and that Trumps economic plan would amount to 1. Lower wages 2. Fewer jobs 3. More debt 4. Tax breaks for the 0.1%.

Trump is giving no indication that he thinks Clintons addition of Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., as her vice presidential running mate has taken Virginia off the board for him.

The Abingdon event was Trumps third campaign stop in Virginia since Kaine joined the Democratic ticket. Trump said his campaign is pretty close in Virginia, although we havent spent anything yet on ads. Trump and his vice presidential choice, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, held a town hall meeting in Roanoke on July 25. Trump held a rally at a Loudoun County high school Aug. 2. Pence made solo campaign stops Aug. 4 in Virginia Beach and Norfolk.

Trump suggested that Kaine will be a negative for Clinton in Virginia because, in Trumps words, Kaines governorship from 2006 to 2010 was a disaster.

I actually think hes going to be a negative, not a positive, Trump said of Kaine.

Trump cited Kaines effort at the beginning of his tenure to raise $1 billion a year for transportation by raising a mix of taxes and fees. The effort was ultimately unsuccessful.

Trump initially said that Kaine proposed the tax increase at the outset of his governorship. Trump later incorrectly said that Kaine raised your taxes by $4 billion in his first week on the job.

Trump also noted that Virginias unemployment rate increased during Kaines term. Kaine governed Virginia during the Great Recession.

Trump: Media made story into big deal

Trump briefly alluded to the controversy over his own comments Tuesday in North Carolina in which he suggested supporters of the Second Amendment could find a way to stop Clinton if she won the presidential election and started picking judges.

Trump had said in North Carolina: By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people  maybe there is.

Opponents  Democrats and some Republicans  accused Trump of appearing to countenance or encourage violence against his opponent.

Trump later blamed the media for inflaming the controversy and said he had meant that supporters of gun rights should counter Clinton by going to the polls. He continued to blame the media for the controversy Wednesday in Abingdon.

A big part of the rigged system is the press itself, Trump said. They can take a little story that isnt a story and make it into a big deal. Happens so much.

And speaking of that, remember this: We have so many things that we have to protect in this country. We have to protect our Second Amendment, which is under siege, Trump said, prompting a standing ovation.

Trump also accused Clinton of pay for play when she served as Secretary of State. He charged that newly released emails show big donors to the Clinton Foundation got favorable treatment.

Trump said the nation has lost more than 200,000 mining jobs since 2014. He also said coal is important to national security.

If I get in, this is what it is, Trump said, holding up a Trump Digs Coal sign.

Some of his supporters worry Trumps lack of a filter is hurting his White House chances, a concern they say has only grown in recent weeks.

Youd think it would be pretty simple for a grown man to keep his mouth shut sometimes, said Seth Walls, 18, a landscaper from Whitetop, Virginia, who attended his first Trump rally Wednesday. These Twitter rants and things he does in the media, I definitely think its hurting him.

But Lisa Bolling, an elementary school teacher from Abingdon who attended Trumps event, said his many stumbles can only help him.

I really dont think it will affect his chances, because I think what Americas looking for now is honesty and straightforwardness, Bolling said. Its a refreshing way to speak and do things that hes bringing to this campaign, and I believe in the long run, it will be beneficial to him.

Man climbs outside of Trump Tower

Also on Wednesday, a man who wanted an audience with Trump spent three hours scaling the glass facade of Trump Tower in New York using large suction cups, climbing as high as the 21st floor before police officers grabbed him and hauled him to safety through an open window.

The climber, later identified by police as a 20-year-old Virginia man, wore a backpack and used a harness and rope stirrups to fasten himself to the side of the 58-story Manhattan skyscraper.

For a long time, the climber played a slow-motion cat-and-mouse game with his would-be rescuers. Officers smashed windows and broke through ventilation ducts in an attempt to block his progress. Officers also lowered themselves toward him using a window washers platform.

The man kept his distance by methodically working his way back and forth across the facade and around angled corners.

The chase ended dramatically just after 6:30 p.m.

As a crowd gasped on the street below, two officers leaned far out of a window, grabbed the climbers arm and harness, and in a flash yanked him from his dangling stirrups. He went through the opening headfirst, his legs pointed skyward.

I reached out. I took hold of his hand and I said, Sir, would you come with me,  said Detective Christopher Williams, who made the grab.

Police had deployed large, inflated crash pads at the scene, but it was unclear how much protection they would have offered if the climber fell.

A day before the ascent, police said the climber posted a video on YouTube titled, Message to Mr. Trump (why I climbed your tower).

I am an independent researcher seeking a private audience with you to discuss an important matter. I guarantee that its in your interest to honor this request, he said. Believe me, if my purpose was not significant, I would not risk my life pursuing it. The reason I climbed your tower is to get your attention. If I had sought this via conventional means, I would be much less likely to have success because you are a busy man with many responsibilities.

New York Police Department Assistant Chief William Aubrey said the man, who was not named by police, told officers the same thing after he was safely inside the building.

At no time did he express that he wanted to hurt anybody, he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less.
A community meeting to discuss the troubled Rockbridge Area Department of Social Services is scheduled for Thursday.

We are interested in hearing citizens concerns, questions, and ideas on past issues and future plans for the agency, organizer Susan Lawrence wrote in an announcement of the 5 p.m. meeting at the Rockbridge Area Relief Association building in Lexington.

The meeting is the first invitation for public comment since an internal review found widespread problems in the social services department, including a failure to respond to complaints of child abuse and neglect.

Lawrence, a Rockbridge County resident who in the past has been critical of the agency as an adoptive parent and the administrator of a private preschool, said she has invited concerned citizens, local elected officials and representatives from law enforcement agencies and social services.

William Bill Burleson, who was appointed interim director of the Rockbridge social services department last month, said he plans to be there.

Im here to take this agency from where it is right now and make it work, Burleson said. A community discussion will help bring transparency to that process, he said.

In May, a review by the social services Piedmont Regional Office found 41 violations of state regulations in a department that serves Rockbridge County and the cities of Lexington and Buena Vista.

A supervisor no longer employed by the agency shredded some reports of suspected child abuse before they could be investigated by the Child Protective Services unit and was a key source of low morale in the department, according to the report.

Other problems included missed deadlines, altered paperwork, inadequate staff training and a failure to conduct criminal background checks on job applicants, volunteers and current employees.

Earlier this week, Rockbridge County Commonwealths Attorney Christopher Billias said he will impanel a special grand jury as part of an investigation into whether crimes were committed at the agency.

Thursdays meeting will be held in the community table room of the Rockbridge Area Relief Associations office at 350 Spotswood Drive, next to Carilion Stonewall Jackson Hospital in Lexington.
Diamcor more than doubles Q2 revenue Diamcor generated gross revenues of about $3 million from its operations in the interim period ended September 30, 2022, compared to $1,4 million for the same period in the previous year. The company is still conducting trial mining exercises at its...

IBJA commits to Declaration of Responsibility & Sustainability Principles The Indian gold industry has signed a Declaration of Responsibility and Sustainability Principles, convened by the LBMA and the World Gold Council, which expresses a commitment to operate responsibly and sustainably, based on a clear set of shared goals...

De Beers boosts Q3 output, maintains production guidance De Beers rough diamond production rose 4% to 9.6 million carats, mainly due to the treatment of higher grade ore at both Orapa in Botswana and South Africa as well as continued strong performance in Namibia, according to its parent company, Anglo...

Hong Kongs major jewellery fairs are set to return in 2023 An announcement from Informa Markets Jewellery indicates that the industrys two biggest B2B sourcing events will be back in action in Hong Kong in 2023 following a three-year forced pandemic break.
You have permission to edit this collection.

Edit Close
DiamondCorp said production from the first mining block on the 310 metres underground level at its Lace mine in South Africa restarted last month at the planned rate of 30,000 tonnes per month.

Production was temporarily suspended in July due to the fall of ground accident, but work on the 310m underground level restarted last month.

Processing of kimberlite mined for the month to date was averaging 31 carats per hundred tonnes (cpht), in line with the base case forecast for this first mining block.

DiamondCorp said it mined 25,103 tonnes in the period from March to July from the west slot between the 290m and 310m levels, which provided the open space for blasting of trough material that was now being mined.

About 40 percent of the tonnes mined during slot development was low grade material, which had to be moved ahead of commercial mining commencing in the high grade block.

It said total diamonds recovered from the slot material was 4,601 carats.

Meanwhile, DiamondCorp said diamonds recovered from the mining of the slot and diamonds recovered from tailings retreatment operations are currently undergoing the export process to Antwerp for the next diamond sale at the end of August.

The sale was expected to be of approximately 7,000 carats, which was slightly lower in total numbers than forecast.

This was due to sale of parcels in Johannesburg during the export process in June that comprised 1,838 carats of run-of-mine kimberlite diamonds and 1,679 carats of tailings diamonds as well as the shutdown of operations in July.

Subsequent sales were forecast to be between 9,000 carats and 12,000 carats depending on monthly grade fluctuations.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished




Lucara Diamond said ground geophysical surveys conducted thrice over the known kimberlite occurrences within the prospecting licenses PL367/2014 and PL371/2014 have confirmed kimberlite localities.

The surveys also provided information that had been used to plan the companys core drilling and surface sampling programmes.

The prospecting licenses, which are known to host kimberlites, BK02, AK11; AK12, AK13 and AK14 in Botswana were located within a distance of 15 km and 30 km from the Karowe Diamond mine.

A drill programme, said Lucara, would be initiated during the third quarter at BK02, AK11, AK13, and AK14.

Lucara completed the processing of the BK02 sample during the second quarter and a total of 274.33 carats were recovered from the processing of 5,916 tonnes for a sample grade of 4.6 carats per hundred tonne.

The largest diamond recovered was a 5.48 carat brownish octahedron, in addition a total of 24 stones were recovered greater than 1 carat in weight, including 3 diamonds in excess of 2 carats in weight.

Additional sampling would take place at BK02 and processing of the additional material from BK02 would start mid third quarter.

Meanwhile, Lucara said drilling commenced on a planned 10,000 metre deep drill programme at Karowe, which was designed to test the AK06 kimberlite at depths below 400m with the a target to bring inferred mineral resources into the indicated category in support of underground mining studies.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished




De Beers grading subsidiary, the International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research (IIDGR), has partnered with the U.K.s National Association of Jewellers (NAJ) to offer its members preferential terms at its U.K. laboratory.

Working with bodies such as the NAJ, IIDGR hopes to bring consistency, accuracy and increased security to the diamond sector, said Jonathan Kendall, IIDGRs president. Grading is of central importance to consumer confidence and we therefore see our offer as a great fit with the work of the NAJ.

The partnership gives NAJ members access to a first-class diamond grading service at the very best rates, said Michael Rawlinson, the trade bodys chief executive officer.




Stornoway Diamond Corporation said its net income for the three month period ended June 30, 2016 amounted to $5.8 million compared to a $9.7 million net loss during the three months ended July 31, 2015. Meanwhile, the company continued a steady progress at its Renard diamond project.

Stornoway reported that better financial results are in large part due to derivative gains resulting from changes to fair value and foreign exchange gains and losses.

Progress at the Renard diamond project continues in line with the planned schedule and budget, with construction progress at 97.4% compared to the re-baselined plan of 95.2% at the end of the quarter.

Ore processing at Renard commenced on July 15, 2016, with 859,498 tonnes of ore stockpiled.

Construction activities at Renard have now been largely completed and the ramp up of ore processing in the diamond plant has commenced. All of this has been achieved well within schedule and budget. At the project site, the hand-over from construction to operating staff has been achieved smoothly, and our mining activities are progressing satisfactorily, with no recurrence of the localised water inflow issue that hampered the progress of the underground mine ramp at the start of the year. We intend to schedule our first diamond sale based on the progress of the production ramp-up that is achieved over the next few months,  said Matt Manson, President and CEO of Stornoway.



Theodor Lisovoy, Rough&Polished, Moscow




Japan will on Wednesday release June figures for core machine orders and tertiary industry, highlighting a modest day in Asia-Pacific economic activity.

Machine orders are expected to advance 3.3 percent on month and fall 4.4 percent on year after slipping 1.4 percent on month and 11.7 percent on year in May. The tertiary industry index is expected to add 0.3 percent on month after slipping 0.7 percent a month earlier.

Japan also will see July numbers for producer prices, with forecasts suggesting a decline of 0.1 percent on month and 4.0 percent on year after falling 0.1 percent on month and 4.2 percent on year in June.

Australia will see August results for the consumer confidence survey from Westpac Bank, as well as June numbers for home loans.

The Westpac index slipped 3.0 percent in July to a score of 99.1. Home loans fell 1.0 percent on month in May, while investment lending advanced 3.9 percent.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Core machine orders in Japan surged 8.3 percent on month in June, the Cabinet Office said on Wednesday - coming in at 849.8 billion yen.

The headline figure topped forecasts for an increase of 3.2 percent following the 1.4 percent decline in May.

On a yearly basis, core machine orders fell 0.9 percent - but that also topped forecasts for a decline of 4.5 percent following the 11.7 percent drop in the previous month.

The total number of machinery orders, including those volatile ones for ships and from electric power companies, climbed 6.9 percent on month but fell 3.2 percent on year to 995.4 billion yen.

Manufacturing orders climbed 17.7 percent on month but lost 3.8 percent on year to 366.6 billion yen in June, while non-manufacturing orders added 2.1 percent on month and 1.8 percent on year to 483.8 billion yen.

Government orders advanced 12.3 percent on month and shed 8.4 percent on year to 239.3 billion yen. Orders from overseas climbed 10.8 percent on month and declined 16.8 percent on year to 820.5 billion yen. Orders from agencies picked up 12.5 percent on month and 6.9 percent on year to 114.3 billion yen.

Manufacturing orders jumped 17.7 percent on month, while non-manufacturing orders were roughly flat.

For the second quarter of 2016, core machine orders were down 9.2 percent on quarter and 6.5 percent on year.

For the third quarter of 2016, core machine orders are forecast to have climbed 5.2 percent on quarter and 4.8 percent on year.

Also on Wednesday, the Bank of Japan said that producer prices in Japan were flat on month in July - beating forecasts for a decline of 0.1 percent, which would have been unchanged.

On a yearly basis, prices fell 3.9 percent versus forecasts for a decline of 4.0 percent after slipping 4.2 percent in the previous month.

Export prices added 0.2 percent on month and fell 3.4 percent on year, the data showed, while import prices gained 1.4 percent on month but tumbled 10.9 percent on year.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Brenntag AG (BNTGF.PK) reported that its second-quarter profit to shareholders decreased to 101.5 million euros from 107.2 million euros. Earnings per share was 0.66 euros compared to 0.69 euros. Operating EBITDA was 215.8 million euros in the second quarter of 2016, up 0.2% from prior year. On a constant currency basis, this represents an increase of 3.3%.

Brenntag Group generated sales of 2.66 billion euros in the second quarter of 2016, a decrease of 1% on the prior-year period, or, on a constant currency basis, a rise of 2.0%. The company said the sales growth is due to an increase in volumes attributable to the contribution from the acquisitions, particularly J.A.M. Distributing Company, G.H. Berlin-Windward and TAT Group.

Steven Holland, CEO of Brenntag AG, said, "The strong performance in the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions, including strong rates of growth in the existing , shows that our initiatives are paying off. We have made the right decisions and taken measures to ready our business for the future, thereby offsetting weaknesses in individual countries and enabling Brenntag to achieve success even in a challenging macroeconomic environment."

Brenntag forecasts an increase in its operating gross profit and operating EBITDA over 2016 as a whole. Based on current exchange rates, it predicts Group operating EBITDA of between 800 and 840 million euros.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
State Debate: Does the Wisconsin GOP want to be known as Pollution Party? asks blogger James Rowen
Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car

I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ...